Production of soluble matriptase by human cancer cell lines and cell surface activation of its zymogen by trypsin

The membrane-bound serine proteinase matriptase, which is often released from the plasma membrane of epithelial and carcinoma cells, has been implicated to play important roles in both physiological and pathological conditions. However, the regulatory mechanism of its activity is poorly understood. In the present study, we examined expression and activation state of soluble matriptase in 24 human cancer cell lines. Soluble matriptase was detected in the conditioned media from all of 5 colon and 4 breast carcinoma cell lines and 8 of 10 stomach carcinoma cell lines tested. Only two of five lung cancer cell lines released the matriptase protein into the culture media. Out of the five matriptase-negative cell lines, two cell lines expressed the matriptase mRNA. Among 24 cancer cell lines tested, 13 cell lines secreted trypsin in an active or latent form and all of them released matriptase. Most of the 24 cell lines released a latent, single-chain matriptase of 75 kDa as a major form, as well as low levels of complex forms of an activated two-chain enzyme with its specific inhibitor HAI-1. Thus, these soluble matriptases appeared to have little proteolytic activity. Treatment of stomach and colon cancer cell lines with epidermal growth factor stimulated the release of matripatase/HAI-1 complexes. In cancer cell lines secreting active trypsin, however, matriptase was released mostly as an inhibitor-free, two-chain active form. Trypsin seemed to activate the membrane-bound, latent matriptase on the cell surface. These results suggest that matriptase and trypsin cooperatively function for extracellular proteolysis.     

Development of a metabolic network design and optimization framework incorporating implementation constraints: a succinate production case study

We have developed a pathway design and optimization scheme that accommodates genetically and/or environmentally derived operational constraints. We express the full set of theoretically optimal pathways in terms of the underlying elementary flux modes and then examine the sensitivity of the optimal yield to a wide class of physiological perturbations. Though the scheme is general it is best appreciated in a concrete context: we here take succinate production as our model system. The scheme produces novel pathway designs and leads to the construction of optimal succinate production pathway networks. The model predictions compare very favorably with experimental observations.     

小鼠-牛体细胞种间核移植

本文探讨了小鼠-牛异质胚构建的简便方法及小鼠体细胞核在牛卵母细胞中重新编程的可能性。以牛的卵母细胞为细胞质供体,用去除透明带及徒手切割的方法去核,设定电压1.5 KV/cm,脉冲时间40μsec,与小鼠皮肤成纤维细胞进行电融合的融合率为67.44%,卵裂率为30.23%。融合细胞经离子酶素-6-DMAP激活,用微滴内压制做窝的方法培养小鼠皮肤成纤维细胞异质胚,异质胚的最终发育阶段为8细胞期。结果表明,去透明带牛卵母细胞经切割法去核,可用于小鼠异质胚构建;微滴内做窝的体外培养方法可避免无透明带胚胎的聚合。     

LPA induces osteoblast differentiation through interplay of two receptors: LPA1 and LPA4

The bioactive phospholipid, lysophosphatidic acid (LPA), acting through at least five distinct receptors LPA1–LPA5, plays important roles in numerous biological processes. Here we report that LPA induces osteoblastic differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells hMSC‐TERT. We find that hMSC‐TERT mostly express two LPA receptors, LPA1 and LPA4, and undergo osteoblastic differentiation in serum‐containing medium. Inhibition of LPA1 with Ki16425 completely abrogates osteogenesis, indicating that this process is mediated by LPA in the serum through activation of LPA1. In contrast to LPA1, down‐regulation of LPA4 expression with shRNA significantly increases osteogenesis, suggesting that this receptor normally exerts negative effects on differentiation. Mechanistically, we find that in hMSC‐TERT, LPA induces a rise in both cAMP and Ca²⁺. The rise in Ca²⁺ is completely abolished by Ki16425, whereas LPA‐mediated cAMP increase is not sensitive to Ki16425. To test if LPA signaling pathways controlling osteogenesis in vitro translate into animal physiology, we evaluated the bones of LPA4‐deficient mice. Consistent with the ability of LPA4 to inhibit osteoblastic differentiation of stem cells, LPA4‐deficient mice have increased trabecular bone volume, number, and thickness. J. Cell. Biochem. 109: 794–800, 2010. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

PACS的高级预防维护技术

目的 通过讨论PACS高级预防维护技术,供同他人在日常维护过程中有一定地借鉴作用.方法 从PACS数据库性能检测与优化,存储设备检测及PACS各应用软件模块三方面进行阐述.结果 经过医院一线安装维护人员和PACS厂家多年实践的总结,拥有一定的可参考依据.结论 PACS的高级预防维护是一个复杂的系统工程,包括一般维护和高级维护在内的实践理论才刚刚起步,科学的、规范化的预防维护需要不断地完善和发展.     

Crystal structure of a truncated urease accessory protein UreF from Helicobacter pylori

Urease plays a central role in the pathogenesis of Helicobacter pylori in humans. Maturation of this nickel metalloenzyme in bacteria requires the participation of the accessory proteins UreD (termed UreH in H. pylori), UreF, and UreG, which form sequential complexes with the urease apoprotein as well as UreE, a metallochaperone. Here, we describe the crystal structure of C‐terminal truncated UreF from H. pylori (residues 1–233), the first UreF structure to be determined, at 1.55 Å resolution using SAD methods. UreF forms a dimer in vitro and adopts an all‐helical fold congruent with secondary structure prediction. On the basis of evolutionary conservation analysis, the structure reveals a probable binding surface for interaction with other urease components as well as key conserved residues of potential functional relevance. Proteins 2010. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

Intrauterine programming of ageing

Ageing is an unavoidable corollary to being alive; the most intuitive interpretation of ageing being that it is the consequence of progressive body degeneration. In agreement with this, current models propose that ageing occurs through a stepwise accumulation of DNA damage, which ultimately limits the regenerative capacity of tissues. On the other hand, there is increasing evidence that fetal distress can influence the development of disease in adult life, a phenomenon known as ‘intrauterine programming’. The extent to which an intrauterine exposure to DNA damage can compromise lifespan remains unclear. My group has recently generated a murine model of a human syndrome linked to defective DNA repair and observed that these animals age prematurely, but the accumulation of DNA damage is restricted mostly to the embryonic period. Here, I discuss the implications of this finding and propose that ageing can be influenced by fetal distress.     

Genetic association between bovine NOD2 polymorphisms and infection by Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis in Holstein‐Friesian cattle

Nucleotide‐Binding Oligomerization Domain 2 (NOD2) has been reported to be a candidate gene for Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP) infection in a Bos taurus × Bos indicus mixed breed based on a genetic association with the c.2197T>C single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP). Nevertheless, this SNP has also been reported to be monomorphic in the B. taurus species. In the present work, 18 SNPs spanning the bovine NOD2 gene have been analysed in a genetic association study of two independent populations of Holstein‐Friesian cattle. We found that the C allele of SNP c.*1908C>T, located in the 3′‐UTR region of the gene, is significantly more frequent in infected animals than in healthy ones, which supports the idea that the bovine NOD2 gene plays a role in susceptibility to MAP infection. However, in silico analyses of the NOD2 nucleotide sequence did not yield definitive data about a possible direct effect of SNP c.*1908C>T on susceptibility to infection and led us to consider its linkage disequilibrium with the causative variant. A more exhaustive genetic association study including all putative, functional SNPs from this gene and subsequent functional analyses needs to be conducted to achieve a more complete understanding of how different variants of NOD2 may affect susceptibility to MAP infection in cattle.     

Alavesia Waters and Arillo–a Cretaceous‐era genus discovered extant on the Brandberg Massif,Namibia (Diptera: Atelestidae)

Two new extant species of the fossil genus Alavesia Waters & Arillo (A. brandbergensis sp.n. and A. daura sp.n. ) are described from the Brandberg Massif, Namibia. The genus is reassigned to the family Atelestidae (subfamily Atelestinae) on the basis of male terminalia (elongate gonocoxal apodemes, ventral apodemes, subapical surstylus), female terminalia (absence of tergum 10) and a three‐articled stylus. This is the first record of Atelestidae from the Afrotropical Region. A genus‐level phylogeny of the Atelestidae is resolved, in which Alavesia is the sister genus to the remaining genera of the Atelestinae. The biogeographic history of the genus is briefly discussed, as is the significance of this and other relict Diptera on the Brandberg.     

Mechanisms of antimicrobial resistance and genetic relatedness among enterococci isolated from dogs and cats in the United States

Aims: In this study, mechanisms of antimicrobial resistance and genetic relatedness among resistant enterococci from dogs and cats in the United States were determined. Methods and Results: Enterococci resistant to chloramphenicol, ciprofloxacin, erythromycin, gentamicin, kanamycin, streptomycin, lincomycin, quinupristin/dalfopristin and tetracycline were screened for the presence of 15 antimicrobial resistance genes. Five tetracycline resistance genes [tet(M), tet(O), tet(L), tet(S) and tet(U)] were detected with tet(M) accounting for approx. 60% (130/216) of tetracycline resistance; erm(B) was also widely distributed among 96% (43/45) of the erythromycin‐resistant enterococci. Five aminoglycoside resistance genes were also detected among the kanamycin‐resistant isolates with the majority of isolates (25/36; 69%) containing aph(3′)‐IIIa. The bifunctional aminoglycoside resistance gene, aac(6′)‐Ie‐aph(2″)‐Ia, was detected in gentamicin‐resistant isolates and ant(6)‐Ia in streptomycin‐resistant isolates. The most common gene combination among enterococci from dogs (n = 11) was erm(B), aac(6′)‐Ie‐aph(2″)‐Ia, aph(3′)‐IIIa, tet(M), while tet(O), tet(L) were most common among cats (n = 18). Using pulsed‐field gel electrophoresis (PFGE), isolates clustered according to enterococcal species, source and antimicrobial gene content and indistinguishable patterns were observed for some isolates from dogs and cats. Conclusion: Enterococci from dogs and cats may be a source of antimicrobial resistance genes. Significance and Impact of the Study: Dogs and cats may act as reservoirs of antimicrobial resistance genes that can be transferred from pets to people. Although host‐specific ecovars of enterococcal species have been described, identical PFGE patterns suggest that enterococcal strains may be exchanged between these two animal species.