Cholesterol-conjugated PEGylated PAMAM as an efficient nanocarrier for plasmid encoding interleukin-12 immunogene delivery toward colon cancer cells

IL-12 is a pleiotropic cytokine, which shows an ideal applicant for tumor immunotherapy, because of its features of creating an interconnection between innate (NK cells) and adaptive (cytotoxic T lymphocyte) immunity. IL-12 gene therapy is a useful technique to deliver an immune-modulatory gene directly into tumor site thereby limiting the adverse effects of systemic administration of IL-12 proteins. One of the most largely investigated non-viral gene carriers is polyamidoamine (PAMAM). In the current research, 5 and 3% of PAMAM primary amines were substituted to transmit the plasmid encoding IL-12 gene to cells by cholesteryl chloroformate and alkyl-PEG, respectively. The features of modified PAMAMs containing size and surface charge density, cytotoxicity, and transfection efficiency were investigated in colon cancer cells. in vitro experiment showed that this modified carrier with average size of about 160 nm and zeta potential of 30 mV was able to increase the level of IL-12 production up to two folds as compared to that of the unmodified PAMAM. Improvement of the polymer hydrophobic balance along with of the modulation of the surface positive charge could provide an efficient and safe non-viral IL-12 gene for colon cancer immunogene therapy.     

Microbial metabolism of quorum-sensing molecules acyl-homoserine lactones, γ-heptalactone and other lactones

The cell-to-cell communication of microorganisms is known to be via exertion of certain chemical compounds (signal molecules) and is referred to as quorum sensing (QS). QS phenomenon is widespread in microbial communities. Several Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria and fungi use lactone-containing compounds (e.g. acyl-homoserine lactones (AHLs), γ-heptalactone, butyrolactone-I) as signalling molecules. The ability of microorganisms to metabolise these compounds and the mechanisms they employ for this purpose are not clearly understood. Many studies, however, have focused on identifying AHL and other lactone-degrading enzymes produced by bacteria and fungi. Various strains that are able to utilise these signalling molecules as carbon and energy sources have also been isolated. In addition, several reports have provided evidence on the involvement of lactones and lactone-degrading enzymes in numerous biological functions. These studies, although focused on processes other than metabolism of lactone signalling molecules, still provide insights into further understanding of the mechanisms employed by various microorganisms to metabolise the QS compounds. In this review, we consider conceivable microbial strategies to metabolise AHL and other lactone-containing signalling molecules such as γ-heptalactones.     

De novo phosphatidylcholine synthesis is required for autophagosome membrane formation and maintenance during autophagy

ABSTRACT

Macroautophagy/autophagy can enable cancer cells to withstand cellular stress and maintain bioenergetic homeostasis by sequestering cellular components into newly formed double-membrane vesicles destined for lysosomal degradation, potentially affecting the efficacy of anti-cancer treatments. Using ¹³C-labeled choline and ¹³C-magnetic resonance spectroscopy and western blotting, we show increased de novo choline phospholipid (ChoPL) production and activation of PCYT1A (phosphate cytidylyltransferase 1, choline, alpha), the rate-limiting enzyme of phosphatidylcholine (PtdCho) synthesis, during autophagy. We also discovered that the loss of PCYT1A activity results in compromised autophagosome formation and maintenance in autophagic cells. Direct tracing of ChoPLs with fluorescence and immunogold labeling imaging revealed the incorporation of newly synthesized ChoPLs into autophagosomal membranes, endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and mitochondria during anticancer drug-induced autophagy. Significant increase in the colocalization of fluorescence signals from the newly synthesized ChoPLs and mCherry-MAP1LC3/LC3 (microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3) was also found on autophagosomes accumulating in cells treated with autophagy-modulating compounds. Interestingly, cells undergoing active autophagy had an altered ChoPL profile, with longer and more unsaturated fatty acid/alcohol chains detected. Our data suggest that de novo synthesis may be required to increase autophagosomal ChoPL content and alter its composition, together with replacing phospholipids consumed from other organelles during autophagosome formation and turnover. This addiction to de novo ChoPL synthesis and the critical role of PCYT1A may lead to development of agents targeting autophagy-induced drug resistance. In addition, fluorescence imaging of choline phospholipids could provide a useful way to visualize autophagosomes in cells and tissues.     

Hydrogels Composed of Cyclodextrin Inclusion Complexes with PLGA-PEG-PLGA Triblock Copolymers as Drug Delivery Systems

Although conventional pharmaceuticals have many drug dosage forms on the market, the development of new therapeutic molecules and the low efficacy of instant release formulations for the treatment of some chronic diseases and specific conditions encourage scientists to invent different delivery systems. To this purpose, a supramolecular hydrogel consisting of the tri-block copolymer PLGA-PEG-PLGA and α-cyclodextrin was fabricated for the first time and characterised in terms of rheological, morphological, and structural properties. Naltrexone hydrochloride and vitamin B12 were loaded, and their release profiles were determined.     

Nucleosomes affect local transformation efficiency

Genetic transformation is a natural process during which foreign DNA enters a cell and integrates into the genome. Apart from its relevance for horizontal gene transfer in nature, transformation is also the cornerstone of today''s recombinant gene technology. Despite its importance, relatively little is known about the factors that determine transformation efficiency. We hypothesize that differences in DNA accessibility associated with nucleosome positioning may affect local transformation efficiency. We investigated the landscape of transformation efficiency at various positions in the Saccharomyces cerevisiae genome and correlated these measurements with nucleosome positioning. We find that transformation efficiency shows a highly significant inverse correlation with relative nucleosome density. This correlation was lost when the nucleosome pattern, but not the underlying sequence was changed. Together, our results demonstrate a novel role for nucleosomes and also allow researchers to predict transformation efficiency of a target region and select spots in the genome that are likely to yield higher transformation efficiency.     

Synergistic apoptotic effect of Mcl-1 inhibition and doxorubicin on B-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia cells

Molecular Biology Reports - Myeloid cell leukemia-1 (MCL-1) is a component of the Bcl-2 anti-apoptotic family that plays a key role in cell proliferation and differentiation. Despite tremendous...