P53 mutations in colorectal cancer from northern Iran: Relationships with site of tumor origin, microsatellite instability and K-ras mutations

CRC-associated P53 mutations have not been studied extensively in non-Western countries at relatively low CRC risk. We examined, for the first time, 196 paraffin-embedded CRC cases from Northern Iran for mutations in P53 exons 5-8 using PCR-direct sequencing. P53 status and mutation site/type were correlated with nuclear protein accumulation, clinicopathologic variables and data on K-ras mutations and high-level microsatellite instability (MSI-H). We detected 96 P53 mutations in 87 (44.4%) cases and protein accumulation in 84 cases (42.8%). P53 mutations correlated directly with stage and inversely with MSI-H. Distal CRCs were more frequently mutated at major CpG hotspot codons [248 (8/66, 12.1%), 175 (7/66, 10.6%), and 245 (7/66, 10.6%)], while in proximal tumors codon 213, emerged as most frequently mutated (5/28, 17.9% vs. 3/66, 4.5%, P = 0.048). Transitions at CpGs, the most common mutation type, were more frequent in non-mucinous (25% vs. 10.4% in mucinous, P = 0.032), and distal CRC (27% vs. 12.5% in proximal, P = 0.02), and correlated with K-ras transversions. Transitions at non-CpGs, second most common P53 mutation, were more frequent in proximal tumors (15.6% vs. 4.7% in distal, P = 0.01), and correlated with K-ras transitions and MSI-H. Overall frequency and types of mutations and correlations with P53 accumulation, stage and MSI-H were as reported for non-Iranian patients. However P53 mutation site/type and correlations between P53 and K-ras mutation types differed between proximal and distal CRC. The codon 213 P53 mutation that recurred in proximal CRC was previously reported as frequent in esophageal cancer from Northern Iran.     

Distribution of Serotonin Receptor of Type 6 (5-HT6) in Human Brain Post-mortem. A Pharmacology, Autoradiography and Immunohistochemistry Study

The aim of this study was to investigate the distribution of serotonin (5-HT) receptors of type 6 (5-HT(6)) in postmortem human prefrontal cortex, striatum and hippocampus. The brain samples were obtained from 6 subjects who had died for causes not involving primarily or secondarily the CNS. The 5-HT(6) receptor distribution was explored by the [(125)I]SB-258585 binding to brain membranes followed by the pharmacological characterization, where possible, and by autoradiographic, immunohistochemical and immunofluorescence evaluations. A specific and saturable [(125)I]SB-258585 binding was detected in striatum only, with a pharmacological characterization consistent with that of a 5-HT(6) receptor. The autoradiography showed the presence of a specific [(125)I]SB-258585 binding distributed homogeneously in caudate, putamen and accumbens. The immunohistochemistry, carried out in the striatum only, coupled with the immunofluorescence with glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and parvalbumin (PV) showed the co-localization of 5-HT(6) receptor with PV, while indicating that this receptor subtype was expressed in neurons and not in astrocytes. Taken together, the present findings showed the presence of a higher density of 5-HT(6) receptors, as labeled by [(125)I]SB-258585, in striatum than in hippocampus and prefrontal cortex, and specifically within the neuronal body. In addition, they would suggest that striatum is one of the major potential CNS targets linked to 5-HT(6) receptor modulation.     

Casein Kinase 2 dependent phosphorylation of eIF4B regulates BACE1 expression in Alzheimer’s disease

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common age-related neurodegenerative disorder. Increased Aβ production plays a fundamental role in the pathogenesis of the disease and BACE1, the protease that triggers the amyloidogenic processing of APP, is a key protein and a pharmacological target in AD. Changes in neuronal activity have been linked to BACE1 expression and Aβ generation, but the underlying mechanisms are still unclear. We provide clear evidence for the role of Casein Kinase 2 in the control of activity-driven BACE1 expression in cultured primary neurons, organotypic brain slices, and murine AD models. More specifically, we demonstrate that neuronal activity promotes Casein Kinase 2 dependent phosphorylation of the translation initiation factor eIF4B and this, in turn, controls BACE1 expression and APP processing. Finally, we show that eIF4B expression and phosphorylation are increased in the brain of APPPS1 and APP-KI mice, as well as in AD patients. Overall, we provide a definition of a mechanism linking brain activity with amyloid production and deposition, opening new perspectives from the therapeutic standpoint.Subject terms: Kinases, Alzheimer''s disease, Neuronal physiology, Pathogenesis     

Long Tree-Ring Chronologies Provide Evidence of Recent Tree Growth Decrease in a Central African Tropical Forest

It is still unclear whether the exponential rise of atmospheric CO₂ concentration has produced a fertilization effect on tropical forests, thus incrementing their growth rate, in the last two centuries. As many factors affect tree growth patterns, short -term studies might be influenced by the confounding effect of several interacting environmental variables on plant growth. Long-term analyses of tree growth can elucidate long-term trends of plant growth response to dominant drivers. The study of annual rings, applied to long tree-ring chronologies in tropical forest trees enables such analysis. Long-term tree-ring chronologies of three widespread African species were measured in Central Africa to analyze the growth of trees over the last two centuries. Growth trends were correlated to changes in global atmospheric CO₂ concentration and local variations in the main climatic drivers, temperature and rainfall. Our results provided no evidence for a fertilization effect of CO₂ on tree growth. On the contrary, an overall growth decline was observed for all three species in the last century, which appears to be significantly correlated to the increase in local temperature. These findings provide additional support to the global observations of a slowing down of C sequestration in the trunks of forest trees in recent decades. Data indicate that the CO₂ increase alone has not been sufficient to obtain a tree growth increase in tropical trees. The effect of other changing environmental factors, like temperature, may have overridden the fertilization effect of CO₂.     

Assessing Mitochondrial DNA Variation and Copy Number in Lymphocytes of ~2,000 Sardinians Using Tailored Sequencing Analysis Tools

DNA sequencing identifies common and rare genetic variants for association studies, but studies typically focus on variants in nuclear DNA and ignore the mitochondrial genome. In fact, analyzing variants in mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) sequences presents special problems, which we resolve here with a general solution for the analysis of mtDNA in next-generation sequencing studies. The new program package comprises 1) an algorithm designed to identify mtDNA variants (i.e., homoplasmies and heteroplasmies), incorporating sequencing error rates at each base in a likelihood calculation and allowing allele fractions at a variant site to differ across individuals; and 2) an estimation of mtDNA copy number in a cell directly from whole-genome sequencing data. We also apply the methods to DNA sequence from lymphocytes of ~2,000 SardiNIA Project participants. As expected, mothers and offspring share all homoplasmies but a lesser proportion of heteroplasmies. Both homoplasmies and heteroplasmies show 5-fold higher transition/transversion ratios than variants in nuclear DNA. Also, heteroplasmy increases with age, though on average only ~1 heteroplasmy reaches the 4% level between ages 20 and 90. In addition, we find that mtDNA copy number averages ~110 copies/lymphocyte and is ~54% heritable, implying substantial genetic regulation of the level of mtDNA. Copy numbers also decrease modestly but significantly with age, and females on average have significantly more copies than males. The mtDNA copy numbers are significantly associated with waist circumference (p-value = 0.0031) and waist-hip ratio (p-value = 2.4×10^-5), but not with body mass index, indicating an association with central fat distribution. To our knowledge, this is the largest population analysis to date of mtDNA dynamics, revealing the age-imposed increase in heteroplasmy, the relatively high heritability of copy number, and the association of copy number with metabolic traits.     

The effects of ATP and sodium chloride on the cytochrome c-cardiolipin interaction: the contrasting behavior of the horse heart and yeast proteins

In cells a portion of cytochrome c (cyt c) (15–20%) is tightly bound to cardiolipin (CL), one of the phospholipids constituting the mitochondrial membrane. The CL-bound protein, which has nonnative tertiary structure, altered heme pocket, and disrupted Fe(III)-M80 axial bond, is thought to play a role in the apoptotic process. This has attracted considerable interest in order to clarify the mechanisms governing the cyt c–CL interaction. Herein we have investigated the binding reaction of CL with the c-type cytochromes from horse heart and yeast. Although the two proteins possess a similar tertiary architecture, yeast cyt c displays lower stability and, contrary to the equine protein, it does not bind ATP and lacks pro-apoptotic activity. The study has been performed in the absence and in the presence of ATP and NaCl, two compounds that influence the (horse cyt c)-CL binding process and, thus, the pro-apoptotic activity of the protein. The two proteins behave differently: while CL interaction with horse cyt c is strongly influenced by the two effectors, no effect is observed for yeast cyt c. It is noteworthy that NaCl induces dissociation of the (horse cyt c)–CL complex but has no influence on that of yeast cyt c. The differences found for the two proteins highlight that specific structural factors, such as the different local structure conformation of the regions involved in the interactions with either CL or ATP, can significantly affect the behavior of cyt c in its reaction with liposomes and the subsequent pro-apoptotic action of the protein.     

Computational, spectroscopic, and resonant mirror biosensor analysis of the interaction of adrenodoxin with native and tryptophan-modified NADPH-adrenodoxin reductase

In steroid hydroxylation system in adrenal cortex mitochondria, NADPH-adrenodoxin reductase (AR) and adrenodoxin (Adx) form a short electron-transport chain that transfers electrons from NADPH to cytochromes P-450 through FAD in AR and [2Fe-2S] cluster in Adx. The formation of [AR/Adx] complex is essential for the electron transfer mechanism in which previous studies suggested that AR tryptophan (Trp) residue(s) might be implicated. In this study, we modified AR Trps by N-bromosuccinimide (NBS) and studied AR binding to Adx by a resonant mirror biosensor. Chemical modification of tryptophans caused inhibition of electron transport. The modified protein (AR*) retained the native secondary structure but showed a lower affinity towards Adx with respect to AR. Activity measurements and fluorescence data indicated that one Trp residue of AR may be involved in the electron transferring activity of the protein. Computational analysis of AR and [AR/Adx] complex structures suggested that Trp193 and Trp420 are the residues with the highest probability to undergo NBS-modification. In particular, the modification of Trp420 hampers the correct reorientation of AR* molecule necessary to form the native [AR/Adx] complex that is catalytically essential for electron transfer from FAD in AR to [2Fe-2S] cluster in Adx. The data support an incorrect assembly of [AR*/Adx] complex as the cause of electron transport inhibition.     

Soluble TNF-like cytokine (TL1A) production by immune complexes stimulated monocytes in rheumatoid arthritis

TNF-like cytokine (TL1A) is a newly identified member of the TNF superfamily of ligands that is important for T cell costimulation and Th1 polarization. However, despite increasing information about its functions, very little is known about expression of TL1A in normal or pathological states. In this study, we report that mononuclear phagocytes appear to be a major source of TL1A in rheumatoid arthritis (RA), as revealed by their strong TL1A expression in either synovial fluids or synovial tissue of rheumatoid factor (RF)-seropositive RA patients, but not RF-/RA patients. Accordingly, in vitro experiments revealed that human monocytes express and release significant amounts of soluble TL1A when stimulated with insoluble immune complexes (IC), polyethylene glycol precipitates from the serum of RF+/RA patients, or with insoluble ICs purified from RA synovial fluids. Monocyte-derived soluble TL1A was biologically active as determined by its capacity to induce apoptosis of the human erythroleukemic cell line TF-1, as well as to cooperate with IL-12 and IL-18 in inducing the production of IFN-gamma by CD4(+) T cells. Because RA is a chronic inflammatory disease with autoimmune etiology, in which ICs, autoantibodies (including RF), and various cytokines contribute to its pathology, our data suggest that TL1A could be involved in its pathogenesis and contribute to the severity of RA disease that is typical of RF+/RA patients.     

Diiron and diruthenium aminocarbyne complexes containing pseudohalides: stereochemistry and reactivity

Acetonitrile is easily displaced from [Fe₂{μ-CN(Me)(R)}(μ-CO)(CO)(MeCN)(Cp)₂][SO₃CF₃] (R = 2,6-Me₂C₆H₃ (Xyl) (1a); Me (1b)) upon stirring in THF at room temperature in the presence of [NBu₄][SCN]. The resulting complexes trans-[Fe₂{μ-CN(Me)(R)}(μ-CO)(CO)(NCS)(Cp)₂] (R = Xyl (trans-2a); Me (trans-2b)) are completely isomerised to cis-[Fe₂{μ-CN(Me)(R)}(μ-CO)(CO)(NCS)(Cp)₂] (R = Xyl (cis-2a); Me (cis-2b)) when heated at reflux temperature. Similarly, the complexes cis-[M₂{μ-CN(Me)(R)}(μ-CO)(CO)(NCO)(Cp)₂] (M = Fe, R = Me (4a); M = Ru, R = Xyl (4b); M = Ru, R = Me (4c)) and cis-[M₂{μ-CN(Me)(R)}(μ-CO)(CO)(N₃)(Cp)₂] (M = Fe, R = Xyl (5a); M = Fe, R = Me (5b); M = Ru, R = Xyl (5c)) can be obtained by heating at reflux temperature a THF solution of [M₂{μ-CN(Me)(R)}(μ-CO)(CO)(MeCN)(Cp)₂][SO₃CF₃] (M = Fe, R = Xyl (1a); M = Fe, Me (1b); M = Ru, R = Xyl (1c); M = Ru, R = Me (1d)) in the presence of NaNCO and NaN₃, respectively. The reactions of 5 with MeO₂CCCCO₂Me, HCCCO₂Me and (NC)(H)CC(H)(CN) afford the triazolato complexes [M₂{μ-CN(Me)(R)}(μ-CO)(CO){N₃C₂(CO₂Me)₂}(Cp)₂] (M = Fe, R = Xyl (6a); M = Fe, R = Me (6b); M = Ru, R = Xyl (6c)), [M₂{μ-CN(Me)(R)}(μ- CO)(CO){N₃C₂(H)(CO₂Me)}(Cp)₂] (M = Fe, R = Me (7a); M = Ru, R = Xyl (7b)) and [Fe₂{μ-CN(Me)(Xyl)}(μ-CO)(CO){N₃C₂(H)(CN)}(Cp)₂] (8), respectively. The asymmetrically substituted triazolato complexes 7-8 are obtained as mixtures of N(1) and N(2) bonded isomers, whereas 6 exists only in the N(2) form. Methylation of 6-8 results in the formation of the triazole complexes [Fe₂{μ-CN(Me)(Xyl)}(μ-CO)(CO){N₃(Me)C₂(CO₂Me)₂}(Cp)₂][CF₃SO₃] (9), [M₂{μ-CN(Me)(R)}(μ-CO)(CO){N₃(Me)C₂(H)(CO₂Me)}(Cp)₂][CF₃SO₃] (M = Fe, R = Me (10a); M = Ru, R = Xyl (10b)) and [Fe₂{μ-CN(Me)(Xyl)}(μ-CO)(CO){N₃(Me)C₂(H)(CN)}(Cp)₂][CF₃SO₃], 11. The crystal structures of trans-2b, 4b · CH₂Cl₂, 5a, 6b · 0.5CH₂Cl₂ and 8 · CH₂Cl₂ have been determined.     

Cell Survival and Polarity of Drosophila Follicle Cells Require the Activity of Ecdysone Receptor B1 Isoform

Proper assembly and maintenance of epithelia are critical for normal development and homeostasis. Here, using the Drosophila ovary as a model, we identify a role for the B1 isoform of the ecdysone receptor (EcR-B1) in this process. We performed a reverse genetic analysis of EcR-B1 function during oogenesis and demonstrate that silencing of this receptor isoform causes loss of integrity and multilayering of the follicular epithelium. We show that multilayered follicle cells lack proper cell polarity with altered distribution of apical and basolateral cell polarity markers including atypical-protein kinase C (aPKC), Discs-large (Dlg), and Scribble (Scrib) and aberrant accumulation of adherens junctions and F-actin cytoskeleton. We find that the EcR-B1 isoform is required for proper follicle cell polarity both during early stages of oogenesis, when follicle cells undergo the mitotic cell cycle, and at midoogenesis when these cells stop dividing and undergo several endocycles. In addition, we show that the EcR-B1 isoform is required during early oogenesis for follicle cell survival and that disruption of its function causes apoptotic cell death induced by caspase.