Natural proteasome inhibitor celastrol suppresses androgen-independent prostate cancer progression by modulating apoptotic proteins and NF-kappaB

Background

Celastrol is a natural proteasome inhibitor that exhibits promising anti-tumor effects in human malignancies, especially the androgen-independent prostate cancer (AIPC) with constitutive NF-κB activation. Celastrol induces apoptosis by means of proteasome inhibition and suppresses prostate tumor growth. However, the detailed mechanism of action remains elusive. In the current study, we aim to test the hypothesis that celastrol suppresses AIPC progression via inhibiting the constitutive NF-κB activity as well as modulating the Bcl-2 family proteins.

Methodology/Principal Findings

We examined the efficacy of celastrol both in vitro and in vivo, and evaluated the role of NF-κB in celastrol-mediated AIPC regression. We found that celastrol inhibited cell proliferation in all three AIPC cell lines (PC-3, DU145 and CL1), with IC₅₀ in the range of 1–2 µM. Celastrol also suppressed cell migration and invasion. Celastrol significantly induced apoptosis as evidenced by increased sub-G1 population, caspase activation and PARP cleavage. Moreover, celastrol promoted cleavage of the anti-apoptotic protein Mcl-1 and activated the pro-apoptotic protein Noxa. In addition, celastrol rapidly blocked cytosolic IκBα degradation and nuclear translocation of RelA. Likewise, celastrol inhibited the expression of multiple NF-κB target genes that are involved in proliferation, invasion and anti-apoptosis. Celastrol suppressed AIPC tumor progression by inhibiting proliferation, increasing apoptosis and decreasing angiogenesis, in PC-3 xenograft model in nude mouse. Furthermore, increased cellular IκBα and inhibited expression of various NF-κB target genes were observed in tumor tissues.

Conclusions/Significance

Our data suggest that, via targeting the proteasome, celastrol suppresses proliferation, invasion and angiogenesis by inducing the apoptotic machinery and attenuating constitutive NF-κB activity in AIPC both in vitro and in vivo. Celastrol as an active ingredient of traditional herbal medicine could thus be developed as a new therapeutic agent for hormone-refractory prostate cancer.     

增订中国仓库害虫和益虫的初步名录

引言 1941年作者搜集各方面有关国内仓库害虫分布的文献和根据亲身在川、湘、黔等省的调查的结果,曾编成“中国仓库及益虫一览”一表,在“推广通讯”杂志上发表,表中列举国内已经记载的仓库害虫84种和益虫7种,不久钱念曾氏又把这81     

超声波辅助提取盐地碱蓬红色素的工艺研究

为了探讨超声波对盐地碱蓬红色素提取效果的影响,为进一步提取纯化盐地碱蓬红色素提供一定的理论依据,通过单因素和正交实验,研究了不同提取时间、温度、液固比和功率下超声波辅助对盐地碱蓬红色素提取的影响.结果表明:各因素对红色素提取效果的影响程度依次为液田比>温度>功率>时间;最佳提取工艺条件为提取时间50 min,提取温度50℃,液固比15 mL/g,超声功率800 W.超声波对盐地碱蓬红色素的提取具有一定的促进作用.     

猪链球菌1、2、14、1/2型荚膜多糖的单糖组成比较

【目的】猪链球菌1、2、14和1/2型间存在单向或双向的交叉抗原性,这种交叉抗原性的产生原因至今未被揭示。【方法】采用Sephacryl S-300凝胶层析柱对猪链球菌14和1/2型荚膜多糖进行分离纯化,经苯酚-硫酸检测和dot-ELISA辅助鉴定,确定荚膜多糖成分。采用高效凝胶渗透色谱法测定14和1/2型猪链球菌荚膜多糖分子量分别为487.38 kDa和512.72 kDa。【结果】经柱前衍生高效液相色谱法、荧光标记液相色谱法和核磁共振测定14和1/2型猪链球菌荚膜多糖单糖组成分别为:Glc/Gal/GlcNAc/Rha/Neu5Ac(1∶2.94∶1.35∶0.24∶0.37)和Glc/Gal/GlcNAc/GalNAc/Rha/Neu5Ac(1∶1.67∶1.05∶0.93∶0.72∶0.7)。并与已知的猪链球菌1、2型荚膜多糖的单糖组成进行比较分析,发现4种血清型荚膜多糖都具有Glc、GlcNAc、Gal和Neu5Ac,但单糖组成和比列并无明显相似性,这种交叉抗原性可能是由于荚膜多糖的空间结构相似性和(或)细胞表面的其他成分引起的。     

Nucleotide sequence structure and consistency of a developmentally regulated DNA deletion in Tetrahymena thermophila.

DNA deletion by site-specific chromosome breakage and rejoining occurs extensively during macronuclear development in the ciliate Tetrahymena thermophila. We have sequenced both the micronuclear (germ line) and rearranged macronuclear (somatic) forms of one region from which 1.1 kilobases of micronuclear DNA are reproducibly deleted during macronuclear development. The deletion junctions lie within a pair of 6-base-pair direct repeats. The termini of the deleted sequence are not inverted repeats. The precision of deletion at the nucleotide level was also characterized by hybridization with a synthetic oligonucleotide matching the determined macronuclear (rejoined) junction sequence. This deletion occurs in a remarkably sequence-specific manner. However, a very minor degree of variability in the macronuclear junction sequences was detected and was shown to be inherent in the mechanism of deletion itself. These results suggest that DNA deletion during macronuclear development in T. thermophila may constitute a novel type of DNA recombination and that it can create sequence heterogeneity on the order of a few base pairs at rejoining junctions.     

Paleogene fossil fruits of Stephania (Menispermaceae) from North America and East Asia

Stephania Loureiro is a large genus within Menispermaceae, with approximately 60 extant species naturally distributed in tropical to subtropical areas in Asia and Africa, and a few in Oceania. This genus possesses highly characteristic endocarps that facilitate identification of extant and fossil specimens. Here, we report some well-preserved fossil fruits of Stephania from North America and East Asia. The specimens indicate the endocarps were bony or woody with an obovate to obovate-rotund outline and a horseshoe-shaped locule. The endocarp length varies from 4.7 to 8.3 mm, and width from 3.7 to 7.0 mm. The endocarp has a clear foramen in the central area and is surrounded by a keel with ribs running along the dorsal surface. Only one lateral crest develops on each side of the endocarp. Two new species are recognized: Stephania wilfii Han & Manchester sp. nov. from the Paleocene to Eocene of Wyoming (USA), and Stephania jacquesii Han & Manchester sp. nov. disjunct between the late Eocene of Oregon (USA) and the late Oligocene of Guangxi Province (China). In addition, on the basis of more detailed morphological comparative analyses, we transfer the fossils formerly treated as Diploclisia auriformis (Hollick) Manchester from the early Eocene of London Clay, and the middle Eocene of Alaska and Oregon to Stephania auriformis (Hollick) Han & Manchester comb. nov. These fossil materials indicate a broader biogeographic distribution for the ancestors of extant Stephania lineages. This finding enhances our knowledge of the taxonomic and morphological diversity of Stephania and provides new evidence concerning its phytogeographic history.