Identification and characterization of proteins isolated from microvesicles derived from human lung cancer pleural effusions

Microvesicles (MVs, also known as exosomes, ectosomes, microparticles) are released by various cancer cells, including lung, colorectal, and prostate carcinoma cells. MVs released from tumor cells and other sources accumulate in the circulation and in pleural effusion. Although recent studies have shown that MVs play multiple roles in tumor progression, the potential pathological roles of MV in pleural effusion, and their protein composition, are still unknown. In this study, we report the first global proteomic analysis of highly purified MVs derived from human nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC) pleural effusion. Using nano‐LC–MS/MS following 1D SDS‐PAGE separation, we identified a total of 912 MV proteins with high confidence. Three independent experiments on three patients showed that MV proteins from PE were distinct from MV obtained from other malignancies. Bioinformatics analyses of the MS data identified pathologically relevant proteins and potential diagnostic makers for NSCLC, including lung‐enriched surface antigens and proteins related to epidermal growth factor receptor signaling. These findings provide new insight into the diverse functions of MVs in cancer progression and will aid in the development of novel diagnostic tools for NSCLC.     

Proteomic and cytokine plasma biomarkers for predicting progression from colorectal adenoma to carcinoma in human patients

In the present study, we screened proteomic and cytokine biomarkers between patients with adenomatous polyps and colorectal cancer (CRC) in order to improve our understanding of the molecular mechanisms behind turmorigenesis and tumor progression in CRC. To this end, we performed comparative proteomic analysis of plasma proteins using a combination of 2DE and MS as well as profiled differentially regulated cytokines and chemokines by multiplex bead analysis. Proteomic analysis identified 11 upregulated and 13 downregulated plasma proteins showing significantly different regulation patterns with diagnostic potential for predicting progression from adenoma to carcinoma. Some of these proteins have not previously been implicated in CRC, including upregulated leucine‐rich α‐2‐glycoprotein, hemoglobin subunit β, Ig α‐2 chain C region, and complement factor B as well as downregulated afamin, zinc‐α‐2‐glycoprotein, vitronectin, and α‐1‐antichymotrypsin. In addition, plasma levels of three cytokines/chemokines, including interleukin‐8, interferon gamma‐induced protein 10, and tumor necrosis factor α, were remarkably elevated in patients with CRC compared to those with adenomatous polyps. Although further clinical validation is required, these proteins and cytokines can be established as novel biomarkers for CRC and/or its progression from colon adenoma.     

胆管结石合并胆管癌的临床特征与诊治分析

目的：探讨胆管结石合并胆管癌的临床特征及诊治方法。方法：回顾性分析2000年1月-2009年12月我院收治的胆管结石合并胆管癌16例患者的临床病理资料。结果：胆管癌的发生率占同期胆管结石患者的3.1%,其临床表现以右上腹疼痛及反复的胆管炎发作为主,但缺乏特异性。术前胆管癌组患者AKP、γ-GT均有不同程度升高,ALT升高12例,总胆红素升高9例,与非胆管癌组相比,AKP、γ-GT、ALT、TBIL均显著升高（P〈0.01）,且胆管癌组术前血清CA19-9及CEA显著高于非胆管癌组（P〈0.01）,而两组间CA125及AFP水平比较无显著差异（P〉0.05）。16例患者中可进行手术治疗10例;其中根治性手术8例,姑息性手术2例。8例根治性手术患者的1、3年生存率分别为78.6%和36.4%;2例姑息性手术患者1、3年生存率分别为50.0%和0%,两组比较具有显著性差异（P〈0.05）。结论：胆管结石合并胆管癌的临床表现缺乏特异性,患者的疗效较差,对血清CA19-9和CEA显著升高者应行病理活检确诊,治疗手段应该力争实行根治性切除,有助于提高患者的生存期。     

肌动蛋白基因和β-微管蛋白基因用于真黏菌系统发育的可行性研究

真黏菌是一类独特的菌物。目前对其进行的系统发育研究主要是基于形态特征,分子水平的系统发育研究上小亚基核糖体RNA基因和蛋白质合成延长因子基因研究相对较多。为了扩充能有效地进行真黏菌系统发育研究的基因资源,探讨了肌动蛋白基因和β-微管蛋白基因用于真黏菌系统发育的可行性。共获得14个基因序列,肌动蛋白基因和β-微管蛋白基因各7个。在GenBank中除多头绒泡菌Physarum polycephalum外并无其他真黏菌的肌动蛋白基因和β-微管蛋白基因序列,研究获得的14个基因序列为真黏菌基因的新序列。系统发育分析表明,肌动蛋白基因能够有效地将无丝菌目、团毛菌目、绒泡菌目和发网菌目区分为4个分支,其中发网菌目为一个独立的进化支,支持了根据子实体发育所认识的真黏菌纲内部具有两条进化路线的观点,因此显示出肌动蛋白基因对于真黏菌系统发育研究的重要价值。     

Tunable Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy via Plasmonic Coupling Between Nanodot-Arrayed Ag Film and Ag Nanocube

Herein, a flexible surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) substrate composed of nanodot-arrayed Ag film and Ag nanocubes was fabricated through a simple method. The large-area nanodot-arrayed Ag film was produced at low cost and high reproducibility. The experimental results show that the coupled structure produces a much stronger SERS signal than the Ag nanocube alone and the isolated nanodot-arrayed Ag film. Furthermore, the coupling effect is sensitive to geometrical parameter of the period of the dot-array. Numerical simulations are performed to verify the electric field enhancement of the composite SERS substrate and support the experimental results.     

Plasmonic Biosensor Based on Triangular Au/Ag and Au/Ag/Au Core/Shell Nanoprisms onto Indium Tin Oxide Glass

Gold–silver core–shell triangular nanoprisms (Au/AgTNPs) were grown onto transparent indium tin oxide (ITO) thin film-coated glass substrate through a seed-mediated growth method without using peculiar binder molecules. The resulting Au/AgTNPs were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, X-ray diffraction, UV–vis spectroscopy, and cyclic voltammograms. The peak of dipolar plasmonic resonance was located at near infrared region of ～700 nm, which showed the refractive index (RI) sensitivity of 248 nm/RIU. Moreover, thin gold shells were electrodeposited onto the surface of Au/AgTNPs in order to stabilize nanoparticles. Compared with the Au/AgTNPs, this peak of localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) was a little red-shift and decreased slightly in intensity. The refractive index sensitivity was estimated to be 287 nm/RIU, which showed high sensitivity as a LSPR sensing platform. Those triangular nanoprisms deposited on the ITO substrate could be further functionalized to fabricate LSPR biosensors. Results of this research show a possibility of improving LSPR sensor by using core–shell nanostructures.     

Role of recombinant plasmid pEGFP-N1-IGF-1 transfection in alleviating osteoporosis in ovariectomized rats

Decreased levels of serum insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) have been proven to cause osteoporosis. Gene transfer of IGF-1 offers an attractive technology to treat skeletal metabolic disorders including osteoporosis, but the viral vectors are limited by their high antigenicity and immune response. Our purpose was to investigate the expression of a non-invasive vector, recombinant plasmid enhanced green fluorescent protein-N1 (pEGFP-N1) that transferred IGF-1 gene into ovariectomized (OVX) rats in vivo and evaluate the effect of this therapy on osteoporosis. OVX or sham operations were performed in 60 female, 7-month-old unmated SD rats. 12 weeks after OVX operation, the vectors were transfected to the 10-month-old rats and experimental data were detected from 48 h to 7 week after transfection. Our results showed that remarkable expression of fluorescence and serum IGF-1 was observed in the rats transfected by recombinant plasmids, indicating that IGF-1 gene was successfully transferred to OVX rats by injecting the vector through hydrodynamic method via the tail vein. The bone metabolism index including serum alkaline phosphatase, the histomorphometric parameters of lumbar vertebra including trabecular area percentage, trabecular thickness, trabecular number and trabecular separation, and the bone mineral density (BMD) and biomechanical parameters of lumbar vertebra including BMD, maximum condensing force, crushing strength in OVX rats transfected by pEGFP-N1-IGF-1 were improved remarkably compared with OVX+pEGFP-N1 rats, indicating that the transfection of recombinant plasmid pEGFP-N1-IGF-1 played a significant role in alleviating osteoporosis in rats induced by OVX. This encouraged a potential approach of IGF-1 gene therapy to the treatment of osteoporosis.     

Classification of mitocans,anti-cancer drugs acting on mitochondria

Mitochondria have emerged as an intriguing target for anti-cancer drugs, inherent to vast majority if not all types of tumours. Drugs that target mitochondria and exert anti-cancer activity have become a focus of recent research due to their great clinical potential (which has not been harnessed thus far). The exceptional potential of mitochondria as a target for anti-cancer agents has been reinforced by the discouraging finding that even tumours of the same type from individual patients differ in a number of mutations. This is consistent with the idea of personalised therapy, an elusive goal at this stage, in line with the notion that tumours are unlikely to be treated by agents that target only a single gene or a single pathway. This endows mitochondria, an invariant target present in all tumours, with an exceptional momentum. This train of thoughts inspired us to define a class of anti-cancer drugs acting by way of mitochondrial ‘destabilisation’, termed ‘mitocans’. In this communication, we define mitocans (many of which have been known for a long time) and classify them into several classes based on their molecular mode of action. We chose the targets that are of major importance from the point of view of their role in mitochondrial destabilisation by small compounds, some of which are now trialled as anti-cancer agents. The classification starts with targets at the surface of mitochondria and ending up with those in the mitochondrial matrix. The purpose of this review is to present in a concise manner the classification of compounds that hold a considerable promise as potential anti-cancer drugs.     

AMPK Is a Negative Regulator of the Warburg Effect and Suppresses Tumor Growth In Vivo

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Highlights? Loss of AMPKα1 cooperates with the Myc oncogene to accelerate lymphomagenesis ? AMPKα dysfunction enhances aerobic glycolysis (Warburg effect) ? Inhibiting HIF-1α reverses the metabolic effects of AMPKα loss ? HIF-1α mediates the growth advantage of tumors with reduced AMPK signaling