MiR‐616‐3p modulates cell proliferation and migration through targeting tissue factor pathway inhibitor 2 in preeclampsia

Objectives

Despite improvements in diagnosis and treatment, preeclampsia (PE) continues to pose a significant risk of maternal and foetal morbidity and mortality if not addressed promptly. An increasing number of studies have suggested that tissue factor pathway inhibitor 2 (TFPI2) acts as a suppressor gene, possibly inhibiting multiple serine proteases affecting cell proliferation and migration. It plays an essential role in the occurrence and development of PE, but the pathogenesis remains unclear.

Materials and methods

In our research, we performed western blotting, immunohistochemistry and qPCR assays to investigate TFPI2 and miR‐616‐3p expression in preeclamptic placental tissues. Cell assays were performed in HTR‐8/SVneo and JEG3 cell lines. Cell proliferation and migration events were investigated by MTT, EdU and transwell assays. In conjunction with bioinformatics analysis, luciferase reporter assays were performed to elucidate the mechanism by which miR‐616‐3p binds to TFPI2 mRNA.

Results

We established that TFPI2 protein levels were significantly upregulated in PE placental tissues. In addition, we found that miR‐616‐3p binds specifically to the 3′‐UTR region of TFPI2 mRNA. Furthermore, miR‐616‐3p knockdown or TFPI2 overexpression substantially impaired cell growth and migration, whereas miR‐616‐3p upregulation or TFPI2 knockdown stimulated cell proliferation and migration. This miR‐616‐3p / TFPI2 axis was also found to affect the epithelial‐mesenchymal transition process in PE.

Conclusions

Our results demonstrated that TFPI2 plays a vital role in the progression of PE and might provide a prospective therapeutic strategy to mitigate the severity of the disorder.

     

两种类型聚半乳糖醛酸酶的提纯及性质

黑曲霉(AspergilluS niger)AS 3.3883所产果胶酶经DEAE Sephadex A50及Sephadex G100柱层析分离出电泳纯的两种聚半乳糖醛酸酶(PG1,PG2),并对它们的性质及结构进行了比较研究。结果证明两种酶作用的最适条件、动力学性质、分子量、氨基酸组成及金属离子对酶活力影响等方面有很大差异,但二者的每个摩尔的活力及酶的构象很相似。     

台湾乳白蚁肠道鞭毛虫群落结构及三种研究方法的比较

大量鞭毛虫栖息在低等白蚁肠道内, 是白蚁赖以生存的共生微生物。不同种类的鞭毛虫共同作用形成了一套降解食物的系统, 为宿主提供营养和能量。研究鞭毛虫群落结构是揭示其各组成种类生理功能的基础。利用形态特征进行物种鉴定受鞭毛虫生长发育阶段、 样品制备方法等多种因素的影响, 而基于分子标记的分子生物学方法能不受这些因素的制约来研究复杂的微生物群落。本研究结合形态特征鉴定和分子生物学方法研究台湾乳白蚁Coptotermes formosanus肠道鞭毛虫群落结构, 并对这些方法进行了比较。通过光学显微镜和扫描电子显微镜进行形态观察鉴定, 确定了台湾乳白蚁肠道内的3种鞭毛虫, 分别为伪披发虫Pseudotrichonympha grassii、 全鞭毛虫Holomastigotoides mirabile和旋披发虫Spirotrichonympha leidyi。18S rDNA文库限制性片段长度多态性分析较形态鉴定能够反映群落更复杂的物种多样性。利用光学显微镜进行细胞计数较18S rDNA文库克隆数能更准确地反映各种鞭毛虫数量, 每头工蚁肠道内平均含伪披发虫780±179头, 全鞭毛虫1 630±391头, 旋披发虫2 950±1 003头。本研究建立了光学显微镜形态鉴定和18S rDNA分子标记相结合调查鞭毛虫多样性和数量的方法, 为进一步研究白蚁肠道共生生物的功能奠定了基础。     

The altered activity of complex III may contribute to the high penetrance of Leber's hereditary optic neuropathy in a Chinese family carrying the ND4 G11778A mutation

The ND4 G11778A mutation is the most common mitochondrial DNA mutation leading to Leber's hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON). Despite considerable clinical evidences, the modifier role of nuclear background and mitochondrial haplotypes in phenotypic manifestation of LHON remains poorly understood. We investigated the effect of these modifiers on bioenergetics in lymphoblastoid cell lines derived from five affected subjects of one Chinese family carrying the G11778A mutation and five Chinese controls. Significant reductions in the activities of complexes I and III were observed in mutant cell lines from the Chinese family, whereas the mutant cell lines from other families carrying the same mutation exhibited only reduced activity of complex I. The reduced activities of complexes I and III caused remarkably higher reductions of ATP synthesis in mutant cell lines from the Chinese family than those from other families. The deficient respiration increased generation of reactive oxygen species. The defect in complex III activity, likely resulting from the mitochondrial haplotype or nuclear gene alteration, worsens mitochondrial dysfunction caused by the G11778A mutation, thereby causing extremely high penetrance and expressivity of optic neuropathy in this Chinese family. Our data provide the first experimental evidence that altered activity of complex III modulates the phenotypic manifestation of LHON-associated G11778A mutation. Thus, our findings may provide new insights into the pathophysiology of LHON.     

粪便微生物宏基因组来源的热稳定性邻苯二酚1,2-双加氧酶异源表达及酶学性质

【目的】克隆倭蜂猴粪便微生物宏基因组的邻苯二酚1,2-双加氧酶基因cat PLCgl,并对该酶进行异源表达及酶学特性研究。【方法】利用宏基因组高通量测序技术获得cat PLCgl,并对其氨基酸序列进行分析。将cat PLCgl重组到载体p EASY-E2中并转化到大肠杆菌BL21(DE3)中异源表达,研究其酶学性质。【结果】cat PLCgl全长852 bp,G+C含量48%,编码283个氨基酸,理论分子量为33.56 k D。重组Cat PLCgl酶学性质分析显示最适作用p H为7.0,其中在p H 7.0–10.0范围内处理1 h后,酶活剩余90%以上;最适作用温度为40°C,在25°C和40°C条件下稳定性较好,耐受210 h酶活性几乎不变。重组酶在最适条件下的动力学参数K_m、V_(max)和k_(cat)分别为24.9μmol/L、8.3 mmol/(min·g)和13.7 s~(-1);Fe~(2+)、Hg~(2+)、Cu~(2+)、Triton X-100、SDS、Ag+强烈抑制该酶活性,而其它金属离子及有机试剂影响较小。【结论】从倭蜂猴粪便微生物宏基因组中克隆得到邻苯二酚1,2-双加氧酶基因cat PLCgl,并对重组Cat PLCgl酶学性质进行研究,该酶具有较好的热稳定性和耐碱性,在降解环境中的邻苯二酚和生产顺,顺-己二烯二酸方面具有应用潜力。     

产壳聚糖酶菌株的筛选、鉴定及酶学特性分析

【目的】利用筛选培养基,从福建沿海潮间带泥样中分离筛选产壳聚糖酶的菌株,并研究菌株的产酶特性。【方法】通过形态学观察,结合26S rDNA序列进行分类鉴定,采用DNS法测定酶活力。【结果】筛选得到产壳聚糖酶的菌株KQ-1002与草酸青霉(Penicillium oxalicum)的同源性为99%,并初步鉴定为青霉属的一种。发酵培养的最适温度为30°C,最适碳源为1.0%水溶性壳聚糖,最适氮源为1.87%(NH4)2SO4,最适pH为6.0。该菌株液体发酵培养72 h产壳聚糖酶活性最高,经优化后最高产酶量为18 U/mL。纯化后的壳聚糖酶经SDS-PAGE分析其分子量约40 kD。酶促反应最适pH为5.0,最适反应温度为55°C,Km值为1.293 g/L。在离子浓度为1.0×10 3mol/L时,金属离子Cu2+、Hg2+、Ag+对酶的活性均有强烈的抑制作用。壳聚糖酶对不同底物及脱乙酰度的壳聚糖具有不同的降解作用。【结论】筛选获得产壳聚糖酶的真菌菌株KQ-1002的壳聚糖酶活力经优化后提高了约7倍,是一株具有研究和应用潜力的产壳聚糖酶菌株。     

苔藓植物对环境变化的响应及适应性研究进展

苔藓植物由于其结构相对简单,对环境变化的反应较为敏感,是一类良好的生物指示植物.本文综述了水分、光照、温度等方面的环境因子变化对苔藓植物的影响以及苔藓植物对环境污染的响应及适应的最近研究进展,以期促进国内深入开展苔藓植物对环境污染和全球变化的响应、适应及其生态指示作用等研究.     

GADD45α mediates arsenite‐induced cell apoptotic effect in human hepatoma cells via JNKs/AP‐1‐dependent pathway

Arsenite (As(III)), an effective chemotherapeutic agent for the acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) and multiple myeloma (MM), might be also a promise for the therapy of other cancers, including the solid tumors. However, the molecular bases of arsenite‐induced cytotoxicity in the tumor cells have not been fully defined. In this study, we have disclosed that arsenite effectively induces the apoptotic response in the HepG2 human hepatoma cells by triggering GADD45α induction and the subsequent activation of JNKs/AP‐1 cell death pathway. However, signaling events relating to GADD45α/JNKs/AP‐1 pathway activation have not been observed in HL7702 human diploid hepatic cells under the same arsenite exposure condition. Our results thus have illustrated the selective pro‐apoptotic role of arsenite in the hepatoma cells by activating GADD45α‐dependent cell death pathway whereas with little effect on the normal hepatic cells. The approaches to up‐regulate GADD45α levels might be helpful in improving the chemotherapeutic action of arsenite on certain solid tumors including hepatoma. J. Cell. Biochem. 109: 1264–1273, 2010. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.