Autophagy protects LNCaP cells under androgen deprivation conditions

Androgen plays a critical role in the development and progression of prostate cancer. However, the regulatory role of androgen in the autophagic process and the function of the increased autophagosomes following androgen deprivation remain poorly understood. We found that autophagosomes, which were induced upon serum deprivation in LNCaP cells, can be significantly suppressed by dihydrotestosterone (DHT). Pharmacological inhibition of autophagy by 3-methyladenine led to increased apoptosis of LNCaP cells in serum-free medium compared to the medium with DHT or serum. Additionally, depletion of Beclin 1 to inhibit autophagy by small interfering RNA resulted in a slower proliferation of LNCaP cells in the medium depleted of serum than in the medium with DHT. Altogether, these findings suggested that LNCaP cells can resort to the autophagic pathway to survive under androgen deprivation conditions, which can be a novel mechanism involved in the transition of prostate cancer cells from an androgen-dependent to an androgen-independent cell type.     

Enhancement of RNAi by a small molecule antibiotic enoxacin

Dear Editor,
RNAi has become a mainstream molecular tool for assessing the functions of genes in mammalian cells . Large-scale RNA interference-based analyses are often complicated by false positive and negative hits due to off-target effects and interferon response , which can be attributed at least in part to the use of high concentrations of siRNA. Lowering the amounts of siRNAs and shRNAs can effectively and expediently mitigate the off-target effect and interferon response .     

Stem cells in development of therapeutics for Parkinson's disease: a perspective

Using Parkinson's disease as a prototype of neurodegenerative diseases, we propose applications of human stem cells in the development of therapeutics for neurodegenerative diseases. First, in vitro differentiation of human stem cells offers a versatile model for dissecting molecular interactions underlying human dopamine (DA) neuron specification, which may form a foundation for instigating regeneration of DA neurons from progenitors that reside in the brain. Second, stem cells derived from diseased cells or through genetic modification can serve as a platform for unraveling biochemical processes that lead to the cellular pathogenesis of degeneration. This may in turn serve as a template for identifying or developing therapeutics for slowing, stopping, or reversing the disease process. And finally, stem cells, particularly those induced from patients' own cells, provide a reliable source of DA neurons for cell-based therapy.     

不同烟草品种叶下表皮微形态学特征的研究

利用扫描电镜及光学显微镜对烤烟、晒烟及野生烟共29个品种叶下表皮微形态学特征进行了观察,发现相同类型的烟草品种间表现出一些共同特征,但不同类型的烟草品种间其叶下表皮微形态学特征又存在一定的差异。烤烟气孔外拱盖内缘较丰富,晒烟次之,野生烟在所观察的品种中只有1种类型;烤烟气孔密度和长度的变幅比较大,晒烟则比较稳定;烤烟、晒烟细胞间多有突起,保卫细胞极区常见“T”型加厚,绝大多数有角质环边;而所观察的两个野生烟品种均无细胞间突起,无保卫细胞极区加厚,亦无角质环边。这些观察结果为烟草分类研究提供了有价值的参考依据。同时本文还探讨了烟草亲本与子代之间在叶下表皮微形态学特征上的关联性。     

Characterization of the G‐quadruplex structure of a catalytic DNA with peroxidase activity

It has been reported that the complexes formed by hemin and some G‐quadruplexes can be developed as a new class of DNAzyme with peroxidase activity. This kind of DNAzyme has received a great deal of attention. But to date, the actual G‐quadruplex structure that can provide hemin with enhanced peroxidase activity is in doubt. Herein, the G‐quadruplex structure of CatG4, a 21‐nucleotide DNA oligomer which was previously reported to bind hemin and the resulting complex exhibiting enhanced peroxidase activity, was characterized by fluorescence and circular dichroism measurements. The results suggest that the catalytically active form of CatG4 may be a unimolecular parallel quadruplex rather than a unimolecular chair‐type antiparallel quadruplex or a multistranded parallel quadruplex. In addition, the fluorescence analysis of labeled oligonucleotides may be developed as a supplementary tool for the study of DNA conformations. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Biopolymers 91: 331–339, 2009. This article was originally published online as an accepted preprint. The “Published Online” date corresponds to the preprint version. You can request a copy of the preprint by emailing the Biopolymers editorial office at biopolymers@wiley.com     

A mild, efficient, and selective procedure for transprotection of acetonides to acetates catalyzed with HClO4-SiO2

The transformation of acetonides into acetates is frequently required in synthetic chemistry. An efficient procedure for direct conversion of acetonides into acetates in the presence of HClO₄-SiO₂ under mild conditions was developed. The acetonides of primary hydroxy groups are directly converted to diacetates, and the anomeric acetonides of furanosides are stereoselectively transformed into the corresponding acetyl β-d-furanosides with a 2-acetoxyisopropyl group.     

Effects of arsenate on the growth and microcystin production of Microcystis aeruginosa isolated from Taiwan as influenced by extracellular phosphate

Arsenic pollution and eutrophication are both prominent issues in the aquaculture ponds of Taiwan. It is important to study the effects of arsenic on algal growth and toxin production in order to assess the ecological risk of arsenic pollution, or at least to understand naturally occurring ponds. The sensitivity of algae to arsenate has often been linked to the structural similarities between arsenate and phosphate. Thus, in this study we examined the effects of arsenate (10⁻⁸ to 10⁻⁴ M) on Microcystis aeruginosa TY-1 isolated from Taiwan, under two phosphate regimes. The present study showed that M. aeruginosa TY-1 was arsenate tolerant up to 10⁻⁴ M, and that this tolerance was not affected by extracellular phosphate. However, it seems that extracellular phosphate contributed to microcystin production and leakage by M. aeruginosa in response to arsenate. Under normal phosphate conditions, total toxin yields after arsenate treatment followed a typical inverted U-shape hormesis, with a peak value of 2.25 ± 0.06 mg L⁻¹ in the presence of 10⁻⁷ M arsenate, whereas 10⁻⁸ to 10⁻⁶ M arsenate increased leakage of ∼75% microcystin. Under phosphate starvation, total toxin yields were not affected by arsenate, while 10⁻⁶ and 10⁻⁵ M arsenate stimulated microcystin leakage. It is suggested that arsenate may play a role in the process of microcystin biosynthesis and excretion. Given the arsenic concentrations in aquaculture ponds in Taiwan, arsenate favors survival of toxic M. aeruginosa in such ponds, and arsenate-stimulated microcystin production and leakage may have an impact on the food chain.