Harvesting and seeding of stochastic populations: analysis and numerical approximation

Journal of Mathematical Biology - We study an ecosystem of interacting species that are influenced by random environmental fluctuations. At any point in time, we can either harvest or seed...     

Elaeocarpus reticulatus fruit extracts reduce viability and induce apoptosis in pancreatic cancer cells in vitro

Molecular Biology Reports - Treatment options for pancreatic cancer (PC) are severely limited due to late diagnosis, early metastasis and the inadequacy of chemotherapy and radiotherapy to combat...     

Highly efficient production of diverse rare ginsenosides using combinatorial biotechnology

The rare ginsenosides are recognized as the functionalized molecules after the oral administration of Panax ginseng and its products. The sources of rare ginsenosides are extremely limited because of low ginsenoside contents in wild plants, hindering their application in functional foods and drugs. We developed an effective combinatorial biotechnology approach including tissue culture, immobilization, and hydrolyzation methods. Rh2 and nine other rare ginsenosides were produced by methyl jasmonate-induced culture of adventitious roots in a 10 L bioreactor associated with enzymatic hydrolysis using six β-glycosidases and their combination with yields ranging from 5.54 to 32.66 mg L⁻¹. The yield of Rh2 was furthermore increased by 7% by using immobilized BglPm and Bgp1 in optimized pH and temperature conditions, with the highest yield reaching 51.17 mg L⁻¹ (17.06% of protopanaxadiol-type ginsenosides mixture). Our combinatorial biotechnology method provides a highly efficient approach to acquiring diverse rare ginsenosides, replacing direct extraction from Panax plants, and can also be used to supplement yeast cell factories.     

VPA1500基因缺失对副溶血弧菌生物学特性和致病性的影响

Ⅵ型分泌系统（T6SS）是细菌的一种毒力因子分泌系统,通过分泌蛋白参与调控细菌的环境适应性和毒力。副溶血弧菌具有两个T6SS系统（T6SS1和T6SS2）。[目的] 前期通过差异蛋白质组学技术筛选到副溶血弧菌T6SS1相关的分泌蛋白,本文选择其中的VPA1500为研究对象,研究其基因缺失对副溶血弧菌的生物学特性及致病性的影响。[方法] 利用同源重组技术构建缺失株ΔVPA1500和互补株CΔVPA1500;分析各菌株生长特性、在体外的细菌竞争能力、运动性、细菌鞭毛相关基因的转录水平及生物被膜形成能力的差异,比较各菌株对细胞毒性、小鼠毒力、动物组织载菌量以及组织病理学变化的影响。[结果] 与野生株相比,VPA1500基因缺失后不影响细菌的生长能力、生物被膜形成能力和群集运动,然而ΔVPA1500的浮泳运动能力显著下降;进一步通过透射电镜观察和实时定量PCR检测发现,VPA1500缺失影响副溶血弧菌鞭毛的形成;细菌竞争实验显示缺失VPA1500基因降低了副溶血弧菌野生株体外对大肠杆菌的杀伤能力;ΔVPA1500对细胞毒性、小鼠毒力以及在动物组织的定殖能力均显著低于野生株,互补株毒力基本恢复至野生株水平;组织病理学结果进一步表明,缺失VPA1500基因能够降低副溶血弧菌对小鼠组织的损伤。[结论] VPA1500参与副溶血弧菌的体外细菌竞争能力、浮游运动能力和致病性。     

CRISPR/Cas系统与结核病防控新措施相关性研究

结核分枝杆菌(Mycobacterium tuberculosis,MTB,以下简称结核杆菌)感染引起的结核病仍然是严重影响人类健康全球性重大传染病。全球约1/4人口是结核杆菌的潜伏感染者。2019年,世界卫生组织(Worldhealthorganization,WHO)报道全球约150万人死于结核病。深入研究结核杆菌生物学有望为结核病防控提供新工具。成簇规律性间隔短回文重复(Clusteredregularlyinterspacedshort palindromic repeats,CRISPR)/Cas是细菌免疫系统的重要成分,在结核杆菌等分枝杆菌中也广泛存在,同时,也是分枝杆菌基因编辑的重要工具。本文结合课题组研究工作,综述了结核杆菌III-A型CRISPR/Cas系统各组分的生物学功能以及与致病的相关性,CRISPR/Cas编辑工具在诊断治疗耐药结核杆菌和结核病防控新措施中的进展。     

Structural insights into the functions of the FANCM-FAAP24 complex in DNA repair

Fanconi anemia (FA) is a genetically heterogeneous disorder associated with deficiencies in the FA complementation group network. FA complementation group M (FANCM) and FA-associated protein 24 kDa (FAAP24) form a stable complex to anchor the FA core complex to chromatin in repairing DNA interstrand crosslinks. Here, we report the first crystal structure of the C-terminal segment of FANCM in complex with FAAP24. The C-terminal segment of FANCM and FAAP24 both consist of a nuclease domain at the N-terminus and a tandem helix-hairpin-helix (HhH)₂ domain at the C-terminus. The FANCM-FAAP24 complex exhibits a similar architecture as that of ApXPF. However, the variations of several key residues and the electrostatic property at the active-site region render a catalytically inactive nuclease domain of FANCM, accounting for the lack of nuclease activity. We also show that the first HhH motif of FAAP24 is a potential binding site for DNA, which plays a critical role in targeting FANCM-FAAP24 to chromatin. These results reveal the mechanistic insights into the functions of FANCM-FAAP24 in DNA repair.     

Lenalidomide overcomes suppression of human natural killer cell anti-tumor functions by neuroblastoma microenvironment-associated IL-6 and TGFβ1

Background

Treatment for children with high-risk neuroblastoma with anti-disialoganglioside mAb ch14.18, IL-2, and GM-CSF plus 13-cis-retinoic acid after myeloablative chemotherapy improves survival, but 40 % of patients still relapse during or after this therapy. The microenvironment of high-risk neuroblastoma tumors includes macrophages, IL-6, and TGFβ1. We hypothesized that this microenvironment suppresses anti-tumor functions of natural killer (NK) cells and that lenalidomide, an immune-modulating drug, could overcome suppression.

Methods

Purified NK cells were cultured with IL-2, neuroblastoma/monocyte-conditioned culture medium (CM), IL-6, TGFβ1, and lenalidomide in various combinations and then characterized using cytotoxicity (direct and antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity), cytokine, flow cytometry, and Western blotting assays. Anti-tumor activity of NK cells with lenalidomide, ch14.18, or both was evaluated with a xenograft model of neuroblastoma.

Results

CM from neuroblastoma/monocyte co-cultures contains IL-6 and TGFβ1 that suppress IL-2 activation of NK cell cytotoxicity and IFNγ secretion. IL-6 and TGFβ1 activate the STAT3 and SMAD2/3 pathways in NK cells and suppress IL-2 induction of cytotoxicity, granzymes A and B release, perforin expression, and IFNγ secretion. Lenalidomide blocks IL-6 and TGFβ1 activation of these signaling pathways and inhibits their suppression of NK cells. Neuroblastoma cells in NOD/SCID mice exhibit activated STAT3 and SMAD2/3 pathways. Their growth is most effectively inhibited by co-injected peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) containing NK cells when mice are treated with both ch14.18 and lenalidomide.

Conclusion

Immunotherapy with anti-tumor cell antibodies may be improved by lenalidomide, which enhances activation of NK cells and inhibits their suppression by IL-6 and TGFβ1.     

Efficacy of postoperative adjuvant transfusion of cytokine-induced killer cells combined with chemotherapy in patients with colorectal cancer

Purpose

To assess the activity and safety of postoperative adjuvant immunotherapy with transfusion of cytokine-induced killer (CIK) cells combined with chemotherapy in patients with colorectal cancer.

Methods

We retrospectively studied 96 consecutive patients with colorectal cancer who were treated with resection between January 2010 and December 2012 as well as adjuvant chemotherapy. Twenty-one of these patients accepted at least 1 cycle of CIK cell transfusion for immunotherapy (CIK group). Disease free survival (DFS), immune cells and treatment related side effects were assessed. The patients were followed up until May 2013.

Results

By the end of follow-up, 10 patients (10.42 %) had died. Eighteen patients (18.75 %) had withdrawn. All the patients in the CIK group are still alive, and only 1 patient had withdrawn. Patients in the CIK group had significantly longer DFS than those in the control group [HR = 0.28, 95 % CI (0.09, 0.91), p = 0.034]. The 2-year DFS rates of patients in the CIK group and the control group were 59.65 ± 24.80 % and 29.35 ± 6.39 %, respectively. The CD4⁺/CD8⁺ ratios were significantly lower during the period of chemotherapy than those before chemotherapy (p = 0.0038), while the ratios were significantly higher during the period of CIK cell transfusion than those before CIK therapy (p = 0.0484). There were no immediate adverse reactions to the CIK cell transfusions.

Conclusion

Adjuvant transfusion of CIK cells prolongs DFS in patients with colorectal cancer.     

DcR3在甲状腺乳头状癌中的表达及临床意义

应用RT-PCR、Westem blot、免疫组化分别检测甲状腺乳头状癌组织与癌旁正常甲状腺组织标本中DcR3mRNA及蛋白的表达情况,探讨DcR3在甲状腺乳头状癌组织中的表达及,临床意义。RT-PCR检测显示,甲状腺乳头状癌中DcR3 mRNA的表达明显高于正常甲状腺组织（P〈0．05）：Western blot提示,DcR3蛋白在甲状腺乳头状癌中表达比正常甲状腺组织高（P〈0．05）;免疫组化显示,DcR3蛋白在甲状腺乳头状癌中高表达（P〈0．05）。DcR3mRNA及蛋白质在甲状腺乳头状癌及正常甲状腺组织间的表达差异有统计学意义（P〈0．05）。DcR3基因及蛋白在甲状腺乳头状癌中高表达,提示DcR3可能促进了甲状腺乳头状癌的发生发展。     

MicroRNA-148a suppresses epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition by targeting ROCK1 in non-small cell lung cancer cells

Recent studies have implied that miRNAs act as crucial modulators for epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT). We found that miR-148a is significantly downregulated in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) compared to adjacent non-cancerous lung tissues, and the downregulated miR-148a was significantly associated with lymph-node metastasis. Functional assays demonstrated that miR-148a inhibited EMT in NSCLC cells. Moreover, miR-148a decreased 3′-untranslated region luciferase activity of ROCK1 and ROCK1 protein expression. Knockdown of ROCK1 reversed EMT resembling that of miR-148a overexpression. Furthermore, ROCK1 was widely upregulated in NSCLC, and its mRNA levels were inversely correlated with miR-148a expression. These findings suggest that miR-148a acts as a novel EMT suppressor in NSCLC cells, at least in part by modulation of ROCK1.