Effects of a gamma-secretase inhibitor of notch signalling on transforming growth factor β1-induced urethral fibrosis

Urethral stricture (US) is a common disorder of the lower urinary tract in men caused by fibrosis. The recurrence rate of US is high; however, there are no effective therapies to prevent or treat urethral fibrosis. The pathogenesis of urethral fibrosis involves myofibroblast activation and excessive extracellular matrix (ECM) deposition. The molecular mechanisms underlying this pathological activation are not completely understood. It has been demonstrated that Notch signalling contributes to the development of fibrosis and inflammation. However, whether this contributes to urethral fibrosis remains unclear. In this study, activation of Notch signalling was observed in patients with US. Additionally, it was noted that activation of Notch signalling promoted ECM production and myofibroblast activation in human urethral scar fibroblasts (HUSFs) treated with transforming growth factor (TGF) β1. However, the Notch inhibitor N-[N-(3,5-difluorophenacetyl)-L-alanyl]-S-phenylglycine t-butyl ester (DAPT) suppressed activation of Notch signalling as well as proliferation and migration of the TGFβ1-treated HUSFs. Additionally, DAPT ameliorated TGFβ1-induced urethral fibrosis in Sprague Dawley rats by suppressing ECM production, myofibroblast activation and the TGFβ signalling pathway. These findings demonstrate that Notch signalling may be a promising and potential target in the prevention or treatment of urethral fibrosis.     

蜘蛛多肽毒素JZTX-51和JZTX-26的重组表达和纯化

为建立一种简便、快速且能大量获得富含二硫键的蜘蛛多肽毒素JZTX-26 (35 aa)和JZTX-51 (27 aa)的有效方法,利用PCR的方法克隆成熟肽编码基因并插入至大肠杆菌Escherichia coli表达载体pMAL-p2x中与MBP(麦芽糖结合蛋白)标签融合,构建重组表达质粒pMAL-jz26和pMAL-jz51。在受体菌TB1和BL21(DE3)中对两个重组表达质粒分别进行IPTG诱导表达,通过Amylose亲和层析柱纯化并进行SDS-PAGE分析;采用因子X对融合蛋白进行酶切后通过分子筛以及反相高效液相色谱对两种重组蛋白进行纯化。通过MALDI-TOF-TOF质谱鉴定,表达产物的分子量与预期的多肽理论分子量一致。1L表达培养液中能获得大约5mg纯化的目的蛋白JZTX-26或JZTX-51。结果表明利用该原核表达体系可对蜘蛛毒素基因jztx-26和jztx-51进行融合表达,并对重组蛋白进行亲和层析,为采用基因工程的手段大量获得蜘蛛多肽毒素奠定了基础。     

Genotyping DNA isolated from UV irradiated human bloodstains using whole genome amplification

Molecular Biology Reports - Analysis of DNA polymorphisms are the primary technique used for personal identification in forensic cases. However, DNA samples collected as evidence from crime scenes...     

SELECTION OF RESISTANCE STRAINS IN LIPOSCELIS BOSTRYCHOPHILA BADONNEL TO CO2-ENRICHED ATMOSPHERES*

Abstract Adults of the psocid Liposcelis bostrychophila Badonnel were exposed to atmospheres containing 35% and 55% CO₂ for 30 generations to select strains resistant to high CO₂ content (HCC). Selection pressure was maintained at around 70% of mortality. At the 30th generation, comparison of sensitivities between the selected strains (HCC₁ and HCC₂) and the original susceptible strain (MA-S) revealed a resistance factor (RF) at the 50% mortality level (LT₅₀) of 4. 6-and 5. 3-folds, respectively. Throughout the selection process, log-time against probit-mortality lines remained roughly parallel and the slopes remained lower than that of MA-S strain until the last generation. It is inplied that the genetic potential of L. bostrychophila to develop resistance to CO₂ was not exhausted until the 30th generation. Removal of selection pressure for 5 generations from 2 sub-populations of two selected strains from the 25th generation caused significant reduction in resistance. In the absence of MAs exposure, the two selected strains (HCC₁ and HCC₂) possessed the fitness defect. HCC₁ and HCC₂ were calculated by R₀ to have a fitness value of 0. 52 and 0. 45 relative to MA-S.     

Real-time imaging nuclear translocation of Akt1 in HCC cells

Akt is one of the critical mediators in cellular signaling, and overactivation of Akt related pathway frequently occurs in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). In this study, we presented that Akt was upregulated in HCC cell lines, and its active phosphorylated form was mainly located in the nucleus. Employing the laser confocal techniques for imaging intracellular protein dynamics, we monitored the transnuclear movement of GFP-tagged wild-type Akt1 (Akt1-WT-GFP) and its inactive mutant (Akt1-T308A/S473A-GFP) in live SMMC-7721 HCC cells, and both of fusion proteins were found to distribute over the cytoplasm and nucleus. Moreover, it was found that platelet derived growth factor (PDGF) was able to accelerate the nuclear translocation of wild-type Akt1 in HCC cells but failed to speed up the motion of the mutant. It was demonstrated that activation of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) and Akt1 facilitated the nuclear translocation of Akt1, but the phosphorylation at threonine 308 and serine 473 was not prerequisite.     

麦角固醇高产菌株的构建及其培养优化条件的研究

通过初筛、单倍体分离、诱变及酵母菌种间原生质体融合技术构建了2株麦角固醇产量明显提高的优良菌株YEF-21和YEF-29。并对YEF-21的培养优化条件进行了研究。结果表明在优化的实验条件下YEF-21的生物量及麦角固醇含量的综合值分别为原始亲株YE227和YE180的1.54和1.55倍。经遗传稳定性分析,没有发现标记基因的分离现象,从而证明获得的融合菌株是遗传稳定的,是具有一定实际应用价值的麦角固醇高产菌株。     

影响陕西种源香椿硬枝插条培养生产芽菜因素的研究

试验结果表明,陕西种源香椿硬枝插条在温室进行芽菜培育休眠芽萌发的最低温度指标为16.8℃,有效积温39.6℃。培养液;（NH4）2SO40.6g/L (NH4)H2PO40.45g/L KH2PO41.1g/L CaSO40.6g/L MgSO40.5g/L,其效果较其它溶液为好。     

A positive feedback loop of lncRNA-RMRP/ZNRF3 axis and Wnt/β-catenin signaling regulates the progression and temozolomide resistance in glioma

Drug resistance strikingly limits the therapeutic effect of temozolomide (TMZ) (a common drug for glioma). Long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) RMRP has been found to be implicated in glioma progression. However, the effect of RMRP on TMZ resistance along with related molecular mechanisms is poorly defined in glioma. In the present study, RMRP, ZNRF3, and IGF2BP3 were screened out by bioinformatics analysis. The expression levels of lncRNAs and mRNAs were measured by RT-qPCR assay. Protein levels of genes were detected by western blot and immunofluorescence assays. ZNRF3 mRNA stability was analyzed using Actinomycin D assay. Cell proliferative ability and survival rate were determined by CCK-8 assay. Cell apoptotic pattern was estimated by flow cytometry. The effect of RMRP knockdown on the growth of TMZ-treated glioma xenograft tumors was explored in vivo. The relationships of IGF2BP3, RMRP, and ZNRF3 were explored by bioinformatics prediction analysis, RNA immunoprecipitation, luciferase, and RNA pull-down, and chromatin immunoprecipitation assays. The results showed that RMRP was highly expressed in glioma. RMRP knockdown curbed cell proliferation, facilitated cell apoptosis and reduced TMZ resistance in glioma cells, and hindered the growth of TMZ-treated glioma xenograft tumors. RMRP exerted its functions by down-regulating ZNRF3 in glioma cells. IGF2BP3 interacted with RMRP and ZNRF3 mRNA. IGF2BP3 knockdown weakened the interaction of Argonaute 2 (Ago2) and ZNRF3. RMRP reduced ZNRF3 expression and mRNA stability by IGF2BP3. RMRP knockdown inhibited β-catenin expression by up-regulating ZNRF3. The inhibition of Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway by XAV-939 weakened RMRP-mediated TMZ resistance in glioma cells. β-catenin promoted RMRP expression by TCF4 in glioma cells. In conclusion, RMRP/ZNRF3 axis and Wnt/β-catenin signaling formed a positive feedback loop to regulate TMZ resistance in glioma. The sustained activation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling by RMRP might contribute to the better management of cancers.Subject terms: Drug regulation, Long non-coding RNAs