Clinical Significance of Circulating Serum Levels of sCD95 and TNF-α in Cytoprotection of Cervical Cancer

Background:This study correlates the serum levels of sCD95 & TNF-α with a simple cell-based assay to evaluate the capacity of the serum sample to induce apoptosis in Jurkat cells. Interlinking of these parameters can be explored to design a minimum invasive diagnostic strategy for cervical cancer (CC).Methods:Sera samples were assessed to induce apoptosis in Jurkat cells through FACS. Serum levels of sCD95 and TNF-α were measured by ELISA. JNK phosphorylation was evaluated in sera incubated Jurkat cells. Data was scrutinized through statistical analysis.Results:Significantly higher serum levels of sCD95 and lower TNF-α levels were observed in CC patients; their sera samples inhibited induction of apoptosis in Jurkat cells through reduced JNK phosphorylation. Statistical analysis linked these three parameters for the early screening of CC.Conclusion:Distinct sera levels of sCD95 & TNF-α in CC patients showed an anti-apoptotic effect, which can be considered for early detection of CC.Key Words: Apoptosis, sCD95, Jurkat Cells, Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha, Uterine Cervical Neoplasms     

A requirement for ankyrin binding to clathrin during coated pit budding

Recent studies suggest that the mobility of clathrin-coated pits at the cell surface are restricted by an actin cytoskeleton and that there is an obligate reduction in the amount of spectrin on membranes during coated pit budding. The spectrin-actin cytoskeleton associates with membranes primarily through ankyrins, which interact with the cytoplasmic region of numerous integral membrane proteins. We now report that the fourth repeat domain (D4) of ankyrin(R) binds to the N-terminal domain of clathrin heavy chain with high affinity. Addition of peptides containing the D4 region inhibited clathrin-coated pit budding in vitro. In addition, microinjection of D4 containing peptides blocked the endocytosis of fluorescent low density lipoprotein (LDL). Ankyrin(R) peptides that contained repeat domains other than D4 had no effect on either in vitro budding or internalization of LDL. Finally, immunofluorescence shows that ankyrin is uniformly associated with endosomes that contain fluorescent LDL. These results suggest that ankyrin plays a role in the budding of clathrin-coated pits during endocytosis.     

The innate immunity of a marine red alga involves oxylipins from both the eicosanoid and octadecanoid pathways

The oxygenated derivatives of fatty acids, known as oxylipins, are pivotal signaling molecules in animals and terrestrial plants. In animal systems, eicosanoids regulate cell differentiation, immune responses, and homeostasis. In contrast, terrestrial plants use derivatives of C18 and C16 fatty acids as developmental or defense hormones. Marine algae have emerged early in the evolution of eukaryotes as several distinct phyla, independent from the animal and green-plant lineages. The occurrence of oxylipins of the eicosanoid family is well documented in marine red algae, but their biological roles remain an enigma. Here we address the hypothesis that they are involved with the defense mechanisms of the red alga Chondrus crispus. By investigating its association with a green algal endophyte Acrochaete operculata, which becomes invasive in the diploid generation of this red alga, we showed that (1) when challenged by pathogen extracts, the resistant haploid phase of C. crispus produced both C20 and C18 oxylipins, (2) elicitation with pathogen extracts or methyl jasmonate activated the metabolism of C20 and C18 polyunsaturated fatty acids to generate hydroperoxides and cyclopentenones such as prostaglandins and jasmonates, and (3) C20 and C18 hydroperoxides as well as methyl jasmonate did induce shikimate dehydrogenase and Phe ammonialyase activities in C. crispus and conferred an induced resistance to the diploid phase, while inhibitors of fatty acid oxidation reduced the natural resistance of the haploid generation. The dual nature of oxylipin metabolism in this alga suggests that early eukaryotes featured both animal- (eicosanoids) and plant-like (octadecanoids) oxylipins as essential components of innate immunity mechanisms.     

The effect of C2-fluoro group on the biological activity of DC-81 and its dimers

C2-Fluoro substituted pyrrolobenzodiazepines (PBDs) have been synthesized that exhibit potential anticancer activity in a number of human tumour cell lines. These C2-fluoro substituted PBDs also exhibit significant DNA-binding ability.     

Pyrrolo[2,1-c][1,4]benzodiazepine-anthraquinone conjugates. Synthesis, DNA binding and cytotoxicity

New pyrrolobenzodiazepine-anthraquinone hybrids have been designed and synthesized, found to effectively bind to DNA and also exhibit cytotoxicity against many cancer cell lines     

Synthesis of fluorinated analogues of SJG-136 and their DNA-binding potential

A series of C2-exo-fluorounsaturated pyrrolobenzodiazepines (PBDs) have been synthesized. These C2-exo-fluorounsaturated PBD dimers have exhibited remarkable DNA-binding affinity.     

Silencing of hygromycin phosphotransferase (hph) gene during sexual cycle and its reversible inactivation in heterokaryon of Neurospora crassa

We transformed wild-type Neurospora crassa with hph gene encoding hygromycin phosphotransferase to obtain hygromycin-resistant (HygR) transformants and studied their behavior in the vegetative and sexual phases of growth. During vegetative growth in the absence of hygromycin, the hph gene was stable for at least three successive transfers with conidia. On the other hand, the behavior of the transformants in the sexual phase was different. The segregation of hph gene in the meiotic progeny was in accordance with the Mendelian ratio as inferred from PCR analysis. However, in spite of inheriting the hph gene, a proportion of the meiotic progeny failed to grow in the presence of hygromycin. This suggested that the hph gene is silenced in some progeny. The silencing effect was not confined to hph gene expression, since one-half of the meiotic progeny also showed poor conidiation. Genomic Southern analysis indicated deletions/rearrangements of the transgene in the progeny. A heterokaryon between silenced and non-silenced strains was able to grow on hygromycin-containing medium, showing that silencing was recessive. Silencing was reversed in homokaryotic nuclei extracted from such heterokaryon.     

Synthesis of 4beta-amido and 4beta-sulphonamido analogues of podophyllotoxin as potential antitumour agents

The new 4beta-amido analogues of podophyllotoxin or 4'-O-demethylepipodophyllotoxin have been prepared either by the coupling of 4beta-amino podophyllotoxin or 4beta-amino-4'-O-demethyl epipodophyllotoxin with the corresponding acids in presence of DCC in dichloromethane or by treating the appropriate acid chloride or sulphonyl chloride in presence of Et(3)N. These 4beta-amido and 4beta-sulphonamido derivatives of podophyllotoxin have been evaluated for their cytotoxicity against six human cancer cell lines. Some of these analogues have shown promising anticancer activity.     

Engineered recombinant peanut protein and heat-killed Listeria monocytogenes coadministration protects against peanut-induced anaphylaxis in a murine model

Peanut allergy (PNA) is the major cause of fatal and near-fatal anaphylactic reactions to foods. Traditional immunotherapy using peanut (PN) protein is not an option for PNA therapy because of the high incidence of adverse reactions. We investigated the effects of s.c. injections of engineered (modified) recombinant PN proteins and heat-killed Listeria monocytogenes (HKLM) as an adjuvant on anaphylactic reactions in a mouse model of PN allergy. PN-allergic C3H/HeJ mice were treated s.c. with a mixture of the three major PN allergens and HKLM (modified (m)Ara h 1-3 plus HKLM). The effects on anaphylactic reactions following PN challenge and the association with Ab levels and cytokine profiles were determined. Although all mice in the sham-treated groups exhibited anaphylactic symptoms with a median symptom score of 3, only 31% of mice in the mAra h 1-3 plus HKLM group developed mild anaphylaxis, with a low median symptom score of 0.5. Alterations in core body temperature, bronchial constriction, plasma histamine, and PN-specific IgE levels were all significantly reduced. This protective effect was markedly more potent than in the mAra h 1-3 protein alone-treated group. HKLM alone did not have any protective effect. Reduced IL-5 and IL-13, and increased IFN-gamma levels were observed only in splenocytes cultures from mAra h 1-3 plus HKLM-treated mice. These results show that immunotherapy with modified PN proteins and HKLM is effective for treating PN allergy in this model, and may be a potential approach for treating PNA.     

Ebselen inhibits NO-induced apoptosis of differentiated PC12 cells via inhibition of ASK1-p38 MAPK-p53 and JNK signaling and activation of p44/42 MAPK and Bcl-2

Ebselen, a selenium-containing heterocyclic compound, prevents ischemia-induced cell death. However, the molecular mechanism through which ebselen exerts its cytoprotective effect remains to be elucidated. Using sodium nitroprusside (SNP) as a nitric oxide (NO) donor, we show here that ebselen potently inhibits NO-induced apoptosis of differentiated PC12 cells. This was associated with inhibition of NO-induced phosphatidyl Serine exposure, cytochrome c release, and caspase-3 activation by ebselen. Analysis of key apoptotic regulators during NO-induced apoptosis of differentiated PC12 cells showed that ebselen blocks the activation of the apoptosis signaling-regulating kinase 1 (ASK1), and inhibits phosphorylation of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and c-jun N-terminal protein kinase (JNK). Moreover, ebselen inhibits NO-induced p53 phosphorylation at Ser15 and c-Jun phosphorylation at Ser63 and Ser73. It appears that inhibition of p38 MAPK and p53 phosphorylation by ebselen occurs via a thiol-redox-dependent mechanism. Interestingly, ebselen also activates p44/42 MAPK, and inhibits the downregulation of the antiapoptotic protein Bcl-2 in SNP-treated PC12 cells. Together, these findings suggest that ebselen protects neuronal cells from NO cytotoxicity by reciprocally regulating the apoptotic and antiapoptotic signaling cascades.