Involvement of the membrane fluidity of lactosylceramide-targeted liposomes in their intrahepatic uptake

Incorporation of N-lignoceroyldihydrolactocerebroside (lactosylceramide) enhanced liver uptake of small unilamellar liposomes consisting of dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine, cholesterol and dicetyl phosphate (molar ratio, 4:5:1). The increase in liver uptake was mostly accounted for by an enhanced uptake into the parenchymal cells. The enhancing effects of lactosylceramide on uptake of the liposomes into liver in vivo and into isolated parenchymal cells in vitro were greater with dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine-based liposomes than with dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine-based ones. In contrast, addition of lactosylceramide had no significant effect on egg phosphatidylcholine vesicle uptake. The stimulated uptake of lactosylceramide liposomes by parenchymal cells was counteracted by added asialofetuin. These observations suggest that transfer of the targeted liposomes via a galactose-specific receptor into parenchymal cells may be controlled by the membrane fluidity of the liposomes.     

Chronic ethanol administration decreases fatty acyl-CoA desaturase activities in rat liver microsomes

The Δ⁹-desaturase system in liver microsome from rats treated chronically with ethanol was studied. Stearoyl-CoA desaturase activity decreased by 80% and palmitoyl-CoA desaturase activity was not detectable in microsomes from ethanol-fed rats, while activities of electron transport components such as NADH-cytochrome c and NADH-ferricyanide reductases remained unchanged. However, chronic ethanol administration resulted in an adaptive induction of the activity of NADPH-cytochrome c reductase and the contents of cytochrome b₅ and P-450. The activity of the terminal component (cyanide-sensitive factor; CSF) of the desaturase system was greatly depressed by ethanol treatment. The NADH/NAD ratio in microsomes of ethanol-fed rats increased over 2-fold. These results suggest that, during chronic ethanol ingestion, decreased activities of Δ⁹-desaturases are due mainly to a decreased content of the terminal component of the desaturase system.     

Cisplatin induces production of reactive oxygen species via NADPH oxidase activation in human prostate cancer cells

This study aimed to examine the roles of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in cisplatin treatment of human prostate cancer cells; hormone-sensitive LNCaP and hormone-refractory PC3 and DU145 cells. Intracellular levels of ROS and H(2)O(2) were measured and visualized using specific fluorescent probes. NADPH oxidase (NOX) activity was detected by lucigenin chemiluminescence assay. Expression levels of NOX isoforms were determined by semi-quantitative RT-PCR. Cisplatin treatment increased the intracellular levels of ROS and H(2)O(2) in three prostate cancer cell lines. The increase was transient and robust in hormone-sensitive LNCaP cells compared with hormone-refractory PC3 and DU145 cells. Consistent with these findings, the NOX activity induced by cisplatin was higher in LNCaP cells than in PC3 and DU145 cells. Expression pattern of NOX isoforms varied among three cell lines and the NOX activity was independent of NOX expression. Taken together, we have shown that cisplatin induces production of ROS and H(2)O(2) via NOX activation in human prostate cancer cell lines, which is most prominent in hormone-sensitive LNCaP cells.     

Eupalinin A isolated from Eupatorium chinense L. induces autophagocytosis in human leukemia HL60 cells

Eupalinin A, a natural phytoalexin included in Eupatorium chinense L., exhibited a marked inhibitory effect on cell growth in HL60 cells. The morphological aspects of eupalinin A-treated cells evaluated by Hoechst 33342 nuclear staining indicated cell death, only a small part of which showed a typical apoptosis with nuclear fragmentation and condensation. To determine what type of cell death is caused by eupalinin A, we examined the contribution of caspases, Bcl-2 family proteins, MAP kinase, and PI3K/Akt, and mitochondrial membrane potential to this cell death. As a result, most part of the cell death was not associated with apoptosis because of caspase independence and no death factor released from mitochondria. Electron microscopic study indicated a characteristic finding of autophagy such as the formation of autophagosomes. Furthermore, the level of microctubule-associated-protein light chain 3 (LC3) II protein and monodancylcanaverin (MDC) incorporation were gradually increased with reduction of mitochondrial membrane potential by the accumulation of intracellular ROS after eupalinin A treatment. From these results, we can conclude that eupalinin A-induced cell death was mainly due to autophagy, which was initiated by increased ROS, resulting in the perturbation of mitochondrial membrane potential. Since the class III PI3K inhibitor such as 3-MA or LY294002 did not inhibit the eupalinin A-induced type II programmed cell death (PCD II), it was suggested that the PCD II was executed by Beclin-1 independent pathway of damage-induced mitochondrial autophagy (mitophagy).     

Expression of parsley flavone synthase I establishes the flavone biosynthetic pathway in Arabidopsis thaliana

Arabidopsis thaliana lacks the flavone biosynthetic pathway, probably because of a lack or low activity of a flavone synthase. To establish this biosynthetic pathway in Arabidopsis, we subjected this model plant to transformation with the parsley gene for flavone synthase type I (FNS-I). Transgenic seedlings expressing FNS-I were cultured in liquid medium with or without naringenin, and plant extracts were then analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography. In contrast to wild-type seedlings, the transgenic seedlings accumulated substantial amounts of apigenin, which is produced from naringenin by FNS-I, and the apigenin level correlated with the abundance of FNS-I mRNA in three different transgenic lines. These results indicate that the FNS-I transgene produces a functional enzyme that catalyzes the conversion of naringenin to apigenin in Arabidopsis. These FNS-I transgenic lines should prove useful in investigating the in vivo functions of enzymes that mediate the synthesis of the wide variety of flavones found in other plants.     

QGP-1 cells release 5-HT via TRPA1 activation; a model of human enterochromaffin cells

Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry - Recently, we discovered that transient receptor potential ankyrin1 channel (TRPA1) is highly expressed in human and rat enterochromaffin (EC) cells, and those...     

Connective tissue growth factor promotes articular damage by increased osteoclastogenesis in patients with rheumatoid arthritis

Introduction

A protein analysis using a mass spectrometry indicated that there are serum proteins showing significant quantitative changes after the administration of infliximab. Among them, connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) seems to be related to the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Therefore, this study was conducted to investigate how CTGF is associated with the disease progression of RA.

Methods

Serum samples were collected from RA patients in active or inactive disease stages, and before or after treatments with infliximab. CTGF production was evaluated by ELISA, RT-PCR, indirect immunofluorescence microscopy, and immunoblotting. Osteoclastogenesis was evaluated using tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) staining, a bone resorption assay and osteoclasts specific catalytic enzymes productions.

Results

The serum concentrations of CTGF in RA were greater than in normal healthy controls and disease controls. Interestingly, those were significantly higher in active RA patients compared to inactive RA patients. Furthermore, the CTGF levels significantly were decreased by infliximab concomitant with the disease amelioration. In addition, tumour necrosis factor (TNF)α can induce the CTGF production from synovial fibroblasts even though TNFα can oppositely inhibit the production of CTGF from chondrocytes. CTGF promoted the induction of the quantitative and qualitative activities of osteoclasts in combination with M-CSF and receptor activator of NF-κB ligand (RANKL). In addition, we newly found integrin αVβ3 on the osteoclasts as a CTGF receptor.

Conclusions

These results indicate that aberrant CTGF production induced by TNFα plays a central role for the abnormal osteoclastic activation in RA patients. Restoration of aberrant CTGF production may contribute to the inhibition of articular destruction in infliximab treatment.     

A novel ISFET-type biosensor based on P450 monooxygenases

We made a biosensor based on ion-sensitive field effect transistor (ISFET) using P450 monooxygenase. ISFETs are electrical devices and have been used as pH sensors. We used genetically engineered P450 monooxygenase for our research because of its high enzymatic activity. The fusion enzyme between rat CYP1A1P450 monooxygenase and yeast NADPH-cytochrome P450 oxidoreductase was expressed in yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain AH22. Yeast microsomal membranes were immobilized in an agarose layer on the ISFET. o-Deethylation of 7-ethoxycoumarin to 7-hydroxycoumarin was catalyzed by the enzyme in the presence of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate reduced form (NADPH). Formation of 7-hydroxycoumarin from 7-ethoxycoumarin was also measured by fluorescence. The difference of the voltage between the ISFET device and control device without enzymes showed a voltage increase along with the enzymatic reaction of P450 monooxygenases, and this voltage increase in the device was inhibited by addition of MnCl(2), an inhibitor of P450 monooxygenase. There was a positive correlation between the voltage increase in the ISFET device and the fluorescence intensity. This is the first electrochemical biosensing using P450 monooxygenases immobilized on the ISFET, and is applicable to the sensing of chlorophenol compounds.