Gene expression programs of human smooth muscle cells: tissue-specific differentiation and prognostic significance in breast cancers

Smooth muscle is present in a wide variety of anatomical locations, such as blood vessels, various visceral organs, and hair follicles. Contraction of smooth muscle is central to functions as diverse as peristalsis, urination, respiration, and the maintenance of vascular tone. Despite the varied physiological roles of smooth muscle cells (SMCs), we possess only a limited knowledge of the heterogeneity underlying their functional and anatomic specializations. As a step toward understanding the intrinsic differences between SMCs from different anatomical locations, we used DNA microarrays to profile global gene expression patterns in 36 SMC samples from various tissues after propagation under defined conditions in cell culture. Significant variations were found between the cells isolated from blood vessels, bronchi, and visceral organs. Furthermore, pervasive differences were noted within the visceral organ subgroups that appear to reflect the distinct molecular pathways essential for organogenesis as well as those involved in organ-specific contractile and physiological properties. Finally, we sought to understand how this diversity may contribute to SMC-involving pathology. We found that a gene expression signature of the responses of vascular SMCs to serum exposure is associated with a significantly poorer prognosis in human cancers, potentially linking vascular injury response to tumor progression.     

Bacteriophage therapy against Enterobacteriaceae

Virologica Sinica - The Enterobacteriaceae are a class of gram-negative facultative anaerobic rods, which can cause a variety of diseases, such as bacteremia, septic arthritis, endocarditis,...     

Finite element analysis of mechanics of lateral transmission of force in single muscle fiber

Most of the myofibers in long muscles of vertebrates terminate within fascicles without reaching either end of the tendon, thus force generated in myofibers has to be transmitted laterally through the extracellular matrix (ECM) to adjacent fibers; which is defined as the lateral transmission of force in skeletal muscles. The goal of this study was to determine the mechanisms of lateral transmission of force between the myofiber and ECM. In this study, a 2D finite element model of single muscle fiber was developed to study the effects of mechanical properties of the endomysium and the tapered ends of myofiber on lateral transmission of force. Results showed that most of the force generated is transmitted near the end of the myofiber through shear to the endomysium, and the force transmitted to the end of the model increases with increased stiffness of ECM. This study also demonstrated that the tapered angle of the myofiber ends can reduce the stress concentration near the myofiber end while laterally transmitting force efficiently.     

Influence of plant combinations on population characteristics of Bemisia tabaci biotypes B and Q

In recent years, the dominant biotype of Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) has shifted from biotype B to Q in many locations of China. Our field monitoring showed that B. tabaci biotype Q could be found on pepper Capsicum frutescens L. while biotype B could not be found on the plant. To study the role of the host plant in the displacement of biotype B by Q, the adult mortality, female fecundity, and adult emergence of both biotypes B and Q on different host combinations were studied using a model system involving pepper and eggplant. The results showed that pepper is not a preferred host for either biotype B or Q adults in comparison with eggplant. The negative impact of pepper to biotype B is, however, much greater than that to biotype Q. Because both the survival rates of the adult whitefly and the average number of emerged adults per female of biotype Q on pepper are higher than that of biotype B, biotype Q showed higher fitness in comparison with biotype B. Our results suggest that the existence and differential impact of a nonpreferred host might affect the population fitness and therefore could play a role in the displacement of biotype B in some regions.     

Synthesis and antihypertensive activity of pyrimidin-4(3H)-one derivatives as losartan analogue for new angiotensin II receptor type 1 (AT1) antagonists

The discovery, in vitro and in vivo studies of the highly potent AT(1) antagonist 12a (BR-A-657, Fimasartan) antagonists are presented. A series of pyrimidin-4(3H)-one derivatives as losartan analogue were synthesized and evaluated for a novel class of AT(1) receptor antagonists. Among them, 12a containing thioamido moiety displayed both high in vitro functional antagonism and binding affinity [IC(50)=0.42 and 0.13 nM, respectively] and inhibited strongly in vivo AngII-induced pressor response in pithed rats with an ED(50) of 0.018 mg/kg. Moreover, in vivo evaluation in furosemide-treated rat and conscious renal hypertensive rat models and the pharmacokinetic study showed that 12a is a highly potent and orally active AT(1) selective antagonist having stronger in vivo potency than losartan.