USP7 inhibitor P22077 inhibits neuroblastoma growth via inducing p53-mediated apoptosis

Neuroblastoma (NB) is a common pediatric cancer and contributes to more than 15% of all pediatric cancer-related deaths. Unlike adult tumors, recurrent somatic mutations in NB, such as tumor protein 53 (p53) mutations, occur with relative paucity. In addition, p53 downstream function is intact in NB cells with wild-type p53, suggesting that reactivation of p53 may be a viable therapeutic strategy for NB treatment. Herein, we report that the ubiquitin-specific protease 7 (USP7) inhibitor, {"type":"entrez-protein","attrs":{"text":"P22077","term_id":"134707","term_text":"P22077"}}P22077, potently induces apoptosis in NB cells with an intact USP7-HDM2-p53 axis but not in NB cells with mutant p53 or without human homolog of MDM2 (HDM2) expression. In this study, we found that {"type":"entrez-protein","attrs":{"text":"P22077","term_id":"134707","term_text":"P22077"}}P22077 stabilized p53 by inducing HDM2 protein degradation in NB cells. {"type":"entrez-protein","attrs":{"text":"P22077","term_id":"134707","term_text":"P22077"}}P22077 also significantly augmented the cytotoxic effects of doxorubicin (Dox) and etoposide (VP-16) in NB cells with an intact USP7-HDM2-p53 axis. Moreover, {"type":"entrez-protein","attrs":{"text":"P22077","term_id":"134707","term_text":"P22077"}}P22077 was found to be able to sensitize chemoresistant LA-N-6 NB cells to chemotherapy. In an in vivo orthotopic NB mouse model, {"type":"entrez-protein","attrs":{"text":"P22077","term_id":"134707","term_text":"P22077"}}P22077 significantly inhibited the xenograft growth of three NB cell lines. Database analysis of NB patients shows that high expression of USP7 significantly predicts poor outcomes. Together, our data strongly suggest that targeting USP7 is a novel concept in the treatment of NB. USP7-specific inhibitors like {"type":"entrez-protein","attrs":{"text":"P22077","term_id":"134707","term_text":"P22077"}}P22077 may serve not only as a stand-alone therapy but also as an effective adjunct to current chemotherapeutic regimens for treating NB with an intact USP7-HDM2-p53 axis.     

Melatonin reduces migratory restlessness in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Sylvia</Emphasis> warblers during autumnal migration

Introduction

A remarkable aspect of bird migration is its nocturnality, particularly common in Passeriformes. The switch in activity from purely diurnal to also nocturnal is evident even in caged birds that during migratory periods develop an intense nocturnal restlessness, termed Zugunruhe. The mechanisms that control this major change in activity are mostly unknown. Previous work with Sylvia warblers suggested an involvement of melatonin, a hormone associated with day-night cycles in most vertebrates. In a recent study we found no effects of melatonin administration on Zugunruhe during spring migration. However, previous studies indicated that the response to melatonin manipulation could differ between spring and autumn migration, which are in fact separate life history stages. Here we tested whether a non-invasive treatment with melatonin can alter Zugunruhe in wild garden warblers S. borin and blackcaps S. atricapilla subject to temporary captivity at an autumnal stopover site. Food availability in the cage (yes/no) was added as a second factor because previous work showed that it enhanced Zugunruhe.

Results

The melatonin treatment significantly decreased the amount of Zugunruhe, while the availability of food only tended to increase the amount of Zugunruhe. Fuel deposits also had a strong effect on the amount of nocturnal activity: lean birds with a fat score of 1 showed significantly less Zugunruhe than fatter birds. The change in body mass during the time spent in the recording cage depended on food availability, but not on any of the other factors.

Conclusions

This study shows that the migratory programme of two Sylvia warblers can be manipulated by administration of exogenous melatonin and confirms that this hormone is involved in the control of migratory behaviour. To our knowledge, this is one of the first demonstrations that the autumn migratory programme can be altered by hormonal manipulation in migrating birds. The comparison with a similar study carried out with the same modalities during spring migration suggests that there are seasonal differences in the sensitivity of the migratory programme to hormonal factors. In birds breeding in the northern hemisphere, the importance of a timely arrival to the breeding sites could explain why the control of the migratory programme is more rigid in spring.

     

Coffee volatiles induced after mechanical injury and beetle herbivory attract the coffee berry borer and two of its parasitoids

The coffee berry borer (CBB), Hypothenemus hampei (Ferrari), is the most important insect pest of coffee worldwide. In this study, we used headspace solid-phase microextraction coupled with gas chromatography–mass spectrometry to sample and identify volatile compounds from Robusta coffee berries, Coffea canephora Pierre ex Froehner, infested with CBB and with mechanical damage. Furthermore, we evaluated the behavioral responses of the CBB and two of its parasitoids, Prorops nasuta Waterstone and Phymastichus coffea LaSalle, to three selected coffee volatile compounds in a Y-tube olfactometer. We found in the effluvia of red coffee berry compounds not previously reported for this coffee species. Our results show that Robusta coffee berries release induced volatiles either by insect herbivory or by mechanical damage. Small amount of butyl acetate, unknown compound 2, α-longipinene, longiborneol and longiborneol acetate are produced only in infested coffee berries fruits. Quantitatively, nine compounds account for the difference between healthy berries, infested, or mechanically damaged berries. Trans-ocimene, 4,8-dimethyl-3,7-nonadien-2-ol, α-copaene and kaurene increased amount levels in infested berries, while amount of methyl salicylate and linalool increased in mechanically damaged coffee berries. The olfactometric bioassays showed that CBB females and its two parasitoids were attracted to methyl salicylate. In addition, H. hampei and P. nasuta were attracted to linalool, and P. nasuta and P. coffea were attracted to trans-ocimene.     

Effects of light and temperature on seed germination of cacti of Brazilian ecosystems

Environmental factors are used by plants as spatio‐temporal indicators of favorable conditions for seed germination. Thus, the objective of this study was to determine the effect of light and temperature on seed germination of 30 taxa of Cactaceae occurring in northeastern Brazil and to evaluate whether fluctuations in temperature are capable of altering light sensitivity. The seeds were tested for germination under two light conditions (12 h photoperiod and continuous darkness) and 10 temperature treatments: eight constant temperatures (10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40 and 45°C) and two alternating temperatures (30/20°C and 35/25°C). The species studied showed two photoblastic responses. All cacti from the Cactoideae subfamily (22 taxa) were classified as positive photoblastic (i.e., no germination in darkness), regardless of the temperature treatment used. Likewise, temperature fluctuation did not alter the seed sensitivity to light. On the other hand, the species of the Opuntioideae (five taxa) and Pereskioideae (three taxa) subfamilies are indifferent to light (i.e., germinated both in the presence and absence of light). The cacti from the areas of Caatinga and Cerrado showed an optimal germination temperature of 30°C, while the species from Atlantic Forest and Restinga areas showed an optimal germination temperature of 25°C.     

濒危植物金花猕猴桃繁殖生物学初步研究

繁殖生物学是目前濒危植物保护生物学研究的重点领域之一,金花猕猴桃(Actinidia chrysantha)是猕猴桃属濒危物种之一,目前未见其繁殖生物学相关报道。因此,该文以分布于花坪国家级自然保护区的野生金花猕猴桃为研究对象,用游标卡尺测量了花器官及果实形态,通过野外观察记录了其物候、访花昆虫及开花结果习性,用人工授粉和套袋法确定其传粉媒介,开展田间播种试验确定种子繁殖力,对其繁殖生物学开展了较为系统的研究。结果表明：金花猕猴桃物候因海拔高度不同而不同,较低海拔地区5月中下旬开花,高海拔地区5月下旬至6月上旬开花,花期持续7~10 d,果实每年9月下旬至10月上旬成熟;雄株花枝率76.5％,雌株果枝率61.9％,果实长圆柱形、短圆柱形或椭圆形,平均单果重7.34~27.53 g,最大果重35.0 g;金花猕猴桃为虫媒和风媒共同授粉,主要访花昆虫有蜜蜂科、细蜂科、鼻蝇亚科、食蚜蝇科、蜡蝉科、大蚊科长脚蚊属昆虫等;金花猕猴桃种子发芽率低,参试的3个居群的种子发芽率存在差异,分别为花坪17.5％,资源车田15.36％,贺州姑婆山0;4种不同种子处理方式中,低温＋GA3处理的种子发芽率(22.67％)最高。综上所述,金花猕猴桃不存在传粉障碍,种子萌发率低可能是致其濒危的重要原因。该研究结果为保护金花猕猴桃种质资源提供了科学依据。     

广藿香香叶醇合酶基因克隆及表达分析

香叶醇合酶(geraniol synthase,GES)是香叶醇形成过程中非常重要的酶,是萜类代谢途径的限速酶。根据课题组广藿香转录组数据中的GES 转录本序列设计基因全长扩增引物,采用RT PCR方法克隆了广藿香GES基因的全长cDNA序列。对该基因进行了相关的生物信息学分析,并利用荧光实时定量PCR法检测了PcGES1基因在4个广藿香栽培种中不同时期茎、叶中的表达情况。结果显示：广藿香GES基因包含一个完整的ORF框,长1 734 bp,编码577个氨基酸,命名为PcGES1,GenBank登录号为KF926075 ;PcGES1基因编码的氨基酸序列与罗勒GES基因编码的氨基酸序列最为相近。广藿香GES蛋白定位在叶绿体中,无跨膜区域。PcGES1主要在叶中表达,老叶中表达量最高;从不同栽培种来看,PcGES1在石牌广藿香和高要广藿香中表达模式相似,在海南广藿香与印尼广藿香中表达相似,在海南广藿香老叶中表达最高。该研究结果为进一步阐明广藿香萜类代谢途径奠定了基础。     

The association of feeding behaviour with the resistance and tolerance to parasites in recently diverged sticklebacks

Divergent natural selection regimes can contribute to adaptive population divergence, but can be sensitive to human‐mediated environmental change. Nutrient loading of aquatic ecosystems, for example, might modify selection pressures by altering the abundance and distribution of resources and the prevalence and infectivity of parasites. Here, we used a mesocosm experiment to test for interactive effects of nutrient loading and parasitism on host condition and feeding ecology. Specifically, we investigated whether the common fish parasite Gyrodactylus sp. differentially affected recently diverged lake and stream ecotypes of three‐spined stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus). We found that the stream ecotype had a higher resistance to Gyrodactylus sp. infections than the lake ecotype, and that both ecotypes experienced a cost of parasitism, indicated by negative relationships between parasite load and both stomach fullness and body condition. Overall, our results suggest that in the early stages of adaptive population divergence of hosts, parasites can affect host resistance, body condition and diet.