A Potent Anticancer Agent of Shikonin Derivative Targeting Tubulin

In this study, a shikonin ester derivative, compound 3g , was selected to evaluate its anticancer activities and we found that compound 3g exhibited better antitubulin activities against the human HepG2 cell line with an IC₅₀ value of 1.097 μM. Furthermore, the inhibition of tubulin polymerization results indicated that compound 3g demonstrated the most potent antitubulin activity (IC₅₀ = 13.88), which was compared with shikonin and colchicine as positive controls (IC₅₀ = 25.28 μM and 22.56 μM), respectively. Compound 3g was simulated to have good binding site with tubulin and arrested the cell cycle at G2/M phase, which also induces apoptosis in HepG2 cells, in which P53 and members of Bcl‐2 protein family were both involved in the progress of apoptosis revealed by western blot. Confocal microscopy observations revealed compound 3g targeted tubulin and altered its polymerization by interfering with microtubule organization. Based on these results, compound 3g functions as a potent anticancer agent targeting tubulin. Chirality 27:274–280, 2015.. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell transplantation improves radiation-induced heart injury through DNA damage repair in rat model

Radiotherapy is an effective form of therapy for most thoracic malignant tumors. However, myocardial injury resulting from the high doses of radiation is a severe complication. Here we aimed to study the possibility of reducing radiation-induced myocardial injury with mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) transplantation. We used MSCs extracted from bone marrow (BMSCs) to transplant via the tail vein into a radiation-induced heart injury (RIHI) rat model. The rats were divided into six groups: a Sham group, an IRR (irradiation) group, and four IRR + BMSCs transplantation groups obtained at different time points. After irradiation, BMSC transplantation significantly enhanced the cardiac function in rats. By analyzing the expression of PPAR-α, PPAR-γ, TGF-β, IL-6, and IL-8, we found that BMSC transplantation alleviated radiation-induced myocardial fibrosis and decreased the inflammatory reaction. Furthermore, we found that expression of γ-H2AX, XRCC4, DNA ligase4, and TP53BP1, which are associated with DNA repair, was up-regulated, along with increased secretion of growth factors SDF-1, CXCR4, VEGF, and IGF in rat myocardium in the IRR + BMSCs transplantation groups compared with the IRR group. Thus, BMSC transplantation has the potential to improve RIHI via DNA repair and be a new therapeutic approach for patients with myocardial injury.     

溶瘤腺病毒ZD55对类肝癌干细胞的抑制效应

溶瘤腺病毒能够靶向和杀死癌症干细胞,被认为是一种很有前景的抗癌药物.已有研究表明,溶瘤腺病毒ZD55能够靶向肝癌,并且表现出明显的细胞毒性效应.然而,其对肝癌干细胞是否具有同样地杀伤效力仍需进一步探讨.利用悬浮培养富集类肝癌干细胞,并验证其肝癌干细胞的特征.进一步通过MTT、结晶紫染色、Hoechst染色、Western blot和流式细胞术等检测ZD55对类肝癌干细胞的细胞存活率、凋亡诱导和病理效应等.结果发现,悬浮培养的类肝癌干细胞具有自我更新和分化能力、高表达干细胞相关转录因子(如NANOG和OCT4)、处于静息状态和具有耐药性等特性,溶瘤腺病毒处理后表现出明显的细胞毒性效应和杀伤特性,类肝癌干细胞的最低生存率仅为26.7%.ZD55能够非常明显地诱导类肝癌干细胞凋亡,其凋亡率最高达到60%.因此,ZD55可能会成为靶向肝癌干细胞的一种很有前景的治疗药物,对肝癌的临床治疗具有一定的应用价值.     

Nd：YAP激光的不同功率和时间组合对亚心形扁藻的影响

采用同一剂量不同功率和时间组合的Nd:YAP激光(波长1 341nm)辐照亚心形扁藻,辐照组分为8W 69 s、10 W 55 s和12 W 46 s三个组合,通过藻细胞生长速率和叶绿素含量测定研究激光对扁藻的影响.实验结果表明,即使同一照射剂量,不同的辐照时间与辐照功率的组合,辐照效果仍不相同,本实验中以辐照时间55 s,辐照功率10 W 为最佳组合.     

Responses of photosynthetic properties and chloroplast ultrastructure of Bryum argenteum from a desert biological soil crust to elevated ultraviolet‐B radiation

Our understanding of plant responses to enhanced ultraviolet‐B (UV‐B) radiation has improved over recent decades. However, research on cryptogams is scarce and it remains controversial whether UV‐B radiation causes changes in physiology related to photosynthesis. To investigate the effects of supplementary UV‐B radiation on photosynthesis and chloroplast ultrastructure in Bryum argenteum Hedw., specimens were cultured for 10 days under four UV‐B treatments (2.75, 3.08, 3.25 and 3.41 W m^–2), simulating depletion of 0% (control), 6%, 9% and 12% of stratospheric ozone at the latitude of Shapotou, a temperate desert area of northwest China. Analyses showed malondialdehyde content significantly increased, whereas chlorophyll (Chl) fluorescence parameters and Chl contents decreased with increased UV‐B intensity. These results corresponded with changes in thylakoid protein complexes and chloroplast ultrastructure. Overall, enhanced UV‐B radiation leads to significant decreases in photosynthetic function and serious destruction of the chloroplast ultrastructure of B. argenteum. The degree of negative influences increased with the intensity of UV‐B radiation. These results may not only provide a potential mechanism for supplemental UV‐B effects on photosynthesis of moss crust, but also establish a theoretical basis for further studies of adaptation and response mechanisms of desert ecosystems under future ozone depletion.     

大蒜体细胞胚发生过程中内源激素含量及相关基因表达的变化特征

该研究以大蒜品种'二水早'为材料,采用高效液相色谱串联质谱法(LC-MS/MS),检测了大蒜体细胞胚发生过程中花序轴(EX)、愈伤组织(CA)、早期胚性愈伤组织(PC)、后期胚性愈伤组织(LC)和球形胚(GE)阶段的5种生长素及其类似物、4种细胞分裂素(CTK)和脱落酸(ABA)含量,结合激素合成和信号转导相关基因表达...     

Targeted transgene insertion into human chromosomes by adeno-associated virus vectors

Efficient methods are needed for the precise genetic manipulation of diploid human cells, in which cellular senescence and low conventional gene targeting rates limit experimental and therapeutic options. We have shown previously that linear, single-stranded DNA vectors based on adeno-associated virus (AAV) could accurately introduce small (<20 bp) genetic modifications into homologous human chromosomal sequences. Here we have used AAV vectors to introduce large (>1 kb) functional transgene cassettes into the hypoxanthine phosphoribosyl transferase (HPRT) and Type I collagen (COL1A1) loci in normal human fibroblasts. The transgene cassettes are inserted at high frequencies (1% of the total cell population under optimal conditions) and without secondary mutations. Selection for the inserted transgene cassette can be used to enrich for targeting events, such that >70% of surviving cells have undergone gene targeting with an appropriately designed vector. This approach should prove useful both for functional genomic analysis in diploid human cells and for therapeutic gene targeting.     

The Impacts of Dispositional Optimism and Psychological Resilience on the Subjective Well-Being of Burn Patients: A Structural Equation Modelling Analysis

Burn wounds are severely stressful events that can have a significant impact on the mental health of patients. However, the impact of burns on individuals with different personality traits can be different. The present study aimed to investigate the impact of dispositional optimism on the subjective well-being of burn patients, and mainly focused on the confirmation of the mediator role of psychological resilience. 410 burn patients from five general hospitals in Xi''an accomplished the revised Life Orientation Test, Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale, and Subjective Well-Being (SWB) scale. The results revealed that both dispositional optimism and psychological resilience were significantly correlated with SWB. Structural equation modelling indicated that psychological resilience partially mediated the relationship between dispositional optimism and SWB. The current findings extended prior reports and shed some light on how dispositional optimism influenced SWB. Limitations of the study were considered and suggestions for future studies were also discussed.