Sarsaparilla (Smilax Glabra Rhizome) Extract Inhibits Migration and Invasion of Cancer Cells by Suppressing TGF-β1 Pathway

Sarsaparilla, also known as Smilax Glabra Rhizome (SGR), was shown to modulate immunity, protect against liver injury, lower blood glucose and suppress cancer. However, its effects on cancer cell adhesion, migration and invasion were unclear. In the present study, we found that the supernatant of water-soluble extract from SGR (SW) could promote adhesion, inhibit migration and invasion of HepG2, MDA-MB-231 and T24 cells in vitro, as well as suppress metastasis of MDA-MB-231 cells in vivo. Results of F-actin and vinculin dual staining showed the enhanced focal adhesion in SW-treated cells. Microarray analysis indicated a repression of TGF-β1 signaling by SW treatment, which was verified by real-time RT-PCR of TGF-β1-related genes and immunoblotting of TGFBR1 protein. SW was also shown to antagonize TGF-β1-promoted cell migration. Collectively, our study revealed a new antitumor function of Sarsaparilla in counteracting invasiveness of a subset of cancer cells by inhibiting TGF-β1 signaling.     

Shotgun proteomic analysis of mulberry dwarf phytoplasma

Background  

Mulberry dwarf (MD), which is caused by phytoplasma, is one of the most serious infectious diseases of mulberry. Phytoplasmas have been associated with diseases in several hundred plant species. The inability to culture phytoplasmas in vitro has hindered their characterization at the molecular level. Though the complete genomes of two phytoplasmas have been published, little information has been obtained about the proteome of phytoplasma. Therefore, the proteomic information of phytoplasmas would be useful to elucidate the functional mechanisms of phytoplasma in many biological processes.     

色疣节梗孢属一中国新记录种

【目的】调查我国植物病原真菌资源与多样性。【方法】采用经典真菌形态分类方法并结合序列分析结果对研究样品进行鉴定。【结果】从浙江省绍兴市平水镇的林下枯叶上分离到尖色疣节梗孢,对尖色疣节梗孢的形态特征进行了详细的观察和描述,并对其ITS rDNA序列进行分析。【结论】金缕梅叶斑病的尖色疣节梗孢病原菌在我国是首次发现,为我国真菌新记录种。     

象山港不同养殖类型海域大型底栖动物群落比较研究

于2009年2月在象山港顶部海域分别对海带、牡蛎和鱼类网箱3种不同养殖区进行了大型底栖动物调查。调查共鉴定大型底栖动物73种,隶属8门12纲53科,以软体动物和环节动物为主。海带养殖区优势种有5种;牡蛎养殖区有4种;网箱养殖区有9种。海带、牡蛎和网箱养殖区大型底栖动物平均栖息密度分别为(132±71)个/m²、(94±91)个/m²和(210±132)个/m²;平均生物量分别为(26.51±11.06) g/m²、(53.03±61.94) g/m²和(108.80±73.56) g/m²。栖息密度和生物量不同养殖区和不同调查站位间差异显著。Tukey多重比较结果显示,栖息密度海带养殖区与牡蛎和网箱养殖区间均无显著差异,而牡蛎与鱼类网箱养殖区间存在显著差异;生物量海带养殖区与牡蛎养殖区间无显著差异,海带养殖区和牡蛎养殖区与网箱养殖区间均显著差异。典范对应分析结果表明,对大型底栖动物群落起主要影响的环境因子有温度、盐度、总氮和总磷等,排序轴对物种-环境关系的贡献率计算结果表明环境变量可以较好的解释主要类群的变化情况。丰度/生物量比较曲线(ABC曲线)分析结果表明,网箱养殖区大型底栖动物群落受较明显扰动,而海带和牡蛎养殖区大型底栖动物群落未受扰动。     

Subcellullar localization of tumor-associated antigen 3H11Ag

3H11Ag, a tumor-associated antigen defined by the monoclonal antibody 3H11 that specifically recognizes cancer cells in various tumor tissues, was successfully cloned recently, but its function is unknown. To explore the potential roles it plays in tumors, we analyzed its subcellular localization in the present study. By expressing 3H11Ag fused with fluorescent protein in COS-7 cells, we found that 3H11Ag localizes to both cytoplasm and nucleus, which was confirmed by subcellular fractionation. And sequentially extracting the nuclei of COS-7 cells transfected with 3H11Ag showed that it is a DNA- and nuclear matrix-associated protein. Moreover, by expressing a series of red fluorescent protein-tagged truncated forms of 3H11Ag, it was demonstrated that the 150 amino acid residues at its C-terminal are fully responsible for the subcellular localization. In addition, the results of the computational analysis of 3H11Ag were in accordance with those of the experimental analysis. All these data would be helpful to elucidate the functions of 3H11Ag.     

蓝尾石龙子杭州和宁德种群繁殖生活史特征的差异

测定处于不同纬度的浙江杭州和福建宁德的蓝尾石龙子(Eumeceselegans)种群的个体大小和繁殖特征。宁德种群的产卵时间为5月27日—6月22日,早于高纬度杭州种群(6月4日—7月12日)。宁德种群最小繁殖雌体及性成熟个体大小均显著小于杭州种群。宁德和杭州两种群的相对窝卵重无显著差异;当统计去除母体体长的影响之后,两地种群的窝卵数和窝卵重也无显著差异,但杭州种群的卵重量显著大于宁德种群。蓝尾石龙子窝卵数和卵重量呈负相关,窝卵数和卵大小的权衡存在种群间差异。特定窝卵数条件下,杭州种群的卵重量显著大于宁德种群。由此可见,蓝尾石龙子种群间的繁殖生活史特征存在显著差异,而且与母体大小的差异密切相关。推测不同纬度地区的蓝尾石龙子种群的繁殖策略存在差异。     

中国外来入侵植物研究现状及存在的问题

生物入侵是当今各国发展的一大挑战,特别是像中国这样的发展中国家。然而,我们对外来入侵种的本底资料还很不清楚,更缺乏相关的深入调查;对生物入侵所造成的生态和经济影响还没有引起足够的重视,同时也忽视了盲目引种可能带来的各种危害。本文在文献调研的基础上,从外来植物的入侵历史和文化、中国外来入侵植物的调查现状、外来植物入侵对生态安全及经济的影响等方面进行了全面系统的总结,并提出了中国外来入侵植物研究领域存在的问题及应对措施。     

Adherence to Tuberculosis Treatment among Migrant Pulmonary Tuberculosis Patients in Shandong,China: A Quantitative Survey Study

Adherence to TB treatment is the most important requirement for efficient TB control. Migrant TB patients’ “migratory” nature affects the adherence negatively, which presents an important barrier for National TB Control Program in China. Therefore, TB control among migrants is of high importance.The aim of this study is to describe adherence to TB treatment among migrant TB patients and to identify factors associated with adherence. A total of 12 counties/districts of Shandong Province, China were selected as study sites. 314 confirmed smear positive TB patients were enrolled between August 2^nd 2008 and October 17^th 2008, 16% of whom were non-adherent to TB therapy. Risk factors for non-adherence were: the divorced or bereft of spouse, patients not receiving TB-related health education before chemotherapy, weak incentives for treatment adherence, and self supervision on treatment. Based on the risk factors identified, measures are recommended such as implementing health education for all migrant patients before chemotherapy and encouraging primary care workers to supervise patients.     

Integrated Analysis of Gene Expression Profiles Associated with Response of Platinum/Paclitaxel-Based Treatment in Epithelial Ovarian Cancer

Purpose

This study aims to explore gene expression signatures and serum biomarkers to predict intrinsic chemoresistance in epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC).

Patients and Methods

Gene expression profiling data of 322 high-grade EOC cases between 2009 and 2010 in The Cancer Genome Atlas project (TCGA) were used to develop and validate gene expression signatures that could discriminate different responses to first-line platinum/paclitaxel-based treatments. A gene regulation network was then built to further identify hub genes responsible for differential gene expression between the complete response (CR) group and the progressive disease (PD) group. Further, to find more robust serum biomarkers for clinical application, we integrated our gene signatures and gene signatures reported previously to identify secretory protein-encoding genes by searching the DAVID database. In the end, gene-drug interaction network was constructed by searching Comparative Toxicogenomics Database (CTD) and literature.

Results

A 349-gene predictive model and an 18-gene model independent of key clinical features with high accuracy were developed for prediction of chemoresistance in EOC. Among them, ten important hub genes and six critical signaling pathways were identified to have important implications in chemotherapeutic response. Further, ten potential serum biomarkers were identified for predicting chemoresistance in EOC. Finally, we suggested some drugs for individualized treatment.

Conclusion

We have developed the predictive models and serum biomarkers for platinum/paclitaxel response and established the new approach to discover potential serum biomarkers from gene expression profiles. The potential drugs that target hub genes are also suggested.