Thyroid hormone receptors promote metastasis of human hepatoma cells via regulation of TRAIL

Although accumulating evidence has confirmed the important roles of thyroid hormone (T₃) and its receptors (TRs) in tumor progression, the specific functions of TRs in carcinogenesis remain unclear. In the present study, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) was directly upregulated by T₃ in TR-overexpressing hepatoma cell lines. TRAIL is an apoptotic inducer, but it can nonetheless trigger non-apoptotic signals favoring tumorigenesis in apoptosis-resistant cancer cells. We found that TR-overexpressing hepatoma cells treated with T₃ were apoptosis resistant, even when TRAIL was upregulated. This apoptotic resistance may be attributable to simultaneous upregulation of Bcl-xL by T₃, because (1) knockdown of T₃-induced Bcl-xL expression suppressed T₃-mediated protection against apoptosis, and (2) overexpression of Bcl-xL further protected hepatoma cells from TRAIL-induced apoptotic death, consequently leading to TRAIL-promoted metastasis of hepatoma cells. Moreover, T₃-enhanced metastasis in vivo was repressed by the treatment of TRAIL-blocking antibody. Notably, TRAIL was highly expressed in a subset of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients, and this high-level expression was significantly correlated with that of TRs in these HCC tissues. Together, our findings provide evidence for the existence of a novel mechanistic link between increased TR and TRAIL levels in HCC. Thus, TRs induce TRAIL expression, and TRAIL thus synthesized acts in concert with simultaneously synthesized Bcl-xL to promote metastasis, but not apoptosis.     

Thermophilic Thermotoga maritima ribose-5-phosphate isomerase RpiB: optimized heat treatment purification and basic characterization

The open reading frame TM1080 from Thermotoga maritima encoding ribose-5-phosphate isomerase type B (RpiB) was cloned and over-expressed in Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3). After optimization of cell culture conditions, more than 30% of intracellular proteins were soluble recombinant RpiB. High-purity RpiB was obtained by heat pretreatment through its optimization in buffer choice, buffer pH, as well as temperature and duration of pretreatment. This enzyme had the maximum activity at 70°C and pH 6.5-8.0. Under its suboptimal conditions (60°C and pH 7.0), k(cat) and K(m) values were 540s(-1) and 7.6mM, respectively; it had a half lifetime of 71h, resulting in its turn-over number of more than 2×10(8)mol of product per mol of enzyme. This study suggests that it is highly feasible to discover thermostable enzymes from exploding genomic DNA database of extremophiles with the desired stability suitable for in vitro synthetic biology projects and produce high-purity thermoenzymes at very low costs.     

Detection and imaging of non-contractile inclusions and sarcomeric anomalies in skeletal muscle by second harmonic generation combined with two-photon excited fluorescence

The large size of the multinucleated muscle fibers of skeletal muscle makes their examination for structural and pathological defects a challenge. Sections and single fibers are accessible to antibodies and other markers but imaging of such samples does not provide a three-dimensional view of the muscle. Regrettably, bundles of fibers cannot be stained or imaged easily. Two-photon microscopy techniques overcome these obstacles. Second harmonic generation (SHG) by myosin filaments and two-photon excited fluorescence (2PEF) of mitochondrial and lysosomal components provides detailed structural information on unstained tissue. Furthermore, the infrared exciting light can penetrate several layers of muscle fibers and the minimal processing is particularly valuable for fragile biopsies. Here we demonstrate the usefulness of SHG, combined with 2PEF, to reveal enlarged lysosomes and accumulations of non-contractile material in muscles from the mouse model for the lysosomal storage disorder Pompe disease (PD), and in biopsies from adult and infant PD patients. SHG and 2PEF also detect sarcomeric defects that may presage the loss of myofibrils in atrophying muscle and signify loss of elasticity. The combination of SHG and 2PEF should be useful in the analysis and diagnosis of a wide range of skeletal muscle pathologies.     

Optimization of fermentation condition for antibiotic production by Xenorhabdus nematophila with response surface methodology

Aims: To evaluate the influence of environmental parameters on the production of antibiotics (xenocoumacins and nematophin) by Xenorhabdus nematophila and enhance the antibiotic activity. Methods and Results: Response surface methodology (RSM) was employed to study the effects of five parameters (the initial pH, medium volume in flask, rotary speed, temperature and inoculation volume) on the production of antibiotics in flask cultures by X. nematophila YL001. A 2^5?1‐factorial central composite design was chosen to explain the combined effects of the five parameters and to design a minimum number of experiments. The experimental results and software‐predicted values of production of antibiotics were comparable. The statistical analysis of the results showed that, in the range studied, medium volume in flask, rotary speed, temperature and inoculation volume had a significant effect (P < 0·05) on the production of antibiotics at their individual level, medium volume in flask and rotary speed showed a significant influence at interactive level and were most significant at individual level. The maximum antibiotic activity was achieved at the initial pH 7·64, medium volume in 250 ml flask 25 ml, rotary speed of 220 rev min^?1, temperature 27·8°C and inoculation volume of 15·0%. Maximum antibiotic activity of 331·7 U ml^?1 was achieved under the optimized condition. Conclusions: As far as known, there are no reports of production of antibiotic from X. nematophila by engineering the condition of fermentation using RSM. The results strongly support the use of RSM for fermentation condition optimization. The optimization of the environmental parameters resulted not only in a 43·4% higher antibiotic activity than unoptimized conditions but also in a reduced amount of the experiments. The chosen method of optimization of fermentation condition was efficient, relatively simple and time and material saving. Significance and Impact of the Study: This study should contribute towards improving the antibiotics activity of X. nematophila. Integrated into a broader study of the impact of environmental factors on the production of antibiotic, this work should help to build more rational control strategy, possibly involving scale‐up of production of antibiotics by X. nematophila.     

Lidocaine suppresses subthreshold oscillations by inhibiting persistent Na(+) current in injured dorsal root ganglion neurons

The aim of this study was to determine the effect and mechanism of low concentration of lidocaine on subthreshold membrane potential oscillations (SMPO) and burst discharges in chronically compressed dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons. DRG neurons were isolated by enzymatic dissociation method. SMPO, burst discharges and single spike were elicited by whole cell patch-clamp technique in current clamp mode. Persistent Na(+) current (I(NaP)) and transient Na(+) current (I(NaT)) were elicited in voltage clamp mode. The results showed that SMPO was suppressed and burst discharges were eliminated by tetrodotoxin (TTX, 0.2 micromol/l) in current clamp mode, I(NaP) was blocked by 0.2 micromol/l TTX in voltage clamp mode. SMPO, burst discharges and I(NaP) were also suppressed by low concentration of lidocaine (10 micromol/l) respectively. However, single spike and I(NaT) could only be blocked by high concentration of lidocaine (5 mmol/l). From these results, it is suggested that I(NaP) mediates the generation of SMPO in injured DRG neurons. Low concentration of lidocaine (10 micromol/l) suppresses SMPO by selectively inhibiting I(NaP), but not I(NaT), in chronically compressed DRG neurons.     

Participation of c-FLIP in NLRP3 and AIM2 inflammasome activation

Cellular FLICE-inhibitory protein (c-FLIP) is an inhibitor of caspase-8 and is required for macrophage survival. Recent studies have revealed a selective role of caspase-8 in noncanonical IL-1β production that is independent of caspase-1 or inflammasome. Here we demonstrated that c-FLIP_L is an unexpected contributor to canonical inflammasome activation for the generation of caspase-1 and active IL-1β. Hemizygotic deletion of c-FLIP impaired ATP- and monosodium uric acid (MSU)-induced IL-1β production in macrophages primed through Toll-like receptors (TLRs). Decreased IL-1β expression was attributed to a reduced activation of caspase-1 in c-FLIP hemizygotic cells. In contrast, the production of TNF-α was not affected by downregulation in c-FLIP. c-FLIP_L interacted with NLRP3 or procaspase-1. c-FLIP is required for the full NLRP3 inflammasome assembly and NLRP3 mitochondrial localization, and c-FLIP is associated with NLRP3 inflammasome. c-FLIP downregulation also reduced AIM2 inflammasome activation. In contrast, c-FLIP inhibited SMAC mimetic-, FasL-, or Dectin-1-induced IL-1β generation that is caspase-8-mediated. Our results demonstrate a prominent role of c-FLIP_L in the optimal activation of the NLRP3 and AIM2 inflammasomes, and suggest that c-FLIP could be a valid target for treatment of inflammatory diseases caused by over-activation of inflammasomes.     

Arrhythmia and sudden death associated with elevated cardiac chloride channel activity

The identification and analysis of several cationic ion channels and their associated genes have greatly improved our understanding of the molecular and cellular mechanisms of cardiac arrhythmia. Our objective in this study was to examine the involvement of anionic ion channels in cardiac arrhythmia. We used a transgenic mouse model to overexpress the human cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene, which encodes a cAMP-regulated chloride channel. We used RNase protection and in situ hybridization assays to determine the level of CFTR expression, and radiotelemetry and in vivo electrophysiological study in combination with pharmacological intervention to analyse the cardiac function. Cardiac CFTR overexpression leads to stress-related sudden death in this model. In vivo intracardiac electrophysiological studies performed in anaesthetized mice showed no significant differences in baseline conduction parameters including atrial-His bundle (AH) or His bundle-ventricular (HV) conduction intervals, atrioventricular (AV) Wenckebach or 2:1 AV block cycle length and AV nodal functional refractory period. However, following isoproterenol administration, there was marked slowing of conduction parameters, including high-grade AV block in transgenic mice, with non-sustained ventricular tachycardia easily inducible using programmed stimulation or burst pacing. Our sudden death mouse model can be a valuable tool for investigation of the role of chloride channels in arrhythmogenesis and, potentially, for future evaluation of novel anti-arrhythmic therapeutic strategies and pharmacological agents.     

Purification of circular YACs from yeast cells for DNA sequencing.

We describe a method for the purification of circular yeast artificial chromosome (YAC) DNA 120-150 kilobases (kb) in size that is of sufficient quantity and quality for restriction enzyme analysis and DNA sequencing. This method preferentially enriches for circular YAC DNA and avoids the time-consuming step of centrifugation in CsCl--ethidium bromide (EtBr) gradients. We applied this method to the purification of circular YACs carrying DNA segments that are extremely unstable in E. coli, including those that correspond to GAP2 and GAP3 on human chromosome 19. We showed that YAC DNA (GAP2 and GAP3) purified using this new method is clearly resolved in EtBr-stained gels. The sequence of YAC-GAP3 was obtained, representing the first GAP clone sequenced in YAC form. At present, it is estimated that there are more than 1000 gaps in the human genome that cannot be cloned using bacterial vectors. Thus, our new method may be very useful for completing the last stage of the human genome project.