The human microbiome in evolution

The trillions of microbes living in the gut—the gut microbiota—play an important role in human biology and disease. While much has been done to explore its diversity, a full understanding of our microbiomes demands an evolutionary perspective. In this review, we compare microbiomes from human populations, placing them in the context of microbes from humanity’s near and distant animal relatives. We discuss potential mechanisms to generate host-specific microbiome configurations and the consequences of disrupting those configurations. Finally, we propose that this broader phylogenetic perspective is useful for understanding the mechanisms underlying human–microbiome interactions.     

Antitumor Effect of AZD4547 in a Fibroblast Growth Factor Receptor 2–Amplified Gastric Cancer Patient–Derived Cell Model

BACKGROUND: FGFR2 amplification is associated with aggressive gastric cancer (GC), and targeted drugs have been developed for treatment of GC. We evaluated the antitumor activity of an FGFR inhibitor in FGFR2-amplified GC patients with peritoneal carcinomatosis. METHODS: Two GC patients with FGFR2 amplification confirmed by fluorescence in situ hybridization showed peritoneal seeding and malignant ascites. We used the patient-derived xenograft model; patient-derived cells (PDCs) from malignant ascites were used to assess FGFR2 expression and its downstream pathway using immunofluorescence analysis and immunoblot assay in vitro. Apoptosis and cell cycle arrest after treatment of FGFR inhibitor were analyzed by Annexin V-FITC assay and cell cycle analysis. RESULTS: FGFR2 amplification was verified in both PDC lines. AZD4547 as an FGFR inhibitor decreased proliferation of PDCs, and the IC₅₀ value was estimated to be 250 nM in PDC#1 and 210 nM in PDC#2. FGFR inhibitor also significantly decreased levels of phosphorylated FGFR2 and downstream signaling molecules in FGFR2-amplified PDC lines. In cell cycle analysis, apoptosis was significantly increased in AZD4547-treated cells compared with nontreated cells. The proportion of cells in the sub-G1 stage was significantly higher in AZD4547-treated PDCs than in control cells. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that FGFR2 amplification is a relevant therapeutic target in GC with peritoneal carcinomatosis.     

Isolation and characterization of 20 polynucleotide microsatellite markers in a vulnerable Korean snail, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Ellobium chinense,</Emphasis> using 454 pyrosequencing

A small and air-breathing snail, Ellobium chinense (Ellobiidae), is a vulnerable species by International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). To protect and manage habitat and population of E. chinense, microsatellite markers were developed using 454 pyrosequencing and 20 polymorphic microsatellite markers were identified. A total of 146,704 sequences containing a minimum of four repeat motifs (mean, 631 base pairs) were identified from 499,505 reads. Among 80 loci containing more than nine repeat units, 34 primer sets (42.5 %) produced strong PCR products, of which 20 were polymorphic among 48 samples of E. chinense. All loci exhibited high genetic variability, with an average of 18.9 alleles per locus, and the mean observed and expected heterozygosities were 0.65 and 0.90, respectively. In addition, cross-amplification was tested for all 20 loci in the same family species, Melampus sincaporensis. None of the primer pairs resulted in effective amplification, which might be due to their high mutation rates. Our work demonstrated the utility of next-generation 454 sequencing as a method for the rapid and cost-effective identification of microsatellites. The high degree of polymorphism exhibited by the 20 newly developed microsatellites will be useful in future conservation genetic studies of this species.     

Recent Advances in Sustainable Plastic Upcycling and Biopolymers

Advances in scientific technology in the early twentieth century have facilitated the development of synthetic plastics that are lightweight, rigid, and can be easily molded into a desirable shape without changing their material properties. Thus, plastics become ubiquitous and indispensable materials that are used in various manufacturing sectors, including clothing, automotive, medical, and electronic industries. However, strong physical durability and chemical stability of synthetic plastics, most of which are produced from fossil fuels, hinder their complete degradation when they are improperly discarded after use. In addition, accumulated plastic wastes without degradation have caused severe environmental problems, such as microplastics pollution and plastic islands. Thus, the usage and production of plastics is not free from environmental pollution or resource depletion. In order to lessen the impact of climate change and reduce plastic pollution, it is necessary to understand and address the current plastic life cycles. In this review, “sustainable biopolymers” are suggested as a promising solution to the current plastic crisis. The desired properties of sustainable biopolymers and bio‐based and bio/chemical hybrid technologies for the development of sustainable biopolymers are mainly discussed.     

Induction of cell death by photodynamic therapy with a new synthetic photosensitizer DH-I-180-3 in undifferentiated and differentiated 3T3-L1 cells

To examine the photodynamic therapy (PDT) effect on adipocytes, we investigated whether PDT using DH-I-180-3, a new synthetic lipophilic photosensitizer, induced cell death of both undifferentiated and differentiated 3T3-L1. 3T3-L1 pre-adipocytes were differentiated into adipocytes in the culture medium containing pantothenate, insulin, dexamethasone, isobutylmethylxanthine, and troglitazone. PDT was applied to both undifferentiated and differentiated 3T3-L1. Photosensitizer uptake in fat cells was determined by measuring its mean fluorescence intensity. DH-I-180-3 mediated effectively PDT-induced cell death of both pre-adipocytes and adipocytes. And the photosensitizer was accumulated more rapidly in 3T3-L1 adipocytes, compared with other cancer cell lines. These results demonstrate that PDT is a potent cell death inducer in pre-adipocytes and adipocytes. Thus, PDT with DH-I-180-3 may be applied for a new therapeutic modality for obesity treatment.     

Changes in the intracellular localization of pepsinogen-synthesizing polysomes in the gastric mucosa of rats during N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine-induced carcinogenesis

A study was made of the distribution of pepsinogen-synthesizing polyribosomes in the rat's stomach mucous membrane, in the process of chemical carcinogenesis induced by N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrozoguanidine. A sharp decrease in the content and proteolytic activity of pepsin is shown in cytosol and membrane-bound polyribosomes of the mucous membrane of the rat stomach due to the inducing substance. The appearance of this enzymatic activity is noted in free polyribosomes isolated from the rat stomach tumours.     

Change in the replicative synthesis of DNA and in respiration during gamma-irradiation of cultured human lymphocytes

The onset of 3H-thymidine incorporation in DNA precedes a short-term activation of cell respiration. gamma-Irradiation (5 Gy, 0.1 Gy/s) significantly inhibits oxygen consumption by human peripheral blood lymphocytes. It should be noted that time dependence maxima of oxygen consumption are shifted towards later times of cultivation.