Roles of the Akt/mTOR/p70S6K and ERK1/2 signaling pathways in curcumin-induced autophagy

Curcumin has a potent anticancer effect and is a promising new therapeutic strategy. We previously demonstrated that curcumin induced non-apoptotic autophagic cell death in malignant glioma cells in vitro and in vivo. This compound inhibited the Akt/mammalian target of rapamycin/p70 ribosomal protein S6 kinase pathway and activated the extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1/2 thereby inducing autophagy. Interestingly, activation of the first pathway inhibited curcumin-induced autophagy and cytotoxicity, whereas inhibition of the latter pathway inhibited curcumin-induced autophagy and induced apoptosis, thus augmenting the cytotoxicity of curcumin. These results imply that these two autophagic pathways have opposite effects on curcumin's cytotoxicity. However, inhibition of nuclear factor kappaB, which is the main target of curcumin for its anticancer effect, was not observed in malignant glioma cells. These results suggest that autophagy but not nuclear factor kappaB plays a central role in curcumin anticancer therapy and warrant further investigation toward application in patients with malignant gliomas. Here, we discuss the therapeutic role of two autophagic pathways influenced by curcumin.     

Biochemical characterization of photosystem I complexes having different subunit compositions of fucoxanthin chlorophyll a/c-binding proteins in the diatom Chaetoceros gracilis

Photosynthesis Research - Diatoms are dominant phytoplankton in aquatic environments and have unique light-harvesting apparatus, fucoxanthin chlorophyll a/c-binding protein (FCP). Diatom...     

Regulation of excitation energy in Nannochloropsis photosystem II

Photosynthesis Research - Recently, we isolated a complex consisting of photosystem II (PSII) and light-harvesting complexes (LHCs) from Nannochloropsis granulata (Umetani et al. Photosynth Res...     

Interaction between two auxin-resistant mutants and their effects on lateral root formation in rice (Oryza sativa L.)

Since root elongation is very sensitive to auxin, screening for reduced inhibition in root elongation has been an important method for the detection of auxin-resistant mutants. Two recessive auxin-resistant lines of rice (Oryza sativa L. ssp. indica cv. IR8), arm1 and arm2, have been isolated by screening for resistance to 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D). arm1 displays a variety of morphological defects including reduced lateral root formation, increased seminal root elongation, reduced root diameter, and impaired xylem development in roots, while the arm2 phenotype is almost similar to wild-type IR8 except for a slightly reduced lateral root formation, impaired xylem development in roots and an enhanced plant height. Although the growth of arm2 roots exhibited a resistance to 2,4-D, it was sensitive to 1-naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) as the wild type. At the same time, the arm2 roots showed a reduced [14C]2,4-D uptake while uptake of [3H]NAA was normal, suggesting that the resistance to 2,4-D of arm2 roots is due to a defect in 2,4-D uptake. To investigate the possible interaction between arm1 and arm2 genes, a double mutant has been constructed. The roots of arm1 arm2 double mutant were more resistant to 2,4-D and formed fewer lateral roots than those of either single mutant, suggesting that the two genes show synergistic effects with respect to both auxin response and lateral root formation. By contrast, all these mutants displayed the normal gravitropic response in roots, as did the wild-type plants. Taken together, Arm1 and Arm2 genes seem to function in different processes in the auxin-response pathways leading to lateral root formation.     

Synthesis of a callosic substance during rhizoid differentiation in Spirogyra

Spirogyra living in running water is anchored to the substratum by rhizoids that form at the ends of the filaments. A new terminal cell differentiates into a rhizoid cell if the filament is injured. The mode of growth changes from diffuse to tip growth when rhizoid differentiation begins. In this study, we found that a callosic substance was synthesized during rhizoid differentiation. Decreasing the cell turgor, lowering extracellular Ca2+ or adding Gd3+, all inhibited the commencement of rhizoid differentiation as well as synthesis of the callose-like substance at the tip of the terminal cell. A callosic substance was also synthesized during formation of the conjugation tube.     

Effect of epidermal growth factor on intestinal adaptation after allogeneic small bowel transplantation in rats

We reported that epidermal growth factor (EGF) stimulated graft adaptation in a rat model of syngeneic small bowel transplantation. However, graft rejection is a severe problem with clinical small bowel transplantation, because small intestinal wall contains large amounts of lymphoid tissue. Studies were performed to investigate the effect of EGF on allogeneic graft adaptation after small bowel transplantation in rats treated with an immunosuppressant FK506. The transplanted animals received intraperitoneally EGF or saline (untreated) after surgery and were examined for analysis one week later. EGF-treated group markedly enhanced the water absorption and induction of sodium glucose cotransporter (SGLTI) as compared with EGF-untreated group. EGF-treated group also increased the mucosal crypt depth and its cell proliferating rate, although there was no significant difference in the mucosal villus height between the two groups. These results indicate that EGF accelerates intestinal allograft adaptation in part by the recovery of mucosal structure and function after small bowel transplantation in rats. EGF may have relevance to promote graft function in clinical small intestinal transplantation.