A375 melanoma cells are sensitized to cisplatin-induced toxicity by a synthetic nitro-flavone derivative 2-(4-Nitrophenyl)-4H-chromen-4-one through inhibition of PARP1

Background

Cisplatin has been extensively used in therapeutics for its broad-spectrum anticancer activity and frequently used for the treatment of solid tumors. However, it presents several side-effects and several cancers develop resistance. Combination therapy of cisplatin with poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase 1 (PARP1) inhibitors has been effective in increasing its efficacy at lower doses.

Methods and results

In this work, we have shown that the nitro-flavone derivative, 2-(4-Nitrophenyl)-4H-chromen-4-one (4NCO), can improve the sensitivity of cancer cells to cisplatin through inhibition of PARP1. The effect of 4NCO on cisplatin toxicity was studied through combination therapy in both exponential and density inhibited A375 melanoma cells. Combination index (CI) was determined from isobologram analysis. The mechanism of cell killing was assessed by lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) assay. Temporal nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD⁺) assay was done to show the inhibition of PARP1. We also performed in silico molecular modeling studies to know the binding mode of 4NCO to a modeled PARP1-DNA complex containing cisplatin-crosslinked adduct. The results from both in silico and in cellulo studies confirmed that PARP1 inhibition by 4NCO was most effective in sensitizing A375 melanoma cells to cisplatin. Isobologram analysis revealed that 4NCO reduced cell viability both in exponential and density inhibited A375 cells synergistically. The combination led to cell death through apoptosis.

Conclusion

The synthetic nitro-flavone derivative 4NCO effectively inhibited the important nuclear DNA repair enzyme PARP1 and therefore, could complement the DNA-damaging anticancer drug cisplatin in A375 cells and thus, could act as a potential adjuvant to cisplatin in melanoma therapy.

     

Equilibrium stability of single-species metapopulations

We investigate the effect of migration between local populations of a single discrete-generation species living in a ring or an array of habitats. The commonly used symmetric dispersal assumption is relaxed to include the biologically more reasonable asymmetric dispersion. It is demonstrated analytically that density independent migration has no effect on the equilibrium stability of individual populations. However, the positive equilibrium may be destabilizing if the migration is density dependent in such a way that it increases with increasing population density at the source patch.     

Modelling multilocus selection in an individual‐based,spatially‐explicit landscape genetics framework

We implemented multilocus selection in a spatially‐explicit, individual‐based framework that enables multivariate environmental gradients to drive selection in many loci as a new module for the landscape genetics programs, CDPOP and CDMetaPOP. Our module simulates multilocus selection using a linear additive model, providing a flexible platform to evaluate a wide range of genotype‐environment associations. Importantly, the module allows simulation of selection in any number of loci under the influence of any number of environmental variables. We validated the module with individual‐based selection simulations under Wright‐Fisher assumptions. We then evaluated results for simulations under a simple landscape selection model. Next, we simulated individual‐based multilocus selection across a complex selection landscape with three loci linked to three different environmental variables. Finally, we demonstrated how the program can be used to simulate multilocus selection under varying selection strengths across different levels of gene flow in a landscape genetics framework. This new module provides a valuable addition to the study of landscape genetics, allowing for explicit evaluation of the contributions and interactions between gene flow and selection‐driven processes across complex, multivariate environmental and landscape conditions.     

Binding of thiocyanate to lactoperoxidase: 1H and 15N nuclear magnetic resonance studies

The binding of thiocyanate to lactoperoxidase (LPO) has been investigated by 1H and 15N NMR spectroscopy. 1H NMR of LPO shows that the major broad heme methyl proton resonance at about 61 ppm is shifted upfield by addition of the thiocyanate, indicating binding of the thiocyanate to the enzyme. The pH dependence of line width of 15N resonance of SC15N- in the presence of the enzyme has revealed that the binding of the thiocyanate to the enzyme is facilitated by protonation of an ionizable group (with pKa of 6.4), which is presumably distal histidine. Dissociation constants (KD) of SC15N-/LPO, SC15N-/LPO/I-, and SC15N-/LPO/CN- equilibria have been determined by 15N T1 measurements and found to be 90 +/- 5, 173 +/- 20, and 83 +/- 6 mM, respectively. On the basis of these values of KD, it is suggested that the iodide ion inhibits the binding of the thiocyanate but cyanide ion does not. The thiocyanate is shown to bind at the same site of LPO as iodide does, but the binding is considerably weaker and is away from the ferric ion. The distance of 15N of the bound thiocyanate ion from the iron is determined to be 7.2 +/- 0.2 A from the 15N T1 measurements.     

Crystal structure of native and a mutant of Lampyris turkestanicus luciferase implicate in bioluminescence color shift

Firefly bioluminescence reaction in the presence of Mg^2 +, ATP and molecular oxygen is carried out by luciferase. The luciferase structure alterations or modifications of assay conditions determine the bioluminescence color of firefly luciferase. Among different beetle luciferases, Phrixothrix hirtus railroad worm emits either yellow or red bioluminescence color. Sequence alignment analysis shows that the red-emitter luciferase from Phrixothrix hirtus has an additional arginine residue at 353 that is absent in other firefly luciferases. It was reported that insertion of Arg in an important flexible loop350–359 showed changes in bioluminescence color from green to red and the optimum temperature activity was also increased. To explain the color tuning mechanism of firefly luciferase, the structure of native and a mutant (E354R/356R/H431Y) of Lampyris turkestanicus luciferase is determined at 2.7 Å and 2.2 Å resolutions, respectively. The comparison of structure of both types of Lampyris turkestanicus luciferases reveals that the conformation of this flexible loop is significantly changed by addition of two Arg in this region. Moreover, its surface accessibility is affected considerably and some ionic bonds are made by addition of two positive charge residues. Furthermore, we noticed that the hydrogen bonding pattern of His431 with the flexible loop is changed by replacing this residue with Tyr at this position. Juxtaposition of a flexible loop (residues 351–359) in firefly luciferase and corresponding ionic and hydrogen bonds are essential for color emission.     

Examination of Duct Physiology in the Human Mammary Gland

BackgroundThe human breast comprise several ductal systems, or lobes, which contain a small amount of fluid containing cells, hormones, proteins and metabolites. The complex physiology of these ducts is likely a contributing factor to the development of breast cancer, especially given that the vast majority of breast cancers begin in a single lobular unit.MethodsWe examined the levels of total protein, progesterone, estradiol, estrone sulfate, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate, and macrophages in ductal fluid samples obtained from 3 ducts each in 78 women, sampled twice over a 6 month period. Samples were processed for both cytological and molecular analysis. Intraclass correlation coefficients and mixed models were utilized to identify significant data.ResultsWe found that the levels of these ductal fluid components were generally uncorrelated among ducts within a single breast and over time, suggesting that each lobe within the breast has a distinct physiology. However, we also found that estradiol was more correlated in women who were nulliparous or produced nipple aspirate fluid.ConclusionsOur results provide evidence that the microenvironment of any given lobular unit is unique to that individual unit, findings that may provide clues about the initiation and development of ductal carcinomas.     

Effects of Gibberellic Acid on Primary Terpenoids and Δ9-Tetrahydrocannabinol in Cannabis sativa at Flowering Stage

Plants synthesize an astonishing diversity of isoprenoids, some of which play essential roles in photosynthesis, respiration, and the regulation of growth and development. Two independent pathways for the biosynthesis of isoprenoid precursors coexist within the plant cell: the cytosolic mevalonic acid (MVA) pathway and the plastidial methylerythritol phosphate (MEP) pathway. However, little is known about the effects of plant hormones on the regulation of these pathways. In the present study we investigated the effect of gibberellic acid (GA₃) on changes in the amounts of many produced terpenoids and the activity of the key enzymes, 1-deoxy-D-xylulose 5-phosphate synthase (DXS) and 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase (HMGR), in these pathways. Our results showed GA₃ caused a decrease in DXS activity in both sexes that it was accompanied by a decrease in chlorophylls, carotenoids and Δ⁹-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) contents and an increase in α-tocopherol content. The treated plants with GA₃ showed an increase in HMGR activity. This increase in HMGR activity was followed by accumulation of stigmasterol and β-sitosterol in male and female plants and campestrol in male plants. The pattern of the changes in the amounts of sterols was exactly similar to the changes in the HMGR activity. These data suggest that GA₃ can probably influence the MEP and MVA pathways oppositely, with stimulatory and inhibitory effects on the produced primary terpenoids in MVA and DXS pathways, respectively.     

Polymorphism in the packing of aquaporin-1 tetramers in 2-D crystals

Hitherto, the packing arrangement of the aquaporin-1 (AQP1) tetramer in 2-dimensional (2-D) crystals (two-sided plane group p42(1)2) was observed to be largely similar (canonical crystal form) despite the difference in the source of the protein, the glycosylation state of the protein, the type of lipids, and the ratio of lipid to protein in the crystallization mixture. We report here our observation that the packing of AQP1 tetramers shows polymorphism in 2-D crystals generated in dioleoyl phosphatidylcholine bilayers. Apart from the canonical form, three additional allomorphs were identified. One was observed when small (0.25) lipid to protein ratio was used in the crystallization mixture while the other two were observed when the divalent cation content in the canonical crystals was modified. The various allomorphs were distinguished by different relative orientations of the AQP1 tetramer viewed in projection. The same, two-sided plane group p42(1)2 and similar unit cell dimensions were maintained in the different allomorphs as established by analysis of images of frozen-hydrated, nominally untilted crystals. Our results indicate that the interaction between the AQP1 monomers at the interface of the tetramers is flexible and is also strongly influenced by Mg(2+) ions with the cation effect materializing because of the intrinsic fluidity of the membrane.