Requirement of androgen-dependent activation of protein kinase Czeta for androgen-dependent cell proliferation in LNCaP Cells and its roles in transition to androgen-independent cells

A cell line that we designed, AILNCaP, proliferated in androgen-depleted medium after emerging from long-term androgen-depleted cultures of an androgen-sensitive prostate cancer cell line, LNCaP. Using this cell line as a model of progression to androgen independence, we demonstrated that the activity of the mammalian target of rapamycin/p70 S6 kinase transduction pathway is down-regulated after androgen depletion in LNCaP, whereas its activation is related to transition of this cell line to androgen-independent proliferation. Kinase activity of protein kinase Czeta is regulated by androgen stimulation in LNCaP cells, whereas it is activated constitutively in AILNCaP cells under androgen-depleted conditions. Treatment with a protein kinase Czeta pseudosubstrate inhibitor reduced p70 S6 kinase activity and cell proliferation in both cell lines. We identified that both protein kinase Czeta and p70 S6 kinase were associated in LNCaP cells and this association was enhanced by the androgen stimulation. We examined the expression of phospho-protein kinase Czeta and phospho-p70 S6 kinase in hormone-naive prostate cancer specimens and found that the expression of both kinases was correlated with each other in those specimens. Significant correlation was observed between the expression of both kinases and Ki67 expression. Most of the prostate cancer cells that survived after prior hormonal treatment also expressed both kinases. This is the first report that shows the significance of this pathway for both androgen-dependent and -independent cell proliferation in prostate cancer. Our data suggest that protein kinase Czeta/mammalian target of rapamycin/S6 kinase pathway plays an important role for the transition of androgen-dependent to androgen-independent prostate cancer cells.     

Isolation,identification of sludge-lysing strain and its utilization in thermophilic aerobic digestion for waste activated sludge

A strain of sludge-lysing bacteria was isolated from waste activated sludge (WAS) in this study. The result of 16S rRNA gene analysis demonstrated that it was a species of new genus Brevibacillus (named Brevibacillus sp. KH3). The strain could release the protease with molecule weight of about 40 kDa which could enhance the efficiency of sludge thermophilic aerobic digestion. During the sterilized sludge digestion experiment inoculated with Brevibacillus sp. KH3, the maximum protease activity was 0.41 U/ml at pH 8 and 50 °C, and maximum TSS removal ratio achieved 32.8% after 120 h digestion at pH 8 and 50 °C. In the case of un-sterilized sludge digestion inoculated with Brevibacillus sp. KH3, TSS removal ratio in inoculated-group was 54.8%, increasing at 11.86% compared with un-inoculation (46.2%). The result demonstrated that inoculation of Brevibacillus sp. KH3 could help to degrade the EPS and promote the collapse of cells and inhibit the growth of certain kinds of microorganisms. It indicated that Brevibacillus sp. KH3 strain had a high potential to enhance WAS-degradation efficiency in thermophilic aerobic digestion.     

Mitochondrial dysfunction and biotransformation of β-carboline alkaloids,harmine and harmaline,on isolated rat hepatocytes

The cytotoxic effects and biotransformation of harmine and harmaline, which are known β-carboline alkaloids and potent hallucinogens, were studied in freshly isolated rat hepatocytes. The exposure of hepatocytes to harmine caused not only concentration (0–0.50 mM)- and time (0–3 h)-dependent cell death accompanied by the formation of cell blebs and the loss of cellular ATP, reduced glutathione, and protein thiols but also the accumulation of glutathione disulfide. Of the other analogues examined, the cytotoxic effects of harmaline and harmol (a metabolite of harmine) at a concentration of 0.5 mM were less than those of harmine. The loss of mitochondrial membrane potential and generation of oxygen radical species in hepatocytes treated with harmine were greater than those with harmaline and harmol. In the oxygen consumption of mitochondria isolated from rat liver, the ratios of state-3/state-4 respiration of these β-carbolines were decreased in a concentration-dependent manner. In addition, harmine resulted in the induction of the mitochondrial permeability transition (MPT), and the effects of harmol and harmaline were less than those of harmine. At a weakly toxic level of harmine (0.25 mM), it was metabolized to harmol and its monoglucuronide and monosulfate conjugates, and the amounts of sulfate rather than glucuronide predominantly increased with time. In the presence of 2,5-dichloro-4-nitrophenol (50 μM; an inhibitor of sulfotransferase), harmine-induced cytotoxicity was enhanced, accompanied by decrease in the amount of harmol-sulfate conjugate, due to an increase in the amount of unconjugated harmol and the inhibition of harmine loss. Taken collectively, these results indicate that (a) mitochondria are target organelles for harmine, which elicits cytotoxicity through mitochondrial failure related to the induction of the MPT, mitochondrial depolarization, and inhibition of ATP synthesis; and (b) the toxic effects of harmine are greater than those of either its metabolite harmol or its analogue harmaline, suggesting that the onset of harmine-induced cytotoxicity may depend on the initial and/or residual concentrations of harmine rather than on those of its metabolites.     

Biotransformation and cytotoxic effects of hydroxychavicol, an intermediate of safrole metabolism, in isolated rat hepatocytes

The biotransformation and cytotoxic effects of hydroxychavicol (HC; 1-allyl-3,4-dihydroxybenzene), which is a catecholic component in piper betel leaf and a major intermediary metabolite of safrole in rats and humans, was studied in freshly isolated rat hepatocytes. The exposure of hepatocytes to HC caused not only concentration (0.25-1.0 mM)- and time (0-3 h)-dependent cell death accompanied by the loss of cellular ATP, adenine nucleotide pools, reduced glutathione, and protein thiols, but also the accumulation of glutathione disulfide and malondialdehyde, indicating lipid peroxidation. At a concentration of 1 mM, the cytotoxic effects of safrole were less than those of HC. The loss of mitochondrial membrane potential and generation of oxygen radical species assayed using 2′,7′-dichlorodihydrofluoresein diacetate (DCFH-DA) in hepatocytes treated with HC were greater than those with safrole. HC at a weakly toxic level (0.25 and/or 0.50 mM) was metabolized to monoglucuronide, monosulfate, and monoglutathione conjugates, which were identified by mass spectra and/or ¹H nuclear magnetic resonance spectra. The amounts of sulfate rather than glucuronide or glutathione conjugate predominantly increased, accompanied by a loss of the parent compound, with time. In hepatocytes pretreated with either diethyl maleate or salicylamide, HC-induced cytotoxicity was enhanced, accompanied by a decrease in the formation of these conjugates and by the inhibition of HC loss. Taken collectively, our results indicate that (a) mitochondria are target organelles for HC, which elicits cytotoxicity through mitochondrial failure related to mitochondrial membrane potential at an early stage and subsequently lipid peroxidation through oxidative stress at a later stage; (b) the onset of cytotoxicity depends on the initial and residual concentrations of HC rather than those of its metabolites; (c) the toxicity of HC is greater than that of safrole, suggesting the participation of a catecholic intermediate in safrole cytotoxicity in rat hepatocytes.     

Current state and perspectives in hydrogen production by Escherichia coli: roles of hydrogenases in glucose or glycerol metabolism

Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology - Escherichia coli has been a robust host strain for much biological research, in particular, research in metabolic engineering, protein engineering, and...     

Direct determination of the π-helix structure and helix transition behavior of poly(β-phenethyl l-aspartate) via synchrotron X-ray diffraction

The helix-sense inversions of poly(β-phenethyl l -aspartate) (2P) and diblock copolymers (2P-3P), with 2P and poly(β-phenylpropyl l -aspartate) (3P) blocks, were studied in their solid states using synchrotron wide-angle X-ray diffraction and small-angle X-ray scattering. The characteristic parameters of the π-helix structure of 2P were directly determined in situ after the helix transition at a high temperature. In the 2P-3P block copolymers, the main chains of the 3P blocks initially convert from right- to left-handed α-helices, and then the 2P blocks convert irreversibly from right-handed α-helices to left-handed π-helices. The chemical structures of the side chains of poly(l -aspartic acid ester)s significantly affect their helix transition behaviors.     

Chemical modification of the nonreducing,terminal group of maltotriose

O-α-d-Galactopyranosyl-(1→4)-O-α-d-glucopyranosyl-(1→4)-d-glucopyranose (12) was prepared by inversion of configuration at C-4″ of 2,3,2′,3′,6′,2″,3″-hepta-O-acetyl-1,6-anhydro-4″,6″-di-O-methylsulfonyl-β-maltotriose (7), followed by O-deacylation, acetylation, acetolysis, and de-O-acetylation. The intermediate 7 was obtained by treatment of 1,6-anhydro-β-maltotriose (2) with benzal chloride in pyridine, followed by acetylation, removal of the benzylidene group, and methane-sulfonylation. Selective tritylation of 2 and subsequent acetylation afforded 2,3,2′,3′,6′,2″,3″,4″-octa-O-acetyl-1,6-anhydro-6″-O-trityl-β-maltotriose (6), which was O-detritylated and p-toluenesulfonylated to give 2,3,2′,3′,6′,2″,3″,4″-octa-O-acetyl-1,6-anhydro-6″-O-p-tolylsulfonyl-β-maltotriose (13). Nucleophilic displacement of 13 with thioacetate, iodide, bromide, chloride, and azide ions gave 6″-S-acetyl- (14), 6″-iodo- (15), 6″-bromo- (16), 6″-chloro- (19), and 6″-azido- (20) 1,6-anhydro-β-maltotriose octaacetates, respectively. 6″Deoxy- (18) and 6″-acetamido-6″-deoxy (21) derivatives of 1,6-anhydro-β-maltotriose decaacetates were also prepared from 15 and 16, and 20, respectively. Acetolysis of 14, 15, 16, 18, 19, and 21 afforded 1,2,3,6,2′,3′,6′,2″,3″,4″-deca-O-acetyl-6″-S-acetyl (22), -6″-iodo (23), -6″-bromo (24), -6″-deoxy (25), -6″-chloro (26), and -6″-acetamido-6′-deoxy (27) derivatives of α-maltotriose, respectively. O-Deacetylation of 24, 25, and 26 furnished 6″-bromo-(28), 6″-deoxy- (29), and 6″-chloro- (30) maltotrioses, respectively, which on acetylation gave the corresponding β-decaacetates.