SNRPA enhances tumour cell growth in gastric cancer through modulating NGF expression

Objectives

SNRPA is a protein component of U1 small nuclear ribonucleoprotein (U1 snRNP) complex, which takes part in the splicing of pre‐mRNAs. Its expression and function in tumour remain unknown. Herein, we elucidated the functional contribution of SNRPA to the progression of gastric cancer (GC).

Materials and methods

SNRPA expression was investigated in a GC tissue microarray by immunohistochemical staining. Cell proliferation was evaluated by CCK‐8, colony formation and EdU incorporation assays. A mouse xenograft model was used to detect the tumourigenicity. Gene expression profiling was performed and then the potential target genes were verified by quantitative real‐time PCR and western blot analyses. The functional relevance between SNRPA and its target gene was examined by cell growth assays.

Results

SNRPA expression was higher in tumour tissues than in matched normal gastric mucosa tissues, and it was positively correlated with the tumour size and progression. High SNRPA expression indicated poor prognosis of GC patients. Silencing SNRPA in GC cells markedly inhibited cell proliferation in vitro and tumour growth in a xenograft model, while overexpressing SNRPA exhibited opposite results. Moreover, we identified NGF (Nerve growth factor) as a downstream effector of SNRPA and further proved that NGF was crucial for SNRPA‐mediated GC cell growth.

Conclusions

These findings suggested that SNRPA may contribute to GC progression via NGF and could be a prognostic biomarker for GC.

     

Discovery of new GSK-3β inhibitors through structure-based virtual screening

Glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK-3β) is an attractive therapeutic target for human diseases, such as diabetes, cancer, neurodegenerative diseases, and inflammation. Thus, structure-based virtual screening was performed to identify novel scaffolds of GSK-3β inhibitors, and we observed that conserved water molecules of GSK-3β were suitable for virtual screening. We found 14 hits and D1 (IC₅₀ of 0.71?μM) were identified. Furthermore, the neuroprotection activity of D1–D3 was validated on a cellular level. 2D similarity searches were used to find derivatives of high inhibitory compounds and an enriched structure–activity relationship suggested that these skeletons were worthy of study as potent GSK-3β inhibitors.     

Resistance to Phytophthora pathogens is dependent on gene silencing pathways in plants

RNA silencing is one of the main defence mechanisms employed by plants to fight pathogens. p19 protein encoded by the tomato bushy stunt virus (TBSVp19) is known as a suppressor of RNA silencing via siRNA sequestration to prevent the assembly of RISC. To better understand the impact of TBSVp19 on silencing and its roles in Phytophthora pathogens, we used the transient expression assay in Nicotiana benthamiana and found that the leaves expressing TBSVp19 were more susceptible to Phytophthora parasitica. Furthermore, we demonstrated that TBSVp19‐mediated plant susceptibility in N. benthamiana is dependent on RNA‐dependent RNA polymerase 6 (RDR6). We also tested the role of RNA silencing in resistance of soybean hairy roots to Phytophthora. The lesion size induced by P. sojae on TBSVp19‐expressing soybean hairy roots was slightly, but significantly larger than GFP‐expressing soybean hairy roots. Finally, the Arabidopsis gene silencing mutants ago1‐27, zip‐1, sgs3‐11 and rdr6‐11 were also examined for their resistance to P. parasitica. The results clearly showed that resistance levels of the mutants were visibly reduced compared with the wild type. Taken together, these results suggest that the gene silencing system in plants is essential for resistance to Phytophthora pathogens.     

Controllable Steering and Tuning of Surface Plasmons on the Metallic Nano-film with Nanoslits Array

Plasmonics - A scheme of steering and tuning surface plasmon wakes (SWs) on the metallic nano-film (MNF) excited by a free-electron-beam is demonstrated. With a well-designed array of nanoslits...     

大血藤醇提物抗炎镇痛和止血活性研究初探

为观察大血藤醇提物抗炎、镇痛、止血活性,该文采用75%乙醇提取制备大血藤醇提物(AESC),利用HPLC法测定其绿原酸含量; KM鼠(或新西兰兔)在测定抗炎、镇痛、止血活性时随机分为空白对照组、阳性对照组(云南白药酊组)、AESC组,依次测定其抑制二甲苯致小鼠耳肿胀度作用、痛阈值和兔肝脏局部创面损伤出血的记分分值,分别考察其抗炎、镇痛、止血作用。结果表明:AESC中绿原酸含量为(0.294±0.013 5)%;与空白组比较,剂量为0.700 g·kg~(-1)的AESC组能显著减轻二甲苯所致的小鼠耳肿胀度(P0.01),抑制率达26.3%;与空白组及给药前比较,剂量为1.40 g·kg~(-1)的AESC组均能显著提高小鼠痛阈值(P0.01);与空白组相比,剂量为1.40 g·kg~(-1)的AESC组能显著提高兔肝脏局部创面损伤出血的记分分值(P0.001)。大血藤醇提取物具有显著的抗炎、镇痛、止血作用,有望将其开发为抗炎、镇痛、止血制剂。该结果也为大血藤的临床应用提供理论依据。     

根际通气状况对盐胁迫下棉花幼苗生长的影响

以溶液培养的棉花(Gossypium hirsutum)幼苗为材料,测定了不同盐胁迫程度和不同通气状况下棉花幼苗株高、根系体积、根系和茎叶生物量以及灰分含量的变化,以探索根际通气状况对盐胁迫下棉花生长的影响。结果表明,盐胁迫抑制棉花植株生长,表现为植株变矮、叶面积减小和干物质积累下降;根际环境通气不良也会导致棉花幼苗生长受抑制、干物质积累下降和矿质元素吸收减少等。进一步比较盐胁迫和根际通气状况及两者组合作用对棉苗生长的影响,发现盐胁迫对株高和总生物量的影响较大,而根际通气状况对根系体积、根系生物量、根冠比和矿质元素吸收的影响较大。总体表现为:盐胁迫对茎叶生长的不利影响较大,而根际通气状况对根系生长的不利影响较大。同时,在根际环境通气良好的条件下,不同程度盐胁迫导致的棉花幼苗株高、根系体积、叶面积、根系生物量和总生物量的变化程度远小于根际环境通气不良条件下的变化程度。实验结果表明,根际环境通气良好可以减弱盐胁迫对棉花生长发育的抑制作用,而根际环境通气不良则会加重盐胁迫的不利影响。     

Highly selective and efficient biotransformation of linarin to produce tilianin by naringinase

Objectives

To develop a practical method to prepare tilianin by highly selective and efficient hydrolysis of the C-7 rhamnosyl group from linarin.

Results

Naringinase was utilized to selectively catalyze the formation of tilianin using linarin as the starting material. The reaction conditions, including temperature, pH, metal ions, substrate concentration and enzyme concentration, were optimized. At 60 °C, naringinase showed enhanced α-l-rhamnosidase activity while the β-d-glucosidase activity was abrogated. The addition of Mg²⁺, Fe²⁺ and Co²⁺ was also beneficial for selective biotransformation of linarin to tilianin. Under the optimized conditions (pH 7.0 at 60 °C), linarin could be nearly completely transformed to tilianin with excellent selectivity (>98.9 %), while that of the by-product acacetin was less than 1.1 %. In addition, the structure of target product tilianin was fully characterized by HR-MS and ¹H-NMR.

Conclusion

A highly selective and efficient biotransformation of linarin to tilianin was developed by the proper control of incubation temperature, which enhanced the α-l-rhamnosidase activity of naringinase and blocked its β-d-glucosidase activity.