Comparative study of the cytotoxicity of the nanosized and microsized tellurium powders on HeLa cells

To compare the cytotoxicity on HeLa cells induced by nanosized and microsized tellurium powders, HeLa cells were exposed to different concentrations of tellurium powders (0, 50, 100, 150 and 200 μg/mL) for 12 h. In this study, detection of a series of biomarkers, including reactive oxygen species (ROS), glutathione (GSH), 8-hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), in addition to DNA and protein crosslink (DPC) and MTTassay, were conducted to evaluate the cytotoxicity. It is indicated that compared with the control group, there was no significant difference in the induced cytotoxicity at concentrations lower than 50 μg/mL for both nanosized and microsized tellurium powders. While there appears a significant difference in the induced cytotoxicity for nanosized tellurium powders when the concentration is higher than 100 μg/mL as well as for microsized tellurium powders when the concentration is higher than 200 μg/mL. Moreover, it is found that the cytotoxicity induced on HeLa cells exhibits a certain dose-effect relationship with the concentration of tellurium powders. A conclusion has been reached that the toxicity on HeLa cells can be induced by both nanosized and microsized tellurium powders, and the toxicity of the nanosized tellurium powders is significantly greater than the microsized one.     

Evolutionary trends in Tetrastigma (Vitaceae): Morphological diversity and taxonomic implications

Tetrastigma (Miq.) Planch. (Vitaceae) is a genus with ca. 100 species showing great morphological diversity. Previous molecular phylogenetic studies suggested that traditional classification systems are not consistent with the molecular phylogeny, and Tetrastigma is undergoing further systematic investigation. We traced the evolutionary trends of 20 morphological characters within a robust phylogenetic framework. Our results revealed that many morphological characters show either multiple transitions or few state changes, however, some characters show distinct variation. The two subgenera in Tetrastigma (subgen. Tetrastigma and subgen. Palmicirrata) based on unbranched/bifurcate versus digitately branched tendrils are not supported because subgen. Tetrastigma is paraphyletic. However, the unbranched versus bifurcate/digitately branched tendril is of taxonomic utility to characterize some of the major clades. Inflorescences in Tetrastigma appear axillary, but are leaf‐opposed on a compressed axillary shoot. We found most of the species in Tetrastigma retained the ancestral compound dichasial inflorescence, except those of clade IV that have derived pseudo‐umbellate inflorescences. Other characters including habit, leaf organization, and berry shape provide additional morphological support for the major clades. Our morphological analysis and recent molecular study suggest each of the five major clades within Tetrastigma be treated as distinct taxonomic sections (five sections in the genus).     

Epidermal growth factor receptor and notch pathways participate in the tumor suppressor function of gamma-secretase

Gamma-secretase, a unique aspartyl protease, is required for the regulated intramembrane proteolysis of Notch and APP, pathways that are implicated, respectively, in the pathogenesis of cancer and Alzheimer disease. However, the mechanism whereby reduction of gamma-secretase causes tumors such as squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) remains poorly understood. Here, we demonstrate that gamma-secretase functions in epithelia as a tumor suppressor in an enzyme activity-dependent manner. Notch signaling is down-regulated and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is activated in SCC caused by genetic reduction of gamma-secretase. Moreover, the level of EGFR is inversely correlated with the level of gamma-secretase in fibroblasts, suggesting that the up-regulation of EGFR stimulates hyperproliferation in epithelia of mice with genetic reduction of gamma-secretase. Supporting this notion is our finding that the proliferative response of fibroblasts lacking gamma-secretase activity is more sensitive when challenged by either EGF or an inhibitor of EGFR as ompared with wild type cells. Interestingly, the up-regulation of EGFR is independent of Notch signaling, suggesting that the EGFR pathway functions in parallel with Notch in the tumorigenesis of SCC. Collectively, our results establish a novel mechanism linking the EGFR pathway to the tumor suppressor role of gamma-secretase and that mice with genetic reduction of gamma-secretase represent an excellent rodent model for clarifying pathogenesis of SCC and for testing therapeutic strategy to ameliorate this type of human cancer.     

植物类Caspase及其调控细胞程序性死亡的研究进展

植物细胞程序性死亡（PCD）在植物生长发育和逆境适应中发挥重要作用。半胱氨酸蛋白酶（caspase）调控动物PcD的启动、执行及信号转导。通过人工合成底物、动物caspase抑制剂等方法已证实在植物中存在类caspase,可分为metacas．pases、VPEs（vacuolar processing enzymes）和saspases等。本文综述了植物类caspase的种类、结构、定位、功能及其调控PCD的研究进展,提出植物PCD中类caspase作用的调控途径,为深入研究植物PCD提供参考。     

Carbon accumulation and distribution in Pinus massoniana and Cunninghamia lanceolata mixed forest ecosystem in Daqingshan, Guangxi, China

Carbon accumulation and distribution were studied at three sampling plots in a 13-year-old mixed planatation of Pinus massoniana and Cunninghamia lanceolata in Daqingshan, Guangxi, China. The results showed that carbon content varied with tissues and tree species, but the total carbon content of Pinus massoniana was higher than that of Cunninghamia lanceolata. The average tissue carbon contents of Pinus massoniana were: wood (58.6%) > root (56.3%) > branch (51.2%) > bark (49.8%) > leaf (46.8%), while those of Cunninghamia lanceolata were: bark (52.2%) > leaf (51.8%) > wood (50.2%) > root (47.5%) > branch (46.7%). The carbon contents of the soil (at a depth of 60cm) ranged from 1.45% to 1.84% with an average of 1.70%. Carbon contents were higher in the surface soil (0–20cm) than in the deep layer (below 20cm). The average carbon contents were the highest for trees (51.1%), followed by litter (48.3%), shrubs (44.1%), and herbs (33.0%). The biomass of the trees in the three plots ranged from 85.35 t hm^-2 to 101.35 t hm^-2 with an average of 93.83 t hm^-2, in which 75.7%–82.6% was Pinus massoniana. The biomass of the understory was 2.10–3.95 t hm^-2 with an average of 2.72 t hm^-2, while the standing stock of ground litter was 5.49–7.91 t hm^-2 with an average of 6.75 t hm^-2. The carbon storage in the mixed plantation reached the maximum in the soil layer (69.02%), followed by vegetation (29.03%), and standing litter (1.82%). The carbon storage in the tree layer occupied 23.90% of the total ecosystem and 97.7% of the vegetation layer. Pinus massoniana accounted for 65.39% of the total carbon storage in the tree layer. Tissue carbon storage was directly related to the corresponding amount of biomass. Trunks had the highest carbon storage, accounting for 53.23% of the trees in Pinus massoniana and 55.57% in Cunninghamia lanceolata, respectively. Roots accounted for about 19.22% of the total tree carbon. The annual net productivity of the mixed plantation was 11.46 t hm^-2a^-1, and that of sequestered carbon was 5.96 t hm^-2a^-1, which was equivalent to fixing CO₂ of 21.88 t hm^-2a^-1. The plantation was found to be an important sink of atmospheric CO₂.     

Preparation of konjac glucomannan hydrogels as DNA-controlled release matrix

In this study, hydrogels for DNA-controlled release was prepared with konjac glucomannan (KGM), a water-soluble non-ionic polysaccharide, by means of deacetylated reaction and physically cross-linking method under mild conditions. The properties of the KGM hydrogels were analyzed by FTIR spectra and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The integrality of the released DNA was investigated by circular dichroism (CD). The DNA release kinetics was performed using the DNA-loaded KGM gels in buffer solutions of pH 7.4 at 37+/-0.5 degrees C. Peppas model and Higuchi model were used to analysis the DNA release mechanism; the data indicated that the DNA release can be controlled by changing the preparation conditions and the structure parameters of the gels. This study suggested that the KGM hydrogels have a potential use for advanced controlled release.