Cancer-initiating cells derived from human rectal adenocarcinoma tissues carry mesenchymal phenotypes and resist drug therapies

Accumulating evidence indicates that cancer-initiating cells (CICs) are responsible for cancer initiation, relapse, and metastasis. Colorectal carcinoma (CRC) is typically classified into proximal colon, distal colon, and rectal cancer. The gradual changes in CRC molecular features within the bowel may have considerable implications in colon and rectal CICs. Unfortunately, limited information is available on CICs derived from rectal cancer, although colon CICs have been described. Here we identified rectal CICs (R-CICs) that possess differentiation potential in tumors derived from patients with rectal adenocarcinoma. The R-CICs carried both CD44 and CD54 surface markers, while R-CICs and their immediate progenies carried potential epithelial–mesenchymal transition characteristics. These R-CICs generated tumors similar to their tumor of origin when injected into immunodeficient mice, differentiated into rectal epithelial cells in vitro, and were capable of self-renewal both in vitro and in vivo. More importantly, subpopulations of R-CICs resisted both 5-fluorouracil/calcium folinate/oxaliplatin (FolFox) and cetuximab treatment, which are the most common therapeutic regimens used for patients with advanced or metastatic rectal cancer. Thus, the identification, expansion, and properties of R-CICs provide an ideal cellular model to further investigate tumor progression and determine therapeutic resistance in these patients.     

Effects of hindlimb suspension and androgen treatment on testosterone receptors in rat skeletal muscles

This study tested the specific and combined effects of testosterone treatment and hindlimb suspension (HS) on the properties of steroid receptors in skeletal muscle. Male rats were either administered weekly high doses of testosterone heptylate (10 mg x kg(-1)) or olive oil placebo, and were either tail-suspended or acted as controls. After 3 weeks of treatment, three muscles were excised from each animal, soleus (SOL), extensor digitorum longus (EDL), and plantaris. The results showed that the testosterone treatment was unable to minimise the HS-induced atrophy of skeletal muscle. As expected, HS altered the fibre-type composition of SOL muscles (-33% of type I, +188% and +161% of type IIa and intermediate fibres respectively, P < 0.01). No overall effect of treatment was detected on the fibre-type composition of either slow or fast-twitch muscles. Binding capacity determined by a radiocompetition technique was increased by HS, especially in SOL and EDL muscles (P < 0.01), while HS or steroid treatment decreased the affinity of the steroid receptors. The combination of HS and testosterone administration resulted in a decrease in binding capacity and affinity of steroid receptors in skeletal muscles. Steroid receptors in fast-twitch muscles exhibited a higher affinity than those in slow-twitch muscles, and it is suggested that it is likely that testosterone treatment is more effective in fast-twitch than in slow-twitch muscles. It was concluded that the lack of preventive effect of testosterone treatment on HS-induced SOL muscle atrophy could be explained by both a decrease in steroid sensitivity and the removal of mechanical factors.     

微透析测试刺激皮肤和肌肉神经引起的天门冬氨酸和谷氨酸在脊髓的 …

To investigate the possible mechanisms underlying the difference of NMDA and non-NMDA receptors in spinal nociception originating in skin and muscle, release of aspartate (Asp) and glutamate (Glu) in the spinal dorsal horn was detected by stimulation of cutaneous and muscular nerves in cats using microdialysis technique. Asp and Glu were increased respectively by (323 +/- 55)% and (169 +/- 16)% following stimulation of cutaneous nerve, but by (150 +/- 16)% and (218 +/- 42)% respectively following stimulation of muscular nerve. Asp increase was approximately three times higher than that of Glu following cutaneous nerve-stimulation (P < 0.01), while Glu increase was approximately twice as high as that of Asp following muscular nerve-stimulation (P < 0.05). It is likely that nociceptive cutaneous and muscular inputs preferentially elicite release of Asp and Glu respectively, resulting in a functional differentiation of NMDA and non-NMDA receptor in the mediation of different nociceptive information.     

正常大鼠植入高血压大鼠肾脏后动脉血压的变化

本实验对12周龄的自发性高血压大鼠(spontaneouslyhypertensiverat,SHR)及其对照组WistarKyoto(WKY)大鼠进行了肾脏移植的研究,并观察受肾移植大鼠动脉血压的变化以及免疫抑制剂对动脉血压的影响。用尾套法对接受同窝另一同胞WKY大鼠肾脏移植且存活5周的6只WKY大鼠(A组)及接受SHR肾脏移植且存活5周的6只WKY大鼠(B组)的尾动脉收缩压进行检测,移植前A、B两组受肾移植大鼠的尾动脉收缩压分别为180±093和183±068kPa,无统计学显著差异(P>005);移植后3、4、5周时,B组大鼠的尾动脉收缩压显著高于A组大鼠,移植后5周时,A,B两组大鼠的收缩压分别为190±071和230±069kPa(P<0001);所用剂量的免疫抑制剂CsA对双侧肾脏完整以及右侧肾脏切除的SHR、WKY大鼠的动脉血压无显著影响。以上结果表明,SHR的肾脏在高血压的形成中可能起重要作用     

刺激面神经核背内侧区及腹内侧区对颏舌肌和膈肌肌电活动的影响

在４４只氨基甲酸乙酯麻醉、断双侧迷走神经的健康成年家兔上、观察电、化学刺激面神经核背内侧区和腹内侧区对颏舌肌和膈肌肌电活动的影响。结果如下：（１）长串电脉冲刺激ｄＭＮＦ引起颏舌肌和膈肌肌电活动明显增强;（２）短串电脉冲刺激ｄＭＦＮ,当刺激落用于吸气相时,引起颏舌肌和膈肌在呼气相的肌是有终止;（３）长串电脉冲刺激ｖＭＮＦ使颏舌肌和膈肌肌电活动明显被抑制;（４）短中电脉冲刺激ｖＭＮＦ,当刺激落位有气相     

Tissue-inherent fate of GPI revealed by GPI-anchored GFP transgenesis

To clarify the fate of glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) in mammals, we developed GPI-anchored enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP-GPI) and transgenic mice carrying this fusion construct. When it was introduced to culture cells, the EGFP-GPI protein was correctly sorted to plasma membranes and microsomes depending on GPI biosynthesis. Transgenic mice carrying EGFP-GPI were found to show a broad transgene expression. Histologically, a prominent polarized localization of EGFP-GPI protein was observed in various epithelia, the nervous system and liver and secreted from some exocrine glands, as well as non-polarized presence in non-epithelial tissues, demonstrating a tissue-inherent manner of GPI sorting.     

Activation of Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinase, but Not Extracellular-Regulated Kinases, Is Necessary to Mediate Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor-Induced Motoneuron Survival

Chick embryo spinal cord motoneurons develop a trophic response to some neurotrophins when they are maintained in culture in the presence of muscle extract. Thus, after 2 days in culture, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) promotes motoneuron survival. In the present study we have analyzed the intracellular pathways that may be involved in the BDNF-induced motoneuron survival. We have observed that BDNF activated the extracellular-regulated kinase (ERK) mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase and the phosphatidylinositol (PI) 3-kinase pathways. To examine the contribution of these pathways to the survival effect triggered by BDNF, we used PD 98059, a specific inhibitor of MAP kinase kinase, and LY 294002, a selective inhibitor of PI 3-kinase. PD 98059, at doses that significantly reduced the phosphorylation of ERKs, did not show any prominent effect on neuronal survival. However, LY 294002 at doses that inhibited the phosphorylation of Akt, a down-stream element of the PI 3-kinase, completely abolished the motoneuron survival effects of BDNF. Moreover, cell death triggered by LY 294002 treatment exhibited features similar to those observed after muscle extract deprivation. Our results suggest that the PI 3-kinase pathway plays an important role in the survival effect triggered by BDNF on motoneurons, whereas activation of the ERK MAP kinase pathway is not relevant.     

Analysis of the roles of 14-3-3 in the platelet glycoprotein Ib-IX-mediated activation of integrin alpha(IIb)beta(3) using a reconstituted mammalian cell expression model

We have reconstituted the platelet glycoprotein (GP) Ib-IX-mediated activation of the integrin alpha(IIb)beta(3) in a recombinant DNA expression model, and show that 14-3-3 is important in GPIb-IX signaling. CHO cells expressing alpha(IIb)beta(3) adhere poorly to vWF. Cells expressing GPIb-IX adhere to vWF in the presence of botrocetin but spread poorly. Cells coexpressing integrin alpha(IIb)beta(3) and GPIb-IX adhere and spread on vWF, which is inhibited by RGDS peptides and antibodies against alpha(IIb)beta(3). vWF binding to GPIb-IX also activates soluble fibrinogen binding to alpha(IIb)beta(3) indicating that GPIb-IX mediates a cellular signal leading to alpha(IIb)beta(3) activation. Deletion of the 14-3-3-binding site in GPIbalpha inhibited GPIb-IX-mediated fibrinogen binding to alpha(IIb)beta(3) and cell spreading on vWF. Thus, 14-3-3 binding to GPIb-IX is important in GPIb-IX signaling. Expression of a dominant negative 14-3-3 mutant inhibited cell spreading on vWF, suggesting an important role for 14-3-3. Deleting both the 14-3-3 and filamin-binding sites of GPIbalpha induced an endogenous integrin-dependent cell spreading on vWF without requiring alpha(IIb)beta(3), but inhibited vWF-induced fibrinogen binding to alpha(IIb)beta(3). Thus, while different activation mechanisms may be responsible for vWF interaction with different integrins, GPIb-IX-mediated activation of alpha(IIb)beta(3) requires 14-3-3 interaction with GPIbalpha.     

Genome Duplications and Other Features in 12 Mb of DNA Sequence from Human Chromosome 16p and 16q

Several publicly funded large-scale sequencing efforts have been initiated with the goal of completing the first reference human genome sequence by the year 2005. Here we present the results of analysis of 11.8 Mb of genomic sequence from chromosome 16. The apparent gene density varies throughout the region, but the number of genes predicted (84) suggests that this is a gene-poor region. This result may also suggest that the total number of human genes is likely to be at the lower end of published estimates. One of the most interesting aspects of this region of the genome is the presence of highly homologous, recently duplicated tracts of sequence distributed throughout the p-arm. Such duplications have implications for mapping and gene analysis as well as the predisposition to recurrent chromosomal structural rearrangements associated with genetic disease.