PBT-3, a hepoxilin stable analog, causes long term inhibition of growth of K562 solid tumours in vivo

We demonstrate herein that daily administration of PBT-3 for 8 days to NU/NU mice bearing solid tumours derived from the s.c. administration of the leukemic cell line K562 results in inhibition of growth of the tumours in vivo, and this inhibition lasts for 60 days after stopping treatment with PBT-3 before recovery of tumour growth is re-established. Similar findings were observed when the mice were treated with Gleevec (STI-571). These results provide new evidence that PBT-3 is effective in controlling solid tumour growth in vivo and suggest that the PBT family may be useful in the development of new drugs in cancer therapy.     

半夏种内居群形态变异的模糊聚类分析

在同一栽培条件下,对主要引自长江中下游地区的１５个半夏〔Ｐｉｎｅｌｉａｔｅｒｎａｔａ（Ｔｈｕｎｂ．）Ｂｒｅｉｔ．〕居群的１６个主要形态性状进行模糊聚类分析,在置信水平λ＝０．６７６４时,将１５个居群划分成４个类型：（１）双珠芽类型：主要形态特征为叶柄上均具双珠芽,但叶型和块茎形状变异较小;（２）普通类型：主要形态特征为叶柄上均只着生单珠芽,但叶型和块茎形状变异较大;（３）长茎类型：主要形态特征为叶柄上具单珠芽,但着生位置较低,块茎呈矩圆形;（４）复合类型：主要形态特征为叶柄上具单珠芽,但居群内常有双珠芽个体出现。     

A STUDY ON MINDARUS KOCH IN CHINA WITH DESCRIPTIONS OF NEW SPECIES AND NEW SUBSPECIES (HOMOPTERA: MIN-DARIDAE)*

Abstract This paper deals with the genus Mindam Koch from China. The phylogeny of the genus is discussed. M. keteleerifoliae is regarded as the most advanced species, M. obliquus and M. piceasuc-tus are more advanced than M. abietinus, M. japonicus and M. victoria. The origin centre of the genus may be in Europe and the differentiation centre of the genus may be in Hengduan Mountains Region of China. Geological distribution of the genus shows island-shaped pattern. Five species from China was described in this paper, including one new species, M. piceasuctus Zhang and Qiao, one new subspecies, M. abietinus triprimesensori Zhang and Qiao and one newly recorded species, M. abietinus abietinus Koch 1856. A key to the Chinese species of Mindarus is given. The specimens of five species from China are deposited in the Institute of Zoology, Academia Sinica.     

悬尾应激对小鼠空间记忆及其反转学习的损伤效应

该文探讨了连续数天短时悬尾应激对小鼠十字迷宫空间记忆及其反转学习的作用。81只成年雄性昆明小鼠被分为4大组:绝对空间记忆获得组及巩固组;相对空间记忆获得组及巩固组。每大组又分为悬尾组(每天训练前或训练后立即接受悬尾处理20min)和对照组。结果表明,在空间记忆训练初期,各对照组和悬尾组动物正确反应率无明显差异,均在机遇水平;随着训练天数的增加,对照组成绩显著提高,当其正确反应率达到80%时,悬尾组正确反应率仍处于或略高于机遇水平,两组间差异显著(P<0.01);在反转学习中,悬尾组正确反应率也显著低于对照组(P<0.01)。这些表明,悬尾应激可显著损伤小鼠的空间记忆及其反转学习的获得和巩固,其中相对空间记忆及其反转学习的巩固受损尤为严重。     

Identification and engineering of the cytochalasin gene cluster from Aspergillus clavatus NRRL 1

Cytochalasins are a group of fungal secondary metabolites with diverse structures and bioactivities, including cytochalasin E produced by Aspergillus clavatus, which is a potent anti-angiogenic agent. Here, we report the identification and characterization of the cytochalasin gene cluster from A. clavatus NRRL 1. As a producer of cytochalasin E and K, the genome of A. clavatus was analyzed and the ∼30 kb ccs gene cluster was identified based on the presence of a polyketide synthase–nonribosomal peptide synthetases (PKS–NRPS) and a putative Baeyer–Villiger monooxygenase (BVMO). Deletion of the central PKS–NRPS gene, ccsA, abolished the production of cytochalasin E and K, confirming the association between the natural products and the gene cluster. Based on bioinformatic analysis, a putative biosynthetic pathway is proposed. Furthermore, overexpression of the pathway specific regulator ccsR elevated the titer of cytochalasin E from 25 mg/L to 175 mg/L. Our results not only shed light on the biosynthesis of cytochalasins, but also provided genetic tools for increasing and engineering the production.     

Identification of QTLs for seed germination capability after various storage periods using two RIL populations in rice

Seed germination capability of rice is one of the important traits in the production and storage of seeds. Quantitative trait loci (QTL) associated with seed germination capability in various storage periods was identified using two sets of recombinant inbred lines (RILs) which derived from crosses between Milyang 23 and Tong 88-7 (MT-RILs) and between Dasanbyeo and TR22183 (DT-RILs). A total of five and three main additive effects (QTLs) associated with seed germination capability were identified in MT-RILs and DT-RILs, respectively. Among them, six QTLs were identified repeatedly in various seed storage periods designated as qMT-SGC5.1, qMT-SGC7.2, and qMT-SGC9.1 on chromosomes 5, 7, and 9 in MT-RILs, and qDT-SGC2.1, qDT-SGC3.1, and qDT-SGC9.1 on chromosomes 2, 3, and 9 in DT-RILs, respectively. The QTL on chromosome 9 was identified in both RIL populations under all three storage periods, explaining up to 40% of the phenotypic variation. Eight and eighteen pairs additive × additive epistatic effect (epistatic QTL) were identified in MT-RILs and DT-RILs, respectively. In addition, several near isogenic lines (NILs) were developed to confirm six repeatable QTL effects using controlled deterioration test (CDT). The identified QTLs will be further studied to elucidate the mechanisms controlling seed germination capability, which have important implications for long-term seed storage.     

Proteomic screening of anaerobically regulated promoters from Salmonella and its antitumor applications

Solid tumors often contain hypoxic and necrotic areas that can be targeted by attenuated Salmonella typhimurium VNP20009 (VNP). We sought to develop a hypoxia- inducible promoter system based on the tumor-specific delivered strain VNP to confine expression of therapeutic gene specifically or selectively within the tumor microenvironment. A hypoxia-inducible promoter - adhE promoter was screened from the hypoxia-regulated endogenous proteins of Salmonella through two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time-of-flight/time-of-flight MS-based proteomics approaches. The efficiency and specificity of the selected adhE promoter were validated first in both bacteria and animal tumor models. The adhE promoter could specifically drive GFP gene expression under hypoxia, but not under normoxia. Furthermore, luciferase reporter expression controlled by the system was also confined to the tumors. Finally, we investigated the anticancer efficacy of VNP delivering human endostatin controlled by our adhE promoter system in both murine melanoma and Lewis lung carcinoma models. Our results demonstrated that by the dual effects of tumoricidal and anti-angiogenic activities, the recombinant Salmonella strain could generate enhanced antitumor effects compared with those of unarmed VNP treatment or untreated control. The recombinant VNP could retard tumor growth significantly and extend survival of tumor-bearing mice by inducing more apoptosis and more severe necrosis as well as inhibiting blood vessel density within tumors. Therefore, VNP carrying the endostatin gene under our tumor-targeted expression system holds promise for the treatment of solid tumors.     

Intratumoral expression of IL-17 and its prognostic role in gastric adenocarcinoma patients

In this study, we characterized the intratumoral expression of IL-17 and CD8(+) TILs in gastric adenocarcinoma patients after resection and determined the correlation between the survival probability of gastric adenocarcinoma patients and the expression of IL-17 in tumor. Expression of IL-17 and CD8 was assessed by immunohistochemistry, and the prognostic effects of intratumoral IL-17 expression and CD8(+) TILs were evaluated by Cox regression and Kaplan-Meier analysis. Immunohistochemical detection revealed the presence of IL-17 and CD8(+) cells in gastric adenocarcinoma tissue samples (90.6%, 174 out of 192 patients and 96.9%, 186 out of 192 patients, respectively). We have also found that intratumoral IL-17 expression was significantly correlated with age (p=0.004) and that the number of CD8(+)TILs was significantly correlated with UICC staging (p=0.012) and the depth of tumor invasion (p=0.022). The five-year overall survival probability among patients intratumorally expressing higher levels of IL-17 was significantly better than those expressing lower levels of IL-17 (p=0.036). Multivariate Cox proportional hazard analyses revealed that intratumoral IL-17 expression (HR: 0.521; 95% CI: 0.329-0.823; p=0.005) was an independent factor affecting the five-year overall survival probability. We conclude that low levels of intratumoral IL-17 expression may indicate poor prognosis in gastric adenocarcinoma patients.     

Hydrogen sulfide attenuates carbon tetrachloride-induced hepatotoxicity, liver cirrhosis and portal hypertension in rats

Background

Hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) displays vasodilative, anti-oxidative, anti-inflammatory and cytoprotective activities. Impaired production of H₂S contributes to the increased intrahepatic resistance in cirrhotic livers. The study aimed to investigate the roles of H₂S in carbon tetrachloride (CCl₄)-induced hepatotoxicity, cirrhosis and portal hypertension.

Methods and Findings

Sodium hydrosulfide (NaHS), a donor of H₂S, and DL-propargylglycine (PAG), an irreversible inhibitor of cystathionine γ-lyase (CSE), were applied to the rats to investigate the effects of H₂S on CCl₄-induced acute hepatotoxicity, cirrhosis and portal hypertension by measuring serum levels of H₂S, hepatic H₂S producing activity and CSE expression, liver function, activity of cytochrome P450 (CYP) 2E1, oxidative and inflammatory parameters, liver fibrosis and portal pressure. CCl₄ significantly reduced serum levels of H₂S, hepatic H₂S production and CSE expression. NaHS attenuated CCl₄-induced acute hepatotoxicity by supplementing exogenous H₂S, which displayed anti-oxidative activities and inhibited the CYP2E1 activity. NaHS protected liver function, attenuated liver fibrosis, inhibited inflammation, and reduced the portal pressure, evidenced by the alterations of serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), hyaluronic acid (HA), albumin, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6 and soluble intercellular adhesion molecule (ICAM)-1, liver histology, hepatic hydroxyproline content and α-smooth muscle actin (SMA) expression. PAG showed opposing effects to NaHS on most of the above parameters.

Conclusions

Exogenous H₂S attenuates CCl₄-induced hepatotoxicity, liver cirrhosis and portal hypertension by its multiple functions including anti-oxidation, anti-inflammation, cytoprotection and anti-fibrosis, indicating that targeting H₂S may present a promising approach, particularly for its prophylactic effects, against liver cirrhosis and portal hypertension.