The role of p38 MAP kinase and c-Jun N-terminal protein kinase signaling in the differentiation and apoptosis of immortalized neural stem cells

The two distinct members of the mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase family c-Jun N-terminal protein kinase (JNK) and p38 MAP kinase, play an important role in central nervous system (CNS) development and differentiation. However, their role and functions are not completely understood in CNS. To facilitate in vitro study, we have established an immortal stem cell line using SV40 from fetal rat embryonic day 17. In these cells, MAP kinase inhibitors (SP600125, SB202190, and PD98059) were treated for 1, 24, 48, and 72 h to examine the roles of protein kinases. Early inhibition of JNK did not alter phenotypic or morphological changes of immortalized cells, however overexpression of Bax and decrease of phosphorylated AKT was observed. The prolonged inhibition of JNK induced polyploidization of immortalized cells, and resulted in differentiation and inhibition of cell proliferation. Moreover, JNK and p38 MAP kinase but not ERK1/2 was activated, and p21, p53, and Bax were overexpressed by prolonged inhibition of JNK.

These results indicate that JNK and p38 MAP kinase could play dual roles on cell survival and apoptosis. Furthermore, this established cell line could facilitate study of the role of JNK and p38 MAP kinase on CNS development or differentiation/apoptosis.     

Synergistic inhibitory effect of berberine and icotinib on non-small cell lung cancer cells via inducing autophagic cell death and apoptosis

Apoptosis - Resistance to epidermal growth factor receptor-tyrosin kinase inhibitors (TKIs, e.g. icotinib) remains a major clinical challenge. Non-small cell lung cancer patients with wild-type...     

耐镉促生菌株的分离鉴定及对大豆的促生效应

【背景】华南地区镉（Cd）污染严重,与有益微生物共生能够使作物通过直接或间接的机制解除镉毒,提高抗逆性,进而促进生长。耐镉促生菌剂具有广泛的应用前景。【目的】从华南地区受镉污染植株的根内和根际筛选出耐镉且能促进大豆生长的促生菌,以丰富促进田间大豆生产的优异菌种资源。【方法】采用平板划线法从植株的根内或根际分离菌株,通过生理生化特性和16S rRNA基因序列分析对分离菌株进行初步研究,利用盆栽试验探究镉胁迫下菌株对大豆生长的影响,通过测定丙二醛含量和总抗氧化能力探究菌株的耐镉机制。【结果】分离获得4株菌D1、D2、D3和D4,促生特性试验证明4株菌均具有溶磷、产吲哚乙酸和铁载体的能力。经16S rRNA基因序列分析鉴定,D1、D2、D3和D4菌株分别属于不动杆菌属、微小杆菌属、类芽孢杆菌属和普罗威登斯菌属。用这4株菌进行不同镉处理的大豆（巴西10号）盆栽试验,结果表明,4株菌均具有耐镉和促进大豆生长的作用。不添加镉的条件下,大豆接种D4菌株的地上部干重、根部干重和株高分别增加了28%、35%和31%;在添加20mg/kg-CdCl₂·5/2H₂...     

Activity assay of mammalian 2-cys peroxiredoxins using yeast thioredoxin reductase system

2-Cys peroxiredoxin (Prx) is a novel cellular peroxidase that reduces peroxides in the presence of thioredoxin, thioredoxin reductase, and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) and that functions in H(2)O(2)-mediated signal transduction. Recent studies have shown that 2-cys Prx can be inactivated by cysteine overoxidation in conditions of oxidative stress. Therefore, peroxidase activity, rather than the protein level, of 2-cys Prx is the more important measure to predict its cellular function. Here, we introduce a modified activity assay method for mammalian 2-cys Prx based on yeast nonselenium thioredoxin reductase. Yeast thioredoxin reductase is expressed in Escherichia coli cells and purified at high yield (40 mg/L of culture broth) as an active flavoprotein by combined diethyl aminoethyl (DEAE) and phenyl hydrophobic chromatography. The optimal concentrations of yeast thioredoxin and thioredoxin reductase required to achieve maximum mammalian 2-cys Prx activity are 3.0 and 1.5 microM, respectively. This modified assay method is useful for measuring 2-cys Prx activity in cell lysates and can also be adapted for a 96-well plate reader for high-throughput screening of chemical compounds that target 2-cys Prx.     

The Antiarrhythmic and Anticonvulsant Effects of Dietary N-3 Fatty Acids

It has been shown in animals and probably in humans, that n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) are antiarrhythmic. We report recent studies on the antiarrhythmic actions of PUFAs. The PUFAs stabilize the electrical activity of isolated cardiac myocytes by modulating sarcolemmal ion channels, so that a stronger electrical stimulus is required to elicit an action potential and the refractory period is markedly prolonged. Inhibition of voltage-dependent sodium currents, which initiate action potentials in excitable tissues, and of the L-type calcium currents, which initiate release of sarcoplasmic calcium stores that increase cytosolic free calcium concentrations and activate the contractile proteins in myocytes, appear at present to be the probable major antiarrhythmic mechanism of the PUFAs. Received: 27 May 1999/Revised: 20 July 1999     

Capillary electrophoretic separation of high-molecular-weight poly(ethylene glycol)-modified proteins

This study was designed to demonstrate the utility of capillary electrophoresis (CE) for separating high-molecular-weight poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG)-conjugated proteins. As a CE method, sodium dodecyl sulfate-capillary gel electrophoresis (SDS-CGE) was applied to analyze interferon alpha (IFN) modified with branched and trimer-structured PEG molecules. Five mono-PEG-IFN conjugates prepared with two branched PEGs (MW 20 and 40 kDa) and three trimer-structured PEGs (MW 23.5, 43.5, and 47 kDa) were purified by cation-exchange chromatography and their masses were identified by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry. The SDS-CGE method showed high separation capacity by differentiating PEG-IFN conjugates with small differences in molecular size, such as PEG_40K-, PEG_43.5K-, and PEG_47K-IFNs, and it was useful for checking the purity of each mono-PEG-IFN. This study shows that SDS-CGE can well be utilized in the development and quality control of PEGylated proteins prepared with various types of PEG.     

Protoplast Fusion of Lactobacillus casei

Lactobacillus casei ATCC 7469 was successfully converted to protoplasts by treatment with endo-7V-acetyl muramidase in sucrose phosphate buffer. For full hydrolysis of cell walls, a high concentration of sucrose and a cold shock were necessary. Mg²⁺ ions enhanced the stability of protoplasting cells. The cell wall regeneration of protoplasts was more effective on gelatin-induced regeneration medium than with the soft overlay method. The optimal concentration of gelatin was 2.5%. The frequency of regeneration was found to be about 6% for the protoplast prepared by enzyme treatment for 20 min. The mutants having streptomycin resistance and rifampicin resistance, as selection markers for the detection of fusion, were isolated by UV irradiation and NTG treatment. These mutants were stable for at least several transfers. Protoplast fusion was carried out using PEG (50% solution of polyethyleneglycol, M.W. 6,000). The frequency of protoplast fusion was found to be about 10^-5.