Water-soluble PDE4 inhibitors for the treatment of dry eye

PDE4 inhibitors have the potential to alleviate the symptoms and underlying inflammation associated with dry eye. Disclosed herein is the development of a novel series of water-soluble PDE4 inhibitors. Our studies led to the discovery of coumarin 18, which is effective in a rabbit model of dry eye and a tear secretion test in rats.     

Oxidative stress-mediated mitochondrial fission promotes hepatic stellate cell activation via stimulating oxidative phosphorylation

Previous studies have demonstrated dysregulated mitochondrial dynamics in fibrotic livers and hepatocytes. Little is currently known about how mitochondrial dynamics are involved, nor is it clear how mitochondrial dynamics participate in hepatic stellate cell (HSC) activation. In the present study, we investigated the role of mitochondrial dynamics in HSC activation and the underlying mechanisms. We verified that mitochondrial fission was enhanced in human and mouse fibrotic livers and active HSCs. Moreover, increased mitochondrial fission driven by fis1 overexpression could promote HSC activation. Inhibiting mitochondrial fission using mitochondrial fission inhibitor-1 (Mdivi-1) could inhibit activation and induce apoptosis of active HSCs, indicating that increased mitochondrial fission is essential for HSC activation. Mdivi-1 treatment also induced apoptosis in active HSCs in vivo and thus ameliorated CCl₄-induced liver fibrosis. We also found that oxidative phosphorylation (OxPhos) was increased in active HSCs, and OxPhos inhibitors inhibited activation and induced apoptosis in active HSCs. Moreover, increasing mitochondrial fission upregulated OxPhos, while inhibiting mitochondrial fission downregulated OxPhos, suggesting that mitochondrial fission stimulates OxPhos during HSC activation. Next, we found that inhibition of oxidative stress using mitoquinone mesylate (mitoQ) and Tempol inhibited mitochondrial fission and OxPhos and induced apoptosis in active HSCs, suggesting that oxidative stress contributes to excessive mitochondrial fission during HSC activation. In conclusion, our study revealed that oxidative stress contributes to enhanced mitochondrial fission, which triggers OxPhos during HSC activation. Importantly, inhibiting mitochondrial fission has huge prospects for alleviating liver fibrosis by eliminating active HSCs.Subject terms: Endocrine system and metabolic diseases, Cell biology     

白及根腐病病原菌的鉴定及抑制效应研究

为明确鉴定白及块茎腐烂病(根腐病)的病原菌,并筛选能够抑制病原菌的中药材提取物。该研究利用常规组织分离法对病原菌进行分离,通过形态学和分子生物学技术对致病菌株进行鉴定,同时观察了7种中药材提取物对病原菌的抑菌效果。结果表明：(1)从感病叶片、叶鞘及块茎中共分离得到14株真菌和4株细菌,病原菌室内和室外回接表明菌株GF-1致病症状与田间一致,致病率均达到100%。(2)经形态学鉴定,菌株GF-1为附球菌属(Epicoccum)病原菌,菌落白色绒絮状,圆形;菌丝匍匐向外、向上生长,气生,无色,有隔膜,有分枝,具有分生孢子和厚垣孢子。(3)菌株GF-1的ITS序列(全长522 bp)与GenBank中已登录的甘蔗的高粱附球菌(E.sorghinum,MN493119.1)序列一致性最高,达99.62%,与已报道的白及叶斑病致病菌高粱附球菌(E.sorghinum, MF948994.1)的一致性为98.88%。(4)培养基中含有0.1～0.2 g·mL^-1的青钱柳等7种中药材提取物,能够完全抑制GF-1菌落的生长;当培养基中含有0.05 g·mL^-1     

唐家河自然保护区夏季啮齿类的空间生态位

本文在野外调查的基础上, 运用现代生态学中生态位的理论和方法, 采用以Shannon - Wiener 多样性指数为基础的生态位宽度指数和Pianka 生态位重叠指数对唐家河自然保护区的啮齿类动物群落进行了研究。根据海拔高度和植被类型, 将唐家河自然保护区的植被划分为4 个带, 即山地常绿阔叶林带(海拔1 600 m以下) 、常绿与落叶阔叶混交林带(1 600～ 2 100 m) 、针阔叶混交林带(2 100～ 2 400 m) 和亚高山针叶林+ 亚高山灌丛草甸带(2 400～ 3 600 m) 。发现唐家河自然保护区的12 种啮齿类动物中, 高山姬鼠、龙姬鼠和大林姬鼠在4 个垂直植被带上的分布范围最宽。本文还对群落中物种的空间生态位宽度指数与其分布的关系以及各物种对空间资源的竞争与空间生态位重叠指数大小的关系进行了讨论。     

Adoptive Infusion of Tolerogenic Dendritic Cells Prolongs the Survival of Pancreatic Islet Allografts: A Systematic Review of 13 Mouse and Rat Studies

Objective

The first Phase I study of autologous tolerogenic dendritic cells (Tol-DCs) in Type 1 diabetes (T1D) patients was recently completed. Pancreatic islet transplantation is an effective therapy for T1D, and infusion of Tol-DCs can control diabetes development while promoting graft survival. In this study, we aim to systematically review islet allograft survival following infusion of Tol-DCs induced by different methods, to better understand the mechanisms that mediate this process.

Methods

We searched PubMed and Embase (from inception to February 29^th, 2012) for relevant publications. Data were extracted and quality was assessed by two independent reviewers. We semiquantitatively analyzed the effects of Tol-DCs on islet allograft survival using mixed leukocyte reaction, Th1/Th2 differentiation, Treg induction, and cytotoxic T lymphocyte activity as mechanisms related-outcomes. We discussed the results with respect to possible mechanisms that promote survival.

Results

Thirteen articles were included. The effects of Tol-DCs induced by five methods on allograft survival were different. Survival by each method was prolonged as follows: allopeptide-pulsed Tol-DCs (42.14±44 days), drug intervention (39 days), mesenchymal stem cell induction (23 days), genetic modification (8.99±4.75 days), and other derivation (2.61±6.98 days). The results indicate that Tol-DC dose and injection influenced graft survival. Single-dose injections of 10⁴ Tol-DCs were the most effective for allograft survival, and multiple injections were not superior. Tol-DCs were also synergistic with immunosuppressive drugs or costimulation inhibitors. Possible mechanisms include donor specific T cell hyporesponsiveness, Th2 differentiation, Treg induction, cytotoxicity against allograft reduction, and chimerism induction.

Conclusions

Tol-DCs induced by five methods prolong MHC mismatched islet allograft survival to different degrees, but allopeptide-pulsed host DCs perform the best. Immunosuppressive or costimulatory blockade are synergistic with Tol-DC on graft survival. Multiple injections are not superior to single injection. Yet more rigorously designed studies with larger sample sizes are still needed in future.     

Establishment of Human Patient-Derived Endometrial Cancer Xenografts in NOD scid Gamma Mice for the Study of Invasion and Metastasis

Objective

Most endometrial cancers are detected early and have a good prognosis, while some endometrial cancers are highly invasive, metastasize early, and respond suboptimally to therapy. Currently, appropriate model systems to study the aggressive nature of these tumors are lacking. The objective of this study was to establish a mouse xenograft model of endometrial tumors derived from patients in order to study the biological aggressive characteristics that underlie invasion and metastasis.

Methods

Endometrial tumor tissue fragments (1.5 mm×1.5 mm) from patients undergoing surgery, were transplanted under the renal capsule of NOD scid gamma mice. After 6–8 weeks, tumors were excised and serially transplanted into additional mice for propagation. Immunohistochemical analysis of the tumors was done for various tumor markers.

Results

Four cases of different subtypes of endometrial cancer were grown and propagated in mice. Three of the four tumor cases invaded into the kidneys and to adjacent organs. While all tumors exhibited minimal to no staining for estrogen receptor α, progesterone receptor staining was observed for tumor grafts. In addition, levels and localization of E-cadherin, cytokeratin and vimentin varied depending on subtype. Finally, all tumor xenografts stained positively for urokinase plasminogen activator while 3 tumor xenografts, which showed invasive characteristics, stained positively for urokinase plasminogen activator receptor.

Conclusion

Endometrial tumors transplanted under the renal capsule exhibit growth, invasion and local spread. These tumors can be propagated and used to study aggressive endometrial cancer.     

RhoC、Rho-GDIα在肺癌细胞系中过表达并与转移相关

目的 分析Rhoc及其调节蛋白GDP解离抑制因子α(Guanine dissociation inhibitor,GDIα)在肺癌细胞中的表达及其与肺癌细胞转移能力间的关系.方法 应用Western blot、RT-PCR分别检测正常支气管上皮细胞、不同的肺癌细胞系中的RhoC、Rho-GDIa蛋白及RNA的表达.结果 RhoC、Rho-GDIα在人支气管上皮细胞、肺腺癌细胞系、肺巨细胞癌细胞系均有表达,免疫荧光显示均表达于细胞浆.RhoC、Rho-GDIα在肺癌中的表达高于人支气管上皮细胞.在高转移能力的肺巨细胞癌亚系BEl RhoC、Rho-GDIα的表达均高于低转移能力的肺巨细胞癌亚系LH7.结论 RhoC、RhoGDIα在肺癌细胞系中过表达并与转移能力相关.     

MiR‐130b promotes the progression of oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma by targeting SASH1

MiR‐130b and SAM and SH3 domain containing 1 (SASH1) play an important role in many types of human cancers. The aim of our research was to study their interactions in the process of the proliferation and aggressiveness of oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) cells. Microarray analysis was done to screen the differentially expressed genes in the ESCC tissues. miR‐130b and SASH1 mRNA levels in the ESCC tissues and cells were detected by qRT‐PCR. Dual luciferase reporter system was used to verify the target relationship between miR‐130b and SASH1. The effects of miR‐130b on SASH1 expression were explored by western blot in KYSE30 and TE1 cell lines. CCK‐8 assay, flow cytometry, Transwell, and wound healing assays were conducted to explore the effects of miR‐130b and SASH1 in vitro. In addition, in vivo experiments were conducted to study the roles of miR‐130b and SASH1. miR‐130b was highly expressed, while SASH1 was the opposite in both the ESCC tissues and cells. The expression of SASH1 was inhibited by the direct binding of miR‐130b. The inhibition of miR‐130b reduced the proliferation and aggressiveness of ESCC cells, while it also induced apoptosis and cell cycle arrest in the ESCC cells by suppressing SASH1. The in vivo assay suggested that the overexpression of miR‐130b promoted the growth of ESCC tumours. MiR‐130b was up‐regulated in the ESCC tumour tissues and cells, acting as a tumour promoter. A stimulating effect was demonstrated on ESCC cell growth and aggressiveness by suppressing SASH1, which is an anti‐oncogene.