New mechanism of nerve injury in Alzheimer’s disease: β‐amyloid‐induced neuronal pyroptosis

The present study was designed to investigate the role of β‐amyloid (Aβ_1‐42) in inducing neuronal pyroptosis and its mechanism. Mice cortical neurons (MCNs) were used in this study, LPS + Nigericin was used to induce pyroptosis in MCNs (positive control group), and Aβ_1‐42 was used to interfere with MCNs. In addition, propidium iodide (PI) staining was used to examine cell permeability, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release assay was employed to detect cytotoxicity, immunofluorescence (IF) staining was used to investigate the expression level of the key protein GSDMD, Western blot was performed to detect the expression levels of key proteins, and enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was utilized to determine the expression levels of inflammatory factors in culture medium, including IL‐1β, IL‐18 and TNF‐α. Small interfering RNA (siRNA) was used to silence the mRNA expression of caspase‐1 and GSDMD, and Aβ_1‐42 was used to induce pyroptosis, followed by investigation of the role of caspase‐1‐mediated GSDMD cleavage in pyroptosis. In addition, necrosulfonamide (NSA), an inhibitor of GSDMD oligomerization, was used for pre‐treatment, and Aβ_1‐42 was subsequently used to observe the pyroptosis in MCNs. Finally, AAV9‐siRNA‐caspase‐1 was injected into the tail vein of APP/PS1 double transgenic mice (Alzheimer's disease mice) for caspase‐1 mRNA inhibition, followed by observation of behavioural changes in mice and measurement of the expression of inflammatory factors and pyroptosis‐related protein. As results, Aβ_1‐42 could induce pyroptosis in MCNs, increase cell permeability and enhance LDH release, which were similar to the LPS + Nigericin‐induced pyroptosis. Meanwhile, the expression levels of cellular GSDMD and p30‐GSDMD were up‐regulated, the levels of NLRP3 inflammasome and GSDMD‐cleaved protein caspase‐1 were up‐regulated, and the levels of inflammatory factors in the medium were also up‐regulated. siRNA intervention in caspase‐1 or GSDMD inhibited Aβ_1‐42‐induced pyroptosis, and NSA pre‐treatment also caused the similar inhibitory effects. The behavioural ability of Alzheimer's disease (AD) mice was relieved after the injection of AAV9‐siRNA‐caspase‐1, and the expression of pyroptosis‐related protein in the cortex and hippocampus was down‐regulated. In conclusion, Aβ_1‐42 could induce pyroptosis by GSDMD protein, and NLRP3‐caspase‐1 signalling was an important signal to mediate GSDMD cleavage, which plays an important role in Aβ_1‐42‐induced pyroptosis in neurons. Therefore, GSDMD is expected to be a novel therapeutic target for AD.     

CCL5/CCR5 axis promotes the motility of human oral cancer cells

CCL5 (previously called RANTES) is in the CC‐chemokine family and plays a crucial role in the migration and metastasis of human cancer cells. On the other hand, the effect of CCL5 is mediated via CCR receptor. RT‐PCR and flow cytometry studies demonstrated CCR5 but not CCR1 and CCR3 mRNA in oral cancer cell lines, especially higher in those with high invasiveness (SCC4) as compared with lower levels in HSC3 cells and SCC9 cells. Stimulation of oral cancer cells with CCL5 directly increased the migration and metalloproteinase‐9 (MMP‐9) production. MMP‐9 small interfering RNA inhibited the CCL5‐induced MMP‐9 expression and thereby significantly inhibited the CCL5‐induced cell migration. Activations of phospholipase C (PLC), protein kinase Cδ (PKCδ), and NF‐κB pathways after CCL5 treatment was demonstrated, and CCL5‐induced expression of MMP‐9 and migration activity was inhibited by the specific inhibitor of PLC, PKCδ, and NF‐κB cascades. In addition, migration‐prone sublines demonstrate that cells with increasing migration ability had more expression of MMP‐9, CCL5, and CCR5. Taken together, these results indicate that CCL5/CCR5 axis enhanced migration of oral cancer cells through the increase of MMP‐9 production. J. Cell. Physiol. 220: 418–426, 2009. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

PML/RARalpha fusion protein mediates the unique sensitivity to arsenic cytotoxicity in acute promyelocytic leukemia cells: Mechanisms involve the impairment of cAMP signaling and the aberrant regulation of NADPH oxidase

Acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) cells are characterized by PML/RARalpha fusion protein, high responsiveness to arsenic trioxide (ATO)-induced cytotoxicity and an abundant generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). In this study we investigated the association among these three features in APL-derived NB4 cells. We found that NADPH oxidase-derived ROS generation was more abundant in NB4 cells compared with monocytic leukemia U937 cells. By using PR9, a sub-line of U937 stably transduced with the inducible PML/RARalpha expression vectors, we attributed disparities on ROS generation and ATO sensitivity to the occurrence of PML/RARalpha fusion protein, since PML/RARalpha-expressing cells appeared higher NADPH oxidase activity, higher ROS level and higher sensitivity to ATO. On the other hand, the basal intensity of cAMP signaling pathway was compared between NB4 and U937 as well as between PR9 cells with or without PML/RARalpha, demonstrating that PML/RARalpha-expressing cells had an impaired cAMP signaling pathway which relieved its inhibitory effect on NADPH oxidase derived ROS generation. In summary, the present study demonstrated the correlation of PML/RARalpha with cAMP signaling pathway, NADPH oxidase and ROS generation in APL cells. PML/RARalpha that bestows NB4 cells various pathological features, paradoxically also endows these cells with the basis for susceptibility to ATO-induced cytotoxcity.     

敲低PFKP联合肉碱棕榈酰基转移酶抑制剂etomoxir协同对肾透明细胞癌细胞Caki-1的抗肿瘤作用

目的:研究敲低P型磷酸果糖激酶(phosphofructokinase,PFKP)联合肉碱棕榈酰基转移酶抑制剂etomoxir对肾透明细胞癌Caki-1细胞的影响,并进一步探究其作用机制。方法:利用Western blot验证对照及PFKP shRNA敲低肾透明细胞癌细胞中PFKP的敲低效率,分别检测对照组(shCtrl)、PFKP敲低组、etomoxir组(shCtrl+etomoxir)、PFKP敲低联合etomoxir组的增殖曲线。使用Annexin-V/PI染色并用流式细胞检测对照组、PFKP敲低组、etomoxir组、PFKP敲低联合etomoxir组的细胞死亡,研究PFKP敲低联合etomoxir对细胞存活的影响。分别检测对照组、PFKP敲低组、etomoxir组、PFKP敲低联合etomoxir组的ATP水平与脂肪酸变化。结果:Western blot结果验证了PFKP的敲低效率。流式细胞检测显示,对照组、PFKP敲低组、etomoxir组、PFKP敲低联合etomoxir组的平均细胞死亡率分别为1.1、1.9、13.9、31.3%。PFKP敲低联合etomoxir组Caki-1细胞的死亡率显著高于单纯PFKP敲低与etomoxir组(P0.05)。PFKP敲低联合etomoxir组Caki-1细胞的ATP水平显著低于单纯PFKP敲低与etomoxir组(P0.05)。Etomoxir的加入抑制了PFKP敲低引起的游离脂肪酸下降(P0.05)。结论:PFKP敲低联合etomoxir对Caki-1细胞呈现协同的细胞毒抗肿瘤作用。     

Rac1 GTPase-deficient mouse lens exhibits defects in shape, suture formation, fiber cell migration and survival

Morphogenesis and shape of the ocular lens depend on epithelial cell elongation and differentiation into fiber cells, followed by the symmetric and compact organization of fiber cells within an enclosed extracellular matrix-enriched elastic capsule. The cellular mechanisms orchestrating these different events however, remain obscure. We investigated the role of the Rac1 GTPase in these processes by targeted deletion of expression using the conditional gene knockout (cKO) approach. Rac1 cKO mice were derived from two different Cre (Le-Cre and MLR-10) transgenic mice in which lens-specific Cre expression starts at embryonic day 8.75 and 10.5, respectively, in both the lens epithelium and fiber cells. The Le-Cre/Rac1 cKO mice exhibited an early-onset (E12.5) and severe lens phenotype compared to the MLR-10/Rac1 cKO (E15.5) mice. While the Le-Cre/Rac1 cKO lenses displayed delayed primary fiber cell elongation, lenses from both Rac1 cKO strains were characterized by abnormal shape, impaired secondary fiber cell migration, sutural defects and thinning of the posterior capsule which often led to rupture. Lens fiber cell N-cadherin/β-catenin/Rap1/Nectin-based cell–cell junction formation and WAVE-2/Abi-2/Nap1-regulated actin polymerization were impaired in the Rac1 deficient mice. Additionally, the Rac1 cKO lenses were characterized by a shortened epithelial sheet, reduced levels of extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins and increased apoptosis. Taken together, these data uncover the essential role of Rac1 GTPase activity in establishment and maintenance of lens shape, suture formation and capsule integrity, and in fiber cell migration, adhesion and survival, via regulation of actin cytoskeletal dynamics, cell adhesive interactions and ECM turnover.     

Structural Basis for the Biological Effects of Pr(III) Ions: Alteration of Cell Membrane Permeability

The biological effects of rare-earth ions on the organism have been studied using Pr³⁺ as a probe ion and Escherichia coli cell as a target. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) observation of the surface of E. coli cells shows that the presence of Pr³⁺ substantially changes the structure of the outer membrane. By induced coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), more Cu²⁺ was found in the cells grown in the presence of Pr³⁺, indicating changes of cell permeability. Using energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), Ca²⁺ is found on the outer surface of the original cell. It is proposed that Pr³⁺ can replace Ca²⁺ from the binding sites because of their close ionic radii and similar ligand speciality.     

猪肥胖基因5'调控区与内含子1的测序分析及其两个新微卫星的发现

根据猪肥胖基因(Obese gene,Ob)部分序列设计引物,并通过Southern杂交和杂交阳性片段的克隆进行测序,首次得到猪Ob基因内含子1和5'调控区16.4 kb序列,将外显子1定位在起始密码子上游11.1 kb处,同时在内含子1中发现了两个新的微卫星,命名为SW200和SW160.调控区潜在的调控元件分析显示,-1～ -300 bp区间包含了C/EBP和两个Sp1,可能更直接高效的调节其转录.为研究SW200和SW160与一些重要经济性状的关系,分析了等位基因和基因型频率,用SAS8.2软件分析显示,两个微卫星多态仅对二花脸猪的头胎总产仔数有显著的效应.     

植物防御反应中活性氧的产生和作用

活性氧在植物抗病性中起着重要的作用。本文将对其在防御反应中的产生和作用进行简要的论述。