Lipid rafts control human melanoma cell migration by regulating focal adhesion disassembly

Tumor cell migration is a crucial step in the metastatic cascade, and interruption of this step is considered to be logically effective in preventing tumor metastasis. Lipid rafts, distinct liquid ordered plasma membrane microdomains, have been shown to influence cancer cell migration, but the underlying mechanisms are still not well understood. Here, we report that lipid rafts regulate the dynamics of actin cytoskeleton and focal adhesion in human melanoma cell migration. Disrupting the integrity of lipid rafts with methyl-β cyclodextrin enhances actin stress fiber formation and inhibits focal adhesion disassembly, accompanied with alterations in cell morphology. Furthermore, actin cytoskeleton, rather than microtubules, mediates the lipid raft-dependent focal adhesion disassembly by regulating the dephosphorylation of focal adhesion proteins and the internalization of β3 integrin. We also show that Src–RhoA–Rho kinase signaling pathway is responsible for lipid raft disruption-induced stress fiber formation. Taken together, these observations provide a new mechanism to further explain how lipid rafts regulate the migration of melanoma cell and suggest that lipid rafts may be novel and attractive targets for cancer therapy.     

The microalga Parachlorella kessleri––A novel highly efficient lipid producer

The alga Parachlorella kessleri, strain CCALA 255, grown under optimal conditions, is characterized by storage of energy in the form of starch rather than lipids. If grown in the complete medium, the cultures grew rapidly, producing large amounts of biomass in a relatively short time. The cells, however, contained negligible lipid reserves (1–10% of DW). Treatments inducing hyperproduction of storage lipids in P. kessleri biomass were described. The cultures were grown in the absence or fivefold decreased concentration of either nitrogen or phosphorus or sulfur. Limitation by all elements using fivefold or 10‐fold diluted mineral medium was also tested. Limitation with any macroelement (nitrogen, sulfur, or phosphorus) led to an increase in the amount of lipids; nitrogen limitation was the most effective. Diluted nutrient media (5‐ or 10‐fold) were identified as the best method to stimulate lipid overproduction (60% of DW). The strategy for lipid overproduction consists of the fast growth of P. kessleri culture grown in the complete medium to produce sufficient biomass (DW more than 10 g/L) followed by the dilution of nutrient medium to stop growth and cell division by limitation of all elements, leading to induction of lipid production and accumulation up to 60% DW. Cultivation conditions necessary for maximizing lipid content in P. kessleri biomass generated in a scale‐up solar open thin‐layer photobioreactor were described. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2013; 110: 97–107. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Antagonistic and synergistic effects of bone morphogenetic protein 2/7 and all‐trans retinoic acid on the osteogenic differentiation of rat bone marrow stromal cells

The osteogenesis of bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) is of paramount importance for the repair of large‐size bone defects, which may be compromised by the dietary‐accumulated all‐trans retinoic acid (ATRA). We have shown that heterodimeric bone morphogenetic protein 2/7 (BMP2/7) could induce bone regeneration in a significantly higher dose‐efficiency in comparison with homodimeric BMPs. In this study, we evaluated the effects of ATRA and BMP2/7 on the proliferation, differentiation, mineralization and osteogenic genes. ATRA and BMP2/7 exhibited both antagonistic and synergistic effects on the osteogenesis of BMSCs. ATRA significantly inhibited proliferation and expression of osteocalcin but enhanced the activity of alkaline phosphatase of BMSCs. On day 21, 50 ng/mL BMP2/7 could antagonize the inhibitive effects of ATRA and significantly enhance osteogenesis of BMSCs. These findings suggested a promising application potential of heterodimeric BMP2/7 in clinic to promote bone regeneration for the cases with dietary accumulated ATRA.     

球毛壳菌(Chaetomium globosum)NK102 纤维素酶基因及其表达条件

[目的]生物质的利用是当前生物技术研究的一个热点.本小组分离到一株高效降解纤维素球毛壳菌(Chaetomium globosum)NK102,本文拟探索研究此菌的纤维素酶表达系统并寻找影响酶基因表达的关键因素.[方法]通过对NK102测序,本文界定了球毛壳菌NK102的主要纤维素酶编码基因,使用数字基因表达谱升级版(RNA-Seq)的方法得到纤维素酶基因的表达差异,然后观察了营养、物理条件下纤维素酶基因表达和酶活性变化的情况.[结果]发现随着培养时间的延长,纤维素酶基因整体上表达量升高.在所选基因中,外切葡聚糖酶、纤维二糖脱氢酶和内切葡聚糖酶基因(cbh1,cdh和egl1)的表达量最高.糖代谢的负调控因子ACE I和CreA的随时间表达量均降低,而Hap2/3/5复合体的表达量反而升高.之后检测了不同碳源培养基对纤维素酶基因表达量和酶活性的影响,发现葡萄糖为强阻遏因子,纤维二糖为其诱导物,而山梨醇没有影响.特别是,我们发现光照也影响纤维素酶基因的表达,黑暗条件明显抑制酶基因的表达.[结论]转录组学的方法可以初步探索纤维素酶表达的规律,酶基因的表达受到营养、物理条件的影响.本研究为揭示球毛壳菌降解纤维素分子机理和阐释生物质糖代谢途径提供了有用参考.     

CO2浓度和磷对不同种植方式玉米大豆生长效应研究

通过顶置光源植物生长室控制380和760 μmol·mol-1 2个CO2浓度水平,研究了磷缺乏与正常供磷条件下,CO2浓度升高对玉米/大豆间作、玉米单作和大豆单作3种种植模式下作物株高、茎粗、叶面积及干物质积累的影响.结果表明:(1)CO2浓度升高能显著增加单/间作玉米、大豆的株高、茎粗、叶面积、根干重、地上部干重及总干重.(2)CO2浓度升高对供磷水平下单、间作玉米大豆的株高、茎粗、叶面积及干物质积累量增加的正效应均大于缺磷处理.(3)两种CO2浓度下,间作大豆与单作大豆生长差异不显著,而间作玉米较单作玉米有明显的生长优势,且供磷和CO2浓度的升高均能够促进这种优势.     

Cloning,expression and characterization of d-aminoacylase from Achromobacter xylosoxidans subsp. denitrificans ATCC 15173

d-Aminoacylase catalyzes the conversion of N-acyl-d-amino acids to d-amino acids and fatty acids. The aim of this study was to identify the d-aminoacylase gene from Achromobacter xylosoxidans subsp. denitrificans ATCC 15173 and investigate the biochemical characterization of the enzyme. A previously uncharacterized d-aminoacylase gene (ADdan) from this organism was cloned and sequenced. The open reading frame (ORF) of ADdan was 1467 bp in size encoding a 488-amino acid polypeptide. ADdan, with a high amino acid similarity to N-acyl-d-aspartate amidohydrolase from Alcaligenes A6, showed relatively low sequence similarities to other characterized d-aminoacylases. The recombinant ADdan protein was expressed in Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3) using pET-28a with a T7 promoter. The enzyme was purified in a single chromatographic step using nickel affinity gel column. The molecular mass of the expressed protein, calculated by SDS–PAGE, was about 52 kDa. The purified ADdan showed optimal activity at pH 8.0 and 50 °C, and was stable at pH 6.0–8.0 and up to 45 °C. Its activity was inhibited by Cu²⁺, Fe²⁺, Ca²⁺, Mn²⁺, Ni²⁺, Zn²⁺ and Hg²⁺, whereas Mg²⁺ had no significant influence on this recombinant d-aminoacylase. This is the first report on the characterization of d-aminoacylase with activity towards both N-acyl derivatives of neutral d-amino acids and N-acyl-d-aspartate. The characteristics of ADdan could prove to be of interest in industrial production of d-amino acids.     

Novel nanoimaging approach: Antibodious polymeric nanolabel for intracellular alpha‐fetoprotein targeted monitoring

This study describes preparation and use of novel labeled and antibodious polymeric nanolabels (anti‐alpha fetoprotein cross‐linked nanolabels) as an immunogenic and semisynthetic nanolabel with potential prognostic and therapeutic roles for hepatoma cancer. Specificity, uptake, and binding efficiencies of the nanolabel have been examined in a human hepatosarcoma cell line HepG2, a human colorectal cell line DLD‐1, and a mouse myoblast cell line C2. Labeling of the cells has been performed by treating live and fixed cells with varying concentrations of the nanolabels and then, the cells have been examined under a fluorescence microscope. In addition, all cell lines have also been labeled using FITC‐conjugated nanotrastuzumab to compare the results obtained with those of the binding of the FITC‐nanoanti‐alpha fetoprotein nanolabels. Results show that FITC‐conjugated anti‐alpha fetoprotein cross‐linked nanolabels have been taken up by both live and fixed cells and have efficiently and specifically labeled HepG2 cells at a quite low concentration. Taken all together, the results indicate that the novel targeted nanoimaging tools and technique demonstrated their ability to detect the distribution of the nanolabels as probes in hepatoma cells. © 2013 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog., 29: 472–479, 2013     

Neural plasticity in high-level visual cortex underlying object perceptual learning

With intensive training, human can achieve impressive behavioral improvement on various perceptual tasks. This phenomenon, termed perceptual learning, has long been considered as a hallmark of the plasticity of sensory neural system. Not surprisingly, high-level vision, such as object perception, can also be improved by perceptual learning. Here we review recent psychophysical, electrophysiological, and neuroimaging studies investigating the effects of training on object selective cortex, such as monkey inferior temporal cortex and human lateral occipital area. Evidences show that learning leads to an increase in object selectivity at the single neuron level and/or the neuronal population level. These findings indicate that high-level visual cortex in humans is highly plastic and visual experience can strongly shape neural functions of these areas. At the end of the review, we discuss several important future directions in this area.     

N-Substituted Benzyl Matrinic Acid Derivatives Inhibit Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) Replication through Down-Regulating Host Heat-Stress Cognate 70 (Hsc70) Expression

Heat-stress cognate 70 (Hsc70) is a host factor that helps hepatitis C virus (HCV) to complete its life cycle in infected hepatocytes. Using Hsc70 as a target for HCV inhibition, a series of novel N-substituted benzyl matrinic/sophoridinic acid derivatives was synthesized and evaluated for their anti-HCV activity in vitro. Among these analogues, compound 7c possessing N-p-methylbenzyl afforded an appealing ability to inhibit HCV replication with SI value over 53. Furthermore, it showed a good oral pharmacokinetic profile with area-under-curve (AUC) of 13.4 µM·h, and a considerably good safety in oral administration in mice (LD₅₀>1000 mg/kg). As 7c suppresses HCV replication via an action mode distinctly different from that of the marketed anti-HCV drugs, it has been selected as a new mechanism anti-HCV candidate for further investigation, with an advantage of no or decreased chance to induce drug-resistant mutations.