Expression and purification of an FGF9 fusion protein in E. coli,and the effects of the FGF9 subfamily on human hepatocellular carcinoma cell proliferation and migration

Fibroblast growth factor (FGF) 9 has oncogenic activity and plays an important role in the development of ovarian, lung, prostate, and gastric cancers. In the present study, with the aim of reducing the cost of utilizing growth factors in cancer research, a simple and efficient method for the preparation of recombinant human (rh)FGF9 in Escherichia coli was established. The rhFGF9 fusion protein (6 × His-TEV-rhFGF9) and the native protein released by tobacco etch virus (TEV) protease were obtained using a Ni-NTA system, with > 95% purity. Both purified forms of rhFGF9, with and without fusion tags, significantly stimulated the proliferation of NIH3T3 cells. The FGF9 subfamily, including FGF9, FGF16, and FGF20, in addition to rhFGF16, rhFGF9, and rhFGF20, were shown to stimulate the proliferation and migration of HuH7 human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells. Mechanistic studies revealed that the stimulation of HuH7 cell proliferation and migration with rhFGF9 and rhFGF20 were associated with the activation of the extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) and nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) pathways and matrix metalloproteinase-26 (MMP26). Inhibition of the ERK and NF-κB pathways blocked cell migration, and NF-κB was demonstrated to be regulated by ERK. Therefore, the present study demonstrates a simple method for the preparation of biologically active rhFGF9 protein. Furthermore, the results indicate that exogenous rhFGF9- and rhFGF20-activated ERK/NF-κB signal transduction pathways play important roles in the regulation of HCC cell proliferation and migration, and this discovery helps to find the potential for new solutions of the treatment of liver cancer.

     

鳜碱性肌球蛋白轻链基因cDNA的克隆及其发育表达分析

肌球蛋白轻链是构成鱼类肌纤维主要组成部分,在鱼类肌肉生长和收缩过程中具有重要作用。鳜鱼具有生长快、肉质细嫩、味道鲜美、营养成分高等优良的性状。研究通过构建鳜肌肉组织cDNA文库分离到两个碱性肌球蛋白轻链基因,即MLC1和MLC3基因。序列分析显示MLC1和MLC3基因cDNA序列全长分别为1237bp和1070bp,分别编码192和150个氨基酸,除去MLC1N端多出的42个氨基酸残基,MLC1与MLC3氨基酸序列同源性为80.3%。通过PROSITEtools软件预测显示两种轻链都具有两个保守的EF-手相结构,其中第二个EF-hand结构除前三个氨基酸外同源性达100%。鱼类MLC3轻链N端没有高等脊椎动物MLC3特有标志序列。采用实时荧光定量PCR方法对鳜鱼MLC1和MLC3发育性表达分析表明,在原肠期开始有低量表达,与原肠期、尾芽期和肌肉效应期相比,心搏期和仔鱼期MLC1和MLC3表达量显著升高。研究结果首次提供了鳜肌肉组织肌球蛋白主要结构基因的分子生物学信息以及它们在鳜肌肉组织发生和功能的相关性。       

前列腺癌多阶段相关枢纽蛋白的差异共表达模式

通过枢纽蛋白与其互作邻居之间的共表达关系在从前列腺正常组织到原位癌及原位癌到转移的两个发展阶段的变化,寻找在前列腺癌发生和发展过程中动态改变的枢纽蛋白,为探讨前列腺癌的发病与转移机理提供线索。基于前列腺正常组织、原位癌与癌转移后组织的基因表达谱数据,在前列腺癌的两个发展阶段分别检测到1578和2347个动态改变的枢纽蛋白。平均超过95%的在一个发展阶段动态改变的枢纽蛋白与在另一发展阶段动态改变的枢纽蛋白中的至少一个蛋白共享显著多的互作邻居。另外,两组动态改变的枢纽蛋白中有780个交叠蛋白,其中大约50%的蛋白与其互作邻居之间的共表达关系在两个发展阶段的强弱变化方向相反。结果提示,在前列腺癌的发生和发展过程中,动态改变的枢纽蛋白影响的功能通路高度一致,但是它们与其互作邻居之间有着不同的共表达模式。     

影响琼花种子休眠的因素

琼花种皮有吸水性,休眠非因种皮的不透水性造成.种仁中存在导致休眠的抑制物质,胚的抑制物质含量最高.种子须先经4℃低温层积60 d,再经25℃暖温处理90 d,而后在较低温(15℃)条件下才能解除休眠而萌发.当年成熟种胚在翌年10月才能彻底破除休眠.6-BA和GA对种胚破眠均无明显作用.     

内蒙古图牧吉冬季大鸨调查初报

大鸨(Otis tarda)属大型草原鸟类,过去曾广泛分布于黑龙江省西部及内蒙古的东部,目前已经处于濒危状态。图牧吉自然保护区是大鸨的主要栖息地,繁殖数量约200多只。1998年开始记录到越冬大鸨个体,2003年冬季,本区越冬数量达到165只(其中保护区内记录到85只)。本文对图牧吉自然保护区大鸨的越冬数量分布进行了调查,并对大鸨越冬行为及食性进行了初步的观察和分析,对大鸨越冬地管理及越冬鸟类的保护提出了建议。     

A comparison of in vitro anticancerous activity and mechanism of ethanolic extracts from different Ganoderma genus

Five ethanolic extracts from the mycelia of Ganoderma lucidum, G. tsugae, G. oerstedii, G. subamboinense, and G. resinaceum were respectively studied on their anticancerous activities against leukemic HL-60 cell line in vitro. Results showed that all five extracts potently inhibited HL-60 proliferation. The extract from G. lucidum mycelia exerted the highest activity. Annexin V/PI bivariate flow cytometric analysis further revealed that the five extracts significantly induced early apoptosis in HL-60 cells. The results illustrate that not only G. lucidum but also other Ganoderma species can inhibit cancer cells, and their mechanisms are related to induction of apoptosis. __________ Translated from Journal of Shanghai Normal University (Natural Sciences), 2005, 34(2): 77–81 [译自: 上海师范大学学报 (自然科学版), 2005, 34(2): 77–81]     

中国隼[虫忽]科二新种（蜻蜓目：隼[虫忽]科）

记述采自海南省太阳隼[虫忽]属1新种：华氏太阳隼[虫忽]Heliocypha huai．sp．nov．和采自贵州省印度隼[虫忽]属1新种：赤水印度隼[虫忽]Indocypha chishuiensis,sp．nov．。模式标本保存于浙江自然博物馆昆虫标本室。     

Various tolerances to arsenic trioxide between human cortical neurons and leukemic cells

Arsenic trioxide (As2O3) is very effective for treatment of acute promyelocytic leukaemia (APL) but little can pass through the blood-brain-barrier (BBB),which limits its use in the prevention and treatment of central nervous system leukaemia (CNSL). Before creating a non-invasive method to help As2O3 ’s access,the safe and effective therapeutic concentration of As2O3 in the CNS ought to be known. The changes of apoptosis biomarkers,[Ca2 ]i and PKC activity of both leukaemia cells and human cortical neurons,were monitored before and after being treated with As2O3 in vitro with laser confocal microscopy and Western blot. NSE concentration,the neuron invasive biomarker,was monitored by enzyme immunoassay (NSE-EIA). This study revealed that cortical neuron was more tolerable to As2O3 compared to NB4. 1.0 μmol / L As2O3 showed little influence on cortical neuron but effectively promoted apoptosis and induced differentiation of NB4.     

土壤添加蛇床子(Cnidium monnieri)和苦参(Sophora flavescens)对茄子黄萎病及根际微生物的化感影响

研究了蛇床子、苦参对茄子黄萎病菌的化感抑制作用及对茄子根际微生物数量的影响。结果表明,蛇床子、苦参的提取物抑制了茄子黄萎病菌菌丝生长,并随提取物浓度的增加抑制作用增强。在土壤中施入蛇床子、苦参提取物处理茄子苗后表现出一定的抗病效果,其中蛇床子处理的植株发病率最低。在土壤中添加蛇床子和苦参粉末,经腐解后,苦参处理的茄子植株株高、茎粗均高于对照处理,且二者处理后植株干物质含量高于对照。处理后茄子根际微生物中放线菌数量增加,真菌的数量变化差异不明显,细菌的数量相对减少,在初花期微生物的总量均高于初果期和定植期。