Conventional kinesin KIF5B mediates insulin-stimulated GLUT4 movements on microtubules

Insulin stimulates glucose uptake in muscle and adipose cells by mobilizing intracellular membrane vesicles containing GLUT4 glucose transporter proteins to the plasma membrane. Here we show in live cultured adipocytes that intracellular membranes containing GLUT4-yellow fluorescent protein (YFP) move along tubulin-cyan fluorescent protein-labeled microtubules in response to insulin by a mechanism that is insensitive to the phosphatidylinositol 3 (PI3)-kinase inhibitor wortmannin. Insulin increased by several fold the observed frequencies, but not velocities, of long-range movements of GLUT4-YFP on microtubules, both away from and towards the perinuclear region. Genomics screens show conventional kinesin KIF5B is highly expressed in adipocytes and this kinesin is partially co-localized with perinuclear GLUT4. Dominant-negative mutants of conventional kinesin light chain blocked outward GLUT4 vesicle movements and translocation of exofacial Myc-tagged GLUT4-green fluorescent protein to the plasma membrane in response to insulin. These data reveal that insulin signaling targets the engagement or initiates the movement of GLUT4-containing membranes on microtubules via conventional kinesin through a PI3-kinase-independent mechanism. This insulin signaling pathway regulating KIF5B function appears to be required for GLUT4 translocation to the plasma membrane.     

TRAIL-R2 (DR5) mediates apoptosis of synovial fibroblasts in rheumatoid arthritis

TRAIL has been proposed as an anti-inflammatory cytokine in animal models of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Using two agonistic mAbs specific for TRAIL-R1 (DR4) and TRAIL-R2 (DR5), we examined the expression and function of these death receptors in RA synovial fibroblast cells. The synovial tissues and primary synovial fibroblast cells isolated from patients with RA, but not those isolated from patients with osteoarthritis, selectively expressed high levels of cell surface DR5 and were highly susceptible to anti-DR5 Ab (TRA-8)-mediated apoptosis. In contrast, RA synoviocytes did not show increased expression of TRAIL-R1 (DR4), nor was there any difference in expression of Fas between RA and osteoarthritis synovial cells. In vitro TRA-8 induced apoptosis of RA synovial cells and inhibited production of matrix metalloproteinases induced by pro-inflammatory cytokines. In vivo TRA-8 effectively inhibited hypercellularity of a SV40-transformed RA synovial cell line and completely prevented bone erosion and cartilage destruction induced by these cells. These results indicate that increased DR5 expression and susceptibility to DR5-mediated apoptosis are characteristic of the proliferating synovial cells in RA. As highly proliferative transformed-appearing RA synovial cells play a crucial role in bone erosion and cartilage destruction in RA, the specific targeting of DR5 on RA synovial cells with an agonistic anti-DR5 Ab may be a potential therapy for RA.     

Tissue microarray study for classification of breast tumors

Clinical and pathological heterogeneity of breast cancer hinders selection of appropriate treatment for individual cases. Molecular profiling at gene or protein levels may elucidate the biological variance of tumors and provide a new classification system that correlates better with biological, clinical and prognostic parameters. We studied the immunohistochemical profile of a panel of seven important biomarkers using tumor tissue arrays. The tumor samples were then classified with a monothetic (binary variables) clustering algorithm. Two distinct groups of tumors are characterized by the estrogen receptor (ER) status and tumor grade (p = 0.0026). Four biomarkers, c-erbB2, Cox-2, p53 and VEGF, were significantly overexpressed in tumors with the ER-negative (ER-) phenotype. Eight subsets of tumors were further identified according to the expression status of VEGF, c-erbB2 and p53. The malignant potential of the ER-/VEGF+ subgroup was associated with the strong correlations of Cox-2 and c-erbB2 with VEGF. Our results indicate that this molecular classification system, based on the statistical analysis of immunohistochemical profiling, is a useful approach for tumor grouping. Some of these subgroups have a relative genetic homogeneity that may allow further study of specific genetically-controlled metabolic pathways. This approach may hold great promise in rationalizing the application of different therapeutic strategies for different subgroups of breast tumors.     

4-(2-pyridyl)piperazine-1-carboxamides: potent vanilloid receptor 1 antagonists

A series of 4-(2-pyridyl)piperazine-1-carboxamide analogues based on the lead compound 1 was synthesized and evaluated for VR1 antagonist activity in capsaicin-induced (CAP) and pH (5.5)-induced (pH) FLIPR assays in a rat VR1-expressing HEK293 cell line. Potent VR1 antagonists were identified through SAR studies. From these studies, 18 was found to be very potent in the in vitro assay [IC(50)=4.8 nM (pH) and 35 nM (CAP)] and orally available in rat (F%=15.1).     

N-乙酰氨基葡萄糖转移酶Ⅲ在大鼠实验性肝癌发病中的表达

应用Ｗｉｓｔａｒ大鼠饲喂甲氨基偶氮苯（３′－ＭｅＤＡＢ）造成实验性肝癌模型,与此同时饲喂刺五加多糖动态观察了癌变过程中,肝脏ｒ－谷氨酰转肽酶（ｒ－ＧＴ）活性,肝脏Ｎ－乙酰氨基葡萄糖转移酶Ⅲ（ＧｎＴⅢ）和ｒ－ＧＴ免疫组化定位、肝脏病理组织等和脏器系数等改变,结果显示：（１）ｒ－ＧＴ活性于实验第４天即明显升高（２．３倍）,至实验结束时可达对照组的４０倍,ＧｎＴⅢ和ｒ－ＧＴ免疫组化定位,在癌变前期增生结节的胞浆中已有明显表达,随病程进展其改变的强度均与病理组织学检测结果相吻合,表明ＧｎＴⅢ和ｒ－ＧＴ在反映肝细胞癌变方面,确实是一个早期应用价值的指标。（２）刺五加多糖对实验性肝癌的形成似有一定的减缓作用。     

Increased gene expression of plasminogen activators and inhibitors in left ventricular hypertrophy

In the early stages of left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) acute adaptive changes occur in the coronary vasculature as it remodels. Plasminogen activators (PAs) and inhibitors (PAIs) have the potential effects of proteolytic degradation that is relevant to tissue remodeling and angiogenesis. Our study focused on the possible roles of PAI-1, PAI-2, uPA and tPA in myocyte hypertrophy and angiogenesis in the early and late stages of pressure overload induced left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH). We divided seventeen adult swine, weighing 24.2 ± 6.5 kg, into four groups: control, sham-operated, early LVH and late heart failure LVH group. At surgery we placed a fixed constrictor on the ascending aorta immediately above the aortic valve. This increased LV systolic pressure from 133 ± 15 to 193 ± 24 mm Hg after the surgery. We subdivided the early group into groups of 3 animals each that we euthanized at 8, 24 and 72 h after operation and obtained heart samples for analysis. In the late heart failure group individual animals were euthanized at 55, 59, 62 and 72 days after the detection of congestive heart failure. We also obtained tissue samples from the control and sham-operated swine. Sections for histologic analysis were fixed in 10% buffered formalin. We isolated RNA, size fractionated it using 1% formaldehyde-agarose gel electrophoresis and then did Northern blots. The mRNAs from both PAI-1 and PAI-2 showed a remarkable increase at 8 and 24 h after acute aortic constriction and returned to control by 72 h. Regional differences showed that most of the increases were in the endocardium. Three animals in the late heart failure LVH group were determined to be in congestive heart failure at about 2 months after the onset of aortic constriction. In these animals PAI-1 and PAI-2 were increased in both the left and right ventricles but remained low in an animal of the same elevation in aortic pressure seen by the LV who did not have congestive failure. These data suggest that PA and PAI gene expressions change before morphologic changes occur in the early stages of developing LVH. Also at the time of onset of congestive heart failure this increased expression reappears. PAs and PA inhibitors mRNA levels vary in the different regions of the heart reflecting changing wall stresses. Thus, the PAs and PA inhibitors may play an important role in angiogenesis that occurs during the early stages of LVH. The increased expression in the late stage of LVH may reflect further changes in wall stresses since these animals also showed overt clinical signs of heart failure.     

Differential expression inArabidopsis ofLhca2, a PSI cab gene

A cDNA clone of the geneLhca2 encoding a photosystem I (PSI) type II chlorophylla/b-binding protein was isolated fromArabidopsis thaliana. The isolation of this, the fourth PSI cab gene fromArabidopsis, confirms a previous report [1] that indicatedArabidopsis may contain all four PSI cab genes identified in other plant species.Lhca2 is a single-copy gene as are the other knownArabidopsis PSI cab genes. The patterns of developmental expression and tissue-specific regulation ofLhca2 are similar to those of other PSI and PSII cab genes, but the light induction pattern and the steady-state mRNA level ofLhca2 are distinct. This suggests that a different mechanism may be employed to regulate the expression ofLhca2.     

MicroRNAs Involved in Skeletal Muscle Differentiation

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) negatively regulate gene expression by promoting degradation of target mRNAs or inhibiting their translation. Previous studies have expanded our understanding that miRNAs play an important role in myogenesis and have a big impact on muscle mass, muscle fiber type and muscle-related diseases. The muscle-specific miRNAs, miR-206, miR-1 and miR-133, are among the most studied and best characterized miRNAs in skeletal muscle differentiation. They have a profound influence on multiple muscle differ-entiation processes, such as alternative splicing, DNA synthesis, and cell apoptosis. Many non-muscle-specific miRNAs are also required for the differentiation of muscle through interaction with myogenic factors. Studying the regulatory mechanisms of these miRNAs in muscle differentiation will extend our knowledge of miRNAs in muscle biology and will improve our understanding of the myogenesis regulation.     

Enhanced aerobic granulation and nitrogen removal by the addition of zeolite powder in a sequencing batch reactor

The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of zeolite powders on feasibility of rapid aerobic granulation in the column-type sequencing batch reactors. After 90 days' operation, aerobic granular sludge was formed in both reactors by altering influent chemical oxygen demand/nitrogen (COD/N) ratios. R1 with zeolite powders had better removal capabilities of COD and total nitrogen than R2, which was without zeolite powders. Mixed liquor volatile suspended solid concentrations of the two reactors were 7.36 and 5.45 g/L, while sludge volume index (SVI₃₀) values were 34.9 and 47.9 mg/L, respectively. The mean diameters of aerobic granular sludge in the above two reactors were 2.5 and 1.5 mm, respectively. Both reactors achieved the largest simultaneous nitrification and denitrification (SND) efficiency at an influent COD/N ratio of 8; however, R1 exhibited more excellent SND efficiency than R2. The obtained results could provide a novel technique for rapid aerobic granulation and N removal simultaneously, especially when treating nitrogen-rich industrial wastewater.