Imaging two-dimensional displacements and strains in skeletal muscle during joint motion by cine DENSE MR

The objective of this study was to apply cine magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) using displacement encoding with stimulated echoes (DENSE) to measure the dynamic two-dimensional (2D) displacement and Lagrangian strain fields in the biceps brachii muscle. Six healthy volunteers underwent cine DENSE MRI during repeated elbow flexion against the load of gravity. Displacement encoded dynamic images of the upper arm were acquired with spatial and temporal resolutions of 1.9 x 1.9 mm(2) and 30 ms, respectively. Pixel-wise Lagrangian displacement and strain fields were calculated from the measured images. We extracted the first and second principal strains (E1 and E2) along the centerline and anterior regions of the muscle. E1 and E2 were relatively uniform along the anterior region. However, E1 and E2 were both non-uniform along the centerline region-normalized values for E1 and E2 varied over the ranges of 0.27-1.35, and 0.45-2.36, respectively. The directions of the first and second principal strains varied throughout the muscle and showed that the direction of principal shortening is not necessarily aligned with fascicle direction. This study demonstrates the utility of cine DENSE MRI for analyzing skeletal muscle mechanics and provides data describing the in vivo mechanics of muscle tissue to a level of detail that has not been previously possible.     

Activation of the oxygen-sensing signal cascade prevents mitochondrial injury after mouse liver ischemia-reperfusion

The mitochondrial permeability transition (MPT) plays an important role in hepatocyte death caused by ischemia-reperfusion (IR). This study investigated whether activation of the cellular oxygen-sensing signal cascade by prolyl hydroxylase inhibitors (PHI) protects against the MPT after hepatic IR. Ethyl 3,4-dihyroxybenzoate (EDHB, 100 mg/kg ip), a PHI, increased mouse hepatic hypoxia-inducible factor-1alpha and heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1). EDHB-treated and untreated mice were subjected to 1 h of warm ischemia to approximately 70% of the liver followed by reperfusion. Mitochondrial polarization, cell death, and the MPT were assessed by intravital confocal/multiphoton microscopy of rhodamine 123, propidium iodide, and calcein. EDHB largely blunted alanine aminotransferase (ALT) release and necrosis after reperfusion. In vehicle-treated mice at 2 h after reperfusion, viable cells with depolarized mitochondria were 72%, and dead cells were 2%, indicating that depolarization preceded necrosis. Mitochondrial voids excluding calcein disappeared, indicating MPT onset in vivo. NIM811, a specific inhibitor of the MPT, blocked mitochondrial depolarization after IR, further confirming that mitochondrial depolarization was due to MPT onset. EDHB decreased mitochondrial depolarization to 16% and prevented the MPT. Tin protoporphyrin (10 micromol/kg sc), an HO-1 inhibitor, partially abrogated protection by EDHB against ALT release, necrosis, and mitochondrial depolarization. In conclusion, IR causes the MPT and mitochondrial dysfunction, leading to hepatocellular death. PHI prevents MPT onset and liver damage through an effect mediated partially by HO-1.     

Effects of chlordiazepoxide on footshock- and corticotropin-releasing factor-induced increases in cortical and hypothalamic norepinephrine secretion in rats

Noradrenergic and corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) neuronal systems within the brain have been implicated in stress and anxiety. Synaptic release of cerebral norepinephrine (NE) is increased during stress, and following intracerebral CRF administration. Benzodiazepines are commonly used anxiolytic drugs but information on their effects on the stress- and CRF-related release of NE is limited. We have used in vivo microdialysis to test the effects of the benzodiazepine, chlordiazepoxide (CDP) on the noradrenergic responses to footshock and intracerebroventricular CRF in the medial hypothalamus and the medial prefrontal cortex (PFM) of freely moving rats. Footshock (60 x 0.1-0.2 mA shocks in 20 min) significantly increased microdialysate concentrations of NE in the first sample collected after initiating the footshock. In the hypothalamus, microdialysate NE was augmented 64% above baseline. A second footshock session (100 min after the first footshock) increased microdialysate NE to 313% of the baseline. Thus the noradrenergic responses to footshock were enhanced by preceding footshocks. CRF (100 ng) administered into the locus coeruleus (LC) almost tripled microdialysate concentrations of NE in the PFM. CDP (5mg/kg, i.p.) had no statistically significant effects on the basal dialysate concentrations of NE, but it significantly attenuated both footshock- and CRF-induced increases in dialysate NE. CDP may exert a direct inhibitory effect on the noradrenergic neurons, alter the input to LC noradrenergic neurons, or alter the ability of CRF to activate the LC noradrenergic system.     

Nitrogen and carbon source-sink relationships in trees at the Himalayan treelines compared with lower elevations

No single hypothesis or theory has been widely accepted for explaining the functional mechanism of global alpine/arctic treeline formation. The present study tested whether the alpine treeline is determined by (1) the needle nitrogen content associated with photosynthesis (carbon gain); (2) a sufficient source-sink ratio of carbon; or (3) a sufficient C-N ratio. Nitrogen does not limit the growth and development of trees studied at the Himalayan treelines. Levels of non-structural carbohydrates (NSC) in trees were species-specific and site-dependent; therefore, the treeline cases studied did not show consistent evidence of source/carbon limitation or sink/growth limitation in treeline trees. However, results of the combined three treelines showed that the treeline trees may suffer from a winter carbon shortage. The source capacity and the sink capacity of a tree influence its tissue NSC concentrations and the carbon balance; therefore, we suggest that the persistence and development of treeline trees in a harsh alpine environment may require a minimum level of the total NSC concentration, a sufficiently high sugar:starch ratio, and a balanced carbon source-sink relationship.     

The influence of molecular weight of quaternized chitosan on antifungal activity

Quaternized chitosan derivatives with different molecular weights were synthesized in the laboratory. Subsequent experiments were conducted to test their antifungal activities against Botrytis cinerea Pers. (B. cinerea pers.) and Colletotrichum lagenarium (Pass) Ell.et halst (C. lagenarium (Pass) Ell.et halst). Our results indicate that quaternized chitosan derivatives have stronger antifungal activities than chitosan. Furthermore, quaternized chitosan derivatives with high molecular weight are shown to have even stronger antifungal activities than those with low molecular weight.     

Synthesis of acyl thiourea derivatives of chitosan and their antimicrobial activities in vitro

Three different acyl thiourea derivatives of chitosan (CS) were synthesized and their structures were characterized by FT-IR spectroscopy and elemental analysis. The antimicrobial behaviors of CS and its derivatives against four species of bacteria (Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, and Sarcina) and four crop-threatening pathogenic fungi (Alternaria solani, Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. vasinfectum, Colletotrichum gloeosporioides (Penz.) Saec, and Phyllisticta zingiberi) were investigated. The results indicated that the antimicrobial activities of the acyl thiourea derivatives are much better than that of the parent CS. The minimum value of MIC and MBC of the derivatives against E. coli was 15.62 and 62.49 microg/mL, respectively. All of the acyl thiourea derivatives had a significant inhibitory effect on the fungi in concentrations of 50-500 microg/mL; the maximum inhibitory index was 66.67%. The antifungal activities of the chloracetyl thiourea derivatives of CS are noticeably higher than the acetyl and benzoyl thiourea derivatives. The degree of grafting of the acyl thiourea group in the derivatives was related to antifungal activity; higher substitution resulted in stronger antifungal activity.     

Inhibition of acrylamide genotoxicity in human liver-derived HepG2 cells by the antioxidant hydroxytyrosol

The chemoprotective effect of hydroxytyrosol (HT), a strong antioxidant compound from extra virgin olive oil, against acrylamide (AA)-induced genotoxicity was investigated in a human hepatoma cell line, HepG2. The micronucleus test (MNT) assay was used to monitor genotoxicity. In MNT, we found that HT at all tested concentrations (12.5-50 microM) significantly reduced the micronuclei frequencies in a concentration-dependent manner caused by AA. In order to clarify the underlying mechanisms we measured the intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) formation using 2,7-dichlorofluorescein diacetate (DCFH-DA) as a fluorescent probe. Intracellular glutathione (GSH) level was estimated by fluorometric methods. The rate-limiting enzyme in GSH synthesis is gamma-glutamylcysteine synthetase (gamma-GCS) and gamma-GCS was measured using Western blotting. The results showed that HT significantly concentration-dependent reduced the genotoxicity caused by AA. Furthermore, HT was able to reduce intracellular ROS formation and attenuate GSH depletion caused by AA in a concentration-dependent manner. It was also found that HT enhanced the expression of gamma-GCS in HepG2 cells treated with 10 mM AA using immunoblotting in a concentration-dependent manner. The results showed that HT reduced the AA-induced genotoxicity by decreasing the ROS level and increasing the GSH level. The data strongly suggest that HT have significant protective ability against AA-induced genotoxicity in vitro.     

Hydroquinone-induced genotoxicity and oxidative DNA damage in HepG2 cells

Hydroquinone (HQ) is used as an antioxidant in rubber industry and as a developing agent in photography. HQ is also an intermediate in the manufacture of rubber, food antioxidant and monomer inhibitor. However, the mechanisms of the effects, in particular those related to its genotoxicity in humans, are not well understood. The aim of this study was to assess the genotoxic effects of HQ and to identify and clarify the mechanisms, using human hepatoma HepG2 cells. DNA strand breaks and DNA-protein crosslinks (DPC) were measured by the proteinase K-modified alkaline single cell gel electrophoresis (SCGE) assays. Using the SCGE assay, a significant dose-dependent increment in DNA migration was detected at concentrations of HQ (6.25-25 microM); but at the higher tested concentrations (50 microM), a reduction in the migration compared to the maximum migration at 25 microM was observed. Post-incubation with proteinase K significantly increased DNA migration in cells exposed to higher concentrations of HQ (50 microM). A significant increase of the frequency of micronuclei was found in the range from 12.5 to 50 microM in the micronucleus test (MNT). The data suggested that HQ caused DNA strand breaks, DPC and chromosome breaks. To elucidate the oxidative DNA damage mechanism, the 2,7-dichlorofluorescein diacetate (DCFH-DA) and o-phthalaldehyde (OPT) were chosen to monitor the levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and glutathione (GSH), respectively. The present study showed that HQ induced the increased levels of ROS and depletion of GSH in HepG2 cells, the doses being 25-50 and 6.25-50 microM, respectively. Moreover, HQ significantly caused 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) formation in HepG2 cells at concentrations from 12.5 to 50 microM. All these results demonstrate that HQ exerts genotoxic effects in HepG2 cells, probably through DNA damage by oxidative stress. GSH, as a main intracellular antioxidant, is responsible for cellular defense against HQ-induced DNA damage.     

Polarized light-stimulated enzymatic hydrolysis of chitin and chitosan

Illumination with white linearly polarized light (WLPL) stimulated chitinase and chitosanase in their degradation of chitin and chitosan, respectively. Enzymes were illuminated at room temperature in separate vessels, then admixed in reactors containing polysaccharides. Hydrolysis of chitosan to glucosamine followed first order kinetics whereas hydrolysis of chitin to N-acetylglucosamine deviated from the first order kinetics. In both cases, an increase in the rate of hydrolysis depended on the illumination time. Efficient degradation required up to 60 min exposure of the enzyme to WLPL.     

Crystal structure of HAb18G/CD147: implications for immunoglobulin superfamily homophilic adhesion

CD147, a member of the immunoglobulin superfamily (IgSF), plays fundamental roles in intercellular interactions in numerous pathological and physiological processes. Importantly, our previous studies have demonstrated that HAb18G/CD147 is a novel hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC)-associated antigen, and HAb18G/CD147 stimulates adjacent fibroblasts and HCC cells to produce elevated levels of several matrix metalloproteinases, facilitating invasion and metastasis of HCC cells. In addition, HAb18G/CD147 has also been shown to be a novel universal cancer biomarker for diagnosis and prognostic assessment of a wide range of cancers. However, the structural basis underlying the multifunctional character of CD147 remains unresolved. We report here the crystal structure of the extracellular portion of HAb18G/CD147 at 2.8A resolution. The structure comprises an N-terminal IgC2 domain and a C-terminal IgI domain, which are connected by a 5-residue flexible linker. This unique C2-I domain organization is distinct from those of other IgSF members. Four homophilic dimers exist in the crystal and adopt C2-C2 and C2-I dimerization rather than V-V dimerization commonly found in other IgSF members. This type of homophilic association thus presents a novel model for homophilic interaction between C2 domains of IgSF members. Moreover, the crystal structure of HAb18G/CD147 provides a good structural explanation for the established multifunction of CD147 mediated by homo/hetero-oligomerizations and should represent a general architecture of other CD147 family members.