Biochemical adaptation for dormancy in subitaneous and dormant eggs of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Daphnia magna</Emphasis>

Daphnia can reproduce through subitaneous and dormant eggs. The production of dormant eggs is induced by stimuli associated with deteriorating growth conditions, and enable Daphnia populations to survive temporarily harsh environmental conditions. Dormant eggs are expected to have developed special biochemical adaptations to bridge this long unfavourable period, but little comparative biochemical data are available for dormant and subitaneous eggs. We compared levels of the following molecules between subitaneous and dormant eggs: (a) triglycerides, which are the most abundant energy storage molecules in Daphnia, (b) glycerol, a cryoprotectant also involved in energy storage, and (c) the heat shock protein Hsp60, a molecular chaperone that may assist in maintaining protein structural integrity and inhibiting cell metabolism during diapause. Unexpectedly, no difference in triglycerides content between egg types was found. As expected, dormant eggs contained more glycerol and relatively more Hsp60 than subitaneous eggs. The biochemical composition of dormant eggs can therefore be seen as an adaptation to the harsh environmental conditions these eggs encounter. Guest editor: Piet Spaak Cladocera: Proceedings of the 7th International Symposium on Cladocera     

Sphingobacterium canadense sp. nov., an isolate from corn roots

A free-living Gram-negative bacterial strain CR11(T) was isolated from corn roots. Polyphasic taxonomy was performed, including API20 NE and API50 CH bacterial identification kits, Biolog analysis, lipids and fatty acid analysis, DNA-DNA hybridization, 16S rRNA and cpn60 gene sequence analyses. 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis indicated that strain CR11(T) belonged to the genus Sphingobacterium and was closely related to Sphingobacterium multivorum IFO 14947(T) (98% similarity) and Sphingobacterium. thalpophilum ATCC 43320(T) (97% similarity). DNA-DNA hybridization showed 11% and 13% DNA re-association with S. multivorum LMG 8342(T) and S. thalpophilum LMG 11520(T), respectively. Major fatty acids (16:0, 15:0 iso and 17:0 iso 3-OH) and the G+C content of the DNA (40.5 mol%), were also similar to those of the genus Sphingobacterium. The predominant respiratory quinone was MK-7. In all analyses, including phenotypic characterization, this isolate was found to be different from the closely related species, S. multivorum and S. thalpophilum. On the basis of these results, this strain represents a new species within the genus Sphingobacterium. The name Sphingobacterium canadense sp. nov. is suggested and the type strain is CR11(T) (=NCCB 100125(T)=LMG 23727(T)).     

A role for PLCgamma2 in platelet activation by homocysteine

The aim of this study was to examine the homocysteine effect on phospholipase Cgamma2 (PLCgamma2) activation and to investigate the signaling pathway involved. We found that homocysteine stimulated the tyrosine phosphorylation and activation of platelet PLCgamma2. The tyrosine kinases p60src and p72syk appeared to be involved upstream. Reactive oxygen species were increased in homocysteine treated platelets. Likely oxidative stress could prime the non receptor-mediated tyrosine kinase p60src, inducing phosphorylation and activation of p72syk. The antioxidant N-acetyl-L-cysteine prevented the activation of these kinases. The phosphorylation and activation of PLCgamma2 were greatly reduced by the inhibition of p72syk through piceatannol. Moreover indomethacin diminished the homocysteine effect on p60src, p72syk and PLCgamma2, suggesting that thromboxane A(2) could be involved. In addition the treatment of platelets with homocysteine caused intracellular calcium rise and protein kinase C activation. Finally homocysteine induced platelet aggregation, that was partially reduced by indomethacin and by N-acetyl-L-cysteine of 35% or 50% respectively, while the PLCgamma2 specific inhibitor U73122 diminished platelet response to homocysteine of 70%. Altogether the data indicate that PLCgamma2 plays an important role in platelet activation by homocysteine and that the stimulation of this pathway requires signals through oxygen free radicals and thromboxane A(2).     

An analog of 1α,25-dihydroxy-19-norvitamin D3 with the 1α-hydroxy group fixed in the axial position lacks biological activity in vitro

The relationship between the A-ring chair conformation of vitamin D compounds and their ability to bind the vitamin D receptor (VDR) has long attracted the attention of many researchers. It was established that in the crystalline complexes of hVDRmt with the natural hormone, 1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D₃ (1), and its side-chain analogs the vitamins exist in β-chair form with an equatorial orientation of 1α-OH. However, with all these ligands the interconversion between both A-ring forms would be possible in solution. In an attempt to verify the conformation of vitamin D compounds required for binding the VDR we prepared analog 4, characterized by the presence of an axial 1α-hydroxy group. Since the additional ring connecting 3β-oxygen and C-2 prevents A-ring conformational flexibility, the synthesized vitamin 4 can exist exclusively in the α-chair form. The geometrical isomer 5 with a free 3β-OH group was also obtained. The analog 5 binds very poorly to VDR, whereas the vitamin 4 is practically devoid of binding ability. Both compounds also show very low HL-60-differentiating activity. When tested in vivo in mice the analogs 4 and 5 exhibit significant calcemic responses with analog 4 showing more activity than analog 5.     

敲低HSP60 对结肠癌SW480 细胞增殖能力的影响及其机制探究

目的:研究热休克蛋白60(HSP60)敲低对结肠癌SW480细胞增殖的影响,并进一步探究其作用机制。方法:通过含HSP60sh RNA载体的慢病毒感染加上流式细胞仪无菌分选的方法构建结肠SW480 HSP60基因稳定RNA干扰(RNAi)单克隆细胞系,利用Western blot和q-PCR验证结肠癌细胞中HSP60的敲低效率;使用CCK-8试剂检测结肠癌细胞增殖能力,并用流式细胞仪检测其HSP60敲低对细胞周期的影响。结果:Western blot和q-PCR结果验证了HSP60在结肠癌细胞中的敲低效率,与对照组细胞相比,实验组细胞HSP60的m RNA水平和蛋白水平均降低了60%以上。CCK-8实验结果表明,敲低HSP60后SW480细胞的增殖能力下降了约70%;流式细胞周期实验显示敲低HSP60后SW480细胞中G0/G1期、S期、G2/M期的分布比例变化不大。结论:敲低HSP60能够显著抑制SW480细胞的增殖能力,而SW480细胞周期并没有发生明显变化,推测HSP60的敲低引起的线粒体损伤导致细胞生长速度变慢。     

Altered expression of nuclear matrix proteins in etoposide induced apoptosis in HL－60 cells

INTRODUCTIIONThe nuclear matrix is an essential component ofthe nucleus which is important for the nuclear structural integrity and specific genomic functions[1, 2].Several articles have reported that the nuclear matrix, as a higher order framework structures, mightbe disassembled du-ring the apoptotic process[3-5].Accordingly3 nuclear lamins A/C or B have beenfound to decrease in apoptotic thymocytes[6], Tcells[7], and carcinoma cell line[8, 9]. The nucleolar protein B23, an obscure ma…     

S-腺苷酰L-甲硫氨酸 (SAM)对 HL-60细胞 DNA甲基化酶活力和甲基化水平的影响(英文)

 以 S-腺苷酰 - L-甲硫氨酸 (SAM)为诱导物 ,在 1 0 μmol/L最佳浓度下造成 1 6%的 HL- 60细胞分化 .HPLC检测结果表明 ,细胞基因组 DNA甲基化水平升高 .通过3H甲基同位素参入法研究细胞 DNA甲基化酶活力 ,则发现在细胞分化过程中酶活力未见升高 .说明细胞基因组甲基化水平升高并不是胞内 DNA甲基化酶催化能力改变的结果 ,而是由于 SAM进入细胞提供过量甲基造成的 .     

胞浆Ca~(2+)和某些激酶对NADPH氧化酶激活和肌动蛋白聚合的作用

 为澄清中性粒细胞胞浆 Ca2 +和某些 O-·2 产生相关激酶对 NADPH氧化酶激活和肌动蛋白聚合的作用 ,利用分化为中性粒细胞样的 HL- 60细胞研究了胞浆 Ca2 +螯合剂 BAPTA- AM和激酶抑制剂对这些激酶激活、NADPH氧化酶激活和肌动蛋白聚合的影响 .使用 1 0 μmol/L的 Ca2 +螯合剂 BAPTA- AM去除胞浆 Ca2 +后 ,趋化肽 f MLP诱导的 O-·2 产生明显减少 ,但不影响 f MLP诱导的肌动蛋白聚合 ;8μmol/L的 PKC激酶抑制物 GF1 0 92 0 3x几乎完全抑制 O-·2 产生 ;50 μmol/L的p38激酶抑制物 SB2 0 3580、50 μmol/L的 ERK激酶抑制物 PD0 980 59和 0 .1 μmol/L的 PI3激酶抑制物渥曼青霉素 (Wortmannin)使 f MLP诱导的 O-·2 产生大约减少一半 ;其中 Wortmannin还抑制 f MLP诱导的肌动蛋白聚合 ;f MLP刺激细胞后 ,PI3- K、p38和 ERK激酶迅速激活 ,但这些激酶的激活对 Ca2 +是非必需的 .这些结果说明 Ca2 +依赖途径 (PKC)和 Ca2 +非依赖途径 (PI3- K、p38和ERK)对 NADPH氧化酶激活都起着重要作用 ,而 Ca2 +非依赖途径中的 PI3- K激酶还参与中性粒细胞样 HL- 60细胞的肌动蛋白聚合 .     

A new endogenous differentiating factor (myelopeptide-4) for myeloid cells

Along with known lymphokines involved in the regulation of hematopoiesis, a new differentiating factor (myelopeptide-4, MP-4) for myeloid cells was found. The peptide (Phe-Arg-Pro-Arg-Ile-Met-Thr-Pro) originally isolated from the culture medium of porcine bone marrow cell culture was examined for its ability to induce differentiation in two human myeloid leukemia cell lines, HL-60 and K-562. Agents with well-known differentiation-inducing activity, such as phorbol myristate acetate, dimethylsulfoxide and the lymphokines were used as a reference. It has been shown that MP-4 significantly influences the integral characteristics of metabolism, expression of surface antigens and morphology of these cells. It decreased the level of chromosomal DNA synthesis and, in parallel, increased the total protein synthesis in both HL-60 and K-562 cells. MP-4 induced the expression of CD14 monocyte-specific surface antigen and the appearance of mature monocytes/macrophages in HL-60 cell cultures. There was a good correlation of cell metabolic/morphological changes and the CD14 marker expression for HL-60 cells. A similar phenomenon was observed in K-562 cells treated with MP-4 when the levels of hemoglobin synthesis were detected in their cytoplasm. Thus, we consider MP-4 as a new endogenous differentiating factor for myeloid cells.