Contraction of fibroblast-containing collagen gels: Initial collagen concentration regulates the degree of contraction and cell survival

Remodeling of extracellular matrix involves a number of steps including the recruitment, accumulation, and eventual apoptosis of parenchymal cells as well as the production, organization, and rearrangement of extracellular matrix produced by these cells. The culture of fibroblasts in three-dimensional gels made of type I collagen has been used as a model of tissue contraction which characterizes both wound repair and fibrosis. The current study was designed to determine the effect of initial collagen concentration on the ability of fibroblasts to contract collagen gels and on cell survival. Native type I collagen was extracted from rat tail tendons and used to prepare collagen gels with varying collagen concentrations (0.75-2.0 mg/ml). Human lung fibroblasts (HFL-1) were cast into the gels and cultured in Dulbecco modified Eagle medium with 0.1% fetal calf serum for 2 wk. The gel size, collagen content, and deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) content were determined. Gels prepared with an initial concentration of 0.75 mg/ml contracted more rapidly and to a smaller final size than gels prepared from 2 mg/ml initial collagen concentration (final size 7.1 versus 36.4% of initial size, P < 0.01). There was no significant degradation of the collagen in the gels under either condition. Hence, the dramatically increased contraction of the lower density gels resulted in a higher final density (P < 0.01). Cell density was estimated from DNA content. In low initial density gels, the final DNA content was significantly less than that in higher initial density gels (0.73 versus 1.88 microg/gel, P < 0.05). This was accompanied by an increased percentage of apoptotic cells at day 14 (43.3 versus 34.1%, P < 0.05). If the gels were maintained in the attached state which largely prevents contraction, apoptosis was significantly reduced, suggesting that contraction rather than matrix composition was a requirement for the increased apoptosis. In summary, these findings indicate that the initial matrix composition can lead to differing outcomes during fibroblast-mediated wound contraction.     

Cytotoxic activities of Coriolus versicolor (Yunzhi) extract on human leukemia and lymphoma cells by induction of apoptosis

Coriolus versicolor (CV), also known as Yunzhi, is one of the commonly used Chinese medicinal herbs. Although recent studies have demonstrated its antitumour activities on cancer cells in vitro and in vivo, the exact mechanism is not fully elucidated. Hence, the objective of this study was to examine the in vitro cytotoxic activities of a standardized aqueous ethanol extract prepared from Coriolus versicolor on a B-cell lymphoma (Raji) and two human promyelocytic leukemia (HL-60, NB-4) cell lines using a MTT cytotoxicity assay, and to test whether the mechanism involves induction of apoptosis. Cell death ELISA was employed to quantify the nucleosome production resulting from nuclear DNA fragmentation during apoptosis. The present results demonstrated that CV extract at 50 to 800 microg/ml dose-dependently suppressed the proliferation of Raji, NB-4, and HL-60 cells by more than 90% (p < 0.01), with ascending order of IC50 values: HL-60 (147.3 +/- 15.2 microg/ml), Raji (253.8 +/- 60.7 microg/ml) and NB-4 (269.3 +/- 12.4 microg/ml). The extract however did not exert any significant cytotoxic effect on normal liver cell line WRL (IC50 > 800 microg/ml) when compared with a chemotherapeutic anticancer drug, mitomycin C (MMC), confirming the tumour-selective cytotoxicity. Nucleosome productions in HL-60, NB-4 and Raji cells were significantly increased by 3.6-, 3.6- and 5.6-fold respectively upon the treatment of CV extract, while no significant nucleosome production was detected in extract-treated WRL cells. The CV extract was found to selectively and dose-dependently inhibit the proliferation of lymphoma and leukemic cells possibly via an apoptosis-dependent pathway.     

Copper-induced germline apoptosis in Caenorhabditis elegans: The independent roles of DNA damage response signaling and the dependent roles of MAPK cascades

Excess copper is toxic to life. Copper has been shown to induce apoptosis in various cell lines and tissues. However, due to the lack of appropriate gene knockout animal models, data concerning the underlying pathways of copper-induced apoptosis are insufficient, especially with regards to in vivo systems. The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans is a good model to study basic biological processes, including stress responses and apoptosis. In the present study, we investigated copper-induced germline apoptosis in the C. elegans strains carrying mutated alleles of homologs to known mammalian genes that are involved in apoptosis regulation. We show here that exposing C. elegans to copper causes dose- and time-dependent germline apoptosis. The knockout of checkpoint genes hus-1, clk-2, the Bcl-2 homolog ced-9, and the BH3-only domain egl-1 did not prevent cells of the germline from copper-induced apoptosis. The loss-of-function of the tumor suppressor gene, p53/cep-1, caused a significant increase in germline apoptosis with exposure to copper, and the depletion of p53 antagonist ABL1 significantly enhanced apoptosis. The knockout of the caspase gene ced-3 and the Apaf-1 homolog ced-4 abrogated both copper-induced and physiological germline apoptosis. Germline apoptosis stopped increase in the strains lin-45(ku51), mek-2(n1989), mpk-1(ku1) under copper stresses, respectively. Copper-induced apoptosis was blocked in the loss-of-function alleles of both JNK and p38 MAPK cascades excepting pmk-3, one of the three p38 MAPK components. Together, the results of this study suggest that caspase and Apaf-1 are required for copper-induced germline apoptosis while DNA damage response genes are not essential, and that the Raf-MEK-ERK, ASK1/2-MKK7-JNK, ASK1/2-MKK3/6-p38 signaling pathways are indispensable in mediating this apoptotic response.     

九节龙皂苷诱导胶质瘤SHG-44细胞凋亡的实验观察

目的：探讨九节龙皂苷对胶质瘤SHG-44细胞潜在的治疗作用及其机制。方法：用四基偶唑蓝（MTT）法检测5、7．5、10、12．5、15、20、40、80mg／L九节龙皂苷作用6、12、24、72h对人胶质瘤SHG-44细胞活性的影响和细胞流式术检测SGH-44细胞调亡情况;Hoeehst33258荧光染色法观察细胞形态的变化;琼脂糖凝胶电泳检测SHG-44细胞DNA的完整性。结果：九节龙皂苷明显抑制SHG-44细胞生长活性呈浓度-时间依赖性,并诱导细胞发生明显的凋亡,细胞核发生浓聚边集,DNA呈凋亡特异性“梯状”分布。结论：九节龙皂苷明显抑制SHG-44细胞的生长活性,能引起胶质瘤细胞大量凋亡,具有显著的抗肿瘤作用。     

电磁脉冲辐照大鼠海马区细胞凋亡与形态学变化

以体外原代培养的大鼠海马神经元和Wistar大鼠为研究对象,探讨电磁脉冲(场强为6× 104 V/m)辐照后早期海马区细胞凋亡和病理形态学的变化.在照射后1h、6h、12h、24h和48h分别采用MTT法和流式细胞仪测定死亡细胞和凋亡细胞的比例,用光镜和电镜分别进行形态学观察.结果显示在电磁脉冲辐照后,海马神经细胞不仅发生快速的坏死,而且还发生凋亡,同时在早期即可见到血管、胶质细胞和神经元等组织的形态学异常.表明大鼠大脑受电磁脉冲辐照后早期海马区可发生神经细胞坏死和凋亡,以及各组织成分的病理形态学改变,上述变化可能与电磁脉冲致细胞DNA损伤有关.     

葛根素对帕金森病细胞模型的保护作用研究

目的:研究葛根素对帕金森病细胞模型的保护作用及其具体的作用机理.方法:用0.16mM的MPP+处理PC12细胞48h建立帕金森病细胞模型.实验分为对照组、损伤组和保护组,损伤组用MPP+(0.16mM)处理PC12细胞;保护组用葛根素提前预处理PC12细胞1h,后加MPP+.检测PC12细胞存活率、Caspase-3活性及ERβ的转录活性.结果:葛根素能够抑制caspase-3的激活,且其依赖于ERβ的表达,雌激素受体拮抗剂ICI182,780可阻断上述效应;其次葛根素可提高ERβ的转录活性.结论:葛根素对MPP+诱导损伤的PC12细胞具有抗细胞凋亡的保护作用,且具体的作用机理可能依赖于ERβ介导的经典的基因组作用模式.     

VK_3诱导悬浮培养的胡萝卜细胞凋亡

VK_3是一种醌类物质,在体内通过氧化还原产生超氧化自由基。我们的实验发现,VK_3对悬浮培养的胡萝卜细胞及原生质体有致死作用。这种作用是浓度依赖性的。100—800μmol/L的VK_3能引起10%—33%的细胞死亡。当VK_3浓度达到1mmol/L时,死亡率达到100%。DNA电泳分析发现,600和800μmol/L的VK_3处理过的细胞和原生质体产生大小为180bp整数倍的梯状条带。而在更高或更低浓度的处理中则没有观察到这种条带。用TUNEL方法检测,在400—800μmol/L浓度的处理中观察到细胞核DNA的断裂。而在更高或更低浓度的处理中则没有观察到这种断裂。由此我们推测,适当浓度的VK_3能诱导胡萝卜细胞及原生质体凋亡。     

Structural and functional regeneration after spinal cord injury in the weakly electric teleost fish, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Apteronotus</Emphasis><Emphasis Type="Italic">leptorhynchus</Emphasis>

In contrast to mammals, teleost fish exhibit an enormous potential to regenerate adult spinal cord tissue after injury. However, the mechanisms mediating this ability are largely unknown. Here, we analyzed the major processes underlying structural and functional regeneration after amputation of the caudal portion of the spinal cord in Apteronotus leptorhynchus, a weakly electric teleost. After a transient wave of apoptotic cell death, cell proliferation started to increase 5 days after the lesion and persisted at high levels for at least 50 days. New cells differentiated into neurons, glia, and ependymal cells. Retrograde tract tracing revealed axonal re-growth and innervation of the regenerate. Functional regeneration was demonstrated by recovery of the amplitude of the electric organ discharge, a behavior generated by spinal motoneurons. Computer simulations indicated that the observed rates of apoptotic cell death and cell proliferation can adequately explain the re-growth of the spinal cord. Electronic supplementary material  The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

恒磁场抑制缺血缺氧条件下大鼠骨髓间充质干细胞凋亡

目的:研究恒磁场对体外缺血缺氧培养条件下大鼠骨髓间充质干细胞(Bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells,BMSCs) 凋亡的影响并探讨其作用机制.方法:采取大鼠骨髓,以密度梯度离心分离出单个核细胞(MNCs),于体外培养并由牛垂体提取物(PEX)诱导扩增传代培养出骨髓间充质干细胞(MSCs).经形态学和流式细胞仪检测MSCs表面标志物鉴定后,将骨髓间充质干细胞(BMSCs)在缺血缺氧条件下培养,通过TUNEL检测比较不同组别细胞的凋亡率和蛋白印迹法(western blot)来观察细胞中特定蛋白质的变化.结果:①经形态学观察和流式细胞仪检测MSCs表面标志物鉴定,提示骨髓间充质干细胞培养成功.②缺血/缺氧组与缺血/缺氧+磁场组比较,缺血缺氧组的凋亡率显著性增加,Akt磷酸化水平显著上升(P＜0.05).提示恒磁场可以使PI3K(Phosphoinositide-3kinase)/Akt(ProteinkinaseB,PKB)信号通路被激活而抑制凋亡的发生.结论:恒磁场通过激活PI3K/Akt信号通路抑制体外缺血缺氧条件下培养的骨髓间充质干细胞的凋亡.     

Ligation or cross-linking of CD40 has different effects on AGS gastric cancer cells

A gastric cancer (GC) cell line, AGS, has high-level expression of CD40, a tumor necrosis factor receptor (TNFR) family member. CD40 is present on the surfaces of a large variety of cells, including B cells, endothelial cells, dendritic cells and some carcinoma cells, and delivers signals regulating diverse cellular responses, such as proliferation, differentiation, growth suppression, and cell death. In this research, we studied the effects of different forms of CD40 stimulation on AGS cells by flow cytometry, Western blotting and siRNA transfection. We found that different forms of CD40 stimulation, either recombinant soluble CD40L (sCD40L, ligation) or agonist anti-CD40 antibody (cross-linking), induced different effects in AGS gastric cancer cells, proliferation or apoptosis. We also showed that VEGF provided a significant contribution to sCD40L-induced proliferation, while agonist anti-CD40 antibody induced GADD45 upregulation and promoted apoptosis.