Mitogenomic phylogeny of the Percichthyidae and Centrarchiformes (Percomorphaceae): comparison with recent nuclear gene-based studies and simultaneous analysis

Delineation of the fish family Percichthyidae (Percomorphaceae) has a long and convoluted history, with recent morphological-based studies restricting species members to South American and Australian freshwater and catadromous temperate perches. Four recent nuclear gene-based phylogenetic studies, however, found that the Percichthyidae was not monophyletic and was nested within a newly discovered inter-familial clade of Percomorphaceae, the Centrarchiformes, which comprises the Centrarchidae and 12 other families. Here, we reexamined the systematics of the Percichthyidae and Centrarchiformes based on new mitogenomic information. Our mitogenomic results are globally congruent with the recent nuclear gene-based studies although the overall amount of phylogenetic signal of the mitogenome is lower. They do not support the monophyly of the Percichthyidae, because the catadromous genus Percalates is not exclusively related to the freshwater percichthyids. The Percichthyidae (minus Percalates) and Percalates belong to a larger clade, equivalent to the Centrarchiformes, but their respective sister groups are unresolved. Because all recent analyses recover a monophyletic Centrarchiformes but with substantially different intra-relationships, we performed a simultaneous analysis for a character set combining the mitogenome and 19 nuclear genes previously published, for 22 centrarchiform taxa. This analysis furthermore indicates that the Centrarchiformes are divided into three lineages and the superfamily Cirrhitoidea is monophyletic as well as the temperate and freshwater centrarchiform perch-like fishes. It also clarifies some of the relationships within the freshwater Percichthyidae.     

血清ANXA2、ANXA3与转移性结直肠癌患者化疗疗效的关系

摘要 目的：探讨血清膜联蛋白（ANX）A2、ANXA3与转移性结直肠癌（mCRC）患者化疗疗效的关系。方法：选取2019年1月～2020年10月徐州医科大学附属医院收治的90例mCRC患者,根据mFOLFOX6化疗联合西妥昔单抗治疗后的疗效分为未缓解组和缓解组。采用酶联免疫吸附法检测血清ANXA2、ANXA3水平。分别采用单因素、多因素Logistic回归分析和受试者工作特征（ROC）曲线分析mCRC患者化疗未缓解的影响因素和血清ANXA2、ANXA3对mCRC患者化疗未缓解的预测价值。结果：90例mCRC患者客观缓解率为58.89%（53/90）。单因素分析显示,两组年龄、回盲部肿瘤、TNM分期、Zubrod-东部肿瘤协助组-世界卫生组织（ZPS）评分、治疗目标、ANXA2、ANXA3组间比较存在统计学差异（P＜0.05）。多因素Logistic回归分析显示,回盲部肿瘤、TNM分期Ⅳ期、ZPS评分1～2分和ANXA2、ANXA3升高为mCRC患者化疗未缓解的独立危险因素（P＜0.05）。ROC曲线分析显示,血清ANXA2预测mCRC患者化疗未缓解的曲线下面积（AUC）为0.787,ANXA3预测mCRC患者化疗未缓解的AUC为0.791,血清ANXA2、ANXA3联合预测为0.904,二者联合预测的AUC最大（P＜0.05）。结论：血清ANXA2、ANXA3水平升高为mCRC患者化疗未缓解的独立危险因素,可影响mCRC患者的化疗疗效,二者联合预测mCRC患者化疗未缓解的价值较高。     

Ultrastructure of retrocerebral complex of the earwig, Euborellia annulipes, and rôle of aorta as a neurohaemal organ

The ultrastructure of the retrocerebral endocrine-aortal complex of the earwig, Euborellia annulipes has been studied. The space between the inner and outer stromal layers of the aorta is occupied by numerous axon terminals and pre-terminals containing large electron dense granules (NS-I) of approximately 100 to 220 nm and a few axon terminals having small granules (NS-II) of approximately 40 to 90 nm; the former appear to belong to medial neurosecretory A-cells, and the latter to the B-cells of the brain. The corpora cardiaca consist of intrinsic cells with mitochondria and multivesicular bodies. Granules of type NS-II and NS-III are observed in the axon terminals and pre-terminals in the corpora cardiaca. The NS-II are identical to those found in the aorta and are probably the secretions of the lateral B-cells. Granules of type NS-III are 40 to 120 nm and electron dense, and are intrinsic in origin. Similar granules occur in the intrinsic cells of the corpora cardiaca. E M studies have confirmed the rôle of the aorta as a neurohaemal organ for the medial neurosecretory cells, and the corpora cardiaca for the lateral neurosecretory cells of the brain. The corpora cardiaca also act as a reservoir for the intrinsic secretion. The corpus allatum is a solid body consisting of parenchymal cells with prominent nuclei, mitochondria, and endoplasmic reticulum. In between its cells are occasional glial cells and also neurosecretory as well as non-neurosecretory axons. The gland is devoid of A-cell NSM.     

Developmental pattern of Δ5 3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase activity in isolated rat Leydig cells

A direct method for determination of Δ⁵ 3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (3β-HSD) activity was employed in isolated Leydig cells (LC) derived from rats on fetal day 19 (F₁₉) and postnatal (N) days 1,12,24, 34 and 45 and adults. The activity of 3β-HSD in the adult LC was 1.15 ± 0.02 (μmole/μg DNA/hr, mean ± SEM, n = 73). Activities in the other groups, expressed as a percentage of the respective adult control, were: F₁₉-38%; N₁-39%; N₁₂-8%; N₂₄-89%; N₃₄-166%; and N₄₅-118%. A good correlation was found between histochemical staining for 3β-HSD and the quantitive method employed. Using (³H)-DHA as a substrate, LC isolated from F₁₉, n₁ and N₁₂ produced testosterone in appreciable amounts (41%, 55% and 20% of the toal products respectively) whereas at advanced stages of development (N₂₄ to adulthood) the major product was androstenedione (93 ± 1%). These findings may be explained by the observed decrease in 17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (17β-HSD) activity, due to an insufficient supply of NADPH, in the older vs. earlier stages of development. This study indicates the presence of steroidogenic enzymatic activity in LC throughout development in the rat. It also provides a relatively simple in vitro model for studies of testicular regulation during development.     

A stapled chromogranin A-derived peptide homes in on tumors that express αvβ6 or αvβ8 integrins

Rationale: The αvβ6- and αvβ8-integrins, two cell-adhesion receptors upregulated in many tumors and involved in the activation of the latency associated peptide (LAP)/TGFβ complex, represent potential targets for tumor imaging and therapy. We investigated the tumor-homing properties of a chromogranin A-derived peptide containing an RGDL motif followed by a chemically stapled alpha-helix (called “5a”), which selectively recognizes the LAP/TGFβ complex-binding site of αvβ6 and αvβ8.Methods: Peptide 5a was labeled with IRDye 800CW (a near-infrared fluorescent dye) or with ¹⁸F-NOTA (a label for positron emission tomography (PET)); the integrin-binding properties of free peptide and conjugates were then investigated using purified αvβ6/αvβ8 integrins and various αvβ6/αvβ8 single - or double-positive cancer cells; tumor-homing, biodistribution and imaging properties of the conjugates were investigated in subcutaneous and orthotopic αvβ6-positive carcinomas of the pancreas, and in mice bearing subcutaneous αvβ8-positive prostate tumors.Results: In vitro studies showed that 5a can bind both integrins with high affinity and inhibits cell-mediated TGFβ activation. The 5a-IRDye and 5a-NOTA conjugates could bind purified αvβ6/αvβ8 integrins with no loss of affinity compared to free peptide, and selectively recognized various αvβ6/αvβ8 single- or double-positive cancer cells, including cells from pancreatic carcinoma, melanoma, oral mucosa, bladder and prostate cancer. In vivo static and dynamic optical near-infrared and PET/CT imaging and biodistribution studies, performed in mice with subcutaneous and orthotopic αvβ6-positive carcinomas of the pancreas, showed high target-specific uptake of fluorescence- and radio-labeled peptide by tumors and low non-specific uptake in other organs and tissues, except for excretory organs. Significant target-specific uptake of fluorescence-labeled peptide was also observed in mice bearing αvβ8-positive prostate tumors.Conclusions: The results indicate that 5a can home to αvβ6- and/or αvβ8-positive tumors, suggesting that this peptide can be exploited as a ligand for delivering imaging or anticancer agents to αvβ6/αvβ8 single- or double-positive tumors, or as a tumor-homing inhibitor of these TGFβ activators.     

从构建的噬菌体抗体库中筛选抗甲肝人单抗

用固相化甲肝抗原,对所构建的噬菌体抗体库进行了3轮淘筛。第3轮淘筛后洗脱下来的噬菌体,较第l轮增加了近100倍。含有抗体重链基因和轻链基因的重组克隆．也由淘筛前的25％增至100％。说明甲肝抗原对抗体库的淘筛,富集了表面呈现甲肝人单抗的噬菌体。经夹心ELISA法筛选到抗甲肝病毒噬菌体抗体,并以竞争抑制实验进一步证实了这些抗体的特异性。     

Overcoming resistance to rapalogs in gliomas by combinatory therapies

Glioblastoma is the most common and aggressive brain tumor type, with a mean patient survival of approximately 1 year. Many previous analyses of the glioma kinome have identified key deregulated pathways that converge and activate mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR). Following the identification and characterization of mTOR-promoting activity in gliomagenesis, data from preclinical studies suggested the targeting of mTOR by rapamycin or its analogs (rapalogs) as a promising therapeutic approach. However, clinical trials with rapalogs have shown very limited efficacy on glioma due to the development of resistance mechanisms. Analysis of rapalog-insensitive glioma cells has revealed increased activity of growth and survival pathways compensating for mTOR inhibition by rapalogs that are suitable for therapeutic intervention. In addition, recently developed mTOR inhibitors show high anti-glioma activity. In this review, we recapitulate the regulation of mTOR signaling and its involvement in gliomagenesis, discuss mechanisms resulting in resistance to rapalogs, and speculate on strategies to overcome resistance. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Inhibitors of Protein Kinases (2012).     

Probing the ligand preferences of the three types of bacterial pantothenate kinase

Pantothenate kinase (PanK) catalyzes the transformation of pantothenate to 4′-phosphopantothenate, the first committed step in coenzyme A biosynthesis. While numerous pantothenate antimetabolites and PanK inhibitors have been reported for bacterial type I and type II PanKs, only a few weak inhibitors are known for bacterial type III PanK enzymes. Here, a series of pantothenate analogues were synthesized using convenient synthetic methodology. The compounds were exploited as small organic probes to compare the ligand preferences of the three different types of bacterial PanK. Overall, several new inhibitors and substrates were identified for each type of PanK.     

Cell Size and Growth Rate Are Modulated by TORC2-Dependent Signals

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Treatment of donor cells with trichostatin A improves in vitro development and reprogramming of buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) nucleus transfer embryos

It has been reported that buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) embryos reconstructed by somatic cell nucleus transfer (SCNT) can develop to the full term of gestation and result in newborn calves. However, the developmental competence of reconstructed embryos is still low. Recently, it has been reported that treating donor cells or embryos with trichostatin A (TSA) can increase the cloning efficiency in some species. Thus, the present study was undertaken to improve the development of buffalo SCNT embryos by treatment of donor cells (buffalo fetal fibroblasts) with TSA and explore the relation between histone acetylation status of donor cells and developmental competence of SCNT embryos. Treatment of donor cells with either 0.15 or 0.3 μM TSA for 48 hours resulted in a significant increase in the cleavage rate and blastocyst yield of SCNT embryos (P < 0.05). Meanwhile, the expression level of HDAC1 in donor cells was also decreased (0.4–0.6 fold, P < 0.05) by TSA treatment, although the expression level of HAT1 was not affected. Further measurement of the epigenetic maker AcH4K8 in buffalo IVF and SCNT embryos at the eight-cell stage revealed that the spatial distribution of acH4K8 staining in SCNT embryos was different from the IVF embryos. Treatment of donor cells with TSA resulted in an increase in the AcH4K8 level of SCNT embryos and similar to fertilized counterparts. These results suggest that treatment of donor cells with TSA can facilitate their nucleus reprogramming by affecting the acetylated status of H4K8 and improving the in vitro development of buffalo SCNT embryos. The AcH4K8 status at the eight-cell stage can be used as an epigenetic marker for predicting the SCNT efficiency in buffalos.