FBXL20 promotes breast cancer malignancy by inhibiting apoptosis through degradation of PUMA and BAX

Apoptosis is a programmed cell death that efficiently removes damaged cells to maintain tissue homeostasis. Defect in apoptotic machinery can lead to tumor development, progression, and resistance to chemotherapy. PUMA (p53 upregulated modulator of apoptosis) and BAX (BCL2-associated X protein) are among the most well-known inducers of apoptosis. It has been reported that expression levels of BAX and PUMA are controlled at the posttranslational level by phosphorylation. However, the posttranslational regulation of these proapoptotic proteins remains largely unexplored. In this study, using biochemical, molecular biology, flow cytometric, and immunohistochemistry techniques, we show that PUMA and BAX are the direct target of the F-box protein FBXL20, which restricts their cellular levels. FBXL20 directs the proteasomal degradation of PUMA and BAX in a protein kinase AKT1-dependent manner to promote cancer cell proliferation and tumor growth. Interestingly, inactivation of AKT1 results in activation of another protein kinase GSK3α/β, which facilitates the proteasomal degradation of FBXL20 by another F-box protein, FBXO31. Thus, a switch between two signaling kinases AKT1 and GSK3α/β modulates the functional activity of these proapoptotic regulators, thereby determining cell survival or death. RNAi-mediated ablation of FBXL20 results in increased levels of PUMA as well as BAX, which further enhances the sensitivity of cancer cells to chemotherapeutic drugs. We showed that high level expression of FBXL20 in cancer cells reduces therapeutic drug-induced apoptosis and promotes chemoresistance. Overall, this study highlights the importance of targeting FBXL20 in cancers in conjunction with chemotherapy and may represent a promising anticancer strategy to overcome chemoresistance.     

Isolation and characterization of a porin-like protein of 45 kilodaltons from Bacteroides fragilis

Resistance to the combination of amoxicillin and clavulanic acid in some Bacteroides fragilis strains may be associated with a lack of porin proteins. Comparison of outer membrane protein profiles from one resistant strain ( B. fragilis CFPL 358) and two susceptible strains of B . fragilis (ATCC 25285 and CFPL 92125) showed that a few proteins were missing in the resistant strain, especially a 45-kDa protein. To determine whether this protein was a porin-like protein, we attempted to isolate it from the two susceptible strains by using gel filtration (Sephacryl S-200, Superose 6) and ion exchange chromatographies (DEAE Trisacryl, DEAE Sepharose Fast Flow). Elution from DEAE resins was poor compared to the 60–67-kDa region, which suggested that the 45-kDa protein exhibited stronger cationic forms. The use of sodium dodecyl sulfate during elution improved the recovery of the 45-kDa protein, showing that detergent modified its conformation and its ionic bounds with the chromatographic matrices but it was not sufficient for good purification. Superose 6 gel filtration also failed to separate this protein from the 60–67-kDa region. The only method resulting in the positive recovery of a purified 45-kDa band from both susceptible B. fragilis strains was electroelution from SDS-PAGE. The swelling assay showed that the 45-kDa protein was a porin-like protein. From this study, we concluded that the 45-kDa protein from B. fragilis was a porin-like protein which might be involved in the antibiotic resistance of a strain in which this protein was missing.     

Characterization of DNA binding activities of over-expressedKpnI restriction endonuclease and modification methylase

The genes encoding theKpnI restriction endonuclease and methyltransferase fromKlebsiella pneumoniae have been cloned and expressed inEscherchia coli using a two plasmid strategy. The gene forKpnI methylase with its promoter was cloned and expressed in pACYC184. Even though the methylase clone is in a low copy number plasmid pACMK, high level expression of methylase is achieved. A hyper-expressing clone ofKpnI endonuclease, pETRK was engineered by cloning the R gene into the T7 expression system. This strategy resulted in over-expression ofKpnI endonuclease to about 15–30% of cellular protein. Both the enzymes were purified using a single Chromatographic step to apparent homogeneity. The yield of purified endonuclease and methylase from one liter of culture was approximately 30 and 6 mg respectively. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays show that both the enzymes are capable of binding to specific recognition sequence in the absence of any cofactors. The complexes ofKpnI methyl transferase and endonuclease with their cognate site exhibit distinctive behaviour with respect to ionic requirement.     

INCREASED PHOSPHORYLATION OF DARPP-32 BY D_1 AGONISTIC ACTION OF l-STEPHOLIDINE IN THE 6-OHDA-LESIONED RAT STRIATUM

为了进一步阐明ＳＰＤ对大鼠纹状体突触后Ｄ１受体的激动作用特性,本文应用反磷酸化在体内测定及放射配体结合方法,分别观察ＳＰＤ对６ＯＨＤＡ损毁大鼠纹状体ＤＡＲＰＰ３２体内磷酸化作用及突触后Ｄ１受体密度的影响。结果表明：皮下给予ＳＰＤ（２０,４０ｍｇ／ｋｇ,２１ｄ）,损毁侧纹状体ＤＡＲＰＰ３２体外［３２Ｐ］的掺入量较健侧下降５０％（Ｐ＜００１）。换言之,损毁侧纹状体内ＤＡＲＰＰ３２的磷酸化程度增加了。然而,ＳＰＤ使损毁导致Ｄ１受体上调的作用减弱（Ｂｍａｘ从３８５０±２６１ｆｍｏｌ／ｍｇ降至３１９７±２０１ｆｍｏｌ／ｍｇ水平）。因此,ＳＰＤ激动Ｄ１受体,使６ＯＨＤＡ损毁大鼠纹状体内ＤＡＲＰＰ３２磷酸化作用加强,而受体密度减少。这是ＳＰＤ调节脑内Ｄ１受体信号转导功能的重要机制。     

CeLINC,a fluorescence-based protein–protein interaction assay in Caenorhabditis elegans

Interactions among proteins are fundamental for life and determining whether two particular proteins physically interact can be essential for fully understanding a protein’s function. We present Caenorhabditis elegans light-induced coclustering (CeLINC), an optical binary protein–protein interaction assay to determine whether two proteins interact in vivo. Based on CRY2/CIB1 light-dependent oligomerization, CeLINC can rapidly and unambiguously identify protein–protein interactions between pairs of fluorescently tagged proteins. A fluorescently tagged bait protein is captured using a nanobody directed against the fluorescent protein (GFP or mCherry) and brought into artificial clusters within the cell. Colocalization of a fluorescently tagged prey protein in the cluster indicates a protein interaction. We tested the system with an array of positive and negative reference protein pairs. Assay performance was extremely robust with no false positives detected in the negative reference pairs. We then used the system to test for interactions among apical and basolateral polarity regulators. We confirmed interactions seen between PAR-6, PKC-3, and PAR-3, but observed no physical interactions among the basolateral Scribble module proteins LET-413, DLG-1, and LGL-1. We have generated a plasmid toolkit that allows use of custom promoters or CRY2 variants to promote flexibility of the system. The CeLINC assay is a powerful and rapid technique that can be widely applied in C. elegans due to the universal plasmids that can be used with existing fluorescently tagged strains without need for additional cloning or genetic modification of the genome.     

Preparation of fluorescence quenched libraries containing interchain disulphide bonds for studies of protein disulphide isomerases

Protein disulphide isomerase is an enzyme that catalyses disulphide redox reactions in proteins. In this paper, fluorogenic and interchain disulphide bond containing peptide libraries and suitable substrates, useful in the study of protein disulphide isomerase, are described. In order to establish the chemistry required for the generation of a split-synthesis library, two substrates containing an interchain disulphide bond, a fluoroescent probe and a quencher were synthesized. The library consists of a Cys residue flanked by randomized amino acid residues at both sides and the fluoroescent Abz group at the amino terminal. All the 20 natural amino acids except Cys were employed. The library was linked to PEGA‒beads via methionine so that the peptides could be selectively removed from the resin by cleavage with CNBr. A disulphide bridge was formed between the bead‒linked library and a peptide containing the quenching chromophore (Tyr(NO₂)) and Cys(pNpys) activated for reaction with a second thiol. The formation and cleavage of the interchain disulphide bonds in the library were monitored under a fluoroescence microscope. Substrates to investigate the properties of protein disulphide isomerase in solution were also synthesized. © 1998 European Peptide Society and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Species-dependent enantioselective pharmacokinetics of PNU-103017, a Pyrone HIV protease inhibitor

PNU-103017, 4-Cyano-N-(3-(cyclopropyl(5,6,7,8,9,10-hexahydro-4-hydroxy-2-oxo-2H-cycloocta(b) pyran-3-yl)methyl)phenyl)-benzenesulfonamide, is a selective HIV aspartyl protease inhibitor under evaluation as a potential oral treatment of Acquired Immunodeficiency Diseases. PNU-103017 is a racemic mixture of two enantiomers, designated PNU-103264 (R-) and PNU-103265 (S-). Stereoselective pharmacokinetics of the two enantiomers of PNU-103017 were observed in the dog, rat, and human after single and multiple dose administration of the racemate and were apparently species-dependent. Mean enantiomeric ratios of plasma concentrations (R-/S-) at each time point were greater than 1 in the dog, ranging from 1.22 to 3.06, but less than 1 in the rat and in the human, ranging from 0.44 to 0.80 and 0.23 to 0.73, respectively. A trend towards increased or decreased (farther from 1:1, R-/S-) enantiomeric ratio of plasma concentrations with time after each administration was also observed. The enantiomeric ratio remained unchanged after multiple dose administration in the rat, dog, and human although enzyme induction and increased plasma clearance were observed for both enantiomers. Chirality 10:210–216, 1998. © 1998 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Semiquantitative bioluminescent assay of glutathione

A novel technique has been developed for semiquantitative detection of glutathione (GSH) in small volumes of liquid samples. GSH is detected via enzymatic linkage to the NADP/NADPH + H⁺ redox system through glutathione reductase. Accumulated NADPH is measured via the bioluminescent FMN oxidoreductase bacterial luciferase reaction. A linear correlation is obtained between bioluminescence intensity of the luciferase reaction and the GSH content of the liquid sample. Possible applications of this procedure are discussed. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Enantioselective high-performance liquid chromatography assay of (+)R- and (−)S-α-lipoic acid in human plasma

A specific plasma level assay for the enantiomers of α-lipoic acid is described. It makes use of liquid-liquid extraction, chemical reduction to the dithiol enantiomers, and their precolumn chiral derivatisation with o-phthalaldehyde in the presence of D-phenylalanine. The two diastereomeric derivatives are separated by reversed-phase HPLC with fluorescence detection. The working range of the assay is between 15 ng/ml (lower limit of quantitation) and 1,000 ng/ml for either enantiomer. Chirality 9:32–36, 1997. © 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc.