Cell death induced by Pteris semipinnata L. is associated with p53 and oxidant stress in gastric cancer cells

In this study, we demonstrated that Ent-11alpha-hydroxy-15-oxo-kaur-16-en-19-oic-acid (5F) had stronger cytotoxicity against MKN-45, a gastric cancer cell line bearing wild-type p53 than MKN-28, another gastric cancer cell line containing missense mutation in p53. The rapid increase of ROS level was involved in the mechanism of cytotoxicity. Classical features of apoptosis induced by 5F were observed in MKN-45 cells only or more significant in MKN-45 cells than MKN-28 cells. Translocation of Bax from cytosol to mitochondria, reduction of delta psi m and DNA fragmentation were induced by 5F in the p53-dependent manner. We conclude that the expression of Bax and its downstream molecules requires the presentation of a wild-type p53 in the cells treated by 5F.     

Molecular genetic characterization of H5N1 influenza virus strains isolated from poultry in the Kurgan region in 2005

In the second half of 2005, a large-scale outbreak of influenza in poultry and wild birds was caused by a highly pathogenic H5N1 influenza virus in Russia. The level of pathogenicity is a polygenic trait, and most individual genes contribute to the influenza A virus pathogenicity in birds, animals, and humans. The full-length nucleotide sequences were determined for H5N1 strains isolated in the Kurgan region (Western Siberia). The structure of viral proteins was analyzed using the deduced amino acid sequences. The receptor-binding site of hemagglutinin (HA) in strains A/chicken/Kurgan/05/2005 and A/duck/Kurgan/08/2005 was typical for avian influenza viruses and contained Glu and Gly at positions 226 and 228, respectively. The structure of the basic amino acid cluster located within the HA cleavage site was identical in all isolates: QGERRRKKR. According to the neuraminidase structure, all H5N1 isolates from the Kurgan region were assigned to the Z genotype. Amino acid residues typical for the avian influenza virus were revealed in 30 out of 32 positions of M1, M2, NP, PA, and PB2, determining the host range specificity. One of the strains contained Lys at position 627 of PB2. Isolates from the Kurgan region were shown to have a remantadine-sensitive genotype. Both strains contained Glu at position 92 of NS1, indicating that the virus is interferon-resistant. Phylogenetic analysis related the Kurgan isolates to subclade 2 of clade 2 of highly pathogenic H5N1 influenza viruses.     

miR-455-5p靶向SOCS3抑制RSV感染致气道上皮炎症反应的机制研究

摘要 目的：揭示miR-455-5p对呼吸道合胞病毒（RSV）感染致气道上皮细胞炎症反应的作用机制。方法：qRT-PCR检测30例健康体检儿童（健康组）、RSV感染轻症组（n=41）和重症组（n=31）患儿血清miR-455-5p水平。将16HBE细胞分为Control组、NC-agomir组、miR-455-5p-agomir组、NC-antagomir组、miR-455-5p-antagomir组。使用Lipofectamine 3000转染16HBE细胞后培养48 h后,分为Blank组、NC组（转染了NC-agomir的细胞）、RSV+NC-agomir组、RSV+miR-455-5p-agomir组,用RSV病毒液感染RSV+NC-agomir组和RSV+miR-455-5p-agomir组16HBE细胞,Blank组和NC组16HBE细胞正常培养。用CCK-8法和EdU法检测细胞增殖、TUNEL法检测细胞凋亡、ELISA法检测上清液中TNF-α、IL-6、IL-8水平,qRT-PCR检测miR-455-5p和SOCS3的mRNA水平,Western blot检测SOCS3、IFN-α、STAT1、STAT2、p-STAT1和p-STAT2的蛋白水平。结果：与健康组相比,轻症组和重症组患儿的血清miR-455-5p水平降低（P<0.05）。与轻症组相比,重症组的血清miR-455-5p水平降低（P<0.05）。与Control组和NC-agomir组相比,miR-455-5p-agomir组16HBE细胞的miR-455-5p水平、相对细胞活力和EdU阳性率升高（P<0.05）,TUNEL阳性率降低（P<0.05）,上清液中的TNF-α、IL-6和IL-8水平降低（P<0.05）,SOCS3 mRNA和蛋白水平降低（P<0.05）,IFN-α蛋白、STAT1和STAT2磷酸化水平升高（P<0.05）。与Control组和NC-antagomir组相比,miR-455-5p-antagomir组16HBE细胞的miR-455-5p水平、相对细胞活力和EdU阳性率降低（P<0.05）,TUNEL阳性率升高（P<0.05）,上清液中的TNF-α、IL-6和IL-8水平升高（P<0.05）,SOCS3 mRNA和蛋白水平升高（P<0.05）,IFN-α蛋白、STAT1和STAT2磷酸化水平降低（P<0.05）。与Blank组和NC组相比,RSV+NC-agomir组16HBE细胞的miR-455-5p水平、相对细胞活力和EdU阳性率降低（P<0.05）,TUNEL阳性率升高（P<0.05）,上清液中的TNF-α、IL-6和IL-8水平升高（P<0.05）,SOCS3 mRNA和蛋白水平升高（P<0.05）,IFN-α蛋白、STAT1和STAT2磷酸化水平降低（P<0.05）。与RSV+NC-agomir组相比,RSV+miR-455-5p-agomir组的miR-455-5p水平、相对细胞活力和EdU阳性率升高（P<0.05）,TUNEL阳性率降低（P<0.05）,上清液中的TNF-α、IL-6和IL-8水平降低（P<0.05）,SOCS3 mRNA和蛋白水平降低（P<0.05）,IFN-α蛋白、STAT1和STAT2磷酸化水平升高（P<0.05）。结论：miR-455-5p在RSV感染患儿血清中下调,上调miR-455-5p通过抑制SOCS3的转录和表达从而激活RSV感染的16HBE细胞中IFN-α介导的抗病毒反应。     

血清微小RNA-141-3p、微小RNA-150-5p与鼻咽癌患者临床病理特征和放疗敏感性的关系研究

摘要 目的：探讨血清微小核糖核酸（miRNA）-141-3p、miR-150-5p与鼻咽癌（NPC）患者临床病理特征和放疗敏感性的关系。方法：收集2019年1月～2022年7月在我院接受放疗的92例NPC患者为NPC组,根据放疗疗效分为抵抗组和敏感组,另选取同期80名在我院体检的健康志愿者为对照组。比较对照组、NPC组血清miR-141-3p、miR-150-5p表达。分析NPC患者血清miR-141-3p、miR-150-5p表达与临床病理特征的关系。利用单因素和多因素Logistic回归分析NPC患者放疗抵抗的影响因素。结果：与对照组比较,NPC组血清miR-141-3p表达升高,miR-150-5p表达降低（P＜0.05）。NPC患者血清miR-141-3p、miR-150-5p表达在不同分化程度、TNM分期和淋巴结转移中比较有差异（P＜0.05）。92例NPC患者放疗抵抗发生率为22.83%（21/92）。单因素分析显示,抵抗组TNM分期Ⅲ～Ⅳa期和miR-141-3p ≥ 2.60比例高于敏感组,miR-150-5p ≥ 0.80比例低于敏感组（P＜0.05）。多因素Logistic回归分析显示,miR-141-3p ≥ 2.60为NPC患者放疗抵抗的独立危险因素,miR-150-5p ≥ 0.80为独立保护因素（P＜0.05）。结论：NPC患者血清miR-141-3p高表达,miR-150-5p低表达,与分化程度、TNM分期、淋巴结转移和放疗敏感性有关,有望成为NPC患者放疗抵抗的评价指标。     

甲状腺乳头状癌组织微小RNA-93-5p、微小RNA-98-5p表达与临床病理特征和增殖、侵袭基因表达的关系研究

摘要 目的：研究甲状腺乳头状癌（PTC）组织微小核糖核酸-93-5p（miR-93-5p）、微小RNA-98-5p（miR-98-5p）表达与临床病理特征和增殖、侵袭基因表达的关系。方法：选取2020年10月到2023年10月在广东省中医院行手术切除的PTC患者153例作为研究对象,收集术中切除的癌组织以及癌旁组织。检测并比较癌组织与癌旁组织miR-93-5p、miR-98-5p及增殖基因、侵袭基因mRNA表达水平,分析miR-93-5p及miR-98-5p表达与PTC患者临床病理特征的关系。利用Pearson法分析miR-93-5p、miR-98-5p表达水平与增殖基因、侵袭基因mRNA表达的相关性。结果：癌组织的miR-93-5p表达水平较癌旁组织更高,miR-98-5p表达水平较癌旁组织更低（P<0.05）。miR-93-5p高表达PTC患者TNM分期Ⅲ~Ⅳ期、有淋巴结转移及低分化的比例较miR-93-5p低表达PTC患者更高（P<0.05）。miR-98-5p低表达PTC患者TNM分期Ⅲ~Ⅳ期、有淋巴结转移及低分化的比例较miR-98-5p高表达PTC患者更高（P<0.05）。癌组织的增殖基因程序性细胞死亡因子4（PDCD4）及蛋白磷酸酶4调节亚基 （PP4R1）水平较癌旁组织更低（P<0.05）,侵袭基因金属蛋白酶解离素9（ADAM9）及Bcl-6共抑制因子样蛋白（BCORL1）水平较癌旁组织更高（P<0.05）。Pearson法分析结果显示,miR-93-5p表达与增殖基因PDCD4及PP4R1表达水平呈负相关,与侵袭基因ADAM9及BCORL1表达水平呈正相关。miR-98-5p表达水平与增殖基因PDCD4及PP4R1水平呈正相关,与侵袭基因ADAM9及BCORL1表达水平呈负相关。结论：PTC患者癌组织miR-93-5p表达升高,miR-98-5p表达降低,与TNM分期、淋巴结转移及分化程度等临床病理特征有关,还可促进PTC癌细胞增殖、侵袭。     

A Novel Membrane Protein Complex on the Endoplasmic Reticulum and Early Golgi Compartments in the Yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae

A novel membrane protein, Yml067c in the systematic ORF name, was discovered as a component of immunoisolated vesicles of the early Golgi compartment of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae (Cho et al., FEBS Lett. 469, 151-154 (2000)). Conserved sequences having sequence similarity to Yml067c were widely distributed in the eukaryotes and one of them, Yal042w, was found in the Saccharomyces genome database. In the yeast cell, Yml067c and Yal042w were found to form a heterooligomeric complex by immunoprecipitation of their tagged derivatives from the detergent-solubilized membrane. Cell fractionation and indirect immunofluorescent staining indicated that the majority of these proteins were localized on the ER membrane. Therfore, the Yml067c-Yal042w complex should shuttle between the ER and the early Golgi compartment as well as the p24-family proteins.     

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.     

Arabidopsis XXT5 gene encodes a putative alpha-1,6-xylosyltransferase that is involved in xyloglucan biosynthesis

The function of a putative xyloglucan xylosyltransferase from Arabidopsis thaliana (At1g74380; XXT5) was studied. The XXT5 gene is expressed in all plant tissues, with higher levels of expression in roots, stems and cauline leaves. A T-DNA insertion in the XXT5 gene generates a readily visible root hair phenotype (root hairs are shorter and form bubble-like extrusions at the tip), and also causes the alteration of the main root cellular morphology. Biochemical characterization of cell wall polysaccharides isolated from xxt5 mutant seedlings demonstrated decreased xyloglucan quantity and reduced glucan backbone substitution with xylosyl residues. Immunohistochemical analyses of xxt5 plants revealed a selective decrease in some xyloglucan epitopes, whereas the distribution patterns of epitopes characteristic for other cell wall polysaccharides remained undisturbed. Transformation of xxt5 plants with a 35S::HA-XXT5 construct resulted in complementation of the morphological, biochemical and immunological phenotypes, restoring xyloglucan content and composition to wild-type levels. These data provide evidence that XXT5 is a xyloglucan alpha-1,6-xylosyltransferase, and functions in the biosynthesis of xyloglucan.     

Human p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase inhibitor drugs inhibit Plasmodium falciparum replication

We recently demonstrated that human p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) inhibitors reduced in vitro and in vivo replication of the protozoan parasites Toxoplasma gondii and Encephalitozoon cuniculi. In this study, we assessed the efficacy of five p38 MAPK inhibitors to block the replication of Plasmodium falciparum in human erythrocytes cultured ex vivo and demonstrate that the pyridinylimidazole RWJ67657 and the pyrrolobenzimidazole RWJ68198 reduced P. falciparum replication, yielded trophozoites that were greatly diminished in size at 24 h, and that these two agents interfered with stage differentiation. Interestingly, the chloroquine-resistant strain W2 was significantly more sensitive to these drugs than was the chloroquine-sensitive strain HB3. These results suggest that pyridinylimidazoles and pyrrolobenzimidazoles designed to inhibit human p38 MAPK activation can be developed to treat malaria.