The N-BAR domain protein,Bin3, regulates Rac1- and Cdc42-dependent processes in myogenesis

Actin dynamics are necessary at multiple steps in the formation of multinucleated muscle cells. BAR domain proteins can regulate actin dynamics in several cell types, but have been little studied in skeletal muscle. Here, we identify novel functions for the N-BAR domain protein, Bridging integrator 3 (Bin3), during myogenesis in mice. Bin3 plays an important role in regulating myofiber size in vitro and in vivo. During early myogenesis, Bin3 promotes migration of differentiated muscle cells, where it colocalizes with F-actin in lamellipodia. In addition, Bin3 forms a complex with Rac1 and Cdc42, Rho GTPases involved in actin polymerization, which are known to be essential for myotube formation. Importantly, a Bin3-dependent pathway is a major regulator of Rac1 and Cdc42 activity in differentiated muscle cells. Overall, these data classify N-BAR domain proteins as novel regulators of actin-dependent processes in myogenesis, and further implicate BAR domain proteins in muscle growth and repair.     

Midgut aminopeptidase N isoforms from Ostrinia nubilalis: Activity characterization and differential binding to Cry1Ab and Cry1Fa proteins from Bacillus thuringiensis

Aminopeptidase N (APN) isoforms from Lepidoptera are known for their involvement in the mode of action of insecticidal Cry proteins from Bacillus thuringiensis. These enzymes belong to a protein family with at least eight different members that are expressed simultaneously in the midgut of lepidopteran larvae. Here, we focus on the characterization of the APNs from Ostrinia nubilalis (OnAPNs) to identify potential Cry receptors. We expressed OnAPNs in insect cells using a baculovirus system and analyzed their enzymatic activity by probing substrate specificity and inhibitor susceptibility. The interaction with Cry1Ab and Cry1Fa proteins (both found in transgenic insect-resistant maize) was evaluated by ligand blot assays and immunocytochemistry. Ligand blots of brush border membrane proteins showed that both Cry proteins bound mainly to a 150 kDa-band, in which OnAPNs were greatly represented. Binding analysis of Cry proteins to the cell-expressed OnAPNs showed that OnAPN1 interacted with both Cry1Ab and Cry1Fa, whereas OnAPN3a and OnAPN8 only bound to Cry1Fa. Two isoforms, OnAPN2 and OnAPN3b, did not interact with any of these two proteins. This work provides the first evidence of a differential role of OnAPN isoforms in the mode of action of Cry proteins in O. nubilalis.     

鼻咽癌患者血清中CYFRA21-1 和SCCAg水平检测的临床意义

目的:探讨血清中CYFRA21-1和SCCAg水平对鼻咽癌患者临床病理特征及恶性程度的评价作用。方法:选择2009年4月-2010年12月期间在我院确诊为鼻咽癌并接受放疗的55例患者作为研究的实验组,同期体检的60例健康志愿者作为研究的对照组,检测血清中CYFRA21-1和SCCAg水平以及肿瘤组织中Livin、CDK6、Caspase-3、Caspase-9的m RNA含量。结果:实验组患者血清中CYFRA21-1和SCCAg的水平显著高于对照组(P0.05);TNM分期越高、分化程度越低,血清中CYFRA21-1、SCCAg含量以及肿瘤组织中Livin、CDK6的m RNA含量越高,肿瘤组织中Caspase-3、Caspase-9的m RNA含量越低(P0.05);CYFRA21-1含量与肿瘤组织中Livin、CDK6的m RNA含量呈正相关,与Caspase-3、Caspase-9的m RNA含量呈负相关,相关系数r分别为0.723、0.693、-0.714、-0.648;SCCAg含量与肿瘤组织中Livin、CDK6的m RNA含量呈正相关,与Caspase-3、Caspase-9的m RNA含量呈负相关,相关系数r分别为0.645、0.703、-0.751、-0.681。结论:血清中CYFRA21-1和SCCAg水平能够反应鼻咽癌患者的肿瘤分期、分化程度以及肿瘤组织中细胞的增殖活力,是用于评价鼻咽癌患者临床病理特征及恶性程度的理想指标。     

Insights from the reconstitution of the divergent outer kinetochore of Drosophila melanogaster

Accurate chromosome segregation during mitosis and meiosis is crucial for cellular and organismal viability. Kinetochores connect chromosomes with spindle microtubules and are essential for chromosome segregation. These large protein scaffolds emerge from the centromere, a specialized region of the chromosome enriched with the histone H3 variant CENP-A. In most eukaryotes, the kinetochore core consists of the centromere-proximal constitutive centromere-associated network (CCAN), which binds CENP-A and contains 16 subunits, and of the centromere-distal Knl1 complex, Mis12 complex, Ndc80 complex (KMN) network, which binds microtubules and contains 10 subunits. In the fruitfly, Drosophila melanogaster, the kinetochore underwent remarkable simplifications. All CCAN subunits, with the exception of centromeric protein C (CENP-C), and two KMN subunits, Dsn1 and Zwint, cannot be identified in this organism. In addition, two paralogues of the KMN subunit Nnf1 (Nnf1a and Nnf1b) are present. Finally, the Spc105R subunit, homologous to human Knl1/CASC5, underwent considerable sequence changes in comparison with other organisms. We combined biochemical reconstitution with biophysical and structural methods to investigate how these changes reflect on the organization of the Drosophila KMN network. We demonstrate that the Nnf1a and Nnf1b paralogues are subunits of distinct complexes, both of which interact directly with Spc105R and with CENP-C, for the latter of which we identify a binding site on the Mis12 subunit. Our studies shed light on the structural and functional organization of a highly divergent kinetochore particle.     

Valproic acid stimulates proliferation of glial precursors during cortical gliogenesis in developing rat

Valproic acid (VPA) is a neurotherapeutic drug prescribed for seizures, bipolar disorder, and migraine, including women of reproductive age. VPA is a well‐known teratogen that produces congenital malformations in many organs including the nervous system, as well as later neurodevelopmental disorders, including mental retardation and autism. In developing brain, few studies have examined VPA effects on glial cells, particularly astrocytes. To investigate effects on primary glial precursors, we developed new cell culture and in vivo models using frontal cerebral cortex of postnatal day (P2) rat. In vitro, VPA exposure elicited dose‐dependent, biphasic effects on DNA synthesis and proliferation. In vivo VPA (300 mg/kg) exposure from P2 to P4 increased both DNA synthesis and cell proliferation, affecting primarily astrocyte precursors, as >75% of mitotic cells expressed brain lipid‐binding protein. Significantly, the consequence of early VPA exposure was increased astrocytes, as both S100‐β+ cells and glial fibrillary acidic protein were increased in adolescent brain. Molecularly, VPA served as an HDAC inhibitor in vitro and in vivo as enhanced proliferation was accompanied by increased histone acetylation, whereas it elicited changes in culture in cell‐cycle regulators, including cyclin D1 and E, and cyclin‐dependent kinase (CDK) inhibitors, p21 and p27. Collectively, these data suggest clinically relevant VPA exposures stimulate glial precursor proliferation, though at higher doses can elicit inhibition through differential regulation of CDK inhibitors. Because changes in glial cell functions are proposed as mechanisms contributing to neuropsychiatric disorders, these observations suggest that VPA teratogenic actions may be mediated through changes in astrocyte generation during development. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Develop Neurobiol 76: 780–798, 2016     

microRNA-21 表达水平对新疆地区食管癌患者早期诊断及预后评估的临床价值

目的:探讨microRNA-21表达水平对新疆地区食管癌早期诊断及预后评估的临床价值。方法:收集我院收治的100例食管癌患者,其中哈萨克族患者50例,汉族患者50例,采用RT-PCR以及RT-qPCR的方法对患者血清microRNA-21表达水平进行检测并比较。结果:食管癌患者癌组织中microRNA-21表达水平均高于癌旁组织,差异具有统计学意义(P0.05);有淋巴结转移、ⅡB+Ⅲ期、低分化癌组织中的miRNA-21相对表达量高于无淋巴结转移、I+ⅡA期以及高分化癌组织患者,差异具有统计学意义(P0.05);miRNA-21在不同民族、性别、年龄分组中表达无明显差异(P0.05)。结论:microRNA-21表达水平对新疆地区食管癌患者癌组织中表达水平较高,在有淋巴转移、ⅡB+Ⅲ期以及低分化癌组织中表达水平较高,民族、性别以及年龄对microRNA-21水平的影响较小,因此microRNA-21检测对食管癌的早期诊断及预后判断具有指导意义。     

New antiproliferative 7-(4-(N-substituted carbamoylmethyl)piperazin-1-yl) derivatives of ciprofloxacin induce cell cycle arrest at G2/M phase

New N-4-piperazinyl derivatives of ciprofloxacin 2a–g were prepared and tested for their cytotoxic activity. The primary in vitro one dose anticancer assay experienced promising cytotoxic activity against different cancer cell lines especially non-small cell lung cancer. Independently, compounds 2b, 2d, 2f and 2g showed anticancer activity against human non-small cell lung cancer A549 cells (IC₅₀ = 14.8, 24.8, 23.6 and 20.7 μM, respectively) compared to the parent ciprofloxacin (IC₅₀ >100 μM) and doxorubicin as a positive control (IC₅₀ = 1 μM). The flow cytometric analysis for 2b showed dose dependent G₂/M arrest in A549 cells. Also, 2b increased the expression of p53 and p21 and decreased the expression of cyclin B1 and Cdc2 proteins in A549 cells without any effect on the same proteins expression in WI-38 cells. Specific inhibition of p53 by pifithrin-α reversed the G₂/M phase arrest induced by the 2b compound, suggesting contribution of p53 to increase. Taken together, 2b induced G₂/M phase arrest via p53/p21 dependent pathway. The results indicate that 2b can be used as a lead compound for further development of new derivatives against non-small cell lung cancer.     

成纤维细胞生长因子21对非酒精性脂肪性肝炎的作用及机制的研究

目的:探索成纤维细胞生长因子21(FGF-21)对非酒精性脂肪性肝炎(NASH)的作用及其机制。方法:用浓度为500μmol/L的油酸和棕榈酸混合物(摩尔比=2:1)诱导HepG2细胞建立NASH细胞模型,实验分为5组:正常对照组(Control)、模型组(Model)、低剂量FGF-21组(LFGF-21,0.5μmol/L)、中剂量FGF-21组(MFGF-21,1.0μmol/L)和高剂量FGF-21组(HFGF-21,2.0μmol/L),油红O染色法观察细胞内脂滴,全自动生化分析仪检测细胞内ALT、AST、TC、TG的水平,Real-time PCR和Western blot分别检测细胞内核因子E2相关因子-2(Nrf-2)、核苷酸结合寡聚化结构域样受体3(NLRP3)的m RNA和蛋白水平,ELISA检测IL-1β、TNF-α水平。结果:NASH细胞造模成功,油红O染色结果显示对照组细胞无明显脂滴蓄积,模型组细胞内可见大量橘红色脂滴,并出现融合现象。不同浓度FGF-21治疗组的细胞内红色脂滴明显减少,并呈剂量依赖性。模型组ALT、AST、TC、TG、IL-1β、TNF-α和NLRP3的水平均高于对照组(P0.05),FGF-21治疗组其水平低于模型组(P0.05)。模型组Nrf2的水平低于对照组(P0.05),FGF-21治疗组Nrf2的水平高于模型组(P0.05)。结论:FGF-21通过促进Nrf-2、抑制NLRP3减少非酒精性脂肪性肝炎细胞的脂质沉积,减轻炎症反应,对NASH有保护作用。