Oh,SNAP! How enteroviruses redirect autophagic traffic away from degradation

Picornaviruses, one of the major causes of human diseases ranging from the common cold to acute flaccid paralysis, have a short cytosolic lifecycle that, in cultured cells, ends in cell lysis. For years, the prevailing model was that these viruses exit from cells exclusively through cell lysis. However, over the last several years it has become apparent that for some picornaviruses, a macroautophagy/autophagy-related pathway can result in release of virus particles wrapped in a membrane containing autophagic markers. It has been proposed that this enveloped release predominates within hosts, allowing cell-to-cell movement of virus while minimizing exposure to the immune system. One reason that picornaviruses induce the autophagy pathway is to provide membrane scaffolds for RNA replication complexes. Perhaps more importantly, acidified autophagosomes (known as amphisomes) provide havens for maturation of new viral particles into infectious viruses. In back-to-back papers recently published in Cell Reports, our labs investigated a basic question: if picornavirus particles are maturing inside amphisomes, then how are they avoiding the typical degradative fate of autophagic cargo and exiting the cell intact?     

Synthesis and evaluation of a [18F]formyl–Met–Leu–Phe derivative: A positron emission tomography imaging probe for bacterial infections

The tripeptide formyl–Met–Leu–Phe (fMLF) is a prototype of N-formylated chemotactic peptides for neutrophils owing to its ability to bind and activate the G protein-coupled formyl peptide receptor (FPR). Here, we developed an ¹⁸F-labeled fMLF derivative targeting FPR as a positron emission tomography (PET) imaging probe for bacterial infections. The study demonstrates that the fMLF derivative fMLFXYk(FB)k (X?=?Nle) has a high affinity for FPR (Ki?=?0.62?±?0.13?nM). The radiochemical yield and purity of [¹⁸F]fMLFXYk(FB)k were 16% and >96%, respectively. The in vivo biodistribution study showed that [¹⁸F]fMLFXYk(FB)k uptake was higher in the bacterial infected region than in the non-infected region. We observed considerably higher infection-to-muscle ratio of 4.6 at 60?min after [¹⁸F]fMLFXYk(FB)k injection. Furthermore, small-animal PET imaging studies suggested that [¹⁸F]fMLFXYk(FB)k uptake in the bacterial infected region was clearly visualized 60?min after injection.     

Functional role of a long non-coding RNA LIFR-AS1/miR-29a/TNFAIP3 axis in colorectal cancer resistance to pohotodynamic therapy

Colorectal Cancer (CRC) is one of the most common digestive system malignant tumors. Recently, PDT has been used as a first-line treatment for colon cancer; however, limited curative effect was obtained due to resistance of CRC to PDT. During the past decades, accumulating CRC-related long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), microRNAs (miRNAs) and mRNAs have been reported to exert diverse functions through various biological processes; their dysregulation might trigger and/or promote the pathological changes. Herein, we performed microarrays analysis to identify dysregulated lncRNAs, miRNAs and mRNAs in PDT-treated HCT116 cells to figure out the lncRNA-miRNA interactions related to the resistance of CRC to PDT treatment, and the downstream mRNA target, as well as the molecular mechanism. We found a total of 1096 lncRNAs dysregulated in PDT-treated CRC HCT116 cells; among them, LIFR-AS1 negatively interacted with miR-29a, one of the dysregulated miRNAs in PDT-treated CRC cells, to affect the resistance of CRC to PDT. LIFR-AS1 knockdown attenuated, whereas miR-29a inhibition enhanced the cellular effect of PDT on HCT116 cell proliferation and apoptosis. Furthermore, among the dysregulated mRNAs, TNFAIP3 was confirmed to be a direct target of miR-29a and exerted a similar effect to LIFR-AS1 on the cellular effects of PDT. In summary, LIFR-AS1 serves as a competitive endogenous RNA (ceRNA) for miR-29a to inhibit its expression and up-regulate downstream target TNFAIP3 expression, finally modulating the resistance of CRC to PDT. We provide an experimental basis for this lncRNA/miRNA/mRNA network being a promising target in CRC resistance to PDT treatment.     

Evaluation of DNA,BSA binding,and antimicrobial activity of new synthesized neodymium complex containing 29-dimethyl 110-phenanthroline

In order to evaluate biological potential of a novel synthesized complex [Nd(dmp)₂Cl₃.OH₂] where dmp is 29-dimethyl 110-phenanthroline, the DNA-binding, cleavage, BSA binding, and antimicrobial activity properties of the complex are investigated by multispectroscopic techniques study in physiological buffer (pH 7.2).The intrinsic binding constant (K_b) for interaction of Nd(III) complex and FS–DNA is calculated by UV–Vis (K_b = 2.7 ± 0.07 × 10⁵) and fluorescence spectroscopy (K_b = 1.13 ± 0.03 × 10⁵). The Stern–Volmer constant (K_SV), thermodynamic parameters including free energy change (ΔG°), enthalpy change (?H°), and entropy change (?S°), are calculated by fluorescent data and Vant’ Hoff equation. The experimental results show that the complex can bind to FS–DNA and the major binding mode is groove binding. Meanwhile, the interaction of Nd(III) complex with protein, bovine serum albumin (BSA), has also been studied by using absorption and emission spectroscopic tools. The experimental results show that the complex exhibits good binding propensity to BSA. The positive ΔH° and ?S° values indicate that the hydrophobic interaction is main force in the binding of the Nd(III) complex to BSA, and the complex can quench the intrinsic fluorescence of BSA remarkably through a static quenching process. Also, DNA cleavage was investigated by agarose gel electrophoresis that according to the results cleavage of DNA increased with increasing of concentration of the complex. Antimicrobial screening test gives good results in the presence of Nd(III) complex system.     

A study of the relation between CP29 phosphorylation, zeaxanthin content and fluorescence quenching parameters in Zea mays leaves

The hypothesis that phosphorylation of the minor photosystem II antenna complex CP29 (CP34 formation) in Zea mays (cv. Dekalb DK300), under conditions of illumination and low temperature stress, may constitute a protective mechanism against photoinhibition, has been investigated. It is demonstrated that illumination at low temperature induces a marked increase in reversible non‐photochemical quenching yield of chlorophyll fluorescence, together with CP34 formation. These two parameters, however, are not related as CP34 dephosphorylates to CP29 in the dark, with a half‐time of about 10 min, while the enhanced non‐photochemical quenching yield is stable for many hours. The enhanced non‐photochemical quenching yield seems to correlate with zeaxanthin formation. The influence of CP34 formation on photoinhibition was also directly investigated. No measurable effect on this parameter could be observed after treatment with high light. It is concluded that CP34 is probably not directly involved in photoprotective processes.     

MicroRNA-29b过表达慢病毒载体的构建及其生物学特性的研究

目的:构建针对小鼠microRNA-29b过表达的慢病毒载体,研究其在小鼠神经元GT1-7细胞系中的生物学特性。方法:化学合成两条寡聚核苷酸单链,通过搭桥互补延伸成DNA双链,形成miR-29b的前体结构,将酶切后的慢病毒载体FUGW通过同源重组的方法与miR-29b的前体结构进行连接,构建相应microRNA-29b过表达慢病毒载体,并包装成病毒颗粒后转染小鼠神经元细胞系GT1-7,通过博来霉素药物筛选获得稳转株,RT-PCR检测相关基因在mRNA转录水平上表达量情况。结果:测序图谱证实重组慢病毒表达质粒f-F-miR-29b构建成功,GT1-7细胞稳转株中,miR-29b的表达量与对照组相比提高了约28倍,其靶基因DCX,Vdac1,Pten的表达量有所抑制,性发育相关基因LH-β,kiss-1,Inshulin,IGF-I,GPR54,GnRH,leptin-R没有明显变化。结论:利用慢病毒筛选的方法,成功在小鼠神经元GT1-7细胞中获得microRNA-29b过表达稳转株,为以后microRNA-29b的生物学特性的研究奠定了基础。     

Anti-inflammatory,antimicrobial and acetylcholinesterase inhibitory activities of friedelanes from Maytenus robusta branches and isolation of further triterpenoids

The new pentacyclic triterpenoids friedel-1-en-3,16-dione (1), 1α,29-dihydroxyfriedelan-3-one (2) and 16β,28,29-trihydroxyfriedelan-3-one (3) were isolated from Maytenus robusta branches in addition to the known, but new for this species, triterpenoid 12α,29-dihydroxyfriedelan-3-one (4). The structures and stereochemistry of the novel triterpenoids were established by IR, 1D/2D NMR and HR-APCIMS spectral data. In addition, the biological activity of compound 2 and the previously isolated friedelanes 5–8 (friedelan-3,16-dione, 29-hydroxyfriedelan-3-one, 29-hydroxyfriedelan-3,16-dione and 16β,29-dihydroxyfriedelan-3-one) was investigated. Compounds 2 and 8 were tested for their acetylcholinesterase properties and antimicrobial activity against the bacteria Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Listeria monocytogenes, Citrobacter freundii, and the fungus Candida albicans. Compound 2 was the most active compound for both assays, with values of 32.3% acetylcholinesterase inhibition, 42% activity against the fungus Candida albicans and 34% against the bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Compounds 5–8 were assayed for their antiedematogenic activity using the carrageenan-induced paw edema assay. At maximum inflammation after three hours, compounds 6 and 8 showed 42% and 57% activity, respectively. After four hours, compounds 5 and 7 showed activity of 71% and 75% compared to 79% of the control indomethacin.     

Secretion of active membrane type 1 matrix metalloproteinase (MMP-14) into extracellular space in microvesicular exosomes

Membrane type 1 matrix metalloproteinase (MT1-MMP, MMP14) is an efficient extracellular matrix (ECM) degrading enzyme that plays important roles in tissue homeostasis and cell invasion. Like a number of type I membrane proteins, MT1-MMP can be internalized from the cell surface through early and recycling endosomes to late endosomes, and recycled to the plasma membrane. Late endosomes participate in the biogenesis of small (30-100 nm) vesicles, exosomes, which redirect plasma membrane proteins for extracellular secretion. We hypothesized that some of the endosomal MT1-MMP could be directed to exosomes for extracellular release. Using cultured human fibrosarcoma (HT-1080) and melanoma (G361) cells we provide evidence that both the full-length 60 kDa and the proteolytically processed 43 kDa forms of MT1-MMP are secreted in exosomes. The isolated exosomes were identified by their vesicular structure in electron microscopy and by exosomal marker proteins CD9 and tumor susceptibility gene (TSG101). Furthermore, exosomes contained beta1-integrin (CD29). The exosomes were able to activate pro-MMP-2 and degrade type 1 collagen and gelatin, suggesting that the exosomal MT1-MMP was functionally active. The targeting of MT1-MMP in exosomes represents a novel mechanism for cancer cells to secrete membrane type metalloproteolytic activity into the extracellular space.