Punicalagin Targets Atherosclerosis: Gene Expression Profiling of THP-1 Macrophages Treated with Punicalagin and Molecular Docking

Atherosclerosis is an important cause of cardiovascular disorders worldwide. Natural botanical drugs have attracted attention due to their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antiatherogenic properties in the treatment of atherosclerosis. Punicalagin is the major bioactive component of pomegranate peel, and has been shown to have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antiviral, anti proliferation, and anticancer properties. To explore its antiatherogenic properties at a molecular level, we investigated the genome-wide expression changes that occur in differentiated THP1 cells following treatment with a non-toxic dose of punicalagin. We also conducted a molecular docking simulation study to identify the molecular targets of punicalagin.     

Effects of Luteolin on Human Breast Cancer Using Gene Expression Array: Inferring Novel Genes

Taraxacum officinale (dandelion) is often used in traditional Chinese medicine for the treatment of cancer; however, the downstream regulatory genes and signaling pathways mediating its effects on breast cancer remain unclear. The present study aimed to explore the effects of luteolin, the main biologically active compound of T. officinale, on gene expression profiles in MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 breast cancer cells. The results revealed that luteolin effectively inhibited the proliferation and motility of the MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 cells. The mRNA expression profiles were determined using gene expression array analysis and analyzed using a bioinformatics approach. A total of 41 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were found in the luteolin-treated MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 cells. A Gene Ontology analysis revealed that the DEGs, including AP2B1, APP, GPNMB and DLST, mainly functioned as oncogenes. The human protein atlas database also found that AP2B1, APP, GPNMB and DLST were highly expressed in breast cancer and that AP2B1 (cut-off value, 75%) was significantly associated with survival rate (p = 0.044). In addition, a Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway analysis revealed that the DEGs were involved in T-cell leukemia virus 1 infection and differentiation. On the whole, the findings of the present study provide a scientific basis that may be used to evaluate the potential benefits of luteolin in human breast cancer. Further studies are required, however, to fully elucidate the role of the related molecular pathways.     

苹果柠檬酸合酶3基因家族成员鉴定及表达分析

柠檬酸合酶(citrate synthase 3, CS3)是细胞代谢途径中的关键酶之一,其活性调节着生物体的物质和能量代谢过程。本研究旨在从苹果全基因组中鉴定CS3基因家族成员,并进行生物信息学和表达模式分析,为研究苹果CS3基因的潜在功能提供理论基础。利用BLASTp基于GDR数据库鉴定苹果CS3家族成员,通过Pfam、SMART、MEGA5.0、clustalx.exe、ExPASy Proteomics Server、MEGAX、SOPMA、MEME和WoLF PSORT等软件分析CS3蛋白序列基本信息、亚细胞定位情况、结构域组成、系统进化关系以及染色体定位情况。利用酸含量的测定和实时荧光定量PCR (real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction, qRT-PCR)技术检测苹果6个CS3的组织表达和诱导表达特性。苹果CS3基因家族包含6个成员,这些CS3蛋白包括473−608个不等的氨基酸残基,等电点分布在7.21−8.82。亚细胞定位结果显示CS3蛋白分别定位在线粒体和叶绿体。系统进化分析可将其分为3类,各亚家族基因数量分别为2个。染色体定位结果显示,CS3基因分布在苹果不同的染色体上。蛋白二级结构以a-螺旋为主,其次是无规则卷曲,b-转角所占比例最小。筛选的6个家族成员在不同苹果组织中均有表达,整体表达趋势从高到低依次为MdCS3.4相对表达含量最高,MdCS3.6次之,其他家族成员相对表达量依次为MdCS3.3>MdCS3.2>MdCS3.1>MdCS3.5。qRT-PCR结果显示,MdCS3.1和MdCS3.3基因在酸含量较低的‘成纪1号’果肉中相对表达量最高,酸含量较高的‘艾斯达’果肉中MdCS3.2和MdCS3.3基因相对表达量最高。因此,本研究对不同苹果品种中CS3基因相对表达量进行了检测,并分析了其在苹果果实酸合成过程中的作用。结果表明,CS3基因在不同苹果品种中的相对表达量存在差异,为后续研究苹果品质形成机制提供了参考。     

拟南芥DTX31基因表达研究

以模式植物拟南芥为材料,通过PCR和RT-PCR在DNA和RNA水平上筛选鉴定了DTX31基因对应的T-DNA插入突变体,对其表型变化进行了观察.通过半定量RT-PCR分析检测了DTX31基因在拟南芥不同器官及环境胁迫响应中的表达情况,结果发现:DTX31基因在根中表达最高,而在茎、叶、叶柄、花中的表达则较弱;盐和赤霉素使DTX31基因的表达迅速升高,盐胁迫2 h后的表达量达到最高峰,GA处理1 h时就达到最高峰,热激使DTX31基因的表达变化不明显.因此,推测该基因可能是盐和GA信号传导通路中的一个重要调控因子.     

Heparanases and tumor metastasis

The successful penetration of endothelial basement membranes is an important process in the formation of hematogenous tumor metastases. Heparan sulfate (HS) proteoglycan is a major constituent of endothelial basement membranes, and we have found that HS-degradative activities of metastatic B16 melanoma sublines correlate with their lung-colonizing potentials. The melanoma HS-degrading enzyme is a unique endo-beta-D-glucuronidase (heparanase) that cleaves HS at specific intrachain sites and is detectable in a variety of cultured human malignant melanomas. The treatment of B16 melanoma cells with heparanase inhibitors that have few other biological activities, such as N-acetylated N-desulfated heparin, results in significant reductions in the numbers of experimental lung metastases in syngeneic mice, indicating that heparanase plays an important role in melanoma metastasis. HS-degrading endoglycosidases are not tumor-specific and have been found in several normal tissues and cells. There are at least three types of endo-beta-D-glucuronidases based on their substrate specificities. Melanoma heparanase, an Mr approximately 96,000 enzyme with specificity for beta-D-glucuronosyl-N-acetylglucosaminyl linkages in HS, is different from platelet and mastocytoma endoglucuronidases. Elevated levels of heparanase have been detected in sera from metastatic tumor-bearing animals and malignant melanoma patients, and a correlation exists between serum heparanase activity and extent of metastases. The results suggest that heparanase is potentially a useful marker for tumor metastasis.     

Secondary product formation in plant tissue cultures

The formation of secondary products in plant tissue culturesis reviewed. The conditions for the enhanced production of secondaryproducts, which include alkaloids, terpenoids, steroids andphenolics, can be regulated in a number of ways. For example,manipulation of secondary product formation is possible by varyingthe nutrient composition of the growth medium, light, temperatureand pH, and by the use of elicitors, permeabilisation and two-stagesystems. Molecular engineering and the use of biomass and large-scaleculture are described along with future prospects for the commercialproduction of secondary products from cell suspension cultures.