Temporal relationship of autophagy and apoptosis in neurons challenged by low molecular weight β‐amyloid peptide

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is an aging‐related progressive neurodegenerative disorder. Previous studies suggested that various soluble Aβ species are neurotoxic and able to activate apoptosis and autophagy, the type I and type II programmed cell death, respectively. However, the sequential and functional relationships between these two cellular events remain elusive. Here we report that low molecular weight Aβ triggered cleavage of caspase 3 and poly (ADP‐ribose) polymerase to cause neuronal apoptosis in rat cortical neurons. On the other hand, Aβ activated autophagy by inducing autophagic vesicle formation and autophagy related gene 12 (ATG12), and up‐regulated the lysoso‐mal machinery for the degradation of autophagosomes. Moreover, we demonstrated that activation of autophagy by Aβ preceded that of apoptosis, with death associated protein kinase phosphorylation as the potential molecular link. More importantly, under Aβ toxicity, neurons exhibiting high level of autophagosome formation were absent of apoptotic features, and inhibition of autophagy by 3‐methylade‐nine advanced neuronal apoptosis, suggesting that autophagy can protect neurons from Aβ‐induced apoptosis.     

ROS-PIASγ cross talk channelizes ATM signaling from resistance to apoptosis during chemosensitization of resistant tumors

With the existing knowledge of ATM''s role in therapeutic resistance, the present study aimed at identifying the molecular mechanisms that influence ATM to oscillate between chemoresistance and chemosensitivity. We observed that the redox status of tumors functions as a major determinant of ATM-dependent ‘resistance-to-apoptosis'' molecular switch. At a low reactive oxygen species (ROS) condition during genotoxic insult, the ATM/sumoylated-IKKγ interaction induced NFκB activation that resisted JNK-mediated apoptosis, whereas increasing cellular ROS restored ATM/JNK apoptotic signaling. A search for the upstream missing link revealed that high ROS induces oxidation and ubiquitin-mediated degradation of PIASγ, thereby disrupting PIASγ-IKKγ cross talk, a pre-requisite for IKKγ sumoylation and subsequent NFκB activation. Interruption in the PIASγ-mediated resistance pathway channels ATM signaling toward ATM/JNK pro-death circuitry. These in vitro results also translated to sensitive and resistant tumor allograft mouse models in which low ROS-induced resistance was over-ruled in PIASγ knockout tumors, while its overexpression inhibited high ROS-dependent apoptotic cues. Cumulatively, our findings identified an unappreciated yet critical combinatorial function of cellular ROS and PIASγ in regulating ATM-mediated chemosensitization of resistant tumors. Thus, therapeutic strategies employing ROS upregulation to inhibit PIASγ during genotoxic therapy may, in future, help to eliminate the problems of NFκB-mediated tumor drug resistance.     

一种研究和鉴别悬浮培养红豆杉细胞凋亡与坏死的新方法

将在动物细胞凋亡研究中应用的Hoechst-PI双重荧光染色法与琥珀酸脱氢酶(SDH)染色法相结合,建立了一种更加完善的、能同时鉴别和研究悬浮培养的植物细胞凋亡及坏死的新方法——Hoechst-PI-SDH三重染色法(H-P-S法)。该方法可直接用于红豆杉悬浮培养细胞,无需对细胞进行去壁、固定及切片等其它方法所必需的步骤,在荧光显微镜下可鉴别活细胞、死细胞及凋亡细胞,并可同时观测细胞凋亡的全部过程。该方法简单、快速、准确,而且克服了因细胞膜通透性差异引起的对死、活细胞判断的困难,可在植物细胞凋亡的研究中广泛应用。     

Information-Theoretic Analysis of Neural Coding

We describe an approach to analyzing single- and multiunit (ensemble) discharge patterns based on information-theoretic distance measures and on empirical theories derived from work in universal signal processing. In this approach, we quantify the difference between response patterns, whether time-varying or not, using information-theoretic distance measures. We apply these techniques to single- and multiple-unit processing of sound amplitude and sound location. These examples illustrate that neurons can simultaneously represent at least two kinds of information with different levels of fidelity. The fidelity can persist through a transient and a subsequent steady-state response, indicating that it is possible for an evolving neural code to represent information with constant fidelity.     

Proteomic Analysis Reveals that Odoroside A Triggers G2/M Arrest and Apoptosis in Colorectal Carcinoma Through ROS‐p53 Pathway

Odoroside A (OA) is an active ingredient extracted from the leaves of Nerium oleander Linn. (Apocynaceae). This study aims to examine the anticancer bioactivity of OA against CRC cells and to investigate the action mechanisms involved. As a result, OA can significantly inhibit cellular ability and induce apoptosis of CRC cells in a concentration‐dependent manner without any obvious cytotoxicity in normal colorectal epithelial cells. Then, quantitative proteomics combined with bioinformatics is adopted to investigate the alterations of proteins and signaling pathways in response to OA treatment. As suggested by the proteomic analysis, flow cytometry and Western blotting analyses validate that exposure of CRC cells to OA causes cell cycle arrest and apoptosis, accompanied with the activation of the ROS/p53 signaling pathway. This observation demonstrates that OA, as a natural product, can induce oxidative stress to suppress tumor cell growth, implicating a novel therapeutic agent against CRC without obvious side effects.     

Comparative analysis reveals amino acids critical for anticancer activity of peptide CIGB‐552

Because of resistance development by cancer cells against current anticancer drugs, there is a considerable interest in developing novel antitumor agents. We have previously demonstrated that CIGB‐552, a novel cell‐penetrating synthetic peptide, was effective in reducing tumor size and increasing lifespan in tumor‐bearing mice. Studies of protein–peptide interactions have shown that COMMD1 protein is a major mediator of CIGB‐552 antitumor activity. Furthermore, a typical serine‐protease degradation pattern for CIGB‐552 in BALB/c mice serum was identified, yielding peptides which differ from CIGB‐552 in size and physical properties. In the present study, we show the results obtained from a comparative analysis between CIGB‐552 and its main metabolites regarding physicochemical properties, cellular internalization, and their capability to elicit apoptosis in MCF‐7 cells. None of the analyzed metabolites proved to be as effective as CIGB‐552 in promoting apoptosis in MCF‐7. Taking into account these results, it seemed important to examine their cell‐penetrating capacity and interaction with COMMD1. We show that internalization, a lipid binding‐dependent process, is impaired as well as metabolite–COMMD1 interaction, key component of the apoptotic mechanism. Altogether, our results suggest that features conferred by the amino acid sequence are decisive for CIGB‐552 biological activity, turning it into the minimal functional unit. Copyright © 2016 European Peptide Society and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

六种重金属离子胁迫诱导鱼类细胞凋亡的研究

以草鱼（Ctenopharyngodon idellus）ZC7901细胞为研究模型,选用六种重金属离子进行胁迫诱导鱼类细胞凋亡试验.结果显示,在Cd²⁺、Cr⁶⁺、Hg²⁺、Cu²⁺、As⁵⁺、Pb²⁺的胁迫作用下,ZC7901细胞均出现了明显的染色质凝集、趋边化、形成凋亡小体等凋亡形态特征,核酸电泳显示DNA发生特异降解而呈现电泳阶梯,用末端脱氧核糖核酸转移酶介导的dUTP切口末端标记（TUNEL）法,检测到DNA的3′-OH断端均被原位特异标记,表明六种重金属离子均能诱导鱼类细胞发生典型的凋亡.     

HDAC6 inhibitor WT161 performs anti-tumor effect on osteosarcoma and synergistically interacts with 5-FU

Background: WT161, as a selective HDAC6 inhibitor, has been shown to play anti-tumor effects on several kinds of cancers. The aim of the present study is to explore the roles of WT161 in osteosarcoma and its underlying mechanisms.Methods: The anti-proliferative effect of WT161 on osteosarcoma cells was examined using MTT assay and colony formation assay. Cell apoptosis was analyzed using flow cytometer. The synergistic effect was evaluated by isobologram analysis using CompuSyn software. The osteosarcoma xenograft models were established to evaluate the anti-proliferative effect of WT161 in vivo.Results: WT161 suppressed the cell growth and induced apoptosis of osteosarcoma cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Mechanistically, we found that WT161 treatment obviously increased the protein level of PTEN and decreased the phosphorylation level of protein kinase-B (AKT). More importantly, WT161 showed synergistic inhibition with 5-FU on osteosarcoma cells in vitro and in vivo.Conclusions: These results indicate that WT161 inhibits the growth of osteosarcoma through PTEN and has a synergistic efficiency with 5-FU.     

固脾消积饮诱导人肝癌HepG2细胞凋亡的分子机制*

目的: 探讨固脾消积饮对人肝癌细胞HepG2凋亡的分子机制。方法: 将HepG2细胞分为4组:对照组(Control)、空白血清组(Blank)、固脾消积饮血清组(GPXJY)和顺铂组(Positive),每组设置8个复孔。固脾消积饮含药血清和顺铂干预24 h后,检测细胞活性、活细胞数量、细胞凋亡状态、细胞周期以及线粒体膜电位状况,检测细胞的脂质过氧化(MDA)水平、糖酵解速率和凋亡Bax、Bcl-2、Caspase-3蛋白的表达,检测细胞上清液三酰甘油(TG)、胆固醇(TC)、丙酮酸和葡萄糖的含量。结果: 与Control组比较,GPXJY组(细胞的)抑制率增加、细胞数量减少、凋亡阳性细胞数增多(P＜0.01),G1期细胞数目显著增加(P＜0.05),细胞线粒体膜电位降低(P＜0.01),糖酵解功能显著抑制,细胞中MDA水平升高,细胞Bax、Caspase-3的表达升高、Bcl-2的表达下降(P＜0.05,P＜0.01),细胞上清液中TC、TG、葡萄糖含量显著减少、丙酮酸含量显著增加(P＜0.05,P＜0.01)。结论: 固脾消积饮可诱导HepG2细胞发生凋亡,可能对能量代谢发挥作用。     

人同源盒基因NKX3.1对前列腺癌细胞的诱导凋亡作用

构建人同源盒基因NKX3.1 cDNA真核表达载体,研究其在前列腺癌细胞PC-3、LNCaP 中的表达及对细胞的促凋亡作用.以人前列腺癌细胞LNCaP细胞中的总RNA为模板,RT-PCR扩增NKX3.1基因全长编码片段,将NKX3.1 cDNA重组到真核表达载体pcDNA3.1（+）中; 将pcDNA3.1-NKX3.1表达载体瞬时转染前列腺癌细胞PC-3和LNCaP 细胞,用RT-PCR和Western印迹检测NKX3.1 cDNA在转录水平和蛋白水平的表达;绘制细胞生长曲线,观察NKX3.1对前列腺癌细胞增殖的抑制作用;用DNA/ladder和流式细胞术检测NKX3.1对前列腺癌细胞凋亡的影响,进一步用RT PCR检测凋亡相关基因caspase3、caspase8、caspase9、Apaf1、survivin和Bcl2表达的变化.人同源盒基因NKX3.1 cDNA真核表达载体pcDNA3.1-NKX3.1经酶切及测序鉴定正确. pcDNA3.1-NKX3.1转染PC-3和LNCaP细胞后,经RT-PCR和Western印迹证明能有效表达NKX3.1.生长曲线显示,前列腺癌细胞转染NKX3.1 cDNA后细胞增殖受到抑制;前列腺癌细胞转染NKX3.1 cDNA 48 h后,DNA电泳呈现具有凋亡特征的DNA ladder;流式细胞术检测出现明显凋亡峰;RT-PCR检测凋亡相关基因.结果显示,caspase3、caspase8、caspase9基因表达明显增加,Bcl2基因表达明显减少.本研究成功构建了真核表达载体pcDNA3.1 NKX3.1, 转染PC3和LNCaP细胞后能有效表达,并对细胞具有诱导凋亡作用