32k Da protein improve ovariectomy-induced bone loss in rats

The objective of the present study was to systematically explore the effects of 32K Da protein (32KP) on postmenopausal osteoporosis. Eighty 3-mo-old female Sprague-Dawley rats were employed and randomly divided into one sham-operated group (SHAM) and five ovariectomy (OVX) subgroups as OVX (control), OVX with 17-ethinylestradiol (E2, 25 g/kg/day), OVX with 32KP of graded doses (50, 50, or 150 mg/kg/day). 32KP or E2 diet was fed on week 4 after operation, for 16 weeks. Bone mass, bone turnover and strength were evaluated by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA), biochemical markers and three-point bending test, respectively. Femur marrow cavity was observed by light microscopy via hematoxylin-eosin staining. It is observed that different dosage treatment of 32KP increased the body weight and prevented the loss of bone mass induced by OVX. The prevention effect against bone loss was presumably due to the altering of the rate of bone remodeling. The bone mineral density and bone calcium content in OVX rats were lower than that in the control group, suggesting that 32KP was able to prevent significant bone loss. In addition, the data from three point bending test and femur sections showed that 32KP treatment enhanced bone strength and reduced the marrow cavity of the femur in OVX rats. In the serum and urine assay, 32KP decreased urinary deoxypyridinoline and calcium concentrations; however, serum alkaline phosphatase activities were not inhibited. It suggested that amelioration of bone loss was changed via inhibition of bone reabsorption. Our findings indicated that 32KP might be a potential alternative drug for the prevention and treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis.     

Genetic variation in dopamine‐related gene expression influences motor skill learning in mice

Several neurodevelopmental disorders with a strong genetic basis, including attention‐deficit/hyperactivity disorder, autism spectrum disorders and developmental coordination disorder, involve deficits in fine motor skills. This phenotype may depend on heritable variation in components of the dopamine (DA) system, which is known to play a critical role in motor skill learning. In this study, we took advantage of two inbred strains of mice (BALB/c and C57BL/6) that differ markedly in the number of midbrain DA neurons in order to investigate the influence of such naturally occurring genetic variation on the acquisition and performance of fine motor skills. Gene expression analysis of midbrain, frontal cortex and striatum showed significant differences in the expression of presynaptic and postsynaptic dopaminergic (DAergic) markers (e.g. tyrosine hydroxylase, DA transporter, DA D4 receptor, DA D5 receptor and DARPP‐32) between these two strains. BALB/c mice had lower learning rate and performance scores in a complex skilled reaching task when compared with C57BL/6 mice. A negative correlation was found between the motor learning rate and level of DARPP‐32 mRNA expression in the frontal cortex contralateral to the trained forelimb. The rate of motor learning was also negatively correlated with the levels of DARPP‐32 and DA D1 receptor mRNAs in the striatum. Our results suggest that genetically driven variation in frontostriatal DAergic neurotransmission is a major contributor to individual differences in motor skill learning. Moreover, these findings implicate the D1R/cAMP/DARPP‐32 signaling pathway in those neurodevelopmental disorders that are associated with fine motor skill deficits.     

The multiple forms of bovine seminal ribonuclease: Structure and stability of a C-terminal swapped dimer

Bovine seminal ribonuclease (BS-RNase) acquires an interesting anti-tumor activity associated with the swapping on the N-terminal. The first direct experimental evidence on the formation of a C-terminal swapped dimer (C-dimer) obtained from the monomeric derivative of BS-RNase, although under non-native conditions, is here reported. The X-ray model of this dimer reveals a quaternary structure different from that of the C-dimer of RNase A, due to the presence of three mutations in the hinge peptide 111–116. The mutations increase the hinge peptide flexibility and decrease the stability of the C-dimer against dissociation. The biological implications of the structural data are also discussed.     

A Mammalian Mitophagy Receptor,Bcl2-L-13, Recruits the ULK1 Complex to Induce Mitophagy

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Plasmodium yoelii: the effect of second blood meal and anti-sporozoite antibodies on development and gene expression in the mosquito vector, Anopheles stephensi

The sporogonic development of the malaria parasite takes place in the mosquito and a wide range of factors modulates it. Among those, the contents of the blood meal can influence the parasite development directly or indirectly through the mosquito response to the infection. We have studied the effect of a second blood meal in previously infected mosquitoes and the effect of anti-sporozoite immune serum on parasite development and mosquito response to the infection. The prevalence and intensity of infection and gene expression of both Plasmodium yoelii and Anopheles stephensi was analyzed. We verified that a second blood meal and its immune status interfere with parasite development and with Plasmodium and mosquito gene expression.     

MicroRNA 32 promotes cell proliferation,migration, and suppresses apoptosis in colon cancer cells by targeting OTU domain containing 3

Colorectal cancer is considered as the fourth leading reason of cancer-linked deaths worldwide. However, our knowledge about its pathogenic mechanism remains inadequate. MicroRNA 32 (miR-32), a member of small noncoding RNAs, has been found vital roles in tumorigenesis. This study studied its functions and underlying mechanism in colorectal cancer. The experiment revealed the obvious upregulation of miR-32 in colorectal cancer tissues and six cancer cell lines, compared with normal tissues and cells. Moreover, miR-32 upregulation reduced cell apoptosis and promoted cell proliferation and migration, while its downregulation displayed opposite effects. Dual luciferase reporter assays proved that miR-32 bound to the 3′-untranslated region (3′-UTR) of OTU domain containing 3 (OTUD3), suggesting that miR-32 directly targeted OTUD3. Further experiments demonstrated that overexpression of miR-32 could reduce the expression level of OTUD3. Furthermore, OTUD3 silence promoted proliferation and motility and decreased apoptosis for HCT116 cells and restored partly miR-32-mediated cell proliferation, migration, and antiapoptosis for colon cancer. Therefore, our study indicated that miR-32 enhanced cell proliferation and motility abilities, and inhibited apoptosis by directly targeting OTUD3 in colon cancer cells, which implied that miR-32 was hopeful to be a biomarker or target used for diagnosis and therapy of colon cancer.     

Phospholipid metabolism in Mycobacterium smegmatis ATCC 607 grown at 37° C and 27° C

The rate of synthesis and degradation of phospholipids in Mycobacterium smegmatis ATCC 607, grown at 27° C and 37° C was studied by incorporation of ³²P into phospholipids and chase of radioactivity of the pulse-labelled phospholipids. A relatively low rate of synthesis and degradation of phospholipids in cells growth at 27° C was observed as compared to those grown at 37° C. Phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) had the maximum turnover at 37° C. However, at 27° C, cardiolipin (CL) showed a turnover rate higher than PE. Phosphatidylinositol mannosides (PIMs) were metabolically more active at 37° C than at 27° C. The differences in metabolic activity of the phospholipids at the two temperatures have been discussed.     

白浆土－植物系统营养物质转化机制及其有效性研究——Ⅰ．32P同位素示踪法对白浆土中P肥利用率

利用³²P同位素示踪法对白浆土中P肥利用率进行了研究.结果表明,在岗地白浆土上,表层土壤表现出一定程度的供P不足现象,白浆层土壤有效P含量严重缺乏.表层土壤中当季P肥利用率的变幅范围为6.09～12.35%,白浆层土壤P肥利用率为13%左右.施用有机肥能明显提高白浆土Olsen P的含量,加速土壤本身P的活化,各种有机物中,以猪粪对土壤潜在P的活化效果最好.将Olsen P与X值、A值比较,认为Olsen P是评价白浆上P肥力简便易行的可靠指标.     

Reversal of multidrug resistance of vincristine-resistant gastric adenocarcinoma cells through up-regulation of DARPP-32

Here we investigated the roles of DARPP-32 in multidrug resistance (MDR) of gastric cancer cells and the possible underlying mechanisms. We constructed the eukaryotic expression vector of DARPP-32 and transfected it into human vincristine-resistant gastric adenocarcinoma cell line SGC7901/VCR. Up-regulation of DARPP-32 could significantly enhance the sensitivity of SGC7901/VCR cells towards vincristine, adriamycin, 5-fluorouracil and cisplatin, and could decrease the capacity of cells to efflux adriamycin. What's more, the results of subrenal capsule assay confirmed that DARPP-32 might play a certain role in MDR of gastric cancer. DARPP-32 could significantly down-regulate the expression of P-gp and zinc ribbon domain-containing 1 (ZNRD1), but not alter the expression of multidrug resistance-associated protein (MRP) or the glutathione S-transferase (GST). DARPP-32 could also significantly decrease the anti-apoptotic activity of SGC7901/VCR cells. Further study of the biological functions of DARPP-32 might be helpful for understanding the mechanisms of MDR in gastric cancer.