Monoamine oxidases (MAO) in the pathogenesis of heart failure and ischemia/reperfusion injury

Recent evidence highlights monoamine oxidases (MAO) as another prominent source of oxidative stress. MAO are a class of enzymes located in the outer mitochondrial membrane, deputed to the oxidative breakdown of key neurotransmitters such as norepinephrine, epinephrine and dopamine, and in the process generate H₂O₂. All these monoamines are endowed with potent modulatory effects on myocardial function. Thus, when the heart is subjected to chronic neuro-hormonal and/or peripheral hemodynamic stress, the abundance of circulating/tissue monoamines can make MAO-derived H₂O₂ production particularly prominent. This is the case of acute cardiac damage due to ischemia/reperfusion injury or, on a more chronic stand, of the transition from compensated hypertrophy to overt ventricular dilation/pump failure. Here, we will first briefly discuss mitochondrial status and contribution to acute and chronic cardiac disorders. We will illustrate possible mechanisms by which MAO activity affects cardiac biology and function, along with a discussion as to their role as a prominent source of reactive oxygen species. Finally, we will speculate on why MAO inhibition might have a therapeutic value for treating cardiac affections of ischemic and non-ischemic origin. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Mitochondria and Cardioprotection.     

Phylogenetic analysis and positive-selection site detecting of vascular endothelial growth factor family in vertebrates

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), known to play an important role in vascular homeostasis, vascular integrity and angiogenesis, is little known about the evolutionary relationship of its five members especially the role of gene duplication and natural selection in the evolution of the VEGF family. In this study, seventy-five full-length cDNA sequences from 33 vertebrate species were extracted from the NCBI's GenBank, UniProt protein database and the Ensembl database. By phylogenetic analyses, we investigated the origin, conservation, and evolution of the VEGFs. Five VEGF family members in vertebrates might be formed by gene duplication. The inferred evolutionary transitions that separate members which belong to different gene clusters correlated with changes in functional properties. Selection analysis and protein structure analysis were combined to explain the relationship of the site-specific evolution in the vertebrate VEGF family. Eleven positive selection sites, one transmembrane region and the active sites were detected in this process.     

Improvement of a method to reproducibly immortalize human T cells by oncogene transfection

The method to immortalize human T cells efficiently and reproduciblyby oncogene transfection was improved. T cells were first grown selectively from peripheralblood lymphocytes population of healthy donors andatopic asthma patients, and from lymph nodelymphocytes population of lung cancer patients byactivating with mitogens (phytohemagglutinin andconcanavalin A) and recombinant human interleukin-2(rhIL-2) for five days. Plasmids expressingoncogenes, such as c-Ha-ras, c-myc,c-fos, v-myb and v-jun under the controlof human cytomegalovirus promoter, were then introducedinto these stimulated lymphocytes either separately orin various combinations by electropolation. Afterculturing these transfected lymphocytes for recoveryfor 1 day, they were fed every 3–4 days. Although all the control cells died within one month,oncogene-transfected lymphocytes continued toproliferate actively even for more than severalmonths, indicating that oncogene-transfectedlymphocytes were successfully immortalized. Flowcytometric analyses revealed that most of theimmortalized lymphocytes were T cells expressingCD3⁺ surface antigen. The ratios of CD4⁺and CD8⁺ subpopulations in immortalized T cellsderived from healthy donors varied, depending onthe kinds of oncogenes used. However, CD8⁺subpopulation in immortalized T cells derived fromcancer patients and atopic asthma patients weredominant, independent of the kinds of oncogenes. These immortalized T cells showed differentproliferative responses in the presence or absence ofexogenous human rhIL-2, depending on their origin ofdonors. Furthermore, immortalized T cells derivedfrom healthy donors showed stronger cytotoxicityagainst K562 cells, suggesting that MHC-nonrestrictedkiller T cells in T cell population were alsoimmortalized. Immortalized T cell lines, whichproliferate continuously without stimulation of amitogen or antigen in medium containing a lowconcentration of rhIL-2, have been maintained for morethan 2 years without any growth rate decrease.     

PTEN在人食管上皮永生化细胞株和食管癌细胞株中的表达

目的:探讨人胚食管上皮永生化细胞株SHEE、SHEEMT、食管癌细胞株EC8712中PTEN表达的差,判断食管上皮细胞在恶性转化过程中是否有PTEN缺失现象的发生;方法:培养三种细胞株,采用免疫组织化学、激光共聚焦显微镜、流式细胞仪和Westernblot等检测方法对三种细胞株中PTEN的表达进行检测。结果:三种细胞株均有PTEN的表达,表达强度与分化程度有关,PTEN在三种细胞株中表达强弱顺序为SHEE>SHEEMT>EC8712,差异有统计学意义(P<0.01);结论:PTEN在SHEE、SHEEMT和EC8712三种来源于食管鳞状上皮但分化程度不同的细胞株均中表达,表达强度与分化程度相关,分化程度越高,表达越强。     

砂仁叶片光破坏的防御

报告了生长于热带林窗向阳处砂仁叶片叶绿素荧光参数的日变化,及阻止卷叶和用二硫苏糖醇(DTT)处理对它的影响.受强光照射,砂仁叶片迅速卷起.在雾天上午光强还相当弱(低于100μmol m-2s-1)时,砂仁叶片就发生光抑制,中午最重,下午当光强减弱时,光抑制逐渐得到缓解.其热耗散(qN、NPQ)随光强的升高而增加,且下午仍在缓慢增加.阻止卷叶使强光下砂仁叶片光抑制加剧,F0、NPQ升高.DTT处理也使光抑制加剧,F0升高,且使PSⅡ反应中心发生可逆失活.夜间2300各处理的荧光参数基本恢复.卷叶、叶黄素循环和PSⅡ可逆失活3种保护机制在同种植物中依次启动的现象尚属少见.     

细胞信号转导与可变剪接调控

大多数真核基因能够发生可变剪接,其调控对于生理和病理状态下细胞功能的实现至关重要,而异常可变剪接则可导致多种疾病。虽然已知可变剪接能够在转录后水平调节基因表达,然而目前仍不清楚特定的可变剪接模式是如何被调控的。越来越多的研究发现细胞信号和外界环境刺激能够调控靶基因的剪接模式,并且已发现一些与可变剪接调控有关的信号转导通路,而后者能够通过修饰剪接因子进而改变剪接因子的亚细胞定位或者活性,从而实现对靶基因可变剪接模式的调控。由细胞信号转导通路所构成的网络能够灵活多样地调控基因剪接,一条信号通路可调控多个基因剪接,而多条信号通路也可调控同一基因剪接,对于理解信号转导过程的分子机制具有重要意义。     

端粒及端粒酶的研究进展

端粒是染色体末端独特的蛋白质-DNA结构,在保护染色体的完整性和维持细胞的复制能力方面起着重要的作用.端粒酶则是由RNA和蛋白质亚基组成的、能够延长端粒的一种特殊反转录酶.端粒长度和端粒酶活性的变化与细胞衰老和癌变密切相关.端粒结合蛋白可能通过调节端粒酶的活性来调节端粒长度,进而控制细胞的衰老、永生化和癌变.研制端粒酶的专一性抑制剂在肿瘤治疗方面有着广阔的前景.     

人卵巢浆液性囊腺癌永生化细胞系BUPH∶OVCA-3的建立及其生物学特性

介绍人卵巢浆液性囊腺癌永生化细胞系的建立 ,研究其生物学特性 .以卵巢浆液性乳头状囊腺癌的腹水细胞为材料 ,进行体外培养 .将永生化基因———SV4 0T抗原基因转染第 2代细胞 ,得到永生化细胞系 .通过光学显微镜、生长曲线测定、染色体分析、双层软琼脂培养、裸鼠接种、免疫组化等 ,研究其生物学特性 ,并与其来源细胞的生物学特性进行比较 .建立了一株人卵巢浆液性囊腺癌永生化细胞系 ,命名为BUPH∶OVCA 3,现已传至 6 0余代 .其生物学特性为 ,细胞生长旺盛 ;具有人体恶性细胞的核型特征 ;细胞恶性度较低 ,不具有集落形成能力及裸鼠接种致瘤性 ;除较未永生化细胞生长速率增快 ,饱和密度增加外 ,仍保留上皮细胞的分化表型 .结果表明 ,BUPH∶OVCA 3为一株恶性度较低的人卵巢浆液性囊腺癌永生化细胞系 ,保留其来源细胞的生物学特性 ,可作为研究恶性度较低的卵巢上皮癌的体外模型     

Differential maintenance and de novo methylating activity by three DNA methyltransferases in aging and immortalized fibroblasts.

Genomic methylation, which influences many cellular processes such as gene expression and chromatin organization, generally declines with cellular senescence although some genes undergo paradoxical hypermethylation during cellular aging and immortalization. To explore potential mechanisms for this process, we analyzed the methylating activity of three DNA methyltransferases (Dnmts) in aging and immortalized WI-38 fibroblasts. Overall maintenance methylating activity by the Dnmts greatly decreased during cellular senescence. In immortalized WI-38 cells, maintenance methylating activity was similar to that of normal young cells. Combined de novo methylation activity of the Dnmts initially decreased but later increased as WI-38 cells aged and was strikingly elevated in immortalized cells. To further elucidate the mechanisms for changes in DNA methylation in aging and immortalized cells, the individual Dnmts were separated and individually assessed for maintenance and de novo methylating activity. We resolved three Dnmt fractions, one of which was the major maintenance methyltransferase, Dnmt1, which declined steadily in activity with cellular senescence and immortalization. However, a more basic Dnmt, which has significant de novo methylating activity, increased markedly in activity in aging and immortalized cells. We have identified this methyltransferase as Dnmt3b which has an important role in neoplastic transformation but its role in cellular senescence and immortalization has not previously been reported. An acidic Dnmt we isolated also had increased de novo methylating activity in senescent and immortalized WI-38 cells. These studies indicate that reduced genome-wide methylation in aging cells may be attributed to attenuated Dnmt1 activity but that regional or gene-localized hypermethylation in aging and immortalized cells may be linked to increased de novo methylation by Dnmts other than the maintenance methyltransferase.