A large set of estrogen receptor β-interacting proteins identified by tandem affinity purification in hormone-responsive human breast cancer cell nuclei

Estrogen receptors α (ER-α) and β (ER-β) play distinct biological roles in onset and progression of hormone-responsive breast cancer, with ER-β exerting a modulatory activity on ER-α-mediated estrogen signaling and stimulation of cell proliferation by mechanisms still not fully understood. We stably expressed human ER-β fused to a tandem affinity purification-tag in estrogen-responsive MCF-7 cells and applied tandem affinity purification and nanoLC-MS/MS to identify the ER-β interactome of this cell type. Functional annotation by bioinformatics analyses of the 303 proteins that co-purify with ER-β from nuclear extracts identify several new molecular partners of this receptor subtype that represents nodal points of a large protein network controlling multiple processes and functions in breast cancer cells.     

Antimalarial acridines: Synthesis,in vitro activity against P. falciparum and interaction with hematin

A series of acridine derivatives were synthesised and their in vitro antimalarial activity was evaluated against one chloroquine-susceptible strain (3D7) and three chloroquine-resistant strains (W2, Bre1 and FCR3) of Plasmodium falciparum. Structure–activity relationship showed that two positives charges as well as 6-chloro and 2-methoxy substituents on the acridine ring were required to exert a good antimalarial activity. The best compounds possessing these features inhibited the growth of the chloroquine-susceptible strain with an IC₅₀ ? 0.07 μM, close to that of chloroquine itself, and that of the three chloroquine-resistant strains better than chloroquine with IC₅₀ ? 0.3 μM. These acridine derivatives inhibited the formation of β-hematin, suggesting that, like CQ, they act on the haem crystallization process. Finally, in vitro cytotoxicity was also evaluated upon human KB cells, which showed that one of them 9-(6-ammonioethylamino)-6-chloro-2-methoxyacridinium dichloride 1 displayed a promising antimalarial activity in vitro with a quite good selectivity index versus mammalian cell on the CQ-susceptible strain and promising selectivity on other strains.     

Mise en évidence d'une activité kairomonale des œufs de la pyrale du maïs sur les femelles deTrichogramma maidis

Résumé Des extraits de la surface d'œufs de Pyrale du ma?s ont été testés en microenceinte et dans un olfactomètre linéaire sur des ♀♀ deTrichogramma maidis. En microenceinte, les extraits stimulent la locomotion et le comportement exploratoire des ♀♀. En olfactomètre ils stimulent à distance la remontée des tubes vers la source. Ces résultats impliquent la présence de substances à activité kairomonale sur les œufs de Pyrale du ma?s. Des analyses préliminaires des extraits ont été faites par chromatographie en phase gazeuse couplée ou non à la spectrométrie de masse et démontrent la présence de nombreux hydrocarbures.

---

Summary Extracts from the surface of eggs of the European corn borer were tested in small observation chambers and in a linear olfactometer for their effects on the searching behaviour of the egg-parasitoidTrichogramma maidis. In the observation chambers, the extracts elicited exploratory behaviour by female parasitoids with no previous oviposition experiences and increased the time the females spent in walking and drumming their antennae. Recording the position of 10 ♀♀ each minute for 15 min in 2 tubes of an olfactometer, indicated that upwind motion was significantly greater in the tube containing 10 μl of an egg extract than in the control tube containing just solvent. It is concluded that kairomones are present onO. nubilalis eggs and could act as searching incitants and short-range attractants. Preliminary GC and GC/MS analysis revealed the abundance of hydrocarbons in the extracts but the active chemicals were not characterized.

     

CCR3 gene overexpression in patients with Down syndrome

Molecular Biology Reports - Chromosome 21 trisomy or Down syndrome (DS) is the most common genetic cause of intellectual disability (ID). DS is also associated with hypotonia, muscle weakness,...