Multidrug-resistance (MDR) phenotype of human osteosarcoma cells evaluated by quantitative morphological and electron microscopy analyses

Summary— Multidrug-resistant (MDR) variants of a human osteosarcoma cell line (U-2 OS) have been recently obtained by continuous exposure to doxorubicin (DX). The growth and phenotypic characteristics of these cell lines have been demonstrated to be related to the level of expression of P-glycoprotein. In this work, the morphological changes associated with MDR have been evaluated by quantitative image analysis and transmission electron microscopy. Resistant cells present morphological changes with respect to sensitive cells at both cytoplasmic and nuclear level. Some of these changes appear to be related to the degree of resistance but not to the direct presence of DX, since deprived cells maintain some modified characters, while others are partly lost. These findings suggest that DX exposure affects cell metabolism causing progressive changes of the cell morphotype.     

Functional and evolutionary analysis of DXL1, a non-essential gene encoding a 1-deoxy-D-xylulose 5-phosphate synthase like protein in Arabidopsis thaliana

The synthesis of 1-deoxy-D-xylulose 5-phosphate (DXP), catalyzed by the enzyme DXP synthase (DXS), represents a key regulatory step of the 2-C-methyl-D-erythritol 4-phosphate (MEP) pathway for isoprenoid biosynthesis. In plants DXS is encoded by small multigene families that can be classified into, at least, three specialized subfamilies. Arabidopsis thaliana contains three genes encoding proteins with similarity to DXS, including the well-known DXS1/CLA1 gene, which clusters within subfamily I. The remaining proteins, initially named DXS2 and DXS3, have not yet been characterized. Here we report the expression and functional analysis of A. thaliana DXS2. Unexpectedly, the expression of DXS2 failed to rescue Escherichia coli and A. thaliana mutants defective in DXS activity. Coherently, we found that DXS activity was negligible in vitro, being renamed as DXL1 following recent nomenclature recommendation. DXL1 is targeted to plastids as DXS1, but shows a distinct expression pattern. The phenotypic analysis of a DXL1 defective mutant revealed that the function of the encoded protein is not essential for growth and development. Evolutionary analyses indicated that DXL1 emerged from DXS1 through a recent duplication apparently specific of the Brassicaceae lineage. Divergent selective constraints would have affected a significant fraction of sites after diversification of the paralogues. Furthermore, amino acids subjected to divergent selection and likely critical for functional divergence through the acquisition of a novel, although not yet known, biochemical function, were identified. Our results provide with the first evidences of functional specialization at both the regulatory and biochemical level within the plant DXS family.     

DX16 is a novel SR protein phosphorylated by DOA

The serine-arginine-rich (SR) proteins belong to a conserved splicing factor family that not only is essential for constitutive pre-mRNA splicing, but also plays important roles in regulation of alternative splicing. Dx16 is a member of SR protein family in Drosophila. In order to get more insight of dx16 function, we identified the proteins interacting with DX16 through yeast two-hybrid and GST-pull down assays. DX16 interacts with the U1 snRNP subunit CG7564, the SR protein RBP1 and the SR protein kinase DOA. The first and second serine-and arginine-rich regions of DOA are required for the interaction between DOA and DX16. DX16 could be phosphorylated by DOA in vitro and DX16 is highly phosphorylated in vivo. Immunofluorescence microscopy results reveal that doa and dx16 are both highly expressed in embryonic central nervous system. These results suggest that DX16 could be a novel SR protein phosphorylated by DOA and it may participate in the formation of splicing complex through its interactions with other splicing related proteins.     

Separation methods for camptothecin and related compounds

This paper reviews working procedures for the analytical determination of camptothecin and analogues. We give an overview of aspects such as the chemistry, structure–activity relationships, stability and mechanism of action of these antitumor compounds. The main body of the review describes separation techniques. Sample treatment and factors influencing high-performance liquid chromatography development are delineated. Published high-performance liquid chromatographic methods are summarized to demonstrate the variability and versatility of separation techniques and a critical evaluation of separation efficiency, detection sensitivity and specificity of these methods is reported.     

保护素DX对类风湿关节炎大鼠模型中PI3K/AKT/mTOR信号通路的影响

摘要 目的：研究保护素DX（PDX）对类风湿关节炎（RA）大鼠模型的治疗作用及机制,及其对PI3K/AKT/mTOR信号通路的影响。方法：通过皮下注射牛Ⅱ型胶原与弗氏完全佐剂诱导RA大鼠模型,建模后将SD大鼠随机分为4组：对照组（n=12）：正常SD大鼠;RA组（n=12）：RA模型大鼠;低剂量PDX处理组（n=12,L-PDX组）：接受10 μg/kg/d PDX治疗的RA模型大鼠;高剂量PDX处理组（n=12,H-PDX）：接受20 μg/kg/d PDX治疗的RA模型大鼠。各组大鼠治疗4周后,采用ELISA法检测血清中IgA、IgG、IgM、TNF-α、IFN-γ、IL-4和IL-10的水平。通过苏木精伊红（HE）染色评价大鼠踝关节病变。通过免疫组化染色或Western blot检测滑膜组织中PI3K、p-PI3K、AKT、p-AKT、mTOR、p-mTOR、Bcl-2、Bax、LC3-I、LC3-II和Becline-1的表达。结果：与RA组相比,L-PDX组和H-PDX组的关节炎指数（AI）评分均显著降低（P<0.05）,炎性细胞浸润、软骨破坏程度及滑膜上皮细胞增生减轻。与RA组相比,L-PDX组和H-PDX组的血清IgA、IgG和IgM含量均降低（P<0.05）。与RA组相比,L-PDX组和H-PDX组的血清TNF-α和IFN-γ水平均降低,IL-4和IL-10水平均升高（P<0.05）。与RA组相比,L-PDX组和H-PDX组大鼠踝关节滑膜组织中的p-PI3K/PI3K、p-AKT/AKT、p-mTOR/mTOR和Bcl-2的蛋白相对表达量均降低,而Bax、LC3-II/LC3-I和Becline-1的蛋白相对表达量均升高（P<0.05）。结论：本研究表明PDX可有效减轻RA大鼠症状,其机制与调节B淋巴细胞活化和体液免疫、纠正Th1/Th2失衡、抑制PI3K/Akt/mTOR信号通路有关。     

Bcl-2 acts subsequent to and independent of Ca fluxes to inhibit apoptosis in thapsigargin- and glucocorticoidmtreated mouse lymphoma cells

The mechanism by which Bcl-2 inhibits apoptosis is unknown. One proposal is that Bcl-2 regulates intracellular Ca²⁺ fluxes thought to mediate apoptosis. In the present study, we investigated Bcl-2's mechanism of action by determining the effect of Bcl-2 on intracellular Ca²⁺ fluxes in the WEH17.2 mouse lymphoma cell line, which does not express Bcl-2, and its stable transfectant, which expresses a high level of Bcl-2. Treatment with the endoplasmic reticulum Ca²⁺-ATPase inhibitor thapsigargin produced marked alterations in intracellular Ca²⁺ homeostasis in both WEH17.2 and W.Hb12 cells, including elevation of free cytosolic Ca²⁺, endoplasmic reticulum Ca²⁺ pool depletion, capacitative entry of extracellular Ca²⁺, and increased loading of Ca²⁺ into mitochondria. Similar changes in intracellular Ca²⁺ occurred spontaneously in both cell lines following exponential growth. In both situations, W.Hb12 cells maintained optimal viability despite marked alterations in intracellular Ca ²⁺' whereas WEH17.2 cells underwent apoptosis. Treatment with the glucocorticoid hormone, dexamethasone, induced apoptosis in WEH17.2 cells, but not in W.HB12 cells, even though dexamethasone treatment did not alter intracellular Ca²⁺ homeostasis in either cell line. These findings indicate that Bcl-2 acts downstream from intracellular Ca ²⁺ fluxes in a pathway where Ca²⁺-dependent and Ca²⁺-independent death signals converge.     

Expression of the complement regulatory protein CD59 on human spermatozoa: Characterization and role in gametic interaction

Protectin (CD59) is a complement regulatory protein which blocks the membrane attack complex during complement activation. CD59 was identifield on the human sperm surface by means of H19, an IgG₁ anti-protectin mouse monoclonal antibody. Using Indirect immunofluorescence, flow cytometry and immunoperoxidase, CD59 was found to be present on the whole plasma membrane including the head and tail of fresh ejaculated, capacitated and acrosome-reacted spermatozoa. Immunoperoxidase staining of normal testicular sections indicated that this protein was already present on intraluminal germ cells. Analysis of this sperm protein by gel electrophoresis and immunoblotting revealed that its molecular weight of 20 kDa was comparable to that of CD59 expressed on peripheral blood cells (erythrocytes, lymphocytes) and that it was bound to the membrane through a glycophospholipid tail which could be released after treatment with phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C. Associated to membrane cofactor protein (CD46) and decay accelerating factor (CD55) located in the acrosomal membranes, CD59 may participate to the protection of male gametes against complement-mediated damage as they travel through the female genital tract. Moreover CD59, known as an adhesion molecule involved in lymphocyte rosettes, may also participate in cell to cell adhesion during gametic interaction since H19 inhibited sperm binding and reduced the penetration rate and index during the hamster egg penetration test. © 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Toxoplasma gondii: an evaluation of diagnostic value of recombinant antigens in a murine model

Laboratory diagnostics of toxoplasmosis depends primarily on serological methods detecting specific antibodies. Since these methods do not always enable specific and sensitive recognition of the infection and phase of toxoplasmosis, the search for new diagnostic tools continues. Recombinant antigens promise a new alternative in diagnostics of Toxoplasma gondii infections. In this work the usefulness of six recombinant T. gondii antigens: GRA1, GRA6, GRA7, p35, SAG1, and SAG2 in the detection of primary murine toxoplasmosis was evaluated. Sera obtained from infected mice differing in their natural susceptibility to T. gondii infection, BALB/c (relatively resistant) and C57BL/6 (relatively susceptible), were tested using ELISA. During acute infection high response to GRA7, GRA6, and p35 antigens was noticed, whereas a strong reactivity with surface antigens SAG1 and SAG2 was characteristic for chronic toxoplasmosis. Our results show that the recombinant antigens are useful in distinguishing between acute and chronic toxoplasmosis regardless of the genetically determined susceptibility of the host.     

中国朝鲜族DXS7132、DXS6854和GATA31E08基因座遗传多态性

利用复合PCR扩增、变性聚丙烯酰胺凝胶电泳和银染方法对261名中国朝鲜族人群3个X-STR基因座研究发现, 在DXS7132、DX6854和GATA31E08中分别检出8个、6个和10个等位基因; 基因频率分别分布在0.006~0.344、0.015~0.450和0.005~0.317之间; 分别检出19、17和21种基因型, 女性个体基因型频率分布均符合Hardy-Weinberg平衡(P>0.05); 观测杂合度分别为0.706, 0.743, 0.772; 多态信息含量分别为0.710, 0.730, 0.670;女性个人识别力分别为0.898, 0.911, 0.857; 男性个人识别力分别为0.766, 0.802, 0.734; 联体单倍型多样性大于0.988。结果表明, 3个基因座均具有较高的杂合度、多态信息量和个人识别力, 是较理想的遗传标记系统, 在研究中国朝鲜族起源和与其他民族之间的亲缘关系等方面具有较高的应用价值, 并且对中国朝鲜族群体的亲子鉴定和个人识别提供宝贵的基础资料。