Gene expression changes associated with cytotoxicity identified using cDNA arrays

In order to investigate gene expression changes associated with cytotoxicity, we used cDNA arrays to monitor the expression of over 5,000 genes in response to toxic stress in the HepG2 liver cell line. Cells were treated with cytotoxic doses of acetaminophen, caffeine or thioacetamide for nine time points ranging from 1 to 24 h. Samples of mRNA from each time point were used to prepare radiolabeled cDNA, which was hybridized to nylon-membrane-based cDNA arrays. High-stringency washes were applied to reduce cross-hybridization. Analysis of spot intensities revealed that each compound led to approximately 150-250 gene expression changes that were sustained over at least three adjacent time points. The affected genes could be classified into clusters based on their temporal patterns of differential expression. A common set of 44 genes showed similar expression changes in response to all three compounds. Of these changes, 90% could be confirmed by quantitative RT-PCR analysis. The results indicate that detailed array-based time-course studies, coupled with a sensitive and highly specific confirmation assay, provide a powerful means of identifying cytotoxicity-associated gene expression changes. Electronic Publication     

Metabolome and water status phenotyping of Arabidopsis under abiotic stress cues reveals new insight into ESK1 function

Metabolomic investigation of the freezing-tolerant Arabidopsis mutant esk1 revealed large alterations in polar metabolite content in roots and shoots. Stress metabolic markers were found to be among the most significant metabolic markers associated with the mutation, but also compounds related to growth regulation or nutrition. The metabolic phenotype of esk1 was also compared to that of wild type (WT) under various environmental constraints, namely cold, salinity and dehydration. The mutant was shown to express constitutively a subset of metabolic responses which fits with the core of stress metabolic responses in the WT. But remarkably, the most specific metabolic responses to cold acclimation were not phenocopied by esk1 mutation and remained fully inducible in the mutant at low temperature. Under salt stress, esk1 accumulated lower amounts of Na⁺ in leaves than the WT, and under dehydration stress its metabolic profile and osmotic potential were only slightly impacted. These phenotypes are consistent with the hypothesis of an altered water status in esk1 , which actually exhibited basic lower water content (WC) and transpiration rate (TR) than the WT. Taken together, the results suggest that ESK1 does not function as a specific cold acclimation gene, but could rather be involved in water homeostasis.     

Characteristics of Pustula tragopogonis (syn. Albugo tragopogonis) Newly Occurring on Cultivated Sunflower in Germany

In temperate climates, Pustula tragopogonis is rarely found on cultivated sunflower. In Europe, it was so far of little economic impact on other Asteraceae, except for some regions in the Mediterranean. In 2003, P. tragopogonis was found for the first time in sunflower fields in southern Germany. The pathogen has a widespread occurrence there, especially in the region around Stuttgart, BW. Fatty acid profiling, ultrastructural investigation and ITS sequencing revealed a high similarity to an 2002 isolate from southern Africa and an 2005 isolate from Australia, but revealed significant differences to P. tragopogonis s.l. on Cirsium arvense, a common weed, growing on or in the vicinity of sunflower fields in Germany. P. tragopogonis from this host can therefore be excluded from being the source of the reported infection.     

Cardiac phosphocreatine deficiency induced by GPA during postnatal development in rat

The effect of chronic administration of -guanidinopropionic acid (GPA) on the protein profiling, energy metabolism and right ventricular (RV) function was studied in the rat heart during the weaning and adolescence period. GPA was given in tap water (1–1.5%) using pair drink controls. The feeding of animals with GPA solution for a six week period resulted in elevation of heart to body weight ratio due to body growth retardation. GPA accumulated in the myocardium up to 67.37 ± 5.3 moles.g dry weight and the tissue content of total creatine, phosphocreatine and ATP was significantly decreased to 15%, 9% and 65% of control values respectively. Total activity of creatine kinase (CK) was not changed, but the proportion of mitochondrial (Mi) CK isoenzyme was decreased; the percentage of MB isoenzyme of CK was significantly higher. GPA treatment resulted in an elevation of the content of cardiac collagenous proteins and decrease of non-collagenous proteins in the heart; in parallel, a decrease of the collagen I to collagen III ratio was detected. The function of the RV was assessed using an isolated perfused heart with RV performing pressure-volume work. As compared to pair-drink controls, RV function was significantly impaired the GPA group: at any given right atrial filling pressure, the RV systolic pressure and the rate of pressure development were decreased by almost a factor of two. Elevation of the RV diastolic pressure with increasing pulmonary artery diastolic pressure was also significantly steeper in the GPA group which also showed decrease of cardiac output, especially at high outflow resistance. It may be assumed that chronic administration of GPA deeply influenced metabolic parameters, protein profiles and contractile function of the developing heart. On the other hand, concentrations of glucose, total lipids and triglycerides in blood plasma were not affected. All these data confirm the concept that the CK system is of central importance both for heart function and for the regulation of normal growth of cardiac myocytes.     

Proinflammatory cytokine profiles in prediabetic Saudi patients

Prediabetes is an increase-risk state for diabetes that is associated with an increase in blood glucose levels to more than normal, but not increased enough to be termed as type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). A timely intervention and management of prediabetes can stop its further progression to the diabetic state. Many cytokines are involved in diseases including diabetes, however, their role in prediabetes is unknown. In this study, we attempted to analyze numerous proinflammatory cytokines in prediabetic patients. A total of 60 adult Saudi prediabetes patients and healthy control individuals were included in this study. To better understand the role of the proinflammatory cytokines in prediabetes patients and its potential link to the disease outcome, the variations in the levels of these cytokines were investigated using Multi-Analyte ELISA technique. The T helper cells (Th1 and Th2) immune response expression profiling of 84 genes was done using Real Time-quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) technique. The present finding showed that serum Interleukin IL-2, IL-1β, and IL-1α levels of all prediabetes patients were increased when compared with healthy control cases (P < 0.05). Inductions of proinflammatory cytokines and upregulation of Th1 and Th2 immune genes might play a potential role during prediabetes status and may be linked to the disease outcome. Further studies are needed to investigate the underlying mechanism of these proinflammatory cytokines in diabetes development. A strong positive correlation was found between IL and 1α with glucose levels than with IL-1β and IL-2. In conclusion, cytokines, especially IL-1, may play a critical role in the development of diabetes.     

一株耐盐碱乳酪短杆菌G20响应盐碱胁迫的差异代谢物分析

【目的】探究耐盐碱乳酪短杆菌G20响应盐碱胁迫的代谢物组成以及代谢物合成潜力,为潜在功能分子和盐碱诱导的快速稳定响应逻辑门基因线路的挖掘提供参考。【方法】利用液相色谱-质谱联用技术(LC-MS)检测乳酪短杆菌G20盐碱环境与正常环境下4个生长时期的代谢产物。着重对富含高差异变化倍数代谢物的适应期与指数期进行分析。【结果】乳酪短杆菌G20可以在pH 10.0、9%NaCl环境中正常生长,同时环境pH值会随菌株生长逐步下降。综合正负离子2种模式,乳酪短杆菌G20在盐碱环境下各生长时期间差异代谢物数量分别为正常环境的0.69、0.75和0.81倍。盐碱胁迫诱导下适应期与指数期差异代谢物主要为苯环型化合物、有机酸及其衍生物与有机杂环类化合物。其中上调的有机酸化合物吲哚-3-乙酸、犬尿酸和葡萄糖酸指数期质谱信号强度低于适应期。菌株中可能存在的渗透保护剂有L-瓜氨酸、L-脯氨酸、N-乙酰鸟氨酸和左旋肉碱等。适应期变化倍数较大或质谱信号强度较高的差异化合物有毛果芸香碱、植物鞘氨醇和柠檬酸等,指数期有组胺、L-脯氨酸和硫胺素等。菌株差异代谢通路集中在氨基酸代谢与碳水化合物代谢。菌株代谢物中存在甜菜碱和...