Cathepsin B may be a potential biomarker in cervical cancer

Cathepsin B is a protease which is able to digest extracellular matrix. It is currently unknown whether cathepsin B plays a role in cervical cancer development and progression. With Q-PCR and Western blotting, we observed cathepsin B expression in cervical cancer cell line Hela cells. After the gene was silenced in HeLa cells with SiRNA, we confirmed that cathepsin B expressions at both mRNA and protein levels were significantly reduced. At the same time, cell proliferation, migration and invasion of the HeLa cells were significantly decreased compared to control cells. In addition, a significant regression of tumor growth in nude mice which received the siRNA targeted cathepsin B HeLa cells was observed. We further studied the expression of cathepsin B in a series of 169 clinical samples, including 56 invasive cervical squamous carcinoma, 85 CINs and 28 normal cervical tissues. It was found that cathepsin B expression in invasive carcinomas was significantly higher than that in the CINs and normal tissues (P<0.01). In addition, cathepsin B expression in the invasive carcinomas was positively correlated to tumor invasion depth and lymphatic metastasis. Our results indicate that cathepsin B may be a potential biomarker for further strategical clinical studies in cervical cancer.

Pharmacological effects of Lu AA21004: a novel multimodal compound for the treatment of major depressive disorder

1-[2-(2,4-Dimethylphenyl-sulfanyl)-phenyl]-piperazine (Lu AA21004) is a human (h) serotonin (5-HT)(3A) receptor antagonist (K(i) = 3.7 nM), h5-HT(7) receptor antagonist (K(i) = 19 nM), h5-HT(1B) receptor partial agonist (K(i) = 33 nM), h5-HT(1A) receptor agonist (K(i) = 15 nM), and a human 5-HT transporter (SERT) inhibitor (K(i) = 1.6 nM) (J Med Chem 54:3206-3221, 2011). Here, we confirm that Lu AA21004 is a partial h5-HT(1B) receptor agonist [EC(50) = 460 nM, intrinsic activity = 22%] using a whole-cell cAMP-based assay and demonstrate that Lu AA21004 is a rat (r) 5-HT(7) receptor antagonist (K(i) = 200 nM and IC(50) = 2080 nM). In vivo, Lu AA21004 occupies the r5-HT(1B) receptor and rSERT (ED(50) = 3.2 and 0.4 mg/kg, respectively) after subcutaneous administration and is a 5-HT(3) receptor antagonist in the Bezold-Jarisch reflex assay (ED(50) = 0.11 mg/kg s.c.). In rat microdialysis experiments, Lu AA21004 (2.5-10.0 mg/kg s.c.) increased extracellular 5-HT, dopamine, and noradrenaline in the medial prefrontal cortex and ventral hippocampus. Lu AA21004 (5 mg/kg per day for 3 days; minipump subcutaneously), corresponding to 41% rSERT occupancy, significantly increased extracellular 5-HT in the ventral hippocampus. Furthermore, the 5-HT(3) receptor antagonist, ondansetron, potentiated the increase in extracellular levels of 5-HT induced by citalopram. Lu AA21004 has antidepressant- and anxiolytic-like effects in the rat forced swim (Flinders Sensitive Line) and social interaction and conditioned fear tests (minimal effective doses: 7.8, 2.0, and 3.9 mg/kg). In conclusion, Lu AA21004 mediates its pharmacological effects via two pharmacological modalities: SERT inhibition and 5-HT receptor modulation. In vivo, this results in enhanced release of several neurotransmitters and antidepressant- and anxiolytic-like profiles at doses for which targets in addition to the SERT are occupied. The multimodal activity profile of Lu AA21004 is distinct from that of current antidepressants.

Aerial ultra-low-volume application of naled: impact on nontarget imperiled butterfly larvae (Cyclargus thomasi bethunebakeri) and efficacy against adult mosquitoes (Aedes taeniorhynchus)

We assessed the exposure and acute toxicity of naled, applied aerially as an ultra-low-volume spray for mosquito control, on late instar larvae of the Miami blue (Cyclargus thomasi bethunebakeri) (Comstock and Huntington 1943) (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae), an imperiled South Florida butterfly. We concurrently evaluated the control efficacy against caged adult female salt-marsh mosquitoes (Aedes taeniorhynchus) (Wiedemann 1821) (Diptera: Culicidae). This 3-yr study was conducted in north Key Largo (Monroe County, FL) beginning in 2006. The field trials incorporated 15 sampling stations: nine in the target spray zone, three in the spray drift zone at varying distances from the target zone, and three in the control zone not subjected to naled spray drift. A total of six field spray trials were completed, three at an altitude of 30.5 m (100 feet), and three at 45.7 m (150 feet). For all trials, the ultra-low-volume application of Trumpet EC insecticide (78% naled) at a rate of 54.8 ml/ha (0.75 fl. oz/acre) was effective in killing caged adult mosquitoes in the target zone. Butterfly larvae survival was significantly reduced in the spray zone compared with drift and control zones. Analysis of insecticide residue data revealed that the mortality of the late instar butterfly larvae was a result of exposure to excess residues of naled. Additional research is needed to determine mitigation strategies that can limit exposure of sensitive butterflies to naled while maintaining mosquito control efficacy.

Photoactivated localization microscopy (PALM): an optical technique for achieving ~10-nm resolution

The organization of proteins on the scale of a few tens of nanometers, such as in the postsynaptic density and the synaptic vesicles, is a key determinant of their function. However, spatial features on such a fine scale are beyond the resolving power of conventional, diffraction-limited fluorescence light microscopy. In response, several imaging modalities have recently emerged that can surpass the diffraction limit on optically benign samples in which aberration and light scattering are negligible. Although each of these techniques has its own advantages and limitations, photoactivated localization microscopy (PALM) provides the highest shown resolution in biological samples, is the most efficient in utilizing signal photons, and allows for the assessment of individual molecules. This article discusses the basic principles of PALM microscopy, its implementation, and the potential applications in neuroscience.

A pseudoinverse deformation vector field generator and its applications

PURPOSE

To present, implement, and test a self-consistent pseudoinverse displacement vector field (PIDVF) generator, which preserves the location of information mapped back-and-forth between image sets.

METHODS

The algorithm is an iterative scheme based on nearest neighbor interpolation and a subsequent iterative search. Performance of the algorithm is benchmarked using a lung 4DCT data set with six CT images from different breathing phases and eight CT images for a single prostrate patient acquired on different days. A diffeomorphic deformable image registration is used to validate our PIDVFs. Additionally, the PIDVF is used to measure the self-consistency of two nondiffeomorphic algorithms which do not use a self-consistency constraint: The ITK Demons algorithm for the lung patient images and an in-house B-Spline algorithm for the prostate patient images. Both Demons and B-Spline have been QAed through contour comparison. Self-consistency is determined by using a DIR to generate a displacement vector field (DVF) between reference image R and study image S (DVF(R-S)). The same DIR is used to generate DVF(S-R). Additionally, our PIDVF generator is used to create PIDVF(S-R). Back-and-forth mapping of a set of points (used as surrogates of contours) using DVF(R-S) and DVF(S-R) is compared to back-and-forth mapping performed with DVF(R-S) and PIDVF(S-R). The Euclidean distances between the original unmapped points and the mapped points are used as a self-consistency measure.

RESULTS

Test results demonstrate that the consistency error observed in back-and-forth mappings can be reduced two to nine times in point mapping and 1.5 to three times in dose mapping when the PIDVF is used in place of the B-Spline algorithm. These self-consistency improvements are not affected by the exchanging of R and S. It is also demonstrated that differences between DVF(S-R) and PIDVF(S-R) can be used as a criteria to check the quality of the DVF.

CONCLUSIONS

Use of DVF and its PIDVF will improve the self-consistency of points, contour, and dose mappings in image guided adaptive therapy.