-509C>T polymorphism in the TGF-β1 gene promoter is not associated with susceptibility to and progression of colorectal cancer in Chinese

AIM

Colorectal cancer is common, accounting for nearly 10% of all cancers. Transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) is a pleiotropic cytokine that has been implicated in the pathogenesis of colorectal neoplasia. The most studied -509C>T polymorphism of TGF-β1 gene has been associated with various kinds of cancer. This study investigated the association between this genetic variant and the risk and/or progression of colorectal cancer.

METHOD

A case-control study was carried out of 150 colorectal cancer cases and 503 healthy controls. DNA was extracted from blood cell nuclear materials, and -509C>T polymorphism in the TGF-β1 gene promoter was genotyped by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP). Colorectal cancer tissues (n = 70) were obtained from the studied cases for measurement of TGF-β1 mRNA expression levels. We also assessed the plasma TGF-β1 levels of cases (n = 88) and healthy subjects (n = 120).

RESULTS

The TGF-β1 producer genotype, -509TT, was not associated with an increased risk of colorectal cancer compared with other genotypes. Colorectal cancer patients especially those with a more aggressive disease behaviour were more frequently associated with C allele.

CONCLUSION

The results suggest that TGF-β1 -509C>T polymorphism is not associated with either an increased risk or progression of colorectal cancer.

The cotton ATP synthase δ1 subunit is required to maintain a higher ATP/ADP ratio that facilitates rapid fibre cell elongation

The δ subunit of mitochondrial ATP synthase serves as a linker between the F(0) and F(1) sectors. Here, through microarray and quantitative RT-PCR, we found that the δ1 subunit was significantly up-regulated during cotton fibre cell elongation. Both the relative level and duration of GhATPδ1 transcripts correlated positively with the final length of different cotton germplasms. Elongating fibre cells had a significantly elevated ATP/ADP ratio, suggesting that a higher energy input is probably required for primary fibre cell wall formation and elongation. We obtained a putative full-length GhATPδ1 cDNA that shows 37% sequence identity to the Saccharomyces cerevisiae ATP16 at the deduced amino acid level. An almost wild-type growth rate was restored in atp16Δ cells that expressed GhATPδ1, with a resultant ATP/ADP ratio similar to that found in wild-type cells, indicating that the cotton gene was functional in yeast. Mitochondria prepared from 10 dpa wild-type fibre cells showed significantly higher ATP synthase activity in comparison to ovule samples from wild type and leaf samples. Exogenous application of piceatannol (PA) or oligomycin (OM), inhibitors of ATP synthase F(1) or F(0) subunits, respectively, in ovule culture media resulted in much shorter fibre cells and a significantly lower ATP/ADP ratio. Our data suggest that GhATPδ1 is important for activity of mitochondrial ATP synthase and is probably related to cotton fibre elongation.

Some results of our research on composite facial allograft transplantation in dogs

Composite facial allograft transplantation is a complicated surgical procedure, requiring evaluation of several questions. How should the facial allograft be preserved? What are the proper surgical skills to reduce surgery duration? Can composite facial allograft transplantation rebuild the motor functions of the facial muscles? In our research, University of Wisconsin (UW) solution was used to preserve canine facial tissue. We manipulated the surgical procedures of complete facial allograft transplantation on cadavers to improve surgery skills Canine facial allograft models with neuromuscular motor units were performed to evaluate nerve regeneration after allotransplantation. We observed that canine facial allografts could be preserved in UW solution for at least 18 hours. Superficial temporal artery and facial artery bipedicle flaps were safer and saved more time than single pedicle flaps from the external carotid artery. Facial neuromuscular activities were shown in the canine model by the blinking reflex.

The importance of the on-site electron-electron interaction for the magnetic coupling in the zigzag spin-chain compound In2VO5

We present first-principles electronic structure calculations for the zigzag spin-chain compound In(2)VO(5) using the generalized gradient approximation both with and without inclusion of an on-site Coulomb interaction. It has been proposed that In(2)VO(5) is characterized by itinerant V 3d electrons at high temperature and localized electrons at low temperature. Consequently, it is to be expected that electronic correlations play an important role for the magnetic transition from ferromagnetic to antiferromagnetic exchange around 120 K. In this context, we study the electronic and magnetic properties of a set of possible spin configurations. Our calculations show that inclusion of an on-site Coulomb interaction in fact changes the ground state from ferromagnetic to antiferromagnetic.

TLR-signaling networks: an integration of adaptor molecules, kinases, and cross-talk

Toll-like receptors play a critical role in innate immunity by detecting invading pathogens. The ability of TLRs to engage different intracellular signaling molecules and cross-talk with other regulatory pathways is an important factor in shaping the type, magnitude, and duration of the inflammatory response. The present review will cover the fundamental signaling pathways utilized by TLRs and how these pathways regulate the innate immune response to pathogens.

ABBREVIATIONS

TLR, Toll-like receptor; PRR, pattern recognition receptor; PAMP, pathogen-associated molecular pattern; LPS, lipopolysaccharide; APC, antigen-presenting cell; IL, interleukin; TIR, Toll/IL-1R homology; MyD88, myeloid differentiation factor 88; IFN, interferon; TRIF, TIR-domain-containing adapter-inducing interferon-β; IRAK, IL-1R-associated kinase; TAK1, TGF-β-activated kinase; TAB1, TAK1-binding protein; NF-κB, nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B-cells; MAPK, mitogen-activated protein kinase; NLR, NOD-like receptors; LRR, leucine-rich repeats; DC, dendritic cell; PI3K, phosphoinositide 3-kinases; GSK3, glycogen synthase kinase-3; mTOR, mammalian target of rapamycin; DAF, decay-accelerating factor; IKK, IκB kinase; IRF, interferon regulatory factors; TBK1, TANK-binding kinase 1; CARD, caspase activation and recruitment domain; PYD, pyrin N-terminal homology domain; ATF, activating transcription factor; and PTEN, phosphatase and tensin homolog.

Tunable oscillating lateral photovoltaic effect in surface-patterned metal-semiconductor structures

The linear output of lateral photovoltage (LPV) with light position is the main feature of conventional lateral photovoltaic effect (LPE), which can be used to detect small displacement. In this study, we report a novel oscillating LPE in a surface-patterned metal-semiconductor structure, which can be well manipulated by the metal thickness and the comb properties. Compared with the conventional linear LPE, this oscillating LPE not only contributes a considerable higher sensitivity of LPV along the lateral direction, but also shows a distinguishable response to the vertical direction, indicating a new way of detecting two-dimensional displacement with much higher precision.

First dark matter results from the XENON100 experiment

The XENON100 experiment, in operation at the Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso in Italy, is designed to search for dark matter weakly interacting massive particles (WIMPs) scattering off 62 kg of liquid xenon in an ultralow background dual-phase time projection chamber. In this Letter, we present first dark matter results from the analysis of 11.17 live days of nonblind data, acquired in October and November 2009. In the selected fiducial target of 40 kg, and within the predefined signal region, we observe no events and hence exclude spin-independent WIMP-nucleon elastic scattering cross sections above 3.4 × 10⁻⁴⁴  cm² for 55  GeV/c² WIMPs at 90% confidence level. Below 20  GeV/c², this result constrains the interpretation of the CoGeNT and DAMA signals as being due to spin-independent, elastic, light mass WIMP interactions.