A colorimetric organic chemo-sensor for Co2+ in a fully aqueous environment

A novel practical “naked eye” probe for Co²⁺ in a fully aqueous solution has been developed.

A single chemosensor for multiple analytes: fluorogenic detection of Zn2+ and OAc− ions in aqueous solution, and an application to bioimaging

A single fluorescent chemosensor 1 for multiple analytes (Zn²⁺ and OAc⁻) has been developed and it can monitor Zn²⁺ ions in living cells.

A new multifunctional Schiff base as a fluorescence sensor for Al3+ and a colorimetric sensor for CN− in aqueous media: an application to bioimaging

A new multifunctional Schiff-base receptor 1 which exhibits an excellent cell-permeable fluorescence for Al³⁺ and a color change for CN⁻ in aqueous media has been prepared.

Increased NFAT5 expression stimulates transcription of Hsp70 in preeclamptic placentas

OBJECTIVE

We investigated the expression of heat shock protein 70 (Hsp70), nuclear factor of activated T cells 5 (NFAT5), and hypoxia-induced factor-1α (HIF-1α) in the placentas of normal and preeclamptic pregnancies and in human placental hypoxia models in vitro to examine the regulatory mechanisms of placental Hsp70 expression.

METHODS

The expression levels of HIF-1α, NFAT5, and Hsp70 were examined in placental samples from 10 females with preeclampsia and 10 normotensive control patients and in human choriocarcinoma trophoblast cells treated with 1 mM CoCl2 by western blotting. Using models of placental hypoxia, pharmacological inhibition of HIF-1α with chetomin and shRNA knockdown and overexpression of NFAT5 were performed to investigate the roles of HIF-1α and NFAT5 in induction of Hsp70 by placental hypoxia.

RESULTS

The levels of HIF-1α, NFAT5, and Hsp70 expression were significantly higher in the preeclamptic compared to normal placentas. In the placental hypoxia models, the expression of HIF-1α, NFAT5, and Hsp70 were significantly higher after 3, 6, and 12 h of 1 mM CoCl2 treatment, respectively. Pharmacological inhibition of HIF-1α suppressed the induction of NFAT5 and Hsp70 at the protein level. shRNA knockdown of NFAT5 suppressed the induction of Hsp70 protein and overexpression of NFAT5 stimulated the induction of Hsp70 mRNA and protein in models of human placental hypoxia in vitro.

CONCLUSION

HIF-1α positively regulates the induction of NFAT5 and Hsp70 by placental hypoxia and NFAT5 stimulates transcription of Hsp70 in response to placental hypoxia in models of human placental hypoxia in vitro.

Abstract P6-05-21: High standardized uptake value of 18F-fluorodeoxy-glucose positron emission tomography is related with FOXM1 expression, which negatively influences survival in breast cancer patients

Background

Standardized uptake value (SUV), which is an indicator reflecting glucose uptake in 18F-fluorodeoxy-glucose positron emission tomography (18FDG-PET), can be implicated to be a prognostic factor in various malignant tumors. Using a data set with gene expression profiling, we tried to uncover a molecular marker associated with a high SUV, along with an exploration its prognostic value in breast cancer.

Methods

Microarray gene expression profiling was performed in 287 breast tumor samples. Five hundred nanograms of total RNA were used for labeling and hybridization, according to the manufacturer's protocols (Illumina, San Diego, CA). In 66 samples with SUV, genes with expression patterns highly correlated with the value of SUV were selected for cluster analysis. Five hundred thirty tree gene features were selected for analysis. Patients were divided into the following two groups: SUV-high cluster and SUV-low cluster. Hierarchical clustering analysis based on 533 gene features. The prognostic value of the identified gene was validated in 287 samples and the online public set.

Results

Gene network analysis using Ingenuity Pathway Analysis software revealed considerable enrichment of the gene network toward FOXM1 in the SUV-high cluster, suggesting that its activation might be a key determinant associated with SUV level. Also, the expression of many marker genes for cell proliferation, such as AURKA, AURKB, BIRC5, BUB1, and TOP2A, was significantly higher in the SUV-high cluster than in the SUV-low cluster. Next, in the 287 patients with known FOXM1 expression levels, the Kaplan-Meier survival analysis revealed a negative prognostic impact of highly expressed FOXM1 for overall survival (OS), disease-free survival (DFS), and distant-metastasis-free survival (DMFS) (P = 0.002, P = 0.015, P = 0.008, respectively; Table 1). To validate a prognostic impact of FOXM1 in an external data, we performed a survival analysis using online gene-expression array data. There was significant correlation between the FOXM1 expression level and OS, DFS and DMFS.

Conclusion

Here we analyzed FOXM1 as a biomarker associated with a high SUV and demonstrated that FOXM1 is a negative prognostic factor in breast cancer.

Prognostic significance of FOXM1 in 287 patients Overall SurvivalBreast cancer-specific survivalDisease-free survivalDistant metastasis-free survivalFOXM1 high (n = 144)log-rank testlog-rank testlog-rank testlog-rank testFOXM1 low (n = 133)P = 0.002P = 0.001P = 0.015P = 0.008

Citation Information: Cancer Res 2013;73(24 Suppl): Abstract nr P6-05-21.

MicroRNA-205 suppresses the oral carcinoma oncogenic activity via down-regulation of Axin-2 in KB human oral cancer cell

MicroRNA (miRNA) is a small noncoding RNA molecule, 19-25 nucleotides in length, which regulates several pathways including cell development, cell proliferation, carcinogenesis, apoptosis, etc. In this study, the over-expression of microRNA-205 (miR-205) increased the number of apoptotic cells by at least 4 times compared to the control. In addition, over-expressed miRNA in KB oral cancer cells triggered apoptosis via the caspase cascade, including the cleavage of caspase-9, caspase-7, caspase-3, and PARP. Flow cytometry showed that apoptotic cell death was increased significantly by 35.33% in KB oral cancer cells with over-expressed miR-205 compared to the control. The microarray data showed that axis inhibitor protein 2 (Axin2) was down-regulated in KB oral cancer cells transfected with miR-205. In addition, Axin2 was down-regulated by approximately 50% by over-expressed miR-205 at both the mRNA and protein levels. Interestingly, Axin2 was up-regulated in KB oral cancer compared to human normal oral keratinocytes. Furthermore, the cell cytotoxicity and apoptotic population of KB oral cancer cells were increased significantly after Axin2 siRNA transfection. These results suggest that Axin2 is might be as potential oncogene in KB oral cancer cells. The luciferase assay showed that over-expressed miR-205 in KB oral cancer cells suppressed AXIN2 expression through an interaction with its own binding site at AXIN2 3'UTR (64-92). These results suggest that miR-205 is a novel anti-oncogenic miRNA in KB oral cancer cells, and may have potential applications in oral cancer therapy.

N-acetylcysteine enhances neuronal differentiation of P19 embryonic stem cells via Akt and N-cadherin activation

We examined whether N-acetylcysteine (NAC) enhanced embryonic body (EB) formation and neuronal differentiation in terms of EB formation, neuronal marker (microtubule-associated protein 2; MAP-2) expression, and neuron maturation using P19 embryonic stem cells. The size and numbers of EBs were greatly increased, together with the up-regulated N-cadherin expression. Also, MAP-2 expression and neurite outgrowth were much increased with activation of serine/threonine protein kinase (Akt) and blocked by addition of an Akt inhibitor (LY294002). Our results suggested that NAC increased EB formation by up-regulating the N-cadherin expression. Furthermore, NAC-enhanced neuronal differentiation was mediated by activation of Akt.

A novel HLA-DRB1*12 allele, DRB1*12:16:02, identified by sequence-based typing

The novel allele DRB1*12:16:02 allele showed two single nucleotide differences with HLA-DRB1*12:16:01 at nucleotides 303 G>C and 321 C>T in exon 2.

Progression to insulin deficiency in Korean patients with Type 2 diabetes mellitus positive for anti-GAD antibody

AIMS

To investigate the rate of progression to insulin deficiency in Korean patients with Type 2 diabetes mellitus positive for anti-GAD antibody (GADA) and to determine the factors related to progression to insulin deficiency.

METHODS

We retrospectively analysed data on 87 GADA-positive and 87 age- and sex-matched GADA-negative patients with Type 2 diabetes. GADA-positive patients were further subclassified into high-titre (≥ 250 WHO units/ml) (n = 24) and low-titre (< 250 WHO units/ml) (n = 63) subgroups. Cox proportional hazard analysis was used to identify factors associated with progression to insulin deficiency.

RESULTS

Over a period of 6 years, two of 87 (2.3%) GADA-negative and 37 of 87 (42.5%) GADA-positive patients had progressed to insulin deficiency. The rate of progression to insulin deficiency was higher in the high-titre than in the low-titre subgroup (75.0 vs. 30.2%). Multivariate analysis in GADA-positive patients showed that high-titre GADA and low BMI at diagnosis were independent factors significantly related to progression to insulin deficiency.

CONCLUSIONS

The presence of GADA predicted the progression to insulin deficiency in Korean patients with Type 2 diabetes. In GADA-positive patients, high-titre GADA and low BMI were associated with this progression.

Inhibition of the PI3K-Akt pathway suppresses sFlt1 expression in human placental hypoxia models in vitro

OBJECTIVE

Although elevated expression of soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase 1 (sFlt1) plays a major role in the pathogenesis of pre-eclampsia, it is unclear how hypoxia regulates placental sFlt1 expression. Thus, we investigated sFlt1 expression in placentas from normal and preeclamptic pregnancies and in human placental hypoxia models in vitro to examine the role of the PI3K-Akt pathway in regulating the expression of this molecule.

METHODS

We examined the expression of VEGF, PlGF, sFlt1, PI3K, Akt, and HIF-1 in placental samples from ten women with pre-eclampsia and ten normotensive control patients and in human choriocarcinoma trophoblast cells treated with 600muM CoCl(2) by Western blotting. Using models of placental hypoxia, we also determined whether inhibition of the PI3K-Akt pathway plays a direct role in regulating the expression of sFlt1.

RESULTS

The VEGF, PlGF, sFlt1, PI3K, Akt, and HIF-1 levels were significantly higher in the preeclamptic placentas than the normal placentas. In the placental hypoxia models, the expression of VEGF and PlGF increased in a time-dependent manner, whereas the expression of sFlt1 plateaued after 3h of CoCl(2) treatment. The expression levels of p-Akt and PI3K were maximal after 6 and 12h of CoCl(2) treatment, respectively. The expression of HIF-1alpha increased in a time-dependent manner with CoCl(2) treatment. Inhibition of the PI3K-Akt pathway with the PI3K-specific inhibitor LY294002 leads to decreased sFlt1 levels and unchanged or increased VEGF and PlGF levels.

CONCLUSION

Inhibition of the PI3K-Akt pathway may be a useful therapeutic approach, if it were to decrease sFlt1 secretion without inhibiting VEGF or PlGF secretion. This pathway provides a potential target for a new treatment strategy in patients with pre-eclampsia.

Role of heat shock proteins in gastric inflammation and ulcer healing

With the discovery of gastric acid and pepsin in the stomach, the questions about "why does the stomach not digest itself?", "how does the stomach preserve its normal integrity under the continuous exposure to lytic materials that are secreted?", and "how does the stomach resist against overwhelming Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection or persistent nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) administration?" had been raised. The discovery of "gastric mucosal barrier" or "the presence of defense system" might be the answers to these questions. The first level of gastric mucosal barrier consists of the factors secreted into the lumen including bicarbonates, mucus, immunoglobulins, other antibacterial substances including lactoferrin, and surface active phospholipids. The second level of defense system is the gastric epithelia, which are remarkably resistant to acids or irritants and forms relatively tight barrier to passive diffusion. In addition, the epithelium is capable of undergoing extremely rapid repair and restitution if its continuity is disrupted. The third level of gastric mucosal barrier is the mucosal microcirculation in concert with sensory afferent nerves within the mucosa and submucosa. Back diffusion of acid or toxin into the mucosa results in neural system-mediated elevations of calcitonin gene related peptide, which contribute to enhancing mucosal blood flows that are very critical for limiting damage and facilitating repair. The fourth level of defense is the mucosal immune system, consisting of mast cells and macrophage, which orchestrate an appropriate inflammatory response to challenge. All the above factors are known to contribute to orchestrated artwork of "gastric mucosal protection". In recent years, heat shock proteins (HSPs) have been implicated to be an additional factor utilized for the gastric defense mechanisms at the intracellular level. Certain HSPs are expressed under non-stressful conditions and play an important role in the maintenance of normal cell integrity, but HSPs are generally considered to improve cellular recovery both by either refolding partially damaged functional proteins or increasing delivery of precursor proteins to important organelles such as mitochondria and endoplasmic reticulum, through which HSPs might complete efficient mucosal defense mechanisms and achieve ulcer healing, mostly probably protecting key enzymes related to cytoprotection. In this review, role of each heat shock protein, HSP90, HSP70, HSP27, in gastric inflammation and gastric ulcer healing will be described with general roles of HSPs.

DNA copy-number loss on 1p36.1 harboring RUNX3 with promoter hypermethylation and associated loss of RUNX3 expression in liver fluke-associated intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma

Runt-related transcription factor 3 (RUNX3) is a candidate tumor suppressor gene, localized on 1p36, involved in TGF-beta-Smads signaling. To assess its role in liver fluke-associated intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC), the promoter methylation status was investigated in 53 ICCs by methylation-specific PCR, with determination of loss of 1p36.1 by microarray comparative genomic hybridization and RUNX3 protein expression by immunohistochemistry. Loss at 1p36.1 was found 41.5% of ICCs (22/53). In addition, DNA hypermethylation of the RUNX3 promoter was found in 49.1% (26/53) of cancers and 57.1% (4/7) of ICC cell lines. The protein was highly expressed in normal bile ducts but mostly decreased in ICCs, 67.9% (n= 36) being negative for immunohistochemical staining. Promoter hypermethylation of RUNX3 was associated with reversible decrease or absence of RUNX3 protein expression (p<0.001), but this was not found to differ with the ICC subtype. In contrast, loss of 1p36.1 demonstrated a significant link (p= 0.020). In conclusion, RUNX3 promoter hypermethylation and loss of 1p36.1 are causal mechanisms for loss of RUNX3 function in liver fluke-associated ICC carcinogenesis.

PKC delta in preeclamptic placentas promotes Bax dissociation from 14-3-3 zeta through 14-3-3 zeta phosphorylation

OBJECTIVE

We investigated placental apoptosis and the expression of and interactions between 14-3-3 and Bcl-2 family proteins during preeclampsia. In addition, we explored the mechanism of Bax dissociation from 14-3-3, hypothesizing that PKC-mediated phosphorylation of 14-3-3 results in dissociation of Bax from 14-3-3 proteins, and leads to apoptosis.

METHODS

Placental samples from 10 women with preeclampsia and 10 normotensive control patients were analyzed using M30-specific immunohistochemistry to assess placental apoptosis. Biochemical markers of cellular apoptosis, such as cleaved caspase-3, Bax, Bcl-2, 14-3-3, and PKC were followed by Western blotting. Interaction of 14-3-3 proteins with Bax and with PKC was assessed by immunoprecipitation.

RESULTS

M30-positive cells were widespread in the preeclamptic placentas. The levels of cleaved caspase-3, Bax, 14-3-3 zeta, phospho-(Ser)-14-3-3, and PKC delta were significantly higher in the preeclamptic placentas than in normal placentas. Preeclampsia was also associated with weaker interactions between 14-3-3 zeta and Bax and stronger interactions between 14-3-3 zeta and PKC delta.

CONCLUSION

Our results suggest that PKC delta in preeclamptic placentas promotes Bax dissociation from 14-3-3 zeta through the phosphorylation of 14-3-3 zeta. This finding may at least in part explain the apoptosis-inducing activity of PKC delta, revealing the important role of PKC delta in the development of apoptosis-related diseases such as preeclampsia.

Proliferation-associated Brn-3b transcription factor can activate cyclin D1 expression in neuroblastoma and breast cancer cells

Brn-3b transcription factor enhances proliferation of neuroblastoma (NB) and breast cancer cell lines in vitro and increases the rate and size of in vivo tumour growth, whereas reducing Brn-3b slows growth, both in vitro and in vivo. Brn-3b is elevated in >65% of breast cancer biopsies, and here we demonstrate that Brn-3b is also elevated in NB tumours. We show a significant correlation between Brn-3b and cyclin D1 (CD1) in breast cancers and NB tumours and cell lines. Brn-3b directly transactivates the CD1 promoter in co-transfection experiments, whereas electrophoretic mobility shift assay and chromatin immunoprecipitation assays demonstrate that Brn-3b protein binds to an octamer sequence located in the proximal CD1 promoter. Site-directed mutagenesis of this sequence resulted in loss of transactivation of the CD1 promoter by Brn-3b. Thus, Brn-3b may act to alter growth properties of breast cancer and NB cells by enhancing CD1 expression in these cells.

Mid-Infrared Study of Deoxyadenosine at High Pressures: Evidence of Phase Transitions

Room temperature mid-infrared experiments between 500 and 1800 cm(-1) have been performed on crystalline deoxyadenosine as a function of pressure up to about 10 GPa. Discontinuities observed near 2 and 4 GPa indicate that two separate phase transitions occur at these pressures. Changes in the spectra suggest that both transitions involve a rearrangement of the pucker of the deoxyribose moiety. The wavenumbers of the vibrational modes shift to higher values with applied pressure. Our results for deoxyadenosine are compared to similar measurements on adenosine. Assignments for the observed modes are made on the basis of work published in the literature.

SULT1E1 genetic polymorphisms modified the association between phytoestrogen consumption and bone mineral density in healthy Korean women

Sulfotransferase 1E1 (SULT1E1) catalyze estrogen into sulfate conjugation and is involved in the metabolism of phytoestrogen. A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted on 397 Korean women, to evaluate the association between genetic polymorphisms of SULT1E1 and bone mineral density (BMD) and the combined effect of the genetic polymorphism and phytoestrogen intake for BMD in Korean women. BMDs of the distal radius and the calcaneus were measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Genotypes of SULT1E1 IVS1-447 C>A, IVS4-1653 T>C, and *959 G>A were determined by the 5'-nuclease assay (TaqMan). Phytoestrogen intake was estimated by a food-frequency questionnaire validated against multiple 24-hour recalls. Women with the SULT1E1 *959 GG genotype had a 4.5% lower BMD at the distal radius (P (trend )= 0.05) and a 7.9% lower BMD at the calcaneus compared to those with AA genotype (P (trend) < 0.01), whereas the SULT1E1 IVS1-447 CC genotype and IVS4-1653 TT genotype were not associated with BMD. There was no significant trend of BMD with the numbers of CTG-containing haplotypes, but calcaneal BMDs significantly differed between SULT1E1 CTA-CTA haplotype and CTG-CCA haplotype (P < 0.05). When stratified by SULT1E1 genotype, the correlation between phytoestrogen consumption and BMD at the calcaneus was noteworthy in women with SULT1E1 *959 GG genotype (r = 0.25, P = 0.01) or SULT1E1 IVS 4-1653 TT genotype (r = 0.15, P = 0.02). This trend remained significant only in postmenopausal women (r = 0.36, P = 0.01) after multiple testing was corrected by the false discovery rate method. In conclusion, the genetic polymorphism of SULT1E1 *959 G > A was associated with BMD at the distal radius and calcaneus, and the association between phytoestrogen consumption and calcaneal BMD might be modified by this genetic polymorphism.

The effect of solvent dynamics on the low frequency collective motions of DNA in solution and unoriented films

Infrared spectroscopy is used to probe the dynamics of in vitro samples of DNA prepared as solutions and as solid unoriented films. The lowest frequency DNA mode identified in the far-infrared spectra of the DNA samples is found to shift in frequency when the solvent influence in the hydration shell is altered. The lowest frequency mode also has characteristics that are similar to beta-relaxations identified in other glass forming polymers.

Mid-infrared Study of Deoxycytidine at High Pressures: Evidence of a Phase Transition

Room temperature mid-infrared experiments between 600 and 1600 cm(-1) have been performed on crystalline deoxycytidine as a function of pressure up to about 10 GPa. The wavenumbers of most vibrational modes shift to higher values with increasing pressures except for a mode near 840 cm(-1). Assignments for the observed modes are made on the basis of work published in the literature. Several anomalies are noted near 4.7 GPa, suggesting a phase transition. Our results for deoxycytidine are compared to similar measurements on cytidine.

Differential regulation of different human papilloma virus variants by the POU family transcription factor Brn-3a

The Brn-3a POU family transcription factor is overexpressed in human cervical carcinoma biopsies and is able to activate expression of the human papilloma virus type 16 (HPV-16) upstream regulatory region (URR), which drives the expression of the E6 and E7 oncoproteins. Inhibition of Brn-3a expression in human cervical cancer cells inhibits HPV gene expression and reduces cellular growth and anchorage independence in vitro as well as the ability to form tumours in vivo. Here, we show that Brn-3a differentially regulates different HPV-16 variants that have previously been shown to be associated with different risks of progression to cervical carcinoma. In human cervical material, Brn-3a levels correlate directly with HPV E6 levels in individuals infected with a high risk variant of HPV-16, whereas this is not the case for a low-risk variant. Moreover, the URRs of high- and intermediate-risk variants are activated by Brn-3a in transfection assays, whereas the URR of a low-risk variant is not. The change of one or two bases in a low-risk variant URR to their equivalent in a higher-risk URR can render the URR responsive to Brn-3a and vice versa. These results help explain why the specific interplay between viral and cellular factors necessary for the progression to cervical carcinoma only occurs in a minority of those infected with HPV-16.

An overview of menopausal oestrogen-progestin hormone therapy and breast cancer risk

Results from the Women's Health Initiative (WHI) trial support findings from observational studies that oestrogen–progestin therapy (EPT) use is associated with an increase in breast cancer risk. We conducted a meta-analysis using EPT-specific results from the Collaborative Group on Hormonal Factors in Breast Cancer (CGHFBC) pooled analysis and studies published since that report to obtain an overview of EPT use and breast cancer risk. We also assessed risk by histologic subtype of breast cancer, by schedule of the progestin component of EPT, and by recency of use. We estimate that overall, EPT results in a 7.6% increase in breast cancer risk per year of use. The risk was statistically significantly lower in US studies than in European studies – 5.2 vs 7.9%. There was a significantly higher risk for continuous-combined than for sequential EPT use in Scandinavian studies where much higher total doses of progestin were used in continuous-combined than in sequential EPT. We observed no overall difference in risk for lobular vs ductal carcinoma but did observe a slightly higher risk for current vs past EPT use.