Expression of Mitochondria-Associated Genes (PPARGC1A, NRF-1, BCL-2 and BAX) in Follicular Development and Atresia of Goat Ovaries

Most follicles undergo atresia during the developmental process. Follicular atresia is predominantly regulated by apoptosis of granulosa cells, but the mechanism underlying apoptosis via the mitochondria-dependent apoptotic pathway is unclear. We aimed to investigate whether the mitochondria-associated genes peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma, coactivator1-alpha (PPARGC1A), nuclear respiratory factor-1 (NRF-1), B-cell CLL/lymphoma 2 (BCL-2) and BCL2-associated X protein (BAX) played a role in follicular atresia through this pathway. The four mitochondria-associated proteins (PGC-1α, which are encoded by the PPARGC1A gene, NRF-1, BCL-2 and BAX) mainly expressed in granulosa cells. The mRNA and protein levels of PPARGC1A/PGC-1α and NRF-1 in granulosa cells increased with the follicular development. These results showed that these genes may play a role in the regulation of the follicular development. In addition, compared with healthy follicles, the granulosa cell in atretic follicles had a reduced expression of NRF-1, increased BAX expression and increased ratio of BAX to BCL-2 expression. These results suggested that changes of the mitochondria-associated gene expression patterns in granulosa cells may lead to follicular atresia during goat follicle development.

Kinetics of serological responses in influenza A(H7N9)-infected patients correlate with clinical outcome in China, 2013

The novel avian influenza A(H7N9) infection has recently emerged to cause severe respiratory illness in China. The objectives of this study were to define the kinetics of the antibody responses in patients with influenza A(H7N9) disease and to correlate these kinetics with clinical outcome. Serial serum samples were obtained at intervals of three to four days from 18 patients with virologically confirmed A(H7N9) disease in Shanghai. We determined the kinetics of the haemagglutination inhibition (HI) and A(H7H9) pseudotype neutralisation antibody (Nab) responses and correlated these with clinical outcomes. Most patients had robust serological responses by both HI and Nab tests. Taking into account censoring due to time of testing and death, the median time from onset of illness to Nab titre ≥1:40 was 14 days (95% confidence interval (CI): 11–18 days) in the fatal cases and 10.5 days (95% CI: 7–12) in the survivors (p=0.003). The two groups did not differ in initial Nab titres, but the rate of increase in Nab titres was significantly faster for survivors by approximately 10-fold per 15 days (p=0.007). Early and rapid induction of Nab was correlated significantly with better clinical outcome.

Quantitative (stereological) study of the effects of vasectomy on spermatogenesis in rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta)

Vasectomy reversal by vasovasostomy after long-term vasectomy in men results in lower sperm counts and pregnancy rates compared with controls, and severe damage to spermatogenesis has been observed in some animal models such as mice. The primary aim of this study was to evaluate, using sophisticated stereological methods, whether vasectomy of 6 and 12 months in a non-human primate would lead to, among other morphometric changes, reduced numbers of germ cells in testes and spermatozoa in epididymides. Five normal adult male rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta) underwent bilateral vasectomy, with another three aged-matched normal monkeys not undergoing vasectomy. One testis together with the ipsilateral epididymis was removed from each animal at 6 months, and the other testis and epididymis, the prostate gland and seminal vesicles were removed at 12 months. Various morphometric data were obtained using stereological methods and an unbiased and efficient stereological tool, the optical disector, was used to estimate nuclear numbers of all types of spermatogenic cells in testes and spermatozoa in epididymides using methacrylate-embedded sections 25 microm in thickness. As shown by a two-way repeated measures analysis of variance, vasectomy or hemicastration (removal of the organs at 6 months) had no significant effects on all quantitative parameters of stereology obtained from the testis, epididymis, prostate gland and seminal vesicle, except that (i) sperm granuloma was observed from three of five vasectomized animals both at 6 and 12 months, and (ii) hemicastration significantly reduced the diameter of the seminiferous tubules and increased the number of type A spermatogonia per testis. In conclusion, vasectomy in the non-human primate is a safe procedure in terms of effects on the structures of the reproductive organs.

Contrasting effects of myeloid dendritic cells transduced with an adenoviral vector encoding interleukin-10 on organ allograft and tumour rejection

Mouse bone marrow-derived myeloid dendritic cells (DC) propagated in granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor and transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta1) (so-called 'TGF-beta DC') are phenotypically immature, and prolong allograft survival. Interleukin-10 (IL-10) has been shown to inhibit the maturation of DC by down-regulating surface major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II, co-stimulatory and adhesion molecule expression. Genetic engineering of TGF-beta DC to overexpress IL-10 might enhance their tolerogenic potential. In this study, adenoviral (Ad) vectors encoding the mouse IL-10 gene were transduced into B10 (H2b) TGF-beta DC. Transduction with Ad-IL-10 at a multiplicity of infection (MOI) of 50-100 resulted in a modest reduction in the incidence of DC expressing surface MHC class II, CD40, CD80 and CD86. Paradoxically, Ad-IL-10 transduction enhanced the allostimulatory activity of DC in mixed leucocyte reactions and cytotoxic T lymphocyte assays, and increased their natural killer cell stimulatory activity. Systemic injection of normal C3H recipients with Ad-IL-10-transduced B10-DC 7 days before organ transplantation, exacerbated heart graft rejection and augmented circulating anti-donor alloantibody titres. Contrasting effects were observed in relation to tumour growth. All mice preimmunized with Ad-IL-10-transduced, tumour antigen (B16F10)-pulsed DC developed palpable tumours, associated with significant inhibition of splenic anti-tumour cytotoxic T lymphocyte generation. Animals pretreated with control Ad-LacZ-transduced, B16F10-pulsed DC however, remained tumour free. These findings are consistent with the multifunctional immunomodulatory properties of mammalian IL-10.

FISH mapping of the sex-reversal region on human chromosome 9p in two XY females and in primates

Accumulating evidence suggests that haploinsufficiency of a dosage-sensitive gene(s) in human chromosome 9p24.3 is responsible for the failure of testicular development and feminisation in XY patients with monosomy for 9p. We have used molecular cytogenetic methods to characterise the sex-reversing 9p deletions in two XY females. Fluorescence in situ hybridisation (FISH) with YACs from the critical 9p region containing an evolutionarily conserved sex-determining gene, DMRT1, is a very fast and reliable assay for patient screening. Comparative YAC mapping on great ape and Old and New World monkey chromosomes demonstrated that the critical region was moved from an interstitial position on the ancestral primate chromosome to a very subtelomeric position in chimpanzee and humans by a pericentric inversion(s). Pathological 9p rearrangements may be the consequence of an evolutionary chromosome breakpoint in close proximity to the sex-reversal region.

Bmi1 promotes erythroid development through regulating ribosome biogenesis

While Polycomb group protein Bmi1 is important for stem cell maintenance, its role in lineage commitment is largely unknown. We have identified Bmi1 as a novel regulator of erythroid development. Bmi1 is highly expressed in mouse erythroid progenitor cells and its deficiency impairs erythroid differentiation. BMI1 is also important for human erythroid development. Furthermore, we discovered that loss of Bmi1 in erythroid progenitor cells results in decreased transcription of multiple ribosomal protein genes and impaired ribosome biogenesis. Bmi1 deficiency stabilizes p53 protein, leading to upregulation of p21 expression and subsequent G0/G1 cell cycle arrest. Genetic inhibition of p53 activity rescues the erythroid defects seen in the Bmi1 null mice, demonstrating that a p53-dependent mechanism underlies the pathophysiology of the anemia. Mechanistically, Bmi1 is associated with multiple ribosomal protein genes and may positively regulate their expression in erythroid progenitor cells. Thus, Bmi1 promotes erythroid development, at least in part through regulating ribosome biogenesis. Ribosomopathies are human disorders of ribosome dysfunction, including Diamond-Blackfan anemia (DBA) and 5q- syndrome, in which genetic abnormalities cause impaired ribosome biogenesis, resulting in specific clinical phenotypes. We observed that BMI1 expression in human hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells from patients with DBA is correlated with the expression of some ribosomal protein genes, suggesting that BMI1 deficiency may play a pathological role in DBA and other ribosomopathies.

Extravascular red blood cells and hemoglobin promote tumor growth and therapeutic resistance as endogenous danger signals

Hemorrhage is a common clinical manifestation in patients with cancer. Intratumor hemorrhage has been demonstrated to be a poor prognostic factor for cancer patients. In this study, we investigated the role of RBCs and hemoglobin (Hb) in the process of tumor progression and therapeutical response. RBCs and Hb potently promoted tumor cell proliferation and syngenic tumor growth. RBCs and Hb activated the reactive oxygen species-NF-κB pathway in both tumor cells and macrophages. RBCs and Hb also induced chemoresistance mediated, in part, by upregulating ABCB1 gene expression. Tumor growth induced by RBCs was accompanied by an inflammatory signature, increased tumor vasculature, and influx of M2 macrophages. In both the peritoneal cavity and tumor microenvironment, extravascular RBCs rapidly recruited monocyte-macrophages into the lesion sites. In addition, RBCs and Hb increased several nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptors' expression and induced IL-1β release. Our results provide novel insights into the protumor function of RBCs and Hb as endogenous danger signals, which can promote tumor cell proliferation, macrophage recruitment, and polarization. Hemorrhage may represent a useful prognostic factor for cancer patients because of its role in tumor promotion and chemoresistance.

Delayed conception in women with low-urinary iodine concentrations: a population-based prospective cohort study

STUDY QUESTION

Is iodine deficiency associated with decreased fecundability?

SUMMARY ANSWER

Moderate to severe iodine deficiency is associated with a 46% decrease in fecundability.

WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY

Iodine deficiency is common in women of childbearing age but its effect on fecundability has not been investigated.

STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION

The LIFE Study, a population-based prospective cohort study, enrolled 501 women who had discontinued contraception within 2 months to become pregnant between 2005 and 2009.

PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS

Women reported on risk factors for infertility by interview then kept daily journals of relevant information. Women used fertility monitors to time intercourse relative to ovulation then used home digital pregnancy tests to identify pregnancies on the day of expected menstruation. Urine samples for iodine analysis were collected on enrollment.

MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE

Samples were in the deficiency range in 44.3% of participants. The group whose iodine-creatinine ratios were below 50 μg/g (moderate to severe deficiency) had a 46% reduction in fecundity (P = 0.028) compared with the group whose iodine-creatinine ratios were in the adequate range: adjusted fecundability odds ratio of becoming pregnant per cycle, 0.54 (95% confidence interval 0.31-0.94).

LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION

Iodine concentrations vary within individuals over time, so the data must be interpreted by group as we have done; residual confounding is possible.

WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS

Significant delays in becoming pregnant occur at iodine concentrations that are common in women in the USA and parts of Europe. Replicating these findings will be important to determine whether improving iodine status could be beneficial in improving fecundability.

STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTEREST(S)

This study was funded by the Intramural Research Program, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, USA. Contracts N01-HD-3-3355; N01-HD-3-3356; N01-HD-3-3358 and HHSN275201100001l/HHSN27500007. None of the authors has any conflict of interest to declare.

The histone methyltransferase ESET is required for the survival of spermatogonial stem/progenitor cells in mice

Self-renewal and differentiation of spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs) are the foundation of spermatogenesis throughout a male's life. SSC transplantation will be a valuable solution for young male patients to preserve their fertility. As SSCs in the collected testis tissue from the patients are very limited, it is necessary to expansion the SSCs in vitro. Previous studies suggested that histone methyltransferase ERG-associated protein with SET domain (ESET) represses gene expression and is essential for the maintenance of the pool of embryonic stem cells and neurons. The objective of this study was to determine the role of ESET in SSCs using in vitrocell culture and germ cell transplantation. Cell transplantation assay showed that knockdown of ESET reduced the number of seminiferous tubules with spermatogenesis when compared with that of the control. Knockdown of ESET also upregulated the expression of apoptosis-associated genes (such as P53, Caspase9, Apaf1), whereas inhibited the expression of apoptosis-suppressing genes (such as Bcl2l1, X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis protein). In addition, suppression of ESET led to increase in expression of Caspase9 and activation of Caspase3 (P17) as well as cleavage of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase. Among the five ESET-targeting genes (Cox4i2, spermatogenesis and oogenesis Specific Basic Helix-Loop-Helix 2, Nobox, Foxn1 and Dazl) examined by ChIP assay, Cox4i2 was found to regulate SSC apoptosis by the rescue experiment. BSP analyses further showed that DNA methylation in the promoter loci of Cox4i2was influenced by ESET, indicating that ESET also regulated gene expression through DNA methylation in addition to histone methylation. In conclusion, we found that ESET regulated SSC apoptosis by suppressing of Cox4i2 expression through histone H3 lysine 9 tri-methylation and DNA methylation. The results obtained will provide unique insights that would broaden the research on SSC biology and contribute to the treatment of male infertility.

Intron 1 GATA site enhances ALAS2 expression indispensably during erythroid differentiation

The first intronic mutations in the intron 1 GATA site (int-1-GATA) of 5-aminolevulinate synthase 2 (ALAS2) have been identified in X-linked sideroblastic anemia (XLSA) pedigrees, strongly suggesting it could be causal mutations of XLSA. However, the function of this int-1-GATA site during in vivo development remains largely unknown. Here, we generated mice lacking a 13 bp fragment, including this int-1-GATA site (TAGATAAAGCCCC) and found that hemizygous deletion led to an embryonic lethal phenotype due to severe anemia resulting from a lack of ALAS2 expression, indicating that this non-coding sequence is indispensable for ALAS2 expression in vivo. Further analyses revealed that this int-1-GATA site anchored the GATA site in intron 8 (int-8-GATA) and the proximal promoter, forming a long-range loop to enhance ALAS2 expression by an enhancer complex including GATA1, TAL1, LMO2, LDB1 and Pol II at least, in erythroid cells. However, compared with the int-8-GATA site, the int-1-GATA site is more essential for regulating ALAS2 expression through CRISPR/Cas9-mediated site-specific deletion. Therefore, the int-1-GATA site could serve as a valuable site for diagnosing XLSA in cases with unknown mutations.

Transcriptome analysis reveals a ribosome constituents disorder involved in the RPL5 downregulated zebrafish model of Diamond-Blackfan anemia

BACKGROUND

Diamond-Blackfan anemia (DBA) was the first ribosomopathy associated with mutations in ribosome protein (RP) genes. The clinical phenotypes of DBA include failure of erythropoiesis, congenital anomalies and cancer predisposition. Mutations in RPL5 are reported in approximately 9 ~ 21 % of DBA patients, which represents the most common pathological condition related to a large-subunit ribosomal protein. However, it remains unclear how RPL5 downregulation results in severe phenotypes of this disease.

RESULTS

In this study, we generated a zebrafish model of DBA with RPL5 morphants and implemented high-throughput RNA-seq and ncRNA-seq to identify key genes, lncRNAs, and miRNAs during zebrafish development and hematopoiesis. We demonstrated that RPL5 is required for both primitive and definitive hematopoiesis processes. By comparing with other DBA zebrafish models and processing functional coupling network, we identified some common regulated genes, lncRNAs and miRNAs, that might play important roles in development and hematopoiesis.

CONCLUSIONS

Ribosome biogenesis and translation process were affected more in RPL5 MO than in other RP MOs. Both P53 dependent (for example, cell cycle pathway) and independent pathways (such as Aminoacyl-tRNA biosynthesis pathway) play important roles in DBA pathology. Our results therefore provide a comprehensive basis for the study of molecular pathogenesis of RPL5-mediated DBA and other ribosomopathies.

Malignant Pleural Effusion and ascites Induce Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition and Cancer Stem-like Cell Properties via the Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF)/Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinase (PI3K)/Akt/Mechanistic Target of Rapamycin (mTOR) Pathway

Malignant pleural effusion (PE) and ascites, common clinical manifestations in advanced cancer patients, are associated with a poor prognosis. However, the biological characteristics of malignant PE and ascites are not clarified. Here we report that malignant PE and ascites can induce a frequent epithelial-mesenchymal transition program and endow tumor cells with stem cell properties with high efficiency, which promotes tumor growth, chemoresistance, and immune evasion. We determine that this epithelial-mesenchymal transition process is mainly dependent on VEGF, one initiator of the PI3K/Akt/mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway. From the clinical observation, we define a therapeutic option with VEGF antibody for malignant PE and ascites. Taken together, our findings clarify a novel biological characteristic of malignant PE and ascites in cancer progression and provide a promising and available strategy for cancer patients with recurrent/refractory malignant PE and ascites.

Dithiane- and trithiane-based photolabile scaffolds for molecular recognition

[see structure]. A modular synthetic approach to novel dithiane- and trithiane-based photolabile molecular hosts equipped with elements of molecular recognition is developed. The approach provides ready access to a family of amino-derivatized photocleavable molecular systems capable of hydrogen-bonding-based recognition of biologically relevant molecules, e.g., ureas, barbiturates etc. These systems undergo efficient photofragmentation in the presence of external (e.g., benzophenone) or internal (e.g., nitropyridine) electron-transfer sensitizers.

Linear aggregations of stomata and epidermal cells in Tradescantia leaves: evidence for their group patterning as a function of the cell cycle

We tested Charlton's hypothesis (1990) that stomata are present and patterned in linear cell aggregations using the monocot Tradescantia. We examined the following features of the leaf epidermis in support of this theory: linear groups (strings) of stomatal complexes and of epidermal cells were sought in immature and mature regions of entire leaves; the lengths (in cell number) and incidences (numerical occurrence) of both string types were determined; the uniformity and progression of stomatal differentiation within strings were studied; physical characteristics of differentiating strings within cell files were measured. Undifferentiated epidermal cells from the leaf base were stained with DAPI to reveal precursors of stomatal strings immediately proximal to the stomatal initial region. The results indicated that the Tradescantia epidermis in the leaf blade consists of linear groups of stomata and epidermal cells, which did not change in cell number nor incidence during development. The incidence of stomata by length was nonrandom. Although incidence decreased with string length, the decline was not linear nor exponential. Stomatal strings show cell cycle synchrony in DAPI staining of stomatal precursors and synchrony of stomatal differentiation within a string. The irregularity in the length of the stomatal development region, and each differentiation stage in it, by cell file was consistent with the variation in string length and unity in string development. The evidence supports Charlton's hypothesis that cells are patterned based on their position in the cell cycle and that linear groups of stomata reflect cell lineages, which maintain a degree of cell cycle synchrony.

PNAS-4, an Early DNA Damage Response Gene, Induces S Phase Arrest and Apoptosis by Activating Checkpoint Kinases in Lung Cancer Cells

PNAS-4, a novel pro-apoptotic gene, was activated during the early response to DNA damage. Our previous study has shown that PNAS-4 induces S phase arrest and apoptosis when overexpressed in A549 lung cancer cells. However, the underlying action mechanism remains far from clear. In this work, we found that PNAS-4 expression in lung tumor tissues is significantly lower than that in adjacent lung tissues; its expression is significantly increased in A549 cells after exposure to cisplatin, methyl methane sulfonate, and mitomycin; and its overexpression induces S phase arrest and apoptosis in A549 (p53 WT), NCI-H460 (p53 WT), H526 (p53 mutation), and Calu-1 (p53(-/-)) lung cancer cells, leading to proliferation inhibition irrespective of their p53 status. The S phase arrest is associated with up-regulation of p21(Waf1/Cip1) and inhibition of the Cdc25A-CDK2-cyclin E/A pathway. Up-regulation of p21(Waf1/Cip1) is p53-independent and correlates with activation of ERK. We further showed that the intra-S phase checkpoint, which occurs via DNA-dependent protein kinase-mediated activation of Chk1 and Chk2, is involved in the S phase arrest and apoptosis. Gene silencing of Chk1/2 rescues, whereas that of ATM or ATR does not affect, S phase arrest and apoptosis. Furthermore, human PNAS-4 induces DNA breaks in comet assays and γ-H2AX staining. Intriguingly, caspase-dependent cleavage of Chk1 has an additional role in enhancing apoptosis. Taken together, our findings suggest a novel mechanism by which elevated PNAS-4 first causes DNA-dependent protein kinase-mediated Chk1/2 activation and then results in inhibition of the Cdc25A-CDK2-cyclin E/A pathway, ultimately causing S phase arrest and apoptosis in lung cancer cells.

A quantitative (stereological) study of the effects of experimental unilateral cryptorchidism and subsequent orchiopexy on spermatogenesis in adult rabbit testis

The aim of this study was to examine the controversial effects of experimental unilateral cryptorchidism and subsequent orchiopexy on the number of germ cells and other morphometric characteristics of testicular and epididymal structures in adult rabbits. Unilateral cryptorchidism was induced in 11 mature male New Zealand white rabbits by returning one testis, together with the ipsilateral epididymis, to the abdominal cavity via a surgical procedure. After 3 months, testes and epididymides were removed from six animals (and from six age-matched control animals that did not undergo the surgery). Orchiopexy was performed on the five remaining animals and the testes and epididymides of these animals (and an additional six age-matched control animals) were removed 7 weeks later. A contemporary, unbiased and efficient stereological tool, the optical disector, was used to estimate the number of nuclei in the testis and epididymis using methacrylate-embedded sections of 25 micron in thickness. Cryptorchidism resulted in severe testicular atrophy and spermatogenic arrest: type A spermatogonia and Sertoli cells only were seen in the seminiferous epithelium, and the number of type A spermatogonia per testis was reduced by 84%. After orchiopexy, the testis remained atrophied and the number of type A spermatogonia returned to the near-normal range in four of five animals, but spermatogenesis was recovered only partially at the stage of early primary spermatocytes (one animal), late primary spermatocytes (two animals) or spermatids (one animal). In conclusion, cryptorchidism caused severe spermatogenic arrest that was potentially recoverable (in view of the restoration of the number of type A spermatogonia), but orchiopexy failed to induce full recovery of spermatogenesis.

High-yield expression, purification and characterization of tumor-targeted IFN-alpha2a

BACKGROUND

IFN-alpha has been shown to be effective against hematologic malignancies. However, it is ineffective against most solid tumors and has not been satisfactory because of its toxicity.

METHODS

The NGR (Asn-Gly-Arg) peptide is a tumor-homing peptide. In order to increase the anti-tumor activity of IFN-alpha2a and lower the dose, we coupled a cyclic NGR peptide with the C terminus of IFN-alpha2a (named IFN-alpha2a-NGR).

RESULTS

The fusion protein was expressed in E. coli and purified by ion-exchange chromatography. The purity of IFN-alpha2a-NGR was >98% and the final purification yield of IFN-alpha2a-NGR was approximately 18 mg/L. The anti-tumor efficacy and the binding ability of IFN-alpha2a-NGR with tumor vasculature were investigated in vitro and in vivo.

DISCUSSION

Our study has demonstrated that the anti-tumor efficacy of IFN-alpha2a-NGR is significantly increased in comparison with IFN-alpha2a, and IFN-alpha2a-NGR could selectively target tumor vessels. These data indicate that the tumor-homing peptide (NGR) can enhance the therapeutic efficacy of IFN-alpha2a against tumors.

Suppression of peritoneal tumorigenesis by placenta-derived mesenchymal stem cells expressing endostatin on colorectal cancer

MSCs-based therapy for cancer is a relatively new but rapidly growing area of research. Human term placenta, an attractive source of MSCs (PMSCs), appears to have great advantage due to its easy access without invasive procedures, its lack of ethical issues and its high-throughput and young age. In the present study, we isolated MSCs from placenta and characterized their morphology and differentiation capacities. We next investigated the underlying antitumor effects and the potential mechanism of PMSCs to express endostatin using adenoviral transduction (Ad-Endo) in a colorectal peritoneal carcinomatosis (CRPC) mouse model. For in vitro experiments, the migratory potential of Ad-Endo-PMSCs towards tumor cells was demonstrated using a double-chamber assay, and the anti-angiogenesis ability of endostatin from engineered PMSCs was evaluated using the tube formation assay. For the in vivo study, mice harboring CT26 colorectal cancer indicated a significant reduction in tumor nodules and a prolongation of survival following Ad-Endo-PMSCs therapy. These observations were associated with significantly decreased tumor cell proliferation and blood vessel counts as well as increased tumor cell apoptosis. These data suggested the potential of PMSCs-based gene therapy for the targeted delivery of therapeutic proteins in cancer.

Inhibitory effect of liposomal quercetin on acute hepatitis and hepatic fibrosis induced by concanavalin A

Immune response plays an important role in the development of hepatic fibrosis. In the present study, we investigated the effects of quercetin on hepatitis and hepatic fibrosis induced by immunological mechanism. In the acute hepatitis model, quercetin (2.5 mg/kg) was injected iv into mice 30 min after concanavalin A (Con A) challenge. Mice were sacrificed 4 or 24 h after Con A injection, and aminotransferase tests and histopathological sections were performed. Treatment with quercetin significantly decreased the levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST). Consistent with this observation, treatment with quercetin markedly attenuated the pathologic changes in the liver. A hepatic fibrosis model was also generated in mice by Con A challenge once a week for 6 consecutive weeks. Mice in the experimental group were treated with daily iv injections of quercetin (0.5 mg/kg). Histopathological analyses revealed that treatment with quercetin markedly decreased collagen deposition, pseudolobuli development, and hepatic stellate cells activation. We also examined the effects of quercetin on the nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB) and transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) pathways by immunohistochemistry and real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). NF-κB and TGF-β production was decreased after treatment with quercetin, indicating that the antifibrotic effect of quercetin is associated with its ability to modulate NF-κB and TGF-β production. These results suggest that quercetin may be an effective therapeutic strategy in the treatment of patients with liver damage and fibrosis.

Separable features of the ligand-binding domain determine the differential subcellular localization and ligand-binding specificity of glucocorticoid receptor and progesterone receptor

Glucocorticoid receptor (GR) and progesterone receptor (PR) are closely related members of the steroid receptor family of transcription factors. The two receptors share a similar domain structure, substantial sequence identity, DNA binding specificity, and the ability to induce many of the same genes. Despite these similarities, the unliganded GR is localized predominantly in the cytoplasm, while unliganded PR is found predominantly in the nucleus. By expressing green fluorescent protein (GFP)-tagged receptors and assessing subcellular localization in living cells by confocal microscopy, we have investigated the structural basis for the differential localization of GR and PR. By constructing a series of GFP-tagged receptor chimeras between GR and PR, we have shown that multiple features in the N-terminal half of the ligand-binding domain (LBD) are the critical determinants that mandate the differential localization of GR and PR. Replacement of residues encompassing helices 1-5 of GR with those of PR yields a receptor that is nuclear. However, this domain is unable to mediate nuclear import by itself when removed from the context of the receptor. The chimeric receptors also indicate that regions encompassing helices 6 and 7 are key determinants of the ligand binding potential and the transactivation potential of receptors. Thus, the determinants specifying localization of hormone-free receptors are separable from those governing ligand binding character.

Remodeling of chromatin structure within the promoter is important for bmp-2-induced fgfr3 expression

Fibroblast growth factor receptor 3 (FGFR3) plays an important role in cartilage development. Although upregulation of FGFR3 expression in response to bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2) has been reported, the molecular mechanisms remain unknown. In this study, we used in vivo approaches to characterize BMP-2-induced alterations in the chromatin organization of the FGFR3 core promoter. Chromatin immunoprecipitation analysis demonstrated that the binding of Brg1, a component of the SWI/SNF remodeling complex, may selectively remodel a chromatin region (encompassing nucleotide –90 to +35), uncovering the transcription start site and three Sp1-binding sites, as revealed by nuclease digestion hypersensitivity assays. We then showed an increase in the association of Sp1 with the proximal promoter, followed by the recruitment of p300, resulting in a change of the histone ‘code’, such as in phosphorylation and methylation. Collectively, our study results suggest a model for BMP-2-induced FGFR3 expression in which the core promoter architecture is specifically regulated.

Effects of powdered activated carbon on the coagulation-flocculation process in humic acid and humic acid-kaolin water treatment

The addition of powdered activated carbon (PAC) to remove micropollutants is a commonly used technology to improve drinking water quality. However, the effects of PAC dosing strategy on the coagulation-flocculation process of water treatment have not been well understood, especially for water with low amounts of inorganic particles. Therefore, the current research aimed to comprehensively study the effects of simultaneous addition of PAC and aluminum sulfate (AS) coagulants (denoted as PAC-AS) or adding PAC 2 h before coagulation (denoted as PAC2h-AS) on the coagulation behavior in humic acid (HA) and HA-kaolin water treatment. The results showed that the floc size, growth rate, breakage factor, and fractal dimension were all enhanced by PAC-AS and PAC2h-AS for HA but not for HA-kaolin water treatment. In HA water treatment, PAC-AS reached a larger floc size and faster growth rate, while PAC2h-AS achieved a larger floc breakage factor and fractal dimension value. For PAC2h-AS, the pre-adsorption of HA onto PAC would lower the initial particle concentration and reduce the collision probability during HA water coagulation process; thus, the DOC removal efficiency, floc size, and growth rate of PAC2h-AS were relatively smaller than those of PAC-AS. For the floc strength and floc fractal dimension, the pre-adsorption of HA onto PAC contributed to formation of stronger inter-particle bonds; thus, stronger and more compact flocs were formed by PAC2h-AS compared with those of PAC-AS. The addition of PAC had a smaller impact on the floc properties in HA-kaolin water treatment owing to its higher initial particle concentration.

Sensitivity study and optimization of a 3D electric impedance tomography prostate probe

In current clinical practice, the primary diagnostic method for testing for prostate cancer is ultrasound-guided biopsy. In this paper, we consider using a sonolucent array of electrodes, printed on a thin Kapton layer and positioned on the imaging window of a transrectal ultrasound probe, as a method for providing coregistered electrical and ultrasound imaging of the prostate. As the electrical properties of malignant tissues have been shown to differ significantly from benign tissues, the estimation of the electrical properties is expected to be helpful in distinguishing certain beginning pathologies from cancer and in improving the detection rate that current biopsy methods provide. One of the main difficulties in estimating electrical properties of tissues with this electrode configuration is the rapid decay of the sensitivity with distance from the sensing array. In order to partially overcome this difficulty, we propose to use prior information from the ultrasound (US). Specifically we intend to delineate the boundaries of the prostate from the US, to subdivide the organ into a small number of voxels and to estimate the conductivity as constant on each of these subvolumes. We use a 3D forward model based on the finite element method for studying the sensitivity of a simulated segmented prostate for three different electrode array designs. The three designs present different electrode areas and inter-electrode gaps. Larger electrodes are desirable as they present a better contact, but we show that as they result in smaller inter-electrode gaps, shunting currents can be significant and the sensitivity is reduced. Because our clinical measurement system employs a single current source, we consider tetrapolar measurement patterns for evaluating these electrode configurations. Optimal measurement patterns are well defined for adaptive systems, where multiple currents are injected at the same time. For the electrode array designs we consider, which are three dimensional, there are no established systematic methods for forming sets of linearly independent tetrapolar measurement patterns. We develop a novel method for automatically computing a full set of independent tetrapolar measurement patterns that maximizes the sensitivity in a region of interest (ROI). We use these patterns in the forward modeling and sensitivity studies. In addition to the electrode arrays on the probe, we study the use of a further configuration, where a distal electrode is positioned on the exterior of the body and used for current injection.