Synthesis of well dispersed polymer grafted metal–organic framework nanoparticles

We prepared novel polymer grafted MOF nanoparticles for the first time with excellent water dispersity and significantly enhanced catalytic effect.

Degradable cross-linked polymer vesicles for the efficient delivery of platinum drugs

Nontoxic and acid-degradable polymer vesicles were synthesized as drug carriers. In vitro dose–response cytotoxicity studies suggested that the drug-loaded polymer vesicles were more efficient in delivering cis-platin into cancer cells compared to the internalization of the free drug.

Deficiency of osteoblastic Arl6ip5 impaired osteoblast differentiation and enhanced osteoclastogenesis via disturbance of ER calcium homeostasis and induction of ER stress-mediated apoptosis

ADP-ribosylation-like factor 6 interacting protein 5 (Arl6ip5), which belongs to the prenylated rab-acceptor-family, has an important role in exocytic protein trafficking, glutathione metabolism and involves in cancer progression. However, its expression pattern and functional role in bone are unknown. Here we demonstrate that Arl6ip5 knock-out mice (Arl6ip5 (Δ2/Δ2)) show marked decrease of bone mineral density, trabecular bone volume and trabecular thickness. Histomorphometric studies reveal that bone formation parameters are decreased but bone resorption parameters and mRNA level of osteoclast-specific markers are increased in Arl6ip5(Δ2/Δ2) mice. In osteoblast, we demonstrate that Arl6ip5 abundantly expresses in osteoblastic cells and is regulated by bone metabolism-related hormones and growth factors. In vitro analysis reveals that osteoblast proliferation and differentiation are impaired in Arl6ip5 knocked-down and deficient primary osteoblast. Arl6ip5 is also found to function as an ER calcium regulator and control calmodulin signaling for osteoblast proliferation. Moreover, Arl6ip5 insufficiency in osteoblast induces ER stress and enhances ER stress-mediated apoptosis. CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein homologous protein (Chop) is involved in the regulation of apoptosis and differentiation in Arl6ip5 knocked-down osteoblasts. For osteoclastogenesis, Arl6ip5 insufficiency in osteoclast precursors has no effect on osteoclast formation. However, knocked-down osteoblastic Arl6ip5 induces receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB ligand (RANKL) expression and enhances osteoclastogenesis. In addition, ER stress and Chop are involved in the RANKL expression in Arl6ip5 knocked-down osteoblasts. In conclusion, we demonstrate that Arl6ip5 is a novel regulator of bone formation in osteoblasts.

Changes in the metabolism of chondroitin sulfate glycosaminoglycans in articular cartilage from patients with Kashin-Beck disease

OBJECTIVES

To identify changes in the expression patterns of enzymes involved in chondroitin sulfate (CS) glycosaminoglycan (GAG) metabolism in articular cartilage proteoglycan (PG) isolated from adolescent patients with Kashin-Beck disease (KBD).

METHODS

Samples of articular cartilage were divided into two groups: Control samples (from five normal children), and KBD samples (from five KBD children) aged 3-12 years old. The morphology and pathology of hand joint cartilage were examined by histochemical staining. The localization and expression patterns of enzymes involved in CS GAG metabolism (i.e., PAPS synthetase 2 (PAPSS2), PAPS transporter 1 (PAPST1), Carbohydrate (N-acetylgalactosamine 4-sulfate 6-O) sulfotransferases 15 (CHST15), Arylsulfatase B (ARSB) and N-acetylgalactosamine-6-sulfate sulfatase (GALNS)) were performed using immuno-histochemical analyses. Positive immunostaining in articular cartilage was semi-quantified.

RESULTS

Reduced aggrecan staining was observed in KBD samples compared with the control samples. The percentages of positive staining for the anabolic enzymes PAPSS2, PAPST1 and CHST15 in the upper and middle zones of KBD samples were significantly lower than that found in the Controls. In contrast, the percentages of positive staining in KBD samples for the catabolic enzymes ARSB and GALNS were significantly higher than the control samples. However, the staining for all of these GAG metabolism enzymes were hardly observed in the deep zones of KBD cartilage, suggesting that significant cell death and necrosis had occurred in this region.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results indicate that alterations of enzymes involved in articular cartilage CS GAG metabolism on PGs in the articular cartilage play an important role in the onset and pathogenesis of KBD in adolescent children.

Intra-aortic balloon pump treatment for patients with acute anterior wall myocardial infarction after reperfusion therapy

We evaluated the effects of an intra-aortic balloon pump on hemodynamics, brain natriuretic peptide concentration and cardiac function of patients with acute myocardial infarction, after reperfusion therapy. Sixty-three patients with acute anterior wall ST-elevation myocardial infarction who underwent primary percutaneous coronary intervention were given an intra-aortic balloon pump (32 cases) or not (control group, 31 cases). The mean pulmonary arterial pressure, pulmonary capillary wedge pressure and cardiac index were measured with a Swan-Ganz catheter. The brain natriuretic peptide concentration was detected by immunochemiluminometric assay. Left ventricular end-diastolic diameter and left ventricular ejection fraction were measured by echocardiography. No difference in baseline was observed between the two groups on day 1 in the hospital. On day 5, mean pulmonary artery pressure and pulmonary capillary wedge pressure of patients with the intra-aortic balloon pump were significantly lower, and cardiac index of was higher than that of the controls, whereas no differences in left ventricular end-diastolic diameter or left ventricular ejection fraction were observed between the two groups. On days 5 and 90, the brain natriuretic peptide concentration of the intra-aortic balloon pump patients was lower than that of the controls. On day 90, left ventricular end-diastolic diameter was smaller in the intra-aortic balloon pump patients, but no difference in left ventricular ejection fraction was observed between the two groups. The intra-aortic balloon pump improved the hemodynamic index and cardiac function and decreased brain natriuretic peptide concentration in patients with acute anterior wall ST-elevation myocardial infarction.

Downregulation of FAP suppresses cell proliferation and metastasis through PTEN/PI3K/AKT and Ras-ERK signaling in oral squamous cell carcinoma

It is largely recognized that fibroblast activation protein (FAP) is expressed in cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) of many human carcinomas. Furthermore, FAP was recently also reported to be expressed in carcinoma cells of the breast, stomach, pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, colorectum, and uterine cervix. The carcinoma cell expression pattern of FAP has been described in several types of cancers, but the role of FAP in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is unknown. The role of endogenous FAP in epithelium-derived tumors and molecular mechanisms has also not been reported. In this study, FAP was found to be expressed in carcinoma cells of OSCC and was upregulated in OSCC tissue samples compared with benign tissue samples using immunohistochemistry. In addition, its expression level was closely correlated with overall survival of patients with OSCC. Silencing FAP inhibited the growth and metastasis of OSCC cells in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, knockdown of FAP inactivated PTEN/PI3K/AKT and Ras-ERK and its downstream signaling regulating proliferation, migration, and invasion in OSCC cells, as the inhibitory effects of FAP on the proliferation and metastasis could be rescued by PTEN silencing. Our study suggests that FAP acts as an oncogene and may be a potential therapeutic target for patients with OSCC.

Constructing the major biosynthesis pathways for amino acids in the brown planthopper, Nilaparvata lugens Stål (Hemiptera: Delphacidae), based on the transcriptome data

Nilaparvata lugens is a serious phloem-feeding pest of rice throughout Asia. Rice phloem sap can meet its nutrition requirement for sugars but not for some essential amino acids such as isoleucine, leucine, methionine, phenylalanine, tryptophan, lysine, arginine and histidine. N. lugens harbours yeast-like symbionts in mycetocytes formed by abdominal fat body cells. Removal of the symbionts results in negative physiological effects, suggesting that the symbionts play a pivotal role in the nitrogen metabolism. In the present paper, 521 mRNA expressed sequence tags (ESTs) encoding 126 enzymes that were involved in amino acid biosynthesis were identified based on a transcriptome data, reverse transcription (RT)-PCR and rapid amplification of cDNA ends. Similarity analysis, codon usage bias, along with tissue-biased expression and phylogenetic analysis of a subset of ESTs, suggest that 437 ESTs out of the 521 originate from symbionts, and the remaining 84 mRNA fragments come from N. lugens. Accordingly, the biosynthesis pathways for 20 amino acids were manually constructed. It is postulated that both N. lugens and its symbiont can independently assimilate ammonia and biosynthesize seven non-essential amino acids: glutamate; glutamine; aspartate; asparagine; alanine; serine; and glycine. N. lugens and symbiont enzymes may work collaboratively to catalyse the biosynthesis of proline, methionine, valine, leucine, isoleucine, phenylalanine and tyrosine. We infer from this that symbionts function in the biosynthesis of lysine, arginine, tryptophan, threonine, histidine and cysteine. Our data support the previously proposed hypothesis, i.e. the yeast-like symbionts compensate for, at least partially, the amino acid needs of N. lugens.

Estrogen increases the transcription of human α2-Heremans-Schmid-glycoprotein by an interplay of estrogen receptor α and activator protein-1

The expression of α2-Heremans-Schmid-glycoprotein (AHSG) was estrogen responsive in oophorectomized (OVX) osteopenic rats and HepG2 cells. Estrogen receptor α (ERα) interacted with the c-Jun/c-Fos heterodimer and indirectly associated with the -1488/-1482 activator protein-1 (AP-1) motif of the AHSG promoter. Estrogen increased c-Jun/c-Fos expression via the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway.

INTRODUCTION

AHSG is a hepatic secretory protein implicated in the regulation of bone homeostasis. Serum AHSG in women has been reported to decrease after menopause and increase with estrogen therapy. The detailed regulatory mechanism of estrogen on AHSG is unclear.

METHODS

A postmenopausal osteoporosis model was generated in OVX rats. Skeletal parameters were determined by automatic biochemical analysis and dual X-ray absorptiometry. The expression of AHSG was evaluated by ELISA, real-time PCR, and Western blot. The 1.5-kb 5'-promoter region of AHSG was analyzed by serial truncation and luciferase assays. The putative -1488/-1482 AP-1 responsive element was identified by electrophoresis mobility shift assay (EMSA). Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP), re-ChIP, and co-immunoprecipitation (Co-IP) were used to characterize the interaction of ERα and AP-1 at the -1488/-1482 AP-1 binding site. The MAPK pathway was evaluated using a specific inhibitor and active transfection.

RESULTS

The expression of AHSG was estrogen responsive in both OVX rats and estradiol (E2)/ERα-treated HepG2 cells. E2/ERα most prominently increased luciferase activity of a construct with a putative -1488/-1482 AP-1 binding element. ERα interacted with the c-Jun/c-Fos heterodimer and indirectly associated with the -1488/-1482 AP-1 motif of the AHSG promoter. c-Jun/c-Fos expression was increased via the MAPK pathway by E2/ERα.

CONCLUSION

Estrogen activated the transcription of AHSG through an indirect binding of ERα to the -1488/-1482 AP-1 binding element, with the c-Jun/c-Fos heterodimers.

Cbl-b gene silencing in splenic T lymphocytes as a therapeutic strategy to target the prostate cancer RM-1 cell tumors in immune competent mice

OBJECTIVE

In recent years, the field of cancer immunotherapy has become a research hotspot and is currently faced with numerous challenges. The objective of this study was to assess the success of cbl-b gene silencing in splenic T lymphocytes as an immune strategy to target the murine prostate cancer RM-1 cells in vitro and solid tumors in vivo.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

For this purpose, cbl-b gene-specific siRNA was designed, synthesized, and was transfected into mouse splenic T lymphocytes, followed by assessment of T cell activation, TH1 cytokine production, and in vitro cytotoxicity against RM-1 cell targets. For in vivo cytotoxicity studies, first the RM-1 tumor model was established in immune competent mice that were later tumor-injected with splenic T lymphocytes transfected with specific shRNA for cbl-b gene silencing.

RESULTS

The data show that the cbl-b gene silencing in T lymphocytes resulted in an enhanced surface expression of CD69 activation marker, elevated production of interleukin (IL)-2 and interferon (IFN)-γ, and their increased cytotoxicity as effectors against RM-1 prostate cancer cells. The tumor injection with cbl-b shRNA-transfected T lymphocytes also resulted in significant reduction of the tumor size as compared with controls.

CONCLUSIONS

cbl-b gene silencing strategy enhanced the immune function of T lymphocytes, increased their cytotoxic potential against RM-1 prostate cancer cells, as well as caused significant suppression of the tumor growth in immune competent mice.

Establishment of novel rat models for premalignant breast disease

BACKGROUND

Breast cancer has become one of the most common malignant tumors among females over the past several years. Breast carcinogenesis is a continuous process, which is featured by the normal epithelium progressing to premalignant lesions and then to invasive breast cancer (IBC). Targeting premalignant lesions is an effective strategy to prevent breast cancer. The establishment of animal models is critical to study the mechanisms of breast carcinogenesis, which will facilitate research on breast cancer prevention and drug behaviors. In this study, we established a feasible chemically-induced rat model of premalignant breast cancer.

METHODS

Following the administration of the drugs (carcinogen, estrogen, and progestogen) to Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats, tumors or suspicious tumors were identified by palpation or ultrasound imaging, and were surgically excised for pathological evaluation. A series of four consecutive steps were carried out in order to determine the carcinogen: 7,12-dimethylbenzaanthracene (DMBA) or 1-methyl-1-nitrosourea, the route of carcinogen administration, the administration period of estrogen and progestogen, and the DMBA dosage.

RESULTS

Stable premalignant lesions can be induced in SD rats on administration of DMBA (15 mg/kg, administered three times) followed by administration of female hormones 5-day cycle.

RESULTS

were confirmed by ultrasound and palpation.

CONCLUSION

Under the premise of drug dose and cycle, DMBA combined with estrogen and progestogen can be used as a SD rat model for breast premalignant lesions.

Analysis report for osteosarcoma expression profile

BACKGROUND

Osteosarcoma is a kind of highly malignant primary bone tumor which most common in the teenage, and holds strong aggressive, earlier organs metastases mainly to lung, prone to postoperative recur. Therefore for osteosarcoma, invasion and transfer mechanism and related factors' interaction remains to be a key research subject.

AIM

We aim to find biological molecules marker can be used for osteosarcoma diagnosis through contrast of osteosarcoma sample and normal tissue samples.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This analysis using human osteosarcoma expression profile data and three lesions normal tissue samples (liver, kidneys, lymph) expression data and compare them, and find significant specifically expressed genes, according to their function.

RESULTS

Research shows that the cancer cell proliferation, invasion, transfer and recurrent process involve many factors interaction, of which angiogenesis is the necessary condition of tumor growth, transfer and the recurrence.

CONCLUSIONS

Now the most important positive regulatory factor of angiogenesis is VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor) and bFGF (basic fibroblast growth factor). Both of them are with a wide variety and close relationship of tumor angiogenesis and progress.

WDR19: an ancient, retrograde, intraflagellar ciliary protein is mutated in autosomal recessive retinitis pigmentosa and in Senior-Loken syndrome

Autosomal recessive retinitis pigmentosa (arRP) is a clinically and genetically heterogeneous retinal disease that causes blindness. Our purpose was to identify the causal gene, describe the phenotype and delineate the mutation spectrum in a consanguineous Quebec arRP family. We performed Arrayed Primer Extension (APEX) technology to exclude ∼500 arRP mutations in ∼20 genes. Homozygosity mapping [single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) genotyping] identified 10 novel significant homozygous regions. We performed next generation sequencing and whole exome capture. Sanger sequencing provided cosegregation. We screened another 150 retinitis pigmentosa (RP) and 200 patients with Senior-Løken Syndrome (SLS). We identified a novel missense mutation in WDR19, c.2129T>C which lead to a p.Leu710Ser. We found the same mutation in a second Quebec arRP family. Interestingly, two of seven affected members of the original family developed 'sub-clinical' renal cysts. We hypothesized that more severe WDR19 mutations may lead to severe ciliopathies and found seven WDR19 mutations in five SLS families. We identified a new gene for both arRP and SLS. WDR19 is a ciliary protein associated with the intraflagellar transport machinery. We are currently investigating the full extent of the mutation spectrum. Our findings are crucial in expanding the understanding of childhood blindness and identifying new genes.

Kidney transplantation from donors after brain or cardiac death in China--a clinical analysis of 94 cases

BACKGROUND

We analyzed outcomes of kidney transplantation (KTx) from donation after brain death (DBD) or cardiac death (DCD) in China under the current level of the health care system.

METHODS

Among 94 KTx performed from February 2007 to March 2012 in two organ transplant centers in the south of China, 50 KTx were used DBD and 44 DCD donors. We retrospectively analyzed the clinical outcomes.

RESULTS

At a mean follow-up of 25.5 months, the 1-year and 2-year graft survival rates were 96.8% and 95.2% respectively. Delayed graft function (DGF) occurred in 27.7% recipients, three of whom lost graft function. Among six observed acute rejection episodes, five were reversed. When compared to the DCD group in DBD patients were apt to recover from DGF. Serum creatinine decreased more promptly in the DBD than in DCD group. Serum creatinine in the DCD group increased after months 12, when it was significantly higher than that in the DBD group (P < .05).

CONCLUSIONS

Kidney transplantation from DBD donors showed good outcomes with few complications. Although KTx from DCD donors showed a higher DGF rate and longer duration of graft recovery, we achieved favorable short-term clinical outcome using this source.

Genes associated with disc degeneration identified using microarray gene expression profiling and bioinformatics analysis

Disc degeneration is strongly associated with back or neck pain, sciatica, and disc herniation or prolapse. It places an enormous economic burden on society and can greatly affect quality of life. Alternative treatment approaches, such as genetic therapies, are urgently needed to slow or reverse the disc degeneration process. We downloaded gene expression data from Gene Expression Omnibus during various stages of disc degeneration and identified differentially expressed genes (DEGs) as well as dysfunctional pathways through comparisons with controls. We identified 2 significant DEGs between grade II and III discs and 8 significant DEGs between grade II and IV discs. By constructing an interactive network of the DEGs, we found that mitogen-activated protein family genes and Ras homologous (Rho) family genes - in particular, MAP2K6 and RHOBTB2 - may play important roles in the progression of degeneration of grade III and IV discs, respectively. MAP2K6 and RHOBTB2 may be specific therapeutic molecular targets in the treatment of disc degeneration. However, further experiments are needed to confirm this result.

Electron-induced limitation of surface plasmon propagation in silver nanowires

Plasmonic circuitry is considered as a promising solution-effective technology for miniaturizing and integrating the next generation of optical nano-devices. A key element is the shared metal network between electrical and optical information enabling an efficient hetero-integration of an electronic control layer and a plasmonic data link. Here, we investigate to what extent surface plasmons and current-carrying electrons interfere in such a shared circuitry. By synchronously recording surface plasmon propagation and electrical output characteristics of individual chemically-synthesized silver nanowires we determine the limiting factors hindering the co-propagation of an electrical current and a surface plasmon in these nanoscale circuits.