Over-expression of the Endocan gene in endothelial cells from hepatocellular carcinoma is associated with angiogenesis and tumour invasion

Endocan plays a role in tumour angiogenesis and tumour growth. The aim of this study was to detect the expression of endocan in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) tumour-associated endothelial cells and to correlate endocan expression with clinicopathological parameters and tumour angiogenesis. Tumour tissues and surrounding non-cancerous hepatic parenchyma from 42 primary HCC patients were studied. Endothelial cells were isolated using magnetic microbeads conjugated with anti-CD31 and endocan expression was evaluated by real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, Western blotting and immunohistochemistry. Endocan was significantly over-expressed in endothelial cells isolated from HCC tumours compared with corresponding non-cancerous liver tissues. In addition, the endocan mRNA level was significantly correlated with the serum alpha-fetoprotein level, intra-tumoural microvessel density, vascular endothelial growth factor mRNA, and vascular and venous invasion. The over-expression of endocan in tumour endothelial cells was closely related to the process of angiogenesis and pathogenesis in HCC, and suggests that endocan might be a useful marker for HCC progression.

Effects of triterpenes from Ganoderma lucidum on protein expression profile of HeLa cells

To elucidate the cytotoxicity mechanism of Ganoderma triterpenes, a chemoproteomic study using five purified ganoderic acids, ganoderic acid F (GAF), ganoderic acid K (GAK), ganoderic B (GAB), ganoderic acid D (GAD) and ganoderic acid AM1 (GAAM1) was conducted. GAF, GAK, GAB, GAD and GAAM1 treatment for 48 h inhibited the proliferation of HeLa human cervical carcinoma cells with IC(50) values of 19.5+/-0.6 microM, 15.1+/-0.5 microM, 20.3+/-0.4 microM, 17.3+/-0.3 microM, 19.8+/-0.7 microM, respectively. The protein expression profiles of HeLa cells treated with each ganoderic acid at dose of 15 microM for 48 h were checked using two-dimensional electrophoresis (2-DE). The possible target-related proteins of ganoderic acids, i.e. proteins with same change tendency in all five ganoderic acids-treated groups compared with control, were identified using MALDI-TOF MS/MS. Twelve proteins including human interleukin-17E, eukaryotic translation initiation factor 5A (eIF5A), peroxiredoxin 2, ubiquilin 2, Cu/Zn-superoxide dismutase, 14-3-3 beta/alpha, TPM4-ALK fusion oncoprotein type 2, PP2A subunit A PR65-alpha isoform, nucleobindin-1, heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein K, reticulocalbin 1 and chain A of DJ-1 protein were identified. Ganoderic acids might exert their cytotoxicity by altering proteins involved in cell proliferation and/or cell death, carcinogenosis, oxidative stress, calcium signaling and ER stress.

Transcriptional factor HBP1 targets P16(INK4A), upregulating its expression and consequently is involved in Ras-induced premature senescence

Oncogene-mediated premature senescence has emerged as a potential tumor-suppressive mechanism in early cancer transitions. Many studies showed that Ras and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) participate in premature senescence. Our previous work indicated that the HMG box-containing protein 1 (HBP1) transcription factor is involved in Ras- and p38 MAPK-induced premature senescence, but the mechanism of which has not yet been identified. Here, we showed that the p16(INK4A) cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor is a novel target of HBP1 participating in Ras-induced premature senescence. The promoter of the p16(INK4A) gene contains an HBP1-binding site at position -426 to -433 bp from the transcriptional start site. HBP1 regulates the expression of the endogenous p16(INK4A) gene through direct sequence-specific binding. With HBP1 expression and the subsequent increase of p16(INK4A) gene expression, Ras induces premature senescence in primary cells. The data suggest a model in which Ras and p38 MAPK signaling engage HBP1 and p16(INK4A) to trigger premature senescence. In addition, we report that HBP1 knockdown is also required for Ras-induced transformation. All the data indicate that the mechanism of HBP1-mediated transcriptional regulation is important for not only premature senescence but also tumorigenesis.

Effect of the method of conception and embryo transfer procedure on mid-gestation placenta and fetal development in an IVF mouse model

BACKGROUND

Abnormal placentation is a potential mechanism to explain the increased incidence of low birthweight observed after IVF. This study evaluates, in a mouse model, whether the method of conception and embryo transfer affect placentation and fetal development.

METHODS

IVF blastocysts (CF1 x B6D2F1/J) were cultured in Whitten's medium (IVF(WM), n = 55) or K modified simplex optimized medium with amino acids (IVF(KAA), n = 56). Embryos were transferred to the uteri of pseudo-pregnant recipients. Two control groups were created: unmanipulated embryos produced by natural mating (in vivo group, n = 64) and embryos produced by natural mating that were flushed from uterus and immediately transferred to pseudo-pregnant recipients (flushed blastocysts, FB group, n = 57). At gestation age 12.5 days, implantation sites were collected and fixed; fetuses and placentas were weighed and their developmental stage (DS) evaluated. Placental areas and vascular volume fractions were calculated; parametric statistics were applied as appropriate.

RESULTS

IVF fetuses showed a modest but significant delay in development compared with FB mice (P < 0.05). In addition, IVF conceptuses were consistently smaller than FB (P < 0.05). Importantly, these differences persisted when analyzing fetuses of similar DS. The placenta/fetus ratio was larger in the IVF group (IVF(WM) 0.95; IVF(KAA) = 0.90) than the FB group (0.72) (P < 0.05 for all comparisons). Gross morphology of the placenta and ratio labyrinth/fetal area were equivalent in the IVF and FB groups, as were percentage of fetal blood vessels, maternal blood spaces and trophoblastic components.

CONCLUSIONS

In vitro embryo culture affects fetal and placental development; this could explain the lower birthweight in IVF offspring.

Methamphetamine-induced behavioral and physiological effects in adolescent and adult HIV-1 transgenic rats

We recently reported that six consecutive days of treatment with a moderate dose of methamphetamine (METH) induced greater behavioral sensitization in adult HIV-1 transgenic (HIV-1 Tg) rats than in adult Fischer 344/NHsd (F344) non-transgenic, wild-type control animals. In the present study, we evaluated the effects of a moderate dose of METH on the brains of adolescent versus adult HIV-1 Tg male rats using both behavioral (METH-induced, stereotypic head movement) and physiological (rectal body temperature) parameters. We found that both the acute and behavior-sensitizing effects of METH were greater in HIV-1 Tg rats compared with controls and also in adolescent rats compared with adult animals, regardless of HIV-1 status. We determined that acute hyperthermic effects of METH as well as tolerance to METH-induced hyperthermia were greater in HIV-1 Tg rats than in controls. Taken together, these results suggest that both the neuroadaptations seen in HIV infection and the immaturity of the adolescent brain are associated with increased sensitivity to the psychoactive and behavior-sensitizing properties of METH. Thus, HIV-infected individuals and adolescents may be more vulnerable to the development of METH abuse and dependence than non-infected individuals and adults.

Tumor pretargeting in mice using MORF conjugated CC49 antibody and radiolabeled complimentary cMORF effector

AIM

Using the antiCEA antibody MN14, a LS174T mouse tumor model has been successfully targeted with (⁹⁹m)Tc for imaging and ¹⁸⁸Re for radiotherapy by phosphorodiamidate morpholino oligomers (MORF)/complementary MORF (cMORF) pretargeting strategy. This investigation evaluated the antiTAG-72 antibody CC49 as an alternative to MN14 for this application.

METHODS

Both CC49 and MN14 were labeled with ¹¹¹In via SCN-benzyl-DTPA and their biodistributions were compared to that of MN14 labeled via DTPA anhydride. Since the accessibility of the antibody to the effector is required for optimization of pretargeting, the internalization of both MORF-CC49 and MORF-MN14 antibodies in LS174T cells were evaluated in culture. In addition, the accessible concentration of MORF-CC49 antibody in tumor was determined in a series of pretargeting studies with escalating dosages of the [(⁹⁹m)Tc]cMORF effector. Finally, using these results and our semi-empirical model, an imaging study was performed under optimal pretargeting conditions.

RESULTS

The biodistribution of ¹¹¹In to trace the MN14 antibody depended significantly on the labeling method. Furthermore, both MORF-CC49 and MORF-MN14 antibodies showed rapid internalization in culture. Fortunately, the accessibility in tumor was found to be less seriously reduced in vivo. In a pretargeting study under optimal conditions, both by imaging and by necropsy, the [(⁹⁹m)Tc]cMORF effector accumulated predominantly in the tumor of pretargeted mice. Normal tissue accumulations were minimal except in kidneys, liver, and a segment of intestines.

CONCLUSION

MORF pretargeting with CC49 was equally successful in the LS174T tumor model to the MORF pretargeting with MN14. The MORF-CC49 antibody may therefore be considered for future investigations toward early clinical trials.

Outcome of array CGH analysis for 255 subjects with intellectual disability and search for candidate genes using bioinformatics

Array CGH enables the detection of pathogenic copy number variants (CNVs) in 5-15% of individuals with intellectual disability (ID), making it a promising tool for uncovering ID candidate genes. However, most CNVs encompass multiple genes, making it difficult to identify key disease gene(s) underlying ID etiology. Using array CGH we identified 47 previously unreported unique CNVs in 45/255 probands. We prioritized ID candidate genes using five bioinformatic gene prioritization web tools. Gene priority lists were created by comparing integral genes from each CNV from our ID cohort with sets of training genes specific either to ID or randomly selected. Our findings suggest that different training sets alter gene prioritization only moderately; however, only the ID gene training set resulted in significant enrichment of genes with nervous system function (19%) in prioritized versus non-prioritized genes from the same de novo CNVs (7%, p < 0.05). This enrichment further increased to 31% when the five web tools were used in concert and included genes within mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction pathways. Gene prioritization web tools enrich for genes with relevant function in ID and more readily facilitate the selection of ID candidate genes for functional studies, particularly for large CNVs.

Structure effects in angle-resolved high-order above-threshold ionization of molecules

We present energy-resolved angular distributions of photoelectrons generated in above-threshold ionization (ATI) of nonaligned diatomic molecules N2 and O2 in high-intensity short laser pulses, with emphasis on the most energetic part of the spectra. The angular distribution for photoelectrons with energy of 10U(p) (U(p): ponderomotive energy), i.e., the plateau cutoff in ATI spectra, is found to be broader in O2 than in N2. Resorting to the analyses from both an S-matrix theory and an intuitive semiclassical model, we attribute the observation to the effect of the ground state molecular orbital structure on high-energy electron emission in strong-field molecular ionization.