Effect of Passage Number and Culture Time on the Expression and Activity of Insulin-Degrading Enzyme in Caco-2 Cells

Effects of some anti-diabetic herbal extracts on the insulin-degrading enzyme in human colon cancer Caco-2 cell line

OBJECTIVE

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a condition characterized by insufficient insulin production or insulin resistance. The insulin-degrading enzyme (IDE) is responsible for degrading insulin and is a potential drug target for T2DM treatment. Numerous activities have been proposed for plant extracts, but research on the effects of plant extracts on IDE expression and activity is riddled with drawbacks.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We investigated the effect of Phaseolus vulgaris, Allium cepa, Portulaca oleracea, Cinnamomum verum, and Citrullus colocynthis extracts on the expression and activity of IDE in the Caco-2 cell line.

RESULTS

Findings of RT-PCR showed that IDE gene expression was reduced following treatment with P. vulgaris, C. colocynthis, and C. verum extracts. The results of IDE activity with fluorogenic peptide substrate V also indicated that P. vulgaris, C. colocynthis, and P. oleracea extracts reduced IDE activity in a significant and dose-dependent manner.

CONCLUSION

The hydroalcoholic extracts studied, except for A. cepa, can prevent insulin degradation by reducing the expression and activity of the IDE enzyme. This new insight into the effects of herbal medicines on IDE activity can help future studies.

Establishment of a bladder cancer cell line expressing both mesenchymal and epithelial lineage-associated markers

Several experimental models including patient biopsies, animal models, and cell lines have been recommended to study the mechanism of bladder cancer development. After several passages in culture, cell lines lose some original features, and no longer resemble the cells of their original tumor. This makes it necessary to establish various cell lines. In an attempt to establish a new cell line for bladder cancer, JAM-ICR (RRID: CVCL_A9QB) was derived from a 64-year-old man diagnosed with a high-grade tumor. This cell line was characterized in multiple experiments involving morphological studies, immunophenotyping (by immunohistochemistry and flow cytometry), karyotyping, short tandem repeat analysis, colony-forming assays, migration and invasion assays, and chemosensitivity to anti-cancer drugs. JAM-ICR cells are pale with an irregular polygonal shape, and show some similarities to mesenchymal stem cells but with a wider shape and shorter arms. Phenotypic assessment demonstrated the simultaneous expression of mesenchymal-(vimentin, desmin, CD29, CD90, and CD106) and epithelial lineage (pan-cytokeratin) markers, which supports a phenotype similar to epithelial-mesenchymal transition for this cell line. JAM-ICR displayed high metastatic potential and stem-like properties, i.e., self-renewal, colony forming, and the coexpression of TRA-1 with CD44 and CD166. Furthermore, this cell line was significantly more resistant to doxorubicin in comparison to the 5637 cell line. These features make JAM-ICR a new bladder cancer cell line with metastatic potential and stem-like properties, which may be potentially useful as a model to elucidate the molecular and cellular mechanisms of bladder cancer pathogenesis or evaluate new drugs.

Salmonid Antibacterial Immunity: An Aquaculture Perspective

The aquaculture industry is continuously threatened by infectious diseases, including those of bacterial origin. Regardless of the disease burden, aquaculture is already the main method for producing fish protein, having displaced capture fisheries. One attractive sector within this industry is the culture of salmonids, which are (a) uniquely under pressure due to overfishing and (b) the most valuable finfish per unit of weight. There are still knowledge gaps in the understanding of fish immunity, leading to vaccines that are not as effective as in terrestrial species, thus a common method to combat bacterial disease outbreaks is the use of antibiotics. Though effective, this method increases both the prevalence and risk of generating antibiotic-resistant bacteria. To facilitate vaccine design and/or alternative treatment efforts, a deeper understanding of the teleost immune system is essential. This review highlights the current state of teleost antibacterial immunity in the context of salmonid aquaculture. Additionally, the success of current techniques/methods used to combat bacterial diseases in salmonid aquaculture will be addressed. Filling the immunology knowledge gaps highlighted here will assist in reducing aquaculture losses in the future.