Comparative analysis of MAPK and PI3K/AKT pathway activation and inhibition in human and canine melanoma

The lack of advanced animal models of human cancers is considered a barrier to developing effective therapeutics. Canine and human melanomas are histologically disparate but show similar disease progression and response to therapies. The purpose of these studies was to compare human and canine melanoma tumours and cell lines regarding MAPK and PI3K/AKT signalling dysregulation, and response to select molecularly targeted agents. Pathway activation was investigated via microarray and mutational analysis. Growth inhibition and cell cycle effects were assessed for pathway inhibitors AZD6244 (MAPK) and rapamycin (PI3K/AKT) in human and canine melanoma cells. Human and canine melanoma share similar differential gene expression patterns within the MAPK and PI3K/AKT pathways. Constitutive pathway activation and similar sensitivity to AZD6244 and rapamycin was observed in human and canine cells. These results show that human and canine melanoma share activation and sensitivity to inhibition of cancer‐related signalling pathways despite differences in activating mutations.     

咖啡酸苯乙酯通过AMPK/FOXO3a信号通路缓解猪精液常温保存氧化应激的作用机制

【目的】探究咖啡酸苯乙酯（caffeic acid phenethyl ester,CAPE）通过AMPK/FOXO3a信号通路缓解氧化应激对猪精液的影响及其分子机制。【方法】选取8头成年（1—2岁）、健康状况良好长白种公猪进行鲜精采集,将质检合格的样品混池待用。试验设计如下：首先,在常温基础稀释液中分别添加0、0.02、0.04、0.06、0.08和0.10 g·L^-1浓度的CAPE,将精液样品与各个浓度组依次混合后放置室温平衡,随即转入17 ℃电子恒温冰箱进行常温保存。全自动精子分析仪（CASA）测定1—5 d精子运动学参数（总活率与渐进性活力）,筛选出最佳适宜浓度为0.06 g·L^-1。其次,将0.06 g·L^-1 CAPE与400 μmol·L^-1的H₂O₂建立氧化胁迫模型,在第1、3、5天分别采用CASA测定精子总活率与渐进性活力,荧光探针技术评估质膜完整性与顶体完整性,抗氧化试剂盒检测过氧化氢酶（catalase,CAT）与超氧化物歧化酶（superoxide dismutase,SOD）活性,在第5 天利用实时荧光定量 PCR技术测定AMPK/FOXO3a信号通路下游靶向基因（AMPK、FOXO3a、SOD1、SOD2、CAT）及凋亡基因BAX的mRNA表达水平,蛋白免疫印记技术测定AMPK、p-AMPK蛋白表达。【结果】（1）浓度筛选试验中,0.06 g·L^-1的CAPE在保存第3 天显著提高精子的总活率并维持至第5天（P<0.05）,不仅如此,精子的渐进性活力在第1 天显著高于其他处理组（P<0.05）。（2）氧化胁迫试验中,H₂O₂处理组的精子质膜完整性、顶体完整性、总活率、渐进性活力、SOD与CAT活性在保存的第5天均极限显著低于空白组与CAPE+H₂O₂混合组（P<0.001）,而空白组与CAPE+H₂O₂混合组的总活率、顶体完整性、CAT与SOD活性不存在显著差异（P>0.05）。与CAPE+H₂O₂混合组相比,H₂O₂处理组AMPK、FOXO3a、SOD1、SOD2、CAT的mRNA表达水平显著降低（P<0.05）,BAX的表达水平显著升高（P<0.05）,而空白组与CAPE+H₂O₂混合组的AMPK、SOD1、CAT与BAX不存在显著差异（P>0.05）。在蛋白表达水平中,CAPE+H₂O₂混合组与H₂O₂组相比,AMPK、p-AMPK 与p-AMPK/AMPK比率显著提升（P <0.05）。【结论】在常温基础稀释液中添加0.06 g·L^-1CAPE可通过促进磷酸化AMPK的表达,诱导AMPK/FOXO3a信号下游抗氧化分子的转录,继而缓解H₂O₂介导的氧化危害对精液品质产生的影响,延长精液的保存时间,但CAPE保护精子氧化损伤更为深入的分子机制仍需作进一步探究。     

宫内生长受限湖羊新生羔羊的血浆代谢组学研究

湖羊是我国珍贵的肉毛兼用的绵羊品种,并具有繁殖率高和宜舍饲等特点。在生产中,往往因其多胎性易导致妊娠期湖羊营养不良,造成新生羔羊宫内生长受限（intrauterine growth retardation,IUGR）。应用代谢组学一维氢谱核磁共振技术（¹H-nuclear magnetic resonance,¹H-NMR）研究新生羔羊的血浆代谢谱。根据出生体质量筛选出14只湖羊新生羔羊,分为正常出生体质量组（normal birth weight,NBW）和IUGR组（n=7）,采用¹H-NMR分析其血液样品。将代谢谱数据进行统计分析,并对鉴定的代谢物进行表达差异分析以及代谢途径归属。NBW组和IUGR组新生羔羊血浆样品共获得32种代谢物,16种代谢物在2组间差异表达,IUGR组有10个代谢物含量显著低于NBW组（P<0.05）,6个代谢物含量显著高于NBW组（P<0.05）。2组间差异显著的代谢通路主要为氨基酸、碳水化合物、脂类物质等代谢通路。应用基于¹H-NMR的代谢组学及生物信息学分析方法,确定了IUGR新生羔羊与正常羔羊血液代谢物之间存在差异,为进一步深入研究IUGR的分子机制奠定了基础。     

刀鲚基因家族鉴定及扩张与收缩

为增加对刀鲚在进化过程中因核心基因家族改变而产生的特殊机制的了解。实验利用比较基因组学,通过比较刀鲚及其近缘物种斑马鱼、三刺鱼、青鳉、红鳍东方鲀和绿河鲀基因组,鉴定刀鲚基因家族;利用CAFév 4.2软件进行基因家族扩张和收缩分析;最后将鉴定的扩张基因家族基因与GO、KEGG等数据库进行比对、注释和通路分析。结果显示,刀鲚具有11 872个基因家族,包含16 470个基因,有2 963个基因未形成基因家族。同其他5个物种相比,刀鲚有150个特有基因家族,包含419个基因。刀鲚扩张和收缩基因家族分析结果表明,刀鲚有1 200个基因家族扩张了,7 543个基因家族收缩了。刀鲚显著扩张的基因家族有39个,包含508个基因;显著收缩的基因家族有36个,包含21个基因。刀鲚显著扩张基因家族GO富集分析条目中鉴定较多的是,代谢过程、催化活性、细胞、细胞组分等。KEGG富集分析条目中鉴定较多的是紧密连接、心肌细胞的肾上腺素能信号、心肌收缩、细胞黏附分子等。与渗透压调节相关的通路有紧密连接、心肌收缩等;与生殖洄游行为相关的通路有GnRH信号通路、嗅觉转导通路等。对显著扩张基因家族基因进行基因组定位,结...     

Characterization of betaine aldehyde dehydrogenase (BetB) as an essential virulence factor of Brucella abortus

The pathogenic mechanisms of Brucellosis used to adapt to the harsh intracellular environment of the host cell are not fully understood. The present study investigated the in vitro and in vivo characteristics of B. abortus betaine aldehyde dehydrogenase (BetB) (Gene Bank ID: 006932) using a betB deletion mutant constructed from virulent B. abortus 544. In test under stress conditions, including osmotic- and acid stress-resistance, the betB mutant had a lower osmotic-resistance than B. abortus wild-type. In addition, the betB mutant showed higher internalization rates compared to the wild-type strain; however, it also displayed replication failures in HeLa cells and RAW 264.7 macrophages. During internalization, compared to the wild-type strain, the betB mutant was more adherent to the host surface and showed enhanced phosphorylation of protein kinases, two processes that promote phagocytic activity, in host cells. During intracellular trafficking, colocalization of B. abortus-containing phagosomes with LAMP-1 was elevated in betB mutant-infected cells compared to the wild-type cells. In mice, the betB mutant was predominantly cleared from spleens compared to the wild-type strain after 2 weeks post-infection, and the vaccination test with the live betB mutant showed effective protection against challenge infection with the virulent wild-type strain. These findings suggested that the B. abortus betB gene substantially affects the phagocytic pathway in human phagocytes and in host cells in mice. Furthermore, this study highlights the potential use of the B. abortus betB mutant as a live vaccine for the control of brucellosis.     

吐鲁番黑羊MSTN/Smad信号通路基因表达的发育性变化

为探讨MSTN/Smad信号通路基因对吐鲁番黑羊肌肉生长发育的影响,采用实时定量PCR法,分别对1～6月龄吐鲁番黑羊的腿肌和尾脂MSTN/Smad信号通路基因进行检测.结果表明：MSTN/Smad信号通路基因在腿肌和尾脂组织中均有表达,MSTN/Smad信号通路基因在吐鲁番黑羊不同生长阶段的腿肌和尾脂中的表达没有出现随月龄的增加而一直增加或下降的趋势.     

色氨酸对哺乳动物母-胎界面的免疫调节作用及其机制

近年来,一些研究发现氨基酸对提高母猪繁殖能力具有重要的作用.少量的体内和体外试验研究表明,色氨酸及其代谢物能够提高母猪繁殖能力,降低流产率.本文综述了色氨酸及其犬尿氨酸代谢对哺乳动物(主要是猪和鼠)母-胎界面免疫调节(或免疫耐受)的影响,以及色氨酸及其代谢物(如犬尿氨酸和3-羟基犬尿氨酸)对哺乳动物母-胎界面蜕膜自然杀伤(dNK)细胞、调节性T细胞(Treg)和17型辅助性T细胞(Th17)的调控作用以及可能的作用机制.     

Vaspin and insulin signaling pathways in obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome animal model

AIM: To establish a suitable chronic intermittent hypoxia (CIH) model in rats for modeling the obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS) and further to explore the relationship between vaspin and insulin signaling pathways at mRNA and protein levels. METHODS: Healthy male Wistar rats were divided into control group and CIH group. The rats in control group were raised under physiological condition, and the rats in CIH group were kept in the plexiglass chamber between 9:00~17:00 and underwent intermittent hypoxic challenge 8 h/d for 8 weeks. The blood pressure of arteria caudilis in the rats was measured by tail cannulation before and after study. Fasting plasma glucose (FPG), total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), fasting insulin (FINS), vaspin and adiponectin levels were measured. The mRNA expression of vaspin was detected by real-time PCR. The protein levels of vaspin, Akt and p-Akt were determined by Western blotting.RESULTS: Before the experiment, the weight and blood pressure of the rats had no significant difference, while after the experiment the blood pressure in CIH group was obviously higher than that in control group. FPG, FINS, TG and TC in CIH group were also markedly higher than those in control group (P<0.05). Serum vaspin concentration was significantly correlated with FPG, FINS, HOMA-IR and TC. The expression of vaspin at mRNA and protein levels in the fat tissue of CIH group was evidently higher than that in control group. The protein levels of p-Akt decreased distinctly in CIH group. CONCLUSION: The levels of FINS, HOMA-IR, SaO2 and vaspin were markedly higher than those in control group, indicating that there was a close relationship between vaspin and insulin resistance in OSAHS.     

miRNA-7 inhibits proliferation of human nasopharyngeal 5-8F carcinoma cells via EGFR/PI3K/Akt pathway

AIM:To investigate the relationship of microRNA-7 (miRNA-7) over-expression and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)/phosphatidylinositol kinase-3 (PI3K)/protein kinase B (PKB, also called Akt) pathway in human nasopharyngeal carcinoma 5-8F cells. METHODS:The 5-8F cells were transfected with miRNA-7 mimics (carrying by Lipofectamine 2000). The expression of miRNA-7 was detected by real-time PCR. The cell proliferation was analyzed by CCK-8 assay. The cell colony-forming capability was determined by cell colony formation test. The expression of EGFR/PI3K/Akt at mRNA and protein levels was examined by real-time PCR and Western blotting. RESULTS:The expression level of miRNA-7 was significantly increased in 5-8F cells compared with negative control (NC) group and control group (P<0.01). The proliferation of NPC 5-8F cells was decreased extremely after tansfected with the miRNA-7 mimics (P<0.01), so did the result of the cell colony-formation test. The expression of EGFR/PI3K/Akt at mRNA and protein levels was significantly down-regulated compared with NC group and control group (P<0.01). CONCLUSION: Over-expression of miRNA-7 significantly inhibits the proliferation and colony-forming ability of nasopharyngeal carcinoma 5-8F cells by down-regulation of EGFR/PI3K/Akt pathway.     

Resveratrol inhibits chondrosarcoma via mitochondrial and PI3K/Akt signaling pathways

AIM：To investigate the inhibitory effects of resveratrol on chondrosarcoma and the relation with mitochondrial and PI3K/Akt pathways. METHODS：Chondrosarcoma SW1353 cells were treated with resveratrol at concentrations of 25, 50 and 100 μmol/L for the time intervals of 24 h, 48 h and 72 h. The viability and apoptosis of the SW1353 cells in the presence or absence of resveratrol were analyzed by CCK8 assay and Hoechst 33258 staining, respectively. The protein levels of Bcl-2, Bax, activated caspase-3, Akt and p-Akt were detected by Western blotting. The cell migration ability was determined by wound scratch assay. RESULTS：Exposure of the cells to resveratrol resulted in a decrease in the cell viability in a dose- and time-dependent manner (P<0.05). visible nuclei with apoptotic characteristics in resveratrol group were observed. The protein levels of activated caspase-3 and Bax were increased, and Bcl-2 and p-Akt were decreased compared with control group. The total Akt were not significantly changed. Resveratrol also significantly reduced the migration of tumor cells. CONCLUSION：Resveratrol induces apoptosis of chondrosarcoma, which plays a role of part through mitochondrial and PI3K/Akt signaling pathways.