Apoptotic Activity of New Oxisterigmatocystin Derivatives from the Marine-Derived Fungus Aspergillus nomius NC06

Sponge-derived fungi have recently attracted attention as an important source of interesting bioactive compounds. Aspergillus nomius NC06 was isolated from the marine sponge Neopetrosia chaliniformis. This fungus was cultured on rice medium and yielded four compounds including three new oxisterigmatocystins, namely, J, K, and L (1, 2, and 3), and one known compound, aspergillicin A (4). Structures of the compounds were elucidated by 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopy and by high-resolution mass spectrometry. The isolated compounds were tested for cytotoxic activity against HT 29 colon cancer cells, where compounds 1, 2, and 4 exhibited IC₅₀ values of 6.28, 15.14, and 1.63 µM, respectively. Under the fluorescence microscope by using a double staining method, HT 29 cells were observed to be viable, apoptotic, and necrotic after treatment with the cytotoxic compounds 1, 2, and 4. The result shows that compounds 1 and 2 were able to induce apoptosis and cell death in HT 29 cells.     

Identification and characterization of Alix/AIP1 interacting proteins from the black tiger shrimp,Penaeus monodon

Apoptosis is proposed to be a major cause of death in shrimp viral infections. From our previous study, an apoptosis-related gene, Pm-Alix, was identified from the black tiger shrimp. Its expression was high in defence-related tissues including haemocytes and the lymphoid organ. To clarify its possible role in shrimp, we used Pm-Alix as bait in a yeast two-hybrid analysis to search for Alix interacting proteins in shrimp. Two cDNA sequences discovered had homology to a predicted ubiquitin C of the purple sea urchin, Strongylocentrotus purpuratus, and to a guanylyl cyclase of the red swamp crayfish, Procambarus clarkii. In vitro pull-down assays confirmed positive interaction between Pm-Alix and both proteins. Tissue distribution analysis revealed that Pm-Alix and the two binding partners were widely expressed in various tissues but more highly expressed in haemocytes. However, no significant positive or negative correlation was found in the expression of these genes as shrimp approached morbidity and death after challenge with white spot syndrome virus. Thus, the results suggested that Alix and its interacting partners did not play a direct role related to shrimp death.     

Identification of a cell-wall peptidase (NlpC/P60) from Nocardia seriolae which induces apoptosis in fathead minnow cells

Nocardia seriolae, a Gram-positive bacterium, is the main pathogen of fish nocardiosis. Protein NlpC/P60 is a cell-wall peptidase and a potential virulence factor of N. seriolae. Subcellular localization research revealed that both NlpC/P60-GFP and NlpC/P60Δsig-GFP fusion proteins were evenly distributed in the whole cell of fathead minnow (FHM) cells. Furthermore, typical apoptotic features, such as nuclear pyrosis and apoptotic bodies, were observed in the transfected FHM cells and grouper spleen cells by the overexpression of protein NlpC/P60. Then, quantitative assays of mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm) value, caspase-3 activity and apoptosis-related gene (Bax, BNIP3, TNF1 and TNF6) mRNA expression were conducted. The results showed that ΔΨm was decreased, caspase-3 was significantly activated, and the mRNA expression of pro-apoptotic genes (Bax and BNIP3) and tumour necrosis factors (TNF1 and TNF6) was up-regulated in NlpC/P60-overexpressed cells. Taken together, the results indicated that the protein NlpC/P60 of N. seriolae might involve in apoptosis regulation. This study may lay the foundation for further study on the function of N. seriolae NlpC/P60 and promote the understanding of the virulence factors and pathogenic mechanism of N. seriolae.     

Effects of dissolved oxygen on the growth performance,haematological parameters,antioxidant responses and apoptosis of juvenile GIFT (Oreochromis niloticus)

This study investigated the effects of different dissolved oxygen (DO) levels on the growth performance, antioxidant response and apoptosis of juvenile GIFT (genetically improved farmed tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus). GIFT were fed with five DO levels (1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 mg/L) for 60 days, and the results showed that the final body weight, weight gain rate, specific growth rate and crude protein and crude lipid contents of the fish muscle increased at 5 mg/L DO. The activities of the antioxidant and digestive enzymes were significantly up‐regulated with increasing DO levels. However, the haemoglobin content, number of red blood cells, malondialdehyde content, transaminase activities, glucose content and lactic acid levels decreased at higher DO levels. Furthermore, the cardiomyocyte apoptotic index was significantly decreased with increasing DO levels. Our results show that 5 mg/L DO improved growth performance, promoted antioxidant enzyme activities and reduced liver damage in GIFT.     

Identification of a mitochondrial‐targeting secretory protein from Nocardia seriolae which induces apoptosis in fathead minnow cells

Nocardia seriolae is the main pathogen responsible for fish nocardiosis. A mitochondrial‐targeting secretory protein (MTSP) 3141 with an N‐terminal transit peptide (TP) from N. seriolae was predicted by bioinformatic analysis based on the genomic sequence of the N. seriolae strain ZJ0503. However, the function of the MTSP3141 and its homologs remains totally unknown. In this study, mass spectrometry analysis of the extracellular products from N. seriolae proved that MTSP3141 was a secretory protein, subcellular localization research showed the MTSP3141‐GFP fusion protein co‐localized with mitochondria in fathead minnow (FHM) cells, the TP played an important role in mitochondria targeting, and only the TP located at N‐terminus but not C‐terminus can lead to mitochondria directing. Moreover, quantitative assays of mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm) value, caspase‐3 activity and apoptosis‐related gene (Bcl‐2, Bax, Bad, Bid and p53) mRNA expression suggested that cell apoptosis was induced in FHM cells by the overexpression of both MTSP3141 and MTSP3141ΔTP (with the N‐terminal TP deleted) proteins. Taken together, the results of this study indicated that the MTSP3141 of N. seriolae was a secretory protein, might target mitochondria, induce apoptosis in host cells and function as a virulence factor.     

褪黑激素对长毛兔毛囊细胞凋亡的影响

为研究褪黑激素对皖系长毛兔毛囊细胞凋亡的影响及相关机制,选择60只皖系长毛兔,随机均分成4组,1组不埋植褪黑激素(对照),另3组每只兔按25 mg(低剂量组)、40 mg(中剂量组)和55 mg(高剂量组)分别埋植褪黑激素,饲养70 d后,进行组织病理学观察和RNA的转录组高通量测序及q PCR表达分析。结果表明:通过组织切片观察,证实55 mg褪黑激素处理能有效抑制毛囊细胞凋亡,维持细胞正常形态;通过对高剂量组和对照组测序,得到25个差异表达基因,其中有14个基因上调,11个基因下调,涉及通路包括嗜T细胞病毒感染、坏死性凋亡、甲状腺癌、铁死亡、I型糖尿病和胰岛素信号通路,其中坏死性凋亡、铁死亡通路与长毛兔毛囊凋亡相关;选取4个与凋亡相关的差异表达基因进行荧光定量验证,得到新基因MSTRG.3561表达显著上调,SLC25A5表达下调,但差异无统计学意义。     

钌配合物[Ru(MeIm)4(4mopip]2+急定G-四链体对抑制肺癌细胞生长机制的研究

制备一种新型钌配合物[Ru(MeI m)_4(4mopip)]~(2+)(RuM e Mo),运用元素分析(C、H、N)、电喷雾电离质谱(ESI-MS)、核磁共振谱(~1H NMR)对Ru Me Mo进行了结构表征。紫外光谱、热变性试验和圆二色光谱研究RuM e Mo与F21T的分子作用机制,发现其能诱导线性G-四链体DNA形成混合型结构并能有效稳定G-四链体。MTT法评估RuM e Mo对癌细胞的抑制作用及其对正常细胞的毒性,发现其对肺癌细胞(A549)表现出高选择的抑制作用,而对正常人类肺原胚细胞(CDDP)则表现出较低的细胞毒性。本研究结果表明,RuM e Mo因其稳定G-四链体DNA的能力,从而有被运用于肺癌治疗的潜质。     

丹龙醒脑方对脑缺血再灌注大鼠半暗带区神经细胞凋亡与即早基因表达的影响

目的 探讨丹龙醒脑方对局灶性脑缺血再灌注大鼠大脑皮质半暗带（ischemic penumbya,IP）区神经细胞凋亡与即早基因c-fos、c-jun、c-myc表达的关系。方法 将48只雄性SD大鼠随机均分为假手术组,脑缺血再灌注（模型）组,尼莫地平组及丹龙醒脑方小、中、大剂量组（丹小组、丹中组、丹大组）。后五组用线栓法制备大脑中动脉栓塞再灌注（MCAO/R）模型,再灌注24 h进行神经功能缺损评分后,取缺血侧大脑皮质,采用原位末端标记法（TUNEL）检测凋亡的神经细胞,免疫组化法分别检测c-fos、c-jun、c-myc蛋白。结果 与假手术组比较,其余各组的神经功能缺损评分、神经细胞凋亡指数（AI）及c-fos、c-jun、c-myc蛋白的积分光密度（IOD）值均升高,差异有统计学意义（P < 0.05,P < 0.01）;与模型组比较,尼莫地平组和丹龙醒脑方各剂量组的神经功能缺损评分、神经细胞AI及c-fos、c-jun、c-myc蛋白的IOD值均减小,差异有统计学意义（P < 0.05,P < 0.01）;尼莫地平组、丹龙醒脑方各剂量组组间比较,各指标差异均无统计学意义（P>0.05）。结论 丹龙醒脑方能显著降低脑缺血后神经功能缺损和减少神经细胞凋亡,其机制可能与下调即早基因c-fos、c-jun和c-myc的表达有关。     

Fucoxanthin and Its Metabolite Fucoxanthinol in Cancer Prevention and Treatment

Fucoxanthin is a carotenoid present in the chloroplasts of brown seaweeds. When ingested, it is metabolized mainly to fucoxanthinol by digestive enzymes of the gastrointestinal tract. These compounds have been shown to have many beneficial health effects, including anti-mutagenic, anti-diabetic, anti-obesity, anti-inflammatory and anti-neoplastic actions. In every cancer tested, modulatory actions of fucoxanthinol on viability, cell-cycle arrest, apoptosis and members of the NF-κB pathway were more pronounced than that of fucoxanthin. Anti-proliferative and cancer preventing influences of fucoxanthin and fucoxanthinol are mediated through different signalling pathways, including the caspases, Bcl-2 proteins, MAPK, PI3K/Akt, JAK/STAT, AP-1, GADD45, and several other molecules that are involved in cell cycle arrest, apoptosis, anti-angiogenesis or inhibition of metastasis. In this review, we address the mechanisms of action of fucoxanthin and fucoxanthinol according to different types of cancers. Current findings suggest that these compounds could be effective for treatment and/or prevention of cancer development and aggressiveness.