Function of peritoneal mesothelial cells on the microenvironment by administration of endometrial cells

AIM: To determine the function of peritoneal mesothelial cells on the inflammatory microenvironment by administration of endometrial cells,and further define the pathogenesis of endometriosis.METHODS: Homogenous mouse endometrial epithelial and stromal cells were injected into the peritoneal cavities of Swiss Webster mice.After 4,24,and 72 h,a number of endpoints evaluated: protein concentrations of cytokine MCP-1,IL-1 α,IL-6 in peritoneal lavage and gene expressions of MCP-1,IL-1 α,IL-6 in peritoneal mesothelial cells and macrophages.RESULTS: The intraperitoneal administration of endometrial cells increased the protein expressions of cytokines in the peritoneal lavage of the recipient mice,which increased at 4-hour points and subsequently decreased with time.Gene expressions of cytokines in peritoneal mesothelial cells paralleled with the protein quantities in peritoneal lavage.The peak time of gene expression of cytokines in peritoneal macrophages was at the 24-hour point.The endometrial epithelial cells stimulated stronger inflammatory responses in the peritoneal cavity than the endometrial stromal cells.CONCLUSION: The recipient mice have a non-specific inflammatory response to the presence of endometrial cells in the peritoneal cavity.Mesothelial cells may be the targets of early inflammatory stress initiated in the presence of endometrial cells.     

Overexpressed human FAT10 protein induces the apoptosis in the starved HEK293 cells

AIM: To study the effect of human FAT10 on the apopotosis of HEK293 cells using flag-tagged human FAT10 protein.METHODS: The fragment of FAT10 gene was cloned into the pcDNA3-flag vector,which was identified by PCR,enzyme digestion and sequencing.The reconstructed plasmids were transfected into HEK293 cells.The expression of introduced FAT10 in the normal cultured and starved cells was detected respectively by Western blotting.XTT assay and DNA ladder method were used to analyze the effect of FAT10 on the apoptosis of starved HEK293 cells.RESULTS: The reconstructed plasmids were highly expressed in HEK293 cells with different expression mode at the mormal cultured and starved state.The livability of starved FAT10 overexpressed HEK293 cells was significantly lower than that of normal cultured cells.DNA ladder was observed in the starved FAT10 overexpressed cells,but not in the normal cultured cells.CONCLUSION: The eukaryotic expressed plasmids of flag-tagged FAT10 were constructed successfully,and highly expressed in HEK293.Overexpressed FAT10 enhances the apoptosis in the starved HEK293 cells.     

Role of PARP in endothelial cell apoptosis induced by angiotensin Ⅱ

AIM: To explore the role of poly-(ADP-ribose)polymerase (PARP) in the cultured endothelial cell apoptosis induced by angiotensin Ⅱ.METHODS: The cultured endothelial cells were treated with angiotensin Ⅱ at concentration of 1 μmol/L.The apoptosis of endothelial cells was assessed by TUNEL.Meanwhile,the activity of PARP and the content of nitric oxide (NO) were also measured.RESULTS: Angiotensin Ⅱ induced apoptosis in endothelial cells in a time-dependent manner.The content of NO begun to increase at 6 h (P<0.05),and peaked at 24 h.The activity of PARP also increased at 6 h (P<0.05),peaked at 12 h,and was lower than that in the control at 48 h (P<0.05).CONCLUSION: The cytotoxicity of NO has a relevant role in apoptosis of endothelial cells induced by angiotensin Ⅱ,and can increases the activity of PARP.     

Effect of different PRA serum levels from patients with β-thalassemia on the proliferation and differentiation potential of the hematopoietic stem cells /progenitor cells of cord blood

AIM: To probe the effect of different panel reactive antibody(PRA) serum levels from patients with β-thalassemia on the proliferation and differentiation potential of the hematopoietic stem /progenitor cell of cord blood.METHODS: 1×105 mononuclear cells (MNCs) isolated from umbilical cord blood were incubated with different PRA serum levels (0 μL,50 μL,100 μL) respectively and complement,inoculated into the methylcellulose cultural system.The proliferation and differentiation potential of the hematopoietic stem /progenitor cell of cord blood by the colony formation assay were detected on day 7 and day 14,respectively.RESULTS: After culture of 7 days,the total colonies and CFU-GM were 88.20±9.41,79.00±11.39 in group A and 88.60±9.12,79.20±10.44 in group B,which were significantly higher than those of 20.60±7.39,15.20±4.66 in group C and those of 4.00±2.05,1.40±0.51 in group D (P<0.01).Meanwhile compared with group A and group E,no significant difference was found (P>0.05).After culture for 14 days,the total colonies and CFU-GM were 216.00±31.10,117.40±24.80 in group A and 213.20±31.06,116.00±19.75 in group B,which were significantly higher than those of 97.80±14.43,32.80±8.10 in group C and those of 31.40±13.41,8.40±4.30 in group D (P<0.01).The CFU-GEMMs were 45.60±8.51 in group A and 42.60±7.03 in group B,which were significantly higher than those of 20.80±6.96 in group C and those of 7.80±6.06 in group D (P<0.05).The BFU-MK was 12.80±4.42 in group A and 11.00±2.74 in group B respectively,which were significantly higher than that of 1.00±0.55 in group D (P<0.05).The CFU-E in group B 17.20±4.03 was significantly higher than that of 5.60±2.87 in group D (P<0.05).Meanwhile compared with group A and group E,no significant difference was found (P>0.05).By the Kendall test,there were negative correlations between the level of PRA serum and the total colonies,CFU-GM on day 7,the total colonies,CFU-GM,CFU-GEMM,BFU-E,BFU-MK on day 14 (tau-b=-0.793,-0.849,-0.808,-0.804,-0.645,-0.674,-0.624,P<0.01).There was a negative correlation between the level of PRA serum and CFU-MK on day 14 (tau-b=-0.466，P<0.05).CONCLUSION: PRA sera inhibit the colony in the colony cultures of the hematopoietic stem cells/progenitor cells in cord blood.The inhibition depends on the level of PRA sera.The higher the level of PRA sera,the stronger the inhibition is observed in our study.     

Effect of extracellular HSP70/HSP70-PCs on epithelial-mesenchymal transition of human hepatocellular carcinoma HepG2 cells

AIM：To investigate the effect of extracellular heat-shock protein 70 (HSP70)/HSP70-peptide complexes (HSP70-PCs) on epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of human hepatocellular carcinoma HepG2 cells and its probable mechanism. METHODS：HepG2 cells were divided into 3 groups: control group, HSP70/HSP70-PCs (2 mg/L) group and LY294002+HSP70/HSP70-PCs group. The mRNA and protein expression of epithelial cell surface marker E-cadherin, mesenchymal cell surface marker α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) and hypoxia-inducible factor 1α (HIF-1α) was examined by real-time RT-PCR and Western blotting. RESULTS：Extracellular HSP70/HSP70-PCs promoted the initiation of EMT of HepG2 cells. The expression of HIF-1α and PI3K significantly increased in the process of EMT of HepG2 cells. After PI3K was blocked by LY294002, EMT did not occur and HIF-1α was not up-regulated in HepG2 cells. CONCLUSION：Extracellular HSP70/HSP70-PCs may promote EMT of hepatocellular carcinoma cells via PI3K/HIF-1α signaling pathway.     

Effects of carvedilol on RyR2-mediated spontaneous calcium oscillation

AIM：To investigate the effects of carvedilol and other β-blockers on ryanodine receptor 2(RyR2)-mediated spontaneous calcium oscillation.
METHODS：HEK293 cells, which steadily and inducibly expressed RyR2, were generated using the Flp-In T-REx Core Kit. Single rat ventricular myocyte was isolated by the method of collagenase. The extracellular Ca2+ concentration was increased step by step to induce calcium oscillation. Single cell calcium imaging was used to test the effects of carvedilol and other β-blockers on RyR2-mediated spontaneous cal-cium oscillation in cardiac cells and HEK293 cells. RESULTS：Carvedilol at concentration of 30 μmol/L obviously suppressed the spontaneous cal-cium oscillation in cardiac cells and HEK293 cells expressing RyR2. The inhibitory rate was (6530±230)% and (6908±530)%, respectively. Metoprolol and other β-blockers had no effects on spontaneous calcium oscillation in cardiac cells and HEK293 cells. CONCLUSION：Carvedilol is the only β-blocker that suppresses RyR2-mediated spontaneous calcium oscillation. This may be one of the mechanisms that carvedilol is better than other β-blockers in reducing the mortality of heart failure.     

Effects of marrow stromal cell-mediated microenvironment on human hepatocellular carcinoma cell line SMMC-7721

AIM: To investigate the effects of marrow stromal HS-5 cells on hepatocellular carcinoma SMMC-7721 cells in the tumor microenvironment. METHODS: The effects of HS-5 cell-conditioned medium (HS-5-CM) on the proliferation, migration and invasion abilities of SMMC-7721 cells were detected by MTT, wound-healing and Transwell assays. After co-culture of SMMC-7721 cells with HS-5 cells in the Transwell chamber, the expression of chemokine CCL5 and its receptor CCR5 at mRNA and protein levels in SMMC-7721 cells was examined by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR), ELISA or Western blotting. Akt and p-Akt473 protein levels in SMMC-7721 cells treated with PI3K inhibitor LY294002 were observed by Western blotting. RESULTS: HS-5-CM promoted the proliferation, migration and invasion abilities of SMMC-7721 cells. The expression of CCL5 and CCR5 at mRNA and protein levels in SMMC-7721 cells was increased after co-cultured with HS-5 cells. PI3K inhibitor LY294002 inhibited the activation of PI3K-Akt signaling pathway and the secretion of CCL5 in SMMC-7721 cells after co-cultured with HS-5 cells. CONCLUSION: HS-5 cells significantly promote the proliferation, migration and invasion abilities of SMMC-7721 cells. Co-culture of SMMC-7721 cells with HS-5 cells activates PI3K-Akt signaling pathway to increase the secretion of CCL5 in SMMC-7721 cells.     

Biological characteristics of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells from GFP transgenic mice transfected with human β-nerve growth factor gene

AIM:To investigate the changes of biological characteristics of GFP transgenic mouse bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), which were transfected with human β-nerve growth factor (β-NGF) gene in a recombinant eukaryotic expression vector. METHODS:MSCs obtained from GFP transgenic mice were isolated, cultured and purified by the whole bone marrow adherence methods. Human β-NGF gene was transfected into the MSCs by a recombinant eukaryotic expression vector. The β-NGF expression in the MSCs was detected by the method of immunocytochemistry. Hippocampal neurons from neonatal mice were cultured with culture supernatant of the MSCs transfected with pcDNA3-β-NGF and the biological characteristics of the MSCs were investigated 3 d after culture under inverted phase-contrast microscope. RESULTS:The β-NGF positive rate of MSCs in pcDNA3-β-NGF transfection group ［(37.12±2.14)%］ was significantly higher than that in MSCs control group ［(2.36±0.62)%］ and blank control group ［(1.43±0.76)%］.The neurite length of neonatal mouse hippocampal neurons cultured with culture supernatant from pcDNA3-β-NGF-transfected MSCs ［(31±3)μm］ was significantly longer than that in negative control group ［(23±4)μm］, suggesting that MSCs transfected with β-NGF gene maintained better biological characteristics. CONCLUSION: The constructed recombinant eukaryotic expression vector of human β-NGF gene can be transfected into MSCs efficiently and NGF can be effectively expressed in MSCs. MSCs transfected with β-NGF gene are capable of stable expression and secretion of β-NGF, and maintenance of better biological characteristics.     

A model of necroptosis in human renal tubular epithelial cells

AIM:To make a model of necroptosis in human renal tubular epithelial HK-2 cells. METHODS:To induce necroptosis, HK-2 cells were treated with tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) followed by ATP depletion, and benzyloxycarbonyl-Val-Ala-Asp-fluoromethylketone (zVAD-fmk) was added to block the activity of caspase-8. The morphological changes of the cells were observed under light microscope and electronic microscope.The cell viability was detected by CCK-8 assay, and the marker of necroptosis was analyzed by Western blotting. RESULTS:In the cells treated with TNF-α followed by zVAD-fmk and antimycin A for 1 h, the morphological changes including the cell and organelle inflation, and membrane fragmentation, with a large amount of autophagysome, were observed.However, these abnormalities were markedly attenuated after treatment with Nec-1. Meanwhile, the cell viability was also significantly improved after using Nec-1. No similar variation was observed in other groups. In addition, the expression of LC3-II was significantly decreased in Nec-1+TNF-α+zVAD-fmk+ antimycin A (1 h) group compared with control group. CONCLUSION: TNF-α stimulation and energy depletion induce necroptosis in renal tubular epithelial cells.Nec-1 inhibits necroptosis in a caspase-independent pathway, and may have therapeutic potential to prevent and treat renal ischemia injury.