Development of partial denitrification process in upflow-anaerobic sludge blanket and effect of electric field on partial denitrification performance.

Partial denitrification (PD) is an alternative to providing NO2- for the anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox) process. In this study, three upflow anaerobic sludge blankets (UASB) were used to investigate the effect of an external electric field on PD performance. The results indicated that the maximum nitrite transformation ratio (NTR) reached 76.3 %, with an average NTR of 54.1 %, in the presence of external electric field, whereas the average NTR of the control was only 49.8 %. The fitted maximum specific nitrate reduction rates of PD1, PD2, and PD3 were 83.7, 90.5, and 92.3 mg N g-1VSS h-1, respectively, according to the Haldane model analysis. Microbial community analysis demonstrated that the abundance of Thauera, Comamonas, and Accumulibacter increased with electric assistance. In summary, UASB reactor with electrodes set in the upper region was most feasible for the stable PD process, providing an alternative for developing a coupled PD-anammox process.

Omics for understanding the tolerant mechanism of Trichoderma asperellum TJ01 to organophosphorus pesticide dichlorvos.

BACKGROUD: Though it is toxic to humans, dichlorvos is a widely used chemical pesticide and plays an important role in the control of plant pests. The application of a combination of the biocontrol agent Trichoderma with dichlorvos may reduce the need for chemical pesticides. Therefore, revealing the specific molecular mechanism of Trichoderma tolerance to dichlorvos has become particularly important. RESULTS: In this study, using transcriptome and metabolome analyses, changes in primary and secondary metabolisms in Trichoderma asperellum TJ01 were comprehensively studied in the presence of dichlorvos. A novel C2H2 zinc finger protein gene, zinc finger chimera 1 (zfc1), was discovered to be upregulated, along with a large number of oxidoreductase genes and ABC transporter genes under dichlorvos stress. In addition, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-TOF-MS), and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-QQQ-MS) data revealed the global primary and secondary metabolic changes that occur in T. asperellum TJ01 under dichlorvos stress. CONCLUSIONS: The tolerance mechanism of T. asperellum TJ01 to dichlorvos was proposed. In addition, the absorption and residue of dichlorvos were analyzed, laying the foundation for elucidation of the mechanism by which T. asperellum TJ01 degrades pesticide residues.

Study of Trichostation A-Induced Expression of Costimulatory Molecules CD80 and CD86 in Acute Myelocytic Leukemia Cells.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the trichostain A (TSA)-induced expression of costinmulatory molecules CD80 and CD86 in HL-60, K562 and mononuclear cells (MNC) of bone marrow in AML patients and its clinical significance. METHODS: The TSA-induced expression of costimulatory molecules CD80, CD86 in HL-60, K562 and BMMNC, and the cell viability were detected by flow cytometry; the mRNA expression of CD80 and CD86 was detected by RT-PCR; after the TSA-induced HL-60 cells and K562 cells were irradiated with 75 Gy, the effect of these cells on proliferation of PBMNC from healthy volunteers was determined with CCK-8 method. RESULTS: The HL-60 cells and BMMNC in AML patients expressed CD86, not expressed CD80, while the K562 cells not expressed CD86 and CD80. TSA could up-regulate the expression of CD86 in HL-60 cells and BMMNC of AML patients. The TSA-induced HL-60 cells expressing costimulatory molecule CD86 showed the proliferative effect on BMMNC from healthy volunteers. CONCLUSION: The TSA can induce the expression of costimulatory molecule CD86 in HL-60 cells and BMMNC in AML patients, and can improve the proliferation of PBMNC in healthy volunteers.

Expression of costimulatory molecule CD86 in HL-60 cells induced by MG132 and its effect on allogeneic mixed lymphocyte reaction.

This study was aimed to elucidate the expression of costimulatory molecule CD80 and CD86 in HL-60 cells induced by proteasome inhibitor MG132 and its effect on allogeneic mixed lymphocyte reaction. Acute myelocytic leukemia cell line HL-60 and chronic myelocytic leukemia cell line K562 were cultured. The viability of the cells was measured by flow cytometry. Proteasome inhibitor MG132 at the concentrations of 2 or 3 µmol/L was used to stimulate the HL-60 cell cultured for 24 h and 48 h respectively, and the Annexin V/7-AAD staining and flow cytomotry were used to detect the apoptosis of the HL-60 cells. HL-60 and K562 cells were treated with 1 µmol/L MG132 for 24 h and 48 h respectively, then CD80 and CD86 antibodies were added, finally the expression of CD80 and CD86 was analysed by flow cytomery. The mRNA expression of CD86 in the HL-60 cells treated with 1 µmol/L MG132 was detected by RT-PCR. HL-60 and K562 cells were treated by 1 µmol/L MG132 and then underwent irradiation of 75 Gy (60)Co to kill the cells with their antigenicity preserved. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMNCs) of healthy volunteers, as reactive cells, were isolated and inoculated into the (60)Co irradiated HL-60 cells of different concentrations, as stimulating cells, CCK-8 was added and then the A value of absorbance was measured at the wave length of 450 nm in an enzyme labeling instrument. The results showed that the cell viability of the HL-60 cells treated with 1 µmol/L MG132 for 24 h an d 48 h was 92.95% and 85.87% respectively. The apoptotic rates of the HL-60 cells treated with MG132 increased in dose-and time-dependent manner. High-concentration of MG132 directly killed HL-60 cells. Before MG132 treatment K562 cells did not express CD86, but the CD86 expression of the HL-60 cells was up-regulated time-dependently after MG132 treatment (P < 0.01). The mRNA expression of CD86 in the HL-60 treated with MG132 was up-regulated time-dependently (P < 0.01). CCK-8 test showed that the proliferation level of PBMNC gradually increased along with the concentration of HL-60 cells treated with MG132 and reached its peak when the concentration of the HL-60 cells was 1×10(5) (P < 0.01). No remarkable proliferation of PBMNC was observed in the K562 groups no matter if the HL-60 cells had been treated with MG132. It is concluded that the high concentration of MG132 can directly kill HL-60 cells, low-concentration of MG132 can induce the expression of costimulatory molecule CD86 in HL-60 cells, also can improve the proliferation of PBMNC.

[Mechanism of HL-60 cells apoptosis induced by proteasome inhibitor MG132].

The purpose of this study was to elucidate the apoptosis, apoptotic pathway of HL-60 cells induced by proteasome inhibitor MG132 and its effect on allogeneic mixed lymphocyte reaction. Apoptosis of HL-60 cells was detected by flow cytometry, the expression of P21, P27 and P53 proteins in HL-60 cells treated with MG132 was assayed by Western blot. The HL-60 cells were treated with 1 µmol/L MG132 for 48 h, and irradiated by 75 Gy of (60)Co γ-ray, but their antigenicity was preserved. The effect of irradiated HL-60 cells treated with MG132 on proliferation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMNC) was measured by CCK-8 method. The results showed that the apoptotic rate of MG132-treated HL-60 cells increased in dose-and time-dependent manner. No significant changes in MG132-induced apoptosis were observed after inhibiting caspase-8 and caspase-9 pathway. The expression of P21 and P27 protein increased after treatment of HL-60 cells with MG132. CCK-8 test showed that HL-60 cells induced with low-dose of MG132 displayed the enhancing effect on proliferation of PBMNC. It is concluded that high dose of MG132 can induce the apoptosis of HL-60 cells, and has direct killing effect on HL-60 cells, but this inducing apoptotic effect on HL-60 cells can not be realized through caspase-8 and caspase-9 pathway. The P21 and P27 protein may be involved in MG132 induced HL-60 cell apoptosis. Low dose of MG132 promotes the proliferation of PBMNC in healthy individuals and enhance the immunity of organism.

Expression of resistin protein in normal human subcutaneous adipose tissue and pregnant women subcutaneous adipose tissue and placenta.

The expression of resistin protein in normal human abdominal, thigh, pregnant women abdominal, non-pregnant women abdominal subcutaneous adipose tissue and placenta and the relationship between obesity, type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), pregnant physiological insulin resistance (IR) and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) was investigated. The expression of resistin protein in normal human abdominal, thigh, pregnant women abdominal, non-pregnant women abdominal subcutaneous adipose tissue and placenta was detected by using Western blotting method. Fasting serum glucose concentration was measured by glucose oxidase assay. Serum cholesterol (CHOL), serum triglycerides (TG), serum HDL cholesterol (HDL-C) and serum LDL cholesterol (LDL-C) were determined by full automatic biochemical instrument. Fasting insulin was measured by enzyme immunoassay to calculate insulin resistance index (IRI). Height, weight, systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) were measured to calculate body mass index (BMI) and body fat percentage (BF %). Resistin protein expression in pregnant women placental tissue (67 905 +/- 8441) (arbitrary A values) was much higher than that in subcutaneous adipose tissue in pregnant women abdomen (40 718 +/- 3818, P < 0.01), non-pregnant women abdomen (38 288 +/- 2084, P < 0.01), normal human abdomen (39 421 +/- 6087, P < 0.01) and thigh (14 942 +/- 6706, P < 0.001) respectively. The resistin expression in abdominal subcutaneous adipose tissue showed no significant difference among pregnant, non-pregnant women and normal human, but much higher than that in thigh subcutaneous adipose tissue (P < 0.001). Pearson analysis revealed that resistin protein was correlated with BMI (r = 0.42), fasting insulin concentration (r = 0.38), IRI (r = 0.34), BF % (r = 0.43) and fasting glucose (r = 0.39), but not with blood pressure, CHOL, TG, HDL-C and LDL-C. It was suggested that resistin protein expression in human abdominal subcutaneous adipose tissue was much higher than that in human thigh subcutaneous adipose tissue. Resistin was closely related with central obesity, leading to IR, subsequently obesity and T2DM. Resistin protein expression in placental tissue was much higher than that in subcutaneous adipose tissue in normal human abdomen, pregnant abdomen, non-pregnant women abdomen and thigh. It was indicated that resistin protein could be secreted from human placental tissue. Resistin might be one of the factors that lead to pregnant physiological IR and GDM.