Autophagy protects chondrocytes from glucocorticoids-induced apoptosis via ROS/Akt/FOXO3 signaling.

OBJECTIVE: Glucocorticoids (GCs) have been widely used in the management of osteoarthritis (OA) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Nevertheless, there has been some concern about their ability of increasing reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the cartilage. Forkhead-box class O (FOXO) transcription factors have been proved to have a protective role in chondrocytes through regulation of autophagy and defending oxidative stress. The objective of this study was to investigate the role of FOXO3 in Dex-induce up-regulation of ROS. DESIGN: Healthy cartilages debris from six patients were used for chondrocytes culture. After the treatment of dexamethasone (Dex), the ROS levels, autophagic flux, the expression of FOXO3 in chondrocytes were measured. RNA interference technique was also used to determine the role of FOXO3 in Dex-induced autophagy. The metabolism of the extra-cellular matrix was also investigated. THE RESULTS: Dex increased intracellular ROS level, the expression of Akt, FOXO3 as well as autophagy flux in human chondrocytes. The expression of aggrecanases also increased after the treatment of Dex. Catalase, the ROS scavenger, suppressed Dex-induced up-regulation of autophagy flux and expression of aggrecanases and Akt. MK-2206 and LY294002, the PI3K/Akt inhibitors, repressed Dex-induced up-regulation of FOXO3. Silencing FOXO3 resulted in down-regulation of Dex-induced autophagy. Moreover, knockdown of FOXO3 increased Dex-induced apoptosis as well as ROS levels in chondrocytes. In addition, up-regulation of autophagy by Rapamycin resulted in decreasing ROS level in chondrocytes. CONCLUSION: Dex could advance the degenerative process in cartilage. Autophagy was induced in response to Dex-induced up-regulation of ROS via ROS/Akt/FOXO3 signal pathway.

BRIP1 variations analysis reveals their relative importance as genetic susceptibility factor for cervical cancer.

To evaluate the association between gene variations in BRIP1 (BRCA1-interacting protein 1) and the risk of cervical cancer, we examined eight single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs: rs2048718, rs12937080, rs4988344, rs6504074, rs4988345, rs4986764, rs4986763, and rs11079454) in the BRIP1 gene in cervical tissue from a Chinese population using the MassARRAY system. The participants enrolled included 454 cervical cancer patients and 562 healthy controls. Quantitative real-time reverse transcription PCR (qRT-PCR) was performed to examine the potential correlation between functional BRIP1 SNP genotypes and mRNA levels in cervical cancer tissues. Our results first showed that rs4986764, located in exon 18 in the BRIP1 gene, was significantly associated with cervical cancer (χ(2)=11.191, P=0.001, odds ratio (OR)=1.384, 95% confidence interval (CI)=1.144-1.675). Another significant association was observed for rs4986763 located in exon 20 in BRIP1 (χ(2)=4.988, P=0.026, OR=1.241, 95% CI=1.027-1.500). Strong linkage disequilibrium was observed in the rs11079454-rs4986763-rs4986764 SNP block (D'>0.9). The frequencies of haplotype T-T-T are higher in controls than in these patients (P=2.01E-5). Moreover, cervical cancer tissues with a homozygous C/C genotype for rs4986764 had the lowest level of BRIP1, which was 2.8 and 2.9-fold lower than the C/T heterozygote and the T/T homozygote, respectively. These findings indicate a role for BRIP1 gene variations in cervical cancer and may be informative for future genetic or biological studies on cervical cancer.

Stochastic analysis of time-delayed ecosystems.

The predator-prey-type ecosystem is investigated, taking into account the time-delay effect of the prey population on the predator population, as well as random variations in the birth rate of the prey and the death rate of the predators. The stochastic averaging procedure is applied to obtain the probability distributions of the predator and prey populations at the state of statistical stationarity. It is found that two system parameters, quantifying the effects of prey self-competition and the time delay, respectively, play the most important roles. Results are also obtained from Monte Carlo simulations to compare with the analytical results.

Megaplasmid and chromosomal loci for the PHB degradation pathway in Rhizobium (Sinorhizobium) meliloti.

Chromosomal and megaplasmid loci that affect the poly-3-hydroxybutyrate (PHB) degradation pathway in Rhizobium meliloti were identified. A clone that restores the ability of certain R. meliloti mutants with defined deletions in megaplasmid pRmeSU47b to use 3-hydroxybutyrate or acetoacetate as the sole carbon source was isolated from a cosmid library of R. meliloti genomic DNA. Tn5 insertion mutagenesis, followed by merodiploid complementation analysis, demonstrated that the locus consists of at least four transcriptional units, bhbA-D. We also identified loci involved in 3-hydroxybutyrate and/or acetoacetate utilization by screening for mutants that had lost the ability to use 3-hydroxybutyrate as the sole carbon source while retaining the ability to use acetate (thus ensuring an intact glyoxylate cycle and gluconeogenic pathway). These mutants fell into four classes, as determined by replicon mobilization experiments and genetic linkage in phage transduction; one class corresponded to the bhb locus on pRmeSU47b, two classes mapped to different regions on the chromosome and the fourth, bdhA, represented by a single mutant, mapped to another pRmeSU47b locus, near bacA. The bdhA mutant is deficient in 3-hydroxybutrate dehydrogenase activity.

Analysis of the 5' flanking sequence of the human norepinephrine transporter gene.

The human norepinephrine transporter (NET) gene was cloned and structurally analyzed. The far 5' fragment containing exon 1 (a non-coding exon) and exon 2 was sequenced. The transcription start site of the gene in human brain stem tissue was determined by primer extension analysis. It was found that the gene could be transcribed from multiple starting points. The 5' flanking sequence contains a proximal G-C rich region, one possible GSG element and several SP1 sites. However it does not contain TATA box and CAAT box motifs. Gel shift analysis with nuclear extracts from different tissues of mouse shows that the G-C rich region may be involved in tissue specific expression of the gene.

Nuclear proteins from liver and kidney bind a 37 bp sequence in the 5' upstream region of the mGAT1 gene.

The mouse GABA transporter (mGAT1) gene has been shown to be exclusively expressed in brain by Northern and Western blot analyses. The interactions between the 5' flanking region of the mGAT1 gene and nuclear proteins from different mouse tissues were studied by means of gel-shift assay. Our results show that nuclear protein factors from non-nervous tissues can specifically recognize a 37 bp sequence that is conserved in the 5' flanking region between the human and mouse GAT1 genes. Similar nuclear protein factors were also found to exist in rat, rabbit and pig.

Stochastic analysis of the Lotka-Volterra model for ecosystems.

A stochastic Lotka-Volterra-type model for the interaction between the preys and the predators in a random environment is investigated. A self-competition mechanism within the prey population itself is also included. The effect of a random environment is modeled as random variations in the birth rate of the preys and the death rate of the predators. The stochastic averaging procedure of Stratonovich and Khasminskii is applied to obtain the probability distributions of the system state variables at the state of statistical stationarity. Asymptotic behaviors of the system variables are discussed, and the mean transition time from an initial state to a critical state is obtained. Effects on the ecosystem behaviors of the self-competition term, of the random variation in the prey birth rate, and of the random variation in the predator death rate are investigated.

Transient behavior of particle transport in a Brownian motor.

The transient behavior of a Brownian motor is investigated for more detailed particle transport occurring therein. The asymmetric nature of the time-dependent mean particle velocity is examined during the transition between two different levels of thermal noise. The possibility of current inversion is also investigated. It is found that the detailed shape of the asymmetric potential is crucial for such an inversion to occur.

First evidence for the contribution of the genetic variations of BRCA1-interacting protein 1 (BRIP1) to the genetic susceptibility of cervical cancer.

BRIP1 (BRCA1-interacting protein 1), a DNA-dependent ATPase and a DNA helicase, is critical for BRCA-associated DNA damage repair functions, and may be involved in the development of cervical cancer. Genetic markers in different regions of the BRIP1 gene have a plausible role in modulating the risk of cervical cancer. In this study, we evaluate the association between the BRIP1 variations and the risk of cervix cancer. We examined the potential association between cervical cancer and eighteen single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs, rs2048718, rs16945692, rs4968451, rs6504074, rs4988344, rs8077088, rs10515211, rs9897121, rs9906313, rs2159450, rs4986764, rs11871785, rs4986763, rs11079454, rs7213430, rs34289250, rs4988345 and rs12937080) of the BRIP1 gene using the MassARRAY system. The participants enrolled in this study included 298 patients with cervical cancer and 286 healthy women as the healthy controls from a Chinese Han population. The results showed that rs16945692 (intron 1), rs4968451 (intron 4), rs4986764 (exon 18) and rs7213430 (3'UTR) were significantly associated with cervical cancer (P<0.05). Furthermore, strong linkage disequilibrium (LD) was observed in three blocks (D'>0.9), and significantly more T-A-C-A haplotypes (block 1) (P=0.001) were found in the patients with cervical cancer. Significantly higher frequencies of C-A-T haplotypes (block 2) (P=0.018) and A-A haplotypes (block 3) (P=0.009) were detected in the healthy controls than in the patients with cervical cancer, suggesting that they may show protective effects against cervical cancer. These findings point to a role for the BRIP1 gene polymorphisms in cervical cancer in a Chinese Han population, and may be informative for future genetic or biological studies on cervical cancer.

Requirement for the enzymes acetoacetyl coenzyme A synthetase and poly-3-hydroxybutyrate (PHB) synthase for growth of Sinorhizobium meliloti on PHB cycle intermediates.

We have identified two Sinorhizobium meliloti chromosomal loci affecting the poly-3-hydroxybutyrate degradation pathway. One locus was identified as the gene acsA, encoding acetoacetyl coenzyme A (acetoacetyl-CoA) synthetase. Analysis of the acsA nucleotide sequence revealed that this gene encodes a putative protein with a molecular weight of 72,000 that shows similarity to acetyl-CoA synthetase in other organisms. Acetyl-CoA synthetase activity was not affected in cell extracts of glucose-grown acsA::Tn5 mutants; instead, acetoacetyl-CoA synthetase activity was drastically reduced. These findings suggest that acetoacetyl-CoA synthetase, rather than CoA transferase, activates acetoacetate to acetoacetyl-CoA in the S. meliloti poly-3-hydroxybutyrate cycle. The second locus was identified as phbC, encoding poly-3-hydroxybutyrate synthase, and was found to be required for synthesis of poly-3-hydroxybutyrate deposits.

[Study on the interaction between the 5' proximal region of mGAT-1 and nuclear proteins by the method of SPR].

The DNA fragment (named F182) corresponding the position of -1775(-)-1594 in the mouse GABA transporter 1 (mGAT-1) 5' proximal region was amplified by PCR. Then the DNA was immobilized to the surface of sensor chip SA5 via biotin-streptavidin linkage. The interaction between the F182 on SA5 and nuclear proteins from mouse liver and kidney was studied by the method of SPR with Biosensor of BIAcore-1000 respectively. The Binding between F182 and two nuclear proteins was definitely and specifically and both with the apparent dissociation rate of about 1.4E-5/s. Competitive experiment revealed that a conserved sequence within F182 had the main contribution to the binding event.

[Studies on the function of Ser579 and Arg580 in beta-subunit of penicillin G acylase with the method of site-specific mutagenesis].

According to the comparison of amino acid sequence between PGA (Penicillin G Acylase) and PBPs (Penicillin Binding Protein), We suggest that No. 565-595 peptide fragment in beta-subunit of PGA may be a substrate-binding site of enzyme. Plasmid pTZGA was constructed by cloning the 2.6 kb PGA gene of pWGA into phagemid pTZ18U The technique of site-specific mutagenesis was used to study the role of residue No. 579 (Ser) and No. 580 (Arg) of PGA. Four kinds of mutants were obtained (Ser579-->Gly579, Arg580-->Gly580, Arg580-->Glu580, Arg580-->Lys580), both Glu580 and Gly580 mutants showed no activity of enzyme and Lys580 mutant remained 30% and Gly579 mutant kept 70% activity of wilde type. The same protein expression of four mutants according to the results of ELISA indicate that mutation does not affect the expression of PGA, but Arg580 residue may be essential for substrate-binding or catalysis of PGA.