In vitro and in vivo effects of melatonin on sister chromatid exchange in human blood lymphocytes exposed to hypoxia.

OBJECTIVE: Many studies have shown that melatonin (MLT) has an anti-genotoxic effect in various tissues and cell lines. The aim of this study was to investigate the anti-genotoxic effect of MLT on normal human peripheral lymphocytes by assessing sister chromatid exchange (SCE) in vitro and in vivo. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Cells were treated with 50 and 200 µM of MLT. The human volunteers (n = 20) for the in vivo study were administered a single dose of 3 mg MLT daily for 2 weeks. After sufficient time for its clearance, 1.5 mg of MLT daily was then administered to the same volunteers at same the period. RESULTS: Our results demonstrated the anti-genotoxic effect of MLT in human blood lymphocyte in vitro and in vivo. In vitro, hypoxia increased the SCE frequency compared to the control and both doses of MLT significantly decreased the SCE frequency in the hypoxic cells (p < 0.001). In vivo, oral administration of 3 mg MLT significantly increased the frequency of SCE, yet a small increase of SCE by hypoxia was found. Oral administration of 1.5 mg MLT showed no DNA damage but it had an anti-genotoxic effect. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: MLT may prove useful for reducing the genotoxic effects of hypoxia in peripheral lymphocytes and suggest its possible role for ischemic diseases.

Protective role of glucagon-like peptide-1 against glucosamine-induced cytotoxicity in pancreatic beta cells.

High doses of glucosamine have been known to induce apoptosis of pancreatic beta cells. The mechanism for this phenomenon has not been clearly elucidated. We aimed to explore the potential mechanisms for glucosamine toxicity in the rat insulinoma cell line INS-1 and in rat native beta cells. We also investigated whether glucagon-like peptide (GLP)-1 could be protective against glucosamine. Glucosamine exhibited dose-dependent inhibition of cell survival and an increase in the cell population at the sub-G1 phase. Glucosamine was revealed to inhibit cellular glucose uptake, resulting in the activation of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK). Accordingly, phosphorylation of P70S6K and ribosomal protein S6 (S6RP) was decreased. Protein glycosylation appeared not to be involved in this cytotoxicity. Pretreatment with GLP-1 alleviated glucosamine-mediated inhibition of glucose uptake and lessened AMPK activation, thus allowing recovery of the phosphorylation levels of P70S6K and S6RP. The effect of GLP-1 was blocked by the adenylyl cyclase inhibitor MDL12330A but not by the protein kinase A inhibitor H89. Taken together, these data demonstrate that glucosamine may inhibit beta-cell survival by diminishing cellular glucose uptake independent of glycosylation. This glucosamine toxicity can be blocked by GLP-1, which leads to recovery of the glucose uptake through a PKA-independent, cAMP-dependent mechanism.

Ultraviolet B Downregulated Aquaporin 1 Expression via the MEK/ERK pathway in the Dermal Fibroblasts.

BACKGROUND: Aquaporin 1 (AQP1) is a transmembrane channel protein that allows rapid transposition of water and gases, in recent discoveries of AQP1 function involve cell proliferation, differentiation, wound healing, inflammation and infection in different cell types, suggesting that AQP1 plays key roles in diverse biologic process. Until now, less is known about the function of AQP1 on ultraviolet radiation induced photoaged skin. OBJECTIVE: In this study we set out to examine whether AQP1 expression may be influenced by repeated irradiation of ultraviolet B (UVB) in cultured dermal fibroblasts. METHODS: To elucidate the function of AQP1 in skin photoaging, human dermal fibroblasts (HS68) were irradiated by a series of 4 sub-cytotoxic doses of UVB which are known as UV-induced cell premature senescence model. Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and Western blotting were conducted to detect AQP1 expression from different groups. Then, cells were transfected with AQP1-targeting small interfering RNA. The activities of signaling proteins upon UVB irradiation were investigated to determine which pathways are involved in AQP1 expression. RESULTS: AQP1 expression was increased by 100 mJ/cm2 of UVB irradiation, but decreased by 200 mJ/cm2. Depletion of the AQP1 increased the apoptotic sensitivity of cells to UVB, as judged by upregulation of the p53, p21, poly (adenosine diphosphate [ADP]-ribose) polymerase and Bax together with the increased Bax/Bcl2 ratio. UVB induced downregulation of AQP1 was significantly attenuated by pretreatment with the MEK/ERK inhibitor (PD98059). CONCLUSION: We concluded that AQP1 expression was down-regulated by repeated exposure of UVB via MEK/ERK activation pathways. The AQP1 reduction by UVB lead to changes of physiological functions in dermal fibroblasts, which might be associated with the occurrence and development of UVB induced photoaging.

FKBP-12 exhibits an inhibitory activity on calcium oxalate crystal growth in vitro.

Urolithiasis and calcium oxalate crystal deposition diseases are still significant medical problems. In the course of nephrocalcin cDNA cloning, we have identified FKBP-12 as an inhibitory molecule of calcium oxalate crystal growth. lambdagt 11 cDNA libraries were constructed from renal carcinoma tissues and screened for nephrocalcin cDNA clones using anti-nephrocalcin antibody as a probe. Clones expressing recombinant proteins, which appeared to be antigenically cross-reactive to nephrocalcin, were isolated and their DNA sequences and inhibitory activities on the calcium oxalate crystal growth were determined. One of the clone lambda gt 11 #31-1 had a partial fragment (80 bp) of FKBP-12 cDNA as an insert. Therefore, a full-length FKBP-12 cDNA was PCR-cloned from the lambda gt 11 renal carcinoma cDNA library and was subcloned into an expression vector. The resultant recombinant FKBP-12 exhibited an inhibitory activity on the calcium oxalate crystal growth (Kd=10(-7) M). Physiological effect of the extracellular FKBP-12 was investigated in terms of macrophage activation and proinflammatory cytokine gene induction. Extracellular FKBP-12 failed to activate macrophages even at high concentrations. FKBP-12 seems an anti-stone molecule for the oxalate crystal deposition disease and recurrent stone diseases.