Structural insights into the regulation of protein-arginine kinase McsB by McsA.

In gram-positive bacteria, phosphorylated arginine functions as a protein degradation signal in a similar manner as ubiquitin in eukaryotes. The protein-arginine phosphorylation is mediated by the McsAB complex, where McsB possesses kinase activity and McsA modulates McsB activity. Although mcsA and mcsB are regulated within the same operon, the role of McsA in kinase activity has not yet been clarified. In this study, we determined the molecular mechanism by which McsA regulates kinase activity. The crystal structure of the McsAB complex shows that McsA binds to the McsB kinase domain through a second zinc-coordination domain and the subsequent loop region. This binding activates McsB kinase activity by rearranging the catalytic site, preventing McsB self-assembly, and enhancing stoichiometric substrate binding. The first zinc-coordination and coiled-coil domains of McsA further activate McsB by reassembling the McsAB oligomer. These results demonstrate that McsA is the regulatory subunit for the reconstitution of the protein-arginine kinase holoenzyme. This study provides structural insight into how protein-arginine kinase directs the cellular protein degradation system.

Effects of high voltage pulsed electric field on structural properties and immune reactivity of arginine kinase in Fenneropenaeus chinensis.

To evaluate the effect of high voltage pulsed electric field (PEF) treatment (10-20 kV/cm, 5-15 min) on the structural characteristics and sensitization of crude extracts of arginine kinase from Fenneropenaeus chinensis. By simulated in vitro gastric juice digestion (SGF), intestinal juice digestion (SIF) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), AK sensitization was reduced by 42.5% when treated for 10 min at an electric field intensity of 15 kV/cm. After PEF treatment, the α-helix content decreased, and the α-helix content gradually changed to ß-sheet and ß-turn. Compared to the untreated group, the surface hydrophobicity increased and the sulfhydryl content decreased. SEM and AFM analyses showed that the treated sample surface formed a dense porous structure and increased roughness. The protein content, dielectric properties, and amino acid content of sample also changed significantly with the changes in the treatment conditions. Non-thermal PEF has potential applications in the development of hypoallergenic foods.

Molecular Characterization of the Allergenic Arginine Kinase from the Edible Insect Hermetia illucens (Black Soldier Fly).

SCOPE: Arginine kinase (AK) is an important enzyme for energy metabolism of invertebrate cells by participating in the maintenance of constant levels of ATP. However, AK is also recognized as a major allergen in insects and crustaceans capable of cross-reactivity with sera of patients sensitized to orthologous proteins. In the perspective of introducing insects or their derivatives in the human diet in Western world, it is of primary importance to evaluate possible risks for allergic consumers. METHODS AND RESULTS: This work reports the identification and characterization of AK from Hermetia illucens commonly known as the black soldier fly, a promising insect for human consumption. To evaluate allergenicity of AK from H. illucens, putative linear and conformational epitopes are identified by bioinformatics analyses, and Dot-Blot assays are carried out by using sera of patients allergic to shrimp or mites to validate the cross-reactivity. Gastrointestinal digestion reduces significantly the linear epitopes resulting in lower allergenicity, while the secondary structure is altered at increasing temperatures supporting the possible loss or reduction of conformational epitopes. CONCLUSION: The results indicate that the possible allergenicity of AK should be taken in consideration when dealing with novel foods containing H. illucens or its derivatives.

C-terminus of serine–arginine protein kinase-like protein, SrpkF, is involved in conidiophore formation and hyphal growth under salt stress in Aspergillus aculeatus / El extremo C de la proteína similar a la serina-arginina proteína quinasa, SrpkF, participa en la formación de conidióforos y el crecimiento de hifas bajo estrés salino en Aspergillus aculeatus

The serine–arginine protein kinase–like protein, SrpkF, was identified as a regulator for the cellulose-responsive induction of cellulase genes in Aspergillus aculeatus. To analyze various aspects of SrpkF function, we examined the growth of the control strain (MR12); C-terminus deletion mutant, which produced SrpkF1–327 (ΔCsrpkF); whole gene-deletion mutant of srpkF (ΔsrpkF), srpkF overexpressing strain (OEsprkF); and the complemented strain (srpkF+) under various stress conditions. All test strains grew normally on minimal medium under control, high salt (1.5 M KCl), and high osmolality (2.0 M sorbitol and 1.0 M sucrose). However, only ΔCsrpkF showed reduced conidiation on 1.0 M NaCl media. Conidiation of ΔCsrpkF on 1.0 M NaCl media was reduced to 12% compared with that of srpkF+. Further, when OEsprkF and ΔCsrpkF were pre-cultured under salt stress conditions, germination under salt stress conditions was enhanced in both strains. By contrast, deletion of srpkF did not affect hyphal growth and conidiation under the same conditions. We then quantified the transcripts of the regulators involved in the central asexual conidiation pathway in A. aculeatus. The findings revealed that the expression of brlA, abaA, wetA, and vosA was reduced in ΔCsrpkF under salt stress. These data suggest that in A. aculeatus, SrpkF regulates conidiophore development. The C-terminus of SrpkF seems to be important for regulating SrpkF function in response to culture conditions such as salt stress.(AU)

C-terminus of serine-arginine protein kinase-like protein, SrpkF, is involved in conidiophore formation and hyphal growth under salt stress in Aspergillus aculeatus.

The serine-arginine protein kinase-like protein, SrpkF, was identified as a regulator for the cellulose-responsive induction of cellulase genes in Aspergillus aculeatus. To analyze various aspects of SrpkF function, we examined the growth of the control strain (MR12); C-terminus deletion mutant, which produced SrpkF1-327 (ΔCsrpkF); whole gene-deletion mutant of srpkF (ΔsrpkF), srpkF overexpressing strain (OEsprkF); and the complemented strain (srpkF+) under various stress conditions. All test strains grew normally on minimal medium under control, high salt (1.5 M KCl), and high osmolality (2.0 M sorbitol and 1.0 M sucrose). However, only ΔCsrpkF showed reduced conidiation on 1.0 M NaCl media. Conidiation of ΔCsrpkF on 1.0 M NaCl media was reduced to 12% compared with that of srpkF+. Further, when OEsprkF and ΔCsrpkF were pre-cultured under salt stress conditions, germination under salt stress conditions was enhanced in both strains. By contrast, deletion of srpkF did not affect hyphal growth and conidiation under the same conditions. We then quantified the transcripts of the regulators involved in the central asexual conidiation pathway in A. aculeatus. The findings revealed that the expression of brlA, abaA, wetA, and vosA was reduced in ΔCsrpkF under salt stress. These data suggest that in A. aculeatus, SrpkF regulates conidiophore development. The C-terminus of SrpkF seems to be important for regulating SrpkF function in response to culture conditions such as salt stress.

Restoration of energy homeostasis under oxidative stress: Duo synergistic AMPK pathways regulating arginine kinases.

Rapid depletion of cellular ATP can occur by oxidative stress induced by reactive oxygen species (ROS). Maintaining energy homeostasis requires the key molecular components AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and arginine kinase (AK), an invertebrate orthologue of the mammalian creatine kinase (CK). Here, we deciphered two independent and synergistic pathways of AMPK acting on AK by using the beetle Tribolium castaneum as a model system. First, AMPK acts on transcriptional factor forkhead box O (FOXO) leading to phosphorylation and nuclear translocation of the FOXO. The phospho-FOXO directly promotes the expression of AK upon oxidative stress. Concomitantly, AMPK directly phosphorylates the AK to switch the direction of enzymatic catalysis for rapid production of ATP from the phosphoarginine-arginine pool. Further in vitro assays revealed that Sf9 cells expressing phospho-deficient AK mutants displayed the lower ATP/ADP ratio and cell viability under paraquat-induced oxidative stress conditions when compared with Sf9 cells expressing wild-type AKs. Additionally, the AMPK-FOXO-CK pathway is also involved in the restoration of ATP homeostasis under oxidative stress in mammalian HEK293 cells. Overall, we provide evidence that two distinct AMPK-AK pathways, transcriptional and post-translational regulations, are coherent responders to acute oxidative stresses and distinguished from classical AMPK-mediated long-term metabolic adaptations to energy challenge.

Study of Melipona quadrifasciata brain under operant learning using proteomic and phosphoproteomic analysis.

Learning to anticipate events based on the predictive relationship between an action and an outcome (operant conditioning) is a form of associative learning shared by humans and most of other living beings, including invertebrates. Several behavioral studies on the mechanisms of operant conditioning have included Melipona quadrifasciata, a honey bee that is easily manipulated due to lack of sting. In this work, brain proteomes of Melipona bees trained using operant conditioning and untrained (control) bees were compared by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis analysis within pI range of 3-10 and 4-7; in order to find proteins specifically related to this type of associative learning.One protein was detected with differential protein abundance in the brains of trained bees, when compared to not trained ones, through computational gel imaging and statistical analysis. This protein was identified by peptide mass fingerprinting and MS/MS peptide fragmentation using a MALDI-TOF/TOF mass spectrometer as one isoform of arginine kinase monomer, apparently dephosphorylated. Brain protein maps were obtained by 2-DE (Two-dimensional gel electrophoresis) from a total proteins and phosphoproteins extract of the bee Melipona quadrifasciata. One isoform of arginine kinase, probably a dephosphorylated isoform, was significantly more abundant in the brain of trained bees using operant conditioning. Arginine kinase has been reported as an important enzyme of the energy releasing process in the visual system of the bee, but it may carry out additional and unexpected functions in the bee brain for learning process.

IgE Epitope Analysis and Hypo-Immunoreactivity Derivative of Arginine Kinase in Mantis Shrimp (Oratosquilla oratoria).

As the main allergenic food, shrimp can trigger allergic reactions in various degrees. In this study, arginine kinase (AK) was identified as an allergen in Oratosquilla oratoria by LC-MS/MS. The open reading frame of AK was obtained, which included 356 amino acids, and recombinant AK (rAK) was expressed in Escherichia coli. The results of immunological analysis and circular dichroism showed that rAK displayed similar IgG-/IgE-binding activity and structure as native AK. Besides, five IgE linear epitopes of AK were verified by serological analysis, on the basis of which an epitope-deleted derivative was obtained and named as mAK-L. It has been shown that mAK-L displayed hypo-immunoreactivity compared to rAK, and the contents of secondary structures were different. In conclusion, these discoveries enrich the overall understanding of crustacean allergens and epitopes and set the foundations for food allergy diagnosis and immunotherapy.

Targeting hepatic serine-arginine protein kinase 2 ameliorates alcohol-associated liver disease by alternative splicing control of lipogenesis.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Lipid accumulation induced by alcohol consumption is not only an early pathophysiological response but also a prerequisite for the progression of alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD). Alternative splicing regulates gene expression and protein diversity; dysregulation of this process is implicated in human liver diseases. However, how the alternative splicing regulation of lipid metabolism contributes to the pathogenesis of ALD remains undefined. APPROACH AND RESULTS: Serine-arginine-rich protein kinase 2 (SRPK2), a key kinase controlling alternative splicing, is activated in hepatocytes in response to alcohol, in mice with chronic-plus-binge alcohol feeding, and in patients with ALD. Such induction activates sterol regulatory element-binding protein 1 and promotes lipogenesis in ALD. Overexpression of FGF21 in transgenic mice abolishes alcohol-mediated induction of SRPK2 and its associated steatosis, lipotoxicity, and inflammation; these alcohol-induced pathologies are exacerbated in FGF21 knockout mice. Mechanistically, SRPK2 is required for alcohol-mediated impairment of serine-arginine splicing factor 10, which generates exon 7 inclusion in lipin 1 and triggers concurrent induction of lipogenic regulators-lipin 1ß and sterol regulatory element-binding protein 1. FGF21 suppresses alcohol-induced SRPK2 accumulation through mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 inhibition-dependent degradation of SRPK2. Silencing SRPK2 rescues alcohol-induced splicing dysregulation and liver injury in FGF21 knockout mice. CONCLUSIONS: These studies reveal that (1) the regulation of alternative splicing by SRPK2 is implicated in lipogenesis in humans with ALD; (2) FGF21 is a key hepatokine that ameliorates ALD pathologies largely by inhibiting SRPK2; and (3) targeting SRPK2 signaling by FGF21 may offer potential therapeutic approaches to combat ALD.

Serine-arginine protein kinase 1 (SRPK1) promotes EGFR-TKI resistance by enhancing GSK3ß Ser9 autophosphorylation independent of its kinase activity in non-small-cell lung cancer.

Resistance to epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) is a major challenge for clinicians and patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Serine-arginine protein kinase 1 (SRPK1) is a key oncoprotein in the EGFR/AKT pathway that participates in tumorigenesis. We found that high SRPK1 expression was significantly associated with poor progression-free survival (PFS) in patients with advanced NSCLC undergoing gefitinib treatment. Both in vitro and in vivo assays suggested that SRPK1 reduced the ability of gefitinib to induce apoptosis in sensitive NSCLC cells independently of its kinase activity. Moreover, SRPK1 facilitated binding between LEF1, ß-catenin and the EGFR promoter region to increase EGFR expression and promote the accumulation and phosphorylation of membrane EGFR. Furthermore, we verified that the SRPK1 spacer domain bound to GSK3ß and enhanced its autophosphorylation at Ser9 to activate the Wnt pathway, thereby promoting the expression of Wnt target genes such as Bcl-X. The correlation between SRPK1 and EGFR expression was confirmed in patients. In brief, our research suggested that the SRPK1/GSK3ß axis promotes gefitinib resistance by activating the Wnt pathway and may serve as a potential therapeutic target for overcoming gefitinib resistance in NSCLC.

SRPK1 promotes sepsis-induced acute lung injury via regulating PI3K/AKT/FOXO3 signaling.

OBJECTIVE: Sepsis is the most common cause of death in the intensive care unit. Moreover, sepsis is the leading cause of acute lung injury (ALI). Serine-arginine protein kinase 1 (SRPK1) was demonstrated to promote the development of ALI. However, the potentials of SRPK1 in sepsis-induced ALI are still unknown. This study aimed to investigate the potentials of SRPK1 in sepsis-induced ALI and the underlying mechanisms. METHODS: Cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) was performed to establish a sepsis-induced ALI model in vivo. Primary human pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells (HPMECs) were exposed to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to construct a sepsis-induced ALI model in vitro. Gene expression was detected using western blot and qRT-PCR. The interaction between forkhead box O3 (FOXO3) and NOD-like receptor thermal protein domain associated protein 3 (NLRP3) was detected using luciferase and Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assay. Cellular functions were CCK-8, colony formation, PI staining, and flow cytometry assay. RESULTS: SRPK1 was downregulated in patients with sepsis-induced ALI. Overexpression of SRPK1 suppressed the pyroptosis of HPMECs as well as promoted cell proliferation. Additionally, SRPK1 overexpression alleviated sepsis-induced ALI in vivo. SRPK1 activated phosphatidylinositol3-kinase (PI3K) signaling pathways. Blocking the activation of PI3K degraded the cellular functions of HPMECs. Moreover, FOXO3 transcriptionally inactivated NLRP3 and suppressed its mRNA and protein expression. CONCLUSION: Taken together, SRPK1 suppressed sepsis-induced ALI via regulating PI3K/AKT/FOXO3/NLRP3 signaling. SRPK1 may be the potential biomarker for sepsis-induced ALI.

First evidence of a serine arginine protein kinase (SRPK) in leishmania braziliensis and its potential as therapeutic target.

Leishmaniasis is a parasitic disease found in tropical and subtropical regions around the world, caused by parasites of the genus Leishmania. The disease is a public health concern and presents clinical manifestations that can cause death, disability, and mutilation. The parasite has promastigote (vector) and amastigote (vertebrate host) forms and kinase enzymes are involved in this differentiation process. In the present investigation, we show, for the first time, evidence of a serine/arginine protein kinase in Leshmania braziliensis (LbSRPK). Our results show that amastigotes express more LbSRPK than promastigotes.  Analogues of SRPIN340 (a known inhibitor of SRPK) were evaluated for their leishmanicidal activity and two of them, namely SRVIC22 and SRVIC32 showed important leishmanicidal activity in vitro. SRVIC22 and SRVIC32 were able to reduce the infection rate in macrophages and the number of intracellular amastigotes by 55 and 60%, respectively. Bioinformatics analysis revealed the existence of two different amino acid residues in the active site of LbSRPK compared to their human homologue (Tyr/Leu-and Ser/Tyr), which could explain the absence of leishmanicidal activity of SRPIN340 on infected macrophages. In order to enhance leishmanicidal activity of the analogues, optimizations were proposed in the structures of the ligands, suggesting strong interactions with the catalytic site of LbSRPK. Although the evidence on the action of inhibitors upon LbSRPK is only indirect, our studies not only reveal, for the first time, evidence of a SRPK in Leishmania, but also shed light on a new therapeutic target for drug development.

Immunomodulatory effects of two recombinant arginine kinases in Sarcoptes Scabiei on host peripheral blood mononuclear cells.

Background: As an important zoonotic parasitic disease with global distribution, scabies causes serious public health and economic problems. Arginine kinase (AK) is involved in cell signal transduction, inflammation, and apoptosis. Two AKs were identified in Sarcoptes scabiei, but their functions in the host immune response remain unclear. Methods: rSsAK-1 and rSsAK-2 were expressed, purified, and immunolocalized. The effects of rSsAK-1 and rSsAK-2 on rabbit PBMC proliferation, apoptosis, and migration; Bcl-2, Bcl-xl, Fas, Bax, and NF-κB transcription levels; and IL-2, IFN-γ, IL-4, IL-10, TGF-ß1, and IL-17 secretion were detected. Results: rSsAK-1 and rSsAK-2 were cloned and expressed successfully. Both enzymes were ~57 kDa and contained 17-kDa tagged proteins, and had good catalytic activity and immunoreactivity. The proteins were located in the S. scabiei exoskeleton, chewing mouthparts, legs, stomach, and intestine. SsAK-1 and SsAK-2 were secreted in the pool and epidermis of the skin lesions, which may be involved in S. scabiei-host interaction. rSsAK-1 and rSsAK-2 significantly promoted cell proliferation, induced cell migration, inhibited apoptosis, and increased Bcl-2, Bcl-xl and NF-κB (p65) transcription levels concentration-dependently, and inhibited IL-2, IFN-γ, and IL-10 secretion and promoted IL-4 and IL-17 secretion. Conclusion: rSsAK-1 and rSsAK-2 might increase Bcl-2 and Bcl-xl expression by activating the NF-κB signaling pathway to promote cell proliferation and inhibit apoptosis, which induced PBMC survival. By inducing PBMC migration to the infection site, rSsAK-1 and rSsAK-2 shifted the Th1/Th2 balance toward Th2 and changed the Th17/Treg balance, which indicated their immune role in S. scabiei allergic inflammation.

RNAi-mediated knockdown of arginine kinase genes leads to high mortality and negatively affect reproduction and blood-feeding behavior of Culex pipiens pallens.

BACKGROUND: Arginine kinase (AK) is one of the crucial enzymes involved in energy metabolism in invertebrates, and has been proposed as the target for RNA interference (RNAi)-based control of agricultural insect pests. While there is only one AK gene in most insects, two AK genes were identified in Culex pipiens pallens, the primary vector of lymphatic filariasis and epidemic encephalitis. METHODS: The full-length cDNA sequences of CpAK1 and CpAK2 genes were obtained by reverse transcription PCR(RT-PCR) and rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE). The expression levels of CpAK1 and CpAK2 in different developmental stages and tissues were detected by reverse transcription quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR). The role of CpAK1 and CpAK2 in the reproduction and blood feeding behavior was analyzed using RNA interference (RNAi). RESULTS: Full-length cDNAs of CpAK1 and CpAK2 were isolated from Cx. pipiens pallens. Analysis of the expression pattern revealed that the mRNA level of CpAK1 was significantly higher than CpAK2 in all development stages and tissues examined, and the expressions of both CpAK1 and CpAK2 were upregulated in response to blood feeding. The co-knockdown of CpAK1 and CpAK2 mediated by RNAi led to high mortality (74.3%) of adult female mosquitoes and decreased hatchability (59.9%). Remarkably, the blood feeding rate and the engorgement rate of the female mosquitoes were negatively affected by co-injection of dsRNAs targeting CpAK1 and CpAK2. CONCLUSION: CpAK1 and CpAK2 were detected in all developmental stages and tissues, but showed divergence in expression level. RNAi-mediated knockdown of AK genes leads to high mortality and negatively affect blood-feeding behavior of Cx. pipiens pallens, suggesting that AK could be used for the target of RNAi-based mosquito control in the future.

Identification of the Immunoglobulin E Epitope of Arginine Kinase, an Important Allergen from Crassostrea angulata.

Arginine kinase (AK) was identified as an allergen in Crassostrea angulata. However, little information is available about its epitopes. In this study, AK from C. angulata was registered to the World Health Organization/International Union of Immunological Societies allergen nomenclature committee to be named as Cra a 2. The immunoglobulin G/immunoglobulin E-binding capacity of Cra a 2 was significantly reduced after chemical denaturation treatment. Further, eight linear mimotopes and five conformational mimotopes of Cra a 2 were obtained using phage panning. In addition to six linear epitopes that have been identified, two linear epitopes were verified by a synthetic peptide, of which L-Cra a 2-2 was conserved in shellfish. Four conformational epitopes were verified by site-directed mutation, among which mutation of C-Cra a 2-1 affected the structure and reduced the immunoreactivity of Cra a 2 most significantly. Overall, the identified epitopes may lay a foundation for the development of hypoallergenic oyster products through food processing.

Advances in the previous two decades in our understanding of the post-translational modifications, functions, and drug perspectives of ArgBP2 and its family members.

Arginine kinase-binding protein 2 (ArgBP2) is an adapter protein that belongs to the sorbin homology (SoHo) family. The SoHo family also includes c-Cbl-associated protein (CAP) and vinexin, both of which share structural and functional similarities to ArgBP2. However, the role of SoHo family proteins in cell signaling, drug resistance, metabolism, and diseases, especially cancer, is not fully understood. Herein, we summarize the structure of SoHo family proteins, their post-translational modifications and the comprehensive network of cellular pathways regulated by these proteins, with an emphasis on ArgBP2. We also discuss the relevance of the SoHo family proteins in lipid raft distribution, extracellular matrix-associated microenvironments, and drug discovery. This review provides insights into the possibility of targeting ArgBP2 and other SoHo family proteins as drugs for use in preclinical trials.

Gamma radiation induced changes in expression of heat shock proteins (Hsc70 and Hsp83) in the dengue vector Aedes aegypti (L.).

We aimed to assess the effect of gamma radiation on the expression of heat shock proteins Hsc70 and Hsp83 in Aedes aegypti. Adult males were irradiated with 50Gy of gamma radiation, and changes in the expression of proteins in SDS-PAGE gel bands corresponding to molecular weights ~60-75kDa and ~80-95kDa were analyzed at two different time points 6 and 12-hour post-irradiation, using a temporal mass spectrometry based semi-quantitative analysis. A 2-3-fold increase was observed in both proteins Hsc70 and Hsp83, at both time points. In addition, the experiment also revealed the overexpression of several other molecules such as Arginine Kinase - known to be upregulated in certain insects during stress, Esterase B1- implicated in insecticide resistance, and also down-regulation of the 26S proteasome non-ATPase regulatory subunit 1 and ubiquitin-activating enzyme E1 - both known to be involved in ubiquitin-mediated protein degradation. The results taken together with existing data on Hsp83 and Hsc70, indicate that these proteins may enhance the survival of Ae. aegypti following gamma radiation and could serve as molecular markers for the detection of radiation-induced stress.

Proteomic analysis of the excretory-secretory products from Strongyloides venezuelensis infective larvae: new insights for the immunodiagnosis of human strongyloidiasis.

Serodiagnosis of human strongyloidiasis is a practical alternative to parasitological methods due to its high sensitivity. However, cross-reactivity with other helminth infections limits its utility, and this problem is due to the use of homologous or heterologous somatic extracts of the parasite as an antigen source. Excretory-secretory (E/S) products from Strongyloides infective larvae can be used to improve the serodiagnosis. The combined use of western blot and proteomics became an interesting strategy to identify immunological markers for the serodiagnosis of strongyloidiasis. The present study describes the proteomic analysis of the antigenic components from E/S products of S. venezuelensis infective larvae that were recognized by IgG antibodies from patients with strongyloidiasis. Our results showed that IgG antibodies from patients with strongyloidiasis recognized between 15 and 16 antigenic bands in the E/S products from S. venezuelensis that were incubated in PBS or in RPMI culture medium, respectively. Overall, antigenic bands of low and high molecular weight were more specific than those of intermediate molecular weight, which were cross-reactive. A 36-kDa antigenic band was 93% sensitive and 100% specific (a probably arginine kinase of 37 kDa), while other antigenic bands were highly sensitive but low specific. Proteomic analysis revealed differences between the protein profiles from E/S-RPMI and E/S-PBS since only one-third of all proteins identified were common in both types of E/S products. Bioinformatic analysis showed that more than 50% of the proteins from E/S products are secreted within extracellular vesicles and only a small percentage of them are actually released by the classical secretory pathway. Several components from the E/S products were identified as plasminogen-binding proteins, probably used as an immune evasion mechanism. The data provided here provide valuable information to increase understanding of E/S products from S. venezuelensis infective larvae. This may help us to find new targets for the immunodiagnosis of human strongyloidiasis.

MiR-659-3p inhibits osteosarcoma progression and metastasis by inhibiting cell proliferation and invasion via targeting SRPK1.

OBJECTIVE: Osteosarcoma is the most common primary bone cancer that affects mostly children and young adults. Despite the advances in osteosarcoma treatment, the long-term survival rate of metastatic patients has not significantly improved in the past few decades, thus demonstrating the need for novel therapeutic targets or methods to improve metastatic osteosarcoma treatment. In this study we aimed to elucidate the role of miR-659-3p and SRPK1 in osteosarcoma. METHODS: We evaluated miR-659-3p and SRPK1 function in osteosarcoma cell proliferation, migration, and cell cycle progression in vitro by using gain- and loss-of-function strategies. The effect of miR-659-3p in tumor progression and metastasis was determined by in vivo mouse model. RESULTS: We revealed that expression of miR-659-3p was significantly downregulated in osteosarcoma compared with normal bone cells and was inversely correlated with serine-arginine protein kinase 1 (SRPK1) expression. We proved that miR-659-3p targets 3' UTR of SRPK1 and negatively regulates SRPK1 expression in osteosarcoma cells via luciferase assay. In vitro studies revealed that gain of miR-659-3p function inhibited osteosarcoma cells growth, migration, and invasion by down-regulating SRPK1 expression. Inversely, inhibiting miR-659-3p in osteosarcoma cells promoted cell growth, migration, and invasion. Cell cycle profile analysis revealed that miR-659-3p inhibited osteosarcoma cells' G1/G0 phase exit by down-regulating SRPK1 expression. By using an in vivo mouse model, we demonstrated that miR-659-3p inhibits osteosarcoma tumor progression and lung metastasis by inhibiting SRPK1 expression and potentially downstream cell proliferation, and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition genes. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated that miR-659-3p is a potential therapeutic method and SRPK1 is a potential therapeutic target for osteosarcoma treatment.

Gene expression study to elucidate the anti-trypanosomal activity of quinapyramine methyl sulphate (QPS).

The kinetoplastid protozoan parasite, Trypanosoma evansi causes a fatal disease condition known as Surra in equines throughout the globe. Disease condition being acute in nature, entrust a huge economic and health impact on the equine industry. Till date, quinapyramine methyl sulphate (QPS) is the first line of treatment and a panacea for the T. evansi infection in equines. Still after the >70 years of its discovery, there is no clue about the mode of action of QPS in T. evansi. The establishment of in vitro cultivation of T. evansi in HMI-9 media has provided opportunity to study the alteration in mRNA expression of parasite on exposure to the drug. With this research gap, the present study aimed to investigate the relative mRNA expression of 13 important drug target genes to elucidate the anti-trypanosomal activity of QPS against T. evansi. The IC50 of QPS against a pony isolate of T. evansi was determined as 276.4 nM(147.21 ng/ mL) in the growth inhibitory assay. The in vitro cultured T. evansi population were further exposed to IC50 of QPS and their relative mRNA expression was studied at 12 h, 24 h and 48 h interval.The mRNA expression of several genes such as hexokinase, trypanothione reductase, aurora kinase, oligopeptidase B and ribonucleotide reductase II were found refractory (non-significant, p > 0.1234) to the exposure of QPS. Significant up-regulation of trans-sialidase (p < 0.0001), ESAG8 (p < 0.0021), ribonucleotide reductase I (p < 0.0001), ornithine decarboxylase (p < 0.0001), topoisomerase II (p < 0.0021) and casein kinase I (p < 0.0021) were recorded after exposure with QPS. The arginine kinase 1 and calcium ATPase I showed highly significant (p < 0.0001) down-regulation in the drug kinetics. Therefore, the arginine kinase 1 and calcium ATPase I can be explored further to elucidate the trypanocidal activity of QPS. The preliminary data generated provide the potential of arginine kinase 1 and calcium ATPase I mRNA mediated pathway of trypanocidal action of QPS. Further, transcriptomics approach is required to investigate the possible mechanism of action of drugs at molecular level against the targeted organism.