Ultrafast high-power microwave window breakdown: nonlinear and postpulse effects.

The time- and space-dependent optical emissions of nanosecond high-power microwave discharges near a dielectric-air interface have been observed by nanosecond-response four-framing intensified-charged-coupled device cameras. The experimental observations indicate that plasma developed more intensely at the dielectric-air interface than at the free-space region with a higher electric-field amplitude. A thin layer of intense light emission above the dielectric was observed after the microwave pulse. The mechanisms of the breakdown phenomena are analyzed by a three-dimensional electromagnetic-field modeling and a two-dimensional electromagnetic particle-in-cell simulation, revealing the formation of a space-charge microwave sheath near the dielectric surface, accelerated by the normal components of the microwave field, significantly enhancing the local-field amplitude and hence ionization near the dielectric surface. The nonlinear positive feedback of ionization, higher electron mobility, and ultraviolet-driven photoemission due to the elevated electron temperature are crucial for achieving the ultrafast discharge. Following the high-power microwave pulse, the sheath sustains a glow discharge until the sheath collapses.

Critical role of arachidonic acid-activated mTOR signaling in breast carcinogenesis and angiogenesis.

The mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathway is upregulated in the pathogenesis of many cancers. Arachidonic acid (AA) and its metabolites play critical role in the development of breast cancer, but the mechanisms through which AA promotes mammary tumorigenesis and progression are poorly understood. We found that the levels of AA and cytosolic phospholipase A2 (cPLA2) strongly correlated with the signaling activity of mTORC1 and mTORC2 as well as the expression levels of vascular epithelial growth factor (VEGF) in human breast tumor tissues. In cultured breast cancer cells, AA effectively activated both mTOR complex 1 (mTORC1) and mTORC2. Interestingly, AA-stimulated mTORC1 activation was independent of amino acids, phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3-K) and tuberous sclerosis complex 2 (TSC2), which suggests a novel mechanism for mTORC1 activation. Further studies revealed that AA stimulated mTORC1 activity through destabilization of mTOR-raptor association in ras homolog enriched in brain (Rheb)-dependent mechanism. Moreover, we showed that AA-stimulated cell proliferation and angiogenesis required mTOR activity and that the effect of AA was mediated by lipoxygenase (LOX) but not cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2). In animal models, AA-enhanced incidences of rat mammary tumorigenesis, tumor weights and angiogenesis were inhibited by rapamycin. Our findings suggest that AA is an effective intracellular stimulus of mTOR and that AA-activated mTOR plays critical roles in angiogenesis and tumorigenesis of breast cancer.

IKK-ß mediates hydrogen peroxide induced cell death through p85 S6K1.

The IκB kinase (IKK)/NF-κB pathway has been shown to be a major regulator in cell survival. However, the mechanisms through which IKK mediates cell death are not clear. In this study, we showed that IKK-ß contributed to hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2))-induced cell death independent of the NF-κB pathway. Our results demonstrated that the pro-death function of IKK-ß under oxidative stress was mediated by p85 S6K1 (S6 kinase 1), but not p70 S6K1 through a rapamycin-insensitive and mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 kinase-independent mechanism. We found that IKK-ß associated with p85, but not p70 S6K1, which was required for H(2)O(2)-induced activation of p85 S6K1. IKK-ß and p85 S6K1 contributed to H(2)O(2)-induced phosphorylation of Mdm2 (S166) and p53 accumulation. p85 S6K1 is critical for IKK-ß-mediated cell death. Thus, these findings established a novel oxidative stress-responsive pathway that involves IKK-ß, p85 S6K1 and Mdm2, which is response for H(2)O(2)-induced cell death. Our results have important implications for IKK-ß and p85 S6K1 as potential targets for the prevention of diseases involved in oxidative stress-induced aberrant cell death.

Traditional Chinese medicine Bao Gan Ning increase phosphorylation of CREB in liver fibrosis in vivo and in vitro.

Previous studies have demonstrated that traditional Chinese medicine Bao Gan Ning, which contains six different drugs: Trionyx sinensis Wiegmann shell, Prunus persica (L.) Batsch seed, Salvia miltiorrhiza Bge. root, Mallotus opelta (Lour.) Muell-Arg root, Astragalus membranaceus (Fisch.) Bge. var. mongho-licus (Bge.) Hsiao root and Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi root, was able to protect liver against fibrosis in CCL4 models. In an effort to elucidate molecular mechanisms by which Bao Gan Ning exerts its anti-fibrosis activity, effects of Bao Gan Ning on liver fibrosis and cAMP response element binding protein (CREB), an important transcription factor involved in liver fibrosis, were evaluated in animal and cell models in this work. Results showed that Bao Gan Ning (2.16 or 4.32 g/kg/day) significantly decreased alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and hyaluronidase levels and reversed liver fibrosis in rat liver fibrosis models. The proliferation of HSC-T6, a hepatic stellate cell line, was also significantly inhibited by incubation with serums that were prepared from rats fed with Bao Gan Ning. Most interestingly, results from Western blot, immunohistochemistry and electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA) showed that Bao Gan Ning up-regulated CREB phosphorylation both in rat liver fibrosis models and in HSC-T6 cells, but did not affect protein level of CREB and the DNA binding activity of CREB. These results suggested that up-regulation of CREB phosphorylation may be involved in anti-fibrosis activity of Chinese medicine Bao Gan Ning.

Up-regulation of Phosphatidylinositol-3 Kinase Signaling in plcg1 Gene Null Fibroblasts.

Phospholipase C-gamma1(PLC-gamma1) and phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase(PI-3K) play crucial role in growth factor-induced cell growth and proliferation. To investigate the complementary mechanism of PLC-gamma1 in cell growth and epidermal growth factor (EGF)-induced mitogenic signaling, PLC-gamma1 deficient mouse embryonic fibroblasts(PLC-gamma1(-/-)) and its wild type(PLC-gamma1(+/+)) were exposed to U73122, a phospholipase C-specific inhibitor, or wortmannin, a PI-3K inhibitor then the clonogenicity, viability, EGF-induced DNA synthesis of the two cell lines were determined by cloning formation, MTT method and (3)H -thymidine incorporation assay. Results showed that either U73122 or wortmannin inhibited PLC-gamma1(-/-) and PLC-gamma1(+/+) cells in terms of EGF-induced DNA synthesis, cloning formation and cell viability, but PLC-gamma1(-/-) cells were more dependent on PI-3K and less dependent on PLC compared with wild types. The PLC-gamma1 signaling pathway of PLC-gamma1(-/-) cells might be complemented by PI-3K pathway, because after EGF stimulation, the tyrosine phospholation of p85alpha PI-3K increased significantly in PLC-gamma1(-/-), but not in PLC-gamma2(-/-), as Western blotting showed that there was neither complementary PLC-gamma2 expression in PLC-gamma1(-/-) cells, nor other PLC isozymes such as PLC-beta and PLC-delta. These results suggest the redundancy of EGF-mediated signaling and the complementary mechanism of PLC-gamma1 pathway.

[Zinc modulation of GABA receptors expressed in Xenopus oocytes injected with carp brain poly(A)+ RNA].

Two types of GABA receptors, GABAA receptors (approximately 85%) and GABAC-like receptors (approximately 15%), were expressed in Xenopus oocytes after injection of Poly(A)+ RNA with carp (Carassius carassius) brain. Using voltage-clamp technique and pharmacological methods, the effects of zinc on the two receptors were studied. It was found that zinc modulation of both GABAA and GABAC-like receptors by zinc was inhibitory and reversible with the former being stronger than the latter as indicated by a value of IC50 of 48.4 +/- 10.1 mumol/L against 255.6 +/- 21.5 mumol/L.

[Blocking effects of benzyltetrahydropalmatine on delayed rectified K+ currents expressed in Xenopus oocytes and in toad oocytes].

The effects of benzyltetrahydropalmatine (BTHP) on delayed rectified K+ currents (Ik) expressed in Xenopus oocytes and Ik of toad (Bufo bufo gargarizans) oocytes were studied. The Ik expressed in Xenopus oocytes was measured after microinjection of mRNA isolated from carp fish (C anratus L.) brains with double -microelectrode voltage clamp technique. The maximum and mean value of Ik expressed in Xenopus oocytes were 600 nA and 360 +/- 104 nA, respectively. BTHP reduced the current amplitude of Ik expressed in Xenopus oocytes in 10-1000 mumol.L-1 dose-dependently, EC50 was 29 mumol.L-1. Also, the reduction of Ik of toad oocytes was 9.1%, 29.1%, 54.7% and 68.6% by BTHP 10, 30, 100 and 1000 mumol.L-1, respectively, EC50 was 33 mumol.L-1. The results showed that BTHP possesses an inhibitory effect on Ik, the main ion mechanism of antiarrhythmic action of BTHP.