Calreticulin from Apostichopus japonicus relieves endoplasmic reticulum stress induced by Vibrio splendidus through autophagy.

When organisms are exposed to external stimuli, misfolded proteins accumulate continuously, resulting in endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. Autophagy is of great significance for eliminating aggregated proteins and maintaining cellular homeostasis. However, the molecular mechanism of activating autophagy in response to ER stress in sea cucumber is remain unclear. In the current study, we demonstrated that the pathogen Vibrio splendidus can cause ER stress in Apostichopus japonicus coelomocytes and identified a Ca2+ binding partner calreticulin (designated as AjCRT), which increased with the occurrence of ER stress. The nucleotide sequence analysis showed that the open reading frame of AjCRT was 1242 bp and encoded a 413-amino-acid residue polyprotein with calreticulin domains. The spatial expression analysis revealed that AjCRT was ubiquitously expressed in all examined tissues with large magnitude in the coelomocytes and was minimally expressed in muscle. Furthermore, silencing AjCRT in vivo could significantly exacerbate ER stress induced by V. splendidus and resulted in the significant reduction of coelomocyte autophagy. These findings indicate a calreticulin-based mechanism that positively regulates autophagy in response to ER stress induced by pathogen infection. The results will provide a basis for understanding the way of host alleviating ER stress through autophagy, and pharmacological approaches may have potential for managing ER stress induced by pathogen and related cellular disorders.

Introduction of fluorescence molecular imaging technology and its development / 中国医疗器械杂志

In vivo fluorescence molecular imaging plays a more and more important role in the observation of diseases, drug research and biology research because of its low cost, simplicity and no ionizing radiation to biological tissue. Herein, the most important parts of the optical fluorescence molecular imaging and their advances are summarized, including fluorescent molecular probes, imaging systems and reconstruction algorithms. The application and development trend of this technology are also introduced in this paper.

Study of the SH3-domain GRB2-like 2 gene expression in laryngeal carcinoma / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>Laryngeal carcinoma is a common malignant tumor of the upper respiratory tract, and in 95% of cases the tumor is laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC). The abnormity of SH3-domain GRB2-like 2 (SH3GL2) gene was found in LSCC. In order to clarify the relationship between SH3GL2 gene and LSCC, we evaluated the expression of the SH3GL2 gene in LSCC.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>Real-time PCR, immunohistochemistry and Western blotting were used to detect the mRNA and protein expression and find the various rules of SH3GL2 gene in LSCC.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The result of real-time PCR showed that the expression level of SH3GL2 mRNA in LSCC tissue was apparently down-regulated; immunohistochemical analysis showed that SH3GL2 protein was mainly located in cytoplasm, the rate of positive cells and SH3GL2 protein expression level were fluctuated with the pathological classification of LSCC; the result of Western blotting showed that SH3GL2 protein was down-regulated significantly in LSCC samples, especially in metastatic lymph nodes.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>These results suggest that SH3GL2 is a LSCC related gene and its expression level is fluctuated with the pathological classification which indicate that SH3GL2 participates in the development and progression of LSCC. And it may be considered as a novel tumor marker to find both a new anti-oncogene and relative factors of invasion and metastasis of laryngeal carcinoma.</p>

Novel partners of S100A8 identified in laryngeal cancer cell lines / 中华医学遗传学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore mechanism of S100A8 in the oncogenesis and development of laryngeal cancer.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Proteins interacting with S100A8 were isolated from laryngeal cancer cell lines Hep-2 by immunoprecipitation assay with anti-S100A8 antibody. The target bands were cut out and identified by maxtrix assisted laser desorption/ionization time of flight (MALDI-TOF). The peptide mass fingerprinting data of the proteins identified were analyzed based on the Mascot database. The NF-kappa B binding sites of the proteins were predicted by P-Match software. The binding ability of one of the proteins to S100A8 was confirmed by co-immunoprecipitation and immunocytochemistry methods.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Four proteins interacting with S100A8 were obtained, which were hypothetical protein LOC80154, MHC class I HLA-B, similar to T-box 1 isoform C and sarcolemmal associated protein 1. The four genes were predicted to have NF-kappa B binding sites. MHC class I HLA-B, which is one of targets in NF-kappa B pathway, was first confirmed to have the binding ability to S100A8.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The novel partners of S100A8 identified in the study might be involved in NF-kappa B pathway. The binding ability of MHC class I HLA-B to S100A8 implies that S100A8 might function as a new member with other proteins including HLA-B in NF-kappa B pathway. These findings provide a new clue to further study on the molecular mechanism of S100A8 in the genesis of laryngeal carcinomas.</p>

Average-12.9 chromosome imbalances coupling with 15 differential expression genes possibly involved in the carcinogenesis, progression and metastasis of supraglottic laryngeal squamous cell cancer / 中华医学遗传学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>With the objective of discovering novel putative chromosomal regions and special genes involved in the carcinogenesis, progression and metastasis of laryngeal squamous cell cancer (LSCC).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>DNA copy profile of LSCC were obtained and analyzed by comparative genomic hybridization (CGH) and a computerized digital image analysis system. cDNA microarray of LSCC was performed and the profile was analyzed by Hierarchical clustering.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>CGH analysis showed average-12.9 gains and losses of chromosomes in LSCC. Relatively high frequencies of gains were found at 3q15-21 (14/18), 5p12-13 (11/18), 8q22-24 (6/18), 11q12-13 (8/18), 15q21-23 (7/18) and 18p11 (8/18), while those of losses at 1p13-21 (8/18), 3p21-23 (14/18), 5q21-22 (14/18), 9p12-pter (11/18) and 13q21-31 (8/18). Hierarchical clustering analysis showed that the differentially expressed genes were segregated into three groups. Three genes differentially expressed in process I (normal tissue to cancer) and process II (cancer to lymph node metastasis), and the Cy5/Cy3 ratios of twelve genes were either higher than 5.0 or lower than 0.2 in process I or process II. The fifteen special genes were first reported possibly to be the relationships with LSCC. In particular, 4 genes of them, which were cytochrome C oxidase Va, PPBP, EPHX2 and PON1, were first reported to correlate with tumorigenesis. SH3GL2, which was one of the 15 special genes, was located at one of the special chromosome regions, 9p12-pter.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The important genes and special chromosomal aberrances might provide us a clue for further investigation of carcinogenesis, progression and metastasis in LSCC.</p>

Mutation of p53 and overexpression of STK15 in laryngeal squamous-cell carcinoma / 中华肿瘤杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the relationship between p53 gene mutations and STK15 abnormal expression in the development of human laryngeal squamous-cell carcinoma (LSCC).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>LSCC tissues and matched normal tissues were taken during operation from 55 patients without previous chemotherapy or radiotherapy. Following polymerase chain reaction amplification direct sequencing single strand conformational polymorphism (PCR-SSCP) combined with silver staining were used to detect mutations of p53 gene in exons 7 and 8 (p53E7 and p53E8) using genomic DNA from 110 specimens including 55 LSCC tissues and 55 matched normal tissues. STK15 expression were evaluated by RT-PCR with beta-actin as internal control.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The mutation rate of p53E7 was 30.9% (compared to normal tissues, chi(2) = 8.66, P < 0.01). There was no mutation in p53E8. In 38 of the 55 cases (69.1%), the STK15 mRNA expression level was higher than that of the paired normal tissue. The STK15 to beta-actin ratio of average density value was 1.22 +/- 0.49 in the cancer tissue, and 0.99 +/- 0.54 in the normal tissues (t = 4.539, P < 0.01). In 14 of the 17 cases (82.4%) with p53E7 mutations, the STK15 expression was higher than that of normal tissue. In the 38 cases with STK15 over-expression, p53E7 mutation was found in 14 cases (36.8%). The rate of concurrence of p53E gene mutations and STK15 over-expression (25.5%) was higher than that of only p53E gene mutations (chi(2) = 26.025, P < 0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>There is significant association between p53 gene mutation and STK15 over-expression in laryngeal squamous-cell carcinoma.</p>