Evaluation of Cytotoxic effect of Moringa peregrina seeds on Oral Cancer, CAL 27, Cell Line and Red Blood Cells Hemolysis / Evaluación del efecto citotóxico de las semillas de Moringa peregrina en el cáncer oral, CAL 27, líneas celulares y hemólisis de glóbulos rojos

Background: Moringa peregrina Forssk is a well-known plant in ethnomedicine due to its widespread uses in various diseases like cough, wound healing, rhinitis, fever, and detoxification. The plant seeds contain compounds that are cytotoxic to many cancer cells. During the therapeutic use of plants via the oral route, some compounds present in the plants may be cytotoxic to normal cell lines and red blood cells. Objective: This study was the first report of investigation of the cytotoxic profile on oral cancer, CAL 27, cell line, and hemolytic activities on human erythrocytes of Moringa peregrina seeds ethanolic extract (MPSE). Methods: MPSE was screened for its cytotoxic effect against oral cancer, CAL 27, cell line using 3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2, 5,-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. The toxicity of MPSE on human erythrocytes was determined by in vitro hemolytic assay. Results: MPSE showed significant anti-proliferative activity against oral cancer, CAL 27 cell line at lower concentrations with half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) value of 21.03 µg/mL. At 1,000 µg/ml of MPSE, the maximum hemolysis was found to be 14.3% which is within safer limit. Conclusions: This study revealed a potential anti-oral cancer of MPSE and provided a baseline for its potential use in oral cancer treatment with minimum hemolytic effect on human RBCs.

La Moringa peregrina Forssk es una planta muy conocida en etnomedicina debido a sus usos generalizados en diversas enfermedades como la tos, la cicatrización de heridas, la rinitis, la fiebre y la desintoxicación. Las semillas de la planta contienen compuestos citotóxicos para muchas células cancerosas. Durante el uso terapéutico de las plantas por vía oral, algunos compuestos presentes en ellas pueden ser citotóxicos para las líneas celulares normales y los glóbulos rojos. Objetivo: Este estudio fue el primer informe de investigación del perfil citotóxico sobre el cáncer oral, CAL 27, línea celular, y las actividades hemolíticas en eritrocitos humanos del extracto etanólico de semillas de Moringa peregrina (MPSE). Métodos: Se examinó el efecto citotóxico del MPSE contra la línea celular de cáncer oral CAL 27 mediante el ensayo con bromuro de 3-(4, 5-dimetiltiazol-2-il)-2, 5,-difeniltetrazolio (MTT). La toxicidad del MPSE sobre los eritrocitos humanos se determinó mediante un ensayo hemolítico in vitro. Resultados: MPSE mostró una actividad antiproliferativa significativa contra el cáncer oral, línea celular CAL 27 a concentraciones más bajas con un valor de concentración inhibitoria media máxima (IC50) de 21,03 µg/mL. A 1.000 µg/ml de MPSE, la hemólisis máxima fue del 14,3%, lo que está dentro del límite de seguridad. Conclusiones: Este estudio reveló un potencial anticancerígeno oral de MPSE y proporcionó una base para su uso potencial en el tratamiento del cáncer oral con un efecto hemolítico mínimo en los glóbulos rojos humanos.

Electroacupuncture Promotes Functional Recovery after Facial Nerve Injury in Rats by Regulating Autophagy via GDNF and PI3K/mTOR Signaling Pathway / 中国结合医学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To explore the mechanism of electroacupuncture (EA) in promoting recovery of the facial function with the involvement of autophagy, glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF), and phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K)/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathway.@*METHODS@#Seventy-two male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly allocated into the control, sham-operated, facial nerve injury (FNI), EA, EA+3-methyladenine (3-MA), and EA+GDNF antagonist groups using a random number table, with 12 rats in each group. An FNI rat model was established with facial nerve crushing method. EA intervention was conducted at Dicang (ST 4), Jiache (ST 6), Yifeng (SJ 17), and Hegu (LI 4) acupoints for 2 weeks. The Simone's 10-Point Scale was utilized to monitor the recovery of facial function. The histopathological evaluation of facial nerves was performed using hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining. The levels of Beclin-1, light chain 3 (LC3), and P62 were detected by immunohistochemistry (IHC), immunofluorescence, and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, respectively. Additionally, IHC was also used to detect the levels of GDNF, Rai, PI3K, and mTOR.@*RESULTS@#The facial functional scores were significantly increased in the EA group than the FNI group (P<0.05 or P<0.01). HE staining showed nerve axons and myelin sheaths, which were destroyed immediately after the injury, were recovered with EA treatment. The expressions of Beclin-1 and LC3 were significantly elevated and the expression of P62 was markedly reduced in FNI rats (P<0.01); however, EA treatment reversed these abnormal changes (P<0.01). Meanwhile, EA stimulation significantly increased the levels of GDNF, Rai, PI3K, and mTOR (P<0.01). After exogenous administration with autophagy inhibitor 3-MA or GDNF antagonist, the repair effect of EA on facial function was attenuated (P<0.05 or P<0.01).@*CONCLUSIONS@#EA could promote the recovery of facial function and repair the facial nerve damages in a rat model of FNI. EA may exert this neuroreparative effect through mediating the release of GDNF, activating the PI3K/mTOR signaling pathway, and further regulating the autophagy of facial nerves.

Expression of GDNF and AR in Testicular Peritubular Cells of Surgery-induced Cryptorchidism Mice / 中山大学学报(医学科学版)

ObjectiveTo investigate the expression of glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor （GDNF） and androgen receptor （AR） in testicular peritubular cells （TPCs） of cryptorchidism mouse models and explore the theoretical significance of cryptorchidism-induced spermatogenesis dysfunction. MethodsA total of 30 five-week-old male ICR rats were divided randomly by using random number table method into 6 groups. Cryptorchidism was surgically induced in 3 randomly selected groups and the other 3 groups underwent sham surgery as the control groups. On days 4， 7 and 14 after surgery， we harvested the mice testes of the 3 groups and their corresponding control groups， then measured the testicular volumes， analyzed the testicular histopathology and detected the mRNA and protein expression levels of AR and GDNF in TPCs by immunofluorescence， real-time PCR and Western blot. ResultsIn normal control groups， on days 4， 7 and 14 after surgery， the testicular volumes were （125.58±19.22） mm3，（123.45±20.12） mm3， （140.09±13.62） mm3 ， respectively. Clear layers of spermatogenic cells were well arranged and abundant sperm cells were found. Peritubular cells were morphologically homogeneous， with slim-spindle appearance and normal cell thickness. The mRNA expression levels of AR were 1.00±0.05， 1.06±0.07 and 1.19±0.13； GDNF mRNA 1.00±0.04， 1.09±0.05， and 1.10±0.07. The protein expression levels of AR were 1.01±0.01， 0.79±0.02 and 1.01±0.04； GDNF protein （18.68±0.43） pg/mL， （14.39±0.36） pg/mL and （16.88±0.37） pg/mL. In cryptorchidism groups， on days 4， 7 and 14 after surgery， the testicular volumes were （115.64±3.91） mm3， （69.51±14.97） mm3 and （44.86±5.56） mm3， respectively. Spermatogenic cells were disorganized， seminiferous tubules were disrupted， peritubular cells shrank， bent and fractured. The mRNA expression levels of AR were 0.76±0.06， 0.53±0.04， and 0.29±0.02； GDNF mRNA 0.72±0.05， 0.42±0.02 and 0.30±0.03. The protein expression levels of AR were 0.54±0.02， 0.98±0.04 and 0.31±0.01； GDNF protein （8.50±0.34） pg/mL， （17.44±0.32） pg/mL and （6.83±0.34） pg/mL. Statistically significant differences （P < 0.05） were found in 7-day and 14-day testicular volumes between control and cryptorchidism groups but not in the 4-day testicular volume （P > 0.05）. Testicular volumes， AR and GDNF mRNA and protein expression in control groups had no statistically significant difference （P > 0.05）， while those in cryptorchidism groups showed a trend of gradual decline in the amount and the differences between groups were statistically significant （P < 0.05）. ConclusionsIn surgery-induced cryptorchidism mice， after the induction， the expression of AR and GDNF in TPCs showed a gradual decrease over time. AR and GDNF play a major role in mediating the TPCs damage in cryptorchidism. This study provides a theoretical basis for mechanism researches of cryptorchidism-induced spermatogenesis dysfunction.

Actividad citotóxica y antiproliferativa de un extracto rico en fucoidan de Lessonia trabeculata sobre células de adenocarcinoma mamario murino 4T1

Introducción. Los tumores neoplásicos se caracterizan por su invasividad y metástasis. Las células neoplásicas tienen heterogeneidad genética, por lo cual pueden desarrollar resistencia a los quimioterápicos. Por esta razón, las plantas continúan siendo una fuente importante de nuevos productos anticancerígenos. Objetivo. Evaluar la actividad citotóxica y antiproliferativa de un extracto rico en fucoidan de Lessonia trabeculata nativa (EFLt) sobre la línea celular de adenocarcinoma mamario murino, triple negativo 4T1. Métodos. La citotoxicidad y la IC50 se determinaron en monocapas de 4T1 empleando el reactivo MTT. Para demostrar la actividad antiproliferativa se aplicaron los métodos de cierre de herida y anticlonogénico utilizando las IC50 del EFLt y Dox (doxorubicina). El cierre de herida fue evaluado mediante barrido de tiempos discretos; el efecto anticlonogénico fue evaluado 7 días postratamiento mediante el conteo de colonias y se determinó la fracción de sobrevivencia. Adicionalmente, se evaluaron la citotoxicidad y actividad antiproliferativa combinando las IC50 de EFLt y Dox. El porcentaje de migración y conteo de colonias se realizó con el programa ImageJ. Resultados. La IC50 del EFLt (950 μg/mL) produjo 56% de citotoxicidad, 80,3% de inhibición de la migración celular, 68% de inhibición en la formación de colonias. La IC50 de Dox fue 0,5 μg/mL. Conclusiones. El EFLt ejerce citotoxicidad dependiente de la concentración y tiene efecto antiproliferativo sobre 4T1. Se requiere continuar los ensayos en modelos de mayor complejidad que permitan esclarecer el potencial antitumoral del EFLt.

Introduction. Neoplastic tumors are characterized by invasiveness and metastasis. Neoplastic cells are genetically heterogeneous and can develop resistance to chemotherapeutic agents. For this reason, plants continue to be an important source of new anticancer products. Objective. To determine the cytotoxic and antiproliferative activity of a fucoidan-rich extract of native Lessonia trabeculata (EFLt) on the tripe negative murine mammary adenocarcinoma cell line 4T1. Methods. Cytotoxicity and IC50 were determined in 4T1 monolayers using the MTT reagent. To demonstrate antiproliferative activity, "wound" closure and anticlonogenic methods were applied using the IC50 of EFLt and Doc (doxorubicin). "Wound" closure was evaluated by discrete times sweep to determine percentage inhibition of cell migration; the anticlonogenic effect was evaluated by colony counting 7 days after treatment and the survival fraction was determined. In addition, cytotoxicity and antiproliferative activity were evaluated by combining the IC50 of EFLt and Dox. Percent migration and colony counts were performed using ImageJ software. Results. The IC50 (950 μg/mL) of EFLt was 56% cytotoxicity, 80,3% inhibition of cell migration, 68% inhibition of colony formation.The ICof Dox was 0,5 μg/mL. Conclusions. EFLt exerts concentration-dependent cytotoxicity and antiproliferative effect on 4T1. Further studies in more complex models are needed to elucidate the anti-tumor potential of EFLt.

In vitro evaluation for estrogenic mechanisms of the disinfectant benzalkonium chloride as an emerging contaminant

This study aimed to evaluate in vitro the possible mechanisms underlying the estrogenic potential of benzalkonium chloride (BAC) as a disinfectant emerging contaminant. Effects of BAC at the environmentally-relevant concentrations on estrogen synthesis and estrogen receptor (ER) signaling were assessed using the H295R steroidogenesis assay and the MCF-7 proliferation assay, respectively. Results showed that exposure to BAC at concentrations of 1.0-1.5 mg/L for 48 h significantly increased estradiol production of H295R cells in a concentration-dependent manner. Transcription of steroidogenic genes 3β‐HSD2, 17β‐HSD1, 17β‐HSD4, and CYP19A were significantly enhanced by BAC. In ER-positive MCF-7 cells, exposure to 0.5-1.5 mg/L BAC for 48 h significantly promoted cell proliferation and increased the expressions of ERα and G-protein coupled estrogen receptor 1. Flow cytometry analysis showed that 0.5-1.5 mg/L BAC significantly decreased the percentage of cells in G0/G1 phase, increased the percentage in S phase, and BAC at concentrations of 1.0 and 1.5 mg/L increased the G2/M phase cells. Findings of the study suggested that BAC at environmentally-relevant concentrations might act as a xenoestrogen through its inhibitory effect on steroidogenesis and ER-mediated mechanism.

Evaluation of stability of Luc2P reporter cell lines by duplex digital PCR / 中国生物制品学杂志

@#Objective To develop a duplex digital PCR(dPCR) for evaluation of the stability of luciferase(Luc) gene in Luc2P reporter cell lines(CHO-K1,Hacat,HEK293 and UT7).Methods Genomic DNAs of Luc2P reporter cell lines were extracted,a duplex dPCR was developed to determine the copies of reference gene RPP30 and the target gene Luc,and the relative copy number of Luc(copies Luc/copy RPP30) was employed as the indicator for the stability evaluation of Luc gene;The developed method was verified for the specificity,precision,linearity,accuracy and durability,and analyzed for the applicability,according to the related requirements in Chinese Pharmacopoeia(Volume Ⅲ,2020 edition).Results All the original cells without reporter gene transfection were negative,while all the four reporter cell lines were positive,and the negative and positive regions in dPCR results were clearly distinguished;The relative standard deviation(RSD) of the eight repeated detections of the same genomic DNA sample and the six independent extractions of genomic DNA sample of the same cell were all less than 10%,and the linear fitting R~2 values were more than 0.99 for both Luc and RPP30.The spike recoveries of five groups of samples detected by the developed method were between 50% and 100%,and the results of chip-type dPCR and droplet-type dPCR were consistent.This method distinguished the relative copy number of Luc in different cell clones,and the results of detecting the relative copy number of Luc in three passages(P8,P12 and P31) were highly consistent.Conclusion The developed duplex dPCR method has good specificity,precision,linearity,accuracy,durability and applicability,and might be used to evaluate the stability of Luc gene in Luc2P reporter cell lines.

Effect of Dichloromethane Extraction Phase of Patrinia Scabiosaefolia Fisch. Stem on Proliferation and Differentiation of K562 Cells / 中国实验血液学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To explore the effect of dichloromethane extraction phase of ethanol extract from stem of Patrinia scabiosaefolia Fisch.(DPSS) on proliferation and differentiation of K562 cells and its related mechanism.@*METHODS@#MTT assay was used to detect the effects of DPSS at 0, 25, 50, 100 and 200 μg/ml on the proliferation of K562 cells at 24, 48 and 72 hours. Flow cytometry was used to analyze the changes of cell cycle and apoptosis at 24 and 48 hours. Wright-Giemsa staining was used to observe the morphological changes of K562 cells. The cell surface antigens CD33 and CD11b were detected by flow cytometry.@*RESULTS@#The proliferation of K562 cells treated with different concentrations of DPSS was inhibited in a time-dose dependent manner (r=-0.96). Cell cycle analysis showed that with the increase of DPSS concentration, cells in G2/M phase increased (r=0.88), and cells were blocked in G2/M phase. Flow cytometry results showed that with the apoptosis rate of K562 cells was the highest when treated with 200 μg/ml DPSS for 48 h. Morphological observation showed that the K562 cell body increased, the amount of cytoplasm increased, the ratio of nucleus to cytoplasm decreased, and the nuclear chromatin was rough after DPSS treatment. Cell differentiation antigen, CD33 and CD11b, were positively expressed after treated with DPSS.@*CONCLUSION@#DPSS can induce apoptosis through cell cycle arrest, inhibit the proliferation of K562 cells, and induce K562 cells to differentiate into monocytes, which has a potential anti-leukemia effect.

JNK inhibitor SP600125 inhibits interleukin-1β induced pyroptosis in βTC-6 cells / 中华内分泌代谢杂志

Objective:To investigate whether interleukin(IL)-1β is involved in pyroptosis which leads to mouse islet β cell line βTC-6 cell damage, and to explore the role of JNK inhibitor SP600125 in inhibiting IL-1β induced βTC-6 cell pyroptosis.Methods:βTC-6 cell line and mouse islets were incubated with IL-1β for 48 h or intervened with both JNK inhibitor SP600125 and IL-1R antagonist IL-1Ra, then GSDMD expression and β cell pyroptosis morphology were detected by immunofluorescence staining of GSDMD and DAPI. The expression levels of Gsdmd, IL-1β and IL-18 mRNAs were detected by real time fluorescence PCR, and apoptosis was examined by Annexin-V/7-AAD staining combined with flow cytometry.Results:βTC-6 cell pyroptotic body was significantly increased in the IL-1β treated group compared with the control group, and the expressions of pyroptosis related genes Gsdmd, IL-1β, and IL-18 mRNA were significantly higher( P<0.05), and apoptosis was increased, suggesting that IL-1β effectively induced the βTC-6 cell pyroptosis, IL-1Ra prevented IL-1β induced βTC-6 cell pyroptosis. In the presence of JNK inhibitor SP600125, IL-1β treatment failed to induce the expressions of Gsdmd and IL-18 mRNA, markers of pyroptosis, and reduced the rate of apoptosis, indicating that SP600125 suppressed IL-1β induced βTC-6 cell pyroptosis. Conclusion:Pyroptosis is one of the mechanisms of βTC-6 cell impairment caused by IL-1β, and SP600125, a JNK inhibitor, can block the IL-1β induced pyroptosis pathway and has a potential role in inhibiting βTC-6 cell pyroptosis.

Effect of transcription factor NFIB on cell proliferation and invasion in breast cancer / 中国医师杂志

Objective:To investigate the effect of transcription factor nuclear factor IB (NFIB) on cell proliferation and invasion in breast cancer.Methods:The lentivirus pLKO.1-shNFIB plasmid was constructed, packaged and infected with human estrogen receptor positive (ER + ) breast cancer cell line MCF-7 and triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) cell line MDA-MB-231, respectively, NFIB was stably knocked down and verified by Western blot method; Cell count test (CCK-8) and clone formation test were used to investigate the effect of knockdown NFIB on the growth and proliferation of breast cancer cells; The transwell experiment and Western blot method were performed to detect the expression of epithelial mesenchymal transition protein markers. The effect of knockdown NFIB on the invasive ability of triple-negative breast cancer cells was explored; Kaplan-Meier survival was used to analyze web data (http: //kmplot.com/analysis/) to explore the effect of NFIB on the prognosis of ER + breast cancer and triple-negative breast cancer patients. Results:In MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells, knocking down NFIB inhibited cell growth and proliferation; In triple-negative breast cancer MDA-MB-231 cells, knocking down NFIB promoted the expression of interstitial marker fibronectin and promoted cell invasion; The lower the expression of NFIB, the worse the prognosis of triple negative breast cancer patients, while the expression of NFIB had no effect on the prognosis of ER + breast cancer patients. Conclusions:Knocking down NFIB inhibits the proliferation of MCF-7 cells, and the expression level of NFIB is not related to the prognosis of ER + breast cancer patients; Knocking down NFIB inhibits the proliferation of MDA-MB-231 cells but promotes their invasion; The low expression of NFIB is associated with the poor prognosis of triple-negative breast cancer patients.

Effects of rhGLP-1 (7-36) on Akt/GSK3 signaling pathway in hepatocytes / 中华内分泌外科杂志

Objective:To observe the effect of rhGLP-1 (7-36) on Akt/GSK3 signaling pathway in hepatocytes.Methods:Human HL7702 cell line was cultured to the logarithmic growth stage and divided into experimental group and blank control group. The cultures were incubated with 100nM medium containing rhglp-1 (7-36) and without rhglp-1 (7-36) for 90min. The levels of Akt, Glycogen synthase Kinase 3 (GSK3) and Glycogen synthase (GS) in the two groups were detected by Western Blot.Results:Compared with blank control group, the protein expression of p-Akt (Thr308) in experimental group (1.81±0.28) was significantly increased ( P=0.01), but the protein expression of Akt and p-Akt (Ser473) was not significantly changed. The protein expression levels of p-GSK3α (Ser21) (1.27±0.09) and p-GSK3β (Ser9) (1.24±0.09) in the experimental group were significantly increased ( P=0.003, 0.002), while the protein expression levels of GSK3α and GSK3β were not significantly changed. The protein expression level of p-GS (Ser641) (0.70±0.16) was decreased in the experimental group ( P=0.03), but the protein expression level of GS did not change significantly. Conclusion:Glp-1 can inhibit GSK3/GS signaling pathway, activate GS activity and promote glycogen synthesis.

Application of monoclonal inoculation/imaging equipment VIPS in monoclonal screening of CHO engineered cell lines / 中国生物制品学杂志

@#Objective To develop a method for monoclonal screening of CHO engineered cell lines using Verified In-situ Plate Seeding(VIPS). Methods Cell pool 1 stably transfected with target gene was inoculated by using monoclonal inoculation/imaging equipment(VIPS)in 96-well plates containing culture medium of different combinations(18 combinations,numbered 1～18)and volumes(100 and 200 μL/well). Monoclonal origin tracing pictures were taken,according to which,the monoclonal inoculation rate,clone formation rate and monoclonal proliferation rate were calculated and the image effects of monoclonal origin were evaluated. The applicability of this method was verified by cell pool 2,cell pool 3 and cell pool 4 stably transfected with target gene. Results The optimum monoclonal medium was Medium Ⅱ,and the volume of medium was 100 μL/well. Under the optimum process conditions,the monoclonal inoculation rate of Cell pool 1 was 80%,the clone formation rate was 83%,the proliferation rate was fast,and the monoclonal origin image was clear. While for Cell pool2,Cell pool 3 and Cell pool 4,the average rate of monoclonal inoculation was 78%,the average rate of clone formation was67%,the proliferation rate was slightly different and the image of cell division process was clear under the optimum process conditions. Conclusion In this study,the monoclonal screening method of CHO engineered cell lines developed using VIPS can improve the clone formation rate of CHO engineered cell lines and provide sufficient proof of monoclonal origin.

Effect and molecular mechanism of mammalian target of rapamycin complex 2 / Akt signaling pathway on 6-hydroxydopamine-treated SH-SY5Y cell model / 解剖学报

[Abstract] Objective To study whether the regulation of mammalian target of rapamycin complex 2(mTORC2) / Akt signaling pathway has a protective effect on SH-SY5Y cell line damaged by 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA), and to clarify its molecular mechanism. Methods SH-SY5Y cells treated with retinoic acid (RA) were given 6-OHDA, mTORC2 signaling pathway inhibitor PP242 and agonist A-443654 respectively. The changes of cell number in each group were investigated by immunofluorescent staining; The total protein was extracted and the expression level and interaction of key proteins in mTORC2 signaling pathway were determined by Western blotting and co-immunoprecipitation (CoIP); The apoptosis rate of cells in each group was detected by flow cytometry. At the same time, the co-culture Parkinson’ s disease (PD) model was made using SH-SY5Y cell line and Bv-2 cell line; MTT colorimetric method was used to detect the cell viability of each group; ELISA was used to detect the content of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-1β (IL-1β) in cell culture supernatant. Results The number of tyrosine hydroxylase(TH) / proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) / hochest-, TH / 5-bronmo-2’ -deoxyuridine(BrdU) -labeled positive cells in 6-OHDA-lesioned PD cell model group was significantly lower than that in the normal group; The apoptosis rate was higher; The expression of Rictor, p-Akt and regulated in DNA damage and development 1(REDD1) was increased; There was an interaction between Rictor and p-Akt or REDD1; The cell viability was significantly reduced in the co-culture model; the content of TNF-α and IL-β increased in the cell culture supernatant. With further up-regulation of the abovementioned protein expressions, the cell survival, apoptosis and pro-inflammatory cytokine levels in A-443654 group were significantly ameliorated, while PP242 group showed the opposite changes. Conclusion A-443654 activates mTORC2 signaling pathway by p-Akt, which increases the expression of Rictor and REDD1 protein. These changes contribute to the amelioration in cell survival rate, apoptosis rate, and the proliferation and differentiation and decreasion of apoptosis rate of SH-SY5Y cells. These result improved 6-OHDA-induced cell damage and inhibited the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines.

7,8-dihydroxy-9,10-epoxybenzoapyrene induced ferroptosis in mouse hippocampal neuron HT22 cells and its mechanism / 环境与职业医学

Background Benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) has neurotoxicity, which can induce the loss of hippocampal neurons in humans and animals and lead to spatial learning and memory dysfunction, but its mechanism is still unclear. Objective To observe the ferroptosis of mouse hippocampal neuron HT22 cells induced by 7,8-dihydroxy-9,10-epoxybenzo[a]pyrene (BPDE), an active metabolite of BaP, and to explore its potential mechanism, so as to provide a basis for the study of BaP neurotoxicity mechanism. Method Mouse hippocampal neuron HT22 cells were selected and divided into four groups: solvent control group and low, medium, and high concentration BPDE exposure groups (0.25, 0.50, and 0.75 μmol·L−1). Cell survival was detected by CCK8 method. Cell morphology and ultrastructure were observed under light and electron microscopes. The levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and Fe2+ were detected by fluorescence probe method. Iron, 4-hydroxynonenoic acid (4-HNE), malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione (GSH), and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-PX) levels were detected with commercial kits. The expression levels of acyl-CoA synthase long chain family member 4 (ACSL4), cyclooxygenase 2 (COX2), solute carrier family 7 member 11 (SLC7A11), and glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) were detected by Western blotting. After interventions with ferroptosis inhibitors 20 μmol·L−1 deferoxamine (DFO) and 10 μmol·L−1 ethyl 3-amino-4-cyclohexylaminobenzoate (Fer-1), the cell survival rate of each BPDE exposure group and the changes of the ferroptosis characteristic indicators and protein expression levels were observed. Results With the increase of BPDE concentration, the survival rate of HT22 cells decreased gradually, and the survival rate of each BPDE group was significantly lower than that of the solvent control group (P<0.01). Under light microscope, the number of cells in the high concentration BPDE group was significantly reduced, and atrophic cells and reduced synapses were recorded. Under electron microscope, the HT22 cells in the high concentration BPDE group showed mitochondrial shrinkage, decreased crista, and increased mitochondrial membrane density. Compared with the solvent control group, the levels of intracellular lipid ROS, Fe2+, 4-HNE, and MDA significantly increased in the high concentration group (P<0.01), the GSH and GSH-PX levels were significantly decreased (P<0.01), the protein expression levels of ASCL4 and COX2 were significantly increased (P<0.01), and the protein expression levels of SCL7A11 and GPX4 were significantly decreased (P<0.01). The ferroptosis inhibitors DFO and Fer-1 significantly reversed the cell survival rate (P<0.01), the ferroptosis characteristic indicators (ROS, Fe2+, 4-HNE, MDA, GSH, and GSH-PX levels) (P<0.01), and the expression levels of ferroptosis-related proteins (ACSL4, COX2, SLC7A11, and GPX4) (P<0.01) in the high concentration BPDE group. Conclusion BPDE can induce ferroptosis in mouse hippocampal neuron HT22 cells, which may be related to the inhibition of SLC7A11/GSH/GPX4 axis and the induction of iron metabolism disorder.

Evaluation of arjunolic acid against Brucella melitenis and in vitro cytotoxic study of lung adenocarcinomic cell line (A549)

Brucellosis, a neglected tropical disease of zoonotic nature, is caused by the genus Brucella, specifically by Brucella abortus and B. melitensis in cattle and humans, respectively. Arjunolic acid (AA) is a triterpenoid, isolated from Terminalia arjuna (Roxb.) Wight & Arn., a medicinally important plant used to treat various diseases in the Indian system of medicine. Here, we tried to evaluate AA for its antibacterial activity on Brucella and the in vitro cytotoxicity assay on human lung adenocarcinomic alveolar basal epithelial cell line (A549). Also, we assessed the synergistic effect of arjunolic acid and Tarenna asiatica (L.) Kuntze ex K.Schum. on B. melitensis. AA displayed a considerable antibacterial activity [zone of inhibition (9 mm) with a minimum inhibitory concentration of 30 ?g/mL] against B. melitensis. The rate of cell death for the cancer cells were at 100 ?g/mL concentration of AA was 82% which indicates that AA shows significant membrane disruption to cancer cells. The estimated IC50 of AA against the A549 cell line was 139.90 ?g/mL. The highest synergistic activity was exhibited forming a zone of inhibition measuring 10mm when arjunolic acid and AqE of T. asiatica was added in the concentration of 1:1, respectively.

Effects of thymoquinone on alpha-amanitin induced hepatotoxicity in human C3A hepatocytes

Abstract Thymoquinone (TQ) has shown hepatoprotective effects in various experimental studies. We aimed to investigate the possible beneficial effects of TQ regarding its prevention of alpha-amanitin induced hepatotoxicity in human C3A hepatocytes. After administering alpha-amanitin in a concentrations of 1 and 10µg/mL on the cells in a hepatocyte cell line, TQ was administered in various concentrations (10, 5, 1, 0.5, 0.1, 0.05, 0.01, 0.005 µg/mL). The MTT test was used to determine cell viability. For the groups given only TQ at various concentrations, the cell viability rates at 48 hours post-administration were found at 82.6, 98.3, 102.1, 102.5, 99.4, 99.4, 101.9 and 106.3%, respectively. For the group with 1μg/mL alpha-amanitin and various TQ concentrations, the cell viability rates were found at 74.6, 88.5, 87.4, 88.7, 85.7, 86.8, 88.4, and 92.9%, respectively. For the group with 10μg/mL alpha-amanitin and various TQ concentrations, the cell viability rates for each TQ subgroup were found at 65.2, 79.2, 81.4, 81.1, 81.8, 81.8, 82.2 and 91.9%, respectively. Our study is the first in vitro study that investigates TQ's effects on alpha-amanitin induced hepatotoxicity. Although TQ had beneficial effect in low doses did not significantly increase cell viability in liver damage due to alpha-amanitin toxicity.

In vitro cytotoxicity assay of Fucoidan extracted from Turbinaria conoides against cancer cell lines MCF7, A549, and normal cell line L929

Abstract The main aim of the study is to quantify the cytotoxic property of the Fucoidan extracted from the Turbinaria conoides using the MTT assay with the standard fucose. Fucoidan was extracted using the soaked water method and it was determined using the HPLC procedure the obtained Test sample Fucoidan extracted from the Turbinaria conoides and standard fucose was subjected to the cytotoxicity assay against the MCF7 Human breast cancer cell line, A549 lung cancer cell line, and L929 normal mouse fibroblast cell line. From the results it was found that the Test sample showed good IC50 value for MCF7 cell line then A549 with an increasing concentration 24 hours incubation at 37°C The IC50 for MCF7 was 115.21 µg/ml and A549 396.46µg/ml and the Fucoidan extract was checked for its cytotoxicity against the normal mouse fibroblast cell line L929, Fucoidan was found non-lethal to the L929 mouse fibroblast normal cell line. Standard fucose also gave a significant result towards MCF7 and against the L929. This indicates that the Fucoidan extracted from Tubinaria conoides shows better anticancer potential in it. Hence its application can be further extended in the pharmacological fields.

Optimization of expression yield in a stable cell line expressing a novel mutated chimeric tissue plasminogen activator (mt-PA)

Abstract The development of stable cell lines producing recombinant proteins is very time-consuming and laborious. One of the practical approaches successfully performed is Fluorescence-Activated Cell Sorting (FACS). A mutated chimeric tissue plasminogen activator (mt-PA) was developed by removing the first three domains of t-PA, insertion of GHRP sequence and mutation toward resistance to plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1). In the current study, a new stable CHO-DG44 cell line producing mt-PA was developed by two sequential clonal selections: FACS and clonal-selection by limiting dilution. Furthermore, the expression was more evaluated using two different expression media. Finally, the high-producing clones were selected based on the dot blot and amidolytic activity test. The transfection efficiency of CHO-DG44 cells was 38% as measured by flow cytometry on green fluorescent protein (GFP). After performing FACS on stable cell pools, the expression yield was increased to fifty-fold. In terms of growth profile, CD-DG44 showed higher viability and cell density results than ProCHO5 medium. The expression of mt-PA was significantly higher in CD-DG44 than in ProCHO5, 765 and 280 IU/mL, respectively. Our data indicated that selection of an appropriate expression medium played a critical role in the development of potent producing stable cells by FACS.

Explore the antiproliferative phytocompounds from ethanolic extracts of Citrus paradisi against liver cancer cell line by chemical analysis using TLC and FT-IR spectroscopy

Abstract The aim of the present study was to evaluate the in vitro antiproliferative activity of ethanolic extract of leaves and fruits Citrus paradisi plant on HepG-2 liver cell lines by MTT (3-(4, 5-dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyl-2H-terazolium bromide) assay and to isolate and characterize the antiproliferative compounds by TLC (Thin layer chromatography) and FT-IR (Fourier transforms Infrared) spectroscopy. Qualitative phytochemical screening tests were performed to detect phytochemicals compounds from the crude extracts. Antioxidant activity of the plant extracts were characterized by using DPPH (2,2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) free radical scavenging method. The results showed that antioxidant activity using DPPH were found to be increased in a concentration dependent manner and decreased cell viability and cell growth inhibition in a dose dependent manner. The findings from this study indicated that fruit extract exhibited good antiproliferation and antioxidant potential. The seven functional groups of phytocompounds such as carboxylic acid, amine salt, aromatic compounds, cyclic alkene, aldehyde, fluoro compounds and alkene were detected by FT-IR which indicated that fruit extracts of Citrus paradisi possessed vast potential as a medicinal drug especially in liver cancer treatment.

Resumo O objetivo do presente estudo foi avaliar a atividade antiproliferativa in vitro do extrato etanólico de folhas e frutos da planta Citrus paradisi em linhagens de células hepáticas HepG-2 por MTT (3- (4, 5-dimetil-2-tiazolil) -2, Ensaio de brometo de 5-difenil-2H-terazólio) e isolar e caracterizar os compostos antiproliferativos por espectroscopia de TLC (cromatografia de camada fina) e FT-IR (infravermelho com transformadas de Fourier). Testes qualitativos de triagem fitoquímica foram realizados para detectar compostos fitoquímicos nos extratos brutos. A atividade antioxidante dos extratos vegetais foi caracterizada pelo método de eliminação de radicais livres DPPH (2,2-difenil-1-picrilhidrazil). Os resultados mostraram que a atividade antioxidante usando DPPH aumentou de uma maneira dependente da concentração e diminuiu a viabilidade celular e a inibição do crescimento celular de uma maneira dependente da dose. Os resultados deste estudo indicaram que o extrato de fruta exibiu bom potencial antiproliferação e antioxidante. Os sete grupos funcionais de fitocompostos, como ácido carboxílico, sal de amina, compostos aromáticos, alceno cíclico, aldeído, compostos de flúor e alceno, foram detectados por FT-IR, o que indicou que extratos de frutas de Citrus paradisi possuíam vasto potencial como medicamento, especialmente no tratamento de câncer do fígado.

Effects of neutrophil extracellular traps on proliferation and apoptosis of human amniotic epithelial cells and its possible mechanisms / 中华围产医学杂志

Objective:To investigate the effects of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) on the proliferation and apoptosis of human amniotic epithelial cells.Methods:NETs were induced in vitro from the neutrophil cells obtained from the peripheral blood of normal pregnant women before elective cesarean section at full-term. Human amniotic epithelial cell lines (WISH cells) were cultured in vitro, and were divided into four groups:(1) control group: without any stimulus; (2) NETs group: WISH cells were stimulated with NETs (500 ng/ml); (3) NETs+SB203580 (p38 kinase inhibitor) group: WISH cells were pretreated with SB203580 (5 μmol/L) for 30 min and then NETs (500 ng/ml) was added; (4) SB203580 group: only SB203580 was added. After stimulating for 48 h, cell proliferation assay, lactate dehydrogenase(LDH) assay, and flow cytometry assay were used to detect the cell proliferation rate, LDH level of cell supernatant, and cell apoptosis rate among different groups. The results were analyzed and compared using one-way analysis of variance and LSD- t test. Results:(1) Cell proliferation: The cell proliferation ratio in the NETs group was lower than that in the control group [(9.379±0.775)% vs (36.560±1.208)%, LSD- t=20.78, P<0.001]; and the figure in the NETs+SB203580 group [(27.920±0.926)%] was higher than that in the NETs group (LSD- t=14.18, P<0.001). (2)LDH: There was an increased LDH level in the cell supernatant of the NETs group compared with the control group (1.518±0.038 vs 0.274±0.004, LSD -t=44.25, P<0.05), and the LDH level in the NETs+SB203580 group (0.857±0.009) was decreased than that in the NETs group (LSD -t=23.51, P<0.001). (3) Apoptosis: Compared with the control group, the cell apoptosis level of the NETs group was increased [(14.290±0.141)% vs (10.110±0.044)%, LSD- t=21.76, P<0.001]; but that in the NETs+SB203580 group [(10.500±0.218)%] was lower than in the NETs group (LSD- t=19.70, P<0.001). Conclusion:p38/mitogen-activated protein kinases signaling pathway may be involved in the process of NETs, inhibiting proliferation and promoting apoptosis of human amniotic epithelial cells.

Establishment and identification of human immortalized keratinocytes stably expressing human papillomavirus type 16 E6/E7 gene / 中华皮肤科杂志

Objective:To construct human immortalized keratinocytes stably expressing human papillomavirus type 16 (HPV16) E6/E7 gene, and provide a cell model for studying mechanisms underlying HPV16 E6/E7-induced cell immortalization and malignant transformation.Methods:Primary human foreskin keratinocytes (HFKs) were isolated by sequential two-step enzymatic digestion. Cultured HFKs were stably transfected with a HPV16 E6/E7 gene-overexpressing lentiviral vector LV5-HPV16 E6/E7, and consecutively cultured for more than 30 passages. Then, immortalized keratinocytes were screened out and divided into 3 groups: (1) blank control group: second-passage primary HFKs; (2) experimental group: HFKs transfected with LV5-HPV16 E6/E7 at different passages, and the second-passage primary HFKs transfected with LV5-HPV16 E6/E7 were referred to as A0 cells, thereafter, the transfected HFKs were named according to their passage number, such as A1, A2, ... A30; (3) positive control group: the HPV16-positive cervical cancer cell line SiHa. Real-time fluorescence-based quantitative PCR (qRT-PCR) and Western blot analysis were performed to determine the mRNA expression of HPV16 E6/E7 and protein expression of HPV16 E6/E7 and CK14, respectively, in the blank control group, experimental group and positive control group. Cell counting kit-8 (CCK8) assay and Transwell insert invasion assay were conducted to assess the cellular proliferative and invasive activity. In vivo tumor formation experiment in nude mice was conducted to investigate the tumorigenicity of A30 cells in the experimental group and SiHa cells in the positive control group. Results:Primary HFKs were successfully isolated. After the primary HFKs were transfected with the recombinant plasmid LV5-HPV16 E6/E7, the blank control group showed no fluorescence in the cells, but showed senescent phenotypes after serial passages, while in the experimental group, the volume and morphology of A30 cells were similar to those of the primary HFKs with the proportion of fluorescence-positive cells being 100%. Compared with the blank control group, the experimental group showed significantly increased mRNA expression levels of HPV16 E6 and E7 in A1, A10, A20 and A30 cells (HPV16 E6: t = 7.12, 8.07, 6.53, 5.66, P < 0.001, < 0.001, = 0.001, = 0.005, respectively; HPV16 E7: t = 3.20, 4.29, 3.75, 4.22; P = 0.024, 0.008, 0.013, 0.014, respectively) . The protein expression of HPV16 E6/E7 was absent in the blank control group, but was observed in A30 and SiHa cells. CCK8 assay showed that the proliferative activity of A10, A20 and A30 cells was significantly higher than that of the blank control group ( t = 6.49, 7.55, 9.43, P = 0.003, 0.002, 0.001, respectively) , while there was no significant difference in the proliferative activity between A1 cells and the blank control group ( t = 2.40, P = 0.074) . Transwell insert invasion assay showed that A30 cells could not cross the basement membrane, but SiHa cells could pass through the basement membrane and were stained blue. Two months after the inoculation with A30 cells in the nude mice, no visible tumors were found, which was confirmed by a histological study. Subcutaneous tumors were formed in the nude mice after the inoculation with SiHa cells. Conclusion:Human immortalized keratinocytes were successfully established by lentivirus-mediated transfection with HPV16 E6/E7 gene, and can serve as an ideal cell model for HPV-related research.