Bisphenol A-induced DNA damages promote to lymphoma progression in human lymphoblastoid cells through aberrant CTNNB1 signaling pathway.

Lymphoma is a group of blood cancers that develop from the immune system, and one of the main risk factors is associated with exposure to environmental chemicals. Bisphenol A (BPA) is a common chemical used in the manufacture of materials in polycarbonate and epoxy plastic products and can interfere with the immune system. BPA is considered to possibly induce lymphoma development by affecting the immune system, but its potential mechanisms have not been well established. This study performed a gene-network analysis of microarray data sets in human lymphoma tissues as well as in human cells with BPA exposure to explore module genes and construct the potential pathway for lymphomagenesis in response to BPA. This study provided evidence that BPA exposure resulted in disrupted cell cycle and DNA damage by activating CTNNB1, the initiator of the aberrant constructed CTNNB1-NFKB1-AR-IGF1-TWIST1 pathway, which may potentially lead to lymphomagenesis.

Synthesis, binding, and functional properties of tetrahydroisoquinolino-2-alkyl phenones as selective σ2R/TMEM97 ligands.

Sigma-2 receptor (σ2R/TMEM97) has been implicated to play important roles in multiple cellular dysfunctions, such as cell neoplastic proliferation, neuro-inflammation, neurodegeneration, etc. Selective σ2 ligands are believed to be promising pharmacological tools to regulate or diagnose various disorders. As an ongoing effort of discovery of new and selective σ2 ligands, we have synthesized a series of tetrahydroisoquinolino-2-alkyl phenone analogs and identified that 10 of them have moderate to potent affinity and selectivity for σ2R/TMEM97. Especially, 4 analogs showed Ki values ranging from 0.38 to 5.1 nM for σ2R/TMEM97 with no or low affinity for sigma-1 receptor (σ1R). Functional assays indicated that these 4 most potent analogs had no effects on intracellular calcium concentration and were classified as putative σ2R/TMEM97 antagonists according to current understanding. The σ2R/TMEM97 has been suggested to play important roles in the central nervous system. Based on published pharmacological and clinical results from several regarded σ2R/TMEM97 antagonists, these analogs may potentially be useful for the treatment of various neurodegenerative diseases.

[Influence of BMP4 on Regulation of Cell Cycle and Apoptosis of Hematopoietic Stem Cells/Progenitor Cells and Its Mechanism in Chemotherapy-Induced Myelosuppression].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the effect of bone morphogenetic protein 4(BMP4) on the cell cycle and apoptosis of hemaropoictic stem and progenitor cells (HSPC) in conditions of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU)-inducing bone marrow suppression and stress hemogenesis, and its possible mechanism. METHODS: The C57BL transgenic mice with BMP4 overexpression were established and were enrolled in transgenic group (BMP4 group), at the same time the wild type mice matching in age, sex and body weight were selected and were enrolled in control group (WT group). The bone marrow suppression was induced by injection with 5-FU in dose of 150 mg/kg, then the nucleated cells were isolated from bone marrow. After the HSPCs were markered with C-kit/sca-1 fluorescent antibodies, the changes of cell cycle and apoptosis of HSPC were detected by Aunexin V/PI and Ki67/DAPI double staining; the cell cycle-essociated hemotopoietic regulatory factors were detected by RT-qPCR. RESULTS: Under physiologic status, there were no significant differences in cell cycle and apoptotic rate of HSPC between WT group and BMP-4 group. After the bone marrow was suppressed, the ratio of HSPC at G0 phase in BMP4 group significantly decreased(P＜0.05); the apoptosis rate of HSPC significantly increased(P＜0.05); the mRNA expression levels of hypoxia-inducing factor Hif-1α and chemotactic factor CXCL12 in stroma of BMP4 group were down-regulated significanfly(P＜0.05). CONCLUSION: Under non-physiologic conditions such as stress hemogenesis or bone marrow suppression, the up-regulation of BMP4 can promote HSPC into cell cycle and apoptosis of HSPC, moreover, the BMP4 may play a regulatory role for cell cycle of HSPC through direct or indirect down-regulation of Hif-1α and CXCL-12 expressions.

[Detecting human adenoviruses in respiratory samples collected from children with acute respiratory infections by loop-mediated isothermal amplification].

OBJECTIVE: To establish a rapid and reliable loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) method for detecting adenoviruses (ADV)in respiratory samples collected from children with acute respiratory infections. METHOD: According to the sequences of hexon genes of common adenovirus serotypes (Ad3, Ad7, and Ad14) downloaded from GenBank, primers were designed and LAMP method for detecting adenovirus DNA was developed. Sensitivity of the LAMP method was evaluated by using constructed recombinant plasmid DNA with gene fragment from hexon of ADV3, and specificity was tested through cross-reaction with other viruses. Then 11 ADV strains isolated from clinical specimens using tissue cultures were tested by LAMP method. A total of 108 nasopharyngeal aspirates from hospitalized patients with acute respiratory infections which had been tested by direct immunofluorescence assay (DFA), including 36 for ADV positive and 72 for ADV negative, were tested by both LAMP method and multiplex nested PCR. RESULT: Analysis for sensitivity indicated that this LAMP method can detect 1.9×10(2)copies/ml of DNA, and no amplification was shown in DNA or cDNA of other viruses, which revealed that the specificity of the LAMP method is high. For 108 specimens which had been tested by DFA, 34 out of the 36 ADV positive specimens showed positive signal within 90 minutes using LAMP. Five out of 72 negative specimens by DFA were positive using LAMP; 39 out of the 41 ADV positive specimens by multiplex nested PCR showed positive signal using LAMP, including 19 for Ad3 and 20 for Ad7; 67 negative specimens confirmed by multiplex nested PCR showed negative signal using LAMP. The total consistency rate of DFA and LAMP method for detecting ADV was 93.5%, and the total coincidence rate of multiplex nested PCR and LAMP method for detecting ADV was 98.1%. CONCLUSION: A new, sensitive, accurate and rapid method for detecting human adenovirus from nasopharyngeal aspirates by LAMP was developed, which should be a potential method for rapid detection of ADV from respiratory tract of children in clinical diagnosis of ADV infection.

[Study on chemical constituents of triterpenoids from Potentilla discolor].

OBJECTIVE: To study the triterpenoids constituents in Potentilla discolor. METHODS: The compounds were isolated by silica gel chromatography, macroporous resins and polyamide column chromatography from the 70% ethanol extract, and their structures were identified by spectral analysis. RESULTS: Six compounds were obtained and their structures were identified as 3-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-(1 --> 2) -beta-D-xylopyranosyl-19a-hydroxyurs-12-en-28-acid (1), 2alpha, 3/beta, 19alpha-trihydroxyurs-12-en-28-acid (2), 3beta, 19alpha-trihydroxyurs-12-en-24, 28-acid (3), 2alpha, 3beta-dihydroxyolean-12-en-28-acid (4), 2alpha, 3alpha, 19alpha-trihydroxyurs-12-en-28-acid (5), beta-sitosterol (6). CONCLUSION: Compounds 1 and 3 are obtained from this plant for the fisrt time.

[Sequence and antigenicity analysis for VP4s of EV71 strains isolated from Children in Beijing].

In order to learn about the correlation between the sequences of VP4 of EV71 and clinical symptoms of patients and analyze the antigenicity of VP4 of EV71, as well as the cross-reactivity with VP4 of CA16, the sequences of VP4 gene from 10 EV71 strains isolated from infants and children with hand, foot and mouth diseases (HFMD) during 2007 to 2009 were determined through standard molecular cloning protocols, and the results were analyzed by EditSeq and MegAlign of DNAStar. Full-length genes of VP4s of EV71 and CA16 were amplified from virus isolates and expressed in E. coli. Then the expressed VP4s were used as antigens to detect IgG antibody in 189 sera samples from people taking health check up and patients of non-HFMD by Western-Blot. They were also used to detect IgM antibody in 14 of sera samples from infants and children with EV71 infection and 12 of sera samples from those with CA16 infection. The nucleotides identities among these 10 sequences of VP4s isolated in our lab were 94.20% - 100.00% and the deduced amino acids were identical. There was no consistent divergence between the sequences of serious cases and those from general HFMD cases. Phylogenetic analysis based on VP4s indicated that these 10 VP4s of EV71 belonged to C4. The nucleotide identities between EV71 VP4 (s67) and CA16 VP4 (s401) was 69.60% and the deduced amino acids identities was 78.60%. In the detection of IgG, the sera-positive rate for EV71 VP4 was 38.10% and the sera-positive rate of CA16 VP4 was 58.20%. The difference in the sera-positive rate between them was significant (chi2 = 15.30, P < 0.01), suggesting that the expressed VP4s of EV71 and CA16 were of good antigenicity and not cross-reactive. There was no positive reaction detected for IgM against VP4s for EV71 or CA16. The data from this study reveal important information for the further study of EV71.

The iNOS/Src/FAK axis is critical in Toll-like receptor-mediated cell motility in macrophages.

The Toll-like receptors (TLRs) play a pivotal role in innate immunity for the detection of highly conserved, pathogen-expressed molecules. Previously, we demonstrated that lipopolysaccharide (LPS, TLR4 ligand)-increased macrophage motility required the participation of Src and FAK, which was inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS)-dependent. To investigate whether this iNOS/Src/FAK pathway is a general mechanism for macrophages to mobilize in response to engagement of TLRs other than TLR4, peptidoglycan (PGN, TLR2 ligand), polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid (polyI:C, TLR3 ligand) and CpG-oligodeoxynucleotides (CpG, TLR9 ligand) were used to treat macrophages in this study. Like LPS stimulation, simultaneous increase of cell motility and Src (but not Fgr, Hck, and Lyn) was detected in RAW264.7, peritoneal macrophages, and bone marrow-derived macrophages exposed to PGN, polyI:C and CpG. Attenuation of Src suppressed PGN-, polyI:C-, and CpG-elicited movement and the level of FAK Pi-Tyr861, which could be reversed by the reintroduction of siRNA-resistant Src. Besides, knockdown of FAK reduced the mobility of macrophages stimulated with anyone of these TLR ligands. Remarkably, PGN-, polyI:C-, and CpG-induced Src expression, FAK Pi-Tyr861, and cell mobility were inhibited in macrophages devoid of iNOS, indicating the importance of iNOS. These findings corroborate that iNOS/Src/FAK axis occupies a central role in macrophage locomotion in response to engagement of TLRs.