Downregulation of microRNA-362-3p and microRNA-329 promotes tumor progression in human breast cancer.

p130Cas regulates cancer progression by driving tyrosine receptor kinase signaling. Tight regulation of p130Cas expression is necessary for survival, apoptosis, and maintenance of cell motility in various cell types. Several studies revealed that transcriptional and post-translational control of p130Cas are important for maintenance of its expression and activity. To explore novel regulatory mechanisms of p130Cas expression, we studied the effect of microRNAs (miRs) on p130Cas expression in human breast cancer MCF7 cells. Here, we provide experimental evidence that miR-362-3p and miR-329 perform a tumor-suppressive function and their expression is downregulated in human breast cancer. miR-362-3p and miR-329 inhibited cellular proliferation, migration, and invasion, thereby suppressing tumor growth, by downregulating p130Cas. Ectopic expression of p130Cas attenuated the inhibitory effects of the two miRs on tumor progression. Relative expression levels of miR-362-3p/329 and p130Cas between normal and breast cancer correlated inversely; miR-362-3p/329 expression was decreased, whereas that of p130Cas increased in breast cancers. Furthermore, we showed that downregulation of miR-362-3p and miR-329 was caused by differential DNA methylation of miR genes. Enhanced DNA methylation (according to methylation-specific PCR) was responsible for downregulation of miR-362-3p and miR-329 in breast cancer. Taken together, these findings point to a novel role for miR-362-3p and miR-329 as tumor suppressors; the miR-362-3p/miR-329-p130Cas axis seemingly has a crucial role in breast cancer progression. Thus, modulation of miR-362-3p/miR-329 may be a novel therapeutic strategy against breast cancer.

Spin90 deficiency increases CXCL13-mediated B cell migration.

SPIN90 regulates actin dynamics, which is important for cell migration control. CXCL13-mediated B cell migration is essential for B cell immune responses. In this study, we investigated the role of SPIN90 in CXCL13-mediated B cell migration using Spin90 gene-deficient mice. Our chemokinesis analysis and transwell cell migration assay showed that SPIN90 is involved in CXCL13-mediated B cell migration. Moreover, the level of CXCR5, which is CXCL13 receptor, was increased in SPIN90-deficient B cells compared with wild-type B cells. Overall, our data suggest that SPIN90 plays an important role in B cell immune responses through the regulation of CXCL13-mediated B cell migration.

Assessment of CYP2C19 genetic polymorphisms in a Korean population using a simultaneous multiplex pyrosequencing method to simultaneously detect the CYP2C19*2, CYP2C19*3, and CYP2C19*17 alleles.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: CYP2C19 is a drug-metabolizing enzyme showing various genetic polymorphisms that may cause marked interindividual and interethnic variability in the disposition of its substrates. We assessed CYP2C19 genetic polymorphisms in a Korean population using a newly developed multiplex pyrosequencing method. METHOD: A multiplex pyrosequencing method to simultaneously detect CYP2C19*2, *3, and *17 alleles was designed. We established the frequency of these CYP2C19 alleles in 271 Korean subjects using the multiplex pyrosequencing method. RESULTS: The results showed 100% concordance between single and multiplex pyrosequencing methods. We also validated the polymorphisms identified by pyrosequencing with direct sequencing method. The allele frequencies of CYP2C19*2, CYP2C19*3, and CYP2C19*17 were 0·284, 0·101 and 0·015 respectively. These frequencies are similar to that reported for other Asian populations including Japanese and Chinese but different from that of Caucasians and Africans. CONCLUSIONS: The multiplex pyrosequencing method to detect CYP2C19*2, CYP2C19*3, and CYP2C19*17 concurrently, seems to be a rapid and reliable genotyping method for the detection of important CYP2C19 genetic polymorphisms. Similar to studies conducted on other Asian populations, this study reported that in the Korean population tested, the CYP2C19*2 and CYP2C19*3 alleles were relatively frequently found, whereas the frequency of CYP2C19*17 was very low.

Axial length and intraoperative posterior vitreous detachment as predictive factors for surgical outcomes of diabetic vitrectomy.

AIMS: To evaluate the relationship of axial length (AXL), intraoperatively assessed posterior vitreous detachment (PVD) status, and surgical outcomes of diabetic vitrectomy. METHODS: Retrospective, consecutive case series. Clinical records were reviewed for 115 eyes (50 males, 65 females) with more than a 6-month follow-up who underwent diabetic vitrectomy from a single surgeon. Thirty-three eyes had vitreous haemorrhage, 37 had tractional retinal detachment (TRD) threatening the macula, 43 had TRD involving the macula, and two had neovascular glaucoma. AXL was measured preoperatively by ultrasonography, and PVD status was classified intraoperatively: broad vitreo-retinal adhesion as no PVD, PVD at the macular area with attachment at the disc as incomplete PVD, and complete PVD. RESULTS: Forty-four eyes had no PVD, 23 had incomplete PVD, and 48 had complete PVD. A majority of the no PVD group had macula off TRD (97.7%), whereas vitreous haemorrhage (68.7%) predominated in the complete PVD group. Longer AXLs were noted in the complete PVD group compared with the no PVD and incomplete PVD groups (ANOVA in three groups P=0.0001). Univariate analysis showed that AXL had an influence on anatomical success (P=0.02). Multiple logistic regression analysis yielded that PVD status is a significant predictor of the final best corrected visual acuity (BCVA)>20/100, and BCVA>20/40 (P=0.01, P=0.02). CONCLUSIONS: Intraoperatively assessed PVD status is a prognostic factor for functional outcomes of diabetic vitrectomy. Shorter AXL was associated with lesser PVD. In eyes with a lack of PVD, careful timing and decision of surgery are mandatory.

Association of CYP2B6, CYP3A5, and CYP2C19 genetic polymorphisms with sibutramine pharmacokinetics in healthy Korean subjects.

We assessed the association of CYP2B6, CYP3A5, and CYP2C19 polymorphisms with sibutramine pharmacokinetics. Forty six healthy male subjects were enrolled, and their CYP2B6 (*4 and *6), CYP3A5 (*3), and CYP2C19 (*2, and *3) genotypes were analyzed. After a single 15-mg dose of sibutramine was administered, plasma concentrations of sibutramine and its metabolites, M1 and M2, were measured. CYP2B6 and CYP3A5 polymorphisms did not affect the pharmacokinetics of sibutramine and its metabolites. However, the CYP2C19 genotype substantially influenced plasma levels of sibutramine and its metabolites. The mean area under the curve (AUC) of sibutramine in CYP2C19 intermediate metabolizers (IMs; *1/*2 or *1/*3) and poor metabolizers (PMs; *2/*2, *2/*3)) was 18.5 and 252.2% higher, respectively, than the AUC in extensive metabolizers (EMs, *1/*1) (P < 0.001). The AUC of M1 metabolite in IMs and PMs was 22.5 and 148.0% higher, respectively, than that of EMs (P < 0.001). Our findings indicate that the CYP2C19 genotype substantially affects the pharmacokinetics of sibutramine.

The role of Phe181 in the hexamerization of Helicobacter pylori quinolinate phosphoribosyltransferase.

Quinolinic acid phosphoribosyltransferase (QAPRTase; NadC) catalyzes an indispensable step in NAD biosynthesis, one that is essential for cell survival in prokaryotes, which makes it an attractive target for antibacterial drug therapy. We recently reported the crystal structures of Helicobacter pylori QAPRTase with bound quinolinic acid, nicotinamide mononucleotide, and phthalic acid. The enzyme exists as a hexamer organized as a trimer of dimers, which is essential for full enzymatic activity. The loop between helix alpha7 and strand beta8 contributes significantly to the hydrophobic dimer-dimer interactions. Phe181Pro mutation within the alpha7-beta8 loop disrupts the hexamerization of QAPRTase, and the resultant dimer shows dramatically reduced protein stability and no activity. Our findings thus suggest that compounds able to disrupt its proper oligomerization could potentially function as selective inhibitors of Helicobacter pylori QAPRTase and represent a novel set of antibacterial agents.

Calreticulin, a calcium-binding molecular chaperone, is required for stress response and fertility in Caenorhabditis elegans.

Calreticulin (CRT), a Ca(2+)-binding protein known to have many cellular functions, including regulation of Ca(2+) homoeostasis and chaperone activity, is essential for heart and brain development during embryogenesis in mice. Here, we report the functional characterization of Caenorhabditis elegans calreticulin (crt-1). A crt-1 null mutant does not result in embryonic lethality but shows temperature-dependent reproduction defects. In C. elegans CRT-1 is expressed in the intestine, pharynx, body-wall muscles, head neurons, coelomocytes, and in sperm. crt-1 males exhibit reduced mating efficiency and defects late in sperm development in addition to defects in oocyte development and/or somatic gonad function in hermaphrodites. Furthermore, crt-1 and itr-1 (inositol triphosphate receptor) together are required for normal behavioral rhythms. crt-1 transcript level is elevated under stress conditions, suggesting that CRT-1 may be important for stress-induced chaperoning function in C. elegans.

Immunosuppressant rapamycin inhibits protein kinase C alpha and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase leading to the inhibition of chondrogenesis.

Immunosuppressants are now known to modulate bone metabolism, including bone formation and resorption. Because cartilage, formed by differentiated chondrocytes, serves as a template for endochondral bone formation, we examined the effects of the immunosuppressant rapamycin on the chondrogenesis of mesenchymal cells and on the cell signaling that is required for chondrogenesis, such as protein kinase C, extracellular signal-regulated kinase-1 (ERK-1), and p38 mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase pathways. Rapamycin inhibited the expression of type II collagen and the accumulation of sulfate glycosaminoglycan, indicating inhibition of the chondrogenesis of mesenchymal cells. Rapamycin treatment did not affect precartilage condensation, but it prevented cartilage nodule formation. Exposure of chondrifying mesenchymal cells to rapamycin blocked activation of the protein kinase C alpha and p38 MAP kinase, but had no discernible effect on ERK-1 signaling. Selective inhibition of PKCalpha or p38 MAP kinase activity, which is dramatically increased during chondrogenesis, with specific inhibitors in the absence of rapamycin blocked the chondrogenic differentiation of mesenchymal cells. Taken together, our data indicate that the immunosuppressant rapamycin inhibits the chondrogenesis of mesenchymal cells at the post-precartilage condensation stage by modulating signaling pathways including those of PKCalpha and p38 MAP kinase.

Ecthyma gangrenosum without bacteraemia in a leukaemic patient.

Ecthyma gangrenosum is a well recognized cutaneous manifestation of Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections in immunocompromised patients. Most cases of ecthyma gangrenosum have been associated with concomitant septicaemia. However, ecthyma gangrenosum rarely develops due to Ps. aeruginosa in the absence of bacteraemia. We report a rare case of a nonsepticaemic form of ecthyma gangrenosum presenting as a large solitary necrotic ulcer in a patient with acute myelogenous leukaemia. A culture from the lesion revealed the presence of Ps. aeruginosa, but the results of repeated blood cultures were negative. Histological examination revealed numerous tiny eosinophilic bacilli in the dermis and panniculus with Gram's stain.

Degradation of focal adhesion proteins paxillin and p130cas by caspases or calpains in apoptotic rat-1 and L929 cells.

Immunofluorescence microscopy revealed the rearrangement and gradual dissociation of paxillin from focal adhesion sites during apoptosis. In vitro, cleavage of paxillin by caspase-3 generated a 42-kDa fragment, among other products, while cleavage by calpain generated a different set of fragments. In Rat-1 cells, cleavage of paxillin by caspase-3 was suppressed by zVAD-fmk or zDEVD-cmk, making caspase-3 a likely executioner during etoposide-induced apoptosis. In contrast, the cleavage of paxillin and p130cas in apoptotic L929 cells was blocked by calpain-specific inhibitors, which also reduced the death rate by 23 to 44%. Therefore, The disassembly and degradation of p130cas and paxillin during apoptosis may controlled by both caspases and calpains, depending upon their cellular contexts. Our findings also suggest that focal adhesion proteins paxillin and p130cas take part in integrin-mediated signaling for cell survival, and that their cleavage by caspase and/or calpain may not only disrupt focal adhesion complexes, but may also impede cell survival signaling.

Antimicrobial resistance surveillance of bacteria in 1999 in Korea with a special reference to resistance of enterococci to vancomycin and gram-negative bacilli to third generation cephalosporin, imipenem, and fluoroquinolone.

The trend of antimicrobial resistance of bacteria isolated from patients in 30 Korean hospitals in 1999 was analyzed with a particular attention to cefotaxime- or fluoroquinolone-resistant gram-negative bacilli, imipenem-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and vancomycin-resistant enterococci. Adequacy of susceptibility testing, and any change in the frequencies of isolated species were also analyzed. The results showed that only 20% and 30% of hospitals tested the piperacillin-tazobactam and cefoxitin susceptibility of Enterobacteriaceae, respectively, only 24% of hospitals the piperacillin-tazobactam susceptibility of P. aeruginosa, and 17% of hospitals the fusidic acid susceptibility of staphylococci. Among the isolates 26.3% were glucose-nonfermenting gram-negative bacilli, and 34.7% of Enterococcus were Enterococcus faecium. Slight decline of cefotaxime-resistance rate to 20% was noted in Klebsiella pneumoniae, while fluoroquinolone-resistance rate was 68% in Acinetobacter baumannii. The ceftazidime- and imipenem-resistance rates were 17% and 18%, respectively in P. aeruginosa. The vancomycin-resistance rate of E. faecium rose significantly to 15.1%, but the rates varied significantly depending on hospitals suggesting presence of different degree of selective pressure or nosocomial spread. In conclusion, the prevalence of imipenem-resistant P. aeruginosa and the increase of vancomycin-resistant E. faecium were the particularly worrisome phenomena observed in this study.

Implication of the small GTPase Rac1 in the apoptosis induced by UV in Rat-2 fibroblasts.

Exposure of mammalian cells to ultraviolet (UV) light elicits a cellular response and also lead to apoptotic cell death. However, the role of Rac, a member of Rho family GTPases, in the UV-induced apoptosis has never been examined. In UV-irradiated Rat-2 fibroblasts, nuclear fragmentation began to be observed within 2 h and the total viability of Rat-2 cells were only about 15% at 6 h following by UV irradiation, whereas the total viability in Rat2-Rac(N17) cells stably expressing RacN17, a dominant negative Rac1 mutant, was almost close to 67%. Pretreatment with SB203580, a specific inhibitor of p38 kinase, likewise attenuated UV-induced cell death, but PD98059, a MEK inhibitor, did not. Thus, Rac1 and p38 kinase appear to be components in the apoptotic signaling pathway induced by UV irradiation in Rat-2 fibroblasts. In addition, our results show that p38 kinase stimulation by UV is dramatically inhibited by RacN17, suggesting that p38 kinase is situated downstream of Rac1 in the UV signaling to apoptosis.

Structure-activity analysis of SMAP-29, a sheep leukocytes-derived antimicrobial peptide.

SAMP-29 is a cathelecidin-derived antimicrobial peptide deduced from sheep myeloid mRNA. To elucidate the structural-activity relationship of SMAP-29, several analogues were synthesized and their antibiotic activity was investigated. Compared to parental SMAP-29, SMAP-29(1-17) and [K(22,25,27)]-SMAP-29 retained relatively effective antimicrobial activity (MIC: 1.0-8.0 microM), but resulted in a complete loss of hemolytic activity. Pro-19 --> Ala substitution ([A19]-SMAP-29) in SMAP-29 induced a significant reduction in antibacterial activity. These results suggested that the N-terminal amphipathic alpha-helical region and the C-terminal hydrophobic region of SMAP-29 are responsible for antimicrobial activity and hemolytic activity, respectively, and the central Pro-19 in SMAP-29 plays a critical role in showing improved antibacterial activity. In particular, [K(2,7,13)]-SMAP-29(1-17) showed potent antimicrobial activity under high salt conditions without hemolytic activity. Thus, this short peptide could serve as an attractive candidate for the development of therapeutic antimicrobial drugs. Structural analysis by circular dichroism suggested that SMAP-29 seems to adopt a helix-bend/turn-extended random conformation.

Characterization of a novel gene expressed in neuromuscular tissues and centrosomes in Caenorhabditis elegans.

The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans has many advantages for studying gene function at the organism level. In particular, completion of the genome sequencing has made it feasible to study gene structure and function of both known and novel proteins. As a result of a database search for muscle-specific genes, a gene F43D9.1 was found which showed muscle-specific expression as revealed by the in situ hybridization pattern from the Expressed Sequence Tag (EST) database. A homology search of F43D9.1 protein sequences showed no significant homology with other known proteins, except that it showed very weak sequence similarity with the band 4.1 protein superfamily. Northern blot analysis reveals a single transcript 3.7 kb in size which is consistent with the predicted gene structure. The expression pattern of F43D9.1 was investigated using the gfp reporter gene, and it has shown to be expressed in neuronal cells including sensory neurons and interneurons in the head region. To further characterize F43D9.1, whole-mount immunostaining was performed with anti-F43D9.1 antibody, which showed specific signals in head neurons, body-wall muscle cells, some other unidentified neuronal cells, and centrosomes of the dividing cells during embryogenesis. Taken together with its predicted membrane topology, we speculate that the F43D9.1 gene, which encodes a novel transmembrane protein and contains a band 4.1-like domain, may function in neuromuscular cells, and may play an important role during cell division in C. elegans.

Rac and p38 kinase mediate 5-lipoxygenase translocation and cell death.

5-Lipoxygenase (5-LO) is a key enzyme involved in the synthesis of leukotrienes from arachidonic acid, and its activation is usually followed by translocation to the nuclear envelope. The details of mechanisms involved in the translocation of 5-LO are not well understood, though Ca(2+) is known to be essential. Here we show that ionomycin, a Ca(2+) ionophore, induces 5-LO translocation and necrotic cell death in Rat-2 fibroblasts, suggesting a potential relationship between activation of 5-LO and cell death. These effects were markedly attenuated in Rat2-Rac(N17) cells expressing a dominant negative Rac1 mutant. Pretreatment with SB203580, a specific inhibitor of p38 MAP kinase, or EGTA, a Ca(2+) chelator, likewise diminished ionomycin-induced 5-LO translocation and cell death, but PD98059, a MEK inhibitor, did not. Thus, Rac and p38 MAP kinase appear to be components in a Ca(2+)-dependent pathway leading to 5-LO translocation and necrotic cell death in Rat-2 fibroblasts.

SPIN90 (SH3 protein interacting with Nck, 90 kDa), an adaptor protein that is developmentally regulated during cardiac myocyte differentiation.

In the yeast two-hybrid screening, we have isolated a cDNA clone from a human heart library using Nck Src homology 3 (SH3) domains as bait. The full-length cDNA, which encoded 722 amino acids, was identified as a VIP54-related gene containing an SH3 domain, proline-rich motifs, a serine/threonine-rich region, and a long C-terminal hydrophobic region. We refer to this protein as SPIN90 (SH3 Protein Interacting with Nck, 90 kDa). The amino acid sequence of the SH3 domain has the highest homology with those of Fyn, Yes, and c-Src. SPIN90 was broadly expressed in human tissues; in particular, it was highly expressed in heart, brain, and skeletal muscle, and its expression was developmentally regulated during cardiac myocyte differentiation. SPIN90 is able to bind to the first and third SH3 domains of Nck, in vitro, and is colocalized with Nck at sarcomere Z-discs within cardiac myocytes. Moreover, treatment with antisera raised against SPIN90 disrupted sarcomere structure, suggesting that this protein may play an important role in the maintenance of sarcomere structure and/or in the assembly of myofibrils into sarcomeres.

Antibacterial, antitumor and hemolytic activities of alpha-helical antibiotic peptide, P18 and its analogs.

The alpha-helical antibiotic peptide (P18: KWKLFKKIPKFLHLAKKF-NH2) designed from the cecropin A(1-8)-magainin 2 (1-12) hybrid displayed strong bactericidal and tumoricidal activity without inducing hemolysis. The effect of the Pro9 residue at central position of P18 on cell selectivity was investigated by Pro9 --> Leu or Pro9 --> Ser substitution. Either substitution markedly reduced the antibacterial activity of P18 and increased hemolysis, although it did not significantly affect cytotoxicity against human transformed tumor and normal fibroblast cells. These results suggest that a proline kink in alpha-helical antibiotic peptide P18 serves as a hinge region to facilitate ion channel formation on bacterial cell membranes and thus plays an important role in providing high selectivity against bacterial cells. Furthermore, to investigate the structure-antibiotic activity relationships of P18, a series of N- or C-terminal deletion and substitution analogs of P18 were synthesized. The C-terminal region of P18 was related to its antibiotic activity and alpha-helical conformation on lipid membranes rather than N-terminal one. Higher alpha-helicity of the peptides was involved in the hemolytic and antitumor activity rather than antibacterial activity. Except for [L9]-P18 and [S9]-P18, all the designed peptides containing a Pro residue showed potent antibacterial activity, although they did not induce a cytolytic effect against human erythrocyte and normal fibroblast cells at the concentration required to kill bacteria. In particular, P18 and some analogs (N-1, N-2, N-3, N-3L and N-4L) with potent bactericidal and tumoricidal activity and little or no normal cell toxicity may serve as an attractive candidate for the development of novel anti-infective or antitumor agents.

Crystallization and preliminary X-ray crystallographic studies of response regulator for cyanobacterial phytochrome, Rcp1.

The key response-regulator gene of light regulation, rcp1, from Synechocystis sp. has been overexpressed, purified and subsequently crystallized using ammonium sulfate as a precipitant in forms suitable for X-ray crystallographic studies. A native data set was collected to a resolution of 2.5 A at cryogenic temperature. The crystals belong to the hexagonal space group P6(3), with unit-cell parameters a = b = 89.04 (5), c = 60.29 (3) A. The Matthews parameter suggests that Rcp1 crystallizes with two molecules per asymmetric unit.