The apoptotic members CD95, BclxL, and Bcl-2 cooperate to promote cell migration by inducing Ca(2+) flux from the endoplasmic reticulum to mitochondria.

Metalloprotease-processed CD95L (cl-CD95L) is a soluble cytokine that implements a PI3K/Ca(2+) signaling pathway in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) cells. Accordingly, high levels of cl-CD95L in TNBC women correlate with poor prognosis, and administration of this ligand in an orthotopic xenograft mouse model accelerates the metastatic dissemination of TNBC cells. The molecular mechanism underlying CD95-mediated cell migration remains unknown. Here, we present genetic and pharmacologic evidence that the anti-apoptotic molecules BclxL and Bcl-2 and the pro-apoptotic factors BAD and BID cooperate to promote migration of TNBC cells stimulated with cl-CD95L. BclxL was distributed in both endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and mitochondrion membranes. The mitochondrion-localized isoform promoted cell migration by interacting with voltage-dependent anion channel 1 to orchestrate Ca(2+) transfer from the ER to mitochondria in a BH3-dependent manner. Mitochondrial Ca(2+) uniporter contributed to this flux, which favored ATP production and cell migration. In conclusion, this study reveals a novel molecular mechanism controlled by BclxL to promote cancer cell migration and supports the use of BH3 mimetics as therapeutic options not only to kill tumor cells but also to prevent metastatic dissemination in TNBCs.

A micro-QuEChERS method coupled to GC-MS for the quantification of pesticides in specific maternal and fetal tissues.

The aim of this study was to establish a new QuEChERS (quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged and safe) method coupled to gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) detection for the evaluation of the pesticide biodistribution in specific maternal and fetal tissues. This method was validated for the quantification of pesticides such as chlorotriazines (atrazine, simazine and propazine), their chlorinated metabolites (DIA, DEA and DACT). This new QuEChERS method was developed to facilitate extraction from small tissues such as fetal tissues (mean value: 200mg). The limits of detection, quantification, recovery, precision and accuracy were evaluated for different tissues (liver and brain) and blood. LOD and LOQ ranged between 0.34 and 3.27 ng/g and 1.04 to 9.91 ng/g, respectively. Recovery exceeded 80% for all pesticides, except DACT, with an associated RSD<15%. Precision and accuracy satisfied the criteria usually applied in the validation of bioanalytical methods. The results obtained indicate that this technique is suitable for use in studies of the biodistribution of pesticides in fetal tissues and can be used to evaluate the risk of exposure to pesticides during gestation.

Structure of glycoproteins from Acacia gum: an assembly of ring-like glycoproteins modules.

The glycoprotein (GP) molecular fraction structure of the gum exudate of Acacia senegal (gum Arabic) isolated from hydrophobic interaction chromatography was investigated using high-performance size exclusion chromatography-multi angle laser light scattering (HPSEC-MALLS), small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), synchrotron radiation circular dichroism (SRCD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) observations. In solution, GP would be a mixture of spheroidal monomers and more anisotropic oligomers as suggested by the two exponent values found in the Rg vs. Mw relationship and TEM observations. The GP conformation probed by SAXS was ascribed to a thin object with a triaxial ellipsoid morphology, certainly attributed to GP oligomers. A 9 nm diameter particle was also identified by SAXS in agreement with the dimensions identified by TEM on single isolated ring-like structures. The GP oligomerization process, as probed by TEM, would be the result of ring-like subunits self-association. This self-association would lead to more linear or, sometimes, cyclised assembly. At the molecular level, GP fraction was found to have secondary structures mainly made of ß-sheets and turns (64%) but also, to a lesser extent, made of polyproline II (PPII) and α-helices (19%). These features were characteristic of hydroxyprolin-rich glycoproteins with arabinosylated and arabinogalactan polysaccharide side chains grafted to the polypeptide backbone. The GP molecular fraction structure from Acacia gum would be an assembly of ring-like glycoproteins modules. These ring-like structures were certainly due to hydroxyproline (Hyp)-arabinogalactan (AG) subunits.