RNAseq reveals extensive metabolic disruptions in the sensitive SF-295 cell line treated with schweinfurthins.

The schweinfurthin family of natural compounds exhibit a unique and potent differential cytotoxicity against a number of cancer cell lines and may reduce tumor growth in vivo. In some cell lines, such as SF-295 glioma cells, schweinfurthins elicit cytotoxicity at nanomolar concentrations. However, other cell lines, like A549 lung cancer cells, are resistant to schweinfurthin treatment up to micromolar concentrations. At this time, the precise mechanism of action and target for these compounds is unknown. Here, we employ RNA sequencing of cells treated with 50 nM schweinfurthin analog TTI-3066 for 6 and 24 h to elucidate potential mechanisms and pathways which may contribute to schweinfurthin sensitivity and resistance. The data was analyzed via an interaction model to observe differential behaviors between sensitive SF-295 and resistant A549 cell lines. We show that metabolic and stress-response pathways were differentially regulated in the sensitive SF-295 cell line as compared with the resistant A549 cell line. In contrast, A549 cell had significant alterations in response genes involved in translation and protein metabolism. Overall, there was a significant interaction effect for translational proteins, RNA metabolism, protein metabolism, and metabolic genes. Members of the Hedgehog pathway were differentially regulated in the resistant A549 cell line at both early and late time points, suggesting a potential mechanism of resistance. Indeed, when cotreated with the Smoothened inhibitor cyclopamine, A549 cells became more sensitive to schweinfurthin treatment. This study therefore identifies a key interplay with the Hedgehog pathway that modulates sensitivity to the schweinfurthin class of compounds.

Reactivity at the Cu2O(100):Cu-H2O interface: a combined DFT and PES study.

The water-cuprite interface plays an important role in dictating surface related properties. This not only applies to the oxide, but also to metallic copper, which is covered by an oxide film under typical operational conditions. In order to extend the currently scarce knowledge of the details of the water-oxide interplay, water interactions and reactions on a common Cu2O(100):Cu surface have been studied using high-resolution photoelectron spectroscopy (PES) as well as Hubbard U and dispersion corrected density functional theory (PBE-D3+U) calculations up to a bilayer water coverage. The PBE-D3+U results are compared with PBE, PBE-D3 and hybrid HSE06-D3 calculation results. Both computational and experimental results support a thermodynamically favored, and H2O coverage independent, surface OH coverage of 0.25-0.5 ML, which is larger than the previously reported value. The computations indicate that the results are consistent also for ambient temperatures under wet/humid and oxygen lean conditions. In addition, both DFT and PES results indicate that the initial (3,0;1,1) surface reconstruction is lifted upon water adsorption to form an unreconstructed (1 × 1) Cu2O(100) structure.

One-dimensional PtO2 at Pt steps: formation and reaction with CO.

Using core-level spectroscopy and density functional theory we show that a one-dimensional (1D) oxide structure forms at the steps of the Pt(332) surface after exposure. The 1D oxide is found to be stable in an oxygen pressure range, where bulk oxides are only metastable, and is therefore argued to be a precursor to the Pt oxidation. As an example of the consequences of such a precursor exclusively present at the steps, we investigate the reaction of CO with oxygen covered Pt(332). Albeit more strongly bound, the oxidic oxygen is found to react more easily with CO than oxygen chemisorbed on the Pt terraces.

Atomic structure of a thin silica film on a Mo(112) substrate: a two-dimensional network of SiO4 tetrahedra.

The structure of a thin single crystalline SiO(2) film grown on Mo(112) has been studied by scanning tunneling microscopy, infrared reflection absorption spectroscopy, and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. In excellent agreement with the experimental results, density functional theory calculations show that the film consists of a two-dimensional network of corner sharing [SiO(4)] tetrahedra, with one oxygen of each tetrahedron binding to the protruding Mo atoms of the Mo(112) surface.