Novel human cell expression method reveals the role and prevalence of posttranslational modification in nonmuscle tropomyosins.

Biochemical studies require large quantities of proteins, which are typically obtained using bacterial overexpression. However, the folding machinery in bacteria is inadequate for expressing many mammalian proteins, which additionally undergo posttranslational modifications (PTMs) that bacteria, yeast, or insect cells cannot perform. Many proteins also require native N- and C-termini and cannot tolerate extra tag amino acids for proper function. Tropomyosin (Tpm), a coiled coil protein that decorates most actin filaments in cells, requires both native N- and C-termini and PTMs, specifically N-terminal acetylation (Nt-acetylation), to polymerize along actin filaments. Here, we describe a new method that combines native protein expression in human cells with an intein-based purification tag that can be precisely removed after purification. Using this method, we expressed several nonmuscle Tpm isoforms (Tpm1.6, Tpm1.7, Tpm2.1, Tpm3.1, Tpm3.2, and Tpm4.2) and the muscle isoform Tpm1.1. Proteomics analysis revealed that human-cell-expressed Tpms present various PTMs, including Nt-acetylation, Ser/Thr phosphorylation, Tyr phosphorylation, and Lys acetylation. Depending on the Tpm isoform (humans express up to 40 Tpm isoforms), Nt-acetylation occurs on either the initiator methionine or on the second residue after removal of the initiator methionine. Human-cell-expressed Tpms bind F-actin differently than their Escherichia coli-expressed counterparts, with or without N-terminal extensions intended to mimic Nt-acetylation, and they can form heterodimers in cells and in vitro. The expression method described here reveals previously unknown features of nonmuscle Tpms and can be used in future structural and biochemical studies with Tpms and other proteins, as shown here for α-synuclein.

Characterization of paramyosin protein structure and gene expression during myogenesis in Pacific oyster (Crassostrea gigas).

Paramyosin is a key component of thick filaments in invertebrate muscles. In this study, we isolated the full length cDNA of paramyosin from Pacific oyster (Crassostrea gigas), and determined its pattern of expression during myogenesis. The full length paramyosin (CgPM) cDNA contains an open reading frame (ORF) of 2586 bp encoding a 861-amino acid protein. Sequence analysis revealed an assembly competence domain (ACD) and a heptad repeat (d-e-f-g-a-b-c) with 28-residue repeat zones in the CgPM primary structure, a characteristic of coiled-coil protein. Quantitative analysis of CgPM expression revealed a sharp increase in trochophore stage, and peaked at the D-shaped stage. Strong CgPM expression was found in smooth adductor muscle, followed by striated adductor muscle and mantle tissue. Whole-mount in situ hybridization (WISH) showed a restricted pattern of CgPM expression in adductor muscle, larval velum retractor and foot muscles at the umbo and eyed larval stages. These data indicate that CgPM is strongly expressed during larval myogenesis in C. gigas, which provides the basis for further functional studies of paramyosin in oyster to better understand the molecular and cellular mechanisms of muscle formation in mollusks.

Sarcomeric TPM3 expression in human heart and skeletal muscle.

In mammals, four tropomyosin genes TPM1, TPM2, TPM3, and TPM4 are known. One isoform of the TPM3 gene, encoding 285 amino acid residues designated as TPM3α, has been reported. TPM3α protein expression in human hearts is not definitively established. We have cloned from human heart and skeletal muscle transcripts of TPM3α and three novel TPM3 isoforms, TPM3ν, TPM3ξ, and TPM3ο. TPM3ν and TPM3ο are alternatively spliced RNAs with different 3'-UTRs encoding an identical novel protein with 285 amino acid differing from TPM3α and TPM3ξ in exon 6 only. TPM3α and TPM3ξ, which have different 3'UTRs, also encode an identical protein. qRT-PCR data show that the transcripts of TPM3α, TPM3ν, TPM3ξ, and TPM3ο are expressed in both heart and skeletal muscle. We have evaluated the expression of various TPM proteins in fetal and adult human hearts, and also in skeletal muscle samples. Western blots using CG3 antibody show a stronger signal of TPM3 protein in fetal heart and adult skeletal muscle compared to adult heart. LC-MS/MS studies with the protein spots separated and identified by CH1 antibody after 2D Western blot analyses, confirm the expression of TPM3α/TPM3ξ in heart, but some peptides detected could be either TPM3α or TPM3ν. In heart samples, TPM1 protein was the dominant with varying amount of TPM2 and TPM3, while TPM4 expression was not observed. In skeletal muscles, TPM2 was the majority TPM protein expressed. The biological consequences of these varying expression of individual tropomyosin proteins are yet to be established.

TPM4 aggravates the malignant progression of hepatocellular carcinoma through negatively regulating SUSD2.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to elucidate the role of TPM4 in the progression of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and to explore the potential underlying mechanism by interacting with SUSD2. PATIENTS AND METHODS: TPM4 expression levels in 41 HCC tissues and paracancerous tissues were detected by quantitative Real Time-Polymerase Chain Reaction (qRT-PCR). The relationship between TPM4 level with the pathological indexes and overall survival of HCC patients was analyzed. TPM4 overexpression and knockdown models were constructed in Bel-7402 and Hep3B cells, respectively. Subsequently, Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) and transwell assay were conducted to assess the effects of TPM4 on the proliferative and migratory abilities of HCC cells. Dual-Luciferase reporter gene assay was performed to verify the binding relationship between TPM4 and SUSD2. In addition, the xenograft model was conducted in HCC-bearing mice administrated with Hep3B cells in vivo. Finally, the effect of TPM4 on the growth of HCC was explored. RESULTS: TPM4 was significantly upregulated in HCC tissues and cell lines. Higher rates of lymphatic and distant metastasis, as well as worse prognosis, were observed in HCC patients with higher expression level of TPM4. The overexpression of TPM4 significantly enhanced the viability and migration abilities of Bel-7402 cells. However, opposite results were observed after the knockdown of TPM4 in Hep3B cells. SUSD2 was verified to be the target of TPM4 and was negatively regulated by TPM4. SUSD2 was lowly expressed in HCC tissues and cell lines. Meanwhile, SUSD2 was considered to be responsible for TPM4-regulated progression of HCC. In mice administrated with Hep3B, the cells transfected with sh-TPM4, the tumor volume and weight of HCC were markedly reduced when compared with the controls. CONCLUSIONS: TPM4 level is correlated with high rates of lymphatic and distant metastasis, as well as poor prognosis of HCC patients. By negatively targeting SUSD2, TPM4 aggravates the progression of HCC by accelerating the proliferative and migratory abilities of HCC cells.

TPM1 is a Novel Predictive Biomarker for Gastric Cancer Diagnosis and Prognosis.

BACKGROUND: Tropomyosin alpha-1 chain (TPM1) is a member of the tropomyosin family and the expression of TPM1 is found to be dysregulated in various tumors. The present study aimed to investigate the clinical performance and significance of TPM1 in gastric cancer. METHODS: First, the levels of TPM1 mRNA and protein were detected through real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) and immunohistochemistry (IHC) respectively. The correlation between TPM1 expression and clinicopathological variables was analyzed. Then, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was applied to determine the diagnostic performance of TPM1 in gastric cancer. Finally, overall survival analysis was carried out using Kaplan-Meier method in order to determine the prognostic performance of TPM1 in gastric cancer. RESULTS: Compared with the controls, TPM1 mRNA and protein expression levels were significantly downregulated in patients with gastric cancer. Downregulation of TPM1 was associated with depth of invasion and tumor node metastasis (TNM; p = 0.0030 and 0.0175, respectively). Furthermore, TPM1 might be a novel predictive biomarker for gastric cancer with an area under curve (AUC) of 0.8327. Overall survival analysis indicated that low TPM1 expression predicted poor survival (log-rank test, p = 0.0058). CONCLUSIONS: TPM1 might be a novel predictive diagnostic and prognostic biomarker for gastric cancer (95% con-fidence interval = 0.7705 - 0.8949, p < 0.0001).

Downregulated Expression of Tropomyosin 1 in Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma: A Predictor of Recurrence and Prognosis.

BACKGROUND The downregulation of tropomyosin 1 (TPM1) has been observed in various tumors, but few studies have focused on the clinical significance of TPM1 in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC). In the present study, we investigated the prognostic significance of TPM1 in ICC. MATERIAL AND METHODS A total of 124 patients with ICC were enrolled in this study. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-RCR) was performed to examine the mRNA levels of TPM1 in ICC tissue samples and adjacent noncancerous tissue specimens, while the protein level of TPM1 in tissue specimens were investigated using immunohistochemistry assay. The correlation of TPM1 with clinicopathological features of ICC was analyzed by chi-square test. Survival analysis was performed with Kaplan-Meier method. The Cox proportional hazards model was used to evaluate the prognostic value of TPM1 in patients with ICC. RESULTS TPM1 expression was significantly downregulated in ICC tissues at mRNA and protein levels (P<0.001 for both). Downregulated TPM1 mRNA was negatively associated with tumor size (P=0.001) and TNM stage (P=0.007). Moreover, survival analysis demonstrated that patients with low TPM1 expression had a shorter overall survival (OS) (P<0.001) and recurrence-free survival (RFS) (P<0.001) than those with high TPM1 expression. Additionally, multivariate analysis showed that TPM1 could be a potential biomarker for predicting the recurrence (HR=4.632, 95% CI: 3.832-10.368, P<0.001) and survival outcome (HR=5.320, 95% CI: 2.627-11.776, P<0.001) of ICC. CONCLUSIONS TPM1 may serve as a useful biomarker for predicting tumor recurrence and prognosis in patients with ICC.

The clinical significance and biological function of tropomyosin 4 in colon cancer.

Tropomyosin 4 (TPM4) has been found to be dys-regulated, and function as oncogene or anti-oncogene in human cancers. However, there was no report on the clinical significance and biological function of TPM4 in colon cancer. This study was designed to investigate the clinical value and biological function of TPM4 in colon cancer. Thus, we detected the TPM4 expression in colon cancer clinical samples, and conducted the gain-of-function in colon cancer cell lines. In our results, TPM4 mRNA and protein expressions were reduced in colon cancer tissues and cell lines compared with normal colon tissues and colon epithelial cell line, respectively. TPM4 protein low-expression was obviously associated with clinical stage, T classification (invasion depth), N classification (lymph node metastasis), distant metastasis and differentiation. Survival analysis showed low-expression of TPM4 was an unfavorable independent prognostic factor for colon cancer patients. Moreover, the experiments in vitro suggested up-regulated TPM4 expression suppressed colon cancer cell migration, invasion and metastasis-associated gene expression including MMP-2, MMP-9 and MT1-MMP, but had no effect on cell proliferation. In conclusion, TPM4 is associated with clinical progression in colon cancer patient and acts as a tumor suppressor in colon cancer cell.

Tropomyosin-1 acts as a potential tumor suppressor in human oral squamous cell carcinoma.

It is widely accepted that oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is a major contributor to the incidence and mortality of neck and head cancer. Tropomyosin-1 (TPM1), which is expressed at a low level, has been considered a prominent tumor-suppressing gene in a variety of solid tumors, although the precise mechanism of the TPM1 gene in OSCC progression remains unknown. We found that TPM1 expression levels decreased in OSCC patients and OSCC cell lines. The overall and cancer-specific survival of patients who exhibited low TPM1 levels were inferior to those of patients who had high TPM1 levels. It was also found that OSCC patients who suffered from disease stageⅠ-Ⅱ were more likely to have an up-regulated TPM1 expression level, and OSCC patients with lymph node metastasis had a higher probability of exhibiting reduced TPM1 expression. We show that overexpression of TPM1 can promote cell apoptosis and inhibit migration. Our results suggest that TPM1 can suppress tumors in OSCC, and the TPM1 expression level is related to OSCC patient prognosis.

The Role of Heat Shock Protein 90B1 in Patients with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome.

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a heterogenetic disorder in women that is characterized by arrested follicular growth and anovulatory infertility. The altered protein expression levels in the ovarian tissues reflect the molecular defects in folliculogenesis. To identify aberrant protein expression in PCOS, we analyzed protein expression profiles in the ovarian tissues of patients with PCOS. We identified a total of 18 protein spots that were differentially expressed in PCOS compared with healthy ovarian samples. A total of 13 proteins were upregulated and 5 proteins were downregulated. The expression levels of heat shock protein 90B1 (HSP90B1) and calcium signaling activator calmodulin 1 (CALM1) were increased by at least two-fold. The expression levels of HSP90B1 and CALM1 were positively associated with ovarian cell survival and negatively associated with caspase-3 activation and apoptosis. Knock-down of HSP90B1 with siRNA attenuated ovarian cell survival and increased apoptosis. In contrast, ovarian cell survival was improved and cell apoptosis was decreased in cells over-expressing HSP90B1. These results demonstrated the pivotal role of HSP90B1 in the proliferation and survival of ovarian cells, suggesting a critical role for HSP90B1 in the pathogenesis of PCOS. We also observed a downregulation of anti-inflammatory activity-related annexin A6 (ANXA6) and tropomyosin 2 (TPM2) compared with the normal controls, which could affect cell division and folliculogenesis in PCOS. This is the first study to identify novel altered gene expression in the ovarian tissues of patients with PCOS. These findings may have significant implications for future diagnostic and treatment strategies for PCOS using molecular interventions.

Expression of tropomyosin 2 gene isoforms in human breast cancer cell lines.

In humans, four tropomyosin genes (TPM1, TPM2, TPM3, and TPM4) are known to produce a multitude of isoforms via alternate splicing and/or using alternate promoters. Expression of tropomyosin has been shown to be modulated at both the transcription and the translational levels. Tropomyosins are known to make up some of the stress fibers of human epithelial cells and differences in their expression has been demonstrated in malignant breast epithelial cell lines compared to 'normal' breast cell lines. We have recently reported the expression of four novel TPM1 isoforms (TPM1λ, TPM1µ, TPM1ν, and TPM1ξ) from human malignant tumor breast cell lines that are not expressed in adult and fetal cardiac tissue. Also, we evaluated their expression in relation to the stress fiber formation. In this study, nine malignant breast epithelial cell lines and three 'normal' breast cell lines were examined for stress fiber formation and expression of tropomyosin 2 (TPM2) isoform-specific RNAs and proteins. Stress fiber formation was assessed by immunofluorescence using Leica AF6000 Deconvolution microscope. Stress fiber formation was strong (++++) in the 'normal' cell lines and varied among the malignant cell lines (negative to +++). No new TPM2 gene RNA isoforms were identified, and TPM2ß was the most frequently expressed TPM2 RNA and protein isoform. Stress fiber formation positively correlated with TPM2ß RNA or protein expression at high, statistically significant degrees. Previously, we had shown that TPM1δ and TPM1λ positively and inversely, respectively, correlated with stress fiber formation. The most powerful predictor of stress fiber formation was the combination of TPM2ß RNA, TPM1δ RNA, and the inverse of TPM1λ RNA expression. Our results suggest that the increased expression of TPM1λ and the decreased expression of TPM1δ RNA and TPM2ß may lead to decreased stress fiber formation and malignant transformation in human breast epithelial cells.

Expression of tropomyosins in lung cancer - a potential role in carcinogenesis and its utility in a histopathological diagnosis.

We herein analyzed the relationships between tropomyosin protein expression levels and clinicopathological factors in order to determine the significance of tropomyosins in lung cancers. Although neoplastic cells expressed different isoforms of tropomyosin, overall expression levels were lower than those in bronchial and alveolar epithelial cells. In adenocarcinomas, tropomyosin levels were markedly reduced in poorly differentiated or solid subtype carcinomas, suggesting that a loss in the expression of tropomyosins is involved in the progression of lung adenocarcinomas. The potential utility of the immunohistochemical expression of tropomyosins for a histopathological diagnosis was also investigated. The sensitivity and specificity of a loss in the expression of tropomyosins were 100% and 50%, respectively, which were superior to those for the strong expression of p53 (sensitivity 100% and specificity 44%), a conventional biomarker. An immunohistochemical examination of tropomyosins may assist in the histopathological detection of lung cancer cells in small biopsy specimens.

Nucleotide and protein sequences for dog masticatory tropomyosin identify a novel Tpm4 gene product.

Jaw-closing muscles of several vertebrate species, including members of Carnivora, express a unique, "masticatory", isoform of myosin heavy chain, along with isoforms of other myofibrillar proteins that are not expressed in most other muscles. It is generally believed that the complement of myofibrillar isoforms in these muscles serves high force generation for capturing live prey, breaking down tough plant material and defensive biting. A unique isoform of tropomyosin (Tpm) was reported to be expressed in cat jaw-closing muscle, based upon two-dimensional gel mobility, peptide mapping, and immunohistochemistry. The objective of this study was to obtain protein and gene sequence information for this unique Tpm isoform. Samples of masseter (a jaw-closing muscle), tibialis (predominantly fast-twitch fibers), and the deep lateral gastrocnemius (predominantly slow-twitch fibers) were obtained from adult dogs. Expressed Tpm isoforms were cloned and sequencing yielded cDNAs that were identical to genomic predicted striated muscle Tpm1.1St(a,b,b,a) (historically referred to as αTpm), Tpm2.2St(a,b,b,a) (ßTpm) and Tpm3.12St(a,b,b,a) (γTpm) isoforms (nomenclature reflects predominant tissue expression ("St"-striated muscle) and exon splicing pattern), as well as a novel 284 amino acid isoform observed in jaw-closing muscle that is identical to a genomic predicted product of the Tpm4 gene (δTpm) family. The novel isoform is designated as Tpm4.3St(a,b,b,a). The myofibrillar Tpm isoform expressed in dog masseter exhibits a unique electrophoretic mobility on gels containing 6 M urea, compared to other skeletal Tpm isoforms. To validate that the cloned Tpm4.3 isoform is the Tpm expressed in dog masseter, E. coli-expressed Tpm4.3 was electrophoresed in the presence of urea. Results demonstrate that Tpm4.3 has identical electrophoretic mobility to the unique dog masseter Tpm isoform and is of different mobility from that of muscle Tpm1.1, Tpm2.2 and Tpm3.12 isoforms. We conclude that the unique Tpm isoform in dog masseter is a product of the Tpm4 gene and that the 284 amino acid protein product of this gene represents a novel myofibrillar Tpm isoform never before observed to be expressed in striated muscle.

Clinical and tumor significance of tropomyosin-1 expression levels in renal cell carcinoma.

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is the most common type of kidney cancer in adults and has been described as one of the deadliest of cancers affecting the genitourinary tract. Tropomyosin is a two-stranded α-helical coiled coil protein found in cell cytoskeletons. One of its isoforms, tropomyosin-1 (TPM1) has been reported as a novel tumor-suppressor gene and is downregulated in many solid tumors. However the expression level and function of TPM1 in RCC have not yet been determined. In the present study, we evaluated the TPM1-4 mRNA and TPM1 protein levels in RCC tissue samples. TPM1-overexpressing OSRC-2 and 786-O cell lines were also used to investigate the impact of TPM1 on RCC cells. We found that TPM1 was significantly and specifically downregulated in the RCC tissues. TPM1 expression was associated with tumor size, smoking status, Fuhrman grade and the prognosis of RCC patients. After TPM1 transfection, the migratory and invasive abilities of the OSRC-2 and 786-O cell lines were both reduced when compared to the control groups. Meanwhile, apoptosis was also enhanced in these two RCC cell lines following TPM1 transfection. Taken together, TPM1 exhibits characteristics of a tumor-suppressor gene while being overexpressed in RCC cell lines.

Identification of a human mitochondrial RNA that promotes tropomyosin synthesis and myocardial differentiation.

Heart disease is the number one killer in the USA, making cardiogenesis and its related pathways a relevant area of study for improving health and life expectancy. The Mexican salamander (axolotl), Ambystoma mexicanum, provides an excellent vertebrate animal model for studying myofibrillogenesis due to its naturally occurring cardiac nonfunction mutation. Homozygous recessive embryos do not develop normal hearts due to a lack of myofibril formation. In previous studies, myofibril-inducing ribonucleic acid (MIR) from the normal wild-type axolotl genome was found to rescue mutant nonfunctioning hearts through restoration of tropomyosin levels followed by normal myofibril formation. Our purpose in this study is to identify and characterize functional homologs for the MIR from human fetal heart ribonucleic acid (RNA). After randomized cloning of human fetal heart RNA, 396 clones were analyzed for rescuing ability by using mutant heart rescue bioassays and confocal microscopy. By these analyses, we discovered a functional homolog of MIR from human fetal heart RNA, which is associated with the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit II gene. This RNA came from our clone #30 and induces tropomyosin synthesis and myofibrillogenesis in mutant axolotl hearts which ordinarily do not synthesize tropomyosin or form organized myofibrils. Clone #30, a mitochondrial RNA molecule associated with human cytochrome c oxidase, serves as a functional homolog of MIR, leading to tropomyosin production, organized myofibrils, and beating cardiac tissue in mutant hearts. These findings hold great potential for the treatment and repair of damaged hearts in patients who have suffered from myocardial infarctions and other heart diseases.

Auto-induction for high yield expression of recombinant novel isoallergen tropomyosin from King prawn (Melicertus latisulcatus) for improved diagnostics and immunotherapeutics.

Food allergies are increasing worldwide, demonstrating a considerable public health concern. Shellfish allergy is one of the major food groups causing allergic sensitization among adults and children, affecting up to 2% of the general world population. Tropomyosin (TM) is the major allergen in shellfish and frequently used in the diagnosis of allergic sensitization and the detection of cross-contaminated food. To improve and establish better and more sensitive diagnostics for allergies and immunotherapeutics, large quantities of pure allergens are required. To establish a reproducible method for the generation of pure recombinant tropomyosin we utilized in this study different Escherichia coli strains (NM522, TOP10 and BL21(DE3)RIPL). In addition, isopropyl-ß-D-thiogalactoside (IPTG) induction was compared with a novel auto-induction system to allow the generation of larger quantities of recombinant allergen. We demonstrated that the B-strain of E. coli is better for the expression of TM compared to the K-strain. Moreover, a higher yield could be achieved when using the auto-induction system, with up to 62 mg/l. High yield expressed recombinant TM from King prawn (KP) was compared to recombinant TM from Black tiger prawn (Pen m 1). We demonstrated that recombinant TM from KP and known isoallergen Pen m 1 have very similar molecular and immunological characteristics. Overall, we demonstrate that auto-induction can be used to express larger quantities of recombinant allergens for the development of diagnostic, to quantify allergens as well as immunotherapeutics employing isoallergens.

Expression of actin-binding proteins and requirement for actin-depolymerizing factor in chick neural crest cells.

BACKGROUND: Neural crest cells are multipotent cells that migrate extensively throughout vertebrate embryos to form diverse lineages. Cell migration requires polarized, organized actin networks that provide the driving force for motility. Actin-binding proteins that regulate neural crest cell migration are just beginning to be defined. RESULTS: We recently identified a number of actin-associated factors through proteomic profiling of methylated proteins in migratory neural crest cells. Here, we report the previously undocumented expression pattern of three of these proteins in chick early neural crest development: doublecortin (DCX), tropomyosin-1 (TPM-1), and actin depolymerizing factor (ADF). All three genes are expressed with varying degrees of specificity and intensity in premigratory and migratory neural crest cells, and their resulting proteins exhibit distinct subcellular localization in migratory neural crest cells. Morpholino knock down of ADF reveals it is required for Sox10 gene expression, but minimally important during neural crest migration. CONCLUSIONS: Neural crest cells express DCX, TPM-1, and ADF. ADF is necessary during neural crest specification, but largely dispensable for migration.

Molecular cloning of two tropomyosin family genes and expression analysis during development in oriental river prawn, Macrobrachium nipponense.

This paper reports that Slow-tonic S2 tropomyosin (Sst) and Slow tropomyosin isoform (Sti) was highly expressed in androgenic gland transcriptome of Macrobrachium nipponense, which may play crucial roles in sexual differentiation to maleness. In this study, two Sst and Sti gene homologues designated as Mnsst and Mnsti were cloned and characterized from a freshwater prawn M. nipponense. The full-length cDNA of Mnsst and Mnsti consists of 997 bp and 1926 bp, respectively, with an ORF of 852 bp encoding 284 amino acids, and the similarity in ORF reached to 95.82%. The deduced amino acid sequences of Mnsst and Mnsti shared the highest identity with Slow-tonic S2 tropomyosin and Slow tropomyosin isoform of Homarus americanus. Real-time quantitative RT-PCR showed that the Mnsst and Mnsti genes were expressed in different tissues with the highest level of expression in the androgenic gland, implying that these two genes may be related to sex-determination in M. nipponense. Real-time quantitative RT-PCR revealed that in addition, Mnsst and Mnsti were speculated to be related with embryonic organogenesis of M. nipponense, especially for the formation of complete mouthpart and digestive organ and stimulating larval changes of morphology and initiate metamorphosis, the results of present study implied that the two genes may play complex and important roles in sex differentiation of M. nipponense. Thus, we isolated two candidate genes that may advance the studies of sex-determination mechanism in M. nipponense and even the whole crustacean species, as well as promoting the all-male population culture of M. nipponense.

Clinical significance of TrkB expression in nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

Recent research has demonstrated that tropomyosin­related kinase B (TrkB) plays an important role in neuronal survival, differentiation and migration; yet, its specific role in human nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is unclear. To elucidate its role in NPC, we examined TrkB expression in NPC tissues and cell lines, and investigated the correlation between TrkB expression and prognosis in patients with NPC. Immunohistochemical analysis was performed on NPC specimens from 108 patients with follow-up information. Additionally, reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and western blot analyses were used to determine TrkB expression levels in NPC and noncancerous nasopharyngeal tissues. RT-PCR and western blot analyses were also used to determine TrkB expression levels in 7 NPC cell lines and a nasopharyngeal epithelium cell line. High TrkB expression was significantly correlated with T classification, lymph node metastasis and clinical stage, respectively. Patients with NPC who had high TrkB expression had reduced disease-free survival and overall survival when compared with patients who had low TrkB expression. Multivariate Cox regression analysis revealed that TrkB overexpression was an independent prognostic factor for patients with NPC. Furthermore, TrkB was overexpressed in NPC specimens and cell lines. TrkB expression levels were significantly increased in NPC specimens, and enhanced levels were correlated with a poor prognosis in patients with NPC. These findings suggest that TrkB may contribute to NPC progression and represent a novel prognostic indicator for patients with NPC.

Identification of differentially expressed proteins in atherosclerotic aorta and effect of vitamin E.

Atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory disorder that occurs as a result of mononuclear lymphocyte infiltration to the arterial wall, smooth muscle cell proliferation and damage in the arterial wall caused by extracellular matrix accumulation. Besides several genetic and environmental factors, increased serum cholesterol and oxidized low density lipoproteins are considered to be major inducing factors of atherosclerosis. Several protective agents have been used to prevent the progression of atherosclerosis and recently vitamin E has been focused because of its significant role in signaling mechanisms. Since many different cell types are involved in the development of hypercholesterolemia induced atherosclerosis, it is important to investigate wide range of proteins to highlight the pathologic and diagnostic mechanisms. In this study, by using proteomic technique, we identified differentially expressed proteins following cholesterol and also vitamin E treatments. The expressions of apolipoprotein A I and apolipoprotein E involved in lipid metabolism, peroxiredoxin 1, peroxiredoxin 2 and thioredoxin involved in antioxidant system, 14-3-3 protein zeta delta and 14-3-3 protein beta alpha in cell signaling, biglycan, vimentin, tropomyosin and smooth muscle α-actin as structural and contractile proteins have been discussed. BIOLOGICAL SIGNIFICANCE: We observed several protein alterations in aorta of cholesterol fed and vitamin E treated rabbits.These differentially expressed proteins associated with key mechanisms involved in atherosclerosis and signaling mechanisms related with vitamin E. These findings for different proteins might be helpful for deciphering the pathogenesis in atherosclerosis. In addition it provides a new perspective to understand mechanisms of beneficial effect of vitamin E on the signaling pathways in atherogenesis. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Posttranslational Protein modifications in biology and Medicine.

Changes in the expression of smooth muscle contractile proteins in TNBS- and DSS-induced colitis in mice.

Thin filament-associated proteins such as calponin, caldesmon, tropomyosin, and smoothelin are thought to regulate acto-myosin interaction and thus, muscle contraction. However, the effect of inflammation on the expression of thin filament-associated proteins is not known. The aim of the present study is to determine the changes in the expression of calponin, caldesmon, tropomyosin, and smoothelin in colonic smooth muscle from trinitrobenzene sulphonic acid (TNBS)- and dextran sodium sulphate (DSS)-induced colitis in mice. Expression of h-caldesmon, h2-calponin, α-tropomyosin, and smoothelin-A was measured by qRT-PCR and Western blot. Contraction in response to acetylcholine in dispersed muscle cells was measured by scanning micrometry. mRNA and protein expression of α-actin, h2-calponin, h-caldesmon, smoothelin, and α-tropomyosin in colonic muscle strips from mice with TNBS- or DSS-induced colitis was significantly increased compared to control animals. Contraction in response to acetylcholine was significantly decreased in muscle cells isolated from inflamed regions of TNBS- or DSS-treated mice compared to control mice. Our results show that increase in the expression of thin filament-associated contractile proteins, which inhibit acto-myosin interaction, could contribute to decrease in smooth muscle contraction in inflammation.