Genetic Mutation Analysis of Human Gastric Adenocarcinomas Using Ion Torrent Sequencing Platform

Gastric cancer is the one of the major causes of cancer-related death, especially in Asia. Gastric adenocarcinoma, the most common type of gastric cancer, is heterogeneous and its incidence and cause varies widely with geographical regions, gender, ethnicity, and diet. Since unique mutations have been observed in individual human cancer samples, identification and characterization of the molecular alterations underlying individual gastric adenocarcinomas is a critical step for developing more effective, personalized therapies. Until recently, identifying genetic mutations on an individual basis by DNA sequencing remained a daunting task. Recent advances in new next-generation DNA sequencing technologies, such as the semiconductor-based Ion Torrent sequencing platform, makes DNA sequencing cheaper, faster, and more reliable. In this study, we aim to identify genetic mutations in the genes which are targeted by drugs in clinical use or are under development in individual human gastric adenocarcinoma samples using Ion Torrent sequencing. We sequenced 737 loci from 45 cancer-related genes in 238 human gastric adenocarcinoma samples using the Ion Torrent Ampliseq Cancer Panel. The sequencing analysis revealed a high occurrence of mutations along the TP53 locus (9.7%) in our sample set. Thus, this study indicates the utility of a cost and time efficient tool such as Ion Torrent sequencing to screen cancer mutations for the development of personalized cancer therapy.     

微管相关抗癌药物诱导胃癌细胞自噬性细胞死亡的研究

目的:探讨对微管相关抗癌药物诱导凋亡不敏感的胃癌细胞是否发生非凋亡形式的细胞死亡,并进一步明确自噬和自噬性细胞死亡的存在。方法:Annexin V／PI双染用流式细胞仪和MTT法分别检测紫杉醇、长春新碱诱导SGC-7901及BGC-823细胞的凋亡率和总死亡率,死细胞DAPI染色荧光显微镜检测非凋亡性细胞死亡,吖啶橙染色流式细胞仪和荧光显微镜分别定量、定性检测自噬和自噬性细胞死亡的存在。结果:紫杉醇和长春新碱可以诱导凋亡不敏感胃癌细胞BGC-823出现非凋亡性细胞死亡,处理BGC-823细胞早期(24h内)即可出现明显的细胞自噬性变化,紫杉醇诱导的自噬高峰期出现在药物作用3h-6h,长春新碱诱导的自噬高峰期出现在药物作用24h,自噬性细胞死亡存在并可能是药物诱导的非凋亡性细胞死亡的主要形式。结论:微管相关抗癌药物紫杉醇和长春新碱可以诱导凋亡不敏感胃癌细胞BGC-823自噬及自噬性细胞死亡,可能为提高胃癌的化疗敏感性提供新的思路。     

A Novel Compound,L34, Induced Apoptosis in Human Gastric Cancer Cells

Selectively apoptosis-targeting compounds in gastrointestinal cancers attract broad interest. Here, we investigated a synthetic sulfonamide, 4-bromo-N-(5-ethyl-5H-pyrido[4,3-b]indol-8-yl)benzenesulfonamide (L34). It showed high activity against gastric cancer cells SGC-7901, causing apoptosis, which was associated with downregulation of caspase-3 and XIAP, upegulation of cleaved caspase-3, and cleavage of PARP. Hence, L34 might be a potent chemotherapeutic agent against human gastric cancer.     

不同激发波长的人体血清自体荧光光谱分析

利用分子荧光光度计测定了激发波长分别为457.9 nm,476.5 nm,488.0 nm,501.7 nm和514.5 nm光的血清自体荧光光谱,并对这些光谱的特征和产生机制进行了分析。实验和分析结果表明:在500 nm~750 nm的波长范围内,518 nm和640 nm附近有两个比较明显的荧光峰;590 nm处有一个非常弱的峰。它们可能主要来自于血清中胆红素,核黄素及其衍生物,β-胡萝卜素,锌卟啉及原卟啉IX等的贡献。这些研究结果将为利用氩离子激光器作为光源进行光谱诊断研究选择最佳激发波长提供一些参考。     

Analysis of Serotonin Transporter in Human Platelets by Immunoblotting Using Site-Specific Antibodies

We have produced a panel of site-specific antibodies recognizing different regions of the human serotonin transporter (SERT). This panel included: 1) monoclonal antibodies 23C5 (mAbs 23C5) to the C-terminal region (amino acid residues 597-630); 2) polyclonal antibodies (pAbs) to the N-terminal region (amino acid residues 69-83); 3) pAbs to the region (amino acid residues 86-100) in the beginning of the first transmembrane domain (TMD). The antibodies were produced using recombinant proteins and synthetic peptides (containing certain sequences of SERT) as antigens. These antibodies were purified by affinity chromatography, conjugated to horseradish peroxidase (HRP), and used for immunoblotting analysis of SERT in extracts of human platelets. Sodium dodecyl sulfate extracts were prepared under conditions preventing non-specific proteolytic degradation of the proteins. In platelet extracts, all antibodies were able to detect the 67 kD protein, apparently corresponding to full-length SERT molecule (its theoretical mass is about 70 kD). These antibodies also detected several polypeptides of smaller size (56, 37, 35, 32, 22, and 14 kD), apparently corresponding to N-terminal, C-terminal, and non-terminal SERT fragments. Specificity of immunostaining was confirmed by preincubation of HRP-labeled anti-SERT antibodies with excess of corresponding antigen, which resulted in disappearance of protein band staining. It is suggested that SERT undergoes a programmed proteolytic cleavage (processing) resulting in formation of several SERT-derived polypeptides of smaller size. It is possible that one of the cleaved SERT species is required for serotonin transport activity. Possible sites for specific proteolysis may be located in the region near TMD1 and in the intracellular loop between TMD4 and TMD5.     

Microbiological Survey of the Human Gastric Ecosystem Using Culturing and Pyrosequencing Methods

Stomach mucosa biopsies and gastric juices samples of 12 healthy persons were analysed by culturing in selective- and non-selective-rich media. Microbial DNA from four mucosal samples was also amplified by nested PCR using universal bacterial primers, and the 16S rDNA amplicons pyrosequenced. The total number of cultivable microorganisms recovered from the samples ranged from 10² to 10⁴?cfu/g or ml. The isolates were identified at the species level by PCR amplification and sequencing of the 16S rDNA. Isolates belonged mainly to four genera; Propionibacterium, Lactobacillus, Streptococcus and Staphylococcus. A total of 15,622 high-quality 16S rDNA sequence reads were obtained by pyrosequencing from the four mucosal samples. Sequence analysis grouped the reads into 59 families and 69 genera, revealing wide bacterial diversity. Considerable differences in the composition of the gastric microbiota were observed among the subjects, although in all samples the most abundant operational taxonomic units belonged to Streptococcus, Propionibacterium and Lactobacillus. Comparison of the stomach microbiota with that present in other parts of the human gastrointestinal tract revealed distinctive microbial communities. This is the first study in which a combination of culture and culture-independent techniques has been used to explore the bacterial diversity of the human stomach.     

Characterization of Apoptotic Phenomena Induced by Treatment with L-Asparaginase in NIH3T3 Cells

The treatment of NIH3T3 cells with L-asparaginase causes a complete and reversible growth arrest with a decrease of cell number in the first 2 days. The enzyme induces impressive morphological changes that have been studied exploiting eosin in fixed cells and calcein in intact cells as sources of fluorescence for confocal microscopy. The first changes are observed after 12 h of treatment and the process is complete after 48 h. Both nucleus and cytoplasm shrink, while cells round and lose processes. Eventually most cells break; several debris include strongly hematoxylinic bodies negative for eosin fluorescence. Some cells neither round nor break in fragments. Throughout the process cells and fragments retain calcein fluorescence, thus indicating the integrity of the cell membrane. A rapid depletion of the intracellular pools of both glutamine and glutamate occurs in treated cells, followed by a decrease in DNA and protein syntheses, while the cell content of ATP, the transmembrane gradient of sodium, and the active transport of amino acids are scarcely affected. It is concluded that (i) L-asparaginase induces an apoptotic process in NIH3T3 cells that is forerun by a marked intracellular depletion of glutamate and glutamine; and (ii) although the enzyme completely suppresses cell proliferation, only a subset of cells undergoes apoptosis upon treatment. These findings provide a model for the characterization of factors that determine cell sensitivity to the effects of L-asparaginase.     

Quantitative Analysis of Cell Migration Using Optical Flow

Neural crest cells exhibit dramatic migration behaviors as they populate their distant targets. Using a line of zebrafish expressing green fluorescent protein (sox10:EGFP) in neural crest cells we developed an assay to analyze and quantify cell migration as a population, and use it here to characterize in detail the subtle defects in cell migration caused by ethanol exposure during early development. The challenge was to quantify changes in the in vivo migration of all Sox10:EGFP expressing cells in the visual field of time-lapse movies. To perform this analysis we used an Optical Flow algorithm for motion detection and combined the analysis with a fit to an affine transformation. Through this analysis we detected and quantified significant differences in the cell migrations of Sox10:EGFP positive cranial neural crest populations in ethanol treated versus untreated embryos. Specifically, treatment affected migration by increasing the left-right asymmetry of the migrating cells and by altering the direction of cell movements. Thus, by applying this novel computational analysis, we were able to quantify the movements of populations of cells, allowing us to detect subtle changes in cell behaviors. Because cranial neural crest cells contribute to the formation of the frontal mass these subtle differences may underlie commonly observed facial asymmetries in normal human populations.     

梨果实愈伤组织褐腐病菌侵染过程cDNA-SRAP差异分析

梨果实褐腐病危害果实,可造成果实运输和储藏过程中严重的经济损失。本研究构建了褐腐病菌侵染梨果实愈伤组织离体系统,对梨褐腐病菌侵染其果实愈伤组织不同时期进行细胞学观察分析,基于cDNA-SRAP技术,分析该过程中差异基因表达,以期分离克隆与梨果实抗病反应过程相关的防卫基因。结果表明：与未侵染的梨果实愈伤组织相比,侵染12～60h过程中梨果实褐腐病菌从表面逐渐深入到内部细胞;30个SRAP引物组合共扩增出457条带,其中差异回收条带数为16条,差异比率为3.5%。最终获得5条差异基因表达条带。核酸序列同源性分析表明,其中1条差异基因片段未搜索到任何同源蛋白,2条差异基因片段经序列比对,序列相似度一致,与苹果属的肉桂醇乙酰脱氢酶（CAD）同源性为96%;其他2条差异基因片段分别与DNA结合蛋白（DBP）和寡肽转运蛋白（OPT）基因序列同源,其同源性为85%和78%,因此暂将这3个基因命名为PbCAD、PbDBP和PbOPT。荧光定量PCR结果表明,PbCAD基因在褐腐病菌侵染梨果实愈伤组织12和24h时相对表达量最高,为对照的2.94和2.66倍;PbOPT基因在褐腐病菌侵染梨果实愈伤组织12～36h时相对表达量明显升高,为对照的2.17～2.46倍,而其他时期表达量均与对照接近;PbDBP基因表达量在整个侵染时期均与对照接近。因此我们推测PbCAD和PbOPT基因可能为梨褐腐病菌侵染梨果实愈伤组织响应的相关防卫基因。     

HSVⅠ感染人成纤维细胞诱导的SR-15蛋白生物学功能分析

人单纯疱疹病毒Ⅰ型(HerpessimplexvirusⅠ,HSVⅠ)结合人成纤维细胞相应受体以启动感染的过程,能够引起细胞产生特异性蛋白分子的表达,其中之一的SR-15蛋白经酵母双杂交系统分析证明可与细胞内多个具有KRAB结构的锌指蛋白产生特异性相互作用,其作用部位为锌指结构域,该作用能够影响该类蛋白之一ZNF268在细胞内的转录抑制作用。     

人永生化角朊细胞表达干细胞表型的流式细胞术分析

观察人永生化角朊细胞系HaCaT细胞表达的几种干细胞表型,为以该细胞系构建人组织工程皮肤和进行基因操作提供相应的实验依据。方法:采用无血清培养基对HaCaT细胞进行培养,获取处于对数生长期的细胞进行直接荧光双标法、直接荧光单标法和间接荧光单标法以分别CD49fCD71、角蛋白K19、CD29和CD133,依托流式细胞仪检测上述抗原在HaCaT细胞的表达情况。结果:特异性较高的角朊干细胞表型CD49f D71-和K19 在HacaT细胞的百分率分别为16．6±2．8%和14．94±1．23%。CD29 HaCaT细胞为49．55±6．68%,可能包括了角朊干细胞和短暂扩增细胞。分别反映细胞黏附特性和增殖能力的CD49f HaCaT细胞和CD71 HaCaT细胞各占98．1±0．8%和82．1±3．9%。HaCaT细胞仅表达3．43±0．77%的干细胞表型CD133。结论:人永生化角朊细胞系HaCaT细胞的表型特征表明它具有较高的角朊干细胞和短暂扩增细胞比例以及很强的黏附基底膜特性和增殖能力,提示它可以作为构建人组织工程皮肤种子细胞和基因修饰角朊干细胞的替代物。     

Gelation Phenomena Induced by Alkali-alcohol Treatment of 7S and 11S Components in Soybean Globulins

Transparent gels containing about 2% protein were obtained by mixing alkaline dope solution of 7S or 11S soybean proteins with alcohol. The 7S component showed the ability to form a stronger gel than the 11S. This phenomenon depended on pH and alcohol concentration. In 66 % ethanol, the viscosity of the 7S and 11S reached maxima at pH 11.4 and 11.2, respectively. Above these pH levels where further unfolding and dissociation into subunits of the protein molecules occur, the viscosity decreased rather. The effectiveness of alcohol to increase viscosity increased in the order; n-butanol < tert-butanol < n-propanol < iso-propanol < ethanol < methanol. Alcohols having minor hydrophobicity were more effective for increasing viscosity, but ethylene glycol was ineffective. The addition of NaCl or 2-mercaptoethanol to ethanol-mixed alkaline dope solutions resulted in the remarkable increment of the viscosity, especially for the 7S.     

Host Genetic Analysis by Using Puccinia recondita tritici Induced Mutants for Increased Virulence

Monogenic lines derived by recombination from Buck Manantial wheat, a cultivar which has durable resistance, were used as hosts to detect Puccinia recondita tritici induced mutants for increased virulence. After treatments with ethyl methane sulphonate on clone 66 of P. recondita 9 types of mutants were obtained at approximate frequencies of 1 × 10^?4 and host lines were grouped in 6 classes, No increase virulence was obtained against B. Manantial after 2 cycles of treatments, but different combinations of virulences were observed on monogenic lines derived from it. Simultaneity of occurrence of some mutational events suggests complexity of virulence genes in the pathogen. At least 4 genes for incompatibility are present in B. Manantial when confronted with clone 66 and 4 to 7 mutational points are recognized in the pathogen. The specific relationships tending to equate the number of genes in both organisms would not be a general rule. Durable resistance can be explained by a combination of several specific disease reaction genes for which the pathogen population has not been able to accumulate all the corresponding alleles for virulence.     

人巨细胞病毒DNA疫苗免疫效果的初步研究

人巨细胞病毒(HCMV)是广泛感染人类的重要病原体之一,在人群中有较高的感染率,胎儿、婴儿、器官移植及免疫缺陷者等更易感染.现有的抗HCMV药物治疗及被动免疫由于毒性大、价格昂贵及短效性等原因,应用大受限制,为此研制安全、有效的疫苗即成为防治HCMV疾病的重要手段.HCMV具有潜在的致癌作用,不宜发展活疫苗或含完整病毒DNA的死疫苗;亚单位疫苗虽然比较安全,但所用抗原不能在宿主细胞内表达,只能诱导体液免疫,这对于胞内感染的HCMV预防效果较差;通过新佐剂的应用,虽可引发细胞免疫,但免疫原性较差,且成本较高.因此,目前倾向于研制具有免疫原性的HCMV DNA疫苗.     

Apoptosis of Human Neuroblastoma Cells Induced by Liposome-Encapsulated Fenretinide

Abstract

Human neuroblastoma (NB) tumours represent a major therapeutic challenge due to the lack of drugs effective in controlling cell proliferation. We previously reported that the synthetic retinoid Fenretinide (HPR) inhibits NB cell growth through the induction of programmed cell death. More recently, various NB cell lines have been shown to be partially resistant, in vitro, to HPR used at in vivo achievable concentrations (1-3 μmol/L). To significantly increase the dose, half-life, and stability of this promising anticancer agent we studied a system of conventional or long-circulating liposomes.

In this study, we showed that HPR can be efficiently and stable encapsulated in conventional (CL-HPR) and stabilized liposomes (SL-HPR). Since the leakage of the drug from the liposomes under the experimental conditions used is negligible, it seems that HPR is entering cells via uptake of intact liposomes. Liposome-entrapped HPR completely arrested the growth of NB cells. The effect was dose- and time-dependent. Indeed, SL-HPR at 30 (imol/ L induced, in the cell lines partially resistant to free HPR, a very rapid (24-48 h) fall in thymidine uptake (> 95 %), whereas at 3 μmol/L it exhibited cytostatic effects.

Time lapse photomicroscopy showed that NB cells treated with SL-HPR underwent a death process highly reminiscent of apoptosis, with progressive condensation of the cytoplasm around the nucleus and intense cell shrinkage. The cells then rounded up and detached from the plate. Furthermore, propidium iodide staining of the DNA showed that a high proportion of cells treated with SL-HPR displayed a small and brightly staining nucleus; chromatin appeared aggregated into dense masses at the nuclear periphery, a typical feature of apoptotic cells. These findings were confirmed by electronic microscopy, DNA fragmentation assay, DNA content analysis and by a quantitative assay for evaluating programmed cell death based upon the labeling of DNA breaks with tritiated thymidine. HPLC analysis showed that HPR did not become metabolized after uptake into NB cells cultured in vitro, thus indicating that SL-HPR-induced apoptosis results from the action of HPR, itself, and not from its metabolite(s). In conclusion, our study demonstrates that Fenretinide entrapped in conventional or sterically stabilized liposomes dramatically suppresses NB cell growth by inducing programmed cell death.     

优化胶粘贴法建立裸鼠胃癌原位种植模型

目的通过对两种胶粘贴法建立的胃癌原位种植动物模型的比较研究,为探讨胃癌的发病机制和实验治疗提供理想的动物模型。方法用OB胶和FS生物蛋白胶法分别建立胃癌原位种植动物模型,观察和比较两种方法所建立的模型肿瘤生长状况、转移情况和形态学变化。结果FS生物蛋白胶组未出现肿瘤大片坏死,腹水形成率为85.7%,幽门梗阻发生率为57.1%;而OB胶组肿瘤大片坏死发生率为100%,腹水形成率为14.3%,未出现幽门梗阻。FS生物蛋白胶组有三例出现了肺和脑转移。结论FS生物蛋白胶法建立的裸鼠胃癌原位种植动物模型能更好的模拟人胃癌患者的临床过程,为研究人胃癌转移机制和实验治疗提供理想的动物模型。     

Protistan Grazing Analysis by Flow Cytometry Using Prey Labeled by In Vivo Expression of Fluorescent Proteins

Selective grazing by protists can profoundly influence bacterial community structure, and yet direct, quantitative observation of grazing selectivity has been difficult to achieve. In this investigation, flow cytometry was used to study grazing by the marine heterotrophic flagellate Paraphysomonas imperforata on live bacterial cells genetically modified to express the fluorescent protein markers green fluorescent protein (GFP) and red fluorescent protein (RFP). Broad-host-range plasmids were constructed that express fluorescent proteins in three bacterial prey species, Escherichia coli, Enterobacter aerogenes, and Pseudomonas putida. Micromonas pusilla, an alga with red autofluorescence, was also used as prey. Predator-prey interactions were quantified by using a FACScan flow cytometer and analyzed by using a Perl program described here. Grazing preference of P. imperforata was influenced by prey type, size, and condition. In competitive feeding trials, P. imperforata consumed algal prey at significantly lower rates than FP (fluorescent protein)-labeled bacteria of similar or different size. Within-species size selection was also observed, but only for P. putida, the largest prey species examined; smaller cells of P. putida were grazed preferentially. No significant difference in clearance rate was observed between GFP- and RFP-labeled strains of the same prey species or between wild-type and GFP-labeled strains. In contrast, the common chemical staining method, 5-(4,6-dichloro-triazin-2-yl)-amino fluorescein hydrochloride, depressed clearance rates for bacterial prey compared to unlabeled or RFP-labeled cells.     

靶向survivin基因的siRNA对姜黄素诱导胃癌细胞凋亡的影响

目的:研究靶向survivin基因的siRNA对胃癌细胞,survivin表达的影响,抑制survivin基因表达对姜黄素诱导胃癌细胞凋亡的影响。方法:通过脂质体将survivinsiRNA导入胃癌细胞株BGC-803,用Real-timePCR和Western-blotting检测转染后细胞内survivin基因表达水平,流式细胞仪和Hochest染色检测细胞凋亡的改变。结果:姜黄素可抑制BGC-803细胞的生长,其生长抑制率和药物浓度与作用时间呈依赖关系;姜黄素作用BGC-803细胞后,survivin蛋白和mRNA表达降低;通过转染survivinsiRNA抑制BGC-803细胞survivin基因的表达能促进姜黄素诱导BGC-803细胞凋亡的作用。结论:靶向抑制survivin基因表达后姜黄素诱导胃癌细胞BGC-803凋亡的作用增强。