温阳解郁颗粒调节BDNF/TrkB/ERK信号通路保护皮质酮诱导损伤型海马神经细胞的作用机制研究＊

目的 观察温阳解郁颗粒（Wenyang Jieyu granule，WYJY）对皮质酮（Corticosterone，CORT）诱导损伤型小鼠海马神经细胞（TH22 cell）的保护作用，基于脑源性神经营养因子（Brain derived neurotrophic factor， BDNF）/酪氨酸激酶B（Tyrosine kinase B， TrkB）/细胞外信号调节蛋白激酶（Extra cellular regulated protein kinases， ERK）信号通路探讨WYJY保护海马神经细胞的作用机制。方法 体外构建小鼠海马神经细胞皮质酮诱导损伤模型，以不同浓度的WYJY和氟西汀（Fluoxetine，FXT）含药血清作用于模型细胞，细胞增殖-毒性检测（Cell Counting Kit-8， CCK-8）法分析细胞活性，倒置显微镜下观察给药前后细胞形态结构的改变，采用蛋白免疫印迹法（Western Blot）、实时荧光定量PCR（Quantitative real-time PCR， qPCR）法检测神经细胞内凋亡因子（BCL2-Associated X， Bax）、抗凋亡因子（B-cell lymphoma-2， Bcl-2）、BDNF、Trkb、ERK以及丝氨酸/苏氨酸激酶（Phospho-p90RSK， RSK）、环磷腺苷效应元件结合蛋白（cAMP-response element binding protein， CREB）蛋白表达水平以及相关基因的表达水平。结果 在浓度为459.5 μmol·L^-1的CORT作用24 h后，HT22细胞的活性抑制率达到50%，在此条件作用下细胞形态结构损伤明显，凋亡程度严重，细胞上清中BDNF的含量显著减少（P<0.05），细胞内凋亡相关因子Bax/Bcl-2的比值明显升高（P<0.01），BDNF、Trkb、ERK、RSK、CREB磷酸化蛋白表达水平和mRNA表达水平明显降低（P<0.01）；以5%的浓度为2.85 g·kg^-1的WYJY和10%的FXT含药血清作用于受损的HT22细胞后，HT22细胞存活率明显提升（P<0.01），细胞结构的损伤明显改善，细胞凋亡程度减轻，细胞外BDNF的含量显著升高（P<0.05），细胞内Bax/Bcl-2比值显著下调（P<0.01），BDNF、Trkb、ERK、RSK、CREB磷酸化蛋白表达水平和mRNA表达水平显著提升（P<0.05，P<0.01）。结论 温阳解郁颗粒可有效保护高浓度CORT造成的小鼠海马神经细胞损伤。调控BDNF/Trkb/ERK通路，放大CREB信号传导，影响Bcl-2、BDNF水平，可能是其保护海马神经元，发挥抗抑郁疗效的重要机制。     

七氟烷预处理对大鼠骨髓间充质干细胞在缺氧复氧环境下的作用和机制初探

目的:研究七氟烷预处理对大鼠骨髓间充质干细胞（MSCs）在缺氧复氧环境下的作用和机制初探。方法:分离培养SD大鼠骨髓间充质干细胞，通过流式细胞仪和诱导分化培养鉴定其免疫表型和分化潜能。细胞随机分为3组:组1空白对照组；组2缺氧复氧组（缺氧24 h，复氧24 h）；组3七氟烷预处理组（2%七氟烷预处理2 h后，缺氧24 h，复氧24 h）。处理后收集各组细胞，用流式细胞仪测定其凋亡率，线粒体膜电位变化及细胞周期。Western blot测定细胞外调节蛋白激酶（ERK）的蛋白表达。结果:与组2相比，组3 MSCs凋亡率明显下降，处于S期细胞增多，细胞增殖能力增强。Western blot结果显示:与组2相比，组3磷酸化ERK蛋白表达上升。结论:七氟烷预处理能提高缺氧复氧环境下骨髓间充质干细胞存活率，降低MSCs凋亡数量，并能增强MSCs的增殖能力，这一机制与七氟烷促进MSCs细胞p-ERK蛋白表达相关。     

洛克米兰醇对肝癌HepG2细胞的抗增殖作用及其机制研究

目的研究传统中药米仔兰Aglaiaodorata中洛克米兰醇对肝癌细胞HepG2增殖的影响及抗肿瘤作用机制。方法 MTT、细胞克隆形成、EdU染色和CFDA染色方法考察洛克米兰醇对HepG2细胞的抗增殖效果;流式细胞仪检测洛克米兰醇对HepG2细胞细胞周期和细胞凋亡的变化;Western blotting检测洛克米兰醇对细胞周期调控蛋白和丝裂原活化蛋白激酶(MAPK)信号通路相关蛋白表达的影响。结果洛克米兰醇可以时间和浓度依赖性抑制HepG2细胞增殖。同等浓度下洛克米兰醇抗HepG2细胞增殖的效果好于阿霉素,而对正常肝细胞(L02)的毒性弱于阿霉素。流式细胞技术检测发现洛克米兰醇给药48 h能够诱导HepG2细胞G_2/M期细胞周期阻滞,但不诱导细胞凋亡。Western blotting研究发现该化合物抑制调控G_2/M周期相关蛋白cdc25C、cdc2和cyclin B1的表达并且激活细胞外调节蛋白激酶(ERK)和c-Jun氨基末端激酶(JNK)。对其机制深入研究发现,ERK抑制剂(U0126)可以部分逆转洛克米兰醇对HepG2的抗增殖和G_2/M周期阻滞及其抑制蛋白cdc25C和cdc2表达的效果。结论洛克米兰醇在抑制肝癌细胞增殖的效果和对正常肝细胞的选择性方面优于阿霉素。洛克米兰醇能够通过过度活化ERK,从而引起HepG2细胞G_2/M周期阻滞而达到抗增殖效果。     

miR-26b Mimic Inhibits Glioma Proliferation In Vitro and In Vivo Suppressing COX-2 Expression

Glioma is the most common malignant tumor of the nervous system. Studies have shown the microRNA-26b (miR-26b)/cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) axis in the development and progression in many tumor cells. Our study aims to investigate the effect and mechanism of the miR-26b/COX-2 axis in glioma. Decreased expression of miR-26b with increased levels of COX-2 was found in glioma tissues compared with matched normal tissues. A strong negative correlation was observed between the level of miR-26b and COX-2 in 30 glioma tissues. The miR-26b was then overexpressed by transfecting a miR-26b mimic into U-373 cells. The invasive cell number and wound closing rate were reduced in U-373 cells transfected with miR-26b mimic. In addition, COX-2 siRNA enhanced the effect of miR-26b mimic in suppressing the expression of p-ERK1 and p-JNK. Finally, the in vivo experiment revealed that miR-26b mimic transfection strongly reduced the tumor growth, tumor volume, and expression of matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) and MMP-9. Taken together, our research indicated a miR-26b/COX-2/ERK/JNK axis in regulating the motility of glioma in vitro and in vivo, providing a new sight for the treatment of glioma.     

PP4R1 interacts with HMGA2 to promote non-small-cell lung cancer migration and metastasis via activating MAPK/ERK-induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition

Protein phosphatase 4 regulatory subunit 1 (PP4R1) has been shown to play a role in the regulation of centrosome maturation, apoptosis, DNA repair, and tumor necrosis factor signaling. However, the function of PP4R1 in non-small-cell lung cancer remains unclear. In this study, we identify PP4R1 as an oncogene through Oncomine database mining and immunohistochemical staining, and we showed that PP4R1 is upregulated in lung cancer tissues as compared with that in normal lung tissues and correlated with a poor prognosis in lung cancer patients. Furthermore, in vitro study by wound-healing and Transwell assay showed that PP4R1 could promote migration and invasion of lung cancer cells. Mechanistic investigations revealed that PP4R1 could cooperate with high mobility group AT-hook 2 and thereby promotes epithelial-mesenchymal transition via MAPK/extracellular receptor kinase activation. Taken together, our study provides a rich resource for understanding PP4R1 in lung cancer and indicates that PP4R1 may serve as a potential biomarker in lung cancer therapies.     

Heterozygous huntingtin promotes cadmium neurotoxicity and neurodegeneration in striatal cells via altered metal transport and protein kinase C delta dependent oxidative stress and apoptosis signaling mechanisms

Huntington’s disease (HD) is functionally linked to environmental factors including cigarette use and dyshomeostasis in the levels of metals. Interestingly, one of the most abundant heavy metals in cigarettes is cadmium (Cd), which also accumulates in the striatum and causes neurotoxicity upon exposure. Thus, we hypothesized that heterozygous huntingtin (HTT), responsible for the majority of cases of HD in patients, in combination with Cd exposure would cause neurotoxicity and neurodegeneration via increased intracellular accumulation of Cd and activation of oxidative stress signaling mechanisms in a mouse striatal cell line model of HD. We report that heterozygous HTT striatal cells are significantly more susceptible to Cd-induced cytotoxicity as compared to wild-type HTT cells upon exposure for 48 h.The heterozygous HTT and Cd-induced cytotoxicity led to a NADPH oxidase (NOX) mediated oxidative stress that was attenuated by exogenous antioxidants and a NOX inhibitor, apocynin. Heterozygous HTT coupled with Cd exposure caused increased expression of protein kinase C δ (PKCδ) and other key oxidative stress proteins levels, enhanced the activation of caspase-9 and caspase-3 mediated apoptosis, and blocked the overexpression of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK). We observed significantly greater intracellular accumulation of Cd and reduced expression of divalent metal transporter 1 (DMT1) protein in the heterozygous HTT striatal cells upon Cd exposure. Treatment with zinc, manganese, and iron as well as exogenous antioxidants significantly attenuated the Cd-induced cytotoxicity. Collectively, these results demonstrate that heterozygous HTT exhibits greater neurotoxic properties when coupled with Cd exposure to cause cell death via caspase mediated apoptosis, altered metal transport, and modulation of ERK and PKCδ dependent oxidative signaling mechanisms.     

Plastin 1 drives metastasis of colorectal cancer through the IQGAP1/Rac1/ERK pathway

Tumor metastasis is the dominant cause of death in colorectal cancer (CRC) patients, and it often involves dysregulation of various cytoskeletal proteins. Plastin 1 (PLS1) is an actin‐bundling protein that has been implicated in the structure of intestinal epithelial microvilli; however, its role in CRC metastasis has not yet been determined. In this study, we demonstrated that PLS1 is highly expressed in 33.3% (45/135) of CRC patients and is correlated with lymph node metastasis and poor survival. In in vitro and in vivo experiments, PLS1 induced the migration and invasion of CRC cells and the metastases to the liver and lung in mice. Moreover, the expressions of key factors for CRC metastases, matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) 9 and 2, were enhanced by PLS1, which was dependent on phosphorylating ERK1/2 activated by IQGAP1/Rac1 signaling. The connection between these signals and PLS1 was further confirmed in CRC tissues of patients and the metastatic nodules from a mouse model. These findings suggest that PLS1 promotes CRC metastasis through the IQGAP1/Rac1/ERK pathway. Targeting PLS1 may provide a potential approach to inhibit the metastasis of CRC cells.