Chloride channel-3 promotes tumor metastasis by regulating membrane ruffling and is associated with poor survival

The chloride channel-3 (ClC-3) protein is known to be a component of Cl⁻ channels involved in cell volume regulation or acidification of intracellular vesicles. Here, we report that ClC-3 was highly expressed in the cytoplasm of metastatic carcinomatous cells and accelerated cell migration in vitro and tumor metastasis in vivo. High-grade expression of cytoplasmic ClC-3 predicted poor survival in cancer patients. We found that independent of its volume-activated Cl⁻ channel properties, ClC-3 was able to promote cell membrane ruffling, required for tumor metastasis. ClC-3 mediated membrane ruffling by regulating keratin 18 phosphorylation to control β1 Integrin recycling. Therefore, cytoplasmic ClC-3 plays an active and key role in tumor metastasis and may be a valuable prognostic biomarker and a therapeutic target to prevent tumor spread.     

Upregulated lncRNA-UCA1 contributes to progression of hepatocellular carcinoma through inhibition of miR-216b and activation of FGFR1/ERK signaling pathway

The long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) urothelial carcinoma-associated 1 (UCA1) has been recently shown to be dysregulated, which plays an important role in the progression of several cancers. However, the biological role and clinical significance of UCA1 in the carcinogenesis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remain unclear. Herein, we found that UCA1 was aberrantly upregulated in HCC tissues and associated with TNM stage, metastasis and postoperative survival. UCA1 depletion inhibited the growth and metastasis of HCC cell lines in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, UCA1 could act as an endogenous sponge by directly binding to miR-216b and downregulation miR-216b expression. In addition, UCA1 could reverse the inhibitory effect of miR-216b on the growth and metastasis of HCC cells, which might be involved in the derepression of fibroblast growth factor receptor 1 (FGFR1) expression, a target gene of miR-216b, and the activation of ERK signaling pathway. Taken together, our data highlights the pivotal role of UCA1 in the tumorigenesis of HCC. Moreover, the present study elucidates a novel lncRNA- miRNA-mRNA regulatory network that is UCA1-miR-216b-FGFR1-ERK signaling pathway in HCC, which may help to lead a better understanding the pathogenesis of HCC and probe the feasibility of lncRNA-directed diagnosis and therapy for this deadly disease.     

Enolase-1 is a therapeutic target in endometrial carcinoma

ENO1 plays a paradoxical role in driving the pathogenesis of tumors. However, the clinical significance of ENO1 expression remains unclear and its function and modulatory mechanisms have never been reported in endometrial carcinoma (EC). In this study, ENO1 silencing significantly reduced cell glycolysis, proliferation, migration, and invasion in vitro, as well as tumorigenesis and metastasis in vivo by modulating p85 suppression. This in turn mediated inactivation of PI3K/AKT signaling and its downstream signals including glycolysis, cell cycle progression, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT)-associated genes. These effects on glycolysis and cell growth were not observed after ENO1 suppression in normal human endometrial epithelial cells (HEEC). Knocking down ENO1 could significantly enhance the sensitivity of EC cells to cisplatin (DDP) and markedly inhibited the growth of EC xenografts in vivo. In clinical samples, EC tissues exhibited higher expression levels of ENO1 mRNA and protein compared with normal endometrium tissues. Patients with higher ENO1 expression had a markedly shorter overall survival than patients with low ENO1 expression. We conclude that ENO1 favors carcinogenesis, representing a potential target for gene-based therapy.     

大鼠骨髓基质细胞体外培养向神经干细胞的诱导分化

目的:已证实骨髓基质细胞可分化为中胚层组织细胞,实验予进一步探讨体外分离培养的骨髓基质细胞向神经干细胞分化的可能性,以及是否能继续定向分化为神经细胞及神经胶质细胞,为神经系统疾病细胞移植治疗提供种子细胞.方法:实验于2007-02/09在泸州医学院神经生物学研究室进行.①动物:选择5只普通级SD大鼠,由泸州医学院实验动物中心提供,实验过程中对动物的处胃符合动物伦理学标准.②实验方法:大鼠戊巴比妥钠腹腔麻醉,取双侧胫骨和股骨,磷酸盐缓冲液冲洗骨髓腔.采用密度梯度离心法从大鼠骨髓中分离培养骨髓基质细胞,胰蛋白酶与EDTA联合消化,传至第4代,用含20 μg/L碱性成纤维细胞生长因子、20 μ g/L表皮生长因子、N2辅助因子的DMEM/F12培养液向神经干细胞诱导分化.③实验评估:观察原代、传代培养及诱导分化后的骨髓基质细胞生长情况和形态变化,采用SABC法进行免疫细胞化学榆测神经细胞特异性标志的表达.结果:①骨髓基质细胞形态观察:原代细胞接种l d后开始贴壁增殖,3 d后多数贴壁,贴壁细胞呈梭形或扁平形;10 d后90%细胞融合,以长梭形为主,突起粗大,形成网状、片状;传代后细胞贴壁速度加快,增殖能力更强,7 d左右达到融合.②诱导分化后细胞生长情况和形态变化:第4代骨髓基质细胞向神经干细胞诱导分化7 d,成球的细胞脱离瓶底,悬浮在细胞液中.将细胞离心弃上清,换成血清分化液后,细胞球逐渐贴壁,球周围很快发出突起,分化为星形胶质细胞样细胞、神经元样细胞及少突胶质细胞样细胞.③神经细胞特异性标志的表达:骨髓源性细胞球表达巢蛋白,呈棕黄色,为神经干细胞:从细胞球分化的细胞抗胶质纤维酸性蛋白、微管相关蛋白2及半乳糖脑苷脂均呈阳性.结论:骨髓基质细胞能在体外诱导分化出神经干细胞,且骨髓源性神经干细胞可进一步定向分化为神经细胞及神经胶质细胞.     

Amyloid plaque pathogenesis in 5XFAD mouse spinal cord: retrograde transneuronal modulation after peripheral nerve injury

The spinal cord is composed of distinct neuronal groups with well-defined anatomic connections. In some transgenic (Tg) models of Alzheimer’s disease (AD), amyloid plaques develop in this structure, although the underlying cellular mechanism remains elusive. We attempted to explore the origin, evolution, and modulation of spinal β-amyloid (Aβ) deposition using Tg mice harboring five familiar AD-related mutations (5XFAD) as an experiential model. Dystrophic neuritic elements with enhanced β-secretase-1 (BACE1) immunoreactivity (IR) appeared as early as 2 months of age, and increased with age up to 12 months examined in this study, mostly over the ventral horn (VH). Extracellular Aβ IR emerged and developed during this same period, site-specifically co-existing with BACE1-labeled neurites often in the vicinity of large VH neurons that expressed the mutant human APP. The BACE1-labeled neurites almost invariably colocalized with β-amyloid precursor protein (APP) and synaptophysin, and frequently with the vesicular glutamate transporter-1 (VGLUT). Reduced IR for the neuronal-specific nuclear antigen (NeuN) occurred in the VH by 12 months of age. In 8-month-old animals surviving 6 months after a unilateral sciatic nerve transection, there were significant increases of Aβ, BACE1, and VGLUT IR in the VN of the ipsilateral relative to contralateral lumbar spinal segments. These results suggest that extracellular Aβ deposition in 5XFAD mouse spinal cord relates to a progressive and amyloidogenic synaptic pathology largely involving presynaptic axon terminals from projection neurons in the brain. Spinal neuritic plaque formation is enhanced after peripheral axotomy, suggesting a retrograde transneuronal modulation on pathogenesis.     

Protective Effects of Memantine Against Methylmercury-Induced Glutamate Dyshomeostasis and Oxidative Stress in Rat Cerebral Cortex

Methylmercury (MeHg) is one of the ubiquitous environmental toxicant that leads to long-lasting neurological deficits in animals and humans. The identification of the underlying mechanisms has been a main focus of research in the neurotoxicology field. Glutamate (Glu) dyshomeostasis and oxidative stress have been identified as two critical mechanisms mediating MeHg-induced neurotoxicity. However, little has been known of the interaction between these two mechanisms that play in MeHg poisoning in vivo. We, therefore, developed a rat model of MeHg subchronic poisoning to evaluate its neurotoxic effects and investigated the neuroprotective role of memantine, a low-affinity, noncompetitive N-methyl-d-aspartate receptors (NMDARs) antagonist, against MeHg-induced neurotoxicity. Ninety rats were randomly divided into five groups: control, memantine control, MeHg-treated (4 and 12 μmol/kg), and memantine pretreated. Administration of 12 μmol/kg MeHg for 4 weeks significantly elevated total Hg levels, disrupted Glu metabolism, overexcited NMDARs, and led to intracellular calcium overload, which might be critical to excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS) formation in cerebral cortex. Meanwhile, MeHg administration reduced non-enzymatic (non-protein sulfhydryl, NPSH) and enzymatic (superoxide dismutase, SOD and glutathione peroxidase, GSH-Px) antioxidants; caused lipid, protein, and DNA oxidative damage; and enhanced neurocyte apoptosis in cerebral cortex. Moreover, glutamate/aspartate transporter (GLAST) and glutamate transporter-1 (GLT-1) appear to be inhibited by MeHg exposure. Pretreatment with memantine at a dose of 5 μmol/kg significantly prevented MeHg-induced alterations of Glu metabolism and oxidative stress, alleviated neurocyte apoptosis, and pathological injury. In conclusion, the results suggested that Glu dyshomeostasis and oxidative stress resulting from MeHg exposure contributed to neuronal injury. Memantine possesses the ability to attenuate MeHg-induced neurotoxicity through mechanisms involving its NMDARs-binding properties and indirect antioxidation.