Moclobemide up-regulates proliferation of hippocampal progenitor cells in chronically stressed mice

AIM: To explore the action mechanism of antidepressants. METHODS: The PC 12 cell proliferation was detected by flow cytometry,. The proliferation of hippocampal progenitor cells and level of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) were measured by immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: Treatment with N-methylaspartate (NMDA)600 μmol/L for 3 d significantly decreased the percentage of S-phase in PC12 cells, while in the presence of classical antidepressant, moclobemide (MOC) 2 and 10 μnol/L, the percentage in S-phase increased. Furthermore,the proliferation of progenitor cells in hippocampal dentate gyrus (subgranular zone), as well as the level of BDNF in hippocampus significantly decreased in chronically stressed mice, while chronic administration with MOC 40 mg/kg (ip) up-regulated the progenitor cell proliferation and BDNF level in the same time course. CONLUSION:Up-regulation of the proliferation of hippocampal progenitor cells is one of the action mechanisms for MOC, which may be closely related to the elevation of BDNF level at the same time. These results also extend evidence for our hypothesis that up-regulation of the hippocampal neurogenesis is one of the common mechanisms for antidepressants.     

Gene expression analysis in Interleukin-12-induced suppression of mouse mammary carcinoma

Interleukin-12 (IL-12) has potent antitumor activities via natural killer cells and cytotoxic T lymphocytes. However, the molecular mechanisms whereby IL-12 induces tumoricidal activities are poorly understood. Here, we report the genome-wide analysis of gene expression in a primary murine mammary carcinoma model that resembles human breast cancer, following the therapeutic application of recombinant IL-12, which restricted tumor growth and metastasis. IL-12 was able to curtail neovascularization in the tumor as well as enhance the number of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes. Comprehensive examination of global gene expression revealed IL-12-induced molecular changes associated with tumor regression and reduced lung metastasis, thus providing a high-resolution snapshot of a host response against a developing malignancy and a rich source of potential targets for therapeutic intervention of breast cancer.     

NK and CD8+ T cell-mediated eradication of poorly immunogenic B16-F10 melanoma by the combined action of IL-12 gene therapy and 4-1BB costimulation

In previous reports, systemic administration of a stimulatory monoclonal antibody directed against the 4-1BB receptor had no effect on survival or tumor burden in mice inoculated with the poorly immunogenic B16-F10 melanoma. We combined IL-12 gene transfer with 4-1BB costimulation to explore a previously noted cooperative anti-tumor effect against this model tumor. We hypothesize that the innate immune response mediated by IL-12-activated natural killer (NK) cells initiates the activation of the immune system, leading to the priming of T cells, whereas 4-1BB costimulation enhances the function of primed tumor-specific T cells. The effect of the combination therapy on the growth of subcutaneous (s.c.) tumors and pulmonary metastasis was examined. The combination therapy significantly retarded the growth of subcutaneously-inoculated tumors, and 50% of tumor-bearing mice survived with complete tumor regression. In contrast, neither IL-12 gene transfer nor anti-4-1BB antibody administration alone was as effective. Enhanced CTL activity against both B16-F10 tumor cells and TRP-2-pulsed EL4 syngeneic tumor cells was observed in tumor-bearing animals treated with the combination therapy 2 weeks after treatment and, in long-term survivors from this combination therapy, at >120 days. In a pulmonary metastatic model, only the combination therapy generated significant protection against metastasis. In vivo depletion of NK or CD8(+) but not CD4(+) subsets eliminated the protective immunity. Furthermore, NK cell depletion significantly reduced both tumor-specific CTL activity and the number of tumor-specific IFN-gamma-producing cells, suggesting that this synergistic effect requires the participation of both NK and CD8(+) T cells.     

CXCL12 in Malignant Glial Tumors: A Possible Role in Angiogenesis and Cross-Talk between Endothelial and Tumoral Cells

CXCL12 (stromal cell-derived factor-1/CXCL12) regulates leukocyte, endothelial and hematopoietic precursor migration, bone-marrow myelopoiesis and angiogenesis. CXCL12 and its receptor CXCR4 are over-expressed in malignant gliomas, which are highly vascularized tumors with a poor prognosis. We studied the expression of CXCL12 and CXCR4 in glioma cell lines, endothelial cells, tissue sections and endocavitary fluids from patients with gliomas. We then analyzed the proliferative and the apoptotic effect of CXCL12 in endothelial cells and glioma primary cultures. We observed the release of CXCL12 in supernatants of human brain microvascular endothelial cells and at variable levels, in post-surgical endocavitary fluids. CXCL12 was expressed in both glioma and endothelial cells as assessed by immunostaining of surgical brain sections. CXCR4 was found in cells lines and primary cultures from malignant gliomas as well as in endothelial cells and was increased by vascular endothelial growth factor and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF). CXCL12 inhibited bFGF-induced proliferation of endothelial cells and increased the survival of endothelial cells. The survival of primary cells obtained from glioma specimens was also enhanced in the presence of CXCL12. We point out the presence and the release of CXCL12 in tumor microenvironment and we observed a modulating effect of CXCL12 on proliferation and survival of both endothelial and tumoral cells. Our data support in vivo studies suggesting a role in angiogenesis played by CXCL12, which could represent a possible prognostic factor.     

非增殖型腺病毒和肿瘤特异性增殖型腺病毒携带IL-12基因治疗肝癌的体外实验研究

目的 比较携带小鼠IL-12基因的增殖型腺病毒(CNHK200-mIL12)和非增殖型腺病毒(Adv-mIL12)对IL-12基因的表达以及对肝癌细胞的杀伤能力。方法 通过MTT以及病毒增殖实验．评估E1B-55000缺陷的增殖型腺病毒CNHK200-mIL12和ONYX-015(dl1520),以及非增殖型腺病毒Adv-mIL12对人正常肝细胞株LO2、人肝癌细胞株HepG2和Hep3B的杀伤能力。采用蛋白质印迹分析和ELISA法,检测CNHK200-mIL12和Adv-mill2感染HepG2和Hep3B细胞后,小鼠IL-12基因的表达情况。结果 CNHK200-mIL12感染HepG2和Hep3B细胞后大量增殖,在感染后96h时检测,分别增殖3160倍和630倍,在极低的MOI(空斑形成单位／细胞)值和极短的时间内(HepG2细胞：MOI=0．2,第4天;Hep3B细胞：MOI=0．005,第2天),可大量杀伤肿瘤细胞,而对LO2细胞无明显杀伤。CNHK200-miLl2和Adv-mIL12感染HepG2细胞后,其IL-12基因表达量,前者是后者的101倍;感染Hep3B细胞后,前者是后者的20倍。结论 增殖型腺病毒载体对肿瘤细胞的杀伤能力和目的基因的表达,明显优于传统的非增殖型腺病毒载体,应用前景广阔。     

Pharmacodynamic profile of antiplatelet agents: marked differences between single versus costimulation with platelet activators

BACKGROUND: In pharmacodynamic studies with antiplatelet agents, platelets are usually activated in vitro with single agonists (e.g., ADP) solely. We questioned whether differences occur between single and combined stimulation of platelets [involving the major thrombin-receptors, protease-activated receptors (PAR)1 and PAR4], and whether the pharmacodynamic response to common antiplatelet drugs vary when a combined stimulus is applied instead of a single agonist. METHODS: We investigated the influence of different antiplatelet agents (aspirin [500 mg]) in vivo, the P2Y12-antagonist AR-C 69931MX (4 nM) and the GPII/IIIa-antagonist (abciximab ([5 microg/ml] in vitro) on the degranulation response (CD62) and expression of the activated GPIIb/IIIa-receptor (PAC-1) after stimulation with ADP (2 microM), collagen (4 microg/ml), a PAR1-activating peptide (3 microM TRAP) and a PAR4-activating peptide (200 microM AYPGKF) alone or in a combination of each two agonists by flow cytometry in healthy subjects. RESULTS: (1) Combined activation of TRAP with AYPGKF resulted in synergistic CD62 and PAC-1 expression. Only AYPGKF but neither TRAP nor ADP acted synergistically with collagen. (2) AR-C 69931MX inhibited platelet degranulation (CD62) in all inducer combinations with ADP or the combination TRAP with AYPGKF. The effect was considerably smaller or absent for the combination of collagen with a second inducer. (3) Aspirin intake reduced platelet degranulation and PAC-1 expression only for AYPGKF costimulation with collagen. CONCLUSION: Because a variety of different agonists influence platelet activation and its distinct functions at a time, investigations which regard the concert of these agonists might be closer to the in vivo situation and better reflect the pharmacodynamic profile of an antiplatelet agent than using one single inducing agent.     

Orthostatic tolerance in older patients with vitamin B12 deficiency before and after vitamin B12 replacement

Abstract. Orthostatic hypotension (OH) and vitamin B12 deficiency are common disorders in older people. Several case series have reported an association between vitamin B12 deficiency and OH. The effect of vitamin B12 replacement on this dysfunction has not been studied. We prospectively studied responses to head up tilt in patients over 70 years with vitamin B12 deficiency (intervention group) and compared their responses after replacement to those of matched patients with idiopathic OH and normal serum vitamin B12 concentrations (control group). Blood pressure (BP), heart rate (HR) and systemic vascular resistance (SVR) changes during orthostatic stress were evaluated using digital artery photoplethysmography. Eight patients and eight controls were studied. Initial head up tilt produced a mean BP decrease of 44/29 mmHg (s. e. m. 4/4 mmHg) in the intervention group and 33/12 mmHg (s. e. m. 3/2 mmHg) in the control group. Repeat head up tilt 6 months after vitamin B12 replacement produced a mean BP decrease of 15/9 mmHg (s. e. m. 5/2 mmHg) in the intervention group. The mean decrease in the control group was 30/12 mmHg (s. e. m. 2/2 mmHg). The difference in BP decreases between groups was statistically significant for both systolic and diastolic BP (p < 0.001 for both systolic BP and diastolic BP). Mean SVR in the intervention group decreased by 658 dynes/cm⁵/ sec (s. e. m. 74 dynes/cm⁵/sec) during initial head up tilt. Mean SVR during repeat head up tilt decreased by 79 dynes/cm⁵/sec (s. e. m. 12 dynes/cm⁵/sec). Mean SVR in the control group decreased by 158 dynes/cm⁵/sec (s. e. m. 10 dynes/cm⁵/sec) during initial head up tilt and by 258 dynes/cm⁵/sec (s. e. m. 31 dynes/cm⁵/sec). The difference in SVR changes between groups was statistically significant (p = 0.02). We conclude that replacing vitamin B12 in older patients with vitamin B12 deficiency is associated with improved orthostatic tolerance to head up tilt.     

Insulin-like growth factor-I receptor and estrogen receptor crosstalk mediates hormone-induced neurite outgrowth in PC12 cells

Estradiol (E(2)) and insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) can act independently or in concert to promote neurite outgrowth in vivo and in cultured neurons. This study examined the role of crosstalk between estrogen receptor (ER)alpha and the IGF-I receptor as a critical mediator of hormone- and growth factor-dependent neurite outgrowth in a homogenous cell system. We used control PC12 cells and PC12 cells stably transfected with ER alpha, both of which express IGF-I receptor. Cells were treated for 1 week with vehicle, 1 nM E(2) or 100 ng/ml IGF-I alone or with E(2) or IGF-I in the presence of either the IGF-I receptor antagonist JB1 or the ER antagonist ICI 182,780. IGF-I significantly increased neurite outgrowth, as measured by the percentage of process-bearing cells, and absolute neurite length per cell in both control and ER alpha-transfected PC12 cells. In contrast, E(2) increased process formation and extension only in PC12 cells that were stably transfected with ER alpha. ICI 182,780 and JB1 blocked the IGF-I-induced increases in neurite length in both cell types. The efficacy of ICI 182,780 in control PC12 cells may have been due to the upregulation of ER alpha in these cells by the 7-day treatment with IGF-I. The ER and IGF-I receptor antagonists similarly blocked the E(2)-induced increase in neurite lengths in ER alpha-transfected cells. Immunofluorescent analysis of the cellular distribution of an axonal marker, phospho-neurofilament, verified that the processes extended by PC12 cells were neurites. These data suggest that receptor crosstalk between IGF-I receptors and ER alpha has an important role in neurite formation and extension even in a single-cell system.     

Increased incidence of the Hfe mutation in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and related cellular consequences

The etiology of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is unknown. The presence of mutations in the superoxide dismutase gene (SOD1) has led to theories regarding a role for oxidative stress in the pathogenesis of this disease. A primary cause of oxidative stress is perturbations in cellular iron homeostasis. Cellular iron mismanagement and oxidative stress are associated with a number of neurodegenerative diseases. One mechanism by which cells fail to properly regulate their iron status is through a mutation in the Hfe gene. Mutations in the Hfe gene are associated with the iron overload disease, hemochromatosis. In the current study, 31% of patients with sporadic ALS carried a mutation in the Hfe gene, compared to only 14% of patients without identifiable neuromuscular disease, or with neuromuscular diseases other than ALS (p<0.005). To determine the cellular consequences of carrying an Hfe mutation, a human neuronal cell line was transfected with genes carrying the Hfe mutation. The presence of the Hfe mutation disrupted expression of tubulin and actin at the protein levels potentially consistent with the disruption of axonal transport seen in ALS and was also associated with a decrease in CuZnSOD1 expression. These data provide compelling evidence for a role for the Hfe mutation in etiopathogenesis of ALS and warrant further investigation.     

Flavonoids from<Emphasis Type="Italic">Iris spuria</Emphasis> (Zeal) cultivated in Egypt

A new 12a-dehydrorotenoid 1, 11-dihydroxy-9, 10-methylenedioxy-12a-dehydrorotenoid (1), together with a new isoflavonoid glycoside tectorigenin-7-O-beta-glucosyl-4'-O-beta-glucoside (3), were isolated and identified from the rhizomes of I. spuria (Zeal). In addition, 4 known compounds, tectorigenin (2) tectorigenin-7-O-beta-glucosyl (1 --> 6) glucoside (4), tectoridin (a tectorigenin-7-O-beta-glucoside) (5) and tectorigenin-4'-O-beta-glucoside (6) were isolated and identified for the first time from this plant. The structures of the isolated compounds were determined by spectroscopic methods (UV, IR, 1H, 13C-NMR, DEPT, HMQC, NOESY, and HMBC experiments and MS spectrometry) and by comparison with literature data of known compounds. Compounds 2, 4, 5, and 6 are reported for the first time from this plant through the present study.