AIM: To study the effects of IκBα and its mutants (IκBαM, IκBα3N, IκBαM44C) on NF-κB, p53 and their downstream target genes. The relationship of NF-κB, p53, and IκBα was further discussed. METHODS: pEC...AIM: To study the effects of IκBα and its mutants (IκBαM, IκBα3N, IκBαM44C) on NF-κB, p53 and their downstream target genes. The relationship of NF-κB, p53, and IκBα was further discussed. METHODS: pECFP-IκBα, pECFP-IκBαM (amino acides 1-317, Ser32, 36A), pECFP-IκBα243N (amino acides 1-243), pECFP-IκBα244C (amino acides 24±317), pEYFP-p65 and pp53-DsRed were constructed and transfected to ASTC-α-1 cells. Cells were transfected with pECFP-Cl as a control. 30 h after the transfection, location patterns of NF-κB, p53 and IκBα(IκBαM, IκBα243N, IκBα224C) were observed by a laser scanning microscope (LSM510/ConfoCor2, Zeiss). RNA extraction and reverse transcription were performed in cells transfected or co-transfected with different plasmids. Effects of IκBα and its mutants on the transprition level of NF-κB, NF-κB downstream target gene TNF-α, p53 and p53 downstream target gene Bax were observed by real time QT-PCR. In all experiments β-actin was reference. Results are expressed as the target/reference ratio of the sample divided by the target/reference ratio of the control. Different transfected cells were incubated with CCK-8 for 2 h in the incubator. Then the absorbance at 450 nm was measured by using a microplate reader. RESULTS: Cells that were transfected with p53- DsRed revealed a predominant nuclear localization. YFP-p65 mainly existed in the cytoplasm. Cells were transfected with CFP-IκBα, CFP-IκBαM, and CFP-IκBα243N respectively and revealed a predominant cytosolic localization. However, cells transfected of CFP-IκBα244C revealed a predominant nuclear localization. The rnRNA levels of p65, TNF-α, p53 and Bax in CFP-IκBα transfected cells did not change significantly, while in YFP-p65/CFP-IκBα co-transfected cells, IκBα decreased the transcription of p65 downstream gene TNF-α (2.24 ± 0.503) compared with the YFP-p65/ CFP-C1 co-transfected cells (5.08 ± 0.891) (P 〈 0.05). Phosphorylation defective IκBα (IκBαM) decreased the transcription levels of all the four genes compared with the control (P 〈 0.05). The N terminus of IκBα(IκBα243N) increased the transcription of NF-κB (1.84 ± 0.176) and TNF-α (1.51 ± 0.203) a little bit. However, the C terminus of IκBα(IκBα244C) increased the transcription of NF-κB, TNF-α, p53 and Bax significantly (8.29 ± 1.662, 14.16 ± 2.121, 10.2 ± 0.621, 3.72 ± 0.346) (P 〈 0.05). The CCK-8 experiment also showed that IκBα244C and p53 synergistically mediate apoptosis. CONCLUSIONS: IκBα and its mutants (IκBαM, IκBα243N, IκBαM244C) have different effects on NF- KB and p53 signaling pathways, according to their different structures. IκBαbounds with NF-KB and p53 in cytoplasm steadily, and inhibits both of the two signaling pathways, p53 and IκBα244C may be co-factor in inducing apoptosis. The C terminal of IκBαnhanced cell death, which suggests that it may be a pro-apoptotic protein existed in cells.展开更多
Density functional theory (DFT) calculations are reported for the structures of neutral and zwitterionic glycine-(CHaOH)n where n=1-6. Initial geometries of the clusters of neutral and zwitterionic glycine with 1-...Density functional theory (DFT) calculations are reported for the structures of neutral and zwitterionic glycine-(CHaOH)n where n=1-6. Initial geometries of the clusters of neutral and zwitterionic glycine with 1-6 methanol molecules are fully optimized at B3LYP/6-31+G^* level of theory. The lowest energy configurations are located and their hydrogen bond structures are analyzed. Theoretical prediction reveals that the methanols prefer to locate near the carboxylic acid group for the small clusters (n_〈3) with the neutral form while the configurations with the methanols bridging the acid and the amino group are favorite in the zwitterionic form clusters. When the number of the methanol molecules in the clusters reaches five and six, the two forms tend to be isoenergetic.展开更多
A highly sensitive electrochemiluminescence-polymerase chain reaction (ECL-PCR) method for K-ras point mutation detection is developed. Briefly, K-ras oncogene was amplified by a Ru(bpy)3(2+) (TBR)-labeled forward and...A highly sensitive electrochemiluminescence-polymerase chain reaction (ECL-PCR) method for K-ras point mutation detection is developed. Briefly, K-ras oncogene was amplified by a Ru(bpy)3(2+) (TBR)-labeled forward and a biotin-labeled reverse primer, and followed by digestion with MvaI restriction enzyme, which only cut the wild-type amplicon containing its cutting site. The digested product was then adsorbed to the streptavidin-coated microbead through the biotin label and detected by ECL assay. The experiment results showed that the different genotypes can be clearly discriminated by ECL-PCR method. It is useful in point mutation detection, due to its sensitivity, safety, and simplicity.展开更多
Insulin resistance is a hallmark of the metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes.Dysfunction of PI-3K/Akt signaling was involved in insulin resistance.Glucose transporter 4(GLUT4)is a keyfactor for glucose uptake in mus...Insulin resistance is a hallmark of the metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes.Dysfunction of PI-3K/Akt signaling was involved in insulin resistance.Glucose transporter 4(GLUT4)is a keyfactor for glucose uptake in muscle and adipose tissues,which is closely regulated by Pi-3K/Aktsignaling in response to insulin treatment.Low-power laser irradiation(LPLI)has been shown toregulate various physiological processes and induce the synthesis or release of multiple moleculessuch as growth factors,which(especially red and near infrared light)is mainly through theactivation of mitochondrial respiratory chain and the initiation of intracellular signaling path-ways.Nevertheless,it is unclear whether LPLI could promote glucose uptake through activationof PI-3K/Akt/GLUT4 signaling in 3T3L-1 adipocytes.In this study,we investigated how LPLIpromoted glucose uptake through activation of PI-3K/Akt/GLUT4 signaling path way.Here,we showed that GLUT4 was localized to the Golgi apparatus and translocated from cytoplasm tocytomembrane upon LPLI treatment in 3T3L-1 adipocytes,which enhanced glucose uptake.Moreover,we found that glucose uptake was mediated by the PI3-K/Akt2 signaling,but notAkt1 upon LPLI treatment with Akt isoforms gene silence and PI3-K/Akt inhibitors.Collec-tively,our results indicate that PI3-K/Akt2/GLUT4 signaling act as the key regulators forimprovement of glucose uptake under LPLI treatment in 3T3L-i adipocytes.More importantly,our findings suggest that activation of PI3-K/Akt2/GLUT4 signaling by LPLI may provideguidance in practical applications for promotion of glucose uptake in insulin-resistant adiposetissue.展开更多
PUMA(p53 up-regulated modulator of apoptosis,also called Bbc3)was first identified as a BH3-only Bcl-2 family protein that is transcriptionally up-regulated by p53 and activated upon p53-dependent apoptotic stimuli,su...PUMA(p53 up-regulated modulator of apoptosis,also called Bbc3)was first identified as a BH3-only Bcl-2 family protein that is transcriptionally up-regulated by p53 and activated upon p53-dependent apoptotic stimuli,such as treatment with DNA-damaging drugs or UV irradiation.Recently,studies have shown that PUMA is also up-regulated in response to certain p53-independent apoptotic stimuli,such as growth factor deprivation or treatment with glucocorticoids or STS(staurosporine).However,the molecular mechanisms of PUMA up-regulation and how PUMA functions in response to p53-independent apoptotic stimuli remain poorly understood.In this study,based on real-time single cell analysis,flow cytometry,and western blotting technique,we investigated the function of PUMA in living human lung adenocarcinoma cells(ASTC-a-1)after STS treatment.Our results show that FOXO3a was activated by STS stimulation and then translocated from cytosol to nucleus.The expression of PUMA was up-regulated via a FOXO3a-dependent manner after STS treatment,while p53 had little function in this process.Moreover,cell apoptosis and Bax activation induced by STS were not blocked by Pifithrin-α(p53 inhibitor),which indicated that p53 was not involved in this signaling pathway.Taken together,these results suggest that PUMA promoted Bax activation in a FOXO3a-dependent pathway during STS-induced apoptosis,while p53 was dispensable in this process.展开更多
Apoptosis is an important cellular event that plays a key role in the therapy of many diseases.The mechanism of the initiation and regulation of photodynamic therapy(PDT)–induced apoptosis is complex.Our previous stu...Apoptosis is an important cellular event that plays a key role in the therapy of many diseases.The mechanism of the initiation and regulation of photodynamic therapy(PDT)–induced apoptosis is complex.Our previous study found that Photofrin was localized primarily in mitochondria,the primary targets of Photofrin-PDT.The key role of Bax in the mitochondria-mediated apoptosis has been demonstrated in many systems.In order to determine the role of Bax in the mitochondrion-mediated apoptosis induced by Photofrin-PDT,we used the GFP-Bax plasmid to monitor the dynamics of Bax activation after PDT treatment.With laser scanning confocal microscopy,we found that Bax did not translocate from the cytosol to mitochondria when the mitochondrial membrane potential(∆Ψm)disappeared,measured by TMRM.Thus,for Photofrin-PDT,the commitment to cell death is independent of Bax activation.展开更多
Photoacoustic imaging and microwave-thermoacoustic imaging are innovative hybrid imaging techniques that have experienced rapid development in recent years.Photoacoustic imaging is based on the photoacoustic e®ec...Photoacoustic imaging and microwave-thermoacoustic imaging are innovative hybrid imaging techniques that have experienced rapid development in recent years.Photoacoustic imaging is based on the photoacoustic e®ect.When the laser pulses(the width of the laser pulse is usually several nanoseconds to tens of nanoseconds)irradiate the biological tissue,the absorbers in the tissue absorb the optical energy and then induce the instantaneous rise in temperature,and radiate the thermal energy in the form of mechanical energy,i.e.ultrasound signals.We can detect the ultrasound signals with ultrasound transducer and recover the absorption information of the absorbers in the tissue with di®erent imaging algorithms.Photoacoustic imaging integrates the merit of high contrast of optical imaging and high imaging depth of ultrasound imaging.If the excitation source of the photoacoustic imaging is changed into the microwave(the width of the microwave pulse is usually from tens of nanoseconds to hundreds of nanoseconds),that is called thermoacoustic imaging,which can provide high-resolution imaging and imaging depth of more than ten centimeters.Meanwhile,photoacoustic imaging and thermoacoustic imaging have high molecular speci¯city and have already been widely used in the research of physics,chemistry,and biomedicine.展开更多
Sirtuins comprise a family of enzymes implicated in the determination of organismal lifespan in yeast and the nematode.Human sirtuin SIRT1 has been shown to deacetylate several proteins in a NADt-dependent manner.It i...Sirtuins comprise a family of enzymes implicated in the determination of organismal lifespan in yeast and the nematode.Human sirtuin SIRT1 has been shown to deacetylate several proteins in a NADt-dependent manner.It is reported that SIRT1 regulates physiological processes including senescence,fat metabolism,glucose homeostasis,apoptosis,and neurodegeneration.In general,SIRT1 has initially been thought to represent an exclusive nuclear protein.However,depending on the cell lines and organisms examined,a partial or temporary cytoplasmic localization was observed in murine pancreatic beta cells and neonatal rat cardiomyocytes.Since SIRT1 deacetylates both histone and nonhistone-proteins,such as a number of transcription factors,changes in subcellular localization probably play a role in the regulation of its function.In the present studies,we investigated the subcellular localization of SIRT1 in response to growth factor deprivation in African green monkey SV40-transformed kidneyfibroblast cells(COS-7).Using SIRT1-EGFPfluorescence reporter,we found that SIRT1 localized to nucleus in physiological conditions.We devised a model enabling cell senescence via growth factor deprivation and found that SIRT1 partially translocated to cytosol under the treatment,suggesting a reduced level of SIRT1 activity.We found PI3K/Akt pathway was involved in the inhibition of SIRT1's cytosolic translocation,because inhibition of these kinases significantly decreased the amount of SIRT1 maintained in nucleus.Taken together,we demonstrate that growth factor deprivation induces cytosolic translocation of SIRT1,which suggests a possible connection between cytoplasm-localized SIRT1 and the aging process and provides a new application of single moleculefluorescence imaging of the molecule events in living cells.展开更多
Tumor oxygen spatial heterogeneity is a critical challenge for the photodynamic inhibition of solid tumors.Development of an intelligent nanoagent to initiate optimal therapeutics according to the localized oxygen lev...Tumor oxygen spatial heterogeneity is a critical challenge for the photodynamic inhibition of solid tumors.Development of an intelligent nanoagent to initiate optimal therapeutics according to the localized oxygen levels is an effective settlement.Herein,we report an activatable nanoagent(BDP-Oxide nanoparticles(NPs))to enable the oxygen auto-adaptive photodynamic/photothermal complementaly treatment.Upon the nanoagent accumulated in the tumor region,the low extracellular pH could trigger the disassociation of the nanoagent to release the phototheranostic agent,BDP-Oxide,which will subsequently afford the fluorescence imaging-guided photodynamic oxidation after it gets into the outer oxygen-rich tumors.Along with the penetration deepening in the solid tumor,furthermore,BDP-Oxide could be reduced into BDP by the cytochrome P450(CYP450)enzymes activated in the low oxygen tension regions of inner hypoxic tumors,which will switch on the photothermal and photoacoustic effects.Overall,the BDP-Oxide NPs-enabled photodynamic/photothermal complementary therapy significantly suppressed the solid tumor growth(inhibition rate of 94.8%).This work proposes an intelligent platform to address the oxygen partial pressure for the optimization of cancer phototherapeutics.展开更多
Cellular redox status presents broad implications with diverse physiological and pathological processes. Simultaneous detection of both the oxidative and reductive species of redox couples, especially the most represe...Cellular redox status presents broad implications with diverse physiological and pathological processes. Simultaneous detection of both the oxidative and reductive species of redox couples, especially the most representative pair glutathione/hydrogen peroxide (GSH/H2O2), is crucial to accurately map the cellular redox status. However, it still remains challenging to synchronously detect GSH/H2O2 in vivo due to lack of a reliable measuring tool. Herein, a ratiometric nanoprobe (UCNP-TB) possessing simultaneous delectability of GSH/H2O2 is established based on a multi-spectral upconverti ng nano phosphor (UCNP-OA) as the lumin esce nee res onance energy tran sfer (LRET) donor and two dye molecules as the acceptors, including a GSH-sensitive dye (TCG) and a H2O2-sensitive dye (BCH). With the as-prepared UCNP-TB, real-time and synchronous monitoring the variation of GSH and H2O2 in vitro and in living mice can be achieved using the ratio of the upcon versi on lumin esce nee (UCL) at 540 and 650 nm to that at 800 nm as the detecti on sign al, respectively, providi ng highly inhere nt reliability of the sensing results by self-calibrati on. Moreover, the nan oprobe is capable of mappi ng the redox status within the drug-resista nt tumor and the drug-induced hepatotoxic liver via ratiometric UCL imaging. Thus, this nan oprobe would provide a reliable tool to elucidate the redox state in vivo.展开更多
Efficient probes/contrast agents are highly desirable for good-performance photoacoustic (PA) imaging, where the PA signal amplitude of a probe is dominated by both its optical absorption and the conversion efficien...Efficient probes/contrast agents are highly desirable for good-performance photoacoustic (PA) imaging, where the PA signal amplitude of a probe is dominated by both its optical absorption and the conversion efficiency from absorbed laser energy to acoustic waves. Nanoprobes have a unique micro- mechanism of PA energy conversion due to the size effect, which, however, has not been quantitatively demonstrated and effectively utilized. Here, we present quantitative simulations of the PA signal production process for plasmon- mediated nanoprobes based on the finite element analysis method, which were performed to provide a deep understanding of their PA conversion micromechanism. Moreover, we propose a method to amplify the PA conversion efficiency of nanoprobes through the use of thermally confined shell coating, which allows the active control of the conversion efficiency beyond that of conventional probes. Additionally, we deduced the dependence of the conversion efficiency on the shell properties. Gold-nanoparticles/polydimethylsiloxane nanocomposites were experimentally synthesized in the form of gel and microfilms to verify our idea and the simulation results agreed with the experiments. Our work paves the way for the rational design and optimization of nanoprobes with improved conversion efficiency.展开更多
Biophoton emission from germinating soybean under adverse circumstance has been observed by high sensitive imaging system based on ICCD detector. It is found that the intensity of biophoton emission from the injured p...Biophoton emission from germinating soybean under adverse circumstance has been observed by high sensitive imaging system based on ICCD detector. It is found that the intensity of biophoton emission from the injured position of the cotyledon is enhanced obviously compared with the intact position. In addition, a strong biophoton emission has been detected at the tip展开更多
Pulse microwave excite thermoacoustic(TA)shockwave to destroy tumor cells in situ.This has promising applications for precise tumor therapy in deep tissue.Nanoparticle(NP)with high microwave-acoustic conversion is the...Pulse microwave excite thermoacoustic(TA)shockwave to destroy tumor cells in situ.This has promising applications for precise tumor therapy in deep tissue.Nanoparticle(NP)with high microwave-acoustic conversion is the key to enhance the efficiency of therapy.In this study,we firstly developed defect-rich titanium nitride nanoparticles(TiN NPs)for pulse microwave excited thermoacoustic(MTA)therapy.Due to a large number of local structural defects and charge carriers,TiN NPs exhibit excellent electromagnetic absorption through the dual mechanisms of dielectric loss and resistive loss.With pulsed microwave irradiation,it efficiently converts the microwave energy into shockwave via thermocavitation effect,achieving localized mechanical damage of mitochondria in the tumor cell and yielding a precise antitumor effect.In addition to the therapeutic function,the NP-mediated TA process also generates images that provide valuable information,including tumor size,shape,and location for treatment planning and monitoring.The experimental results showed that the TiN NPs could be efficiently accumulated in the tumor via intravenous infusion.With the deep tissue penetration characteristics of microwave,the proposed TiN-mediated MTA therapy effectively and precisely cures tumors in deep tissue without any detectable side effects.The results indicated that defect-rich TiN NPs are promising candidates for tumor therapy.展开更多
基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China No. 60378043 and 30470494)the Natural ScienceFoundation of Guangdong Province No. 015012 and 04010394
文摘AIM: To study the effects of IκBα and its mutants (IκBαM, IκBα3N, IκBαM44C) on NF-κB, p53 and their downstream target genes. The relationship of NF-κB, p53, and IκBα was further discussed. METHODS: pECFP-IκBα, pECFP-IκBαM (amino acides 1-317, Ser32, 36A), pECFP-IκBα243N (amino acides 1-243), pECFP-IκBα244C (amino acides 24±317), pEYFP-p65 and pp53-DsRed were constructed and transfected to ASTC-α-1 cells. Cells were transfected with pECFP-Cl as a control. 30 h after the transfection, location patterns of NF-κB, p53 and IκBα(IκBαM, IκBα243N, IκBα224C) were observed by a laser scanning microscope (LSM510/ConfoCor2, Zeiss). RNA extraction and reverse transcription were performed in cells transfected or co-transfected with different plasmids. Effects of IκBα and its mutants on the transprition level of NF-κB, NF-κB downstream target gene TNF-α, p53 and p53 downstream target gene Bax were observed by real time QT-PCR. In all experiments β-actin was reference. Results are expressed as the target/reference ratio of the sample divided by the target/reference ratio of the control. Different transfected cells were incubated with CCK-8 for 2 h in the incubator. Then the absorbance at 450 nm was measured by using a microplate reader. RESULTS: Cells that were transfected with p53- DsRed revealed a predominant nuclear localization. YFP-p65 mainly existed in the cytoplasm. Cells were transfected with CFP-IκBα, CFP-IκBαM, and CFP-IκBα243N respectively and revealed a predominant cytosolic localization. However, cells transfected of CFP-IκBα244C revealed a predominant nuclear localization. The rnRNA levels of p65, TNF-α, p53 and Bax in CFP-IκBα transfected cells did not change significantly, while in YFP-p65/CFP-IκBα co-transfected cells, IκBα decreased the transcription of p65 downstream gene TNF-α (2.24 ± 0.503) compared with the YFP-p65/ CFP-C1 co-transfected cells (5.08 ± 0.891) (P 〈 0.05). Phosphorylation defective IκBα (IκBαM) decreased the transcription levels of all the four genes compared with the control (P 〈 0.05). The N terminus of IκBα(IκBα243N) increased the transcription of NF-κB (1.84 ± 0.176) and TNF-α (1.51 ± 0.203) a little bit. However, the C terminus of IκBα(IκBα244C) increased the transcription of NF-κB, TNF-α, p53 and Bax significantly (8.29 ± 1.662, 14.16 ± 2.121, 10.2 ± 0.621, 3.72 ± 0.346) (P 〈 0.05). The CCK-8 experiment also showed that IκBα244C and p53 synergistically mediate apoptosis. CONCLUSIONS: IκBα and its mutants (IκBαM, IκBα243N, IκBαM244C) have different effects on NF- KB and p53 signaling pathways, according to their different structures. IκBαbounds with NF-KB and p53 in cytoplasm steadily, and inhibits both of the two signaling pathways, p53 and IκBα244C may be co-factor in inducing apoptosis. The C terminal of IκBαnhanced cell death, which suggests that it may be a pro-apoptotic protein existed in cells.
基金VI. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China ((No.20973067) and Guangdong-Natural Science Foundation (No.7005823), the Scientific Research Foundation for the Returned Overseas Chinese scholars, the State Education Ministry and the Foundation for Introduction of Talents by the Universities in Guangdong Province. Initial computation contributed by Mr. Xiting Zhang is gratefully acknowledged.
文摘Density functional theory (DFT) calculations are reported for the structures of neutral and zwitterionic glycine-(CHaOH)n where n=1-6. Initial geometries of the clusters of neutral and zwitterionic glycine with 1-6 methanol molecules are fully optimized at B3LYP/6-31+G^* level of theory. The lowest energy configurations are located and their hydrogen bond structures are analyzed. Theoretical prediction reveals that the methanols prefer to locate near the carboxylic acid group for the small clusters (n_〈3) with the neutral form while the configurations with the methanols bridging the acid and the amino group are favorite in the zwitterionic form clusters. When the number of the methanol molecules in the clusters reaches five and six, the two forms tend to be isoenergetic.
文摘A highly sensitive electrochemiluminescence-polymerase chain reaction (ECL-PCR) method for K-ras point mutation detection is developed. Briefly, K-ras oncogene was amplified by a Ru(bpy)3(2+) (TBR)-labeled forward and a biotin-labeled reverse primer, and followed by digestion with MvaI restriction enzyme, which only cut the wild-type amplicon containing its cutting site. The digested product was then adsorbed to the streptavidin-coated microbead through the biotin label and detected by ECL assay. The experiment results showed that the different genotypes can be clearly discriminated by ECL-PCR method. It is useful in point mutation detection, due to its sensitivity, safety, and simplicity.
基金supported by the National Basic Research Program of China(2011CB910402,2010CB732602)the Program for Changjiang Scholars and Innovative Research Team in Uni-versity(IRT0829)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(81101741).
文摘Insulin resistance is a hallmark of the metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes.Dysfunction of PI-3K/Akt signaling was involved in insulin resistance.Glucose transporter 4(GLUT4)is a keyfactor for glucose uptake in muscle and adipose tissues,which is closely regulated by Pi-3K/Aktsignaling in response to insulin treatment.Low-power laser irradiation(LPLI)has been shown toregulate various physiological processes and induce the synthesis or release of multiple moleculessuch as growth factors,which(especially red and near infrared light)is mainly through theactivation of mitochondrial respiratory chain and the initiation of intracellular signaling path-ways.Nevertheless,it is unclear whether LPLI could promote glucose uptake through activationof PI-3K/Akt/GLUT4 signaling in 3T3L-1 adipocytes.In this study,we investigated how LPLIpromoted glucose uptake through activation of PI-3K/Akt/GLUT4 signaling path way.Here,we showed that GLUT4 was localized to the Golgi apparatus and translocated from cytoplasm tocytomembrane upon LPLI treatment in 3T3L-1 adipocytes,which enhanced glucose uptake.Moreover,we found that glucose uptake was mediated by the PI3-K/Akt2 signaling,but notAkt1 upon LPLI treatment with Akt isoforms gene silence and PI3-K/Akt inhibitors.Collec-tively,our results indicate that PI3-K/Akt2/GLUT4 signaling act as the key regulators forimprovement of glucose uptake under LPLI treatment in 3T3L-i adipocytes.More importantly,our findings suggest that activation of PI3-K/Akt2/GLUT4 signaling by LPLI may provideguidance in practical applications for promotion of glucose uptake in insulin-resistant adiposetissue.
基金supported by the National Basic Research Program of China(2010CB732602)the Program for Changjiang Scholars and Innovative Research Team in University(IRT0829)+1 种基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China(3087067630870658).
文摘PUMA(p53 up-regulated modulator of apoptosis,also called Bbc3)was first identified as a BH3-only Bcl-2 family protein that is transcriptionally up-regulated by p53 and activated upon p53-dependent apoptotic stimuli,such as treatment with DNA-damaging drugs or UV irradiation.Recently,studies have shown that PUMA is also up-regulated in response to certain p53-independent apoptotic stimuli,such as growth factor deprivation or treatment with glucocorticoids or STS(staurosporine).However,the molecular mechanisms of PUMA up-regulation and how PUMA functions in response to p53-independent apoptotic stimuli remain poorly understood.In this study,based on real-time single cell analysis,flow cytometry,and western blotting technique,we investigated the function of PUMA in living human lung adenocarcinoma cells(ASTC-a-1)after STS treatment.Our results show that FOXO3a was activated by STS stimulation and then translocated from cytosol to nucleus.The expression of PUMA was up-regulated via a FOXO3a-dependent manner after STS treatment,while p53 had little function in this process.Moreover,cell apoptosis and Bax activation induced by STS were not blocked by Pifithrin-α(p53 inhibitor),which indicated that p53 was not involved in this signaling pathway.Taken together,these results suggest that PUMA promoted Bax activation in a FOXO3a-dependent pathway during STS-induced apoptosis,while p53 was dispensable in this process.
基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China(30627003,30870676,30870658)the Natural Science Foundation of Guangdong Province(7117865)as well as by a grant from the US National Institute of Health(P20 RR016478 from the INBRE Program of the National Center for Research Resources).
文摘Apoptosis is an important cellular event that plays a key role in the therapy of many diseases.The mechanism of the initiation and regulation of photodynamic therapy(PDT)–induced apoptosis is complex.Our previous study found that Photofrin was localized primarily in mitochondria,the primary targets of Photofrin-PDT.The key role of Bax in the mitochondria-mediated apoptosis has been demonstrated in many systems.In order to determine the role of Bax in the mitochondrion-mediated apoptosis induced by Photofrin-PDT,we used the GFP-Bax plasmid to monitor the dynamics of Bax activation after PDT treatment.With laser scanning confocal microscopy,we found that Bax did not translocate from the cytosol to mitochondria when the mitochondrial membrane potential(∆Ψm)disappeared,measured by TMRM.Thus,for Photofrin-PDT,the commitment to cell death is independent of Bax activation.
文摘Photoacoustic imaging and microwave-thermoacoustic imaging are innovative hybrid imaging techniques that have experienced rapid development in recent years.Photoacoustic imaging is based on the photoacoustic e®ect.When the laser pulses(the width of the laser pulse is usually several nanoseconds to tens of nanoseconds)irradiate the biological tissue,the absorbers in the tissue absorb the optical energy and then induce the instantaneous rise in temperature,and radiate the thermal energy in the form of mechanical energy,i.e.ultrasound signals.We can detect the ultrasound signals with ultrasound transducer and recover the absorption information of the absorbers in the tissue with di®erent imaging algorithms.Photoacoustic imaging integrates the merit of high contrast of optical imaging and high imaging depth of ultrasound imaging.If the excitation source of the photoacoustic imaging is changed into the microwave(the width of the microwave pulse is usually from tens of nanoseconds to hundreds of nanoseconds),that is called thermoacoustic imaging,which can provide high-resolution imaging and imaging depth of more than ten centimeters.Meanwhile,photoacoustic imaging and thermoacoustic imaging have high molecular speci¯city and have already been widely used in the research of physics,chemistry,and biomedicine.
基金The authors thank Prof.Yoshiyuki Horio for providing the plasmid SIRT1-EGFP.This research is supported by the National Basic Research Program of China(2010CB732602,2011CB910402)the Program for Changjiang Scholars and Innovative Research Team in University(IRT0829)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(30870676,30870658).
文摘Sirtuins comprise a family of enzymes implicated in the determination of organismal lifespan in yeast and the nematode.Human sirtuin SIRT1 has been shown to deacetylate several proteins in a NADt-dependent manner.It is reported that SIRT1 regulates physiological processes including senescence,fat metabolism,glucose homeostasis,apoptosis,and neurodegeneration.In general,SIRT1 has initially been thought to represent an exclusive nuclear protein.However,depending on the cell lines and organisms examined,a partial or temporary cytoplasmic localization was observed in murine pancreatic beta cells and neonatal rat cardiomyocytes.Since SIRT1 deacetylates both histone and nonhistone-proteins,such as a number of transcription factors,changes in subcellular localization probably play a role in the regulation of its function.In the present studies,we investigated the subcellular localization of SIRT1 in response to growth factor deprivation in African green monkey SV40-transformed kidneyfibroblast cells(COS-7).Using SIRT1-EGFPfluorescence reporter,we found that SIRT1 localized to nucleus in physiological conditions.We devised a model enabling cell senescence via growth factor deprivation and found that SIRT1 partially translocated to cytosol under the treatment,suggesting a reduced level of SIRT1 activity.We found PI3K/Akt pathway was involved in the inhibition of SIRT1's cytosolic translocation,because inhibition of these kinases significantly decreased the amount of SIRT1 maintained in nucleus.Taken together,we demonstrate that growth factor deprivation induces cytosolic translocation of SIRT1,which suggests a possible connection between cytoplasm-localized SIRT1 and the aging process and provides a new application of single moleculefluorescence imaging of the molecule events in living cells.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.21771065)Guangdong Special Support Program(No.2017TQ04R138)+3 种基金Science and Technology Program of Guangzhou(No.2019050001)Natural Science Foundation of Guangdong(No.2019A1515012021)Pearl River Nova Program of Guangzhou(No.201806010189)the Major Program of Ningbo Science and Technology Innovation 2025(No.2020Z093).
文摘Tumor oxygen spatial heterogeneity is a critical challenge for the photodynamic inhibition of solid tumors.Development of an intelligent nanoagent to initiate optimal therapeutics according to the localized oxygen levels is an effective settlement.Herein,we report an activatable nanoagent(BDP-Oxide nanoparticles(NPs))to enable the oxygen auto-adaptive photodynamic/photothermal complementaly treatment.Upon the nanoagent accumulated in the tumor region,the low extracellular pH could trigger the disassociation of the nanoagent to release the phototheranostic agent,BDP-Oxide,which will subsequently afford the fluorescence imaging-guided photodynamic oxidation after it gets into the outer oxygen-rich tumors.Along with the penetration deepening in the solid tumor,furthermore,BDP-Oxide could be reduced into BDP by the cytochrome P450(CYP450)enzymes activated in the low oxygen tension regions of inner hypoxic tumors,which will switch on the photothermal and photoacoustic effects.Overall,the BDP-Oxide NPs-enabled photodynamic/photothermal complementary therapy significantly suppressed the solid tumor growth(inhibition rate of 94.8%).This work proposes an intelligent platform to address the oxygen partial pressure for the optimization of cancer phototherapeutics.
基金National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 21771065 and 81630046)Natural Science Foundation of Guangdong Province, China (No. 2017A020215088)+2 种基金Science and Technology Planning Project of Guangdong Province, China (Nos. 2015B020233016 and 2014B020215003)Science and Technology Planning Project of Guangdong Province (Guangdong- Hong Kong Joint Innovation Project), China (No. 2014B050504009) Pearl River Nova Program of Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China (No. 201806010189)Scientific and Technological Planning Project of Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China (No. 201805010002).
文摘Cellular redox status presents broad implications with diverse physiological and pathological processes. Simultaneous detection of both the oxidative and reductive species of redox couples, especially the most representative pair glutathione/hydrogen peroxide (GSH/H2O2), is crucial to accurately map the cellular redox status. However, it still remains challenging to synchronously detect GSH/H2O2 in vivo due to lack of a reliable measuring tool. Herein, a ratiometric nanoprobe (UCNP-TB) possessing simultaneous delectability of GSH/H2O2 is established based on a multi-spectral upconverti ng nano phosphor (UCNP-OA) as the lumin esce nee res onance energy tran sfer (LRET) donor and two dye molecules as the acceptors, including a GSH-sensitive dye (TCG) and a H2O2-sensitive dye (BCH). With the as-prepared UCNP-TB, real-time and synchronous monitoring the variation of GSH and H2O2 in vitro and in living mice can be achieved using the ratio of the upcon versi on lumin esce nee (UCL) at 540 and 650 nm to that at 800 nm as the detecti on sign al, respectively, providi ng highly inhere nt reliability of the sensing results by self-calibrati on. Moreover, the nan oprobe is capable of mappi ng the redox status within the drug-resista nt tumor and the drug-induced hepatotoxic liver via ratiometric UCL imaging. Thus, this nan oprobe would provide a reliable tool to elucidate the redox state in vivo.
基金This research is supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 91539127, 61331001, 11604105 and 61361160414), The National High-tech R&D Program of China (No. 2015AA020901), The Sdence and Technology Planning Project of Guangdong Province, China (Nos. 2015B020233016, 2014B020215003 and 2014A020215031).
文摘Efficient probes/contrast agents are highly desirable for good-performance photoacoustic (PA) imaging, where the PA signal amplitude of a probe is dominated by both its optical absorption and the conversion efficiency from absorbed laser energy to acoustic waves. Nanoprobes have a unique micro- mechanism of PA energy conversion due to the size effect, which, however, has not been quantitatively demonstrated and effectively utilized. Here, we present quantitative simulations of the PA signal production process for plasmon- mediated nanoprobes based on the finite element analysis method, which were performed to provide a deep understanding of their PA conversion micromechanism. Moreover, we propose a method to amplify the PA conversion efficiency of nanoprobes through the use of thermally confined shell coating, which allows the active control of the conversion efficiency beyond that of conventional probes. Additionally, we deduced the dependence of the conversion efficiency on the shell properties. Gold-nanoparticles/polydimethylsiloxane nanocomposites were experimentally synthesized in the form of gel and microfilms to verify our idea and the simulation results agreed with the experiments. Our work paves the way for the rational design and optimization of nanoprobes with improved conversion efficiency.
文摘Biophoton emission from germinating soybean under adverse circumstance has been observed by high sensitive imaging system based on ICCD detector. It is found that the intensity of biophoton emission from the injured position of the cotyledon is enhanced obviously compared with the intact position. In addition, a strong biophoton emission has been detected at the tip
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.62075066)the Science and Technology Planning Project of Guangdong Province,China(Nos.2019A1515012054)+1 种基金the Scientific and Technological Planning Project of Guangzhou City(No.201805010002)the Science and Technology Program of Guangzhou(No.2019050001).
文摘Pulse microwave excite thermoacoustic(TA)shockwave to destroy tumor cells in situ.This has promising applications for precise tumor therapy in deep tissue.Nanoparticle(NP)with high microwave-acoustic conversion is the key to enhance the efficiency of therapy.In this study,we firstly developed defect-rich titanium nitride nanoparticles(TiN NPs)for pulse microwave excited thermoacoustic(MTA)therapy.Due to a large number of local structural defects and charge carriers,TiN NPs exhibit excellent electromagnetic absorption through the dual mechanisms of dielectric loss and resistive loss.With pulsed microwave irradiation,it efficiently converts the microwave energy into shockwave via thermocavitation effect,achieving localized mechanical damage of mitochondria in the tumor cell and yielding a precise antitumor effect.In addition to the therapeutic function,the NP-mediated TA process also generates images that provide valuable information,including tumor size,shape,and location for treatment planning and monitoring.The experimental results showed that the TiN NPs could be efficiently accumulated in the tumor via intravenous infusion.With the deep tissue penetration characteristics of microwave,the proposed TiN-mediated MTA therapy effectively and precisely cures tumors in deep tissue without any detectable side effects.The results indicated that defect-rich TiN NPs are promising candidates for tumor therapy.