Tetraarsenic Tetrasulfide Induced Colon Cancer ls174t Cells Apoptosis

To explore the functional mechanism of tetraarsenic tetrasulfide（As4S4） against the growth and proliferation of colon cancer cells ls174t, MTT method was used to observe the functions of tetraarsenic tetrasulfide for the inhibition of cells ls174t in vitro. Transmission electron microscope was used to observe cell morphologies. FCM assay was performed to measure the change of cell cycle. RT-PCR method was used to detect the expressions of bcl-2 and bax mRNA. Westernblot method was used to detect the expressions of bcl-2 and bax protein. Tetraarsenic tetra- sulfide showed an inhibiting effect on the proliferation of cells ls174t in vitro（P〈0.01）. It induces the apoptosis of cells ls174t, which is related to the decrease in the expression of bcl-2 and the increase in the expression of bax.

miR‑423 sponged by lncRNA NORHA inhibits granulosa cell apoptosis

Background Atresia and degeneration,a follicular developmental fate that reduces female fertility and is triggered by granulosa cell(GC)apoptosis,have been induced by dozens of miRNAs.Here,we report a miRNA,miR-423,that inhibits the initiation of follicular atresia(FA),and early apoptosis of GCs.Results We showed that miR-423 was down-regulated during sow FA,and its levels in follicles were negatively correlated with the GC density and the P4/E2 ratio in the follicular fluid in vivo.The in vitro gain-of-function experiments revealed that miR-423 suppresses cell apoptosis,especially early apoptosis in GCs.Mechanically speaking,the miR-423 targets and interacts with the 3’-UTR of the porcine SMAD7 gene,which encodes an apoptosis-inducing factor in GCs,and represses its expression and pro-apoptotic function.Interestingly,FA and the GC apoptosis-related lncRNA NORHA was demonstrated as a ceRNA of miR-423.Additionally,we showed that a single base deletion/insertion in the miR-423 promoter is significantly associated with the number of stillbirths(NSB)trait of sows.Conclusion These results demonstrate that miR-423 is a small molecule for inhibiting FA initiation and GC early apoptosis,suggesting that treating with miR-423 may be a novel approach for inhibiting FA initiation and improving female fertility.

Discovery and structure-activity relationship studies of novel tetrahydro-β-carboline derivatives as apoptosis initiators for treating bacterial infections

Developing and excavating new agrochemicals with highly active and safe is an important tactic for protecting crop health and food safety.In this paper,to discover the new bactericide candidates,we designed,prepared a new type of1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-β-carboline(THC)derivatives and evaluated the in vitro and in vivo bioactivities against the Xanthomonas oryzae pv.oryzae(Xoo),Xanthomonas axonopodis pv.citri(Xac),and Pseudomonas syringae pv.actinidiae(Psa).The in vitro bioassay results exhibited that most title molecules possessed good activity toward the three plant pathogenic bacteria,the compound A17 showed the most active against Xoo and Xac with EC50 values of 7.27 and 4.89 mg mL^(-1)respectively,and compound A8 exhibited the best inhibitory activity against Psa with EC50value of 4.87 mg mL^(-1).Pot experiments showed that compound A17 exhibited excellent in vivo antibacterial activities to manage rice bacterial leaf blight and citrus bacterial canker,with protective efficiencies of 52.67 and 79.79%at 200 mgmL^(-1),respectively.Meanwhile,compound A8 showed good control efficiency(84.31%)against kiwifruit bacterial canker at 200 mg mL^(-1).Antibacterial mechanism suggested that these compounds could interfere with the balance of the redox system,damage the cell membrane,and induce the apoptosis of Xoo cells.Taken together,our study revealed that tetrahydro-β-carboline derivatives could be a promising candidate model for novel broadspectrum bactericides.

Demethylation of miR-34a upregulates expression of membrane palmitoylated proteins and promotes the apoptosis of liver cancer cells

BACKGROUND Liver cancer is a common cancer and the main cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide.Liver cancer is the sixth most common cancer in the world.Although miR-34a and palmitoyl membrane palmitoylated protein(MPP2)are reportedly involved in various cell processes,their precise roles in liver cancer are still unclear.AIM To investigate the expression of micro RNA 34a(miR-34a),methylation of the miR-34a promoter and the expression of MPP2 in liver cancer cells and their related mechanisms.METHODS Together,78 cases of liver cancer tissues and 78 cases of adjacent tissues were collected.The methylation degree of miR-34a promoter in liver cancer/paracancerous tissue and liver cancer cells/normal liver cells,and the expression levels of miR-34a and MPP2 in the above samples were detected.Demethylation of liver cancer cells or transfection of liver cancer cells with miR-34a mimetic was performed.The MPP2 overexpression vector was used to transfect liver cancer cells,and the changes in proliferation,invasion,apoptosis,migration,and other biological functions of liver cancer cells after the above interventions were observed.Double luciferase reporter genes were used to detect the targeting relationship between miR-34a and MPP2.RESULTS Clinical samples showed that the expression levels of miR-34a and MPP2 in liver cancer tissues were lower than those in the normal tissues.The methylation degree of miR-34a promoter region in liver cancer cells was higher than that in normal liver cells.After miR-34a demethylation/mimetic transfection/MPP2 overexpression,the apoptosis of liver cancer cells was increased;the proliferation,invasion and migration capabilities were decreased;the expression levels of caspase 3,caspase 9,E-cadherin,and B-cell lymphoma 2(Bcl-2)-associated X protein were increased;and the expression levels of Bcl-2,N-cadherin,andβ-catenin were decreased.Double luciferase reporter genes confirmed that MPP2 is targeted by miR-34a.Rescue experiments showed that small interfering MPP2 could counteract the promoting effect of miR-34a demethylation on apoptosis and the inhibitory effect on cell proliferation,invasion,and migration.CONCLUSION miR-34a demethylation upregulates the expression level of MPP2 in liver cancer cells and promotes the apoptosis of liver cancer cells.miR-34a demethylation is a potential method for liver cancer treatment.

Gender difference in the neuroprotective effect of rat bone marrow mesenchymal cells against hypoxiainduced apoptosis of retinal ganglion cells

Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells can reduce retinal ganglion cell death and effectively prevent vision loss. Previously, we found that during differentiation, female rhesus monkey bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells acquire a higher neurogenic potential compared with male rhesus monkey bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells. This suggests that female bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells have a stronger neuroprotective effect than male bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells. Here, we first isolated and cultured bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells from female and male rats by density gradient centrifugation. Retinal tissue from newborn rats was prepared by enzymatic digestion to obtain primary retinal ganglion cells. Using the transwell system, retinal ganglion cells were co-cultured with bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells under hypoxia. Cell apoptosis was detected by flow cytometry and caspase-3 activity assay. We found a marked increase in apoptotic rate and caspase-3 activity of retinal ganglion cells after 24 hours of hypoxia compared with normoxia. Moreover, apoptotic rate and caspase-3 activity of retinal ganglion cells significantly decreased with both female and male bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell co-culture under hypoxia compared with culture alone, with more significant effects from female bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells. Our results indicate that bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells exert a neuroprotective effect against hypoxia-induced apoptosis of retinal ganglion cells, and also that female cells have greater neuroprotective ability compared with male cells.

The Relationship between p38MAPK and Apoptosis during Paclitaxel Resistance of Ovarian Cancer Cells

To investigate the relationship between p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase （p38MAPK） and cell apoptosis during the paclitaxel resistance of ovarian carcinoma cell lines, flow cytometry （FCM） and PI staining were employed to determine the effect of p38MAPK inhibitor SB203580 on the apoptosis of A2780/Taxol cells, a drug-resistant human ovarian carcinoma cell line. p38MAPK protein expression in SB203580-treated cells was immunochemically measured. The 50% inhibition concentration （IC50） of paclitaxel on A2780/Taxol cells was determined by MTT assay. MDR-1 mRNA, and expression of p38MAPK and phospho-p53 protein were detected by RToPCR and Western blotting, respectively. The apoptosis rate of A2780/Taxol cells was （19.7±1.04）% 24 h after SB203580 treatment. A significant difference in apoptosis rate was found among experiment group, control group and untreated group （p〈0.05）. The relative reversal rate of A2780/Taxol cells to paclitaxel was （57.18±2.01）%. As compared with the control group and the untreated group, p38MAPK protein and MDR-1 mRNA in SB203580-treated cells was substantially decreased. The expression of p53 protein was significantly increased. It is concluded that p38MAPK pathway is related to paclitaxel resistance of ovarian carcinoma, and blockade of this pathway can promote the apoptosis of the drug-resistant cells and reverse the drug-resistance. Moreover, p38MAPK-mediated apoptosis in paclitaxel-resistant ovarian carcinoma cells depends on the activation of p53.

Cellular Adhesion Tripeptide RGD Inhibits Growth of Human Ileocecal Adenocarcinoma Cells HCT-8 and Induces Apoptosis

The tripeptide,Arg-Gly-Asp（RGD）motif is an integrin-recognition site found in adhesive proteins present in extracellular matrices（ECM）and in the blood.HCT-8 cells were treated with cellular adhesion tripeptide RGD at various concentrations.MTT assay was performed to examine the growth and proliferation of HCT-8 cells after treatment with RGD for 48 h.Haematoxylin and Eosin（HE）staining and electromicroscope were used to observe the morphology of apoptotic cells.Survivin and flow cytometry were also used to analyze the HCT-8 apoptosis.Cellular adhesion tripeptide RGD significantly inhibits the growth and proliferation of HCT-8 cells in a dose-dependent manner and induces apoptosis of HCT-8.These results indicate that cellular adhesion tripeptide RGD inhibits the growth and proli-feration of tumor HCT-8 cell,probably by the aid of inducing apoptosis of HCT-8 cell.

Gambogic acid induces mitochondria-dependent apoptosis by modulation of Bcl-2 and Bax in mantle cell lymphoma JeKo-1 cells

Objective： To study the mechanisms in gambogic acid （GA） -induced JeKo-1 human Mantle Cell Lymphoma cell apoptosis in vitro. Methods： The proliferation of GA-treated JeKo-1 cells was measured by CCK-8 assay and Ki-67 immunocytochemical detection. Apopt0sis, cell cycle and mitochondrial membrane potential were measured by flow cytometric analysis. Caspase-3, -8 and -9 were detected by colorimetric assay. Bcl-2 and Bax were analyzed by Western blotting. Results： GA inhibited cell growth in a time- and dose- dependent manner. GA induces apoptosis in JeKo- 1 cells but not in normal bone marrow cells, which was involved in reducing the membrane potential of mitochondria, activating caspases-3, -8 and -9 and decreasing the ratio of Bd-2 and Bax without cell cycle arresting. Conclusions： GA induced apoptosis in human MCL JeKo-1 cells by regulating Bcl-2/Bax and activating caspase-3, -8 and -9 via mitochondrial pathway without affecting cell cycle.

Apoptosis is an obstacle to the differentiation of adipose-derived stromal cells into astrocytes

Previous studies have demonstrated that nerve cells differentiated from adipose-derived stro-mal cells after chemical induction have reduced viability;however, the underlying mechanisms remained unclear. In this study, we induced the differentiation of adult adipose-derived stromal cells into astrocytes using chemical induction. 3-（4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl）-2,5-diphenyltetra-zolium bromide assay and flow cytometry showed that, with increasing induction time, the apoptotic rate gradually increased, and the number of living cells gradually decreased. Im-munohistochemical staining demonstrated that the number of glial fibrillary acidic protein-, caspase-3- and caspase-9-positive cells gradually increased with increasing induction time. Transmission electron microscopy revealed typical signs of apoptosis after differentiation. Taken together, our results indicate that caspase-dependent apoptosis is an obstacle to the differentia-tion of adipose-derived stromal cells into astrocytes. Inhibiting apoptosis may be an important strategy for increasing the efifciency of induction.

Microwave-induced Apoptosis and Cytotoxicity of NK Cells through ERK1/2 Signaling

Objective To investigate microwave-induced morphological and functional injury of natural killer（NK） cells and uncover their mechanisms. Methods NK-92 cells were exposed to 10, 30, and 50 m W/cm^2 microwaves for 5 min. Ultrastructural changes, cellular apoptosis and cell cycle regulation were detected at 1 h and 24 h after exposure. Cytotoxic activity was assayed at 1 h after exposure, while perforin and NKG2 D expression were detected at 1 h, 6 h, and 12 h after exposure. To clarify the mechanisms, phosphorylated ERK（p-ERK） was detected at 1 h after exposure. Moreover, microwave-induced cellular apoptosis and cell cycle regulation were analyzed after blockade of ERK signaling by using U0126. Results Microwave-induced morphological and ultrastructural injury, dose-dependent apoptosis（P 〈 0.001） and cell cycle arrest（P 〈 0.001） were detected at 1 h after microwave exposure. Moreover, significant apoptosis was still detected at 24 h after 50 m W/cm^2 microwave exposure（P 〈 0.01）. In the 30 m W/cm^2 microwave exposure model, microwaves impaired the cytotoxic activity of NK-92 cells at 1 h and down regulated perforin protein both at 1 h and 6 h after exposure（P 〈 0.05）. Furthermore, p-ERK was down regulated at 1 h after exposure（P 〈 0.05）, while ERK blockade significantly promoted microwave-induced apoptosis（P 〈 0.05） and downregulation of perforin（P 〈 0.01）. Conclusion Microwave dose-dependently induced morphological and functional injury in NK-92 cells, possibly through ERK-mediated regulation of apoptosis and perforin expression.

Inhibition of Growth of Human Ileocecal Adenocarcinoma Cells HCT-8 and Inducing Apoptosis by Different RGD-containing Peptides

Human ileocecal adenocarcinoma cells HCT-8 were treated with RGD-containing cellular adhesion peptides including RGD, RGD（NH2）2（i.e., RGE-NH2）, RGDS, and RGDS-NH2. MTT assay was prepared to examine their inhibiting effects on HCT-8 cells after treatment. The methods including Haematoxylin and Eosin（HE） staining, transmission electron microscopy（TEM）, immunohistochemistry, flow cytometry, and Reverse TranscriptionPolymerase Chain Reaction（RT-PCR） were used to observe the morphology of the apoptotic cells and analyze the mechanism of apoptosis. The experimental results indicate that RGD-containing cellular adhesion peptides can inhibit the growth and proliferation of tumor HCT-8 cells in a dose-dependent manner and induce the apoptosis of HCT-8 cells. At the same time, the high conservative property of RGD was confirmed again.

Effect of senescence marker protein 30 on the proliferation and apoptosis of human lens epithelial cells SRA01/04

AIM： To study the effect of senescence marker protein 30（SMP30） on the proliferation and apoptosis of human lens epithelial cell（HLEC） SRA01/04.METHODS： SMP30 overexpression（OE） and knock down（KD） type cell lines were cultivated by using two groups regucalcin（RGN; SMP30） lentiviral vectors（LVRGN, LV-RGN-RNAi） and the respective negative control virus infect SRA01/04 cells. Western blot and real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction（q-PCR） analysis were used to determine RGN overexpression and knock down efficiency. We use cell counting kit-8（CCK8） assay to measure cell viability and 5-bromodeoxyuridine（Brd U） assay to test cell proliferation. Cell cycle was measured by PI FACS assay and cell apoptosis was tested by Annexin V-APC assay through flow cytometry. We use Western blot to measure the content of caspase-3 in SRA01/04.RESULTS： We used PCR and Western blot techniques to determine the successful transfection of SMP30 OE and KD SRA01/04 cell lines. By CCK8, Brdu and PI FACS cell cycle assay, it was found that the SMP30 OE group promoted cell proliferation（P〈0.05） compared with the control group, and the KD group inhibited cell proliferation（P〈0.05）. The results of Annexin V-APC signal staining detection indicated that compared with respective control group, the cell apoptosis rate was higher in KD group（P〈0.05） but lower in OE group（P〈0.01）. The expression of caspase-3 was down-regulated in OE group through Western blot assay and up-regulated in KD group compared with respective control group. CONCLUSION： Proliferation of SRA01/04 was promoted by SMP30 OE and apoptosis was suppressed. Increasing the expression of SMP30 may protect HLEC SRA01/04 against apoptosis in cataract.

Effect of insulin on 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium ion-induced apoptosis of PC12 cells

BACKGROUND： Insulin receptor （IR） expression in the substantia nigra of patients with Parkinson disease （PD） is not only significantly lower than that in the substantia nigra of normal persons of the same age, but also significantly lower than that in other regions in brain of himself/herself. It suggests that the abnormal effect of insulin receptor-mediated insulin, as a neurotrophic factor, is very possibly related to the loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra and striatum in patients with Parkinson disease. OBJECTIVE ： TO observe the interventional effect of insulin on 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium ion （MPP^＋）-induced apoptosis of PC12. DESIGN： Controlled observation SETTINGS： Department of Neurology, Beijing China-Japan Friendship Hospital; Department of Neurology Huashan Hospital Affiliated to Fudan University. MATERIALS： PC12 cells were provided by the Cell Bank, Shanghai Institute of Cell Biology, Chinese Academy of Science. MPP^＋, MTT, HOECHST 33258 （Invitrogen Life Technologies）, reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction （RT-PCR） reagent （Takara Shuzo Co., Ltd.）, flow cytometer （Bacton Dickionson, San Jose, CA）, enzyme labelling instrument （Bio-Tek, Winooski, VT） and PCR circulation instrument （Takara Shuzo Co., Ltd） were used in this study. METHODS ： This study was carried out in the Department of Neurology, Huashan Hospital Affiliated to Fudan University during June 2003 to August 2004. （1） Cell culture and experimental grouping： PC12 cells were cultured according to the method from Peng et al, then were randomized into 3 groups; blank control group, MPP^＋ group and insulin group. （2） Detection of relative survival rate of cells： The relative survival rate of cells at different MPP^＋ final concentrations （0, 50, 100, 200, 300, 1 000 μmol/L） and at different culture time （0, 4, 8, 12, 18, 24 hours） in the 300 Fmol/L MPP^＋ group and different concentrations of insulin （0, 15, 50, 100 nmol/L） in the insulin group was detected with MTT method according to the method from Hansen et al. （3） Observation of cell apoptosis： After stained by HOECHST 33258, the apoptotic cells were observed under the fluorescence miscroscope with the method from Chen et al. （4） Dection of apoptotic rate of cells： Apoptotic rate of cells was detected with flow cytometry according to the method from Zhang et al. （5） The expression of tyrosine hydroxylase （TH） mRNA in PC12 cells was detected with RT-PCR methods according to the modified method from Peng et al. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES ： Comparison of relative survival rate, apoptosis rate, the expression of IR mRNA and TH mRNA and cell apoptosis. RESULTS： （1） After 12-hour incubation of 100, 200, 300 and 1 000 μmol/L MPP^＋, the relative survival rate of PC12 cells was （72.88±2.91）%, （60.64±0.81）%, （54.56±0.76）% and （16.89±2.83）%, respectively, which was significantly lower than that of blank control group （100%, P 〈 0.05）; After 12, 18 and 24-hour incubation, the relative survival rate of PC12 cells was （54.56±0.76）%, （42.43±0.16）% and （23.56±0.17）% respectively, which was significantly lower than that of blank control group （100%, P〈 0.05）; When 15, 50 and 100 nmol/L insulin was pre-added to cells, the relative survival rate was （70.10±0.16）%, （78.01 ±2.43）% and （83.55±1.43）%, respectively, which was significantly higher than MPP^＋ alone [（54.56±0.76）%, P 〈 0.05]. （2） Appototic bodies were rarely seen in the blank control group, but densely gathered in the MPP^＋ group and were significantly decreased in the insulin group. （3） Apoptosis rate of PC12 cells in the MPP^＋ group was significantly higher than that in the blank control group [（36.56±0.89）% vs. （2.34±0.23）%, P〈 0.05], and that in the 15, 50, 100 nmol/L insulin group [（30.01±0.04）%, （24.23±0.37）%, （20.01 ±1.01）%, respectivelyl was significantly lower than that in MPP^＋ group （P 〈 0.05）. （4） The TH mRNA expression in PC12 cells in MPP^＋ group was significantly lower than that in blank control group; The expression of TH mRNA in insulin group was gradually increased in an insulin dose-dependent manner. There were no significant changes in the expression of IR mRNA under different experimental conditions. CONCLUSION： Insulin can resist MPP^＋-induced apoptosis of PC12 cells, lessen the damage of PC12 cells, but does not change the gene expression of target cell insulin receptor.

The expression of TRAIL and its receptors in osteosarcoma cells and the apoptosis effect of a combination of TRAIL, adriamycin and IFN-γ on MG-63 cells

Objective： This study investigated the effects of rh-TRAIL with or without chemotherapeutic drugs on the apoptosis of the osteosarcoma cell line, MG-63, and the influence of chemotherapeutic drugs on changes in the expression of DR5 and YinYang 1 （YY1） in MG- 63 cells. Methods： The effects of treatment with rh-TRAIL alone and/or chemotherapetic drugs on MG-63 cell growth inhibition and apoptosis were measured using the MTT assay, FACS analysis ofAunexin V labeled cells, and the mRNA changes of DR5 and YY1 were detected by RT-PCR. Results： Rh-TRAIL protein inhibited the growth of MG-63 cells, and this inhibition was increased by adriamycin and IFN-γ. Adriamycin and IFN-γ significantly facilitated the induction of the expression of DR5 and reduced the expression of YY1. Conclusion： The apoptosis-inducing effect of rh-TRAIL in MG-63 cells was enhanced by chemotherapeutic drugs.

Minocycline protects the apoptosis of PC12 cells induced by 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium

Objective： To explore the protective effect of minocycline on the apoptosis of cellular parkinsonism models induced by MPP^＋ . Methods： Using PC12 cells as the apoptotic model of dopaminergic neurons, MC and MPP^＋ were added into the culture medium of PC12 cells, and using MTr to assay the cell viability and metabolic state; The cells apoptosis was assayed by electrophoresis method and using flow cytometry FACS to assay the apoptosis ratio. Results： Added the MPP^＋ to get the concentration of 10μmol/L, the cellular parkinsonism model of apoptosis had been prepared. The pre-treatment of MC （ 100/μmol/L） could significantly increase the PC12 cell viability. The apoptosis ratio of MC＋MPP^＋ group was significantly lower than that of MPP^＋ group, but was still significantly higher than that of control group. Conclusion： MC may protect the cell apoptosis induced by MPP^＋ to some extent.

Focal adhesion kinase antisense oligodeoxynucleotides inhibit human pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells proliferation and promote human pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells apoptosis

Background Pulmonary artery smooth muscle cell (PASMC) proliferation plays an important role in pulmonary vessel structural remodelling At present, the mechanisms related to proliferation of PASMCs are not clear Focal adhesion kinase (FAK) is a widely expressed nonreceptor protein tyrosine kinase Recent research indicates that FAK is implicated in signalling pathways which regulate cytoskeletal organization, adhesion, migration, survival and proliferation of cells Furthermore, there are no reports about the role of FAK in human pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells (HPASMCs) We investigated whether FAK takes part in the intracellular signalling pathway involved in HPASMCs proliferation and apoptosis, by using antisense oligodeoxynucleotides (ODNs) to selectively suppress the expression of FAK protein Methods Cultured HPASMCs stimulated by fibronectin (40 μg/ml) were passively transfected with ODNs, sense FAK, mismatch sense and antisense FAK respectively Expression of FAK, Jun NH2 terminal kinase (JNK), cyclin dependent kinase 2 (CDK 2) and caspase 3 proteins were detected by immunoprecipitation and Western blots Cell cycle and cell apoptosis were analysed by flow cytometry In addition, cytoplasmic FAK expression was detected by immunocytochemical staining Results When compared with mismatch sense group, the protein expressions of FAK, JNK and CDK 2 in HPASMCs decreased in antisense FAK ODNs group and increased in sense FAK ODNs group significantly Caspase 3 expression upregulated in HPASMCs when treated with antisense ODNs and downregulated when treated with sense ODNs When compared with mismatch sense ODNs group, the proportion of cells at G 1 phase decreased significantly in sense ODNs group, while the proportion of cells at S phase increased significantly In contrast, compared with mismatch sense ODNs group, the proportion of cells at G 1 phase was increased significantly in antisense FAK ODNs group The level of cell apoptosis in antisense FAK group was higher than in the mismatch sense group and the latter was higher than sense FAK group In addition, the sense FAK ODNs group was strongly stained by immunocytochemistry, whereas the antisense FAK ODNs group was weakly stained Conclusions The results suggest that FAK relates to the proliferation of HPASMCs Antisense FAK ODNs inhibit HPASMCs proliferation and facilitate their apoptosis It is possible that FAK via JNK, CDK 2 signalling pathways enhances HPASMCs proliferation and via caspase 3 inhibits HPASMCs apoptosis

Inactivated Sendai Virus Induces Apoptosis in Murine Melanoma Cells by IGF-1R Down-regulation

The mortality of cancer patients has considerably improved due to progress in surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy. However, some types of cancers, such as melanoma, remain refractory to conventional strategies. Although melanoma accounts for only 4% of all dermatological malignancies, it is responsible for 80% of mortalities from skin tumors[11. The reported survival rate of melanoma over 5 years is not yet encouraging due to its chemo-resistance and rapid metastasis. Therefore, it is necessary to develop new drugs with potent activity and weak side-effect against melanoma.

Knockdown of GRHL3 Inhibits Activities and Induces Cell Cycle Arrest and Apoptosis of Human Colorectal Cancer Cells

The Grainyhead-like 3（GRHL3） is involved in epidermal barrier formation, neural tube closure and wound repair. Previous studies have suggested that GRHL3 has been linked to many different types of cancers. However, to date, its effects on human colorectal cancer（CRC） has not been clarified yet. Our microarray analysis has indicated predominant GRHL3 expression in CRC. The purpose of this study was to investigate the expression and significance of GRHL3 in CRC tumorigenesis using CRC tissues and paired paracancerous tissues, as well as using distinct CRC cell lines（HT29 and DLD1）. We observed increased GRHL3 expression at both m RNA and protein levels in CRC tissues and CRC cell lines using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction（q RT-PCR） and Western blotting. Moreover, silencing GRHL3 with si RNA could suppress CRC cell proliferation, viability and migration in vitro. We also found that knockdown of GRHL3 could promote cell cycle arrest at G0/G1 phase in HT29 cells and DLD1 cells, and induce cell apoptosis in HT29 cells. Together, our study revealed the down-regulation of GRHL3 in vitro could inhibit CRC cell activity and trigger cell cycle arrest at G0/G1 phase and apoptosis.

Antitumor Activities and Apoptosis-regulated Mechanisms of Fermented Barley Extract in the Transplantation Tumor Model of Human HT-29 Cells in Nude Mice

Objective A subcutaneous transplantation tumor model of human HT-29 cells was established in nude mice to study the anticarcinogenic activities and apoptosis-regulatory mechanistic effect of aqueous extract of fermented barley with Lactobacillus plantarum dy-1 （LFBE）. Methods HT-29 cells were transplanted via subcutaneous injection of 1 × 107cells into the right flank of each nude mouse. Then, nude mice were treated for 30 days with LFBE （high-dose 2 g·kg-1·d-1; low-dose 1 g·kg-1·d-1） and for 7 days with 5-fluorouracil （5-FU, 25 g·kg-1·d-1） by gavage and intraperitoneal injection, respectively. Results Tumor volume and weight decreased significantly in both groups of nude mice treated with LFBE. In addition, the cell apoptosis rate of the LFBE group was significantly higher than that of the control group and 5-FU groups as measured by the TUNEL assay. Moreover, the real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR and Western blot methods further confirmed these apoptosis-enhancing and growth-inhibiting effects. The involvement of LFBE in inducing apoptosis was confirmed by the expression of Bax, Bcl-2, caspase-3, and cyclin D1. Conclusion The results showed that LFBE could induce subcutaneous transplantation tumor apoptosis in nude mice and could be used as a natural nutrient supplement or chemopreventive agent in the treatment of human colon cancer.

Hydrogen peroxide-induced apoptosis of human lens epithelial cells is inhibited by parthenolide

AIM： To explore the effect of parthenolide on hydrogen peroxide（H_2O_2）-induced apoptosis in human lens epithelial（HLE） cells. METHODS： The morphology and number of apoptotic HLE cells were assessed using light microscopy and flow cytometry. Cell viability was tested by MTS assay. In addition, the expression of related proteins was measured by Western blot assay. RESULTS： Apoptosis of HLE cells was induced by 200 μmol/L H_2O_2, and the viability of these cells was similar to the half maximal inhibitory concentration（IC50）, as examined by MTS assay. In addition, cells were treated with either different concentrations（6.25, 12.5, 25 and 50 mol/L） of parthenolide along with 200 μmol/L H_2O_2 or only 50 μmol/L parthenolide or 200 mol/L H_2O_2 for 24 h. Following treatment with higher concentrations of parthenolide（50 μmol/L）, fewer HLE cells underwent H_2O_2-induced apoptosis, and cell viability was increased. Further, Western blot assay showed that the parthenolide treatment reduced the expression of caspase-3 and caspase-9, which are considered core apoptotic proteins, and decreased the levels of phosphorylated nuclear factor-κB（NF-κB）, ERK1/2 [a member of the mitogen-activated protein kinase（MAPK） family], and Akt proteins in HLE cells. CONCLUSION： Parthenolide may suppress H_2O_2-induced apoptosis in HLE cells by interfering with NF-κB, MAPKs, and Akt signaling.