Our previous study has proven that tea polyphenol has a role in lung neoplasms. The present communication was to investage the anti-proliferation effect of tea polyphenol on the PG cells, which was a high metastatic h...Our previous study has proven that tea polyphenol has a role in lung neoplasms. The present communication was to investage the anti-proliferation effect of tea polyphenol on the PG cells, which was a high metastatic human lung carcinoma cell line, by 3-(4,5)-dimethylthiahiazo(-z-y1)-3,5-diphenytetrazoliumromide (MTT) cell viability assay, and to study the change of intracellular calcium concentration, connexin43 (Cx43) expression, gap junctional intercellular communication (GJIC) and cell cycle distribution after the tea polyphenol treatment by laser scanning confocal microscopy and flow cytometry. The results showed that 1) tea polyphenol could kill the PG cells in a dose-depent manner via inhibiting the PG cell proliferation and blocking the PG cell cycle progression staying in G0/G1 phase and not transfering in S and G2/M phases to reduce the PG cell proliferation index;2) the increases of intracellular calcium concentration, GJIC and Cx43 expression were related with the tea polyphenol doses. The data suggested that tea polyphenol could inhibit the growth of PG cells, which mechanism was associated with the up-regulation of GJIC.展开更多
Rapl is expressed in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). Rapl-GTPase activating protein (RaplGAP), with its specific target, Rapl, has been shown to be important in the regulation of many physiologica...Rapl is expressed in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). Rapl-GTPase activating protein (RaplGAP), with its specific target, Rapl, has been shown to be important in the regulation of many physiological and certain pathological processes. In this study, we investigated the effect of RaplGAP expression on endothelial cell function, or, more specifically, proliferation and migration of endothelial cells. HUVECs were transfected with pcDNA3.1 (empty vector), pcDNA3.1 containing Flag-tagged-RaplGAP or Myc-tagged-RaplN17. The proliferation, migration and tube formation were examined and compared among the 3 groups. Expression of Rapl, RaplGAP, extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), phospho-ERK, Akt, phosphor-Akt was detected by Western blotting. The results showed that the proliferation, migration and tube formation were significantly reduced in RaplGAP- and RaplN17-transfected HUVECs as compared with empty vector-transfected control. These changes were coincident with increased expression of Rap 1GAP and decreased expression of activated Rap l, phospho-ERK and -Akt. After treatment of Rap l GAP-transfected HUVECs with a stimulator of Rapl guanine-nucleotide-exchange factor (RaplGEF) 8CPT-2'OMe-cAMP, it was found that Rapl activity was decreased as compared with empty vector-transfected control. Pretreatment of HU- VECs with an ERK inhibitor PD98059 or a PI3K inhibitor LY294002 prior to stimulation not only blocked 8CPT-2'OMe-cAMP-induced phosphorylation of ERK and Akt, but also significantly reduced cell proliferation and migration. Finally, we examined the effect of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) on HUVECs overexpressing RaplGAP. VEGF-stimulated Rapl activity, phosphorylation of ERK and Akt, cyclin D1 expression and cell proliferation were repressed in HUVECs overexpressing RaplGAP as compared to empty vector-transfected Control. Taken together, our findings demonstrate that RaplGAP/Rapl and their downstream effectors regulate proliferation and migration of HUVECs via ERK and Akt pathways.展开更多
Recent results have shown that the level of gap junction coupling could modulate the induction of apoptotic reactions. We previously observed that 1H-[1,2, 4]Oxadiazole[4,3-a]quinoxalin-1-one (ODQ), a block- er of gua...Recent results have shown that the level of gap junction coupling could modulate the induction of apoptotic reactions. We previously observed that 1H-[1,2, 4]Oxadiazole[4,3-a]quinoxalin-1-one (ODQ), a block- er of guanylyl cyclase, inhibited gap junction coupling and thereby promoted activation of characteristic apoptotic reactions such as chromatin condensation, DNA strand breaking, and formation of blebs in GFSHR-17 granulosa cells, the in vitro model for granulosa cells of the maturing ovular follicle. In the present report, we focus on the effects of ODQ with respect to the cell cycle in GFSHR-17 granulosa cells. In synchronised GFSHR-17 granulosa cells, the double whole-cell patch-clamp technique revealed that gap junction conductance in mitotic cells was reduced in comparison to cells in interphase. This reduction of gap junction conductance correlated with a reduction of non-phosphorylated Cx43 in mitotic cells. We compared the stimulation of apoptotic reactions by ODQ between cells in mitosis and in interphase. We observed that the induction of both chromatin condensation and DNA strand breaking by ODQ was increased in mitotic cells, as compared to cells in interphase. The effects of ODQ were not observed in He-La cells that do not express connexins. The results in- dicate that reduction of gap junction coupling in mitotic GFSHR-17 granulosa cells depends on phosphor- rylation of Cx43 and raises the sensitivity to stimulation of apoptosis. We propose that gap junction coupling is involved in regulation of apoptosis of granulosa cells in maturing ovular follicle.展开更多
AIM:To investigate mediating and regulatory effects of osteoblastic gap juncti onal intercellular communication(GJIC) on low-dose parathyroid hormones(PTH)-s timulated bone formation activities in vitro.METHODS:Rat ca...AIM:To investigate mediating and regulatory effects of osteoblastic gap juncti onal intercellular communication(GJIC) on low-dose parathyroid hormones(PTH)-s timulated bone formation activities in vitro.METHODS:Rat calvarial osteoblasts ( ROBs) in cultures were divided into three groups according to the different mode of exposure.Group A: vehicle (sodium acetate, SA)-treated group; Group B:1×10-8 mol/L hPTH(1-34) intermittent exposure group;Group C:1×10-8 mol/L hPTH(1-34) +1×10-7mol/L TPA exposure group.48 h incubation cycles in three groups were repeated for eight times.GJIC and mineralized bone nodules formation in thr ee groups were detected using Lucifer Yellow (LY) scrape loading dye transfer (S LDT) and mineralized nodule staining together with nodule index,respectively. RE SULTS:At various measuring time points of SA×6 h in group A,PTH×6 h in group B ,PTH×6 h+1 h in group B and PTH×6 h+TPA×1 h in group C,LY(+) cell numbers were 6.8±2.5,19.5±6.5,14.0±3.6 and 5.7±2.4,respectively.Diffusion and transf er of LY fluorescent probe was much more noticeably discerned in group B than in group A and C(P< 0.01).Mineralized bone nodule indices were 45.2±12.5, 88.0±1 5.3 and 38.5±17.9 in group A,B and C respectively.Bone formation activity was m uch better revealed in group B than in group A and C (P< 0.01),whereas no statis tically significant difference of bone formation activities were found in group A compared with group C(P=0.465).CONCLUSION:Mediations and regulations of the co ordinating signals in osteoblastic network via GJIC essentially contribute to PT H-stimulated bone anabolism.However,disruption of GJIC not only hinders osteobl astic intercellular coordination but also frustrates PTH-induced bone formation activities in vitro.Therefore,GJIC may evidently play important roles in regula tions on low-dose PTH-induced bone formation.展开更多
Dedifferentiation of Schwann cells is an important feature of the response to peripheral nerve injury and specific negative myelination reg- ulators are considered to have a major role in this process. However, most e...Dedifferentiation of Schwann cells is an important feature of the response to peripheral nerve injury and specific negative myelination reg- ulators are considered to have a major role in this process. However, most experiments have focused on the distal nerve stump, where the Notch signaling pathway is strongly associated with Schwann cell dedifferentiation and repair of the nerve. We observed the phenotypic changes of Schwann cells and changes of active Notch signaling on the proximal stump during peripheral nerve repair using small gap conduit tubulization. Eighty rats, with right sciatic nerve section of 4 mm, were randomly assigned to conduit bridging group and control group (epineurium suture). Glial fibrillary acidic protein expression, in myelinating Schwann cells on the proximal stump, began to up-reg- ulate at 1 day after injury and was still evident at 5 days. Compared with the control group, Notchl mRNA was expressed at a higher level in the conduit bridging group during the first week on the proximal stump. Hesl mRNA levels in the conduit bridging group significantly increased compared with the control group at 3, 5, 7 and 14 days post-surgery. The change of the Notch intracellular domain shared a simi- lar trend as Hesl mRNA expression. Our results confirmed that phenotypic changes of Schwann cells occurred in the proximal stump. The differences in these changes between the conduit tubulization and epineurium suture groups correlate with changes in Notch signaling. This suggests that active Notch signaling might be a key mechanism during the early stage of neural regeneration in the proximal nerve stump.展开更多
Objective: To explore the pathophysiological mechanism of the changes in gap junctionalintercellular communication (GJIC) in the myocardial cells after burns. Methods: After the myocardial cellswere cultured and injur...Objective: To explore the pathophysiological mechanism of the changes in gap junctionalintercellular communication (GJIC) in the myocardial cells after burns. Methods: After the myocardial cellswere cultured and injured with hypoxia and burn serum, the GJIC in the cells was detected with scrapeloading and dye transfer. Meanwhile, the viability, cytosolic free Ca2+ concentration and Ca2+ influx of themyocardial cells were determined. Results: The cytosolic free Ca2+ concentration and the cellulartransmembrane Ca2+ influx were significantly increased but the viability of the cells markedly decreased afterthe injury. The LY fluorescence reached 4 rows of cells from the scrape line in the normal myocardial cells.The GJIC was blocked at the first hour after hypoxia or hypoxia and burn serum injury. The LY fluorescencewas limited to the primary loads cells at the sixth hour after hypoxia and the third hour after hypoxia andburn serum injury. Conclusion: The function of GJIC in the myocardial cells is to maintain high ordersynchronous contraction of the myocardium. After burns, the runaway calcium homeostasis and impairmentof GJIC function would be accused to be the pathological basis for myocardial heterogeneous behavior.展开更多
Objective:To investigate the effect of the gap junction blocker 1-heptanol on the in vitro chondrogenic differentiation of mouse bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells(MSCs) following induction by GDF-5. Methods:MSCs ...Objective:To investigate the effect of the gap junction blocker 1-heptanol on the in vitro chondrogenic differentiation of mouse bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells(MSCs) following induction by GDF-5. Methods:MSCs were isolated from mouse bone marrow and cultured in vitro. After 3 passages cells were induced to undergo chondrogenic differentiation with recombinant human GDF-5(100 ng/ml), with or without 1-heptanol(2.5 la mol/L). The effect of 1-heptanol on MSCs proliferation was investigated using the MTT assay. Type II collagen mRNA and protein were examined by RT-PCR and immunocytochemistry respectively, and the sulfate glycosaminoglycan was assessed by Alcian blue dye staining. Connexin43(Cx43) protein was examined by western blotting. Results:GDF-5 induced proliferation and chondrogenic differentiation of MSCs. While 1-heptanol treatment had no effect on this proliferation, it inhibited the expression of both type II collagen mRNA and protein. The Alcian blue staining revealed that 1-heptanol also inhibited the deposition of the typical cartilage extracellular matrix promoted by recombinant GDF-5. Western blotting demonstrated that 1-heptanol had no effect on the expression of Cx43. Conclusion:These results suggest that mouse bone marrow MSCs can be differentiated into a chondrogenic phenotype by GDF- 5 administration in vitro. While the gap junction blocker, 1-heptanol, did not reduce gap junction Cx43, these intercellular communication pathways clearly played an important functional role in GDF-5-induced cartilage differentiation.展开更多
文摘Our previous study has proven that tea polyphenol has a role in lung neoplasms. The present communication was to investage the anti-proliferation effect of tea polyphenol on the PG cells, which was a high metastatic human lung carcinoma cell line, by 3-(4,5)-dimethylthiahiazo(-z-y1)-3,5-diphenytetrazoliumromide (MTT) cell viability assay, and to study the change of intracellular calcium concentration, connexin43 (Cx43) expression, gap junctional intercellular communication (GJIC) and cell cycle distribution after the tea polyphenol treatment by laser scanning confocal microscopy and flow cytometry. The results showed that 1) tea polyphenol could kill the PG cells in a dose-depent manner via inhibiting the PG cell proliferation and blocking the PG cell cycle progression staying in G0/G1 phase and not transfering in S and G2/M phases to reduce the PG cell proliferation index;2) the increases of intracellular calcium concentration, GJIC and Cx43 expression were related with the tea polyphenol doses. The data suggested that tea polyphenol could inhibit the growth of PG cells, which mechanism was associated with the up-regulation of GJIC.
基金supported by grants from the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.30971207)Natural Science Foundation of Hubei Province,China(No.2009CBD-386)
文摘Rapl is expressed in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). Rapl-GTPase activating protein (RaplGAP), with its specific target, Rapl, has been shown to be important in the regulation of many physiological and certain pathological processes. In this study, we investigated the effect of RaplGAP expression on endothelial cell function, or, more specifically, proliferation and migration of endothelial cells. HUVECs were transfected with pcDNA3.1 (empty vector), pcDNA3.1 containing Flag-tagged-RaplGAP or Myc-tagged-RaplN17. The proliferation, migration and tube formation were examined and compared among the 3 groups. Expression of Rapl, RaplGAP, extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), phospho-ERK, Akt, phosphor-Akt was detected by Western blotting. The results showed that the proliferation, migration and tube formation were significantly reduced in RaplGAP- and RaplN17-transfected HUVECs as compared with empty vector-transfected control. These changes were coincident with increased expression of Rap 1GAP and decreased expression of activated Rap l, phospho-ERK and -Akt. After treatment of Rap l GAP-transfected HUVECs with a stimulator of Rapl guanine-nucleotide-exchange factor (RaplGEF) 8CPT-2'OMe-cAMP, it was found that Rapl activity was decreased as compared with empty vector-transfected control. Pretreatment of HU- VECs with an ERK inhibitor PD98059 or a PI3K inhibitor LY294002 prior to stimulation not only blocked 8CPT-2'OMe-cAMP-induced phosphorylation of ERK and Akt, but also significantly reduced cell proliferation and migration. Finally, we examined the effect of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) on HUVECs overexpressing RaplGAP. VEGF-stimulated Rapl activity, phosphorylation of ERK and Akt, cyclin D1 expression and cell proliferation were repressed in HUVECs overexpressing RaplGAP as compared to empty vector-transfected Control. Taken together, our findings demonstrate that RaplGAP/Rapl and their downstream effectors regulate proliferation and migration of HUVECs via ERK and Akt pathways.
文摘Recent results have shown that the level of gap junction coupling could modulate the induction of apoptotic reactions. We previously observed that 1H-[1,2, 4]Oxadiazole[4,3-a]quinoxalin-1-one (ODQ), a block- er of guanylyl cyclase, inhibited gap junction coupling and thereby promoted activation of characteristic apoptotic reactions such as chromatin condensation, DNA strand breaking, and formation of blebs in GFSHR-17 granulosa cells, the in vitro model for granulosa cells of the maturing ovular follicle. In the present report, we focus on the effects of ODQ with respect to the cell cycle in GFSHR-17 granulosa cells. In synchronised GFSHR-17 granulosa cells, the double whole-cell patch-clamp technique revealed that gap junction conductance in mitotic cells was reduced in comparison to cells in interphase. This reduction of gap junction conductance correlated with a reduction of non-phosphorylated Cx43 in mitotic cells. We compared the stimulation of apoptotic reactions by ODQ between cells in mitosis and in interphase. We observed that the induction of both chromatin condensation and DNA strand breaking by ODQ was increased in mitotic cells, as compared to cells in interphase. The effects of ODQ were not observed in He-La cells that do not express connexins. The results in- dicate that reduction of gap junction coupling in mitotic GFSHR-17 granulosa cells depends on phosphor- rylation of Cx43 and raises the sensitivity to stimulation of apoptosis. We propose that gap junction coupling is involved in regulation of apoptosis of granulosa cells in maturing ovular follicle.
文摘AIM:To investigate mediating and regulatory effects of osteoblastic gap juncti onal intercellular communication(GJIC) on low-dose parathyroid hormones(PTH)-s timulated bone formation activities in vitro.METHODS:Rat calvarial osteoblasts ( ROBs) in cultures were divided into three groups according to the different mode of exposure.Group A: vehicle (sodium acetate, SA)-treated group; Group B:1×10-8 mol/L hPTH(1-34) intermittent exposure group;Group C:1×10-8 mol/L hPTH(1-34) +1×10-7mol/L TPA exposure group.48 h incubation cycles in three groups were repeated for eight times.GJIC and mineralized bone nodules formation in thr ee groups were detected using Lucifer Yellow (LY) scrape loading dye transfer (S LDT) and mineralized nodule staining together with nodule index,respectively. RE SULTS:At various measuring time points of SA×6 h in group A,PTH×6 h in group B ,PTH×6 h+1 h in group B and PTH×6 h+TPA×1 h in group C,LY(+) cell numbers were 6.8±2.5,19.5±6.5,14.0±3.6 and 5.7±2.4,respectively.Diffusion and transf er of LY fluorescent probe was much more noticeably discerned in group B than in group A and C(P< 0.01).Mineralized bone nodule indices were 45.2±12.5, 88.0±1 5.3 and 38.5±17.9 in group A,B and C respectively.Bone formation activity was m uch better revealed in group B than in group A and C (P< 0.01),whereas no statis tically significant difference of bone formation activities were found in group A compared with group C(P=0.465).CONCLUSION:Mediations and regulations of the co ordinating signals in osteoblastic network via GJIC essentially contribute to PT H-stimulated bone anabolism.However,disruption of GJIC not only hinders osteobl astic intercellular coordination but also frustrates PTH-induced bone formation activities in vitro.Therefore,GJIC may evidently play important roles in regula tions on low-dose PTH-induced bone formation.
基金supported by the Shandong Science and Research Foundation for Youth Scientists in China,No.BS2012YY019
文摘Dedifferentiation of Schwann cells is an important feature of the response to peripheral nerve injury and specific negative myelination reg- ulators are considered to have a major role in this process. However, most experiments have focused on the distal nerve stump, where the Notch signaling pathway is strongly associated with Schwann cell dedifferentiation and repair of the nerve. We observed the phenotypic changes of Schwann cells and changes of active Notch signaling on the proximal stump during peripheral nerve repair using small gap conduit tubulization. Eighty rats, with right sciatic nerve section of 4 mm, were randomly assigned to conduit bridging group and control group (epineurium suture). Glial fibrillary acidic protein expression, in myelinating Schwann cells on the proximal stump, began to up-reg- ulate at 1 day after injury and was still evident at 5 days. Compared with the control group, Notchl mRNA was expressed at a higher level in the conduit bridging group during the first week on the proximal stump. Hesl mRNA levels in the conduit bridging group significantly increased compared with the control group at 3, 5, 7 and 14 days post-surgery. The change of the Notch intracellular domain shared a simi- lar trend as Hesl mRNA expression. Our results confirmed that phenotypic changes of Schwann cells occurred in the proximal stump. The differences in these changes between the conduit tubulization and epineurium suture groups correlate with changes in Notch signaling. This suggests that active Notch signaling might be a key mechanism during the early stage of neural regeneration in the proximal nerve stump.
文摘Objective: To explore the pathophysiological mechanism of the changes in gap junctionalintercellular communication (GJIC) in the myocardial cells after burns. Methods: After the myocardial cellswere cultured and injured with hypoxia and burn serum, the GJIC in the cells was detected with scrapeloading and dye transfer. Meanwhile, the viability, cytosolic free Ca2+ concentration and Ca2+ influx of themyocardial cells were determined. Results: The cytosolic free Ca2+ concentration and the cellulartransmembrane Ca2+ influx were significantly increased but the viability of the cells markedly decreased afterthe injury. The LY fluorescence reached 4 rows of cells from the scrape line in the normal myocardial cells.The GJIC was blocked at the first hour after hypoxia or hypoxia and burn serum injury. The LY fluorescencewas limited to the primary loads cells at the sixth hour after hypoxia and the third hour after hypoxia andburn serum injury. Conclusion: The function of GJIC in the myocardial cells is to maintain high ordersynchronous contraction of the myocardium. After burns, the runaway calcium homeostasis and impairmentof GJIC function would be accused to be the pathological basis for myocardial heterogeneous behavior.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(30471753)
文摘Objective:To investigate the effect of the gap junction blocker 1-heptanol on the in vitro chondrogenic differentiation of mouse bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells(MSCs) following induction by GDF-5. Methods:MSCs were isolated from mouse bone marrow and cultured in vitro. After 3 passages cells were induced to undergo chondrogenic differentiation with recombinant human GDF-5(100 ng/ml), with or without 1-heptanol(2.5 la mol/L). The effect of 1-heptanol on MSCs proliferation was investigated using the MTT assay. Type II collagen mRNA and protein were examined by RT-PCR and immunocytochemistry respectively, and the sulfate glycosaminoglycan was assessed by Alcian blue dye staining. Connexin43(Cx43) protein was examined by western blotting. Results:GDF-5 induced proliferation and chondrogenic differentiation of MSCs. While 1-heptanol treatment had no effect on this proliferation, it inhibited the expression of both type II collagen mRNA and protein. The Alcian blue staining revealed that 1-heptanol also inhibited the deposition of the typical cartilage extracellular matrix promoted by recombinant GDF-5. Western blotting demonstrated that 1-heptanol had no effect on the expression of Cx43. Conclusion:These results suggest that mouse bone marrow MSCs can be differentiated into a chondrogenic phenotype by GDF- 5 administration in vitro. While the gap junction blocker, 1-heptanol, did not reduce gap junction Cx43, these intercellular communication pathways clearly played an important functional role in GDF-5-induced cartilage differentiation.