Comparative analysis of primate and pig cells reveals primate-specific PINK1 expression and phosphorylation

PTEN-induced putative kinase 1(PINK1),a mitochondrial kinase that phosphorylates Parkin and other proteins,plays a crucial role in mitophagy and protection against neurodegeneration.Mutations in PINK1 and Parkin can lead to loss of function and early onset Parkinson's disease.However,there is a lack of strong in vivo evidence in rodent models to support the theory that loss of PINK1 affects mitophagy and induces neurodegeneration.Additionally,PINK1 knockout pigs(Sus scrofa)do not appear to exhibit neurodegeneration.In our recent work involving non-human primates,we found that PINK1 is selectively expressed in primate brains,while absent in rodent brains.To extend this to other species,we used multiple antibodies to examine the expression of PINK1 in pig tissues.In contrast to tissues from cynomolgus monkeys(Macaca fascicularis),our data did not convincingly demonstrate detectable PINK1expression in pig tissues.Knockdown of PINK1 in cultured pig cells did not result in altered Parkin and BAD phosphorylation,as observed in cultured monkey cells.A comparison of monkey and pig striatum revealed more PINK1-phosphorylated substrates in the monkey brain.Consistently,PINK1 knockout in pigs did not lead to obvious changes in the phosphorylation of Parkin and BAD.These findings provide new evidence that PINK1expression is specific to primates,underscoring the importance of non-human primates in investigating PINK1function and pathology related to PINK1 deficiency.

Novel insights into D-Pinitol based therapies:a link between tau hyperphosphorylation and insulin resistance

Alzheimer’s disease is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the amyloid accumulation in the brains of patients with Alzheimer’s disease.The pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s disease is mainly mediated by the phosphorylation and aggregation of tau protein.Among the multiple causes of tau hyperphosphorylation,brain insulin resistance has generated much attention,and inositols as insulin sensitizers,are currently considered candidates for drug development.The present narrative review revises the interactions between these three elements:Alzheimer’s disease-tau-inositols,which can eventually identify targets for new disease modifiers capable of bringing hope to the millions of people affected by this devastating disease.

Surviving winter on the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau:Extensive reversible protein phosphorylation plays a dominant role in regulating hypometabolism in hibernating Nanorana parkeri

Changes in protein abundance and reversible protein phosphorylation(RPP)play important roles in regulating hypometabolism but have never been documented in overwintering frogs at high altitudes.To test the hypothesis that protein abundance and phosphorylation change in response to winter hibernation,we conducted a comprehensive and quantitative proteomic and phosphoproteomic analysis of the liver of the Xizang plateau frog,Nanorana parkeri,living on the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau.In total,5170 proteins and 5695 phosphorylation sites in 1938 proteins were quantified.Based on proteomic analysis,674 differentially expressed proteins(438 up-regulated,236 down-regulated)were screened in hibernating N.parkeri versus summer individuals.Functional enrichment analysis revealed that higher expressed proteins in winter were significantly enriched in immune-related signaling pathways,whereas lower expressed proteins were mainly involved in metabolic processes.A total of 4251 modified sites(4147 up-regulated,104 down-regulated)belonging to 1638 phosphoproteins(1555 up-regulated,83 down-regulated)were significantly changed in the liver.During hibernation,RPP regulated a diverse array of proteins involved in multiple functions,including metabolic enzymatic activity,ion transport,protein turnover,signal transduction,and alternative splicing.These changes contribute to enhancing protection,suppressing energy-consuming processes,and inducing metabolic depression.Moreover,the activities of phosphofructokinase,glutamate dehydrogenase,and ATPase were all significantly lower in winter compared to summer.In conclusion,our results support the hypothesis and demonstrate the importance of RPP as a regulatory mechanism when animals transition into a hypometabolic state.

LATS1 Promotes B-ALL Tumorigenesis by Regulating YAP1 Phosphorylation and Subcellular Localization

Objective YAP1 plays a dual role as an oncogene and tumor suppressor gene in several tumors;differentiating between these roles may depend on the YAP1 phosphorylation pattern.The specific function of YAP1 in B cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia(B-ALL),however,is currently unclear.Thus,in the present study,the role of YAP1 in B-ALL was investigated using relevant cell lines and patient datasets.Methods The effects of shRNA-mediated knockdown on YAP1 and LATS1 levels in the NALM6 and MOLT-4 cell lines were examined using Western blotting,quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction,flow cytometry,immunostaining,and nude mouse subcutaneous tumorigenesis experiments.Gene expression levels of Hippo pathway-related molecules before and after verteporfin(VP)treatment were compared using RNA-Seq to identify significant Hippo pathway-related genes in NALM6 cells.Results Patients with ALL showing high YAP1 expression and low YAP1-Ser127 phosphorylation levels had worse prognoses than those with low YAP1 protein expression and high YAP1-Ser127 phosphorylation levels.YAP1-Ser127 phosphorylation levels were lower in NALM6 cells than in MOLT-4 and control cells;YAP1 was distributed in the nuclei in NALM6 cells.Knockdown of YAP1 inhibited MOLT-4 and NALM6 cell proliferation and arrested the NALM6 cell cycle in the G0/G1 phase.Before and after VP treatment,the expression of the upstream gene LATS1 was upregulated;its overexpression promoted YAP1-Ser127 phosphorylation.Further,YAP1 was distributed in the plasma.Conclusion LATS1 may downregulate YAP1-Ser127 phosphorylation and maintain B-ALL cell function;thus,VP,which targets this axis,may serve as a new therapeutic method for improving the outcomes for B-ALL patients.

IL-17 induces NSCLC cell migration and invasion by elevating MMP19 gene transcription and expression through the interaction of p300-dependent STAT3-K631 acetylation and its Y705-phosphorylation

The cancer cell metastasis is a major death reason for patients with non-small cell lung cancer(NSCLC).Although researchers have disclosed that interleukin 17(IL-17)can increase matrix metalloproteinases(MMPs)induction causing NSCLC cell metastasis,the underlying mechanism remains unclear.In the study,we found that IL-17 receptor A(IL-17RA),p300,p-STAT3,Ack-STAT3,and MMP19 were up-regulated both in NSCLC tissues and NSCLC cells stimulated with IL-17.p300,STAT3 and MMP19 overexpression or knockdown could raise or reduce IL-17-induced p-STAT3,Ack-STAT3 and MMP19 level as well as the cell migration and invasion.Mechanism investigation revealed that STAT3 and p300 bound to the same region(−544 to−389 nt)of MMP19 promoter,and p300 could acetylate STAT3-K631 elevating STAT3 transcriptional activity,p-STAT3 or MMP19 expression and the cell mobility exposed to IL-17.Meanwhile,p300-mediated STAT3-K631 acetylation and its Y705-phosphorylation could interact,synergistically facilitating MMP19 gene transcription and enhancing cell migration and invasion.Besides,the animal experiments exhibited that the nude mice inoculated with NSCLC cells by silencing p300,STAT3 or MMP19 gene plus IL-17 treatment,the nodule number,and MMP19,Ack-STAT3,or p-STAT3 production in the lung metastatic nodules were all alleviated.Collectively,these outcomes uncover that IL-17-triggered NSCLC metastasis involves up-regulating MMP19 expression via the interaction of STAT3-K631 acetylation by p300 and its Y705-phosphorylation,which provides a new mechanistic insight and potential strategy for NSCLC metastasis and therapy.

Cardioprotective Potential of Cymbopogon citratus Essential Oil against Isoproterenol-induced Cardiomyocyte Hypertrophy:Possible Involvement of NLRP3 Inflammasome and Oxidative Phosphorylation Complex Subunits

Objective:Cymbopogon citratus(DC.)Stapf is a medicinal and edible herb that is widely used for the treatment of gastric,nervous and hypertensive disorders.In this study,we investigated the cardioprotective effects and mechanisms of the essential oil,the main active ingredient of Cymbopogon citratus,on isoproterenol(ISO)-induced cardiomyocyte hypertrophy.Methods:The compositions of Cymbopogon citratus essential oil(CCEO)were determined by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.Cardiomyocytes were pretreated with 16.9µg/L CCEO for 1 h followed by 10µmol/L ISO for 24 h.Cardiac hypertrophy-related indicators and NLRP3 inflammasome expression were evaluated.Subsequently,transcriptome sequencing(RNA-seq)and target verification were used to further explore the underlying mechanism.Results:Our results showed that the CCEO mainly included citronellal(45.66%),geraniol(23.32%),and citronellol(10.37%).CCEO inhibited ISO-induced increases in cell surface area and protein content,as well as the upregulation of fetal gene expression.Moreover,CCEO inhibited ISO-induced NLRP3 inflammasome expression,as evidenced by decreased lactate dehydrogenase content and downregulated mRNA levels of NLRP3,ASC,CASP1,GSDMD,and IL-1β,as well as reduced protein levels of NLRP3,ASC,pro-caspase-1,caspase-1(p20),GSDMD-FL,GSDMD-N,and pro-IL-1β.The RNA-seq results showed that CCEO inhibited the increase in the mRNA levels of 26 oxidative phosphorylation complex subunits in ISO-treated cardiomyocytes.Our further experiments confirmed that CCEO suppressed ISO-induced upregulation of mt-Nd1,Sdhd,mt-Cytb,Uqcrq,and mt-Atp6 but had no obvious effects on mt-Col expression.Conclusion:CCEO inhibits ISO-induced cardiomyocyte hypertrophy through the suppression of NLRP3 inflammasome expression and the regulation of several oxidative phosphorylation complex subunits.

Microglial depletion impairs glial scar formation and aggravates inflammation partly by inhibiting STAT3 phosphorylation in astrocytes after spinal cord injury

Astrocytes and microglia play an orchestrated role following spinal cord injury;however,the molecular mechanisms through which microglia regulate astrocytes after spinal cord injury are not yet fully understood.Herein,microglia were pharmacologically depleted and the effects on the astrocytic response were examined.We further explored the potential mechanisms involving the signal transducers and activators of transcription 3(STAT3)pathway.For in vivo experiments,we constructed a contusion spinal cord injury model in C57BL/6 mice.To deplete microglia,all mice were treated with colony-stimulating factor 1 receptor inhibitor PLX3397,starting 2 weeks prior to surgery until they were sacrificed.Cell proliferation was examined by 5-ethynyl-2-deoxyuridine(EdU)and three pivotal inflammatory cytokines were detected by a specific Bio-Plex Pro^(TM) Reagent Kit.Locomotor function,neuroinflammation,astrocyte activation and phosphorylated STAT3(pSTAT3,a maker of activation of STAT3 signaling)levels were determined.For in vitro experiments,a microglia and astrocyte coculture system was established,and the small molecule STA21,which blocks STAT3 activation,was applied to investigate whether STAT3 signaling is involved in mediating astrocyte proliferation induced by microglia.PLX3397 administration disrupted glial scar formation,increased inflammatory spillover,induced diffuse tissue damage and impaired functional recovery after spinal cord injury.Microglial depletion markedly reduced EdU+proliferating cells,especially proliferating astrocytes at 7 days after spinal cord injury.RNA sequencing analysis showed that the JAK/STAT3 pathway was downregulated in mice treated with PLX3397.Double immunofluorescence staining confirmed that PLX3397 significantly decreased STAT3 expression in astrocytes.Importantly,in vitro coculture of astrocytes and microglia showed that microglia-induced astrocyte proliferation was abolished by STA21 administration.These findings suggest that microglial depletion impaired astrocyte proliferation and astrocytic scar formation,and induced inflammatory diffusion partly by inhibiting STAT3 phosphorylation in astrocytes following spinal cord injury.

Effect of titin phosphorylation on degradation of titin from skeletal muscles

The degradation of titin could make the myofibrillar fragmentation to improve meat tenderization during postmortem.This study aimed to investigate effect of phosphorylation on titin degradation.Protein kinase A(PKA)and alkaline phosphatase(AP)were added to crude titin extracted from ovine longissimus lumborum(LL)muscles.Phosphorylated/dephosphorylated titin were incubated withμ-calpain at 4℃ for 2 days.Results showed titin in AP group started degradation earlier than that in PKA and control groups.There were 20,16 and 12 phosphorylated sites identified by iTRAQ in the PKA,control and AP group,respectively.3D structure of dephosphorylated titin fragment was simulated and its molecular dynamics trajectory analysis was performed using Discovery StudioTM.The dihedral angle in AP group was less and the dephosphorylated fragment had a higher kinetic energy and total energy.We suggested that changes caused by AP treatment might make titin unstable,which easily degraded byμ-calpain.

Phosphorylation regulation of nitrogen,phosphorus,and potassium uptake systems in plants

The uptake of ammonium,nitrate,phosphorus,and potassium ions by roots is mediated by specific ion transporter or channel proteins,and protein phosphorylation regulation events occurring on these proteins and their regulators determine their ultimate activity.Elucidating the mechanism by which protein phosphorylation modification regulates nutrient uptake will advance plant breeding for high nutrientuse efficiency.In this review,it is concluded that the root nutrient absorption system is composed of several,but not all,members of a specific ion transporter or channel family.Under nutrient-starvation conditions,protein phosphorylation-based regulation of these proteins and associated transcription factors increases ion transporter-or channel-mediated nutrient uptake capacity via direct function activity enhancement,allowing more protein trafficking to the plasma membrane,by strengthening the interaction of transporters and channels with partner proteins,by increasing their protein stability,and by transcriptional activation.Under excessive nutrient conditions,protein phosphorylation-based regulation suppresses nutrient uptake by reversing these processes.Strengthening phosphorylation regulation items that increase nutrient absorption and weakening phosphorylation modification items that are not conducive to nutrient absorption show potential as strategies for increasing nutrient use efficiency.

Switch of phosphorylation to O-GlcNAcylation of AhR contributes to vascular oxidative stress induced by benzo[a]pyrene

Benzo[a]pyrene(B[a]P)is a food contaminant toxic for cardiovascular diseases.The nuclear translocation of Arylhydrocarbon receptor(AhR)plays an important role in B[a]P-induced oxidative stress and vascular diseases.We confi rmed that B[a]P promoted ROS production in vascular smooth muscle cells(VSMCs)in vitro and in vivo,associated with the nuclear translocation of AhR.It is known that phosphorylation inhibits while dephosphorylation of AhR promotes nuclear translocation of AhR.However,from the posttranslational modifi cation level,the mechanism by which B[a]P activates and regulates the nuclear translocation of AhR is unclear.Co-immunoprecipitation results showed that cytoplasmic AhR was phosphorylated before B[a]P stimulation,and switched to O-GlcNAcylation upon B[a]P 1-h stimulation in VSMCs,suggesting there may be a competitively inhibitory relationship between O-GlcNAcylation and phosphorylation of AhR.Next,siRNAs of O-linked N-acetylglucosamine transferase(OGT),O-GlcNAcase(OGA)and OGA inhibitor PUGNAc were used.SiOGT blocks but siOGA and PUGNAc promote B[a]P-dependent AhR nuclear translocation and oxidative stress.Ser11 may be the competitive binding site for phosphorylation and O-GlcNAcylation of AhR.Phosphorylation-mimic variant inhibits but O-GlcNAcylation of AhR promotes AhR nuclear translocation and oxidative stress.Our fi ndings highlight a new perspective for AhR nuclear translocation regulated by the competitive modifi cation between phosphorylation and O-GlcNAcylation.

Triptolide (PG-490) induces apoptosis of dendritic cells through sequential p38 MAP kinase phosphorylation and caspase 3 activation

Dendritic cells (DCs) are the most potent antigen-presen ting cells that play crucial roles in the regulation of immune response. Triptol ide, an active component purified from the medicinal plant Tripterygium wilfor dii Hook F., has been demonstrated to act as a potent immunosuppressive drug c apab le of inhibiting T cell activation and proliferation. However, little is known a bout the effects of triptolide on DCs. The present study shows that triptolide d oes not affect phenotypic differentiation and LPS-induced maturation of murine DCs. But triptolide can dramatically reduce cell recovery by inducing apoptosis of DCs at concentration as low as 10 ng/ml, as demonstrated by phosphatidylserin e exposure, mitochondria potential decrease, and nuclear DNA condensation. Tript olide induces activation of p38 in DCs, which precedes the activation of caspase 3. SB203580, a specific kinase inhibitor for p38, can block the activation of caspase 3 and inhibit the resultant apoptosis of DCs. Our results suggest that t he anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive activities of triptolide may be due, in part, to its apoptosis-inducing effects on DCs.

Decrease of GSK3βSer-9 Phosphorylation Induced Osteoblast Apoptosis in Rat Osteoarthritis Model

Nowadays,the cumulative intake of glucocorticoids has become the most common pathogenic factor for non-traumatic osteonecrosis of the femoral head(ONFH).Apoptosis of osteoblasts is considered as the main reason of ONFH at the molecular level.Glycogen synthase kinase 3β(GSK3β)is an important regulator of cellular differentiation and apoptosis pathway,which can modulate the balance between osteoblasts and osteoclasts.Several studies have reported about its function in osteoporosis,but little is known about it in osteonecrosis.In our study,lipopolysaccharide and methylprednisolone were utilized to establish a rat ONFH model.The phosphorylation of GSK3βSer-9 was decreased in the model.Western blotting examination ofβ-catenin,Bcl-2,Bax and caspase-3 revealed that the osteoblasts were apoptotic.In dexamethasone(Dex)-incubated primary osteoblasts,the expression profile of GSK3βphosphorylation and apoptotic factors were consistent with those in the rat ONFH model.To further investigate the regulation of osteonecrosis caused by GSK3β,the expression and function of GSK3βwere inhibited in Dex-incubated primary osteoblasts.The knockdown of GSK3βby siRNA decreased the expression of Bax and cleaved caspase-3,but increased Bcl-2 andβ-catenin.On the other hand,selective inhibition of GSK3βfunction by LiCl counteracted the activation of caspase-3 induced by Dex.Our work is the first study about the GSK3P phosphorylation in ONFH,and provides evidence for further therapeutic methods.

Reversal of Multidrug Resistance and Inhibition of Phosphorylation of AKT in Human Ovarian Cancer Cell Line by Wild-type PTEN Gene

The reversing effect of wild-type PTEN gene on resistance of C 13K cells to cisplatin and its inhibitory effect on the phosphorylation of protein kinase B （AKT） were studied. The expression of PTEN mRNA and protein in OV2008 cells and C13K cells were semi-quantitatively detected by using RT-PCR and Western blotting. Recombinant eukaryotic expression plasmid containing human wild-type PTEN gene was transfected into C13K cells by lipofectamine2000. The expression of PTEN mRNA was monitored by RT-PCR and the expression of PTEN, Akt, p-Akt protein were ana- lyzed by Western blotting in PTEN-transfected and non-transfected C13K cells. Proliferation and chemosensitivity of cells to DDP were measured by MTT, and cell apoptosis was detected by flow cytometry after treatment with cisplatin. The expression of PTEN mRNA and protein in OV2008 cells were significantly higher than those in C13K cells. After transfection with PTEN gene for 48 h, the expression of PTEN mRNA and protein in C 13K cells were 2.04 ± 0.10, 0.94± 0.04 respectively and the expression of p-Akt protein （ 0.94± 0.07） was lower than those in control groups （1.68 ±0.14, 1.66± 0.10） （P〈 0.05）. The IC50 of DDP to C 13 K cells transfected with PTEN （7.2± 0.3 la mol/L） was obviously lower than those of empty-vector transfected cells and non-transfected cells （12.7±0.4 lamol/1, 13.0±0.3 lamol/L） （P〈0.05）. The apopototis ratio of wild-type PTEN-transfected, empty vector transfected and non-transfected C13K cells were （41.65___0.87）%, （18.61 ±0.70）% and （15.28±0.80）% respectively, and the difference was statistically significant （P〈0.05）. PTEN gene plays an important role in ovarian cancer multidrug resistance. Transfection of PTEN could increase the expression of PTEN and restore drug sensitivity to cisplatin in human ovarian cancer cell line C 13K with multidrug-resistance by decreasing the expression of p-Akt.

Protein Phosphorylation and Phosphoproteome:An Overview of Rice

Protein phosphorylation,one of the major post-translational modifications,plays a crucial role in cell signaling,DNA replication,gene expression and differentiation;and alters enzyme activity and other biological activities;and regulates cell proliferation and enlargement,phytohormone biosynthesis and signaling,plant disease resistance,and grain filling and quality during rice seed development.Research work on protein phosphorylation started in the 1950 s with the discovery of phosphorylase a and phosphorylase b which are phospho and dephospho forms of the same enzyme.Over the last decade,rice proteomics has accomplished tremendous progress in setting up techniques to proteome nearly all tissues,organs and organelles.The progress made in this field is evident in number of research works.However,research on rice protein phosphorylation is still at its infancy and there are still many unanswered questions.In this review,the general description of protein phosphorylation,including history,structure,frequency of occurrence and function,are discussed.This work also elucidates the different methods for identification,qualification and finally,the progress in rice phosphoproteome research and perspectives.

Simvastatin Increases the Activity of Endothelial Nitric Oxide Synthase via Enhancing Phosphorylation

3-hydroxy-3-methylgulutaryl-coenzyme A （HMG-CoA） reductase inhibitors or statins are a kind of lipid-lowering agents and have been used for the prevention and treatment of Cardiovascular diseases. Recent studies suggested that statins, besides lowering cholesterol, may protect vessels by enhancing the activity of endothelial nitric oxide synthase （eNOS）. In the present study, we investigated if simvastatin increases eNOS activity through its phosphorylation in 293 cells （293-eNOS） with stable expression of eNOS. The results showed that incubation of 293-eNOS cells with simvastatin （10 μm/L） for 2 h significantly increased in the activity of eNOS as shown by the conversion of L-arginine to L-citrulline （2889.70±201.51 versus 5630.18＋218.75 pmol/min . mg proteins） （P〈0.01）. Western blotting revealed that simvastatin increased phosphorylation of eNOS at 1177 （ser） and also 495 （thr） but did not affect the overall expression of eNOS or inducible NOS. Further study found that simvastatin raised phosphorylation levels of Akt and AMPK, and such effect could be antagonized by Akt inhibitor or AMPK inhibitor. These results suggest that simvastatin could stimulate,the activity of eNOS via its phosphorylation by Akt and AMPK, which provides a new mechanism, other than lipid-lowering effect, for the cardiovascular protection of statins.

PTEN-induced kinase 1-induced dynamin-related protein 1 Ser637 phosphorylation reduces mitochondrial fission and protects against intestinal ischemia reperfusion injury

BACKGROUND Intestinal ischemia reperfusion(I/R)occurs in various diseases,such as trauma and intestinal transplantation.Excessive reactive oxygen species(ROS)accumulation and subsequent apoptotic cell death in intestinal epithelia are important causes of I/R injury.PTEN-induced putative kinase 1(PINK1)and phosphorylation of dynamin-related protein 1(DRP1)are critical regulators of ROS and apoptosis.However,the correlation of PINK1 and DRP1 and their function in intestinal I/R injury have not been investigated.Thus,examining the PINK1/DRP1 pathway may help to identify a protective strategy and improve the patient prognosis.AIM To clarify the mechanism of the PINK1/DRP1 pathway in intestinal I/R injury.METHODS Male C57BL/6 mice were used to generate an intestinal I/R model via superior mesenteric artery occlusion followed by reperfusion.Chiu’s score was used to evaluate intestinal mucosa damage.The mitochondrial fission inhibitor mdivi-1 was administered by intraperitoneal injection.Caco-2 cells were incubated in vitro in hypoxia/reoxygenation conditions.Small interfering RNAs and overexpression plasmids were transfected to regulate PINK1 expression.The protein expression levels of PINK1,DRP1,p-DRP1 and cleaved caspase 3 were measured by Western blotting.Cell viability was evaluated using a Cell Counting Kit-8 assay and cell apoptosis was analyzed by TUNEL staining.Mitochondrial fission and ROS were tested by MitoTracker and MitoSOX respectively.RESULTS Intestinal I/R and Caco-2 cell hypoxia/reoxygenation decreased the expression of PINK1 and p-DRP1 Ser637.Pretreatment with mdivi-1 inhibited mitochondrial fission,ROS generation,and apoptosis and ameliorated cell injury in intestinal I/R.Upon PINK1 knockdown or overexpression in vitro,we found that p-DRP1 Ser637 expression and DRP1 recruitment to the mitochondria were associated with PINK1.Furthermore,we verified the physical combination of PINK1 and p-DRP1 Ser637.CONCLUSION PINK1 is correlated with mitochondrial fission and apoptosis by regulating DRP1 phosphorylation in intestinal I/R.These results suggest that the PINK1/DRP1 pathway is involved in intestinal I/R injury,and provide a new approach for prevention and treatment.

Radiomics signature:A potential biomarker forβ-arrestin1 phosphorylation prediction in hepatocellular carcinoma

BACKGROUND The phosphorylation status ofβ-arrestin1 influences its function as a signal strongly related to sorafenib resistance.This retrospective study aimed to develop and validate radiomics-based models for predictingβ-arrestin1 phosphorylation in hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)using whole-lesion radiomics and visual imaging features on preoperative contrast-enhanced computed tomography(CT)images.AIM To develop and validate radiomics-based models for predictingβ-arrestin1 phosphorylation in HCC using radiomics with contrast-enhanced CT.METHODS Ninety-nine HCC patients(training cohort:n=69;validation cohort:n=30)receiving systemic sorafenib treatment after surgery were enrolled in this retrospective study.Three-dimensional whole-lesion regions of interest were manually delineated along the tumor margins on portal venous CT images.Radiomics features were generated and selected to build a radiomics score using logistic regression analysis.Imaging features were evaluated by two radiologists independently.All these features were combined to establish clinico-radiological(CR)and clinico-radiological-radiomics(CRR)models by using multivariable logistic regression analysis.The diagnostic performance and clinical usefulness of the models were measured by receiver operating characteristic and decision curves,and the area under the curve(AUC)was determined.Their association with prognosis was evaluated using the Kaplan-Meier method.RESULTS Four radiomics features were selected to construct the radiomics score.In the multivariate analysis,alanine aminotransferase level,tumor size and tumor margin on portal venous phase images were found to be significant independent factors for predictingβ-arrestin1 phosphorylation-positive HCC and were included in the CR model.The CRR model integrating the radiomics score with clinico-radiological risk factors showed better discriminative performance(AUC=0.898,95%CI,0.820 to 0.977)than the CR model(AUC=0.794,95%CI,0.686 to 0.901;P=0.011),with increased clinical usefulness confirmed in both the training and validation cohorts using decision curve analysis.The risk ofβ-arrestin1 phosphorylation predicted by the CRR model was significantly associated with overall survival in the training and validation cohorts(log-rank test,P<0.05).CONCLUSION The radiomics signature is a reliable tool for evaluatingβ-arrestin1 phosphorylation which has prognostic significance for HCC patients,providing the potential to better identify patients who would benefit from sorafenib treatment.

Regulation of Reversible Dissociation of LHCII from PSII by Phosphorylation in Plants

LHCII is a crucial light-harvesting pigment/protein complex in photosystem II (PSII) supercomplex. It also participates in the light energy redistribution between photosystems and in the photoprotection via its reversible dissociation with PSII and PSI (photosystem I). This reversible detachment of LHCII is regulated by phosphorylation of its own and PSII core protein. Under low light conditions, LHCII is phosphorylated and dissociated with PSII core protein complex and combined with PSI, which balances the excitation energy between PSII and PSI;Under high light environment, the phosphorylation of PSII core proteins makes LHCII detach from PSII. The dissociated LHCII presents in a free state, which involves in the thermal dissipation of excess excitation energy. During photodamage, dual phosphorylations of both PSII core proteins and LHCII complexes occur. The phosphorylation of D1 is conductive to the disintegration of photodamaged PSII and the cycle of repair. In this circumstance, the phosphorylation of LHCII is induced by reactive oxygen species (ROS) and then the phosphorylated LHCII migrates to PSI, into the repair cycle of damaged PSII. The ferredoxin (Fdr) and thioredoxin (Tdr) system may play a possible central role in the phosphorylation regulation on LHCII dissociation.

Correlation between Loss of PTEN Expression and PKB/AKT Phosphorylation in Hepatocellular Carcinoma

The clinical significance of phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome ten (PTEN) protein expression and the correlation between the expression of PTEN and phosphorylation of protein kinase B (PKB/AKT) in human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) were investigated. The expression of PTEN and phospho-AKT was detected by SP immunohistochemical technique and Western blotting in 35 cases of HCC, 15 cases of liver cirrhosis and 8 cases of normal tissues. The correlation between the expression of PTEN and PKB/AKT in HCC was analyzed. The results showed that the positive expression of PTEN in HCC (62.9 %, 0.085±0.021) was significantly lower than that in liver cirrhosis and normal tissues (P<0.01). The expression level of PTEN was related to the differentiation degree of HCC and the status of metastasis (P<0.05). Western blotting revealed a significant inverse correlation between PTEN and phospho-AKT (r=-0.818, P<0.01). These results demonstrated that down-regulation or loss of PTEN, which may not be able to effectively inhibit the hyper-phosphorylation of PKB/AKT, might play an important role in tumorigenesis and progression of HCC.

Endoplasmic reticulum stress is involved in okadaic acid-induced tau phosphorylation and neurotoxic effects of okadaic acid

The role of the endoplasmic reticulum in Alzheimer＇s disease pathogenesis remains poody understood.The present study investigated the correlation of okadaic acid-induced tau hyperphosphorylation and neurotoxicity with endoplasmic reticulum stress.Following co-culture of various concentrations of okadaic acid （25,50,100,and 200 nmol/L） and human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells,okadaic acid,a selective protein phosphatase （PP-1,PP-2A） inhibitor,reduced cell viability in a concentration-dependent manner,which was closely associated with okadaic acid-induced tau phosphorylation.In addition,expressions of the unfolded protein response activation marker glucose-regulated protein 78 （BiP/Grp78） and the CCAAT/enhancer binding protein homologous protein （CHOP）/Gadd153 increased following okadaic acid treatment.Furthermore,the unfolded protein response was activated in human embryonic kidney 293 （HEK 293） cells overexpressing tau following okadaic acid treatment,but untransfected HEK 293 cells did not exhibit activation of the unfolded protein response.These data indicate that endoplasmic reticulum stress is involved in mechanisms underlying tau phosphorylation and the cytotoxic effects of okadaic acid.