Effect of Haimiding on the functioning of red cell membrane of FC and H_(22) tumor-bearing mice

AIM: To study the effect of Haimiding on the functioning of red cell membrane of FC and H22 tumor-bearing mice. METHODS: The membrane fluidity of red cells is measured with DPH fluorescence probe as a marker; the amount of red cell membrane proteins is measured using polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis; the amount of sialic acid (SA) on the surface of red cell membrane and the scalability of these cells are measured using colorimetric analysis. RESULTS: Haimiding can lower the membrane fluidity of red cells in tumor-bearing mice and the amount of their membrane proteins, while increasing the amount of sialic acid in the membrane of red cells in these mice and enhancing the ability of the membrane of their red cells to reseal. CONCLUSION: The anti-tumor effect of Haimiding on tumor-bearing mice is due to its ability to improve and restore the functions of the membrane of their red cell and to enhance the immune effect of the organisms.

Distinctive characteristics and functions of multiple mitochondrial Ca^(2+) influx mechanisms

Intracellular Ca2+ is vital for cell physiology.Disruption of Ca2+ homeostasis contributes to human diseases such as heart failure,neuron-degeneration,and diabetes.To ensure an effective intracellular Ca2+ dynamics,various Ca2+ transport proteins localized in different cellular regions have to work in coordination.The central role of mitochondrial Ca2+ transport mechanisms in responding to physiological Ca2+ pulses in cytosol is to take up Ca2+ for regulating energy production and shaping the amplitude and duration of Ca2+ transients in various micro-domains.Since the discovery that isolated mitochondria can take up large quantities of Ca2+ approximately 5 decades ago,extensive studies have been focused on the functional characterization and implication of ion channels that dictate Ca2+ transport across the inner mitochondrial membrane.The mitochondrial Ca2+ uptake sensitive to non-specific inhibitors ruthenium red and Ru360 has long been considered as the activity of mitochondrial Ca2+ uniporter(MCU) .The general consensus is that MCU is dominantly or exclusively responsible for the mitochondrial Ca2+ influx.Since multiple Ca2+ influx mechanisms(e.g.L-,T-,and N-type Ca2+ channel) have their unique functions in the plasma membrane,it is plausible that mitochondrial inner membrane has more than just MCU to decode complex intracellular Ca2+ signaling in various cell types.During the last decade,four molecular identities related to mitochondrial Ca2+ influx mechanisms have been identified.These are mitochondrial ryanodine receptor,mitochondrial uncoupling proteins,LETM1(Ca2+ /H+ exchanger) ,and MCU and its Ca2+ sensing regulatory subunit MICU1.Here,we briefly review recent progress in these and other reported mitochondrial Ca2+ influx pathways and their differences in kinetics,Ca2+ dependence,and pharmacological characteristics.Their potential physiological and pathological implications are also discussed.