The yeast DNA ligase gene CDC9 is controlled by six orientation specific upstream activating sequences that respond to cellular proliferation but which alone cannot mediate cell cycle regulation.

PubMed Central

White, J H; Johnson, A L; Lowndes, N F; Johnston, L H

1991-01-01

By fusing the CDC9 structural gene to the PGK upstream sequences and the CDC9 upstream to lacZ, we showed that the cell cycle expression of CDC9 is largely due to transcriptional regulation. To investigate the role of six ATGATT upstream repeats in CDC9 regulation, synthetic copies of the sequence were attached to a heterologous gene. The repeats stimulated transcription strongly and additively, but, unlike conventional yeast UAS elements, only when present in one orientation. Transcription driven by the repeats declines in cells held at START of the cell cycle or in stationary phase, as occurs with CDC9. However, the repeats by themselves cannot impart cell cycle regulation to a heterologous gene. CDC9 may therefore be controlled by an activating system operating through the repeats that is sensitive to cellular proliferation and a separate mechanism that governs the periodic expression in the cell cycle. Images PMID:1901644

Mechanisms by which HPV Induces a Replication Competent Environment in Differentiating Keratinocytes

PubMed Central

Moody, Cary A.

2017-01-01

Human papillomaviruses (HPV) are the causative agents of cervical cancer and are also associated with other genital malignancies, as well as an increasing number of head and neck cancers. HPVs have evolved their life cycle to contend with the different cell states found in the stratified epithelium. Initial infection and viral genome maintenance occurs in the proliferating basal cells of the stratified epithelium, where cellular replication machinery is abundant. However, the productive phase of the viral life cycle, including productive replication, late gene expression and virion production, occurs upon epithelial differentiation, in cells that normally exit the cell cycle. This review outlines how HPV interfaces with specific cellular signaling pathways and factors to provide a replication-competent environment in differentiating cells. PMID:28925973

Cell cycle-related metabolism and mitochondrial dynamics in a replication-competent pancreatic beta-cell line.

PubMed

Montemurro, Chiara; Vadrevu, Suryakiran; Gurlo, Tatyana; Butler, Alexandra E; Vongbunyong, Kenny E; Petcherski, Anton; Shirihai, Orian S; Satin, Leslie S; Braas, Daniel; Butler, Peter C; Tudzarova, Slavica

2017-01-01

Cell replication is a fundamental attribute of growth and repair in multicellular organisms. Pancreatic beta-cells in adults rarely enter cell cycle, hindering the capacity for regeneration in diabetes. Efforts to drive beta-cells into cell cycle have so far largely focused on regulatory molecules such as cyclins and cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs). Investigations in cancer biology have uncovered that adaptive changes in metabolism, the mitochondrial network, and cellular Ca 2+ are critical for permitting cells to progress through the cell cycle. Here, we investigated these parameters in the replication-competent beta-cell line INS 832/13. Cell cycle synchronization of this line permitted evaluation of cell metabolism, mitochondrial network, and cellular Ca 2+ compartmentalization at key cell cycle stages. The mitochondrial network is interconnected and filamentous at G1/S but fragments during the S and G2/M phases, presumably to permit sorting to daughter cells. Pyruvate anaplerosis peaks at G1/S, consistent with generation of biomass for daughter cells, whereas mitochondrial Ca 2+ and respiration increase during S and G2/M, consistent with increased energy requirements for DNA and lipid synthesis. This synchronization approach may be of value to investigators performing live cell imaging of Ca 2+ or mitochondrial dynamics commonly undertaken in INS cell lines because without synchrony widely disparate data from cell to cell would be expected depending on position within cell cycle. Our findings also offer insight into why replicating beta-cells are relatively nonfunctional secreting insulin in response to glucose. They also provide guidance on metabolic requirements of beta-cells for the transition through the cell cycle that may complement the efforts currently restricted to manipulating cell cycle to drive beta-cells through cell cycle.

Reduction of In-Stent Restenosis Risk on Nickel-Free Stainless Steel by Regulating Cell Apoptosis and Cell Cycle

PubMed Central

Li, Liming; Pan, Shuang; Zhou, Xiaohang; Meng, Xin; Han, Xiaoxi; Ren, Yibin; Yang, Ke; Guan, Yifu

2013-01-01

High nitrogen nickel-free austenitic stainless steel (HNNF SS) is one of the biomaterials developed recently for circumventing the in-stent restenosis (ISR) in coronary stent applications. To understand the ISR-resistance mechanism, we have conducted a comparative study of cellular and molecular responses of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) to HNNF SS and 316L SS (nickel-containing austenitic 316L stainless steel) which is the stent material used currently. CCK-8 analysis and flow cytometric analysis were used to assess the cellular responses (proliferation, apoptosis, and cell cycle), and quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) was used to analyze the gene expression profile of HUVECs exposed to HNNF SS and 316L SS, respectively. Flow cytometry analysis revealed that 316L SS could activate the cellular apoptosis more efficiently and initiate an earlier entry into the S-phase of cell cycle than HNNF SS. At the molecular level, qRT-PCR results showed that the genes regulating cell apoptosis and autophagy were overexpressed on 316L SS. Further examination indicated that nickel released from 316L SS triggered the cell apoptosis via Fas-Caspase8-Caspase3 exogenous pathway. These molecular mechanisms of HUVECs present a good model for elucidating the observed cellular responses. The findings in this study furnish valuable information for understanding the mechanism of ISR-resistance on the cellular and molecular basis as well as for developing new biomedical materials for stent applications. PMID:23638002

Genome-wide differential gene expression in immortalized DF-1 chicken embryo fibroblast cell line

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background When compared to primary chicken embryo fibroblast (CEF) cells, the immortal DF-1 CEF line exhibits enhanced growth rates and susceptibility to oxidative stress. Although genes responsible for cell cycle regulation and antioxidant functions have been identified, the genome-wide transcription profile of immortal DF-1 CEF cells has not been previously reported. Global gene expression in primary CEF and DF-1 cells was performed using a 4X44K chicken oligo microarray. Results A total of 3876 differentially expressed genes were identified with a 2 fold level cutoff that included 1706 up-regulated and 2170 down-regulated genes in DF-1 cells. Network and functional analyses using Ingenuity Pathways Analysis (IPA, Ingenuity® Systems, http://www.ingenuity.com) revealed that 902 of 3876 differentially expressed genes were classified into a number of functional groups including cellular growth and proliferation, cell cycle, cellular movement, cancer, genetic disorders, and cell death. Also, the top 5 gene networks with intermolecular connections were identified. Bioinformatic analyses suggested that DF-1 cells were characterized by enhanced molecular mechanisms for cell cycle progression and proliferation, suppressing cell death pathways, altered cellular morphogenesis, and accelerated capacity for molecule transport. Key molecules for these functions include E2F1, BRCA1, SRC, CASP3, and the peroxidases. Conclusions The global gene expression profiles provide insight into the cellular mechanisms that regulate the unique characteristics observed in immortal DF-1 CEF cells. PMID:22111699

Distinct mechanisms act in concert to mediate cell cycle arrest.

PubMed

Toettcher, Jared E; Loewer, Alexander; Ostheimer, Gerard J; Yaffe, Michael B; Tidor, Bruce; Lahav, Galit

2009-01-20

In response to DNA damage, cells arrest at specific stages in the cell cycle. This arrest must fulfill at least 3 requirements: it must be activated promptly; it must be sustained as long as damage is present to prevent loss of genomic information; and after the arrest, cells must re-enter into the appropriate cell cycle phase to ensure proper ploidy. Multiple molecular mechanisms capable of arresting the cell cycle have been identified in mammalian cells; however, it is unknown whether each mechanism meets all 3 requirements or whether they act together to confer specific functions to the arrest. To address this question, we integrated mathematical models describing the cell cycle and the DNA damage signaling networks and tested the contributions of each mechanism to cell cycle arrest and re-entry. Predictions from this model were then tested with quantitative experiments to identify the combined action of arrest mechanisms in irradiated cells. We find that different arrest mechanisms serve indispensable roles in the proper cellular response to DNA damage over time: p53-independent cyclin inactivation confers immediate arrest, whereas p53-dependent cyclin downregulation allows this arrest to be sustained. Additionally, p21-mediated inhibition of cyclin-dependent kinase activity is indispensable for preventing improper cell cycle re-entry and endoreduplication. This work shows that in a complex signaling network, seemingly redundant mechanisms, acting in a concerted fashion, can achieve a specific cellular outcome.

Sonoporation as a cellular stress: induction of morphological repression and developmental delays.

PubMed

Chen, Xian; Wan, Jennifer M F; Yu, Alfred C H

2013-06-01

For sonoporation to be established as a drug/gene delivery paradigm, it is essential to account for the biological impact of this membrane permeation strategy on living cells. Here we provide new insight into the cellular impact of sonoporation by demonstrating in vitro that this way of permeating the plasma membrane may inadvertently induce repressive cellular features even while enhancing exogenous molecule uptake. Both suspension-type (HL-60) and monolayer (ZR-75-30) cells were considered in this investigation, and they were routinely exposed to 1-MHz pulsed ultrasound (pulse length, 100 cycles; pulse repetition frequency, 1 kHz; exposure period, 60 s) with calibrated field profile (spatial-averaged peak negative pressure, 0.45 MPa) and in the presence of microbubbles (cell:bubble ratio, 10:1). The post-exposure morphology of sonoporated cells (identified as those with calcein internalization) was examined using confocal microscopy, and their cell cycle progression kinetics were analyzed using flow cytometry. Results show that for both cell types investigated, sonoporated cells exhibited membrane shrinkage and intra-cellular lipid accumulation over a 2-h period. Also, as compared with normal cells, the deoxyribonucleic acid synthesis duration of sonoporated cells was significantly lengthened, indicative of a delay in cell cycle progression. These features are known to be characteristics of a cellular stress response, suggesting that sonoporation indeed constitutes as a stress to living cells. This issue may need to be addressed in optimizing sonoporation for drug/gene delivery purposes. On the other hand, it raises opportunities for developing other therapeutic applications via sonoporation. Copyright © 2013 World Federation for Ultrasound in Medicine & Biology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A Stochastic Model of the Yeast Cell Cycle Reveals Roles for Feedback Regulation in Limiting Cellular Variability.

PubMed

Barik, Debashis; Ball, David A; Peccoud, Jean; Tyson, John J

2016-12-01

The cell division cycle of eukaryotes is governed by a complex network of cyclin-dependent protein kinases (CDKs) and auxiliary proteins that govern CDK activities. The control system must function reliably in the context of molecular noise that is inevitable in tiny yeast cells, because mistakes in sequencing cell cycle events are detrimental or fatal to the cell or its progeny. To assess the effects of noise on cell cycle progression requires not only extensive, quantitative, experimental measurements of cellular heterogeneity but also comprehensive, accurate, mathematical models of stochastic fluctuations in the CDK control system. In this paper we provide a stochastic model of the budding yeast cell cycle that accurately accounts for the variable phenotypes of wild-type cells and more than 20 mutant yeast strains simulated in different growth conditions. We specifically tested the role of feedback regulations mediated by G1- and SG2M-phase cyclins to minimize the noise in cell cycle progression. Details of the model are informed and tested by quantitative measurements (by fluorescence in situ hybridization) of the joint distributions of mRNA populations in yeast cells. We use the model to predict the phenotypes of ~30 mutant yeast strains that have not yet been characterized experimentally.

A Stochastic Model of the Yeast Cell Cycle Reveals Roles for Feedback Regulation in Limiting Cellular Variability

PubMed Central

Ball, David A.

2016-01-01

The cell division cycle of eukaryotes is governed by a complex network of cyclin-dependent protein kinases (CDKs) and auxiliary proteins that govern CDK activities. The control system must function reliably in the context of molecular noise that is inevitable in tiny yeast cells, because mistakes in sequencing cell cycle events are detrimental or fatal to the cell or its progeny. To assess the effects of noise on cell cycle progression requires not only extensive, quantitative, experimental measurements of cellular heterogeneity but also comprehensive, accurate, mathematical models of stochastic fluctuations in the CDK control system. In this paper we provide a stochastic model of the budding yeast cell cycle that accurately accounts for the variable phenotypes of wild-type cells and more than 20 mutant yeast strains simulated in different growth conditions. We specifically tested the role of feedback regulations mediated by G1- and SG2M-phase cyclins to minimize the noise in cell cycle progression. Details of the model are informed and tested by quantitative measurements (by fluorescence in situ hybridization) of the joint distributions of mRNA populations in yeast cells. We use the model to predict the phenotypes of ~30 mutant yeast strains that have not yet been characterized experimentally. PMID:27935947

Cdk2 Phosphorylation on Threonine39 by AKT and Its Implication on Cyclin Binding, Cellular Localization, and Cell Cycle Progression

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-10-01

cell cycle progression in most cell types. Mouse embryos develop normally until mid gestation without all interphase Cdks 28. Pertinent to the...Ciemerych and P. Sicinski, "Cell cycle in mouse development ," 24(17), 2877 (2005). Ref Type: Journal 5 K. Coulonval, et al., "Phosphorylations of...34 Development 135(20), 3389 (2008). Ref Type: Journal 30 J. P. Tassan, et al., "Cell cycle analysis of the activity, subcellular localization, and subunit

Pharmacodynamic Modeling of Cell Cycle Effects for Gemcitabine and Trabectedin Combinations in Pancreatic Cancer Cells

PubMed Central

Miao, Xin; Koch, Gilbert; Ait-Oudhia, Sihem; Straubinger, Robert M.; Jusko, William J.

2016-01-01

Combinations of gemcitabine and trabectedin exert modest synergistic cytotoxic effects on two pancreatic cancer cell lines. Here, systems pharmacodynamic (PD) models that integrate cellular response data and extend a prototype model framework were developed to characterize dynamic changes in cell cycle phases of cancer cell subpopulations in response to gemcitabine and trabectedin as single agents and in combination. Extensive experimental data were obtained for two pancreatic cancer cell lines (MiaPaCa-2 and BxPC-3), including cell proliferation rates over 0–120 h of drug exposure, and the fraction of cells in different cell cycle phases or apoptosis. Cell cycle analysis demonstrated that gemcitabine induced cell cycle arrest in S phase, and trabectedin induced transient cell cycle arrest in S phase that progressed to G2/M phase. Over time, cells in the control group accumulated in G0/G1 phase. Systems cell cycle models were developed based on observed mechanisms and were used to characterize both cell proliferation and cell numbers in the sub G1, G0/G1, S, and G2/M phases in the control and drug-treated groups. The proposed mathematical models captured well both single and joint effects of gemcitabine and trabectedin. Interaction parameters were applied to quantify unexplainable drug-drug interaction effects on cell cycle arrest in S phase and in inducing apoptosis. The developed models were able to identify and quantify the different underlying interactions between gemcitabine and trabectedin, and captured well our large datasets in the dimensions of time, drug concentrations, and cellular subpopulations. PMID:27895579

Using Long-Term Time-Lapse Imaging of Mammalian Cell Cycle Progression for Laboratory Instruction and Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hinchcliffe, Edward H.

2005-01-01

Cinemicrography--the capture of moving cellular sequences through the microscope--has been influential in revealing the dynamic nature of cellular behavior. One of the more dramatic cellular events is mitosis, the division of sister chromatids into two daughter cells. Mitosis has been extensively studied in a variety of organisms, both…

Rho-associated kinase (ROCK) function is essential for cell cycle progression, senescence and tumorigenesis.

PubMed

Kümper, Sandra; Mardakheh, Faraz K; McCarthy, Afshan; Yeo, Maggie; Stamp, Gordon W; Paul, Angela; Worboys, Jonathan; Sadok, Amine; Jørgensen, Claus; Guichard, Sabrina; Marshall, Christopher J

2016-01-14

Rho-associated kinases 1 and 2 (ROCK1/2) are Rho-GTPase effectors that control key aspects of the actin cytoskeleton, but their role in proliferation and cancer initiation or progression is not known. Here, we provide evidence that ROCK1 and ROCK2 act redundantly to maintain actomyosin contractility and cell proliferation and that their loss leads to cell-cycle arrest and cellular senescence. This phenotype arises from down-regulation of the essential cell-cycle proteins CyclinA, CKS1 and CDK1. Accordingly, while the loss of either Rock1 or Rock2 had no negative impact on tumorigenesis in mouse models of non-small cell lung cancer and melanoma, loss of both blocked tumor formation, as no tumors arise in which both Rock1 and Rock2 have been genetically deleted. Our results reveal an indispensable role for ROCK, yet redundant role for isoforms 1 and 2, in cell cycle progression and tumorigenesis, possibly through the maintenance of cellular contractility.

Brg1 coordinates multiple processes during retinogenesis and is a tumor suppressor in retinoblastoma

DOE PAGES

Aldiri, Issam; Ajioka, Itsuki; Xu, Beisi; ...

2015-12-01

Retinal development requires precise temporal and spatial coordination of cell cycle exit, cell fate specification, cell migration and differentiation. When this process is disrupted, retinoblastoma, a developmental tumor of the retina, can form. Epigenetic modulators are central to precisely coordinating developmental events, and many epigenetic processes have been implicated in cancer. Studying epigenetic mechanisms in development is challenging because they often regulate multiple cellular processes; therefore, elucidating the primary molecular mechanisms involved can be difficult. Here we explore the role of Brg1 (Smarca4) in retinal development and retinoblastoma in mice using molecular and cellular approaches. Brg1 was found to regulatemore » retinal size by controlling cell cycle length, cell cycle exit and cell survival during development. Brg1 was not required for cell fate specification but was required for photoreceptor differentiation and cell adhesion/polarity programs that contribute to proper retinal lamination during development. The combination of defective cell differentiation and lamination led to retinal degeneration in Brg1-deficient retinae. Despite the hypocellularity, premature cell cycle exit, increased cell death and extended cell cycle length, retinal progenitor cells persisted in Brg1-deficient retinae, making them more susceptible to retinoblastoma. In conclusion, ChIP-Seq analysis suggests that Brg1 might regulate gene expression through multiple mechanisms.« less

Brg1 coordinates multiple processes during retinogenesis and is a tumor suppressor in retinoblastoma

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Aldiri, Issam; Ajioka, Itsuki; Xu, Beisi

Retinal development requires precise temporal and spatial coordination of cell cycle exit, cell fate specification, cell migration and differentiation. When this process is disrupted, retinoblastoma, a developmental tumor of the retina, can form. Epigenetic modulators are central to precisely coordinating developmental events, and many epigenetic processes have been implicated in cancer. Studying epigenetic mechanisms in development is challenging because they often regulate multiple cellular processes; therefore, elucidating the primary molecular mechanisms involved can be difficult. Here we explore the role of Brg1 (Smarca4) in retinal development and retinoblastoma in mice using molecular and cellular approaches. Brg1 was found to regulatemore » retinal size by controlling cell cycle length, cell cycle exit and cell survival during development. Brg1 was not required for cell fate specification but was required for photoreceptor differentiation and cell adhesion/polarity programs that contribute to proper retinal lamination during development. The combination of defective cell differentiation and lamination led to retinal degeneration in Brg1-deficient retinae. Despite the hypocellularity, premature cell cycle exit, increased cell death and extended cell cycle length, retinal progenitor cells persisted in Brg1-deficient retinae, making them more susceptible to retinoblastoma. In conclusion, ChIP-Seq analysis suggests that Brg1 might regulate gene expression through multiple mechanisms.« less

The MADS-box XAANTAL1 increases proliferation at the Arabidopsis root stem-cell niche and participates in transition to differentiation by regulating cell-cycle components

PubMed Central

García-Cruz, Karla V.; García-Ponce, Berenice; Garay-Arroyo, Adriana; Sanchez, María De La Paz; Ugartechea-Chirino, Yamel; Desvoyes, Bénédicte; Pacheco-Escobedo, Mario A.; Tapia-López, Rosalinda; Ransom-Rodríguez, Ivan; Gutierrez, Crisanto; Alvarez-Buylla, Elena R.

2016-01-01

Background Morphogenesis depends on the concerted modulation of cell proliferation and differentiation. Such modulation is dynamically adjusted in response to various external and internal signals via complex transcriptional regulatory networks that mediate between such signals and regulation of cell-cycle and cellular responses (proliferation, growth, differentiation). In plants, which are sessile, the proliferation/differentiation balance is plastically adjusted during their life cycle and transcriptional networks are important in this process. MADS-box genes are key developmental regulators in eukaryotes, but their role in cell proliferation and differentiation modulation in plants remains poorly studied. Methods We characterize the XAL1 loss-of-function xal1-2 allele and overexpression lines using quantitative cellular and cytometry analyses to explore its role in cell cycle, proliferation, stem-cell patterning and transition to differentiation. We used quantitative PCR and cellular markers to explore if XAL1 regulates cell-cycle components and PLETHORA1 (PLT1) gene expression, as well as confocal microscopy to analyse stem-cell niche organization. Key Results We previously showed that XAANTAL1 (XAL1/AGL12) is necessary for Arabidopsis root development as a promoter of cell proliferation in the root apical meristem. Here, we demonstrate that XAL1 positively regulates the expression of PLT1 and important components of the cell cycle: CYCD3;1, CYCA2;3, CYCB1;1, CDKB1;1 and CDT1a. In addition, we show that xal1-2 mutant plants have a premature transition to differentiation with root hairs appearing closer to the root tip, while endoreplication in these plants is partially compromised. Coincidently, the final size of cortex cells in the mutant is shorter than wild-type cells. Finally, XAL1 overexpression-lines corroborate that this transcription factor is able to promote cell proliferation at the stem-cell niche. Conclusion XAL1 seems to be an important component of the networks that modulate cell proliferation/differentiation transition and stem-cell proliferation during Arabidopsis root development; it also regulates several cell-cycle components. PMID:27474508

High-throughput synchronization of mammalian cell cultures by spiral microfluidics.

PubMed

Lee, Wong Cheng; Bhagat, Ali Asgar S; Lim, Chwee Teck

2014-01-01

The development of mammalian cell cycle synchronization techniques has greatly advanced our understanding of many cellular regulatory events and mechanisms specific to different phases of the cell cycle. In this chapter, we describe a high-throughput microfluidic-based approach for cell cycle synchronization. By exploiting the relationship between cell size and its phase in the cell cycle, large numbers of synchronized cells can be obtained by size fractionation in a spiral microfluidic channel. Protocols for the synchronization of primary cells such as mesenchymal stem cells, and immortal cell lines such as Chinese hamster ovarian cells (CHO-CD36) and HeLa cells are provided as examples.

Mitochondrial dynamics and the cell cycle

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Nuclear-mitochondrial (NM) communication impacts many aspects of plant development including vigor, sterility and viability. Dynamic changes in mitochondrial number, shape, size, and cellular location takes place during the cell cycle possibly impacting the process itself and leading to distribution...

The Concerted Action of Type 2 and Type 3 Deiodinases Regulates the Cell Cycle and Survival of Basal Cell Carcinoma Cells.

PubMed

Miro, Caterina; Ambrosio, Raffaele; De Stefano, Maria Angela; Di Girolamo, Daniela; Di Cicco, Emery; Cicatiello, Annunziata Gaetana; Mancino, Giuseppina; Porcelli, Tommaso; Raia, Maddalena; Del Vecchio, Luigi; Salvatore, Domenico; Dentice, Monica

2017-04-01

Thyroid hormones (THs) mediate pleiotropic cellular processes involved in metabolism, cellular proliferation, and differentiation. The intracellular hormonal environment can be tailored by the type 1 and 2 deiodinase enzymes D2 and D3, which catalyze TH activation and inactivation respectively. In many cellular systems, THs exert well-documented stimulatory or inhibitory effects on cell proliferation; however, the molecular mechanisms by which they control rates of cell cycle progression have not yet been entirely clarified. We previously showed that D3 depletion or TH treatment influences the proliferation and survival of basal cell carcinoma (BCC) cells. Surprisingly, we also found that BCC cells express not only sustained levels of D3 but also robust levels of D2. The aim of the present study was to dissect the contribution of D2 to TH metabolism in the BCC context, and to identify the molecular changes associated with cell proliferation and survival induced by TH and mediated by D2 and D3. We used the CRISPR/Cas9 technology to genetically deplete D2 and D3 in BCC cells and studied the consequences of depletion on cell cycle progression and on cell death. Cell cycle progression was analyzed by fluorescence activated cell sorting analysis of synchronized cells, and the apoptosis rate by annexin V incorporation. Mechanistic investigations revealed that D2 inactivation accelerates cell cycle progression thereby enhancing the proportion of S-phase cells and cyclin D1 expression. Conversely, D3 mutagenesis drastically suppressed cell proliferation and enhanced apoptosis of BCC cells. Furthermore, the basal apoptotic rate was oppositely regulated in D2- and D3-depleted cells. Our results indicate that BCC cells constitute an example in which the TH signal is finely tuned by the concerted expression of opposite-acting deiodinases. The dual regulation of D2 and D3 expression plays a critical role in cell cycle progression and cell death by influencing cyclin D1-mediated entry into the G1-S phase. These findings reinforce the concept that TH is a potential therapeutic target in human BCC.

Cellular senescence and organismal aging.

PubMed

Jeyapalan, Jessie C; Sedivy, John M

2008-01-01

Cellular senescence, first observed and defined using in vitro cell culture studies, is an irreversible cell cycle arrest which can be triggered by a variety of factors. Emerging evidence suggests that cellular senescence acts as an in vivo tumor suppression mechanism by limiting aberrant proliferation. It has also been postulated that cellular senescence can occur independently of cancer and contribute to the physiological processes of normal organismal aging. Recent data have demonstrated the in vivo accumulation of senescent cells with advancing age. Some characteristics of senescent cells, such as the ability to modify their extracellular environment, could play a role in aging and age-related pathology. In this review, we examine current evidence that links cellular senescence and organismal aging.

Cellular senescence and organismal aging

PubMed Central

Jeyapalan, Jessie C.; Sedivy, John M.

2012-01-01

Cellular senescence, first observed and defined using in vitro cell culture studies, is an irreversible cell cycle arrest which can be triggered by a variety of factors. Emerging evidence suggests that cellular senescence acts as an in vivo tumor suppression mechanism by limiting aberrant proliferation. It has also been postulated that cellular senescence can occur independently of cancer and contribute to the physiological processes of normal organismal aging. Recent data have demonstrated the in vivo accumulation of senescent cells with advancing age. Some characteristics of senescent cells, such as the ability to modify their extracellular environment, could play a role in aging and age related pathology. In this review, we examine current evidence that links cellular senescence and organismal aging. PMID:18502472

Yeast for virus research

PubMed Central

Zhao, Richard Yuqi

2017-01-01

Budding yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) and fission yeast (Schizosaccharomyces pombe) are two popular model organisms for virus research. They are natural hosts for viruses as they carry their own indigenous viruses. Both yeasts have been used for studies of plant, animal and human viruses. Many positive sense (+) RNA viruses and some DNA viruses replicate with various levels in yeasts, thus allowing study of those viral activities during viral life cycle. Yeasts are single cell eukaryotic organisms. Hence, many of the fundamental cellular functions such as cell cycle regulation or programed cell death are highly conserved from yeasts to higher eukaryotes. Therefore, they are particularly suited to study the impact of those viral activities on related cellular activities during virus-host interactions. Yeasts present many unique advantages in virus research over high eukaryotes. Yeast cells are easy to maintain in the laboratory with relative short doubling time. They are non-biohazardous, genetically amendable with small genomes that permit genome-wide analysis of virologic and cellular functions. In this review, similarities and differences of these two yeasts are described. Studies of virologic activities such as viral translation, viral replication and genome-wide study of virus-cell interactions in yeasts are highlighted. Impacts of viral proteins on basic cellular functions such as cell cycle regulation and programed cell death are discussed. Potential applications of using yeasts as hosts to carry out functional analysis of small viral genome and to develop high throughput drug screening platform for the discovery of antiviral drugs are presented. PMID:29082230

Differential cellular responses by oncogenic levels of c-Myc expression in long-term confluent retinal pigment epithelial cells.

PubMed

Wang, Yiping; Cheng, Xiangdong; Samma, Muhammad Kaleem; Kung, Sam K P; Lee, Clement M; Chiu, Sung Kay

2018-06-01

c-Myc is a highly pleiotropic transcription factor known to control cell cycle progression, apoptosis, and cellular transformation. Normally, ectopic expression of c-Myc is associated with promoting cell proliferation or triggering cell death via activating p53. However, it is not clear how the levels of c-Myc lead to different cellular responses. Here, we generated a series of stable RPE cell clones expressing c-Myc at different levels, and found that consistent low level of c-Myc induced cellular senescence by activating AP4 in post-confluent RPE cells, while the cells underwent cell death at high level of c-Myc. In addition, high level of c-Myc could override the effect of AP4 on cellular senescence. Further knockdown of AP4 abrogated senescence-like phenotype in cells expressing low level of c-Myc, and accelerated cell death in cells with medium level of c-Myc, indicating that AP4 was required for cellular senescence induced by low level of c-Myc.

Search, capture and signal: games microtubules and centrosomes play.

PubMed

Schuyler, S C; Pellman, D

2001-01-01

Accurate distribution of the chromosomes in dividing cells requires coupling of cellular polarity cues with both the orientation of the mitotic spindle and cell cycle progression. Work in budding yeast has demonstrated that cytoplasmic dynein and the kinesin Kip3p define redundant pathways that ensure proper spindle orientation. Furthermore, it has been shown that the Kip3p pathway components Kar9p and Bim1p (Yeb1p) form a complex that provides a molecular link between cortical polarity cues and spindle microtubules. Recently, other studies indicated that the cortical localization of Kar9p depends upon actin cables and Myo2p, a type V myosin. In addition, a BUB2-dependent cell cycle checkpoint has been described that inhibits the mitotic exit network and cytokinesis until proper centrosome position is achieved. Combined, these studies provide molecular insight into how cells link cellular polarity, spindle position and cell cycle progression.

Cellular localization and changes in expression of prolactin receptor isoforms in sheep ovary throughout the estrous cycle.

PubMed

Picazo, R A; García Ruiz, J P; Santiago Moreno, J; González de Bulnes, A; Muñoz, J; Silván, G; Lorenzo, P L; Illera, J C

2004-11-01

The actions of prolactin (PRL) on target cells depend on the type of prolactin receptor (PRLr) predominantly expressed, particularly whether the long PRLr isoform is expressed. The aims of this study were to determine the cellular localization and the changes in expression of long and short PRLr isoforms in sheep ovary throughout the estrous cycle. Long and short PRLrs were localized mostly in the same ovarian cells. Maximum signal intensity, particularly for long PRLrs, was found in stromal cells surrounding primordial and primary follicles, and, for both PRLrs, in granulosa cells of preantral follicles and in luteal cells. Moderate signal intensity for PRLrs was found in theca cells of preantral to ovulatory follicles, and in granulosa cells of antral follicles up to the gonadotropin-dependent stage. Decreasing immunoreactivity to PRLrs was found in granulosa cells of gonadotropin-dependent to ovulatory follicles. For long PRLrs in particular, no signal was found in mural granulosa cells of gonadotropin-dependent follicles; for both isoforms, no signal was found in most granulosa cells of ovulatory follicles. In primordial to gonadotropin-dependent follicles, cellular localization of PRLr was similar on days 0, 10 and 15 of the cycle. Oocytes consistently showed positive immunostaining for PRLrs. Comparative RT-PCR analysis of long and short PRLr expression showed that the short isoform is evenly expressed throughout the estrous cycle, whereas the expression of the long form increases at the time of estrus and decreases at mid-luteal phase and at the onset of the follicular phase. Expression of long PRLrs was greater than that of short PRLrs on day 0 of cycle; expression of both isoforms was similar on day 10 and on day 15, long PRLrs expression was lower than that of short PRLrs. Our results indicate that in sheep ovary, the maximum responsiveness to PRL might occur during the preovulatory phase of the estrous cycle.

miR-300 regulates cellular radiosensitivity through targeting p53 and apaf1 in human lung cancer cells.

PubMed

He, Jinpeng; Feng, Xiu; Hua, Junrui; Wei, Li; Lu, Zhiwei; Wei, Wenjun; Cai, Hui; Wang, Bing; Shi, Wengui; Ding, Nan; Li, He; Zhang, Yanan; Wang, Jufang

2017-10-18

microRNAs (miRNAs) play a crucial role in mediation of the cellular sensitivity to ionizing radiation (IR). Previous studies revealed that miR-300 was involved in the cellular response to IR or chemotherapy drug. However, whether miR-300 could regulate the DNA damage responses induced by extrinsic genotoxic stress in human lung cancer and the underlying mechanism remain unknown. In this study, the expression of miR-300 was examined in lung cancer cells treated with IR, and the effects of miR-300 on DNA damage repair, cell cycle arrest, apoptosis and senescence induced by IR were investigated. It was found that IR induced upregulation of endogenous miR-300, and ectopic expression of miR-300 by transfected with miR-300 mimics not only greatly enhanced the cellular DNA damage repair ability but also substantially abrogated the G2 cell cycle arrest and apoptosis induced by IR. Bioinformatic analysis predicted that p53 and apaf1 were potential targets of miR-300, and the luciferase reporter assay showed that miR-300 significantly suppressed the luciferase activity through binding to the 3'-UTR of p53 or apaf1 mRNA. In addition, overexpression of miR-300 significantly reduced p53/apaf1 and/or IR-induced p53/apaf1 protein expression levels. Flow cytomertry analysis and colony formation assay showed that miR-300 desensitized lung cancer cells to IR by suppressing p53-dependent G2 cell cycle arrest, apoptosis and senescence. These data demonstrate that miR-300 regulates the cellular sensitivity to IR through targeting p53 and apaf1 in lung cancer cells.

Metformin and phenformin deplete tricarboxylic acid cycle and glycolytic intermediates during cell transformation and NTPs in cancer stem cells

PubMed Central

Janzer, Andreas; German, Natalie J.; Gonzalez-Herrera, Karina N.; Asara, John M.; Haigis, Marcia C.; Struhl, Kevin

2014-01-01

Metformin, a first-line diabetes drug linked to cancer prevention in retrospective clinical analyses, inhibits cellular transformation and selectively kills breast cancer stem cells (CSCs). Although a few metabolic effects of metformin and the related biguanide phenformin have been investigated in established cancer cell lines, the global metabolic impact of biguanides during the process of neoplastic transformation and in CSCs is unknown. Here, we use LC/MS/MS metabolomics (>200 metabolites) to assess metabolic changes induced by metformin and phenformin in an Src-inducible model of cellular transformation and in mammosphere-derived breast CSCs. Although phenformin is the more potent biguanide in both systems, the metabolic profiles of these drugs are remarkably similar, although not identical. During the process of cellular transformation, biguanide treatment prevents the boost in glycolytic intermediates at a specific stage of the pathway and coordinately decreases tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle intermediates. In contrast, in breast CSCs, biguanides have a modest effect on glycolytic and TCA cycle intermediates, but they strongly deplete nucleotide triphosphates and may impede nucleotide synthesis. These metabolic profiles are consistent with the idea that biguanides inhibit mitochondrial complex 1, but they indicate that their metabolic effects differ depending on the stage of cellular transformation. PMID:25002509

Metformin and phenformin deplete tricarboxylic acid cycle and glycolytic intermediates during cell transformation and NTPs in cancer stem cells.

PubMed

Janzer, Andreas; German, Natalie J; Gonzalez-Herrera, Karina N; Asara, John M; Haigis, Marcia C; Struhl, Kevin

2014-07-22

Metformin, a first-line diabetes drug linked to cancer prevention in retrospective clinical analyses, inhibits cellular transformation and selectively kills breast cancer stem cells (CSCs). Although a few metabolic effects of metformin and the related biguanide phenformin have been investigated in established cancer cell lines, the global metabolic impact of biguanides during the process of neoplastic transformation and in CSCs is unknown. Here, we use LC/MS/MS metabolomics (>200 metabolites) to assess metabolic changes induced by metformin and phenformin in an Src-inducible model of cellular transformation and in mammosphere-derived breast CSCs. Although phenformin is the more potent biguanide in both systems, the metabolic profiles of these drugs are remarkably similar, although not identical. During the process of cellular transformation, biguanide treatment prevents the boost in glycolytic intermediates at a specific stage of the pathway and coordinately decreases tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle intermediates. In contrast, in breast CSCs, biguanides have a modest effect on glycolytic and TCA cycle intermediates, but they strongly deplete nucleotide triphosphates and may impede nucleotide synthesis. These metabolic profiles are consistent with the idea that biguanides inhibit mitochondrial complex 1, but they indicate that their metabolic effects differ depending on the stage of cellular transformation.

Mequindox induced cellular DNA damage via generation of reactive oxygen species.

PubMed

Liu, Jing; Ouyang, Man; Jiang, Jun; Mu, Peiqiang; Wu, Jun; Yang, Qi; Zhang, Caihui; Xu, Weiying; Wang, Lijuan; Huen, Michael S Y; Deng, Yiqun

2012-01-24

Mequindox, a quinoxaline-N-dioxide derivative that possesses antibacterial properties, has been widely used as a feed additive in the stockbreeding industry in China. While recent pharmacological studies have uncovered potential hazardous effects of mequindox, exactly how mequindox induces pathological changes and the cellular responses associated with its consumption remain largely unexplored. In this study, we investigated the cellular responses associated with mequindox treatment. We report here that mequindox inhibits cell proliferation by arresting cells at the G2/M phase of the cell cycle. Interestingly, this mequindox-associated deleterious effect on cell proliferation was observed in human, pig as well as chicken cells, suggesting that mequindox acts on evolutionarily conserved target(s). To further understand the mequindox-host interaction and the mechanism underlying mequindox-induced cell cycle arrest, we measured the cellular content of DNA damage, which is known to perturb cell proliferation and compromise cell survival. Accordingly, using γ-H2AX as a surrogate marker for DNA damage, we found that mequindox treatment induced cellular DNA damage, which paralleled the chemical-induced elevation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels. Importantly, expression of the antioxidant enzyme catalase partially alleviated these mequindox-associated effects. Taken together, our results suggest that mequindox cytotoxicity is attributable, in part, to its role as a potent inducer of DNA damage via ROS. © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Rho-associated kinase (ROCK) function is essential for cell cycle progression, senescence and tumorigenesis

PubMed Central

Kümper, Sandra; Mardakheh, Faraz K; McCarthy, Afshan; Yeo, Maggie; Stamp, Gordon W; Paul, Angela; Worboys, Jonathan; Sadok, Amine; Jørgensen, Claus; Guichard, Sabrina

2016-01-01

Rho-associated kinases 1 and 2 (ROCK1/2) are Rho-GTPase effectors that control key aspects of the actin cytoskeleton, but their role in proliferation and cancer initiation or progression is not known. Here, we provide evidence that ROCK1 and ROCK2 act redundantly to maintain actomyosin contractility and cell proliferation and that their loss leads to cell-cycle arrest and cellular senescence. This phenotype arises from down-regulation of the essential cell-cycle proteins CyclinA, CKS1 and CDK1. Accordingly, while the loss of either Rock1 or Rock2 had no negative impact on tumorigenesis in mouse models of non-small cell lung cancer and melanoma, loss of both blocked tumor formation, as no tumors arise in which both Rock1 and Rock2 have been genetically deleted. Our results reveal an indispensable role for ROCK, yet redundant role for isoforms 1 and 2, in cell cycle progression and tumorigenesis, possibly through the maintenance of cellular contractility. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.12203.001 PMID:26765561

ATM and MET kinases are synthetic lethal with non-genotoxic activation of p53

PubMed Central

Sullivan, Kelly D.; Padilla-Just, Nuria; Henry, Ryan E.; Porter, Christopher C.; Kim, Jihye; Tentler, John J.; Eckhardt, S. Gail; Tan, Aik Choon; DeGregori, James; Espinosa, Joaquín M.

2012-01-01

The p53 tumor suppressor orchestrates alternative stress responses including cell cycle arrest and apoptosis, but the mechanisms defining cell fate upon p53 activation are poorly understood. Several small molecule activators of p53 have been developed, including Nutlin-3, but their therapeutic potential is limited by the fact that they induce reversible cell cycle arrest in most cancer cell types. We report here the results of a ‘Synthetic Lethal with Nutlin-3’ genome-wide shRNA screen, which revealed that the ATM and MET kinases govern cell fate choice upon p53 activation. Genetic or pharmacological interference with ATM or MET activity converts the cellular response from cell cycle arrest into apoptosis in diverse cancer cell types without affecting expression of key p53 target genes. ATM and MET inhibitors enable Nutlin-3 to kill tumor spheroids. These results identify novel pathways controlling the cellular response to p53 activation and aid in the design of p53-based therapies. PMID:22660439

Cell cycle regulation of the BRCA1/acetyl-CoA-carboxylase complex.

PubMed

Ray, H; Suau, F; Vincent, A; Dalla Venezia, N

2009-01-16

Germ-line alterations in BRCA1 are associated with an increased susceptibility to breast and ovarian cancer. The BRCA1 protein has been implicated in multiple cellular functions. We have recently demonstrated that BRCA1 reduces acetyl-CoA-carboxylase alpha (ACCA) activity through its phospho-dependent binding to ACCA, and further established that the phosphorylation of the Ser1263 of ACCA is required for this interaction. Here, to gain more insight into the cellular conditions that trigger the BRCA1/ACCA interaction, we designed an anti-pSer1263 antibody and demonstrated that the Ser1263 of ACCA is phosphorylated in vivo, in a cell cycle-dependent manner. We further showed that the interaction between BRCA1 and ACCA is regulated during cell cycle progression. Taken together, our findings reveal a novel mechanism of regulation of ACCA distinct from the previously described phosphorylation of Ser79, and provide new insights into the control of lipogenesis through the cell cycle.

The MADS-box XAANTAL1 increases proliferation at the Arabidopsis root stem-cell niche and participates in transition to differentiation by regulating cell-cycle components.

PubMed

García-Cruz, Karla V; García-Ponce, Berenice; Garay-Arroyo, Adriana; Sanchez, María De La Paz; Ugartechea-Chirino, Yamel; Desvoyes, Bénédicte; Pacheco-Escobedo, Mario A; Tapia-López, Rosalinda; Ransom-Rodríguez, Ivan; Gutierrez, Crisanto; Alvarez-Buylla, Elena R

2016-07-29

Morphogenesis depends on the concerted modulation of cell proliferation and differentiation. Such modulation is dynamically adjusted in response to various external and internal signals via complex transcriptional regulatory networks that mediate between such signals and regulation of cell-cycle and cellular responses (proliferation, growth, differentiation). In plants, which are sessile, the proliferation/differentiation balance is plastically adjusted during their life cycle and transcriptional networks are important in this process. MADS-box genes are key developmental regulators in eukaryotes, but their role in cell proliferation and differentiation modulation in plants remains poorly studied. We characterize the XAL1 loss-of-function xal1-2 allele and overexpression lines using quantitative cellular and cytometry analyses to explore its role in cell cycle, proliferation, stem-cell patterning and transition to differentiation. We used quantitative PCR and cellular markers to explore if XAL1 regulates cell-cycle components and PLETHORA1 (PLT1) gene expression, as well as confocal microscopy to analyse stem-cell niche organization. We previously showed that XAANTAL1 (XAL1/AGL12) is necessary for Arabidopsis root development as a promoter of cell proliferation in the root apical meristem. Here, we demonstrate that XAL1 positively regulates the expression of PLT1 and important components of the cell cycle: CYCD3;1, CYCA2;3, CYCB1;1, CDKB1;1 and CDT1a In addition, we show that xal1-2 mutant plants have a premature transition to differentiation with root hairs appearing closer to the root tip, while endoreplication in these plants is partially compromised. Coincidently, the final size of cortex cells in the mutant is shorter than wild-type cells. Finally, XAL1 overexpression-lines corroborate that this transcription factor is able to promote cell proliferation at the stem-cell niche. XAL1 seems to be an important component of the networks that modulate cell proliferation/differentiation transition and stem-cell proliferation during Arabidopsis root development; it also regulates several cell-cycle components. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Annals of Botany Company. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Human Parvovirus B19 Utilizes Cellular DNA Replication Machinery for Viral DNA Replication.

PubMed

Zou, Wei; Wang, Zekun; Xiong, Min; Chen, Aaron Yun; Xu, Peng; Ganaie, Safder S; Badawi, Yomna; Kleiboeker, Steve; Nishimune, Hiroshi; Ye, Shui Qing; Qiu, Jianming

2018-03-01

Human parvovirus B19 (B19V) infection of human erythroid progenitor cells (EPCs) induces a DNA damage response and cell cycle arrest at late S phase, which facilitates viral DNA replication. However, it is not clear exactly which cellular factors are employed by this single-stranded DNA virus. Here, we used microarrays to systematically analyze the dynamic transcriptome of EPCs infected with B19V. We found that DNA metabolism, DNA replication, DNA repair, DNA damage response, cell cycle, and cell cycle arrest pathways were significantly regulated after B19V infection. Confocal microscopy analyses revealed that most cellular DNA replication proteins were recruited to the centers of viral DNA replication, but not the DNA repair DNA polymerases. Our results suggest that DNA replication polymerase δ and polymerase α are responsible for B19V DNA replication by knocking down its expression in EPCs. We further showed that although RPA32 is essential for B19V DNA replication and the phosphorylated forms of RPA32 colocalized with the replicating viral genomes, RPA32 phosphorylation was not necessary for B19V DNA replication. Thus, this report provides evidence that B19V uses the cellular DNA replication machinery for viral DNA replication. IMPORTANCE Human parvovirus B19 (B19V) infection can cause transient aplastic crisis, persistent viremia, and pure red cell aplasia. In fetuses, B19V infection can result in nonimmune hydrops fetalis and fetal death. These clinical manifestations of B19V infection are a direct outcome of the death of human erythroid progenitors that host B19V replication. B19V infection induces a DNA damage response that is important for cell cycle arrest at late S phase. Here, we analyzed dynamic changes in cellular gene expression and found that DNA metabolic processes are tightly regulated during B19V infection. Although genes involved in cellular DNA replication were downregulated overall, the cellular DNA replication machinery was tightly associated with the replicating single-stranded DNA viral genome and played a critical role in viral DNA replication. In contrast, the DNA damage response-induced phosphorylated forms of RPA32 were dispensable for viral DNA replication. Copyright © 2018 American Society for Microbiology.

Valproate inhibits MAP kinase signalling and cell cycle progression in S. cerevisiae.

PubMed

Desfossés-Baron, Kristelle; Hammond-Martel, Ian; Simoneau, Antoine; Sellam, Adnane; Roberts, Stephen; Wurtele, Hugo

2016-10-26

The mechanism of action of valproate (VPA), a widely prescribed short chain fatty acid with anticonvulsant and anticancer properties, remains poorly understood. Here, the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae was used as model to investigate the biological consequences of VPA exposure. We found that low pH strongly potentiates VPA-induced growth inhibition. Transcriptional profiling revealed that under these conditions, VPA modulates the expression of genes involved in diverse cellular processes including protein folding, cell wall organisation, sexual reproduction, and cell cycle progression. We further investigated the impact of VPA on selected processes and found that this drug: i) activates markers of the unfolded protein stress response such as Hac1 mRNA splicing; ii) modulates the cell wall integrity pathway by inhibiting the activation of the Slt2 MAP kinase, and synergizes with cell wall stressors such as micafungin and calcofluor white in preventing yeast growth; iii) prevents activation of the Kss1 and Fus3 MAP kinases of the mating pheromone pathway, which in turn abolishes cellular responses to alpha factor; and iv) blocks cell cycle progression and DNA replication. Overall, our data identify heretofore unknown biological responses to VPA in budding yeast, and highlight the broad spectrum of cellular pathways influenced by this chemical in eukaryotes.

Msx homeobox genes inhibit differentiation through upregulation of cyclin D1.

PubMed

Hu, G; Lee, H; Price, S M; Shen, M M; Abate-Shen, C

2001-06-01

During development, patterning and morphogenesis of tissues are intimately coordinated through control of cellular proliferation and differentiation. We describe a mechanism by which vertebrate Msx homeobox genes inhibit cellular differentiation by regulation of the cell cycle. We show that misexpression of Msx1 via retroviral gene transfer inhibits differentiation of multiple mesenchymal and epithelial progenitor cell types in culture. This activity of Msx1 is associated with its ability to upregulate cyclin D1 expression and Cdk4 activity, while Msx1 has minimal effects on cellular proliferation. Transgenic mice that express Msx1 under the control of the mouse mammary tumor virus long terminal repeat (MMTV LTR) display impaired differentiation of the mammary epithelium during pregnancy, which is accompanied by elevated levels of cyclin D1 expression. We propose that Msx1 gene expression maintains cyclin D1 expression and prevents exit from the cell cycle, thereby inhibiting terminal differentiation of progenitor cells. Our model provides a framework for reconciling the mutant phenotypes of Msx and other homeobox genes with their functions as regulators of cellular proliferation and differentiation during embryogenesis.

Four domains: The fundamental unicell and Post-Darwinian Cognition-Based Evolution.

PubMed

Miller, William B; Torday, John S

2018-04-13

Contemporary research supports the viewpoint that self-referential cognition is the proper definition of life. From that initiating platform, a cohesive alternative evolutionary narrative distinct from standard Neodarwinism can be presented. Cognition-Based Evolution contends that biological variation is a product of a self-reinforcing information cycle that derives from self-referential attachment to biological information space-time with its attendant ambiguities. That information cycle is embodied through obligatory linkages among energy, biological information, and communication. Successive reiterations of the information cycle enact the informational architectures of the basic unicellular forms. From that base, inter-domain and cell-cell communications enable genetic and cellular variations through self-referential natural informational engineering and cellular niche construction. Holobionts are the exclusive endpoints of that self-referential cellular engineering as obligatory multicellular combinations of the essential Four Domains: Prokaryota, Archaea, Eukaryota and the Virome. Therefore, it is advocated that these Four Domains represent the perpetual object of the living circumstance rather than the visible macroorganic forms. In consequence, biology and its evolutionary development can be appraised as the continual defense of instantiated cellular self-reference. As the survival of cells is as dependent upon limitations and boundaries as upon any freedom of action, it is proposed that selection represents only one of many forms of cellular constraint that sustain self-referential integrity. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

CREG1 enhances p16INK4a-induced cellular senescence

PubMed Central

Moolmuang, Benchamart

2011-01-01

Cellular senescence is an irreversible growth arrest that is activated in normal cells upon shortening of telomere and other cellular stresses. Bypassing cellular senescence is a necessary step for cells to become immortal during oncogenic transformation. During the spontaneous immortalization of Li-Fraumeni Syndrome (LFS) fibroblasts, we found that CREG1 (Cellular Repressor of E1A-stimulated Genes 1) expression was decreased during immortalization and increased in senescence. Moreover, we found that repression of CREG1 expression occurs via an epigenetic mechanism, promoter DNA methylation. Ectopic expression of CREG1 in the immortal LFS cell lines decreases cell proliferation but does not directly induce senescence. We confirmed this in osteosarcoma and fibrosarcoma cancer cell lines, cancers commonly seen in Li-Fraumeni Syndrome. In addition, we found that p16INK4a is also downregulated in immortal cells and that coexpression of CREG1 and p16INK4a, an inhibitor of CDK4/6 and Rb phosphorylation, has a greater effect than either CREG1 and p16INK4a alone to reduce cell growth, induce cell cycle arrest and cellular senescence in immortal LFS fibroblasts, osteosarcoma and fibrosarcoma cell lines. Moreover, cooperation of CREG1 and p16INK4a inhibits the expression of cyclin A and cyclin B by inhibiting promoter activity, thereby decreasing mRNA and protein levels; these proteins are required for S-phase entry and G2/M transition. In conclusion, this is the first evidence to demonstrate that CREG1 enhances p16INK4a-induced senescence by transcriptional repression of cell cycle-regulated genes. PMID:21263217

Click Chemistry for Analysis of Cell Proliferation in Flow Cytometry.

PubMed

Clarke, Scott T; Calderon, Veronica; Bradford, Jolene A

2017-10-02

The measurement of cellular proliferation is fundamental to the assessment of cellular health, genotoxicity, and the evaluation of drug efficacy. Labeling, detection, and quantification of cells in the synthesis phase of cell cycle progression are not only important for characterizing basic biology, but also in defining cellular responses to drug treatments. Changes in DNA replication during S-phase can provide valuable insights into mechanisms of cell growth, cell cycle kinetics, and cytotoxicity. A common method for detection of cell proliferation is the incorporation of a thymidine analog during DNA synthesis. This chapter presents a pulse labeling method using the thymidine analog, 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine (EdU), with subsequent detection by click chemistry. EdU detection using click chemistry is bio-orthogonal to most living systems and does not non-specifically label other biomolecules. Live cells are first pulsed with EdU. After antibody labeling cell surface markers, fixation, and permeabilization, the incorporated EdU is covalently labeled using click chemistry thereby identifying proliferating cells. Improvements in click chemistry allow for labeling in the presence of fluorescent proteins and phycobiliproteins without quenching due to copper. Measuring DNA replication during cell cycle progression has cell health applications in flow cytometry, fluorescence microscopy, and high content imaging. This protocol has been developed and optimized for research use only and is not suitable for use in diagnostic procedures. © 2017 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Cell Cycle Control by PTEN.

PubMed

Brandmaier, Andrew; Hou, Sheng-Qi; Shen, Wen H

2017-07-21

Continuous and error-free chromosome inheritance through the cell cycle is essential for genomic stability and tumor suppression. However, accumulation of aberrant genetic materials often causes the cell cycle to go awry, leading to malignant transformation. In response to genotoxic stress, cells employ diverse adaptive mechanisms to halt or exit the cell cycle temporarily or permanently. The intrinsic machinery of cycling, resting, and exiting shapes the cellular response to extrinsic stimuli, whereas prevalent disruption of the cell cycle machinery in tumor cells often confers resistance to anticancer therapy. Phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) is a tumor suppressor and a guardian of the genome that is frequently mutated or deleted in human cancer. Moreover, it is increasingly evident that PTEN deficiency disrupts the fundamental processes of genetic transmission. Cells lacking PTEN exhibit cell cycle deregulation and cell fate reprogramming. Here, we review the role of PTEN in regulating the key processes in and out of cell cycle to optimize genomic integrity. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Reproducing the Photospheric Magnetic Field Evolution during the Rise of Cycle 24 with Flux Transport by Supergranules

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hathaway, David; Upton, Lisa

2012-01-01

We simulate the transport of magnetic flux in the Sun s photosphere by an evolving pattern of cellular horizontal flows (supergranules). Characteristics of the simulated flow pattern can match observed characteristics including the velocity power spectrum, cell lifetimes, and cell motions in longitude and latitude. Simulations using an average, and north-south symmetric, meridional motion of the cellular pattern produce polar magnetic fields that are too weak in the North and too strong in the South. Simulations using cellular patterns with meridional motions that evolve with the observed changes in strength and north-south asymmetry will be analyzed to see if they reproduce the polar field evolution observed during the rise of Cycle 24.

Reproducing the Photospheric Magnetic Field Evolution During the Rise of Cycle 24 with Flux Transport by Supergranules

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hathaway, David H.; Upton, Lisa

2012-01-01

We simulate the transport of magnetic flux in the Sun s photosphere by an evolving pattern of cellular horizontal flows (supergranules). Characteristics of the simulated flow pattern match observed characteristics including the velocity power spectrum, cell lifetimes, and cell pattern motion in longitude and latitude. Simulations using an average, and north-south symmetric, meridional motion of the cellular pattern produce polar magnetic fields that are too weak in the North and too strong in the South. Simulations using cellular patterns with meridional motions that evolve with the observed changes in strength and north-south asymmetry will be analyzed to see if they reproduce the polar field evolution observed during the rise of Cycle 24.

Cell cycle control, checkpoint mechanisms, and genotoxic stress.

PubMed Central

Shackelford, R E; Kaufmann, W K; Paules, R S

1999-01-01

The ability of cells to maintain genomic integrity is vital for cell survival and proliferation. Lack of fidelity in DNA replication and maintenance can result in deleterious mutations leading to cell death or, in multicellular organisms, cancer. The purpose of this review is to discuss the known signal transduction pathways that regulate cell cycle progression and the mechanisms cells employ to insure DNA stability in the face of genotoxic stress. In particular, we focus on mammalian cell cycle checkpoint functions, their role in maintaining DNA stability during the cell cycle following exposure to genotoxic agents, and the gene products that act in checkpoint function signal transduction cascades. Key transitions in the cell cycle are regulated by the activities of various protein kinase complexes composed of cyclin and cyclin-dependent kinase (Cdk) molecules. Surveillance control mechanisms that check to ensure proper completion of early events and cellular integrity before initiation of subsequent events in cell cycle progression are referred to as cell cycle checkpoints and can generate a transient delay that provides the cell more time to repair damage before progressing to the next phase of the cycle. A variety of cellular responses are elicited that function in checkpoint signaling to inhibit cyclin/Cdk activities. These responses include the p53-dependent and p53-independent induction of Cdk inhibitors and the p53-independent inhibitory phosphorylation of Cdk molecules themselves. Eliciting proper G1, S, and G2 checkpoint responses to double-strand DNA breaks requires the function of the Ataxia telangiectasia mutated gene product. Several human heritable cancer-prone syndromes known to alter DNA stability have been found to have defects in checkpoint surveillance pathways. Exposures to several common sources of genotoxic stress, including oxidative stress, ionizing radiation, UV radiation, and the genotoxic compound benzo[a]pyrene, elicit cell cycle checkpoint responses that show both similarities and differences in their molecular signaling. Images Figure 3 PMID:10229703

New evidence for antioxidant properties of vitamin C.

PubMed

Vojdani, A; Bazargan, M; Vojdani, E; Wright, J

2000-01-01

This study was designed to examine the effect of 500 to 5,000 mg of ascorbic acid on DNA adducts, natural killer (NK) cell activity, programmed cell death, and cell cycle analysis of human peripheral blood leukocytes. According to our hypothesis, if ascorbic acid is a pro-oxidant, doses between 500 and 5,000 mg should enhance DNA adduct formation, decrease immune function, change the cell cycle progression, and increase the rate of apoptosis. Twenty healthy volunteers were divided into four groups and given either placebo or daily doses of 500, 1,000 or 5,000 mg of ascorbic acid for a period of 2 weeks. On days 0, 1, 7, 15, and 21, blood was drawn from them, and the leukocytes were separated and examined for intracellular levels of ascorbic acid, the level of 8-hydroxyguanosine, NK cell activity, cell cycle progression, and apoptosis. Depending on the subjects, between a 0% and a 40% increase in cellular absorption of ascorbic acid was observed when daily doses of 500 mg were used. At doses greater than 500 mg, this cellular absorption was not increased further, and all doses produced equivalent increases in ascorbic acid on days 1 to 15. This increase in cellular concentration of ascorbic acid resulted in no statistically meaningful changes in the level of 8-hydroxyguanosine, increased NK cytotoxic activity, a reduced percentage of cells undergoing apoptosis, and switched cell cycle phases from S and G2/M to G0/G1. After a period of 1 week, with no placebo or vitamin washout, ascorbic acid levels along with functional assays returned to the baseline and became equivalent to placebos. In comparison with baseline values, no change (not more than daily assays variation) was seen in ascorbate concentrations or other assays during oral placebo treatment. We concluded that ascorbic acid is an antioxidant and that doses up to 5,000 mg neither induce mutagenic lesions nor have negative effects on NK cell activity, apoptosis, or cell cycle.

Studies of elongation factor Tu in Streptococcus faecium (ATCC 9790)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bourbeau, P.P.

1986-01-01

It has been known for over twenty years that elongation factor Tu (Ef-Tu) is one of the proteins involved in protein synthesis in bacteria. Several years ago, it was proposed that Ef-Tu may, in addition, have other structural functions in bacterial. The author's research has examined the function of Ef-Tu in Streptococcus faecium. Using an antibiotic kirromycin, which specifically inhibits Ef-Tu function, the effects upon a number of cellular parameters were determined. Inhibition of both protein and RNA synthesis was found to be similar to the effect of chloramphenicol. Using the residual division technique for the determination of cell cyclemore » events with both heterogeneous and sucrose gradient fractionated cell populations, a kirromycin sensitive event was detected between 8 min. (Td = 30 min.) and 19 min. (Td = 175 min.) later in the cell cycle than the chloramphenical sensitive event. This suggests that kirromycin is inhibiting a terminal cell cycle event which is in addition to the inhibition of protein synthesis. Purification of Ef-Tu was performed using two different methods: ion exchange and molecular exclusion chromatography; and GDP affinity chromatography. Various schemes were employed to try and obtain optimum cellular fractionation, allowing for both proper separation of ribosomes from the other cellular fractions and retention of enzymatic activity by Ef-Tu as determined by a /sup 3/H-GDP binding assay. Analysis of the cell cycle of S. faecium using the residual division technique was also performed. In addition, certain cell wall antibiotics were used to determine if other cell cycle events could be determined using the residual division technique.« less

The zebrafish maternal-effect gene cellular atoll encodes the centriolar component sas-6 and defects in its paternal function promote whole genome duplication.

PubMed

Yabe, Taijiro; Ge, Xiaoyan; Pelegri, Francisco

2007-12-01

A female-sterile zebrafish maternal-effect mutation in cellular atoll (cea) results in defects in the initiation of cell division starting at the second cell division cycle. This phenomenon is caused by defects in centrosome duplication, which in turn affect the formation of a bipolar spindle. We show that cea encodes the centriolar coiled-coil protein Sas-6, and that zebrafish Cea/Sas-6 protein localizes to centrosomes. cea also has a genetic paternal contribution, which when mutated results in an arrested first cell division followed by normal cleavage. Our data supports the idea that, in zebrafish, paternally inherited centrosomes are required for the first cell division while maternally derived factors are required for centrosomal duplication and cell divisions in subsequent cell cycles. DNA synthesis ensues in the absence of centrosome duplication, and the one-cycle delay in the first cell division caused by cea mutant sperm leads to whole genome duplication. We discuss the potential implications of these findings with regards to the origin of polyploidization in animal species. In addition, the uncoupling of developmental time and cell division count caused by the cea mutation suggests the presence of a time window, normally corresponding to the first two cell cycles, which is permissive for germ plasm recruitment.

An essential role for the RNA-binding protein Smaug during the Drosophila maternal-to-zygotic transition.

PubMed

Benoit, Beatrice; He, Chun Hua; Zhang, Fan; Votruba, Sarah M; Tadros, Wael; Westwood, J Timothy; Smibert, Craig A; Lipshitz, Howard D; Theurkauf, William E

2009-03-01

Genetic control of embryogenesis switches from the maternal to the zygotic genome during the maternal-to-zygotic transition (MZT), when maternal mRNAs are destroyed, high-level zygotic transcription is initiated, the replication checkpoint is activated and the cell cycle slows. The midblastula transition (MBT) is the first morphological event that requires zygotic gene expression. The Drosophila MBT is marked by blastoderm cellularization and follows 13 cleavage-stage divisions. The RNA-binding protein Smaug is required for cleavage-independent maternal transcript destruction during the Drosophila MZT. Here, we show that smaug mutants also disrupt syncytial blastoderm stage cell-cycle delays, DNA replication checkpoint activation, cellularization, and high-level zygotic expression of protein coding and micro RNA genes. We also show that Smaug protein levels increase through the cleavage divisions and peak when the checkpoint is activated and zygotic transcription initiates, and that transgenic expression of Smaug in an anterior-to-posterior gradient produces a concomitant gradient in the timing of maternal transcript destruction, cleavage cell cycle delays, zygotic gene transcription, cellularization and gastrulation. Smaug accumulation thus coordinates progression through the MZT.

OSBP-related protein 8 (ORP8) interacts with Homo sapiens sperm associated antigen 5 (SPAG5) and mediates oxysterol interference of HepG2 cell cycle

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zhong, Wenbin; Zhou, You; Li, Jiwei

We earlier identified OSBP-related protein 8 (ORP8) as an endoplasmic reticulum/nuclear envelope oxysterol-binding protein implicated in cellular lipid homeostasis, migration, and organization of the microtubule cytoskeleton. Here, a yeast two-hybrid screen identified Homo sapiens sperm associated antigen 5 (SPAG5)/Astrin as interaction partner of ORP8. The putative interaction was further confirmed by pull-down and co-immunoprecipitation assays. ORP8 did not colocalize with kinetochore-associated SPAG5 in mitotic HepG2 or HuH7 cells, but overexpressed ORP8 was capable of recruiting SPAG5 onto endoplasmic reticulum membranes in interphase cells. In our experiments, 25-hydroxycholesterol (25OHC) retarded the HepG2 cell cycle, causing accumulation in G2/M phase; ORP8 overexpressionmore » resulted in the same phenotype. Importantly, ORP8 knock-down dramatically inhibited the oxysterol effect on HepG2 cell cycle, suggesting a mediating role of ORP8. Furthermore, knock-down of SPAG5 significantly reduced the effects of both ORP8 overexpression and 25OHC on the cell cycle, placing SPAG5 downstream of the two cell-cycle interfering factors. Taken together, the present results suggest that ORP8 may via SPAG5 mediate oxysterol interference of the HepG2 cell cycle. - Highlights: • The oxysterol-binding protein ORP8 was found to interact with the mitotic regulator SPAG5/Astrin. • Treatment of HepG2 cells with 25-hydroxycholesterol caused cell cycle retardation in G2/M. • ORP8 overexpression caused a similar G2/M accumulation, and ORP8 knock-down reversed the 25-hydroxycholesterol effect. • Reduction of cellular of SPAG5/Astrin reversed the cell cycle effects of both 25-hydroxycholesterol and ORP8 overexpression. • Our results suggest that ORP8 mediates via SPAG5/Astrin the oxysterol interference of HepG2 cell cycle.« less

Potential usage of proteasome inhibitor bortezomib (Velcade, PS-341) in the treatment of metastatic melanoma: basic and clinical aspects

PubMed Central

Shahshahan, Mohammad A; Beckley, Maureen N; Jazirehi, Ali R

2011-01-01

Protein degradation by proteasome is essential to the regulation of important cellular functions including cell cycle progression, proliferation, differentiation and apoptosis. Abnormal proteasomal degradation of key regulatory proteins perturbs the normal dynamics of these cellular processes culminating in uncontrolled cell cycle progression and decreased apoptosis leading to the characteristic cancer cell phenotype. Proteasome inhibitors are a novel group of therapeutic agents designed to oppose the increased proteasomal degradation observed in various cancers while restoring key cellular functions such as apoptosis, cell cycle progression, and the inhibition of angiogenesis. Several proteasome inhibitors have been evaluated in pre- and clinical studies for their potential usage in clinical oncology. Bortezomib (Velcade, PS-341) is the first Food and Drug Administration-approved proteasome inhibitor for the treatment of multiple myeloma and mantle cell lymphoma. Bortezomib's ability to preferentially induce toxicity and cell death in tumor cells while rendering healthy cells unaffected makes it a powerful therapeutic agent and has extended its use in other types of malignancies. The ability of bortezomib and other proteasome inhibitors to synergize with conventional therapies in killing tumors in various in vitro and in vivo models makes this class of drugs a powerful tool in overcoming acquired and inherent resistance observed in many cancers. This is achieved through modulation of aberrant cellular survival signal transduction pathways and their downstream anti-apoptotic gene products. This review will discuss the anti-neoplastic effects of various proteasome inhibitors in a variety of cancers with a special emphasis on bortezomib, its mechanism of action and role in cancer therapy. We further discuss the potential use of bortezomib in the treatment of metastatic melanoma. PMID:22016836

Cell cycle arrest in the jewel wasp Nasonia vitripennis in larval diapause.

PubMed

Shimizu, Yuta; Mukai, Ayumu; Goto, Shin G

2018-04-01

Insects enter diapause to synchronise their life cycle with biotic and abiotic environmental conditions favourable for their development, reproduction, and survival. One of the most noticeable characteristics of diapause is the blockage of ontogeny. Although this blockage should occur with the cessation of cellular proliferation, i.e. cell cycle arrest, it was confirmed only in a few insect species and information on the molecular pathways involved in cell cycle arrest is limited. In the present study, we investigated developmental and cell cycle arrest in diapause larvae of the jewel wasp Nasonia vitripennis. Developmental and cell cycle arrest occur in the early fourth instar larval stage of N. vitripennis under short days. By entering diapause, the S fraction of the cell cycle disappears and approximately 80% and 20% of cells arrest their cell cycle in the G0/G1 and G2 phases, respectively. We further investigated expression of cell cycle regulatory genes and some housekeeping genes to dissect molecular mechanisms underlying the cell cycle arrest. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Determination of NAD + and NADH level in a Single Cell Under H 2O 2 Stress by Capillary Electrophoresis

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Xi, Wenjun

2008-01-01

A capillary electrophoresis (CE) method is developed to determine both NAD + and NADH levels in a single cell, based on an enzymatic cycling reaction. The detection limit can reach down to 0.2 amol NAD + and 1 amol NADH on a home-made CE-LIF setup. The method showed good reproducibility and specificity. After an intact cell was injected into the inlet of a capillary and lysed using a Tesla coil, intracellular NAD + and NADH were separated, incubated with the cycling buffer, and quantified by the amount of fluorescent product generated. NADH and NAD + levels of single cells ofmore » three cell lines and primary astrocyte culture were determined using this method. Comparing cellular NAD + and NADH levels with and without exposure to oxidative stress induced by H 2O 2, it was found that H9c2 cells respond to the stress by reducing both cellular NAD + and NADH levels, while astrocytes respond by increasing cellular NADH/NAD + ratio.« less

HTLV-I Tax and cell cycle progression.

PubMed

Neuveut, C; Jeang, K T

2000-01-01

Human T-cell leukemia virus type I (HTLV-I) is the etiological agent for adult T-cell leukemia (ATL) and various human myopathies/neuropathies. HTLV-I encodes a 40 kDa phosphoprotein, Tax, which has been implicated in cellular transformation. In similarity with several other oncoproteins such as Myc, Jun, and Fos, Tax is a transcriptional activator. How Tax mechanistically dysregulates the cell cycle remains unclear. Recent findings from us and others have shown that Tax targets key regulators of G1/S and M progression such as p16INK4a, cyclin D1, cyclin D3-cdk, and the mitotic spindle checkpoint apparatus. Thus, Tax influences the progression of cells in various phases of the cell cycle. In this regard, we will discuss three distinct mechanisms through which Tax affects cell-cycling: a) through direct association Tax can abrogate the inhibitory function of p16INK4a on the G1-cdks, b) Tax can also directly influence cyclin D-cdk activities by a protein-protein interaction, and c) Tax targets the HsMAD1 mitotic spindle-assembly checkpoint protein. Through these varied routes, the HTLV-I oncoprotein dysregulates cellular growth controls and engenders a proclivity of cells toward a loss of DNA-damage surveillance.

Tandem E2F Binding Sites in the Promoter of the p107 Cell Cycle Regulator Control p107 Expression and Its Cellular Functions

PubMed Central

Burkhart, Deborah L.; Wirt, Stacey E.; Zmoos, Anne-Flore; Kareta, Michael S.; Sage, Julien

2010-01-01

The retinoblastoma tumor suppressor (Rb) is a potent and ubiquitously expressed cell cycle regulator, but patients with a germline Rb mutation develop a very specific tumor spectrum. This surprising observation raises the possibility that mechanisms that compensate for loss of Rb function are present or activated in many cell types. In particular, p107, a protein related to Rb, has been shown to functionally overlap for loss of Rb in several cellular contexts. To investigate the mechanisms underlying this functional redundancy between Rb and p107 in vivo, we used gene targeting in embryonic stem cells to engineer point mutations in two consensus E2F binding sites in the endogenous p107 promoter. Analysis of normal and mutant cells by gene expression and chromatin immunoprecipitation assays showed that members of the Rb and E2F families directly bound these two sites. Furthermore, we found that these two E2F sites controlled both the repression of p107 in quiescent cells and also its activation in cycling cells, as well as in Rb mutant cells. Cell cycle assays further indicated that activation of p107 transcription during S phase through the two E2F binding sites was critical for controlled cell cycle progression, uncovering a specific role for p107 to slow proliferation in mammalian cells. Direct transcriptional repression of p107 by Rb and E2F family members provides a molecular mechanism for a critical negative feedback loop during cell cycle progression and tumorigenesis. These experiments also suggest novel therapeutic strategies to increase the p107 levels in tumor cells. PMID:20585628

MINCR is a MYC-induced lncRNA able to modulate MYC's transcriptional network in Burkitt lymphoma cells.

PubMed

Doose, Gero; Haake, Andrea; Bernhart, Stephan H; López, Cristina; Duggimpudi, Sujitha; Wojciech, Franziska; Bergmann, Anke K; Borkhardt, Arndt; Burkhardt, Birgit; Claviez, Alexander; Dimitrova, Lora; Haas, Siegfried; Hoell, Jessica I; Hummel, Michael; Karsch, Dennis; Klapper, Wolfram; Kleo, Karsten; Kretzmer, Helene; Kreuz, Markus; Küppers, Ralf; Lawerenz, Chris; Lenze, Dido; Loeffler, Markus; Mantovani-Löffler, Luisa; Möller, Peter; Ott, German; Richter, Julia; Rohde, Marius; Rosenstiel, Philip; Rosenwald, Andreas; Schilhabel, Markus; Schneider, Markus; Scholz, Ingrid; Stilgenbauer, Stephan; Stunnenberg, Hendrik G; Szczepanowski, Monika; Trümper, Lorenz; Weniger, Marc A; Hoffmann, Steve; Siebert, Reiner; Iaccarino, Ingram

2015-09-22

Despite the established role of the transcription factor MYC in cancer, little is known about the impact of a new class of transcriptional regulators, the long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs), on MYC ability to influence the cellular transcriptome. Here, we have intersected RNA-sequencing data from two MYC-inducible cell lines and a cohort of 91 B-cell lymphomas with or without genetic variants resulting in MYC overexpression. We identified 13 lncRNAs differentially expressed in IG-MYC-positive Burkitt lymphoma and regulated in the same direction by MYC in the model cell lines. Among them, we focused on a lncRNA that we named MYC-induced long noncoding RNA (MINCR), showing a strong correlation with MYC expression in MYC-positive lymphomas. To understand its cellular role, we performed RNAi and found that MINCR knockdown is associated with an impairment in cell cycle progression. Differential gene expression analysis after RNAi showed a significant enrichment of cell cycle genes among the genes down-regulated after MINCR knockdown. Interestingly, these genes are enriched in MYC binding sites in their promoters, suggesting that MINCR acts as a modulator of the MYC transcriptional program. Accordingly, MINCR knockdown was associated with a reduction in MYC binding to the promoters of selected cell cycle genes. Finally, we show that down-regulation of Aurora kinases A and B and chromatin licensing and DNA replication factor 1 may explain the reduction in cellular proliferation observed on MINCR knockdown. We, therefore, suggest that MINCR is a newly identified player in the MYC transcriptional network able to control the expression of cell cycle genes.

Exploring viral infection using single-cell sequencing.

PubMed

Rato, Sylvie; Golumbeanu, Monica; Telenti, Amalio; Ciuffi, Angela

2017-07-15

Single-cell sequencing (SCS) has emerged as a valuable tool to study cellular heterogeneity in diverse fields, including virology. By studying the viral and cellular genome and/or transcriptome, the dynamics of viral infection can be investigated at single cell level. Most studies have explored the impact of cell-to-cell variation on the viral life cycle from the point of view of the virus, by analyzing viral sequences, and from the point of view of the cell, mainly by analyzing the cellular host transcriptome. In this review, we will focus on recent studies that use single-cell sequencing to explore viral diversity and cell variability in response to viral replication. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

25 Years of Cell Cycle Research: What's Ahead?

PubMed

Gutierrez, Crisanto

2016-10-01

We have reached 25 years since the first molecular approaches to plant cell cycle. Fortunately, we have witnessed an enormous advance in this field that has benefited from using complementary approaches including molecular, cellular, genetic and genomic resources. These studies have also branched and demonstrated the functional relevance of cell cycle regulators for virtually every aspect of plant life. The question is - where are we heading? I review here the latest developments in the field and briefly elaborate on how new technological advances should contribute to novel approaches that will benefit the plant cell cycle field. Understanding how the cell division cycle is integrated at the organismal level is perhaps one of the major challenges. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effects of 5-fluorouracil in nuclear and cellular morphology, proliferation, cell cycle, apoptosis, cytoskeletal and caveolar distribution in primary cultures of smooth muscle cells.

PubMed

Filgueiras, Marcelo de Carvalho; Morrot, Alexandre; Soares, Pedro Marcos Gomes; Costa, Manoel Luis; Mermelstein, Cláudia

2013-01-01

Colon cancer is one of the most prevalent types of cancer in the world and is one of the leading causes of cancer death. The anti-metabolite 5- fluorouracil (5-FU) is widely used in the treatment of patients with colon cancer and other cancer types. 5-FU-based chemotherapy has been shown to be very efficient in the improvement of overall survival of the patients and for the eradication of the disease. Unfortunately, common side effects of 5-FU include severe alterations in the motility of the gastrointestinal tissues. Nevertheless, the molecular and cellular effects of 5-FU in smooth muscle cells are poorly understood. Primary smooth muscle cell cultures are an important tool for studies of the biological consequences of 5-FU at the cellular level. The avian gizzard is one of the most robust organs of smooth muscle cells. Here we studied the molecular and cellular effects of the chemotherapic drug 5-FU in a primary culture of chick gizzard smooth muscle cells. We found that treatment of smooth muscle cells with 5-FU inhibits cell proliferation by the arrest of cells in the G1 phase of cell cycle and induce apoptosis. 5-FU induced a decrease in the percentage of histone H3-positive cells. Treatment of cells with 5-FU induced changes in cellular and nuclear morphology, a decrease in the number of stress fibers and a major decrease in the number of caveolin-3 positive cells. Our results suggest that the disorganization of the actin cytoskeleton and the reduction of caveolin-3 expression could explain the alterations in contractility observed in patients treated with 5-FU. These findings might have an impact in the understanding of the cellular effects of 5-FU in smooth muscle tissues and might help the improvement of new therapeutic protocols for the treatment of colon cancer.

Effects of 5-Fluorouracil in Nuclear and Cellular Morphology, Proliferation, Cell Cycle, Apoptosis, Cytoskeletal and Caveolar Distribution in Primary Cultures of Smooth Muscle Cells

PubMed Central

Filgueiras, Marcelo de Carvalho; Morrot, Alexandre; Soares, Pedro Marcos Gomes; Costa, Manoel Luis; Mermelstein, Cláudia

2013-01-01

Colon cancer is one of the most prevalent types of cancer in the world and is one of the leading causes of cancer death. The anti-metabolite 5- fluorouracil (5-FU) is widely used in the treatment of patients with colon cancer and other cancer types. 5-FU-based chemotherapy has been shown to be very efficient in the improvement of overall survival of the patients and for the eradication of the disease. Unfortunately, common side effects of 5-FU include severe alterations in the motility of the gastrointestinal tissues. Nevertheless, the molecular and cellular effects of 5-FU in smooth muscle cells are poorly understood. Primary smooth muscle cell cultures are an important tool for studies of the biological consequences of 5-FU at the cellular level. The avian gizzard is one of the most robust organs of smooth muscle cells. Here we studied the molecular and cellular effects of the chemotherapic drug 5-FU in a primary culture of chick gizzard smooth muscle cells. We found that treatment of smooth muscle cells with 5-FU inhibits cell proliferation by the arrest of cells in the G1 phase of cell cycle and induce apoptosis. 5-FU induced a decrease in the percentage of histone H3-positive cells. Treatment of cells with 5-FU induced changes in cellular and nuclear morphology, a decrease in the number of stress fibers and a major decrease in the number of caveolin-3 positive cells. Our results suggest that the disorganization of the actin cytoskeleton and the reduction of caveolin-3 expression could explain the alterations in contractility observed in patients treated with 5-FU. These findings might have an impact in the understanding of the cellular effects of 5-FU in smooth muscle tissues and might help the improvement of new therapeutic protocols for the treatment of colon cancer. PMID:23646193

Temporal fluxomics reveals oscillations in TCA cycle flux throughout the mammalian cell cycle.

PubMed

Ahn, Eunyong; Kumar, Praveen; Mukha, Dzmitry; Tzur, Amit; Shlomi, Tomer

2017-11-06

Cellular metabolic demands change throughout the cell cycle. Nevertheless, a characterization of how metabolic fluxes adapt to the changing demands throughout the cell cycle is lacking. Here, we developed a temporal-fluxomics approach to derive a comprehensive and quantitative view of alterations in metabolic fluxes throughout the mammalian cell cycle. This is achieved by combining pulse-chase LC-MS-based isotope tracing in synchronized cell populations with computational deconvolution and metabolic flux modeling. We find that TCA cycle fluxes are rewired as cells progress through the cell cycle with complementary oscillations of glucose versus glutamine-derived fluxes: Oxidation of glucose-derived flux peaks in late G1 phase, while oxidative and reductive glutamine metabolism dominates S phase. These complementary flux oscillations maintain a constant production rate of reducing equivalents and oxidative phosphorylation flux throughout the cell cycle. The shift from glucose to glutamine oxidation in S phase plays an important role in cell cycle progression and cell proliferation. © 2017 The Authors. Published under the terms of the CC BY 4.0 license.

Playing with the cell cycle to build the spinal cord.

PubMed

Molina, Angie; Pituello, Fabienne

2017-12-01

A fundamental issue in nervous system development and homeostasis is to understand the mechanisms governing the balance between the maintenance of proliferating progenitors versus their differentiation into post-mitotic neurons. Accumulating data suggest that the cell cycle and core regulators of the cell cycle machinery play a major role in regulating this fine balance. Here, we focus on the interplay between the cell cycle and cellular and molecular events governing spinal cord development. We describe the existing links between the cell cycle and interkinetic nuclear migration (INM). We show how the different morphogens patterning the neural tube also regulate the cell cycle machinery to coordinate proliferation and patterning. We give examples of how cell cycle core regulators regulate transcriptionally, or post-transcriptionally, genes involved in controlling the maintenance versus the differentiation of neural progenitors. Finally, we describe the changes in cell cycle kinetics occurring during neural tube patterning and at the time of neuronal differentiation, and we discuss future research directions to better understand the role of the cell cycle in cell fate decisions. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Selective coexpression of VEGF receptor 2 in EGFRvIII-positive glioblastoma cells prevents cellular senescence and contributes to their aggressive nature.

PubMed

Jones, Karra A; Gilder, Andrew S; Lam, Michael S; Du, Na; Banki, Michael A; Merati, Aran; Pizzo, Donald P; VandenBerg, Scott R; Gonias, Steven L

2016-05-01

In glioblastoma (GBM), the gene for epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is frequently amplified. EGFR mutations also are common, including a truncation mutation that yields a constitutively active variant called EGFR variant (v)III. EGFRvIII-positive GBM progresses rapidly; however, the reason for this is not clear because the activity of EGFRvIII is attenuated compared with EGF-ligated wild-type EGFR. We hypothesized that EGFRvIII-expressing GBM cells selectively express other oncogenic receptors that support tumor progression. Mining of The Cancer Genome Atlas prompted us to test whether GBM cells in culture, which express EGFRvIII, selectively express vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGFR)2. We also studied human GBM propagated as xenografts. We then applied multiple approaches to test the effects of VEGFR2 on GBM cell growth, apoptosis, and cellular senescence. In human GBM, EGFR overexpression and EGFRvIII positivity were associated with increased VEGFR2 expression. In GBM cells in culture, EGFRvIII-initiated cell signaling increased expression of VEGFR2, which prevented cellular senescence and promoted cell cycle progression. The VEGFR-selective tyrosine kinase inhibitor cediranib decreased tumor DNA synthesis, increased staining for senescence-associated β-galactosidase, reduced retinoblastoma phosphorylation, and increased p27(Kip1), all markers of cellular senescence. Similar results were obtained when VEGFR2 was silenced. VEGFR2 expression by GBM cells supports cell cycle progression and prevents cellular senescence. Coexpression of VEGFR2 by GBM cells in which EGFR signaling is activated may contribute to the aggressive nature of these cells. © The Author(s) 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Neuro-Oncology. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Analysis of Cellular DNA Content by Flow Cytometry.

PubMed

Darzynkiewicz, Zbigniew; Huang, Xuan; Zhao, Hong

2017-10-02

Cellular DNA content can be measured by flow cytometry with the aim of : (1) revealing cell distribution within the major phases of the cell cycle, (2) estimating frequency of apoptotic cells with fractional DNA content, and/or (3) disclosing DNA ploidy of the measured cell population. In this unit, simple and universally applicable methods for staining fixed cells are presented, as are methods that utilize detergents and/or proteolytic treatment to permeabilize cells and make DNA accessible to fluorochrome. Additionally, supravital cell staining with Hoechst 33342, which is primarily used for sorting live cells based on DNA-content differences for their subsequent culturing, is described. Also presented are methods for staining cell nuclei isolated from paraffin-embedded tissues. Available algorithms are listed for deconvolution of DNA-content-frequency histograms to estimate percentage of cells in major phases of the cell cycle and frequency of apoptotic cells with fractional DNA content. © 2017 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley and Sons, Inc.

Analysis of Cellular DNA Content by Flow Cytometry.

PubMed

Darzynkiewicz, Zbigniew; Huang, Xuan; Zhao, Hong

2017-11-01

Cellular DNA content can be measured by flow cytometry with the aim of : (1) revealing cell distribution within the major phases of the cell cycle, (2) estimating frequency of apoptotic cells with fractional DNA content, and/or (3) disclosing DNA ploidy of the measured cell population. In this unit, simple and universally applicable methods for staining fixed cells are presented, as are methods that utilize detergents and/or proteolytic treatment to permeabilize cells and make DNA accessible to fluorochrome. Additionally, supravital cell staining with Hoechst 33342, which is primarily used for sorting live cells based on DNA-content differences for their subsequent culturing, is described. Also presented are methods for staining cell nuclei isolated from paraffin-embedded tissues. Available algorithms are listed for deconvolution of DNA-content-frequency histograms to estimate percentage of cells in major phases of the cell cycle and frequency of apoptotic cells with fractional DNA content. © 2017 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley and Sons, Inc.

Dynamical analysis of cellular ageing by modeling of gene regulatory network based attractor landscape.

PubMed

Chong, Ket Hing; Zhang, Xiaomeng; Zheng, Jie

2018-01-01

Ageing is a natural phenomenon that is inherently complex and remains a mystery. Conceptual model of cellular ageing landscape was proposed for computational studies of ageing. However, there is a lack of quantitative model of cellular ageing landscape. This study aims to investigate the mechanism of cellular ageing in a theoretical model using the framework of Waddington's epigenetic landscape. We construct an ageing gene regulatory network (GRN) consisting of the core cell cycle regulatory genes (including p53). A model parameter (activation rate) is used as a measure of the accumulation of DNA damage. Using the bifurcation diagrams to estimate the parameter values that lead to multi-stability, we obtained a conceptual model for capturing three distinct stable steady states (or attractors) corresponding to homeostasis, cell cycle arrest, and senescence or apoptosis. In addition, we applied a Monte Carlo computational method to quantify the potential landscape, which displays: I) one homeostasis attractor for low accumulation of DNA damage; II) two attractors for cell cycle arrest and senescence (or apoptosis) in response to high accumulation of DNA damage. Using the Waddington's epigenetic landscape framework, the process of ageing can be characterized by state transitions from landscape I to II. By in silico perturbations, we identified the potential landscape of a perturbed network (inactivation of p53), and thereby demonstrated the emergence of a cancer attractor. The simulated dynamics of the perturbed network displays a landscape with four basins of attraction: homeostasis, cell cycle arrest, senescence (or apoptosis) and cancer. Our analysis also showed that for the same perturbed network with low DNA damage, the landscape displays only the homeostasis attractor. The mechanistic model offers theoretical insights that can facilitate discovery of potential strategies for network medicine of ageing-related diseases such as cancer.

Biology of the cell cycle inhibitor p21(CDKN1A): molecular mechanisms and relevance in chemical toxicology.

PubMed

Dutto, Ilaria; Tillhon, Micol; Cazzalini, Ornella; Stivala, Lucia A; Prosperi, Ennio

2015-02-01

The cell cycle inhibitor p21(CDKN1A) is a protein playing multiple roles not only in the DNA damage response, but also in many cellular processes during unperturbed cell growth. The main, well-known function of p21 is to arrest cell cycle progression by inhibiting the activity of cyclin-dependent kinases. In addition, p21 is involved in the regulation of transcription, apoptosis, DNA repair, as well as cell motility. However, p21 appears to a have a dual-face behavior because, in addition to its tumor suppressor functions, it may act as an oncogene, depending on the cell type and on the cellular localization. As a biomarker of the cell response to different toxic stimuli, p21 expression and functions have been analyzed in an impressive number of studies investigating the activity of several types of chemicals, in order to determine their possible harmful effects on human cells. Here, we review these studies in order to highlight the different roles p21 may play in the cell response to chemical exposure and to better evaluate the information provided by this biomarker.

Mitosis-specific phosphorylation of amyloid precursor protein at Threonine 668 leads to its altered processing and association with centrosomes

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Atypical expression of cell cycle regulatory proteins has been implicated in Alzheimer's disease (AD), but the molecular mechanisms by which they induce neurodegeneration are not well understood. We examined transgenic mice expressing human amyloid precursor protein (APP) and presenilin 1 (PS1) for changes in cell cycle regulatory proteins to determine whether there is a correlation between cell cycle activation and pathology development in AD. Results Our studies in the AD transgenic mice show significantly higher levels of cyclin E, cyclin D1, E2F1, and P-cdc2 in the cells in the vicinity of the plaques where maximum levels of Threonine 668 (Thr668)-phosphorylated APP accumulation was observed. This suggests that the cell cycle regulatory proteins might be influencing plaque pathology by affecting APP phosphorylation. Using neuroglioma cells overexpressing APP we demonstrate that phosphorylation of APP at Thr668 is mitosis-specific. Cells undergoing mitosis show altered cellular distribution and localization of P-APP at the centrosomes. Also, Thr668 phosphorylation in mitosis correlates with increased processing of APP to generate Aβ and the C-terminal fragment of APP, which is prevented by pharmacological inhibitors of the G1/S transition. Conclusions The data presented here suggests that cell cycle-dependent phosphorylation of APP may affect its normal cellular function. For example, association of P-APP with the centrosome may affect spindle assembly and cell cycle progression, further contributing to the development of pathology in AD. The experiments with G1/S inhibitors suggest that cell cycle inhibition may impede the development of Alzheimer's pathology by suppressing modification of βAPP, and thus may represent a novel approach to AD treatment. Finally, the cell cycle regulated phosphorylation and processing of APP into Aβ and the C-terminal fragment suggest that these proteins may have a normal function during mitosis. PMID:22112898

Entrainment of the Mammalian Cell Cycle by the Circadian Clock: Modeling Two Coupled Cellular Rhythms

PubMed Central

Gérard, Claude; Goldbeter, Albert

2012-01-01

The cell division cycle and the circadian clock represent two major cellular rhythms. These two periodic processes are coupled in multiple ways, given that several molecular components of the cell cycle network are controlled in a circadian manner. For example, in the network of cyclin-dependent kinases (Cdks) that governs progression along the successive phases of the cell cycle, the synthesis of the kinase Wee1, which inhibits the G2/M transition, is enhanced by the complex CLOCK-BMAL1 that plays a central role in the circadian clock network. Another component of the latter network, REV-ERBα, inhibits the synthesis of the Cdk inhibitor p21. Moreover, the synthesis of the oncogene c-Myc, which promotes G1 cyclin synthesis, is repressed by CLOCK-BMAL1. Using detailed computational models for the two networks we investigate the conditions in which the mammalian cell cycle can be entrained by the circadian clock. We show that the cell cycle can be brought to oscillate at a period of 24 h or 48 h when its autonomous period prior to coupling is in an appropriate range. The model indicates that the combination of multiple modes of coupling does not necessarily facilitate entrainment of the cell cycle by the circadian clock. Entrainment can also occur as a result of circadian variations in the level of a growth factor controlling entry into G1. Outside the range of entrainment, the coupling to the circadian clock may lead to disconnected oscillations in the cell cycle and the circadian system, or to complex oscillatory dynamics of the cell cycle in the form of endoreplication, complex periodic oscillations or chaos. The model predicts that the transition from entrainment to 24 h or 48 h might occur when the strength of coupling to the circadian clock or the level of growth factor decrease below critical values. PMID:22693436

Cardiomyocyte cell cycle control and growth estimation in vivo--an analysis based on cardiomyocyte nuclei.

PubMed

Walsh, Stuart; Pontén, Annica; Fleischmann, Bernd K; Jovinge, Stefan

2010-06-01

Adult mammalian cardiomyocytes are traditionally viewed as being permanently withdrawn from the cell cycle. Whereas some groups have reported none, others have reported extensive mitosis in adult myocardium under steady-state conditions. Recently, a highly specific assay of 14C dating in humans has suggested a continuous generation of cardiomyocytes in the adult, albeit at a very low rate. Mice represent the most commonly used animal model for these studies, but their short lifespan makes them unsuitable for 14C studies. Herein, we investigate the cellular growth pattern for murine cardiomyocyte growth under steady-state conditions, addressed with new analytical and technical strategies, and we furthermore relate this to gene expression patterns. The observed levels of DNA synthesis in early life were associated with cardiomyocyte proliferation. Mitosis was prolonged into early life, longer than the most conservative previous estimates. DNA synthesis in neonatal life was attributable to bi-nucleation, therefore suggesting that cardiomyocytes withdraw from the cell cycle shortly after birth. No cell cycle activity was observed in adult cardiomyocytes and significant polyploidy was observed in cardiomyocyte nuclei. Gene analyses identified 32 genes whose expression was predicted to be particular to day 3-4 neonatal myocytes, compared with embryonic or adult cells. These cell cycle-associated genes are crucial to the understanding of the mechanisms of bi-nucleation and physiological cellular growth in the neonatal period.

The Citrus Flavanone Naringenin Protects Myocardial Cells against Age-Associated Damage

PubMed Central

Costa, Barbara; Cavallini, Chiara; Testai, Lara; Martelli, Alma; Calderone, Vincenzo; Martini, Claudia

2017-01-01

In recent years, the health-promoting effects of the citrus flavanone naringenin have been examined. The results have provided evidence for the modulation of some key mechanisms involved in cellular damage by this compound. In particular, naringenin has been revealed to have protective properties such as an antioxidant effect in cardiometabolic disorders. Very recently, beneficial effects of naringenin have been demonstrated in old rats. Because aging has been demonstrated to be directly related to the occurrence of cardiac disorders, in the present study, the ability of naringenin to prevent cardiac cell senescence was investigated. For this purpose, a cellular model of senescent myocardial cells was set up and evaluated using colorimetric, fluorimetric, and immunometric techniques. Relevant cellular senescence markers, such as X-gal staining, cell cycle regulator levels, and the percentage of cell cycle-arrested cells, were found to be reduced in the presence of naringenin. In addition, cardiac markers of aging-induced damage, including radical oxidative species levels, mitochondrial metabolic activity, mitochondrial calcium buffer capacity, and estrogenic signaling functions, were also modulated by the compound. These results suggested that naringenin has antiaging effects on myocardial cells. PMID:28386313

Overexpression of the human DEK oncogene reprograms cellular metabolism and promotes glycolysis

PubMed Central

Watanabe, Miki; Muraleedharan, Ranjithmenon; Lambert, Paul F.; Lane, Andrew N.; Romick-Rosendale, Lindsey E.; Wells, Susanne I.

2017-01-01

The DEK oncogene is overexpressed in many human malignancies including at early tumor stages. Our reported in vitro and in vivo models of squamous cell carcinoma have demonstrated that DEK contributes functionally to cellular and tumor survival and to proliferation. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms remain poorly understood. Based on recent RNA sequencing experiments, DEK expression was necessary for the transcription of several metabolic enzymes involved in anabolic pathways. This identified a possible mechanism whereby DEK may drive cellular metabolism to enable cell proliferation. Functional metabolic Seahorse analysis demonstrated increased baseline and maximum extracellular acidification rates, a readout of glycolysis, in DEK-overexpressing keratinocytes and squamous cell carcinoma cells. DEK overexpression also increased the maximum rate of oxygen consumption and therefore increased the potential for oxidative phosphorylation (OxPhos). To detect small metabolites that participate in glycolysis and the tricarboxylic acid cycle (TCA) that supplies substrate for OxPhos, we carried out NMR-based metabolomics studies. We found that high levels of DEK significantly reprogrammed cellular metabolism and altered the abundances of amino acids, TCA cycle intermediates and the glycolytic end products lactate, alanine and NAD+. Taken together, these data support a scenario whereby overexpression of the human DEK oncogene reprograms keratinocyte metabolism to fulfill energy and macromolecule demands required to enable and sustain cancer cell growth. PMID:28558019

Overexpression of the human DEK oncogene reprograms cellular metabolism and promotes glycolysis.

PubMed

Matrka, Marie C; Watanabe, Miki; Muraleedharan, Ranjithmenon; Lambert, Paul F; Lane, Andrew N; Romick-Rosendale, Lindsey E; Wells, Susanne I

2017-01-01

The DEK oncogene is overexpressed in many human malignancies including at early tumor stages. Our reported in vitro and in vivo models of squamous cell carcinoma have demonstrated that DEK contributes functionally to cellular and tumor survival and to proliferation. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms remain poorly understood. Based on recent RNA sequencing experiments, DEK expression was necessary for the transcription of several metabolic enzymes involved in anabolic pathways. This identified a possible mechanism whereby DEK may drive cellular metabolism to enable cell proliferation. Functional metabolic Seahorse analysis demonstrated increased baseline and maximum extracellular acidification rates, a readout of glycolysis, in DEK-overexpressing keratinocytes and squamous cell carcinoma cells. DEK overexpression also increased the maximum rate of oxygen consumption and therefore increased the potential for oxidative phosphorylation (OxPhos). To detect small metabolites that participate in glycolysis and the tricarboxylic acid cycle (TCA) that supplies substrate for OxPhos, we carried out NMR-based metabolomics studies. We found that high levels of DEK significantly reprogrammed cellular metabolism and altered the abundances of amino acids, TCA cycle intermediates and the glycolytic end products lactate, alanine and NAD+. Taken together, these data support a scenario whereby overexpression of the human DEK oncogene reprograms keratinocyte metabolism to fulfill energy and macromolecule demands required to enable and sustain cancer cell growth.

Symbiotic Origin of Aging.

PubMed

Greenberg, Edward F; Vatolin, Sergei

2018-06-01

Normally aging cells are characterized by an unbalanced mitochondrial dynamic skewed toward punctate mitochondria. Genetic and pharmacological manipulation of mitochondrial fission/fusion cycles can contribute to both accelerated and decelerated cellular or organismal aging. In this work, we connect these experimental data with the symbiotic theory of mitochondrial origin to generate new insight into the evolutionary origin of aging. Mitochondria originated from autotrophic α-proteobacteria during an ancient endosymbiotic event early in eukaryote evolution. To expand beyond individual host cells, dividing α-proteobacteria initiated host cell lysis; apoptosis is a product of this original symbiont cell lytic exit program. Over the course of evolution, the host eukaryotic cell attenuated the harmful effect of symbiotic proto-mitochondria, and modern mitochondria are now functionally interdependent with eukaryotic cells; they retain their own circular genomes and independent replication timing. In nondividing differentiated or multipotent eukaryotic cells, intracellular mitochondria undergo repeated fission/fusion cycles, favoring fission as organisms age. The discordance between cellular quiescence and mitochondrial proliferation generates intracellular stress, eventually leading to a gradual decline in host cell performance and age-related pathology. Hence, aging evolved from a conflict between maintenance of a quiescent, nonproliferative state and the evolutionarily conserved propagation program driving the life cycle of former symbiotic organisms: mitochondria.

Human T-cell leukemia virus-I tax oncoprotein functionally targets a subnuclear complex involved in cellular DNA damage-response.

PubMed

Haoudi, Abdelali; Daniels, Rodney C; Wong, Eric; Kupfer, Gary; Semmes, O John

2003-09-26

The virally encoded oncoprotein Tax has been implicated in HTLV-1-mediated cellular transformation. The exact mechanism by which this protein contributes to the oncogenic process is not known. However, it has been hypothesized that Tax induces genomic instability via repression of cellular DNA repair. We examined the effect of de novo Tax expression upon the cell cycle, because appropriate activation of cell cycle checkpoints is essential to a robust damage-repair response. Upon induction of tax expression, Jurkat T-cells displayed a pronounced accumulation in G2/M that was reversible by caffeine. We examined the G2-specific checkpoint signaling response in these cells and found activation of the ATM/chk2-mediated pathway, whereas the ATR/chk1-mediated response was unaffected. Immunoprecipitation with anti-chk2 antibody results in co-precipitation of Tax demonstrating a direct interaction of Tax with a chk2-containing complex. We also show that Tax targets a discrete nuclear site and co-localizes with chk2 and not chk1. This nuclear site, previously identified as Tax Speckled Structures (TSS), also contains the early damage response factor 53BP1. The recruitment of 53BP1 to TSS is dependent upon ATM signaling and requires expression of Tax. Specifically, Tax expression induces redistribution of diffuse nuclear 53BP1 to the TSS foci. Taken together these data suggest that the TSS describe a unique nuclear site involved in DNA damage recognition, repair response, and cell cycle checkpoint activation. We suggest that association of Tax with this multifunctional subnuclear site results in disruption of a subset of the site-specific activities and contributes to cellular genomic instability.

From egg to gastrula: How the cell cycle is remodeled during the Drosophila mid-blastula transition

PubMed Central

Farrell, Jeffrey A.; O’Farrell, Patrick H.

2015-01-01

Many, if not most, embryos begin development with extremely short cell cycles that exhibit unusually rapid DNA replication and no gap phases. The commitment to the cell cycle in the early embryo appears to preclude many other cellular processes which only emerge as the cell cycle slows, at a major embryonic transition known as the mid-blastula transition (MBT) just prior to gastrulation. As reviewed here, genetic and molecular studies in Drosophila have identified changes that extend S phase and introduce a post-replicative gap phase, G2, to slow the cell cycle. While many mysteries remain about the upstream regulators of these changes, we review the core mechanisms of the change in cell cycle regulation and discuss advances in our understanding of how these might be timed and triggered. Finally, we consider how the elements of this program may be conserved or changed in other organisms. PMID:25195504

Segmentation and classification of cell cycle phases in fluorescence imaging.

PubMed

Ersoy, Ilker; Bunyak, Filiz; Chagin, Vadim; Cardoso, M Christina; Palaniappan, Kannappan

2009-01-01

Current chemical biology methods for studying spatiotemporal correlation between biochemical networks and cell cycle phase progression in live-cells typically use fluorescence-based imaging of fusion proteins. Stable cell lines expressing fluorescently tagged protein GFP-PCNA produce rich, dynamically varying sub-cellular foci patterns characterizing the cell cycle phases, including the progress during the S-phase. Variable fluorescence patterns, drastic changes in SNR, shape and position changes and abundance of touching cells require sophisticated algorithms for reliable automatic segmentation and cell cycle classification. We extend the recently proposed graph partitioning active contours (GPAC) for fluorescence-based nucleus segmentation using regional density functions and dramatically improve its efficiency, making it scalable for high content microscopy imaging. We utilize surface shape properties of GFP-PCNA intensity field to obtain descriptors of foci patterns and perform automated cell cycle phase classification, and give quantitative performance by comparing our results to manually labeled data.

Eukaryotic Cell Cycle as a Test Case for Modeling Cellular Regulation in a Collaborative Problem-Solving Environment

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-03-01

mitoses, some cells arrest in G2 while other cells continue to divide. In sea urchin and frog embryos, the first 12 cell cycles are known to be driven...with interlaced feedback and feed forward control loops, the hand-waving approach flounders in a stormy sea of conflicting signals, endless...we reduced the rate constants for degradation of Clb2, as described in the publication. Experiment Copies/cell, mean ± SEM (fold increase

The cell cycle and acute kidney injury

PubMed Central

Price, Peter M.; Safirstein, Robert L.; Megyesi, Judit

2009-01-01

Acute kidney injury (AKI) activates pathways of cell death and cell proliferation. Although seemingly discrete and unrelated mechanisms, these pathways can now be shown to be connected and even to be controlled by similar pathways. The dependence of the severity of renal-cell injury on cell cycle pathways can be used to control and perhaps to prevent acute kidney injury. This review is written to address the correlation between cellular life and death in kidney tubules, especially in acute kidney injury. PMID:19536080

Alteration of Cell Cycle Mediated by Zinc in Human Bronchial ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Zinc (Zn2+), a ubiquitous ambient air contaminant, presents an oxidant challenge to the human lung and is linked to adverse human health effects. To further elucidate the adaptive and apoptotic cellular responses of human airway cells to Zn2+, we performed pilot studies to examine cell cycle perturbation upon exposure using a normal human bronchial epithelial cell culture (BEAS-2B). BEAS-2B cells were treated with low (0, 1, 2 µM) and apoptotic (3 µM) doses of Zn2+ plus 1 µM pyrithione, a Zn2+-specific ionophore facilitating cellular uptake, for up to 24 h. Fixed cells were then stained with propidium iodine (PI) and cell cycle phase was determined by fluorescent image cytometry. Initial results report the percentage of cells in the S phase after 18 h exposure to 1, 2, and 3 µM Zn2+ were similar (8%, 7%, and 12%, respectively) compared with 7% in controls. Cells exposed to 3 µM Zn2+ increased cell populations in G2/M phase (76% versus 68% in controls). Interestingly, exposure to 1 µM Zn2+ resulted in decreased (59%) cells in G2/M. While preliminary, these pilot studies suggest Zn2+ alters cell cycle in BEAS-2B cells, particularly in the G2/M phase. The G2/M checkpoint maintains DNA integrity by enabling initiation of DNA repair or apoptosis. Our findings suggest that the adaptive and apoptotic responses to Zn2+ exposure may be mediated via perturbation of the cell cycle at the G2/M checkpoint. This work was a collaborative summer student project. The st

The Effect of Spaceflight on Cartilage Cell Cycle and Differentiation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Doty, Stephen B.; Stiner, Dalina; Telford, William G.

2000-01-01

In vivo studies have shown that spaceflight results in loss of bone and muscle. In an effort to understand the mechanisms of these changes, cell cultures of cartilage, bone and muscle have been subjected to spaceflight to study the microgravity effects on differentiated cells. However it now seems possible that the cell differentiation process itself may be the event(s) most affected by spaceflight. For example, osteoblast-like cells have been shown to have reduced cellular activity in microgravity due to an underdifferentiated state (Carmeliet, et al, 1997). And reduced human lymphocyte growth in spaceflight was related to increased apoptosis (Lewis, et al, 1998). Which brings us to the question of whether reduced cellular activity in space is due to an effect on the differentiated cell, an effect on the cell cycle and cell proliferation, or an effect on cell death. This question has not been specifically addressed on previous flights and was the question behind die present study.

Cell biology perspectives in phage biology.

PubMed

Ansaldi, Mireille

2012-01-01

Cellular biology has long been restricted to large cellular organisms. However, as the resolution of microscopic methods increased, it became possible to study smaller cells, in particular bacterial cells. Bacteriophage biology is one aspect of bacterial cell biology that has recently gained insight from cell biology. Despite their small size, bacteriophages could be successfully labeled and their cycle studied in the host cells. This review aims to put together, although non-extensively, several cell biology studies that recently pushed the elucidation of key mechanisms in phage biology, such as the lysis-lysogeny decision in temperate phages or genome replication and transcription, one step further.

Time-lapse electrical impedance spectroscopy for monitoring the cell cycle of single immobilized S. pombe cells.

PubMed

Zhu, Zhen; Frey, Olivier; Haandbaek, Niels; Franke, Felix; Rudolf, Fabian; Hierlemann, Andreas

2015-11-26

As a complement and alternative to optical methods, wide-band electrical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) enables multi-parameter, label-free and real-time detection of cellular and subcellular features. We report on a microfluidics-based system designed to reliably capture single rod-shaped Schizosaccharomyces pombe cells by applying suction through orifices in a channel wall. The system enables subsequent culturing of immobilized cells in an upright position, while dynamic changes in cell-cycle state and morphology were continuously monitored through EIS over a broad frequency range. Besides measuring cell growth, clear impedance signals for nuclear division have been obtained. The EIS system has been characterized with respect to sensitivity and detection limits. The spatial resolution in measuring cell length was 0.25 μm, which corresponds to approximately a 5-min interval of cell growth under standard conditions. The comprehensive impedance data sets were also used to determine the occurrence of nuclear division and cytokinesis. The obtained results have been validated through concurrent confocal imaging and plausibilized through comparison with finite-element modeling data. The possibility to monitor cellular and intracellular features of single S. pombe cells during the cell cycle at high spatiotemporal resolution renders the presented microfluidics-based EIS system a suitable tool for dynamic single-cell investigations.

Time-lapse electrical impedance spectroscopy for monitoring the cell cycle of single immobilized S. pombe cells

PubMed Central

Zhu, Zhen; Frey, Olivier; Haandbaek, Niels; Franke, Felix; Rudolf, Fabian; Hierlemann, Andreas

2015-01-01

As a complement and alternative to optical methods, wide-band electrical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) enables multi-parameter, label-free and real-time detection of cellular and subcellular features. We report on a microfluidics-based system designed to reliably capture single rod-shaped Schizosaccharomyces pombe cells by applying suction through orifices in a channel wall. The system enables subsequent culturing of immobilized cells in an upright position, while dynamic changes in cell-cycle state and morphology were continuously monitored through EIS over a broad frequency range. Besides measuring cell growth, clear impedance signals for nuclear division have been obtained. The EIS system has been characterized with respect to sensitivity and detection limits. The spatial resolution in measuring cell length was 0.25 μm, which corresponds to approximately a 5-min interval of cell growth under standard conditions. The comprehensive impedance data sets were also used to determine the occurrence of nuclear division and cytokinesis. The obtained results have been validated through concurrent confocal imaging and plausibilized through comparison with finite-element modeling data. The possibility to monitor cellular and intracellular features of single S. pombe cells during the cell cycle at high spatiotemporal resolution renders the presented microfluidics-based EIS system a suitable tool for dynamic single-cell investigations. PMID:26608589

PKCeta enhances cell cycle progression, the expression of G1 cyclins and p21 in MCF-7 cells.

PubMed

Fima, E; Shtutman, M; Libros, P; Missel, A; Shahaf, G; Kahana, G; Livneh, E

2001-10-11

Protein kinase C encodes a family of enzymes implicated in cellular differentiation, growth control and tumor promotion. However, not much is known with respect to the molecular mechanisms that link protein kinase C to cell cycle control. Here we report that the expression of PKCeta in MCF-7 cells, under the control of a tetracycline-responsive inducible promoter, enhanced cell growth and affected the cell cycle at several points. The induced expression of another PKC isoform, PKCdelta, in MCF-7 cells had opposite effects and inhibited their growth. PKCeta expression activated cellular pathways in these cells that resulted in the increased expression of the G1 phase cyclins, cyclin D and cyclin E. Expression of the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p21(WAF1) was also specifically elevated in PKCeta expressing cells, but its overall effects were not inhibitory. Although, the protein levels of the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p27(KIP1) were not altered by the induced expression of PKCeta, the cyclin E associated Cdk2 kinase activity was in correlation with the p27(KIP1) bound to the cyclin E complex and not by p21(WAF1) binding. PKCeta expression enhanced the removal of p27(KIP1) from this complex, and its re-association with the cyclin D/Cdk4 complex. Reduced binding of p27(KIP1) to the cyclin D/Cdk4 complex at early time points of the cell cycle also enhanced the activity of this complex, while at later time points the decrease in bound p21(WAF1) correlated with its increased activity in PKCeta-expressing cells. Thus, PKCeta induces altered expression of several cell cycle functions, which may contribute to its ability to affect cell growth.

Fisetin and hesperetin induced apoptosis and cell cycle arrest in chronic myeloid leukemia cells accompanied by modulation of cellular signaling.

PubMed

Adan, Aysun; Baran, Yusuf

2016-05-01

Fisetin and hesperetin, naturally occurring flavonoids, have been reported as novel antioxidants with chemopreventive/chemotherapeutic potential against various types of cancer. However, their mechanism of action in CML is still unknown. This particular study aims to evaluate the therapeutic potentials of fisetin and hesperetin and their effects on cell proliferation, apoptosis, and cell cycle progression in human K562 CML cells. The results indicated that fisetin and hesperetin inhibited cell proliferation and triggered programmed cell death in these cells. The latter was confırmed by mitochondrial membrane depolarization and an increase in caspase-3 activation. In addition to that, we have detected S and G2/M cell cycle arrests and G0/G1 arrest upon fisetin and hesperetin treatment, respectively. To identify the altered genes and genetic networks in response to fisetin and hesperetin, whole-genome microarray analysis was performed. The microarray gene profiling analysis revealed some important signaling pathways including JAK/STAT pathway, KIT receptor signaling, and growth hormone receptor signaling that were altered upon fisetin and hesperetin treatment. Moreover, microarray data suggested potential candidate genes for targeted CML therapy. Fisetin and hesperetin significantly modulated the expression of genes involved in cell proliferation and division, apoptosis, cell cycle regulation, and other significant cellular processes such as replication, transcription, and translation. In conclusion, our results suggest that fisetin and hesperetin as potential natural agents for CML therapy.

Transcription Factor Binding Profiles Reveal Cyclic Expression of Human Protein-coding Genes and Non-coding RNAs

PubMed Central

Cheng, Chao; Ung, Matthew; Grant, Gavin D.; Whitfield, Michael L.

2013-01-01

Cell cycle is a complex and highly supervised process that must proceed with regulatory precision to achieve successful cellular division. Despite the wide application, microarray time course experiments have several limitations in identifying cell cycle genes. We thus propose a computational model to predict human cell cycle genes based on transcription factor (TF) binding and regulatory motif information in their promoters. We utilize ENCODE ChIP-seq data and motif information as predictors to discriminate cell cycle against non-cell cycle genes. Our results show that both the trans- TF features and the cis- motif features are predictive of cell cycle genes, and a combination of the two types of features can further improve prediction accuracy. We apply our model to a complete list of GENCODE promoters to predict novel cell cycle driving promoters for both protein-coding genes and non-coding RNAs such as lincRNAs. We find that a similar percentage of lincRNAs are cell cycle regulated as protein-coding genes, suggesting the importance of non-coding RNAs in cell cycle division. The model we propose here provides not only a practical tool for identifying novel cell cycle genes with high accuracy, but also new insights on cell cycle regulation by TFs and cis-regulatory elements. PMID:23874175

Measuring cell cycle progression kinetics with metabolic labeling and flow cytometry.

PubMed

Fleisig, Helen; Wong, Judy

2012-05-22

Precise control of the initiation and subsequent progression through the various phases of the cell cycle are of paramount importance in proliferating cells. Cell cycle division is an integral part of growth and reproduction and deregulation of key cell cycle components have been implicated in the precipitating events of carcinogenesis. Molecular agents in anti-cancer therapies frequently target biological pathways responsible for the regulation and coordination of cell cycle division. Although cell cycle kinetics tend to vary according to cell type, the distribution of cells amongst the four stages of the cell cycle is rather consistent within a particular cell line due to the consistent pattern of mitogen and growth factor expression. Genotoxic events and other cellular stressors can result in a temporary block of cell cycle progression, resulting in arrest or a temporary pause in a particular cell cycle phase to allow for instigation of the appropriate response mechanism. The ability to experimentally observe the behavior of a cell population with reference to their cell cycle progression stage is an important advance in cell biology. Common procedures such as mitotic shake off, differential centrifugation or flow cytometry-based sorting are used to isolate cells at specific stages of the cell cycle. These fractionated, cell cycle phase-enriched populations are then subjected to experimental treatments. Yield, purity and viability of the separated fractions can often be compromised using these physical separation methods. As well, the time lapse between separation of the cell populations and the start of experimental treatment, whereby the fractionated cells can progress from the selected cell cycle stage, can pose significant challenges in the successful implementation and interpretation of these experiments. Other approaches to study cell cycle stages include the use of chemicals to synchronize cells. Treatment of cells with chemical inhibitors of key metabolic processes for each cell cycle stage are useful in blocking the progression of the cell cycle to the next stage. For example, the ribonucleotide reductase inhibitor hydroxyurea halts cells at the G1/S juncture by limiting the supply of deoxynucleotides, the building blocks of DNA. Other notable chemicals include treatment with aphidicolin, a polymerase alpha inhibitor for G1 arrest, treatment with colchicine and nocodazole, both of which interfere with mitotic spindle formation to halt cells in M phase and finally, treatment with the DNA chain terminator 5-fluorodeoxyridine to initiate S phase arrest. Treatment with these chemicals is an effective means of synchronizing an entire population of cells at a particular phase. With removal of the chemical, cells rejoin the cell cycle in unison. Treatment of the test agent following release from the cell cycle blocking chemical ensures that the drug response elicited is from a uniform, cell cycle stage-specific population. However, since many of the chemical synchronizers are known genotoxic compounds, teasing apart the participation of various response pathways (to the synchronizers vs. the test agents) is challenging. Here we describe a metabolic labeling method for following a subpopulation of actively cycling cells through their progression from the DNA replication phase, through to the division and separation of their daughter cells. Coupled with flow cytometry quantification, this protocol enables for measurement of kinetic progression of the cell cycle in the absence of either mechanically- or chemically- induced cellular stresses commonly associated with other cell cycle synchronization methodologies. In the following sections we will discuss the methodology, as well as some of its applications in biomedical research.

Detecting proteins in highly autofluorescent cells using quantum dot antibody conjugates.

PubMed

Orcutt, Karen M; Ren, Shanshan; Gundersen, Kjell

2009-01-01

We have applied quantum dot (Qdot) antibody conjugates as a biomolecular probe for cellular proteins important in biogeochemical cycling in the sea. Conventional immunological methods have been hampered by the strong autofluorescence found in cyanobacteria cells. Qdot conjugates provide an ideal alternative for studies that require long-term imaging of cells such as detection of low abundance cellular antigens by fluorescence microscopy. The advantage of Qdot labeled probes over conventional immunological methods is the photostability of the probe. Phycoerythrin bleaches in cyanobacterial cells under prolonged UV or blue light excitation, which means that the semiconducting nanocrystal probe, the Qdot, can yield a strong fluorescent signal without interference from cellular pigments.

Cellular STAT3 functions via PCBP2 to restrain Epstein-Barr Virus lytic activation in B lymphocytes.

PubMed

Koganti, Siva; Clark, Carissa; Zhi, Jizu; Li, Xiaofan; Chen, Emily I; Chakrabortty, Sharmistha; Hill, Erik R; Bhaduri-McIntosh, Sumita

2015-05-01

A major hurdle to killing Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-infected tumor cells using oncolytic therapy is the presence of a substantial fraction of EBV-infected cells that does not support the lytic phase of EBV despite exposure to lytic cycle-promoting agents. To determine the mechanism(s) underlying this refractory state, we developed a strategy to separate lytic from refractory EBV-positive (EBV(+)) cells. By examining the cellular transcriptome in separated cells, we previously discovered that high levels of host STAT3 (signal transducer and activator of transcription 3) curtail the susceptibility of latently infected cells to lytic cycle activation signals. The goals of the present study were 2-fold: (i) to determine the mechanism of STAT3-mediated resistance to lytic activation and (ii) to exploit our findings to enhance susceptibility to lytic activation. We therefore analyzed our microarray data set, cellular proteomes of separated lytic and refractory cells, and a publically available STAT3 chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing (ChIP-Seq) data set to identify cellular PCBP2 [poly(C)-binding protein 2], an RNA-binding protein, as a transcriptional target of STAT3 in refractory cells. Using Burkitt lymphoma cells and EBV(+) cell lines from patients with hypomorphic STAT3 mutations, we demonstrate that single cells expressing high levels of PCBP2 are refractory to spontaneous and induced EBV lytic activation, STAT3 functions via cellular PCBP2 to regulate lytic susceptibility, and suppression of PCBP2 levels is sufficient to increase the number of EBV lytic cells. We expect that these findings and the genome-wide resources that they provide will accelerate our understanding of a longstanding mystery in EBV biology and guide efforts to improve oncolytic therapy for EBV-associated cancers. Most humans are infected with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), a cancer-causing virus. While EBV generally persists silently in B lymphocytes, periodic lytic (re)activation of latent virus is central to its life cycle and to most EBV-related diseases. However, a substantial fraction of EBV-infected B cells and tumor cells in a population is refractory to lytic activation. This resistance to lytic activation directly and profoundly impacts viral persistence and the effectiveness of oncolytic therapy for EBV(+) cancers. To identify the mechanisms that underlie susceptibility to EBV lytic activation, we used host gene and protein expression profiling of separated lytic and refractory cells. We find that STAT3, a transcription factor overactive in many cancers, regulates PCBP2, a protein important in RNA biogenesis, to regulate susceptibility to lytic cycle activation signals. These findings advance our understanding of EBV persistence and provide important leads on devising methods to improve viral oncolytic therapies. Copyright © 2015, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Knockdown of microtubule actin crosslinking factor 1 inhibits cell proliferation in MC3T3-E1 osteoblastic cells

PubMed Central

Hu, Lifang; Su, Peihong; Li, Runzhi; Yan, Kun; Chen, Zhihao; Shang, Peng; Qian, Airong

2015-01-01

Microtubule actin crosslinking factor 1 (MACF1), a widely expressed cytoskeletal linker, plays important roles in various cells by regulating cytoskeleton dynamics. However, its role in osteoblastic cells is not well understood. Based on our previous findings that the association of MACF1 with F-actin and microtubules in osteoblast-like cells was altered under magnetic force conditions, here, by adopting a stable MACF1-knockdown MC3T3-E1 osteoblastic cell line, we found that MACF1 knockdown induced large cells with a binuclear/multinuclear structure. Further, immunofluorescence staining showed disorganization of F-actin and microtubules in MACF1-knockdown cells. Cell counting revealed significant decrease of cell proliferation and cell cycle analysis showed an S phase cell cycle arrest in MACF1-knockdown cells. Moreover and interestingly, MACF1 knockdown showed a potential effect on cellular MTT reduction activity and mitochondrial content, suggesting an impact on cellular metabolic activity. These results together indicate an important role of MACF1 in regulating osteoblastic cell morphology and function. [BMB Reports 2015; 48(10): 583-588] PMID:26277981

Knockdown of microtubule actin crosslinking factor 1 inhibits cell proliferation in MC3T3-E1 osteoblastic cells.

PubMed

Hu, Lifang; Su, Peihong; Li, Runzhi; Yan, Kun; Chen, Zhihao; Shang, Peng; Qian, Airong

2015-10-01

Microtubule actin crosslinking factor 1 (MACF1), a widely expressed cytoskeletal linker, plays important roles in various cells by regulating cytoskeleton dynamics. However, its role in osteoblastic cells is not well understood. Based on our previous findings that the association of MACF1 with F-actin and microtubules in osteoblast-like cells was altered under magnetic force conditions, here, by adopting a stable MACF1-knockdown MC3T3-E1 osteoblastic cell line, we found that MACF1 knockdown induced large cells with a binuclear/multinuclear structure. Further, immunofluorescence staining showed disorganization of F-actin and microtubules in MACF1-knockdown cells. Cell counting revealed significant decrease of cell proliferation and cell cycle analysis showed an S phase cell cycle arrest in MACF1-knockdown cells. Moreover and interestingly, MACF1 knockdown showed a potential effect on cellular MTT reduction activity and mitochondrial content, suggesting an impact on cellular metabolic activity. These results together indicate an important role of MACF1 in regulating osteoblastic cell morphology and function.

Sibling rivalry in the E2F family.

PubMed

Trimarchi, Jeffrey M; Lees, Jacqueline A

2002-01-01

The E2F transcription factor family determines whether or not a cell will divide by controlling the expression of key cell-cycle regulators. The individual E2Fs can be divided into distinct subgroups that act in direct opposition to one another to promote either cellular proliferation or cell-cycle exit and terminal differentiation. What is the underlying molecular basis of this 'push-me-pull-you' regulation, and what are its biological consequences?

Radiosensitization of HNSCC cells by EGFR inhibition depends on the induction of cell cycle arrests

PubMed Central

Kriegs, Malte; Kasten-Pisula, Ulla; Riepen, Britta; Hoffer, Konstantin; Struve, Nina; Myllynen, Laura; Braig, Friederike; Binder, Mascha; Rieckmann, Thorsten; Grénman, Reidar; Petersen, Cordula; Dikomey, Ekkehard; Rothkamm, Kai

2016-01-01

The increase in cellular radiosensitivity by EGF receptor (EGFR) inhibition has been shown to be attributable to the induction of a G1-arrest in p53-proficient cells. Because EGFR targeting in combination with radiotherapy is used to treat head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCC) which are predominantly p53 mutated, we tested the effects of EGFR targeting on cellular radiosensitivity, proliferation, apoptosis, DNA repair and cell cycle control using a large panel of HNSCC cell lines. In these experiments EGFR targeting inhibited signal transduction, blocked proliferation and induced radiosensitization but only in some cell lines and only under normal (pre-plating) conditions. This sensitization was not associated with impaired DNA repair (53BP1 foci) or induction of apoptosis. However, it was associated with the induction of a lasting G2-arrest. Both, the radiosensitization and the G2-arrest were abrogated if the cells were re-stimulated (delayed plating) with actually no radiosensitization being detectable in any of the 14 tested cell lines. Therefore we conclude that EGFR targeting can induce a reversible G2 arrest in p53 deficient HNSCC cells, which does not consequently result in a robust cellular radiosensitization. Together with recent animal and clinical studies our data indicate that EGFR inhibition is no effective strategy to increase the radiosensitivity of HNSCC cells. PMID:27281611

The Role of Cellular Proliferation in Adipogenic Differentiation of Human Adipose Tissue-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells.

PubMed

Marquez, Maribel P; Alencastro, Frances; Madrigal, Alma; Jimenez, Jossue Loya; Blanco, Giselle; Gureghian, Alex; Keagy, Laura; Lee, Cecilia; Liu, Robert; Tan, Lun; Deignan, Kristen; Armstrong, Brian; Zhao, Yuanxiang

2017-11-01

Mitotic clonal expansion has been suggested as a prerequisite for adipogenesis in murine preadipocytes, but the precise role of cell proliferation during human adipogenesis is unclear. Using adipose tissue-derived human mesenchymal stem cells as an in vitro cell model for adipogenic study, a group of cell cycle regulators, including Cdk1 and CCND1, were found to be downregulated as early as 24 h after adipogenic initiation and consistently, cell proliferation activity was restricted to the first 48 h of adipogenic induction. Cell proliferation was either further inhibited using siRNAs targeting cell cycle genes or enhanced by supplementing exogenous growth factor, basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), at specific time intervals during adipogenesis. Expression knockdown of Cdk1 at the initiation of adipogenic induction resulted in significantly increased adipocytes, even though total number of cells was significantly reduced compared to siControl-treated cells. bFGF stimulated proliferation throughout adipogenic differentiation, but exerted differential effect on adipogenic outcome at different phases, promoting adipogenesis during mitotic phase (first 48 h), but significantly inhibiting adipogenesis during adipogenic commitment phase (days 3-6). Our results demonstrate that cellular proliferation is counteractive to adipogenic commitment in human adipogenesis. However, cellular proliferation stimulation can be beneficial for adipogenesis during the mitotic phase by increasing the population of cells capable of committing to adipocytes before adipogenic commitment.

Day-night cycles and the sleep-promoting factor, Sleepless, affect stem cell activity in the Drosophila testis.

PubMed

Tulina, Natalia M; Chen, Wen-Feng; Chen, Jung Hsuan; Sowcik, Mallory; Sehgal, Amita

2014-02-25

Adult stem cells maintain tissue integrity and function by renewing cellular content of the organism through regulated mitotic divisions. Previous studies showed that stem cell activity is affected by local, systemic, and environmental cues. Here, we explore a role of environmental day-night cycles in modulating cell cycle progression in populations of adult stem cells. Using a classic stem cell system, the Drosophila spermatogonial stem cell niche, we reveal daily rhythms in division frequencies of germ-line and somatic stem cells that act cooperatively to produce male gametes. We also examine whether behavioral sleep-wake cycles, which are driven by the environmental day-night cycles, regulate stem cell function. We find that flies lacking the sleep-promoting factor Sleepless, which maintains normal sleep in Drosophila, have increased germ-line stem cell (GSC) division rates, and this effect is mediated, in part, through a GABAergic signaling pathway. We suggest that alterations in sleep can influence the daily dynamics of GSC divisions.

Schiff bases of putrescine with methylglyoxal protect from cellular damage caused by accumulation of methylglyoxal and reactive oxygen species in Dictyostelium discoideum.

PubMed

Park, Seong-Jun; Kwak, Min-Kyu; Kang, Sa-Ouk

2017-05-01

Polyamines protect protein glycation in cells against the advanced glycation end product precursor methylglyoxal, which is inevitably produced during glycolysis, and the enzymes that detoxify this α-ketoaldehyde have been widely studied. Nonetheless, nonenzymatic methylglyoxal-scavenging molecules have not been sufficiently studied either in vitro or in vivo. Here, we hypothesized reciprocal regulation between polyamines and methylglyoxal modeled in Dictyostelium grown in a high-glucose medium. We based our hypothesis on the reaction between putrescine and methylglyoxal in putrescine-deficient (odc - ) or putrescine-overexpressing (odc oe ) cells. In these strains, growth and cell cycle were found to be dependent on cellular methylglyoxal and putrescine contents. The odc - cells showed growth defects and underwent G1 phase cell cycle arrest, which was efficiently reversed by exogenous putrescine. Cellular methylglyoxal, reactive oxygen species (ROS), and glutathione levels were remarkably changed in odc oe cells and odc̄ cells. These results revealed that putrescine may act as an intracellular scavenger of methylglyoxal and ROS. Herein, we observed interactions of putrescine and methylglyoxal via formation of a Schiff base complex, by UV-vis spectroscopy, and confirmed this adduct by liquid chromatography with mass spectrometry via electrospray ionization. Schiff bases were isolated, analyzed, and predicted to have molecular masses ranging from 124 to 130. We showed that cellular putrescine-methylglyoxal Schiff bases were downregulated in proportion to the levels of endogenous or exogenous putrescine and glutathione in the odc mutants. The putrescine-methylglyoxal Schiff base affected endogenous metabolite levels. This is the first report showing that cellular methylglyoxal functions as a signaling molecule through reciprocal interactions with polyamines by forming Schiff bases. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Research of epidermal cellular vegetal cycle of intravascular low level laser irradiation in treatment of psoriasis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Jing; Bao, Xiaoqing; Zhang, Mei-Jue

2005-07-01

Objective: To research epidermal cellular vegetal cycle and the difference of DNA content between pre and post Intravascular Low Level Laser Irradiation treatment of psoriasis. Method: 15 patients suffered from psoriasis were treated by intravascular low level laser irradiation (output power: 4-5mw, 1 hour per day, a course of treatment is 10 days). We checked the different DNA content of epidermal cell between pre and post treatment of psoriasis and 8 natural human. Then the percentage of each phase among the whole cellular cycle was calculated and the statistical analysis was made. Results: The mean value of G1/S phase is obviously down while G2+M phase increased obviously. T test P<0.05.The related statistical analysis showed significant difference between pre and post treatments. Conclusions: The Intravascular Low Level Laser Irradiation (ILLLI) in treatment of psoriasis is effective according to the research of epidermal cellular vegetal cycle and the difference DNA content of Intravascular Low Level Laser Irradiation between pre and post treatment of psoriasis

Light-dependent governance of cell shape dimensions in cyanobacteria.

PubMed

Montgomery, Beronda L

2015-01-01

The regulation of cellular dimension is important for the function and survival of cells. Cellular dimensions, such as size and shape, are regulated throughout the life cycle of bacteria and can be adapted in response to environmental changes to fine-tune cellular fitness. Cell size and shape are generally coordinated with cell growth and division. Cytoskeletal regulation of cell shape and cell wall biosynthesis and/or deposition occurs in a range of organisms. Photosynthetic organisms, such as cyanobacteria, particularly exhibit light-dependent regulation of morphogenes and generation of reactive oxygen species and other signals that can impact cellular dimensions. Environmental signals initiate adjustments of cellular dimensions, which may be vitally important for optimizing resource acquisition and utilization or for coupling the cellular dimensions with the regulation of subcellular organization to maintain optimal metabolism. Although the involvement of cytoskeletal components in the regulation of cell shape is widely accepted, the signaling factors that regulate cytoskeletal and other distinct components involved in cell shape control, particularly in response to changes in external light cues, remain to be fully elucidated. In this review, factors impacting the inter-coordination of growth and division, the relationship between the regulation of cellular dimensions and central carbon metabolism, and consideration of the effects of specific environment signals, primarily light, on cell dimensions in cyanobacteria will be discussed. Current knowledge about the molecular bases of the light-dependent regulation of cellular dimensions and cell shape in cyanobacteria will be highlighted.

The prohibitin-repressive interaction with E2F1 is rapidly inhibited by androgen signalling in prostate cancer cells

PubMed Central

Koushyar, S; Economides, G; Zaat, S; Jiang, W; Bevan, C L; Dart, D A

2017-01-01

Prohibitin (PHB) is a tumour suppressor molecule with pleiotropic activities across several cellular compartments including mitochondria, cell membrane and the nucleus. PHB and the steroid-activated androgen receptor (AR) have an interplay where AR downregulates PHB, and PHB represses AR. Additionally, their cellular locations and chromatin interactions are in dynamic opposition. We investigated the mechanisms of cell cycle inhibition by PHB and how this is modulated by AR in prostate cancer. Using a prostate cancer cell line overexpressing PHB, we analysed the gene expression changes associated with PHB-mediated cell cycle arrest. Over 1000 gene expression changes were found to be significant and gene ontology analysis confirmed PHB-mediated repression of genes essential for DNA replication and synthesis, for example, MCMs and TK1, via an E2F1 regulated pathway—agreeing with its G1/S cell cycle arrest activity. PHB is known to inhibit E2F1-mediated transcription, and the PHB:E2F1 interaction was seen in LNCaP nuclear extracts, which was then reduced by androgen treatment. Upon two-dimensional western blot analysis, the PHB protein itself showed androgen-mediated charge differentiation (only in AR-positive cells), indicating a potential dephosphorylation event. Kinexus phosphoprotein array analysis indicated that Src kinase was the main interacting intracellular signalling hub in androgen-treated LNCaP cells, and that Src inhibition could reduce this AR-mediated charge differentiation. PHB charge change may be associated with rapid dissociation from chromatin and E2F1, allowing the cell cycle to proceed. The AR and androgens may deactivate the repressive functions of PHB upon E2F1 leading to cell cycle progression, and indicates a role for AR in DNA replication licensing. PMID:28504694

Dickkopf-3 maintains the PANC-1 human pancreatic tumor cells in a dedifferentiated state.

PubMed

Zenzmaier, Christoph; Hermann, Martin; Hengster, Paul; Berger, Peter

2012-01-01

Pancreatic cancer (PaCa) is the fourth leading cause of cancer deaths in Western societies, with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomas (PDACs) accounting for >90% of such cases. PDAC is a heterogeneous disease that includes a subset showing overexpression of the secreted glycoprotein Dickkopf-related protein 3 (Dkk-3), a protein shown to be downregulated in various cancers of different tissues. The biological function of Dkk-3 in this subset was studied using the Dkk-3 expressing PANC-1 cell line as a model for PDACs. The influence of Dkk-3 overexpression and knockdown on cellular differentiation and proliferation of PANC-1 was investigated. Confocal microscopy showed that Dkk-3 was expressed in a fraction of PANC-1 cells. While lentiviral-mediated overexpression of DKK3 did not alter cellular proliferation, knockdown of DKK3 resulted in significant reduction of cellular proliferation and concomitant induction of cell cycle inhibitors CDKN2B (p15INK4b), CDKN1A (p21CIP1) and CDKN1B (p27KIP1). In parallel, pancreatic epithelial cell differentiation markers AMY2A, CELA1, CTRB1, GCG, GLB1 and INS were significantly upregulated. PANC-1 cells differentiated using exendin-4 showed analogous induction of cell cycle inhibitors and differentiation markers. Thus, we conclude that Dkk-3 is required to maintain a highly dedifferentiated and consequently proliferative state in PANC-1, indicating a similar function in the Dkk-3 overexpressing subset of PDACs. Therefore, Dkk-3 represents a potential target for the treatment of Dkk-3-positive subtypes of PaCa to drive cells into cell cycle arrest and differentiation.

Methylselenol, a selenium metabolite, induces cell cycle arrest in G1 phase and apoptosis via the extracellular-regulated kinase 1/2 pathway and other cancer signaling genes.

PubMed

Zeng, Huawei; Wu, Min; Botnen, James H

2009-09-01

Methylselenol has been hypothesized to be a critical selenium (Se) metabolite for anticancer activity in vivo, and our previous study demonstrated that submicromolar methylselenol generated by incubating methionase with seleno-l-methionine inhibits the migration and invasive potential of HT1080 tumor cells. However, little is known about the association between cancer signal pathways and methylselenol's inhibition of tumor cell invasion. In this study, we demonstrated that methylselenol exposure inhibited cell growth and we used a cancer signal pathway-specific array containing 15 different signal transduction pathways involved in oncogenesis to study the effect of methylselenol on cellular signaling. Using real-time RT-PCR, we confirmed that cellular mRNA levels of cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor 1C (CDKN1C), heme oxygenase 1, platelet/endothelial cell adhesion molecule, and PPARgamma genes were upregulated to 2.8- to 5.7-fold of the control. BCL2-related protein A1, hedgehog interacting protein, and p53 target zinc finger protein genes were downregulated to 26-52% of the control, because of methylselenol exposure. These genes are directly related to the regulation of cell cycle and apoptosis. Methylselenol increased apoptotic cells up to 3.4-fold of the control and inhibited the extracellular-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) signaling and cellular myelocytomatosis oncogene (c-Myc) expression. Taken together, our studies identify 7 novel methylselenol responsive genes and demonstrate that methylselenol inhibits ERK1/2 pathway activation and c-Myc expression. The regulation of these genes is likely to play a key role in G1 cell cycle arrest and apoptosis, which may contribute to the inhibition of tumor cell invasion.

Collagen Matrix Density Drives the Metabolic Shift in Breast Cancer Cells.

PubMed

Morris, Brett A; Burkel, Brian; Ponik, Suzanne M; Fan, Jing; Condeelis, John S; Aguirre-Ghiso, Julio A; Castracane, James; Denu, John M; Keely, Patricia J

2016-11-01

Increased breast density attributed to collagen I deposition is associated with a 4-6 fold increased risk of developing breast cancer. Here, we assessed cellular metabolic reprogramming of mammary carcinoma cells in response to increased collagen matrix density using an in vitro 3D model. Our initial observations demonstrated changes in functional metabolism in both normal mammary epithelial cells and mammary carcinoma cells in response to changes in matrix density. Further, mammary carcinoma cells grown in high density collagen matrices displayed decreased oxygen consumption and glucose metabolism via the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle compared to cells cultured in low density matrices. Despite decreased glucose entry into the TCA cycle, levels of glucose uptake, cell viability, and ROS were not different between high and low density matrices. Interestingly, under high density conditions the contribution of glutamine as a fuel source to drive the TCA cycle was significantly enhanced. These alterations in functional metabolism mirrored significant changes in the expression of metabolic genes involved in glycolysis, oxidative phosphorylation, and the serine synthesis pathway. This study highlights the broad importance of the collagen microenvironment to cellular expression profiles, and shows that changes in density of the collagen microenvironment can modulate metabolic shifts of cancer cells. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The steady-state level and stability of TLS polymerase eta are cell cycle dependent in the yeast S. cerevisiae.

PubMed

Plachta, Michal; Halas, Agnieszka; McIntyre, Justyna; Sledziewska-Gojska, Ewa

2015-05-01

Polymerase eta (Pol eta) is a ubiquitous translesion DNA polymerase that is capable of bypassing UV-induced pyrimidine dimers in an error-free manner. However, this specialized polymerase is error prone when synthesizing through an undamaged DNA template. In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, both depletion and overproduction of Pol eta result in mutator phenotypes. Therefore, regulation of the cellular abundance of this enzyme is of particular interest. However, based on the investigation of variously tagged forms of Pol eta, mutually contradictory conclusions have been reached regarding the stability of this polymerase in yeast. Here, we optimized a protocol for the detection of untagged yeast Pol eta and established that the half-life of the native enzyme is 80 ± 14 min in asynchronously growing cultures. Experiments with synchronized cells indicated that the cellular abundance of this translesion polymerase changes throughout the cell cycle. Accordingly, we show that the stability of Pol eta, but not its mRNA level, is cell cycle stage dependent. The half-life of the polymerase is more than fourfold shorter in G1-arrested cells than in those at G2/M. Our results, in concert with previous data for Rev1, indicate that cell cycle regulation is a general property of Y family TLS polymerases in S. cerevisiae. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Premature aging/senescence in cancer cells facing therapy: good or bad?

PubMed

Gonzalez, Llilians Calvo; Ghadaouia, Sabrina; Martinez, Aurélie; Rodier, Francis

2016-02-01

Normal and cancer cells facing their demise following exposure to radio-chemotherapy can actively participate in choosing their subsequent fate. These programmed cell fate decisions include true cell death (apoptosis-necroptosis) and therapy-induced cellular senescence (TIS), a permanent "proliferative arrest" commonly portrayed as premature cellular aging. Despite a permanent loss of proliferative potential, senescent cells remain viable and are highly bioactive at the microenvironment level, resulting in a prolonged impact on tissue architecture and functions. Cellular senescence is primarily documented as a tumor suppression mechanism that prevents cellular transformation. In the context of normal tissues, cellular senescence also plays important roles in tissue repair, but contributes to age-associated tissue dysfunction when senescent cells accumulate. Theoretically, in multi-step cancer progression models, cancer cells have already bypassed cellular senescence during their immortalization step (see hallmarks of cancer). It is then perhaps surprising to find that cancer cells often retain the ability to undergo TIS, or premature aging. This occurs because cellular senescence results from multiple signalling pathways, some retained in cancer cells, aiming to prevent cell cycle progression in damaged cells. Since senescent cancer cells persist after therapy and secrete an array of cytokines and growth factors that can modulate the tumor microenvironment, these cells may have beneficial and detrimental effects regarding immune modulation and survival of remaining proliferation-competent cancer cells. Similarly, while normal cells undergoing senescence are believed to remain indefinitely growth arrested, whether this is true for senescent cancer cells remains unclear, raising the possibility that these cells may represent a reservoir for cancer recurrence after treatment. This review discusses our current knowledge on cancer cell senescence and highlight questions that must be addressed to fully understand the beneficial and detrimental impacts of cellular senescence during cancer therapy.

Inhibition of p38 MAP kinase pathway induces apoptosis and prevents Epstein Barr virus reactivation in Raji cells exposed to lytic cycle inducing compounds

PubMed Central

Matusali, Giulia; Arena, Giuseppe; De Leo, Alessandra; Di Renzo, Livia; Mattia, Elena

2009-01-01

Background EBV lytic cycle activators, such as phorbol esters, anti-immunoglobulin, transforming growth factor β (TGFβ), sodium butyrate, induce apoptosis in EBV-negative but not in EBV-positive Burkitt's lymphoma (BL) cells. To investigate the molecular mechanisms allowing EBV-infected cells to be protected, we examined the expression of viral and cellular antiapoptotic proteins as well as the activation of signal transduction pathways in BL-derived Raji cells exposed to lytic cycle inducing agents. Results Our data show that, following EBV activation, the latent membrane protein 1 (LMP1) and the cellular anti-apoptotic proteins MCL-1 and BCL-2 were quickly up-regulated and that Raji cells remained viable even when exposed simultaneously to P(BU)2, sodium butyrate and TGFβ. We report here that inhibition of p38 pathway, during EBV activation, led to a three fold increment of apoptosis and largely prevented lytic gene expression. Conclusion These findings indicate that, during the switch from the latent to the lytic phase of EBV infection, p38 MAPK phosphorylation plays a key role both for protecting the host cells from apoptosis as well as for inducing viral reactivation. Because Raji cells are defective for late antigens expression, we hypothesize that the increment of LMP1 gene expression in the early phases of EBV lytic cycle might contribute to the survival of the EBV-positive cells. PMID:19272151

Analyzing the dynamics of cell cycle processes from fixed samples through ergodic principles

PubMed Central

Wheeler, Richard John

2015-01-01

Tools to analyze cyclical cellular processes, particularly the cell cycle, are of broad value for cell biology. Cell cycle synchronization and live-cell time-lapse observation are widely used to analyze these processes but are not available for many systems. Simple mathematical methods built on the ergodic principle are a well-established, widely applicable, and powerful alternative analysis approach, although they are less widely used. These methods extract data about the dynamics of a cyclical process from a single time-point “snapshot” of a population of cells progressing through the cycle asynchronously. Here, I demonstrate application of these simple mathematical methods to analysis of basic cyclical processes—cycles including a division event, cell populations undergoing unicellular aging, and cell cycles with multiple fission (schizogony)—as well as recent advances that allow detailed mapping of the cell cycle from continuously changing properties of the cell such as size and DNA content. This includes examples using existing data from mammalian, yeast, and unicellular eukaryotic parasite cell biology. Through the ongoing advances in high-throughput cell analysis by light microscopy, electron microscopy, and flow cytometry, these mathematical methods are becoming ever more important and are a powerful complementary method to traditional synchronization and time-lapse cell cycle analysis methods. PMID:26543196

Rapamycin Protects Skin Fibroblasts from Ultraviolet B-Induced Photoaging by Suppressing the Production of Reactive Oxygen Species.

PubMed

Qin, Dengke; Ren, Runjian; Jia, Chuanlong; Lu, Yongzhou; Yang, Qingjian; Chen, Liang; Wu, Xinyuan; Zhu, Jingjing; Guo, Yu; Yang, Ping; Zhou, Yiqun; Zhu, Ningwen; Bi, Bo; Liu, Tianyi

2018-01-01

Ultraviolet B (UVB) irradiation alters multiple molecular pathways in the skin, thereby inducing skin photoaging. Murine dermal fibroblasts (MDFs) were subjected to a series of 4 sub-cytotoxic UVB doses (120 mJ/cm2), resulting in changes in cell shape, DNA damage, cell cycle arrest, extracellular matrix variations, reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, and alterations in major intracellular antioxidant and cellular autophagy levels. Rapamycin (RAPA) is a new macrolide immunosuppressive agent that is primarily used in oncology, cardiology, and transplantation medicine and has been found to extend the lifespan of genetically heterogeneous mice. Several studies have shown that RAPA may have anti-aging effects in cells and organisms. Thus, in this study, we explored the effects and mechanisms of RAPA against the photoaging process using a well-established cellular photoaging model. We developed a stress-induced premature senescence (SIPS) model through repeated exposure of MDFs to ultraviolet B (UVB) irradiation. The cells were cultured in the absence or presence of RAPA for 48 h. Senescent phenotypes were assessed by examining cell viability, cell morphology, senescence-associated β-galactosidase (SA-β-gal) expression, cell cycle progression, intracellular ROS production, matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) synthesis and degradation, extracellular matrix (ECM) component protein expression, alterations in major intracellular antioxidant levels, and the cellular autophagy level. Compared with the UVB group, pretreatment with RAPA (5 µM) significantly decreased the staining intensity and percentage of SA-β-gal-positive cells and preserved the elongated cell shape. Moreover, cells pretreated with RAPA showed inhibition of the reduction in the type I collagen content by blocking the UVB-induced upregulation of MMP expression. RAPA also decreased photoaging cell cycle arrest and downregulated p53 and p21 expression. RAPA application significantly attenuated irradiation-induced ROS release by modulating intracellular antioxidants and increasing the autophagy level. Our study demonstrated that RAPA elicited oxidative damage in vitro by reducing ROS accumulation in photoaged fibroblasts. The anti-aging effect can be attributed to the maintenance of normal antioxidant and cellular autophagy levels. However, determination of the definitive mechanism requires further study. © 2018 The Author(s). Published by S. Karger AG, Basel.

Effect of MPS1 Inhibition on Genotoxic Stress Responses in Murine Tumour Cells.

PubMed

Suzuki, Motofumi; Yamamori, Tohru; Yasui, Hironobu; Inanami, Osamu

2016-06-01

The monopolar spindle 1 (MPS1) is a serine/threonine kinase that plays an important role in spindle assembly checkpoint signaling. To determine the possible relationship between MPS1 inhibition and genotoxic stress responses, herein we examined whether MPS1 inhibition influences cellular susceptibility towards two genotoxic treatments, etoposide and ionizing radiation (IR). Two murine tumour cell lines, SCCVII and EMT6, were used. The effect of genotoxic treatments with or without two novel MPS1 inhibitors, NMS-P715 and AZ3146, on cellular survival, cell-cycle distribution, centrosome status and mitotic catastrophe (MC) was evaluated. MPS1 inhibition sensitized murine tumour cells to etoposide but not to IR. In addition, MPS1 inhibition altered cell-cycle progression and exacerbated centrosome abnormalities, resulting in enhanced MC induced by etoposide but not by IR. MPS1 inhibition promotes the etoposide-induced aberrant mitosis and, consequently, the induction of tumour cell death. Copyright© 2016 International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. John G. Delinassios), All rights reserved.

H2O2 accelerates cellular senescence by accumulation of acetylated p53 via decrease in the function of SIRT1 by NAD+ depletion.

PubMed

Furukawa, Ayako; Tada-Oikawa, Saeko; Kawanishi, Shosuke; Oikawa, Shinji

2007-01-01

It has been reported that p53 acetylation, which promotes cellular senescence, can be regulated by the NAD(+)-dependent deacetylase SIRT1, the human homolog of yeast Sir2, a protein that modulates lifespan. To clarify the role of SIRT1 in cellular senescence induced by oxidative stress, we treated normal human diploid fibroblast TIG-3 cells with H(2)O(2) and examined DNA cleavage, depletion of intracellular NAD(+), expression of p21, SIRT1, and acetylated p53, cell cycle arrest, and senescence-associated beta-galactosidase (SA-beta-gal) activity. DNA cleavage was observed immediately in TIG-3 cells treated with H(2)O(2), though no cell death was observed. NAD(+) levels in TIG-3 cells treated with H(2)O(2) were also decreased significantly. Pre-incubation with the poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitor resulted in preservation of intracellular NAD(+) levels. The amount of acetylated p53 was increased in TIG-3 cells at 4h after H(2)O(2) treatment, while there was little to no decrease in SIRT1 protein expression. The expression level of p21 was increased at 12h and continued to increase for up to 24h. Additionally, exposure of TIG-3 cells to H(2)O(2) induced cell cycle arrest at 24h and increased SA-beta-gal activity at 48h. This pathway likely plays an important role in the acceleration of cellular senescence by oxidative stress.

Genomic signal processing: from matrix algebra to genetic networks.

PubMed

Alter, Orly

2007-01-01

DNA microarrays make it possible, for the first time, to record the complete genomic signals that guide the progression of cellular processes. Future discovery in biology and medicine will come from the mathematical modeling of these data, which hold the key to fundamental understanding of life on the molecular level, as well as answers to questions regarding diagnosis, treatment, and drug development. This chapter reviews the first data-driven models that were created from these genome-scale data, through adaptations and generalizations of mathematical frameworks from matrix algebra that have proven successful in describing the physical world, in such diverse areas as mechanics and perception: the singular value decomposition model, the generalized singular value decomposition model comparative model, and the pseudoinverse projection integrative model. These models provide mathematical descriptions of the genetic networks that generate and sense the measured data, where the mathematical variables and operations represent biological reality. The variables, patterns uncovered in the data, correlate with activities of cellular elements such as regulators or transcription factors that drive the measured signals and cellular states where these elements are active. The operations, such as data reconstruction, rotation, and classification in subspaces of selected patterns, simulate experimental observation of only the cellular programs that these patterns represent. These models are illustrated in the analyses of RNA expression data from yeast and human during their cell cycle programs and DNA-binding data from yeast cell cycle transcription factors and replication initiation proteins. Two alternative pictures of RNA expression oscillations during the cell cycle that emerge from these analyses, which parallel well-known designs of physical oscillators, convey the capacity of the models to elucidate the design principles of cellular systems, as well as guide the design of synthetic ones. In these analyses, the power of the models to predict previously unknown biological principles is demonstrated with a prediction of a novel mechanism of regulation that correlates DNA replication initiation with cell cycle-regulated RNA transcription in yeast. These models may become the foundation of a future in which biological systems are modeled as physical systems are today.

Structure and functions of the chaperone-like p97/CDC48 in plants.

PubMed

Bègue, Hervé; Jeandroz, Sylvain; Blanchard, Cécile; Wendehenne, David; Rosnoblet, Claire

2017-01-01

The chaperone-like p97 is a member of the AAA+ ATPase enzyme family that contributes to numerous cellular activities. P97 has been broadly studied in mammals (VCP/p97) and yeasts (CDC48: Cell Division Cycle 48/p97) and numerous investigations highlighted that this protein is post-translationally regulated, is structured in homohexamer and interacts with partners and cofactors that direct it to distinct cellular signalization pathway including protein quality control and degradation, cell cycle regulation, genome stability, vesicular trafficking, autophagy and immunity. p97 is also conserved in plants (CDC48) but its functions are less understood. In the present review we intended to present the state of the art of the structure, regulation and functions of CDC48 in plants. Evidence accumulated underline that CDC48 plays a crucial role in development, cell cycle regulation and protein turnover in plants. Furthermore, its involvement in plant immunity has recently emerged and first interacting partners have been identified, shedding light on its putative cellular activities. Identification of emerging functions of CDC48 in plants opens new roads of research in immunity and provides new insights into the mechanisms of protein quality control. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Inducing myoblast re-entry into the cell cycle: a potential mechanism for laser-enhanced skeletal muscle regeneration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, T.; Fang, Y.; Zhang, C. P.; Chen, P.; Wang, C. Z.; Kang, H. X.; Shen, B. J.; Liang, J.; Fu, X. B.

2014-09-01

This study investigated the effect of low-level laser irradiation (LLLI) on the cell cycle and proliferative activity of cultured myoblasts, and sought to elucidate the possible cellular mechanism by which LLLI promotes the regeneration of skeletal muscle in vivo. Primary myoblasts isolated from rat hindlegs were irradiated with helium-neon laser light at different energy densities. Distributions of cell-cycle subpopulations and the expression of cell-cycle regulatory proteins in myoblasts were assessed using flow cytometric analysis and western blot assay. It was found that laser irradiation stimulated cell-cycle entry; induced the expression of cyclin A and cyclin D; and increased cell proliferation index and bromodeoxyuridine incorporation as compared to the unirradiated control cells, indicating LLLI augmented the number of proliferative myoblasts in the S phase and G2/M phase of the cell cycle. These results suggest that LLLI at certain fluxes and wavelengths could activate quiescent myoblasts, leading to cell division and facilitating new myofiber formation. This could contribute to the improvement of skeletal muscle regeneration following trauma and myopathic diseases.

Stable Regulation of Cell Cycle Events in Mycobacteria: Insights From Inherently Heterogeneous Bacterial Populations.

PubMed

Logsdon, Michelle M; Aldridge, Bree B

2018-01-01

Model bacteria, such as E. coli and B. subtilis , tightly regulate cell cycle progression to achieve consistent cell size distributions and replication dynamics. Many of the hallmark features of these model bacteria, including lateral cell wall elongation and symmetric growth and division, do not occur in mycobacteria. Instead, mycobacterial growth is characterized by asymmetric polar growth and division. This innate asymmetry creates unequal birth sizes and growth rates for daughter cells with each division, generating a phenotypically heterogeneous population. Although the asymmetric growth patterns of mycobacteria lead to a larger variation in birth size than typically seen in model bacterial populations, the cell size distribution is stable over time. Here, we review the cellular mechanisms of growth, division, and cell cycle progression in mycobacteria in the face of asymmetry and inherent heterogeneity. These processes coalesce to control cell size. Although Mycobacterium smegmatis and Mycobacterium bovis Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) utilize a novel model of cell size control, they are similar to previously studied bacteria in that initiation of DNA replication is a key checkpoint for cell division. We compare the regulation of DNA replication initiation and strategies used for cell size homeostasis in mycobacteria and model bacteria. Finally, we review the importance of cellular organization and chromosome segregation relating to the physiology of mycobacteria and consider how new frameworks could be applied across the wide spectrum of bacterial diversity.

ATM Expression Predicts Veliparib and Irinotecan Sensitivity in Gastric Cancer by Mediating P53-Independent Regulation of Cell Cycle and Apoptosis.

PubMed

Subhash, Vinod Vijay; Tan, Shi Hui; Yeo, Mei Shi; Yan, Fui Leng; Peethala, Praveen C; Liem, Natalia; Krishnan, Vaidehi; Yong, Wei Peng

2016-12-01

Identification of synthetically lethal cellular targets and synergistic drug combinations is important in cancer chemotherapy as they help to overcome treatment resistance and increase efficacy. The Ataxia Telangiectasia Mutated (ATM) kinase is a nuclear protein that plays a major role in the initiation of DNA repair signaling and cell-cycle check points during DNA damage. Although ATM was shown to be associated with poor prognosis in gastric cancer, its implications as a predictive biomarker for cancer chemotherapy remain unexplored. The present study evaluated ATM-induced synthetic lethality and its role in sensitization of gastric cancer cells to PARP and TOP1 inhibitors, veliparib (ABT-888) and irinotecan (CPT-11), respectively. ATM expression was detected in a panel of gastric cell lines, and the IC 50 against each inhibitors was determined. The combinatorial effect of ABT-888 and CPT-11 in gastric cancer cells was also determined both in vitro and in vivo ATM deficiency was found to be associated with enhanced sensitivity to ABT-888 and CPT-11 monotherapy, hence suggesting a mechanism of synthetic lethality. Cells with high ATM expression showed reduced sensitivity to monotherapy; however, they showed a higher therapeutic effect with ABT-888 and CPT-11 combinatorial therapy. Furthermore, ATM expression was shown to play a major role in cellular homeostasis by regulating cell-cycle progression and apoptosis in a P53-independent manner. The present study highlights the clinical utility of ATM expression as a predictive marker for sensitivity of gastric cancer cells to PARP and TOP1 inhibition and provides a deeper mechanistic insight into ATM-dependent regulation of cellular processes. Mol Cancer Ther; 15(12); 3087-96. ©2016 AACR. ©2016 American Association for Cancer Research.

Nucleosome architecture throughout the cell cycle

PubMed Central

Deniz, Özgen; Flores, Oscar; Aldea, Martí; Soler-López, Montserrat; Orozco, Modesto

2016-01-01

Nucleosomes provide additional regulatory mechanisms to transcription and DNA replication by mediating the access of proteins to DNA. During the cell cycle chromatin undergoes several conformational changes, however the functional significance of these changes to cellular processes are largely unexplored. Here, we present the first comprehensive genome-wide study of nucleosome plasticity at single base-pair resolution along the cell cycle in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. We determined nucleosome organization with a specific focus on two regulatory regions: transcription start sites (TSSs) and replication origins (ORIs). During the cell cycle, nucleosomes around TSSs display rearrangements in a cyclic manner. In contrast to gap (G1 and G2) phases, nucleosomes have a fuzzier organization during S and M phases, Moreover, the choreography of nucleosome rearrangements correlate with changes in gene expression during the cell cycle, indicating a strong association between nucleosomes and cell cycle-dependent gene functionality. On the other hand, nucleosomes are more dynamic around ORIs along the cell cycle, albeit with tighter regulation in early firing origins, implying the functional role of nucleosomes on replication origins. Our study provides a dynamic picture of nucleosome organization throughout the cell cycle and highlights the subsequent impact on transcription and replication activity. PMID:26818620

Cell reprogramming modelled as transitions in a hierarchy of cell cycles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hannam, Ryan; Annibale, Alessia; Kühn, Reimer

2017-10-01

We construct a model of cell reprogramming (the conversion of fully differentiated cells to a state of pluripotency, known as induced pluripotent stem cells, or iPSCs) which builds on key elements of cell biology viz. cell cycles and cell lineages. Although reprogramming has been demonstrated experimentally, much of the underlying processes governing cell fate decisions remain unknown. This work aims to bridge this gap by modelling cell types as a set of hierarchically related dynamical attractors representing cell cycles. Stages of the cell cycle are characterised by the configuration of gene expression levels, and reprogramming corresponds to triggering transitions between such configurations. Two mechanisms were found for reprogramming in a two level hierarchy: cycle specific perturbations and a noise induced switching. The former corresponds to a directed perturbation that induces a transition into a cycle-state of a different cell type in the potency hierarchy (mainly a stem cell) whilst the latter is a priori undirected and could be induced, e.g. by a (stochastic) change in the cellular environment. These reprogramming protocols were found to be effective in large regimes of the parameter space and make specific predictions concerning reprogramming dynamics which are broadly in line with experimental findings.

Flow cytometric measurement of total DNA and incorporated halodeoxyuridine

DOEpatents

Dolbeare, F.A.; Gray, J.W.

1983-10-18

A method for the simultaneous flow cylometric measurement of total cellular DNA content and of the uptake of DNA precursors as a measure of DNA synthesis during various phases of the cell cycle in normal and malignant cells in vitro and in vivo is described. The method comprises reacting cells with labelled halodeoxyuridine (HdU), partially denaturing cellular DNA, adding to the reaction medium monoclonal antibodies (mabs) reactive with HdU, reacting the bound mabs with a second labelled antibody, incubating the mixture with a DNA stain, and measuring simultaneously the intensity of the DNA stain as a measure of the total cellular DNA and the HdU incorporated as a measure of DNA synthesis. (ACR)

Isolation and analysis of linker histones across cellular compartments

PubMed Central

Harshman, Sean W.; Chen, Michael M.; Branson, Owen E.; Jacob, Naduparambil K.; Johnson, Amy J.; Byrd, John C.; Freitas, Michael A.

2013-01-01

Analysis of histones, especially histone H1, is severely limited by immunological reagent availability. This paper describes the application of cellular fractionation with LC-MS for profiling histones in the cytosol and upon chromatin. First, we show that linker histones enriched by cellular fractionation gives less nuclear contamination and higher histone content than when prepared by nuclei isolation. Second, we profiled the soluble linker histones throughout the cell cycle revealing phosphorylation increases as cells reach mitosis. Finally, we monitored histone H1.2–H1.5 translocation to the cytosol in response to the CDK inhibitor flavopiridol in primary CLL cells treated ex vivo. Data shows all H1 variants translocate in response to drug treatment with no specific order to their cytosolic appearance. The results illustrate the utility of cellular fractionation in conjunction with LC-MS for the analysis of histone H1 throughout the cell. PMID:24013129

NONO couples the circadian clock to the cell cycle.

PubMed

Kowalska, Elzbieta; Ripperger, Juergen A; Hoegger, Dominik C; Bruegger, Pascal; Buch, Thorsten; Birchler, Thomas; Mueller, Anke; Albrecht, Urs; Contaldo, Claudio; Brown, Steven A

2013-01-29

Mammalian circadian clocks restrict cell proliferation to defined time windows, but the mechanism and consequences of this interrelationship are not fully understood. Previously we identified the multifunctional nuclear protein NONO as a partner of circadian PERIOD (PER) proteins. Here we show that it also conveys circadian gating to the cell cycle, a connection surprisingly important for wound healing in mice. Specifically, although fibroblasts from NONO-deficient mice showed approximately normal circadian cycles, they displayed elevated cell doubling and lower cellular senescence. At a molecular level, NONO bound to the p16-Ink4A cell cycle checkpoint gene and potentiated its circadian activation in a PER protein-dependent fashion. Loss of either NONO or PER abolished this activation and circadian expression of p16-Ink4A and eliminated circadian cell cycle gating. In vivo, lack of NONO resulted in defective wound repair. Because wound healing defects were also seen in multiple circadian clock-deficient mouse lines, our results therefore suggest that coupling of the cell cycle to the circadian clock via NONO may be useful to segregate in temporal fashion cell proliferation from tissue organization.

Next-generation sequencing reveals low-dose effects of cationic dendrimers in primary human bronchial epithelial cells.

PubMed

Feliu, Neus; Kohonen, Pekka; Ji, Jie; Zhang, Yuning; Karlsson, Hanna L; Palmberg, Lena; Nyström, Andreas; Fadeel, Bengt

2015-01-27

Gene expression profiling has developed rapidly in recent years with the advent of deep sequencing technologies such as RNA sequencing (RNA Seq) and could be harnessed to predict and define mechanisms of toxicity of chemicals and nanomaterials. However, the full potential of these technologies in (nano)toxicology is yet to be realized. Here, we show that systems biology approaches can uncover mechanisms underlying cellular responses to nanomaterials. Using RNA Seq and computational approaches, we found that cationic poly(amidoamine) dendrimers (PAMAM-NH2) are capable of triggering down-regulation of cell-cycle-related genes in primary human bronchial epithelial cells at doses that do not elicit acute cytotoxicity, as demonstrated using conventional cell viability assays, while gene transcription was not affected by neutral PAMAM-OH dendrimers. The PAMAMs were internalized in an active manner by lung cells and localized mainly in lysosomes; amine-terminated dendrimers were internalized more efficiently when compared to the hydroxyl-terminated dendrimers. Upstream regulator analysis implicated NF-κB as a putative transcriptional regulator, and subsequent cell-based assays confirmed that PAMAM-NH2 caused NF-κB-dependent cell cycle arrest. However, PAMAM-NH2 did not affect cell cycle progression in the human A549 adenocarcinoma cell line. These results demonstrate the feasibility of applying systems biology approaches to predict cellular responses to nanomaterials and highlight the importance of using relevant (primary) cell models.

Involvement of multiple cellular pathways in regulating resistance to tamoxifen in BIK-suppressed MCF-7 cells.

PubMed

Viedma-Rodríguez, Rubí; Ruiz Esparza-Garrido, Ruth; Baiza-Gutman, Luis Arturo; Velázquez-Flores, Miguel Ángel; García-Carrancá, Alejandro; Salamanca-Gómez, Fabio; Arenas-Aranda, Diego

2015-09-01

Majority of women with estrogen receptor (ER)-positive breast cancers initially respond to hormone therapies such as tamoxifen (TAM; antagonist of estrogen). However, many tumors eventually become resistant to TAM. Therefore, understanding the various cellular components involved in causing resistance to TAM is of paramount importance in designing novel entities for efficacious hormone therapy. Previously, we found that suppression of BIK gene expression induced TAM resistance in MCF-7 breast cancer cells. In order to understand the response of these cells to TAM and its association with resistance, a microarray analysis of gene expression was performed in the BIK-suppressed MCF-7 cells and compared it to the TAM-only-treated cells (controls). Several genes participating in various cellular pathways were identified. Molecules identified in the drug resistance pathway were 14-3-3z or YWHAZ, WEE1, PRKACA, NADK, and HSP90AA 1. Further, genes involved in cell cycle control, apoptosis, and cell proliferation were also found differentially expressed in these cells. Transcriptional and translational analysis of key molecules such as STAT2, AKT 3, and 14-3-3z revealed similar changes at the messenger RNA (mRNA) as well as at the protein level. Importantly, there was no cytotoxic effect of TAM on BIK-suppressed MCF-7 cells. Further, these cells were not arrested at the G0-G1 phase of the cell cycle although 30 % of BIK-suppressed cells were arrested at the G2 phase of the cycle on TAM treatment. Furthermore, we found a relevant interaction between 14-3-3z and WEE1, suggesting that the cytotoxic effect of TAM was prevented in BIK-suppressed cells because this interaction leads to transitory arrest in the G2 phase leading to the repair of damaged DNA and allowing the cells to proliferate.

The pathobiology and mechanisms of infection of HPV.

PubMed

Wood, N H; Khammissa, R A G; Chikte, U M E; Meyerov, R; Lemmer, J; Feller, L

2010-04-01

There are more than 120 types of low-risk and high-risk human papillomaviruses, all of which are epitheliotropic. HPV infection may be latent, or active in a subclinical form or a symptomatic form, the latter manifesting as benign or malignant neoplasms. In basal cells with non-productive HPV infection some early HPV proteins are expressed independently of cell maturation: the productive cycle of HPV replication depends upon specific cellular factors of the maturation of the infected keratinocytes. In HPV-mediated oncogenesis, the combined pathobiological effects of E6 and E7 oncoproteins of high-risk HPV culminate in cellular genomic instability and transformation of persistently infected cells, that progress to the development of a malignant phenotype. In this article we provide insights into the stages of HPV infection, and into the viral genomic organization and replicative cycle.

Nuclear Migration During Retinal Development

PubMed Central

Baye, Lisa M.; Link, Brian A.

2009-01-01

In this review we focus on the mechanisms, regulation, and cellular consequences of nuclear migration in the developing retina. In the nervous system, nuclear migration is prominent during both proliferative and post-mitotic phases of development. Interkinetic nuclear migration is the process where the nucleus oscillates from the apical to basal surfaces in proliferative neuroepithelia. Proliferative nuclear movement occurs in step with the cell cycle, with M-phase being confined to the apical surface and G1-, S-, and G2-phases occurring at more basal locations. Later, following cell cycle exit, some neuron precursors migrate by nuclear translocation. In this mode of cellular migration, nuclear movement is the driving force for motility. Following discussion of the key components and important regulators for each of these processes, we present an emerging model where interkinetic nuclear migration functions to distinguish cell fates among retinal neuroepithelia. PMID:17560964

HER4 selectively coregulates estrogen stimulated genes associated with breast tumor cell proliferation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Han, Wen; Jones, Frank E., E-mail: fjones3@tulane.edu

2014-01-10

Highlights: •HER4/4ICD is an obligate coactivator for 37% of estrogen regulated genes. •HER4/4ICD coactivated genes selectively regulate estrogen stimulated proliferation. •Estrogen stimulated tumor cell migration occurs independent of HER4/4ICD. •Disrupting HER4/4ICD and ER coactivated gene expression may suppress breast cancer. -- Abstract: The EGFR-family member HER4 undergoes regulated intramembrane proteolysis (RIP) to generate an intracellular domain (4ICD) that functions as a transcriptional coactivator. Accordingly, 4ICD coactivates the estrogen receptor (ER) and associates with ER at target gene promoters in breast tumor cells. However, the extent of 4ICD coactivation of ER and the functional significance of the 4ICD/ER transcriptional complex ismore » unclear. To identify 4ICD coactivated genes we performed a microarray gene expression analysis of β-estradiol treated cells comparing control MCF-7 breast cancer cells to MCF-7 cells where HER4 expression was stably suppressed using a shRNA. In the MCF-7 cell line, β-estradiol significantly stimulated or repressed by 2-fold or more 726 or 53 genes, respectively. Significantly, HER4/4ICD was an obligate coactivator for 277 or 38% of the β-estradiol stimulated genes. Ingenuity Pathway Analysis of β-estradiol regulated genes identified significant associations with multiple cellular functions regulating cellular growth and proliferation, cell cycle progression, cancer metastasis, decreased hypoplasia, tumor cell migration, apoptotic resistance of tumor cells, and increased transcription. Genes coactivated by 4ICD displayed functional specificity by only significantly contributing to cellular growth and proliferation, cell cycle progression, and decreased hypoplasia. In direct concordance with these in situ results we show that HER4 knockdown in MCF-7 cells results in a loss of estrogen stimulated tumor cell proliferation and cell cycle progression, whereas, estrogen stimulated tumor cell migration was unaffected by loss of HER4 expression. In summary, we demonstrate for the first time that a cell surface receptor functions as an obligate ER coactivator with functional specificity associated with breast tumor cell proliferation and cell cycle progression. Nearly 90% of ER positive tumors coexpress HER4, therefore we predict that the majority of breast cancer patients would benefit from a strategy to therapeutic disengage ER/4ICD coregulated tumor cell proliferation.« less

Tributyltin induces cell cycle arrest at G1 phase in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

PubMed

Sekito, Takayuki; Sugimoto, Naoko; Ishimoto, Masaya; Kawano-Kawada, Miyuki; Akiyama, Koichi; Nishimoto, Sogo; Sugahara, Takuya; Kakinuma, Yoshimi

2014-04-01

Tributyltin (TBT) has long been recognized as a major environmental pollutant that can cause significant damage to the cellular functions as well as disruption of endocrine homeostasis. TBT induces apoptosis accompanied by production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in mammalian and yeast cells. We observed that the budding yeast cells exposed to this compound at low concentrations exhibited cell growth arrest, but not cell death. Flow cytometric analysis of yeast cells without synchronization and morphological assessment of cells synchronized at M phase by nocodazole treatment indicated that TBT-exposed Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells were arrested at G1 phase of the cell cycle. This arrest was recovered by the addition of N-acetylcysteine, suggesting the involvement of ROS production by TBT. This is the first study to evaluate the action of TBT on cell cycle events.

VEGF improves survival of mesenchymal stem cells in infarcted hearts

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Pons, Jennifer; Huang Yu; Arakawa-Hoyt, Janice

2008-11-14

Bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) are a promising source for cell-based treatment of myocardial infarction (MI), but existing strategies are restricted by low cell survival and engraftment. We examined whether vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) improve MSC viability in infracted hearts. We found long-term culture increased MSC-cellular stress: expressing more cell cycle inhibitors, p16{sup INK}, p21 and p19{sup ARF}. VEGF treatment reduced cellular stress, increased pro-survival factors, phosphorylated-Akt and Bcl-xL expression and cell proliferation. Co-injection of MSCs with VEGF to MI hearts increased cell engraftment and resulted in better improvement of cardiac function than that injected with MSCs ormore » VEGF alone. In conclusion, VEGF protects MSCs from culture-induce cellular stress and improves their viability in ischemic myocardium, which results in improvements of their therapeutic effect for the treatment of MI.« less

Apoptotic transition of senescent cells accompanied with mitochondrial hyper-function

PubMed Central

Wang, Danli; Liu, Yang; Zhang, Rui; Zhang, Fen; Sui, Weihao; Chen, Li; Zheng, Ran; Chen, Xiaowen; Wen, Feiqiu; Ouyang, Hong-Wei; Ji, Junfeng

2016-01-01

Defined as stable cell-cycle arrest, cellular senescence plays an important role in diverse biological processes including tumorigenesis, organismal aging, and embryonic development. Although increasing evidence has documented the metabolic changes in senescent cells, mitochondrial function and its potential contribution to the fate of senescent cells remain largely unknown. Here, using two in vitro models of cellular senescence induced by doxorubicin treatment and prolonged passaging of neonatal human foreskin fibroblasts, we report that senescent cells exhibited high ROS level and augmented glucose metabolic rate concomitant with both morphological and quantitative changes of mitochondria. Furthermore, mitochondrial membrane potential depolarized at late stage of senescent cells which eventually led to apoptosis. Our study reveals that mitochondrial hyper-function contributes to the implementation of cellular senescence and we propose a model in which the mitochondrion acts as the key player in promoting fate-determination in senescent cells. PMID:27056883

Organizing the Cellular and Molecular Heterogeneity in High-Grade Serous Ovarian Cancer by Mass Cytometry

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-10-01

Bendall SC, Sung P, Nolan GP, Arvin AM. Single-cell mass cytometry analysis of human tonsil T cell remodeling by varicella zoster virus. Cell Rep...Perspectives on Flow Cytometry 2013, September 20, 2013, Mass Cytometry and Cell Cycle, Mexico City, Mexico (by Web Conference) Nolan: Nuclear

TASK-3 Downregulation Triggers Cellular Senescence and Growth Inhibition in Breast Cancer Cell Lines.

PubMed

Zúñiga, Rafael; Valenzuela, Claudio; Concha, Guierdy; Brown, Nelson; Zúñiga, Leandro

2018-03-29

TASK-3 potassium channels are believed to promote proliferation and survival of cancer cells, in part, by augmenting their resistance to both hypoxia and serum deprivation. While overexpression of TASK-3 is frequently observed in cancers, the understanding of its role and regulation during tumorigenesis remains incomplete. Here, we evaluated the effect of reducing the expression of TASK-3 in MDA-MB-231 and MCF-10F human mammary epithelial cell lines through small hairpin RNA (shRNA)-mediated knockdown. Our results show that knocking down TASK-3 in fully transformed MDA-MB-231 cells reduces proliferation, which was accompanied by an induction of cellular senescence and cell cycle arrest, with an upregulation of cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) inhibitors p21 and p27. In non-tumorigenic MCF-10F cells, however, TASK-3 downregulation did not lead to senescence induction, although cell proliferation was impaired and an upregulation of CDK inhibitors was also evident. Our observations implicate TASK-3 as a critical factor in cell cycle progression and corroborate its potential as a therapeutic target in breast cancer treatment.

TASK-3 Downregulation Triggers Cellular Senescence and Growth Inhibition in Breast Cancer Cell Lines

PubMed Central

Zúñiga, Rafael; Valenzuela, Claudio; Concha, Guierdy; Brown, Nelson; Zúñiga, Leandro

2018-01-01

TASK-3 potassium channels are believed to promote proliferation and survival of cancer cells, in part, by augmenting their resistance to both hypoxia and serum deprivation. While overexpression of TASK-3 is frequently observed in cancers, the understanding of its role and regulation during tumorigenesis remains incomplete. Here, we evaluated the effect of reducing the expression of TASK-3 in MDA-MB-231 and MCF-10F human mammary epithelial cell lines through small hairpin RNA (shRNA)-mediated knockdown. Our results show that knocking down TASK-3 in fully transformed MDA-MB-231 cells reduces proliferation, which was accompanied by an induction of cellular senescence and cell cycle arrest, with an upregulation of cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) inhibitors p21 and p27. In non-tumorigenic MCF-10F cells, however, TASK-3 downregulation did not lead to senescence induction, although cell proliferation was impaired and an upregulation of CDK inhibitors was also evident. Our observations implicate TASK-3 as a critical factor in cell cycle progression and corroborate its potential as a therapeutic target in breast cancer treatment. PMID:29596383

Why do bacteria divide?

PubMed Central

Norris, Vic

2015-01-01

The problem of not only how but also why cells divide can be tackled using recent ideas. One idea from the origins of life – Life as independent of its constituents – is that a living entity like a cell is a particular pattern of connectivity between its constituents. This means that if the growing cell were just to get bigger the average connectivity between its constituents per unit mass – its cellular connectivity – would decrease and the cell would lose its identity. The solution is division which restores connectivity. The corollary is that the cell senses decreasing cellular connectivity and uses this information to trigger division. A second idea from phenotypic diversity – Life on the Scales of Equilibria – is that a bacterium must find strategies that allow it to both survive and grow. This means that it has learnt to reconcile the opposing constraints that these strategies impose. The solution is that the cell cycle generates daughter cells with different phenotypes based on sufficiently complex equilibrium (E) and non-equilibrium (NE) cellular compounds and structures appropriate for survival and growth, respectively, alias ‘hyperstructures.’ The corollary is that the cell senses both the quantity of E material and the intensity of use of NE material and then uses this information to trigger the cell cycle. A third idea from artificial intelligence – Competitive Coherence – is that a cell selects the active subset of elements that actively determine its phenotype from a much larger set of available elements. This means that the selection of an active subset of a specific size and composition must be done so as to generate both a coherent cell state, in which the cell’s contents work together harmoniously, and a coherent sequence of cell states, each coherent with respect to itself and to an unpredictable environment. The solution is the use of a range of mechanisms ranging from hyperstructure dynamics to the cell cycle itself. PMID:25932025

Phosphorylation of Nucleotide Excision Repair Factor Xeroderma Pigmentosum Group A by Ataxia Telangiectasia Mutated and Rad3-Related-Dependent Checkpoint Pathway Promotes Cell Survival in Response to UV Irradiation

PubMed Central

Wu, Xiaoming; Shell, Steven M.; Yang, Zhengguan; Zou, Yue

2006-01-01

DNA damage triggers complex cellular responses in eukaryotic cells, including initiation of DNA repair and activation of cell cycle checkpoints. In addition to inducing cell cycle arrest, checkpoint also has been suggested to modulate a variety of other cellular processes in response to DNA damage. In this study, we present evidence showing that the cellular function of xeroderma pigmentosum group A (XPA), a major nucleotide excision repair (NER) factor, could be modulated by checkpoint kinase ataxia-telangiectasia mutated and Rad3-related (ATR) in response to UV irradiation. We observed the apparent interaction and colocalization of XPA with ATR in response to UV irradiation. We showed that XPA was a substrate for in vitro phosphorylation by phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase-related kinase family kinases whereas in cells XPA was phosphorylated in an ATR-dependent manner and stimulated by UV irradiation. The Ser196 of XPA was identified as a biologically significant residue to be phosphorylated in vivo. The XPA-deficient cells complemented with XPA-S196A mutant, in which Ser196 was substituted with an alanine, displayed significantly higher UV sensitivity compared with the XPA cells complemented with wild-type XPA. Moreover, substitution of Ser196 with aspartic acid for mimicking the phosphorylation of XPA increased the cell survival to UV irradiation. Taken together, our results revealed a potential physical and functional link between NER and the ATR-dependent checkpoint pathway in human cells and suggested that the ATR checkpoint pathway could modulate the cellular activity of NER through phosphorylation of XPA at Ser196 on UV irradiation. PMID:16540648

The bornavirus-derived human protein EBLN1 promotes efficient cell cycle transit, microtubule organisation and genome stability.

PubMed

Myers, Katie N; Barone, Giancarlo; Ganesh, Anil; Staples, Christopher J; Howard, Anna E; Beveridge, Ryan D; Maslen, Sarah; Skehel, J Mark; Collis, Spencer J

2016-10-14

It was recently discovered that vertebrate genomes contain multiple endogenised nucleotide sequences derived from the non-retroviral RNA bornavirus. Strikingly, some of these elements have been evolutionary maintained as open reading frames in host genomes for over 40 million years, suggesting that some endogenised bornavirus-derived elements (EBL) might encode functional proteins. EBLN1 is one such element established through endogenisation of the bornavirus N gene (BDV N). Here, we functionally characterise human EBLN1 as a novel regulator of genome stability. Cells depleted of human EBLN1 accumulate DNA damage both under non-stressed conditions and following exogenously induced DNA damage. EBLN1-depleted cells also exhibit cell cycle abnormalities and defects in microtubule organisation as well as premature centrosome splitting, which we attribute in part, to improper localisation of the nuclear envelope protein TPR. Our data therefore reveal that human EBLN1 possesses important cellular functions within human cells, and suggest that other EBLs present within vertebrate genomes may also possess important cellular functions.

HEAT SHOCK FACTOR 1-MEDIATED THERMOTOLERANCE PREVENTS CELL DEATH AND RESULTS IN G2/M CELL CYCLE ARREST

EPA Science Inventory

Mammalian cells respond to stress by activating heat shock transcription factors (e.g., HSF1) that regulate increased synthesis of heat shock proteins (HSPs). HSPs mediate protection from deleterious effects of stress by preventing permanent disruption of normal cellular mitosis...

Cellular injury evidenced by impedance technology and infrared microspectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

le Roux, K.; Prinsloo, L. C.; Meyer, D.

2015-03-01

Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy is finding increasing biological application, for example in the analysis of diseased tissues and cells, cell cycle studies and investigating the mechanisms of action of anticancer drugs. Cancer treatment studies routinely define the types of cell-drug responses as either total cell destruction by the drug (all cells die), moderate damage (cell deterioration where some cells survive) or reversible cell cycle arrest (cytostasis). In this study the loss of viability and related chemical stress experienced by cells treated with the medicinal plant, Plectranthus ciliatus, was investigated using real time cell electronic sensing (RT-CES) technology and FTIR microspectroscopy. The use of plants as medicines is well established and ethnobotany has proven that crude extracts can serve as treatments against various ailments. The aim of this study was to determine whether FTIR microspectroscopy would successfully distinguish between different types of cellular injury induced by a potentially anticancerous plant extract. Cervical adenocarcinoma (HeLa) cells were treated with a crude extract of Pciliatus and cells monitored using RT-CES to characterize the type of cellular responses induced. Cell populations were then investigated using FTIR microspectroscopy and statistically analysed using One-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and Principal Component Analysis (PCA). The plant extract and a cancer drug control (actinomycin D) induced concentration dependent cellular responses ranging from nontoxic, cytostatic or cytotoxic. Thirteen spectral peaks (915 cm-1, 933 cm-1, 989 cm-1, 1192 cm-1, 1369 cm-1, 1437 cm-1, 1450 cm-1, 1546 cm-1, 1634 cm-1, 1679 cm-1 1772 cm-1, 2874 cm-1 and 2962 cm-1) associated with cytotoxicity were significantly (p value < 0.05, one way ANOVA, Tukey test, Bonferroni) altered, while two of the bands were also indicative of early stress related responses. In PCA, poor separation between nontoxic and cytostatic responses was evident while clear separation was linked to cytotoxicity. RT-CES detected morphological changes as indicators of cell injury and could distinguish between viable, cytostatic and cytotoxic responses. FTIR microspectroscopy confirmed that cytostatic cells were viable and could still recover while also describing early cellular stress related responses on a molecular level.

The architecture and conservation pattern of whole-cell control circuitry.

PubMed

McAdams, Harley H; Shapiro, Lucy

2011-05-27

The control circuitry that directs and paces Caulobacter cell cycle progression involves the entire cell operating as an integrated system. This control circuitry monitors the environment and the internal state of the cell, including the cell topology, as it orchestrates orderly activation of cell cycle subsystems and Caulobacter's asymmetric cell division. The proteins of the Caulobacter cell cycle control system and its internal organization are co-conserved across many alphaproteobacteria species, but there are great differences in the regulatory apparatus' functionality and peripheral connectivity to other cellular subsystems from species to species. This pattern is similar to that observed for the "kernels" of the regulatory networks that regulate development of metazoan body plans. The Caulobacter cell cycle control system has been exquisitely optimized as a total system for robust operation in the face of internal stochastic noise and environmental uncertainty. When sufficient details accumulate, as for Caulobacter cell cycle regulation, the system design has been found to be eminently rational and indeed consistent with good design practices for human-designed asynchronous control systems. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effect of adenosine on the growth of human T-lymphocyte leukemia cell line MOLT-4.

PubMed

Streitová, Denisa; Weiterová, Lenka; Hofer, Michal; Holá, Jirina; Horváth, Viktor; Kozubík, Alois; Znojil, Vladimír

2007-09-01

Adenosine has been observed to suppress the growth of MOLT-4 human leukemia cells in vitro. Changes in the cell cycle, especially increased percentage of cells in S phase, prolonged generation time, and induction of apoptosis at higher adenosine concentrations have been found to be responsible for the growth suppression. Dipyridamole, a drug inhibiting the cellular uptake of adenosine, reversed partially but significantly the adenosine-induced growth suppression. It follows from these results that the action of adenosine on the MOLT-4 cells comprises its cellular uptake and intracellular operation. These findings present new data on anticancer efficacy of adenosine.

SB225002 Induces Cell Death and Cell Cycle Arrest in Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Cells through the Activation of GLIPR1

PubMed Central

Leal, Paulo C.; Bhasin, Manoj K.; Zenatti, Priscila Pini; Nunes, Ricardo J.; Yunes, Rosendo A.; Nowill, Alexandre E.; Libermann, Towia A.; Zerbini, Luiz Fernando; Yunes, José Andrés

2015-01-01

Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) is the most frequent childhood malignancy. In the effort to find new anti-leukemic agents, we evaluated the small drug SB225002 (N-(2-hydroxy-4-nitrophenyl)-N’-(2-bromophenyl)urea). Although initially described as a selective antagonist of CXCR2, later studies have identified other cellular targets for SB225002, with potential medicinal use in cancer. We found that SB225002 has a significant pro-apoptotic effect against both B- and T-ALL cell lines. Cell cycle analysis demonstrated that treatment with SB225002 induces G2-M cell cycle arrest. Transcriptional profiling revealed that SB225002-mediated apoptosis triggered a transcriptional program typical of tubulin binding agents. Network analysis revealed the activation of genes linked to the JUN and p53 pathways and inhibition of genes linked to the TNF pathway. Early cellular effects activated by SB225002 included the up-regulation of GLIPR1, a p53-target gene shown to have pro-apoptotic activities in prostate and bladder cancer. Silencing of GLIPR1 in B- and T-ALL cell lines resulted in increased resistance to SB225002. Although SB225002 promoted ROS increase in ALL cells, antioxidant N-Acetyl Cysteine pre-treatment only modestly attenuated cell death, implying that the pro-apoptotic effects of SB225002 are not exclusively mediated by ROS. Moreover, GLIPR1 silencing resulted in increased ROS levels both in untreated and SB225002-treated cells. In conclusion, SB225002 induces cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in different B- and T-ALL cell lines. Inhibition of tubulin function with concurrent activation of the p53 pathway, in particular, its downstream target GLIPR1, seems to underlie the anti-leukemic effect of SB225002. PMID:26302043

The amino-terminal matrix assembly domain of fibronectin stabilizes cell shape and prevents cell cycle progression.

PubMed

Christopher, R A; Judge, S R; Vincent, P A; Higgins, P J; McKeown-Longo, P J

1999-10-01

Adhesion to the extracellular matrix modulates the cellular response to growth factors and is critical for cell cycle progression. The present study was designed to address the relationship between fibronectin matrix assembly and cell shape or shape dependent cellular processes. The binding of fibronectin's amino-terminal matrix assembly domain to adherent cells represents the initial step in the assembly of exogenous fibronectin into the extracellular matrix. When added to monolayers of pulmonary artery endothelial cells, the 70 kDa fragment of fibronectin (which contains the matrix assembly domain) stabilized both the extracellular fibronectin matrix as well as the actin cytoskeleton against cytochalasin D-mediated structural reorganization. This activity appeared to require specific fibronectin sequences as fibronectin fragments containing the cell adhesion domain as well as purified vitronectin were ineffective inhibitors of cytochalasin D-induced cytoarchitectural restructuring. Such pronounced morphologic consequences associated with exposure to the 70 kDa fragment suggested that this region of the fibronectin molecule may affect specific growth traits known to be influenced by cell shape. To assess this possibility, the 70 kDa fragment was added to scrape-wounded monolayers of bovine microvessel endothelium and the effects on two shape-dependent processes (i.e. migration and proliferation) were measured as a function of time after injury and location from the wound. The addition of amino-terminal fragments of fibronectin to the monolayer significantly inhibited (by >50%) wound closure. Staining of wounded monolayers with BrdU, moreover, indicated that either the 70 kDa or 25 kDa amino-terminal fragments of fibronectin, but not the 40 kDa collagen binding fragment, also inhibited cell cycle progression. These results suggest that the binding of fibronectin's amino-terminal region to endothelial cell layers inhibits cell cycle progression by stabilizing cell shape.

3,3′-Diindolylmethane Ameliorates Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis by Promoting Cell Cycle Arrest and Apoptosis in Activated T Cells through MicroRNA Signaling Pathways

PubMed Central

Rouse, Michael; Rao, Roshni; Nagarkatti, Mitzi

2014-01-01

3,3′-Diindolylmethane (DIM) is a naturally derived indole found in cruciferous vegetables that has great potential as a novel and effective therapeutic agent. In the current study, we investigated the effects of DIM post-treatment on the regulation of activated T cells during the development of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), a murine model of multiple sclerosis. We demonstrated that the administration of DIM 10 days after EAE induction was effective at ameliorating disease parameters, including inflammation and central nervous system cellular infiltration. MicroRNA (miRNA) microarray analysis revealed an altered miRNA profile in brain infiltrating CD4+ T cells following DIM post-treatment of EAE mice. Additionally, bioinformatics analysis suggested the involvement of DIM-induced miRNAs in pathways and processes that halt cell cycle progression and promote apoptosis. Additional studies confirmed that DIM impacted these cellular processes in activated T cells. Further evidence indicated that DIM treatment significantly upregulated several miRNAs (miR-200c, miR-146a, miR-16, miR-93, and miR-22) in brain CD4+ T cells during EAE while suppressing their associated target genes. Similarly, we found that overexpression of miR-16 in primary CD4+ T cells led to significant downregulation of both mRNA and protein levels of cyclin E1 and B-cell lymphoma-2, which play important roles in regulating cell cycle progression and apoptosis. Collectively, these studies demonstrate that DIM post-treatment leads to the amelioration of EAE development by suppressing T-cell responses through the induction of select miRNAs that control cell cycle progression and mediate apoptosis. PMID:24898268

Impact of jamming on collective cell migration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nnetu, Kenechukwu David; Knorr, Melanie; Pawlizak, Steve; Fuhs, Thomas; Zink, Mareike; KäS, Josef A.

2012-02-01

Multi-cellular migration plays an important role in physiological processes such as embryogenesis, cancer metastasis and tissue repair. During migration, single cells undergo cycles of extension, adhesion and retraction resulting in morphological changes. In a confluent monolayer, there are inter-cellular interactions and crowding, however, the impact of these interactions on the dynamics and elasticity of the monolayer at the multi-cellular and single cell level is not well understood. Here we study the dynamics of a confluent epithelial monolayer by simultaneously measuring cell motion at the multi-cellular and single cell level for various cell densities and tensile elasticity. At the multi-cellular level, the system exhibited spatial kinetic transitions from isotropic to anisotropic migration on long times and the velocity of the monolayer decreased with increasing cell density. Moreover, the dynamics was spatially and temporally heterogeneous. Interestingly, the dynamics was also heterogeneous in wound-healing assays and the correlation length was fitted by compressed exponential. On the single cell scale, we observed transient caging effects with increasing cage rearrangement times as the system age due to an increase in density. Also, the density dependent elastic modulus of the monolayer scaled as a weak power law. Together, these findings suggest that caging effects at the single cell level initiates a slow and heterogeneous dynamics at the multi-cellular level which is similar to the glassy dynamics of deformable colloidal systems.

Mps1 (Monopolar Spindle 1) Protein Inhibition Affects Cellular Growth and Pro-Embryogenic Masses Morphology in Embryogenic Cultures of Araucaria angustifolia (Araucariaceae).

PubMed

Douétts-Peres, Jackellinne C; Cruz, Marco Antônio L; Reis, Ricardo S; Heringer, Angelo S; de Oliveira, Eduardo A G; Elbl, Paula M; Floh, Eny I S; Silveira, Vanildo; Santa-Catarina, Claudete

2016-01-01

Somatic embryogenesis has been shown to be an efficient tool for studying processes based on cell growth and development. The fine regulation of the cell cycle is essential for proper embryo formation during the process of somatic embryogenesis. The aims of the present work were to identify and perform a structural and functional characterization of Mps1 and to analyze the effects of the inhibition of this protein on cellular growth and pro-embryogenic mass (PEM) morphology in embryogenic cultures of A. angustifolia. A single-copy Mps1 gene named AaMps1 was retrieved from the A. angustifolia transcriptome database, and through a mass spectrometry approach, AaMps1 was identified and quantified in embryogenic cultures. The Mps1 inhibitor SP600125 (10 μM) inhibited cellular growth and changed PEMs, and these effects were accompanied by a reduction in AaMps1 protein levels in embryogenic cultures. Our work has identified the Mps1 protein in a gymnosperm species for the first time, and we have shown that inhibiting Mps1 affects cellular growth and PEM differentiation during A. angustifolia somatic embryogenesis. These data will be useful for better understanding cell cycle control during somatic embryogenesis in plants.

Mps1 (Monopolar Spindle 1) Protein Inhibition Affects Cellular Growth and Pro-Embryogenic Masses Morphology in Embryogenic Cultures of Araucaria angustifolia (Araucariaceae)

PubMed Central

Douétts-Peres, Jackellinne C.; Cruz, Marco Antônio L.; Reis, Ricardo S.; Heringer, Angelo S.; de Oliveira, Eduardo A. G.; Elbl, Paula M.; Floh, Eny I. S.; Silveira, Vanildo

2016-01-01

Somatic embryogenesis has been shown to be an efficient tool for studying processes based on cell growth and development. The fine regulation of the cell cycle is essential for proper embryo formation during the process of somatic embryogenesis. The aims of the present work were to identify and perform a structural and functional characterization of Mps1 and to analyze the effects of the inhibition of this protein on cellular growth and pro-embryogenic mass (PEM) morphology in embryogenic cultures of A. angustifolia. A single-copy Mps1 gene named AaMps1 was retrieved from the A. angustifolia transcriptome database, and through a mass spectrometry approach, AaMps1 was identified and quantified in embryogenic cultures. The Mps1 inhibitor SP600125 (10 μM) inhibited cellular growth and changed PEMs, and these effects were accompanied by a reduction in AaMps1 protein levels in embryogenic cultures. Our work has identified the Mps1 protein in a gymnosperm species for the first time, and we have shown that inhibiting Mps1 affects cellular growth and PEM differentiation during A. angustifolia somatic embryogenesis. These data will be useful for better understanding cell cycle control during somatic embryogenesis in plants. PMID:27064899

Biochemical changes to fibroblast cells subjected to ionizing radiation.

PubMed

Jones, Pamala; Benghuzzi, Hamed; Tucci, Michelle; Richards, Latoya; Harrison, George; Patel, Ramesh

2008-01-01

High energy X-rays are capable of interacting with biological membranes to cause both functional and structural modifications. The goal of the present study was to investigate the effects human fibroblast cells exposed multiple times to 10 Gy over time. Following exposures of 2, 3, or 4 times to 10 Gy/10min the cells were evaluated for cell number changes, membrane damage, and intracellular glutathione content after 24, 48 and 72 hours. Twenty-four hours following exposure the cell numbers were reduced and increased levels of cellular membrane damage was evident. This trend was observed for the duration of the study. Interestingly, there was not an exposure dependent increase in cell damage or cell loss with time. Intracellular antioxidant systems were activated as indicated by anincrease in total cellular glutathione content. Additional studies are needed to determine if the cellular reduction is caused by a direct effect of the X-rays targeting the DNA or an indirect effect of the X-ray targeting the cellular membrane, which then generates radicals that target cell cycle checkpoints or DNA damage. In conclusion, fibroblast cells can be used to determine early and late events of cellular function following exposure to harmful levels of radiation exposure and results of exposure can be seen within twenty four hours.

Cyclin A and the retinoblastoma gene product complex with a common transcription factor.

PubMed

Bandara, L R; Adamczewski, J P; Hunt, T; La Thangue, N B

1991-07-18

The retinoblastoma gene (Rb) product is a negative regulator of cellular proliferation, an effect that could be mediated in part at the transcriptional level through its ability to complex with the sequence-specific transcription factor DRTF1. This interaction is modulated by adenovirus E1a, which sequesters the Rb protein and several other cellular proteins, including cyclin A, a molecule that undergoes cyclical accumulation and destruction during each cell cycle and which is required for cell cycle progression. Cyclin A, which also complexes with DRTF1, facilitates the efficient assembly of the Rb protein into the complex. This suggests a role for cyclin A in regulating transcription and defines a transcription factor through which molecules that regulate the cell cycle in a negative fashion, such as Rb, and in a positive fashion, such as cyclin A, interact. Mutant loss-of-function Rb alleles, which occur in a variety of tumour cells, also fail to complex with E1a and large T antigen. Here we report on a naturally occurring loss-of-function Rb allele encoding a protein that fails to complex with DRTF1. This might explain how mutation in the Rb gene prevents negative growth control.

PrP(C) regulates epidermal growth factor receptor function and cell shape dynamics in Neuro2a cells.

PubMed

Llorens, Franc; Carulla, Patricia; Villa, Ana; Torres, Juan M; Fortes, Puri; Ferrer, Isidre; del Río, José A

2013-10-01

The prion protein (PrP) plays a key role in prion disease pathogenesis. Although the misfolded and pathologic variant of this protein (PrP(SC)) has been studied in depth, the physiological role of PrP(C) remains elusive and controversial. PrP(C) is a cell-surface glycoprotein involved in multiple cellular functions at the plasma membrane, where it interacts with a myriad of partners and regulates several intracellular signal transduction cascades. However, little is known about the gene expression changes modulated by PrP(C) in animals and in cellular models. In this article, we present PrP(C)-dependent gene expression signature in N2a cells and its implication in the most overrepresented functions: cell cycle, cell growth and proliferation, and maintenance of cell shape. PrP(C) over-expression enhances cell proliferation and cell cycle re-entrance after serum stimulation, while PrP(C) silencing slows down cell cycle progression. In addition, MAP kinase and protein kinase B (AKT) pathway activation are under the regulation of PrP(C) in asynchronous cells and following mitogenic stimulation. These effects are due in part to the modulation of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) by PrP(C) in the plasma membrane, where the two proteins interact in a multimeric complex. We also describe how PrP(C) over-expression modulates filopodia formation by Rho GTPase regulation mainly in an AKT-Cdc42-N-WASP-dependent pathway. © 2013 International Society for Neurochemistry.

Genome-wide screen identifies novel machineries required for both ciliogenesis and cell cycle arrest upon serum starvation

PubMed Central

Kim, Ji Hyun; Ki, Soo Mi; Joung, Je-Gun; Scott, Eric; Heynen-Genel, Susanne; Aza-Blanc, Pedro; Kwon, Chang Hyuk; Kim, Joon; Gleeson, Joseph G.; Lee, Ji Eun

2016-01-01

Biogenesis of the primary cilium, a cellular organelle mediating various signaling pathways, is generally coordinated with cell cycle exit/re-entry. Although the dynamic cell cycle-associated profile of the primary cilium has been largely accepted, the mechanism governing the link between ciliogenesis and cell cycle progression has been poorly understood. Using a human genome-wide RNAi screen, we identify genes encoding subunits of the spliceosome and proteasome as novel regulators of ciliogenesis. We demonstrate that 1) the mRNA processing-related hits are essential for RNA expression of molecules acting in cilia disassembly, such as AURKA and PLK1, and 2) the ubiquitin-proteasome systems (UPS)-involved hits are necessary for proteolysis of molecules acting in cilia assembly, such as IFT88 and CPAP. In particular, we show that these screen hit-associated mechanisms are crucial for both cilia assembly and cell cycle arrest in response to serum withdrawal. Finally, our data suggest that the mRNA processing mechanism may modulate the UPS-dependent decay of cilia assembly regulators to control ciliary resorption-coupled cell cycle re-entry. PMID:27033521

Mechano-logical model of C. elegans germ line suggests feedback on the cell cycle

PubMed Central

Atwell, Kathryn; Qin, Zhao; Gavaghan, David; Kugler, Hillel; Hubbard, E. Jane Albert; Osborne, James M.

2015-01-01

The Caenorhabditis elegans germ line is an outstanding model system in which to study the control of cell division and differentiation. Although many of the molecules that regulate germ cell proliferation and fate decisions have been identified, how these signals interact with cellular dynamics and physical forces within the gonad remains poorly understood. We therefore developed a dynamic, 3D in silico model of the C. elegans germ line, incorporating both the mechanical interactions between cells and the decision-making processes within cells. Our model successfully reproduces key features of the germ line during development and adulthood, including a reasonable ovulation rate, correct sperm count, and appropriate organization of the germ line into stably maintained zones. The model highlights a previously overlooked way in which germ cell pressure may influence gonadogenesis, and also predicts that adult germ cells might be subject to mechanical feedback on the cell cycle akin to contact inhibition. We provide experimental data consistent with the latter hypothesis. Finally, we present cell trajectories and ancestry recorded over the course of a simulation. The novel approaches and software described here link mechanics and cellular decision-making, and are applicable to modeling other developmental and stem cell systems. PMID:26428008

KSHV cell attachment sites revealed by ultra sensitive tyramide signal amplification (TSA) localize to membrane microdomains that are up-regulated on mitotic cells.

PubMed

Garrigues, H Jacques; Rubinchikova, Yelena E; Rose, Timothy M

2014-03-01

Cell surface structures initiating attachment of Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) were characterized using purified hapten-labeled virions visualized by confocal microscopy with a sensitive fluorescent enhancement using tyramide signal amplification (TSA). KSHV attachment sites were present in specific cellular domains, including actin-based filopodia, lamellipodia, ruffled membranes, microvilli and intercellular junctions. Isolated microdomains were identified on the dorsal surface, which were heterogeneous in size with a variable distribution that depended on cellular confluence and cell cycle stage. KSHV binding domains ranged from scarce on interphase cells to dense and continuous on mitotic cells, and quantitation of bound virus revealed a significant increase on mitotic compared to interphase cells. KSHV also bound to a supranuclear domain that was distinct from microdomains in confluent and interphase cells. These results suggest that rearrangement of the cellular membrane during mitosis induces changes in cell surface receptors implicated in the initial attachment stage of KSHV entry. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Interference of Selected Cytotoxic Alkaloids with the Cytoskeleton: An Insight into Their Modes of Action.

PubMed

Wang, Xiaojuan; Tanaka, Mine; Krstin, Sonja; Peixoto, Herbenya Silva; Wink, Michael

2016-07-12

Alkaloids, the largest group among the nitrogen-containing secondary metabolites of plants, usually interact with several molecular targets. In this study, we provide evidence that six cytotoxic alkaloids (sanguinarine, chelerythrine, chelidonine, noscapine, protopine, homoharringtonine), which are known to affect neuroreceptors, protein biosynthesis and nucleic acids, also interact with the cellular cytoskeleton, such as microtubules and actin filaments, as well. Sanguinarine, chelerythrine and chelidonine depolymerized the microtubule network in living cancer cells (Hela cells and human osteosarcoma U2OS cells) and inhibited tubulin polymerization in vitro with IC50 values of 48.41 ± 3.73, 206.39 ± 4.20 and 34.51 ± 9.47 μM, respectively. However, sanguinarine and chelerythrine did not arrest the cell cycle while 2.5 μM chelidonine arrested the cell cycle in the G₂/M phase with 88.27% ± 0.99% of the cells in this phase. Noscapine and protopine apparently affected microtubule structures in living cells without affecting tubulin polymerization in vitro, which led to cell cycle arrest in the G2/M phase, promoting this cell population to 73.42% ± 8.31% and 54.35% ± 11.26% at a concentration of 80 μM and 250.9 μM, respectively. Homoharringtonine did not show any effects on microtubules and cell cycle, while the known microtubule-stabilizing agent paclitaxel was found to inhibit tubulin polymerization in the presence of MAPs in vitro with an IC50 value of 38.19 ± 3.33 μM. Concerning actin filaments, sanguinarine, chelerythrine and chelidonine exhibited a certain effect on the cellular actin filament network by reducing the mass of actin filaments. The interactions of these cytotoxic alkaloids with microtubules and actin filaments present new insights into their molecular modes of action.

The functional role for condensin in the regulation of chromosomal organization during the cell cycle.

PubMed

Kagami, Yuya; Yoshida, Kiyotsugu

2016-12-01

In all organisms, the control of cell cycle progression is a fundamental process that is essential for cell growth, development, and survival. Through each cell cycle phase, the regulation of chromatin organization is essential for natural cell proliferation and maintaining cellular homeostasis. During mitosis, the chromatin morphology is dramatically changed to have a "thread-like" shape and the condensed chromosomes are segregated equally into two daughter cells. Disruption of the mitotic chromosome architecture physically impedes chromosomal behaviors, such as chromosome alignment and chromosome segregation; therefore, the proper mitotic chromosome structure is required to maintain chromosomal stability. Accumulating evidence has demonstrated that mitotic chromosome condensation is induced by condensin complexes. Moreover, recent studies have shown that condensin also modulates interphase chromatin and regulates gene expression. This review mainly focuses on the molecular mechanisms that condensin uses to exert its functions during the cell cycle progression. Moreover, we discuss the condensin-mediated chromosomal organization in cancer cells.

Human Skin Cells Are More Sensitive than Human Lung Cells to the Cytotoxic and Cell Cycle Arresting Impacts of Particulate and Soluble Hexavalent Chromium

PubMed Central

Xie, Hong; Holmes, Amie L.; Wise, Sandra S.; Young, Jamie L.; Wise, James T. F.; Wise, John Pierce

2015-01-01

Hexavalent chromium Cr(VI) is a known human lung carcinogen, with solubility playing an important role in its carcinogenic potency. Dermal exposure to Cr(VI) is common and has been associated with skin damage; however, no link between chromate exposure and skin cancer has been found. In this study, we compared the cytotoxic and clastogenic effects of Cr(VI) and its impacts on cell cycle progression in human lung and skin fibroblasts. We found human skin cells arrested earlier in their cell cycle and exhibit more cytotoxicity than human lung cells, despite taking up similar amounts of Cr. These outcomes are consistent with a hypothesis that different cellular and molecular responses underlie the differences in carcinogenic outcome in these two tissues. PMID:25805272

HBV core promoter mutations promote cellular proliferation through E2F1-mediated upregulation of S-phase kinase-associated protein 2 transcription.

PubMed

Huang, Yuehua; Tai, Andrew W; Tong, Shuping; Lok, Anna S F

2013-06-01

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) core promoter (CP) mutations have been associated with an increased risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in clinical studies. We previously reported that a combination of CP mutations seen in HCC patients, expressed in HBx gene, increased SKP2 (S-phase kinase-associated protein 2) expression, thereby promoting cellular proliferation. Here, we investigate the possible mechanisms by which CP mutations upregulate SKP2. We used immunoblotting and ATPlite assay to validate the effect of CP mutations in full-length HBV genome on cell cycle regulator levels and cell proliferation. Activation of SKP2 mRNA was assessed by quantitative real-time PCR in primary human hepatocytes (PHH) and HCC cell lines. Effect of CP mutations on SKP2 promoter activity was determined by luciferase assay. Target regulation of E2F1 on SKP2 was analyzed by siRNAs. CP mutations in full-length HBV genome upregulated SKP2 expression, thereby downregulating cell cycle inhibitors and accelerating cellular proliferation. CP mutations enhanced SKP2 promoter activity but had no effect on SKP2 protein stability. Mapping of the SKP2 promoter identified a region necessary for activation by CP mutations that contains an E2F1 response element. Knocking down E2F1 reduced the effects of CP mutations on SKP2 and cellular proliferation. The effect of CP mutations on E2F1 might be mediated through hyperphosphorylation of RB. HBV CP mutations enhance SKP2 transcription by activating the E2F1 transcription factor and in turn downregulate cell cycle inhibitors, thus providing a potential mechanism for an association between CP mutations and HCC. Copyright © 2013 European Association for the Study of the Liver. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Matrix Rigidity Regulates Cancer Cell Growth by Modulating Cellular Metabolism and Protein Synthesis

PubMed Central

Tilghman, Robert W.; Blais, Edik M.; Cowan, Catharine R.; Sherman, Nicholas E.; Grigera, Pablo R.; Jeffery, Erin D.; Fox, Jay W.; Blackman, Brett R.; Tschumperlin, Daniel J.; Papin, Jason A.; Parsons, J. Thomas

2012-01-01

Background Tumor cells in vivo encounter diverse types of microenvironments both at the site of the primary tumor and at sites of distant metastases. Understanding how the various mechanical properties of these microenvironments affect the biology of tumor cells during disease progression is critical in identifying molecular targets for cancer therapy. Methodology/Principal Findings This study uses flexible polyacrylamide gels as substrates for cell growth in conjunction with a novel proteomic approach to identify the properties of rigidity-dependent cancer cell lines that contribute to their differential growth on soft and rigid substrates. Compared to cells growing on more rigid/stiff substrates (>10,000 Pa), cells on soft substrates (150–300 Pa) exhibited a longer cell cycle, due predominantly to an extension of the G1 phase of the cell cycle, and were metabolically less active, showing decreased levels of intracellular ATP and a marked reduction in protein synthesis. Using stable isotope labeling of amino acids in culture (SILAC) and mass spectrometry, we measured the rates of protein synthesis of over 1200 cellular proteins under growth conditions on soft and rigid/stiff substrates. We identified cellular proteins whose syntheses were either preferentially inhibited or preserved on soft matrices. The former category included proteins that regulate cytoskeletal structures (e.g., tubulins) and glycolysis (e.g., phosphofructokinase-1), whereas the latter category included proteins that regulate key metabolic pathways required for survival, e.g., nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase, a regulator of the NAD salvage pathway. Conclusions/Significance The cellular properties of rigidity-dependent cancer cells growing on soft matrices are reminiscent of the properties of dormant cancer cells, e.g., slow growth rate and reduced metabolism. We suggest that the use of relatively soft gels as cell culture substrates would allow molecular pathways to be studied under conditions that reflect the different mechanical environments encountered by cancer cells upon metastasis to distant sites. PMID:22623999

CAS role in the brain apoptosis of Bufo arenarum induced by cypermethrin.

PubMed

Izaguirre, M F; Vergara, M N; Casco, V H

2006-08-01

CAS might have a key role in the apoptosis induced by toxins, acting as anti-apoptotic factor, stimulating the cellular proliferation and the cell contact stabilization. To start to elucidate their role in the brain apoptosis of Bufo arenarum induced by cypermethrin (CY), the expression patterns of CAS and several cell adhesion molecules (CAMs) were established. Bufo arenarum tadpoles of the control and acute bioassay survival at different doses (39, 156, 625 and 2,500 microg CY/L) and times (24, 48, 72 and 96 h) of CY treatment were fixed in Carnoy, embedded in paraffin and sectioned. CAS and CAMs expression was determined by immunofluorescence and immunohistochemistry, respectively. When the bioassay starts, CAS increases suggesting a proliferative or regenerative effect, but decreases when the doses and/or the biocide exposure time increases, suggesting compromise of the cellular cycle control and trigger of an apoptotic wave. However, these neurotoxic mechanisms should not involve degradation of N-cadherin and alpha-catenin, in contrast of beta-catenin and axonal N-CAM180, at least in the initial apoptotic phase. Additionally, an adhesion compensatory mechanism by N-CAM180 is observed in the neuron cell body. These results suggest a dual role of CAS in the cellular cycle control during the CY-induced apoptosis: induction of cell proliferation and stabilization of the cell-cell junctions by modulating CAMs expression.

Alteration of Cell Cycle Mediated by Zinc in Human Bronchial Epithelial Cells In Vitro

EPA Science Inventory

Zinc (Zn2+), a ubiquitous ambient air contaminant, presents an oxidant challenge to the human lung and is linked to adverse human health effects. To further elucidate the adaptive and apoptotic cellular responses of human airway cells to Zn2+, we performed pilot studies to examin...

Emiliania huxleyi endures N-limitation with an efficient metabolic budgeting and effective ATP synthesis.

PubMed

Rokitta, Sebastian D; Von Dassow, Peter; Rost, Björn; John, Uwe

2014-12-02

Global change will affect patterns of nutrient upwelling in marine environments, potentially becoming even stricter regulators of phytoplankton primary productivity. To better understand phytoplankton nutrient utilization on the subcellular basis, we assessed the transcriptomic responses of the life-cycle stages of the biogeochemically important microalgae Emiliania huxleyi to nitrogen-limitation. Cells grown in batch cultures were harvested at 'early' and 'full' nitrogen-limitation and were compared with non-limited cells. We applied microarray-based transcriptome profilings, covering ~10.000 known E. huxleyi gene models, and screened for expression patterns that indicate the subcellular responses. The diploid life-cycle stage scavenges nitrogen from external organic sources and -like diatoms- uses the ornithine-urea cycle to rapidly turn over cellular nitrogen. The haploid stage reacts similarly, although nitrogen scavenging is less pronounced and lipid oxidation is more prominent. Generally, polyamines and proline appear to constitute major organic pools that back up cellular nitrogen. Both stages induce a malate:quinone-oxidoreductase that efficiently feeds electrons into the respiratory chain and drives ATP generation with reduced respiratory carbon throughput. The use of the ornithine-urea cycle to budget the cellular nitrogen in situations of limitation resembles the responses observed earlier in diatoms. This suggests that underlying biochemical mechanisms are conserved among distant clades of marine phototrophic protists. The ornithine-urea cycle and proline oxidation appear to constitute a sensory-regulatory system that monitors and controls cellular nitrogen budgets under limitation. The similarity between the responses of the life-cycle stages, despite the usage of different genes, also indicates a strong functional consistency in the responses to nitrogen-limitation that appears to be owed to biochemical requirements. The malate:quinone-oxidoreductase is a genomic feature that appears to be absent from diatom genomes, and it is likely to strongly contribute to the uniquely high endurance of E. huxleyi under nutrient limitation.

A large shRNA library approach identifies lncRNA Ntep as an essential regulator of cell proliferation

PubMed Central

Beermann, Julia; Kirste, Dominique; Iwanov, Katharina; Lu, Dongchao; Kleemiß, Felix; Kumarswamy, Regalla; Schimmel, Katharina; Bär, Christian; Thum, Thomas

2018-01-01

The mammalian cell cycle is a complex and tightly controlled event. Myriads of different control mechanisms are involved in its regulation. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNA) have emerged as important regulators of many cellular processes including cellular proliferation. However, a more global and unbiased approach to identify lncRNAs with importance for cell proliferation is missing. Here, we present a lentiviral shRNA library-based approach for functional lncRNA profiling. We validated our library approach in NIH3T3 (3T3) fibroblasts by identifying lncRNAs critically involved in cell proliferation. Using stringent selection criteria we identified lncRNA NR_015491.1 out of 3842 different RNA targets represented in our library. We termed this transcript Ntep (non-coding transcript essential for proliferation), as a bona fide lncRNA essential for cell cycle progression. Inhibition of Ntep in 3T3 and primary fibroblasts prevented normal cell growth and expression of key fibroblast markers. Mechanistically, we discovered that Ntep is important to activate P53 concomitant with increased apoptosis and cell cycle blockade in late G2/M. Our findings suggest Ntep to serve as an important regulator of fibroblast proliferation and function. In summary, our study demonstrates the applicability of an innovative shRNA library approach to identify long non-coding RNA functions in a massive parallel approach. PMID:29099486

Functional synergy between DP-1 and E2F-1 in the cell cycle-regulating transcription factor DRTF1/E2F.

PubMed Central

Bandara, L R; Buck, V M; Zamanian, M; Johnston, L H; La Thangue, N B

1993-01-01

It is widely believed that the cellular transcription factor DRTF1/E2F integrates cell cycle events with the transcription apparatus because during cell cycle progression in mammalian cells it interacts with molecules that are important regulators of cellular proliferation, such as the retinoblastoma tumour suppressor gene product (pRb), p107, cyclins and cyclin-dependent kinases. Thus, pRb, which negatively regulates early cell cycle progression and is frequently mutated in tumour cells, and the Rb-related protein p107, bind to and repress the transcriptional activity of DRTF1/E2F. Viral oncoproteins, such as adenovirus E1a and SV40 large T antigen, overcome such repression by sequestering pRb and p107 and in so doing are likely to activate genes regulated by DRTF1/E2F, such as cdc2, c-myc and DHFR. Two sequence-specific DNA binding proteins, E2F-1 and DP-1, which bind to the E2F site, contain a small region of similarity. The functional relationship between them has, however, been unclear. We report here that DP-1 and E2F-1 exist in a DNA binding complex in vivo and that they bind efficiently and preferentially as a heterodimer to the E2F site. Moreover, studies in yeast and Drosophila cells indicate that DP-1 and E2F-1 interact synergistically in E2F site-dependent transcriptional activation. Images PMID:8223441

Robust synchronization of coupled circadian and cell cycle oscillators in single mammalian cells.

PubMed

Bieler, Jonathan; Cannavo, Rosamaria; Gustafson, Kyle; Gobet, Cedric; Gatfield, David; Naef, Felix

2014-07-15

Circadian cycles and cell cycles are two fundamental periodic processes with a period in the range of 1 day. Consequently, coupling between such cycles can lead to synchronization. Here, we estimated the mutual interactions between the two oscillators by time-lapse imaging of single mammalian NIH3T3 fibroblasts during several days. The analysis of thousands of circadian cycles in dividing cells clearly indicated that both oscillators tick in a 1:1 mode-locked state, with cell divisions occurring tightly 5 h before the peak in circadian Rev-Erbα-YFP reporter expression. In principle, such synchrony may be caused by either unidirectional or bidirectional coupling. While gating of cell division by the circadian cycle has been most studied, our data combined with stochastic modeling unambiguously show that the reverse coupling is predominant in NIH3T3 cells. Moreover, temperature, genetic, and pharmacological perturbations showed that the two interacting cellular oscillators adopt a synchronized state that is highly robust over a wide range of parameters. These findings have implications for circadian function in proliferative tissues, including epidermis, immune cells, and cancer. © 2014 The Authors. Published under the terms of the CC BY 4.0 license.

Noninvasive characterization of the fission yeast cell cycle by monitoring dry mass with digital holographic microscopy.

PubMed

Rappaz, Benjamin; Cano, Elena; Colomb, Tristan; Kühn, Jonas; Depeursinge, Christian; Simanis, Viesturs; Magistretti, Pierre J; Marquet, Pierre

2009-01-01

Digital holography microscopy (DHM) is an optical technique which provides phase images yielding quantitative information about cell structure and cellular dynamics. Furthermore, the quantitative phase images allow the derivation of other parameters, including dry mass production, density, and spatial distribution. We have applied DHM to study the dry mass production rate and the dry mass surface density in wild-type and mutant fission yeast cells. Our study demonstrates the applicability of DHM as a tool for label-free quantitative analysis of the cell cycle and opens the possibility for its use in high-throughput screening.

Studies of yeast cell oxygenation and energetics by laser fluorometry of reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pan, Fu-shih; Chen, Stephen; Mintzer, Robert A.; Chen, Chin-Tu; Schumacker, Paul

1991-03-01

It is of fundamental importance for biological scientists to assess cellular energetics. Under aerobic conditions, the tricarboxylic acid cycle (TCA cycle) is coupled with the mitochondrial electron cascade pathway to provide the cell with energy. The nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide-conjugated pair (NAD and NADH) is the coenzyme in numerous important biomedical reactions which include several important dehydrogenase reactions in the TCA cycle. Based on Le Chatelier's principle, NADH will accumulate when this energy production mechanism is impaired. The relative amounts of NAD and NADH in a cell are defined as the redox state of the cell (Williamson et.al. 1967) which provides a valuable index of cellular energetics. The sum of the amounts of NAD and NADH in a cell may be assumed to be constant during a finite time; therefore, a reliable means of measuring the NADH concentration would provide us with a useful indicator of tissue viability. Traditionally, the quantities of NADH and NAD may be measured by chemical assay methods. We can avoid these tediois analyses by exploiting the significant difference between the ultraviolet absorption spectra of this redox pair. However, because of the opacity of biological samples and the interference of other biochemicals that also absorb ultraviolet radiation, measurement of NADH and NAD+ concentrations in vivo by absorption spectroscopy is not feasible.

Functional Interaction between Phosducin-like Protein 2 and Cytosolic Chaperonin Is Essential for Cytoskeletal Protein Function and Cell Cycle Progression

PubMed Central

Stirling, Peter C.; Srayko, Martin; Takhar, Karam S.; Pozniakovsky, Andrei; Hyman, Anthony A.

2007-01-01

The C haperonin Containing Tcp1 (CCT) maintains cellular protein folding homeostasis in the eukaryotic cytosol by assisting the biogenesis of many proteins, including actins, tubulins, and regulators of the cell cycle. Here, we demonstrate that the essential and conserved eukaryotic phosducin-like protein 2 (PhLP2/PLP2) physically interacts with CCT and modulates its folding activity. Consistent with this functional interaction, temperature-sensitive alleles of Saccharomyces cerevisiae PLP2 exhibit cytoskeletal and cell cycle defects. We uncovered several high-copy suppressors of the plp2 alleles, all of which are associated with G1/S cell cycle progression but which do not appreciably affect cytoskeletal protein function or fully rescue the growth defects. Our data support a model in which Plp2p modulates the biogenesis of several CCT substrates relating to cell cycle and cytoskeletal function, which together contribute to the essential function of PLP2. PMID:17429077

General Protein Diffusion Barriers create Compartments within Bacterial Cells

PubMed Central

Schlimpert, Susan; Klein, Eric A.; Briegel, Ariane; Hughes, Velocity; Kahnt, Jörg; Bolte, Kathrin; Maier, Uwe G.; Brun, Yves V.; Jensen, Grant J.; Gitai, Zemer; Thanbichler, Martin

2013-01-01

SUMMARY In eukaryotes, the differentiation of cellular extensions such as cilia or neuronal axons depends on the partitioning of proteins to distinct plasma membrane domains by specialized diffusion barriers. However, examples of this compartmentalization strategy are still missing for prokaryotes, although complex cellular architectures are widespread among this group of organisms. This study reveals the existence of a protein-mediated membrane diffusion barrier in the stalked bacterium Caulobacter crescentus. We show that the Caulobacter cell envelope is compartmentalized by macromolecular complexes that prevent the exchange of both membrane and soluble proteins between the polar stalk extension and the cell body. The barrier structures span the cross-sectional area of the stalk and comprise at least four proteins that assemble in a cell cycle-dependent manner. Their presence is critical for cellular fitness, as they minimize the effective cell volume, allowing faster adaptation to environmental changes that require de novo synthesis of envelope proteins. PMID:23201141

Spatial distribution and cellular composition of adult brain proliferative zones in the teleost, Gymnotus omarorum

PubMed Central

Olivera-Pasilio, Valentina; Peterson, Daniel A.; Castelló, María E.

2014-01-01

Proliferation of stem/progenitor cells during development provides for the generation of mature cell types in the CNS. While adult brain proliferation is highly restricted in the mammals, it is widespread in teleosts. The extent of adult neural proliferation in the weakly electric fish, Gymnotus omarorum has not yet been described. To address this, we used double thymidine analog pulse-chase labeling of proliferating cells to identify brain proliferation zones, characterize their cellular composition, and analyze the fate of newborn cells in adult G. omarorum. Short thymidine analog chase periods revealed the ubiquitous distribution of adult brain proliferation, similar to other teleosts, particularly Apteronotus leptorhynchus. Proliferating cells were abundant at the ventricular-subventricular lining of the ventricular-cisternal system, adjacent to the telencephalic subpallium, the diencephalic preoptic region and hypothalamus, and the mesencephalic tectum opticum and torus semicircularis. Extraventricular proliferation zones, located distant from the ventricular-cisternal system surface, were found in all divisions of the rombencephalic cerebellum. We also report a new adult proliferation zone at the caudal-lateral border of the electrosensory lateral line lobe. All proliferation zones showed a heterogeneous cellular composition. The use of short (24 h) and long (30 day) chase periods revealed abundant fast cycling cells (potentially intermediate amplifiers), sparse slow cycling (potentially stem) cells, cells that appear to have entered a quiescent state, and cells that might correspond to migrating newborn neural cells. Their abundance and migration distance differed among proliferation zones: greater numbers and longer range and/or pace of migrating cells were associated with subpallial and cerebellar proliferation zones. PMID:25249943

The BMI1 inhibitor PTC-209 is a potential compound to halt cellular growth in biliary tract cancer cells

PubMed Central

Mayr, Christian; Wagner, Andrej; Loeffelberger, Magdalena; Bruckner, Daniela; Jakab, Martin; Berr, Frieder; Di Fazio, Pietro; Ocker, Matthias; Neureiter, Daniel; Pichler, Martin; Kiesslich, Tobias

2016-01-01

BMI1 is a core component of the polycomb repressive complex 1 (PRC1) and is up-regulated in biliary tract cancer (BTC), contributing to aggressive clinical features. In this study we investigated the cytotoxic effects of PTC-209, a recently developed inhibitor of BMI1, in BTC cells. PTC-209 reduced overall viability in BTC cell lines in a dose-dependent fashion (0.04 - 20 μM). Treatment with PTC-209 led to slightly enhanced caspase activity and stop of cell proliferation. Cell cycle analysis revealed that PTC-209 caused cell cycle arrest at the G1/S checkpoint. A comprehensive investigation of expression changes of cell cycle-related genes showed that PTC-209 caused significant down-regulation of cell cycle-promoting genes as well as of genes that contribute to DNA synthesis initiation and DNA repair, respectively. This was accompanied by significantly elevated mRNA levels of cell cycle inhibitors. In addition, PTC-209 reduced sphere formation and, in a cell line-dependent manner, aldehyde dehydrogease-1 positive cells. We conclude that PTC-209 might be a promising drug for future in vitro and in vivo studies in BTC. PMID:26623561

The cell-cycle interactome: a source of growth regulators?

PubMed

Blomme, Jonas; Inzé, Dirk; Gonzalez, Nathalie

2014-06-01

When plants develop, cell proliferation and cell expansion are tightly controlled in order to generate organs with a determinate final size such as leaves. Several studies have demonstrated the importance of the cell proliferation phase for leaf growth, illustrating that cell-cycle regulation is crucial for correct leaf development. A large and complex set of interacting proteins that constitute the cell-cycle interactome controls the transition from one cell-cycle phase to another. Here, we review the current knowledge on cell-cycle regulators from this interactome affecting final leaf size when their expression is altered, mainly in Arabidopsis. In addition to the description of mutants of CYCLIN-DEPENDENT KINASES (CDKs), CYCLINS (CYCs), and their transcriptional and post-translational regulators, a phenotypic analysis of gain- and loss-of-function mutants for 27 genes encoding proteins that interact with cell-cycle proteins is presented. This compilation of information shows that when cell-cycle-related genes are mis-expressed, leaf growth is often altered and that, seemingly, three main trends appear to be crucial in the regulation of final organ size by cell-cycle-related genes: (i) cellular compensation; (ii) gene dosage; and (iii) correct transition through the G2/M phase by ANAPHASE PROMOTING COMPLEX/CYCLOSOME (APC/C) activation. In conclusion, this meta-analysis shows that the cell-cycle interactome is enriched in leaf growth regulators, and illustrates the potential to identify new leaf growth regulators among putative new cell-cycle regulators. © The Author 2013. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Experimental Biology. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

A proteomic chronology of gene expression through the cell cycle in human myeloid leukemia cells.

PubMed

Ly, Tony; Ahmad, Yasmeen; Shlien, Adam; Soroka, Dominique; Mills, Allie; Emanuele, Michael J; Stratton, Michael R; Lamond, Angus I

2014-01-01

Technological advances have enabled the analysis of cellular protein and RNA levels with unprecedented depth and sensitivity, allowing for an unbiased re-evaluation of gene regulation during fundamental biological processes. Here, we have chronicled the dynamics of protein and mRNA expression levels across a minimally perturbed cell cycle in human myeloid leukemia cells using centrifugal elutriation combined with mass spectrometry-based proteomics and RNA-Seq, avoiding artificial synchronization procedures. We identify myeloid-specific gene expression and variations in protein abundance, isoform expression and phosphorylation at different cell cycle stages. We dissect the relationship between protein and mRNA levels for both bulk gene expression and for over ∼6000 genes individually across the cell cycle, revealing complex, gene-specific patterns. This data set, one of the deepest surveys to date of gene expression in human cells, is presented in an online, searchable database, the Encyclopedia of Proteome Dynamics (http://www.peptracker.com/epd/). DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.01630.001.

A proteomic chronology of gene expression through the cell cycle in human myeloid leukemia cells

PubMed Central

Ly, Tony; Ahmad, Yasmeen; Shlien, Adam; Soroka, Dominique; Mills, Allie; Emanuele, Michael J; Stratton, Michael R; Lamond, Angus I

2014-01-01

Technological advances have enabled the analysis of cellular protein and RNA levels with unprecedented depth and sensitivity, allowing for an unbiased re-evaluation of gene regulation during fundamental biological processes. Here, we have chronicled the dynamics of protein and mRNA expression levels across a minimally perturbed cell cycle in human myeloid leukemia cells using centrifugal elutriation combined with mass spectrometry-based proteomics and RNA-Seq, avoiding artificial synchronization procedures. We identify myeloid-specific gene expression and variations in protein abundance, isoform expression and phosphorylation at different cell cycle stages. We dissect the relationship between protein and mRNA levels for both bulk gene expression and for over ∼6000 genes individually across the cell cycle, revealing complex, gene-specific patterns. This data set, one of the deepest surveys to date of gene expression in human cells, is presented in an online, searchable database, the Encyclopedia of Proteome Dynamics (http://www.peptracker.com/epd/). DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.01630.001 PMID:24596151

Origins of the protein synthesis cycle

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fox, S. W.

1981-01-01

Largely derived from experiments in molecular evolution, a theory of protein synthesis cycles has been constructed. The sequence begins with ordered thermal proteins resulting from the self-sequencing of mixed amino acids. Ordered thermal proteins then aggregate to cell-like structures. When they contained proteinoids sufficiently rich in lysine, the structures were able to synthesize offspring peptides. Since lysine-rich proteinoid (LRP) also catalyzes the polymerization of nucleoside triphosphate to polynucleotides, the same microspheres containing LRP could have synthesized both original cellular proteins and cellular nucleic acids. The LRP within protocells would have provided proximity advantageous for the origin and evolution of the genetic code.

Analysis of biological effects in human endothelial cells after stimulated microgravity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Min, Zhang; Sun, Yeqing; Xu, Dan

Space environment is characterized by strong radiation, ultra-high vacuum, weak magnetic field and microgravity. Among them, microgravity (10-4-10-6g) in space is different from gravity (1g) on earth, possibly causing visual disorders, muscle alterations, bone loss and dysfunction of cardiovascular systems. To study about microgravity environment, the most advanced rotary cell culture system (RCCS-1) was used to do stimulated microgravity (SMG) experiments in the ground. Up to now, most of studies focus on the biological effects under stimulated microgravity, but it is less known about the cellular response after stimulated microgravity. In the present study, we explored the subsequent effects of stimulated microgravity on human endothelial cells (HUVEC-C) after these cells were cultured on RCCS-1 for 48 hours. We co-cultured HUVEC-C cells with Hillex-microcarriers in 60-mm culture dishes for 24h, followed by transferring them to RCCS-1 so that cells remain to be the state of SMG. In parallel, HUVEC-C cells were co-cultured with microcarriers in the ground condition. We found that stimulated microgravity induced cytoskeleton remodeling, cell cycle G2/M arrest and cellular senescence, consistent with previous reports. To study the subsequent effects of stimulated microgravity, we make cells detach from microcarriers and observed various effects including cell growth, cell adhesion, cytoskeleton, cell cycle, apoptosis and senescence. The results showed that those cells undergoing stimulated microgravity appeared obvious growth inhibition, a transition from the decrease in cell adhesion ability and cytoskeleton remodeling within 24h to induction of apoptosis and senescence-like phenotype in the later time with slight changes in cell cycle. Analysis of protein expression in western blot demonstrated that apoptosis-related protein PTEN was up-regulated on the time-dependent pattern after stimulated microgravity, indicating that PTEN-PI3K-Akt pathway might play an important role in apoptosis. Our study suggests that stimulated microgravity has the subsequent biological effects of HUVEC-C, providing new insight of understanding the global effect of microgravity on cellular response in human endothelial cells.

Seed Germination and Seedling Growth under Simulated Microgravity Causes Alterations in Plant Cell Proliferation and Ribosome Biogenesis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Matía, Isabel; van Loon, Jack W. A.; Carnero-Díaz, Eugénie; Marco, Roberto; Medina, Francisco Javier

2009-01-01

The study of the modifications induced by altered gravity in functions of plant cells is a valuable tool for the objective of the survival of terrestrial organisms in conditions different from those of the Earth. We have used the system "cell proliferation-ribosome biogenesis", two inter-related essential cellular processes, with the purpose of studying these modifications. Arabidopsis seedlings belonging to a transformed line containing the reporter gene GUS under the control of the promoter of the cyclin gene CYCB1, a cell cycle regulator, were grown in a Random Positioning Machine, a device known to accurately simulate microgravity. Samples were taken at 2, 4 and 8 days after germination and subjected to biometrical analysis and cellular morphometrical, ultrastructural and immunocytochemical studies in order to know the rates of cell proliferation and ribosome biogenesis, plus the estimation of the expression of the cyclin gene, as an indication of the state of cell cycle regulation. Our results show that cells divide more in simulated microgravity in a Random Positioning Machine than in control gravity, but the cell cycle appears significantly altered as early as 2 days after germination. Furthermore, higher proliferation is not accompanied by an increase in ribosome synthesis, as is the rule on Earth, but the functional markers of this process appear depleted in simulated microgravity-grown samples. Therefore, the alteration of the gravitational environmental conditions results in a considerable stress for plant cells, including those not specialized in gravity perception.

Effects of nicotine on cellular proliferation, macromolecular synthesis and cell cycle phase distribution in human and murine cells

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Konno, S.; Chiao, J.; Rossi, J.

1986-05-01

Addition of nicotine causes a dose- and time-dependent inhibition of cell growth in established human and murine cells. In the human promyelocytic HL-60 leukemic cells, 3 mM nicotine results in a 50% inhibition of cellular proliferation after 80 h. Nicotine was also found to affect the cell cycle distribution of HL-60 cells. Treatment with 4 mM nicotine for 20 h causes an increase in proportion of Gl-phase cells (from 49% to 57%) and a significant decrease in the proportion of S-phase cells (from 41% to 32%). These results suggest that nicotine causes cell arrest in the Gl-phase which may inmore » part account for its effects on cell growth. To determine whether nicotine has a primary effect on the uptake/transport of macromolecular precursors into cells, HL-60 cells were treated with 2-6 mM nicotine for 30 h/sub 3/ at the end of which time cells were labeled with (/sup 3/H)thymidine, (/sup 3/H)uridine, (/sup 14/C)lysine and (/sup 35/S)methionine, the trichloroacetic acid (TCA) soluble and insoluble radioactivities from each of the labeling conditions were determined. These studies show that nicotine primarily affect the synthesis of proteins.« less

A Non-Cell-Autonomous Role of BEC-1/BECN1/Beclin1 in Coordinating Cell-Cycle Progression and Stem Cell Proliferation during Germline Development.

PubMed

Ames, Kristina; Da Cunha, Dayse S; Gonzalez, Brenda; Konta, Marina; Lin, Feng; Shechter, Gabriel; Starikov, Lev; Wong, Sara; Bülow, Hannes E; Meléndez, Alicia

2017-03-20

The decision of stem cells to proliferate and differentiate is finely controlled. The Caenorhabditis elegans germline provides a tractable system for studying the mechanisms that control stem cell proliferation and homeostasis [1-4]. Autophagy is a conserved cellular recycling process crucial for cellular homeostasis in many different contexts [5], but its function in germline stem cell proliferation remains poorly understood. Here, we describe a function for autophagy in germline stem cell proliferation. We found that autophagy genes such as bec-1/BECN1/Beclin1, atg-16.2/ATG16L, atg-18/WIPI1/2, and atg-7/ATG7 are required for the late larval expansion of germline stem cell progenitors in the C. elegans gonad. We further show that BEC-1/BECN1/Beclin1 acts independently of the GLP-1/Notch or DAF-7/TGF-β pathways but together with the DAF-2/insulin IGF-1 receptor (IIR) signaling pathway to promote germline stem cell proliferation. Similar to DAF-2/IIR, BEC-1/BECN1/Beclin1, ATG-18/WIPI1/2, and ATG-16.2/ATG16L all promote cell-cycle progression and are negatively regulated by the phosphatase and tensin homolog DAF-18/PTEN. However, whereas BEC-1/BECN1/Beclin1 acts through the transcriptional regulator SKN-1/Nrf1, ATG-18/WIPI1/2 and ATG-16.2/ATG16L exert their function through the DAF-16/FOXO transcription factor. In contrast, ATG-7 functions in concert with the DAF-7/TGF-β pathway to promote germline proliferation and is not required for cell-cycle progression. Finally, we report that BEC-1/BECN1/Beclin1 functions non-cell-autonomously to facilitate cell-cycle progression and stem cell proliferation. Our findings demonstrate a novel non-autonomous role for BEC-1/BECN1/Beclin1 in the control of stem cell proliferation and cell-cycle progression, which may have implications for the understanding and development of therapies against malignant cell growth in the future. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Cell cycle in egg cell and its progression during zygotic development in rice.

PubMed

Sukawa, Yumiko; Okamoto, Takashi

2018-03-01

Rice egg is arrested at G1 phase probably by OsKRP2. After fusion with sperm, karyogamy, OsWEE1-mediated parental DNA integrity in zygote nucleus, zygote progresses cell cycle to produce two-celled embryo. In angiosperms, female and male gametes exist in gametophytes after the complementation of meiosis and the progression of nuclear/cell division of the haploid cell. Within the embryo sac, the egg cell is specially differentiated for fertilization and subsequent embryogenesis, and cellular programs for embryonic development, such as restarting the cell cycle and de novo gene expression, are halted. There is only limited knowledge about how the cell cycle in egg cells restarts toward zygotic division, although the conversion of the cell cycle from a quiescent and arrested state to an active state is the most evident transition of cell status from egg cell to zygote. This is partly due to the difficulty in direct access and analysis of egg cells, zygotes and early embryos, which are deeply embedded in ovaries. In this study, precise relative DNA amounts in the nuclei of egg cells, developing zygotes and cells of early embryos were measured, and the cell cycle of a rice egg cell was estimated as the G1 phase with a 1C DNA level. In addition, increases in DNA content in zygote nuclei via karyogamy and DNA replication were also detectable according to progression of the cell cycle. In addition, expression profiles for cell cycle-related genes in egg cells and zygotes were also addressed, and it was suggested that OsKRP2 and OsWEE1 function in the inhibition of cell cycle progression in egg cells and in checkpoint of parental DNA integrity in zygote nucleus, respectively.

Algorithm for cellular reprogramming.

PubMed

Ronquist, Scott; Patterson, Geoff; Muir, Lindsey A; Lindsly, Stephen; Chen, Haiming; Brown, Markus; Wicha, Max S; Bloch, Anthony; Brockett, Roger; Rajapakse, Indika

2017-11-07

The day we understand the time evolution of subcellular events at a level of detail comparable to physical systems governed by Newton's laws of motion seems far away. Even so, quantitative approaches to cellular dynamics add to our understanding of cell biology. With data-guided frameworks we can develop better predictions about, and methods for, control over specific biological processes and system-wide cell behavior. Here we describe an approach for optimizing the use of transcription factors (TFs) in cellular reprogramming, based on a device commonly used in optimal control. We construct an approximate model for the natural evolution of a cell-cycle-synchronized population of human fibroblasts, based on data obtained by sampling the expression of 22,083 genes at several time points during the cell cycle. To arrive at a model of moderate complexity, we cluster gene expression based on division of the genome into topologically associating domains (TADs) and then model the dynamics of TAD expression levels. Based on this dynamical model and additional data, such as known TF binding sites and activity, we develop a methodology for identifying the top TF candidates for a specific cellular reprogramming task. Our data-guided methodology identifies a number of TFs previously validated for reprogramming and/or natural differentiation and predicts some potentially useful combinations of TFs. Our findings highlight the immense potential of dynamical models, mathematics, and data-guided methodologies for improving strategies for control over biological processes. Copyright © 2017 the Author(s). Published by PNAS.

Muscle Stem Cells Undergo Extensive Clonal Drift during Tissue Growth via Meox1-Mediated Induction of G2 Cell-Cycle Arrest.

PubMed

Nguyen, Phong Dang; Gurevich, David Baruch; Sonntag, Carmen; Hersey, Lucy; Alaei, Sara; Nim, Hieu Tri; Siegel, Ashley; Hall, Thomas Edward; Rossello, Fernando Jaime; Boyd, Sarah Elizabeth; Polo, Jose Maria; Currie, Peter David

2017-07-06

Organ growth requires a careful balance between stem cell self-renewal and lineage commitment to ensure proper tissue expansion. The cellular and molecular mechanisms that mediate this balance are unresolved in most organs, including skeletal muscle. Here we identify a long-lived stem cell pool that mediates growth of the zebrafish myotome. This population exhibits extensive clonal drift, shifting from random deployment of stem cells during development to reliance on a small number of dominant clones to fuel the vast majority of muscle growth. This clonal drift requires Meox1, a homeobox protein that directly inhibits the cell-cycle checkpoint gene ccnb1. Meox1 initiates G 2 cell-cycle arrest within muscle stem cells, and disrupting this G 2 arrest causes premature lineage commitment and the resulting defects in muscle growth. These findings reveal that distinct regulatory mechanisms orchestrate stem cell dynamics during organ growth, beyond the G 0 /G 1 cell-cycle inhibition traditionally associated with maintaining tissue-resident stem cells. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Morphogenesis checkpoint kinase Swe1 is the executor of lipolysis-dependent cell-cycle progression.

PubMed

Chauhan, Neha; Visram, Myriam; Cristobal-Sarramian, Alvaro; Sarkleti, Florian; Kohlwein, Sepp D

2015-03-10

Cell growth and division requires the precise duplication of cellular DNA content but also of membranes and organelles. Knowledge about the cell-cycle-dependent regulation of membrane and storage lipid homeostasis is only rudimentary. Previous work from our laboratory has shown that the breakdown of triacylglycerols (TGs) is regulated in a cell-cycle-dependent manner, by activation of the Tgl4 lipase by the major cyclin-dependent kinase Cdc28. The lipases Tgl3 and Tgl4 are required for efficient cell-cycle progression during the G1/S (Gap1/replication phase) transition, at the onset of bud formation, and their absence leads to a cell-cycle delay. We now show that defective lipolysis activates the Swe1 morphogenesis checkpoint kinase that halts cell-cycle progression by phosphorylation of Cdc28 at tyrosine residue 19. Saturated long-chain fatty acids and phytosphingosine supplementation rescue the cell-cycle delay in the Tgl3/Tgl4 lipase-deficient strain, suggesting that Swe1 activity responds to imbalanced sphingolipid metabolism, in the absence of TG degradation. We propose a model by which TG-derived sphingolipids are required to activate the protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A(Cdc55)) to attenuate Swe1 phosphorylation and its inhibitory effect on Cdc28 at the G1/S transition of the cell cycle.

Mechanism of cell death resulting from DNA interstrand cross-linking in mammalian cells

PubMed Central

Osawa, T; Davies, D; Hartley, J A

2011-01-01

DNA interstrand cross-links (ICLs) are critical cytotoxic lesions produced by cancer chemotherapeutic agents such as the nitrogen mustards and platinum drugs; however, the exact mechanism of ICL-induced cell death is unclear. Here, we show a novel mechanism of p53-independent apoptotic cell death involving prolonged cell-cycle (G2) arrest, ICL repair involving HR, transient mitosis, incomplete cytokinesis, and gross chromosomal abnormalities resulting from ICLs in mammalian cells. This characteristic ‘giant' cell death, observed by using time-lapse video microscopy, was reduced in ICL repair ERCC1- and XRCC3-deficient cells. Collectively, the results illustrate the coordination of ICL-induced cellular responses, including cell-cycle arrest, DNA damage repair, and cell death. PMID:21814285

Cellular and functional characterization of buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) corpus luteum during the estrous cycle and pregnancy.

PubMed

Baithalu, Rubina Kumari; Singh, S K; Gupta, Chhavi; Raja, Anuj K; Saxena, Abhishake; Kumar, Yogendra; Singh, R; Agarwal, S K

2013-08-01

In the present paper, cellular composition of buffalo corpus luteum (CL) with its functional characterization based on 3β-HSD and progesterone secretory ability at different stages of estrous cycle and pregnancy was studied. Buffalo uteri along with ovaries bearing CL were collected from the local slaughter house. These were classified into different stages of estrous cycle (Stage I, II, III and IV) and pregnancy (Stage I, II and III) based on morphological appearance of CL, surface follicles on the ovary and crown rump length of conceptus. Luteal cell population, progesterone content and steroidogenic properties were studied by dispersion of luteal cells using collagenase type I enzyme, RIA and 3β-HSD activity, respectively. Large luteal cells (LLC) appeared as polyhedral or spherical in shape with a centrally placed large round nucleus and an abundance of cytoplasmic lipid droplets. However, small luteal cells (SLC) appeared to be spindle shaped with an eccentrically placed irregular nucleus and there was paucity of cytoplasmic lipid droplets. The size of SLC (range 12-23μm) and LLC (range 25-55μm) increased (P<0.01) with the advancement of stage of estrous cycle and pregnancy. The mean progesterone concentration per gram and per CL increased (P<0.01) from Stage I to III of estrous cycle with maximum concentration at Stage III of estrous cycle and pregnancy. The progesterone concentration decreased at Stage IV (day 17-20) of estrous cycle coinciding with CL regression. Total luteal cell number (LLC and SLC) also increased (P<0.01) from Stage I to III of estrous cycle and decreased (P<0.05), thereafter, at Stage IV indicating degeneration of luteal cells and regression of the CL. Total luteal cell population during pregnancy also increased (P<0.01) from Stage I to II and thereafter decreased (P>0.05) indicating cessation of mitosis. Increased (P<0.05) large luteal cell numbers from Stage I to III of estrous cycle and pregnancy coincided with the increased progesterone secretion and 3β-HSD activity of CL. Thus, proportionate increases of large compared with small luteal cells were primarily responsible for increased progesterone secretion during the advanced stages of the estrous cycle and pregnancy. Total luteal cells and progesterone content per CL during the mid-luteal stage in buffalo as observed in the present study seem to be less than with cattle suggesting inherent luteal deficiency. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Cellular Interactions in the Suprachiasmatic Nucleus.

DTIC Science & Technology

2000-07-10

role in determining the phase of the circadian cycle. We examined neuromodulation of GABA and glutamate actions in cells of the SCN. Neuromodulation is...based on the concept that neuromodulators can alter the release or response of SCN cells to the fast-acting neurotransmitters GABA and glutamate that

Thioredoxin (Trxo1) interacts with proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) and its overexpression affects the growth of tobacco cell culture.

PubMed

Calderón, Aingeru; Ortiz-Espín, Ana; Iglesias-Fernández, Raquel; Carbonero, Pilar; Pallardó, Federico Vicente; Sevilla, Francisca; Jiménez, Ana

2017-04-01

Thioredoxins (Trxs), key components of cellular redox regulation, act by controlling the redox status of many target proteins, and have been shown to play an essential role in cell survival and growth. The presence of a Trx system in the nucleus has received little attention in plants, and the nuclear targets of plant Trxs have not been conclusively identified. Thus, very little is known about the function of Trxs in this cellular compartment. Previously, we studied the intracellular localization of PsTrxo1 and confirmed its presence in mitochondria and, interestingly, in the nucleus under standard growth conditions. In investigating the nuclear function of PsTrxo1 we identified proliferating cellular nuclear antigen (PCNA) as a PsTrxo1 target by means of affinity chromatography techniques using purified nuclei from pea leaves. Such protein-protein interaction was corroborated by dot-blot and bimolecular fluorescence complementation (BiFC) assays, which showed that both proteins interact in the nucleus. Moreover, PsTrxo1 showed disulfide reductase activity on previously oxidized recombinant PCNA protein. In parallel, we studied the effects of PsTrxo1 overexpression on Tobacco Bright Yellow-2 (TBY-2) cell cultures. Microscopy and flow-cytometry analysis showed that PsTrxo1 overexpression increases the rate of cell proliferation in the transformed lines, with a higher percentage of the S phase of the cell cycle at the beginning of the cell culture (days 1 and 3) and at the G2/M phase after longer times of culture (day 9), coinciding with an upregulation of PCNA protein. Furthermore, in PsTrxo1 overexpressed cells there is a decrease in the total cellular glutathione content but maintained nuclear GSH accumulation, especially at the end of the culture, which is accompanied by a higher mitotic index, unlike non-overexpressing cells. These results suggest that Trxo1 is involved in the cell cycle progression of TBY-2 cultures, possibly through its link with cellular PCNA and glutathione. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Inertial picobalance reveals fast mass fluctuations in mammalian cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martínez-Martín, David; Fläschner, Gotthold; Gaub, Benjamin; Martin, Sascha; Newton, Richard; Beerli, Corina; Mercer, Jason; Gerber, Christoph; Müller, Daniel J.

2017-10-01

The regulation of size, volume and mass in living cells is physiologically important, and dysregulation of these parameters gives rise to many diseases. Cell mass is largely determined by the amount of water, proteins, lipids, carbohydrates and nucleic acids present in a cell, and is tightly linked to metabolism, proliferation and gene expression. Technologies have emerged in recent years that make it possible to track the masses of single suspended cells and adherent cells. However, it has not been possible to track individual adherent cells in physiological conditions at the mass and time resolutions required to observe fast cellular dynamics. Here we introduce a cell balance (a ‘picobalance’), based on an optically excited microresonator, that measures the total mass of single or multiple adherent cells in culture conditions over days with millisecond time resolution and picogram mass sensitivity. Using our technique, we observe that the mass of living mammalian cells fluctuates intrinsically by around one to four per cent over timescales of seconds throughout the cell cycle. Perturbation experiments link these mass fluctuations to the basic cellular processes of ATP synthesis and water transport. Furthermore, we show that growth and cell cycle progression are arrested in cells infected with vaccinia virus, but mass fluctuations continue until cell death. Our measurements suggest that all living cells show fast and subtle mass fluctuations throughout the cell cycle. As our cell balance is easy to handle and compatible with fluorescence microscopy, we anticipate that our approach will contribute to the understanding of cell mass regulation in various cell states and across timescales, which is important in areas including physiology, cancer research, stem-cell differentiation and drug discovery.

Animal Models for Studying the In Vivo Functions of Cell Cycle CDKs.

PubMed

Risal, Sanjiv; Adhikari, Deepak; Liu, Kui

2016-01-01

Multiple Cdks (Cdk4, Cdk6, and Cdk2) and a mitotic Cdk (Cdk1) are involved in cell cycle progression in mammals. Cyclins, Cdk inhibitors, and phosphorylations (both activating and inhibitory) at different cellular levels tightly modulate the activities of these kinases. Based on the results of biochemical studies, it was long believed that different Cdks functioned at specific stages during cell cycle progression. However, deletion of all three interphase Cdks in mice affected cell cycle entry and progression only in certain specialized cells such as hematopoietic cells, beta cells of the pancreas, pituitary lactotrophs, and cardiomyocytes. These genetic experiments challenged the prevailing biochemical model and established that Cdks function in a cell-specific, but not a stage-specific, manner during cell cycle entry and the progression of mitosis. Recent in vivo studies have further established that Cdk1 is the only Cdk that is both essential and sufficient for driving the resumption of meiosis during mouse oocyte maturation. These genetic studies suggest a minimal-essential cell cycle model in which Cdk1 is the central regulator of cell cycle progression. Cdk1 can compensate for the loss of the interphase Cdks by forming active complexes with A-, B-, E-, and D-type Cyclins in a stepwise manner. Thus, Cdk1 plays an essential role in both mitosis and meiosis in mammals, whereas interphase Cdks are dispensable.

Harnessing cell-to-cell variations to probe bacterial structure and biophysics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cass, Julie A.

Advances in microscopy and biotechnology have given us novel insights into cellular biology and physics. While bacteria were long considered to be relatively unstructured, the development of fluorescence microscopy techniques, and spatially and temporally resolved high-throughput quantitative studies, have uncovered that the bacterial cell is highly organized, and its structure rigorously maintained. In this thesis I will describe our gateTool software, designed to harness cell-to-cell variations to probe bacterial structure, and discuss two exciting aspects of structure that we have employed gateTool to investigate: (i) chromosome organization and the cellular mechanisms for controlling DNA dynamics, and (ii) the study of cell wall synthesis, and how the genes in the synthesis pathway impact cellular shape. In the first project, we develop a spatial and temporal mapping of cell-cycle-dependent chromosomal organization, and use this quantitative map to discover that chromosomal loci segregate from midcell with universal dynamics. In the second project, I describe preliminary time- lapse and snapshot imaging analysis suggesting phentoypical coherence across peptidoglycan synthesis pathways.

TGEV nucleocapsid protein induces cell cycle arrest and apoptosis through activation of p53 signaling

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ding, Li; College of Life Sciences, Hainan Normal University, Haikou, Hainan 571158; Huang, Yong

2014-03-07

Highlights: • TGEV N protein reduces cell viability by inducing cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. • TGEV N protein induces cell cycle arrest and apoptosis by regulating p53 signaling. • TGEV N protein plays important roles in TGEV-induced cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. - Abstract: Our previous studies showed that TGEV infection could induce cell cycle arrest and apoptosis via activation of p53 signaling in cultured host cells. However, it is unclear which viral gene causes these effects. In this study, we investigated the effects of TGEV nucleocapsid (N) protein on PK-15 cells. We found that TGEV N protein suppressedmore » cell proliferation by causing cell cycle arrest at the S and G2/M phases and apoptosis. Characterization of various cellular proteins that are involved in regulating cell cycle progression demonstrated that the expression of N gene resulted in an accumulation of p53 and p21, which suppressed cyclin B1, cdc2 and cdk2 expression. Moreover, the expression of TGEV N gene promoted translocation of Bax to mitochondria, which in turn caused the release of cytochrome c, followed by activation of caspase-3, resulting in cell apoptosis in the transfected PK-15 cells following cell cycle arrest. Further studies showed that p53 inhibitor attenuated TGEV N protein induced cell cycle arrest at S and G2/M phases and apoptosis through reversing the expression changes of cdc2, cdk2 and cyclin B1 and the translocation changes of Bax and cytochrome c induced by TGEV N protein. Taken together, these results demonstrated that TGEV N protein might play an important role in TGEV infection-induced p53 activation and cell cycle arrest at the S and G2/M phases and apoptosis occurrence.« less

Evodiamine Induces Cell Growth Arrest, Apoptosis and Suppresses Tumorigenesis in Human Urothelial Cell Carcinoma Cells.

PubMed

Shi, Chung-Sheng; Li, Jhy-Ming; Chin, Chih-Chien; Kuo, Yi-Hung; Lee, Ying-Ray; Huang, Yun-Ching

2017-03-01

Evodiamine, an indole alkaloid derived from Evodia rutaecarpa, exhibits pharmacological activities including vasodilatation, analgesia, anti-cardiovascular disease, anti-Alzheimer's disease, anti-inflammation, and anti-tumor activity. This study analyzes the anti-tumor effects of evodiamine on cellular growth, tumorigenesis, cell cycle and apoptosis induction of human urothelial cell carcinoma (UCC) cells. The present study showed that evodiamine significantly inhibited the proliferation of UCC cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Also, evodiamine suppressed the tumorigenesis of UCC cells in vitro. Moreover, evodiamine caused G 2 /M cell-cycle arrest and induced caspase-dependent apoptosis in UCC cells. Finally, we demonstrated that evodiamine exhibits better cytotoxic than 5-fluorouracil, a clinical chemotherapeutic drug, for UCC cells. Evodiamine induces growth inhibition, tumorigenesis suppression, cell-cycle arrest, and apoptosis induction in human UCC cells. Therefore, this agent displays a therapeutic potential for treating human UCC cells and is worthy for further investigation. Copyright© 2017, International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. George J. Delinasios), All rights reserved.

Papillomavirus E6 oncoproteins

PubMed Central

Vande Pol, Scott B.; Klingelhutz, Aloysius J.

2013-01-01

Papillomaviruses induce benign and malignant epithelial tumors, and the viral E6 oncoprotein is essential for full transformation. E6 contributes to transformation by associating with cellular proteins, docking on specific acidic LXXLL peptide motifs found on the associated cellular proteins. This review examines insights from recent studies of human and animal E6 proteins that determine the three-dimensional structure of E6 when bound to acidic LXXLL peptides. The structure of E6 is related to recent advances in the purification and identification of E6 associated protein complexes. These E6 protein-complexes, together with other proteins that bind to E6, alter a broad array of biological outcomes including modulation of cell survival, cellular transcription, host cell differentiation, growth factor dependence, DNA damage responses, and cell cycle progression. PMID:23711382

Stress-induced O-GlcNAcylation: an adaptive process of injured cells.

PubMed

Martinez, Marissa R; Dias, Thiago Braido; Natov, Peter S; Zachara, Natasha E

2017-02-08

In the 30 years, since the discovery of nucleocytoplasmic glycosylation, O -GlcNAc has been implicated in regulating cellular processes as diverse as protein folding, localization, degradation, activity, post-translational modifications, and interactions. The cell co-ordinates these molecular events, on thousands of cellular proteins, in concert with environmental and physiological cues to fine-tune epigenetics, transcription, translation, signal transduction, cell cycle, and metabolism. The cellular stress response is no exception: diverse forms of injury result in dynamic changes to the O -GlcNAc subproteome that promote survival. In this review, we discuss the biosynthesis of O -GlcNAc, the mechanisms by which O -GlcNAc promotes cytoprotection, and the clinical significance of these data. © 2017 The Author(s); published by Portland Press Limited on behalf of the Biochemical Society.

Multi-scale imaging and informatics pipeline for in situ pluripotent stem cell analysis.

PubMed

Gorman, Bryan R; Lu, Junjie; Baccei, Anna; Lowry, Nathan C; Purvis, Jeremy E; Mangoubi, Rami S; Lerou, Paul H

2014-01-01

Human pluripotent stem (hPS) cells are a potential source of cells for medical therapy and an ideal system to study fate decisions in early development. However, hPS cells cultured in vitro exhibit a high degree of heterogeneity, presenting an obstacle to clinical translation. hPS cells grow in spatially patterned colony structures, necessitating quantitative single-cell image analysis. We offer a tool for analyzing the spatial population context of hPS cells that integrates automated fluorescent microscopy with an analysis pipeline. It enables high-throughput detection of colonies at low resolution, with single-cellular and sub-cellular analysis at high resolutions, generating seamless in situ maps of single-cellular data organized by colony. We demonstrate the tool's utility by analyzing inter- and intra-colony heterogeneity of hPS cell cycle regulation and pluripotency marker expression. We measured the heterogeneity within individual colonies by analyzing cell cycle as a function of distance. Cells loosely associated with the outside of the colony are more likely to be in G1, reflecting a less pluripotent state, while cells within the first pluripotent layer are more likely to be in G2, possibly reflecting a G2/M block. Our multi-scale analysis tool groups colony regions into density classes, and cells belonging to those classes have distinct distributions of pluripotency markers and respond differently to DNA damage induction. Lastly, we demonstrate that our pipeline can robustly handle high-content, high-resolution single molecular mRNA FISH data by using novel image processing techniques. Overall, the imaging informatics pipeline presented offers a novel approach to the analysis of hPS cells that includes not only single cell features but also colony wide, and more generally, multi-scale spatial configuration.

Cell lineage and cell cycling analyses of the 4d micromere using live imaging in the marine annelid Platynereis dumerilii

PubMed Central

Handberg-Thorsager, Mette; Vervoort, Michel

2017-01-01

Cell lineage, cell cycle, and cell fate are tightly associated in developmental processes, but in vivo studies at single-cell resolution showing the intricacies of these associations are rare due to technical limitations. In this study on the marine annelid Platynereis dumerilii, we investigated the lineage of the 4d micromere, using high-resolution long-term live imaging complemented with a live-cell cycle reporter. 4d is the origin of mesodermal lineages and the germline in many spiralians. We traced lineages at single-cell resolution within 4d and demonstrate that embryonic segmental mesoderm forms via teloblastic divisions, as in clitellate annelids. We also identified the precise cellular origins of the larval mesodermal posterior growth zone. We found that differentially-fated progeny of 4d (germline, segmental mesoderm, growth zone) display significantly different cell cycling. This work has evolutionary implications, sets up the foundation for functional studies in annelid stem cells, and presents newly established techniques for live imaging marine embryos. PMID:29231816

BAP1 induces cell death via interaction with 14-3-3 in neuroblastoma.

PubMed

Sime, Wondossen; Niu, Qiankun; Abassi, Yasmin; Masoumi, Katarzyna Chmielarska; Zarrizi, Reihaneh; Køhler, Julie Bonne; Kjellström, Sven; Lasorsa, Vito Alessandro; Capasso, Mario; Fu, Haian; Massoumi, Ramin

2018-04-24

BRCA1-associated protein 1 (BAP1) is a nuclear deubiquitinating enzyme that is associated with multiprotein complexes that regulate key cellular pathways, including cell cycle, cellular differentiation, cell death, and the DNA damage response. In this study, we found that the reduced expression of BAP1 pro6motes the survival of neuroblastoma cells, and restoring the levels of BAP1 in these cells facilitated a delay in S and G2/M phase of the cell cycle, as well as cell apoptosis. The mechanism that BAP1 induces cell death is mediated via an interaction with 14-3-3 protein. The association between BAP1 and 14-3-3 protein releases the apoptotic inducer protein Bax from 14-3-3 and promotes cell death through the intrinsic apoptosis pathway. Xenograft studies confirmed that the expression of BAP1 reduces tumor growth and progression in vivo by lowering the levels of pro-survival factors such as Bcl-2, which in turn diminish the survival potential of the tumor cells. Patient data analyses confirmed the finding that the high-BAP1 mRNA expression correlates with a better clinical outcome. In summary, our study uncovers a new mechanism for BAP1 in the regulation of cell apoptosis in neuroblastoma cells.

The bornavirus-derived human protein EBLN1 promotes efficient cell cycle transit, microtubule organisation and genome stability

PubMed Central

Myers, Katie N.; Barone, Giancarlo; Ganesh, Anil; Staples, Christopher J.; Howard, Anna E.; Beveridge, Ryan D.; Maslen, Sarah; Skehel, J. Mark; Collis, Spencer J.

2016-01-01

It was recently discovered that vertebrate genomes contain multiple endogenised nucleotide sequences derived from the non-retroviral RNA bornavirus. Strikingly, some of these elements have been evolutionary maintained as open reading frames in host genomes for over 40 million years, suggesting that some endogenised bornavirus-derived elements (EBL) might encode functional proteins. EBLN1 is one such element established through endogenisation of the bornavirus N gene (BDV N). Here, we functionally characterise human EBLN1 as a novel regulator of genome stability. Cells depleted of human EBLN1 accumulate DNA damage both under non-stressed conditions and following exogenously induced DNA damage. EBLN1-depleted cells also exhibit cell cycle abnormalities and defects in microtubule organisation as well as premature centrosome splitting, which we attribute in part, to improper localisation of the nuclear envelope protein TPR. Our data therefore reveal that human EBLN1 possesses important cellular functions within human cells, and suggest that other EBLs present within vertebrate genomes may also possess important cellular functions. PMID:27739501

INPP5E Preserves Genomic Stability through Regulation of Mitosis.

PubMed

Sierra Potchanant, Elizabeth A; Cerabona, Donna; Sater, Zahi Abdul; He, Ying; Sun, Zejin; Gehlhausen, Jeff; Nalepa, Grzegorz

2017-03-15

The partially understood phosphoinositide signaling cascade regulates multiple aspects of cellular metabolism. Previous studies revealed that INPP5E, the inositol polyphosphate-5-phosphatase that is mutated in the developmental disorders Joubert and MORM syndromes, is essential for the function of the primary cilium and maintenance of phosphoinositide balance in nondividing cells. Here, we report that INPP5E further contributes to cellular homeostasis by regulating cell division. We found that silencing or genetic knockout of INPP5E in human and murine cells impairs the spindle assembly checkpoint, centrosome and spindle function, and maintenance of chromosomal integrity. Consistent with a cell cycle regulatory role, we found that INPP5E expression is cell cycle dependent, peaking at mitotic entry. INPP5E localizes to centrosomes, chromosomes, and kinetochores in early mitosis and shuttles to the midzone spindle at mitotic exit. Our findings identify the previously unknown, essential role of INPP5E in mitosis and prevention of aneuploidy, providing a new perspective on the function of this phosphoinositide phosphatase in health and development. Copyright © 2017 Sierra Potchanant et al.

EBV-driven B-cell lymphoproliferative disorders: from biology, classification and differential diagnosis to clinical management

PubMed Central

Ok, Chi Young; Li, Ling; Young, Ken H

2015-01-01

Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) is a ubiquitous herpesvirus, affecting >90% of the adult population. EBV targets B-lymphocytes and achieves latent infection in a circular episomal form. Different latency patterns are recognized based on latent gene expression pattern. Latent membrane protein-1 (LMP-1) mimics CD40 and, when self-aggregated, provides a proliferation signal via activating the nuclear factor-kappa B, Janus kinase/signal transducer and activator of transcription, phosphoinositide 3-kinase/Akt (PI3K/Akt) and mitogen-activated protein kinase pathways to promote cellular proliferation. LMP-1 also induces BCL-2 to escape from apoptosis and gives a signal for cell cycle progression by enhancing cyclin-dependent kinase 2 and phosphorylation of retinoblastoma (Rb) protein and by inhibiting p16 and p27. LMP-2A blocks the surface immunoglobulin-mediated lytic cycle reactivation. It also activates the Ras/PI3K/Akt pathway and induces Bcl-xL expression to promote B-cell survival. Recent studies have shown that ebv-microRNAs can provide extra signals for cellular proliferation, cell cycle progression and anti-apoptosis. EBV is well known for association with various types of B-lymphocyte, T-lymphocyte, epithelial cell and mesenchymal cell neoplasms. B-cell lymphoproliferative disorders encompass a broad spectrum of diseases, from benign to malignant. Here we review our current understanding of EBV-induced lymphomagenesis and focus on biology, diagnosis and management of EBV-associated B-cell lymphoproliferative disorders. PMID:25613729

Human T cell lymphotropic virus type I genomic expression and impact on intracellular signaling pathways during neurodegenerative disease and leukemia.

PubMed

Yao, J; Wigdahl, B

2000-01-01

HTLV-I has been identified as the etiologic agent of neoplasia within the human peripheral blood T lymphocyte population, and a progressive neurologic disorder based primarily within the central nervous system. We have examined the role of HTLV-I in these two distinctly different clinical syndromes by examining the life cycle of the virus, with emphasis on the regulation of viral gene expression within relevant target cell populations. In particular, we have examined the impact of specific viral gene products, particularly Tax, on cellular metabolic function. Tax is a highly promiscuous and pleiotropic viral oncoprotein, and is the most important factor contributing to the initial stages of viral-mediated transformation of T cells after HTLV-I infection. Tax, which weakly binds to Tax response element 1 (TRE-1) in the viral long terminal repeat (LTR), can dramatically trans-activate viral gene expression by interacting with cellular transcription factors, such as activated transcription factors and cyclic AMP response element binding proteins (ATF/CREB), CREB binding protein (CBP/p300), and factors involved with the basic transcription apparatus. At the same time, Tax alters cellular gene expression by directly or indirectly interacting with a variety of cellular transcription factors, cell cycle control elements, and cellular signal transduction molecules ultimately resulting in dysregulated cell proliferation. The mechanisms associated with HTLV-I infection, leading to tropical spastic paraparesis (TSP) are not as clearly resolved. Possible explanations of viral-induced neurologic disease range from central nervous system (CNS) damage caused by direct viral invasion of the CNS to bystander CNS damage caused by the immune response to HTLV-I infection. It is interesting to note that it is very rare for an HTLV-I infected individual to develop both adult T cell leukemia (ATL) and TSP in his/her life time, suggesting that the mechanisms governing development of these two diseases are mutually exclusive.

Systems Biology-Based Investigation of Cellular Antiviral Drug Targets Identified by Gene-Trap Insertional Mutagenesis.

PubMed

Cheng, Feixiong; Murray, James L; Zhao, Junfei; Sheng, Jinsong; Zhao, Zhongming; Rubin, Donald H

2016-09-01

Viruses require host cellular factors for successful replication. A comprehensive systems-level investigation of the virus-host interactome is critical for understanding the roles of host factors with the end goal of discovering new druggable antiviral targets. Gene-trap insertional mutagenesis is a high-throughput forward genetics approach to randomly disrupt (trap) host genes and discover host genes that are essential for viral replication, but not for host cell survival. In this study, we used libraries of randomly mutagenized cells to discover cellular genes that are essential for the replication of 10 distinct cytotoxic mammalian viruses, 1 gram-negative bacterium, and 5 toxins. We herein reported 712 candidate cellular genes, characterizing distinct topological network and evolutionary signatures, and occupying central hubs in the human interactome. Cell cycle phase-specific network analysis showed that host cell cycle programs played critical roles during viral replication (e.g. MYC and TAF4 regulating G0/1 phase). Moreover, the viral perturbation of host cellular networks reflected disease etiology in that host genes (e.g. CTCF, RHOA, and CDKN1B) identified were frequently essential and significantly associated with Mendelian and orphan diseases, or somatic mutations in cancer. Computational drug repositioning framework via incorporating drug-gene signatures from the Connectivity Map into the virus-host interactome identified 110 putative druggable antiviral targets and prioritized several existing drugs (e.g. ajmaline) that may be potential for antiviral indication (e.g. anti-Ebola). In summary, this work provides a powerful methodology with a tight integration of gene-trap insertional mutagenesis testing and systems biology to identify new antiviral targets and drugs for the development of broadly acting and targeted clinical antiviral therapeutics.

Cell Cycle Regulators Guide Mitochondrial Activity in Radiation-Induced Adaptive Response

PubMed Central

Alexandrou, Aris T.

2014-01-01

Abstract Significance: There are accruing concerns on potential genotoxic agents present in the environment including low-dose ionizing radiation (LDIR) that naturally exists on earth's surface and atmosphere and is frequently used in medical diagnosis and nuclear industry. Although its long-term health risk is being evaluated and remains controversial, LDIR is shown to induce temporary but significant adaptive responses in mammalian cells and animals. The mechanisms guiding the mitochondrial function in LDIR-induced adaptive response represent a unique communication between DNA damage and cellular metabolism. Elucidation of the LDIR-regulated mitochondrial activity may reveal new mechanisms adjusting cellular function to cope with hazardous environmental stress. Recent Advances: Key cell cycle regulators, including Cyclin D1/CDK4 and Cyclin B1/cyclin-dependent kinase 1 (CDK1) complexes, are actively involved in the regulation of mitochondrial functions via phosphorylation of their mitochondrial targets. Accumulating new evidence supports a concept that the Cyclin B1/CDK1 complex acts as a mediator in the cross talk between radiation-induced DNA damage and mitochondrial functions to coordinate cellular responses to low-level genotoxic stresses. Critical Issues: The LDIR-mediated mitochondrial activity via Cyclin B1/CDK1 regulation is an irreplaceable network that is able to harmonize vital cellular functions with adjusted mitochondrial metabolism to enhance cellular homeostasis. Future Directions: Further investigation of the coordinative mechanism that regulates mitochondrial activities in sublethal stress conditions, including LDIR, will reveal new insights of how cells cope with genotoxic injury and will be vital for future targeted therapeutic interventions that reduce environmental injury and cancer risk. Antioxid. Redox Signal. 20, 1463–1480. PMID:24180340

Heterogeneous Family of Cyclomodulins: Smart Weapons That Allow Bacteria to Hijack the Eukaryotic Cell Cycle and Promote Infections

PubMed Central

El-Aouar Filho, Rachid A.; Nicolas, Aurélie; De Paula Castro, Thiago L.; Deplanche, Martine; De Carvalho Azevedo, Vasco A.; Goossens, Pierre L.; Taieb, Frédéric; Lina, Gerard; Le Loir, Yves; Berkova, Nadia

2017-01-01

Some bacterial pathogens modulate signaling pathways of eukaryotic cells in order to subvert the host response for their own benefit, leading to successful colonization and invasion. Pathogenic bacteria produce multiple compounds that generate favorable conditions to their survival and growth during infection in eukaryotic hosts. Many bacterial toxins can alter the cell cycle progression of host cells, impairing essential cellular functions and impeding host cell division. This review summarizes current knowledge regarding cyclomodulins, a heterogeneous family of bacterial effectors that induce eukaryotic cell cycle alterations. We discuss the mechanisms of actions of cyclomodulins according to their biochemical properties, providing examples of various cyclomodulins such as cycle inhibiting factor, γ-glutamyltranspeptidase, cytolethal distending toxins, shiga toxin, subtilase toxin, anthrax toxin, cholera toxin, adenylate cyclase toxins, vacuolating cytotoxin, cytotoxic necrotizing factor, Panton-Valentine leukocidin, phenol soluble modulins, and mycolactone. Special attention is paid to the benefit provided by cyclomodulins to bacteria during colonization of the host. PMID:28589102

Huaier aqueous extract induces apoptosis of human fibrosarcoma HT1080 cells through the mitochondrial pathway

PubMed Central

CUI, YANG; MENG, HONGMEI; LIU, WEIDONG; WANG, HUAN; LIU, QINGPENG

2015-01-01

In recent years, aqueous extract of Trametes robiniophila Murr. (Huaier), a traditional Chinese medicine, has been frequently used in China for complementary cancer therapy. However, the mechanisms underlying its anticancer effects have yet to be elucidated. The present study aimed to evaluate the ability of Huaier extract to inhibit proliferation, promote apoptosis and suppress mobility in the fibrosarcoma HT1080 cell line in vitro. The cells were treated with gradient doses of Huaier extract at concentrations of 0, 4, 8 or 16 mg/ml for 24, 48 or 72 h. The cell viability and motility were measured in vitro using MTT, invasive, migration and scratch assays. The distribution of the cell cycle and the extent of cellular apoptosis were analyzed by flow cytometry. The apoptotic pathways were detected using a mitochondrial membrane potential transition assay and western blotting. The results revealed that the cellular viability decreased significantly with increasing concentrations of Huaier extract. In addition, cell invasiveness and migration were also suppressed significantly. It was demonstrated that Huaier extract induced G2 cell-cycle arrest and cellular apoptosis in a time- and dose-dependent manner. The decreased mitochondrial membrane potential, the downregulation of B-cell lymphoma 2 and pro-caspase-3, and upregulation of Bcl-2-associated X protein, cleaved caspase-9 and caspase-3 suggested that Huaier extract induced the apoptosis of HT1080 cells through the mitochondrial pathway. The results of the present study indicate that Huaier extract is a potential complementary agent for the treatment of fibrosarcoma. PMID:25789006

Ubiquitin in Influenza Virus Entry and Innate Immunity.

PubMed

Rudnicka, Alina; Yamauchi, Yohei

2016-10-24

Viruses are obligatory cellular parasites. Their mission is to enter a host cell, to transfer the viral genome, and to replicate progeny whilst diverting cellular immunity. The role of ubiquitin is to regulate fundamental cellular processes such as endocytosis, protein degradation, and immune signaling. Many viruses including influenza A virus (IAV) usurp ubiquitination and ubiquitin-like modifications to establish infection. In this focused review, we discuss how ubiquitin and unanchored ubiquitin regulate IAV host cell entry, and how histone deacetylase 6 (HDAC6), a cytoplasmic deacetylase with ubiquitin-binding activity, mediates IAV capsid uncoating. We also discuss the roles of ubiquitin in innate immunity and its implications in the IAV life cycle.

Flow cytomeric measurement of DNA and incorporated nucleoside analogs

DOEpatents

Dolbeare, Frank A.; Gray, Joe W.

1989-01-01

A method is provided for simultaneously measuring total cellular DNA and incorporated nucleoside analog. The method entails altering the cellular DNA of cells grown in the presence of a nucleoside analog so that single stranded and double stranded portions are present. Separate stains are used against the two portions. An immunochemical stain is used against the single stranded portion to provide a measure of incorporated nucleoside analog, and a double strand DNA-specific stain is used against the double stranded portion to simultaneously provide a measure of total cellular DNA. The method permits rapid flow cytometric analysis of cell populations, rapid identification of cycling and noncycling subpopulations, and determination of the efficacy of S phase cytotoxic anticancer agents.

Ubiquitin in Influenza Virus Entry and Innate Immunity

PubMed Central

Rudnicka, Alina; Yamauchi, Yohei

2016-01-01

Viruses are obligatory cellular parasites. Their mission is to enter a host cell, to transfer the viral genome, and to replicate progeny whilst diverting cellular immunity. The role of ubiquitin is to regulate fundamental cellular processes such as endocytosis, protein degradation, and immune signaling. Many viruses including influenza A virus (IAV) usurp ubiquitination and ubiquitin-like modifications to establish infection. In this focused review, we discuss how ubiquitin and unanchored ubiquitin regulate IAV host cell entry, and how histone deacetylase 6 (HDAC6), a cytoplasmic deacetylase with ubiquitin-binding activity, mediates IAV capsid uncoating. We also discuss the roles of ubiquitin in innate immunity and its implications in the IAV life cycle. PMID:27783058

Magnolol Inhibits the Growth of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer via Inhibiting Microtubule Polymerization.

PubMed

Shen, Jia; Ma, Hailin; Zhang, Tiancheng; Liu, Hui; Yu, Linghua; Li, Guosheng; Li, Huishuang; Hu, Meichun

2017-01-01

The tubulin/microtubule system, which is an integral component of the cytoskeleton, plays an essential role in mitosis. Targeting mitotic progression by disturbing microtubule dynamics is a rational strategy for cancer treatment. Microtubule polymerization assay was performed to examine the effect of Magnolol (a novel natural phenolic compound isolated from Magnolia obovata) on cellular microtubule polymerization in human non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells. Cell cycle analysis, mitotic index assay, cell proliferation assay, colony formation assay, western blotting analysis of cell cycle regulators, Annexin V-FITC/PI staining, and live/dead viability staining were carried out to investigate the Magnolol's inhibitory effect on proliferation and viability of NSCLS cells in vitro. Xenograft model of human A549 NSCLC tumor was used to determine the Magnolol's efficacy in vivo. Magnolol treatment effectively inhibited cell proliferation and colony formation of NSCLC cells. Further study proved that Magnolol induced the mitotic phase arrest and inhibited G2/M progression in a dose-dependent manner, which were mechanistically associated with expression alteration of a series of cell cycle regulators. Furthermore, Magnolol treatment disrupted the cellular microtubule organization via inhibiting the polymerization of microtubule. We also found treatment with NSCLC cells with Magnolol resulted in apoptosis activation through a p53-independent pathway, and autophgy induction via down-regulation of the Akt/mTOR pathway. Finally, Magnolol treatment significantly suppressed the NSCLC tumor growth in mouse xenograft model in vivo. These findings identify Magnolol as a promising candidate with anti-microtubule polymerization activity for NSCLC treatment. © 2017 The Author(s). Published by S. Karger AG, Basel.

Restriction Endonucleases from Invasive Neisseria gonorrhoeae Cause Double-Strand Breaks and Distort Mitosis in Epithelial Cells during Infection

PubMed Central

Weyler, Linda; Engelbrecht, Mattias; Mata Forsberg, Manuel; Brehwens, Karl; Vare, Daniel; Vielfort, Katarina; Wojcik, Andrzej; Aro, Helena

2014-01-01

The host epithelium is both a barrier against, and the target for microbial infections. Maintaining regulated cell growth ensures an intact protective layer towards microbial-induced cellular damage. Neisseria gonorrhoeae infections disrupt host cell cycle regulation machinery and the infection causes DNA double strand breaks that delay progression through the G2/M phase. We show that intracellular gonococci upregulate and release restriction endonucleases that enter the nucleus and damage human chromosomal DNA. Bacterial lysates containing restriction endonucleases were able to fragment genomic DNA as detected by PFGE. Lysates were also microinjected into the cytoplasm of cells in interphase and after 20 h, DNA double strand breaks were identified by 53BP1 staining. In addition, by using live-cell microscopy and NHS-ester stained live gonococci we visualized the subcellular location of the bacteria upon mitosis. Infected cells show dysregulation of the spindle assembly checkpoint proteins MAD1 and MAD2, impaired and prolonged M-phase, nuclear swelling, micronuclei formation and chromosomal instability. These data highlight basic molecular functions of how gonococcal infections affect host cell cycle regulation, cause DNA double strand breaks and predispose cellular malignancies. PMID:25460012

Restriction endonucleases from invasive Neisseria gonorrhoeae cause double-strand breaks and distort mitosis in epithelial cells during infection.

PubMed

Weyler, Linda; Engelbrecht, Mattias; Mata Forsberg, Manuel; Brehwens, Karl; Vare, Daniel; Vielfort, Katarina; Wojcik, Andrzej; Aro, Helena

2014-01-01

The host epithelium is both a barrier against, and the target for microbial infections. Maintaining regulated cell growth ensures an intact protective layer towards microbial-induced cellular damage. Neisseria gonorrhoeae infections disrupt host cell cycle regulation machinery and the infection causes DNA double strand breaks that delay progression through the G2/M phase. We show that intracellular gonococci upregulate and release restriction endonucleases that enter the nucleus and damage human chromosomal DNA. Bacterial lysates containing restriction endonucleases were able to fragment genomic DNA as detected by PFGE. Lysates were also microinjected into the cytoplasm of cells in interphase and after 20 h, DNA double strand breaks were identified by 53BP1 staining. In addition, by using live-cell microscopy and NHS-ester stained live gonococci we visualized the subcellular location of the bacteria upon mitosis. Infected cells show dysregulation of the spindle assembly checkpoint proteins MAD1 and MAD2, impaired and prolonged M-phase, nuclear swelling, micronuclei formation and chromosomal instability. These data highlight basic molecular functions of how gonococcal infections affect host cell cycle regulation, cause DNA double strand breaks and predispose cellular malignancies.

Tumor suppressor activity of the ERK/MAPK pathway by promoting selective protein degradation

PubMed Central

Deschênes-Simard, Xavier; Gaumont-Leclerc, Marie-France; Bourdeau, Véronique; Lessard, Frédéric; Moiseeva, Olga; Forest, Valérie; Igelmann, Sebastian; Mallette, Frédérick A.; Saba-El-Leil, Marc K.; Meloche, Sylvain; Saad, Fred; Mes-Masson, Anne-Marie; Ferbeyre, Gerardo

2013-01-01

Constitutive activation of growth factor signaling pathways paradoxically triggers a cell cycle arrest known as cellular senescence. In primary cells expressing oncogenic ras, this mechanism effectively prevents cell transformation. Surprisingly, attenuation of ERK/MAP kinase signaling by genetic inactivation of Erk2, RNAi-mediated knockdown of ERK1 or ERK2, or MEK inhibitors prevented the activation of the senescence mechanism, allowing oncogenic ras to transform primary cells. Mechanistically, ERK-mediated senescence involved the proteasome-dependent degradation of proteins required for cell cycle progression, mitochondrial functions, cell migration, RNA metabolism, and cell signaling. This senescence-associated protein degradation (SAPD) was observed not only in cells expressing ectopic ras, but also in cells that senesced due to short telomeres. Individual RNAi-mediated inactivation of SAPD targets was sufficient to restore senescence in cells transformed by oncogenic ras or trigger senescence in normal cells. Conversely, the anti-senescence viral oncoproteins E1A, E6, and E7 prevented SAPD. In human prostate neoplasms, high levels of phosphorylated ERK were found in benign lesions, correlating with other senescence markers and low levels of STAT3, one of the SAPD targets. We thus identified a mechanism that links aberrant activation of growth signaling pathways and short telomeres to protein degradation and cellular senescence. PMID:23599344

Ionizing radiation induces mitochondrial reactive oxygen species production accompanied by upregulation of mitochondrial electron transport chain function and mitochondrial content under control of the cell cycle checkpoint.

PubMed

Yamamori, Tohru; Yasui, Hironobu; Yamazumi, Masayuki; Wada, Yusuke; Nakamura, Yoshinari; Nakamura, Hideo; Inanami, Osamu

2012-07-15

Whereas ionizing radiation (Ir) instantaneously causes the formation of water radiolysis products that contain some reactive oxygen species (ROS), ROS are also suggested to be released from biological sources in irradiated cells. It is now becoming clear that these ROS generated secondarily after Ir have a variety of biological roles. Although mitochondria are assumed to be responsible for this Ir-induced ROS production, it remains to be elucidated how Ir triggers it. Therefore, we conducted this study to decipher the mechanism of Ir-induced mitochondrial ROS production. In human lung carcinoma A549 cells, Ir (10 Gy of X-rays) induced a time-dependent increase in the mitochondrial ROS level. Ir also increased mitochondrial membrane potential, mitochondrial respiration, and mitochondrial ATP production, suggesting upregulation of the mitochondrial electron transport chain (ETC) function after Ir. Although we found that Ir slightly enhanced mitochondrial ETC complex II activity, the complex II inhibitor 3-nitropropionic acid failed to reduce Ir-induced mitochondrial ROS production. Meanwhile, we observed that the mitochondrial mass and mitochondrial DNA level were upregulated after Ir, indicating that Ir increased the mitochondrial content of the cell. Because irradiated cells are known to undergo cell cycle arrest under control of the checkpoint mechanisms, we examined the relationships between cell cycle and mitochondrial content and cellular oxidative stress level. We found that the cells in the G2/M phase had a higher mitochondrial content and cellular oxidative stress level than cells in the G1 or S phase, regardless of whether the cells were irradiated. We also found that Ir-induced accumulation of the cells in the G2/M phase led to an increase in cells with a high mitochondrial content and cellular oxidative stress level. This suggested that Ir upregulated mitochondrial ETC function and mitochondrial content, resulting in mitochondrial ROS production, and that Ir-induced G2/M arrest contributed to the increase in the mitochondrial ROS level by accumulating cells in the G2/M phase. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Hippo signaling controls cell cycle and restricts cell plasticity in planarians

PubMed Central

de Sousa, Nídia; Rodríguez-Esteban, Gustavo; Rojo-Laguna, Jose Ignacio; Saló, Emili

2018-01-01

The Hippo pathway plays a key role in regulating cell turnover in adult tissues, and abnormalities in this pathway are consistently associated with human cancers. Hippo was initially implicated in the control of cell proliferation and death, and its inhibition is linked to the expansion of stem cells and progenitors, leading to larger organ size and tumor formation. To understand the mechanism by which Hippo directs cell renewal and promotes stemness, we studied its function in planarians. These stem cell–based organisms are ideal models for the analysis of the complex cellular events underlying tissue renewal in the whole organism. hippo RNA interference (RNAi) in planarians decreased apoptotic cell death, induced cell cycle arrest, and could promote the dedifferentiation of postmitotic cells. hippo RNAi resulted in extensive undifferentiated areas and overgrowths, with no effect on body size or cell number. We propose an essential role for hippo in controlling cell cycle, restricting cell plasticity, and thereby preventing tumoral transformation. PMID:29357350

Decoupling of Nuclear Division Cycles and Cell Size during the Coenocytic Growth of the Ichthyosporean Sphaeroforma arctica.

PubMed

Ondracka, Andrej; Dudin, Omaya; Ruiz-Trillo, Iñaki

2018-06-18

Coordination of the cell division cycle with the growth of the cell is critical to achieve cell size homeostasis [1]. Mechanisms coupling the cell division cycle with cell growth have been described across diverse eukaryotic taxa [2-4], but little is known about how these processes are coordinated in organisms that undergo more complex life cycles, such as coenocytic growth. Coenocytes (multinucleate cells formed by sequential nuclear divisions without cytokinesis) are commonly found across the eukaryotic kingdom, including in animal and plant tissues and several lineages of unicellular eukaryotes [5]. Among the organisms that form coenocytes are ichthyosporeans, a lineage of unicellular holozoans that are of significant interest due to their phylogenetic placement as one of the closest relatives of animals [6]. Here, we characterize the coenocytic cell division cycle in the ichthyosporean Sphaeroforma arctica. We observe that, in laboratory conditions, S. arctica cells undergo a uniform and easily synchronizable coenocytic cell cycle, reaching up to 128 nuclei per cell before cellularization and release of daughter cells. Cycles of nuclear division occur synchronously within the coenocyte and in regular time intervals (11-12 hr). We find that the growth of cell volume is dependent on concentration of nutrients in the media; in contrast, the rate of nuclear division cycles is constant over a range of nutrient concentrations. Together, the results suggest that nuclear division cycles in the coenocytic growth of S. arctica are driven by a timer, which ensures periodic and synchronous nuclear cycles independent of the cell size and growth. Copyright © 2018 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Role of Mitochondrial Oxidative Stress in Spaceflight-Induced Tissue Degeneration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Torres, Samantha M.; Schreurs, Ann-Sofie; Truong, Tiffany A.; Tahimic, Candice; Globus, Ruth

2017-01-01

Microgravity and ionizing radiation in the spaceflight environment poses multiple challenges to homeostasis and may contribute to cellular stress. Effects may include increased generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), DNA damage and repair error, cell cycle arrest, cell senescence or death. Our central hypothesis is that prolonged exposure to the spaceflight environment leads to the excess production of ROS and oxidative damage, culminating in accelerated tissue degeneration. The main goal of this project is to determine the importance of cellular redox defense for physiological adaptations and tissue degeneration in the space environment.

BAP1 and Cancer

PubMed Central

Carbone, Michele; Yang, Haining; Pass, Harvey I.; Krausz, Thomas; Testa, Joseph R.; Gaudino, Giovanni

2013-01-01

Preface BAP1 is a deubiquitylase that is found associated with multi-protein complexes that regulate key cellular pathways, including the cell cycle, cellular differentiation, cell death, gluconeogenesis and the DNA damage response (DDR). Recent findings indicate that germline BAP1 mutations cause a novel cancer syndrome, characterized, at least in the affected families studied so far, by the onset at an early age of benign melanocytic skin tumours with mutated BAP1, and later in life by a high incidence of mesothelioma, uveal melanoma, cutaneous melanoma and possibly additional cancers. PMID:23550303

INITIATION OF MITOSIS IN RELATION TO THE CELL CYCLE FOLLOWING FEEDING OF STARVED CHICKENS

PubMed Central

Cameron, Ivan L.; Cleffmann, Günter

1964-01-01

Cellular proliferation of newly hatched chickens was depressed by starving them for 2.5 to 3.5 days. Starvation may hold proliferative cells in different parts of the cell cycle. In order to find where in the cell cycle these cells are held, the animals were fed and the following events were measured as a function of time after the start of feeding: (1) the mitotic index, and (2) the DNA synthetic index (number of cells in DNA synthesis 1 hour after injection of H3-thymidine). The duration of the cell's DNA synthetic period (S) was measured, permitting a more exact description of the cell cycle. Analysis of the duodenal and esophageal epithelia shows that feeding initiates cell division by stimulating cells from the G1 part of the mitotic cycle in the duodenum. In the esophagus some of the cells were either stopped or slowed down in G1, and another group of cells in G2. Feeding simultaneously stimulates both cell groups; the former moves into S, the latter into mitosis. The S period in starved animals is a little longer than that in normally fed animals but the extension can be attributed to a slightly decreased body temperature. PMID:14153479

MYC/MIZ1-dependent gene repression inversely coordinates the circadian clock with cell cycle and proliferation.

PubMed

Shostak, Anton; Ruppert, Bianca; Ha, Nati; Bruns, Philipp; Toprak, Umut H; Eils, Roland; Schlesner, Matthias; Diernfellner, Axel; Brunner, Michael

2016-06-24

The circadian clock and the cell cycle are major cellular systems that organize global physiology in temporal fashion. It seems conceivable that the potentially conflicting programs are coordinated. We show here that overexpression of MYC in U2OS cells attenuates the clock and conversely promotes cell proliferation while downregulation of MYC strengthens the clock and reduces proliferation. Inhibition of the circadian clock is crucially dependent on the formation of repressive complexes of MYC with MIZ1 and subsequent downregulation of the core clock genes BMAL1 (ARNTL), CLOCK and NPAS2. We show furthermore that BMAL1 expression levels correlate inversely with MYC levels in 102 human lymphomas. Our data suggest that MYC acts as a master coordinator that inversely modulates the impact of cell cycle and circadian clock on gene expression.

Acidosis induces reprogramming of cellular metabolism to mitigate oxidative stress

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background A variety of oncogenic and environmental factors alter tumor metabolism to serve the distinct cellular biosynthetic and bioenergetic needs present during oncogenesis. Extracellular acidosis is a common microenvironmental stress in solid tumors, but little is known about its metabolic influence, particularly when present in the absence of hypoxia. In order to characterize the extent of tumor cell metabolic adaptations to acidosis, we employed stable isotope tracers to examine how acidosis impacts glucose, glutamine, and palmitate metabolism in breast cancer cells exposed to extracellular acidosis. Results Acidosis increased both glutaminolysis and fatty acid β-oxidation, which contribute metabolic intermediates to drive the tricarboxylic acid cycle (TCA cycle) and ATP generation. Acidosis also led to a decoupling of glutaminolysis and novel glutathione (GSH) synthesis by repressing GCLC/GCLM expression. We further found that acidosis redirects glucose away from lactate production and towards the oxidative branch of the pentose phosphate pathway (PPP). These changes all serve to increase nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) production and counter the increase in reactive oxygen species (ROS) present under acidosis. The reduced novel GSH synthesis under acidosis may explain the increased demand for NADPH to recycle existing pools of GSH. Interestingly, acidosis also disconnected novel ribose synthesis from the oxidative PPP, seemingly to reroute PPP metabolites to the TCA cycle. Finally, we found that acidosis activates p53, which contributes to both the enhanced PPP and increased glutaminolysis, at least in part, through the induction of G6PD and GLS2 genes. Conclusions Acidosis alters the cellular metabolism of several major metabolites, which induces a significant degree of metabolic inflexibility. Cells exposed to acidosis largely rely upon mitochondrial metabolism for energy generation to the extent that metabolic intermediates are redirected away from several other critical metabolic processes, including ribose and glutathione synthesis. These alterations lead to both a decrease in cellular proliferation and increased sensitivity to ROS. Collectively, these data reveal a role for p53 in cellular metabolic reprogramming under acidosis, in order to permit increased bioenergetic capacity and ROS neutralization. Understanding the metabolic adaptations that cancer cells make under acidosis may present opportunities to generate anti-tumor therapeutic agents that are more tumor-specific. PMID:24359630

An integrated system for synchronous culture of animal cells under controlled conditions.

PubMed

Mendoza-Pérez, Elena; Hernández, Vanessa; Palomares, Laura A; Serrato, José A

2016-01-01

The cell cycle has fundamental effects on cell cultures and their products. Tools to synchronize cultured cells allow the study of cellular physiology and metabolism at particular cell cycle phases. However, cells are most often arrested by methods that alter their homeostasis and are then cultivated in poorly controlled environments. Cell behavior could then be affected by the synchronization method and culture conditions used, and not just by the particular cell cycle phase under study. Moreover, only a few viable cells are recovered. Here, we designed an integrated system where a large number of cells from a controlled bioreactor culture is separated by centrifugal elutriation at high viabilities. In contrast to current elutriation methods, cells are injected directly from a bioreactor into an injection loop, allowing the introduction of a large number of cells into the separation chamber without stressful centrifugation. A low pulsation peristaltic pump increases the stability of the elutriation chamber. Using this approach, a large number of healthy cells at each cell cycle phase were obtained, allowing their direct inoculation into fully instrumented bioreactors. Hybridoma cells synchronized and cultured in this system behaved as expected for a synchronous culture.

P44/WDR77 restricts the sensitivity of proliferating cells to TGFβ signaling

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yi, Pengfei; Department of Cancer Biology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030; Gao, Shen

2014-07-18

Highlights: • P44/WDR77 causes proliferating cells to become non-responsive to TGFβ signaling. • P44/WDR77 down-regulates TβRII and TβR2 expression. • P44/WDR77 down-regulated TGFβ signaling correlates with lung tumorigenesis. - Abstract: We previously reported that a novel WD-40 domain-containing protein, p44/WDR77, drives quiescent epithelial cells to re-enter the cell cycle and plays an essential role for growth of lung and prostate cancer cells. Transforming growth factor beta (TGFβ) signaling is important in the maintenance of non-transformed cells in the quiescent or slowly cycling stage. However, both non-transformed proliferating cells and human cancer cells are non-responsive to endogenous TGFβ signaling. The mechanismmore » by which proliferating cells become refractory to TGFβ inhibition is not well established. Here, we found that silencing p44/WDR77 increased cellular sensitivity to TGFβ signaling and that this was inversely correlated with decreased cell proliferation. Smad2 or 3 phosphorylation, TGFβ-mediated transcription, and TGFβ2 and TGFβ receptor type II (TβRII) expression were dramatically induced by silencing of p44/WDR77. These data support the hypothesis that p44/WDR77 down-regulates the expression of the TGFβ ligand and its receptor, thereby leading to a cellular non-response to TGFβ signaling. Finally, we found that p44/WDR77 expression was correlated with cell proliferation and decreased TGFβ signaling during lung tumorigenesis. Together, these results suggest that p44/WDR77 expression causes the non-sensitivity of proliferating cells to TGFβ signaling, thereby contributing to cellular proliferation during lung tumorigenesis.« less

Motifs, modules and games in bacteria.

PubMed

Wolf, Denise M; Arkin, Adam P

2003-04-01

Global explorations of regulatory network dynamics, organization and evolution have become tractable thanks to high-throughput sequencing and molecular measurement of bacterial physiology. From these, a nascent conceptual framework is developing, that views the principles of regulation in term of motifs, modules and games. Motifs are small, repeated, and conserved biological units ranging from molecular domains to small reaction networks. They are arranged into functional modules, genetically dissectible cellular functions such as the cell cycle, or different stress responses. The dynamical functioning of modules defines the organism's strategy to survive in a game, pitting cell against cell, and cell against environment. Placing pathway structure and dynamics into an evolutionary context begins to allow discrimination between those physical and molecular features that particularize a species to its surroundings, and those that provide core physiological function. This approach promises to generate a higher level understanding of cellular design, pathway evolution and cellular bioengineering.

Selective Cytotoxicity of Rhodium Metalloinsertors in Mismatch Repair-Deficient Cells†

PubMed Central

Ernst, Russell J.; Komor, Alexis C.; Barton, Jacqueline K.

2011-01-01

Mismatches in DNA occur naturally during replication and as a result of endogenous DNA damaging agents, but the mismatch repair (MMR) pathway acts to correct mismatches before subsequent rounds of replication. Rhodium metalloinsertors bind to DNA mismatches with high affinity and specificity and represent a promising strategy to target mismatches in cells. Here we examine the biological fate of rhodium metalloinsertors bearing dipyridylamine ancillary ligands in cells deficient in MMR versus those that are MMR-proficient. These complexes are shown to exhibit accelerated cellular uptake which permits the observation of various cellular responses, including disruption of the cell cycle, monitored by flow cytometry assays, and induction of necrosis, monitored by dye exclusion and caspase inhibition assays, that occur preferentially in the MMR-deficient cell line. These cellular responses provide insight into the mechanisms underlying the selective activity of this novel class of targeted anti-cancer agents. PMID:22103240

Motifs, modules and games in bacteria

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wolf, Denise M.; Arkin, Adam P.

2003-04-01

Global explorations of regulatory network dynamics, organization and evolution have become tractable thanks to high-throughput sequencing and molecular measurement of bacterial physiology. From these, a nascent conceptual framework is developing, that views the principles of regulation in term of motifs, modules and games. Motifs are small, repeated, and conserved biological units ranging from molecular domains to small reaction networks. They are arranged into functional modules, genetically dissectible cellular functions such as the cell cycle, or different stress responses. The dynamical functioning of modules defines the organism's strategy to survive in a game, pitting cell against cell, and cell against environment.more » Placing pathway structure and dynamics into an evolutionary context begins to allow discrimination between those physical and molecular features that particularize a species to its surroundings, and those that provide core physiological function. This approach promises to generate a higher level understanding of cellular design, pathway evolution and cellular bioengineering.« less

Rho-associated kinase (ROCK) inhibition reverses low cell activity on hydrophobic surfaces.

PubMed

Tian, Yu Shun; Kim, Hyun Jung; Kim, Hyun-Man

2009-08-28

Hydrophobic polymers do not offer an adequate scaffold surface for cells to attach, migrate, proliferate, and differentiate. Thus, hydrophobic scaffolds for tissue engineering have traditionally been physicochemically modified to enhance cellular activity. However, modifying the surface by chemical or physical treatment requires supplementary engineering procedures. In the present study, regulation of a cell signal transduction pathway reversed the low cellular activity on a hydrophobic surface without surface modification. Inhibition of Rho-associated kinase (ROCK) by Y-27632 markedly enhanced adhesion, migration, and proliferation of osteoblastic cells cultured on a hydrophobic polystyrene surface. ROCK inhibition regulated cell-cycle-related molecules on the hydrophobic surface. This inhibition also decreased expression of the inhibitors of cyclin-dependent kinases such as p21(cip1) and p27(kip1) and increased expression of cyclin A and D. These results indicate that defective cellular activity on the hydrophobic surface can be reversed by the control of a cell signal transduction pathway without physicochemical surface modification.

Combined-modality treatment of solid tumors using radiotherapy and molecular targeted agents.

PubMed

Ma, Brigette B Y; Bristow, Robert G; Kim, John; Siu, Lillian L

2003-07-15

Molecular targeted agents have been combined with radiotherapy (RT) in recent clinical trials in an effort to optimize the therapeutic index of RT. The appeal of this strategy lies in their potential target specificity and clinically acceptable toxicity. This article integrates the salient, published research findings into the underlying molecular mechanisms, preclinical efficacy, and clinical applicability of combining RT with molecular targeted agents. These agents include inhibitors of intracellular signal transduction molecules, modulators of apoptosis, inhibitors of cell cycle checkpoints control, antiangiogenic agents, and cyclo-oxygenase-2 inhibitors. Molecular targeted agents can have direct effects on the cytoprotective and cytotoxic pathways implicated in the cellular response to ionizing radiation (IR). These pathways involve cellular proliferation, DNA repair, cell cycle progression, nuclear transcription, tumor angiogenesis, and prostanoid-associated inflammation. These pathways can also converge to alter RT-induced apoptosis, terminal growth arrest, and reproductive cell death. Pharmacologic modulation of these pathways may potentially enhance tumor response to RT though inhibition of tumor repopulation, improvement of tumor oxygenation, redistribution during the cell cycle, and alteration of intrinsic tumor radiosensitivity. Combining RT and molecular targeted agents is a rational approach in the treatment of solid tumors. Translation of this approach from promising preclinical data to clinical trials is actively underway.

Analyzing the dynamics of cell cycle processes from fixed samples through ergodic principles.

PubMed

Wheeler, Richard John

2015-11-05

Tools to analyze cyclical cellular processes, particularly the cell cycle, are of broad value for cell biology. Cell cycle synchronization and live-cell time-lapse observation are widely used to analyze these processes but are not available for many systems. Simple mathematical methods built on the ergodic principle are a well-established, widely applicable, and powerful alternative analysis approach, although they are less widely used. These methods extract data about the dynamics of a cyclical process from a single time-point "snapshot" of a population of cells progressing through the cycle asynchronously. Here, I demonstrate application of these simple mathematical methods to analysis of basic cyclical processes--cycles including a division event, cell populations undergoing unicellular aging, and cell cycles with multiple fission (schizogony)--as well as recent advances that allow detailed mapping of the cell cycle from continuously changing properties of the cell such as size and DNA content. This includes examples using existing data from mammalian, yeast, and unicellular eukaryotic parasite cell biology. Through the ongoing advances in high-throughput cell analysis by light microscopy, electron microscopy, and flow cytometry, these mathematical methods are becoming ever more important and are a powerful complementary method to traditional synchronization and time-lapse cell cycle analysis methods. © 2015 Wheeler. This article is distributed by The American Society for Cell Biology under license from the author(s). Two months after publication it is available to the public under an Attribution–Noncommercial–Share Alike 3.0 Unported Creative Commons License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0).

A novel Fizzy/Cdc20-dependent mechanism suppresses necrosis in neural stem cells

PubMed Central

Kuang, Chaoyuan; Golden, Krista L.; Simon, Claudio R.; Damrath, John; Buttitta, Laura; Gamble, Caitlin E.; Lee, Cheng-Yu

2014-01-01

Cancer stem cells likely survive chemotherapy or radiotherapy by acquiring mutations that inactivate the endogenous apoptotic machinery or by cycling slowly. Thus, knowledge about the mechanisms linking the activation of an alternative cell death modality and the cell cycle machinery could have a transformative impact on the development of new cancer therapies, but the mechanisms remain completely unknown. We investigated the regulation of alternative cell death in Drosophila larval brain neural stem cells (neuroblasts) in which apoptosis is normally repressed. From a screen, we identified two novel loss-of-function alleles of the Cdc20/fizzy (fzy) gene that lead to premature brain neuroblast loss without perturbing cell proliferation in other diploid cell types. Fzy is an evolutionarily conserved regulator of anaphase promoting complex/cyclosome (APC/C). Neuroblasts carrying the novel fzy allele or exhibiting reduced APC/C function display hallmarks of necrosis. By contrast, neuroblasts overexpressing the non-degradable form of canonical APC/C substrates required for cell cycle progression undergo mitotic catastrophe. These data strongly suggest that Fzy can elicit a novel pro-survival function of APC/C by suppressing necrosis. Neuroblasts experiencing catastrophic cellular stress, or overexpressing p53, lose Fzy expression and undergo necrosis. Co-expression of fzy suppresses the death of these neuroblasts. Consequently, attenuation of the Fzy-dependent survival mechanism functions downstream of catastrophic cellular stress and p53 to eliminate neuroblasts by necrosis. Strategies that target the Fzy-dependent survival mechanism might lead to the discovery of new treatments or complement the pre-existing therapies to eliminate apoptosis-resistant cancer stem cells by necrosis. PMID:24598157

Downregulation of p16(ink4a) inhibits cell proliferation and induces G1 cell cycle arrest in cervical cancer cells.

PubMed

Zhang, Chu-Yue; Bao, Wei; Wang, Li-Hua

2014-06-01

Studies have suggested that p16(ink4a) may be a surrogate biomarker for the diagnosis of cervical cancer; however, the function of p16(ink4a) in human cervical cancer cells remains largely unknown. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to investigate the role of p16(ink4a) in human cervical cancer cells. Immunocytochemistry was used to examine invasive squamous cell carcinoma and its precancerous lesions. p16(ink4a)-siRNA was transfected into SiHa and HeLa cells to deplete its expression. The cellular levels of p16(ink4a) mRNA and protein were detected by qRT-PCR and western blot analysis. Proliferation rates were assessed by methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium (MTT) and plate colony formation assays. Cellular migration and invasion ability were assessed by a wound healing assay and Transwell assay. Cellular apoptosis and the cell cycle were measured by flow cytometry. The protein levels of retinoblastoma (Rb), phosphorylated Rb (phospho-Rb), cyclin D1 and caspase-3 were determined by western blot analysis. The results revealed that p16(ink4a) was overexpressed in the cervical cancer and precancerous lesions (P<0.05). The downregulation of p16(ink4a) in the SiHa and HeLa cells inhibited their proliferation, migration and invasion. In the SiHa cells, p16(ink4a)-siRNA also induced G1 cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. Western blot analysis revealed that the downregulation of p16(ink4a) in the SiHa cells markedly induced caspase-3 activation and decreased cyclin D1 expression. These data suggest that the overexpression of p16(ink4a) appears to be useful in monitoring cervical precancerous lesions, which supports that the hypothesis that p16(ink4a) is a surrogate biomarker for the diagnosis of cervical cancer. The therapeutic targeting of overexpressed p16(ink4a) in the p16(ink4a)-cyclin-Rb pathway may be a useful strategy in the treatment of cervical cancer.

How do bacteria localize proteins to the cell pole?

PubMed Central

Laloux, Géraldine; Jacobs-Wagner, Christine

2014-01-01

ABSTRACT It is now well appreciated that bacterial cells are highly organized, which is far from the initial concept that they are merely bags of randomly distributed macromolecules and chemicals. Central to their spatial organization is the precise positioning of certain proteins in subcellular domains of the cell. In particular, the cell poles – the ends of rod-shaped cells – constitute important platforms for cellular regulation that underlie processes as essential as cell cycle progression, cellular differentiation, virulence, chemotaxis and growth of appendages. Thus, understanding how the polar localization of specific proteins is achieved and regulated is a crucial question in bacterial cell biology. Often, polarly localized proteins are recruited to the poles through their interaction with other proteins or protein complexes that were already located there, in a so-called diffusion-and-capture mechanism. Bacteria are also starting to reveal their secrets on how the initial pole ‘recognition’ can occur and how this event can be regulated to generate dynamic, reproducible patterns in time (for example, during the cell cycle) and space (for example, at a specific cell pole). Here, we review the major mechanisms that have been described in the literature, with an emphasis on the self-organizing principles. We also present regulation strategies adopted by bacterial cells to obtain complex spatiotemporal patterns of protein localization. PMID:24345373

Molecular mechanism of G1 arrest and cellular senescence induced by LEE011, a novel CDK4/CDK6 inhibitor, in leukemia cells.

PubMed

Tao, Yan-Fang; Wang, Na-Na; Xu, Li-Xiao; Li, Zhi-Heng; Li, Xiao-Lu; Xu, Yun-Yun; Fang, Fang; Li, Mei; Qian, Guang-Hui; Li, Yan-Hong; Li, Yi-Ping; Wu, Yi; Ren, Jun-Li; Du, Wei-Wei; Lu, Jun; Feng, Xing; Wang, Jian; He, Wei-Qi; Hu, Shao-Yan; Pan, Jian

2017-01-01

Overexpression of cyclin D1 dependent kinases 4 and 6 (CDK4/6) is a common feature of many human cancers including leukemia. LEE011 is a novel inhibitor of both CDK4 and 6. To date, the molecular function of LEE011 in leukemia remains unclear. Leukemia cell growth and apoptosis following LEE011 treatment was assessed through CCK-8 and annexin V/propidium iodide staining assays. Cell senescence was assessed by β-galactosidase staining and p16 INK4a expression analysis. Gene expression profiles of LEE011 treated HL-60 cells were investigated using an Arraystar Human LncRNA array. Gene ontology and KEGG pathway analysis were then used to analyze the differentially expressed genes from the cluster analysis. Our studies demonstrated that LEE011 inhibited proliferation of leukemia cells and could induce apoptosis. Hoechst 33,342 staining analysis showed DNA fragmentation and distortion of nuclear structures following LEE011 treatment. Cell cycle analysis showed LEE011 significantly induced cell cycle G 1 arrest in seven of eight acute leukemia cells lines, the exception being THP-1 cells. β-Galactosidase staining analysis and p16 INK4a expression analysis showed that LEE011 treatment can induce cell senescence of leukemia cells. LncRNA microarray analysis showed 2083 differentially expressed mRNAs and 3224 differentially expressed lncRNAs in LEE011-treated HL-60 cells compared with controls. Molecular function analysis showed that LEE011 induced senescence in leukemia cells partially through downregulation of the transcriptional expression of MYBL2. We demonstrate for the first time that LEE011 treatment results in inhibition of cell proliferation and induction of G 1 arrest and cellular senescence in leukemia cells. LncRNA microarray analysis showed differentially expressed mRNAs and lncRNAs in LEE011-treated HL-60 cells and we demonstrated that LEE011 induces cellular senescence partially through downregulation of the expression of MYBL2. These results may open new lines of investigation regarding the molecular mechanism of LEE011 induced cellular senescence.

Understanding cell cycle and cell death regulation provides novel weapons against human diseases.

PubMed

Wiman, K G; Zhivotovsky, B

2017-05-01

Cell division, cell differentiation and cell death are the three principal physiological processes that regulate tissue homoeostasis in multicellular organisms. The growth and survival of cells as well as the integrity of the genome are regulated by a complex network of pathways, in which cell cycle checkpoints, DNA repair and programmed cell death have critical roles. Disruption of genomic integrity and impaired regulation of cell death may both lead to uncontrolled cell growth. Compromised cell death can also favour genomic instability. It is becoming increasingly clear that dysregulation of cell cycle and cell death processes plays an important role in the development of major disorders such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, infection, inflammation and neurodegenerative diseases. Research achievements in these fields have led to the development of novel approaches for treatment of various conditions associated with abnormalities in the regulation of cell cycle progression or cell death. A better understanding of how cellular life-and-death processes are regulated is essential for this development. To highlight these important advances, the Third Nobel Conference entitled 'The Cell Cycle and Cell Death in Disease' was organized at Karolinska Institutet in 2016. In this review we will summarize current understanding of cell cycle progression and cell death and discuss some of the recent advances in therapeutic applications in pathological conditions such as cancer, neurological disorders and inflammation. © 2017 The Association for the Publication of the Journal of Internal Medicine.

Quantitative analysis of circadian single cell oscillations in response to temperature

PubMed Central

Kramer, Achim; Herzel, Hanspeter

2018-01-01

Body temperature rhythms synchronize circadian oscillations in different tissues, depending on the degree of cellular coupling: the responsiveness to temperature is higher when single circadian oscillators are uncoupled. So far, the role of coupling in temperature responsiveness has only been studied in organotypic tissue slices of the central circadian pacemaker, because it has been assumed that peripheral target organs behave like uncoupled multicellular oscillators. Since recent studies indicate that some peripheral tissues may exhibit cellular coupling as well, we asked whether peripheral network dynamics also influence temperature responsiveness. Using a novel technique for long-term, high-resolution bioluminescence imaging of primary cultured cells, exposed to repeated temperature cycles, we were able to quantitatively measure period, phase, and amplitude of central (suprachiasmatic nuclei neuron dispersals) and peripheral (mouse ear fibroblasts) single cell oscillations in response to temperature. Employing temperature cycles of different lengths, and different cell densities, we found that some circadian characteristics appear cell-autonomous, e.g. period responses, while others seem to depend on the quality/degree of cellular communication, e.g. phase relationships, robustness of the oscillation, and amplitude. Overall, our findings indicate a strong dependence on the cell’s ability for intercellular communication, which is not only true for neuronal pacemakers, but, importantly, also for cells in peripheral tissues. Hence, they stress the importance of comparative studies that evaluate the degree of coupling in a given tissue, before it may be used effectively as a target for meaningful circadian manipulation. PMID:29293562

Cellular Senescence, Neurological Function, and Redox State.

PubMed

Maciel-Barón, Luis Ángel; Moreno-Blas, Daniel; Morales-Rosales, Sandra Lizbeth; González-Puertos, Viridiana Yazmín; López-Díazguerrero, Norma Edith; Torres, Claudio; Castro-Obregón, Susana; Königsberg, Mina

2018-06-20

Cellular senescence, characterized by permanent cell cycle arrest, has been extensively studied in mitotic cells such as fibroblasts. However, senescent cells have also been observed in the brain. Even though it is recognized that cellular energetic metabolism and redox homeostasis are perturbed in the aged brain and neurodegenerative diseases (NDDs), it is still unknown which alterations in the overall physiology can stimulate cellular senescence induction and their relationship with the former events. Recent Advances: Recent findings have shown that during prolonged inflammatory and pathologic events, the blood-brain barrier could be compromised and immune cells might enter the brain; this fact along with the brain's high oxygen dependence might result in oxidative damage to macromolecules and therefore senescence induction. Thus, cellular senescence in different brain cell types is revised here. Most information related to cellular senescence in the brain has been obtained from research in glial cells since it has been assumed that the senescent phenotype is a feature exclusive to mitotic cells. Nevertheless, neurons with senescence hallmarks have been observed in old mouse brains. Therefore, although this is a controversial topic in the field, here we summarize and integrate the observations from several studies and propose that neurons indeed senesce. It is still unknown which alterations in the overall metabolism can stimulate senescence induction in the aged brain, what are the mechanisms and signaling pathways, and what is their relationship to NDD development. The understanding of these processes will expose new targets to intervene age-associated pathologies.-Antioxid. Redox Signal. 28, 1704-1723.

Mitochondrial Probe Methyltriphenylphosphonium (TPMP) Inhibits the Krebs Cycle Enzyme 2-Oxoglutarate Dehydrogenase.

PubMed

Elkalaf, Moustafa; Tůma, Petr; Weiszenstein, Martin; Polák, Jan; Trnka, Jan

2016-01-01

Methyltriphenylphosphonium (TPMP) salts have been widely used to measure the mitochondrial membrane potential and the triphenylphosphonium (TPP+) moiety has been attached to many bioactive compounds including antioxidants to target them into mitochondria thanks to their high affinity to accumulate in the mitochondrial matrix. The adverse effects of these compounds on cellular metabolism have been insufficiently studied and are still poorly understood. Micromolar concentrations of TPMP cause a progressive inhibition of cellular respiration in adherent cells without a marked effect on mitochondrial coupling. In permeabilized cells the inhibition was limited to NADH-linked respiration. We found a mixed inhibition of the Krebs cycle enzyme 2-oxoglutarate dehydrogenase complex (OGDHC) with an estimated IC50 3.93 [3.70-4.17] mM, which is pharmacologically plausible since it corresponds to micromolar extracellular concentrations. Increasing the lipophilic character of the used TPP+ compound further potentiates the inhibition of OGDHC activity. This effect of TPMP on the Krebs cycle ought to be taken into account when interpreting observations on cells and mitochondria in the presence of TPP+ derivatives. Compounds based on or similar to TPP+ derivatives may also be used to alter OGDHC activity for experimental or therapeutic purposes.

Mitochondrial Probe Methyltriphenylphosphonium (TPMP) Inhibits the Krebs Cycle Enzyme 2-Oxoglutarate Dehydrogenase

PubMed Central

Elkalaf, Moustafa; Tůma, Petr; Weiszenstein, Martin; Polák, Jan

2016-01-01

Methyltriphenylphosphonium (TPMP) salts have been widely used to measure the mitochondrial membrane potential and the triphenylphosphonium (TPP+) moiety has been attached to many bioactive compounds including antioxidants to target them into mitochondria thanks to their high affinity to accumulate in the mitochondrial matrix. The adverse effects of these compounds on cellular metabolism have been insufficiently studied and are still poorly understood. Micromolar concentrations of TPMP cause a progressive inhibition of cellular respiration in adherent cells without a marked effect on mitochondrial coupling. In permeabilized cells the inhibition was limited to NADH-linked respiration. We found a mixed inhibition of the Krebs cycle enzyme 2-oxoglutarate dehydrogenase complex (OGDHC) with an estimated IC50 3.93 [3.70–4.17] mM, which is pharmacologically plausible since it corresponds to micromolar extracellular concentrations. Increasing the lipophilic character of the used TPP+ compound further potentiates the inhibition of OGDHC activity. This effect of TPMP on the Krebs cycle ought to be taken into account when interpreting observations on cells and mitochondria in the presence of TPP+ derivatives. Compounds based on or similar to TPP+ derivatives may also be used to alter OGDHC activity for experimental or therapeutic purposes. PMID:27537184

Flavonoids uptake and their effect on cell cycle of human colon adenocarcinoma cells (Caco2)

PubMed Central

Salucci, M; Stivala, L A; Maiani, G; Bugianesi, R; Vannini, V

2002-01-01

Green tea, mainly through its constituents epigallocatechin gallate, epigallocatechin, epicatechin gallate and epicatechin, has demonstrated anticarcinogenic activity in several animal models, including those for skin, lung and gastro-intestinal tract cancer, although less is known about colorectal cancer. Quercetin, the major flavonoid present in vegetables and fruit, exerts potential anticarcinogenic effects in animal models and cell cultures, but less is known about quercetin glucosides. The objectives of this study were to investigate (i) the antioxidant activity of the phenolic compounds epicatechin, epigallocatechin gallate, gallic acid and quercetin-3-glucoside; (ii) the cytotoxicity of different concentrations of epicatechin, epigallocatechin gallate, and gallic acid; (iii) the cellular uptake of epicatechin, epigallocatechin gallate, gallic acid and quercetin-3-glucoside and (iv) their effect on the cell cycle. Human colon adenocarcinoma cells were used as experimental model. The results of this study indicate that all dietary flavonoids studied (epicatechin, epigallocatechin gallate, gallic acid and quercetin-3-glucoside) show a significant antioxidant effect in a chemical model system, but only epigallocatechin gallate or gallic acid are able to interfere with the cell cycle in Caco2 cell lines. These data suggest that the antioxidant activity of flavonoids is not related to the inhibition of cellular growth. From a structural point of view, the galloyl moiety appears to be required for both the antioxidant and the antiproliferative effects. British Journal of Cancer (2002) 86, 1645–1651. DOI: 10.1038/sj/bjc/6600295 www.bjcancer.com © 2002 Cancer Research UK PMID:12085217

Photodynamic treatment of herpes simplex virus during its replicative cycle.

PubMed Central

Khan, N C; Melnick, J L; Biswal, N

1977-01-01

Photodynamic treatment of herpes simplex virus type 1-infected hamster embryo fibroblasts (LSH strain) with a low concentration of proflavine (0.08 mug/10(5) cells per ml), a 3-9-diamine acridine dye, inhibited production not only of infectious progeny but also of virion particles. However, there was no appreciable inhibition of viral or cellular DNA synthesis, even when the infected cells were repeatedly exposed to this low concentration of dye and light during the replication cycle of the virus. It thus appears that photodynamic treatment of infected cells interferes with the processes involved in virus maturation. PMID:189063

Potential roles of DNA methylation in the initiation and establishment of replicative senescence revealed by array-based methylome and transcriptome analyses

PubMed Central

Sakaki, Mizuho; Ebihara, Yukiko; Okamura, Kohji; Nakabayashi, Kazuhiko; Igarashi, Arisa; Matsumoto, Kenji; Hata, Kenichiro; Kobayashi, Yoshiro

2017-01-01

Cellular senescence is classified into two groups: replicative and premature senescence. Gene expression and epigenetic changes are reported to differ between these two groups and cell types. Normal human diploid fibroblast TIG-3 cells have often been used in cellular senescence research; however, their epigenetic profiles are still not fully understood. To elucidate how cellular senescence is epigenetically regulated in TIG-3 cells, we analyzed the gene expression and DNA methylation profiles of three types of senescent cells, namely, replicatively senescent, ras-induced senescent (RIS), and non-permissive temperature-induced senescent SVts8 cells, using gene expression and DNA methylation microarrays. The expression of genes involved in the cell cycle and immune response was commonly either down- or up-regulated in the three types of senescent cells, respectively. The altered DNA methylation patterns were observed in replicatively senescent cells, but not in prematurely senescent cells. Interestingly, hypomethylated CpG sites detected on non-CpG island regions (“open sea”) were enriched in immune response-related genes that had non-CpG island promoters. The integrated analysis of gene expression and methylation in replicatively senescent cells demonstrated that differentially expressed 867 genes, including cell cycle- and immune response-related genes, were associated with DNA methylation changes in CpG sites close to the transcription start sites (TSSs). Furthermore, several miRNAs regulated in part through DNA methylation were found to affect the expression of their targeted genes. Taken together, these results indicate that the epigenetic changes of DNA methylation regulate the expression of a certain portion of genes and partly contribute to the introduction and establishment of replicative senescence. PMID:28158250

Where's the P in Plankton? Phosphorus Allocation to DNA across Diverse Marine Picoplankton

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Raney, S. E.; Popendorf, K.; Duhamel, S.

2016-02-01

Phosphorus (P) is a critical nutrient for survival, particularly in oligotrophic environments such as the Sargasso Sea. Microbes require phosphorus to build and maintain cellular components, including DNA, RNA, and lipids. We expect variation across microbes in the fraction of cellular P allocated to each of these components. We hypothesized that a high but variable percentage of cellular P will be allocated towards DNA. Studying cellular P allocation can offer insight into the role of different microbes in phosphorus cycling in low-P regions like the Sargasso Sea. To assess allocation of P to DNA, we first tested the efficiency of different DNA extraction methods and then analyzed the amount of extracted DNA from different microbial groups. We performed DNA extractions using four different extraction kits and determined Promega Reliaprep Blood gDNA Miniprep System to be the most efficient. We extracted DNA from cultured picoplankton which are representative of the most abundant species in the Sargasso Sea: Synechococcus (WH8102), Prochlorococcus (MED4 and MIT9301), and heterotrophic bacteria (HTCC2516 and HTCC2601). We found that the percentage of P allocated towards DNA varies across microbial species and across strains within the same genera. Additionally, we estimated the relative number of copies of the genome per cell, and found that more copies of the genome per cell, not necessarily a larger genome size, may correlate with allocating a larger percentage of cellular P towards DNA. By understanding how phosphorus cycling works on the molecular level in different species of picoplankton, we can develop a greater understanding of the role of these picoplankton in phosphorus cycling as a whole in the Sargasso Sea.

Sirtuin 7 promotes cellular survival following genomic stress by attenuation of DNA damage, SAPK activation and p53 response

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kiran, Shashi; Oddi, Vineesha; Ramakrishna, Gayatri, E-mail: gayatrirama1@gmail.com

2015-02-01

Maintaining the genomic integrity is a constant challenge in proliferating cells. Amongst various proteins involved in this process, Sirtuins play a key role in DNA damage repair mechanisms in yeast as well as mammals. In the present work we report the role of one of the least explored Sirtuin viz., SIRT7, under conditions of genomic stress when treated with doxorubicin. Knockdown of SIRT7 sensitized osteosarcoma (U2OS) cells to DNA damage induced cell death by doxorubicin. SIRT7 overexpression in NIH3T3 delayed cell cycle progression by causing delay in G1 to S transition. SIRT7 overexpressing cells when treated with low dose ofmore » doxorubicin (0.25 µM) showed delayed onset of senescence, lesser accumulation of DNA damage marker γH2AX and lowered levels of growth arrest markers viz., p53 and p21 when compared to doxorubicin treated control GFP expressing cells. Resistance to DNA damage following SIRT7 overexpression was also evident by EdU incorporation studies where cellular growth arrest was significantly delayed. When treated with higher dose of doxorubicin (>1 µM), SIRT7 conferred resistance to apoptosis by attenuating stress activated kinases (SAPK viz., p38 and JNK) and p53 response thereby shifting the cellular fate towards senescence. Interestingly, relocalization of SIRT7 from nucleolus to nucleoplasm together with its co-localization with SAPK was an important feature associated with DNA damage. SIRT7 mediated resistance to doxorubicin induced apoptosis and senescence was lost when p53 level was restored by nutlin treatment. Overall, we propose SIRT7 attenuates DNA damage, SAPK activation and p53 response thereby promoting cellular survival under conditions of genomic stress. - Highlights: • Knockdown of SIRT7 sensitized cells to DNA damage induced apoptosis. • SIRT7 delayed onset of premature senescence by attenuating DNA damage response. • Overexpression of SIRT7 delayed cell cycle progression by delaying G1/S transition. • Upon DNA damage SIRT7 attenuated p38/JNK activation and also p53 response. • Overall, SIRT7 promoted cellular survival in conditions of genomic stress.« less

Material-induced Senescence (MIS): Fluidity Induces Senescent Type Cell Death of Lung Cancer Cells via Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 5.

PubMed

Mano, Sharmy Saimon; Uto, Koichiro; Ebara, Mitsuhiro

2017-01-01

Objective: We propose here material-induced senescence (MIS) as a new therapeutic concept that limits cancer progression by stable cell cycle arrest. This study examined for the first time the effect of material fluidity on cellular senescence in lung carcinoma using poly(ε-caprolactone- co -D, L-lactide) (P(CL- co -DLLA)) with tunable elasticity and fluidity. Methods: The fluidity was varied by chemically crosslinking the polymer networks: the crosslinked P(CL- co -DLLA) shows solid-like properties with a stiffness of 260 kPa, while the non-crosslinked polymer exists in a quasi-liquid state with loss and storage moduli of 33 kPa and 11 kPa, respectively. Results: We found that cancer cells growing on the non-crosslinked, fluidic substrate undergo a non-apoptotic form of cell death and the cell cycle was accumulated in a G0/G1 phase. Next, we investigated the expression of biomarkers that are associated with cancer pathways. The cancer cells on the fluidic substrate expressed several biomarkers associated with senescence such as insulin-like growth factor binding protein 5 (IGFBP5). This result indicates that when cancer cells sense fluidity in their surroundings, the cells express IGFBP5, which in turn triggers the expression of tumor suppressor protein 53 and initiates cell cycle arrest at the G1 phase followed by cellular senescence. Furthermore, the cancer cells on the fluidic substrate maintained their epithelial phenotype, suggesting that the cancer cells do not undergo epithelial to mesenchymal transition. Conclusion: By considering these results as the fundamental information for MIS, our system could be applied to induce senescence in treatment-resistant cancers such as metastatic cancer or cancer stem cells.

Cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p21(Waf1): contemporary view on its role in senescence and oncogenesis.

PubMed

Romanov, V S; Pospelov, V A; Pospelova, T V

2012-06-01

p21(Waf1) was identified as a protein suppressing cyclin E/A-CDK2 activity and was originally considered as a negative regulator of the cell cycle and a tumor suppressor. It is now considered that p21(Waf1) has alternative functions, and the view of its role in cellular processes has begun to change. At present, p21(Waf1) is known to be involved in regulation of fundamental cellular programs: cell proliferation, differentiation, migration, senescence, and apoptosis. In fact, it not only exhibits antioncogenic, but also oncogenic properties. This review provides a contemporary understanding of the functions of p21(Waf1) depending on its intracellular localization. On one hand, when in the nucleus, it serves as a negative cell cycle regulator and tumor suppressor, in particular by participating in the launch of a senescence program. On the other hand, when p21(Waf1) is localized in the cytoplasm, it acts as an oncogene by regulating migration, apoptosis, and proliferation.

Regulation of replicative senescence by NADP+ -dependent isocitrate dehydrogenase.

PubMed

Kil, In Sup; Huh, Tae Lin; Lee, Young Sup; Lee, You Mie; Park, Jeen-Woo

2006-01-01

The free radical hypothesis of aging postulates that senescence is due to an accumulation of cellular oxidative damage, caused largely by reactive oxygen species that are produced as by-products of normal metabolic processes. Recently, we demonstrated that the control of cytosolic and mitochondrial redox balance and the cellular defense against oxidative damage is one of the primary functions of cytosolic (IDPc) and mitochondrial NADP+ -dependent isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDPm) by supplying NADPH for antioxidant systems. In this paper, we demonstrate that modulation of IDPc or IDPm activity in IMR-90 cells regulates cellular redox status and replicative senescence. When we examined the regulatory role of IDPc and IDPm against the aging process with IMR-90 cells transfected with cDNA for IDPc or IDPm in sense and antisense orientations, a clear inverse relationship was observed between the amount of IDPc or IDPm expressed in target cells and their susceptibility to senescence, which was reflected by changes in replicative potential, cell cycle, senescence-associated beta-galactosidase activity, expression of p21 and p53, and morphology of cells. Furthermore, lipid peroxidation, oxidative DNA damage, and intracellular peroxide generation were higher and cellular redox status shifted to a prooxidant condition in the cell lines expressing the lower level of IDPc or IDPm. The results suggest that IDPc and IDPm play an important regulatory role in cellular defense against oxidative stress and in the senescence of IMR-90 cells.

The Novel Fission Yeast Protein Pal1p Interacts with Hip1-related Sla2p/End4p and Is Involved in Cellular Morphogenesis

PubMed Central

Ge, Wanzhong; Chew, Ting Gang; Wachtler, Volker; Naqvi, Suniti N.; Balasubramanian, Mohan K.

2005-01-01

The establishment and maintenance of characteristic cellular morphologies is a fundamental property of all cells. Here we describe Schizosaccharomyces pombe Pal1p, a protein important for maintenance of cylindrical cellular morphology. Pal1p is a novel membrane-associated protein that localizes to the growing tips of interphase cells and to the division site in cells undergoing cytokinesis in an F-actin- and microtubule-independent manner. Cells deleted for pal1 display morphological defects, characterized by the occurrence of spherical and pear-shaped cells with an abnormal cell wall. Pal1p physically interacts and displays overlapping localization with the Huntingtin-interacting-protein (Hip1)-related protein Sla2p/End4p, which is also required for establishment of cylindrical cellular morphology. Sla2p is important for efficient localization of Pal1p to the sites of polarized growth and appears to function upstream of Pal1p. Interestingly, spherical pal1Δ mutants polarize to establish a pearlike morphology before mitosis in a manner dependent on the kelch-repeat protein Tea1p and the cell cycle inhibitory kinase Wee1p. Thus, overlapping mechanisms involving Pal1p, Tea1p, and Sla2p contribute to the establishment of cylindrical cellular morphology, which is important for proper spatial regulation of cytokinesis. PMID:15975911

The novel fission yeast protein Pal1p interacts with Hip1-related Sla2p/End4p and is involved in cellular morphogenesis.

PubMed

Ge, Wanzhong; Chew, Ting Gang; Wachtler, Volker; Naqvi, Suniti N; Balasubramanian, Mohan K

2005-09-01

The establishment and maintenance of characteristic cellular morphologies is a fundamental property of all cells. Here we describe Schizosaccharomyces pombe Pal1p, a protein important for maintenance of cylindrical cellular morphology. Pal1p is a novel membrane-associated protein that localizes to the growing tips of interphase cells and to the division site in cells undergoing cytokinesis in an F-actin- and microtubule-independent manner. Cells deleted for pal1 display morphological defects, characterized by the occurrence of spherical and pear-shaped cells with an abnormal cell wall. Pal1p physically interacts and displays overlapping localization with the Huntingtin-interacting-protein (Hip1)-related protein Sla2p/End4p, which is also required for establishment of cylindrical cellular morphology. Sla2p is important for efficient localization of Pal1p to the sites of polarized growth and appears to function upstream of Pal1p. Interestingly, spherical pal1Delta mutants polarize to establish a pearlike morphology before mitosis in a manner dependent on the kelch-repeat protein Tea1p and the cell cycle inhibitory kinase Wee1p. Thus, overlapping mechanisms involving Pal1p, Tea1p, and Sla2p contribute to the establishment of cylindrical cellular morphology, which is important for proper spatial regulation of cytokinesis.

How do fission yeast cells grow and connect growth to the mitotic cycle?

PubMed

Sveiczer, Ákos; Horváth, Anna

2017-05-01

To maintain size homeostasis in a unicellular culture, cells should coordinate growth to the division cycle. This is achieved via size control mechanisms (also known as size checkpoints), i.e. some events during the mitotic cycle supervene only if the cell has reached a critical size. Rod-shaped cells like those of fission yeast are ideal model organisms to study these checkpoints via time-lapse microphotography. By applying this method, once we can analyse the growth process between two consecutive divisions at a single (or even at an 'average') cellular level, moreover, we can also position the size checkpoint(s) at the population level. Finally, any of these controls can be abolished in appropriate cell cycle mutants, either in steady-state or in induction synchronised cultures. In the latter case, we produce abnormally oversized cells, and microscopic experiments with them clearly show the existence of a critical size above which the size checkpoint ceases (becomes cryptic). In this review, we delineate the development of our knowledge both on the growth mode of fission yeast and on the operating size control(s) during its mitotic cycle. We finish these historical stories with our recent findings, arguing that three different size checkpoints exist in the fission yeast cell cycle, namely in late G1, in mid G2 and in late G2, which has been concluded by analysing these controls in several cell cycle mutants.

Dynamic ubiquitin signaling in cell cycle regulation

PubMed Central

Gilberto, Samuel

2017-01-01

The cell division cycle is driven by a collection of enzymes that coordinate DNA duplication and separation, ensuring that genomic information is faithfully and perpetually maintained. The activity of the effector proteins that perform and coordinate these biological processes oscillates by regulated expression and/or posttranslational modifications. Ubiquitylation is a cardinal cellular modification and is long known for driving cell cycle transitions. In this review, we emphasize emerging concepts of how ubiquitylation brings the necessary dynamicity and plasticity that underlie the processes of DNA replication and mitosis. New studies, often focusing on the regulation of chromosomal proteins like DNA polymerases or kinetochore kinases, are demonstrating that ubiquitylation is a versatile modification that can be used to fine-tune these cell cycle events, frequently through processes that do not involve proteasomal degradation. Understanding how the increasing variety of identified ubiquitin signals are transduced will allow us to develop a deeper mechanistic perception of how the multiple factors come together to faithfully propagate genomic information. Here, we discuss these and additional conceptual challenges that are currently under study toward understanding how ubiquitin governs cell cycle regulation. PMID:28684425

Dynamic ubiquitin signaling in cell cycle regulation.

PubMed

Gilberto, Samuel; Peter, Matthias

2017-08-07

The cell division cycle is driven by a collection of enzymes that coordinate DNA duplication and separation, ensuring that genomic information is faithfully and perpetually maintained. The activity of the effector proteins that perform and coordinate these biological processes oscillates by regulated expression and/or posttranslational modifications. Ubiquitylation is a cardinal cellular modification and is long known for driving cell cycle transitions. In this review, we emphasize emerging concepts of how ubiquitylation brings the necessary dynamicity and plasticity that underlie the processes of DNA replication and mitosis. New studies, often focusing on the regulation of chromosomal proteins like DNA polymerases or kinetochore kinases, are demonstrating that ubiquitylation is a versatile modification that can be used to fine-tune these cell cycle events, frequently through processes that do not involve proteasomal degradation. Understanding how the increasing variety of identified ubiquitin signals are transduced will allow us to develop a deeper mechanistic perception of how the multiple factors come together to faithfully propagate genomic information. Here, we discuss these and additional conceptual challenges that are currently under study toward understanding how ubiquitin governs cell cycle regulation. © 2017 Gilberto and Peter.

BTK suppresses myeloma cellular senescence through activating AKT/P27/Rb signaling.

PubMed

Gu, Chunyan; Peng, Hailin; Lu, Yue; Yang, Hongbao; Tian, Zhidan; Yin, Gang; Zhang, Wen; Lu, Sicheng; Zhang, Yi; Yang, Ye

2017-08-22

We previously explored the role of BTK in maintaining multiple myeloma stem cells (MMSCs) self-renewal and drug-resistance. Here we investigated the elevation of BTK suppressing MM cellular senescence, a state of irreversible cellular growth arrest. We firstly discovered that an increased expression of BTK in MM samples compared to normal controls by immunohistochemistry (IHC), and significant chromosomal gain in primary samples. In addition, BTK high-expressing MM patients are associated with poor outcome in both Total Therapy 2 (TT2) and TT3 cohorts. Knockdown BTK expression by shRNA induced MM cellular senescence using β-galactosidase (SA-b-gal) staining, cell growth arrest by cell cycle staining and decreased clonogenicity while forcing BTK expression in MM cells abrogated these characteristics. We also validated this feature in mouse embryonic fibroblast cells (MEFs), which showed that elevated BTK expression was resistant to MEF senescence after serial cultivation in vitro . Further mechanism study revealed that BTK activated AKT signaling leading to down-regulation of P27 expression and hindered RB activity while AKT inhibitor, LY294002, overcame BTK-overexpression induced cellular senescence resistance. Eventually we demonstrated that BTK inhibitor, CGI-1746, induced MM cellular senescence, colony reduction and tumorigenecity inhibition in vivo . Summarily, we designate a novel mechanism of BTK in mediating MM growth, and BTK inhibitor is of great potential in vivo and in vitro suggesting BTK is a promising therapeutic target for MM.

Synergistic effect of aluminum and ionizing radiation upon ultrastructure, oxidative stress and apoptotic alterations in Paneth cells of rat intestine.

PubMed

Eltahawy, N A; Elsonbaty, S M; Abunour, S; Zahran, W E

2017-03-01

Environmental and occupational exposure to aluminum along with ionizing radiation results in serious health problems. This study was planned to investigate the impact of oxidative stress provoked by exposure to ionizing radiation with aluminum administration upon cellular ultra structure and apoptotic changes in Paneth cells of rat small intestine . Animals received daily aluminum chloride by gastric gavage at a dose 0.5 mg/Kg BW for 4 weeks. Whole body gamma irradiation was applied at a dose 2 Gy/week up to 8 Gy. Ileum malondialdehyde, advanced oxidative protein products, protein carbonyl and tumor necrosis factor-alpha were assessed as biomarkers of lipid peroxidation, protein oxidation and inflammation respectively along with superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase activities as enzymatic antioxidants. Moreover, analyses of cell cycle division and apoptotic changes were evaluated by flow cytometry. Intestinal cellular ultra structure was investigated using transmission electron microscope.Oxidative and inflammatory stresses assessment in the ileum of rats revealed that aluminum and ionizing radiation exposures exhibited a significant effect upon the increase in oxidative stress biomarkers along with the inflammatory marker tumor necrosis factor-α accompanied by a significant decreases in the antioxidant enzyme activities. Flow cytometric analyses showed significant alterations in the percentage of cells during cell cycle division phases along with significant increase in apoptotic cells. Ultra structurally, intestinal cellular alterations with marked injury in Paneth cells at the sites of bacterial translocation in the crypt of lumens were recorded. The results of this study have clearly showed that aluminum and ionizing radiation exposures induced apoptosis with oxidative and inflammatory disturbance in the Paneth cells of rat intestine, which appeared to play a major role in the pathogenesis of cellular damage. Furthermore, the interaction of these two intestinal toxic routes was found to be synergistic.

TopBP1 deficiency causes an early embryonic lethality and induces cellular senescence in primary cells.

PubMed

Jeon, Yoon; Ko, Eun; Lee, Kyung Yong; Ko, Min Ji; Park, Seo Young; Kang, Jeeheon; Jeon, Chang Hwan; Lee, Ho; Hwang, Deog Su

2011-02-18

TopBP1 plays important roles in chromosome replication, DNA damage response, and other cellular regulatory functions in vertebrates. Although the roles of TopBP1 have been studied mostly in cancer cell lines, its physiological function remains unclear in mice and untransformed cells. We generated conditional knock-out mice in which exons 5 and 6 of the TopBP1 gene are flanked by loxP sequences. Although TopBP1-deficient embryos developed to the blastocyst stage, no homozygous mutant embryos were recovered at E8.5 or beyond, and completely resorbed embryos were frequent at E7.5, indicating that mutant embryos tend to die at the peri-implantation stage. This finding indicated that TopBP1 is essential for cell proliferation during early embryogenesis. Ablation of TopBP1 in TopBP1(flox/flox) mouse embryonic fibroblasts and 3T3 cells using Cre recombinase-expressing retrovirus arrests cell cycle progression at the G(1), S, and G(2)/M phases. The TopBP1-ablated mouse cells exhibit phosphorylation of H2AX and Chk2, indicating that the cells contain DNA breaks. The TopBP1-ablated mouse cells enter cellular senescence. Although RNA interference-mediated knockdown of TopBP1 induced cellular senescence in human primary cells, it induced apoptosis in cancer cells. Therefore, TopBP1 deficiency in untransformed mouse and human primary cells induces cellular senescence rather than apoptosis. These results indicate that TopBP1 is essential for cell proliferation and maintenance of chromosomal integrity.

Cell Cycle Synchronization of HeLa Cells to Assay EGFR Pathway Activation.

PubMed

Wee, Ping; Wang, Zhixiang

2017-01-01

Progression through the cell cycle causes changes in the cell's signaling pathways that can alter EGFR signal transduction. Here, we describe drug-derived protocols to synchronize HeLa cells in various phases of the cell cycle, including G1 phase, S phase, G2 phase, and mitosis, specifically in the mitotic stages of prometaphase, metaphase, and anaphase/telophase. The synchronization procedures are designed to allow synchronized cells to be treated for EGF and collected for the purpose of Western blotting for EGFR signal transduction components.S phase synchronization is performed by thymidine block, G2 phase with roscovitine, prometaphase with nocodazole, metaphase with MG132, and anaphase/telophase with blebbistatin. G1 phase synchronization is performed by culturing synchronized mitotic cells obtained by mitotic shake-off. We also provide methods to validate the synchronization methods. For validation by Western blotting, we provide the temporal expression of various cell cycle markers that are used to check the quality of the synchronization. For validation of mitotic synchronization by microscopy, we provide a guide that describes the physical properties of each mitotic stage, using their cellular morphology and DNA appearance. For validation by flow cytometry, we describe the use of imaging flow cytometry to distinguish between the phases of the cell cycle, including between each stage of mitosis.

Molecular characterization and functional analysis of ubiquitin extension genes from the potato cyst nematode Globodera rostochiensis

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Ubiquitin is a highly conserved 76-amino acid protein found in every eukaryotic cell. It has been proposed that ubiquitin has many cellular functions including DNA repair, transcription regulation, regulation of cell cycle and apoptosis. We identified two ubiquitin extension genes (Gr-Ubi1 and Gr-Ub...

Rift valley fever virus infection of human cells and insect hosts is promoted by protein kinase C epsilon.

PubMed

Filone, Claire Marie; Hanna, Sheri L; Caino, M Cecilia; Bambina, Shelly; Doms, Robert W; Cherry, Sara

2010-11-24

As an arthropod-borne human pathogen, Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV) cycles between an insect vector and mammalian hosts. Little is known about the cellular requirements for infection in either host. Here we developed a tissue culture model for RVFV infection of human and insect cells that is amenable to high-throughput screening. Using this approach we screened a library of 1280 small molecules with pharmacologically defined activities and identified 59 drugs that inhibited RVFV infection with 15 inhibiting RVFV replication in both human and insect cells. Amongst the 15 inhibitors that blocked infection in both hosts was a subset that inhibits protein kinase C. Further studies found that infection is dependent upon the novel protein kinase C isozyme epsilon (PKCε) in both human and insect cells as well as in adult flies. Altogether, these data show that inhibition of cellular factors required for early steps in the infection cycle including PKCε can block RVFV infection, and may represent a starting point for the development of anti-RVFV therapeutics.

Cyclic phosphatidic acid induces G0/G1 arrest, inhibits AKT phosphorylation, and downregulates cyclin D1 expression in colorectal cancer cells.

PubMed

Tsukahara, Tamotsu; Haniu, Hisao; Matsuda, Yoshikazu

2015-03-01

Lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) and its analogs are well-known mitogens for various cell types. Many reports have confirmed that several types of cancer cell produce LPA to promote survival, growth and tumorigenesis. This indicates that the interface between the LPA signaling pathway and the cell cycle signaling system is critical to the control of cancer cell proliferation. However, our previous study indicated that cyclic phosphatidic acid (cPA), which is structurally similar to LPA, inhibits the proliferation and migration of colon cancer cells. It has been reported that cPA shows several biological activities not shown by LPA. However, understanding of the detailed molecular and cellular mechanism underlying the regulation of the cell cycle by cPA is still in its infancy. In this study, we investigated the effect of cPA treatment on human DLD-1 colon cancer cells by analyzing cell cycle dynamics, gene expression, and AKT phosphorylation. Our findings indicate that cPA inhibits cell cycle progression in DLD-1 colon cancer cells via the downregulation of cyclin D1 and the inhibition of AKT phosphorylation.

Comparison of inhibition of murine leukaemia cell growth by 9-isothiocyanatoacridine and its cytosine adduct: involvement of thiols.

PubMed

Bajdichova, M; Paulikova, H; Jakubikova, J; Sabolova, D

2007-01-01

Cytotoxicity of two fluorescent acridine derivatives - 9-isothiocyanatoacridine (AcITC) and N-(9-acridinylthiocarbamoyl) cytosine (AcTCC) - a novel acridine compound, were investigated. Both substances have cytotoxic activity against the L1210 cellular line, IC50 values were in the micromolar range. Despite the high reactivity of AcITC towards thiols, its effects on leukemia cells were similar to naturally occurring isothiocyanates. AcITC changed the intracellular level of glutathione (GSH), and induced apoptosis. Arrest of cell cycle (G2/M-phase) was also observed. AcITC primarily reacted with -SH groups on cellular surface, and the study of the interaction of the isotiocyanate with human erythrocyte ghosts confirmed that the plasma membrane was the first place where AcITC bound. AcTCC does not react with cellular thiols; images obtained with fluorescent microscopy confirmed interaction of AcTCC with chromatine. Although AcTCC induced cellular arrest in the G2/M phase, apoptosis was not confirmed.

Stable isotope phenotyping via cluster analysis of NanoSIMS data as a method for characterizing distinct microbial ecophysiologies and sulfur-cycling in the environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dawson, K.; Scheller, S.; Dillon, J. G.; Orphan, V. J.

2016-12-01

Stable isotope probing (SIP) is a valuable tool for gaining insights into ecophysiology and biogeochemical cycling of environmental microbial communities by tracking isotopically labeled compounds into cellular macromolecules as well as into byproducts of respiration. SIP, in conjunction with nanoscale secondary ion mass spectrometry (NanoSIMS), allows for the visualization of isotope incorporation at the single cell level. In this manner, both active cells within a diverse population as well as heterogeneity in metabolism within a homogeneous population can be observed. The ecophysiological implications of these single cell stable isotope measurements are often limited to the taxonomic resolution of paired fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) microscopy. Here we introduce a taxonomy-independent method using multi-isotope SIP and NanoSIMS for identifying and grouping phenotypically similar microbial cells by their chemical and isotopic fingerprint. This method was applied to SIP experiments in a sulfur-cycling biofilm collected from sulfidic intertidal vents amended with 13C-acetate, 15N-ammonium, and 33S-sulfate. Using a cluster analysis technique based on fuzzy c-means to group cells according to their isotope (13C/12C, 15N/14N, and 33S/32S) and elemental ratio (C/CN and S/CN) profiles, our analysis partitioned 2200 cellular regions of interest (ROIs) into 5 distinct groups. These isotope phenotype groupings are reflective of the variation in labeled substrate uptake by cells in a multispecies metabolic network dominated by Gamma- and Deltaproteobacteria. Populations independently grouped by isotope phenotype were subsequently compared with paired FISH data, demonstrating a single coherent deltaproteobacterial cluster and multiple gammaproteobacterial groups, highlighting the distinct ecophysiologies of spatially-associated microbes within the sulfur-cycling biofilm from White Point Beach, CA.

Stable Isotope Phenotyping via Cluster Analysis of NanoSIMS Data As a Method for Characterizing Distinct Microbial Ecophysiologies and Sulfur-Cycling in the Environment

PubMed Central

Dawson, Katherine S.; Scheller, Silvan; Dillon, Jesse G.; Orphan, Victoria J.

2016-01-01

Stable isotope probing (SIP) is a valuable tool for gaining insights into ecophysiology and biogeochemical cycling of environmental microbial communities by tracking isotopically labeled compounds into cellular macromolecules as well as into byproducts of respiration. SIP, in conjunction with nanoscale secondary ion mass spectrometry (NanoSIMS), allows for the visualization of isotope incorporation at the single cell level. In this manner, both active cells within a diverse population as well as heterogeneity in metabolism within a homogeneous population can be observed. The ecophysiological implications of these single cell stable isotope measurements are often limited to the taxonomic resolution of paired fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) microscopy. Here we introduce a taxonomy-independent method using multi-isotope SIP and NanoSIMS for identifying and grouping phenotypically similar microbial cells by their chemical and isotopic fingerprint. This method was applied to SIP experiments in a sulfur-cycling biofilm collected from sulfidic intertidal vents amended with 13C-acetate, 15N-ammonium, and 33S-sulfate. Using a cluster analysis technique based on fuzzy c-means to group cells according to their isotope (13C/12C, 15N/14N, and 33S/32S) and elemental ratio (C/CN and S/CN) profiles, our analysis partitioned ~2200 cellular regions of interest (ROIs) into five distinct groups. These isotope phenotype groupings are reflective of the variation in labeled substrate uptake by cells in a multispecies metabolic network dominated by Gamma- and Deltaproteobacteria. Populations independently grouped by isotope phenotype were subsequently compared with paired FISH data, demonstrating a single coherent deltaproteobacterial cluster and multiple gammaproteobacterial groups, highlighting the distinct ecophysiologies of spatially-associated microbes within the sulfur-cycling biofilm from White Point Beach, CA. PMID:27303371

Cell cycle dependent changes in the plasma membrane organization of mammalian cells.

PubMed

Denz, Manuela; Chiantia, Salvatore; Herrmann, Andreas; Mueller, Peter; Korte, Thomas; Schwarzer, Roland

2017-03-01

Lipid membranes are major structural elements of all eukaryotic and prokaryotic organisms. Although many aspects of their biology have been studied extensively, their dynamics and lateral heterogeneity are still not fully understood. Recently, we observed a cell-to-cell variability in the plasma membrane organization of CHO-K1 cells (Schwarzer et al., 2014). We surmised that cell cycle dependent changes of the individual cells from our unsynchronized cell population account for this phenomenon. In the present study, this hypothesis was tested. To this aim, CHO-K1 cells were arrested in different cell cycle phases by chemical treatments, and the order of their plasma membranes was determined by various fluorescent lipid analogues using fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy. Our experiments exhibit significant differences in the membrane order of cells arrested in the G2/M or S phase compared to control cells. Our single-cell analysis also enabled the specific selection of mitotic cells, which displayed a significant increase of the membrane order compared to the control. In addition, the lipid raft marker GPImYFP was used to study the lateral organization of cell cycle arrested cells as well as mitotic cells and freely cycling samples. Again, significant differences were found between control and arrested cells and even more pronounced between control and mitotic cells. Our data demonstrate a direct correlation between cell cycle progression and plasma membrane organization, underlining that cell-to-cell heterogeneities of membrane properties have to be taken into account in cellular studies especially at the single-cell level. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Tocotrienol-rich fraction prevents cellular aging by modulating cell proliferation signaling pathways.

PubMed

Khor, S C; Mohd Yusof, Y A; Wan Ngah, W Z; Makpol, S

Vitamin E has been suggested as nutritional intervention for the prevention of degenerative and age-related diseases. In this study, we aimed to elucidate the underlying mechanism of tocotrienol-rich fraction (TRF) in delaying cellular aging by targeting the proliferation signaling pathways in human diploid fibroblasts (HDFs). Tocotrienol-rich fraction was used to treat different stages of cellular aging of primary human diploid fibroblasts viz. young (passage 6), pre-senescent (passage 15) and senescent (passage 30). Several selected targets involved in the downstream of PI3K/AKT and RAF/MEK/ERK pathways were compared in total RNA and protein. Different transcriptional profiles were observed in young, pre-senescent and senescent HDFs, in which cellular aging increased AKT, FOXO3, CDKN1A and RSK1 mRNA expression level, but decreased ELK1, FOS and SIRT1 mRNA expression level. With tocotrienol-rich fraction treatment, gene expression of AKT, FOXO3, ERK and RSK1 mRNA was decreased in senescent cells, but not in young cells. The three down-regulated mRNA in cellular aging, ELK1, FOS and SIRT1, were increased with tocotrienol-rich fraction treatment. Expression of FOXO3 and P21Cip1 proteins showed up-regulation in senescent cells but tocotrienol-rich fraction only decreased P21Cip1 protein expression in senescent cells. Tocotrienol-rich fraction exerts gene modulating properties that might be responsible in promoting cell cycle progression during cellular aging.

Transcriptional regulation of cellular ageing by the CCAAT box-binding factor CBF/NF-Y.

PubMed

Matuoka, Koozi; Chen, Kuang Yu

2002-09-01

Cellular ageing is a systematic process affecting the entirety of cell structure and function. Since changes in gene expression are extensive and global during ageing, involvement of general transcription regulators in the phenomenon is likely. Here, we focus on NF-Y, the major CCAAT box-binding factor, which exerts differential regulation on a wide variety of genes through its interaction with the CCAAT box present in as many as 25% of the eukaryotic genes. When a cell ages, senescing signals arise, typically through DNA damage due to oxidative stress or telomere shortening, and are transduced to proteins such as p53, retinoblastoma protein, and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase. Among them, activated p53 family proteins suppress the function of NF-Y and thereby downregulate a set of cell cycle-related genes, including E2F1, which further leads to downregulation of E2F-regulated genes and cell cycle arrest. The p53 family also induces other ageing phenotypes such as morphological alterations and senescence-associated beta-galactosidase (SA-gal) presumably by upregulation of some genes through NF-Y suppression. In fact, the activities of NF-Y and E2F decrease during ageing and a dominant negative NF-YA induces SA-gal. Based on these observations, NF-Y appears to play an important role in the process of cellular ageing.

Evidence that the tri-cellular metabolism of N-acetylaspartate functions as the brain's "operating system": how NAA metabolism supports meaningful intercellular frequency-encoded communications.

PubMed

Baslow, Morris H

2010-11-01

N-acetylaspartate (NAA), an acetylated derivative of L-aspartate (Asp), and N-acetylaspartylglutamate (NAAG), a derivative of NAA and L-glutamate (Glu), are synthesized by neurons in brain. However, neurons cannot catabolize either of these substances, and so their metabolism requires the participation of two other cell types. Neurons release both NAA and NAAG to extra-cellular fluid (ECF) upon stimulation, where astrocytes, the target cells for NAAG, hydrolyze it releasing NAA back into ECF, and oligodendrocytes, the target cells for NAA, hydrolyze it releasing Asp to ECF for recycling to neurons. This sequence is unique as it is the only known amino acid metabolic cycle in brain that requires three cell types for its completion. The results of this cycling are two-fold. First, neuronal metabolic water is transported to ECF for its removal from brain. Second, the rate of neuronal activity is coupled with focal hyperemia, providing stimulated neurons with the energy required for transmission of meaningful frequency-encoded messages. In this paper, it is proposed that the tri-cellular metabolism of NAA functions as the "operating system" of the brain, and is essential for normal cognitive and motor activities. Evidence in support of this hypothesis is provided by the outcomes of two human inborn errors in NAA metabolism.

A Babcock-Leighton Solar Dynamo Model with Multi-cellular Meridional Circulation in Advection- and Diffusion-dominated Regimes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Belucz, Bernadett; Dikpati, Mausumi; Forgács-Dajka, Emese

2015-06-01

Babcock-Leighton type-solar dynamo models with single-celled meridional circulation are successful in reproducing many solar cycle features. Recent observations and theoretical models of meridional circulation do not indicate a single-celled flow pattern. We examine the role of complex multi-cellular circulation patterns in a Babcock-Leighton solar dynamo in advection- and diffusion-dominated regimes. We show from simulations that the presence of a weak, second, high-latitude reverse cell speeds up the cycle and slightly enhances the poleward branch in the butterfly diagram, whereas the presence of a second cell in depth reverses the tilt of the butterfly wing to an antisolar type. A butterfly diagram constructed from the middle of convection zone yields a solar-like pattern, but this may be difficult to realize in the Sun because of magnetic buoyancy effects. Each of the above cases behaves similarly in higher and lower magnetic diffusivity regimes. However, our dynamo with a meridional circulation containing four cells in latitude behaves distinctly differently in the two regimes, producing solar-like butterfly diagrams with fast cycles in the higher diffusivity regime, and complex branches in butterfly diagrams in the lower diffusivity regime. We also find that dynamo solutions for a four-celled pattern, two in radius and two in latitude, prefer to quickly relax to quadrupolar parity if the bottom flow speed is strong enough, of similar order of magnitude as the surface flow speed.

A BABCOCK–LEIGHTON SOLAR DYNAMO MODEL WITH MULTI-CELLULAR MERIDIONAL CIRCULATION IN ADVECTION- AND DIFFUSION-DOMINATED REGIMES

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Belucz, Bernadett; Forgács-Dajka, Emese; Dikpati, Mausumi, E-mail: bbelucz@astro.elte.hu, E-mail: dikpati@ucar.edu

Babcock–Leighton type-solar dynamo models with single-celled meridional circulation are successful in reproducing many solar cycle features. Recent observations and theoretical models of meridional circulation do not indicate a single-celled flow pattern. We examine the role of complex multi-cellular circulation patterns in a Babcock–Leighton solar dynamo in advection- and diffusion-dominated regimes. We show from simulations that the presence of a weak, second, high-latitude reverse cell speeds up the cycle and slightly enhances the poleward branch in the butterfly diagram, whereas the presence of a second cell in depth reverses the tilt of the butterfly wing to an antisolar type. A butterflymore » diagram constructed from the middle of convection zone yields a solar-like pattern, but this may be difficult to realize in the Sun because of magnetic buoyancy effects. Each of the above cases behaves similarly in higher and lower magnetic diffusivity regimes. However, our dynamo with a meridional circulation containing four cells in latitude behaves distinctly differently in the two regimes, producing solar-like butterfly diagrams with fast cycles in the higher diffusivity regime, and complex branches in butterfly diagrams in the lower diffusivity regime. We also find that dynamo solutions for a four-celled pattern, two in radius and two in latitude, prefer to quickly relax to quadrupolar parity if the bottom flow speed is strong enough, of similar order of magnitude as the surface flow speed.« less

Changes of buoyant density during the S-phase of the cell cycle. Direct evidence demonstrated in acute myeloid leukemia by flowcytometry.

PubMed

Daenen, S; Huiges, W; Modderman, E; Halie, M R

1993-01-01

Studies with synchronized or exponentially growing bacteria and mammalian cell lines are not able to demonstrate small changes in buoyant density during the cell cycle. Flowcytometric analysis of density separated acute myeloid leukemia cells, a system not dependent on time-related variables, shows that the cellular buoyant density increases slightly with up to 0.008 g/ml during the S-phase, at least in cryo-preserved cells used in this study. This contrasts with the generally accepted belief that S-phase cells have a lower or constant buoyant density. A practical implication is that separation of cell (sub)populations based on differences in buoyant density could be flawed to the extent that these populations contain S-phase cells.

Massively multiplex single-cell Hi-C

PubMed Central

Ramani, Vijay; Deng, Xinxian; Qiu, Ruolan; Gunderson, Kevin L; Steemers, Frank J; Disteche, Christine M; Noble, William S; Duan, Zhijun; Shendure, Jay

2016-01-01

We present single-cell combinatorial indexed Hi-C (sciHi-C), which applies the concept of combinatorial cellular indexing to chromosome conformation capture. In this proof-of-concept, we generate and sequence six sciHi-C libraries comprising a total of 10,696 single cells. We use sciHi-C data to separate cells by karytoypic and cell-cycle state differences and identify cell-to-cell heterogeneity in mammalian chromosomal conformation. Our results demonstrate that combinatorial indexing is a generalizable strategy for single-cell genomics. PMID:28135255

A cardiac electrical activity model based on a cellular automata system in comparison with neural network model.

PubMed

Khan, Muhammad Sadiq Ali; Yousuf, Sidrah

2016-03-01

Cardiac Electrical Activity is commonly distributed into three dimensions of Cardiac Tissue (Myocardium) and evolves with duration of time. The indicator of heart diseases can occur randomly at any time of a day. Heart rate, conduction and each electrical activity during cardiac cycle should be monitor non-invasively for the assessment of "Action Potential" (regular) and "Arrhythmia" (irregular) rhythms. Many heart diseases can easily be examined through Automata model like Cellular Automata concepts. This paper deals with the different states of cardiac rhythms using cellular automata with the comparison of neural network also provides fast and highly effective stimulation for the contraction of cardiac muscles on the Atria in the result of genesis of electrical spark or wave. The specific formulated model named as "States of automaton Proposed Model for CEA (Cardiac Electrical Activity)" by using Cellular Automata Methodology is commonly shows the three states of cardiac tissues conduction phenomena (i) Resting (Relax and Excitable state), (ii) ARP (Excited but Absolutely refractory Phase i.e. Excited but not able to excite neighboring cells) (iii) RRP (Excited but Relatively Refractory Phase i.e. Excited and able to excite neighboring cells). The result indicates most efficient modeling with few burden of computation and it is Action Potential during the pumping of blood in cardiac cycle.

Differential cellular responses to prolonged LDR-IR in MLH1-proficient and MLH1-deficient colorectal cancer HCT116 cells.

PubMed

Yan, Tao; Seo, Yuji; Kinsella, Timothy J

2009-11-15

MLH1 is a key DNA mismatch repair (MMR) protein involved in maintaining genomic stability by participating in the repair of endogenous and exogenous mispairs in the daughter strands during S phase. Exogenous mispairs can result following treatment with several classes of chemotherapeutic drugs, as well as with ionizing radiation. In this study, we investigated the role of the MLH1 protein in determining the cellular and molecular responses to prolonged low-dose rate ionizing radiation (LDR-IR), which is similar to the clinical use of cancer brachytherapy. An isogenic pair of MMR(+) (MLH1(+)) and MMR(-) (MLH1(-)) human colorectal cancer HCT116 cells was exposed to prolonged LDR-IR (1.3-17 cGy/h x 24-96 h). The clonogenic survival and gene mutation rates were examined. Cell cycle distribution was analyzed with flow cytometry. Changes in selected DNA damage repair proteins, DNA damage response proteins, and cell death marker proteins were examined with Western blotting. MLH1(+) HCT116 cells showed greater radiosensitivity with enhanced expression of apoptotic and autophagic markers, a reduced HPRT gene mutation rate, and more pronounced cell cycle alterations (increased late-S population and a G(2)/M arrest) following LDR-IR compared with MLH1(-) HCT116 cells. Importantly, a progressive increase in MLH1 protein levels was found in MLH1(+) cells during prolonged LDR-IR, which was temporally correlated with a progressive decrease in Rad51 protein (involved in homologous recombination) levels. MLH1 status significantly affects cellular responses to prolonged LDR-IR. MLH1 may enhance cell radiosensitivity to prolonged LDR-IR through inhibition of homologous recombination (through inhibition of Rad51).

A novel live cell imaging system reveals a reversible hydrostatic pressure impact on cell cycle progression.

PubMed

Brooker, Holly R; Gyamfi, Irene A; Wieckowska, Agnieszka; Brooks, Nicholas J; Mulvihill, Daniel P; Geeves, Michael A

2018-06-21

Life is dependent upon the ability of a cell to rapidly respond to changes in environment. Small perturbations in local environments change the ability of molecules to interact and hence communicate. Hydrostatic pressure provides a rapid non-invasive, fully-reversible method for modulating affinities between molecules both in vivo and in vitro We have developed a simple fluorescence imaging chamber that allows intracellular protein dynamics and molecular events to be followed at pressures up to 200 bar in living cells. Using yeast we investigate the impact of hydrostatic pressure upon cell growth and cell cycle progression. While 100 bar has no affect upon viability, it induces a delay in chromosome segregation, resulting in the accumulation of long-undivided-bent cells, consistent with disruption of the cytoskeletons. This delay is independent of stress signalling and induces synchronisation of cell-cycle progression. Equivalent affects were observed in Candida albicans , with pressure inducing a reversible cell-cycle delay and hyphal growth. We present a simple novel non-invasive fluorescence microscopy based approach to transiently impact molecular dynamics to visualise, dissect and study signalling pathways and cellular processes in living cells. © 2018. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

Curcumin inhibits growth potential by G1 cell cycle arrest and induces apoptosis in p53-mutated COLO 320DM human colon adenocarcinoma cells.

PubMed

Dasiram, Jade Dhananjay; Ganesan, Ramamoorthi; Kannan, Janani; Kotteeswaran, Venkatesan; Sivalingam, Nageswaran

2017-02-01

Curcumin, a natural polyphenolic compound and it is isolated from the rhizome of Curcuma longa, have been reported to possess anticancer effect against stage I and II colon cancer. However, the effect of curcumin on colon cancer at Dukes' type C metastatic stage III remains still unclear. In the present study, we have investigated the anticancer effects of curcumin on p53 mutated COLO 320DM human colon adenocarcinoma cells derived from Dukes' type C metastatic stage. The cellular viability and proliferation were assessed by trypan blue exclusion assay and MTT assay, respectively. The cytotoxicity effect was examined by lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) cytotoxicity assay. Apoptosis was analyzed by DNA fragmentation analysis, Hoechst and propidium iodide double fluorescent staining and confocal microscopy analysis. Cell cycle distribution was performed by flow cytometry analysis. Here we have observed that curcumin treatment significantly inhibited the cellular viability and proliferation potential of p53 mutated COLO 320DM cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner. In addition, curcumin treatment showed no cytotoxic effects to the COLO 320DM cells. DNA fragmentation analysis, Hoechst and propidium iodide double fluorescent staining and confocal microscopy analysis revealed that curcumin treatment induced apoptosis in COLO 320DM cells. Furthermore, curcumin caused cell cycle arrest at the G1 phase, decreased the cell population in the S phase and induced apoptosis in COLO 320DM colon adenocarcinoma cells. Together, these data suggest that curcumin exerts anticancer effects and induces apoptosis in p53 mutated COLO 320DM human colon adenocarcinoma cells derived from Dukes' type C metastatic stage. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Morphogenesis checkpoint kinase Swe1 is the executor of lipolysis-dependent cell-cycle progression

PubMed Central

Chauhan, Neha; Visram, Myriam; Cristobal-Sarramian, Alvaro; Sarkleti, Florian

2015-01-01

Cell growth and division requires the precise duplication of cellular DNA content but also of membranes and organelles. Knowledge about the cell-cycle–dependent regulation of membrane and storage lipid homeostasis is only rudimentary. Previous work from our laboratory has shown that the breakdown of triacylglycerols (TGs) is regulated in a cell-cycle–dependent manner, by activation of the Tgl4 lipase by the major cyclin-dependent kinase Cdc28. The lipases Tgl3 and Tgl4 are required for efficient cell-cycle progression during the G1/S (Gap1/replication phase) transition, at the onset of bud formation, and their absence leads to a cell-cycle delay. We now show that defective lipolysis activates the Swe1 morphogenesis checkpoint kinase that halts cell-cycle progression by phosphorylation of Cdc28 at tyrosine residue 19. Saturated long-chain fatty acids and phytosphingosine supplementation rescue the cell-cycle delay in the Tgl3/Tgl4 lipase-deficient strain, suggesting that Swe1 activity responds to imbalanced sphingolipid metabolism, in the absence of TG degradation. We propose a model by which TG-derived sphingolipids are required to activate the protein phosphatase 2A (PP2ACdc55) to attenuate Swe1 phosphorylation and its inhibitory effect on Cdc28 at the G1/S transition of the cell cycle. PMID:25713391

Exosomes Secreted by Toxoplasma gondii-Infected L6 Cells: Their Effects on Host Cell Proliferation and Cell Cycle Changes

PubMed Central

Kim, Min Jae; Jung, Bong-Kwang; Cho, Jaeeun; Song, Hyemi; Pyo, Kyung-Ho; Lee, Ji Min; Kim, Min-Kyung; Chai, Jong-Yil

2016-01-01

Toxoplasma gondii infection induces alteration of the host cell cycle and cell proliferation. These changes are not only seen in directly invaded host cells but also in neighboring cells. We tried to identify whether this alteration can be mediated by exosomes secreted by T. gondii-infected host cells. L6 cells, a rat myoblast cell line, and RH strain of T. gondii were selected for this study. L6 cells were infected with or without T. gondii to isolate exosomes. The cellular growth patterns were identified by cell counting with trypan blue under confocal microscopy, and cell cycle changes were investigated by flow cytometry. L6 cells infected with T. gondii showed decreased proliferation compared to uninfected L6 cells and revealed a tendency to stay at S or G2/M cell phase. The treatment of exosomes isolated from T. gondii-infected cells showed attenuation of cell proliferation and slight enhancement of S phase in L6 cells. The cell cycle alteration was not as obvious as reduction of the cell proliferation by the exosome treatment. These changes were transient and disappeared at 48 hr after the exosome treatment. Microarray analysis and web-based tools indicated that various exosomal miRNAs were crucial for the regulation of target genes related to cell proliferation. Collectively, our study demonstrated that the exosomes originating from T. gondii could change the host cell proliferation and alter the host cell cycle. PMID:27180572

Regulation of nucleolus assembly by non-coding RNA polymerase II transcripts

PubMed Central

Caudron-Herger, Maïwen; Pankert, Teresa; Rippe, Karsten

2016-01-01

ABSTRACT The nucleolus is a nuclear subcompartment for tightly regulated rRNA production and ribosome subunit biogenesis. It also acts as a cellular stress sensor and can release enriched factors in response to cellular stimuli. Accordingly, the content and structure of the nucleolus change dynamically, which is particularly evident during cell cycle progression: the nucleolus completely disassembles during mitosis and reassembles in interphase. Although the mechanisms that drive nucleolar (re)organization have been the subject of a number of studies, they are only partly understood. Recently, we identified Alu element-containing RNA polymerase II transcripts (aluRNAs) as important for nucleolar structure and rRNA synthesis. Integrating these findings with studies on the liquid droplet-like nature of the nucleolus leads us to propose a model on how RNA polymerase II transcripts could regulate the assembly of the nucleolus in response to external stimuli and during cell cycle progression. PMID:27416361

Regulation of nucleolus assembly by non-coding RNA polymerase II transcripts.

PubMed

Caudron-Herger, Maïwen; Pankert, Teresa; Rippe, Karsten

2016-05-03

The nucleolus is a nuclear subcompartment for tightly regulated rRNA production and ribosome subunit biogenesis. It also acts as a cellular stress sensor and can release enriched factors in response to cellular stimuli. Accordingly, the content and structure of the nucleolus change dynamically, which is particularly evident during cell cycle progression: the nucleolus completely disassembles during mitosis and reassembles in interphase. Although the mechanisms that drive nucleolar (re)organization have been the subject of a number of studies, they are only partly understood. Recently, we identified Alu element-containing RNA polymerase II transcripts (aluRNAs) as important for nucleolar structure and rRNA synthesis. Integrating these findings with studies on the liquid droplet-like nature of the nucleolus leads us to propose a model on how RNA polymerase II transcripts could regulate the assembly of the nucleolus in response to external stimuli and during cell cycle progression.

The Universally Conserved Prokaryotic GTPases

PubMed Central

Verstraeten, Natalie; Fauvart, Maarten; Versées, Wim; Michiels, Jan

2011-01-01

Summary: Members of the large superclass of P-loop GTPases share a core domain with a conserved three-dimensional structure. In eukaryotes, these proteins are implicated in various crucial cellular processes, including translation, membrane trafficking, cell cycle progression, and membrane signaling. As targets of mutation and toxins, GTPases are involved in the pathogenesis of cancer and infectious diseases. In prokaryotes also, it is hard to overestimate the importance of GTPases in cell physiology. Numerous papers have shed new light on the role of bacterial GTPases in cell cycle regulation, ribosome assembly, the stress response, and other cellular processes. Moreover, bacterial GTPases have been identified as high-potential drug targets. A key paper published over 2 decades ago stated that, “It may never again be possible to capture [GTPases] in a family portrait” (H. R. Bourne, D. A. Sanders, and F. McCormick, Nature 348:125-132, 1990) and indeed, the last 20 years have seen a tremendous increase in publications on the subject. Sequence analysis identified 13 bacterial GTPases that are conserved in at least 75% of all bacterial species. We here provide an overview of these 13 protein subfamilies, covering their cellular functions as well as cellular localization and expression levels, three-dimensional structures, biochemical properties, and gene organization. Conserved roles in eukaryotic homologs will be discussed as well. A comprehensive overview summarizing current knowledge on prokaryotic GTPases will aid in further elucidating the function of these important proteins. PMID:21885683

A generalized model for multi-marker analysis of cell cycle progression in synchrony experiments.

PubMed

Mayhew, Michael B; Robinson, Joshua W; Jung, Boyoun; Haase, Steven B; Hartemink, Alexander J

2011-07-01

To advance understanding of eukaryotic cell division, it is important to observe the process precisely. To this end, researchers monitor changes in dividing cells as they traverse the cell cycle, with the presence or absence of morphological or genetic markers indicating a cell's position in a particular interval of the cell cycle. A wide variety of marker data is available, including information-rich cellular imaging data. However, few formal statistical methods have been developed to use these valuable data sources in estimating how a population of cells progresses through the cell cycle. Furthermore, existing methods are designed to handle only a single binary marker of cell cycle progression at a time. Consequently, they cannot facilitate comparison of experiments involving different sets of markers. Here, we develop a new sampling model to accommodate an arbitrary number of different binary markers that characterize the progression of a population of dividing cells along a branching process. We engineer a strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae with fluorescently labeled markers of cell cycle progression, and apply our new model to two image datasets we collected from the strain, as well as an independent dataset of different markers. We use our model to estimate the duration of post-cytokinetic attachment between a S.cerevisiae mother and daughter cell. The Java implementation is fast and extensible, and includes a graphical user interface. Our model provides a powerful and flexible cell cycle analysis tool, suitable to any type or combination of binary markers. The software is available from: http://www.cs.duke.edu/~amink/software/cloccs/. michael.mayhew@duke.edu; amink@cs.duke.edu.

The MO15 cell cycle kinase is associated with the TFIIH transcription-DNA repair factor.

PubMed

Roy, R; Adamczewski, J P; Seroz, T; Vermeulen, W; Tassan, J P; Schaeffer, L; Nigg, E A; Hoeijmakers, J H; Egly, J M

1994-12-16

A protein kinase activity that phosphorylates the C-terminal domain (CTD) of RNA polymerase II and is associated with the basal transcription-repair factor TFIIH (also called BTF2) resides with MO15, a cyclin-dependent protein kinase that was first found to be involved in cell cycle regulation. Using in vivo and in vitro repair assays, we show that MO15 is important for nucleotide excision repair, most likely through its association with TFIIH, thus providing an unexpected link among three important cellular mechanisms.

A generic screening platform for inhibitors of virus induced cell fusion using cellular electrical impedance

PubMed Central

Watterson, Daniel; Robinson, Jodie; Chappell, Keith J.; Butler, Mark S.; Edwards, David J.; Fry, Scott R.; Bermingham, Imogen M.; Cooper, Matthew A.; Young, Paul R.

2016-01-01

Fusion of the viral envelope with host cell membranes is an essential step in the life cycle of all enveloped viruses. Despite such a clear target for antiviral drug development, few anti-fusion drugs have progressed to market. One significant hurdle is the absence of a generic, high-throughput, reproducible fusion assay. Here we report that real time, label-free measurement of cellular electrical impedance can quantify cell-cell fusion mediated by either individually expressed recombinant viral fusion proteins, or native virus infection. We validated this approach for all three classes of viral fusion and demonstrated utility in quantifying fusion inhibition using antibodies and small molecule inhibitors specific for dengue virus and respiratory syncytial virus. PMID:26976324

Asparagine plays a critical role in regulating cellular adaptation to glutamine depletion.

PubMed

Zhang, Ji; Fan, Jing; Venneti, Sriram; Cross, Justin R; Takagi, Toshimitsu; Bhinder, Bhavneet; Djaballah, Hakim; Kanai, Masayuki; Cheng, Emily H; Judkins, Alexander R; Pawel, Bruce; Baggs, Julie; Cherry, Sara; Rabinowitz, Joshua D; Thompson, Craig B

2014-10-23

Many cancer cells consume large quantities of glutamine to maintain TCA cycle anaplerosis and support cell survival. It was therefore surprising when RNAi screening revealed that suppression of citrate synthase (CS), the first TCA cycle enzyme, prevented glutamine-withdrawal-induced apoptosis. CS suppression reduced TCA cycle activity and diverted oxaloacetate, the substrate of CS, into production of the nonessential amino acids aspartate and asparagine. We found that asparagine was necessary and sufficient to suppress glutamine-withdrawal-induced apoptosis without restoring the levels of other nonessential amino acids or TCA cycle intermediates. In complete medium, tumor cells exhibiting high rates of glutamine consumption underwent rapid apoptosis when glutamine-dependent asparagine synthesis was suppressed, and expression of asparagine synthetase was statistically correlated with poor prognosis in human tumors. Coupled with the success of L-asparaginase as a therapy for childhood leukemia, the data suggest that intracellular asparagine is a critical suppressor of apoptosis in many human tumors.

Metabolic Reprogramming in Glioma

PubMed Central

Strickland, Marie; Stoll, Elizabeth A.

2017-01-01

Many cancers have long been thought to primarily metabolize glucose for energy production—a phenomenon known as the Warburg Effect, after the classic studies of Otto Warburg in the early twentieth century. Yet cancer cells also utilize other substrates, such as amino acids and fatty acids, to produce raw materials for cellular maintenance and energetic currency to accomplish cellular tasks. The contribution of these substrates is increasingly appreciated in the context of glioma, the most common form of malignant brain tumor. Multiple catabolic pathways are used for energy production within glioma cells, and are linked in many ways to anabolic pathways supporting cellular function. For example: glycolysis both supports energy production and provides carbon skeletons for the synthesis of nucleic acids; meanwhile fatty acids are used both as energetic substrates and as raw materials for lipid membranes. Furthermore, bio-energetic pathways are connected to pro-oncogenic signaling within glioma cells. For example: AMPK signaling links catabolism with cell cycle progression; mTOR signaling contributes to metabolic flexibility and cancer cell survival; the electron transport chain produces ATP and reactive oxygen species (ROS) which act as signaling molecules; Hypoxia Inducible Factors (HIFs) mediate interactions with cells and vasculature within the tumor environment. Mutations in the tumor suppressor p53, and the tricarboxylic acid cycle enzymes Isocitrate Dehydrogenase 1 and 2 have been implicated in oncogenic signaling as well as establishing metabolic phenotypes in genetically-defined subsets of malignant glioma. These pathways critically contribute to tumor biology. The aim of this review is two-fold. Firstly, we present the current state of knowledge regarding the metabolic strategies employed by malignant glioma cells, including aerobic glycolysis; the pentose phosphate pathway; one-carbon metabolism; the tricarboxylic acid cycle, which is central to amino acid metabolism; oxidative phosphorylation; and fatty acid metabolism, which significantly contributes to energy production in glioma cells. Secondly, we highlight processes (including the Randle Effect, AMPK signaling, mTOR activation, etc.) which are understood to link bio-energetic pathways with oncogenic signals, thereby allowing the glioma cell to achieve a pro-malignant state. PMID:28491867

Knockdown of EphB1 receptor decreases medulloblastoma cell growth and migration and increases cellular radiosensitization

PubMed Central

Timofeeva, Olga; Pasquale, Elena B.; Hirsch, Kellen; MacDonald, Tobey J.; Dritschilo, Anatoly; Lee, Yi Chien; Henkemeyer, Mark; Rood, Brian; Jung, Mira; Wang, Xiao-Jing; Kool, Marcel

2015-01-01

The expression of members of the Eph family of receptor tyrosine kinases and their ephrin ligands is frequently dysregulated in medulloblastomas. We assessed the expression and functional role of EphB1 in medulloblastoma cell lines and engineered mouse models. mRNA and protein expression profiling showed expression of EphB1 receptor in the human medulloblastoma cell lines DAOY and UW228. EphB1 downregulation reduced cell growth and viability, decreased the expression of important cell cycle regulators, and increased the percentage of cells in G1 phase of the cell cycle. It also modulated the expression of proliferation, and cell survival markers. In addition, EphB1 knockdown in DAOY cells resulted in significant decrease in migration, which correlated with decreased β1-integrin expression and levels of phosphorylated Src. Furthermore, EphB1 knockdown enhanced cellular radiosensitization of medulloblastoma cells in culture and in a genetically engineered mouse medulloblastoma model. Using genetically engineered mouse models, we established that genetic loss of EphB1 resulted in a significant delay in tumor recurrence following irradiation compared to EphB1-expressing control tumors. Taken together, our findings establish that EphB1 plays a key role in medulloblastoma cell growth, viability, migration, and radiation sensitivity, making EphB1 a promising therapeutic target. PMID:25879388

Knockdown of EphB1 receptor decreases medulloblastoma cell growth and migration and increases cellular radiosensitization.

PubMed

Bhatia, Shilpa; Baig, Nimrah A; Timofeeva, Olga; Pasquale, Elena B; Hirsch, Kellen; MacDonald, Tobey J; Dritschilo, Anatoly; Lee, Yi Chien; Henkemeyer, Mark; Rood, Brian; Jung, Mira; Wang, Xiao-Jing; Kool, Marcel; Rodriguez, Olga; Albanese, Chris; Karam, Sana D

2015-04-20

The expression of members of the Eph family of receptor tyrosine kinases and their ephrin ligands is frequently dysregulated in medulloblastomas. We assessed the expression and functional role of EphB1 in medulloblastoma cell lines and engineered mouse models. mRNA and protein expression profiling showed expression of EphB1 receptor in the human medulloblastoma cell lines DAOY and UW228. EphB1 downregulation reduced cell growth and viability, decreased the expression of important cell cycle regulators, and increased the percentage of cells in G1 phase of the cell cycle. It also modulated the expression of proliferation, and cell survival markers. In addition, EphB1 knockdown in DAOY cells resulted in significant decrease in migration, which correlated with decreased β1-integrin expression and levels of phosphorylated Src. Furthermore, EphB1 knockdown enhanced cellular radiosensitization of medulloblastoma cells in culture and in a genetically engineered mouse medulloblastoma model. Using genetically engineered mouse models, we established that genetic loss of EphB1 resulted in a significant delay in tumor recurrence following irradiation compared to EphB1-expressing control tumors. Taken together, our findings establish that EphB1 plays a key role in medulloblastoma cell growth, viability, migration, and radiation sensitivity, making EphB1 a promising therapeutic target.

Epigenomic Reprogramming of Adult Cardiomyocyte-Derived Cardiac Progenitor Cells

PubMed Central

Zhang, Yiqiang; Zhong, Jiang F; Qiu, Hongyu; Robb MacLellan, W.; Marbán, Eduardo; Wang, Charles

2015-01-01

It has been believed that mammalian adult cardiomyocytes (ACMs) are terminally-differentiated and are unable to proliferate. Recently, using a bi-transgenic ACM fate mapping mouse model and an in vitro culture system, we demonstrated that adult mouse cardiomyocytes were able to dedifferentiate into cardiac progenitor-like cells (CPCs). However, little is known about the molecular basis of their intrinsic cellular plasticity. Here we integrate single-cell transcriptome and whole-genome DNA methylation analyses to unravel the molecular mechanisms underlying the dedifferentiation and cell cycle reentry of mouse ACMs. Compared to parental cardiomyocytes, dedifferentiated mouse cardiomyocyte-derived CPCs (mCPCs) display epigenomic reprogramming with many differentially-methylated regions, both hypermethylated and hypomethylated, across the entire genome. Correlated well with the methylome, our transcriptomic data showed that the genes encoding cardiac structure and function proteins are remarkably down-regulated in mCPCs, while those for cell cycle, proliferation, and stemness are significantly up-regulated. In addition, implantation of mCPCs into infarcted mouse myocardium improves cardiac function with augmented left ventricular ejection fraction. Our study demonstrates that the cellular plasticity of mammalian cardiomyocytes is the result of a well-orchestrated epigenomic reprogramming and a subsequent global transcriptomic alteration. PMID:26657817

[Genome organization and life cycle of the hepatitis c virus].

PubMed

Kalinina, O V; Dmitriev, A V

2015-01-01

The review summarizes the current data about the hepatitis C viral genome and polyprotein organization. The functional role of the structural and non-structural viral proteins including their interaction with cellular regulatory proteins and cell structural elements is discussed. Specific peculiarities of the life cycle of the hepatitis C virus important for the understanding of the viral hepatitis C pathogenesis are summarized.

Aluminum oxide nanoparticles alter cell cycle progression through CCND1 and EGR1 gene expression in human mesenchymal stem cells.

PubMed

Periasamy, Vaiyapuri Subbarayan; Athinarayanan, Jegan; Alshatwi, Ali A

2016-05-01

Aluminum oxide nanoparticles (Al2 O3 -NPs) are important ceramic materials that have been used in a variety of commercial and industrial applications. However, the impact of acute and chronic exposure to Al2 O3 -NPs on the environment and on human health has not been well studied. In this investigation, we evaluated the cytotoxic effects of Al2 O3 -NPs on human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) by using a cell viability assay and observing cellular morphological changes, analyzing cell cycle progression, and monitoring the expression of cell cycle response genes (PCNA, EGR1, E2F1, CCND1, CCNC, CCNG1, and CYCD3). The Al2 O3 -NPs reduced hMSC viability in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Nuclear condensation and fragmentation, chromosomal DNA fragmentation, and cytoplasmic vacuolization were observed in Al2 O3 -NP-exposed cells. The nuclear morphological changes indicated that Al2 O3 -NPs alter cell cycle progression and gene expression. The cell cycle distribution revealed that Al2 O3 -NPs cause cell cycle arrest in the sub-G0-G1 phase, and this is associated with a reduction in the cell population in the G2/M and G0/G1 phases. Moreover, Al2 O3 -NPs induced the upregulation of cell cycle response genes, including EGR1, E2F1, and CCND1. Our results suggested that exposure to Al2 O3 -NPs could cause acute cytotoxic effects in hMSCs through cell cycle regulatory genes. © 2015 International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

Allosteric dynamics of SAMHD1 studied by molecular dynamics simulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Patra, K. K.; Bhattacharya, A.; Bhattacharya, S.

2016-10-01

SAMHD1 is a human cellular enzyme that blocks HIV-1 infection in myeloid cells and non-cycling CD4+T cells. The enzyme is an allosterically regulated triphosphohydrolase that modulates the level of cellular dNTP. The virus restriction is attributed to the lowering of the pool of dNTP in the cell to a point where reverse-transcription is impaired. Mutations in SAMHD1 are also implicated in Aicardi-Goutieres syndrome. A mechanistic understanding of the allosteric activation of the enzyme is still elusive. We have performed molecular dynamics simulations to examine the allosteric site dynamics of the protein and to examine the connection between the stability of the tetrameric complex and the Allosite occupancy.

The endoplasmic reticulum: structure, function and response to cellular signaling.

PubMed

Schwarz, Dianne S; Blower, Michael D

2016-01-01

The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is a large, dynamic structure that serves many roles in the cell including calcium storage, protein synthesis and lipid metabolism. The diverse functions of the ER are performed by distinct domains; consisting of tubules, sheets and the nuclear envelope. Several proteins that contribute to the overall architecture and dynamics of the ER have been identified, but many questions remain as to how the ER changes shape in response to cellular cues, cell type, cell cycle state and during development of the organism. Here we discuss what is known about the dynamics of the ER, what questions remain, and how coordinated responses add to the layers of regulation in this dynamic organelle.

[Bdellovibrio and like organisms: outstanding predators!

PubMed

Jurkevitch, Édouard; Jacquet, Stéphan

2017-05-01

Obligate predatory bacteria, i.e. bacteria requiring a Gram negative prey cell in order to complete their cell cycle, belong to the polyphyletic group referred to as the Bdellovibrio And Like Organisms (BALO). Predatory interactions between bacteria are complex, yet their dynamics and impact on bacterial communities in the environment are becoming better understood. BALO have unique life cycles: they grow epibiotically with the predator remaining attached to the prey's envelope, dividing in a binary manner or periplasmically, i.e. by penetrating the prey's periplasm to generate a number of progeny cells. The periplasmic life cycle includes unique gene and protein patterns and unique signaling features. These ecological and cellular features, along with applications of the BALO in the medical, agricultural and environmental fields are surveyed. © 2017 médecine/sciences – Inserm.

Delayed Cell Cycle Progression and Apoptosis Induced by Hemicellulase-Treated Agaricus blazei

PubMed Central

Kasai, Hirotake

2007-01-01

We examined the effects of hemicellulase-treated Agaricus blazei (AB fraction H, ABH) on growth of several tumor cell lines. ABH inhibited the proliferation of some cell lines without cytotoxic effects. It markedly prolonged the S phase of the cell cycle. ABH also induced mitochondria-mediated apoptosis in different cell lines. However, it had no impact on the growth of other cell lines. ABH induced strong activation of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) in the cells in which it evoked apoptosis. On the other hand, ABH showed only a weak p38 activation effect in those cell lines in which it delayed cell cycle progression with little induction of apoptosis. However, p38 MAPK-specific inhibitor inhibited both ABH-induced effects, and ABH also caused apoptosis in the latter cells under conditions of high p38 MAPK activity induced by combined treatment with TNF-α. These results indicate that the responsiveness of p38 MAPK to ABH, which differs between cell lines, determines subsequent cellular responses on cell growth. PMID:17342245

Catalytic therapy of cancer by ascorbic acid involves redox cycling of exogenous/endogenous copper ions and generation of reactive oxygen species.

PubMed

Hadi, S M; Ullah, M F; Shamim, U; Bhatt, S H; Azmi, A S

2010-01-01

Catalytic therapy is a cancer treatment modality based on the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) through administration of ascorbate/medicinal herbal extracts and copper. It is known that antioxidants such as ascorbate also exhibit prooxidant activity in the presence of transition metals such as copper. Based on our work and that in the literature, in this review we propose a mechanism for the cytotoxic action of ascorbate against cancer cells. It involves redox cycling of exogenous/endogenous copper ions and the consequent generation of ROS leading to oxidative DNA breakage. Using human peripheral lymphocytes and the Comet assay, we have shown that ascorbic acid is able to cause oxidative breakage in cellular DNA. Such DNA degradation is inhibited by neocuproine (a Cu(I) sequestering agent) and scavengers of ROS indicating that the cellular DNA breakage involves the generation of Cu(I) and formation of ROS. Similar results are also obtained with plant polyphenol antioxidants that are important constituents of medicinal herbal extracts. Copper is an essential component of chromatin and can take part in redox reactions. It is well established that tissue, cellular and serum copper levels are considerably elevated in various malignancies. Therefore, cancer cells may be more subject to electron transfer between copper ions and ascorbate/plant polyphenols to generate ROS. In this review we cite evidence to indicate that in catalytic therapy cytotoxic action against cancer cells involves redox cycling of exogenous/endogenous copper ions. Copyright © 2010 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Metabolic pathways in T cell activation and lineage differentiation.

PubMed

Almeida, Luís; Lochner, Matthias; Berod, Luciana; Sparwasser, Tim

2016-10-01

Recent advances in the field of immunometabolism support the concept that fundamental processes in T cell biology, such as TCR-mediated activation and T helper lineage differentiation, are closely linked to changes in the cellular metabolic programs. Although the major task of the intermediate metabolism is to provide the cell with a constant supply of energy and molecular precursors for the production of biomolecules, the dynamic regulation of metabolic pathways also plays an active role in shaping T cell responses. Key metabolic processes such as glycolysis, fatty acid and mitochondrial metabolism are now recognized as crucial players in T cell activation and differentiation, and their modulation can differentially affect the development of T helper cell lineages. In this review, we describe the diverse metabolic processes that T cells engage during their life cycle from naïve towards effector and memory T cells. We consider in particular how the cellular metabolism may actively support the function of T cells in their different states. Moreover, we discuss how molecular regulators such as mTOR or AMPK link environmental changes to adaptations in the cellular metabolism and elucidate the consequences on T cell differentiation and function. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Protoparvovirus Interactions with the Cellular DNA Damage Response

PubMed Central

Majumder, Kinjal; Etingov, Igor

2017-01-01

Protoparvoviruses are simple single-stranded DNA viruses that infect many animal species. The protoparvovirus minute virus of mice (MVM) infects murine and transformed human cells provoking a sustained DNA damage response (DDR). This DDR is dependent on signaling by the ATM kinase and leads to a prolonged pre-mitotic cell cycle block that features the inactivation of ATR-kinase mediated signaling, proteasome-targeted degradation of p21, and inhibition of cyclin B1 expression. This review explores how protoparvoviruses, and specifically MVM, co-opt the common mechanisms regulating the DDR and cell cycle progression in order to prepare the host nuclear environment for productive infection. PMID:29088070

Protoparvovirus Interactions with the Cellular DNA Damage Response.

PubMed

Majumder, Kinjal; Etingov, Igor; Pintel, David J

2017-10-31

Protoparvoviruses are simple single-stranded DNA viruses that infect many animal species. The protoparvovirus minute virus of mice (MVM) infects murine and transformed human cells provoking a sustained DNA damage response (DDR). This DDR is dependent on signaling by the ATM kinase and leads to a prolonged pre-mitotic cell cycle block that features the inactivation of ATR-kinase mediated signaling, proteasome-targeted degradation of p21, and inhibition of cyclin B1 expression. This review explores how protoparvoviruses, and specifically MVM, co-opt the common mechanisms regulating the DDR and cell cycle progression in order to prepare the host nuclear environment for productive infection.

Entrapment of curcumin into monoolein-based liquid crystalline nanoparticle dispersion for enhancement of stability and anticancer activity

PubMed Central

Baskaran, Rengarajan; Madheswaran, Thiagarajan; Sundaramoorthy, Pasupathi; Kim, Hwan Mook; Yoo, Bong Kyu

2014-01-01

Despite the promising anticancer potential of curcumin, its therapeutic application has been limited, owing to its poor solubility, bioavailability, and chemical fragility. Therefore, various formulation approaches have been attempted to address these problems. In this study, we entrapped curcumin into monoolein (MO)-based liquid crystalline nanoparticles (LCNs) and evaluated the physicochemical properties and anticancer activity of the LCN dispersion. The results revealed that particles in the curcumin-loaded LCN dispersion were discrete and monodispersed, and that the entrapment efficiency was almost 100%. The stability of curcumin in the dispersion was surprisingly enhanced (about 75% of the curcumin survived after 45 days of storage at 40°C), and the in vitro release of curcumin was sustained (10% or less over 15 days). Fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) analysis using a human colon cancer cell line (HCT116) exhibited 99.1% fluorescence gating for 5 μM curcumin-loaded LCN dispersion compared to 1.36% for the same concentration of the drug in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), indicating markedly enhanced cellular uptake. Consistent with the enhanced cellular uptake of curcumin-loaded LCNs, anticancer activity and cell cycle studies demonstrated apoptosis induction when the cells were treated with the LCN dispersion; however, there was neither noticeable cell death nor significant changes in the cell cycle for the same concentration of the drug in DMSO. In conclusion, entrapping curcumin into MO-based LCNs may provide, in the future, a strategy for overcoming the hurdles associated with both the stability and cellular uptake issues of the drug in the treatment of various cancers. PMID:25061290

The 26S Proteasome Complex: An Attractive Target for Cancer Therapy

PubMed Central

Frankland-Searby, Sarah; Bhaumik, Sukesh R.

2011-01-01

The 26S proteasome complex engages in an ATP-dependent proteolytic degradation of a variety of oncoproteins, transcription factors, cell cycle specific cyclins, cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors, ornithine decarboxylase, and other key regulatory cellular proteins. Thus, the proteasome regulates either directly or indirectly many important cellular processes. Altered regulation of these cellular events is linked to the development of cancer. Therefore, the proteasome has become an attractive target for the treatment of numerous cancers. Several proteasome inhibitors that target the proteolytic active sites of the 26S proteasome complex have been developed and tested for anti-tumor activities. These proteasome inhibitors have displayed impressive anti-tumor functions by inducing apoptosis in different tumor types. Further, the proteasome inhibitors have been shown to induce cell cycle arrest, and inhibit angiogenesis, cell-cell adhesion, cell migration, immune and inflammatory responses, and DNA repair response. A number of proteasome inhibitors are now in clinical trials to treat multiple myeloma and solid tumors. Many other proteasome inhibitors with different efficiencies are being developed and tested for anti-tumor activities. Several proteasome inhibitors currently in clinical trials have shown significantly improved anti-tumor activities when combined with other drugs such as histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors, Akt (protein kinase B) inhibitors, DNA damaging agents, Hsp90 (heat shock protein 90) inhibitors, and lenalidomide. The proteasome inhibitor bortezomib is now in the clinic to treat multiple myeloma and mantle cell lymphoma. Here, we discuss the 26S proteasome complex in carcinogenesis and different proteasome inhibitors with their potential therapeutic applications in treatment of numerous cancers. PMID:22037302

Entrapment of curcumin into monoolein-based liquid crystalline nanoparticle dispersion for enhancement of stability and anticancer activity.

PubMed

Baskaran, Rengarajan; Madheswaran, Thiagarajan; Sundaramoorthy, Pasupathi; Kim, Hwan Mook; Yoo, Bong Kyu

2014-01-01

Despite the promising anticancer potential of curcumin, its therapeutic application has been limited, owing to its poor solubility, bioavailability, and chemical fragility. Therefore, various formulation approaches have been attempted to address these problems. In this study, we entrapped curcumin into monoolein (MO)-based liquid crystalline nanoparticles (LCNs) and evaluated the physicochemical properties and anticancer activity of the LCN dispersion. The results revealed that particles in the curcumin-loaded LCN dispersion were discrete and monodispersed, and that the entrapment efficiency was almost 100%. The stability of curcumin in the dispersion was surprisingly enhanced (about 75% of the curcumin survived after 45 days of storage at 40°C), and the in vitro release of curcumin was sustained (10% or less over 15 days). Fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) analysis using a human colon cancer cell line (HCT116) exhibited 99.1% fluorescence gating for 5 μM curcumin-loaded LCN dispersion compared to 1.36% for the same concentration of the drug in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), indicating markedly enhanced cellular uptake. Consistent with the enhanced cellular uptake of curcumin-loaded LCNs, anticancer activity and cell cycle studies demonstrated apoptosis induction when the cells were treated with the LCN dispersion; however, there was neither noticeable cell death nor significant changes in the cell cycle for the same concentration of the drug in DMSO. In conclusion, entrapping curcumin into MO-based LCNs may provide, in the future, a strategy for overcoming the hurdles associated with both the stability and cellular uptake issues of the drug in the treatment of various cancers.

Complementation of non-tumorigenicity of HPV18-positive cervical carcinoma cells involves differential mRNA expression of cellular genes including potential tumor suppressor genes on chromosome 11q13.

PubMed

Kehrmann, Angela; Truong, Ha; Repenning, Antje; Boger, Regina; Klein-Hitpass, Ludger; Pascheberg, Ulrich; Beckmann, Alf; Opalka, Bertram; Kleine-Lowinski, Kerstin

2013-01-01

The fusion between human tumorigenic cells and normal human diploid fibroblasts results in non-tumorigenic hybrid cells, suggesting a dominant role for tumor suppressor genes in the generated hybrid cells. After long-term cultivation in vitro, tumorigenic segregants may arise. The loss of tumor suppressor genes on chromosome 11q13 has been postulated to be involved in the induction of the tumorigenic phenotype of human papillomavirus (HPV)18-positive cervical carcinoma cells and their derived tumorigenic hybrid cells after subcutaneous injection in immunocompromised mice. The aim of this study was the identification of novel cellular genes that may contribute to the suppression of the tumorigenic phenotype of non-tumorigenic hybrid cells in vivo. We used cDNA microarray technology to identify differentially expressed cellular genes in tumorigenic HPV18-positive hybrid and parental HeLa cells compared to non-tumorigenic HPV18-positive hybrid cells. We detected several as yet unknown cellular genes that play a role in cell differentiation, cell cycle progression, cell-cell communication, metastasis formation, angiogenesis, antigen presentation, and immune response. Apart from the known differentially expressed genes on 11q13 (e.g., phosphofurin acidic cluster sorting protein 1 (PACS1) and FOS ligand 1 (FOSL1 or Fra-1)), we detected novel differentially expressed cellular genes located within the tumor suppressor gene region (e.g., EGF-containing fibulin-like extracellular matrix protein 2 (EFEMP2) and leucine rich repeat containing 32 (LRRC32) (also known as glycoprotein-A repetitions predominant (GARP)) that may have potential tumor suppressor functions in this model system of non-tumorigenic and tumorigenic HeLa x fibroblast hybrid cells. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Inhibition of E2F1 activity and cell cycle progression by arsenic via retinoblastoma protein.

PubMed

Sheldon, Lynn A

2017-01-01

The regulation of cell cycle progression by steroid hormones and growth factors is important for maintaining normal cellular processes including development and cell proliferation. Deregulated progression through the G1/S and G2/M cell cycle transitions can lead to uncontrolled cell proliferation and cancer. The transcription factor E2F1, a key cell cycle regulator, targets genes encoding proteins that regulate cell cycle progression through the G1/S transition as well as proteins important in DNA repair and apoptosis. E2F1 expression and activity is inhibited by inorganic arsenic (iAs) that has a dual role as a cancer therapeutic and as a toxin that leads to diseases including cancer. An understanding of what underlies this dichotomy will contribute to understanding how to use iAs as a more effective therapeutic and also how to treat cancers that iAs promotes. Here, we show that quiescent breast adenocarcinoma MCF-7 cells treated with 17-β estradiol (E2) progress through the cell cycle, but few cells treated with E2 + iAs progress from G1 into S-phase due to a block in cell cycle progression. Our data support a model in which iAs inhibits the dissociation of E2F1 from the tumor suppressor, retinoblastoma protein (pRB) due to changes in pRB phosphorylation which leads to decreased E2F1 transcriptional activity. These findings present an explanation for how iAs can disrupt cell cycle progression through E2F1-pRB and has implications for how iAs acts as a cancer therapeutic as well as how it may promote tumorigenesis through decreased DNA repair.

A Novel ATM/TP53/p21-Mediated Checkpoint Only Activated by Chronic γ-Irradiation

PubMed Central

Sasatani, Megumi; Iizuka, Daisuke; Masuda, Yuji; Inaba, Toshiya; Suzuki, Keiji; Ootsuyama, Akira; Umata, Toshiyuki; Kamiya, Kenji; Suzuki, Fumio

2014-01-01

Different levels or types of DNA damage activate distinct signaling pathways that elicit various cellular responses, including cell-cycle arrest, DNA repair, senescence, and apoptosis. Whereas a range of DNA-damage responses have been characterized, mechanisms underlying subsequent cell-fate decision remain elusive. Here we exposed cultured cells and mice to different doses and dose rates of γ-irradiation, which revealed cell-type-specific sensitivities to chronic, but not acute, γ-irradiation. Among tested cell types, human fibroblasts were associated with the highest levels of growth inhibition in response to chronic γ-irradiation. In this context, fibroblasts exhibited a reversible G1 cell-cycle arrest or an irreversible senescence-like growth arrest, depending on the irradiation dose rate or the rate of DNA damage. Remarkably, when the same dose of γ-irradiation was delivered chronically or acutely, chronic delivery induced considerably more cellular senescence. A similar effect was observed with primary cells isolated from irradiated mice. We demonstrate a critical role for the ataxia telangiectasia mutated (ATM)/tumor protein p53 (TP53)/p21 pathway in regulating DNA-damage-associated cell fate. Indeed, blocking the ATM/TP53/p21 pathway deregulated DNA damage responses, leading to micronucleus formation in chronically irradiated cells. Together these results provide insights into the mechanisms governing cell-fate determination in response to different rates of DNA damage. PMID:25093836

Live-Cell Imaging of Filoviruses.

PubMed

Schudt, Gordian; Dolnik, Olga; Becker, Stephan

2017-01-01

Observation of molecular processes inside living cells is fundamental to a deeper understanding of virus-host interactions in filoviral-infected cells. These observations can provide spatiotemporal insights into protein synthesis, protein-protein interaction dynamics, and transport processes of these highly pathogenic viruses. Thus, live-cell imaging provides the possibility for antiviral screening in real time and gives mechanistic insights into understanding filovirus assembly steps that are dependent on cellular factors, which then represent potential targets against this highly fatal disease. Here we describe analysis of living filovirus-infected cells under maximum biosafety (i.e., BSL4) conditions using plasmid-driven expression of fluorescently labeled viral and cellular proteins and/or viral genome-encoded expression of fluorescently labeled proteins. Such multiple-color and multidimensional time-lapse live-cell imaging analyses are a powerful method to gain a better understanding of the filovirus infection cycle.

Calcium ion as intracellular messenger and cellular toxin.

PubMed

Rasmussen, H; Barrett, P; Smallwood, J; Bollag, W; Isales, C

1990-03-01

Ca2+ serves a nearly universal intracellular messenger function in cell activation, but excess Ca2+ is also a cellular toxin. The possibility of Ca2+ intoxication is minimized by an elaborate autoregulatory system in which changes in Ca2+ influx rate across the plasma membrane are rapidly compensated for by parallel changes in Ca2+ efflux rate. By this mean, cellular Ca2+ homestasis is maintained so that minimal changes in total cell calcium and cytosolic Ca2+ concentration occur during sustained Ca2(+)-mediated responses. Rather than a sustained increase in cytosolic Ca2+ concentration, it is the localized cycling of Ca2+ across the plasma membrane that is the critically important Ca2+ messenger during the sustained phase of cellular responses mediated via surface receptors linked to the hydrolysis of phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2). PIP2 hydrolysis gives rise to inositol(1,4,5)trisphosphate (IP3) and diacylglycerol (DAG). The IP3 acts to release Ca2+ from an intracellular pool, thereby causing a transient rise in cytosolic Ca2+ concentration. This transient Ca2+ signal activates calmodulin-dependent protein kinases transiently, and hence, causes the transient phosphorylation of a subset of cellular proteins that mediate the initial phase of the response. The DAG brings about the association of protein kinase C (PKC) with the plasma membrane where a receptor-mediated increase in Ca2+ cycling across the membrane regulates PKC activity. The sustained phosphorylation of a second subset of proteins by PKC mediates the sustained phase of the response. Hence, Ca2+ serves as a messenger during both phases of the cellular response, but its cellular sites of action, its mechanisms of generation, and its molecular targets differ during the initial and sustained phases of the response.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Calcium ion as intracellular messenger and cellular toxin.

PubMed Central

Rasmussen, H; Barrett, P; Smallwood, J; Bollag, W; Isales, C

1990-01-01

Ca2+ serves a nearly universal intracellular messenger function in cell activation, but excess Ca2+ is also a cellular toxin. The possibility of Ca2+ intoxication is minimized by an elaborate autoregulatory system in which changes in Ca2+ influx rate across the plasma membrane are rapidly compensated for by parallel changes in Ca2+ efflux rate. By this mean, cellular Ca2+ homestasis is maintained so that minimal changes in total cell calcium and cytosolic Ca2+ concentration occur during sustained Ca2(+)-mediated responses. Rather than a sustained increase in cytosolic Ca2+ concentration, it is the localized cycling of Ca2+ across the plasma membrane that is the critically important Ca2+ messenger during the sustained phase of cellular responses mediated via surface receptors linked to the hydrolysis of phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2). PIP2 hydrolysis gives rise to inositol(1,4,5)trisphosphate (IP3) and diacylglycerol (DAG). The IP3 acts to release Ca2+ from an intracellular pool, thereby causing a transient rise in cytosolic Ca2+ concentration. This transient Ca2+ signal activates calmodulin-dependent protein kinases transiently, and hence, causes the transient phosphorylation of a subset of cellular proteins that mediate the initial phase of the response. The DAG brings about the association of protein kinase C (PKC) with the plasma membrane where a receptor-mediated increase in Ca2+ cycling across the membrane regulates PKC activity. The sustained phosphorylation of a second subset of proteins by PKC mediates the sustained phase of the response. Hence, Ca2+ serves as a messenger during both phases of the cellular response, but its cellular sites of action, its mechanisms of generation, and its molecular targets differ during the initial and sustained phases of the response.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS) PMID:2190811

β-Sitosterol enhances cellular glutathione redox cycling by reactive oxygen species generated from mitochondrial respiration: protection against oxidant injury in H9c2 cells and rat hearts.

PubMed

Wong, Hoi Shan; Chen, Na; Leong, Pou Kuan; Ko, Kam Ming

2014-07-01

Herba Cistanches (Cistanche deserticola Y. C. Ma) is a 'Yang-invigorating' tonic herb in Chinese medicine. Preliminary chemical analysis indicated that β-sitosterol (BS) is one of the chemical constituents in an active fraction of Herba Cistanches. To investigate whether BS is an active ingredient of Herba Cistanches, the effects of BS on H9c2 cells and rat hearts were examined. The results indicated that BS stimulated the mitochondrial ATP generation capacity in H9c2 cells, which was associated with the increased production of mitochondrial reactive oxygen species. BS also stimulated mitochondrial state 3 and state 4 respiration, with the resultant decrease in coupling efficiency. BS produced an up-regulation of cellular glutathione redox cycling and protected against hypoxia/reoxygenation-induced apoptosis in H9c2 cells. However, the protective effect of BS against myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury was seen in female but not male rats ex vivo. The cardioprotection afforded by BS was likely mediated by an up-regulation of mitochondrial glutathione redox cycling in female rat hearts. In conclusion, the ensemble of results suggests that BS is an active ingredient of Herba Cistanches. The gender-dependent effect of BS on myocardial protection will further be investigated. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Induction of tumor cell death through targeting tubulin and evoking dysregulation of cell cycle regulatory proteins by multifunctional cinnamaldehydes.

PubMed

Nagle, Amrita A; Gan, Fei-Fei; Jones, Gavin; So, Choon-Leng; Wells, Geoffrey; Chew, Eng-Hui

2012-01-01

Multifunctional trans-cinnamaldehyde (CA) and its analogs display anti-cancer properties, with 2-benzoyloxycinnamaldehyde (BCA) and 5-fluoro-2-hydroxycinnamaldehyde (FHCA) being identified as the ortho-substituted analogs that possess potent anti-tumor activities. In this study, BCA, FHCA and a novel analog 5-fluoro-2-benzoyloxycinnamaldehyde (FBCA), were demonstrated to decrease growth and colony formation of human colon-derived HCT 116 and mammary-derived MCF-7 carcinoma cells under non-adhesive conditions. The 2-benzoyloxy and 5-fluoro substituents rendered FBCA more potent than BCA and equipotent to FHCA. The cellular events by which these cinnamaldehydes caused G(2)/M phase arrest and halted proliferation of HCT 116 cells were thereby investigated. Lack of significant accumulation of mitosis marker phospho-histone H3 in cinnamaldehyde-treated cells indicated that the analogs arrested cells in G(2) phase. G(2) arrest was brought about partly by cinnamaldehyde-mediated depletion of cell cycle proteins involved in regulating G(2) to M transition and spindle assembly, namely cdk1, cdc25C, mad2, cdc20 and survivin. Cyclin B1 levels were found to be increased, which in the absence of active cdk1, would fail to drive cells into M phase. Concentrations of cinnamaldehydes that brought about dysregulation of levels of cell cycle proteins also caused tubulin aggregation, as evident from immunodetection of dose-dependent tubulin accumulation in the insoluble cell lysate fractions. In a cell-free system, reduced biotin-conjugated iodoacetamide (BIAM) labeling of tubulin protein pretreated with cinnamaldehydes was indicative of drug interaction with the sulfhydryl groups in tubulin. In conclusion, cinnamaldehydes treatment at proapoptotic concentrations caused tubulin aggregation and dysegulation of cell cycle regulatory proteins cdk1 and cdc25C that contributed at least in part to arresting cells at G(2) phase, resulting in apoptotic cell death characterized by emergence of cleaved forms of caspase 3 and poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP). Results presented in this study have thus provided further insights into the intricate network of cellular events by which cinnamaldehydes induce tumor cell death.

Inheritance of Cell-Cycle Duration in the Presence of Periodic Forcing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mosheiff, Noga; Martins, Bruno M. C.; Pearl-Mizrahi, Sivan; Grünberger, Alexander; Helfrich, Stefan; Mihalcescu, Irina; Kohlheyer, Dietrich; Locke, James C. W.; Glass, Leon; Balaban, Nathalie Q.

2018-04-01

Periodic forcing of nonlinear oscillators leads to a large number of dynamic behaviors. The coupling of the cell cycle to the circadian clock provides a biological realization of such forcing. A previous model of forcing leads to nontrivial relations between correlations along cell lineages. Here, we present a simplified two-dimensional nonlinear map for the periodic forcing of the cell cycle. Using high-throughput single-cell microscopy, we have studied the correlations between cell-cycle duration in discrete lineages of several different organisms, including those with known coupling to a circadian clock and those without known coupling to a circadian clock. The model reproduces the paradoxical correlations and predicts new features that can be compared with the experimental data. By fitting the model to the data, we extract the important parameters that govern the dynamics. Interestingly, the model reproduces bimodal distributions for cell-cycle duration, as well as the gating of cell division by the phase of the clock, without having been explicitly fed into the model. In addition, the model predicts that circadian coupling may increase cell-to-cell variability in a clonal population of cells. In agreement with this prediction, deletion of the circadian clock reduces variability. Our results show that simple correlations can identify systems under periodic forcing and that studies of nonlinear coupling of biological oscillators provide insight into basic cellular processes of growth.

Cytostatic response of HepG2 to 0.57 MHz electric currents mediated by changes in cell cycle control proteins.

PubMed

Hernández-Bule, María Luisa; Cid, María Antonia; Trillo, María Angeles; Leal, Jocelyne; Ubeda, Alejandro

2010-12-01

The capacitive-resistive electric transfer (CRet) therapy is a non-invasive technique that applies electrical currents of 0.4-0.6 MHz to the treatment of musculoskeletal injuries. Although this therapy has proved effective in clinical studies, its interaction mechanisms at the cellular level still are insufficiently investigated. Results from previous studies have shown that the application of CRet currents at subthermal doses causes alterations in cell cycle progression and decreased proliferation in hepatocarcinoma (HepG2) and neuroblastoma (NB69) human cell lines. The aim of the present study was to investigate the antiproliferative response of HepG2 to CRet currents. The results showed that 24-h intermittent treatment with 50 µA/mm(2) current density induced in HepG2 statistically significant changes in expression and activation of cell cycle control proteins p27Kip1 and cyclins D1, A and B1. The chronology of these changes is coherent with that of the alterations reported in the cell cycle of HepG2 when exposed to the same electric treatment. We propose that the antiproliferative effect exerted by the electric stimulus would be primarily mediated by changes in the expression and activation of proteins intervening in cell cycle regulation, which are among the targets of emerging chemical therapies. The capability to arrest the cell cycle through electrically-induced changes in cell cycle control proteins might open new possibilities in the field of oncology.

Long non‑coding RNA AK001796 contributes to cisplatin resistance of non‑small cell lung cancer.

PubMed

Liu, Bin; Pan, Chun-Feng; Ma, Teng; Wang, Jun; Yao, Guo-Liang; Wei, Ke; Chen, Yi-Jiang

2017-10-01

Cisplatin (DDP)‑based chemotherapy is the most widely used therapy for non‑small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, the existence of chemoresistance has become a major limitation in its efficacy. Long non‑coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been shown to be involved in chemotherapy drug resistance. The aim of the present study was to investigate the biological role of lncRNA AK001796 in cisplatin‑resistant NSCLC A549/DDP cells. Reverse transcription‑quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT‑qPCR) analysis was performed to monitor the differences in the expression of AK001796 in cisplatin-resistant (A549/DDP) cells and parental A549 cells. Cellular sensitivity to cisplatin and cell viability were examined using an MTT assay. Cell apoptosis and cell cycle distribution were measured using flow cytometry. The expression levels of cell cycle proteins cyclin C (CCNC), baculoviral IAP repeat containing 5 (BIRC5), cyclin‑dependent kinase 1 (CDK1) and G2 and S phase‑expressed 1 (GTSE1) were assessed using RT‑qPCR and western blot analyses. It was found that the expression of AK001796 was increased in A549/DDP cells, compared with that in A549 cells. The knockdown of AK001796 by small interfering RNA reduced cellular cisplatin resistance and cell viability, and resulted in cell‑cycle arrest, with a marked increase in the proportion of A549/DDP cells in the G0/G1 phase. By contrast, the knockdown of AK001796 increased the number of apoptotic cancer cells during cisplatin treatment. It was also shown that the knockdown of AK001796 positively induced the expression of cell apoptosis‑associated factors, CCNC and BIRC5, and suppressed the expression of cell cycle‑associated factors, CDK1 and GTSE5. Taken together, these findings indicated that lncRNA AK001796 increased the resistance of NSCLC cells to cisplatin through regulating cell apoptosis and cell proliferation, and thus provides an attractive therapeutic target for NSCLC.

Genetic podocyte lineage reveals progressive podocytopenia with parietal cell hyperplasia in a murine model of cellular/collapsing focal segmental glomerulosclerosis.

PubMed

Suzuki, Taisei; Matsusaka, Taiji; Nakayama, Makiko; Asano, Takako; Watanabe, Teruo; Ichikawa, Iekuni; Nagata, Michio

2009-05-01

Focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) is a progressive renal disease, and the glomerular visceral cell hyperplasia typically observed in cellular/collapsing FSGS is an important pathological factor in disease progression. However, the cellular features that promote FSGS currently remain obscure. To determine both the origin and phenotypic alterations in hyperplastic cells in cellular/collapsing FSGS, the present study used a previously described FSGS model in p21-deficient mice with visceral cell hyperplasia and identified the podocyte lineage by genetic tagging. The p21-deficient mice with nephropathy showed significantly higher urinary protein levels, extracapillary hyperplastic indices on day 5, and glomerular sclerosis indices on day 14 than wild-type controls. X-gal staining and immunohistochemistry for podocyte and parietal epithelial cell (PEC) markers revealed progressive podocytopenia with capillary collapse accompanied by PEC hyperplasia leading to FSGS. In our investigation, non-tagged cells expressed neither WT1 nor nestin. Ki-67, a proliferation marker, was rarely associated with podocytes but was expressed at high levels in PECs. Both terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick-end labeling staining and electron microscopy failed to show evidence of significant podocyte apoptosis on days 5 and 14. These findings suggest that extensive podocyte loss and simultaneous PEC hyperplasia is an actual pathology that may contribute to the progression of cellular/collapsing FSGS in this mouse model. Additionally, this is the first study to demonstrate the regulatory role of p21 in the PEC cell cycle.

Butyrate and deoxycholic acid play common and distinct roles in HCT116 human colon cell proliferation.

PubMed

Zeng, Huawei; Claycombe, Kate J; Reindl, Katie M

2015-10-01

Consumption of a high-fat diet causes an increase in bile acid deoxycholic acid (DCA) in colon lumen and colon cancer risk, while butyrate, an intestinal microbiota metabolite of dietary fiber, has been shown to exhibit colon cancer-preventive effects. To distinguish these opposing effects of DCA and butyrate (two major metabolites in colon lumen), we examined the effects of physiologically relevant doses of butyrate (0.5-2 mmol/l) and DCA (0.05-0.3 mmol/l) on colon cell proliferation. We hypothesize that butyrate and DCA each modulates the cell cycle and apoptosis via common and distinct cellular signaling targets. In this study, we demonstrated that both butyrate and DCA inhibited cell proliferation by up to 89% and 92% and increased cell apoptosis rate by up to 3.1- and 4.5-fold, respectively. Cell cycle analyses revealed that butyrate led to an increase in G1 and G2 fractions with a concomitant drop in the S-phase fraction, but DCA induced an increase in only G1 fraction with a concomitant drop in the S-phase fraction when compared with the untreated cells. The examination of early cellular signaling revealed that DCA but not butyrate increased intracellular reactive oxygen species, genomic DNA breakage, the activation of ERK1/2, caspase-3 and PARP. In contrast, DCA decreased activated Rb protein level, and butyrate but not DCA increased p21 expression. Collectively, although both butyrate and DCA inhibit colonic cell proliferation, butyrate increases tumor suppressor gene expression, whereas DCA decreases tumor suppressor activation in cell cycle and apoptosis pathways. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Machineries regulating the activity of the small GTPase Arf6 in cancer cells are potential targets for developing innovative anti-cancer drugs.

PubMed

Yamauchi, Yohei; Miura, Yuki; Kanaho, Yasunori

2017-01-01

The Small GTPase ADP-ribosylation factor 6 (Arf6) functions as the molecular switch in cellular signaling pathways by cycling between GDP-bound inactive and GTP-bound active form, which is precisely regulated by two regulators, guanine nucleotide exchange factors (GEFs) and GTPase-activating proteins (GAPs). Numerous studies have shown that these machineries play critical roles in tumor angiogenesis/growth and cancer cell invasion/metastasis through regulating the cycling of Arf6. Here, we summarize accumulating knowledge for involvement of Arf6 GEFs/GAPs and small molecule inhibitors of Arf6 signaling/cycling in cancer progression, and discuss possible strategies for developing innovative anti-cancer drugs targeting Arf6 signaling/cycling. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Adaptation of Organisms by Resonance of RNA Transcription with the Cellular Redox Cycle

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stolc, Viktor

2012-01-01

Sequence variation in organisms differs across the genome and the majority of mutations are caused by oxidation, yet its origin is not fully understood. It has also been shown that the reduction-oxidation reaction cycle is the fundamental biochemical cycle that coordinates the timing of all biochemical processes in that cell, including energy production, DNA replication, and RNA transcription. It is shown that the temporal resonance of transcriptome biosynthesis with the oscillating binary state of the reduction-oxidation reaction cycle serves as a basis for non-random sequence variation at specific genome-wide coordinates that change faster than by accumulation of chance mutations. This work demonstrates evidence for a universal, persistent and iterative feedback mechanism between the environment and heredity, whereby acquired variation between cell divisions can outweigh inherited variation.

Cell surface acid-base properties of the cyanobacterium Synechococcus: Influences of nitrogen source, growth phase and N:P ratios

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Yuxia; Alessi, D. S.; Owttrim, G. W.; Kenney, J. P. L.; Zhou, Qixing; Lalonde, S. V.; Konhauser, K. O.

2016-08-01

The distribution of many trace metals in the oceans is controlled by biological uptake. Recently, Liu et al. (2015) demonstrated the propensity for a marine cyanobacterium to adsorb cadmium from seawater, suggesting that cell surface reactivity might also play an important role in the cycling of metals in the oceans. However, it remains unclear how variations in cyanobacterial growth rates and nutrient supply might affect the chemical properties of their cellular surfaces. In this study we used potentiometric titrations and Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) spectrometry to profile the key metabolic changes and surface chemical responses of a Synechococcus strain, PCC 7002, during different growth regimes. This included testing various nitrogen (N) to phosphorous (P) ratios (both nitrogen and phosphorous dependent), nitrogen sources (nitrate, ammonium and urea) and growth stages (exponential, stationary, and death phase). FT-IR spectroscopy showed that varying the growth substrates on which Synechococcus cells were cultured resulted in differences in either the type or abundance of cellular exudates produced or a change in the cell wall components. Potentiometric titration data were modeled using three distinct proton binding sites, with resulting pKa values for cells of the various growth conditions in the ranges of 4.96-5.51 (pKa1), 6.67-7.42 (pKa2) and 8.13-9.95 (pKa3). According to previous spectroscopic studies, these pKa ranges are consistent with carboxyl, phosphoryl, and amine groups, respectively. Comparisons between the titration data (for the cell surface) and FT-IR spectra (for the average cellular changes) generally indicate (1) that the nitrogen source is a greater determinant of ligand concentration than growth phase, and (2) that phosphorus limitation has a greater impact on Synechococcus cellular and extracellular properties than does nitrogen limitation. Taken together, these techniques indicate that nutritional quality during cell growth can noticeably influence the expression of cell surface ligands and their measurable densities. Given that cell surface charge ultimately affects metal adsorption, our results suggest that the cycling of metals by Synechococcus cells in the oceans may vary regionally.

BTK suppresses myeloma cellular senescence through activating AKT/P27/Rb signaling

PubMed Central

Lu, Yue; Yang, Hongbao; Tian, Zhidan; Yin, Gang; Zhang, Wen; Lu, Sicheng; Zhang, Yi; Yang, Ye

2017-01-01

We previously explored the role of BTK in maintaining multiple myeloma stem cells (MMSCs) self-renewal and drug-resistance. Here we investigated the elevation of BTK suppressing MM cellular senescence, a state of irreversible cellular growth arrest. We firstly discovered that an increased expression of BTK in MM samples compared to normal controls by immunohistochemistry (IHC), and significant chromosomal gain in primary samples. In addition, BTK high-expressing MM patients are associated with poor outcome in both Total Therapy 2 (TT2) and TT3 cohorts. Knockdown BTK expression by shRNA induced MM cellular senescence using β-galactosidase (SA-b-gal) staining, cell growth arrest by cell cycle staining and decreased clonogenicity while forcing BTK expression in MM cells abrogated these characteristics. We also validated this feature in mouse embryonic fibroblast cells (MEFs), which showed that elevated BTK expression was resistant to MEF senescence after serial cultivation in vitro. Further mechanism study revealed that BTK activated AKT signaling leading to down-regulation of P27 expression and hindered RB activity while AKT inhibitor, LY294002, overcame BTK-overexpression induced cellular senescence resistance. Eventually we demonstrated that BTK inhibitor, CGI-1746, induced MM cellular senescence, colony reduction and tumorigenecity inhibition in vivo. Summarily, we designate a novel mechanism of BTK in mediating MM growth, and BTK inhibitor is of great potential in vivo and in vitro suggesting BTK is a promising therapeutic target for MM. PMID:28915637

Cyclin A recruits p33cdk2 to the cellular transcription factor DRTF1.

PubMed

Bandara, L R; Adamczewski, J P; Zamanian, M; Poon, R Y; Hunt, T; Thangue, N B

1992-01-01

Cyclins are regulatory molecules that undergo periodic accumulation and destruction during each cell cycle. By activating p34cdc2 and related kinase subunits they control important events required for normal cell cycle progression. Cyclin A, for example, regulates at least two distinct kinase subunits, the mitotic kinase subunit p34cdc2 and related subunit p33cdk2, and is widely believed to be necessary for progression through S phase. However, cyclin A also forms a stable complex with the cellular transcription factor DRTF1 and thus may perform other functions during S phase. DRTF1, in addition, associates with the tumour suppressor retinoblastoma (Rb) gene product and the Rb-related protein p107. We now show, using biologically active fusion proteins, that cyclin A can direct the binding of the cdc2-like kinase subunit, p33cdk2, to complexed DRTF1, containing either Rb or p107, as well as activate its histone H1 kinase activity. Cyclin A cannot, however, direct p34cdc2 to the DRTF1 complex and we present evidence suggesting that the stability of the cyclin A-p33cdk2 complex is influenced by DRTF1 or an associated protein. Cyclin A, therefore, serves as an activating and targeting subunit of p33cdk2. The ability of cyclin A to activate and recruit p33cdk2 to DRTF1 may play an important role in regulating cell cycle progression and moreover defines a mechanism for coupling cell-cycle events to transcriptional initiation.

Parameterizing the Logistic Model of Tumor Growth by DW-MRI and DCE-MRI Data to Predict Treatment Response and Changes in Breast Cancer Cellularity during Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy1

PubMed Central

Atuegwu, Nkiruka C; Arlinghaus, Lori R; Li, Xia; Chakravarthy, A Bapsi; Abramson, Vandana G; Sanders, Melinda E; Yankeelov, Thomas E

2013-01-01

Diffusion-weighted and dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data of 28 patients were obtained pretreatment, after one cycle, and after completion of all cycles of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC). For each patient at each time point, the tumor cell number was estimated using the apparent diffusion coefficient and the extravascular extracellular (ve) and plasma volume (vp) fractions. The proliferation/death rate was obtained using the number of tumor cells from the first two time points in conjunction with the logistic model of tumor growth, which was then used to predict tumor cellularity at the conclusion of NAC. The Pearson correlation coefficient between the predicted and the experimental number of tumor cells measured at the end of NAC was 0.81 (P = .0043). The proliferation rate estimated after the first cycle of therapy was able to separate patients who went on to achieve pathologic complete response from those who did not (P = .021) with a sensitivity and specificity of 82.4% and 72.7%, respectively. These data provide preliminary results indicating that incorporating readily available quantitative MRI data into a simple model of tumor growth can lead to potentially clinically relevant information for predicting an individual patient's response to NAC. PMID:23730404

Rapamycin causes growth arrest and inhibition of invasion in human chondrosarcoma cells.

PubMed

Song, Jian; Wang, Xiaobo; Zhu, Jiaxue; Liu, Jun

2016-01-01

Chondrosarcoma is a highly malignant tumor that is characterized by a potent capacity to invade locally and cause distant metastasis and notable for its lack of response to conventional chemotherapy or radiotherapy. Rapamycin, the inhibitor of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), is a valuable drug with diverse clinical applications and regulates many cellular processes. However, the effects of rapamycin on cell growth and invasion of human chondrosarcoma cells are not well known. We determined the effect of rapamycin on cell proliferation, cell cycle arrest and invasion by using MTS, flow cytometry and invasion assays in two human chondrosarcoma cell lines, SW1353 and JJ012. Cell cycle regulatory and invasion-related genes' expression analysis was performed by quantitative RT-PCR (qRT-PCR). We also evaluated the effect of rapamycin on tumor growth by using mice xenograph models. Rapamycin significantly inhibited the cell proliferation, induced cell cycle arrest and decreased the invasion ability of human chondrosarcoma cells. Meanwhile, rapamycin modulated the cell cycle regulatory and invasion-related genes' expression. Furthermore, the tumor growth of mice xenograph models with human chondrosarcoma cells was significantly inhibited by rapamycin. These results provided further insight into the role of rapamycin in chondrosarcoma. Therefore, rapamycin targeted therapy may be a potential treatment strategy for chondrosarcoma.

An essential role for Ink4 and Cip/Kip cell-cycle inhibitors in preventing replicative stress.

PubMed

Quereda, V; Porlan, E; Cañamero, M; Dubus, P; Malumbres, M

2016-03-01

Cell-cycle inhibitors of the Ink4 and Cip/Kip families are involved in cellular senescence and tumor suppression. These inhibitors are individually dispensable for the cell cycle and inactivation of specific family members results in increased proliferation and enhanced susceptibility to tumor development. We have now analyzed the consequences of eliminating a substantial part of the cell-cycle inhibitory activity in the cell by generating a mouse model, which combines the absence of both p21(Cip1) and p27(Kip1) proteins with the endogenous expression of a Cdk4 R24C mutant insensitive to Ink4 inhibitors. Pairwise combination of Cdk4 R24C, p21-null and p27-null alleles results in frequent hyperplasias and tumors, mainly in cells of endocrine origin such as pituitary cells and in mesenchymal tissues. Interestingly, complete abrogation of p21(Cip1) and p27(Kip1) in Cdk4 R24C mutant mice results in a different phenotype characterized by perinatal death accompanied by general hypoplasia in most tissues. This phenotype correlates with increased replicative stress in developing tissues such as the nervous system and subsequent apoptotic cell death. Partial inhibition of Cdk4/6 rescues replicative stress signaling as well as p53 induction in the absence of cell-cycle inhibitors. We conclude that one of the major physiological activities of cell-cycle inhibitors is to prevent replicative stress during development.

BAF180 regulates cellular senescence and hematopoietic stem cell homeostasis through p21

PubMed Central

Lee, Hyemin; Dai, Fangyan; Zhuang, Li; Xiao, Zhen-Dong; Kim, Jongchan; Zhang, Yilei; Ma, Li; You, M. James; Wang, Zhong; Gan, Boyi

2016-01-01

BAF180 (also called PBRM1), a subunit of the SWI/SNF complex, plays critical roles in the regulation of chromatin remodeling and gene transcription, and is frequently mutated in several human cancers. However, the role of mammalian BAF180 in tumor suppression and tissue maintenance in vivo remains largely unknown. Here, using a conditional somatic knockout approach, we explored the cellular and organismal functions of BAF180 in mouse. BAF180 deletion in primary mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) triggers profound cell cycle arrest, premature cellular senescence, without affecting DNA damage response or chromosomal integrity. While somatic deletion of BAF180 in adult mice does not provoke tumor development, BAF180 deficient mice exhibit defects in hematopoietic system characterized by progressive reduction of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs), defective long-term repopulating potential, and hematopoietic lineage developmental aberrations. BAF180 deletion results in elevated p21 expression in both MEFs and HSCs. Mechanistically, we showed that BAF180 binds to p21 promoter, and BAF180 deletion enhances the binding of modified histones associated with transcriptional activation on p21 promoter. Deletion of p21 rescues cell cycle arrest and premature senescence in BAF180 deficient MEFs, and partially rescues hematopoietic defects in BAF180 deficient mice. Together, our study identifies BAF180 as a critical regulator of cellular senescence and HSC homeostasis, which is at least partially regulated through BAF180-mediated suppression of p21 expression. Our results also suggest that senescence triggered by BAF180 inactivation may serve as a failsafe mechanism to restrain BAF180 deficiency-associated tumor development, providing a conceptual framework to further understand BAF180 function in tumor biology. PMID:26992241

Cellular metabolic responses of the marine diatom Pseudo-nitzschia multiseries associated with cell wall formation.

PubMed

Xu, Bin; Luo, Chun-Shan; Liang, Jun-Rong; Chen, Dan-Dan; Zhuo, Wen-Hao; Gao, Ya-Hui; Chen, Chang-Ping; Song, Si-Si

2014-08-01

In this study a comparative proteomics approach involving a mass spectrometric analysis of synchronized cells was employed to investigate the cellular-level metabolic mechanisms associated with siliceous cell wall formation in the pennate diatom Pseudo-nitzschia multiseries. Cultures of P. multiseries were synchronized using the silicate limitation method. Approximately 75% of cells were arrested at the G2+M phase of the cell cycle after 48 h of silicate starvation. The majority of cells progressed to new valve synthesis within 5h of silicon replenishment. We compared the proteome of P. multiseries at 0, 4, 5, and 6h of synchronization progress upon silicon replenishment using two-dimensional gel electrophoresis. Forty-eight differentially expressed protein spots were identified in abundance (greater than two-fold change; P<0.005), some of which are predicted to be involved in intracellular trafficking, cytoskeleton, photosynthesis, lipid metabolism, and protein biosynthesis. Cytoskeleton proteins and clathrin coat components were also hypothesized to play potential roles in cell wall formation. The proteomic profile analysis suggests that P. multiseries most likely employs multiple synergistic biochemical mechanisms for cell wall formation. These results improve our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying silicon cell wall formation and enhance our understanding of the important role played by diatoms in silicon biogeochemical cycling. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Healthy clocks, healthy body, healthy mind.

PubMed

Reddy, Akhilesh B; O'Neill, John S

2010-01-01

Circadian rhythms permeate mammalian biology. They are manifested in the temporal organisation of behavioural, physiological, cellular and neuronal processes. Whereas it has been shown recently that these approximately 24-hour cycles are intrinsic to the cell and persist in vitro, internal synchrony in mammals is largely governed by the hypothalamic suprachiasmatic nuclei that facilitate anticipation of, and adaptation to, the solar cycle. Our timekeeping mechanism is deeply embedded in cell function and is modelled as a network of transcriptional and/or post-translational feedback loops. Concurrent with this, we are beginning to understand how this ancient timekeeper interacts with myriad cell systems, including signal transduction cascades and the cell cycle, and thus impacts on disease. An exemplary area where this knowledge is rapidly expanding and contributing to novel therapies is cancer, where the Period genes have been identified as tumour suppressors. In more complex disorders, where aetiology remains controversial, interactions with the clockwork are only now starting to be appreciated.

Maintenance of sweat glands by stem cells located in the acral epithelium

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ohe, Shuichi; Department of Dermatology, Kansai Medical University, Osaka 573-1010; Tanaka, Toshihiro

The skin is responsible for a variety of physiological functions and is critical for wound healing and repair. Therefore, the regenerative capacity of the skin is important. However, stem cells responsible for maintaining the acral epithelium had not previously been identified. In this study, we identified the specific stem cells in the acral epithelium that participate in the long-term maintenance of sweat glands, ducts, and interadnexal epidermis and that facilitate the regeneration of these structures following injury. Lgr6-positive cells and Bmi1-positive cells were found to function as long-term multipotent stem cells that maintained the entire eccrine unit and the interadnexalmore » epidermis. However, while Lgr6-positive cells were rapidly cycled and constantly supplied differentiated cells, Bmi1-positive cells were slow to cycle and occasionally entered the cell cycle under physiological conditions. Upon irradiation-induced injury, Bmi1-positive cells rapidly proliferated and regenerated injured epithelial tissue. Therefore, Bmi1-positive stem cells served as reservoir stem cells. Lgr5-positive cells were rapidly cycled and maintained only sweat glands; therefore, we concluded that these cells functioned as lineage-restricted progenitors. Taken together, our data demonstrated the identification of stem cells that maintained the entire acral epithelium and supported the different roles of three cellular classes. - Highlights: • The acral epithelium have two types of stem cells. • Lgr6-positive cells are rapid-cycling, short-term stem cells. • Bmi1-positive cells are slow-cycling stem cells that act as reserver stem cells. • Lgr5 may be a useful sweat gland marker in mice.« less

Clustered localization of STAT3 during the cell cycle detected by super-resolution fluorescence microscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gao, Jing; Chen, Junling; Cai, Mingjun; Xu, Haijiao; Jiang, Junguang; Tong, Ti; Wang, Hongda

2017-06-01

Signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) plays a key role in various cellular processes such as cell proliferation, differentiation, apoptosis and immune responses. In particular, STAT3 has emerged as a potential molecular target for cancer therapy. The functional role and standard activation mechanism of STAT3 have been well studied, however, the spatial distribution of STAT3 during the cell cycle is poorly known. Therefore, it is indispensable to study STAT3 spatial arrangement and nuclear-cytoplasimic localization at the different phase of cell cycle in cancer cells. By direct stochastic optical reconstruction microscopy imaging, we find that STAT3 forms various number and size of clusters at the different cell-cycle stage, which could not be clearly observed by conventional fluorescent microscopy. STAT3 clusters get more and larger gradually from G1 to G2 phase, during which time transcription and other related activities goes on consistently. The results suggest that there is an intimate relationship between the clustered characteristic of STAT3 and the cell-cycle behavior. Meanwhile, clustering would facilitate STAT3 rapid response to activating signals due to short distances between molecules. Our data might open a new door to develop an antitumor drug for inhibiting STAT3 signaling pathway by destroying its clusters.

Glucose capped silver nanoparticles induce cell cycle arrest in HeLa cells.

PubMed

Panzarini, Elisa; Mariano, Stefania; Vergallo, Cristian; Carata, Elisabetta; Fimia, Gian Maria; Mura, Francesco; Rossi, Marco; Vergaro, Viviana; Ciccarella, Giuseppe; Corazzari, Marco; Dini, Luciana

2017-06-01

This study aims to determine the interaction (uptake and biological effects on cell viability and cell cycle progression) of glucose capped silver nanoparticles (AgNPs-G) on human epithelioid cervix carcinoma (HeLa) cells, in relation to amount, 2×10 3 or 2×10 4 NPs/cell, and exposure time, up to 48h. The spherical and well dispersed AgNPs (30±5nm) were obtained by using glucose as reducing agent in a green synthesis method that ensures to stabilize AgNPs avoiding cytotoxic soluble silver ions Ag + release. HeLa cells take up abundantly and rapidly AgNPs-G resulting toxic to cells in amount and incubation time dependent manner. HeLa cells were arrested at S and G2/M phases of the cell cycle and subG1 population increased when incubated with 2×10 4 AgNPs-G/cell. Mitotic index decreased accordingly. The dissolution experiments demonstrated that the observed effects were due only to AgNPs-G since glucose capping prevents Ag + release. The AgNPs-G influence on HeLa cells viability and cell cycle progression suggest that AgNPs-G, alone or in combination with chemotherapeutics, may be exploited for the development of novel antiproliferative treatment in cancer therapy. However, the possible influence of the cell cycle on cellular uptake of AgNPs-G and the mechanism of AgNPs entry in cells need further investigation. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Using ToxCast data to reconstruct dynamic cell state ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

AbstractBackground. High-throughput in vitro screening is an important tool for evaluating the potential biological activity of the thousands of existing chemicals in commerce and the hundreds more introduced each year. Among the assay technologies available, high-content imaging (HCI) allows multiplexed measurements of cellular phenotypic changes induced by chemical exposures. For a large chemical inventory having limited concentration-time series data, the deconvolution of cellular response profiles into transitive or irrevocable state trajectories is an important consideration. Objectives. Our goal was to analyze temporal and concentration-related cellular changes measured using HCI to identify the “tipping point” at which the cells did not show recovery towards a normal phenotypic state. Methods. The effects of 976 chemicals (ToxCast Phase I and II) were evaluated using HCI as a function of concentration and time in HepG2 cells over a 72-hr exposure period to concentrations ranging from 0.4- to 200 µM. The cellular endpoints included nuclear p53 accumulation, JNK, markers of oxidative stress, cytoskeletal changes, mitochondrial energization and density, cell viability and cell cycle progression. A novel computational model was developed to interpret dynamic multidimensional system responses as cell-state trajectories. Results. Analysis of cell-state trajectories showed that HepG2 cells were resilient to the effects of 178 chemicals up to the highest co

Hda-mediated inactivation of the DnaA protein and dnaA gene autoregulation act in concert to ensure homeostatic maintenance of the Escherichia coli chromosome

PubMed Central

Riber, Leise; Olsson, Jan A.; Jensen, Rasmus B.; Skovgaard, Ole; Dasgupta, Santanu; Marinus, Martin G.; Løbner-Olesen, Anders

2006-01-01

Initiation of DNA replication in Eschericia coli requires the ATP-bound form of the DnaA protein. The conversion of DnaA–ATP to DnaA–ADP is facilitated by a complex of DnaA, Hda (homologous to DnaA), and DNA-loaded β-clamp proteins in a process termed RIDA (regulatory inactivation of DnaA). Hda-deficient cells initiate replication at each origin mainly once per cell cycle, and the rare reinitiation events never coincide with the end of the origin sequestration period. Therefore, RIDA is not the predominant mechanism to prevent immediate reinitiation from oriC. The cellular level of Hda correlated directly with dnaA gene expression such that Hda deficiency led to reduced dnaA gene expression, and overproduction of Hda led to DnaA overproduction. Hda-deficient cells were very sensitive to variations in the cellular level of DnaA, and DnaA overproduction led to uncontrolled initiation of replication from oriC, causing severe growth retardation or cell death. Based on these observations, we propose that both RIDA and dnaA gene autoregulation are required as homeostatic mechanisms to ensure that initiation of replication occurs at the same time relative to cell mass in each cell cycle. PMID:16882985

Hda-mediated inactivation of the DnaA protein and dnaA gene autoregulation act in concert to ensure homeostatic maintenance of the Escherichia coli chromosome.

PubMed

Riber, Leise; Olsson, Jan A; Jensen, Rasmus B; Skovgaard, Ole; Dasgupta, Santanu; Marinus, Martin G; Løbner-Olesen, Anders

2006-08-01

Initiation of DNA replication in Eschericia coli requires the ATP-bound form of the DnaA protein. The conversion of DnaA-ATP to DnaA-ADP is facilitated by a complex of DnaA, Hda (homologous to DnaA), and DNA-loaded beta-clamp proteins in a process termed RIDA (regulatory inactivation of DnaA). Hda-deficient cells initiate replication at each origin mainly once per cell cycle, and the rare reinitiation events never coincide with the end of the origin sequestration period. Therefore, RIDA is not the predominant mechanism to prevent immediate reinitiation from oriC. The cellular level of Hda correlated directly with dnaA gene expression such that Hda deficiency led to reduced dnaA gene expression, and overproduction of Hda led to DnaA overproduction. Hda-deficient cells were very sensitive to variations in the cellular level of DnaA, and DnaA overproduction led to uncontrolled initiation of replication from oriC, causing severe growth retardation or cell death. Based on these observations, we propose that both RIDA and dnaA gene autoregulation are required as homeostatic mechanisms to ensure that initiation of replication occurs at the same time relative to cell mass in each cell cycle.

CD9 monoclonal antibody-conjugated PEGylated liposomes for targeted delivery of rapamycin in the treatment of cellular senescence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thuy Nguyen, Hanh; Thapa, Raj Kumar; Shin, Beom Soo; Jeong, Jee-Heon; Kim, Jae-Ryong; Yong, Chul Soon; Kim, Jong Oh

2017-03-01

Premature cellular senescence refers to the state of irreversible cell cycle arrest due to DNA damage or other stresses. In this study, CD9 monoclonal antibody (CD9mAb) was successfully conjugated to the surface of PEGylated liposomes for targeted delivery of rapamycin (LR-CD9mAb) to overcome senescence of CD9 receptor-overexpressing cells. LR-CD9mAb has a small particle size (143.3 ± 2.4 nm), narrow size distribution (polydispersity index: 0.220 ± 0.036), and negative zeta potential (-14.6 ± 1.2 mV). The uptake of CD9-targeted liposomes by premature senescent human dermal fibroblasts (HDFs) was higher than that by young HDFs, as displayed by confocal microscopic images. The senescence might not be reversed by treatment with rapamycin; however, the drug promoted cell proliferation and reduced the number of cells that expressed the senescence-associated-β-galactosidase (SA-β-gal). These effects were further confirmed by cell viability, cell cycle, and Western blotting analyses. Moreover, CD9-targeted liposomes showed better anti-senescence activity, in comparison with free rapamycin or the conventional liposomal formulation, suggesting the potential application of this system in further in vivo studies.

The cellular and compartmental profile of mouse retinal glycolysis, tricarboxylic acid cycle, oxidative phosphorylation, and ~P transferring kinases

PubMed Central

Rueda, Elda M.; Johnson, Jerry E.; Giddabasappa, Anand; Swaroop, Anand; Brooks, Matthew J.; Sigel, Irena; Chaney, Shawnta Y.

2016-01-01

Purpose The homeostatic regulation of cellular ATP is achieved by the coordinated activity of ATP utilization, synthesis, and buffering. Glucose is the major substrate for ATP synthesis through glycolysis and oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS), whereas intermediary metabolism through the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle utilizes non-glucose-derived monocarboxylates, amino acids, and alpha ketoacids to support mitochondrial ATP and GTP synthesis. Cellular ATP is buffered by specialized equilibrium-driven high-energy phosphate (~P) transferring kinases. Our goals were twofold: 1) to characterize the gene expression, protein expression, and activity of key synthesizing and regulating enzymes of energy metabolism in the whole mouse retina, retinal compartments, and/or cells and 2) to provide an integrative analysis of the results related to function. Methods mRNA expression data of energy-related genes were extracted from our whole retinal Affymetrix microarray data. Fixed-frozen retinas from adult C57BL/6N mice were used for immunohistochemistry, laser scanning confocal microscopy, and enzymatic histochemistry. The immunoreactivity levels of well-characterized antibodies, for all major retinal cells and their compartments, were obtained using our established semiquantitative confocal and imaging techniques. Quantitative cytochrome oxidase (COX) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity was determined histochemically. Results The Affymetrix data revealed varied gene expression patterns of the ATP synthesizing and regulating enzymes found in the muscle, liver, and brain. Confocal studies showed differential cellular and compartmental distribution of isozymes involved in glucose, glutamate, glutamine, lactate, and creatine metabolism. The pattern and intensity of the antibodies and of the COX and LDH activity showed the high capacity of photoreceptors for aerobic glycolysis and OXPHOS. Competition assays with pyruvate revealed that LDH-5 was localized in the photoreceptor inner segments. The combined results indicate that glycolysis is regulated by the compartmental expression of hexokinase 2, pyruvate kinase M1, and pyruvate kinase M2 in photoreceptors, whereas the inner retinal neurons exhibit a lower capacity for glycolysis and aerobic glycolysis. Expression of nucleoside diphosphate kinase, mitochondria-associated adenylate kinase, and several mitochondria-associated creatine kinase isozymes was highest in the outer retina, whereas expression of cytosolic adenylate kinase and brain creatine kinase was higher in the cones, horizontal cells, and amacrine cells indicating the diversity of ATP-buffering strategies among retinal neurons. Based on the antibody intensities and the COX and LDH activity, Müller glial cells (MGCs) had the lowest capacity for glycolysis, aerobic glycolysis, and OXPHOS. However, they showed high expression of glutamate dehydrogenase, alpha-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase, succinate thiokinase, GABA transaminase, and ~P transferring kinases. This suggests that MGCs utilize TCA cycle anaplerosis and cataplerosis to generate GTP and ~P transferring kinases to produce ATP that supports MGC energy requirements. Conclusions Our comprehensive and integrated results reveal that the adult mouse retina expresses numerous isoforms of ATP synthesizing, regulating, and buffering genes; expresses differential cellular and compartmental levels of glycolytic, OXPHOS, TCA cycle, and ~P transferring kinase proteins; and exhibits differential layer-by-layer LDH and COX activity. New insights into cell-specific and compartmental ATP and GTP production, as well as utilization and buffering strategies and their relationship with known retinal and cellular functions, are discussed. Developing therapeutic strategies for neuroprotection and treating retinal deficits and degeneration in a cell-specific manner will require such knowledge. This work provides a platform for future research directed at identifying the molecular targets and proteins that regulate these processes. PMID:27499608

The cellular and compartmental profile of mouse retinal glycolysis, tricarboxylic acid cycle, oxidative phosphorylation, and ~P transferring kinases.

PubMed

Rueda, Elda M; Johnson, Jerry E; Giddabasappa, Anand; Swaroop, Anand; Brooks, Matthew J; Sigel, Irena; Chaney, Shawnta Y; Fox, Donald A

2016-01-01

The homeostatic regulation of cellular ATP is achieved by the coordinated activity of ATP utilization, synthesis, and buffering. Glucose is the major substrate for ATP synthesis through glycolysis and oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS), whereas intermediary metabolism through the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle utilizes non-glucose-derived monocarboxylates, amino acids, and alpha ketoacids to support mitochondrial ATP and GTP synthesis. Cellular ATP is buffered by specialized equilibrium-driven high-energy phosphate (~P) transferring kinases. Our goals were twofold: 1) to characterize the gene expression, protein expression, and activity of key synthesizing and regulating enzymes of energy metabolism in the whole mouse retina, retinal compartments, and/or cells and 2) to provide an integrative analysis of the results related to function. mRNA expression data of energy-related genes were extracted from our whole retinal Affymetrix microarray data. Fixed-frozen retinas from adult C57BL/6N mice were used for immunohistochemistry, laser scanning confocal microscopy, and enzymatic histochemistry. The immunoreactivity levels of well-characterized antibodies, for all major retinal cells and their compartments, were obtained using our established semiquantitative confocal and imaging techniques. Quantitative cytochrome oxidase (COX) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity was determined histochemically. The Affymetrix data revealed varied gene expression patterns of the ATP synthesizing and regulating enzymes found in the muscle, liver, and brain. Confocal studies showed differential cellular and compartmental distribution of isozymes involved in glucose, glutamate, glutamine, lactate, and creatine metabolism. The pattern and intensity of the antibodies and of the COX and LDH activity showed the high capacity of photoreceptors for aerobic glycolysis and OXPHOS. Competition assays with pyruvate revealed that LDH-5 was localized in the photoreceptor inner segments. The combined results indicate that glycolysis is regulated by the compartmental expression of hexokinase 2, pyruvate kinase M1, and pyruvate kinase M2 in photoreceptors, whereas the inner retinal neurons exhibit a lower capacity for glycolysis and aerobic glycolysis. Expression of nucleoside diphosphate kinase, mitochondria-associated adenylate kinase, and several mitochondria-associated creatine kinase isozymes was highest in the outer retina, whereas expression of cytosolic adenylate kinase and brain creatine kinase was higher in the cones, horizontal cells, and amacrine cells indicating the diversity of ATP-buffering strategies among retinal neurons. Based on the antibody intensities and the COX and LDH activity, Müller glial cells (MGCs) had the lowest capacity for glycolysis, aerobic glycolysis, and OXPHOS. However, they showed high expression of glutamate dehydrogenase, alpha-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase, succinate thiokinase, GABA transaminase, and ~P transferring kinases. This suggests that MGCs utilize TCA cycle anaplerosis and cataplerosis to generate GTP and ~P transferring kinases to produce ATP that supports MGC energy requirements. Our comprehensive and integrated results reveal that the adult mouse retina expresses numerous isoforms of ATP synthesizing, regulating, and buffering genes; expresses differential cellular and compartmental levels of glycolytic, OXPHOS, TCA cycle, and ~P transferring kinase proteins; and exhibits differential layer-by-layer LDH and COX activity. New insights into cell-specific and compartmental ATP and GTP production, as well as utilization and buffering strategies and their relationship with known retinal and cellular functions, are discussed. Developing therapeutic strategies for neuroprotection and treating retinal deficits and degeneration in a cell-specific manner will require such knowledge. This work provides a platform for future research directed at identifying the molecular targets and proteins that regulate these processes.

Proteasome expression and activity in cancer and cancer stem cells.

PubMed

Voutsadakis, Ioannis A

2017-03-01

Proteasome is a multi-protein organelle that participates in cellular proteostasis by destroying damaged or short-lived proteins in an organized manner guided by the ubiquitination signal. By being in a central place in the cellular protein complement homeostasis, proteasome is involved in virtually all cell processes including decisions on cell survival or death, cell cycle, and differentiation. These processes are important also in cancer, and thus, the proteasome is an important regulator of carcinogenesis. Cancers include a variety of cells which, according to the cancer stem cell theory, descend from a small percentage of cancer stem cells, alternatively termed tumor-initiating cells. These cells constitute the subsets that have the ability to propagate the whole variety of cancer and repopulate tumors after cytostatic therapies. Proteasome plays a role in cellular processes in cancer stem cells, but it has been found to have a decreased function in them compared to the rest of cancer cells. This article will discuss the transcriptional regulation of proteasome sub-unit proteins in cancer and in particular cancer stem cells and the relationship of the proteasome with the pluripotency that is the defining characteristic of stem cells. Therapeutic opportunities that present from the understanding of the proteasome role will also be discussed.

Coordination of Cellular Dynamics Contributes to Tooth Epithelium Deformations

PubMed Central

Morita, Ritsuko; Kihira, Miho; Nakatsu, Yousuke; Nomoto, Yohei; Ogawa, Miho; Ohashi, Kazumasa; Mizuno, Kensaku; Tachikawa, Tetsuhiko; Ishimoto, Yukitaka; Morishita, Yoshihiro; Tsuji, Takashi

2016-01-01

The morphologies of ectodermal organs are shaped by appropriate combinations of several deformation modes, such as invagination and anisotropic tissue elongation. However, how multicellular dynamics are coordinated during deformation processes remains to be elucidated. Here, we developed a four-dimensional (4D) analysis system for tracking cell movement and division at a single-cell resolution in developing tooth epithelium. The expression patterns of a Fucci probe clarified the region- and stage-specific cell cycle patterns within the tooth germ, which were in good agreement with the pattern of the volume growth rate estimated from tissue-level deformation analysis. Cellular motility was higher in the regions with higher growth rates, while the mitotic orientation was significantly biased along the direction of tissue elongation in the epithelium. Further, these spatio-temporal patterns of cellular dynamics and tissue-level deformation were highly correlated with that of the activity of cofilin, which is an actin depolymerization factor, suggesting that the coordination of cellular dynamics via actin remodeling plays an important role in tooth epithelial morphogenesis. Our system enhances the understanding of how cellular behaviors are coordinated during ectodermal organogenesis, which cannot be observed from histological analyses. PMID:27588418

Pretreatment with oleic acid accelerates the entrance into the mitotic cycle of EGF-stimulated fibroblasts.

PubMed

Zugaza, J L; Casabiell, X A; Bokser, L; Eiras, A; Beiras, A; Casanueva, F F

1995-07-01

We have previously demonstrated that pretreatment of several cell lines with cis-unsaturated fatty acids, like oleic acid, blocks epidermal growth factor (EGF)-induced early ionic signals, and in particular the [Ca2+]i rise. In the present work we show that this blockade does not alter EGF-stimulated cellular proliferation evaluated by direct cell counting, but induces a powerful enhancement in the pulsed thymidine incorporation assay. The lack of effect of oleic acid on EGF-stimulated cellular proliferation was confirmed by repeated cell counts, cumulative thymidine incorporation, and protein synthesis, but a clear synergistic effect between oleic acid and EGF was again obtained by means of time course experiments with pulsed thymidine. Combined flow cytometry analysis and cell counts at earlier times in EGF-stimulated cells showed that oleic acids accelerates the entrance of cells into the replicative cycle leading to an earlier cell division. Afterward, these oleic acid-pretreated cells became delayed by an unknown compensatory mechanism in such a way that at 48 h post-EGF, the cell count in control and oleic acid-pretreated cells was equal. In conclusion (a) oleic acid accelerates or enhances the EGF mitogenic action and (b) in the long term cells compensate the initial perturbation with respect to untreated cells. As a side observation, the widely employed pulsed thymidine incorporation method as a measure of cell division could be extremely misleading unless experimental conditions are well controlled.

A generalized model for multi-marker analysis of cell cycle progression in synchrony experiments

PubMed Central

Mayhew, Michael B.; Robinson, Joshua W.; Jung, Boyoun; Haase, Steven B.; Hartemink, Alexander J.

2011-01-01

Motivation: To advance understanding of eukaryotic cell division, it is important to observe the process precisely. To this end, researchers monitor changes in dividing cells as they traverse the cell cycle, with the presence or absence of morphological or genetic markers indicating a cell's position in a particular interval of the cell cycle. A wide variety of marker data is available, including information-rich cellular imaging data. However, few formal statistical methods have been developed to use these valuable data sources in estimating how a population of cells progresses through the cell cycle. Furthermore, existing methods are designed to handle only a single binary marker of cell cycle progression at a time. Consequently, they cannot facilitate comparison of experiments involving different sets of markers. Results: Here, we develop a new sampling model to accommodate an arbitrary number of different binary markers that characterize the progression of a population of dividing cells along a branching process. We engineer a strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae with fluorescently labeled markers of cell cycle progression, and apply our new model to two image datasets we collected from the strain, as well as an independent dataset of different markers. We use our model to estimate the duration of post-cytokinetic attachment between a S.cerevisiae mother and daughter cell. The Java implementation is fast and extensible, and includes a graphical user interface. Our model provides a powerful and flexible cell cycle analysis tool, suitable to any type or combination of binary markers. Availability: The software is available from: http://www.cs.duke.edu/~amink/software/cloccs/. Contact: michael.mayhew@duke.edu; amink@cs.duke.edu PMID:21685084

Quantitative analysis of Plasmodium ookinete motion in three dimensions suggests a critical role for cell shape in the biomechanics of malaria parasite gliding motility.

PubMed

Kan, Andrey; Tan, Yan-Hong; Angrisano, Fiona; Hanssen, Eric; Rogers, Kelly L; Whitehead, Lachlan; Mollard, Vanessa P; Cozijnsen, Anton; Delves, Michael J; Crawford, Simon; Sinden, Robert E; McFadden, Geoffrey I; Leckie, Christopher; Bailey, James; Baum, Jake

2014-05-01

Motility is a fundamental part of cellular life and survival, including for Plasmodium parasites--single-celled protozoan pathogens responsible for human malaria. The motile life cycle forms achieve motility, called gliding, via the activity of an internal actomyosin motor. Although gliding is based on the well-studied system of actin and myosin, its core biomechanics are not completely understood. Currently accepted models suggest it results from a specifically organized cellular motor that produces a rearward directional force. When linked to surface-bound adhesins, this force is passaged to the cell posterior, propelling the parasite forwards. Gliding motility is observed in all three life cycle stages of Plasmodium: sporozoites, merozoites and ookinetes. However, it is only the ookinetes--formed inside the midgut of infected mosquitoes--that display continuous gliding without the necessity of host cell entry. This makes them ideal candidates for invasion-free biomechanical analysis. Here we apply a plate-based imaging approach to study ookinete motion in three-dimensional (3D) space to understand Plasmodium cell motility and how movement facilitates midgut colonization. Using single-cell tracking and numerical analysis of parasite motion in 3D, our analysis demonstrates that ookinetes move with a conserved left-handed helical trajectory. Investigation of cell morphology suggests this trajectory may be based on the ookinete subpellicular cytoskeleton, with complementary whole and subcellular electron microscopy showing that, like their motion paths, ookinetes share a conserved left-handed corkscrew shape and underlying twisted microtubular architecture. Through comparisons of 3D movement between wild-type ookinetes and a cytoskeleton-knockout mutant we demonstrate that perturbation of cell shape changes motion from helical to broadly linear. Therefore, while the precise linkages between cellular architecture and actomyosin motor organization remain unknown, our analysis suggests that the molecular basis of cell shape may, in addition to motor force, be a key adaptive strategy for malaria parasite dissemination and, as such, transmission. © 2014 The Authors. Cellular Microbiology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Kit signaling inhibits the sphingomyelin-ceramide pathway through PLC gamma 1: implication in stem cell factor radioprotective effect.

PubMed

Maddens, Stéphane; Charruyer, Alexandra; Plo, Isabelle; Dubreuil, Patrice; Berger, Stuart; Salles, Bernard; Laurent, Guy; Jaffrézou, Jean-Pierre

2002-08-15

Previous studies demonstrated that Kit activation confers radioprotection. However, the mechanism by which Kit signaling interferes with cellular response to ionizing radiation (IR) has not been firmly established. Based on the role of the sphingomyelin (SM) cycle apoptotic pathway in IR-induced apoptosis, we hypothesized that one of the Kit signaling components might inhibit IR-induced ceramide production or ceramide-induced apoptosis. Results show that, in both Ba/F3 and 32D murine cell lines transfected with wild-type c-kit, stem cell factor (SCF) stimulation resulted in a significant reduction of IR-induced apoptosis and cytotoxicity, whereas DNA repair remained unaffected. Moreover, SCF stimulation inhibited IR-induced neutral sphingomyelinase (N-SMase) stimulation and ceramide production. The SCF inhibitory effect on SM cycle was not influenced by wortmannin, a phosphoinositide-3 kinase (PI3K) inhibitor. The SCF protective effect was maintained in 32D-KitYF719 cells in which the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway is abolished due to mutation in Kit docking site for PI3K. In contrast, phospholipase C gamma (PLC gamma) inhibition by U73122 totally restored IR-induced N-SMase stimulation, ceramide production, and apoptosis in Kit-activated cells. Moreover, SCF did not protect 32D-KitYF728 cells (lacking a functional docking site for PLC gamma 1), from IR-induced SM cycle. Finally, SCF-induced radioprotection of human CD34(+) bone marrow cells was also inhibited by U73122. Altogether, these results suggest that SCF radioprotection is due to PLC gamma 1-dependent negative regulation of IR-induced N-SMase stimulation. Beyond the scope of Kit-expressing cells, it suggests that PLC gamma 1 status could greatly influence the post-DNA damage cellular response to IR, and perhaps, to other genotoxic agents.

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

PubMed

Zhao, Li; Li, Jing; Hao, Yan Hui; Gao, Ya Bing; Wang, Shui Ming; Zhang, Jing; Dong, Ji; Zhou, Hong Mei; Liu, Shu Chen; Peng, Rui Yun

2017-05-01

To investigate microwave-induced morphological and functional injury of natural killer (NK) cells and uncover their mechanisms. NK-92 cells were exposed to 10, 30, and 50 mW/cm2 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 NKG2D 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. 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 mW/cm2 microwave exposure (P < 0.01). In the 30 mW/cm2 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). Microwave dose-dependently induced morphological and functional injury in NK-92 cells, possibly through ERK-mediated regulation of apoptosis and perforin expression. Copyright © 2017 The Editorial Board of Biomedical and Environmental Sciences. Published by China CDC. All rights reserved.

Replicative stress and alterations in cell cycle checkpoint controls following acetaminophen hepatotoxicity restrict liver regeneration.

PubMed

Viswanathan, Preeti; Sharma, Yogeshwar; Gupta, Priya; Gupta, Sanjeev

2018-03-05

Acetaminophen hepatotoxicity is a leading cause of hepatic failure with impairments in liver regeneration producing significant mortality. Multiple intracellular events, including oxidative stress, mitochondrial damage, inflammation, etc., signify acetaminophen toxicity, although how these may alter cell cycle controls has been unknown and was studied for its significance in liver regeneration. Assays were performed in HuH-7 human hepatocellular carcinoma cells, primary human hepatocytes and tissue samples from people with acetaminophen-induced acute liver failure. Cellular oxidative stress, DNA damage and cell proliferation events were investigated by mitochondrial membrane potential assays, flow cytometry, fluorescence staining, comet assays and spotted arrays for protein expression after acetaminophen exposures. In experimental groups with acetaminophen toxicity, impaired mitochondrial viability and substantial DNA damage were observed with rapid loss of cells in S and G2/M and cell cycle restrictions or even exit in the remainder. This resulted from altered expression of the DNA damage regulator, ATM and downstream transducers, which imposed G1/S checkpoint arrest, delayed entry into S and restricted G2 transit. Tissues from people with acute liver failure confirmed hepatic DNA damage and cell cycle-related lesions, including restrictions of hepatocytes in aneuploid states. Remarkably, treatment of cells with a cytoprotective cytokine reversed acetaminophen-induced restrictions to restore cycling. Cell cycle lesions following mitochondrial and DNA damage led to failure of hepatic regeneration in acetaminophen toxicity but their reversibility offers molecular targets for treating acute liver failure. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Functional TRPV2 and TRPV4 channels in human cardiac c-kit(+) progenitor cells.

PubMed

Che, Hui; Xiao, Guo-Sheng; Sun, Hai-Ying; Wang, Yan; Li, Gui-Rong

2016-06-01

The cellular physiology and biology of human cardiac c-kit(+) progenitor cells has not been extensively characterized and remains an area of active research. This study investigates the functional expression of transient receptor potential vanilloid (TRPV) and possible roles for this ion channel in regulating proliferation and migration of human cardiac c-kit(+) progenitor cells. We found that genes coding for TRPV2 and TRPV4 channels and their proteins are significantly expressed in human c-kit(+) cardiac stem cells. Probenecid, an activator of TRPV2, induced an increase in intracellular Ca(2+) (Ca(2+) i ), an effect that may be attenuated or abolished by the TRPV2 blocker ruthenium red. The TRPV4 channel activator 4α-phorbol 12-13-dicaprinate induced Ca(2+) i oscillations, which can be inhibited by the TRPV4 blocker RN-1734. The alteration of Ca(2+) i by probenecid or 4α-phorbol 12-13-dicprinate was dramatically inhibited in cells infected with TRPV2 short hairpin RNA (shRNA) or TRPV4 shRNA. Silencing TRPV2, but not TRPV4, significantly reduced cell proliferation by arresting cells at the G0/G1 boundary of the cell cycle. Cell migration was reduced by silencing TRPV2 or TRPV4. Western blot revealed that silencing TRPV2 decreased expression of cyclin D1, cyclin E, pERK1/2 and pAkt, whereas silencing TRPV4 only reduced pAkt expression. Our results demonstrate for the first time that functional TRPV2 and TRPV4 channels are abundantly expressed in human cardiac c-kit(+) progenitor cells. TRPV2 channels, but not TRPV4 channels, participate in regulating cell cycle progression; moreover, both TRPV2 and TRPV4 are involved in migration of human cardiac c-kit(+) progenitor cells. © 2016 The Authors. Journal of Cellular and Molecular Medicine published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd and Foundation for Cellular and Molecular Medicine.

Phosphatidylcholine catabolism in the MCF-7 cell cycle.

PubMed

Lin, Weiyang; Arthur, Gilbert

2006-10-01

The catabolism of phosphatidylcholine (PtdCho) appears to play a key role in regulating the net accumulation of the lipid in the cell cycle. Current protocols for measuring the degradation of PtdCho at specific cell-cycle phases require prolonged periods of incubation with radiolabelled choline. To measure the degradation of PtdCho at the S and G2 phases in the MCF-7 cell cycle, protocols were developed with radiolabelled lysophosphatidylcholine (lysoPtdCho), which reduces the labelling period and minimizes the recycling of labelled components. Although most of the incubated lysoPtdCho was hydrolyzed to glycerophosphocholine (GroPCho) in the medium, the kinetics of the incorporation of label into PtdCho suggests that the labelled GroPCho did not contribute significantly to cellular PtdCho formation. A protocol which involved exposing the cells twice to hydroxyurea, was also developed to produce highly synchronized MCF-7 cells with a profile of G1:S:G2/M of 90:5:5. An analysis of PtdCho catabolism in the synchronized cells following labelling with lysoPtdCho revealed that there was increased degradation of PtdCho in early to mid-S phase, which was attenuated in the G2/M phase. The results suggest that the net accumulation of PtdCho in MCF-7 cells may occur in the G2 phase of the cell cycle.

Unsuspected task for an old team: succinate, fumarate and other Krebs cycle acids in metabolic remodeling.

PubMed

Bénit, Paule; Letouzé, Eric; Rak, Malgorzata; Aubry, Laetitia; Burnichon, Nelly; Favier, Judith; Gimenez-Roqueplo, Anne-Paule; Rustin, Pierre

2014-08-01

Seventy years from the formalization of the Krebs cycle as the central metabolic turntable sustaining the cell respiratory process, key functions of several of its intermediates, especially succinate and fumarate, have been recently uncovered. The presumably immutable organization of the cycle has been challenged by a number of observations, and the variable subcellular location of a number of its constitutive protein components is now well recognized, although yet unexplained. Nonetheless, the most striking observations have been made in the recent period while investigating human diseases, especially a set of specific cancers, revealing the crucial role of Krebs cycle intermediates as factors affecting genes methylation and thus cell remodeling. We review here the recent advances and persisting incognita about the role of Krebs cycle acids in diverse aspects of cellular life and human pathology. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Grow-ING, Age-ING and Die-ING: ING proteins link cancer, senescence and apoptosis

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Russell, Michael; Berardi, Philip; Gong Wei

The INhibitor of Growth (ING) family of plant homeodomain (PHD) proteins induce apoptosis and regulate gene expression through stress-inducible binding of phospholipids with subsequent nuclear and nucleolar localization. Relocalization occurs concomitantly with interaction with a subset of nuclear proteins, including PCNA, p53 and several regulators of acetylation such as the p300/CBP and PCAF histone acetyltransferases (HATs), as well as the histone deacetylases HDAC1 and hSir2. These interactions alter the localized state of chromatin compaction, subsequently affecting the expression of subsets of genes, including those associated with the stress response (Hsp70), apoptosis (Bax, MDM2) and cell cycle regulation (p21{sup WAF1}, cyclinmore » B) in a cell- and tissue-specific manner. The expression levels and subcellular localization of ING proteins are altered in a significant number of human cancer types, while the expression of ING isoforms changes during cellular aging, suggesting that ING proteins may play a role in linking cellular transformation and replicative senescence. The variety of functions attributed to ING proteins suggest that this tumor suppressor serves to link the disparate processes of cell cycle regulation, cell suicide and cellular aging through epigenetic regulation of gene expression. This review examines recent findings in the ING field with a focus on the functions of protein-protein interactions involving ING family members and the mechanisms by which these interactions facilitate the various roles that ING proteins play in tumorigenesis, apoptosis and senescence.« less

Mec1/ATR, the Program Manager of Nucleic Acids Inc.

PubMed

Feng, Wenyi

2016-12-28

Eukaryotic cells are equipped with surveillance mechanisms called checkpoints to ensure proper execution of cell cycle events. Among these are the checkpoints that detect DNA damage or replication perturbations and coordinate cellular activities to maintain genome stability. At the forefront of damage sensing is an evolutionarily conserved molecule, known respectively in budding yeast and humans as Mec1 (Mitosis entry checkpoint 1) and ATR (Ataxia telangiectasia and Rad3-related protein). Through phosphorylation, Mec1/ATR activates downstream components of a signaling cascade to maintain nucleotide pool balance, protect replication fork integrity, regulate activation of origins of replication, coordinate DNA repair, and implement cell cycle delay. This list of functions continues to expand as studies have revealed that Mec1/ATR modularly interacts with various protein molecules in response to different cellular cues. Among these newly assigned functions is the regulation of RNA metabolism during checkpoint activation and the coordination of replication-transcription conflicts. In this review, I will highlight some of these new functions of Mec1/ATR with a focus on the yeast model organism.

Drebrin and Spermatogenesis

PubMed Central

Chen, Haiqi; Li, Michelle W.M.

2018-01-01

Drebrin is a family of actin-binding proteins with two known members called drebrin A and E. Apart from the ability to stabilize F-actin microfilaments via their actin-binding domains near the N-terminus, drebrin also regulates multiple cellular functions due to its unique ability to recruit multiple binding partners to a specific cellular domain, such as the seminiferous epithelium during the epithelial cycle of spermatogenesis. Recent studies have illustrated the role of drebrin E in the testis during spermatogenesis in particular via its ability to recruit branched actin polymerization protein known as actin-related protein 3 (Arp3), illustrating its involvement in modifying the organization of actin microfilaments at the ectoplasmic specialization (ES) which includes the testis-specific anchoring junction at the Sertoli-spermatid (apical ES) interface and at the Sertoli cell-cell (basal ES) interface. These data are carefully evaluated in light of other recent findings herein regarding the role of drebrin in actin filament organization at the ES. We also provide the hypothetical model regarding its involvement in germ cell transport during the epithelial cycle in the seminiferous epithelium to support spermatogenesis. PMID:28865027

Effects of cell penetrating Notch inhibitory peptide conjugated to elastin-like polypeptide on glioblastoma cells.

PubMed

Opačak-Bernardi, Teuta; Ryu, Jung Su; Raucher, Drazen

2017-07-01

Notch pathway was found to be activated in most glioblastomas (GBMs), underlining the importance of Notch in formation and recurrence of GBM. In this study, a Notch inhibitory peptide, dominant negative MAML (dnMAML), was conjugated to elastin-like polypeptide (ELP) for tumor targeted delivery. ELP is a thermally responsive polypeptide that can be actively and passively targeted to the tumor site by localized application of hyperthermia. This complex was further modified with the addition of a cell penetrating peptide, SynB1, for improved cellular uptake and blood-brain barrier penetration. The SynB1-ELP1-dnMAML was examined for its cellular uptake, cytotoxicity, apoptosis, cell cycle inhibition and the inhibition of target genes' expression. SynB1-ELP1-dnMAML inhibited the growth of D54 and U251 cells by inducing apoptosis and cell cycle arrest, especially in the presence of hyperthermia. Hyperthermia increased overall uptake of the polypeptide by the cells and enhanced the resulting pharmacological effects of dnMAML, showing the inhibition of targets of Notch pathway such as Hes-1 and Hey-L. These results confirm that dnMAML is an effective Notch inhibitor and combination with ELP may allow thermal targeting of the SynB1-ELP1-dnMAML complex in cancer cells while avoiding the dangers of systemic Notch inhibition.

Primary culture of intestinal epithelial cells as a potential model for Toxoplasma gondii enteric cycle studies.

PubMed

Moura, Marcos de Assis; Amendoeira, Maria Regina Reis; Barbosa, Helene Santos

2009-09-01

The primary culture of intestinal epithelial cells from domestic cats is an efficient cellular model to study the enteric cycle of Toxoplasma gondii in a definitive host. The parasite-host cell ratio can be pointed out as a decisive factor that determines the intracellular fate of bradyzoites forms. The development of the syncytial-like forms of T. gondii was observed using the 1:20 bradyzoite-host cell ratio, resulting in similar forms described in in vivo systems. This alternative study potentially opens up the field for investigation into the molecular aspects of this interaction. This can contribute to the development of new strategies for intervention of a main route by which toxoplasmosis spreads.

Regulation of cellular growth by the Drosophila target of rapamycin dTOR

PubMed Central

Zhang, Hongbing; Stallock, James P.; Ng, Joyce C.; Reinhard, Christoph; Neufeld, Thomas P.

2000-01-01

The TOR protein kinases (TOR1 and TOR2 in yeast; mTOR/FRAP/RAFT1 in mammals) promote cellular proliferation in response to nutrients and growth factors, but their role in development is poorly understood. Here, we show that the Drosophila TOR homolog dTOR is required cell autonomously for normal growth and proliferation during larval development, and for increases in cellular growth caused by activation of the phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) signaling pathway. As in mammalian cells, the kinase activity of dTOR is required for growth factor-dependent phosphorylation of p70 S6 kinase (p70S6K) in vitro, and we demonstrate that overexpression of p70S6K in vivo can rescue dTOR mutant animals to viability. Loss of dTOR also results in cellular phenotypes characteristic of amino acid deprivation, including reduced nucleolar size, lipid vesicle aggregation in the larval fat body, and a cell type-specific pattern of cell cycle arrest that can be bypassed by overexpression of the S-phase regulator cyclin E. Our results suggest that dTOR regulates growth during animal development by coupling growth factor signaling to nutrient availability. PMID:11069888

Measuring In Vivo Protein Dynamics Throughout the Cell Cycle Using Microfluidics.

PubMed

de Leeuw, Roy; Brazda, Peter; Charl Moolman, M; Kerssemakers, J W J; Solano, Belen; Dekker, Nynke H

2017-01-01

Studying the dynamics of intracellular processes and investigating the interaction of individual macromolecules in live cells is one of the main objectives of cell biology. These macromolecules move, assemble, disassemble, and reorganize themselves in distinct manners under specific physiological conditions throughout the cell cycle. Therefore, in vivo experimental methods that enable the study of individual molecules inside cells at controlled culturing conditions have proved to be powerful tools to obtain insights into the molecular roles of these macromolecules and how their individual behavior influence cell physiology. The importance of controlled experimental conditions is enhanced when the investigated phenomenon covers long time periods, or perhaps multiple cell cycles. An example is the detection and quantification of proteins during bacterial DNA replication. Wide-field microscopy combined with microfluidics is a suitable technique for this. During fluorescence experiments, microfluidics offer well-defined cellular orientation and immobilization, flow and medium interchangeability, and high-throughput long-term experimentation of cells. Here we present a protocol for the combined use of wide-field microscopy and microfluidics for the study of proteins of the Escherichia coli DNA replication process. We discuss the preparation and application of a microfluidic device, data acquisition steps, and image analysis procedures to determine the stoichiometry and dynamics of a replisome component throughout the cell cycle of live bacterial cells.

Caulobacter crescentus Cell Cycle-Regulated DNA Methyltransferase Uses a Novel Mechanism for Substrate Recognition.

PubMed

Woodcock, Clayton B; Yakubov, Aziz B; Reich, Norbert O

2017-08-01

Caulobacter crescentus relies on DNA methylation by the cell cycle-regulated methyltransferase (CcrM) in addition to key transcription factors to control the cell cycle and direct cellular differentiation. CcrM is shown here to efficiently methylate its cognate recognition site 5'-GANTC-3' in single-stranded and hemimethylated double-stranded DNA. We report the K m , k cat , k methylation , and K d for single-stranded and hemimethylated substrates, revealing discrimination of 10 7 -fold for noncognate sequences. The enzyme also shows a similar discrimination against single-stranded RNA. Two independent assays clearly show that CcrM is highly processive with single-stranded and hemimethylated DNA. Collectively, the data provide evidence that CcrM and other DNA-modifying enzymes may use a new mechanism to recognize DNA in a key epigenetic process.

α-Synuclein and huntingtin exon 1 amyloid fibrils bind laterally to the cellular membrane.

PubMed

Monsellier, Elodie; Bousset, Luc; Melki, Ronald

2016-01-13

Fibrillar aggregates involved in neurodegenerative diseases have the ability to spread from one cell to another in a prion-like manner. The underlying molecular mechanisms, in particular the binding mode of the fibrils to cell membranes, are poorly understood. In this work we decipher the modality by which aggregates bind to the cellular membrane, one of the obligatory steps of the propagation cycle. By characterizing the binding properties of aggregates made of α-synuclein or huntingtin exon 1 protein displaying similar composition and structure but different lengths to mammalian cells we demonstrate that in both cases aggregates bind laterally to the cellular membrane, with aggregates extremities displaying little or no role in membrane binding. Lateral binding to artificial liposomes was also observed by transmission electron microscopy. In addition we show that although α-synuclein and huntingtin exon 1 fibrils bind both laterally to the cellular membrane, their mechanisms of interaction differ. Our findings have important implications for the development of future therapeutic tools that aim to block protein aggregates propagation in the brain.

α-Synuclein and huntingtin exon 1 amyloid fibrils bind laterally to the cellular membrane

PubMed Central

Monsellier, Elodie; Bousset, Luc; Melki, Ronald

2016-01-01

Fibrillar aggregates involved in neurodegenerative diseases have the ability to spread from one cell to another in a prion-like manner. The underlying molecular mechanisms, in particular the binding mode of the fibrils to cell membranes, are poorly understood. In this work we decipher the modality by which aggregates bind to the cellular membrane, one of the obligatory steps of the propagation cycle. By characterizing the binding properties of aggregates made of α-synuclein or huntingtin exon 1 protein displaying similar composition and structure but different lengths to mammalian cells we demonstrate that in both cases aggregates bind laterally to the cellular membrane, with aggregates extremities displaying little or no role in membrane binding. Lateral binding to artificial liposomes was also observed by transmission electron microscopy. In addition we show that although α-synuclein and huntingtin exon 1 fibrils bind both laterally to the cellular membrane, their mechanisms of interaction differ. Our findings have important implications for the development of future therapeutic tools that aim to block protein aggregates propagation in the brain. PMID:26757959

Maintenance of sweat glands by stem cells located in the acral epithelium.

PubMed

Ohe, Shuichi; Tanaka, Toshihiro; Yanai, Hirotsugu; Komai, Yoshihiro; Omachi, Taichi; Kanno, Shohei; Tanaka, Kiyomichi; Ishigaki, Kazuhiko; Saiga, Kazuho; Nakamura, Naohiro; Ohsugi, Haruyuki; Tokuyama, Yoko; Atsumi, Naho; Hisha, Hiroko; Yoshida, Naoko; Kumano, Keiki; Yamazaki, Fumikazu; Okamoto, Hiroyuki; Ueno, Hiroo

2015-10-23

The skin is responsible for a variety of physiological functions and is critical for wound healing and repair. Therefore, the regenerative capacity of the skin is important. However, stem cells responsible for maintaining the acral epithelium had not previously been identified. In this study, we identified the specific stem cells in the acral epithelium that participate in the long-term maintenance of sweat glands, ducts, and interadnexal epidermis and that facilitate the regeneration of these structures following injury. Lgr6-positive cells and Bmi1-positive cells were found to function as long-term multipotent stem cells that maintained the entire eccrine unit and the interadnexal epidermis. However, while Lgr6-positive cells were rapidly cycled and constantly supplied differentiated cells, Bmi1-positive cells were slow to cycle and occasionally entered the cell cycle under physiological conditions. Upon irradiation-induced injury, Bmi1-positive cells rapidly proliferated and regenerated injured epithelial tissue. Therefore, Bmi1-positive stem cells served as reservoir stem cells. Lgr5-positive cells were rapidly cycled and maintained only sweat glands; therefore, we concluded that these cells functioned as lineage-restricted progenitors. Taken together, our data demonstrated the identification of stem cells that maintained the entire acral epithelium and supported the different roles of three cellular classes. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

STAT proteins: from normal control of cellular events to tumorigenesis.

PubMed

Calò, Valentina; Migliavacca, Manuela; Bazan, Viviana; Macaluso, Marcella; Buscemi, Maria; Gebbia, Nicola; Russo, Antonio

2003-11-01

Signal transducers and activators of transcription (STAT) proteins comprise a family of transcription factors latent in the cytoplasm that participate in normal cellular events, such as differentiation, proliferation, cell survival, apoptosis, and angiogenesis following cytokine, growth factor, and hormone signaling. STATs are activated by tyrosine phosphorylation, which is normally a transient and tightly regulates process. Nevertheless, several constitutively activated STATs have been observed in a wide number of human cancer cell lines and primary tumors, including blood malignancies and solid neoplasias. STATs can be divided into two groups according to their specific functions. One is made up of STAT2, STAT4, and STAT6, which are activated by a small number of cytokines and play a distinct role in the development of T-cells and in IFNgamma signaling. The other group includes STAT1, STAT3, and STAT5, activated in different tissues by means of a series of ligands and involved in IFN signaling, development of the mammary gland, response to GH, and embriogenesis. This latter group of STATS plays an important role in controlling cell-cycle progression and apoptosis and thus contributes to oncogenesis. Although an increased expression of STAT1 has been observed in many human neoplasias, this molecule can be considered a potential tumor suppressor, since it plays an important role in growth arrest and in promoting apoptosis. On the other hand, STAT3 and 5 are considered as oncogenes, since they bring about the activation of cyclin D1, c-Myc, and bcl-xl expression, and are involved in promoting cell-cycle progression, cellular transformation, and in preventing apoptosis.

Intercellular adhesion molecules (ICAMs) and spermatogenesis

PubMed Central

Xiao, Xiang; Mruk, Dolores D.; Cheng, C. Yan

2013-01-01

BACKGROUND During the seminiferous epithelial cycle, restructuring takes places at the Sertoli–Sertoli and Sertoli–germ cell interface to accommodate spermatogonia/spermatogonial stem cell renewal via mitosis, cell cycle progression and meiosis, spermiogenesis and spermiation since developing germ cells, in particular spermatids, move ‘up and down’ the seminiferous epithelium. Furthermore, preleptotene spermatocytes differentiated from type B spermatogonia residing at the basal compartment must traverse the blood–testis barrier (BTB) to enter the adluminal compartment to prepare for meiosis at Stage VIII of the epithelial cycle, a process also accompanied by the release of sperm at spermiation. These cellular events that take place at the opposite ends of the epithelium are co-ordinated by a functional axis designated the apical ectoplasmic specialization (ES)—BTB—basement membrane. However, the regulatory molecules that co-ordinate cellular events in this axis are not known. METHODS Literature was searched at http://www.pubmed.org and http://scholar.google.com to identify published findings regarding intercellular adhesion molecules (ICAMs) and the regulation of this axis. RESULTS Members of the ICAM family, namely ICAM-1 and ICAM-2, and the biologically active soluble ICAM-1 (sICAM-1) are the likely regulatory molecules that co-ordinate these events. sICAM-1 and ICAM-1 have antagonistic effects on the Sertoli cell tight junction-permeability barrier, involved in Sertoli cell BTB restructuring, whereas ICAM-2 is restricted to the apical ES, regulating spermatid adhesion during the epithelial cycle. Studies in other epithelia/endothelia on the role of the ICAM family in regulating cell movement are discussed and this information has been evaluated and integrated into studies of these proteins in the testis to create a hypothetical model, depicting how ICAMs regulate junction restructuring events during spermatogenesis. CONCLUSIONS ICAMs are crucial regulatory molecules of spermatogenesis. The proposed hypothetical model serves as a framework in designing functional experiments for future studies. PMID:23287428

p21 in cancer: intricate networks and multiple activities.

PubMed

Abbas, Tarek; Dutta, Anindya

2009-06-01

One of the main engines that drives cellular transformation is the loss of proper control of the mammalian cell cycle. The cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p21 (also known as p21WAF1/Cip1) promotes cell cycle arrest in response to many stimuli. It is well positioned to function as both a sensor and an effector of multiple anti-proliferative signals. This Review focuses on recent advances in our understanding of the regulation of p21 and its biological functions with emphasis on its p53-independent tumour suppressor activities and paradoxical tumour-promoting activities, and their implications in cancer.

Cytoskeleton-interacting LIM-domain protein CRP1 suppresses cell proliferation and protects from stress-induced cell death

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Latonen, Leena; Jaervinen, Paeivi M.; Haartman Institute, University of Helsinki, FIN-00014 Helsinki

2008-02-15

Members of the cysteine-rich protein (CRP) family are actin cytoskeleton-interacting LIM-domain proteins known to act in muscle cell differentiation. We have earlier found that CRP1, a founding member of this family, is transcriptionally induced by UV radiation in human diploid fibroblasts [M. Gentile, L. Latonen, M. Laiho, Cell cycle arrest and apoptosis provoked by UV radiation-induced DNA damage are transcriptionally highly divergent responses, Nucleic Acids Res. 31 (2003) 4779-4790]. Here we show that CRP1 is induced by growth-inhibitory signals, such as increased cellular density, and cytotoxic stress induced by UV radiation or staurosporine. We found that high levels of CRP1more » correlate with differentiation-associated morphology towards the myofibroblast lineage and that expression of ectopic CRP1 suppresses cell proliferation. Following UV- and staurosporine-induced stresses, expression of CRP1 provides a survival advantage evidenced by decreased cellular death and increased cellular metabolic activity and attachment. Our studies identify that CRP1 is a novel stress response factor, and provide evidence for its growth-inhibitory and cytoprotective functions.« less

The Nuclear and Adherent Junction Complex Component Protein Ubinuclein Negatively Regulates the Productive Cycle of Epstein-Barr Virus in Epithelial Cells▿

PubMed Central

Gruffat, Henri; Lupo, Julien; Morand, Patrice; Boyer, Véronique; Manet, Evelyne

2011-01-01

The Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) productive cycle is initiated by the expression of the viral trans-activator EB1 (also called Zebra, Zta, or BZLF1), which belongs to the basic leucine zipper transcription factor family. We have previously identified the cellular NACos (nuclear and adherent junction complex components) protein ubinuclein (Ubn-1) as a partner for EB1, but the function of this complex has never been studied. Here, we have evaluated the consequences of this interaction on the EBV productive cycle and find that Ubn-1 overexpression represses the EBV productive cycle whereas Ubn-1 downregulation by short hairpin RNA (shRNA) increases virus production. By a chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assay, we show that Ubn-1 blocks EB1-DNA interaction. We also show that in epithelial cells, relocalization and sequestration of Ubn-1 to the tight junctions of nondividing cells allow increased activation of the productive cycle. We propose a model in which Ubn-1 is a modulator of the EBV productive cycle: in proliferating epithelial cells, Ubn-1 is nuclear and inhibits activation of the productive cycle, whereas in differentiated cells, Ubn-1 is sequestrated to tight junctions, thereby allowing EB1 to fully function in the nucleus. PMID:21084479

Shared molecular and cellular mechanisms of premature ageing and ageing-associated diseases.

PubMed

Kubben, Nard; Misteli, Tom

2017-10-01

Ageing is the predominant risk factor for many common diseases. Human premature ageing diseases are powerful model systems to identify and characterize cellular mechanisms that underpin physiological ageing. Their study also leads to a better understanding of the causes, drivers and potential therapeutic strategies of common diseases associated with ageing, including neurological disorders, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and cancer. Using the rare premature ageing disorder Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome as a paradigm, we discuss here the shared mechanisms between premature ageing and ageing-associated diseases, including defects in genetic, epigenetic and metabolic pathways; mitochondrial and protein homeostasis; cell cycle; and stem cell-regenerative capacity.

Enhancement of UV-induced nucleotide excision repair activity upon forskolin treatment is cell growth-dependent.

PubMed

Lee, Jeong-Min; Park, Jeong-Min; Kang, Tae-Hong

2016-10-01

Forskolin (FSK), an adenylyl cyclase activator, has recently been shown to enhance nucleotide excision repair (NER) upon UV exposure. However, our study revealed that this effect was detected in human skin epithelial ARPE19 cells only in growing cells, but not in non-cycling cells. When the cells were grown at low density (70% confluence), FSK was capable of stimulating cAMP responsive element binding (CREB) phosphorylation, a marker for FSK-stimulated PKA activation, and resulted in a significant increase of NER activity compared to control treatment. However, cells grown under 100% confluent conditions showed neither FSK-induced CREB phosphorylation nor the resulting NER enhancement. These findings indicate that cellular growth is critical for FSK-induced NER enhancement and suggest that cellular growth conditions should be considered as a variable while evaluating a reagent's pharmacotherapeutic efficacy. [BMB Reports 2016; 49(10): 566-571].

Control of proliferation and cancer growth by the Hippo signaling pathway

PubMed Central

Ehmer, Ursula; Sage, Julien

2015-01-01

The control of cell division is essential for normal development and the maintenance of cellular homeostasis. Abnormal cell proliferation is associated with multiple pathological states, including cancer. While the Hippo/YAP signaling pathway was initially thought to control organ size and growth, increasing evidence indicates that this pathway also plays a major role in the control of proliferation independent of organ size control. In particular, accumulating evidence indicates that the Hippo/YAP signaling pathway functionally interacts with multiple other cellular pathways and serves as a central node in the regulation of cell division, especially in cancer cells. Here recent observations are highlighted that connect Hippo/YAP signaling to transcription, the basic cell cycle machinery, and the control of cell division. Furthermore, the oncogenic and tumor suppressive attributes of YAP/TAZ are reviewed which emphasizes the relevance of the Hippo pathway in cancer. PMID:26432795

Cell segmentation in time-lapse fluorescence microscopy with temporally varying sub-cellular fusion protein patterns.

PubMed

Bunyak, Filiz; Palaniappan, Kannappan; Chagin, Vadim; Cardoso, M

2009-01-01

Fluorescently tagged proteins such as GFP-PCNA produce rich dynamically varying textural patterns of foci distributed in the nucleus. This enables the behavioral study of sub-cellular structures during different phases of the cell cycle. The varying punctuate patterns of fluorescence, drastic changes in SNR, shape and position during mitosis and abundance of touching cells, however, require more sophisticated algorithms for reliable automatic cell segmentation and lineage analysis. Since the cell nuclei are non-uniform in appearance, a distribution-based modeling of foreground classes is essential. The recently proposed graph partitioning active contours (GPAC) algorithm supports region descriptors and flexible distance metrics. We extend GPAC for fluorescence-based cell segmentation using regional density functions and dramatically improve its efficiency for segmentation from O(N(4)) to O(N(2)), for an image with N(2) pixels, making it practical and scalable for high throughput microscopy imaging studies.

Lafora disease fibroblasts exemplify the molecular interdependence between thioredoxin 1 and the proteasome in mammalian cells.

PubMed

García-Giménez, José Luis; Seco-Cervera, Marta; Aguado, Carmen; Romá-Mateo, Carlos; Dasí, Francisco; Priego, Sonia; Markovic, Jelena; Knecht, Erwin; Sanz, Pascual; Pallardó, Federico V

2013-12-01

Thioredoxin 1 (Trx1) is a key regulator of cellular redox balance and participates in cellular signaling events. Recent evidence from yeast indicates that members of the Trx family interact with the 20S proteasome, indicating redox regulation of proteasome activity. However, there is little information about the interrelationship of Trx proteins with the proteasome system in mammalian cells, especially in the nucleus. Here, we have investigated this relationship under various cellular conditions in mammalian cells. We show that Trx1 levels and its subcellular localization (cytosol, endoplasmic reticulum, and nucleus) depend on proteasome activity during the cell cycle in NIH3T3 fibroblasts and under stress conditions, when proteasomes are inhibited. In addition, we also studied in these cells how the main cellular antioxidant systems are stimulated when proteasome activity is inhibited. Finally, we describe a reduction in Trx1 levels in Lafora disease fibroblasts and demonstrate that the nuclear colocalization of Trx1 with 20S proteasomes in laforin-deficient cells is altered compared with control cells. Our results indicate a close relationship between Trx1 and the 20S nuclear proteasome and give a new perspective to the study of diseases or physiopathological conditions in which defects in the proteasome system are associated with oxidative stress. © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A Boolean Network Model of Nuclear Receptor Mediated Cell Cycle Progression

EPA Science Inventory

Nuclear receptors (NRs) are ligand-activated transcription factors that regulate a broad range of cellular processes. Hormones, lipids and xenobiotics have been shown to activate NRs with a range of consequences on development, metabolism, oxidative stress, apoptosis, and prolif...

A Boolean Network Model of Nuclear Receptor Mediated Cell Cycle Progression (S)

EPA Science Inventory

Nuclear receptors (NRs) are ligand-activated transcription factors that regulate a broad range of cellular processes. Hormones, lipids and xenobiotics have been shown to activate NRs with a range of consequences on development, metabolism, oxidative stress, apoptosis, and prolif...

Reversible effect of all-trans-retinoic acid on AML12 hepatocyte proliferation and cell cycle progression

EPA Science Inventory

The role of all-trans-retinoic acid (atRA) in the regulation of cellular proliferation and differentiation is well documented. Numerous studies have established the cancer preventive propertiesofatRAwhichfunctionstoregulate levels ofcellcycleproteinsessentialfortheGliS transition...

Different effects of two cyclic chalcone analogues on redox status of Jurkat T cells.

PubMed

Rozmer, Zsuzsanna; Berki, Tímea; Maász, Gábor; Perjési, Pál

2014-12-01

Chalcones are intermediary compounds of the biosynthetic pathway of the naturally flavonoids. Previous studies have demonstrated that chalcones and their conformationally rigid cyclic analogues have tumour cell cytotoxic and chemopreventive effects. It has been shown that equitoxic doses of the two cyclic chalcone analogues (E)-2-(4'-methoxybenzylidene)-(2) and (E)-2-(4'-methylbenzylidene)-1-benzosuberone (3) have different effect on cell cycle progress of the investigated Jurkat cells. It was also found that the compounds affect the cellular thiol status of the treated cells and show intrinsic (non-enzyme-catalyzed) reactivity towards GSH under cell-free conditions. In order to gain new insights into the cytotoxic mechanism of the compounds, effects on the redox status and glutathione level of Jurkat cells were investigated. Detection of intracellular ROS level in Jurkat cells exposed to 2 and 3 was performed using the dichlorofluorescein-assay. Compound 2 did not influence ROS activity either on 1 or 4h exposure; in contrast, chalcone 3 showed to reduce ROS level at both timepoints. The two compounds had different effects on cellular glutathione status as well. Compound 2 significantly increased the oxidized glutathione (GSSG) level showing an interference with the cellular antioxidant defence. On the contrary, chalcone 3 enhanced the reduced glutathione level, indicating enhanced cellular antioxidant activity. To investigate the chalcone-GSH conjugation reactions under cellular conditions, a combination of a RP-HPLC method with electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) was performed. Chalcone-GSH adducts could not be observed either in the cell supernatant or the cell sediment after deproteinization. The investigations provide further details of dual - cytotoxic and chemopreventive - effects of the cyclic chalcone analogues. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Modeling Cancer Cell Growth Dynamics In vitro in Response to Antimitotic Drug Treatment

PubMed Central

Lorz, Alexander; Botesteanu, Dana-Adriana; Levy, Doron

2017-01-01

Investigating the role of intrinsic cell heterogeneity emerging from variations in cell-cycle parameters and apoptosis is a crucial step toward better informing drug administration. Antimitotic agents, widely used in chemotherapy, target exclusively proliferative cells and commonly induce a prolonged mitotic arrest followed by cell death via apoptosis. In this paper, we developed a physiologically motivated mathematical framework for describing cancer cell growth dynamics that incorporates the intrinsic heterogeneity in the time individual cells spend in the cell-cycle and apoptosis process. More precisely, our model comprises two age-structured partial differential equations for the proliferative and apoptotic cell compartments and one ordinary differential equation for the quiescent compartment. To reflect the intrinsic cell heterogeneity that governs the growth dynamics, proliferative and apoptotic cells are structured in “age,” i.e., the amount of time remaining to be spent in each respective compartment. In our model, we considered an antimitotic drug whose effect on the cellular dynamics is to induce mitotic arrest, extending the average cell-cycle length. The prolonged mitotic arrest induced by the drug can trigger apoptosis if the time a cell will spend in the cell cycle is greater than the mitotic arrest threshold. We studied the drug’s effect on the long-term cancer cell growth dynamics using different durations of prolonged mitotic arrest induced by the drug. Our numerical simulations suggest that at confluence and in the absence of the drug, quiescence is the long-term asymptotic behavior emerging from the cancer cell growth dynamics. This pattern is maintained in the presence of small increases in the average cell-cycle length. However, intermediate increases in cell-cycle length markedly decrease the total number of cells and can drive the cancer population to extinction. Intriguingly, a large “switch-on/switch-off” increase in the average cell-cycle length maintains an active cell population in the long term, with oscillating numbers of proliferative cells and a relatively constant quiescent cell number. PMID:28913178

Alternative Ways to Think about Cellular Internal Ribosome Entry*

PubMed Central

Gilbert, Wendy V.

2010-01-01

Internal ribosome entry sites (IRESs) are specialized mRNA elements that allow recruitment of eukaryotic ribosomes to naturally uncapped mRNAs or to capped mRNAs under conditions in which cap-dependent translation is inhibited. Putative cellular IRESs have been proposed to play crucial roles in stress responses, development, apoptosis, cell cycle control, and neuronal function. However, most of the evidence for cellular IRES activity rests on bicistronic reporter assays, the reliability of which has been questioned. Here, the mechanisms underlying cap-independent translation of cellular mRNAs and the contributions of such translation to cellular protein synthesis are discussed. I suggest that the division of cellular mRNAs into mutually exclusive categories of “cap-dependent” and “IRES-dependent” should be reconsidered and that the implications of cellular IRES activity need to be incorporated into our models of cap-dependent initiation. PMID:20576611

Cardiac system bioenergetics: metabolic basis of the Frank-Starling law

PubMed Central

Saks, Valdur; Dzeja, Petras; Schlattner, Uwe; Vendelin, Marko; Terzic, Andre; Wallimann, Theo

2006-01-01

The fundamental principle of cardiac behaviour is described by the Frank-Starling law relating force of contraction during systole with end-diastolic volume. While both work and respiration rates increase linearly with imposed load, the basis of mechano-energetic coupling in heart muscle has remained a long-standing enigma. Here, we highlight advances made in understanding of complex cellular and molecular mechanisms that orchestrate coupling of mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation with ATP utilization for muscle contraction. Cardiac system bioenergetics critically depends on an interrelated metabolic infrastructure regulating mitochondrial respiration and energy fluxes throughout cellular compartments. The data reviewed indicate the significance of two interrelated systems regulating mitochondrial respiration and energy fluxes in cells: (1) the creatine kinase, adenylate kinase and glycolytic pathways that communicate flux changes generated by cellular ATPases within structurally organized enzymatic modules and networks; and (2) a secondary system based on mitochondrial participation in cellular calcium cycle, which adjusts substrate oxidation and energy-transducing processes to meet increasing cellular energy demands. By conveying energetic signals to metabolic sensors, coupled phosphotransfer reactions provide a high-fidelity regulation of the excitation–contraction cycle. Such integration of energetics with calcium signalling systems provides the basis for ‘metabolic pacing’, synchronizing the cellular electrical and mechanical activities with energy supply processes. PMID:16410283

Does mechanism matter? Unrelated neurotoxicants converge on cell cycle and apoptosis during neurodifferentiation.

PubMed

Slotkin, Theodore A; Seidler, Frederic J

2012-07-01

Mechanistically unrelated developmental neurotoxicants often produce neural cell loss culminating in similar functional and behavioral outcomes. We compared an organophosphate pesticide (diazinon), an organochlorine pesticide (dieldrin) and a metal (Ni(2+)) for effects on the genes regulating cell cycle and apoptosis in differentiating PC12 cells, an in vitro model of neuronal development. Each agent was introduced at 30μM for 24 or 72h, treatments devoid of cytotoxicity. Using microarrays, we examined the mRNAs encoding nearly 400 genes involved in each of the biological processes. All three agents targeted both the cell cycle and apoptosis pathways, evidenced by significant transcriptional changes in 40-45% of the cell cycle-related genes and 30-40% of the apoptosis-related genes. There was also a high degree of overlap as to which specific genes were affected by the diverse agents, with 80 cell cycle genes and 56 apoptosis genes common to all three. Concordance analysis, which assesses stringent matching of the direction, magnitude and timing of the transcriptional changes, showed highly significant correlations for pairwise comparisons of all the agents, for both cell cycle and apoptosis. Our results show that otherwise disparate developmental neurotoxicants converge on common cellular pathways governing the acquisition and programmed death of neural cells, providing a specific link to cell deficits. Our studies suggest that identifying the initial mechanism of action of a developmental neurotoxicant may be strategically less important than focusing on the pathways that converge on common final outcomes such as cell loss. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

DOES MECHANISM MATTER? UNRELATED NEUROTOXICANTS CONVERGE ON CELL CYCLE AND APOPTOSIS DURING NEURODIFFERENTIATION

PubMed Central

Slotkin, Theodore A.; Seidler, Frederic J.

2012-01-01

Mechanistically unrelated developmental neurotoxicants often produce neural cell loss culminating in similar functional and behavioral outcomes. We compared an organophosphate pesticide (diazinon), an organochlorine pesticide (dieldrin) and a metal (Ni2+) for effects on the genes regulating cell cycle and apoptosis in differentiating PC12 cells, an in vitro model of neuronal development. Each agent was introduced at 30 μM for 24 or 72 hr, treatments devoid of cytotoxicity. Using microarrays, we examined the mRNAs encoding nearly 400 genes involved in each of the biological processes. All three agents targeted both the cell cycle and apoptosis pathways, evidenced by significant transcriptional changes in 40–45% of the cell cycle-related genes and 30–40% of the apoptosis-related genes. There was also a high degree of overlap as to which specific genes were affected by the diverse agents, with 80 cell cycle genes and 56 apoptosis genes common to all three. Concordance analysis, which assesses stringent matching of the direction, magnitude and timing of the transcriptional changes, showed highly significant correlations for pairwise comparisons of all the agents, for both cell cycle and apoptosis. Our results show that otherwise disparate developmental neurotoxicants converge on common cellular pathways governing the acquisition and programmed death of neural cells, providing a specific link to cell deficits. Our studies suggest that identifying the initial mechanism of action of a developmental neurotoxicant may be strategically less important than focusing on the pathways that converge on common final outcomes such as cell loss. PMID:22546817

A model of the regulatory network involved in the control of the cell cycle and cell differentiation in the Caenorhabditis elegans vulva.

PubMed

Weinstein, Nathan; Ortiz-Gutiérrez, Elizabeth; Muñoz, Stalin; Rosenblueth, David A; Álvarez-Buylla, Elena R; Mendoza, Luis

2015-03-13

There are recent experimental reports on the cross-regulation between molecules involved in the control of the cell cycle and the differentiation of the vulval precursor cells (VPCs) of Caenorhabditis elegans. Such discoveries provide novel clues on how the molecular mechanisms involved in the cell cycle and cell differentiation processes are coordinated during vulval development. Dynamic computational models are helpful to understand the integrated regulatory mechanisms affecting these cellular processes. Here we propose a simplified model of the regulatory network that includes sufficient molecules involved in the control of both the cell cycle and cell differentiation in the C. elegans vulva to recover their dynamic behavior. We first infer both the topology and the update rules of the cell cycle module from an expected time series. Next, we use a symbolic algorithmic approach to find which interactions must be included in the regulatory network. Finally, we use a continuous-time version of the update rules for the cell cycle module to validate the cyclic behavior of the network, as well as to rule out the presence of potential artifacts due to the synchronous updating of the discrete model. We analyze the dynamical behavior of the model for the wild type and several mutants, finding that most of the results are consistent with published experimental results. Our model shows that the regulation of Notch signaling by the cell cycle preserves the potential of the VPCs and the three vulval fates to differentiate and de-differentiate, allowing them to remain completely responsive to the concentration of LIN-3 and lateral signal in the extracellular microenvironment.

Oncology meets immunology: the cancer-immunity cycle.

PubMed

Chen, Daniel S; Mellman, Ira

2013-07-25

The genetic and cellular alterations that define cancer provide the immune system with the means to generate T cell responses that recognize and eradicate cancer cells. However, elimination of cancer by T cells is only one step in the Cancer-Immunity Cycle, which manages the delicate balance between the recognition of nonself and the prevention of autoimmunity. Identification of cancer cell T cell inhibitory signals, including PD-L1, has prompted the development of a new class of cancer immunotherapy that specifically hinders immune effector inhibition, reinvigorating and potentially expanding preexisting anticancer immune responses. The presence of suppressive factors in the tumor microenvironment may explain the limited activity observed with previous immune-based therapies and why these therapies may be more effective in combination with agents that target other steps of the cycle. Emerging clinical data suggest that cancer immunotherapy is likely to become a key part of the clinical management of cancer. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Analysis of re-replication from deregulated origin licensing by DNA fiber spreading

PubMed Central

Dorn, Elizabeth S.; Chastain, Paul D.; Hall, Jonathan R.; Cook, Jeanette Gowen

2009-01-01

A major challenge each human cell-division cycle is to ensure that DNA replication origins do not initiate more than once, a phenomenon known as re-replication. Acute deregulation of replication control ultimately causes extensive DNA damage, cell-cycle checkpoint activation and cell death whereas moderate deregulation promotes genome instability and tumorigenesis. In the absence of detectable increases in cellular DNA content however, it has been difficult to directly demonstrate re-replication or to determine if the ability to re-replicate is restricted to a particular cell-cycle phase. Using an adaptation of DNA fiber spreading we report the direct detection of re-replication on single DNA molecules from human chromosomes. Using this method we demonstrate substantial re-replication within 1 h of S phase entry in cells overproducing the replication factor, Cdt1. Moreover, a comparison of the HeLa cancer cell line to untransformed fibroblasts suggests that HeLa cells produce replication signals consistent with low-level re-replication in otherwise unperturbed cell cycles. Re-replication after depletion of the Cdt1 inhibitor, geminin, in an untransformed fibroblast cell line is undetectable by standard assays but readily quantifiable by DNA fiber spreading analysis. Direct evaluation of re-replicated DNA molecules will promote increased understanding of events that promote or perturb genome stability. PMID:19010964

Environmental stress speeds up DNA replication in Pseudomonas putida in chemostat cultivations.

PubMed

Lieder, Sarah; Jahn, Michael; Koepff, Joachim; Müller, Susann; Takors, Ralf

2016-01-01

Cellular response to different types of stress is the hallmark of the cell's strategy for survival. How organisms adjust their cell cycle dynamics to compensate for changes in environmental conditions is an important unanswered question in bacterial physiology. A cell using binary fission for reproduction passes through three stages during its cell cycle: a stage from cell birth to initiation of replication, a DNA replication phase and a period of cell division. We present a detailed analysis of durations of cell cycle phases, investigating their dynamics under environmental stress conditions. Applying continuous steady state cultivations (chemostats), the DNA content of a Pseudomonas putida KT2440 population was quantified with flow cytometry at distinct growth rates. Data-driven modeling revealed that under stress conditions, such as oxygen deprivation, solvent exposure and decreased iron availability, DNA replication was accelerated correlated to the severity of the imposed stress (up to 1.9-fold). Cells maintained constant growth rates by balancing the shortened replication phase with extended cell cycle phases before and after replication. Transcriptome data underpin the transcriptional upregulation of crucial genes of the replication machinery. Hence adaption of DNA replication speed appears to be an important strategy to withstand environmental stress. Copyright © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Epstein-Barr Virus BGLF4 Kinase Downregulates NF-κB Transactivation through Phosphorylation of Coactivator UXT

PubMed Central

Chang, Ling-Shih; Wang, Jiin-Tarng; Doong, Shin-Lian; Lee, Chung-Pei; Chang, Chou-Wei; Tsai, Ching-Hwa; Yeh, Sheng-Wen; Hsieh, Ching-Yueh

2012-01-01

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) BGLF4 is a member of the conserved herpesvirus kinases that regulate multiple cellular and viral substrates and play an important role in the viral lytic cycles. BGLF4 has been found to phosphorylate several cellular and viral transcription factors, modulate their activities, and regulate downstream events. In this study, we identify an NF-κB coactivator, UXT, as a substrate of BGLF4. BGLF4 downregulates not only NF-κB transactivation in reporter assays in response to tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) and poly(I·C) stimulation, but also NF-κB-regulated cellular gene expression. Furthermore, BGLF4 attenuates NF-κB-mediated repression of the EBV lytic transactivators, Zta and Rta. In EBV-positive NA cells, knockdown of BGLF4 during lytic progression elevates NF-κB activity and downregulates the activity of the EBV oriLyt BHLF1 promoter, which is the first promoter activated upon lytic switch. We show that BGLF4 phosphorylates UXT at the Thr3 residue. This modification interferes with the interaction between UXT and NF-κB. The data also indicate that BGLF4 reduces the interaction between UXT and NF-κB and attenuates NF-κB enhanceosome activity. Upon infection with short hairpin RNA (shRNA) lentivirus to knock down UXT, a spontaneous lytic cycle was observed in NA cells, suggesting UXT is required for maintenance of EBV latency. Overexpression of wild-type, but not phosphorylation-deficient, UXT enhances the expression of lytic proteins both in control and UXT knockdown cells. Taking the data together, transcription involving UXT may also be important for EBV lytic protein expression, whereas BGLF4-mediated phosphorylation of UXT at Thr3 plays a critical role in promoting the lytic cycle. PMID:22933289

SR4 Uncouples Mitochondrial Oxidative Phosphorylation, Modulates AMP-dependent Kinase (AMPK)-Mammalian Target of Rapamycin (mTOR) Signaling, and Inhibits Proliferation of HepG2 Hepatocarcinoma Cells*

PubMed Central

Figarola, James L.; Singhal, Jyotsana; Tompkins, Joshua D.; Rogers, George W.; Warden, Charles; Horne, David; Riggs, Arthur D.; Awasthi, Sanjay; Singhal, Sharad S.

2015-01-01

Mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation produces most of the energy in aerobic cells by coupling respiration to the production of ATP. Mitochondrial uncouplers, which reduce the proton gradient across the mitochondrial inner membrane, create a futile cycle of nutrient oxidation without generating ATP. Regulation of mitochondrial dysfunction and associated cellular bioenergetics has been recently identified as a promising target for anticancer therapy. Here, we show that SR4 is a novel mitochondrial uncoupler that causes dose-dependent increase in mitochondrial respiration and dissipation of mitochondrial membrane potential in HepG2 hepatocarcinoma cells. These effects were reversed by the recoupling agent 6-ketocholestanol but not cyclosporin A and were nonexistent in mitochondrial DNA-depleted HepG2 cells. In isolated mouse liver mitochondria, SR4 similarly increased oxygen consumption independent of adenine nucleotide translocase and uncoupling proteins, decreased mitochondrial membrane potential, and promoted swelling of valinomycin-treated mitochondria in potassium acetate medium. Mitochondrial uncoupling in HepG2 cells by SR4 results in the reduction of cellular ATP production, increased ROS production, activation of the energy-sensing enzyme AMPK, and inhibition of acetyl-CoA carboxylase and mammalian target of rapamycin signaling pathways, leading to cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. Global analysis of SR4-associated differential gene expression confirms these observations, including significant induction of apoptotic genes and down-regulation of cell cycle, mitochondrial, and oxidative phosphorylation pathway transcripts at 24 h post-treatment. Collectively, our studies demonstrate that the previously reported indirect activation of AMPK and in vitro anticancer properties of SR4 as well as its beneficial effects in both animal xenograft and obese mice models could be a direct consequence of its mitochondrial uncoupling activity. PMID:26534958

Major transcriptome re-organisation and abrupt changes in signalling, cell cycle and chromatin regulation at neural differentiation in vivo.

PubMed

Olivera-Martinez, Isabel; Schurch, Nick; Li, Roman A; Song, Junfang; Halley, Pamela A; Das, Raman M; Burt, Dave W; Barton, Geoffrey J; Storey, Kate G

2014-08-01

Here, we exploit the spatial separation of temporal events of neural differentiation in the elongating chick body axis to provide the first analysis of transcriptome change in progressively more differentiated neural cell populations in vivo. Microarray data, validated against direct RNA sequencing, identified: (1) a gene cohort characteristic of the multi-potent stem zone epiblast, which contains neuro-mesodermal progenitors that progressively generate the spinal cord; (2) a major transcriptome re-organisation as cells then adopt a neural fate; and (3) increasing diversity as neural patterning and neuron production begin. Focussing on the transition from multi-potent to neural state cells, we capture changes in major signalling pathways, uncover novel Wnt and Notch signalling dynamics, and implicate new pathways (mevalonate pathway/steroid biogenesis and TGFβ). This analysis further predicts changes in cellular processes, cell cycle, RNA-processing and protein turnover as cells acquire neural fate. We show that these changes are conserved across species and provide biological evidence for reduced proteasome efficiency and a novel lengthening of S phase. This latter step may provide time for epigenetic events to mediate large-scale transcriptome re-organisation; consistent with this, we uncover simultaneous downregulation of major chromatin modifiers as the neural programme is established. We further demonstrate that transcription of one such gene, HDAC1, is dependent on FGF signalling, making a novel link between signals that control neural differentiation and transcription of a core regulator of chromatin organisation. Our work implicates new signalling pathways and dynamics, cellular processes and epigenetic modifiers in neural differentiation in vivo, identifying multiple new potential cellular and molecular mechanisms that direct differentiation. © 2014. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

Low doses of TiO2-polyethylene glycol nanoparticles stimulate proliferation of hepatocyte cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, Qingqing; Kanehira, Koki; Taniguchi, Akiyoshi

2016-01-01

This paper describes the effect of low concentrations of 100 nm polyethylene glycol-modified TiO2 nanoparticles (TiO2-PEG NPs) on HepG2 hepatocellular carcinoma cells. Proliferation of HepG2 cells increased significantly when the cells were exposed to low doses (<100 μg ml-1) of TiO2-PEG NPs. These results were further confirmed by cell counting experiments and cell cycle assays. Cellular uptake assays were performed to determine why HepG2 cells proliferate with low-dose exposure to TiO2-PEG NPs. The results showed that exposure to lower doses of NPs led to less cellular uptake, which in turn decreased cytotoxicity. We therefore hypothesized that TiO2-PEG NPs could affect the activity of hepatocyte growth factor receptors (HGFRs), which bind to hepatocyte growth factor and stimulate cell proliferation. The localization of HGFRs on the surface of the cell membrane was detected via immunofluorescence staining and confocal microscopy. The results showed that HGFRs aggregate after exposure to TiO2-PEG NPs. In conclusion, our results indicate that TiO2-PEG NPs have the potential to promote proliferation of HepG2 cells through HGFR aggregation and suggest that NPs not only exhibit cytotoxicity but also affect cellular responses.

ARID3B: a Novel Regulator of the Kaposi's Sarcoma-Associated Herpesvirus Lytic Cycle

PubMed Central

Wood, Jennifer J.; Boyne, James R.; Paulus, Christina; Jackson, Brian R.; Nevels, Michael M.

2016-01-01

ABSTRACT Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) is the causative agent of commonly fatal malignancies of immunocompromised individuals, including primary effusion lymphoma (PEL) and Kaposi's sarcoma (KS). A hallmark of all herpesviruses is their biphasic life cycle—viral latency and the productive lytic cycle—and it is well established that reactivation of the KSHV lytic cycle is associated with KS pathogenesis. Therefore, a thorough appreciation of the mechanisms that govern reactivation is required to better understand disease progression. The viral protein replication and transcription activator (RTA) is the KSHV lytic switch protein due to its ability to drive the expression of various lytic genes, leading to reactivation of the entire lytic cycle. While the mechanisms for activating lytic gene expression have received much attention, how RTA impacts cellular function is less well understood. To address this, we developed a cell line with doxycycline-inducible RTA expression and applied stable isotope labeling of amino acids in cell culture (SILAC)-based quantitative proteomics. Using this methodology, we have identified a novel cellular protein (AT-rich interacting domain containing 3B [ARID3B]) whose expression was enhanced by RTA and that relocalized to replication compartments upon lytic reactivation. We also show that small interfering RNA (siRNA) knockdown or overexpression of ARID3B led to an enhancement or inhibition of lytic reactivation, respectively. Furthermore, DNA affinity and chromatin immunoprecipitation assays demonstrated that ARID3B specifically interacts with A/T-rich elements in the KSHV origin of lytic replication (oriLyt), and this was dependent on lytic cycle reactivation. Therefore, we have identified a novel cellular protein whose expression is enhanced by KSHV RTA with the ability to inhibit KSHV reactivation. IMPORTANCE Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) is the causative agent of fatal malignancies of immunocompromised individuals, including Kaposi's sarcoma (KS). Herpesviruses are able to establish a latent infection, in which they escape immune detection by restricting viral gene expression. Importantly, however, reactivation of productive viral replication (the lytic cycle) is necessary for the pathogenesis of KS. Therefore, it is important that we comprehensively understand the mechanisms that govern lytic reactivation, to better understand disease progression. In this study, we have identified a novel cellular protein (AT-rich interacting domain protein 3B [ARID3B]) that we show is able to temper lytic reactivation. We showed that the master lytic switch protein, RTA, enhanced ARID3B levels, which then interacted with viral DNA in a lytic cycle-dependent manner. Therefore, we have added a new factor to the list of cellular proteins that regulate the KSHV lytic cycle, which has implications for our understanding of KSHV biology. PMID:27512077

Bortezomib: a novel therapy approved for multiple myeloma.

PubMed

Richardson, Paul G; Anderson, Kenneth C

2003-10-01

Cellular homeostasis requires routine degradation of key regulatory proteins, including tumor suppressor gene products, transcription factors, cell-cycle proteins and their inhibitors, as well as damaged and misfolded proteins. A critical part of this process is mediated by the 26S proteasome, a multi-subunit enzyme found in the nucleus and cytoplasm of all eukaryotic cells. Because of its essential role in many cellular processes controlling growth and survival, the proteasome has been identified as a potential target for cancer therapy. Drugs known to inhibit proteasome activity have been shown to induce cell-cycle arrest and programmed cell death (apoptosis). The impact of this finding is heightened by research showing that cancer cells are more sensitive to the proapoptotic effects of proteasome inhibition than normal cells. Preclinical evidence using bortezomib, the only proteasome inhibitor to enter clinical trials, suggests that proteasome inhibition may be effective in the treatment of hematologic and solid malignancies by promoting apoptosis, retarding angiogenesis, and inhibiting tumor cell adhesion and production of growth factors by acting on molecules such as nuclear factor-kappaB. Further preclinical evidence suggests that the antitumor effects of cytotoxic chemotherapy or radiotherapy may be enhanced by the addition of a proteasome inhibitor. Bortezomib was recently approved for the treatment of multiple myeloma. It is currently being investigated, both as a single agent and in combination, in phase I and II trials in a variety of tumor types.

Functional characterization of CFI-402257, a potent and selective Mps1/TTK kinase inhibitor, for the treatment of cancer.

PubMed

Mason, Jacqueline M; Wei, Xin; Fletcher, Graham C; Kiarash, Reza; Brokx, Richard; Hodgson, Richard; Beletskaya, Irina; Bray, Mark R; Mak, Tak W

2017-03-21

Loss of cell-cycle control is a hallmark of human cancer. Cell-cycle checkpoints are essential for maintaining genome integrity and balanced growth and division. They are specifically deregulated in cancer cells and contain regulators that represent potential therapeutic targets. Monopolar spindle 1 (Mps1; also known as TTK protein kinase) is a core component of the spindle assembly checkpoint (SAC), a genome-surveillance mechanism that is important for cell survival, and has emerged as a candidate target for anticancer therapy. Here, we report the cellular and antitumor effects of CFI-402257, a potent (Mps1 K i = 0.09 ± 0.02 nM; cellular Mps1 EC 50 = 6.5 ± 0.5 nM), highly selective, and orally active small-molecule inhibitor of Mps1 that was identified through a drug-discovery program. Human cancer cells treated with CFI-402257 exhibit effects consistent with Mps1 kinase inhibition, specifically SAC inactivation, leading to chromosome missegregation, aneuploidy, and ultimately cell death. Oral administration of CFI-402257 in monotherapy or in combination with an anti-programmed cell death 1 (PD-1) antibody in mouse models of human cancer results in inhibition of tumor growth at doses that are well-tolerated. Our findings provide a rationale for the clinical evaluation of CFI-402257 in patients with solid tumors.

Functional characterization of CFI-402257, a potent and selective Mps1/TTK kinase inhibitor, for the treatment of cancer

PubMed Central

Mason, Jacqueline M.; Wei, Xin; Fletcher, Graham C.; Kiarash, Reza; Brokx, Richard; Hodgson, Richard; Beletskaya, Irina; Bray, Mark R.; Mak, Tak W.

2017-01-01

Loss of cell-cycle control is a hallmark of human cancer. Cell-cycle checkpoints are essential for maintaining genome integrity and balanced growth and division. They are specifically deregulated in cancer cells and contain regulators that represent potential therapeutic targets. Monopolar spindle 1 (Mps1; also known as TTK protein kinase) is a core component of the spindle assembly checkpoint (SAC), a genome-surveillance mechanism that is important for cell survival, and has emerged as a candidate target for anticancer therapy. Here, we report the cellular and antitumor effects of CFI-402257, a potent (Mps1 Ki = 0.09 ± 0.02 nM; cellular Mps1 EC50 = 6.5 ± 0.5 nM), highly selective, and orally active small-molecule inhibitor of Mps1 that was identified through a drug-discovery program. Human cancer cells treated with CFI-402257 exhibit effects consistent with Mps1 kinase inhibition, specifically SAC inactivation, leading to chromosome missegregation, aneuploidy, and ultimately cell death. Oral administration of CFI-402257 in monotherapy or in combination with an anti-programmed cell death 1 (PD-1) antibody in mouse models of human cancer results in inhibition of tumor growth at doses that are well-tolerated. Our findings provide a rationale for the clinical evaluation of CFI-402257 in patients with solid tumors. PMID:28270606

Essential Dosage-Dependent Functions of the Transcription Factor Yin Yang 1 in Late Embryonic Development and Cell Cycle Progression†

PubMed Central

Affar, El Bachir; Gay, Frédérique; Shi, Yujiang; Liu, Huifei; Huarte, Maite; Wu, Su; Collins, Tucker; Li, En; Shi, Yang

2006-01-01

Constitutive ablation of the Yin Yang 1 (YY1) transcription factor in mice results in peri-implantation lethality. In this study, we used homologous recombination to generate knockout mice carrying yy1 alleles expressing various amounts of YY1. Phenotypic analysis of yy1 mutant embryos expressing ∼75%, ∼50%, and ∼25% of the normal complement of YY1 identified a dosage-dependent requirement for YY1 during late embryogenesis. Indeed, reduction of YY1 levels impairs embryonic growth and viability in a dose-dependent manner. Analysis of the corresponding mouse embryonic fibroblast cells also revealed a tight correlation between YY1 dosage and cell proliferation, with a complete ablation of YY1 inducing cytokinesis failure and cell cycle arrest. Consistently, RNA interference-mediated inhibition of YY1 in HeLa cells prevents cytokinesis, causes proliferative arrest, and increases cellular sensitivity to various apoptotic agents. Genome-wide expression profiling identified a plethora of YY1 target genes that have been implicated in cell growth, proliferation, cytokinesis, apoptosis, development, and differentiation, suggesting that YY1 coordinates multiple essential biological processes through a complex transcriptional network. These data not only shed new light on the molecular basis for YY1 developmental roles and cellular functions, but also provide insight into the general mechanisms controlling eukaryotic cell proliferation, apoptosis, and differentiation. PMID:16611997

CDKL5, a novel MYCN-repressed gene, blocks cell cycle and promotes differentiation of neuronal cells

PubMed Central

Valli, Emanuele; Trazzi, Stefania; Fuchs, Claudia; Erriquez, Daniela; Bartesaghi, Renata; Perini, Giovanni; Ciani, Elisabetta

2012-01-01

Mutations in the CDKL5 (cyclin-dependent kinase-like 5) gene are associated with a severe epileptic encephalopathy (early infantile epileptic encephalopathy type 2, EIEE2) characterized by early-onset intractable seizures, infantile spasms, severe developmental delay, intellectual disability, and Rett syndrome (RTT)-like features. Despite the clear involvement of CDKL5 mutations in intellectual disability, the function of this protein during brain development and the molecular mechanisms involved in its regulation are still unknown. Using human neuroblastoma cells as a model system we found that an increase in CDKL5 expression caused an arrest of the cell cycle in the G0/G1 phases and induced cellular differentiation. Interestingly, CDKL5 expression was inhibited by MYCN, a transcription factor that promotes cell proliferation during brain development and plays a relevant role in neuroblastoma biology. Through a combination of different and complementary molecular and cellular approaches we could show that MYCN acts as a direct repressor of the CDKL5 promoter. Overall our findings unveil a functional axis between MYCN and CDKL5 governing both neuron proliferation rate and differentiation. The fact that CDKL5 is involved in the control of both neuron proliferation and differentiation may help understand the early appearance of neurological symptoms in patients with mutations in CDKL5. PMID:22921766

The UbL-UBA Ubiquilin4 protein functions as a tumor suppressor in gastric cancer by p53-dependent and p53-independent regulation of p21.

PubMed

Huang, Shengkai; Li, Yan; Yuan, Xinghua; Zhao, Mei; Wang, Jia; Li, You; Li, Yuan; Lin, Hong; Zhang, Qiao; Wang, Wenjie; Li, Dongdong; Dong, Xin; Li, Lanfen; Liu, Min; Huang, Weiyan; Huang, Changzhi

2018-06-13

Ubiquilin4 (Ubqln4), a member of the UbL-UBA protein family, serves as an adaptor in the degradation of specific substrates via the proteasomal pathway. However, the biological function of Ubqln4 remains largely unknown, especially in cancer. Here, we reported that Ubqln4 was downregulated in gastric cancer tissues and functioned as a tumor suppressor by inhibiting gastric cancer cell proliferation in vivo and in vitro. Overexpression of Ubqln4-induced cellular senescence and G1-S cell cycle arrest in gastric cancer cells and activated the p53/p21 axis. Moreover, Ubqln4 regulated p21 through both p53-dependent and p53-independent manners. Ubqln4 interacted with RNF114, an E3 ubiquitin ligase of p21, and negatively regulated its expression level, which in turn stabilized p21 by attenuating proteasomal degradation of p21. These effects of Ubqln4 were partly abrogated in gastric cancer cells upon silencing of p21. Our findings not only establish the anti-tumor potential of Ubqln4 in gastric cancer but also reveal a role for Ubqln4 in regulation of the cell cycle and cellular senescence via stabilizing p21.

Cell cycle tracking for irradiated and unirradiated bystander cells in a single colony with exposure to a soft X-ray microbeam.

PubMed

Kaminaga, Kiichi; Noguchi, Miho; Narita, Ayumi; Hattori, Yuya; Usami, Noriko; Yokoya, Akinari

2016-11-01

To establish a new experimental technique to explore the photoelectric and subsequent Auger effects on the cell cycles of soft X-ray microbeam-irradiated cells and unirradiated bystander cells in a single colony. Several cells located in the center of a microcolony of HeLa-Fucci cells consisting of 20-80 cells were irradiated with soft X-ray (5.35 keV) microbeam using synchrotron radiation as a light source. All cells in the colony were tracked for 72 h by time-lapse microscopy imaging. Cell cycle progression, division, and death of each cell in the movies obtained were analyzed by pedigree assay. The number of cell divisions in the microcolony was also determined. The fates of these cells were clarified by tracking both irradiated and unirradiated bystander cells. Irradiated cells showed significant cell cycle retardation, explosive cell death, or cell fusion after a few divisions. These serious effects were also observed in 15 and 26% of the bystander cells for 10 and 20 Gy irradiation, respectively, and frequently appeared in at least two daughter or granddaughter cells from a single-parent cell. We successfully tracked the fates of microbeam-irradiated cells and unirradiated bystander cells with live cell recordings, which have revealed the dynamics of soft X-ray irradiated and unirradiated bystander cells for the first time. Notably, cell deaths or cell cycle arrests frequently arose in closely related cells. These details would not have been revealed by a conventional immunostaining imaging method. Our approach promises to reveal the dynamic cellular effects of soft X-ray microbeam irradiation and subsequent Auger processes from various endpoints in future studies.

Chemosensitizing effects of carbon-based nanomaterials in cancer cells: enhanced apoptosis and inhibition of proliferation as underlying mechanisms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Erdmann, Kati; Ringel, Jessica; Hampel, Silke; Rieger, Christiane; Huebner, Doreen; Wirth, Manfred P.; Fuessel, Susanne

2014-10-01

Recent studies have shown that carbon nanomaterials such as carbon nanofibres (CNFs) and multi-walled carbon nanotubes (CNTs) can exert antitumor activities themselves and sensitize cancer cells to conventional chemotherapeutics such as carboplatin and cisplatin. In the present study, the chemosensitizing effect of CNFs and CNTs on cancer cells of urological origin was investigated regarding the underlying mechanisms. Prostate cancer (DU-145, PC-3) and bladder cancer (EJ28) cells were treated with carbon nanomaterials (CNFs, CNTs) and chemotherapeutics (carboplatin, cisplatin) alone as well as in combination for 24 h. Forty-eight (EJ28) or 72 h (DU-145, PC-3) after the end of treatment the effects on cellular proliferation, clonogenic survival, cell death rate and cell cycle distribution were evaluated. Depending on the cell line, simultaneous administration of chemotherapeutics and carbon nanomaterials produced an additional inhibition of cellular proliferation and clonogenic survival of up to 77% and 98%, respectively, compared to the inhibitory effects of the chemotherapeutics alone. These strongly enhanced antiproliferative effects were accompanied by an elevated cell death rate, which was predominantly mediated via apoptosis and not by necrosis. The antitumor effects of combinations with CNTs were less pronounced than those with CNFs. The enhanced effects of the combinatory treatments on cellular function were mostly of additive to partly synergistic nature. Furthermore, cell cycle analysis demonstrated an arrest at the G2/M phase mediated by a monotreatment with chemotherapeutics. Following combinatory treatments, mostly less than or nearly additive increases of cell fractions in the G2/M phase could be observed. In conclusion, the pronounced chemosensitizing effects of CNFs and CNTs were mediated by an enhanced apoptosis and inhibition of proliferation. The combination of carbon-based nanomaterials and conventional chemotherapeutics represents a novel approach in cancer therapy to bypass chemoresistance by minimizing the chemotherapeutic dosing.

Effects of Different Zinc Species on Cellar Zinc Distribution, Cell Cycle, Apoptosis and Viability in MDAMB231 Cells.

PubMed

Wang, Yan-hong; Zhao, Wen-jie; Zheng, Wei-juan; Mao, Li; Lian, Hong-zhen; Hu, Xin; Hua, Zi-chun

2016-03-01

Intracellular metal elements exist in mammalian cells with the concentration range from picomoles per litre to micromoles per litre and play a considerable role in various biological procedures. Element provided by different species can influence the availability and distribution of the element in a cell and could lead to different biological effects on the cell's growth and function. Zinc as an abundant and widely distributed essential trace element, is involved in numerous and relevant physiological functions. Zinc homeostasis in cells, which is regulated by metallothioneins, zinc transporter/SLC30A, Zrt-/Irt-like proteins/SLC39A and metal-response element-binding transcription factor-1 (MTF-1), is crucial for normal cellular functioning. In this study, we investigated the influences of different zinc species, zinc sulphate, zinc gluconate and bacitracin zinc, which represented inorganic, organic and biological zinc species, respectively, on cell cycle, viability and apoptosis in MDAMB231 cells. It was found that the responses of cell cycle, apoptosis and death to different zinc species in MDAMB231 cells are different. Western blot analysis of the expression of several key proteins in regulating zinc-related transcription, cell cycle, apoptosis, including MTF-1, cyclin B1, cyclin D1, caspase-8 and caspase-9 in treated cells further confirmed the observed results on cell level.

Temporal remodeling of the cell cycle accompanies differentiation in the Drosophila germline.

PubMed

Hinnant, Taylor D; Alvarez, Arturo A; Ables, Elizabeth T

2017-09-01

Development of multicellular organisms relies upon the coordinated regulation of cellular differentiation and proliferation. Growing evidence suggests that some molecular regulatory pathways associated with the cell cycle machinery also dictate cell fate; however, it remains largely unclear how the cell cycle is remodeled in concert with cell differentiation. During Drosophila oogenesis, mature oocytes are created through a series of precisely controlled division and differentiation steps, originating from a single tissue-specific stem cell. Further, germline stem cells (GSCs) and their differentiating progeny remain in a predominantly linear arrangement as oogenesis proceeds. The ability to visualize the stepwise events of differentiation within the context of a single tissue make the Drosophila ovary an exceptional model for study of cell cycle remodeling. To describe how the cell cycle is remodeled in germ cells as they differentiate in situ, we used the Drosophila Fluorescence Ubiquitin-based Cell Cycle Indicator (Fly-FUCCI) system, in which degradable versions of GFP::E2f1 and RFP::CycB fluorescently label cells in each phase of the cell cycle. We found that the lengths of the G1, S, and G2 phases of the cell cycle change dramatically over the course of differentiation, and identified the 4/8-cell cyst as a key developmental transition state in which cells prepare for specialized cell cycles. Our data suggest that the transcriptional activator E2f1, which controls the transition from G1 to S phase, is a key regulator of mitotic divisions in the early germline. Our data support the model that E2f1 is necessary for proper GSC proliferation, self-renewal, and daughter cell development. In contrast, while E2f1 degradation by the Cullin 4 (Cul4)-containing ubiquitin E3 ligase (CRL4) is essential for developmental transitions in the early germline, our data do not support a role for E2f1 degradation as a mechanism to limit GSC proliferation or self-renewal. Taken together, these findings provide further insight into the regulation of cell proliferation and the acquisition of differentiated cell fate, with broad implications across developing tissues. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Cellular and molecular alterations in human epithelial cells transformed by high let radiation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hei, T. K.; Piao, C. Q.; Sutter, T.; Willey, J. C.; Suzuki, K.

An understanding of the radiobiological effects of high LET radiation is essential for human risk estimation and radiation protection. In the present study, we show that a single, 30 cGy dose of 150 keV/mum ^4He ions can malignantly transform human papillomavirus immortalized human bronchial epithelial [BEP2D] cells. Transformed cells produce progressively growing tumors in nude mice. The transformation frequency by the single dose of alpha particles is estimated to be approximately 4 x 10^-7. Based on the average cross-sectional area of BEP2D cells, it can be calculated that a mean traversal of 1.4 particles per cell is sufficient to induce tumorigenic conversion of these cells 3 to 4 months post-irradiation. Tumorigenic BEP2D cells overexpress mutated p53 tumor suppressor oncoproteins in addition to the cell cycle control gene cyclin D1 and D2. This model provides an opportunity to study the cellular and molecular changes at the various stages in radiation carcinogenesis involving human cells.

The Mammalian Cell Cycle Regulates Parvovirus Nuclear Capsid Assembly

PubMed Central

Riolobos, Laura; Domínguez, Carlos; Kann, Michael; Almendral, José M.

2015-01-01

It is unknown whether the mammalian cell cycle could impact the assembly of viruses maturing in the nucleus. We addressed this question using MVM, a reference member of the icosahedral ssDNA nuclear parvoviruses, which requires cell proliferation to infect by mechanisms partly understood. Constitutively expressed MVM capsid subunits (VPs) accumulated in the cytoplasm of mouse and human fibroblasts synchronized at G0, G1, and G1/S transition. Upon arrest release, VPs translocated to the nucleus as cells entered S phase, at efficiencies relying on cell origin and arrest method, and immediately assembled into capsids. In synchronously infected cells, the consecutive virus life cycle steps (gene expression, proteins nuclear translocation, capsid assembly, genome replication and encapsidation) proceeded tightly coupled to cell cycle progression from G0/G1 through S into G2 phase. However, a DNA synthesis stress caused by thymidine irreversibly disrupted virus life cycle, as VPs became increasingly retained in the cytoplasm hours post-stress, forming empty capsids in mouse fibroblasts, thereby impairing encapsidation of the nuclear viral DNA replicative intermediates. Synchronously infected cells subjected to density-arrest signals while traversing early S phase also blocked VPs transport, resulting in a similar misplaced cytoplasmic capsid assembly in mouse fibroblasts. In contrast, thymidine and density arrest signals deregulating virus assembly neither perturbed nuclear translocation of the NS1 protein nor viral genome replication occurring under S/G2 cycle arrest. An underlying mechanism of cell cycle control was identified in the nuclear translocation of phosphorylated VPs trimeric assembly intermediates, which accessed a non-conserved route distinct from the importin α2/β1 and transportin pathways. The exquisite cell cycle-dependence of parvovirus nuclear capsid assembly conforms a novel paradigm of time and functional coupling between cellular and virus life cycles. This junction may determine the characteristic parvovirus tropism for proliferative and cancer cells, and its disturbance could critically contribute to persistence in host tissues. PMID:26067441

Electron Microscopy of Ebola Virus-Infected Cells.

PubMed

Noda, Takeshi

2017-01-01

Ebola virus (EBOV) replicates in host cells, where both viral and cellular components show morphological changes during the process of viral replication from entry to budding. These steps in the replication cycle can be studied using electron microscopy (EM), including transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), which is one of the most useful methods for visualizing EBOV particles and EBOV-infected cells at the ultrastructural level. This chapter describes conventional methods for EM sample preparation of cultured cells infected with EBOV.

DNA Damage and Genomic Instability Induced by Inappropriate DNA Re-replication

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-04-01

Conway, A., Lockhart, D. J., Davis, R. W., Brewer , B. J., and Fangman, W. L. (2001). Replication dynamics of the yeast genome. Science 294, 115–121... Brewer , B. J. (2001). An origin-deficient yeast artificial chromosome triggers a cell cycle checkpoint. Mol. Cell 7, 705–713. Vas, A., Mok, W., and...replication in yeast cells. We have demonstrated that re-replication induces a rapid and significant decrease in cell viability and a cellular DNA damage

Generation and Characterisation of Cisplatin-Resistant Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Cell Lines Displaying a Stem-Like Signature

PubMed Central

Barr, Martin P.; Gray, Steven G.; Hoffmann, Andreas C.; Hilger, Ralf A.; Thomale, Juergen; O’Flaherty, John D.; Fennell, Dean A.; Richard, Derek; O’Leary, John J.; O’Byrne, Kenneth J.

2013-01-01

Introduction Inherent and acquired cisplatin resistance reduces the effectiveness of this agent in the management of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying this process may result in the development of novel agents to enhance the sensitivity of cisplatin. Methods An isogenic model of cisplatin resistance was generated in a panel of NSCLC cell lines (A549, SKMES-1, MOR, H460). Over a period of twelve months, cisplatin resistant (CisR) cell lines were derived from original, age-matched parent cells (PT) and subsequently characterized. Proliferation (MTT) and clonogenic survival assays (crystal violet) were carried out between PT and CisR cells. Cellular response to cisplatin-induced apoptosis and cell cycle distribution were examined by FACS analysis. A panel of cancer stem cell and pluripotent markers was examined in addition to the EMT proteins, c-Met and β-catenin. Cisplatin-DNA adduct formation, DNA damage (γH2AX) and cellular platinum uptake (ICP-MS) was also assessed. Results Characterisation studies demonstrated a decreased proliferative capacity of lung tumour cells in response to cisplatin, increased resistance to cisplatin-induced cell death, accumulation of resistant cells in the G0/G1 phase of the cell cycle and enhanced clonogenic survival ability. Moreover, resistant cells displayed a putative stem-like signature with increased expression of CD133+/CD44+cells and increased ALDH activity relative to their corresponding parental cells. The stem cell markers, Nanog, Oct-4 and SOX-2, were significantly upregulated as were the EMT markers, c-Met and β-catenin. While resistant sublines demonstrated decreased uptake of cisplatin in response to treatment, reduced cisplatin-GpG DNA adduct formation and significantly decreased γH2AX foci were observed compared to parental cell lines. Conclusion Our results identified cisplatin resistant subpopulations of NSCLC cells with a putative stem-like signature, providing a further understanding of the cellular events associated with the cisplatin resistance phenotype in lung cancer. PMID:23349823

The centriole duplication cycle

PubMed Central

Fırat-Karalar, Elif Nur; Stearns, Tim

2014-01-01

Centrosomes are the main microtubule-organizing centre of animal cells and are important for many critical cellular and developmental processes from cell polarization to cell division. At the core of the centrosome are centrioles, which recruit pericentriolar material to form the centrosome and act as basal bodies to nucleate formation of cilia and flagella. Defects in centriole structure, function and number are associated with a variety of human diseases, including cancer, brain diseases and ciliopathies. In this review, we discuss recent advances in our understanding of how new centrioles are assembled and how centriole number is controlled. We propose a general model for centriole duplication control in which cooperative binding of duplication factors defines a centriole ‘origin of duplication’ that initiates duplication, and passage through mitosis effects changes that license the centriole for a new round of duplication in the next cell cycle. We also focus on variations on the general theme in which many centrioles are created in a single cell cycle, including the specialized structures associated with these variations, the deuterosome in animal cells and the blepharoplast in lower plant cells. PMID:25047614

Reproducible fashion of the HSP70B' promoter-induced cytotoxic response on a live cell-based biosensor by cell cycle synchronization.

PubMed

Migita, Satoshi; Wada, Ken-Ichi; Taniguchi, Akiyoshi

2010-10-15

Live cell-based sensors potentially provide functional information about the cytotoxic effect of reagents on various signaling cascades. Cells transfected with a reporter vector derived from a cytotoxic response promoter can be used as intelligent cytotoxicity sensors (i.e., sensor cells). We have combined sensor cells and a microfluidic cell culture system that can achieve several laminar flows, resulting in a reliable high-throughput cytotoxicity detection system. These sensor cells can also be applied to single cell arrays. However, it is difficult to detect a cellular response in a single cell array, due to the heterogeneous response of sensor cells. The objective of this study was cell homogenization with cell cycle synchronization to enhance the response of cell-based biosensors. Our previously established stable sensor cells were brought into cell cycle synchronization under serum-starved conditions and we then investigated the cadmium chloride-induced cytotoxic response at the single cell level. The GFP positive rate of synchronized cells was approximately twice as high as that of the control cells, suggesting that cell homogenization is an important step when using cell-based biosensors with microdevices, such as a single cell array. Copyright 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Targeting the Human Papillomavirus E6 and E7 Oncogenes through Expression of the Bovine Papillomavirus Type 1 E2 Protein Stimulates Cellular Motility▿†

PubMed Central

Morrison, Monique A.; Morreale, Richard J.; Akunuru, Shailaja; Kofron, Matthew; Zheng, Yi; Wells, Susanne I.

2011-01-01

Expression of the high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) E6 and E7 oncogenes is essential for the initiation and maintenance of cervical cancer. The repression of both was previously shown to result in activation of their respective tumor suppressor targets, p53 and pRb, and subsequent senescence induction in cervical cancer cells. Consequently, viral oncogene suppression is a promising approach for the treatment of HPV-positive tumors. One well-established method of E6/E7 repression involves the reexpression of the viral E2 protein which is usually deleted in HPV-positive cancer cells. Here, we show that, surprisingly, bovine papillomavirus type 1 (BPV1) E2 but not RNA interference-mediated E6/E7 repression in HPV-positive cervical cancer cells stimulates cellular motility and invasion. Migration correlated with the dynamic formation of cellular protrusions and was dependent upon cell-to-cell contact. While E2-expressing migratory cells were senescent, migration was not a general feature of cellular senescence or cell cycle arrest and was specifically observed in HPV-positive cervical cancer cells. Interestingly, E2-expressing cells not only were themselves motile but also conferred increased motility to admixed HeLa cervical cancer cells. Together, our data suggest that repression of the viral oncogenes by E2 stimulates the motility of E6/E7-targeted cells as well as adjacent nontargeted cancer cells, thus raising the possibility that E2 expression may unfavorably increase the local invasiveness of HPV-positive tumors. PMID:21835799

cis Retinol oxidation regulates photoreceptor access to the retina visual cycle and cone pigment regeneration

PubMed Central

Sato, Shinya

2016-01-01

Key points This study explores the nature of the cis retinol that Müller cells in the retina provide to cones for the regeneration of their visual pigment.We report that the retina visual cycle provides cones exclusively with 11‐cis chromophore in both salamander and mouse and show that this selectivity is dependent on the 11‐cis‐specific cellular retinaldehyde binding protein (CRALBP) present in Müller cells.Even though salamander blue cones and green rods share the same visual pigment, only blue cones but not green rods are able to dark‐adapt in the retina following a bleach and to use exogenous 9‐cis retinol for pigment regeneration, suggesting that access to the retina visual cycle is cone‐specific and pigment‐independent.Our results show that the retina produces 11‐cis retinol that can be oxidized and used for pigment regeneration and dark adaptation selectively in cones and not in rods. Abstract Chromophore supply by the retinal Müller cells (retina visual cycle) supports the efficient pigment regeneration required for cone photoreceptor function in bright light. Surprisingly, a large fraction of the chromophore produced by dihydroceramide desaturase‐1, the putative all‐trans retinol isomerase in Müller cells, appears to be 9‐cis retinol. In contrast, the canonical retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) visual cycle produces exclusively 11‐cis retinal. Here, we used the different absorption spectra of 9‐cis and 11‐cis pigments to identify the isoform of the chromophore produced by the visual cycle of the intact retina. We found that the spectral sensitivity of salamander and mouse cones dark‐adapted in the isolated retina (with only the retina visual cycle) was similar to that of cones dark‐adapted in the intact eye (with both the RPE and retina visual cycles) and consistent with pure 11‐cis pigment composition. However, in mice lacking the cellular retinaldehyde binding protein (CRALBP), cone spectral sensitivity contained a substantial 9‐cis component. Thus, the retina visual cycle provides cones exclusively with 11‐cis chromophore and this process is mediated by the 11‐cis selective CRALBP in Müller cells. Finally, despite sharing the same pigment, salamander blue cones, but not green rods, recovered their sensitivity in the isolated retina. Exogenous 9‐cis retinol produced robust sensitivity recovery in bleached red and blue cones but not in red and green rods, suggesting that cis retinol oxidation restricts access to the retina visual cycle to cones. PMID:27385534

Scorpion (Androctonus bicolor) venom exhibits cytotoxicity and induces cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in breast and colorectal cancer cell lines

PubMed Central

Al-Asmari, Abdulrahman K.; Riyasdeen, Anvarbatcha; Abbasmanthiri, Rajamohamed; Arshaduddin, Mohammed; Al-Harthi, Fahad Ali

2016-01-01

Objectives: The defective apoptosis is believed to play a major role in the survival and proliferation of neoplastic cells. Hence, the induction of apoptosis in cancer cells is one of the targets for cancer treatment. Researchers are considering scorpion venom as a potent natural source for cancer treatment because it contains many bioactive compounds. The main objective of the current study is to evaluate the anticancer property of Androctonus bicolor scorpion venom on cancer cells. Materials and Methods: Scorpions were milked by electrical stimulation of telsons and lyophilized. The breast (MDA-MB-231) and colorectal (HCT-8) cancer cells were maintained in appropriate condition. The venom cytotoxicity was assessed by 3-(4,5-di-methylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide assay, and the cellular and nuclear changes were studied with propidium iodide and 4’,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole stain, respectively. The cell cycle arrest was examined using muse cell analyzer. Results: The A. bicolor venom exerted cytotoxic effects on MDA-MB-231 and HCT-8 cells in a dose- and duration-dependent manner and induced apoptotic cell death. The treatment with this venom arrests the cancer cells in G0/G1 phase of cell cycle. Conclusions: The venom selectively induces the rate of apoptosis in MDA-MB-231 and HCT-8 cells as reflected by morphological and cell cycle studies. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first scientific evidence demonstrating the induction of apoptosis and cell cycle arrest by A. bicolor scorpion venom. PMID:27721540

Scorpion (Androctonus bicolor) venom exhibits cytotoxicity and induces cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in breast and colorectal cancer cell lines.

PubMed

Al-Asmari, Abdulrahman K; Riyasdeen, Anvarbatcha; Abbasmanthiri, Rajamohamed; Arshaduddin, Mohammed; Al-Harthi, Fahad Ali

2016-01-01

The defective apoptosis is believed to play a major role in the survival and proliferation of neoplastic cells. Hence, the induction of apoptosis in cancer cells is one of the targets for cancer treatment. Researchers are considering scorpion venom as a potent natural source for cancer treatment because it contains many bioactive compounds. The main objective of the current study is to evaluate the anticancer property of Androctonus bicolor scorpion venom on cancer cells. Scorpions were milked by electrical stimulation of telsons and lyophilized. The breast (MDA-MB-231) and colorectal (HCT-8) cancer cells were maintained in appropriate condition. The venom cytotoxicity was assessed by 3-(4,5-di-methylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide assay, and the cellular and nuclear changes were studied with propidium iodide and 4',6-diamidino-2-phenylindole stain, respectively. The cell cycle arrest was examined using muse cell analyzer. The A. bicolor venom exerted cytotoxic effects on MDA-MB-231 and HCT-8 cells in a dose- and duration-dependent manner and induced apoptotic cell death. The treatment with this venom arrests the cancer cells in G0/G1 phase of cell cycle. The venom selectively induces the rate of apoptosis in MDA-MB-231 and HCT-8 cells as reflected by morphological and cell cycle studies. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first scientific evidence demonstrating the induction of apoptosis and cell cycle arrest by A. bicolor scorpion venom.

Increased leaf mesophyll porosity following transient retinoblastoma-related protein silencing is revealed by microcomputed tomography imaging and leads to a system-level physiological response to the altered cell division pattern

PubMed Central

Dorca-Fornell, Carmen; Pajor, Radoslaw; Lehmeier, Christoph; Pérez-Bueno, Marísa; Bauch, Marion; Sloan, Jen; Osborne, Colin; Rolfe, Stephen; Sturrock, Craig; Mooney, Sacha; Fleming, Andrew

2013-01-01

The causal relationship between cell division and growth in plants is complex. Although altered expression of cell-cycle genes frequently leads to altered organ growth, there are many examples where manipulation of the division machinery leads to a limited outcome at the level of organ form, despite changes in constituent cell size. One possibility, which has been under-explored, is that altered division patterns resulting from manipulation of cell-cycle gene expression alter the physiology of the organ, and that this has an effect on growth. We performed a series of experiments on retinoblastoma-related protein (RBR), a well characterized regulator of the cell cycle, to investigate the outcome of altered cell division on leaf physiology. Our approach involved combination of high-resolution microCT imaging and physiological analysis with a transient gene induction system, providing a powerful approach for the study of developmental physiology. Our investigation identifies a new role for RBR in mesophyll differentiation that affects tissue porosity and the distribution of air space within the leaf. The data demonstrate the importance of RBR in early leaf development and the extent to which physiology adapts to modified cellular architecture resulting from altered cell-cycle gene expression. PMID:24118480

Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 Vpr induces cell cycle G2 arrest through Srk1/MK2-mediated phosphorylation of Cdc25.

PubMed

Huard, Sylvain; Elder, Robert T; Liang, Dong; Li, Ge; Zhao, Richard Y

2008-03-01

Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) Vpr induces cell cycle G(2) arrest in fission yeast (Schizosaccharomyces pombe) and mammalian cells, suggesting the cellular pathway(s) targeted by Vpr is conserved among eukaryotes. Our previous studies in fission yeast demonstrated that Vpr induces G(2) arrest in part through inhibition of Cdc25, a Cdc2-specific phosphatase that promotes G(2)/M transition. The goal of this study was to further elucidate molecular mechanism underlying the inhibitory effect of Vpr on Cdc25. We show here that, similar to the DNA checkpoint controls, expression of vpr promotes subcellular relocalization of Cdc25 from nuclear to cytoplasm and thereby prevents activation of Cdc2 by Cdc25. Vpr-induced nuclear exclusion of Cdc25 appears to depend on the serine/threonine phosphorylation of Cdc25 and the presence of Rad24/14-3-3 protein, since amino acid substitutions of the nine possible phosphorylation sites of Cdc25 with Ala (9A) or deletion of the rad24 gene abolished nuclear exclusion induced by Vpr. Interestingly, Vpr is still able to promote Cdc25 nuclear export in mutants defective in the checkpoints (rad3 and chk1/cds1), the kinases that are normally required for Cdc25 phosphorylation and nuclear exclusion of Cdc25, suggesting that others kinase(s) might modulate phosphorylation of Cdc25 for the Vpr-induced G(2) arrest. We report here that this kinase is Srk1. Deletion of the srk1 gene blocks the nuclear exclusion of Cdc25 caused by Vpr. Overexpression of srk1 induces cell elongation, an indication of cell cycle G(2) delay, in a similar fashion to Vpr; however, no additive effect of cell elongation was observed when srk1 and vpr were coexpressed, indicating Srk1 and Vpr are likely affecting the cell cycle G(2)/M transition through the same cellular pathway. Immunoprecipitation further shows that Vpr and Srk1 are part of the same protein complex. Consistent with our findings in fission yeast, depletion of the MK2 gene, a human homologue of Srk1, either by small interfering RNA or an MK2 inhibitor suppresses Vpr-induced cell cycle G(2) arrest in mammalian cells. Collectively, our data suggest that Vpr induces cell cycle G(2) arrest at least in part through a Srk1/MK2-mediated mechanism.

PDGF-AA-induced filamentous mitochondria benefit dermal papilla cells in cellular migration.

PubMed

Mifude, C; Kaseda, K

2015-06-01

Human dermal papilla cells (HDPCs) play essential roles in hair follicular morphogenesis and postnatal hair growth cycles. Previous reports demonstrated that platelet-derived growth factor-AA (PDGF-AA) enhanced the formation of dermal condensates in hair follicular development. Additionally, PDGF-AA induces/maintains the anagen phase of the hair cycle. It is likely that mitochondrial morphology and functions are tightly coupled with maintenance of these energy-demanding activities. However, little is known about the mitochondrial regulation in HDPCs. Thus, we investigated the PDGF-involved mitochondrial regulation in HDPCs. The mitochondrial morphologies of HDPCs were examined in the presence or absence of PDGF-AA under a fluorescent microscope. ATP production and cellular motility were investigated. The relationship between mitochondrial morphology and the cellular functions was discussed. We observed that primary HDPCs contained mitochondria with filamentous and/or rounded morphologies. Both types of mitochondria showed similar membrane potentials. Interestingly, in the presence of PDGF-AA, but not PDGF-BB, the balance between the two morphologies shifted towards the filamentous form. Concomitantly, both mitochondrial enzymatic activity and total cellular ATP level were augmented by PDGF-AA. These two parameters were closely correlated, suggesting the mitochondrial involvement in the PDGF-augmented ATP production. Moreover, PDGF-AA accelerated the migration of HDPCs in a gap-filling assay, but did not change the rate of cellular proliferation. Notably, filamentous mitochondria dominated migrating HDPCs. PDGF-AA benefits HDPCs in the process of migration, by increasing the number of filamentous mitochondria. © 2014 Society of Cosmetic Scientists and the Société Française de Cosmétologie.

Development of cell-cycle checkpoint therapy for solid tumors.

PubMed

Tamura, Kenji

2015-12-01

Cellular proliferation is tightly controlled by several cell-cycle checkpoint proteins. In cancer, the genes encoding these proteins are often disrupted and cause unrestrained cancer growth. The proteins are over-expressed in many malignancies; thus, they are potential targets for anti-cancer therapies. These proteins include cyclin-dependent kinase, checkpoint kinase, WEE1 kinase, aurora kinase and polo-like kinase. Cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors are the most advanced cell-cycle checkpoint therapeutics available. For instance, palbociclib (PD0332991) is a first-in-class, oral, highly selective inhibitor of CDK4/6 and, in combination with letrozole (Phase II; PALOMA-1) or with fulvestrant (Phase III; PALOMA-3), it has significantly prolonged progression-free survival, in patients with metastatic estrogen receptor-positive, HER2-negative breast cancer, in comparison with that observed in patients using letrozole, or fulvestrant alone, respectively. In this review, we provide an overview of the current compounds available for cell-cycle checkpoint protein-directed therapy for solid tumors. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Functional analyses of interacting factors involved in both pre-mRNA splicing and cell cycle progression in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

PubMed Central

Russell, C S; Ben-Yehuda, S; Dix, I; Kupiec, M; Beggs, J D

2000-01-01

Through a genetic screen to search for factors that interact with Prp17/Cdc40p, a protein involved in both cell cycle progression and pre-mRNA splicing, we identify three novel factors, which we call Syf1p, Syf2p, and Syf3 (SYnthetic lethal with cdc Forty). Here we present evidence that all three proteins are spliceosome associated, that they associate weakly or transiently with U6 and U5 snRNAs, and that Syf1p and Syf3p (also known as Clf1p) are required for pre-mRNA splicing. In addition we show that depletion of Syf1p or Syf3p results in cell cycle arrest at the G2/M transition. Thus, like Prp17/Cdc40p, Syf1p and Syf3p are involved in two distinct cellular processes. We discuss the likelihood that Syf1p, Syf2p, and Syf3p are components of a protein complex that assembles into spliceosomes and also regulates cell cycle progression. PMID:11105756

Functional analyses of interacting factors involved in both pre-mRNA splicing and cell cycle progression in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

PubMed

Russell, C S; Ben-Yehuda, S; Dix, I; Kupiec, M; Beggs, J D

2000-11-01

Through a genetic screen to search for factors that interact with Prp17/Cdc40p, a protein involved in both cell cycle progression and pre-mRNA splicing, we identify three novel factors, which we call Syf1p, Syf2p, and Syf3 (SYnthetic lethal with cdc Forty). Here we present evidence that all three proteins are spliceosome associated, that they associate weakly or transiently with U6 and U5 snRNAs, and that Syf1p and Syf3p (also known as Clf1p) are required for pre-mRNA splicing. In addition we show that depletion of Syf1p or Syf3p results in cell cycle arrest at the G2/M transition. Thus, like Prp17/Cdc40p, Syf1p and Syf3p are involved in two distinct cellular processes. We discuss the likelihood that Syf1p, Syf2p, and Syf3p are components of a protein complex that assembles into spliceosomes and also regulates cell cycle progression.

RAD9-dependent G1 arrest defines a second checkpoint for damaged DNA in the cell cycle of Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

PubMed

Siede, W; Friedberg, A S; Friedberg, E C

1993-09-01

Exposure of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae to ultraviolet (UV) light, the UV-mimetic chemical 4-nitroquinoline-1-oxide (4NQO), or gamma radiation after release from G1 arrest induced by alpha factor results in delayed resumption of the cell cycle. As is the case with G2 arrest following ionizing radiation damage [Weinert, T. A. & Hartwell, L. H. (1988) Science 241, 317-322], the normal execution of DNA damage-induced G1 arrest depends on a functional yeast RAD9 gene. We suggest that the RAD9 gene product may interact with cellular components common to the G1/S and G2/M transition points in the cell cycle of this yeast. These observations define a checkpoint in the eukaryotic cell cycle that may facilitate the repair of lesions that are otherwise processed to lethal and/or mutagenic damage during DNA replication. This checkpoint apparently operates after the mating pheromone-induced G1 arrest point but prior to replicative DNA synthesis, S phase-associated maximal induction of histone H2A mRNA, and bud emergence.

Move or Die: the Fate of the Tax Oncoprotein of HTLV-1

PubMed Central

Lodewick, Julie; Lamsoul, Isabelle; Bex, Françoise

2011-01-01

The HTLV-1 Tax protein both activates viral replication and is involved in HTLV-1-mediated transformation of T lymphocytes. The transforming properties of Tax include altering the expression of select cellular genes via activation of cellular pathways and perturbation of both cell cycle control mechanisms and apoptotic signals. The recent discovery that Tax undergoes a hierarchical sequence of posttranslational modifications that control its intracellular localization provides provocative insights into the mechanisms regulating Tax transcriptional and transforming activities. PMID:21994756

Herpes simplex virus 1 regulatory protein ICP22 interacts with a new cell cycle-regulated factor and accumulates in a cell cycle-dependent fashion in infected cells.

PubMed

Bruni, R; Roizman, B

1998-11-01

The herpes simplex virus 1 infected cell protein 22 (ICP22), the product of the alpha22 gene, is a nucleotidylylated and phosphorylated nuclear protein with properties of a transcriptional factor required for the expression of a subset of viral genes. Here, we report the following. (i) ICP22 interacts with a previously unknown cellular factor designated p78 in the yeast two-hybrid system. The p78 cDNA encodes a polypeptide with a distribution of leucines reminiscent of a leucine zipper. (ii) In uninfected and infected cells, antibody to p78 reacts with two major bands with an apparent Mr of 78,000 and two minor bands with apparent Mrs of 62, 000 and 55,000. (ii) p78 also interacts with ICP22 in vitro. (iii) In uninfected cells, p78 was dispersed largely in the nucleoplasm in HeLa cells and in the nucleoplasm and cytoplasm in HEp-2 cells. After infection, p78 formed large dense bodies which did not colocalize with the viral regulatory protein ICP0. (iv) Accumulation of p78 was cell cycle dependent, being highest very early in S phase. (v) The accumulation of ICP22 in synchronized cells was highest in early S phase, in contrast to the accumulation of another protein, ICP27, which was relatively independent of the cell cycle. (vi) In the course of the cell cycle, ICP22 was transiently modified in an aberrant fashion, and this modification coincided with expression of p78. The results suggest that ICP22 interacts with and may be stabilized by cell cycle-dependent proteins.

Cellular basis of neuroepithelial bending during mouse spinal neural tube closure

PubMed Central

McShane, Suzanne G.; Molè, Matteo A.; Savery, Dawn; Greene, Nicholas D. E; Tam, Patrick P.L.; Copp, Andrew J.

2015-01-01

Summary Bending of the neural plate at paired dorsolateral hinge points (DLHPs) is required for neural tube closure in the spinal region of the mouse embryo. As a step towards understanding the morphogenetic mechanism of DLHP development, we examined variations in neural plate cellular architecture and proliferation during closure. Neuroepithelial cells within the median hinge point (MHP) contain nuclei that are mainly basally located and undergo relatively slow proliferation, with a 7 h cell cycle length. In contrast, cells in the dorsolateral neuroepithelium, including the DLHP, exhibit nuclei distributed throughout the apico-basal axis and undergo rapid proliferation, with a 4 h cell cycle length. As the neural folds elevate, cell numbers increase to a greater extent in the dorsolateral neural plate that contacts the surface ectoderm, compared with the more ventromedial neural plate where cells contact paraxial mesoderm and notochord. This marked increase in dorsolateral cell number cannot be accounted for solely on the basis of enhanced cell proliferation in this region. We hypothesised that neuroepithelial cells may translocate in a ventral-to-dorsal direction as DLHP formation occurs, and this was confirmed by vital cell labelling in cultured embryos. The translocation of cells into the neural fold, together with its more rapid cell proliferation, leads to an increase in cell density dorsolaterally compared with the more ventromedial neural plate. These findings suggest a model in which DLHP formation may proceed through ‘buckling’ of the neuroepithelium at a dorso-ventral boundary marked by a change in cell-packing density. PMID:26079577

Epstein-Barr Viral Productive Amplification Reprograms Nuclear Architecture, DNA Replication and Histone Deposition

PubMed Central

Chiu, Ya-Fang; Sugden, Arthur U.; Sugden, Bill

2014-01-01

Summary The spontaneous transition of Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) from latency to productive infection is infrequent, making its analysis in the resulting mixed cell populations difficult. We engineered cells to support this transition efficiently and developed EBV DNA variants that could be visualized and measured as fluorescent signals over multiple cell cycles. This approach revealed that EBV’s productive replication began synchronously for viral DNAs within a cell but asynchronously between cells. EBV DNA amplification was delayed until early S-phase and occurred in factories characterized by the absence of cellular DNA and histones, by a sequential redistribution of PCNA, and by localization away from the nuclear periphery. The earliest amplified DNAs lacked histones accompanying a decline in four histone chaperones. Thus, EBV transitions from being dependent on the cellular replication machinery during latency to commandeering both that machinery and nuclear structure for its own reproductive needs. PMID:24331459

A super-assembly of Whi3 encodes memory of deceptive encounters by single cells during yeast courtship.

PubMed

Caudron, Fabrice; Barral, Yves

2013-12-05

Cellular behavior is frequently influenced by the cell's history, indicating that single cells may memorize past events. We report that budding yeast permanently escape pheromone-induced cell-cycle arrest when experiencing a deceptive mating attempt, i.e., not reaching their putative partner within reasonable time. This acquired behavior depends on super-assembly and inactivation of the G1/S inhibitor Whi3, which liberates the G1 cyclin Cln3 from translational inhibition. Super-assembly of Whi3 is a slow response to pheromone, driven by polyQ and polyN domains, counteracted by Hsp70, and stable over generations. Unlike prion aggregates, Whi3 super-assemblies are not inherited mitotically but segregate to the mother cell. We propose that such polyQ- and polyN-based elements, termed here mnemons, act as cellular memory devices to encode previous environmental conditions. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Different cell responses induced by exposure to maghemite nanoparticles.

PubMed

Luengo, Yurena; Nardecchia, Stefania; Morales, María Puerto; Serrano, M Concepción

2013-12-07

Recent advances in nanotechnology have permitted the development of a wide repertoire of inorganic magnetic nanoparticles (NPs) with extensive promise for biomedical applications. Despite this remarkable potential, many questions still arise concerning the biocompatible nature of NPs when in contact with biological systems. Herein, we have investigated how controlled changes in the physicochemical properties of iron oxide NPs at their surface (i.e., surface charge and hydrodynamic size) affect, first, their interaction with cell media components and, subsequently, cell responses to NP exposure. For that purpose, we have prepared iron oxide NPs with three different coatings (i.e., dimercaptosuccinic acid - DMSA, (3-aminopropyl)triethoxysilane - APS and dextran) and explored the response of two different cell types, murine L929 fibroblasts and human Saos-2 osteoblasts, to their exposure. Interestingly, different cell responses were found depending on the NP concentration, surface charge and cell type. In this sense, neutral NPs, as those coated with dextran, induced negligible cell damage, as their cellular internalization was significantly reduced. In contrast, surface-charged NPs (i.e., those coated with DMSA and APS) caused significant cellular changes in viability, morphology and cell cycle under certain culture conditions, as a result of a more active cellular internalization. These results also revealed a particular cellular ability to detect and remember the original physicochemical properties of the NPs, despite the formation of a protein corona when incubated in culture media. Overall, conclusions from these studies are of crucial interest for future biomedical applications of iron oxide NPs.

Combined RAF1 protein expression and p53 mutational status provides a strong predictor of cellular radiosensitivity

PubMed Central

Warenius, H M; Jones, M; Gorman, T; McLeish, R; Seabra, L; Barraclough, R; Rudland, P

2000-01-01

The tumour suppressor gene, p53, and genes coding for positive signal transduction factors can influence transit through cell-cycle checkpoints and modulate radiosensitivity. Here we examine the effects of RAF1 protein on the rate of exit from a G2/M block induced by γ-irradiation in relation to intrinsic cellular radiosensitivity in human cell lines expressing wild-type p53 (wtp53) protein as compared to mutant p53 (mutp53) protein. Cell lines which expressed mutp53 protein were all relatively radioresistant and exhibited no relationship between RAF1 protein and cellular radiosensitivity. Cell lines expressing wtp53 protein, however, showed a strong relationship between RAF1 protein levels and the radiosensitivity parameter SF2. In addition, when post-irradiation perturbation of G2/M transit was compared using the parameter T50 (time after the peak of G2/M delay at which 50% of the cells had exited from a block induced by 2 Gy of irradiation), RAF1 was related to T50 in wtp53, but not mutp53, cell lines. Cell lines which expressed wtp53 protein and high levels of RAF1 had shorter T50s and were also more radiosensitive. These results suggest a cooperative role for wtp53 and RAF1 protein in determining cellular radiosensitivity in human cells, which involves control of the G2/M checkpoint. © 2000 Cancer Research Campaign PMID:10993658

Senescence-like Phenotypes in Human Nevi

PubMed Central

Joselow, Andrew; Lynn, Darren; Terzian, Tamara; Box, Neil F.

2016-01-01

Summary Cellular senescence is an irreversible arrest of cell proliferation at the G1 stage of the cell cycle in which cells become refractory to growth stimuli. Senescence is a critical and potent defense mechanism that mammalian cells have to suppress tumors. While there are many ways to induce a senescence response, oncogene-induced senescence (OIS) remains key to inhibiting progression of cells that have acquired oncogenic mutations. In primary cells in culture, OIS induces a set of measurable phenotypic and behavioral changes, in addition to cell cycle exit. Senescence-associated β-Galactosidase (SA-β-Gal) activity is a main hallmark of senescent cells, along with morphological changes that may depend on the oncogene that is activated, or on the primary cell type. Characteristic cellular changes of senescence include increased size, flattening, multi-nucleation, and extensive vacuolation. At the molecular level, tumor suppressor genes such as p53 and p16INK4a may play a role in initiation or maintenance of OIS. Activation of a DNA damage response and a senescence-associated secretory phenotype could delineate the onset of senescence. Despite advances in our understanding of how OIS suppresses some tumor types, the in vivo role of OIS in melanocytic nevi and melanoma remains poorly understood and not validated. In an effort to stimulate research in this field, we review in this chapter the known markers of senescence and provide experimental protocols for their identification by immunofluorescent staining in melanocytic nevi and malignant melanoma. PMID:27812879

MicroRNA-205 targets SMAD4 in non-small cell lung cancer and promotes lung cancer cell growth in vitro and in vivo.

PubMed

Zeng, Yuanyuan; Zhu, Jianjie; Shen, Dan; Qin, Hualong; Lei, Zhe; Li, Wei; Liu, Zeyi; Huang, Jian-An

2017-05-09

Despite advances in diagnosis and treatment, the survival of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients remains poor; therefore, improved understanding of the disease mechanism and novel treatment strategies are needed. Downregulation of SMAD4 and dysregulated expression of miR-205 have been reported. However, the relationship between them remains unclear. We investigated the effect of microRNA (miR)-205 on the expression of SMAD4 in NSCLC. Knockdown and overexpression of SMAD4 promoted or suppressed cellular viability and proliferation, and accelerated or inhibited the cell cycle in NSCLC cells, respectively. The 3'-untranslated region (3'-UTR) of SMAD4 was predicted as a target of miR-205. Luciferase assays validated that miR-205 binds directly to the SMAD4 3'-UTR. Protein and mRNA expression analyses confirmed that miR-205 overexpression in NSCLC cells inhibited the expression of SMAD4 mRNA and protein. In human NSCLC tissues, increased miR-205 expression was observed frequently and was inversely correlated with decreased SMAD4 expression. Ectopic expression of miR-205 in NSCLC cells suppressed cellular viability and proliferation, accelerated the cell cycle, and promoted tumor growth of lung carcinoma xenografts in nude mice. Our study showed that miR-205 decreased SMAD4 expression, thus promoting NSCLC cell growth. Our findings highlighted the therapeutic potential of targeting miR-205 in NSCLC treatment.

MicroRNA-205 targets SMAD4 in non-small cell lung cancer and promotes lung cancer cell growth in vitro and in vivo

PubMed Central

Qin, Hualong; Lei, Zhe; Li, Wei; Liu, Zeyi; Huang, Jian-an

2017-01-01

Despite advances in diagnosis and treatment, the survival of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients remains poor; therefore, improved understanding of the disease mechanism and novel treatment strategies are needed. Downregulation of SMAD4 and dysregulated expression of miR-205 have been reported. However, the relationship between them remains unclear. We investigated the effect of microRNA (miR)-205 on the expression of SMAD4 in NSCLC. Knockdown and overexpression of SMAD4 promoted or suppressed cellular viability and proliferation, and accelerated or inhibited the cell cycle in NSCLC cells, respectively. The 3′-untranslated region (3′-UTR) of SMAD4 was predicted as a target of miR-205. Luciferase assays validated that miR-205 binds directly to the SMAD4 3′-UTR. Protein and mRNA expression analyses confirmed that miR-205 overexpression in NSCLC cells inhibited the expression of SMAD4 mRNA and protein. In human NSCLC tissues, increased miR-205 expression was observed frequently and was inversely correlated with decreased SMAD4 expression. Ectopic expression of miR-205 in NSCLC cells suppressed cellular viability and proliferation, accelerated the cell cycle, and promoted tumor growth of lung carcinoma xenografts in nude mice. Our study showed that miR-205 decreased SMAD4 expression, thus promoting NSCLC cell growth. Our findings highlighted the therapeutic potential of targeting miR-205 in NSCLC treatment. PMID:28199217

MUC4 Regulates Cellular Senescence in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma (HNSCC) through p16/Rb Pathway

PubMed Central

Macha, Muzafar A.; Rachagani, Satyanarayana; Pai, Priya; Gupta, Suprit; Lydiatt, Williams M.; Smith, Russell B.; Johansson, Sonny L.; Lele, Subodh M.; Kakar, Sham S.; Lee, John H.; Meza, Jane; Ganti, Apar K.; Jain, Maneesh; Batra, Surinder K.

2014-01-01

The limited effectiveness of therapy for patients with advanced stage Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma (HNSCC) or recurrent disease is a reflection of an incomplete understanding of the molecular basis of HNSCC pathogenesis. MUC4, a high molecular weight glycoprotein, is differentially overexpressed in many human cancers and implicated in cancer progression and resistance to several chemotherapies. However its clinical relevance and the molecular mechanisms through which it mediates HNSCC progression are not well understood. The present study revealed a significant up-regulation of MUC4 in 78% (68/87) of HNSCC tissues compared to 10% (1/10) in benign samples [p= 0.006, OR (95% C.I) = 10.74 (2.0 - 57.56)]. MUC4 knockdown (KD) in SCC1 and SCC10B HNSCC cell lines resulted in significant inhibition of growth in vitro and in vivo, increased senescence as indicated by an increase in the number of flat, enlarged and senescence-associated β-galactosidase (SA-β-Gal) positive cells. Decreased cellular proliferation was associated with G0/G1 cell cycle arrest and decrease expression of cell cycle regulatory proteins like cyclin E, cyclin D1 and decrease in BrdU incorporation. Mechanistic studies revealed upregulation of p16, pRb dephosphorylation and its interaction with HDAC1/2. This resulted in decreased histone acetylation (H3K9) at Cyclin E promoter leading to its downregulation. Orthotropic implantation of MUC4 KD SCC1 cells into the floor of the mouth of nude mice resulted in the formation of significantly small tumors (170±18.30 mg) compared to bigger tumors (375 ±17.29 mg) formed by control cells (p= 0.00007). In conclusion, our findings showed that MUC4 overexpression plays a critical role by regulating proliferation and cellular senescence of HNSCC cells. Downregulation of MUC4 may be a promising therapeutic approach for treating HNSCC patients. PMID:24747969

MUC4 regulates cellular senescence in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma through p16/Rb pathway.

PubMed

Macha, M A; Rachagani, S; Pai, P; Gupta, S; Lydiatt, W M; Smith, R B; Johansson, S L; Lele, S M; Kakar, S S; Farghaly, H; Lee, J H; Meza, J; Ganti, A K; Jain, M; Batra, S K

2015-03-26

The limited effectiveness of therapy for patients with advanced stage head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) or recurrent disease is a reflection of an incomplete understanding of the molecular basis of HNSCC pathogenesis. MUC4, a high molecular weight glycoprotein, is differentially overexpressed in many human cancers and implicated in cancer progression and resistance to several chemotherapies. However, its clinical relevance and the molecular mechanisms through which it mediates HNSCC progression are not well understood. This study revealed a significant upregulation of MUC4 in 78% (68/87) of HNSCC tissues compared with 10% positivity (1/10) in benign samples (P=0.006, odds ratio (95% confidence interval)=10.74 (2.0-57.56). MUC4 knockdown (KD) in SCC1 and SCC10B HNSCC cell lines resulted in significant inhibition of growth in vitro and in vivo, increased senescence as indicated by an increase in the number of flat, enlarged and senescence-associated β-galactosidase (SA-β-Gal)-positive cells. Decreased cellular proliferation was associated with G0/G1 cell cycle arrest and decrease expression of cell cycle regulatory proteins like cyclin E, cyclin D1 and decrease in BrdU incorporation. Mechanistic studies revealed upregulation of p16, pRb dephosphorylation and its interaction with histone deacetylase 1/2. This resulted in decreased histone acetylation (H3K9) at cyclin E promoter leading to its downregulation. Orthotopic implantation of MUC4 KD SCC1 cells into the floor of the mouth in nude mice resulted in the formation of significantly smaller tumors (170±18.30 mg) compared to those (375±17.29 mg) formed by control cells (P=0.00007). In conclusion, our findings showed that MUC4 overexpression has a critical role by regulating proliferation and cellular senescence of HNSCC cells. Downregulation of MUC4 may be a promising therapeutic approach for treating HNSCC patients.

Quantitative analysis of cellular proteome alterations in human influenza A virus-infected mammalian cell lines.

PubMed

Vester, Diana; Rapp, Erdmann; Gade, Dörte; Genzel, Yvonne; Reichl, Udo

2009-06-01

Over the last years virus-host cell interactions were investigated in numerous studies. Viral strategies for evasion of innate immune response, inhibition of cellular protein synthesis and permission of viral RNA and protein production were disclosed. With quantitative proteome technology, comprehensive studies concerning the impact of viruses on the cellular machinery of their host cells at protein level are possible. Therefore, 2-D DIGE and nanoHPLC-nanoESI-MS/MS analysis were used to qualitatively and quantitatively determine the dynamic cellular proteome responses of two mammalian cell lines to human influenza A virus infection. A cell line used for vaccine production (MDCK) was compared with a human lung carcinoma cell line (A549) as a reference model. Analyzing 2-D gels of the proteomes of uninfected and influenza-infected host cells, 16 quantitatively altered protein spots (at least +/-1.7-fold change in relative abundance, p<0.001) were identified for both cell lines. Most significant changes were found for keratins, major components of the cytoskeleton system, and for Mx proteins, interferon-induced key components of the host cell defense. Time series analysis of infection processes allowed the identification of further proteins that are described to be involved in protein synthesis, signal transduction and apoptosis events. Most likely, these proteins are required for supporting functions during influenza viral life cycle or host cell stress response. Quantitative proteome-wide profiling of virus infection can provide insights into complexity and dynamics of virus-host cell interactions and may accelerate antiviral research and support optimization of vaccine manufacturing processes.

Short-term administration of rhGH increases markers of cellular proliferation but not milk protein gene expression in normal lactating women

PubMed Central

Maningat, Patricia D.; Sen, Partha; Rijnkels, Monique; Hadsell, Darryl L.; Bray, Molly S.

2011-01-01

Growth hormone is one of few pharmacologic agents known to augment milk production in humans. We hypothesized that recombinant human GH (rhGH) increases the expression of cell proliferation and milk protein synthesis genes. Sequential milk and blood samples collected over four days were obtained from five normal lactating women. Following 24 h of baseline milk and blood sampling, rhGH (0.1 mg/kg/day) was administered subcutaneously once daily for 3 days. Gene expression changes were determined by microarray studies utilizing milk fat globule RNA isolated from each milk sample. Following rhGH administration, DNA synthesis and cell cycle genes were induced, while no significant changes were observed in the expression of milk synthesis genes. Expression of glycolysis and citric acid cycle genes were increased by day 4 compared with day 1, while lipid synthesis genes displayed a circadian-like pattern. Cell cycle gene upregulation occurred after a lag of ∼2 days, likely explaining the failure to increase milk production after only 3 days of rhGH treatment. We conclude that rhGH induces expression of cellular proliferation and metabolism genes but does not induce milk protein gene expression, as potential mechanisms for increasing milk production and could account for the known effect of rhGH to increase milk production following 7–10 days. PMID:21205870

Ecotoxicological assessment of cobalt using Hydra model: ROS, oxidative stress, DNA damage, cell cycle arrest, and apoptosis as mechanisms of toxicity.

PubMed

Zeeshan, Mohammed; Murugadas, Anbazhagan; Ghaskadbi, Surendra; Ramaswamy, Babu Rajendran; Akbarsha, Mohammad Abdulkader

2017-05-01

The mechanisms underlying cobalt toxicity in aquatic species in general and cnidarians in particular remain poorly understood. Herein we investigated cobalt toxicity in a Hydra model from morphological, histological, developmental, and molecular biological perspectives. Hydra, exposed to cobalt (0-60 mg/L), were altered in morphology, histology, and regeneration. Exposure to standardized sublethal doses of cobalt impaired feeding by affecting nematocytes, which in turn affected reproduction. At the cellular level, excessive ROS generation, as the principal mechanism of action, primarily occurred in the lysosomes, which was accompanied by the upregulation of expression of the antioxidant genes SOD, GST, GPx, and G6PD. The number of Hsp70 and FoxO transcripts also increased. Interestingly, the upregulations were higher in the 24-h than in the 48-h time-point group, indicating that ROS overwhelmed the cellular defense mechanisms at the latter time-point. Comet assay revealed DNA damage. Cell cycle analysis indicated the induction of apoptosis accompanied or not by cell cycle arrest. Immunoblot analyses revealed that cobalt treatment triggered mitochondria-mediated apoptosis as inferred from the modulation of the key proteins Bax, Bcl-2, and caspase-3. From this data, we suggest the use of Hydra as a model organism for the risk assessment of heavy metal pollution in aquatic ecosystems. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Local fibroblast proliferation but not influx is responsible for synovial hyperplasia in a murine model of rheumatoid arthritis

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Matsuo, Yusuke; Mizoguchi, Fumitaka; Saito, Tetsuya

Synovial fibroblasts play crucial roles in inflammation and joint destruction in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). How they accumulate in the RA joints remains unclear. This study was conducted to discern whether cellular influx from the outside of the joints and local proliferation are responsible for synovial fibroblast accumulation in an animal model of RA. We found that synovial fibroblasts were identified as GFP+ cells using collagen type I alpha 2 (Col1a2)-GFP transgenic reporter mice. Then, bone marrow transplantation and parabiosis techniques were utilized to study the cellular influx. Irradiated wild-type mice were transplanted with bone marrow from Col1a2-GFP mice. Col1a2-GFP andmore » wild-type mice were conjoined for parabiosis. The transplanted mice and the parabionts were subjected to collagen antibody-induced arthritis (CAIA). We found no GFP+ cells in the hyperplastic synovial tissues from the transplanted mice with CAIA and from the wild-type parabionts with CAIA. Furthermore, normal and CAIA synovial tissues from Col1a2-GFP mice and from fluorescent ubiquitination-based cell cycle indicator (Fucci) transgenic mice, in which cells in S/G{sub 2}/M phases of the cell cycle express Azami-Green, were studied for Ki67, a cellular proliferation marker, and vimentin, a fibroblast marker, expression. The percentages of Ki67+/GFP+ and Azami-Green+/vimentin+ cells in the CAIA synovial tissues were higher than those in the untreated synovial tissues (34% vs. 0.40% and 19% vs. 0.26%, respectively). These findings indicate that local fibroblast proliferation but not cellular influx is responsible for the synovial hyperplasia in CAIA. Suppression of proliferation of the local synovial fibroblasts should be a promising treatment for RA. - Highlights: • We studied how synovial fibroblasts accumulate in joints in a murine model of RA. • Bone marrow-derived cells did not accumulate in arthritic joints. • Synovial fibroblasts did not accumulate in arthritic joints via circulation. • Local proliferation was responsible for the synovial fibroblast accumulation.« less

Membraneless organelles can melt nucleic acid duplexes and act as biomolecular filters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nott, Timothy J.; Craggs, Timothy D.; Baldwin, Andrew J.

2016-06-01

Membraneless organelles are cellular compartments made from drops of liquid protein inside a cell. These compartments assemble via the phase separation of disordered regions of proteins in response to changes in the cellular environment and the cell cycle. Here we demonstrate that the solvent environment within the interior of these cellular bodies behaves more like an organic solvent than like water. One of the most-stable biological structures known, the DNA double helix, can be melted once inside the liquid droplet, and simultaneously structures formed from regulatory single-stranded nucleic acids are stabilized. Moreover, proteins are shown to have a wide range of absorption or exclusion from these bodies, and can act as importers for otherwise-excluded nucleic acids, which suggests the existence of a protein-mediated trafficking system. A common strategy in organic chemistry is to utilize different solvents to influence the behaviour of molecules and reactions. These results reveal that cells have also evolved this capability by exploiting the interiors of membraneless organelles.

Cell cycle G2/M arrest through an S phase-dependent mechanism by HIV-1 viral protein R.

PubMed

Li, Ge; Park, Hyeon U; Liang, Dong; Zhao, Richard Y

2010-07-07

Cell cycle G2 arrest induced by HIV-1 Vpr is thought to benefit viral proliferation by providing an optimized cellular environment for viral replication and by skipping host immune responses. Even though Vpr-induced G2 arrest has been studied extensively, how Vpr triggers G2 arrest remains elusive. To examine this initiation event, we measured the Vpr effect over a single cell cycle. We found that even though Vpr stops the cell cycle at the G2/M phase, but the initiation event actually occurs in the S phase of the cell cycle. Specifically, Vpr triggers activation of Chk1 through Ser345 phosphorylation in an S phase-dependent manner. The S phase-dependent requirement of Chk1-Ser345 phosphorylation by Vpr was confirmed by siRNA gene silencing and site-directed mutagenesis. Moreover, downregulation of DNA replication licensing factors Cdt1 by siRNA significantly reduced Vpr-induced Chk1-Ser345 phosphorylation and G2 arrest. Even though hydroxyurea (HU) and ultraviolet light (UV) also induce Chk1-Ser345 phosphorylation in S phase under the same conditions, neither HU nor UV-treated cells were able to pass through S phase, whereas vpr-expressing cells completed S phase and stopped at the G2/M boundary. Furthermore, unlike HU/UV, Vpr promotes Chk1- and proteasome-mediated protein degradations of Cdc25B/C for G2 induction; in contrast, Vpr had little or no effect on Cdc25A protein degradation normally mediated by HU/UV. These data suggest that Vpr induces cell cycle G2 arrest through a unique molecular mechanism that regulates host cell cycle regulation in an S-phase dependent fashion.

Cyclin C influences the timing of mitosis in fission yeast

PubMed Central

Banyai, Gabor; Szilagyi, Zsolt; Baraznenok, Vera; Khorosjutina, Olga; Gustafsson, Claes M.

2017-01-01

The multiprotein Mediator complex is required for the regulated transcription of nearly all RNA polymerase II–dependent genes. Mediator contains the Cdk8 regulatory subcomplex, which directs periodic transcription and influences cell cycle progression in fission yeast. Here we investigate the role of CycC, the cognate cyclin partner of Cdk8, in cell cycle control. Previous reports suggested that CycC interacts with other cellular Cdks, but a fusion of CycC to Cdk8 reported here did not cause any obvious cell cycle phenotypes. We find that Cdk8 and CycC interactions are stabilized within the Mediator complex and the activity of Cdk8-CycC is regulated by other Mediator components. Analysis of a mutant yeast strain reveals that CycC, together with Cdk8, primarily affects M-phase progression but mutations that release Cdk8 from CycC control also affect timing of entry into S phase. PMID:28515143

Macroenvironmental regulation of hair cycling and collective regenerative behavior.

PubMed

Plikus, Maksim V; Chuong, Cheng-Ming

2014-01-01

The hair follicle (HF) regeneration paradigm provides a unique opportunity for studying the collective behavior of stem cells in living animals. Activation of HF stem cells depends on the core inhibitory BMP and activating WNT signals operating within the HF microenvironment. Additionally, HFs receive multilayered signaling inputs from the extrafollicular macroenvironment, which includes dermis, adipocytes, neighboring HFs, hormones, and external stimuli. These activators/inhibitors are integrated across multiple stem-cell niches to produce dynamic hair growth patterns. Because of their pigmentation, these patterns can be easily studied on live shaved animals. Comparing to autonomous regeneration of one HF, populations of HFs display coupled decision making, allowing for more robust and adaptable regenerative behavior to occur collectively. The generic cellular automata model used to simulate coordinated HF cycling here can be extended to study population-level behavior of other complex biological systems made of cycling elements.

Macroenvironmental Regulation of Hair Cycling and Collective Regenerative Behavior

PubMed Central

Plikus, Maksim V.; Chuong, Cheng-Ming

2014-01-01

The hair follicle (HF) regeneration paradigm provides a unique opportunity for studying the collective behavior of stem cells in living animals. Activation of HF stem cells depends on the core inhibitory BMP and activating WNT signals operating within the HF microenvironment. Additionally, HFs receive multilayered signaling inputs from the extrafollicular macroenvironment, which includes dermis, adipocytes, neighboring HFs, hormones, and external stimuli. These activators/inhibitors are integrated across multiple stem-cell niches to produce dynamic hair growth patterns. Because of their pigmentation, these patterns can be easily studied on live shaved animals. Comparing to autonomous regeneration of one HF, populations of HFs display coupled decision making, allowing for more robust and adaptable regenerative behavior to occur collectively. The generic cellular automata model used to simulate coordinated HF cycling here can be extended to study population-level behavior of other complex biological systems made of cycling elements. PMID:24384813

Deoxyelephantopin from Elephantopus scaber L. induces cell-cycle arrest and apoptosis in the human nasopharyngeal cancer CNE cells

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Su, Miaoxian; Chung, Hau Yin, E-mail: anthonychung@cuhk.edu.hk; Food and Nutritional Sciences Programme, School of Life Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR

2011-07-29

Highlights: {yields} Deoxyelephantopin (ESD) inhibited cell proliferation in the human nasopharyngeal cancer CNE cells. {yields} ESD induced cell cycle arrest in S and G2/M phases via modulation of cell cycle regulatory proteins. {yields} ESD triggered apoptosis by dysfunction of mitochondria and induction of both intrinsic and extrinsic apoptotic signaling pathways. {yields} ESD also triggered Akt, ERK, and JNK signaling pathways. -- Abstract: Deoxyelephantopin (ESD), a naturally occurring sesquiterpene lactone present in the Chinese medicinal herb, Elephantopus scaber L. exerted anticancer effects on various cultured cancer cells. However, the cellular mechanisms by which it controls the development of the cancer cellsmore » are unavailable, particularly the human nasopharyngeal cancer CNE cells. In this study, we found that ESD inhibited the CNE cell proliferation. Cell cycle arrest in S and G2/M phases was also found. Western blotting analysis showed that modulation of cell cycle regulatory proteins was responsible for the ESD-induced cell cycle arrest. Besides, ESD also triggered apoptosis in CNE cells. Dysfunction in mitochondria was found to be associated with the ESD-induced apoptosis as evidenced by the loss of mitochondrial membrane potential ({Delta}{Psi}m), the translocation of cytochrome c, and the regulation of Bcl-2 family proteins. Despite the Western blotting analysis showed that both intrinsic and extrinsic apoptotic pathways (cleavage of caspases-3, -7, -8, -9, and -10) were triggered in the ESD-induced apoptosis, additional analysis also showed that the induction of apoptosis could be achieved by the caspase-independent manner. Besides, Akt, ERK and JNK pathways were found to involve in ESD-induced cell death. Overall, our findings provided the first evidence that ESD induced cell cycle arrest, and apoptosis in CNE cells. ESD could be a potential chemotherapeutic agent in the treatment of nasopharyngeal cancer (NPC).« less

Effects of 13 T Static Magnetic Fields (SMF) in the Cell Cycle Distribution and Cell Viability in Immortalized Hamster Cells and Human Primary Fibroblasts Cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Guoping; Chen, Shaopeng; Zhao, Ye; Zhu, Lingyan; Huang, Pei; Bao, Lingzhi; Wang, Jun; Wang, Lei; Wu, Lijun; Wu, Yuejin; Xu, An

2010-02-01

Magnetic resonance image (MRI) systems with a much higher magnetic flux density were developed and applied for potential use in medical diagnostic. Recently, much attention has been paid to the biological effects of static, strong magnetic fields (SMF). With the 13 T SMF facility in the Institute of Plasma Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, the present study focused on the cellular effects of the SMF with 13 T on the cell viability and the cell cycle distribution in immortalized hamster cells, such as human-hamster hybrid (AL) cells, Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells, DNA double-strand break repair deficient mutant (XRS-5) cells, and human primary skin fibroblasts (AG1522) cells. It was found that the exposure of 13 T SMF had less effect on the colony formation in either nonsynchronized or synchronized AL cells. Moreover, as compared to non-exposed groups, there were slight differences in the cell cycle distribution no matter in either synchronized or nonsynchronized immortalized hamster cells after exposure to 13 T SMF. However, it should be noted that the percentage of exposed AG1522 cells at G0/G1 phase was decreased by 10% as compared to the controls. Our data indicated that although 13 T SMF had minimal effects in immortalized hamster cells, the cell cycle distribution was slightly modified by SMF in human primary fibroblasts.

Temporally distinct transcriptional regulation of myocyte dedifferentiation and Myofiber growth during muscle regeneration.

PubMed

Louie, Ke'ale W; Saera-Vila, Alfonso; Kish, Phillip E; Colacino, Justin A; Kahana, Alon

2017-11-09

Tissue regeneration requires a series of steps, beginning with generation of the necessary cell mass, followed by cell migration into damaged area, and ending with differentiation and integration with surrounding tissues. Temporal regulation of these steps lies at the heart of the regenerative process, yet its basis is not well understood. The ability of zebrafish to dedifferentiate mature "post-mitotic" myocytes into proliferating myoblasts that in turn regenerate lost muscle tissue provides an opportunity to probe the molecular mechanisms of regeneration. Following subtotal excision of adult zebrafish lateral rectus muscle, dedifferentiating residual myocytes were collected at two time points prior to cell cycle reentry and compared to uninjured muscles using RNA-seq. Functional annotation (GAGE or K-means clustering followed by GO enrichment) revealed a coordinated response encompassing epigenetic regulation of transcription, RNA processing, and DNA replication and repair, along with protein degradation and translation that would rewire the cellular proteome and metabolome. Selected candidate genes were phenotypically validated in vivo by morpholino knockdown. Rapidly induced gene products, such as the Polycomb group factors Ezh2 and Suz12a, were necessary for both efficient dedifferentiation (i.e. cell reprogramming leading to cell cycle reentry) and complete anatomic regeneration. In contrast, the late activated gene fibronectin was important for efficient anatomic muscle regeneration but not for the early step of myocyte cell cycle reentry. Reprogramming of a "post-mitotic" myocyte into a dedifferentiated myoblast requires a complex coordinated effort that reshapes the cellular proteome and rewires metabolic pathways mediated by heritable yet nuanced epigenetic alterations and molecular switches, including transcription factors and non-coding RNAs. Our studies show that temporal regulation of gene expression is programmatically linked to distinct steps in the regeneration process, with immediate early expression driving dedifferentiation and reprogramming, and later expression facilitating anatomical regeneration.

Expression profiling indicating low selenium-sensitive microRNA levels linked to cell cycle and cell stress response pathways in the CaCo-2 cell line.

PubMed

McCann, Mark J; Rotjanapun, Kunjana; Hesketh, John E; Roy, Nicole C

2017-05-01

Se is an essential micronutrient for human health, and fluctuations in Se levels and the potential cellular dysfunction associated with it may increase the risk for disease. Although Se has been shown to influence several biological pathways important in health, little is known about the effect of Se on the expression of microRNA (miRNA) molecules regulating these pathways. To explore the potential role of Se-sensitive miRNA in regulating pathways linked with colon cancer, we profiled the expression of 800 miRNA in the CaCo-2 human adenocarcinoma cell line in response to a low-Se (72 h at <40 nm) environment using nCounter direct quantification. These data were then examined using a range of in silico databases to identify experimentally validated miRNA-mRNA interactions and the biological pathways involved. We identified ten Se-sensitive miRNA (hsa-miR-93-5p, hsa-miR-106a-5p, hsa-miR-205-5p, hsa-miR-200c-3p, hsa-miR-99b-5p, hsa-miR-302d-3p, hsa-miR-373-3p, hsa-miR-483-3p, hsa-miR-512-5p and hsa-miR-4454), which regulate 3588 mRNA in key pathways such as the cell cycle, the cellular response to stress, and the canonical Wnt/β-catenin, p53 and ERK/MAPK signalling pathways. Our data show that the effects of low Se on biological pathways may, in part, be due to these ten Se-sensitive miRNA. Dysregulation of the cell cycle and of the stress response pathways due to low Se may influence key genes involved in carcinogenesis.

HU content and dynamics in Escherichia coli during the cell cycle and at different growth rates.

PubMed

Abebe, Anteneh Hailu; Aranovich, Alexander; Fishov, Itzhak

2017-10-16

DNA-binding proteins play an important role in maintaining bacterial chromosome structure and functions. Heat-unstable (HU) histone-like protein is one of the most abundant of these proteins and participates in all major chromosome-related activities. Owing to its low sequence specificity, HU fusions with fluorescent proteins were used for general staining of the nucleoid, aiming to reveal its morphology and dynamics. We have exploited a single chromosomal copy of hupA-egfp fusion under the native promoter and used quantitative microscopy imaging to investigate the amount and dynamics of HUα in Escherichia coli cells. We found that in steady-state growing populations the cellular HUα content is proportional to the cell size, whereas its concentration is size independent. Single-cell live microscopy imaging confirmed that the amount of HUα exponentially increases during the cell cycle, but its concentration is maintained constant. This supports the existence of an auto-regulatory mechanism underlying the HUα cellular level, in addition to reflecting the gene copy number. Both the HUα amount and concentration strongly increase with the cell growth rate in different culture media. Unexpectedly, the HU/DNA stoichiometry also remarkably increases with the growth rate. This last finding may be attributed to a higher requirement for maintaining the chromosome structure in nucleoids with higher complexity. © FEMS 2017. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Expression of LIM kinase 1 is associated with reversible G1/S phase arrest, chromosomal instability and prostate cancer.

PubMed

Davila, Monica; Jhala, Darshana; Ghosh, Debashis; Grizzle, William E; Chakrabarti, Ratna

2007-06-08

LIM kinase 1 (LIMK1), a LIM domain containing serine/threonine kinase, modulates actin dynamics through inactivation of the actin depolymerizing protein cofilin. Recent studies have indicated an important role of LIMK1 in growth and invasion of prostate and breast cancer cells; however, the molecular mechanism whereby LIMK1 induces tumor progression is unknown. In this study, we investigated the effects of ectopic expression of LIMK1 on cellular morphology, cell cycle progression and expression profile of LIMK1 in prostate tumors. Ectopic expression of LIMK1 in benign prostatic hyperplasia cells (BPH), which naturally express low levels of LIMK1, resulted in appearance of abnormal mitotic spindles, multiple centrosomes and smaller chromosomal masses. Furthermore, a transient G1/S phase arrest and delayed G2/M progression was observed in BPH cells expressing LIMK1. When treated with chemotherapeutic agent Taxol, no metaphase arrest was noted in these cells. We have also noted increased nuclear staining of LIMK1 in tumors with higher Gleason Scores and incidence of metastasis. Our results show that increased expression of LIMK1 results in chromosomal abnormalities, aberrant cell cycle progression and alteration of normal cellular response to microtubule stabilizing agent Taxol; and that LIMK1 expression may be associated with cancerous phenotype of the prostate.

The Role of Mitochondrial TCA Cycle Enzymes in Determining Prostate Cancer Chemosensitivity

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-03-01

mitochondrial OAA measurement is performed by a commercial kit from Biovision . Briefly, whole cell lysates or mitochondria fraction were obtained from... Biovision based on the manufacturer protocols. 2) Cellular oxygen consumption and reactive oxygen (ROS) production. One of the metabolic consequences of

Co-expression of p53 and MDM2 in human atherosclerosis: implications for the regulation of cellularity of atherosclerotic lesions.

PubMed

Ihling, C; Haendeler, J; Menzel, G; Hess, R D; Fraedrich, G; Schaefer, H E; Zeiher, A M

1998-07-01

Atherosclerosis is a fibroproliferative disease of the arterial intima. It was recently found that wild-type p53 (wt p53) accumulates in human atherosclerotic tissue. Wt p53 is a cell cycle regulator involved in DNA repair, DNA synthesis, cell differentiation, and apoptosis and might therefore make an important contribution to the cellularity of atherosclerotic plaques. The product of the MDM2 gene is a nuclear protein which forms a complex with p53, thereby inhibiting the negative regulatory effects of wt p53 on cell cycle progression. In order to address a potential role of the interaction of p53 with MDM2 for the regulation of cellularity in atherosclerotic tissue, 22 carotid atheromatous plaques from patients undergoing endarterectomy were studied to determine the presence of p53 immunoreactivity (IR), MDM2 IR, cell proliferation as evidenced by MIB1/Ki-67 IR and DNA fragmentation by in situ terminal transferase-mediated dUTP 3' end labelling (TUNEL), as a marker for apoptosis. p53 IR localized to areas with evidence of chronic inflammation (22/22) and was observed in virtually all cell types in 68.79 +/- 7.51 per cent of the nuclei. p53 staining in the control tissue from human internal mammary arteries was present in 0.2 +/- 0.29 per cent of the cells (P < or = 0.002). MDM2 IR was present in all cases (22/22) in macrophages and smooth muscle cells (SMCs) in 60.53 +/- 8.32 per cent of the nuclei (controls: 0.8 +/- 0.65 per cent, P < or = 0.002) and co-localized with p53 IR as shown by examination of adjacent sections and by double immunofluorescence labelling. Importantly, co-immunoprecipitation and western blot analysis revealed that p53 and MDM2 were physically associated, indicating that MDM2-p53 complex formation takes place in vivo in human atherosclerotic tissue. Positive TUNEL staining and MIB1/Ki-67 IR present in 3.01 +/- 1.27 per cent of the nuclei (controls: 0 per cent, P < or = 0.002) localized to the same plaque compartments as p53 IR and MDM2 IR. Thus, the fate of cells with p53 accumulation may depend on the interaction and the stoichiometry of the p53 and MDM2 proteins. Cells were indeed found with strong p53 accumulation and nuclear morphology typical for apoptosis and there were a few MIB1/Ki-67-positive cells with co-expression of MDM2, indicating a possible role for MDM2 in reversing the negative regulatory effects of p53 for cell cycle progression. The nuclear co-localization of p53 IR with MDM2 IR and the co-immunoprecipitation assay indicate the presence of p53-MDM2 complex formation in vivo in human atherosclerotic tissue. The destiny of individual p53 and MDM2-co-expressing cells either to undergo p53-dependent apoptosis or to re-enter the cycle of cell proliferation may depend on the relative ratios of the two proteins. p53 and MDM2 may therefore play an important role in regulating cellularity and inflammatory activity in human atherosclerotic plaques.

Biological behaviour of human umbilical artery smooth muscle cell grown on nickel-free and nickel-containing stainless steel for stent implantation

PubMed Central

Li, Liming; An, Liwen; Zhou, Xiaohang; Pan, Shuang; Meng, Xin; Ren, Yibin; Yang, Ke; Guan, Yifu

2016-01-01

To evaluate the clinical potential of high nitrogen nickel-free austenitic stainless steel (HNNF SS), we have compared the cellular and molecular responses of human umbilical artery smooth muscle cells (HUASMCs) to HNNF SS and 316L SS (nickel-containing austenitic 316L stainless steel). CCK-8 analysis and flow cytometric analysis were used to assess the cellular responses (proliferation, apoptosis, and cell cycle), and quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) was used to analyze the gene expression profiles of HUASMCs exposed to HNNF SS and 316L SS, respectively. CCK-8 analysis demonstrated that HUASMCs cultured on HNNF SS proliferated more slowly than those on 316L SS. Flow cytometric analysis revealed that HNNF SS could activate more cellular apoptosis. The qRT-PCR results showed that the genes regulating cell apoptosis and autophagy were up-regulated on HNNF SS. Thus, HNNF SS could reduce the HUASMC proliferation in comparison to 316L SS. The findings furnish valuable information for developing new biomedical materials for stent implantation. PMID:26727026

Biological behaviour of human umbilical artery smooth muscle cell grown on nickel-free and nickel-containing stainless steel for stent implantation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Liming; An, Liwen; Zhou, Xiaohang; Pan, Shuang; Meng, Xin; Ren, Yibin; Yang, Ke; Guan, Yifu

2016-01-01

To evaluate the clinical potential of high nitrogen nickel-free austenitic stainless steel (HNNF SS), we have compared the cellular and molecular responses of human umbilical artery smooth muscle cells (HUASMCs) to HNNF SS and 316L SS (nickel-containing austenitic 316L stainless steel). CCK-8 analysis and flow cytometric analysis were used to assess the cellular responses (proliferation, apoptosis, and cell cycle), and quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) was used to analyze the gene expression profiles of HUASMCs exposed to HNNF SS and 316L SS, respectively. CCK-8 analysis demonstrated that HUASMCs cultured on HNNF SS proliferated more slowly than those on 316L SS. Flow cytometric analysis revealed that HNNF SS could activate more cellular apoptosis. The qRT-PCR results showed that the genes regulating cell apoptosis and autophagy were up-regulated on HNNF SS. Thus, HNNF SS could reduce the HUASMC proliferation in comparison to 316L SS. The findings furnish valuable information for developing new biomedical materials for stent implantation.

NSAID-activated gene 1 and its implications for mucosal integrity and intervention beyond NSAIDs.

PubMed

Moon, Yuseok

2017-07-01

In spite of the beneficial actions of non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) in epithelial inflammation and cancers, their use is limited because of their cyclooxygenase-dependent or independent gastrointestinal toxicity. As an eicosanoid-independent mediator, NSAID-activated gene 1 (NAG-1) has been assessed for its involvement in cellular integrity and pathogenesis in mucosal inflammation and carcinogenesis. At the cellular levels, NAG-1 is involved in the cell growth regulation (cell death, cell cycle arrest, or proliferation) in epithelial and mesenchymal tissues. Moreover, NAG-1 can modulate inflammatory responses in either direct or indirect manner, which ultimately affects fibrogenic and tumorigenic processes in various disease states. Finally, NAG-1 has been assessed for its contribution to cellular behavior, such as the mobility of epithelial and malignant cells in response to the external insults or oncogenic stimulation in the mucosa. This review on the "Yin-Yang" nature of NAG-1-mediated responses provides comprehensive insights into therapeutic and diagnostic interventions for mucosal health and integrity in the human body. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Improved Performance in Mammalian Cell Perfusion Cultures by Growth Inhibition.

PubMed

Wolf, Moritz K F; Closet, Aurélie; Bzowska, Monika; Bielser, Jean-Marc; Souquet, Jonathan; Broly, Hervé; Morbidelli, Massimo

2018-05-21

Mammalian cell perfusion cultures represent a promising alternative to the current fed-batch technology for the production of various biopharmaceuticals. Long-term operation at a fixed viable cell density (VCD) requires a viable culture and a constant removal of excessive cells. Product loss in the cell removing bleed stream deteriorates the process yield. In this study, the authors investigate the use of chemical and environmental growth inhibition on culture performance by either adding valeric acid (VA) to the production media or by reducing the culture temperature (33.0 °C) with respect to control conditions (36.5 °C, no VA). Low temperature significantly reduces cellular growth, thus, resulting in lower bleed rates accompanied by a reduced product loss of 11% compared to 26% under control conditions. Additionally, the cell specific productivity of the target protein improves and maintained stable leading to media savings per mass of product. VA shows initially an inhibitory effect on cellular growth. However, cells seemed to adapt to the presence of the inhibitor resulting in a recovery of the cellular growth. Cell cycle and Western blot analyses support the observed results. This work underlines the role of temperature as a key operating variable for the optimization of perfusion cultures. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

An ultra-sensitive biophysical risk assessment of light effect on skin cells.

PubMed

Bennet, Devasier; Viswanath, Buddolla; Kim, Sanghyo; An, Jeong Ho

2017-07-18

The aim of this study was to analyze photo-dynamic and photo-pathology changes of different color light radiations on human adult skin cells. We used a real-time biophysical and biomechanics monitoring system for light-induced cellular changes in an in vitro model to find mechanisms of the initial and continuous degenerative process. Cells were exposed to intermittent, mild and intense (1-180 min) light with On/Off cycles, using blue, green, red and white light. Cellular ultra-structural changes, damages, and ECM impair function were evaluated by up/down-regulation of biophysical, biomechanical and biochemical properties. All cells exposed to different color light radiation showed significant changes in a time-dependent manner. Particularly, cell growth, stiffness, roughness, cytoskeletal integrity and ECM proteins of the human dermal fibroblasts-adult (HDF-a) cells showed highest alteration, followed by human epidermal keratinocytes-adult (HEK-a) cells and human epidermal melanocytes-adult (HEM-a) cells. Such changes might impede the normal cellular functions. Overall, the obtained results identify a new insight that may contribute to premature aging, and causes it to look aged in younger people. Moreover, these results advance our understanding of the different color light-induced degenerative process and help the development of new therapeutic strategies.

Disruption of TCA Cycle and Glutamate Metabolism Identified by Metabolomics in an In Vitro Model of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis.

PubMed

Veyrat-Durebex, Charlotte; Corcia, Philippe; Piver, Eric; Devos, David; Dangoumau, Audrey; Gouel, Flore; Vourc'h, Patrick; Emond, Patrick; Laumonnier, Frédéric; Nadal-Desbarats, Lydie; Gordon, Paul H; Andres, Christian R; Blasco, Hélène

2016-12-01

This study aims to develop a cellular metabolomics model that reproduces the pathophysiological conditions found in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in order to improve knowledge of disease physiology. We used a co-culture model combining the motor neuron-like cell line NSC-34 and the astrocyte clone C8-D1A, with each over-expressing wild-type or G93C mutant human SOD1, to examine amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) physiology. We focused on the effects of mutant human SOD1 as well as oxidative stress induced by menadione on intracellular metabolism using a metabolomics approach through gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis. Preliminary non-supervised analysis by Principal Component Analysis (PCA) revealed that cell type, genetic environment, and time of culture influenced the metabolomics profiles. Supervised analysis using orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) on data from intracellular metabolomics profiles of SOD1 G93C co-cultures produced metabolites involved in glutamate metabolism and the tricarboxylic acid cycle (TCA) cycle. This study revealed the feasibility of using a metabolomics approach in a cellular model of ALS. We identified potential disruption of the TCA cycle and glutamate metabolism under oxidative stress, which is consistent with prior research in the disease. Analysis of metabolic alterations in an in vitro model is a novel approach to investigation of disease physiology.

Electromagnetic Basis of Metabolism and Heredity

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Freund, Friedemann; Stolc, Viktor

2016-01-01

Living organisms control their cellular biological clocks to maintain functional oscillation of the redox cycle, also called the "metabolic cycle" or "respiratory cycle". Organization of cellular processes requires parallel processing on a synchronized time-base. These clocks coordinate the timing of all biochemical processes in the cell, including energy production, DNA replication, and RNA transcription. When this universal time keeping function is perturbed by exogenous induction of reactive oxygen species (ROS), the rate of metabolism changes. This causes oxidative stress, aging and mutations. Therefore, good temporal coordination of the redox cycle not only actively prevents chemical conflict between the reductive and oxidative partial reactions; it also maintains genome integrity and lifespan. Moreover, this universal biochemical rhythm can be disrupted by ROS induction in vivo. This in turn can be achieved by blocking the electron transport chain either endogenously or exogenously by various metabolites, e.g. hydrogen sulfide (H2S), highly diffusible drugs, and carbon monoxide (CO). Alternatively, the electron transport in vivo can be attenuated via a coherent or interfering transfer of energy from exogenous ultralow frequency (ULF) and extremely low frequency (ELF) electromagnetic (EM) fields, suggesting that-on Earth-such ambient fields are an omnipresent (and probably crucially important) factor for the time-setting basis of universal biochemical reactions in living cells. Our work demonstrated previously un-described evidence for quantum effects in biology by electromagnetic coupling below thermal noise at the universal electron transport chain (ETC) in vivo.

Restoring Ureagenesis in Hepatocytes by CRISPR/Cas9-mediated Genomic Addition to Arginase-deficient Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells.

PubMed

Lee, Patrick C; Truong, Brian; Vega-Crespo, Agustin; Gilmore, W Blake; Hermann, Kip; Angarita, Stephanie Ak; Tang, Jonathan K; Chang, Katherine M; Wininger, Austin E; Lam, Alex K; Schoenberg, Benjamen E; Cederbaum, Stephen D; Pyle, April D; Byrne, James A; Lipshutz, Gerald S

2016-11-29

Urea cycle disorders are incurable enzymopathies that affect nitrogen metabolism and typically lead to hyperammonemia. Arginase deficiency results from a mutation in Arg1, the enzyme regulating the final step of ureagenesis and typically results in developmental disabilities, seizures, spastic diplegia, and sometimes death. Current medical treatments for urea cycle disorders are only marginally effective, and for proximal disorders, liver transplantation is effective but limited by graft availability. Advances in human induced pluripotent stem cell research has allowed for the genetic modification of stem cells for potential cellular replacement therapies. In this study, we demonstrate a universally-applicable CRISPR/Cas9-based strategy utilizing exon 1 of the hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase locus to genetically modify and restore arginase activity, and thus ureagenesis, in genetically distinct patient-specific human induced pluripotent stem cells and hepatocyte-like derivatives. Successful strategies restoring gene function in patient-specific human induced pluripotent stem cells may advance applications of genetically modified cell therapy to treat urea cycle and other inborn errors of metabolism.

Regulation of Cell Cycle and Stress Responses to Hydrostatic Pressure in Fission Yeast

PubMed Central

George, Vinoj T.; Brooks, Gavin

2007-01-01

We have investigated the cellular responses to hydrostatic pressure by using the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe as a model system. Exposure to sublethal levels of hydrostatic pressure resulted in G2 cell cycle delay. This delay resulted from Cdc2 tyrosine-15 (Y-15) phosphorylation, and it was abrogated by simultaneous disruption of the Cdc2 kinase regulators Cdc25 and Wee1. However, cell cycle delay was independent of the DNA damage, cytokinesis, and cell size checkpoints, suggesting a novel mechanism of Cdc2-Y15 phosphorylation in response to hydrostatic pressure. Spc1/Sty1 mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase, a conserved member of the eukaryotic stress-activated p38, mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase family, was rapidly activated after pressure stress, and it was required for cell cycle recovery under these conditions, in part through promoting polo kinase (Plo1) phosphorylation on serine 402. Moreover, the Spc1 MAP kinase pathway played a key role in maintaining cell viability under hydrostatic pressure stress through the bZip transcription factor, Atf1. Further analysis revealed that prestressing cells with heat increased barotolerance, suggesting adaptational cross-talk between these stress responses. These findings provide new insight into eukaryotic homeostasis after exposure to pressure stress. PMID:17699598

Effects of exogenous zinc on cell cycle, apoptosis and viability of MDAMB231, HepG2 and 293 T cells.

PubMed

Wang, Yan-hong; Li, Ke-jin; Mao, Li; Hu, Xin; Zhao, Wen-jie; Hu, An; Lian, Hong-zhen; Zheng, Wei-juan

2013-09-01

As a non-toxic metal to humans, zinc is essential for cell proliferation, differentiation, regulation of DNA synthesis, genomic stability and mitosis. Zinc homeostasis in cells, which is crucial for normal cellular functioning, is maintained by various protein families including ZnT (zinc transporter/SLC30A) and ZIP (Zrt-, Irt-like proteins/SLC39A) that decrease and increase cytosolic zinc availability, respectively. In this study, we investigated the influences of a specific concentration range of ZnSO4 on cell cycle and apoptosis by flow cytometry, and cell viability by MTT method in MDAMB231, HepG2 and 293 T cell lines. Fluorescent sensors NBD-TPEA and the counterstain for nuclei Hoechst 33342 were used to stain the treated cells for observing the localisation and amount of Zn(2+) via laser scanning confocal microscope. It was found that the influence manners of ZnSO4 on cell cycle, apoptosis and cell viability in various cell lines were different and corresponding to the changes of Zn(2+) content of the three cell lines, respectively. The significant increase on intracelluar zinc content of MDAMB231 cells resulted in cell death, G1 and G2/M cell cycle arrest and increased apoptotic fraction. Additionally, the mRNA expression levels of ZnT and ZIP families in the three cell lines, when treated with high concentration of ZnSO4, increased and decreased corresponding to their functions, respectively.

American cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon) extract affects human prostate cancer cell growth via cell cycle arrest by modulating expression of cell cycle regulators.

PubMed

Déziel, Bob; MacPhee, James; Patel, Kunal; Catalli, Adriana; Kulka, Marianna; Neto, Catherine; Gottschall-Pass, Katherine; Hurta, Robert

2012-05-01

Prostate cancer is one of the most common cancers in the world, and its prevalence is expected to increase appreciably in the coming decades. As such, more research is necessary to understand the etiology, progression and possible preventative measures to delay or to stop the development of this disease. Recently, there has been interest in examining the effects of whole extracts from commonly harvested crops on the behaviour and progression of cancer. Here, we describe the effects of whole cranberry extract (WCE) on the behaviour of DU145 human prostate cancer cells in vitro. Following treatment of DU145 human prostate cancer cells with 10, 25 and 50 μg ml⁻¹ of WCE, respectively for 6 h, WCE significantly decreased the cellular viability of DU145 cells. WCE also decreased the proportion of cells in the G2-M phase of the cell cycle and increased the proportion of cells in the G1 phase of the cell cycle following treatment of cells with 25 and 50 μg ml⁻¹ treatment of WCE for 6 h. These alterations in cell cycle were associated with changes in cell cycle regulatory proteins and other cell cycle associated proteins. WCE decreased the expression of CDK4, cyclin A, cyclin B1, cyclin D1 and cyclin E, and increased the expression of p27. Changes in p16(INK4a) and pRBp107 protein expression levels also were evident, however, the changes noted in p16(INK4a) and pRBp107 protein expression levels were not statistically significant. These findings demonstrate that phytochemical extracts from the American cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon) can affect the behaviour of human prostate cancer cells in vitro and further support the potential health benefits associated with cranberries.

Curcumin and Vitamin E Protect against Adverse Effects of Benzo[a]pyrene in Lung Epithelial Cells

PubMed Central

Cai, Qingsong; Lv, Tangfeng; Singh, Kamaleshwar; Gao, Weimin

2014-01-01

Benzo[a]pyrene (BaP), a well-known environmental carcinogen, promotes oxidative stress and DNA damage. Curcumin and vitamin E (VE) have potent antioxidative activity that protects cells from oxidative stress and cellular damage. The objectives of the present study were to investigate the adverse effects of BaP on normal human lung epithelial cells (BEAS-2B), the potential protective effects of curcumin and VE against BaP-induced cellular damage, and the molecular mechanisms of action. MTT assay, flow cytometry, fluorescence microplate assay, HPLC, qRT-PCR, and western blot were performed to analyze cytotoxicity, cell cycle, reactive oxygen species (ROS), BaP diol-epoxidation (BPDE)-DNA adducts, gene expression, and protein expression, respectively. Curcumin or VE prevented cells from BaP-induced cell cycle arrest and growth inhibition, significantly suppressed BaP-induced ROS levels, and decreased BPDE-DNA adducts. While CYP1A1 and 1B1 were induced by BaP, these inductions were not significantly reduced by curcumin or VE. Moreover, the level of activated p53 and PARP-1 were significantly induced by BaP, whereas this induction was markedly reduced after curcumin and VE co-treatment. Survivin was significantly down-regulated by BaP, and curcumin significantly restored survivin expression in BaP-exposed cells. The ratio of Bax/Bcl-2 was also significantly increased in cells exposed to BaP and this increase was reversed by VE co-treatment. Taken together, BaP-induced cytotoxicity occurs through DNA damage, cell cycle arrest, ROS production, modulation of metabolizing enzymes, and the expression/activation of p53, PARP-1, survivin, and Bax/Bcl-2. Curcumin and VE could reverse some of these BaP-mediated alterations and therefore be effective natural compounds against the adverse effects of BaP in lung cells. PMID:24664296

Live Imaging-Based Model Selection Reveals Periodic Regulation of the Stochastic G1/S Phase Transition in Vertebrate Axial Development

PubMed Central

Kurokawa, Hiroshi; Sakaue-Sawano, Asako; Imamura, Takeshi; Miyawaki, Atsushi; Iimura, Tadahiro

2014-01-01

In multicellular organism development, a stochastic cellular response is observed, even when a population of cells is exposed to the same environmental conditions. Retrieving the spatiotemporal regulatory mode hidden in the heterogeneous cellular behavior is a challenging task. The G1/S transition observed in cell cycle progression is a highly stochastic process. By taking advantage of a fluorescence cell cycle indicator, Fucci technology, we aimed to unveil a hidden regulatory mode of cell cycle progression in developing zebrafish. Fluorescence live imaging of Cecyil, a zebrafish line genetically expressing Fucci, demonstrated that newly formed notochordal cells from the posterior tip of the embryonic mesoderm exhibited the red (G1) fluorescence signal in the developing notochord. Prior to their initial vacuolation, these cells showed a fluorescence color switch from red to green, indicating G1/S transitions. This G1/S transition did not occur in a synchronous manner, but rather exhibited a stochastic process, since a mixed population of red and green cells was always inserted between newly formed red (G1) notochordal cells and vacuolating green cells. We termed this mixed population of notochordal cells, the G1/S transition window. We first performed quantitative analyses of live imaging data and a numerical estimation of the probability of the G1/S transition, which demonstrated the existence of a posteriorly traveling regulatory wave of the G1/S transition window. To obtain a better understanding of this regulatory mode, we constructed a mathematical model and performed a model selection by comparing the results obtained from the models with those from the experimental data. Our analyses demonstrated that the stochastic G1/S transition window in the notochord travels posteriorly in a periodic fashion, with doubled the periodicity of the neighboring paraxial mesoderm segmentation. This approach may have implications for the characterization of the pathophysiological tissue growth mode. PMID:25474567

Microgravity can activate signals urging cells to S-phase entry during tissue and organ regeneration in Urodele amphibians exposed to real and simulated microgravity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grigoryan, E.; Anton, H.-J.; Mitashov, V.

Regenerative response following local injury or tissue removal in urodele amphibians is dependent on cell cycle entry of cells sources for regeneration in the remaining tissue. In a number of our experiments performed aboard biosatellites in orbital flights and fast rotated clinostat we found enhanced proliferative activity and, as a result, regeneration quicker than that in controls. In each investigated case an activity of cell proliferation evaluated by 3H-thymidine radioautography and BrdU assay at the early stages of lens, retina, forelimb and tail regeneration in newts was about 1,2-1,7 fold higher both under conditions of real and physiological weightlessness as compared with controls. Faster S-phase entry under conditions of micro- g was demonstrated by cycling multipotent cells as well as by differentiated postmitotic cells both participated in regeneration. Important, that cycling cells outside areas of regeneration were also found as displayed faster cellular growth. In our papers (1,2,3,4) we offered some hypothesis that could explain mechanisms of low g stimulating effect upon cell growth in regeneration in Urodela. In particular, changes in expression of some growth factors and their receptors, as well as the synthesis of specific range of generalized stress proteins (AGSPs) were proposed. However, in fact, molecular mechanisms of micro- g effect upon cell proliferation are mediated by changes on organismic level induced by micro- g environment. Some of them which are able to trigger off signaling changes on the cellular level that, in turn, evoke cells to grow faster would be represented in our report. 1. Mitashov V. et al. Adv. Space Res. 1996. 17 (6/7): 241-255 2. Anton H.-J. et al. Adv. Space Res. 1996. 17 (6/7): 55-65 3. Grigoryan E. et al. Adv. Space Res. 1998. 22 (2): 293-301 4. Grigoryan E. et al. Adv. Space Res. 2002. 30 (4): 757-764

The SUMO Pathway in Mitosis.

PubMed

Mukhopadhyay, Debaditya; Dasso, Mary

2017-01-01

Mitosis is the stage of the cell cycle during which replicated chromosomes must be precisely divided to allow the formation of two daughter cells possessing equal genetic material. Much of the careful spatial and temporal organization of mitosis is maintained through post-translational modifications, such as phosphorylation and ubiquitination, of key cellular proteins. Here, we will review evidence that sumoylation, conjugation to the SUMO family of small ubiquitin-like modifiers, also serves essential regulatory roles during mitosis. We will discuss the basic biology of sumoylation, how the SUMO pathway has been implicated in particular mitotic functions, including chromosome condensation, centromere/kinetochore organization and cytokinesis, and what cellular proteins may be the targets underlying these phenomena.

PEPCK Coordinates the Regulation of Central Carbon Metabolism to Promote Cancer Cell Growth.

PubMed

Montal, Emily D; Dewi, Ruby; Bhalla, Kavita; Ou, Lihui; Hwang, Bor Jang; Ropell, Ashley E; Gordon, Chris; Liu, Wan-Ju; DeBerardinis, Ralph J; Sudderth, Jessica; Twaddel, William; Boros, Laszlo G; Shroyer, Kenneth R; Duraisamy, Sekhar; Drapkin, Ronny; Powers, R Scott; Rohde, Jason M; Boxer, Matthew B; Wong, Kwok-Kin; Girnun, Geoffrey D

2015-11-19

Phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK) is well known for its role in gluconeogenesis. However, PEPCK is also a key regulator of TCA cycle flux. The TCA cycle integrates glucose, amino acid, and lipid metabolism depending on cellular needs. In addition, biosynthetic pathways crucial to tumor growth require the TCA cycle for the processing of glucose and glutamine derived carbons. We show here an unexpected role for PEPCK in promoting cancer cell proliferation in vitro and in vivo by increasing glucose and glutamine utilization toward anabolic metabolism. Unexpectedly, PEPCK also increased the synthesis of ribose from non-carbohydrate sources, such as glutamine, a phenomenon not previously described. Finally, we show that the effects of PEPCK on glucose metabolism and cell proliferation are in part mediated via activation of mTORC1. Taken together, these data demonstrate a role for PEPCK that links metabolic flux and anabolic pathways to cancer cell proliferation. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Myosin-II controls cellular branching morphogenesis and migration in 3D by minimizing cell surface curvature

PubMed Central

Elliott, Hunter; Fischer, Robert A.; Myers, Kenneth A.; Desai, Ravi A.; Gao, Lin; Chen, Christopher S.; Adelstein, Robert; Waterman, Clare M.; Danuser, Gaudenz

2014-01-01

In many cases cell function is intimately linked to cell shape control. We utilized endothelial cell branching morphogenesis as a model to understand the role of myosin-II in shape control of invasive cells migrating in 3D collagen gels. We applied principles of differential geometry and mathematical morphology to 3D image sets to parameterize cell branch structure and local cell surface curvature. We find that Rho/ROCK-stimulated myosin-II contractility minimizes cell-scale branching by recognizing and minimizing local cell surface curvature. Utilizing micro-fabrication to constrain cell shape identifies a positive feedback mechanism in which low curvature stabilizes myosin-II cortical association, where it acts to maintain minimal curvature. The feedback between myosin-II regulation by and control of curvature drives cycles of localized cortical myosin-II assembly and disassembly. These cycles in turn mediate alternating phases of directionally biased branch initiation and retraction to guide 3D cell migration. PMID:25621949

Novel functions for the transcription factor E2F4 in development and disease

PubMed Central

Sage, Julien

2016-01-01

ABSTRACT The E2F family of transcription factors is a key determinant of cell proliferation in response to extra- and intra-cellular signals. Within this family, E2F4 is a transcriptional repressor whose activity is critical to engage and maintain cell cycle arrest in G0/G1 in conjunction with members of the retinoblastoma (RB) family. However, recent observations challenge this paradigm and indicate that E2F4 has a multitude of functions in cells besides this cell cycle regulatory role, including in embryonic and adult stem cells, during regenerative processes, and in cancer. Some of these new functions are independent of the RB family and involve direct activation of target genes. Here we review the canonical functions of E2F4 and discuss recent evidence expanding the role of this transcription factor, with a focus on cell fate decisions in tissue homeostasis and regeneration. PMID:27753528

Boswellia sacra essential oil induces tumor cell-specific apoptosis and suppresses tumor aggressiveness in cultured human breast cancer cells

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Gum resins obtained from trees of the Burseraceae family (Boswellia sp.) are important ingredients in incense and perfumes. Extracts prepared from Boswellia sp. gum resins have been shown to possess anti-inflammatory and anti-neoplastic effects. Essential oil prepared by distillation of the gum resin traditionally used for aromatic therapy has also been shown to have tumor cell-specific anti-proliferative and pro-apoptotic activities. The objective of this study was to optimize conditions for preparing Boswellea sacra essential oil with the highest biological activity in inducing tumor cell-specific cytotoxicity and suppressing aggressive tumor phenotypes in human breast cancer cells. Methods Boswellia sacra essential oil was prepared from Omani Hougari grade resins through hydrodistillation at 78 or 100 oC for 12 hours. Chemical compositions were identified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry; and total boswellic acids contents were quantified by high-performance liquid chromatography. Boswellia sacra essential oil-mediated cell viability and death were studied in established human breast cancer cell lines (T47D, MCF7, MDA-MB-231) and an immortalized normal human breast cell line (MCF10-2A). Apoptosis was assayed by genomic DNA fragmentation. Anti-invasive and anti-multicellular tumor properties were evaluated by cellular network and spheroid formation models, respectively. Western blot analysis was performed to study Boswellia sacra essential oil-regulated proteins involved in apoptosis, signaling pathways, and cell cycle regulation. Results More abundant high molecular weight compounds, including boswellic acids, were present in Boswellia sacra essential oil prepared at 100 oC hydrodistillation. All three human breast cancer cell lines were sensitive to essential oil treatment with reduced cell viability and elevated cell death, whereas the immortalized normal human breast cell line was more resistant to essential oil treatment. Boswellia sacra essential oil hydrodistilled at 100 oC was more potent than the essential oil prepared at 78 oC in inducing cancer cell death, preventing the cellular network formation (MDA-MB-231) cells on Matrigel, causing the breakdown of multicellular tumor spheroids (T47D cells), and regulating molecules involved in apoptosis, signal transduction, and cell cycle progression. Conclusions Similar to our previous observations in human bladder cancer cells, Boswellia sacra essential oil induces breast cancer cell-specific cytotoxicity. Suppression of cellular network formation and disruption of spheroid development of breast cancer cells by Boswellia sacra essential oil suggest that the essential oil may be effective for advanced breast cancer. Consistently, the essential oil represses signaling pathways and cell cycle regulators that have been proposed as therapeutic targets for breast cancer. Future pre-clinical and clinical studies are urgently needed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of Boswellia sacra essential oil as a therapeutic agent for treating breast cancer. PMID:22171782

Human papillomavirus type 16 E6 inhibits p21{sup WAF1} transcription independently of p53 by inactivating p150{sup Sal2}

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Parroche, Peggy; Institut Federatif de Recherche 128 BioSciences Gerland-Lyon Sud; Touka, Majid

2011-09-01

HPV16 E6 deregulates G1/S cell cycle progression through p53 degradation preventing transcription of the CDK inhibitor p21{sup WAF1}. However, additional mechanisms independent of p53 inactivation appear to exist. Here, we report that HPV16 E6 targets the cellular factor p150{sup Sal2}, which positively regulates p21{sup WAF1} transcription. HPV16 E6 associates with p150{sup Sal2}, inducing its functional inhibition by preventing its binding to cis elements on the p21{sup WAF1} promoter. A HPV16 E6 mutant, L110Q, which was unable to bind p150{sup Sal2}, did not affect the ability of the cellular protein to bind p21{sup WAF1} promoter, underlining the linkage between these events.more » These data describe a novel mechanism by which HPV16 E6 induces cell cycle deregulation with a p53-independent pathway. The viral oncoprotein targets p150{sup Sal2}, a positive transcription regulator of p21{sup WAF1} gene, preventing G1/S arrest and allowing cellular proliferation and efficient viral DNA replication.« less

Ribosomal L1 domain and lysine-rich region are essential for CSIG/ RSL1D1 to regulate proliferation and senescence

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ma, Liwei; Zhao, Wenting; Zheng, Quanhui

2016-01-15

The expression change of cellular senescence-associated genes is underlying the genetic foundation of cellular senescence. Using a suppressive subtractive hybridization system, we identified CSIG (cellular senescence-inhibited gene protein; RSL1D1) as a novel senescence-associated gene. CSIG is implicated in various process including cell cycle regulation, apoptosis, and tumor metastasis. We previously showed that CSIG plays an important role in regulating cell proliferation and cellular senescence progression through inhibiting PTEN, however, which domain or region of CSIG contributes to this function? To clarify this question, we investigated the functional importance of ribosomal L1 domain and lysine (Lys) -rich region of CSIG. Themore » data showed that expression of CSIG potently reduced PTEN expression, increased cell proliferation rates, and reduced the senescent phenotype (lower SA-β-gal activity). By contrast, neither the expression of CSIG N- terminal (NT) fragment containing the ribosomal L1 domain nor C-terminal (CT) fragment containing Lys-rich region could significantly altered the levels of PTEN; instead of promoting cell proliferation and delaying cellular senescence, expression of CSIG-NT or CSIG-CT inhibited cell proliferation and accelerated cell senescence (increased SA-β-gal activity) compared to either CSIG over-expressing or control (empty vector transfected) cells. The further immunofluorescence analysis showed that CSIG-CT and CSIG-NT truncated proteins exhibited different subcellular distribution with that of wild-type CSIG. Conclusively, both ribosomal L1 domain and Lys-rich region of CSIG are critical for CSIG to act as a regulator of cell proliferation and cellular senescence. - Highlights: • The ribosomal L1 domain and lysine-rich region of CSIG were expressed. • They are critical for CSIG to regulate proliferation and senescence. • CSIG and its domains exhibit different subcellular distribution.« less

Disruption of Pyridine Nucleotide Redox Status During Oxidative Challenge at Normal and Low-Glucose States: Implications for Cellular Adenosine Triphosphate, Mitochondrial Respiratory Activity, and Reducing Capacity in Colon Epithelial Cells

PubMed Central

Circu, Magdalena L.; Maloney, Ronald E.

2011-01-01

Abstract We recently demonstrated that menadione (MQ), a redox cycling quinone, mediated the loss of mitochondrial glutathione/glutathione disulfide redox balance. In this study, we showed that MQ significantly disrupted cellular pyridine nucleotide (NAD+/NADH, NADP+/NADPH) redox balance that compromised cellular ATP, mitochondrial respiratory activity, and NADPH-dependent reducing capacity in colonic epithelial cells, a scenario that was exaggerated by low glucose. In the cytosol, MQ induced NAD+ loss concurrent with increased NADP+ and NAD kinase activity, but decreased NADPH. In the mitochondria, NADH loss occurred in conjunction with increased nicotinamide nucleotide transhydrogenase activity and NADP+, and decreased NADPH. These results are consistent with cytosolic NAD+-to-NADP+ and mitochondrial NADH-to-NADPH shifts, but compromised NADPH availability. Thus, despite the sacrifice of NAD+/NADH in favor of NADPH generation, steady-state NADPH levels were not maintained during MQ challenge. Impairments of cellular bioenergetics were evidenced by ATP losses and increased mitochondrial O2 dependence of pyridine nucleotide oxidation–reduction; half-maximal oxidation (P50) was 10-fold higher in low glucose, which was lowered by glutamate or succinate supplementation. This exaggerated O2 dependence is consistent with increased O2 diversion to nonmitochondrial O2 consumption by MQ-semiquinone redox cycling secondary to decreased NADPH-dependent MQ detoxication at low glucose, a situation that was corrected by glucose-sparing mitochondrial substrates. Antioxid. Redox Signal. 14, 2151–2162. PMID:21083422

Probing cooperative force generation in collective cancer invasion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alobaidi, Amani A.; Xu, Yaopengxiao; Chen, Shaohua; Jiao, Yang; Sun, Bo

2017-08-01

Collective cellular dynamics in the three-dimensional extracellular matrix (ECM) plays a crucial role in many physiological processes such as cancer invasion. Both chemical and mechanical signaling support cell-cell communications on a variety of length scales, leading to collective migratory behaviors. Here we conduct experiments using 3D in vitro tumor models and develop a phenomenological model in order to probe the cooperativity of force generation in the collective invasion of breast cancer cells. In our model, cell-cell communication is characterized by a single parameter that quantifies the correlation length of cellular migration cycles. We devise a stochastic reconstruction method to generate realizations of cell colonies with specific contraction phase correlation functions and correlation length a. We find that as a increases, the characteristic size of regions containing cells with similar contraction phases grows. For small a values, the large fluctuations in individual cell contraction phases smooth out the temporal fluctuations in the time-dependent deformation field in the ECM. For large a values, the periodicity of an individual cell contraction cycle is clearly manifested in the temporal variation of the overall deformation field in the ECM. Through quantitative comparisons of the simulated and experimentally measured deformation fields, we find that the correlation length for collective force generation in the breast cancer diskoid in geometrically micropatterned ECM (DIGME) system is a≈ 25~μ \\text{m} , which is roughly twice the linear size of a single cell. One possible mechanism for this intermediate cell correlation length is the fiber-mediated stress propagation in the 3D ECM network in the DIGME system.

Niche-induced cell death and epithelial phagocytosis regulate hair follicle stem cell pool.

PubMed

Mesa, Kailin R; Rompolas, Panteleimon; Zito, Giovanni; Myung, Peggy; Sun, Thomas Y; Brown, Samara; Gonzalez, David G; Blagoev, Krastan B; Haberman, Ann M; Greco, Valentina

2015-06-04

Tissue homeostasis is achieved through a balance of cell production (growth) and elimination (regression). In contrast to tissue growth, the cells and molecular signals required for tissue regression remain unknown. To investigate physiological tissue regression, we use the mouse hair follicle, which cycles stereotypically between phases of growth and regression while maintaining a pool of stem cells to perpetuate tissue regeneration. Here we show by intravital microscopy in live mice that the regression phase eliminates the majority of the epithelial cells by two distinct mechanisms: terminal differentiation of suprabasal cells and a spatial gradient of apoptosis of basal cells. Furthermore, we demonstrate that basal epithelial cells collectively act as phagocytes to clear dying epithelial neighbours. Through cellular and genetic ablation we show that epithelial cell death is extrinsically induced through transforming growth factor (TGF)-β activation and mesenchymal crosstalk. Strikingly, our data show that regression acts to reduce the stem cell pool, as inhibition of regression results in excess basal epithelial cells with regenerative abilities. This study identifies the cellular behaviours and molecular mechanisms of regression that counterbalance growth to maintain tissue homeostasis.

MMSET is dynamically regulated during cell-cycle progression and promotes normal DNA replication.

PubMed

Evans, Debra L; Zhang, Haoxing; Ham, Hyoungjun; Pei, Huadong; Lee, SeungBaek; Kim, JungJin; Billadeau, Daniel D; Lou, Zhenkun

2016-01-01

The timely and precise duplication of cellular DNA is essential for maintaining genome integrity and is thus tightly-regulated. During mitosis and G1, the Origin Recognition Complex (ORC) binds to future replication origins, coordinating with multiple factors to load the minichromosome maintenance (MCM) complex onto future replication origins as part of the pre-replication complex (pre-RC). The pre-RC machinery, in turn, remains inactive until the subsequent S phase when it is required for replication fork formation, thereby initiating DNA replication. Multiple myeloma SET domain-containing protein (MMSET, a.k.a. WHSC1, NSD2) is a histone methyltransferase that is frequently overexpressed in aggressive cancers and is essential for normal human development. Several studies have suggested a role for MMSET in cell-cycle regulation; however, whether MMSET is itself regulated during cell-cycle progression has not been examined. In this study, we report that MMSET is degraded during S phase in a cullin-ring ligase 4-Cdt2 (CRL4(Cdt2)) and proteasome-dependent manner. Notably, we also report defects in DNA replication and a decreased association of pre-RC factors with chromatin in MMSET-depleted cells. Taken together, our results suggest a dynamic regulation of MMSET levels throughout the cell cycle, and further characterize the role of MMSET in DNA replication and cell-cycle progression.

Bidirectional Signaling of Mammary Epithelium and Stroma: Implications for Breast Cancer—Preventive Actions of Dietary Factors

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The mammary gland is composed of two major cellular compartments: a highly dynamic epithelium that undergoes cycles of proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis in response to local and endocrine signals and the underlying stroma comprised of fibroblasts, endothelial cells, and adipocytes that c...

A Rapid and Specific Microplate Assay for the Determination of Intra- and Extracellular Ascorbate in Cultured Cells

PubMed Central

Lane, Darius J. R.; Lawen, Alfons

2014-01-01

Vitamin C (ascorbate) plays numerous important roles in cellular metabolism, many of which have only come to light in recent years. For instance, within the brain, ascorbate acts in a neuroprotective and neuromodulatory manner that involves ascorbate cycling between neurons and vicinal astrocytes - a relationship that appears to be crucial for brain ascorbate homeostasis. Additionally, emerging evidence strongly suggests that ascorbate has a greatly expanded role in regulating cellular and systemic iron metabolism than is classically recognized. The increasing recognition of the integral role of ascorbate in normal and deregulated cellular and organismal physiology demands a range of medium-throughput and high-sensitivity analytic techniques that can be executed without the need for highly expensive specialist equipment. Here we provide explicit instructions for a medium-throughput, specific and relatively inexpensive microplate assay for the determination of both intra- and extracellular ascorbate in cell culture. PMID:24747535

Mammalian autophagy degrades nuclear constituents in response to tumorigenic stress.

PubMed

Dou, Zhixun; Ivanov, Andrejs; Adams, Peter D; Berger, Shelley L

2016-08-02

During autophagy, double-membrane autophagosomes are observed in the cytoplasm. Thus, extensive studies have focused on autophagic turnover of cytoplasmic material. Whether autophagy has a role in degrading nuclear constituents is poorly understood. We reveal that the autophagy protein LC3/Atg8 directly interacts with the nuclear lamina protein LMNB1 (lamin B1), and binds to LMN/lamin-associated chromatin domains (LADs). Through these interactions, autophagy specifically mediates destruction of nuclear lamina during tumorigenic stress, such as by activated oncogenes and DNA damage. This nuclear lamina degradation upon aberrant cellular stress impairs cell proliferation by inducing cellular senescence, a stable form of cell-cycle arrest and a tumor-suppressive mechanism. Our findings thus suggest that, in response to cancer-promoting stress, autophagy degrades nuclear material to drive cellular senescence, as a means to restrain tumorigenesis. Our work provokes a new direction in studying the role of autophagy in the nucleus and in tumor suppression.

Photoperiod length paces the temporal orchestration of cell cycle and carbon-nitrogen metabolism in Crocosphaera watsonii.

PubMed

Dron, Anthony; Rabouille, Sophie; Claquin, Pascal; Talec, Amélie; Raimbault, Virginie; Sciandra, Antoine

2013-12-01

We analysed the effect of photoperiod length (PPL) (16:8 and 8:16 h of light-dark regime, named long and short PPL, respectively) on the temporal orchestration of the two antagonistic, carbon and nitrogen acquisitions in the unicellular, diazotrophic cyanobacterium Crocosphaera watsonii strain WH8501 growing diazotrophically. Carbon and nitrogen metabolism were monitored at high frequency, and their patterns were compared with the cell cycle progression. The oxygen-sensitive N2 fixation process occurred mainly during the dark period, where photosynthesis cannot take place, inducing a light-dark cycle of cellular C : N ratio. Examination of circadian patterns in the cell cycle revealed that cell division occurred during the midlight period, (8 h and 4 h into the light in the long and short PPL conditions, respectively), thus timely separated from the energy-intensive diazotrophic process. Results consistently show a nearly 5 h time lag between the end of cell division and the onset of N2 fixation. Shorter PPLs affected DNA compaction of C. watsonii cells and also led to a decrease in the cell division rate. Therefore, PPL paces the growth of C. watsonii: a long PPL enhances cell division while a short PPL favours somatic growth (biomass production) with higher carbon and nitrogen cell contents. © 2013 Society for Applied Microbiology and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

6.0 K microarray reveals differential transcriptomic responses in the dinoflagellate Prorocentrum minimum exposed to polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB).

PubMed

Wang, Hui; Guo, Ruoyu; Ki, Jang-Seu

2018-03-01

Endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) have toxic effects on algae; however, their molecular genomic responses have not been sufficiently elucidated. Here, we evaluated genome-scaled responses of the dinoflagellate alga Prorocentrum minimum exposed to an EDC, polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB), using a 6.0 K microarray. Based on two-fold change cut-off, we identified that 609 genes (∼10.2%) responded to the PCB treatment. KEGG pathway analysis showed that differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were related to ribosomes, biosynthesis of amino acids, spliceosomes, and cellular processes. Many DEGs were involved in cell cycle progression, apoptosis, signal transduction, ion binding, and cellular transportation. In contrast, only a few genes related to photosynthesis and oxidative stress were expressed in response to PCB exposure. This was supported by that fact that there were no obvious changes in the photosynthetic efficiency and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. These results suggest that PCB might not cause chloroplast and oxidative damage, but could lead to cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. In addition, various signal transduction and transport pathways might be disrupted in the cells, which could further contribute to cell death. These results expand the genomic understanding of the effects of EDCs on this dinoflagellate protist. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Pre-Clinical Evaluation of a Novel RXR Agonist for the Treatment of Neuroblastoma

PubMed Central

Waters, Alicia M.; Stewart, Jerry E.; Atigadda, Venkatram R.; Mroczek-Musulman, Elizabeth; Muccio, Donald D.; Grubbs, Clinton J.; Beierle, Elizabeth A.

2015-01-01

Neuroblastoma remains a common cause of pediatric cancer deaths, especially for children who present with advanced stage or recurrent disease. Currently, retinoic acid therapy is used as maintenance treatment to induce differentiation and reduce tumor recurrence following induction therapy for neuroblastoma, but unavoidable side effects are seen. A novel retinoid, UAB30, has been shown to generate negligible toxicities. In the current study, we hypothesized that UAB30 would have a significant impact on multiple neuroblastoma cell lines in vitro and in vivo. Cellular survival, cell cycle analysis, migration, and invasion were studied using alamarBlue® assays, FACS, and Transwell® assays, respectively, in multiple cell lines following treatment with UAB30. In addition, an in vivo murine model of human neuroblastoma was utilized to study the effects of UAB30 upon tumor xenograft growth and animal survival. We successfully demonstrated decreased cellular survival, invasion and migration, cell cycle arrest and increased apoptosis after treatment with UAB30. Furthermore, inhibition of tumor growth and increased survival was observed in a murine neuroblastoma xenograft model. The results of these in vitro and in vivo studies suggest a potential therapeutic role for the low toxicity synthetic retinoid X receptor selective agonist, UAB30, in neuroblastoma treatment. PMID:25944918

Human Homolog of Drosophila Ariadne (HHARI) is a marker of cellular proliferation associated with nuclear bodies

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Elmehdawi, Fatima; Wheway, Gabrielle; Szymanska, Katarzyna

2013-02-01

HHARI (also known as ARIH1) is an ubiquitin-protein ligase and is the cognate of the E2, UbcH7 (UBE2L3). To establish a functional role for HHARI in cellular proliferation processes, we performed a reverse genetics screen that identified n=86/522 (16.5%) ubiquitin conjugation components that have a statistically significant effect on cell proliferation, which included HHARI as a strong hit. We then produced and validated a panel of specific antibodies that establish HHARI as both a nuclear and cytoplasmic protein that is expressed in all cell types studied. HHARI was expressed at higher levels in nuclei, and co-localized with nuclear bodies includingmore » Cajal bodies (p80 coilin, NOPP140), PML and SC35 bodies. We confirmed reduced cellular proliferation after ARIH1 knockdown with individual siRNA duplexes, in addition to significantly increased levels of apoptosis, an increased proportion of cells in G2 phase of the cell cycle, and significant reductions in total cellular RNA levels. In head and neck squamous cell carcinoma biopsies, there are higher levels of HHARI expression associated with increased levels of proliferation, compared to healthy control tissues. We demonstrate that HHARI is associated with cellular proliferation, which may be mediated through its interaction with UbcH7 and modification of proteins in nuclear bodies. -- Highlights: ► We produce and validate new antibody reagents for the ubiquitin-protein ligase HHARI. ► HHARI colocalizes with nuclear bodies including Cajal, PML and SC35 bodies. ► We establish new functions in cell proliferation regulation for HHARI. ► Increased HHARI expression associates with squamous cell carcinoma and proliferation.« less

Investigation of cell cycle-associated structural reorganization in nucleolar FC/DFCs from mouse MFC cells by electron microscopy.

PubMed

Chen, Lingling; Jiao, Yang; Guan, Xin; Li, Xiliang; Feng, Yunpeng; Jiao, Mingda

2018-05-01

Nucleolus structure alters as the cell cycle is progressing. It is established in telophase, maintained throughout the entire interphase and disassembled in metaphase. Fibrillar centers (FCs), dense fibrillar components (DFCs) and granular components (GCs) are essential nucleolar organizations where rRNA transcription and processing and ribosome assembly take place. Hitherto, little is known about the cell cycle-dependent reorganization of these structures. In this study, we followed the nucleolus structure during the cell cycle by electron microscopy (EM). We found the nucleolus experienced multiple rounds of structural reorganization within a single cell cycle: (1) when nucleoli are formed during the transition from late M to G1 phase, FCs, DFCs and GCs are constructed, leading to the establishment of tripartite nucleolus; (2) as FC/DFCs are disrupted at mid-G1, tripartite nucleolus is gradually changed into a bipartite organization; (3) at late G1, the reassembly of FC/DFCs results in a structural transition from bipartite nucleolus towards tripartite nucleolus; (4) as cells enter S phase, FC/DFCs are disassembled again and tripartite nucleolus is thus changed into a bipartite organization. Of note, FC/DFCs were not observed until late S phase; (5) FC/DFCs experience structural disruption and restoration during G2 and (6) when cells are at mitotic stage, FC/DFCs disappear before nucleolus structure is disassembled. These results also suggest that bipartite nucleolus can exist in higher eukaryotes at certain period of the cell cycle. As structures are the fundamental basis of diverse cell activities, unveiling the structural reorganization of nucleolar FCs and DFCs may bring insights into the spatial-temporal compartmentalization of relevant cellular functions.

Proteomic analysis identifies a novel function for galectin-3 in the cell entry of parvovirus.

PubMed

Garcin, Pierre; Cohen, Sarah; Terpstra, Sanne; Kelly, Isabelle; Foster, Leonard J; Panté, Nelly

2013-02-21

Cellular factors associated with the parvovirus minute virus of mice (MVM) during infection are thought to play important roles in the MVM life cycle but only a few of these have been identified. Here we used a proteomic-based approach in order to identify host-binding partners of MVM. Using purified MVM as bait for immunoprecipitation assays, a total of 150 proteins were identified in MVM immunoprecipitates by quantitative liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Galectin-3 was one of six proteins showing a statistically significant enrichment across replicates. Small interfering RNA depletion studies revealed an important role for galectin-3 in MVM endocytosis and infectivity in LA9 mouse fibroblast cells. Galectin-3-depleted cells were less susceptible to MVM infection than control cells and showed a significant reduction of MVM cellular uptake, but not of MVM binding to the cell surface. Our results indicate an important role for galectin-3 in the cellular uptake of MVM. We propose that galectin-3 facilitates the access of MVM to its receptor(s) at the plasma membrane and in this way promotes MVM endocytosis. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Kinases Involved in Both Autophagy and Mitosis.

PubMed

Li, Zhiyuan; Zhang, Xin

2017-08-31

Both mitosis and autophagy are highly regulated dynamic cellular processes and involve various phosphorylation events catalysed by kinases, which play vital roles in almost all physiological and pathological conditions. Mitosis is a key event during the cell cycle, in which the cell divides into two daughter cells. Autophagy is a process in which the cell digests its own cellular contents. Although autophagy regulation has mainly been studied in asynchronous cells, increasing evidence indicates that autophagy is in fact tightly regulated in mitosis. Here in this review, we will discuss kinases that were originally identified to be involved in only one of either mitosis or autophagy, but were later found to participate in both processes, such as CDKs (cyclin-dependent kinases), Aurora kinases, PLK-1 (polo-like kinase 1), BUB1 (budding uninhibited by benzimidazoles 1), MAPKs (mitogen-activated protein kinases), mTORC1 (mechanistic target of rapamycin complex 1), AMPK (AMP-activated protein kinase), PI3K (phosphoinositide-3 kinase) and protein kinase B (AKT). By focusing on kinases involved in both autophagy and mitosis, we will get a more comprehensive understanding about the reciprocal regulation between the two key cellular events, which will also shed light on their related therapeutic investigations.

Kinases Involved in Both Autophagy and Mitosis

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Both mitosis and autophagy are highly regulated dynamic cellular processes and involve various phosphorylation events catalysed by kinases, which play vital roles in almost all physiological and pathological conditions. Mitosis is a key event during the cell cycle, in which the cell divides into two daughter cells. Autophagy is a process in which the cell digests its own cellular contents. Although autophagy regulation has mainly been studied in asynchronous cells, increasing evidence indicates that autophagy is in fact tightly regulated in mitosis. Here in this review, we will discuss kinases that were originally identified to be involved in only one of either mitosis or autophagy, but were later found to participate in both processes, such as CDKs (cyclin-dependent kinases), Aurora kinases, PLK-1 (polo-like kinase 1), BUB1 (budding uninhibited by benzimidazoles 1), MAPKs (mitogen-activated protein kinases), mTORC1 (mechanistic target of rapamycin complex 1), AMPK (AMP-activated protein kinase), PI3K (phosphoinositide-3 kinase) and protein kinase B (AKT). By focusing on kinases involved in both autophagy and mitosis, we will get a more comprehensive understanding about the reciprocal regulation between the two key cellular events, which will also shed light on their related therapeutic investigations. PMID:28858266

Citrate- and Succinate-Modified Carbonate Apatite Nanoparticles with Loaded Doxorubicin Exhibit Potent Anticancer Activity against Breast Cancer Cells

PubMed Central

Mehbuba Hossain, Sultana; Chowdhury, Ezharul Hoque

2018-01-01

Biodegradable inorganic apatite-based particle complex is popular for its pH-sensitivity at the endosomal acidic environment to facilitate drug release following cellular uptake. Despite being a powerful anticancer drug, doxorubicin shows severe off-target effects and therefore would need a carrier for the highest effectiveness. We aimed to chemically modify carbonate apatite (CA) with Krebs cycle intermediates, such as citrate and succinate in order to control the growth of the resultant particles to more efficiently carry and transport the anticancer drug into the cancer cells. Citrate- or succinate-modified CA particles were synthesized with different concentrations of sodium citrate or sodium succinate, respectively, in the absence or presence of doxorubicin. The drug loading efficiency of the particles and their cellular uptake were observed by quantifying fluorescence intensity. The average diameter and surface charge of the particles were determined using Zetasizer. Cell viability was assessed by MTT assay. Citrate-modified carbonate apatite (CMCA) exhibited the highest (31.38%) binding affinity for doxorubicin and promoted rapid cellular uptake of the drug, leading to the half-maximal inhibitory concentration 1000 times less than that of the free drug in MCF-7 cells. Hence, CMCA nanoparticles with greater surface area enhance cytotoxicity in different breast cancer cells by enabling higher loading and more efficient cellular uptake of the drug. PMID:29534497

Dissecting the transcriptional phenotype of ribosomal protein deficiency: implications for Diamond-Blackfan Anemia

PubMed Central

Aspesi, Anna; Pavesi, Elisa; Robotti, Elisa; Crescitelli, Rossella; Boria, Ilenia; Avondo, Federica; Moniz, Hélène; Da Costa, Lydie; Mohandas, Narla; Roncaglia, Paola; Ramenghi, Ugo; Ronchi, Antonella; Gustincich, Stefano; Merlin, Simone; Marengo, Emilio; Ellis, Steven R.; Follenzi, Antonia; Santoro, Claudio; Dianzani, Irma

2014-01-01

Defects in genes encoding ribosomal proteins cause Diamond Blackfan Anemia (DBA), a red cell aplasia often associated with physical abnormalities. Other bone marrow failure syndromes have been attributed to defects in ribosomal components but the link between erythropoiesis and the ribosome remains to be fully defined. Several lines of evidence suggest that defects in ribosome synthesis lead to “ribosomal stress” with p53 activation and either cell cycle arrest or induction of apoptosis. Pathways independent of p53 have also been proposed to play a role in DBA pathogenesis. We took an unbiased approach to identify p53-independent pathways activated by defects in ribosome synthesis by analyzing global gene expression in various cellular models of DBA. Ranking-Principal Component Analysis (Ranking-PCA) was applied to the identified datasets to determine whether there are common sets of genes whose expression is altered in these different cellular models. We observed consistent changes in the expression of genes involved in cellular amino acid metabolic process, negative regulation of cell proliferation and cell redox homeostasis. These data indicate that cells respond to defects in ribosome synthesis by changing the level of expression of a limited subset of genes involved in critical cellular processes. Moreover, our data support a role for p53-independent pathways in the pathophysiology of DBA. PMID:24835311

HSF1 is activated as a consequence of lymphocyte activation and regulates a major proteostasis network in T cells critical for cell division during stress

PubMed Central

Gandhapudi, Siva K.; Murapa, Patience; Threlkeld, Zachary D.; Ward, Martin; Sarge, Kevin D.; Snow, Charles; Woodward, Jerold G.

2013-01-01

Heat Shock Transcription Factor 1 (HSF1) is a major transcriptional regulator of the heat shock response in eukaryotic cells. HSF1 is also evoked in response to a variety of cellular stressors including elevated temperatures, oxidative stress, and other proteotoxic stressors. Previously, we demonstrated that HSF1 is activated in naive T cells at fever range temperatures (39.5°C) and is critical for in vitro T cell proliferation at fever temperatures. In this study, we demonstrated thatmurine HSF1 became activated to the DNA-binding form and trans-activated a large number of genes in lymphoid cells strictly as a consequence of receptor activation in the absence of apparent cellular stress. Microarray analysis comparing HSF1+/+ and HSF1−/− gene expression in T cells activated at 37°C revealed a diverse set of 323 genes significantly regulated by HSF1 in non-stressed T cells. In vivo proliferation studies revealed a significant impairment of HSF1−/− T cell expansion under conditions mimicking a robust immune response (staphylococcal enterotoxin B induced T cell activation). This proliferation defect due to loss of HSF1 is observed even under non-febrile temperatures. HSF1−/− T cells activated at fever temperatures show a dramatic reduction in cyclin E and cyclin A proteins during the cell cycle, although the transcription of these genes was not affected. Finally, B cell, and hematopoietic stem cell proliferation from HSF1−/− mice, but not HSF1+/+ mice were also attenuated under stressful conditions, indicating that HSF1 is critical for the cell cycle progression of lymphoid cells activated under stressful conditions. PMID:24043900

Role of the phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase/Akt/target of rapamycin pathway during ambidensovirus infection of insect cells.

PubMed

Salasc, F; Mutuel, D; Debaisieux, S; Perrin, A; Dupressoir, T; Grenet, A-S Gosselin; Ogliastro, M

2016-01-01

The phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt/target of rapamycin (TOR) signalling pathway controls cell growth and survival, and is targeted by a number of viruses at different phases of their infection cycle to control translation. Whether and how insect viruses interact with this pathway remain poorly addressed. Here, we investigated the role of PI3K/Akt/TOR signalling during lethal infection of insect cells with an insect parvovirus. Using Junonia coenia densovirus (JcDV; lepidopteran ambidensovirus 1) and susceptible insect cells as experimental models, we first described JcDV cytopathology, and showed that viral infection affects cell size, cell proliferation and survival. We deciphered the role of PI3K/Akt/TOR signalling in the course of infection and found that non-structural (NS) protein expression correlates with the inhibition of TOR and the shutdown of cellular synthesis, concomitant with the burst of viral protein expression. Together, these results suggest that NS proteins control the cellular translational machinery to favour the translation of viral mRNAs at the expense of cellular mRNAs. As a consequence of TOR inhibition, cell autophagy is activated. These results highlight new functions for NS proteins in the course of multiplication of an insect parvovirus.

Studying the relationship between redox and cell growth using quantitative phase imaging (Conference Presentation)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sridharan, Shamira; Leslie, Matthew T.; Bapst, Natalya; Smith, John; Gaskins, H. Rex; Popescu, Gabriel

2016-03-01

Quantitative phase imaging has been used in the past to study the dry mass of cells and study cell growth under various treatment conditions. However, the relationship between cellular redox and growth rates has not yet been studied in this context. This study employed the recombinant Glrx-roGFP2 redox biosensor targeted to the mitochondrial matrix or cytosolic compartments of A549 lung epithelial carcinoma cells. The Glrx-roGFP2s biosensor consists of a modified GFP protein containing internal cysteine residues sensitive to the local redox environment. The formation/dissolution of sulfide bridges contorts the internal chromophore, dictating corresponding changes in florescence emission that provide direct measures of the local redox potential. Combining 2-channel florescent imaging of the redox sensor with quantitative phase imaging allowed observation of redox homeostasis alongside measurements of cellular mass during full cycles of cellular division. The results indicate that mitochondrial redox showed a stronger inverse correlation with cell growth than cytoplasmic redox states; although redox changes are restricted to a 5% range. We are now studying the relationship between mitochondrial redox and cell growth in an isogenic series of breast cell lines built upon the MCF-10A genetic background that vary both in malignancy and metastatic potential.

Cellular and molecular effects of protons: apoptosis induction and potential implications for cancer therapy.

PubMed

Di Pietro, C; Piro, S; Tabbì, G; Ragusa, M; Di Pietro, V; Zimmitti, V; Cuda, F; Anello, M; Consoli, U; Salinaro, E T; Caruso, M; Vancheri, C; Crimi, N; Sabini, M G; Cirrone, G A P; Raffaele, L; Privitera, G; Pulvirenti, A; Giugno, R; Ferro, A; Cuttone, G; Lo Nigro, S; Purrello, R; Purrello, F; Purrello, M

2006-01-01

Due to their ballistic precision, apoptosis induction by protons could be a strategy to specifically eliminate neoplastic cells. To characterize the cellular and molecular effects of these hadrons, we performed dose-response and time-course experiments by exposing different cell lines (PC3, Ca301D, MCF7) to increasing doses of protons and examining them with FACS, RT-PCR, and electron spin resonance (ESR). Irradiation with a dose of 10 Gy of a 26,7 Mev proton beam altered cell structures such as membranes, caused DNA double strand breaks, and significantly increased intracellular levels of hydroxyl ions, are active oxygen species (ROS). This modified the transcriptome of irradiated cells, activated the mitochondrial (intrinsic) pathway of apoptosis, and resulted in cycle arrest at the G2/M boundary. The number of necrotic cells within the irradiated cell population did not significantly increase with respect to the controls. The effects of irradiation with 20 Gy were qualitatively as well as quantitatively similar, but exposure to 40 Gy caused massive necrosis. Similar experiments with photons demonstrated that they induce apoptosis in a significantly lower number of cells and in a temporally delayed manner. These data advance our knowledge on the cellular and molecular effects of proton irradiation and could be useful for improving current hadrontherapy protocols.

Notch3 overexpression causes arrest of cell cycle progression by inducing Cdh1 expression in human breast cancer cells.

PubMed

Chen, Chun-Fa; Dou, Xiao-Wei; Liang, Yuan-Ke; Lin, Hao-Yu; Bai, Jing-Wen; Zhang, Xi-Xun; Wei, Xiao-Long; Li, Yao-Chen; Zhang, Guo-Jun

2016-01-01

Uncontrolled cell proliferation, genomic instability and cancer are closely related to the abnormal activation of the cell cycle. Therefore, blocking the cell cycle of cancer cells has become one of the key goals for treating malignancies. Unfortunately, the factors affecting cell cycle progression remain largely unknown. In this study, we have explored the effects of Notch3 on the cell cycle in breast cancer cell lines by 3 methods: overexpressing the intra-cellular domain of Notch3 (N3ICD), knocking-down Notch3 by RNA interference, and using X-ray radiation exposure. The results revealed that overexpression of Notch3 arrested the cell cycle at the G0/G1 phase, and inhibited the proliferation and colony-formation rate in the breast cancer cell line, MDA-MB-231. Furthermore, overexpressing N3ICD upregulated Cdh1 expression and resulted in p27(Kip) accumulation by accelerating Skp2 degradation. Conversely, silencing of Notch3 in the breast cancer cell line, MCF-7, caused a decrease in expression levels of Cdh1 and p27(Kip) at both the protein and mRNA levels, while the expression of Skp2 only increased at the protein level. Correspondingly, there was an increase in the percentage of cells in the G0/G1 phase and an elevated proliferative ability and colony-formation rate, which may be caused by alterations of the Cdh1/Skp2/p27 axis. These results were also supported by exposing MDA-MB-231 cells or MCF-7 treated with siN3 to X-irradiation at various doses. Overall, our data showed that overexpression of N3ICD upregulated the expression of Cdh1 and caused p27(Kip) accumulation by accelerating Skp2 degradation, which in turn led to cell cycle arrest at the G0/G1 phase, in the context of proliferating breast cancer cell lines. These findings help to illuminate the precision therapy targeted to cell cycle progression, required for cancer treatment.

Catalytic and mechanical cycles in F-ATP synthases. Fourth in the Cycles Review Series.

PubMed

Dimroth, Peter; von Ballmoos, Christoph; Meier, Thomas

2006-03-01

Cycles have a profound role in cellular life at all levels of organization. Well-known cycles in cell metabolism include the tricarboxylic acid and the urea cycle, in which a specific carrier substrate undergoes a sequence of chemical transformations and is regenerated at the end. Other examples include the interconversions of cofactors, such as NADH or ATP, which are present in the cell in limiting amounts and have to be recycled effectively for metabolism to continue. Every living cell performs a rapid turnover of ATP to ADP to fulfil various energetic demands and effectively regenerates the ATP from ADP in an energy-consuming process. The turnover of the ATP cycle is impressive; a human uses about its body weight in ATP per day. Enzymes perform catalytic reaction cycles in which they undergo several chemical and physical transformations before they are converted back to their original states. The ubiquitous F1F(o) ATP synthase is of particular interest not only because of its biological importance, but also owing to its unique rotational mechanism. Here, we give an overview of the membrane-embedded F(o) sector, particularly with respect to the recent crystal structure of the c ring from Ilyobacter tartaricus, and summarize current hypotheses for the mechanism by which rotation of the c ring is generated.

Low doses of TiO2-polyethylene glycol nanoparticles stimulate proliferation of hepatocyte cells

PubMed Central

Sun, Qingqing; Kanehira, Koki; Taniguchi, Akiyoshi

2016-01-01

Abstract This paper describes the effect of low concentrations of 100 nm polyethylene glycol-modified TiO2 nanoparticles (TiO2-PEG NPs) on HepG2 hepatocellular carcinoma cells. Proliferation of HepG2 cells increased significantly when the cells were exposed to low doses (<100 μg ml–1) of TiO2-PEG NPs. These results were further confirmed by cell counting experiments and cell cycle assays. Cellular uptake assays were performed to determine why HepG2 cells proliferate with low-dose exposure to TiO2-PEG NPs. The results showed that exposure to lower doses of NPs led to less cellular uptake, which in turn decreased cytotoxicity. We therefore hypothesized that TiO2-PEG NPs could affect the activity of hepatocyte growth factor receptors (HGFRs), which bind to hepatocyte growth factor and stimulate cell proliferation. The localization of HGFRs on the surface of the cell membrane was detected via immunofluorescence staining and confocal microscopy. The results showed that HGFRs aggregate after exposure to TiO2-PEG NPs. In conclusion, our results indicate that TiO2-PEG NPs have the potential to promote proliferation of HepG2 cells through HGFR aggregation and suggest that NPs not only exhibit cytotoxicity but also affect cellular responses. PMID:27877913

Glucose metabolite glyoxal induces senescence in telomerase-immortalized human mesenchymal stem cells

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Various by-products of the cellular metabolism, such as reactive carbonyl species (RCS) are potentially harmful to cells and tissues, and play a role in many physiological and pathological processes. Among various RCS is the highly reactive dicarbonyl glyoxal (GO), which is a natural physiological metabolite produced by the auto-oxidation of glucose, and can form covalent adducts known as advanced glycation endproducts (AGE). We have previously reported that GO accelerates ageing and causes premature senescence in normal human skin fibroblasts. Results Using a bone marrow-derived telomerase-immortalised mesenchymal stem cell line hMSC-TERT we have observed that an exposure of cells to 0.75 mM and 1 mM GO induces irreversible cellular senescence within 3 days. Induction of senescence in hMSC-TERT was demonstrated by a variety of markers, including characteristic cell morphology and enlargement, vacuolisation, multinucleation, induction of senescence associated β-galactosidase, cell cycle arrest, and increased levels of a cell cycle inhibitor p16. These changes were accompanied by increased extent of DNA breaks as measured by the comet assay, and increased levels of the AGE product, carboxymethyl-lysine (CML). Furthermore, the in vitro differentiation potential of hMSC-TERT to become functional osteoblasts was highly reduced in GO-treated stem cells, as determined by alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity and mineralized matrix (MM) formation. Conclusions The results of our study imply that an imbalanced glucose metabolism can reduce the functioning ability of stem cells in vivo both during ageing and during stem cell-based therapeutic interventions. PMID:22424056

BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF DEUTERIUM OXIDE

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rothstein, E.L.

1962-01-01

D/sub 2/0 was used to study the synthesis of viral nucleic acid and cellular lipids. Deuteration of bacterial and mammalian cells resulted in increascd size and an altered lipid profile. Infection of Escherichia coli with phages T5 and T7 resulted in the production of increased amounts of T7. Such increases were appearently a function of deuteration in the life cycle of the virus. Similarly, the HeLa cell, maintained in tissue culture, produced increased amounts of polio virus when cells were deuterated. (H.H.D.)

Exploring the effects of low-level laser therapy on fibroblasts and tumor cells following gamma radiation exposure.

PubMed

Ramos Silva, Camila; Cabral, Fernanda Viana; de Camargo, Claudinei Francisco Morais; Núñez, Silvia Cristina; Mateus Yoshimura, Tania; de Lima Luna, Arthur Cássio; Maria, Durvanei Augusto; Ribeiro, Martha Simões

2016-12-01

Ionizing radiation (IR) induces DNA damage and low-level laser therapy (LLLT) has been investigated to prevent or repair detrimental outcomes resulting from IR exposure. Few in vitro studies, however, explore the biological mechanisms underlying those LLLT benefits. Thus, in this work, fibroblasts and tumor cells are submitted to IR with doses of 2.5 Gy and 10 Gy. After twenty-four-h, the cells are exposed to LLLT with fluences of 30 J cm -2 , 90 J cm -2 , and 150 J cm -2 . Cellular viability, cell cycle phases, cell proliferation index and senescence are evaluated on days 1 and 4 after LLLT irradiation. For fibroblasts, LLLT promotes - in a fluence-dependent manner - increments in cell viability and proliferation, while a reduction in the senescence was observed. Regarding tumor cells, no influences of LLLT on cell viability are noticed. Whereas LLLT enhances cell populations in S and G 2 /M cell cycle phases for both cellular lines, a decrease in proliferation and increase in senescence was verified only for tumor cells. Putting together, the results suggest that fibroblasts and tumor cells present different responses to LLLT following exposure to gamma-radiation, and these promising results should stimulate further investigations. Senescence of tumor cells and fibroblasts on the 4 th day after ionizing radiation (IR) and low-level laser therapy (LLLT) exposures. The number of senescent cells increased significantly for tumor cells (a) while for fibroblasts no increment was observed (b). The blue collor indicates senescence activity. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.