Actin and some actin binding proteins such as tropomyosin, -actinin and troponin T were localized by simultaneous double immunogold labeling in several developmental stages of Cryptosporidium parvum. All of the observed developmental stages have many particles of tropomyosin and actin around pellicle and cytoplasm. Tropomyosin was labeled much more than the actin when these two proteins were labeled simultaneously. And alpha-actinin was labeled mostly in the pellicle, but troponin T labeling was very rarely observed. From this study, it was suggested that tropomyosin seems to be one of the major proteins of C. parvum, so it must be playing important roles in C. parvum.
parasitology-protozoa ; actin ; tropomyosin ; alpha-actinin ; troponin T ; Cryptosporidium parvum

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the regulatory effect of zyxin on the distribution of platelet cytoskeleton. METHODS: Platelets were isolated from zyxin-knockout (Zyx RESULTS: After zyxin gene was knockout, the expressions of cytoskeleton proteins β-actin, α-actinin, filamin A, and myosin Ⅱ A in resting and Jas-induced platelets were significantly increased. In the platelet spreading on fibrinogen surface, F-actin was increased in Zyx CONCLUSION Zyxin significantly regulates the distribution of platelet cytoskeleton, which plays an important role in maintaining platelet cytoskeleton homeostasis.
Actinin ; Actins ; Animals ; Blood Platelets ; Cytoskeleton ; Mice ; Zyxin

Actinin/genetics* ; Anemia ; Blood Platelets/pathology* ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Megakaryocytes ; Mutation, Missense ; Pedigree ; Thrombocytopenia/genetics*

Genetic factors play a key role in human athletic ability, and endurance quality and explosive power quality are the important components of athletic ability. In this review, we aimed to reveal the biological genetic mechanism of human athletic ability at the molecular level through summarizing the relationship between genetic variants and human athletic ability, including endurance quality related genetic markers angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) gene, creatine kinase MM (CKMM) gene and explosive power quality related genetic markers alpha actinin 3 (ACTN3) gene, angiotensinogen (AGT) gene and interleukin6 (IL6) gene. Meanwhile, we also summarized the distribution of allele frequencies among various populations.
Actinin/genetics* ; Athletic Performance ; Gene Frequency ; Genetic Markers ; Genotype ; Humans ; Polymorphism, Genetic

OBJECTIVE: This study was to establish a reproducible differentiation system from the parthenogenetic mouse embryonic stem (P-mES02) cells into functional cardiomyocytes like as in vitro fertilization mouse embryonic stem (mES01) cells. MATERIALS AND METHODS: To induce differentiation, P-mES02 cells were dissociated and aggregated in suspension culture environment for embryoid (EB) formation. For differentiation into cardiomyocytes, day 4 EBs were treated with 0.75% dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) for another 4 days (4-/4+) and then were plated onto gelatin-coated dish. Cultured cells were observed daily using an inverted light microscope to determine the day of contraction onset and total duration of continuous contractile activity for each contracting focus. This frequency was compared with the results of DMSO not treated P-mES02 group (4-/4-) and mES01 groups (4-/4+ or 4-/4-). For confirm the generation of cardiomyocytes, beating cell masses were treated with trypsin-EDTA, dispersed cells were plated onto glass coverslips and incubated for 48 h. Attached cells were fixed using 4% paraformaldehyde and incubated with specific antibodies (Abs) to defect cardiomyocytes (anti-sarcomeric alpha-actinin Ab, 1: 100; anti-cardiac troponin I Ab, 1: 2000) for 1 h. And the cells were finally treated with FITC or TRITC labelled 2nd Abs, respectively, then they were examined under fluorescence microscopy. RESULTS: Rhythmically contracting areas in mES01 or P-mES02 cells were firstly appeared at 9 or 10 days after EBs plating, respectively. The highest cumulative frequency of beating EBs was not different in both treatment groups (mES01 and P-mES02, 4-/4+) with the results of 61.3% at 13 days and 69.8% at 15 days, respectively. Also the contracting duration of individual beating EBs was different from minimal 7 days to maximal 53 days. However, DMSO not treated groups (mES01 and mES02,4-/4-) also had contracting characteristics although their frequency was a few compared to those of DMSO treated groups (6.0% and 4.0%). Cells recovered from the spontaneously contracting areas within EBs in both treated groups were stained positively with muscle specific anti-sarcomeric alpha-actinin Ab and cardiac specific anti-cardiac troponin I Ab. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated that the P-mES02 cell-derived cardiomyocytes displayed similarly structural properties to mES01 cell-derived cardiomyocytes and that the DMSO treatment enhanced the cardiomyocytes differentiation in vitro.
Actinin ; Animals ; Antibodies ; Cells, Cultured ; Dimethyl Sulfoxide ; Embryonic Stem Cells* ; Fertilization in Vitro ; Fluorescein-5-isothiocyanate ; Glass ; Mice* ; Microscopy, Fluorescence ; Myocytes, Cardiac* ; Troponin I

OBJECTIVE: We previously described that Diva is highly expressed in matured metaphase II (MII) oocytes compared to immature germinal vesicle (GV) oocytes in mouse.1 We report here that the expression of Diva transcript as well as protein is oocyte-specific. To elucidate its physiological role in oocyte, the binding partner(s) of Diva has been identified by using immunoprecipitation (IP) followed by Mass Spectrometry. METHODS: NIH/3T3 cells were transiently transfected for 24 h with either empty vector for control or FLAG-tagged mouse Diva construct, and IP was performed with anti-FLAG antibody. The immuno-isolated complexes were resolved by SDS-PAGE on a 12% gel followed by Coomassie Blue staining. For in-gel digestion, 15 bands of interest were excised manually and digested with trypsin. All mass spectra were acquired at a positive reflector mode by a 4700 Proteomics Analyzer (Applied Biosystems, Framingham, MA). Proteins were identified by searching the NCBI nonredundant database using MASCOT Peptide Mass Fingerprint software (Matrixscience, London). RESULTS: Diva-associated complexes were formed in FLAG-tagged mouse Diva-overexpressed NIH/3T3 cells via IP using anti-FLAG-conjugated beads. Among the excised 15 bands, actin and actin-binding proteins such as tropomyosin, tropomodulin 3, and alpha-actinin were identified. Binding between Diva and actin or tropomyosin was confirmed by IP followed by Western blot analysis. Both bindings were also detected endogenously in mouse ovaries, indicating that Diva works with actin and tropomyosin. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first report that immuno-isolated Diva-associated complexes are related to actin filament of the cytoskeletal system. When we consider the association of Diva with actin and tropomyosin, oocyte-specific Diva may play a role in modulating the cytoskeletal system during oocyte maturation.
Actin Cytoskeleton ; Actinin ; Actins ; Animals ; Blotting, Western ; Dermatoglyphics ; Digestion ; Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel ; Female ; Immunoprecipitation ; Mass Spectrometry* ; Metaphase ; Mice ; Microfilament Proteins ; Oocytes ; Ovary ; Proteomics ; Tropomodulin ; Tropomyosin ; Trypsin

OBJECTIVETo investigate the expression of representative heart-specific primary microRNAs (pri-miRNAs) in the cardiomyocyte-like cells differentiated from human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs).

METHODSThe phenotype of hMSCs isolated was identified by flow cytometry using monoclonal antibodies against FITC-conjugated CD29, CD34, and CD11b. The third-passage hMSCs were induced to differentiate into cardiomyocyte-like cells by 5-azacytidine and indirect coculture with neonatal rat myocytes, respectively. Immunocytochemical analysis was performed to detect the expression of the cardiac-specific proteins, namely cardiac troponin I (cTnI) and sarcomeric alpha-actinin, in the cardiomyocyte-like cells differentiated from hMSCs. RT-PCR and DNA sequencing were used to identify the expression of the 5 representative heart-specific pri-miRNAs.

RESULTSHigh hMSC marker CD29 expression rate (98.87%) and low hematopoietic cell markers CD34 (5%) and CD11b (0.4%) expression rates were identified in the hMSCs isolated. cTnI and sarcomeric alpha-actinin expression occurred in the hMSCs following induction with the 2 differentiation-inducing methods. miRNA-143 and -181 expressions were induced in the hMSCs by 5-azacytidine and miRNA-143, -181, -206, and -208 expressions were induced by indirect coculture with neonatal rat myocytes, but pri-miRNA-1-2 expression failed to be induced by these two induction methods.

CONCLUSIONExpressions of the representative heart-specific pri-miRNAs in different patterns can be induced in cardiomyocyte-like cells differentiated from hMSCs by 5-azacytidine and indirect coculture with neonatal rat myocytes.

Actinin ; metabolism ; Animals ; Cell Differentiation ; Coculture Techniques ; Humans ; Mesenchymal Stromal Cells ; cytology ; MicroRNAs ; metabolism ; Myocytes, Cardiac ; cytology ; metabolism ; Rats ; Troponin I ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo explore the relationship between α-actinin content and cardiac function in rats during myocardial ischemia-reperfusion.

METHODSThirty-two rats were randomized equally into sham-operated group, 30 min ischemia group, 1 h ischemia group, and 1 h ischemia with 2 h reperfusion group. Acute myocardial ischemia was induced in the 3 ischemia groups by ligation of the left anterior descending coronary artery, and the cardiac functions were evaluated. The myocardial contents of α-actinin was measured by immunohistochemistry, and phospholipase C (PLC) and phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K) contents were determined by ELISA after the operations.

RESULTSThe left ventricular systolic pressure (LVSP), +dp/dt max, and -dp/dt max tended to decrease during myocardial ischemia, and increased after reperfusion, and the left ventricular end-diastolic pressure (LVEDP) showed reverse changes. The levels of α-actinin decreased with prolonged ischemia, showing a significant difference in 1 h ischemia group from those in the other 3 groups. PI3K and PLC contents were significantly increased with prolonged myocardial ischemia. Stimulation by LY-294002 and U-73122 caused enhanced contraction of single cardiomyocytes, and also increased the fluorescence intensity of α-actinin in the cardiomyocytes compared with that in 1 h ischemia group.

CONCLUSIONSThe cardiac dysfunction during acute ischemia-reperfusion in rats may be related with the changes of myocardial α-actinin content, which are probably a result of increased PI3K and PLC contents in the ischemic myocardium.

Actinin ; metabolism ; Animals ; Myocardial Ischemia ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; Myocardial Reperfusion Injury ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; Myocardium ; metabolism ; Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinase ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Type C Phospholipases ; metabolism

Actinin ; genetics ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; genetics ; Athletes ; Athletic Performance ; China ; Ethnic Groups ; genetics ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; Young Adult

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Most studies in cardiac regeneration have explored bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSC) with variable therapeutic effects. Amniotic fluid MSC (AF-MSC) having extended self-renewal and multi-potent properties may be superior to bone marrow MSC (BM-MSC). However, a comparison of their cardiomyogenic potency has not been studied yet.METHODS: The 5-azacytidine (5-aza) treated AF-MSC and BM-MSC were evaluated for the expression of GATA-4, Nkx2.5 and ISL-1 transcripts and proteins by quantitative RT-PCR and Western blotting, respectively as well as for the expression of cardiomyogenic differentiation markers cardiac troponin-T (cTNT), beta myosin heavy chain (βMHC) and alpha sarcomeric actinin (ASA) by immunocytochemistry.RESULTS: The AF-MSC as compared to BM-MSC had significantly higher expression of GATA-4 (183.06±29.85 vs. 9.80±0.05; p<0.01), Nkx2.5 (8.3±1.4 vs. 1.82±0.32; p<0.05), and ISL-1 (39.59±4.05 vs. 4.36±0.39; p<0.01) genes as well as GATA-4 (2.01±0.5 vs. 0.6±0.1; p<0.05), NKx2.5 (1.9±0.14 vs. 0.8±0.2; p<0.01) and ISL-1 (1.7±0.3 vs. 0.9±0.1; p<0.05) proteins. The AF-MSC also had significantly elevated expression of cTNT (5.0×10⁴±0.6×10⁴ vs. 3.5 ×10⁴±0.8×10⁴; p<0.01), β-MHC (15.7×10⁴±0.9×10⁴ vs. 8.2×10⁴±0.6×10⁴; p<0.01) and ASA (18.6×10⁴±4.9×10⁴ vs. 13.1×10⁴±3.0×10⁴; p<0.05) than BM-MSC.CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest that AF-MSC have greater cardiomyogenic potency than BM-MSC, and thus may be a better source of MSC for therapeutic applications in cardiac regenerative medicine.
Actinin ; Amniotic Fluid ; Antigens, Differentiation ; Azacitidine ; Blotting, Western ; Bone Marrow ; Female ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Mesenchymal Stromal Cells ; Regeneration ; Regenerative Medicine ; Therapeutic Uses ; Troponin T ; Ventricular Myosins