OBJECTIVETo study mechanisms of reduction of the malignant activities of human naso-pharyngeal carcinoma cell CNE-2L2 induced by ectopic expression of BCSC-1 gene.

METHODSDNA was stained with propidium iodide and assayed upon a flow cytometer. Chromosomes were stained with Hoechest 33258. Adhesion of CNE-2L2 cells was detected by cell aggregation test. Protein expression on CNE-2L2 cells was examined by Western blot.

RESULTSCell cycle analysis showed that the percentage of CNE-2L2 cells was 55.1%, 43.4%, and 39.4% in G0/G1 phase, 25.2%, 28.7%, and 30.9% in S phase, and 19.7%, 27.9%, and 29.7% in G2/M phase for the cell with ectopic expression of BCSC-1 gene, wild type cell (W cells), and the cell transduced with the mock (M cell). Many mitotic cells were found in W cells and M cells. In contrast, almost no mitotic cell was observed in the cells with ectopic expression of BCSC-1 gene. Ectopic BCSC-1 expression resulted in cell aggregation, enhanced expression of E-cadherin, cx-catenin, and p53.

CONCLUSIONSEctopic BCSC-1 expression causes enhancement of adhesion of CNE-2L2 cells associated with enhanced expression of E-cadherin and alpha-catenin, arrest of cell in G1 phase, which may be associated with enhanced expression of p53. These alteration may play a role in the reduction of malignant activities of the cells with ectopic expression of BCSC-1 gene.

Cell Adhesion ; Cell Cycle ; physiology ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Humans ; Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms ; Neoplasm Proteins ; biosynthesis ; genetics

AIMTo explore the effects of tRNA on the growth of mammalian cells.

METHODSL929, NIH3T3, MCF-7 and PC12 cells were seeded in 96 well culture plate individually, and incubated at 37 degrees C in 5% CO2 for 4 h, the tRNAs from different species were added to the culture media individually. After certain time of incubation, the viability of the cells was evaluated by the MTT methods. Sub-confluent L929 cells were incubated with 200 microg/ml ytRNA for different times, then the cells were pooled and analyzed with flow cytometry assay.

RESULTStRNA specifically inhibited the growth of L929 cells in a dose-dependent manner. The sizes of tRNA-treated cells showed larger sizes and longer processes than those of untreated cells. Flow cytometric analysis further showed that most of tRNA-treated cells were arrested in S phase of the cell cycle.

CONCLUSIONThe cell growth inhibitory effects of tRNAs were caused mainly by their degraded fragments. The results suggested that tRNA or its degraded fragments might play important roles in regulation of cell proliferation.

Animals ; Cell Cycle Checkpoints ; physiology ; Cell Line ; Cell Proliferation ; Fibroblasts ; cytology ; Flow Cytometry ; Mice ; RNA, Transfer ; physiology

PURPOSE: Because NELL2 expression is strictly restricted only in neurons in developing and post- differentiated neural tissues, it is thought to be involved in the neuronal differentiation during development and in the maintenance of neuronal physiology in the post-differentiated neurons. In this study, we examined whether NELL2 is involved in the regulation of cell cycle and apoptosis in the hippocampal neuroprogenitor HiB5 cells. METHODS: Effects of NELL2 on the cultured HiB5 cell numbers, DNA fragmentation, and proteins involved in the regulation of the cell cycle were measured. RESULTS: NELL2 induced a decrease in cell numbers and an increase in G1 phase arrest. Moreover, transfection of NELL2 resulted in an increase of DNA fragmentation that shows an evidence of apoptosis. Contents of proteins involved in the regulation of cell cycle were also changed by transfection of NELL2 expression vectors. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that NELL2 plays an important role in the regulation of cell cycle and apoptosis of neurons.
Apoptosis ; Cell Count ; Cell Cycle* ; DNA Fragmentation ; G1 Phase ; Neurons* ; Physiology ; Transfection

Real-time quantitative PCR was used to characterize HearNPV DNA replication in exponential and stationary phases of HzAM1 cells. Results showed that the doubling time of HzAM1 cells was 22 h in exponential phases. Most of the exponential cells were in S phase (48.6%), and most of the stationary cells in G2/M phase (72.6%). The replication of viral DNA was completed within 60 h post infection (h p. i.) in different phases of HzAM1 cells. During 14 to 20 h p. i., the doubling time of HearNPV replica-tion was 1.8 h in exponential cells and 1.9 h in stationary cells, and no significant difference was found between them. But the amounts of BV entering and releasing, the final progeny virions and viral protein products in the infected exponential phase cells were obviously higher than that in the stationary phase cells. 25% of the total synthesized viral DNAs were released from infected exponential phase cells, but on-ly 13% from the infected stationary phase cells. Viral DNA started to be replicated from 7-8 h p. i. both in infected exponential phase and in stationary phase cells. But in infected exponential phase cells, BVs were started to release from 18-20 h p. i., and BVs were started to release from 22-25 h p. i. from infected sta-tionary phase cells. During 30-60 h p. i., the BV releasing rate was about 483 copies/cell/h in the expo-nential phase cells, but was 100 copies/cell/h in the stationary-phase cells. The initial viral DNA entering into exponential phase cells was much more than that entered into the stationary phase cells. The data of cell membrane fluidity at exponential and stationary phases suggested that the fluidity of cell membrane played an important role during virus entry.
Animals ; Cell Cycle ; Cell Line ; DNA Replication ; Membrane Fluidity ; Moths ; Nucleopolyhedrovirus ; physiology ; Virus Internalization ; Virus Replication

The cell cycle is a complex process that involves DNA replication, protein expression, and cell division. Dysregulation of the cell cycle is associated with various diseases. Cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) and their corresponding cyclins are major proteins that regulate the cell cycle. In contrast to inhibition, a new approach called proteolysis-targeting chimeras (PROTACs) and molecular glues can eliminate both enzymatic and scaffold functions of CDKs and cyclins, achieving targeted degradation. The field of PROTACs and molecular glues has developed rapidly in recent years. In this article, we aim to summarize the latest developments of CDKs and cyclin protein degraders. The selectivity, application, validation and the current state of each CDK degrader will be overviewed. Additionally, possible methods are discussed for the development of degraders for CDK members that still lack them. Overall, this article provides a comprehensive summary of the latest advancements in CDK and cyclin protein degraders, which will be helpful for researchers working on this topic.
Humans ; Cell Cycle/physiology* ; Cell Division ; Cyclin-Dependent Kinases/metabolism* ; Cyclins/metabolism*

Cell Cycle ; Cell Cycle Proteins ; analysis ; antagonists & inhibitors ; physiology ; Cell Differentiation ; Cell Proliferation ; Humans ; Membrane Proteins ; analysis ; antagonists & inhibitors ; physiology ; Neoplasm Proteins ; analysis ; antagonists & inhibitors ; physiology ; Neoplasms ; enzymology ; therapy ; Protein Tyrosine Phosphatases ; analysis ; antagonists & inhibitors ; physiology

This study examined the biological characteristics of normal and degenerated rabbit nucleus pulposus (NP) cells in vitro in order to provide seed cells for intervertebral disc (IVD) tissue engineering. A total of 8 adult New Zealand white rabbits underwent annulus puncture to establish models of intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD). Four weeks later, normal and degenerated NP cells were obtained. Cell morphology was observed by light and electron microscopy. Cell viability was measured by MTT assay. Cell cycle and expression of extracellular matrix (ECM)-related genes (aggrecan and type II collagen) were determined by using flow cytometry and RT-PCR respectively. The growth curve of normal NP cells showed that the cells at passage 4 tended to slowly grow on the fifth day of culture. The density of normal NP cells at passages 5 to 7 was significantly less than that of the first-passage cells 2 or 3 days after seeding (P<0.05). The degenerated NP cells at passage 3 showed slow growth at 4th day. After 5 passages, the degenerated NP cells assumed stagnant growth and the growth seemed to stop at passage 7. The MTT assay revealed that for both normal and degenerated NP cells, the absorbance (A) value at passages 4-7 was obviously decreased as compared with that at passage 1 (P<0.05). Cell cycle analysis showed that the proportion of normal NP cells at Gl phase was 65.4%±3.5%, significantly lower than that of degenerated NP cells at the same cell cycle phase with the value being 77.6%±4.8%. The degenerated NP cells were predominantly arrested at G1 phase and failed to enter S phase. The expression of type II collagen and aggrecan was significantly decreased with passaging. It was concluded that normal NP cells possessed good viability and proliferative capacity by the third passage, and they could secrete large amounts of ECM within this period. The normal NP cells may serve as seed cells for IVD tissue engineering.
Animals ; Apoptosis ; physiology ; Cell Cycle ; physiology ; Cell Proliferation ; Cell Size ; Cell Survival ; physiology ; Cells, Cultured ; Intervertebral Disc ; cytology ; physiopathology ; Intervertebral Disc Degeneration ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Rabbits ; Reference Values

Cell cycle progression is tightly regulated in hematopoietic stem cells. The cycle state decides cells' fates, which includes self-renewal, proliferation and differentiation. Proper cell cycle regulation is a pivotal element for the maintenance of hematopoiesis homeostasis. HTm4 is a newly identified specific cell cycle regulator of the hematopoietic cell. Through interacting with KAP-CDK2 complex, it arrests cells in G(0)/G(1) phase. K562 is a human chronic myelogenous leukemia cell; it could be induced to megakaryoblast by phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA). Such differentiation must be associated with cell cycle change. To further clarify HTm4's function in hematopoietic cell cycle regulation, K562 cells were treated with PMA. Cell cycle change was analysed using flow cytometric system. And during the induction process gene expression of HTm4 as well as CycleE and CDK2, which are responsible for G(1) to S transition, were analysed using semi-quantitative RT-PCR. The C-terminal domain of HTm4 protein has been shown to be important for HTm4's binding with KAP-CDK2 complex. To determine its impact on HTm4's function, HTm4 and C-terminal truncated HTm4 (HTm4-ct) were transfected into K562 cells using Tet-Off regulation expression system. Their influence on cell cycle was observed. The results showed that PMA induced both expansion and differentiation of K562 cells as measured by cell number count and NBT staining respectively. During PMA treatment, G(0)/G(1) cell proportion and HTm4 expression displayed coordinated change, which suggested that HTm4 might drive K562 cells out of cell cycle but was not involved in the quiescence maintenance. Additionally, transfection of HTm4 caused G(0)/G(1) arrest in K562 cells, while transfection of HTm4-ct did not. It is therefore suggested that the C-terminal domain is important for the function of HTm4 in cell cycle regulation.
Cell Cycle ; physiology ; Cell Cycle Proteins ; genetics ; physiology ; Cells, Cultured ; Gene Expression Regulation ; Hematopoiesis ; physiology ; Hematopoietic Stem Cells ; cytology ; physiology ; Humans ; K562 Cells ; Membrane Proteins ; genetics ; physiology ; Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate ; pharmacology ; Transfection

OBJECTIVETo investigate the time course of let-7a microRNA expression in the cell cycle of HeLa cells.

METHODSHeLa cells were synchronized in G(1), S and G(2)/M phases using double-thymidine block, and the cell cycle phases were defined by flow cytometry. Real-time quantitative RT-PCR was used to examine the expression of let-7a in HeLa cells in different cell cycle phases.

RESULTSThe synchronization rates of G(1), S and G(2)/M phases were 84.81%, 83.65% and 77.69%, respectively. Let-7a was constitutively expressed throughout the cell cycle in HeLa cells, but the expression levels in G(1) and S phases were lower than those in G(2)/M phase.

CONCLUSIONSCell cycle can significantly influence the expression level of let-7a, which may provide new clues to the understanding of the cell cycle control mechanisms.

Cell Cycle ; genetics ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic ; physiology ; HeLa Cells ; Humans ; MicroRNAs ; genetics ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo observe the effect of human cytomegalovirus infection on the host cellular DNA synthesis and expression of cyclones.

METHODSHCMV infected cell was established in vitro by incubating passage cultured HEL and HCMV AD169 strain with different titres. The cells were synchronized in the G0/G1 stage by contact inhibition and infected with strain AD169 of HCMV at an MOI of 5 PFU per cell. We harvested infected cell at different time 0 h, 3 h, 6 h, 24 h, 72 h and 96 h post infection. Then the cell cycle progress was measured. Meanwhile, the DNA content and expression of proteins of cycline E, cycline A and cycline D1 were determined with FCM and Western Blot respectively.

RESULTSWe found that the amount of S stage cell infected by HCMV had increased dramatically, and that of G2/M stage cell reduced during 24 h-96 h PI, and no G2/M stage cell was detected within 96 h PI. The content of 2N DNA maintained unchangeable for 24 h after infection and the content of total DNA in infected cells began to increase within 48 h PI, and the substantial cell with 2N DNA were observed 72 h after infection. However, DNA content was not altered in control group of normal HEL and HCMV PAA group. CyclinE protein was induced 12 h PI and peak induction occurred 24 h PI in contact-inhibited cells. CyclinA protein expression was not induced in HCMV infected density-arrested cells. The abundance of cyclinD1 decreased 24 h PI.

CONCLUSIONThe expression of cyclinE and activity of cyclinE/Cdk2 kinase are increased obviously in G0/G1 stage cells infected with HCMV, which may induce the cell cycle to overpass G1/S restriction point and make the cell cycle arrested in later G1 stage. HCMV can not activate cellular DNA synthesis, and increase of total DNA content in infected cells result from the viral DNA replication.

Cell Cycle ; Cells, Cultured ; Cyclins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Cytomegalovirus ; physiology ; Cytomegalovirus Infections ; genetics ; metabolism ; Gene Expression ; Humans