OBJECTIVETo determine the optimal concentration and processing time of EMS mutation for suspension cells from Pinellia ternata.

METHODUnder four EMS concentration gradients (0.1% , 0.2%, 0.4%, 0.6%) and three processing time gradients (0.5, 1.0, 2.0 h), the suspension cells of P. ternata were mutagenized.

RESULT AND CONCLUSIONThe results showed that the survival rate was significantly different under the different concentrations of EMS and the different processing time. In the same processing time, the EMS concentrations were increased, but the suspension cells survival rate decreased gradually. The optimum EMS concentration for the mutagenesis was 0.4% and the best processing time was 1 hour.

Cell Survival ; drug effects ; genetics ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Ethyl Methanesulfonate ; pharmacology ; Mutagenesis ; drug effects ; Mutation ; drug effects ; Pinellia ; cytology ; drug effects ; genetics ; physiology ; Suspensions ; Temperature ; Time Factors

The objective of this study was to establish an RNAi approach that can specifically target aqp1 gene sequence in vitro, and to assess the inhibitory effect of this siRNA on K562 cells. The siRNA targeting aqp1-mRNA was designed and transfected into K562 cells by using Lipofectamine(TM) 2000 reagent. Phase-contrast microscopy was used to analyze morphology changes of K562 cells. Cell viability was determined by MTT assay, and flow cytometry and DNA ladder analysis were carried out to identify siRNA-induced apoptosis. The expression levels of aqp1-mRNA at different transfection time were detected by RT-PCR. The results showed that the siRNA was successful by established. The transfected K562 cells displayed the significant apoptosis. The aqp1-siRNAs could obviously inhibit the activity of K562 cells. Cellular DNA fragmentation was observed in the siRNA group after transfection for 48 hours, the apoptosis rates at 24, 48 and 72 hours after transfection were 24.2%, 36.1% and 42.9% respectively. The aqp1-mRNA expression in the cells treated by aqp1-siRNA for 24, 48 and 72 hours were significantly reduced by 33%, 46% and 57% respectively. It is concluded that the aqp1-siRNA can efficiently and specifically inhibited the proliferation and inducing apoptosis of K562 cells. Gene aqp1 can be a potential target point for therapy of malignant tumor.
Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Aquaporin 1 ; genetics ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Cell Survival ; drug effects ; Gene Targeting ; Humans ; K562 Cells ; RNA Interference ; RNA, Small Interfering ; genetics ; pharmacology

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of curcumin (Cur) on radiosensitivity of nasopharyngeal carcinoma cell CNE-2 and its mechanism.

METHODThe effect of curcumin on radiosensitivity was determined by the clone formation assay. The cell survival curve was fitted by Graph prism 6. 0. The changes in cell cycle were analyzed by flow cytometry (FCM). The differential expression of long non-coding RNA was detected by gene chip technology. Part of differentially expressed genes was verified by Real-time PCR.

RESULTAfter 10 micro mol L-1 Cur had worked for 24 h, its sensitization enhancement ratio was 1. 03, indicating that low concentration of curcumin could increase the radiosensitivity of nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells; FCM displayed a significant increase of G2 phase cells and significant decrease of S phase cells in the Cur combined radiation group. In the Cur group, the GUCY2GP, H2BFXP, LINC00623 IncRNA were significantly up-regulated and ZRANB2-AS2 LOC100506835, FLJ36000 IncRNA were significantly down-regulated.

CONCLUSIONCur has radiosensitizing effect on human nasopharyngeal carcinoma CNE-2 cells. Its mechanism may be related to the changes in the cell cycle distribution and the expression of long non-coding IncRNA.

Cell Cycle ; drug effects ; radiation effects ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Survival ; drug effects ; radiation effects ; Curcumin ; pharmacology ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic ; drug effects ; radiation effects ; Humans ; RNA, Long Noncoding ; genetics ; Radiation Tolerance ; drug effects

Oestrogen is essential for maintaining bone mass, and it has been demonstrated to induce osteoblast proliferation and bone formation. In this study, complementary DNA (cDNA) microarrays were used to identify and study the expression of novel genes that may be involved in MC3T3-E1 cells' response to 17-β estradiol. MC3T3-E1 cells were inoculated in minimum essential media alpha (α-MEM) cell culture supplemented with 17-β estradiol at different concentrations and for different time periods. MC3T3-E1 cells treated with 10⁻⁸ mol⋅L⁻¹ 17-β estradiol for 5 days exhibited the highest proliferation and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity; thus, this group was chosen for microarray analysis. The harvested RNA was used for microarray hybridisation and subsequent real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) to validate the expression levels for selected genes. The microarray results were analysed using both functional and pathway analysis. In this study, microarray analysis detected 5403 differentially expressed genes, of which 1996 genes were upregulated and 3407 genes were downregulated, 1553 different functional classifications were identified by gene ontology (GO) analysis and 53 different pathways were involved based on pathway analysis. Among the differentially expressed genes, a portion not previously reported to be associated with the osteoblast response to oestrogen was identified. These findings clearly demonstrate that the expression of genes related to osteoblast proliferation, cell differentiation, collagens and transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β)-related cytokines increases, while the expression of genes related to apoptosis and osteoclast differentiation decreases, following the exposure of MC3T3-E1 cells to α-MEM supplemented with 17-β estradiol. Microarray analysis with functional gene classification is critical for a complete understanding of complementary intracellular processes. This microarray analysis provides large-scale gene expression data that require further confirmatory studies.
3T3 Cells ; Alkaline Phosphatase ; drug effects ; Animals ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; genetics ; Cell Culture Techniques ; Cell Differentiation ; drug effects ; genetics ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Cell Survival ; drug effects ; genetics ; Collagen ; drug effects ; genetics ; Coloring Agents ; Cytokines ; drug effects ; genetics ; Estradiol ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Estrogens ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Gene Expression Profiling ; Mice ; Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis ; Osteoblasts ; drug effects ; Signal Transduction ; drug effects ; genetics ; Tetrazolium Salts ; Thiazoles ; Transforming Growth Factor beta ; drug effects ; genetics

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects and underlying molecular mechanisms of icariin (ICA) on self-renewal and differentiation of neural stem cells (NSCs).

METHODSNSCs were derived from forebrains of mice embryos by mechanical dissociation into single cell suspension. The self-renewal of NSCs was measured by neurosphere formation assay. The proliferation of NSCs was detected by water-soluble tetrazolium (WST) and 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine (EdU) incorporation assay. Protein expression of neuron-specific marker tubulin-βIII(TuJ1) and astrocyte-specific marker glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) were measured by immunofluorescence and Western blotting. Using microarray, the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were screened between NSCs with or without ICA treatment. The signaling pathways enriched by these DEGs and their role in mediating effects of ICA were analyzed.

RESULTSICA significantly promoted neurosphere formation of NSCs cultured in growth protocol in a dose-dependent manner and achieved the maximum effects at 100 nmol/L. ICA also increased optical absorbance value and EdU incorporation into nuclei of NSCs. ICA had no significant effects on the percentage of TuJ1 or GFAP-positive cells, and TuJ1 or GFAP protein expression in NSCs cultured in differentiation protocol. A total of 478 genes were found to be differentially regulated. Among signaling pathways significantly enriched by DEGs, mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway was of interest. Blockade of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK)/MAPK, other than p38/MAPK subfamily pathway partially abolished effects of ICA on neurosphere formation and EdU incorporation of NSCs.

CONCLUSIONICA can promote the selfrenewal of NSCs at least partially through ERK/MAPK signaling pathway.

Animals ; Cell Aggregation ; drug effects ; genetics ; Cell Differentiation ; drug effects ; genetics ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Cell Survival ; drug effects ; genetics ; Deoxyuridine ; analogs & derivatives ; metabolism ; Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases ; metabolism ; Female ; Flavonoids ; pharmacology ; Gene Expression Regulation ; drug effects ; MAP Kinase Signaling System ; drug effects ; genetics ; Mice ; Neural Stem Cells ; cytology ; drug effects ; enzymology

OBJECTIVEThe purpose of this study is to investigate the synergistic effects of human tumor necrosis factor-alpha (hTNF-alpha) transfection and interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) on the growth of tongue carcinoma cells.

METHODSThe cultured Tca8113 tongue carcinoma cells was divided into 2 groups, one group was transferred with hTNF-alpha gene. Each of the 2 groups was then divided into 5 subgroups, and the subgroups were added IFN-gamma until the final IFN-gamma concentrations respectively were 0, 10, 100, and 1000 U/ml. After culturing for 48 hours, the survival rates of the all groups of cells were assayed by MTT enzymatic labeling technique, and the expression of hTNF-alpha in Tca8113 cells was observed with immunocytochemistry.

RESULTSIFN-gamma did not affect the growth of Tca8113 cells without hTNF-alpha, however, the transfection of hTNF-alpha with the above different concentrations of IFN-gamma synergistically inhibited the growth of Tca8113 cells, the concentrations of IFN-gamma were positively correlated with the inhibition effects (r = 0.733, P < 0.01), the transferred Tca8113 cells displayed remarkable overexpression of hTNF-alpha, compared with the non-transferred.

CONCLUSIONIFN-gamma can enhance the inhibition of hTNF-alpha transfection on the tongue carcinoma cells.

Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; genetics ; pathology ; Cell Division ; drug effects ; Cell Survival ; drug effects ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Drug Synergism ; Genetic Vectors ; Humans ; Interferon-gamma ; pharmacology ; Plasmids ; genetics ; Tongue Neoplasms ; genetics ; pathology ; Transfection ; Tumor Cells, Cultured ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; genetics

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of Shenmai injection on myocardial cells with oxidative injury and the underlying mechanisms. METHODS: Tert-butyl hydroperoxide (t-BHP) was used to induce the oxidative stress in H9c2 myocardial cells. The cell viability and ATP level were evaluated using MTT-colorimetric method and CellTiter-Glo luminescent cell viability assay. The oxygen respiration rate was examined by Clark oxygen electrode. Pyruvate and pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH) levels were evaluated by ELISA kit. Western blot and quantitative real-time RT-PCR were employed to evaluate the expression of pyruvate dehydrogenase alpha 1(PDHA1) and pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase 1(PDK1). RESULTS: Shenmai injection significantly improved viability and respiration of H9c2 myocardial cells after t-BHP injury (<0.05 or <0.01). It increased ATP contents by consuming pyruvate and increasing PDH level (<0.05 or <0.01). Furthermore, Shenmai injection had the tendency to increase protein expression of PDHA1(<0.05) and decrease mRNA expression of PDK1 (>0.05). CONCLUSIONS Shenmai injection protects mitochondria from oxidative stress by increasing PDH level, which indicates that it may improve energy metabolism of myocardial cells.
Animals ; Cell Line ; Cell Survival ; drug effects ; Drug Combinations ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Gene Expression Regulation ; drug effects ; Mitochondria ; drug effects ; Myocytes, Cardiac ; drug effects ; Oxidative Stress ; Protein-Serine-Threonine Kinases ; genetics ; Pyruvate Dehydrogenase (Lipoamide) ; genetics ; Rats

OBJECTIVETo study the angiogenesis modulation mechanism of Xuefu Zhuyu Decoction () on the endothelial cell line ECV304.

METHODSECV304 cells were treated with 2.5% Xuefu Zhuyu Decoction-containing serum (XFZYD-CS) for 24 h, 48 h or 72 h. Thiazolyl blue tetrazolium bromide (MTT), fluorescence activating cell sorter (FACS), migration, adhesion and in vitro tube formation assays were conducted to confirm an angiogenesis effect of XFZYD at 3 time points. An analysis of angiogenesis regulator profiles was performed at 3 times with real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) superarray.

RESULTSAt 48 h, XFZYD-CS induced ECV304 significantly improved cell viability, number in S phase, migration, adhesion and tube formation. At 24 h and 72 h, only cell migration was elevated. Microarray results showed that the expression of 27 angiogenesis-related genes was changed.

CONCLUSIONXFZYD-CS treatment induced angiogenesis on ECV304 cells with significant cellcular changes occurring at 48 h and genetic changes as early as 24 h.

Angiogenesis Inducing Agents ; pharmacology ; Cell Adhesion ; drug effects ; genetics ; Cell Line ; Cell Movement ; drug effects ; genetics ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Cell Survival ; drug effects ; genetics ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Endothelial Cells ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Gene Expression Regulation ; Humans ; Neovascularization, Physiologic ; drug effects ; genetics ; Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis ; methods

Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are resistant to chemo- and radio-therapy, and can survive to regenerate new tumors. This is an important reason why various anti-cancer therapies often fail to completely control tumors, although they kill and eliminate the bulk of cancer cells. In this study, we determined whether or not adenine nucleotide translocator-2 (ANT2) suppression could also be effective in inducing cell death of breast cancer stem-like cells. A sub-population (SP; CD44+/CD24-) of breast cancer cells has been reported to have stem/progenitor cell properties. We utilized the adeno-ANT2 shRNA virus to inhibit ANT2 expression and then observed the treatment effect in a SP of breast cancer cell line. In this study, MCF7, MDA-MB-231 cells, and breast epithelial cells (MCF10A) mesenchymally-transdifferentiated through E-cadherin knockdown were used. ANT2 expression was high in both stem-like cells and non-stem-like cells of MCF7 and MDA-MB-231 cells, and was induced and up-regulated by mesenchymal transdifferentiation in MCF10A cells (MCF10AEMT). Knockdown of ANT2 by adeno-shRNA virus efficiently induced apoptotic cell death in the stem-like cells of MCF7 and MDA-MB-231 cells, and MCF10AEMT. Stem-like cells of MCF7 and MDA-MB-231, and MCF10AEMT cells exhibited increased drug (doxorubicin) resistance, and expressed a multi-drug resistant related molecule, ABCG2, at a high level. Adeno-ANT2 shRNA virus markedly sensitized the stem-like cells of MCF7 and MDA-MB-231, and the MCF10AEMT cells to doxorubicin, which was accompanied by down-regulation of ABCG2. Our results suggest that ANT2 suppression by adeno-shRNA virus is an effective strategy to induce cell death and increase the chemosensitivity of stem-like cells in breast cancer.
ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters/*genetics/metabolism ; Adenine Nucleotide Translocator 2/antagonists & inhibitors/genetics ; Adenoviridae/*genetics ; Antineoplastic Agents/pharmacology ; Apoptosis/drug effects/genetics ; Breast Neoplasms ; Cadherins/antagonists & inhibitors/genetics ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Survival/drug effects/genetics ; Cell Transdifferentiation/drug effects ; Doxorubicin/pharmacology ; Drug Resistance, Neoplasm/drug effects/*genetics ; Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition/drug effects ; Female ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic/drug effects ; Gene Knockdown Techniques ; Humans ; Neoplasm Proteins/*genetics/metabolism ; Neoplastic Stem Cells/drug effects/*metabolism/pathology ; RNA, Small Interfering/*genetics ; Signal Transduction/drug effects

OBJECTIVETo investigate the cyto-genotoxicity of 2, 2', 4, 4'-tetrabromodiphenyl ethers (PBDE-47) combined with 2, 2', 4, 4', 5-hexachlorobiphenyl (PCB153) treatment in SH-SY5Y cells.

METHODSExponentially growing SH-SY5Y cells were exposed to different concentrations of PBDE-47 or/and PCB153 for 24 h in vitro. Cell viability, DNA damage, chromosome abnormalities, and DNA-protein crosslinks (DPC) were measured using MTT, comet assay, cytokinesis-block micronucleus (CBMN) test, and SDS-KCl assay respectively.

RESULTSCompared to the each single PBDE-47 groups, the nuclear division index (NDI) was significantly lower (P < 0.05) and the frequencies of micronuclei (MNI), percentage of DNA in the tail, Olive tail moment and DPC were significantly increased (P < 0.05) in the PBDE-47 combined with PCB153 groups. There was a statistical decrease in cell viability in groups of 4 micromol/L PBDE-47 and above combined with PCB153 than that in contrast to the same dose of PBDE-47 group or PCB153 alone (P < 0.05). Significant increase was found in MNI frequency and DPC in 2 micromol/L PBDE-47 and above combined with PCB153 than those in the single PCB153 group (P < 0.05). In the groups of 4 micromol/L PBDE-47 and above combined with PCB153, the cell NDI were significantly lower than that of the single PCB153 group (P < 0.05). Compared to the single PCB153 group, the percentage of DNA in the tail and Olive tail moment was significantly increased in the 8 micromol/L PBDE-47 combined with 5 micromol/L PCB153. Factorial analysis showed that interactions between PBDE-47 and PCB153 existed in inhibiting cell viability, inducing DNA damage, MNI, and DPC formation (P < 0.01), and possessing synergistic effects.

CONCLUSIONSome dose of PBDE-47 combined with PCB153 can inhibit cell viability, induce DNA damage, DPC formation, and chromosome abnormalities. The pattern of the combined effect is synergistic in cyto-genotoxicity.

Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Survival ; drug effects ; Comet Assay ; DNA Damage ; drug effects ; Drug Synergism ; Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers ; toxicity ; Humans ; Micronucleus Tests ; Neuroblastoma ; genetics ; pathology ; Polychlorinated Biphenyls ; toxicity