Down syndrome (DS) is the most common cause of cognitive impairment associated with a congenital chromosomal abnormality, trisomy of chromosome 21. Mental retardation and congenital heart defects are key features of DS. All DS individuals develop early-onset Alzheimer's disease-like neuropathology. Intersectin 1 gene is localized on human chromosome 21, the critical region of DS, and it has higher expression in the brain of DS patients than in normal individuals. So fully understanding functions of intersectin 1 is critical for revealing the pathogenesis of DS. Intersectin 1 protein has two isoforms: intersectin 1-L and intersectin 1-S. This review will focus on the distribution, expression characters and functions of intersectin 1 in the central nervous system.
Adaptor Proteins, Vesicular Transport ; genetics ; metabolism ; Animals ; Central Nervous System ; cytology ; metabolism ; Chromosomes, Human, Pair 21 ; Humans ; Mental Disorders ; genetics ; metabolism ; Neurons ; metabolism

Cell Movement ; genetics ; physiology ; Humans ; Microfilament Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Models, Biological ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; genetics ; physiopathology ; Protein Binding ; genetics ; physiology ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt ; genetics ; metabolism ; Vesicular Transport Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo examine the expression of lymph vessel endothelial hyaluronan receptor-1 (LYVE-1) in human colorectal carcinoma and to evaluate the relationship of LYVE-1 with lymph mode metastasis and prognosis.

METHODSColonic cancer samples of 40 cases were collected. The expression of LYVE-1 was determined by RT-PCR and quantified by real-time quantitative PCR. LVD and MVD were detected by immunohistochemistry staining. The relationship of LYVE-1 and LVD with lymph mode metastasis and prognosis were analyzed. All the patients were followed up for at least 3 years.

RESULTSThe expression of LYVE-1 and the count of LVD were significantly higher in tumor tissue than those in common colon tissue (P<0.05). In the majority of tumors, the higher count of LVD indicated lymphangiogenesis. The recurrence rates in low LVD group and high LVD group were 46.7% and 60.0% respectively (P<0.05). The survival rates in the above two groups were 90.1% and 56.7% respectively (P<0.05). No significant correlation was found between LYVE-1 and recurrence rate (P>0.05) or overall survival (P>0.05).

CONCLUSIONLYVE-1 indicates an increase of lymphangiogenesis in colorectal carcinoma and LVD can be used to evaluate the prognosis for colorectal cancer patients.

Adult ; Aged ; Colorectal Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Female ; Humans ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local ; Prognosis ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; Vesicular Transport Proteins ; metabolism

BACKGROUNDInterferon-induced transmembrane protein 1 (IFITM1) has been identified as a molecular marker of the colorectal tumors; however its influences on the biological behaviors of the colorectal cancer cells are currently unknown. We aimed to study the influences of IFITM1 on the proliferation, invasion, and metastasis of the colorectal cancer SW480 cell lines.

METHODSWe constructed IFITM1/pEGFP-C3 recombinant plasmids and transfected them into the colorectal cancer SW480 cell lines. IFITM1/pEGFP-C3 recombinant plasmids were identified by means of immunofluorescence, laser confocal scanning microscopy, and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. IFITM1/SW480 cells with stable over-expression of IFITM1 were confirmed by G418 screening. The influences of IFITM1 on the proliferation of the SW480 cell lines were investigated by MTT assay and tumor transplantation experiments in nude mice. Cell invasion experiments were performed to determine the invasion capacity of the IFITM1/SW480 cells. Matrix metalloproteinase 2 (MMP-2) and MMP-9 activities were detected by the gelatin zymographic analysis, and MMP-9 expression by the Western blotting analysis.

RESULTSIFITM1/pEGFP-C3 recombinant plasmids were successfully constructed in this study, and the IFITM1/SW480 cells with stable IFITM1 gene over-expression were confirmed by G418 screening. MTT results showed that the proliferation of the IFITM1/SW480 cells was significantly enhanced (P < 0.01). Tumors were harvested from four weeks old mice. Tumor volumes were (1347.00 ± 60.94) mm(3), (1032.40 ± 111.38) mm(3) and (1018.78 ± 28.83) mm(3); and tumor weights were (1522.34 ± 62.76) mg, (1137.78 ± 97.22) mg and (1155.76 ± 133.31) mg for mice inoculated with the IFITM1/SW480 cells, pEGFP-C3/SW480 cells and SW480 cells, respectively. Tumor volumes and weights from mice inoculated with the IFITM1/SW480 cells were significantly increased (P < 0.01). In addition, the numbers of the SW480 cells and IFITM1/SW480 cells that migrated through Matrigel were 448.64 ± 38.09 and 540.45 ± 44.61, respectively; so the invasive ability of the SW480 cells transfected with IFITM1 gene was significantly greater than that of the SW480 cells (P < 0.01). Gelatin zymographic analysis showed that MMP-9 and MMP-2 protein activities in the IFITM1/SW480 cells were significantly enhanced, and Western blotting analysis showed that MMP-9 expression in the IFITM1/SW480 cells was also increased.

CONCLUSIONIFITM1 can enhance the proliferation, invasion, and metastasis of the colorectal cancer SW480 cell lines.

Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Proliferation ; Colorectal Neoplasms ; metabolism ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic ; genetics ; physiology ; Humans ; Matrix Metalloproteinase 2 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Plasmids ; Vesicular Transport Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis ; genetics ; Animals ; Biological Transport, Active ; Bipolar Disorder ; genetics ; Glucose Transporter Type 4 ; metabolism ; Hepacivirus ; physiology ; Humans ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Neoplasms ; metabolism ; Point Mutation ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide ; R-SNARE Proteins ; metabolism ; Tissue Distribution ; Transport Vesicles ; physiology ; Vesicular Transport Proteins ; chemistry ; genetics ; metabolism ; physiology ; Virus Replication

Animals ; COS Cells ; Cercopithecus aethiops ; Endoplasmic Reticulum ; GTP Phosphohydrolases ; antagonists & inhibitors ; chemistry ; genetics ; metabolism ; GTP-Binding Proteins ; antagonists & inhibitors ; chemistry ; genetics ; metabolism ; Gene Expression ; Genetic Complementation Test ; HeLa Cells ; Humans ; Kinetics ; Membrane Fusion ; genetics ; Membrane Proteins ; antagonists & inhibitors ; chemistry ; genetics ; metabolism ; Protein Multimerization ; RNA, Small Interfering ; genetics ; metabolism ; Recombinant Proteins ; chemistry ; genetics ; metabolism ; Saccharomyces cerevisiae ; genetics ; metabolism ; Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Vesicular Transport Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo observe the effects of repeated electroacupuncture (EA) of Zusanli (ST36)- Yanglingquan (GB34) on hypothalamic acetylcholinesterase (AchE) and vesicular acetylcholine (ACh) transporter (VAChT) activities and choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) mRNA and muscarinic M1 receptor (M1R) mRNA expression in chronic constrictive injury (CCI) and/or ovariectomy (OVX) rats so as to reveal its underlying mechanism in cumulative analgesia.

METHODSA total of 103 female Wistar rats were randomly divided into normal control (n =15), CCI (n =15), CCI+EA2d (n =15), CCI+EA2W (n =15), OVX+CCI =13), OVX+CCI+EA2d (n =15), and OVX+CCI+EA2W groups (n =15). CCI model was established by ligature of the unilateral sciatic nerve with surgical suture. Memory impairment model was established by removal of the bilateral ovaries. Morris water test was conducted to evaluate the OVX rats' memory learning ability, and the thermal pain threshold (PT) of the bilateral paws was detected the next morning after EA. EA (2/15 Hz, 1 mA) was applied to bilateral ST36-GB34 for 30 min, once daily for 2 days or 2 weeks, respectively. Hypothalamic AChE activity was detected by histochemistry, VAChT immunoactivity was determined by immunohistochemistry, and ChAT mRNA and M1R mRNA expressions were assayed by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).

RESULTSIn comparison with the normal control group, the AChE activity in hypothalamic arcuate nucleus (ARC) and supraoptic nucleus (SON) regions of CCI group, AChE activity in paraventricular nucleus (PVN), ARC, and SON regions of OVX+CCI group, and hypothalamic muscarinic M1R mRNA expression levels in both CCI and OVX+CCI groups were down-regulated significantly (P <0.05). Compared with the CCI group, the AChE activities in hypothalamic ARC and SON regions of CCI+EA2d and CCI+EA2W groups and PVN region of CCI+EA2W group and hypothalamic ChAT mRNA and M1R mRNA expression levels in CCI+EA2W group were up-regulated considerably (P <0.05). In comparison with the OVX+CCI group, the AChE activities in PVN, ARC, and SON regions and the expressions of hypothalamic ChAT mRNA and VAChT in ARC region of OVX+CCI+EA2W group were up-regulated remarkably (P <0.05). The effects in rats of CCI+EA2W group were evidently superior to those of OVX+CCI+EA2d group in up-regulating AChE activities in PVN, ARC, and SON regions, VAChT immunoactivity in ARC region, and expression levels of hypothalamic ChAT mRNA and M1R mRNA (P <0.05). Similar situations were found in OVX+CCI rats after EA2W. It suggested a cumulative effect after repeated EA of ST36-GB34. Comparison between CCI+EA2W and OVX+CCI+EA2W groups showed that the effects in rats of the former group were evidently better than those of the latter group in up-regulating AChE activity in ARC and SON regions and the expressions of hypothalamic ChAT mRNA and M1 mRNA (P <0.05), suggesting a reduction of EA2W effects after OVX.

CONCLUSIONRepeated EA can significantly up-regulate AChE and VAChT activities and ChAT mRNA and M1R mRNA expressions in the hypothalamus of CCI and OVX+CCI rats, which may contribute to the cumulative analgesic effects of repeated EA and be closely related to the animals' neuromemory ability.

Acetylcholinesterase ; genetics ; metabolism ; Acupuncture Analgesia ; Animals ; Choline O-Acetyltransferase ; genetics ; metabolism ; Cholinergic Agents ; metabolism ; Chronic Pain ; enzymology ; metabolism ; pathology ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Electroacupuncture ; Female ; Gene Expression Regulation ; Hypothalamus ; enzymology ; metabolism ; pathology ; Neuralgia ; enzymology ; metabolism ; pathology ; Ovariectomy ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Receptor, Muscarinic M1 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Vesicular Acetylcholine Transport Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism

Endocytosis is differentially regulated by hypoxia-inducible factor-1alpha (HIF-1alpha) and phospholipase D (PLD). However, the relationship between HIF-1alpha and PLD in endocytosis is unknown. HIF-1alpha is degraded through the prolyl hydroxylase (PHD)/von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) ubiquitination pathway in an oxygen-dependent manner. Here, we show that PLD1 recovers the decrease in epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) endocytosis induced by HIF-1alpha independent of lipase activity via the Rab5-mediated endosome fusion pathway. EGF-induced interaction of PLD1 with HIF-1alpha, PHD and VHL may contribute to EGFR endocytosis. The pleckstrin homology domain (PH) of PLD1 itself promotes degradation of HIF-1alpha, then accelerates EGFR endocytosis via upregulation of rabaptin-5 and suppresses tumor progression. These findings reveal a novel role of the PLD1-PH domain as a positive regulator of endocytosis and provide a link between PLD1 and HIF-1alpha in the EGFR endocytosis pathway.
Animals ; Blood Proteins/chemistry/*metabolism ; Endocytosis ; Female ; HEK293 Cells ; HT29 Cells ; Humans ; Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit/metabolism ; Mice, Nude ; Neoplasms/genetics/metabolism/pathology ; Phospholipase D/chemistry/*metabolism ; Phosphoproteins/chemistry/*metabolism ; Protein Structure, Tertiary ; Receptor, Epidermal Growth Factor/*metabolism ; Signal Transduction ; *Up-Regulation ; Vesicular Transport Proteins/*genetics/metabolism ; rab5 GTP-Binding Proteins/*metabolism

OBJECTIVETo study the expression of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2, MMP-9 and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-C in breast cancer and their role in lymph node metastasis.

METHODSImmunohistochemical staining was used to detect the expression of VEGF-C, MMP-2, MMP-9 and LYVE-1 in 84 cases of breast cancer, including 52 cases with and 32 cases without lymph node metastases. The recombinant vector (pSIREN-VEGF-C) was transfected into human breast cancer cell MCF-7 by liposome, and the RNA expression of MMP-2, MMP-9 and VEGF-C in MCF-7 cells after transfection was detected by PCR.

RESULTSThe expressions of MMP-2, MMP-9 and VEGF-C were 98.1% (51/52), 88.5% (46/52), and 94.2% (49/52) respectively for the metastatic group, and 75.0% (24/32), 53.1% (17/32), and 65.6% (21/32) respectively for the non metastatic group, and there was significant difference between these groups (P < 0.05). The lymphatic vessel density between these two groups was also significantly different (P < 0.05). Increased expression of MMP-2, MMP-9 and VEGF-C was also associated with increased number of lymphatic vessels had also increased (P < 0.05). The expression of MMP-2, MMP-9 and VEGF-C in MCF-7 cells after gene transfection decreased significantly (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONMMP-2 and MMP-9 in conjunction with VEGF-C, promote lymphangiogenesis and lymph node metastasis of breast cancer.

Adult ; Aged ; Breast Neoplasms ; genetics ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery ; Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast ; genetics ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery ; Carcinoma, Medullary ; genetics ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Female ; Humans ; Lymph Nodes ; metabolism ; pathology ; Lymphangiogenesis ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Lymphatic Vessels ; metabolism ; pathology ; Matrix Metalloproteinase 2 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Middle Aged ; RNA Interference ; RNA, Messenger ; metabolism ; RNA, Small Interfering ; genetics ; Recombinant Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Transfection ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor C ; genetics ; metabolism ; Vesicular Transport Proteins ; metabolism

The GABAergic neurons in the parafacial zone (PZ) play an important role in sleep-wake regulation and have been identified as part of a sleep-promoting center in the brainstem, but the long-range connections mediating this function remain poorly characterized. Here, we performed whole-brain mapping of both the inputs and outputs of the GABAergic neurons in the PZ of the mouse brain. We used the modified rabies virus EnvA-ΔG-DsRed combined with a Cre/loxP gene-expression strategy to map the direct monosynaptic inputs to the GABAergic neurons in the PZ, and found that they receive inputs mainly from the hypothalamic area, zona incerta, and parasubthalamic nucleus in the hypothalamus; the substantia nigra, pars reticulata and deep mesencephalic nucleus in the midbrain; and the intermediate reticular nucleus and medial vestibular nucleus (parvocellular part) in the pons and medulla. We also mapped the axonal projections of the PZ GABAergic neurons with adeno-associated virus, and defined the reciprocal connections of the PZ GABAergic neurons with their input and output nuclei. The newly-found inputs and outputs of the PZ were also listed compared with the literature. This cell-type-specific neuronal whole-brain mapping of the PZ GABAergic neurons may reveal the circuits underlying various functions such as sleep-wake regulation.
Animals ; Axons ; physiology ; Brain ; anatomy & histology ; Brain Mapping ; Brain Stem ; cytology ; GABAergic Neurons ; physiology ; Green Fluorescent Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Mice, Transgenic ; Neural Pathways ; physiology ; Peptide Elongation Factor 1 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Rabies virus ; genetics ; metabolism ; Transduction, Genetic ; Vesicular Inhibitory Amino Acid Transport Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism