Cytotoxicity, usually represented by cell viability, is a crucial parameter for evaluating drug safety in vitro. Accurate prediction of cell viability/cytotoxicity could accelerate drug development in the early stage. In this study, by integrating cellular transcriptome and cell viability data using four machine learning algorithms (support vector machine (SVM), random forest (RF), extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost), and light gradient boosting machine (LightGBM)) and two ensemble algorithms (voting and stacking), highly accurate prediction models of 50% and 80% cell viability were developed with area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) of 0.90 and 0.84, respectively; these models also showed good performance when utilized for diverse cell lines. Concerning the characterization of the employed Feature Genes, the models were interpreted, and the mechanisms of bioactive compounds with a narrow therapeutic index (NTI) can also be analyzed. In summary, the models established in this research exhibit superior capacity to those of previous studies; these models enable accurate high-safety substance screening via cytotoxicity prediction across cell lines. Moreover, for the first time, Cytotoxicity Signature (CTS) genes were identified, which could provide additional clues for further study of mechanisms of action (MOA), especially for NTI compounds.

OBJECTIVE To explore the neuroprotective effect of sodium aescinate on rats with Parkinson’s disease by regulating the silent information regulator 1 （SIRT1）/nuclear factor-κB （NF-κB） signaling pathway. METHODS The Parkinson’s disease rat model was constructed by using 6-hydroxydopamine injection method. Forty-eight rats successfully modeled were randomly divided into model group， sodium aescinate low-dose group （1.8 mg/kg）， sodium aescinate high-dose group （3.6 mg/kg）， sodium aescinate+EX527 （sodium aescinate 3.6 mg/kg+SIRT1 inhibitor EX527 5 mg/kg） group， with 12 rats in each group. Another 12 healthy rats were selected as the sham operation group. Each group was injected with the corresponding drug solution intraperitoneally， once a day， for 21 consecutive days. Twenty-four hours after the end of the last administration， the motor and cognitive functions of rats were detected， and the morphology of neurons in the substantia nigra and CA1 region of hippocampal tissue were observed. The content of dopamine （DA） in the nigrostriatal and the expression levels of tyrosine hydroxylase （TH） and α-synuclein （α-Syn） in the substantia nigra were detected. The serum levels of pro-inflammatory factor [interleukin-6 （IL-6）， IL-18]， anti-inflammatory factor （IL-10）， and the expression levels of SIRT1， phosphorylated NF-κB p65 （p-NF-κB p65） and NF- κB p65 protein in nigrostriatal were detected. RESULTS Compared with sham operation group， the neurons in the substantia nigra and CA1 region of hippocampal tissue were seriously damaged in model group； the number of rotations， escape latency， the expression levels of α-Syn in substantia nigra， the levels of serum pro-inflammatory factors， the relative expression ratio of p-NF- κB p65 and NF-κB p65 protein in nigrostriatal were increased or prolonged significantly （P＜0.05）； the target quadrant residence time， the content of DA in nigrostriatal， the expression level of TH in substantia nigra， the serum level of anti-inflammatory factor， and the expression level of SIRT1 protein in substantia nigra striatum were significantly decreased or shortened （P＜0.05）. Compared with model group， the damage degrees of neuron in sodium aescinate groups were alleviated， and the quantitative indicators were significantly improved， which were more significant in the high-dose group （P＜0.05）； EX527 could reverse the improvement effect of high-dose sodium aescinate （P＜0.05）. CONCLUSIONS Sodium aescinate can inhibit the activation of NF-κB signal by up-regulating the protein expression of SIRT1， thereby reducing the neuroinflammation of rats with Parkinson’s disease， improving the motor and cognitive dysfunctions， and finally playing a neuroprotective role.

OBJECTIVEwe aimed to investigate the mutation and expression of BRAF gene in mature T/NK cell lymphoma tissues and cell lines, explore the correlation between gene alterations and clinicopathological features and clinical outcomes of mature T/NK cell lymphoma.

METHODSFirstly, we detected common mutant sites of BRAF (locus 1 799 mutation in exon 15 and loci 463, 465 and 468 mutation in exon 11) in lymphoma Jurkat, Hut-78 and YTS cell lines, normal peripheral blood lymphocytes, different types of mature T/NK cell lymphoma and reactive hyperplasia lymph nodes by direct sequencing. Then we measured the expression of BRAF in Jurkat, Hut-78, YTS cells and normal peripheral blood lymphocytes by real time-PCR and Western-blot detection. We also used immunohistochemistry (IHC) to detect the expression of BRAF in mature T/NK cell lymphoma tissues and reactive hyperplasia lymph nodes, and to analyze the correlation between the expression of BRAF and clinocopathological features and clinical outcomes.

RESULTSWe did not find common BRAF mutation in mature T/NK cell lymphoma tissues and cell lines, and the relatively expression of BRAF gene mRNA in normal peripheral blood lymphocytes, YTS, Hut-78 and Jurkat cells were 1.000, 5.207±0.013, 8.412±0.615 and 36.720±1.797, respectively, and protein expressions were 0.051±0.003, 0.102±0.013, 0.113±0.017 and 0.304±0.010, respectively, and the expression of BRAF in peripheral T cell lymphoma Jurkat cells was significantly higher than that of Hut-78, YTS cells and normal lymphocytes (P<0.05). Only 6 of 58 peripheral T cell lymphomas (10.3%) had positive BRAF expression, and were the subgroups of peripheral T cell lymphoma-unspecified type. The statistical data did not show any correlation between positive expression of BRAF and gender, age, clinical stage, location, lactate dehydrogenase in the 21 cases of peripheral T cell lymphoma-unspecified type (P<0.05), but the positive rate of BRAF in the effective treatment group (8.3%) was significantly lower than that of the invalid group (55.6%, P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe expression of BRAF gene may become a marker of malignant biological characteristics and clinical therapeutic target of peripheral T cell lymphoma.

Exons ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Killer Cells, Natural ; Lymphoma, T-Cell, Peripheral ; genetics ; metabolism ; pathology ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins B-raf ; genetics ; metabolism ; Pseudolymphoma ; genetics ; metabolism ; RNA, Messenger ; metabolism

We constructed and expressed an anti-CD3/anti-Pgp (P-glycoprotein) diabody previously. However, the two chains of diabody are associated non-covalently, resulting in being capable of dissociating. The aim of this study is to enhance the stability of the diabody. We introduced cysteine residues into the CD3 or Pgp V-domain to covalently lock the two chains together. The disulphide crosslinked diabody were expressed by Escherichia coli (E. coli) 16C9 and purified by a cation exchange column and an anti-Etag affinity chromatography. The purified proteins were verified through SDS-PAGE. Flow cytometry (FCM) was used to analyse the binding properties, competitive binding capacity and stability in vitro. The dsPpg-diabody failed to form disulphide bond properly. The designed disulphide bridge between the different chains of dsCD3-diabody was formed correctly. FCM demonstrated the dsCD3-diabody has specific antigen binding activity, the same binding activity and competitive binding activity as its parent diabody. The dsCD3-diabody retained the full activity even after 72 h incubation at 37 degrees C in human serum, in contrast, the parent diabody began to lose activity after only 1 h and lose all its activity 24 hours later. The induced disulphide bond in the CD3 V-domain effectively enhanced the stability of anti-CD3/anti-Pgp diabody. The method of stabilizing a diabody by introducing a disulphide bond into is practical.
ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Sub-Family B ; immunology ; Antibodies, Bispecific ; biosynthesis ; chemistry ; genetics ; immunology ; Binding, Competitive ; CD3 Complex ; immunology ; Cell Line ; Disulfides ; chemistry ; Drug Stability ; Escherichia coli ; genetics ; metabolism ; Humans

Objective: TO explore the effect of VEGF-C gene transfection on the expression of VEGF-C in human cervical carcinoma HeLa cells and the mechanisms of its anti-apoptosis effect. Methods: The con-structed pcDNA3.1(+)NEGF-C vector was transformed into human cervical cancer HeLa cells and was select-ed by G418. The changes in the expression level of VEGF-C mRNA and protein were determined by semi-quantitive RT-PCR and ELISA. HeLa cells with overexpression of VEGF-C were named as HeLa/S1. The expression level of NF-KB and bcl-2 mRNA was determined by RT-PCR in transfected cells. Results: After transfection by liposome, the VEGF-C mRNA level and the expression of VEGF-C protein in transfected cells were higher than those in the control groups. HeLa/S1 cell line was successfully established. In HeLa/S1 cells, the expression of NF-κB (2.06±0.09 vs 1.35±0.02 vs 1.38±0.02 P<0.05) and bcl-2 gene mRNA (2.02± 0.67 vs 0.41±0.06 vs 0.37±0.06, P<0.05) level were higher than those in the control groups. Conclusion: VEGF-C gene transfection by liposome can increase the expression of VEGF-C in human cervical cancer HeLa cells. NF-κB is stimulated and induces the overexpression of bcl-2 gene in HeLa/S1 cells.

To prepare a soluble human extracellular III domain of Flt1 and analyze its biological activity. The gene encoding extracellular domain III of Flt-1 was cloned into the expression vector pAZY by RT-PCR from human umbilical vein endothelial cell (HUVEC), and induced to express in Escherichia coli by low phosphoric medium, the product was purified by E-tag affinity chromatography. SDS-PAGE and Western blotting analysis showed that Flt-1 gene domain III gene was expressed in E. coli and the yield of the soluble fusion protein was about 1.10 mg/L. Enzyme-Linked ImmunoSorbent Assay (ELISA) revealed that the Flt-1 domain III was able to bind to VEGF165 dose-dependently. Monolayer denudation assay and Transwell assay showed that the fusion protein could inhibit HUVECs migration induced by conditional medium with 50 ng/mL VEGF165 and 100 ng/mL bFGF. In conclusion, Flt-1 gene domain III gene has been successfully cloned and expressed in E. coli, which will be useful in both the research on the function of Flt-1 gene domain III and preparation of anti-Flt-1 monoclonal antibody in the future.
Cloning, Molecular ; Endothelial Cells ; cytology ; metabolism ; Escherichia coli ; genetics ; metabolism ; Extracellular Space ; metabolism ; Genetic Vectors ; genetics ; Humans ; Recombinant Fusion Proteins ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; metabolism ; pharmacology ; Solubility ; Umbilical Veins ; cytology ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-1 ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo study the relationship between soluble resistance-related calcium-binding protein (sorcin) gene and multidrug resistance gene (mdr1), and their significance in clinical drug resistance and prognosis of acute myeloid leukemia (AML).

METHODSAmplification of sorcin gene and mdr1 gene in K562/A02 cell detected by Northern blot, were monitored by semi-quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) in 65 AML patients and 27 normal controls, with their relationship and clinical outcame analyzed.

RESULTSThe amplification of sorcin gene and mdr1 gene in AML patients were significantly higher than that in the normal control, which were related to clinical drug resistance and prognosis. The amplification of sorcin gene was related to the amplification of mdr1 gene in the two groups. The clinical drug resistance incidence rate and complete remission rate were 92.9% and 7.1% in sorcin(+)/mdr1(+) group. They were 8.6% and 91.4% in the sorcin(-)/mdr1(-) group (P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONThe co-amplification of sorcin and mdr1 gene can be taken as a good indicator of clinical drug resistance and prognosis of AML.

ATP-Binding Cassette, Sub-Family B, Member 1 ; genetics ; Acute Disease ; Blotting, Northern ; methods ; Calcium-Binding Proteins ; genetics ; Drug Resistance, Multiple ; Drug Resistance, Neoplasm ; Gene Expression ; Humans ; K562 Cells ; Leukemia, Myeloid ; genetics ; physiopathology ; Neoplasm Proteins ; genetics ; Prognosis

OBJECTIVETo study the relationship between the expression of soluble drug resistance-related calcium-binding protein (sorcin) gene and the clinical multidrug resistance in acute leukemia (AL).

METHODSA semi-quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used to investigate the transcription levels of the human sorcin gene in 95 AL patients and 27 controls.

RESULTSSorcin gene expression was significantly higher in AL patients than in normal contrls (P < 0.001), and higher in relapsed/refractory acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients than in those newly diagnosed or in complete remission. Sorcin gene overexpression was significantly lower in non-resistant patients than in resistant ones (P < 0.001). CR rates of these two groups were 20.0% and 80.0%, respectively. Sorcin gene expression was higher in AML-M(5) patients than M(2), M(3), M(4) patients.

CONCLUSIONSorcin gene overexpression is significantly associated with clinical multidrug resistance and prognosis, it is one of the indicators for predicting prognosis of AL patients.

Acute Disease ; Calcium-Binding Proteins ; genetics ; Drug Resistance, Multiple ; Drug Resistance, Neoplasm ; Gene Expression ; Humans ; K562 Cells ; Leukemia, Myeloid ; genetics ; Neoplasm Proteins ; genetics ; Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma ; genetics ; Solubility

Aim To investigate the potential suppressing effect of calmodulin antagonist EBB on metastasis-associated properties of human metastatic ovarian clear cell adenocarcinoma cell ES-2.Methods MTT assay was used to assess the growth inhibition of EBB on ES-2 cells.The invasive capacity and motility potential were determined by Transwell chamber assay and Wound assay.[Ca2+]i was observed under the laser scanning confocal microscopy.Results EBB inhibited the proliferation of ES-2 cells in vitro.The IC50 on ES-2 cells was(13.67?1.56)?mol?L-1.The invasive ability and motility potential of ES-2 cells were decreased after exposure to 3,7 and 14 ?mol?L-1 EBB respectively(P