OBJECTIVE: It has been reported that the mRNA expression of serine protease 23 (PRSS23) was increased in skin fibroblasts from systemic sclerosis patients (SSc). The purpose of this study is to explore the pathogenetic effect and mechanism of PRSS23 in skin fibrosis of SSc. METHODS: The expression of PRSS23 in skin tissues from the SSc patients and healthy controls was detected by immunohisto-chemistry. Fibroblasts isolated from fresh skin tissue were used to detect the expression of PRSS23 by real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) and Western blot. Overexprssion of PRSS23 in BJ, the fibroblasts cell line of skin, was constructed by lentivirus. After stimulation with 400 μmol/L hydrogen peroxide for 12 h, Annexin V/7-AAD staining was used to detect apoptosis of fibroblasts; flow cytometry and Western blot were used to detect the expression of apoptosis-related protein cleaved Caspase-3. The expression of interleukin 6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) in fibroblasts was detected by RT-qPCR and enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). RESULTS: Compared with the healthy controls, the expression of PRSS23 in skin tissues of the SSc patients was significantly increased [4.952 (3.806-5.439) vs. 0.806 (0.395-1.173), P < 0.001], and fibroblast was the main cell that expressed PRSS23. The mRNA [27.59 (25.02-30.00) vs. 1.00, P < 0.001] and protein [0.675 (0.587-0.837) vs. 0.451 (0.342-0.502), P=0.029] of PRSS23 in skin fibroblasts isolated from the SSc patients were significantly up-regulated. Compared with the control group, the anti-apoptotic ability of skin fibroblasts overexpressing PRSS23 was enhanced, and the proportion of apoptotic cells was significantly reduced after hydrogen peroxide induction [(5.043±1.097)% vs. (17.480±3.212)%, P=0.022], the expression of apoptosis-related protein cleaved Caspase-3 was also markedly reduced [(0.718±0.022) vs. (1.422±0.105), P=0.003]. In addition, the mRNA [(99.780±1.796) vs. (1.000±0.004), P < 0.001] and protein [(211.600±2.431) ng/L vs. (65.930±1.768) ng/L, P < 0.001] of IL-6 in the fibroblasts overexpressing PRSS23 were significantly up-regulated; the mRNA[(3.555±0.555) vs. (1.000±0.004), P < 0.001] and protein levels [(41.190±0.949) ng/L vs. (31.150±0.360) ng/L, P < 0.001] of TNF-α in the fibroblasts overexpressing PRSS23 were also significantly up-regulated. CONCLUSION The expression of PRSS23 is increased in skin fibroblasts of SSc patients. PRSS23 can inhibit cell apoptosis, promote the secretion of inflammatory factors such as IL-6 and TNF-α, and regulate the process that skin fibroblasts transform into pro-inflammatory type. So, PRSS23 is associated with the development of skin fibrosis.
Humans ; Scleroderma, Systemic/enzymology* ; Fibroblasts/pathology* ; Apoptosis ; Skin/metabolism* ; Fibrosis ; Interleukin-6/metabolism* ; Caspase 3/metabolism* ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha/metabolism* ; Male ; Female ; Cells, Cultured ; RNA, Messenger/metabolism* ; Middle Aged ; Adult ; Serine Endopeptidases/genetics*

Endotoxins are common exogenous pyrogens. Excessive endotoxins in medical devices and injections can lead to serious consequences such as sepsis, septic shock, and even death. Therefore, endotoxin detection plays a crucial role in medical, pharmaceutical, and food sectors. The wide application of Limulus amebocyte lysate (LAL) has led to a sharp decline in the number of horseshoe crabs. Moreover, the LAL assay has limitations such as interbatch variations and difficulty in quantification. The recombinant factor C (rFC) assay is stable between batches, highly sensitive, and capable of quantitation, and thus it can be used as an alternative for the LAL assay. However, the high cost and complex procedures involved in producing recombinant factor C have limited the widespread application of this method. In order to simplify the preparation and reduce the production cost of recombinant factor C, this study focuses on the production of recombinant factor C based on the baculovirus expression system. Multiple measures such as a high-yield and anti-apoptotic vector qBac-IIIG, the optimal signal peptide, and the optimized codon were used to reach the goal of endotoxin detection with cell supernatant. This method simplifies the steps of protein purification. The sensitivity of the supernatant reached 0.05 EU/mL in a 1-L fermentation system, and 500 000 detecting reactions can be supported per liter of fermentation broth. This study increases the yield and activity of recombinant factor C, simplifies the procedures of protein purification, and reduces the cost, laying a foundation for the promotion and application of recombinant factor C in endotoxin detection.
Animals ; Recombinant Proteins/genetics* ; Horseshoe Crabs/chemistry* ; Baculoviridae/metabolism* ; Endotoxins/analysis* ; Protein C/biosynthesis* ; Genetic Vectors/genetics* ; Arthropod Proteins/genetics* ; Enzyme Precursors ; Serine Endopeptidases

Zfyve16 (a.k.a. endofin or endosome-associated FYVE-domain protein), a member of the FYVE-domain protein family, is involved in endosomal trafficking and in TGF-β, BMP, and EGFR signaling. The FYVE protein SARA regulates the TGF-β signaling pathway by recruiting Smad2/3 and accelerating their phosphorylation, thereby altering their susceptibility to TGF-β-mediated T cell suppression. Zfyve16 binds to Smad4 and their binding affects the formation of Smad2/3-Smad4 complex in TGF-β signaling. However, the in vivo function of Zfyve16 remains unknown. In this study, we generated a Zfyve16 knockout mouse strain (Zfyve16) and examined its hematopoietic phenotypes and hematopoietic reconstruction ability. The proportion of Tcells in the peripheral blood of Zfyve16 mice increases compared with that in wild-type mice. This finding is consistent with the role of Zfyve16 in facilitating TGF-β signaling. Unpredictably, B cell proliferation is inhibited in Zfyve16 mice. The proliferation potential of Zfyve16 B-lymphoid cells also significantly decreases in vitro. These results suggest that Zfyve16 inhibits the proliferation of T cells, possibly through the TGF-β signaling, but upregulates the proliferation of B-lymphoid cells.
Animals ; B-Lymphocytes ; metabolism ; CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes ; metabolism ; Cell Movement ; Cell Proliferation ; genetics ; Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins ; antagonists & inhibitors ; genetics ; metabolism ; Mice ; Mice, Knockout ; Serine Endopeptidases ; genetics ; metabolism ; Signal Transduction ; Smad Proteins, Receptor-Regulated ; metabolism ; Transforming Growth Factor beta ; metabolism ; Up-Regulation

OBJECTIVETo observe the expression of serine protease HtrA1 in human periodontal ligament tissue and to explore the effect of HtrA1 on the proliferation of human periodontal ligament cells (hPDLC).

METHODSSix human premolars and three human third molars(patient's ages ranging from 12 to 25, with intact root, without caries and/or periodontitis) were obtained in the Department of Maxillofacial Surgery of Wuhan University Hospital of Stomatology. Reverse transcription-PCR(RT-PCR) and immunohistochemistry analysis were applied to investigate the expression of HtrA1. Primary hPDLC were obtained by tissue-culture method in vitro. The proliferation of hPDLC was determined by methyl thiazolytetrazolium(MTT). Lentivirus-mediated over-expression and reduction of HtrA1 level was performed. An empty vector was used as negative control. On days 1, 3, 5, 7 and 9, the growth of hPDLC was characterized using cell counting kit-8(CCK-8) assay.

RESULTSRT-PCR data indicated that HtrA1 mRNA was expressed in human periodontal ligament tissue. Immunohistochemistry analysis showed HtrA1 was expressed in human periodontal ligament, mainly in the cytoplasm of hPDLC and the extracellular matrix. The MTT result suggested that the growth curve was consistent with the growth characteristics of hPDLC. The stable over-expression and knockdown cell lines was successfully established by lentivirus with more than 90% transfection efficiency. CCK-8 assay showed that HtrA1 over-expression inhibited the proliferation of hPDLC(0.897±0.060, 0.890±0.083, 1.631±0.038, 1.111±0.041, 1.110±0.189), while cell proliferation increased after down-regulation of HtrA1(0.329±0.021, 0.529±0.044, 0.973±0.056, 1.626±0.102, 2.344±0.198)(P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONSHtrA1 is expressed in human periodontal ligament tissue at both mRNA and protein levels, and may play an important role in regulating the proliferation of hPDLC.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Cell Count ; Cell Proliferation ; Cells, Cultured ; Child ; Down-Regulation ; Genetic Vectors ; High-Temperature Requirement A Serine Peptidase 1 ; Humans ; Lentivirus ; physiology ; Periodontal Ligament ; cytology ; metabolism ; RNA, Messenger ; metabolism ; Serine Endopeptidases ; genetics ; metabolism ; Transfection ; Young Adult

Animals ; Cell Differentiation ; Hepatocyte Growth Factor ; genetics ; metabolism ; Membrane Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Mice ; Mouse Embryonic Stem Cells ; cytology ; metabolism ; Protein Precursors ; genetics ; metabolism ; Serine Endopeptidases ; genetics ; metabolism

This study was aimed to investigate the expression of RHBDD1 gene in patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) and explore its clinical significance. The relative expression levels of RHBDD1 in bone marrow mononuclear cells of healthy controls and CML patients were detected by using real time PCR. The results showed that the expression level of RHBDD1 in CML patients was significantly higher than that in healthy controls. The expression level of RHBDD1 in CML patients with negative BCR/ABL p210 was remarkably higher than that in patients with positive BCR/ABL p210. In patients ≥ 50 years old RHBDD1 expression was lower than the patients < 50 years old. There were no significant relation of RHBDD1 expression with sex of patients. It is concluded that RHBDD1 gene may be involved in the pathogenesis and progression of CML, particularly reflects in the pathogenesis of the patients with negative BCR/ABL p210.
Bone Marrow Cells ; metabolism ; pathology ; Case-Control Studies ; Female ; Gene Expression ; Humans ; Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive ; genetics ; metabolism ; pathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Serine Endopeptidases ; genetics ; metabolism

Objective of this study was to detect the expression of HtrA2 and WT1 mRNA in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and investigate the relationship of their expression levels with clinical variates and correlation between them. The expression levels of HtrA2 and WT1 were measured by RQ-PCR in bone marrow cells in 104 newly diagnosed AML patients and leukemia cell lines (K562, HL-60, NB4, Kasumi-1, U937), and the relationship between expression level and clinical parameters (age, sex, WBC count, diagnosis and prognosis) was investigated. The results showed that (1) the expression of HtrA2 gene in newly diagnosed AML was lower than that of the normal controls (P < 0.01), while expression of WT1 gene in newly diagnosed AML was higher than that of the normal controls (P < 0.01), the expression levels of HtrA2 and WT1 genes both did not correlate with age, sex and WBC counts of patients. There were no significant difference of HtrA2 gene expression between different NCCN prognosis group, while WT1 gene expression in better-risk group was significantly lower than that in intermediate-risk group (P = 0.003). The HtrA2 expression level rose after treatment in both CR group and non-CR group (P < 0.05), while WT1 expression level significantly decreased after treatment only in CR group (P < 0.01). Negative correlation between HtrA2 and WT1 expression was also observed (r = -0.249, P = 0.011). It is concluded that the low expression of HtrA2 and high expression of WT1 are closely related with occurrence and development of acute leukemia, so up-regulating expression of HtrA2 and interfering expression of WT1 may become the targets for leukemia therapy in the future.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Female ; High-Temperature Requirement A Serine Peptidase 2 ; Humans ; Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute ; genetics ; metabolism ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Mitochondrial Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Serine Endopeptidases ; genetics ; metabolism ; WT1 Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Young Adult

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to determine the pharmacogenetic effects of complement factor H (CFH) Y402H, LOC387715 and high-temperature requirement factor A1 (HTRA1) genotypes on the treatment of exudative age-related macular degeneration (AMD) by intravitreal bevacizumab injection in a Korean population. METHODS: Seventy-five patients diagnosed with exudative AMD were treated with intravitreal bevacizumab (2.5 mg) monotherapy. All patients received three initial intravitreal bevacizumab injections every four weeks and were then treated "as needed" based on clinical findings, optical coherence tomography and fluorescein angiography during the 12 month follow-up period after the third injection. RESULTS: The difference in visual acuity improvement among the three genotypes of LOC387715 were statistically significant at six months post-treatment (logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution; TT, 0.346; GT, 0.264; GG, 0.188; p = 0.037). Among the LOC387715 genotypes, the number of additional injections was lower in patients who had the risk T allele (GG, 2.143; GT, 2.000; TT, 1.575; p = 0.064). There was no significant difference between visual acuity and central macular thickness change in the CFH Y402H polymorphism group during the 12 month follow-up period. However, the TC group of CFH Y402H required more additional bevacizumab injections than the TT group (TT, 1.517; TC, 3.363; p = 0.020). CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated that different LOC387715/HTRA1 genotypes resulted in different bevacizumab treatment responses on exudative AMD. Patients with the risk allele had an improved treatment response and less need for additional injections. However, patients with the CFH Y402H risk allele needed more additional injections of bevacizumab in order to improve visual acuity. This study illustrates how pharmacogenetic factors may help determine treatment modality and dosing. This could ultimately provide basic data for 'personalized medicine' in AMD.
Aged ; Alleles ; Angiogenesis Inhibitors/administration & dosage/therapeutic use ; Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized/*administration & dosage/therapeutic use ; DNA/*genetics ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Genotype ; Humans ; Intravitreal Injections ; Macular Degeneration/drug therapy/epidemiology/*genetics ; Male ; Pharmacogenetics/*methods ; *Polymorphism, Genetic ; Retrospective Studies ; Serine Endopeptidases/*genetics/metabolism ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A/antagonists & inhibitors ; Visual Acuity

OBJECTIVESTo investigate the prognostic significance of Omi/HtrA2 expression, and the correlation between Omi/HtrA2 and Hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-1α in primary hepatocellular carcinoma cells.

METHODSThe expression of HIF-1α and Omi/HtrA2 in 43 cases of hepatic carcinoma tissues were detected immunohistochemically. Follow-up data were obtained to perform the Kaplan-Meier survival analysis. The change of Omi/HtrA2 expression in HepG2 cell was measured after HIF-1α expression of HepG2 in vitro was regulated by Tet-on expression system.

RESULTSOmi/HtrA2 expression was correlated with lymph node metastasis and recurring within liver during 2 years. Statistical analysis estimation showed the cumulative survival rate of post-hepatectomy for the patients with the positive expression of Omi/HtrA2 was higher than that for other patients with the negative expression of Omi/HtrA2 (χ(2) = 6.13, P = 0.013). In the common paraffin-embedded specimen of hepatocellular carcinoma, most of the samples showing negative or weak positive HIF-1α immunopositivity showed moderate positive or strong positive Omi/HtrA2 immunopositivity, while most of the samples showing moderate positive or strong positive HIF-1α immunopositivity showed negative or weak positive Omi/HtrA2 immunopositivity. The mRNA expression intensity of Omi/HtrA2 was decreasing with the HIF-1α expression increasing, and the difference was statistically significant(F = 106.766, P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONSOmi/HtrA2 may be an important prognostic marker for primary hepatocellular carcinoma. Omi/HtrA2 expression is reversely correlated with HIF-1α expression in hepatocellular carcinoma. During the apoptotic process Omi/HtrA2 participating in hepatocellular carcinoma cells, HIF-1α is involved in the controlling and regulating of Omi/HtrA2 expression.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; metabolism ; pathology ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hep G2 Cells ; High-Temperature Requirement A Serine Peptidase 2 ; Humans ; Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit ; genetics ; metabolism ; Liver Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Mitochondrial Proteins ; metabolism ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local ; metabolism ; pathology ; Prognosis ; Serine Endopeptidases ; metabolism ; Transfection ; Tumor Cells, Cultured ; Young Adult

Carcinoma ; genetics ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery ; China ; Humans ; Male ; Oncogene Proteins, Fusion ; genetics ; Prostatic Hyperplasia ; genetics ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; genetics ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-ets ; genetics ; metabolism ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Serine Endopeptidases ; genetics ; metabolism