The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effect and potential mechanism of knockdown of sphingosine kinase-1 (SPHK1) on the proliferation, cell cycle and apoptosis of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells. Quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was used to detect SPHK1 mRNA expression in human healthy lung fibroblasts (MRC-5 cells) and four NSCLC cell lines. Then, A549 and H1299 cells were transfected with SPHK1-shRNA and corresponding negative control. CCK-8, Annexin V-FITC/PI dual staining and cell cycle assay were performed to evaluate cell proliferation, apoptosis and cell cycle distribution, respectively. JC-1 mitochondrial membrane potential measurement kit was adopted to measure mitochondrial membrane potential. Western blot was used to detect the protein expression levels of cell cycle and mitochondrial apoptotic pathway-related proteins, as well as MEK/ERK signaling pathway. The results showed that the mRNA expression of SPHK1 in NSCLC cells was higher than that in MRC-5 cells. SPHK1-shRNA significantly inhibited the proliferation of A549 and H1299 cells, blocked the cell cycle in G0/G1 phase, and promoted cell apoptosis through the mitochondrial pathway. Compared with the control group, the expression of p-MEK and p-ERK proteins in the SPHK1-shRNA group was significantly down-regulated. Moreover, MEK/ERK inhibitor could dramatically suppress cell proliferation and promote cell apoptosis. These results suggest that SPHK1 knockdown can inhibit the proliferation of NSCLC cells and might promote mitochondrial apoptotic pathway by inhibiting MEK/ERK signaling pathway.
Apoptosis ; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung/genetics* ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Proliferation ; Gene Knockdown Techniques ; Humans ; Lung Neoplasms/genetics* ; Phosphotransferases (Alcohol Group Acceptor)/genetics*

Objective To investigate the therapeutic effect of SPK1 gene transfected adipose derived mesenchymal stem cells(ADMSC)on experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis mice and the effect on T helper cell 17(Th17)/regulatory T(Treg) cells balance. Methods EAE was induced by myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein 35-55 in mice.Totally 44 mice were randomly divided into four groups:normal control group(NC group),model group(EAE group),ADMSC group,and ADMSC-SPK1 group.Forty days after injection,the pathological changes of brain and spinal cord,Th17/Treg-related inflammatory markers in brain tissue,expressions of interleukin-17A(IL-17A)and forkhead box protein p3(Foxp3)in brain and spinal cord tissue,and flow cytometric results of spleen immune cells were detected. Results Forty days after the injection,serious inflammatory cell infiltration and demyelination occurred in the brain and spinal cord of EAE group,whereas demyelination and axonal injury were improved in ADMSC group and ADMSC-SPK1 group.Compared with EAE group,the ADMSC group and ADMSC-SPK1 group had significantly improved levels of IL-17A(
Adipose Tissue/cytology* ; Animals ; Cytokines ; Encephalomyelitis, Autoimmune, Experimental/therapy* ; Interleukin-17 ; Mesenchymal Stem Cell Transplantation ; Mesenchymal Stem Cells/cytology* ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Phosphotransferases (Alcohol Group Acceptor)/genetics* ; T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory/cytology* ; Th17 Cells/cytology* ; Transfection

OBJECTIVE: To explore the molecular etiology for a Chinese family with mitochondrial DNA depletion syndrome. METHODS: Genomic DNA was extracted from peripheral blood samples of the patient and her parents.Targeted capture and next-generation sequencing was carried out to detect potential variants. Suspected variant was validated by Sanger sequencing. RESULTS: A novel homozygous frameshift variant c.505_508delTATC was identified in the patient, for which both his mother and father were carriers. CONCLUSION The frameshift variant c.505_508delTATC probably underlies the mitochondrial DNA depletion syndrome in this patient. The result also enriched the variant spectrum of DGUOK gene.
Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; genetics ; DNA, Mitochondrial ; genetics ; Female ; Frameshift Mutation ; Humans ; Mutation ; Phosphotransferases (Alcohol Group Acceptor) ; genetics ; Syndrome

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the inhibitory role of a novel oncolytic adenovirus (OA), GP73-SphK1sR-Ad5, on the growth of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). METHODS: GP73-SphK1sR-Ad5 was constructed by integrating Golgi protein 73 (GP73) promoter and sphingosine kinase 1 (SphK1)-short hairpin RNA (shRNA) into adenovirus serotype 5 (Ad5), and transfecting into HCC Huh7 cells and normal human liver HL-7702 cells. The expression of SphK1 and adenovirus early region 1 (E1A) was detected by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) and western blot, respectively. Cell viability was detected by methylthiazolyldiphenyl-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay, and apoptotic rate was determined by flow cytometry. An Huh7 xenograft model was established in mice injected intratumorally with GP73-SphK1sR-Ad5. Twenty days after injection, the tumor volume and weight, and the survival time of the mice were recorded. The histopathological changes in tumor tissues were observed by hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). RESULTS: Transfection of GP73-SphK1sR-Ad5 significantly upregulated E1A and downregulated SphK1 in Huh7 cells, but not in HL7702 cells. GP73-SphK1sR-Ad5 transfection significantly decreased the viability and increased the apoptotic rate of Huh7 cells, but had no effect on HL7702 cells. Intratumoral injection of GP73-SphK1sR-Ad5 into the Huh7 xenograft mouse model significantly decreased tumor volume and weight, and prolonged survival time. It also significantly decreased the tumor infiltration area and blood vessel density, and increased the percentages of cells with nucleus deformation and cells with condensed chromatin in tumor tissues. CONCLUSIONS GP73-SphK1sR-Ad5 serves as a novel OA and can inhibit HCC progression with high specificity and efficacy.
Adenoviridae ; Animals ; Apoptosis ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/therapy* ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Female ; Liver Neoplasms/therapy* ; Membrane Proteins/genetics* ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Oncolytic Virotherapy/methods* ; Phosphotransferases (Alcohol Group Acceptor)/genetics* ; Promoter Regions, Genetic

PURPOSE: Kawasaki disease (KD) is an acute systemic vasculitis. Both the etiology of KD and the erythema of Bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) injection sites observed in the disease are poorly understood. We investigated the association between KD and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in two candidate genes: inositol 1,4,5-triphosphate 3-kinase (ITPKC), a well-studied KD-associated gene, and solute carrier 11a1 (SLC11A1), which is associated with the hypersensitive reaction to the BCG strain in Koreans. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Associations between KD and SNPs in two genes were evaluated. Potential associations between BCG injection site erythema and SNPs in two genes were also evaluated. Gene-gene interactions between ITPKC and SLC11A1 in KD and BCG injection site erythema were also analyzed. RESULTS: Three tagging SNPs in ITPKC and five tagging SNPs in SLC11A1 were genotyped in 299 KD patients and 210 control children. SNP rs28493229 in ITPKC was associated with KD and coronary artery complications. SNP rs77624405 in SLC11A1 was associated with KD. Comparisons of KD patients with and without BCG injection site erythema revealed that SNP rs17235409 in SLC11A1 was associated with erythema; no erythema-associated SNPs in ITPKC were identified. Interactions between ITPKC rs28493229_GG and SLC11A1 rs17235409_GA and between ITPKC rs10420685_GG and SLC11A1 rs17235409_AA were strongly associated with BCG injection site erythema. CONCLUSION: This study identified several important polymorphisms in the ITPKC and SLC11A1 genes in Koreans. The genetic variants identified in this study affected KD and erythema of BCG injection sites independently and through gene-gene interactions. Also, the effects of the polymorphisms were age-dependent.
Asian Continental Ancestry Group/genetics ; BCG Vaccine/administration & dosage ; Case-Control Studies ; Cation Transport Proteins/genetics ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Epistasis, Genetic ; Erythema/complications ; Female ; Genetic Association Studies ; Genetic Predisposition to Disease ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Mucocutaneous Lymph Node Syndrome/genetics ; Mutation Rate ; Phosphotransferases (Alcohol Group Acceptor)/genetics ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide/genetics ; Republic of Korea

The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical features and DGUOK gene mutations of an infant with mitochondrial DNA depletion syndrome (MDS). The patient (more than 7 months old) manifested as hepatosplenomegaly, abnormal liver function, nystagmus and psychomotor retardation. Genetic DNA was extracted from peripheral blood samples of the patient and her parents. Targeted Exome Sequencing was performed to explore the genetic causes. Sanger sequencing was carried out to confirm the detected mutations. The sequencing results showed that the patient was a compound heterozygote for c.679G>A and c.817delT in the DGUOK gene. The former was a reportedly pathogenic missense mutation of maternal origin, while the latter, a frameshift mutation from the father, has not been described yet. The findings in this study expand the mutation spectrum of DGUOK gene, and provide molecular evidence for the etiologic diagnosis of the patient as well as for the genetic counseling and prenatal diagnosis in the family.
Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Mitochondrial Diseases ; genetics ; therapy ; Mutation ; Phosphotransferases (Alcohol Group Acceptor) ; chemistry ; genetics

4-(Cytidine-5-diphospho) -2-C-methyl-D-erythritol kinase is a key enzyme in the biosynthesis pathway of terpenoids. According to the transcriptome database, the specific primers were designed and used in PCR. The bioinformatic analysis of the sequenced TwCMK gene was performed in several bioinformatics software. The Real-time fluorescence quantification polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) were used to detect the expression levels of TwCMK from T. wilfordii after elicitor MeJA supplied. The results showed that the full length of TwCMK cDNA was 1 732 bp encoding 387 amino acids. The theoretical isoelectric point of the putative TwCMK protein was 5.79 and the molecular weight was about 42.85 kDa. MeJA stimulated the rising of TwCMK expression in suspension cell and signally impacted at 24 h. The research provides a basis for further study on the regulation of terpenoid secondary metabolism and biological synthesis.
Amino Acid Sequence ; Cloning, Molecular ; Computational Biology ; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant ; Models, Molecular ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Phosphotransferases (Alcohol Group Acceptor) ; chemistry ; genetics ; metabolism ; Phylogeny ; Plant Proteins ; chemistry ; genetics ; metabolism ; Sequence Alignment ; Tripterygium ; chemistry ; enzymology ; genetics

Glycerol is the main byproduct in ethanol production by Saccharomyces cerevisiae. In order to improve ethanol yield and the substrate conversion, a cassette about 4.5 kb for gene homologous recombination, gpd2Δ::PGK1(PT)-POS5-HyBR, was constructed and transformed into the haploid strain S. cerevisiae S1 (MATa) to replace the GPD2 gene by POS5 gene. The NADH kinase gene POS5 was successfully over expressed in the recombinant strain S. cerevisiae S3. Comparing with the parent strain, the recombinant strain S. cerevisiae S3 exhibited an 8% increase in ethanol production and a 33.64% decrease in glycerol production in the conical flask fermentation with an initiatory glucose concentration of 150 g/L. Overexpression of NADH kinase gene seems effective in reducing glycerol production and increasing ethanol yield.
Ethanol ; chemistry ; Fermentation ; Glycerol ; chemistry ; Industrial Microbiology ; Mitochondrial Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Phosphotransferases (Alcohol Group Acceptor) ; genetics ; metabolism ; Saccharomyces cerevisiae ; genetics ; metabolism ; Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo investigate the role of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) in apoptosis of human colon cancer (HCT116) cells.

METHODSAfter the HCT116 cells were pretreated with specific ERK inhibitor (U0126) or specific siRNA and exposed to 10 mmol/L sodium butyrate (NaBT) for 24 h, their apoptosis was detected by flow cytometry, levels of SphK2 and ERK protein were measured by Western blot, and translocation of SphK2 was assayed by immunofluorescence microscopy.

RESULTSThe U0126 and siRNAs specific for SphK2 blocked the export of SphK2 from nuclei to cytoplasm and increased the apoptosis of HCT116 cells following NaBT exposure. Over-expression of PKD decreased NaBT-induced apoptosis of HCT116 cells, which was reversed by U0126. Furthermore, transfection of HCT116 cells with constitutively activated PKD plasmids recovered the U0126-blocked export of SphK2.

CONCLUSIONERK regulates the export of SphK2 and apoptosis of HCT116 cells by modulating PKD. Modulation of these molecules may help increase the sensitivity of colon cancer cells to the physiologic anti-colon cancer agent, NaBT.

Apoptosis ; drug effects ; physiology ; Butyric Acid ; pharmacology ; Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases ; metabolism ; HCT116 Cells ; drug effects ; Humans ; Phosphotransferases (Alcohol Group Acceptor) ; genetics ; metabolism ; Protein Kinase C ; genetics ; metabolism ; RNA, Small Interfering ; Signal Transduction ; drug effects

OBJECTIVETo construct enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) O157: H7 ppk gene deletion strains and study its biological characteristics.

METHODSThe gene fragment of kanamycin resistance was amplified using a pair of homologous arm primers whose 5' and 3' ends were homologous with ppk gene and kanamycin resistance gene, respectively. EHEC O157: H7 EDL933w competent strains were prepared and transformed via electroporation with the amplification products. The ppk gene was replaced by kanamycin resistance gene using pKD46-mediated Red recombination system. The recombinant strain was confirmed by PCR and sequencing, and its morphology, growth ability and adhesion were assessed using Gram staining, OD600 value and Giemsa staining.

RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONWe established a ppk-deleted EHEC O157:H7 EDL933w strain with kanamycin resistance and compared the biological characteristics of the wild-type and mutant strains, which may facilitate further study of the regulatory mechanism of ppk gene.

DNA Primers ; Escherichia coli O157 ; genetics ; Escherichia coli Proteins ; genetics ; Gene Deletion ; Phosphotransferases (Alcohol Group Acceptor) ; genetics ; Polymerase Chain Reaction