The molecular mechanism of how hepatocytes maintain cholesterol homeostasis has become much more transparent with the discovery of sterol regulatory element binding proteins (SREBPs) in recent years. These membrane pr...The molecular mechanism of how hepatocytes maintain cholesterol homeostasis has become much more transparent with the discovery of sterol regulatory element binding proteins (SREBPs) in recent years. These membrane proteins aremembers of the basic helix-loop-helix-leucine zipper (bHLHZip) family of transcription factors. They activate the expression of at least 30 genes involved in the synthesis of cholesterol and lipids. SREBPs are synthesized as precursor proteins in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), where they form a complex with another protein, SREBP cleavage activating protein (SCAP). The SCAP molecule contains a sterol sensory domain. In the presence of high cellular sterol concentrations SCAP confines SREBP to the ER. With low cellular concentrations, SCAP escorts SREBP to activation in the Golgi. There, SREBP undergoes two proteolytic cleavage steps to release the mature, biologically active transcription factor, nuclear SREBP (nSREBP). nSREBP translocates to the nucleus and binds to sterol response elements (SRE) in the promoter/enhancer regions of target genes. Additional transcription factors are required to activate transcription of these genes. Three different SREBPs are known, SREBPs-1a, -1c and -2. SREBP-1a and -1c are isoforms produced from a single gene by alternate splicing. SREBP-2 is encoded by a different gene and does not display any isoforms. It appears that SREBPs alone, in the sequence described above, can exert complete control over cholesterol synthesis, whereas many additional factors (hormones, cytokines, etc.) are required for complete control of lipid metabolism. Medicinal manipulation of the SREBP/SCAP system is expected to prove highly beneficial in the management of cholesterol-related disease.展开更多
Biology provides many examples of complex systems whose properties allow organisms to develop in a highly reproducible,or robust,manner.One such system is the growth and development of flat leaves in Arabidopsis thali...Biology provides many examples of complex systems whose properties allow organisms to develop in a highly reproducible,or robust,manner.One such system is the growth and development of flat leaves in Arabidopsis thaliana.This mechanistically challenging process results from multiple inputs including gene interactions,cellular geometry,growth rates,and coordinated cell divisions.To better understand how this complex genetic and cellular information controls leaf growth,we developed a mathematical model of flat leaf production.This two-dimensional model describes the gene interactions in a vertex network of cells which grow and divide according to physical forces and genetic information.Interestingly,the model predicts the presence of an unknown additional factor required for the formation of biologically realistic gene expression domains and iterative cell division.This two-dimensional model will form the basis for future studies into robustness of adaxial-abaxial patterning.展开更多
OBJECTIVE： To test the hypothesis that modified Shenlingbaizhu decoction （MSD） attenuates the for- mation of intestinal adenomas by regulating activa- tion of CD4＋CD25＋ forkhead box P3 （FoxP3） regu- latory T ce...OBJECTIVE： To test the hypothesis that modified Shenlingbaizhu decoction （MSD） attenuates the for- mation of intestinal adenomas by regulating activa- tion of CD4＋CD25＋ forkhead box P3 （FoxP3） regu- latory T cells （Tregs） by downregulation of hypox- ia-inducible factor la （HIF-la）. METHODS： Chemical fingerprints of ginsenoside Rbl, ginsenoside Rc, paeoniflorin, and dioscin in standard extractions were used as material bases of MSD. Adenomatous polyposis coli multiple intesti- nal neoplasia （ApcM＇n/＋） mice, which harbor a muta- tion in adenomatous polyposis coil, were used to host intestinal adenomas. Peripheral blood and spleen Tregs were analyzed by flow cytometry. Pro- tein expression was analyzed by immunohisto- chemistry and Western blotting. RESULTS： The number and size of intestinal adenomas were significantly reduced by MSD treatment. Mucosal thickening and the spleen size were also substantially decreased by MSD. The carcinogenesis process in Apc^min/＋ mice resembled that of human colorectal cancer. Molecular markers of neoplasms, such as 13-catenin, cyclooxygenase-2, prolif- erating cell nuclear antigen, and p53, were substantially ameliorated by MSD treatment. Moreover, MSD downregulated peripheral and spleen CD4＋ CD25＋FoxP3＋ Tregs and reduced in situ expression of CD4, CD25, and FoxP3 in intestinal adenomas. MSD also suppressed HIF-la expression in the intestinal adenomas, and HIF-la inhibition decreased expression of FoxP3 in Jurkat T cells under hypoxic conditions. CONCLUSION： MSD is a valid prescription to control the formation of intestinal adenomas in Apc^min/＋mice. It exerts anti-cancer effects partially through suppression of HIF-la that induced activation of CD4＋CD25＋FoxP3＋ Tregs in vivo and in vitro.展开更多
文摘The molecular mechanism of how hepatocytes maintain cholesterol homeostasis has become much more transparent with the discovery of sterol regulatory element binding proteins (SREBPs) in recent years. These membrane proteins aremembers of the basic helix-loop-helix-leucine zipper (bHLHZip) family of transcription factors. They activate the expression of at least 30 genes involved in the synthesis of cholesterol and lipids. SREBPs are synthesized as precursor proteins in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), where they form a complex with another protein, SREBP cleavage activating protein (SCAP). The SCAP molecule contains a sterol sensory domain. In the presence of high cellular sterol concentrations SCAP confines SREBP to the ER. With low cellular concentrations, SCAP escorts SREBP to activation in the Golgi. There, SREBP undergoes two proteolytic cleavage steps to release the mature, biologically active transcription factor, nuclear SREBP (nSREBP). nSREBP translocates to the nucleus and binds to sterol response elements (SRE) in the promoter/enhancer regions of target genes. Additional transcription factors are required to activate transcription of these genes. Three different SREBPs are known, SREBPs-1a, -1c and -2. SREBP-1a and -1c are isoforms produced from a single gene by alternate splicing. SREBP-2 is encoded by a different gene and does not display any isoforms. It appears that SREBPs alone, in the sequence described above, can exert complete control over cholesterol synthesis, whereas many additional factors (hormones, cytokines, etc.) are required for complete control of lipid metabolism. Medicinal manipulation of the SREBP/SCAP system is expected to prove highly beneficial in the management of cholesterol-related disease.
基金supported by the NSF#2039489 to A.Y.H and the NSF#1813071 to C.-S.C.
文摘Biology provides many examples of complex systems whose properties allow organisms to develop in a highly reproducible,or robust,manner.One such system is the growth and development of flat leaves in Arabidopsis thaliana.This mechanistically challenging process results from multiple inputs including gene interactions,cellular geometry,growth rates,and coordinated cell divisions.To better understand how this complex genetic and cellular information controls leaf growth,we developed a mathematical model of flat leaf production.This two-dimensional model describes the gene interactions in a vertex network of cells which grow and divide according to physical forces and genetic information.Interestingly,the model predicts the presence of an unknown additional factor required for the formation of biologically realistic gene expression domains and iterative cell division.This two-dimensional model will form the basis for future studies into robustness of adaxial-abaxial patterning.
基金Supported by The National Science Foundation of China(No.81573848Colorectal Cancer Induces Skeletal Muscle Autophagy and Glycolysis to Cause Spleen-deficiency+5 种基金81774172TAMs Promote Extreme Deficient Macroenvironment to Induce Deeply Rooted Colorectal Cancer Stem Cells)Guangdong Provincial Natural Science Foundation(No.2014A030313323Mechanism Study on Muscle Dystrophy with Spleen-Deficiency Resulting from Colorectal Cancer Induced Skeletal Muscle Autophagy)Specialized Research Fund for the Doctoral Program of Higher Education(No.20134433110007Mechanism of Parthenolide Regulates the Opening of Mitochondrial Membrane Permeability Transition Pore to Induce Cox+/+Colorectal Cancer Necroptosis)
文摘OBJECTIVE： To test the hypothesis that modified Shenlingbaizhu decoction （MSD） attenuates the for- mation of intestinal adenomas by regulating activa- tion of CD4＋CD25＋ forkhead box P3 （FoxP3） regu- latory T cells （Tregs） by downregulation of hypox- ia-inducible factor la （HIF-la）. METHODS： Chemical fingerprints of ginsenoside Rbl, ginsenoside Rc, paeoniflorin, and dioscin in standard extractions were used as material bases of MSD. Adenomatous polyposis coli multiple intesti- nal neoplasia （ApcM＇n/＋） mice, which harbor a muta- tion in adenomatous polyposis coil, were used to host intestinal adenomas. Peripheral blood and spleen Tregs were analyzed by flow cytometry. Pro- tein expression was analyzed by immunohisto- chemistry and Western blotting. RESULTS： The number and size of intestinal adenomas were significantly reduced by MSD treatment. Mucosal thickening and the spleen size were also substantially decreased by MSD. The carcinogenesis process in Apc^min/＋ mice resembled that of human colorectal cancer. Molecular markers of neoplasms, such as 13-catenin, cyclooxygenase-2, prolif- erating cell nuclear antigen, and p53, were substantially ameliorated by MSD treatment. Moreover, MSD downregulated peripheral and spleen CD4＋ CD25＋FoxP3＋ Tregs and reduced in situ expression of CD4, CD25, and FoxP3 in intestinal adenomas. MSD also suppressed HIF-la expression in the intestinal adenomas, and HIF-la inhibition decreased expression of FoxP3 in Jurkat T cells under hypoxic conditions. CONCLUSION： MSD is a valid prescription to control the formation of intestinal adenomas in Apc^min/＋mice. It exerts anti-cancer effects partially through suppression of HIF-la that induced activation of CD4＋CD25＋FoxP3＋ Tregs in vivo and in vitro.
