A human colon cancer cell capable of initiating tumour growth in immunodeficient mice

Colon cancer is one of the best-understood neoplasms from a genetic perspective, yet it remains the second most common cause of cancer-related death, indicating that some of its cancer cells are not eradicated by current therapies. What has yet to be established is whether every colon cancer cell possesses the potential to initiate and sustain tumour growth, or whether the tumour is hierarchically organized so that only a subset of cells--cancer stem cells--possess such potential. Here we use renal capsule transplantation in immunodeficient NOD/SCID mice to identify a human colon cancer-initiating cell (CC-IC). Purification experiments established that all CC-ICs were CD133+; the CD133- cells that comprised the majority of the tumour were unable to initiate tumour growth. We calculated by limiting dilution analysis that there was one CC-IC in 5.7 x 10(4) unfractionated tumour cells, whereas there was one CC-IC in 262 CD133+ cells, representing >200-fold enrichment. CC-ICs within the CD133+ population were able to maintain themselves as well as differentiate and re-establish tumour heterogeneity upon serial transplantation. The identification of colon cancer stem cells that are distinct from the bulk tumour cells provides strong support for the hierarchical organization of human colon cancer, and their existence suggests that for therapeutic strategies to be effective, they must target the cancer stem cells.     

The lyase activity of the DNA repair protein beta-polymerase protects from DNA-damage-induced cytotoxicity

Small DNA lesions such as oxidized or alkylated bases are repaired by the base excision repair (BER) pathway. BER includes removal of the damaged base by a lesion-specific DNA glycosylase, strand scission by apurinic/apyrimidinic endonuclease, DNA resynthesis and ligation. BER may be further subdivided into DNA beta-polymerase (beta-pol)-dependent single-nucleotide repair and beta-pol-dependent or -independent long patch repair subpathways. Two important enzymatic steps in mammalian single-nucleotide BER are contributed by beta-pol: DNA resynthesis of the repair patch and lyase removal of 5'-deoxyribose phosphate (dRP). Fibroblasts from beta-pol null mice are hypersensitive to mono-functional DNA-methylating agents, resulting in increases in chromosomal damage, apoptosis and necrotic cell death. Here we show that only the dRP lyase activity of beta-pol is required to reverse methylating agent hypersensitivity in beta-pol null cells. These results indicate that removal of the dRP group is a pivotal step in BER in vivo. Persistence of the dRP moiety in DNA results in the hypersensitivity phenotype of beta-pol null cells and may signal downstream events such as apoptosis and necrotic cell death.     

ATM acts in DNA damage signal transduction by catalyzing protein phosphorylation

In order to investigate ATM in mediating DNA damage signal to p53 in the cellular response to IR, kinase activities of ATM and c-AbI immunoprecipitates and its activation by IR and damaged DNA have been analyzed. Results demonstrate that deficient ATM caused failure to activate phosphorylation of many proteins in response to radiation. ATM coimmunoprecipitates with c-AbI and can catalyze phosphorylation of many proteins including p53 in response to radiation. Kinase activity of ATM / c-AbI immunoprecipitate stimulated by damaged DNAin vitro phosphorylation demonstrates that ATM can detect damaged DNA and initiate DNA damage signals. ATM can be phosphorylatedin vitro and inhibited by wortmannin, a specific inhibitor of PI3K family. These results confirm that ATM acts in DNA damage detection and signal transduction.     

14-3-3Sigma is required to prevent mitotic catastrophe after DNA damage.

14-3-3Sigma is a member of a family of proteins that regulate cellular activity by binding and sequestering phosphorylated proteins. It has been suggested that 14-3-3sigma promotes pre-mitotic cell-cycle arrest following DNA damage, and that its expression can be controlled by the p53 tumour suppressor gene. Here we describe an improved approach to the generation of human somatic-cell knockouts, which we have used to generate human colorectal cancer cells in which both 14-3-3sigma alleles are inactivated. After DNA damage, these cells initially arrested in the G2 phase of the cell cycle, but, unlike cells containing 14-3-3sigma, the 14-3-3sigma-/- cells were unable to maintain cell-cycle arrest. The 14-3-3sigma-/- cells died ('mitotic catastrophe') as they entered mitosis. This process was associated with a failure of the 14-3-3sigma-deficient cells to sequester the proteins (cyclin B1 and cdc2) that initiate mitosis and prevent them from entering the nucleus. These results may indicate a mechanism for maintaining the G2 checkpoint and preventing mitotic death.     

A novel method forin situ detection of apoptotic cell death in plants

A simple novel protocol suitable forin situ detection of apoptotic plant cell death is presented. This protocol combines the chromosome spreading technique with an extendedin situ end labeling version for plants and makes it possible to detect apoptosis directly at chromosome, nuclear and DNA levels simultaneously with high-sensitivity. False positive and nonspecific signals can be efficiently avoided. Moreover, the changes of chromosomes, nuclei and DNA during the process of apoptosis can be characterizedin situ. To illustrate this method, salt stress-induced cell death has been investigated in maize root meristematic cells.     

氟、砷对体外培养大鼠血管内皮细胞的损伤作用

目的观察氟、砷对大鼠血管内皮细胞的损伤作用.方法体外分离培养大鼠胸主动脉血管内皮细胞,浓度按氟化钠(Na F)0,600,900μmol/L与亚砷酸钠(Na As O2)0,0.1,1.0μmol/L配伍,染毒培养时间为48 h.光镜观察细胞生长形态,四甲基偶氮唑盐比色法(MTT法)检测细胞活性,流式细胞仪检测细胞凋亡情况,单细胞凝胶电泳法分析内皮细胞DNA损伤情况.结果非染毒对照组及氟、砷低浓度组细胞生长良好,呈梭形和卵石形,氟、砷单独及联合高浓度组细胞生长状态较差,部分细胞呈圆形,有坏死;氟、砷单独及联合高浓度组细胞活性低于非染毒对照组及氟、砷低浓度组(P0.05);氟、砷单独及联合高浓度组细胞凋亡率高于非染毒对照组及氟、砷低浓度组(P0.05);同样,氟、砷单独及联合高浓度组细胞DNA损伤较非染毒对照组及氟、砷低浓度组严重(P0.05).结论氟、砷单独及联合作用可降低大鼠血管内皮细胞活性,诱导细胞凋亡,引发细胞DNA损伤,并存在明显的剂量-效应关系,提示氟、砷对内皮细胞的生长抑制及DNA损伤作用是血液、循环系统损伤的重要因素.     

MDC1 is coupled to activated CHK2 in mammalian DNA damage response pathways

Forkhead-homology-associated (FHA) domains function as protein-protein modules that recognize phosphorylated serine/threonine motifs. Interactions between FHA domains and phosphorylated proteins are thought to have essential roles in the transduction of DNA damage signals; however, it is unclear how FHA-domain-containing proteins participate in mammalian DNA damage responses. Here we report that a FHA-domain-containing protein-mediator of DNA damage checkpoint protein 1 (MDC1; previously known as KIAA0170)--is involved in DNA damage responses. MDC1 localizes to sites of DNA breaks and associates with CHK2 after DNA damage. This association is mediated by the MDC1 FHA domain and the phosphorylated Thr 68 of CHK2. Furthermore, MDC1 is phosphorylated in an ATM/CHK2-dependent manner after DNA damage, suggesting that MDC1 may function in the ATM-CHK2 pathway. Consistent with this hypothesis, suppression of MDC1 expression results in defective S-phase checkpoint and reduced apoptosis in response to DNA damage, which can be restored by the expression of wild-type MDC1 but not MDC1 with a deleted FHA domain. Suppression of MDC1 expression results in decreased p53 stabilization in response to DNA damage. These results suggest that MDC1 is recruited through its FHA domain to the activated CHK2, and has a critical role in CHK2-mediated DNA damage responses.     

p63 and p73 are required for p53-dependent apoptosis in response to DNA damage

The tumour-suppressor gene p53 is frequently mutated in human cancers and is important in the cellular response to DNA damage. Although the p53 family members p63 and p73 are structurally related to p53, they have not been directly linked to tumour suppression, although they have been implicated in apoptosis. Given the similarity between this family of genes and the ability of p63 and p73 to transactivate p53 target genes, we explore here their role in DNA damage-induced apoptosis. Mouse embryo fibroblasts deficient for one or a combination of p53 family members were sensitized to undergo apoptosis through the expression of the adenovirus E1A oncogene. While using the E1A system facilitated our ability to perform biochemical analyses, we also examined the functions of p63 and p73 using an in vivo system in which apoptosis has been shown to be dependent on p53. Using both systems, we show here that the combined loss of p63 and p73 results in the failure of cells containing functional p53 to undergo apoptosis in response to DNA damage.     

Virus-mediated killing of cells that lack p53 activity

A major goal of molecular oncology is to identify means to kill cells lacking p53 function. Most current cancer therapy is based on damaging cellular DNA by irradiation or chemicals. Recent reports support the notion that, in the event of DNA damage, the p53 tumour-suppressor protein is able to prevent cell death by sustaining an arrest of the cell cycle at the G2 phase. We report here that adeno-associated virus (AAV) selectively induces apoptosis in cells that lack active p53. Cells with intact p53 activity are not killed but undergo arrest in the G2 phase of the cell cycle. This arrest is characterized by an increase in p53 activity and p21 levels and by the targeted destruction of CDC25C. Neither cell killing nor arrest depends upon AAV-encoded proteins. Rather, AAV DNA, which is single-stranded with hairpin structures at both ends, elicits in cells a DNA damage response that, in the absence of active p53, leads to cell death. AAV inhibits tumour growth in mice. Thus viruses can be used to deliver DNA of unusual structure into cells to trigger a DNA damage response without damaging cellular DNA and to selectively eliminate those cells lacking p53 activity.     

The DNA damage response: putting checkpoints in perspective

The inability to repair DNA damage properly in mammals leads to various disorders and enhanced rates of tumour development. Organisms respond to chromosomal insults by activating a complex damage response pathway. This pathway regulates known responses such as cell-cycle arrest and apoptosis (programmed cell death), and has recently been shown to control additional processes including direct activation of DNA repair networks.     

Social controls on cell survival and cell death.

Programmed cell death occurs in most animal tissues at some stage of their development, but the molecular mechanism by which it is executed is unknown. For some mammalian cells, programmed death seems to occur by default unless suppressed by signals from other cells. Such dependence on specific survival signals provides a simple way to eliminate misplaced cells, for regulating cell numbers and, perhaps, for selecting the fittest cells. But how general is this dependence on survival signals?     

p73 is regulated by tyrosine kinase c-Abl in the apoptotic response to DNA damage.

The protein p73 is a structural and functional homologue of the p53 tumour-suppressor protein but, unlike p53, it is not induced in response to DNA damage. The tyrosine kinase c-Abl is activated by certain DNA-damaging agents and contributes to the induction of programmed cell death (apoptosis) by p53-dependent and p53-independent mechanisms. Here we show that c-Abl binds to p73 in cells, interacting through its SH3 domain with the carboxy-terminal homo-oligomerization domain of p73. c-Abl phosphorylates p73 on a tyrosine residue at position 99 both in vitro and in cells that have been exposed to ionizing radiation. Our results show that c-Abl stimulates p73-mediated transactivation and apoptosis. This regulation of p73 by c-Abl in response to DNA damage is also demonstrated by a failure of ionizing-radiation-induced apoptosis after disruption of the c-Abl-p73 interaction. These findings show that p73 is regulated by a c-Abl-dependent mechanism and that p73 participates in the apoptotic response to DNA damage.     

由覆盖性测试应变识别简支梁破损

梁在破损处的应变突变明显，其它处甚至紧邻破损处的应变没有明显变化，由应变振型识别梁的破损，测试应变应沿长度覆盖整个梁，采用大标距应变片或应变测试辅助装置进行覆盖性测试是可行的，测量结果是标距范围内应变的平均．采用奇异值分解方法处理测试应变数据，可将微弱突变信号分离出来．     

反义HSP90诱导HeLa细胞凋亡的研究

目的 探讨反义ＨＳＰ９０降低ＨｅＬａ细胞恶性度的机制。方法 经荧光染色观察细胞形态,ＤＮＡ Ｌａｄｄｅｒ及流式细胞仪检测凋亡细胞。结果 转染有反义ＨＳＰ９０的ＨｅＬａ细胞经荧光染色细胞呈不均一亮蓝色,荧光染色观察可见细胞变小,染色质浓缩并产生凋亡小体,ＤＮＡ Ｌａｄｄｅｒ可见明显的梯形条带,流式细胞仪检测有凋亡的细胞。结论 反义ＨＳＰ９０可诱导细胞凋亡。     

傅里叶变换中时域微积分性质的应用

傅里叶变换(Fourier Transform)是信号与系统分析中的重要数学工具,而傅里叶变换的性质经常用于求解信号的频谱函数。在具体的应用过程中,由于对性质的应用条件把握不准,会忽略一些细节问题造成计算错误。从实例出发,对时域微积分性质的应用做了更详尽的分析和探讨。     

五四时期的东方文化中心与融合创新--以严复、梁启超、章太炎为例

鸦片战争以来的近百年间,中国文化的主题是中西文化的冲突、调和与融合创新。因此,中国文化的现代转型,可以说是中学在吸纳西学过程中的重建。面对西方文化的挑战,中国文化价值如何,如何进退?怎样去评估中西文化的优劣?中国传统要不要发展,如何发展?西方文化要不要吸收,如何吸收?这是当时中国知识分子十分关注的问题。针对文化上顽固守旧与过度西化两种倾向,严复、梁启超、章太炎提出了“观通”、“化合”、“附益”说,他们从“昌明东方学术”着眼,强调立足本土、化合中西古今,创新中华文化。他们有关未来中国新文化再造的学术探讨,是非常富有实践价值和前瞻意义的。     

Alternative splicing directs the expression of two D2 dopamine receptor isoforms

Dopamine receptors are classified into D1 and D2 subtypes on the basis of their pharmacological properties and the intracellular responses they mediate. The cerebral D2 dopamine receptor is the target of drugs used to alleviate the main symptoms of schizophrenia. Although it is considered to be a single molecular entity, there is evidence that multiple D2-receptor subtypes exist. A complementary DNA encoding a D2 receptor has recently been cloned and the deduced 415-amino-acid sequence indicates that it belongs to the large superfamily of receptors coupled to G proteins, and that its topology consists of seven transmembrane domains. In this family, the genes are frequently without introns and each is believed to encode a unique polypeptide product. Here we show that the gene for the D2 receptor produces two receptor isoforms by alternative messenger RNA splicing, providing a route to receptor diversity in this family. One isoform corresponds to the D2(415) receptor, but the second contains an additional sequence encoding a 29-amino-acid fragment, defining a novel D2(444) receptor isoform. Expression of the two isoforms is tissue-specific, and both are regulated by guanyl nucleotides. As the extra sequence is located within a putative cytoplasmic loop that binds to G proteins, the two isoforms might interact with different G proteins and thereby initiate distinct intracellular signals.     

Bid-deficient mice are resistant to Fas-induced hepatocellular apoptosis.

The protein Bid is a participant in the pathway that leads to cell death (apoptosis), mediating the release of cytochrome c from mitochondria in response to signals from 'death' receptors known as TNFR1/Fas on the cell surface. It is a member of the proapoptotic Bcd-2 family and is activated as a result of its cleavage by caspase 8, one of a family of proteolytic cell-death proteins. To investigate the role of Bid in vivo, we have generated mice deficient for Bid. We find that when these mice are injected with an antibody directed against Fas, they nearly all survive, whereas wild-type mice die from hepatocellular apoptosis and haemorrhagic necrosis. About half of the Bid-deficient animals had no apparent liver injury and showed no evidence of activation of the effector caspases 3 and 7, although the initiator caspase 8 had been activated. Other Bid-deficient mice survived with only moderate damage: all three caspases (8 and 37) were activated but their cell nuclei were intact and no mitochondrial cytochrome c was released. We also investigated the effects of Bid deficiency in cultured cells treated with anti-Fas antibody (hepatocytes and thymocytes) or with TNFalpha. (fibroblasts). In these Bid-/- cells, mitochondrial dysfunction was delayed, cytochrome c was not released, effector caspase activity was reduced and the cleavage of apoptosis substrates was altered. This loss-of-function model indicates that Bid is a critical substrate in vivo for signalling by death-receptor agonists, which mediates a mitochondrial amplification loop that is essential for the apoptosis of selected cells.     

基于企业管理人员素质的诺兰模型应用研究

ERP平台的应用是企业信息化的主要内容。本从企业用户的角度出发,用诺兰模型分析和数理统计定量化分析相结合的方法,提出了我国企业ERP项目规划阶段进行自我评审的基于管理人员素质的切实可行的X—诺兰模型战略规划理论及相应的操作技术,同时,也从计算机系统技术角度给出了各种方案的具体解决对策。