啤酒花中异葎草酮体外抗肿瘤作用及机制研究

研究啤酒花(Humulus Lupulus L.)中成分异葎草酮(tetrahydro-iso-α-acid)对人胃腺癌细胞SGC-7901和人肝癌细胞HepG-2的体外抑制作用,并初步揭示其抗肿瘤的作用机制.以MTT法进行细胞毒测定;采用流式细胞仪观察异葎草酮对肿瘤细胞凋亡的影响;细胞线粒体跨膜电位(MMP)测定用罗丹明123(Rhodamine l23,Rh123)标记,以流式细胞仪检测.异葎草酮对SGC-7901和HepG-2的IC50分别为13.4μg/mL和11.58μg/mL.异葎草酮作用于SGC-7901和HepG-2细胞48 h后,肿瘤细胞均有明显凋亡峰出现.异葎草酮可以导致SGC-7901和HepG-2细胞内线粒体膜电位明显下降,并呈剂量依赖关系.结果表明,异葎草酮对肿瘤细胞SGC-7901及HepG-2均有较强抑制作用,这一作用是通过诱导肿瘤细胞凋亡实现的.异葎草酮是通过线粒体路径启动细胞凋亡的,而且诱导线粒体功能异常可能是其引起细胞凋亡发生的主要作用机理.     

Mitochondrial DNA evidence for the 19th century introduction of African honey bees into the United States

Since the introduction of an African subspecies into Brazil in the mid-1950's¹, descendent Africanized honey bees (Apis mellifera L.) have spread throughout the Neotropics and into temperate North America. Restriction enzyme analysis of 422 feral honey bee colonies collected from non-Africanized areas in the southern United States revealed that over 21% of them had mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) derived from a European race established in North America by the 17th century, 77% of them had mtDNA common in honey bees maintained by beekeepers and about 1% exhibited African mtDNA. Further analysis revealed that the African mtDNA was derived from a north African subspecies imported to the US in the 19th century.     

Cardiolipin, the heart of mitochondrial metabolism

Cardiolipin is a unique phospholipid, which is almost exclusively localized in the mitochondrial inner membrane where it is synthesized from phosphatidylglycerol and cytidinediphosphate-diacylglycerol. After primary synthesis, the mature acyl chain composition of cardiolipin is achieved by at least two remodeling mechanisms. In the mitochondrial membrane cardiolipin plays an important role in energy metabolism, mainly by providing stability for the individual enzymes and enzyme complexes involved in energy production. Moreover, cardiolipin is involved in different stages of the mitochondrial apoptotic process and in mitochondrial membrane dynamics. Cardiolipin alterations have been described in various pathological conditions. Patients suffering from Barth syndrome have an altered cardiolipin homeostasis caused by a primary deficiency in cardiolipin remodeling. Alterations in cardiolipin content or composition have also been reported in more frequent diseases such as diabetes and heart failure. In this review we provide an overview of cardiolipin metabolism, function and its role in different pathological states. Received 16 January 2008; received after revision 26 February 2008; accepted 26 March 2008     

Role of serotonin in the hepato-gastroIntestinal tract: an old molecule for new perspectives

Beside its role as a neurotransmitter in the central nervous system, serotonin appears to be a central physiologic mediator of many gastrointestinal (GI) functions and a mediator of the brain-gut connection. By acting directly and via modulation of the enteric nervous system, serotonin has numerous effects on the GI tract. The main gut disturbances in which serotonin is involved are acute chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting, carcinoid syndrome and irritable bowel syndrome. Serotonin also has mitogenic properties. Platelet-derived serotonin is involved in liver regeneration after partial hepatectomy. In diseased liver, serotonin may play a crucial role in the progression of hepatic fibrosis and the pathogenesis of steatohepatitis. Better understanding of the role of the serotonin receptor subtypes and serotonin mechanisms of action in the liver and gut may open new therapeutic strategies in hepato-gastrointestinal diseases. Received 15 August 2007; received after revision 1 November 2007; accepted 5 November 2007     

Increased mitochondrial palmitoylcarnitine/carnitine countertransport by flavone causes oxidative stress and apoptosis in colon cancer cells

Cancer cell metabolism is characterized by limited oxidative phosphorylation in order to minimize oxidative stress. We have previously shown that the flavonoid flavone in HT-29 colon cancer cells increases the uptake of pyruvate or lactate into mitochondria, which is followed by an increase in O₂^−.. production that finally leads to apoptosis. Similarly, a supply of palmitoylcarnitine in combination with carnitine induces apoptosis in HT-29 cells by increasing the mitochondrial respiration rate. Here we show that flavone-induced apoptosis is increased more than twofold in the presence of palmitoylcarnitine due to increased mitochondrial fatty acid transport and the subsequent metabolic generation of O₂^−. in mitochondria is the initiating factor for the execution of apoptosis. Received 12 August 2005; received after revision 12 October 2005; accepted 14 October 2005     

植物细胞质雄性不育分子机理研究

本文综述了植物细胞质雄性不育分子机理的研究进展。主要介绍了植物线粒体DNA、线粒体RNA和线粒体蛋白质与细胞质雄性不育的关系，同时对植物叶绿体及核质互作与细胞质雄性不育的关系进行了综述，并对今后的研究前景进行了展望。     

Reactive oxygen species are crucial for hydroxychavicol toxicity toward KB epithelial cells

Betel quid (BQ) chewing shows a strong correlation to the incidence of oral submucous fibrosis (OSF), leukoplakia and oral cancer. BQ contains mainly areca nut, lime, Piper betle leaf (PBL) and the inflorescence of P. betle (IPB). Hydroxychavicol (4-allyl-catechol, HC), as a major phenolic compound in PBL and IPB, is shown to induce oxidative stress, glutathione (GSH) depletion and cell cycle deregulation. Using bivariate BrdU/PI flow cytometry, KB cells in DNA synthesis (S phase) are shown to be sensitive to the toxic effect of HC and show cell cycle arrest and apoptosis following exposure to 0.1 and 0.3 mM HC. HC-induced apoptosis and cell cycle arrest are associated with mitochondrial membrane potential (m) depolarization as revealed by a decrease in rhodamine fluorescence. N-acetyl-L-cysteine (1 mM), superoxide dismutase (100 U/ml) and catalase (1000 U/ml) were effective in prevention of HC-induced GSH depletion (as indicated by chloromethylfluorescein fluorescence), reactive oxygen species (ROS) production (by dichlorofluorescein fluorescence), cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. However, dimethylthiourea (2 mM), neocuproine (1 mM), 1,10-phenanthroline (200 M) and desferrioxamine (0.5 mM) showed little effect on HC-induced cell changes. HC elevated the cellular and mitochondrial GSH levels at moderate concentrations (0.05–0.1 mM), whereas at a concentration of 0.3 mM, inhibitory effects were noted. These results indicate that HC consumption may be associated with BQ-chewing-related oral mucosal diseases via GSH depletion, ROS production, mitochondrial dysfunction, cell cycle disturbance and the induction of apoptosis. These events are related to the production of superoxide radicals and hydrogen peroxide.Received 9 July 2003; received after revision 28 September 2003; accepted 24 October 2003     

神经元及神经环路活性异常与阿尔茨海默病研究进展

 细胞外淀粉样蛋白（Aβ）沉积和细胞内神经纤维缠结是阿尔茨海默病的典型病理特征。淀粉样蛋白和tau蛋白（神经纤维缠结的主要组成成分）在脑中的异常聚集会导致神经元活性异常，进而引起神经环路结构及功能紊乱，最终造成阿尔茨海默病患者认知功能障碍。概述了Aβ及tau蛋白的生成及调控，阐述了Aβ及tau蛋白异常聚集在神经元及神经环路活动中的作用和机制，综述了ApoE、炎症反应及成体神经发生异常在AD神经元及神经环路活动障碍中的作用。