Targeted inhibition of Livin resensitizes renal cancer cells towards apoptosis

Cancer cells are typically characterized by apoptosis deficiency. In order to investigate a possible role for the anti-apoptotic livin gene in renal cell cancer (RCC), we analyzed its expression in tumor tissue samples and in RCC-derived cell lines. In addition, we studied the contribution of livin to the apoptotic resistance of RCC cells by RNA interference (RNAi). Livin gene expression was detected in a significant portion of RCC tumor tissue specimens (13/14, 92.9%) and tumor-derived cell lines (12/15, 80.0%). Moreover, targeted inhibition of livin by RNAi markedly sensitized RCC cells towards proapoptotic stimuli, such as UV irradiation or the chemotherapeutic drugs etoposide, 5-fluorouracil, and vinblastine. These effects were specific for livin expressing tumor cells. We conclude that livin can contribute significantly to the apoptosis resistance of RCC cells. Targeted inhibition of livin could represent a novel therapeutic strategy to increase the sensitivity of renal cancers towards pro-apoptotic agents. Received 30 November 2006; received after revision 22 February 2007; accepted 20 March 2007     

Cardiovascular development: towards biomedical applicability

Advances in our understanding of cardiac development have fuelled research into cellular approaches to myocardial repair of the damaged heart. In this collection of reviews we present recent advances into the basic mechanisms of heart development and the resident and non-resident progenitor cell populations that are currently being investigated as potential mediators of cardiac repair. Together these reviews illustrate that despite our current knowledge about how the heart is constructed, caution and much more research in this exciting field is essential. The current momentum to evaluate the potential for cardiac repair will in turn accelerate research into fundamental aspects of myocardial biology.     

Receptor communication within the lymphocyte plasma membrane: a role for the thrombospondin family of matricellular proteins

Lymphocytes, the principal cells of the immune system, carry out immune surveillance throughout the body by their unique capacity to constantly reposition themselves between a free-floating vascular state and a tissue state characterized by migration and frequent adhesive interactions with endothelial cells and components of the extracellular matrix. Therefore, mechanisms co-ordinating adhesion and migration with signals delivered through antigen recognition probably play a pivotal role for the regulation of lymphocyte behaviour and function. Endogenous thrombospondin-1 (TSP-1) seems to be the hub in such a mechanism for autocrine regulation of T cell adhesion and migration. TSP-1 functions as a mediator of cis interaction of vital receptors within the T lymphocyte plasma membrane, including integrins, low density lipoprotein receptor-related protein, calreticulin and integrin-associated protein. Received 1 June 2006; received after revision 28 June 2006; accepted 11 October 2006     

From endoderm to pancreas: a multistep journey

The formation of the vertebrate pancreas is a complex process that typifies the basic steps of embryonic development. It involves the establishment of competence, specification, signaling from neighboring tissues, morphogenesis, and the elaboration of tissue-specific genetic networks. A full analysis of this multistep process will help us to understand classic principles of embryonic development. Furthermore, this will provide the blueprint for experimental programming of pancreas formation from embryonic stem cells in the context of diabetes cell-therapy. Although in the past decade many studies have contributed to a solid foundation for understanding pancreatogenesis, important gaps persist in our knowledge of early pancreas formation. This review will summarize the current understanding of the early mechanisms coming into play to pattern the "pre-pancreatic" region within the endoderm and, gradually, specify the pancreatic tissue.     

欧洲七叶树体细胞次生胚重复发生研究

取欧洲七叶树体细胞胚的子叶诱导次生胚发生,表明:MS ZT(0.5~2.0 mg/L) BA 1.0 mg/L IAA 0.2 mg/L培养基可直接诱导次生胚发生,诱导率超过80%;同一子叶的不同部位分化能力不同,靠近胚轴部位分化能力最强,其他部位比较弱。     

小鼠急性缺氧后肺内肥大细胞的变化

应用组织化学方法对对照组小鼠、缺氧组小鼠以及雌激素预处理缺氧组小鼠肺内肥大细胞的数量、活性、分布范型及组化性质进行了研究.结果表明,缺氧组小鼠随缺氧时间的延长,肺小动脉内皮细胞损伤加重,损伤后再给氧,内皮细胞损伤程度更严重;同时伴有肥大细胞和脱颗粒的急剧增多,均极显著高于同期对照组小鼠（P〈0.01）.雌激素预处理缺氧组小鼠随缺氧时间的延长,肺小动脉内皮细胞的损伤程度较缺氧组小鼠轻;肥大细胞和脱颗粒均极显著低于同期缺氧组小鼠（P〈0.01）.由此说明,肥大细胞可能在急性缺氧造成的肺损伤过程中起着重要作用,肥大细胞膜稳定剂（雌激素）对肺损伤可能起保护作用.     

一种基于标准单元芯片电源线网的静态电压降的分析方法

提出了一种对基于标准单元芯片计算其电源线网的静态电压降的分析方法.该方法通过计算每个标准单元的功耗得到其电流源模型,然后采用导线电阻模型和标准单元等效电流源模型生成电路网络,运用逐次块松弛迭代方法求解由上述网络生成的改进节点法方程.仿真结果表明,所提出的方法能与SPICE达到同样的精度,且计算速度更快,使用内存更少.     

一种基于新训练序列的正交频分复用小区搜索方法

为了增加正交频分复用(OFDM)小区识别的数量,同时保持小区搜索的性能,设计了一种新的OFDM小区搜索方案.其核心思想是在载波上先加载称为"子载波模板"的伪随机序列,然后再加载频域差分序列.针对这种新的结构,该方案还设计了一种联合估计算法,可在性能保持不变的情况下,增加10~20倍识别小区的数量.     

无钴高强高韧钢中奥氏体相价的电子结构

利用固体与分子经验电子理论(EET)对无钴高强高韧钢奥氏体中含碳与不含碳晶胞的价电子结构进行了计算和分析·得到含碳晶胞的nA值大于不含碳晶胞的nA值,故在相的转变中主要考虑含碳晶胞的影响·在含碳晶胞中合金元素Ni,Si,Cr,Mo与碳原子形成偏聚区,且Ni,Si与C的结合力比Cr,Mo的大,偏聚区能降低C的扩散能力,阻碍位错运动,推迟马氏体相变;使基体中保持高度的位错,也会导致材料中有一定数量的残余奥氏体,并细化奥氏体晶粒,使转变的马氏体尺寸减小,这对材料的韧性有利·