Biochemical and biophysical research communications
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Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. · Jul 2012
β-Hydroxy-β-methylbutyrate (HMB) prevents dexamethasone-induced myotube atrophy.
High levels of glucocorticoids result in muscle wasting and weakness. β-hydroxy-β-methylbutyrate (HMB) attenuates the loss of muscle mass in various catabolic conditions but the influence of HMB on glucocorticoid-induced muscle atrophy is not known. We tested the hypothesis that HMB prevents dexamethasone-induced atrophy in cultured myotubes. ⋯ Additional experiments provided evidence that the inhibitory effects of HMB on dexamethasone-induced increase in protein degradation and decrease in protein synthesis were regulated by p38/MAPK- and PI3K/Akt-dependent cell signaling, respectively. The present results suggest that glucocorticoid-induced muscle wasting can be prevented by HMB.
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Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. · Jul 2012
Validation of trans-acting elements that promote exon 7 skipping of SMN2 in SMN2-GFP stable cell line.
Spinal muscular atrophy is a genetic disease in which the SMN1 gene is deleted. The SMN2 gene exists in all of the patients. Alternative splicing of these two genes are different. ⋯ Furthermore the knockdown with hnRNP A1 shRNA, a known protein which promotes exon 7 skipping of SMN2, induces exon 7 inclusion of exon 7 in SMN2-GFP pre-mRNA in SMN2-GFP cell line. We conclude that we have established the stable cell lines that recapitulate alternative splicing of the SMN1 and SMN2 genes. The stable cell line can be used to identify the trans-acting elements with siRNA.
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Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. · May 2012
Magnetic bead-based salivary peptidome profiling analysis during orthodontic treatment durations.
Orthodontic treatment induces various biological responses, including tooth movement and remodeling of alveolar bone. Although some studies have investigated the contribution of orthodontic procedures to changes in saliva conditions, little is known about the effects of different treatment durations on the saliva proteome. To identify the discriminating protein profiles in unstimulated whole saliva of orthodontic patients with different treatment durations, we used matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) combined with magnetic bead, and peptide mass fingerprints were created by scanning MS signals. ⋯ Differential expression of the peptidome profile also occurred in the multiple comparisons, and we established a fitting model. Thus, the potential discriminating biomarkers investigated in this study reflected the complicated changes in periodontal tissues during orthodontic treatment and indicated dynamic interactions between orthodontic treatment and the saliva proteome. The results provide novel insights into alterations in salivary proteins due to different orthodontic treatment durations and may lead to the development of a therapeutic monitoring strategy for orthodontics.
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Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. · May 2012
Noscapine induces mitochondria-mediated apoptosis in human colon cancer cells in vivo and in vitro.
Noscapine, a phthalide isoquinoline alkaloid derived from opium, has been widely used as a cough suppressant for decades. Noscapine has recently been shown to potentiate the anti-cancer effects of several therapies by inducing apoptosis in various malignant cells without any detectable toxicity in cells or tissues. However, the mechanism by which noscapine induces apoptosis in colon cancer cells remains unclear. ⋯ Moreover, in a xenograft tumor model in mice, noscapine injection clearly inhibited tumor growth via the induction of apoptosis, which was demonstrated using a TUNEL assay. These results suggest that noscapine induces apoptosis in colon cancer cells via mitochondrial pathways. Noscapine may be a safe and effective chemotherapeutic agent for the treatment of human colon cancer.
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Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. · May 2012
The critical role of spinal ceramide in the development of partial sciatic nerve ligation-induced neuropathic pain in mice.
Recent observations indicate that peripheral nerve injury induces central sensitization through microglial activation and the release of inflammatory cytokines, resulting in the development of neuropathic pain. However, the underlying mechanisms of this phenomenon remain to be fully elucidated. In this study, we examined the involvement of spinal ceramide, a bioactive lipid, in the development of neuropathic pain induced by partial sciatic nerve ligation (PSL). ⋯ In the von Frey test, intrathecal injection of the ceramide biosynthesis inhibitors Fumonisin B1 and GW4869 at 3h and day 3 after PSL significantly attenuated PSL-induced tactile allodynia. By immunohistochemistry, microglial activation in the dorsal horn was suppressed by Fumonisin B1 and GW4869. Therefore, we conclude that spinal ceramide may play a crucial role in PSL-induced neuropathic pain through the activation of microglia.