Background: Understanding the design logic of living systems requires the understanding and comparison of proteomes. Proteomes define the commonalities between organisms more precisely than genomic sequences. Because uncertainties remain regarding the accuracy of proteomic data, several issues need to be resolved before comparative proteomics can be fruitful.

Eukaryotic genomes are repetitively packaged into chromatin by nucleosomes, however they are regulated by the differences between nucleosomes, which establish various chromatin states. Local chromatin cues direct the inheritance and propagation of chromatin status via self-reinforcing epigenetic mechanisms. Replication-independent histone exchange could potentially perturb chromatin status if histone exchange chaperones, such as Swr1C, loaded histone variants into wrong sites. Here we show that in Schizosaccharomyces pombe, like Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Swr1C is required for loading H2A.Z into specific sites, including the promoters of lowly expressed genes. However S. pombe Swr1C has an extra subunit, Msc1, which is a JumonjiC-domain protein of the Lid/Jarid1 family. Deletion of Msc1 did not disrupt the S. pombe Swr1C or its ability to bind and load H2A.Z into euchromatin, however H2A.Z was ectopically found in the inner centromere and in subtelomeric chromatin. Normally this subtelomeric region not only lacks H2A.Z but also shows uniformly lower levels of H3K4me2, H4K5, and K12 acetylation than euchromatin and disproportionately contains the most lowly expressed genes during vegetative growth, including many meiotic-specific genes. Genes within and adjacent to subtelomeric chromatin become overexpressed in the absence of either Msc1, Swr1, or paradoxically H2A.Z itself. We also show that H2A.Z is N-terminally acetylated before, and lysine acetylated after, loading into chromatin and that it physically associates with the Nap1 histone chaperone. However, we find a negative correlation between the genomic distributions of H2A.Z and Nap1/Hrp1/Hrp3, suggesting that the Nap1 chaperones remove H2A.Z from chromatin. These data describe H2A.Z action in S. pombe and identify a new mode of chromatin surveillance and maintenance based on negative regulation of histone variant misincorporation.

We previously reported that mice with experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), a model of multiple sclerosis (MS), develop profound urinary bladder dysfunction. Because neurogenic bladder in MS patients causes marked bladder remodeling, we next examined morphometric and molecular alterations of the bladder in EAE mice. EAE was created in female SJL/J mice by immunization with the p139-151 encephalitogenic peptide of myelin proteolipid protein in complete Freund's adjuvant, along with intraperitoneal injections of Bordetella pertussis toxin. Seventy days after immunization, mice were scored for the level of neurological impairment and then killed. Spinal cord sections were assessed for demyelination, inflammation, and T cell infiltration; the composition of the bladder tissue was measured quantitatively; and gene expression of markers of tissue remodeling and fibrosis was assessed. A significant increase in the bladder weight-to-body weight ratio was observed with increasing neurological impairment, and morphometric analysis showed marked bladder remodeling with increased luminal area and tissue hypertrophy. Despite increased amounts of all tissue components (urothelium, smooth muscle, and connective tissue), the ratio of connective tissue to muscle increased significantly in EAE mice compared with control mice. Marked increases in mRNA expression of collagen type I α(2), tropoelastin, transforming growth factor-β3, and connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) were observed in EAE mice, as were decreased levels of mRNAs for smooth muscle myosin heavy chain, nerve growth factors, and muscarinic and purinergic receptors. Our results suggest that bladder remodeling corresponding to EAE severity may be due to enhanced expression of CTGF and increased growth of connective tissue.

Background The pathophysiology of interstitial cystitis (IC) is unknown. Deficits in urothelial cell layers and autoimmune mechanisms may play a role. Objective To examine whether immunization of mice with recombinant mouse uroplakin II (rmUPK2), a bladder-specific protein, would provoke an autoimmune response sufficient to create an IC phenotype. Design, setting, and participants RmUPK2 complementary DNA was generated, transferred into a bacterial expression vector, and the generated protein was purified. Eight-week-old SWXJ female mice were immunized with rmUPK2 protein via subcutaneous injection of 200 µg of rmUPK2 protein in 200 µl of an emulsion. Measurements Mice were euthanized 5 wk after immunization. Axillary and inguinal lymph node cells were tested for antigen-specific responsiveness and cytokine production, serum isotype antibody titers against rmUPK2 were determined, and gene expression of inflammatory mediators was measured in the bladder and other organs. For functional analysis, mice were placed in urodynamic chambers for 24-h micturition frequency and total voided urine measurements. Results and limitations Immunization with rmUPK2 resulted in T-cell infiltration of the bladder urothelium and increased rmUPK2-specific serum antibody responses in the experimental autoimmune cystitis (EAC) mice models compared with controls. The ratio of bladder to body weight was increased in EAC mice. Quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction analysis showed elevated gene expression of tumor necrosis factor α, interferon γ, interleukin (IL)-17A, and IL-1β in bladder urothelium but not in other organs. Evaluation of 24-h micturition habits of EAC mice showed significantly increased urinary frequency (p < 0.02) and significantly decreased urine output per void (p < 0.021) when compared with control mice. Conclusions Our study showed that a bladder-specific autoimmune response sufficient to induce inflammation and EAC occurs in mice following immunization with rmUPK2. EAC mice displayed significant evidence of urinary frequency and decreased urine output per void. Further phenotype characterization of EAC mice should include evidence for pain and/or afferent hypersensitivity, and evidence of urothelial cell layer damage.

Thymoquinone (TQ) is the active ingredient of Nigella sativa which has a therapeutic potential in cancer therapy and prevention. In this study, TQ has been shown to induce specific cytotoxicity and apoptosis and to inhibit wound healing in triple-negative breast cancer cell line. TQ also inhibited cancer growth in a mouse tumor model. Moreover, TQ and paclitaxel (Pac) combination inhibited cancer growth in cell culture and in mice. Genes involved in TQ and TQ-Pac-mediated cytotoxicity were studied using focused real-time PCR arrays. After bioinformatic analysis, genes in apoptosis, cytokine, and p53 signaling categories were found to be modulated with a high significance in TQ-treated cells (p < 10(-28), p < 10(-8), and p < 10(-6), respectively). Important to note, TQ has been found to regulate the genes involved in the induction of apoptosis through death receptors (p = 5.5 × 10(-5)). Additionally, tumor suppressor genes such as p21, Brca1, and Hic1 were highly upregulated by TQ and TQ-Pac combination. Interestingly, when cells were treated with high dose TQ, several growth factors such as Vegf and Egf were upregulated and several pro-apoptotic factors such as caspases were downregulated possibly pointing out key pathways manipulated by cancer cells to resist against TQ. In cells treated with the combination of TQ and Pac, genes in apoptosis cascade (p < 10(-12)), p53 signaling (p = 10(-5)), and JAK-STAT signaling (p < 10(-3)) were differentially expressed. TQ has also been shown to induce protein levels of cleaved Caspase-3, Caspase-7, and Caspase-12 and PARP and to reduce phosphorylated p65 and Akt1. The in vivo therapeutic potential of TQ-Pac combination and the genetic network involved in this synergy have been shown for the first time to the best of our knowledge.

Thymoquinone (TQ) is the active ingredient extracted from the essential oil of Nigella sativa. A number of studies implicated TQ as an antitumor agent. In this study, cytotoxic effects of the oil of N. sativa and TQ were evaluated on human cervical cancer cell line, HeLa cells. IC50 value was ~0.125 μl/ml for N. sativa oil preparations and 12.5 μM for TQ. TQ strongly inhibited wound healing at all concentrations ranging from 12.5 to 100 μM in a scratch wound healing assay. Additionally, induction of apoptosis by TQ was assessed by Giemsa staining and TQ was found to induce apoptosis in cancer cells especially at concentrations of 50 and 100 μM. TQ-mediated transcriptional regulation of 84 genes involved in apoptosis was studied using a PCR array. At low dose (12.5 μM), TQ was found to induce expression of four pro-apoptotic genes: BIK (~22.7-fold), FASL (~2.9-fold), BCL2L10 (~2.1-fold), and CASP1 (~2-fold). TQ was also found to reduce the expression of an anti-apoptotic gene implicated in NF-kappa-B signaling and cancer: RELA (~8-fold). At high dose (100 μM), TQ mediated the expression of 21 genes implicated directly in apoptosis (6 genes), TNF signaling (10 genes), and NF-kappa-B signaling (3 genes) such as BIK, BID, TNFRSF10A, TNFRSF10B, TNF, TRAF3, RELA, and RELB. In conclusion, this study implicates the role of TQ in the inhibition of cancer cell proliferation and migration. At the same time, our results strongly suggest that TQ intervenes with TNF and NF-kappa-B signaling during TQ-mediated induction of apoptosis in cancer cells.

The pathophysiology of interstitial cystitis/painful bladder syndrome (IC/PBS) is enigmatic. Autoimmunity and impaired urothelium might lead the underlying pathology. A major shortcoming in IC/PBS research has been the lack of an appropriate animal model. In this study, we show that the bladder specific uroplakin 3A-derived immunogenic peptide UPK3A 65–84, which contains the binding motif for IAd MHC class II molecules expressed in BALB/c mice, is capable of inducing experimental autoimmune cystitis in female mice of that strain. A highly antigen-specific recall proliferative response of lymph node cells to UPK3A 65–84 was observed, characterized by selectively activated CD4+ T cells with a proinflammatory Th1-like phenotype, including enhanced production of interferon γ and interleukin-2. T cell infiltration of the bladder and bladder-specific increased gene expression of inflammatory cytokines were observed. Either active immunization with UPK3A 65–84 or adoptive transfer of peptide-activated CD4+ T cells induced all of the predominant IC/PBS phenotypic characteristics, including increased micturition frequency, decreased urine output per micturition, and increased pelvic pain responses to stimulation with von Frey filaments. Our study demonstrates the creation of a more specific experimental autoimmune cystitis model that is the first inducible model for IC/PBS that manifests all of the major symptoms of this debilitating condition.

Anti-Müllerian hormone receptor, type II (AMHR2), is a differentiation protein expressed in 90% of primary epithelial ovarian carcinomas (EOCs), the most deadly gynecologic malignancy. We propose that AMHR2 may serve as a useful target for vaccination against EOC. To this end, we generated the recombinant 399-amino acid cytoplasmic domain of mouse AMHR2 (AMHR2-CD) and tested its efficacy as a vaccine target in inhibiting growth of the ID8 transplantable EOC cell line in C57BL/6 mice and in preventing growth of autochthonous EOCs that occur spontaneously in transgenic mice. We found that AMHR2-CD immunization of C57BL/6 females induced a prominent antigen-specific proinflammatory CD4+ T cell response that resulted in a mild transient autoimmune oophoritis that resolved rapidly with no detectable lingering adverse effects on ovarian function. AMHR2-CD vaccination significantly inhibited ID8 tumor growth when administered either prophylactically or therapeutically, and protection against EOC growth was passively transferred into naive recipients with AMHR2-CD-primed CD4+ T cells but not with primed B cells. In addition, prophylactic AMHR2-CD vaccination of TgMISIIR-TAg transgenic mice significantly inhibited growth of autochthonous EOCs and provided a 41.7% increase in mean overall survival. We conclude that AMHR2-CD vaccination provides effective immunotherapy of EOC with relatively benign autoimmune complications.