LRP16 is a novel gene cloned from lymphocytic cells, and its function is not known. The expression level of LRP16 mRNA was up-regulated by estrogen in breast cancer MCF-7 cells based on the computed aided serial analysis of gene expression (SAGE) analysis. In this study, we investigate the effect of 17β-estradiol (17β-E 2 ) on the expression of LRP16 mRNA and the effects of overexpression of LRP16 on the proliferation of cultured MCF-7 cells and the possible mechanisms involved. The expression level of LRP16 mRNA induced by 17β-E 2 was determined by Northern blot analysis. LRP16 promoter-controlled luciferase expression vector (pGL3-S 0 ) was co-transfected with various nuclear receptors, including estrogen receptor α and β (ERα and ERβ), glucocorticoid receptor α (GRα), androgen receptor (AR) and peroxisome-proliferator activated receptor γ and α (PPARγ and PPARα) into COS-7 cells, and the relative luciferase activity was measured using Dual-luciferase report assay systems. The effect of overexpression of LRP16 on MCF-7 proliferation was examined by the Trypan Blue exclusion method, and the cell cycle was analyzed by flow cytometry. The expression levels of cyclin E, p53 and p21 WAF1/CIP1 proteins were determined by Western blot analysis. The results showed (1) 17β-E 2 induced a five-to eightfold increase in LRP16 mRNA levels in MCF-7 cells; (2) the relative luciferase activities in the COS-7 cells co-transfected by pGL3-S 0 and ERα or AR were 7.8-fold and 11-fold respectively of those in the control cells transfected by pGL3-S 0 alone; (3) overexpression of LRP16 stimulated MCF-7 cell proliferation, and the numbers of cells in the S-phase of the cell cycle in cells transfected with LRP16 increased about 10% compared with the control cells; and (4) cyclin E levels were much higher in cells with overexpression of LRP16 than in the control cells, while the expression levels of p53 and p21 WAF1/CIP1 were not different between the two groups of cells. From these results we concluded that estrogen up-regulates the expression level of LRP16 mRNA through activation of ERα and that overexpression of LRP16 promotes MCF-7 cell proliferation probably by increasing cyclin E.

Addition of once-daily insulin detemir to patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus on OHA therapy resulted in few adverse events, significant improvements in glycaemic control, small reductions in weight and low rates of hypoglycaemia. On the basis of this study, concerns about hypoglycaemia or weight gain should not preclude initiation of basal insulin analogues in patients with poor glycaemic control on OHAs.

LRP16 gene expression is induced by 17-estradiol (E2) via estrogen receptor alpha (ER ) in MCF-7 human breast cancer cells. A previous study also demonstrated that ectopic expression of LRP16 gene promoted MCF-7 cell proliferation. To explore the mechanism of hormone-induced LRP16 gene expression, the LRP16 gene promoter region (-2600 to -24 bp upstream of the LRP16 gene translation starting site) was analyzed in the present study by using different 58-truncated constructs, and a luciferase reporter. The 58-flanking sequence of -676 to -24 bp (pGL3-S5) was found to be E2-responsive. After exchange of the fragment from -213 to -24 bp with the TK gene proximal promoter region in pGL3-S5, E2 still induced reporter gene activity in MCF-7 and HeLa cells. Sequence analysis showed that the pGL3-S6 (-676 to -214) sequence contains two motifs that may contribute to E2-induced transactivation; namely, an estrogen-responsive element (ERE) half-site/Sp1 at -246 to -227 bp and an E-box site at -225 to -219 bp. Further deletion and mutation analysis of these two motifs indicated that both the 1/2 ERE and Sp1 binding sites were required for E2 action, while E-box deletion did not affect the luciferase activity in MCF-7 and HeLa cells. The results of gel mobility shift and chromatin immunoprecipitation assays confirmed that both ER and Sp1 were required for hormone-induced transactivation, which involved both ER and Sp1 directly binding to DNA. Taken together, these findings suggest that ER and Sp1 play a role in activation of the human LRP16 gene promoter.

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Background and Aims:Virus detection is necessary for in vitro production and propagation of virus-free plants, for in vitro conservation and when material is received from overseas in tissue culture. In vitro biological virus indexing is among the reliable techniques. The aim of the present study was to develop an in vitro graft-free protocol for indexing of Grapevine leafroll-associated virus-3 (GLRaV-3). Methods and Results: In vitro GLRaV-3-infected shoots were cultured on half-strength Murashige and Skoog medium supplemented with either 150 mmol NaCl or 4% polyethylene glycol (PEG) 8000 to induce development of the virus symptoms. After 4 weeks of culture, the proportion of the symptom expression was 86 and 81% for Cabernet Sauvignon, 100 for '6-12-2', 78 and 72% for Red Globe and 70 and 60% for Kyoho in the diseased shoots stressed by 150 mmol NaCl and 4% PEG, respectively. Expression of virus symptoms was more obvious and reliable when in vitro plantlets were stressed by NaCl than by PEG. Conclusions: Salt and drought stress induced by NaCl and PEG 8000 can improve in vitro biological indexing of GLRaV-3 in red grapevine cultivars. Significance of the Study: The techniques developed in the present study would have potential application to GLRaV-3 indexing of red grapevine cultivars.

The urinary albumin excretion rate and prevalence of microalbuminuria were higher in isolated-impaired glucose tolerance subjects than those in isolated-impaired fasting glycaemia subjects. At early abnormal glucose tolerance stage, the increasing post-challenge glycaemia might be a more important risk factor for urinary albumin excretion rate and microalbuminuria than increasing fasting glycaemia.

Development, histological process and Grapevine leafroll-associated virus-3 localisation were studied in micrografts of three scion/rootstock combinations: healthy/healthy, healthy/infected and infected/healthy. Earlier bud break and faster growth in scions of micrografts were obtained when the healthy shoot segments were used as scions, while earlier bud break in rootstocks and greater fresh weight of roots in micrografts were produced when the healthy shoot segments were used as rootstocks. All histological processes including callus initiation and formation in micrografting conjunctions, and initiation of new cambial cells followed by vascular bundle development connecting scions and rootstocks were similar in micrografts, regardless of the sanitary status of the scions and rootstocks used for micrografting. Virus infection in micrografting conjunctions and systematic infection in micrografts were much more efficient and faster in micrografting combination of the infected scions/healthy rootstocks than in the healthy scions/infected rootstocks. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report addressing histological process of micrograft development and virus localisation in micrografts. In vitro culture system established in this study facilitates studies on the 'pure' impact of the viral infection on micrografting.

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