The lack of reliable molecular markers for normal differentiated epithelial cells limits understanding of human gastric carcinogenesis. Recognized precursor lesions for gastric adenocarcinoma are intestinal metaplasia and spasmolytic polypeptide expressing metaplasia (SPEM), defined here by ectopic CDX2 and TFF2 expression, respectively. In mice, expression of the bHLH transcription factor MIST1, normally restricted to mature chief cells, is down-regulated as chief cells undergo experimentally induced metaplasia. Here, we show MIST1 expression is also a specific marker of human chief cells. The mainstays of therapy in gastric carcinoma are early recognition, resection, and neoadjuvant or adjuvant therapy. However, gastric cancer remains the second largest cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide, 1 which drastically illustrates our lack of understanding of the sequence and progression of preneoplastic conditions. The traditional linear progression model of cellular changes, such as (Helicobacter-mediated) inflammation, atrophy, intestinal metaplasia (IM), dysplasia, and carcinoma, 2-4 does not apply to all cases and does not allow incorporation of more recently recognized entities. For example, there are distinct types of IMs, not all carrying definitive preneoplastic potential, and some authors have argued that IM in general is a paraneoplastic condition because the earliest gastric carcinomas arise from gasSupported by

Little is known about how differentiating cells reorganize their cellular structure to perform specialized physiological functions. MIST1, an evolutionarily conserved transcription factor, is required for the formation of large, specialized secretory vesicles in gastric zymogenic (chief) cells (ZCs) as they differentiate from their mucous neck cell progenitors. Here, we show that MIST1 binds to highly conserved CATATG E-boxes to directly activate transcription of 6 genes, including those encoding the small GTPases RAB26 and RAB3D. We next show that RAB26 and RAB3D expression is significantly downregulated in Mist1 ؊/؊ ZCs, suggesting that MIST1 establishes large secretory granules by inducing RAB transcription. To test this hypothesis, we transfected human gastric cancer cell lines stably expressing MIST1 with red fluorescent protein (RFP)-tagged pepsinogen C, a key secretory product of ZCs. Those cells upregulate expression of RAB26 and RAB3D to form large secretory granules, whereas control, non-MIST1-expressing cells do not. Moreover, granule formation in MIST1-expressing cells requires RAB activity because treatment with a RAB prenylation inhibitor and transfection of dominant negative RAB26 abrogate granule formation. Together, our data establish the molecular process by which a transcription factor can directly induce fundamental cellular architecture changes by increasing transcription of specific cellular effectors that act to organize a unique subcellular compartment.

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IGFBP-rP1 contributes to the development of liver fibrosis and may be a novel molecule involved in the progression of hepatic fibrogenesis.

Abstract:Numerous new photosensitizers are now in various stages of trials demonstrating the broad applicability of Photodynamic therapy (PDT). However, only a handful of photosensitizers have received regulatory approval. Lack of effective photosensitizers has become a major limit for extensive application of PDT. Our previous study showed MPPa to be a good photosensitizer candidature, MPPa-PDT can lead PC-3M cell line to death mainly via apoptotic way both in vitro and in vivo, and part of the mechanism was investigated. Mitochondria may play a key role in the process, in order to further elucidate the mechanism, we investigated the level of ROS, GSH, NO, Ca 2+ , mitochondrial membrane potential, as well as cytochrome C. All in all, ROS production, depletion of GSH, and the activation of ROS downstream, such as mitochondria depolarization, cytochrome C release, were detected in our study. The results provide a mechanism by which oxidative stress provokes apoptosis of PC-3M cells.

The zinc uptake regulator (Zur) is a member of the Fur (ferric uptake regulator) family transcriptional regulators that plays important roles in zinc homeostasis and virulence of bacteria. Upon zinc perception, Zur binds to the promoters of zinc responsive genes and controls their transcription. However, the mechanism underlying zinc-mediated Zur activation remains unclear. Here we report a 2.2-Å crystal structure of apo Zur from the phytopathogen Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris (XcZur), which reveals the molecular mechanism that XcZur exists in a closed inactive state before regulatory zinc binding. Subsequently, we present a 1.9-Å crystal structure of holo XcZur, which, by contrast, adopts an open state that has enough capacity to bind DNA. Structural comparison and hydrogen deuterium exchange mass spectrometry (HDX-MS) analyses uncover that binding of a zinc atom in the regulatory site, formed by the hinge region, the dimerization domain and the DNA binding domain, drives a closed-to-open conformational change that is essential for XcZur activation. Moreover, key residues responsible for DNA recognition are identified by site-directed mutagenesis. This work provides important insights into zinc-induced XcZur activation and valuable discussions on the mechanism of DNA recognition.

Exercise training is believed to have a positive effect on cardiac hypertrophy after hypertension. However, its mechanism is still not fully understood. Herein, our findings suggest that heat shock transcription factor 1 (HSF1) improves exercise-initiated myocardial angiogenesis after pressure overload. A sustained narrowing of the diagonal aorta (TAC) and moderately-intense exercise training protocol were imposed on HSF1 heterozygote (KO) and their littermate wild-type (WT) male mice. After two months, the cardiac function was assessed using the adaptive responses to exercise training, or TAC, or both of them such as catheterization and echocardiography. The HE stains assessed the area of myocyte cross-sectional. The Western blot and realtime PCR measured the levels of expression for heat shock factor 1 (HSF1), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and hypoxia inducible factor-1 alpha (HIF-1α) in cardiac tissues. The anti-CD31 antibody immunohistochemical staining was done to examine how exercise training influenced cardiac ontogeny. The outcome illustrated that exercise training significantly improved the cardiac ontogeny in TAC mice, which was convoyed by elevated levels of expression for VEGF and HIF-1α and preserved the heart microvascular density. More importantly, HSF1 deficiency impaired these effects induced by exercise training in TAC mice. In conclusion, exercise training encourages cardiac ontogeny by means of HSF1 activation and successive HIF-1α/ VEGF up-regulation in endothelial cells during continued pressure overload. K E Y W O R D Scardiac angiogenesis, exercise training, HSF1, pressure overload | 2179 TIAN eT Al.

Dysbiosis of gut microbiota, injury of intestinal mucosal barrier and BT occurred as liver cirrhosis progressed, which might enhance inflammation and aggravate liver injury. AS may have other non-antimalarial effects that modulate gut microbiota, inhibit BT and alleviate inflammation, resulting in a reduction in CCl4, alcohol and high fat-caused damages to the liver and intestine.