scholarly journals Focus on biosensors: Looking through the lens of quantitative biology

2021 ◽  
Vol 2 ◽  
Author(s):  
James H. Rowe ◽  
Alexander M. Jones
Keyword(s):  
Calcium Signalling ◽  
Quantitative Biology ◽  
Oxygen Species ◽  
Fluorescent Biosensors ◽  
Biological Phenomena ◽  
Molecular Events ◽  
Reporter Systems ◽  
Improved Model ◽  
Cellular Compartments

Abstract In recent years, plant biologists interested in quantifying molecules and molecular events in vivo have started to complement reporter systems with genetically encoded fluorescent biosensors (GEFBs) that directly sense an analyte. Such biosensors can allow measurements at the level of individual cells and over time. This information is proving valuable to mathematical modellers interested in representing biological phenomena in silico, because improved measurements can guide improved model construction and model parametrisation. Advances in synthetic biology have accelerated the pace of biosensor development, and the simultaneous expression of spectrally compatible biosensors now allows quantification of multiple nodes in signalling networks. For biosensors that directly respond to stimuli, targeting to specific cellular compartments allows the observation of differential accumulation of analytes in distinct organelles, bringing insights to reactive oxygen species/calcium signalling and photosynthesis research. In conjunction with improved image analysis methods, advances in biosensor imaging can help close the loop between experimentation and mathematical modelling.

Human Androgen Receptor Mutation Disrupts Ternary Interactions between Ligand, Receptor Domains, and the Coactivator TIF2 (Transcription Intermediary Factor 2)

2000 ◽  
Vol 14 (8) ◽  
pp. 1187-1197 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joyce Lim ◽  
Farid J. Ghadessy ◽  
Abdullah A. R. Abdullah ◽  
Leonard Pinsky ◽  
Mark Trifiro ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Androgen Receptor ◽  
Ligand Binding ◽  
Specific Antigen ◽  
Transactivation Domain ◽  
Molecular Events ◽  
Reporter Systems ◽  
Lysine Substitution ◽  
Two Hybrid

Abstract The androgen receptor (AR) is a ligand-dependent X-linked nuclear transcription factor regulating male sexual development and spermatogenesis. The receptor is activated when androgen binds to the C-terminal ligand-binding domain (LBD), triggering a cascade of molecular events, including interactions between the LBD and the N-terminal transactivation domain (TAD), and the recruitment of transcriptional coactivators. A nonconservative asparagine to lysine substitution in AR residue 727 was encountered in a phenotypically normal man with subfertility and depressed spermatogenesis. This N727K mutation, although located in the LBD, did not alter any ligand-binding characteristic of the AR in the patient’s fibroblasts or when expressed in heterologous cells. Nonetheless, the mutant AR displayed only half of wild-type transactivation capacity when exposed to physiological or synthetic androgens. This transactivation defect was consistently present when examined with two different reporter systems in three cell lines, using three androgen-driven promoters (including the complex human prostate-specific antigen promoter), confirming the pathogenicity of the mutation. In mammalian two-hybrid assays, N727K disrupted LBD interactions with the AR TAD and with the coactivator, transcription intermediary factor 2 (TIF2). Strikingly, the transactivation defect of the mutant AR can be rectified in vitro with mesterolone, consistent with the ability of this androgen analog to restore sperm production in vivo. Mesterolone, but not the physiological androgen dihydrotestosterone, restored mutant LBD interactions with the TAD and with TIF2, when expressed as fusion proteins in the two-hybrid assay. Our data support an emerging paradigm with respect to AR mutations in the LBD and male infertility: pathogenicity is transmitted through reduced interdomain and coactivator interactions, and androgen analogs that are corrective in vitro may indicate hormonal therapy.

scholarly journals Targeting autophagy enhances atezolizumab-induced mitochondria-related apoptosis in osteosarcoma

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhuochao Liu ◽  
Hongyi Wang ◽  
Chuanzhen Hu ◽  
Chuanlong Wu ◽  
Jun Wang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Reactive Oxygen Species ◽  
Antitumor Immunity ◽  
Reactive Oxygen ◽  
Oxygen Species ◽  
Specific Monoclonal Antibody ◽  
Osteosarcoma Cells ◽  
Jnk Pathway ◽  
In Vivo Experiments

AbstractIn this study, we identified the multifaceted effects of atezolizumab, a specific monoclonal antibody against PD-L1, in tumor suppression except for restoring antitumor immunity, and investigated the promising ways to improve its efficacy. Atezolizumab could inhibit the proliferation and induce immune-independent apoptosis of osteosarcoma cells. With further exploration, we found that atezolizumab could impair mitochondria of osteosarcoma cells, resulting in increased release of reactive oxygen species and cytochrome-c, eventually leading to mitochondrial-related apoptosis via activating JNK pathway. Nevertheless, the excessive release of reactive oxygen species also activated the protective autophagy of osteosarcoma cells. Therefore, when we combined atezolizumab with autophagy inhibitors, the cytotoxic effect of atezolizumab on osteosarcoma cells was significantly enhanced in vitro. Further in vivo experiments also confirmed that atezolizumab combined with chloroquine achieved the most significant antitumor effect. Taken together, our study indicates that atezolizumab can induce mitochondrial-related apoptosis and protective autophagy independently of the immune system, and targeting autophagy is a promising combinatorial approach to amplify its cytotoxicity.

scholarly journals Mitochondrion-Dependent Cell Death in TDP-43 Proteinopathies

Biomedicines ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 376
Author(s):  
Chantal B. Lucini ◽  
Ralf J. Braun
Keyword(s):  
Cell Death ◽  
Oxygen Species ◽  
In Vivo Models ◽  
Dependent Cell ◽  
Cell Death Mechanisms ◽  
Sting Pathway ◽  
Mitochondrial Membrane Permeabilization

In the last decade, pieces of evidence for TDP-43-mediated mitochondrial dysfunction in neurodegenerative diseases have accumulated. In patient samples, in vitro and in vivo models have shown mitochondrial accumulation of TDP-43, concomitantly with hallmarks of mitochondrial destabilization, such as increased production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), reduced level of oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS), and mitochondrial membrane permeabilization. Incidences of TDP-43-dependent cell death, which depends on mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) content, is increased upon ageing. However, the molecular pathways behind mitochondrion-dependent cell death in TDP-43 proteinopathies remained unclear. In this review, we discuss the role of TDP-43 in mitochondria, as well as in mitochondrion-dependent cell death. This review includes the recent discovery of the TDP-43-dependent activation of the innate immunity cyclic GMP-AMP synthase/stimulator of interferon genes (cGAS/STING) pathway. Unravelling cell death mechanisms upon TDP-43 accumulation in mitochondria may open up new opportunities in TDP-43 proteinopathy research.

scholarly journals Plant Extracts and Reactive Oxygen Species as Two Counteracting Agents with Anti- and Pro-Obesity Properties

2019 ◽  
Vol 20 (18) ◽  
pp. 4556 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hanna Zielinska-Blizniewska ◽  
Przemyslaw Sitarek ◽  
Anna Merecz-Sadowska ◽  
Katarzyna Malinowska ◽  
Karolina Zajdel ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Reactive Oxygen Species ◽  
Plant Extracts ◽  
Complex Disease ◽  
Reactive Oxygen ◽  
Complementary Therapy ◽  
Biologically Active ◽  
Mitochondrial Activity ◽  
Oxygen Species

Obesity is a complex disease of great public health significance worldwide: It entails several complications including diabetes mellitus type 2, cardiovascular dysfunction and hypertension, and its prevalence is increasing around the world. The pathogenesis of obesity is closely related to reactive oxygen species. The role of reactive oxygen species as regulatory factors in mitochondrial activity in obese subjects, molecules taking part in inflammation processes linked to excessive size and number of adipocytes, and as agents governing the energy balance in hypothalamus neurons has been examined. Phytotherapy is the traditional form of treating health problems using plant-derived medications. Some plant extracts are known to act as anti-obesity agents and have been screened in in vitro models based on the inhibition of lipid accumulation in 3T3-L1 cells and activity of pancreatic lipase methods and in in vivo high-fat diet-induced obesity rat/mouse models and human models. Plant products may be a good natural alternative for weight management and a source of numerous biologically-active chemicals, including antioxidant polyphenols that can counteract the oxidative stress associated with obesity. This review presents polyphenols as natural complementary therapy, and a good nutritional strategy, for treating obesity without serious side effects.

scholarly journals Effects of Ubiquinol-10 on MicroRNA-146a Expression In Vitro and In Vivo

2009 ◽  
Vol 2009 ◽  
pp. 1-7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Constance Schmelzer ◽  
Mitsuaki Kitano ◽  
Gerald Rimbach ◽  
Petra Niklowitz ◽  
Thomas Menke ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Reactive Oxygen Species ◽  
Biological Processes ◽  
Oxygen Species ◽  
Moderate Reduction ◽  
Suppression Of Gene Expression ◽  
Fine Tune ◽  
Dependent Pathway

MicroRNAs (miRs) are involved in key biological processes via suppression of gene expression at posttranscriptional levels. According to their superior functions, subtle modulation of miR expression by certain compounds or nutrients is desirable under particular conditions. Bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induces a reactive oxygen species-/NF-κB-dependent pathway which increases the expression of the anti-inflammatory miR-146a. We hypothesized that this induction could be modulated by the antioxidant ubiquinol-10. Preincubation of human monocytic THP-1 cells with ubiquinol-10 reduced the LPS-induced expression level of miR-146a to 78.9±13.22%. In liver samples of mice injected with LPS, supplementation with ubiquinol-10 leads to a reduction of LPS-induced miR-146a expression to 78.12±21.25%. From these consistent in vitro and in vivo data, we conclude that ubiquinol-10 may fine-tune the inflammatory response via moderate reduction of miR-146a expression.

scholarly journals Improved Model of Fluorescence Recovery Expands the Application of Multiphoton Fluorescence Recovery after Photobleaching in Vivo

2009 ◽  
Vol 96 (12) ◽  
pp. 5082-5094 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kelley D. Sullivan ◽  
William H. Sipprell ◽  
Edward B. Brown ◽  
Edward B. Brown
Keyword(s):  
Fluorescence Recovery After Photobleaching ◽  
Fluorescence Recovery ◽  
Improved Model

scholarly journals Pathological Relationship between Intracellular Superoxide Metabolism and p53 Signaling in Mice

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (7) ◽  
pp. 3548
Author(s):  
Kenji Watanabe ◽  
Shuichi Shibuya ◽  
Yusuke Ozawa ◽  
Toshihiko Toda ◽  
Takahiko Shimizu
Keyword(s):  
Apoptotic Cell ◽  
Oxygen Species ◽  
Double Knockout ◽  
In Vivo Experiments ◽  
P53 Signaling ◽  
Tissue Degeneration ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Tissue Changes ◽  
P53 Activation

Intracellular superoxide dismutases (SODs) maintain tissue homeostasis via superoxide metabolism. We previously reported that intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS), including superoxide accumulation caused by cytoplasmic SOD (SOD1) or mitochondrial SOD (SOD2) insufficiency, induced p53 activation in cells. SOD1 loss also induced several age-related pathological changes associated with increased oxidative molecules in mice. To evaluate the contribution of p53 activation for SOD1 knockout (KO) (Sod1−/−) mice, we generated SOD1 and p53 KO (double-knockout (DKO)) mice. DKO fibroblasts showed increased cell viability with decreased apoptosis compared with Sod1−/− fibroblasts. In vivo experiments revealed that p53 insufficiency was not a great contributor to aging-like tissue changes but accelerated tumorigenesis in Sod1−/− mice. Furthermore, p53 loss failed to improve dilated cardiomyopathy or the survival in heart-specific SOD2 conditional KO mice. These data indicated that p53 regulated ROS-mediated apoptotic cell death and tumorigenesis but not ROS-mediated tissue degeneration in SOD-deficient models.

scholarly journals Costunolide Induces Apoptosis via the Reactive Oxygen Species and Protein Kinase B Pathway in Oral Cancer Cells

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (14) ◽  
pp. 7509
Author(s):  
Hai Huang ◽  
Jun-Koo Yi ◽  
Su-Geun Lim ◽  
Sijun Park ◽  
Haibo Zhang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Reactive Oxygen Species ◽  
Cell Cycle ◽  
Flow Cytometry ◽  
Oral Cancer ◽  
Cancer Cells ◽  
Reactive Oxygen ◽  
Migration And Invasion ◽  
Oxygen Species ◽  
Oral Cancer Cells

Oral cancer (OC) has been attracted research attention in recent years as result of its high morbidity and mortality. Costunolide (CTD) possesses potential anticancer and bioactive abilities that have been confirmed in several types of cancers. However, its effects on oral cancer remain unclear. This study investigated the potential anticancer ability and underlying mechanisms of CTD in OC in vivo and in vitro. Cell viability and anchorage-independent colony formation assays were performed to examine the antigrowth effects of CTD on OC cells; assessments for migration and invasion of OC cells were conducted by transwell; Cell cycle and apoptosis were investigated by flow cytometry and verified by immunoblotting. The results revealed that CTD suppressed the proliferation, migration and invasion of oral cancer cells effectively and induced cell cycle arrest and apoptosis; regarding the mechanism, CTD bound to AKT directly by binding assay and repressed AKT activities through kinase assay, which thereby downregulating the downstream of AKT. Furthermore, CTD remarkably promotes the generation of reactive oxygen species by flow cytometry assay, leading to cell apoptosis. Notably, CTD strongly suppresses cell-derived xenograft OC tumor growth in an in vivo mouse model. In conclusion, our results suggested that costunolide might prevent progression of OC and promise to be a novel AKT inhibitor.

CSIG-21. 5-ALA PDT AND TARGETING MEK/ERK SIGNALING ELICITS SYNERGISTIC ANTITUMOR EFFECTS IN DIFFUSE MIDLINE GLIOMA

2021 ◽  
Vol 23 (Supplement_6) ◽  
pp. vi37-vi37
Author(s):  
Gabrielle Price ◽  
Daniel Rivera ◽  
Alexandros Bouras ◽  
Constantinos Hadjipanayis
Keyword(s):  
Reactive Oxygen Species ◽  
Cell Proliferation ◽  
Aminolevulinic Acid ◽  
Tumor Therapy ◽  
Unmet Need ◽  
Reactive Oxygen ◽  
Oxygen Species ◽  
Antitumor Effects ◽  
Genetically Engineered Mouse Model

Abstract Diffuse midline gliomas (DMGs) are highly invasive, unresectable tumors in children. To date, there is no effective treatment for DMGs. Fractionated radiotherapy (RT), currently the standard of care, has provided limited disease control. Current obstacles to treatment include the blood brain barrier (BBB) that limits systemic drug delivery, tumor therapy resistance, and brainstem infiltration. Given the unmet need for more effective DMG treatments, photodynamic therapy (PDT), with the precursor photosensitizing agent 5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA), is an oncologic treatment that holds promise. 5-ALA PDT of tumors occurs by targeting tumor cells that accumulate the 5-ALA metabolite, protoporphyrin IX (PPIX), with 635 nm light to create deadly reactive oxygen species (ROS). We explore the synergism of 5-ALA PDT with the MEK inhibitor, trametinib, since the RAS/MEK signaling pathway regulates tumor cell proliferation and survival and has been shown to therapeutically enhance PDT in select tumor models. We demonstrated that sub-micromolar levels of 5-ALA PDT and nanomolar levels of trametinib successfully decrease cell proliferation and induce apoptosis in multiple DMG cell lines. Cell viability assays revealed that drug response differs based on the histone mutation (H3.1 or H3.3) of the line. Mechanisms of decreased cell survival involves the generation of reactive oxygen species that induces programmed cell death. Through the use of a DMG genetically engineered mouse model, we also found 5-ALA PDT to induce apoptosis in vivo. The synergistic effects of MEK inhibition and 5-ALA PDT in vitro and apoptotic effects of 5-ALA PDT in vivo, highlights the potential therapeutic efficacy of this treatment modality.

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