scholarly journals The InhA2 Metalloprotease of Bacillus thuringiensis Strain 407 Is Required for Pathogenicity in Insects Infected via the Oral Route

2002 ◽  
Vol 184 (12) ◽  
pp. 3296-3304 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sinda Fedhila ◽  
Patricia Nel ◽  
Didier Lereclus
Keyword(s):  
Bacillus Thuringiensis ◽  
Mutant Strain ◽  
Galleria Mellonella ◽  
Oral Route ◽  
Vital Role ◽  
Zinc Metalloprotease ◽  
Mutant Strains ◽  
Zinc Binding Domain

ABSTRACT The entomopathogenic bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis is known to secrete a zinc metalloprotease (InhA) that specifically cleaves antibacterial peptides produced by insect hosts. We identified a second copy of the inhA gene, named inhA2, in B. thuringiensis strain 407 Cry−. The inhA2 gene encodes a putative polypeptide showing 66.2% overall identity with the InhA protein and harboring the zinc-binding domain (HEXXH), which is characteristic of the zinc-requiring metalloproteases. We used a transcriptional inhA2′-lacZ fusion to show that inhA2 expression is induced at the onset of the stationary phase and is overexpressed in a Spo0A minus background. The presence of a reverse Spo0A box in the promoter region of inhA2 suggests that Spo0A directly regulates the transcription of inhA2. To determine the role of the InhA and InhA2 metalloproteases in pathogenesis, we used allelic exchange to isolate single and double mutant strains for the two genes. Spores and vegetative cells of the mutant strains were as virulent as those of the parental strain in immunized Bombyx mori larvae infected by the intrahemocoelic route. Exponential phase cells of all the strains displayed the same in vitro potential for colonizing the vaccinated hemocoel. We investigated the synergistic effect of the mutant strain spores on the toxicity of Cry1C proteins against Galleria mellonella larvae infected via the oral pathway. The spores of ΔinhA2 mutant strain were ineffective in providing synergism whereas those of the ΔinhA mutant strain were not. These results indicate that the B. thuringiensis InhA2 zinc metalloprotease has a vital role in virulence when the host is infected via the oral route.

scholarly journals Activation of MAT2A-RIP1 signaling axis reprograms monocytes in gastric cancer

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. e001364
Author(s):  
Yan Zhang ◽  
Hui Yang ◽  
Jun Zhao ◽  
Ping Wan ◽  
Ye Hu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gastric Cancer ◽  
Cell Metabolism ◽  
Vital Role ◽  
Methionine Metabolism ◽  
Promoter Regions ◽  
Normal Tissues ◽  
Methionine Cycle

BackgroundThe activation of tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) facilitates the progression of gastric cancer (GC). Cell metabolism reprogramming has been shown to play a vital role in the polarization of TAMs. However, the role of methionine metabolism in function of TAMs remains to be explored.MethodsMonocytes/macrophages were isolated from peripheral blood, tumor tissues or normal tissues from healthy donors or patients with GC. The role of methionine metabolism in the activation of TAMs was evaluated with both in vivo analyses and in vitro experiments. Pharmacological inhibition of the methionine cycle and modulation of key metabolic genes was employed, where molecular and biological analyses were performed.ResultsTAMs have increased methionine cycle activity that are mainly attributed to elevated methionine adenosyltransferase II alpha (MAT2A) levels. MAT2A modulates the activation and maintenance of the phenotype of TAMs and mediates the upregulation of RIP1 by increasing the histone H3K4 methylation (H3K4me3) at its promoter regions.ConclusionsOur data cast light on a novel mechanism by which methionine metabolism regulates the anti-inflammatory functions of monocytes in GC. MAT2A might be a potential therapeutic target for cancer cells as well as TAMs in GC.

scholarly journals The Emerging Role of Neutrophil Extracellular Traps in Arterial, Venous and Cancer-Associated Thrombosis

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yilu Zhou ◽  
Weimin Tao ◽  
Fuyi Shen ◽  
Weijia Du ◽  
Zhendong Xu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Current Knowledge ◽  
Neutrophil Extracellular Traps ◽  
Vital Role ◽  
Extracellular Traps ◽  
Protein Components ◽  
Cancer Associated Thrombosis ◽  
Coagulation Pathway

Neutrophils play a vital role in the formation of arterial, venous and cancer-related thrombosis. Recent studies have shown that in a process known as NETosis, neutrophils release proteins and enzymes complexed to DNA fibers, collectively called neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs). Although NETs were originally described as a way for the host to capture and kill bacteria, current knowledge indicates that NETs also play an important role in thrombosis. According to recent studies, the destruction of vascular microenvironmental homeostasis and excessive NET formation lead to pathological thrombosis. In vitro experiments have found that NETs provide skeletal support for platelets, red blood cells and procoagulant molecules to promote thrombosis. The protein components contained in NETs activate the endogenous coagulation pathway to promote thrombosis. Therefore, NETs play an important role in the formation of arterial thrombosis, venous thrombosis and cancer-related thrombosis. This review will systematically summarize and explain the study of NETs in thrombosis in animal models and in vivo experiments to provide new targets for thrombosis prevention and treatment.

scholarly journals miR-657 Promotes Macrophage Polarization toward M1 by Targeting FAM46C in Gestational Diabetes Mellitus

2019 ◽  
Vol 2019 ◽  
pp. 1-9
Author(s):  
Pingping Wang ◽  
Zengfang Wang ◽  
Guojie Liu ◽  
Chengwen Jin ◽  
Quan Zhang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Diabetes Mellitus ◽  
Gestational Diabetes ◽  
Gestational Diabetes Mellitus ◽  
Macrophage Polarization ◽  
Vital Role ◽  
Luciferase Reporter ◽  
M2 Macrophage ◽  
And Migration

MicroRNA (miRNA) has been widely suggested to play a vital role of in the pathogenesis of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). We have previously demonstrated that miR-657 can regulate macrophage inflammatory response in GDM. However, the role of miR-657 on M1/M2 macrophage polarization in GDM pathogenesis is not clear yet. This study is aimed at elucidating this issue and identifying novel potential GDM therapeutic targets based on miRNA network. miR-657 is found to be upregulated in placental macrophages demonstrated by real-time PCR, which can enhance macrophage proliferation and migration in vitro. Luciferase reporter assay shows the evidence that FAM46C is a target of miR-657. In addition, miR-657 can promote macrophage polarization toward the M1 phenotype by downregulating FAM46C in macrophages. The present study strongly suggests miR-657 is involved in GDM pathogenesis by regulating macrophage proliferation, migration, and polarization via targeting FAM46C. miR-657/FAM46C may serve as promising targets for GDM diagnosis and treatment.

scholarly journals Characterization of the Urease Operon of Brucella abortus and Assessment of Its Role in Virulence of the Bacterium

2006 ◽  
Vol 75 (2) ◽  
pp. 774-780 ◽  
Author(s):  
Félix J. Sangari ◽  
Asunción Seoane ◽  
María Cruz Rodríguez ◽  
Jesús Agüero ◽  
Juan M. García Lobo
Keyword(s):  
Brucella Abortus ◽  
Urease Activity ◽  
Strong Acid ◽  
Oral Route ◽  
Open Reading Frames ◽  
Human Brucellosis ◽  
Major Route

ABSTRACT Most members of the genus Brucella show strong urease activity. However, the role of this enzyme in the pathogenesis of Brucella infections is poorly understood. We isolated several Tn5 insertion mutants deficient in urease activity from Brucella abortus strain 2308. The mutations of most of these mutants mapped to a 5.7-kbp DNA region essential for urease activity. Sequencing of this region, designated ure1, revealed the presence of seven open reading frames corresponding to the urease structural proteins (UreA, UreB, and UreC) and the accessory proteins (UreD, UreE, UreF, and UreG). In addition to the urease genes, another gene (cobT) was identified, and inactivation of this gene affected urease activity in Brucella. Subsequent analysis of the previously described sequences of the genomes of Brucella spp. revealed the presence of a second urease cluster, ure2, in all them. The ure2 locus was apparently inactive in B. abortus 2308. Urease-deficient mutants were used to evaluate the role of urease in Brucella pathogenesis. The urease-producing strains were found to be resistant in vitro to strong acid conditions in the presence of urea, while urease-negative mutants were susceptible to acid treatment. Similarly, the urease-negative mutants were killed more efficiently than the urease-producing strains during transit through the stomach. These results suggested that urease protects brucellae during their passage through the stomach when the bacteria are acquired by the oral route, which is the major route of infection in human brucellosis.

scholarly journals Bacillus thuringiensis Spores and Vegetative Bacteria: Infection Capacity and Role of the Virulence Regulon PlcR Following Intrahaemocoel Injection of Galleria mellonella

Insects ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (5) ◽  
pp. 129 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christophe Buisson ◽  
Michel Gohar ◽  
Eugénie Huillet ◽  
Christina Nielsen-LeRoux
Keyword(s):  
Bacillus Thuringiensis ◽  
Galleria Mellonella ◽  
Lethal Dose ◽  
Intestinal Barrier ◽  
Oral Route ◽  
Infection Model ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Response Curves ◽  
Vegetative Cells ◽  
Crystal Toxins

Bacillus thuringiensis is an invertebrate pathogen that produces insecticidal crystal toxins acting on the intestinal barrier. In the Galleria mellonella larvae infection model, toxins from the PlcR virulence regulon contribute to pathogenicity by the oral route. While B. thuringiensis is principally an oral pathogen, bacteria may also reach the insect haemocoel following injury of the cuticle. Here, we address the question of spore virulence as compared to vegetative cells when the wild-type Bt407cry- strain and its isogenic ∆plcR mutant are inoculated directly into G. mellonella haemocoel. Mortality dose-response curves were constructed at 25 and 37 °C using spores or vegetative cell inocula, and the 50% lethal dose (LD50) in all infection conditions was determined after 48 h of infection. Our findings show that (i) the LD50 is lower for spores than for vegetative cells for both strains, while the temperature has no significant influence, and (ii) the ∆plcR mutant is four to six times less virulent than the wild-type strain in all infection conditions. Our results suggest that the environmental resistant spores are the most infecting form in haemocoel and that the PlcR virulence regulon plays an important role in toxicity when reaching the haemocoel from the cuticle and not only following ingestion.

THE PRODUCTION BY BACILLUS THURINGIENSIS BERLINER OF A HEAT-STABLE SUBSTANCE TOXIC FOR INSECTS

1959 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 161-168 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ellicott McConnell ◽  
A. Glenn Richards
Keyword(s):  
Bacillus Thuringiensis ◽  
Inclusion Bodies ◽  
Galleria Mellonella ◽  
Culture Media ◽  
Water Soluble ◽  
Broth Culture ◽  
Toxic Principle ◽  
Heat Stable

Bacillus thuringiensis Berliner produces in vitro a heat-stable, dialyzable substance which is toxic for insects when injected. The same or a similar substance is produced in vivo. The toxic principle is of unknown composition. It is heat-stable, water-soluble, dialyzable, and resistant to low temperatures. It is probably neither a protein nor a lipid. Clearly it is distinct from the heat-labile inclusion bodies and from lecithinase. Growth-curve studies showed that the heat-stable toxin appeared in liver broth cultures during the active growth phase, prior to the formation of spores or inclusion bodies. An attempt to produce the toxic principle from culture media in the absence of bacteria was unsuccessful from sterile inocula both from in vivo and in vitro sources. The LD50 for larvae of Galleria mellonella injected with autoclaved supernatant from a 10-day-old liver broth culture of B. thuringiensis was determined to be 0.00036 ml per larva or 0.002 ml per gram of larvae. Approximately the same level of toxicity was found for another caterpillar, a fly larva, and cockroaches. After larvae of Galleria or Pyrausla have been dead for more than 2 days from infection with B. thuringiensis the bacillus could no longer be recovered. A sublethal amount of the heat-stable toxin injected into old larvae of Galleria delayed emergence of the adults by 30 to 40%. The non-pathogenic Bacillus cereus was found to produce a similar-acting, heat-stable toxin under the same conditions that one is produced by B. thuringiensis.

scholarly journals Elevated FOXC2 Expression Promotes Invasion of HCC Cell Lines and is Associated with Poor Prognosis in Hepatocellular Carcinoma

2017 ◽  
Vol 44 (1) ◽  
pp. 99-109 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fang Yang ◽  
Lizhi Lv ◽  
Kun Zhang ◽  
Qiucheng Cai ◽  
Jianyong Liu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hepatocellular Carcinoma ◽  
Flow Cytometric Analysis ◽  
Vital Role ◽  
Migration And Invasion ◽  
Flow Cytometric ◽  
Kaplan Meier ◽  
Proliferation Assays ◽  
The Relationship

Background/Aims: Increasing evidence has indicated that Forkhead box protein C2 (FOXC2) plays an important role in carcinogenesis. However, the expression and the role of FOXC2 in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) have not been extensively studied. Methods: FOXC2 expression was analyzed by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, Western blot analysis and immunohistochemistry in HCC tissue and cells. The relationship between FOXC2 expression and patient clinical significance and survival were assessed by Pearson’s correlation and Kaplan-Meier analysis, respectively. Cell proliferation assays, colony formation assays, flow cytometric analysis and Transwell assays were employed to measure the effects of FOXC2 on HCC cells in vitro. Results: The expression of FOXC2 was increased in HCC tissue, and high FOXC2 expression was associated with worse patient survival. Knockdown of FOXC2 inhibited HCC cell growth, migration, and invasion in vitro, as well as tumor growth. Furthermore, we found that activation of AKT-mediated MMP-2 and MMP-9 was involved in FOXC2 promoting an aggressive phenotype. Conclusions: Taken together, these findings demonstrate that FOXC2 is upregulated in HCC tissue and is associated with tumor size, vascular invasion and advanced TNM stage. Further investigation suggested that FOXC2 may play a vital role in promoting proliferation and invasion in HCC and serves as a novel therapeutic target in HCC.

scholarly journals Transcription factor Krüppel-like factor 2 plays a vital role in endothelial colony forming cells differentiation

2013 ◽  
Vol 99 (3) ◽  
pp. 514-524 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yimeng Song ◽  
Xiaoxia Li ◽  
Dawei Wang ◽  
Chenglai Fu ◽  
Zhenjiu Zhu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Transcription Factor ◽  
Tube Formation ◽  
Vital Role ◽  
Ampk Activation ◽  
Cell Markers ◽  
Endothelial Colony Forming Cells ◽  
Angiogenesis Assay

Abstract Aims Endothelial colony forming cells (ECFCs) participate in post-natal vasculogenesis. We previously reported that vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) promotes human ECFC differentiation through AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) activation. However, the mechanisms underlying transcriptional regulation of ECFC differentiation still remain largely elusive. Here, we investigated the role of transcription factor Krüppel-like factor 2 (KLF2) in the regulation of ECFC function. Methods and results Human ECFCs were isolated from cord blood and cultured. Treatment with VEGF significantly increased endothelial markers in ECFCs and their capacity for migration and tube formation. The mRNA and protein levels of KLF2 were also significantly up-regulated. This up-regulation was abrogated by AMPK inhibition or by knockdown of KLF2 with siRNA. Furthermore, adenovirus-mediated overexpression of KLF2 promoted ECFC differentiation by enhancing expression of endothelial cell markers, reducing expression of progenitor cell markers, and increasing the capacity for tube formation in vitro, indicating the important role of KLF2 in ECFC-mediated angiogenesis. Histone deacetylase 5 (HDAC5) was phosphorylated by AMPK activity induced by VEGF and the AMPK agonist AICAR (5-amino-1-β-d-ribofuranosyl-imidazole-4-carboxamide). In vivo angiogenesis assay revealed that overexpression of KLF2 in bone-marrow-derived pro-angiogenic progenitor cells promoted vessel formation when the cells were implanted in C57BL/6 mice. Conclusion Up-regulation of KLF2 by AMPK activation constitutes a novel mechanism of ECFC differentiation, and may have therapeutic value in the treatment of ischaemic heart disease.

scholarly journals ZBTB7A, A Potential Biomarker for Prognosis and Immune Infiltrates, Inhibits Progression of Endometrial Cancer Based on Bioinformatics Analysis and Experiments

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rong Geng ◽  
Yuhua Zheng ◽  
Donghua Zhou ◽  
Qingdong Li ◽  
Ruiman Li ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cell Proliferation ◽  
Zinc Finger Protein ◽  
Immune Cell ◽  
Vital Role ◽  
Marker Genes ◽  
Potential Biomarker ◽  
And Migration ◽  
The Relationship

Abstract Backgroud: ZBTB protein is an important member of the C2H2 zinc finger protein family. As a transcription factor, it is widely involved in the transcriptional regulation of genes, cell proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis. However, the role of ZBTB7A in uterine corpus endometrial carcinoma (UCEC) is unclear.Methods: In our work, we assessed the importance of ZBTB 7A in UCEC. Firstly, Using Oncomine and Tumor Immunoassay Resource (TIMER) databases to evaluate the expression of ZBTB7A. Secondly, we explored the co expression network of ZBTB7A through the cBioPortal online tool, Metascape, and LinkedOmics. TIMER was also used to explore the relationship between ZB TB7A and tumor immu ne invasion, and to detect the correlation between the ZBTB7A and the marker genes related to immune infiltration. Finally, CKK8,migration, ChIP assays were introduced to partly validate ZBTB7A function in endometrialcancer cells.Results: We found t he ZBTB7A expression in TIMER was associated with various cancers, especially UCEC. The decreased expre ssion of ZBTB7A was markedly related to the stage and prognosis of UCEC. Furthermore, ZBTB7A was also related to the expression of various immune markers s uch as Neutrophils, Dendritic cell, T cell (general), Th1, Th2, and Finally, we verified that ZBTB7 A repressed E2F4 transcription and inhibited cell s proliferation and migration . These results indicate that ZBTB7A may play a vital role in regulating immune cellinfiltration in UCEC, and is a valuable prognostic marker.Conclusions:In summary, we demonstrate that ZBTB7A is notably downregulated in UCEC, play s a vital role in regu lating immune cell infiltration, possesses diagnostic and pr ognostic values and attenuated E2F4 transcription and cell proliferation , migration in vitro.

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