Notum Promotes Proliferation and Migration of Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma Via Shh/p-GSK3β/β-Catenin Pathway

Background: Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is a common malignant tumor of the head and neck, accounting for more than 90% of oral and maxillofacial malignancies. Therefore, it is of great importance to explore the key factors regulating OSCC. Notum belongs to the α/β hydrolase family and is a deacylated extracellular protein that regulates Wnt and other signaling pathways. Studies have found that Notum participates in the progression of colorectal cancer and hepatocellular carcinoma and targeting Notum can regulate the occurrence of cancer. However, the relationship between Notum and OSCC is currently unclear. This study aims to explore the role of Notum in regulating OSCC and its specific mechanism. Methods: Nine OSCC tissue sections were selected for hematoxylin and eosin staining and immunohistochemistry for PCNA and Notum. Bioinformatics analysis was used to explore the correlation between OSCC and Notum expression. CCK8, Western blot, RT-PCR, scratch experiment, transwell, clone formation, flow cytometry, cellular immunofluorescence and in vivo nude mouse tumor formation methods were applied to OSCC cells treated with Notum human recombinant protein, a Notum overexpression plasmid, and a Notum small interfering RNA to explore the mechanism of Notum in regulating OSCC. Results: The results of immunohistochemistry and bioinformatics analysis showed that Notum was highly expressed in OSCC tissues. Notum human recombinant protein promoted the proliferation and migration of Cal-27 and SCC-15 cells; overexpression of Notum promoted the proliferation and migration of Cal-27 and SCC-15 cells; si-Notum can significantly inhibit proliferation and migration of Cal-27 and SCC-15 cells and promote their apoptosis. Western blot and RT-PCR results showed that si-Notum can inhibit the Hedgehog signaling pathway. In addition, Notum human recombinant protein can increase the phosphorylation level of GSK3β and promote the expression of β-catenin, thereby further regulating the biological behavior of OSCC.Conclusions: Notum regulates the proliferation and migration of OSCC through Shh/p-GSK3β/β-catenin signaling pathway. Notum maybe an effective targets for the treatment of OSCC.

Detection of Human p53 In-Vitro Expressed in a Transcription-Translation Cell-Free System by a Novel Conjugate Based on Cadmium Sulphide Nanoparticles

Here, cadmium sulphide quantum dots (CdS QDs) have been synthetized and functionalized with Bovine Serum Albumin (BSA) in a colloidal aqueous solution with a stability of over 3 months. Specific synthesis conditions, in homogeneous phase and at low temperature, have allowed limitation of S2− concentration, hence, as a consequence, there is restricted growth of the nanoparticles (NPs). This fact allows binding with BSA in the most favorable manner for the biomolecule. The presence of Cd2+ ions on the surface of the CdS nanoparticle is counteracted by the negatively charged domains of the BSA, resulting in the formation of small NPs, with little tendency for aggregation. Temperature and pH have great influence on the fluorescence characteristics of the synthetized nanoparticles. Working at low temperatures (4 °C) and pH 10–11 have proven the best result as shown by hydrolysis kinetic control of the thioacetamide precursor of S2− ion. Biological activity of the coupled BSA is maintained allowing subsequent bioconjugation with other biomolecules such as antibodies. The chemical conjugation with anti-Glutathione S-transferase (α-GST) antibody, a common tag employed in human recombinant fusion proteins, produces a strong quenching of fluorescence that proves the possibilities of its use in biological labelling. Finally, p53, onco-human recombinant protein (GST tagged in COOH terminus), has been in situ IVTT (in vitro transcription-translation) expressed and efficiently captured by the α-GST-CdS QD conjugate as a proof of the biocompatibility on IVTT systems and the functionality of conjugated antibody.

Recombinant human PRAME immunization reducesPRAME-expressing tumor growth in mice

Intrоduction.Human antigen PRAME is preferentially expressed in a number of different tumor types and may be a potent target for anti-tumor immunotherapy.Purpose.To study anti-tumor action of immunogenic mix recombinant PRAME protein and adjuvant in mice with innate immunity.Materials and methods.C57BL/6 female mice were used for immunization with purified human recombinant protein PRAME. Human PRAME gene coding sequence was cloned in mammalian expressing vector pCEP4 and resulting plasmid was introduced in mouse melanoma B16F10 cells by transfection followed by RQ-PCR, Western blot and flow-cytometry analysis. Then stably PRAME-transfected melanoma cells were injected in mice.Results.The mouse melanoma B16F10 cells stably expressing human PRAME protein were obtained. We demonstrate the 10-fold decreased tumor volume in mice with melanoma B16F10 expressing human PRAME after preventive immunization series with recombinant PRAME protein. The tumor volume reducing was correlated with high titer (6.14 × 10 5) of anti-PRAME antibodies in mice sera.Conclusion.These data indicate that recombinant protein PRAME is immunogenic and may be a potent antigen for immunotherapuetics studies.

Localization of Magic-F1 Transgene, Involved in Muscular Hypertrophy, during Early Myogenesis

We recently showed that Magic-F1 (Met-activating genetically improved chimeric factor 1), a human recombinant protein derived from hepatocyte growth factor/scatter factor (HGF/SF) induces muscle cell hypertrophy but not progenitor cell proliferation, bothin vitroandin vivo. Here, we examined the temporal and spatial expression pattern of Magic-F1 in comparison with Pax3 (paired box gene 3) transcription factor during embryogenesis. Ranging from 9.5 to 17.5 dpc (days post coitum) mouse embryos were analyzed byin situhybridization using whole mounts during early stages of development (9.5–10.5–11.5 dpc) and cryostat sections for later stages (11.5–13.5–15.5–17.5 dpc). We found that Magic-F1 is expressed in developing organs and tissues of mesenchymal origin, where Pax3 signal appears to be downregulated respect to the wt embryos. These data suggest that Magic-F1 could be responsible of muscular hypertrophy, cooperating with Pax3 signal pathway in skeletal muscle precursor cells.