The synthesis and study of novel fluorescence probes for Nitroreductase

This Thesis entitled ‘The synthesis and study of novel fluorescence probes for NTR’ is divided in 7 chapters. Chapter 1, provides an introduction to cancer, reductive stress and some techniques to detect the tumour cells. A range of relevant examples of fluorescence sensors for NTR are also given. This Chapter also includes the objectives for the research conducted in Chapters 2, 3 and 4. Chapter 2 describes the synthesis of a set of novel fluorescence sensors where variation of naphthalimide substituents is described. The synthesis of each compound is discussed, followed by an evaluation of their photophysical characteristics and response to nitroreductase (NTR) in a biological setting. Chapter 3 explores synthetic modifications to the compounds described in Chapter 2 in order to increase NTR sensitivity. A set of novel fluorescence sensors are described where the sensitivity is modulated using a range of reducible nitroaromatic moieties. The synthesis of each compound is also discussed, in addition to the preliminary test for NTR. Chapter 4 discusses a novel family of NTR sensors amenable to bioconjugation through various biocompatible linkages. Structural modification of compounds described in Chapter 2 provides access for conjugation to peptides, sugars, oligonucleotides and various other important biomolecules. The synthesis of each compound is discussed. Chapter 5 outlines the overall conclusion of the work carried out during this research. Chapter 6 describes general experimental procedures and the characterisation of each compound discussed throughout the thesis. Finally, in Chapter 7, the Appendix shows all supporting information

A multi-protein receptor-ligand complex underlies combinatorial dendrite guidance choices in C. elegans.

Ligand receptor interactions instruct axon guidance during development. How dendrites are guided to specific targets is less understood. The C. elegans PVD sensory neuron innervates muscle-skin interface with its elaborate dendritic branches. Here, we found that LECT-2, the ortholog of leukocyte cell-derived chemotaxin-2 (LECT2), is secreted from the muscles and required for muscle innervation by PVD. Mosaic analyses showed that LECT-2 acted locally to guide the growth of terminal branches. Ectopic expression of LECT-2 from seam cells is sufficient to redirect the PVD dendrites onto seam cells. LECT-2 functions in a multi-protein receptor-ligand complex that also contains two transmembrane ligands on the skin, SAX-7/L1CAM and MNR-1, and the neuronal transmembrane receptor DMA-1. LECT-2 greatly enhances the binding between SAX-7, MNR-1 and DMA-1. The activation of DMA-1 strictly requires all three ligands, which establishes a combinatorial code to precisely target and pattern dendritic arbors

Long non-coding RNA DLGAP1 antisense RNA 1 accelerates glioma progression via the microRNA-628-5p/DEAD-box helicase 59 pathway

Objectives: Abnormal expression of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) plays a prominent role in glioma progression. However, the biological function and mechanism of lncRNA DLGAP1 antisense RNA 1 (DLGAP1-AS1) in gliomas are still unknown. Methods: The authors assessed DLGAP1-AS1 and miR-628-5p expression in glioma tissues and cell lines using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and evaluated their effects on glioma cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) using the cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assay, 5-Ethynyl-2′-deoxyuridine (EdU) assay, Transwell assay, and western blot, respectively. The expression of DEAD-box helicase 59 (DDX59) was quantified using western blotting, and a dual-luciferase reporter gene assay was performed to detect the interaction between DLGAP1-AS1 and miR-628-5p. Results: The authors observed increased DLGAP1-AS1 expression in glioma tissues and cell lines with higher WHO grades and shorter survival time. DLGAP1-AS1 promoted the proliferation, migration, invasion, and EMT of glioma cells, while miR-628-5p counteracted these effects. The authors identified DLGAP1-AS1 as a molecular sponge of miR-628-5p in glioma cells as the biological functions of DLGAP1-AS1 are partially mediated via miR-628-5p. In addition, DLGAP1-AS1 upregulated DDX59 expression by inhibiting miR-628-5p expression. Conclusion: The DLGAP1-AS1/miR-628-5p/DDX59 axis regulates glioma progression

The Impact of Rural-Urban Migration on the Health of the Left-behind Parents

Since the reform and opening up in 1978, China has begun a period of rapid industrialization and urbanization. Along with an increasing number of rural people migrating to urban area for jobs, there are a considerable number of elderly parents left behind in the rural area. The impact of migration of the adult children on the health of their left-behind parents is ambiguous. On the one hand, the additional income from the children's jobs can allow their parents to afford better health care and nutrition; on the other hand, the migration necessarily reduces the amount of time the children have to take care of their parents. This paper uses the Rural Urban Migration in China data to empirically investigate the effect of adult children's migration on the health of the left-behind parents. Based on a linear probability model with instrumental variable correction, we find that having one additional adult child migrated to an urban area increases the probability of the left-behind elderly parents being in poor health condition by about 8%. Furthermore, parents having only one child, from low-income households, or aged above 60 years are affected more. Our results point out that the parents with only one child is the most vulnerable group and highlight the importance of establishing a formal care system for the rural elderly to complement the traditional family care in rural China