Evolučně zachovalé mechanismy regulace genové exprese jadernými receptory.

Transkripční regulace genové exprese eukaryotních organismů se vyvinula během milionů let. Regulační cesta jaderných receptorů představuje evolučně starý, ale zachovalý mechanismus zahrnující asociované akcesorní proteiny, z nichž mnohé tvoří funkční strukturu známou jako Mediátorový komplex, který je účastný v transkripci. Hypotézujeme, že přes universalitu této cesty, v níž vnitřní potenciál NR-Mediátorové cesty zachovalý napříč druhy, přímo překládá regulační signál do biologické odpovědi zapojením nových adaptačních funkcí ve fylogeneticky novějších Metazoidních organizmech a přídavná regulace může být dosažena sekundárními funkcemi základních členů této regulace. Pro podporu této hypotézy jsme studovali schopnost vazby ligandu retinoidního X receptoru ve vločkovci Trichoplax adhaerens a přinesli důkaz podporující koncept, že tato schopnost byla přítomna již na počátku metazoidní evoluce. S ohledem na možné sekundární funkce, majíce inspiraci z našeho předcházejícího výzkumu, jsme identifikovali Mediátorovou podjednotku 28 (MED28) jako jediný známý člen s dokumentovanou duální cytoplasmatickou a jadernou funkcí a mající tedy potenciál přenášet signály z jaderných strukturních stavů do jádra. V důsledku chybění významné zachovalosti sekvence, ale dostupnosti experimentálních přístupů, jsme se...Transcriptional regulation of gene expression in eukaryotes has evolved over millions of years. The regulatory pathways of nuclear receptors represent an evolutionarily ancient, but conserved mechanism with associated accessory proteins, many of them forming a functional nexus known as the Mediator complex involved in transcription. Despite the versatility of the pathway, e.g. through the adoption of new regulatory functions in phylogenetically more recent Metazoa, we hypothesise that the intrinsic potential of the NR-Mediator axis to directly translate a stimulus to a biological response is conserved across species, and additional regulation could also be achieved through secondary functions of its essential members. To support the hypothesis, we assessed the ligand-binding capability of retinoic X receptor in Trichoplax adhaerens and provided evidence to support the concept that this capability was already present at the base of metazoan evolution. With regards to the potential secondary functions, we took inspiration from previous research and identified the Mediator subunit 28 (MED28) as the only known member having documented nuclear and cytoplasmic dual roles, and thus possessing the potential to transmit signals from the cellular structural states to the nucleus. Due to the lack of...BIOCEV, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles UniversityBIOCEV, 1. LF UK1. lékařská fakultaFirst Faculty of Medicin

Assessment of factors responsible for early menopause in Interior Sindh, Pakistan

Objective: To evaluate the factors leading to the early onset of menopause (<40 years) in the women in the interior of Sindh. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 218 individuals among them 109 were postmenopausal women (with premature menopause)  and 109 were normal menstruating females during the period of six months from November 2014 to April  2015, data was obtained from Interior Sindh, Larkana, Hyderabad, and Benazirabad.  Factors considered were age, number of children, history of the obstetric process (ovarian and uterine), diseases, and premature menopause history in first-cousin marriages. The questionnaire data and blood samples were collected for hormonal assays such as LH,  prolactin, and FSH. The hormone levels were analyzed by ELISA method, SPSS version 17 was used for data analysis. Results:  Out of 109 subjects the percentage of early menopause due to: anorexia nervosa was 17%, brain tumor 7%, ovarian cancer 6%, hormonal disorders 23%, hysterectomy 15%, oophorectomy 5%, Pituitary gland dysfunction 4%, Sheehan Syndrome 24%, Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) 8%. Conclusion: Early menopause was found related to pathological and psychological factors including brain tumor, ovarian cancer, family history, Anorexia nervosa, and certain surgical interventions

Evolutionarily conserved mechanisms of gene expression regulation by nuclear receptors.

Transcriptional regulation of gene expression in eukaryotes has evolved over millions of years. The regulatory pathways of nuclear receptors represent an evolutionarily ancient, but conserved mechanism with associated accessory proteins, many of them forming a functional nexus known as the Mediator complex involved in transcription. Despite the versatility of the pathway, e.g. through the adoption of new regulatory functions in phylogenetically more recent Metazoa, we hypothesise that the intrinsic potential of the NR-Mediator axis to directly translate a stimulus to a biological response is conserved across species, and additional regulation could also be achieved through secondary functions of its essential members. To support the hypothesis, we assessed the ligand-binding capability of retinoic X receptor in Trichoplax adhaerens and provided evidence to support the concept that this capability was already present at the base of metazoan evolution. With regards to the potential secondary functions, we took inspiration from previous research and identified the Mediator subunit 28 (MED28) as the only known member having documented nuclear and cytoplasmic dual roles, and thus possessing the potential to transmit signals from the cellular structural states to the nucleus. Due to the lack of..

Effective Radiosensitization of Bladder Cancer Cells by Pharmacological Inhibition of DNA-PK and ATR

This study aims at analyzing the impact of the pharmacological inhibition of DNA damage response (DDR) targets (DNA-PK and ATR) on radiosensitization of bladder cancer cell lines of different molecular/histological subtypes. Applying DNA-PK (AZD7648) and ATR (Ceralasertib) inhibitors on SCaBER, J82 and VMCUB-1 bladder cancer cell lines, we revealed sensitization upon ionizing radiation (IR), i.e., the IC50 for each drug shifted to a lower drug concentration with increased IR doses. In line with this, drug exposure retarded DNA repair after IR-induced DNA damage visualized by a neutral comet assay. Western blot analyses confirmed specific inhibition of targeted DDR pathways in the analyzed bladder cancer cell lines, i.e., drugs blocked DNA-PK phosphorylation at Ser2056 and the ATR downstream mediator CHK1 at Ser317. Interestingly, clonogenic survival assays indicated a cell-line-dependent synergism of combined DDR inhibition upon IR. Calculating combined index (CI) values, with and without IR, according to the Chou–Talalay method, confirmed drug- and IR-dose-specific synergistic CI values. Thus, we provide functional evidence that DNA-PK and ATR inhibitors specifically target corresponding DDR pathways retarding the DNA repair process at nano-molar concentrations. This, in turn, leads to a strong radiosensitizing effect and impairs the survival of bladder cancer cells

Perilipin-related protein regulates lipid metabolism in C. elegans

Perilipins are lipid droplet surface proteins that contribute to fat metabolism by controlling the access of lipids to lipolytic enzymes. Perilipins have been identified in organisms as diverse as metazoa, fungi, and amoebas but strikingly not in nematodes. Here we identify the protein encoded by the W01A8.1 gene in Caenorhabditis elegans as the closest homologue and likely orthologue of metazoan perilipin. We demonstrate that nematode W01A8.1 is a cytoplasmic protein residing on lipid droplets similarly as human perilipins 1 and 2. Downregulation or elimination of W01A8.1 affects the appearance of lipid droplets resulting in the formation of large lipid droplets localized around the dividing nucleus during the early zygotic divisions. Visualization of lipid containing structures by CARS microscopy in vivo showed that lipid-containing structures become gradually enlarged during oogenesis and relocate during the first zygotic division around the dividing nucleus. In mutant embryos, the lipid containing structures show defective intracellular distribution in subsequent embryonic divisions and become gradually smaller during further development. In contrast to embryos, lipid-containing structures in enterocytes and in epidermal cells of adult animals are smaller in mutants than in wild type animals. Our results demonstrate the existence of a perilipin-related regulation of fat metabolism in nematodes and provide new possibilities for functional studies of lipid metabolism

Trichoplax adhaerens reveals a network of nuclear receptors sensitive to 9-cis-retinoic acid at the base of metazoan evolution

Trichoplax adhaerens, the only known species of Placozoa is likely to be closely related to an early metazoan that preceded branching of Cnidaria and Bilateria. This animal species is surprisingly well adapted to free life in the World Ocean inhabiting tidal costal zones of oceans and seas with warm to moderate temperatures and shallow waters. The genome of T. adhaerens (sp. Grell) includes four nuclear receptors, namely orthologue of RXR (NR2B), HNF4 (NR2A), COUP-TF (NR2F) and ERR (NR3B) that show a high degree of similarity with human orthologues. In the case of RXR, the sequence identity to human RXR alpha reaches 81% in the DNA binding domain and 70% in the ligand binding domain. We show that T. adhaerens RXR (TaRXR) binds 9-cis retinoic acid (9-cis-RA) with high affinity, as well as high specificity and that exposure of T. adhaerens to 9-cis-RA regulates the expression of the putative T. adhaerens orthologue of vertebrate L-malate-NADP+ oxidoreductase (EC 1.1.1.40) which in vertebrates is regulated by a heterodimer of RXR and thyroid hormone receptor. Treatment by 9-cis-RA alters the relative expression profile of T. adhaerens nuclear receptors, suggesting the existence of natural ligands. Keeping with this, algal food composition has a profound effect on T. adhaerens growth and appearance. We show that nanomolar concentrations of 9-cis-RA interfere with T. adhaerens growth response to specific algal food and causes growth arrest. Our results uncover an endocrine-like network of nuclear receptors sensitive to 9-cis-RA in T. adhaerens and support the existence of a ligand-sensitive network of nuclear receptors at the base of metazoan evolution