Significance of decoy receptor 3 (Dcr3) and external-signal regulated kinase 1/2 (Erk1/2) in gastric cancer

Background: Decoy receptor 3 (DcR3), a member of the tumor necrosis factor receptor (TNFR) superfamily, is associated with anti-tumor immunity suppression. It is highly expressed in many tumors, and its expression can be regulated by the MAPK/MEK/ERK signaling pathway. The MAPK/MEK/ERK pathway has been reported to be a regulator in tumor occurrence, development and clonal expansion. External-signal regulated kinase (ERK) is a vital member of this pathway. Results: The expression of DcR3 and ERK1/2 in tumor tissues of gastric cancer patients was significantly higher than the non-cancerous group (P 0.05). However, in patients with stage I gastric cancer, the DcR3 and ERK1/2 levels were significantly lower than patients with more advanced stages. Conclusions: DcR3 and ERK1/2 play a vital role in the development of gastric cancer, and they may be new markers for indicating the efficiency of gastric cancer treatment in the future.985 funds; Fujian Province nature science funds [2010D009]; Science and Technology Department of Fujian province provincial public research institutes for basic scientific research special [2011R10020-2

Overview to the Hard X-ray Modulation Telescope (Insight-HXMT) Satellite

As China's first X-ray astronomical satellite, the Hard X-ray Modulation Telescope (HXMT), which was dubbed as Insight-HXMT after the launch on June 15, 2017, is a wide-band (1-250 keV) slat-collimator-based X-ray astronomy satellite with the capability of all-sky monitoring in 0.2-3 MeV. It was designed to perform pointing, scanning and gamma-ray burst (GRB) observations and, based on the Direct Demodulation Method (DDM), the image of the scanned sky region can be reconstructed. Here we give an overview of the mission and its progresses, including payload, core sciences, ground calibration/facility, ground segment, data archive, software, in-orbit performance, calibration, background model, observations and some preliminary results.Comment: 29 pages, 40 figures, 6 tables, to appear in Sci. China-Phys. Mech. Astron. arXiv admin note: text overlap with arXiv:1910.0443

Expressions of Fas/DcR3 and RGD-FasL mediated apoptosis in pituitary adenomas

Purpose: To detect the expressions of Fas/DcR3 and to investigate the cytotoxic effects of RGD-FasL on pituitary adenoma cells. Materials and Methods: Fas/DcR3 mRNAs were detected by Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and their surface expressions were measured by flow cytometry. Cytotoxicities exerted by FasL and newly-constructed RGD-FasL on tumor cells were measured with 3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. The apoptotic cells were examined by electron microscopy and the induced apoptosis was determined by agarose gel electrophoresis. The cell cycle was assessed by flow cytometry with ANNEXIN V FITC/PI. The expressions of caspases, Bcl-2, RANKL and JNK2 were detected by Western blotting. Results: Fas/DcR3 was expressed in GH3/MMQ/AtT20 cells. The cytotoxic effects of RGD-FasL on tumor cells were seen in a dose-dependent manner. These cells showed the same sensitivity to RGD-FasL as to FasL. RGD-FasL induced apoptosis and G1/G0 arrest. The expressions of caspase-8/9/3, RANKL, JNK2 were increased while that of Bcl-2 was decreased with treatment of RGD-FasL. Conclusions: Fas can be a novel target for the treatment of pituitary adenomas. RGD-FasL induces apoptosis of pituitary adenoma cells through caspase activation

Depuration of paralytic shellfish toxins in Japanese scallop (Patinopecten yessoensis) in natural environment

To study the paralytic shellfish toxins (PSTs) depuration in Japanese scallop Patinopecten yessoensis in natural environment, Japanese scallops naturally contaminated with paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) toxins in the Dayao Bay in the northern Huanghai Sea are transited to Qipanmo waters in the Bohai Sea of no reported PSTs incidents. The levels and profile of PSTs during 30-day depuration are detected by the high performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection (HPLC-FLD). The results show that the toxicity of the PSTs in soft tissues decreases to a relatively low level at Day 9. Moreover, the depurated ratio at the early stage of the PSTs depuration is higher than that at the later stage. The toxicity analysis of dissected organs reveals that the digestive gland is the most contaminated PSTs part, which is of important implication for the human health and scallop aquiculture. The mortality of Japanese scallops during PSTs depuration experiment is relevant to PSTs level in the soft tissue

Depuration of paralytic shellfish toxins in Japanese scallop (Patinopecten yessoensis) in natural environment

To study the paralytic shellfish toxins (PSTs) depuration in Japanese scallop Patinopecten yessoensis in natural environment, Japanese scallops naturally contaminated with paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) toxins in the Dayao Bay in the northern Huanghai Sea are transited to Qipanmo waters in the Bohai Sea of no reported PSTs incidents. The levels and profile of PSTs during 30-day depuration are detected by the high performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection (HPLC-FLD). The results show that the toxicity of the PSTs in soft tissues decreases to a relatively low level at Day 9. Moreover, the depurated ratio at the early stage of the PSTs depuration is higher than that at the later stage. The toxicity analysis of dissected organs reveals that the digestive gland is the most contaminated PSTs part, which is of important implication for the human health and scallop aquiculture. The mortality of Japanese scallops during PSTs depuration experiment is relevant to PSTs level in the soft tissue

Ultrafast electron transport in metallic antiferromagnetic Mn2Au thin films probed by terahertz spectroscopy

The ultrafast electron transport is central to the requirement of all-electrically controlled spintronics in metallic collinear antiferromagnetic (AFM) Mn2Au thin films within the terahertz (THz) range. Here we use the THz time-domain spectroscopy to measure the conductivity spectra of Mn2Au thin films with different thicknesses and temperatures. We demonstrate an onset of carrier localization in Mn2Au with decreasing the film thickness from 15 to 5 nm. By using optical pump-THz probe spectroscopy, we found the surface trapping states in the thinnest Mn2Au film limit its photoconductivity significantly. The DC conductivity and scattering time become larger and longer with decreasing temperature for all samples, which suggests that Mn2Au behaves in a typical metallic fashion. The THz optical and conductivity properties of Mn2Au films will advance our understanding of ultrafast electronic transport processes in AFM Mn2Au thin films

Anti-DR5 mAb Ameliorate Adjuvant Arthritis Rats Through Inducing Synovial Cells Apoptosis

Objective: Study the therapeutic effects and immunoregulatory mechanisms of anti-DR5 mAb on adjuvant arthritis (AA) rats. Methods: AA rats induced by CFA, were treated with anti-DR5 mAb through mainline administration. Effect on the synovial membranes of the tissues was detected by H&E staining. Flow cytometry and MTT assay were used for detecting the induced apoptosis in an in vitro system and TUNEL assay was used for analysis in an in vivo system. The involvement of the apoptotic pathway was further proved by a caspase inhibition assay. Results: Anti-DR5 mAb could induce synovial cell apoptosis in an in vitro system, which was related with the mRNA expression of DR5 on the cell surface. The mRNA expressions of c-myc and bcl-2 were decreased in synovial cells and those of p21, p53, and bax were increased. The protein expressions of caspase-8/3/9, RANKL, JNK2, and c-Jun were raised and that of bcl-2 was decreased. When the caspase inhibitor was added to the synovial cells treated with anti-DR5 mAb, it showed a dose-dependence inhibition effect, indicating that anti-DR5 mAb inducing apoptosis might be through the caspase pathway. Conclusion: This study shows that anti-DR5 mAb can ameliorate arthritic symptoms. The mechanisms of the treatment are related to the increase in synovial cell apoptosis by regulating the mRNA expression of DR5 and apoptosis-related genes, prolonging the duration of the cell cycle by modulation of the mRNA expression of cell cycle-related genes, and the protein expression of the molecules in the caspase pathway and RANKL, JNK2, and c-Jun. Exp Biol Med 234:1468-1476, 2009Scientific Research Foundation of Fujian Province [2007J0116

Decoy Receptor 3 Overexpression and Immunologic Tolerance in Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC) Development

The recently identified decoy receptor 3 (DcR3) inhibits FasL-induced apoptosis by binding to FasL, and it is considered to play a key role in the immune escape system of neoplastic cells. In order to examine the involvement of DcR3 in the immunologic tolerance of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), we investigated the amplification and expression of DcR3, FasL, and Fas in an HCC mice model using RT-PCR, western blotting, and ELISA, and analyzed the space-time relationship with various cytokines including the forkhead transcription factor forkhead/winged helix transcription factor gene (Foxp3), CTLA-4, TGF-alpha, IL-10, TNF-alpha, and IFN-gamma. The RT-PCR results revealed that Fas expression preceded that of DcR3 during the early phases of tumorigenesis. Thereafter, the expression of DcR3 was up-regulated; however, the expression of Fas was down-regulated and eventually ceased. DcR3 and FasL were expressed and amplified simultaneously in muscle tumor. CTLA-4 expression was earlier than Foxp3, and both CTLA-4 and Foxp3 amplification and expression were consistent with that of DcR3. The results suggest that the elevated levels of DcR3, Foxp3, and CTLA-4 in tissue were positively correlated with tumor growth. The partial tumor immunoregulation inclined to negative modulation, and DcR3 may play an important role in inducing immunologic tolerance