Molecular mechanism underlying differential apoptosis between human melanoma cell lines UACC903 and UACC903(+6) revealed by mitochondria-focused cDNA microarrays

Human malignant melanoma cell line UACC903 is resistant to apoptosis while chromosome 6-mediated suppressed cell line UACC903(+6) is sensitive. Here, we describe identification of differential molecular pathways underlying this difference. Using our recently developed mitochondria-focused cDNA microarrays, we identified 154 differentially expressed genes including proapoptotic (BAK1 [6p21.3], BCAP31, BNIP1, CASP3, CASP6, FAS, FDX1, FDXR, TNFSF10 and VDAC1) and antiapoptotic (BCL2L1, CLN3 and MCL1) genes. Expression of these pro- and anti-apoptotic genes was higher in UACC903(+6) than in UACC903 before UV treatment and was altered after UV treatment. qRT-PCR and Western blots validated microarray results. Our bioinformatic analysis mapped these genes to differential molecular pathways that predict resistance and sensitivity of UACC903 and UACC903(+6) to apoptosis respectively. The pathways were functionally confirmed by the FAS ligand-induced cell death and by siRNA knockdown of BAK1 protein. These results demonstrated the differential molecular pathways underlying survival and apoptosis of UACC903 and UACC903(+6) cell lines

RESONANT X-RAY DIFFRACTION FROM CHARGE DENSITY WAVES IN 1-T TANTALUM DISULFIDE

By tuning the incident x-ray energy close to the Ta-L$_3$ edge, we studied resonant (elastic) x-ray diffraction (RXD) from the charge density waves (CDWs) of 1$T$-TaS$_2$. Our goal was to separate the scattering from the periodic modulation of the conduction electron density and from that of the lattice distortion wave. In addition to resonant diffraction studies, various x-ray techniques, including XANES, polarization analysis, and a temperature study, were utilized. We find that two physical effects prevent separating the CDW charge modulation scattering at the primary CDW satellites \mathbf{G}\mp\mathbf{k}_{\mbox{\tiny{CDW}}} using energy or polarization. (i) The core-hole lifetime of the Ta-L$_3$ resonance is much larger than the CDW band gap in 1$T$-TaS$_2$ and smears out the CDW anomaly in the electronic density of states. (ii) Resonant scattering from Ta 5$d$ band states not associated with the CDW dominates over resonant scattering from the charge modulation, smearing out the polarization signature. Our results highlight the principles of RXD when the technique is used to study novel states found in the conduction bands of transition metal compounds and point out which types of systems are most promising

Dysregulated Mitochondrial Genes and Networks with Drug Targets in Postmortem Brain of Patients with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Revealed by Human Mitochondria-Focused cDNA Microarrays

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is associated with decreased activity in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), the brain region that regulates working memory and preparation and selection of fear responses. We investigated gene expression profiles in DLPFC Brodmann area (BA) 46 of postmortem patients with (n=6) and without PTSD (n=6) using human mitochondria-focused cDNA microarrays. Our study revealed PTSD-specific expression fingerprints of 800 informative mitochondria-focused genes across all of these 12 BA46 samples, and 119 (&#177;&#62;1.25, p&#60;0.05) and 42 (&#177;&#62;1.60, p&#60;0.05) dysregulated genes between the PTSD and control samples. Quantitative RT-PCR validated the microarray results. These fingerprints can essentially distinguish the PTSD DLPFC BA46 brains from controls. Of the 119 dysregulated genes (&#177;&#8805;125%, p&#60;0.05), the highest percentages were associated with mitochondrial dysfunction (4.8%, p=6.61x10-6), oxidative phosphorylation (3.8%, p=9.04x10-4), cell survival-apoptosis (25.2%, p&#60;0.05) and neurological diseases (23.5%, p&#60;0.05). Fifty (50) dysregulated genes were present in the molecular networks that are known to be involved in neuronal function-survival and contain 7 targets for neuropsychiatric drugs. Thirty (30) of the dysregulated genes are associated with a number of neuropsychiatric disorders. Our results indicate mitochondrial dysfunction in the PTSD DLPFC BA46 and provide the expression fingerprints that may ultimately serve as biomarkers for PTSD diagnosis and the drugs and molecular targets that may prove useful for development of remedies for prevention and treatment of PTSD.</p

Investigation and analysis of knowledge and perceptions on tuberculosis prevention and control among university students in Chengdu, China

To explore Tuberculosis (TB) health promotion&nbsp;and&nbsp;education in universities, and to provide a feasible reference method and specific implementation measures for improving health education among university students. We collected a total of 811 respondents, using a uniform questionnaire online survey questionnaire network.&nbsp;The completed questionnaires were double-entered using EpiData3.1, the database was established, and the&nbsp;analysis was performed&nbsp;by Excel2016 and SPSS&nbsp;22&nbsp;software.&nbsp;The total awareness rate of the&nbsp;8&nbsp;core information on&nbsp;tuberculosis prevention and control&nbsp;was&nbsp;74.2&nbsp;%.&nbsp;Among them, “the state provides free anti-tuberculosis drugs and major tests for infectious tuberculosis patients” with the lowest awareness rate of&nbsp;49.2&nbsp;%; followed by the awareness rate of “should care about tuberculosis patients and should not discriminate against tuberculosis patients”, for&nbsp;63.8&nbsp;%.&nbsp;The channels for college students to acquire knowledge about tuberculosis prevention were “newspapers and magazines”, accounted for&nbsp;50.3&nbsp;percent; “broadcasting, television and video” accounted for&nbsp;52.4&nbsp;%; “wall advertising, bulletin boards, slogans” accounted for&nbsp;44.6&nbsp;%; “School Health Education” accounted for&nbsp;38.5&nbsp;% of “school propaganda columns or publicity panels” accounted for&nbsp;34.9&nbsp;%.&nbsp;The favourite way for college students to promote was “watching TV”&nbsp;40.3&nbsp;%