Structural studies of liquid Co–Sn alloys

AbstractAn analysis of the structure features of liquid Co–Sn alloys has been performed by means of X-ray diffraction method, viscosity coefficient analysis and computer simulation method. The X-ray diffraction investigations were carried out over a wide concentration range at the temperature 1473K. It was found that the structure of these alloys can be described in the frame of independent X-ray scattering model. The viscosity coefficient was calculated by an excess entropy scaling and compared with experimental data

TRAF6 ubiquitinates TGFβ type I receptor to promote its cleavage and nuclear translocation in cancer

Transforming growth factor β (TGFβ) is a pluripotent cytokine promoting epithelial cell plasticity during morphogenesis and tumour progression. TGFβ binding to type II and type I serine/threonine kinase receptors (TβRII and TβRI) causes activation of different intracellular signaling pathways. TβRI is associated with the ubiquitin ligase tumor necrosis factor receptor (TNFR)-associated factor 6 (TRAF6). Here we show that TGFβ, via TRAF6, causes Lys63-linked polyubiquitination of TβRI, promoting cleavage of TβRI by TNF-alpha converting enzyme (TACE), in a PKCζ-dependent manner. The liberated intracellular domain (ICD) of TβRI associates with the transcriptional regulator p300 to activate genes involved in tumour cell invasiveness, such as Snail and MMP2. Moreover, TGFβ-induced invasion of cancer cells is TACE- and PKCζ- dependent and the TβRI ICD is localized in the nuclei of different kinds of tumour cells in tissue sections. Thus, our data reveal a specific role for TβRI in TGFβ mediated tumour invasion

BRCA1 Interacts with Smad3 and Regulates Smad3-Mediated TGF-β Signaling during Oxidative Stress Responses

BRCA1 is a key regulatory protein participating in cell cycle checkpoint and DNA damage repair networks. BRCA1 plays important roles in protecting numerous cellular processes in response to cell damaging signals. Transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) is a potent regulator of growth, apoptosis and invasiveness of tumor cells. TFG-beta activates Smad signaling via its two cell surface receptors, the TbetaRII and ALK5/TbetaRI, leading to Smad-mediated transcriptional regulation.Here, we report an important role of BRCA1 in modulating TGF-beta signaling during oxidative stress responses. Wild-type (WT) BRCA1, but not mutated BRCA1 failed to activate TGF-beta mediated transactivation of the TGF-beta responsive reporter, p3TP-Lux. Further, WT-BRCA1, but not mutated BRCA1 increased the expression of Smad3 protein in a dose-dependent manner, while silencing of WT-BRCA1 by siRNA decreased Smad3 and Smad4 interaction induced by TGF-beta in MCF-7 breast cancer cells. BRCA1 interacted with Smad3 upon TGF-beta1 stimulation in MCF-7 cells and this interaction was mediated via the domain of 298-436aa of BRCA1 and Smad3 domain of 207-426aa. In addition, H(2)O(2) increased the colocalization and the interaction of Smad3 with WT-BRCA1. Interestingly, TGF-beta1 induced Smad3 and Smad4 interaction was increased in the presence of H(2)O(2) in cells expressing WT-BRCA1, while the TGF-beta1 induced interaction between Smad3 and Smad4 was decreased upon H(2)O(2) treatment in a dose-dependent manner in HCC1937 breast cancer cells, deficient for endogenous BRCA1. This interaction between Smad3 and Smad4 was increased in reconstituted HCC1937 cells expressing WT-BRCA1 (HCC1937/BRCA1). Further, loss of BRCA1 resulted in H(2)O(2) induced nuclear export of phosphor-Smad3 protein to the cytoplasm, resulting decreased of Smad3 and Smad4 interaction induced by TGF-beta and in significant decrease in Smad3 and Smad4 transcriptional activities.These results strongly suggest that loss or reduction of BRCA1 alters TGF-beta growth inhibiting activity via Smad3 during oxidative stress responses

p53 Target Gene SMAR1 Is Dysregulated in Breast Cancer: Its Role in Cancer Cell Migration and Invasion

Tumor suppressor SMAR1 interacts and stabilizes p53 through phosphorylation at its serine-15 residue. We show that SMAR1 transcription is regulated by p53 through its response element present in the SMAR1 promoter. Upon Doxorubicin induced DNA damage, acetylated p53 is recruited on SMAR1 promoter that allows activation of its transcription. Once SMAR1 is induced, cell cycle arrest is observed that is correlated to increased phospho-ser-15-p53 and decreased p53 acetylation. Further we demonstrate that SMAR1 expression is drastically reduced during advancement of human breast cancer. This was correlated with defective p53 expression in breast cancer where acetylated p53 is sequestered into the heterochromatin region and become inaccessible to activate SMAR1 promoter. In a recent report we have shown that SMAR1 represses Cyclin D1 transcription through recruitment of HDAC1 dependent repressor complex at the MAR site of Cyclin D1 promoter. Here we show that downmodulation of SMAR1 in high grade breast carcinoma is correlated with upregulated Cyclin D1 expression. We also established that SMAR1 inhibits tumor cell migration and metastases through inhibition of TGFβ signaling and its downstream target genes including cutl1 and various focal adhesion molecules. Thus, we report that SMAR1 plays a central role in coordinating p53 and TGFβ pathways in human breast cancer

Correlation between diffraction and viscosity data for Bi-Ga molten alloys

This work was supported by a grant from the Fundamental Researches State Fund of Ukraine (No. F 28/329-2009).Structure of Bi(100-x)Ga(x)molten alloys containing 38 center dot 5, 50, 70 and 91 center dot 5 at. % Ga has been studied by means of X-ray diffraction method and compared with viscosity measurements data. Significant changes in the structure factor profile were observed in vicinity of the concentration 70 at. % Ga. The dynamic viscosity coefficient was calculated by use of a statistical atomic distribution model and a Born-Green kinetic theory. The concentration dependence of viscosity is in agreement with change of structure parameters obtained from diffraction data

Correlation between diffraction and viscosity data for Bi-Ga molten alloys

This work was supported by a grant from the Fundamental Researches State Fund of Ukraine (No. F 28/329-2009).Structure of Bi(100-x)Ga(x)molten alloys containing 38 center dot 5, 50, 70 and 91 center dot 5 at. % Ga has been studied by means of X-ray diffraction method and compared with viscosity measurements data. Significant changes in the structure factor profile were observed in vicinity of the concentration 70 at. % Ga. The dynamic viscosity coefficient was calculated by use of a statistical atomic distribution model and a Born-Green kinetic theory. The concentration dependence of viscosity is in agreement with change of structure parameters obtained from diffraction data

Effectiveness of Treatment of Patients with Systemic Autoimmune Diseases on the Background of Reactivation of Persistent Epstein-Barr Virus Infection

The article presents the study of effectiveness of inosine pranobex (IP) in patients with systemic autoimmune diseases (SAD) on the background of reactivation of persistent Epstein-Barr (EBV) infection. Among 380 patients with SAD (systemic lupus erythematosus, systemic vasculitides, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis), in 144 patients (37.9%) the reactivation of persistent EBV infection was detected through virus DNA identification using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in three biological matrices (blood, saliva, scraping from the lesion site). 48 patients were receiving inosine pranobex at a dose of 50 mg/kg per day for three months. Treatment efficacy was controlled by studying the levels of expression of miR-146а, miR-155, miR EBV (BART-13 and BART-15), TLR9, the quantity of lymphocytes populations and subpopulations. After treatment, PCR results showed a decrease in viral replication in 66.7% of cases. The use of IP contributed to a significant decrease in the level of IgM, IgG specific antibodies, an increase in the level of expression of anti-inflammatory miR-146a, a decrease in the level of expression of pro-inflammatory miR-155 which may signify the strengthening of antiviral control. The study data demonstrated the decrease in the expression of miR EBV (BART-13 and BART-15) and TLR9 on the immunocompetent cells that can also be attributed to the criteria for IP effectiveness. The effectiveness of IP was also proved by the stabilization of cell mechanisms, namely the tendency to normalizing T and B cell populations, decrease in the number of natural killer cells and activated cells (CD25+, CD3+ HLA DR+). On the other hand, the number of lymphocytes with suppressor activity (CD4+25+) remained significantly high mitigating autoimmune aggression. The results of the study show that the use of IP for treating the acute phase of EBV infection contributed to the decrease of repliсative activity of the virus; suppressing the aggressiveness of autoimmune reactions. The decrease in the expression of miR EBV (BART-13 and BART-15) can be recommended as a criterion for the IP effectiveness; the decrease in the expression of TLR9 on immunocompetent cells –as a criterion for suppressing autoimmune reactions

Structure and electric resistance of Sn-Cu(Ag) solders in the precrystallization temperature range

This work was partially supported by the State Foundation for Fundamental Research (Project No. F-28.3/024).We investigate the atomic structure of tin-based solders by X-ray diffraction methods and the reverse Monte Carlo method. Total and partial structural factors and pair correlation functions are calculated. It is shown that Sn0.987Cu0.013, Sn0.962Ag0.038, and Sn0.949Ag0.038Cu0.013 liquid alloys are characterized by a microinhomogeneous structure with Cu(Ag)-Sn clusters distributed in the tin-based matrix