| 1. |
- Klionsky, Daniel J., et al.
(author)
-
Guidelines for the use and interpretation of assays for monitoring autophagy
- 2012
-
In: Autophagy. - : Informa UK Limited. - 1554-8635 .- 1554-8627. ; 8:4, s. 445-544
-
Research review (peer-reviewed)abstract
- In 2008 we published the first set of guidelines for standardizing research in autophagy. Since then, research on this topic has continued to accelerate, and many new scientists have entered the field. Our knowledge base and relevant new technologies have also been expanding. Accordingly, it is important to update these guidelines for monitoring autophagy in different organisms. Various reviews have described the range of assays that have been used for this purpose. Nevertheless, there continues to be confusion regarding acceptable methods to measure autophagy, especially in multicellular eukaryotes. A key point that needs to be emphasized is that there is a difference between measurements that monitor the numbers or volume of autophagic elements (e.g., autophagosomes or autolysosomes) at any stage of the autophagic process vs. those that measure flux through the autophagy pathway (i.e., the complete process); thus, a block in macroautophagy that results in autophagosome accumulation needs to be differentiated from stimuli that result in increased autophagic activity, defined as increased autophagy induction coupled with increased delivery to, and degradation within, lysosomes (in most higher eukaryotes and some protists such as Dictyostelium) or the vacuole (in plants and fungi). In other words, it is especially important that investigators new to the field understand that the appearance of more autophagosomes does not necessarily equate with more autophagy. In fact, in many cases, autophagosomes accumulate because of a block in trafficking to lysosomes without a concomitant change in autophagosome biogenesis, whereas an increase in autolysosomes may reflect a reduction in degradative activity. Here, we present a set of guidelines for the selection and interpretation of methods for use by investigators who aim to examine macroautophagy and related processes, as well as for reviewers who need to provide realistic and reasonable critiques of papers that are focused on these processes. These guidelines are not meant to be a formulaic set of rules, because the appropriate assays depend in part on the question being asked and the system being used. In addition, we emphasize that no individual assay is guaranteed to be the most appropriate one in every situation, and we strongly recommend the use of multiple assays to monitor autophagy. In these guidelines, we consider these various methods of assessing autophagy and what information can, or cannot, be obtained from them. Finally, by discussing the merits and limits of particular autophagy assays, we hope to encourage technical innovation in the field.
|
|
| 2. |
- Ding, Jun-Li, et al.
(author)
-
Attenuation of Acute Pancreatitis by Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor-α in Rats: The Effect on Toll-Like Receptor Signaling Pathways
- 2013
-
In: Pancreas. - : Lippincott, Williams and Wilkins. - 0885-3177 .- 1536-4828. ; 42:1, s. 114-122
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Objectives: The peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-α (PPAR-α) has attracted considerable attention for its anti-inflammatory properties; however, Toll-like receptor (TLR) pathways have an essential proinflammatory role in acute pancreatitis (AP). This study aimed to evaluate the attenuation of inflammation by PPAR-α and to investigate the interaction between PPAR-α and TLR pathways in AP.Methods: Acute pancreatitis was induced in rats by administration of cerulein. The PPAR-α agonist WY14643 and/or antagonist MK886 was administered. The severity of AP was determined by measuring serum amylase, lipase, Ca2+, pathological changes, myeloperoxidase activity, serum levels of interleukin (IL)-6, and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1). The TLR2 and TLR4 messenger RNA (mRNA) and proteins were determined by real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction and Western blotting, respectively. The mRNA expressions of target molecules of TLR pathways, including IL-6, IL-10, ICAM-1, and tumor necrosis factor α were also measured.Results: Treatment with WY14643 significantly decreased amylase, lipase, myeloperoxidase activity, pathological scores, IL-6, and ICAM-1 levels. The TLR2 and TLR4 mRNA and proteins were markedly decreased after treatment with WY14643, along with IL-6, ICAM-1, and tumor necrosis factor α mRNA levels. However, these effects were completely reversed by the coadministration of MK886.Conclusions: Activation of PPAR-α played a protective role in AP, partially mediated by modulation of TLR pathways.
|
|
| 3. |
- Zhou, Jin, et al.
(author)
-
The prognostic significance of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor beta expression in the vascular endothelial cells of colorectal cancer
- 2014
-
In: Journal of gastroenterology. - : Springer Verlag (Germany). - 0944-1174 .- 1435-5922. ; 49:3, s. 436-445
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Currently, little is known regarding the role of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-beta (PPAR beta) in the vascular endothelial cells (VECs) of colorectal cancers (CRCs). The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship of PPAR beta expression in the VECs of CRCs in terms of the prognosis and clinicopathological features of CRC patients. The expression and localization of PPAR beta in the primary cancers and the matched normal mucosal samples of 141 Swedish CRC patients were analyzed in terms of its correlation with clinicopathological features and the expression of angiogenesis-related genes. This study also included 92 Chinese CRC patients. PPAR beta was predominantly localized in the cytoplasm and was significantly downregulated in the VECs of CRC compared to that of the normal mucosa. The low expression levels of PPAR beta in the VECs of CRC were statistically correlated with enhanced differentiation, early staging and favorable overall survival and were associated with the increased expression of VEGF and D2-40. The patients exhibiting elevated expression of PPAR beta in CRC cells but reduced expression in VECs exhibited more favorable survival compared with the other patients, whereas the patients with reduced expression of PPAR beta in CRC cells but increased expression in VECs exhibited less favorable prognosis. PPAR beta might play a tumor suppressor role in CRC cells in contrast to a tumor promoter role in the VECs of CRCs.
|
|
| 4. |
- Zhou, Xiang-Yu, et al.
(author)
-
TRAF6 as the Key Adaptor of TLR4 Signaling Pathway Is Involved in Acute Pancreatitis
- 2010
-
In: PANCREAS. - 0885-3177. ; 39:3, s. 359-366
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Objectives: To study the potential role of tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated factor 6 (TRAF6) as the key adaptor of the toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) signaling pathway in acute pancreatitis (AP) in mice. Methods: Acute pancreatitis was induced by 7 intraperitoneal injections of cerulein in TLR4-deficient (TLR4-Def) and TLR4 wild-type (TLR4-WT) mice. Inflammatory severity was scored and evaluated based on pathological study. TRAF6 expression was determined by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction, Western blot, and immunohistochemistry. Results: Acute pancreatitis was successfully induced in both mice strains, but the inflammatory progression was different. In TLR4-Def mice, pancreatic inflammation was blunt and mild first, then became increasingly intensive and peaked at the later stage, whereas in the TLR4-WT mice, the response was fast initiated and peaked at the early stage of AP, then alleviated gradually. TRAF6 expression in TLR4-Def mice was significantly higher than that in the TLR4-WT mice. Immunohistochemistry located TRAF6 expressed mainly in the pancreatic acinar cells. Conclusions: The TLR4-TRAF6 signaling pathway is critically involved in AP. Other signaling pathways beyond TLR4 may participate in the pancreatic inflammatory process via TRAF6. As a convergence point of the TLR4-dependent and the TLR4-independent signaling pathways, TRAF6 plays an important role in AP.
|
|
| 5. |
- Wang, Mo-Jin, et al.
(author)
-
Downregulation of microRNA-124 is an independent prognostic factor in patients with colorectal cancer
- 2013
-
In: International Journal of Colorectal Disease. - : Springer Verlag (Germany). - 0179-1958 .- 1432-1262. ; 28:2, s. 183-189
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- PurposeRecently, microRNA-124 (miR-124) has been demonstrated as a potential tumor suppressor in several types of cancers. However, the role of miR-124 in colorectal cancer remains unclear. This study was aimed at investigating the clinicopathological significance of miR-124 expression in colorectal cancer.MethodsQuantitative real-time PCR was used to analyze miR-124 expression in 96 colorectal cancers and individual-matched normal mucosa samples. The expression of miR-124 was assessed for associations with clinicopathological characteristics using chi-square test. The survival curves were calculated by the Kaplan–Meier method. The influence of each variable on survival was examined by the Cox multivariate regression analysis.ResultsThe miR-124 expression was significantly downregulated in colorectal cancer compared to normal mucosa (P = 0.001). In colorectal cancer, miR-124 decreased expression correlated significantly with the grade of differentiation (P = 0.021). Univariate survival analysis showed that the downregulated miR-124 was significantly correlated with worse prognosis, both in terms of overall survival (P = 0.017) and disease-free survival (DFS) (P = 0.014). Further, the downregulated miR-124 was demonstrated as a prognostic factor for overall survival (hazard ratio, HR = 4.634; 95 % confidence interval, CI, 1.731–12.404; P = 0.002) and DFS (HR = 4.533, 95 % CI 1.733–11.856, P = 0.002), independently of gender, age, location, maximum tumor size, depth of invasion, differentiation, and TNM stage.ConclusionsMiR-124 may play a certain role in the development of colorectal cancer. The downregulation expression of miR-124 is an independent prognostic factor in patients with colorectal cancer.
|
|
| 6. |
- Kyrpides, Nikos C, et al.
(author)
-
Genomic encyclopedia of bacteria and archaea: sequencing a myriad of type strains.
- 2014
-
In: PLoS biology. - : Public Library of Science (PLoS). - 1545-7885. ; 12:8
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Microbes hold the key to life. They hold the secrets to our past (as the descendants of the earliest forms of life) and the prospects for our future (as we mine their genes for solutions to some of the planet's most pressing problems, from global warming to antibiotic resistance). However, the piecemeal approach that has defined efforts to study microbial genetic diversity for over 20 years and in over 30,000 genome projects risks squandering that promise. These efforts have covered less than 20% of the diversity of the cultured archaeal and bacterial species, which represent just 15% of the overall known prokaryotic diversity. Here we call for the funding of a systematic effort to produce a comprehensive genomic catalog of all cultured Bacteria and Archaea by sequencing, where available, the type strain of each species with a validly published name (currently∼11,000). This effort will provide an unprecedented level of coverage of our planet's genetic diversity, allow for the large-scale discovery of novel genes and functions, and lead to an improved understanding of microbial evolution and function in the environment.
|
|
| 7. |
- Yang, Lie, et al.
(author)
-
Efficacy of Surgery and Adjuvant Therapy in Older Patients With Colorectal Cancer A STROBE-compliant article
- 2014
-
In: Medicine. - : Lippincott, Williams andamp; Wilkins. - 0025-7974 .- 1536-5964. ; 93:28
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The present study aimed to assess the efficacy of surgery and adjuvant therapy in older patients (age greater than= 70 years) with colorectal cancer (CRC). Older CRC patients are under-represented in available clinical trials, and therefore their outcomes after receiving surgery and adjuvant therapy are unclear. From two prospective Swedish databases, we assessed a cohort of 1021 patients who underwent curative surgery for stage I, II, or III primary CRC, with or without adjuvant chemotherapy/ radiotherapy. Of the patients with colon cancer (n = 467), 182 (39%) were aged less than70 years, 162 (35%) aged 70 to 80 years, and 123 (26%) were aged greater than= 80 years. Of rectal cancer patients (n = 554), 264 (48%) were aged less than70 years, 234 (42%) aged 70 to 80 years, and 56 (10%) aged greater than= 80 years. Older patients with either colon or rectal cancer had higher comorbidity than did younger patients. Older patients with colon cancer had equivalent postoperative morbidity and 30-day mortality to younger patients. Rectal cancer patients aged greater than= 80 years had a higher 30-day mortality than younger patients (odds ratio OR], 2.37; 95% confidence interval CI], 1.6-4.55; P = 0.03). For either colon or rectal cancer, adjuvant chemotherapy compromised the 5-year overall survival (OS) of older patients with stage II disease and had no effect on those with stage III disease. Receiving adjuvant chemotherapy was a poor factor of OS for older patients with either colon (HR 1.88, 95% CI: 1.20-4.35, P = 0.03) or rectal cancer (HR 1.72, 95% CI: 1.052.26, P = 0.004). Preoperative short-course radiotherapy improved both OS and local control for older patients with stage III rectal cancer and had no effect on those with stage II disease. Radiotherapy was a favorable factor for the OS of the older patients with rectal cancer (HR 0.42, 95% CI: 0.21-3.57, P = 0.01). In conclusion, Older CRC patients had equal safety of surgery as younger patients, except rectal cancer patients aged greater than= 80 years that had a higher mortality. Adjuvant 5FU-based chemotherapy did not benefit older CRC patient, while neoadjuvant radiotherapy improved the prognosis of older patients with stage III rectal cancer.
|
|
