Photobiomodulation provides neuroprotection through regulating mitochondrial fission imbalance in the subacute phase of spinal cord injury

Increasing evidence indicates that mitochondrial fission imbalance plays an important role in delayed neuronal cell death. Our previous study found that photobiomodulation improved the motor function of rats with spinal cord injury. However, the precise mechanism remains unclear. To investigate the effect of photobiomodulation on mitochondrial fission imbalance after spinal cord injury, in this study, we treated rat models of spinal cord injury with 60-minute photobiomodulation (810 nm, 150 mW) every day for 14 consecutive days. Transmission electron microscopy results confirmed the swollen and fragmented alterations of mitochondrial morphology in neurons in acute (1 day) and subacute (7 and 14 days) phases. Photobiomodulation alleviated mitochondrial fission imbalance in spinal cord tissue in the subacute phase, reduced neuronal cell death, and improved rat posterior limb motor function in a time-dependent manner. These findings suggest that photobiomodulation targets neuronal mitochondria, alleviates mitochondrial fission imbalance-induced neuronal apoptosis, and thereby promotes the motor function recovery of rats with spinal cord injury.

Potential targets and mechanisms of photobiomodulation for spinal cord injury

As a classic noninvasive physiotherapy, photobiomodulation, also known as low-level laser therapy, is widely used for the treatment of many diseases and has anti-inflammatory and tissue repair effects. Photobiomodulation has been shown to promote spinal cord injury repair. In our previous study, we found that 810 nm low-level laser therapy reduced the M1 polarization of macrophages and promoted motor function recovery. However, the mechanism underlying this inhibitory effect is not clear. In recent years, transcriptome sequencing analysis has played a critical role in elucidating the progression of diseases. Therefore, in this study, we performed M1 polarization on induced mouse bone marrow macrophages and applied low-level laser therapy. Our sequencing results showed the differential gene expression profile of photobiomodulation regulating macrophage polarization. We analyzed these genes using gene ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes enrichment analyses. Networks of protein-protein interactions and competing RNA endogenous networks were constructed. We found that photobiomodulation inhibited STAT3 expression through increasing the expression of miR-330-5p, and that miR-330-5p binding to STAT3 inhibited STAT3 expression. Inducible nitric oxide synthase showed trends in changes similar to the changes in STAT3 expression. Finally, we treated a mouse model of spinal cord injury using photobiomodulation and confirmed that photobiomodulation reduced inducible nitric oxide synthase and STAT3 expression and promoted motor function recovery in spinal cord injury mice. These findings suggest that STAT3 may be a potential target of photobiomodulation, and the miR-330-5p/STAT3 pathway is a possible mechanism by which photobiomodulation has its biological effects.

[Doublecortin-like kinase 1 activates Hippo pathway to promote migration, invasion and proliferation of pancreatic cancer cells]

Objective: To explore the mechanism of Doublecortin-like kinase 1 (DCLK1) in promoting cell migration, invasion and proliferation in pancreatic cancer. Methods: The correlation between DCLK1 and Hippo pathway was analyzed using TCGA and GTEx databases and confirmed by fluorescence staining of pancreatic cancer tissue microarrays. At the cellular level, immunofluorescence staining of cell crawls and western blot assays were performed to clarify whether DCLK1 regulates yes associated protein1 (YAP1), a downstream effector of the Hippo pathway. Reverse transcription-quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) was used to analyze the expressions of YAP1 binding transcription factor TEA-DNA binding proteins (TEAD) and downstream malignant behavior-promoting molecules CYR61, EDN1, AREG, and CTGF. Transwell test of the DCLK1-overexpressing cells treated with the Hippo pathway inhibitor Verteporfin was used to examine whether the malignant behavior-promoting ability was blocked. Analysis of changes in the proliferation index of experimental cells used real-time label-free cells. Results: TCGA combined with GTEx data analysis showed that the expressions of DCLK1 and YAP1 molecules in pancreatic cancer tissues were significantly higher than those in adjacent tissues (P<0.05). Moreover, DCLK1was positively correlated with the expressions of many effectors in the Hippo pathway, including LATS1 (r=0.53, P<0.001), LATS2 (r=0.34, P<0.001), MOB1B (r=0.40, P<0.001). In addition, the tissue microarray of pancreatic cancer patients was stained with multicolor fluorescence, indicated that the high expression of DCLK1 in pancreatic cancer patients was accompanied by the up-regulated expression of YAP1. The expression of DCLK1 in pancreatic cancer cell lines was analyzed by the CCLE database. The results showed that the expression of DCLK1 in AsPC-1 and PANC-1 cells was low. Thus, we overexpressed DCLK1 in AsPC-1 and PANC-1 cell lines and found that DCLK1 overexpression in pancreatic cancer cell lines promoted YAP1 expression and accessible to the nucleus. In addition, DCLK1 up-regulated the expression of YAP1 binding transcription factor TEAD and increased the mRNA expression levels of downstream malignant behavior-promoting molecules. Finally, Verteporfin, an inhibitor of the Hippo pathway, could antagonize the cell's malignant behavior-promoting ability mediated by high expression of DCLK1. We found that the number of migrated cells with DCLK1 overexpressing AsPC-1 group was 68.33±7.09, which was significantly higher than 22.00±4.58 of DCLK1 overexpressing cells treated with Verteporfin (P<0.05). Similarly, the migration number of PANC-1 cells overexpressing DCLK1 was 65.66±8.73, which was significantly higher than 37.00±6.00 of the control group and 32.33±9.61 of Hippo pathway inhibitor-treated group (P<0.05). Meanwhile, the number of invasive cells in the DCLK1-overexpressed group was significantly higher than that in the DCLK1 wild-type group cells, while the Verteporfin-treated DCLK1-overexpressed cells showed a significant decrease. In addition, we monitored the cell proliferation index using the real-time cellular analysis (RTCA) assay, and the proliferation index of DCLK1-overexpressed AsPC-1 cells was 0.66±0.04, which was significantly higher than 0.38±0.01 of DCLK1 wild-type AsPC-1 cells (P<0.05) as well as 0.05±0.03 of DCLK1-overexpressed AsPC1 cells treated with Verteporfin (P<0.05). PANC-1 cells showed the same pattern, with a proliferation index of 0.77±0.04 for DCLK1-overexpressed PANC-1 cells, significantly higher than DCLK1-overexpressed PANC1 cells after Verteporfin treatment (0.14±0.05, P<0.05). Conclusion: The expression of DCLK1 is remarkably associated with the Hippo pathway, it promotes the migration, invasion, and proliferation of pancreatic cancer cells by activating the Hippo pathway.

Correlative increasing expressions of KIF5b and Nav1.7 in DRG neurons of rats under neuropathic pain conditions

Nav1.7, one of tetrodotoxin-sensitive voltage-gated sodium channels, mainly expressed in the small diameter dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons. The expression and accumulation on neuronal membrane of Nav1.7 increased following peripheral tissue inflammation or nerve injury. However, the mechanisms for membrane accumulation of Nav1.7 remained unclear. We report that KIF5b, a highly expressed member of the kinesin-1 family in DRGs, promoted the translocation of Nav1.7 to the plasma membrane in DRG neurons of the rat. Following nociceptive behaviors in rats induced by peripheral spared nerve injury (SNI), synchronously increased KIF5b and Nav1.7 expressions were observed in DRGs. Immunohistochemistry staining demonstrated the co-expressions of KIF5b and Nav1.7 in the same DRG neurons. Immunoprecipitation experiments further confirmed the interactions between KIF5b and Nav1.7. Moreover, intrathecal injections of KIF5b shRNA moderated the SNI-induced both mechanical and thermal hyperalgesia. The rescued analgesic effects also alleviated SNI-induced anxiety-like behaviors. In sum, KIF5b was required for the membrane localizations of Nav1.7, which suggests a novel mechanism for the trafficking of Nav1.7 involved in neuropathic pain.

Accumulation of additive effects generates a strong photoperiod sensitivity in the extremely late-heading rice cultivar 'Nona Bokra'

Many rice cultivars that originated from lower-latitude regions exhibit a strong photoperiod sensitivity (PS) and show extremely late heading under long-day conditions. Under natural day-length conditions during the cropping season in Japan, the indica rice cultivar 'Nona Bokra' from India showed extremely late heading (202 days to heading) compared to the japonica cultivar 'Koshihikari' (105 days), from Japan. To elucidate the genetic factors associated with such extremely late heading, we performed quantitative trait locus (QTL) analyses of heading date using an F(2) population and seven advanced backcross progeny (one BC(1)F(2) and six BC(2)F(2)) derived from a cross between 'Nona Bokra' and 'Koshihikari'. The analyses revealed 12 QTLs on seven chromosomes. The 'Nona Bokra' alleles of all QTLs contributed to an increase in heading date. Digenic interactions were rarely observed between QTLs. Based on the genetic parameters of the QTLs, such as additive effects and percentage of phenotypic variance explained, these 12 QTLs are likely generate a large proportion of the phenotypic variation observed in the heading dates between 'Nona Bokra' and 'Koshihikari'. Comparison of chromosomal locations between heading date QTLs detected in this study and QTLs previously identified in 'Nipponbare' x 'Kasalath' populations revealed that eight of the heading date QTLs were recognized nearby the Hd1, Hd2, Hd3a, Hd4, Hd5, Hd6, Hd9, and Hd13. These results suggest that the strong PS in 'Nona Bokra' was generated mainly by the accumulation of additive effects of particular alleles at previously identified QTLs.

QTLs for Na+ and K+ uptake of the shoots and roots controlling rice salt tolerance

An F2 and an equivalent F3 population derived from a cross between a high salt-tolerance indica variety, Nona Bokra, and a susceptible elite japonica variety, Koshihikari, were produced. We performed QTL mapping for physiological traits related to rice salt-tolerance. Three QTLs for survival days of seedlings (SDSs) under salt stress were detected on chromosomes 1, 6 and 7, respectively, and explained 13.9% to 18.0% of the total phenotypic variance. Based on the correlations between SDSs and other physiological traits, it was considered that damage of leaves was attributed to accumulation of Na+ in the shoot by transport of Na+ from the root to the shoot in external high concentration. We found eight QTLs including three for three traits of the shoots, and five for four traits of the roots at five chromosomal regions, controlled complex physiological traits related to rice salt-tolerance under salt stress. Of these QTLs, the two major QTLs with the very large effect, qSNC-7 for shoot Na+ concentration and qSKC-1 for shoot K+ concentration, explained 48.5% and 40.1% of the total phenotypic variance, respectively. The QTLs detected between the shoots and the roots almost did not share the same map locations, suggesting that the genes controlling the transport of Na+ and K+ between the shoots and the roots may be different.

Determination of subnanogram per cubic meter concentrations of metals in the air of a trace metal clean room by impaction graphite furnace atomic absorption and laser excited atomic fluorescence spectrometry

Air, drawn by vacuum through a jet, was impacted against the inside surface of an atomic absorption graphite electrothermal atomizer (ETA). The amounts of the particles thus collected were determined at the ng m-3 level by graphite furnace atomic absorption or at the pg m-3 level by laser excited atomic fluorescence. The overall reproducibility of two sets of measurements, made 7 months apart, was 23%, with no significant difference between the two sets of data, based on Student's "t" test at the 95% confidence level. Short-term reproducibility varied from 13% to 34% depending upon the air concentration of the metal. The method shows promise for monitoring long-term effectiveness of the filtering systems in trace metal clean rooms. It was not possible to test for accuracy, due to the low concentrations involved, but accuracy was expected to be within a factor of 2 or 3 of the actual value, based on theoretical aspects of impaction.

Histidine 64 is not required for high CO2 hydration activity of human carbonic anhydrase II

To test the hypothesis that histidine 64 in carbonic anhydrase II has a crucial role as a 'proton shuttle group' during catalysis of CO2-HCO3- interconversion, this residue was replaced by lysine, glutamine, glutamic acid and alanine by site-directed mutagenesis. All these variants turned out to have high CO2 hydration activities. The kcat values at pH 8.8 and 25 degrees C were only reduced by 1.5-3.5-fold compared to the unmodified enzyme. These results show that intramolecular proton transfer via His 64 is not a dominating pathway in the catalytic reaction. The variants also catalyze the hydrolysis of 4-nitrophenyl acetate. The pKa values for the activity-controlling group are between 6.8 and 7.0 for all studied forms of the enzyme except the Glu 64 variant which shows a complex pH dependence with the major pKa shifted to 8.4.