Expression profiles of glutathione S-transferase genes in larval midgut of Bombyx mori exposed to insect hormones

Zou, Feng-Ming,Lou, De-Shuai,Zhu, Ya-Hong,Wang, Sheng-Peng,Jin, Byung-Rae,Gui, Zhong-Zheng Springer-Verlag 2011 Molecular biology reports Vol.38 No.1

Prognostic Significance of Hes-1, a Downstream Target of Notch Signaling in Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Zou, Jing-Huai,Xue, Tong-Chun,Sun, Chun,Li, Yan,Liu, Bin-Bin,Sun, Rui-Xia,Chen, Jie,Ren, Zheng-Gang,Ye, Sheng-Long Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2015 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.16 No.9

Background: Hairy and enhancer of split 1 (Hes-1) protein is a downstream target of Notch signaling and is a basic helix-loop-helix transcriptional repressor. However, definitive evidence for a role in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells has not been reported. Here, Hes-1 was revealed to an important component of the Notch signaling cascade in HCC cell lines possessing different potential for lung metastasis. Materials and Methods: RNAi mediated by plasmid constructs was used to analyze the role of Hes-1 in MHCC-97L HCC cells by assessing proliferation, apoptosis, cell migration and matrigel invasion following transfection. Hes-1 protein expression analysis in HCC tissue was also conducted by immunohistochemistry. Results: Our studies revealed that Hes-1 was decreased in HCC cell lines with higher lung metastasis potential at both the mRNA and protein levels. Down-regulation of the Hes-1 gene in MHCC-97L cells resulted in increased cell proliferation, reduced apoptosis and increased migration and invasion. Conclusions: Hes-1 has potential prognostic value in post-surgical HCC patients and may be an independent prognostic indicator for overall survival and tumor recurrence. These findings have important implications for understanding the mechanisms by which Hes-1 participates in tumor proliferation and invasion.

Association between the NQO1 C609T Polymorphism with Hepatocellular Carcinoma Risk in the Chinese Population

Zhao, Hong,Zou, Li-Wei,Zheng, Sui-Sheng,Geng, Xiao-Ping Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2015 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.16 No.5

Background: Associations between the NQO1 C609T polymorphism and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) risk are a subject of debate. We therefore performed the present meta-analysis to evaluate links with HCC susceptibility. Materials and Methods: Several major databases (PubMed, EBSCO), the Chinese national knowledge infrastructure (CNKI) and the Wanfang database were searched for eligible studies. Crude odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were used to measure the strength of associations. Results: A total of 4 studies including 1,325 patients and 1,367 controls were identified. There was a significant association between NQO1 C609T polymorphism and HCC for all genetic models (allelic model: OR=1.45, 95%CI=1.23-1.72, p<0.01; additive model: OR=1.96, 95%CI=1.57-2.43, p<0.01; dominant model: OR=1.62, 95%CI=1.38-1.91, p<0.01; and recessive model: OR=1.53, 95%CI=1.26-1.84, p<0.01). On subgroup analysis, similarly results were identified in Asians. For Asians, the combined ORs and 95% CIs were (allelic model: OR=1.50, 95%CI=1.24-1.82, p<0.01; additive model: OR=2.11, 95%CI=1.48-3.01, p<0.01; dominant model: OR=1.69, 95%CI=1.42-2.02, p<0.01; and recessive model: OR=1.59, 95%CI=1.16-2.19, p<0.01). Conclusions: The current meta-analysis suggested that the NQO1 C609T polymorphism could be a risk factor for developing HCC, particularly in the Chinese population.

The Influence of Challenge on Cathepsin B and D Expression Patterns in the Silkworm Bombyx mori L.

Wu, Feng-Yao,Zou, Feng-Ming,Jia, Jun-Qiang,Wang, Sheng-Peng,Zhang, Guo-Zheng,Guo, Xi-Jie,Gui, Zhong-Zheng Korean Society of Sericultural Science 2011 International Journal of Industrial Entomology Vol.23 No.1

Cathepsins are well-characterized proteases that are ubiquitously expressed in lysosomes. Previous work revealed that $Bombyx$ $mori$ cathepsins B and D are expressed in the fat body and undergo decomposition during larval-pupal metamorphosis. Quantitative RT-PCR was performed to detect cathepsin gene expression at the transcription level when challenged by $B.$ $mori$ nuclear polyhedrosis virus (BmNPV), temperature and hormones (20-hydroxyecdysone (20E) and juvenile hormone analogue (JHA)). mRNAs encoding cathepsins B and D were significantly enhanced after the larvae were infected with BmNPV, and the peak of the induction appeared at 1 day before spinning. This attenuated the inducing effect on cathepsin expression caused by infection. Temperature shock induced cathepsin expression at the later stage of the $5^{th}$ instar, and transcription levels varied with development stage and temperature. Cathepsin B and D mRNA expression in the fat body were significantly induced by JHA at the day before spinning, and with 20E, the expression reached a peak at the last day of the $5^{th}$ instar. Cathepsin B and D mRNA expression exhibited detectable changes post-treatment, without significant differences between or among the hormone concentrations.

Research Articles : The Influence of Challenge on Cathepsin B and D Expression Patterns in the Silkworm Bombyx mori L

( Feng Yao Wu ),( Feng Ming Zou ),( Jun Qiang Jia ),( Sheng Peng Wang ),( Guo Zheng Zhang ),( Xi Jie Guo ),( Zhong Zheng Gui ) 한국잠사학회 2011 International Journal of Industrial Entomology Vol.23 No.1

Cathepsins are well-characterized proteases that are ubiquitously expressed in lysosomes. Previous work revealed that Bombyx mori cathepsins B and D are expressed in the fat body and undergo decomposition during larval-pupal metamorphosis. Quantitative RTPCR was performed to detect cathepsin gene expression at the transcription level when challenged by B. mori nuclear polyhedrosis virus (BmNPV), temperature and hormones (20-hydroxyecdysone (20E) and juvenile hormone analogue (JHA)). mRNAs encoding cathepsins B and D were significantly enhanced after the larvae were infected with BmNPV, and the peak of the induction appeared at 1 day before spinning. This attenuated the inducing effect on cathepsin expression caused by infection. Temperature shock induced cathepsin expression at the later stage of the 5th instar, and transcription levels varied with development stage and temperature. Cathepsin B and D mRNA expression in the fat body were significantly induced by JHA at the day before spinning, and with 20E, the expression reached a peak at the last day of the 5th instar. Cathepsin B and D mRNA expression exhibited detectable changes post-treatment, without significant differences between or among the hormone concentrations.

Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer of Oocytes Aspirated from Postovulatory Ovarian Follicles of Superovulated Rabbits

Shang, Jiang-Hua,Xu, Ru-Xiang,Jiang, Xiao-Dan,Zou, Yu-Xi,Qin, Ling-Sha,Cai, Ying-Qian,Yang, Zhi-Jun,Zheng, Xing,Cui, Sheng Asian Australasian Association of Animal Productio 2007 Animal Bioscience Vol.20 No.9

The aim of this study was to evaluate if oocytes, aspirated from postovulatory ovarian follicles of superovulated rabbits 14 h post-hCG administration, could be efficiently used as ooplasm recipients for somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT). Within a common SCNT protocol, a comparison between oocytes recovered by direct aspiration (aspirated) from available ovarian follicles and oocytes flushed out from oviducts (flushed) was carried out. The results showed that maturation and enucleation rates of aspirated oocytes were 70.7% and 69.2%, significantly lower than 95.3% (p<0.01) and 83.6% (p<0.05), respectively, from flushed oocytes. However, following enucleation of matured oocytes as ooplasm recipients for SCNT, no difference was recorded in fusion and cleavage rates, as well as blastocyst development from cleaved embryos or hatching of blastocysts between aspirated and flushed groups. Additionally, some matured aspirated and flushed oocytes were also used for immediate parthenogenetic activation and the resulting embryo development was not significantly different. Results from this study show the following: i) the majority of oocytes aspirated from postovulatory ovarian follicles of superovulated rabbits 14 h post-hCG administration are matured and can be used directly as ooplasm recipients for SCNT; ii) the reconstructed embryos derived from these oocytes have similar in vitro developmental ability to those flushed from the oviducts.

Myeloid-Derived Suppressor Cells Are Associated with Viral Persistence and Downregulation of TCR ζ Chain Expression on CD8⁺ T Cells in Chronic Hepatitis C Patients

Zeng, Qing-Lei,Yang, Bin,Sun, Hong-Qi,Feng, Guo-Hua,Jin, Lei,Zou, Zheng-Sheng,Zhang, Zheng,Zhang, Ji-Yuan,Wang, Fu-Sheng Korean Society for Molecular and Cellular Biology 2014 Molecules and cells Vol.37 No.1

Myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) play an important role in impairing the function of T cells. We characterized MDSCs in two chronic hepatitis C (CHC) cohorts: a cross-sectional group that included 61 treatment-naive patients with CHC, 14 rapid virologic response (RVR) cases and 22 early virologic response (EVR) cases; and a longitudinal group of 13 cases of RVR and 10 cases of EVR after pegylated-interferon-${\alpha}$/ribavirin treatment for genotype 1b HCV infection. Liver samples from 32 CHC patients and six healthy controls were subjected to immunohistochemical analysis. MDSCs frequency in treatment-naive CHC was significantly higher than in RVR, EVR, or healthy subjects and was positively correlated with HCV RNA. Patients infected with HCV genotype 2a had a significantly higher frequency of MDSCs than those infected with genotype 1b. Decreased T cell receptor (TCR) ${\zeta}$ expression on $CD8^+$ T cells was significantly associated with an increased frequency of MDSCs in treatment-naive CHC patients and was restored by L-arginine treatment in vitro. Increased numbers of liver arginase-$1^+$ cells were closely associated with the histological activity index in CHC. The TCR ${\zeta}$ chain was significantly downregulated on hepatic $CD8^+$ T cells in CHC. During antiviral follow up, MDSCs frequency in peripheral blood mononuclear cells was directly correlated with the HCV RNA load in the plasma and inversely correlated with TCR ${\zeta}$ chain expression in $CD8^+$ T cells in both RVR and EVR cases. Notably, the RVR group had a higher frequency of MDSCs at baseline than the EVR group. Collectively, this study provides evidence that MDSCs might be associated with HCV persistence and downregulation of CD8 ${\zeta}$ chain expression.

Myeloid-Derived Suppressor Cells Are Associated with Viral Persistence and Downregulation of TCRζ Chain Expression on CD8+ T Cells in Chronic Hepatitis C Patients

Qing-Lei Zeng,Bin Yang,Hong-Qi Sun,Guo-Hua Feng,Lei Jin,Zheng-Sheng Zou,Zheng Zhang,Ji-Yuan Zhang,Fu-Sheng Wang 한국분자세포생물학회 2014 Molecules and cells Vol.37 No.1

Myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) play an important role in impairing the function of T cells. We characterized MDSCs in two chronic hepatitis C (CHC) cohorts: a cross-sectional group that included 61 treatment-naive patients with CHC, 14 rapid virologic response (RVR) cases and 22 early virologic response (EVR) cases; and a longitudinal group of 13 cases of RVR and 10 cases of EVR after pegylated-interferon-α/ribavirin treatment for genotype 1b HCV infection. Liver samples from 32 CHC patients and six healthy controls were subjected to immunohistochemical analysis. MDSCs frequency in treatmentnaive CHC was significantly higher than in RVR, EVR, or healthy subjects and was positively correlated with HCV RNA. Patients infected with HCV genotype 2a had a significantly higher frequency of MDSCs than those infected with genotype 1b. Decreased T cell receptor (TCR) ζ expression on CD8+ T cells was significantly associated with an increased frequency of MDSCs in treatment-naive CHC patients and was restored by L-arginine treatment in vitro. Increased numbers of liver arginase-1+ cells were closely associated with the histological activity index in CHC. The TCR ζ chain was significantly downregulated on hepatic CD8+ T cells in CHC. During antiviral follow up, MDSCs frequency in peripheral blood mononuclear cells was directly correlated with the HCV RNA load in the plasma and inversely correlated with TCR ζ chain expression in CD8+ T cells in both RVR and EVR cases. Notably, the RVR group had a higher frequency of MDSCs at baseline than the EVR group. Collectively, this study provides evidence that MDSCs might be associated with HCV persistence and downregulation of CD8 ζ chain expression.