Crocetin Induces Cytotoxicity in Colon Cancer Cells Via p53-independent Mechanisms

Li, Cai-Yan,Huang, Wen-Feng,Wang, Qun-Li,Wang, Fan,Cai, E.,Hu, Bing,Du, Jia-Cheng,Wang, Jing,Chen, Rong,Cai, Xiao-Jing,Feng, Jing,Li, Hui-Hui Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2012 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.13 No.8

Objective: Crocin has been proposed as a promising candidate for cancer chemoprevention. The purpose of this investigation was to investigate the chemopreventive action and the possible mechanisms of crocin against human colon cancer cells in vitro. Methods: Cell proliferation was examined using MTT assay and the cell cycle distribution fractions were analyzed using fow cytometric analysis after propidium iodide staining. Apoptosis was detected using theTUNEL Apoptosis Detection Kit with laser scanning confocal microscope. DNA damage was assessed using the alkaline single-cell gel electrophoresis assay, while expression levels of p53, cdk2, cyclinA and P21 were examined by Western blot analysis. Results: Treatment of SW480 cells with crocetin (0.2, 0.4, 0.8 mmol/L) for 48 h signifcantly inhibited their proliferation in a concentration-dependent manner. Crocetin (0.8 mmol/L) signifcantly induced cell cycle arrest through p53-independent mechanisms accompanied by P21 induction. Crocetin (0.8 mmol/L) caused cytotoxicity in the SW480 cells by enhancing apoptosis and decreasing DNA repair capacity in a time-dependent manner. Conclusions: This report provides evidence that crocetin is a potential anticancer agent, which may be used as a chemotherapeutic drug.

Aberrant DNA Methylation and Epigenetic Inactivation of hMSH2 Decrease Overall Survival of Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Patients via Modulating Cell Cycle and Apoptosis

Wang, Cai-Xia,Wang, Xiang,Liu, Hai-Bai,Zhou, Zhi-Heng Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2014 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.15 No.1

Objective: Altered regulation of many transcription factors has been shown to play important roles in the development of leukemia. hMSH2 can modulate the activity of some important transcription factors and is known to be a regulator of hematopoietic differentiation. Herein, we investigated epigenetic regulation of hMSH2 and its influence on cell growth and overall survival of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) patients. Methods: hMSH2 promoter methylation status was assessed by COBRA and pyrosequencing in 60 ALL patients and 30 healthy volunteers. mRNA and protein expression levels of hMSH2, PCNA, CyclinD1, Bcl-2 and Bax were determined by real time PCR and Western blotting, respectively. The influence of hMSH2 on cell proliferation and survival was assessed in transient and stable expression systems. Results: mRNA and protein expression of hMSH2 and Bcl-2 was decreased, and that of PCNA, CyclinD1 and Bax was increased in ALL patients as compared to healthy volunteers (P<0.05). hMSH2 was inactivated in ALL patients through promoter hypermethylation. Furthermore, hMSH2 hypermethylation was found in relapsed ALL patients (85.7% of all cases). The median survival of patients with hMSH2 methylation was shorter than that of patients without hMSH2 methylation (log-rank test, P=0.0035). Over-expression of hMSH2 in cell lines resulted in a significant reduction in growth and induction of apoptosis. Conclusions: This study suggests that aberrant DNA methylation and epigenetic inactivation of hMSH2 play an important role in the development of ALL through altering cell growth and survival.

Effect of a Bacterial Laccase on the Quality and Micro-Structure of Whole Wheat Bread

Wang Jingjing,Bai Han,Zhang Ran,Ding Guoao,Cai Xuran,Wang Wei,Zhu Guilan,Zhou Peng,Zhang Yan 한국미생물·생명공학회 2023 Journal of microbiology and biotechnology Vol.33 No.12

The gluten protein content in whole-wheat flour is low, which affects the elasticity and viscosity of the dough. Enzymatic modification of the protein may result in a network that mimics gluten, which plays an important role in the processing of whole-wheat foods. In this study, the effects of Halomonas alkaliantartica laccase (LacHa) on the quality parameters of whole-wheat bread were investigated. The optimum dosage of LacHa was 4 U/100 g of whole-wheat flour. At this dosage, whole-wheat bread exhibited the best specific volume and optimum texture parameters. Laccase also extended the storage duration of whole-wheat bread. We analyzed the micro-structure of the dough to determine its gluten-free protein extractable rate and free sulfhydryl group content, and verify that LacHa mediates cross-linking of gluten-free proteins. The results demonstrated that the cross-linking of gluten-free protein by LacHa improves the texture of whole-wheat bread. As a flour improver, LacHa has great developmental and application potential in baked-food production.

Blood lipids and all-cause mortality among old people: the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey 2008-2018

Wang Rongxi,Yu Xiaoyue,Wang Zhiqiang,Liu Yujie,Chen Hui,Liu Shangbin,XU CHENG,Chen Yingjie,Xia Danni,Ge Xin,Chang Ruijie,Xu Gang,Xiang Mi,Wang Ying,Shen Tian,Hu Fan,Cai Yong 한국역학회 2022 Epidemiology and Health Vol.44 No.-

OBJECTIVES: Proper blood lipid levels are essential for survival in older adults, but inconsistent relationships have been reported between blood lipids and all-cause mortality in the elderly. METHODS: This retrospective longitudinal study analyzed data from 1,067 Chinese older adults enrolled in the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey collected in 2008 and followed up until death or December 31, 2018. The outcome was allcause mortality. Multivariate Cox regression analyses were used to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) with stratification by age (60-80, 80-100, or ≥ 100 years) for further analysis. The survival probability according to lipid profile quartiles was calculated using Kaplan-Meier curves and the log-rank test. RESULTS: The participants’ mean age was 84.84 years, and 57.0% were female. In total, 578 individuals died, and 277 were lost to follow-up. The mean total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels were higher among those who died than among those who survived. Participants in the second HDL-C quartile and the highest LDL-C and triglyceride (TG) quartiles had 28% higher, 23% lower, and 49% lower risks of all-cause mortality, respectively. After further adjustment, the associations remained except for HDL-C, and additional associations were observed between all-cause mortality and the third TC and LDL-C quartiles and the second TG quartile (HR, 1.44; 95% CI, 1.01 to 2.06; HR, 0.68; 95% CI, 0.49 to 0.94; HR, 0.79; 95% CI, 0.62 to 0.99, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Older adults should maintain an LDL-C level of 1.91-2.47 mmol/L and a TG level of no less than 1.66 mmol/L.

Preparation of porous cordierite ceramic with acid-leached coal gangue

Wang Xu-Dong,Xu Hai-Yan,Zhang Feng-Jun,Li Dong-Cai,Wang Ai-Guo,Sun Dao-Sheng,오원춘 한국세라믹학회 2020 한국세라믹학회지 Vol.57 No.4

The eff ect of impurities in coal gangue on the sintering and properties (porosity and compressive strength) of porous cordierite ceramics has been investigated by adjusting the amount of impurities by controlling the acid–gangue ratio during acid leaching. The sintering behavior and microstructure of the porous ceramics have been characterized via X-ray diff ractometry and scanning electron microscopy. The eff ects of both the acid–gangue ratio and sintering temperature on the porosity and compressive strength have been also investigated. The results indicated that both porosity and compressive strength of the porous cordierite ceramics prepared using acid-leached coal gangue were evidently improved. The content of the impurities in coal gangue was adjusted via acid leaching by controlling the acid–gangue ratio. The appropriate content of impurities in coal gangue facilitated the sintering process and improved the porosity and compressive strength of the obtained porous cordierite ceramics.

Compression-Friendly Low Power Test Application Based on Scan Slices Reusing

Wang Weizheng,Wang JinCheng,Cai Shuo,Su Wei,Xiang Lingyun 대한전자공학회 2016 Journal of semiconductor technology and science Vol.16 No.4

This paper presents a compression-friendly low power test scheme in EDT environment. The proposed approach exploits scan slices reusing to reduce the switching activity during shifting for test scheme based on linear decompressor. To avoid the impact on encoding efficiency from resulting control data, a counter is utilized to generate control signals. Experimental results obtained for some larger ISCAS’89 and ITC’99 benchmark circuits illustrate that the proposed test application scheme can improve significantly the encoding efficiency of linear decompressor.

Glechomanamides A-C, Germacrane Sesquiterpenoids with an Unusual Δ⁸-7,12-Lactam Moiety from <i>Salvia scapiformis</i> and Their Antiangiogenic Activity

Wang, Cai Yi,Kim, Donghwa,Zhu, Yan Kui,Oh, Dong-Chan,Huang, Ri Zhen,Wang, Heng-Shan,Liang, Dong,Lee, Sang Kook American Society of Pharmacognosy 2019 Journal of natural products Vol.82 No.11

<P>Three new germacrane sesquiterpenoid-type alkaloids with an unusual Δ<SUP>8</SUP>-7,12-lactam moiety, glechomanamides A-C (<B>1</B>-<B>3</B>), and two pairs of 7,12-hemiketal sesquiterpenoid epimers (<B>4a</B>/<B>b</B>, <B>5a</B>/<B>b</B>) were isolated from <I>Salvia scapiformis</I>. Their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic methods including HRESIMS, IR, UV, and 1D and 2D NMR and also confirmed by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. The chemical transformation of compounds <B>1</B>-<B>5</B> in a solution environment was analyzed by 2D NMR spectroscopy. The aza acetallactams (<B>1</B>-<B>3</B>) were stable in organic solvent, while single crystals of the hemiacetal esters (<B>4a</B>/<B>b</B>, <B>5a</B>/<B>b</B>) underwent a tautomeric equilibrium after being dissolved. Single crystals of <B>4a</B>, <B>4b</B>, and <B>5a</B> were obtained for the first time as their naturally occurring forms. Glechomanamide B (<B>2</B>) exhibited antiangiogenic activity by suppression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-induced tube formation through modulation of VEGF receptor 2 (VEGFR2)-mediated signaling pathways in human umbilical vascular endothelial cells (HUVECs). In addition, compound <B>2</B> also showed the significant suppression of mRNA expression associated with glycolysis and angiogenesis biomarkers in high glucose (30 mM)-induced HUVECs. These findings suggest that compound <B>2</B> might be a potential lead compound candidate for the management of diabetic retinopathy.</P> [FIG OMISSION]</BR>

DC Injection Control for Grid-Connected Single-Phase Inverters Based on Virtual Capacitor

Wang, Wei,Wang, Ping,Bei, Taizhou,Cai, Mengmeng The Korean Institute of Power Electronics 2015 JOURNAL OF POWER ELECTRONICS Vol.15 No.5

DC injection is a critical issue in transformerless grid-connected inverters. DC injection control based on virtual capacitor has the advantages of low cost, low loss, high accuracy and easy implementation. In this paper, the principle of DC injection control based on virtual capacitor was analyzed. In addition, the applicable conditions, working process, steady state error and advantages were also discussed in detail. The design of the control parameters based on virtual capacitor was proposed in a grid-connected inverter with LCL filter. The robustness of the control parameters was also discussed. Simulation and experimental results verify the validity of the analysis and demonstrate that this research has a certain value in engineering applications.

Identification and Validation of Four Novel Promoters for Gene Engineering with Broad Suitability across Species

( Cai-yun Wang ),( Li-cheng Liu ),( Ying-cai Wu ),( Yi-xuan Zhang ) 한국미생물 · 생명공학회 2021 Journal of microbiology and biotechnology Vol.31 No.8

The transcriptional capacities of target genes are strongly influenced by promoters, whereas few studies have focused on the development of robust, high-performance and cross-species promoters for wide application in different bacteria. In this work, four novel promoters (P_k.rtufB, P_k.r1, P_k.r2, and P_k.r3) were predicted from Ketogulonicigenium robustum and their inconsistency in the -10 and -35 region nucleotide sequences indicated they were different promoters. Their activities were evaluated by using green fluorescent protein (gfp) as a reporter in different species of bacteria, including K. vulgare SPU B805, Pseudomonas putida KT2440, Paracoccus denitrificans PD1222, Bacillus licheniformis and Raoultella ornithinolytica, due to their importance in metabolic engineering. Our results showed that the four promoters had different activities, with P_k.r1 showing the strongest activity in almost all of the experimental bacteria. By comparison with the commonly used promoters of E. coli (tufB, lac, lacUV5), K. vulgare (Psdh, Psndh) and P. putida KT2440 (JE111411), the four promoters showed significant differences due to only 12.62% nucleotide similarities, and relatively higher ability in regulating target gene expression. Further validation experiments confirmed their ability in initiating the target minCD cassette because of the shape changes under the promoter regulation. The overexpression of sorbose dehydrogenase and cytochrome c551 by P_k.r1 and P_k.r2 resulted in a 22.75% enhancement of 2-KGA yield, indicating their potential for practical application in metabolic engineering. This study demonstrates an example of applying bioinformatics to find new biological components for gene operation and provides four novel promoters with broad suitability, which enriches the usable range of promoters to realize accurate regulation in different genetic backgrounds.

Down-regulated MYH11 Expression Correlates with Poor Prognosis in Stage II and III Colorectal Cancer

Wang, Ren-Jie,Wu, Peng,Cai, Guo-Xiang,Wang, Zhi-Min,Xu, Ye,Peng, Jun-Jie,Sheng, Wei-Qi,Lu, Hong-Fen,Cai, San-Jun Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2014 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.15 No.17

The MYH11 gene may be related to cell migration and adhesion, intracellular transport, and signal transduction. However, its relationship with prognosis is still uncertain. The aim of this study was to investigate correlations between MYH11 gene expression and prognosis in 58 patients with stage II and III colorectal cancer. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction was performed in fresh CRC tissues to examine mRNA expression, and immunohistochemistry was performed with paraffin-embedded specimens for protein expression. On univariate analysis, MYH11 expression at both mRNA and protein levels, perineural invasion and lymphovascular invasion were related to disease-free survival (p<0.05; log-rank test). Cancers with lower MYH11 expression were more likely to have a poor prognosis. Otherwise, MYH11 expression was unrelated to patient clinicopathological features. On multivariate analysis, low MYH11 expression proved to be an independent adverse prognosticator (p<0.05). These findings show that MYH11 can contribute to predicting prognosis in stage II and III colorectal cancers.