A high concentration of genistein down-regulates activin A, Smad3 and other TGF-β pathway genes in human uterine leiomyoma cells

Previously, we found that high doses of genistein show an inhibitory effect on uterine leiomyoma (UtLM) cell proliferation. In this study, using microarray analysis and Ingenuity Pathways Analysis™, we identified genes (up- or down-regulated, ≥ 1.5 fold, P ≤ 0.001), functions and signaling pathways that were altered following treatment with an inhibitory concentration of genistein (50 µg/ml) in UtLM cells. Downregulation of TGF-β signaling pathway genes, activin A, activin B, Smad3, TGF-β2 and genes related to cell cycle regulation, with the exception of the upregulation of the CDK inhibitor P15, were identified and validated by real-time RT-PCR studies. Western blot analysis further demonstrated decreased protein expression of activin A and Smad3 in genistein-treated UtLM cells. Moreover, we found that activin A stimulated the growth of UtLM cells, and the inhibitory effect of genistein was partially abrogated in the presence of activin A. Overexpression of activin A and Smad3 were found in tissue samples of leiomyoma compared to matched myometrium, supporting the contribution of activin A and Smad3 in promoting the growth of UtLM cells. Taken together, these results suggest that down-regulation of activin A and Smad3, both members of the TGF-β pathway, may offer a mechanistic explanation for the inhibitory effect of a high-dose of genistein on UtLM cells, and might be potential therapeutic targets for treatment of clinical cases of uterine leiomyomas.     

Structural studies of the allelic wheat glutenin subunits 1Bx7 and 1Bx20 by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry and high-performance liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization mass spectrometry

Structural studies of the high molecular mass (HMM) glutenin subunits 1Bx7 (from cvs Hereward and Galatea) and 1Bx20 (from cv. Bidi17) of bread wheat were conducted using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOFMS) and reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (RP-HPLC/ESI-MS). For all three proteins, MALDI-TOFMS analysis showed that the isolated fractions contained a second component with a mass about 650 Da lower than the major component. The testing and correction of the gene-derived amino acid sequences of the three proteins were performed by direct MALDI-TOFMS analysis of their tryptic peptide mixture. Analysis of the digest was performed by recording several MALDI mass spectra of the mixture at low, medium and high mass ranges, optimizing the matrix and the acquisition parameters for each mass range. Complementary data were obtained by RP-HPLC/ESI-MS analysis of the tryptic digest. This resulted in coverage of about 98% of the sequences. In contrast to the gene-derived data, the results obtained demonstrate the insertion of the sequence QPGQGQ between Trp716 and Gln717 of subunit 1Bx7 (cv. Galatea) and a possible single amino acid substitution within the T20 peptide of subunit 1Bx20. Moreover, the mass spectrometric data demonstrated that the lower mass components present in all the fractions correspond to the major components but lack about six amino acid residues, which are probably lost from the protein C-terminus. Finally, the results obtained provide evidence for the lack of glycosylation or other post-translational modifications of these subunits.     

A switchable optical diffuser based on a polymer/nematic liquid crystal composite film with transient polymer balls-networks microstructure

ABSTRACT

With the increasing development of multifunction liquid crystal displays (LCDs), multifunction optical diffusers have attracted more attention. In this work, switchable optical diffusers based on the transient polymer balls-networks in polymer/nematic liquid crystal composite films have been prepared and investigated, and the effects of thiol content, curing time, LC content and photo-initiator content on the polymer microstructures and optical properties of optical diffusers are systematically studied. An optical diffuser with the transient polymer balls-networks microstructure has achieved the high transmission (96.42%), high haze (90.49%), excellent optical diffusing ability and wide viewing angle of 150° (from ?75° to 75°) on its off state. By the application of electric field of 40.0 voltage, the viewing angle of the optical diffuser turns to be narrower (from ?60° to 60°), which gives great applications in tunable viewing angle devices and other electric optical devices.     

茂锆载体催化剂下的乙烯／辛烯共聚及聚合物的^13C NMR研究

茂锆载体催化剂下的乙烯／辛烯共聚及聚合物的~（１３）ＣＮＭＲ研究刘胜生，于广谦，黄葆同（中国科学院长春应用化学研究所长春１３００２２）关键词茂锆载体催化剂，共聚，序列分布，~（１３）ＣＮＭＲ由于茂锆催化剂具有高活性，单一活性中心等特点［１，２］，并且能...     

高分子量的枝状聚硅烷的合成与表征

根据硅氢加成反应机理设计了“顺点滴式”工艺 ,高效、低耗地合成了甲基苯乙基二氯硅烷和甲基正己基二氯硅烷 .根据Wurtz还原偶联反应原理 ,采用“预聚”和“混聚”两种工艺分别合成枝状共聚硅烷 ,发现运用“预聚”工艺可以合成分子量很高的枝状聚硅烷 .     

Protection‐Group‐Free Synthesis of Sequence‐Defined Macromolecules via Precision λ‐Orthogonal Photochemistry

An advanced light‐induced avenue to monodisperse sequence‐defined linear macromolecules via a unique photochemical protocol is presented that does not require any protection‐group chemistry. Starting from a symmetrical core unit, precision macromolecules with molecular weights up to 6257.10 g mol^?1 are obtained via a two‐monomer system: a monomer unit carrying a pyrene functionalized visible light responsive tetrazole and a photo‐caged UV responsive diene, enabling an iterative approach for chain growth; and a monomer unit equipped with a carboxylic acid and a fumarate. Both light‐induced chain growth reactions are carried out in a λ‐orthogonal fashion, exciting the respective photosensitive group selectively and thus avoiding protecting chemistry. Characterization of each sequence‐defined chain (size‐exclusion chromatography (SEC), high‐resolution electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI‐MS), and NMR spectroscopy), confirms the precision nature of the macromolecules.     

蜂毒肽C末端片段的反序肽的抗菌活性和溶血活性

设计并合成了具有不同碱性氨基酸残基数和不同疏水性片段链长的基于Mel(12~26)的系列反序肽类似物.结果表明,反序肽的正电荷和疏水性对于抑菌活性都很重要,N端至少保留3个碱性氨基酸(正电荷>4)和C端的疏水性片段的链长至少为8个氨基酸残基的类似物具有较高的抑菌活性,具有较大的抑菌活性的最小反序肽类似物为具有11个氨基酸残基的RetroMel(13~23).这些反序肽的溶血活性都很小.     

Ionization potential of excited states of Be‐like sequence in the concept of iso‐spectrum‐level series

With the introduction of the concept of the iso‐spectrum‐level series, a linear relationship is found between the first differences of the ionization potential of excited states and nuclear charge Z along an iso‐spectrum‐level series, and the ionization potential of excited states of Be‐like sequence are studied systematically on the basis of the weakest bound electron potential model theory. The expression of nonrelativistic ionization potential is derived from the weakest bound electron potential model theory, and relativistic effects are included by using a fourth‐order polynomial in Z. As a demonstration, the ionization potentials of [He]2s2p ³P, [He]2s3s ¹S₀, [He]2s3p ¹P, [He]2s3d ¹D₂, and [He]2s4d ¹D₂ series for a range of Be‐like sequence from Z = 4–23 are calculated. The results are compared with the experimental data and the recent sophisticated ab initio results. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem 93: 344–350, 2003     

助剂对Co/Al2O3催化剂浆态床费托合成反应性能影响

考察了ZrO₂、Ru或Pt助剂对Co/Al₂O₃催化剂结构及浆态床费托合成反应性能的影响。实验结果表明,添加ZrO₂助剂可阻止或降低难还原铝酸钴的形成、促进催化剂的还原、提高Co/Al₂O₃催化剂对费托合成反应的催化活性、降低甲烷选择性并提高C₅₊烃选择性。H₂-TPR表征结果表明,少量Ru或Pt助剂均能降低Co-ZrO₂/Al₂O₃催化剂中钴物种还原温度(Co₃O₄→CoO和CoO→Co⁰),提高催化剂的还原度,催化剂呈现出良好的CO加氢反应活性。此外,催化剂组分间浸渍次序对费托合成反应性能有重要影响,载体γ-Al₂O₃先浸渍Zr组分,可有效抑制难还原化合物形成;Co、Ru组分共浸渍加强了Co和Ru组分密切接触程度,更利于钴物种的还原;Co、Pt组分依次浸渍更利于活性组分的均匀分布,催化剂具有最佳的费托合成反应性能。