• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제13권9호
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• pp.4827-4834
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• 2012

Tumor suppressor genes have received much attention for their roles in the development of human malignancies. Gelsolin has been found to be down-regulated in several types of human cancers, including leukemias. It is, however, expressed in macrophages, which are the final differentiation derivatives for the monocytic myeloid lineage, implicating this protein in the differentiation process of such cells. In order to investigate the role of gelsolin in leukaemic cell differentiation, stable clones over-expressing ectopic gelsolin, and a control clone were established from U937 leukaemia cells. Unlike the control cells, both gelsolin-overexpressing clones displayed retarded growth, improved monocytic morphology, increased NADPH and NSE activities, and enhanced surface expression of the ${\beta}$-integrin receptor, CD11b, when compared with the parental U937 cells. Interestingly, RT-PCR and western blot analysis also revealed that gelsolin enhanced p21CIP1 mRNA and protein expression in the overexpressing clones. Moreover, transient transfection with siRNA silencing P21CIP1, but not the control siRNA, resulted in a reduction in monocytic differentiation, accompanied by an increase in proliferation. In conclusion, our work demonstrates that gelsolin, by itself, is capable of inducing monocytic differentiation in U937 leukaemia cells, most probably through p21CIP1 activation.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• 제22권5호
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• pp.371-383
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• 2014

The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) offers a unique opportunity for biological and basic medical researches due to its genetic tractability and well-defined developmental lineage. It also provides an exceptional model for genetic, molecular, and cellular analysis of human disease-related genes. Recently, C. elegans has been used as an ideal model for the identification and functional analysis of drugs (or small-molecules) in vivo. In this review, we describe conserved oncogenic signaling pathways (Wnt, Notch, and Ras) and their potential roles in the development of cancer stem cells. During C. elegans germline development, these signaling pathways regulate multiple cellular processes such as germline stem cell niche specification, germline stem cell maintenance, and germ cell fate specification. Therefore, the aberrant regulations of these signaling pathways can cause either loss of germline stem cells or overproliferation of a specific cell type, resulting in sterility. This sterility phenotype allows us to identify drugs that can modulate the oncogenic signaling pathways directly or indirectly through a high-throughput screening. Current in vivo or in vitro screening methods are largely focused on the specific core signaling components. However, this phenotype-based screening will identify drugs that possibly target upstream or downstream of core signaling pathways as well as exclude toxic effects. Although phenotype-based drug screening is ideal, the identification of drug targets is a major challenge. We here introduce a new technique, called Drug Affinity Responsive Target Stability (DARTS). This innovative method is able to identify the target of the identified drug. Importantly, signaling pathways and their regulators in C. elegans are highly conserved in most vertebrates, including humans. Therefore, C. elegans will provide a great opportunity to identify therapeutic drugs and their targets, as well as to understand mechanisms underlying the formation of cancer.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제17권7호
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• pp.903-909
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• 2004

The variability of mtDNA hypervariable segment I (HVS I) sequences was investigated in a total of 48 birds belonging to 12 Chinese native chicken breeds. Sixteen haplotypes were identified from 35 polymorphic nucleotide sites which accounted for 6.4% of a sequenced 544 bp fragment. Diversity analysis of the haplotypes showed that Tibetan, Langshan and Henan cockfight chicken had only one haplotype, while ancient haplotypes existed in Taihe silky and Chahua chicken. Phylogenetic analysis of the haplotypes suggested that Chinese native chicken breeds shared 5 maternal lineages and some breeds would share the same maternal lineage, regardless of their external features and ecological types. Both divergent and phylogenetic analysis of the haplotypes indicated the close genetic relationships between the Chinese native chicken breeds and G. g. gallus and G. g. spadiceus from different areas, which implied that G. g. gallus and G. g. spadiceus were the original ancestors of the Chinese native chicken breeds.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• 제53권3호
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• pp.345-348
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• 2015

Toxoplasma gondii is a eukaryotic parasite of the phylum Apicomplexa, which infects all warm-blood animals, including humans. In the present study, we examined sequence variation in dense granule 20 (GRA20) genes among T. gondii isolates collected from different hosts and geographical regions worldwide. The complete GRA20 genes were amplified from 16 T. gondii isolates using PCR, sequence were analyzed, and phylogenetic reconstruction was analyzed by maximum parsimony (MP) and maximum likelihood (ML) methods. The results showed that the complete GRA20 gene sequence was 1,586 bp in length among all the isolates used in this study, and the sequence variations in nucleotides were 0-7.9% among all strains. However, removing the type III strains (CTG, VEG), the sequence variations became very low, only 0-0.7%. These results indicated that the GRA20 sequence in type III was more divergence. Phylogenetic analysis of GRA20 sequences using MP and ML methods can differentiate 2 major clonal lineage types (type I and type III) into their respective clusters, indicating the GRA20 gene may represent a novel genetic marker for intraspecific phylogenetic analyses of T. gondii.

• Journal of Veterinary Science
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• 제22권5호
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• pp.69.1-69.12
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• 2021

Background: Bovine group A rotavirus (BoRVA) is a major cause of severe gastroenteritis in newborn dairy calves. Only one study has investigated the G and P genotypes among dairy calves in a few regions of China, which were G6 and P[5]. Therefore, data on the prevalence and molecular characteristics of BoRVA in dairy calves in China remains limited. Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence and molecular characteristics of BoRVA in dairy calves in China. Methods: 269 dairy calves diarrheic samples from 23 farms in six provinces in China were collected to detect BoRVA using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. Results: 71% of samples were determined to be BoRVA-positive. Two G genotypes (G6, G10) and two P genotypes (P[1], P[5]) were identified, and G6P[1] BoRVA was the predominant strain. Moreover, the VP7 and VP4 gene sequences of these dairy calf BoRVA strains revealed abundant genetic diversity. Interestingly, eight out of 17 complete G6 VP7 sequences were clustered into G6 lineage VI and analysis showed the strains were closely related to Chinese yak BoRVA strains. Conclusions: The results of this study show that BoRVA circulates widely among dairy calves in China, and the dominant genotype in circulation is G6P[1], first report on molecular characteristics of complete P[5] VP4 genes in chinese dairy calves. These results will help us to further understand the prevalence and genetic evolution of BoRVA among dairy calves in China and, thus, prevent the disease more effectively.

• 한국어병학회지
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• 제33권1호
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• pp.77-81
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• 2020

This study was performed for screening yellow head virus(YHV) complex in 252 including 235 white leg shrimps (Litopenaeus vannamei) and 17 oriental shrimp (Fenneropenaeus chinensis) collected from 18 farms located in southwestern province of Korea. The virus complex was detected by nested reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assay. In the assay, amplicons were resulted in RNAs exracted from 38 shrimps (21 white leg shrimps and 17 oriental shrimps) obtained from 7 farms. In phylogenetic analysis using sequences of ORF1b gene, all 38 sequences obtained in this study formed an independent lineage with YHV-8 genotype firstly isolated in China, belonged to an YHV-8 clade.

• ALGAE
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• 제31권4호
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• pp.303-315
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• 2016

Compsopogon specimens collected in China were examined based on morphology and DNA sequences. Five molecular markers from different genome compartments including rbcL, COI, 18S rDNA, psbA, and UPA were identified and used to construct a phylogenetic relationship. Phylogenetic analyses indicated that two different morphological types from China clustered into an independent clade with Compsopogon specimens when compared to other global samples. The Compsopogon clade exhibited robust support values, revealing the affiliation of the samples to Compsopogon caeruleus. Although the samples were distributed in a close geographical area, unexpected sequence divergences between the Chinese samples implied that they were introduced by different dispersal events and from varied origins. It was speculated that Compsopogon originated in North America, a portion of the Laurentia landmass situated in the Rodinia supercontinent at approximately 573.89-1,701.50 million years ago during the Proterozoic era.Although Compsopogonhad evolved for a rather long time, genetic conservation had limited its variability and rate of evolution, resulting in the current monospecific global distribution. Additional global specimens and sequence information were required to increase our understanding of the evolutionary history of this ancient red algal lineage.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제17권7호
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• pp.3363-3367
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• 2016

Background: Breast cancer (BC) is a major health issue worldwide as well as in Pakistan. All women belonging to any race, ethnicity or lineage are in danger of developing breast cancer. Significant factors influencing the development of breast malignancies are the genetic background, environmental conditions, reproductive parameters, the consequences of female hormones both intrinsic and extrinsic, alteration of immune status, and biologic determinants. Materials and Methods: Overall 150 biopsy proven patients were included in the study. Samples were submitted for histopathology and determination of estrogen and progesterone receptor expression and HER-2/neu status. Associations with other characteristics like age, tumor stage, node involvement, histological grade were also studied. Results: Mean age at presentation was 46.7 years. The majority had invasive ductal carcinoma, 100 (84.7%), and were in stage pT3, 54 (45.7%). Important relationships (P<0.05) were found among ER, PR positivity, and Her 2 neu overexpression. However, no noteworthy link was identified amongst ER, PR, Her 2 neu and tumor grade, stage, age, lymph node involvement except for the menopausal status. Conclusions: In summary, breast cancer patients featured an advanced stage of disease, more lymph node involvement, and moderately high grade tumors and with more estrogen, progesterone receptor and HER-2 positive tumors.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• 제34권1호
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• pp.19-28
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• 2012

In order to understand the spatial distribution of picocyanobacterial diversity during the summer in the northern East China Sea (ECS), their abundance and genetic diversity were investigated using flow cytometry and barcoded amplicon pyrosequencing of 16S-23S internal transcribed spacer sequences. Synechococcus abundance was high, with a range of $0.2{\times}10^5$ to $1.8{\times}10^5$ cells $ml^{-1}$. However, Prochlorococcus were found only in the eastern part of the studied area, showing a marked variation among stations [range of n.d. (not detected) to $3.3{\times}10^4$ cells $ml^{-1}$]. Eleven Synechococcus clades and five Prochlorococcus ecotypes were found to have a proportion higher than 1% among picocyanobacterial sequences, indicating high picocyanobacterial diversity in the ECS. The picocyanobacterial compositions were markedly different among stations, as well as among depths. Inflow of the Tsushima Warm Current and Changjiang diluted water was of primary importance in determining picocyanobacterial lineage diversity in the studied area. In addition, light intensity and nutrient conditions also appeared to be important in the vertical and horizontal distribution of picocyanobacterial diversity.

• Mycobiology
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• 제49권1호
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• pp.24-45
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• 2021

The occurrence of Austroboletus subflavidus and Fistulinella gloeocarpa is documented from the Dominican Republic. The latter species is reported for the first time outside its original locality in Martinique, extending the geographic range for this uncommon pinkish-spored bolete. A detailed morphological description is provided for each species and accompanied by color pictures of fresh basidiomes in habitat and line drawings of the main anatomical features. Both species represent independent lineages within their respective genera based on phylogenetic inference. In addition, A. subflavidus clusters in a sister lineage to the core Austroboletus clade (Austroboletus clade I) here named as Austroboletus clade II. In order to confirm the accuracy of species identification, their identity and relationships were subjected to multilocus phylogenetic analyses of three gene markers (ITS, nrLSU, RPB2) including genetic material already available in public databases. Austroboletus subflavidus is a widely distributed species in North and Central America, whereas F. gloeocarpa is apparently highly localized and seems to appear sparingly in the Dominican Republic, Martinque, and southern Florida. Comparisons with morphologically similar and molecularly inferred allied species are also presented and discussed.