WorldWideScience

Sample records for mammalian cell lines12

  1. Advances in Mammalian Cell Line Development Technologies for Recombinant Protein Production

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Say Kong Ng

    2013-04-01

    Full Text Available From 2006 to 2011, an average of 15 novel recombinant protein therapeutics have been approved by US Food and Drug Administration (FDA annually. In addition, the expiration of blockbuster biologics has also spurred the emergence of biosimilars. The increasing numbers of innovator biologic products and biosimilars have thus fuelled the demand of production cell lines with high productivity. Currently, mammalian cell line development technologies used by most biopharmaceutical companies are based on either the methotrexate (MTX amplification technology or the glutamine synthetase (GS system. With both systems, the cell clones obtained are highly heterogeneous, as a result of random genome integration by the gene of interest and the gene amplification process. Consequently, large numbers of cell clones have to be screened to identify rare stable high producer cell clones. As such, the cell line development process typically requires 6 to 12 months and is a time, capital and labour intensive process. This article reviews established advances in protein expression and clone screening which are the core technologies in mammalian cell line development. Advancements in these component technologies are vital to improve the speed and efficiency of generating robust and highly productive cell line for large scale production of protein therapeutics.

  2. A universal mammalian vaccine cell line substrate.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jackelyn Murray

    Full Text Available Using genome-wide small interfering RNA (siRNA screens for poliovirus, influenza A virus and rotavirus, we validated the top 6 gene hits PV, RV or IAV to search for host genes that when knocked-down (KD enhanced virus permissiveness and replication over wild type Vero cells or HEp-2 cells. The enhanced virus replication was tested for 12 viruses and ranged from 2-fold to >1000-fold. There were variations in virus-specific replication (strain differences across the cell lines examined. Some host genes (CNTD2, COQ9, GCGR, NDUFA9, NEU2, PYCR1, SEC16G, SVOPL, ZFYVE9, and ZNF205 showed that KD resulted in enhanced virus replication. These findings advance platform-enabling vaccine technology, the creation of diagnostic cells substrates, and are informative about the host mechanisms that affect virus replication in mammalian cells.

  3. Comparison of mammalian and fish cell line cytotoxicity: impact of endpoint and exposure duration

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Guelden, Michael; Moerchel, Sabine; Seibert, Hasso

    2005-01-01

    Comparisons of acute toxic concentrations of chemicals to fish in vivo and cytotoxic concentrations to fish cell lines in vitro reveal rather good correlations of the toxic potencies in vitro and in vivo, but a clearly lower sensitivity of the fish cells. To examine whether the low sensitivity is specific for fish cells, cytotoxic potencies of reference chemicals from the Multicenter Evaluation of In Vitro Cytotoxicity program (MEIC) reported for the fish cell lines R1 and RTG-2 were compared with those obtained with the mouse Balb/c 3T3 cell line. Cytotoxic potencies (EC 50 values) for MEIC reference chemicals were determined with exponentially growing Balb/c 3T3 cells using three different test protocols. To assess both endpoints, cell proliferation and cell survival, EC 50 values were measured for the decrease in final cell protein after 24 and 72 h of exposure and for the reduction of cell protein increase during 24 h of exposure. EC 50 values obtained with the fish cell lines R1 and RTG-2 using cell survival as endpoint were taken from the MEIC data base. The comparison of cytotoxic potencies shows that, in general, the fish cell lines and the mammalian cell line are almost equally sensitive towards the cytotoxic action of chemicals. The mammalian cell line assay, however, becomes considerably more sensitive, by factors of 3.4-8.5, than the fish cell line assays, if cell growth instead of cell survival is used as endpoint. It is concluded, that cell proliferation might be a better endpoint than cell survival and that mammalian cell lines might be suited to assess fish acute toxicity

  4. Recombinant protein production from stable mammalian cell lines and pools.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hacker, David L; Balasubramanian, Sowmya

    2016-06-01

    We highlight recent developments for the production of recombinant proteins from suspension-adapted mammalian cell lines. We discuss the generation of stable cell lines using transposons and lentivirus vectors (non-targeted transgene integration) and site-specific recombinases (targeted transgene integration). Each of these methods results in the generation of cell lines with protein yields that are generally superior to those achievable through classical plasmid transfection that depends on the integration of the transfected DNA by non-homologous DNA end-joining. This is the main reason why these techniques can also be used for the generation of stable cell pools, heterogenous populations of recombinant cells generated by gene delivery and genetic selection without resorting to single cell cloning. This allows the time line from gene transfer to protein production to be reduced. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. Radiation equivalence of genotoxic chemicals - Validation in cultered mammalian cell lines

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Murthy, M.S.S.

    1982-01-01

    Published data on mutations induced by ionizing radiation and 6 monofunctional alkylating agents, namely EMS, MMS, ENNG, MNNG, ENU and MNU, in different cell lines (Chinese hamster ovary, Chinese hamster lung V79, mouse lymphoma L5178 and human cells) were analysed so that radiation-equivalent chemical (REC) values could be calculated. REC values thus obtained for a given alkylating agent with different cell lines fall within a narrow range suggesting its validation in cultured mammalian cell systems including human. (orig.)

  6. Autonomous bioluminescent expression of the bacterial luciferase gene cassette (lux in a mammalian cell line.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dan M Close

    Full Text Available The bacterial luciferase (lux gene cassette consists of five genes (luxCDABE whose protein products synergistically generate bioluminescent light signals exclusive of supplementary substrate additions or exogenous manipulations. Historically expressible only in prokaryotes, the lux operon was re-synthesized through a process of multi-bicistronic, codon-optimization to demonstrate for the first time self-directed bioluminescence emission in a mammalian HEK293 cell line in vitro and in vivo.Autonomous in vitro light production was shown to be 12-fold greater than the observable background associated with untransfected control cells. The availability of reduced riboflavin phosphate (FMNH(2 was identified as the limiting bioluminescence substrate in the mammalian cell environment even after the addition of a constitutively expressed flavin reductase gene (frp from Vibrio harveyi. FMNH(2 supplementation led to a 151-fold increase in bioluminescence in cells expressing mammalian codon-optimized luxCDE and frp genes. When injected subcutaneously into nude mice, in vivo optical imaging permitted near instantaneous light detection that persisted independently for the 60 min length of the assay with negligible background.The speed, longevity, and self-sufficiency of lux expression in the mammalian cellular environment provides a viable and powerful alternative for real-time target visualization not currently offered by existing bioluminescent and fluorescent imaging technologies.

  7. Differential biological effects of iodoacetate in mammalian cell lines; radio sensitization and radio protection

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yadav, Usha; Anjaria, K.B.; Desai, Utkarsha N.; Chaurasia, Rajesh K.; Shirsath, K.B.; Bhat, Nagesh N.; Balakrishnan, Sreedevi; Sapra, B.K.; Nairy, Rajesha

    2014-01-01

    There are several studies where it has been shown that Iodoacetate (IA) possesses in vivo anti-tumor activity. The fact that it is a model glycolytic inhibitor makes it more interesting. As seen in recent trends, glycolytic inhibitors are emerging as new strategy for cancer therapeutic research taking advantage of glycolytic phenotype of cancerous tissues. IA has been reported to have radioprotective effects in yeast cells and human lymphocytes. Biological effects of IA in response to radiation in mammalian cell lines are not well documented. We screened IA for cytotoxicity using clonogenic assay at different concentrations ranging from 0.1 to 2.5 μg/ml using three different mammalian cell lines; A-549 (human lung carcinoma cell line), MCF-7 (human mammary cancer cell line) and a noncancerous CHO (Chinese hamster ovary cell line). For studying radioprotective/radio sensitizing efficacy, cells were exposed to 4 Gy of 60 Co-γ radiation using a teletherapy source at a dose rate of 1 Gy/min, following which IA post-treatment was carried out. Clonogenic and micronucleus assay were performed to assess radioprotection/sensitization. The results indicated that IA was highly cytotoxic in cancerous cell lines A-549 (IC 50 =1.25 μg/ml) and MCF-7 (IC 50 = 1.9 μg/ml). In contrast, it was totally non-toxic in non-cancerous cell line, viz. CHO, in the same concentration range. In addition, IA exhibited radio protective effect in CHO cell line, whereas in other two cancer cell lines, viz. A-549 and MCF-7, radio sensitizing effect was seen as judged by induction of cell killing and micronuclei. In conclusion, lA, a model glycolytic inhibitor, was found to be selectively cytotoxic in cancer cells as compared to normal cells. Further, it reduced radiation induced damage (micronuclei and cell killing) in normal cells but increased it in cancer cells indicating its potential use in cancer therapy. (author)

  8. Dynamic JUNQ inclusion bodies are asymmetrically inherited in mammalian cell lines through the asymmetric partitioning of vimentin.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ogrodnik, Mikołaj; Salmonowicz, Hanna; Brown, Rachel; Turkowska, Joanna; Średniawa, Władysław; Pattabiraman, Sundararaghavan; Amen, Triana; Abraham, Ayelet-chen; Eichler, Noam; Lyakhovetsky, Roman; Kaganovich, Daniel

    2014-06-03

    Aging is associated with the accumulation of several types of damage: in particular, damage to the proteome. Recent work points to a conserved replicative rejuvenation mechanism that works by preventing the inheritance of damaged and misfolded proteins by specific cells during division. Asymmetric inheritance of misfolded and aggregated proteins has been shown in bacteria and yeast, but relatively little evidence exists for a similar mechanism in mammalian cells. Here, we demonstrate, using long-term 4D imaging, that the vimentin intermediate filament establishes mitotic polarity in mammalian cell lines and mediates the asymmetric partitioning of damaged proteins. We show that mammalian JUNQ inclusion bodies containing soluble misfolded proteins are inherited asymmetrically, similarly to JUNQ quality-control inclusions observed in yeast. Mammalian IPOD-like inclusion bodies, meanwhile, are not always inherited by the same cell as the JUNQ. Our study suggests that the mammalian cytoskeleton and intermediate filaments provide the physical scaffold for asymmetric inheritance of dynamic quality-control JUNQ inclusions. Mammalian IPOD inclusions containing amyloidogenic proteins are not partitioned as effectively during mitosis as their counterparts in yeast. These findings provide a valuable mechanistic basis for studying the process of asymmetric inheritance in mammalian cells, including cells potentially undergoing polar divisions, such as differentiating stem cells and cancer cells.

  9. A three-dimensional comparison of tick-borne flavivirus infection in mammalian and tick cell lines.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Danielle K Offerdahl

    Full Text Available Tick-borne flaviviruses (TBFV are sustained in nature through cycling between mammalian and tick hosts. In this study, we used African green monkey kidney cells (Vero and Ixodes scapularis tick cells (ISE6 to compare virus-induced changes in mammalian and arthropod cells. Using confocal microscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM, and electron tomography (ET, we examined viral protein distribution and the ultrastructural changes that occur during TBFV infection. Within host cells, flaviviruses cause complex rearrangement of cellular membranes for the purpose of virus replication. Virus infection was accompanied by a marked expansion in endoplasmic reticulum (ER staining and markers for TBFV replication were localized mainly to the ER in both cell lines. TEM of Vero cells showed membrane-bound vesicles enclosed in a network of dilated, anastomosing ER cisternae. Virions were seen within the ER and were sometimes in paracrystalline arrays. Tubular structures or elongated vesicles were occasionally noted. In acutely and persistently infected ISE6 cells, membrane proliferation and vesicles were also noted; however, the extent of membrane expansion and the abundance of vesicles were lower and no viral particles were observed. Tubular profiles were far more prevalent in persistently infected ISE6 cells than in acutely infected cells. By ET, tubular profiles, in persistently infected tick cells, had a cross-sectional diameter of 60-100 nm, reached up to 800 nm in length, were closed at the ends, and were often arranged in fascicle-like bundles, shrouded with ER membrane. Our experiments provide analysis of viral protein localization within the context of both mammalian and arthropod cell lines as well as both acute and persistent arthropod cell infection. Additionally, we show for the first time 3D flavivirus infection in a vector cell line and the first ET of persistent flavivirus infection.

  10. Serum-Free Cryopreservation of Five Mammalian Cell Lines in Either a Pelleted or Suspended State

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Corsini Joe

    2004-01-01

    Full Text Available Herein we have explored two practical aspects of cryopreserving cultured mammalian cells during routine laboratory maintenance. First, we have examined the possibility of using a serum-free, hence more affordable, cryopreservative. Using five mammalian lines (Crandell Feline Kidney, MCF7, A72, WI 38 and NB324K, we found that the serum-free alternative preserves nearly as efficiently as the serum-containing preservatives. Second, we compared cryostorage of those cells in suspended versus a pellet form using both aforementioned cryopreservatives. Under our conditions, cells were in general recovered equally well in a suspended versus a pellet form.

  11. SEPT12–NDC1 Complexes Are Required for Mammalian Spermiogenesis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tsung-Hsuan Lai

    2016-11-01

    Full Text Available Male factor infertility accounts for approximately 50 percent of infertile couples. The male factor-related causes of intracytoplasmic sperm injection failure include the absence of sperm, immotile sperm, immature sperm, abnormally structured sperm, and sperm with nuclear damage. Our knockout and knock-in mice models demonstrated that SEPTIN12 (SEPT12 is vital for the formation of sperm morphological characteristics during spermiogenesis. In the clinical aspect, mutated SEPT12 in men results in oligozoospermia or teratozoospermia or both. Sperm with mutated SEPT12 revealed abnormal head and tail structures, decreased chromosomal condensation, and nuclear damage. Furthermore, several nuclear or nuclear membrane-related proteins have been identified as SEPT12 interactors through the yeast 2-hybrid system, including NDC1 transmembrane nucleoporin (NDC1. NDC1 is a major nuclear pore protein, and is critical for nuclear pore complex assembly and nuclear morphology maintenance in mammalian cells. Mutated NDC1 cause gametogenesis defects and skeletal malformations in mice, which were detected spontaneously in the A/J strain. In this study, we characterized the functional effects of SEPT12–NDC1 complexes during mammalian spermiogenesis. In mature human spermatozoa, SEPT12 and NDC1 are majorly colocalized in the centrosome regions; however, NDC1 is only slightly co-expressed with SEPT12 at the annulus of the sperm tail. In addition, SEPT12 interacts with NDC1 in the male germ cell line through coimmunoprecipitation. During murine spermiogenesis, we observed that NDC1 was located at the nuclear membrane of spermatids and at the necks of mature spermatozoa. In male germ cell lines, NDC1 overexpression restricted the localization of SEPT12 to the nucleus and repressed the filament formation of SEPT12. In mice sperm with mutated SEPT12, NDC1 dispersed around the manchette region of the sperm head and annulus, compared with concentrating at the sperm neck

  12. Application of the inter-line PCR for the analyse of genomic rearrangements in radiation-transformed mammalian cell lines

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Leibhard, S.; Smida, J.

    1996-01-01

    Repetitive DNA sequences of the LINE-family (long interspersed elements) that are widely distributed among the mammalian genome can be activated or altered by the exposure to ionizing radiation [1]. By the integration at new sites in the genome alterations in the expression of genes that are involved in cell transformation and/or carcinogenesis may occur [2, 3]. A new technique -the inter-LINE PCR - has been developed in order to detect and analyse such genomic rearrangements in radiation-transformed cell lines. From the sites of transformation- or tumour-specific changes in the genome it might be possible to develop new tumour markers for diagnostic purpose. (orig.) [de

  13. Antioxidation activities of pteridines in mammalian cell lines

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zhang, Y.; Shen, R. (Univ. of Texas, Galveston (United States))

    1991-03-11

    L-erythro-5,6,7,8-Tetrahydrobiopterin (BH{sub 4}), the cofactor for aromatic amino acid hydroxylases (AAA-H), is a predominant form of pteridines which occur ubiquitously in nature. When BH{sub 4} is oxidized to quinonoid dihydrobiopterin by AAA-H, it is regenerated by dihydropteridine reductase (DHPR) at the expense of NADH. The role of BH{sub 4} other than serving as the hydroxylase cofactor is not clear. The existence of BH{sub 4} and DHPR in tissues which are devoid of AAA-H suggests that BH{sub 4} may play an as yet undiscovered physiological function. This study demonstrates a BH{sub 4}-mediated antioxidation system, which consists of BH{sub 4}, DHPR, peroxidase and NADH in rat pheochromocytoma PC 12 cells and mouse macrophages J774A.1. This system was as effective as catalase and ascorbic acid in protecting cells against H{sub 2}O{sub 2} and xanthine/xanthine oxidase-induced toxicity and was more effective than catalase in defense against nitrofurantoin-induced toxicity. The antioxidation effect of this system was not due to peroxidase and was improved when synthetic pteridines were substituted for BH{sub 4}. Since BH{sub 4}, DHPR, peroxidases and NADH are widely distributed in major organs and blood cells, they may constitute an as yet little known antioxidation system in mammalian cells.

  14. The effects of selenium on glutathione peroxidase activity and radioprotection in mammalian cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Diamond, A.M.; Murray, J.L.; Dale, P.; Tritz, R.; Grdina, D.J.

    1995-01-01

    The media of representative mammalian cell lines were supplemented with low levels of selenium in the form of sodium selenite in order to investigate the effects of selenium on mammalian cells. Following incubation in 30 nM sodium selenite, these cells were assayed for changes in glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activity. The cells examined included NIH 3T3 mouse fibroblasts, PC12 rat sympathetic precursor cells, SupT-1 human lymphocytes, MCF-7 adr human breast carcinoma cells and AA8 Chinese hamster ovary cells. Selenium supplementation resulted in a marginal increase in GPx activity for the NIH 3T3, MCF-7 adr and Supt-1 cells but stimulated GPx activity approximately 5-fold in PC12 and AA8 cells. AA8 cells were selected to evaluate whether selenium supplementation was radioprotective against 60 cobalt gamma irradiation. Protection against radiation-induced mutation was measured by evaluating mutation frequency at the hprt locus. In this assay, preincubation of AA8 CHO cells significantly protected these cells from exposure to 8 Gy

  15. Rapid development of stable transgene CHO cell lines by CRISPR/Cas9-mediated site-specific integration into C12orf35.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhao, Menglin; Wang, Jiaxian; Luo, Manyu; Luo, Han; Zhao, Meiqi; Han, Lei; Zhang, Mengxiao; Yang, Hui; Xie, Yueqing; Jiang, Hua; Feng, Lei; Lu, Huili; Zhu, Jianwei

    2018-07-01

    Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells are the most widely used mammalian hosts for recombinant protein production. However, by conventional random integration strategy, development of a high-expressing and stable recombinant CHO cell line has always been a difficult task due to the heterogenic insertion and its caused requirement of multiple rounds of selection. Site-specific integration of transgenes into CHO hot spots is an ideal strategy to overcome these challenges since it can generate isogenic cell lines with consistent productivity and stability. In this study, we investigated three sites with potential high transcriptional activities: C12orf35, HPRT, and GRIK1, to determine the possible transcriptional hot spots in CHO cells, and further construct a reliable site-specific integration strategy to develop recombinant cell lines efficiently. Genes encoding representative proteins mCherry and anti-PD1 monoclonal antibody were targeted into these three loci respectively through CRISPR/Cas9 technology. Stable cell lines were generated successfully after a single round of selection. In comparison with a random integration control, all the targeted integration cell lines showed higher productivity, among which C12orf35 locus was the most advantageous in both productivity and cell line stability. Binding affinity and N-glycan analysis of the antibody revealed that all batches of product were of similar quality independent on integrated sites. Deep sequencing demonstrated that there was low level of off-target mutations caused by CRISPR/Cas9, but none of them contributed to the development process of transgene cell lines. Our results demonstrated the feasibility of C12orf35 as the target site for exogenous gene integration, and strongly suggested that C12orf35 targeted integration mediated by CRISPR/Cas9 is a reliable strategy for the rapid development of recombinant CHO cell lines.

  16. Distinctive transforming genes in x-ray-transformed mammalian cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Borek, C.; Ong, A.; Mason, H.

    1987-01-01

    DNAs from hamster embryo cells and mouse C3H/10T1/2 cells transformed in vitro by x-irradiation into malignant cells transmit the radiation transformation phenotype by producing transformed colonies (transfectants) in two mouse recipient lines, the NIH 3T3 and C3H/101/2 cells, and in a rat cell line, the Rat-2 cells. DNAs from unirradiated cells or irradiated and visibly untransformed cells do not produce transformed colonies. The transfectant grow in agar and form tumors in nude mice. Treatment of the DNAs with restriction endonucleases prior to transfection indicates that the same transforming gene (oncogene) is present in each of the transformed mouse cells and is the same in each of the transformed hamster cells. Southern blot analysis of 3T3 or Rat-2 transfectants carrying oncogenes from radiation-transformed C3H/10T1/2 or hamster cells indicates that the oncogenes responsible for the transformation of 3T3 cells are not the Ki-ras, Ha-ras, N-ras genes, nor are they neu, trk, raf, abl, or fms. The work demonstrates that DNAs from mammalian cells transformed into malignancy by direct exposure in vitro to radiation contain genetic sequences with detectable transforming activity in three recipient cell lines. The results provide evidence that DNA is the target of radiation carcinogenesis induced at a cellular level in vitro. The experiments indicate that malignant radiogenic transformation in vitro of hamster embryo and mouse C3H/10T1/2 cells involves the activation of unique non-ras transforming genes, which heretofore have not been described

  17. Effect of an aminothiol (WR-1065) on radiation-induced mutagenesis and cytotoxicity in two repair-deficient mammalian cell lines

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Grdina, D.J.; Nagy, B.; Meechan, P.J.

    1991-01-01

    WR-2721 and its free thiol WR-1065 have been found to effectively protect against radiation- and/or chemotherapy-induced mutagenesis, transformation and carcinogenesis. With respect to the antimutagenic effect, WR-1065 significantly reduced the frequency of HGPRT mutants even when it was administered up to three hours following exposure of cells to radiation. The mechanisms of action most often attributed to these agents include their ability to scavenge free radicals, enter into chemical repair processes through the donation of hydrogen atoms, and induce intracellular hypoxia by means of auto-oxidative processes. Although evidence exists for each of these processes, none is sufficiently satisfactory to account for the post-irradiation protection of WR-1065 against mutation induction in mammalian cells. The most elegant work describing the role of aminothiols on cellular enzymatic repair processes has focused on well-characterized repair-proficient and -deficient bacterial and yeast cell systems. Protection against radiation-induced cytotoxicity by the aminothiol cysteamine was absent in E. coli cell lines that were characterized as having genetically defective repair systems. Until recently, such studies could not be effectively performed with mammalian cells. However, with the isolation and characterization of rodent cell lines deficient in their ability to repair DNA damage, it is now possible to investigate the role of cell-mediated repair systems on aminothiol radioprotection. Specifically, the authors have investigated the effects of WR-1065 on radiation-induced mutagenesis and cytotoxicity in cell lines EM9 and xrs-5, which are defective in DNA single-strand break (SSB) and double-strand break (DSB) rejoining, respectively. Corresponding parental repair-proficient cell lines, AA8 and K1, were also studied for comparative purposes. 26 refs., 5 figs., 2 tabs

  18. The Effects of Allicin, a Reactive Sulfur Species from Garlic, on a Selection of Mammalian Cell Lines

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Martin C. H. Gruhlke

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available Garlic (Allium sativum L. has been used as a spice and medicinal plant since ancient times. Garlic produces the thiol-reactive defence substance, allicin, upon wounding. The effects of allicin on human lung epithelium carcinoma (A549, mouse fibroblast (3T3, human umbilical vein endothelial cell (HUVEC, human colon carcinoma (HT29 and human breast cancer (MCF7 cell lines were tested. To estimate toxic effects of allicin, we used a standard MTT-test (methylthiazoltetrazolium for cell viability and 3H-thymidine incorporation for cell proliferation. The glutathione pool was measured using monobromobimane and the formation of reactive species was identified using 2′,7′-dichlorofluoresceine-diacetate. The YO-PRO-1 iodide staining procedure was used to estimate apoptosis. Allicin reduced cell viability and cell proliferation in a concentration dependent manner. In the bimane test, it was observed that cells treated with allicin showed reduced fluorescence, suggesting glutathione oxidation. The cell lines tested differed in sensitivity to allicin in regard to viability, cell proliferation and glutathione oxidation. The 3T3 and MCF-7 cells showed a higher proportion of apoptosis compared to the other cell types. These data show that mammalian cell lines differ in their sensitivity and responses to allicin.

  19. Understanding Mammalian Germ Line Development with In Vitro Models.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Martínez-Arroyo, Ana M; Míguez-Forján, Jose M; Remohí, Jose; Pellicer, Antonio; Medrano, Jose V

    2015-09-15

    Germ line development is crucial in organisms with sexual reproduction to complete their life cycle. In mammals, knowledge about germ line development is based mainly on the mouse model, in which genetic and epigenetic events are well described. However, little is known about how germ line development is orchestrated in humans, especially in the earliest stages. New findings derived from human in vitro models to obtain germ cells can shed light on these questions. This comprehensive review summarizes the current knowledge about mammalian germ line development, emphasizing the state of the art obtained from in vitro models for germ cell-like cell derivation. Current knowledge of the pluripotency cycle and germ cell specification has allowed different in vitro strategies to obtain germ cells with proven functionality in mouse models. Several reports during the last 10 years show that in vitro germ cell derivation with proven functionality to generate a healthy offspring is possible in mice. However, differences in the embryo development and pluripotency potential between human and mouse make it difficult to extrapolate these results. Further efforts on both human and mouse in vitro models to obtain germ cells from pluripotent stem cells may help to elucidate how human physiological events take place; therefore, therapeutic strategies can also be considered.

  20. Amino acids in the cultivation of mammalian cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Salazar, Andrew; Keusgen, Michael; von Hagen, Jörg

    2016-05-01

    Amino acids are crucial for the cultivation of mammalian cells. This importance of amino acids was realized soon after the development of the first cell lines, and a solution of a mixture of amino acids has been supplied to cultured cells ever since. The importance of amino acids is further pronounced in chemically defined mammalian cell culture media, making the consideration of their biological and chemical properties necessary. Amino acids concentrations have been traditionally adjusted to their cellular consumption rates. However, since changes in the metabolic equilibrium of amino acids can be caused by changes in extracellular concentrations, metabolomics in conjunction with flux balance analysis is being used in the development of culture media. The study of amino acid transporters is also gaining importance since they control the intracellular concentrations of these molecules and are influenced by conditions in cell culture media. A better understanding of the solubility, stability, dissolution kinetics, and interactions of these molecules is needed for an exploitation of these properties in the development of dry powdered chemically defined media for mammalian cells. Due to the complexity of these mixtures however, this has proven to be challenging. Studying amino acids in mammalian cell culture media will help provide a better understanding of how mammalian cells in culture interact with their environment. It would also provide insight into the chemical behavior of these molecules in solutions of complex mixtures, which is important in the understanding of the contribution of individual amino acids to protein structure.

  1. Expression of hepatitis C virus envelope protein 2 induces apoptosis in cultured mammalian cells

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    Li-Xin Zhu; Jing Liu; You-Hua Xie; Yu-Ying Kong; Ye Ye; Chun-Lin Wang; Guang-Di Li; Yuan Wang

    2004-01-01

    AIM: To explore the role of hepatitis C virus (HCV) envelope protein 2 (E2) in the induction of apoptosis.METHODS: A carboxyterminal truncated E2 (E2-661) was transiently expressed in several cultured mammalian cell lines or stably expressed in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO)cell line. Cell proliferation was assessed by 3H thymidine uptake. Apoptosis was examined by Hoechst 33258staining, flow cytometry and DNA fragmentation analysis.RESULTS: Reduced proliferation was readily observed in the E2-661 expressing cells. These cells manifested the typical features of apoptosis, including cell shrinkage,chromatin condensation and hypodiploid genomic DNA content. Similar apoptotic cell death was observed in an E2-661 stably expressing cell line.CONCLUSION: HCV E2 can induce apoptosis in cultured mammalian cells.

  2. Mammalian cell biology

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Elkind, M.M.

    1975-01-01

    Progress is reported on the following research projects: the effects of N-ethyl-maleimide and hydroxyurea on hamster cells in culture; sensitization of synchronized human cells to x rays by N-ethylmaleimide; sensitization of hypoxic mammalian cells with a sulfhydryl inhibitor; damage interaction due to ionizing and nonionizing radiation in mammalian cells; DNA damage relative to radioinduced cell killing; spurious photolability of DNA labeled with methyl- 14 C-thymidine; radioinduced malignant transformation of cultured mouse cells; a comparison of properties of uv and near uv light relative to cell function and DNA damage; Monte Carlo simulation of DNA damage and repair mechanisms; and radiobiology of fast neutrons

  3. Enhanced photo-transfection efficiency of mammalian cells on graphene coated substrates

    CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

    Mthunzi, P

    2014-02-01

    Full Text Available Literature reports graphene, an atomic-thick sheet of carbon atoms as one of the promising biocompatible scaffolds that promotes cellular proliferation in human mesenchymal stem cells. On the other hand, different mammalian cell lines including...

  4. Measurement of Heme Synthesis Levels in Mammalian Cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hooda, Jagmohan; Alam, Maksudul; Zhang, Li

    2015-07-09

    Heme serves as the prosthetic group for a wide variety of proteins known as hemoproteins, such as hemoglobin, myoglobin and cytochromes. It is involved in various molecular and cellular processes such as gene transcription, translation, cell differentiation and cell proliferation. The biosynthesis levels of heme vary across different tissues and cell types and is altered in diseased conditions such as anemia, neuropathy and cancer. This technique uses [4-(14)C] 5-aminolevulinic acid ([(14)C] 5-ALA), one of the early precursors in the heme biosynthesis pathway to measure the levels of heme synthesis in mammalian cells. This assay involves incubation of cells with [(14)C] 5-ALA followed by extraction of heme and measurement of the radioactivity incorporated into heme. This procedure is accurate and quick. This method measures the relative levels of heme biosynthesis rather than the total heme content. To demonstrate the use of this technique the levels of heme biosynthesis were measured in several mammalian cell lines.

  5. Transgenic Chinese hamster V79 cell lines which exhibit variable levels of gpt mutagenesis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Klein, C.B.; Rossman, T.G.

    1990-01-01

    The Escherichia coli gpt gene coding for xanthine-guanine phosphoribosyl transferase has been stably transfected into HPRT - Chinese hamster V79 cells. Several gpt - cell lines have been established, which retain the sequence(s) even after long-term culture without selection for gpt. While spontaneous mutagenesis to gpt - occurs rather frequently for most cell lines, it cannot be correlated with either the number of plasmid integration sites or deletion of the plasmid sequence(s). One transgenic cell line (g12), which continuously maintains a low spontaneous mutation frequency was used in comparative mutagenesis studies with wild-type V79 cells (gpt vs. hprt). Alkylating agents such as N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG) and β-propiolactone (BPL) are shown to be equally toxic and mutagenic in both g12 and V79 cells. UV and X-rays are also equally toxic to both cell lines. The data presented here suggests that g12 cells may be useful to study mammalian mutagenesis by agents which yield limited response at the hprt locus

  6. Heavy ion effects on mammalian cells: Inactivation measurements with different cell lines

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wulf, H.; Kraft-Weyrather, W.; Miltenburger, H.G.; Kraft, G.

    1985-07-01

    In track segment experiments, the inactivation of different mammalian cells by heavy charged particles between helium and uranium in the energy range between 1 and 1000 MeV/u has been measured at the heavy ion accelerator Unilac, Darmstadt, the Tandem Van de Graaf, Heidelberg and the Bevalac, Berkeley. The inactivation cross sections calculated from the final slope of the dose effect curves are given as a function of the particle energy and the LET. (orig.)

  7. Mammalian cell biology

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Anon.

    1976-01-01

    Progress is reported on studies of the molecular biology and functional changes in cultured mammalian cells following exposure to x radiation, uv radiation, fission neutrons, or various chemical environmental pollutants alone or in combinations. Emphasis was placed on the separate and combined effects of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons released during combustion of fossil fuels and ionizing and nonionizing radiations. Sun lamps, which emit a continuous spectrum of near ultraviolet light of 290 nm to 315 nm were used for studies of predictive cell killing due to sunlight. Results showed that exposure to uv light (254 nm) may not be adequate to predict effects produced by sunlight. Data are included from studies on single-strand breaks and repair in DNA of cultured hamster cells exposed to uv or nearultraviolet light. The possible interactions of the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)-anthracene (DmBA) alone or combined with exposure to x radiation, uv radiation (254 nm) or near ultraviolet simulating sunlight were compared for effects on cell survival

  8. Toxicity assessment of metoprolol and its photodegradation mixtures obtained by using different type of TiO{sub 2} catalysts in the mammalian cell lines

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Četojević-Simin, Dragana D., E-mail: ddaaggeerr@gmail.com [University of Novi Sad, Faculty of Medicine, Oncology Institute of Vojvodina, Dr Goldmana 4, 21204 Sremska Kamenica (Serbia); Armaković, Sanja J., E-mail: sanja.armakovic@dh.uns.ac.rs [University of Novi Sad, Faculty of Sciences, Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Environmental Protection, Trg D. Obradovića 3, 21000 Novi Sad (Serbia); Šojić, Daniela V., E-mail: daniela.sojic@dh.uns.ac.rs [University of Novi Sad, Faculty of Sciences, Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Environmental Protection, Trg D. Obradovića 3, 21000 Novi Sad (Serbia); Abramović, Biljana F., E-mail: biljana.abramovic@dh.uns.ac.rs [University of Novi Sad, Faculty of Sciences, Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Environmental Protection, Trg D. Obradovića 3, 21000 Novi Sad (Serbia)

    2013-10-01

    Toxicity of metoprolol (MET) alone and in mixtures with its photocatalytic degradation intermediates obtained by using TiO{sub 2} Wackherr and Degussa P25 under UV irradiation in the presence of O{sub 2} was evaluated in vitro in a panel of three histologically different cell lines: rat hepatoma (H-4-II-E), human colon adenocarcinoma (HT-29) and human fetal lung (MRC-5). Both catalysts promoted a time-dependent increase in the toxicity of the photodegradation products, and those obtained using Degussa P25 photocatalyst were more toxic. The most pronounced and selective toxic action of MET and products of its photodegradation was observed in the hepatic cell line. The higher toxicity of the mixtures obtained using Degussa P25 catalyst could be explained by a different mechanism of MET degradation, i.e. by the presence or higher concentrations of some intermediates. Although the concentrations of intermediates obtained using TiO{sub 2} Wackherr catalyst were higher, they did not affect significantly the growth of the examined cell lines, indicating their lower toxicity. This suggests that a treatment aiming at complete mineralization should be performed bearing in mind that the type of catalyst, the concentration of target molecule, and the duration of the process are significant factors that determine the nature and toxicity of the resulting mixtures. Although the EC{sub 50} values of MET obtained in mammalian cell lines were higher compared to the bioassays for lower trophic levels, the time-dependent promotion of toxicity of degradation mixtures should be attributed to the higher sensitivity of mammalian cell bioassays. - Highlights: • Toxicity study of metoprolol and its photocatalytic degradation mixtures • Toxicity evaluation in vitro in H-4-II-E, HT-29 and MRC-5 cell lines • TiO{sub 2} Wackherr and Degussa P25 promoted a time-dependent increase in toxicity. • The higher toxicity of degradation mixtures obtained using Degussa P25 • Most pronounced and

  9. The Influence of LINE-1 and SINE Retrotransposons on Mammalian Genomes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Richardson, Sandra R; Doucet, Aurélien J; Kopera, Huira C; Moldovan, John B; Garcia-Perez, José Luis; Moran, John V

    2015-04-01

    Transposable elements have had a profound impact on the structure and function of mammalian genomes. The retrotransposon Long INterspersed Element-1 (LINE-1 or L1), by virtue of its replicative mobilization mechanism, comprises ∼17% of the human genome. Although the vast majority of human LINE-1 sequences are inactive molecular fossils, an estimated 80-100 copies per individual retain the ability to mobilize by a process termed retrotransposition. Indeed, LINE-1 is the only active, autonomous retrotransposon in humans and its retrotransposition continues to generate both intra-individual and inter-individual genetic diversity. Here, we briefly review the types of transposable elements that reside in mammalian genomes. We will focus our discussion on LINE-1 retrotransposons and the non-autonomous Short INterspersed Elements (SINEs) that rely on the proteins encoded by LINE-1 for their mobilization. We review cases where LINE-1-mediated retrotransposition events have resulted in genetic disease and discuss how the characterization of these mutagenic insertions led to the identification of retrotransposition-competent LINE-1s in the human and mouse genomes. We then discuss how the integration of molecular genetic, biochemical, and modern genomic technologies have yielded insight into the mechanism of LINE-1 retrotransposition, the impact of LINE-1-mediated retrotransposition events on mammalian genomes, and the host cellular mechanisms that protect the genome from unabated LINE-1-mediated retrotransposition events. Throughout this review, we highlight unanswered questions in LINE-1 biology that provide exciting opportunities for future research. Clearly, much has been learned about LINE-1 and SINE biology since the publication of Mobile DNA II thirteen years ago. Future studies should continue to yield exciting discoveries about how these retrotransposons contribute to genetic diversity in mammalian genomes.

  10. Binucleate cell formation correlates to loss of colony-forming ability in X-irradiated cultured mammalian cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sasaki, H.; Yoshinaga, H.; Kura, S.

    1986-01-01

    The relationship between binucleate cell formation and the loss of colony-forming ability was examined in several cultured mammalian cell lines irradiated with X rays. The maximum fraction of binucleate cells after X irradiation increased dose-dependently within the range in which reproductive cell death might predominate over interphase cell death. When the logarithm of percentage survival was plotted against the percentage binucleate cells, a similar correlation was found for all cell lines tested, with the exception of mouse leukemia L5178Y cells, the most radiosensitive cells used. These observations suggest that the fraction of binucleate cells in the cell population can serve as a measure of cellular radiation damage

  11. Mammalian cell biology

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Elkind, M.M.

    1979-01-01

    This section contains summaries of research on mechanisms of lethality and radioinduced changes in mammalian cell properties, new cell systems for the study of the biology of mutation and neoplastic transformation, and comparative properties of ionizing radiations

  12. Global Screening of Antiviral Genes that Suppress Baculovirus Transgene Expression in Mammalian Cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Chia-Hung; Naik, Nenavath Gopal; Liao, Lin-Li; Wei, Sung-Chan; Chao, Yu-Chan

    2017-09-15

    Although baculovirus has been used as a safe and convenient gene delivery vector in mammalian cells, baculovirus-mediated transgene expression is less effective in various mammalian cell lines. Identification of the negative regulators in host cells is necessary to improve baculovirus-based expression systems. Here, we performed high-throughput shRNA library screening, targeting 176 antiviral innate immune genes, and identified 43 host restriction factor genes in a human A549 lung carcinoma cell line. Among them, suppression of receptor interaction protein kinase 1 (RIP1, also known as RIPK1) significantly increased baculoviral transgene expression without resulting in significant cell death. Silencing of RIP1 did not affect viral entry or cell viability, but it did inhibit nuclear translocation of the IRF3 and NF-κB transcription factors. Also, activation of downstream signaling mediators (such as TBK1 and IRF7) was affected, and subsequent interferon and cytokine gene expression levels were abolished. Further, Necrostatin-1 (Nec-1)-an inhibitor of RIP1 kinase activity-dramatically increased baculoviral transgene expression in RIP1-silenced cells. Using baculovirus as a model system, this study presents an initial investigation of large numbers of human cell antiviral innate immune response factors against a "nonadaptive virus." In addition, our study has made baculovirus a more efficient gene transfer vector for some of the most frequently used mammalian cell systems.

  13. Application of recombinant fluorescent mammalian cells as a toxicity biosensor.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, E J; Lee, Y; Lee, J E; Gu, M B

    2002-01-01

    With respect to developing a more sensitive biosensor, a recombinant fluorescent Chinese Hamster Ovary cell line was used for the monitoring of various toxicants. Both cell lines, EFC-500 and KFC-A10, were able to detect toxicants sensitively. They were characterized with mitomycin C and gamma-ray as genotoxicants and bisphenol A, nonylphenol, ziram and methyl bromide as possible and known EDCs. When compared to each other, the response of KFC-A10 was generally more informative and sensitive. Compared to typical bacterial biosensor systems, these cell lines offered a sensitivity of 2- to 50-fold greater for the tested chemicals. Based on these results, the use of mammalian cells offers a sensitive biosensor system that is not only fast, cheap and reproducible but also capable of monitoring the endocrine-like characteristics of environmental toxicants.

  14. The use of 'Omics technology to rationally improve industrial mammalian cell line performance.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lewis, Amanda M; Abu-Absi, Nicholas R; Borys, Michael C; Li, Zheng Jian

    2016-01-01

    Biologics represent an increasingly important class of therapeutics, with 7 of the 10 top selling drugs from 2013 being in this class. Furthermore, health authority approval of biologics in the immuno-oncology space is expected to transform treatment of patients with debilitating and deadly diseases. The growing importance of biologics in the healthcare field has also resulted in the recent approvals of several biosimilars. These recent developments, combined with pressure to provide treatments at lower costs to payers, are resulting in increasing need for the industry to quickly and efficiently develop high yielding, robust processes for the manufacture of biologics with the ability to control quality attributes within narrow distributions. Achieving this level of manufacturing efficiency and the ability to design processes capable of regulating growth, death and other cellular pathways through manipulation of media, feeding strategies, and other process parameters will undoubtedly be facilitated through systems biology tools generated in academic and public research communities. Here we discuss the intersection of systems biology, 'Omics technologies, and mammalian bioprocess sciences. Specifically, we address how these methods in conjunction with traditional monitoring techniques represent a unique opportunity to better characterize and understand host cell culture state, shift from an empirical to rational approach to process development and optimization of bioreactor cultivation processes. We summarize the following six key areas: (i) research applied to parental, non-recombinant cell lines; (ii) systems level datasets generated with recombinant cell lines; (iii) datasets linking phenotypic traits to relevant biomarkers; (iv) data depositories and bioinformatics tools; (v) in silico model development, and (vi) examples where these approaches have been used to rationally improve cellular processes. We critically assess relevant and state of the art research

  15. Engineered Trehalose Permeable to Mammalian Cells.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alireza Abazari

    Full Text Available Trehalose is a naturally occurring disaccharide which is associated with extraordinary stress-tolerance capacity in certain species of unicellular and multicellular organisms. In mammalian cells, presence of intra- and extracellular trehalose has been shown to confer improved tolerance against freezing and desiccation. Since mammalian cells do not synthesize nor import trehalose, the development of novel methods for efficient intracellular delivery of trehalose has been an ongoing investigation. Herein, we studied the membrane permeability of engineered lipophilic derivatives of trehalose. Trehalose conjugated with 6 acetyl groups (trehalose hexaacetate or 6-O-Ac-Tre demonstrated superior permeability in rat hepatocytes compared with regular trehalose, trehalose diacetate (2-O-Ac-Tre and trehalose tetraacetate (4-O-Ac-Tre. Once in the cell, intracellular esterases hydrolyzed the 6-O-Ac-Tre molecules, releasing free trehalose into the cytoplasm. The total concentration of intracellular trehalose (plus acetylated variants reached as high as 10 fold the extracellular concentration of 6-O-Ac-Tre, attaining concentrations suitable for applications in biopreservation. To describe this accumulation phenomenon, a diffusion-reaction model was proposed and the permeability and reaction kinetics of 6-O-Ac-Tre were determined by fitting to experimental data. Further studies suggested that the impact of the loading and the presence of intracellular trehalose on cellular viability and function were negligible. Engineering of trehalose chemical structure rather than manipulating the cell, is an innocuous, cell-friendly method for trehalose delivery, with demonstrated potential for trehalose loading in different types of cells and cell lines, and can facilitate the wide-spread application of trehalose as an intracellular protective agent in biopreservation studies.

  16. A versatile system for USER cloning-based assembly of expression vectors for mammalian cell engineering.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anne Mathilde Lund

    Full Text Available A new versatile mammalian vector system for protein production, cell biology analyses, and cell factory engineering was developed. The vector system applies the ligation-free uracil-excision based technique--USER cloning--to rapidly construct mammalian expression vectors of multiple DNA fragments and with maximum flexibility, both for choice of vector backbone and cargo. The vector system includes a set of basic vectors and a toolbox containing a multitude of DNA building blocks including promoters, terminators, selectable marker- and reporter genes, and sequences encoding an internal ribosome entry site, cellular localization signals and epitope- and purification tags. Building blocks in the toolbox can be easily combined as they contain defined and tested Flexible Assembly Sequence Tags, FASTs. USER cloning with FASTs allows rapid swaps of gene, promoter or selection marker in existing plasmids and simple construction of vectors encoding proteins, which are fused to fluorescence-, purification-, localization-, or epitope tags. The mammalian expression vector assembly platform currently allows for the assembly of up to seven fragments in a single cloning step with correct directionality and with a cloning efficiency above 90%. The functionality of basic vectors for FAST assembly was tested and validated by transient expression of fluorescent model proteins in CHO, U-2-OS and HEK293 cell lines. In this test, we included many of the most common vector elements for heterologous gene expression in mammalian cells, in addition the system is fully extendable by other users. The vector system is designed to facilitate high-throughput genome-scale studies of mammalian cells, such as the newly sequenced CHO cell lines, through the ability to rapidly generate high-fidelity assembly of customizable gene expression vectors.

  17. Biologic activity of the novel small molecule STAT3 inhibitor LLL12 against canine osteosarcoma cell lines

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Couto Jason I

    2012-12-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background STAT3 [1] has been shown to be dysregulated in nearly every major cancer, including osteosarcoma (OS. Constitutive activation of STAT3, via aberrant phosphorylation, leads to proliferation, cell survival and resistance to apoptosis. The present study sought to characterize the biologic activity of a novel allosteric STAT3 inhibitor, LLL12, in canine OS cell lines. Results We evaluated the effects of LLL12 treatment on 4 canine OS cell lines and found that LLL12 inhibited proliferation, induced apoptosis, reduced STAT3 phosphorylation, and decreased the expression of several transcriptional targets of STAT3 in these cells. Lastly, LLL12 exhibited synergistic anti-proliferative activity with the chemotherapeutic doxorubicin in the OS lines. Conclusion LLL12 exhibits biologic activity against canine OS cell lines through inhibition of STAT3 related cellular functions supporting its potential use as a novel therapy for OS.

  18. Arctigenin from Fructus Arctii is a novel suppressor of heat shock response in mammalian cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ishihara, Keiichi; Yamagishi, Nobuyuki; Saito, Youhei; Takasaki, Midori; Konoshima, Takao; Hatayama, Takumi

    2006-01-01

    Because heat shock proteins (Hsps) are involved in protecting cells and in the pathophysiology of diseases such as inflammation, cancer, and neurodegenerative disorders, the use of regulators of the expression of Hsps in mammalian cells seems to be useful as a potential therapeutic modality. To identify compounds that modulate the response to heat shock, we analyzed several natural products using a mammalian cell line containing an hsp promoter-regulated reporter gene. In this study, we found that an extract from Fructus Arctii markedly suppressed the expression of Hsp induced by heat shock. A component of the extract arctigenin, but not the component arctiin, suppressed the response at the level of the activation of heat shock transcription factor, the induction of mRNA, and the synthesis and accumulation of Hsp. Furthermore, arctigenin inhibited the acquisition of thermotolerance in mammalian cells, including cancer cells. Thus, arctigenin seemed to be a new suppressive regulator of heat shock response in mammalian cells, and may be useful for hyperthermia cancer therapy. PMID:16817321

  19. Application of the inter-line PCR for the analyse of genomic rearrangements in radiation-transformed mammalian cell lines; Anwendung der Inter-Line PCR zur Analyse von genomischen Veraenderungen in strahlentransformierten Saeugerzellinien

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Leibhard, S.; Smida, J. [Muenchen Univ. (Germany). Strahlenbiologisches Inst.; Eckardt-Schupp, F.; Hieber, L. [GSF-Inst. fuer Strahlenbiologie, Oberschleissheim (Germany)

    1996-12-31

    Repetitive DNA sequences of the LINE-family (long interspersed elements) that are widely distributed among the mammalian genome can be activated or altered by the exposure to ionizing radiation [1]. By the integration at new sites in the genome alterations in the expression of genes that are involved in cell transformation and/or carcinogenesis may occur [2, 3]. A new technique - the inter-LINE PCR - has been developed in order to detect and analyse such genomic rearrangements in radiation-transformed cell lines. From the sites of transformation- or tumour-specific changes in the genome it might be possible to develop new tumour markers for diagnostic purpose. (orig.) [Deutsch] Repetitive DNA-Sequenzen der LINE-Familie, die weit verbreitet im Genom von Saeugerzellen vorkommen, koennen durch Exposition mit ionisierender Strahlung aktiviert und veraendert werden [1]. Durch eine Neu- bzw. Reintegration an anderen Positionen im Genom kann es zu bedeutenden Veraenderungen im Genom der Zelle kommen. Die Expression von Genen, die bei den Prozessen der Zelltransformation bzw. der Karzinogenese beteiligt sind, kann dadurch veraendert werden [2, 3]. Mithilfe der von uns entwickelten Inter-LINE PCR und der anschliessenden Analyse der veraenderten Produktmuster nach gelelektrophoretischer Auftrennung koennen solche `genomic rearrangements` unter Beteiligung von LINE-Elementen untersucht und naeher charakterisiert werden. Durch Klonierung und Sequenzierung transformations- bzw. tumorspezifischer PCR-Produkte sollte es moeglich sein Tumormarker fuer diagnostische Zwecke zu entwickeln. Die Methode wurde fuer die Analyse von Zellen des Syrischen Hamster aufgebaut, sie ist jedoch universell fuer alle Saeuger anwendbar. (orig.)

  20. Cell damage evaluation of mammalian cells in cell manipulation by amplified femtosecond ytterbium laser

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hong, Z.-Y.; Iino, T.; Hagihara, H.; Maeno, T.; Okano, K.; Yasukuni, R.; Hosokawa, Y.

    2018-03-01

    A micrometer-scale explosion with cavitation bubble generation is induced by focusing a femtosecond laser in an aqueous solution. We have proposed to apply the explosion as an impulsive force to manipulate mammalian cells especially in microfluidic chip. Herein, we employed an amplified femtosecond ytterbium laser as an excitation source for the explosion and evaluated cell damage in the manipulation process to clarify the application potential. The damage of C2C12 myoblast cell prepared as a representative mammalian cell was investigated as a function of distance between cell and laser focal point. Although the cell received strong damage on the direct laser irradiation condition, the damage sharply decreased with increasing distance. Since the threshold distance, above which the cell had no damage, was consistent with radius of the cavitation bubble, impact of the cavitation bubble would be a critical factor for the cell damage. The damage had strong nonlinearity in the pulse energy dependence. On the other hand, cell position shift by the impact of the cavitation bubble was almost proportional to the pulse energy. In balance between the cell viability and the cell position shift, we elucidated controllability of the cell manipulation in microfluidic chip.

  1. BRCA1/2 mutation analysis in 41 ovarian cell lines reveals only one functionally deleterious BRCA1 mutation.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Stordal, Britta

    2013-06-01

    Mutations in BRCA1\\/2 increase the risk of developing breast and ovarian cancer. Germline BRCA1\\/2 mutations occur in 8.6-13.7% of unselected epithelial ovarian cancers, somatic mutations are also frequent. BRCA1\\/2 mutated or dysfunctional cells may be sensitive to PARP inhibition by synthetic lethality. The aim of this study is to comprehensively characterise the BRCA1\\/2 status of a large panel of ovarian cancer cell lines available to the research community to assist in biomarker studies of novel drugs and in particular of PARP inhibitors. The BRCA1\\/2 genes were sequenced in 41 ovarian cell lines, mRNA expression of BRCA1\\/2 and gene methylation status of BRCA1 was also examined. The cytotoxicity of PARP inhibitors olaparib and veliparib was examined in 20 cell lines. The cell line SNU-251 has a deleterious BRCA1 mutation at 5564G > A, and is the only deleterious BRCA1\\/2 mutant in the panel. Two cell lines (UPN-251 and PEO1) had deleterious mutations as well as additional reversion mutations that restored the protein functionality. Heterozygous mutations in BRCA1\\/2 were relatively common, found in 14.6% of cell lines. BRCA1 was methylated in two cell lines (OVCAR8, A1847) and there was a corresponding decrease in gene expression. The BRCA1 methylated cell lines were more sensitive to PARP inhibition than wild-type cells. The SNU-251 deleterious mutant was more sensitive to PARP inhibition, but only in a long-term exposure to correct for its slow growth rate. Cell lines derived from metastatic disease are significantly more resistant to veliparib (2.0 fold p = 0.03) compared to those derived from primary tumours. Resistance to olaparib and veliparib was correlated Pearsons-R 0.5393, p = 0.0311. The incidence of BRCA1\\/2 deleterious mutations 1\\/41 cell lines derived from 33 different patients (3.0%) is much lower than the population incidence. The reversion mutations and high frequency of heterozygous mutations suggest that there is a selective

  2. The use of a cloned bacterial gene to study mutation in mammalian cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Thacker, J.; Debenham, P.G.; Stretch, A.; Webb, M.B.T.

    1983-01-01

    The recombinant DNA molecule pSV2-gpt, which contains the bacterial gene coding for xanthine-guanine phosphoribosyl transferase (XGPRT) activity, was introduced into a hamster cell line lacking the equivalent mammalian enzyme (HGPRT). Hamster cell sublines were found with stable expression of XGPRT activity and were used to study mutation of the integrated pSV2-gpt DNA sequence. Mutants were selected by their resistance to 6-thioguanine (TG) under optimal conditions which were found to be very similar to those for selection of HGPRT-deficient mutants of mammalian cells. The frequency of XGPRT-deficient mutants was increased by treatment with X-rays, ethyl methanesulphonate and ethyl nitrosourea. X-Ray induction of mutants increased approximately linearly with dose up to about 500 rad, but the frequency of mutants per rad was very much higher than that usually found for 'native' mammalian genes. (orig./AJ)

  3. The Yersinia pseudotuberculosis and Yersinia pestis toxin complex is active against cultured mammalian cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hares, Michelle C; Hinchliffe, Stewart J; Strong, Philippa C R; Eleftherianos, Ioannis; Dowling, Andrea J; ffrench-Constant, Richard H; Waterfield, Nick

    2008-11-01

    The toxin complex (Tc) genes were first identified in the insect pathogen Photorhabdus luminescens and encode approximately 1 MDa protein complexes which are toxic to insect pests. Subsequent genome sequencing projects have revealed the presence of tc orthologues in a range of bacterial pathogens known to be associated with insects. Interestingly, members of the mammalian-pathogenic yersiniae have also been shown to encode Tc orthologues. Studies in Yersinia enterocolitica have shown that divergent tc loci either encode insect-active toxins or play a role in colonization of the gut in gastroenteritis models of rats. So far little is known about the activity of the Tc proteins in the other mammalian-pathogenic yersiniae. Here we present work to suggest that Tc proteins in Yersinia pseudotuberculosis and Yersinia pestis are not insecticidal toxins but have evolved for mammalian pathogenicity. We show that Tc is secreted by Y. pseudotuberculosis strain IP32953 during growth in media at 28 degrees C and 37 degrees C. We also demonstrate that oral toxicity of strain IP32953 to Manduca sexta larvae is not due to Tc expression and that lysates of Escherichia coli BL21 expressing the Yersinia Tc proteins are not toxic to Sf9 insect cells but are toxic to cultured mammalian cell lines. Cell lysates of E. coli BL21 expressing the Y. pseudotuberculosis Tc proteins caused actin ruffles, vacuoles and multi-nucleation in cultured human gut cells (Caco-2); similar morphology was observed after application of a lysate of E. coli BL21 expressing the Y. pestis Tc proteins to mouse fibroblast NIH3T3 cells, but not Caco-2 cells. Finally, transient expression of the individual Tc proteins in Caco-2 and NIH3T3 cell lines reproduced the actin and nuclear rearrangement observed with the topical applications. Together these results add weight to the growing hypothesis that the Tc proteins in Y. pseudotuberculosis and Y. pestis have been adapted for mammalian pathogenicity. We further

  4. Homogenization of Mammalian Cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Araújo, Mariana E G; Lamberti, Giorgia; Huber, Lukas A

    2015-11-02

    Homogenization is the name given to the methodological steps necessary for releasing organelles and other cellular constituents as a free suspension of intact individual components. Most homogenization procedures used for mammalian cells (e.g., cavitation pump and Dounce homogenizer) rely on mechanical force to break the plasma membrane and may be supplemented with osmotic or temperature alterations to facilitate membrane disruption. In this protocol, we describe a syringe-based homogenization method that does not require specialized equipment, is easy to handle, and gives reproducible results. The method may be adapted for cells that require hypotonic shock before homogenization. We routinely use it as part of our workflow to isolate endocytic organelles from mammalian cells. © 2015 Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press.

  5. Apple derived cellulose scaffolds for 3D mammalian cell culture.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Daniel J Modulevsky

    Full Text Available There are numerous approaches for producing natural and synthetic 3D scaffolds that support the proliferation of mammalian cells. 3D scaffolds better represent the natural cellular microenvironment and have many potential applications in vitro and in vivo. Here, we demonstrate that 3D cellulose scaffolds produced by decellularizing apple hypanthium tissue can be employed for in vitro 3D culture of NIH3T3 fibroblasts, mouse C2C12 muscle myoblasts and human HeLa epithelial cells. We show that these cells can adhere, invade and proliferate in the cellulose scaffolds. In addition, biochemical functionalization or chemical cross-linking can be employed to control the surface biochemistry and/or mechanical properties of the scaffold. The cells retain high viability even after 12 continuous weeks of culture and can achieve cell densities comparable with other natural and synthetic scaffold materials. Apple derived cellulose scaffolds are easily produced, inexpensive and originate from a renewable source. Taken together, these results demonstrate that naturally derived cellulose scaffolds offer a complementary approach to existing techniques for the in vitro culture of mammalian cells in a 3D environment.

  6. InXy and SeXy, compact heterologous reporter proteins for mammalian cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fluri, David A; Kelm, Jens M; Lesage, Guillaume; Baba, Marie Daoud-El; Fussenegger, Martin

    2007-10-15

    Mammalian reporter proteins are essential for gene-function analysis, drugscreening initiatives and as model product proteins for biopharmaceutical manufacturing. Bacillus subtilis can maintain its metabolism by secreting Xylanase A (XynA), which converts xylan into shorter xylose oligosaccharides. XynA is a family 11 xylanase monospecific for D-xylose containing substrates. Mammalian cells transgenic for constitutive expression of wild-type xynA showed substantial secretion of this prokaryotic enzyme. Deletion analysis confirmed that a prokaryotic signal sequence encoded within the first 81 nucleotides was compatible with the secretory pathway of mammalian cells. Codon optimization combined with elimination of the prokaryotic signal sequence resulted in an exclusively intracellular mammalian Xylanase A variant (InXy) while replacement by an immunoglobulin-derived secretion signal created an optimal secreted Xylanase A derivative (SeXy). A variety of chromogenic and fluorescence-based assays adapted for use with mammalian cells detected InXy and SeXy with high sensitivity and showed that both reporter proteins resisted repeated freeze/thaw cycles, remained active over wide temperature and pH ranges, were extremely stable in human serum stored at room temperature and could independently be quantified in samples also containing other prominent reporter proteins such as the human placental alkaline phosphatase (SEAP) and the Bacillus stearothermophilus-derived secreted alpha-amylase (SAMY). Glycoprofiling revealed that SeXy produced in mammalian cells was N- glycosylated at four different sites, mutation of which resulted in impaired secretion. SeXy was successfully expressed in a variety of mammalian cell lines and primary cells following transient transfection and transduction with adeno-associated virus particles (AAV) engineered for constitutive SeXy expression. Intramuscular injection of transgenic AAVs into mice showed significant SeXy levels in the bloodstream

  7. Estimation of relative biological effectiveness for low energy protons using cytogenetic end points in mammalian cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bhat, N.N.; Nairy, Rajesh; Chaurasia, Rajesh; Desai, Utkarsha; Shirsath, K.B.; Anjaria, K.B.; Sreedevi, B.

    2013-01-01

    A facility has been designed and developed to facilitate irradiation of biological samples to proton beam using folded tandem ion accelerator (FOTIA) at BARC. The primary proton beam from the accelerator was diffused using gold foil and channelled through a drift tube. Scattered beam was monitored and calibrated. Uniformity and dosimetry studies were conducted to calibrate the setup for precise irradiation of mammalian cells. Irradiation conditions and geometry were optimized for mammalian cells and other biological samples in thin layer. The irradiation facility is housed in a clean air laminar flow to help exposure of samples in aseptic conditions. The set up has been used for studying various radiobiological endpoints in many biological model systems. CHO, MCF-7, A-549 and INT-407 cell lines were studied in the present investigation using micronucleus (MN) induction as an indicator of radiation damage. The mammalian cells grown on petri plates to about 40 % confluence (log phase) were exposed to proton beam of known doses in the range of 0.1 to 2 Gy. The dose estimation was done based on specific ionization in cell medium. Studies were also conducted using 60 Co gamma radiation to compare the results. Linear quadratic response was observed for all the cell lines when exposed to 60 Co gamma radiation. In contrast, linear response was observed for proton beam. In addition, very significant increase in the MN yield was observed for proton beam compared to 60 Co gamma radiation. Estimated α and β values for CHO cells is found to be 0.02±0.003 Gy-1 and 0.042±0.006 Gy-2 respectively for 60 Co gamma radiation. For proton beam, estimated α for linear fit is found to be 0.37±0.011 Gy-1. Estimated RBE was found to be in the range of 4-8 for all the cell lines and dose ranges studied. In conclusion, the proton irradiation facility developed for mammalian cells has helped to study various radiobiological endpoints. In this presentation, facility description, MN as

  8. The ciliary margin zone of the mammalian retina generates retinal ganglion cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marcucci, Florencia; Murcia-Belmonte, Veronica; Coca, Yaiza; Ferreiro-Galve, Susana; Wang, Qing; Kuwajima, Takaaki; Khalid, Sania; Ross, M. Elizabeth; Herrera, Eloisa; Mason, Carol

    2016-01-01

    Summary The retina of lower vertebrates grows continuously by integrating new neurons generated from progenitors in the ciliary margin zone (CMZ). Whether the mammalian CMZ provides the neural retina with retinal cells is controversial. Live-imaging of embryonic retina expressing eGFP in the CMZ shows that cells migrate laterally from the CMZ to the neural retina where differentiated retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) reside. As Cyclin D2, a cell-cycle regulator, is enriched in ventral CMZ, we analyzed Cyclin D2−/− mice to test whether the CMZ is a source of retinal cells. Neurogenesis is diminished in Cyclin D2 mutants, leading to a reduction of RGCs in the ventral retina. In line with these findings, in the albino retina, the decreased production of ipsilateral RGCs is correlated with fewer Cyclin D2+ cells. Together, these results implicate the mammalian CMZ as a neurogenic site that produces RGCs and whose proper generation depends on Cyclin D2 activity. PMID:28009286

  9. Analysis of Mammalian Cell Proliferation and Macromolecule Synthesis Using Deuterated Water and Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Victoria C. Foletta

    2016-10-01

    Full Text Available Deuterated water (2H2O, a stable isotopic tracer, provides a convenient and reliable way to label multiple cellular biomass components (macromolecules, thus permitting the calculation of their synthesis rates. Here, we have combined 2H2O labelling, GC-MS analysis and a novel cell fractionation method to extract multiple biomass components (DNA, protein and lipids from the one biological sample, thus permitting the simultaneous measurement of DNA (cell proliferation, protein and lipid synthesis rates. We have used this approach to characterize the turnover rates and metabolism of a panel of mammalian cells in vitro (muscle C2C12 and colon cancer cell lines. Our data show that in actively-proliferating cells, biomass synthesis rates are strongly linked to the rate of cell division. Furthermore, in both proliferating and non-proliferating cells, it is the lipid pool that undergoes the most rapid turnover when compared to DNA and protein. Finally, our data in human colon cancer cell lines reveal a marked heterogeneity in the reliance on the de novo lipogenic pathway, with the cells being dependent on both ‘self-made’ and exogenously-derived fatty acid.

  10. Pheochromocytoma (PC12 Cell Response on Mechanobactericidal Titanium Surfaces

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jason V. Wandiyanto

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available Titanium is a biocompatible material that is frequently used for making implantable medical devices. Nanoengineering of the surface is the common method for increasing material biocompatibility, and while the nanostructured materials are well-known to represent attractive substrata for eukaryotic cells, very little information has been documented about the interaction between mammalian cells and bactericidal nanostructured surfaces. In this study, we investigated the effect of bactericidal titanium nanostructures on PC12 cell attachment and differentiation—a cell line which has become a widely used in vitro model to study neuronal differentiation. The effects of the nanostructures on the cells were then compared to effects observed when the cells were placed in contact with non-structured titanium. It was found that bactericidal nanostructured surfaces enhanced the attachment of neuron-like cells. In addition, the PC12 cells were able to differentiate on nanostructured surfaces, while the cells on non-structured surfaces were not able to do so. These promising results demonstrate the potential application of bactericidal nanostructured surfaces in biomedical applications such as cochlear and neuronal implants.

  11. A Versatile System for USER Cloning-Based Assembly of Expression Vectors for Mammalian Cell Engineering

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lund, Anne Mathilde; Kildegaard, Helene Faustrup; Petersen, Maja Borup Kjær

    2014-01-01

    , in addition the system is fully extendable by other users. The vector system is designed to facilitate high-throughput genome-scale studies of mammalian cells, such as the newly sequenced CHO cell lines, through the ability to rapidly generate high-fidelity assembly of customizable gene expression vectors....

  12. How the Venom from the Ectoparasitoid Wasp Nasonia vitripennis Exhibits Anti-Inflammatory Properties on Mammalian Cell Lines

    Science.gov (United States)

    Danneels, Ellen L.; Gerlo, Sarah; Heyninck, Karen; Van Craenenbroeck, Kathleen; De Bosscher, Karolien; Haegeman, Guy; de Graaf, Dirk C.

    2014-01-01

    With more than 150,000 species, parasitoids are a large group of hymenopteran insects that inject venom into and then lay their eggs in or on other insects, eventually killing the hosts. Their venoms have evolved into different mechanisms for manipulating host immunity, physiology and behavior in such a way that enhance development of the parasitoid young. The venom from the ectoparasitoid Nasonia vitripennis inhibits the immune system in its host organism in order to protect their offspring from elimination. Since the major innate immune pathways in insects, the Toll and Imd pathways, are homologous to the NF-κB pathway in mammals, we were interested in whether a similar immune suppression seen in insects could be elicited in a mammalian cell system. A well characterized NF-κB reporter gene assay in fibrosarcoma cells showed a dose-dependent inhibition of NF-κB signaling caused by the venom. In line with this NF-κB inhibitory action, N. vitripennis venom dampened the expression of IL-6, a prototypical proinflammatory cytokine, from LPS-treated macrophages. The venom also inhibited the expression of two NF-κB target genes, IκBα and A20, that act in a negative feedback loop to prevent excessive NF-κB activity. Surprisingly, we did not detect any effect of the venom on the early events in the canonical NF-κB activation pathway, leading to NF-κB nuclear translocation, which was unaltered in venom-treated cells. The MAP kinases ERK, p38 and JNK are other crucial regulators of immune responses. We observed that venom treatment did not affect p38 and ERK activation, but induced a prolonged JNK activation. In summary, our data indicate that venom from N. vitripennis inhibits NF-κB signaling in mammalian cells. We identify venom-induced up regulation of the glucocorticoid receptor-regulated GILZ as a most likely molecular mediator for this inhibition. PMID:24821138

  13. Centriole movements in mammalian epithelial cells during cytokinesis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tanke Hans J

    2010-05-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background In cytokinesis, when the cleavage furrow has been formed, the two centrioles in each daughter cell separate. It has been suggested that the centrioles facilitate and regulate cytokinesis to some extent. It has been postulated that termination of cytokinesis (abscission depends on the migration of a centriole to the intercellular bridge and then back to the cell center. To investigate the involvement of centrioles in cytokinesis, we monitored the movements of centrioles in three mammalian epithelial cell lines, HeLa, MCF 10A, and the p53-deficient mouse mammary tumor cell line KP-7.7, by time-lapse imaging. Centrin1-EGFP and α-Tubulin-mCherry were co-expressed in the cells to visualize respectively the centrioles and microtubules. Results Here we report that separated centrioles that migrate from the cell pole are very mobile during cytokinesis and their movements can be characterized as 1 along the nuclear envelope, 2 irregular, and 3 along microtubules forming the spindle axis. Centriole movement towards the intercellular bridge was only seen occasionally and was highly cell-line dependent. Conclusions These findings show that centrioles are highly mobile during cytokinesis and suggest that the repositioning of a centriole to the intercellular bridge is not essential for controlling abscission. We suggest that centriole movements are microtubule dependent and that abscission is more dependent on other mechanisms than positioning of centrioles.

  14. Efficient production of a gene mutant cell line through integrating TALENs and high-throughput cell cloning.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sun, Changhong; Fan, Yu; Li, Juan; Wang, Gancheng; Zhang, Hanshuo; Xi, Jianzhong Jeff

    2015-02-01

    Transcription activator-like effectors (TALEs) are becoming powerful DNA-targeting tools in a variety of mammalian cells and model organisms. However, generating a stable cell line with specific gene mutations in a simple and rapid manner remains a challenging task. Here, we report a new method to efficiently produce monoclonal cells using integrated TALE nuclease technology and a series of high-throughput cell cloning approaches. Following this method, we obtained three mTOR mutant 293T cell lines within 2 months, which included one homozygous mutant line. © 2014 Society for Laboratory Automation and Screening.

  15. Manipulating mammalian cell morphologies using chemical-mechanical polished integrated circuit chips

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moussa, Hassan I.; Logan, Megan; Siow, Geoffrey C.; Phann, Darron L.; Rao, Zheng; Aucoin, Marc G.; Tsui, Ting Y.

    2017-12-01

    Tungsten chemical-mechanical polished integrated circuits were used to study the alignment and immobilization of mammalian (Vero) cells. These devices consist of blanket silicon oxide thin films embedded with micro- and nano-meter scale tungsten metal line structures on the surface. The final surfaces are extremely flat and smooth across the entire substrate, with a roughness in the order of nanometers. Vero cells were deposited on the surface and allowed to adhere. Microscopy examinations revealed that cells have a strong preference to adhere to tungsten over silicon oxide surfaces with up to 99% of cells adhering to the tungsten portion of the surface. Cells self-aligned and elongated into long threads to maximize contact with isolated tungsten lines as thin as 180 nm. The orientation of the Vero cells showed sensitivity to the tungsten line geometric parameters, such as line width and spacing. Up to 93% of cells on 10 μm wide comb structures were aligned within ± 20° of the metal line axis. In contrast, only 22% of cells incubated on 0.18 μm comb patterned tungsten lines were oriented within the same angular interval. This phenomenon is explained using a simple model describing cellular geometry as a function of pattern width and spacing, which showed that cells will rearrange their morphology to maximize their contact to the embedded tungsten. Finally, it was discovered that the materials could be reused after cleaning the surfaces, while maintaining cell alignment capability.

  16. Laser flow microphotometry for rapid analysis and sorting of mammalian cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mullaney, P.F.; Steinkamp, J.A.; Crissman, H.A.; Cram, L.S.; Crowell, J.M.; Salzman, G.C.; Martin, J.C.; Price, B.

    1976-01-01

    Quantitative precision measurements can be made of the optical properties of individual mammalian cells using flow microphotometry. Suspended cells pass through a special flow chamber where they are lined up for exposure to blue light from an argon-ion laser. As each cell crosses the laser beam, it produces one or more optical pulses of a duration equal to cell transit time across the beam. These pulses are detected, amplified, and analyzed using the techniques of gamma ray spectroscopy. Quantitative DNA distributions made it possible to distinguish tumor cells from normal cells as well as to assay for radiation effects on tumor cells subjected to x and gamma radiation

  17. A multi-landing pad DNA integration platform for mammalian cell engineering

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gaidukov, Leonid; Wroblewska, Liliana; Teague, Brian; Nelson, Tom; Zhang, Xin; Liu, Yan; Jagtap, Kalpana; Mamo, Selamawit; Tseng, Wen Allen; Lowe, Alexis; Das, Jishnu; Bandara, Kalpanie; Baijuraj, Swetha; Summers, Nevin M; Zhang, Lin; Weiss, Ron

    2018-01-01

    Abstract Engineering mammalian cell lines that stably express many transgenes requires the precise insertion of large amounts of heterologous DNA into well-characterized genomic loci, but current methods are limited. To facilitate reliable large-scale engineering of CHO cells, we identified 21 novel genomic sites that supported stable long-term expression of transgenes, and then constructed cell lines containing one, two or three ‘landing pad’ recombination sites at selected loci. By using a highly efficient BxB1 recombinase along with different selection markers at each site, we directed recombinase-mediated insertion of heterologous DNA to selected sites, including targeting all three with a single transfection. We used this method to controllably integrate up to nine copies of a monoclonal antibody, representing about 100 kb of heterologous DNA in 21 transcriptional units. Because the integration was targeted to pre-validated loci, recombinant protein expression remained stable for weeks and additional copies of the antibody cassette in the integrated payload resulted in a linear increase in antibody expression. Overall, this multi-copy site-specific integration platform allows for controllable and reproducible insertion of large amounts of DNA into stable genomic sites, which has broad applications for mammalian synthetic biology, recombinant protein production and biomanufacturing. PMID:29617873

  18. In vitro characterization and inhibition of the CXCR4/CXCL12 chemokine axis in human uveal melanoma cell lines

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Antecka Emilia

    2007-11-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Purpose The CXCR4/CXCL12 chemokine axis may play a critical role in guiding CXCR4+ circulating malignant cells to organ specific locations that actively secrete its ligand CXCL12 (SDF-1 such as bone, brain, liver, and lungs. We sought to characterize the presence of the CXCR4/CXCL12 axis in five uveal melanoma (UM cell lines in vitro. The ability of TN14003, a synthetic peptide inhibitor that targets the CXCR4 receptor complex, to inhibit this axis was also assessed. Methods Immunocytochemistry was performed against CXCR4 to confirm expression of this chemokine receptor in all five UM cell lines. Flow cytometry was preformed to evaluate CXCR4 cell surface expression on all five UM cell lines. A proliferation assay was also used to test effects TN14003 would have on cellular proliferation. Inhibition of cellular migration by specifically inhibiting the CXCR4/CXCL12 axis with TN14003 was also investigated. The binding efficacy of TN14003 to the CXCR4 receptor was assessed through flow cytometric methods. Results The CXCR4 receptor was present on all five UM cell lines. All five cell lines expressed different relative levels of surface CXCR4. TN14003 did not affect the proliferation of the five cell lines (p > 0.05. All cell lines migrated towards the chemokine CXCL12 at a level greater than the negative control (p Conclusion Interfering with the CXCR4/CXCL12 axis, using TN14003 was shown to effectively down regulate UM cell migration in vitro. Knowing that UM expresses the CXCR4 receptor, these CXCR4+ cells may be less likely to colonize distant organs that secrete the CXCL12 ligand, if treated with an inhibitor that binds CXCR4. Further studies should be pursued in order to test TN14003 efficacy in vivo.

  19. Quantification of mammalian tumor cell state plasticity with digital holographic cytometry

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hejna, Miroslav; Jorapur, Aparna; Zhang, Yuntian; Song, Jun S.; Judson, Robert L.

    2018-02-01

    Individual cells within isogenic tumor populations can exhibit distinct cellular morphologies, behaviors, and molecular profiles. Cell state plasticity refers to the propensity of a cell to transition between these different morphologies and behaviors. Elevation of cell state plasticity is thought to contribute to critical stages in tumor evolution, including metastatic dissemination and acquisition of therapeutic resistance. However, methods for quantifying general plasticity in mammalian cells remain limited. Working with a HoloMonitor M4 digital holographic cytometry platform, we have established a machine learning-based pipeline for high accuracy and label-free classification of adherent cells. We use twenty-six morphological and optical density-derived features for label-free identification of cell state in heterogeneous cultures. The system is housed completely within a mammalian cell incubator, permitting the monitoring of changes in cell state over time. Here we present an application of our approach for studying cell state plasticity. Human melanoma cell lines of known metastatic potential were monitored in standard growth conditions. The rate of feature change was quantified for each individual cell in the populations. We observed that cells of higher metastatic potential exhibited more rapid fluctuation of cell state in homeostatic conditions. The approach we demonstrate will be advantageous for further investigations into the factors that influence cell state plasticity.

  20. Acoustophoretic Synchronization of Mammalian Cells in Microchannels

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Thévoz, P.; Adams, J.D.; Shea, H.

    2010-01-01

    We report the first use of ultrasonic standing waves to achieve cell cycle phase synchronization in mammalian cells in a high-throughput and reagent-free manner. The acoustophoretic cell synchronization (ACS) device utilizes volume-dependent acoustic radiation force within a microchannel to selec......We report the first use of ultrasonic standing waves to achieve cell cycle phase synchronization in mammalian cells in a high-throughput and reagent-free manner. The acoustophoretic cell synchronization (ACS) device utilizes volume-dependent acoustic radiation force within a microchannel...

  1. A biotin-triggered genetic switch in mammalian cells and mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Weber, Wilfried; Lienhart, Cédric; Baba, Marie Daoud-El; Fussenegger, Martin

    2009-03-01

    Adjustable and reversible transgene expression systems enabling precise control of metabolic pathways and tunable production of specific target proteins have been essential for conditional reprogramming of mammalian cells to achieve progress in basic and applied bioengineering disciplines. Most of the currently available transgene control modalities have been designed to be responsive to clinically licensed pharmacologically active drugs which were expected to prevail in future clinical trials yet raised concerns about side effects when administered long term at subclinical doses. We have chosen vitamin H, also known as biotin, to control target gene transcription in mammalian cells in a potentially side effect-free manner. BirA, the Escherichia coli repressor of the biotin biosynthesis operon, was fused to the Herpes simplex transactivation domain to generate a biotin-dependent transactivator(BIT), which, in the presence of biotin, binds and activates chimeric target promoters (P(BIT)) harboring BirA-specific operator sites 5' of a minimal promoter. Biotin-inducible transgene expression was functional in a variety of rodent, monkey and human cell lines, showed excellent adjustability and reversibility in transgenic Chinese hamster ovary cell lines, provided precise product gene control in standard bioreactor cultures and enabled dose-dependent vitamin H control of a human glycoprotein in mice. The combination of a side effect-free inducer, precise and reversible transcription tunability and broad functionality in different cell types as well as in entire animals represents a unique asset for the use of biotin-inducible transgene control in future gene therapy, tissue engineering and biopharmaceutical manufacturing scenarios.

  2. Synchronized mammalian cell culture: part II--population ensemble modeling and analysis for development of reproducible processes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jandt, Uwe; Barradas, Oscar Platas; Pörtner, Ralf; Zeng, An-Ping

    2015-01-01

    The consideration of inherent population inhomogeneities of mammalian cell cultures becomes increasingly important for systems biology study and for developing more stable and efficient processes. However, variations of cellular properties belonging to different sub-populations and their potential effects on cellular physiology and kinetics of culture productivity under bioproduction conditions have not yet been much in the focus of research. Culture heterogeneity is strongly determined by the advance of the cell cycle. The assignment of cell-cycle specific cellular variations to large-scale process conditions can be optimally determined based on the combination of (partially) synchronized cultivation under otherwise physiological conditions and subsequent population-resolved model adaptation. The first step has been achieved using the physical selection method of countercurrent flow centrifugal elutriation, recently established in our group for different mammalian cell lines which is presented in Part I of this paper series. In this second part, we demonstrate the successful adaptation and application of a cell-cycle dependent population balance ensemble model to describe and understand synchronized bioreactor cultivations performed with two model mammalian cell lines, AGE1.HNAAT and CHO-K1. Numerical adaptation of the model to experimental data allows for detection of phase-specific parameters and for determination of significant variations between different phases and different cell lines. It shows that special care must be taken with regard to the sampling frequency in such oscillation cultures to minimize phase shift (jitter) artifacts. Based on predictions of long-term oscillation behavior of a culture depending on its start conditions, optimal elutriation setup trade-offs between high cell yields and high synchronization efficiency are proposed. © 2014 American Institute of Chemical Engineers.

  3. A platform for rapid prototyping of synthetic gene networks in mammalian cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Duportet, Xavier; Wroblewska, Liliana; Guye, Patrick; Li, Yinqing; Eyquem, Justin; Rieders, Julianne; Rimchala, Tharathorn; Batt, Gregory; Weiss, Ron

    2014-01-01

    Mammalian synthetic biology may provide novel therapeutic strategies, help decipher new paths for drug discovery and facilitate synthesis of valuable molecules. Yet, our capacity to genetically program cells is currently hampered by the lack of efficient approaches to streamline the design, construction and screening of synthetic gene networks. To address this problem, here we present a framework for modular and combinatorial assembly of functional (multi)gene expression vectors and their efficient and specific targeted integration into a well-defined chromosomal context in mammalian cells. We demonstrate the potential of this framework by assembling and integrating different functional mammalian regulatory networks including the largest gene circuit built and chromosomally integrated to date (6 transcription units, 27kb) encoding an inducible memory device. Using a library of 18 different circuits as a proof of concept, we also demonstrate that our method enables one-pot/single-flask chromosomal integration and screening of circuit libraries. This rapid and powerful prototyping platform is well suited for comparative studies of genetic regulatory elements, genes and multi-gene circuits as well as facile development of libraries of isogenic engineered cell lines. PMID:25378321

  4. Mammalian cell biology

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Elkind, M.M.

    1975-01-01

    Studies of the action of N-ethylmaleimide (NEM), as an inhibitor of repair of x radioinduced injuries were extended from synchronous Chinese hamster cells to synchronous human HeLa cells. These studies showed a similar mode of action in both cell types lending support to the notion that conclusions may be extracted from such observations that are of fairly general applicability to mammalian cells. Radiation studies with NEM are being extended to hypoxic cells to inquire if NEM is effective relative to oxygen-independent damage. Observations relative to survival, DNA synthesis, and DNA strand elongation resulting from the addition products to DNA when cells were exposed to near uv in the presence of psoralen were extended. (U.S.)

  5. Generation of genome-modified Drosophila cell lines using SwAP.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Franz, Alexandra; Brunner, Erich; Basler, Konrad

    2017-10-02

    The ease of generating genetically modified animals and cell lines has been markedly increased by the recent development of the versatile CRISPR/Cas9 tool. However, while the isolation of isogenic cell populations is usually straightforward for mammalian cell lines, the generation of clonal Drosophila cell lines has remained a longstanding challenge, hampered by the difficulty of getting Drosophila cells to grow at low densities. Here, we describe a highly efficient workflow to generate clonal Cas9-engineered Drosophila cell lines using a combination of cell pools, limiting dilution in conditioned medium and PCR with allele-specific primers, enabling the efficient selection of a clonal cell line with a suitable mutation profile. We validate the protocol by documenting the isolation, selection and verification of eight independently Cas9-edited armadillo mutant Drosophila cell lines. Our method provides a powerful and simple workflow that improves the utility of Drosophila cells for genetic studies with CRISPR/Cas9.

  6. Identification of two distinct chromosome 12-derived amplification units in neuroblastoma cell line NGP

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van Roy, N.; Forus, A.; Myklebost, O.; Cheng, N. C.; Versteeg, R.; Speleman, F.

    1995-01-01

    The neuroblastoma cell line NGP contains two homogeneously staining regions (hsr). One of these hsrs contains MYCN sequences. Reverse painting experiments demonstrated that the second HSR consisted of two chromosome 12-derived amplification units, located at 12q14-15 and 12q24. Southern blot and

  7. Stability of resazurin in buffers and mammalian cell culture media

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Rasmussen, Eva; Nicolaisen, G.M.

    1999-01-01

    The utility of a ferricyanide/ferrocyanide system used in the AlamarBlue(TM) (Serotec, Oxford, UK) vital. dye to inhibit the reduction of resazurin by mammalian cell culture media is questioned. Resazurin was found to be relatively stable when dissolved in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS). The use...... of HEPES resulted in a huge immediate dye reduction, which was significantly enhanced by exposure to diffuse light from fluorescent tubes in the laboratory 8 h per day. The reduction of resazurin by various cell culture media was time and temperature dependent, and it was significantly enhanced......'s nutrient mixture F-10 and F-12. Fetal calf serum (5-20%) slightly decreased resazurin reduction during the first 2 days of incubation. The reduction of resazurin by mammalian cell culture media do not appear to be problematic under normal culture conditions, and it is primarily dependent upon the presence...

  8. Functional assessment of sodium chloride cotransporter NCC mutants in polarized mammalian epithelial cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rosenbaek, Lena L; Rizzo, Federica; MacAulay, Nanna; Staub, Olivier; Fenton, Robert A

    2017-08-01

    The thiazide-sensitive sodium chloride cotransporter NCC is important for maintaining serum sodium (Na + ) and, indirectly, serum potassium (K + ) levels. Functional studies on NCC have used cell lines with native NCC expression, transiently transfected nonpolarized cell lines, or Xenopus laevis oocytes. Here, we developed the use of polarized Madin-Darby canine kidney type I (MDCKI) mammalian epithelial cell lines with tetracycline-inducible human NCC expression to study NCC activity and membrane abundance in the same system. In radiotracer assays, induced cells grown on filters had robust thiazide-sensitive and chloride dependent sodium-22 ( 22 Na) uptake from the apical side. To minimize cost and maximize throughput, assays were modified to use cells grown on plastic. On plastic, cells had similar thiazide-sensitive 22 Na uptakes that increased following preincubation of cells in chloride-free solutions. NCC was detected in the plasma membrane, and both membrane abundance and phosphorylation of NCC were increased by incubation in chloride-free solutions. Furthermore, in cells exposed for 15 min to low or high extracellular K + , the levels of phosphorylated NCC increased and decreased, respectively. To demonstrate that the system allows rapid and systematic assessment of mutated NCC, three phosphorylation sites in NCC were mutated, and NCC activity was examined. 22 Na fluxes in phosphorylation-deficient mutants were reduced to baseline levels, whereas phosphorylation-mimicking mutants were constitutively active, even without chloride-free stimulation. In conclusion, this system allows the activity, cellular localization, and abundance of wild-type or mutant NCC to be examined in the same polarized mammalian expression system in a rapid, easy, and low-cost fashion. Copyright © 2017 the American Physiological Society.

  9. Phase II enzyme induction by a carotenoid, lutein, in a PC12D neuronal cell line

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Miyake, Seiji; Kobayashi, Saori; Tsubota, Kazuo; Ozawa, Yoko

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: • Lutein reduced ROS levels in a PC12D neuronal cell line. • Lutein induced mRNAs of phase II antioxidative enzymes in PC12D neuronal cells. • Lutein increased protein levels of HO-1, SOD2, and NQO-1 in PC12D neuronal cells. • Lutein had no effect on intranuclear Nrf2 levels in PC12D neuronal cells. • Lutein did not activate potential upstream Nrf2 nuclear translocation pathways. - Abstract: The mechanism by which lutein, a carotenoid, acts as an antioxidant in retinal cells is still not fully understood. Here, lutein treatment of a neuronal cell line (PC12D) immediately resulted in reduced intracellular ROS levels, implying that it has a direct role in ROS scavenging. Significantly, lutein treatment also induced phase II antioxidative enzyme expression, probably via a nuclear factor-like 2 (Nrf2) independent pathway. This latter mechanism could explain why lutein acts diversely to protect against oxidative/cytotoxic stress, and why it is physiologically involved in the human neural tissue, such as the retina

  10. Phase II enzyme induction by a carotenoid, lutein, in a PC12D neuronal cell line

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Miyake, Seiji [Laboratory of Retinal Cell Biology, Keio University School of Medicine, 35 Shinanomachi, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-8582 (Japan); Department of Ophthalmology, Keio University School of Medicine, 35 Shinanomachi, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-8582 (Japan); Wakasa Seikatsu Co., Ltd., 134 Chudoujiminami-cho, Shimogyo-ku, Kyoto 600-8813 (Japan); Kobayashi, Saori [Wakasa Seikatsu Co., Ltd., 134 Chudoujiminami-cho, Shimogyo-ku, Kyoto 600-8813 (Japan); Tsubota, Kazuo [Laboratory of Retinal Cell Biology, Keio University School of Medicine, 35 Shinanomachi, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-8582 (Japan); Ozawa, Yoko, E-mail: ozawa@a5.keio.jp [Laboratory of Retinal Cell Biology, Keio University School of Medicine, 35 Shinanomachi, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-8582 (Japan); Department of Ophthalmology, Keio University School of Medicine, 35 Shinanomachi, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-8582 (Japan)

    2014-04-04

    Highlights: • Lutein reduced ROS levels in a PC12D neuronal cell line. • Lutein induced mRNAs of phase II antioxidative enzymes in PC12D neuronal cells. • Lutein increased protein levels of HO-1, SOD2, and NQO-1 in PC12D neuronal cells. • Lutein had no effect on intranuclear Nrf2 levels in PC12D neuronal cells. • Lutein did not activate potential upstream Nrf2 nuclear translocation pathways. - Abstract: The mechanism by which lutein, a carotenoid, acts as an antioxidant in retinal cells is still not fully understood. Here, lutein treatment of a neuronal cell line (PC12D) immediately resulted in reduced intracellular ROS levels, implying that it has a direct role in ROS scavenging. Significantly, lutein treatment also induced phase II antioxidative enzyme expression, probably via a nuclear factor-like 2 (Nrf2) independent pathway. This latter mechanism could explain why lutein acts diversely to protect against oxidative/cytotoxic stress, and why it is physiologically involved in the human neural tissue, such as the retina.

  11. Relative ion yields in mammalian cell components using C60 SIMS

    Science.gov (United States)

    Keskin, Selda; Piwowar, Alan; Hue, Jonathan; Shen, Kan; Winograd, Nicholas

    2013-01-01

    Time of flight secondary ion mass spectrometry has been used to better understand the influence of molecular environment on the relative ion yields of membrane lipid molecules found in high abundance in a model mammalian cell line, RAW264.7. Control lipid mixtures were prepared to simulate lipid–lipid interactions in the inner and outer leaflet of cell membranes. Compared with its pure film, the molecular ion yields of 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine and 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine are suppressed when mixed with 2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine. In the mixture, proton competition between 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine, 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine, and 2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine led to lower ionization efficiency. The possible mechanism for ion suppression was also investigated with 1H and 13C nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. The formation of a hydroxyl bond in lipid mixtures confirms the mechanism involving proton exchange with the surrounding environment. Similar effects were observed for lipid mixtures mimicking the composition of the inner leaflet of cell membranes. The secondary molecular ion yield of 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phospho-L-serine was observed to be enhanced in the presence of 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine. PMID:25140069

  12. Improvement of mammalian cell culture performance through surfactant enabled concentrated feed media.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hossler, Patrick; McDermott, Sean; Racicot, Christopher; Fann, John C H

    2013-01-01

    The design of basal and feed media in mammalian cell culture is paramount towards ensuring acceptable upstream process performance in various operation modes, especially fed-batch culture. Mammalian cell culture media designs have evolved from the classical formulations designed by Eagle and Ham, to today's formulations designed from continuous improvement and statistical frameworks. Feed media is especially important for ensuring robust cell growth, productivity, and ensuring the product quality of recombinant therapeutics are within acceptable ranges. Numerous studies have highlighted the benefit of various media designs, supplements, and feed addition strategies towards the resulting cell culture process. In this work we highlight the use of a top-down level approach towards feed media design enabled by the use of select surfactants for the targeted enrichment of a chemically defined feed media. The use of the enriched media was able to improve product titers at g/L levels, without adversely impacting the growth of multiple Chinese Hamster Ovary cell lines or the product quality of multiple recombinant antibodies. © 2013 American Institute of Chemical Engineers.

  13. Plasma treatment of mammalian vascular cells : A quantitative description

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Kieft, IE; Darios, D; Roks, AJM; Stoffels, E

    For the first time, quantitative data was obtained on plasma treatment of living mammalian cells. The nonthermal atmospheric discharge produced by the plasma needle was used for treatment of mammalian endothelial and smooth muscle cells. The influence of several experimental parameters on cell

  14. Plasma treatment of mammalian vascular cells: a quantitative description

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Kieft, I.E.; Darios, D.; Roks, A.J.M.; Stoffels - Adamowicz, E.

    2005-01-01

    For the first time, quantitative data was obtained on plasma treatment of living mammalian cells. The nonthermal atmospheric discharge produced by the plasma needle was used for treatment of mammalian endothelial and smooth muscle cells. The influence of several experimental parameters on cell

  15. Discovery of HeLa Cell Contamination in HES Cells: Call for Cell Line Authentication in Reproductive Biology Research.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kniss, Douglas A; Summerfield, Taryn L

    2014-08-01

    Continuous cell lines are used frequently in reproductive biology research to study problems in early pregnancy events and parturition. It has been recognized for 50 years that many mammalian cell lines contain inter- or intraspecies contaminations with other cells. However, most investigators do not routinely test their culture systems for cross-contamination. The most frequent contributor to cross-contamination of cell lines is the HeLa cell isolated from an aggressive cervical adenocarcinoma. We report on the discovery of HeLa cell contamination of the human endometrial epithelial cell line HES isolated in our laboratory. Short tandem repeat analysis of 9 unique genetic loci demonstrated molecular identity between HES and HeLa cells. In addition, we verified that WISH cells, isolated originally from human amnion epithelium, were also contaminated with HeLa cells. Inasmuch as our laboratory did not culture HeLa cells at the time of HES cell derivations, the source of contamination was the WISH cell line. These data highlight the need for continued diligence in authenticating cell lines used in reproductive biology research. © The Author(s) 2014.

  16. Characterization of a human cell line stably over-expressing the candidate oncogene, dual specificity phosphatase 12.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Erica L Cain

    2011-04-01

    Full Text Available Analysis of chromosomal rearrangements within primary tumors has been influential in the identification of novel oncogenes. Identification of the "driver" gene(s within cancer-derived amplicons is, however, hampered by the fact that most amplicons contain many gene products. Amplification of 1q21-1q23 is strongly associated with liposarcomas and microarray-based comparative genomic hybridization narrowed down the likely candidate oncogenes to two: the activating transcription factor 6 (atf6 and the dual specificity phosphatase 12 (dusp12. While atf6 is an established transcriptional regulator of the unfolded protein response, the potential role of dusp12 in cancer remains uncharacterized.To evaluate the oncogenic potential of dusp12, we established stable cell lines that ectopically over-express dusp12 in isolation and determined whether this cell line acquired properties frequently associated with transformed cells. Here, we demonstrate that cells over-expressing dusp12 display increased cell motility and resistance to apoptosis. Additionally, over-expression of dusp12 promoted increased expression of the c-met proto-oncogene and the collagen and laminin receptor intergrin alpha 1 (itga1 which is implicated in metastasis.Collectively, these results suggest that dusp12 is oncologically relevant and exposes a potential association between dusp12 and established oncogenes that could be therapeutically targeted.

  17. Hydrogen peroxide production is affected by oxygen levels in mammalian cell culture.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maddalena, Lucas A; Selim, Shehab M; Fonseca, Joao; Messner, Holt; McGowan, Shannon; Stuart, Jeffrey A

    2017-11-04

    Although oxygen levels in the extracellular space of most mammalian tissues are just a few percent, under standard cell culture conditions they are not regulated and are often substantially higher. Some cellular sources of reactive oxygen species, like NADPH oxidase 4, are sensitive to oxygen levels in the range between 'normal' physiological (typically 1-5%) and standard cell culture (up to 18%). Hydrogen peroxide in particular participates in signal transduction pathways via protein redox modifications, so the potential increase in its production under standard cell culture conditions is important to understand. We measured the rates of cellular hydrogen peroxide production in some common cell lines, including C2C12, PC-3, HeLa, SH-SY5Y, MCF-7, and mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) maintained at 18% or 5% oxygen. In all instances the rate of hydrogen peroxide production by these cells was significantly greater at 18% oxygen than at 5%. The increase in hydrogen peroxide production at higher oxygen levels was either abolished or substantially reduced by treatment with GKT 137831, a selective inhibitor of NADPH oxidase subunits 1 and 4. These data indicate that oxygen levels experienced by cells in culture influence hydrogen peroxide production via NADPH oxidase 1/4, highlighting the importance of regulating oxygen levels in culture near physiological values. However, we measured pericellular oxygen levels adjacent to cell monolayers under a variety of conditions and with different cell lines and found that, particularly when growing at 5% incubator oxygen levels, pericellular oxygen was often lower and variable. Together, these observations indicate the importance, and difficulty, of regulating oxygen levels experienced by cells in culture. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  18. Comparison of heat and/or radiation sensitivity and membrane composition of seven X-ray-transformed C3H 10T1/2 cell lines and normal C3H 10T1/2 cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Raaphorst, G.P.; Vadasz, J.A.; Azzam, E.I.; Sargent, M.D.; Borsa, J.; Einspenner, M.

    1985-01-01

    C3H 10T1/2 mouse embryo cells were transformed by X-irradiation, and seven transformed clones were isolated and propagated as cell lines. Some of these cell lines produced tumors in syngeneic mice and grew in agarose while the normal C3H 10T1/2 cell line did not possess these characteristics. Exponentially growing cell cultures with comparable cell-cycle distributions as measured by flow cytometry were tested for heat and X-ray sensitivity. The heat and X-ray sensitivity varied randomly compared to the normal cell line. One cell line was more heat resistant and one more heat sensitive than the normal cell line, and the others had sensitivities comparable to the normal cell line. Measurements on some of the biochemical parameters of the particulate fraction of cells after sonication and 24,000 X g centrifugation showed that altered thermal sensitivity was not correlated with protein, cholesterol, or phospholipid content of this fraction

  19. Detection of PIWI and piRNAs in the mitochondria of mammalian cancer cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kwon, ChangHyuk; Tak, Hyosun; Rho, Mina; Chang, Hae Ryung; Kim, Yon Hui; Kim, Kyung Tae; Balch, Curt; Lee, Eun Kyung; Nam, Seungyoon

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: • piRNA sequences were mapped to human mitochondrial (mt) genome. • We inspected small RNA-Seq datasets from somatic cell mt subcellular fractions. • Piwi and piRNA transcripts are present in mammalian somatic cancer cell mt fractions. - Abstract: Piwi-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) are 26–31 nt small noncoding RNAs that are processed from their longer precursor transcripts by Piwi proteins. Localization of Piwi and piRNA has been reported mostly in nucleus and cytoplasm of higher eukaryotes germ-line cells, where it is believed that known piRNA sequences are located in repeat regions of nuclear genome in germ-line cells. However, localization of PIWI and piRNA in mammalian somatic cell mitochondria yet remains largely unknown. We identified 29 piRNA sequence alignments from various regions of the human mitochondrial genome. Twelve out 29 piRNA sequences matched stem-loop fragment sequences of seven distinct tRNAs. We observed their actual expression in mitochondria subcellular fractions by inspecting mitochondrial-specific small RNA-Seq datasets. Of interest, the majority of the 29 piRNAs overlapped with multiple longer transcripts (expressed sequence tags) that are unique to the human mitochondrial genome. The presence of mature piRNAs in mitochondria was detected by qRT-PCR of mitochondrial subcellular RNAs. Further validation showed detection of Piwi by colocalization using anti-Piwil1 and mitochondria organelle-specific protein antibodies

  20. Detection of PIWI and piRNAs in the mitochondria of mammalian cancer cells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kwon, ChangHyuk, E-mail: netbuyer@hanmail.net [Cancer Genomics Branch, National Cancer Center, Goyang 410-769 (Korea, Republic of); Tak, Hyosun, E-mail: chuberry@naver.com [Department of Biochemistry, College of Medicine, Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 137-701 (Korea, Republic of); Rho, Mina, E-mail: minarho@hanyang.ac.kr [Department of Computer Science, Hanyang University, Seoul 133-791 (Korea, Republic of); Chang, Hae Ryung, E-mail: heyhae@ncc.re.kr [New Experimental Therapeutics Branch, National Cancer Center, Goyang 410-769 (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Yon Hui, E-mail: yhkim@ncc.re.kr [New Experimental Therapeutics Branch, National Cancer Center, Goyang 410-769 (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Kyung Tae, E-mail: bioktkim@ncc.re.kr [Molecular Epidemiology Branch, National Cancer Center, Goyang 410-769 (Korea, Republic of); Balch, Curt, E-mail: curt.balch@gmail.com [Medical Sciences Program, Department of Cellular and Integrative Physiology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Bloomington, IN 47405 (United States); Lee, Eun Kyung, E-mail: leeek@catholic.ac.kr [Department of Biochemistry, College of Medicine, Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 137-701 (Korea, Republic of); Nam, Seungyoon, E-mail: seungyoon.nam@ncc.re.kr [Cancer Genomics Branch, National Cancer Center, Goyang 410-769 (Korea, Republic of)

    2014-03-28

    Highlights: • piRNA sequences were mapped to human mitochondrial (mt) genome. • We inspected small RNA-Seq datasets from somatic cell mt subcellular fractions. • Piwi and piRNA transcripts are present in mammalian somatic cancer cell mt fractions. - Abstract: Piwi-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) are 26–31 nt small noncoding RNAs that are processed from their longer precursor transcripts by Piwi proteins. Localization of Piwi and piRNA has been reported mostly in nucleus and cytoplasm of higher eukaryotes germ-line cells, where it is believed that known piRNA sequences are located in repeat regions of nuclear genome in germ-line cells. However, localization of PIWI and piRNA in mammalian somatic cell mitochondria yet remains largely unknown. We identified 29 piRNA sequence alignments from various regions of the human mitochondrial genome. Twelve out 29 piRNA sequences matched stem-loop fragment sequences of seven distinct tRNAs. We observed their actual expression in mitochondria subcellular fractions by inspecting mitochondrial-specific small RNA-Seq datasets. Of interest, the majority of the 29 piRNAs overlapped with multiple longer transcripts (expressed sequence tags) that are unique to the human mitochondrial genome. The presence of mature piRNAs in mitochondria was detected by qRT-PCR of mitochondrial subcellular RNAs. Further validation showed detection of Piwi by colocalization using anti-Piwil1 and mitochondria organelle-specific protein antibodies.

  1. A promoter-level mammalian expression atlas

    KAUST Repository

    Forest, Alistair R R

    2014-03-26

    Regulated transcription controls the diversity, developmental pathways and spatial organization of the hundreds of cell types that make up a mammal. Using single-molecule cDNA sequencing, we mapped transcription start sites (TSSs) and their usage in human and mouse primary cells, cell lines and tissues to produce a comprehensive overview of mammalian gene expression across the human body. We find that few genes are truly ‘housekeeping’, whereas many mammalian promoters are composite entities composed of several closely separated TSSs, with independent cell-type-specific expression profiles. TSSs specific to different cell types evolve at different rates, whereas promoters of broadly expressed genes are the most conserved. Promoter-based expression analysis reveals key transcription factors defining cell states and links them to binding-site motifs. The functions of identified novel transcripts can be predicted by coexpression and sample ontology enrichment analyses. The functional annotation of the mammalian genome 5 (FANTOM5) project provides comprehensive expression profiles and functional annotation of mammalian cell-type-specific transcriptomes with wide applications in biomedical research.

  2. A promoter-level mammalian expression atlas

    KAUST Repository

    Forest, Alistair R R; Kawaji, Hideya; Rehli, Michael; Baillie, John Kenneth; De Hoon, Michiel Jl L; Haberle, Vanja; Lassmann, Timo; Kulakovskiy, Ivan V.; Lizio, Marina; Itoh, Masayoshi; Andersson, Robin; Iida, Kei; Ikawa, Tomokatsu; Jankovic, Boris R.; Jia, Hui; Joshi, Anagha Madhusudan; Jurman, Giuseppe; Kaczkowski, Bogumił; Kai, Chieko; Kaida, Kaoru; Kaiho, Ai; Mungall, Christopher J.; Kajiyama, Kazuhiro; Kanamori-Katayama, Mutsumi; Kasianov, Artem S.; Kasukawa, Takeya; Katayama, Shintaro; Kato, Sachi; Kawaguchi, Shuji; Kawamoto, Hiroshi; Kawamura, Yuki I.; Kawashima, Tsugumi; Meehan, Terrence F.; Kempfle, Judith S.; Kenna, Tony J.; Kere, Juha; Khachigian, Levon M.; Kitamura, Toshio; Klinken, Svend Peter; Knox, Alan; Kojima, Miki; Kojima, Soichi; Kondo, Naoto; Schmeier, Sebastian; Koseki, Haruhiko; Koyasu, Shigeo; Krampitz, Sarah; Kubosaki, Atsutaka; Kwon, Andrew T.; Laros, Jeroen F J; Lee, Weonju; Lennartsson, Andreas; Li, Kang; Lilje, Berit; Bertin, Nicolas; Lipovich, Leonard; MacKay-Sim, Alan; Manabe, Riichiroh; Mar, Jessica; Marchand, Benoî t; Mathelier, Anthony; Mejhert, Niklas; Meynert, Alison M.; Mizuno, Yosuke; De Morais, David A Lima; Jø rgensen, Mette Christine; Morikawa, Hiromasa; Morimoto, Mitsuru; Moro, Kazuyo; Motakis, Efthymios; Motohashi, Hozumi; Mummery, Christine L.; Murata, Mitsuyoshi; Nagao-Sato, Sayaka; Nakachi, Yutaka; Nakahara, Fumio; Dimont, Emmanuel; Nakamura, Toshiyuki; Nakamura, Yukio; Nakazato, Kenichi; Van Nimwegen, Erik; Ninomiya, Noriko; Nishiyori, Hiromi; Noma, Shohei; Nozaki, Tadasuke; Ogishima, Soichi; Ohkura, Naganari; Arner, Erik; Ohmiya, Hiroko; Ohno, Hiroshi; Ohshima, Mitsuhiro; Okada-Hatakeyama, Mariko; Okazaki, Yasushi; Orlando, Valerio; Ovchinnikov, Dmitry A.; Pain, Arnab; Passier, Robert C J J; Patrikakis, Margaret; Schmidl, Christian; Persson, Helena A.; Piazza, Silvano; Prendergast, James G D; Rackham, Owen J L; Ramilowski, Jordan A.; Rashid, Mamoon; Ravasi, Timothy; Rizzu, Patrizia; Roncador, Marco; Roy, Sugata; Schaefer, Ulf; Rye, Morten Beck; Saijyo, Eri; Sajantila, Antti; Saka, Akiko; Sakaguchi, Shimon; Sakai, Mizuho; Sato, Hiroki; Satoh, Hironori; Savvi, Suzana; Saxena, Alka; Medvedeva, Yulia; Schneider, Claudio H.; Schultes, Erik A.; Schulze-Tanzil, Gundula G.; Schwegmann, Anita; Sengstag, Thierry; Sheng, Guojun; Shimoji, Hisashi; Shimoni, Yishai; Shin, Jay W.; Simon, Chris M.; Plessy, Charles; Sugiyama, Daisuke; Sugiyama, Takaaki; Suzuki, Masanori; Suzuki, Naoko; Swoboda, Rolf K.; 't Hoen, Peter Ac Chr; Tagami, Michihira; Tagami, Naokotakahashi; Takai, Jun; Tanaka, Hiroshi; Vitezic, Morana; Tatsukawa, Hideki; Tatum, Zuotian; Thompson, Mark; Toyoda, Hiroo; Toyoda, Tetsuro; Valen, Eivind; Van De Wetering, Marc L.; Van Den Berg, Linda M.; Verardo, Roberto; Vijayan, Dipti; Severin, Jessica M.; Vorontsov, Ilya E.; Wasserman, Wyeth W.; Watanabe, Shoko; Wells, Christine A.; Winteringham, Louise Natalie; Wolvetang, Ernst Jurgen; Wood, Emily J.; Yamaguchi, Yoko; Yamamoto, Masayuki; Yoneda, Misako; Semple, Colin Am M; Yonekura, Yohei; Yoshida, Shigehiro; Zabierowski, Susan E.; Zhang, Peter; Zhao, Xiaobei; Zucchelli, Silvia; Summers, Kim M.; Suzuki, Harukazu; Daub, Carsten Olivier; Kawai, Jun; Ishizu, Yuri; Heutink, Peter; Hide, Winston; Freeman, Tom C.; Lenhard, Boris; Bajic, Vladimir B.; Taylor, Martin S.; Makeev, Vsevolod J.; Sandelin, Albin; Hume, David A.; Carninci, Piero; Young, Robert S.; Hayashizaki, Yoshihide Yoshihide; Francescatto, Margherita; Altschuler, Intikhab Alam; Albanese, Davide; Altschule, Gabriel M.; Arakawa, Takahiro; Archer, John A.C.; Arner, Peter; Babina, Magda; Rennie, Sarah; Balwierz, Piotr J.; Beckhouse, Anthony G.; Pradhan-Bhatt, Swati; Blake, Judith A.; Blumenthal, Antje; Bodega, Beatrice; Bonetti, Alessandro; Briggs, James A.; Brombacher, Frank; Burroughs, Alexander Maxwell; Califano, Andrea C.; Cannistraci, Carlo; Carbajo, Daniel; Chen, Yun; Chierici, Marco; Ciani, Yari; Clevers, Hans C.; Dalla, Emiliano; Davis, Carrie Anne; Detmar, Michael J.; Diehl, Alexander D.; Dohi, Taeko; Drablø s, Finn; Edge, Albert SB B; Edinger, Matthias G.; Ekwall, Karl; Endoh, Mitsuhiro; Enomoto, Hideki; Fagiolini, Michela; Fairbairn, Lynsey R.; Fang, Hai; Farach-Carson, Mary Cindy; Faulkner, Geoffrey J.; Favorov, Alexander V.; Fisher, Malcolm E.; Frith, Martin C.; Fujita, Rie; Fukuda, Shiro; Furlanello, Cesare; Furuno, Masaaki; Furusawa, Junichi; Geijtenbeek, Teunis Bh H; Gibson, Andrew P.; Gingeras, Thomas R.; Goldowitz, Dan; Gough, Julian; Guhl, Sven; Guler, Reto; Gustincich, Stefano; Ha, Thomas; Hamaguchi, Masahide; Hara, Mitsuko; Harbers, Matthias; Harshbarger, Jayson; Hasegawa, Akira; Hasegawa, Yuki; Hashimoto, Takehiro; Herlyn, Meenhard F.; Hitchens, Kelly J.; Sui, Shannan J Ho; Hofmann, Oliver M.; Hoof, Ilka; Hori, Fumi; Huminiecki, Łukasz B.

    2014-01-01

    Regulated transcription controls the diversity, developmental pathways and spatial organization of the hundreds of cell types that make up a mammal. Using single-molecule cDNA sequencing, we mapped transcription start sites (TSSs) and their usage in human and mouse primary cells, cell lines and tissues to produce a comprehensive overview of mammalian gene expression across the human body. We find that few genes are truly ‘housekeeping’, whereas many mammalian promoters are composite entities composed of several closely separated TSSs, with independent cell-type-specific expression profiles. TSSs specific to different cell types evolve at different rates, whereas promoters of broadly expressed genes are the most conserved. Promoter-based expression analysis reveals key transcription factors defining cell states and links them to binding-site motifs. The functions of identified novel transcripts can be predicted by coexpression and sample ontology enrichment analyses. The functional annotation of the mammalian genome 5 (FANTOM5) project provides comprehensive expression profiles and functional annotation of mammalian cell-type-specific transcriptomes with wide applications in biomedical research.

  3. Quality by control: Towards model predictive control of mammalian cell culture bioprocesses.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sommeregger, Wolfgang; Sissolak, Bernhard; Kandra, Kulwant; von Stosch, Moritz; Mayer, Martin; Striedner, Gerald

    2017-07-01

    The industrial production of complex biopharmaceuticals using recombinant mammalian cell lines is still mainly built on a quality by testing approach, which is represented by fixed process conditions and extensive testing of the end-product. In 2004 the FDA launched the process analytical technology initiative, aiming to guide the industry towards advanced process monitoring and better understanding of how critical process parameters affect the critical quality attributes. Implementation of process analytical technology into the bio-production process enables moving from the quality by testing to a more flexible quality by design approach. The application of advanced sensor systems in combination with mathematical modelling techniques offers enhanced process understanding, allows on-line prediction of critical quality attributes and subsequently real-time product quality control. In this review opportunities and unsolved issues on the road to a successful quality by design and dynamic control implementation are discussed. A major focus is directed on the preconditions for the application of model predictive control for mammalian cell culture bioprocesses. Design of experiments providing information about the process dynamics upon parameter change, dynamic process models, on-line process state predictions and powerful software environments seem to be a prerequisite for quality by control realization. © 2017 The Authors. Biotechnology Journal published by WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  4. Chromatin condensation and differential sensitivity of mammalian and insect cells to DNA strand breaks induced by bleomycin

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lopez-Larraza, Daniel M.; Padron, Juan; Ronci, Natalia E.; Vidal Rioja, Lidia A.

    2006-01-01

    Bleomycin (BLM) induces DNA damage in living cells. In this report we analyzed the role of chromatin compactness in the differential response of mosquito (ATC-15) and mammalian (CHO) cells to DNA strand breaks induced by BLM. We used cells unexposed and exposed to sodium butyrate (NaB), which induces chromatin decondensation. By nucleoid sedimentation assay and digestions of nuclei with DNAse I, untreated mosquito cells (no BLM; no NaB) were shown to have more chromatin condensation than untreated CHO cells. By alkaline unwinding ATC-15 cells treated with NaB showed more BLM-induced DNA strand breaks than NaB-untreated CHO cells. The time-course of BLM-induced DNA damage to nuclear DNA was similar for NaB-untreated mammalian and insect cells, but with mosquito cells showing less DNA strand breaks, both at physiological temperatures and at 4 o C. However, when DNA repair was inhibited by low temperatures and chromatin was decondensed by NaB treatments, differences in BLM-induced DNA damage between these cells lines were no longer observed. In both cell lines, NaB did not affect BLM action on cell growth and viability. On the other hand, the low sensitivity of ATC-15 cells to BLM was reflected in their better growth efficiency. These cells exhibited a satisfactory growth at BLM doses that produced a permanent arrest of growth in CHO cells. The data suggest that mosquito cells might have linker DNAs shorter than those of mammalian cells, which would result in the observed both greater chromatin condensation and greater resistance to DNA damage induced by BLM as compared to CHO cells

  5. Chromatin condensation and differential sensitivity of mammalian and insect cells to DNA strand breaks induced by bleomycin

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lopez-Larraza, Daniel M. [IMBICE, C.C. 403, 1900 La Plata (Argentina)]. E-mail: danielop@imbice.org.ar; Padron, Juan [IMBICE, C.C. 403, 1900 La Plata (Argentina); Ronci, Natalia E. [IMBICE, C.C. 403, 1900 La Plata (Argentina); Vidal Rioja, Lidia A. [IMBICE, C.C. 403, 1900 La Plata (Argentina)

    2006-08-30

    Bleomycin (BLM) induces DNA damage in living cells. In this report we analyzed the role of chromatin compactness in the differential response of mosquito (ATC-15) and mammalian (CHO) cells to DNA strand breaks induced by BLM. We used cells unexposed and exposed to sodium butyrate (NaB), which induces chromatin decondensation. By nucleoid sedimentation assay and digestions of nuclei with DNAse I, untreated mosquito cells (no BLM; no NaB) were shown to have more chromatin condensation than untreated CHO cells. By alkaline unwinding ATC-15 cells treated with NaB showed more BLM-induced DNA strand breaks than NaB-untreated CHO cells. The time-course of BLM-induced DNA damage to nuclear DNA was similar for NaB-untreated mammalian and insect cells, but with mosquito cells showing less DNA strand breaks, both at physiological temperatures and at 4 {sup o}C. However, when DNA repair was inhibited by low temperatures and chromatin was decondensed by NaB treatments, differences in BLM-induced DNA damage between these cells lines were no longer observed. In both cell lines, NaB did not affect BLM action on cell growth and viability. On the other hand, the low sensitivity of ATC-15 cells to BLM was reflected in their better growth efficiency. These cells exhibited a satisfactory growth at BLM doses that produced a permanent arrest of growth in CHO cells. The data suggest that mosquito cells might have linker DNAs shorter than those of mammalian cells, which would result in the observed both greater chromatin condensation and greater resistance to DNA damage induced by BLM as compared to CHO cells.

  6. Cytolethal distending toxin: a conserved bacterial genotoxin that blocks cell cycle progression, leading to apoptosis of a broad range of mammalian cell lineages.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jinadasa, Rasika N; Bloom, Stephen E; Weiss, Robert S; Duhamel, Gerald E

    2011-07-01

    Cytolethal distending toxin (CDT) is a heterotrimeric AB-type genotoxin produced by several clinically important Gram-negative mucocutaneous bacterial pathogens. Irrespective of the bacterial species of origin, CDT causes characteristic and irreversible cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in a broad range of cultured mammalian cell lineages. The active subunit CdtB has structural homology with the phosphodiesterase family of enzymes including mammalian DNase I, and alone is necessary and sufficient to account for cellular toxicity. Indeed, mammalian cells treated with CDT initiate a DNA damage response similar to that elicited by ionizing radiation-induced DNA double strand breaks resulting in cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. The mechanism of CDT-induced apoptosis remains incompletely understood, but appears to involve both p53-dependent and -independent pathways. While epithelial, endothelial and fibroblast cell lines respond to CDT by undergoing arrest of cell cycle progression resulting in nuclear and cytoplasmic distension that precedes apoptotic cell death, cells of haematopoietic origin display rapid apoptosis following a brief period of cell cycle arrest. In this review, the ecology of pathogens producing CDT, the molecular biology of bacterial CDT and the molecular mechanisms of CDT-induced cytotoxicity are critically appraised. Understanding the contribution of a broadly conserved bacterial genotoxin that blocks progression of the mammalian cell cycle, ultimately causing cell death, should assist with elucidating disease mechanisms for these important pathogens.

  7. Autonomously bioluminescent mammalian cells for continuous and real-time monitoring of cytotoxicity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, Tingting; Close, Dan M; Webb, James D; Ripp, Steven A; Sayler, Gary S

    2013-10-28

    Mammalian cell-based in vitro assays have been widely employed as alternatives to animal testing for toxicological studies but have been limited due to the high monetary and time costs of parallel sample preparation that are necessitated due to the destructive nature of firefly luciferase-based screening methods. This video describes the utilization of autonomously bioluminescent mammalian cells, which do not require the destructive addition of a luciferin substrate, as an inexpensive and facile method for monitoring the cytotoxic effects of a compound of interest. Mammalian cells stably expressing the full bacterial bioluminescence (luxCDABEfrp) gene cassette autonomously produce an optical signal that peaks at 490 nm without the addition of an expensive and possibly interfering luciferin substrate, excitation by an external energy source, or destruction of the sample that is traditionally performed during optical imaging procedures. This independence from external stimulation places the burden for maintaining the bioluminescent reaction solely on the cell, meaning that the resultant signal is only detected during active metabolism. This characteristic makes the lux-expressing cell line an excellent candidate for use as a biosentinel against cytotoxic effects because changes in bioluminescent production are indicative of adverse effects on cellular growth and metabolism. Similarly, the autonomous nature and lack of required sample destruction permits repeated imaging of the same sample in real-time throughout the period of toxicant exposure and can be performed across multiple samples using existing imaging equipment in an automated fashion.

  8. Isolation of Lysosomes from Mammalian Tissues and Cultured Cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aguado, Carmen; Pérez-Jiménez, Eva; Lahuerta, Marcos; Knecht, Erwin

    2016-01-01

    Lysosomes participate within the cells in the degradation of organelles, macromolecules, and a wide variety of substrates. In any study on specific roles of lysosomes, both under physiological and pathological conditions, it is advisable to include methods that allow their reproducible and reliable isolation. However, purification of lysosomes is a difficult task, particularly in the case of cultured cells. This is mainly because of the heterogeneity of these organelles, along with their low number and high fragility. Also, isolation methods, while disrupting plasma membranes, have to preserve the integrity of lysosomes, as the breakdown of their membranes releases enzymes that could damage all cell organelles, including themselves. The protocols described below have been routinely used in our laboratory for the specific isolation of lysosomes from rat liver, NIH/3T3, and other cultured cells, but can be adapted to other mammalian tissues or cell lines.

  9. Bicaudal is a conserved substrate for Drosophila and mammalian caspases and is essential for cell survival.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Creagh, Emma M

    2009-01-01

    Members of the caspase family of cysteine proteases coordinate cell death through restricted proteolysis of diverse protein substrates and play a conserved role in apoptosis from nematodes to man. However, while numerous substrates for the mammalian cell death-associated caspases have now been described, few caspase substrates have been identified in other organisms. Here, we have utilized a proteomics-based approach to identify proteins that are cleaved by caspases during apoptosis in Drosophila D-Mel2 cells, a subline of the Schneider S2 cell line. This approach identified multiple novel substrates for the fly caspases and revealed that bicaudal\\/betaNAC is a conserved substrate for Drosophila and mammalian caspases. RNAi-mediated silencing of bicaudal expression in Drosophila D-Mel2 cells resulted in a block to proliferation, followed by spontaneous apoptosis. Similarly, silencing of expression of the mammalian bicaudal homologue, betaNAC, in HeLa, HEK293T, MCF-7 and MRC5 cells also resulted in spontaneous apoptosis. These data suggest that bicaudal\\/betaNAC is essential for cell survival and is a conserved target of caspases from flies to man.

  10. The Genome Landscape of the African Green Monkey Kidney-Derived Vero Cell Line

    Science.gov (United States)

    Osada, Naoki; Kohara, Arihiro; Yamaji, Toshiyuki; Hirayama, Noriko; Kasai, Fumio; Sekizuka, Tsuyoshi; Kuroda, Makoto; Hanada, Kentaro

    2014-01-01

    Continuous cell lines that originate from mammalian tissues serve as not only invaluable tools for life sciences, but also important animal cell substrates for the production of various types of biological pharmaceuticals. Vero cells are susceptible to various types of microbes and toxins and have widely contributed to not only microbiology, but also the production of vaccines for human use. We here showed the genome landscape of a Vero cell line, in which 25,877 putative protein-coding genes were identified in the 2.97-Gb genome sequence. A homozygous ∼9-Mb deletion on chromosome 12 caused the loss of the type I interferon gene cluster and cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor genes in Vero cells. In addition, an ∼59-Mb loss of heterozygosity around this deleted region suggested that the homozygosity of the deletion was established by a large-scale conversion. Moreover, a genomic analysis of Vero cells revealed a female Chlorocebus sabaeus origin and proviral variations of the endogenous simian type D retrovirus. These results revealed the genomic basis for the non-tumourigenic permanent Vero cell lineage susceptible to various pathogens and will be useful for generating new sub-lines and developing new tools in the quality control of Vero cells. PMID:25267831

  11. Synthetic RNA Controllers for Programming Mammalian Cell Fate and Function

    Science.gov (United States)

    2015-11-04

    Final report for “Synthetic RNA controllers for programming mammalian cell fate and function” Principal Investigator: Christina D. Smolke...SUBTITLE Synthetic RNA controllers for programming mammalian cell fate and function 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER 5b. GRANT NUMBER 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER...Form 298 (Rev. 8-98) Prescribed by ANSI Std Z39-18   2 Synthetic RNA controllers for programming mammalian cell fate and function Task 1

  12. Influence of ornithine decarboxylase antizymes and antizyme inhibitors on agmatine uptake by mammalian cells

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ramos-Molina, Bruno; López-Contreras, Andrés J; Lambertos, Ana

    2015-01-01

    Agmatine (4-aminobutylguanidine), a dicationic molecule at physiological pH, exerts relevant modulatory actions at many different molecular target sites in mammalian cells, having been suggested that the administration of this compound may have therapeutic interest. Several plasma membrane...... transporters have been implicated in agmatine uptake by mammalian cells. Here we report that in kidney-derived COS-7cell line, at physiological agmatine levels, the general polyamine transporter participates in the plasma membrane translocation of agmatine, with an apparent Km of 44 ± 7 µM and V max of 17.......3 ± 3.3 nmol h(-1) mg(-1) protein, but that at elevated concentrations, agmatine can be also taken up by other transport systems. In the first case, the physiological polyamines (putrescine, spermidine and spermine), several diguanidines and bis(2-aminoimidazolines) and the polyamine transport inhibitor...

  13. Incorporation of mammalian actin into microfilaments in plant cell nucleus

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Paves Heiti

    2004-04-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Actin is an ancient molecule that shows more than 90% amino acid homology between mammalian and plant actins. The regions of the actin molecule that are involved in F-actin assembly are largely conserved, and it is likely that mammalian actin is able to incorporate into microfilaments in plant cells but there is no experimental evidence until now. Results Visualization of microfilaments in onion bulb scale epidermis cells by different techniques revealed that rhodamine-phalloidin stained F-actin besides cytoplasm also in the nuclei whereas GFP-mouse talin hybrid protein did not enter the nuclei. Microinjection of fluorescently labeled actin was applied to study the presence of nuclear microfilaments in plant cells. Ratio imaging of injected fluorescent rabbit skeletal muscle actin and phalloidin staining of the microinjected cells showed that mammalian actin was able to incorporate into plant F-actin. The incorporation occurred preferentially in the nucleus and in the perinuclear region of plant cells whereas part of plant microfilaments, mostly in the periphery of cytoplasm, did not incorporate mammalian actin. Conclusions Microinjected mammalian actin is able to enter plant cell's nucleus, whereas incorporation of mammalian actin into plant F-actin occurs preferentially in the nucleus and perinuclear area.

  14. Derivation of the clinical grade human embryonic stem cell line RCe016-A (RC-12

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    P.A. De Sousa

    2016-05-01

    Full Text Available The human embryonic stem cell line RCe016-A (RC-12 was derived under quality assured compliance with UK regulations, EU Directives and International guidance for tissue procurement, processing and storage according to good manufacturing practice (GMP standards. The cell line was derived from a cryopreserved blastocyst stage embryo voluntarily donated as surplus to fertility requirements following informed consent. RCe016-A (RC-12 shows normal pluripotency marker expression and differentiation to three germ layers in vitro. Karyology revealed a mixed male karyotype at early passage (P15, which resolved as normal 46XY by passage 33. Microsatellite PCR identity, HLA and blood group typing data is available.

  15. Characteristics of replication and radiation response of Aedes Albopictus cell line in vitro

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lee, C.K.

    1974-01-01

    The radiosensitivity of the line of Aedes albopictus cells was investigated by scoring x-ray-induced chromosome aberrations as a function of dose and of time after irradiation as well as the modification by dose fractionation. In order to obtain these data, a series of studies, e.g., karyotype, cell life cycle, radiation- induced mitotic delay, and frequency and type of spontaneous aberrations, were carried out. Cells from this line had three pairs of chromosomes as a stem line chromosome number. The morphology of the chromosomes is metacentric. Somatic pairing between homologous chromosomes was observed as a common event and there was a high frequency of achromatic gaps on the chromosomes. These observations are in good agreement with those made in other laboratories. The generation time of A. albopictus cell line was approximately 32 hours, in which G 1 , S, and G 2 phases were 2 1 / 2 , 24 and 5 1 / 2 hours respectively. This generation time is in agreement with the population doubling time observed in our cell growth studies. By contrast, in most mammalian cells, G 1 usually is the longest phase and S is comparatively short. Dose fractionation studies indicated that A. albopictus cells in culture may have a faster chromosome repair system than mammalian and other cell systems. This may, at least in part; explain the difference in radiosensitivity between A. albopictus cell line and other cell systems. (Diss. Abstr.)

  16. Protective Effects of Mouse Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stem Cell Soup on Staurosporine Induced Cell Death in PC12 and U87 Cell Lines

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hossein Zhaleh

    2016-11-01

    Full Text Available Mouse bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (mBMSCs soup is promising tool for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases. mBMSCs soup is easily obtained and is capable of transplantation without rejection. We investigated the effects of mBMSC soup on staurosporine-induced cell death in PC12 and U87 cells lines. The percentage of cell viability, cell death, NO concentration, total neurite length (TNL and fraction of cell differentiation (f% were assessed. Viability assay showed that mBM soup (24 and 48h in time dependent were increased cell viability (p<0.05 and also cell death assay showed that cell death in time dependent were decreased, respectively (p<0.05. TNL and fraction of cell differentiation significantly were increased compared with treatment1 (p<0.05. Our data showed that mBM Soup protects cells, increases cell viability, suppresses cell death and improvement the neurite elongation. We concluded that Mouse bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell soup plays an important protective role in staurosporine-induced cell death in PC12 and U87 cell lines.

  17. Mammalian cochlear supporting cells can divide and trans-differentiate into hair cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    White, Patricia M; Doetzlhofer, Angelika; Lee, Yun Shain; Groves, Andrew K; Segil, Neil

    2006-06-22

    Sensory hair cells of the mammalian organ of Corti in the inner ear do not regenerate when lost as a consequence of injury, disease, or age-related deafness. This contrasts with other vertebrates such as birds, where the death of hair cells causes surrounding supporting cells to re-enter the cell cycle and give rise to both new hair cells and supporting cells. It is not clear whether the lack of mammalian hair cell regeneration is due to an intrinsic inability of supporting cells to divide and differentiate or to an absence or blockade of regenerative signals. Here we show that post-mitotic supporting cells purified from the postnatal mouse cochlea retain the ability to divide and trans-differentiate into new hair cells in culture. Furthermore, we show that age-dependent changes in supporting cell proliferative capacity are due in part to changes in the ability to downregulate the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p27(Kip1) (also known as Cdkn1b). These results indicate that postnatal mammalian supporting cells are potential targets for therapeutic manipulation.

  18. Identifying and engineering promoters for high level and sustainable therapeutic recombinant protein production in cultured mammalian cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ho, Steven C L; Yang, Yuansheng

    2014-08-01

    Promoters are essential on plasmid vectors to initiate transcription of the transgenes when generating therapeutic recombinant proteins expressing mammalian cell lines. High and sustained levels of gene expression are desired during therapeutic protein production while gene expression is useful for cell engineering. As many finely controlled promoters exhibit cell and product specificity, new promoters need to be identified, optimized and carefully evaluated before use. Suitable promoters can be identified using techniques ranging from simple molecular biology methods to modern high-throughput omics screenings. Promoter engineering is often required after identification to either obtain high and sustained expression or to provide a wider range of gene expression. This review discusses some of the available methods to identify and engineer promoters for therapeutic recombinant protein expression in mammalian cells.

  19. The Genome Landscape of the African Green Monkey Kidney-Derived Vero Cell Line

    OpenAIRE

    Osada, Naoki; Kohara, Arihiro; Yamaji, Toshiyuki; Hirayama, Noriko; Kasai, Fumio; Sekizuka, Tsuyoshi; Kuroda, Makoto; Hanada, Kentaro

    2014-01-01

    Continuous cell lines that originate from mammalian tissues serve as not only invaluable tools for life sciences, but also important animal cell substrates for the production of various types of biological pharmaceuticals. Vero cells are susceptible to various types of microbes and toxins and have widely contributed to not only microbiology, but also the production of vaccines for human use. We here showed the genome landscape of a Vero cell line, in which 25,877 putative protein-coding genes...

  20. Differences in heat-induced cell killing as determined in three mammalian cell lines do not correspond with the extent of heat radiosensitization

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kampinga, H.H.; Jorritsma, J.B.M.; Burgman, P.; Konings, A.W.T.

    1986-01-01

    Three different cell lines, Ehrlich ascites tumour (EAT) cells, HeLa S 3 cells and LM mouse fibroblasts, were used to investigate whether or not the extent of heat killing (44 0 C) and heat radio-sensitization (44 0 C before 0-6 Gy X-irradiation) are related. Although HeLa cells were the most heat-resistant cell line and showed the least heat radiosensitization, we found that the most heat-sensitive EAT cells (D 0 , EAT = 8.0 min; D 0 , LM = 10.0 min; D 0 , HeLa = 12.5 min) showed less radiosensitization than the more heat-resistant LM fibroblasts (TERsub(HeLa)< TERsub(EAT)< TERsub(LM)). Therefore, it is concluded that the routes leading to heat-induced cell death are not identical to those determining heat radiosensitization. Furthermore the inactivation of DNA polymerase α and β activities by heat seemed not to correlate with heat survival alone but showed a positive relationship to heat radiosensitization. The possibility of these enzymes being a determinant in heat radiosensitization is discussed. (author)

  1. Expression and migratory analysis of 5 human uveal melanoma cell lines for CXCL12, CXCL8, CXCL1, and HGF

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Di Cesare Sebastian

    2007-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The aim of this study was to characterize the presence and roles of CXCL12, CXCL8, CXCL1, and HGF in five human uveal melanoma cell lines, using different methods, in order to ascertain their significance in this disease. Methods Five human uveal melanoma cell lines (92.1, SP6.5, MKT-BR, OCM-1, and UW-1 of known proliferative, invasive, and metastatic potential were used in this experiment. A migration assay was used in order to assess the responsiveness of each cell line towards the four chosen chemotactic factors. Immunohistochemistry was then performed for all five cell lines (cytospins using antibodies directed toward CXCL1, CXCL8 and their receptors CXCR2 and CXCR1 respectively. Quantitative real-time PCR was then performed on all five cell lines in order to establish the presence of these four chemotactic factors. Results All five human uveal melanoma cell lines migrated towards the four chosen chemotactic factors at a level greater than that of the negative control. Chemokines CXCL1 and CXCL8 resulted in the greatest number of migrating cells in all five of our cell lines. Immunohistochemistry confirmed the expression of CXCL1, CXCL8, and their receptors CXCR2 and CXCR1 in all five of the cell lines. Quantitative real-time PCR results established expression of CXCL8, CXCL1, and HGF in all 5 cell lines tested. CXCL1 and CXCL8 are highly expressed in SP6.5 and UW-1. None of the five cell lines expressed any detectable levels of CXCL12. Conclusion The migratory ability of the 5 human uveal melanoma cell lines was positively influenced by the four chemotactic factors tested, namely CXCL12, CXCL8, CXCL1, and HGF. Self-expression of chemotactic factors CXCL8, CXCL1, and HGF may indicate an autocrine system, which perhaps contributes to the cells' metastatic ability in vivo.

  2. Methods for Using Small Non-Coding RNAs to Improve Recombinant Protein Expression in Mammalian Cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sarah Inwood

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available The ability to produce recombinant proteins by utilizing different “cell factories” revolutionized the biotherapeutic and pharmaceutical industry. Chinese hamster ovary (CHO cells are the dominant industrial producer, especially for antibodies. Human embryonic kidney cells (HEK, while not being as widely used as CHO cells, are used where CHO cells are unable to meet the needs for expression, such as growth factors. Therefore, improving recombinant protein expression from mammalian cells is a priority, and continuing effort is being devoted to this topic. Non-coding RNAs are RNA segments that are not translated into a protein and often have a regulatory role. Since their discovery, major progress has been made towards understanding their functions. Non-coding RNA has been investigated extensively in relation to disease, especially cancer, and recently they have also been used as a method for engineering cells to improve their protein expression capability. In this review, we provide information about methods used to identify non-coding RNAs with the potential of improving recombinant protein expression in mammalian cell lines.

  3. Role of cyclins in controlling progression of mammalian spermatogenesis

    OpenAIRE

    WOLGEMUTH, DEBRA J.; MANTEROLA, MARCIA; VASILEVA, ANA

    2013-01-01

    Cyclins are key regulators of the mammalian cell cycle, functioning primarily in concert with their catalytic partners, the cyclin-dependent kinases (Cdks). While their function during mitosis in somatic cells has been extensively documented, their function during both mitosis and meiosis in the germ line is poorly understood. From the perspective of cell cycle regulation there are several aspects of mammalian spermatogenesis that suggest unique modes of regulation and hence, possible unique ...

  4. Experimental design and reporting standards for metabolomics studies of mammalian cell lines.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hayton, Sarah; Maker, Garth L; Mullaney, Ian; Trengove, Robert D

    2017-12-01

    Metabolomics is an analytical technique that investigates the small biochemical molecules present within a biological sample isolated from a plant, animal, or cultured cells. It can be an extremely powerful tool in elucidating the specific metabolic changes within a biological system in response to an environmental challenge such as disease, infection, drugs, or toxins. A historically difficult step in the metabolomics pipeline is in data interpretation to a meaningful biological context, for such high-variability biological samples and in untargeted metabolomics studies that are hypothesis-generating by design. One way to achieve stronger biological context of metabolomic data is via the use of cultured cell models, particularly for mammalian biological systems. The benefits of in vitro metabolomics include a much greater control of external variables and no ethical concerns. The current concerns are with inconsistencies in experimental procedures and level of reporting standards between different studies. This review discusses some of these discrepancies between recent studies, such as metabolite extraction and data normalisation. The aim of this review is to highlight the importance of a standardised experimental approach to any cultured cell metabolomics study and suggests an example procedure fully inclusive of information that should be disclosed in regard to the cell type/s used and their culture conditions. Metabolomics of cultured cells has the potential to uncover previously unknown information about cell biology, functions and response mechanisms, and so the accurate biological interpretation of the data produced and its ability to be compared to other studies should be considered vitally important.

  5. BMP6 down-regulates GDNF expression through SMAD1/5 and ERK1/2 signaling pathways in human granulosa-lutein cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Xin-Yue; Chang, Hsun-Ming; Taylor, Elizabeth L; Leung, Peter C K; Liu, Rui-Zhi

    2018-05-09

    Bone morphogenetic protein 6 (BMP6) is a critical regulator of follicular development that is expressed in mammalian oocytes and granulosa cells. Glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) is an intraovarian neurotrophic factor that plays an essential role in regulating mammalian oocyte maturation. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of BMP6 on the regulation of GDNF expression and the potential underlying mechanisms. We used an established immortalized human granulosa cell line (SVOG cells) and primary human granulosa-lutein cells as in vitro cell models. Our results showed that BMP6 significantly down-regulated the expression of GDNF in both SVOG and primary human granulosa-lutein cells. Using dual inhibition approaches (kinase receptor inhibitor and small interfering RNA knockdown), our results showed that both ALK2 and ALK3 are involved in BMP6-induced down-regulation of GDNF. In addition, BMP6 induced the phosphorylation of SMAD1/5/8 and ERK1/2 but not AKT or p38. Among three downstream mediators, both SMAD1 and SMAD5 are involved in BMP6-induced down-regulation of GDNF. Moreover, concomitant knockdown of endogenous SMAD4 and inhibition of ERK1/2 activity completely reversed BMP6-induced down-regulation of GDNF, indicating that both SMAD and ERK1/2 signaling pathways are required for the regulatory effect of BMP6 on GDNF expression. Our findings suggest an additional role for an intrafollicular growth factor in regulating follicular function through their paracrine interactions in human granulosa cells.

  6. Mammalian Cell Culture Clarification: A Case Study Using Chimeric Anti-CEA Monoclonal Antibodies

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mohamed Ali Abol Hassan

    2011-12-01

    Full Text Available The extracellular expression of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs in mammalian cell culture provides both opportunities and restrictions for the design of robust harvest and clarification operations. With advances in cell culture media and cell lines, it is now possible to achieve high titers of over 5 g/l for mAbs. However, Mammalian cells are sensitive to breakage due to shear stress that can result in release of proteases and other host cell proteins (HCPs which eventually affects product stability and purity. There is larger number of mAbs undergoing clinical development and it has placed significant importance on platform technologies of process development. Generally, Centrifugation and microfiltration are the primary harvest techniques used in the industry and depth filtration is also used as a step operation on clarification. This study compares the unit operations; centrifugation, microfiltration and depth filtration for maximum recovery of monoclonal antibodies. The results have shown that the depth filtration as more suitable operation for mammalian cell culture clarification since it gives 96% recovery of mAbs in comparison to centrifugation and microfiltration. ABSTRAK: Pengungkapan luar sel dari antibodi monoklon (monoclonal antibodies ((mAbs dalam kultur sel mamalia memberi ruang dan batasan terhadap reka bentuk penuaian yang cekap dan penerangan operasi. Dengan kemajuan dalam media sel kultur dan cell lines (produk yang berupa sel kekal yang digunakan untuk tujuan kajian biologi, kini adalah berkemungkinan untuk memperolehi titer tinggi melebihi 5g/l untuk mAbs [2]. Walaupun begitu, sel mamalia sensitif terhadap retakan disebabkan tegasan ricih yang menyebabkan pengeluaran protease dan hos sel protein yang lain, (host cell proteins (HCPs akhirnya mempengaruhi kestabilan dan keaslian produk. Terdapat mAbs dalam jumlah besar yang masih menjalani pembangunan klinikal dan sesungguhnya ini penting sebagai satu landasan teknologi dalam

  7. Promoter, transgene, and cell line effects in the transfection of mammalian cells using PDMAEMA-based nano-stars

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alexander Raup

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available Non-viral transfection protocols are typically optimized using standard cells and reporter proteins, potentially underestimating cellular or transgene effects. Here such effects were studied for two human (Jurkat, HEK-293 and two rodent (CHO-K1, L929 cell lines and three fluorescent reporter proteins. Expression of the enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP was studied under the control of the human elongation factor 1 alpha promoter and three viral promoters (SV40, SV40/enhancer, CMV, that of ZsYellow1 (yellow fluorescence and mCherry (red fluorescence for the CMV promoter. Results varied with the cell line, in particular for the Jurkat cells. Pair-wise co-transfection of the CMV controlled transgenes resulted in a significant fraction of monochromatic cells (EGFP for EGFP/YFP and EGFP/RFP co-transfections, YFP in case of YFP/RFP co-transfections. Only Jurkat cells were almost incapable of expressing YFP. Dilution of the plasmid DNA with a non-expressed plasmid showed cell line dependent effects on transfection efficiency and/or expression levels.

  8. Introducing Mammalian Cell Culture and Cell Viability Techniques in the Undergraduate Biology Laboratory.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bowey-Dellinger, Kristen; Dixon, Luke; Ackerman, Kristin; Vigueira, Cynthia; Suh, Yewseok K; Lyda, Todd; Sapp, Kelli; Grider, Michael; Crater, Dinene; Russell, Travis; Elias, Michael; Coffield, V McNeil; Segarra, Verónica A

    2017-01-01

    Undergraduate students learn about mammalian cell culture applications in introductory biology courses. However, laboratory modules are rarely designed to provide hands-on experience with mammalian cells or teach cell culture techniques, such as trypsinization and cell counting. Students are more likely to learn about cell culture using bacteria or yeast, as they are typically easier to grow, culture, and manipulate given the equipment, tools, and environment of most undergraduate biology laboratories. In contrast, the utilization of mammalian cells requires a dedicated biological safety cabinet and rigorous antiseptic techniques. For this reason, we have devised a laboratory module and method herein that familiarizes students with common cell culture procedures, without the use of a sterile hood or large cell culture facility. Students design and perform a time-efficient inquiry-based cell viability experiment using HeLa cells and tools that are readily available in an undergraduate biology laboratory. Students will become familiar with common techniques such as trypsinizing cells, cell counting with a hemocytometer, performing serial dilutions, and determining cell viability using trypan blue dye. Additionally, students will work with graphing software to analyze their data and think critically about the mechanism of death on a cellular level. Two different adaptations of this inquiry-based lab are presented-one for non-biology majors and one for biology majors. Overall, these laboratories aim to expose students to mammalian cell culture and basic techniques and help them to conceptualize their application in scientific research.

  9. A mammalianized synthetic nitroreductase gene for high-level expression

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Grohmann, Maik; Paulmann, Nils; Fleischhauer, Sebastian; Vowinckel, Jakob; Priller, Josef; Walther, Diego J

    2009-01-01

    The nitroreductase/5-(azaridin-1-yl)-2,4-dinitrobenzamide (NTR/CB1954) enzyme/prodrug system is considered as a promising candidate for anti-cancer strategies by gene-directed enzyme prodrug therapy (GDEPT) and has recently entered clinical trials. It requires the genetic modification of tumor cells to express the E. coli enzyme nitroreductase that bioactivates the prodrug CB1954 to a powerful cytotoxin. This metabolite causes apoptotic cell death by DNA interstrand crosslinking. Enhancing the enzymatic NTR activity for CB1954 should improve the therapeutical potential of this enzyme-prodrug combination in cancer gene therapy. We performed de novo synthesis of the bacterial nitroreductase gene adapting codon usage to mammalian preferences. The synthetic gene was investigated for its expression efficacy and ability to sensitize mammalian cells to CB1954 using western blotting analysis and cytotoxicity assays. In our study, we detected cytoplasmic protein aggregates by expressing GFP-tagged NTR in COS-7 cells, suggesting an impaired translation by divergent codon usage between prokaryotes and eukaryotes. Therefore, we generated a synthetic variant of the nitroreductase gene, called ntro, adapted for high-level expression in mammalian cells. A total of 144 silent base substitutions were made within the bacterial ntr gene to change its codon usage to mammalian preferences. The codon-optimized ntro either tagged to gfp or c-myc showed higher expression levels in mammalian cell lines. Furthermore, the ntro rendered several cell lines ten times more sensitive to the prodrug CB1954 and also resulted in an improved bystander effect. Our results show that codon optimization overcomes expression limitations of the bacterial ntr gene in mammalian cells, thereby improving the NTR/CB1954 system at translational level for cancer gene therapy in humans

  10. Technology of mammalian cell encapsulation

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Uludag, H; De Vos, P; Tresco, PA

    2000-01-01

    Entrapment of mammalian cells in physical membranes has been practiced since the early 1950s when it was originally introduced as a basic research tool. The method has since been developed based on the promise of its therapeutic usefulness in tissue transplantation. Encapsulation physically isolates

  11. Sensory hair cell regeneration in the zebrafish lateral line.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lush, Mark E; Piotrowski, Tatjana

    2014-10-01

    Damage or destruction of sensory hair cells in the inner ear leads to hearing or balance deficits that can be debilitating, especially in older adults. Unfortunately, the damage is permanent, as regeneration of the inner ear sensory epithelia does not occur in mammals. Zebrafish and other non-mammalian vertebrates have the remarkable ability to regenerate sensory hair cells and understanding the molecular and cellular basis for this regenerative ability will hopefully aid us in designing therapies to induce regeneration in mammals. Zebrafish not only possess hair cells in the ear but also in the sensory lateral line system. Hair cells in both organs are functionally analogous to hair cells in the inner ear of mammals. The lateral line is a mechanosensory system found in most aquatic vertebrates that detects water motion and aids in predator avoidance, prey capture, schooling, and mating. Although hair cell regeneration occurs in both the ear and lateral line, most research to date has focused on the lateral line due to its relatively simple structure and accessibility. Here we review the recent discoveries made during the characterization of hair cell regeneration in zebrafish. Copyright © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  12. SENSORY HAIR CELL REGENERATION IN THE ZEBRAFISH LATERAL LINE

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lush, Mark E.; Piotrowski, Tatjana

    2014-01-01

    Damage or destruction of sensory hair cells in the inner ear leads to hearing or balance deficits that can be debilitating, especially in older adults. Unfortunately, the damage is permanent, as regeneration of the inner ear sensory epithelia does not occur in mammals. Zebrafish and other non-mammalian vertebrates have the remarkable ability to regenerate sensory hair cells and understanding the molecular and cellular basis for this regenerative ability will hopefully aid us in designing therapies to induce regeneration in mammals. Zebrafish not only possess hair cells in the ear but also in the sensory lateral line system. Hair cells in both organs are functionally analogous to hair cells in the inner ear of mammals. The lateral line is a mechanosensory system found in most aquatic vertebrates that detects water motion and aids in predator avoidance, prey capture, schooling and mating. Although hair cell regeneration occurs in both the ear and lateral line, most research to date has focused on the lateral line due to its relatively simple structure and accessibility. Here we review the recent discoveries made during the characterization of hair cell regeneration in zebrafish. PMID:25045019

  13. Synchronized mammalian cell culture: part I--a physical strategy for synchronized cultivation under physiological conditions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barradas, Oscar Platas; Jandt, Uwe; Becker, Max; Bahnemann, Janina; Pörtner, Ralf; Zeng, An-Ping

    2015-01-01

    Conventional analysis and optimization procedures of mammalian cell culture processes mostly treat the culture as a homogeneous population. Hence, the focus is on cell physiology and metabolism, cell line development, and process control strategy. Impact on cultivations caused by potential variations in cellular properties between different subpopulations, however, has not yet been evaluated systematically. One main cause for the formation of such subpopulations is the progress of all cells through the cell cycle. The interaction of potential cell cycle specific variations in the cell behavior with large-scale process conditions can be optimally determined by means of (partially) synchronized cultivations, with subsequent population resolved model analysis. Therefore, it is desirable to synchronize a culture with minimal perturbation, which is possible with different yield and quality using physical selection methods, but not with frequently used chemical or whole-culture methods. Conventional nonsynchronizing methods with subsequent cell-specific, for example, flow cytometric analysis, can only resolve cell-limited effects of the cell cycle. In this work, we demonstrate countercurrent-flow centrifugal elutriation as a useful physical method to enrich mammalian cell populations within different phases of a cell cycle, which can be further cultivated for synchronized growth in bioreactors under physiological conditions. The presented combined approach contrasts with other physical selection methods especially with respect to the achievable yield, which makes it suitable for bioreactor scale cultivations. As shown with two industrial cell lines (CHO-K1 and human AGE1.HN), synchronous inocula can be obtained with overall synchrony degrees of up to 82% in the G1 phase, 53% in the S phase and 60% in the G2/M phase, with enrichment factors (Ysync) of 1.71, 1.79, and 4.24 respectively. Cells are able to grow with synchrony in bioreactors over several cell cycles. This

  14. Mammalian mediator 19 mediates H1299 lung adenocarcinoma cell clone conformation, growth, and metastasis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, Lu-Lu; Guo, Shu-Liang; Ma, Su-Ren; Luo, Yong-Ai

    2012-01-01

    Mammalian mediator (MED) is a multi-protein coactivator that has been identified by several research groups. The involvement of the MED complex subunit 19 (MED 19) in the metastasis of lung adenocarcinoma cell line (H1299), which expresses the MED 19 subunit, was here investigated. When MED 19 expression was decreased by RNA interference H1299 cells demonstrated reduced clone formation, arrest in the S phase of the cell cycle, and lowered metastatic capacity. Thus, MED 19 appears to play important roles in the biological behavior of non-small cell lung carcinoma cells. These findings may be important for the development of novel lung carcinoma treatments.

  15. Importance of Lipopolysaccharide and Cyclic β-1,2-Glucans in Brucella-Mammalian Infections

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Andreas F. Haag

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available Brucella species are the causative agents of one of the most prevalent zoonotic diseases: brucellosis. Infections by Brucella species cause major economic losses in agriculture, leading to abortions in infected animals and resulting in a severe, although rarely lethal, debilitating disease in humans. Brucella species persist as intracellular pathogens that manage to effectively evade recognition by the host's immune system. Sugar-modified components in the Brucella cell envelope play an important role in their host interaction. Brucella lipopolysaccharide (LPS, unlike Escherichia coli LPS, does not trigger the host's innate immune system. Brucella produces cyclic β-1,2-glucans, which are important for targeting them to their replicative niche in the endoplasmic reticulum within the host cell. This paper will focus on the role of LPS and cyclic β-1,2-glucans in Brucella-mammalian infections and discuss the use of mutants, within the biosynthesis pathway of these cell envelope structures, in vaccine development.

  16. Influence of ornithine decarboxylase antizymes and antizyme inhibitors on agmatine uptake by mammalian cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ramos-Molina, Bruno; López-Contreras, Andrés J; Lambertos, Ana; Dardonville, Christophe; Cremades, Asunción; Peñafiel, Rafael

    2015-05-01

    Agmatine (4-aminobutylguanidine), a dicationic molecule at physiological pH, exerts relevant modulatory actions at many different molecular target sites in mammalian cells, having been suggested that the administration of this compound may have therapeutic interest. Several plasma membrane transporters have been implicated in agmatine uptake by mammalian cells. Here we report that in kidney-derived COS-7 cell line, at physiological agmatine levels, the general polyamine transporter participates in the plasma membrane translocation of agmatine, with an apparent Km of 44 ± 7 µM and Vmax of 17.3 ± 3.3 nmol h(-1) mg(-1) protein, but that at elevated concentrations, agmatine can be also taken up by other transport systems. In the first case, the physiological polyamines (putrescine, spermidine and spermine), several diguanidines and bis(2-aminoimidazolines) and the polyamine transport inhibitor AMXT-1501 markedly decreased agmatine uptake. In cells transfected with any of the three ornithine decarboxylase antizymes (AZ1, AZ2 and AZ3), agmatine uptake was dramatically reduced. On the contrary, transfection with antizyme inhibitors (AZIN1 and AZIN2) markedly increased the transport of agmatine. Furthermore, whereas putrescine uptake was significantly decreased in cells transfected with ornithine decarboxylase (ODC), the accumulation of agmatine was stimulated, suggesting a trans-activating effect of intracellular putrescine on agmatine uptake. All these results indicate that ODC and its regulatory proteins (antizymes and antizyme inhibitors) may influence agmatine homeostasis in mammalian tissues.

  17. Structure and function of stem cell pools in mammalian cell renewal systems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fliedner, T.M.; Nothdurft, W.

    1979-01-01

    Stem cells play a key-role in the maintenance of the equilibrium between cell loss and cell production in cell renewal systems as well as in the understanding of the radiation pathophysiology of mammalian organisms. The integrity of mammalian organisms with the need to maintain a constant ''millieu interior'' is depending on the normal functioning of cell renewal systems, especially those of epithelial surfaces and blood cell forming organs. All cell renewal systems of bodies have a very similar functional structure consisting of functional, proliferative - amplifying and stem cell compartments. They differ in transit and cell cycle times and in the number of amplification division - aside from the difference in their functional and biochemical make-up. The stem cell pools are providing the cells capable of differentiation without depleting their own kind. This can be achieved by symmetrical or assymmetrical stem cell division. In normal steady state, 50% of the stem cell division remain in the stem cell pool, while the other 50% leave it to differentiate, proliferate and mature, hemopoietic system is distributed throughout bodies. This is an important factor in the radiation biology of mammalian organisms since the loss of function in one area can be compensated for by more production in other areas, and locally depleted sites can be reseeded with the stem cells migrating in from blood. (Yamashita, S.)

  18. Laser flow microphotometry for rapid analysis and sorting of mammalian cells. [X and gamma radiation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Mullaney, P.F.; Steinkamp, J.A.; Crissman, H.A.; Cram, L.S.; Crowell, J.M.; Salzman, G.C.; Martin, J.C.; Price, B.

    1976-01-01

    Quantitative precision measurements can be made of the optical properties of individual mammalian cells using flow microphotometry. Suspended cells pass through a special flow chamber where they are lined up for exposure to blue light from an argon-ion laser. As each cell crosses the laser beam, it produces one or more optical pulses of a duration equal to cell transit time across the beam. These pulses are detected, amplified, and analyzed using the techniques of gamma ray spectroscopy. Quantitative DNA distributions made it possible to distinguish tumor cells from normal cells as well as to assay for radiation effects on tumor cells subjected to x and gamma radiation. (HLW)

  19. Radiation induced reproductive death as a function of mammalian cell ploidy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Philbrick, D.A.

    1976-09-01

    Mammalian cells containing different multiples of the diploid chromosome set were created through drug induction and cell fusion. In all cell strains used the chromosome number was determined from metaphase spreads, as well as from DNA content and cell size. The survival of cells as a function of radiation dose was determined for cell lines with differing chromosome complements at 37 0 C, 4 0 C, in hypertonic media, while frozen, and with increasing levels of incorporated IUdR. Survival of frozen diploid and hypotetraploid Chinese hamster cells was determined following varying numbers of decays of incorporated 3 HTdR and 125 IUdR. The percent of reproductively viable cells following irradiation is a function of the cell ploidy, i.e., the number of haploid sets of chromosomes contained in the cell genome. At 37 0 C and in hypertonic media, the Chinese hamster cells of progressively higher ploidies are increasingly sensitive to irradiation. As the number of chromosomes per unit cell volume increases the radiosensitivity increases. Both trends suggest interaction between chromosomes as an important cause of cell death

  20. Single-cell printing to form three-dimensional lines of olfactory ensheathing cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Othon, Christina M; Ringeisen, Bradley R; Wu Xingjia; Anders, Juanita J

    2008-01-01

    Biological laser printing (BioLP(TM)) is a unique tool capable of printing high resolution two- and three-dimensional patterns of living mammalian cells, with greater than 95% viability. These results have been extended to primary cultured olfactory ensheathing cells (OECs), harvested from adult Sprague-Dawley rats. OECs have been found to provide stimulating environments for neurite outgrowth in spinal cord injury models. BioLP is unique in that small load volumes (∼μLs) are required to achieve printing, enabling low numbers of OECs to be harvested, concentrated and printed. BioLP was used to form several 8 mm lines of OECs throughout a multilayer hydrogel scaffold. The line width was as low as 20 μm, with most lines comprising aligned single cells. Fluorescent confocal microscopy was used to determine the functionality of the printed OECs, to monitor interactions between printed OECs, and to determine the extent of cell migration throughout the 3D scaffold. High-resolution printing of low cell count, harvested OECs is an important advancement for in vitro study of cell interactions and functionality. In addition, these cell-printed scaffolds may provide an alternative for spinal cord repair studies, as the single-cell patterns formed here are on relevant size scales for neurite outgrowth

  1. DNA repair and radiation sensitivity in mammalian cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chen, D.J.C.; Stackhouse, M.; Chen, D.S.

    1993-01-01

    Ionizing radiation induces various types of damage in mammalian cells including DNA single-strand breaks, DNA double-strand breaks (DSB), DNA-protein cross links, and altered DNA bases. Although human cells can repair many of these lesions there is little detailed knowledge of the nature of the genes and the encoded enzymes that control these repair processes. We report here on the cellular and genetic analyses of DNA double-strand break repair deficient mammalian cells. It has been well established that the DNA double-strand break is one of the major lesions induced by ionizing radiation. Utilizing rodent repair-deficient mutant, we have shown that the genes responsible for DNA double-strand break repair are also responsible for the cellular expression of radiation sensitivity. The molecular genetic analysis of DSB repair in rodent/human hybrid cells indicate that at least 6 different genes in mammalian cells are responsible for the repair of radiation-induced DNA double-strand breaks. Mapping and the prospect of cloning of human radiation repair genes are reviewed. Understanding the molecular and genetic basis of radiation sensitivity and DNA repair in man will provide a rational foundation to predict the individual risk associated with radiation exposure and to prevent radiation-induced genetic damage in the human population

  2. Effects of phthalates on the human corneal endothelial cell line B4G12

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Krüger, Tanja; Cao, Yi; Kjærgaard, Søren K.

    2012-01-01

    Phthalates are industrial chemicals used in many cosmetics. We evaluated an in vitro model for eye irritancy testing using the human corneal endothelial cell line B4G12. Cell proliferation and toxicity were assessed after exposing to di-n-butyl phthalate (DBP), benzyl butyl phthalate (BBP), di-2...... toxicity was observed for DBP and BBP. Upon DBP exposure at nontoxic concentrations, a significant increased gene expression and cytokine cell secretion were observed for interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß) and IL-8, and also an increased IL-6 secretion was observed. In conclusion, the human corneal endothelial cell...

  3. Development of a model system to study leukotriene-induced modification of radiation sensitivity in mammalian cells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Walden, Jr, T L; Holahan, Jr, E V; Catravas, G N

    1986-01-01

    Leukotrienes (LT) are an important class of biological mediators for which no information exists concerning their synthesis following a radiation insult or on their ability to modify cellular response to a subsequent radiation exposure. Results are presented which illustrate that the Chinese hamster lung fibroblast cell line, V79A03, is useful as a model system to study the metabolic fate of leukotrienes and the effect of LT on radiation sensitivity of mammalian cells in vitro. (U.K.).

  4. Producing Newborn Synchronous Mammalian Cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gonda, Steve R.; Helmstetter, Charles E.; Thornton, Maureen

    2008-01-01

    A method and bioreactor for the continuous production of synchronous (same age) population of mammalian cells have been invented. The invention involves the attachment and growth of cells on an adhesive-coated porous membrane immersed in a perfused liquid culture medium in a microgravity analog bioreactor. When cells attach to the surface divide, newborn cells are released into the flowing culture medium. The released cells, consisting of a uniform population of synchronous cells are then collected from the effluent culture medium. This invention could be of interest to researchers investigating the effects of the geneotoxic effects of the space environment (microgravity, radiation, chemicals, gases) and to pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies involved in research on aging and cancer, and in new drug development and testing.

  5. Mammalian-enabled (MENA) protein enhances oncogenic potential and cancer stem cell-like phenotype in hepatocellular carcinoma cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hu, Kunpeng; Huang, Pinzhu; Luo, Hui; Yao, Zhicheng; Wang, Qingliang; Xiong, Zhiyong; Lin, Jizong; Huang, He; Xu, Shilei; Zhang, Peng; Liu, Bo

    2017-08-01

    Mammalian-enabled (MENA) protein is an actin-regulatory protein that influences cell motility and adhesion. It is known to play a role in tumorigenicity of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) but the underlying molecular mechanism remains unknown. This study aimed to investigate the oncogenic potential of MENA and its capacity to regulate cancer stem cell (CSC)-like phenotypes in HCC cells. Real-time-PCR and western blot were used to assess mRNA and protein levels of target genes in human HCC tissue specimens and HCC cell lines, respectively. Stable MENA-overexpressing HCC cells were generated from HCC cell lines. Transwell cell migration and colony formation assays were employed to evaluate tumorigenicity. Ectopic expression of MENA significantly enhanced cell migration and colony-forming ability in HCC cells. Overexpression of MENA upregulated several hepatic progenitor/stem cell markers in HCC cells. A high MENA protein level was associated with high mRNA levels of MENA, CD133, cytokeratin 19 (CK19), and epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM) in human HCC tissues. Overexpression of MENA enhanced epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) markers, extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERK) phosphorylation, and the level of β-catenin in HCC cells. This study demonstrated that overexpression of MENA in HCC cells promoted stem cell markers, EMT markers, and tumorigenicity. These effects may involve, at least partially, the ERK and β-catenin signaling pathways.

  6. Polymer encapsulated dopaminergic cell lines as "alternative neural grafts".

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jaeger, C B; Greene, L A; Tresco, P A; Winn, S R; Aebischer, P

    1990-01-01

    Our preliminary findings (Jaeger et al., 1988; Aebischer et al., 1989; Tresco et al., 1989) and the studies in progress show that encapsulated dopaminergic cell lines survive enclosure within a semi-permeable membrane. The encapsulated cells remained viable for extended time periods when maintained in vitro. Moreover, encapsulated PC12 and T28 cells have the potential to survive following their implantation into the forebrain of rats. Cell lines are essentially "immortal" because they continue to divide indefinitely. This property allows perpetual "self-renewal" of a given cell population. However, the capacity of continuous uncontrolled cell division may also lead to tumor formation. This in fact is the case for unencapsulated PC12 cell implants placed into the brain of young Sprague Dawley rats (Jaeger, 1985). Cell line encapsulation has the potential to prevent tumor growth (Jaeger et al., 1988). Survival for 6 months in vitro suggests that encapsulation does not preclude long-term maintenance of an homogeneous cell line like PC12 cells. The presence of mitotic figures in the capsules further supports the likelihood of propagation and self renewal of the encapsulated population. Another significant property of cell lines is that they consist of a single, genetically homogeneous cell type. They do not require specific synaptic interactions for their survival. In the case of PC12 and T28 lines, the cells synthesize and release neurotransmitters. Our data show that PC12 and T28 cells continue to release dopamine spontaneously and to express specific transmitters and enzymes following encapsulation. Thus, cell lines such as these may constitute relatively simple "neural implants" exerting their function via humoral release.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

  7. Menadione inhibits MIBG uptake in two neuroendocrine cell lines

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Cornelissen, J.; Tytgat, G. A.; van den Brug, M.; van Kuilenburg, A. B.; Voûte, P. A.; van Gennip, A. H.

    1997-01-01

    In this paper we report on our studies of the effect of menadione on the uptake of MIBG in the neuroendocrine cell lines PC12 and SK-N-SH. Menadione inhibits the uptake of MIBG in both cell lines in a dose-dependent manner. Inhibition of MIBG uptake is most pronounced in the PC12 cell line.

  8. Radiation induced reproductive death as a function of mammalian cell ploidy

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Philbrick, D.A.

    1976-09-01

    Mammalian cells containing different multiples of the diploid chromosome set were created through drug induction and cell fusion. In all cell strains used the chromosome number was determined from metaphase spreads, as well as from DNA content and cell size. The survival of cells as a function of radiation dose was determined for cell lines with differing chromosome complements at 37/sup 0/C, 4/sup 0/C, in hypertonic media, while frozen, and with increasing levels of incorporated IUdR. Survival of frozen diploid and hypotetraploid Chinese hamster cells was determined following varying numbers of decays of incorporated /sup 3/HTdR and /sup 125/IUdR. The percent of reproductively viable cells following irradiation is a function of the cell ploidy, i.e., the number of haploid sets of chromosomes contained in the cell genome. At 37/sup 0/C and in hypertonic media, the Chinese hamster cells of progressively higher ploidies are increasingly sensitive to irradiation. As the number of chromosomes per unit cell volume increases the radiosensitivity increases. Both trends suggest interaction between chromosomes as an important cause of cell death.

  9. An improved UPLC-MS/MS platform for quantitative analysis of glycerophosphoinositol in mammalian cells.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Laura Grauso

    Full Text Available The glycerophosphoinositols constitute a class of biologically active lipid-derived mediators whose intracellular levels are modulated during physiological and pathological cell processes. Comprehensive assessment of the role of these compounds expands beyond the cellular biology of lipids and includes rapid and unambiguous measurement in cells and tissues. Here we describe a sensitive and simple liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS method for quantitative analysis of the most abundant among these phosphoinositide derivatives in mammalian cells, the glycerophosphoinositol (GroPIns. The method has been developed in mouse Raw 264.7 macrophages with limits of quantitation at 3 ng/ml. Validation on the same cell line showed excellent response in terms of linear dynamic range (from 3 to 3,000 ng/ml, intra-day and inter-day precision (coefficient of variation ≤ 7.10% and accuracy (between 98.1 and 109.0% in the range 10-320 ng/ml. As proof of concept, a simplified analytical platform based on this method and external calibration was also tested on four stimulated and unstimulated cell lines, including Raw 264.7 macrophages, Jurkat T-cells, A375MM melanoma cells and rat basophilic leukemia RBL-2H3 cells. The results indicate a wide variation in GroPIns levels among different cell lines and stimulation conditions, although the measurements were always in line with the literature. No significant matrix effects were observed thus indicating that the here proposed method can be of general use for similar determinations in cells of different origin.

  10. Establishment, immortalisation and characterisation of pteropid bat cell lines.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gary Crameri

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Bats are the suspected natural reservoir hosts for a number of new and emerging zoonotic viruses including Nipah virus, Hendra virus, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus and Ebola virus. Since the discovery of SARS-like coronaviruses in Chinese horseshoe bats, attempts to isolate a SL-CoV from bats have failed and attempts to isolate other bat-borne viruses in various mammalian cell lines have been similarly unsuccessful. New stable bat cell lines are needed to help with these investigations and as tools to assist in the study of bat immunology and virus-host interactions. METHODOLOGY/FINDINGS: Black flying foxes (Pteropus alecto were captured from the wild and transported live to the laboratory for primary cell culture preparation using a variety of different methods and culture media. Primary cells were successfully cultured from 20 different organs. Cell immortalisation can occur spontaneously, however we used a retroviral system to immortalise cells via the transfer and stable production of the Simian virus 40 Large T antigen and the human telomerase reverse transcriptase protein. Initial infection experiments with both cloned and uncloned cell lines using Hendra and Nipah viruses demonstrated varying degrees of infection efficiency between the different cell lines, although it was possible to infect cells in all tissue types. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: The approaches developed and optimised in this study should be applicable to bats of other species. We are in the process of generating further cell lines from a number of different bat species using the methodology established in this study.

  11. Nutrient acquisition strategies of mammalian cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Palm, Wilhelm; Thompson, Craig B

    2017-06-07

    Mammalian cells are surrounded by diverse nutrients, such as glucose, amino acids, various macromolecules and micronutrients, which they can import through transmembrane transporters and endolysosomal pathways. By using different nutrient sources, cells gain metabolic flexibility to survive periods of starvation. Quiescent cells take up sufficient nutrients to sustain homeostasis. However, proliferating cells depend on growth-factor-induced increases in nutrient uptake to support biomass formation. Here, we review cellular nutrient acquisition strategies and their regulation by growth factors and cell-intrinsic nutrient sensors. We also discuss how oncogenes and tumour suppressors promote nutrient uptake and thereby support the survival and growth of cancer cells.

  12. A New Approach to Establish a Cell Line with Reduced Risk of Endogenous Retroviruses

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fukuma, Aiko; Yoshikawa, Rokusuke; Miyazawa, Takayuki; Yasuda, Jiro

    2013-01-01

    Endogenous retroviruses (ERVs) are integrated as DNA proviruses in the genomes of all mammalian species. Several ERVs are replication-competent and produced as fully infectious viruses from host cell. Thus, live-attenuated vaccines and biological substances have been prepared using the cell lines which may produce ERV. Indeed, we recently reported that several commercial live-attenuated vaccines for pets were contaminated with the infectious feline endogenous retrovirus, RD-114. In this study, to establish a cell line for vaccine manufacture with reduced risk of ERVs, we generated a cell line stably expressing human tetherin (Teth-CRFK cells). The release of infectious ERV from Teth-CRFK cells was suppressed to undetectable levels, while the production of parvovirus in Teth-CRFK cells was similar to that in parental CRFK cells. These observations suggest that Teth-CRFK cells will be useful as a cell line for the manufacture of live-attenuated vaccines or biological substances with reduced risk of ERV. PMID:23585909

  13. A new approach to establish a cell line with reduced risk of endogenous retroviruses.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Aiko Fukuma

    Full Text Available Endogenous retroviruses (ERVs are integrated as DNA proviruses in the genomes of all mammalian species. Several ERVs are replication-competent and produced as fully infectious viruses from host cell. Thus, live-attenuated vaccines and biological substances have been prepared using the cell lines which may produce ERV. Indeed, we recently reported that several commercial live-attenuated vaccines for pets were contaminated with the infectious feline endogenous retrovirus, RD-114. In this study, to establish a cell line for vaccine manufacture with reduced risk of ERVs, we generated a cell line stably expressing human tetherin (Teth-CRFK cells. The release of infectious ERV from Teth-CRFK cells was suppressed to undetectable levels, while the production of parvovirus in Teth-CRFK cells was similar to that in parental CRFK cells. These observations suggest that Teth-CRFK cells will be useful as a cell line for the manufacture of live-attenuated vaccines or biological substances with reduced risk of ERV.

  14. A new approach to establish a cell line with reduced risk of endogenous retroviruses.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fukuma, Aiko; Yoshikawa, Rokusuke; Miyazawa, Takayuki; Yasuda, Jiro

    2013-01-01

    Endogenous retroviruses (ERVs) are integrated as DNA proviruses in the genomes of all mammalian species. Several ERVs are replication-competent and produced as fully infectious viruses from host cell. Thus, live-attenuated vaccines and biological substances have been prepared using the cell lines which may produce ERV. Indeed, we recently reported that several commercial live-attenuated vaccines for pets were contaminated with the infectious feline endogenous retrovirus, RD-114. In this study, to establish a cell line for vaccine manufacture with reduced risk of ERVs, we generated a cell line stably expressing human tetherin (Teth-CRFK cells). The release of infectious ERV from Teth-CRFK cells was suppressed to undetectable levels, while the production of parvovirus in Teth-CRFK cells was similar to that in parental CRFK cells. These observations suggest that Teth-CRFK cells will be useful as a cell line for the manufacture of live-attenuated vaccines or biological substances with reduced risk of ERV.

  15. Antimutagenic, Antirecombinogenic, and Antitumor Effect of Amygdalin in a Yeast Cell-Based Test and Mammalian Cell Lines.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Todorova, Atanaska; Pesheva, Margarita; Iliev, Ivan; Bardarov, Krum; Todorova, Teodora

    2017-04-01

    Amygdalin is a major component of the seeds of Rosaceae family of plants such as apricots, peaches, cherry, nectarines, apples, plums, and so on, as well as almonds. It is used in alternative medicine for cancer prevention, alleviation of fever, cough suppression, and quenching thirst. The aim of the present study is to determine the mutagenic and recombinogenic effects of amygdalin in a test system Saccharomyces cerevisiae and to evaluate its potential antitumor effect in a yeast cell-based test and colon cancer cell lines. Results obtained show that concentrations 25, 50, and 100 μg/mL did not have any cytotoxic, mutagenic, and carcinogenic effect in yeast cell-based tests. Pretreatment with amygdalin at concentration 100 μg/mL leads to around twofold of the cell survival and decrease of reverse mutation frequency, induced by the alkylating agent methyl methanesulfonate. The frequency of gene conversion and mitotic crossing-over is around threefold lower. The anticarcinogenic potential of amygdalin at the same concentration is presented as around fourfold reduction of Ty1 retrotransposition induced by hexavalent chromium. In summary, data presented in this study provide evidence concerning the inability of amygdalin itself to provoke events related to the initial steps of tumorigenesis. In addition, the observed antimutagenic/antirecombinogenic effect could be activation of error-free and error-prone recombination events. Based on the high selectivity toward normal or tumor cell lines, it could be speculated that amygdalin has higher cytotoxic effect in cell lines with higher proliferative and metabolic activity, which are the majority of fast developing tumors.

  16. Mutation in cultured mammalian cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nakamura, N.; Okada, S.

    1982-01-01

    Mammalian cell cultures were exposed to gamma-rays at various dose rates. Dose-rate effects were observed in cultured somatic cells of the mouse for cell killing and mutations resistant to 6-thioguanine (TGsup(r)) and to methotrexate (MTXsup(r)). Linear quadratic model may be applied to cell killing and TGsup(r) mutations in some cases but can not explain the whole data. Results at low doses with far low dose-rate were not predictable from data at high doses with acute or chronic irradiation. Radioprotective effects of dimethyl sulfoxide were seen only after acute exposure but not after chronic one, suggesting that damages by indirect action of radiations may be potentially reparable by cells. TGsup(r) mutations seem to contain gross structural changes whereas MTXsup(r) ones may have smaller alterations. (Namekawa, K.)

  17. Optical sorting and photo-transfection of mammalian cells

    CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

    Mthunzi, P

    2010-02-01

    Full Text Available and that the scattering force can enable sorting through axial guiding onto laminin coated glass coverslips upon which the selected cells adhere. Following this, I report on transient photo-transfection of mammalian cells including neuroblastomas (rat/mouse and human...

  18. Cytotoxicity analysis of three Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. israelensis δ-endotoxins towards insect and mammalian cells.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Roberto Franco Teixeira Corrêa

    Full Text Available Three members of the δ-endotoxin group of toxins expressed by Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. israelensis, Cyt2Ba, Cry4Aa and Cry11A, were individually expressed in recombinant acrystalliferous B. thuringiensis strains for in vitro evaluation of their toxic activities against insect and mammalian cell lines. Both Cry4Aa and Cry11A toxins, activated with either trypsin or Spodoptera frugiperda gastric juice (GJ, resulted in different cleavage patterns for the activated toxins as seen by SDS-PAGE. The GJ-processed proteins were not cytotoxic to insect cell cultures. On the other hand, the combination of the trypsin-activated Cry4Aa and Cry11A toxins yielded the highest levels of cytotoxicity to all insect cells tested. The combination of activated Cyt2Ba and Cry11A also showed higher toxic activity than that of toxins activated individually. When activated Cry4Aa, Cry11A and Cyt2Ba were used simultaneously in the same assay a decrease in toxic activity was observed in all insect cells tested. No toxic effect was observed for the trypsin-activated Cry toxins in mammalian cells, but activated Cyt2Ba was toxic to human breast cancer cells (MCF-7 when tested at 20 µg/mL.

  19. Effect of gamma irradiation on proliferation and survival of Sf9 cells: radioresistance in a Lepidopteran insect cell line

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Seth, R.K.; Lovell, K.V.; Reynolds, S.E.

    2003-01-01

    Sf9 cells of Spodoptera frugiperda, when exposed to gamma-irradiation from a 60 Co source, were found markedly less sensitive to ionising radiation than mammalian cells in terms of both growth kinetics and survival. Following irradiation at 1.2 Gy S -1 there was a dose-dependent delay in Sf9 cell proliferation and plateau cell density was reduced. These effects were dependent on dose rate too. In the range 0.3 - 1.2 Gy s -1 , growth was delayed longer and reached a lower plateau with increasing dose rate. Exposure to radiation caused a decrease in adherence of cells to the substrate, and an increase in number of enlarged ('giant') cells. Analysis of colony formation after irradiation at 1.2 Gy s -1 gave a survival curve of conventional shape but with a very large D o value of 24 Gy. Extrapolation number (N) was 2.9, a value within the normal range for mammalian cells. At 0.12 Gy s -1 N had a similar value of 3.2, but D o was higher (30 Gy) than at the higher dose rate. This study indicates that the relative insensitivity of lepidoptera insects may be attributed to some extent to the intrinsic properties of their constituent cells. (author)

  20. Selective expression of myosin IC Isoform A in mouse and human cell lines and mouse prostate cancer tissues.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ivanna Ihnatovych

    Full Text Available Myosin IC is a single headed member of the myosin superfamily. We recently identified a novel isoform and showed that the MYOIC gene in mammalian cells encodes three isoforms (isoforms A, B, and C. Furthermore, we demonstrated that myosin IC isoform A but not isoform B exhibits a tissue specific expression pattern. In this study, we extended our analysis of myosin IC isoform expression patterns by analyzing the protein and mRNA expression in various mammalian cell lines and in various prostate specimens and tumor tissues from the transgenic mouse prostate (TRAMP model by immunoblotting, qRT-PCR, and by indirect immunohistochemical staining of paraffin embedded prostate specimen. Analysis of a panel of mammalian cell lines showed an increased mRNA and protein expression of specifically myosin IC isoform A in a panel of human and mouse prostate cancer cell lines but not in non-cancer prostate or other (non-prostate- cancer cell lines. Furthermore, we demonstrate that myosin IC isoform A expression is significantly increased in TRAMP mouse prostate samples with prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia (PIN lesions and in distant site metastases in lung and liver when compared to matched normal tissues. Our observations demonstrate specific changes in the expression of myosin IC isoform A that are concurrent with the occurrence of prostate cancer in the TRAMP mouse prostate cancer model that closely mimics clinical prostate cancer. These data suggest that elevated levels of myosin IC isoform A may be a potential marker for the detection of prostate cancer.

  1. Engineered mammalian cells for production of recombinant proteins

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    2017-01-01

    The present invention relates to mammalian cells modified to provide for improved expression of a recombinant protein of interest. In particular, the invention relates to CHO cells and other host cells in which the expression of one or more endogenous secreted proteins has been disrupted, as well...... as to the preparation, identification and use of such cells in the production of recombinant proteins....

  2. Algal autolysate medium to label proteins for NMR in mammalian cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fuccio, Carmelo; Luchinat, Enrico; Barbieri, Letizia; Neri, Sara; Fragai, Marco

    2016-04-01

    In-cell NMR provides structural and functional information on proteins directly inside living cells. At present, the high costs of the labeled media for mammalian cells represent a limiting factor for the development of this methodology. Here we report a protocol to prepare a homemade growth medium from Spirulina platensis autolysate, suitable to express uniformly labeled proteins inside mammalian cells at a reduced cost-per-sample. The human proteins SOD1 and Mia40 were overexpressed in human cells grown in (15)N-enriched S. platensis algal-derived medium, and high quality in-cell NMR spectra were obtained.

  3. Algal autolysate medium to label proteins for NMR in mammalian cells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Fuccio, Carmelo; Luchinat, Enrico; Barbieri, Letizia [University of Florence, Magnetic Resonance Center (CERM) (Italy); Neri, Sara [Giotto Biotech S.R.L. (Italy); Fragai, Marco, E-mail: fragai@cerm.unifi.it [University of Florence, Magnetic Resonance Center (CERM) (Italy)

    2016-04-15

    In-cell NMR provides structural and functional information on proteins directly inside living cells. At present, the high costs of the labeled media for mammalian cells represent a limiting factor for the development of this methodology. Here we report a protocol to prepare a homemade growth medium from Spirulina platensis autolysate, suitable to express uniformly labeled proteins inside mammalian cells at a reduced cost-per-sample. The human proteins SOD1 and Mia40 were overexpressed in human cells grown in {sup 15}N-enriched S. platensis algal-derived medium, and high quality in-cell NMR spectra were obtained.

  4. Regeneration of hair cells in the mammalian vestibular system.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Wenyan; You, Dan; Chen, Yan; Chai, Renjie; Li, Huawei

    2016-06-01

    Hair cells regenerate throughout the lifetime of non-mammalian vertebrates, allowing these animals to recover from hearing and balance deficits. Such regeneration does not occur efficiently in humans and other mammals. Thus, balance deficits become permanent and is a common sensory disorder all over the world. Since Forge and Warchol discovered the limited spontaneous regeneration of vestibular hair cells after gentamicininduced damage in mature mammals, significant efforts have been exerted to trace the origin of the limited vestibular regeneration in mammals after hair cell loss. Moreover, recently many strategies have been developed to promote the hair cell regeneration and subsequent functional recovery of the vestibular system, including manipulating the Wnt, Notch and Atoh1. This article provides an overview of the recent advances in hair cell regeneration in mammalian vestibular epithelia. Furthermore, this review highlights the current limitations of hair cell regeneration and provides the possible solutions to regenerate functional hair cells and to partially restore vestibular function.

  5. Different intracellular distribution of avian reovirus core protein sigmaA in cells of avian and mammalian origin

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Vázquez-Iglesias, Lorena; Lostalé-Seijo, Irene; Martínez-Costas, José; Benavente, Javier

    2012-01-01

    A comparative analysis of the intracellular distribution of avian reovirus (ARV) core protein sigmaA in cells of avian and mammalian origin revealed that, whereas the viral protein accumulates in the cytoplasm and nucleolus of avian cells, most sigmaA concentrates in the nucleoplasm of mammalian cells in tight association with the insoluble nuclear matrix fraction. Our results further showed that sigmaA becomes arrested in the nucleoplasm of mammalian cells via association with mammalian cell-specific factors and that this association prevents nucleolar targeting. Inhibition of RNA polymerase II activity, but not of RNA polymerase I activity, in infected mammalian cells induces nucleus-to-cytoplasm sigmaA translocation through a CRM1- and RanGTP-dependent mechanism, yet a heterokaryon assay suggests that sigmaA does not shuttle between the nucleus and cytoplasm. The scarcity of sigmaA in cytoplasmic viral factories of infected mammalian cells could be one of the factors contributing to limited ARV replication in mammalian cells.

  6. Different intracellular distribution of avian reovirus core protein sigmaA in cells of avian and mammalian origin

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Vazquez-Iglesias, Lorena; Lostale-Seijo, Irene; Martinez-Costas, Jose [Departamento de Bioquimica y Biologia Molecular, Facultad de Farmacia, y Centro Singular de Investigacion en Quimica Biologica y Materiales Moleculares (CIQUS), Universidad de Santiago de Compostela, 15782-Santiago de Compostela (Spain); Benavente, Javier, E-mail: franciscojavier.benavente@usc.es [Departamento de Bioquimica y Biologia Molecular, Facultad de Farmacia, y Centro Singular de Investigacion en Quimica Biologica y Materiales Moleculares (CIQUS), Universidad de Santiago de Compostela, 15782-Santiago de Compostela (Spain)

    2012-10-25

    A comparative analysis of the intracellular distribution of avian reovirus (ARV) core protein sigmaA in cells of avian and mammalian origin revealed that, whereas the viral protein accumulates in the cytoplasm and nucleolus of avian cells, most sigmaA concentrates in the nucleoplasm of mammalian cells in tight association with the insoluble nuclear matrix fraction. Our results further showed that sigmaA becomes arrested in the nucleoplasm of mammalian cells via association with mammalian cell-specific factors and that this association prevents nucleolar targeting. Inhibition of RNA polymerase II activity, but not of RNA polymerase I activity, in infected mammalian cells induces nucleus-to-cytoplasm sigmaA translocation through a CRM1- and RanGTP-dependent mechanism, yet a heterokaryon assay suggests that sigmaA does not shuttle between the nucleus and cytoplasm. The scarcity of sigmaA in cytoplasmic viral factories of infected mammalian cells could be one of the factors contributing to limited ARV replication in mammalian cells.

  7. Epigenetic control of mammalian LINE-1 retrotransposon by retinoblastoma proteins

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Montoya-Durango, Diego E. [Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and Center for Genetics and Molecular Medicine, University of Louisville School of Medicine Health Sciences Center, Louisville, KY 40202 (United States); Liu, Yongqing [James Graham Brown Cancer Center and Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Louisville School of Medicine Health Sciences Center, Louisville, KY 40202 (United States); Teneng, Ivo; Kalbfleisch, Ted; Lacy, Mary E.; Steffen, Marlene C. [Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and Center for Genetics and Molecular Medicine, University of Louisville School of Medicine Health Sciences Center, Louisville, KY 40202 (United States); Ramos, Kenneth S., E-mail: kenneth.ramos@louisville.edu [Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and Center for Genetics and Molecular Medicine, University of Louisville School of Medicine Health Sciences Center, Louisville, KY 40202 (United States)

    2009-06-01

    Long interspersed nuclear elements (LINEs or L1 elements) are targeted for epigenetic silencing during early embryonic development and remain inactive in most cells and tissues. Here we show that E2F-Rb family complexes participate in L1 elements epigenetic regulation via nucleosomal histone modifications and recruitment of histone deacetylases (HDACs) HDAC1 and HDAC2. Our experiments demonstrated that (i) Rb and E2F interact with human and mouse L1 elements, (ii) L1 elements are deficient in both heterochromatin-associated histone marks H3 tri methyl K9 and H4 tri methyl K20 in Rb family triple knock out (Rb, p107, and p130) fibroblasts (TKO), (iii) L1 promoter exhibits increased histone H3 acetylation in the absence of HDAC1 and HDAC2 recruitment, (iv) L1 expression in TKO fibroblasts is upregulated compared to wild type counterparts, (v) L1 expression increases in the presence of the HDAC inhibitor TSA. On the basis of these findings we propose a model in which L1 sequences throughout the genome serve as centers for heterochromatin formation in an Rb family-dependent manner. As such, Rb proteins and L1 elements may play key roles in heterochromatin formation beyond pericentromeric chromosomal regions. These findings describe a novel mechanism of L1 reactivation in mammalian cells mediated by failure of corepressor protein recruitment by Rb, loss of histone epigenetic marks, heterochromatin formation, and increased histone H3 acetylation.

  8. Epigenetic control of mammalian LINE-1 retrotransposon by retinoblastoma proteins

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Montoya-Durango, Diego E.; Liu, Yongqing; Teneng, Ivo; Kalbfleisch, Ted; Lacy, Mary E.; Steffen, Marlene C.; Ramos, Kenneth S.

    2009-01-01

    Long interspersed nuclear elements (LINEs or L1 elements) are targeted for epigenetic silencing during early embryonic development and remain inactive in most cells and tissues. Here we show that E2F-Rb family complexes participate in L1 elements epigenetic regulation via nucleosomal histone modifications and recruitment of histone deacetylases (HDACs) HDAC1 and HDAC2. Our experiments demonstrated that (i) Rb and E2F interact with human and mouse L1 elements, (ii) L1 elements are deficient in both heterochromatin-associated histone marks H3 tri methyl K9 and H4 tri methyl K20 in Rb family triple knock out (Rb, p107, and p130) fibroblasts (TKO), (iii) L1 promoter exhibits increased histone H3 acetylation in the absence of HDAC1 and HDAC2 recruitment, (iv) L1 expression in TKO fibroblasts is upregulated compared to wild type counterparts, (v) L1 expression increases in the presence of the HDAC inhibitor TSA. On the basis of these findings we propose a model in which L1 sequences throughout the genome serve as centers for heterochromatin formation in an Rb family-dependent manner. As such, Rb proteins and L1 elements may play key roles in heterochromatin formation beyond pericentromeric chromosomal regions. These findings describe a novel mechanism of L1 reactivation in mammalian cells mediated by failure of corepressor protein recruitment by Rb, loss of histone epigenetic marks, heterochromatin formation, and increased histone H3 acetylation.

  9. Quantitative live imaging of endogenous DNA replication in mammalian cells.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Andrew Burgess

    Full Text Available Historically, the analysis of DNA replication in mammalian tissue culture cells has been limited to static time points, and the use of nucleoside analogues to pulse-label replicating DNA. Here we characterize for the first time a novel Chromobody cell line that specifically labels endogenous PCNA. By combining this with high-resolution confocal time-lapse microscopy, and with a simplified analysis workflow, we were able to produce highly detailed, reproducible, quantitative 4D data on endogenous DNA replication. The increased resolution allowed accurate classification and segregation of S phase into early-, mid-, and late-stages based on the unique subcellular localization of endogenous PCNA. Surprisingly, this localization was slightly but significantly different from previous studies, which utilized over-expressed GFP tagged forms of PCNA. Finally, low dose exposure to Hydroxyurea caused the loss of mid- and late-S phase localization patterns of endogenous PCNA, despite cells eventually completing S phase. Taken together, these results indicate that this simplified method can be used to accurately identify and quantify DNA replication under multiple and various experimental conditions.

  10. Nestin expression in the cell lines derived from glioblastoma multiforme

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Veselska, Renata; Kuglik, Petr; Cejpek, Pavel; Svachova, Hana; Neradil, Jakub; Loja, Tomas; Relichova, Jirina

    2006-01-01

    Nestin is a protein belonging to class VI of intermediate filaments that is produced in stem/progenitor cells in the mammalian CNS during development and is consecutively replaced by other intermediate filament proteins (neurofilaments, GFAP). Down-regulated nestin may be re-expressed in the adult organism under certain pathological conditions (brain injury, ischemia, inflammation, neoplastic transformation). Our work focused on a detailed study of the nestin cytoskeleton in cell lines derived from glioblastoma multiforme, because re-expression of nestin together with down-regulation of GFAP has been previously reported in this type of brain tumor. Two cell lines were derived from the tumor tissue of patients treated for glioblastoma multiforme. Nestin and other cytoskeletal proteins were visualized using imunocytochemical methods: indirect immunofluorescence and immunogold-labelling. Using epifluorescence and confocal microscopy, we described the morphology of nestin-positive intermediate filaments in glioblastoma cells of both primary cultures and the derived cell lines, as well as the reorganization of nestin during mitosis. Our most important result came through transmission electron microscopy and provided clear evidence that nestin is present in the cell nucleus. Detailed information concerning the pattern of the nestin cytoskeleton in glioblastoma cell lines and especially the demonstration of nestin in the nucleus represent an important background for further studies of nestin re-expression in relationship to tumor malignancy and invasive potential

  11. Thicker three-dimensional tissue from a "symbiotic recycling system" combining mammalian cells and algae.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Haraguchi, Yuji; Kagawa, Yuki; Sakaguchi, Katsuhisa; Matsuura, Katsuhisa; Shimizu, Tatsuya; Okano, Teruo

    2017-01-31

    In this paper, we report an in vitro co-culture system that combines mammalian cells and algae, Chlorococcum littorale, to create a three-dimensional (3-D) tissue. While the C2C12 mouse myoblasts and rat cardiac cells consumed oxygen actively, intense oxygen production was accounted for by the algae even in the co-culture system. Although cell metabolism within thicker cardiac cell-layered tissues showed anaerobic respiration, the introduction of innovative co-cultivation partially changed the metabolism to aerobic respiration. Moreover, the amount of glucose consumption and lactate production in the cardiac tissues and the amount of ammonia in the culture media decreased significantly when co-cultivated with algae. In the cardiac tissues devoid of algae, delamination was observed histologically, and the release of creatine kinase (CK) from the tissues showed severe cardiac cell damage. On the other hand, the layered cell tissues with algae were observed to be in a good histological condition, with less than one-fifth decline in CK release. The co-cultivation with algae improved the culture condition of the thicker tissues, resulting in the formation of 160 μm-thick cardiac tissues. Thus, the present study proposes the possibility of creating an in vitro "symbiotic recycling system" composed of mammalian cells and algae.

  12. Glycosaminoglycan composition of PC12 pheochromocytoma cells: a comparison with PC12D cells, a new subline of PC12 cells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Katoh-Semba, R.; Oohira, A.; Sano, M.; Watanabe, K.; Kitajima, S.; Kashiwamata, S.

    1989-03-01

    PC12D cells, a new subline of conventional PC12 cells, respond not only to nerve growth factor but also to cyclic AMP by extending their neurites. These cells are flat in shape and are similar in appearance to PC12 cells that have been treated with nerve growth factor for a few days. In both cell lines, we have characterized the glycosaminoglycans, the polysaccharide moieties of proteoglycans, which are believed to play an important role in cell adhesion and in cell morphology. Under the present culture conditions, only chondroitin sulfate was detected in the media from PC12 and PC12D cells, whereas both chondroitin sulfate and heparan sulfate were found in the cell layers. The levels of cell-associated heparan sulfate and chondroitin sulfate were about twofold and fourfold higher in PC12D cells than in PC12 cells, respectively. Compared to PC12 cells, the amounts of (/sup 35/S)sulfate incorporated for 48 h into chondroitin sulfate were twofold lower but those into heparan sulfate were 35% higher in PC12D cells. The amount of chondroitin sulfate released by PC12D cells into the medium was about a half of that released by PC12 cells. The ratio of (/sup 35/S)sulfate-labeled heparan sulfate to chondroitin sulfate was 6.2 in PC12D cells and 2.2 in PC12 cells. These results suggest that there may be some correlation between the increase in content of glycosaminoglycans and the change in cell morphology, which is followed by neurite outgrowth.

  13. Does autophagy have a license to kill mammalian cells?

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Scarlatti, F.; Granata, R.; Meijer, A. J.; Codogno, P.

    2009-01-01

    Macroautophagy is an evolutionarily conserved vacuolar, self-digesting mechanism for cellular components, which end up in the lysosomal compartment. In mammalian cells, macroautophagy is cytoprotective, and protects the cells against the accumulation of damaged organelles or protein aggregates, the

  14. Biological studies using mammalian cell lines and the current status of the microbeam irradiation system, SPICE

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Konishi, T. [Dept. of Technical Support and Development, Fundamental Technology Center, National Institute of Radiological Sciences, 4-9-1 Anagawa, Inage-ku, Chiba 263-8555 (Japan)], E-mail: tkonishi@nirs.go.jp; Ishikawa, T. [Dept. of Technical Support and Development, Fundamental Technology Center, National Institute of Radiological Sciences, 4-9-1 Anagawa, Inage-ku, Chiba 263-8555 (Japan); Iso, H. [Dept. of Technical Support and Development, Fundamental Technology Center, National Institute of Radiological Sciences, 4-9-1 Anagawa, Inage-ku, Chiba 263-8555 (Japan); Neos-Tech Co. Ltd., Benten 4-11-13-202, Chuo-ku, Chiba 206-0045 (Japan); Yasuda, N.; Oikawa, M. [Dept. of Technical Support and Development, Fundamental Technology Center, National Institute of Radiological Sciences, 4-9-1 Anagawa, Inage-ku, Chiba 263-8555 (Japan); Higuchi, Y. [Dept. of Technical Support and Development, Fundamental Technology Center, National Institute of Radiological Sciences, 4-9-1 Anagawa, Inage-ku, Chiba 263-8555 (Japan); Neos-Tech Co. Ltd., Benten 4-11-13-202, Chuo-ku, Chiba 206-0045 (Japan); Kato, T. [Dept. of Technical Support and Development, Fundamental Technology Center, National Institute of Radiological Sciences, 4-9-1 Anagawa, Inage-ku, Chiba 263-8555 (Japan); Graduate School of Science, Rikkyo University, 3-34-1 Nishi-Ikebukuro, Toshimaku, Tokyo 171-8501 (Japan); Hafer, K. [Department of Radiation Oncology, UCLA School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA (United States); Kodama, K. [Dept. of Technical Support and Development, Fundamental Technology Center, National Institute of Radiological Sciences, 4-9-1 Anagawa, Inage-ku, Chiba 263-8555 (Japan); Neos-Tech Co. Ltd., Benten 4-11-13-202, Chuo-ku, Chiba 206-0045 (Japan); Hamano, T.; Suya, N.; Imaseki, H. [Dept. of Technical Support and Development, Fundamental Technology Center, National Institute of Radiological Sciences, 4-9-1 Anagawa, Inage-ku, Chiba 263-8555 (Japan)

    2009-06-15

    The development of SPICE (single-particle irradiation system to cell), a microbeam irradiation system, has been completed at the National Institute of Radiological Sciences (NIRS). The beam size has been improved to approximately 5 {mu}m in diameter, and the cell targeting system can irradiate up to 400-500 cells per minute. Two cell dishes have been specially designed: one a Si{sub 3}N{sub 4} plate (2.5 mm x 2.5 mm area with 1 {mu}m thickness) supported by a 7.5 mm x 7.5 mm frame of 200 {mu}m thickness, and the other a Mylar film stretched by pressing with a metal ring. Both dish types may be placed on a voice coil stage equipped on the cell targeting system, which includes a fluorescent microscope and a CCD camera for capturing cell images. This microscope system captures images of dyed cell nuclei, computes the location coordinates of individual cells, and synchronizes this with the voice coil motor stage and single-particle irradiation system consisting of a scintillation counter and a beam deflector. Irradiation of selected cells with a programmable number of protons is now automatable. We employed the simultaneous detection method for visualizing the position of mammalian cells and proton traversal through CR-39 to determine whether the targeted cells are actually irradiated. An immuno-assay was also performed against {gamma}-H2AX, to confirm the induction of DNA double-strand breaks in the target cells.

  15. Generation of a Nrf2 homozygous knockout human embryonic stem cell line using CRISPR/Cas9

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    So-Jung Kim

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (NFE2L2 or Nrf2 is a well-known transcription factor that regulates the expression of a large number of anti-oxidant genes in mammalian cells (J.H. Kim et al., 2014. Here, we generated a homozygous Nrf2 knockout human embryonic stem cell (hESC line, H9Nrf2KO-A13, using the CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing method. The Nrf2 homozygous knockout H9 cell line maintains pluripotency, differentiation potential into three germ layers, and a normal karyotype.

  16. Ochratoxin A: induction of (oxidative) DNA damage, cytotoxicity and apoptosis in mammalian cell lines and primary cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kamp, Hennicke G.; Eisenbrand, Gerhard; Schlatter, Josef; Wuerth, Kirsten; Janzowski, Christine

    2005-01-01

    Ochratoxin A (OTA) is a nephrotoxic/-carcinogenic mycotoxin, produced by several Aspergillus- and Penicillium-strains. Humans are exposed to OTA via food contamination, a causal relationship of OTA to human endemic Balkan nephropathy is still under debate. Since DNA-adducts of OTA or its metabolites could not be identified unambiguously, its carcinogenic effectiveness might be related to secondary effects, such as oxidative cell damage or cell proliferation. In this study, OTA mediated induction of (oxidative) DNA damage, cytotoxicity (necrosis, growth inhibition, apoptosis) and modulation of glutathione were investigated in cell lines (V79, CV-1) and primary rat kidney cells. After 24 h incubation, viability of V79 cells was strongly decreased by OTA concentrations >2.5 μmol/L, whereas CV-1 cells were clearly less sensitive. Strong growth inhibition occurred in both cell lines (IC 50 ∼2 μmol/L). Apoptosis, detected with an immunochemical test and with flow cytometry, was induced by >1 μmol/L OTA. Oxidative DNA damage, detected by comet assay after additional treatment with repair enzymes, was induced in all cell systems already at five-fold lower concentrations. Glutathione in CV-1 cells was depleted after 1 h incubation (>100 μmol/L). In contrast, an increase was measured after 24 h incubation (>0.5 μmol/L). In conclusion, OTA induces oxidative DNA damage at low, not yet cytotoxic concentrations. Oxidative DNA damage might initiate cell transformation eventually in connection with proliferative response following cytotoxic cell death. Both events might represent pivotal factors in the chain of cellular events leading into nephro-carcinogenicity of OTA

  17. Rescue the failed half-ZFN by a sensitive mammalian cell-based luciferase reporter system.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Weifeng Zhang

    Full Text Available ZFN technology is a powerful research tool and has been used for genome editing in cells lines, animals and plants. The generation of functional ZFNs for particular targets in mammalian genome is still challenging for an average research group. The modular-assembly method is relatively fast, easy-to-practice but has a high failure rate. Some recent studies suggested that a ZFP with low binding activity might be able to form a working ZFN pair with another binding active half-ZFP. In order to unveil the potential ZFP candidates among those with low binding activities, this paper established a highly sensitive mammalian cell-based transcriptional reporter system to assess the DNA binding activities of ZFPs by inserting multiple copies of ZFN target sequence fragment (TSF of an interested gene (e. g., hPGRN or hVEGF. Our results showed that this system increased the screening sensitivity up to 50-fold and markedly amplified the differences in the binding activities between different ZFPs. We also found that the targeted chromosomal gene repair efficiency of each hPGRN or hVEGF ZFN pair was in proportion with the combination of the binding activities of the ZFL (Left zinc finger and ZFR (Right zinc finger. A hPGRN ZFR with low binding ability was able to form a biological active ZFN if combined with a hPGRN ZFL with relatively high binding ability. Lastly, site-specific genome editing by hPGRN ZFNs generated by this system was confirmed by sequencing, and the PGRN knock-out cell line showed significantly decreased cell growth compared with the control. Our system will provide a valuable tool for further optimizing the nucleases with regard to specificity and cytotoxicity.

  18. Recent topics on the effect of high LET radiation on microorganisms and cultured mammalian cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Takahashi, Tan; Nakano, Kazushiro; Yatagai, Fumio; Kaneko, Ichiro; Kosaka, Toshifumi; Kasai, Kiyomi.

    1989-01-01

    Interpretation of inactivation cross sections of E. coli K-12 JC 1553 and AB 1157 by track structure of heavy ions and recent topics on the effect of heavy ions on mammalian cells are described. Calculation of the dose around the trajectory of an ion has also been made and the radial dose distribution has been compared with a recent experiment. (author)

  19. Carbamazepine induces mitotic arrest in mammalian Vero cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Perez Martin, J.M.; Fernandez Freire, P.; Labrador, V.; Hazen, M.J.

    2008-01-01

    We reported recently that the anticonvulsant drug carbamazepine, at supratherapeutic concentrations, exerts antiproliferative effects in mammalian Vero cells, but the underlying mechanism has not been elucidated. This motivates us to examine rigorously whether growth arrest was associated with structural changes in cellular organization during mitosis. In the present work, we found that exposure of the cells to carbamazepine led to an increase in mitotic index, mainly due to the sustained block at the metaphase/anaphase boundary, with the consequent inhibition of cell proliferation. Indirect immunofluorescence, using antibodies directed against spindle apparatus proteins, revealed that mitotic arrest was associated with formation of monopolar spindles, caused by impairment of centrosome separation. The final consequence of the spindle defects induced by carbamazepine, depended on the duration of cell cycle arrest. Following the time course of accumulation of metaphase and apoptotic cells during carbamazepine treatments, we observed a causative relationship between mitotic arrest and induction of cell death. Conversely, cells released from the block of metaphase by removal of the drug, continued to progress through mitosis and resume normal proliferation. Our results show that carbamazepine shares a common antiproliferative mechanism with spindle-targeted drugs and contribute to a better understanding of the cytostatic activity previously described in Vero cells. Additional studies are in progress to extend these initial findings that define a novel mode of action of carbamazepine in cultured mammalian cells

  20. Carbamazepine induces mitotic arrest in mammalian Vero cells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Perez Martin, J.M.; Fernandez Freire, P.; Labrador, V. [Departamento de Biologia, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Autonoma de Madrid, Cantoblanco, 28049 Madrid (Spain); Hazen, M.J. [Departamento de Biologia, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Autonoma de Madrid, Cantoblanco, 28049 Madrid (Spain)], E-mail: mariajose.hazen@uam.es

    2008-01-01

    We reported recently that the anticonvulsant drug carbamazepine, at supratherapeutic concentrations, exerts antiproliferative effects in mammalian Vero cells, but the underlying mechanism has not been elucidated. This motivates us to examine rigorously whether growth arrest was associated with structural changes in cellular organization during mitosis. In the present work, we found that exposure of the cells to carbamazepine led to an increase in mitotic index, mainly due to the sustained block at the metaphase/anaphase boundary, with the consequent inhibition of cell proliferation. Indirect immunofluorescence, using antibodies directed against spindle apparatus proteins, revealed that mitotic arrest was associated with formation of monopolar spindles, caused by impairment of centrosome separation. The final consequence of the spindle defects induced by carbamazepine, depended on the duration of cell cycle arrest. Following the time course of accumulation of metaphase and apoptotic cells during carbamazepine treatments, we observed a causative relationship between mitotic arrest and induction of cell death. Conversely, cells released from the block of metaphase by removal of the drug, continued to progress through mitosis and resume normal proliferation. Our results show that carbamazepine shares a common antiproliferative mechanism with spindle-targeted drugs and contribute to a better understanding of the cytostatic activity previously described in Vero cells. Additional studies are in progress to extend these initial findings that define a novel mode of action of carbamazepine in cultured mammalian cells.

  1. The Biochemistry of O-GlcNAc Transferase: Which Functions Make It Essential in Mammalian Cells?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Levine, Zebulon G; Walker, Suzanne

    2016-06-02

    O-linked N-acetylglucosamine transferase (OGT) is found in all metazoans and plays an important role in development but at the single-cell level is only essential in dividing mammalian cells. Postmitotic mammalian cells and cells of invertebrates such as Caenorhabditis elegans and Drosophila can survive without copies of OGT. Why OGT is required in dividing mammalian cells but not in other cells remains unknown. OGT has multiple biochemical activities. Beyond its well-known role in adding β-O-GlcNAc to serine and threonine residues of nuclear and cytoplasmic proteins, OGT also acts as a protease in the maturation of the cell cycle regulator host cell factor 1 (HCF-1) and serves as an integral member of several protein complexes, many of them linked to gene expression. In this review, we summarize current understanding of the mechanisms underlying OGT's biochemical activities and address whether known functions of OGT could be related to its essential role in dividing mammalian cells.

  2. X-rays sensitive mammalian cell mutant

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Utsumi, Hiroshi

    1982-01-01

    A phenomenon that in x-ray-sensitive mammalian-cell mutants, cellular death due to x-ray radiation was not increased by caffeine, but on the contrary, the dead cells were resuscitated by it was discussed. The survival rate of mutant cells increased by caffein in a low concentration. This suggested that caffeine may have induced some mechanism to produce x-ray resistant mutant cells. Postirradiation treatment with caffeine increased considerably the survival rate of the mutant cells, and this suggested the existence of latent caffeine-sensitive potentially lethal damage repair system. This system, after a few hours, is thought to be substituted by caffeine-resistant repair system which is induced by caffeine, and this may be further substituted by x-ray-resistant repair system. The repair system was also induced by adenine. (Ueda, J.)

  3. Expression of cDNAs in human Natural Killer cell lines by retroviral transduction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miah, S M Shahjahan; Campbell, Kerry S

    2010-01-01

    Human NK-like cell lines are difficult to transfect using standard mammalian expression vectors and conventional transfection protocols, but they are susceptible to retroviral transduction as a means to introduce cDNAs. Our laboratory has exploited this technique to study a number of receptors in human NK cell lines. The method utilizes a bicistronic retroviral vector that co-expresses either drug resistance or enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) in parallel with the gene of interest. After a single infection with recombinant retrovirus, transduced NK cells can be sorted for expression of EGFP or the transduced cell surface marker. Alternatively, cells expressing the transduced cDNAs can be selected for by treatment with neomycin, puromycin, or hygromycin. Using this method, the sorted/selected cells uniformly express the gene of interest and the expression is stable for many weeks of culture.

  4. Responses to hyperthermia (420, 440) and/or radiation in four mammalian cell lines in vitro

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Miyakoshi, Junji

    1981-01-01

    Survival in response to hyperthermia at 42 and 44 0 C, both alone and in combination with X-irradiation was examined in vitro in Chinese hamster V-79, HeLa-S3, murine Ehrlich ascites tumor cells (EH) and murine L-fibroblasts. L-cells were markedly thermo- and radiosensitive, while the other three cell lines, although not so sensitive did show similar responses. When each cell line was exposed to split dose Hyperthermia in the 42 → 44 0 C sequence, survival after the second treatment was increased for V-79 and HeLa-S3 cells, but was not significantly changed for EH and L-cells. In the case of split dose exposure in the 44 → 42 0 C sequence, survival after the second treatment was markedly decreased for V-79, EH and HeLa-S3 cells, but only slightly for L-cells. When hyperthermia at 42 or 44 0 C was followed by X-irradiation immediately, V-79, EH and HeLa-S3 cells showed decrements in both D sub(q) and D sub(o) values, while L-cells showed a decrement only in D sub(q) but no significant change in D sub(o). From these results, it seems that the hyperthermic damage by exposure to 44 0 C may be different from that by exposure to 42 0 C. (author)

  5. Mammalian designer cells: Engineering principles and biomedical applications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xie, Mingqi; Fussenegger, Martin

    2015-07-01

    Biotechnology is a widely interdisciplinary field focusing on the use of living cells or organisms to solve established problems in medicine, food production and agriculture. Synthetic biology, the science of engineering complex biological systems that do not exist in nature, continues to provide the biotechnology industry with tools, technologies and intellectual property leading to improved cellular performance. One key aspect of synthetic biology is the engineering of deliberately reprogrammed designer cells whose behavior can be controlled over time and space. This review discusses the most commonly used techniques to engineer mammalian designer cells; while control elements acting on the transcriptional and translational levels of target gene expression determine the kinetic and dynamic profiles, coupling them to a variety of extracellular stimuli permits their remote control with user-defined trigger signals. Designer mammalian cells with novel or improved biological functions not only directly improve the production efficiency during biopharmaceutical manufacturing but also open the door for cell-based treatment strategies in molecular and translational medicine. In the future, the rational combination of multiple sets of designer cells could permit the construction and regulation of higher-order systems with increased complexity, thereby enabling the molecular reprogramming of tissues, organisms or even populations with highest precision. Copyright © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  6. Efficient and reproducible mammalian cell bioprocesses without probes and controllers?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tissot, Stéphanie; Oberbek, Agata; Reclari, Martino; Dreyer, Matthieu; Hacker, David L; Baldi, Lucia; Farhat, Mohamed; Wurm, Florian M

    2011-07-01

    Bioprocesses for recombinant protein production with mammalian cells are typically controlled for several physicochemical parameters including the pH and dissolved oxygen concentration (DO) of the culture medium. Here we studied whether these controls are necessary for efficient and reproducible bioprocesses in an orbitally shaken bioreactor (OSR). Mixing, gas transfer, and volumetric power consumption (P(V)) were determined in both a 5-L OSR and a 3-L stirred-tank bioreactor (STR). The two cultivation systems had a similar mixing intensity, but the STR had a lower volumetric mass transfer coefficient of oxygen (k(L)a) and a higher P(V) than the OSR. Recombinant CHO cell lines expressing either tumor necrosis factor receptor as an Fc fusion protein (TNFR:Fc) or an anti-RhesusD monoclonal antibody were cultivated in the two systems. The 5-L OSR was operated in an incubator shaker with 5% CO(2) in the gas environment but without pH and DO control whereas the STR was operated with or without pH and DO control. Higher cell densities and recombinant protein titers were obtained in the OSR as compared to both the controlled and the non-controlled STRs. To test the reproducibility of a bioprocess in a non-controlled OSR, the two CHO cell lines were each cultivated in parallel in six 5-L OSRs. Similar cell densities, cell viabilities, and recombinant protein titers along with similar pH and DO profiles were achieved in each group of replicates. Our study demonstrated that bioprocesses can be performed in OSRs without pH or DO control in a highly reproducible manner, at least at the scale of operation studied here. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  7. Thicker three-dimensional tissue from a “symbiotic recycling system” combining mammalian cells and algae

    Science.gov (United States)

    Haraguchi, Yuji; Kagawa, Yuki; Sakaguchi, Katsuhisa; Matsuura, Katsuhisa; Shimizu, Tatsuya; Okano, Teruo

    2017-01-01

    In this paper, we report an in vitro co-culture system that combines mammalian cells and algae, Chlorococcum littorale, to create a three-dimensional (3-D) tissue. While the C2C12 mouse myoblasts and rat cardiac cells consumed oxygen actively, intense oxygen production was accounted for by the algae even in the co-culture system. Although cell metabolism within thicker cardiac cell-layered tissues showed anaerobic respiration, the introduction of innovative co-cultivation partially changed the metabolism to aerobic respiration. Moreover, the amount of glucose consumption and lactate production in the cardiac tissues and the amount of ammonia in the culture media decreased significantly when co-cultivated with algae. In the cardiac tissues devoid of algae, delamination was observed histologically, and the release of creatine kinase (CK) from the tissues showed severe cardiac cell damage. On the other hand, the layered cell tissues with algae were observed to be in a good histological condition, with less than one-fifth decline in CK release. The co-cultivation with algae improved the culture condition of the thicker tissues, resulting in the formation of 160 μm-thick cardiac tissues. Thus, the present study proposes the possibility of creating an in vitro “symbiotic recycling system” composed of mammalian cells and algae. PMID:28139713

  8. Cytoarchitecture of Zika virus infection in human neuroblastoma and Aedes albopictus cell lines.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Offerdahl, Danielle K; Dorward, David W; Hansen, Bryan T; Bloom, Marshall E

    2017-01-15

    The Zika virus (ZIKV) pandemic is a global concern due to its role in the development of congenital anomalies of the central nervous system. This mosquito-borne flavivirus alternates between mammalian and mosquito hosts, but information about the biogenesis of ZIKV is limited. Using a human neuroblastoma cell line (SK-N-SH) and an Aedes albopictus mosquito cell line (C6/36), we characterized ZIKV infection by immunofluorescence, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and electron tomography (ET) to better understand infection in these disparate host cells. ZIKV replicated well in both cell lines, but infected SK-N-SH cells suffered a lytic crisis. Flaviviruses scavenge host cell membranes to serve as replication platforms and ZIKV showed the hallmarks of this process. Via TEM, we identified virus particles and 60-100nm spherular vesicles. ET revealed these vesicular replication compartments contain smaller 20-30nm spherular structures. Our studies indicate that SK-N-SH and C6/36 cells are relevant models for viral cytoarchitecture study. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  9. Radiation effects in mammalian cells in vitro

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hill, C.K.; Han, A.; Elkind, M.M.; Wells, R.L.; Buess, E.M.; Lin, C.M.

    1985-01-01

    The purpose of this research effort is to elucidate the mechanisms for the radiation-induced changes in mammalian cells that lead to cell death, mutation, neoplastic transformation, DNA damage, and chromosomal alterations. Of particular interest are the effects of low-dose-rate and fractionated irradiation on these end points with respect to the mechanisms whereby these effects are influenced by cellular repair processes, inhibitors, and promoters that act at the genetic or biochemical level. 17 refs

  10. Construction and modelling of an inducible positive feedback loop stably integrated in a mammalian cell-line.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Velia Siciliano

    2011-06-01

    Full Text Available Understanding the relationship between topology and dynamics of transcriptional regulatory networks in mammalian cells is essential to elucidate the biology of complex regulatory and signaling pathways. Here, we characterised, via a synthetic biology approach, a transcriptional positive feedback loop (PFL by generating a clonal population of mammalian cells (CHO carrying a stable integration of the construct. The PFL network consists of the Tetracycline-controlled transactivator (tTA, whose expression is regulated by a tTA responsive promoter (CMV-TET, thus giving rise to a positive feedback. The same CMV-TET promoter drives also the expression of a destabilised yellow fluorescent protein (d2EYFP, thus the dynamic behaviour can be followed by time-lapse microscopy. The PFL network was compared to an engineered version of the network lacking the positive feedback loop (NOPFL, by expressing the tTA mRNA from a constitutive promoter. Doxycycline was used to repress tTA activation (switch off, and the resulting changes in fluorescence intensity for both the PFL and NOPFL networks were followed for up to 43 h. We observed a striking difference in the dynamics of the PFL and NOPFL networks. Using non-linear dynamical models, able to recapitulate experimental observations, we demonstrated a link between network topology and network dynamics. Namely, transcriptional positive autoregulation can significantly slow down the "switch off" times, as compared to the non-autoregulated system. Doxycycline concentration can modulate the response times of the PFL, whereas the NOPFL always switches off with the same dynamics. Moreover, the PFL can exhibit bistability for a range of Doxycycline concentrations. Since the PFL motif is often found in naturally occurring transcriptional and signaling pathways, we believe our work can be instrumental to characterise their behaviour.

  11. Construction and modelling of an inducible positive feedback loop stably integrated in a mammalian cell-line.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Siciliano, Velia; Menolascina, Filippo; Marucci, Lucia; Fracassi, Chiara; Garzilli, Immacolata; Moretti, Maria Nicoletta; di Bernardo, Diego

    2011-06-01

    Understanding the relationship between topology and dynamics of transcriptional regulatory networks in mammalian cells is essential to elucidate the biology of complex regulatory and signaling pathways. Here, we characterised, via a synthetic biology approach, a transcriptional positive feedback loop (PFL) by generating a clonal population of mammalian cells (CHO) carrying a stable integration of the construct. The PFL network consists of the Tetracycline-controlled transactivator (tTA), whose expression is regulated by a tTA responsive promoter (CMV-TET), thus giving rise to a positive feedback. The same CMV-TET promoter drives also the expression of a destabilised yellow fluorescent protein (d2EYFP), thus the dynamic behaviour can be followed by time-lapse microscopy. The PFL network was compared to an engineered version of the network lacking the positive feedback loop (NOPFL), by expressing the tTA mRNA from a constitutive promoter. Doxycycline was used to repress tTA activation (switch off), and the resulting changes in fluorescence intensity for both the PFL and NOPFL networks were followed for up to 43 h. We observed a striking difference in the dynamics of the PFL and NOPFL networks. Using non-linear dynamical models, able to recapitulate experimental observations, we demonstrated a link between network topology and network dynamics. Namely, transcriptional positive autoregulation can significantly slow down the "switch off" times, as compared to the non-autoregulated system. Doxycycline concentration can modulate the response times of the PFL, whereas the NOPFL always switches off with the same dynamics. Moreover, the PFL can exhibit bistability for a range of Doxycycline concentrations. Since the PFL motif is often found in naturally occurring transcriptional and signaling pathways, we believe our work can be instrumental to characterise their behaviour.

  12. Regulation of Autophagy by Glucose in Mammalian Cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Erwin Knecht

    2012-07-01

    Full Text Available Autophagy is an evolutionarily conserved process that contributes to maintain cell homeostasis. Although it is strongly regulated by many extracellular factors, induction of autophagy is mainly produced by starvation of nutrients. In mammalian cells, the regulation of autophagy by amino acids, and also by the hormone insulin, has been extensively investigated, but knowledge about the effects of other autophagy regulators, including another nutrient, glucose, is more limited. Here we will focus on the signalling pathways by which environmental glucose directly, i.e., independently of insulin and glucagon, regulates autophagy in mammalian cells, but we will also briefly mention some data in yeast. Although glucose deprivation mainly induces autophagy via AMPK activation and the subsequent inhibition of mTORC1, we will also comment other signalling pathways, as well as evidences indicating that, under certain conditions, autophagy can be activated by glucose. A better understanding on how glucose regulates autophagy not only will expand our basic knowledge of this important cell process, but it will be also relevant to understand common human disorders, such as cancer and diabetes, in which glucose levels play an important role.

  13. Non-homologous end joining is the responsible pathway for the repair of fludarabine-induced DNA double strand breaks in mammalian cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Campos-Nebel, Marcelo de; Larripa, Irene; Gonzalez-Cid, Marcela

    2008-01-01

    Fludarabine (FLU), an analogue of adenosine, interferes with DNA synthesis and inhibits the chain elongation leading to replication arrest and DNA double strand break (DSB) formation. Mammalian cells use two main pathways of DSB repair to maintain genomic stability: homologous recombination (HR) and non-homologous end joining (NHEJ). The aim of the present work was to evaluate the repair pathways employed in the restoration of DSB formed following replication arrest induced by FLU in mammalian cells. Replication inhibition was induced in human lymphocytes and fibroblasts by FLU. DSB occurred in a dose-dependent manner on early/middle S-phase cells, as detected by γH2AX foci formation. To test whether conservative HR participates in FLU-induced DSB repair, we measured the kinetics of Rad51 nuclear foci formation in human fibroblasts. There was no significant induction of Rad51 foci after FLU treatment. To further confirm these results, we analyzed the frequency of sister chromatid exchanges (SCE) in both human cells. We did not find increased frequencies of SCE after FLU treatment. To assess the participation of NHEJ pathway in the repair of FLU-induced damage, we used two chemical inhibitors of the catalytic subunit of DNA-dependent protein kinase (DNA-PKcs), vanillin and wortmannin. Human fibroblasts pretreated with DNA-PKcs inhibitors showed increased levels of chromosome breakages and became more sensitive to cell death. An active role of NHEJ pathway was also suggested from the analysis of Chinese hamster cell lines. XR-C1 (DNA-PKcs-deficient) and XR-V15B (Ku80-deficient) cells showed hypersensitivity to FLU as evidenced by the increased frequency of chromosome aberrations, decreased mitotic index and impaired survival rates. In contrast, CL-V4B (Rad51C-deficient) and V-C8 (Brca2-deficient) cell lines displayed a FLU-resistant phenotype. Together, our results suggest a major role for NHEJ repair in the preservation of genome integrity against FLU-induced DSB

  14. Non-homologous end joining is the responsible pathway for the repair of fludarabine-induced DNA double strand breaks in mammalian cells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Campos-Nebel, Marcelo de [Departamento de Genetica, Instituto de Investigaciones Hematologicas Mariano R. Castex, Academia Nacional de Medicina, Buenos Aires (Argentina)], E-mail: mnebel@hematologia.anm.edu.ar; Larripa, Irene; Gonzalez-Cid, Marcela [Departamento de Genetica, Instituto de Investigaciones Hematologicas Mariano R. Castex, Academia Nacional de Medicina, Buenos Aires (Argentina)

    2008-11-10

    Fludarabine (FLU), an analogue of adenosine, interferes with DNA synthesis and inhibits the chain elongation leading to replication arrest and DNA double strand break (DSB) formation. Mammalian cells use two main pathways of DSB repair to maintain genomic stability: homologous recombination (HR) and non-homologous end joining (NHEJ). The aim of the present work was to evaluate the repair pathways employed in the restoration of DSB formed following replication arrest induced by FLU in mammalian cells. Replication inhibition was induced in human lymphocytes and fibroblasts by FLU. DSB occurred in a dose-dependent manner on early/middle S-phase cells, as detected by {gamma}H2AX foci formation. To test whether conservative HR participates in FLU-induced DSB repair, we measured the kinetics of Rad51 nuclear foci formation in human fibroblasts. There was no significant induction of Rad51 foci after FLU treatment. To further confirm these results, we analyzed the frequency of sister chromatid exchanges (SCE) in both human cells. We did not find increased frequencies of SCE after FLU treatment. To assess the participation of NHEJ pathway in the repair of FLU-induced damage, we used two chemical inhibitors of the catalytic subunit of DNA-dependent protein kinase (DNA-PKcs), vanillin and wortmannin. Human fibroblasts pretreated with DNA-PKcs inhibitors showed increased levels of chromosome breakages and became more sensitive to cell death. An active role of NHEJ pathway was also suggested from the analysis of Chinese hamster cell lines. XR-C1 (DNA-PKcs-deficient) and XR-V15B (Ku80-deficient) cells showed hypersensitivity to FLU as evidenced by the increased frequency of chromosome aberrations, decreased mitotic index and impaired survival rates. In contrast, CL-V4B (Rad51C-deficient) and V-C8 (Brca2-deficient) cell lines displayed a FLU-resistant phenotype. Together, our results suggest a major role for NHEJ repair in the preservation of genome integrity against FLU

  15. A hybrid mammalian cell cycle model

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vincent Noël

    2013-08-01

    Full Text Available Hybrid modeling provides an effective solution to cope with multiple time scales dynamics in systems biology. Among the applications of this method, one of the most important is the cell cycle regulation. The machinery of the cell cycle, leading to cell division and proliferation, combines slow growth, spatio-temporal re-organisation of the cell, and rapid changes of regulatory proteins concentrations induced by post-translational modifications. The advancement through the cell cycle comprises a well defined sequence of stages, separated by checkpoint transitions. The combination of continuous and discrete changes justifies hybrid modelling approaches to cell cycle dynamics. We present a piecewise-smooth version of a mammalian cell cycle model, obtained by hybridization from a smooth biochemical model. The approximate hybridization scheme, leading to simplified reaction rates and binary event location functions, is based on learning from a training set of trajectories of the smooth model. We discuss several learning strategies for the parameters of the hybrid model.

  16. DNA double strand break repair in a radioresistant cell line

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Koval, T.M.; Kazmar, E.R.

    1987-01-01

    TN-368 lepidopteran insect cells are on the order of 100 times more resistant to the lethal effects of ionizing radiation than cultured mammalian cells. DNA double strand breaks (DSB) are believed by many to be the critical molecular lesion leading to cell death. The authors therefore measured the rejoining of DSB in TN-368 and V79 Chinese hamster cells. Cells were irradiated on ice with /sup 137/Cs γ rays at a dose rate of 2.5 Gy/min, incubated for various periods of time, and assayed for DNA DSB using the method of neutral elution. The kinetics of DSB rejoining following a dose of 90.2 Gy are similar for both cell lines. Approximately 80% of the DSB are rejoined in both lines by 1 hr postirradiation. However, no further rejoining occurs in the TN-368 cells through at least 6 hr postirradiation, whereas 90% of the DSB are rejoined in the V79 cells by 2 hr postirradiation. Other studies (from 22.6 to 226 Gy) demonstrate that the amount of rejoining of DSB varies inversely with dose for the V79 cells but remains constant for the TN-368 cells. These findings do not support the hypothesis that unrejoined DNA DSB represent the major lesion resulting in cell death

  17. Golgi structure formation, function, and post-translational modifications in mammalian cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huang, Shijiao; Wang, Yanzhuang

    2017-01-01

    The Golgi apparatus is a central membrane organelle for trafficking and post-translational modifications of proteins and lipids in cells. In mammalian cells, it is organized in the form of stacks of tightly aligned flattened cisternae, and dozens of stacks are often linked laterally into a ribbon-like structure located in the perinuclear region of the cell. Proper Golgi functionality requires an intact architecture, yet Golgi structure is dynamically regulated during the cell cycle and under disease conditions. In this review, we summarize our current understanding of the relationship between Golgi structure formation, function, and regulation, with focus on how post-translational modifications including phosphorylation and ubiquitination regulate Golgi structure and on how Golgi unstacking affects its functions, in particular, protein trafficking, glycosylation, and sorting in mammalian cells.

  18. Cytoarchitecture of Zika virus infection in human neuroblastoma and Aedes albopictus cell lines

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Offerdahl, Danielle K.; Dorward, David W.; Hansen, Bryan T.; Bloom, Marshall E.

    2017-01-01

    The Zika virus (ZIKV) pandemic is a global concern due to its role in the development of congenital anomalies of the central nervous system. This mosquito-borne flavivirus alternates between mammalian and mosquito hosts, but information about the biogenesis of ZIKV is limited. Using a human neuroblastoma cell line (SK-N-SH) and an Aedes albopictus mosquito cell line (C6/36), we characterized ZIKV infection by immunofluorescence, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and electron tomography (ET) to better understand infection in these disparate host cells. ZIKV replicated well in both cell lines, but infected SK-N-SH cells suffered a lytic crisis. Flaviviruses scavenge host cell membranes to serve as replication platforms and ZIKV showed the hallmarks of this process. Via TEM, we identified virus particles and 60–100 nm spherular vesicles. ET revealed these vesicular replication compartments contain smaller 20–30 nm spherular structures. Our studies indicate that SK-N-SH and C6/36 cells are relevant models for viral cytoarchitecture study. - Highlights: •First electron tomography of Zika virus cytoarchitecture. •Comparison of Zika virus infection in human neuroblastoma and mosquito cells. •Ultrastructure of Zika virus infection in human neuroblastoma and mosquito cells.

  19. Cytoarchitecture of Zika virus infection in human neuroblastoma and Aedes albopictus cell lines

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Offerdahl, Danielle K. [Laboratory of Virology, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, NIAID, NIH, Hamilton, MT (United States); Dorward, David W.; Hansen, Bryan T. [Microscopy Unit, Research Technology Branch, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, NIAID, NIH, Hamilton, MT (United States); Bloom, Marshall E., E-mail: mbloom@nih.gov [Laboratory of Virology, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, NIAID, NIH, Hamilton, MT (United States)

    2017-01-15

    The Zika virus (ZIKV) pandemic is a global concern due to its role in the development of congenital anomalies of the central nervous system. This mosquito-borne flavivirus alternates between mammalian and mosquito hosts, but information about the biogenesis of ZIKV is limited. Using a human neuroblastoma cell line (SK-N-SH) and an Aedes albopictus mosquito cell line (C6/36), we characterized ZIKV infection by immunofluorescence, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and electron tomography (ET) to better understand infection in these disparate host cells. ZIKV replicated well in both cell lines, but infected SK-N-SH cells suffered a lytic crisis. Flaviviruses scavenge host cell membranes to serve as replication platforms and ZIKV showed the hallmarks of this process. Via TEM, we identified virus particles and 60–100 nm spherular vesicles. ET revealed these vesicular replication compartments contain smaller 20–30 nm spherular structures. Our studies indicate that SK-N-SH and C6/36 cells are relevant models for viral cytoarchitecture study. - Highlights: •First electron tomography of Zika virus cytoarchitecture. •Comparison of Zika virus infection in human neuroblastoma and mosquito cells. •Ultrastructure of Zika virus infection in human neuroblastoma and mosquito cells.

  20. A uv-sensitive Chinese hamster lung fibroblast cell line (V79/UC) with a possible defect in DNA polymerase activity is deficient in DNA repair

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Creissen, D.M.; Hill, C.K.

    1991-01-01

    Studies of repair enzyme activities in a uv-sensitive cell line (V79/UC) derived from Chinese hamster V79 cells have revealed levels of total DNA polymerase that are about 50% of the levels in the parental cell line. There are a number of DNA polymerase inhibitors available which allow us to distinguish between the major forms of DNA polymerase (alpha, beta, gamma, and delta) identified in mammalian cells. Enzyme assays with these inhibitors indicate that the aphidicolin-sensitive DNA polymerase is defective in the V79/UC cell line. This could be either polymerase alpha or delta, or both. The V79/UC cells do not express resistance to aphidicolin in standard toxicity studies. However, when aphidicolin is added postirradiation in survival assays designed to measure the extent of inhibitable repair, V79/UC cells do not respond with the further decrease in survival seen in the parental line. Further evidence of a polymerase-dependent repair defect is evident from alkaline elution data. In this case the V79/UC cells show the appearance of single-strand breaks following uv irradiation in the absence of any added inhibitor. Cells of the V79/M12G parental line, on the other hand, show the appearance of single-strand breaks only when aphidicolin is present

  1. Effect of surface organic coatings of cellulose nanocrystals on the viability of mammalian cell lines

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jimenez AS

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available Ambar S Jimenez,1 Francesca Jaramillo,1 Usha D Hemraz,2 Yaman Boluk,3 Karina Ckless,1 Rajesh Sunasee1 1Department of Chemistry, State University of New York at Plattsburgh, Plattsburgh, NY, USA; 2National Research Council, Montreal, QC, Canada, 3Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta and National Institute for Nanotechnology, National Research Council, Edmonton, AB, Canada Abstract: Cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs have emerged as promising candidates for a number of bio-applications. Surface modification of CNCs continues to gain significant research interest as it imparts new properties to the surface of the nanocrystals for the design of multifunctional CNCs-based materials. A small chemical surface modification can potentially lead to drastic behavioral changes of cell-material interactions thereby affecting the intended bio-application. In this work, unmodified CNCs were covalently decorated with four different organic moieties such as a diaminobutane fragment, a cyclic oligosaccharide (β-cyclodextrin, a thermoresponsive polymer (poly[N-isopropylacrylamide], and a cationic aminomethacrylamide-based polymer using different synthetic covalent methods. The effect of surface coatings of CNCs and the respective dose-response of the above organic moieties on the cell viability were evaluated on mammalian cell cultures (J774A.1 and MFC-7, using 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide and lactate dehydrogenase assays. Overall, the results indicated that cells exposed to surface-coated CNCs for 24 h did not display major changes in cell viability, membrane permeability as well as cell morphology. However, with longer exposure, all these parameters were somewhat affected, which appears not to be correlated with either anionic or cationic surface coatings of CNCs used in this study. Keywords: cellulose nanocrystals, surface coating, cell viability, MTT, LDH

  2. Affinity crosslinking of /sup 125/I-human beta-endorphin to cell lines possessing either mu or delta type opioid binding sites

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Keren, O.; Gioannini, T.L.; Hiller, J.M.; Simon, E.J.

    1986-01-01

    Affinity crosslinking of human /sup 125/I-beta-Endorphin to cell lines possessing either mu or delta binding sites was carried out. Autoradiography of SDS-PAGE gels from these crosslinked cell lines revealed that these two sites contain major peptide subunits that differ in molecular size. This confirms our earlier finding in mammalian brain which demonstrated separate and distinct subunits for mu and delta opioid receptors.

  3. Saikosaponin d induces cell death through caspase-3-dependent, caspase-3-independent and mitochondrial pathways in mammalian hepatic stellate cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chen, Ming-Feng; Huang, S. Joseph; Huang, Chao-Cheng; Liu, Pei-Shan; Lin, Kun-I; Liu, Ching-Wen; Hsieh, Wen-Chuan; Shiu, Li-Yen; Chen, Chang-Han

    2016-01-01

    Saikosaponin d (SSd) is one of the main active triterpene saponins in Bupleurum falcatum. It has a steroid-like structure, and is reported to have pharmacological activities, including liver protection in rat, cell cycle arrest and apoptosis induction in several cancer cell lines. However, the biological functions and molecular mechanisms of mammalian cells under SSd treatment are still unclear. The cytotoxicity and apoptosis of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) upon SSd treatment were discovered by MTT assay, colony formation assay and flow cytometry. The collage I/III, caspase activity and apoptotic related genes were examined by quantitative PCR, Western blotting, immunofluorescence and ELISA. The mitochondrial functions were monitored by flow cytometry, MitoTracker staining, ATP production and XF24 bioenergetic assay. This study found that SSd triggers cell death via an apoptosis path. An example of this path might be typical apoptotic morphology, increased sub-G1 phase cell population, inhibition of cell proliferation and activation of caspase-3 and caspase-9. However, the apoptotic effects induced by SSd are partially blocked by the caspase-3 inhibitor, Z-DEVD-FMK, suggesting that SSd may trigger both HSC-T6 and LX-2 cell apoptosis through caspase-3-dependent and independent pathways. We also found that SSd can trigger BAX and BAK translocation from the cytosol to the mitochondria, resulting in mitochondrial function inhibition, membrane potential disruption. Finally, SSd also increases the release of apoptotic factors. The overall analytical data indicate that SSd-elicited cell death may occur through caspase-3-dependent, caspase-3-independent and mitochondrial pathways in mammalian HSCs, and thus can delay the formation of liver fibrosis by reducing the level of HSCs

  4. Cell cycle analysis of cultured mammalian cells after exposure to 4,5',8-trimethylpsoralen and long-wave ultraviolet light

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cohen, S.R.; Burkholder, D.E.; Varga, J.M.; Carter, D.M.; Bartholomew, J.C.

    1981-01-01

    Cell cycle analysis was used to study the the effect of 4,5'8-trimethylpsoralen (TMP) and long-wave ultraviolet light (UV-A) on cultured mammalian cells. DNA distribution patterns were measured for murine melanoma cells (a cloned line of Cloudman S91) and a strain of diploid human skin fibroblasts (CRL 1295) using both a microfluorimetry procedure and flow cytometry. The untreated cells and those receiving TMP along and UV-A alone had identical DNA content as assessed at several posttreatment intervals (0-72 hr). The majority of cells in control groups contained a G1 DNA content, whereas exposure to TMP (2 x 10(-7) M) plus UV-A (1 Joule/cm2) led to the accumulation of cells in the G2 phase. These observations were similar for each cell type and both analytical techniques were in excellent agreement. The finding that psoralen plus UV-A induces a phase-specific G2 blockade in cultured cells has important implications for understanding the mechanisms which account for enhanced pigmentation and suppression of cellular proliferation following exposure to these agents in vivo

  5. Cell-mediated mutagenesis and cell transformation of mammalian cells by chemical carcinogens

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Huberman, E.; Langenbach, R.

    1977-01-01

    We have developed a cell-mediated mutagenesis assay in which cells with the appropriate markers for mutagenesis are co-cultivated with either lethally irradiated rodent embryonic cells that can metabolize carcinogenic hydrocarbons or with primary rat liver cells that can metabolize chemicals carcinogenic to the liver. During co-cultivation, the reactive metabolites of the procarcinogen appear to be transmitted to the mutable cells and induce mutations in them. Assays of this type make it possible to demonstrate a relationship between carcinogenic potency of the chemicals and their ability to induce mutations in mammalian cells. In addition, by simultaneously comparing the frequencies of transformation and mutation induced in normal diploid hamster cells by benzo(a)pyrene (BP) and one of its metabolites, it is possible to estimate the genetic target size for cell transformation in vitro

  6. Mammalian Cell Culture Simplified.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moss, Robert; Solomon, Sondra

    1991-01-01

    A tissue culture experiment that does not require elaborate equipment and that can be used to teach sterile technique, the principles of animal cell line maintenance, and the concept of cell growth curves is described. The differences between cancerous and normal cells can be highlighted. The procedure is included. (KR)

  7. Regulation of Autophagy by Glucose in Mammalian Cells

    OpenAIRE

    Moruno, Félix; Pérez-Jiménez, Eva; Knecht, Erwin

    2012-01-01

    Autophagy is an evolutionarily conserved process that contributes to maintain cell homeostasis. Although it is strongly regulated by many extracellular factors, induction of autophagy is mainly produced by starvation of nutrients. In mammalian cells, the regulation of autophagy by amino acids, and also by the hormone insulin, has been extensively investigated, but knowledge about the effects of other autophagy regulators, including another nutrient, glucose, is more limited. Here we will focu...

  8. Cytotoxicity of flavonoid glycosides, flavonoids and phenolic acids from Inula oculus-christi on mammalian cell lines

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ralitsa K. Veleva

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available Herbs of the genus Inula are well known in traditional medicine. Their extracts are used as expectorants, antitussives, bactericides as well as for the treatment of lung inflammation and have shown to possess anti-inflammatory and secretolytic activity. Experimental research findings indicate the anti-tumor effect of certain components of extracts from Inula cappa and Inula britannicа and those from Inula racemosa have antimicrobial and antidiabetic activity. We have directed our efforts on investigating the effects of different extracts from Inula oculus-christi, enriched with certain groups of biologically active substances - flavonoid glycosides (A, phenolic acids (B, flavonoid glycosides and phenolic acids (C, flavonoids and phenolic acids (D. The effect of these extracts on normal (MDCK ІІ and RPE1 and carcinoma cell lines (A549 and HepG2 was evaluated. We have performed cytotoxicity study (crystal violet assay as well as morphological analysis of changes induced by the extracts. Among the tumor cell lines HepG2 show greater sensitivity. Surprisingly extract C has no significant influence on both cancer cell lines.

  9. Leptin induction following irradiation is a conserved feature in mammalian epithelial cells and tissues.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Licursi, Valerio; Cestelli Guidi, Mariangela; Del Vecchio, Giorgia; Mannironi, Cecilia; Presutti, Carlo; Amendola, Roberto; Negri, Rodolfo

    2017-09-01

    Leptin (LEP) is a peptide hormone with multiple physiological functions. Besides its systemic actions, it has important peripheral roles such as a mitogen action on keratinocytes following skin lesions. We previously showed that LEP mRNA is significantly induced in response to neutron irradiation in mouse skin and that the protein increases in the irradiated epidermis and in the related subcutaneous adipose tissue. In this work, we investigated the post-transcriptional regulation of LEP by miRNAs and the conservation of LEP's role in radiation response in human cells. We used microarray analysis and real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) to analyze modulation of miRNAs potentially targeting LEP in mouse skin following irradiation and bioinformatic analysis of transcriptome of irradiated human cell lines and cancer tissues from radiotherapy-treated patients to evaluate LEP expression. We show that a network of miRNAs potentially targeting LEP mRNA is modulated in irradiated mouse skin and that LEP itself is significantly modulated by irradiation in human epithelial cell lines and in breast cancer tissues from radiotherapy-treated patients. These results confirm and extend the previous evidence that LEP has a general and important role in the response of mammalian cells to irradiation.

  10. Labeling proteins on live mammalian cells using click chemistry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nikić, Ivana; Kang, Jun Hee; Girona, Gemma Estrada; Aramburu, Iker Valle; Lemke, Edward A

    2015-05-01

    We describe a protocol for the rapid labeling of cell-surface proteins in living mammalian cells using click chemistry. The labeling method is based on strain-promoted alkyne-azide cycloaddition (SPAAC) and strain-promoted inverse-electron-demand Diels-Alder cycloaddition (SPIEDAC) reactions, in which noncanonical amino acids (ncAAs) bearing ring-strained alkynes or alkenes react, respectively, with dyes containing azide or tetrazine groups. To introduce ncAAs site specifically into a protein of interest (POI), we use genetic code expansion technology. The protocol can be described as comprising two steps. In the first step, an Amber stop codon is introduced--by site-directed mutagenesis--at the desired site on the gene encoding the POI. This plasmid is then transfected into mammalian cells, along with another plasmid that encodes an aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase/tRNA (RS/tRNA) pair that is orthogonal to the host's translational machinery. In the presence of the ncAA, the orthogonal RS/tRNA pair specifically suppresses the Amber codon by incorporating the ncAA into the polypeptide chain of the POI. In the second step, the expressed POI is labeled with a suitably reactive dye derivative that is directly supplied to the growth medium. We provide a detailed protocol for using commercially available ncAAs and dyes for labeling the insulin receptor, and we discuss the optimal surface-labeling conditions and the limitations of labeling living mammalian cells. The protocol involves an initial cloning step that can take 4-7 d, followed by the described transfections and labeling reaction steps, which can take 3-4 d.

  11. Chemical sporulation and germination: cytoprotective nanocoating of individual mammalian cells with a degradable tannic acid-FeIII complex

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Juno; Cho, Hyeoncheol; Choi, Jinsu; Kim, Doyeon; Hong, Daewha; Park, Ji Hun; Yang, Sung Ho; Choi, Insung S.

    2015-11-01

    Individual mammalian cells were coated with cytoprotective and degradable films by cytocompatible processes maintaining the cell viability. Three types of mammalian cells (HeLa, NIH 3T3, and Jurkat cells) were coated with a metal-organic complex of tannic acid (TA) and ferric ion, and the TA-FeIII nanocoat effectively protected the coated mammalian cells against UV-C irradiation and a toxic compound. More importantly, the cell proliferation was controlled by programmed formation and degradation of the TA-FeIII nanocoat, mimicking the sporulation and germination processes found in nature.Individual mammalian cells were coated with cytoprotective and degradable films by cytocompatible processes maintaining the cell viability. Three types of mammalian cells (HeLa, NIH 3T3, and Jurkat cells) were coated with a metal-organic complex of tannic acid (TA) and ferric ion, and the TA-FeIII nanocoat effectively protected the coated mammalian cells against UV-C irradiation and a toxic compound. More importantly, the cell proliferation was controlled by programmed formation and degradation of the TA-FeIII nanocoat, mimicking the sporulation and germination processes found in nature. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available: Experimental details, LSCM images, and SEM and TEM images. See DOI: 10.1039/c5nr05573c

  12. Development of an Improved Mammalian Overexpression Method for Human CD62L

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brown, Haley A.; Roth, Gwynne; Holzapfel, Genevieve; Shen, Sarek; Rahbari, Kate; Ireland, Joanna; Zou, Zhongcheng; Sun, Peter D.

    2014-01-01

    We have previously developed a glutamine synthetase (GS)-based mammalian recombinant protein expression system that is capable of producing 5 to 30 mg/L recombinant proteins. The over expression is based on multiple rounds of target gene amplification driven by methionine sulfoximine (MSX), an inhibitor of glutamine synthetase. However, like other stable mammalian over expression systems, a major shortcoming of the GS-based expression system is its lengthy turn-around time, typically taking 4–6 months to produce. To shorten the construction time, we replaced the muti-round target gene amplifications with single-round in situ amplifications, thereby shortening the cell line construction to 2 months. The single-round in situ amplification method resulted in highest recombinant CD62L expressing CHO cell lines producing ~5mg/L soluble CD62L, similar to those derived from the multi-round amplification and selection method. In addition, we developed a MSX resistance assay as an alternative to utilizing ELISA for evaluating the expression level of stable recombinant CHO cell lines. PMID:25286402

  13. Regulation of gene expression in mammalian cells following ionizing radiation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Boothman, D.A.; Lee, S.W

    1991-01-01

    Mammalian cells use a variety of mechanisms to control the expression of new gene transcrips elicited in response to ionizing radiation. Damage-induced proteins have been found which contain DNA binding sites located within the promoter regions of SV40 and human thymidine kinase genes. DNA binding proteins as well as proteins which bind to specific DNA lesions (e.g., XIP bp 175 binds specifically to X-ray-damaged DNA) may play a role in the initial recognition of DNA damage and may initiate DNA repair processes, along with new transcription. Mammalian gene expression after DNA damage is also regulated via the stabilization of preexisting mRNA transcripts. Stabilized mRNA transcripts are translated into protein products not previously present in the cell due to undefined posttranscriptional modifications. Thus far, the only example of mRNA stabilization following X-irradiation is the immediate induction of tissue-type plasminogen activator. Mammalian cells synthesize new mRNA transcripts indirect response to DNA damage. Using cDNA cloning, Northern RNA blotting and nuclear run-on techniques, the levels of a variety of known and previously unknown genes dramatically increase following X-irradiation. These genes/proteins now include; a) DNA binding transcripts factors, such as the UV-responsive element binding factors, ionizing radiation-induced DNA-binding proteins, and XIP bP 175; b) proto-oncogenes, such as c-fos, c-jun, and c-myc; c) several growth-related genes, (e.g., the gadd genes, protein kinase C, IL-1, and thymidine kinase); and d) a variety of other genes, including proteases, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, and DT diaphorase. Mammalian cells respond to X-irradiation by eliciting a very complex series of events resulting in the appearance of new genes and proteins. These gene products may affect DNA repair, adaptive responses, apoptosis, SOS-type mutagenic response, and/or carcinogenesis. (J.P.N.)

  14. AMMONIA REMOVAL FROM MAMMALIAN CELL CULTURE MEDIUM BY ION-EXCHANGE MEMBRANES

    Science.gov (United States)

    Metabolites such as ammonia and lactic acid formed during mammalian cell culture can frequently be toxic to the cells themselves beyond a threshold concentration of the metabolites. Cell culture conducted in the presence of such accumulated metabolites is therefore limited in pro...

  15. Toxicity of bovicin HC5 against mammalian cell lines and the role of cholesterol in bacteriocin activity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Paiva, Aline Dias; de Oliveira, Michelle Dias; de Paula, Sérgio Oliveira; Baracat-Pereira, Maria Cristina; Breukink, Eefjan; Mantovani, Hilário Cuquetto

    2012-11-01

    Bacteriocins are ribosomally synthesized antimicrobial peptides produced by Bacteria and some Archaea. The assessment of the toxic potential of antimicrobial peptides is important in order to apply these peptides on an industrial scale. The aim of the present study was to investigate the in vitro cytotoxic and haemolytic potential of bovicin HC5, as well as to determine whether cholesterol influences bacteriocin activity on model membranes. Nisin, for which the mechanism of action is well described, was used as a reference peptide in our assays. The viability of three distinct eukaryotic cell lines treated with bovicin HC5 or nisin was analysed by using the MTT assay and cellular morphological changes were determined by light microscopy. The haemolytic potential was evaluated by using the haemoglobin liberation assay and the role of cholesterol on bacteriocin activity was examined by using model membranes composed of DOPC (1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine) and DPoPC (1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine). The IC(50) of bovicin HC5 and nisin against Vero cells was 65.42 and 13.48 µM, respectively. When the MTT assay was performed with MCF-7 and HepG2 cells, the IC(50) obtained for bovicin HC5 was 279.39 and 289.30 µM, respectively, while for nisin these values were 105.46 and 112.25 µM. The haemolytic activity of bovicin HC5 against eukaryotic cells was always lower than that determined for nisin. The presence of cholesterol did not influence the activity of either bacteriocin on DOPC model membranes, but nisin showed reduced carboxyfluorescein leakage in DPoPC membranes containing cholesterol. In conclusion, bovicin HC5 only exerted cytotoxic effects at concentrations that were greater than the concentration needed for its biological activity, and the presence of cholesterol did not affect its interaction with model membranes.

  16. Human therapeutic cloning (NTSC): applying research from mammalian reproductive cloning.

    Science.gov (United States)

    French, Andrew J; Wood, Samuel H; Trounson, Alan O

    2006-01-01

    Human therapeutic cloning or nuclear transfer stem cells (NTSC) to produce patient-specific stem cells, holds considerable promise in the field of regenerative medicine. The recent withdrawal of the only scientific publications claiming the successful generation of NTSC lines afford an opportunity to review the available research in mammalian reproductive somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) with the goal of progressing human NTSC. The process of SCNT is prone to epigenetic abnormalities that contribute to very low success rates. Although there are high mortality rates in some species of cloned animals, most surviving clones have been shown to have normal phenotypic and physiological characteristics and to produce healthy offspring. This technology has been applied to an increasing number of mammals for utility in research, agriculture, conservation, and biomedicine. In contrast, attempts at SCNT to produce human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) have been disappointing. Only one group has published reliable evidence of success in deriving a cloned human blastocyst, using an undifferentiated hESC donor cell, and it failed to develop into a hESC line. When optimal conditions are present, it appears that in vitro development of cloned and parthenogenetic embryos, both of which may be utilized to produce hESCs, may be similar to in vitro fertilized embryos. The derivation of ESC lines from cloned embryos is substantially more efficient than the production of viable offspring. This review summarizes developments in mammalian reproductive cloning, cell-to-cell fusion alternatives, and strategies for oocyte procurement that may provide important clues facilitating progress in human therapeutic cloning leading to the successful application of cell-based therapies utilizing autologous hESC lines.

  17. Wnt/β-catenin signaling in adult mammalian epithelial stem cells

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Kretzschmar, Kai; Clevers, Hans

    2017-01-01

    Adult stem cells self-renew and replenish differentiated cells in various organs and tissues throughout a mammal's life. Over the last 25 years an ever-growing body of knowledge has unraveled the essential regulation of adult mammalian epithelia by the canonical Wnt signaling with its key

  18. Focusing on RISC assembly in mammalian cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hong, Junmei; Wei, Na; Chalk, Alistair; Wang, Jue; Song, Yutong; Yi, Fan; Qiao, Ren-Ping; Sonnhammer, Erik L L; Wahlestedt, Claes; Liang, Zicai; Du, Quan

    2008-04-11

    RISC (RNA-induced silencing complex) is a central protein complex in RNAi, into which a siRNA strand is assembled to become effective in gene silencing. By using an in vitro RNAi reaction based on Drosophila embryo extract, an asymmetric model was recently proposed for RISC assembly of siRNA strands, suggesting that the strand that is more loosely paired at its 5' end is selectively assembled into RISC and results in target gene silencing. However, in the present study, we were unable to establish such a correlation in cell-based RNAi assays, as well as in large-scale RNAi data analyses. This suggests that the thermodynamic stability of siRNA is not a major determinant of gene silencing in mammalian cells. Further studies on fork siRNAs showed that mismatch at the 5' end of the siRNA sense strand decreased RISC assembly of the antisense strand, but surprisingly did not increase RISC assembly of the sense strand. More interestingly, measurements of melting temperature showed that the terminal stability of fork siRNAs correlated with the positions of the mismatches, but not gene silencing efficacy. In summary, our data demonstrate that there is no definite correlation between siRNA stability and gene silencing in mammalian cells, which suggests that instead of thermodynamic stability, other features of the siRNA duplex contribute to RISC assembly in RNAi.

  19. Focusing on RISC assembly in mammalian cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hong Junmei; Wei Na; Chalk, Alistair; Wang Jue; Song, Yutong; Yi Fan; Qiao Renping; Sonnhammer, Erik L.L.; Wahlestedt, Claes; Liang Zicai; Du, Quan

    2008-01-01

    RISC (RNA-induced silencing complex) is a central protein complex in RNAi, into which a siRNA strand is assembled to become effective in gene silencing. By using an in vitro RNAi reaction based on Drosophila embryo extract, an asymmetric model was recently proposed for RISC assembly of siRNA strands, suggesting that the strand that is more loosely paired at its 5' end is selectively assembled into RISC and results in target gene silencing. However, in the present study, we were unable to establish such a correlation in cell-based RNAi assays, as well as in large-scale RNAi data analyses. This suggests that the thermodynamic stability of siRNA is not a major determinant of gene silencing in mammalian cells. Further studies on fork siRNAs showed that mismatch at the 5' end of the siRNA sense strand decreased RISC assembly of the antisense strand, but surprisingly did not increase RISC assembly of the sense strand. More interestingly, measurements of melting temperature showed that the terminal stability of fork siRNAs correlated with the positions of the mismatches, but not gene silencing efficacy. In summary, our data demonstrate that there is no definite correlation between siRNA stability and gene silencing in mammalian cells, which suggests that instead of thermodynamic stability, other features of the siRNA duplex contribute to RISC assembly in RNAi

  20. In vitro radiosensitivity of six human cell lines. A comparative study with different statistical models

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fertil, B.; Deschavanne, P.J.; Lachet, B.; Malaise, E.P.

    1980-01-01

    The intrinsic radiosensitivity of human cell lines (five tumor and one nontransformed fibroblastic) was studied in vitro. The survival curves were fitted by the single-hit multitarget, the two-hit multitarget, the single-hit multitarget with initial slope, and the quadratic models. The accuracy of the experimental results permitted evaluation of the various fittings. Both a statistical test (comparison of variances left unexplained by the four models) and a biological consideration (check for independence of the fitted parameters vis-a-vis the portion of the survival curve in question) were carried out. The quadratic model came out best with each of them. It described the low-dose effects satisfactorily, revealing a single-hit lethal component. This finding and the fact that the six survival curves displayed a continuous curvature ruled out the adoption of the target models as well as the widely used linear regression. As calculated by the quadratic model, the parameters of the six cell lines lead to the following conclusions: (a) the intrinsic radiosensitivity varies greatly among the different cell lines; (b) the interpretation of the fibroblast survival curve is not basically different from that of the tumor cell lines; and (c) the radiosensitivity of these human cell lines is comparable to that of other mammalian cell lines

  1. Applications of flow cytometry to toxicological mycotoxin effects in cultured mammalian cells: a review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Juan-García, Ana; Manyes, Lara; Ruiz, María-José; Font, Guillermina

    2013-06-01

    This review gives an overview of flow cytometry applications to toxicological studies of several physiological target sites of mycotoxins on different mammalian cell lines. Mycotoxins are secondary metabolites of fungi that may be present in food, feed, air and water. The increasing presence of mycotoxins in crops, their wide distribution in the food chain, and their potential for toxicity demonstrate the need for further knowledge. Flow cytometry has become a valuable tool in mycotoxin studies in recent years for the rapid analysis of single cells in a mixture. In toxicology, the power of these methods lies in the possibility of determining a wide range of cell parameters, providing valuable information to elucidate cell growth and viability, metabolic activity, mitochondrial membrane potential and membrane integrity mechanisms. There are studies using flow cytometry technique on Alternaria, Aspergillus, Fusarium and Penicillium mycotoxins including information about cell type, assay conditions and functional parameters. Most of the studies collected in the literature are on deoxynivalenol and zearalenone mycotoxins. Cell cycle analysis and apoptosis are the processes more widely investigated. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. Electroporation of Mammalian Cells by Nanosecond Electric Field Oscillations and its Inhibition by the Electric Field Reversal

    Science.gov (United States)

    2015-09-08

    Report 3. DATES COVERED (From – To) March 2013 to July 2015 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE Electroporation of mammalian cells by nanosecond electric field...Prescribed by ANSI Std. Z39.18 1Scientific RepoRts | 5:13818 | DOi: 10.1038/srep13818 www.nature.com/scientificreports Electroporation of mammalian cells...first to demonstrate that mammalian cells can be electroporated by damped sine wave electric stimuli of nanosecond duration. By comparing the

  3. The food additive vanillic acid controls transgene expression in mammalian cells and mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gitzinger, Marc; Kemmer, Christian; Fluri, David A; El-Baba, Marie Daoud; Weber, Wilfried; Fussenegger, Martin

    2012-03-01

    Trigger-inducible transcription-control devices that reversibly fine-tune transgene expression in response to molecular cues have significantly advanced the rational reprogramming of mammalian cells. When designed for use in future gene- and cell-based therapies the trigger molecules have to be carefully chosen in order to provide maximum specificity, minimal side-effects and optimal pharmacokinetics in a mammalian organism. Capitalizing on control components that enable Caulobacter crescentus to metabolize vanillic acid originating from lignin degradation that occurs in its oligotrophic freshwater habitat, we have designed synthetic devices that specifically adjust transgene expression in mammalian cells when exposed to vanillic acid. Even in mice transgene expression was robust, precise and tunable in response to vanillic acid. As a licensed food additive that is regularly consumed by humans via flavoured convenience food and specific fresh vegetable and fruits, vanillic acid can be considered as a safe trigger molecule that could be used for diet-controlled transgene expression in future gene- and cell-based therapies.

  4. Regulation of low density lipoprotein receptor function in a human hepatoma cell line

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Leichtner, A.M.; Krieger, M.; Schwartz, A.L.

    1984-01-01

    Low density lipoprotein (LDL) processing was investigated in a human hepatoma-derived cell line, Hep G2. Hep G2 cells bound, internalized and degraded LDL via a saturable, high affinity pathway similar to that present in other mammalian cells. Although 80% of the uptake and degradation of 125 I-LDL was inhibited by 40-fold excess native LDL, the same concentration of methylated LDL, which cannot bind to LDL receptors, had virtually no effect on processing. When added at low concentrations, the lysosomotropic agent, chloroquine, inhibited degradation without affecting the rate of lipoprotein internalization. Receptor activity was decreased 60% by preincubation of the cells in medium containing a source of cholesterol (LDL or unesterified cholesterol) and increased 1.7-fold by preincubation with compactin, a competitive inhibitor of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase. The Hep G2 cell line may prove a useful system both for the further study of hepatic lipoprotein metabolism and for the evaluation of new antihypercholesterolemic agents

  5. Effect of Marine Omega 3 Fatty Acids on Methylmercury-Induced Toxicity in Fish and Mammalian Cells In Vitro

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    O. J. Nøstbakken

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Methylmercury (MeHg is a ubiquitous environmental contaminant which bioaccumulates in marine biota. Fish constitute an important part of a balanced human diet contributing with health beneficial nutrients but may also contain contaminants such as MeHg. Interactions between the marine n-3 fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (20:5n-3, EPA and docosahexaenoic acid (22:6n-3, DHA with MeHg-induced toxicity were investigated. Different toxic and metabolic responses were studied in Atlantic salmon kidney (ASK cell line and the mammalian kidney-derived HEK293 cell line. Both cell lines were preincubated with DHA or EPA prior to MeHg-exposure, and cell toxicity was assessed differently in the cell lines by MeHg-uptake in cells (ASK and HEK293, proliferation (HEK293 and ASK, apoptosis (ASK, oxidation of the red-ox probe roGFP (HEK293, and regulation of selected toxicological and metabolic transcriptional markers (ASK. DHA was observed to decrease the uptake of MeHg in HEK293, but not in ASK cells. DHA also increased, while EPA decreased, MeHg-induced apoptosis in ASK. MeHg exposure induced changes in selected metabolic and known MeHg biomarkers in ASK cells. Both DHA and MeHg, but not EPA, oxidized roGFP in HEK293 cells. In conclusion, marine n-3 fatty acids may ameliorate MeHg toxicity, either by decreasing apoptosis (EPA or by reducing MeHg uptake (DHA. However, DHA can also augment MeHg toxicity by increasing oxidative stress and apoptosis when combined with MeHg.

  6. Risk Mitigation in Preventing Adventitious Agent Contamination of Mammalian Cell Cultures.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shiratori, Masaru; Kiss, Robert

    2017-11-14

    Industrial-scale mammalian cell culture processes have been contaminated by viruses during the culturing phase. Although the historical frequency of such events has been quite low, the impact of contamination can be significant for the manufacturing company and for the supply of the product to patients. This chapter discusses sources of adventitious agent contamination risk in a cell culture process, provides a semiquantitative assessment of such risks, and describes potential process barriers that can be used to reduce contamination risk. High-temperature, short-time (HTST) heat treatment is recommended as the process barrier of choice, when compatible with the process. A case study assessing the compatibility of HTST heat treatment with a cell culture medium is presented, and lessons learned are shared from our experiences over many years of developing and implementing virus barriers in mammalian cell culture processes. Graphical Abstract.

  7. Synthesis of Substituted Thieno[2,3-d]pyrimidin-4-ones and Their Testing for Evaluation of Cytotoxic Activity on Mammalian Cell Models

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kh. A. Bozorov

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available From 2-amino-3-ethoxycarbonyl-4,5-dimethyl-, -polymethylenethiophenes (1-4 were synthesized 2,3-disubstituted thieno[2,3-d]dihydropyrrolo-, tetrahydropyrido-, and tetrahydroazepino[1,2-a]pyrimidin-4-ones (5-16 for pharmacological investigations. The 12 compounds (5-16 were individually evaluated for their antiproliferative activities on mammalian cancer cell models. All tested compounds showed weak affection on human cervix adenocarcinoma cells (HeLa whereas some of the tested compounds exhibited more consistent inhibition of cell growth on murine myeloma cells (P3X. In both cases some compounds enhanced cell proliferation.

  8. Chlorpromazine reduces the intercellular communication via gap junctions in mammalian cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Orellana, Juan A.; Palacios-Prado, Nicolas; Saez, Juan C.

    2006-01-01

    In the work presented herein, we evaluated the effect of chlorpromazine (CPZ) on gap junctions expressed by two mammalian cell types; Gn-11 cells (cell line derived from mouse LHRH neurons) and rat cortical astrocytes maintained in culture. We also attempted to elucidate possible mechanisms of action of CPZ effects on gap junctions. CPZ, in concentrations comparable with doses used to treat human diseases, was found to reduce the intercellular communication via gap junctions as evaluated with measurements of dye coupling (Lucifer yellow). In both cell types, maximal inhibition of functional gap junctions was reached within about 1 h of treatment with CPZ, an recovery was almost complete at about 5 h after CPZ wash out. In both cell types, CPZ treatment increased the phosphorylation state of connexin43 (Cx43), a gap junction protein subunit. Moreover, CPZ reduced the reactivity of Cx43 (immunofluorescence) at cell interfaces and concomitantly increased its reactivity in intracellular vesicles, suggesting an increased retrieval from and/or reduced insertion into the plasma membrane. CPZ also caused cellular retraction reducing cell-cell contacts in a reversible manner. The reduction in contact area might destabilize existing gap junctions and abrogate formation of new ones. Moreover, the CPZ-induced reduction in gap junctional communication may depend on the connexins (Cxs) forming the junctions. If Cx43 were the only connexin expressed, MAPK-dependent phosphorylation of this connexin would induce closure of gap junction channels

  9. Rapid and serial quantification of adhesion forces of yeast and Mammalian cells.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Eva Potthoff

    Full Text Available Cell adhesion to surfaces represents the basis for niche colonization and survival. Here we establish serial quantification of adhesion forces of different cell types using a single probe. The pace of single-cell force-spectroscopy was accelerated to up to 200 yeast and 20 mammalian cells per probe when replacing the conventional cell trapping cantilever chemistry of atomic force microscopy by underpressure immobilization with fluidic force microscopy (FluidFM. In consequence, statistically relevant data could be recorded in a rapid manner, the spectrum of examinable cells was enlarged, and the cell physiology preserved until approached for force spectroscopy. Adhesion forces of Candida albicans increased from below 4 up to 16 nN at 37°C on hydrophobic surfaces, whereas a Δhgc1-mutant showed forces consistently below 4 nN. Monitoring adhesion of mammalian cells revealed mean adhesion forces of 600 nN of HeLa cells on fibronectin and were one order of magnitude higher than those observed for HEK cells.

  10. Enhanced photo-transfection efficiency of mammalian cells on graphene coated substrates

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mthunzi, Patience; He, Kuang; Ngcobo, Sandile; Warner, Jamie W.

    2014-03-01

    Literature reports graphene, an atomic-thick sheet of carbon atoms as one of the promising biocompatible scaffolds that promotes cellular proliferation in human mesenchymal stem cells. On the other hand, different mammalian cell lines including the induced pluripotent stem cells exhibited an accelerated proliferation rate when cultured on graphene or graphene oxide coated substrates. These findings provide strong motivation to explore the full capability of graphene in further pluripotent stem cell research activities as there exists an urgent requirement to preserve their therapeutic potential. This therefore calls for non-invasive procedures for handling stem cells in-vitro. For example, resent literature has shown successful laser light driven transfection in both multipotent and pluripotent stem cells. In order to explore the non-invasive nature of optical transfection alongside biocompatible qualities of graphene, in this work we investigated the impact of optically transfecting mouse embryonic stem (mES) cells plated on graphene coated sample chambers. Using Chinese Hamster Ovary cells (CHO-K1), we further studied the influence of graphene on cell viability as well as cell cytotoxicity through assessing changes in levels of mitochondrial adenosine triphosphate (ATP) activity and the release of cytosolic lactate dehydrogenase (LHD) respectively. Our results showed that compared to those treated on plain glass, CHO-K1 cells optically treated while plated on graphene coated substrates exhibited a higher production of ATP and a milder release of LDH. In addition there was enhanced photo-transfection efficiency in both CHO-K1 and mES cells irradiated on graphene sample chambers.

  11. PAF53 is essential in mammalian cells: CRISPR/Cas9 fails to eliminate PAF53 expression.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rothblum, Lawrence I; Rothblum, Katrina; Chang, Eugenie

    2017-05-15

    When mammalian cells are nutrient and/or growth factor deprived, exposed to inhibitors of protein synthesis, stressed by heat shock or grown to confluence, rDNA transcription is essentially shut off. Various mechanisms are available to accomplish this downshift in ribosome biogenesis. Muramatsu's laboratory (Hanada et al., 1996) first demonstrated that mammalian PAF53 was essential for specific rDNA transcription and that PAF53 levels were regulated in response to growth factors. While S. cerevisae A49, the homologue of vertebrate PAF53, is not essential for viability (Liljelund et al., 1992), deletion of yA49 results in colonies that grow at 6% of the wild type rate at 25°C. Experiments described by Wang et al. (2015) identified PAF53 as a gene "essential for optimal proliferation". However, they did not discriminate genes essential for viability. Hence, in order to resolve this question, we designed a series of experiments to determine if PAF53 was essential for cell survival. We set out to delete the gene product from mammalian cells using CRISPR/CAS9 technology. Human 293 cells were transfected with lentiCRISPR v2 carrying genes for various sgRNA that targeted PAF53. In some experiments, the cells were cotransfected in parallel with plasmids encoding FLAG-tagged mouse PAF53. After treating the transfected cells with puromycin (to select for the lentiCRISPR backbone), cells were cloned and analyzed by western blots for PAF53 expression. Genomic DNA was amplified across the "CRISPRd" exon, cloned and sequenced to identify mutated PAF53 genes. We obtained cell lines in which the endogenous PAF53 gene was "knocked out" only when we rescued with FLAG-PAF53. DNA sequencing demonstrated that in the absence of ectopic PAF53 expression, cells demonstrated unique means of surviving; including recombination or the utilization of alternative reading frames. We never observed a clone in which one PAF53 gene is expressed, unless there was also ectopic expression In the

  12. Establishment of the first humpback whale fibroblast cell lines and their application in chemical risk assessment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Burkard, Michael; Whitworth, Deanne; Schirmer, Kristin; Nash, Susan Bengtson

    2015-01-01

    Highlights: • We established and characterised the first humpback whale fibroblast cell lines. • Cell lines have a stable karyotype with 2n = 44. • Exposure to p,p′-DDE resulted in a concentration-dependent loss of cell viability. • p,p′-DDE sensitivity differed considerably from human fibroblasts. • Exposure to a whale blubber extract showed higher sensitivity than to p,p′-DDE alone. - Abstract: This paper reports the first successful derivation and characterization of humpback whale fibroblast cell lines. Primary fibroblasts were isolated from the dermal connective tissue of skin biopsies, cultured at 37 °C and 5% CO_2 in the standard mammalian medium DMEM/F12 supplemented with 10% fetal bovine serum (FBS). Of nine initial biopsies, two cell lines were established from two different animals and designated HuWa1 and HuWa2. The cells have a stable karyotype with 2n = 44, which has commonly been observed in other baleen whale species. Cells were verified as being fibroblasts based on their spindle-shaped morphology, adherence to plastic and positive immunoreaction to vimentin. Population doubling time was determined to be ∼41 h and cells were successfully cryopreserved and thawed. To date, HuWa1 cells have been propagated 30 times. Cells proliferate at the tested temperatures, 30, 33.5 and 37 °C, but show the highest rate of proliferation at 37 °C. Short-term exposure to para,para′-dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (p,p′-DDE), a priority compound accumulating in southern hemisphere humpback whales, resulted in a concentration-dependent loss of cell viability. The effective concentration which caused a 50% reduction in HuWa1 cell viability (EC_5_0 value) was approximately six times greater than the EC_5_0 value for the same chemical measured with human dermal fibroblasts. HuWa1 exposed to a natural, p,p′-DDE-containing, chemical mixture extracted from whale blubber showed distinctively higher sensitivity than to p,p′-DDE alone. Thus, we

  13. Establishment of the first humpback whale fibroblast cell lines and their application in chemical risk assessment

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Burkard, Michael, E-mail: Michael.burkard@eawag.ch [Griffith University, Environmental Futures Research Institute, Southern Ocean Persistent Organic Pollutants Program, Brisbane, QLD (Australia); Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Dübendorf (Switzerland); Whitworth, Deanne [The University of Queensland, School of Veterinary Science, Gatton, QLD (Australia); Schirmer, Kristin [Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Dübendorf (Switzerland); ETH Zürich, Institute of Biogechemistry and Pollutant Dynamics, Zürich (Switzerland); EPF Lausanne, School of Architecture, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Lausanne (Switzerland); Nash, Susan Bengtson [Griffith University, Environmental Futures Research Institute, Southern Ocean Persistent Organic Pollutants Program, Brisbane, QLD (Australia)

    2015-10-15

    Highlights: • We established and characterised the first humpback whale fibroblast cell lines. • Cell lines have a stable karyotype with 2n = 44. • Exposure to p,p′-DDE resulted in a concentration-dependent loss of cell viability. • p,p′-DDE sensitivity differed considerably from human fibroblasts. • Exposure to a whale blubber extract showed higher sensitivity than to p,p′-DDE alone. - Abstract: This paper reports the first successful derivation and characterization of humpback whale fibroblast cell lines. Primary fibroblasts were isolated from the dermal connective tissue of skin biopsies, cultured at 37 °C and 5% CO{sub 2} in the standard mammalian medium DMEM/F12 supplemented with 10% fetal bovine serum (FBS). Of nine initial biopsies, two cell lines were established from two different animals and designated HuWa1 and HuWa2. The cells have a stable karyotype with 2n = 44, which has commonly been observed in other baleen whale species. Cells were verified as being fibroblasts based on their spindle-shaped morphology, adherence to plastic and positive immunoreaction to vimentin. Population doubling time was determined to be ∼41 h and cells were successfully cryopreserved and thawed. To date, HuWa1 cells have been propagated 30 times. Cells proliferate at the tested temperatures, 30, 33.5 and 37 °C, but show the highest rate of proliferation at 37 °C. Short-term exposure to para,para′-dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (p,p′-DDE), a priority compound accumulating in southern hemisphere humpback whales, resulted in a concentration-dependent loss of cell viability. The effective concentration which caused a 50% reduction in HuWa1 cell viability (EC{sub 50} value) was approximately six times greater than the EC{sub 50} value for the same chemical measured with human dermal fibroblasts. HuWa1 exposed to a natural, p,p′-DDE-containing, chemical mixture extracted from whale blubber showed distinctively higher sensitivity than to p,p′-DDE alone

  14. Change of cell cycle arrest of tumor cell lines after 60Co γ-irradiation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tang Yi; Liu Wenli; Zhou Jianfeng; Gao Qinglei; Wu Jianhong

    2003-01-01

    Objective: To observe the cell cycle arrest changes in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMNCs) of normal persons and several kinds of tumor cell lines after 60 Co γ-irradiation. Methods: PBMNCs of normal persons, HL-60, K562, SiHA and 113 tumor cell lines were irradiated with 60 Co γ-rays at the absorbed doses of 6, 10,15 Gy. Cell cycles changes were checked 6, 12, 24, 48 and 60 h after the irradiation. Results: A stasis state was observed in normal person PBMNCs, 95 percents of which were in G 1 phase, and they still remained stasis after the irradiation. Except the 113 cell line manifesting G 1 phase arrest, all other tumor cell lines showed G 2 /M phase arrest after irradiation. The radiation sensitivity of HL-60 was higher than that of SiHA cell line. Conclusion: Different cell lines have different cell cycle arrest reaction to radiation and their radiation sensitivity are also different

  15. Induction of apoptosis by opium in some tumor cell lines.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Khaleghi, M; Farsinejad, A; Dabiri, S; Asadikaram, G

    2016-09-30

    The current study is aimed at investigation of the opium effects on the apoptosis of different cell lines in culture medium and compares such effects with one another. The study is carried out on over 8 cell lines (AA8, AGS, Hela, HepG2, MCF7, N2a, PC12, WEHI). A 2.86 x 10-4 g/ml opium concentration was prepared and added to the culture medium of the cell lines for 48 hours. Cytotoxicity was tested by 3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. The apoptotic effect of opium on the cell lines was analyzed by Annexin-PI test. Opium with concentration of 2.86 x 10-4 g/ml in 48 hours significantly induces apoptosis in certain cell lines (i.e. AA8, N2a, WEHI), apoptosis and necrosis in some others (i.e. Hela, HepG2, MCF7, and PC12), and also solely necrosis in the AGS cell line. One could infer that the usage of opium with different levels in different tissues leads to certain disorders in some tissues and may have therapeutic effects under distinctive conditions (i.e. unchecked growth of cells) as confirmed by the results.

  16. Industrial Production of Therapeutic Proteins: Cell Lines, Cell Culture, and Purification

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhu, Marie M.; Mollet, Michael; Hubert, Rene S.

    The biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries have seen a recent surge in the development of biological drug products manufactured from engineered mammalian cell lines. Since the hugely successful launch of human tissue plasminogen activator in 1987 and erythropoietin in 1988, the biopharmaceutical market has grown immensely. Global sales in 2003 exceeded US 30 billion.1 Currently, a total of 108 biotherapeutics are approved and available to patients (Table 32.1). In addition, 324 medically related, biotechnology-derived medicines for nearly 150 diseases are in clinical trials or under review by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.2 These biopharmaceutical candidates promise to bring more and better treatments to patients. Compared to small molecule drugs, biotherapeutics show exquisite specificity with fewer off-target interactions and improved safety profiles.

  17. Methyl Vitamin B12 but not methylfolate rescues a motor neuron-like cell line from homocysteine-mediated cell death

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hemendinger, Richelle A.; Armstrong, Edward J.; Brooks, Benjamin Rix

    2011-01-01

    Homocysteine is an excitatory amino acid implicated in multiple diseases including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Information on the toxicity of homocysteine in motor neurons is limited and few studies have examined how this toxicity can be modulated. In NSC-34D cells (a hybrid cell line derived from motor neuron-neuroblastoma), homocysteine induces apoptotic cell death in the millimolar range with a TC 50 (toxic concentration at which 50% of maximal cell death is achieved) of 2.2 mM, confirmed by activation of caspase 3/7. Induction of apoptosis was independent of short-term reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation. Methyl Vitamin B12 (MeCbl) and methyl tetrahydrofolate (MTHF), used clinically to treat elevated homocysteine levels, were tested for their ability to reverse homocysteine-mediated motor neuron cell death. MeCbl in the micromolar range was able to provide neuroprotection (2 h pretreatment prior to homocysteine) and neurorescue (simultaneous exposure with homocysteine) against millimolar homocysteine with an IC 50 (concentration at which 50% of maximal cell death is inhibited) of 0.6 μM and 0.4 μM, respectively. In contrast, MTHF (up to 10 μM) had no effect on homocysteine-mediated cell death. MeCbl inhibited caspase 3/7 activation by homocysteine in a time- and dose-dependent manner, whereas MTHF had no effect. We conclude that MeCbl is effective against homocysteine-induced cell death in motor neurons in a ROS-independent manner, via a reduction in caspase activation and apoptosis. MeCbl decreases Hcy induced motor neuron death in vitro in a hybrid cell line derived from motor neuron-neuroblastoma and may play a role in the treatment of late stage ALS where HCy levels are increased in animal models of ALS.

  18. DNA synthesis in irradiated mammalian cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Painter, R.B.; California Univ., San Francisco; Young, B.R.

    1987-01-01

    One of the first responses observed in S phase mammalian cells that have suffered DNA damage is the inhibition of initiation of DNA replicons. In cells exposed to ionizing radiation, a single-strand break appears to be the stimulus for this effect, whereby the initiation of many adjacent replicons (a replicon cluster) is blocked by a single-strand break in any one of them. In cells exposed to ultraviolet light (u.v.), replicon initiation is blocked at fluences that induce about one pyrimidine dimer per replicon. The inhibition of replicon initiation by u.v. in Chinese hamster cells that are incapable of excising pyrimidine dimers from their DNA is virtually the same as in cells that are proficient in dimer excision. Therefore, a single-strand break formed during excision repair of pyrimidine dimers is not the stimulus for inhibition of replicon initiation in u.v.-irradiated cells. Considering this fact, as well as the comparative insensitivity of human ataxia telangiectasia cells to u.v.-induced inhibition of replicon initiation, we propose that a relatively rare lesion is the stimulus for u.v. -induced inhibition of replicon initiation. (author

  19. A carbon dioxide stripping model for mammalian cell culture in manufacturing scale bioreactors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xing, Zizhuo; Lewis, Amanda M; Borys, Michael C; Li, Zheng Jian

    2017-06-01

    Control of carbon dioxide within the optimum range is important in mammalian bioprocesses at the manufacturing scale in order to ensure robust cell growth, high protein yields, and consistent quality attributes. The majority of bioprocess development work is done in laboratory bioreactors, in which carbon dioxide levels are more easily controlled. Some challenges in carbon dioxide control can present themselves when cell culture processes are scaled up, because carbon dioxide accumulation is a common feature due to longer gas-residence time of mammalian cell culture in large scale bioreactors. A carbon dioxide stripping model can be used to better understand and optimize parameters that are critical to cell culture processes at the manufacturing scale. The prevailing carbon dioxide stripping models in literature depend on mass transfer coefficients and were applicable to cell culture processes with low cell density or at stationary/cell death phase. However, it was reported that gas bubbles are saturated with carbon dioxide before leaving the culture, which makes carbon dioxide stripping no longer depend on a mass transfer coefficient in the new generation cell culture processes characterized by longer exponential growth phase, higher peak viable cell densities, and higher specific production rate. Here, we present a new carbon dioxide stripping model for manufacturing scale bioreactors, which is independent of carbon dioxide mass transfer coefficient, but takes into account the gas-residence time and gas CO 2 saturation time. The model was verified by CHO cell culture processes with different peak viable cell densities (7 to 12 × 10 6  cells mL -1 ) for two products in 5,000-L and 25,000-L bioreactors. The model was also applied to a next generation cell culture process to optimize cell culture conditions and reduce carbon dioxide levels at manufacturing scale. The model provides a useful tool to understand and better control cell culture carbon dioxide

  20. Comparison of micronucleus frequencies and proliferation kinetics in three X-irradiated cell lines

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kaffenberger, W.; Becker, K.; Beuningen, D. van

    1990-01-01

    The kinetics of the occurrence of micronuclei was correlated with the survival of three mammalian cell lines of human, monkey, and mouse origin after irradiation with 240 kV X-rays. Particular attention was paid to the evaluation of the individual proliferation kinetics of the cell lines as well as to the characterization of micronuclei subpopulation with respect to size and possible biological importance using DNA and BUdR labelling techniques, fluorescence microscopy, and image analysis. The results demonstrate very characteristic size distributions of micronuclei for the three cell lines independent of radiation dose and time after irradiation. A close correlation between cell death and the occurrence of micronuclei (expressed as a calculated 'MN index') after irradiation could be established only when the kinetics of progression of cells through the cell cycle (e.g. the doubling time) and the biological characteristics of micronuclei (e.g. BUdR positivity, the micronucleus frequencies, and the number of micronuclei per main nucleus) were taken into account. Therefore, the micronucleus assay might not be useful as a quantitative perdictive assay in vivo but may allow qualitative estimations of radiation damage only because the necessary proliferation parameters of the cells might not be possible to establish in vivo. (orig.) [de

  1. Expression of recombinant glycoproteins in mammalian cells: towards an integrative approach to structural biology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aricescu, A Radu; Owens, Raymond J

    2013-06-01

    Mammalian cells are rapidly becoming the system of choice for the production of recombinant glycoproteins for structural biology applications. Their use has enabled the structural investigation of a whole new set of targets including large, multi-domain and highly glycosylated eukaryotic cell surface receptors and their supra-molecular assemblies. We summarize the technical advances that have been made in mammalian expression technology and highlight some of the structural insights that have been obtained using these methods. Looking forward, it is clear that mammalian cell expression will provide exciting and unique opportunities for an integrative approach to the structural study of proteins, especially of human origin and medically relevant, by bridging the gap between the purified state and the cellular context. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. Reactivation of herpes simplex virus in a cell line inducible for simian virus 40 synthesis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zamansky, G.B.; Kleinman, L.F.; Black, P.H.; Kaplan, J.C.

    1980-01-01

    The reactivation of UV-irradiated herpes simplex virus (HSV) was investigated in irradiated and unirradiated transformed hamster cells in which infectious simian virus 40(SV40) can be induced. Reactivation was enhanced when the cells were treated with UV light or mitomycin C prior to infection with HSV. The UV dose-response curve of this enhanced reactivation was strikingly similar to that found for induction of SV40 virus synthesis in cells treated under identical conditions. This is the first time that two SOS functions described in bacteria have been demonstrated in a single mammalian cell line. (orig.)

  3. A validated system for ligation-free USER™ -based assembly of expression vectors for mammalian cell engineering

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lund, Anne Mathilde; Kildegaard, Helene Faustrup; Hansen, Bjarne Gram

    The development in the field of mammalian cell factories require fast and high-throughput methods, this means a high need for simpler and more efficient cloning techniques. For optimization of protein expression by genetic engineering and for allowing metabolic engineering in mammalian cells, a new...

  4. Redox signaling during hypoxia in mammalian cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kimberly A. Smith

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available Hypoxia triggers a wide range of protective responses in mammalian cells, which are mediated through transcriptional and post-translational mechanisms. Redox signaling in cells by reactive oxygen species (ROS such as hydrogen peroxide (H2O2 occurs through the reversible oxidation of cysteine thiol groups, resulting in structural modifications that can change protein function profoundly. Mitochondria are an important source of ROS generation, and studies reveal that superoxide generation by the electron transport chain increases during hypoxia. Other sources of ROS, such as the NAD(PH oxidases, may also generate oxidant signals in hypoxia. This review considers the growing body of work indicating that increased ROS signals during hypoxia are responsible for regulating the activation of protective mechanisms in diverse cell types.

  5. Sustained productivity in recombinant Chinese Hamster Ovary (CHO) cell lines: proteome analysis of the molecular basis for a process-related phenotype

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Meleady, Paula

    2011-07-24

    Abstract Background The ability of mammalian cell lines to sustain cell specific productivity (Qp) over the full duration of bioprocess culture is a highly desirable phenotype, but the molecular basis for sustainable productivity has not been previously investigated in detail. In order to identify proteins that may be associated with a sustained productivity phenotype, we have conducted a proteomic profiling analysis of two matched pairs of monoclonal antibody-producing Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell lines that differ in their ability to sustain productivity over a 10 day fed-batch culture. Results Proteomic profiling of inherent differences between the two sets of comparators using 2D-DIGE (Difference Gel Electrophoresis) and LC-MS\\/MS resulted in the identification of 89 distinct differentially expressed proteins. Overlap comparisons between the two sets of cell line pairs identified 12 proteins (AKRIB8, ANXA1, ANXA4, EIF3I, G6PD, HSPA8, HSP90B1, HSPD1, NUDC, PGAM1, RUVBL1 and CNN3) that were differentially expressed in the same direction. Conclusion These proteins may have an important role in sustaining high productivity of recombinant protein over the duration of a fed-batch bioprocess culture. It is possible that many of these proteins could be useful for future approaches to successfully manipulate or engineer CHO cells in order to sustain productivity of recombinant protein.

  6. Production and characterization of active recombinant interleukin-12/eGFP fusion protein in stably-transfected DF1 chicken cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Hsing Chieh; Chen, Yu San; Shen, Pin Chun; Shien, Jui Hung; Lee, Long Huw; Chiu, Hua Hsien

    2015-01-01

    The adjuvant activity of chicken interleukin-12 (chIL-12) protein has been described as similar to that of mammalian IL-12. Recombinant chIL-12 can be produced using several methods, but chIL-12 production in eukaryotic cells is lower than that in prokaryotic cells. Stimulating compounds, such as dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), can be added to animal cell cultures to overcome this drawback. In this study, we constructed a cell line, DF1/chIL-12 which stably expressed a fusion protein, chIL-12 and enhanced green fluorescent protein (eGFP) connected by a (G4 S)3 linker sequence. Fusion protein production was increased when cells were cultured in the presence of DMSO. When 1 × 10(6) DF1/chIL-12 cells were inoculated in a T-175 flask containing 30 mL of media, incubated for 15 h, and further cultivated in the presence of 4% DMSO for 48 h, the production of total fusion protein was mostly enhanced compared with the production of total fusion protein by using cell lysates induced with DMSO at other concentrations. The concentrations of the unpurified and purified total fusion proteins in cell lysates were 2,781 ± 2.72 ng mL(-1) and 2,207 ± 3.28 ng mL(-1) , respectively. The recovery rate was 79%. The fusion protein stimulated chicken splenocytes to produce IFN-γ, which was measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, in the culture supernatant, indicating that treating DF1/chIL-12 cells with DMSO or producing chIL-12 in a fusion protein form does not have adverse effects on the bioactivity of chIL-12. © 2015 American Institute of Chemical Engineers.

  7. Lithium Improves Survival of PC12 Pheochromocytoma Cells in High-Density Cultures and after Exposure to Toxic Compounds

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cinzia Fabrizi

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Autophagy is an evolutionary conserved mechanism that allows for the degradation of long-lived proteins and entire organelles which are driven to lysosomes for digestion. Different kinds of stressful conditions such as starvation are able to induce autophagy. Lithium and rapamycin are potent autophagy inducers with different molecular targets. Lithium stimulates autophagy by decreasing the intracellular myo-inositol-1,4,5-triphosphate levels, while rapamycin acts through the inhibition of the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR. The correlation between autophagy and cell death is still a matter of debate especially in transformed cells. In fact, the execution of autophagy can protect cells from death by promptly removing damaged organelles such as mitochondria. Nevertheless, an excessive use of the autophagic machinery can drive cells to death via a sort of self-cannibalism. Our data show that lithium (used within its therapeutic window stimulates the overgrowth of the rat Pheochromocytoma cell line PC12. Besides, lithium and rapamycin protect PC12 cells from toxic compounds such as thapsigargin and trimethyltin. Taken together these data indicate that pharmacological activation of autophagy allows for the survival of Pheochromocytoma cells in stressful conditions such as high-density cultures and exposure to toxins.

  8. Roles of Rad51 protein in homologous recombination in mammalian cells: relation with repair, replication and cell cycle

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lambert, S.

    2001-01-01

    Homologous recombination (HR) is a fundamental process, allowing a faithful repair. In mammalian, MmRAD51, which is the homologue of Saccharomyces cerevisiae ScRAD51 key protein for HR, is an essential gene. This work is based on the characterisation of viable hyper and hypo-recombinant cell lines specifically affected in the Rad51 pathway. By expressing wild type and dominant negative forms of MmRad51, we demonstrated that Rad51 pathway participates to the repair by HR to induced DNA damages. However, inhibition of the Rad 51 pathway does not affect cell viability, spontaneously or after irradiation, whereas, radiation induced HR is inhibited. In the presence of DNA damages during late S and G2/M phase, inhibition of Rad51 pathway induced chromosomal aberrations, leading to a transient arrest in mitosis. This arrest is associated with an increased of cell death. However, a fraction of cells can escape from this transient arrest by forming tetraploid cells, associated with an absence of chromalid separation. Thus, in response to impaired Rad51 pathway, mitotic checkpoints seems to play an essential role. In line with this, we showed that the essential function of Rad51 is p53-dependent, which is in agreement with the role of p53 in tetraploidy inhibition. Our results suggest that the Rad51 protein could participate to the control of mitotic checkpoints and thus to the maintenance of genetic stability. This function could involve other Rad51 partners such as the tumour suppressors BRCA1, BRCA2 and p53. (author) [fr

  9. TALE activators regulate gene expression in a position- and strand-dependent manner in mammalian cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Uhde-Stone, Claudia; Cheung, Edna; Lu, Biao

    2014-01-24

    Transcription activator-like effectors (TALEs) are a class of transcription factors that are readily programmable to regulate gene expression. Despite their growing popularity, little is known about binding site parameters that influence TALE-mediated gene activation in mammalian cells. We demonstrate that TALE activators modulate gene expression in mammalian cells in a position- and strand-dependent manner. To study the effects of binding site location, we engineered TALEs customized to recognize specific DNA sequences located in either the promoter or the transcribed region of reporter genes. We found that TALE activators robustly activated reporter genes when their binding sites were located within the promoter region. In contrast, TALE activators inhibited the expression of reporter genes when their binding sites were located on the sense strand of the transcribed region. Notably, this repression was independent of the effector domain utilized, suggesting a simple blockage mechanism. We conclude that TALE activators in mammalian cells regulate genes in a position- and strand-dependent manner that is substantially different from gene activation by native TALEs in plants. These findings have implications for optimizing the design of custom TALEs for genetic manipulation in mammalian cells. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  10. Difference in membrane repair capacity between cancer cell lines and a normal cell line

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Frandsen, Stine Krog; McNeil, Anna K.; Novak, Ivana

    2016-01-01

    repair was investigated by disrupting the plasma membrane using laser followed by monitoring fluorescent dye entry over time in seven cancer cell lines, an immortalized cell line, and a normal primary cell line. The kinetics of repair in living cells can be directly recorded using this technique...... cancer cell lines (p immortalized cell line (p

  11. Process analytical technology (PAT) in insect and mammalian cell culture processes: dielectric spectroscopy and focused beam reflectance measurement (FBRM).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Druzinec, Damir; Weiss, Katja; Elseberg, Christiane; Salzig, Denise; Kraume, Matthias; Pörtner, Ralf; Czermak, Peter

    2014-01-01

    Modern bioprocesses demand for a careful definition of the critical process parameters (CPPs) already during the early stages of process development in order to ensure high-quality products and satisfactory yields. In this context, online monitoring tools can be applied to recognize unfavorable changes of CPPs during the production processes and to allow for early interventions in order to prevent losses of production batches due to quality issues. Process analytical technologies such as the dielectric spectroscopy or focused beam reflectance measurement (FBRM) are possible online monitoring tools, which can be applied to monitor cell growth as well as morphological changes. Since the dielectric spectroscopy only captures cells with intact cell membranes, even information about dead cells with ruptured or leaking cell membranes can be derived. The following chapter describes the application of dielectric spectroscopy on various virus-infected and non-infected cell lines with respect to adherent as well as suspension cultures in common stirred tank reactors. The adherent mammalian cell lines Vero (African green monkey kidney cells) and hMSC-TERT (telomerase-immortalized human mesenchymal stem cells) are thereby cultured on microcarrier, which provide the required growth surface and allow the cultivation of these cells even in dynamic culture systems. In turn, the insect-derived cell lines S2 and Sf21 are used as examples for cells typically cultured in suspension. Moreover, the FBRM technology as a further monitoring tool for cell culture applications has been included in this chapter using the example of Drosophila S2 insect cells.

  12. Nucleolar localization of influenza A NS1: striking differences between mammalian and avian cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mazel-Sanchez Beryl

    2010-03-01

    Full Text Available Abstract In mammalian cells, nucleolar localization of influenza A NS1 requires the presence of a C-terminal nucleolar localization signal. This nucleolar localization signal is present only in certain strains of influenza A viruses. Therefore, only certain NS1 accumulate in the nucleolus of mammalian cells. In contrast, we show that all NS1 tested in this study accumulated in the nucleolus of avian cells even in the absence of the above described C-terminal nucleolar localization signal. Thus, nucleolar localization of NS1 in avian cells appears to rely on a different nucleolar localization signal that is more conserved among influenza virus strains.

  13. Mammalian synthetic biology for studying the cell.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mathur, Melina; Xiang, Joy S; Smolke, Christina D

    2017-01-02

    Synthetic biology is advancing the design of genetic devices that enable the study of cellular and molecular biology in mammalian cells. These genetic devices use diverse regulatory mechanisms to both examine cellular processes and achieve precise and dynamic control of cellular phenotype. Synthetic biology tools provide novel functionality to complement the examination of natural cell systems, including engineered molecules with specific activities and model systems that mimic complex regulatory processes. Continued development of quantitative standards and computational tools will expand capacities to probe cellular mechanisms with genetic devices to achieve a more comprehensive understanding of the cell. In this study, we review synthetic biology tools that are being applied to effectively investigate diverse cellular processes, regulatory networks, and multicellular interactions. We also discuss current challenges and future developments in the field that may transform the types of investigation possible in cell biology. © 2017 Mathur et al.

  14. Physical and biological parameters affecting DNA double strand break misrejoining in mammalian cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kuehne, M.; Rothkamm, K.; Loebrich, M.

    2002-01-01

    In an attempt to investigate the effect of radiation quality, dose and specific repair pathways on correct and erroneous rejoining of DNA double strand breaks (DSBs), an assay was applied that allows the identification and quantification of incorrectly rejoined DSB ends produced by ionising radiation. While substantial misrejoining occurs in mammalian cells after high acute irradiation doses, decreasing misrejoining frequencies were observed in dose fractionation experiments with X rays. In line with this finding, continuous irradiation with gamma rays at low dose rate leads to non detectable misrejoining. This indicates that the probability for a DSB to be misrejoined decreases drastically when DSBs are separated in time and space. The same dose fractionation approach was applied to determine DSB misrejoining after a particle exposure. In contrast to the results with X rays, there was no significant decrease in DSB misrejoining with increasing fractionation. This suggests that DSB misrejoining after a irradiation is not significantly affected by a separation of particle tracks. To identify the enzymatic pathways that are involved in DSB misrejoining, cell lines deficient in non-homologous end-joining (NHEJ) were examined. After high X ray doses, DSB misrejoining is considerable reduced in NHEJ mutants. Low dose rate experiments show elevated DSB misrejoining in NHEJ mutants compared with wild-type cells. The authors propose that NHEJ serves as an efficient pathway for rejoining correct break ends in situations of separated breaks but generates genomic rearrangements if DSBs are close in time and space. (author)

  15. DNA repair capacity and rate of excision repair in UV-irradiated mammalian cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Inoue, Masao; Takebe, Hiraku.

    1978-01-01

    Repair capacities of five mammalian cell strains were measured by colony-forming ability, HCR of UV-irradiated virus, UDS, pyrimidine dimer excision, and semi-conservative DNA replication. Colony-forming ability of UV-irradiated cells was high for human amnion FL cells and mouse L cells, slightly low for African green monkey CV-1 cells, and extremely low for xeroderma pigmentosum cells. HCR of UV-irradiated Herpes simplex virus was high in CV-1 cells, FL and normal human fibroblast cells, low in both XP and L cells. The amount of UDS was high in FL and normal human fibroblast cells, considerably low in CV-1 cells, and essentially no UDS was observed in XP cells. Rate of UDS after UV-irradiation was slower for CV-1 cells than FL and human fibroblast cells. Rate of the excision of thymine-containing dimers from the acid-insoluble fraction during post-irradiation incubation of the cells was rapid in FL and normal human cells and slow in CV-1 cells, and no excision took place in XP cells. Semi-conservative DNA synthesis was reduced after UV-irradiation in all cell lines, but subsequently recovered in FL, normal human and CV-1 cells. The onset of recovery was 4 h after UV-irradiation for FL and normal human cells, but about 6 h for CV-1 cells. The apparent intermediate repair of CV-1 cells except for HCR may be related to the slow rate of excision repair. ''Patch and cut'' model is more favorable than ''cut and patch'' model to elucidate these results. (auth.)

  16. Intracellular dielectric tagging for improved optical manipulation of mammalian cells

    CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

    Mthunzi, P

    2010-05-01

    Full Text Available review the application of optical forces for cellmanipulation and sorting, highlighting some of the key experiments over the last twenty years.We then introduce a new technique for enhancing the dielectric contrast of mammalian cells, which is a result...

  17. Attempts on producing lymphoid cell line from Penaeus monodon by induction with SV40-T and 12S EIA oncogenes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Puthumana, Jayesh; Prabhakaran, Priyaja; Philip, Rosamma; Singh, I S Bright

    2015-12-01

    In an attempt of in vitro transformation, transfection mediated expression of Simian virus-40 (T) antigen (SV40-T) and transduction mediated expression of Adenovirus type 12 early region 1A (12S E1A) oncogene were performed in Penaeus monodon lymphoid cells. pSV3-neo vector encoding SV40-T oncogene and a recombinant baculovirus BacP2-12S E1A-GFP encoding 12S E1A oncogene under the control of hybrid promoters were used. Electroporation and lipofection mediated transformation of SV40-T in lymphoid cells confirmed the transgene expression by phenotypic variation and the expression of GFP in co-transfection experiment. The cells transfected by lipofection (≥ 5%) survived for 14 days with lower toxicity (30%), whilst on electroporation, most of the cells succumbed to death (60%) and survived cells lived up to 7 days. Transduction efficiency in primary lymphoid cells was more than 80% within 14 days of post-transduction, however, an incubation period of 7 days post-transduction was observed without detectable expression of 12S E1A. High level of oncogenic 12S E1A expression were observed after 14 day post-transduction and the proliferating cells survived for more than 90 days with GFP expression, however, without in vitro transformation and immortalization. The study put forth the requirement of transduction mediated 'specific' oncogene expression along with telomerase activation and epigenetic induction for the immortalization and establishment of shrimp cell line. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  18. Mammalian target of rapamycin activity is required for expansion of CD34(+) hematopoietic progenitor cells

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Geest, Christian R.; Zwartkruis, Fried J.; Vellenga, Edo; Coffer, Paul J.; Buitenhuis, Miranda

    Background The mammalian target of rapamycin is a conserved protein kinase known to regulate protein synthesis, cell size and proliferation. Aberrant regulation of mammalian target of rapamycin activity has been observed in hematopoietic malignancies, including acute leukemias and myelodysplastic

  19. DODAB:monoolein-based lipoplexes as non-viral vectors for transfection of mammalian cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Silva, J P Neves; Oliveira, A C N; Casal, M P P A; Gomes, A C; Coutinho, P J G; Coutinho, O P; Oliveira, M E C D Real

    2011-10-01

    DNA/Cationic liposome complexes (lipoplexes) have been widely used as non-viral vectors for transfection. Neutral lipids in liposomal formulation are determinant for transfection efficiency using these vectors. In this work, we studied the potential of monoolein (MO) as helper lipid for cellular transfection. Lipoplexes composed of pDNA and dioctadecyldimethylammonium bromide (DODAB)/1-monooleoyl-rac-glycerol (MO) at different molar ratios (4:1, 2:1 and 1:1) and at different cationic lipid/DNA ratios were investigated. The physicochemical properties of the lipoplexes (size, charge and structure), were studied by Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS), Zeta Potential (ζ) and cryo-transmission electron microscopy (cryo-TEM). The effect of MO on pDNA condensation and the effect of heparin and heparan sulphate on the percentage of pDNA release from the lipoplexes were also studied by Ethidium Bromide (EtBr) exclusion assays and electrophoresis. Cytotoxicity and transfection efficiency of these lipoplexes were evaluated using 293T cells and compared with the golden standard helper lipids 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-hosphoethanolamine (DOPE) and cholesterol (Chol) as well as with a commercial transfection agent (Lipofectamine™ LTX). The internalization of transfected fluorescently-labeled pDNA was also visualized using the same cell line. The results demonstrate that the presence of MO not only increases pDNA compactation efficiency, but also affects the physicochemical properties of the lipoplexes, which can interfere with lipoplex-cell interactions. The DODAB:MO formulations tested showed little toxicity and successfully mediated in vitro cell transfection. These results were supported by fluorescence microscopy studies, which illustrated that lipoplexes were able to access the cytosol and deliver pDNA to the nucleus. DODAB:MO-based lipoplexes were thus validated as non-toxic, efficient lipofection vectors for genetic modification of mammalian cells. Understanding the

  20. [Regulation of [12Asp]K-ras4B on transcriptional activity of estrogen receptor in endometrial carcinoma HEC-1A cell lines].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gui, Li-ming; Wei, Li-hui; Xu, Ming-xu; Wang, Jian-liu; Zhong, Ying-cheng; Li, Xiao-ping; Tu, Zheng; Sun, Peng-ming; Ma, Da-long

    2004-01-01

    To investigate the effect of mutant-type [(12)Asp]K-ras4B gene on the expression of estrogen receptor (ER) alpha and beta and their transcriptional activity as a transcription factor in endometrial carcinoma HEC-1A cell line. (1) Effect of [(12)Asp]K-ras4B on the expression of ER alpha and beta were determined using Western blot assay. (2) Eukaryotic expression plasmid pGL3-luciferase-ERE containing luciferase report gene and estrogen receptor element (ERE) was constructed, and co-transfected into NIH3T3 and HEC-1A cell lines with pEGFP-N1 to examine the effect of [(12)Asp]K-ras4B on ER transcription that is regulated by estradiol. In addition, they were transfected into pSV5-HER0 (containing full length wide type ERalpha cDNA) and pCMV-rafS621A (inhibiting raf kinase) plasmids to test the effect of [(12)Asp]K-ras4B/raf signal pathway on transcriptional activity of ER proteins. (1) Protein level of ERs expressed in pcDI transfected control cells was low while it was increased for 3.6-fold (97 +/- 25, 349 +/- 67, P ras4B NIH3T3 cells after transfection. (2) In pcDI-[(12)Asp]K-ras4B NIH3T3 cells, the ratios for ERalpha and and ERbeta levels before transfection of rafS621A plasmids to that after the transfection, were 2.4:1 (724 +/- 45, 310 +/- 46, P HEC-1A cells, these ratios were 2.1:1 (566 +/- 22, 279 +/- 30, P ras4B NIH3T3 cells, 19-fold (141 +/- 39, 2644 +/- 331, P HEC-1A cells, respectively, when compared with those in the absence of E(2). (4) In pSV5-HER0 transfected pcDI-[(12)Asp] K-ras4B NIH3T3 cells and HEC-1A cells, compared to the untransfected cells, the ER transcriptional activity in the transfected cells increased markedly. The luciferase activity was increased for 8-fold (1048 +/- 91, 8099 +/- 452, P HEC-1A cells and pcDI-[(12)Asp]K-ras4B NIH3T3 cells. The ratio of luciferase activities in pcDI-[(12)Asp]K-ras4B NIH3T3 and HEC-1A cells, before and after transfection was 7.8:1 (1184 +/- 168, 152 +/- 27, P ras4B can enhance the expression of ERalpha and

  1. Multiplexed expression and screening for recombinant protein production in mammalian cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    McCafferty John

    2006-12-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background A variety of approaches to understanding protein structure and function require production of recombinant protein. Mammalian based expression systems have advantages over bacterial systems for certain classes of protein but can be slower and more laborious. Thus the availability of a simple system for production and rapid screening of constructs or conditions for mammalian expression would be of great benefit. To this end we have coupled an efficient recombinant protein production system based on transient transfection in HEK-293 EBNA1 (HEK-293E suspension cells with a dot blot method allowing pre-screening of proteins expressed in cells in a high throughput manner. Results A nested PCR approach was used to clone 21 extracellular domains of mouse receptors as CD4 fusions within a mammalian GATEWAY expression vector system. Following transient transfection, HEK-293E cells grown in 2 ml cultures in 24-deep well blocks showed similar growth kinetics, viability and recombinant protein expression profiles, to those grown in 50 ml shake flask cultures as judged by western blotting. Following optimisation, fluorescent dot blot analysis of transfection supernatants was shown to be a rapid method for analysing protein expression yielding similar results as western blot analysis. Addition of urea enhanced the binding of glycoproteins to a nitrocellulose membrane. A good correlation was observed between the results of a plate based small scale transient transfection dot blot pre-screen and successful purification of proteins expressed at the 50 ml scale. Conclusion The combination of small scale multi-well plate culture and dot blotting described here will allow the multiplex analysis of different mammalian expression experiments enabling a faster identification of high yield expression constructs or conditions prior to large scale protein production. The methods for parallel GATEWAY cloning and expression of multiple constructs in cell

  2. Application of DNA fingerprints for cell-line individualization.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gilbert, D A; Reid, Y A; Gail, M H; Pee, D; White, C; Hay, R J; O'Brien, S J

    1990-09-01

    DNA fingerprints of 46 human cell lines were derived using minisatellite probes for hypervariable genetic loci. The incidence of 121 HaeIII DNA fragments among 33 cell lines derived from unrelated individuals was used to estimate allelic and genotypic frequencies for each fragment and for composite individual DNA fingerprints. We present a quantitative estimate of the extent of genetic difference between individuals, an estimate based on the percentage of restriction fragments at which they differ. The average percent difference (APD) among pairwise combinations from the population of 33 unrelated cell lines was 76.9%, compared with the APD in band sharing among cell lines derived from the same individual (less than or equal to 1.2%). Included in this survey were nine additional cell lines previously implicated as HeLa cell derivatives, and these lines were clearly confirmed as such by DNA fingerprints (APD less than or equal to 0.6%). On the basis of fragment frequencies in the tested cell line population, a simple genetic model was developed to estimate the frequencies of each DNA fingerprint in the population. The median incidence was 2.9 X 10(-17), and the range was 2.4 X 10(-21) to 6.6 X 10(-15). This value approximates the probability that a second cell line selected at random from unrelated individuals will match a given DNA fingerprint. Related calculations address the chance that any two DNA fingerprints would be identical among a large group of cell lines. This estimate is still very slight; for example, the chance of two or more common DNA fingerprints among 1 million distinct individuals is less than .001. The procedure provides a straightforward, easily interpreted, and statistically robust method for identification and individualization of human cells.

  3. In vitro invasion of small-cell lung cancer cell lines correlates with expression of epidermal growth factor receptor

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Damstrup, L; Rude Voldborg, B; Spang-Thomsen, M

    1998-01-01

    receptor (EGFR) in a panel of 21 small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) cell lines. We have previously reported that ten of these cell lines expressed EGFR protein detected by radioreceptor and affinity labelling assays. In 11 small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) cell lines, EGFR mRNA was detected by Northern blot...... analysis. In vitro invasion in a Boyden chamber assay was found in all EGFR-positive cell lines, whereas no invasion was detected in the EGFR-negative cell lines. Quantification of the in vitro invasion in 12 selected SCLC cell lines demonstrated that, in the EGFR-positive cell lines, between 5% and 16......-PCR). However, in vitro invasive SCLC cell lines could not be distinguished from non-invasive cell lines based on the expression pattern of these molecules. In six SCLC cell lines, in vitro invasion was also determined in the presence of the EGFR-neutralizing monoclonal antibody mAb528. The addition...

  4. Functional importance of GLP-1 receptor species and expression levels in cell lines.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Knudsen, Lotte Bjerre; Hastrup, Sven; Underwood, Christina Rye; Wulff, Birgitte Schjellerup; Fleckner, Jan

    2012-04-10

    Of the mammalian species, only the GLP-1 receptors of rat and human origin have been described and characterized. Here, we report the cloning of the homologous GLP-1 receptors from mouse, rabbit, pig, cynomolgus monkey and chimp. The GLP-1 receptor is highly conserved across species, thus underlining the physiological importance of the peptide hormone and its receptor across a wide range of mammals. We expressed the receptors by stable transfection of BHK cells, both in cell lines with high expression levels of the cloned receptors, as well as in cell lines with lower expression levels, more comparable to endogenous expression of these receptors. High expression levels of cloned GLP-1 receptors markedly increased the potency of GLP-1 and other high affinity ligands, whereas the K(d) values were not affected. For a low affinity ligand like the ago-allosteric modulator Compound 2, expression levels of the human GLP-1 receptor were important for maximal efficacy as well as potency. The two natural metabolites of GLP-1, GLP-1(9-37) and GLP-1(9-36)amide were agonists when tested on a cell line with high expression of the recombinant human GLP-1 receptor, whereas they behaved as (low potent) antagonists on a cell line that expressed the receptor endogenously, as well as cells expressing a moderate level of the recombinant human GLP-1 receptor. The amide form was a more potent agonist than the free acid from. In conclusion, receptor expression level is an important parametre for selecting cell lines with cloned GLP-1 receptors for functional characterization of physiological and pharmaceutical ligands. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  5. Optimization of cell line development in the GS-CHO expression system using a high-throughput, single cell-based clone selection system.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nakamura, Tsuyoshi; Omasa, Takeshi

    2015-09-01

    Therapeutic antibodies are commonly produced by high-expressing, clonal and recombinant Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell lines. Currently, CHO cells dominate as a commercial production host because of their ease of use, established regulatory track record, and safety profile. CHO-K1SV is a suspension, protein-free-adapted CHO-K1-derived cell line employing the glutamine synthetase (GS) gene expression system (GS-CHO expression system). The selection of high-producing mammalian cell lines is a crucial step in process development for the production of therapeutic antibodies. In general, cloning by the limiting dilution method is used to isolate high-producing monoclonal CHO cells. However, the limiting dilution method is time consuming and has a low probability of monoclonality. To minimize the duration and increase the probability of obtaining high-producing clones with high monoclonality, an automated single cell-based clone selector, the ClonePix FL system, is available. In this study, we applied the high-throughput ClonePix FL system for cell line development using CHO-K1SV cells and investigated efficient conditions for single cell-based clone selection. CHO-K1SV cell growth at the pre-picking stage was improved by optimizing the formulation of semi-solid medium. The efficiency of picking and cell growth at the post-picking stage was improved by optimization of the plating time without decreasing the diversity of clones. The conditions for selection, including the medium formulation, were the most important factors for the single cell-based clone selection system to construct a high-producing CHO cell line. Copyright © 2015 The Society for Biotechnology, Japan. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  6. Adult Mammalian Neural Stem Cells and Neurogenesis: Five Decades Later

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bond, Allison M.; Ming, Guo-li; Song, Hongjun

    2015-01-01

    Summary Adult somatic stem cells in various organs maintain homeostatic tissue regeneration and enhance plasticity. Since its initial discovery five decades ago, investigations of adult neurogenesis and neural stem cells have led to an established and expanding field that has significantly influenced many facets of neuroscience, developmental biology and regenerative medicine. Here we review recent progress and focus on questions related to adult mammalian neural stem cells that also apply to other somatic stem cells. We further discuss emerging topics that are guiding the field toward better understanding adult neural stem cells and ultimately applying these principles to improve human health. PMID:26431181

  7. Plasticity within stem cell hierarchies in mammalian epithelia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tetteh, Paul W; Farin, Henner F; Clevers, Hans

    2015-02-01

    Tissue homeostasis and regeneration are fueled by resident stem cells that have the capacity to self-renew, and to generate all the differentiated cell types that characterize a particular tissue. Classical models of such cellular hierarchies propose that commitment and differentiation occur unidirectionally, with the arrows 'pointing away' from the stem cell. Recent studies, all based on genetic lineage tracing, describe various strategies employed by epithelial stem cell hierarchies to replace damaged or lost cells. While transdifferentiation from one tissue type into another ('metaplasia') appears to be generally forbidden in nonpathological contexts, plasticity within an individual tissue stem cell hierarchy may be much more common than previously appreciated. In this review, we discuss recent examples of such plasticity in selected mammalian epithelia, highlighting the different modes of regeneration and their implications for our understanding of cellular hierarchy and tissue self-renewal. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. Photooxidative damage to mammalian cells and proteins by visible light

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Packer, L.; Kellogg, E.W. III

    1980-01-01

    In the present article, studies carried out in our laboratory on the effects of visible irradiation and O 2 in a variety of target systems ranging from cultured mammalian cells to purified catalase are reviewed. We will relate these studies of photooxidative damage to a scheme for the propagation of intracellular damage which traces a number of the possible pro-oxidant and anti-oxidant pathways found in the cell

  9. Mammalian Synthetic Biology: Time for Big MACs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Martella, Andrea; Pollard, Steven M; Dai, Junbiao; Cai, Yizhi

    2016-10-21

    The enabling technologies of synthetic biology are opening up new opportunities for engineering and enhancement of mammalian cells. This will stimulate diverse applications in many life science sectors such as regenerative medicine, development of biosensing cell lines, therapeutic protein production, and generation of new synthetic genetic regulatory circuits. Harnessing the full potential of these new engineering-based approaches requires the design and assembly of large DNA constructs-potentially up to chromosome scale-and the effective delivery of these large DNA payloads to the host cell. Random integration of large transgenes, encoding therapeutic proteins or genetic circuits into host chromosomes, has several drawbacks such as risks of insertional mutagenesis, lack of control over transgene copy-number and position-specific effects; these can compromise the intended functioning of genetic circuits. The development of a system orthogonal to the endogenous genome is therefore beneficial. Mammalian artificial chromosomes (MACs) are functional, add-on chromosomal elements, which behave as normal chromosomes-being replicating and portioned to daughter cells at each cell division. They are deployed as useful gene expression vectors as they remain independent from the host genome. MACs are maintained as a single-copy and can accommodate multiple gene expression cassettes of, in theory, unlimited DNA size (MACs up to 10 megabases have been constructed). MACs therefore enabled control over ectopic gene expression and represent an excellent platform to rapidly prototype and characterize novel synthetic gene circuits without recourse to engineering the host genome. This review describes the obstacles synthetic biologists face when working with mammalian systems and how the development of improved MACs can overcome these-particularly given the spectacular advances in DNA synthesis and assembly that are fuelling this research area.

  10. Delivery of proteins to mammalian cells via gold nanoparticle mediated laser transfection

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Heinemann, D; Kalies, S; Schomaker, M; Ertmer, W; Meyer, H; Ripken, T; Murua Escobar, H

    2014-01-01

    Nanoparticle laser interactions are in widespread use in cell manipulation. In particular, molecular medicine needs techniques for the directed delivery of molecules into mammalian cells. Proteins are the final mediator of most cellular cascades. However, despite several methodical approaches, the efficient delivery of proteins to cells remains challenging. This paper presents a new protein transfection technique via laser scanning of cells previously incubated with gold nanoparticles. The laser-induced plasmonic effects on the gold nanoparticles cause a transient permeabilization of the cellular membrane, allowing proteins to enter the cell. Applying this technique, it was possible to deliver green fluorescent protein into mammalian cells with an efficiency of 43%, maintaining a high level of cell viability. Furthermore, a functional delivery of Caspase 3, an apoptosis mediating protein, was demonstrated and evaluated in several cellular assays. Compared to conventional protein transfection techniques such as microinjection, the methodical approach presented here enables high-throughput transfection of about 10 000 cells per second. Moreover, a well-defined point in time of delivery is guaranteed by gold nanoparticle mediated laser transfection, allowing the detailed temporal analysis of cellular pathways and protein trafficking. (papers)

  11. Trafficking and processing of bacterial proteins by mammalian cells: Insights from chondroitinase ABC.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Muir, Elizabeth; Raza, Mansoor; Ellis, Clare; Burnside, Emily; Love, Fiona; Heller, Simon; Elliot, Matthew; Daniell, Esther; Dasgupta, Debayan; Alves, Nuno; Day, Priscilla; Fawcett, James; Keynes, Roger

    2017-01-01

    There is very little reported in the literature about the relationship between modifications of bacterial proteins and their secretion by mammalian cells that synthesize them. We previously reported that the secretion of the bacterial enzyme Chondroitinase ABC by mammalian cells requires the strategic removal of at least three N-glycosylation sites. The aim of this study was to determine if it is possible to enhance the efficacy of the enzyme as a treatment for spinal cord injury by increasing the quantity of enzyme secreted or by altering its cellular location. To determine if the efficiency of enzyme secretion could be further increased, cells were transfected with constructs encoding the gene for chondroitinase ABC modified for expression by mammalian cells; these contained additional modifications of strategic N-glycosylation sites or alternative signal sequences to direct secretion of the enzyme from the cells. We show that while removal of certain specific N-glycosylation sites enhances enzyme secretion, N-glycosylation of at least two other sites, N-856 and N-773, is essential for both production and secretion of active enzyme. Furthermore, we find that the signal sequence directing secretion also influences the quantity of enzyme secreted, and that this varies widely amongst the cell types tested. Last, we find that replacing the 3'UTR on the cDNA encoding Chondroitinase ABC with that of β-actin is sufficient to target the enzyme to the neuronal growth cone when transfected into neurons. This also enhances neurite outgrowth on an inhibitory substrate. Some intracellular trafficking pathways are adversely affected by cryptic signals present in the bacterial gene sequence, whilst unexpectedly others are required for efficient secretion of the enzyme. Furthermore, targeting chondroitinase to the neuronal growth cone promotes its ability to increase neurite outgrowth on an inhibitory substrate. These findings are timely in view of the renewed prospects for

  12. Trafficking and processing of bacterial proteins by mammalian cells: Insights from chondroitinase ABC.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Elizabeth Muir

    Full Text Available There is very little reported in the literature about the relationship between modifications of bacterial proteins and their secretion by mammalian cells that synthesize them. We previously reported that the secretion of the bacterial enzyme Chondroitinase ABC by mammalian cells requires the strategic removal of at least three N-glycosylation sites. The aim of this study was to determine if it is possible to enhance the efficacy of the enzyme as a treatment for spinal cord injury by increasing the quantity of enzyme secreted or by altering its cellular location.To determine if the efficiency of enzyme secretion could be further increased, cells were transfected with constructs encoding the gene for chondroitinase ABC modified for expression by mammalian cells; these contained additional modifications of strategic N-glycosylation sites or alternative signal sequences to direct secretion of the enzyme from the cells. We show that while removal of certain specific N-glycosylation sites enhances enzyme secretion, N-glycosylation of at least two other sites, N-856 and N-773, is essential for both production and secretion of active enzyme. Furthermore, we find that the signal sequence directing secretion also influences the quantity of enzyme secreted, and that this varies widely amongst the cell types tested. Last, we find that replacing the 3'UTR on the cDNA encoding Chondroitinase ABC with that of β-actin is sufficient to target the enzyme to the neuronal growth cone when transfected into neurons. This also enhances neurite outgrowth on an inhibitory substrate.Some intracellular trafficking pathways are adversely affected by cryptic signals present in the bacterial gene sequence, whilst unexpectedly others are required for efficient secretion of the enzyme. Furthermore, targeting chondroitinase to the neuronal growth cone promotes its ability to increase neurite outgrowth on an inhibitory substrate. These findings are timely in view of the renewed

  13. Enhanced production and isotope enrichment of recombinant glycoproteins produced in cultured mammalian cells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Skelton, David; Goodyear, Abbey [Florida State University, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry (United States); Ni, DaQun; Walton, Wendy J.; Rolle, Myron; Hare, Joan T. [Florida State University, Institute of Molecular Biophysics (United States); Logan, Timothy M., E-mail: tlogan@fsu.ed [Florida State University, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry (United States)

    2010-10-15

    NMR studies of post-translationally modified proteins are complicated by the lack of an efficient method to produce isotope enriched recombinant proteins in cultured mammalian cells. We show that reducing the glucose concentration and substituting glutamate for glutamine in serum-free medium increased cell viability while simultaneously increasing recombinant protein yield and the enrichment of non-essential amino acids compared to culture in unmodified, serum-free medium. Adding dichloroacetate, a pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase inhibitor, further improves cell viability, recombinant protein yield, and isotope enrichment. We demonstrate the method by producing partially enriched recombinant Thy1 glycoprotein from Lec1 Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells using U-{sup 13}C-glucose and {sup 15}N-glutamate as labeled precursors. This study suggests that uniformly {sup 15}N,{sup 13}C-labeled recombinant proteins may be produced in cultured mammalian cells starting from a mixture of labeled essential amino acids, glucose, and glutamate.

  14. Enhanced production and isotope enrichment of recombinant glycoproteins produced in cultured mammalian cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Skelton, David; Goodyear, Abbey; Ni, DaQun; Walton, Wendy J.; Rolle, Myron; Hare, Joan T.; Logan, Timothy M.

    2010-01-01

    NMR studies of post-translationally modified proteins are complicated by the lack of an efficient method to produce isotope enriched recombinant proteins in cultured mammalian cells. We show that reducing the glucose concentration and substituting glutamate for glutamine in serum-free medium increased cell viability while simultaneously increasing recombinant protein yield and the enrichment of non-essential amino acids compared to culture in unmodified, serum-free medium. Adding dichloroacetate, a pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase inhibitor, further improves cell viability, recombinant protein yield, and isotope enrichment. We demonstrate the method by producing partially enriched recombinant Thy1 glycoprotein from Lec1 Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells using U- 13 C-glucose and 15 N-glutamate as labeled precursors. This study suggests that uniformly 15 N, 13 C-labeled recombinant proteins may be produced in cultured mammalian cells starting from a mixture of labeled essential amino acids, glucose, and glutamate.

  15. Measurement of DNA-protein crosslinks in mammalian cells without X-irradiation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gantt, R.; Stephens, E.V.; Davis, S.R.

    1985-01-01

    To study the mechanisms of formation and repair of DNA-protein crosslinks in mammalian cells, the best general method to assay these lesions is the Kohn membrane alkaline elution procedure. Use of this sensitive technique requires the introduction of random strand breaks in the DNA by X-irradiation to reduce the very high molecular weight so that it elutes off the filter at an appropriate rate. This report describes an alternative method for fragmenting the DNA in the absence of X-irradiation equipment. Convenient reproducible elution rates of DNA from various mouse and human cells in culture without X-irradiation result from elution through polyvinyl chloride filters with 75 mM sodium hydroxide (0.33 ml/min) instead of the standard 20 mM EDTA-tetrapropylammonium hydroxide, pH 12.2 (0.03 to 0.04 ml/min). Dose-dependent retardation of the DNA elution was observed over the range 0 to 30 microM trans-platinum(II)diamminedichloride, and proteinase K treatment during cell lysis restored the elution rate to that of the untreated control cell DNA. In the absence of X-irradiation, this elution method measures DNA-protein crosslinks with higher sensitivity and equivalent reproducibility as the air-burst procedure

  16. Sulfur X-Ray Absorption Spectroscopy of Living Mammalian Cells: An Enabling Tool for Sulfur Metabolomics. in Situ Observation of Uptake of Taurine Into MDCK Cells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Gnida, M.; Sneeden, E.Yu; Whitin, J.C.; Prince, R.C.; Pickering, I.J.; Korbas, M.; George, G.N.

    2009-06-01

    Sulfur is essential for life, with important roles in biological structure and function. However, because of a lack of suitable biophysical techniques, in situ information about sulfur biochemistry is generally difficult to obtain. Here, we present an in situ sulfur X-ray absorption spectroscopy (S-XAS) study of living cell cultures of the mammalian renal epithelial MDCK cell line. A great deal of information is retrieved from a characteristic sulfonate feature in the X-ray absorption spectrum of the cell cultures, which can be related to the amino acid taurine. We followed the time and dose dependence of uptake of taurine into MDCK cell monolayers. The corresponding uptake curves showed a typical saturation behavior with considerable levels of taurine accumulation inside the cells (as much as 40% of total cellular sulfur). We also investigated the polarity of uptake of taurine into MDCK cells, and our results confirmed that uptake in situ is predominantly a function of the basolateral cell surface.

  17. On the origins of the universal dynamics of endogenous granules in mammalian cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vanapalli, Siva A; Li, Yixuan; Mugele, Frieder; Duits, Michel H G

    2009-12-01

    Endogenous granules (EGs) that consist of lipid droplets and mitochondria have been commonly used to assess intracellular mechanical properties via multiple particle tracking microrheology (MPTM). Despite their widespread use, the nature of interaction of EGs with the cytoskeletal network and the type of forces driving their dynamics--both of which are crucial for the interpretation of the results from MPTM technique--are yet to be resolved. In this report, we study the dynamics of endogenous granules in mammalian cells using particle tracking methods. We find that the ensemble dynamics of EGs is diffusive in three types of mammalian cells (endothelial cells, smooth muscle cells and fibroblasts), thereby suggesting an apparent universality in their dynamical behavior. Moreover, in a given cell, the amplitude of the mean-squared displacement for EGs is an order of magnitude larger than that of injected particles. This observation along with results from ATP depletion and temperature intervention studies suggests that cytoskeletal active forces drive the dynamics of EGs. To elucidate the dynamical origin of the diffusive-like nonthermal motion, we consider three active force generation mechanisms--molecular motor transport, actomyosin contractility and microtubule polymerization forces. We test these mechanisms using pharmacological interventions. Experimental evidence and model calculations suggest that EGs are intimately linked to microtubules and that microtubule polymerization forces drive their dynamics. Thus, endogenous granules could serve as non-invasive probes for microtubule network dynamics in mammalian cells.

  18. Membrane phospholipids and radiation-induced death of mammalian cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wolters, H.

    1987-01-01

    Radiation-induced cell killing is generally believed to be a consequence of residual DNA damage or damage that is mis-repaired. However, besides this DNA damage, damage to other molecules or structures of the cell may be involved in the killing. Especially membranes have been suggested as a determinant in cellular radiosensitivity. In this thesis experiments are described, dealing with the possible involvement of membranes in radiation-induced killing of mammalian cells. A general treatise of membrane structure is followed by information concerning deleterious effects of radiation on membranes. Consequences of damage to structure and function of membranes are reviewed. Thereafter evidence relating to the possible involvement of membranes in radiation-induced cell killing is presented. (Auth.)

  19. Radiosensitivity of mesothelioma cell lines

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Haekkinen, A.M.; Laasonen, A.; Linnainmaa, K.; Mattson, K.; Pyrhoenen, S.

    1996-01-01

    The present study was carried out in order to examine the radiosensitivity of malignant pleural mesothelioma cell lines. Cell kinetics, radiation-induced delay of the cell cycle and DNA ploidy of the cell lines were also determined. For comparison an HeLa and a human foetal fibroblast cell line were simultaneously explored. Six previously cytogenetically and histologically characterized mesothelioma tumor cell lines were applied. A rapid tiazolyl blue microtiter (MTT) assay was used to analyze radiosensitivity and cell kinetics and DNA ploidy of the cultured cells were determined by flow cytometry. The survival fraction after a dose of 2 Gy (SF2), parameters α and β of the linear quadratic model (LQ-model) and mean inactivation dose (D MID ) were also estimated. The DNA index of four cell lines equaled 1.0 and two cell lines equaled 1.5 and 1.6. Different mesothelioma cell lines showed a great variation in radiosensitivity. Mean survival fraction after a radiation dose of 2 Gy (SF2) was 0.60 and ranged from 0.36 to 0.81 and mean α value was 0.26 (range 0.48-0.083). The SF2 of the most sensitive diploid mesothelioma cell line was 0.36: Less than that of the foetal fibroblast cell line (0.49). The survival fractions (0.81 and 0.74) of the two most resistant cell lines, which also were aneuploid, were equal to that of the HeLa cell line (0.78). The α/β ratios of the most sensitive cell lines were almost an order of magnitude greater than those of the two most resistant cell lines. Radiation-induced delay of the most resistant aneuploid cell line was similar to that of HeLa cells but in the most sensitive (diploid cells) there was practically no entry into the G1 phase following the 2 Gy radiation dose during 36 h. (orig.)

  20. Radiosensitivity of mesothelioma cell lines

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Haekkinen, A.M. [Dept. of Oncology, Univ. Central Hospital, Helsinki (Finland); Laasonen, A. [Dept. of Pathology, Central Hospital of Etelae-Pohjanmaa, Seinaejoki (Finland); Linnainmaa, K. [Dept. of Industrial Hygiene and Toxicology, Inst. of Occupational Health, Helsinki (Finland); Mattson, K. [Dept. Pulmonary Medicine, Univ. Central Hospital, Helsinki (Finland); Pyrhoenen, S. [Dept. of Oncology, Univ. Central Hospital, Helsinki (Finland)

    1996-10-01

    The present study was carried out in order to examine the radiosensitivity of malignant pleural mesothelioma cell lines. Cell kinetics, radiation-induced delay of the cell cycle and DNA ploidy of the cell lines were also determined. For comparison an HeLa and a human foetal fibroblast cell line were simultaneously explored. Six previously cytogenetically and histologically characterized mesothelioma tumor cell lines were applied. A rapid tiazolyl blue microtiter (MTT) assay was used to analyze radiosensitivity and cell kinetics and DNA ploidy of the cultured cells were determined by flow cytometry. The survival fraction after a dose of 2 Gy (SF2), parameters {alpha} and {beta} of the linear quadratic model (LQ-model) and mean inactivation dose (D{sub MID}) were also estimated. The DNA index of four cell lines equaled 1.0 and two cell lines equaled 1.5 and 1.6. Different mesothelioma cell lines showed a great variation in radiosensitivity. Mean survival fraction after a radiation dose of 2 Gy (SF2) was 0.60 and ranged from 0.36 to 0.81 and mean {alpha} value was 0.26 (range 0.48-0.083). The SF2 of the most sensitive diploid mesothelioma cell line was 0.36: Less than that of the foetal fibroblast cell line (0.49). The survival fractions (0.81 and 0.74) of the two most resistant cell lines, which also were aneuploid, were equal to that of the HeLa cell line (0.78). The {alpha}/{beta} ratios of the most sensitive cell lines were almost an order of magnitude greater than those of the two most resistant cell lines. Radiation-induced delay of the most resistant aneuploid cell line was similar to that of HeLa cells but in the most sensitive (diploid cells) there was practically no entry into the G1 phase following the 2 Gy radiation dose during 36 h. (orig.).

  1. E-cigarette aerosol exposure can cause craniofacial defects in Xenopus laevis embryos and mammalian neural crest cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kennedy, Allyson E; Kandalam, Suraj; Olivares-Navarrete, Rene; Dickinson, Amanda J G

    2017-01-01

    Since electronic cigarette (ECIG) introduction to American markets in 2007, vaping has surged in popularity. Many, including women of reproductive age, also believe that ECIG use is safer than traditional tobacco cigarettes and is not hazardous when pregnant. However, there are few studies investigating the effects of ECIG exposure on the developing embryo and nothing is known about potential effects on craniofacial development. Therefore, we have tested the effects of several aerosolized e-cigarette liquids (e-cigAM) in an in vivo craniofacial model, Xenopus laevis, as well as a mammalian neural crest cell line. Results demonstrate that e-cigAM exposure during embryonic development induces a variety of defects, including median facial clefts and midface hypoplasia in two of e-cigAMs tested e-cigAMs. Detailed quantitative analyses of the facial morphology revealed that nicotine is not the main factor in inducing craniofacial defects, but can exacerbate the effects of the other e-liquid components. Additionally, while two different e-cigAMs can have very similar consequences on facial appearances, there are subtle differences that could be due to the differences in e-cigAM components. Further assessment of embryos exposed to these particular e-cigAMs revealed cranial cartilage and muscle defects and a reduction in the blood supply to the face. Finally, the expression of markers for vascular and cartilage differentiation was reduced in a mammalian neural crest cell line corroborating the in vivo effects. Our work is the first to show that ECIG use could pose a potential hazard to the developing embryo and cause craniofacial birth defects. This emphasizes the need for more testing and regulation of this new popular product.

  2. Acrolein-induced cell death in PC12 cells: role of mitochondria-mediated oxidative stress.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Luo, Jian; Robinson, J Paul; Shi, Riyi

    2005-12-01

    Oxidative stress has been implicated in acrolein cytotoxicity in various cell types, including mammalian spinal cord tissue. In this study we report that acrolein also decreases PC12 cell viability in a reactive oxygen species (ROS)-dependent manner. Specifically, acrolein-induced cell death, mainly necrosis, is accompanied by the accumulation of cellular ROS. Elevating ROS scavengers can alleviate acrolein-induced cell death. Furthermore, we show that exposure to acrolein leads to mitochondrial dysfunction, denoted by the loss of mitochondrial transmembrane potential, reduction of cellular oxygen consumption, and decrease of ATP level. This raises the possibility that the cellular accumulation of ROS could result from the increased production of ROS in the mitochondria of PC12 cells as a result of exposure to acrolein. The acrolein-induced significant decrease of ATP production in mitochondria may also explain why necrosis, not apoptosis, is the dominant type of cell death. In conclusion, our data suggest that one possible mechanism of acrolein-induced cell death could be through mitochondria as its initial target. The subsequent increase of ROS then inflicts cell death and further worsens mitochondria function. Such mechanism may play an important role in CNS trauma and neurodegenerative diseases.

  3. Delineation of the GPRC6A Receptor Signaling Pathways Using a Mammalian Cell Line Stably Expressing the Receptor

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jacobsen, Stine Engesgaard; Nørskov-Lauritsen, Lenea; Thomsen, Alex Rojas Bie

    2013-01-01

    receptor has been suggested to couple to multiple G protein classes albeit via indirect methods. Thus, the exact ligand preferences and signaling pathways are yet to be elucidated. In the present study, we generated a Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell line that stably expresses mouse GPRC6A. In an effort...... and divalent cations, and for the first time, we conclusively show that these responses are mediated through the Gq pathway. We were not able to confirm previously published data demonstrating Gi- and Gs-mediated signaling; neither could we detect agonistic activity of testosterone and osteocalcin. Generation...... of the stable CHO cell line with robust receptor responsiveness and optimization of the highly sensitive homogeneous time resolved fluorescence technology allow fast assessment of Gq activation without previous manipulations like cotransfection of mutated G proteins. This cell-based assay system for GPRC6A...

  4. The Consequences of Reconfiguring the Ambisense S Genome Segment of Rift Valley Fever Virus on Viral Replication in Mammalian and Mosquito Cells and for Genome Packaging

    Science.gov (United States)

    Elliott, Richard M.

    2014-01-01

    Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV, family Bunyaviridae) is a mosquito-borne pathogen of both livestock and humans, found primarily in Sub-Saharan Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. The viral genome comprises two negative-sense (L and M segments) and one ambisense (S segment) RNAs that encode seven proteins. The S segment encodes the nucleocapsid (N) protein in the negative-sense and a nonstructural (NSs) protein in the positive-sense, though NSs cannot be translated directly from the S segment but rather from a specific subgenomic mRNA. Using reverse genetics we generated a virus, designated rMP12:S-Swap, in which the N protein is expressed from the NSs locus and NSs from the N locus within the genomic S RNA. In cells infected with rMP12:S-Swap NSs is expressed at higher levels with respect to N than in cells infected with the parental rMP12 virus. Despite NSs being the main interferon antagonist and determinant of virulence, growth of rMP12:S-Swap was attenuated in mammalian cells and gave a small plaque phenotype. The increased abundance of the NSs protein did not lead to faster inhibition of host cell protein synthesis or host cell transcription in infected mammalian cells. In cultured mosquito cells, however, infection with rMP12:S-Swap resulted in cell death rather than establishment of persistence as seen with rMP12. Finally, altering the composition of the S segment led to a differential packaging ratio of genomic to antigenomic RNA into rMP12:S-Swap virions. Our results highlight the plasticity of the RVFV genome and provide a useful experimental tool to investigate further the packaging mechanism of the segmented genome. PMID:24550727

  5. Establishment, characterization and immortalization of a fibroblast cell line from the Chinese red belly toad Bombina maxima skin.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xiang, Yang; Gao, Qian; Su, Weiting; Zeng, Lin; Wang, Jinhuan; Hu, Yi; Nie, Wenhui; Ma, Xutong; Zhang, Yong; Lee, Wenhui; Zhang, Yun

    2012-01-01

    The skin of the amphibian Bombina maxima is rich in biologically active proteins and peptides, most of which have mammalian analogues. The physiological functions of most of the mammalian analogues are still unknown. Thus, Bombina maxima skin may be a promising model to reveal the physiological role of these proteins and peptides because of their large capacity for secretion. To investigate the physiological role of these proteins and peptides in vitro, a fibroblast cell line was successfully established from Bombina maxima tadpole skin. The cell line grew to form a monolayer with cells of a uniform shape and abundant rough endoplasmic reticulum, which are typical characteristics of fibroblasts. Further identification at a molecular level revealed that they strongly expressed the fibroblast marker protein vimentin. The chromosome number of these cells is 2n = 28, and most of them were diploid. Growth property analysis showed that they grew well for 14 passages. However, cells showed decreased proliferative ability after passage 15. Thus, we tried to immortalize the cells through the overexpression of SV40 T antigen. After selecting by G418, cells stably expressed SV40 large T antigen and showed enhanced proliferative ability and increased telomerase activity. Signal transduction analysis revealed functional p42 mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase in immortalized Bombina maxima dermal fibroblasts. Primary fibroblast cells and the immortalized fibroblast cells from Bombina maxima cultured in the present study can be used to investigate the physiological role of Bombina maxima skin-secreted proteins and peptides. In addition, the methods for primary cell culturing and cell immortalization will be useful for culturing and immortalizing cells from other types of amphibians.

  6. Production of coagulation factor VII in human cell lines Sk-Hep-1 and HKB-11.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Corrêa de Freitas, Marcela Cristina; Bomfim, Aline de Sousa; Mizukami, Amanda; Picanço-Castro, Virgínia; Swiech, Kamilla; Covas, Dimas Tadeu

    2017-09-01

    Recombinant factor VII (rFVII) is the main therapeutic choice for hemophilia patients who have developed inhibitory antibodies against conventional treatments (FVIII and FIX). Because of the post-translational modifications, rFVII needs to be produced in mammalian cell lines. In this study, for the first time, we have shown efficient rFVII production in HepG2, Sk-Hep-1, and HKB-11 cell lines. Experiments in static conditions for a period of 96 h showed that HepG2-FVII produced the highest amounts of rhFVII, with an average of 1843 ng/mL. Sk-hep-1-FVII cells reached a maximum protein production of 1432 ng/mL and HKB-11-FVII cells reached 1468 ng/mL. Sk-Hep-1-rFVII and HKB-11-rFVII were selected for the first step of scale-up. Over 10 days of spinner flask culture, HKB-11 and SK-Hep-1 cells showed a cumulative production of rFVII of 152 μg and 202.6 μg in 50 mL, respectively. Thus, these human cell lines can be used for an efficient production of recombinant FVII. With more investment in basic research, human cell lines can be optimized for the commercial production of different bio therapeutic proteins. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  7. YAP/TAZ enhance mammalian embryonic neural stem cell characteristics in a Tead-dependent manner

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Han, Dasol; Byun, Sung-Hyun; Park, Soojeong; Kim, Juwan; Kim, Inhee; Ha, Soobong; Kwon, Mookwang; Yoon, Keejung, E-mail: keejung@skku.edu

    2015-02-27

    Mammalian brain development is regulated by multiple signaling pathways controlling cell proliferation, migration and differentiation. Here we show that YAP/TAZ enhance embryonic neural stem cell characteristics in a cell autonomous fashion using diverse experimental approaches. Introduction of retroviral vectors expressing YAP or TAZ into the mouse embryonic brain induced cell localization in the ventricular zone (VZ), which is the embryonic neural stem cell niche. This change in cell distribution in the cortical layer is due to the increased stemness of infected cells; YAP-expressing cells were colabeled with Sox2, a neural stem cell marker, and YAP/TAZ increased the frequency and size of neurospheres, indicating enhanced self-renewal- and proliferative ability of neural stem cells. These effects appear to be TEA domain family transcription factor (Tead)–dependent; a Tead binding-defective YAP mutant lost the ability to promote neural stem cell characteristics. Consistently, in utero gene transfer of a constitutively active form of Tead2 (Tead2-VP16) recapitulated all the features of YAP/TAZ overexpression, and dominant negative Tead2-EnR resulted in marked cell exit from the VZ toward outer cortical layers. Taken together, these results indicate that the Tead-dependent YAP/TAZ signaling pathway plays important roles in neural stem cell maintenance by enhancing stemness of neural stem cells during mammalian brain development. - Highlights: • Roles of YAP and Tead in vivo during mammalian brain development are clarified. • Expression of YAP promotes embryonic neural stem cell characteristics in vivo in a cell autonomous fashion. • Enhancement of neural stem cell characteristics by YAP depends on Tead. • Transcriptionally active form of Tead alone can recapitulate the effects of YAP. • Transcriptionally repressive form of Tead severely reduces stem cell characteristics.

  8. YAP/TAZ enhance mammalian embryonic neural stem cell characteristics in a Tead-dependent manner

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Han, Dasol; Byun, Sung-Hyun; Park, Soojeong; Kim, Juwan; Kim, Inhee; Ha, Soobong; Kwon, Mookwang; Yoon, Keejung

    2015-01-01

    Mammalian brain development is regulated by multiple signaling pathways controlling cell proliferation, migration and differentiation. Here we show that YAP/TAZ enhance embryonic neural stem cell characteristics in a cell autonomous fashion using diverse experimental approaches. Introduction of retroviral vectors expressing YAP or TAZ into the mouse embryonic brain induced cell localization in the ventricular zone (VZ), which is the embryonic neural stem cell niche. This change in cell distribution in the cortical layer is due to the increased stemness of infected cells; YAP-expressing cells were colabeled with Sox2, a neural stem cell marker, and YAP/TAZ increased the frequency and size of neurospheres, indicating enhanced self-renewal- and proliferative ability of neural stem cells. These effects appear to be TEA domain family transcription factor (Tead)–dependent; a Tead binding-defective YAP mutant lost the ability to promote neural stem cell characteristics. Consistently, in utero gene transfer of a constitutively active form of Tead2 (Tead2-VP16) recapitulated all the features of YAP/TAZ overexpression, and dominant negative Tead2-EnR resulted in marked cell exit from the VZ toward outer cortical layers. Taken together, these results indicate that the Tead-dependent YAP/TAZ signaling pathway plays important roles in neural stem cell maintenance by enhancing stemness of neural stem cells during mammalian brain development. - Highlights: • Roles of YAP and Tead in vivo during mammalian brain development are clarified. • Expression of YAP promotes embryonic neural stem cell characteristics in vivo in a cell autonomous fashion. • Enhancement of neural stem cell characteristics by YAP depends on Tead. • Transcriptionally active form of Tead alone can recapitulate the effects of YAP. • Transcriptionally repressive form of Tead severely reduces stem cell characteristics

  9. Intracellular proteins produced by mammalian cells in response to environmental stress

    Science.gov (United States)

    Goochee, Charles F.; Passini, Cheryl A.

    1988-01-01

    The nature of the response of mammalian cells to environmental stress is examined by reviewing results of studies where cultured mouse L cells and baby hamster kidney cells were exposed to heat shock and the synthesis of heat-shock proteins and stress-response proteins (including HSP70, HSC70, HSP90, ubiquitin, and GRP70) in stressed and unstressed cells was evaluated using 2D-PAGE. The intracellular roles of the individual stress response proteins are discussed together with the regulation of the stress response system.

  10. Exposure of Mammalian Cells to Air-Pollutant Mixtures at the Air-Liquid Interface

    Science.gov (United States)

    It has been widely accepted that exposure of mammalian cells to air-pollutant mixtures at the air-liquid interface is a more realistic approach than exposing cell under submerged conditions. The VITROCELL systems, are commercially available systems for air-liquid interface expo...

  11. Radiation- induced aneuploidy in mammalian germ cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tease, C.

    1989-01-01

    The ability of ionizing radiation to induce aneuploidy in mammalian germ cells has been investigated experimentally in the laboratory mouse using a variety of cytogenetic and genetic methods. These studies have provided unambiguous evidence of induced nondisjunction in both male and female germ cells when the effect of irradiation is screened in meiotic cells or preimplantation embryos. In contrast, however, cytogenetic analyses of post-implantation embryos and genetic assays for induced chromosome gains have not found a significant radiation effect. These apparently contradictory findings may be reconciled if (a) radiation induces tertiary rather than primary trisomy, or (b) induces embryo-lethal genetic damage, such as deletions, in addition to numerical anomalies. Either or both of these explanations may account for the apparent loss during gestation of radiation-induced trisomic embryos. Extrapolating from the information so far available, it seems unlikely that environmental exposure to low doses if low dose rate radiation will result in a detectable increase in the rate of aneuploidy in the human population. (author)

  12. A transgenic mouse line for molecular genetic analysis of excitatory glutamatergic neurons

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Borgius, Lotta; Restrepo, C. Ernesto; Leao, Richardson N.

    2010-01-01

    Excitatory glutamatergic neurons are part of most of the neuronal circuits in the mammalian nervous system. We have used BAC-technology to generate a BAC-Vglut2::Cre mouse line where Cre expression is driven by the vesicular glutamate transporter 2 (Vglut2) promotor. This BAC-Vglut2::Cre mouse line...... showed specific expression of Cre in Vglut2 positive cells in the spinal cord with no ectopic expression in GABAergic or glycinergic neurons. This mouse line also showed specific Cre expression in Vglut2 positive structures in the brain such as thalamus, hypothalamus, superior colliculi, inferior...... colliculi and deep cerebellar nuclei together with nuclei in the midbrain and hindbrain. Cre-mediated recombination was restricted to Cre expressing cells in the spinal cord and brain and occurred as early as E 12.5. Known Vglut2 positive neurons showed normal electrophysiological properties in the BAC...

  13. Isolation of two chloroethylnitrosourea-sensitive Chinese hamster cell lines

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hata, H.; Numata, M.; Tohda, H.; Yasui, A.; Oikawa, A.

    1991-01-01

    1-[(4-Amino-2-methylpyrimidin-5-yl)methyl]-3-(2-chloroethyl)-3- nitrosourea hydrochloride (ACNU), a cancer chemotherapeutic bifunctional alkylating agent, causes chloroethylation of DNA and subsequent DNA strand cross-linking through an ethylene bridge. We isolated and characterized two ACNU-sensitive mutants from mutagenized Chinese hamster ovary cells and found them to be new drug-sensitive recessive Chinese hamster mutants. Both mutants were sensitive to various monofunctional alkylating agents in a way similar to that of the parental cell lines CHO9. One mutant (UVS1) was cross-sensitive to UV and complemented the UV sensitivity of all Chinese hamster cell lines of 7 established complementation groups. Since UV-induced unscheduled DNA synthesis was very low, a new locus related to excision repair is thought to be defective in this cell line. Another ACNU-sensitive mutant, CNU1, was slightly more sensitive to UV than the parent cell line. CNU1 was cross-sensitive to 1-(2-chloroethyl)-3-cyclohexyl-1-nitrosourea and slightly more sensitive to mitomycin C. No increased accumulation of ACNU and a low level of UV-induced unscheduled DNA synthesis in this cell as compared with the parental cell line suggest that there is abnormality in a repair response of this mutant cell to some types of DNA cross-links

  14. Host cell reactivation in mammalian cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lytle, C.D.; Benane, S.G.; Stafford, J.E.

    1976-01-01

    The survival of UV-irradiated herpes simplex virus was determined in cultured Potoroo (a marsupial) and human cells under lighting conditions which promoted photereactivation. Photoreactivation was readily demonstrated for herpes virus in two lines of Potoroo cells with dose reduction factors of 0.7 to 0.8 for ovary cells and 0.5 to 0.7 for kidney cells. Light from Blacklite (near UV) lamps was more effective than from Daylight (mostly visible) lamps, suggesting that near UV radiation was more effecient for photoreactivation in Potoroo cells. The quantitative and qualitative aspects of this photoreactivation were similar to those reported for a similar virus infecting chick embryo cells. UV-survival curves of herpes virus in Potoroo cells indicated a high level of 'dark' host cell reactivation. No photoreactivation was found for UV-irradiated vaccinia virus in Potoroo cells. A similar photoreactivation study was done using special control lighting (lambda>600 nm) and human cells with normal repair and with cells deficient in excision repair (XP). No photoreactivation was found for UV-irradiated herpes virus in either human cell with either Blacklite or Daylight lamps as the sources of photoreactivating light. This result contrasts with a report of photoreactivation for a herpes virus in the same XP cells using incandescent lamps. (author)

  15. Ectopic expression of human mTOR increases viability, robustness, cell size, proliferation, and antibody production of chinese hamster ovary cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dreesen, Imke A J; Fussenegger, Martin

    2011-04-01

    Engineering of mammalian production cell lines to improve titer and quality of biopharmaceuticals is a top priority of the biopharmaceutical manufacturing industry providing protein therapeutics to patients worldwide. While many engineering strategies have been successful in the past decade they were often based on the over-expression of a single transgene and therefore limited to addressing a single bottleneck in the cell's production capacity. We provide evidence that ectopic expression of the global metabolic sensor and processing protein mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), simultaneously improves key bioprocess-relevant characteristics of Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell-derived production cell lines such as cell growth (increased cell size and protein content), proliferation (increased cell-cycle progression), viability (decreased apoptosis), robustness (decreased sensitivity to sub-optimal growth factor and oxygen supplies) and specific productivity of secreted human glycoproteins. Cultivation of mTOR-transgenic CHO-derived cell lines engineered for secretion of a therapeutic IgG resulted in antibody titers of up to 50 pg/cell/day, which represents a four-fold increase compared to the parental production cell line. mTOR-based engineering of mammalian production cell lines may therefore have a promising future in biopharmaceutical manufacturing of human therapeutic proteins. Copyright © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  16. Hypoxia induces adipogenic differentitation of myoblastic cell lines

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Itoigawa, Yoshiaki [Tohoku University School of Medicine, Sendai (Japan); Juntendo University School of Medicine, Tokyo (Japan); Kishimoto, Koshi N., E-mail: kishimoto@med.tohoku.ac.jp [Tohoku University School of Medicine, Sendai (Japan); Okuno, Hiroshi; Sano, Hirotaka [Tohoku University School of Medicine, Sendai (Japan); Kaneko, Kazuo [Juntendo University School of Medicine, Tokyo (Japan); Itoi, Eiji [Tohoku University School of Medicine, Sendai (Japan)

    2010-09-03

    Research highlights: {yields} C2C12 and G8 myogenic cell lines treated by hypoxia differentiate into adipocytes. {yields} The expression of C/EBP{beta}, {alpha} and PPAR{gamma} were increased under hypoxia. {yields} Myogenic differentiation of C2C12 was inhibited under hypoxia. -- Abstract: Muscle atrophy usually accompanies fat accumulation in the muscle. In such atrophic conditions as back muscles of kyphotic spine and the rotator cuff muscles with torn tendons, blood flow might be diminished. It is known that hypoxia causes trans-differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells derived from bone marrow into adipocytes. However, it has not been elucidated yet if hypoxia turned myoblasts into adipocytes. We investigated adipogenesis in C2C12 and G8 murine myogenic cell line treated by hypoxia. Cells were also treated with the cocktail of insulin, dexamethasone and IBMX (MDI), which has been known to inhibit Wnt signaling and promote adipogenesis. Adipogenic differentiation was seen in both hypoxia and MDI. Adipogenic marker gene expression was assessed in C2C12. CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein (C/EBP) {beta}, {alpha} and peroxisome proliferator activating receptor (PPAR) {gamma} were increased by both hypoxia and MDI. The expression profile of Wnt10b was different between hypoxia and MDI. The mechanism for adipogenesis of myoblasts in hypoxia might be regulated by different mechanism than the modification of Wnt signaling.

  17. Analysis of human protein replacement stable cell lines established using snoMEN-PR vector.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Motoharu Ono

    Full Text Available The study of the function of many human proteins is often hampered by technical limitations, such as cytotoxicity and phenotypes that result from overexpression of the protein of interest together with the endogenous version. Here we present the snoMEN (snoRNA Modulator of gene ExpressioN vector technology for generating stable cell lines where expression of the endogenous protein can be reduced and replaced by an exogenous protein, such as a fluorescent protein (FP-tagged version. SnoMEN are snoRNAs engineered to contain complementary sequences that can promote knock-down of targeted RNAs. We have established and characterised two such partial protein replacement human cell lines (snoMEN-PR. Quantitative mass spectrometry was used to analyse the specificity of knock-down and replacement at the protein level and also showed an increased pull-down efficiency of protein complexes containing exogenous, tagged proteins in the protein replacement cell lines, as compared with conventional co-expression strategies. The snoMEN approach facilitates the study of mammalian proteins, particularly those that have so far been difficult to investigate by exogenous expression and has wide applications in basic and applied gene-expression research.

  18. Action spectra in mammalian cells exposed to ultraviolet radiation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Anon.

    1981-01-01

    A review is given of the literature published since 1977 on action spectra in mammalian cells exposed to ultraviolet radiation in the wavelength region above 220 nm. Action spectra for lethal events are discussed for cell inactivation in normal cells, growth arrested cells and photosensitive cells. Action spectra for non-lethal events are also discussed in relation to pyrimidine dimer formation, photoreactivation and the use of photosensitisers. It was concluded from these studies that damage to the DNA, and the extent of the repair of this damage, seems to determine a cell's response to such parameters as inactivation, mutation, transformation, latent viral activation, cellular viral capacity and ultraviolet enhanced viral reactivation. In addition to the direct effects of UV on DNA, photosensitization of cellular responses with chemicals such as 8-MOP extend the wavelength range at which damage can be demonstrated. (U.K.)

  19. Repetitious nature of repaired DNA in mammalian cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1978-01-01

    The report consists of three appendices, as follows: summary of preliminary studies of the comparative DNA repair in normal lymphoblastoid and Burkitt's lymphoma cell lines; nonuniform reassociation of human lymphoblastoid cell DNA repair replicated following methyl methane sulfonate treatment; and preliminary DNA single-strand breakage studies in the L5178Y cell line

  20. Feathers and fins: non-mammalian models for hair cell regeneration.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brignull, Heather R; Raible, David W; Stone, Jennifer S

    2009-06-24

    Death of mechanosensory cells in the inner ear results in two profound disabilities: hearing loss and balance disorders. Although mammals lack the capacity to regenerate hair cells, recent studies in mice and other rodents have offered valuable insight into strategies for stimulating hair cell regeneration in mammals. Investigations of model organisms that retain the ability to form new hair cells after embryogenesis, such as fish and birds, are equally important and have provided clues as to the cellular and molecular mechanisms that may block hair cell regeneration in mammals. Here, we summarize studies on hair cell regeneration in the chicken and the zebrafish, discuss specific advantages of each model, and propose future directions for the use of non-mammalian models in understanding hair cell regeneration.

  1. Antiproliferative effect of Tualang honey on oral squamous cell carcinoma and osteosarcoma cell lines

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ismail Noorliza M

    2010-09-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The treatment of oral squamous cell carcinomas (OSCC and human osteosarcoma (HOS includes surgery and/or radiotherapy which often lead to reduced quality of life. This study was aimed to study the antiproliferative activity of local honey (Tualang on OSCC and HOS cell lines. Methods Several concentrations of Tualang honey (1% - 20% were applied on OSCC and HOS cell lines for 3, 6, 12, 24, 48 and 72 hours. Morphological characteristics were observed under light and fluorescent microscope. Cell viability was assessed using MTT assay and the optical density for absorbance values in each experiment was measured at 570 nm by an ELISA reader. Detection of cellular apoptosis was done using the Annexin V-FITC Apoptosis Detection Kit. Results Morphological appearance showed apoptotic cellular changes like becoming rounded, reduction in cell number, blebbed membrane and apoptotic nuclear changes like nuclear shrinkage, chromatin condensation and fragmented nucleus on OSCC and HOS cell lines. Cell viability assay showed a time and dose-dependent inhibitory effect of honey on both cell lines. The 50% inhibitory concentration (IC50 for OSCC and HOS cell lines was found to be 4% and 3.5% respectively. The maximum inhibition of cell growth of ≥80% was obtained at 15% for both cell lines. Early apoptosis was evident by flow cytometry where percentage of early apoptotic cells increased in dose and time dependent manner. Conclusion Tualang honey showed antiproliferative effect on OSCC and HOS cell lines by inducing early apoptosis.

  2. 9-β-arabinofuranosyladenine preferentially sensitizes radioresistant squamous cell carcinoma cell lines to x-rays

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Heaton, D.

    1992-06-01

    The effect of 9-β-arabinofuranosyladenine (ara-A) on sensitivity to the deleterious effects of x-rays was studied in six squamous cell carcinoma cell lines. Three lines were relatively radioresistant, having D 0 values of 2.31 to 2.89 Gy, and the other three lines were relatively radiosensitive, having D 0 values of between 1.07 and 1.45 Gy. Ara-A (50 or 500 μM) was added to cultures 30 min prior to irradiation and removed 30 min after irradiation, and sensitivity was measured in terms of cell survival. The radiosensitizing effect of ara-A was very dependent on the inherent radiosensitivity of the tumor cell line. Fifty micromolar concentrations of ara-A sensitized only the two most radioresistant lines, SCC-12B.2 and JSQ-3. Five hundred micromolar concentrations of ara-A sensitized the more sensitive cell lines, SQ-20B and SQ-9G, but failed to have any effect on the radiation response of the two most sensitive cell lines, SQ-38 and SCC-61. Concentrations of ara-A as low as 10 μM were equally efficient in inhibiting DNA synthesis in all six cell lines. These results suggest that the target for the radiosensitizing effect of ara-A is probably related to the factor controlling the inherent radiosensitivity of human tumor cells. Therefore, ara-A might be useful in overcoming radiation resistance in vivo

  3. 9-{beta}-arabinofuranosyladenine preferentially sensitizes radioresistant squamous cell carcinoma cell lines to x-rays

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Heaton, D. [Rush Univ. Medical Center, Chicago, IL (United States). Therapeutic Radiology; Mustafi, R. [Chicago Univ., IL (United States). Dept. of Radiation and Cellular Oncology; Schwartz, J.L. [Chicago Univ., IL (United States). Dept. of Radiation and Cellular Oncology]|[Argonne National Lab., IL (United States)

    1992-06-01

    The effect of 9-{beta}-arabinofuranosyladenine (ara-A) on sensitivity to the deleterious effects of x-rays was studied in six squamous cell carcinoma cell lines. Three lines were relatively radioresistant, having D{sub 0} values of 2.31 to 2.89 Gy, and the other three lines were relatively radiosensitive, having D{sub 0} values of between 1.07 and 1.45 Gy. Ara-A (50 or 500 {mu}M) was added to cultures 30 min prior to irradiation and removed 30 min after irradiation, and sensitivity was measured in terms of cell survival. The radiosensitizing effect of ara-A was very dependent on the inherent radiosensitivity of the tumor cell line. Fifty micromolar concentrations of ara-A sensitized only the two most radioresistant lines, SCC-12B.2 and JSQ-3. Five hundred micromolar concentrations of ara-A sensitized the more sensitive cell lines, SQ-20B and SQ-9G, but failed to have any effect on the radiation response of the two most sensitive cell lines, SQ-38 and SCC-61. Concentrations of ara-A as low as 10 {mu}M were equally efficient in inhibiting DNA synthesis in all six cell lines. These results suggest that the target for the radiosensitizing effect of ara-A is probably related to the factor controlling the inherent radiosensitivity of human tumor cells. Therefore, ara-A might be useful in overcoming radiation resistance in vivo.

  4. Insulin-like growth factor stimulation increases radiosensitivity of a pancreatic cancer cell line through endoplasmic reticulum stress under hypoxic conditions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Isohashi, Fumiaki; Endo, Hiroko; Mukai, Mutsuko; Inoue, Masahiro; Inoue, Takehiro

    2008-01-01

    Tumor hypoxia is an obstacle to radiotherapy. Radiosensitivity under hypoxic conditions is determined by molecular oxygen levels, as well as by various biological cellular responses. The insulin-like growth factor (IGF) signaling pathway is a widely recognized survival signal that confers radioresistance. However, under hypoxic conditions the role of IGF signaling in radiosensitivity is still poorly understood. Here, we demonstrate that IGF-II stimulation decreases clonogenic survival under hypoxic conditions in the pancreatic cancer cell lines AsPC-1 and Panc-1, and in the human breast cancer cell line MCF-7. IGF treatment under hypoxic conditions suppressed increased radiation sensitivity in these cell lines by pharmacologically inhibiting the phosphoinositide 3-kinase-mammalian target of rapamycin pathway, a major IGF signal-transduction pathway. Meanwhile, IGF-II induced the endoplasmic reticulum stress response under hypoxia, including increased protein levels of CHOP and ATF4, mRNA levels of CHOP, GADD34, and BiP as well as splicing levels of XBP-1. The response was suppressed by inhibiting phosphoinositide 3-kinase and mammalian target of rapamycin activity. Overexpression of CHOP in AsPC-1 cells increased radiation sensitivity by IGF-II simulation under hypoxic conditions, whereas suppression of CHOP expression levels with small hairpin RNA or a dominant negative form of a proline-rich extensin-like receptor protein kinase in hypoxia decreased IGF-induced radiosensitivity. IGF-induced endoplasmic reticulum stress contributed to radiosensitization independent of cell cycle status. Taken together, IGF stimulation increased radiosensitivity through the endoplasmic reticulum stress response under hypoxic conditions. (author)

  5. Radiation activation of transcription factors in mammalian cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kraemer, M.; Stein, B.; Mai, S.; Kunz, E.; Koenig, H.; Ponta, H.; Herrlich, P.; Rahmsdorf, H.J.; Loferer, H.; Grunicke, H.H.

    1990-01-01

    In mammalian cells radiation induces the enhanced transcription of several genes. The cis acting elements in the control region of inducible genes have been delimited by site directed mutagenesis. Several different elements have been found in different genes. They do not only activate gene transcription in response to radiation but also in response to growth factors and to tumor promoter phorbol esters. The transcription factors binding to these elements are present also in non-irradiated cells, but their DNA binding activity and their transactivating capability is increased upon irradiation. The signal chain linking the primary radiation induced signal (damaged DNA) to the activation of transcription factors involves the action of (a) protein kinase(s). (orig.)

  6. Characterization of the human oncogene SCL/TAL1 interrupting locus (Stil) mediated Sonic hedgehog (Shh) signaling transduction in proliferating mammalian dopaminergic neurons

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sun, Lei [Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556 (United States); Department of Physiology, Nankai University School of Medicine, Tianjin 300071 (China); Carr, Aprell L. [Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556 (United States); Center for Zebrafish Research, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556 (United States); Li, Ping; Lee, Jessica; McGregor, Mary [Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556 (United States); Li, Lei, E-mail: Li.78@nd.edu [Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556 (United States); Center for Zebrafish Research, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556 (United States)

    2014-07-11

    Highlights: • Stil is a human oncogene that is conserved in vertebrate species. • Stil functions in the Shh pathway in mammalian cells. • The expression of Stil is required for mammalian dopaminergic cell proliferation. - Abstract: The human oncogene SCL/TAL1 interrupting locus (Stil) is highly conserved in all vertebrate species. In humans, the expression of Stil is involved in cancer cell survival, apoptosis and proliferation. In this research, we investigated the roles of Stil expression in cell proliferation of mammalian dopaminergic (DA) PC12 cells. Stil functions through the Sonic hedgehog (Shh) signal transduction pathway. Co-immunoprecipitation tests revealed that STIL interacts with Shh downstream components, which include SUFU and GLI1. By examining the expression of Stil, Gli1, CyclinD2 (cell-cycle marker) and PCNA (proliferating cell nuclear antigen), we found that up-regulation of Stil expression (transfection with overexpression plasmids) increased Shh signaling transduction and PC12 cell proliferation, whereas down-regulation of Stil expression (by shRNA) inhibited Shh signaling transduction, and thereby decreased PC12 cell proliferation. Transient transfection of PC12 cells with Stil knockdown or overexpression plasmids did not affect PC12 cell neural differentiation, further indicating the specific roles of Stil in cell proliferation. The results from this research suggest that Stil may serve as a bio-marker for neurological diseases involved in DA neurons, such as Parkinson’s disease.

  7. JANUS neutron irradiation of a mouse cell line containing a shuttle vector plasmid

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nagy, B.; Grdina, D.J.; Ashman, C.R.

    1989-01-01

    The study presented here represents the initial steps of our attempt to characterize JANUS neutron induced mutagenesis in mammalian cells. The approach which we are taking is to use a mammalian cell system which allows one to determine the actual changes in DNA base sequence which occur when a gene mutates. Recently, several systems have been described which make possible the rapid and unambiguous determination of DNA base sequence changes in genes of eukaryotic cells. In some of these systems, a target gene is introduced into the mammalian cells as part of a shuttle vector which is capable of replication in both mammalian cells and bacteria. In this study we have used such a system for the analysis of neutron-induced mutations in the presence and absence of the radioprotector N-(2-mercaptoethyl)-1,3-diaminopropane, WR1065. 20 refs., 5 figs., 1 tab

  8. Chemical and Enzymatic Strategies for Bacterial and Mammalian Cell Surface Engineering.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bi, Xiaobao; Yin, Juan; Chen Guanbang, Ashley; Liu, Chuan-Fa

    2018-06-07

    The cell surface serves important functions such as the regulation of cell-cell and cell-environment interactions. The understanding and manipulation of the cell surface is important for a wide range of fundamental studies of cellular behavior and for biotechnological and medical applications. With the rapid advance of biology, chemistry and materials science, many strategies have been developed for the functionalization of bacterial and mammalian cell surfaces. Here, we review the recent development of chemical and enzymatic approaches to cell surface engineering with particular emphasis on discussing the advantages and limitations of each of these strategies. © 2018 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  9. Mechanism for multiplicity of steady states with distinct cell concentration in continuous culture of mammalian cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yongky, Andrew; Lee, Jongchan; Le, Tung; Mulukutla, Bhanu Chandra; Daoutidis, Prodromos; Hu, Wei-Shou

    2015-07-01

    Continuous culture for the production of biopharmaceutical proteins offers the possibility of steady state operations and thus more consistent product quality and increased productivity. Under some conditions, multiplicity of steady states has been observed in continuous cultures of mammalian cells, wherein with the same dilution rate and feed nutrient composition, steady states with very different cell and product concentrations may be reached. At those different steady states, cells may exhibit a high glycolysis flux with high lactate production and low cell concentration, or a low glycolysis flux with low lactate and high cell concentration. These different steady states, with different cell concentration, also have different productivity. Developing a mechanistic understanding of the occurrence of steady state multiplicity and devising a strategy to steer the culture toward the desired steady state is critical. We establish a multi-scale kinetic model that integrates a mechanistic intracellular metabolic model and cell growth model in a continuous bioreactor. We show that steady state multiplicity exists in a range of dilution rate in continuous culture as a result of the bistable behavior in glycolysis. The insights from the model were used to devise strategies to guide the culture to the desired steady state in the multiple steady state region. The model provides a guideline principle in the design of continuous culture processes of mammalian cells. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  10. Imaging mammalian cells with soft x rays: The importance of specimen preparation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Brown, J.T.; Meyer-Ilse, W. [Ernest Orlando Lawrence Berkeley National Lab., CA (United States)

    1997-04-01

    Studies of mammalian cell structure and spatial organization are a very prominent part of modern cell biology. The interest in them as well as their size make them very accommodating subject specimens for imaging with soft x-rays using the XM-1 transmission microscope built and operated by The Center for X-ray Optics on Beam Line 6.1 at the Advanced Light Source. The purpose of these experiments was to determine if the fixative protocols normally used in electron or visible light microscopy were adequate to allow imaging cells, either fibroblasts or neurons, with minimal visible radiation damage due to imaging with soft x-rays at 2.4 nm. Two cell types were selected. Fibroblasts are easily cultured but fragile cells which are commonly used as models for the detailed study of cell physiology. Neurons are complex and sensitive cells which are difficult to prepare and to culture for study in isolation from their connections with surrounding cells. These cell types pose problems in their preparation for any microscopy. To improve the contrast and to prevent postmortem alteration of the chemistry and hence the structure of cells extracted from culture or from living organisms, fixation and staining techniques are employed in electron and visible light microscopy. It has been accepted by biologists for years that these treatments create artifacts and false structure. The authors have begun to develop protocols for specimens of each of these two cell types for soft x-ray microscopy which will preserve them in as near normal state as possible using minimal fixation, and make it possible to image them in either a hydrated or dried state free of secondary addition of stains or other labels.

  11. Imaging mammalian cells with soft x rays: The importance of specimen preparation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Brown, J.T.; Meyer-Ilse, W.

    1997-01-01

    Studies of mammalian cell structure and spatial organization are a very prominent part of modern cell biology. The interest in them as well as their size make them very accommodating subject specimens for imaging with soft x-rays using the XM-1 transmission microscope built and operated by The Center for X-ray Optics on Beam Line 6.1 at the Advanced Light Source. The purpose of these experiments was to determine if the fixative protocols normally used in electron or visible light microscopy were adequate to allow imaging cells, either fibroblasts or neurons, with minimal visible radiation damage due to imaging with soft x-rays at 2.4 nm. Two cell types were selected. Fibroblasts are easily cultured but fragile cells which are commonly used as models for the detailed study of cell physiology. Neurons are complex and sensitive cells which are difficult to prepare and to culture for study in isolation from their connections with surrounding cells. These cell types pose problems in their preparation for any microscopy. To improve the contrast and to prevent postmortem alteration of the chemistry and hence the structure of cells extracted from culture or from living organisms, fixation and staining techniques are employed in electron and visible light microscopy. It has been accepted by biologists for years that these treatments create artifacts and false structure. The authors have begun to develop protocols for specimens of each of these two cell types for soft x-ray microscopy which will preserve them in as near normal state as possible using minimal fixation, and make it possible to image them in either a hydrated or dried state free of secondary addition of stains or other labels

  12. Anti-proliferative effect of metformin on a feline injection site sarcoma cell line independent of Mtor inhibition.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pierro, J; Saba, C; McLean, K; Williams, R; Karpuzoglu, E; Prater, R; Hoover, K; Gogal, R

    2017-10-01

    Metformin is an oral hypoglycemic drug that has been shown to inhibit cancer cell proliferation via up-regulation of AMPK (AMP-activated protein kinase), and possibly inhibition of mTOR (mammalian target of rapamycin). The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of metformin on a feline injection site sarcoma cell line. Cells from a feline injection site sarcoma cell line were treated with metformin at varied concentrations. A dose-dependent decrease in cell viability following metformin treatment was observed, with an IC50 of 8.0mM. Using flow cytometry, the mechanism of cell death was determined to be apoptosis or necrosis. To evaluate the role of mTOR inhibition in metformin-induced cell death, Western blot was performed. No inhibition of mTOR or phosphorylated mTOR was found. Although metformin treatment leads to apoptotic or necrotic cell death in feline injection site sarcoma cells, the mechanism does not appear to be mediated by mTOR inhibition. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. CRISPR-Cas9 mediated genetic engineering for the purification of the endogenous integrator complex from mammalian cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baillat, David; Russell, William K; Wagner, Eric J

    2016-12-01

    The Integrator Complex (INT) is a large multi-subunit protein complex, containing at least 14 subunits and a host of associated factors. These protein components have been established through pulldowns of overexpressed epitope tagged subunits or by using antibodies raised against specific subunits. Here, we utilize CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing technology to introduce N-terminal FLAG epitope tags into the endogenous genes that encode Integrator subunit 4 and 11 within HEK293T cells. We provide specific details regarding design, approaches for facile screening, and our observed frequency of successful recombination. Finally, using silver staining, Western blotting and LC-MS/MS we compare the components of INT of purifications from CRISPR derived lines to 293T cells overexpressing FLAG-INTS11 to define a highly resolved constituency of mammalian INT. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  14. Mammalian Cell Culture Process for Monoclonal Antibody Production: Nonlinear Modelling and Parameter Estimation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dan Selişteanu

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs are at present one of the fastest growing products of pharmaceutical industry, with widespread applications in biochemistry, biology, and medicine. The operation of mAbs production processes is predominantly based on empirical knowledge, the improvements being achieved by using trial-and-error experiments and precedent practices. The nonlinearity of these processes and the absence of suitable instrumentation require an enhanced modelling effort and modern kinetic parameter estimation strategies. The present work is dedicated to nonlinear dynamic modelling and parameter estimation for a mammalian cell culture process used for mAb production. By using a dynamical model of such kind of processes, an optimization-based technique for estimation of kinetic parameters in the model of mammalian cell culture process is developed. The estimation is achieved as a result of minimizing an error function by a particle swarm optimization (PSO algorithm. The proposed estimation approach is analyzed in this work by using a particular model of mammalian cell culture, as a case study, but is generic for this class of bioprocesses. The presented case study shows that the proposed parameter estimation technique provides a more accurate simulation of the experimentally observed process behaviour than reported in previous studies.

  15. Multiple pathways of DNA double-strand break processing in a mutant Indian muntjac cell line

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bouffler, S.D.; Jha, B.; Johnson, R.T.

    1990-01-01

    DNA break processing is compared in the Indian muntjac cell lines, SVM and DM. The initial frequencies and resealing of X-ray generated single- and double-strand breaks are similar in the two cell lines. Inhibiting the repair of UV damage leads to greater double-strand breakage in SVM than in DM, and some of these breaks are not repaired; however, repair-associated single-strand breakage and resealing are normal. Dimethylsulfate also induces excess double-strand breakage in SVM, and these breaks are irreparable. Restricted plasmids are reconstituted correctly in SVM at approximately 30% of the frequency observed in DM. Thus SVM has a reduced capacity to repair certain types of double-strand break. This defect is not due to a DNA ligase deficiency. We conclude that DNA double-strand breaks are repaired by a variety of pathways within mammalian cells and that the structure of the break or its mode of formation determines its subsequent fate

  16. E-cigarette aerosol exposure can cause craniofacial defects in Xenopus laevis embryos and mammalian neural crest cells.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Allyson E Kennedy

    Full Text Available Since electronic cigarette (ECIG introduction to American markets in 2007, vaping has surged in popularity. Many, including women of reproductive age, also believe that ECIG use is safer than traditional tobacco cigarettes and is not hazardous when pregnant. However, there are few studies investigating the effects of ECIG exposure on the developing embryo and nothing is known about potential effects on craniofacial development. Therefore, we have tested the effects of several aerosolized e-cigarette liquids (e-cigAM in an in vivo craniofacial model, Xenopus laevis, as well as a mammalian neural crest cell line. Results demonstrate that e-cigAM exposure during embryonic development induces a variety of defects, including median facial clefts and midface hypoplasia in two of e-cigAMs tested e-cigAMs. Detailed quantitative analyses of the facial morphology revealed that nicotine is not the main factor in inducing craniofacial defects, but can exacerbate the effects of the other e-liquid components. Additionally, while two different e-cigAMs can have very similar consequences on facial appearances, there are subtle differences that could be due to the differences in e-cigAM components. Further assessment of embryos exposed to these particular e-cigAMs revealed cranial cartilage and muscle defects and a reduction in the blood supply to the face. Finally, the expression of markers for vascular and cartilage differentiation was reduced in a mammalian neural crest cell line corroborating the in vivo effects. Our work is the first to show that ECIG use could pose a potential hazard to the developing embryo and cause craniofacial birth defects. This emphasizes the need for more testing and regulation of this new popular product.

  17. Whole‐cell Escherichia coli lactate biosensor for monitoring mammalian cell cultures during biopharmaceutical production

    Science.gov (United States)

    Goers, Lisa; Ainsworth, Catherine; Goey, Cher Hui; Kontoravdi, Cleo; Freemont, Paul S.

    2017-01-01

    ABSTRACT Many high‐value added recombinant proteins, such as therapeutic glycoproteins, are produced using mammalian cell cultures. In order to optimize the productivity of these cultures it is important to monitor cellular metabolism, for example the utilization of nutrients and the accumulation of metabolic waste products. One metabolic waste product of interest is lactic acid (lactate), overaccumulation of which can decrease cellular growth and protein production. Current methods for the detection of lactate are limited in terms of cost, sensitivity, and robustness. Therefore, we developed a whole‐cell Escherichia coli lactate biosensor based on the lldPRD operon and successfully used it to monitor lactate concentration in mammalian cell cultures. Using real samples and analytical validation we demonstrate that our biosensor can be used for absolute quantification of metabolites in complex samples with high accuracy, sensitivity, and robustness. Importantly, our whole‐cell biosensor was able to detect lactate at concentrations more than two orders of magnitude lower than the industry standard method, making it useful for monitoring lactate concentrations in early phase culture. Given the importance of lactate in a variety of both industrial and clinical contexts we anticipate that our whole‐cell biosensor can be used to address a range of interesting biological questions. It also serves as a blueprint for how to capitalize on the wealth of genetic operons for metabolite sensing available in nature for the development of other whole‐cell biosensors. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2017;114: 1290–1300. © 2017 The Authors. Biotechnology and Bioengineering Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. PMID:28112405

  18. Antiproliferative effect of isopentenylated coumarins on several cancer cell lines.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kawaii, S; Tomono, Y; Ogawa, K; Sugiura, M; Yano, M; Yoshizawa, Y; Ito, C; Furukawa, H

    2001-01-01

    33 coumarins, mainly the simple isopentenylated coumarins and derived pyrano- and furanocoumarins, were examined for their antiproliferative activity towards several cancer and normal human cell lines. The pyrano- and furanocoumarins showed strong activity against the cancer cell lines, whereas they had weak antiproliferative activity against the normal human cell lines. The decreasing rank order of potency was osthenone (10), clausarin (25), clausenidin (26), dentatin (24), nordentatin (23), imperatorin (29), seselin (27), xanthyletin (21), suberosin (17), phebalosin (8) and osthol (12). The structure-activity relationship established from the results revealed that the 1,1-dimethylallyl and isopentenyl groups have an important role for antiproliferative activity.

  19. Mammalian cell invasion and intracellular trafficking by Trypanosoma cruzi infective forms

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Renato A. Mortara

    2005-03-01

    Full Text Available Trypanosoma cruzi, the etiological agent of Chagas’ disease, occurs as different strains or isolates that may be grouped in two major phylogenetic lineages: T. cruzi I, associated with the sylvatic cycle and T. cruzi II, linked to the human disease. In the mammalian host the parasite has to invade cells and many studies implicated the flagellated trypomastigotes in this process. Several parasite surface components and some of host cell receptors with which they interact have been identified. Our work focused on how amastigotes, usually found growing in the cytoplasm, can invade mammalian cells with infectivities comparable to that of trypomastigotes. We found differences in cellular responses induced by amastigotes and trypomastigotes regarding cytoskeletal components and actin-rich projections. Extracellularly generated amastigotes of T. cruzi I strains may display greater infectivity than metacyclic trypomastigotes towards cultured cell lines as well as target cells that have modified expression of different classes of cellular components. Cultured host cells harboring the bacterium Coxiella burnetii allowed us to gain new insights into the trafficking properties of the different infective forms of T. cruzi, disclosing unexpected requirements for the parasite to transit between the parasitophorous vacuole to its final destination in the host cell cytoplasm.O agente etiológico da doença de Chagas, Trypanosoma cruzi, ocorre como cepas ou isolados que podem ser agrupados em duas grandes linhagens filogenéticas: T. cruzi I associada ao ciclo silvestre e T. cruzi II ligada à doençahumana. No hospedeiro mamífero o parasita tem que invadir células, e vários estudos relacionam as formas flageladas tripomastigotas neste processo. Diferentes componentes de superfície dos parasitas e alguns dos respectivos receptores foram identificados. Em nosso trabalho temos procurado compreender como amastigotas, que normalmente são encontrados crescendo

  20. Cell lines authentication and mycoplasma detection as minimun quality control of cell lines in biobanking.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Corral-Vázquez, C; Aguilar-Quesada, R; Catalina, P; Lucena-Aguilar, G; Ligero, G; Miranda, B; Carrillo-Ávila, J A

    2017-06-01

    Establishment of continuous cell lines from human normal and tumor tissues is an extended and useful methodology for molecular characterization of cancer pathophysiology and drug development in research laboratories. The exchange of these cell lines between different labs is a common practice that can compromise assays reliability due to contamination with microorganism such as mycoplasma or cells from different flasks that compromise experiment reproducibility and reliability. Great proportions of cell lines are contaminated with mycoplasma and/or are replaced by cells derived for a different origin during processing or distribution process. The scientific community has underestimated this problem and thousand of research experiment has been done with cell lines that are incorrectly identified and wrong scientific conclusions have been published. Regular contamination and authentication tests are necessary in order to avoid negative consequences of widespread misidentified and contaminated cell lines. Cell banks generate, store and distribute cell lines for research, being mandatory a consistent and continuous quality program. Methods implementation for guaranteeing both, the absence of mycoplasma and authentication in the supplied cell lines, has been performed in the Andalusian Health System Biobank. Specifically, precise results were obtained using real time PCR detection for mycoplasma and 10 STRs identification by capillary electrophoresis for cell line authentication. Advantages and disadvantages of these protocols are discussed.

  1. The response of mammalian cells to UV-light reveals Rad54-dependent and independent pathways of homologous recombination

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Eppink, Berina; Tafel, Agnieszka A; Hanada, Katsuhiro

    2011-01-01

    with lesions in replicating DNA. The core HR protein in mammalian cells is the strand exchange protein RAD51, which is aided by numerous proteins, including RAD54. We used RAD54 as a cellular marker for HR to study the response of mammalian embryonic stem (ES) cells to UV irradiation. In contrast to yeast, ES...

  2. Cell lineage analysis of the mammalian female germline.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yitzhak Reizel

    Full Text Available Fundamental aspects of embryonic and post-natal development, including maintenance of the mammalian female germline, are largely unknown. Here we employ a retrospective, phylogenetic-based method for reconstructing cell lineage trees utilizing somatic mutations accumulated in microsatellites, to study female germline dynamics in mice. Reconstructed cell lineage trees can be used to estimate lineage relationships between different cell types, as well as cell depth (number of cell divisions since the zygote. We show that, in the reconstructed mouse cell lineage trees, oocytes form clusters that are separate from hematopoietic and mesenchymal stem cells, both in young and old mice, indicating that these populations belong to distinct lineages. Furthermore, while cumulus cells sampled from different ovarian follicles are distinctly clustered on the reconstructed trees, oocytes from the left and right ovaries are not, suggesting a mixing of their progenitor pools. We also observed an increase in oocyte depth with mouse age, which can be explained either by depth-guided selection of oocytes for ovulation or by post-natal renewal. Overall, our study sheds light on substantial novel aspects of female germline preservation and development.

  3. Zebrafish hair cell mechanics and physiology through the lens of noise-induced hair cell death

    Science.gov (United States)

    Coffin, Allison B.; Xu, Jie; Uribe, Phillip M.

    2018-05-01

    Hair cells are exquisitely sensitive to auditory stimuli, but also to damage from a variety of sources including noise trauma and ototoxic drugs. Mammals cannot regenerate cochlear hair cells, while non-mammalian vertebrates exhibit robust regenerative capacity. Our research group uses the lateral line system of larval zebrafish to explore the mechanisms underlying hair cell damage, identify protective therapies, and determine molecular drivers of innate regeneration. The lateral line system contains externally located sensory organs called neuromasts, each composed of ˜8-20 hair cells. Lateral line hair cells are homologous to vertebrate inner ear hair cells and share similar susceptibility to ototoxic damage. In the last decade, the lateral line has emerged as a powerful model system for understanding hair cell death mechanisms and for identifying novel protective compounds. Here we demonstrate that the lateral line is a tractable model for noise-induced hair cell death. We have developed a novel noise damage system capable of inducing over 50% loss of lateral line hair cells, with hair cell death occurring in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Cell death is greatest 72 hours post-exposure. However, early signs of hair cell damage, including changes in membrane integrity and reduced mechanotransduction, are apparent within hours of noise exposure. These features, early signs of damage followed by delayed hair cell death, are consistent with mammalian data, suggesting that noise acts similarly on zebrafish and mammalian hair cells. In our future work we will use our new model system to investigate noise damage events in real time, and to develop protective therapies for future translational research.

  4. Incorrect strain information for mouse cell lines: sequential influence of misidentification on sublines.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Uchio-Yamada, Kozue; Kasai, Fumio; Ozawa, Midori; Kohara, Arihiro

    2017-03-01

    Misidentification or cross-contamination of cell lines can cause serious issues. Human cell lines have been authenticated by short tandem repeat profiling; however, mouse cell lines have not been adequately assessed. In this study, mouse cell lines registered with the JCRB cell bank were examined by simple sequence length polymorphism (SSLP) analysis to identify their strains. Based on comparisons with 7 major inbred strains, our results revealed their strains in 80 of 90 cell lines. However, 12 of the 80 cell lines (15%) were found to differ from registered information. Of them, 4 cell lines originated from the same mouse, which had been generated through mating between two different inbred strains. The genotype of the mouse sample had not been examined after the backcross, leading to strain misidentification in those cell lines. Although 8 other cell lines had been established as sublines of a BALB/c cell line, their SSLP profiles are similar to a Swiss cell line. This affects differences in genotypes between inbred and outbred strains. Because the use of inbred samples and interbreeding between strains are not involved in human materials, our results suggest that the cause and influence of misidentification in mouse cell lines are different from those in human.

  5. Cloning of the cDNA for human 12-lipoxygenase

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Izumi, T.; Hoshiko, S.; Radmark, O.; Samuelsson, B.

    1990-01-01

    A full-length cDNA clone encoding 12-lipoxygenase was isolated from a human platelet cDNA library by using a cDNA for human reticulocyte 15-lipoxygenase as probe for the initial screening. The cDNA had an open reading frame encoding 662 amino acid residues with a calculated molecular weight of 75,590. Three independent clones revealed minor heterogeneities in their DNA sequences. Thus, in three positions of the deduced amino acid sequence, there is a choice between two different amino acids. The deduced sequence from the clone plT3 showed 65% identity with human reticulocyte 15-lipoxygenase and 42% identity with human leukocyte 5-lipoxygenase. The 12-lipoxygenase cDNA recognized a 3.0-kilobase mRNA species in platelets and human erythroleukemia cells (HEL cells). Phorbol 12-tetradecanoyl 13-acetate induced megakaryocytic differentiation of HEL cells and 12-lipoxygenase activity and increased mRNA for 12-lipoxygenase. The identity of the cloned 12-lipoxygenase was assured by expression in a mammalian cell line (COS cells). Human platelet 12-lipoxygenase has been difficult to purify to homogeneity. The cloning of this cDNA will increase the possibilities to elucidate the structure and function of this enzyme

  6. Radon exposure system for mammalian cells in culture: Design, operation, and dosimetry

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Seed, T.M.; Kretz, N.D.; Schlenker, R.A.

    1991-01-01

    A novel system for Rn gas exposure of mammalian cells in culture has been designed, constructed, and used to directly assess both the magnitude and the nature of chronic, low-dose Rn/Rn daughter toxicity of exposed vital lung cells isolated from normal pulmonary tissue, propagated and exposed in vitro. Direct correlations between atmospheric Rn concentrations, alpha-particle fluences, and macro- and microdoses of absorbed radiation doses by lung cells provide for a heretofore unavailable assessment of critical doses to vital cells

  7. Intercellular contact: its influence on the Dsub(q) of mammalian cell survival curves

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Durand, R.E.; Sutherland, R.M.

    1975-01-01

    Cell survival in tissues exposed to a given dose of ionizing radiation is usually greater than that of similar cells grown individually in vitro, despite the fact that the radiosensitivities (D 0 ) are virtually identical under the two conditions. An analogous increase in cell survival is observed when Chinese hamster V79-171 cells are grown in suspension culture and irradiated as multicell spheroids. Unfortunately, the information gained from the survival curves so obtained is limited by the inhomogeneity of the cell population with respect to both degree of contact and cell cycle position. The latter can be studied using synchronized small spheroids. The ratio of Dsub(q) of spheroid cells to Dsub(q) of single cells increased as the cells progressed through the cell cycle, from a minimum of 1.3 for G 1 phase cells to a maximum of 2.2 for late S-phase cells. The enhanced survival, or 'contact effect', developed slowly as the spheroids grew, after an initial latent period of about one generation cycle of the cells. A second effect of intercellular contact on mammalian cell survival has also been observed. When cells are assayed under conditions in which intercellular contact is maintained, the net cellular survival is increased further. This effect is different from the usual repair of potentially lethal damage, in that it occurs much more slowly and results in modification of the survival-curve shoulder. Not all cell types tested have shown enhanced survival when grown as spheroids. Several MNNG-induced mutants of the Chinese hamster V79-171 line have been isolated and sublines which do and do not show the contact effect are now available. These may permit study of the mechanism(s) of contact effects. (author)

  8. Fluorescent genetic barcoding in mammalian cells for enhanced multiplexing capabilities in flow cytometry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smurthwaite, Cameron A; Hilton, Brett J; O'Hanlon, Ryan; Stolp, Zachary D; Hancock, Bryan M; Abbadessa, Darin; Stotland, Aleksandr; Sklar, Larry A; Wolkowicz, Roland

    2014-01-01

    The discovery of the green fluorescent protein from Aequorea victoria has revolutionized the field of cell and molecular biology. Since its discovery a growing panel of fluorescent proteins, fluorophores and fluorescent-coupled staining methodologies, have expanded the analytical capabilities of flow cytometry. Here, we exploit the power of genetic engineering to barcode individual cells with genes encoding fluorescent proteins. For genetic engineering, we utilize retroviral technology, which allows for the expression of ectopic genetic information in a stable manner in mammalian cells. We have genetically barcoded both adherent and nonadherent cells with different fluorescent proteins. Multiplexing power was increased by combining both the number of distinct fluorescent proteins, and the fluorescence intensity in each channel. Moreover, retroviral expression has proven to be stable for at least a 6-month period, which is critical for applications such as biological screens. We have shown the applicability of fluorescent barcoded multiplexing to cell-based assays that rely themselves on genetic barcoding, or on classical staining protocols. Fluorescent genetic barcoding gives the cell an inherited characteristic that distinguishes it from its counterpart. Once cell lines are developed, no further manipulation or staining is required, decreasing time, nonspecific background associated with staining protocols, and cost. The increasing number of discovered and/or engineered fluorescent proteins with unique absorbance/emission spectra, combined with the growing number of detection devices and lasers, increases multiplexing versatility, making fluorescent genetic barcoding a powerful tool for flow cytometry-based analysis. © 2013 International Society for Advancement of Cytometry.

  9. Fluorogenic RNA Mango aptamers for imaging small non-coding RNAs in mammalian cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Autour, Alexis; C Y Jeng, Sunny; D Cawte, Adam; Abdolahzadeh, Amir; Galli, Angela; Panchapakesan, Shanker S S; Rueda, David; Ryckelynck, Michael; Unrau, Peter J

    2018-02-13

    Despite having many key roles in cellular biology, directly imaging biologically important RNAs has been hindered by a lack of fluorescent tools equivalent to the fluorescent proteins available to study cellular proteins. Ideal RNA labelling systems must preserve biological function, have photophysical properties similar to existing fluorescent proteins, and be compatible with established live and fixed cell protein labelling strategies. Here, we report a microfluidics-based selection of three new high-affinity RNA Mango fluorogenic aptamers. Two of these are as bright or brighter than enhanced GFP when bound to TO1-Biotin. Furthermore, we show that the new Mangos can accurately image the subcellular localization of three small non-coding RNAs (5S, U6, and a box C/D scaRNA) in fixed and live mammalian cells. These new aptamers have many potential applications to study RNA function and dynamics both in vitro and in mammalian cells.

  10. Protection of cultured mammalian cells by rebamipide

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Antoku, Shigetoshi; Aramaki, Ryoji; Tanaka, Hisashi; Kusumoto, Naotoshi.

    1997-01-01

    Rebamipide which is used as a drug for gastritis and stomach ulcer has large capability for OH radical scavenging. It is expected that rebamipide has protective effect against ionizing radiations. The present paper deals with protective effect of rebamipide for cultured mammalian cells exposed to ionizing radiations. As rebamipide is insoluble in water, three solvents were used to dissolve. Rebamipide dissolved in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), dimethyl formamide (DMFA) and 0.02 N NaOH was added to the cells in Eagle's minimum essential medium (MEM) supplemented with 10% fetal calf serum and the cells were irradiated with X-rays. After irradiation, the cells were trypsinized, plated in MEM with 10% fetal calf serum and incubated for 7 days in a CO 2 incubator to form colonies. Rebamipide dissolved in 0.02 N NaOH exhibited the protective effect expected its OH radical scavenging capability. However, the protective effect of rebamipide dissolved in DMSO was about half of that expected by its radical scavenging capability and that of rebamipide dissolved in DMFA was not observed. Uptake of rebamipide labeled with 14 C increased with increasing contact time with rebamipide. These rebamipide mainly distributed in nucleus rather than cytoplasm. (author)

  11. Genetic profiling reveals cross-contamination and misidentification of 6 adenoid cystic carcinoma cell lines: ACC2, ACC3, ACCM, ACCNS, ACCS and CAC2.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Janyaporn Phuchareon

    Full Text Available Adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC is the second most common malignant neoplasm of the salivary glands. Most patients survive more than 5 years after surgery and postoperative radiation therapy. The 10 year survival rate, however, drops to 40%, due to locoregional recurrences and distant metastases. Improving long-term survival in ACC requires the development of more effective systemic therapies based on a better understanding of the biologic behavior of ACC. Much preclinical research in this field involves the use of cultured cells and, to date, several ACC cell lines have been established. Authentication of these cell lines, however, has not been reported. We performed DNA fingerprint analysis on six ACC cell lines using short tandem repeat (STR examinations and found that all six cell lines had been contaminated with other cells. ACC2, ACC3, and ACCM were determined to be cervical cancer cells (HeLa cells, whereas the ACCS cell line was composed of T24 urinary bladder cancer cells. ACCNS and CAC2 cells were contaminated with cells derived from non-human mammalian species: the cells labeled ACCNS were mouse cells and the CAC2 cells were rat cells. These observations suggest that future studies using ACC cell lines should include cell line authentication to avoid the use of contaminated or non-human cells.

  12. Radiation sensitivity of Merkel cell carcinoma cell lines

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Leonard, J.H.; Ramsay, J.R.; Birrell, G.W. [Queensland Institute of Medical Research (Australia)] [and others

    1995-07-30

    Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC), being a small cell carcinoma, would be expected to be sensitive to radiation. Clinical analysis of patients at our center, especially those with macroscopic disease, would suggest the response is quite variable. We have recently established a number of MCC cell lines from patients prior to radiotherapy, and for the first time are in a position to determine their sensitivity under controlled conditions. Some of the MCC lines grew as suspension cultures and could not be single cell cloned; therefore, it was not possible to use clonogenic survival for all cell lines. A tetrazolium based (MTT) assay was used for these lines, to estimate cell growth after {gamma} irradiation. Control experiments were conducted on lymphoblastoid cell lines (LCL) and the adherent MCC line, MCC13, to demonstrate that the two assays were comparable under the conditions used. We have examined cell lines from MCC, small cell lung cancer (SCLC), malignant melanomas, Epstein Barr virus (EBV) transformed lymphocytes (LCL), and skin fibroblasts for their sensitivity to {gamma} irradiation using both clonogenic cell survival and MTT assays. The results show that the tumor cell lines have a range of sensitivities, with melanoma being more resistant (surviving fraction at 2 Gy (SF2) 0.57 and 0.56) than the small cell carcinoma lines, MCC (SF2 range 0.21-0.45, mean SF2 0.30, n = 8) and SCLC (SF2 0.31). Fibroblasts were the most sensitive (SF2 0.13-0.20, mean 0.16, n = 5). The MTT assay, when compared to clonogenic assay for the MCC13 adherent line and the LCL, gave comparable results under the conditions used. Both assays gave a range of SF2 values for the MCC cell lines, suggesting that these cancers would give a heterogeneous response in vivo. The results with the two derivative clones of MCC14 (SF2 for MCC14/1 0.38, MCC14/2 0.45) would further suggest that some of them may develop resistance during clonogenic evolution. 25 refs., 3 figs., 1 tab.

  13. Radiation sensitivity of Merkell cell carcinoma cell lines

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Leonard, J. Helen; Ramsay, Jonathan R.; Kearsley, John H.; Birrell, Geoff W.

    1995-01-01

    Purpose: Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC), being a small cell carcinoma, would be expected to be sensitive to radiation. Clinical analysis of patients at our center, especially those with macroscopic disease, would suggest the response is quite variable. We have recently established a number of MCC cell lines from patients prior to radiotherapy, and for the first time are in a position to determine their sensitivity under controlled conditions. Methods and Materials: Some of the MCC lines grew as suspension cultures and could not be single cell cloned; therefore, it was not possible to use clonogenic survival for all cell lines. A tetrazolium based (MTT) assay was used for these lines, to estimate cell growth after γ irradiation. Control experiments were conducted on lymphoblastoid cell lines (LCL) and the adherent MCC line, MCC13, to demonstrate that the two assays were comparable under the conditions used. Results: We have examined cell lines from MCC, small cell lung cancer (SCLC), malignant melanomas, Epstein Barr virus (EBV) transformed lymphocytes (LCL), and skin fibroblasts for their sensitivity to γ irradiation using both clonogenic cell survival and MTT assays. The results show that the tumor cell lines have a range of sensitivities, with melanoma being more resistant (surviving fraction at 2 Gy (SF2) 0.57 and 0.56) than the small cell carcinoma lines, MCC (SF2 range 0.21-0.45, mean SF2 0.30, n = 8) and SCLC (SF2 0.31). Fibroblasts were the most sensitive (SF2 0.13-0.20, mean 0.16, n = 5). The MTT assay, when compared to clonogenic assay for the MCC13 adherent line and the LCL, gave comparable results under the conditions used. Conclusion: Both assays gave a range of SF2 values for the MCC cell lines, suggesting that these cancers would give a heterogeneous response in vivo. The results with the two derivative clones of MCC14 (SF2 for MCC14/1 0.38, MCC14/2 0.45) would further suggest that some of them may develop resistance during clonogenic evolution

  14. Activation of ADP-ribosyltransferase in polyamine-depleted mammalian cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wallace, H M; Gordon, A M; Keir, H M; Pearson, C K

    1984-01-01

    Mammalian fibroblasts were cultured in the presence of alpha-methylornithine and/or methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone), which inhibit the synthesis of polyamines. This led to a decrease in the cellular content of the polyamines spermine and spermidine by up to 60% when the cells were grown in the presence of both drugs together. The activity of the chromatin-associated enzyme ADP-ribosyltransferase was enhanced 2-3-fold in the drug-treated cells when measured in cells subsequently rendered permeable to exogenous NAD+, the substrate for the transferase. This is a novel and surprising observation, since the transferase is invariably activated by the addition of polyamines to a suitable incubation system such as permeabilized cells, isolated nuclei or the purified enzyme. We found no evidence that the activation was due to the appearance of DNA strand breaks, by using a variety of procedures including both neutral [the 'nucleoid' technique of Cook & Brazell [(1975) J. Cell Sci. 19, 261-279; (1976) J. Cell Sci. 22, 287-302

  15. Screening and Selection of High Carotenoid Producing in Vitro Tomato Cell Culture Lines for [13C]-Carotenoid Production

    OpenAIRE

    Engelmann, Nancy J.; Campbell, Jessica K.; Rogers, Randy B.; Rupassara, S. Indumathie; Garlick, Peter J.; Lila, Mary Ann; Erdman, John W.

    2010-01-01

    Isotopically labeled tomato carotenoids, phytoene, phytofluene, and lycopene, are needed for mammalian bioavailability and metabolism research but are currently commercially unavailable. The goals of this work were to establish and screen multiple in vitro tomato cell lines for carotenoid production, test the best producers with or without the bleaching herbicides, norflurazon and 2-(4-chlorophenyl-thio)-triethylamine (CPTA), and to use the greatest carotenoid accumulator for in vitro 13C-lab...

  16. Fluorescence and confocal imaging of mammalian cells using conjugated oligoelectrolytes with phenylenevinylene core

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Milczarek, Justyna; Pawlowska, Roza; Zurawinski, Remigiusz; Lukasik, Beata; Garner, Logan E.; Chworos, Arkadiusz

    2017-05-01

    Over the last few years, considerable efforts are taken, in order to find a molecular fluorescent probe fulfilling their applicability requirements. Due to a good optical properties and affinity to biological structures conjugated oligoelectrolytes (COEs) can be considered as a promising dyes for application in fluorescence-based bioimaging. In this work, we synthetized COEs with phenylenevinylene core (PV-COEs) and applied as fluorescent membranous-specific probes. Cytotoxicity effects of each COE were probed on cancerous and non-cancerous cell types and little to no toxicity effects were observed at the high range of concentrations. The intensity of cell fluorescence following the COE staining was determined by the photoluminescence analysis and fluorescence activated cell sorting method (FACS). Intercalation of tested COEs into mammalian cell membranes was revealed by fluorescent and confocal microscopy colocalization with commercial dyes specific for cellular structures including mitochondria, Golgi apparatus and endoplasmic reticulum. The phenylenevinylene conjugated oligoelectrolytes have been found to be suitable for fluorescent bioimaging of mammalian cells and membrane-rich organelles. Due to their water solubility coupled with spontaneous intercalation into cells, favorable photophysical features, ease of cell staining, low cytotoxicity and selectivity for membranous structures, PV-COEs can be applied as markers for fluorescence imaging of a variety of cell types.

  17. The antiproliferative effect of acridone alkaloids on several cancer cell lines.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kawaii, S; Tomono, Y; Katase, E; Ogawa, K; Yano, M; Takemura, Y; Ju-ichi, M; Ito, C; Furukawa, H

    1999-04-01

    Fifteen acridone alkaloids were examined for their antiproliferative activity toward monolayers and suspension of several types of cancer and normal human cell lines. As a result, atalaphyllidine (9), 5-hydroxy-N-methylseverifoline (11), atalaphyllinine (12), and des-N-methylnoracronycine (13) showed potent antiproliferative activity against tumor cell lines, whereas they have weak cytotoxicity on normal human cell lines. The structure-activity relationship established from the results revealed that a secondary amine, hydroxyl groups at C-1 and C-5, and a prenyl group at C-2 played an important role for antiproliferative activities of the tetracyclic acridones.

  18. Host cell reactivation and UV-enhanced reactivation in synchronized mammalian cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lytle, C.D.; Schmidt, B.J.

    1981-01-01

    Does host cell reactivation (HCR) or UV-enhanced reactivation (UVER) of UV-irradiated Herpes simplex virus (UV-HSV) vary during the host mammalian cell cycle. The answer could be useful for interpreting UVER and or the two-component nature of the UV-HSV survival curve. Procedures were developed for infection of mitotically-synchronized CV-l monkey kidney cells. All virus survival curves determined at different cell cycle stages had two components with similar D 0 's and intercepts of the second components. Thus, no single stage of the host cell cycle was responsible for the second component of the virus survival curve. When the cells were UV-irradiated immediately prior to infection, enhanced survival of UV-HSV occurred for cell irradiation and virus infection initiated during late G 1 early S phase or late S early G 2 phase but not during early G 1 phase. For infection delayed by 24 h after cell irradiation, UVER was found at all investigated times. These results indicate that: (1) HCR is similar at all stages of the host cell cycle: and (2) the ''induction'' of UVER is not as rapid for cell-irradiation in early G 1 phase. This latter observation may be one reason why normal, contact-inhibited cells do not express UVER as rapidly as faster growing, less contact-inhibited cells. (author)

  19. Influence of Polyplex Formation on the Performance of Star-Shaped Polycationic Transfection Agents for Mammalian Cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alexander Raup

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available Genetic modification (“transfection” of mammalian cells using non-viral, synthetic agents such as polycations, is still a challenge. Polyplex formation between the DNA and the polycation is a decisive step in such experiments. Star-shaped polycations have been proposed as superior transfection agents, yet have never before been compared side-by-side, e.g., in view of structural effects. Herein four star-shaped polycationic structures, all based on (2-dimethylamino ethyl methacrylate (DMAEMA building blocks, were investigated for their potential to deliver DNA to adherent (CHO, L929, HEK-293 and non-adherent (Jurkat, primary human T lymphocytes mammalian cells. The investigated vectors included three structures where the PDMAEMA arms (different arm length and grafting densities had been grown from a center silsesquioxane or silica-coated γ-Fe2O3-core and one micellar structure self-assembled from poly(1,2-butadiene-block PDMAEMA polymers. All nano-stars combined high transfection potential with excellent biocompatibility. The micelles slightly outperformed the covalently linked agents. For method development and optimization, the absolute amount of polycation added to the cells was more important than the N/P-ratio (ratio between polycation nitrogen and DNA phosphate, provided a lower limit was passed and enough polycation was present to overcompensate the negative charge of the plasmid DNA. Finally, the matrix (NaCl vs. HEPES-buffered glucose solution, but also the concentrations adjusted during polyplex formation, affected the results.

  20. DNA damage does not appear to be a trigger for thermotolerance in mammalian cells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Anderson, R.L.; Shiu, E.; Fisher, G.A.; Hahn, G.M.

    1988-08-01

    The hypothesis that DNA damage is the trigger for thermotolerance in mammalian cells was tested in Chinese hamster ovary cells by looking for evidence of thermotolerance after ionizing radiation or ultraviolet light exposure. As previous studies have demonstrated that relatively non-toxic radiation exposures do not induce thermotolerance in mammalian cells (Li et al. 1976), higher doses, comparable to those used in yeast to induce thermotolerance (Mitchel and Morison 1984), were tested in this study. Doses of this magnitude are lethal to mammalian cells, thereby precluding the use of clonogenic survival as an endpoint. The authors used three alternative assays as indicators of the subsequent development of thermotolerance: (a) heat-induced inhibition of total protein synthesis, (b) heat-induced uptake of dansyl lysine, and (c) synthesis of heat shock proteins. Only total protein synthesis revealed evidence of a small degree of thermotolerance which occurred immediately after ..gamma..-radiation exposure. By 4 h postirradiation the tolerance, as measured by this assay, was no longer evident. No evidence of thermotolerance was seen following UV exposure. In addition, when a large radiation dose was given either immediately before or after a heat treatment used to induce thermotolerance, there was no alteration in the level of heat-induced tolerance, despite the extensive number of DNA strand breaks caused by the radiation.

  1. DNA damage does not appear to be a trigger for thermotolerance in mammalian cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Anderson, R.L.; Shiu, E.; Fisher, G.A.; Hahn, G.M.

    1988-01-01

    The hypothesis that DNA damage is the trigger for thermotolerance in mammalian cells was tested in Chinese hamster ovary cells by looking for evidence of thermotolerance after ionizing radiation or ultraviolet light exposure. As previous studies have demonstrated that relatively non-toxic radiation exposures do not induce thermotolerance in mammalian cells (Li et al. 1976), higher doses, comparable to those used in yeast to induce thermotolerance (Mitchel and Morison 1984), were tested in this study. Doses of this magnitude are lethal to mammalian cells, thereby precluding the use of clonogenic survival as an endpoint. The authors used three alternative assays as indicators of the subsequent development of thermotolerance: (a) heat-induced inhibition of total protein synthesis, (b) heat-induced uptake of dansyl lysine, and (c) synthesis of heat shock proteins. Only total protein synthesis revealed evidence of a small degree of thermotolerance which occurred immediately after γ-radiation exposure. By 4 h postirradiation the tolerance, as measured by this assay, was no longer evident. No evidence of thermotolerance was seen following UV exposure. In addition, when a large radiation dose was given either immediately before or after a heat treatment used to induce thermotolerance, there was no alteration in the level of heat-induced tolerance, despite the extensive number of DNA strand breaks caused by the radiation. (author)

  2. Eps8 regulates hair bundle length and functional maturation of mammalian auditory hair cells.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Valeria Zampini

    2011-04-01

    Full Text Available Hair cells of the mammalian cochlea are specialized for the dynamic coding of sound stimuli. The transduction of sound waves into electrical signals depends upon mechanosensitive hair bundles that project from the cell's apical surface. Each stereocilium within a hair bundle is composed of uniformly polarized and tightly packed actin filaments. Several stereociliary proteins have been shown to be associated with hair bundle development and function and are known to cause deafness in mice and humans when mutated. The growth of the stereociliar actin core is dynamically regulated at the actin filament barbed ends in the stereociliary tip. We show that Eps8, a protein with actin binding, bundling, and barbed-end capping activities in other systems, is a novel component of the hair bundle. Eps8 is localized predominantly at the tip of the stereocilia and is essential for their normal elongation and function. Moreover, we have found that Eps8 knockout mice are profoundly deaf and that IHCs, but not OHCs, fail to mature into fully functional sensory receptors. We propose that Eps8 directly regulates stereocilia growth in hair cells and also plays a crucial role in the physiological maturation of mammalian cochlear IHCs. Together, our results indicate that Eps8 is critical in coordinating the development and functionality of mammalian auditory hair cells.

  3. Eps8 regulates hair bundle length and functional maturation of mammalian auditory hair cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zampini, Valeria; Rüttiger, Lukas; Johnson, Stuart L; Franz, Christoph; Furness, David N; Waldhaus, Jörg; Xiong, Hao; Hackney, Carole M; Holley, Matthew C; Offenhauser, Nina; Di Fiore, Pier Paolo; Knipper, Marlies; Masetto, Sergio; Marcotti, Walter

    2011-04-01

    Hair cells of the mammalian cochlea are specialized for the dynamic coding of sound stimuli. The transduction of sound waves into electrical signals depends upon mechanosensitive hair bundles that project from the cell's apical surface. Each stereocilium within a hair bundle is composed of uniformly polarized and tightly packed actin filaments. Several stereociliary proteins have been shown to be associated with hair bundle development and function and are known to cause deafness in mice and humans when mutated. The growth of the stereociliar actin core is dynamically regulated at the actin filament barbed ends in the stereociliary tip. We show that Eps8, a protein with actin binding, bundling, and barbed-end capping activities in other systems, is a novel component of the hair bundle. Eps8 is localized predominantly at the tip of the stereocilia and is essential for their normal elongation and function. Moreover, we have found that Eps8 knockout mice are profoundly deaf and that IHCs, but not OHCs, fail to mature into fully functional sensory receptors. We propose that Eps8 directly regulates stereocilia growth in hair cells and also plays a crucial role in the physiological maturation of mammalian cochlear IHCs. Together, our results indicate that Eps8 is critical in coordinating the development and functionality of mammalian auditory hair cells.

  4. Activation of mammalian target of rapamycin signaling promotes cell cycle progression and protects cells from apoptosis in mantle cell lymphoma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peponi, Evangelia; Drakos, Elias; Reyes, Guadalupe; Leventaki, Vasiliki; Rassidakis, George Z; Medeiros, L Jeffrey

    2006-12-01

    Mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) is characterized by the t(11;14) and cyclin D1 overexpression. However, additional molecular events are most likely required for oncogenesis, possibly through cell cycle and apoptosis deregulation. We hypothesized that mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) is activated in MCL and contributes to tumor proliferation and survival. In MCL cell lines, pharmacological inhibition of the phosphoinositide 3-kinase/AKT pathway was associated with decreased phosphorylation (activation) of mTOR and its downstream targets phosphorylated (p)-4E-BP1, p-p70S6 kinase, and p-ribosomal protein S6, resulting in apoptosis and cell cycle arrest. These changes were associated with down-regulation of cyclin D1 and the anti-apoptotic proteins cFLIP, BCL-XL, and MCL-1. Furthermore, silencing of mTOR expression using mTOR-specific short interfering RNA decreased phosphorylation of mTOR signaling proteins and induced cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. Silencing of eukaryotic initiation factor (eIF4E), a downstream effector of mTOR, recapitulated these results. We also assessed mTOR signaling in MCL tumors using immunohistochemical methods and a tissue microarray: 10 of 30 (33%) expressed Ser473p-AKT, 13 of 21 (62%) Ser2448p-mTOR, 22 of 22 (100%) p-p70S6K, and 5 of 20 (25%) p-ribosomal protein S6. Total eIF4E binding protein 1 and eukaryotic initiation factor 4E were expressed in 13 of 14 (93%) and 16 of 29 (55%) MCL tumors, respectively. These findings suggest that the mTOR signaling pathway is activated and may contribute to cell cycle progression and tumor cell survival in MCL.

  5. Whole-cell Escherichia coli lactate biosensor for monitoring mammalian cell cultures during biopharmaceutical production.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Goers, Lisa; Ainsworth, Catherine; Goey, Cher Hui; Kontoravdi, Cleo; Freemont, Paul S; Polizzi, Karen M

    2017-06-01

    Many high-value added recombinant proteins, such as therapeutic glycoproteins, are produced using mammalian cell cultures. In order to optimize the productivity of these cultures it is important to monitor cellular metabolism, for example the utilization of nutrients and the accumulation of metabolic waste products. One metabolic waste product of interest is lactic acid (lactate), overaccumulation of which can decrease cellular growth and protein production. Current methods for the detection of lactate are limited in terms of cost, sensitivity, and robustness. Therefore, we developed a whole-cell Escherichia coli lactate biosensor based on the lldPRD operon and successfully used it to monitor lactate concentration in mammalian cell cultures. Using real samples and analytical validation we demonstrate that our biosensor can be used for absolute quantification of metabolites in complex samples with high accuracy, sensitivity, and robustness. Importantly, our whole-cell biosensor was able to detect lactate at concentrations more than two orders of magnitude lower than the industry standard method, making it useful for monitoring lactate concentrations in early phase culture. Given the importance of lactate in a variety of both industrial and clinical contexts we anticipate that our whole-cell biosensor can be used to address a range of interesting biological questions. It also serves as a blueprint for how to capitalize on the wealth of genetic operons for metabolite sensing available in nature for the development of other whole-cell biosensors. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2017;114: 1290-1300. © 2017 The Authors. Biotechnology and Bioengineering Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2017 The Authors. Biotechnology and Bioengineering Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  6. Cell Line Data Base: structure and recent improvements towards molecular authentication of human cell lines.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Romano, Paolo; Manniello, Assunta; Aresu, Ottavia; Armento, Massimiliano; Cesaro, Michela; Parodi, Barbara

    2009-01-01

    The Cell Line Data Base (CLDB) is a well-known reference information source on human and animal cell lines including information on more than 6000 cell lines. Main biological features are coded according to controlled vocabularies derived from international lists and taxonomies. HyperCLDB (http://bioinformatics.istge.it/hypercldb/) is a hypertext version of CLDB that improves data accessibility by also allowing information retrieval through web spiders. Access to HyperCLDB is provided through indexes of biological characteristics and navigation in the hypertext is granted by many internal links. HyperCLDB also includes links to external resources. Recently, an interest was raised for a reference nomenclature for cell lines and CLDB was seen as an authoritative system. Furthermore, to overcome the cell line misidentification problem, molecular authentication methods, such as fingerprinting, single-locus short tandem repeat (STR) profile and single nucleotide polymorphisms validation, were proposed. Since this data is distributed, a reference portal on authentication of human cell lines is needed. We present here the architecture and contents of CLDB, its recent enhancements and perspectives. We also present a new related database, the Cell Line Integrated Molecular Authentication (CLIMA) database (http://bioinformatics.istge.it/clima/), that allows to link authentication data to actual cell lines.

  7. Dual-function vector for protein expression in both mammalian cells and Xenopus laevis oocytes

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jespersen, Thomas; Grunnet, M; Angelo, K

    2002-01-01

    Both Xenopus laevis oocytes and mammalian cells are widely used for heterologous expression of several classes of proteins, and membrane proteins especially, such as ion channels or receptors, have been extensively investigated in both cell types. A full characterization of a specific protein wil...

  8. Ras p21 and other Gn proteins are detected in mammalian cell lines by [gamma-35S]GTP gamma S binding

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Comerford, J.G.; Gibson, J.R.; Dawson, A.P.; Gibson, I.

    1989-01-01

    The presence of guanine nucleotide binding proteins in mouse and human cell lines was investigated using [gamma- 35 S]GTP gamma S and [gamma-32P]GTP. Cell lysate polypeptides were separated by sodium dodecyl sulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and transferred to nitrocellulose. Incubation of the nitrocellulose blots with [gamma- 35 S]GTP gamma S identified 9 distinct GTP-binding polypeptides in all lysates. One of these is the ras oncogene product, p21, as demonstrated by subsequent immunochemical staining of the nitrocellulose blots. We have shown that this procedure provides a sensitive method for detection of p21 in culture cell lines

  9. Derivation of the human embryonic stem cell line RCe006-A (RC-2

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    P.A. De Sousa

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available The human embryonic stem cell line RCe006-A (RC-2 was derived from a frozen and thawed blastocyst voluntarily donated as surplus to fertility requirements following ethics committee approved informed consent under licence from the UK Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority. The cell line exhibits expression of expected pluripotency markers and in vitro differentiation potential to three germinal lineage representative cell populations. It has a male trisomy 12 karyotype (47XY, +12. Microsatellite DNA marker identity and HLA and blood group typing data are available.

  10. Inside Job: Methods for Delivering Proteins to the Interior of Mammalian Cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bruce, Virginia J; McNaughton, Brian R

    2017-08-17

    Currently, 7 of the top 10 selling drugs are biologics, and all of them are proteins. Their large size, structural complexity, and molecular diversity often results in surfaces capable of potent and selective recognition of receptors that challenge, or evade, traditional small molecules. However, most proteins do not penetrate the lipid bilayer exterior of mammalian cells. This severe limitation dramatically limits the number of disease-relevant receptors that proteins can target and modulate. Given the major role proteins play in modern medicine, and the magnitude of this limitation, it is unsurprising that an enormous amount of effort has been dedicated to overcoming this pesky impediment. In this article, we summarize and evaluate current approaches for intracellular delivery of exogenous proteins to mammalian cells and, in doing so, aim to illuminate fertile ground for future discovery in this critical area of research. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  11. Activity of insulin growth factors and shrimp neurosecretory organ extracts on a lepidopteran cell line.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hatt, P J; Liebon, C; Morinière, M; Oberlander, H; Porcheron, P

    1997-01-01

    Ecdysteroids, or molting hormones, have been proven to be key differentiation regulators for epidermal cells in the postembryonic development of arthropods. Regulators of cell proliferation, however, remain largely unknown. To date, no diffusible insect peptidic growth factors have been characterized. Molecules structurally related to insulin have been discovered in insects, as in other eucaryotes. We developed in vitro tests for the preliminary characterization of potential growth factors in arthropods by adapting the procedures designed to detect such factors in vertebrates to an insect cell line (IAL-PID2) established from imaginal discs of the Indian meal moth. We verified the ability of these tests to measure the proliferation of IAL-PID2 cells. We tested mammalian insulin and insulin-like growth factors (IGF-I, IGF-II). Following an arrest of cell proliferation by serum deprivation, IGF-I and IGF-II caused partial resumption of the cell cycle, evidenced by DNA synthesis. In contrast, the addition of 20-hydroxyecdysone arrested the proliferation of the IAL-PID2 cells. The cell line was then used in a test for functional characterization of potential growth factors originating from the penaeid shrimp, Penaeus vannamei. Crude extracts of neurosecretory and nervous tissues, eyestalks, and ventral neural chain compensated for serum deprivation and stimulated completion of mitosis. Arch.

  12. Dose-rate effects on mammalian cells exposed to ionizing radiation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mitchell, J.B.

    1978-01-01

    The effect of irradiation on the life cycle and on cell survival was studied for a range of different dose rates. Log phase, plateau phase and synchronized cultures of different mammalian cells were used. Cell cycle redistribution during the radiation exposure was found to be a very important factor in determining the overall dose-rate effect for log phase and synchronized cells. In fact, cell cycle redistribution during the exposure, in some instances, resulted in a lower dose rate being more effective in cell killing per unit dose than a higher dose rate. For plateau phase cultures, where cell cycle times are greatly lengthened, the effects of redistribution in regard to cell killing was virtually eliminated. Both fed and unfed plateau phase cultures exhibited a dose-rate effect, but it was found that below dose rates of 154 rad/h there is no further loss in effectiveness

  13. Invasive ability of human renal cell carcinoma cell line Caki-2 is accelerated by gamma-aminobutyric acid, via sustained activation of ERK1/2 inducible matrix metalloproteinases.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Inamoto, Teruo; Azuma, Haruhito; Sakamoto, Takeshi; Kiyama, Satoshi; Ubai, Takanobu; Kotake, Yatsugu; Watanabe, Masahito; Katsuoka, Yoji

    2007-10-01

    Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) was first discovered as an inhibitory neurotransmitter in the central nervous system (CNS) and has been reported to have a variety of functions, including regulation of cell division, cell differentiation and maturation, and to be involved in the development of certain cancers outside the CNS. In the present study, using the human renal cell carcinoma cell line Caki-2, we demonstrated that GABA stimulation significantly increased the expression of MMP-2 and -9 and subsequently increased the invasive activity of the cancer cells. Because MAPK signaling is one of the key regulators of MMP expression, we further evaluated MAPK signaling after stimulation with GABA. It was found that GABA stimulation promoted the phosphorylation of MAPKs, including ERK1/2, JNK, and p38. ERK1/2 phosphorylation was sustained for up to 12 h, while phosphorylation of JNK and p38 returned to the endogenous level by 30 min. It was noteworthy that the ras/raf/MEK/ERK pathway inhibitor PD98059 attenuated GABA-induced MMP-9 expression and that both PD98059 and MMP inhibitors attenuated the GABA-induced invasive activity of Caki-2 cells. Moreover, data obtained by depletion of the MEK/ERK pathway using interfering RNA transfection of Caki-2 cells clearly corroborated the above results, as both MMP-9 expression and GABA-induced invasive ability were decreased significantly. We also demonstrated that the GABA-induced increase in invasive ability via ERK1/2 up-regulation was mediated mainly through the GABA-B receptor. These results indicate that GABA stimulation promotes cancer cell invasion and that the effect is partly due to ERK1/2-dependent up-regulation of MMPs.

  14. Bacteria Facilitate Enteric Virus Co-infection of Mammalian Cells and Promote Genetic Recombination.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Erickson, Andrea K; Jesudhasan, Palmy R; Mayer, Melinda J; Narbad, Arjan; Winter, Sebastian E; Pfeiffer, Julie K

    2018-01-10

    RNA viruses exist in genetically diverse populations due to high levels of mutations, many of which reduce viral fitness. Interestingly, intestinal bacteria can promote infection of several mammalian enteric RNA viruses, but the mechanisms and consequences are unclear. We screened a panel of 41 bacterial strains as a platform to determine how different bacteria impact infection of poliovirus, a model enteric virus. Most bacterial strains, including those extracted from cecal contents of mice, bound poliovirus, with each bacterium binding multiple virions. Certain bacterial strains increased viral co-infection of mammalian cells even at a low virus-to-host cell ratio. Bacteria-mediated viral co-infection correlated with bacterial adherence to cells. Importantly, bacterial strains that induced viral co-infection facilitated genetic recombination between two different viruses, thereby removing deleterious mutations and restoring viral fitness. Thus, bacteria-virus interactions may increase viral fitness through viral recombination at initial sites of infection, potentially limiting abortive infections. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  15. Viral Cre-LoxP tools aid genome engineering in mammalian cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sengupta, Ranjita; Mendenhall, Amy; Sarkar, Nandita; Mukherjee, Chandreyee; Afshari, Amirali; Huang, Joseph; Lu, Biao

    2017-01-01

    Targeted nucleases have transformed genome editing technology, providing more efficient methods to make targeted changes in mammalian genome. In parallel, there is an increasing demand of Cre-LoxP technology for complex genome manipulation such as large deletion, addition, gene fusion and conditional removal of gene sequences at the target site. However, an efficient and easy-to-use Cre-recombinase delivery system remains lacking. We designed and constructed two sets of expression vectors for Cre-recombinase using two highly efficient viral systems, the integrative lentivirus and non-integrative adeno associated virus. We demonstrate the effectiveness of those methods in Cre-delivery into stably-engineered HEK293 cells harboring LoxP-floxed red fluorescent protein (RFP) and puromycin (Puro) resistant reporters. The delivered Cre recombinase effectively excised the floxed RFP-Puro either directly or conditionally, therefore validating the function of these molecular tools. Given the convenient options of two selections markers, these viral-based systems offer a robust and easy-to-use tool for advanced genome editing, expanding complicated genome engineering to a variety of cell types and conditions. We have developed and functionally validated two viral-based Cre-recombinase delivery systems for efficient genome manipulation in various mammalian cells. The ease of gene delivery with the built-in reporters and inducible element enables live cell monitoring, drug selection and temporal knockout, broadening applications of genome editing.

  16. Escherichia coli cell-free protein synthesis and isotope labeling of mammalian proteins.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Terada, Takaho; Yokoyama, Shigeyuki

    2015-01-01

    This chapter describes the cell-free protein synthesis method, using an Escherichia coli cell extract. This is a cost-effective method for milligram-scale protein production and is particularly useful for the production of mammalian proteins, protein complexes, and membrane proteins that are difficult to synthesize by recombinant expression methods, using E. coli and eukaryotic cells. By adjusting the conditions of the cell-free method, zinc-binding proteins, disulfide-bonded proteins, ligand-bound proteins, etc., may also be produced. Stable isotope labeling of proteins can be accomplished by the cell-free method, simply by using stable isotope-labeled amino acid(s) in the cell-free reaction. Moreover, the cell-free protein synthesis method facilitates the avoidance of stable isotope scrambling and dilution over the recombinant expression methods and is therefore advantageous for amino acid-selective stable isotope labeling. Site-specific stable isotope labeling is also possible with a tRNA molecule specific to the UAG codon. By the cell-free protein synthesis method, coupled transcription-translation is performed from a plasmid vector or a PCR-amplified DNA fragment encoding the protein. A milligram quantity of protein can be produced with a milliliter-scale reaction solution in the dialysis mode. More than a thousand solution structures have been determined by NMR spectroscopy for uniformly labeled samples of human and mouse functional domain proteins, produced by the cell-free method. Here, we describe the practical aspects of mammalian protein production by the cell-free method for NMR spectroscopy. © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  17. Elabela-apelin receptor signaling pathway is functional in mammalian systems.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Zhi; Yu, Daozhan; Wang, Mengqiao; Wang, Qilong; Kouznetsova, Jennifer; Yang, Rongze; Qian, Kun; Wu, Wenjun; Shuldiner, Alan; Sztalryd, Carole; Zou, Minghui; Zheng, Wei; Gong, Da-Wei

    2015-02-02

    Elabela (ELA) or Toddler is a recently discovered hormone which is required for normal development of heart and vasculature through activation of apelin receptor (APJ), a G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR), in zebrafish. The present study explores whether the ELA-APJ signaling pathway is functional in the mammalian system. Using reverse-transcription PCR, we found that ELA is restrictedly expressed in human pluripotent stem cells and adult kidney whereas APJ is more widely expressed. We next studied ELA-APJ signaling pathway in reconstituted mammalian cell systems. Addition of ELA to HEK293 cells over-expressing GFP-AJP fusion protein resulted in rapid internalization of the fusion receptor. In Chinese hamster ovarian (CHO) cells over-expressing human APJ, ELA suppresses cAMP production with EC50 of 11.1 nM, stimulates ERK1/2 phosphorylation with EC50 of 14.3 nM and weakly induces intracellular calcium mobilization. Finally, we tested ELA biological function in human umbilical vascular endothelial cells and showed that ELA induces angiogenesis and relaxes mouse aortic blood vessel in a dose-dependent manner through a mechanism different from apelin. Collectively, we demonstrate that the ELA-AJP signaling pathways are functional in mammalian systems, indicating that ELA likely serves as a hormone regulating the circulation system in adulthood as well as in embryonic development.

  18. Transcription of a novel mouse semaphorin gene, M-semaH, correlates with the metastatic ability of mouse tumor cell lines

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Christensen, C R; Klingelhöfer, Jörg; Tarabykina, S

    1998-01-01

    identified a novel member of the semaphorin/collapsin family in the two metastatic cell lines. We have named it M-semaH. Northern hybridization to a panel of tumor cell lines revealed transcripts in 12 of 12 metastatic cell lines but in only 2 of 6 nonmetastatic cells and none in immortalized mouse...

  19. ACh-induced hyperpolarization and decreased resistance in mammalian type II vestibular hair cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Poppi, Lauren A; Tabatabaee, Hessam; Drury, Hannah R; Jobling, Phillip; Callister, Robert J; Migliaccio, Americo A; Jordan, Paivi M; Holt, Joseph C; Rabbitt, Richard D; Lim, Rebecca; Brichta, Alan M

    2018-01-01

    In the mammalian vestibular periphery, electrical activation of the efferent vestibular system (EVS) has two effects on afferent activity: 1) it increases background afferent discharge and 2) decreases afferent sensitivity to rotational stimuli. Although the cellular mechanisms underlying these two contrasting afferent responses remain obscure, we postulated that the reduction in afferent sensitivity was attributed, in part, to the activation of α9- containing nicotinic acetylcholine (ACh) receptors (α9*nAChRs) and small-conductance potassium channels (SK) in vestibular type II hair cells, as demonstrated in the peripheral vestibular system of other vertebrates. To test this hypothesis, we examined the effects of the predominant EVS neurotransmitter ACh on vestibular type II hair cells from wild-type (wt) and α9-subunit nAChR knockout (α9 -/- ) mice. Immunostaining for choline acetyltransferase revealed there were no obvious gross morphological differences in the peripheral EVS innervation among any of these strains. ACh application onto wt type II hair cells, at resting potentials, produced a fast inward current followed by a slower outward current, resulting in membrane hyperpolarization and decreased membrane resistance. Hyperpolarization and decreased resistance were due to gating of SK channels. Consistent with activation of α9*nAChRs and SK channels, these ACh-sensitive currents were antagonized by the α9*nAChR blocker strychnine and SK blockers apamin and tamapin. Type II hair cells from α9 -/- mice, however, failed to respond to ACh at all. These results confirm the critical importance of α9nAChRs in efferent modulation of mammalian type II vestibular hair cells. Application of exogenous ACh reduces electrical impedance, thereby decreasing type II hair cell sensitivity. NEW & NOTEWORTHY Expression of α9 nicotinic subunit was crucial for fast cholinergic modulation of mammalian vestibular type II hair cells. These findings show a multifaceted

  20. CLO : The cell line ontology

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Sarntivijai, Sirarat; Lin, Yu; Xiang, Zuoshuang; Meehan, Terrence F.; Diehl, Alexander D.; Vempati, Uma D.; Schuerer, Stephan C.; Pang, Chao; Malone, James; Parkinson, Helen; Liu, Yue; Takatsuki, Terue; Saijo, Kaoru; Masuya, Hiroshi; Nakamura, Yukio; Brush, Matthew H.; Haendel, Melissa A.; Zheng, Jie; Stoeckert, Christian J.; Peters, Bjoern; Mungall, Christopher J.; Carey, Thomas E.; States, David J.; Athey, Brian D.; He, Yongqun

    2014-01-01

    Background: Cell lines have been widely used in biomedical research. The community-based Cell Line Ontology (CLO) is a member of the OBO Foundry library that covers the domain of cell lines. Since its publication two years ago, significant updates have been made, including new groups joining the CLO

  1. A novel cell growth-promoting factor identified in a B cell leukemia cell line, BALL-1

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dao, T.; Holan, V.; Minowada, J.

    1993-01-01

    A novel leukemia cell growth-promoting activity has been identified in the culture supernatant from a human B cell leukemia cell line, BALL-1. The supernatant from unstimulated cultures of the BALL-1 cells significantly promoted the growth of 16 out of 24 leukemia/lymphoma cell lines of different lineages (T, B and non-lymphoid) in a minimal concentration of fetal bovine serum (FBS), and 5 out of 12 cases of fresh leukemia cells in FBS-free medium. The growth-promoting sieve filtration and dialysis. The MW of the factor was less than 10 kDa. The growth-promoting activity was heat and acid stable and resistant to trypsin treatment. The factor isolated from the BALL-1 supernatant was distinct from known polypeptide growth factors with MW below 10 kDa, such as epidermal growth factor, transforming growth factor α, insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I), IGF-II and insulin, as determine by specific antibodies and by cell-growth-promoting tests. The factor is the BALL-1 supernatant did not promote the proliferation of normal human fresh peripheral blood lymphocytes or mouse fibroblast cell line, BALB/C 3T3. In addition to the BALL-1 supernatant, a similar growth-promoting activity was found in the culture supernatant from 13 of 17 leukemia/lymphoma cell lines tested. The activity in these culture supernatant promoted the growth of leukemia/lymphoma cell lines in autocrine and/or paracrine fashions. These observations suggest that the low MW cell growth-promoting activity found in the BALL-1 culture supernatant is mediated by a novel factor which may be responsible for the clonal expansion of particular leukemic clones. (author)

  2. Physiological significance of polyploidization in mammalian cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pandit, Shusil K; Westendorp, Bart; de Bruin, Alain

    2013-11-01

    Programmed polyploidization occurs in all mammalian species during development and aging in selected tissues, but the biological properties of polyploid cells remain obscure. Spontaneous polyploidization arises during stress and has been observed in a variety of pathological conditions, such as cancer and degenerative diseases. A major challenge in the field is to test the predicted functions of polyploidization in vivo. However, recent genetic mouse models with diminished polyploidization phenotypes represent novel, powerful tools to unravel the biological function of polyploidization. Contrary to a longstanding hypothesis, polyploidization appears to not be required for differentiation and has no obvious impact on proliferation. Instead, polyploidization leads to increased cell size and genetic diversity, which could promote better adaptation to chronic injury or stress. We discuss here the consequences of reducing polyploidization in mice and review which stress responses and molecular signals trigger polyploidization during development and disease. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. Internalisation of engineered nanoparticles into mammalian cells in vitro: influence of cell type and particle properties

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Busch, Wibke; Bastian, Susanne; Trahorsch, Ulrike; Iwe, Maria; Kühnel, Dana; Meißner, Tobias; Springer, Armin; Gelinsky, Michael; Richter, Volkmar; Ikonomidou, Chrysanthy; Potthoff, Annegret; Lehmann, Irina; Schirmer, Kristin

    2011-01-01

    Cellular internalisation of industrial engineered nanoparticles is undesired and a reason for concern. Here we investigated and compared the ability of seven different mammalian cell cultures in vitro to incorporate six kinds of engineered nanoparticles, focussing on the role of cell type and particle properties in particle uptake. Uptake was examined using light and electron microscopy coupled with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) for particle element identification. Flow cytometry was applied for semi-quantitative analyses of particle uptake and for exploring the influence on uptake by the phagocytosis inhibitor Cytochalasin D (CytoD). All particles studied were found to enter each kind of cultured cells. Yet, particles were never found within cell nuclei. The presence of the respective particles within the cells was confirmed by EDX. Live-cell imaging revealed the time-dependent process of internalisation of technical nanoparticles, which was exemplified by tungsten carbide particle uptake into the human skin cells, HaCaT. Particles were found to co-localise with lysosomal structures within the cells. The incorporated nanoparticles changed the cellular granularity, as measured by flow cytometry, already after 3 h of exposure in a particle specific manner. By correlating particle properties with flow cytometry data, only the primary particle size was found to be a weakly influential property for particle uptake. CytoD, an inhibitor of actin filaments and therewith of phagocytosis, significantly inhibited the internalisation of particle uptake in only two of the seven investigated cell cultures. Our study, therefore, supports the notion that nanoparticles can enter mammalian cells quickly and easily, irrespective of the phagocytic ability of the cells.

  4. Absence of annexin I expression in B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphomas and cell lines

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gopalakrishnan Velliyur K

    2004-03-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Annexin I, one of the 20 members of the annexin family of calcium and phospholipid-binding proteins, has been implicated in diverse biological processes including signal transduction, mediation of apoptosis and immunosuppression. Previous studies have shown increased annexin I expression in pancreatic and breast cancers, while it is absent in prostate and esophageal cancers. Results Data presented here show that annexin I mRNA and protein are undetectable in 10 out of 12 B-cell lymphoma cell lines examined. Southern blot analysis indicates that the annexin I gene is intact in B-cell lymphoma cell lines. Aberrant methylation was examined as a cause for lack of annexin I expression by treating cells 5-Aza-2-deoxycytidine. Reexpression of annexin I was observed after prolonged treatment with the demethylating agent indicating methylation may be one of the mechanisms of annexin I silencing. Treatment of Raji and OMA-BL-1 cells with lipopolysaccharide, an inflammation inducer, and with hydrogen peroxide, a promoter of oxidative stress, also failed to induce annexin I expression. Annexin I expression was examined in primary lymphoma tissues by immunohistochemistry and presence of annexin I in a subset of normal B-cells and absence of annexin I expression in the lymphoma tissues were observed. These results show that annexin I is expressed in normal B-cells, and its expression is lost in all primary B-cell lymphomas and 10 of 12 B-cell lymphoma cell lines. Conclusions Our results suggest that, similar to prostate and esophageal cancers, annexin I may be an endogenous suppressor of cancer development, and loss of annexin I may contribute to B-cell lymphoma development.

  5. Empty Turnip yellow mosaic virus capsids as delivery vehicles to mammalian cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Doyeong; Lee, Younghee; Dreher, Theo W; Cho, Tae-Ju

    2018-05-03

    Turnip yellow mosaic virus (TYMV) was able to enter animal cells when the spherical plant virus was conjugated with Tat, a cell penetrating peptide (CPP). Tat was chemically attached to the surface lysine residues of TYMV using hydrazone chemistry. Baby hamster kidney (BHK) cells were incubated with either unmodified or Tat-conjugated TYMV and examined by flow cytometry and confocal microscopic analyses. Tat conjugation was shown to be more efficient than Lipofectamine in allowing TYMV to enter the mammalian cells. Tat-assisted-transfection was also associated with less loss of cell viability than lipofection. Among the CPPs tested (Tat, R8, Pep-1 and Pen), it was observed that R8 and Pen were also effective while Pep-1 was not. We also examined if the internal space of TYMV can be used to load fluorescein dye as a model cargo. When TYMV is treated by freezing and thawing, the virus is known to convert into a structure with a 6-8 nm hole and release viral RNA. When the resultant pot-like particles were reacted with fluorescein-5-maleimide using interior sulfhydryl groups as conjugation sites, about 145 fluorescein molecules were added per particle. The fluorescein-loaded TYMV particles were conjugated with Tat and introduced into BHK cells, again with higher transfection efficiency compared to lipofection. Our studies demonstrate the potential of modified TYMV as an efficient system for therapeutic cargo delivery to mammalian cells. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  6. Exogenous HGF Bypasses the Effects of ErbB Inhibition on Tumor Cell Viability in Medulloblastoma Cell Lines.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Walderik W Zomerman

    Full Text Available Recent clinical trials investigating receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK inhibitors showed a limited clinical response in medulloblastoma. The present study investigated the role of micro-environmental growth factors expressed in the brain, such as HGF and EGF, in relation to the effects of hepatocyte growth factor receptor (MET and epidermal growth factor receptor family (ErbB1-4 inhibition in medulloblastoma cell lines. Medulloblastoma cell lines were treated with tyrosine kinase inhibitors crizotinib or canertinib, targeting MET and ErbB1-4, respectively. Upon treatment, cells were stimulated with VEGF-A, PDGF-AB, HGF, FGF-2 or EGF. Subsequently, we measured cell viability and expression levels of growth factors and downstream signaling proteins. Addition of HGF or EGF phosphorylated MET or EGFR, respectively, and demonstrated phosphorylation of Akt and ERK1/2 as well as increased tumor cell viability. Crizotinib and canertinib both inhibited cell viability and phosphorylation of Akt and ERK1/2. Specifically targeting MET using shRNA's resulted in decreased cell viability. Interestingly, addition of HGF to canertinib significantly enhanced cell viability as well as phosphorylation of Akt and ERK1/2. The HGF-induced bypass of canertinib was reversed by addition of crizotinib. HGF protein was hardly released by medulloblastoma cells itself. Addition of canertinib did not affect RTK cell surface or growth factor expression levels. This manuscript points to the bypassing capacity of exogenous HGF in medulloblastoma cell lines. It might be of great interest to anticipate on these results in developing novel clinical trials with a combination of MET and EGFR inhibitors in medulloblastoma.

  7. Does autophagy have a license to kill mammalian cells?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Scarlatti, F; Granata, R; Meijer, A J; Codogno, P

    2009-01-01

    Macroautophagy is an evolutionarily conserved vacuolar, self-digesting mechanism for cellular components, which end up in the lysosomal compartment. In mammalian cells, macroautophagy is cytoprotective, and protects the cells against the accumulation of damaged organelles or protein aggregates, the loss of interaction with the extracellular matrix, and the toxicity of cancer therapies. During periods of nutrient starvation, stimulating macroautophagy provides the fuel required to maintain an active metabolism and the production of ATP. Macroautophagy can inhibit the induction of several forms of cell death, such as apoptosis and necrosis. However, it can also be part of the cascades of events that lead to cell death, either by collaborating with other cell death mechanisms or by causing cell death on its own. Loss of the regulation of bulk macroautophagy can prime self-destruction by cells, and some forms of selective autophagy and non-canonical forms of macroautophagy have been shown to be associated with cell demise. There is now mounting evidence that autophagy and apoptosis share several common regulatory elements that are crucial in any attempt to understand the dual role of autophagy in cell survival and cell death.

  8. Mammalian Cochlear Hair Cell Regeneration and Ribbon Synapse Reformation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xiaoling Lu

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Hair cells (HCs are the sensory preceptor cells in the inner ear, which play an important role in hearing and balance. The HCs of organ of Corti are susceptible to noise, ototoxic drugs, and infections, thus resulting in permanent hearing loss. Recent approaches of HCs regeneration provide new directions for finding the treatment of sensor neural deafness. To have normal hearing function, the regenerated HCs must be reinnervated by nerve fibers and reform ribbon synapse with the dendrite of spiral ganglion neuron through nerve regeneration. In this review, we discuss the research progress in HC regeneration, the synaptic plasticity, and the reinnervation of new regenerated HCs in mammalian inner ear.

  9. Putative porcine embryonic stem cell lines derived from aggregated four-celled cloned embryos produced by oocyte bisection cloning.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Siriboon, Chawalit; Lin, Yu-Hsuan; Kere, Michel; Chen, Chun-Da; Chen, Lih-Ren; Chen, Chien-Hong; Tu, Ching-Fu; Lo, Neng-Wen; Ju, Jyh-Cherng

    2015-01-01

    We attempted to isolate ES cell lines using inner cell masses from high-quality cloned porcine blastocysts. After being seeded onto feeders, embryos had better (P cloned embryos (62.8, 42.6 and 12.8% vs. 76.2, 55.2 and 26.2%, respectively) compared to the non-aggregated group (41.6, 23.4 and 3.9%). Effects of feeder types (STO vs. MEF) and serum sources (FBS vs. KSR) on extraction of cloned embryo-derived porcine ES cells were examined. More (17.1%) ntES cell lines over Passage 3 were generated in the MEF/KSR group. However, ntES cells cultured in KSR-supplemented medium had a low proliferation rate with defective morphology, and eventually underwent differentiation or apoptosis subsequently. Approximately 26.1, 22.7 and 35.7% of primary colonies were formed after plating embryos in DMEM, DMEM/F12 and α-MEM media, respectively. Survival rates of ntES cells cultured in α-MEM, DMEM and DMEM/F12 were 16.7, 4.3 and 6.8%, respectively (P > 0.05). We further examined the beneficial effect of TSA treatment of 3× aggregated cloned embryos on establishment of ntES cell lines. Primary colony numbers and survival rates of ntES cells beyond passage 3 were higher (P cells, remaining undifferentiated over 25 passages, had alkaline phosphatase activity and expressed ES specific markers Oct4, Nanog, Sox2, and Rex01. Moreover, these ntES cells successfully differentiated into embryoid bodies (EBs) that expressed specific genes of all three germ layers after being cultured in LIF-free medium. In conclusion, we have successfully derived putative porcine ntES cells with high efficiency from quality cloned embryos produced by embryo aggregation, and optimized the ES cell culture system suitable for establishing and maintaining ntES cell lines in undifferentiated state.

  10. Information system for selection of conditions and equipment for the cultivation of mammalian cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    D. R. Batyrgazieva

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available The use of mammals cells and their products wide application, so the actual problem is a creation of an information system in the field of their cultivation for the organizing and structuring of information on process experimental data. This work is devoted the analysis of mammalian cell cultivation. The main technologies of cell cultivation, necessary equipment and matrices are considered. The main stages of database design and information system is described. The justification of software products are provided and the results of the database and information system implementation are done. The detailed description of all modules of the system, as well as a comparative analysis of the results of the search are in the system to verify correct operation of the system. The scientific and practical significance of the work lies in the fact that the effective tool for presenting knowledge and data for search by specific parameters is required. The convenience of the system is that it is not necessary to address in various data sources to get and conditions of cultivation of mammalian cells, it has already been collected and structured according to parameters. With help of the system, it is possible to select conditions for the cultivation of mammalian cells at the stage of scientific researches that will significantly reduce the time and cost of work, also to rank of recommended technological and hardware solutions. The system has a functional completeness, i.e. in a specific subject area, it ensures the fulfillment of user's requirements, and allows to accumulate and process information.

  11. Assessing mRNA nuclear export in mammalian cells by microinjection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Eliza S; Palazzo, Alexander F

    2017-08-15

    The nuclear export of mRNAs is an important yet little understood part of eukaryotic gene expression. One of the easiest methods for monitoring mRNA export in mammalian tissue culture cells is through the microinjection of DNA plasmids into the nucleus and monitoring the distribution of the transcribed product over time. Here we describe how to setup a microscope equipped with a micromanipulator used in cell microinjections, and we explain how to perform a nuclear mRNA export assay and obtain the nuclear export rate for any given mRNA. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  12. Protection of cultured mammalian cells by rebamipide

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Antoku, Shigetoshi; Aramaki, Ryoji [Kyushu Univ., Fukuoka (Japan). Faculty of Medicine; Tanaka, Hisashi; Kusumoto, Naotoshi

    1997-06-01

    Rebamipide which is used as a drug for gastritis and stomach ulcer has large capability for OH radical scavenging. It is expected that rebamipide has protective effect against ionizing radiations. The present paper deals with protective effect of rebamipide for cultured mammalian cells exposed to ionizing radiations. As rebamipide is insoluble in water, three solvents were used to dissolve. Rebamipide dissolved in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), dimethyl formamide (DMFA) and 0.02 N NaOH was added to the cells in Eagle`s minimum essential medium (MEM) supplemented with 10% fetal calf serum and the cells were irradiated with X-rays. After irradiation, the cells were trypsinized, plated in MEM with 10% fetal calf serum and incubated for 7 days in a CO{sub 2} incubator to form colonies. Rebamipide dissolved in 0.02 N NaOH exhibited the protective effect expected its OH radical scavenging capability. However, the protective effect of rebamipide dissolved in DMSO was about half of that expected by its radical scavenging capability and that of rebamipide dissolved in DMFA was not observed. Uptake of rebamipide labeled with {sup 14}C increased with increasing contact time with rebamipide. These rebamipide mainly distributed in nucleus rather than cytoplasm. (author)

  13. Generation of Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells from Mammalian Endangered Species.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ben-Nun, Inbar Friedrich; Montague, Susanne C; Houck, Marlys L; Ryder, Oliver; Loring, Jeanne F

    2015-01-01

    For some highly endangered species there are too few reproductively capable animals to maintain adequate genetic diversity, and extraordinary measures are necessary to prevent their extinction. Cellular reprogramming is a means to capture the genomes of individual animals as induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), which may eventually facilitate reintroduction of genetic material into breeding populations. Here, we describe a method for generating iPSCs from fibroblasts of mammalian endangered species.

  14. Repair of furocoumarin adducts in mammalian cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zolan, M.E.; Smith, C.A.; Hanawalt, P.C.

    1984-01-01

    DNA repair was studied in cultured mammalian cells treated with the furocoumarins 8-methoxypsoralen (8-MOP), aminomethyl trioxsalen, or angelicin and irradiated with near UV light. The amount of DNA cross-linked by 8-MOP in normal human cells decreased by about one-half in 24 hours after treatment; no decrease was observed in xeroderma pigmentosum cells, group A. At present, it is not known to what extent this decrease represents complete repair events at the sites of cross-links. Furocoumarin adducts elicited excision repair in normal human and monkey cells but not in xeroderma pigmentosum group A cells. This excision repair resembled in several aspects that elicited by pyrimidine dimers, formed in DNA by irradiation with 254-nm UV light; however, it appeared that for at least 8-MOP and aminomethyl trioxsalen, removal of adducts was not as efficient as was the removal of pyrimidine dimers. A comparison was also made of repair in the 172-base-pair repetitive alpha-DNA component of monkey cells to repair in the bulk of the genome. Although repair elicited by pyrimidine dimers in alpha-DNA was the same as in the bulk DNA, that following treatment of cells with either aminomethyl trioxsalen or angelicin and near UV was markedly deficient in alpha-DNA. This deficiency reflected the removal of fewer adducts from alpha-DNA after the same initial adduct frequencies. These results could mean that each furocoumarin may produce several structurally distinct adducts to DNA in cells and that the capacity of cellular repair systems to remove these various adducts may vary greatly

  15. Authentication of M14 melanoma cell line proves misidentification of MDA‐MB‐435 breast cancer cell line

    Science.gov (United States)

    Korch, Christopher; Hall, Erin M.; Dirks, Wilhelm G.; Ewing, Margaret; Faries, Mark; Varella‐Garcia, Marileila; Robinson, Steven; Storts, Douglas; Turner, Jacqueline A.; Wang, Ying; Burnett, Edward C.; Healy, Lyn; Kniss, Douglas; Neve, Richard M.; Nims, Raymond W.; Reid, Yvonne A.; Robinson, William A.

    2017-01-01

    A variety of analytical approaches have indicated that melanoma cell line UCLA‐SO‐M14 (M14) and breast carcinoma cell line MDA‐MB‐435 originate from a common donor. This indicates that at some point in the past, one of these cell lines became misidentified, meaning that it ceased to correspond to the reported donor and instead became falsely identified (through cross‐contamination or other means) as a cell line from a different donor. Initial studies concluded that MDA‐MB‐435 was the misidentified cell line and M14 was the authentic cell line, although contradictory evidence has been published, resulting in further confusion. To address this question, we obtained early samples of the melanoma cell line (M14), a lymphoblastoid cell line from the same donor (ML14), and donor serum preserved at the originator's institution. M14 samples were cryopreserved in December 1975, before MDA‐MB‐435 cells were established in culture. Through a series of molecular characterizations, including short tandem repeat (STR) profiling and cytogenetic analysis, we demonstrated that later samples of M14 and MDA‐MB‐435 correspond to samples of M14 frozen in 1975, to the lymphoblastoid cell line ML14, and to the melanoma donor's STR profile, sex and blood type. This work demonstrates conclusively that M14 is the authentic cell line and MDA‐MB‐435 is misidentified. With clear provenance information and authentication testing of early samples, it is possible to resolve debates regarding the origins of problematic cell lines that are widely used in cancer research. PMID:28940260

  16. The effects of ultraviolet light on aspects of DNA metabolism in cell lines derived from plodia interpunctella and Trichoplusia ni

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Styer, S.C.

    1991-01-01

    Insect cells are significantly more resistant to the lethal effects of 254 nm ultraviolet light (UV) than mammalian cells. The predominant photoproduct produced by UV is the (5-6) cyclobutyl pyrimidine dimer. There is controversy whether this lesion, or another, the pyrimidine (6-4) pyrimidone, is responsible for the biological effects of UV. Insect cells contain a photolyase which selectively removes the (5-6), but not the (6-4) lesion, so that the relative roles of these lesions can be studied. Insect cell lines derived from the cabbage looper and the Indian meal moth were exposed to UV and analyzed for their ability to incorporate 3 H-thymidine. After exposure, cells from the Indian meal moth exhibited a rapid and prolonged depression in the rate of thymidine incorporation, whereas cells from the cabbage looper showed only a slight drop in incorporation and a rapid recovery. The extent of depression in thymidine incorporation was not correlated to the amount of cell killing by UV in these cell lines. Blockage of fork progression was correlated to the depression in thymidine incorporation. Photoreactivation did not entirely relieve blockage, depression in thymidine incorporation or cell killing, indicating that although the (5-6) dimer appears to be the major lesion responsible for these effects, other lesions, such as the (6-4) photoproduct, may play a role. In addition, activation of alternative sites of replicon initiation appeared to correlate with the depression in thymidine incorporation and the excision capabilities in these cells. The resistance to UV in these insect cells compared to mammalian cells may be due to their ability to rapidly remove the (5-6) lesion, which is the critical lesion in these insect cells

  17. Expression of Ku correlates with radiation sensitivities in the head and neck cancer cell lines

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lee, Sang Wook; Yu, Eun Sil; Yi, So Lyoung; Son, Se Hee; Kim, Jong Hoon; Ahn, Seung Do; Shin, Seong Soo; Choi, Eun Kyung

    2004-01-01

    DNA-dependent protein kinase (DNA-PK) is a serine/threonine kinase consisting of a 470 kDa catalytic subunit (DNA-PKcs) and a heterodimeric regulatory complex, called Ku, which is composed of 70 kDa (Ku 70) and 86 kDa (Ku 80) proteins. The DNA-PK has been shown to play a pivotal role in rejoining DNA double-strand-breaks (dsb) in mammalian cells. The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between the level of Ku expression and radiation sensitivity. Nine head and neck, cancer cell lines showed various intrinsic radiation sensitivities. Among the nine, AMC-HN-3 cell was the most sensitive for X-ray irradiation and AMC-HN-9 cell was the most resistance. The most sensitive and resistant cell lines were selected and the test sensitivity of radiation and expression of Ku were measured. Radiation sensitivity was obtained by colony forming assay and Ku protein expression using Western blot analysis. Ku80 increased expression by radiation, wheras Ku70 did not. Overexpression of Ku80 protein increased radiation resistance in AMC-HN9 cell line. There was a correlation between Ku80 expression and radiation resistance. Ku80 was shown to play an important role in radiation damage response. Induction of Ku80 expression had an important role in DNA damage repair by radiation. Ku80 expression may be an effective predictive assay of radiosensitivity on head and neck cancer

  18. TERRA Expression Levels Do Not Correlate With Telomere Length and Radiation Sensitivity in Human Cancer Cell Lines

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alexandra eSmirnova

    2013-05-01

    Full Text Available Mammalian telomeres are transcribed into long non-coding telomeric RNA molecules (TERRA that seem to play a role in the maintenance of telomere stability. In human cells, CpG island promoters drive TERRA transcription and are regulated by methylation. It was suggested that the amount of TERRA may be related to telomere length. To test this hypothesis we measured telomere length and TERRA levels in single clones isolated from five human cell lines: HeLa (cervical carcinoma, BRC-230 (breast cancer, AKG and GK2 (gastric cancers and GM847 (SV40 immortalized skin fibroblasts. We observed great clonal heterogeneity both in TRF (Terminal Restriction Fragment length and in TERRA levels. However, these two parameters did not correlate with each other. Moreover, cell survival to γ-rays did not show a significant variation among the clones, suggesting that, in this cellular system, the intra-population variability in telomere length and TERRA levels does not influence sensitivity to ionizing radiation. This conclusion was supported by the observation that in a cell line in which telomeres were greatly elongated by the ectopic expression of telomerase, TERRA expression levels and radiation sensitivity were similar to the parental HeLa cell line.

  19. Type I Interferon Reaction to Viral Infection in Interferon-Competent, Immortalized Cell Lines from the African Fruit Bat Eidolon helvum

    Science.gov (United States)

    Biesold, Susanne E.; Ritz, Daniel; Gloza-Rausch, Florian; Wollny, Robert; Drexler, Jan Felix; Corman, Victor M.; Kalko, Elisabeth K. V.; Oppong, Samuel; Drosten, Christian; Müller, Marcel A.

    2011-01-01

    Bats harbor several highly pathogenic zoonotic viruses including Rabies, Marburg, and henipaviruses, without overt clinical symptoms in the animals. It has been suspected that bats might have evolved particularly effective mechanisms to suppress viral replication. Here, we investigated interferon (IFN) response, -induction, -secretion and -signaling in epithelial-like cells of the relevant and abundant African fruit bat species, Eidolon helvum (E. helvum). Immortalized cell lines were generated; their potential to induce and react on IFN was confirmed, and biological assays were adapted to application in bat cell cultures, enabling comparison of landmark IFN properties with that of common mammalian cell lines. E. helvum cells were fully capable of reacting to viral and artificial IFN stimuli. E. helvum cells showed highest IFN mRNA induction, highly productive IFN protein secretion, and evidence of efficient IFN stimulated gene induction. In an Alphavirus infection model, O'nyong-nyong virus exhibited strong IFN induction but evaded the IFN response by translational rather than transcriptional shutoff, similar to other Alphavirus infections. These novel IFN-competent cell lines will allow comparative research on zoonotic, bat-borne viruses in order to model mechanisms of viral maintenance and emergence in bat reservoirs. PMID:22140523

  20. Detection of immunotoxicity using T-cell based cytokine reporter cell lines ('Cell Chip')

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ringerike, Tove; Ulleraas, Erik; Voelker, Rene; Verlaan, Bert; Eikeset, Aase; Trzaska, Dominika; Adamczewska, Violetta; Olszewski, Maciej; Walczak-Drzewiecka, Aurelia; Arkusz, Joanna; Loveren, Henk van; Nilsson, Gunnar; Lovik, Martinus; Dastych, Jaroslaw; Vandebriel, Rob J.

    2005-01-01

    Safety assessment of chemicals and drugs is an important regulatory issue. The evaluation of potential adverse effects of compounds on the immune system depends today on animal experiments. An increasing demand, however, exists for in vitro alternatives. Cytokine measurement is a promising tool to evaluate chemical exposure effects on the immune system. Fortunately, this type of measurement can be performed in conjunction with in vitro exposure models. We have taken these considerations as the starting point to develop an in vitro method to efficiently screen compounds for potential immunotoxicity. The T-cell lymphoma cell line EL-4 was transfected with the regulatory sequences of interleukin (IL)-2, IL-4, IL-10, interferon (IFN)-γ or actin fused to the gene for enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) in either a stabile or a destabilised form. Consequently, changes in fluorescence intensity represent changes in cytokine expression with one cell line per cytokine. We used this prototype 'Cell Chip' to test, by means of flow cytometry, the immunomodulatory potential of 13 substances and were able to detect changes in cytokine expression in 12 cases (successful for cyclosporine, rapamycin, pentamidine, thalidomide, bis(tri-n-butyltin)oxide, house dust mite allergen (Der p I), 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene, benzocaine, tolylene 2,4-diisocyanate, potassium tetrachloroplatinate, sodium dodecyl sulphate and mercuric chloride; unsuccessful for penicillin G). In conclusion, this approach seems promising for in vitro screening for potential immunotoxicity, especially when additional cell lines besides T-cells are included

  1. Repair of radiation damage in mammalian cells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Setlow, R.B.

    1981-01-01

    The responses, such as survival, mutation, and carcinogenesis, of mammalian cells and tissues to radiation are dependent not only on the magnitude of the damage to macromolecular structures - DNA, RNA, protein, and membranes - but on the rates of macromolecular syntheses of cells relative to the half-lives of the damages. Cells possess a number of mechanisms for repairing damage to DNA. If the repair systems are rapid and error free, cells can tolerate much larger doses than if repair is slow or error prone. It is important to understand the effects of radiation and the repair of radiation damage because there exist reasonable amounts of epidemiological data that permits the construction of dose-response curves for humans. The shapes of such curves or the magnitude of the response will depend on repair. Radiation damage is emphasized because: (a) radiation dosimetry, with all its uncertainties for populations, is excellent compared to chemical dosimetry; (b) a number of cancer-prone diseases are known in which there are defects in DNA repair and radiation results in more chromosomal damage in cells from such individuals than in cells from normal individuals; (c) in some cases, specific radiation products in DNA have been correlated with biological effects, and (d) many chemical effects seem to mimic radiation effects. A further reason for emphasizing damage to DNA is the wealth of experimental evidence indicating that damages to DNA can be initiating events in carcinogenesis.

  2. Repair of radiation damage in mammalian cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Setlow, R.B.

    1981-01-01

    The responses, such as survival, mutation, and carcinogenesis, of mammalian cells and tissues to radiation are dependent not only on the magnitude of the damage to macromolecular structures - DNA, RNA, protein, and membranes - but on the rates of macromolecular syntheses of cells relative to the half-lives of the damages. Cells possess a number of mechanisms for repairing damage to DNA. If the repair systems are rapid and error free, cells can tolerate much larger doses than if repair is slow or error prone. It is important to understand the effects of radiation and the repair of radiation damage because there exist reasonable amounts of epidemiological data that permits the construction of dose-response curves for humans. The shapes of such curves or the magnitude of the response will depend on repair. Radiation damage is emphasized because: (a) radiation dosimetry, with all its uncertainties for populations, is excellent compared to chemical dosimetry; (b) a number of cancer-prone diseases are known in which there are defects in DNA repair and radiation results in more chromosomal damage in cells from such individuals than in cells from normal individuals; (c) in some cases, specific radiation products in DNA have been correlated with biological effects, and (d) many chemical effects seem to mimic radiation effects. A further reason for emphasizing damage to DNA is the wealth of experimental evidence indicating that damages to DNA can be initiating events in carcinogenesis

  3. Heat shock protein (Hsp) 40 mutants inhibit Hsp70 in mammalian cells

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Michels, AA; Kanon, B; Bensaude, O; Kampinga, HH

    1999-01-01

    Heat shock protein (Hsp) 70 and Hsp40 expressed in mammalian cells had been previously shown to cooperate in accelerating the reactivation of heat-denatured firefly luciferase (Michels, A. A., Kanon, B., Konings, A. W. T., Ohtsuka, K,, Bensaude, O., and Kampinga, H. H. (1997) J. Biol. Chem. 272,

  4. Molecular characterization of breast cancer cell lines through multiple omic approaches.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smith, Shari E; Mellor, Paul; Ward, Alison K; Kendall, Stephanie; McDonald, Megan; Vizeacoumar, Frederick S; Vizeacoumar, Franco J; Napper, Scott; Anderson, Deborah H

    2017-06-05

    Breast cancer cell lines are frequently used as model systems to study the cellular properties and biology of breast cancer. Our objective was to characterize a large, commonly employed panel of breast cancer cell lines obtained from the American Type Culture Collection (ATCC 30-4500 K) to enable researchers to make more informed decisions in selecting cell lines for specific studies. Information about these cell lines was obtained from a wide variety of sources. In addition, new information about cellular pathways that are activated within each cell line was generated. We determined key protein expression data using immunoblot analyses. In addition, two analyses on serum-starved cells were carried out to identify cellular proteins and pathways that are activated in these cells. These analyses were performed using a commercial PathScan array and a novel and more extensive phosphopeptide-based kinome analysis that queries 1290 phosphorylation events in major signaling pathways. Data about this panel of breast cancer cell lines was also accessed from several online sources, compiled and summarized for the following areas: molecular classification, mRNA expression, mutational status of key proteins and other possible cancer-associated mutations, and the tumorigenic and metastatic capacity in mouse xenograft models of breast cancer. The cell lines that were characterized included 10 estrogen receptor (ER)-positive, 12 human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-amplified and 18 triple negative breast cancer cell lines, in addition to 4 non-tumorigenic breast cell lines. Within each subtype, there was significant genetic heterogeneity that could impact both the selection of model cell lines and the interpretation of the results obtained. To capture the net activation of key signaling pathways as a result of these mutational combinations, profiled pathway activation status was examined. This provided further clarity for which cell lines were particularly deregulated

  5. A Different Perspective: How Much Innovation Is Really Needed for Monoclonal Antibody Production Using Mammalian Cell Technology?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kelley, Brian; Kiss, Robert; Laird, Michael

    2018-05-03

    As biopharmaceutical companies have optimized cell line and production culture process development, titers of recombinant antibodies have risen steadily to 3-8 g/L for fed-batch mammalian cultures at production scales of 10 kL or larger. Most new antibody products are produced from Chinese Hamster Ovary (CHO) cell lines, and there are relatively few alternative production hosts under active evaluation. Many companies have adopted a strategy of using the same production cell line for early clinical phases as well as commercial production, which reduces the risk of product comparability issues during the development lifecycle. Product quality and consistency expectations rest on the platform knowledge of the CHO host cell line and processes used for the production of many licensed antibodies. The lack of impact of low-level product variants common to this platform on product safety and efficacy also builds on the established commercial history of recombinant antibodies, which dates back to 1997.Efforts to increase titers further will likely yield diminishing returns. Very few products would benefit significantly from a titer greater than 8 g/L; in many cases, a downstream processing bottleneck would preclude full recovery from production-scale bioreactors for high titer processes. The benefits of a process platform based on standard fed-batch production culture include predictable scale-up, process transfer, and production within a company's manufacturing network or at a contract manufacturing organization. Furthermore, the confidence in an established platform provides key support towards regulatory flexibility (e.g., design space) for license applications following a quality-by-design strategy.These factors suggest that novel technologies for antibody production may not provide a substantial return on investment. What, then, should be the focus of future process development efforts for companies that choose to launch antibody products using their current

  6. Efficient secretion of small proteins in mammalian cells relies on Sec62-dependent posttranslational translocation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lakkaraju, Asvin K. K.; Thankappan, Ratheeshkumar; Mary, Camille; Garrison, Jennifer L.; Taunton, Jack; Strub, Katharina

    2012-01-01

    Mammalian cells secrete a large number of small proteins, but their mode of translocation into the endoplasmic reticulum is not fully understood. Cotranslational translocation was expected to be inefficient due to the small time window for signal sequence recognition by the signal recognition particle (SRP). Impairing the SRP pathway and reducing cellular levels of the translocon component Sec62 by RNA interference, we found an alternate, Sec62-dependent translocation path in mammalian cells required for the efficient translocation of small proteins with N-terminal signal sequences. The Sec62-dependent translocation occurs posttranslationally via the Sec61 translocon and requires ATP. We classified preproteins into three groups: 1) those that comprise ≤100 amino acids are strongly dependent on Sec62 for efficient translocation; 2) those in the size range of 120–160 amino acids use the SRP pathway, albeit inefficiently, and therefore rely on Sec62 for efficient translocation; and 3) those larger than 160 amino acids depend on the SRP pathway to preserve a transient translocation competence independent of Sec62. Thus, unlike in yeast, the Sec62-dependent translocation pathway in mammalian cells serves mainly as a fail-safe mechanism to ensure efficient secretion of small proteins and provides cells with an opportunity to regulate secretion of small proteins independent of the SRP pathway. PMID:22648169

  7. The human leukocyte antigen G promotes trophoblast fusion and β-hCG production through the Erk1/2 pathway in human choriocarcinoma cell lines

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wang, Ji-meng [School of Medicine, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071 (China); State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101 (China); Zhao, Hong-xi [Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tangdu Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an 710038 (China); Wang, Li [Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, General Hospital of Chinese People’s Liberation Army, Beijing 100853 (China); Gao, Zhi-ying, E-mail: gaozy301@yahoo.com.cn [Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, General Hospital of Chinese People’s Liberation Army, Beijing 100853 (China); Yao, Yuan-qing, E-mail: yqyao@126.com [Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, General Hospital of Chinese People’s Liberation Army, Beijing 100853 (China)

    2013-05-10

    Highlights: •HLA-G expression promotes BeWo cells fusion and fusogenic gene expression. •HLA-G is capable of inducing β-hCG production in human choriocarcinoma cell lines. •Up-regulation of β-hCG production by HLA-G is mediated via the Erk1/2 pathway. -- Abstract: The human leukocyte antigen G (HLA-G) is expressed on the fetal–maternal interface and plays a role in protecting fetal-derived trophoblasts from the maternal immune response, allowing trophoblasts to invade the uterus. However, HLA-G also possesses immune suppressing-independent functions. We found that HLA-G expressing BeWo choriocarcinoma cells increased cell–cell fusion compared to control BeWo cells under forskolin treatment. Regardless of forskolin treatment, the expression of fusogenic gene mRNAs, including syncytin-1, the transcription factor glial cell missing 1 (Gcm1), and beta human chorionic gonadotropin (β-hCG) were elevated. HLA-G up-regulates β-hCG production in human choriocarcinoma cells because HLA-G knockdown in JEG-3 cells induces a dramatic decrease in β-hCG compared with control cells. The defect in β-hCG production in HLA-G knocked-down cells could not be completely overcome by stimulating hCG production through increasing intracellular cAMP levels. HLA-G expressing cells have increased phosphorylation levels for extracellular signal-regulated kinase1/2 (Erk1/2) in BeWo cells. The Erk1/2 pathway is inactivated after the inhibition of HLA-G expression in JEG-3 cells. Finally, Erk1/2 inhibition was able to suppress the increased hCG production induced by HLA-G expression. Together, these data suggest novel roles for HLA-G in regulating β-hCG production via the modulation of the Erk1/2 pathway and by inducing trophoblast cell fusion.

  8. Expression pattern of matrix metalloproteinases in human gynecological cancer cell lines

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Schröpfer, Andrea; Kammerer, Ulrike; Kapp, Michaela; Dietl, Johannes; Feix, Sonja; Anacker, Jelena

    2010-01-01

    Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are involved in the degradation of protein components of the extracellular matrix and thus play an important role in tumor invasion and metastasis. Their expression is related to the progression of gynecological cancers (e.g. endometrial, cervical or ovarian carcinoma). In this study we investigated the expression pattern of the 23 MMPs, currently known in humans, in different gynecological cancer cell lines. In total, cell lines from three endometrium carcinomas (Ishikawa, HEC-1-A, AN3 CA), three cervical carcinomas (HeLa, Caski, SiHa), three chorioncarcinomas (JEG, JAR, BeWo), two ovarian cancers (BG-1, OAW-42) and one teratocarcinoma (PA-1) were examined. The expression of MMPs was analyzed by RT-PCR, Western blot and gelatin zymography. We demonstrated that the cell lines examined can constitutively express a wide variety of MMPs on mRNA and protein level. While MMP-2, -11, -14 and -24 were widely expressed, no expression was seen for MMP-12, -16, -20, -25, -26, -27 in any of the cell lines. A broad range of 16 MMPs could be found in the PA1 cells and thus this cell line could be used as a positive control for general MMP experiments. While the three cervical cancer cell lines expressed 10-14 different MMPs, the median expression in endometrial and choriocarcinoma cells was 7 different enzymes. The two investigated ovarian cancer cell lines showed a distinctive difference in the number of expressed MMPs (2 vs. 10). Ishikawa, Caski, OAW-42 and BeWo cell lines could be the best choice for all future experiments on MMP regulation and their role in endometrial, cervical, ovarian or choriocarcinoma development, whereas the teratocarcinoma cell line PA1 could be used as a positive control for general MMP experiments

  9. Biological and Molecular Effects of Small Molecule Kinase Inhibitors on Low-Passage Human Colorectal Cancer Cell Lines

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Falko Lange

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Low-passage cancer cell lines are versatile tools to study tumor cell biology. Here, we have employed four such cell lines, established from primary tumors of colorectal cancer (CRC patients, to evaluate effects of the small molecule kinase inhibitors (SMI vemurafenib, trametinib, perifosine, and regorafenib in an in vitro setting. The mutant BRAF (V600E/V600K inhibitor vemurafenib, but also the MEK1/2 inhibitor trametinib efficiently inhibited DNA synthesis, signaling through ERK1/2 and expression of genes downstream of ERK1/2 in BRAF mutant cells only. In case of the AKT inhibitor perifosine, three cell lines showed a high or intermediate responsiveness to the drug while one cell line was resistant. The multikinase inhibitor regorafenib inhibited proliferation of all CRC lines with similar efficiency and independent of the presence or absence of KRAS, BRAF, PIK3CA, and TP53 mutations. Regorafenib action was associated with broad-range inhibitory effects at the level of gene expression but not with a general inhibition of AKT or MEK/ERK signaling. In vemurafenib-sensitive cells, the antiproliferative effect of vemurafenib was enhanced by the other SMI. Together, our results provide insights into the determinants of SMI efficiencies in CRC cells and encourage the further use of low-passage CRC cell lines as preclinical models.

  10. Comparison of radiosensitivity between human hematopoietic cell lines derived from patients with Down's syndrome and from normal persons

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Huang, C.C.; Banerjee, A.; Tan, J.C.; Hou, Y.

    1977-01-01

    Seven hematopoietic cell lines, four derived from the peripheral blood of patients with Down's syndrome (DS) and three from normal persons, were irradiated with 100, 150, 300, and 500 rads from a 60 Co source and harvested for cell count and chromosome aberration studies every 12 hours for 72 hours post irradiation. Cell growth inhibition and an increase in chromosome aberration were observed in all the cell lines at each dose level and time interval. No significant difference was observed in the effects between DS and normal cell lines. The most common types of aberrations in the 12-hour samples were chromosome and/or chromatid breaks. In the later samples, chromatid exchanges were predominant. The results of the variance analyses on the induced chromosome aberrations in six lines (three DS and three normal lines) showed radiation dosage to be the largest component of total variance, following postirradiation duration and cell lines. The samples harvested 24 and 36 hours post irradiation generally showed greater effects than the samples of other harvest durations. The cell line variance could only be attributed to the differences among and between individual cell lines rather than the difference between DS and normal cell lines

  11. ERK1/2 signalling pathway is involved in CD147-mediated gastric cancer cell line SGC7901 proliferation and invasion.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Liping; Pan, Yuqin; Gu, Ling; Nie, Zhenlin; He, Bangshun; Song, Guoqi; Li, Rui; Xu, Yeqiong; Gao, Tianyi; Wang, Shukui

    2013-08-01

    This study aimed to investigate the role of CD147 in the progression of gastric cancer and the signalling pathway involved in CD147-mediated gastric cancer cell line SGC7901 proliferation and invasion. Short hairpin RNA (shRNA) expression vectors targeting CD147 were constructed to silence CD147, and the expression of CD147 was monitored by quantitative realtime reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction and Western blot and further confirmed by immunohistochemistry in vivo. Cell proliferation was determined by Cell Counting Kit-8 assay, the activities of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 and MMP-9 were determined by gelatin zymography, and the invasion of SGC7901 was determined by invasion assay. The phosphorylation and non-phosphorylation of the mitogen-activated protein kinases, extracellular signal-regulated kinase1/2 (ERK1/2), P38 and c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase were examined by Western blot. Additionally, the ERK1/2 inhibitor U0126 were used to confirm the signalling pathway involved in CD147-mediated SGC7901 progression. The BALB/c nude mice were used to study tumour progression in vivo. The results revealed that CD147 silencing inhibited the proliferation and invasion of SGC7901 cells, and down-regulated the activities of MMP-2 and MMP-9 and the phosphorylation of the ERK1/2 in SGC7901 cells. ERK1/2 inhibitor U0126 decreased the proliferation, and invasion of SGC7901 cells, and down-regulated the MMP-2 and MMP-9 activities. In a nude mouse model of subcutaneous xenografts, the tumour volume was significantly smaller in the SGC7901/shRNA group compared to the SGC7901 and SGC7901/snc-RNA group. Immunohistochemistry analysis showed that CD147 and p-ERK1/2 protein expressions were down-regulated in the SGC7901/shRNA2 group compared to the SGC7901 and SGC7901/snc-RNA group. These results suggest that ERK1/2 pathway involves in CD147-mediated gastric cancer growth and invasion. These findings further highlight the importance of CD147 in cancer progression

  12. Lack of radiation protective effect of orgotein in normal and malignant mammalian cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Overgaard, J.; Nielsen, O.S.; Overgaard, M.; Steenholdt, S.; Jakobsen, A.; Sell, A.

    1979-01-01

    The potential radiation protective effect of orgotein, a metalloprotein with superoxide dismutase activity, was investigated in L 1 A 2 tumour cells in vitro, jejunal crypt cells and C 3 H mouse mammary carcinoma in vivo. No effect of orgotein, given either 2 hours before irradiation or 30 min after, was observed compared to the effect of irradiation alone. Thus, it was concluded that orgotein did not influence the primary radiation response in air in mammalian cells. (Auth.)

  13. Huh-7 cell line as an alternative cultural model for the production of human like erythropoietin (EPO

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kausar Humera

    2011-11-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background and Aims Erythropoietin (EPO is a glycoprotein hormone which is required to regulate the production of red blood cells. Deficiency of EPO is known to cause anemia in chronically infected renal patients and they require regular blood transfusion. Availability of recombinant EPO has eliminated the need for blood transfusion and now it is extensively used for the treatment of anemia. Glycosylation of erythropoietin is essential for its secretion, stability, protein conformation and biological activity. However, maintenance of human like glycosylation pattern during manufacturing of EPO is a major challenge in biotechnology. Currently, Chinese hamster ovary (CHO cell line is used for the commercial production of erythropoietin but this cell line does not maintain glycosylation resembling human system. With the trend to eliminate non-human constituent from biopharmaceutical products, as a preliminary approach, we have investigated the potential of human hepatoma cell line (Huh-7 to produce recombinant EPO. Materials and methods Initially, the secretory signal and Kozak sequences was added before the EPO mature protein sequence using overlap extension PCR technique. PCR-amplified cDNA fragments of EPO was inserted into mammalian expression vector under the control of the cytomegalovirus (CMV promoter and transiently expressed in CHO and Huh-7 cell lines. After RT-PCR analysis, ELISA and Western blotting was performed to verify the immunochemical properties of secreted EPO. Results Addition of secretory signal and Kozak sequence facilitated the extra-cellular secretion and enhanced the expression of EPO protein. Significant expression (P Conclusion Huh-7 cell line has a great potential to produce glycosylated EPO, suggesting the use of this cell line to produce glycoproteins of the therapeutic importance resembling to the natural human system.

  14. Synthetic biology in mammalian cells: Next generation research tools and therapeutics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lienert, Florian; Lohmueller, Jason J; Garg, Abhishek; Silver, Pamela A

    2014-01-01

    Recent progress in DNA manipulation and gene circuit engineering has greatly improved our ability to programme and probe mammalian cell behaviour. These advances have led to a new generation of synthetic biology research tools and potential therapeutic applications. Programmable DNA-binding domains and RNA regulators are leading to unprecedented control of gene expression and elucidation of gene function. Rebuilding complex biological circuits such as T cell receptor signalling in isolation from their natural context has deepened our understanding of network motifs and signalling pathways. Synthetic biology is also leading to innovative therapeutic interventions based on cell-based therapies, protein drugs, vaccines and gene therapies. PMID:24434884

  15. De novo CpG methylation on an artificial chromosome-like vector maintained for a long-term in mammalian cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nishioka, Keisuke; Kishida, Tsunao; Masui, Shinji; Mazda, Osam

    2016-04-01

    To examine whether an autonomously replicating, artificial chromosome-like vector containing a long genomic DNA sequence (namely, Epigenosome-Nanog) undergoes de novo CpG methylation after maintenance in cultured cells for more than a half year. Epigenosome-Nanog efficiently replicated in iPS cells after transfection. In HeLa and C2C12 cells Epigenosome-Nanog was stably maintained for more than eight months. The CpG methylation occurred de novo at the Nanog gene promoter region on the epigenosome in C2C12 cells but the degrees of methylation were much lower than those at the same CpG sites on the chromosomes. Among the four CpG sites at the region, the upstream two CpGs underwent methylation in a correlated manner while methylation at the downstream two CpGs was also correlated to each other, and these correlations were commonly shared between the epigenosome and the chromosome. CpG methylation thus was not solely dependent on the nucleotide sequence at the DNA locus. The epigenosome may become a useful tool to study the mechanisms of epigenetic regulation of a genetic region of interest in mammalian cells.

  16. Glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor and endothelial cells promote self-renewal of rabbit germ cells with spermatogonial stem cell properties.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kubota, Hiroshi; Wu, Xin; Goodyear, Shaun M; Avarbock, Mary R; Brinster, Ralph L

    2011-08-01

    Previous studies suggest that exogenous factors crucial for spermatogonial stem cell (SSC) self-renewal are conserved among several mammalian species. Since glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) and fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF2) are critical for rodent SSC self-renewal, we hypothesized that they might promote self-renewal of nonrodent SSCs. Therefore, we cultured testicular germ cells from prepubertal rabbits in the presence of GDNF and FGF2 and found they proliferated indefinitely as cellular clumps that displayed characteristics previously identified for rodent SSCs. The rabbit germ cells could not be maintained on mouse embryonic fibroblast (STO) feeders that support rodent SSC self-renewal in vitro but were rather supported on mouse yolk sac-derived endothelial cell (C166) feeder layers. Proliferation of rabbit germ cells was dependent on GDNF. Of critical importance was that clump-forming rabbit germ cells colonized seminiferous tubules of immunodeficient mice, proliferated for at least 6 mo, while retaining an SSC phenotype in the testes of recipient mice, indicating that they were rabbit SSCs. This study demonstrates that GDNF is a mitogenic factor promoting self-renewal that is conserved between rodent and rabbit SSCs; with an evolutionary separation of ∼ 60 million years. These findings provide a foundation to study the mechanisms governing SSC self-renewal in nonrodent species.

  17. Chromosomal damages and mutagenesis in mammalian and human cells induced by ionizing radiations with different LET

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Govorun, R.D.

    1997-01-01

    On the basis of literature and proper data the inference was made about essential role of structural chromosomal (and gene) damages in spontaneous and radiation-induced mutagenesis of mammalian and human cells on HPRT-loci. The evidences of increasing role of these damages in the mutagenesis after the influence of ionizing radiations with high LET are adduced. The consequences of HPRT-gene damages have been examined hypothetically. The geterogeneity of mutant subclones on their cytogenetical properties were revealed experimentally. The data reflect a phenomenon of the reproductive chromosomal instability in many generations of mutant cell. The mutagenesis of mammalian cells is also accompanied by the impairment of chromosome integrity with high probability as a stage of appropriate genome reorganization because of changed vital conditions

  18. Effect of alpha-tocopherol and alpha-tocopheryl quinone on the radiosensitivity of thiol-depleted mammalian cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hodgkiss, R.J.; Stratford, M.R.; Watfa, R.R.

    1989-01-01

    The effect of hypoxic cell radiosensitizers is increased when mammalian cells are depleted of endogenous glutathione by buthionine sulphoximine pre-treatment in vitro; a similar gain has not been observed in tumors in vivo despite evidence of glutathione depletion in vivo following buthionine sulphoximine treatment. However, concentrations of biological reducing agents other than glutathione were not measured in the in vivo experiments. Other reducing agents found in tumors include alpha-tocopherol, which reduces the sensitizing efficiency of nitro-aromatic sensitizers in thiol-depleted mammalian cells. These data suggest that the failure to observe large gains in misonidazole sensitizing efficiency in thiol-depleted tumors in vivo may be due, in part, to the presence of biological reducing agents such as alpha-tocopherol

  19. Arthritis by autoreactive T cell lines obtained from rats after injection of intestinal bacterial cell wall fragments

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    I. Klasen (Ina); J. Kool (Jeanette); M.J. Melief (Marie-José); I. Loeve (I.); W.B. van den Berg (Wim); A.J. Severijnen; M.P.H. Hazenberg (Maarten)

    1992-01-01

    markdownabstract__Abstract__ T cell lines (B13, B19) were isolated from the lymph nodes of Lewis rats 12 days after an arthritogenic injection of cell wall fragments of Eubacterium aerofaciens (ECW), a major resident of the human intestinal flora. These cell wall fragments consist of

  20. Identification of proteins sensitive to thermal stress in human neuroblastoma and glioma cell lines.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Guilian Xu

    Full Text Available Heat-shock is an acute insult to the mammalian proteome. The sudden elevation in temperature has far-reaching effects on protein metabolism, leads to a rapid inhibition of most protein synthesis, and the induction of protein chaperones. Using heat-shock in cells of neuronal (SH-SY5Y and glial (CCF-STTG1 lineage, in conjunction with detergent extraction and sedimentation followed by LC-MS/MS proteomic approaches, we sought to identify human proteins that lose solubility upon heat-shock. The two cell lines showed largely overlapping profiles of proteins detected by LC-MS/MS. We identified 58 proteins in detergent insoluble fractions as losing solubility in after heat shock; 10 were common between the 2 cell lines. A subset of the proteins identified by LC-MS/MS was validated by immunoblotting of similarly prepared fractions. Ultimately, we were able to definitively identify 3 proteins as putatively metastable neural proteins; FEN1, CDK1, and TDP-43. We also determined that after heat-shock these cells accumulate insoluble polyubiquitin chains largely linked via lysine 48 (K-48 residues. Collectively, this study identifies human neural proteins that lose solubility upon heat-shock. These proteins may represent components of the human proteome that are vulnerable to misfolding in settings of proteostasis stress.

  1. Designed Transcriptional Regulation in Mammalian Cells Based on TALE- and CRISPR/dCas9.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lebar, Tina; Jerala, Roman

    2018-01-01

    Transcriptional regulation lies at the center of many cellular processes and is the result of cellular response to different external and internal signals. Control of transcription of selected genes enables an unprecedented access to shape the cellular response. While orthogonal transcription factors from bacteria, yeast, plants, or other cells have been used to introduce new cellular logic into mammalian cells, the discovery of designable modular DNA binding domains, such as Transcription Activator-Like Effectors (TALEs) and the CRISPR system, enable targeting of almost any selected DNA sequence. Fusion or conditional association of DNA targeting domain with transcriptional effector domains enables controlled regulation of almost any endogenous or ectopic gene. Moreover, the designed regulators can be linked into genetic circuits to implement complex responses, such as different types of Boolean functions and switches. In this chapter, we describe the protocols for achieving efficient transcriptional regulation with TALE- and CRISPR-based designed transcription factors in mammalian cells.

  2. Maslinic acid inhibits proliferation of renal cell carcinoma cell lines and suppresses angiogenesis of endothelial cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Parth Thakor

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available Despite the introduction of many novel therapeutics in clinical practice, metastatic renal cell carcinoma (RCC remains a treatment-re-sistant cancer. As red and processed meat are considered risk factors for RCC, and a vegetable-rich diet is thought to reduce this risk, research into plant-based therapeutics may provide valuable complementary or alternative therapeutics for the management of RCC. Herein, we present the antiproliferative and antiangiogenic effects of maslinic acid, which occurs naturally in edible plants, particularly in olive fruits, and also in a variety of medicinal plants. Human RCC cell lines (ACHN, Caki-1, and SN12K1, endothelial cells (human umbilical vein endothelial cell line [HUVEC], and primary cultures of kidney proximal tubular epithelial cells (PTEC were treated with maslinic acid. Maslinic acid was relatively less toxic to PTEC when compared with RCC under similar experimental conditions. In RCC cell lines, maslinic acid induced a significant reduction in proliferation, proliferating cell nuclear antigen, and colony formation. In HUVEC, maslinic acid induced a significant reduction in capillary tube formation in vitro and vascular endothelial growth factor. This study provides a rationale for incorporating a maslinic acid–rich diet either to reduce the risk of developing kidney cancer or as an adjunct to existing antiangiogenic therapy to improve efficacy.

  3. Some important advances in DNA repair study on the mammalian cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Xia Shouxuan.

    1991-01-01

    In the recent years the study of DNA damage and repair in the mammalian cells has gone deeply at gene level and got the following advances: (1) For a long time DNA has been considered to be an uniform unit in case of damage and repair. Now this concept should be replaced by the non-random distribution of damage and heterogenous repair in the genome. These would allow us to study cellular mutagenesis, carcinogenesis, aging and dying processes in great detail, and would be beneficial to the elucidation of mechanisms of radiation sickness and chemical toxicology. (2) The advent of new techniques in molecular biology has made it possible to isolate and clone the human DNA repair genes. Up to now more than ten human DNA repair genes have been cloned and these works would have an important impact on the theoretical and practical study in this field. Because DNA repair system is very complicate, voluminous work should be done in the future. (3) The technique of gene transfer has been efficiently used in the study of DNA repair in mammalian cells and has made great contribution in the cellular engineering. It could modify the genetic behavior of the gene-accepting cells, and enhance the DNA repair ability to physical and chemical damages. Human gene therapy for DNA deficient diseases is now on the day

  4. Differentiation of mammalian skeletal muscle cells cultured on microcarrier beads in a rotating cell culture system

    Science.gov (United States)

    Torgan, C. E.; Burge, S. S.; Collinsworth, A. M.; Truskey, G. A.; Kraus, W. E.

    2000-01-01

    The growth and repair of adult skeletal muscle are due in part to activation of muscle precursor cells, commonly known as satellite cells or myoblasts. These cells are responsive to a variety of environmental cues, including mechanical stimuli. The overall goal of the research is to examine the role of mechanical signalling mechanisms in muscle growth and plasticity through utilisation of cell culture systems where other potential signalling pathways (i.e. chemical and electrical stimuli) are controlled. To explore the effects of decreased mechanical loading on muscle differentiation, mammalian myoblasts are cultured in a bioreactor (rotating cell culture system), a model that has been utilised to simulate microgravity. C2C12 murine myoblasts are cultured on microcarrier beads in a bioreactor and followed throughout differentiation as they form a network of multinucleated myotubes. In comparison with three-dimensional control cultures that consist of myoblasts cultured on microcarrier beads in teflon bags, myoblasts cultured in the bioreactor exhibit an attenuation in differentiation. This is demonstrated by reduced immunohistochemical staining for myogenin and alpha-actinin. Western analysis shows a decrease, in bioreactor cultures compared with control cultures, in levels of the contractile proteins myosin (47% decrease, p < 0.01) and tropomyosin (63% decrease, p < 0.01). Hydrodynamic measurements indicate that the decrease in differentiation may be due, at least in part, to fluid stresses acting on the myotubes. In addition, constraints on aggregate size imposed by the action of fluid forces in the bioreactor affect differentiation. These results may have implications for muscle growth and repair during spaceflight.

  5. Amplification of the Ect2 proto-oncogene and over-expression of Ect2 mRNA and protein in nickel compound and methylcholanthrene-transformed 10T1/2 mouse fibroblast cell lines

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Clemens, Farrah; Verma, Rini; Ramnath, Jamuna; Landolph, Joseph R.

    2005-01-01

    Occupational exposure of humans to mixtures of insoluble and soluble nickel (Ni) compounds correlates with increased incidences of lung, sinus, and pharyngeal tumors. Specific insoluble Ni compounds are carcinogenic to animals by inhalation and induce morphological and neoplastic transformation of cultured rodent cells. Our objectives were to (1) understand mechanisms of nickel ion-induced cell transformation, hence carcinogenesis and (2) develop biomarkers of nickel ion exposure and nickel ion-induced cell transformation. We isolated mRNAs from green nickel oxide (NiO), crystalline nickel monosulfide (NiS), and 3-methylcholanthrene (MCA) transformed C3H/10T1/2 Cl 8 cell lines, and determined by mRNA differential display that nine mRNA fragments were differentially expressed between Ni transformed and non-transformed 10T1/2 cell lines. Fragment R2-5 was expressed at higher steady-state levels in the transformed cell lines. R2-5 had 100% sequence identity to part of the coding region of Ect2, a mouse proto-oncogene encoding a GDP-GTP exchange factor. The 3.9-kb Ect2 transcript was expressed at 1.6- to 3.6-fold higher steady-state levels in four Ni transformed, and in two MCA-transformed, cell lines. Ect2 protein was expressed at 3.0- to 4.5-fold higher steady-state levels in Ni-transformed and in MCA-transformed cell lines. The Ect2 gene was amplified by 3.5- to 10-fold in Ni transformed, and by 2.5- to 3-fold in MCA transformed cell lines. Binding of nickel ions to enzymes of DNA synthesis likely caused amplification of the Ect2 gene. Ect2 gene amplification and over-expression of Ect2 mRNA and protein can cause microtubule disassembly and cytokinesis, contributing to induction and maintenance of morphological, anchorage-independent, and neoplastic transformation of these cell lines. Over-expression of Ect2 protein is a useful biomarker to detect exposure to nickel compounds and nickel ion-induced morphological and neoplastic cell transformation

  6. The impact of locally multiply damaged sites (LMDS) induced by ionizing radiation in mammalian cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Averbeck, D.; Boucher, D.

    2006-01-01

    Monte Carlo calculations have shown that ionising radiations produce a specific type of clustered cell damage called locally multiply damaged sites or LMDS. These lesions consist of closely positioned single-strand breaks, (oxidative) base damage and DNA double-strand breaks (DSB) in between one helical turn of DNA. As specific markers of radiation-induced damage these lesions are likely to condition biological responses and are thus of great interest for radiation protection. Calculations indicate that there should be more LMDS induced by high than by low LET radiation, and they should be absent in un-irradiated cells. Processes like K-shell activation and local Auger electron emission can be expected to add complex DSB or LMDS, producing significant chromosomal damage. In the discussion of the specificity of ionising radiation in comparison to other genotoxic agents, many arguments have been put forward that these lesions should be particularly deleterious for living cells. Complex lesions of that type should represent big obstacles for DNA repair and give rise to high lethality. Moreover, cellular attempts to repair them could accentuate harm, leading to mutations, genetic instability and cancer. In vitro experiments with oligonucleotides containing an artificially introduced set of base damage and SSB in different combinations have shown that depending on the close positioning of the damage on DNA, repair enzymes, and even whole cell extracts, are unable to repair properly and may stimulate mis-repair. Pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) in conjunction with enzymatic treatments has been used to detect LMDS in mammalian cells after high and low LET radiation. In order to further define the importance of LMDS for radiation induced cellular responses, we studied the induction of LMDS as a function of radiation dose and dose rate in mammalian cells (CHO and MRC5) using 137 Cs gamma-radiation. Using PFGE and specific glycosylases to convert oxidative damage into

  7. The impact of locally multiply damaged sites (LMDS) induced by ionizing radiation in mammalian cells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Averbeck, D.; Boucher, D. [Institut Curie-Section de Recherche, UMR2027 CNRS, LCR-V28 du CEA, Centre Universitaire, 91405 Orsay Cedex (France)

    2006-07-01

    Monte Carlo calculations have shown that ionising radiations produce a specific type of clustered cell damage called locally multiply damaged sites or LMDS. These lesions consist of closely positioned single-strand breaks, (oxidative) base damage and DNA double-strand breaks (DSB) in between one helical turn of DNA. As specific markers of radiation-induced damage these lesions are likely to condition biological responses and are thus of great interest for radiation protection. Calculations indicate that there should be more LMDS induced by high than by low LET radiation, and they should be absent in un-irradiated cells. Processes like K-shell activation and local Auger electron emission can be expected to add complex DSB or LMDS, producing significant chromosomal damage. In the discussion of the specificity of ionising radiation in comparison to other genotoxic agents, many arguments have been put forward that these lesions should be particularly deleterious for living cells. Complex lesions of that type should represent big obstacles for DNA repair and give rise to high lethality. Moreover, cellular attempts to repair them could accentuate harm, leading to mutations, genetic instability and cancer. In vitro experiments with oligonucleotides containing an artificially introduced set of base damage and SSB in different combinations have shown that depending on the close positioning of the damage on DNA, repair enzymes, and even whole cell extracts, are unable to repair properly and may stimulate mis-repair. Pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) in conjunction with enzymatic treatments has been used to detect LMDS in mammalian cells after high and low LET radiation. In order to further define the importance of LMDS for radiation induced cellular responses, we studied the induction of LMDS as a function of radiation dose and dose rate in mammalian cells (CHO and MRC5) using {sup 137}Cs gamma-radiation. Using PFGE and specific glycosylases to convert oxidative damage

  8. Modulation of cholinephosphotransferase activity in breast cancer cell lines by Ro5-4864, a peripheral benzodiazepine receptor agonist

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Akech, Jacqueline; Roy, Somdutta Sinha; Das, Salil K.

    2005-01-01

    Changes in phospholipid and fatty acid profile are hallmarks of cancer progression. Increase in peripheral benzodiazepine receptor expression has been implicated in breast cancer. The benzodiazepine, Ro5-4864, increases cell proliferation in some breast cancer cell lines. Biosynthesis of phosphatidylcholine (PC) has been identified as a marker for cells proliferating at high rates. Cholinephosphotransferase (CPT) is the terminal enzyme for the de novo biosynthesis of PC. We have addressed here whether Ro5-4864 facilitates some cancer causing mechanisms in breast cancer. We report that cell proliferation increases exponentially in aggressive breast cancer cell lines 11-9-1-4 and BT-549 when treated with nanomolar concentrations of Ro5-4864. This increase is seen within 24 h of treatment, consistent with the cell doubling time in these cells. Ro5-4864 also upregulates c-fos expression in breast cancer cell lines 11-9-1-4 and BT-549, while expression in non-tumorigenic cell line MCF-12A was either basal or slightly downregulated. We further examined the expression of the CPT gene in breast cancer (11-9-1-4, BT-549) and non-tumorigenic cell lines (MCF-12A, MCF-12F). We found that the CPT gene is overexpressed in breast cancer cell lines compared to the non-tumorigenic cell lines. Furthermore, the activity of CPT in forming PC is increased in the breast cancer cell lines cultured for 24 h. Additionally, we examined the CPT activity in the presence of nanomolar concentrations of Ro5-4864. Biosynthesis of PC was increased in breast cancer cell lines upon treatment. We therefore propose that Ro5-4864 facilitates PC formation, a process important in membrane biogenesis for proliferating cells

  9. An Evolutionary-Conserved Function of Mammalian Notch Family Members as Cell Adhesion Molecules

    Science.gov (United States)

    Murata, Akihiko; Yoshino, Miya; Hikosaka, Mari; Okuyama, Kazuki; Zhou, Lan; Sakano, Seiji; Yagita, Hideo; Hayashi, Shin-Ichi

    2014-01-01

    Notch family members were first identified as cell adhesion molecules by cell aggregation assays in Drosophila studies. However, they are generally recognized as signaling molecules, and it was unclear if their adhesion function was restricted to Drosophila. We previously demonstrated that a mouse Notch ligand, Delta-like 1 (Dll1) functioned as a cell adhesion molecule. We here investigated whether this adhesion function was conserved in the diversified mammalian Notch ligands consisted of two families, Delta-like (Dll1, Dll3 and Dll4) and Jagged (Jag1 and Jag2). The forced expression of mouse Dll1, Dll4, Jag1, and Jag2, but not Dll3, on stromal cells induced the rapid and enhanced adhesion of cultured mast cells (MCs). This was attributed to the binding of Notch1 and Notch2 on MCs to each Notch ligand on the stromal cells themselves, and not the activation of Notch signaling. Notch receptor-ligand binding strongly supported the tethering of MCs to stromal cells, the first step of cell adhesion. However, the Jag2-mediated adhesion of MCs was weaker and unlike other ligands appeared to require additional factor(s) in addition to the receptor-ligand binding. Taken together, these results demonstrated that the function of cell adhesion was conserved in mammalian as well as Drosophila Notch family members. Since Notch receptor-ligand interaction plays important roles in a broad spectrum of biological processes ranging from embryogenesis to disorders, our finding will provide a new perspective on these issues from the aspect of cell adhesion. PMID:25255288

  10. Generation of a human immunodeficiency virus type 1 chronically infected monkey B cell line expressing low levels of endogenous TRIM5alpha.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ridolfi, Barbara; Catone, Stefania; Sgarbanti, Marco; Sernicola, Leonardo; Battistini, Angela; Parolin, Cristina; Titti, Fausto; Borsetti, Alessandra

    2009-12-01

    Several innate cellular antiviral factors exist in mammalian cells that prevent the replication of retroviruses. Among them, the tripartite motif protein (TRIM)5alpha has been shown to block human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection in several types of Old World monkey cells. Here we report a novel HIV-1 chronically infected monkey B cell line, F6/HIV-1, characterized by very low levels of TRIM5alpha expression that allows HIV-1 to overcome the restriction. Virus produced by F6/HIV-1 cells fails to infect monkey cells but retains the ability to infect human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and T cell lines, although with a reduced infectivity compared to the input virus. Ultrastructural analyses revealed the presence of budding virions at the F6/HIV-1 cells plasma membrane characterized by a typical conical core shell. To our knowledge F6/HIV-1 is the first monkey cell line chronically infected by HIV-1 and able to release infectious particles thus representing a useful tool to gain further insights into the molecular mechanisms of HIV-1 pathogenesis.

  11. Establishment and characterization of a novel osteosarcoma cell line: CHOS.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Yunlu; Feng, Xiaobo; Zhang, Yukun; Jiang, Hongyan; Cai, Xianyi; Yan, Xinxin; Huang, Zengfa; Mo, Fengbo; Yang, Wen; Yang, Cao; Yang, Shuhua; Liu, Xianzhe

    2016-12-01

    Osteosarcoma has a well-recognized bimodal distribution, with the first peak in adolescence and another in the elderly age-group. The elderly patients have different clinical features and a poorer prognosis as compared to adolescents. To better understand the biological features of osteosarcoma in the elderly population, we established a new human osteosarcoma cell line from a 58-year-old man with primary chondroblastic osteosarcoma. After 6 months of continuous culture in vitro for over 50 passages, an immortalized cell line CHOS was established. The cell line was well-characterized by cytogenetic, biomarker, functional, and histological analyses. The CHOS cells exhibited a spindle-shaped morphology and a doubling time of 36 h. Cytogenetic analysis of CHOS cells revealed the loss of chromosome Y and the gain of chromosome 12. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), Western blotting and/or immunofluorescence revealed the expression of chondroblastic, mesenchymal and tumor metastasis markers in the CHOS cells. Compared with the osteosarcoma cell line, the CHOS cells were found to be more sensitive to cisplatin and doxorubicin, but were resistant to methotrexate. The cell line was highly tumorigenic and maintained the histological characteristics and invasive nature of the original tumor. Furthermore, on immunohistochemical analysis, the xenografts and metastases were found to co-express collagen II, aggrecan, vimentin and S100A4 that resembled the original tumor cells. Our results indicate, the potential of CHOS cell line to serve as a useful tool for further studies on the molecular biology of osteosarcoma, especially in the elderly patients. © 2016 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 34:2116-2125, 2016. © 2016 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  12. X-ray-sensitive mutants of Chinese hamster ovary cell line

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jeggo, P.A.; Kemp, L.M.

    1983-01-01

    A standard technique of microbial genetics, which involves the transfer of cells from single colonies by means of sterile toothpicks, has been adapted to somatic cell genetics. Its use has been demonstrated in the isolation of X-ray-sensitive mutants of CHO cells. 9000 colonies have been tested and 6 appreciably X-ray-sensitive mutants were isolated. (D 10 values 5-10-fold of wild-type D 10 value.) A further 6 mutants were obtained which showed a slight level of sensitivity (D 10 values less than 2-fold of wild-type D 10 value). The 6 more sensitive mutants were also sensitive to bleomycin, a chemotherapeutic agent inducing X-ray-like damage. Cross-sensitivity to UV-irradiation and treatment with the alkylating agents, MMS, EMS and MNNG, was investigated for these mutants. Some sensitivity to these other agents was observed, but in all cases it was less severe than the level of sensitivity to X-irradiation. Each mutant showed a different overall response to the spectrum of agents examined and these appear to represent new mutant phenotypes derived from cultured mammalian cell lines. One mutant strain, xrs-7, was cross-sensitive to all the DNA-damaging agents, but was proficient in the repair of single-strand breaks. (Auth.)

  13. Lack of radiation protective effect of orgotein in normal and malignant mammalian cells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Overgaard, J; Nielsen, O S; Overgaard, M; Steenholdt, S; Jakobsen, A; Sell, A [Institute of Cancer Research and The Department of Radiation Therapy and Oncology, The Radium Centre, Aarhus, Denmark

    1979-01-01

    The potential radiation protective effect of orgotein, a metalloprotein with superoxide dismutase activity, was investigated in L/sub 1/A/sub 2/ tumour cells in vitro, jejunal crypt cells and C/sub 3/H mouse mammary carcinoma in vivo. No effect of orgotein, given either 2 hours before irradiation or 30 min after, was observed compared to the effect of irradiation alone. Thus, it was concluded that orgotein did not influence the primary radiation response in air in mammalian cells.

  14. Impact of Eu(III) on mammalian cells as a function of its speciation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sachs, Susanne; Heller, Anne; Geipel, Gerhard; Bernhard, Gert [Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, Institute of Resource Ecology, Bautzner Landstr. 400, 01328 Dresden (Germany)

    2014-07-01

    In the case of the accidental release of long-lived radionuclides, e.g., actinides, into the environment, knowledge of their behavior in bio-systems is necessary to asses and to prevent radiological and chemical induced adverse health effects. This includes knowledge of the bioavailability and chemo-/radio-toxicity of these elements for/onto cells, which are governed to a large extent by their speciation [1,2]. In order to gain a better process understanding, we study the interaction of trivalent actinides/lanthanides with mammalian cells on a cellular level combining biochemical and analytical methods. Results of these studies can contribute to the estimation of low dose effects and the development of new decontamination strategies. The cellular tolerance of FaDu cells (human squamous cell carcinoma cell line) toward Eu(III) as an analog for trivalent actinides as well as its uptake into the cells has been studied as a function of the Eu(III) concentration and nutrient composition. To differentiate between chemo-toxic and radio-toxic effects of Eu(III), {sup 152}Eu (β{sup -}, ε) was applied as radioactive tracer besides europium with natural isotope composition. The Eu(III) speciation in the cell culture media has been investigated by time-resolved laser-induced fluorescence spectroscopy as well as by solubility studies in combination with ultrafiltration, ultracentrifugation, cation and anion analysis. These results are used to correlate cytotoxicity and uptake of Eu(III) on/into the cells with its chemical speciation in the nutrient. Presently, we are studying the interaction of Eu(III) with NRK-52E cells (rat kidney epithelial-like cells). The results of these studies will be discussed and compared to those obtained with FaDu cells. From the studies with FaDu cells it was concluded that the Eu(III) cytotoxicity onto these cells depends on the Eu(III) concentration and is influenced by its chemical speciation. This was also reported, for instance, for the

  15. Is ultraviolet enhanced reactivation of mammalian virus mutagenic

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bockstahler, L.E.; Hellman, K.B.; Cantwell, J.M.; Strickland, A.

    1981-01-01

    Ultraviolet enhanced reactivation consists of an increase in the survival of certain uv-irradiated mammalian viruses when assayed for infectivity in uv-irradiated host mammalian cells, as compared with unirradiated cells. In this report ultraviolet enhanced reactivation is described, and a review is presented of investigations from this and other laboratories to establish whether or not this process is mutagenic. The answer to this question may help establish if error-prone DNA repair is induced in irradiated mammalian cells. We approached the mutagenesis question by examining the phenotypic reversion of a uv-irradiated temperature sensitive mutant of Herpes simplex virus to wild type growth in uv-irradiated monkey kidney cells. Apparent reversion was observed in both irradiated and unirradiated cells. No correlation could be found between the extent of reversion and uv exposure to the cells. The conclusions from studies reported by other investigators using various mammalian virus mutagenesis systems are conflicting. It was generally agreed that viral mutagenesis occurs when irradiated virus is passaged through either irradiated or unexposed cells. However, in some studies it was found that the frequency of mutagenesis in irradiated cells was greater than that in unirradiated cells, while in other studies increased mutagenesis in irradiated cells was not observed

  16. The effect of taurine chloramine on human osteosarcoma cell-lines

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pilz, M.

    2010-01-01

    Osteosarcoma is the most frequent nonhaematogenic primary malignant tumor of the bone. The rather rare tumour occurs mainly in children and adolescents. This osteogenic tumour is a high-aggressive mesenchymal neoplasm typically producing osteoid. The surgical resection of the complete tumour must be carried out with wide or radical margins to prevent recurrence. Even though the combination of surgery with chemotherapy has noticeably improved the survival rate of osteosarcoma patients, the application of anticancer drugs is still associated with significant adverse reactions, for example the common acquisition of drug-resistant phenotypes, indicating the need of new chemotherapeutical substances. Taurine is a sulfur-containing β-amino acid, which is present in high concentrations in mammalian cells and plasma, in granulocytes and lymphocytes. Large quantities of taurine are released by stimulated neutrophiles and rapidly chlorinated by the reaction with hypochlorous acid (HOCl) generating taurine monochloramine (NCT). NCT is noted to play quite a few roles in the modulation of the immune response and sizeably decreases the production of plenty proinflammatory mediators from adherent as well as non-adherent leucocytes. NCT inhibits the intracellular transcription of nitric-oxide synthase and the production of nitric oxide and switches cell death from the less advantageous necrosis to the more physiologically beneficial apoptosis. Aim of this study was to research, if different concentrations of NCT are capable to induce apoptosis in the human osteosarcoma cell lines HOS, MG-63 and SAOS-2. Therefore the cell proliferation assay EZ4U, a fluorescence staining with acridine-orange, an ELISA for the detection of DNA-fragments and a JC-1 mitochondrial FACS-analysis were performed. The results of these four independent experiments show, that NCT has a pro-apoptotic effect on these osteosarcoma cell lines. (author) [de

  17. Silver Nanoparticle-Mediated Cellular Responses in Various Cell Lines: An in Vitro Model

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xi-Feng Zhang

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs have attracted increased interest and are currently used in various industries including medicine, cosmetics, textiles, electronics, and pharmaceuticals, owing to their unique physical and chemical properties, particularly as antimicrobial and anticancer agents. Recently, several studies have reported both beneficial and toxic effects of AgNPs on various prokaryotic and eukaryotic systems. To develop nanoparticles for mediated therapy, several laboratories have used a variety of cell lines under in vitro conditions to evaluate the properties, mode of action, differential responses, and mechanisms of action of AgNPs. In vitro models are simple, cost-effective, rapid, and can be used to easily assess efficacy and performance. The cytotoxicity, genotoxicity, and biocompatibility of AgNPs depend on many factors such as size, shape, surface charge, surface coating, solubility, concentration, surface functionalization, distribution of particles, mode of entry, mode of action, growth media, exposure time, and cell type. Cellular responses to AgNPs are different in each cell type and depend on the physical and chemical nature of AgNPs. This review evaluates significant contributions to the literature on biological applications of AgNPs. It begins with an introduction to AgNPs, with particular attention to their overall impact on cellular effects. The main objective of this review is to elucidate the reasons for different cell types exhibiting differential responses to nanoparticles even when they possess similar size, shape, and other parameters. Firstly, we discuss the cellular effects of AgNPs on a variety of cell lines; Secondly, we discuss the mechanisms of action of AgNPs in various cellular systems, and try to elucidate how AgNPs interact with different mammalian cell lines and produce significant effects; Finally, we discuss the cellular activation of various signaling molecules in response to AgNPs, and conclude with

  18. Specificity of chicken and mammalian transferrins in myogenesis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Beach, R.L.; Popiela, Heinz; Festoff, B.W.

    1985-01-01

    Chicken transferrins isolated from eggs, embryo extract, serum or ischiatic-peroneal nerves are able to stimulate incorporation of ( 3 H)thymidine, and promote myogenesis by primary chicken muscles cells in vitro. Mammalian transferrins (bovine, rat, mouse, horse, rabbit, and human) do not promote ( 3 H)thymidine incorporation or myotube development. Comparison of the peptide fragments obtained after chemical or limited proteolytic cleavage demonstrates that the four chicken transferrins are all indistinguishable, but they differ considerably from the mammalian transferrins. The structural differences between chicken and mammalian transferrins probably account for the inability of mammalian transferrins to act as mitogens for, and to support myogenesis of, primary chicken muscle cells. (author)

  19. Relationship Between Structure and Antiproliferative Activity of Novel 5-amino-4-cyanopyrazole-1-formaldehydehydrazono Derivatives on HL-60RG Human Leukemia Cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nagahara, Yukitoshi; Nagahara, Katsuhiko

    2017-11-01

    Pyrazole derivatives have been reported to have potent antimicrobial and anticancer activity. We recently synthesized and determined the effects of analogs, benzamidoxime derivatives, on mammalian cells and discovered that benzamidoximes had an antiproliferative effect. Here we synthesized and determined the anticancer effects of hydrazonopyrazole derivatives on a mammalian cancer cell line. We synthesized 12 hydrazonopyrazole derivatives with several constant alkyl chain length or branched chains at the side chain to investigate their anticancer cell activity, using the human myelogenous leukemia cell line HL-60RG. Among all hydrazonopyrazole derivatives we synthesized, the hydrazonopyrazole derivative with a branched chain at the side chain rather than a constant alkyl chain significantly inhibited cell viability. The strongest hydrazonopyrazole derivative, 5-amino-4-cyanopyrazole-1-formaldehydehydrazono-3'-pentanal, tended to damage cells dose-dependently. This cell growth attenuation was a result of apoptosis, activating caspase-3 and fragmented DNA. Hydrazonopyrazole derivatives induced apoptosis of HL-60RG leukemia cells. Copyright© 2017, International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. George J. Delinasios), All rights reserved.

  20. Carcinoma associated fibroblasts (CAFs) promote breast cancer motility by suppressing mammalian Diaphanous-related formin-2 (mDia2).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dvorak, Kaitlyn M; Pettee, Krista M; Rubinic-Minotti, Kaitlin; Su, Robin; Nestor-Kalinoski, Andrea; Eisenmann, Kathryn M

    2018-01-01

    The tumor microenvironment (TME) promotes tumor cell invasion and metastasis. An important step in the shift to a pro-cancerous microenvironment is the transformation of normal stromal fibroblasts to carcinoma-associated fibroblasts (CAFs). CAFs are present in a majority of solid tumors and can directly promote tumor cell motility via cytokine, chemokine and growth factor secretion into the TME. The exact effects that the TME has upon cytoskeletal regulation in motile tumor cells remain enigmatic. The conserved formin family of cytoskeleton regulating proteins plays an essential role in the assembly and/or bundling of unbranched actin filaments. Mammalian Diaphanous-related formin 2 (mDia2/DIAPH3/Drf3/Dia) assembles a dynamic F-actin cytoskeleton that underlies tumor cell migration and invasion. We therefore sought to understand whether CAF-derived chemokines impact breast tumor cell motility through modification of the formin-assembled F-actin cytoskeleton. In MDA-MB-231 cells, conditioned media (CM) from WS19T CAFs, a human breast tumor-adjacent CAF line, significantly and robustly increased wound closure and invasion relative to normal human mammary fibroblast (HMF)-CM. WS19T-CM also promoted proteasome-mediated mDia2 degradation in MDA-MB-231 cells relative to control HMF-CM and WS21T CAF-CM, a breast CAF cell line that failed to promote robust MDA-MB-231 migration. Cytokine array analysis of CM identified up-regulated secreted factors in WS19T relative to control WS21T CM. We identified CXCL12 as a CM factor influencing loss of mDia2 protein while increasing MDA-MB-231 cell migration. Our data suggest a mechanism whereby CAFs promote tumor cell migration and invasion through CXCL12 secretion to regulate the mDia2-directed cytoskeleton in breast tumor cells.

  1. Protection against UVA-induced photooxidative damage in mammalian cell lines expressing increased levels of metallothionein

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dudek, E.J.; Roth, R.M.

    1990-01-01

    Metallothionein (MT) is an endogenous low molecular weight protein that is inducible in a variety of eukaryotic cells and has the ability to selectivity bind heavy metal ions such as zinc and the cadmium. Although the exact physiological role of MT is still not understood, there is strong evidence that MT is involved in providing cellular resistance against the damaging effects of heavy metals and in the regulation of intracellular zinc and copper. Recently, it has been demonstrated that MT can scavenge radiation-induced reactive oxygen intermediates in vitro, specifically hydroxyl and superoxide radicals, and because of these observations it has been suggested that MT may provide protection against radiation-induced oxidative stress in vivo. Cell lines expressing increased levels of MT have demonstrated resistance to ionizing radiation, to ultraviolet radiation, and also to various DNA damaging agents including melphalan and cis-diaminedichloroplatinum. It is therefore important to gain some insight into the relationship between cellular MT content and cellular resistance to radiation and other DNA damaging agents. In this study we investigated the role of MT in providing protection against monochromatic 365-nm UVA radiation, which is known to generate intracellular reactive oxygen species that are involved in both DNA damage and cell killing. For this purpose, we used zinc acetate, a potent inducer of MT, to elevate MT levels in V79 Chinese hamster fibroblasts prior to UVA exposure and determined cell survival for uninduced and induced cultures. In order to eliminate any zinc effects other than MT induction, we also isolated and characterized cadmium chloride-resistant clones of V79 cells that have increased steady-state levels of both MT mRNA and protein, and we examined their survival characteristics against 365-nm radiation in the absence of zinc acetate. 14 refs., 3 figs

  2. Induction of cytoplasmic rods and rings structures by inhibition of the CTP and GTP synthetic pathway in mammalian cells.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wendy C Carcamo

    Full Text Available Cytoplasmic filamentous rods and rings (RR structures were identified using human autoantibodies as probes. In the present study, the formation of these conserved structures in mammalian cells and functions linked to these structures were examined.Distinct cytoplasmic rods (∼3-10 µm in length and rings (∼2-5 µm in diameter in HEp-2 cells were initially observed in immunofluorescence using human autoantibodies. Co-localization studies revealed that, although RR had filament-like features, they were not enriched in actin, tubulin, or vimentin, and not associated with centrosomes or other known cytoplasmic structures. Further independent studies revealed that two key enzymes in the nucleotide synthetic pathway cytidine triphosphate synthase 1 (CTPS1 and inosine monophosphate dehydrogenase 2 (IMPDH2 were highly enriched in RR. CTPS1 enzyme inhibitors 6-diazo-5-oxo-L-norleucine and Acivicin as well as the IMPDH2 inhibitor Ribavirin exhibited dose-dependent induction of RR in >95% of cells in all cancer cell lines tested as well as mouse primary cells. RR formation by lower concentration of Ribavirin was enhanced in IMPDH2-knockdown HeLa cells whereas it was inhibited in GFP-IMPDH2 overexpressed HeLa cells. Interestingly, RR were detected readily in untreated mouse embryonic stem cells (>95%; upon retinoic acid differentiation, RR disassembled in these cells but reformed when treated with Acivicin.RR formation represented response to disturbances in the CTP or GTP synthetic pathways in cancer cell lines and mouse primary cells and RR are the convergence physical structures in these pathways. The availability of specific markers for these conserved structures and the ability to induce formation in vitro will allow further investigations in structure and function of RR in many biological systems in health and diseases.

  3. Effects of Aroclor 1254 on dopamine and norepinephrine concentrations in pheochromocytoma (PC-12) cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Seegal, R.F.; Brosch, K.; Bush, B.; Ritz, M.; Shain, W.

    1990-01-01

    Pheochromocytoma (PC-12) cells synthesize, store, release and metabolize dopamine (DA) and norepinephrine (NE) in a manner analogous to that observed in the mammalian central nervous system. These cells were used to develop and validate an alternate method to animal testing to assess the effects of a complex environmental mixture of polychlorinated biphenyls (Aroclor 1254) on cellular catecholamine function. Aroclor 1254, at concentrations of 1 to 100 ppm, significantly decreased cellular catecholamine concentrations after 6 hrs. Exposure at 100 ppm for periods of less than an hr increased cellular catecholamine concentrations while longer exposure times (i.e., 1 to 24 hr) decreased cellular catecholamine concentrations. This in vitro depletion of catecholamines is similar to that seen in vivo. Thus, PC-12 cells may be useful for neurochemical evaluation of neurotoxicants with particular reference to effects on catecholaminergic systems

  4. Targeted Nanodiamonds for Identification of Subcellular Protein Assemblies in Mammalian Cells

    OpenAIRE

    Lake, Michael P.; Bouchard, Louis-S.

    2017-01-01

    Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) can be used to successfully determine the structures of proteins. However, such studies are typically done ex situ after extraction of the protein from the cellular environment. Here we describe an application for nanodiamonds as targeted intensity contrast labels in biological TEM, using the nuclear pore complex (NPC) as a model macroassembly. We demonstrate that delivery of antibody-conjugated nanodiamonds to live mammalian cells using maltotriose-conj...

  5. Adaptive Response to ionizing Radiation Induced by Low Doses of Gamma Rays in Human Lymphoblastoid Cell Lines

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Seong, Jin Sil; Suh, Chang Ok; Kim, Gwi Eon

    1994-01-01

    When cells are exposed to low doses of a mutagenic or clastogenic agents, they often become less sensitive to the effects of a higher does administered subsequently. Such adaptive responses were first described in Escherichia coli and mammalian cells to low doses of an alkylating agent. Since most of the studies have been carried out with human lymphocytes, it is urgently necessary to study this effect in different cellular systems. Its relation with inherent cellular radiosensitivity and underlying mechanism also remain to be answered. In this study, adaptive response by 1 cGy of gamma rays was investigated in three human lymphoblastoid cell lines which were derived from ataxia telangiectasia homozygote, ataxia telangiectasia heterozygote, and normal individual. Experiments were carried out by delivering 1 cGy followed by 50 cGy of gamma radiation and chromatid breaks were scored as an endpoint. The results indicate that prior exposure to 1 cGy of gamma rays reduces the number of chromatid breaks induced by subsequent higher does (50 cGy). The expression of this adaptive response was similar among three cell lines despite of their different radiosensitivity. When 3-aminobenzamide, an inhibitor of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase, was added after 50 cGy, adaptive responses were abolished in all the tested cell lines. Therefore it is suggested that the adaptive response can be observed in human lymphoblastoid cell lines. Which was first documented through this study. The expression of adaptive response was similar among the cell lines regardless of their radiosensitivity. The elimination of the adaptive response by 3-aminobenzamide is consistent with the proposal that this adaptive response is the result of the induction of a certain chromosomal repair mechanism

  6. Localization of two mammalian cyclin dependent kinases during mammalian meiosis

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Ashley, T.; Walpita, D.; de rooij, D. G.

    2001-01-01

    Mammalian meiotic progression, like mitotic cell cycle progression, is regulated by cyclins and cyclin dependent kinases (CDKs). However, the unique requirements of meiosis (homologous synapsis, reciprocal recombination and the dual divisions that segregate first homologues, then sister chromatids)

  7. UVC-induced stress granules in mammalian cells.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mohamed Taha Moutaoufik

    Full Text Available Stress granules (SGs are well characterized cytoplasmic RNA bodies that form under various stress conditions. We have observed that exposure of mammalian cells in culture to low doses of UVC induces the formation of discrete cytoplasmic RNA granules that were detected by immunofluorescence staining using antibodies to RNA-binding proteins. UVC-induced cytoplasmic granules are not Processing Bodies (P-bodies and are bone fide SGs as they contain TIA-1, TIA-1/R, Caprin1, FMRP, G3BP1, PABP1, well known markers, and mRNA. Concomitant with the accumulation of the granules in the cytoplasm, cells enter a quiescent state, as they are arrested in G1 phase of the cell cycle in order to repair DNA damages induced by UVC irradiation. This blockage persists as long as the granules are present. A tight correlation between their decay and re-entry into S-phase was observed. However the kinetics of their formation, their low number per cell, their absence of fusion into larger granules, their persistence over 48 hours and their slow decay, all differ from classical SGs induced by arsenite or heat treatment. The induction of these SGs does not correlate with major translation inhibition nor with phosphorylation of the α subunit of eukaryotic translation initiation factor 2 (eIF2α. We propose that a restricted subset of mRNAs coding for proteins implicated in cell cycling are removed from the translational apparatus and are sequestered in a repressed form in SGs.

  8. Propagation of Asian isolates of canine distemper virus (CDV in hamster cell lines

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yamaguchi Ryoji

    2009-10-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Backgrounds The aim of this study was to confirm the propagation of various canine distemper viruses (CDV in hamster cell lines of HmLu and BHK, since only a little is known about the possibility of propagation of CDV in rodent cells irrespective of their epidemiological importance. Methods The growth of CDV in hamster cell lines was monitored by titration using Vero.dogSLAMtag (Vero-DST cells that had been proven to be susceptible to almost all field isolates of CDV, with the preparations of cell-free and cell-associated virus from the cultures infected with recent Asian isolates of CDV (13 strains and by observing the development of cytopathic effect (CPE in infected cultures of hamster cell lines. Results Eleven of 13 strains grew in HmLu cells, and 12 of 13 strains grew in BHK cells with apparent CPE of cell fusion in the late stage of infection. Two strains and a strain of Asia 1 group could not grow in HmLu cells and BHK cells, respectively. Conclusion The present study demonstrates at the first time that hamster cell lines can propagate the majority of Asian field isolates of CDV. The usage of two hamster cell lines suggested to be useful to characterize the field isolates biologically.

  9. A recurrent human papillomavirus integration site at chromosome region 12q14-q15 in SW756 and SK-v cell lines derived from genital tumors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sastre-Garau, X.; Couturier, J.; Favre, M.; Orth, G.

    1995-01-01

    The SW756 cell line, derived from an invasive cancer of the uterine cervix, harbours integrated human papillomavirus (HPV) 18 DNA sequences which have been located in chromosome band 12q13. By in situ hybridization experiments with tritiated and digoxigenin-labelled HPV18 probes on R-banded chromosomes, we now localize the integrated viral sequences in 12q14-q15. Interestingly, we have previously localized integrated HPV16 sequences in the same chromosomal region in SK-v cells, derived from a pre-invasive vulvar neoplasia. The chromosomal region 12q14-q15 could thus correspond to a preferential site for the integration of HPV DNA in genital tumors. (authors). 29 refs., 2 figs

  10. Artificial acceleration of mammalian cell reprogramming by bacterial proteins.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ikeda, Takashi; Uchiyama, Ikuo; Iwasaki, Mio; Sasaki, Tetsuhiko; Nakagawa, Masato; Okita, Keisuke; Masui, Shinji

    2017-10-01

    The molecular mechanisms of cell reprogramming and differentiation involve various signaling factors. Small molecule compounds have been identified to artificially influence these factors through interacting cellular proteins. Although such small molecule compounds are useful to enhance reprogramming and differentiation and to show the mechanisms that underlie these events, the screening usually requires a large number of compounds to identify only a very small number of hits (e.g., one hit among several tens of thousands of compounds). Here, we show a proof of concept that xenospecific gene products can affect the efficiency of cell reprogramming to pluripotency. Thirty genes specific for the bacterium Wolbachia pipientis were forcibly expressed individually along with reprogramming factors (Oct4, Sox2, Klf4 and c-Myc) that can generate induced pluripotent stem cells in mammalian cells, and eight were found to affect the reprogramming efficiency either positively or negatively (hit rate 26.7%). Mechanistic analysis suggested one of these proteins interacted with cytoskeleton to promote reprogramming. Our results raise the possibility that xenospecific gene products provide an alternative way to study the regulatory mechanism of cell identity. © 2017 Molecular Biology Society of Japan and John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.

  11. Fluorescent light irradiation and its mutagenic potential in cultured mammalian cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pant, K.; Thilager, A.

    1994-01-01

    The photobiological effect of light is characterized by its energy emission at different wave lengths. Therefore by studying the energy emission spectra at different light sources and their photobiological activities, one can relate wavelength range(s) of the spectrum to a particular photobiological effect. We studied the potential of light irradiation from standard fluorescent bulbs (Sylvania 34WT-12) used in offices and laboratories to induce unscheduled DNA Synthesis (UDS) and mutations in cultured mammalian cells. The energy emission spectrum of the bulbs was determined at every 10 nanometers from 300nM to 700nM. The Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells were used to study the induction of mutations at the Hypoxanthine Guanine Phosphoribosyl Transferase (HGPRT) locus. Primary rat hepatocyte cultures were used to study the effect of light irradiation on UDS. The CHO cells were cultured in tissue culture flasks in minimum light conditions (.02mw/cm 2 ) and exposed to light irradiations with durations from 0 to 40 minutes. The cultures were maintained in darkness during the expression period and evaluated for HGPRT mutant frequencies. Similarly, the primary rat hepatocyte cultures were cultured on cover slips under minimal light conditions except for light irradiation and evaluated for UDS using 3H-thymidine labelled auto-radiography. The results of the study indicate that irradiation from fluorescent lights caused a slight elevation in the HGPRT mutant frequency in CHO cells. However a significant increase in UDS was not observed even at the maximum light irradiation dose. These results were compared to data obtained from similar experiments conducted with fluorescent bulbs with different energy emission spectra

  12. Ion channels involved in cell volume regulation: effects on migration, proliferation, and programmed cell death in non adherent EAT cells and adherent ELA cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hoffmann, Else Kay

    2011-01-01

    This mini review outlines studies of cell volume regulation in two closely related mammalian cell lines: nonadherent Ehrlich ascites tumour cells (EATC) and adherent Ehrlich Lettre ascites (ELA) cells. Focus is on the regulatory volume decrease (RVD) that occurs after cell swelling, the volume regulatory ion channels involved, and the mechanisms (cellular signalling pathways) that regulate these channels. Finally, I shall also briefly review current investigations in these two cell lines that focuses on how changes in cell volume can regulate cell functions such as cell migration, proliferation, and programmed cell death. Copyright © 2011 S. Karger AG, Basel.

  13. Altered expression of asparagine synthetase mRNA in human leukemic and carcinoma cell lines

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Goodwin, L.O.; Guzowski, D.E.; Millan, C.A. [North Shore Univ. Hospital/Cornell Univ. Medical College, Manhasset, NY (United States)] [and others

    1994-09-01

    Asparagine synthetase (AS) is the enzyme responsible for the ATP-dependant conversion of aspartic acid to asparagine. The AS gene is expressed constitutively in most mammalian cells, including cells of the lymphoid lineage, as a 2 kb mRNA. In some leukemic phenotypes, AS expression is abrogated, resulting in no detectable enzyme activity. These cells are rendered sensitive to killing by L-asparaginase, which destroys extracellular asparagine. Prolonged treatment of leukemic cells with this agent can lead to resistance and the reappearance of AS activity, suggesting derepression of the AS gene, which has been shown to be regulated by intracellular levels of asparagine. Modulation of AS expression by asparagine employs cis and trans-acting elements involved in transcriptional and translational regulation. We have cloned and sequenced the human AS gene and surrounding sequence elements as well as the full-length cDNA. Using probes specific to the third and fourth exons of AS, we have identified an additional higher molecular weight mRNA (2.7 kb) in Northern blots derived from a chronic myelogenous leukemia and a colon carcinoma but not in normal lymphocytic or other human cell lines. We speculate that elements present in the cancer-derived mRNAs may be involved in the derepression of AS activity. This hypothesis is being evaluated by RNase protection assays using RNA isolated from a variety of human cell lines to characterize and elucidate the nature of this additional AS encoded message.

  14. Cell thickness of UV absorption by the cell: relation to UV action spectrum shift in mammalian cells in culture

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sakharov, V.H.; Voronkova, L.N.; Blokhin, A.V.

    1985-01-01

    By means of reconstruction of series half - thin transverse sections the three - dimensional morphometry of SPEV cells for a series of their specific states in culture is performed: for exponential growth in a monolayer, in a merged monolayer, in the mitosis phase, for giant cells and suspension cells. In the monolayer the cell thickness in its central part depended mainly on the nucleus thickness and in average changed but slightly despite a wide range of changes in volumes of nuclei and cells and their density in culture. The cell thickness has noticeably increased in mitosis. For the above states of cells UV radiation absorption spectra are determined. It is shown that a certain shift of action spectrus of death of mammalian cells as compared with that for bacterial cell can be a seguence of selfshielding and not differences in the nature of active chromophores

  15. Tuft (caveolated) cells in two human colon carcinoma cell lines.

    OpenAIRE

    Barkla, D. H.; Whitehead, R. H.; Foster, H.; Tutton, P. J.

    1988-01-01

    The presence of an unusual cell type in two human colon carcinoma cell lines is reported. The cells show the same morphology as "tuft" (caveolated) cells present in normal gastrointestinal epithelium. Tuft cells were seen in cell line LIM 1863 growing in vitro and in human colon carcinoma cell line LIM 2210 growing as subcutaneous solid tumour xenografts in nude mice. Characteristic morphologic features of tuft cells included a wide base, narrow apex and a tuft of long microvilli projecting f...

  16. Baculovirus IE2 Stimulates the Expression of Heat Shock Proteins in Insect and Mammalian Cells to Facilitate Its Proper Functioning.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tung, Hsuan; Wei, Sung-Chan; Lo, Huei-Ru; Chao, Yu-Chan

    2016-01-01

    Baculoviruses have gained popularity as pest control agents and for protein production in insect systems. These viruses are also becoming popular for gene expression, tissue engineering and gene therapy in mammalian systems. Baculovirus infection triggers a heat shock response, and this response is crucial for its successful infection of host insect cells. However, the viral protein(s) or factor(s) that trigger this response are not yet clear. Previously, we revealed that IE2-an early gene product of the baculovirus-could form unique nuclear bodies for the strong trans-activation of various promoters in mammalian cells. Here, we purified IE2 nuclear bodies from Vero E6 cells and investigated the associated proteins by using mass spectrometry. Heat shock proteins (HSPs) were found to be one of the major IE2-associated proteins. Our experiments show that HSPs are greatly induced by IE2 and are crucial for the trans-activation function of IE2. Interestingly, blocking both heat shock protein expression and the proteasome pathway preserved the IE2 protein and its nuclear body structure, and revived its function. These observations reveal that HSPs do not function directly to assist the formation of the nuclear body structure, but may rather protect IE2 from proteasome degradation. Aside from functional studies in mammalian cells, we also show that HSPs were stimulated and required to determine IE2 protein levels, in insect cells infected with baculovirus. Upon inhibiting the expression of heat shock proteins, baculovirus IE2 was substantially suppressed, resulting in a significantly suppressed viral titer. Thus, we demonstrate a unique feature in that IE2 can function in both insect and non-host mammalian cells to stimulate HSPs, which may be associated with IE2 stabilization and lead to the protection of the its strong gene activation function in mammalian cells. On the other hand, during viral infection in insect cells, IE2 could also strongly stimulate HSPs and

  17. Building the mammalian testis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Svingen, Terje; Koopman, Peter

    2013-01-01

    Development of testes in the mammalian embryo requires the formation and assembly of several cell types that allow these organs to achieve their roles in male reproduction and endocrine regulation. Testis development is unusual in that several cell types such as Sertoli, Leydig, and spermatogonial...

  18. Interplay between autophagy and programmed cell death in mammalian neural stem cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kyung Min Chung

    2013-08-01

    Full Text Available Mammalian neural stem cells (NSCs are of particular interestbecause of their role in brain development and function. Recentfindings suggest the intimate involvement of programmed celldeath (PCD in the turnover of NSCs. However, the underlyingmechanisms of PCD are largely unknown. Although apoptosis isthe best-defined form of PCD, accumulating evidence hasrevealed a wide spectrum of PCD encompassing apoptosis,autophagic cell death (ACD and necrosis. This mini-reviewaims to illustrate a unique regulation of PCD in NSCs. Theresults of our recent studies on autophagic death of adulthippocampal neural stem (HCN cells are also discussed. HCNcell death following insulin withdrawal clearly provides areliable model that can be used to analyze the molecularmechanisms of ACD in the larger context of PCD. Moreresearch efforts are needed to increase our understanding of themolecular basis of NSC turnover under degenerating conditions,such as aging, stress and neurological diseases. Efforts aimed atprotecting and harnessing endogenous NSCs will offer novelopportunities for the development of new therapeutic strategiesfor neuropathologies. [BMB Reports 2013; 46(8: 383-390

  19. Mechanistic understanding of the cysteine capping modifications of antibodies enables selective chemical engineering in live mammalian cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhong, Xiaotian; He, Tao; Prashad, Amar S; Wang, Wenge; Cohen, Justin; Ferguson, Darren; Tam, Amy S; Sousa, Eric; Lin, Laura; Tchistiakova, Lioudmila; Gatto, Scott; D'Antona, Aaron; Luan, Yen-Tung; Ma, Weijun; Zollner, Richard; Zhou, Jing; Arve, Bo; Somers, Will; Kriz, Ronald

    2017-04-20

    Protein modifications by intricate cellular machineries often redesign the structure and function of existing proteins to impact biological networks. Disulfide bond formation between cysteine (Cys) pairs is one of the most common modifications found in extracellularly-destined proteins, key to maintaining protein structure. Unpaired surface cysteines on secreted mammalian proteins are also frequently found disulfide-bonded with free Cys or glutathione (GSH) in circulation or culture, the mechanism for which remains unknown. Here we report that these so-called Cys-capping modifications take place outside mammalian cells, not in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) where oxidoreductase-mediated protein disulfide formation occurs. Unpaired surface cysteines of extracellularly-arrived proteins such as antibodies are uncapped upon secretion before undergoing disulfide exchange with cystine or oxidized GSH in culture medium. This observation has led to a feasible way to selectively modify the nucleophilic thiol side-chain of cell-surface or extracellular proteins in live mammalian cells, by applying electrophiles with a chemical handle directly into culture medium. These findings provide potentially an effective approach for improving therapeutic conjugates and probing biological systems. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  20. Induction and repair of lethal and oncogenic lesions and their relationship to cytogenetic changes in UV-irradiated mouse 10T1/2 cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chan, G.L.; Nagasawa, H.; Little, J.B.

    1979-01-01

    While bacterial system is valuable for the pragmatic purpose of screening potential environmental carcinogens, the fundamental difference between prokaryotes and mammalian cells warrant caution against the use of bacterial mutagenic mechanisms to explain the oncogenic process in mammalian cells. The 10 T1/2 cells exposed to UV light in the plateau phase and subcultured immediately to low density to assay for clonogenic survival were extremely resistant to the cytotoxic effect of UV light. Purely physical considerations such as the increased thickness of plateau phase cells and the increased cytoplasmic shielding of UV light from the nuclei were insufficient to account for this unusual resistance. The effect of caffeine on the repair processes in UV-irradiated mammalian cells appears to be exerted during the first DNA synthetic phase after the UV exposure. The daughter DNA synthesized on a UV-irradiated template is of reduced molecular weight. 10 T1/2 cells were exposed in the log phase of growth to UV light, and then they were cultured for the next 48 hours in the complete growth medium containing the specific concentration of caffeine. Parallel experiments were performed, in which cells were exposed for 48 hours to caffeine only with no prior exposure to UV light. It was found that caffeine did not potentiate the transformation by UV light. Caffeine alone induced sister chromatid exchange (SCE), whereas the caffeine given after UV light had no effect. The class of UV-induced lesions which induce SCE also leads to malignant transformation. (Yamashita, S.)

  1. Chromosomal imbalances in four new uterine cervix carcinoma derived cell lines

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hidalgo, Alfredo; Monroy, Alberto; Arana, Rosa Ma; Taja, Lucía; Vázquez, Guelaguetza; Salcedo, Mauricio

    2003-01-01

    Uterine cervix carcinoma is the second most common female malignancy worldwide and a major health problem in Mexico, representing the primary cause of death among the Mexican female population. High risk human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is considered to be the most important risk factor for the development of this tumor and cervical carcinoma derived cell lines are very useful models for the study of viral carcinogenesis. Comparative Genomic Hybridization (CGH) experiments have detected a specific pattern of chromosomal imbalances during cervical cancer progression, indicating chromosomal regions that might contain genes that are important for cervical transformation. We performed HPV detection and CGH analysis in order to initiate the genomic characterization of four recently established cervical carcinoma derived cell lines from Mexican patients. All the cell lines were HPV18 positive. The most prevalent imbalances in the cell lines were gains in chromosomes 1q23-q32, 3q11.2-q13.1, 3q22-q26.1, 5p15.1-p11.2, this alteration present as a high copy number amplification in three of the cell lines, 7p15-p13, 7q21, 7q31, 11q21, and 12q12, and losses in 2q35-qter, 4p16, 6q26-qter, 9q34 and 19q13.2-qter. Analysis of our present findings and previously reported data suggest that gains at 1q31-q32 and 7p13-p14, as well as losses at 6q26-q27 are alterations that might be unique for HPV18 positive cases. These chromosomal regions, as well as regions with high copy number amplifications, coincide with known fragile sites and known HPV integration sites. The general pattern of chromosomal imbalances detected in the cells resembled that found in invasive cervical tumors, suggesting that the cells represent good models for the study of cervical carcinoma

  2. The sirtuin 1/2 inhibitor tenovin-1 induces a nonlinear apoptosis-inducing factor-dependent cell death in a p53 null Ewing's sarcoma cell line.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marx, Christian; Marx-Blümel, Lisa; Lindig, Nora; Thierbach, René; Hoelzer, Doerte; Becker, Sabine; Wittig, Susan; Lehmann, Roland; Slevogt, Hortense; Heinzel, Thorsten; Wang, Zhao-Qi; Beck, James F; Sonnemann, Jürgen

    2018-06-01

    The sirtuin 1/2 inhibitor tenovin-1 activates p53 and may have potential in the management of cancer. Here, we investigated the responsiveness of Ewing's sarcoma cells to tenovin-1. We examined its effects in two Ewing's sarcoma cell lines with different p53 status, i.e. in p53 wild-type and p53 null cells. Effects were assessed by flow cytometric analyses of cell death, mitochondrial membrane depolarization and reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, by caspase 3/7 activity measurement, by mRNA expression profiling and by immunoblotting. Tenovin-1 elicited caspase-mediated cell death in p53 wild-type cells, but caspase-independent cell death in p53 null cells. Remarkably, it induced a nonlinear concentration response in the latter: low concentrations of tenovin-1 were much more effective than were higher concentrations. Tenovin-1's effects in p53 null cells involved gene expression changes of Bcl-2 family members, mitochondrial membrane depolarization, nuclear translocation of apoptosis-inducing factor, ROS formation and DNA damage; all these effects followed a bell-shaped pattern. In conclusion, our results provide new insights into tenovin-1's mode of action by demonstrating that it can induce different pathways of cell death.

  3. DNA repair in non-mammalian animals

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mitani, Hiroshi

    1984-01-01

    Studies on DNA repair have been performed using microorganisms such as Escherichia coli and cultured human and mammalian cells. However, it is well known that cultured organic cells differ from each other in many respects, although DNA repair is an extremely fundamental function of organisms to protect genetic information from environmental mutagens such as radiation and 0 radicals developing in the living body. To answer the question of how DNA repair is different between the animal species, current studies on DNA repair of cultured vertebrate cells using the methods similar to those in mammalian experiments are reviewed. (Namekawa, K.)

  4. Inhibiting c-Jun N-terminal kinase partially attenuates caffeine-dependent cell death without alleviating the caffeine-induced reduction in mitochondrial respiration in C2C12 skeletal myotubes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Downs, R.M.; Hughes, M.A.; Kinsey, S.T.; Johnson, M.C.; Baumgarner, B.L.

    2016-01-01

    Caffeine is a widely consumed stimulant that has previously been shown to promote cytotoxic stress and even cell death in numerous mammalian cell lines. Thus far there is little information available regarding the toxicity of caffeine in skeletal muscle cells. Our preliminary data revealed that treating C2C12 myotubes with 5 mM caffeine for 6 h increased nuclear fragmentation and reduced basal and maximal oxygen consumption rate (OCR) in skeletal myotubes. The purpose of this study was to further elucidate the pathways by which caffeine increased cell death and reduced mitochondrial respiration. We specifically examined the role of c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), which has previously been shown to simultaneously increase caspase-dependent cell death and reduce mitochondrial respiration in other mammalian cell lines. We found that caffeine promoted a dose-dependent increase in cell death in multinucleated myotubes but did not in mononucleated myoblasts. The addition of 10 μM Z-DEVD-FMK, a specific inhibitor of executioner caspases, completely inhibited caffeine-dependent cell death. Further, the addition of 400 μM dantrolene, a specific ryanodine receptor (RYR) inhibitor, prevented the caffeine-dependent increase in cell death and the reduction in basal and maximal OCR. We also discovered that caffeine treatment significantly increased the phosphorylation of JNK and that the addition of 30 μM SP600125 (JNKi), a specific JNK inhibitor, partially attenuated caffeine-induced cell death without preventing the caffeine-dependent reduction in basal and maximal OCR. Our results suggest that JNK partially mediates the increase in caspase-dependent cell death but does not contribute to reduced mitochondrial respiration in caffeine-treated skeletal muscle cells. We conclude that caffeine increased cell death and reduced mitochondrial respiration in a calcium-dependent manner by activating the RYR and promoting reticular calcium release. - Highlights: • Caffeine

  5. Relation Between the Cell Volume and the Cell Cycle Dynamics in Mammalian cell

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Magno, A.C.G.; Oliveira, I.L.; Hauck, J.V.S.

    2016-01-01

    The main goal of this work is to add and analyze an equation that represents the volume in a dynamical model of the mammalian cell cycle proposed by Gérard and Goldbeter (2011) [1]. The cell division occurs when the cyclinB/Cdkl complex is totally degraded (Tyson and Novak, 2011)[2] and it reaches a minimum value. At this point, the cell is divided into two newborn daughter cells and each one will contain the half of the cytoplasmic content of the mother cell. The equations of our base model are only valid if the cell volume, where the reactions occur, is constant. Whether the cell volume is not constant, that is, the rate of change of its volume with respect to time is explicitly taken into account in the mathematical model, then the equations of the original model are no longer valid. Therefore, every equations were modified from the mass conservation principle for considering a volume that changes with time. Through this approach, the cell volume affects all model variables. Two different dynamic simulation methods were accomplished: deterministic and stochastic. In the stochastic simulation, the volume affects every model's parameters which have molar unit, whereas in the deterministic one, it is incorporated into the differential equations. In deterministic simulation, the biochemical species may be in concentration units, while in stochastic simulation such species must be converted to number of molecules which are directly proportional to the cell volume. In an effort to understand the influence of the new equation a stability analysis was performed. This elucidates how the growth factor impacts the stability of the model's limit cycles. In conclusion, a more precise model, in comparison to the base model, was created for the cell cycle as it now takes into consideration the cell volume variation (paper)

  6. Effect of histone deacetylase inhibitors trichostatin A and valproic acid on hair cell regeneration in zebrafish lateral line neuromasts

    Science.gov (United States)

    He, Yingzi; Cai, Chengfu; Tang, Dongmei; Sun, Shan; Li, Huawei

    2014-01-01

    In humans, auditory hair cells are not replaced when injured. Thus, cochlear hair cell loss causes progressive and permanent hearing loss. Conversely, non-mammalian vertebrates are capable of regenerating lost sensory hair cells. The zebrafish lateral line has numerous qualities that make it well-suited for studying hair cell development and regeneration. Histone deacetylase (HDAC) activity has been shown to have an important role in regenerative processes in vertebrates, but its function in hair cell regeneration in vivo is not fully understood. Here, we have examined the role of HDAC activity in hair cell regeneration in the zebrafish lateral line. We eliminated lateral line hair cells of 5-day post-fertilization larvae using neomycin and then treated the larvae with HDAC inhibitors. To assess hair cell regeneration, we used 5-bromo-2-deoxyuridine (BrdU) incorporation in zebrafish larvae to label mitotic cells after hair cell loss. We found that pharmacological inhibition of HDACs using trichostatin A (TSA) or valproic acid (VPA) increased histone acetylation in the regenerated neuromasts following neomycin-induced damage. We also showed that treatment with TSA or VPA decreased the number of supporting cells and regenerated hair cells in response to hair cell damage. Additionally, BrdU immunostaining and western blot analysis showed that TSA or VPA treatment caused a significant decrease in the percentage of S-phase cells and induced p21Cip1 and p27Kip1 expression, both of which are likely to explain the decrease in the amount of newly regenerated hair cells in treated embryos. Finally, we showed that HDAC inhibitors induced no observable cell death in neuromasts as measured by cleaved caspase-3 immunohistochemistry and western blot analysis. Taken together, our results demonstrate that HDAC activity has an important role in the regeneration of hair cells in the lateral line. PMID:25431550

  7. Cis-acting regulatory sequences promote high-frequency gene conversion between repeated sequences in mammalian cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Raynard, Steven J; Baker, Mark D

    2004-01-01

    In mammalian cells, little is known about the nature of recombination-prone regions of the genome. Previously, we reported that the immunoglobulin heavy chain (IgH) mu locus behaved as a hotspot for mitotic, intrachromosomal gene conversion (GC) between repeated mu constant (Cmu) regions in mouse hybridoma cells. To investigate whether elements within the mu gene regulatory region were required for hotspot activity, gene targeting was used to delete a 9.1 kb segment encompassing the mu gene promoter (Pmu), enhancer (Emu) and switch region (Smu) from the locus. In these cell lines, GC between the Cmu repeats was significantly reduced, indicating that this 'recombination-enhancing sequence' (RES) is necessary for GC hotspot activity at the IgH locus. Importantly, the RES fragment stimulated GC when appended to the same Cmu repeats integrated at ectopic genomic sites. We also show that deletion of Emu and flanking matrix attachment regions (MARs) from the RES abolishes GC hotspot activity at the IgH locus. However, no stimulation of ectopic GC was observed with the Emu/MARs fragment alone. Finally, we provide evidence that no correlation exists between the level of transcription and GC promoted by the RES. We suggest a model whereby Emu/MARS enhances mitotic GC at the endogenous IgH mu locus by effecting chromatin modifications in adjacent DNA.

  8. Structural and functional organization of ribosomal genes within the mammalian cell nucleolus.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Derenzini, Massimo; Pasquinelli, Gianandrea; O'Donohue, Marie-Françoise; Ploton, Dominique; Thiry, Marc

    2006-02-01

    Data on the in situ structural-functional organization of ribosomal genes in the mammalian cell nucleolus are reviewed here. Major findings on chromatin structure in situ come from investigations carried out using the Feulgen-like osmium ammine reaction as a highly specific electron-opaque DNA tracer. Intranucleolar chromatin shows three different levels of organization: compact clumps, fibers ranging from 11 to 30 nm, and loose agglomerates of extended DNA filaments. Both clumps and fibers of chromatin exhibit a nucleosomal organization that is lacking in the loose agglomerates of extended DNA filaments. In fact, these filaments constantly show a thickness of 2-3 nm, the same as a DNA double-helix molecule. The loose agglomerates of DNA filaments are located in the fibrillar centers, the interphase counterpart of metaphase NORs, therefore being constituted by ribosomal DNA. The extended, non-nucleosomal configuration of this rDNA has been shown to be independent of transcriptional activity and characterizes ribosome genes that are either transcribed or transcriptionally silent. Data reviewed are consistent with a model of control for ribosome gene activity that is not mediated by changes in chromatin structure. The presence of rDNA in mammalian cells always structurally ready for transcription might facilitate a more rapid adjustment of the ribosome production in response to the metabolic needs of the cell.

  9. Estimation of raw material performance in mammalian cell culture using near infrared spectra combined with chemometrics approaches.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Hae Woo; Christie, Andrew; Liu, Jun Jay; Yoon, Seongkyu

    2012-01-01

    Understanding variability in raw materials and their impacts on product quality is of critical importance in the biopharmaceutical manufacturing processes. For this purpose, several spectroscopic techniques have been studied for raw material characterization, providing fast and nondestructive ways to measure quality of raw materials. However, investigations of correlation between spectra of raw materials and cell culture performance have been scarce due to their complexity and uncertainty. In this study, near-infrared spectra and bioassays of multiple soy hydrolysate lots manufactured by different vendors were analyzed using chemometrics approaches in order to address variability of raw materials as well as correlation between raw material properties and corresponding cell culture performance. Principal component analysis revealed that near-infrared spectra of different soy lots contain enough physicochemical information about soy hydrolysates to allow identification of lot-to-lot variability as well as vendor-to-vendor differences. The identified compositional variability was further analyzed in order to estimate cell growth and protein production of two mammalian cell lines under the condition of varying soy dosages using partial least square regression combined with optimal variable selection. The performance of the resulting models demonstrates the potential of near-infrared spectroscopy as a robust lot selection tool for raw materials while providing a biological link between chemical composition of raw materials and cell culture performance. Copyright © 2012 American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE).

  10. Collective behaviors of mammalian cells on amine-coated silicon nanowires

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kim, So Yeon; Yang, Eun Gyeong

    2013-01-01

    Intensive studies with vertical nanowire (NW) arrays have illustrated broad implications for manipulating mammalian cells in vitro, but how cellular responses are influenced by the presence of NWs has not been thoroughly investigated. Here, we address collective cellular behaviors, including surface area of cells, membrane trafficking, focal adhesion distribution and dynamics, and cytoskeletal protein distribution on amine-coated silicon (Si) NWs with different physical properties. The degree of HeLa cell spreading was inversely proportional to the surface area occupied by the NWs, which was not affected by manipulation of membrane trafficking dynamics. In the presence of a diffusive focal complex around the NWs, strong, well organized focal adhesion was hardly visible on the NWs, implying that the cells were interacting weakly with the NW-embedded surface. Furthermore, we found that actin filament formation of the cells on long NWs was not favorable, and this could explain our observation of reduced cell spreading, as well as the decreased number of focal adhesion complexes. Taken together, our results suggest that cells can survive on silicon NWs by adjusting their morphology and adhesion behavior through actively organizing these molecules. (paper)

  11. Experimental and in silico modelling analyses of the gene expression pathway for recombinant antibody and by-product production in NS0 cell lines.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mead, Emma J; Chiverton, Lesley M; Spurgeon, Sarah K; Martin, Elaine B; Montague, Gary A; Smales, C Mark; von der Haar, Tobias

    2012-01-01

    Monoclonal antibodies are commercially important, high value biotherapeutic drugs used in the treatment of a variety of diseases. These complex molecules consist of two heavy chain and two light chain polypeptides covalently linked by disulphide bonds. They are usually expressed as recombinant proteins from cultured mammalian cells, which are capable of correctly modifying, folding and assembling the polypeptide chains into the native quaternary structure. Such recombinant cell lines often vary in the amounts of product produced and in the heterogeneity of the secreted products. The biological mechanisms of this variation are not fully defined. Here we have utilised experimental and modelling strategies to characterise and define the biology underpinning product heterogeneity in cell lines exhibiting varying antibody expression levels, and then experimentally validated these models. In undertaking these studies we applied and validated biochemical (rate-constant based) and engineering (nonlinear) models of antibody expression to experimental data from four NS0 cell lines with different IgG4 secretion rates. The models predict that export of the full antibody and its fragments are intrinsically linked, and cannot therefore be manipulated individually at the level of the secretory machinery. Instead, the models highlight strategies for the manipulation at the precursor species level to increase recombinant protein yields in both high and low producing cell lines. The models also highlight cell line specific limitations in the antibody expression pathway.

  12. Characterization of a Merkel Cell Polyomavirus-Positive Merkel Cell Carcinoma Cell Line CVG-1.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Velásquez, Celestino; Amako, Yutaka; Harold, Alexis; Toptan, Tuna; Chang, Yuan; Shuda, Masahiro

    2018-01-01

    Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCV) plays a causal role in ∼80% of Merkel cell carcinomas (MCC). MCV is clonally integrated into the MCC tumor genome, which results in persistent expression of large T (LT) and small T (sT) antigen oncoproteins encoded by the early locus. In MCV-positive MCC tumors, LT is truncated by premature stop codons or deletions that lead to loss of the C-terminal origin binding (OBD) and helicase domains important for replication. The N-terminal Rb binding domain remains intact. MCV-positive cell lines derived from MCC explants have been valuable tools to study the molecular mechanism of MCV-induced Merkel cell carcinogenesis. Although all cell lines have integrated MCV and express truncated LT antigens, the molecular sizes of the LT proteins differ between cell lines. The copy number of integrated viral genome also varies across cell lines, leading to significantly different levels of viral protein expression. Nevertheless, these cell lines share phenotypic similarities in cell morphology, growth characteristics, and neuroendocrine marker expression. Several low-passage MCV-positive MCC cell lines have been established since the identification of MCV. We describe a new MCV-positive MCV cell line, CVG-1, with features distinct from previously reported cell lines. CVG-1 tumor cells grow in more discohesive clusters in loose round cell suspension, and individual cells show dramatic size heterogeneity. It is the first cell line to encode an MCV sT polymorphism resulting in a unique leucine (L) to proline (P) substitution mutation at amino acid 144. CVG-1 possesses a LT truncation pattern near identical to that of MKL-1 cells differing by the last two C-terminal amino acids and also shows an LT protein expression level similar to MKL-1. Viral T antigen knockdown reveals that, like other MCV-positive MCC cell lines, CVG-1 requires T antigen expression for cell proliferation.

  13. Endothelial cell tropism is a determinant of H5N1 pathogenesis in mammalian species.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Smanla Tundup

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available The cellular and molecular mechanisms underpinning the unusually high virulence of highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 viruses in mammalian species remains unknown. Here, we investigated if the cell tropism of H5N1 virus is a determinant of enhanced virulence in mammalian species. We engineered H5N1 viruses with restricted cell tropism through the exploitation of cell type-specific microRNA expression by incorporating microRNA target sites into the viral genome. Restriction of H5N1 replication in endothelial cells via miR-126 ameliorated disease symptoms, prevented systemic viral spread and limited mortality, despite showing similar levels of peak viral replication in the lungs as compared to control virus-infected mice. Similarly, restriction of H5N1 replication in endothelial cells resulted in ameliorated disease symptoms and decreased viral spread in ferrets. Our studies demonstrate that H5N1 infection of endothelial cells results in excessive production of cytokines and reduces endothelial barrier integrity in the lungs, which culminates in vascular leakage and viral pneumonia. Importantly, our studies suggest a need for a combinational therapy that targets viral components, suppresses host immune responses, and improves endothelial barrier integrity for the treatment of highly pathogenic H5N1 virus infections.

  14. Flow cytometric kinetic assay of the activity of Na+/H+ antiporter in mammalian cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dolz, María; O'Connor, José-Enrique; Lequerica, Juan L

    2004-10-01

    The Na(+)/H(+) exchanger (NHE) of mammalian cells is an integral membrane protein that extrudes H(+) ion in exchange for extracellular Na(+) and plays a crucial role in the regulation of intracellular pH (pHi). Thus, when pHi is lowered, NHE extrudes protons at a rate depending of pHi that can be expressed as pH units/s. To abolish the activity of other cellular pH-restoring systems, cells were incubated in bicarbonate-free Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium buffered with HEPES. Flow cytometry was used to determine pHi with 2',7'-bis-(2-carboxyethyl)-5-(and-6)-carboxyfluorescein acetoxymethyl ester or 5-(and-6)-carboxy SNARF-1 acetoxymethyl ester acetate, and the appropriate fluorescence ratios were measured. The calibration of fluorescence ratios versus pHi was established by using ionophore nigericin. The activity of NHE was calculated by a kinetic flow cytometric assay as the slope at time 0 of the best-fit curve of pHi recovery versus time after intracellular acidification with a pulse of exogenous sodium propionate. The kinetic method allowed determination of the pHi-dependent activity of NHE in cell lines and primary cell cultures. NHE activity values were demonstrated to be up to 0.016 pH units/s within the pHi range of 7.3 to 6.3. The inhibition of NHE activity by the specific inhibitor ethyl isopropyl amiloride was easily detected by this method. The assay conditions can be used to relate variations in pHi with the activity of NHE and provide a standardized method to compare between different cells, inhibitors, models of ischemia by acidification, and other relevant experimental or clinical situations.

  15. Quantitative determination of the contribution of indirect and direct radiation action to the production of lethal lesions in mammalian cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pohlit, W.; Drenkard, S.

    1985-01-01

    For quantitative models of radiation action in living cells it is necessary to know what fraction of the absorbed dose affects the target molecule by direct radiation action and what fraction by indirect radiation action. Mammalian cells were irradiated in suspension, saturated with N 2 O or CO 2 . With these gases the production of OH-radicals is changed by a factor of two in aqueous solutions and a corresponding change in cell survival would be expected, if only indirect radiation action is involved in the production of lethal lesions in the living cell. No difference could be detected, however, and it is concluded that indirect radiation action does not contribute to radiation lethality in mammalian cells. (author)

  16. Quantitative analysis of gold and carbon nanoparticles in mammalian cells by flow cytometry light scattering

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zhou, Gang [Nanjing University, State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences (China); Liu, Naicheng; Wang, Zhenheng [Nanjing University, Department of Orthopedics, Jinling Hospital, School of Medicine (China); Shi, Tongguo; Gan, Jingjing; Wang, Zhenzhen; Zhang, Junfeng, E-mail: jfzhang@nju.edu.cn [Nanjing University, State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences (China)

    2017-02-15

    Nanoparticle-based applications for diagnostics and therapeutics have been extensively studied. These applications require a profound understanding of the fate of nanoparticles (NPs) in cellular environments. However, until now, few analytical methods are available and most of them rely on fluorescent properties or special elements of NPs; therefore, for NPs without observable optical properties or special elements, the existing methods are hardly applicable. In this study, we introduce a flow cytometry light scattering (FCLS)-based approach that quantifies in situ NPs accurately in mammalian cells. Continuous cells of heterogeneous human epithelial colorectal adenocarcinoma (Caco-2 cells), mouse peritoneal macrophages (MPM), and human adenocarcinomic alveolar basal epithelia (A549 cells) were cultured with NPs with certain concentrations and size. The intensity of the flow cytometric side scattered light, which indicates the quantity of NPs in the cells, was analyzed. The result shows an accurate size- and dose-dependent uptake of Au NPs (5, 30, 250 nm) in Caco-2 cells. The size- and dose- dependence of Au NPs (5, 30, 250 nm) and carbon NPs (50, 500 nm) in cells was validated by transmission electron microscope (TEM). This paper demonstrates the great potential of flow cytometry light scattering in the quantitative study of the size and dose effect on in situ metallic or non-metallic NPs in mammalian cells.

  17. Quantitative analysis of gold and carbon nanoparticles in mammalian cells by flow cytometry light scattering

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhou, Gang; Liu, Naicheng; Wang, Zhenheng; Shi, Tongguo; Gan, Jingjing; Wang, Zhenzhen; Zhang, Junfeng

    2017-02-01

    Nanoparticle-based applications for diagnostics and therapeutics have been extensively studied. These applications require a profound understanding of the fate of nanoparticles (NPs) in cellular environments. However, until now, few analytical methods are available and most of them rely on fluorescent properties or special elements of NPs; therefore, for NPs without observable optical properties or special elements, the existing methods are hardly applicable. In this study, we introduce a flow cytometry light scattering (FCLS)-based approach that quantifies in situ NPs accurately in mammalian cells. Continuous cells of heterogeneous human epithelial colorectal adenocarcinoma (Caco-2 cells), mouse peritoneal macrophages (MPM), and human adenocarcinomic alveolar basal epithelia (A549 cells) were cultured with NPs with certain concentrations and size. The intensity of the flow cytometric side scattered light, which indicates the quantity of NPs in the cells, was analyzed. The result shows an accurate size- and dose-dependent uptake of Au NPs (5, 30, 250 nm) in Caco-2 cells. The size- and dose- dependence of Au NPs (5, 30, 250 nm) and carbon NPs (50, 500 nm) in cells was validated by transmission electron microscope (TEM). This paper demonstrates the great potential of flow cytometry light scattering in the quantitative study of the size and dose effect on in situ metallic or non-metallic NPs in mammalian cells.

  18. Inertial picobalance reveals fast mass fluctuations in mammalian cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Martínez-Martín, David; Fläschner, Gotthold; Gaub, Benjamin; Martin, Sascha; Newton, Richard; Beerli, Corina; Mercer, Jason; Gerber, Christoph; Müller, Daniel J.

    2017-10-01

    The regulation of size, volume and mass in living cells is physiologically important, and dysregulation of these parameters gives rise to many diseases. Cell mass is largely determined by the amount of water, proteins, lipids, carbohydrates and nucleic acids present in a cell, and is tightly linked to metabolism, proliferation and gene expression. Technologies have emerged in recent years that make it possible to track the masses of single suspended cells and adherent cells. However, it has not been possible to track individual adherent cells in physiological conditions at the mass and time resolutions required to observe fast cellular dynamics. Here we introduce a cell balance (a ‘picobalance’), based on an optically excited microresonator, that measures the total mass of single or multiple adherent cells in culture conditions over days with millisecond time resolution and picogram mass sensitivity. Using our technique, we observe that the mass of living mammalian cells fluctuates intrinsically by around one to four per cent over timescales of seconds throughout the cell cycle. Perturbation experiments link these mass fluctuations to the basic cellular processes of ATP synthesis and water transport. Furthermore, we show that growth and cell cycle progression are arrested in cells infected with vaccinia virus, but mass fluctuations continue until cell death. Our measurements suggest that all living cells show fast and subtle mass fluctuations throughout the cell cycle. As our cell balance is easy to handle and compatible with fluorescence microscopy, we anticipate that our approach will contribute to the understanding of cell mass regulation in various cell states and across timescales, which is important in areas including physiology, cancer research, stem-cell differentiation and drug discovery.

  19. Role of H1 linker histones in mammalian development and stem cell differentiation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pan, Chenyi; Fan, Yuhong

    2016-03-01

    H1 linker histones are key chromatin architectural proteins facilitating the formation of higher order chromatin structures. The H1 family constitutes the most heterogeneous group of histone proteins, with eleven non-allelic H1 variants in mammals. H1 variants differ in their biochemical properties and exhibit significant sequence divergence from one another, yet most of them are highly conserved during evolution from mouse to human. H1 variants are differentially regulated during development and their cellular compositions undergo dramatic changes in embryogenesis, gametogenesis, tissue maturation and cellular differentiation. As a group, H1 histones are essential for mouse development and proper stem cell differentiation. Here we summarize our current knowledge on the expression and functions of H1 variants in mammalian development and stem cell differentiation. Their diversity, sequence conservation, complex expression and distinct functions suggest that H1s mediate chromatin reprogramming and contribute to the large variations and complexity of chromatin structure and gene expression in the mammalian genome. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  20. Inhibition spectrum studies of microthecin and other anhydrofructose derivatives using selected strains of Gram-positive and –negative bacteria, yeast and moulds, and investigation of the cytotoxicity of microthecin to malignant blood cell lines

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Fiskesund, R.; Thomas, L.V.; Schobert, M.

    2009-01-01

    Aims: To prepare 1,5-anhydro-d-fructose (AF) derivatives, test their microbial inhibition spectrum, and to further examine the most effective AF derivative against Pseudomonas aeruginosa and malignant blood cell lines. Methods and Results: Microthecin and nine other AF derivatives were synthesized...... both GP and GN bacteria, including Ps. aeruginosa. Further tests with three malignant blood cell lines (Mutu, Ramos, Raji) and one normal cell line indicated that microthecin was a cell toxin, with a cell mortality >85% at 50 ppm. The other nine AF derivatives demonstrated low or no antimicrobial...... activity. Conclusions: Microthecin was active 100–2000 ppm against GP and GN bacteria including Ps. aeruginosa, but was inactive against yeasts and moulds. Microthecin was also a cytotoxin to some mammalian cell lines. Significance and Impact of the Study: Microthecin might have potential for development...

  1. Establishment and culture optimization of a new type of pituitary immortalized cell line

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kokubu, Yuko [Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, The University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8562 (Japan); Asashima, Makoto [Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, The University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8562 (Japan); Life Science Center of TARA, The University of Tsukuba, Ibaraki-ken 305-8577 (Japan); Kurisaki, Akira, E-mail: akikuri@hotmail.com [Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, The University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8562 (Japan); Biotechnology Research Institute for Drug Discovery, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8562 (Japan)

    2015-08-07

    The pituitary gland is a center of the endocrine system that controls homeostasis in an organism by secreting various hormones. The glandular anterior pituitary consists of five different cell types, each expressing specific hormones. However, their regulation and the appropriate conditions for their in vitro culture are not well defined. Here, we report the immortalization of mouse pituitary cells by introducing TERT, E6, and E7 transgenes. The immortalized cell lines mainly expressed a thyrotroph-specific thyroid stimulating hormone beta (Tshb). After optimization of the culture conditions, these immortalized cells proliferated and maintained morphological characteristics similar to those of primary pituitary cells under sphere culture conditions in DMEM/F12 medium supplemented with N2, B27, basic FGF, and EGF. These cell lines responded to PKA or PKC pathway activators and induced the expression of Tshb mRNA. Moreover, transplantation of the immortalized cell line into subcutaneous regions and kidney capsules of mice further increased Tshb expression. These results suggest that immortalization of pituitary cells with TERT, E6, and E7 transgenes is a useful method for generating proliferating cells for the in vitro analysis of pituitary regulatory mechanisms. - Highlights: • Mouse pituitary cell lines were immortalized by introducing TERT, E6, and E7. • The immortalized cell lines mainly expressed thyroid stimulating hormone beta. • The cell lines responded to PKA or PKC pathway activators, and induced Tshb.

  2. 29 CFR 776.12 - Employees traveling across State lines.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... 29 Labor 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Employees traveling across State lines. 776.12 Section 776... Engaging âin Commerceâ § 776.12 Employees traveling across State lines. Questions are frequently asked as... questions arise are those of traveling service men, traveling buyers, traveling construction crews...

  3. The Cellosaurus, a Cell-Line Knowledge Resource

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bairoch, Amos

    2018-01-01

    The Cellosaurus is a knowledge resource on cell lines. It aims to describe all cell lines used in biomedical research. Its scope encompasses both vertebrates and invertebrates. Currently, information for >100,000 cell lines is provided. For each cell line, it provides a wealth of information, cross-references, and literature citations. The Cellosaurus is available on the ExPASy server (https://web.expasy.org/cellosaurus/) and can be downloaded in a variety of formats. Among its many uses, the Cellosaurus is a key resource to help researchers identify potentially contaminated/misidentified cell lines, thus contributing to improving the quality of research in the life sciences. PMID:29805321

  4. Reactivation of neutron killed mammalian cells by gamma irradiation: The observations, possible mechanism and implication

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Calkins, J.; Harrison, W.; Einspenner, M.

    1990-01-01

    We have observed that combinations of neutron plus gamma ray exposure can significantly increase the colony forming ability of monkey and human cell cultures over the neutron dose alone. The 'reactivation' of neutron killed mammalian cells by gamma rays is analogous to observations made in lower eukaryotic organisms and fits the pattern termed 'T repair' previously postulated for yeast and protozoans. (orig.)

  5. Autoprocessing of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 protease miniprecursor fusions in mammalian cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chen Chaoping

    2010-07-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background HIV protease (PR is a virus-encoded aspartic protease that is essential for viral replication and infectivity. The fully active and mature dimeric protease is released from the Gag-Pol polyprotein as a result of precursor autoprocessing. Results We here describe a simple model system to directly examine HIV protease autoprocessing in transfected mammalian cells. A fusion precursor was engineered encoding GST fused to a well-characterized miniprecursor, consisting of the mature protease along with its upstream transframe region (TFR, and small peptide epitopes to facilitate detection of the precursor substrate and autoprocessing products. In HEK 293T cells, the resulting chimeric precursor undergoes effective autoprocessing, producing mature protease that is rapidly degraded likely via autoproteolysis. The known protease inhibitors Darunavir and Indinavir suppressed both precursor autoprocessing and autoproteolysis in a dose-dependent manner. Protease mutations that inhibit Gag processing as characterized using proviruses also reduced autoprocessing efficiency when they were introduced to the fusion precursor. Interestingly, autoprocessing of the fusion precursor requires neither the full proteolytic activity nor the majority of the N-terminal TFR region. Conclusions We suggest that the fusion precursors provide a useful system to study protease autoprocessing in mammalian cells, and may be further developed for screening of new drugs targeting HIV protease autoprocessing.

  6. Autographa californica Multicapsid Nucleopolyhedrovirus efficiently infects Sf9 cells and transduces mammalian cells via direct fusion with the plasma membrane at low pH

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Dong, S.; Wang, M.; Qiu, Z.; Deng, F.; Vlak, J.M.; Hu, Z.H.; Wang, H.L.

    2010-01-01

    The budded virus (BV) of the Autographa californica multicapsid nucleopolyhedrovirus (AcMNPV) infects insect cells and transduces mammalian cells mainly through the endocytosis pathway. However, this study revealed that the treatment of the virus bound to Sf9 cells at low pH could efficiently rescue

  7. Screening and selection of high carotenoid producing in vitro tomato cell culture lines for [13C]-carotenoid production.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Engelmann, Nancy J; Campbell, Jessica K; Rogers, Randy B; Rupassara, S Indumathie; Garlick, Peter J; Lila, Mary Ann; Erdman, John W

    2010-09-22

    Isotopically labeled tomato carotenoids, phytoene, phytofluene, and lycopene, are needed for mammalian bioavailability and metabolism research but are currently commercially unavailable. The goals of this work were to establish and screen multiple in vitro tomato cell lines for carotenoid production, test the best producers with or without the bleaching herbicides, norflurazon and 2-(4-chlorophenyl-thio)triethylamine (CPTA), and to use the greatest carotenoid accumulator for in vitro 13C-labeling. Different Solanum lycopersicum allelic variants for high lycopene and varying herbicide treatments were compared for carotenoid accumulation in callus and suspension culture, and cell suspension cultures of the hp-1 line were chosen for isotopic labeling. When grown with [U]-13C-glucose and treated with CPTA, hp-1 suspensions yielded highly enriched 13C-lycopene with 45% of lycopene in the M+40 form and 88% in the M+35 to M+40 isotopomer range. To the authors' knowledge this is the first report of highly enriched 13C-carotenoid production from in vitro plant cell culture.

  8. Expression of growth factor receptors and targeting of EGFR in cholangiocarcinoma cell lines

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Xu, Ling; Hausmann, Martin; Dietmaier, Wolfgang; Kellermeier, Silvia; Pesch, Theresa; Stieber-Gunckel, Manuela; Lippert, Elisabeth; Klebl, Frank; Rogler, Gerhard

    2010-01-01

    Cholangiocarcinoma (CC) is a malignant neoplasm of the bile ducts or the gallbladder. Targeting of growth factor receptors showed therapeutic potential in palliative settings for many solid tumors. The aim of this study was to determine the expression of seven growth factor receptors in CC cell lines and to assess the effect of blocking the EGFR receptor in vitro. Expression of EGFR (epithelial growth factor receptor), HGFR (hepatocyte growth factor receptor) IGF1R (insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor), IGF2R (insulin-like growth factor 2 receptor) and VEGFR1-3 (vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 1-3) were examined in four human CC cell lines (EGI-1, HuH28, OZ and TFK-1). The effect of the anti-EGFR-antibody cetuximab on cell growth and apoptosis was studied and cell lines were examined for KRAS mutations. EGFR, HGFR and IGFR1 were present in all four cell lines tested. IGFR2 expression was confirmed in EGI-1 and TFK-1. No growth-inhibitory effect was found in EGI-1 cells after incubation with cetuximab. Cetuximab dose-dependently inhibited growth in TFK-1. Increased apoptosis was only seen in TFK-1 cells at the highest cetuximab dose tested (1 mg/ml), with no dose-response-relationship at lower concentrations. In EGI-1 a heterozygous KRAS mutation was found in codon 12 (c.35G>A; p.G12D). HuH28, OZ and TFK-1 lacked KRAS mutation. CC cell lines express a pattern of different growth receptors in vitro. Growth factor inhibitor treatment could be affected from the KRAS genotype in CC. The expression of EGFR itself does not allow prognoses on growth inhibition by cetuximab

  9. Expression of growth factor receptors and targeting of EGFR in cholangiocarcinoma cell lines

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kellermeier Silvia

    2010-06-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Cholangiocarcinoma (CC is a malignant neoplasm of the bile ducts or the gallbladder. Targeting of growth factor receptors showed therapeutic potential in palliative settings for many solid tumors. The aim of this study was to determine the expression of seven growth factor receptors in CC cell lines and to assess the effect of blocking the EGFR receptor in vitro. Methods Expression of EGFR (epithelial growth factor receptor, HGFR (hepatocyte growth factor receptor IGF1R (insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor, IGF2R (insulin-like growth factor 2 receptor and VEGFR1-3 (vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 1-3 were examined in four human CC cell lines (EGI-1, HuH28, OZ and TFK-1. The effect of the anti-EGFR-antibody cetuximab on cell growth and apoptosis was studied and cell lines were examined for KRAS mutations. Results EGFR, HGFR and IGFR1 were present in all four cell lines tested. IGFR2 expression was confirmed in EGI-1 and TFK-1. No growth-inhibitory effect was found in EGI-1 cells after incubation with cetuximab. Cetuximab dose-dependently inhibited growth in TFK-1. Increased apoptosis was only seen in TFK-1 cells at the highest cetuximab dose tested (1 mg/ml, with no dose-response-relationship at lower concentrations. In EGI-1 a heterozygous KRAS mutation was found in codon 12 (c.35G>A; p.G12D. HuH28, OZ and TFK-1 lacked KRAS mutation. Conclusion CC cell lines express a pattern of different growth receptors in vitro. Growth factor inhibitor treatment could be affected from the KRAS genotype in CC. The expression of EGFR itself does not allow prognoses on growth inhibition by cetuximab.

  10. In vitro synergistic antitumor efficacy of sequentially combined chemotherapy/icotinib in non‑small cell lung cancer cell lines.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Min-Cong; Liang, Xuan; Liu, Zhi-Yan; Cui, Jie; Liu, Ying; Jing, Li; Jiang, Li-Li; Ma, Jie-Qun; Han, Li-Li; Guo, Qian-Qian; Yang, Cheng-Cheng; Wang, Jing; Wu, Tao; Nan, Ke-Jun; Yao, Yu

    2015-01-01

    The concurrent administration of chemotherapy and epidermal growth factor receptor‑tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR‑TKIs) has previously produced a negative interaction and failed to confer a survival benefit to non‑small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients compared with first‑line cytotoxic chemotherapy. The present study aimed to investigate the optimal schedule of the combined treatment of cisplatin/paclitaxel and icotinib in NSCLC cell lines and clarify the underlying mechanisms. HCC827, H1975, H1299 and A549 human NSCLC cell lines with wild‑type and mutant EGFR genes were used as in vitro models to define the differential effects of various schedules of cisplatin/paclitaxel with icotinib treatments on cell growth, proliferation, cell cycle distribution, apoptosis, and EGFR signaling pathway. Sequence‑dependent antiproliferative effects differed among the four NSCLC cell lines, and were not associated with EGFR mutation, constitutive expression levels of EGFR or downstream signaling molecules. The antiproliferative effect of cisplatin plus paclitaxel followed by icotinib was superior to that of cisplatin or paclitaxel followed by icotinib in the HCC827, H1975, H1299 and A549 cell lines, and induced more cell apoptosis and G0/G1 phase arrest. Cisplatin and paclitaxel significantly increased the expression of EGFR phosphorylation in the HCC827 cell line. However, only paclitaxel increased the expression of EGFR phosphorylation in the H1975 cell line. Cisplatin/paclitaxel followed by icotinib influenced the expression of p‑EGFR and p‑AKT, although the expression of p‑ERK1/2 remained unchanged. The results suggest that the optimal schedule of the combined treatment of cisplatin/paclitaxel and icotinib differed among the NSCLC cell lines. The results also provide molecular evidence to support clinical treatment strategies for NSCLC patients.

  11. Shikonin protects dopaminergic cell line PC12 against 6-hydroxydopamine-mediated neurotoxicity via both glutathione-dependent and independent pathways and by inhibiting apoptosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Esmaeilzadeh, Emran; Gardaneh, Mossa; Gharib, Ehsan; Sabouni, Farzaneh

    2013-08-01

    We have investigated the mechanism of shikonin function on protection of dopaminergic neurons against 6-OHDA-induced neurotoxicity. Treatment of rat pheochromocytoma cell line PC12 by serial dilutions of shikonin determined 10 μM of the compound as its optimum concentration for protection saving nearly 70 % of the cells against toxicity. Reverse transcription-PCR analysis of shikonin-treated cells showed threefold increase in mRNA levels of glutathione peroxidase-1 (GPX-1) as a representative component of the intracellular anti-oxidant defense system. To elucidate shikonin-GPX1 relationships and maximize protection, we transduced PC12 cells using recombinant lentivirus vectors that harbored GPX-1 coding sequence. This change upregulated GPX-1 expression, increased peroxidase activity and made neuronal cells resistant to 6-OHDA-mediated toxicity. More importantly, addition of shikonin to GPX1-overexpressing PC12 cells augmented GPX-1 protein content by eightfold leading to fivefold increase of enzymatic activity, 91 % cell survival against neurotoxicity and concomitant increases in intracellular glutathione (GSH) levels. Depletion of intracellular GSH rendered all cell groups highly susceptible to toxicity; however, shikonin was capable of partially saving them. Subsequently, GSH-independent superoxide dismutase mRNA was found upregulated by shikonin. As signs of apoptosis inhibition, the compound upregulated Bcl-2, downregulated Bax, and prevented cell nuclei from undergoing morphological changes typical of apoptosis. Also, a co-staining method demonstrated GPX-1 overexpression significantly increases the percent of live cells that is maximized by shikonin treatment. Our data indicate that shikonin as an antioxidant compound protects dopaminergic neurons against 6-OHDA toxicity and enhances their survival via both glutathione-dependent and direct anti-apoptotic pathways.

  12. Enhanced antiadhesive properties of chitosan/hyaluronic acid polyelectrolyte multilayers driven by thermal annealing: Low adherence for mammalian cells and selective decrease in adhesion for Gram-positive bacteria.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Muzzio, Nicolás E; Pasquale, Miguel A; Diamanti, Eleftheria; Gregurec, Danijela; Moro, Marta Martinez; Azzaroni, Omar; Moya, Sergio E

    2017-11-01

    The development of antifouling coatings with restricted cell and bacteria adherence is fundamental for many biomedical applications. A strategy for the fabrication of antifouling coatings based on the layer-by-layer assembly and thermal annealing is presented. Polyelectrolyte multilayers (PEMs) assembled from chitosan and hyaluronic acid were thermally annealed in an oven at 37°C for 72h. The effect of annealing on the PEM properties and topography was studied by atomic force microscopy, ζ-potential, circular dichroism and contact angle measurements. Cell adherence on PEMs before and after annealing was evaluated by measuring the cell spreading area and aspect ratio for the A549 epithelial, BHK kidney fibroblast, C2C12 myoblast and MC-3T3-E1 osteoblast cell lines. Chitosan/hyaluronic acid PEMs show a low cell adherence that decreases with the thermal annealing, as observed from the reduction in the average cell spreading area and more rounded cell morphology. The adhesion of S. aureus (Gram-positive) and E. coli (Gram-negative) bacteria strains was quantified by optical microscopy, counting the number of colony-forming units and measuring the light scattering of bacteria suspension after detachment from the PEM surface. A 20% decrease in bacteria adhesion was selectively observed in the S. aureus strain after annealing. The changes in mammalian cell and bacteria adhesion correlate with the changes in topography of the chitosan/hyaluronic PEMs from a rough fibrillar 3D structure to a smoother and planar surface after thermal annealing. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  13. The effects of UV irradiation and gas plasma treatment on living mammalian cells and bacteria: a comparative approach

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Sosnin, E.A.; Stoffels - Adamowicz, E.; Erofeev, M.V.; Kieft, I.E.; Kunts, S.E.

    2004-01-01

    Living mammalian cells and bacteria were exposed to irradiation from narrow-band UV lamps and treated with a nonthermal gas plasma (plasma needle). The model systems were: Chinese Hamster Ovary (CHO-K1) cells (fibroblasts) and Escherichia Coli bacteria. UV irradiation can lead to cell death

  14. 12-Chloracetyl-PPD, a novel dammarane derivative, shows anti-cancer activity via delay the progression of cell cycle G2/M phase and reactive oxygen species-mediate cell apoptosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Xu De; Sun, Yuan Yuan; Zhao, Chen; Qu, Fan Zhi; Zhao, Yu Qing

    2017-03-05

    (20R)-Dammarane-3β, 12β, 20, 25-tetrol (25-OH-PPD) is a ginsenoside isolated from Panax ginseng (C. A. Meyer). This compound exhibits anti-cancer activities on many human cancer cell lines. In this study, we investigated anti-cancer mechanisms of 12β-O-( L -Chloracetyl)-dammar-20(22)-ene-3β,25-diol(12-Chloracetyl-PPD), a modified 25-OH-PPD. We found that compound 12-Chloracetyl-PPD resulted in a concentration-dependent inhibition of viability in prostate, breast, and gastric cancer cells, without affecting the viability of normal cell (human gastric epithelial cell line-GES-1, hair follicle dermal papilla cell line-HHDPC and rat myocardial cell line-H9C2). In MDA-MB-435 and C4-2B cancer cells, 12-Chloracetyl-PPD induced G2/M cell cycle arrest, down-regulated mouse double minute 2 (MDM2) expression, up-regulated p53 expression, triggered apoptosis, and stimulated reactive oxygen species production. Apoptosis can be attenuated by the reactive oxygen species scavenger N-acetylcysteine. Our results suggested that compound 12-Chloracetyl-PPD showed obvious anti-cancer activity based on delaying cell cycle arrest and inducing cell apoptosis by reactive oxygen species production, which supported development of 12-Chloracetyl-PPD as a potential agent for cancer chemotherapy. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  15. Soft sensor for monitoring biomass subpopulations in mammalian cell culture processes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kroll, Paul; Stelzer, Ines V; Herwig, Christoph

    2017-11-01

    Biomass subpopulations in mammalian cell culture processes cause impurities and influence productivity, which requires this critical process parameter to be monitored in real-time. For this reason, a novel soft sensor concept for estimating viable, dead and lysed cell concentration was developed, based on the robust and cheap in situ measurements of permittivity and turbidity in combination with a simple model. It could be shown that the turbidity measurements contain information about all investigated biomass subpopulations. The novelty of the developed soft sensor is the real-time estimation of lysed cell concentration, which is directly correlated to process-related impurities such as DNA and host cell protein in the supernatant. Based on data generated by two fed-batch processes the developed soft sensor is described and discussed. The presented soft sensor concept provides a tool for viable, dead and lysed cell concentration estimation in real-time with adequate accuracy and enables further applications with respect to process optimization and control.

  16. Repair of traumatized mammalian hair cells via sea anemone repair proteins.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tang, Pei-Ciao; Smith, Karen Müller; Watson, Glen M

    2016-08-01

    Mammalian hair cells possess only a limited ability to repair damage after trauma. In contrast, sea anemones show a marked capability to repair damaged hair bundles by means of secreted repair proteins (RPs). Previously, it was found that recovery of traumatized hair cells in blind cavefish was enhanced by anemone-derived RPs; therefore, the ability of anemone RPs to assist recovery of damaged hair cells in mammals was tested here. After a 1 h incubation in RP-enriched culture media, uptake of FM1-43 by experimentally traumatized murine cochlear hair cells was restored to levels comparable to those exhibited by healthy controls. In addition, RP-treated explants had significantly more normally structured hair bundles than time-matched traumatized control explants. Collectively, these results indicate that anemone-derived RPs assist in restoring normal function and structure of experimentally traumatized hair cells of the mouse cochlea. © 2016. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

  17. Effects of track structure and cell inactivation on the calculation of heavy ion mutation rates in mammalian cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cucinotta, F. A.; Wilson, J. W.; Shavers, M. R.; Katz, R.

    1996-01-01

    It has long been suggested that inactivation severely effects the probability of mutation by heavy ions in mammalian cells. Heavy ions have observed cross sections of inactivation that approach and sometimes exceed the geometric size of the cell nucleus in mammalian cells. In the track structure model of Katz the inactivation cross section is found by summing an inactivation probability over all impact parameters from the ion to the sensitive sites within the cell nucleus. The inactivation probability is evaluated using the dose-response of the system to gamma-rays and the radial dose of the ions and may be equal to unity at small impact parameters for some ions. We show how the effects of inactivation may be taken into account in the evaluation of the mutation cross sections from heavy ions in the track structure model through correlation of sites for gene mutation and cell inactivation. The model is fit to available data for HPRT mutations in Chinese hamster cells and good agreement is found. The resulting calculations qualitatively show that mutation cross sections for heavy ions display minima at velocities where inactivation cross sections display maxima. Also, calculations show the high probability of mutation by relativistic heavy ions due to the radial extension of ions track from delta-rays in agreement with the microlesion concept. The effects of inactivation on mutations rates make it very unlikely that a single parameter such as LET or Z*2/beta(2) can be used to specify radiation quality for heavy ion bombardment.

  18. Automatic Control of Gene Expression in Mammalian Cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fracassi, Chiara; Postiglione, Lorena; Fiore, Gianfranco; di Bernardo, Diego

    2016-04-15

    Automatic control of gene expression in living cells is paramount importance to characterize both endogenous gene regulatory networks and synthetic circuits. In addition, such a technology can be used to maintain the expression of synthetic circuit components in an optimal range in order to ensure reliable performance. Here we present a microfluidics-based method to automatically control gene expression from the tetracycline-inducible promoter in mammalian cells in real time. Our approach is based on the negative-feedback control engineering paradigm. We validated our method in a monoclonal population of cells constitutively expressing a fluorescent reporter protein (d2EYFP) downstream of a minimal CMV promoter with seven tet-responsive operator motifs (CMV-TET). These cells also constitutively express the tetracycline transactivator protein (tTA). In cells grown in standard growth medium, tTA is able to bind the CMV-TET promoter, causing d2EYFP to be maximally expressed. Upon addition of tetracycline to the culture medium, tTA detaches from the CMV-TET promoter, thus preventing d2EYFP expression. We tested two different model-independent control algorithms (relay and proportional-integral (PI)) to force a monoclonal population of cells to express an intermediate level of d2EYFP equal to 50% of its maximum expression level for up to 3500 min. The control input is either tetracycline-rich or standard growth medium. We demonstrated that both the relay and PI controllers can regulate gene expression at the desired level, despite oscillations (dampened in the case of the PI controller) around the chosen set point.

  19. Repair capability of mammalian cell fractions demonstrated using infectivity of bacteriophage DNA

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lai, S.P.; Lytle, C.D.; Benane, S.G.

    1976-01-01

    Extracts of Potoroo kidney cells (PtK2) were examined for ability to provide a repair function in vitro. The biological activity (infectivity) of uv-irradiated replicative form (RF) DNA of bacteriophage phiX174 was restored during incubation of the DNA with a nuclear extract but not with a cytoplasmic extract. The infectivity of the RF-DNA was determined in spheroplasts of E. coli C/sub s/, which is HCR - . This system for biological assay of uv-irradiated DNA repaired in vitro may be used to complement biochemical and biophysical investigations of molecular repair mechanisms in mammalian cells

  20. A Novel Counter Sheet-flow Sandwich Cell Culture Device for Mammalian Cell Growth in Space

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sun, Shujin; Gao, Yuxin; Shu, Nanjiang; Tang, Zemei; Tao, Zulai; Long, Mian

    2008-08-01

    Cell culture and growth in space is crucial to understand the cellular responses under microgravity. The effects of microgravity were coupled with such environment restrictions as medium perfusion, in which the underlying mechanism has been poorly understood. In the present work, a customer-made counter sheet-flow sandwich cell culture device was developed upon a biomechanical concept from fish gill breathing. The sandwich culture unit consists of two side chambers where the medium flow is counter-directional, a central chamber where the cells are cultured, and two porous polycarbonate membranes between side and central chambers. Flow dynamics analysis revealed the symmetrical velocity profile and uniform low shear rate distribution of flowing medium inside the central culture chamber, which promotes sufficient mass transport and nutrient supply for mammalian cell growth. An on-orbit experiment performed on a recovery satellite was used to validate the availability of the device.

  1. Changes of heterogeneous cell populations in the Ishikawa cell line during long-term culture: Proposal for an in vitro clonal evolution model of tumor cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kasai, Fumio; Hirayama, Noriko; Ozawa, Midori; Iemura, Masashi; Kohara, Arihiro

    2016-06-01

    Genomic changes in tumor cell lines can occur during culture, leading to differences between cell lines carrying the same name. In this study, genome profiles between low and high passages were investigated in the Ishikawa 3-H-12 cell line (JCRB1505). Cells contained between 43 and 46 chromosomes and the modal number changed from 46 to 45 during culture. Cytogenetic analysis revealed that a translocation t(9;14), observed in all metaphases, is a robust marker for this cell line. Single-nucleotide polymorphism microarrays showed a heterogeneous copy number in the early passages and distinct profiles at late passages. These results demonstrate that cell culture can lead to elimination of ancestral clones by sequential selection, resulting in extensive replacement with a novel clone. Our observations on Ishikawa cells in vitro are different from the in vivo heterogeneity in which ancestral clones are often retained during tumor evolution and suggest a model for in vitro clonal evolution. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  2. Light induces Fos expression via extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1/2 in melanopsin-expressing PC12 cells

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Moldrup, Marie-Louise Bülow; Georg, Birgitte; Falktoft, Birgitte

    2010-01-01

    The photopigment melanopsin is expressed in a subtype of mammalian ganglion cells in the retina that project to the circadian clock in the hypothalamic suprachiasmatic nucleus to mediate non-visual light information. Melanopsin renders these retinal ganglion cells intrinsically photosensitive...

  3. Molecular mechanisms of drug resistance and tumor promotion involving mammalian ribonucleotide reductase

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Choy, B.B.K.

    1991-01-01

    Mammalian ribonucleotide reductase is a highly regulated, rate-limiting activity responsible for converting ribonucleoside diphosphates to the deoxyribonucleotide precursors of DNA. The enzyme consists of two nonidentical proteins called M1 and M2, both of which are required for activity. Hydroxyurea is an antitumor agent which inhibits ribonucleotide reductase by interacting with the M2 component specifically at a unique tyrosyl free radical. Studies were conducted on a series of drug resistant mouse cell lines, selected by a step-wise procedure for increasing levels of resistance to the cytotoxic effects of hydroxyurea. Each successive drug selection step leading to the isolation of highly resistant cells was accompanied by stable elevations in cellular resistance and ribonucleotide reductase activity. The drug resistant cell lines exhibited gene amplification of the M2 gene, elevated M2 mRNA, and M2 protein. In addition to M2 gene amplification, posttranscriptional modulation also occurred during the drug selection. Studies of the biosynthesis rates with exogenously added iron suggest a role for iron in regulating the level of M2 protein when cells are cultured in the presence of hydroxyurea. The hydroxyurea-inactivated ribonucleotide reductase protein M2 has a destabilized iron centre, which readily releases iron. Altered expression of ferritin appears to be required for the development of hydroxyurea resistance in nammalian cells. The results show an interesting relationship between the expressions of ribonucleotide reductase and ferritin. The phorbol ester tumor promoter, TPA, is also able to alter the expression of M2. TPA was able to induce M2 mRNA levels transiently up to 18-fold within 1/2 hour. This rapid and large elevation of ribonucleotide reductase suggests that the enzyme may play a role in tumor promotion. Studies of the M2 promoter region were undertaken to better understand the mechanism of TPA induction of M2.

  4. Parallel mRNA, proteomics and miRNA expression analysis in cell line models of the intestine.

    Science.gov (United States)

    O'Sullivan, Finbarr; Keenan, Joanne; Aherne, Sinead; O'Neill, Fiona; Clarke, Colin; Henry, Michael; Meleady, Paula; Breen, Laura; Barron, Niall; Clynes, Martin; Horgan, Karina; Doolan, Padraig; Murphy, Richard

    2017-11-07

    To identify miRNA-regulated proteins differentially expressed between Caco2 and HT-29: two principal cell line models of the intestine. Exponentially growing Caco-2 and HT-29 cells were harvested and prepared for mRNA, miRNA and proteomic profiling. mRNA microarray profiling analysis was carried out using the Affymetrix GeneChip Human Gene 1.0 ST array. miRNA microarray profiling analysis was carried out using the Affymetrix Genechip miRNA 3.0 array. Quantitative Label-free LC-MS/MS proteomic analysis was performed using a Dionex Ultimate 3000 RSLCnano system coupled to a hybrid linear ion trap/Orbitrap mass spectrometer. Peptide identities were validated in Proteome Discoverer 2.1 and were subsequently imported into Progenesis QI software for further analysis. Hierarchical cluster analysis for all three parallel datasets (miRNA, proteomics, mRNA) was conducted in the R software environment using the Euclidean distance measure and Ward's clustering algorithm. The prediction of miRNA and oppositely correlated protein/mRNA interactions was performed using TargetScan 6.1. GO biological process, molecular function and cellular component enrichment analysis was carried out for the DE miRNA, protein and mRNA lists via the Pathway Studio 11.3 Web interface using their Mammalian database. Differential expression (DE) profiling comparing the intestinal cell lines HT-29 and Caco-2 identified 1795 Genes, 168 Proteins and 160 miRNAs as DE between the two cell lines. At the gene level, 1084 genes were upregulated and 711 were downregulated in the Caco-2 cell line relative to the HT-29 cell line. At the protein level, 57 proteins were found to be upregulated and 111 downregulated in the Caco-2 cell line relative to the HT-29 cell line. Finally, at the miRNAs level, 104 were upregulated and 56 downregulated in the Caco-2 cell line relative to the HT-29 cell line. Gene ontology (GO) analysis of the DE mRNA identified cell adhesion, migration and ECM organization, cellular lipid

  5. Distinct radioprotective activities of major heat shock proteins in irradiated mammalian cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kabakov, Alexander; Malyutina, Yana; Kudryavtsev, Vladimir

    2008-01-01

    Full text: Several years ago we have suggested that heat shock proteins (Hsps) can be involved in cellular and tissue mechanisms of protection from ionizing radiation. At present, the accumulated experimental data do allow us to characterize three major mammalian Hsps, Hsp70, Hsp27 and Hsp90, as specific endogenous radioprotectors which are able to prevent or minimize cell death resulting from the radiation exposure. It follows from the many findings that the radioprotective effect of these Hsps is particularly manifested in their ability to attenuate apoptosis in various normal and tumor cells irradiated in vivo or in vitro. The obtained data already enable to suggest three main mechanisms of the radioprotection conferred by the excess Hsps: 1) Modulation of the intracellular signaling so that the apoptotic signal transduction is blocked, whereas the 'cell survival' signal transduction is stimulated; 2) Suppression of the radiation-associated free radical generation and apoptosis induced by reactive oxygen species (ROS); 3) Attenuation of the genotoxic impact of ionizing radiation. The latter suggested mechanism seems particularly intriguing and implies that the excess Hsps can somehow contribute to protection/repair of genomic DNA from radiation-induced damage. According to our recent results, Hsp90 is indeed involved in the post-irradiation repair of nuclear DNA, while excess Hsp70 can beneficially affect the p53-mediated DNA damage response in irradiated cells to ensure their long-term survival and recovery. As for Hsp27, we found that its accumulation in target cells increases their radioresistance by enhancing the irradiation-responsive activation of anti apoptotic pathways. While the Hsp70 and Hsp27 seem to perform different functions in irradiated cells, the synergistic enhancement of radioprotection was clearly observed in the cells enriched by the both the Hsps. In vivo, such radioprotective activities of the major mammalian Hsps may play a role in

  6. Characterization of Mammalian Selenoprotein O: A Redox-Active Mitochondrial Protein

    OpenAIRE

    Han, Seong-Jeong; Lee, Byung Cheon; Yim, Sun Hee; Gladyshev, Vadim N.; Lee, Seung-Rock

    2014-01-01

    Selenoproteins exhibit diverse biological functions, most of which are associated with redox control. However, the functions of approximately half of mammalian selenoproteins are not known. One such protein is Selenoprotein O (SelO), the largest mammalian selenoprotein with orthologs found in a wide range of organisms, including bacteria and yeast. Here, we report characterization of mammalian SelO. Expression of this protein could be verified in HEK 293T cells by metabolic labeling of cells ...

  7. Anti-tumor effects of novel 5-O-acyl plumbagins based on the inhibition of mammalian DNA replicative polymerase activity.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Moe Kawamura

    Full Text Available We previously found that vitamin K3 (menadione, 2-methyl-1,4-naphthoquinone inhibits the activity of human mitochondrial DNA polymerase γ (pol γ. In this study, we focused on plumbagin (5-hydroxy-2-methyl-1,4-naphthoquinone, and chemically synthesized novel plumbagins conjugated with C2:0 to C22:6 fatty acids (5-O-acyl plumbagins. These chemically modified plumbagins enhanced mammalian pol inhibition and their cytotoxic activity. Plumbagin conjugated with chains consisting of more than C18-unsaturated fatty acids strongly inhibited the activities of calf pol α and human pol γ. Plumbagin conjugated with oleic acid (C18:1-acyl plumbagin showed the strongest suppression of human colon carcinoma (HCT116 cell proliferation among the ten synthesized 5-O-acyl plumbagins. The inhibitory activity on pol α, a DNA replicative pol, by these compounds showed high correlation with their cancer cell proliferation suppressive activity. C18:1-Acyl plumbagin selectively inhibited the activities of mammalian pol species, but did not influence the activities of other pols and DNA metabolic enzymes tested. This compound inhibited the proliferation of various human cancer cell lines, and was the cytotoxic inhibitor showing strongest inhibition towards HT-29 colon cancer cells (LD50 = 2.9 µM among the nine cell lines tested. In an in vivo anti-tumor assay conducted on nude mice bearing solid tumors of HT-29 cells, C18:1-acyl plumbagin was shown to be a promising tumor suppressor. These data indicate that novel 5-O-acyl plumbagins act as anti-cancer agents based on mammalian DNA replicative pol α inhibition. Moreover, the results suggest that acylation of plumbagin is an effective chemical modification to improve the anti-cancer activity of vitamin K3 derivatives, such as plumbagin.

  8. A human beta cell line with drug inducible excision of immortalizing transgenes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Benazra, Marion; Lecomte, Marie-José; Colace, Claire; Müller, Andreas; Machado, Cécile; Pechberty, Severine; Bricout-Neveu, Emilie; Grenier-Godard, Maud; Solimena, Michele; Scharfmann, Raphaël; Czernichow, Paul; Ravassard, Philippe

    2015-01-01

    Objectives Access to immortalized human pancreatic beta cell lines that are phenotypically close to genuine adult beta cells, represent a major tool to better understand human beta cell physiology and develop new therapeutics for Diabetes. Here we derived a new conditionally immortalized human beta cell line, EndoC-βH3 in which immortalizing transgene can be efficiently removed by simple addition of tamoxifen. Methods We used lentiviral mediated gene transfer to stably integrate a tamoxifen inducible form of CRE (CRE-ERT2) into the recently developed conditionally immortalized EndoC βH2 line. The resulting EndoC-βH3 line was characterized before and after tamoxifen treatment for cell proliferation, insulin content and insulin secretion. Results We showed that EndoC-βH3 expressing CRE-ERT2 can be massively amplified in culture. We established an optimized tamoxifen treatment to efficiently excise the immortalizing transgenes resulting in proliferation arrest. In addition, insulin expression raised by 12 fold and insulin content increased by 23 fold reaching 2 μg of insulin per million cells. Such massive increase was accompanied by enhanced insulin secretion upon glucose stimulation. We further observed that tamoxifen treated cells maintained a stable function for 5 weeks in culture. Conclusions EndoC βH3 cell line represents a powerful tool that allows, using a simple and efficient procedure, the massive production of functional non-proliferative human beta cells. Such cells are close to genuine human beta cells and maintain a stable phenotype for 5 weeks in culture. PMID:26909308

  9. Sensitization of ultraviolet radiation damage in bacteria and mammalian cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fisher, G.J.; Watts, M.E.; Patel, K.B.; Adams, G.E.

    1978-01-01

    Bacteria (Serratia marcescens) and mammalian cells (Chinese hamsters V79-379A) were irradiated in monolayers with ultraviolet light at 254 nm or 365 nm in the presence or absence of radiosensitizing drugs. At 254 nm, killing is very efficient (Dsub(37) approximately equal 1 J m -2 exposure, or approximately equal 6 x 10 4 photons absorbed by DNA per bacterium), and sensitizers have no effect. At 365 nm, cells are not killed in buffer, but are inactivated in the presence of nifurpipone or misonidazole. Lethal exposures (approximately equal 5 x 10 3 J m -2 at 10 nM misonidazole) correspond to about 10 7 photons absorbed by sensitizer molecules per bacterium. Toxicity of stable photoproducts of the drugs is not involved, nor is oxygen required. Hence the transient species formed by photo-excitation of radiosensitizer molecules are capable of killing cells in the absence of other types of radiation damage. (author)

  10. REST-mediated recruitment of polycomb repressor complexes in mammalian cells

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Dietrich, Nikolaj; Lerdrup, Mads; Landt, Eskild

    2012-01-01

    Polycomb Repressive Complex (PRC) 1 and PRC2 regulate genes involved in differentiation and development. However, the mechanism for how PRC1 and PRC2 are recruited to genes in mammalian cells is unclear. Here we present evidence for an interaction between the transcription factor REST, PRC1......, and increased gene expression. Genome-wide analysis of Polycomb binding in Rest¿/¿ and Eed¿/¿ mouse embryonic stem (mES) cells showed that Rest was required for PRC1 recruitment to a subset of Polycomb regulated neuronal genes. Furthermore, we found that PRC1 can be recruited to Rest binding sites independently...... of CpG islands and the H3K27Me3 mark. Surprisingly, PRC2 was frequently increased around Rest binding sites located in CpG-rich regions in the Rest¿/¿ mES cells, indicating a more complex interplay where Rest also can limit PRC2 recruitment. Therefore, we propose that Rest has context...

  11. Local Nucleosome Dynamics Facilitate Chromatin Accessibility in Living Mammalian Cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Saera Hihara

    2012-12-01

    Full Text Available Genome information, which is three-dimensionally organized within cells as chromatin, is searched and read by various proteins for diverse cell functions. Although how the protein factors find their targets remains unclear, the dynamic and flexible nature of chromatin is likely crucial. Using a combined approach of fluorescence correlation spectroscopy, single-nucleosome imaging, and Monte Carlo computer simulations, we demonstrate local chromatin dynamics in living mammalian cells. We show that similar to interphase chromatin, dense mitotic chromosomes also have considerable chromatin accessibility. For both interphase and mitotic chromatin, we observed local fluctuation of individual nucleosomes (∼50 nm movement/30 ms, which is caused by confined Brownian motion. Inhibition of these local dynamics by crosslinking impaired accessibility in the dense chromatin regions. Our findings show that local nucleosome dynamics drive chromatin accessibility. We propose that this local nucleosome fluctuation is the basis for scanning genome information.

  12. THE GERMLINE STEM CELL NICHE UNIT IN MAMMALIAN TESTES

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oatley, Jon M.; Brinster, Ralph L.

    2014-01-01

    This review addresses current understanding of the germline stem cell niche unit in mammalian testes. Spermatogenesis is a classic model of tissue-specific stem cell function relying on self-renewal and differentiation of spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs). These fate decisions are influenced by a niche microenvironment composed of a growth factor milieu that is provided by several testis somatic support cell populations. Investigations over the last two decades have identified key determinants of the SSC niche including cytokines that regulate SSC functions and support cells providing these factors, adhesion molecules that influence SSC homing, and developmental heterogeneity of the niche during postnatal aging. Emerging evidence suggests that Sertoli cells are a key support cell population influencing the formation and function of niches by secreting soluble factors and possibly orchestrating contributions of other support cells. Investigations with mice have shown that niche influence on SSC proliferation differs during early postnatal development and adulthood. Moreover, there is mounting evidence of an age-related decline in niche function, which is likely influenced by systemic factors. Defining the attributes of stem cell niches is key to developing methods to utilize these cells for regenerative medicine. The SSC population and associated niche comprise a valuable model system for study that provides fundamental knowledge about the biology of tissue-specific stem cells and their capacity to sustain homeostasis of regenerating tissue lineages. While the stem cell is essential for maintenance of all self-renewing tissues and has received considerable attention, the role of niche cells is at least as important and may prove to be more receptive to modification in regenerative medicine. PMID:22535892

  13. Macrophage-induced cytostasis: kinetic analysis of bromodeoxyuridine-pulsed cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Stevenson, A.P.; Crissman, H.A.; Stewart, C.C.

    1985-01-01

    The effect of tumoricidal macrophages on the cell cycle progression of six different cell lines was studied using an anti-bromodeoxyuridine (BrdUrd) monoclonal antibody to follow the traverse of BrdUrd-labeled cells. Exponentially growing cultured mammalian cells, from six different cell lines, were prepulsed with BrdUrd before exposure to tumoricidal macrophages. The cultured cells were then analyzed as a function of time for DNA content (by propidium iodide staining) and for BrdUrd incorporation (using a fluoresceini-sothiocyanate [FITC]-conjugated anti-BrdUrd monoclonal antibody). The position of the cells in cycle and the progression of the BrdUrd-labeled cohort was followed using flow cytometry. The cell lines examined were: Colon 26; BALB/c-3T3, ST3T3 (a spontaneously transformed, tumorigenic clone of 3T3), WCHE5 (a clone of whole Chinese hamster embryo cells), RIF (a radiation-induced fibrosarcoma), and A101D (a human melanoma). The bivariate distributions showed that for all six cell lines the BrdUrd-labeled cohort in the control cultures progressed around the cell cycle during the first 12 h of culture, as the cells exponentially increased. In contrast, when each cell line was incubated with tumoricidal macrophages, the BrdUrd-labeled cohort did not progress through cell cycle but remained in S phase throughout the 12-h culture period. There was also no evidence for progression of cells out of G 1 . The data show that cells were arrested in every phase of cell cycle. This study suggests that cytostasis, as manifested by the termination of progression in all phases of the cell cycle, is a universal phenomenon induced by tumoricidal macrophages. 20 references, 4 figures

  14. Quantitative Analyses of Core Promoters Enable Precise Engineering of Regulated Gene Expression in Mammalian Cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ede, Christopher; Chen, Ximin; Lin, Meng-Yin; Chen, Yvonne Y.

    2016-01-01

    Inducible transcription systems play a crucial role in a wide array of synthetic biology circuits. However, the majority of inducible promoters are constructed from a limited set of tried-and-true promoter parts, which are susceptible to common shortcomings such as high basal expression levels (i.e., leakiness). To expand the toolbox for regulated mammalian gene expression and facilitate the construction of mammalian genetic circuits with precise functionality, we quantitatively characterized a panel of eight core promoters, including sequences with mammalian, viral, and synthetic origins. We demonstrate that this selection of core promoters can provide a wide range of basal gene expression levels and achieve a gradient of fold-inductions spanning two orders of magnitude. Furthermore, commonly used parts such as minimal CMV and minimal SV40 promoters were shown to achieve robust gene expression upon induction, but also suffer from high levels of leakiness. In contrast, a synthetic promoter, YB_TATA, was shown to combine low basal expression with high transcription rate in the induced state to achieve significantly higher fold-induction ratios compared to all other promoters tested. These behaviors remain consistent when the promoters are coupled to different genetic outputs and different response elements, as well as across different host-cell types and DNA copy numbers. We apply this quantitative understanding of core promoter properties to the successful engineering of human T cells that respond to antigen stimulation via chimeric antigen receptor signaling specifically under hypoxic environments. Results presented in this study can facilitate the design and calibration of future mammalian synthetic biology systems capable of precisely programmed functionality. PMID:26883397

  15. The cytoskeleton of Drosophila-derived Schneider line-1 and Kc23 cells undergoes significant changes during long-term culture

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schatten, H.; Hedrick, J.; Chakrabarti, A.

    1998-01-01

    Insect cell cultures derived from Drosophila melanogaster are increasingly being used as an alternative system to mammalian cell cultures, as they are amenable to genetic manipulation. Although Drosophila cells are an excellent tool for the study of genes and expression of proteins, culture conditions have to be considered in the interpretation of biochemical results. Our studies indicate that significant differences occur in cytoskeletal structure during the long-term culture of the Drosophila-derived cell lines Schneider Line-1 (S1) and Kc23. Scanning, transmission-electron, and immunofluorescence microscopy studies reveal that microfilaments, microtubules, and centrosomes become increasingly different during the culture of these cells from 24 h to 7-14 days. Significant cytoskeletal changes are observed at the cell surface where actin polymerizes into microfilaments, during the elongation of long microvilli. Additionally, long protrusions develop from the cell surface; these protrusions are microtubule-based and establish contact with neighboring cells. In contrast, the microtubule network in the interior of the cells becomes disrupted after four days of culture, resulting in altered transport of mitochondria. Microtubules and centrosomes are also affected in a small percent of cells during cell division, indicating an instability of centrosomes. Thus, the cytoskeletal network of microfilaments, microtubules, and centrosomes is affected in Drosophila cells during long-term culture. This implies that gene regulation and post-translational modifications are probably different under different culture conditions.

  16. Role of somatostatin receptor-2 in gentamicin-induced auditory hair cell loss in the Mammalian inner ear.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yves Brand

    Full Text Available Hair cells and spiral ganglion neurons of the mammalian auditory system do not regenerate, and their loss leads to irreversible hearing loss. Aminoglycosides induce auditory hair cell death in vitro, and evidence suggests that phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase/Akt signaling opposes gentamicin toxicity via its downstream target, the protein kinase Akt. We previously demonstrated that somatostatin-a peptide with hormone/neurotransmitter properties-can protect hair cells from gentamicin-induced hair cell death in vitro, and that somatostatin receptors are expressed in the mammalian inner ear. However, it remains unknown how this protective effect is mediated. In the present study, we show a highly significant protective effect of octreotide (a drug that mimics and is more potent than somatostatin on gentamicin-induced hair cell death, and increased Akt phosphorylation in octreotide-treated organ of Corti explants in vitro. Moreover, we demonstrate that somatostatin receptor-1 knockout mice overexpress somatostatin receptor-2 in the organ of Corti, and are less susceptible to gentamicin-induced hair cell loss than wild-type or somatostatin-1/somatostatin-2 double-knockout mice. Finally, we show that octreotide affects auditory hair cells, enhances spiral ganglion neurite number, and decreases spiral ganglion neurite length.

  17. Efecto sobre la viabilidad celular de una nueva serie de espirosteroides sintéticos en células PC12 Effect of a new series of synthetic spiroteroids on the PC12 cell line viability

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Laura García-Pupo

    2013-03-01

    Full Text Available Introducción: la diosgenina y sus derivados se han descrito como potentes inhibidores de la proliferación en varias líneas tumorales. Sin embargo otras moléculas relacionadas estructuralmente con dichos derivados, se han reportado como candidatos terapéuticos y otras de ellas se incluyen en alimentos de consumo humano. Objetivo: el presente trabajo evalúa el efecto sobre la viabilidad celular de una nueva serie de espiroesteroides sintéticos derivados de la diosgenina, en células tipo neurales PC12. Métodos: la viabilidad de los cultivos de PC12 se determinó mediante el ensayo de MTT y se calcularon descriptores moleculares teóricos como la lipofilicidad (logP virtual y la superficie de área polar (SAP, con el objetivo de establecer relaciones estructura-actividad. Resultados: nuestros resultados demuestran que solo el acido taurodesoxicólico disminuye de manera significativa la viabilidad celular. Más aun, dicha molécula presenta valores menores y mayores de logP virtual y SAP, respectivamente, respecto al resto de los esteroides de la serie. Conclusiones: los resultados anteriores avalan el estudio del acido taurodesoxicólico como potencial inhibidor de la proliferación celular y al resto de las moléculas de la serie como candidatos neuroprotectores a evaluar en esta misma línea celular y dosis de tratamiento.Introduction: diosgenin and its derivatives have been described as potent anti-proliferative compounds in several tumor cell lines. However, other structurally-related compounds are reported to exert neuroprotective activity and are also included in food for human consumption. Objective: to evaluate the effect of a novel series of diogesin-derived synthetic spirosteroids on cellular viability of neuron-like PC12 cell line. Methods: cellular viability was determined by the MTT assay along with some theorical molecular descriptors, such as lipophilicity and polar surface area, in order to establish the structure

  18. RAB10 Interacts with the Male Germ Cell-Specific GTPase-Activating Protein during Mammalian Spermiogenesis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ying-Hung Lin

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available According to recent estimates, 2%–15% of couples are sterile, and approximately half of the infertility cases are attributed to male reproductive factors. However, the reasons remain undefined in approximately 25% of male infertility cases, and most infertility cases exhibit spermatogenic defects. Numerous genes involved in spermatogenesis still remain unknown. We previously identified Male Germ Cells Rab GTPase-Activating Proteins (MGCRABGAPs through cDNA microarray analysis of human testicular tissues with spermatogenic defects. MGCRABGAP contains a conserved RABGAP catalytic domain, TBC (Tre2/Bub2/Cdc16. RABGAP family proteins regulate cellular function (e.g., cytoskeletal remodeling, vesicular trafficking, and cell migration by inactivating RAB proteins. MGCRABGAP is a male germ cell-specific protein expressed in elongating and elongated spermatids during mammalian spermiogenesis. The purpose of this study was to identify proteins that interact with MGCRABGAP during mammalian spermiogenesis using a proteomic approach. We found that MGCRABGAP exhibited GTPase-activating bioability, and several MGCRABGAP interactors, possible substrates (e.g., RAB10, RAB5C, and RAP1, were identified using co-immunoprecipitation (co-IP and nano liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry (nano LC-MS/MS. We confirmed the binding ability between RAB10 and MGCRABGAP via co-IP. Additionally, MGCRABGAP–RAB10 complexes were specifically colocalized in the manchette structure, a critical structure for the formation of spermatid heads, and were slightly expressed at the midpiece of mature spermatozoa. Based on these results, we propose that MGCRABGAP is involved in mammalian spermiogenesis by modulating RAB10.

  19. Molecular characterization and expression profile of nanos in Schistosoma japonicum and its influence on the expression several mammalian stem cell factors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Giri, Bikash Ranjan; Du, Xiaoli; Xia, Tianqi; Chen, Yongjun; Li, Hao; Cheng, Guofeng

    2017-07-01

    Pluripotent stem cells, called neoblasts, are well known for the regenerative capability and developmental plasticity in flatworms. Impressive advancement has been made in free-living flatworms, while in case of its parasitic counterpart, neoblast-like stem cells have attracted recent attention for its self-renewal and differentiation capacity. Nanos is a key conserved post-transcriptional regulator critical for the formation, development, and/or maintenance of the pluripotent germ line stem cell systems in many metazoans including schistosomes. In the present study, we report the molecular cloning and expression of nanos orthologous genes nanos in Schistosoma japonicum (Sjnanos). The cDNA of Sjnanos is 826 bp long, containing an open reading frame (ORF) for 223 amino acid long protein. qRT-PCR analysis shown that Sjnanos was differently expressed in several stages of schistosomes with relatively high level in schistosomula. Additionally, Sjnanos was expressed highly in adult females compared to adult males. Transfection of recombinant plasmid for expressing Sjnanos resulted in significant proliferation and increased expression of several stem cell factors in mammalian cells. Overall, our preliminary study provides the molecular basis to further functionally characterize Sjnanos in S. japonicum.

  20. Bacterial mutagenicity and mammalian cell DNA damage by several substituted anilines.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zimmer, D; Mazurek, J; Petzold, G; Bhuyan, B K

    1980-04-01

    Several substituted alkyl- and haloanilines were tested for their ability to mutate Salmonella typhimurium and to damage the DNA of mammalian (V79) cells. These results were correlated with their reported carcinogenicity. Of 9 suspected carcinogens, 4 were bacterial mutagens and 4 (out of 7 tested) damaged DNA of V79 cells. The following compounds were weakly mutagenic (less than 150 revertants/mumole): 4-fluoroaniline, 2,3-, 2,4-, 2,5- and 3,4-dimethylaniline, and 2-methyl-4-fluoroaniline. The following compounds were strong mutagens: 2,4,5-trimethylaniline, 2-methyl-4-chloro-, and 2-methyl-4-bromo-, 4-methyl-2-chloro-, 4-methyl-2-bromo- and 2-ethyl-4-chloroaniline. The compounds which damaged DNA in V79 cells were: 2 methyl-4-chloroaniline, 2-methyl-4-bromoaniline, 2,4,5- and 2,4,6-trimethylaniline.

  1. The role of sex chromosomes in mammalian germ cell differentiation: can the germ cells carrying X and Y chromosomes differentiate into fertile oocytes?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Teruko Taketo

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available The sexual differentiation of germ cells into spermatozoa or oocytes is strictly regulated by their gonadal environment, testis or ovary, which is determined by the presence or absence of the Y chromosome, respectively. Hence, in normal mammalian development, male germ cells differentiate in the presence of X and Y chromosomes, and female germ cells do so in the presence of two X chromosomes. However, gonadal sex reversal occurs in humans as well as in other mammalian species, and the resultant XX males and XY females can lead healthy lives, except for a complete or partial loss of fertility. Germ cells carrying an abnormal set of sex chromosomes are efficiently eliminated by multilayered surveillance mechanisms in the testis, and also, though more variably, in the ovary. Studying the molecular basis for sex-specific responses to a set of sex chromosomes during gametogenesis will promote our understanding of meiotic processes contributing to the evolution of sex determining mechanisms. This review discusses the fate of germ cells carrying various sex chromosomal compositions in mouse models, the limitation of which may be overcome by recent successes in the differentiation of functional germ cells from embryonic stem cells under experimental conditions.

  2. Cellular Prion Protein and Caveolin-1 Interaction in a Neuronal Cell Line Precedes Fyn/Erk 1/2 Signal Transduction

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mattia Toni

    2006-01-01

    Full Text Available It has been reported that cellular prion protein (PrPc is enriched in caveolae or caveolae-like domains with caveolin-1 (Cav-1 participating to signal transduction events by Fyn kinase recruitment. By using the Glutathione-S-transferase (GST-fusion proteins assay, we observed that PrPc strongly interacts in vitro with Cav-1. Thus, we ascertained the PrPc caveolar localization in a hypothalamic neuronal cell line (GN11, by confocal microscopy analysis, flotation on density gradient, and coimmunoprecipitation experiments. Following the anti-PrPc antibody-mediated stimulation of live GN11 cells, we observed that PrPc clustered on plasma membrane domains rich in Cav-1 in which Fyn kinase converged to be activated. After these events, a signaling cascade through p42/44 MAP kinase (Erk 1/2 was triggered, suggesting that following translocations from rafts to caveolae or caveolae-like domains PrPc could interact with Cav-1 and induce signal transduction events.

  3. PLE-wu, a new member of piggyBac transposon family from insect, is active in mammalian cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Chunxiao; Wang, Shu

    2014-10-01

    piggyBac, a highly active transposon in insect and mammalian cells, is a very useful tool in genome manipulation. A new piggyBac-like element (PLE), named PLE-wu, was identified from a mutant baculovirus cultured in sf9 insect cells. This new transposon is 2931 bp in length and encodes two active forms of transposase, a 708-amino acid-long transposase and a short 576-residue-long transposase translated from a downstream in-frame initiation codon. PLE-wu has asymmetric terminal structures, containing 6-bp inverted terminal repeats, 32-bp imperfect inverted and direct sub-terminal repeats. Similar to piggyBac, PLE-wu exhibits traceless excision activity in both insect and mammalian cells, restoring the original TTAA target sequence upon excision. It also retains the insertion activity in mammalian cells with a plasmid to chromosome transposition rate about 10-fold higher than random integration. Plasmid rescue assays revealed that the TTAA target sequence was duplicated at the junctions of the insertion site. Deletion of the terminal sequences including the sub-terminal repeats decreased the transposition activity of the 708-residue-long transposase, while the transposition activity of the short form of transposase was not affected. With its low sequence similarity to piggyBac, PLE-wu will contribute to the understanding the mechanism of PLE transposition, as well as design of new transposon systems with higher activity. Copyright © 2014 The Society for Biotechnology, Japan. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  4. Live-cell topology assessment of URG7, MRP6102 and SP-C using glycosylatable green fluorescent protein in mammalian cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lee, Hunsang; Lara, Patricia; Ostuni, Angela; Presto, Jenny; Johansson, Janne; Nilsson, IngMarie; Kim, Hyun

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: • Glycosylatable GFP (gGFP) is developed for the use in mammalian cells. • gGFP selectively loses its fluorescence upon N-linked glycosylation in the ER lumen. • Differential fluorescence/glycosylation pattern probes membrane protein topology. • Membrane topology of URG7, MRP6 102 , and SP-C was determined by gGFP tagging in vivo. - Abstract: Experimental tools to determine membrane topology of a protein are rather limited in higher eukaryotic organisms. Here, we report the use of glycosylatable GFP (gGFP) as a sensitive and versatile membrane topology reporter in mammalian cells. gGFP selectively loses its fluorescence upon N-linked glycosylation in the ER lumen. Thus, positive fluorescence signal assigns location of gGFP to the cytosol whereas no fluorescence signal and a glycosylated status of gGFP map the location of gGFP to the ER lumen. By using mammalian gGFP, the membrane topology of disease-associated membrane proteins, URG7, MRP6 102 , SP-C(Val) and SP-C(Leu) was confirmed. URG7 is partially targeted to the ER, and inserted in C in form. MRP6 102 and SP-C(Leu/Val) are inserted into the membrane in C out form. A minor population of untargeted SP-C is removed by proteasome dependent quality control system

  5. [Mathematical modeling of synergistic interaction of sequential thermoradiation action on mammalian cells].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Belkina, S V; Semkina, M A; Kritskiĭ, R O; Petin, V G

    2010-01-01

    Data obtained by other authors for mammalian cells treated by sequential action of ionizing radiation and hyperthermia were used to estimate the dependence of synergistic enhancement ratio on the ratio of damages induced by these agents. Experimental results were described and interpreted by means of the mathematical model of synergism in accordance with which the synergism is expected to result from the additional lethal damage arising from the interaction of sublesions induced by both agents.

  6. Comparison of growth factor signalling pathway utilisation in cultured normal melanocytes and melanoma cell lines

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kim, Ji Eun; Stones, Clare; Joseph, Wayne R; Leung, Euphemia; Finlay, Graeme J; Shelling, Andrew N; Phillips, Wayne A; Shepherd, Peter R; Baguley, Bruce C

    2012-01-01

    The phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K-PKB), mitogen activated protein kinase (MEK-ERK) and the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR- p70S6K), are thought to regulate many aspects of tumour cell proliferation and survival. We have examined the utilisation of these three signalling pathways in a number of cell lines derived from patients with metastatic malignant melanoma of known PIK3CA, PTEN, NRAS and BRAF mutational status. Western blotting was used to compare the phosphorylation status of components of the PI3K-PKB, MEK-ERK and mTOR-p70S6K signalling pathways, as indices of pathway utilisation. Normal melanocytes could not be distinguished from melanoma cells on the basis of pathway utilisation when grown in the presence of serum, but could be distinguished upon serum starvation, where signalling protein phosphorylation was generally abrogated. Surprisingly, the differential utilisation of individual pathways was not consistently associated with the presence of an oncogenic or tumour suppressor mutation of genes in these pathways. Utilisation of the PI3K-PKB, MEK-ERK and mTOR-p70S6K signalling pathways in melanoma, as determined by phosphorylation of signalling components, varies widely across a series of cell lines, and does not directly reflect mutation of genes coding these components. The main difference between cultured normal melanocytes and melanoma cells is not the pathway utilisation itself, but rather in the serum dependence of pathway utilisation

  7. Monitoring cell line identity in collections of human induced pluripotent stem cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Raquel Sarafian

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available The ability to reprogram somatic cells into induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs has led to the generation of large collections of cell lines from thousands of individuals with specific phenotypes, many of which will be shared among different research groups as invaluable tools for biomedical research. As hiPSC-based research involves extensive culture of many cell lines, the issue periodic cell line identification is particularly important to ensure that cell line identity remains accurate. Here we analyzed the different commercially available genotyping methods considering ease of in-house genotyping, cost and informativeness, and applied one of them in our workflow for hiPSC generation. We show that the chosen STR method was able to establish a unique DNA profile for each of the 35 individuals/hiPSC lines at the examined sites, as well as identify two discrepancies resulting from inadvertently exchanged samples. Our results highlight the importance of hiPSC line genotyping by an in-house method that allows periodic cell line identification and demonstrate that STR is a useful approach to supplement less frequent karyotyping and epigenetic evaluations. Keywords: Induced pluripotent stem cells, Genotyping, Cell line identification, Short tandem repeats, Quality control

  8. Natural bizbenzoquinoline derivatives protect zebrafish lateral line sensory hair cells from aminoglycoside toxicity

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Matthew eKruger

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available Moderate to severe hearing loss affects 360 million people worldwide and most often results from damage to sensory hair cells. Hair cell damage can result from aging, genetic mutations, excess noise exposure, and certain medications including aminoglycoside antibiotics. Aminoglycosides are effective at treating infections associated with cystic fibrosis and other life-threatening conditions such as sepsis, but cause hearing loss in 20-30% of patients. It is therefore imperative to develop new therapies to combat hearing loss and allow safe use of these potent antibiotics. We approach this drug discovery question using the larval zebrafish lateral line because zebrafish hair cells are structurally and functionally similar to mammalian inner ear hair cells and respond similarly to toxins. We screened a library of 502 natural compounds in order to identify novel hair cell protectants. Our screen identified four bisbenzylisoquinoline derivatives: berbamine, E6 berbamine, hernandezine, and isotetrandrine, each of which robustly protected hair cells from aminoglycoside-induced damage. Using fluorescence microscopy and electrophysiology, we demonstrated that the natural compounds confer protection by reducing antibiotic uptake into hair cells and showed that hair cells remain functional during and after incubation in E6 berbamine. We also determined that these natural compounds do not reduce antibiotic efficacy. Together, these natural compounds represent a novel source of possible otoprotective drugs that may offer therapeutic options for patients receiving aminoglycoside treatment.

  9. Nutrient regulation by continuous feeding removes limitations on cell yield in the large-scale expansion of Mammalian cell spheroids.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bradley P Weegman

    Full Text Available Cellular therapies are emerging as a standard approach for the treatment of several diseases. However, realizing the promise of cellular therapies across the full range of treatable disorders will require large-scale, controlled, reproducible culture methods. Bioreactor systems offer the scale-up and monitoring needed, but standard stirred bioreactor cultures do not allow for the real-time regulation of key nutrients in the medium. In this study, β-TC6 insulinoma cells were aggregated and cultured for 3 weeks as a model of manufacturing a mammalian cell product. Cell expansion rates and medium nutrient levels were compared in static, stirred suspension bioreactors (SSB, and continuously fed (CF SSB. While SSB cultures facilitated increased culture volumes, no increase in cell yields were observed, partly due to limitations in key nutrients, which were consumed by the cultures between feedings, such as glucose. Even when glucose levels were increased to prevent depletion between feedings, dramatic fluctuations in glucose levels were observed. Continuous feeding eliminated fluctuations and improved cell expansion when compared with both static and SSB culture methods. Further improvements in growth rates were observed after adjusting the feed rate based on calculated nutrient depletion, which maintained physiological glucose levels for the duration of the expansion. Adjusting the feed rate in a continuous medium replacement system can maintain the consistent nutrient levels required for the large-scale application of many cell products. Continuously fed bioreactor systems combined with nutrient regulation can be used to improve the yield and reproducibility of mammalian cells for biological products and cellular therapies and will facilitate the translation of cell culture from the research lab to clinical applications.

  10. Nutrient Regulation by Continuous Feeding Removes Limitations on Cell Yield in the Large-Scale Expansion of Mammalian Cell Spheroids

    Science.gov (United States)

    Weegman, Bradley P.; Nash, Peter; Carlson, Alexandra L.; Voltzke, Kristin J.; Geng, Zhaohui; Jahani, Marjan; Becker, Benjamin B.; Papas, Klearchos K.; Firpo, Meri T.

    2013-01-01

    Cellular therapies are emerging as a standard approach for the treatment of several diseases. However, realizing the promise of cellular therapies across the full range of treatable disorders will require large-scale, controlled, reproducible culture methods. Bioreactor systems offer the scale-up and monitoring needed, but standard stirred bioreactor cultures do not allow for the real-time regulation of key nutrients in the medium. In this study, β-TC6 insulinoma cells were aggregated and cultured for 3 weeks as a model of manufacturing a mammalian cell product. Cell expansion rates and medium nutrient levels were compared in static, stirred suspension bioreactors (SSB), and continuously fed (CF) SSB. While SSB cultures facilitated increased culture volumes, no increase in cell yields were observed, partly due to limitations in key nutrients, which were consumed by the cultures between feedings, such as glucose. Even when glucose levels were increased to prevent depletion between feedings, dramatic fluctuations in glucose levels were observed. Continuous feeding eliminated fluctuations and improved cell expansion when compared with both static and SSB culture methods. Further improvements in growth rates were observed after adjusting the feed rate based on calculated nutrient depletion, which maintained physiological glucose levels for the duration of the expansion. Adjusting the feed rate in a continuous medium replacement system can maintain the consistent nutrient levels required for the large-scale application of many cell products. Continuously fed bioreactor systems combined with nutrient regulation can be used to improve the yield and reproducibility of mammalian cells for biological products and cellular therapies and will facilitate the translation of cell culture from the research lab to clinical applications. PMID:24204645

  11. Establishment of cell lines with rat spermatogonial stem cell characteristics

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van Pelt, Ans M. M.; Roepers-Gajadien, Hermien L.; Gademan, Iris S.; Creemers, Laura B.; de Rooij, Dirk G.; van Dissel-Emiliani, Federica M. F.

    2002-01-01

    Spermatogonial cell lines were established by transfecting a mixed population of purified rat A(s) (stem cells), A(pr) and A(al) spermatogonia with SV40 large T antigen. Two cell lines were characterized and found to express Hsp90alpha and oct-4, specific markers for germ cells and A spermatogonia,

  12. Low levels of foot-and-mouth disease virus 3C protease expression are required to achieve optimal capsid protein expression and processing in mammalian cells

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Polacek, Charlotta; Gullberg, Maria; Li, Jiong

    2013-01-01

    transient-expression assays, within mammalian cells, it is possible to modify the relative amounts of the substrate and protease. It has now been shown that optimal production of the processed capsid proteins from P1-2A is achieved with reduced levels of 3Cpro expression, relative to the P1-2A, compared...... detected by FMDV antigen detection assays. Furthermore, the P1-2A and the processed forms each bind to the integrin αvβ6, the major FMDV receptor. These results contribute to the development of systems which efficiently express the components of empty capsid particles and may represent the basis for safer...... production of diagnostic reagents and improved vaccines against foot-and-mouth disease....

  13. Chromium cytotoxic effects on mammalian cells in vitro

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Levis, A G; Buttignol, M; Vettorato, L

    1975-01-01

    Chromium compounds, which have several industrial uses, are reported to be carcinogenic. The author, have, therefore, undertaken the study of K/sub 2/Cr/sub 2/O/sub 7/ effects on a cell line of Hamster fibroblasts (BHK), using specific radioactive precursors and determining the acid soluble pool, the RNA, DNA, and protein contents and specific activities. The K/sub 2/Cr/sub 2/O/sub 7/ induced changes in nucleic acid and protein specific activities are related to two different, dissociable effects: (1) a sudden inhibition of macromolecular syntheses, followed by a recovery period, and (2) an immediate, drastic stimulation of nucleoside transport into the cell, whereas amino acid transport is reduced. The effects on precursor permeability are not related to non specific changes of the plasma membrane, but they seem to be due to specific simulations and inhibitions of nucleoside and amino acid transport mechanisms. A human cell line (HEp) has been also tested, which is more sensitive to K/sup 2/Cr/sub 2/O/sub 7/ action than the BHK line. DNA synthesis as well as survival in single cell plating conditions show the same difference in sensitivity to K/sub 2/Cr/sub 2/O/sub 7/. Thus, the loss of indefinite cell division ability could be due to the blockage of DNA replication. It is suggested that the main chromium cytotoxic effect lies in a multiple attack to the DNA molecule, which gradually alters the DNA tertiary structure resulting in the blockage of replication capacity. This blockage may be reversible owing to the breakage of chromium-DNA bonds and to the induced instability of phosphodiester internucleotide bonds.

  14. Membrane lipidome of an epithelial cell line

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Sampaio, Julio L; Gerl, Mathias J; Klose, Christian

    2011-01-01

    Tissue differentiation is an important process that involves major cellular membrane remodeling. We used Madin-Darby canine kidney cells as a model for epithelium formation and investigated the remodeling of the total cell membrane lipidome during the transition from a nonpolarized morphology...... to an epithelial morphology and vice versa. To achieve this, we developed a shotgun-based lipidomics workflow that enabled the absolute quantification of mammalian membrane lipidomes with minimal sample processing from low sample amounts. Epithelial morphogenesis was accompanied by a major shift from sphingomyelin...... to generate an apical membrane domain that serves as a protective barrier for the epithelial sheet....

  15. Comparison of steroid receptors from the androgen responsive DDT1 cell line and the nonresponsive HVP cell line.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Norris, J S; Kohler, P O

    1978-01-01

    Two hamster cell lines have been isolated from androgen target tissue. The DDT1 cells derived from ductus deferens tissue exhibit a growth response to androgens, while the HVP cells derived from ventral prostate are androgen unresponsive. Both cell lines contain androgen receptors, that are similar when compared by kinetic methods, sedimentation velocity, chromatographic procedures or nuclear translocation ability. The forms of the high salt extracted nuclear receptors are indistinguishable chromatographically. Therefore, we postulate that the lesion preventing androgen induced growth in the HVP cell line is subseqent to nuclear translocation of the steroid receptor complex.

  16. Control of radiation sensitivity of mammalian cells. Regulation of expression of DNA repair genes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yoshida, Kayo; Morita, Takashi

    2003-01-01

    This review describes authors' investigations concerning regulation of expression of DNA repair genes for the purpose of control of radiosensitivity of mammalian cells for cancer radiotherapy. One of their experiments concerns the enhancement of sensitivity to radiation and anti-tumor agents by suppressing the expression of mammalian Rad51 gene which playing a central role in recombination repair against DNA double-strand break, by RNA interference (RNAi). Described are the mode of action of RNAi, mechanism of suppression of Rad51 gene expression by it, enhancing effect in radiosensitivity, stable suppression and enhancement by hairpin RNA and its possible usefulness in cancer therapy. The other concerns the histone H2AX gene, which delivering the repair signal post phosphorylation in chromatin against the double-strand break. Experimental results of suppression of the histone H2AX gene by tet-off system, enhancement of radiosensitivity by the suppression and functional recovery by the gene transfer are described, and the radiosensitivity can be thus artificially controlled by tetracycline in authors' F9 2AX (tet/tet) cells. (N.I.)

  17. Sonic hedgehog promotes stem-cell potential of Mueller glia in the mammalian retina

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wan Jin; Zheng Hua; Xiao Honglei; She Zhenjue; Zhou Guomin

    2007-01-01

    Mueller glia have been demonstrated to display stem-cell properties after retinal damage. Here, we report this potential can be regulated by Sonic hedgehog (Shh) signaling. Shh can stimulate proliferation of Mueller glia through its receptor and target gene expressed on them, furthermore, Shh-treated Mueller glia are induced to dedifferentiate by expressing progenitor-specific markers, and then adopt cell fate of rod photoreceptor. Inhibition of signaling by cyclopamine inhibits proliferation and dedifferentiation. Intraocular injection of Shh promotes Mueller glia activation in the photoreceptor-damaged retina, Shh also enhances neurogenic potential by producing more rhodopsin-positive photoreceptors from Mueller glia-derived cells. Together, these results provide evidences that Mueller glia act as potential stem cells in mammalian retina, Shh may have therapeutic effects on these cells for promoting the regeneration of retinal neurons

  18. Sonic hedgehog promotes stem-cell potential of Mueller glia in the mammalian retina

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Jin, Wan; Hua, Zheng; Honglei, Xiao; Zhenjue, She [Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Shanghai Medical School, Fudan University, 200032 Shanghai (China); Zhou Guomin [Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Shanghai Medical School, Fudan University, 200032 Shanghai (China)], E-mail: gmzhou185@yahoo.com.cn

    2007-11-16

    Mueller glia have been demonstrated to display stem-cell properties after retinal damage. Here, we report this potential can be regulated by Sonic hedgehog (Shh) signaling. Shh can stimulate proliferation of Mueller glia through its receptor and target gene expressed on them, furthermore, Shh-treated Mueller glia are induced to dedifferentiate by expressing progenitor-specific markers, and then adopt cell fate of rod photoreceptor. Inhibition of signaling by cyclopamine inhibits proliferation and dedifferentiation. Intraocular injection of Shh promotes Mueller glia activation in the photoreceptor-damaged retina, Shh also enhances neurogenic potential by producing more rhodopsin-positive photoreceptors from Mueller glia-derived cells. Together, these results provide evidences that Mueller glia act as potential stem cells in mammalian retina, Shh may have therapeutic effects on these cells for promoting the regeneration of retinal neurons.

  19. Determination of glutamine and glutamic acid in mammalian cell cultures using tetrathiafulvalene modified enzyme electrodes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mulchandani, A; Bassi, A S

    1996-01-01

    Tetrathiafulvalene (TTF) mediated amperometric enzyme electrodes have been developed for the monitoring of L-glutamine and L-glutamic acid in growing mammalian cell cultures. The detection of glutamine was accomplished by a coupled enzyme system comprised of glutaminase plus glutamate oxidase, while the detection of glutamic acid was carried out by a single enzyme, glutamate oxidase. The appropriate enzyme(s) were immoblized on the Triton-X treated surface of tetrathiafulvalene modified carbon paste electrodes by adsorption, in conjunction with entrapment by an electrochemically deposited copolymer film of 1,3-phenylenediamine and resorcinol. Operating conditions for the glutamine enzyme electrode were optimized with respect to the amount of enzymes immoblized, pH, temperature and mobile phase flow rate for operation in a flow injection (FIA) system. When applied to glutamine and glutamic acid measurements in mammalian cell culture in FIA, the results obtained with enzyme electrodes were in excellent agreement with those determined by enzymatic analysis.

  20. Cdt1 revisited: complex and tight regulation during the cell cycle and consequences of deregulation in mammalian cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fujita Masatoshi

    2006-10-01

    Full Text Available Abstract In eukaryotic cells, replication of genomic DNA initiates from multiple replication origins distributed on multiple chromosomes. To ensure that each origin is activated precisely only once during each S phase, a system has evolved which features periodic assembly and disassembly of essential pre-replication complexes (pre-RCs at replication origins. The pre-RC assembly reaction involves the loading of a presumptive replicative helicase, the MCM2-7 complexes, onto chromatin by the origin recognition complex (ORC and two essential factors, CDC6 and Cdt1. The eukaryotic cell cycle is driven by the periodic activation and inactivation of cyclin-dependent kinases (Cdks and assembly of pre-RCs can only occur during the low Cdk activity period from late mitosis through G1 phase, with inappropriate re-assembly suppressed during S, G2, and M phases. It was originally suggested that inhibition of Cdt1 function after S phase in vertebrate cells is due to geminin binding and that Cdt1 hyperfunction resulting from Cdt1-geminin imbalance induces re-replication. However, recent progress has revealed that Cdt1 activity is more strictly regulated by two other mechanisms in addition to geminin: (1 functional and SCFSkp2-mediated proteolytic regulation through phosphorylation by Cdks; and (2 replication-coupled proteolysis mediated by the Cullin4-DDB1Cdt2 ubiquitin ligase and PCNA, an eukaryotic sliding clamp stimulating replicative DNA polymerases. The tight regulation implies that Cdt1 control is especially critical for the regulation of DNA replication in mammalian cells. Indeed, Cdt1 overexpression evokes chromosomal damage even without re-replication. Furthermore, deregulated Cdt1 induces chromosomal instability in normal human cells. Since Cdt1 is overexpressed in cancer cells, this could be a new molecular mechanism leading to carcinogenesis. In this review, recent insights into Cdt1 function and regulation in mammalian cells are discussed.