Jian-Ping Cai

Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen Is Protected from Degradation by Forming a Complex with MutT Homolog2

Proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) has been demonstrated to interact with multiple proteins involved in several metabolic pathways such as DNA replication and repair. However, there have been fewer reports about whether these PCNA-binding proteins influence stability of PCNA. Here, we observed a physical interaction between PCNA and MutT homolog2 (MTH2), a new member of the MutT-related proteins that hydrolyzes 8-oxo-7,8-dihydrodeoxyguanosine triphosphate (8-oxo-dGTP). In several unstressed human cancer cell lines and in normal human fibroblast cells, PCNA and MTH2 formed a complex and their mutual binding fragments were confirmed. It was intriguing that PCNA and MTH2 were dissociated dependent on acetylation of PCNA, which in turn induced degradation of PCNA in response to UV irradiation, but not in response to other forms of DNA-damaging stress. To further explore the link between dissociation of PCNA-MTH2 and degradation of PCNA, RNAi against MTH2 was performed to mimic the dissociated status of PCNA to evaluate changes in the half-life of PCNA. Knockdown of MTH2 significantly promoted degradation of PCNA, suggesting that the physiological interaction of PCNA-MTH2 may confer protection from degradation for PCNA, whereas UV irradiation accelerates PCNA degradation by inducing dissociation of PCNA-MTH2. Moreover, secondary to degradation of PCNA, UV-induced inhibition of DNA synthesis or cell cycle progression was enhanced. Collectively, our data demonstrate for the first time that PCNA is protected by this newly identified partner molecule MTH2, which is related to DNA synthesis and cell cycle progression.

High-Resolution Analyses of Human Leukocyte Antigens Allele and Haplotype Frequencies Based on 169,995 Volunteers from the China Bone Marrow Donor Registry Program

Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation is a widely used and effective therapy for hematopoietic malignant diseases and numerous other disorders. High-resolution human leukocyte antigen (HLA) haplotype frequency distributions not only facilitate individual donor searches but also determine the probability with which a particular patient can find HLA-matched donors in a registry. The frequencies of the HLA-A, -B, -C, -DRB1, and -DQB1 alleles and haplotypes were estimated among 169,995 Chinese volunteers using the sequencing-based typing (SBT) method. Totals of 191 HLA-A, 244 HLA-B, 146 HLA-C, 143 HLA-DRB1 and 47 HLA-DQB1 alleles were observed, which accounted for 6.98%, 7.06%, 6.46%, 9.11% and 7.91%, respectively, of the alleles in each locus in the world (IMGT 3.16 Release, Apr. 2014). Among the 100 most common haplotypes from the 169,995 individuals, nine distinct haplotypes displayed significant regionally specific distributions. Among these, three were predominant in the South China region (i.e., the 20th, 31st, and 81sthaplotypes), another three were predominant in the Southwest China region (i.e., the 68th, 79th, and 95th haplotypes), one was predominant in the South and Southwest China regions (the 18th haplotype), one was relatively common in the Northeast and North China regions (the 94th haplotype), and one was common in the Northeast, North and Northwest China (the 40th haplotype). In conclusion, this is the first to analyze high-resolution HLA diversities across the entire country of China, based on a detailed and complete data set that covered 31 provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities. Specifically, we also evaluated the HLA matching probabilities within and between geographic regions and analyzed the regional differences in the HLA diversities in China. We believe that the data presented in this study might be useful for unrelated HLA-matched donor searches, donor registry planning, population genetic studies, and anthropogenesis studies.

Age-Dependent Accumulation of 8-Oxoguanine in the DNA and RNA in Various Rat Tissues

The relationship between the oxidative damage of nucleic acids and aging of animals was investigated by analyzing the nucleic acids derived from various tissue specimens of naturally aged Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats. For this purpose, we established an accurate and sensitive isotope-diluted LC-MS/MS method to determine the levels of 8-oxo-7,8-dihydro-2′-deoxyguanosine (8-oxo-dGsn) in DNA and 8-oxo-7,8-dihydroguanosine (8-oxo-Gsn) in RNA. An age-dependent increase in oxidative DNA and RNA damage was observed in the various organs examined, including the brain, liver, kidneys, and testes. Similar increases in the 8-oxo-dGsn and 8-oxo-Gsn contents were observed in three parts of the brain, the hippocampus, cerebral cortex, and cerebellum, among which, the values for the hippocampus were always the highest. When the oxidized guanosine metabolites were quantified with urine, a similar age-dependent increase was observed for both 8-oxo-dGsn and 8-oxo-Gsn. However, unlike the results of nucleic acid samples derived from the tissues, the amount of 8-oxo-Gsn was significantly higher compared to that of 8-oxo-dGsn, probably reflecting the fact that RNA degradation occurs more frequently than DNA degradation. Our finding indicates that the amount of urinary 8-oxo-Gsn could be considered as a biomarker for the sensitive measurement of oxidative stress and aging.

Oxidative Damage to RNA and Expression Patterns of MTH1 in the Hippocampi of Senescence-Accelerated SAMP8 Mice and Alzheimer’s Disease Patients

Mammalian MTH1 protein, a MutT-related protein, catalyzes the hydrolysis of 8-oxo-7,8-dihydroguanosine triphosphate (8-oxoGTP) to monophosphate, thereby preventing incorporation of 8-oxo-7,8-dihydroguanine (8-oxoguanine) into RNA. In this study, we applied immunohistochemistry to follow the expression of MTH1 and the amount of 8-oxoguanine in RNA during aging. There were increased amounts of 8-oxoguanine in RNA in the CAl and CA3 subregions of hippocampi of 8- and 12-month-old SAMP8 mice, which exhibited early aging syndromes and declining learning and memory abilities compared to those of age-matched control SAMR1 mice. The expression levels of MTH1 in the hippocampi of 8- and 12-month-old SAMP8 mice were significantly lower than those of control mice. Therefore, in this mouse model, age-related accumulation of 8-oxoguanine in RNA is correlated with decreased expression of MTH1. Increased amounts of 8-oxoguanine in the RNA, and decreased expression of MTH1 were also observed in the hippocampi of patients suffering from Alzheimer’s disease. These results suggest that MTH1 deficiency might be a causative factor for aging and age-related disorders.

DNA alterations of microsatellite DNA, p53, APC and K-ras in Chinese colorectal cancer patients.

Eur J Clin Invest 2012; 42 (7): 751–759

Oxidative damage of DNA, RNA and their metabolites in leukocytes, plasma and urine of Macaca mulatta: 8-oxoguanosine in urine is a useful marker for aging

Abstract The levels of the oxidised forms of guanosine in leukocytes, plasma and urine of Macaca mulatta were determined using a sensitive method based on high-performance liquid chromatography–triple quadruple mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS). The amounts of 8-oxo-7,8-dihydrodeoxyguanosine (8-oxo-dGsn) and 8-oxo-7,8-dihydroguanosin (8-oxoGsn), derived from DNA and RNA, respectively, increased with age in leukocytes. The measurement of the free forms of oxidised guanosine revealed similar age-dependent increases of 8-oxo-dGsn and 8-oxoGsn in both plasma and urine, which showed considerably larger amounts of 8-oxoGsn than 8-oxo-dGsn. The 8-oxoGsn content of urine could be a useful biomarker for evaluating aging, as age-dependent increases of 8-oxoGsn are more evident in urine compared to plasma and because urine samples are readily available.

Significance of eosinophil accumulation in the thrombus and decrease in peripheral blood in patients with acute coronary syndrome.

Background and aims It is well known that the interaction between platelets (PLTs), endothelial cells, and leukocytes contributes to thrombosis in patients with acute coronary syndrome. The aim of this study was to investigate the significance of PLTs and eosinophils (EOS) in coronary arterial thrombi. Methods PLT count, mean PLT volume, PLT mass, EOS count, EOS percentage, and troponin I level in peripheral blood were determined in 81 patients with angina pectoris (AP) and 49 patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI). A total of 12 thrombus specimens from AMI patients were submitted for histopathological analysis. EOS presence in thrombectomy specimens were checked by hematoxylin–eosin staining and confirmed by Luna staining. Results Results showed that EOS were present in all 12 samples (100%). Cell count and percentage of EOS in peripheral blood of patients with AMI were lower than those in patients with AP (both P<0.00001). A higher PLT count was observed in AMI patients (243±70), especially among female patients or those who were older than 60 years, when compared with AP patients (216±60; all P<0.05). According to the troponin I level, we divided AMI patients into groups I (≥20 ng/ml) and II (<20 ng/ml). Group I had a lower EOS percentage compared with group II (P=0.0496). PLT count was also lower in group I with no statistical difference found (P=0.1202). Moreover, there was an inverse correlation between the EOS percentage and the troponin I level (r=−0.434). Conclusion In conclusion, patients with AMI presented with a decreased EOS percentage and an increased PLT count. The decreased EOS percentage suggested serious myocardial damage. The study indicated that EOS play an important role in thrombosis in patients with acute coronary syndrome.

Cardiac shock wave therapy attenuates H9c2 myoblast apoptosis by activating the AKT signal pathway.

Background: Previous studies have demonstrated that Cardiac Shock Wave Therapy (CSWT) improves myocardial perfusion and cardiac function in a porcine model of chronic myocardial ischemia and also ameliorates myocardial ischemia in patients with severe coronary artery disease (CAD). Apoptosis plays a key role in ischemic myocardial pathogenesis. However, it remains unclear whether CSWT is beneficial for ischemia/hypoxia (I/H)-induced myocardial cell apoptosis and by which mechanism CSWT could improve heart function. We put forward the hypothesis that CSWT might protect heart function during ischemia/hypoxia by decreasing apoptosis. Methods: We generated ischemia/hypoxia (I/H)-induced apoptosis in the H9c2 myoblast cell line to examine the CSWT function and possible mechanisms. H9c2 cells were treated under hypoxic serum-starved conditions for 24 h and then treated with or without CSWT (500 shots, 0.06, 0.09, 0.12mJ/mm2). The apoptotic cell rate was determined by flow cytometry assay, cell viability was examined by the MTT assay, nuclear fragmentation was detected by Hoechst 33342 staining, and the mitochondrial-mediated intrinsic pathway of apoptosis was assessed by the expression of Bax and Bcl-2 protein and Caspase3 activation. Results: First, apoptosis could be induced by ischemia/hypoxia in H9c2 cells. Second, CSWT attenuates the cell death and decreases the H9c2 cell apoptosis rate induced by ischemia and hypoxia. Third, CSWT suppresses the expression of apoptosis molecules that regulate the intrinsic pathway of apoptosis in H9c2 cells. Fourth, CSWT increases the phosphorylation of AKT, which indicates the activation of the PI3K-AKT pathway. Conclusions: These results indicate that CSWT exerts a protective effect against I/H-induced cell death, potentially by preventing the activation of components of the mitochondrial-dependent intrinsic apoptotic pathway. We also demonstrate that the PI3K-Akt pathway may be involved in the CSWT effects on apoptosis.

Rapamycin promoted thrombosis and platelet adhesion to endothelial cells by inducing membrane remodeling

BackgroundRecently, evidence indicated that the rapamycin-eluting stent which was used worldwide may contribute to an increased risk for thrombosis. On the contrary, other researchers found it was safe. Thus, it is necessary to clarify the effect of rapamycin on thrombosis and the corresponding mechanisms.ResultsThe effects of rapamycin in vivo were evaluated by modified deep vein thrombosis animal model. The platelets were from healthy volunteers and the platelet-endothelium (purchased from ATCC) adhesion in cultured endothelial cells was assessed. Membrane rufflings in endothelial cells were examined by confocal and electron microscope. Thrombus formation increased in rats that were injected with rapamycin. Electron microscope analysis exhibited microvilli on the rapamycin-treated endothelium in rats. Rapamycin enhanced membrane ruffling in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) and adhesion of platelets to HUVECs. The platelet-HUVECs adhesion was attenuated when cells were treated with cytochalacin B. Inhibition of autophagy by 3-methyladenine led to suppression of membrane ruffles in HUVECs and augmentation of platelet-endothelial adhesion.ConclusionsIn conclusion, we found that endothelial membrane remodeling induced by rapamycin is crucial for the adhesion of platelets to endothelial cells and thereby for thrombosis in vivo, and that the endothelial membrane remodeling is autophagy dependent.

Lowered Nudix type 5 (NUDT5) expression leads to cell cycle retardation in HeLa cells

The molecule 8-oxo-7,8-dihydroguanine (8-oxoGua), an oxidized form of guanine, can pair with adenine or cytosine during nucleic acid synthesis. Moreover, RNA containing 8-oxoGua causes translational errors, thus leading to the production of abnormal proteins. Human NUDT5, a MutT-related protein, catalyzes the hydrolysis of 8-oxoGDP to 8-oxoGMP, thereby preventing misincorporation of 8-oxoGua into RNA. To investigate the biological roles of NUDT5 in mammalian cells, we established cell lines with decreased level of NUDT5 expression. In NUDT5 inhibited cells, the RNA oxidation was not significantly higher than that of normal cells. However, the cell cycle G1 phase was significantly delayed, and cell numbers in both S and G2/M phases were reduced, indicating that cell proliferation was hampered by NUDT5 suppression. Key proteins for preventing the G1-S transition, including p53, p16, and Rb were increased, while the Rb phosphorylation was decreased. These results suggested that the NUDT5 protein may play significant roles in regulating the G1-S transition in mammalian cells.