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Objectives: This paper aims to investigate whether equibiaxial tensile strain alters chondrocyte gene expression via controlling subcellular localization of histone deacetylase 4 (HDAC4)., Materials and Methods: Murine chondrocytes transfected with GFP-HDAC4 were subjected to 3 h cyclic equibiaxial tensile strain (CTS, 6% strain at 0.25 Hz) by a Flexcell® FX-5000™ Tension System. Fluorescence microscope and western blot were used to observe subcellular location of HDAC4. The gene expression was analyzed by real-time RT-PCR. The concentration of Glycosaminoglycans in culture medium was quantified by bimethylmethylene blue dye; Collagen II protein was evaluated by western blot. Cells phenotype was identified by immunohistochemistry. Cell viability was evaluated by live-dead cell detect kit. Okadaic acid, an inhibitor of HDAC4 nuclear relocation, was used to further validate whether HDAC4 nuclear relocation plays a role in gene expression in response to tension stimulation., Results: 87.5% of HDAC4 was located in the cytoplasm in chondrocytes under no loading condition, but it was relocated to the nucleus after CTS. RT-PCR analysis showed that levels of mRNA for aggrecan, collagen II, LK1 and SOX9 were all increased in chondrocytes subjected to CTS as compared to no loading control chondrocytes; in contrast, the levels of type X collagen, MMP-13, IHH and Runx2 gene expression were decreased in the chondrocytes subjected to CTS as compared to control chondrocytes. Meanwhile, CTS contributed to elevation of glycosaminoglycans and collagen II protein, but did not change collagen I production. When Okadaic acid blocked HDAC4 relocation from the cytoplasm to nucleus, the changes of the chondrocytes induced by CTS were abrogated. There was no chondrocyte dead detected in this study in response to CTS., Conclusions: CTS is able to induce HDAC4 relocation from cytoplasm to nucleus. Thus, CTS alters chondrocytes gene expression in association with the relocation of HDAC4 induced by CTS.

Objective: To investigate the expression of p16INK4a in nucleus pulposus (NP) and to clarify its relationship with intervertebral disc degeneration so as to provide evidence for biological repair of intervertebral disc., Methods: The NP specimens were obtained from 17 patients with intervertebral disc degeneration undergoing discectomy, who aged 40-50 years (mean, 45.4 years). Based on the preoperative MRI, there were 10 cases of grade III degeneration, and 7 cases of grade IV degeneration. Cell senescence was evaluated by detecting senescence-associated β-galactosidase (SA-β-gal) activity. Senescence marker (p16INK4a) and disc degeneration markers [A disintegrin and metalloproteinase with thrombospondin motifs 5 (ADAMTS 5), Aggrecan, and Sry-related HMG box transcription factor 9 (Sox-9)] were determined in the NP specimens with immunohistochemistry and Western blot. The correlation between ADAMTS 5 and p16INK4a was analyzed., Results: Clustered distribution of green SA-β-gal-positive cells was seen in the NP with grade III and IV degeneration. A few single round SA-β-gal-positive NP cells (NPCs) wrapped by the layered extracellular matrix were also seen in the NP with grade III degeneration. It was difficult to see single distribution of NPCs in the NP with grade IV degeneration. The percentage of SA-β-gal-positive cells was 22.7% ± 5.4% and 37.1% ± 7.6% in the NP with grade III and IV degeneration respectively, showing significant difference (t=-9.666, P=0.000). The percentages of p16INK4a-positive and ADAMTS 5-positive NPCs in the NP with grade IV degeneration were significantly higher than those with grade III degeneration (P < 0.05). The percentages of Aggrecan-positive and Sox-9-positive NPCs in the NP with grade IV degeneration were significantly lower than those in the NP with grade III degeneration (P < 0.05). The protein expressions of Aggrecan and Sox-9 in the NP with grade IV degeneration were significantly lower than those in the NP with grade III degeneration (P < 0.05). The NP with grade IV degeneration showed significantly higher protein expressions of p16INK4a and ADAMTS 5 (P < 0.05). Importantly, there was a good correlation between p16INK4a and ADAMTS 5 protein expressions (r=0.908, P=0.000)., Conclusion: Premature senescent NPCs increase in the NP with the advancing disc degeneration. The expression of p16INK4a and its association with degeneration grades suggest that the p16INK4a may play a significant role in the pathogenesis of intervertebral disc degeneration.

Prostate cancer (PCa) is a type of potentially fatal malignant tumor. Immunotherapy has shown a lot of potential for various types of solid tumors, but the benefits have been less impressive in PCa. Enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2) is one of the three core subunits of the polycomb repressive complex 2 that has histone methyltransferase activity, and the immune effects of EZH2 in PCa are still unclear. The purpose of this study was to explore the potential of EZH2 as a prognostic factor and an immune therapeutic biomarker for PCa, as well as the expression pattern and biological functions. All analyses in this study were based on publicly available databases, mainly containing Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO), UCSCXenaShiny, and TISIDB. We performed differential expression analysis, developed a prognostic model, and explored potential associations between EZH2 and DNA methylation modifications, tumor microenvironment (TME), immune-related genes, tumor mutation burden (TMB), tumor neoantigen burden (TNB), and representative mismatch repair (MMR) genes. We also investigated the molecular and immunological characterizations of EZH2. Finally, we predicted immunotherapeutic responses based on EZH2 expression levels. We found that EZH2 was highly expressed in PCa, was associated with a poor prognosis, and may serve as an independent prognostic factor. EZH2 expression in PCa was associated with DNA methylation modifications, TME, immune-related genes, TMB, TNB, and MMR. By gene set enrichment analysis and gene set variation analysis, we found that multiple functions and pathways related to tumorigenesis, progression, and immune activation were enriched. Finally, we inferred that immunotherapy may be more effective for PCa patients with low EZH2 expression. In conclusion, our study showed that EZH2 could be a potentially efficient predictor of prognosis and immune response in PCa patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To investigate the effects of a young systemic environment and growth differentiation factor 11 (GDF‐11) on aging cartilage. Methods: A heterochronic parabiosis model (2‐month‐old mouse and 12‐month‐old mouse [Y/O]), an isochronic parabiosis model (12‐month‐old mouse and 12‐month‐old mouse [O/O]), and 12‐month‐old mice alone (O) were evaluated. Knee joints and chondrocytes from old mice were examined by radiography, histology, cell proliferation assays, immunohistochemistry, Western blotting, and quantitative reverse transcriptase–polymerase chain reaction 16 weeks after parabiosis surgery. GDF‐11 was injected into 12‐month‐old mouse joints daily for 16 weeks. Cartilage degeneration, cell proliferation, and osteoarthritis‐related gene expression were evaluated. Results: Osteoarthritis Research Society International scores in old mice were significantly lower in the Y/O group than in the O/O and O groups (both P < 0.05). The percentage of 5‐ethynyl‐2′‐deoxyuridine–positive chondrocytes in old mice was significantly higher in the Y/O group than in the other groups (P < 0.05). Type II collagen (CII) and SOX9 messenger RNA levels differed in cartilage from old mice in the Y/O group compared to the O/O and O groups (both P < 0.05). RUNX‐2, CX, and matrix metalloproteinase 13 levels were significantly lower in cartilage from old mice in the Y/O group compared to the O/O and O groups (both P < 0.05). Similar results were obtained for protein expression levels and after GDF‐11 treatment in vitro and in vivo. Phosphorylated Smad2/3 (pSmad2/3) levels were higher in the recombinant GDF‐11–treated group than in the control group. Conclusion: A young systemic environment promotes chondrocyte proliferation and cartilage matrix synthesis in old mice. GDF‐11, a "young factor," contributes to these effects through the up‐regulation of pSmad2/3. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In immune responses, activated T cells migrate to B-cell follicles and develop into follicular T-helper (TFH) cells, a recently identified subset of CD4+ T cells specialized in providing help to B lymphocytes in the induction of germinal centres. Although Bcl6 has been shown to be essential in TFH-cell function, it may not regulate the initial migration of T cells or the induction of the TFH program, as exemplified by C-X-C chemokine receptor type 5 (CXCR5) upregulation. Here we show that expression of achaete-scute homologue 2 (Ascl2)-a basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) transcription factor-is selectively upregulated in TFH cells. Ectopic expression of Ascl2 upregulates CXCR5 but not Bcl6, and downregulates C-C chemokine receptor 7 (CCR7) expression in T cells in vitro, as well as accelerating T-cell migration to the follicles and TFH-cell development in vivo in mice. Genome-wide analysis indicates that Ascl2 directly regulates TFH-related genes whereas it inhibits expression of T-helper cell 1 (TH1) and TH17 signature genes. Acute deletion of Ascl2, as well as blockade of its function with the Id3 protein in CD4+ T cells, results in impaired TFH-cell development and germinal centre response. Conversely, mutation of Id3, known to cause antibody-mediated autoimmunity, greatly enhances TFH-cell generation. Thus, Ascl2 directly initiates TFH-cell development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interleukin 17 (IL-17) is important in infection and autoimmunity; how it signals remains poorly understood. In this study, we identified the ubiquitin-specific protease USP25 as a negative regulator of IL-17-mediated signaling and inflammation. Overexpression of USP25 inhibited IL-17-triggered signaling, whereas USP25 deficiency resulted in more phosphorylation of the inhibitor I?B? and kinase Jnk and higher expression of chemokines and cytokines, as well as a prolonged half-life for chemokine CXCL1-encoding mRNA after treatment with IL-17. Consistent with that, Usp25?/? mice showed greater sensitivity to IL-17-dependent inflammation and autoimmunity in vivo. Mechanistically, stimulation with IL-17 induced the association of USP25 with the adaptors TRAF5 and TRAF6, and USP25 induced removal of Lys63-linked ubiquitination in TRAF5 and TRAF6 mediated by the adaptor Act1. Thus, our results demonstrate that USP25 is a deubiquitinating enzyme (DUB) that negatively regulates IL-17-triggered signaling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ubiquitin-proteasome pathway (UPP) is the major system for the selective degradation of cellular proteins that play key roles in cellular processes. Previous study indicated that ubiquitin-proteasome inhibitor MG-132 could inhibit growth of some carcinoma. However, anti-carcinoma mechanism of MG-132 is unclear. Our objective was to investigate mechanisms of growth inhibitory effect of MG-132 on gastric carcinoma cells. Gastric carcinoma cell SGC-7901 was treated with ubiquitin-proteasome inhibitor MG-132. Cell growth suppression was evaluated with 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazole-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. DNA synthesis was evaluated by 3H-thymidine (3H-TdR) incorporation. Activity of telomerase was examined by telomeric repeat amplification protocol (TRAP) PCR-ELISA. Cell cycle and apoptosis were detected by flow cytometry (FCM). DNA fragment analysis was used to confirm the presence of apoptosis. Expression of p27kip1 and survivin was detected using the western blot method. After exposed to MG-132, the growth and value of 3H-TdR incorporation of gastric carcinoma cells were obviously inhibited. TRAP PCR-ELISA showed that light absorption of cells gradually decreased after exposed to 5 μ M of MG-132 for 24, 48, 72 and 96 h (P < 0.01). The percentage of cells at G0/G1 phase was increased and that at S and G2/M phase was decreased (P < 0.01). The ratio of apoptotic cells treated with 5 μ M MG-132 for 96 h was 53.7 ± 6.4%. Agarose electrophoresis showed marked ladders. Moreover, expression of p27kip1 of cells was increased and expression of survivin was decreased. Our results suggest that MG-132 inhibits telomerase activity, induces apoptosis and G1 arrest which is associated with upregulated p27kip1 expression and downregulated survivin expression in gastric carcinoma cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Radiotherapy is widely used in breast cancer treatment. The radiotherapy for breast invasive carcinoma (BRCA) presents challenges with the complex clinical factors, and too many genes have been found to be associated with BRCA radiotherapy prognosis. The aim of this study was to construct an integrative model to combine the clinical data and RNA expression data (including microRNA and mRNA) to predict the survival durations of BRCA patients with radiotherapy. Also, the authors try to find the key regulation pairs between mRNA and miRNA from prediction. They collected mRNA and microRNA expression profiles and gathered the corresponding clinical data of 73 BRCA patients with radiotherapy from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). According to an integrative model from univariate Cox regression between RNA expression and patient survival, they classified the patients with radiotherapy into low-risk and high-risk groups. The results showed that nine mRNAs were considered as protective genes and five miRNAs and eight mRNAs were considered as high-risk genes. Moreover, the high-risk group has a significantly shorter survival time in comparison with the low-risk group by the log-rank test (p = 0.0039). The reliability of the gene signature was validated by an independent data set from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO). Furthermore, three pairs of miRNA-mRNA, closely associated to survival, were identified. These findings and method may prove valuable for improving the clinical management of BRCA patients with radiotherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biomechanics plays a critical role in the modulation of chondrocyte function. The mechanisms by which mechanical loading is transduced into intracellular signals that regulate chondrocyte gene expression remain largely unknown. Histone deacetylase 4 (HDAC4) is specifically expressed in chondrocytes. Mice lacking HDAC4 display chondrocyte hypertrophy, ectopic and premature ossification, and die early during the perinatal period. HDAC4 has a remarkable ability to translocate between the cell's cytoplasm and nucleus. It has been established that subcellular relocation of HDAC4 plays a critical role in chondrocyte differentiation and proliferation. However, it remains unclear whether subcellular relocation of HDAC4 in chondrocytes can be induced by mechanical loading. In this study, we first report that compressive loading induces HDAC4 relocation from the cytoplasm to the nucleus of chondrocytes via stimulation of Ser/Thr-phosphoprotein phosphatases 2A (PP2A) activity, which results in dephosphorylation of HDAC4. Dephosphorylated HDAC4 relocates to the nucleus to achieve transcriptional repression of Runx2 and regulates chondrocyte gene expression in response to compression. Our results elucidate the mechanism by which mechanical compression regulates chondrocyte gene expression through HDAC4 relocation from the cell's cytoplasm to the nucleus via PP2A-dependent HDAC4 dephosphorylation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]