Combination Therapy of Chloroquine and C₂-Ceramide Enhances Cytotoxicity in Lung Cancer H460 and H1299 Cells.

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is a type of malignant cancer, and 85% of metastatic NSCLC patients have a poor prognosis. C₂-ceramide induces G2/M phase arrest and cytotoxicity in NSCLC cells. In this study, the autophagy-inducing effect of C₂-ceramide was demonstrated, and cotreatment with the autophagy inhibitor chloroquine (CQ) was investigated in NSCLC H460 and H1299 cells.

A novel role for β2-microglobulin: a precursor of antibacterial chemokine in respiratory epithelial cells.

We analyzed a panel of cationic molecules secreted in the culture medium of human respiratory epithelial cells (REC) upon activation by IL-1β and different pathogen-associated molecular patterns. A 9 kDa fragment derived from β2-microglobulin (B2M) was identified and named shed 9 kDa B2M (sB2M-9). The primary structure of sB2M-9 was revealed to increase its pI value that potentially could play an important role in innate defense.

Vitamin D-binding protein is required for the protective effects of vitamin D in renal fibroblasts and is phosphorylated in diabetic rats.

Serum vitamin D is bound to vitamin D-binding protein (DBP). We studied the roles of DBP in streptozotocin-diabetic rats and high glucose (HG)-cultured cells. In diabetic rat sera, there was one upregulated (with a lower isoelectric point [pI], phosphorylated at S268, S270, S464 and T269) and one downregulated (with a higher pI, phosphorylated at S454 and S457) DBP.

Phthalic acid chemical probes synthesized for protein-protein interaction analysis.

Plasticizers are additives that are used to increase the flexibility of plastic during manufacturing. However, in injection molding processes, plasticizers cannot be generated with monomers because they can peel off from the plastics into the surrounding environment, water, or food, or become attached to skin. Among the various plasticizers that are used, 1,2-benzenedicarboxylic acid (phthalic acid) is a typical precursor to generate phthalates.

Interaction between TGF-β and ACE2-Ang-(1-7)-Mas pathway in high glucose-cultured NRK-52E cells.

Transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) is pivotal in diabetic nephropathy (DN). Angiotensin converting enzyme-2 (ACE2) converts angiotensin II (Ang II) to angiotensin 1-7 (Ang-(1-7)), which binds to Mas. Proximal tubular ACE2 is decreased in DN.

Characterization of protein adducts formed by toxic alkaloids by nano-scale liquid chromatography with mass spectrometry.

Betel quid chewing is associated with cytotoxicity, genotoxicity and carcinogenicity in diseases such as oral cancer, liver cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma and diabetes mellitus. Arecoline and arecaidine, which are the main alkaloids in the areca nut, are potential exposure biomarkers in habitual betel quid users. This study developed a method of detecting arecoline- and arecaidine-protein adducts by mass spectrometry (MS).

Proteomic comparison of human embryonic stem cells with their differentiated fibroblasts: Identification of 206 genes targeted by hES cell-specific microRNAs.

Human embryonic stem (hES)-T3 (T3ES) cells were spontaneously differentiated into autogeneic fibroblast-like T3DF cells, as feeder cells with the capacity to support the growth of undifferentiated hES cells. The proteomes of undifferentiated T3ES cells and their differentiated T3DF fibroblasts were quantitatively compared. Several heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoproteins and glycolytic enzymes, including l-lactate dehydrogenase A (M), were found to be abundantly and differentially expressed in T3ES cells and T3DF fibroblasts, respectively.

A feeder-free culture using autogeneic conditioned medium for undifferentiated growth of human embryonic stem cells: comparative expression profiles of mRNAs, microRNAs and proteins among different feeders and conditioned media.

Background: Human embryonic stem (hES) cell lines were derived from the inner cell mass of human blastocysts, and were cultured on mouse embryonic fibroblast (MEF) feeder to maintain undifferentiated growth, extensive renewal capacity, and pluripotency. The hES-T3 cell line with normal female karyotype was previously used to differentiate into autogeneic fibroblast-like cells (T3HDF) as feeder to support the undifferentiated growth of hES-T3 cells (T3/HDF) for 14 passages.

Results: A feeder-free culture on Matrigel in hES medium conditioned by the autogeneic feeder cells (T3HDF) was established to maintain the undifferentiated growth of hES-T3 cells (T3/CMHDF) for 8 passages in this investigation.