1.Identification of 1,2,3,4,6-Penta-O-galloyl-β-d-glucopyranoside as a Glycine N-Methyltransferase Enhancer by High-Throughput Screening of Natural Products Inhibits Hepatocellular Carcinoma.
Kant R1,2, Yen CH3,4,5,6, Lu CK7,8, Lin YC9,10, Li JH11,12, Chen YA13,14,15. Int J Mol Sci. 2016 May 4;17(5). pii: E669.
Glycine N-methyltransferase (GNMT) expression is vastly downregulated in hepatocellular carcinomas (HCC). High rates of GNMT knockout mice developed HCC, while overexpression of GNMT prevented aflatoxin-induced carcinogenicity and inhibited liver cancer cell proliferation. Therefore, in this study, we aimed for the identification of a GNMT inducer for HCC therapy. We established a GNMT promoter-driven luciferase reporter assay as a drug screening platform. Screening of 324 pure compounds and 480 crude extracts from Chinese medicinal herbs resulted in the identification of Paeonia lactiflora Pall (PL) extract and the active component 1,2,3,4,6-penta-O-galloyl-β-d-glucopyranoside (PGG) as a GNMT inducer. Purified PL extract and PGG induced GNMT mRNA and protein expression in Huh7 human hepatoma cells and in xenograft tumors. PGG and PL extract had potent anti-HCC effects both in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, PGG treatment induced apoptosis in Huh7 cells.
2.Unraveling the effect of structurally different classes of insecticide on germination and early plant growth of soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.].
Dhungana SK1, Kim ID2, Kwak HS1, Shin DH3. Pestic Biochem Physiol. 2016 Jun;130:39-43. doi: 10.1016/j.pestbp.2015.12.002. Epub 2015 Dec 8.
Although a considerable number of studies about the effect of different insecticides on plant physiology and metabolism have been carried out, research work about the comparative action of structurally different classes of insecticide on physiological and biochemical properties of soybean seed germination and early growth has not been found. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of different classes of insecticides on soybean seed germination and early plant growth. Soybean seeds of Bosuk cultivar were soaked for 24h in distilled water or recommended dose (2mLL-1, 1mLL-1, 0.5gL-1, and 0.5gL-1 water for insecticides Mepthion, Myungtaja, Actara, and Stonate, respectively) of pesticide solutions of four structurally different classes of insecticides - Mepthion (fenitrothion; organophosphate), Myungtaja (etofenprox; pyrethroid), Actara (thiamethoxam; neonicotinoid), and Stonate (lambda-cyhalothrin cum thiamethoxam; pyrethroid cum neonicotinoid) - which are used for controlling stink bugs in soybean crop.
3.Mutations in the substrate binding glycine-rich loop of the mitochondrial processing peptidase-α protein (PMPCA) cause a severe mitochondrial disease.
Joshi M1, Anselm I2, Shi J3, Bale TA4, Towne M5, Schmitz-Abe K6, Crowley L5, Giani FC7, Kazerounian S6, Markianos K6, Lidov HG4, Folkerth R4, Sankaran VG7, Agrawal PB1. Cold Spring Harb Mol Case Stud. 2016 May;2(3):a000786. doi: 10.1101/mcs.a000786.
We describe a large Lebanese family with two affected members, a young female proband and her male cousin, who had multisystem involvement including profound global developmental delay, severe hypotonia and weakness, respiratory insufficiency, blindness, and lactic acidemia-findings consistent with an underlying mitochondrial disorder. Whole-exome sequencing was performed on DNA from the proband and both parents. The proband and her cousin carried compound heterozygous mutations in the PMPCA gene that encodes for α-mitochondrial processing peptidase (α-MPP), a protein likely involved in the processing of mitochondrial proteins. The variants were located close to and postulated to affect the substrate binding glycine-rich loop of the α-MPP protein. Functional assays including immunofluorescence and western blot analysis on patient's fibroblasts revealed that these variants reduced α-MPP levels and impaired frataxin production and processing.
