Hepatic fibrosis progresses concomitantly with a variety of biomechanical alternations, especially increased liver stiffness. These biomechanical alterations have long been considered as pathological consequences. Recently, growing evidence proposes that these alternations result in the fibrotic biomechanical microenvironment, which drives the activation of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs). Here, an inorganic ascorbic acid-oxidase (AAO) mimicking nanozyme loaded with liquiritigenin (LQ) is developed to trigger remodeling of the fibrotic biomechanical microenvironment. The AAO mimicking nanozyme is able to consume intracellular ascorbic acid, thereby impeding collagen I deposition by reducing its availability. Simultaneously, LQ inhibits the transcription of lysyl oxidase like 2 (LOXL2), thus impeding collagen I crosslinking. Through its synergistic activities, the prepared nanosystem efficiently restores the fibrotic biomechanical microenvironment to a near-normal physiological condition, promoting the quiescence of HSCs and regression of fibrosis. This strategy of remodeling the fibrotic biomechanical microenvironment, akin to "pulling the rug out from under", effectively treats hepatic fibrosis in mice, thereby highlighting the importance of tissue biomechanics and providing a potential approach to improve hepatic fibrosis treatment.

• Klíčová slova
• biomechanical microenvironment, collagen I, hepatic fibrosis, hepatic stellate cell quiescence,
• MeSH
• biomechanika MeSH
• buněčné mikroprostředí účinky léků   MeSH
• flavanony farmakologie   chemie   MeSH
• jaterní cirhóza * farmakoterapie   metabolismus   patologie   MeSH
• jaterní hvězdicovité buňky * metabolismus   cytologie   účinky léků   MeSH
• kolagen typu I metabolismus   MeSH
• kyselina askorbová * farmakologie   metabolismus   chemie   MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• myši MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• myši MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Názvy látek
• flavanony MeSH
• kolagen typu I MeSH
• kyselina askorbová * MeSH

Mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) generates ATP, but OXPHOS also supports biosynthesis during proliferation. In contrast, the role of OXPHOS during quiescence, beyond ATP production, is not well understood. Using mouse models of inducible OXPHOS deficiency in all cell types or specifically in the vascular endothelium that negligibly relies on OXPHOS-derived ATP, we show that selectively during quiescence OXPHOS provides oxidative stress resistance by supporting macroautophagy/autophagy. Mechanistically, OXPHOS constitutively generates low levels of endogenous ROS that induce autophagy via attenuation of ATG4B activity, which provides protection from ROS insult. Physiologically, the OXPHOS-autophagy system (i) protects healthy tissue from toxicity of ROS-based anticancer therapy, and (ii) provides ROS resistance in the endothelium, ameliorating systemic LPS-induced inflammation as well as inflammatory bowel disease. Hence, cells acquired mitochondria during evolution to profit from oxidative metabolism, but also built in an autophagy-based ROS-induced protective mechanism to guard against oxidative stress associated with OXPHOS function during quiescence.Abbreviations: AMPK: AMP-activated protein kinase; AOX: alternative oxidase; Baf A: bafilomycin A1; CI, respiratory complexes I; DCF-DA: 2',7'-dichlordihydrofluorescein diacetate; DHE: dihydroethidium; DSS: dextran sodium sulfate; ΔΨmi: mitochondrial inner membrane potential; EdU: 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine; ETC: electron transport chain; FA: formaldehyde; HUVEC; human umbilical cord endothelial cells; IBD: inflammatory bowel disease; LC3B: microtubule associated protein 1 light chain 3 beta; LPS: lipopolysaccharide; MEFs: mouse embryonic fibroblasts; MTORC1: mechanistic target of rapamycin kinase complex 1; mtDNA: mitochondrial DNA; NAC: N-acetyl cysteine; OXPHOS: oxidative phosphorylation; PCs: proliferating cells; PE: phosphatidylethanolamine; PEITC: phenethyl isothiocyanate; QCs: quiescent cells; ROS: reactive oxygen species; PLA2: phospholipase A2, WB: western blot.

• Klíčová slova
• ATG4B, biosynthesis, cell death, electron transport chain, endothelial cells, mitochondria, oxidative phosphorylation, oxidative stress, reactive oxygen species,
• MeSH
• adenosintrifosfát metabolismus   MeSH
• autofagie * MeSH
• cystein metabolismus   MeSH
• dextrany metabolismus   MeSH
• dýchání MeSH
• endoteliální buňky metabolismus   MeSH
• fibroblasty metabolismus   MeSH
• formaldehyd metabolismus   MeSH
• fosfatidylethanolaminy metabolismus   MeSH
• idiopatické střevní záněty * metabolismus   MeSH
• isothiokyanatany MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• lipopolysacharidy metabolismus   MeSH
• mitochondriální DNA metabolismus   MeSH
• mitochondrie metabolismus   MeSH
• mTORC1 metabolismus   MeSH
• myši MeSH
• proteinkinasy aktivované AMP metabolismus   MeSH
• proteiny asociované s mikrotubuly metabolismus   MeSH
• reaktivní formy kyslíku metabolismus   MeSH
• sirolimus MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• myši MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Názvy látek
• adenosintrifosfát MeSH
• cystein MeSH
• dextrany MeSH
• formaldehyd MeSH
• fosfatidylethanolaminy MeSH
• isothiokyanatany MeSH
• lipopolysacharidy MeSH
• mitochondriální DNA MeSH
• mTORC1 MeSH
• phenethyl isothiocyanate MeSH Prohlížeč
• proteinkinasy aktivované AMP MeSH
• proteiny asociované s mikrotubuly MeSH
• reaktivní formy kyslíku MeSH
• sirolimus MeSH

Children suffering from neurologic cancers undergoing chemotherapy and radiotherapy are at high risk of reduced neurocognitive abilities likely via damage to proliferating neural stem cells (NSC). Therefore, strategies to protect NSCs are needed. We argue that induced cell-cycle arrest/quiescence in NSCs during cancer treatment can represent such a strategy. Here, we show that hyperpolarization-activated cyclic nucleotide-gated (HCN) ion channels are dynamically expressed over the cell cycle in NSCs, depolarize the membrane potential, underlie spontaneous calcium oscillations and are required to maintain NSCs in the actively proliferating pool. Hyperpolarizing pharmacologic inhibition of HCN channels during exposure to ionizing radiation protects NSCs cells in neurogenic brain regions of young mice. In contrast, brain tumor-initiating cells, which also express HCN channels, remain proliferative during HCN inhibition. IMPLICATIONS: Our finding that NSCs can be selectively rescued while cancer cells remain sensitive to the treatment, provide a foundation for reduction of cognitive impairment in children with neurologic cancers.

• MeSH
• hyperpolarizační iontové kanály řízené cyklickými nukleotidy metabolismus   MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• myši MeSH
• nádory farmakoterapie   MeSH
• nervové kmenové buňky metabolismus   MeSH
• proliferace buněk MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• myši MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Názvy látek
• hyperpolarizační iontové kanály řízené cyklickými nukleotidy MeSH

Galectins have the particular capacity to interact with distinct proteins, in addition to the typical reactivity of lectins with glycans. Therefore, they can be functionally active when residing at places other than the membrane or extracellular matrix. In fact, nuclear presence of galectins-1 and -3 is solidly documented but it is an open question whether these two cases are exceptional within this lectin family. Thus, galectin-2, which shares 43% sequence identity on the protein level with galectin-1, warrants study in this respect. Based on initial immunohistochemical evidence we herein address the issue as to whether this galectin can join the category of nuclear lectins. To do so we studied different types of cell in vitro using an antibody preparation free of cross-reactivity against other tested galectins. The immunocytochemical experiments revealed that galectin-2 was present in nuclei of murine 3T3 fibroblasts and also genetically engineered human colon carcinoma cells with stable ectopic expression. Transport of galectin-2 to the nucleus could be enhanced by physical (UV light), chemical (mitomycin C, serum withdrawal) or cell biological (coculture with stromal cells) treatment modalities. As a means of further characterizing the staining profile cytochemically, a series of markers with well-defined site of residency within the nuclear compartment was tested in parallel. Importantly, no colocalization with galectins-1 and -3 and the splicing factor SC35 was detectable, the former cases also serving as inherent specificity control. In contrast, a similarity was uncovered in the case of the promyelocytic leukemia (PML) protein as marker of PML nuclear bodies. In aggregate, nuclear localization is documented for galectin-2. This attribute should thus not be considered as an exceptional finding confined to galectins-1 and -3. That even closely related family members, here galectins-1 and -2, exhibit distinct intranuclear localization patterns gives ensuing research a clear direction.

• MeSH
• adenokarcinom metabolismus   MeSH
• biologické markery metabolismus   MeSH
• biologický transport MeSH
• buněčné jádro metabolismus   MeSH
• buňky 3T3 MeSH
• galektin 2 metabolismus   MeSH
• imunohistochemie MeSH
• kokultivační techniky MeSH
• kultivační média bez séra MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mitomycin farmakologie   MeSH
• myši MeSH
• nádorové buněčné linie MeSH
• nádory tračníku metabolismus   MeSH
• ultrafialové záření MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• myši MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Názvy látek
• biologické markery MeSH
• galektin 2 MeSH
• kultivační média bez séra MeSH
• mitomycin MeSH

To better understand the molecular basis of resistance to azacitidine (AZA) therapy in myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) and acute myeloid leukemia with myelodysplasia-related changes (AML-MRC), we performed RNA sequencing on pre-treatment CD34+ hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells (HSPCs) isolated from 25 MDS/AML-MRC patients of the discovery cohort (10 AZA responders (RD), six stable disease, nine progressive disease (PD) during AZA therapy) and from eight controls. Eleven MDS/AML-MRC samples were also available for analysis of selected metabolites, along with 17 additional samples from an independent validation cohort. Except for two patients, the others did not carry isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH)1/2 mutations. Transcriptional landscapes of the patients' HSPCs were comparable to those published previously, including decreased signatures of active cell cycling and DNA damage response in PD compared to RD and controls. In addition, PD-derived HSPCs revealed repressed markers of the tricarboxylic acid cycle, with IDH2 among the top 50 downregulated genes in PD compared to RD. Decreased citrate plasma levels, downregulated expression of the (ATP)-citrate lyase and other transcriptional/metabolic networks indicate metabolism-driven histone modifications in PD HSPCs. Observed histone deacetylation is consistent with transcription-nonpermissive chromatin configuration and quiescence of PD HSPCs. This study highlights the complexity of the molecular network underlying response/resistance to hypomethylating agents.

• Klíčová slova
• IDH2, azacitidine therapy, histone acetylation, metabolic signature, myelodysplastic syndromes,
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH

Pistachio twig borer, Kermania pistaciella is an important pest of pistachio trees. It has an univoltine life-cycle and its larvae tunnel and feed inside pistachio twigs for almost 10 months each year. The last larval instars overwinter inside the twigs. Survival/mortality associated with low temperatures during overwintering stage is currently unknown. We found that overwintering larvae of the Rafsanjan (Iran) population of K. pistaciella rely on maintaining a stably high supercooling capacity throughout the cold season. Their supercooling points (SCPs) ranged between -19.4 and -22.7°C from October to February. Larvae were able to survive 24 h exposures to -15°C anytime during the cold season. During December and January, larvae were undergoing quiescence type of dormancy caused probably by low ambient temperatures and/or changes in host tree physiology (tree dormancy). Larvae attain highest cold tolerance (high survival at -20°C) during dormancy, which offers them sufficient protection against geographically and ecologically relevant cold spells. High cold tolerance during dormancy was not associated with accumulation of any low-molecular mass cryoprotective substances. The SCP sets the limit of cold tolerance in pistachio twig borer, meaning that high mortality of overwintering populations can be expected only in the regions or years where or when the temperatures fall below the average larval SCP (i.e., below -20°C). Partial mortality can be expected also when temperatures repeatedly drop close to the SCP on a diurnal basis.

• Klíčová slova
• Lepidoptera, cold hardiness, metabolomics, quiescence, supercooling,
• MeSH
• fyziologická adaptace * MeSH
• larva metabolismus   fyziologie   MeSH
• metabolomika MeSH
• můry metabolismus   fyziologie   MeSH
• nízká teplota * MeSH
• Pistacia MeSH
• roční období MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH

Over the past decade, it has become evident that similarly to cells forming metazoan tissues, yeast cells have the ability to differentiate and form specialized cell types. Examples of yeast cellular differentiation have been identified both in yeast liquid cultures and within multicellular structures occupying solid surfaces. Most current knowledge on different cell types comes from studies of the spatiotemporal internal architecture of colonies developing on various media. With a few exceptions, yeast cell differentiation often concerns nongrowing, stationary-phase cells and leads to the formation of cell subpopulations differing in stress resistance, cell metabolism, respiration, ROS production, and others. These differences can affect longevity of particular subpopulations. In contrast to liquid cultures, where various cell types are dispersed within stationary-phase populations, cellular differentiation depends on the specific position of particular cells within multicellular colonies. Differentiated colonies, thus, resemble primitive multicellular organisms, in which the gradients of certain compounds and the position of cells within the structure affect cellular differentiation. In this review, we summarize and compare the properties of diverse types of differentiated chronologically aging yeast cells that have been identified in colonies growing on different media, as well as of those found in liquid cultures.

• Klíčová slova
• Saccharomyces cerevisiae, chronological aging and quiescence, comparison of differentiated cell subpopulations, starvation, stationary-phase liquid cultures, yeast colonies,
• MeSH
• biologické modely MeSH
• časové faktory MeSH
• Saccharomyces cerevisiae růst a vývoj   metabolismus   fyziologie   MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• přehledy MeSH

Cancer is a heterogeneous disease, which contributes to its rapid progression and therapeutic failure. Besides interpatient tumor heterogeneity, tumors within a single patient can present with a heterogeneous mix of genetically and phenotypically distinct subclones. These unique subclones can significantly impact the traits of cancer. With the plasticity that intratumoral heterogeneity provides, cancers can easily adapt to changes in their microenvironment and therapeutic exposure. Indeed, tumor cells dynamically shift between a more differentiated, rapidly proliferating state with limited tumorigenic potential and a cancer stem cell (CSC)-like state that resembles undifferentiated cellular precursors and is associated with high tumorigenicity. In this context, CSCs are functionally located at the apex of the tumor hierarchy, contributing to the initiation, maintenance, and progression of tumors, as they also represent the subpopulation of tumor cells most resistant to conventional anti-cancer therapies. Although the CSC model is well established, it is constantly evolving and being reshaped by advancing knowledge on the roles of CSCs in different cancer types. Here, we review the current evidence of how CSCs play a pivotal role in providing the many traits of aggressive tumors while simultaneously evading immunosurveillance and anti-cancer therapy in several cancer types. We discuss the key traits and characteristics of CSCs to provide updated insights into CSC biology and highlight its implications for therapeutic development and improved treatment of aggressive cancers.

• Klíčová slova
• Apoptosis, Cancer stem cells, Heterogeneity, Immunosurveillance, Metabolism, Metastasis, Plasticity, Quiescence, Self-renewal, Tumor microenvironment,
• MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• nádorové kmenové buňky * patologie   metabolismus   imunologie   MeSH
• nádorové mikroprostředí MeSH
• nádory * patologie   imunologie   metabolismus   genetika   MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• přehledy MeSH

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Turions are vegetative, dormant overwintering organs formed in aquatic plants in response to unfavourable ecological conditions. Contents of cytokinin (CK), auxin metabolites and abscisic acid (ABA) as main growth and development regulators were compared in innately dormant autumnal turions of 22 aquatic plant species of different functional ecological or taxonomic groups with those in non-dormant winter apices in three aquatic species and with those in spring turions of four species after their overwintering. METHODS: The hormones were analysed in miniature turion samples using ultraperformance liquid chromatography coupled with triple quadrupole mass spectrometry. KEY RESULTS: In innately dormant turions, the total contents of each of the four main CK types, biologically active forms and total CKs differed by two to three orders of magnitude across 22 species; the proportion of active CK forms was 0.18-67 %. Similarly, the content of four auxin forms was extremely variable and the IAA proportion as the active form was 0.014-99 %. The ABA content varied from almost zero to 54 µmol kg-1 dry weight and after overwintering it usually significantly decreased. Of all functional traits studied, hormone profiles depended most on the place of turion sprouting (surface vs bottom) and we suggest that this trait is crucial for turion ecophysiology. CONCLUSIONS: The key role of ABA in regulating turion dormancy was confirmed. However, the highly variable pattern of the ABA content in innately dormant and in overwintered turions indicates that the hormonal mechanism regulating the innate dormancy and its breaking in turions is not uniform within aquatic plants.

• Klíčová slova
• ABA, Cytokinins, auxins, functional traits, innate and imposed dormancy, mature winter buds, overwintering, phylogenetic correction, quiescence,
• MeSH
• cytokininy * metabolismus   MeSH
• kyselina abscisová metabolismus   analýza   MeSH
• kyseliny indoloctové metabolismus   MeSH
• regulátory růstu rostlin * metabolismus   MeSH
• vegetační klid fyziologie   MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Názvy látek
• cytokininy * MeSH
• kyselina abscisová MeSH
• kyseliny indoloctové MeSH
• regulátory růstu rostlin * MeSH

Mitochondria and oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) are emerging as intriguing targets for the efficient elimination of cancer cells. The specificity of this approach is aided by the capacity of non-proliferating non-cancerous cells to withstand oxidative insult induced by OXPHOS inhibition. Recently we discovered that mitochondrial targeting can also be employed to eliminate senescent cells, where it breaks the interplay between OXPHOS and ATP transporters that appear important for the maintenance of mitochondrial morphology and viability in the senescent setting. Hence, mitochondria/OXPHOS directed pharmacological interventions show promise in several clinically-relevant scenarios that call for selective removal of cancer and senescent cells.

• Klíčová slova
• adenosine nucleotide translocase, cancer, mitochondria, oxidative phosphorylation, quiescence, senescence,
• MeSH
• adenosindifosfát metabolismus   MeSH
• adenosintrifosfát metabolismus   MeSH
• biologický transport MeSH
• buněčná smrt MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mitochondrie metabolismus   MeSH
• nádory metabolismus   patologie   MeSH
• oxidativní fosforylace MeSH
• proliferace buněk MeSH
• reaktivní formy kyslíku metabolismus   MeSH
• stárnutí buněk * MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• přehledy MeSH
• Názvy látek
• adenosindifosfát MeSH
• adenosintrifosfát MeSH
• reaktivní formy kyslíku MeSH