Insect nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) are targets for insecticides. Despite the importance of the nAChR as a major target for insecticide action, modulators of nAChRs in insects remain unidentified. Here we describe the cloning and identification of a nAChR modulator gene in an insect. This gene was isolated by searching the firefly Pyrocoelia rufa cDNA library, and the geneitself encodes a protein 120 amino acids in length, named Pr-lynx1. Pr-lynx1 shares all the features, including a cysteine-rich consensus motif and common gene structure, of the Ly-6/neurotoxin superfamily. The recombinant Pr-lynx1, which is expressed as a 12-kDa polypeptide in baculovirus-infected insect Sf9 cells, is normally present at the cell surface asa GPI-anchored protein. Northern and Western blot analyses revealed that Pr-lynx1 is expressed in various tissues, such as the ganglion, brain, mandibular muscle, proventriculus, leg muscle, and epidermis. This expression pattern is similar to the distribution of nAChRs as assayed by α3 nAChR immunoreactivity. Co-expression of Pr-lynx1 in Xenopus oocytes expressing α3β4 nAChRs results in an increase in acetylcholine-evoked macroscopic currents, indicating a functional role of Pr-lynx1 as a protein modulator for nAChRs. This study on Pr-lynx1 is the first report of a modulator of nAChRs in an insect species.

Oral squamous cell carcinoma is the 1st most common malignancy in oral and maxillofacial area. HPV 16 has been strongly linked to progression of cervical carcinoma. E6 and E7 as a small DNA virus encoding two major oncoproteins of HPV 16 can act together to produce efficient immortalization of primary human epithelial cells. Thus it is important to pursue the development of Immortalized human oral keratinocyte(IHOK) culture model which could be related to the pathogenesis of oral squamous cell carcinoma. If we establish IHOK transfected by E6/E7 genes, IHOK will be accepted as a model system for HPV-linked oral carcinogenesis. The purpose of this study were to culture primary normal human oral keratinocyte(NHOK), and to establish IHOK for studying oral carcinogenesis in the future. NHOK was primarily cultured under normal culture condition, and transformed into IHOK by transfection of E6/E7 genes. After 100 passages depend on Ca++ condition, cultured IHOK was confirmed by growth curve, cornified cell envelope measurement, TGase 1activity, mRNA detection, tumorogenecity and anchorage independence assay. After 100 passages, cultured IHOK showed most basal cell and monolayer of polyhedral cells under 0.15mM Ca++, and small area of stratification and flattened epithelial cells with irregular border under 1.2mM Ca++. The cultured IHOK showed relatively resistant growth under high calcium condition. The E6/E7 mRNA was detected in cultured IHOK by RT-PCR. During the terminal differentiation in cultured IHOK, increased insoluble cornified cell envelope formation was accompanied with induction of TGase 1 activity. But the cultured IHOK showed less CEM and TGase 1 activity than those of cultured NHOK. Cultured IHOK showed non-tumorogenecity, but slight anchorage independence. We had developed a technique to transform NHOK into IHOK by transfection of E6/E7 genes. Cultured IHOK was established as intermediate stage cell to study the pathogenesis of human oral squamous cell carcinoma.