综述:Tau蛋白过度磷酸化机制及其在阿尔茨海默病神经元变性中的作用

Tau蛋白是神经元中含量最高的微管相关蛋白,其经典生物学功能是促进微管组装和维持微管的稳定性．在阿尔茨海默病(Alzheimer's disease,AD)患者,异常过度磷酸化的Tau蛋白以配对螺旋丝结构形成神经原纤维缠结并在神经元内聚积．大量研究提示,Tau蛋白异常在AD患者神经变性和学习记忆障碍的发生发展中起重要作用．本课题组对Tau蛋白异常磷酸化的机制及其对细胞的影响进行了系列研究,发现Tau蛋白表达和磷酸化具有调节细胞生存命运的新功能,并由此对AD神经细胞变性的本质提出了新见解．本文主要综述作者实验室有关Tau蛋白的部分研究结果．     

黄酮类化合物减轻阿尔茨海默病Aβ沉积及Tau过度磷酸化的作用

阿尔茨海默病(Alzheimer’s disease,AD)是全世界患病人数最多的神经退行性疾病,从神经病理角度来看它具有以β淀粉样蛋白(amyloid β-protein,Aβ)聚集物为主形成的老年斑和Tau蛋白过度磷酸化形成的神经纤维缠结(neurofibrillary tangles,NFTs)两大特征。黄酮类化合物是广泛存在于水果、蔬菜中的一类多酚类化合物,主要有六大类。多种黄酮类化合物经研究证实具有减轻Aβ沉积以及抑制Tau蛋白过度磷酸化方面的活性。本综述主要描述了AD的两个主要病理特征和黄酮类化合物对其作用的机制。     

阿尔茨海默病的非药物干预

阿尔茨海默病(AD)是一种慢性退行性神经系统疾病,其基本病理学特征为β-淀粉样蛋白沉积于神经细胞外形成老年斑(senile plaques,SP)和细胞内Tau蛋白过度磷酸化导致神经元纤维缠结(neurofibrilary tangles,NFTs)。临床特征为患者记忆力,认知功能,抽象思维能力,及空间关系功能的丧失。AD的治疗药物目前主要为NMDA受体拮抗剂、乙酰胆碱酯酶抑制剂、非甾体抗炎药等,但是这些药物尚存在一定局限。而非药物疗法通过日常生活改善,干细胞及基因技术,中西医结合疗法以及其他干预手段,为AD的治疗提供了一些全新的途径。     

阿尔茨海默症突触功能障碍研究进展

阿尔茨海默症(Alzheimer’s disease,AD)是一种神经退行性疾病,以胞外β-淀粉样蛋白(amyloid-β,Aβ)沉积和胞内神经纤维缠结为病理特征。AD典型症状的出现与中枢神经系统突触数量的减少和突触功能的改变密切相关,两者主要与Aβ的神经毒性和微管结合蛋白Tau的异常修饰有关,且Aβ和Tau蛋白存在协同作用。综述了近年有关Aβ和Tau蛋白在阿尔茨海默症突触功能障碍中作用的研究进展,并总结两者的协同作用,以期为阿尔茨海默症中突触的缺失和功能障碍开发新的治疗药物。     

运动与阿尔茨海默病：基于Tau蛋白翻译后修饰视角的研究述评

阿尔茨海默病（Alzheimer’s disease,AD）是一种与年龄有关的神经退行性疾病,严重危害老年人的身心健康,给社会带来巨大的经济压力。但目前其发病机制尚不完全明确,临床仍无根治的有效方法。Tau蛋白是一种微管相关蛋白质,能够参与维持微管相关结构稳定,具有可溶性且不会聚集。在AD病理状态下,病人脑内Tau蛋白结构和功能异常。异常的Tau蛋白聚集成不可溶的神经纤维缠结,损害微管运输能力,导致病人认知功能障碍。Tau蛋白结构和功能的改变是由多种翻译后修饰过程来调控的,即将特定的化学修饰基团与Tau蛋白N-端或C-端结合,直接改变蛋白质的性质和功能。AD病人脑内Tau蛋白的磷酸化、糖基化、乙酰化及SUMO化等多种翻译后修饰异常,与Tau蛋白的降解和毒性物质的聚集密切相关。本文综述近年来的研究后发现,运动可以通过改善Tau蛋白翻译后的某些异常修饰来预防和改善AD,主要作用方式如下：(1）运动可通过抑制GSK 3β和MAPK等蛋白激酶活性来抑制Tau蛋白的过度磷酸化,可能通过上调PP2A活性来促进Tau蛋白去磷酸化;(2）运动可通过提高GLUT1和GLUT3蛋白质水平,可能通过调节OGA和OGT活性平衡,提高蛋白质O-GlcNAc糖基化水平;(3）运动可能通过AMPK/mTORC1途径抑制p300以及激活SIRT1,降低Tau蛋白乙酰化水平;同时运动还可能通过抑制HDAC6,改善Tau蛋白KXGS基序异常乙酰化程度;(4）运动可能通过调节磷酸化与SUMO化共定位点,改善Tau蛋白异常SUMO化水平。     

针对tau蛋白PET 示踪剂研究进展

阿尔茨海默病(Alzheimer's disease,AD)是一种常见的中枢神经系统退行性疾病,脑内主要病理变化为神经元外由β-淀粉样蛋白(Amyloidβ,Aβ)沉积形成的老年斑(Senile Plaques,SP)和神经元内由异常过度磷酸化的微管相关tau蛋白构成的神经原纤维缠结(Neurofibrillary Tangles,NFTs),对这两种病理改变的特异性识别有助于AD早期发现与诊断。既往针对AD的PET示踪剂多数作用于Aβ,近年tau蛋白类PET示踪剂发展迅速,以[18F]THK-523、[18F]THK-5105和[18F]THK-5117为代表的tau蛋白靶向PET示踪剂在AD的诊断与治疗方面显示出巨大的发展潜力与应用前景。     

罗格列酮对AD样小鼠学习记忆减退的影响及机制

研究了罗格列酮对链脲佐菌素(streptozotocin, STZ)脑室内注射的阿尔茨海默病(AD)模型小鼠学习记忆减退的影响及机制．在小鼠脑室内注射STZ建立AD模型,治疗组小鼠采用罗格列酮灌胃给药30天．Morris水迷宫实验检测小鼠学习记忆能力,免疫印迹和免疫荧光检测Tau蛋白的磷酸化、神经丝(NFs)蛋白的磷酸化及糖基化、JNK和ERK蛋白的表达,微管结合实验检测Tau蛋白与微管的组装功能,荧光染料Fluoro-Jade B检测小鼠脑内退变神经元．结果显示,相比对照组,模型组小鼠平均逃避潜伏期和路径长度明显增加、穿越隐匿平台次数明显减少、Tau和NFs蛋白表达过度磷酸化、NFs蛋白糖基化减弱,而用罗格列酮干预的小鼠学习记忆改善并且Tau和NFs蛋白的磷酸化水平降低、NFs蛋白糖基化水平增加,Tau蛋白与微管结合能力改善,模型组JNK的磷酸化高于对照组和治疗组、模型组ERK1的磷酸化低于对照组和治疗组、各组在ERK2磷酸化无明显差异,模型组小鼠脑中FJB标记的退化神经元明显多于对照组和治疗组．结果说明,罗格列酮能改善STZ脑室内注射引起的小鼠学习记忆减退,其机制可能与改善胰岛素信号通路、降低Tau和NFs蛋白的过度磷酸化、减少神经退行性变有关．     

综述:环境因素与Tau蛋白的异常磷酸化

神经纤维缠结是阿尔茨海默病(Alzheimer's disease,AD)的重要病理特征之一,其发生发展因素一直是相关研究领域的热点问题．神经纤维缠结由异常磷酸化的Tau蛋白错误折叠、聚集所形成,因此对诱发Tau蛋白异常磷酸化的因素进行探究显得尤为重要．Tau蛋白异常磷酸化逐渐形成神经缠结是AD早期发生的病理过程之一,本文就Tau蛋白异常磷酸化发生的环境影响因素进行了讨论．     

Tau蛋白高度磷酸化致阿尔茨海默病动物模型研究进展

阿尔茨海默病（Alzheimer＇sdisease,AD）是老年人中最常见的神经退行性疾病,以过度磷酸化tau蛋白为核心形成的神经原纤维缠结为AD的主要病理特征之一。近年来对tau蛋白磷酸化的研究备受关注。在AD的实验研究中,探索理想的AD动物模型对于明确AD的病因、发病机制及药物的研发等方面起关键作用。本文对Tau蛋白磷酸化致AD主要动物模型的研究进展进行了综述,包括Tau转基因动物模型、激酶和磷酸化酶系统失衡致Tau蛋白过度磷酸化损伤模型、降低Tau蛋白糖基化致Tau过度磷酸化模型等。     

Tau蛋白在阿尔茨海默病中的作用

阿尔茨海默病(AD)是非常普遍的神经变性性疾病并且是老年人痴呆的主要原因。AD患者的症状特点包括进行性的认知障碍、记忆丧失和行为障碍,与大脑中的病理变化密切相关。AD现成为全球最严重的健康和社会经济问题。在AD患者脑中神经纤维网或神经营养障碍的过程中存在tau蛋白的异常。tau蛋白丧失其促微管组装的生物学功能,导致细胞骨架的破坏、丝状物形成和神经缠结,轴突运输损害,进而导致突触蛋白失去功能和神经退行性病变。其数量和结构的改变将会影响其功能而且会出现异常聚集。调节Tau蛋白的异常聚集的分子机制主要是一些翻译后修饰使其结构及构象发生变化。因此,异常磷酸化和截断的tau蛋白作为tau蛋白病理过程的关键机制而引起学者关注。本文描述了tau蛋白的结构和功能及其在AD中的主要病理变化,同时在本文中还涉及到磷酸化的tau蛋白是神经元对氧化应激的代偿反应这一观点。对tau蛋白进行更加全面的解读。     

A Unique Protease Cleavage Site Predicted in the Spike Protein of the Novel Pneumonia Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) Potentially Related to Viral Transmissibility

正Dear Editor,In December 2019, a novel human coronavirus caused an epidemic of severe pneumonia(Coronavirus Disease 2019,COVID-19) in Wuhan, Hubei, China(Wu et al. 2020; Zhu et al. 2020). So far, this virus has spread to all areas of China and even to other countries. The epidemic has caused 67,102 confirmed infections with 1526 fatal cases     

Curcuminoids as inhibitors of thioredoxin reductase: A receptor based pharmacophore study with distance mapping of the active site

Curcumin is the yellow pigment of turmeric that interacts irreversibly forming an adduct with thioredoxin reductase (TrxR), an enzyme responsible for redox control of cell and defence against oxidative stress. Docking at both the active sites of TrxR was performed to compare the potency of three naturally occurring curcuminoids, namely curcumin, demethoxy curcumin and bis-demethoxy curcumin. Results show that active sites of TrxR occur at the junction of E and F chains. Volume and area of both cavities is predicted. It has been concluded by distance mapping of the most active conformations that Se atom of catalytic residue SeCYS498, is at a distance of 3.56 from C13 of demethoxy curcumin at the E chain active site, whereas C13 carbon atom forms adduct with Se atom of SeCys 498. We report that at least one methoxy group in curcuminoids is necessary for interation with catalytic residues of thioredoxin. Pharmacophore of both active sites of the TrxR receptor for curcumin and demethoxy curcumin molecules has been drawn and proposed for design and synthesis of most probable potent antiproliferative synthetic drugs.     

Comparative morphology of the carpel in the Liliaceae: Hewardieae, Petrosavieae, and Tricyrteae

The young pistils in the melanthioid tribes, Hewardieae, Petrosavieae and Tricyrteae, are uniformly tricarpellate and syncarpous. They lack raphide idioblasts. All are multiovulate, with bitegmic ovules. The Petrosavieae are marked by the presence of septal glands and incomplete syncarpy. Tepals and stamens adhere to the ovary in the Hewardieae and the Petrosavieae but not in the Tricyrteae. Two vascular bundles occur in the stamens of the Hewartlieae and Tricyrtis latifolia. Ventral bundles in the upper part of the ovary of the Hewardieae are continuous with compound septal bundles and placental bundles in the lower part. Putative ventral bundles occur in the alternate position in the Tricyrteae and putative placental bundles in the opposite. position in the Petrosavieae. The dichtomously branched stigma in each carpel of the Tricyrteae is supplied by a bifurcated dorsal bundle.     

Selection with two alleles and complete dominance

For a plant selection model with frequency-independent viabilities, fertilities and selfing rates, it is shown that apart from global fixation, for certain parameter combinations a protected polymorphism and facultative fixation (either allele may become fixed according to initial frequencies) may both occur. Facultative fixation requires different selling rates for the dominant and recessive type. Protection of the polymorphism requires resource allocation for male and female function. In this connection the problem of purely genetically caused population extinction is discussed.
For general frequency dependence and regular segregation, the chances for establishment of a completely recessive gene are compared to those of a completely dominant gene. It is proven that the process of establishment of the recessive gene, despite a fitness advantage, may be considerably endangered by drift effects if random mating prevails. The recessive gene may reach the same effectivity in establishment as a dominant gene, only if the recessive homozygote mates exclusively with its own type during the period of establishment.     

Composition and diversity of bird communities in Swedish farmland–forest mosaic landscapes

CapsuleThe amount of forest (at local and landscape scales) and occurrence of residual habitats at the local scale are shown to be the major factors influencing bird community composition in farmland–forest landscapes in central Sweden.

Aims To investigate the importance of local habitat and landscape structure for breeding birds in farmland–forest landscapes in central Sweden.

Methods Breeding birds were censused at 292 points. A detailed habitat mapping was made within 300 m of the points. Within a 300–600 m radius only two major habitats (forests and arable fields) were identified.

Results Cluster analyses of bird communities identified three site types that also differed in habitat composition: (i) partially forested sites in forested landscapes; (ii) heterogeneous sites with residual habitats in mosaic landscapes; and (iii) field-dominated farmland sites in open landscapes. A total of 19 of 25 farmland bird species (restricted to farmland or using both farmland and forest) had the highest abundance in farmland sites with mosaics of forest and farmland, while only six farmland species had the highest abundance in field-dominated sites. The bird community changed from being dominated by farmland species to being dominated by forest species (common in forest landscapes without farmland) at small proportions (10–20%) of forest at the local scale. A major difference in habitat composition between heterogeneous and field-dominated sites was the occurrence of different residual habitats (e.g. shrubby areas and seminatural grasslands). These habitats seemed to influence bird community composition more than land-use, despite covering <10% of the area. Seminatural grasslands were important for bird community composition and species-richness, but grazing seemed to be less important. Among different land-use types, cereal crops were the least preferred fields. Set-asides with tall vegetation and short rotation coppices were positively associated with species-richness of farmland birds.

Conclusion In general, the composition of the landscape was important for bird community composition, although amount and distribution of forests, occurrence of residual habitats and land-use of fields at the local scale had the strongest influence on bird community composition. The possible implications of these patterns for managing farmland–forest landscapes are discussed.     

Chemical constituents from the fruits of Rhus typhina L. and their chemotaxonomic significance

This work describes the isolation and characterization of twenty-nine compounds from the fruits of Rhus typhina L., including eleven flavonoids (1–11), eleven phenols (12–22), two pentacyclic triterpenes (23–24), two organic acids (25–26), one lumichrome (27), one courmarin (28) and one pyrimidine (29) on the basis of their spectroscopic data. Compounds apigenin (1), daidzein (4), orobol (5), 3′, 5, 5′, 7-tetrahydroxyflavanone (6), naringenin (7), butein (8), (-)-catechin (9), quercetin-3-O-α-L-(3″-O-galloyl)-rhamnoside (11), 2-hydroxybenzoic acid (13), 4-hydroxybenzaldehyde (14), vanillin (15), methyl 3,4-dihydroxybenzoate (16), 3,5-dihydroxybenzamide (18), tyrosol (19), caffeic acid (20), 3-(2,4,6-trihydroxyphenyl)-1-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-propan-1-one (21), phlorizin (22), friedelin (23), oleanolic acid (24), 4,4-dimethyl-heptanedioic acid (25), anthranilic acid (26), lumichrome (27), scoparone (28) and uracil (29) have not been recorded before in this plant. This is the first report on the occurrence of compounds 4–7, 9, 11, 13–14, 16, 18–21, 25–29 from the genus Rhus. Moreover, the chemotaxonomic significance of these isolated compounds was also summarized.