以双歧杆菌为载体实现量子点在体靶向肿瘤的可行性研究

应用双歧双歧杆菌作为量子点输送载体,为小动物在体生物肿瘤成像提供依据. 采用电穿孔方法,将
二棕榈酰磷脂酰胆碱（DPPC）包被的硫硒镉水溶性量子点转入细菌内,得到“量子点-细菌”复合探针,在
“量子点-细菌”表面通过1-(3-二甲氨基丙基)-3-乙基碳二亚胺 (EDC)活化法进一步偶联叶酸分子,制得
“量子点-细菌-叶酸”复合纳米生物探针. 将纳米生物探针经尾静脉注入Lewis肺癌小鼠体内,采用冰冻组
织切片,考察探针在小鼠体内脏器及肿瘤的分布情况. 结果表明,在肿瘤部位检测到较强的量子点光致发光
信号,而在肺、肝、脾等脏器中只检测到微弱的量子点发光信号. “量子点-细菌-叶酸”复合纳米生物探
针小动物在体肿瘤靶向成像是可行的.     

The effects of Bifidobacterium bifidum OFR9, a strain resistant to antituberculosis and antileprosy agents,on fecal flora in mice

Since Bifidobacterium bifidum, one of the strains of medical preparations used for human intestinal disorders, is sensitive to rifampicin (RFP) and fluoroquinolones, its therapeutic effect cannot be guaranteed when it is administered concomitantly with these antibiotics. To develop new strains of B. bifidum that are resistant to these drugs, B. bifidum RFR61, which is highly resistant to RFP, was selected by the N-methyl-N'-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG) mutation method. Then, B. bifidum OFR9 was selected in vitro from B. bifidum RFR61 by serial passage to increasing concentrations of ofloxacin (OFLX) on a solid medium. The minimal inhibition concentrations (MIC) of RFP and fluoroquinolones for B. bifidum OFR9 were >256 mg/ml and 16-256 &mgr;g/ml, respectively. We investigated the effects of B. bifidum OFR9 on the fecal bacterial flora of mice administered with both antibiotics and B. bifidum OFR9. The results showed that the concurrent use of B. bifidum OFR9 and antibiotics prevented the decrease of bifidobacteria, and quickly restored the flora to normal as compared with the use of antibiotic or parent strain therapy alone. The survival of Shigella organisms in mouse feces rapidly decreased, and were removed within two days as a result of the oral administration of B. bifidum OFR9.     

Synergistic effect of folic acid and vitamin B12 in ameliorating arsenic-induced oxidative damage in pancreatic tissue of rat

The efficacies of two nutritional factors, folic acid and vitamin B12, were assessed in this study against arsenic-induced islet cellular toxicity. Rats were divided into four groups consisting of five rats in each group: Group A, control; Group B, arsenic-treated; Group C, arsenic+folic acid; and Group D, arsenic+folic acid+vitamin B12. The dose of arsenic, folic acid and vitamin B12, respectively, was 3 mg, 36 microg and 0.63 microg kg(-1) body weight day(-1) for 30 days. Results showed that, compared to control group, there was a significant increase in the levels of nitric oxide (NO), malondialdehyde (MDA) and hydroxyl radical (OH-) formation in the pancreatic tissue of arsenic-treated rats, while the activity of antioxidant enzymes, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT), and cellular content of antioxidant glutathione (GSH) were low in these animals. The serum level of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and IL-6 was significantly high in these animals. Light microscopic examination showed a marked fall in the number of islet cells. Concomitant administration of either folic acid or folic acid and vitamin B12 with arsenic significantly restored all these parameters. Although folic acid alone could not restore the normal level of TNF-alpha and IL-6, combined folic acid and vitamin B12 could restore it. Folic acid and vitamin B12 combined also could recover islet cell count. These results suggest that folic acid+vitamin B12 are capable of reducing arsenic-induced cellular oxidative and inflammatory toxic changes. Thus, supplement with vitamin B12+folic acid may be predicted as a possible nutritional management strategy against arsenic-induced toxicity.     

双歧杆菌防治鼠伤寒沙门菌感染的实验研究

目的　以小鼠为模型,研究双歧杆菌在体内对鼠伤寒沙门菌（Ｓａｌｍｏｎｅｌｌａ ｔｙｐｈｉｍｕｒｉｕｍ ,ＳＴＭ） 感染的防治作用。方法　分别用大剂量悉复欢、Ｂ．ｂｉｆｉｄｕｍ 、生理盐水（ＮＳ） 给三组小鼠灌胃,再用ＳＴＭ 攻击,观察小鼠经上述不同处理前后肠道双歧杆菌数量和ＳＴＭ 攻击后粪便ＳＴＭ 培养阳性率,阳性标本ＳＴＭ 分离值及小鼠ＳＴＭ 感染率;同时用双歧杆菌、悉复欢、双歧杆菌加悉复欢分别治疗ＳＴＭ 感染的小鼠,观察并比较疗效。结果　１． 大剂量悉复欢使用可使小鼠肠道内双歧杆菌明显降低,而双歧杆菌灌胃则肠道双歧杆菌明显增多。双歧杆菌灌胃的小鼠粪便ＳＴＭ培养阳性率、阳性粪便ＳＴＭ 值明显低于用大剂量悉复欢和ＮＳ 的小鼠,小鼠ＳＴＭ 感染发病率也明显较低。２． 对于ＳＴＭ 感染鼠,双歧杆菌与悉复欢联合治疗效果最好。结论　１． 双歧杆菌在体内对ＳＴＭ 有拮抗作用;能预防和减少ＳＴＭ 感染发生;２． 在ＳＴＭ 感染时,先用悉复欢,再用双歧杆菌可以达到预期疗效,双歧杆菌对鼠伤寒沙门菌感染有辅助治疗作用。     

Novel Bifidobacterium promoters selected through microarray analysis lead to constitutive high-level gene expression

For the development of a food-grade expression system for Bifidobacterium, a strong promoter leading to high-level expression of cloned gene is a prerequisite. For this purpose, a promoter screening host-vector system for Bifidobacterium has been established using β-glucosidase from Bifidobacterium lactis as a reporter and Bifidobacterium bifidum BGN4 as a host, which is β-glucosidase negative strain. Seven putative promoters showing constitutive high-level expression were selected through microarray analysis based on the genome sequence of B. bifidum BGN4. They were cloned into upstream of β-glucosidase gene and transformed into Escherichia coli DH5α and B. bifidum BGN4. Promoter activities were analyzed both in E. coli and B. bifidum BGN4 by measuring β-glucosidase activity. β-Glucosidase activities in all of the transformants showed growth-associated characteristics. Among them, P919 was the strongest in B. bifidum BGN4 and showed maximum activity at 18 h, while P895 was the strongest in E. coli DH5α at 7 h. This study shows that novel strong promoters such as P919 can be used for high-level expression of foreign genes in Bifidobacterium and will be useful for the construction of an efficient food-grade expression system.     

Scanning and transmission electron microscopy of three strains of Bifidobacterium.

Scanning and transmission electron microscopy was applied for a morphological study of three strains of Bifidobacterium grown on solid or liquid media. The pronounced pleomorphism of the cultures previously observed by light microscopy was confirmed. A possible sequence of the morphological events during transformation from one to another pleomorphic form is proposed for B. bifidum and B. longum. Ultrastructural differences such as the formation of extensive mesosomal complexes in B. longum and characteristic plasmalemma particles only observed in the B. bifidum mutant are described and discussed.     

Synthesis of tunable and multifunctional Ni-doped near-infrared QDs for cancer cell targeting and cellular sorting

Here, we report the facile preparation of tunable magnetic Ni-doped near-infrared (NIR) quantum dots (MNIR-QDs) as an efficient probe for targeting, imaging, and cellular sorting applications. We synthesized the MNIR-QDs via a hot colloidal synthesis approach to yield monodisperse and tunable QDs. These hydrophobic QDs were structurally and compositionally characterized and further functionalized with amino-PEG and carboxyl-PEG to improve their biocompatibility. Since QDs are known to be toxic due to the presence of cadmium, we have evaluated the in vitro and in vivo toxicity of our surface-functionalized MNIR-QDs. Our results revealed that surface-functionalized MNIR-QDs did not exhibit significant toxicity at the concentrations used in the experiments and are therefore suitable for biological applications. For further in vitro applications, we covalently linked folic acid to the surface of amino-PEG-coated MNIR-QDs through NHS chemistry to target the folate receptors largely present in the HeLa cells to demonstrate the specific targeting and magnetic behavior of these MNIR-QDs. Improved specificity has been observed with treatment of HeLa cells with the folic acid-linked amino PEG-coated MNIR QDs (FA-PEG-MNIR-QDs) compared to the one without folic acid. Since the synthesized probe has magnetic property, we have also successfully demonstrated sorting between the cells which have taken up the probe with the use of a magnet. Our findings strongly suggest that these functionalized MNIR-QDs can be a potential probe for targeting, cellular sorting, and bioimaging applications.     

Tracking metastatic tumor cell extravasation with quantum dot nanocrystals and fluorescence emission-scanning microscopy

Metastasis is an impediment to the development of effective cancer therapies. Our understanding of metastasis is limited by our inability to follow this process in vivo. Fluorescence microscopy offers the potential to follow cells at high resolution in living animals. Semiconductor nanocrystals, quantum dots (QDs), offer considerable advantages over organic fluorophores for this purpose. We used QDs and emission spectrum scanning multiphoton microscopy to develop a means to study extravasation in vivo. Although QD labeling shows no deleterious effects on cultured cells, concern over their potential toxicity in vivo has caused resistance toward their application to such studies. To test if effects of QD labeling emerge in vivo, tumor cells labeled with QDs were intravenously injected into mice and followed as they extravasated into lung tissue. The behavior of QD-labeled tumor cells in vivo was indistinguishable from that of unlabeled cells. QDs and spectral imaging allowed the simultaneous identification of five different populations of cells using multiphoton laser excitation. Besides establishing the safety of QDs for in vivo studies, our approach permits the study of multicellular interactions in vivo.     

Encapsulated Bifidobacterium bifidum potentiates intestinal IgA production

We asked whether Bifidobacterium bifidum regulates the synthesis of IgA by mucosal lymphoid cells. B. bifidum alone, but not Clostridium perfringens, significantly induced total IgA and IgM synthesis by both mesenteric lymph nodes (MLN) and Peyer's patch (PP) cells. We, further, investigated the mucosal antibody production following peroral administration of B. bifidum to mice. Ingested B. bifidum significantly increased the number of Ig (IgM, IgG, and IgA) secreting cells in the culture of both MLN and spleen cells. Nonetheless, B. bifidum itself does not induce the own specific antibody responses, implying that B. bifidum does not provoke unnecessary immune reaction. Subsequently, it was found that encapsulation of B. bifidum further augments the total IgA production in the culture of both MLN and spleen cells. Finally, we found that the immuno-stimulating activity of B. bifidum is due to its cellular components but not due to any actively secreting component(s) from bacteria.     

Intra- and extracellular beta-galactosidases from Bifidobacterium bifidum and B. infantis: molecular cloning, heterologous expression, and comparative characterization

Three beta-galactosidase genes from Bifidobacterium bifidum DSM20215 and one beta-galactosidase gene from Bifidobacterium infantis DSM20088 were isolated and characterized. The three B. bifidum beta-galactosidases exhibited a low degree of amino acid sequence similarity to each other and to previously published beta-galactosidases classified as family 2 glycosyl hydrolases. Likewise, the B. infantis beta-galactosidase was distantly related to enzymes classified as family 42 glycosyl hydrolases. One of the enzymes from B. bifidum, termed BIF3, is most probably an extracellular enzyme, since it contained a signal sequence which was cleaved off during heterologous expression of the enzyme in Escherichia coli. Other exceptional features of the BIF3 beta-galactosidase were (i) the monomeric structure of the active enzyme, comprising 1,752 amino acid residues (188 kDa) and (ii) the molecular organization into an N-terminal beta-galactosidase domain and a C-terminal galactose binding domain. The other two B. bifidum beta-galactosidases and the enzyme from B. infantis were multimeric, intracellular enzymes with molecular masses similar to typical family 2 and family 42 glycosyl hydrolases, respectively. Despite the differences in size, molecular composition, and amino acid sequence, all four beta-galactosidases were highly specific for hydrolysis of beta-D-galactosidic linkages, and all four enzymes were able to transgalactosylate with lactose as a substrate.     

Conjugates of folic acids with BSA-coated quantum dots for cancer cell targeting and imaging by single-photon and two-photon excitation

Bovine serum albumin (BSA)-coated CdTe/ZnS quantum dots (BSA–QDs) were selected to conjugate with folic acid (FA), forming FA–BSA–QDs. This study aims to develop these small FA–BSA–QDs (less than 10 nm) for the diagnosis of cancers in which the FA receptor (FR) is overexpressed. The enhancement of cellular uptake in FR-positive human nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells (KB cells) for FA–BSA–QDs was found by means of confocal fluorescence microscopy under single-photon and two-photon excitation. The uptake enhancement for FA–BSA–QDs was further evaluated by flow-cytometric analysis in 10⁴ KB cells, and was about 3 times higher than for BSA–QDs on average. The uptake enhancement was suppressed when KB cells had been pretreated with excess FA, reflecting that the enhancement was mediated by the association of FR at cell membranes with FA–BSA–QDs. When human embryonic kidney cells (293T) (FR-negative cells) and KB cells, respectively, were incubated with FA–BSA–QDs (1 μM) for 40 min, the FA–BSA–QD uptake by 293T cells was much weaker than that by KB cells, demonstrating that FA–BSA–QDs could undergo preferential binding on FR-positive cancer cells. These characteristics suggest that FA–BSA–QDs are potential candidates for cancer diagnosis.     

Role of extracellular transaldolase from Bifidobacterium bifidum in mucin adhesion and aggregation

The ability of bifidobacteria to establish in the intestine of mammals is among the main factors considered to be important for achieving probiotic effects. The role of surface molecules from Bifidobacterium bifidum taxon in mucin adhesion capability and the aggregation phenotype of this bacterial species was analyzed. Adhesion to the human intestinal cell line HT29 was determined for a collection of 12 B. bifidum strains. In four of them-B. bifidum LMG13195, DSM20456, DSM20239, and A8-the involvement of surface-exposed macromolecules in the aggregation phenomenon was determined. The aggregation of B. bifidum A8 and DSM20456 was abolished after treatment with proteinase K, this effect being more pronounced for the strain A8. Furthermore, a mucin binding assay of B. bifidum A8 surface proteins showed a high adhesive capability for its transaldolase (Tal). The localization of this enzyme on the surface of B. bifidum A8 was unequivocally demonstrated by immunogold electron microscopy experiments. The gene encoding Tal from B. bifidum A8 was expressed in Lactococcus lactis, and the protein was purified to homogeneity. The pure protein was able to restore the autoaggregation phenotype of proteinase K-treated B. bifidum A8 cells. A recombinant L. lactis strain, engineered to secrete Tal, displayed a mucin- binding level more than three times higher than the strain not producing the transaldolase. These findings suggest that Tal, when exposed on the cell surface of B. bifidum, could act as an important colonization factor favoring its establishment in the gut.     

厌氧棒状杆菌与双歧杆菌抗小鼠腹水瘤活性的比较

厌氧棒状杆菌和双歧杆菌分别制成死菌苗,在相同实验条件下观察两菌对小鼠腹水瘤的抗瘤效果。结果显示,两种菌苗均有显著的抗瘤活性,而厌氧棒状杆菌抗瘤作用更强于双歧杆菌,特别在延长观察期尤为显著。应用两菌苗后,脾指数均有不同程度升高,未见明显毒性作用。     

双歧杆菌对免疫抑制小鼠白色念珠菌感染的保护作用

为探讨双歧杆菌对白色念珠菌感染的保护作用,作者采用环磷酰胺腹腔注射方法复制了免疫抑制小鼠模型,研究白色念珠菌感染前后两歧双歧杆菌灌饲的保护作用。结果表明：白色念珠菌感染前灌饲两歧双歧杆菌能有效地抑制白色念珠菌在小鼠肠道中的定植,并且保护肠粘膜的完整性。对其机理的研究认为,两歧双歧杆菌可能是通过调整肠道菌群平衡、增加肠道中生理菌群的数量、降低肠道ｐＨ值、以及产生抗菌物质等途径发挥保护作用     

Protective effect of bifidus milk on the experimental infection with Salmonella enteritidis subsp. typhimurium in conventional and gnotobiotic mice

The ability of Bifidobacterium bifidum from a commercial bifidus milk to antagonize Salmonella enteritidis subsp. typhimurium in vivo, and to reduce the pathological consequences for the host, was determined using conventional and gnotobiotic mice. Conventional animals received daily, by gavage, 0.1 ml bifidus milk containing about 10(9) cfu B. bifidum and germ-free animals received a single 0.1 ml dose. The conventional and gnotobiotic groups were challenged orally with 10(2) cfu of the pathogenic bacteria 5 and/or 10 d after the beginning of treatment. Control groups were treated with milk. Bifidus milk protected both animal models against the challenge with the pathogenic bacteria, as demonstrated by survival and histopathological data. However, to obtain the protective effect in gnotobiotic animals, the treatment had to be initiated 10 d before the challenge. In experimental and control gnotobiotic mice, Salm. enteritidis subsp. typhimurium became similarly established at levels ranging from 10(8) to 10(9) viable cells g-1 of faeces and remained at these high levels until the animals died or were sacrificed. It was concluded that the protection against Salm. enteritidis subsp. typhimurium observed in conventional and gnotobiotic mice treated with bifidus milk was not due to the reduction of the intestinal populations of the pathogenic bacteria.     

综述——基于纳米材料的生物检测与医学诊断技术：功能化量子点在肿瘤活体成像中的应用

量子点表面经生物分子或药物分子修饰而具有生物功能．功能化量子点具有独特的光学性质和生物相容性,在生物医学光学诊断和治疗领域具有广泛的应用．本文简要介绍了功能化量子点制备及修饰方法,综合评述了量子点在肿瘤活体诊断和治疗中的应用,包括活体淋巴结成像、血管动态成像、肿瘤成像和抗肿瘤药物示踪等,讨论了功能化量子点在肿瘤活体诊断和治疗中的应用前景以及面临的挑战．     

Oral probiotic bacterial administration suppressed allergic responses in an ovalbumin-induced allergy mouse model

This study investigated whether orally administered probiotic bacteria (Bifidobacterium bifidum and Lactobacillus casei) and a gram-negative bacterium (Escherichia coli) function as allergic immune modulators to prevent food allergy, according to the hygiene hypothesis. C3H/HeJ mice were sensitized with ovalbumin (OVA) and cholera toxin for 5 weeks. After sensitization, the OVA-induced mice that were not treated with bacteria had significantly increased levels of OVA-specific IgE, total IgE, and IgG1 in sera, as well as scab-covered tails. In comparison, groups treated with B. bifidum BGN4 (BGN4), L. casei 911 (L. casei), or Escherichia coli MC4100 (E. coli) had decreased levels of OVA-specific IgE, total IgE, and IgG1, and decreased levels of mast cell degranulation and tail scabs. OVA-specific IgA levels were decreased in BGN4- and L. casei-treated groups. In conclusion, administration of E. coli, BGN4, or L. casei decreased the OVA-induced allergy response. However, a normal increase in body weight was inhibited in the E. coli-treated mice and in the montreated mice groups during allergy sensitization. Thus, BGN4 and L. casei appear to be useful probiotic bacteria for the prevention of allergy.     

Folic acid supplementation delays atherosclerotic lesion development in apoE-deficient mice

Folic acid is a vitamin that when used as a dietary supplementation can improve endothelial function. To assess the effect of folic acid on the development of atherosclerosis, male apolipoprotein E-deficient mice fed a standard chow diet received either water (control group) or an aqueous solution of folic acid that provided a dose of 75 microg/kg/day, for ten weeks. At the time of sacrifice, blood was drawn and the heart removed. The study measured plasma homocysteine, lipids, lipoproteins, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) oxidation, isoprostane, paraoxonase, and apolipoproteins, and aortic atherosclerotic areas. In folic acid-treated animals, total cholesterol, mainly carried in very low-density and low-density lipoproteins, increased significantly, and homocysteine, HDL cholesterol, paraoxonase, and triglyceride levels did not change significantly. Plasma isoprostane and apolipoprotein (apo) B levels decreased. The resistance of LDL to oxidization and plasma apoA-I and apoA-IV levels increased with a concomitant decrease in the area of atherosclerotic lesions. The administration of folic acid decreased atherosclerotic lesions independently of plasma homocysteine and cholesterol levels, but was associated with plasma levels of apolipoproteins A-I, A-IV and B, and decreased oxidative stress.     

Folic Acid Supplementation Promotes Mammary Tumor Progression in a Rat Model

Folic acid supplementation may prevent the development of cancer in normal tissues but may promote the progression of established (pre)neoplastic lesions. However, whether or not folic acid supplementation can promote the progression of established (pre)neoplastic mammary lesions is unknown. This is a critically important issue because breast cancer patients and survivors in North America are likely exposed to high levels of folic acid owing to folic acid fortification and widespread supplemental use after cancer diagnosis. We investigated whether folic acid supplementation can promote the progression of established mammary tumors. Female Sprague-Dawley rats were placed on a control diet and mammary tumors were initiated with 7,12-dimethylbenza[a]anthracene at puberty. When the sentinel tumor reached a predefined size, rats were randomized to receive a diet containing the control, 2.5x, 4x, or 5x supplemental levels of folic acid for up to 12 weeks. The sentinel mammary tumor growth was monitored weekly. At necropsy, the sentinel and all other mammary tumors were analyzed histologically. The effect of folic acid supplementation on the expression of proteins involved in proliferation, apoptosis, and mammary tumorigenesis was determined in representative sentinel adenocarcinomas. Although no clear dose-response relationship was observed, folic acid supplementation significantly promoted the progression of the sentinel mammary tumors and was associated with significantly higher sentinel mammary tumor weight and volume compared with the control diet. Furthermore, folic acid supplementation was associated with significantly higher weight and volume of all mammary tumors. The most significant and consistent mammary tumor-promoting effect was observed with the 2.5x supplemental level of folic acid. Folic acid supplementation was also associated with an increased expression of BAX, PARP, and HER2. Our data suggest that folic acid supplementation may promote the progression of established mammary tumors. The potential tumor-promoting effect of folic acid supplementation in breast cancer patients and survivors needs further clarification.     

Influence of microencapsulation and spray drying on the viability of Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium strains

Improved production methods of starter cultures, which constitute the most important element of probiotic preparations, were investigated. The aim of the presented research was to analyse changes in the viability of Lactobacillus. acidophilus and Bifidobacterium bifidum after stabilization (spray drying, liophilization, fluidization drying) and storage in refrigerated conditions for 4 months. The highest numbers of live cells, up to the fourth month of storage in refrigerated conditions, of the order of 10(7) cfu/g preparation were recorded for the B. bifidum DSM 20239 bacteria in which the N-Tack starch for spray drying was applied. Fluidization drying of encapsulated bacteria allowed obtaining a preparation of the comparable number of live bacterial cells up to the fourth month of storage with those encapsulated bacteria, which were subjected to freeze-drying but the former process was much shorter. The highest survivability of the encapsulated L. acidophilus DSM 20079 and B. bifidum DSM 20239 cells subjected to freeze-drying was obtained using skimmed milk as the cryoprotective substance. Stabilization of bacteria by microencapsulation can give a product easy to store and apply to produce dried food composition.