Meiosis-Reinitiation-Inducing Factor of Tetrahymena Functions Upstream of M-Phase-Promoting Factor

Reinitiation of meiosis (maturation) of amphibian Bufo and Xenopus oocytes can be induced if Tetrahymena extract is injected into them. The activity differed from M-phase-promoting factor, because action of the former factor on the induction of maturation was inhibited by treatment of the oocytes with cycloheximide. Activity of M-phase-promoting factor was not detected in Tetrahymena extract regardless of the presence of cdc2 homologues in the extract. However, cycloheximide-resistant-maturation-inducing activity appeared in the recipients, when the maturation was induced by injection of Tetrahymena extract. Immunoblots using antibodies against cdc2 showed that injection of Tetrahymena extract induced fast mobility of the recipient cdc2 in the presence of the recipient protein synthesis. The same mobility shift of the cdc2 was also induced when M-phase-promoting factor containing Xenopus oocyte extract was injected into immature oocytes or when the immature oocyte extract was treated with alkaline phosphatase. These results indicate that meiosis-reinitiation-inducing factor of Tetrahymena functions upstream of M-phase-promoting factor to induce dephosphorylation of the recipient cdc2. Tetrahymena cdc2 homologues also showed fast mobility when the Tetrahymena extract was treated with alkaline phosphatase. Preliminary experiments showed that the meiosis-reinitiation-inducing factor of Tetrahymena was a soluble protein.     

Identification of Pigment Epithelium-Derived Factor as an Adipocyte-Derived Inflammatory Factor

Obesity is a major risk factor for insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular disease. The pathophysiology of obesity is associated with chronic low-grade inflammation. Adipose tissue in obesity is significantly infiltrated by macrophages that secrete cytokines. The mechanisms of interaction between macrophages and adipocytes, leading to macrophage activation and increased cytokine release, remain to be elucidated. We reasoned that an adipocyte-derived factor might stimulate activation of macrophages. We have identified pigment epithelium-derived factor (PEDF) as a mediator of inflammation that is secreted by adipocytes and mediates macrophage activation. Recombinant PEDF activates macrophages to release tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and interleukin-1 (IL-1). The PEDF receptor adipose triglyceride lipase (ATGL) is required for PEDF-mediated macrophage activation. Selective inhibition of ATGL on macrophages attenuates PEDF-induced TNF production, and PEDF enhances the phosphorylation of p38 and extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 mitogen-activated protein kinases. PEDF administration to rats results in increased serum TNF levels, and insulin resistance. Together, these findings suggest that PEDF secreted by adipocytes contributes to the onset and maintenance of chronic inflammation in obesity, and may be a therapeutic target in ameliorating insulin resistance.     

The activation of bovine Factor X by bovine Factor Xa

A steady-state kinetic analysis of the activation of bovine Factor X, by bovine Factor X_a, was undertaken. The activation was found to be dependent on the presence of divalent cations; Ca²⁺ showing the greatest stimulatory effect and Mn²⁺ exhibiting a lower degree of activity for this reaction. Although Sr²⁺ and Mg²⁺ were ineffective when present alone, each contributed synergistically to the activation rate at suboptimal levels of Ca²⁺. The effect of phospholipid (phosphatidylcholine:phosphatidylserine, 4:1, w:w) on the rate of activation and on the activation pathway was investigated. Phospholipid (PL) concentrations of up to 40 μm had no effect on the activation rate; whereas, concentrations of 40–180 μm were slightly inhibitory. In the absence of PL, the major product of the activation was Factor α-X_a, while in the presence of PL, lower-molecular-weight forms of Factor X (Factor β-X) and Factor X_a (Factor β-X_a were produced. At saturating levels of Ca²⁺, the K_{m app} for the activation, at pH 7.4 and 37 °C, in the absence of PL, was found to be 0.6 ± 0.1 μm and the V was 1.7 ± 0.3 mol Factor X cleaved min^?1 mol^?1 Factor X_a. The corresponding values, in the presence of 90 μm PL, were 1.4 ± 0.2 μm and 2.2 ± 0.2 mol Factor X cleaved min^?1 mol^?1 Factor X_a.     

The Interaction between Factor H and Von Willebrand Factor

Complement factor H (fH) is a plasma protein that regulates activation of the alternative pathway, and mutations in fH are associated with a rare form of thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA), known as atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome (aHUS). A more common TMA is thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura, which is caused by the lack of normal ADAMTS-13-mediated cleavage of von Willebrand factor (VWF). We investigated whether fH interacts with VWF and affects cleavage of VWF. We found that factor H binds to VWF in plasma, to plasma-purified VWF, and to recombinant A1 and A2 domains of VWF as detected by co-immunoprecipitation (co-IP) and surface plasmon resonance assays. Factor H enhanced ADAMTS-13-mediated cleavage of recombinant VWF-A2 as determined by quantifying the cleavage products using Western-blotting, enhanced cleavage of a commercially available fragment of VWF-A2 (FRETS-VWF73) as determined by fluorometric assay, and enhanced cleavage of ultralarge (UL) VWF under flow conditions as determined by cleavage of VWF-platelet strings attached to histamine stimulated endothelial cells. Using recombinant full-length and truncated fH molecules, we found that the presence of the C-terminal half of fH molecule is important for binding to VWF-A2 and for enhancing cleavage of the A2 domain by ADAMTS-13. We conclude that factor H binds to VWF and may modulate cleavage of VWF by ADAMTS-13.     

Facilitation of the Transfer of R Factor by the Resident R Factor

Transfer of some R factors were shown to be facilitated by resident R factors. The sex factor itself may be responsible for this phenomenon.     

Dual effect of Platelet Factor 4 on the activities of Factor Xa

Platelet Factor 4 (PF4) prevents inhibition of blood coagulation proteases by heparin via formation of a putative enzyme–PF4 complex. To investigate the contribution of the latter, the activity of factor Xa (fXa) was determined in chromogenic assays measuring hydrolysis of a peptide substrate S2765 or cleavage of the macromolecular substrate prothrombin in the activating complex, prothrombinase. Upon preincubation with fXa and heparin, PF4 at about 250 nM decreased the k_cat of S2765 hydrolysis about fivefold and that of prothrombin activation about 25-fold. In the presence of saturating fVa, inhibition of fXa by PF4 was abolished, while in the presence of limiting fVa, PF4 altered the interaction of fXa with fVa. Interestingly, high concentrations of PF4 restored fXa activity toward S2765 and prothrombin, indicating a dual effect of PF4 on fXa activities. These findings suggest that PF4 in the presence of heparin is an allosteric effector of the prothrombinase complex.     

Factor VIII/von Willebrand Factor has potent lectin activity

Highly-purified plasma and platelet Factor VIII/von Willebrand Factor had potent lectin activity when measured in a haemagglutination assay. This lectin activity was inhibited by monoclonal and heterologous antibodies to Factor VIII/von Willebrand Factor as well as by hexosamines, mannose and net-positively charged amino acids.     

靶向下调FOXM1 基因表达对乳腺癌MDA-MB-231 细胞增殖的影响

目的：探讨靶向抑制FOXM1 对乳腺癌细胞增殖能力的影响,为乳腺癌的个性化靶向治疗提供理论依据。方法：利用重组真 核转录载体pSilencer1.0-U6-FOXM1-shRNA,脂质体法转染乳腺癌细胞株MDA-MB-231,下调其FOXM1基因表达。采用四甲基 偶氮唑盐(MTT) 比色法、平板克隆形成实验观察细胞增值曲线以及克隆形成能力;采用实时定量- 聚合酶链反应(Real-time qPCR)、蛋白免疫印迹法（Western blot）分别检测FOXM1 基因在mRNA、蛋白水平的表达变化。结果：重组载体pSilencer1. 0-U6-FOXM1-shRNA转染MDA-MB-231细胞后,与对照组相比,增殖速率明显下降（P<0.05）,平板克隆形成显著减少（P<0.05）, 重组载体转染后显著抑制MDA-MB-231 细胞中FOXM1 基因在mRNA、蛋白水平的表达。结论：沉默FOXM1 基因对乳腺癌细胞 株MDA-MB-231 生长具有抑制作用,为阐明乳腺癌发病机制提供了新的切入点,也为临床抑制肿瘤生长提供了新的作用靶点。     

三叶因子家族

三叶因子家族是一类具有特殊结构——P结构域的蛋白质家族, P结构域包含6个高度保守的半胱氨酸残基及精氨酸、甘氨酸、色氨酸和苯丙氨酸残基.半胱氨酸残基以Cys1-Cys5, Cys2-Cys4, Cys3-Cys6连接形成三个链内二硫桥.已发现多种含有P结构域的多肽,其中最引人注目的是TFF1/ pS2、TFF2/SP及TFF3/ITF,在正常组织中其主要表达位点分别为胃基底和胃体(TFF1/pS2)、胃窦深部的小凹（TFF2/SP）及小肠和大肠杯状细胞（TFF3/ITF）.TFF可能具有维持粘膜屏障和促进溃疡治愈的功能.TFF含有α折叠(α-helix),β片层(β-sheet).三叶因子家族多肽的作用机理仍处于猜测阶段,现有与粘蛋白共同作用和与受体作用两种假说.     

Schwannoma-Derived Growth Factor Interacts with the Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor

Abstract: Schwannoma-derived growth factor (SDGF) is a potent mitogen and neuronal differentiation factor. Because of its relationship to epidermal growth factor (EGF) and the heregulins, it was asked if SDGF interacts with the EGF receptor or HER2/neu. SDGF binds to and causes the phosphorylation on tyrosine of the EGF receptor but not HER2/neu.     

生长素反应因子

生长素反应因子(ARF)是1997年发现的新一类转录因子家族,它们与生长素早期反应基因启动子中的生长素反应元件(AuxRE)TGTCTC特异性地结合,调节这类基因的转录活性.文章阐述生长素反应因子和其结构的特点、作用模式的设想的研究进展.     

缺氧诱导因子1

缺氧诱导因子1是缺氧诱导细胞所产生的一种蛋白质,由一个120 ku的α亚基和一个91～94 ku的β亚基组成的异源二聚体.在缺氧条件下,促进红细胞生成素和糖酵解酶等基因的转录和表达,维持机体氧稳态.