Dynamic changes in nitric oxide and mitochondrial oxidative stress with site-dependent differential tissue response during anoxic preconditioning in rat heart

In this study, dynamic changes in nitric oxide (NO) and mitochondrial superoxide (O(2)(*-)) were examined during anoxic preconditioning (AP) in rat heart model. AP and anoxia-reoxygenation (A/R) were performed on isolated hearts and single cardiomyocytes. The cellular insult in the form of infarct size and DNA damage were localized and correlated with NO synthases (endothelial and inducible) expression levels. The results showed that endocardium was the most affected region in AP groups, whereas the larger area of infarct was confined to mid- and epicardium in the A/R group. Interestingly, a high-level expression of immunofluorescent NO synthases was restricted to viable areas in the AP. In contrast to the gradual increase in O(2)(*-) level that occurred in the AP group, a sudden massive increase in its level was demonstrated at the onset of reoxygenation in the A/R group. The observed increase in NO production during reoxygenation in the AP group was attenuated by inducible NO synthase inhibitor. The study revealed, on a real-time basis, the role played by preconditioning for modulating NO and O(2)(*-) levels on behalf of cell survival. The results afford a better understanding of cardiac-adapting mechanism during AP and the role of inducible NO synthase in this important phenomenon.     

外源H2O2胁迫对大蒜试管苗玻璃化的影响

以大蒜品种‘二水早’为材料,研究不同浓度外源H2O2胁迫对大蒜试管苗的玻璃化发生及生理生化变化的影响.结果表明,在不同浓度外源H2O2处理下,大蒜玻璃化试管苗百分率、组织含水量、MDA含量、电解质渗透率、SOD和POD活性均高于对照,且随H2O2浓度的增加而升高,叶绿素含量则表现相反的趋势;在同一H2O2浓度下,大蒜玻璃化试管苗的组织含水量、MDA含量、电解质渗透率、SOD、POD和CAT活性均显著高于大蒜正常试管苗,叶绿素含量低于正常试管苗.研究发现,外源H2O2胁迫对大蒜试管苗玻璃化有促进作用.     

病毒感染的动态模型

以SARS病毒为例,从病毒在宿主细胞内的复制和在细胞间的传播两个方面建立了数学模型,对模型平衡点的稳定性和分岔类型做出了初步分析,同时讨论了不同个体的免疫力和病毒感染能力之间的关系.由此可定性地认识病毒在宿主体内的动态特征,以了解病毒的致病机理.本文还对模型提出进一步研究的方向.     

10kD玉米醇溶蛋白基因的克隆与植物表达载体构建

由于紫花苜蓿中的含硫氨基酸水平很低,采用基因工程手段将富硫蛋白基因-10kD玉米醇溶蛋白(zein)基因转入苜蓿中以提高其水平。根据该基因的保守序列设计引物,并在下游引物终止密码子前引入内质网驻留蛋白信号序列(KDEL),通过PCR技术从玉米(Zea mays L.)黄化幼苗基因组中扩增目的基因的开放阅读框(ORF)。序列测序得到全长为465bp的目的片断,该片段编码154个氨基酸,其中甲硫氨酸(M)31个占20.13%,半胱氨酸(C)6个占3.90%,含硫氨基酸共占24.03%。该基因与报道的10kD玉米醇溶蛋基因具有很高的同源性。将该基因构建到植物表达载体pCAMBIA13011上,以转化紫花苜蓿提高其含硫氨基酸的水平。     

Design, docking, and synthesis of novel indeno[1,2-c]isoquinolines for the development of antitumor agents as topoisomerase I inhibitors

An intramolecular radical cyclization reaction of 4-bromo-3-arylisoquinolines 11a-c allowed the efficient synthesis of 11-methylindenoisoquinolines 2a-c. 5-(2-Aminoethylamino)indeno[1,2-c]isoquinolin-11-one 4 was also prepared in the convenient manner. The synthesized compounds were tested in vitro for cytotoxicity and DNA-topoisomerase 1 (top 1) inhibitory activity. The dramatic enhancement of top 1 inhibitory activity of 4 was explained by a docking study using the FlexX program.     

C-8 Modifications of 3-alkyl-1,8-dibenzylxanthines as inhibitors of human cytosolic phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase

New modifications on the C-8 4-aminobenzyl unit of the previously reported 3-alkyl-1,8-dibenzylxanthine inhibitors of cPEPCK are presented. The most active compound reported here is the 5-chloro-1,3-dimethyl-1H-pyrazole-4-sulfonic acid amide derivative 2 with an IC(50) of 0.29+/-0.08 microM. An X-ray analysis of a heteroaromatic sulfonamide is presented showing a new pi-pi interaction.     

Identification, biological activity, and mechanism of the anti-ischemic quinolone analog

The quinolone analog SQ-4004 has been identified as a potentially excellent anti-ischemic agent, which exhibited highly potent efficacy in reducing infarct volume size in vivo rat MCAO model (32.1% at 0.01mg/kg) and potent cardioprotective effect at myocardial infarction in vivo model (26.6% at 0.01mg/kg) while it exhibited highly reduced anti-bacterial activity. The mechanistic study revealed that the anti-ischemic activity might exert via an anti-apoptotic pathway, which implies its therapeutic uses against the ischemic cell injuries including ischemic stroke and ischemic heart disease.     

The structure of the coiled-coil domain of Ndel1 and the basis of its interaction with Lis1, the causal protein of Miller-Dieker lissencephaly

Ndel1 and Nde1 are homologous and evolutionarily conserved proteins, with critical roles in cell division, neuronal migration, and other physiological phenomena. These functions are dependent on their interactions with the retrograde microtubule motor dynein and with its regulator Lis1--a product of the causal gene for isolated lissencephaly sequence (ILS) and Miller-Dieker lissencephaly. The molecular basis of the interactions of Ndel1 and Nde1 with Lis1 is not known. Here, we present a crystallographic study of two fragments of the coiled-coil domain of Ndel1, one of which reveals contiguous high-quality electron density for residues 10-166, the longest such structure reported by X-ray diffraction at high resolution. Together with complementary solution studies, our structures reveal how the Ndel1 coiled coil forms a stable parallel homodimer and suggest mechanisms by which the Lis1-interacting domain can be regulated to maintain a conformation in which two supercoiled alpha helices cooperatively bind to a Lis1 homodimer.     

Differential role of two VDR coactivators, DRIP205 and SRC-3, in keratinocyte proliferation and differentiation

Cell programs such as proliferation and differentiation involve the selective activation and repression of gene expression. The vitamin D receptor (VDR), through 1,25(OH)(2)D(3), controls the proliferation and differentiation of keratinocytes. Previously, we have identified two VDR binding coactivator complexes. In proliferating keratinocytes VDR bound preferentially to the DRIP complex, whereas in differentiated keratinocytes the SRC complex was preferred. We proposed that different coactivators are required for sequential gene regulation in the transition from proliferation to differentiation. Here we examined the roles of DRIP205 and SRC-3 in this transition. Silencing of DRIP205 and VDR caused hyperproliferation of keratinocytes, demonstrated by increased XTT and BrdU incorporation. SRC-3 silencing, on the other hand, did not have an effect on proliferation. In contrast, SRC-3 as well as DRIP205 and VDR silencing blocked keratinocyte differentiation as shown by decreased expression of keratin 1 and filaggrin. These results are consistent with the differential localization of DRIP205 and SRC-3 in skin. These results indicate that DRIP205 is required for keratinocyte proliferation. Both DRIP205 and SRC-3 are required for the keratinocyte differentiation. These results support the concept that the selective use of coactivators by VDR underlies the selective regulation of gene expression in keratinocyte proliferation and differentiation.