Discovery of natural estrogen receptor modulators with structure-based virtual screening

Eleven compounds were identified as estrogen receptor modulators from an in-house natural product database (NPD) by structure-based virtual screening for ERα and ERβ. Among them, 3 compounds were confirmed as ER agonists and 8 compounds were confirmed as ER antagonists by yeast two-hybrid (Y2H) assay, with EC₅₀ values ranging from several micromolar to 100 micromolar. In this study, a novel series of cycloartane triterpenoids isolated from Schisandra glaucescens Diels was found to have ER antagonistic effect, the most potent antagonist of which exhibited activity with EC₅₀ value of 2.55 and 4.68 μM for ERα and ERβ, respectively. Moreover, the types of modulation and subtype selectivity were also investigated through molecular docking simulation.     

Gloverins of the silkworm Bombyx mori: Structural and binding properties and activities

Gloverins are basic, glycine-rich and heat-stable antibacterial proteins (～14- kDa) in lepidopteran insects with activity against Escherichia coli, Gram-positive bacteria, fungi and a virus. Hyalophora gloveri gloverin adopts a random coil structure in aqueous solution but has α-helical structure in membrane-like environment, and it may interact with the lipid A moiety of lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Manduca sexta gloverin binds to the O-specific antigen and outer core carbohydrate of LPS. In the silkworm Bombyx mori, there are four gloverins with slightly acidic to neutral isoelectric points. In this study, we investigate structural and binding properties and activities of B. mori gloverins (BmGlvs), as well as correlations between structure, binding property and activity. Recombinant BmGlv1-4 were expressed in bacteria and purified. Circular dichroism (CD) spectra showed that all four BmGlvs mainly adopted random coli structure (>50%) in aqueous solution in regardless of pH, but contained α-helical structure in the presence of 1,1,1,3,3,3-hexafluoro-2-propanol (HFIP), smooth and rough mutants (Ra, Rc and Re) of LPS and lipid A. Plate ELISA assay showed that BmGlvs at pH 5.0 bound to rough mutants of LPS and lipid A but not to smooth LPS. Antibacterial activity assay showed that positively charged BmGlvs (at pH 5.0) were active against E. coli mutant strains containing rough LPS but inactive against E. coli with smooth LPS. Our results suggest that binding to rough LPS is the prerequisite for the activity of BmGlvs against E. coli.     

Exploring pyrimidine-substituted curcumin analogues: Design,synthesis and effects on EGFR signaling

Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is an effective molecular target of anti-cancer therapies. Curcumin inhibits cancer cell growth in vitro by suppressing gene expression of EGFR and reduces tumor growth in various animal models. To overcome instable and insoluble properties of curcumin as therapeutics, we designed and synthesized six novel pyrimidine-substituted curcumin analogues with or without a hydroxyl group originally present in curcumin. The cell viability tests indicated that IC₅₀ of the analogues containing hydroxyl group were 3 to 8-fold lower than those of the analogues without hydroxyl group in two colon cancer cell lines tested. Western blot analysis indicates the analogues containing hydroxyl group inhibited expression and tyrosine phosphorylation of EGFR. Further protein analyses showed that the analogues had anti-cellular proliferation, pro-apoptosis, and cell cycle arrest properties associated with suppressed EGFR expression. These results indicate that the hydroxyl groups in curcumin and the analogues were critical for observed biological activities.     

Structural Mechanism of CCM3 Heterodimerization with GCKIII Kinases

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Highlights? Crystal structure of CCM3-MST4 heterodimeric complex ? Structural mechanism driving CCM3-GCKIII heterodimerization ? Conformational changes required for CCM3-GCKIII heterodimerization ? Synergistic effects of CCM3-MST4 complex on cell proliferation and migration     

不同水分处理对甘蒙柽柳幼苗根系生长特性的影响

以1年生甘蒙柽柳幼苗为对象,采用人工壕沟挖掘法,对柽柳幼苗在不同水分处理条件下(干旱处理、适度灌溉、充分灌溉)根系生态学特征的季节变化进行了研究.结果表明,不同水分处理对柽柳幼苗根系生长影响显著,垂直根扎根深度和生长速率随着灌溉量的减小而增加.地面灌溉量的增加会导致根系分布的浅表化和根系消弱系数的减小,根系生物量与土壤深度呈显著负对数关系.不同水分处理条件下,7-10月的根/冠比平均值分别为0.43、0.60、0.90、1.12,其根、冠间存在典型的异速生长关系.根/冠比随土壤水分的减小而增加,且生长季后期大于初期.     

金川多肋骨牦牛体外触摸鉴别法的解剖学验证及应用

目的通过屠宰和解剖学试验,验证金川多肋骨牦牛体外触摸鉴别方法的准确性,为科研和生产应用建立简捷实用、准确可靠的方法。方法对试验牦牛进行触摸鉴别,根据鉴定结果,依照肋骨对数将牦牛分为A、B两组(A组具15对肋骨,B组具14对肋骨),从A、B两组中随机抽取25%的个体进行屠宰和解剖实验。应用触摸鉴别法在中心产区和分布区对15对肋骨牦牛的比例进行普查。结果触摸鉴别准确率为96.15%;19头肋骨数为15对的牦牛中,胸椎为15,腰椎数为5的个体有18头,约占95%。而腰椎数为4的个体仅1头,占5.26%;26头屠宰牦牛中,真肋+弓肋+浮肋组型为8+7+0个体的比例为68.42%;8+6+1个体比例为31.58%。结论触摸鉴别法简捷、准确率高,可以在生产和科研中推广应用;15对肋骨牦牛中,大多数个体的胸椎多出1个,而腰椎数正常,且60%以上个体肋骨组型为8+7+0,无浮肋;中心产区,多肋牦牛比例为52.08%,分布区为30.21%。     

自发性高血压大鼠和Wistar大鼠脑动脉平滑肌细胞膜电流的比较

目的:探讨自发性高血压大鼠(SHR)和Wistar大鼠脑动脉(BA)平滑肌细胞膜电流的异同。方法:应用全细胞膜片钳技术研究SHR和Wistar大鼠BA平滑肌细胞在电流密度、电流组成以及自发性瞬时外向K+电流(STOCs)特性的异同。结果:①当指令电压为0、+20、+40和+60mV时,SHR与Wistar大鼠BA平滑肌细胞间电流密度存在统计学差异(P<0.01)。②SHR与Wistar大鼠BA平滑肌细胞膜电流都对1 mmol/L电压依赖的K+通道(Kv)阻断剂4AP和1 mmol/L大电导Ca2+激活K+通道(BKCa)阻断剂TEA敏感。③SHR的STOCs发放频率和电流幅度都远大于Wistar大鼠。1 mmol/LTEA基本完全阻断STOCs通道电流,而4-AP对STOCs没有影响。结论:SHR和Wistar大鼠脑动脉平滑肌细胞的电流密度存在差异,两种平滑肌细胞外向电流都由BKCa和Kv通道组成。SHR大鼠平滑肌细胞更易诱发由BKCa通道介导的STOCs。     

HO/CO在甲醛炎性痛大鼠脊髓痛传导及痛觉过敏产生中的作用

目的:探讨血红素氧合酶/一氧化碳(HO/CO)在甲醛诱导的大鼠自发痛和痛觉过敏形成中的作用。方法:采用鞘内注射的方法,在甲醛炎性痛大鼠和正常大鼠分别给予HO抑制剂Znpp和HO激动剂Hemin;采用加权积分法对痛反应进行评分以代表痛反应程度;采用观察热辐射缩足潜伏期和机械刺激缩足反射阈值表示热和机械性痛觉过敏的程度。结果:Znpp各剂量组与单纯甲醛组相比,大鼠痛反应评分明显降低,且Znpp剂量越大,对大鼠痛反应的抑制作用越明显;与单纯甲醛组相比,Znpp各剂量组大鼠注射足热辐射缩足潜伏期和机械刺激缩足反射阈值均无明显变化,而非注射足热辐射缩足潜伏期和机械刺激缩足反射阈值均明显升高,且Znpp的剂量越大,这种改变越明显。正常大鼠鞘内注射HO的激动剂Hemin后,双侧足热辐射缩足潜伏期和机械刺激缩足反射阈值均明显降低。结论:鞘内给予HO抑制剂可明显抑制甲醛诱导的自发痛反应及热和机械性痛觉过敏程度;正常大鼠鞘内给予HO激动剂可诱发热和机械性痛觉过敏的产生,提示HO/CO系统参与脊髓伤害性信息的传导和痛觉过敏的形成过程。     

我国首次证实貉感染水貂阿留申病毒

2013年中国农业科学院特产研究所科研人员在吉林省某一水貂、狐狸、貉共同养殖区,通过对流免疫电泳实验和PCR方法在9只乌苏里貉体内检测到水貂阿留申病毒,这是国内该病毒感染貉的首次报道。目前科研人员已获得了病毒的结构基因序列,相关的研究正在进行中。