A novel pathway of HMGB1-mediated inflammatory cell recruitment that requires Mac-1-integrin

High-mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) is released extracellularly upon cell necrosis acting as a mediator in tissue injury and inflammation. However, the molecular mechanisms for the proinflammatory effect of HMGB1 are poorly understood. Here, we define a novel function of HMGB1 in promoting Mac-1-dependent neutrophil recruitment. HMGB1 administration induced rapid neutrophil recruitment in vivo. HMGB1-mediated recruitment was prevented in mice deficient in the beta2-integrin Mac-1 but not in those deficient in LFA-1. As observed by bone marrow chimera experiments, Mac-1-dependent neutrophil recruitment induced by HMGB1 required the presence of receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE) on neutrophils but not on endothelial cells. In vitro, HMGB1 enhanced the interaction between Mac-1 and RAGE. Consistently, HMGB1 activated Mac-1 as well as Mac-1-mediated adhesive and migratory functions of neutrophils in a RAGE-dependent manner. Moreover, HMGB1-induced activation of nuclear factor-kappaB in neutrophils required both Mac-1 and RAGE. Together, a novel HMGB1-dependent pathway for inflammatory cell recruitment and activation that requires the functional interplay between Mac-1 and RAGE is described here.     

Model for forward polymerization and switching transition between polymerase and exonuclease sites by DNA polymerase molecular motors

Based on the available crystal structure a model is presented for the polymerization activity and switching transition between polymerase and exonuclease sites of a DNA polymerase molecular motor. Using the model, the fast polymerization rate for correctly base-paired DNA and much reduced polymerization rate after an incorporation of a mismatched base can be well explained. The dependences of the polymerization rate and exonuclease rate on mechanical tension acting on the DNA template are studied. The switching rates between the two sites are analyzed. All the results show good quantitative agreement with the available experimental results.     

The role of microRNA in the delayed negative feedback regulation of gene expression

Oscillatory gene expression plays an important role in somite segmentation during the early developmental stages of vertebrates. Recent experimental studies have shown that microRNA can regulate gene expression by stimulating degradation of mRNA and/or repression of translation. In this communication, we incorporate miRNA into a previous mathematical model of gene expression with delayed negative feedback and demonstrate how this modified model can elucidate the possible effect of miRNA on the oscillatory gene expression. Our finding suggests that miRNA maybe a destabilizing or stabilizing factor in the dynamics of gene expression depending on the severity of its effect on mRNA degradation. Our finding provides testable hypothesis for experimental biologists to further investigate miRNA's increasing functional roles in regulating cellular processes and development.     

Different competitive outcomes among four species of cladocerans under different alga combinations of colonial <Emphasis Type="Italic">Microcystis</Emphasis> spp. and green alga <Emphasis Type="Italic">Scenedesmus obliquus</Emphasis>

Cyanobacteria blooms (especially Microcystis spp.) are thought to alter dominance of large-sized daphnids into small-sized metazoan zooplankton. However, several field investigations show different phenomena. Laboratory experiments were conducted based on the hypothesis that different Microcystis spp. concentrations would influence competitive outcomes using two algal combinations of different concentrations and four species of cladocerans. In the algal combination of 50 mg l⁻¹ colonial Microcystis spp. + 1 mg l⁻¹ Scenedesmus obliquus (fresh weight), Daphnia carinata was absent during the experiment in competition with other cladocerans. Decreasing colonial Microcystis spp. concentration (10 mg l⁻¹) resulted in a shift from dominance by small-sized cladocerans to dominance by D. carinata. No significant effects of different concentrations of colonial Microcystis spp. on competitive outcomes were shown among three small-sized cladocerans. These results support the idea that cyanobacteria concentration affects the dominance status of large-bodied daphnid.     

Homochiral metal-organic coordination networks from l-typtophan

Three homochiral metal-organic coordination networks [Co₂(l-Trp)₂(Py)₆] · Py · (ClO₄)₂ (1), [Ni(l-Trp)(Py)₃] · H₂O · ClO₄ (2) and [Co₂(l-Trp)(INT)₂(H₂O)₂(ClO₄)] (3), all containing natural amino acid l-HTrp (l-typtophan), were hydrothermally synthesized and structurally characterized. The compounds 1 and 2 crystallize in the orthorhombic space group C222₁, with a = 10.731(2) Å, b = 19.709(4) Å, c = 27.365(6) Å and Z = 4 for 1 and a = 10.710(10) Å, b = 20.088(18) Å, c = 27.63(3) Å and Z = 8 for 2, respectively. The compound 3 has the monoclinic space group P2₁, with a = 8.1934(14) Å, b = 13.209(2) Å, c = 12.464(2) Å, β = 104.107(3)° and Z = 2. Both 1 and 2 consist of 1D helical chains. Compound 3 is composed of 2D networks, which further assemble into a 3D supramolecular structure via weak interlayer interactions. The optically pure amino acid l-HTrp plays an important role leading to homochiral structures reported here.     

Generation and selection of immunized Fab phage display library against human B cell lymphoma

The approval of using monoclonal antibodies as a targeted therapy in the management of patients with B cell lymphoma has led to new treatment options for this group of patients. Production ofmonoclonal antibodies by the traditional hybridoma technology is costly, and the resulting murine antibodies often have the disadvantage of triggering human anti-mouse antibody （HAMA） response. Therefore recombinant Fab antibodies generated by the phage display technology can be a suitable alternative in managing B cell lymphoma. In this study, we extracted total RNA from spleen cells of BALB/c mice immunized with human B lymphoma cells, and used RT-PCR to amplify cDNAs coding for the κ light chains and Fd fragments of heavy chains. After appropriate restriction digests, these cDNA fragments were successively inserted into the phagemid vector pComb3H-SS to construct an immunized Fab phage display library. The diversity of the constructed library was approximately 1.94× 10^7. Following five rounds of biopanning, soluble Fab antibodies were produced from positive clones identified by ELISA. From eight positive clones, FabC06, FabC21, FabC43 and FabC59 were selected for sequence analysis. At the level of amino acid sequences, the variable heavy domains （VH） and variable light domains （VL） were found to share 88-92% and 89-94% homology with sequences coded by the corresponding murine germline genes respectively. Furthermore, reactivity with membrane proteins of the B cell lymphoma was demonstrated by immunohistochemistry and western blotting. These immunized Fab antibodies may provide a valuable tool for further study of B cell lymphoma and could also contribute to the improvement of disease therapy.     

人胎儿卵巢异种移植的组织学研究

目的探讨人胎儿卵巢组织异体移植的最佳条件。方法观察胎儿卵巢进行异种移植后的组织学变化,并计算各组移植卵巢内各期卵泡的发育情况及卵泡构成比。结果新鲜的卵巢组织、体外培养的卵巢组织以及冷冻复苏后经体外培养的卵巢组织移植后,其内有原始卵泡发育,而且可见丰富的血管网;未见明显的淋巴细胞浸润现象。结论人胎儿卵巢组织(包括新鲜的卵巢组织、体外培养的卵巢组织以及冷冻复苏后经体外培养的卵巢组织)异种移植后原始卵泡在受体体内能进一步发育,生长卵泡分泌的雌激素有调节子宫内膜周期性变化的作用。     

GFAP启动子调控的双顺反子真核表达载体pGFAP-IRES2-EGFP-p27的构建及表达分析

目的构建并鉴定带GFAP启动子的Flag-p27和EGFP双顺反子真核表达载体,观察其表达。方法利用IRES和GFAP启动子,通过质粒抽提、琼脂糖凝胶电泳、酶切、连接、转化等多种基因工程技术,经多步亚克隆后完成能同时表达p27和EGFP基因的星形胶质细胞特异性真核表达载体pGFAP-IRES2-EGFP-p27。转染体外培养的星形胶质细胞,观察EGFP的表达,并通过免疫荧光细胞化学技术观察p27的表达。结果经酶切鉴定和测序鉴定,成功构建真核表达载体pGFAP-IRES2-EGFP-p27。转染星形胶质细胞后可见EGFP的表达,并且在EGFP阳性的细胞中P27表达水平明显增高。结论GFAP启动子能启动目的基因p27和EGFP在星形胶质细胞的表达,连于Flag-p27的下游EGFP可作为报告基因,指示p27的表达情况。带启动子GFAP的Flag-p27和EGFP双顺反子真核表达载体的构建为进一步研究星形胶质细胞增生与神经系统疾病的关系,并为寻找神经系统疾病的有效基因治疗途径奠定基础。