Thy-1-Induced Migration Inhibition in Vascular Endothelial Cells through Reducing the RhoA Activity

Our previous study indicated that Thy-1, which is expressed on blood vessel endothelium in settings of pathological and a specific of physiological, but not during embryonic, angiogenesis, may be used as a marker for angiogenesis. However, the function of Thy-1 during angiogenesis is still not clear. Here, we demonstrate that knock-down of the endogenous Thy-1 expression by Thy-1 siRNA transfection promoted the migration of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC). In contrast, treatment with interleukin-1β (IL-1β) or phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate (PMA) increased the level of Thy-1 protein and reduced the migration of HUVEC. These effects were abolished by pre-transfection of HUVEC with Thy-1 siRNA to knock-down the expression of Thy-1. Moreover, over-expression of Thy-1 by transfection of HUVEC with Thy-1 pcDNA3.1 decreased the activity of RhoA and Rac-1 and inhibited the adhesion, migration and capillary-like tube formation of these cells. These effects were prevented by co-transfection of the cell with constitutively active RhoA construct (RhoA V14). On the other hand, pre-treatment with a ROCK (a kinase associated with RhoA for transducing RhoA signaling) inhibitor, Y27632, abolished the RhoA V14-induced prevention effect on the Thy-1-induced inhibition of endothelial cell migration and tube formation. Taken together, these results indicate that suppression of the RhoA-mediated pathway might participate in the Thy-1-induced migration inhibition in HUVEC. In the present study, we uncover a completely novel role of Thy-1 in endothelial cell behaviors.     

Search for novel remedies to augment radiation resistance of inhabitants of Fukushima and Chernobyl disasters: identifying DNA repair protein XRCC4 inhibitors

Two nuclear plant disasters occurring within a span of 25 years threaten health and genome integrity both in Fukushima and Chernobyl. Search for remedies capable of enhancing DNA repair efficiency and radiation resistance in humans appears to be a urgent problem for now. XRCC4 is an important enhancer in promoting repair pathway triggered by DNA double-strand break (DSB). In the context of radiation therapy, active XRCC4 could reduce DSB-mediated apoptotic effect on cancer cells. Hence, developing XRCC4 inhibitors could possibly enhance radiotherapy outcomes. In this study, we screened traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) database, TCM Database@Taiwan, and have identified three potent inhibitor agents against XRCC4. Through molecular dynamics simulation, we have determined that the protein-ligand interactions were focused at Lys188 on chain A and Lys187 on chain B. Intriguingly, the hydrogen bonds for all three ligands fluctuated frequently but were held at close approximation. The pi-cation interactions and ionic interactions mediated by o-hydroxyphenyl and carboxyl functional groups respectively have been demonstrated to play critical roles in stabilizing binding conformations. Based on these results, we reported the identification of potential radiotherapy enhancers from TCM. We further characterized the key binding elements for inhibiting the XRCC4 activities.     

微卫星复杂结构对分型的影响：以熊UamD116 和UamB1 为例

目的:微卫星是基因组上的短串联重复序列,具有高度多态性,表现为核心序列中重复单位的重复次数的变化,这种变化造成不同等位基因核心序列的长度不同。因此,其基因型主要依靠PCR扩增片段长度来判定。在各类研究中,人们更倾向于使用4碱基重复的微卫星以减少2碱基微卫星的stutter等问题的影响。但是4碱基微卫星核心序列结构复杂时,就会对分型的正确性产生影响,从而影响到下游分析的正确性。在很多野生动物的研究中,这一问题常常被忽略。本文以亚洲黑熊(Ursus thibetanus)的2个四碱基微卫星位点UamD116和UamB1为例,揭示内部结构对分型的影响。方法:我们选用96份亚洲黑熊样品(包括血液、肌肉组织和毛发等样品)进行微卫星分型研究,通过荧光标记的PCR扩增和毛细管电泳分型,比较了基于扩增片段长度的分型和基于序列核心结构的分型效果的差异。结果:UamD116核心序列结构除了含有多种不同的重复单位外,还在重复单位之间有碱基插入,出现单碱基T、二碱基TC和三碱基AAG插入;并在一类等位基因下游侧翼序列有1个GA缺失。基于序列结构的分型中可以将不同的等位基因分开,而在基于片段长度的分型中,容易将不同的等位基因合并为1个等位基因。在位点UamB1共发现两种类型的等位基因,在一类等位基因中出现一个3bp的插入,使等位基因之间的差异不再是4bp,而是1bp。在仅依据片段长度分型时,相差1bp的等位基因被认定为1个。此外,还有不同等位基因核心序列不同,但是二者长度完全一致。依据片段长度分型共发现8个等位基因,而经过序列分型确定的等位基因数为12个,相应地基因频率及其他遗传学参数都发生相应的改变。结论:对于核心序列结构复杂的微卫星必须通过等位基因测序来矫正片段长度分型的结果,才能得到可靠的群体遗传学结论。     

限制性内切酶策略鉴定CRISPR/Cas9介导的Chrm3基因敲除小鼠

CRISPR/Cas9技术是近年发展起来的快速基因编辑技术。通过该技术已对多种生物的基因组进行了编辑。由此产生的基因编辑动物的建系与鉴定是随之而来较为繁琐的工作。单导向RNA(single-guide RNA, sgRNA)靶序列的设计和确定不仅影响后续靶向基因组的效率,还可作为优化鉴定、筛选方法的参考。本研究在选取sgRNA靶序列时,不仅依据软件的评分,还分析了sgRNA靶序列是否含有酶切位点,以便对后续纯合子/杂合子进行鉴定。结果显示,以特异引物扩增的野生型小鼠Chrm3基因片段可被限制性内切酶BanⅡ切为两个片段;而纯合子小鼠“丢失”该酶切位点,其PCR产物不能被切开;杂合子小鼠PCR产物被不完全切开,凝胶电泳结果可见三条带。本研究结果提示该策略可有效简化基因编辑动物建系鉴定工作,提高鉴定效率及改善阳性动物辨识效果。     

小菜蛾气味结合蛋白PxylOBP33与其相关信息化学物质的分子对接

为探究小菜蛾Plutella xylostella L.触角中高表达的气味结合蛋白PxylOBP33的结合能力和结合模式,本研究通过Swiss-model在线服务器对PxylOBP33同源建模,使用ProCheck、Verify-3D和ERRAT 3种方法对建模质量开展了评价,通过AutoDock软件对PxylOBP33与寄主植物挥发物和性信息素及其类似物等54种相关信息化学物质进行分子对接。结果显示,小菜蛾PxylOBP33为含有6个α螺旋的球状蛋白质,经ProCheck、Verify-3D以及ERRAT评价,所得模型质量良好。PxylOBP33主要通过氢键、疏水作用和范德华力与D-柠檬烯、α-松油烯、乙酸苯甲酯、顺-3-己烯异戊酸酯、罗勒烯和里那醇等18种一般寄主植物挥发物,异硫氰酸苯乙酯、异硫氰酸苯酯和对甲氧异硫氰酸苯酯等4种十字花科植物特有的挥发物以及顺-11-十六碳烯乙酸酯等9种性信息素及类似物有较好的结合特征。研究结果表明小菜蛾PxylOBP33可能参与了小菜蛾对寄主植物挥发物和性信息素的识别过程。     

Rapid purification of intact tonofilaments from newborn rats : Comparison with glial filaments and neurofilaments

A rapid, new procedure for the isolation of intact tonofilaments from newborn rat skins is described. The filament preparations show two major protein subunits on SDS-PAGE with molecular weights of 58000 and 66000 D. An antiserum prepared against the 58000 D protein reacted specifically with the tonofilament preparation, but not with the protein subunits of neurofilaments, glial filaments, tubulin or actin. This specificity is confirmed by indirect immunofluorescence: anti-P58 reacts with the epidermis, whereas antisera against the neurofilament or glial filament proteins and anti-tubulin do not. These data suggest that epidermal filaments represent a class of intermediate filaments distinct from either glial filaments or neurofilaments.     

Dopamine β-hydroxylase distribution in density gradients: Physiological and artefactual implications

Knowledge of the vesicular origin of circulating dopamine β-hydroxylase (DβH) is indispensable for any attempts to explain the parallelism or lack of it between circulating enzyme and catecholamines as they may relate to physiological stress, forms of hypertension, neurological disorders, and the response to pharmacological agents. The present study represents an effort to evaluate and to place in proper perspective data based on the DβH activity found in the region of the light vesicle peak of noradrenaline (NA), which is used as a quantitative measure of a population of small terminal vesicles. Distributions of vesicles and subvesicular components are compared with DβH and NA in sucrose-D₂O density gradients used to prepare relatively pure fractions of large dense cored vesicles (LDV) from bovine splenic nerve. Although NA in sedimentable particles of the light vesicle peak is likely to be a valid measure of a small vesicle population, the following is demonstrated: (1) A substantial fraction (25%–37%) of the total sedimentable DβH acitivity can be proven to distribute in the region of the light vesicle peak from a tissue with an insignificant small vesicle population. Based on studies of vesicles from sequential nerve segments, this enzyme activity probably corresponds to a population of “immature” LDV which are undergoing axoplasmic transport and have not synthesized their full complement of transmitter. (2) Physical lysis which depletes the matrix of LDV causes redistribution of DβH activity from the heavy vesicle peak into the region of the light vesicle peak. Analogously, DβH associated with exocytosed LDV and retrograde transport particles is also likely to contaminate the region of the light vesicle peak. (3) Based on available data, it can be calculated that each small dense cored vesicle could contain only 0.1–0.5 molecules of DβH and that a contamination of only 0.016% LDV can account for all of the DβH reported to occur in the light vesicle peak of normal rat vas deferens preparations.     

Altered Neuronal Intrinsic Properties and Reduced Synaptic Transmission of the Rat's Medial Geniculate Body in Salicylate-Induced Tinnitus

Sodium salicylate (NaSal), an aspirin metabolite, can cause tinnitus in animals and human subjects. To explore neural mechanisms underlying salicylate-induced tinnitus, we examined effects of NaSal on neural activities of the medial geniculate body (MGB), an auditory thalamic nucleus that provides the primary and immediate inputs to the auditory cortex, by using the whole-cell patch-clamp recording technique in MGB slices. Rats treated with NaSal (350 mg/kg) showed tinnitus-like behavior as revealed by the gap prepulse inhibition of acoustic startle (GPIAS) paradigm. NaSal (1.4 mM) decreased the membrane input resistance, hyperpolarized the resting membrane potential, suppressed current-evoked firing, changed the action potential, and depressed rebound depolarization in MGB neurons. NaSal also reduced the excitatory and inhibitory postsynaptic response in the MGB evoked by stimulating the brachium of the inferior colliculus. Our results demonstrate that NaSal alters neuronal intrinsic properties and reduces the synaptic transmission of the MGB, which may cause abnormal thalamic outputs to the auditory cortex and contribute to NaSal-induced tinnitus.