Activation of AMPK by Bitter Melon Triterpenoids Involves CaMKKβ

We recently showed that bitter melon-derived triterpenoids (BMTs) activate AMPK and increase GLUT4 translocation to the plasma membrane in vitro, and improve glucose disposal in insulin resistant models in vivo. Here we interrogated the mechanism by which these novel compounds activate AMPK, a leading anti-diabetic drug target. BMTs did not activate AMPK directly in an allosteric manner as AMP or the Abbott compound (A-769662) does, nor did they activate AMPK by inhibiting cellular respiration like many commonly used anti-diabetic medications. BMTs increased AMPK activity in both L6 myotubes and LKB1-deficient HeLa cells by 20–35%. Incubation with the CaMKKβ inhibitor, STO-609, completely attenuated this effect suggesting a key role for CaMKKβ in this activation. Incubation of L6 myotubes with the calcium chelator EGTA-AM did not alter this activation suggesting that the BMT-dependent activation was Ca²⁺-independent. We therefore propose that CaMKKβ is a key upstream kinase for BMT-induced activation of AMPK.     

Measurement of the mechanical properties of the human lung tissue

The mechanical properties of human lung tissue were measured in a state of biaxial tension. The experimental data were fitted with a pseudo-elastic constitutive equation proposed earlier and the physical constants were identified.     

异大茴香脑新资源——齿叶黄皮的研究

齿叶黄皮是生长于广东省北部石灰岩山地的一种芸香科常绿小乔木,其叶富含精油,枝叶经水蒸汽蒸馏出油率为0.7%。精油经毛细管气相色谱、气相色谱/质谱联用、红外吸收光谱、核磁共振波谱等方法分析,确证含异大茴香脑(isoanethole)93.10%。异大茴香脑对霉菌有较强抑菌活性,并可通过异构化一步转变为大茴香脑。     

Molecular genetics of phenylketonuria in Orientals: linkage disequilibrium between a termination mutation and haplotype 4 of the phenylalanine hydroxylase gene.

Phenylketonuria (PKU) is a common metabolic disorder among Chinese, with a prevalence of about 1 in 16,500 births. This frequency is very similar to that among Caucasians. Individual exons of the phenylalanine hydroxylase (PAH) gene with flanking introns were amplified by polymerase chain reaction and cloned into M13 for sequence analysis. An Arg111-to-Ter111 mutation has been identified in exon 3 of the PAH gene in a Chinese PKU patient. The mutation is in linkage disequilibrium with the mutant haplotype 4 alleles which are the most prevalent haplotype among the Orientals. The mutation accounts for about 10% of the Chinese PKU alleles and is absent from the Caucasians, demonstrating that independent mutational events have occurred in the PAH locus after racial divergence.     

Microtubule and microfilament distribution and tubulin content in the cell cycle of Indian muntjac cells

Using DAPI, rabbit antitubulin antibody, FITC-labeled goat anti-rabbit IgG, and TRITC-phalloidin to stain individual cells, the microspectrophotometric analysis showed that three markers that represent the nucleus, microtubules (MT), and microfilaments (MF), respectively, could be recognized in individual cells without interference. The phase of the cell cycle was determined by DNA content. We found that in Indian muntjac (IM) cells, the amount of tubulin in G2 and M phases was about twice as much as that in G1 phase. In G2 cells, the cytoplasmic microtubule complex (CMTC) became denser than in G1 cells. The cytoplasmic MT extent in basically the same orientation as MF bundles in interphase. The regions where the MT is denser also have a denser MF distribution.     

用合成的寡核苷酸探针鉴定中国人β-地中海贫血基因突变

用人工合成的六种对β-地中海贫血基因特异的寡核苷酸作为杂交探针,对10例β-地中海贫血病人及其父母的β-珠蛋白基因进行分析,鉴定出六种β-地中海贫血突变:(1)TATA Box-28 A→G;(2)IVS-1n.5 G→C;(3)Codon 17 A→T;(4)codons 41—42—46p;(5)Codons 71—72+A;(6)IVS-2 n.654C→T。本文分析的中国人β-地中海贫血患者中,上述六种突变所占的百分比分别为5％,10％,10％,40％,20％和15％。