Vezatin regulates seizures by controlling AMPAR-mediated synaptic activity

Although many studies have explored the mechanism of epilepsy, it remains unclear and deserves further investigation. Vezatin has been reported to be a synaptic regulatory protein involved in regulating neuronal synaptic transmission (NST). However, the role of vezatin in epilepsy remains unknown. Therefore, the aims of this study are to investigate the underlying roles of vezatin in epilepsy. In this study, vezatin expression was increased in hippocampal tissues from pilocarpine (PILO)-induced epileptic mice and a Mg²⁺-free medium-induced in vitro seizure-like model. Vezatin knockdown suppressed seizure activity in PILO-induced epileptic mice. Mechanistically, vezatin knockdown suppressed AMPAR-mediated synaptic events in epileptic mice and downregulated the surface expression of the AMPAR GluA1 subunit (GluA1). Interestingly, vezatin knockdown decreased the phosphorylation of GluA1 at serine 845 and reduced protein kinase A (PKA) phosphorylation; when PKA phosphorylation was suppressed by H-89 (a selective inhibitor of PKA phosphorylation) in vitro, the effects of vezatin knockdown on reducing the phosphorylation of GluA1 at serine 845 and the surface expression of GluA1 were blocked. Finally, we investigated the pattern of vezatin in brain tissues from patients with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE), and we found that vezatin expression was also increased in patients with TLE. In summary, the vezatin expression pattern is abnormal in individuals with epilepsy, and vezatin regulates seizure activity by affecting AMPAR-mediated NST and the surface expression of GluA1, which is involved in PKA-mediated phosphorylation of GluA1 at serine 845, indicating that vezatin-mediated regulation of epileptic seizures represents a novel target for epilepsy.Subject terms: Cellular neuroscience, Molecular neuroscience     

A bispecific antibody targeting HER2 and PD-L1 inhibits tumor growth with superior efficacy

Activation of the programmed cell death protein 1 and programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-1/PD-L1) signaling axis plays important roles in intrinsic or acquired resistance to human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-directed therapies in the clinic. Therefore, therapies simultaneously targeting both HER2 and PD-1/PD-L1 signaling pathways are of great significance. Here, aiming to direct the anti-PD-L1 responses toward HER2-expressing tumor cells, we constructed a humanized bispecific IgG1 subclass antibody targeting both HER2 and PD-L1 (HER2/PD-L1; BsAb), which displayed satisfactory purity, thermostability, and serum stability. We found that BsAb showed enhanced antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC) activity in vitro. In the late phase of peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC)-humanized HER2⁺ tumor xenograft models, BsAb showed superior therapeutic efficacies as compared with monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) or combination treatment strategies. In cynomolgus monkeys, BsAb showed favorable pharmacokinetics and toxicity profiles when administered at a 10 mg/kg dosage. Thus, HER2/PD-L1 BsAb was demonstrated as a potentially effective option for managing HER2⁺ and trastuzumab-resistant tumors in the clinic. We propose that the enhanced antitumor activities of BsAb in vivo may be due to direct inhibition of HER2 signaling or activation of T cells.     

猪伪狂犬病病毒流行株HLJ-01的分离鉴定及致病性分析

【背景】自2011年以来,猪伪狂犬病毒(pseudorabies virus,PRV)发生变异,经典的疫苗株已不能完全抵抗PRV变异株的感染,国内多个猪场出现伪狂犬病的暴发,PRV变异毒株开始在我国大规模流行。【目的】通过分离PRV流行变异毒株,并对其进行遗传进化和致病性分析,为PRV流行病学调查及疫苗研制提供实验数据。【方法】采集黑龙江某猪场感染PRV的脑组织病料,根据GenBank PRV gE和gB保守序列设计引物,进行PCR鉴定。通过对gE和gC基因进行序列测定和遗传进化分析。利用BHK-21细胞分离病毒,采用噬斑纯化方法对病毒进行纯化。通过电镜、间接免疫荧光对病毒进行鉴定,测定病毒生长曲线并进行致病性研究。【结果】经PCR和测序鉴定分离株为PRV流行株,将其命名为HLJ-01。遗传进化分析结果显示,该分离毒株与我国近几年分离的流行变异株位于同一分支;氨基酸序列分析结果显示,gE和gC存在国内流行变异株的特征序列,表明该分离毒株为流行变异株。生长曲线显示,分离株HLJ-01在感染48h时滴度最高(10^8.5TCID₅₀/mL)。电镜观察结果显示,病毒颗粒直径约150nm,呈球形,有囊膜,囊膜外有放射状纤突,呈现典型PRV病毒特征。动物感染实验结果显示,10^7.0TCID₅₀剂量感染组死亡率为100%;10^6.0TCID₅₀剂量感染组死亡率为80%;10^5.0TCID₅₀剂量感染组死亡率为60%。仔猪在接种病毒后均出现PRV感染的典型症状和病理变化,证实分离毒株对仔猪有较强致病力。【结论】分离获得一株猪伪狂犬病毒,经鉴定该分离株为流行变异株,而且具有较强的致病力,这为PRV流行病学分析及疫苗候选株的筛选奠定了基础。     

浅议中国高等植物多样性在世界上的排名

正《中国高等植物多样性》一文已经发表,内容更为完整的《高等植物名称和分布》一书也即将由科学出版社正式出版(王利松等,2015)。《中国高等植物多样性》一文基于名录数据对中国高等植物多样性情况进行了总结分析,并与世界上主要的生物多样性国家进行比较,指出在17个世界生物多样性大国中,按物种多样性排序,中国略低于巴西,位     

Novel C-seco-taxoids possessing high potency against paclitaxel-resistant cancer cell lines overexpressing class III β-tubulin

Novel C-seco-taxoids were synthesized from 10-deacetylbaccatin III and their potencies evaluated against drug-sensitive and drug-resistant cancer cell lines. The drug-resistant cell lines include ovarian cancer cell lines resistant to cisplatin, topotecan, adriamycin and paclitaxel overexpressing class III β-tubulin, A2780TC1 and A2780TC3. The last two cell lines were selected through chronic exposure of A2780wt to paclitaxel and Pgp blocker cyclosporine. All novel C-seco-taxoids exhibited remarkable potency against A2780TC1 and A2780TC3 cell lines, and no cross resistance to cisplatin- and topotecan-resistant cell lines, A2780CIS and A2780TOP. Four of those C-seco-taxoids exhibit much higher activities than IDN5390 against paclitaxel-resistant cell lines, A2780ADR, A2780TC1 and A2780TC3. SB-CST-10202 possesses the best all-round high potencies across different drug-resistant cell lines. Molecular modeling studies, including molecular dynamics simulations, on the drug-protein complexes of class I and III β-tubulins were performed to identify possible cause of the remarkable potency of these C-seco-taxoids against paclitaxel-resistant cell lines overexpressing class III β-tubulin.     

Vascular endothelial growth factor-A: A multifunctional molecular player in diabetic retinopathy

Vascular endothelial growth factor-A (VEGF-A), first described as “vascular permeability factor”, is a critical molecule in the pathogenesis of diabetic retinopathy at several levels. Previous studies have outlined the importance of VEGF-A in mediating vascular pathology in both experimental models and clinical diabetic retinopathy, which are characterized by retinal vascular leakage, preretinal neovascularisation and neuronal degeneration. Paradoxically, recent reports have emphasized the potential neurotrophic effects of VEGF-A on the quiescent vasculature, as well as its direct and indirect protective effects on retinal neurons. VEGF-A has also been identified as an important signalling regulator in the normal central nervous system. Consequently, anti-VEGF therapy for diabetic retinopathy has become a controversal issue. This review outlines recently developed concepts relating to the role of VEGF-A in the pathogenesis of diabetic retinopathy, with particular emphasis on its implications for clinical practice.     

Heterologous prime-boost immunization with live SPY1 and DnaJ protein of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Streptococcus pneumoniae</Emphasis> induces strong Th1 and Th17 cellular immune responses in mice

Streptococcus pneumoniae is a leading cause of infectious diseases in children under 5-year-old. Vaccine has been used as an indispensable strategy to prevent S. pneumoniae infection for more than 30 years. Our previous studies confirmed that mucosal immunization with live attenuated strain SPY1 can protect mice against nasopharyngeal colonization of S. pneumoniae and lethal pneumococcal infection, and the protective effects are comparable with those induced by commercially available 23-valent polysaccharide vaccine. However, live attenuated vaccine SPY1 needs four inoculations to get satisfactory protective effect, which may increase the risk of virulence recovery. It is reported that heterologous primeboost approach is more effective than homologous primeboost approach. In the present study, to decrease the doses of live SPY1 and improve the safety of SPY1 vaccine, we immunized mice with SPY1 and DnaJ protein alternately. Our results showed that heterologous prime-boost immunization with SPY1 and DnaJ protein could significantly reduce the colonization of S. pneumoniae in the respiratory tract of mice, and induce stronger Th1 and Th17 cellular immune responses than SPY1 alone. These results indicate heterologous prime-boost immunization method not only elicits better protective effect than SPY1 alone, but also reduces the doses of live SPY1 and decreases the risk of SPY1 vaccine. This work is the first time to study the protective efficiency with two different forms of S. pneumoniae candidate vaccine, and provides a new strategy for the development of S. pneumoniae vaccine.