Leptin transport in the central nervous system

Synthesized and released by the adipose tissue, leptin is the widely studied 167‐amino acid hormonal protein product of the obesity gene. Originally leptin was defined in association with satiety and energy balance and claimed to be an anti‐obesity factor that functioned via a feedback effect from adipocytes to hypothalamus. There is a growing body of evidence that emphasizes the importance of leptin in the regulation of food intake and body weight in animals and humans, alike. Other research findings point out that it plays a role in the regulation of the metabolism, sexual development, reproduction, hematopoiesis, immunity, gastrointestinal functions, sympathetic activation, and angiogenesis. The aim of this review is to evaluate the relation between leptin and the central nervous system (CNS). Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The effects of Nigella sativa (Ns), Anthemis hyalina (Ah) and Citrus sinensis (Cs) extracts on the replication of coronavirus and the expression of TRP genes family

Extracts of Anthemis hyalina (Ah), Nigella sativa (Ns) and peels of Citrus sinensis (Cs) have been used as folk medicine to fight antimicrobial diseases. To evaluate the effect of extracts of Ah, Ns and Cs on the replication of coronavirus (CoV) and on the expression of TRP genes during coronavirus infection, HeLa-CEACAM1a (HeLa-epithelial carcinoembryonic antigen-related cell adhesion molecule 1a) cells were inoculated with MHV-A59 (mouse hepatitis virus–A59) at moi of 30. 1/50 dilution of the extracts was found to be the safe active dose. ELISA kits were used to detect the human IL-8 levels. Total RNA was isolated from the infected cells and cDNA was synthesized. Fluidigm Dynamic Array nanofluidic chip 96.96 was used to analyze the mRNA expression of 21 TRP genes and two control genes. Data was analyzed using the BioMark digital array software. Determinations of relative gene expression values were carried out by using the 2^???Ct method (normalized threshold cycle (Ct) value of sample minus normalized Ct value of control). TCID₅₀/ml (tissue culture infectious dose that will produce cytopathic effect in 50 % of the inoculated tissue culture cells) was found for treatments to determine the viral loads. The inflammatory cytokine IL-8 level was found to increase for both 24 and 48 h time points following Ns extract treatment. TRPA1, TRPC4, TRPM6, TRPM7, TRPM8 and TRPV4 were the genes which expression levels changed significantly after Ah, Ns or Cs extract treatments. The virus load decreased when any of the Ah, Ns or Cs extracts was added to the CoV infected cells with Ah extract treatment leading to undetectable virus load for both 6 and 8hpi. Although all the extract treatments had an effect on IL-8 secretion, TRP gene expression and virus load after CoV infection, it was the Ah extract treatment that showed the biggest difference in virus load. Therefore Ah extract is the best candidate in our hands that contains potential treatment molecule(s).     

Screening of common and novel familial mediterranean fever mutations in south-east part of Turkey

Familial mediterranean fever (FMF) is an autosomal recessive autoinflammatory disorder (MIM# 249100), particularly common in populations of Mediterranean extraction. MEFV gene, responsible for FMF, encoding pyrin has recently been mapped to chromosome 16p13.3. In the present study, 3,341 unrelated patients with the suspicion of FMF in south-east part of Turkey between the years 2009 and 2013 were enrolled and genomic sequences of exon 2 and exon 10 of the MEFV gene were scanned for mutations by direct sequencing. We identified 43 different type of mutations and 9 of them were novel. DNA was amplified by PCR and subjected to direct sequencing for the detection of MEFV gene mutations. Among the 3,341 patients, 1,598 (47.8 %) were males and 1,743 (52.1 %) were females. The mutations were heterozygous in 806 (62.3 %), compound heterozygous in 188 (14.5 %), homozygous in 281 (21.8 %) and mutations had complex genotype in 17 (1.32 %) patients. No mutation was detected in 2,051 (61.4 %) patients. The most frequent mutations were M694V, E148Q, M680I(G/C) and V726A. We could not find any significant differences between the two common mutations according to the gender. Molecular diagnosis of MEFV is a useful tool in clinical practice, thus a future study relating to genotype/phenotype correlation of FMF in more and larger group in Turkish population involving the whole MEFV gene mutations is necessary.     

苏云金素合成基因簇中非核糖体肽合成酶基因thu2功能的初步分析

对苏云金素生物合成基因簇中编码非核糖体肽合成酶基因thu2进行基因缺失插入失活的研究。用温敏型质粒pHT304-TS构建基因thu2的插入缺失质粒pEMB1434,电转化苏云金芽胞杆菌菌株CT-43后,通过抗性筛选和PCR验证得到thu2基因同源双交换基因敲除突变株CT-43-22。HPLC(高效液相色谱,High Performance Liquid Chromatography)检测发现CT-43-22没有苏云金素特征吸收峰;用pHT304构建得到含有完整thu2基因的回补质粒pEMB1435,电转化CT-43-22后得到互补重组菌CT-43-22b,发现其恢复了苏云金素的产生。显微镜观察突变株和互补重组菌均能产生正常的晶体和芽胞。thu2的基因敲除和基因互补实验证明,thu2基因为CT-43苏云金素生物合成的必需基因,但对晶体和芽胞的形成没有影响。     

Translation of a behavioral weight loss intervention for mid‐life,low‐income women in local health departments

Objective: To translate a behavioral weight loss intervention for mid‐life, low‐income women in real world settings. Design and Methods: In this pragmatic clinical trial, we randomly selected six North Carolina county health departments and trained their current staff to deliver a 16‐session evidence‐based behavioral weight loss intervention (special intervention, SI). SI weight loss outcomes were compared to a delayed intervention (DI) control group. Results: Of 432 women expressing interest, 189 completed baseline measures and were randomized within health departments to SI (N = 126) or DI (N = 63). At baseline, average age was 51 years, 53% were African American, mean weight was 100 kg, and BMI averaged 37 kg/m². A total of 96 (76%) SI and 55 (87%) DI participants returned for 5‐month follow‐up measures. The crude weight change was ?3.1 kg in the SI and ?0.4 kg in the DI group, for a difference of 2.8 kg (95% CI 1.4 to 4.1, p = 0.0001). Diet quality and physical activity improved significantly more in the SI group, and estimated intervention costs were $327 per participant. Conclusion: This pragmatic short‐term weight loss intervention targeted to low‐income mid‐life women yielded meaningful weight loss when translated to the county health department setting.     

HER2胞外段的克隆与原核表达

应用RT-PCR技术从人乳腺癌细胞系SK-BR-3中克隆出人表皮生长因子受体2(human epidermal growth factorreceptor 2,HER2)基因的胞外段,并插入到表达载体pET-30a中,得到重组表达载体pET30-HER2(Ex)。将该载体转化至大肠杆菌BL21(DE3)细胞中,加入IPTG进行诱导表达,成功获得HER2胞外段蛋白。分别提取培养液上清、大肠杆菌周质腔、细胞质可溶性及不可溶性组分蛋白进行SDS-PAGE电泳分析,确定目的蛋白定位于大肠杆菌细胞质包涵体中。通过改变诱导温度、诱导物浓度、诱导起始菌体密度和诱导时间,寻找最佳表达条件,使目的蛋白的表达量达到最高。结果表明,在37℃下,OD600达到1.0时,经终浓度为0.1 mmol/L的IPTG诱导4 h,目的蛋白的表达量最高。将重组表达菌进行超声破碎,分离出包涵体组分,经Ni2+亲和层析纯化后获得了纯度>90%的HER2胞外段蛋白,从而为抗HER2抗体的制备及肿瘤疫苗的研究奠定了基础。     

A carotenoid cleavage dioxygenase from Vitis vinifera L.: functional characterization and expression during grape berry development in relation to C13-norisoprenoid accumulation

A potential Carotenoid Cleavage Dioxygenase (CCD) gene was identified among a Vitis vinifera L. EST collection and a full-length cDNA (VvCCD1) was isolated. Recombinant expression of VvCCD1 confirmed that the gene encoded a functional CCD. Experimental evidence was obtained that VvCCD1 cleaves zeaxanthin symmetrically yielding 3-hydroxy-beta-ionone, a C(13)-norisoprenoidic compound, and a C(14)-dialdehyde. Expression of the gene was studied by real-time PCR at different developmental stages of grape berries from Muscat of Alexandria and Shiraz cultivars. A significant induction of the gene expression approaching véraison was observed in both cultivars. In parallel, the C(13)-norisoprenoid level increased from véraison to maturity in both cultivars.     

Diagnostic value of rK39 dipstick in zoonotic visceral leishmaniasis in Turkey

K39 is a repetitive immunodominant epitope in a kinesin-related protein expressed predominantly in the amastigotes of visceral Leishmania spp. Enzyme immunoassays of patient's sera with recombinant K39 (rK39) proved to be highly specific and sensitive for diagnosis of active visceral leishmaniasis (VL, kala-azar). The same assays in dipstick format were also found effective for diagnosis of both human VL (HVL) and canine VL (CanVL) in most endemic areas of these diseases. Fifty-eight human patients and 22 dogs, clinically suspected of kala-azar, were screened with rK39 dipstick in comparison with the conventional methods of diagnosis, i.e., microscopic examinations of bone marrow and lymph node aspirates and immunofluorescent antibody tests (IFAT), respectively. Sixteen patients and 12 dogs were found to be rK39 dipstick positive. The results were corroborated with those of parasitological examinations, except 1, rK39-positive but smear-negative, case in each group. IFAT of the 2 discordant cases gave positive results. The rK39 dipstick is thus reliable for diagnosis of both HVL and canVL cases in Turkey.     

Chronic (3-Weeks) Treatment of Estrogen (17β-Estradiol) Enhances Working and Reference Memory in Ovariectomized Rats: Role of Acetylcholine

Recently there has been a growing interest in the effects of estrogen on cognitive functions. In this study, we aimed to examine 17β-estradiol treatment on working and reference memory in ovariectomized rats. We also examined the changes in the acetylcholine (ACh) levels in the brain areas associated with learning and memory. The study was performed on Sprague–Dawley type 3-month-old female rats. The rats were divided into four groups as control, ovariectomy (OVX), and OVX and estrogen treatment (10 µg/day i.p. 17β-estradiol) groups for 3 (OVX + E3) and 21 days OVX + E21). The rats were trained on eight arm radial maze task with eight arms baited to assess spatial memory, in addition four arms baited to assess both working and reference memory performances. The electron microscope images of the ACh vesicles in the frontal cortex, temporal cortex and hippocampus areas of the brain which are important regions for learning and memory were screened. Results showed that long term 17β-estradiol treatment has positive effects on both reference memory and working memory and that ACh vesicles increased in the examined brain areas, especially in hippocampus. Our results suggest that 3 weeks 17β-estradiol treatment may have an ameliorative effect on the memory through the central cholinergic system.