抑咽侧体素基因在大猿叶虫生殖滞育准备中的功能分析

【目的】本研究旨在明确大猿叶虫Colaphellus bowringi促咽侧体素(allatotropin, AT)和抑咽侧体素(allatostatin, AST)基因的分子特征,分析其在该虫生殖和滞育过程中的表达差异,并探究其在大猿叶虫生殖滞育准备中的功能。【方法】利用前期建立的大猿叶虫转录组数据库,鉴定大猿叶虫CbAT和CbASTs基因序列并克隆其开放阅读框(ORFs),并对其序列进行生物信息学分析;通过qRT-PCR技术检测CbAT和CbASTs在大猿叶虫注定滞育和注定非滞育雌蛹和雌成虫头部的表达模式;对注定滞育大猿叶虫2日龄雌蛹进行CbAST-B, CbAST-C以及CbAST-B+CbAST-C RNAi试验后,检测4日龄雌成虫保幼激素(juvenile hormone, JH)信号基因以及卵黄原蛋白基因的表达量变化。【结果】鉴定并克隆了大猿叶虫的一个促咽侧体素基因CbAT(GenBank登录号: MT977128)及两个抑咽侧体素基因CbAST-B(GenBank登录号: MT977126)和CbAST-C(GenBank登录号: MT977127),其开放阅读框分别长408, 600和303 bp。通过氨基酸序列比对和系统进化分析发现,CbAT, CbAST-B和CbAST-C均与鞘翅目昆虫的同源蛋白聚在一支,在进化上表现出较高保守性。qRT-PCR检测发现,CbAT基因在注定滞育与注定非滞育2日龄雌蛹到4日龄雌成虫头部中始终无表达差异;而CbAST-B和CbAST-C基因分别自雌成虫1和2日龄开始在注定滞育雌成虫头部显著高表达,且在注定滞育和注定非滞育个体中的差异表达状态一直持续到滞育准备期结束。在注定滞育2日龄雌蛹中沉默CbAST-B, CbAST-C以及同时沉默CbAST-B和CbAST-C后,检测4日龄雌成虫头部的干扰效率发现,CbAST-B和CbAST-C的表达均受到显著抑制,干扰效率达70%以上。在去除触角的头部中,JH合成途径基因AACT, FPPS和JHAMT以及脂肪体中JH应答基因Kr-h1和JHE1的表达在dsCbAST-B, dsCbAST-C和dsCbAST-B+dsCbAST-C处理组中均被显著上调,脂肪体中卵黄原蛋白基因Vg1和Vg2的表达也被显著上调。【结论】CbAT基因可能并非造成大猿叶虫产卵前期与滞育准备期保幼激素信号产生差异的主要原因,而在生殖滞育准备期CbAST-B和CbAST-C抑制了JH的合成,进而抑制Vgs的表达以促进滞育的发生。本研究进一步揭示了昆虫生殖滞育准备期保幼激素信号的上游调控机制,有助于进一步理解昆虫对环境的季节性适应策略,为挖掘害虫防治的新靶标提供了新的指导和借鉴。     

Genetic analysis of Pycr1 and Pycr2 in mice

The final step in proline biosynthesis is catalyzed by three pyrroline-5-carboxylate reductases, PYCR1, PYCR2, and PYCR3, which convert pyrroline-5-carboxylate (P5C) to proline. Mutations in human PYCR1 and ALDH18A1 (P5C Synthetase) cause Cutis Laxa (CL), whereas mutations in PYCR2 cause hypomyelinating leukodystrophy 10 (HLD10). Here, we investigated the genetics of Pycr1 and Pycr2 in mice. A null allele of Pycr1 did not show integument or CL-related phenotypes. We also studied a novel chemically-induced mutation in Pycr2. Mice with recessive loss-of-function mutations in Pycr2 showed phenotypes consistent with neurological and neuromuscular disorders, including weight loss, kyphosis, and hind-limb clasping. The peripheral nervous system was largely unaffected, with only mild axonal atrophy in peripheral nerves. A severe loss of subcutaneous fat in Pycr2 mutant mice is reminiscent of a CL-like phenotype, but primary features such as elastin abnormalities were not observed. Aged Pycr2 mutant mice had reduced white blood cell counts and altered lipid metabolism, suggesting a generalized metabolic disorder. PYCR1 and -2 have similar enzymatic and cellular activities, and consistent with previous studies, both were localized in the mitochondria in fibroblasts. Both PYCR1 and -2 were able to complement the loss of Pro3, the yeast enzyme that converts P5C to proline, confirming their activity as P5C reductases. In mice, Pycr1; Pycr2 double mutants were sub-viable and unhealthy compared to either single mutant, indicating the genes are largely functionally redundant. Proline levels were not reduced, and precursors were not increased in serum from Pycr2 mutant mice or in lysates from skin fibroblast cultures, but placing Pycr2 mutant mice on a proline-free diet worsened the phenotype. Thus, Pycr1 and -2 have redundant functions in proline biosynthesis, and their loss makes proline a semi-essential amino acid. These findings have implications for understanding the genetics of CL and HLD10, and for modeling these disorders in mice.     

Sequence determinants in the cathelicidin LL-37 that promote inflammation via presentation of RNA to scavenger receptors

Cathelicidins such as the human 37-amino acid peptide (LL-37) are peptides that not only potently kill microbes but also trigger inflammation by enabling immune recognition of endogenous nucleic acids. Here, a detailed structure–function analysis of LL-37 was performed to understand the details of this process. Alanine scanning of 34-amino acid peptide (LL-34) showed that some variants displayed increased antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and group A Streptococcus. In contrast, different substitutions clustered on the hydrophobic face of the LL-34 alpha helix inhibited the ability of those variants to promote type 1 interferon expression in response to U1 RNA or to present U1 to the scavenger receptor (SR) B1 on the keratinocyte cell surface. Small-angle X-ray scattering experiments of the LL-34 variants LL-34, F5A, I24A, and L31A demonstrated that these peptides form cognate supramolecular structures with U1 characterized by inter-dsRNA spacings of approximately 3.5 nm, a range that has been previously shown to activate toll-like receptor 3 by the parent peptide LL-37. Therefore, while alanine substitutions on the hydrophobic face of LL-34 led to loss of binding to SRs and the complete loss of autoinflammatory responses in epithelial and endothelial cells, they did not inhibit the ability to organize with U1 RNA in solution to associate with toll-like receptor 3. These observations advance our understanding of how cathelicidin mediates the process of innate immune self-recognition to enable inert nucleic acids to trigger inflammation. We introduce the term “innate immune vetting” to describe the capacity of peptides such as LL-37 to enable certain nucleic acids to become an inflammatory stimulus through SR binding prior to cell internalization.     

Improvement of Opal Multiplex Immunofluorescence Workflow for Human Tissue Sections

The Opal multiplex technique is an established methodology for the detection of multiple biomarkers in one section. The protocol encompasses iterative single stainings and heating-mediated removal of the primary and secondary antibodies after each staining round, leaving untouched the Opal fluorophores which are deposited onto the antigen of interest. According to our experience, repetitive heating of skin sections often results in tissue damage, indicating an urgent need for milder alternatives to strip immunoglobulins. In this study, we demonstrate that considerable heating-related damage was found not only in skin but also in tissues of different origin, mostly characterized by low cell density. Importantly, the morphology remained fully intact when sections were repetitively exposed to β-mercaptoethanol-containing stripping buffer instead of multiple heating cycles. However, target epitopes appeared sensitive at a differential degree to multiple treatments with stripping buffer, as shown by loss in staining intensity, but in all cases, the staining intensity could be restored by increment of the primary antibody concentrations. Application of β-mercaptoethanol-containing stripping buffer instead of heating for antibody removal markedly improved the quality of the Opal multiplex technique, as a substantial higher number of differently colored cells could be visualized within a well-conserved morphological context:     

无创性皮肤屏障功能检测在朗格汉斯细胞组织细胞增生症中的应用

摘要 目的：探讨无创性皮肤屏障功能检测在朗格汉斯细胞组织细胞增生症(Langerhans cell histiocytosis,LCH)中的应用价值。方法：研究时间为2017年1月到2020年12月,选择在本院诊治的朗格汉斯细胞组织细胞增多症患者72例作为LCH组,同期选择健康体检者72例作为对照组。采用无创性皮肤屏障功能检测皮肤水分、经皮水分丢失(Transdermal water loss,TEWL)、油脂水平,同时检测所有入选者的免疫功能、皮肤菌群并进行相关性分析。结果：LCH组的皮肤水分低于对照组(P<0.05),TEWL、油脂水平高于对照组(P<0.05)。LCH组的乳酸杆菌(La)阳性率低于对照组(P<0.05),表皮葡萄球菌(Se)、痤疮丙酸杆菌(Pa)、金黄色葡萄球菌(Sa)阳性率高于对照组(P<0.05)。LCH组的CD163、ki-67表达阳性率分别为77.8 %、52.8 %,高于对照组的19.4 %和6.9 %(P<0.05)。在LCH组中,Pearson相关性分析显示皮肤水分与乳酸杆菌呈现正相关性(P<0.05),TEWL、油脂与表皮葡萄球菌、痤疮丙酸杆菌、金黄色葡萄球菌、CD163、ki-67呈现正相关性(P<0.05)。结论：无创性皮肤屏障功能检测在朗格汉斯细胞组织细胞增生症中的应用可反映患者的皮肤水分与油脂状况,也可间接反映患者的皮肤微生态与免疫功能状况。     

高速逆流色谱法制备灵芝萜烯酮醇

本研究建立一种从灵芝子实体提取物中快速制备灵芝萜烯酮醇的方法。以沪农灵芝1号子实体为原料,经乙醇提取、D101大孔树脂富集后,再经一次正相色谱柱层析,获得富含灵芝萜烯酮醇的流分。采用高速逆流色谱法对该流分进行分离,优化分离条件,获得的最佳条件为：溶剂体系为正己烷-乙酸乙酯-甲醇-水（V/V/V/V,12:24:18:9）,流速2.0mL/min,转速900r/min,上样量500mg,一次上样可得到纯度为90.9%的灵芝萜烯酮醇52.1mg,得率达到10.4%。该方法具有操作简单、污染小、成本低、得率和纯度高的特点,是规模化制备灵芝萜烯酮醇的一种新方法。     

股前外侧穿支皮瓣与胸腹带蒂皮瓣对手外伤组织缺损修复的应用效果及对创面愈合程度的影响

摘要 目的：探讨股前外侧穿支皮瓣与胸腹带蒂皮瓣对手外伤组织缺损修复的应用效果及对创面愈合程度的影响。方法：选取我院2018年12月到2020年12月共收治的119例手外伤组织缺损患者作为研究对象,随机分为2组,分别为对照组（n=59,应用胸腹带蒂皮瓣修复术）和观察组（n=60,应用股前外侧穿支皮瓣修复术）。对比两组患者治疗优良率,对比两组患者治疗前后手部创面面积、创面愈合程度以及组织愈合时间,对比两组患者治疗后的Jamar握力、TAM和DASH评分情况,对比两组患者的皮瓣成活率、皮瓣危象率和血管吻合时间。结果：通过对比两组患者治疗优良率发现,观察组患者优的人数为21例、良为35例,优良率为93.33%,对照组患者优的人数为16例,良为30例,优良率为77.97%,观察组高于对照组（P＜0.05）;治疗后,与对照组相比,观察组患者的手部创面面积、组织愈合时间和DASH评分显著减少,创面愈合程度以及TAM与Jamar握力显著增加（P＜0.05）;通过对比两组患者的皮瓣成活率、术后皮瓣危象率以及血管吻合时间发现,两组患者的术后皮瓣危象率、血管吻合时间对比无明显差异（P＞0.05）,两组患者的术后皮瓣成活率对比差异显著,观察组明显高于对照组（P＜0.05）。结论：对手外伤组织缺损患者应用股前外侧穿支皮瓣与胸腹带蒂皮瓣修复术均具有明显的修复效果,但是应用股前外侧穿支皮瓣能够提升治疗效果,提升患者创面愈合程度减少愈合时间,提升患者手部运动情况,提升术后皮瓣成活率,值得临床应用推广。