Secretory/releasing proteome-based identification of plasma biomarkers in HBV-associated hepatocellular carcinoma

For successful therapy, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) must be detected at an early stage. Herein, we used a proteomic approach to analyze the secretory/releasing proteome of HCC tissues to identify plasma biomarkers. Serum-free conditioned media (CM) were collected from primary cultures of cancerous tissues and surrounding noncancerous tissues. Proteomic analysis of the CM proteins permitted the identification of 1365 proteins. The enriched molecular functions and biological processes of the CM proteins, such as hydrolase activity and catabolic processes, were consistent with the liver being the most important metabolic organ. Moreover, 19% of the proteins were characterized as extracellular or membrane-bound. For validation, secretory proteins involved in transforming growth factor-β signaling pathways were validated in plasma samples. Alphafetoprotein (AFP), metalloproteinase (MMP)1, osteopontin (OPN), and pregnancy-specific beta-1-glycoprotein (PSG)9 were significantly increased in HCC patients. The overall performance of MMP1 and OPN in the diagnosis of HCC remained greater than that of AFP. In addition, this study represents the first report of MMP1 as a biomarker with a higher sensitivity and specificity than AFP. Thus, this study provides a valuable resource of the HCC secretome with the potential to investigate serological biomarkers. MMP1 and OPN could be used as novel biomarkers for the early detection of HCC and to improve the sensitivity of biomarkers compared with AFP.     

Morphogenesis of T-tubules in heart cells: the role of junctophilin-2

The T-tubule (TT) system forms the structural basis for excitation-contraction coupling in heart and muscle cells. The morphogenesis of the TT system is a key step in the maturation of heart cells because it does not exist in neonatal cardiomyocytes. In the present study, we quantified the morphological changes in TTs during heart cell maturation and investigated the role of junctophilin-2 (JP2), a protein known to anchor the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) to TT, in changes to TT morphological parameters. Analysis of confocal images showed that the transverse elements of TTs increased, while longitudinal elements decreased during the maturation of TTs. Fourier transform analysis showed that the power of ~2 m spatial components increased with cardiomyocytes maturation. These changes were preceded by increased expression of JP2, and were reversed by JP2 knockdown. These findings indicate that JP2 is required for the morphogenesis of TTs during heart development.     

Protein array of Coxiella burnetii probed with Q fever sera

Coxiella burnetii is the etiological agent of Q fever.To identify its major seroreactive proteins,a subgenomic protein array was developed.A total of 101 assumed virulence-associated recombinant proteins of C.burnetii were probed with sera from mice experimentally infected with C.burnetii and sera from Q fever patients.Sixteen proteins were recognized as major seroreactive antigens by the mouse sera.Seven of these 16 proteins reacted positively with at least 45% of Q fever patient sera.Notably,HspB had the highest fluorescence intensity value and positive frequency of all the proteins on the array when probed with both Q fever patient sera and mouse sera.These results suggest that these seven major seroreactive proteins,particularly HspB,are potential serodiagnostic and subunit vaccine antigens of Q fever.     

Atomic force microscopy imaging of live mammalian cells

Atomic force microscopy (AFM) was used to examine the morphology of live mammalian adherent and suspended cells. Time-lapse AFM was used to record the locomotion dynamics of MCF-7 and Neuro-2a cells. When a MCF-7 cell retracted, many small sawtooth-like filopodia formed and reorganized, and the thickness of cellular lamellipodium increased as the retraction progressed. In elongated Neuro-2a cells, the cytoskeleton reorganized from an irregular to a parallel, linear morphology. Suspended mammalian cells were immobilized by method combining polydimethylsiloxane-fabricated wells with poly-L-lysine electrostatic adsorption. In this way, the morphology of a single live lymphoma cell was imaged by AFM. The experimental results can improve our understanding of cell locomotion and may lead to improved immobilization strategies.     

Newly discovered insect RNA viruses in China

Insects are a group of arthropods and the largest group of animals on Earth,with over one million species described to date.Like other life forms,insects suffer from viruses that cause disease and death.Viruses that are pathogenic to beneficial insects cause dramatic economic losses on agriculture.In contrast,viruses that are pathogenic to insect pests can be exploited as attractive biological control agents.All of these factors have led to an explosion in the amount of research into insect viruses in recent years,generating impressive quantities of information on the molecular and cellular biology of these viruses.Due to the wide variety of insect viruses,a better understanding of these viruses will expand our overall knowledge of their virology.Here,we review studies of several newly discovered RNA insect viruses in China.     

Sex differences in morphine-induced behavioral sensitization and social behaviors in ICR mice

Gender and genetic strain are two prominent variants that influence drug abuse. Although certain sexrelated behavioral responses have been previously characterized in ICR mice, little is known about the effects of sex on morphine-induced behavioral responses in this outbred strain. Therefore, in this study, we investigated the sex differences of morphine-induced locomotion, anxiety-like and social behaviors in ICR mice. After morphine or saline exposure for four consecutive days(twice daily), increased locomotion, more time spent in the central area, as well as attenuated rearing and self-grooming behaviors were found in morphine-treated females in an open field; no differences were found in locomotion and the time spent in the central area between male and female controls. When interacting with the samesex individuals, female controls were engaged in more social investigation, following, body contacting and self-grooming behaviors than controls; morphine exposure reduced contacting and self-grooming behaviors in females; in contrast, these effects were not found in males. These results indicate that female ICR mice are more prosocial and are more susceptible to morphine exposure than males.     

用4个微卫星标记分析7个绵羊群体之间的遗传关系

分析了4个微卫星基因座BM143、OarHH35、OarAE101、BMS2508在7个绵羊群体（小尾寒羊、湖羊、乌珠穆沁羊、萨福克羊、多赛特羊、夏洛来羊、多赛特公羊×小尾寒羊母羊F1代杂种羊）286只绵羊中的遗传多态性。结果表明,这4个微卫星标记在7个绵羊群体中的等位基因数分别为9、11、14和9,其多态信息含量/有效等位基因数/杂合度分别为0.7073/3.7231/0.7314、0.8267/6.4399/0.8447、0.5743/2.5178/0.6028、0.6172/3.0712/0.6744,其中OarHH35的遗传变异最大,OarAE101最小。7个绵羊群体中小尾寒羊的遗传变异最大,湖羊的最小。基于Nei氏DA距离和DS标准遗传距离,采用UPGMA方法构建了系统发生树。该发生树将中国地方品种（小尾寒羊、乌珠穆沁羊、湖羊）和法国的夏洛来羊归为一类,将F1杂种羊、英国品种（萨福克羊和多赛特羊）归为另一类。绵羊微卫星基因分型技术为检查品种（群体）之间的遗传关系提供了一个有用的工具。 Abstract：The genetic polymorphisms of four microsatellite loci BM143,OarHH35,OarAE101,and BMS2508 were analyzed in 286 sheep of seven sheep populations (Small Tail Han sheep, Hu sheep, Ujumqin sheep, Suffolk sheep, Dorset sheep, Charolais sheep, F1 of Dorset♂ × Small Tail Han sheep♀). The numbers of alleles for BM143,OarHH35,OarAE101,and BMS2508 are 9, 11, 14 and 9 in seven sheep populations, respectively. The polymorphism information content/number of effective alleles/ heterozygosity of BM143,OarHH35,OarAE101 and BMS2508 were 0.7073/3.7231/0.7314, 0.8267/6.4399/0.8447,0.5743/2.5178/0.6028,0.6172/3.0712/0.6744 in 286 sheep, respectively. The results revealed the greatest genetic variation at OarHH35 locus and the lowest at OarAE101, the greatest genetic variation in Small Tail Han sheep and the lowest in Hu sheep among seven sheep populations. In the unweighted pair group method with arithmetic mean (UPGMA) dendrograms based on Nei's DA distance and Nei's DS standard genetic distance, the Chinese native breeds (Small Tail Han sheep, Ujumqin sheep, Hu sheep) were grouped together, then with Charolais sheep. The F1 crossbred sheep, and the two British native sheep (Suffolk sheep, Dorset sheep) also clustered together. Microsatellite genotyping in sheep provided a useful tool for examining the genetic relationships among breeds(populations).     

新Y-STR DYS605在山西汉族人群中的多态性分布

为了应用更多的Y染色体特异性STR基因座以用于法医学和人类遗传学研究,本文用PCR结合PAGE技术检测128例山西汉族无关男性DYS605等位基因分布状况。结果显示：山西地区汉族男性DYS605基因座观察到22,21,20,19,18共5个等位基因,基因频率分别为0.0156;0.1797;0.4531;0.2891;0.0625。等位基因20和19之间的电泳距离在非变性胶上非常接近,要有足够的电泳距离才能区分。测序表明该基因座包括3个串联重复区,其中一个为可变重复区。20例女性DNA未发现扩增产物。Abstract: We study the polymorphism at DYS605 ,a new tetranucleotide Y-STR locus,in a Chinese Han population of Shanxi to meet the need of more genetic markers in forensic practice and genetic analysis. DNA were extracted from 128 unrelated male venous blood, and amplified using GDB primers. PCR products were detected using non-denaturing polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and silver staining. Five alleles named 22,21,20,19,18 were observed with frequency of 0.0156;0.1797;0.4531;0.2891;0.0625. PCR products were not found in female DNA. Using a long enough gel for a long electrophoresis time is strongly encouraged because the rung between allele 20 and allele19 is smaller than expected. Allele sequences show that the repetitive units of DYS605 were composed with the variant units and non-variant units.     

The complete mitochondrial genomes sequences of Asio flammeus and Asio otus and comparative analysis

Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), as a model sys-tem, has been extensively used for molecular phy-logenetic and evolutionary analysis[1]. With the ad-vances in DNA sequencing technology, more andmore researchers prefer to use complete mitochondrialgenome for phylogenetic analysis[2—4]. Since the com-plete sequencing of human mtDNA in 1981 (Andersonet al., 1981)[5], 342 vertebrate mitochondrial genomeshave so far been sequenced. Up to now the completesequences of 29 avian mitochondrial genomes h…