Structural and immunological properties of arabinogalactan polysaccharides from pollen of timothy grass (Phleum pratense L.)

Extracts from pollen of timothy grass (Phleum pratense L.) contain up to 20% arabinogalactan proteins (AGPs). Separation of the AGP polysaccharide moieties by tryptic digestion, size exclusion chromatography (GPC), and reverse phase HPLC yielded arabinogalactan fractions AG-1 and AG-2 with molecular weights of approximately 15,000 and approximately 60,000Da, respectively. The backbones of both polysaccharides are composed of (1-->6)-linked beta-D-galactopyranosides with beta-D-GlcUAp or 4-O-Me-beta-D-GlcUAp at their terminal ends as revealed by chemical analysis, FT-IR, MALDI-MS, and NMR spectroscopy. AG-1 contains a small number of beta-l-Araf side chains while AG-2 possesses a variety of (1-->3)-linked units, which consist of beta-l-Araf-(1-->, alpha-l-Araf-(1-->3)-beta-l-Araf-(1-->, and alpha-l-Araf-(1-->5)-beta-l-Araf-(1--> as well as a small number of longer arabinogalactan side chains. In contrast to crude pollen extracts, the immunological properties of the arabinogalactan mixture reveal an IgG4 reactivity instead of IgE reactivity. Structural properties of timothy pollen arabinogalactan might thus influence the immune response.     

猪2型圆环病毒核酸疫苗的接种Balb/c小鼠实验免疫研究

为了筛选得到较理想的核酸疫苗,用pVAX1真核表达载体,以猪白介素18基因、猪2型圆环病毒内蒙株的衣壳蛋白和与复制相关蛋白基因为目的基因,构建了4个重组质粒,分别是pVAX1-ORF2、pVAX1-UL18ORF2、pVAX1-ORF2ORF1和pVAX1-IL18ORF2ORF1。用它们免疫6-8周龄Balb/c小鼠,进小鼠后一周首免,每隔19d免1次,共免3次;每10d采血1次,三免后10d杀鼠取脾。用ELISA方法检测小鼠血清抗体效价,流式细胞仪检测脾T淋巴细胞亚类CD4+、CD8+数量。统计学分析发现:4个核酸疫苗实验免疫组均是从最后一次采集的小鼠血清中,获得最高的抗体效价,与对照组PBS和空载体pVAX1相比都能产生一定的体液免疫反应,且以pVAx1-IL18ORF2ORF1核酸疫苗免疫小鼠产生的血清抗体效价最高;脾T淋巴细胞亚类数量测定发现,免疫实验组的CD4+与CD8+的T细胞亚类总数显著高于对照组(P<0．05),并以pVAX-1-IL18ORF2ORF1数值较高。结论是核酸疫苗pVAX1-IL18ORF2ORF1既能较好地刺激细胞免疫又能产生一定的体液免疫反应,相对较好,将作为候选核酸疫苗进行下一步本体动物免疫实验研究。     

Antioxidant and immunological activities of water-soluble polysaccharides from Aconitum kusnezoffii Reichb

Aconitum kusnezoffii Reichb., one of the earliest recorded toxic species of genus Aconitum, has been used as traditional Chinese medicine and medicinal diet over the last 2500 years to treat heart failure congestion, neuralgia, rheumatism and gout, etc. In the present paper, four water-soluble polysaccharide fractions isolated from the tubers of A. kusnezoffii Reichb. were studied the antioxidant and immunological activities for the first time. In vitro antioxidant assays indicated that fraction WKCP-A had noticeable scavenging activities on DPPH radical, hydroxyl radical, superoxide anion, H₂O₂ and self-oxidation of 1,2,3-phentriol, ferrous ion-chelating ability and reducing power. Moreover, the in vivo immunological assay exhibited that fractions WKCP-A and WKHP could more significantly enhance splenic lymphocyte proliferation and macrophage phagocytosis than other fractions. Therefore, the water-soluble polysaccharides from A. kusnezoffii Reichb., especially WKCP-A, have the potential to be explored as novel natural antioxidants and immunostimulating agents for using in functional foods or medicine.     

GRAIL (gene related to anergy in lymphocytes) regulates cytoskeletal reorganization through ubiquitination and degradation of Arp2/3 subunit 5 and coronin 1A

Anergy is an important mechanism for the maintenance of peripheral tolerance and avoidance of autoimmunity. The up-regulation of E3 ubiqitin ligases, including GRAIL (gene related to anergy in lymphocytes), is a key event in the induction and preservation of anergy in T cells. However, the mechanisms of GRAIL-mediated anergy induction are still not completely understood. We examined which proteins serve as substrates for GRAIL in anergic T cells. Arp2/3-5 (actin-related protein 2/3 subunit 5) and coronin 1A were polyubiquitinated by GRAIL via Lys-48 and Lys-63 linkages. In anergic T cells and GRAIL-overexpressed T cells, the expression of Arp2/3-5 and coronin 1A was reduced. Furthermore, we demonstrated that GRAIL impaired lamellipodium formation and reduced the accumulation of F-actin at the immunological synapse. GRAIL functions via the ubiquitination and degradation of actin cytoskeleton-associated proteins, in particular Arp2/3-5 and coronin 1A. These data reveal that GRAIL regulates proteins involved in the actin cytoskeletal organization, thereby maintaining the unresponsive state of anergic T cells.     

野生型及突变型乙型肝炎病毒X基因在pGEX-6P-2系统中的克隆、表达、纯化及免疫鉴定

构建野生型和A1762T/G1764A双突变型乙型肝炎病毒(HBV)X基因原核表达系统,为深入研究HBV X基因及其双突变后对HBV慢性感染者病情发展和肿瘤发生的作用奠定基础。从慢性乙型肝炎患者血清中抽提HBV基因组DNA,经PCR扩增和基因测序,证实并获得野生型及A1762T∕G1764A双突变型HBV X基因。应用TA克隆及亚克隆技术将2基因分别插入pGEX-6P-2载体,构建pGEX-6P-2-hbvxw(野生型)及pGEX-6P-2-hb-vxm(A1762T∕G1764A突变型)重组表达载体;转化入宿主菌进行诱导表达;包涵体复性后,GSTrap FF蛋白纯化柱纯化带有GST标签的野生型和A1762T∕G1764A突变型HBV x抗原(HBxAg);应用SDS-PAGE、Westernblot和ELISA方法对表达的野生型和突变型HBxAg进行鉴定。结果SDS-PAGE证实本研究构建的2个表达系统均能高效表达目的蛋白;复性、纯化后野生型和突变型GST-HBxAg分别达到4.88mg/mL和5.07mg/mL;Western blot鉴定证实所纯化的野生型和突变型HBxAg均能被特异性的单克隆抗体所识别;ELISA方法检测显示2种抗原都能成功包被于微量滴定板上并与乙肝患者血清反应。证实本研究成功地构建了野生型和A1762T∕G1764A突变型HBxAg表达系统,为进一步研究A1762T∕G1764A基因突变对肿瘤发生学和慢性HBV感染者疾病进展的作用和分子机制奠定了基础。     

Evaluation of a robotic system for the recovery of peripheral blood mononuclear cells

Investigations into immune responses are often based upon recovery of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). To this purpose, the recovery of PBMC by gradient centrifugation is labour-intensive and requires a reasonable level of skill by the laboratory technician. Thus, we set out to determine whether laboratory automation equipment could be used for the recovery of PBMC from blood samples of horses, pigs and cattle, based on the Ficoll-Paque gradient centrifugation technique. Mixing of blood samples with PBS, layering of diluted blood onto Ficoll-Paque gradients, recovery of separated PBMC in RPMI 1640 medium were performed using an automated robotic system, the SBF200 (AM Robotic Systems, Warrington, UK) under laminar air flow conditions. Tubes were tagged with bar codes and manually placed after gradient centrifugation into a tube reader to measure the volume and position of the PBMC layer. The results of the automated procedure compared very well to those of the manual one in terms of percent cell recovery, sterility and cell viability. Also, a high throughput of samples could be implemented: with the integration of cell counting it should be possible for 96 blood samples to be processed, including the production of aliquots, by one person in a day.     

精原干细胞移植及受体制备技术研究进展

精原干细胞移植为研究精子发生、雄性生殖能力及新型转基因技术奠定了基础.尽管已利用小鼠建立了较成熟的移植技术体系,白消安受体制备法和曲细精管及睾丸网移植法已得到广泛应用,但白消安可导致动物较高的死亡率,局部射线照射和无内源性精子发生受体动物的制备费用较昂贵,热处理受体制备法应用范围较窄且效果不稳定;三种移植方法均对操作有较高的技术要求,曲细精管、睾丸输出管移植需要显微注射装置,而睾丸网移植需要超声仪的辅助.而且,移植效果在不同实验间、物种间差异较大,移植效率有待提高,对移植排斥反应的认识也有待进一步深入.对睾丸结构和精原干细胞生物学特性的深入研究,将有助于建立更简单高效的受体制备和移植的方法.     

CD4+CD25+ 调节性T 细胞与炎症性肠病

CD4+CD25+调节性T细胞(Treg)是一种有免疫抑制功能的T淋巴细胞,其在炎症性肠病(IBD)中的功能机制已成为近年免疫学和临床研究的热点。目前,Treg细胞新的表型和作用机制逐渐被大量的实验和研究证实。本文就Treg在IBD发病过程中的作用机理及益生菌对Treg功能的影响做一综述。     

Oral delivery of DNA vaccines using attenuated Salmonella typhimurium as carrier

The efficacious delivery of eukaryotic expression plasmids to inductive cells of the immune system constitutes a key prerequisite for the generation of effective DNA vaccines. Here, we have explored the use of bacteria as vehicles to orally deliver expression plasmids. Attenuated Salmonella typhimurium aroA harbouring eukaryotic expression plasmids that encoded virulence factors of Listeria monocytogenes were administered orally to BALB/c mice. Strong cytotoxic and helper T cell responses as well as antibody production were elicited even after a single administration. Mice immunised four times with Salmonella that carried a eukaryotic expression plasmid encoding the secretory listerial protein listeriolysin were protected against a subsequent lethal challenge with this pathogen. A single dose was already partially protective. The efficiency of this vaccination procedure was due to transfer of the expression plasmid from the bacterial carrier to the mammalian host. Evidence for such an event could be obtained in vivo and in vitro. Expression of the desired antigen in various lymphoid tissues was already detectable 1 day after administration of the DNA vaccine and persisted for at least 1 month in spleen and mesenteric lymph nodes. Induction of cytotoxic and helper T cell responses was observed in all mouse strains tested including outbred strains whereas antibodies were mainly detected in BALB/c. Furthermore, we could show that immunogenicity could be improved by increasing the invasiveness of the bacterial carrier.