Affinity Improvement of a Cancer-Targeted Antibody through Alanine-Induced Adjustment of Antigen-Antibody Interface

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New insights into the binding mode of pyridine-3-carboxamide inhibitors of E. coli DNA gyrase

Previously we have reported on a series of pyridine-3-carboxamide inhibitors of DNA gyrase and DNA topoisomerase IV that were designed using a computational de novo design approach and which showed promising antibacterial properties. Herein we describe the synthesis of additional examples from this series aimed specifically at DNA gyrase, along with crystal structures confirming the predicted mode of binding and in vitro ADME data which describe the drug-likeness of these compounds.     

Soluble CXCL16 promotes TNF‐α‐induced apoptosis in DLBCL via the AMAD10‐NF‐κB regulatory feedback loop

We had previously identified that the co‐expression of transmembrane CXCL16 (TM‐CXCL16) and its receptor CXCR6 is an independent risk factor for poor survival in patients with diffuse large B‐cell lymphoma (DLBCL). However, the impact of the soluble form of CXCL16 (sCXCL16) on the pathogenesis of DLBCL remains unknown. In the present study, the synergistic effect of sCXCL16 and tumor necrosis factor α (TNF‐α) on apoptosis in DLBCL cell lines (OCI‐LY8 and OCI‐LY10) was investigated in vitro. sCXCL16 reinforced TNF‐α‐mediated inhibition of DLBCL cell proliferation, as determined by the cell counting kit‐8 assay. The results of annexin V staining showed that sCXCL16 enhanced TNF‐α‐induced apoptosis in OCI‐LY8 and OCI‐LY10 cells through a death receptor‐caspase signaling pathway. The results of gene microarray suggested a significant upregulation of differentially expressed genes in the TNF signaling pathway. sCXCL16 increased the concentration of extracellular TNF‐α by binding to CXCR6 to activate the nuclear factor‐κB (NF‐κB) signaling pathway. TNF‐α also induced the secretion of sCXCL16 by increasing the expression of ADAM10, which is known to cleave TM‐CXCL16 to yield sCXCL16. Moreover, bioinformatics analysis revealed that elevated TNF‐α and ADAM10 expression levels in tumor tissues predicted better survival in patients with DLBCL. Thus, our study suggests that sCXCL16 enhances TNF‐α‐induced apoptosis of DLBCL cells, which may involve a positive feedback loop consisting of TNF‐α, ADAM10, sCXCL16, and members of the NF‐κB pathway. sCXCL16 and TNF‐α may be used as prognostic markers in the clinic, and their combinational use is a promising approach in the context of DLBCL therapy.     

Structural insights into the catalytic mechanism of 5-methylthioribose 1-phosphate isomerase

5-Methylthioribose 1-phosphate isomerase (M1Pi) is a crucial enzyme involved in the universally conserved methionine salvage pathway (MSP) where it is known to catalyze the conversion of 5-methylthioribose 1-phosphate (MTR-1-P) to 5-methylthioribulose 1-phosphate (MTRu-1-P) via a mechanism which remains unspecified till date. Furthermore, although M1Pi has a discrete function, it surprisingly shares high structural similarity with two functionally non-related proteins such as ribose-1,5-bisphosphate isomerase (R15Pi) and the regulatory subunits of eukaryotic translation initiation factor 2B (eIF2B). To identify the distinct structural features that lead to divergent functional obligations of M1Pi as well as to understand the mechanism of enzyme catalysis, the crystal structure of M1Pi from a hyperthermophilic archaeon Pyrococcus horikoshii OT3 was determined. A meticulous structural investigation of the dimeric M1Pi revealed the presence of an N-terminal extension and a hydrophobic patch absent in R15Pi and the regulatory α-subunit of eIF2B. Furthermore, unlike R15Pi in which a kink formation is observed in one of the helices, the domain movement of M1Pi is distinguished by a forward shift in a loop covering the active-site pocket. All these structural attributes contribute towards a hydrophobic microenvironment in the vicinity of the active site of the enzyme making it favorable for the reaction mechanism to commence. Thus, a hydrophobic active-site microenvironment in addition to the availability of optimal amino-acid residues surrounding the catalytic residues in M1Pi led us to propose its probable reaction mechanism via a cis-phosphoenolate intermediate formation.     

Clopidogrel reduces lipopolysaccharide‐induced inflammation and neutrophil‐platelet aggregates in an experimental endotoxemic model

Platelet activation contributes to organs failure in inflammation and plays an important role in endotoxemia. Clopidogrel inhibits platelet aggregation and activation. However, the role of clopidogrel in modulating inflammatory progression of endotoxemia remains largely unexplored. Therefore, we investigated the role of clopidogrel on the activation of platelet and leukocytes in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)‐induced inflammation in mice. Animals were treated with clopidogrel or vehicle before LPS induction. The expression of neutrophil‐platelet aggregates and platelet activation and tissue factor was determined. Immunofluorescence was used to analyze platelet‐leukocyte interactions and tissue factor (TF) expression on leukocytes. Clopidogrel pretreatment markedly decreased lung damage, inhibited platelet‐neutrophil aggregates and TF expression. In addition, clopidogrel reduced thrombocytopenia and affected the number of circulating white blood cell in endotoxemia mice. Moreover, clopidogrel also reduced platelet shedding of CD40L and CD62P in endotoxemic mice. Taken together, clopidogrel played an important role through reducing platelet activation and inflammatory process in endotoxemia.     

肠道菌群失衡对乙型肝炎相关慢加急性肝衰竭患者 血浆降钙素原升高的影响

目的探讨肠道菌群失衡对乙型肝炎相关慢加急性肝衰竭(hepatitis B virus-related acute-on-chronic liver failure,HBV-ACLF)患者血浆降钙素原(procalcitonin,PCT)水平升高的影响。方法检测29例HBV-ACLF(肝衰组)、14例慢性乙型肝炎(乙肝组)患者入院时的血浆PCT、内毒素(endotoxin,LPS)水平,收集患者新鲜尾便并通过高通量测序检测肠道菌群状况,统计分析两组患者间肠道菌群、B/E值、PCT和LPS水平的差异,以及肝衰组患者PCT、LPS、B/E值三者间的相关性。结果与乙肝组患者比较,肝衰组厚壁菌门、放线菌门、双歧杆菌属、乳杆菌属等肠道细菌显著减少,而拟杆菌门、变形菌门、埃希菌属等肠道细菌过度生长,两组患者间各菌群比较差异均具有统计学意义(t=-4.84,Z=-2.84,Z=-2.57,Z=-4.39,t=3.59,t=2.64,t=2.19,P0.01、0.01、=0.01、0.01、0.01、=0.01、=0.04);肝衰组PCT[0.50(0.96)]ng/mL、LPS(0.46±0.10)EU/mL、B/E值(0.04±0.01),乙肝组PCT(0.08±0.02)ng/mL、LPS(0.05±0.02)EU/mL、B/E值(1.62±0.31),各指标两组间比较差异均具有统计学意义(Z=-3.17,t=5.88,t=16.18,P0.01、0.01、0.01);肝衰组B/E值与LPS水平呈负相关关系(r=-0.81,P0.01),B/E值与PCT水平呈负相关关系(r=-0.79,P0.01),且PCT水平与LPS呈正相关关系(r=0.76,P0.01)。结论 HBV-ACLF患者肠道菌群失衡导致肠源性LPS生成增多,而肠源性LPS促使PCT产生增多。     

单核细胞趋化蛋白-1、高迁移率族蛋白B1与 溃疡性结肠炎患者肠道菌群变化的相关性

目的探讨单核细胞趋化蛋白-1(MCP-1)、高迁移率族蛋白B1(HMGB1)与溃疡性结肠炎(UC)患者肠道菌群变化的相关性。方法选取2016年9月-2018年1月遂宁市中心医院收治的98例UC患者资料,根据Mayo评分系统将UC患者分为活动期组(n=50)和缓解期组(n=48)。选取同期进行体检的健康人50例作为对照组。比较各组间肠道菌群,血清MCP-1、HMGB1水平,并进行Pearson相关分析。结果活动期组患者肠道乳杆菌、双歧杆菌含量[(5.34±0.87)、(5.81±0.83)CFU/g]显著低于缓解期组和对照组[(8.07±0.86)、(8.35±0.88)CFU/g;(8.13±0.91)、(8.46±0.95)CFU/g](F=12.035,P0.001;F=10.472,P0.001),大肠埃希菌、肠球菌、拟杆菌含量[(11.75±1.24)、(7.91±0.92)、(5.26±0.62)CFU/g]显著高于缓解期组和对照组[(7.92±1.09)、(4.94±0.61)、(3.30±0.52)CFU/g;(7.64±1.02)、(4.83±0.56)、(3.14±0.47)CFU/g](F=10.815,P0.001;F=9.796,P0.001;F=9.713,P0.001),缓解期组和对照组研究对象各肠道菌群比较差异无统计学意义(P0.05)。活动期组和缓解期组患者血清MCP-1、HMGB1水平[(267.42±23.51)、(21.35±2.26)ng/mL;(188.15±20.73)、(6.28±1.38)ng/mL]显著高于对照组[(106.38±15.92)、(2.13±0.41)ng/mL](F=84.163,P0.001;F=25.386,P0.001);活动期组患者血清MCP-1、HMGB1水平[(267.42±23.51)、(21.35±2.26)ng/mL]显著高于缓解期组[(188.15±20.73)、(6.28±1.38)ng/mL](t=17.676、39.641,均P0.05)。经过Pearson相关性分析,MCP-1、HMGB1与UC患者乳杆菌、双歧杆菌含量呈负相关(r=-0.715、-0.659,r=-0.703、-0.614,均P0.001),与大肠埃希菌、肠球菌、拟杆菌含量呈正相关(r=0.783、0.702,r=0.762、0.735,r=0.653、0.612,均P0.001)。结论 MCP-1、HMGB1作为促炎因子可介导肠黏膜炎性反应,引起UC患者肠道菌群紊乱。