Impact of Conditional miRNA126 Overexpression on Apoptosis-Resistant Endothelial Cell Production

The activation of endothelial cells is essential to repair damage caused by atherosclerosis via endothelial cell proliferation and migration. Overexpression of VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor) and the downstream gene, B-cell lymphoma-2 (BCL-2) could result in apoptosis-resistant endothelial cells, which are responsible for aggravated hyperplasia and instable plaques generation. Previous studies have shown that miRNA126 could regulate the expression of VEGF. Here, we verified the existence of a miRNA126 binding site in VEGF’s 3’UTR. Additionally, VEGF regulated BCL-2 expression via AP1 (Activator Protein 1) binding site in BCL-2’s promoter. Next, we established an apoptosis-resistant endothelial cell line and constructed a lentiviral vector to express miRNA126 under the control of the BCL-2 promoter to investigate whether conditional expression of miRNA126 could modulate VEGF and BCL-2 expression in apoptosis-resistant endothelial cells. This lentiviral system specifically expressed miRNA126 in cells with high BCL-2 levels, downregulated VEGF expression, inhibited MAPK pathway activation and downregulated BCL-2 expression via suppression of AP1, and as a whole, reduced apoptosis-resistant endothelial cells, while the effects of miRNA126 on normal endothelial cells were relatively small. Our results demonstrate that conditional miRNA126 overexpression under the control of the downstream BCL-2 promoter provides a flexible regulatory strategy for reducing the apoptosis-resistant endothelial cells without having a significant impact on normal endothelial cells.     

Fungal Bioweathering of Mimetite and a General Geomycological Model for Lead Apatite Mineral Biotransformations

Fungi play important roles in biogeochemical processes such as organic matter decomposition, bioweathering of minerals and rocks, and metal transformations and therefore influence elemental cycles for essential and potentially toxic elements, e.g., P, S, Pb, and As. Arsenic is a potentially toxic metalloid for most organisms and naturally occurs in trace quantities in soil, rocks, water, air, and living organisms. Among more than 300 arsenic minerals occurring in nature, mimetite [Pb₅(AsO₄)₃Cl] is the most stable lead arsenate and holds considerable promise in metal stabilization for in situ and ex situ sequestration and remediation through precipitation, as do other insoluble lead apatites, such as pyromorphite [Pb₅(PO₄)₃Cl] and vanadinite [Pb₅(VO₄)₃Cl]. Despite the insolubility of mimetite, the organic acid-producing soil fungus Aspergillus niger was able to solubilize mimetite with simultaneous precipitation of lead oxalate as a new mycogenic biomineral. Since fungal biotransformation of both pyromorphite and vanadinite has been previously documented, a new biogeochemical model for the biogenic transformation of lead apatites (mimetite, pyromorphite, and vanadinite) by fungi is hypothesized in this study by application of geochemical modeling together with experimental data. The models closely agreed with experimental data and provided accurate simulation of As and Pb complexation and biomineral formation dependent on, e.g., pH, cation-anion composition, and concentration. A general pattern for fungal biotransformation of lead apatite minerals is proposed, proving new understanding of ecological implications of the biogeochemical cycling of component elements as well as industrial applications in metal stabilization, bioremediation, and biorecovery.     

Chromatographic methods for large-scale preparation of immunoglobulin G2a monoclonal antibodies Lym-1 and TNT-1 F(ab')2 fragments

Lym-1 and TNT-1 are two murine immunoglobulin G_2a monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) which have been used for clinical trials in cancer patients. This paper describes methods for large-scale preparation of F(ab')₂ fragments from 50 mg to 4 g of MAbs Lym-1 and TNT-1. Digestion of MAbs with pepsin was optimized and performed at pH 3.8, a pepsin/antibody ratio of 1:250, and 3–4 h of incubation at 37°C. The F(ab')₂ fragments were purified by tandem column procedures using fast protein liquid chromatography. Quality control analyses of the products included protein purity, isoelectric point, immunoreactivity, and endotoxin level. The results revealed that the chromatographic procedures are practical, simple, and effective, and can be used to produce gram quantities of clinical-grade F(ab')₂ fragments for the diagnosis of cancer in patients.     

中国叉茎管蚜蝇属及一新种记述(双翅目:食蚜蝇科)(英语)

叉茎管蚜蝇属Tigridemyia与墨管蚜蝇属 Mesembrius和美管蚜蝇属 Mallota形态相似,过去曾被作为后二属的亚属.但此属的雄性外生殖器阳茎的射精管端部4分叉与墨管蚜蝇属和美管蚜蝇属区别明显,因此,其属地位应予肯定.作者在整理中国的食蚜蝇标本时,发现该属1新种,刺腿叉茎管蚜蝇Tigridemyia acanthogemurilis sp.nov,加之过去已记录的1种,我国已知叉茎管蚜蝇属2种.本文描述了新种,并给出了中国已知2种的检索表和形态特征图及其分布.模式标本保存于华南农业大学植保系昆虫标本室.     

Regulation of Ca2+ handling by phosphorylation status in mouse fast- and slow-twitch skeletal muscle fibers

The effects ofphosphorylation status on Ca²⁺release and Ca²⁺ removal werestudied in fast-twitch flexor digitorum brevis and slow-twitch soleusskeletal muscle fibers enzymatically isolated from wild-type andphospholamban knockout (PLBko) mice. In all fibers the adenosine3',5'-cyclic monophosphate-dependent protein kinase (PKA)inhibitor H-89 decreased the peak amplitude of the intracellularCa²⁺ concentration([Ca²⁺]) transient fora single action potential, and the PKA activator dibutyryl adenosine3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (DBcAMP) reversed this effect,indicating modulation of Ca²⁺release by phosphorylation status in all fibers. H-89 decreased thedecay rate constant of the[Ca²⁺] transient andDBcAMP reversed this effect only in phospholamban-expressing fibers(wild-type soleus), indicating modulation ofCa²⁺ removal only in the presenceof phospholamban. A high basal level of PKA phosphorylation in soleusfibers maintained under our control conditions was indicated bythe lack of effect of direct application of DBcAMP onCa²⁺ release orCa²⁺ removal in wild-type or PLBkosoleus fibers and was confirmed by analysis of phospholamban fromwild-type soleus fibers.

     

Characterization of Cre recombinase mouse lines enabling cell type-specific targeting of postnatal intervertebral discs

Cre/loxP technology is an important tool for studying cell type-specific gene functions. Cre recombinase mouse lines, including Agc1-CreER^T2, Col2a1-Cre; Col2a1-CreER^T2, Shh-Cre, Shh-CreER^T2, and Osx-Cre, have been proven to be valuable tools to elucidate the biology of long bones, yet the information for their activity in postnatal intervertebral disc (IVD) tissues was very limited. In this study, we used R26-mTmG fluorescent reporter to systematically analyze cell specificity and targeting efficiency of these six mouse lines in IVD tissues at postnatal growing and adult stages. We found that Agc1-CreER^T2 is effective to direct recombination in all components of IVDs, including annulus fibrosus (AF), nucleus pulposus (NP), and cartilaginous endplate (CEP), upon tamoxifen induction at either 2 weeks or 2 months of ages. Moreover, Col2a1-Cre targets most of the cells in IVDs, except for some cells in the outer AF (OAF) and NP. In contrast, the activity of Col2a1-CreER^T2 is mainly limited to the IAF of IVD tissues at either stage of tamoxifen injection. Similarly, Shh-Cre directs recombination specifically in all NP cells, whereas Shh-CreER^T2 is active only in a few NP cells when tamoxifen is administered at either stage. Finally, Osx-Cre targets cells in the CEP, but not in the NP or AF of IVDs tissues at these two stages. Thus, our data demonstrated that all these Cre lines can direct recombination in IVD tissues at postnatal stages with different cell type specificity and/or targeting efficiency, and can, therefore, serve as valuable tools to dissect cell type-specific gene functions in IVD development and homeostasis.