三硝基丙酸动物模型和亨廷顿氏病

亨廷顿氏病（Huntington’s disease,HD）是一类神经系统退行性疾病,主要病理改变累及基底节神经元以及纹状体的固有神经元,患者主要临床特征为进行性恶化的运动、认知及精神障碍三联征。3-硝基丙酸（3-NP）是线粒体毒性药物,主要作用于氧化呼吸链并抑制机体的三羧酸循环。本文将就HD的发病机制及病理学特征以及3-NP介导的动物模型的优缺点做一综述。     

亨廷顿氏病的神经兴奋和线粒体毒性发病机理与动物模型

亨廷顿氏病(Huntington's disease,HD)作为一种显性遗传性神经退行疾病,表现为运动、智力、心理功能障碍.目前尚无有效的治疗或预防措施;针对各种HD症状的药物和控制措施效果不理想.1993年确认HD发病是由于HD基因(HTT)中CAG序列重复扩增超过36次或以上,翻译为突变的多聚谷氨酰胺,引起兴奋性神...     

亨廷顿病的基因诊断

为了简单高效检测HD基因开放阅读框5’端(CAG)ｎ三核苷酸重复序列,建立快速准确的亨廷顿病(Huntington disease, HD)基因诊断方法,应用TaKaRa LA Taq DNA聚合酶配合GC buffer扩增HD基因包含(CAG)ｎ重复序列的目的片段,非变性聚丙烯酰胺凝胶电泳检测后回收(CAG)ｎ拷贝数异常增多的目的片段,再次PCR扩增后将产物连接至T载体,进行DNA测序确定CAG的拷贝数。应用该方法对一个HD家系的3名成员以及20名正常人进行基因诊断,结果显示该HD家系3名成员的一条染色体上的(CAG)ｎ拷贝数在正常范围内,而另一条染色体上的(CAG)ｎ拷贝数异常增多,分别为39、40、41,而20例正常人(CAG)ｎ拷贝数均在正常范围内,正常和HD等位基因之间的(CAG)ｎ拷贝数不相重叠。因此,应用该方法可以对HD进行准确的基因诊断,结果同时也证明HD基因的动态突变是导致中国人亨廷顿病的遗传基础。     

DNA损伤修复与亨廷顿病的发生机制

亨廷顿病(Huntington’s disease,HD)是一种常染色体显性遗传的神经退行性疾病,是由于亨廷顿基因(Htt)发生突变而导致的,突变的亨廷顿蛋白(mutant huntingtin,m Htt)会在胞内产生聚集引起细胞功能异常并引发神经退行.亨廷顿病的具体分子机制有多种假说,例如氧化压力、线粒体功能异常等.2017年《自然》(Nature)杂志发文认为DNA损伤修复异常是神经退行性疾病发生的共同机制.大量证据显示,DNA损伤修复在HD的发生中扮演着重要角色,Htt突变会引发多种DNA损伤以及修复通路的过度激活,HD细胞对离子辐射敏感同时存在双链断裂修复缺陷,同时Htt突变会阻碍DNA修复关键因子共济失调毛细血管扩张突变(ATM)蛋白在DNA修复中正常功能的发挥.DNA修复通路还是HD发病年龄的重要影响因素.此外,将ATM做为治疗靶点能够减轻突变Htt引发的细胞毒性以及动物模型的疾病进程.ATM还在维持细胞稳态和线粒体信号中起着关键作用,鉴于线粒体异常与HD发病的相关性,ATM作为治疗靶点的分子机制也逐渐明朗.本文着重于介绍DNA损伤修复与亨廷顿病的发生机理的研究进展,为阐明HD的发病机理,开发有效的治疗手段提供思路.     

心力衰竭动物模型研究进展

心力衰竭是一种复杂的临床症候群,它是各种心脏病的终末阶段,发病率及病死率均较高,严重危害着人类健康,为了广泛深入地研究和治疗心力衰竭,迫切需要建立该病的动物模型。本综述复习了近年来文献,介绍目前较为成熟的心力衰竭动物模型的应用,同时比较之间的优缺点。     

结核病动物模型研究进展

结核病是由结核分枝杆菌感染引起的传染病,是危害人类健康的主要传染病之一。动物模型已经成为研究人类传染病的标准化工具。虽然对于结核分枝杆菌而言并没有真正意义的动物资源,但由于不同种类的动物,对分枝杆菌的敏感性不一样,因此可以成为结核病研究的有利工具。结核病最常用的实验动物模型包括小鼠、兔和豚鼠。每种动物有其自身特点,但并不能完全模拟人类疾病。通过建立结核病的动物模型,可以大大增加我们对疾病的病因、毒力和发病机制的理解。除了这三种模型外,非人灵长类也常被用于结核病的研究。本文总结了这几种结核病模型的研究状况。     

基于诱导性多潜能干细胞的亨廷顿舞蹈病发病机制研究

目的:基于诱导性多潜能干细胞(induced pluripotent stem cells,i PSC)多潜能性的特点将亨廷顿舞蹈病(Huntington disease,HD)患者和正常人特异性i PSC定向诱导分化成运动神经元,并在运动神经元的基础上探讨HD的发病机制。方法:将HD患者和正常人的i PS细胞在特定的生长因子和神经因子的作用下定向诱导分化成运动神经元。然后用免疫荧光染色检测运动神经元特异性标记物HB9和ISL1的表达。以DCFH-DA和JC-1为荧光探针,利用流式分析法分别对正常人和HD患者运动神经元细胞活性氧和线粒体膜电位进行检测。结果:经过25天诱导分化成功得到HD患者和正常人的运动神经元,并且免疫荧光染色显示,βIII-微管蛋白阳性的神经细胞同时表达运动神经元特异性的标志物HB9和ISL1。此外,经实验统计发现HD患者运动神经元细胞内代表活性氧水平的荧光强度(4704.33±390.50)较正常组(2840.33±166.20)有明显增强(P=0.002),而且代表线粒体膜电位红绿荧光强度比(2.74±0.13)较正常组(3.97±0.29)相比有明显降低(P=0.03)。结论:HD患者特异性i PSC能够诱导分化成运动神经元,为实验提供研究模型。HD的发病与运动神经元细胞线粒体功能障碍有关。     

基于重组氧化葡萄糖酸杆菌生物合成吡咯喹啉醌

吡咯喹啉醌(Pyrroloquinoline quinone,PQQ)是一种重要的氧化还原酶辅基,具有多种生理生化功能,在食品、医药卫生及农业等领域具有广泛的应用。文中采用重组氧化葡萄糖酸杆菌生物合成吡咯喹啉醌。首先构建丙酮酸脱羧酶基因GOX1081敲除的重组菌G. oxydans T1,减少副产物乙酸的形成。然后利用筛选的内源性组成型启动子P0169融合表达pqqABCDE基因簇及tldD基因,构建重组菌G. oxydans T2。最后对发酵培养基添加物和发酵条件进行优化。结果显示重组菌G. oxydans T1、G. oxydans T2生物量较野生菌分别提高43.02%和38.76%,而PQQ的产量分别是野生菌的4.82倍和20.5倍。进一步优化G. oxydans T2碳源及培养条件,最终PQQ产量达(51.3241±0.8997)mg/L,是野生菌的345.62倍。通过基因工程手段,可以有效提高氧化葡萄糖酸杆菌的生物量和合成PQQ的产量,为改善PQQ生物合成效率奠定基础。     

动脉粥样硬化动物模型制作方法的介绍

动脉粥样硬化动物模型在病因学、病理学及预防方面的研究中起着非常重要的作用。近年来,运用兔子、小鼠、大鼠、鹌鹑等成功地建立了大量高脂饲料、单纯药物、高脂饲料加药物、基因敲除鼠及基因工程模型等诱导的动物模型。本文介绍了这几种动物模型的制作方法,以期为动脉粥样硬化的深入研究提供参考。     

一种亨廷顿舞蹈症体外药物筛选细胞模型的建立

为建立以多聚谷氨酰胺（polyQ）为靶点的亨廷顿舞蹈症体外药物筛选细胞模型,以随机引物PCR法克隆了不同长度的 CAG片段,经序列测定正确后,分别融合到已经建立的氯霉素抗性融合蛋白表达系统pCAR中CAT的N端,重组质粒转化大肠杆菌,并在其中诱导表达,SDS-PAGE 和氯霉素抗性平板试验对目的蛋白可溶性与氯霉素活性进行测定。结果显示长度在40以上的polyQ为不溶性包涵体表达,表现为低水平的氯霉素抗性,40以下的polyQ则以可溶形式表达,表现为高水平氯霉素抗性,从而建立起能够模拟亨廷顿舞蹈症病理过程的体外细胞模型。通过检测模型细胞的氯霉素抗性,可以定性、定量地反映polyQ在体内的折叠状态和可溶性,故可以借助该模型对促溶药物或生物活性物质进行高通量筛选,为亨廷顿舞蹈症预防、诊断、治疗提供了新思路。     

Quinolinic Acid Stimulates Somatostatin Gene Expression in Cultured Rat Cortical Neurons

Striatal atrophy in Huntington's disease (HD) is characterized by selective preservation of a subclass of neurons colocalizing NADPH-diaphorase (NADPH-d), somatostatin (SS), and neuropeptide Y (NPY), which have been reported to show three- to fivefold increases in SS-like immunoreactivity (SSLI) and NPY content. Since HD brain is capable of producing excessive quantities of the excitotoxin quinolinic acid (Quin), an N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor agonist, and since experimental Quin lesions show neuronal loss with sparing of NADPH-d/SS/NPY neurons, it has been suggested that Quin may be important in the pathogenesis of HD. In the present study we determined whether Quin stimulates SS gene function in cultured cortical cells known to be rich in NADPH-d/SS/NPY neurons. Cultures of dispersed fetal rat cortical cells were exposed to Quin (1 and 10 mM) with or without (-)-2-amino-5-phosphonovaleric acid (APV; 0.5 mM), an NMDA receptor antagonist, NMDA (0.2 and 0.5 mM), and glutamate (Glu; 0.5 mM). Medium and cellular SSLI was determined by radioimmunoassay and SS mRNA by Northern analysis with a cRNA probe. Quin induced significant (p less than 0.01) 1.6- and 2.5-4 fold increases in SSLI and SS mRNA accumulation, respectively, which were abolished by APV. Release of SSLI into the culture medium was stimulated two- to fivefold by Quin over a 2- to 20-h period. The increase in SS mRNA produced by Quin was time and dose dependent. A similar dose-dependent increase in SS mRNA comparable with that observed with Quin was induced by NMDA.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Brain Quinolinic Acid in Huntington''s Disease

Concentrations of the endogenous neurotoxic tryptophan metabolite, quinolinic acid (QA), were measured in postmortem brain tissue obtained from patients with Huntington's disease (HD) and matched controls, using a gas chromatography/mass spectrometry method. There was no significant difference in either the putamen or the frontal cortex between the HD and control groups. These results do not support the hypothesis that increased QA is responsible for neuronal degeneration in HD.     

Combination therapy with Coenzyme Q10 and creatine produces additive neuroprotective effects in models of Parkinson's and Huntington's Diseases

Coenzyme Q₁₀ (CoQ₁₀) and creatine are promising agents for neuroprotection in neurodegenerative diseases via their effects on improving mitochondrial function and cellular bioenergetics and their properties as antioxidants. We examined whether a combination of CoQ₁₀ with creatine can exert additive neuroprotective effects in a MPTP mouse model of Parkinson's disease, a 3-NP rat model of Huntington's disease (HD) and the R6/2 transgenic mouse model of HD. The combination of the two agents produced additive neuroprotective effects against dopamine depletion in the striatum and loss of tyrosine hydroxylase neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNpc) following chronic subcutaneous administration of MPTP. The combination treatment resulted in significant reduction in lipid peroxidation and pathologic α-synuclein accumulation in the SNpc neurons of the MPTP-treated mice. We also observed additive neuroprotective effects in reducing striatal lesion volumes produced by chronic subcutaneous administration of 3-NP to rats. The combination treatment showed significant effects on blocking 3-NP-induced impairment of glutathione homeostasis and reducing lipid peroxidation and DNA oxidative damage in the striatum. Lastly, the combination of CoQ₁₀ and creatine produced additive neuroprotective effects on improving motor performance and extending survival in the transgenic R6/2 HD mice. These findings suggest that combination therapy using CoQ₁₀ and creatine may be useful in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson's disease and HD.     

A new apo-caspase-6 crystal form reveals the active conformation of the apoenzyme

Caspase-6 has been identified as a key component in the pathway of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease and Huntington's disease. It has been the focus of drug development for some time, but only recently have structural data become available. The first study identified a novel noncanonical conformation of apo-caspase-6 contrasting with the typical caspase conformation. Then, the structures of both caspase-6 zymogen and the Ac-VEID-CHO peptide inhibitor complex described caspase-6 in the canonical conformation, raising the question of why the intermediate between these two structures (mature apo-caspase-6) would adopt the noncanonical conformation. In this study, we present a new crystal form of the apoenzyme in the canonical conformation by identifying the previous apostructure as a pH-inactivated form of caspase-6. Our new apostructure is further compared to the Ac-VEID-CHO caspase-6 inhibitor complex. The structural comparison allows us to visualize the organization of loops L2, L3, and L4 upon ligand binding and how the catalytic groove forms to accommodate the inhibitor.     

Purification of quinolinic acid phosphoribosyltransferase from rat liver and brain

Quinolinic acid phosphoribosyltransferase (EC 2.4.2.19) was purified 3600-fold from rat liver and 280-fold from rat brain. Kinetic analyses (K_m = 12 μM for the substrate quinolinic acid and K_m 23 μM for the cosubstrate phosphoribosylpyrophosphate), physicochemical properties of the purified enzymes, inhibition by phthalic acid (K_i = 1.4 μM) and molecular weight determination (M_r 160 000 for the holoenzyme, consisting of five identical 32 kDa subunits) indicated the structural identity of quinolinic acid phosphoribosyltransferase from the two rat tissues. This was further confirmed immunologically, using antibodies raised against purified rat liver quinolinic acid phosphoribosyltransferase. Rat quinolinic acid phosphoribosyltransferase differs in several aspects from quinolinic acid phosphoribosyltransferase isolated from other organisms. The purified enzyme will prove a useful tool in the examination of a possible role of quinolinic acid in cellular function and/or dysfunction.     

Capillary zone electrophoresis separation of tryptophan and its metabolites, including quinolinic acid

Capillary zone electrophoresis with UV absorbance detection was used to separate tryptophan and ten its metabolites. Run buffers of pH 4.0–10.0 were evaluated for their effect on resolution; a pH 9.6 buffer was found to give optimum separation of all components. Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA), which prevents complexation of some analytes with polyvalent cations, was included in the run buffer to insure good peak shape and reproducible mobilities. The resulting method was used to detect the presence of quinolinic acid in a urine sample.