Antioxidant Properties of Galanin and Its N-Terminal Fragments in in vitro and in vivo Oxidative Stress Modeling

Biochemistry (Moscow) - Antioxidant properties of rat galanin GWTLNSAGYLLGPHAIDNHRSFSDKHGLT-NH2 (Gal), N-terminal fragment of galanin (2-15 aa) WTLNSAGYLLGPHA (G1), and its modified analogue...     

Fragments of the Galanin Peptide and Their Synthetic Analogues with the Cardioprotective Effect

Russian Journal of Bioorganic Chemistry - New peptide analogs of galanin corresponding to fragments of the N-terminal sequence were synthesized by an automatic solid-phase method using...     

N-Terminal Enrichment: Developing a Protocol to Detect Specific Proteolytic Fragments

Proteolytic processing events are essential to physiological processes such as reproduction, development, and host responses, as well as regulating proteins in cancer; therefore, there is a significant need to develop robust approaches for characterizing such events. The current mass spectrometry (MS)-based proteomics techniques employs a “bottom-up” strategy, which does not allow for identification of different proteolytic proteins since the strategy measures all the small peptides from any given protein. The aim of this development is to enable the effective identification of specific proteolytic fragments. The protocol utilizes an acetylation reaction to block the N-termini of a protein, as well as any lysine residues. Following digestion, N-terminal peptides are enriched by removing peptides that contain free amines, using amine-reactive silica-bond succinic anhydride beads. The resulting enriched sample has one N-terminal peptide per protein, which reduces sample complexity and allows for increased analytical sensitivity compared to global proteomics.¹ We initially compared the peptide identification and efficiency of blocking lysine using acetic anhydride (a 42 Da modification) or propionic anhydride (a 56 Da modification) in our protocol. Both chemical reactions resulted in comparable peptide identifications and ∼95 percent efficiency for blocking lysine residues. However, the use of propionic anhydride allowed us to distinguish in vivo acetylated peptides from chemically-tagged peptides.² In an initial experiment using mouse plasma, we were able to identify >300 unique N-termini peptides, as well as many known cleavage sites. This protocol holds potential for uncovering new information related to proteolytic pathways, which will assist our understanding about cancer biology and efforts to identify potential biomarkers for various diseases.Challenge (Fig. 1): Current liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (LC-MS)-based “bottom-up” proteomics is relatively ineffective for detecting specific proteolytic modifications, despite the fact that they are highly prevalent in higher eukaryotic organisms.Open in a separate windowFIGURE 1Objective: To enrich N-terminal peptides to identify:

• proteolytic modifications
• exact cleavage sites
• natural protein N-termini
• post-translationally modified N-termini

     

Synthesis and Properties of Uniquely Modified Oligoribonucleotides: Yeast TrnaPhe Fragments with 6-Methyluridine and 5,6-Dimethyluridine at Site-Specific Positions

Abstract

The phosphoramidites of 6-methyluridine and 5,6-dimethyluridine were synthesized and the modified uridines site-selectively incorporated into heptadecamers corresponding in sequence to the yeast tRNA^Phe anticodon and TΦC domains. The oligoribonucleotides were characterized by NMR, MALDI-TOF MS and UV-monitored thermal denaturations. The 6-methylated uridines retained the syn conformation at the polymer level and in each sequence location destabilized the RNAs compared to that of the unmodified RNA. The decrease in RNA duplex stability is predictable. However, loss of stability when the modified uridine is in a loop is sequence context dependent, and can not, at this time, be predicted from the location in the loop.     

天花粉蛋白小结构域N端同源片段的溶液构象：T18肽的圆二色性和荧光研究

应用圆二色性,内源荧光和疏水荧光探针法进一步研究Ｔｌ８肽的溶液构象及其相互转化。发现Ｔ１８肽在水溶液中为β折叠结构,且在高浓度（＞１ｍｇ／ｍｌ）时形成疏水聚合物;Ｌｙｓ１５和Ｉｌｅ３－Ｉｌｅ４是形成β折叠疏水簇的关键因素。并讨论了蛋白质肽链和溶剂环境对肽段二级结构的调制作用。     

Analgesic Action of Invasive Carboxytherapy: Mechanisms and Applications

Neurophysiology - At present, pharmacotherapy (mostly applications of narcotic and non-narcotic analgesics and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) is the main approach in fighting pain....     

Reaching out: Cortical Mechanisms of Directed Action

Recordings from monkey cortex have demonstrated a sophisticated neural mechanism for the complex transformational mapping demanded by visually guided reaching.     

The Effects of N-Terminal Fragments of Immunophilin on Phospholipid Composition of Rat Brain and Human Erythrocyte Membranes

Rat brain slices and human erythrocyte membranes have been incubated in the presence of water-soluble synthetic peptide fragments corresponding to residues 1–9 and 1–15 of the N-terminus of immunophilin and the effects on the phospholipid composition examined. During a 2 h incubation in the presence of 1 nM, 0.1 M, and 10 M concentrations of the peptides there were observed significant and dose-dependent decreases in the amounts of phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine, as well as increases in the amounts of phosphatidylserine and, to a less extent, phosphatidylinositol, cardiolipin and lysophosphatidylcholine. The overall decrease in the neutral phospholipids of rat brain, and no changes in human erythrocyte membranes with the simultaneous increase in the acidic phospholipids, both in brain and erythrocyte membranes, tended to counteract any changes in the phospholipid composition of the material studied. The results are discussed in terms of the possible effects of immunophilin on modulating phospholipid turnover in brain cell erythrocyte membranes.     

血管生成抑制素作用机理的研究进展

血管生成抑制素(angiostatin)是纤溶酶原(plasminogen)在体内的天然水解产物,能够有效抑制血管内皮细胞的增殖、迁移和管状结构的形成而参与对血管生成过程(angiogenesis)的调节。血管生成是指从已经存在的血管生长出新的分枝血管的过程。该过程在成体组织并不活跃,然而在某些病理条件下如伤口愈合、炎症、肿瘤的生长和恶性转移时却常常伴随活跃的血管生成过程。血管生成抑制素对血管生成的抑制作用,提示其作为一种特异性的针对血管内皮细胞的药物治疗与血管生成有关的一些疾病,如肿瘤的可能性。本文主要介绍近年来关于Angiostatin作用机理的研究进展以及其作为治疗药物的应用前景。     

胚胎体外共培养：影响因素及作用机理

综述了近年来关于哺乳动物早期胚胎与体细胞共培养的研究进展。重点讨论了早期胚胎与不同类型体细胞共培养,血清、发情周期和体细胞传代次数对胚胎共培养效果的影响,以及胚胎体外共培养的作用机理。体细胞共培养体系可以改善早期胚胎体外培养的条件,促进胚胎发育,提高着床率和妊娠率,在发育生殖研究领域有着广泛的应用前景。然而,对其影响因素和作用机理尚欠系统深入研究,许多问题还亟待解决。     

雄激素受体的作用机制

主要概述了雄激素受体的作用机制,特别对影响雄激素受体特异性的因素进行探讨.雄激素受体（AR）属于甾体激素受体超家族,能通过配体依赖方式与特异的DNA序列结合,调控基因转录.     

tRNA衍生片段的鉴定及对靶分子的调节机制

随着测序技术的发展和对tRNA衍生小分子(tRNA-derived small RNA,tsRNAs)的深入研究,越来越多的tsRNAs及其功能在各物种中被鉴定。tsRNAs根据切割位点的不同可分为tRNA衍生片段(tRNA-derived fragment,tRF)和tRNA应激诱导RNA(tRNA-derived stress-induced RNA,tiRNA),其中tRF是一类具有调节功能的非编码RNA。为了加深对tRF的研究,近年来一些基于测序数据的tRF鉴定方法和相关数据库不断涌现,前者主要包括Telonis等人的算法和tDRmapper方法,后者主要有tRFdb、tRF2Cancer和MINTbase等。同时这两者为tRF的深入研究提供了更有效的工具。大量的研究表明,tRF主要以类似miRNA的方式对RNA、DNA及蛋白质进行调节,但也存在特异的作用方式。随着对这三者的深入研究,研究人员发现tRF在人类疾病的各种生物过程中也扮演着重要的角色,例如可以作为生物标志物。因此本文主要对tRF的鉴定方法、数据库、对靶分子的调节机制及其与人类疾病的关系作一综述。     

天花粉蛋白小结构域N端TCS182—200同源片段的构象研究

以天花粉蛋白小结构域Ｎ端ＴＣＳ１８２－２００同源片段序列为基础,设计Ｔ１４,Ｔ１８和ＴＤＫ３个模型肽。本文分析了模型肽的肽链柔性和侧链两亲性,预测二级结构形成势,并通过多肽固相合成和圆二色性研究模型肽的溶液二级结构,比较理论预测和实测结果。在水溶液中,Ｔ１８为β－折叠,ＴＤＫ含有一定量α－螺旋;而Ｔ１４基本上为无规卷曲,但在碱性条件下有类似螺肇的亚稳结构存在。     

Xanthones and Cancer: from Natural Sources to Mechanisms of Action

Xanthones are a class of heterocyclic natural products that have been widely studied for their pharmacological potential. In fact, they have been serving as scaffolds for the design of derivatives focusing on drug development. One of the main study targets of xanthones is their anticancer activity. Several compounds belonging to this class have already demonstrated cytotoxic and antitumor effects, making it a promising group for further exploration. This review therefore focuses on recently published studies, emphasizing their natural and synthetic sources and describing the main mechanisms of action responsible for the anticancer effect of promising xanthones.     

鲎素抗菌肽作用机理研究

鲎素抗菌肽是中国鲎天然免疫的重要组成部分,具有广谱抗菌活性,对细菌、真菌、肿瘤细胞及一些病毒具有强大的抑制作用,且这种作用具有较好的选择性。本文主要介绍了鲎素的种类和生物活性、鲎素的结构与功能关系、鲎素作用机理的最新研究进展,并对鲎素临床应用面临的问题及对策做了简要综述。     

The HLA Region and Autoimmune Disease: Associations and Mechanisms of Action

The HLA region encodes several molecules that play key roles in the immune system. Strong association between the HLA region and autoimmune disease (AID) has been established for over fifty years. Association of components of the HLA class II encoded HLA-DRB1-DQA1-DQB1 haplotype has been detected with several AIDs, including rheumatoid arthritis, type 1 diabetes and Graves’ disease. Molecules encoded by this region play a key role in exogenous antigen presentation to CD4+ Th cells, indicating the importance of this pathway in AID initiation and progression. Although other components of the HLA class I and III regions have also been investigated for association with AID, apart from the association of HLA-B*27 with ankylosing spondylitis, it has been difficult to determine additional susceptibility loci independent of the strong linkage disequilibrium (LD) with the HLA class II genes. Recent advances in the statistical analysis of LD and the recruitment of large AID datasets have allowed investigation of the HLA class I and III regions to be re-visited. Association of the HLA class I region, independent of known HLA class II effects, has now been detected for several AIDs, including strong association of HLA-B with type 1 diabetes and HLA-C with multiple sclerosis and Graves’ disease. These results provide further evidence of a possible role for bacterial or viral infection and CD8+ T cells in AID onset. The advances being made in determining the primary associations within the HLA region and AIDs will not only increase our understanding of the mechanisms behind disease pathogenesis but may also aid in the development of novel therapeutic targets in the future.Key Words: Genes, autoimmunity & HLA