蛇毒中的降压成分研究进展

目前世界上已知的蛇类有3000余种,其中有毒蛇约占20%。蛇毒是一种由蛋白质、多肽等有机和无机小分子组成的复杂混合物,因其具有多种生化和药理活性,能广泛应用于各个领域。研究表明蛇毒对血压有一定影响,其降压机制主要有蛇毒抗凝血因子Ⅱ通过介导NO的释放降低血压,缓激肽增强肽主要通过抑制血管紧张素转换酶和增加内源性缓激肽的作用而发挥作用,利钠肽通过抑制肾素-血管紧张素和醛固酮系统调控血压,而磷脂酶A_2主要是促进游离脂肪酸(其中最重要的是花生四烯酸)和溶血磷脂的释放起到降低血压的作用。因此,明确蛇毒的降压成分以及作用机制与效果,对降压药物的开发以及高血压的治疗至关重要。     

中药调节肠道菌群防治高血压的研究进展

肠道菌群是人体内环境的重要组成部分,可影响机体的代谢、免疫和炎症反应,与原发性高血压的发生发展密切相关,已成为防治高血压的研究热点。中药在临床用于原发性高血压的治疗且疗效显著。研究表明中药可被肠道菌群分解代谢为易于吸收的活性物质,而这些活性物质又可通过调节肠道菌群结构及其代谢产物防治高血压。本文以肠道菌群作为切入点,通过分析肠道菌群与原发性高血压发生发展的关系和中药在调节原发性高血压肠道菌群方面的研究,总结中药通过调节肠道菌群防治原发性高血压的作用和机制,以期为中药防治高血压及药物研发提供新的研究思路。     

脑钠肽临床应用进展

脑钠肽(brain natriuretic peptide,BNP)是近年倍受关注的心血管生物标记物,BNP是一种主要由心脏分泌的肽类激素,在心脏维持其正常结构和功能的中起着重要的作用,它具有利钠、利尿、扩血管、降压、拮抗RAAS系统、抑制交感神经兴奋等作用.它已超过原来仅作为心衰的诊断检测指标范畴.研究表明BNP与呼吸困难的鉴别诊断、心肌梗死、高血压、心房颤动、心肌病、肺栓塞等关系密切,现就BNP的临床研究进展作一综述.     

两种高血压大鼠模型证候特征差异性的研究

目的探讨两种经典高血压实验动物模型的证候特征,以便更好地考察降压中药疗效及作用机理。方法选择自发性高血压大鼠和肾性高血压大鼠两种经典常用动物模型,从宏观表征和行为学的角度,对二者的证候特征及其差异性进行辨析比较。结果自发性高血压大鼠在14～18周龄,基本符合高血压中医辨证分型中肝火上炎证型的表现;两肾一夹型肾性高血压大鼠在术后4～8周,基本符合高血压中医辨证分型中阴虚阳亢证型的表现。结论两种高血压动物模型的中医证候特征不同,在进行降压中药的疗效评价和作用机理实验研究时,可以考虑有针对性地选用。     

治療高血壓藥物的研究——Ⅳ.天目藜蘆鹼乙的降低血壓機制

藜芦(Veratrum)用於治疗高血压;并是目的治疗恶性高血压症,及高血压脑病变症状较好的药物。许多学者认为它的降压机制是反射性的,即药物作用於心肺感受区域,和颈动脉窦感受区域,通过迷走神经和窦神经产生反射性的血压下降。但     

可乐宁的药理作用及其临床应用

可乐宁(clonidine)又名氯压定,1962年合成后,很快发现它有镇静、减慢心率和降压作用。从1966年以来,有关可乐宁的药理研究进展迅速,发现它是一新型的中枢性降压药,并已广泛用于临床,治疗了不少高血压病人。还发现可乐宁有其它的临床用途。可乐宁降压机制的基本阐明,不但为临床治疗高血压提供了一条新的途径,而且对体内血压的调节机制有了更深入的了解。深入研究可乐宁的药理作用,寻找高效力、副作用更小的可乐宁类似物,是目前活跃开展的研究课题之一。     

宿主防御肽抗病毒感染机制研究进展

宿主防御肽是一类广泛存在于脊椎动物的小分子多肽,具有广谱的抗菌活性以及抗炎、细胞趋化、促进血管生成和修复损伤等免疫调节功能。以往的研究多集中在宿主防御肽抗细菌和真菌感染的研究上。近年来大量研究发现,宿主防御肽也具有广泛的抗病毒活性,在临床各类病毒病的预防和治疗上具有潜在的应用前景。本文围绕宿主防御肽直接杀伤病毒、调节病毒感染过程和参与宿主抗病毒天然免疫调节这3个方面的作用机制进行综述,为宿主防御肽抗病毒相关研究和相关抗病毒生物药物的研发提供参考和借鉴。     

胸腺素α1的研究进展

胸腺素α1是机体内的一种免疫活性肽,目前已用于乙型、丙型肝炎及恶性肿瘤、免疫缺陷等疾病的研究和临床治疗中。其作用机制尚不十分清楚,一般被认为具有生物反应调节物的功能。现对胸腺素α1的分布、作用机制及临床应用进行综述,并总结胸腺素α1在生物制备上的进展。     

HIV-1 TAT蛋白转导肽的研究进展

TAT蛋白转导肽是人类免疫缺陷病毒1型(human immunodeficiency virus type 1, HIV-1)编码的一段富含碱性氨基酸、带正电荷的多肽,属于蛋白转导域家族的一员。长期研究发现其全长及11个碱性氨基酸富集区的核心肽段(YGRKKRRQRRR)不仅能够在包括蛋白质、多肽及核酸等多种外源生物大分子的跨膜转导过程中具有重要作用,而且能够携带这些外源生物大分子通过活体细胞的各种生物膜性结构(如细胞膜和血脑屏障等)并发挥生理功能,但其跨膜转导机制仍不明确。新近研究还发现TAT核心肽段在促进外源蛋白高效表达过程中也具有重要作用,能够显著增加外源蛋白高效、可溶性表达的水平,显示了TAT蛋白转导肽的新功能。以TAT蛋白转导肽跨膜转导作用的长期研究背景为基础,分别从TAT蛋白转导肽的结构特点、其跨膜转导作用的影响因素及其作用机制等方面进行了系统综述,进一步结合TAT蛋白转导肽的最新研究进展分别从药物研发、机制探索及新功能的开发等方面展望了后续研究方向与应用价值,不仅为深入阐述TAT蛋白转导肽的跨膜转导作用的功能意义提供了参考依据,而且为TAT蛋白转导肽在微生物工程及蛋白质工程等领域的潜在应用价值提供了重要参考信息。     

促胰岛素分泌活性肽对胰岛β细胞作用的分子机制

促胰岛素分泌活性肽具有促进胰岛素分泌、增加胰岛β细胞数量和抑制胰岛β细胞凋亡等作用。研究这些活性肽功效的细胞信号转导及其分子机制,将为进一步研究及开发高效、低毒副作用的2型糖尿病治疗药物奠定理论基础。该文综述了部分促胰岛素分泌活性肽对胰岛β细胞作用的细胞分子机制研究进展,为进一步进行相关研究提供参考。     

Putting microbes to work: dairy fermentation, cell factories and bioactive peptides. Part II: bioactive peptide functions

A variety of milk-derived biologically active peptides have been shown to exert both functional and physiological roles in vitro and in vivo, and because of this are of particular interest for food science and nutrition applications. Biological activities associated with such peptides include immunomodulatory, antibacterial, anti-hypertensive and opioid-like properties. Milk proteins are recognized as a primary source of bioactive peptides, which can be encrypted within the amino acid sequence of dairy proteins, requiring proteolysis for release and activation. Fermentation of milk proteins using the proteolytic systems of lactic acid bacteria is an attractive approach for generation of functional foods enriched in bioactive peptides given the low cost and positive nutritional image associated with fermented milk drinks and yoghurt. In Part II of this review, we focus on examples of milk-derived bioactive peptides and their associated health benefits, to illustrate the potential of this area for the design and improvement of future functional foods.     

Biological activities and potential health benefits of bioactive peptides derived from marine organisms

Marine organisms have been recognized as rich sources of bioactive compounds with valuable nutraceutical and pharmaceutical potentials. Recently, marine bioactive peptides have gained much attention because of their numerous health beneficial effects. Notably, these peptides exhibit various biological activities such as antioxidant, anti-hypertensive, anti-human immunodeficiency virus, anti-proliferative, anticoagulant, calcium-binding, anti-obesity and anti-diabetic activities. This review mainly presents biological activities of peptides from marine organisms and emphasizing their potential applications in foods as well as pharmaceutical areas.     

Putting microbes to work: dairy fermentation, cell factories and bioactive peptides. Part I: overview

A variety of milk-derived biologically active peptides have been shown to exert both functional and physiological roles in vitro and in vivo, and because of this are of particular interest for food science and nutrition applications. Biological activities associated with such peptides include immunomodulatory, antibacterial, anti-hypertensive and opioid-like properties. Milk proteins are recognized as a primary source of bioactive peptides, which can be encrypted within the amino acid sequence of dairy proteins, requiring proteolysis for release and activation. Fermentation of milk proteins using the proteolytic systems of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) is an attractive approach for generation of functional foods enriched in bioactive peptides given the low cost and positive nutritional image associated with fermented milk drinks and yoghurt. In this review, we discuss the exploitation of such fermentation towards the development of functional foods conferring specific health benefits to the consumer beyond basic nutrition. In particular, in Part I, we focus on the release of encrypted bioactive peptides from a range of food protein sources, as well as the use of LAB as cell factories for the de novo generation of bioactivities.     

Bioactive peptides derived from food proteins preventing lifestyle-related diseases

Many kinds of bioactive peptides which might prevent lifestyle-related diseases are released from food proteins after enzymatic digestion. Inhibitory peptides for angiotensin I-converting enzyme (ACE) having anti-hypertensive effect have been isolated from enzymatic digests of various food proteins. LKPNM, which was isolated from the thermolysin digest of dried bonito was activated 8-fold by ACE itself and showed a prolonged effect after oral administration. Two vasorelaxing peptides, ovokinin and ovokinin(2-7), showing antihypertensive effect after oral administration were obtained from ovalbumin digests. We found that low molecular weight peptides derived from food proteins lowered serum cholesterol without increasing excretion of cholesterol and bile acids. An immunostimulating peptide isolated from an enzymatic digest of soybean protein prevented alopecia induced by cancer chemotherapy.     

抗菌肽与肠道健康研究新进展

抗菌肽是生物体内诱导产生的一类具有抗菌作用的生物活性肽,在机体抵抗病原入侵方面起着重要作用。近年来,肠道微生态研究炙手可热,抗菌肽与肠道健康的研究正广泛开展。相关研究结果表明,抗菌肽表达水平的高低可以用来评估机体肠道健康状态,从而监测抗菌肽表达水平来建立一种疾病预防和治疗过程中的辅助诊断手段。本文围绕抗菌肽对肠道菌群结构和免疫影响两方面的最新研究进展进行归纳与分析,旨在为临床诊断与治疗提供参考。     

降糖肽的发展现状及研究进展

糖尿病是一组以高血糖为特征的代谢性疾病,是由于胰岛素分泌缺陷或其生物功能受损,或两者兼有引起。糖尿病可能导致各种组织,特别是眼、肾、心脏、血管、神经的慢性损害、功能障碍。糖尿病主要分为Ⅰ型糖尿病和Ⅱ型糖尿病,这两类糖尿病均存在明显的遗传异质性。目前用于降低或控制血糖的药物主要有硫脉类、双肌类、苯甲酸衍生物类、糖苷酶抑制剂类和噻唑烷二酮类。研发出安全有效的降糖药物已经成为全世界关注的焦点,其中,生物活性肽是目前最广泛研究的潜在治疗剂之一,其最佳用途正在开发中。迄今为止,已经发现了许多天然肽和合成肽,其具有通过不同机制介导的优异的抗糖尿病效果。新兴技术和药物输送系统的应用进一步促进了预期目标成果的达成。临床前和临床研究中一些具有更好效力和安全性的优秀肽已经被确定。因此,对这些肽的进一步详细研究可能会筛选出临床上有用的抗糖尿病药物。     

Solution structure of nociceptin peptides.

Peptides embedded in the sequence of pre-pro-nociceptin, i.e. nociceptin, nocistatin and orphanin FQ2, have shed light on the complexity of the mechanisms involving the peptide hormones related to pain and have opened up new perspectives for the clinical treatment of pain. The design of new ligands with high selectivity and bioavailability, in particular for ORL1, is important both for the elucidation and control of the physiological role of the receptor and for their therapeutic importance. The failure to obtain agonists and antagonists when using, for nociceptin, the same substitutions that are successful for opioids, and the conformational flexibility of them all, justify systematic efforts to study the solution conformation under conditions as close as possible to their natural environment. Structural studies of linear peptides in solution are hampered by their high flexibility. A direct structural study of the complex between a peptide and its receptor would overcome this difficulty, but such a study is not easy since opioid receptors are membrane proteins. Thus, conformational studies of lead peptides in solution are still important for drug design. This review deals with conformational studies of natural pre-nociceptin peptides in several solvents that mimic in part the different environments in which the peptides exert their action. None of the structural investigations yielded a completely reliable bioactive conformation, but the global conformation of the peptides in biomimetic environments can shed light on their interaction with receptors.     

Cyclotides: a natural combinatorial peptide library or a bioactive sequence player?

Abstract

In this perspective review, we focalized our attention on the application of cyclotides in drug discovery. To date, two principal approaches have been explored since now: (i) the use of cyclotides as scaffold in which bioactive peptides can be grafted to improve stability, oral bioactivity and binding to GPCRs; (ii) their application as natural peptides library. For these reasons, cyclotides probably represent today a step further in the development of new tools in drug design.     

Ribosomally-synthesised cyclic peptides from plants as drug leads and pharmaceutical scaffolds

Owing to their exceptional stability and favourable pharmacokinetic properties, plant-derived cyclic peptides have recently attracted significant attention in the field of peptide-based drug design. This article describes the three major classes of ribosomally-synthesised plant peptides – the cyclotides, the PawS-derived peptides and the orbitides – and reviews their applications as leads or scaffolds in drug design. These ribosomally-produced peptides have a range of biological activities, including anti-HIV, cytotoxic and immunomodulatory activity. In addition, recent interest has focused on their use as scaffolds to stabilise bioactive peptide sequences, thereby enhancing their biopharmaceutical properties. There are now more than 30 published papers on such ‘grafting’ applications, most of which have been reported only in the last few years, and several such studies have reported in vivo activity of orally delivered cyclic peptides. In this article, we describe approaches to the synthesis of cyclic peptides and their pharmaceutically-grafted derivatives as well as outlining their biosynthetic routes. Finally, we describe possible bioproduction routes for pharmaceutically active cyclic peptides, involving plants and plant suspension cultures.     

The use of plants for the production of therapeutic human peptides

Peptides have unique properties that make them useful drug candidates for diverse indications, including allergy, infectious disease and cancer. Some peptides are intrinsically bioactive, while others can be used to induce precise immune responses by defining a minimal immunogenic region. The limitations of peptides, such as metabolic instability, short half-life and low immunogenicity, can be addressed by strategies such as multimerization or fusion to carriers, to improve their pharmacological properties. The remaining major drawback is the cost of production using conventional chemical synthesis, which is also difficult to scale-up. Over the last 15 years, plants have been shown to produce bioactive and immunogenic peptides economically and with the potential for large-scale synthesis. The production of peptides in plants is usually achieved by the genetic fusion of the corresponding nucleotide sequence to that of a carrier protein, followed by stable nuclear or plastid transformation or transient expression using bacterial or viral vectors. Chimeric plant viruses or virus-like particles can also be used to display peptide antigens, allowing the production of polyvalent vaccine candidates. Here we review progress in the field of plant-derived peptides over the last 5 years, addressing new challenges for diverse pathologies.