Discovery of triazolopyrimidine-based PDE8B inhibitors: Exceptionally ligand-efficient and lipophilic ligand-efficient compounds for the treatment of diabetes

PDE8B is a cAMP-specific isoform of the broader class of phosphodiesterases (PDEs). As no selective PDE8B inhibitors had been reported, a high throughput screen was run with the goal of identifying selective tools for exploring the potential therapeutic utility of PDE8B inhibition. Of the numerous hits, one was particularly attractive since it was amenable to rapid deconstruction leading to inhibitors with very high ligand efficiency (LE) and lipophilic ligand efficiency (LLE). These triazolopyrimidines were optimized for potency, selectivity and ADME properties ultimately leading to compound 42. This compound was highly potent and selective with good bioavailability and advanced into pre-clinical development.     

Interaction of Rab3B with microtubule-binding protein Gas8 in NIH 3T3 cells

Rab3 subfamily small G proteins (Rab3A, Rab3B, Rab3C, and Rab3D) control the regulated exocytosis in neuronal/secretory cells. Rab3B is also detected and upregulated in non-neuronal/non-secretory cells, whereas its function remains elusive. In the present study, we identified growth-arrest-specific gene 8 (Gas8), an evolutionally conserved microtubule-binding protein that is upregulated in growth-arrested NIH 3T3 cells and involved in the dynein motor regulation in flagellar/ciliary axoneme, as a novel Rab3B-binding protein using a yeast two-hybrid system. Rab3B as well as Gas8 was upregulated in growth-arrested NIH 3T3 cells and enriched in testis and lung with well-developed flagella/cilia. Gas8 was specifically interacted with the GTP-bound form of Rab3B and co-localized with Rab3B at the Golgi in NIH 3T3 cells. Furthermore, Rab3B was relocated upon expression of the Rab3B-binding domain of Gas8. These results suggest that Gas8 links Rab3B to microtubules in NIH 3T3 cells.     

Appearance of the T-cell marker CD8 on B chronic lymphatic leukemia cells in long-term cultures

Summary Long-term cultures of highly purified B chronic lymphatic leukemia cells (B-CLL), were established. The B-CLL lymphocytes acquired the CD8 T cell marker in long-term cultures while still retaining their surface immunoglobulins. In confirmation of previous results, the cultured B-CLL lymphocytes released factor(s) into the culture medium that suppressed the allogeneic mixed-lymphocyte reaction. No correlation was found between the appearance of the CD8 T cell surface marker and onset of suppressor activity.     

基因工程表达的乙型肝炎病毒核心抗原转变为e抗原的研究

乙型肝炎病毒核心抗原及e抗原均为乙型肝炎病毒核衣壳的重要组成部分。自从发现病毒核心颗粒中存在着e抗原之后,它们之间的关系一直是人们研究的课题。有些报道认为,e抗原是核心抗原的组成成份。有人通过实验发现核心抗原和e抗原的氨基酸序列极其     

Human sterol 12α-hydroxylase (CYP8B1) is mainly expressed in hepatocytes in a homogenous pattern

The liver is the only organ where the complete synthesis of bile acids takes place. The present study was undertaken to investigate whether regional differences exist within the individual human hepatic lobuli regarding the pattern of expression of sterol 12-hydroxylase (CYP8B1), a key enzyme in bile acid synthesis. A specific anti-human CYP8B1 peptide antiserum was developed and used for Western blotting and hepatic immunostaining of livers from various patients. CYP8B1 in human liver was expressed in the cytoplasm of hepatocytes with an even nonzonal distribution within the liver lobulus. Pericentral expression was confirmed for CYP2E1. A weak staining was noted in cholangiocytes and Kupffer cells. Previous studies on hepatic CYP27A1 and CYP7A1 in rats have shown a zonal expression, primarily in the pericentral region. Our studies indicate a different pattern for CYP8B1 expression in human liver, which was even rather than zonal.     

Development of a potent and selective GPR7 (NPBW1) agonist: a systematic structure-activity study of neuropeptide B.

Neuropeptide B (NPB) has been recently identified as an endogenous ligand for GPR7 (NPBW1) and GPR8 (NPBW2) and has been shown to possess a relatively high selectivity for GPR7. In order to identify useful experimental tools to address physiological roles of GPR7, we synthesized a series of NPB analogs based on modification of an unbrominated form of 23 amino acids with amidated C-terminal, Br(-)NPB-23-NH(2). We confirmed that truncation of the N-terminal Trp residue resulted in almost complete loss of the binding affinity of NPB for GPR7 and GPR8, supporting the special importance of this residue for binding. Br(-)NPB-23-NH2 analogs in which each amino acid in positions 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12 and 21 was replaced with alanine or glycine exhibited potent binding affinity comparable to the parent peptide. In contrast, replacement of Tyr(11) with alanine reduced the binding affinity for both GPR7 and GPR8 four fold. Of particular interest, several NPB analogs in which the consecutive amino acids from Pro4 to Val(13) were replaced with several units of 5-aminovaleric acid (Ava) linkers retained their potent affinity for GPR7. Furthermore, these Ava-substituted NPB analogs exhibited potent agonistic activities for GPR7 expressed in HEK293 cells. Among the Ava-substituted NPB analogs, analog 15 (Ava-5) and 17 (Ava-3) exhibited potency comparable to the parent peptide for GPR7 with significantly reduced activity for GPR8, resulting in high selectivity for GPR7. These highly potent and selective NPB analogs may be useful pharmacological tools to investigate the physiological and pharmacological roles of GPR7.     

Regulation of UVR8 photoreceptor dimer/monomer photo‐equilibrium in Arabidopsis plants grown under photoperiodic conditions

The UV RESISTANCE LOCUS 8 (UVR8) photoreceptor specifically mediates photomorphogenic responses to UV‐B. Photoreception induces dissociation of dimeric UVR8 into monomers to initiate responses. However, the regulation of dimer/monomer status in plants growing under photoperiodic conditions has not been examined. Here we show that UVR8 establishes a dimer/monomer photo‐equilibrium in plants growing in diurnal photoperiods in both controlled environments and natural daylight. The photo‐equilibrium is determined by the relative rates of photoreception and dark‐reversion to the dimer. Experiments with mutants in REPRESSOR OF UV‐B PHOTOMORPHOGENESIS 1 (RUP1) and RUP2 show that these proteins are crucial in regulating the photo‐equilibrium because they promote reversion to the dimer. In plants growing in daylight, the UVR8 photo‐equilibrium is most strongly correlated with low ambient fluence rates of UV‐B (up to 1.5 μmol m^?2 s^?1), rather than higher fluence rates or the amount of photosynthetically active radiation. In addition, the rate of reversion of monomer to dimer is reduced at lower temperatures, promoting an increase in the relative level of monomer at approximately 8–10 °C. Thus, UVR8 does not behave like a simple UV‐B switch under photoperiodic growth conditions but establishes a dimer/monomer photo‐equilibrium that is regulated by UV‐B and also influenced by temperature.     

重组8型腺相关病毒介导HBV急性感染树鼩模型建立

目的利用重组8型腺相关病毒介导1.3拷贝HBV基因组（1.3HBV,ayw亚型）在树鼩肝脏表达,建立HBV急性感染树鼩模型。方法通过大腿内侧静脉注射将携带有1.3 HBV的重组8型腺相关病毒（recombi-nant adeno-associated virus 8,rAAV8-1.3HBV）导入树鼩肝脏,通过ELISA检测树鼩血清中HBsAg、HBeAg、HBsAb、HBeAb、HBcAb,荧光定量PCR检测树鼩肝脏和血清中HBV DNA,全自动生化分析仪检测血清中ALT水平,并观察感染后肝脏的病变情况。结果 HBV感染主要血清标志物1～2周内均检测阳性;30 d后肝组织仍可检测到病毒抗原阳性细胞;55 d时肝组织HBV DNA拷贝数仍可达到104～105;树鼩血清中HBV DNA拷贝数持续一个月高于正常组;肝组织炎细胞略增多,血清ALT水平持续升高。结论 rAAV8所携带的HBV基因组高效专一导入树鼩肝细胞并复制表达,成功建立HBV急性感染树鼩模型,为进一步探索rAAV8树鼩慢性感染模型打下一定的基础。     

MTD-like motif of a BH3-only protein,BNIP1, induces necrosis accompanied by an intracellular calcium spike

The mitochondrial targeting domain (MTD) of Noxa has necrosis-inducing activity when conjugated with cell-penetrating peptide (CPP). In this study, we report another MTD-like motif, B1MLM, found in BNIP1, a pro-apoptotic BH3-only protein found in the endoplasmic reticulum membrane. The B1MLM peptide, conjugated with CPP, induced necrosis in a way similar to that of R8:MTD. R8:B1MLM caused an intracellular calcium spike, mitochondrial reactive oxygen species generation, and mitochondrial fragmentation. The cytosolic calcium spike was likely due to the opening of the mitochondrial permeability transition pore.     

阴沟肠杆菌B8拮抗活性基因‘admA’及上游调控序列的克隆与功能鉴定

为了阐明水稻白叶枯病拮抗菌阴沟肠杆菌B8的作用机理,文章采用转座子标签法和染色体步移技术克隆到突变株B8B中Tn5插入位点周边拮抗活性相关片段,并通过基因敲除验证了获得的拮抗相关片段admA’上游调控序列的功能。以转座子中Kan抗性基因为标签,克隆了B8B菌株中Tn5插入位点左侧2 608 bp序列,经两次染色体步移得到Tn5插入位点右侧的2 354 bp序列。序列拼接后获得B8菌株拮抗相关序列4 611 bp的Bcontig。生物信息学分析显示该序列含有7个ORF,分别对应于3-磷酸甘油醛脱氢酶(GADPH)基因的部分编码区、2个LysR家族转录调控因子、弧菌假设蛋白VSWAT3-20465及成团泛菌(Pantoea agglomerans)andrimid生物合成基因簇的admA、admB和部分admC基因序列。B8B菌株Tn5插入分别位于同源于弧菌假设蛋白的anrPORF及‘admA’基因上游200 bp和894 bp处。通过同源重组技术,借助敲除质粒pMB-BG,获得拮抗活性消失的突变株B-1和B-3。结果表明B8B突变株中Tn5的插入可能影响了anrP蛋白的转录和表达,进而调控拮抗物质编码基因簇的生物合成。B8菌株中拮抗物质相关基因是类似于andrimid生物合成基因簇的基因家族,其上游调控区对该抗生素的生物合成具有重要的作用。     

Analysis of spontaneous base substitutions generated in mutator strains of Bacillus subtilis

In the current studies, we investigated base substitutions in the Bacillus subtilis mutT, mutM, and mutY DNA error-prevention system. In the wild type strain, spontaneous mutations were mainly transitions, either G:C --> A:T or A:T --> G:C. Although both transitions and transversions were observed in mutY and mutM mutants, mutM/mutY double mutants contain strictly G:C --> T:A transversions. In the mutT strain, A:T --> C:G transversion was not observed, and over-expression of the B. subtilis mutT gene had no effect on the mutation rate in the Escherichia coli mutT strain. Using 8-oxo-dGTP-induced mutagenesis, transitions especially A:T --> G:C were predominant in the wild type and mutY strains. In contrary, transversion was high on mutY and double mutant (mutM mutY). Finally, the opuBC and yitG genes were identified from the B. subtilis chromosome as mutator genes that prevented the transition base substitutions.     

白介素-17在牙龈上皮细胞中调控趋化因子的机制研究

目的：有研究发现白介素-17（IL-17）作为炎症反应的重要标志物在炎症反应中具有重要作用,并且其表达水平的高低与牙周疾病的严重程度有着正相关性,但是目前为止白介素-17对于牙龈上皮细胞的趋化因子生成的影响尚没有研究,所以本课题主要探索在牙龈上皮细胞（human gingival epithelial cells,HGECs）中白介素-17如何通过趋化因子调控炎症反应,并进一步探究其作用机制。方法：酶联免疫吸附剂测定法（enzyme linked immunosorbent assay,ELISA）观察细胞中相关趋化因子分泌,同时蛋白印迹法（western blot）观察细胞中核转录因子κB的变化。结果：无IL-17刺激组与IL-17刺激组比较,IL-17刺激组的趋化因子白介素8（CXCL8）分泌量显著性增加而另一趋化因子单核细胞趋化蛋白-1（CCL2）却没有显著变化,并且通过磷酸化IκB的表达量显著性增加提示NF-κB被激活（P〈0.05）;同时IL-17刺激组与IL-17＋NF-κB抑制剂组比较,IL-17＋NF-κB抑制剂组的CXCL8分泌量显著降低,而通过磷酸化IκB的表达量显著减少提示NF-κB的活性被抑制（P〈0.05）。结论：NF-κB对IL-17刺激下的牙龈上皮细胞趋化因子的表达调控具有关键性作用,同时可能也为将来治疗IL-17诱导的牙周炎症性疾病提供了新的靶点。     

高嗜肝性8型重组腺相关病毒体内转导法制备乙型肝炎病毒持续感染小鼠模型

用高嗜肝性的重组8型腺相关病毒(Recombinant adeno-associated virus type8,rAAV8)载体携带1.3拷贝乙型肝炎病毒(Hepatitis B virus,HBV)基因组(ayw亚型)体内转导法,建立持续表达HBV抗原的C57BL/6小鼠模型。首先,制备并纯化了携带1.3拷贝HBV基因组(ayw亚型)的重组8型腺相关病毒(rAAV8-1.3HBV);将rAAV8-1.3HBV以剂量2×10e11vg/只注射C57BL/6小鼠(Viralgenome,vg);在不同时间点实施尾静脉采血,采用ELISA方法监测血清中HBsAg和HBeAg的水平及动力学变化;10周后处死小鼠,取血液、肝组织样本,提取基因组DNA,荧光定量PCR检测HBVDNA拷贝数;利用鉴定HBVDNA环化形式的特异性引物进行PCR扩增以检测肝组织中环化的HBVDNA,并检测HBV抗原特异性的免疫组化和肝脏病理变化。结果显示,注射rAAV8-1.3HBV的3只C57BL/6小鼠第1周开始在血液中检测到HBsAg和HBeAg的表达,并持续至第10周均为阳性,其中HBsAg的表达水平经历了一个上升-下降-再上升的过程(注射后第4周时最低,第6周后维持较高水平),而HBeAg表达水平则持续阳性且比较稳定。荧光定量PCR结果显示,3只小鼠10周后血清中HBV DNA的拷贝数分别为4.2×103、3.6×103、2.5×103copies/mL,肝脏中则分别为8.0×106、5.7×106、2.6×106copies/g肝组织。在3只小鼠肝组织中均检测到环化HBV DNA,提示AAV8载体携带的线性HBV DNA成功回复成环化HB VDNA。免疫组化分析显示3只小鼠肝脏中均存在HBsAg和HBcAg表达;体内转染10周后肝脏组织切片的HE染色分析显示未见明显的炎性细胞浸润及组织结构异常。结果表明,本研究利用高嗜肝性重组8型腺相关病毒载体携带1.3拷贝乙型肝炎病毒基因组(ayw亚型)体内转导C57BL/6小鼠,成功地建立了HBV病毒在肝内稳定复制并持续表达HBV抗原的小鼠模型,为进一步研究HBV慢性持续感染的机制与应用于药物以及疫苗评价打下了基础。     

The Pseudomonas aeruginosa HSP90-like protein HtpG regulates IL-8 expression through NF-κB/p38 MAPK and CYLD signaling triggered by TLR4 and CD91

Pulmonary infection activates acute inflammatory responses by recruiting neutrophils to the infection site; this recruitment is promoted by interleukin-8 (IL-8). However, IL-8 production in response to Pseudomonas aeruginosa HtpG (PA1596), a homolog of heat shock protein 90, has yet not been characterized in detail. htpG expression in P. aeruginosa strain was elevated upon infection of host cells, and HtpG was released into bacterial culture supernatant. Treatment of dTHP-1 macrophages with recombinant HtpG (rHtpG) increased production of IL-8 in a dose- and time-dependent manner, and this effect was abolished by inhibition of nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-κB) and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) p38 signaling. By contrast, the rHtpG-mediated production of IL-8 was increased by suppression of cylindromatosis (CYLD), suggesting that CYLD is a negative regulator of this pathway. The upregulation of expression was coordinated by signals transmitting through toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) with the aid of CD91. Together, these observations suggest that P. aeruginosa HtpG activates NF-κB, CYLD, and p38 MAPK in a TLR4-and CD91-dependent manner, leading to stimulation of IL-8 production in macrophages.     

Proteolysis of HIP during apoptosis occurs within a region similar to the BID loop

BID is an essential component of many apoptotic pathways. Cytosolic proteases cleave BID within an extended loop region, generating an active truncated fragment which synergizes with BAX and BAK to induce release of apoptogenic factors from mitochondria. To determine whether other proteins are cleaved in a similar manner as BID, we performed a database search for proteins which possess sequence similarity with the BID loop region. One of the proteins identified was the Hsc70-interacting protein (HIP). We analyzed the cleavage pattern of HIP using two known activators of BID: granzyme B and caspase-8. In in vitro cleavage assays using recombinant proteins, human and rat HIP were cleaved by granzyme B. Furthermore, the granzyme B-mediated cleavage site was mapped to the BID loop-like region of HIP by site-directed mutagenesis. This region was also the target for caspase-8-mediated cleavage in rat HIP. However, human HIP was not proteolyzed by caspase-8, which probably reflects sequence differences between human and rat HIP proteins at the P₁′ position of the caspase-8 recognition sequence. To determine whether HIP is cleaved during apoptosis, human Jurkat T cells were exposed to granzyme B and perforin. The results of these studies suggest that granzyme B-mediated loss of HIP expression occurs in vivo, and in a coordinate fashion with loss of BID, pro-caspase-8 and pro-caspase-3. These data implicate the Hsp70 co-chaperone HIP in the proteolytic cascade of some apoptotic pathways.     

Necrosis-dependent and independent signaling of the RIP kinases in inflammation

It is now widely accepted that some forms of necrosis are controlled by a dedicated signaling pathway triggered by various cell surface and intracellular receptors. This regulated form of necrosis is mediated by the kinase activity of receptor-interacting protein kinase 1 (RIP1/RIPK1) and/or RIP3/RIPK3. A number of studies using the RIP1 kinase inhibitor Necrostatin-1 (Nec-1) and its derivatives, or RIP3-deficient mice demonstrated that RIP1 and RIP3 are involved in various infectious and sterile inflammatory diseases. As a consequence, these specific phenotypes were construed to depend on necrosis. However, emerging evidence indicates that the RIP1 kinase activity and RIP3 can also control apoptosis and inflammatory cytokine production independent of necrosis. Therefore, we may need to re-interpret conclusions drawn based on loss of RIP1 or RIP3 functions in in vivo models. We propose that studies of RIP1 and RIP3 in different inflammatory responses need to consider cell death-dependent and independent mechanisms of the RIP kinases.     

Function of RAD6B and RNF8 in spermatogenesis

Histone ubiquitination regulates sperm formation and is important for nucleosome removal during spermatogenesis. RNF8 is an E3 ubiquitin ligase, and RAD6B is an E2 ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme. Both proteins participate in DNA damage repair processes via histone ubiquitination. Loss of RNF8 or RAD6B can lead to sterility in male mice. However, the specific mechanisms regulating these ubiquitin-mediated processes are unclear. In this study, we found that RNF8 knockout mice were either subfertile or sterile based on the numbers of offspring they produced. We explored the mechanism by which RAD6B and RNF8 knockouts cause infertility in male mice and compared the effects of their loss on spermatogenesis. Our results demonstrate that RAD6B can polyubiquitinate histones H2 A and H2B. In addition, RNF8 was shown to monoubiquitinate histones H2 A and H2B. Furthermore, we observed that absence of histone ubiquitination was not the only reason for infertility. Senescence played a role in intensifying male sterility by affecting the number of germ cells during spermatogenesis. In summary, both histone ubiquitination and senescence play important roles in spermatogenesis.