载脂蛋白E与阿尔茨海默病的关系

阿尔茨海默病(Alzheimer disease,AD)是最常见的一种老年性痴呆症,临床上以进行性记忆丧失和认知功能障碍为特征。流行病学资料表明,载脂蛋白E(apolipoprotein E,ApoE)的基因多态性与AD密切相关。ApoE不但影响了AD的发生年龄与危险性,还与AD特征性病理改变神经原纤维缠结(neurofibrillary tangle,NFT)和老年斑(senile plaque,SP)共定位。研究发现,ApoE可促进β-淀粉样肽(β—amyloid peptide,Aβ)的沉积和SP的形成,C末端切除的ApoE片段则促使Tau蛋白的过度磷酸化及NFT的形成,并进一步引起神经变性和行为缺陷。同时,ApoE还与炎症因子的表达相关。上述证据均提示了ApoE及其基因多态性在AD发病机制中的重要作用。     

β-淀粉样蛋白-血红素复合物和蛋白质酪氨酸硝化及其与阿尔茨海默症的关系

β-淀粉样蛋白(Amyloid-β,Aβ)是阿尔茨海默症(Alzheimer’s disease,AD)病人大脑中淀粉样斑块的主要组成部分。β-淀粉样蛋白级联假说指出,Aβ在脑实质的沉积是最终导致阿尔茨海默症的一个关键步骤。目前的大量研究表明,相对于高度聚集的Aβ,可溶性的Aβ低聚物可能与认知功能障碍的关联性更强。血红素(heme)的代谢在AD患者大脑中发生了改变。近来发现heme可与Aβ结合,形成一个复合物Aβ-heme,该复合物拥有显著高于heme的过氧化物酶活性,具有比heme更强的催化蛋白质酪氨酸硝化的能力。这个结果提示,Aβ-heme可能是联系Aβ与AD中大量蛋白质发生硝化的关键分子。同时,Aβ与heme的结合改变了heme催化蛋白质硝化的位点选择性。这些研究对于阐明Aβ和heme在体内可能的生理作用具有重要意义。     

早老素与阿尔茨海默病

早老素(presenilin,PS)与阿尔茨海默病(alzheimer’s disease,AD)密切相关,其基因突变是遗传性家族型AD的主要病因。PS可能作为γ分泌酶和(或)通过影响蛋白质的膜转运参与β淀粉样前体蛋白质(β-amyloid precur-sor protein,APP)代谢生成Aβ42的过程,而PS多蛋白质复合物的形成可能是其中的关键步骤,突变的PS则通过“获得功能”的方式引起Aβ42的产生和沉积增加。PS还可能通过影响未折叠蛋白质反应等多种途径来影响神经细胞对凋亡的敏感性。本综述旨在探讨PS在AD中的上述病理作用。     

维生素C保护Aβ1-40Cu(Ⅱ)复合物引起的神经元氧化损伤

老年斑中存在大量β 淀粉样蛋白（β-amyloid, Aβ）是老年痴呆症（Alzheimer′s disease, AD）的重要病理特征.大量数据表明,Aβ上具有与过渡态金属离子共价结合的位点,二者能结合成为寡聚复合物. Aβ_1-40Cu（Ⅱ）复合物通过Cu²⁺的还原催化O₂产生H₂O₂但反应机制不清.本文尝试以天然抗氧化剂维生素C（VC）来对抗Aβ_1-40及Aβ_1-40Cu（Ⅱ）复合物产生的H₂O₂对原代培养的神经细胞的毒性.结果表明,VC能够起到显著的保护作用,其有效浓度为1mmol/L.本文用胞外乳酸脱氢酶泄漏量和H₂O₂生成量的数据证实了细胞存活率（MTT实验）的实验结果.这些结果表明,Aβ_1-40Cu（Ⅱ）复合物能够释放更多的H₂O₂,引发细胞膜破裂并最终引起细胞死亡.加入VC后,神经元受到的损伤较轻,提示VC在保护细胞免受氧化损伤方面发挥了重要作用.     

淀粉样β蛋白质构象转换及其抑制的分子动力学模拟

阿尔茨海默病(AD)是多发于老年人的神经退行性疾病。淀粉样β蛋白质(Aβ)的错误折叠和聚集与AD的发生与发展密切相关。以Aβ的错误折叠和聚集为靶标进行AD防治药物研究已成为近年来AD研究领域的热点之一。从初始的α-螺旋结构或无规卷曲构象转换形成富含β-折叠结构是Aβ聚集的关键步骤。本文中,笔者综述利用分子动力学(MD)模拟研究Aβ构象转换的分子机制,介绍MD模拟在小分子和多肽抑制剂抑制Aβ构象转换中的应用。     

综述:靶向淀粉样蛋白的阿尔茨海默病药物研究进展

淀粉样蛋白级联假说是阐释阿尔茨海默病(Alzheimer's disease,AD)发病机制的主要学说之一,即脑内过量的β-淀粉样蛋白(β-amyloid,Aβ)是促发AD的核心因素．因此,靶向Aβ形成、聚集和清除等关键环节的药物开发是目前药物研究的热点．但近年来AD新药临床试验屡屡失败,至今尚未得到一种切实有效的治疗药物．淀粉样蛋白级联假说的局限性和痴呆期患者疾病进程的难以逆转,可能是临床试验反复失败的两个主要原因．借助AD早期诊断技术的发展,将药物干预的时间窗口前移,重视痴呆前期病理机制与治疗的研究,可能是研制延缓AD发生和发展有效药物的新途径．     

Aβ-Cu复合物与Aβ纤丝对小胶质细胞激活作用比较研究

目的:比较具有氧化还原活性的过渡金属离子Cu~(2+)(Cu)诱导形成的Aβ聚集物(Aβ-Cu复合物)与Aβ自聚集形成的纤丝(Fibrillar Aβ,f Aβ)对小胶质细胞激活作用的差异。方法:制备Aβ-Cu复合物和fAβ,利用小鼠BV-2小胶质细胞株,分别以不同浓度的Aβ-Cu复合物和fAβ于37℃刺激24 h,检测细胞上清液中的TNF-α(Tumor necrosis factor-α)、NO(Nitric oxide)以及H_2O_2(Hydrogen Peroxide)的含量。分别收集Aβ-Cu复合物和f Aβ作用24 h后的大鼠原代小胶质细胞条件培养液,通过观察该条件培养液对大鼠原代海马神经元细胞活力的影响,评价小胶质细胞介导的间接神经元毒性。结果:(1)在不引起直接神经毒性剂量(2.5μM)下,Aβ-Cu复合物激活小胶质细胞释放TNF-α(P0.01)、NO(P0.05)以及H_2O_2(P0.05)的作用强于f Aβ。(2)在此剂量下,Aβ-Cu复合物通过激活小胶质细胞引起的间接神经元毒性强于fAβ(P0.05)。结论:与fAβ相比,非神经毒性剂量的Aβ-Cu复合物对于小胶质细胞具有更强的激活作用,并由此引发更为明显的神经元毒性。     

凝溶胶蛋白治疗阿尔茨海默症的研究进展

阿尔茨海默症(Alzheimer’s disease,AD)的病理学特征之一是患者脑内存在以β-淀粉样肽(Aβ)为主要成分的老年斑。大量的实验证据表明,以Aβ为靶目标,清除老年斑有助于提高患者的认知能力,是防治AD的一个重要研究方向。凝溶胶蛋白在细胞骨架结构重排和细胞运动等过程中都发挥重要作用。目前多个小组的研究成果显示,凝溶胶蛋白与AD的发生、发展密切相关。凝溶胶蛋白能够抑制Aβ积聚形成纤维,也能够引发已形成的Aβ纤维发生解聚。更重要的是,凝溶胶蛋白能够清除转基因AD模型小鼠脑内的老年斑和降低Aβ的水平。未来凝溶胶蛋白有可能被应用于AD的预防和治疗。     

Cu（Ⅱ） Potentiation of Alzheimer Aβ1-40 Cytotoxicity and Transition on its Secondary Structure

Mounting evidence has shown that dyshomeostasis of the redox-active biometals such as Cuand Fe can lead to oxidative stress,which plays a key role in the neuropathology of Alzheimer's disease(AD).Here we demonstrate that with the formation of Cu(Ⅱ)·Aβ1-40 complexes,copper markedly potentiatesthe neurotoxicity exhibited by β-amyloid peptide (Aβ).A greater amount of hydrogen peroxide was releasedwhen Cu(Ⅱ)·Aβ1-40 complexes was added to the xanthine oxidase/xanthine system detected by potassiumiodide spectrophotometry.Copper bound to Aβ1-40 was observed by electron paramagnetic resonance(EPR) spectroscopy.Circular dichroism (CD) studies indicated that copper chelation could cause a structuraltransition of Aβ.The addition of copper to Aβ introduced an increase on β-sheet as well as α-helix,whichmay be responsible for the aggregation of Aβ.We hypothesized that Aβ aggregation induced by copper maybe responsible for local injury in AD.The interaction between Cu~(2 ) and Aβ also provides a possible mechanismfor the enrichment of metal ions in amyloid plaques in the AD brain.     

β-淀粉样蛋白对海马长时程增强的影响

β-淀粉样蛋白(amyloid β-protein,Aβ)在脑内沉积形成的老年斑是阿尔茨海默病(Alzheimer’sdisease,AD)的一个主要病理特征。然而,目前研究表明,在AD出现神经变性前的早期记忆功能障碍中,可溶性Aβ已经发挥了重要作用。可溶性Aβ引起认知功能下降的机制目前尚不清楚。海马长时程增强(long-term potentiation,LTP)是反映突触可塑性的重要指标,被认为与学习和记忆的形成有关。关于Aβ影响海马LTP的研究报道,尤其是利用转基因动物取得的研究成果,为解释AD患者出现的学习记忆功能障碍提供了有力的实验证据。本文结合近年来对AD进行的诸多基础性研究,扼要介绍了Aβ尤其是可溶性Aβ及其活性片段对海马LTP的影响,并讨论了Aβ抑制海马LTP的可能机制。     

Investigation of the mechanism of temperature sensitivity of the electroreceptors of ampullae of lorenzini

In experiments on Black Sea skates (Raja clavata), the potential of the receptor epithelium of the ampullae of Lorenzini and spike activity of single nerve fibers connected to them were investigated during electrical and temperature stimulation. Usually the potential within the canal was between 0 and –2 mV, and the input resistance of the ampulla 250–400 k. Heating of the region of the receptor epithelium was accompanied by a negative wave of potential, an increase in input resistance, and inhibition of spike activity. With worsening of the animal's condition the transepithelial potential became positive (up to +10 mV) but the input resistance of the ampulla during stimulation with a positive current was nonlinear in some cases: a regenerative spike of positive polarity appeared in the channel. During heating, the spike response was sometimes reversed in sign. It is suggested that fluctuations of the transepithelial potential and spike responses to temperature stimulation reflect changes in the potential difference on the basal membrane of the receptor cells, which is described by a relationship of the Nernst's or Goldman's equation type.I. P. Pavlov Institute of Physiology, Academy of Sciences of the USSR, Leningrad. I. M. Sechenov, Institute of Evolutionary Physiology and Biochemistry, Academy of Sciences of the USSR, Leningrad. Pacific Institute of Oceanology, Far Eastern Scientific Center, Academy of Sciences of the USSR, Vladivostok. Translated from Neirofiziologiya, Vol. 12, No. 1, pp. 67–74, January–February, 1980.     

Principles of organization and evolution of systems of regulation of functions

Evolution of living organisms is closely connected with evolution of structure of the system of regulations and its mechanisms. The functional ground of regulations is chemical signalization. As early as in unicellular organisms there is a set of signal mechanisms providing their life activity and orientation in space and time. Subsequent evolution of ways of chemical signalization followed the way of development of delivery pathways of chemical signal and development of mechanisms of its regulation. The mechanism of chemical regulation of the signal interaction is discussed by the example of the specialized system of transduction of signal from neuron to neuron, of effect of hormone on the epithelial cell and modulation of this effect. These mechanisms are considered as the most important ways of the fine and precise adaptation of chemical signalization underlying functioning of physiological systems and organs of the living organism