Evaluation of the immunomodulatory effect of the 14 kDa protein isolated from aged garlic extract on dendritic cells

Garlic is used all over the world for treatment of different diseases. A wide range of biological activities of garlic has been verified in vitro and in vivo. One of major proteins of garlic which has been isolated and purified is the 14 kDa protein. This protein has been shown to have immunomodulatory effects. In this study, the effect of the 14 kDa protein isolated from aged garlic extract (AGE) was investigated on maturation and immunomodulatory activity of dendritic cells (DC). Proteins were purified from AGE by biochemical method; the semi-purified 14 kDa protein was run on gel filtration Sephadex G50 and its purity was checked by SDS–PAGE. DC were isolated from spleen of BALB/c mice by Nycodenz centrifugation and their adhesiveness to plastic dish. 14 kDa protein from AGE was added to overnight culture of DC medium and the expression percentage of CD40, CD86, and MHC-II was evaluated by flowcytometric analysis. Also, proliferation of T-cells was measured by allogenic mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR) test. The purified 14 kDa protein isolated from AGE increased the expression of CD40 molecule on DC, but it did not influence CD86 and MHCII molecules. Furthermore, no significant differences were noticed in the pulsed-DC with 14 kDa protein and non-pulsed DC on the MLR.     

Identification, cellular localization, isolation, and characterization of human Clara cell-specific 10 KD protein

Human lung lavage proteins were fractionated by centrifugation and molecular sieving. An antiserum to the post-albumin fraction of the soluble proteins reacted with a 10 KD protein and this protein was isolated by conventional chromatography. The protein, which has a pI of 4.8, consists of two 5 KD polypeptides and is rich in glutamic acid, leucine, serine, and aspartic acid amino acids. The protein does not bind to concanavalin A, pancreatic elastase, leukocyte elastase, or trypsin, and lacks anti-protease activity. It constitutes about 0.15% of the soluble proteins in lung lavage. Antibodies to the 10 KD protein specifically and exclusively stain Clara cells in human, dog, and rat. Staining of granules of Clara cells was prominent in the distal bronchioles; however, the non-ciliated cells of respiratory bronchioles did not stain for the 10 KD protein. This 10 KD protein appears in fetal lungs at 21 weeks of gestation, and was present in about 10% of the primary pulmonary adenocarcinomas. As a specific marker for Clara cells, this protein could be useful in the study of development, regulation of secretion, and pathobiology of these cells.     

BHK_(21)细胞的中间纤维-lamina-核骨架体系

以系列选择性抽提技术与显示细胞骨架的整装电镜技术为基础,应用免疫胶体金标记与蛋白质成份的双向电泳分析技术,研究了BHK_(21)细胞的中间纤维-lamina与核骨架(核基质)结构体系及其主要的蛋白成份。BHK_(21)细胞的中间纤维-lamina与核骨架是在结构上相互联系,贯穿于核与质的网络体系。中间纤维单丝直径为10nm,能很好地被抗波形蛋白抗体-金颗粒所标记,生化分析同样说明BHK_(21)细胞中间纤维的主要成份是波形蛋白(vimentin),其分子量为55KD,等电点为5.6。中间纤维网在胞质内呈极性分布,与lamina密切联结。BHK_(21)细胞的lamina能被抗lamin A与C的单克隆抗体-金颗粒标记。双向电泳分析证明,lamina含有三种蛋白成份,即lamin A,B,C,其分子最分别为68KD,70KD与62KD,lamin A,C等电点均为6.9—7.2,而lamin B偏酸,其等电点为5.8。BHK_(21)细胞核骨架纤维网也可以被清晰的显示,其蛋白成份较为复杂,在双向电泳谱上经常出现多个清晰的斑点,很可能含有肌动蛋白(actin)。298KD核基质蛋白的单克隆抗体-金颗粒能准确的标记核骨架纤维。     

Association of a cytoplasmic dynein-like protein recognizable by anti-MAP 1C with the mammalian mitotic spindle

A rabbit antibody to bovine brain MAP 1C was prepared. The antibody stained the mitotic spindle of PtK2 cells by immunofluorescence. On immunoblots of PtK2 cell extract the antibody reacted with polypeptides of molecular weights greater than 350 and 80 KD that resemble the subunit proteins of bovine brain MAP 1C. An additional 135 KD polypeptide in the extract was also stained. These results indicate that a cytoplasmic dynein recognizable by the anti-MAP 1C antibody is localized in the mitotic spindle.     

The specific binding of peptide ligands to cardiomyocytes derived from mouse embryonic stem cells

Purification of pluripotent stem cell (PSC)‐derived cardiomyocytes is critical for the application of cardiomyocytes both in clinical and basic research. Finding a specific cell marker is a promising method for purifying induced cells. The present study employed phage display technology to search for particular cell markers that could bind specifically to PSC‐derived cardiomyocytes. After three rounds of biopanning, several peptides were obtained. The ELISA results show the no. 3 sequence peptide (QPFTTSLTPPAR), and other four sequences having a consensus motif [SS(Q)PPQ(S)], no. 9, 11, 14, and 10, have relatively high affinity and specificity to cardiomyocytes. Immunofluorescence confirmed that the selected peptides could bind specifically to the PSC‐derived cardiomyocytes. Competition tests with chemically synthesized peptides revealed the binding ability was caused by the peptide itself. Western blot analysis proved the phages were both bound to two 17 kDa cardiomyocyte membrane proteins and the no. 9 sequence showed a 55 kDa protein that was not observed in the no. 3 sequence. These results suggest that the selected peptides specifically target receptors on PSC‐derived cardiomyocyte membranes. The results will pave the way for further studies of cell surface markers and their applications, such as labeling, purification, and as vehicles for drug delivery. Copyright © 2011 European Peptide Society and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

百合生殖细胞和精细胞的大量制备及其蛋白组成的比较

新鲜的或低温贮存的兰州百合(Lilium davidii Duch.)花粉,在BKS15中萌发,分别收集萌发5h和30h的花粉管,采用低渗冲击胀破和percoll密度梯度离心纯化等方法,获得批量纯化的生殖细胞和精细胞。用10%三氯乙酸和丙酮沉淀制备生殖细胞和精细胞的蛋白质,用SDS-PAGE对两种细胞蛋白质进行比较。结果表明,二者在蛋白质组成成分上没有明显差异;但在蛋白质的含量上有两种成分差异显著,即:精细胞中的40KD蛋白多于生殖细胞;而98KD蛋白又少于生殖细胞。对40KD和98KD蛋白质的可能生理功能进行了讨论。     

用双向电泳分析百合减数第一分裂周期蛋白质的变化

利用双向电泳方法检测到百合减数第一分裂花粉母细胞内约有130种蛋白质组分,其中有两类蛋白质呈现周期性变化。70KD／pI6.1,66KD/pI6.4,68KD/pI7.2在中期、后期消失,末期重新出现;而10KD／pI5.3则在中、后期出现、末期消人。在减数第一分裂不同时期也有多种蛋白质的合成与降解现象,20KD/pI3.7,17KD/pI3.8,16KD/pI3.7,15KD/pI3.3,11KD/pI3.8,10KD/pI3.7六种蛋白质在后期合成;蛋白质呈现出周期变化和在不同分裂时期的合成与降解可能与减数分裂不同时期的周期调控有关。     

Ultrastructural localization of rat Clara cell 10 KD secretory protein by the immunogold technique using polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies

Using a monoclonal antibody and affinity-purified polyclonal antiserum against a 10 KD protein isolated from rat pulmonary lavage, we have localized the protein within Clara cells by a post-embedment protein A-gold technique. The gold particles were localized over the secretory granules of rat Clara cells. Ultrastructural immunolocalization was abolished when the primary antibodies were previously absorbed with purified 10 KD protein. Other pulmonary cells, including type II pneumocytes and ciliated cells, were negative with this technique. These results demonstrate the presence of the 10 KD protein in the secretory granules of the Clara cell and support the concept that this protein constitutes a specific and unique secretory product of Clara cells.     

Immunocytochemical demonstration of a pancreatic secretory protein of unknown function in human duodenum

We have previously isolated from human pancreatic juice a secretory glycoprotein of 19 KD (P19), devoid of known enzymatic activity. P19 gave by proteolysis a protein of 14 KD (P14), at first named protein X and also called pancreatic thread protein or pancreatic stone protein. Specific rabbit immunosera prepared against P19 and P14 were applied to localize these proteins in human small intestine. By comparison, antibodies directed against some human pancreatic enzymes (amylase, lipase, chymotrypsin, trypsinogen 1, trypsinogen 2, and trypsin 1) were also tested. Positive immunoreactivity was observed on Paneth cells with antisera directed against trypsinogens, trypsin 1, and P19-related proteins. In addition, antisera directed against P19-related proteins stained the columnar cells located in the crypts of Lieberkühn. These original findings are a further indication of the resemblance between Paneth and pancreatic acinar cells but show that their functional analogy is only partial. On the other hand, the presence of P19-related proteins on non-mature columnar cells suggests that this differential distribution is a consequence of differentiation.     

An antigen cross-reacting with anti-laminin sera is found in the submembranous cortical region of various cells in culture

Laminin is a complex extracellular matrix molecule consisting of one A-subunit (Mr400KD) and 3 B-subunits (Mr220KD) and is found in the basement membrane. Even though it is now apparent that different cell types are synthesizing laminin-like molecules, the role of these molecules in different systems is not well understood. We have characterized laminin and raised specific antiserum in rabbits. The distribution of laminin was studied by indirect immunofluorescence in different cells such as PFHR-9, WI-38, MRC-5, CHO, 3T3, WI38VA132RA, RAW264-7 and Ki3T3. All normal and transformed cells display a high amount of intracellular submembranous network-like component cross-reacting with antilaminin serum (anti-Lm) and not with anti-fibronectin (anti-Fn) serum as seen by immunofluorescence in permeabilized cells. Preabsorption of anti-Lm with increasing amounts of laminin progressively decreased the staining of the submembranous network. Anti-Lm sera from four other laboratories also showed similar staining pattern. The structural and non-secretory nature of this submembranous staining was confirmed by (a) inhibiting protein synthesis in 0.5% serum and 4 micrograms/ml puromycin and (b) by immunoelectron microscopy of permeabilized cells. Immunoprecipitation of 3H-leucine labelled cellular proteins with anti-laminin sera showed proteins of Mr 220-210 KD in SDS-PAGE fluorography. These studies suggest that an antigen(s) crossreacting with anti-Lm sera is localized in the membrane associated cytoskeletal region where spectrin/fodrin family of proteins have been localized.     

Pathological features of primary sclerosing cholangitis identified by bile proteomic analysis

Primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) is a chronic cholestatic liver disease of unknown origin. Previous bile proteomic analyses in patients with PSC have revealed changes in disease activity specific to malignant transformation. In this study, we established a reference bile duct-derived bile proteome for PSC that can be used to evaluate biliary pathophysiology. Samples were collected from patients with PSC or with choledocholithiasis (control) (n = 6 each). Furthermore, patients with PSC-associated cholangiocarcinoma (CC) and with CC without concomitant PSC were analyzed. None of the patients showed signs of inflammation or infection based on clinical and laboratory examinations. Proteins overexpressed in patients with PSC relative to control patients were detected by two-dimensional difference gel electrophoresis and identified by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Functional proteomic analysis was performed using STRING software. A total of 101 proteins were overexpressed in the bile fluid of patients with PSC but not in those of controls; the majority of these were predicted to be intracellular and related to the ribosomal and proteasomal pathways. On the other hand, 91 proteins were found only in the bile fluid of controls; most were derived from the extracellular space and were linked to cell adhesion, the complement system, and the coagulation cascade. In addition, proteins associated with inflammation and the innate immune response—e.g., cluster of differentiation 14, annexin-2, and components of the complement system—were upregulated in PSC. The most prominent pathways in PSC/CC-patients were inflammation associated cytokine and chemokine pathways, whereas in CC-patients the Wnt signaling pathway was upregulated. In PSC/CC-patients DIGE-analysis revealed biliary CD14 and Annexin-4 expression, among others, as the most prominent protein that discriminates between both cohorts.Thus, the bile-duct bile proteome of patients with PSC shows disease-specific changes associated with inflammation and the innate immune response even in the absence of obvious clinical signs of cholangitis, malignancy, or inflammation. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Cholangiocytes in Health and Diseaseedited by Jesus Banales, Marco Marzioni and Peter Jansen.     

Crystal structure of KD93, a novel protein expressed in human hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells

The crystal structure of a novel hypothetical protein, KD93, expressed in human hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells, was determined at 1.9A resolution using the multiple-wavelength anomalous dispersion (MAD) method. The protein KD93, which is encoded by the open reading frame HSPC031, is a NIP7 homologue and belongs to the UPF0113 family. The structural and functional information for the group of homologues has not yet been determined. Crystallographic analysis revealed that the overall fold of KD93 consists of two interlinked alpha/beta domains. Structure-based homology analysis with DALI revealed that the C domain of KD93 matches the PUA domain of some RNA modification enzymes, especially that of archaeosine tRNA-ribosyltransferase (ArcTGT), which suggests that its possible molecular function is related to RNA binding. The difference between the RNA binding regions of KD93 and ArcTGT in amino acid constitution and surface electrostatic potential indicate that they may have different RNA binding modes. The N domain of KD93 is a unique structure with no obvious similarity to other proteins with known three-dimensional structures. The high-resolution structure of KD93 provides a first view of a member of the family of hypothetical proteins. And the structure provides a framework to deduce and assay the molecular function of other proteins of the UPF0113 family.     

Electron microscope localization of a protein bound near the origin of simian virus 40 DNA replication.

A salt-stable complex of protein and viral DNA obtained from Simian virus 40 (SV40)-infected monkey cells or mature SV40 virions has a novel structure. When viewed by high resolution electron microscopy, the circular SV40 DNA molecule has bound to it one to three globular protein "knobs". Using ecoRI and hpaII restriction endonucleases, each of which can cleave SV40 DNA once at a known location (10, 11, 12, 14), the bound protein can be localized at 0.7 plus or minis 0.05 on the SV40 DNA physical map (SV40 fractional length, clockwise from the ecoRI endonuclease-cleavage site).     

Nse1 and Nse4, subunits of the Smc5–Smc6 complex,are involved in Dictyostelium development upon starvation

The Smc5–Smc6 complex contains a heterodimeric core of two SMC proteins and non‐Smc elements (Nse1–6), and plays an important role in DNA repair. We investigated the functional roles of Nse4 and Nse1 in Dictyostelium discoideum. Nse4 and Nse3 expressed as Flag‐tagged fusion proteins were highly enriched in nuclei, while Nse1 was localized in whole cells. Using yeast two‐hybrid assays, only the interaction between Nse3 and Nse1 was detected among the combinations. However, all of the interactions among these three proteins were recognized by co‐immunoprecipitation assay using cell lysates prepared from the cells expressing green fluorescent protein (GFP)‐ or Flag‐tagged fusion proteins. GFP‐tagged Nse1, which localized in whole cells, was translocated to nuclei when co‐expressed with Flag‐tagged Nse3 or Nse4. RNAi‐mediated Nse1 and Nse4 knockdown cells (Nse1 KD and Nse4 KD cells) were generated and found to be more sensitive to UV‐induced cell death than control cells. Upon starvation, Nse1 and Nse4 KD cells had increases in the number of smaller fruiting bodies that formed on non‐nutrient agar plates or aggregates that formed under submerged culture. We found a reduction in the mRNA level of pdsA, in vegetative and 8 h‐starved Nse4 KD cells, and pdsA knockdown cells displayed effects similar to Nse4 KD cells. Our results suggest that Nse4 and Nse1 are involved in not only the cellular DNA damage response but also cellular development in D. discoideum.     

Stellate Cells from Rat Pancreas Are Stem Cells and Can Contribute to Liver Regeneration

The identity of pancreatic stem/progenitor cells is still under discussion. They were suggested to derive from the pancreatic ductal epithelium and/or islets. Here we report that rat pancreatic stellate cells (PSC), which are thought to contribute to pancreatic fibrosis, have stem cell characteristics. PSC reside in islets and between acini and display a gene expression pattern similar to umbilical cord blood stem cells and mesenchymal stem cells. Cytokine treatment of isolated PSC induced the expression of typical hepatocyte markers. The PSC-derived hepatocyte-like cells expressed endodermal proteins such as bile salt export pump along with the mesodermal protein vimentin. The transplantation of culture-activated PSC from enhanced green fluorescent protein-expressing rats into wild type rats after partial hepatectomy in the presence of 2-acetylaminofluorene revealed that PSC were able to reconstitute large areas of the host liver through differentiation into hepatocytes and cholangiocytes. This developmental fate of transplanted PSC was confirmed by fluorescence in situ hybridization of chromosome Y after gender-mismatched transplantation of male PSC into female rats. Transplanted PSC displayed long-lasting survival, whereas muscle fibroblasts were unable to integrate into the host liver. The differentiation potential of PSC was further verified by the transplantation of clonally expanded PSC. PSC clones maintained the expression of stellate cell and stem cell markers and preserved their differentiation potential, which indicated self-renewal potential of PSC. These findings demonstrate that PSC have stem cell characteristics and can contribute to the regeneration of injured organs through differentiation across tissue boundaries.     

The intermediate filament-lamina-nuclear matrix system of BHK-21 cells

We have employed collodial gold immuno-labelling in whole-mount cell and 2-D gel electrophoresis to demonstrate the intermediate filament (IF)-lamina-nuclear matrix (NM) system in BHK-21 (Baby Hamster Kidney) cells. Grown on grids, cells were gently extracted with salt solutions as previously described by S. Penman to preserve intact IF-lamina-NM systems. The extracted samples were fixed, postfixed, dehydrated and dried through the CO2 critical point, then examined under high voltage electron microscope (HVEM). The results revealed that the IF-lamina-NM system is a interconnecting network throughout the cell from cytoplasma to nuclear. The IF unit is 10 nm in diameter. IFs radiate away from the nuclear region into the spreading cytoplasm and the polarity of their distributing is obvious. The IF system closely connected to lamina. Immuno-gold labelling and 2-D gel proved that vimentin, a 55 KD protein (pI 5,6), is the major component of IFs in BHK-21 cells. Lamina can be precisely and specifically labelled with anti-lamin A, C proteins and as well as 2-D gel electrophoresis indicated that there are lamin A, B, C proteins in BHK-21 cells, whose molecular weights are 68 KD, 70 KD, 62 KD respectively. Its components are more complicated, but a few dots of NM proteins can be clearly distinguished in 2-D gel map, in which actin, a 45 KD protein (pI 4.5), might be involved. The nuclear matrix network was also clearly presented under HVEM. Its filaments can be labelled with anti-NM 298 KD protein precisely.     

MAN1, an inner nuclear membrane protein that shares the LEM domain with lamina-associated polypeptide 2 and emerin

The "MAN antigens" are polypeptides recognized by autoantibodies from a patient with a collagen vascular disease and localized to the nuclear envelope. We now show that one of the human MAN antigens termed MAN1 is a 82.3-kDa protein with an amino-terminal domain followed by two hydrophobic segments and a carboxyl-terminal tail. The MAN1 gene contains seven protein-coding exons and is assigned to human chromosome 12q14. Its mRNA is approximately 5.5 kilobases and is detected in several different cell types that were examined. Cell extraction experiments show that MAN1 is an integral membrane protein. When expressed in transfected cells, MAN1 is exclusively targeted to the nuclear envelope, consistent with an inner nuclear membrane localization. Protein sequence analysis reveals that MAN1 shares a conserved globular domain of approximately 40 amino acids, which we term the LEM module, with inner nuclear membrane proteins lamina-associated polypeptide 2 and emerin. The LEM module is also present in two proteins of Caenorhabditis elegans. These results show that MAN1 is an integral protein of the inner nuclear membrane that shares the LEM module with other proteins of this subcellular localization.     

Purification and characterization of an early protein (E14K) from adenovirus type 2-infected cells.

One adenovirus type 2 (Ad2) early protein, with an apparent molecular weight of 14,000 in sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gels (E14K), was purified to homogeneity. Purification involved fractionation of cytoplasmic extracts, precipitation at low pH, and DEAE-cellulose, phosphocellulose, and hydroxylapatite chromatography. The yield was around 12 microgram of purified protein per 10(9) HeLa cells. The two Ad2 DNA binding proteins with molecular weights of 75,000 and 45,000 (E75K and E45K) were purified by the same procedure. Tryptic peptide analyses indicated that the E14K protein is unrelated to the DNA binding proteins. The purified E14K protein has a high content of basic amino acids and a sedimentation coefficient of 5.5S in the native state, corresponding to a molecular weight of around 95,000. Pulse-chase experiments suggest that the E14K polypeptide is a primary translation product. Immunoprecipitation with a monospecific antiserum against the E14K protein revealed that it is exclusively localized in the cytoplasm of infected cells. E14K started to be synthesized at 2 hpostinfection, with a maximal rate of synthesis at 4 to 6 h postinfection. Immunoprecipitation of cell extracts from four different Ad2-transformed hamster embryo cell lines revealed that only one (Ad2HE4) of them expresses this protein. The adenovirus-simian virus 40 hybrid virus (Ad2ND1) does not express this protein, suggesting that the gene for the E14K protein is located in the part of the Ad2 genome which is deleted in this hybrid virus.     

Simultaneous detection of highly phosphorylated proteins and viral major DNA binding protein distribution in nuclei of adenovirus type 5-infected HeLa cells.

Highly phosphorylated proteins in situ in sections of Lowicryl-embedded cells are preferentially stained by bismuth, provided that the reactivity of the amino groups is blocked by glutaraldehyde fixation. This study showed that bismuth staining can be preceded by indirect immunocytochemistry using gold particles as markers. As a result, both immunostained and bismuth-stained proteins can be detected concomitantly on the same section. This was also carried out on sections of formaldehyde-fixed cells which were immunolabeled, then post-fixed with glutaraldehyde, and finally exposed to bismuth stain. These procedures were applied to sections of adenovirus Type 5-infected HeLa cells. Bismuth ions and viral anti-72 KD antibody bound concomitantly to intranuclear virus-induced single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) accumulation sites, structures in which viral replicative activity is intermittent, and also to the fibrillogranular peripheral replicative zones which surround the ssDNA accumulation sites and in which replication of viral genomes is continuous. The delicate fibrillar network enclosed within virus-induced compact rings of unknown function is slightly bismuth stained and binds few antibodies to viral 72 KD protein. Three intranuclear structures were stained exclusively with bismuth: the fibrillar component of the nucleolus, which is involved in ribosome formation; the interchromatin granules; and the virus-induced "fibrillar spots" of unknown significance. Thus, not all highly phosphorylated proteins in adenovirus-infected cells are viral 72 KD protein. In glutaraldehyde-fixed Miller spreads of nucleic acid molecules from adenovirus-infected cells, bismuth deposits occurred over unique thick filaments, the only portion of the viral deoxyribonucleoprotein molecules shown to be associated with viral 72 KD protein. In vitro studies revealed that the latter protein, known to be multiply phosphorylated, concomitantly binds anti-72 KD antibody and bismuth ions. These data have broadened the scope of the use of bismuth staining. Taken together, they indicate that in adenovirus infection highly phosphorylated proteins accumulate over intranuclear structures related to both replication of viral genomes and alteration of ribosomal metabolism.     

Inducing β-sheets formation in synthetic spider silk fibers by aqueous post-spin stretching

As a promising biomaterial with numerous potential applications, various types of synthetic spider silk fibers have been produced and studied in an effort to produce man-made fibers with mechanical and physical properties comparable to those of native spider silk. In this study, two recombinant proteins based on Nephila clavipes Major ampullate Spidroin 1 (MaSp1) consensus repeat sequence were expressed and spun into fibers. Mechanical test results showed that fiber spun from the higher molecular weight protein had better overall mechanical properties (70 KD versus 46 KD), whereas postspin stretch treatment in water helped increase fiber tensile strength significantly. Carbon-13 solid-state NMR studies of those fibers further revealed that the postspin stretch in water promoted protein molecule rearrangement and the formation of β-sheets in the polyalanine region of the silk. The rearrangement correlated with improved fiber mechanical properties and indicated that postspin stretch is key to helping the spider silk proteins in the fiber form correct secondary structures, leading to better quality fibers.