Identification of the reactive cysteine residues in yeast dipeptidyl peptidase III

Dipeptidyl peptidases III (DPPs III) form a distinct metallopeptidase family characterized by the unique HEXXGH motif. High susceptibility to inactivation by organomercurials suggests the presence of a reactive cysteine residue(s) in, or close to, their active site. Yeast DPP III contains five Cys, none of which is absolutely conserved within the family. In order to identify reactive residue(s), site-directed mutagenesis on yeast His₆-tagged DPP III was employed to substitute specifically all five cysteine residues to serine. The variant enzymes thus obtained were enzymatically active and showed an overall structure not greatly affected by the mutations as judged by circular dichroism. Analysis by native and SDS-PAGE under non-reducing conditions revealed the existence of a monomeric and dimeric form in all DPP III proteins except in the C130S, implying that dimerization of yeast DPP III is mediated by the surface-exposed cysteine 130.     

Triterpene glycosides from Astragalus icmadophilus

Six cycloartane-type triterpene glycosides were isolated from Astragalus icmadophilus along with two known cycloartane-type glycosides, five known oleanane-type triterpene glycosides and one known flavonol glycoside. The structures of the six compounds were established as 3-O-[α-L-arabinopyranosyl-(1 → 2)-O-3-acetoxy-α-L-arabinopyranosyl]-6-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-3β,6α,16β,24(S),25-pentahydroxycycloartane, 3-O-[α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1 → 2)-O-α-L-arabinopyranosyl-(1 → 2)-O-β-D-xylopyranosyl]-6-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-3β,6α,16β,24(S),25-pentahydroxy cycloartane, 3-O-[α-L-arabinopyranosyl-(1 → 2)-O-3,4-diacetoxy-α-L-arabinopyranosyl]-6-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-3β,6α,16β,24(S),25-pentahydroxycycloartane, 3-O-[α-L-arabinopyranosyl-(1 → 2)-O-3-acetoxy-α-L-arabinopyranosyl]-6-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-3β,6α,16β,25-tetrahydroxy-20(R),24(S)-epoxycycloartane, 3-O-[α-L-arabinopyranosyl-(1 → 2)-O-β-D-xylopyranosyl]-6-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-3β,6α,16β,24α-tetrahydroxy-20(R),25-epoxycycloartane, 3-O-[α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1 → 2)-O-α-L-arabinopyranosyl-(1 → 2)-O-β-D-xylopyranosyl]-6-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-3β,6α,16β,24α-tetrahydroxy-20(R),25-epoxycycloartane by the extensive use of 1D- and 2D-NMR experiments along with ESIMS and HRMS analysis.The first four compounds are cyclocanthogenin and cycloastragenol glycosides, whereas the last two are based on cyclocephalogenin as aglycone, more unusual in the plant kingdom, so far reported only from Astragalus spp.     

^125I标记白眉蝮蛇毒精氨酸酯酶代谢动力学研究

研究白眉蝮蛇(Agkistrodon halys ussuriensis)毒精氨酸酯酶的代谢动力学,为临床应用提供依据。125I标记的精氨酸酯酶对大鼠一侧颈静脉给药,不同时间从另一测颈静脉取血。5h后处死动物,取各组织、尿液、胆汁和粪便,对各样本的放射性进行测定并拟合时间-放射性关系曲线。代谢动力学拟合曲线符合一室模型,其中生物半衰期T1/2为55.9min,K值为0.0124min-1。125I标记的精氨酸酯酶在体内各组织广泛分布,但有血脑屏障存在,肝、肾和尿液中的放射性比其它组织要高很多,主要通过肝脏降解,肾脏排泄。     

Synthesis of egonol derivatives and their antimicrobial activities

Eighteen derivatives of egonol (A-R) were synthesized and evaluated for their antimicrobial activities against Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 29213, Bacillus subtilis ATCC 6633, Candida albicans ATCC 10231 and Escherichia coli ATCC 8739 microorganisms comparing with egonol. The obtained data reported that compound B exhibited improved activities against all tested bacteria than egonol, others have shown different range of activities.     

Proteomic analysis of changes in protein expression in liver mitochondria in apoE knockout mice

The involvement of both apolipoprotein E (apoE) and mitochondria in lipid metabolism is widely recognized, however there is surprisingly scarce data about the putative mitochondrial action(s) of this protein. The aim of the study was to screen the alterations in liver mitochondrial proteome caused by apoE deficiency. We applied 2DE-LC-MS/MS methodology to investigate the changes in liver mitochondrial protein expression in 6-months old apoE(-/-) mice as compared to C57BL/6J controls. ApoE(-/-), but not C57BL/6J mice developed visible atherosclerotic changes in aorta and mild, diffuse steatosis of the liver. Collectively, 18 differentially expressed proteins were identified in mitochondria, related to apoptosis, antioxidant and detoxifying mechanisms of mitochondria, as well as lipid metabolism and transport. In conclusion, differential proteomic approach revealed several lines of proteomic evidence that mitochondrial function in the liver of apoE(-/-) mice could be altered as a result of overlapping of pathological and compensatory changes in expression of proteins.     

C-met及相关基因在m大鼠胰腺发育功能完善中的表达

目的：研究原癌基因c—met及其相关基因在大鼠胰腺发育及细胞功能完善过程中的表达。方法：采用高密度寡核苷酸芯片（Affymetrix芯片）对孕12．5（E12．5）、E15．5和E18．5、新生、成年胰腺进行基因转录水平分析,并用RT—PCR验证基因在大鼠胰腺不同发育时期的表达。结果：c—met基因在E15．5、E18．5较成年特异高表达。芯片中c—met转录调控基因和信号传导通路相关基因的表达趋势与c—met高度相似。RT—PCR（所用引物设计区域与芯片相同）验证,c—met表达趋势与芯片结果相符;与芯片c—met探针所用引物不同RT—PCR,结果却在各发育阶段呈现与芯片不同的表达趋势。结论：提示c—met可能在胰腺发育细胞功能完善的关键阶段起调控作用,参与胚胎胰腺发育中晚期细胞功能完善的信号传导过程。并且c—met在胰腺发育中发挥作用有可能存在不同转录本。     

56例卵巢上皮性交界性肿瘤的临床和病理分析

目的：探讨卵巢交界性上皮肿瘤（OBT）的临床及病理特征,以供临床和病理借鉴.方法：收集病理快速冰冻切片和石蜡切片确诊的交界性上皮性卵巢肿瘤患者56例,术前均行超声检查及CA125测定.结果：56例OBT中以粘液性肿瘤最多,为33例,占58.9%,浆液性肿瘤23例占41.1%.其中以Ⅰ期多见,手术包括保守性手术治疗交界性肿瘤,预后良好.冰冻切片诊断卵巢交界性上皮肿瘤的总体准确率为64.2%.结论：诊断OBT需根据临床症状、肿瘤标记物及影像学综合判断,术中冰冻切片检查有一定帮助,但最后诊断还是应主要依据病理切片.为提高快速冰冻切片诊断的准确率,应做连续切片.     

氧化应激与糖尿病

高血糖引起的自由基产生过多或消除障碍导致氧化应激的出现,氧化应激与糖尿病及其并发症的发生发展密切相关。抗氧化治疗为糖尿病及并发症的防治提供了新的思路。