Hypoxia enhances antibody‐dependent dengue virus infection

Dengue virus (DENV) has been found to replicate in lymphoid organs such as the lymph nodes, spleen, and liver in post‐mortem analysis. These organs are known to have low oxygen levels (~0.5–4.5% O₂) due to the vascular anatomy. However, how physiologically low levels of oxygen affect DENV infection via hypoxia‐induced changes in the immune response remains unknown. Here, we show that monocytes adapted to 3% O₂ show greater susceptibility to antibody‐dependent enhancement of DENV infection. Low oxygen level induces HIF1α‐dependent upregulation of fragment crystallizable gamma receptor IIA (FcγRIIA) as well as HIF1α‐independent alterations in membrane ether lipid concentrations. The increased FcγRIIA expression operates synergistically with altered membrane composition, possibly through increase membrane fluidity, to increase uptake of DENV immune complexes for enhanced infection. Our findings thus indicate that the increased viral burden associated with secondary DENV infection is antibody‐dependent but hypoxia‐induced and suggest a role for targeting hypoxia‐induced factors for anti‐dengue therapy.     

牦牛MC1R基因的克隆测序及其分析研究

以麦洼牦牛、斯布牦牛、天祝牦牛和九龙牦牛为研究对象,对黑色素皮质素受体1(Melanocortin receptor I,MCIR)基因编码区进行了克隆测序及分析.结果表明,牦牛的MC1R基因编码区全长954 bp,编码317个氨基酸:4个牦牛品种间及与普通牛间在MC1R基因的编码区内共有13个碱基差异,无碱基的插入和缺失现象,编码蛋白共有9个氨基酸差异.MC1R蛋白为亲水性蛋白,无信号肽,有糖基化位点和7个跨膜区.系统进化分析显示,麦洼牦牛与斯布牦牛的MC1R基因相似性最近.本研究结果时今后开展MC1R基因与牦牛毛色性状的相关性分析以及牦牛的毛色遗传机理、基因定位、基因表达调控等研究具有重要的意义.     

Characterization of the effectors required for stable inheritance of Streptococcus pyogenes pSM19035-derived plasmids in Bacillus subtilis

The low-copy-number and broad-host-range pSM19035-derived plasmid pBT233 is stably inherited in Bacillus subtilis cells. Two distinct regions, segA and segB, enhance the segregational stability of the plasmid. Both regions function in a replicon-independent manner. The maximization of random plasmid segregation is accomplished by the recombination proficiency of the host or the presence of the pBT233 segA region. The segA region contains two open reading frames (or) [ and ]. Inactivation or deletion of or results in SegA^– plasmids. Better than random segregation requires an active segB region. The segB region contains two ors (or and or). Inactivation of either of the orfs does not lead to an increase in cell death, but or^– plasmids are randomly segregated. These results suggest that pBT233 stabilization relies on a complex system involving resolution of plasmid oligomers (segA) and on the function(s) encoded by the segB region.     

不同营养条件对东海原甲藻和中肋骨条藻竞争参数的影响

以东海原甲藻和中肋骨条藻为研究对象,采用室内单种培养和混合培养,设置不同的氮、磷营养条件,研究了不同营养条件对两种微藻的生长状况和种间竞争参数的影响.结果表明:随着氮、磷浓度的增加,两种藻的最大生物量均呈增加趋势,混合培养中两种微藻的比生长率低于单独培养.在混合培养中,生长前期中肋骨条藻是优势种,随着培养时间的延长,东海原甲藻成为优势种,且优势种发生变化的时间与营养条件有关.混合培养中,东海原甲藻拐点出现时间在0.5 ～4.9 d,中肋骨条藻为0～2.6d,东海原甲藻拐点出现时间晚于中肋骨条藻.在各营养条件下,东海原甲藻对中肋骨条藻的竞争抑制参数β均高于中肋骨条藻对东海原甲藻的竞争抑制参数α,当N为128μmol·L-1、P为32 μmol·L-1时,东海原甲藻的竞争能力是中肋骨条藻的3.8倍,两者差异最为明显.     

Plagiorchis muris infection in Apodemus agrarius from northern Gyeonggi-do (Province) near the demilitarized zone

The small intestines of 6 species of rodents and 1 species of insectivore were examined seasonally for Plagiorchis muris infection in 3 different localities in northern Gyeonggi-do (Province), near the demilitarized zone (DMZ). A total of 1,496 animals, including 1,366 Apodemus agrarius, 54 Crocidura lasiura (insectivore), 32 Mus musculus, 28 Micronytus fortis, 9 Eothenomys regulus, 6 Micronys minutus, and 3 Cricetulus triton, were live-trapped at Yeoncheon-gun (n = 351), Paju-shi (804) and Pocheon-gun (343) at 3-mo intervals from December 2004 to September 2005. A total of 1,647 P. muris were collected from 72 (5.3%) A. agrarius. The infection rate was the highest in Pocheon-gun (8.2%), followed by Yeoncheon-gun (5.0%) and Paju-shi (4.2%). A higher infection rate was observed in A. agrarius captured during September (19.4%) than those captured during December (3.0%), June (2.6%), or April (0%). However, the worm burden was the highest in June (av. 32.1/animal), followed by September (24.7), December (4.0), and April (0). None of the other animal species were found infected with P. muris. The results reveal that A. agrarius is a natural definitive host for P. muris, and infection rates and worm burdens vary seasonally and geographically.     

Iron modulates the activity of monoamine oxidase B in SH-SY5Y cells

Both monoamine oxidase B (MAO-B) and iron accumulation are associated with neurologic diseases including Parkinson’s disease. However, the association of iron with MAO-B activity was poorly understood. Here we took advantage of highly sensitive and specific fluorescence probes to examine the change in MAO-B activity in human dopaminergic neuroblastoma (SH-SY5Y) cells upon iron exposure. Both ferric and ferrous ions could significantly enhance the activity of MAO-B, instead of MAO-A, in SH-SY5Y cells. In addition, iron-induced increase in MAO-B probe fluorescence could be prevented by pargyline and other newly developed MAO-B inhibitors, suggesting that it was MAO-B activity-dependent. These findings may suggest MAO-B is an important sensor in iron-stressed neuronal cells.     

轮状病毒VP7基因的克隆与表达

应用聚合酶链式反应技术(PCR)扩增轮状病毒VP7基因,并将其克隆到pMD18-T simple载体上,对重组子进行PCR检测和限制性内切酶分析,并测定DNA全序列。结果显示,克隆片段全长为981 bp。将轮状病毒VP7基因定向的克隆到原核表达载体pET-32a启动子下游,构建原核表达载体pET-32aVP7。将质粒pET-32aVP7转化Transetta表达菌株进行诱导表达,裂解菌体细胞抽提蛋白质进行SDS-PAGE。结果表明,轮状病毒壳蛋白VP7基因在Transetta表达菌株内得到成功表达。     

Exosome secreted by MSC reduces myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury

Human ESC-derived mesenchymal stem cell (MSC)-conditioned medium (CM) was previously shown to mediate cardioprotection during myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury through large complexes of 50–100 nm. Here we show that these MSCs secreted 50- to 100-nm particles. These particles could be visualized by electron microscopy and were shown to be phospholipid vesicles consisting of cholesterol, sphingomyelin, and phosphatidylcholine. They contained coimmunoprecipitating exosome-associated proteins, e.g., CD81, CD9, and Alix. These particles were purified as a homogeneous population of particles with a hydrodynamic radius of 55–65 nm by size-exclusion fractionation on a HPLC. Together these observations indicated that these particles are exosomes. These purified exosomes reduced infarct size in a mouse model of myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury. Therefore, MSC mediated its cardioprotective paracrine effect by secreting exosomes. This novel role of exosomes highlights a new perspective into intercellular mediation of tissue injury and repair, and engenders novel approaches to the development of biologics for tissue repair.     

In vitro culture of Cryptosporidium muris in a human stomach adenocarcinoma cell line

We investigated the optimal culture conditions for Cryptosporidium muris in a human stomach adenocarcinoma (AGS) cell line by determining the effects of medium pH and of selected supplements on the development of C. muris. The optimum pH of the culture medium required for the development of C. muris was determined to be 6.6. The number of parasites significantly increased during cultivation for 72 hr (p < 0.05) at this level. On the other hand, numbers decreased linearly after 24 hr of incubation at pH 7.5. When cultured in different concentrations of serum, C. muris in media containing 5% FBS induced 4-7 times more parasites than in 1% or 10% serum. Of the six medium supplements examined, only 1 mM pyruvate enhanced the number of C. muris in vitro. Transmission electron microscopic observation showed the developmental stages of C. muris in the cytoplasm of the cells, not in an extracytoplasmic location. The growth of C. muris in AGS cells provides a means of investigating its biological characteristics and of testing its response to therapeutic agents. However, a more optimized culture system is needed for the recovery of oocysts on a large scale in vitro.