α-肿瘤坏死因子的肿瘤靶向性改造

α-肿瘤坏死因子(tumor necrosis factor-α,TNF-α)是一种多效性的细胞因子,能高效地杀伤或抑制肿瘤细胞。但是由于其对全身有毒副作用,这使T N F-α的应用受到了限制。提高T N F-α的抗肿瘤活性,降低毒副作用以及开发具有肿瘤靶向性的融合蛋白是将其应用于临床的关键。     

PKA modulates GSK-3beta- and cdk5-catalyzed phosphorylation of tau in site- and kinase-specific manners

Phosphorylation of tau protein is regulated by several kinases, especially glycogen synthase kinase 3beta (GSK-3beta), cyclin-dependent protein kinase 5 (cdk5) and cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA). Phosphorylation of tau by PKA primes it for phosphorylation by GSK-3beta, but the site-specific modulation of GSK-3beta-catalyzed tau phosphorylation by the prephosphorylation has not been well investigated. Here, we found that prephosphorylation by PKA promotes GSK-3beta-catalyzed tau phosphorylation at Thr181, Ser199, Ser202, Thr205, Thr217, Thr231, Ser396 and Ser422, but inhibits its phosphorylation at Thr212 and Ser404. In contrast, the prephosphorylation had no significant effect on its subsequent phosphorylation by cdk5 at Thr181, Ser199, Thr205, Thr231 and Ser422; inhibited it at Ser202, Thr212, Thr217 and Ser404; and slightly promoted it at Ser396. These studies reveal the nature of the inter-regulation of tau phosphorylation by the three major tau kinases.     

Monomeric solution structure of the helicase-binding domain of Escherichia coli DnaG primase

DnaG is the primase that lays down RNA primers on single-stranded DNA during bacterial DNA replication. The solution structure of the DnaB-helicase-binding C-terminal domain of Escherichia coli DnaG was determined by NMR spectroscopy at near-neutral pH. The structure is a rare fold that, besides occurring in DnaG C-terminal domains, has been described only for the N-terminal domain of DnaB. The C-terminal helix hairpin present in the DnaG C-terminal domain, however, is either less stable or absent in DnaB, as evidenced by high mobility of the C-terminal 35 residues in a construct comprising residues 1-171. The present structure identifies the previous crystal structure of the E. coli DnaG C-terminal domain as a domain-swapped dimer. It is also significantly different from the NMR structure reported for the corresponding domain of DnaG from the thermophile Bacillus stearothermophilus. NMR experiments showed that the DnaG C-terminal domain does not bind to residues 1-171 of the E. coli DnaB helicase with significant affinity.     

Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Ameliorates Anxiety-Like Behavior and Impaired Sensorimotor Gating in a Rat Model of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

BackgroundRepetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) has been employed for decades as a non-pharmacologic treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Although a link has been suggested between PTSD and impaired sensorimotor gating (SG), studies assessing the effects of rTMS against PTSD or PTSD with impaired SG are scarce.AimTo assess the benefit of rTMS in a rat model of PTSD.MethodsUsing a modified single prolonged stress (SPS&S) rat model of PTSD, behavioral parameters were acquired using open field test (OFT), elevated plus maze test (EPMT), and prepulse inhibition trial (PPI), with or without 7 days of high frequency (10Hz) rTMS treatment of SPS&S rats.ResultsAnxiety-like behavior, impaired SG and increased plasma level of cortisol were observed in SPS&S animals after stress for a prolonged time. Interestingly, rTMS administered immediately after stress prevented those impairment.ConclusionStress-induced anxiety-like behavior, increased plasma level of cortisol and impaired PPI occur after stress and high-frequency rTMS has the potential to ameliorate this behavior, suggesting that high frequency rTMS should be further evaluated for its use as a method for preventing PTSD.     

Preparation of cross-linked carboxymethyl chitosan for repairing sciatic nerve injury in rats

A successful nerve regeneration process was achieved with nerve repair tubes made up of 1-ethyl-3(3-dimethylaminopropyl) carbodiimide hydrochloride (EDC) cross-linked carboxymethyl chitosan (CM-chitosan) with improved biodegradability. Chitosan has a very slow degradation rate, while the EDC cross-linked CM-chitosan tubes degraded to 30% of original weight during 8 weeks of incubation in lysozyme solution. In vitro cell culture indicated that the CM-chitosan films presented no cytotoxicity to Schwann cells. From in vivo studies using a 10 mm rat sciatic nerve defect model investigated by histomorphometry analysis, the average diameter of the fibers and the average thickness of myelin sheath in the CM-chitosan tubes were 3.7 ± 0.33 and 0.33 ± 0.04 μm, respectively, which demonstrated equivalence to nerve autografts (the current “gold” standard); furthermore, the average fiber density in the CM-chitosan tubes was 20.5 × 10³/mm², which was similar to that of autografts (21 × 10³/mm²) and significantly higher than that of common chitosan tubes (15.3 × 10³/mm²).     

TaqMan-MGB探针检测文森巴尔通体博格霍夫亚种实时荧光定量PCR方法的建立及应用

【目的】应用TaqMan-MGB探针技术,建立具有种水平特异性、高敏感性的荧光定量PCR方法,用于快速检测文森巴尔通体博格霍夫亚种。【方法】在序列特异性扩增区标记(Sequence characterized amplifiedregion,SCAR)技术基础上,依据文森巴尔通体博格霍夫亚种一段特有的基因序列设计探针和引物,分别优化扩增反应的退火温度、探针和引物的反应浓度;分析此方法的特异性、敏感性及重复性;绘制标准曲线,评估PCR反应的扩增效率和稳定性。【结果】本研究设计的TaqMan-MGB探针具有种水平特异性;最低检出限为每个PCR反应11个拷贝;组内和组间的变异系数CV值分别为0.12%-0.70%和0.14%-0.55%,在允许范围内;标准曲线线性关系良好(R2=1),扩增效率高(E=104.7%)。【结论】本研究建立的基于TaqMan-MGB探针技术的荧光定量PCR方法能够在种水平特异性、高灵敏度检出文森巴尔通体博格霍夫亚种,为这种巴尔通体所引起的一系列疾病的早期快速诊断、监测和流行病学调查等研究提供有效手段。     

皖西霍山县白马尖植物区系和植被

本文论述了北亚热带典型地段——大别山主峰白马尖的植被和植物区系的特点,提出白马尖地区是一“生物避难所”。与纬度相近地区的比较研究,结果表明,海拔1000米以上的山地,植被类型和植物区系成份与皖南黄山、浙北天目山较一致,而低海拔地区与江苏的宜溧山区相似,特别是常绿阔叶树的属、种极为一致。值得指出的是耐寒常绿阔叶林类型的发现,为北亚热带植被地带的概念增添了新内容。文中对原圈定佛子岭水库库区周围为水源涵养林自然保护区认为不妥,将白马尖主峰整个集水区包括在内,才是完善的。     

三种常绿阔叶树光系统Ⅱ在低温胁迫下的光抑制及恢复

冬季低温胁迫对亚热带常绿阔叶树光合活性的主要影响之一,体现在光合机构的低温光抑制。为了阐明冬季低温胁迫下常绿阔叶树光系统Ⅱ的光抑制程度及光保护机制,该文研究了冬季自然低温胁迫(零下低温冻害和零上低温寒害)对红叶石楠、枇杷和猴樟三种亚热带常绿阔叶树光合机构光系统Ⅱ(PSⅡ)光抑制的影响以及春季气温回暖后的恢复情况。结果表明:冻害和寒害低温胁迫使猴樟的PSⅡ活性显著降低,PSⅡ受到较严重的光抑制,低温胁迫解除后PSⅡ活性未能完全恢复。红叶石楠PSⅡ活性下降程度和光抑制程度最轻,春季PSⅡ活性显著上升,光抑制显著下降。枇杷PSⅡ活性和光抑制程度介于猴樟和红叶石楠之间。低温胁迫下红叶石楠的非光化学猝灭(NPQ)接近常温水平; 枇杷的NPQ略有降低,春季恢复正常; 猴樟NPQ最低,春季低温解除后仍不能完全恢复。此外,三种常绿阔叶树在冬季低温胁迫和春季恢复时期的NPQ与PSⅡ的光抑制程度存在显著的负相关关系。综合以上结果分析表明,冬季低温对红叶石楠PSⅡ影响不大,对枇杷有一定影响但春季气温回暖后可以及时恢复,对猴樟PSⅡ有显著的光抑制且恢复过程较慢,同时NPQ对保护常绿阔叶树PSⅡ免受冬季低温光抑制有重要的贡献。     

人神经元素3基因重组逆转录病毒表达载体的构建及其包装细胞株的建立

为构建表达人神经元素3基因(neurogenin 3,ngn3)的重组逆转录病毒载体,建立稳定表达ngn3的包装细胞株,本研究以流产人胎儿胰腺组织为材料,通过RT-PCR方法克隆出人ngn3基因,将其连接到pMD18-T载体上并测序,结果表明,测序得到的基因序列与发表的人ngn3基因序列(GenBank Accession No.BC126468)完全一致。将EcoRI和HpaI双酶切后的基因片段构建到pMSCV-neo逆转录病毒载体中,酶切鉴定结果表明,pMSCV-ngn3重组逆转录病毒载体构建成功。脂质体法将pMSCV-ngn3重组载体导入PT67包装细胞,G418筛选后,对得到的细胞株进行RT-PCR和免疫组化检测,结果显示,该细胞株在mRNA水平和蛋白水平均稳定表达Ngn3;收集该细胞株的培养上清液,进行RT-PCR检测及电镜观察,结果表明,该细胞株将导入的重组逆转录病毒载体pMSCV-ngn3包装成了具有感染性的病毒颗粒,并将其释放到了培养上清液中。以上结果表明PT67-ngn3包装细胞株建立成功。该细胞株的成功建立,为下一步将ngn3基因应用于提高人胎儿胰腺祖细胞诱导分化效率方面的研究奠定了基础。     

Cold atmospheric plasma ameliorates imiquimod-induced psoriasiform dermatitis in mice by mediating antiproliferative effects

Psoriasis is a chronic hyperproliferative skin disease characterised by excessive growth of keratinocytes. Indeed, inducing keratinocyte apoptosis is a key mechanism responsible for psoriatic plaques clearance following some important existing therapies, which display pro-oxidant activity. Cold atmospheric plasma (CAP), acting as a tuneable source of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS), can controllably transfer RONS to the cellular environment, deliver antiproliferative RONS concentrations and exert antiproliferative and proapoptotic effects. This study was undertaken to evaluate the therapeutic potential of CAP in psoriasis. We used cell models of psoriasis-like inflammation by adding lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) to HaCaT keratinocytes. Indirect plasma, plasma-activated medium (PAM), was administered to HaCaT cells. Atmospheric pressure plasma jet (APPJ) was applied directly to imiquimod (IMQ)-induced psoriasiform dermatitis in mice. The results showed that PAM induced an increase in intracellular ROS and caused keratinocyte apoptosis. Moreover, cells under inflammation showed lesser viability and larger apoptosis rate. With repeated administration of APPJ, psoriasiform lesions showed ameliorated morphological manifestation and reduced epidermal proliferation. Overall, this study supports that CAP holds good potential in psoriasis treatment.