Quantitative regulation of the thermal stability of enveloped virus vaccines by surface charge engineering to prevent the self-aggregation of attachment glycoproteins

The development of thermostable vaccines can relieve the bottleneck of existing vaccines caused by thermal instability and subsequent poor efficacy, which is one of the predominant reasons for the millions of deaths caused by vaccine-preventable diseases. Research into the mechanism of viral thermostability may provide strategies for developing thermostable vaccines. Using Newcastle disease virus (NDV) as model, we identified the negative surface charge of attachment glycoprotein as a novel determinant of viral thermostability. It prevented the temperature-induced aggregation of glycoprotein and subsequent detachment from virion surface. Then structural stability of virion surface was improved and virus could bind to and infect cells efficiently after heat-treatment. Employing the approach of surface charge engineering, thermal stability of NDV and influenza A virus (IAV) vaccines was successfully improved. The increase in the level of vaccine thermal stability was determined by the value-added in the negative surface charge of the attachment glycoprotein. The engineered live and inactivated vaccines could be used efficiently after storage at 37°C for at least 10 and 60 days, respectively. Thus, our results revealed a novel surface-charge-mediated link between HN protein and NDV thermostability, which could be used to design thermal stable NDV and IAV vaccines rationally.     

Protein kinase C delta null mice exhibit structural alterations in articular surface,intra-articular and subchondral compartments

IntroductionStructural alterations in intra-articular and subchondral compartments are hallmarks of osteoarthritis, a degenerative disease that causes pain and disability in the aging population. Protein kinase C delta (PKC-δ) plays versatile functions in cell growth and differentiation, but its role in the articular cartilage and subchondral bone is not known.MethodsHistological analysis including alcian blue, safranin O staining and fluorochrome labeling were used to reveal structural alterations at the articular cartilage surface and bone–cartilage interface in PKC-δ knockout (KO) mice. The morphology and organization of chondrocytes were studied using confocal microscopy. Glycosaminoglycan content was studied by micromass culture of chondrocytes of PKC-δ KO mice.ResultsWe uncovered atypical structural demarcation between articular cartilage and subchondral bone of PKC-δ KO mice. Histology analyses revealed a thickening of the articular cartilage and calcified bone–cartilage interface, and decreased safranin O staining accompanied by an increase in the number of hypertrophic chondrocytes in the articular cartilage of PKC-δ KO mice. Interestingly, loss of demarcation between articular cartilage and bone was concomitant with irregular chondrocyte morphology and arrangement. Consistently, in vivo calcein labeling assay showed an increased intensity of calcein labeling in the interface of the growth plate and metaphysis in PKC-δ KO mice. Furthermore, in vitro culture of chondrocyte micromass showed a decreased alcian blue staining of chondrocyte micromass in the PKC-δ KO mice, indicative of a reduced level of glycosaminoglycan production.ConclusionsOur data imply a role for PKC-δ in the osteochondral plasticity of the interface between articular cartilage and the osteochondral junction.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13075-015-0720-4) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

基于适体技术的桔青毒素检测方法的建立

桔青毒素（citrinin,CTN）是以玉米、谷物、奶酪等为主要成分的食品和动物饲料中常见的、由桔青霉菌产生的酮类真菌毒素,可引起人和动物的慢性中毒或癌症,一直缺少灵敏的快速检测方法。本文通过指数富集适体系统进化技术（简称SELEX）对可能与CTN结合的特异性适体进行了筛选,经过15轮循环,得到17条适体。通过二级结构分析、亲和力检测发现适体13（Apt-13）对CTN有较好的亲和度,解离常数Kd为0.06μmol/L。进一步利用非荧光标记染料PicoGreen,利用其与双链DNA结合的原理,建立了桔青毒素非标记荧光检测方法,30min完成检测,最低检测限达到国家标准（50ppb）且与其他毒素无交叉反应。本研究建立的基于适体的桔青毒素检测技术成本低,可以替代传统的基于抗体的检测方法,为霉菌毒素的精准检测技术的开发提供了实验证据。     

组织中肥大细胞内F—actin对其不同亚型细胞分泌作用的影响

目的:研究细胞内丝状肌动蛋白的变化对不同亚型肥大细胞分泌作用的影响.方法: 利用肥大细胞的特征性蛋白酶抗体和鬼比环肽的免疫荧光标记;以流式细胞仪检测分选人皮肤组织中肥大细胞的亚型;使用激光扫描共聚焦显微镜显示肥大细胞内分泌颗粒和微丝的分布.结果:类胰蛋白酶免疫反应性的肥大细胞内含有丰富的丝状肌动蛋白环,在质膜内层区域形成阻碍类胰蛋白酶释放的屏障;大量的类胰蛋白酶暂存于分泌泡中,少量的类胰蛋白酶因细胞内丝状肌动蛋白环的解聚使之从分泌泡中释放.而类胰蛋白酶和类糜蛋白酶免疫反应性的肥大细胞及类糜蛋白酶免疫反应性的肥大细胞内少见或未见明显的阻碍蛋白酶释放的丝状肌动蛋白环;细胞形态膨胀,细胞内蛋白酶已释放.结论:人皮肤组织中肥大细胞内类胰蛋白酶和/或类糜蛋白酶的含量及其肥大细胞亚型与丝状肌动蛋白环相关联.     

七姊妹山国家级自然保护区菊科植物区系及资源植物分析

湖北七姊妹山国家级自然保护区位于宣恩县东部,生物多样性丰富。据调查,该区共有菊科植物58属119种(含变种),具有我国种子植物属15个地理分布区类型中的12个。从起源来看,七姊妹山国家级自然保护区菊科植物以温带起源为主,温带属占73.59%(39属),热带属占20.75%(11属),有3个中国特有分布属,表明该地区菊科植物区系有以温带成分为主的多类成分共存的特点。七姊妹山国家级自然保护区菊科资源植物十分丰富,按其用途可分为野生蔬菜类、蜜源植物类、观赏植物类、药用植物类、香料植物类及特有植物类等,这些资源植物具有较大开发利用价值。     

Molecular anatomy of the DNA damage and replication checkpoints

Cell cycle checkpoints are signal transduction pathways that enforce the orderly execution of the cell division cycle and arrest the cell cycle upon the occurrence of undesirable events, such as DNA damage, replication stress, and spindle disruption. The primary function of the cell cycle checkpoint is to ensure that the integrity of chromosomal DNA is maintained. DNA lesions and disrupted replication forks are thought to be recognized by the DNA damage checkpoint and replication checkpoint, respectively. Both checkpoints initiate protein kinase-based signal transduction cascade to activate downstream effectors that elicit cell cycle arrest, DNA repair, or apoptosis that is often dependent on dose and cell type. These actions prevent the conversion of aberrant DNA structures into inheritable mutations and minimize the survival of cells with unrepairable damage. Genetic components of the damage and replication checkpoints have been identified in yeast and humans, and a working model is beginning to emerge. We summarize recent advances in the DNA damage and replication checkpoints and discuss the essential functions of the proteins involved in the checkpoint responses.     

P63和TTF-1在肺癌组织中的表达及意义

目的研究P63和TTF-1在肺癌各种类型组织中的表达及其意义。方法随机收集原发性肺癌组织标本53例（其中鳞癌16例,腺癌16例,小细胞癌14例,大细胞癌7例,均为中低分化程度癌组织）,采用免疫组织化学S-P法分别检测P63蛋白和TTF-1蛋白在各种类型肺癌组织中的表达并结合二者表达的结果进行分析。结果二者的表达在肺癌细胞中定位于细胞核,呈棕黄色。在肺鳞癌、肺腺癌、肺小细胞癌和肺大细胞癌中,P63的阳性表达率分别为93.8%（15/16）、37.5%（6/16）、21.4%（3/14）、28.6%（2/7）;TTF-1的阳性表达率分别为18.8%（3/16）、75%（12/16）、78.6%（11/14）、0%（0/7）。结论①P63在肺鳞癌中的表达水平较高,可以作为鉴别低分化鳞癌与低分化腺癌,小细胞癌的指标;②TTF-1在低分化腺癌和小细胞癌中的表达水平较高,对于肺癌组织类型和非癌组织的鉴别具有一定意义;③根据P63和TTF-1在肺癌组织的特异性表达,将二者联合起来有助于对低分化鳞癌和低分化腺癌以及低分化鳞癌和小细胞癌的鉴别诊断。     

Preliminary results on nematicidal activity from culture filtrates of Basidiomycetes against the pine wood nematode,Bursaphelenchus xylophilus (Aphelenchoididae)

One hundred and eighty one fungal species that were isolated from the fresh fruiting bodies collected in the Mountains of Pu Er County of Yunnan Province, China were tested on the pine wood nematode,Bursaphelenchus xylophilus in vitro. Each fungal species was grown in Czapek broth and potato dextrose broth (PDB). Fifteen filtrates fromAmauroderma austrosinense, Amauroderma macer, Filoboletus sp.,Laccaria tortilis, Lactarius gerardii, Lentinula edodes, Oudemansiella longipes, Oudemansiella mucida, Peziza sp.,Pleurotus sp.,Sinotermitomyces carnosus (two strains),Strobilomyces floccopus, Termitomyces albuminosus, Tylopilus striatulus grown on PDB were found to be pathogenic to the tested nematodes. Eleven filtrates fromAmanita junguillea, Amanita sp.,Daedalea sepiaria, Fistulina hepatica, Omphalotus olearius, Oudemansiella mucida, Peziza sp.,Pleurotus pulmatus, Ramaria sp.,Tricholoma conglobatum, Tylopilus striatulus grown on Czapek broth were also pathogenic to the nematodes. When screening for nematicidal potential of fungi, it is important to study the growth medium conditions necessary to obtain the optimal nematicidal effect as fungal filtrates growing on different liquid media showed a very inconsistent toxicity towards nematodes.     

Alpha-melanocyte stimulating hormone protects retinal pigment epithelium cells from oxidative stress through activation of melanocortin 1 receptor–Akt–mTOR signaling

Patients with age related macular degeneration (AMD) will develop vision loss in the center of the visual field. Reactive oxygen species (ROS)-mediated retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cell apoptosis is an important contributor of AMD. In this study, we explored the pro-survival effect of α-melanocyte stimulating hormone (α-MSH) on oxidative stressed RPE cells. We found that α-MSH receptor melanocortin 1 receptor (MC1R) was functionally expressed in primary and transformed RPE cells. RPE cells were response to α-MSH stimulation. α-MSH activated Akt/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) and Erk1/2 signalings in RPE cells, which were inhibited by MC1R siRNA knockdown. α-MSH protected RPE cells from hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂)-induced apoptosis, an effect that was almost abolished when MC1R was depleted by siRNA. α-MSH-mediated S6K1 activation and pro-survival effect against H₂O₂ was inhibited by Akt inhibitors (perifosine, MK-2206 and LY294002). Further, mTOR inhibition by rapamycin, or by mTOR siRNA knockdown, diminished α-MSH’s pro-survival effect in RPE cells. Thus, Akt and its downstream mTOR signaling mediates α-MSH-induced survival in RPE cells. In summary, we have identified a new α-MSH–MC1R physiologic pathway that reduces H₂O₂-induced RPE cell damage, and might minimize the risk of developing AMD.