Role of IL-17 Variants in Preeclampsia in Chinese Han Women

Previous studies have suggested an important role for IL-17, mainly secreted by Th17 cells, in the development of systemic inflammation in preeclampsia (PE). This study therefore investigated the association between genetic variants in IL-17A, IL-17F, and IL-17RA and susceptibility to PE in Chinese Han women. We recruited 1,031 PE patients and 1,298 controls of later pregnant women, and used TaqMan allelic discrimination real-time PCR to genotype the polymorphisms of IL17A rs2275913, IL-17F rs763780, and IL-17RA rs4819554. No significant differences in genotypic or allelic frequencies were found at all three polymorphic sites between PE patients and controls (rs2275913: genotype χ² = 0.218, p = 0.897 and allele χ² = 0.157, p = 0.692, OR = 1.024, 95%CI 0.911–1.152; rs763780: genotype χ² = 1.948, p = 0.377 and allele χ² = 1.242, p = 0.265, OR = 0.897, 95%CI 0.741–1.086; rs4819554: genotype χ² = 0.633, p = 0.729 and allele χ² = 0.115, p = 0.735, OR = 1.020, 95%CI 0.908–1.146). There were also no significant differences in genetic distributions between mild/severe PE or early/late-onset PE and control subgroups. Our data indicate that the genetic variants of rs2275913 in IL-17A, rs763780 in IL-17F, and rs4819554 in IL-17RA may not play a role in the pathogenesis of PE in Chinese Han women. However, these findings should be confirmed in other ethnic populations.     

A diazen-1-ium-1,2-diolate analog of 7-azabenzobicyclo[2.2.1]heptane: Synthesis,nitric oxide and nitroxyl release,in vitro hemodynamic,and anti-hypertensive studies

1-(7-Azabenzobicyclo[2.2.1]heptane)diazen-1-ium-1,2-diolate (16) was designed with the expectation that it would act as a dual nitric oxide (NO) and nitroxyl (HNO) donor that is not carcinogenic or genotoxic. Compound 16, with a suitable half-life (17.8 min) in PBS at pH 7, released NO (19%) and HNO (22%) during a 2 h incubation in PBS at pH 7. In addition, compound 16 exhibited a significant in vitro positive inotropic effect, increased the rates of contraction and relaxation, and increased coronary flow rate, but did not induce a chronotropic effect. Furthermore, compound 16 (13.7 mg kg^?1, po dose) provided a significant reduction in the blood pressure of mice up to 3 h post-drug administration. All these data suggest that compound 16 constitutes an attractive ‘lead-compound’ that could have potential applications to treat cardiovascular disease(s) such as congestive heart failure.     

Human Fanconi Anemia Complementation Group A Protein Stimulates the 5’ Flap Endonuclease Activity of FEN1

In eukaryotic cells, Flap endonuclease 1 (FEN1) is a major structure-specific endonuclease that processes 5’ flapped structures during maturation of lagging strand DNA synthesis, long patch base excision repair, and rescue of stalled replication forks. Here we report that fanconi anemia complementation group A protein (FANCA), a protein that recognizes 5’ flap structures and is involved in DNA repair and maintenance of replication forks, constantly stimulates FEN1-mediated incision of both DNA and RNA flaps. Kinetic analyses indicate that FANCA stimulates FEN1 by increasing the turnover rate of FEN1 and altering its substrate affinity. More importantly, six pathogenic FANCA mutants are significantly less efficient than the wild-type at stimulating FEN1 endonuclease activity, implicating that regulation of FEN1 by FANCA contributes to the maintenance of genomic stability.     

野生露珠杜鹃林不同分解层的土壤化感潜力

探明野生杜鹃群落不同层次土壤浸提物的化学成分及其含量差异,为阐明杜鹃群落天然更新障碍与化感作用之间的关系提供基础数据,从化学生态学角度解释群落天然更新障碍的原因。通过种子发芽试验,比较凋落物层(L层)、腐殖质层(H层)和土壤表层(S层)浸提液对自身种子萌发的化感效应,采用内标法结合气相色谱-质谱(GC/MS)联用等技术鉴定土壤浸提液所含的有机化合物。(1)种子发芽试验显示,露珠杜鹃不同土壤层浸提液的化感效应不同。L层的抑制作用最为强烈,其浸提液显著抑制自身种子的萌发。H层和S层对自身具有一定的抑制作用,与对照相比不显著;(2)鉴定了不同层次土壤浸提液中所含的有机化合物,L层、H层和S层均检测出31种组分,其中相对含量大于5%的组分分别有6、8和8种。L层浸提液主要化感成分为丙三醇和棕榈酸,分别达到总量的19.56%和19.17%;H层主要化感成分为2-羟基丙酸和棕榈酸,分别达到总量的14.05%和12.48%;S层土壤浸提物的主要化感成分为棕榈酸和2-羟基乙酸,分别达到总量的14.91%和12.79%。野生露珠杜鹃不同土壤浸提物的化感物质含量以L层最高,L层作为群落土壤化感物质的主要来源;从化感物质组分来分,长链脂肪酸和有机酸类是H层和S层主要的化感物质种类,长链脂肪酸类和醇类是L层主要的化感物质种类。杜鹃群落林下土壤中存在的化感物质可能是其天然更新障碍的重要原因之一。     

大豆重复序列的克隆,特性分析及在染色体上的定位

从大豆栽培品种Ｕｎｉｏｎ（Ｇ．ｍａｘ）基因组ｐＵＣ１８质粒文库中,以基因组ＤＮＡ为探针,筛选出一个重复序列家族。序列分析表明,此重复序列的重复单位为９１ｂｐ,拷贝数约为１０￣５,其序列约占基因组ＤＮＡ的０．９％。基因组ＤＮＡ不同限制酶片段Ｓｏｕｔｈｅｒｎ杂交分析和染色体原位杂交分析表明此重复序列主要以串联方式集中分布在Ｍ２和Ｍ１１号染色体的臂上,而另外一些则散布于整个Ｍ１２和Ｓｍ７号染色体上。以该序列为探针片大豆属不同亚属１３个种的１８个品系的Ｓｏｕｔｈｅｒｎ杂交结果表明,此重复序列为Ｓｏｊａ亚属所特有。这一Ｓｏｉａ亚属特异重复序列的发现,从另一个角度支持应把Ｓｏｊａ亚属的３个种Ｇ．ｓｏｊａ、Ｇ．ｇｒａｃｉｌｌｉｓ、Ｇ．ｍａｘ划分为一个种的观点。     

脲酶抑制剂氢醌对大豆结瘤、固氮和木质部溶质氮形态的影响

首次报导了在白浆土和砂壤土上使用氢醌(HQ)抑制土壤脲酶活性,有效地缓解尿素分解产物及其随后的氧化产物对大豆结瘤和固氮活性的抑制效应,结果表明:1.HQ浓度在40PPM以内对大豆幼苗生长及初生结瘤表现促进作用;进一步提高HQ浓度将使大豆根系生长受阻变态而阻止结瘤。2.HQ(10—50PPM)提高了离体活性大豆根瘤类苗体悬液的耗氧量(79.4—86.1％)和琥珀酸脱氢酶活性(124.7—138.4％)。3.盆栽和田间试验证实,由于HQ缓解了尿素的分解,从而颇大减轻了尿素对大豆结瘤和固氮(乙炔还原活性)的抑制效应;通过大豆木质部中溶质氮形态(酰胺、酰脲和硝酸盐)的分析进一步证实了,大豆植株从根部向地上部运输的氮素形态同土壤氮转化强度和根瘤固氮强度(酰脲相对丰度)之间的紧密联系。4.由于麦秸还田土壤脲酶活性提高,故应提高HQ剂量;与此同时,通过麦秸的“氮因子效应”便能完全解除尿素对大豆结瘤固氮的抑制,并为大豆籽实发育提供了丰富的土壤氮源。     

枸杞多糖对甲型H1N1流感裂解疫苗黏膜接种的免疫增强作用

探讨枸杞多糖(Lycium barbarum polysaccharide,LBP)对不同剂量甲型H1N1流感裂解疫苗黏膜免疫的佐剂效力。设单独免疫LBP组和不免疫组作为对照,BALB/c小鼠以滴鼻方式免疫两次,间隔三周,二次免疫后两周收集小鼠血清、鼻洗液和脾脏淋巴细胞。结果显示血清中甲流特异性IgG和HI抗体滴度与接种疫苗剂量呈正相关,LBP的添加可提高体内抗体水平。高剂量组小鼠鼻洗液中也检测到特殊异性sIgA。单独疫苗组和添加佐剂组均能在体内诱导产生IgG1和IgG2a,所有组别IgG1抗体水平均略高于IgG2a,表明滴鼻接种裂解疫苗诱导Th1/Th2混合型免疫,LBP对Th1和Th2型免疫反应均有增强作用。高剂量疫苗添加LBP佐剂组小鼠脾脏细胞分泌IFN-γ水平显著高于其他组别,表明其在小鼠体内诱导了较强烈的细胞免疫反应。以上实验结果均证实LBP可以作为佐剂增强甲流裂解疫苗经黏膜途径免疫时的免疫效力。