Transformation of adrenal medullary chromaffin cells increases asthmatic susceptibility in pups from allergen-sensitized rats

Background

Studies have shown that epinephrine release is impaired in patients with asthma. The pregnancy of female rats (dams) with asthma promotes in their pups the differentiation of adrenal medulla chromaffin cells (AMCCs) into sympathetic neurons, mediated by nerve growth factor, which leads to a reduction in epinephrine secretion. However, the relatedness between the alteration of AMCCs and increased asthma susceptibility in such offspring has not been established.

Methods

In this study, we observed the effects of allergization via ovalbumin on rat pups born of asthmatic dams.

Results

Compared to the offspring of untreated controls, bronchial hyperreactivity and airway inflammation were more severe in the pups from sensitized (asthmatic) dams. In pups exposed to nerve growth factor (NGF) in utero these effects were aggravated further, but the effects were blocked in pups whose dams had been treated with anti-NGF. Furthermore, alterations in AMCC phenotype corresponded to the degree of bronchial hyperreactivity and lung lesions of the different treatment groups. Such AMCC alterations included degranulation of chromaffin granules, reduction of epinephrine and phenylethanolamine-n-methyl transferase, and elevation of NGF and peripherin levels.

Conclusions

Our results present evidence that asthma during the pregnancy of rat dams promotes asthma susceptibility in their offspring, and that the transformation of AMCCs to neurons induced by NGF plays an important role in this process.     

A novel membrane-dependent on/off switch mechanism of talin FERM domain at sites of cell adhesion

The activation of heterodimeric (α/β) integrin transmembrane receptors by cytosolic protein talin is crucial for regulating diverse cell-adhesion-dependent processes, including blood coagulation, tissue remodeling, and cancer metastasis. This process is triggered by the coincident binding of N-terminal FERM (four-point-one-protein/ezrin/radixin/moesin) domain of talin (talin-FERM) to the inner membrane surface and integrin β cytoplasmic tail, but how these binding events are spatiotemporally regulated remains obscure. Here we report the crystal structure of a dormant talin, revealing how a C-terminal talin rod segment (talin-RS) self-masks a key integrin-binding site on talin-FERM via a large interface. Unexpectedly, the structure also reveals a distinct negatively charged surface on talin-RS that electrostatically hinders the talin-FERM binding to the membrane. Such a dual inhibitory topology for talin is consistent with the biochemical and functional data, but differs significantly from a previous model. We show that upon enrichment with phosphotidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2) – a known talin activator, membrane strongly attracts a positively charged surface on talin-FERM and simultaneously repels the negatively charged surface on talin-RS. Such an electrostatic “pull-push” process promotes the relief of the dual inhibition of talin-FERM, which differs from the classic “steric clash” model for conventional PIP2-induced FERM domain activation. These data therefore unravel a new type of membrane-dependent FERM domain regulation and illustrate how it mediates the talin on/off switches to regulate integrin transmembrane signaling and cell adhesion.     

温度胁迫对二化螟滞育幼虫生理指标的影响

为从生理生化水平上探讨二化螟滞育幼虫应对温度胁迫的生理机制,分别对系列温度胁迫(STS)和梯度温度胁迫(GTS)处理后的幼虫水、脂质、总糖、小分子碳水化合物含量及超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)、过氧化物酶(POD)、过氧化氢酶(CAT)活性进行了测定.结果表明:随着温度的降低,两种处理二化螟滞育幼虫虫体含水量趋于减少,且0℃以下时GTS处理下降幅度较STS处理显著;两种处理脂质含量均逐步下降且二者间无显著差异;两种处理总糖含量分别先减后增和持续下降,均检测出4种小分子碳水化合物,其中STS处理葡萄糖、甘油和果糖含量先增后减,海藻糖含量变化与此相反,而GTS处理海藻糖含量先减后增,葡萄糖和甘油含量呈相反变化,果糖含量无变化;14～-14℃范围内STS处理SOD和POD活性较GTS处理低,CAT活性相反.二化螟滞育幼虫生理指标的变化反映了其应对不同温度胁迫的生理响应.     

Covalent immobilization of Kluyveromyces fragilis β-galactosidase on magnetic nanosized epoxy support for synthesis of galacto-oligosaccharide

The novel magnetic nanobeads with epoxy groups on the surface were prepared from glycidyl methacrylate (GMA), ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA) and hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) via emulsifier-free emulsion polymerisation, and they were characterized by scanning electron microscopy and vibrating sample magnetometer. The magnetic poly(GMA-EDGMA-HEMA) nanobeads were used as support for covalent immobilization of Kluyveromyces fragilis β-galactosidase, the maximum amount enzyme attached onto the support was 145.6?mg/g with activity recovery of 72.6%. The loading capacity of this novel support for K. fragilis β-galactosidase was improved 2.6-folds compared with Eupergit(?) C (commercial epoxy support). The immobilized K. fragilis β-galactosidase exhibited high catalytic activity for the reaction of galacto-oligosaccharide (GOS) synthesis, and a total of 2,240?g GOS were produced per gram of immobilized enzyme during consecutive batch reaction of 10 times. The immobilized biocatalyst retained 81.5% of its original activity after 10 reaction cycles.     

Inonotus tenuicontextus sp. nov. (Hymenochaetaceae) from Guizhou, southwest China with a preliminary discussion on the phylogeny of its kin

Inonotus tenuicontextus collected from Guizhou, southwest China was described and illustrated as a new species based on a combination of phylogenetic and morphological evidence. It is characterized by perennial and effused-reflexed to pileate basidiocarps; duplex and very thin context; a monomitic hyphal system in context; a dimitic hyphal system in trama; and broadly ellipsoid, hyaline and thick-walled basidiospores. Phylogenetically I. tenuicontextus clustered within Inonotus s. s. clade; moreover, it formed a well supported monophyletic subclade with Inonotus baumii, I. linteus, I. lonicericola, I. vaninii and I. weirianus. In morphology I. tenuicontextus distinguishes from I. linteus, also a species with duplex context, by its smaller basidiospores, while its duplex context makes it different from the other four species with homogeneous context. We proposed this subclade as a medicinal group for most of its members with medicinal functions. The phylogeny of the six species in this medicinal group was briefly discussed based on our results. An identification key to them is also provided.     

Y盒结合蛋白1单克隆抗体的研制、表位测定及其免疫学应用

建立稳定分泌抗人Y盒结合蛋白1单克隆抗体(anti-YB-1 mAb)的杂交瘤细胞株,鉴定其表位与免疫学应用。将重组YB-1蛋白免疫BALB/c小鼠,取脾细胞与Sp2/0骨髓瘤细胞融合。经ELISA法筛选鉴定、定株后采用腹水诱生法制备anti-YB-1 mAb;Protein G亲和层析法纯化mAb,ELISA法测定mAb效价、亚型及相对亲和力。采用抗原表位预测法鉴定anti-YB-1 mAb识别表位所在区域。Western blot和免疫组化鉴定mAb识别内源性YB-1的特异性。经筛选鉴定获得2株稳定分泌anti-YB-1 mAb的杂交瘤细胞(1-D9,3-E8);腹水抗体效价均≥1×10-6,亚型均为IgGl;1-D9和3-E8单抗识别表位分别位于(134-160aa)与(266-303aa)肽段。Western blot、免疫组化结果证实anti-YB-1 mAb能特异性识别内源性YB-1。该研究为YB-1免疫学定性、定量检测方法的建立、肿瘤靶向抗体治疗及进一步探讨YB-1的生物学功能奠定了基础。     

Transient bioheat simulation of the laser-tissue interaction in human skin using hybrid finite element formulation

This paper presents a hybrid finite element model for describing quantitatively the thermal responses of skin tissue under laser irradiation. The model is based on the boundary integral-based finite element method and the Pennes bioheat transfer equation. In this study, temporal discretization of the bioheat system is first performed and leads to the well-known modified Helmholtz equation. A radial basis function approach and the boundary integral based finite element method are employed to obtain particular and homogeneous solutions of the laser-tissue interaction problem. In the boundary integral based finite element formulation, two independent fields are assumed: intra-element field and frame field. The intra-element field is approximated through a linear combination of fundamental solutions at a number of source points outside the element domain. The frame temperature field is expressed in terms of nodal temperature and the corresponding shape function. Numerical examples are considered to verify and assess the proposed numerical model. Sensitivity analysis is performed to explore the thermal effects of various control parameters on tissue temperature and to identify the degree of burn injury due to laser heating.     

Perfect Absorption of Light by Coherently Induced Plasmon Hybridization in Ultrathin Metamaterial Film

We demonstrated numerically that light can be totally absorbed by an ultrathin metamaterial film through coherently induced plasmon hybridization. Two fundamental modes, namely symmetrical and antisymmetrical modes, are observed in the metal–insulator–metal structure and attributed to the electric and magnetic resonance, respectively. Each kind of resonance is related to a distinct absorption peak for the corresponding coherent inputs. In particular, it is found that the antisymmetrical absorption is almost omnidirectional and suitable for divergent beams with arbitrary polarization and angle of incidence. To interpret the interaction of magnetic and electric fields with the structure, effective material parameters of the metamaterial are also retrieved, showing good agreement with the intuitive discussion. Furthermore, the general condition of coherent perfect absorption in a metamaterial thin film is given, which could be helpful for the design and understanding of such absorbers.     

中国小囊菌科的研究

对分离所得小囊菌科(Microascaceae)4属6种进行了形态学研究,明确了闭小囊菌属(Kernia)在中国大陆的分布,并以检索表形式比较了中国已报道小囊菌科5个属的形态学特征。