Insights in KIR2.1 channel structure and function by an evolutionary approach; cloning and functional characterization of the first reptilian inward rectifier channel KIR2.1, derived from the California kingsnake (Lampropeltis getula californiae)

Potassium inward rectifier K_IR2.1 channels contribute to the stable resting membrane potential in a variety of muscle and neuronal cell-types. Mutations in the K_IR2.1 gene KCNJ2 have been associated with human disease, such as cardiac arrhythmias and periodic paralysis. Crystal structure and homology modelling of K_IR2.1 channels combined with functional current measurements provided valuable insights in mechanisms underlying channel function. K_IR2.1 channels have been cloned and analyzed from all main vertebrate phyla, except reptilians. To address this lacuna, we set out to clone reptilian K_IR2.1 channels. Using a degenerated primer set we cloned the KCNJ2 coding regions from muscle tissue of turtle, snake, bear, quail and bream, and compared their deduced amino acid sequences with those of K_IR2.1 sequences from 26 different animal species obtained from Genbank. Furthermore, expression constructs were prepared for functional electrophysiological studies of ectopically expressed K_IR2.1 ion channels. In general, KCNJ2 gene evolution followed normal phylogenetic patterns, however turtle K_IR2.1 ion channel sequence is more homologues to avians than to snake. Alignment of all 31 K_IR2.1 sequences showed that all disease causing K_IR2.1 mutations, except V93I, V123G and N318S, are fully conserved. Homology models were built to provide structural insights into species specific amino acid substitutions. Snake K_IR2.1 channels became expressed at the plasmamembrane and produced typical barium sensitive (IC₅₀ ∼6 μM) inward rectifier currents.     

Isolation and characterization of dengue virus serotype 2 from the large dengue outbreak in Guangdong,China in 2014

Dengue has been well recognized as a global public health threat,but only sporadic epidemics and imported cases were reported in recent decades in China.Since July 2014,an unexpected large dengue outbreak has occurred in Guangdong province,China,resulting in more than 40000 patients including six deaths.To clarify and characterize the causative agent of this outbreak,the acute phase serum from a patient diagnosed with severe dengue was subjected to virus isolation and high-throughput sequencing(HTS).Traditional real-time RT-PCR and HTS with Ion Torrent PGM detected the presence of dengue virus serotype 2(DENV-2).A clinical DENV-2 isolate GZ05/2014 was obtained by culturing the patient serum in mosquito C6/36 cells.The complete genome of GZ05/2014 was determined and deposited in Gen Bank under the access number KP012546.Phylogenetic analysis based on the complete envelope gene showed that the newly DENV-2 isolate belonged to Cosmopolitan genotype and clustered closely with other Guangdong strains isolated in the past decade.No amino acid mutations that are obviously known to increase virulence or replication were identified throughout the genome of GZ05/2014.The high homology of Guangdong DENV-2 strains indicated the possibility of establishment of local DENV-2 circulation in Guangdong,China.These results help clarify the origin of this epidemic and predict the future status of dengue in China.     

Downregualtion of dynamin-related protein 1 attenuates glutamate-induced excitotoxicity via regulating mitochondrial function in a calcium dependent manner in HT22 cells

Glutamate-mediated excitotoxicity is involved in many acute and chronic brain diseases. Dynamin related protein 1 (Drp-1), one of the GTPase family of proteins that regulate mitochondrial fission and fusion balance, is associated with apoptotic cell death in cancer and neurodegenerative diseases. Here we investigated the effect of downregulating Drp-1 on glutamate excitotoxicity-induced neuronal injury in HT22 cells. We found that downregulation of Drp-1 with specific small interfering RNA (siRNA) increased cell viability and inhibited lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release after glutamate treatment. Downregulation of Drp-1 also inhibited an increase in the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio and cleavage of caspase-9 and caspase-3. Drp-1 siRNA transfection preserved the mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), reduced cytochrome c release, enhanced ATP production, and partly prevented mitochondrial swelling. In addition, Drp-1 knockdown attenuated glutamate-induced increases of cytoplasmic and mitochondrial Ca²⁺, and preserved the mitochondrial Ca²⁺ buffering capacity after excitotoxicity. Taken together, these results suggest that downregulation of Drp-1 protects HT22 cells against glutamate-induced excitatory damage, and this neuroprotection may be dependent at least in part on the preservation of mitochondrial function through regulating intracellular calcium homeostasis.     

Development of an enzyme-linked-receptor assay based on Syrian hamster β2-adrenergic receptor for detection of β-agonists

β-Adrenergic agonists (β-agonists) are illegally used in animal husbandry, threatening the health of consumers. To realize multianalyte detection of β-agonists, a β2-adrenergic receptor (β2-AR) was cloned from Syrian hamster lung and heterogeneously expressed by Spodoptera frugiperda (Sf9) cells. The recombinant β2-AR was purified from intracellular soluble proteins of infected Sf9 cells, and was utilized to establish an enzyme-linked-receptor assay (ELRA) to detect a group of β-agonists simultaneously. This assay was based on direct competitive inhibition of binding of horseradish peroxidase-labeled ractopamine to the immobilized β2-AR proteins by β-agonists. The IC₅₀ and limit of detection values for ractopamine were 30.38 μg L⁻¹ and 5.20 μg L⁻¹, respectively. Clenbuterol and salbutamol showed 87.7% and 58.5% cross-reactivities with ractopamine, respectively. This assay is simple, rapid, and environmentally friendly, showing a potential application in the screening of β-agonists in animal feeds.     

木质素降解酶及相关基因研究进展

生物质的高效综合利用已成为全球关注的热点问题。生物质的主要成分是木质素、纤维素和半纤维素,其利用的关键是如何去除木质素,从而提高纤维素和半纤维素的得率。其中利用真菌的生物预处理方法因条件温和、无二次污染等优点符合全球经济可持续发展需要,受到研究者的普遍关注。综述了近年国内外真菌分泌的主要木质素降解酶,包括木质素过氧化物酶(Li P)、锰过氧化物酶(Mn P)、漆酶(laccase)和多功能过氧化物酶(VP)的主要特点,总结了木质素降解相关酶的基因工程、基因组学的研究成果,并对其发展前景进行了展望。     

康复新液联合表皮生长因子预防急性放射性肠炎的疗效研究

目的:探讨康复新液联合表皮生长因子保留灌肠对盆腔肿瘤放疗后并发急性放射性肠炎的预防作用及其机制。方法:86例盆腔恶性肿瘤行放射性治疗的患者随机分为观察组和对照组,2组患者均行外照射治疗,观察组康复新液与表皮因子联合保留灌肠,每次50 mL,每日一次,对照组不加任何预防用药。比较2组急性放射性肠炎的发生率以及发生时间,并于放射治疗10次、20次后静脉采血,酶联免疫吸附法检测血清TNF-α、IL-6、IL-8,黄嘌呤氧化酶法检测MDA、SOD的含量。结果:观察组、对照组的急性放射性肠炎发生率分别为9.31%、53.49%,组间差异有统计学意义(P0.05),且观察组出现急性放射性肠炎的时间迟于对照组。观察组放射治疗10次及20次后,MDA含量明显低于对照组,SOD含量高于对照组(P0.05)。TNF-α、IL-6、IL-8含量明显低于对照组(P0.05)。结论:康复新液联合表皮生长因子可预防急性放射性肠炎的发生,其机制可能与抗细胞炎性因子与氧自由基释放有关。     

Sustained Na+/H+ Exchanger Activation Promotes Gliotransmitter Release from Reactive Hippocampal Astrocytes following Oxygen-Glucose Deprivation

Hypoxia ischemia (HI)-related brain injury is the major cause of long-term morbidity in neonates. One characteristic hallmark of neonatal HI is the development of reactive astrogliosis in the hippocampus. However, the impact of reactive astrogliosis in hippocampal damage after neonatal HI is not fully understood. In the current study, we investigated the role of Na⁺/H⁺ exchanger isoform 1 (NHE1) protein in mouse reactive hippocampal astrocyte function in an in vitro ischemia model (oxygen/glucose deprivation and reoxygenation, OGD/REOX). 2 h OGD significantly increased NHE1 protein expression and NHE1-mediated H⁺ efflux in hippocampal astrocytes. NHE1 activity remained stimulated during 1–5 h REOX and returned to the basal level at 24 h REOX. NHE1 activation in hippocampal astrocytes resulted in intracellular Na⁺ and Ca²⁺ overload. The latter was mediated by reversal of Na⁺/Ca²⁺ exchange. Hippocampal astrocytes also exhibited a robust release of gliotransmitters (glutamate and pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-6 and TNFα) during 1–24 h REOX. Interestingly, inhibition of NHE1 activity with its potent inhibitor HOE 642 not only reduced Na⁺ overload but also gliotransmitter release from hippocampal astrocytes. The noncompetitive excitatory amino acid transporter inhibitor TBOA showed a similar effect on blocking the glutamate release. Taken together, we concluded that NHE1 plays an essential role in maintaining H⁺ homeostasis in hippocampal astrocytes. Over-stimulation of NHE1 activity following in vitro ischemia disrupts Na⁺ and Ca²⁺ homeostasis, which reduces Na⁺-dependent glutamate uptake and promotes release of glutamate and cytokines from reactive astrocytes. Therefore, blocking sustained NHE1 activation in reactive astrocytes may provide neuroprotection following HI.     

A Two-Stage Association Study Suggests BRAP as a Susceptibility Gene for Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia (SZ) is a neurodevelopmental disorder in which altered immune function typically plays an important role in mediating the effect of environmental insults and regulation of inflammation. The breast cancer suppressor protein associated protein (BRAP) is suggested to exert vital effects in neurodevelopment by modulating the mitogen-activated protein kinase cascade and inflammation signaling. To explore the possible role of BRAP in SZ, we conducted a two-stage study to examine the association of BRAP polymorphisms with SZ in the Han Chinese population. In stage one, we screened SNPs in BRAP from our GWAS data, which detected three associated SNPs, with rs3782886 being the most significant one (P  =  2.31E-6, OR  =  0.67). In stage two, we validated these three SNPs in an independently collected population including 1957 patients and 1509 controls, supporting the association of rs3782886 with SZ (P  =  1.43E-6, OR  =  0.73). Furthermore, cis-eQTL analysis indicates that rs3782886 genotypes are associated with mRNA levels of aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 family (ALDH2) (P  =  0.0039) and myosin regulatory light chain 2 (MYL2) (P < 1.0E-4). Our data suggest that the BRAP gene may confer vulnerability for SZ in Han Chinese population, adding further evidence for the involvement of developmental and/or neuroinflammatory cascades in the illness.