Overexpression of genes of the cell wall stimulon in clinical isolates of Staphylococcus aureus exhibiting vancomycin-intermediate- S. aureus-type resistance to vancomycin

Custom-designed gene chips (Affymetrix) were used to determine genetic relatedness and gene expression profiles in Staphylococcus aureus isolates with increasing MICs of vancomycin that were recovered over a period of several weeks from the blood and heart valve of a patient undergoing extensive vancomycin therapy. The isolates were found to be isogenic as determined by the GeneChip based genotyping approach and thus represented a unique opportunity to study changes in gene expression that may contribute to the vancomycin resistance phenotype. No differences in gene expression were detected between the parent strain, JH1, and JH15, isolated from the nares of a patient contact. Few expression changes were observed between blood and heart valve isolates with identical vancomycin MICs. A large number of genes had altered expression in the late stage JH9 isolate (MIC = 8 microg/ml) compared to JH1 (MIC = 1 microg/ml). Most genes with altered expression were involved in housekeeping functions or cell wall biosynthesis and regulation. The sortase-encoding genes, srtA and srtB, as well as several surface protein-encoding genes were downregulated in JH9. Two hypothetical protein-encoding genes, SAS016 and SA2343, were dramatically overexpressed in JH9. Interestingly, 27 of the genes with altered expression in JH9 grown in drug-free medium were found to be also overexpressed when the parental strain JH1 was briefly exposed to inhibitory concentrations of vancomycin, and more than half (17 of 27) of the genes with altered expression belonged to determinants that were proposed to form part of a general cell wall stress stimulon (S. Utaida et al., Microbiology 149:2719-2732, 2003).     

嵌合抗原受体T细胞介绍及抗肿瘤临床应用

过继性细胞免疫治疗（adoptive cellular immunotherapy,ACI）是目前较为有效的恶性肿瘤的治疗方法之一。随着技术的日趋成熟,已在多种实体瘤和血液肿瘤的t临床治疗中取得较好疗效。其中,嵌合抗原受体（chimeric antigen receptor,CAR）T细胞技术是近年来发展非常迅速的一种细胞治疗技术。通过基因改造技术,效应T细胞的靶向性、杀伤活性和持久性均较常规应用的免疫细胞高,并可克服肿瘤局部免疫抑制微环境和打破宿主免疫耐受状态。目前,CAR的信号域已从第一代的单一信号分子发展为包含CD28、4—1BB等共刺激分子的多信号结构域（第二、三代）,临床应用广泛。但是,该技术也存在脱靶效应、插入突变等临床应用风险。该文将就CAR—T细胞技术在恶性肿瘤免疫治疗中的应用及可能存在的问题作一综述。     

The mitochondrial inner membrane protein mitofilin controls cristae morphology

Mitochondria are complex organelles with a highly dynamic distribution and internal organization. Here, we demonstrate that mitofilin, a previously identified mitochondrial protein of unknown function, controls mitochondrial cristae morphology. Mitofilin is enriched in the narrow space between the inner boundary and the outer membranes, where it forms a homotypic interaction and assembles into a large multimeric protein complex. Down-regulation of mitofilin in HeLa cells by using specific small interfering RNA lead to decreased cellular proliferation and increased apoptosis, suggesting abnormal mitochondrial function. Although gross mitochondrial fission and fusion seemed normal, ultrastructural studies revealed disorganized mitochondrial inner membrane. Inner membranes failed to form tubular or vesicular cristae and showed as closely packed stacks of membrane sheets that fused intermittently, resulting in a complex maze of membranous network. Electron microscopic tomography estimated a substantial increase in inner:outer membrane ratio, whereas no cristae junctions were detected. In addition, mitochondria subsequently exhibited increased reactive oxygen species production and membrane potential. Although metabolic flux increased due to mitofilin deficiency, mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation was not increased accordingly. We propose that mitofilin is a critical organizer of the mitochondrial cristae morphology and thus indispensable for normal mitochondrial function.     

Wogonin inhibits IGF-1-stimulated cell growth and estrogen receptor α expression in breast adenocarcinoma cell and angiogenesis of chick chorioallantoic membrane

The aim of the present study was to investigate the involvements of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) and estrogen receptor α (ERα) in the inhibitory effect of wogonin on the breast adenocarcinoma growth. Moreover, the effect of wogonin on the angiogenesis of chick chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) was also investigated. MCF-7 cells (human breast adenocarcinoma cell line) were subjected to several drugs, including IGF-1, wogonin and ER inhibitor ICI182780, alone or in combination. MTT assay was used to detect breast cancer proliferation. Western blot was used to analyze ERα and p-Akt expression levels. CAM models prepared from 6-day chicken eggs were employed to evaluate angiogenesis inhibition. The results showed wogonin and ICI182780 both exhibited a potent ability to blunt IGF-1-stimulated MCF-7 cell growth. Either of wogonin and ICI182780 significantly inhibited ERα and p-Akt expressions in IGF-1-treated cells. The inhibitory effect of wogonin showed no difference from that of ICI182780 on IGF-1-stimulated expressions of ERα and p-Akt. Meanwhile, wogonin at different concentrations showed significant inhibitory effect on CAM angiogenesis. These results suggest the inhibitory effect of wogonin on breast adenocarcinoma growth via inhibiting IGF-1-mediated PI3K-Akt pathway and regulating ERα expression. Furthermore, wogonin has a strong anti-angiogenic effect on CAM model.     

用琼脂柱筛选麦角隐亭产碱菌株

麦角菌(Claviceps purpurea)ATCC 20019菌株在深层培养中只产生一种生物碱——麦角隐亭(Ergocryptine)。本研究室引进的ATCC 20019原始菌株因反复传代,产碱能力下降,并且产碱不稳定。而用常规的直接摇瓶发酵进行菌株筛选,则工作量大,筛选效率低。因此,我们设计了用琼脂柱对产碱菌株进行初步筛选,以获得一种简单易行的筛选方法。 1 材料和方法     

NDRG2在人胚胎呼吸系统的表达特点

目的该实验通过对16-28周人胚胎呼吸系统NDRG2表达的研究,旨在阐明NDRG2在16-28周人胚胎呼吸系统中的表达规律,为进一步明确新的发育相关基因ndrg2的功能提供依据。方法搜集16-28周胎儿呼吸系统的肺和气管组织,制成石蜡切片,用抗NDRG2单克隆抗体,行免疫组化染色(ABC法),从蛋白质水平观察NDRG2表达情况。统计阳性细胞数,利用统计学方法,判断不同胎龄的肺和气管间NDRG2表达有无差别。结果免疫组化染色表明,NDRG2在16-28周胚胎呼吸系统中有广泛的表达,阳性产物主要位于上皮细胞的胞浆中,但是不同胎龄之间NDRG2的表达未见显著差别。结论NDRG2在16-28周胚胎呼吸系统中有广泛的表达,提示NDRG2在早期胚胎的呼吸系统上皮细胞的生长与发育过程中起一定作用。而阳性产物主要表达在上皮细胞的胞浆中,说明NDRG2可能是一种胞浆蛋白。     

产黄芩苷内生真菌的筛选与鉴定

从药用植物黄芩根、茎、叶和花中分离得到17株内生真菌,其发酵液对10种指示菌进行抑菌活性测定,并通过薄层色谱(TLC)和高效液相色谱(HPLC)对所分离到的内生真菌代谢产物进行分析。结果显示,所分离到的内生真菌中12株至少对一种指示菌有抑菌活性,其中3株(G2、J4和J5)具有较广的抑菌作用。从黄芩茎和花中分离得到的2株内生真菌J1、H3可以在人工培养基中产生黄芩活性成分——黄芩苷,结合菌落形态特征、显微观察及ITS序列分析,初步鉴定这2株菌株均属于青霉菌属。     

鄂西南泽泻科植物的分布

在鄂西南,泽泻科植物主要集中在利川、恩施、鹤峰和建始四县市,常见于沼泽和水田,多生在腐殖质丰富而略带酸性(pH<7)的土壤上。在垂直方向上,随海拔升高,该科植物种数增加;但分布量以低山最多,其次是高山。除少数广布种外,其余多数种类分布范围狭窄,对生境有特定选择,这与鄂西南沼泽和水田等生境的分布状况密切相关。鄂西南泽泻科植物主要属东亚亚热带温带分布,该科区系与江西、江苏和日本的同类区系关系十分密切。     

阿尔泰山南坡树轮宽度对气候变暖的响应

在全球气候变暖的背景下,中高纬度地区出现了树轮宽度对气候的响应分异现象,在阿尔泰山南坡的森林上限,西伯利亚落叶松树轮宽度对生长季温度敏感,该区域树轮宽度对气候要素是否存在响应分异现象还不确定。建立了哈萨克斯坦境内阿尔泰山南坡的西伯利亚落叶松树轮宽度年表,利用树轮资料和卡通卡拉盖气象站的气象资料,分析了该站1932年以来的温度和降水变化趋势,并利用相关函数分析了树轮宽度对气候要素的响应特征以及对温度响应关系的变化。结果表明:1932年以来该站温度上升趋势明显,特别是冬季的升温最为显著,降水呈微弱的下降趋势;研究区树轮宽度与6月的温度显著正相关,相关系数达到0.60以上,该相关生理学意义明显;滑动序列相关分析表明,树轮宽度对6月温度的响应较为一致,没有出现明显的响应分异现象。还发现了1992年是一个响应异常的年份,是否与1991年的P inatubo火山爆发有关还有待深入研究。