蚕豆叶绿体atpE基因的克隆,测序和表达

蚕豆叶绿体的ａｔｐＥ和ａｔｐＢ基因在叶绿体ＤＮＡ ＫｐｎＩ酶切的第九条（约４．０ｋｂ）片段上,此片段被克隆到载体ｐＵＣ１８中,构成重组质粒ｐＵＫ１。用玉米叶绿体ａｔｐＥ基因作探针对ｐＵＫ１的ＣｌａＩ、ＥｃｏＲＩ等的酶切产物进行杂交,确定了蚕豆叶绿体的ａｔｐＥ在ＣｌａＩ酶切的约０．９ｋｂ的片段上。根据ｐＢｕｌｅｓｃｒｉｐｔ ＫＳ（＋）ＤＮＡ多聚接头Ｆ引物和Ｒ引物测序,得到ε亚基基因的完整核苷酸序列。     

The pathogenicity of T cell epitopes on human Goodpasture antigen and its critical amino acid motif

Goodpasture antigen, the non‐collagenous domain of α3 chain of type IV collagen [α3(IV)NC1], is the target antigen of anti‐glomerular basement membrane (GBM) antibodies. The pathogenicity of T cell epitopes is not elucidated clearly. In this study, we aim to define the nephritogenic T cell epitopes and its critical amino acid residues. Twenty‐four overlapping linear peptides were synthesized covering the whole sequence of human α3(IV)NC1. Wistar–Kyoto rats were immunized with linear peptides, and experimental autoimmune glomerulonephritis was evaluated. Critical amino acid was identified by the loss of nephritogenic function after each amino acid substitution by alanine. Of the 24 peptides, P14 (α3_127‐148) could induce 90.5% (19/21) of WKY rats developing anti‐GBM glomerulonephritis with proteinuria, elevated serum urea and creatinine, IgG linear deposit on GBM and substantial (in average 82.4 ± 5.6%) crescent formation in glomeruli. Lymphocytes of immunized rats proliferated in response to α3_127‐148 and α3(IV)NC1 in vitro. Sera of these rats recognized α3_127‐148 and later on together with intact human α3(IV)NC1. Antibodies towards α3_127‐148 and intact α3(IV)NC1 could also be detected from the kidney elutes. These antibodies showed no cross‐reaction with each other, which implies intramolecular epitope spreading during disease progress. After sequential amino acid substitution, the α3_127‐148 with substitution of tryptophan₁₃₆, isoleucine₁₃₇, leucine₁₃₉ or tryptophan₁₄₀ lost its nephritogenicity. Human α3_127‐148 is a nephritogenic T cell epitope in WKY rats, with the critical amino acids as W₁₃₆I₁₃₇xL₁₃₉W₁₄₀. These findings might facilitate future investigation on microbial aetiology and potential specific immunotherapy of anti‐GBM disease.     

The Group A Streptococcus serotype M2 pilus plays a role in host cell adhesion and immune evasion

Group A Streptococcus (GAS), or Streptococcus pyogenes, is a human pathogen that causes diseases ranging from skin and soft tissue infections to severe invasive diseases, such as toxic shock syndrome. Each GAS strain carries a particular pilus type encoded in the variable f ibronectin‐binding, c ollagen‐binding, T antigen (FCT) genomic region. Here, we describe the functional analysis of the serotype M2 pilus encoded in the FCT‐6 region. We found that, in contrast to other investigated GAS pili, the ancillary pilin 1 lacks adhesive properties. Instead, the backbone pilin is important for host cell adhesion and binds several host factors, including fibronectin and fibrinogen. Using a panel of recombinant pilus proteins, GAS gene deletion mutants and Lactococcus lactis gain‐of‐function mutants we show that, unlike other GAS pili, the FCT‐6 pilus also contributes to immune evasion. This was demonstrated by a delay in blood clotting, increased intracellular survival of the bacteria in macrophages, higher bacterial survival rates in human whole blood and greater virulence in a Galleria mellonella infection model in the presence of fully assembled FCT‐6 pili.     

Inhibiting Matrix Metalloproteinase 3 Ameliorates Neuronal Loss in the Ganglion Cell Layer of Rats in Retinal Ischemia/Reperfusion

It has been demonstrated that matrix metalloproteinase 3 (MMP3) is integrally involved in the neuronal degeneration of the central nervous system by promoting glial activation, neuronal apoptosis and damage to the brain–blood barrier. However, whether MMP3 also contributes to the neuronal degeneration induced by retinal ischemia/reperfusion is still uncertain. In the present study, we detected the cellular localization of MMP3 in adult rat retinae and explored the relationship of its expression with neuronal loss in the ganglion cell layer (GCL) in retinal ischemia/reperfusion. We found that MMP3 was widely expressed in many cells throughout the layers of the rat retinae, including Vertebrate neuron-specific nuclear protein (NeuN)-, parvalbumin-, calbindin-, protein kinase C-α-, glial fibrillary acidic protein-, glutamine synthetase- and CD11b-positive cells. Furthermore, all rats were treated with high intraocular pressure (HIOP) for 1 h (h) and sacrificed at 6 h, 1 day (d), 3 d, and 7 d after HIOP. Compared to the normal control, the expression of both proenzyme MMP3 and active MMP3 were significantly up-regulated after HIOP treatment without alteration of the laminar distribution pattern. Moreover, inhibiting MMP3 ameliorated the loss of NeuN-positive cells in the GCL following HIOP. In summary, our data demonstrates that MMP3 is expressed in multiple types of neurons and glial cells in normal rat retinae. Simultaneously, the up-regulation of its expression and activity are closely involved in neuronal loss in the GCL in retinal ischemia/reperfusion.     

HSP25 down-regulation enhanced p53 acetylation by dissociation of SIRT1 from p53 in doxorubicin-induced H9c2 cell apoptosis

Heat shock proteins (HSPs) play important roles in cellular stress resistance. Previous reports had already suggested that HSP27 played multiple roles in preventing doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity. Although HSP25 might have biological functions similar to its human homolog HSP27, the mechanism of HSP25 is still unclear in doxorubicin-induced cardiomyocyte apoptosis. To investigate HSP25 biological function on doxorubicin-induced apoptosis, flow cytometry was employed to analyze cell apoptosis in over-expressing HSP25 H9c2 cells in presence of doxorubicin. Unexpectedly, the H9c2 cells of over-expressing HSP25 have no protective effect on doxorubicin-induced apoptosis. Moreover, no detectable interactions were detected by coimmunoprecipitation between HSP25 and cytochrome c, and HSP25 over-expression failed in preventing cytochrome c release induced by doxorubicin. However, down-regulation of endogenous HSP25 by a specific small hairpin RNA aggravates apoptosis in H9c2 cells. Subsequent studies found that HSP25, but not HSP90, HSP70, and HSP20, interacted with SIRT1. Knockdown of HSP25 decreased the interaction between SIRT1 and p53, leading to increased p53 acetylation on K379, up-regulated pro-apoptotic Bax protein expression, induced cytochrome c release, and triggered caspase-3 and caspase-9 activation. These findings indicated a novel mechanism by which HSP25 regulated p53 acetylation through dissociation of SIRT1 from p53 in doxorubicin-induced H9c2 cell apoptosis.     

Activation of TRPV1 mediates thymic stromal lymphopoietin release via the Ca/NFAT pathway in airway epithelial cells

The airway epithelium is exposed to a range of irritants in the environment that are known to trigger inflammatory response such as asthma. Transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) is a Ca²⁺-permeable cation channel critical for detecting noxious stimuli by sensory neurons. Recently increasing evidence suggests TRPV1 is also crucially involved in the pathophysiology of asthma on airway epithelium in human. Here we report that in airway epithelial cells TRPV1 activation potently induces allergic cytokine thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) release. TSLP induction by protease-activated receptor (PAR)-2 activation is also partially mediated by TRPV1 channels.     

Nanotechnology-based intelligent drug design for cancer metastasis treatment

Traditional chemotherapy used today at clinics is mainly inherited from the thinking and designs made four decades ago when the Cancer War was declared. The potency of those chemotherapy drugs on in-vitro cancer cells is clearly demonstrated at even nanomolar levels. However, due to their non-specific effects in the body on normal tissues, these drugs cause toxicity, deteriorate patient's life quality, weaken the host immunosurveillance system, and result in an irreversible damage to human's own recovery power. Owing to their unique physical and biological properties, nanotechnology-based chemotherapies seem to have an ability to specifically and safely reach tumor foci with enhanced efficacy and low toxicity. Herein, we comprehensively examine the current nanotechnology-based pharmaceutical platforms and strategies for intelligent design of new nanomedicines based on targeted drug delivery system (TDDS) for cancer metastasis treatment, analyze the pros and cons of nanomedicines versus traditional chemotherapy, and evaluate the importance that nanomaterials can bring in to significantly improve cancer metastasis treatment.     

Substitution of surface-exposed framework residues alters secretion of recombinant fusion protein Fv/tumor necrosis factor in Escherichia coli

Substitution of hydrophobic residues with hydrophilic ones at surface-exposed positions may influence the yield of antibody fragment expression in Escherichia coli by reducing its aggregation potential. We introduced such substitutions at 8 surface-exposed framework region residues of a fusion protein Fv/Tumor Necrosis Factor, which resulted in the expression of 10 mutant fusion proteins (Mut 1-10) in E. coli. Our results showed that expression levels of Mut 1-3, with mutations of A9S, T18K, and G41D, respectively, decreased by 4- to 8-fold, whereas expression levels of Mut 4, 9, and 10, with mutations of S60D/S70D, T28D, and G65D, respectively, were not affected. In contrast, mutation of F83A at light-chain residue 83, which is usually buried at the variable/constant domain interface of antibody molecules but becomes surface-exposed in recombinant Fv molecules, increased the expression level of Mut 5 by 4-fold. Our results suggest that this important substitution of a hydrophobic residue with a hydrophilic one may also be applied to increase the secretion of other recombinant Fv molecules in E. coli periplasm.     

黑木耳胶质铁配合物的制备及其性质研究

利用黑木耳提取多糖后的料渣(主要为胶质物质),与铁(Ⅲ)合成黑木耳胶质铁配合物(AGIC),并测定AGIC的理化性质.结果表明AGIC为无定形棕色粉末,易溶于水,其水溶液中不存在游离的铁(Ⅲ),表明铁(Ⅲ)与黑木耳胶质形成了稳定的配合物.采用抗坏血酸还原,AGIC中的铁(Ⅲ)易被抗坏血酸还原成铁(Ⅱ),说明黑木耳胶质铁配合物有望开发成理想的口服补铁剂.