HMGB1 is a bone-active cytokine

High mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) is a chromatin protein that acts as an immunomodulatory cytokine upon active release from myeloid cells. HMGB1 is also an alarmin, an endogenous molecule released by dying cells that acts to initiate tissue repair. We have previously reported that osteoclasts and osteoblasts release HMGB1 and release by the latter is regulated by parathyroid hormone (PTH), an agent of bone remodeling. A recent study suggests that HMGB1 acts as a chemotactic agent to osteoclasts and osteoblasts during endochondral ossification. To explore the potential impact of HMGB1 in the bone microenvironment and its mechanism of release by osseous cells, we characterized the effects of recombinant protein (rHMGB1) on multiple murine bone cell preparations that together exhibit the various cell phenotypes present in bone. We also inquired whether apoptotic bone cells release HMGB1. rHMGB1 enhanced the RANKL/OPG steady state mRNA ratio and dramatically augmented the release of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNFalpha) and interleukin-6 (IL6) in osteoblastogenic bone marrow stromal cell (BMSC) cultures but not in the calvarial-derived MC3T3-E1 cells. Interestingly, rHMGB1 promoted GSK-3beta phosphorylation in MC3T3-E1 cells but not in BMSCs. Apoptotic bone cells released HMGB1, including MLO-Y4 osteocyte-like cells. MLO-Y4 release of HMGB1 was coincident with caspase-3 cleavage. Furthermore, the anti-apoptotic action of PTH on MC3T3-E1 cells correlated with the observed decrease in HMGB1 release. Our data suggest that apoptotic bone cells release HMGB1, that within the marrow HMGB1 is a bone resorption signal, and that intramembraneous and endochondral osteoblasts exhibit differential responses to this cytokine.     

地衣芽胞杆菌FJAT-4脂肽结构鉴定及其对尖孢镰刀菌的抑制作用

【目的】地衣芽胞杆菌FJAT-4产生的脂肽能够有效抑制尖孢镰刀菌的生长,本研究的目的在于探究地衣芽胞杆菌FJAT-4脂肽结构,分析培养基组分和培养温度对FJAT-4产抑菌脂肽的影响,阐述脂肽对尖孢镰刀菌的抑制作用,为菌株抑菌机理的阐释及其在枯萎病防治中的推广应用奠定基础。【方法】通过酸沉醇提法提取地衣芽胞杆菌FJAT-4产生的脂肽;利用液相色谱串联四极杆飞行时间质谱进行地衣芽胞杆菌FJAT-4脂肽组成分析及结构鉴定;以抑菌圈大小为指标评估地衣芽胞杆菌FJAT-4脂肽对尖孢镰刀菌的抑制效果;通过扫描电镜观察地衣芽胞杆菌FJAT-4粗脂肽对尖孢镰刀菌的抑制作用。【结果】地衣芽胞杆菌FJAT-4产生的抑菌脂肽由C_(17)fengycin A、C_(17)fengycin B、C_(17)fengycin B_2、C_(16)fengycin A衍生物、C_(16)fengycin B衍生物、C_(13)–C_(15)surfactin及C_(13)–C_(15)surfactin衍生物组成,其中C_(13)–C_(15) surfactin衍生物(m/z[M+Na]~+=1048.6/1062.6/1076.6)为新化合物。培养基成分不同对菌株FJAT-4脂肽组成影响较小,但温度对菌株FJAT-4产生抑菌脂肽的影响很大,该菌株在较低温度(20–25°C)下培养不产生脂肽,30–40°C下培养能产生抑菌脂肽,且高温有利于提高脂肽中surfactin的比例。该脂肽类物质对辣椒、番茄、香蕉和甜瓜尖孢镰刀菌等多种植物病原真菌均具有很好的抑制效果,且呈剂量依赖性。扫描电镜结果表明地衣芽胞杆菌FJAT-4所产的脂肽会严重影响辣椒、番茄、香蕉和甜瓜尖孢镰刀菌菌丝的正常生长,导致菌丝断裂变形、孢子变形或显著抑制了孢子的生长。【结论】地衣芽胞杆菌FJAT-4产生的抑菌脂肽为fengycin和surfactin类物质,该抑菌脂肽会致使尖孢镰刀菌菌丝体发育畸形,影响尖孢镰刀菌的正常生长。     

广西瑶族藤茶化学成份的研究

从广西瑶族藤茶,即显齿蛇葡萄(Ampelopsis grossedentata)中提取分离出两种黄酮类化合物,经化学和光谱解析,鉴定为杨梅树皮素(Myricetin,C_(15)H_(10)O_8,结晶Ⅰ),双氢杨梅树皮素(DL-dihydromyricetin,C_(15)H_(12)O_8,结晶Ⅱ),其中杨梅树皮素为首次报道从该植物中获得。     

星形胶质细胞的体外生长特性

目的研究纯化培养的星形胶质细胞的体外生长特性,作为进一步研究星形胶质细胞功能的依据。方法将纯化的星形胶质细胞分为6h、12h、18h、24h、30h、36h、42h、48h、54h、60h、72h、84h、96h、120h14个时间组,培养不同的时间后,采用细胞计数法绘制细胞生长曲线观察细胞的生长状况,用流式细胞学检测细胞周期各时相的变化并绘制增殖指数曲线,所得数据用SPSS软件进行统计学分析。结果①星形胶质细胞的生长曲线可明显的分为三个阶段:第一阶段为0至24h,在此时间内生长曲线平缓上升,其斜率为0.64。第二阶段为24h至84h,在此时间内生长曲线急剧上升,其斜率为2.69;此阶段中24h至48h时曲线最陡,斜率为3.94,细胞呈指数生长。第三阶段为84h至120h,在此时间内生长曲线走势平直,其斜率为-0.005。②星形胶质细胞的增殖指数在第一个细胞增殖周期内可以反映细胞的增殖状态,第一个细胞周期结束后,细胞的数量继续上升增殖指数却降低了。结论培养的星形胶质细胞的生长过程分为潜伏期、指数生长期和停滞期三个阶段,其潜伏期为0至24h,指数生长期为24h至48h,停滞期为84h以后。单纯用增殖指数等类似的指标作为细胞增殖状态的判断标准是有一定局限性的,一定要将这些指标与细胞数量结合起来分析。     

A case-control study between the gene polymorphisms of polyunsaturated fatty acids metabolic rate-limiting enzymes and coronary artery disease in a Chinese Han population

To investigate the association between the polymorphisms of fatty acid desaturase 1 (FADS1), fatty acid desaturase 2 (FADS2) and elongation of very long chain fatty acids like 2 (ELOVL2) gene and coronary artery disease (CAD) in a Chinese Han population. Three single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) from these genes were genotyped using PCR-based restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis in 199 CAD cases and 192 controls of Han Chinese origin. rs174556 in the FADS1 gene showed allelic (P=0.002) and genotypic (P=0.030) association with the disease, while there was no disease association for the other two SNPs. The frequency of rs174556 minor allele (T) was significantly higher in the case group than the control group. The trans phase gene–gene interaction analysis showed that the combined genotype of rs174556 (T/T) and rs3756963 (T/T) was weakly associated with the disease (P=0.043). rs174556 in the FADS1 gene is very likely to be associated with CAD in the Chinese Han population.     

In Vitro and In Vivo Antitumor Activity of a Novel pH-Activated Polymeric Drug Delivery System for Doxorubicin

Background

Conventional chemotherapy agent such as doxorubicin (DOX) is of limited clinical use because of its inherently low selectivity, which can lead to systemic toxicity in normal healthy tissue.

Methods

A pH stimuli-sensitive conjugate based on polyethylene glycol (PEG) with covalently attachment doxorubicin via hydrazone bond (PEG-hyd-DOX) was prepared for tumor targeting delivery system. While PEG-DOX conjugates via amid bond (PEG-ami-DOX) was synthesized as control.

Results

The synthetic conjugates were confirmed by proton nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, the release profile of DOX from PEG-hyd-DOX was acid-liable for the hydrazone linkage between DOX and PEG, led to different intracellular uptake route; intracellular accumulation of PEG-hyd-DOX was higher than PEG-ami-DOX due to its pH-triggered profile, and thereby more cytotoxicity against MCF-7, MDA-MB-231 (breast cancer models) and HepG2 (hepatocellular carcinoma model) cell lines. Following the in vitro results, we xenografted MDA-MB-231 cell onto SCID mice, PEG-hyd-DOX showed stronger antitumor efficacy than free DOX and was tumor-targeting.

Conclusions

Results from these in vivo experiments were consistent with our in vitro results; suggested this pH-triggered PEG-hyd-DOX conjugate could target DOX to tumor tissues and release free drugs by acidic tumor environment, which would be potent in antitumor drug delivery.     

Complete genome sequence of Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. chinensis strain CT-43

Bacillus thuringiensis has been widely used as an agricultural biopesticide for a long time. As a producing strain, B. thuringiensis subsp. chinensis strain CT-43 is highly toxic to lepidopterous and dipterous insects. It can form various parasporal crystals consisting of Cry1Aa3, Cry1Ba1, Cry1Ia14, Cry2Aa9, and Cry2Ab1. During fermentation, it simultaneously generates vegetative insecticidal protein Vip3Aa10 and the insecticidal nucleotide analogue thuringiensin. Here, we report the finished, annotated genome sequence of B. thuringiensis strain CT-43.     

过表达CodY蛋白的苏云金芽胞杆菌基因工程菌YBT-881-L1的构建及特性鉴定

为研究革兰氏阳性菌中的全局性转录调控因子CodY在苏云金芽胞杆菌中的作用机制,利用苏云金芽胞杆菌野生株YBT-881,构建了过表达CodY蛋白的基因工程菌YBT-88 1-L1,并对此工程菌的特性进行了研究.结果表明,YBT-881-L1和野生株的生长曲线以及伴胞晶体形态无明显差异.SDS-PAGE及质谱分析发现,野生株中沉默的cy2Ac4基因在工程菌中被激活,并产生大量的Cry2Ac4蛋白.生物测定结果表明,重组菌株YBT-881 -Ll较野生株对鳞翅目害虫棉铃虫的杀虫活性明显增强.     

3,3'-Diindolylmethane exhibits antileukemic activity in vitro and in vivo through a Akt-dependent process

3,3'-Diindolylmethane (DIM), one of the active products derived from Brassica plants, is a promising antitumor agent. The present study indicated that DIM significantly induced apoptosis in U937 human leukemia cells in dose- and time-dependent manners. These events were also noted in other human leukemia cells (Jurkat and HL-60) and primary human leukemia cells (AML) but not in normal bone marrow mononuclear cells. We also found that DIM-induced lethality is associated with caspases activation, myeloid cell leukemia-1 (Mcl-1) down-regulation, p21(cip1/waf1) up-regulation, and Akt inactivation accompanied by c-jun NH2-terminal kinase (JNK) activation. Enforced activation of Akt by a constitutively active Akt construct prevented DIM-mediated caspase activation, Mcl-1 down-regulation, JNK activation, and apoptosis. Conversely, DIM lethality was potentiated by the PI3K inhibitor LY294002. Interruption of the JNK pathway by pharmacologic or genetic approaches attenuated DIM-induced caspases activation, Mcl-1 down-regulation, and apoptosis. Lastly, DIM inhibits tumor growth of mouse U937 xenograft, which was related to induction of apoptosis and inactivation of Akt, as well as activation of JNK. Collectively, these findings suggest that DIM induces apoptosis in human leukemia cell lines and primary human leukemia cells, and exhibits antileukemic activity in vivo through Akt inactivation and JNK activation.