Recombinant disintegrin targets α(v) β(3) integrin and leads to mediator production

Integrin αvβ3 is most likely the foremost modulator of angiogenesis among all known integrins. Recombinant disintegrin DisBa-01, originally obtained from snake venom glands, binds to αvβ3, thereby significantly inhibiting adhesion and generating in vivo anti-metastatic ability. However, its function in mediator production is not clear. Here, we observed that the mediators VEGF-A, IL-8, and TGF-β are not produced by human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC cell line) or monocyte/macrophage cells (SC cell line) when cells adhered to vitronectin. However, when exposed to DisBa-01, HUVECs produced higher levels of TGF-β, and SC cells produced higher levels of VEGF-A. Nonetheless, HUVECs also showed an enhancement of apoptosis after losing adherence when exposed to disintegrin, which is a characteristic of anoikis. We propose that disintegrin DisBa-01 could be used to modulate integrin αvβ3 functions.     

Introduction of a Synthetic CO2-fixing Photorespiratory Bypass into a Cyanobacterium

Global photosynthetic productivity is limited by the enzymatic assimilation of CO₂ into organic carbon compounds. Ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (RuBisCO), the carboxylating enzyme of the Calvin-Benson cycle, poorly discriminates between CO₂ and O₂, leading to photorespiration and the loss of fixed carbon and nitrogen. With the advent of synthetic biology, it is now feasible to design, synthesize, and introduce biochemical pathways in vivo. We engineered a synthetic photorespiratory bypass based on the 3-hydroxypropionate bi-cycle into the model cyanobacterium, Synechococcus elongatus sp. PCC 7942. The heterologously expressed cycle is designed to function as both a photorespiratory bypass and an additional CO₂-fixing pathway, supplementing the Calvin-Benson cycle. We demonstrate the function of all six introduced enzymes and identify bottlenecks to be targeted in subsequent bioengineering. These results have implications for efforts to improve photosynthesis and for the “green” production of high value products of biotechnological interest.     

Circle of Willis variation in a complex stroke presentation: a case report

Background  

The impact of circle of Willis anatomical variation upon the presentation of stroke is probably underrecognised.     

Transition of healthy to diseased synovial tissue in rheumatoid arthritis is associated with gain of mesenchymal/fibrotic characteristics

The healthy synovial lining layer consists of a single cell layer that regulates the transport between the joint cavity and the surrounding tissue. It has been suggested that abnormalities such as somatic mutations in the p53 tumor-suppressor gene contribute to synovial hyperplasia and invasion in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). In this study, expression of epithelial markers on healthy and diseased synovial lining tissue was examined. In addition, we investigated whether a regulated process, resembling epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT)/fibrosis, could be responsible for the altered phenotype of the synovial lining layer in RA. Synovial tissue from healthy subjects and RA patients was obtained during arthroscopy. To detect signs of EMT, expression of E-cadherin (epithelial marker), collagen type IV (indicator of the presence of a basement membrane) and alpha-smooth muscle actin (alpha-sma; a myofibroblast marker) was investigated on frozen tissue sections using immunohistochemistry. Fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLSs) from healthy subjects were isolated and subjected to stimulation with synovial fluid (SF) from two RA patients and to transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta. To detect whether EMT/fibrotic markers were increased, expression of collagen type I, alpha-sma and telopeptide lysylhydroxylase (TLH) was measured by real time PCR. Expression of E-cadherin and collagen type IV was found in healthy and arthritic synovial tissue. Expression of alpha-sma was only found in the synovial lining layer of RA patients. Stimulation of healthy FLSs with SF resulted in an upregulation of alpha-sma and TLH mRNA. Collagen type I and TLH mRNA were upregulated after stimulation with TGF-beta. Addition of bone morphogenetic protein (BMP)-7 to healthy FLS stimulated with SF inhibited the expression of alpha-sma mRNA. The finding that E-cadherin and collagen type IV are expressed in the lining layer of healthy and arthritic synovium indicates that these lining cells display an epithelial-like phenotype. In addition, the presence of alpha-sma in the synovial lining layer of RA patients and induction of fibrotic markers in healthy FLSs by SF from RA patients indicate that a regulated process comparable to EMT might cause the alteration in phenotype of RA FLSs. Therefore, BMP-7 may represent a promising agent to counteract the transition imposed on synoviocytes in the RA joint.     

利用重组自交系群体对黄瓜侧枝相关性状进行QTL定位分析

侧枝与黄瓜(Cucumis sativus)产量有密切关系. 本实验利用侧枝长势较弱、萌发较早的华北类型品系S94和侧枝长势较强、萌发较晚的欧洲类型品系S06构建的224个F6:7家系进行黄瓜侧枝相关性状的研究. 利用已构建的重组自交系群体遗传图谱, 使用软件WinQTLCart 2.5进行复合区间定位. 在2006年秋和2007年春两季, 共检测到4个侧枝相关性状(侧枝均长LBAL、侧枝总长LBTL、侧枝数目LBN和第一侧枝节位FLBN)的36个QTL, 单个QTL的贡献率在3.1%(lbtl2.1, 春季)~32.3%(lbn2.3, 春季)之间. 结果显示, 4个不同性状的11个QTL (lbal1.1, lbtl1.1, lbn1.2, flbn1.2等)在两季中都聚集在第1连锁群e23m18d~ME23EM6c之间(7.4 cM), 并且在第2连锁群的S94A1~ME4SA4a之间(13.9 cM)也检测到了4个不同性状的15个QTL (lbal2.1, lbtl2.1, lbn2.1和flbn2.1等). 两季共有21个QTL贡献率超过10%, 其中lbn2.3的贡献率(春季32.3%, LOD=18.4)为最大, lbtl1.3(秋季26.2%, LOD=17.4; 春季26.9%, LOD=17.9)在两季的位置和贡献率都稳定. 这些基因座为将来进行QTL精细定位提供了参考, 同时利用其紧密连锁(<10 cM)的特异标记(CMBR40, F, CS30, S94A1, CSWTA11B)可进行黄瓜侧枝性状的分子标记辅助育种.     

蜘蛛丝蛋白的模块结构性能和重组表达

蜘蛛丝是一类天然蛋白质纤维,具有独特的机械性能（高强度、高弹性和高断裂功等）和卓著的生物学特性（生物可降解性和与生物组织的相容性等）,在生物医学、材料、纺织和军事等领域都有着很高的潜在应用价值。综述了不同蜘蛛丝蛋白的模块结构特征及与其功能的关系,扼要介绍了目前利用各种基因工程方法表达重组蜘蛛丝蛋白的研究进展。     

关于神经病学PBL教学中心理因素的思考

神经病学是涉及多个基础学科的临床专门学科,其内容复杂抽象,令学生望而生畏。PBL是学生自主学习建构知识和教师引导的教学模式,有利于学生克服畏难情绪,提高学习效率。根据我们的实践体会,教师与学生的心理是影响PBL教学效果的重要因素。只有把握好教学过程中的心理因素,才能使PBL的优势真正得以体现。     

Wistar大鼠幼年期丰富环境刺激对其社会竞争行为的影响

目的：探讨大鼠幼年期丰富环境经历对其成年后焦虑样行为和社会竞争行为的影响。方法：幼年期Wistar大鼠（生后21天）分为标准饲养组（对照组）和丰富环境刺激（EE）组。对照组为持续在标准实验室饲养条件下饲养;丰富环境组为生后21天至行为学检查时持续在丰富环境下饲养。在生后70天进行行为学检测：采用高架十字迷宫方法测试焦虑样行为;采用社会优势管道试验观察社会竞争性行为。结果：高架十字迷宫实验结果显示,与对照组相比,丰富环境组在开放臂的时间和次数显著增加;优势管道实验结果显示丰富环境刺激组大鼠的社会竞争力明显下降。结论：大鼠幼年期丰富环境刺激可改善大鼠的焦虑样情绪,但导致大鼠社会竞争力下降。