β2 adrenoceptor signaling regulates ion transport in 16HBE14o- human airway epithelial cells

We investigated the regulation of Cl⁻ secretion by adrenoceptors in polarized 16HBE14o- human bronchial epithelial cells. Treatment with the nonselective β adrenoceptor agonist isoprenaline stimulated an increase in short-circuit current (I_SC), which was inhibited by the β adrenoceptor blocker propranolol. Treatment with procaterol, an agonist specific for the β₂ adrenoceptor subtype, stimulated a similar increase in I_SC, which was inhibited by the β₂ adrenoceptor antagonist ICI 118551. Inhibitors of cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) and calcium-activated Cl⁻ channel (CaCC), but not K⁺ channel blockers, were able to inhibit the increase in I_SC. “Trimultaneous” recording of I_SC and intracellular cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) and Ca²⁺ levels in 16HBE14o- epithelia confirmed that the I_SC induced by isoprenaline or procaterol involved both cAMP and Ca²⁺ signaling. Our results demonstrate that β₂ adrenoceptors regulate Cl⁻ secretion in the human airway epithelium by activating apical CFTRs and CaCCs via cAMP-dependent and intracellular Ca²⁺-dependent mechanisms, respectively.     

小白链霉菌ε-聚赖氨酸降解酶生理功能分析

[目的] 研究小白链霉菌（Streptomyces albulus）中ε-聚赖氨酸降解酶（Pld）的分布特征和生理功能。[方法] 利用生物信息学手段对已报道的ε-聚赖氨酸（ε-PL）产生菌的Pld进行挖掘和分析,再通过遗传学方法对小白链霉菌M-Z18基因组中存在的两种pld进行敲除、回补和过表达,最后研究重组菌降解ε-PL能力、最小ε-PL抑制浓度（MIC）及其合成ε-PL情况。[结果] PldⅠ和PldⅡ广泛且同时分布于小白链霉菌中,蛋白序列高度保守;PldⅠ、PldⅡ在小白链霉菌M-Z18中均能行使降解ε-PL的功能,但PldⅡ降解活性占主导地位且PldⅠ和PldⅡ对降解ε-PL具有协同作用;pldⅠ、pldⅡ过表达重组菌对ε-PL的MIC值显著提高,其中双过表达pldⅠ和pldⅡ菌株对ε-PL的MIC值是出发菌株的2.19倍。构建的pld重组菌与出发菌株相比,在考察pH值范围内（pH 3.0-5.5）的ε-PL产量未表现出显著差异。[结论] 小白链霉菌中广泛分布PldⅠ和PldⅡ且序列高度保守,主要生理功能是保护小白链霉菌在中性环境中免受自身产物ε-PL的抑制。     

A novel immunoproteomics method for identifying in vivo-induced Campylobacter jejuni antigens using pre-adsorbed sera from infected patients

Background

Campylobacter jejuni is an important food-borne and zoonotic pathogen with a worldwide distribution. Humans and chickens are hosts of this pathogen. At present, there is no ideal vaccine for controlling human campylobacteriosis or the carriage of C. jejuni by chickens. Bacterial in vivo-induced antigens are useful as potential vaccine candidates and biomarkers of virulence.

Methods

In this study, we developed a novel systematic immunoproteomics approach to identify in vivo-induced antigens among the total cell proteins of C. jejuni using pre-adsorbed sera from patients infected with C. jejuni.

Results

Overall, 14 immunoreactive spots were probed on a PVDF membrane using pre-adsorbed human sera against C. jejuni. Then, we excised these protein spots from a duplicate gel and identified using MALDI–TOF MS. In total, 14 in vivo-induced antigens were identified using PMF and BLAST analysis. The identified proteins include CadF (CadF-1 and CadF-2), CheW, TufB, DnaK, MetK, LpxB, HslU, DmsA, PorA, ProS, CJBH_0976, CSU_0396 and hypothetical protein cje135_05017. Real-time RT-PCR was performed on 9 genes to compare their expression levels in vivo and in vitro. The data showed that 8 of the 9 analyzed genes were significantly upregulated in vivo relative to in vitro.

Conclusion

We successfully developed a novel immunoproteomics method for identifying in vivo-induced Campylobacter jejuni antigens by using pre-adsorbed sera from infected patients.

General significance

This new analysis method may prove to be useful for identifying in vivo-induced antigens within any host infected by bacteria and will contribute to the development of new subunit vaccines.     

Host preference and suitability in the endoparasitoid Campoletis chlorideae is associated with its ability to suppress host immune responses

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Identification of genetic associations of SP110/MYBBP1A/RELA with pulmonary tuberculosis in the Chinese Han population

Genetic factors play important roles in the development of tuberculosis (TB). SP110 is a promising candidate target for controlling TB infections. However, several studies associating SP110 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) with TB have yielded conflicting results. This may be partly resolved by studying other genes associated with SP110, such as MYBBP1A and RELA. Here, we genotyped 6 SP110 SNPs, 8 MYBBP1A SNPs and 5 RELA SNPs in 702 Chinese pulmonary TB patients and 425 healthy subjects using MassARRAY and SNaPshot methods. Using SNP-based analysis with Bonferroni correction, rs3809849 in MYBBP1A [Pcorrected (cor) = 0.0038] and rs9061 in SP110 (Pcor = 0.019) were found to be significantly associated with TB. Furthermore, meta-analysis of rs9061 in East Asian populations showed that the rs9061 T allele conferred significant risk for TB [P = 0.002, pooled odds ratio (OR), 1.24, 95 % confidence interval (CI) = 1.08–1.43]. The MYBBP1A GTCTTGGG haplotype and haplotypes CGACCG/TGATTG within SP110 were found to be markedly and significantly associated with TB (P = 2.00E?06, 5.00E?6 and 2.59E?4, respectively). Gene-based analysis also demonstrated that SP110 and MYBBP1A were each associated with TB (Pcor = 0.011 and 0.035, respectively). The logistic regression analysis results supported interactions between SP110 and MYBBP1A, indicating that subjects carrying a GC/CC genotype in MYBBP1A and CC genotype in SP110 possessed the high risk of developing TB (P = 1.74E?12). Our study suggests that a combination of SP110 and MYBBP1A gene polymorphisms may serve as a novel marker for identifying the risk of developing TB in the Chinese Han population.     

Glial Cells Activation Potentially Contributes to the Upregulation of Stromal Cell-Derived Factor-1α After Optic Nerve Crush in Rats

Stromal cell-derived factor-1α (SDF-1α) plays an important role after injury. However, little is known regarding its temporal and spatial expression patterns or how it interacts with glial cells after optic nerve crush injury. We characterized the temporal and spatial expression pattern of SDF-1α in the retina and optic nerve following optic nerve crush and demonstrated that SDF-1α is localized to the glial cells that are distributed in the retina and optic nerve. CXCR4, the receptor for SDF-1α, is expressed along the ganglion cell layer (GCL). The relative expression levels of Sdf-1α mRNA and SDF-1α protein in the retina and optic nerve 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 10 and 14 days after injury were determined using real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, respectively, and the Cxcr4 mRNA expression was determined using real-time PCR. Immunofluorescence and immunohistochemical approaches were used to detect the localization of SDF-1α and CXCR4 after injury. The upregulation of Sdf-1α and Cxcr4 mRNA was detected as early as day one after injury in the retina and day two in the optic nerve, the expression peaks 5–7 days after injury. The expression of Sdf-1α and Cxcr4 mRNA was maintained for at least 14 days after the optic nerve crush injury. Furthermore, SDF-1α-positive zones were distributed locally in the reactive glial cells, which suggested potential autocrine stimulation. CXCR4 was mainly expressed in the GCL, which was also adjacent to the the glial cells. These findings suggest that following optic nerve crush, the levels of endogenous SDF-1α and CXCR4 increase in the retina and optic nerve, where activated glial cells may act as a source of increased SDF-1α protein.     

Nogo-B的生物学功能

Nogo-B是网状蛋白家族4的重要成员,其广泛表达于中枢神经系统及外周组织,其亚细胞定位于细胞内质网及细胞膜。研究显示,Nogo-B主要参与血管损伤、组织修复、再生及炎症过程的调控,并可能在肿瘤细胞凋亡及中枢神经系统疾病中也发挥重要作用。对Nogo-B的结构及其功能的进一步探索,有助于更加深入地了解其在各种疾病中发挥作用的机制。     

我国云南食用牛肝菌的DNA条形码研究

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新一代植物志：创新与发展

2004年10月,由三代植物学家历时45年完成了《中国植物志》。7年之后,中国植物学会系统与进化植物学专业委员会和云南省植物学会在昆明举办了201l全国系统与进化植物学研讨会暨第十届青年研讨会。会议明确提出了“后植物志时代的系统与进化植物学”这一主题。2013年9月,英文和修订版《中国植物志》联合编委会在北京宣布,世界上最大和高水平的FloraofChina已全面完成,     

Blockage of glucocorticoid receptors during memory acquisition, retrieval and reconsolidation prevents the expression of morphine-induced conditioned place preferences in mice

Association between the reward caused by consuming drugs and the context in which they are consumed is essential in the formation of morphine-induced conditioned place preference (CPP). Glucocorticoid receptor (GRs) activation in different regions of the brain affects reward-based reinforcement and memory processing. A wide array of studies have demonstrated that blockage of GRs in some brain areas can have an effect on reward-related memory; however, to date there have been no systematic studies about the involvement of glucocorticoids (GCs) in morphine-related reward memory. Here, we used the GR antagonist RU38486 to investigate how GRs blockage affects the sensitization and CPP behavior during different phases of reward memory included acquisition, retrieval and reconsolidation. Interestingly, our results showed RU38486 has the ability to impair the acquisition, retrieval and reconsolidation of reward-based memory in CPP and sensitization behavior. But RU38486 by itself cannot induce CPP or conditioned place aversion (CPA) behavior. Our data provide a much more complete picture of the potential effects that glucocorticoids have on the reward memory of different phases and inhibit the sensitization behavior.