Proteomic profiling of the hypothalamus in two mouse models of narcolepsy

Narcolepsy is a disabling neurological disorder of sleepiness linked to the loss of neurons producing orexin neuropeptides in the hypothalamus. Two well‐characterized phenotypic mouse models of narcolepsy, loss‐of‐function (orexin‐knockout), and progressive loss of orexin (orexin/ataxin‐3) exist. The open question is whether the proteomics signatures of the hypothalamus would be different between the two models. To address this gap, we utilized a label‐free proteomics approach and conducted a hypothalamic proteome analysis by comparing each disease model to that of wild type. Following data processing and statistical analysis, 14 484 peptides mapping to 2282 nonredundant proteins were identified, of which 39 proteins showed significant differences in protein expression across groups. Altered proteins in both models showed commonalties in pathways for mitochondrial dysfunction and neuronal degeneration, as well as altered proteins related to inflammatory demyelination, insulin resistance, metabolic responses, and the dopaminergic and monoaminergic systems. Model‐specific alterations in insulin degraded enzyme (IDE) and synaptosomal‐associated protein‐25 were unique to orexin‐KO and orexin/ataxin‐3, respectively. For both models, proteomics not only identified clinically suspected consequences of orexin loss on energy homeostasis and neurotransmitter systems, but also identified commonalities in inflammation and degeneration despite the entirely different genetic basis of the two mouse models.     

Phosphorylation on tyrosine-15 of p34(Cdc2) by ErbB2 inhibits p34(Cdc2) activation and is involved in resistance to taxol-induced apoptosis

ErbB2 overexpression confers resistance to taxol-induced apoptosis by inhibiting p34(Cdc2) activation. One mechanism is via ErbB2-mediated upregulation of p21(Cip1), which inhibits Cdc2. Here, we report that the inhibitory phosphorylation on Cdc2 tyrosine (Y)15 (Cdc2-Y15-p) is elevated in ErbB2-overexpressing breast cancer cells and primary tumors. ErbB2 binds to and colocalizes with cyclin B-Cdc2 complexes and phosphorylates Cdc2-Y15. The ErbB2 kinase domain is sufficient to directly phosphorylate Cdc2-Y15. Increased Cdc2-Y15-p in ErbB2-overexpressing cells corresponds with delayed M phase entry. Expressing a nonphosphorylatable mutant of Cdc2 renders cells more sensitive to taxol-induced apoptosis. Thus, ErbB2 membrane RTK can confer resistance to taxol-induced apoptosis by directly phosphorylating Cdc2.     

胞红蛋白在肝肾纤维化中的作用

胞红蛋白是珠蛋白家族中的新成员,在组织中有广泛表达,但这种表达只限于成纤维细胞及其衍生细胞中,且定位在细胞质中.最初认为胞红蛋白与其它珠蛋白在功能上有一定的相似性,如携带氧至线粒体、作为氧的感受器等.但胞红蛋白的特殊结构及主要定位与上述功能并不完全相符.越来越多的研究认为胞红蛋白参与纤维化形成,并且其过表达可以对抗损伤导致的氧化应激,从而抑制自由基介导的成纤维细胞的活化及组织的纤维化.     

胡杨甜菜碱醛脱氢酶基因的功能分化

甜菜碱醛脱氢酶(BADH)在植物抗逆反应中发挥着重要作用。文中从胡杨cDNA克隆到2个甜菜碱醛脱氢酶基因,分别命名为PeBADH1和PeBADH2。PeBADH1和PeBADH2均编码503个氨基酸的蛋白质,预测分子量分别是54.93 kDa和54.90 kDa。组织表达模式分析发现这2个基因在正常生长、盐和H2O2胁迫下,在不同组织中的表达模式有较大差异。在大肠杆菌中表达并纯化了2个基因的重组蛋白。酶活性分析显示PeBADH1和PeBADH2蛋白对底物的活性分别是0.073μmol/(min.mg)和0.107μmol/(min.mg)。热力学稳定性分析显示这2个蛋白的热力学稳定性具有明显差异。因此,基因表达模式差异与蛋白质酶学性质的不同预示着这2个基因可能存在功能上的分化。     

Generation and Analysis of ESTs from the Grass Carp,Ctenopharyngodon idellus

Grass carp, Ctenopharyngodon idellus (Valenciennes, 1844), is an economically important species widely cultured in the world, but its genome research resources are largely lacking. The objectives of this study were to construct normalized cDNA libraries for efficient EST analysis, to generate ESTs from these libraries, and to identify EST-related molecular markers such as microsatellites and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) for genetic analysis of this species. A total of 6,269 ESTs were generated representing 4,815 unique sequences, from which 105 putative microsatellites and 5,228 SNPs were identified. These genome resources provide the material basis for future genetic and functional analyses in this species.     

Comparative cardiac mechanics: Laplace's Law

The pumping ability of the heart is determined by mechanical and geometrical factors. These latter are governed by Laplace's Law. The extent of the applicability of this law across mammalian species is examined utilizing allometric relations and dimensional analysis. Results show that Laplace's Law plays an important role in linking the anatomical design to the functional capability of mammalian hearts.     

PNAS-4 expression and its relationship to p53 in colorectal cancer

PNAS-4 is a novel pro-apoptotic protein activated during the early response to DNA damage; however, the molecular mechanisms and pathways regulating PNAS-4 expression in tumors are not well understood. We hypothesized that PNAS-4 is a p53 down-stream target gene and designed this study. We searched online for putative p53-binding sites in the entire PNAS-4 gene and did not find any corresponding information. In HCT116 colon cancer cells, after being transfected with small interfering RNA to silence p53, the expressions of PNAS-4 and other known p53 target gene (Apaf1, Bax, Fas and Dr5) were determined by real-time PCR. We found that PNAS-4 was up-regulated while Apaf1, Bax, Fas and Dr5 were down-regulated. We then examined the expression of PNAS-4 and p53 mutation in colorectal cancer patients. PNAS-4 expressed both in colorectal cancers and normal tissues, but compared with paired control, PNAS-4 was up-regulated in cancers (P = 0.018). PNAS-4 overexpression ratios were correlated to the p53 mutant status (P = 0.001). The mean PNAS-4 expression levels of p53 mutant homozygote group and heterozygote group were higher than that of p53 wild type group (P = 0.013). The expression ratios of PNAS-4 (every sample in relative to its paired normal mucosa) were different between negative lymph node metastasis (66% up-regulated, 34% down-regulated) and positive metastasis (42% up-regulated, 58% down-regulated). Taken together, these findings suggested that PNAS-4 was not a p53 target, but overexpression of PNAS-4 was correlated to p53 inactivity in colorectal cancer.