循环纤维细胞及其在肺纤维化中的作用

循环纤维细胞(crculating fibrocytes CF)是一类骨髓来源的间质性细胞,可以同时表达造血细胞、单核细胞和成纤维细胞系的细胞标记。现有越来越多动物实验证据表明,CF的分化、转移功能在慢性炎症反应和胶原过度沉积中起着重要作用。近年来的实验表明,对CF的计数可以作为纤维化类疾病发展过程中的生物标记物,尤其在肺纤维化中更加明显。特发性肺纤维化是一种慢性肺部功能失调疾病,确诊后病人5年生存率低于30%。特发性肺纤维化是一种慢性肺部功能失调疾病,确诊后病人5年生存率低于30%。传统的免疫学疗法疗效很差。最近人们开始把注意力集中到对始祖干细胞的免疫调节机制上来。随着对循环纤维细胞研究的不断深入,对特发性纤维化的发病原因以及治疗研究方面有了较大发展。     

特发性腹膜后纤维化一例并文献复习

目的:分析腹膜后纤维化(RPF)的诊断以及治疗情况,以提高对RPF的认识。方法:回顾性分析我科18F-FDGPET/CT诊断的1例RPF患者的临床资料,并对相关文献进行复习。结果:本例患者以腹胀及右下腹部隐痛不适就诊,腹部CT表现为腹主动脉周围肿块,18F-FDGPET/CT显示腹膜后间隙中线大血管周围糖代谢增高肿块,经CT引导下穿刺及手术病理确诊为特发性腹膜后纤维化。结论:腹膜后纤维化属罕见病,CT、MRI在诊断中有较重要作用,PET/CT在IRPF的诊断及治疗随访中有比较重要的价值,在治疗方面,糖皮质激素治疗效果较好,晚期常需要手术治疗。     

人胱硫醚β合成酶原核表达纯化及鉴定

目的:构建人胱硫醚β合成酶(human cystathionineβ-synthase,hCBS)基因原核表达载体,在E.coli BL21(DE3)中表达,并进行纯化和酶活性检测。方法:以胰腺细胞cDNA文库为模板,采用聚合酶链式反应(PCR)扩增hCBS基因蛋白编码区的全序列,克隆入原核表达载体pET32a(+),构建重组质粒pET32a(+)-hCBS。经限制性内切酶双酶切及DNA序列分析鉴定目的基因后与人CBS基因(基因bank号:BT007154.1)完全一致,转入E.coli BL21(DE3)中,由IPTG诱导表达融合蛋白。结果:经SDS-PAGE、Western blot分析,证明诱导表达的蛋白为重组人CBS(rhCBS)。再由Ni-NTA树脂亲和层析,并脱盐冷冻干燥后获得重组rhCBS(约19 mg/L培养物),并测得其比活力约为57 kU/g。结论:成功地表达纯化出具有功能活性的重组蛋白rhCBS,为进一步研究该酶的相互作用蛋白以及其在生物学和临床科学的作用奠定了基础。     

姜半夏乙醇提取物对人胃癌SGC7901 细胞增殖和凋亡的影响

目的:观察姜半夏乙醇提取物对人胃癌SGC7901细胞增殖和凋亡的影响。方法:不同浓度姜半夏乙醇提取物(终浓度为1mg/ml,0.5mg/ml,0.25mg/ml,0.125mg/ml)处理SGC7901细胞后,倒置相差显微镜下观察细胞的形态学变化;通过甲基噻唑基四唑法检测细胞增殖状况、描绘生长曲线,使用紫外分光光度法观察药物干预后细胞ATP酶活力;AnnexinV-异硫氰酸荧光素(fluorescein isothiocyanate,FITC)/碘化丙啶(propidium iodide,PI)双标记法流式细胞术检测姜半夏乙醇提取物对SGC7901细胞诱导凋亡的情况。结果:不同浓度姜半夏乙醇提取物均能不同程度地抑制人胃癌SGC7901细胞的增殖;在姜半夏乙醇提取物诱导细胞后细胞发生了边缘毛刺、体积缩小等形态学变化,同时可见细胞折光度和贴壁能力下降;AnnexinV-FITC/PI双标记法检测显示姜半夏乙醇提取物可诱导细胞发生凋亡;细胞总ATP酶活力在药物干预72小时后出现明显下降;并且随着药物浓度增加细胞凋亡率、细胞形态异常改变以及ATP酶活力抑制作用均呈上升趋势。结论:姜半夏乙醇提取物可抑制人胃癌SGC7901细胞的增殖,促进其凋亡,抑制细胞ATP酶活力。     

2-amino-nonyl-6-methoxyl-tetralin muriate activity against Candida albicans augments endogenous reactive oxygen species production --a microarray analysis study

Candida infections have become an increasingly significant problem, mainly because of the widespread nature of Candida and drug resistance. There is an urgent need to develop new classes of drugs for the treatment of opportunistic Candida infections, especially in medically complex patients. Previous studies have confirmed that 2-amino-nonyl-6-methoxyl-tetralin muriate (10b) possesses powerful antifungal activity in vitro against Candia albicans. To clarify the underlying action mechanism, an oligonucleotide microarray study was performed in C. albicans SC5314 without and with 10b treatment. The analytical results showed that energy metabolism-related genes, including glycolysis-related genes (PFK1, CDC19 and HXK2), fermentation-related genes (PDC11, ALD5 and ADH1) and respiratory electron transport chain-related genes (CBP3, COR1 and QCR8), were downregulated significantly. Functional analysis revealed that 10b treatment increased the generation of endogenous reactive oxygen species, and decreased mitochondrial membrane potential, ubiquinone-cytochrome c reductase (complex III) activity and intracellular ATP levels in C. albicans SC5314. Also, addition of the antioxidant ascorbic acid reduced the antifungal activity of 10b significantly. These results suggest that mitochondrial aerobic respiration shift and endogenous reactive oxygen species augmentation might contribute to the antifungal activity of 10b against C. albicans. This information may prove to be useful for the development of new strategies to treat Candida infections.     

Proteomic identification of binding targets of isothiocyanates: A perspective on techniques

Intake of cruciferous vegetable is inversely associated with the risk of several cancer types. Isothiocyanates (ITCs) are believed to be important constituents contributing to these cancer-preventive effects. Although several mechanisms, including induction of apoptosis, have been proposed for the anti-carcinogenesis activities of ITCs, detailed upstream triggering events are still not fully understood. Identification of ITC binding targets in cellular proteins is crucial for not only mechanistic studies but also future drug screening and design. In this review, we summarize recent progress in discovery of ITC protein targets from a technical perspective. The advantages and limitations of each method are discussed to facilitate future studies on target discovery of ITCs and perhaps other compounds.     

Anesthetic propofol attenuates the isoflurane-induced caspase-3 activation and Aβ oligomerization

Accumulation and deposition of β-amyloid protein (Aβ) are the hallmark features of Alzheimer''s disease. The inhalation anesthetic isoflurane has been shown to induce caspase activation and increase Aβ accumulation. In addition, recent studies suggest that isoflurane may directly promote the formation of cytotoxic soluble Aβ oligomers, which are thought to be the key pathological species in AD. In contrast, propofol, the most commonly used intravenous anesthetic, has been reported to have neuroprotective effects. We therefore set out to compare the effects of isoflurane and propofol alone and in combination on caspase-3 activation and Aβ oligomerization in vitro and in vivo. Naïve and stably-transfected H4 human neuroglioma cells that express human amyloid precursor protein, the precursor for Aβ; neonatal mice; and conditioned cell culture media containing secreted human Aβ40 or Aβ42 were treated with isoflurane and/or propofol. Here we show for the first time that propofol can attenuate isoflurane-induced caspase-3 activation in cultured cells and in the brain tissues of neonatal mice. Furthermore, propofol-mediated caspase inhibition occurred when there were elevated levels of Aβ. Finally, isoflurane alone induces Aβ42, but not Aβ40, oligomerization, and propofol can inhibit the isoflurane-mediated oligomerization of Aβ42. These data suggest that propofol may mitigate the caspase-3 activation by attenuating the isoflurane-induced Aβ42 oligomerization. Our findings provide novel insights into the possible mechanisms of isoflurane-induced neurotoxicity that may aid in the development of strategies to minimize potential adverse effects associated with the administration of anesthetics to patients.     

Non-invasive imaging of cysteine cathepsin activity in solid tumors using a 64Cu-labeled activity-based probe

The papain family of cysteine cathepsins are actively involved in multiple stages of tumorigenesis. Because elevated cathepsin activity can be found in many types of human cancers, they are promising biomarkers that can be used to target radiological contrast agents for tumor detection. However, currently there are no radiological imaging agents available for these important molecular targets. We report here the development of positron emission tomography (PET) radionuclide-labeled probes that target the cysteine cathepsins by formation of an enzyme activity-dependent bond with the active site cysteine. These probes contain an acyloxymethyl ketone (AOMK) functional group that irreversibly labels the active site cysteine of papain family proteases attached to a 1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane-1,4,7,10-tetraacetic acid (DOTA) tag for labeling with (64)Cu for PET imaging studies. We performed biodistribution and microPET imaging studies in nude mice bearing subcutaneous tumors expressing various levels of cysteine cathepsin activity and found that the extent of probe uptake by tumors correlated with overall protease activity as measured by biochemical methods. Furthermore, probe signals could be reduced by pre-treatment with a general cathepsin inhibitor. We also found that inclusion of a Cy5 tag on the probe increased tumor uptake relative to probes lacking this fluorogenic dye. Overall, these results demonstrate that small molecule activity-based probes carrying radio-tracers can be used to image protease activity in living subjects.     

Rosiglitazone inhibits transforming growth factor-β1 mediated fibrogenesis in ADPKD cyst-lining epithelial cells

Background

Interstitial fibrosis plays an important role in progressive renal dysfunction in autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD). In our previous studies, we confirmed that PPAR-γ agonist, rosiglitazone could protect renal function and prolong the survival of a slowly progressive ADPKD animal model by reducing renal fibrosis. However, the mechanism remains unknown.

Methods

Primary culture epithelial cells pretreated with TGF-β1 were incubated with rosiglitazone. Extracellular matrix proteins were detected using real-time PCR and Western blotting. MAPK and Smad2 phosphorylation were measured with western blot. ERK1/2 pathway and P38 pathway were inhibited with the specific inhibitors PD98059 and SB203580. The Smad2 pathway was blocked with the siRNA. To address whether PPAR-γ agonist-mediated inhibition of TGF-β1–induced collagen type I expression was mediated through a PPAR-γ dependent mechanism, genetic and pharmaceutical approaches were used to block the activity of endogenous PPARγ.

Results

TGF-β1-stimulated collagen type I and fibronectin expression of ADPKD cyst-lining epithelia were inhibited by rosiglitazone in a dosage-dependent manner. Smad2, ERK1/2 and P38 pathways were activated in response to TGF-β1; however, TGF-β1 had little effect on JNK pathway. Rosiglitazone suppressed TGF-β1 induced Smad2 activation, while ERK1/2 and P38MAPK signals remained unaffected. Rosiglitazone could also attenuate TGF-β1-stimulated collagen type I and fibronectin expression in primary renal tubular epithelial cells, but had no effect on TGF-β1–induced activation of Smad2, ERK1/2 and P38 pathways. There was no crosstalk between the Smad2 and MAPK pathways in ADPKD cyst-lining epithelial cells. These inhibitory effects of rosiglitazone were reversed by the PPARγ specific antagonist GW9662 and PPARγ siRNA.

Conclusion

ADPKD cyst-lining epithelial cells participate in TGF-β1 mediated fibrogenesis. Rosiglitazone could suppress TGF-β1–induced collagen type I and fibronectin expression in ADPKD cyst-lining epithelia through modulation of the Smad2 pathway. Our study may provide therapeutic basis for clinical applications of rosiglitazone in retarding the progression of ADPKD.