Lentivirus-mediated overexpression of TGF-β inducible early gene 1 inhibits SW1990 pancreatic cancer cell growth

TIEG1 (TGF-β inducible early gene 1) plays a significant role in regulating cell proliferation and apoptosis in various cell types. Previous studies have shown a close relationship between the expression level of TIEG1 and various cancers, including breast, prostate, colorectal and pancreatic cancer. In this study, we up-regulated the gene expression of TIEG1 in SW1990 pancreatic cancer cell line by a lentivirus transfection system and investigated its potential as a therapeutic target for pancreatic cancer. The results showed that lentivirus-mediated overexpression of TIEG1 gene inhibited human pancreatic cancer SW1990 cell proliferation and caused the cell cycle arrest at the G1-phase in vitro. SW1990 cells transduced with lenti-TIEG1 showed significant inhibition of colony formation and cancer cell growth in 3-D culture model. Moreover, overexpression of TIEG1 gene significantly slowed the growth of SW1990 xenografts in nude mice. Taken together, these data provided evidence that overexpression of TIEG1 gene by a lentivirus transfection system led to suppressed human pancreatic cancer cell growth and might therefore be a feasible approach in the clinical management of pancreatic cancer.     

小茴香挥发油的抗炎镇痛作用

目的：研究小茴香挥发油的抗炎、镇痛作用,为指导临床合理用药提供科学依据。方法：应用二甲苯致小鼠耳廓肿胀、蛋清致大鼠足肿胀2种动物模型进行抗炎药效学实验;采用醋酸致小鼠扭体反应进行镇痛实验。结果：小茴香挥发油能显著抑制上述各种动物模型的炎症反应及醋酸引起的小鼠扭体反应。结论：小茴香挥发油具有抗炎和镇痛作用。     

铁筷子(毛茛科)营养器官的结构及其系统学意义

应用解剖学方法,对铁筷子(Helleborus thibetanusFranch.)(毛茛科)营养器官的结构进行了研究。结果表明,铁筷子根的初生结构观察到三原型、四原型和六原型。营养器官中的维管束在横切面上木质部中的导管分子不呈“V”字形排列;根状茎的次生结构由外向内为表皮、皮层和维管柱,髓射线发达。茎的初生结构中多个维管束排列成环状,维管束鞘分化不明显,节部为单隙三迹,叶迹分别来自于3条维管束或同一条维管束。叶为两面叶,表皮细胞不规则;气孔器只分布于下表皮,为毛茛科典型的无规则型气孔。从铁筷子营养器官的解剖学特点来看,与毛茛科其它植物基本相同,但在营养器官中维管束木质部不呈“V”字形、维管束鞘分化不明显、节部具单叶隙等特征上与其它毛茛科植物不同。     

An asymmetric NFAT1 dimer on a pseudo-palindromic kappa B-like DNA site

The crystal structure of the NFAT1 Rel homology region (RHR) bound to a pseudo-palindromic DNA site reveals an asymmetric dimer interaction between the RHR-C domains, unrelated to the contact seen in Rel dimers such as NF kappa B. Binding studies with a form of the NFAT1 RHR defective in the dimer contact show loss of cooperativity and demonstrate that the same interaction is present in solution. The structure we have determined may correspond to a functional NFAT binding mode at palindromic sites of genes induced during the anergic response to weak TCR signaling.     

GABAA受体在酒精依赖中作用的研究进展

酒精依赖的产生机制是由特定的GABAA受体亚单位介导的,并且能够影响其它GABAA受体亚单位,使其对一定剂量的酒精敏感.此外酒精还可以通过细胞内信号转导途径影响GABA在大脑不同区域及核团单元的表达.焦虑、抗惊厥、镇静催眠、认知功能障碍等由酒精依赖产生的现象或者机制,均与GABA受体的介导有关.这些机制包括酒精对GABAA受体的直接或间接的作用,以及GABA的合成和释放.因此对GABAA受体功能的研究,将有助于人们关注酒精依赖现象及其治疗手段,为寻找酒精依赖治疗药物和治疗酒精中毒的机制的提供新线索.     

Efficient expression of codon-adapted human acetaldehyde dehydrogenase 2 cDNA with 6×His tag in Pichia pastoris

Human mitochondrial acetaldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2) catalyzes the oxidation of acetaldehyde to acetic acid. Therefore, ALDH2 has therapeutic potential in detoxification of acetaldehyde. Furthermore, ALDH2 catalyzes nitroglycerin to nitrate and 1, 2-glyceryldinitrate during therapy for angina pectoris, myocardial infarction, and heart failure. Large quantities of ALDH2 will be needed for potential clinical practice. In this study, Pichia pastoris was used as a platform for expression of human ALDH2. Based on the ALDH2*1 cDNA sequence, we designed ALDH2 cDNA by choosing the P. pastoris preferred codons and by decreasing the G + C content level. The sequence was synthesized using the overlap extension PCR method. The cDNA and 6×His tags were subcloned into the plasmid pPIC9K. The recombinant protein was expressed in P. pastoris GS115 and purified using Ni²⁺-Sepharose affinity chromatography. The amount of secreted protein in the culture was 80 mg/L in shake-flask cultivation and 260 mg/L in high-density bioreactor fermentation. Secreted ALDH2 was easily purified from the culture supernatant by using Ni²⁺-Sepharose affinity chromatography. After purification of the fermentation supernatant, the enzyme had a specific activity of 1.2 U/mg protein. The yield was about 16 mg/L in a shake flask culture of P. pastoris GS115 which contained the original human ALDH2*1 cDNA.