口蹄疫病毒O/CHN/Mya98/33-P株前导蛋白对病毒感染性的影响

【目的】研究口蹄疫病毒(Foot-and-mouth disease virus,FMDV)前导蛋白对于病毒感染性的影响。【方法】利用反向遗传操作技术,以O/CHN/93现用疫苗株的感染性克隆为骨架,分别构建了含口蹄疫病毒中国分离株O/CHN/Mya98/33-P和O/CHN/Mya98/HN1前导蛋白的两株嵌合全长cDNA感染性克隆,采用实时荧光定量PCR检测两株不同的嵌合病毒感染猪肾原代细胞后细胞内IFNβ和OAS mRNA的转录情况。【结果】嵌合病毒rOHN1Lab增殖能力较弱,其对应诱导产生的IFNβ和OAS mRNA含量较高,而嵌合毒rO33Lab相对于rOHN1Lab增殖能力较强,他们诱导产生的IFNβ和OAS mRNA含量较低。【结论】研究表明口蹄疫病毒中国分离株O/CHN/Mya98/33-P前导蛋白具有更强的抗IFNβmRNA转录的能力,该研究能够为进一步鉴定FMDV前导蛋白抗宿主先天性免疫的关键性位点奠定基础。     

A Review on the Features and Progress of Dual‐Ion Batteries

Despite the wide application of lithium‐ion batteries in portable electronic devices and electric vehicles, the demand for new battery systems with the merits of high voltage, environmental friendliness, safety, and cost efficiency is still quite urgent. This perspective focuses on dual‐ion batteries (DIBs), in which, both the cations and anions are involved in the battery reaction. An anion's intercalation/deintercalation process on the cathode side allows the DIBs to operate at high voltages, which is favorable for enhanced energy density. However, electrolytes with a wide electrochemical window and suitable anion‐intercalation materials with highly reversible capacities should be developed. The progress of research into stable organic electrolytes, ionic liquids, and their effects on the electrochemical performances of DIBs are first discussed. Thereafter, the anion‐host materials including graphitic materials, organic materials, and their working mechanisms are discussed in detail. In addition, recently emerging DIB systems with high‐capacity anodes, or sodium‐, potassium‐ion involved battery reactions are also reviewed. The authors' recent work, demonstrating a generalized DIB construction using metal foil as both current collector and alloying anode material, which is successfully extended into lithium‐, sodium‐, and potassium‐based DIBs, is also discussed.     

The use of intensity‐based Doppler variance method for single vessel response to functional neurovascular activation

This study presents 1 use of optical coherence tomography (OCT) angiography technique to examine neurovascular coupling effect. Repeated B‐scans OCT recording is performed on the rat somatosensory cortex with cranial window preparation while its contralateral forepaw is electrically stimulated to activate the neurons in rest. We use an intensity‐based Doppler variance (IBDV) algorithm mapped cerebral blood vessels in the cortex, and the temporal alteration in blood perfusion during neurovascular activation is analyzed using the proposed IBDV quantitative parameters. By using principal component analysis‐based Fuzzy C Means clustering method, the stimulus‐evoked vasomotion patterns were classified into 3 categories. We found that the response time of small vessels (resting diameter 14.9 ±6.6 μm), middle vessels (resting diameter 21.1 ±7.9 μm) and large vessels (resting diameter 50.7 ±6.5 μm) to achieve 5% change of vascular dilation after stimulation was 1.5, 2 and 5.5 seconds, respectively. Approximately 5% peak change of relative blood flow (RBF) in both small and middle vessels was observed. The large vessels react slowly and their responses nearly 4 seconds delayed, but no significant change in RBF of the large vessels was seen.      

Comparison of the Molecular Forms of the Kex2/Subtilisin-Like Serine Proteases SPC2, SPC3, and Furin in Neuroendocrine Secretory Vesicles Reveals Differences in Carboxyl-Terminus Truncation and Membrane Association

Abstract: The molecular forms and membrane association of SPC2, SPC3, and furin were investigated in neuroendocrine secretory vesicles from the anterior, intermediate, and neural lobes of bovine pituitary and bovine adrenal medulla. The major immunoreactive form of SPC2 was the full-length enzyme with a molecular mass of 64 kDa. The major immunoreactive form of SPC3 was truncated at the carboxyl terminus and had a molecular mass of 64 kDa. Full-length 86-kDa SPC3 with an intact carboxyl terminus was found only in bovine chromaffin granules. Immunoreactive furin was also detected in secretory vesicles. The molecular masses of 80 and 76 kDa were consistent with carboxyl-terminal truncation of furin to remove the transmembrane domain. All three enzymes were distributed between the soluble and membrane fractions of secretory vesicles although the degree of membrane association was tissue specific and, in the case of SPC3, dependent on the molecular form of the enzyme. Significant amounts of membrane-associated and soluble forms of SPC2, SPC3, and furin were found in pituitary secretory vesicles, whereas the majority of the immunoreactivity in chromaffin granules was membrane associated. More detailed analyses of chromaffin granule membranes revealed that 86-kDa SPC3 was more tightly associated with the membrane fraction than the carboxyl terminus-truncated 64-kDa form.     

升振山姜的选育和生物学特性研究

采用杂交育种技术,以姜科(Zingiberaceae)植物草豆蔻(Alpinia hainanensis K.Schumann)为亲本,母本于1975年从广东引种,具乳白色小苞片;父本于1983年从广西引种,具淡粉红色小苞片.经多年多代分离、筛选和鉴定,从其杂交后代中选育出花卉新品种升振山姜(A.hainanensis...     

Clemastine Enhances Myelination,Delays Axonal Loss and Promotes Functional Recovery in Spinal Cord Injury

Recent evidence has shown that demyelination occurs along with axonal degeneration in spinal cord injury (SCI) during the secondary injury phase. Oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPC) are present in the lesions but fail to differentiate into mature oligodendrocytes and form new myelin. Given the limited recovery of neuronal functions after SCI in adults without effective treatment available so far, it remains unknown whether enhancing OPC differentiation and myelination could benefit the recovery of SCI. To show the significance of myelin regeneration after SCI, the injury was treated with clemastine in the rat model. Clemastine is an FDA-approved drug that is potent in promoting oligodendrocyte differentiation and myelination in vivo, for four weeks following SCI. Motor function was assessed using sloping boards and grid walking tests and scored according to the Basso, Beattie, and Bresnahan protocol. The myelin integrity and protein expression were evaluated using transmission electron microscopy and immunofluorescence, respectively. The results indicated that clemastine treatment preserves myelin integrity, decreases loss of axons and improves functional recovery in the rat SCI model. The presented data suggest that myelination-enhancing strategies may serve as a potential therapeutic approach for the functional recovery in SCI.

     

A bursal pentapeptide (BPP-I), a novel bursal-derived peptide, exhibits antiproliferation of tumor cell and immunomodulator activity

The bursa of Fabricius (BF) is the central humoral immune organ unique to birds. Here, we isolated a novel bursal pentapeptide I (BPP-I), LGPGP, from BF. BPP-I could play inhibition effect on MCF-7 but not on CEF or Vero cell proliferation in vitro, and enhance antitumor factor p53 protein expression. Also, BPP-I stimulated antibody production in a dose-dependent manner in hybridoma cell. Furthermore, BPP-I could induce various immune responses in mice immunization experiments, including increase antibody production and cytokines IL-4 and IFN-γ level, and induce T-cell immunophenotyping. These results suggest that BPP-I is a potential immunomodulator of antitumor and immunity. The study could provide some novel insights on the probable candidate reagent for the antitumor and immune improvement.     

Comparative Genome Analysis of Scutellaria baicalensis and Scutellaria barbata Reveals the Evolution of Active Flavonoid Biosynthesis

Scutellaria baicalensis (S. baicalensis) and Scutellaria barbata (S. barbata) are common medicinal plants of the Lamiaceae family. Both produce specific flavonoid compounds, including baicalein, scutellarein, norwogonin, and wogonin, as well as their glycosides, which exhibit antioxidant and antitumor activities. Here, we report chromosome-level genome assemblies of S. baicalensis and S. barbata with quantitative chromosomal variation (2n = 18 and 2n = 26, respectively). The divergence of S. baicalensis and S. barbata occurred far earlier than previously reported, and a whole-genome duplication (WGD) event was identified. The insertion of long terminal repeat elements after speciation might be responsible for the observed chromosomal expansion and rearrangement. Comparative genome analysis of the congeneric species revealed the species-specific evolution of chrysin and apigenin biosynthetic genes, such as the S. baicalensis-specific tandem duplication of genes encoding phenylalanine ammonia lyase and chalcone synthase, and the S. barbata-specific duplication of genes encoding 4-CoA ligase. In addition, the paralogous duplication, colinearity, and expression diversity of CYP82D subfamily members revealed the functional divergence of genes encoding flavone hydroxylase between S. baicalensis and S. barbata. Analyzing these Scutellaria genomes reveals the common and species-specific evolution of flavone biosynthetic genes. Thus, these findings would facilitate the development of molecular breeding and studies of biosynthesis and regulation of bioactive compounds.     

Claudin-7 suppresses the cytotoxicity of TRAIL-expressing mesenchymal stem cells in H460 human non-small cell lung cancer cells

Evidence suggests that the cytokine tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) is a promising candidate for cancer therapeutics. Studies have also shown that claudin-7 (CLDN7) expression is variably dysregulated in various malignant neoplasms, with a role in lung cancer that has not been definitively decided. This work investigated the differential sensitivity of CLDN7-overexpressing human NSCLC H460 cells to TRAIL in vitro and in mouse xenografts, and explored the molecular mechanisms responsible for these effects. NCI-H460 cells were transfected or not with green fluorescent protein-tagged CLDN7. Each group was then exposed to mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) or red fluorescent protein-tagged MSCs transduced with lentivirus expressing membrane-bound TRAIL. The effects and related mechanisms of these treatments were evaluated in vitro, and in vivo in murine xenografts. Our results indicate that TRAIL induced apoptosis in H460 cells in vitro, and in established xenograft tumors TRAIL was associated with a decrease in tumor size, tumor weight, and circulating tumor cells. CLDN7 was found to inhibit the MEK/ERK signaling pathway, leading to inhibition of death receptor 5 (TNFRSF10B). The cytotoxicity of TRAIL was confirmed in H460 cells and in vivo, and CLDN7 suppressed the cytotoxicity of TRAIL in H460 cells. Our results indicate that TRAIL may be a useful therapy to enhance apoptosis in CLDN7-negative lung cancer cells.     

Cyclin D1 G870A Polymorphism and Risk of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma: A Case-Control Study and Meta-Analysis

Background

Cyclin D1 (CCND1) plays a key role in cell cycle regulation. It is a well-established human oncogene which is frequently amplified or overexpressed in cancers. The association between CCND1 G870A polymorphism and cancer risk has been widely assessed. However, a definitive conclusion between CCND1 G870A polymorphism and risk of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) remains elusive.

Methods

We firstly performed a hospital-based case-control study involving 165 NPC cases and 191 cancer-free controls in central-south China, and then conducted a meta-analysis with six case-control studies to evaluate the association between NPC risk and CCND1 G870A polymorphism.

Results

The case-control study found a significant association between CCND1 G870A polymorphism and NPC risk in various comparison models (AA vs. GG: OR = 2.300, 95% CI 1.089–4.857, p = 0.029; AG vs. GG: OR = 2.832, 95% CI 1.367–5.867, p = 0.005; AA/AG vs. GG: OR = 2.597, 95% CI 1.288–5.237, p = 0.008; AA vs. AG/GG: OR = 0.984, 95% CI 0.638–1.518, p = 0.944). Further meta-analysis showed that there was no significant association between CCND1 G870A polymorphism and NPC risk in overall analysis. In the stratified analysis by race, however, significant associations were only found in Caucasians (for the allele model A vs. G: OR = 0.75, 95% CI 0.59–0.97, p = 0.03; for the co-dominant model AA vs. GG: OR = 0.52, 95% CI 0.32–0.86, p = 0.01; for the dominant model AA/AG vs. GG: OR = 0.49, 95% CI 0.32–0.74, p<0.01; for the recessive model AA vs. AG/GG: OR = 0.90, 95% CI 0.61–1.34, p = 0.60).

Conclusions

A significant association between CCND1 G870A polymorphism and NPC risk was found in the central-southern Chinese population. The meta-analysis indicated that CCND1 G870A polymorphism may contribute to the development of NPC in Caucasians.