The Expression and Significance of Neuronal Iconic Proteins in Podocytes

Growing evidence suggests that there are many common cell biological features shared by neurons and podocytes; however, the mechanism of podocyte foot process formation remains unclear. Comparing the mechanisms of process formation between two cell types should provide useful guidance from the progress of neuron research. Studies have shown that some mature proteins of podocytes, such as podocin, nephrin, and synaptopodin, were also expressed in neurons. In this study, using cell biological experiments and immunohistochemical techniques, we showed that some neuronal iconic molecules, such as Neuron-specific enolase, nestin and Neuron-specific nuclear protein, were also expressed in podocytes. We further inhibited the expression of Neuron-specific enolase, nestin, synaptopodin and Ubiquitin carboxy terminal hydrolase-1 by Small interfering RNA in cultured mouse podocytes and observed the significant morphological changes in treated podocytes. When podocytes were treated with Adriamycin, the protein expression of Neuron-specific enolase, nestin, synaptopodin and Ubiquitin carboxy terminal hydrolase-1 decreased over time. Meanwhile, the morphological changes in the podocytes were consistent with results of the Small interfering RNA treatment of these proteins. The data demonstrated that neuronal iconic proteins play important roles in maintaining and regulating the formation and function of podocyte processes.     

核基质结合区对转爬山虎芪合酶基因烟草中产生白藜芦醇的作用

采用核基质结合区(MARs)来提高转芪合酶基因(STS)烟草(Nicotianatabacum L.)中白藜芦醇产物的含量.MARs是细胞中能与核基质特异紧密结合的DNA片段,体外结合实验表明克隆自酵母的MARs序列能特异地与烟草核基质结合.芪合酶是白藜芦醇生物合成中的关键酶,用RT-PCR方法从川鄂爬山虎(Parthenocissus henryana(Hemsl.)Diels et Gilg)中克隆了与葡萄芪合酶基因有较高同源性的芪合酶编码区,将其置于CaMV35SΩ强启动子下,分别构建两侧带有MARs及不含MARs序列的表达载体,通过农杆菌介导转化烟草.Northern blot及HPLC等分析表明STS基因已整合至烟草染色体中并正常转录,且表达的外源芪合酶在烟草中可催化其底物合成白藜芦醇产物.与对照相比,MARs的存在使转芪合酶基因烟草中白藜芦醇的含量平均提高了约一倍.MARs在转芪合酶基因植物中的应用也为获得抗病性更强、白藜芦醇含量更高、更保健的转基因果蔬的研究奠定了基础.     

Biological characteristics of dengue virus and potential targets for drug design

Dengue infection is a major cause of morbidity in tropical and subtropical regions, bringing nearly 40% of the world population at risk and causing more than 20,000 deaths per year. But there is neither a vaccine for dengue disease nor antivirai drugs to treat the infection. In recent years, dengue infection has been particularly prevalent in India, Southeast Asia, Brazil, and Guangdong Province, China. In this article, we present a brief summary of the biological characteristics of dengue virus and associated flaviviruses, and outline the prowess on studies of vaccines and drugs based on potential targets of the dengue virus.     

Hydrolase-catalyzed Michael addition of 1,3-dicarbonyl compounds to α,β-unsaturated compounds in organic solvent

A novel strategy to perform Michael additions between 1,3-dicarbonyl compounds and α,β-unsaturated compounds was developed by the catalysis of hydrolase. We found that 11 hydrolase could catalyze the enzymatic Michael addition reaction to form the carbon–carbon bond. In 2-methyl-2-butanol d-aminoacylase showed high Michael addition activity. The influence of substrate and Michael acceptor structure on Michael addition was evaluated systematically. Some control experiments demonstrated that the active site of d-aminoacylase was responsible for the enzymatic Michael addition reaction. This novel Michael addition activity of hydrolase is of practical significance in expanding the application of enzymes and in the evolution of new biocatalysts.     

Effects of static magnetic fields on the physical and chemical properties of cell culture medium RPM1 1640

RPMI 1640 culture medium was chosen to simulate body fluids, and after exposure to 0.085 approximately 0.092 T static magnetic fields (SMF), surface tension, pH, dissolved oxygen, and UV-visible spectrum were measured. Compared with the control group in the normal geomagnetic field, the pH value increased about 0.14 units, dissolved oxygen increased about 14%, and the UV-visible spectra were different in peak intensity but without a shift in the peak. Surface tension showed no significant difference in the two groups. This data suggests that SMF can change some of the physical and chemical properties of RPM1 1640 solution, and may contribute to understanding biological effects of SMF.     

Seroprevalence of pandemic (H1N1) 2009 in pregnant women in China: an observational study

Background

We investigated the seropositive rates and persistence of antibody against pandemic (H1N1) 2009 virus (pH1N1) in pregnant women and voluntary blood donors after the second wave of the pandemic in Nanjing, China.

Methodology/Principal Findings

Serum samples of unvaccinated pregnant women (n = 720) and voluntary blood donors (n = 320) were collected after the second wave of 2009 pandemic in Nanjing. All samples were tested against pH1N1 strain (A/California/7/2009) with hemagglutination inhibition assay. A significant decline in seropositive rates, from above 50% to about 20%, was observed in pregnant women and voluntary blood donors fifteen weeks after the second wave of the pandemic. A quarter of the samples were tested against a seasonal H1N1 strain (A/Brisbane/59/2007). The antibody titers against pH1N1 strain were found to correlate positively with those against seasonal H1N1 strain. The correlation was modest but statistically significant.

Conclusions and Significance

The high seropositive rates in both pregnant women and voluntary blood donors suggested that the pH1N1 virus had widely spread in these two populations. Immunity derived from natural infection seemed not to be persistent well.     

High-Resolution Genetic Map of the Human Glutamyl Aminopeptidase Gene (ENPEP)

The murine B-lymphocyte differentiation antigen BP-1/6C3 has been identified as glutamyl aminopeptidase (EAP), the gene symbol for which isENPEP.Using genomic DNA encoding for human EAP as a probe, we identified theENPEPgene location on human chromosome 4q25 by polymerase chain reaction analysis of a human/rodent somatic cell hybrid mapping panel and by fluorescencein situhybridization. Using a radiation hybrid panel, the gene order aroundENPEPwas determined to be centromere–D4S1236–(570 kb)–ENPEP–(210 kb)–D4S262–(270 kb)–D4S953–(270 kb)–D4S474–(570 kb)–IF. The linkage ofENPEPto complement factor I (IF) confirms the human chromosome band 4q25 localization predicted from the chromosomal location of murineENPEP.HumanENPEPthus provides an additional marker for the long arm of chromosome 4 that should facilitate studies of this genomic region.     

灌水施肥对羊草(Aneurolepidium chinense)草原群落光合速率的影响

对天然羊草群落进行灌水和施肥后,测定了它们(灌水、灌水加施肥和对照)的群落光合速率。结果如下:1.在灌水、施肥加灌水处理后23天测定,处理群落的叶层高度分别比对照高8%和9%;群落LAI分别比对照高68.97%和99.93%;群落生物量分别比对照高41%和65.69%;群落日净光合量分别是对照的2.48倍和3.76倍;最大光合量分别是对照的2.82倍和3.12倍。2.灌水施肥处理后,羊草群落光合速率日变化的类型与对照基本一致,属于双峰型。唯独灌水加施肥群落(处理后3天)是单峰型,没有中午降低现象。看出较好的水肥条件能改变群落的日变化类型。3.在温湿度条件较差时或随着处理时间的推移,处理的效果越显著。第一阶段测定时,灌水、灌水加施肥处理的群落日净光合量分别是对照的1.26和1.17倍。第二阶段测定时,分别是对照的1.40和1.84倍。第三阶段测定时,分别是对照的2.48和3.76倍。     

Electro-Acupuncture Pretreatment Ameliorates Anesthesia and Surgery-Induced Cognitive Dysfunction Via Inhibiting Mitochondrial Injury and nEuroapoptosis in Aged Rats

Neurochemical Research - Postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) remains one of the most common complications following anesthesia and surgery (AS) in the elderly population. Calcium-mediated...