MAPK and mTOR pathways are involved in cadmium-induced neuronal apoptosis

Cadmium (Cd) may be accumulated in human body through long-term exposure to Cd-polluted environment, resulting in neurodegeneration and other diseases. To study the mechanism of Cd-induced neurodegeneration, PC12 and SH-SY5Y cells were exposed to Cd. We observed that Cd-induced apoptosis in the cells in a time- and concentration-dependent manner. Cd rapidly activated the mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK) including extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (Erk1/2), c -Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) and p38. Inhibition of Erk1/2 and JNK, but not p38, partially protected the cells from Cd-induced apoptosis. Consistently, over-expression of dominant negative c- Jun or down-regulation of Erk1/2, but not p38 MAPK, partially prevented Cd-induced apoptosis. To our surprise, Cd also activated mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR)-mediated signaling pathways. Treatment with rapamycin, an mTOR inhibitor, blocked Cd-induced phosphorylation of S6K1 and eukaryotic initiation factor 4E binding protein 1, and markedly inhibited Cd-induced apoptosis. Down-regulation of mTOR by RNA interference also in part, rescued cells from Cd-induced death. These findings indicate that activation of the signaling network of MAPK and mTOR is associated with Cd-induced neuronal apoptosis. Our results strongly suggest that inhibitors of MAPK and mTOR may have a potential for prevention of Cd-induced neurodegeneration.     

Increased levels of galactose-deficient anti-Gal immunoglobulin G in the sera of hepatitis C virus-infected individuals with fibrosis and cirrhosis

Hepatitis B and C viruses are major causative agents of liver fibrosis, cirrhosis, and liver cancer. Using comparative glycoproteomics, we identified a glycoprotein that is altered both in amount and in glycosylation as a function of liver fibrosis and cirrhosis. Specifically, this altered glycoprotein is an immunoglobulin G (IgG) molecule reactive to the heterophilic alpha-Gal epitope [Galα-1-3Galβ1-(3)4GlcNAc-R]. While similar changes in glycosylation have been observed in several autoimmune diseases, the specific immunoglobulins and their antigen recognition profiles were not determined. Thus, we provide the first report identifying the specific antigenic recognition profile of an immunoglobulin molecule containing altered glycosylation as a function of liver disease. This change in glycosylation allowed increased reactivity with several fucose binding lectins and permitted the development of a plate-based assay to measure this change. Increased lectin reactivity was observed in 100% of the more than 200 individuals with stage III or greater fibrosis and appeared to be correlated with the degree of fibrosis. The reason for the alteration in the glycosylation of anti-Gal IgG is currently unclear but may be related to the natural history of the disease and may be useful in the noninvasive detection of fibrosis and cirrhosis.     

额尔齐斯河野生丁(鐬)蛋白酶、淀粉酶活性的研究

目的:研究温度、pH、金属离子对新疆额尔齐斯河野生丁(鐬)消化道蛋白酶、淀粉酶活性的影响.方法:酶学和生化法.结果:丁(鐬)蛋白酶活性,后肠＞前肠＞中肠＞肝胰脏;淀粉酶活性,后肠＞中肠＞前肠＞肝胰脏.肠道、肝胰脏蛋白酶的最适温度分别为35℃、40℃,淀粉酶的最适温度均为40℃.消化道各部位蛋白酶、淀粉酶的体外最适pH为7.5.在试验的离子浓度范围,高浓度Ag 、Cu2 抑制酶活力;高浓度Fe3 、Mg2 、Ca2 促进酶活力;Pb 、Ba2 对消化道酶活力影响依浓度和部位而变.结论:消化酶最适温度均高于所处环境温度,最适pH值变化范围偏碱性;不同浓度金属离子对丁(鐬)消化道各部位蛋白酶、淀粉酶活力高低表现出不同的变化趋势.     

野生芋属植物干叶片DNA的提取及PCR扩增

野生芋属植物体内多糖、色素、酚类等次生物质含量较高,严重影响从中提取的DNA的质量.针对这一问题,作者以6种芋属植物的干叶片为材料,摸索出一种适合芋属植物的DNA提取方法,并对提取的DNA进行了纯度鉴定和PCR检测,结果表明此方法可有效去除次生物质对DNA的干扰,样品DNA的质量和纯度较高,可用于下游分子生物学操作.     

琼脂糖凝胶的合适浓度对于回收酶切后质粒载体的重要性

目的：探讨琼脂糖凝胶的不同浓度对回收不同大小的酶切后质粒载体纯度的影响。方法：将2种质粒载体酶切,并经不同浓度的琼脂糖凝胶电泳分析,通过比较酶切前和酶切后载体的相对位置,研究胶浓度对回收酶切后载体纯度的影响。结果：不同浓度的琼脂糖凝胶中,酶切前和酶切后载体的相对位置会发生变化,对能否成功回收到纯度高的酶切后DNA片段有重要影响;质粒大小不同,胶浓度的影响也不同。结论：合适的胶浓度对于回收酶切后质粒载体具有重要意义,应选择合适的胶浓度回收酶切后质粒载体。     

细菌黏附素序列模体分析

目的：认识细菌黏附素序列保守的特征,更好地理解细菌黏附的机理。方法：利用InterProScan、MEME等分析工具对实验确认的155条细菌黏附素序列进行模体搜索。结果：用InterProScan在155个黏附素序列中搜索到119个模体,通过MEME分析发现了50个模体。结论：发现了一些与黏附功能相关的模体,为在细菌基因组内搜索黏附素序列奠定了基础。     

septin基因家族的研究进展

septin是一个广泛存在于除植物以外所有真核生物中的基因家族。最初认为septin家族是与酵母细胞胞质分裂相关的基因家族。然而随着研究的深入, 人们发现这类基因编码的蛋白质在许多生物体内出现了较大的功能分化, 尤其在哺乳动物细胞中, 他们不仅成员众多, 且参与了细胞分裂、细胞极化、囊泡运输及胞膜重构等多个过程。更引起研究人员重视的是: 最近有大量数据表明, 这一家族的一些成员与肿瘤发生、神经功能障碍和病原微生物感染的过程直接相关。因此, 近年来septin家族的功能研究正逐步成为细胞生物学及病理学研究的新热点。文章将试图从septin基因家族的种类、结构特点、生物学功能及其与人类疾病的关系等方面的研究进展进行综述。     

Xenobiotic activity in serum and sperm chromatin integrity in European and inuit populations

Lipophilic persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are ubiquitous in the environment and suspected to interfere with hormone activities and reproduction. In previous studies we demonstrated that POP exposure can affect sperm DNA integrity and differences between Inuits and Europeans in sperm DNA integrity and xenobiotic activity were observed. The aim of this study was to investigate possible relations between human sperm chromatin integrity and the xenobiotic serum activity of lipophilic POPs assessed as effects on the estrogen (ER), androgen (AR), and/or aryl hydrocarbon (AhR) receptors. Human sperm chromatin integrity was assessed as DNA fragmentation index (%DFI) and high DNA stainability (%HDS) using the flow cytometric sperm chromatin structure assay (SCSA). Xenobiotic receptor activities were determined using chemically activated luciferase gene expression (CALUX) assay. The study included 53 Greenlandic Inuits and 247 Europeans (Sweden, Warsaw (Poland) and Kharkiv (Ukraine)). A heterogeneous pattern of correlations was found. For Inuits, ER and AhR activities and %DFI were inversely correlated, whereas a positive correlation between AR activity and %DFI was found for Europeans. In contrast, no correlation between receptor activities and %HDS was observed for Inuits but for Europeans positive and negative correlations were observed between ER and AR activities and %HDS, respectively. We suggest that the different patterns of xenobiotic serum activities, in combination with diet associated factors and/or genetics, might be connected to the observed differences in sperm chromatin integrity between the Inuits and Europeans.