The Effect of TCM-Induced HAMP on Key Enzymes in the Hydrolysis of AD Model Cells

Neurochemical Research - Alzheimer’s disease (AD) process is characterized classically by two hallmark pathologies: β-amyloid (Aβ) plaque deposition and neurofibrillary tangles of...     

NdhO,a Subunit of NADPH Dehydrogenase,Destabilizes Medium Size Complex of the Enzyme in Synechocystis sp. Strain PCC 6803

Two mutants that grew faster than the wild-type (WT) strain under high light conditions were isolated from Synechocystis sp. strain PCC 6803 transformed with a transposon-bearing library. Both mutants had a tag in ssl1690 encoding NdhO. Deletion of ndhO increased the activity of NADPH dehydrogenase (NDH-1)-dependent cyclic electron transport around photosystem I (NDH-CET), while overexpression decreased the activity. Although deletion and overexpression of ndhO did not have significant effects on the amount of other subunits such as NdhH, NdhI, NdhK, and NdhM in the cells, the amount of these subunits in the medium size NDH-1 (NDH-1M) complex was higher in the ndhO-deletion mutant and much lower in the overexpression strain than in the WT. NdhO strongly interacts with NdhI and NdhK but not with other subunits. NdhI interacts with NdhK and the interaction was blocked by NdhO. The blocking may destabilize the NDH-1M complex and repress the NDH-CET activity. When cells were transferred from growth light to high light, the amounts of NdhI and NdhK increased without significant change in the amount of NdhO, thus decreasing the relative amount of NdhO. This might have decreased the blocking, thereby stabilizing the NDH-1M complex and increasing the NDH-CET activity under high light conditions.     

Alterations of Choroidal Blood Flow Regulation in Young Healthy Subjects with Complement Factor H Polymorphism

A common polymorphism in the complement factor H gene (rs1061170, Y402H) is associated with a high risk of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). In the present study we hypothesized that healthy young subjects homozygous for the high-risk haplotype (CC) show abnormal choroidal blood flow (ChBF) regulation decades before potentially developing the disease. A total of 100 healthy young subjects were included in the present study, of which 4 subjects were excluded due to problems with genotyping or blood flow measurements. ChBF was measured continuously using laser Doppler flowmetry while the subjects performed isometric exercise (squatting) for 6 minutes. The increase in ChBF was less pronounced than the response in ocular perfusion pressure (OPP), indicating for some degree of choroidal blood flow regulation. Eighteen subjects were homozygous for C, 47 subjects were homozygous for T and 31 subjects were heterozygous (CT). The increase in OPP during isometric exercise was not different between groups. By contrast the increase in ChBF was more pronounced in subjects homozygous for the high risk C allele (p = 0.041). This was also evident from the pressure/flow relationship, where the increase in ChBF in homozygous C carriers started at lower OPPs as compared to the other groups. Our data indicate that the regulation of ChBF is abnormal in rs1061170 CC carriers. So far this polymorphism has been linked to age related macular degeneration (AMD) mainly via inflammatory pathways associated with the complement system dysfunction. Our results indicate that it could also be related to vascular factors that have been implicated in AMD pathogenesis.     

Expression patterns and association analysis of the porcine DHX58 gene

RIG-1 signalling is responsible for the detection of cytoplasmic viral RNA molecules. DEXH (Asp-Glu-X-His) box polypeptide 58 (encoded by DHX58) is a negative regulator of the RIG-1 signalling pathway. In human, the DHX58 gene can be upregulated and can inhibit the RIG-1 signalling pathway during viral infection. In this study, porcine DHX58 gene expression patterns were studied. According to our results, the porcine DHX58 gene was upregulated not only by the stimulation of Poly I:C but also by the stimulation of 1ipopolysaccharides (LPS). One polymorphism (g.4919G>C), detected in the ninth intron, was significantly associated with some blood parameters including the red cell distribution width of 1-day-old pigs and white blood cell counts, lymphocyte absolute counts, and platelet distribution width of 17-day-old pigs (P < 0.05). Moreover, the individuals with the genotype GG have a significantly higher mean white blood cell count than individuals with genotype CC or GC (P < 0.05). Our study indicates that DHX58 is an important gene that is associated with the immune response in swine.