Assembly and Molecular Architecture of the Phosphoinositide 3-Kinase p85α Homodimer

Phosphoinositide 3-kinases (PI3Ks) are a family of lipid kinases that are activated by growth factor and G-protein-coupled receptors and propagate intracellular signals for growth, survival, proliferation, and metabolism. p85α, a modular protein consisting of five domains, binds and inhibits the enzymatic activity of class IA PI3K catalytic subunits. Here, we describe the structural states of the p85α dimer, based on data from in vivo and in vitro solution characterization. Our in vitro assembly and structural analyses have been enabled by the creation of cysteine-free p85α that is functionally equivalent to native p85α. Analytical ultracentrifugation studies showed that p85α undergoes rapidly reversible monomer-dimer assembly that is highly exothermic in nature. In addition to the documented SH3-PR1 dimerization interaction, we identified a second intermolecular interaction mediated by cSH2 domains at the C-terminal end of the polypeptide. We have demonstrated in vivo concentration-dependent dimerization of p85α using fluorescence fluctuation spectroscopy. Finally, we have defined solution conditions under which the protein is predominantly monomeric or dimeric, providing the basis for small angle x-ray scattering and chemical cross-linking structural analysis of the discrete dimer. These experimental data have been used for the integrative structure determination of the p85α dimer. Our study provides new insight into the structure and assembly of the p85α homodimer and suggests that this protein is a highly dynamic molecule whose conformational flexibility allows it to transiently associate with multiple binding proteins.     

Serum LncRNAs Profiles Serve as Novel Potential Biomarkers for the Diagnosis of HBV-Positive Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Background

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a common malignancy that has a poor prognosis because there is lack of methods for early diagnosis. We aimed to utilize two serum long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), uc001ncr and {"type":"entrez-nucleotide","attrs":{"text":"AX800134","term_id":"37653391"}}AX800134, to diagnose hepatitis B virus (HBV)–positive HCC.

Methods

lncRNA microarrays were utilized to measure the differential expression of lncRNAs between tumor tissues and corresponding non-tumor tissues in HBV-positive hapatocellular carcinoma. uc001ncr and {"type":"entrez-nucleotide","attrs":{"text":"AX800134","term_id":"37653391"}}AX800134 were selected as candidate lncRNAs and detected in three independent cohorts containing a total of 684 participants (healthy individuals and chronic HBV patients and HBV-positive HCC patients) who were recruited between March 2011 and December 2012. A logistic regression model was constructed using a training cohort (n = 353) and validated using an independent cohort (n = 181). The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) was utilized to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy.

Results

We determined that a panel based on the expression of uc001ncr and {"type":"entrez-nucleotide","attrs":{"text":"AX800134","term_id":"37653391"}}AX800134 accurately diagnosed HBV-positive HCC (AUC values of 0.9494 and 0.9491 for the training and validation cohorts, respectively). The diagnostic performance of the panel remained high in patients with AFP≤400 ng/ml (AUC values of 0.9371 and 0.9527 for the training and validation cohorts, respectively). The panel also diagnosed early HCC (AUC values of 0.9450 and 0.9564 for the training and validation cohorts, respectively).

Conclusion

Our results indicated that the serum expression of uc001ncr and {"type":"entrez-nucleotide","attrs":{"text":"AX800134","term_id":"37653391"}}AX800134 has potential as novel potential biomarker for the diagnosis of HCC, especially in patients with AFP≤400 ng/ml or early-stage disease (BCLC 0+A).     

基因组磷硫酰化修饰的研究进展及展望北大核心CSCD

DNA磷硫酰化修饰是DNA骨架上的第一例生理修饰。该修饰由dnd ABCDE编码的5个蛋白协同作用,以硫原子取代DNA磷酸二酯键上一个非桥接的氧原子。研究发现,DNA磷硫酰化修饰广泛存在于各种微生物中,在不同细菌中存在序列特异性,且具有R_P空间构象专一性。近年来,对DNA磷硫酰化修饰的研究取得了一系列的成果。为了对DNA磷硫酰化修饰有一个系统全面的了解,本文将就这一特殊生理修饰的发现过程,研究进展,未来所面临的机遇及挑战作一个简要的概述。     

Chronic Exposure to Tributyltin Induces Brain Functional Damage in Juvenile Common Carp (Cyprinus carpio)

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of Tributyltin (TBT) on brain function and neurotoxicity of freshwater teleost. The effects of long-term exposure to TBT on antioxidant related indices (MDA, malondialdehyde; SOD, superoxide dismutase; CAT, catalase; GR, glutathione reductase; GPx, glutathione peroxidase), Na⁺-K⁺-ATPase and neurological parameters (AChE, acetylcholinesterase; MAO, monoamine oxidase; NO, nitric oxide) in the brain of common carp were evaluated. Fish were exposed to sublethal concentrations of TBT (75 ng/L, 0.75 μg/L and 7.5 μg/L) for 15, 30, and 60 days. Based on the results, a low level and short-term TBT-induced stress could not induce the notable responses of the fish brain, but long-term exposure (more than 15 days) to TBT could lead to obvious physiological-biochemical responses (based on the measured parameters). The results also strongly indicated that neurotoxicity of TBT to fish. Thus, the measured physiological responses in fish brain could provide useful information to better understand the mechanisms of TBT-induced bio-toxicity.     

脂质体包埋猪血红蛋白的制备及其注入小鼠体内的初步试验

 为探索一条研制猪血红蛋白 (pHb)为基础的血液代用品新途径 ,开发了干膜超声法将猪血红蛋白和别构效应剂、超氧化物歧化酶等联合包埋于脂质体的技术 .考察了氢化大豆卵磷脂、二肉豆蔻酰磷脂酰胆碱、胆固醇、二硬脂酰磷脂酰乙醇胺 甲氧基聚乙二醇和维生素E等在制备脂质体包埋血红蛋白 (LEH)中的作用 .通过控制磷脂与其他成分的配比 ,制得包埋率为 10 3%,pHb浓度达 16 %的稳定的LEH ;进一步将pHb微囊通过小鼠尾静脉多次注入其体内 ,检测受试小鼠血液中红细胞和白细胞数、抗体滴度、血小板聚集率及肾脏组织学等方面的变化 .小鼠体内试验表明了所制备的LEH具有低免疫原性、对肾脏无明显损害等特点 .脂质体包埋pHb是一种极具开发前景的稳定的人工载氧系统     

Reproductive isolation between sympatric sister species,Mussaenda kwangtungensis and M. pubescens var. alba

Reproductive isolation de fi nes the biological species concept and plays a key role in the formation and maintenance of species. The relative contributions of different isolating stages has been suggested to be closely associated with phylogenetic relatedness. Few studies have focused on the relative contributions of pre- versus postzygotic mechanisms, and even fewer have been conducted under strict phylogenetic frameworks. Pre- and post-zygotic reproductive isolation stages have been investigated in the sister species Mussaenda kwangtungensis and M. pubescens var. alba. The two species have partly overlapping distribution ranges and fl owering times, while the principal pollinators differed strikingly for them, demonstrating strong pre-zygotic isolations. Natural hybrids were detected by simple sequence repeat markers and their maternal parents were identi fi ed based on chloroplast gene sequences. Five out of 81 individuals were suggested to be hybrids that fall into the categories F2, BC1, and BC2 by theNew Hybrids analysis. Interspeci fi c crossings resulted in signi fi cantly reduced fruit set and seed germination rates.Phylogenetic analysis revealed short Kimura-2-parameter distance between M. kwangtungensis and M. pubescens var.alba. These fi ndings strongly supported the hypothesis that for species with a closer phylogenetic relationship, prezygotic isolation plays an important part in limiting gene exchange in sympatric areas.     

Pathological Features of Localized Prostate Cancer in China: A Contemporary Analysis of Radical Prostatectomy Specimens

There has been a rapid increase in the incidence of prostate cancer in China, especially in areas with boosted economic development. In this study, we analyzed the pathological features of a contemporary series of radical prostatectomy cases. A total of 230 consecutive, whole-mounted radical prostatectomy specimens collected from 2012 to 2014 were reviewed. The median age of the patients was 68 years, and 64.3% of patients presented with prostate specific antigen alone. Pathological examination indicated that a high proportion (77.4%) of patients had intermediate- or high-risk disease according to the Cancer of the Prostate Risk Assessment Post-Surgical score. After surgery, only 28 patients met the criteria for active surveillance (organ-confined Gleason ≥6 disease). The Prostate Cancer Research International Active Surveillance criteria achieved a sensitivity of 57.1% and a specificity of 98.0% for identifying candidates. The probability of Gleason score upgrading was 24.8% in the entire group and 59.0% in biopsy-confirmed Gleason ≥6 disease. The predominant tumor was located in the transition zone in 14.8% of cases, while only three patients (1.3%) had a predominant tumor located in the anterior region. Patients with transition zone-predominant tumor were likely to have been referred with urinary symptoms and high prostate specific antigen levels. The results of this study highlight the contemporary pathological features of localized prostate cancer in urban China. There was an increased trend towards asymptomatic cases, though most patients had intermediate- or high-risk disease and were suitable for definitive treatment. The low prevalence of dominant cancer in the anterior region may reflect race-based pathological differences.     

The clinical impact of recent advances in LC-MS for cancer biomarker discovery and verification

Mass spectrometry (MS) -based proteomics has become an indispensable tool with broad applications in systems biology and biomedical research. With recent advances in liquid chromatography (LC) and MS instrumentation, LC–MS is making increasingly significant contributions to clinical applications, especially in the area of cancer biomarker discovery and verification. To overcome challenges associated with analyses of clinical samples (for example, a wide dynamic range of protein concentrations in bodily fluids and the need to perform high throughput and accurate quantification of candidate biomarker proteins), significant efforts have been devoted to improve the overall performance of LC–MS-based clinical proteomics platforms. Reviewed here are the recent advances in LC–MS and its applications in cancer biomarker discovery and quantification, along with the potentials, limitations and future perspectives.