Genetic co-transfer of CCR7 ligands enhances immunity and prolongs survival against virulent challenge of pseudorabies virus

The CC chemokine receptor 7 (CCR7) and cognate CCR7 ligands, CCL19 and CCL21, help establish microenvironments in lymphoid tissue that can facilitate encounters between naive T cells and mature dendritic cells (DCs). This study was conducted to determine if CCR7 ligands can augment the immunogenicity of a DNA vaccine that expresses glycoprotein B (gB) of the pseudorabies virus (PrV). The genetic co-transfer of CCR7 ligands along with a PrV DNA vaccine increased the levels of serum PrV-specific immunoglobulin (Ig) G by 2- to 2.5-fold. In addition, the level of PrV-specific IgG2a isotype was significantly enhanced by co-injection of CCR7 ligand DNA, which indicates that CCR7 ligand biases the humoral immunity toward the Th1-type pattern. The co-injection of CCR7 ligand DNA consistently enhanced the level of Th1-type cytokines (IL-2 and IFN-gamma) produced by stimulated immune cells when compared with a group that was vaccinated with the PrV DNA vaccine. Also, the genetic co-transfer of CCR7 ligand DNAs with PrV DNA vaccine provided prolonged survival against a virulent challenge by PrV. Moreover, the co-administration of CCR7 ligand DNA increased the number of mature DCs into the secondary lymphoid tissues, which appeared to enhance the proliferation of PrV-immune CD4(+) T cells. Taken together, these findings indicate that CCR7 ligands are an attractive adjuvant for a PrV DNA vaccine that can offer protective immunity against the PrV.     

Detection of Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) DNA at femtomolar concentrations using a silica nanoparticle-enhanced microcantilever sensor

We report Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) DNA detection using a silica nanoparticle-enhanced dynamic microcantilever biosensor. A 243-mer nucleotide of HBV DNA precore/core region was used as the target DNA. For this assay, the capture probe on the microcantilever surface and the detection probe conjugated with silica nanoparticles were designed specifically for the target DNA. For efficient detection of the HBV target DNA using silica nanoparticle-enhanced DNA assay, the size of silica nanoparticles and the dimension of microcantilever were optimized by directly binding the silica nanoparticles through DNA hybridization. In addition, the correlation between the applied nanoparticle concentrations and the resonant frequency shifts of the microcantilever was discussed clearly to validate the quantitative relationship between mass loading and resonant frequency shift.HBV target DNAs of 23.1 fM to 2.31 nM which were obtained from the PCR product were detected using a silica nanoparticle-enhanced microcantilever. The HBV target DNA of 243-mer was detected up to the picomolar (pM) level without nanoparticle enhancement and up to the femtomolar (fM) level using a nanoparticle-based signal amplification process. In the above two cases, the resonant frequency shifts were found to be linearly correlated with the concentrations of HBV target DNAs. We believe that this linearity originated mainly from an increase in mass that resulted from binding between the probe DNA and HBV PCR product, and between HBV PCR product and silica nanoparticles for the signal enhancement, even though there is another potential factor such as the spring constant change that may have influenced on the resonant frequency of the microcantilever.     

Classification of hybrid and altered Vibrio cholerae strains by CTX prophage and RS1 element structure

Analysis of the CTX prophage and RS1 element in hybrid and altered Vibrio cholera O1 strains showed two classifiable groups. Group I strains contain a tandem repeat of classical CTX prophage on the small chromosome. Strains in this group either contain no element(s) or an additional CTX prophage or RS1 element(s) on the large chromosome. Group II strains harbor RS1 and CTX prophage, which has an E1 Tor type rstR and classical ctxB on the large chromosome.     

Identification and characterization of acetyl-CoA carboxylase gene cluster in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Streptomyces toxytricini</Emphasis>

The gene locus for acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC) involved in the primary metabolism was identified from the genomic library of Streptomyces toxytricini which produces a lipase inhibitor lipstatin. The 7.4 kb cloned gene was comprised of 5 ORFs including accD1, accA1, hmgL, fadST1, and stsF. In order to confirm the biochemical characteristics of AccA1, the gene was overexpressed in Escherichia coli cells, and the recombinant protein was purified through Ni²⁺ affinity chromatography. Because most of the expressed AccAl was biotinylated by host E. coli BirA in the presence of D-biotin, the non-biotinylated apo-AccA1 was purified after gene induction without D-biotin, followed by exclusion of holo-AccA1 using streptavidin beads. The separated apo-AccA1 was post-translationally biotinylated by S. toxytricini biotin apo-protein ligase (BPL) in a time- and enzyme-dependent manner. This result supports that this gene cluster of S. toxytricini encodes the functional ACC enzyme subunits to be biotinylated.     

A 2.7-kb Deletion in the Human NLRP10 Gene Exon 2 Occurred After the Human–Chimpanzee Divergence

NLRP10 is a member of the NLRP protein family, which is involved in inflammation and apoptosis. Genome sequence comparisons revealed that a 2.7-kb deletion occurred in the human NLRP10 gene exon 2 after the divergence of humans and chimpanzees, resulting in replacement of the entire 3′ untranslated region with the flanking LINE-1 element. The human NLRP10 protein lost 30 or more amino acids that are conserved in primates at its carboxy-terminus. The structural modification of the NLRP10 gene might have played a role in development or enhancement of human-specific traits during evolution.     

A Phylogroup of the Siberian Chipmunk from Korea (Tamias sibiricus barberi) Revealed from the Mitochondrial DNA Cytochrome b Gene

In the full sequences of the mtDNA cytochrome b gene, 26 haplotypes (Tamias sibiricus barberi) from six localities of central and southern Korea were distinct from 21 haplotypes (Tamias sibiricus orientalis) from five localities of northeast China and Vladivostok, Russia. The average Tamura–Nei nucleotide distance between the subspecies (11.40%) and maximum infrasubspecific distances (3.74% and 4.72%) support the subspecies classification of T. s. barberi based on morphometric comparison. The 26 haplotypes of T. s. barberi were also distinct from 2 haplotypes of T. s. orientalis and Tamias sibiricus jacutensis from far-east Russia (average distance, 11.86%). Thus T. s. barberi constitutes a “phylogroup” (average nucleotide distance > 10%); analyses with nuclear genes of northeast Asian specimens, including North Korean ones, are necessary to clarify its taxonomic status. Furthermore, 49 haplotypes of T. sibiricus from eastern Asia differed from 19 haplotypes of another 18 Tamias spp. from America (weighted-average distance, 18.58%). T. sibiricus is, therefore, distinct enough to be recognized as a subgenus, Eutamias.     

Activation of adenylate cyclase by forskolin increases the protein stability of RCAN1 (DSCR1 or Adapt78)

Overexpression of Regulator of Calcineurin 1 (RCAN1/DSCR1/Adapt78) is known to inhibit the calcineurin-NFAT dependent signaling pathway. In this report, we find that activation of adenylate cyclase by forskolin increases the expression of RCAN1 through the increase of the protein’s half-life. The ability of forskolin to increase the accumulation of RCAN1 protein is significantly inhibited with protein kinase A inhibitors such as KT5720 and H-89. Furthermore, forskolin targets the central and C-terminal region of RCAN1 and enhances the inhibitory effect of RCAN1 on the calcineurin-mediated activation of NFAT. Our findings provide the first evidence that the accumulation of the RCAN1 protein by cAMP acts as an important regulatory mechanism in the control of the calcineurin-dependent cellular pathway.

Structured summary

MINT-7262390: PKA (uniprotkb:P22694) phosphorylates (MI:0217) RCAN1 (uniprotkb:P53805) by protein kinase assay (MI:0424)     

Comparative proteome analysis of TGF‐β1‐induced fibrosis processes in normal rat kidney interstitial fibroblast cells in response to ascofuranone

Transforming growth factor‐β1 (TGF‐β1) has a wide range of biological functions such as the regulation of cell growth, differentiation, and immunological response in various types of cells. Particularly, TGF‐β1 induces plasminogen activator inhibitor‐1 (PAI‐1) as a major target protein. PAI‐1 is associated with fibrosis, thrombosis, and metabolic disorders. In this study, to identify proteins potentially involved in TGF‐β1‐induced fibrosis processes, we performed a proteomic analysis of TGF‐β1‐induced normal rat kidney cells exposed to ascofuranone (AF). In these cells, we detected 1500 proteins, with 74 differentially expressed proteins identified by MALDI‐TOF and reference to the NCBI and Swiss‐Prot databases, including PAI‐1, peroxisome prdifesator‐activated receptor, prohibitin, glutamate formyltransferase, LIM domain protein 1, LASP‐1, porphobilinogen deaminase, and peroxiredoxin 2. We also found that AF suppresses expression of profibrotic factors induced by TGF‐β in renal fibroblasts, including matrix proteins and PAI‐1. AF was also shown to inhibit selectively phosphorylation of epidermal growth factor receptor, and downstream kinases such as extracellular signal‐regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK‐1/2). Further ongoing analysis of fibrosis‐related proteins will determine AF's potential for application in fibrotic diseases and therapeutics.     

Intra-arterial delivery of triolein emulsion increases vascular permeability in skeletal muscles of rabbits

Background  

To test the hypothesis that triolein emulsion will increase vascular permeability of skeletal muscle.