Protective Effect of the Silkworm Protein 30Kc6 on Human Vascular Endothelial Cells Damaged by Oxidized Low Density Lipoprotein (Ox-LDL)

Although the 30K family proteins are important anti-apoptotic molecules in silkworm hemolymph, the underlying mechanism remains to be investigated. This is especially the case in human vascular endothelial cells (HUVECs). In this study, a 30K protein, 30Kc6, was successfully expressed and purified using the Bac-to-Bac baculovirus expression system in silkworm cells. Furthermore, the 30Kc6 expressed in Escherichia coli was used to generate a polyclonal antibody. Western blot analysis revealed that the antibody could react specifically with the purified 30Kc6 expressed in silkworm cells. The In vitro cell apoptosis model of HUVEC that was induced by oxidized low density lipoprotein (Ox-LDL) and in vivo atherosclerosis rabbit model were constructed and were employed to analyze the protective effects of the silkworm protein 30Kc6 on these models. The results demonstrated that the silkworm protein 30Kc6 significantly enhanced the cell viability in HUVEC cells treated with Ox-LDL, decreased the degree of DNA fragmentation and markedly reduced the level of 8-isoprostane. This could be indicative of the silkworm protein 30Kc6 antagonizing the Ox-LDL-induced cell apoptosis by inhibiting the intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation. Furthermore, Ox-LDL activated the cell mitogen activated protein kinases (MAPK), especially JNK and p38. As demonstrated with Western analysis, 30Kc6 inhibited Ox-LDL-induced cell apoptosis in HUVEC cells by preventing the MAPK signaling pathways. In vivo data have demonstrated that oral feeding of the silkworm protein 30Kc6 dramatically improved the conditions of the atherosclerotic rabbits by decreasing serum levels of total triglyceride (TG), high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and total cholesterol (TC). Furthermore, 30Kc6 alleviated the extent of lesions in aorta and liver in the atherosclerotic rabbits. These data are not only helpful in understanding the anti-apoptotic mechanism of the 30K family proteins, but also provide important information on prevention and treatment of human cardiovascular diseases.     

多药耐药基因Mdr1 RNA探针的构建及初步临床应用

检测Mdrl基因表达水平可预测白血病化疗效果,用原位杂交的方法可检测Mdrl在单个细胞的表达水平。本文用Rt-PCR的方法获得了一段特异的cDNA片段,将其克隆到PGEM4Z载体中,经DNA序列分析证明与文献报道一致,采用地高辛素（DIG）RNA标记试剂盒制备反义RNA探针,已初步用于临床骨髓涂片标本的原位杂交检测。     

土壤干旱条件下玉米叶片内源激素含量及光合作用的变化

利用HPLC和ELISA技术研究了土壤干旱条件下玉米叶片内源IAA、ABA、ZR、DHZR、iPA含量的变化情况 ,以及叶片光合作用过程中 ,光合速率 (Pn) ,气孔导度 (Gs) ,PSⅡ光化学效率 (Fv/Fm)的变化情况 ,结果发现 :叶片中IAA浓度 ,在整个干旱过程中变化不大 ,与对照相比下降不明显 ;IAA的浓度对干旱的反应不敏感 ;叶片中ABA浓度在干旱最初 3d里急剧升高 ,直至最大值 ,之后有所下降 ;ABA的浓度对干旱反应敏感 ,但在整个干旱过程中ABA浓度并不随土壤相对含水量的减少而逐步升高 ;叶片中ZR和DHZR的浓度在干旱过程中与对照相比变化不明显 ,iPA浓度在干旱 4d后显著下降 ;叶片Pn在干旱初始 4d里随RWC的减小而缓慢下降 ,4d之后下降迅速 ;Gs从干旱第一天起即迅速减小 ,到第 4天近乎于零 ,Fv/Fm从干旱第 5天后开始逐步减小。这些结果证实在干旱过程中叶片ABA浓度的升高对气孔导度的调节作用 ,干旱初期光合速率的下降主要是气孔关闭所致 ;干旱后期光合速率的快速下降可能是PSⅡ光反应效率降低造成的     

Wearable All‐Fabric‐Based Triboelectric Generator for Water Energy Harvesting

Realizing energy harvesting from water flow using triboelectric generators (TEGs) based on our daily wearable fabric or textile has practical significance. Challenges remain on methods to fabricate conformable TEGs that can be easily incorporated into waterproof textile, or directly harvest energy from water using hydrophobic textile. Herein, a wearable all‐fabric‐based TEG for water energy harvesting, with additional self‐cleaning and antifouling properties is reported for the first time. Hydrophobic cellulose oleoyl ester nanoparticles (HCOENPs) are prepared from microcrystalline cellulose, as a low‐cost and nontoxic coating material to achieve superhydrophobic coating on fabrics, including cotton, silk, flax, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyamide (nylon), and polyurethane. The resultant PET fabric‐based water‐TEG can generate an instantaneous output power density of 0.14 W m^?2 at a load resistance of 100 MΩ. An all‐fabric‐based dual‐mode TEG is further realized to harvest both the electrostatic energy and mechanical energy of water, achieving the maximum instantaneous output power density of 0.30 W m^?2. The HCOENPs‐coated fabric provides excellent breathability, washability, and environmentally friendly fabric‐based TEGs, making it a promising wearable self‐powered system.     

鸡脚参中一个新木脂素

从鸡脚参[Orthosiphon wulfenioides (Diels)Hand.-Marzz.]根中提取分离了一个新的木脂素,命名为鸡脚参木脂素。其结构由NMR、MS等波谱分析确定。初步活性实验显示该化合物不具备抗真菌和抗肿瘤活性。     

Identification of DNA-binding proteins by incorporating evolutionary information into pseudo amino acid composition via the top-n-gram approach

DNA-binding proteins are crucial for various cellular processes and hence have become an important target for both basic research and drug development. With the avalanche of protein sequences generated in the postgenomic age, it is highly desired to establish an automated method for rapidly and accurately identifying DNA-binding proteins based on their sequence information alone. Owing to the fact that all biological species have developed beginning from a very limited number of ancestral species, it is important to take into account the evolutionary information in developing such a high-throughput tool. In view of this, a new predictor was proposed by incorporating the evolutionary information into the general form of pseudo amino acid composition via the top-n-gram approach. It was observed by comparing the new predictor with the existing methods via both jackknife test and independent data-set test that the new predictor outperformed its counterparts. It is anticipated that the new predictor may become a useful vehicle for identifying DNA-binding proteins. It has not escaped our notice that the novel approach to extract evolutionary information into the formulation of statistical samples can be used to identify many other protein attributes as well.     

人胃癌BGC-823细胞中去甲斑蝥素抑癌作用机理的蛋白质组学研究

去甲斑蝥素是我国自行研制的抗肿瘤药物,在临床上主要用于消化道肿瘤的治疗．实验表明,去甲斑蝥素可引起人胃癌BGC-823细胞发生 M期阻滞及细胞凋亡．进一步利用双向电泳和质谱技术,筛选出了去甲斑蝥素抑癌作用相关蛋白．研究显示,线粒体热休克蛋白CH60、线粒体ATP合酶d亚单位、内质网葡萄糖调节蛋白GRP78、线粒体Hsp70的辅助因子GRPE1、SH3L3以及染色质组装因子1小亚基RBBP4参与了去甲斑蝥素的抑癌作用．研究提示,去甲斑蝥素可能通过促进线粒体热休克蛋白及p53的表达进而激活caspase-3依赖的凋亡通路,并且去甲斑蝥素在引发内质网协迫之后,可通过抑制胞外信号调节激酶(extracellular signal regulated kinase, ERK)的活性促进肿瘤细胞的凋亡．进一步分析了去甲斑蝥素与线粒体ATP合酶抑制剂寡霉素A的联合用药对人胃癌细胞生长的影响,结果表明,联合用药的抑瘤效果比单独用药的抑瘤效果显著,提示去甲斑蝥素可能通过抑制线粒体ATP合酶功能抑制BGC-823生长．上述结果为优化去甲斑蝥素的联合用药方案提供了新线索．     

Ser84是spindlin1定位与功能发挥的关键位点

spindlin1为作者所在研究组克隆并命名的肿瘤相关新基因,之前研究表明spindlin1蛋白定位于细胞核,并有可能通过对TCF-4通路的调节参与对肿瘤细胞生长和周期的调控．为进一步探索spindlin1的作用机制,明确spindlin1结构与功能的关系,在生物信息学分析及晶体结构解析的基础上,构建系列突变表达载体,首先以spindlin1蛋白亚细胞定位为指标,观察野生型及系列突变体spindlin1蛋白的亚细胞定位,并进一步检测野生型及突变体spindlin1对TCF-4荧光素酶报告基因转录活性的调控作用,以明确spindlin1定位与功能的关键位点．结果表明：Ser14＋Ser84、Ser84＋Ser99、Ser14＋Ser84＋Ser99位点Ser到Ala的联合突变能使野生型融合蛋白在细胞核内集中分布的特性消失,成为全细胞弥散分布,而Ser14、Ser84、Ser99各位点的单独突变或Ser14＋Ser99联合突变对spindlin1蛋白的细胞核内分布没有影响．与此同时,对TCF-4荧光素酶报告基因活性的分析表明,Ser14＋Ser84、Ser84＋Ser99、Ser14＋Ser84＋Ser99的联合突变使spindlin1对其活性的激活作用消失或降低．上述结果表明,Ser84是spindlin1细胞定位与功能发挥的关键位点,其作用发挥需要Ser14与Ser99的协助．