Soluble expression, purification and functional identification of a disulfide-rich conotoxin derived from Conus litteratus

Conotoxins are a diverse array of small peptides mostly with multiple disulfide bridges. These peptides become an increasing significant source of neuro-pharmacological probes and drugs as a result of the high selectivity for ion channels and receptors. Usually, the analogue of natural conotoxins is produced by means of chemical synthesis. Here, we present a simple and fast strategy of producing disulfide-rich conotoxins via recombinant expression. By fused with thioredoxin and His tag, a novel O-superfamily conotoxin lt7a was successfully expressed in Escherichia coli and purified, resulting in a high yield of recombinant lt7a about 6 mg/l. The purity of target protein is up to 95% as identified by HPLC results. Whole cell patch-clamp recording revealed that the new conotoxin blocked voltage-sensitive sodium channels in rat dorsal root ganglion neurons, indicating it might be a novel microO-conotoxin.     

Plasma glycoprotein profiling for colorectal cancer biomarker identification by lectin glycoarray and lectin blot

Colorectal cancer (CRC) remains a major worldwide cause of cancer-related morbidity and mortality largely due to the insidious onset of the disease. The current clinical procedures utilized for disease diagnosis are invasive, unpleasant, and inconvenient; hence, the need for simple blood tests that could be used for the early detection of CRC. In this work, we have developed methods for glycoproteomics analysis to identify plasma markers with utility to assist in the detection of colorectal cancer (CRC). Following immunodepletion of the most abundant plasma proteins, the plasma N -linked glycoproteins were enriched using lectin affinity chromatography and subsequently further separated by nonporous silica reversed-phase (NPS-RP)-HPLC. Individual RP-HPLC fractions were printed on nitrocellulose coated slides which were then probed with lectins to determine glycan patterns in plasma samples from 9 normal, 5 adenoma, and 6 colorectal cancer patients. Statistical tools, including principal component analysis, hierarchical clustering, and Z-statistics analysis, were employed to identify distinctive glycosylation patterns. Patients diagnosed with colorectal cancer or adenomas were shown to have dramatically higher levels of sialylation and fucosylation as compared to normal controls. Plasma glycoproteins with aberrant glycosylation were identified by nano-LC-MS/MS, while a lectin blotting methodology was used to validate proteins with significantly altered glycosylation as a function of cancer progression. The potential markers identified in this study for diagnosis to distinguish colorectal cancer from adenoma and normal include elevated sialylation and fucosylation in complement C3, histidine-rich glycoprotein, and kininogen-1. These potential markers of colorectal cancer were subsequently validated by lectin blotting in an independent set of plasma samples obtained from 10 CRC patients, 10 patients with adenomas, and 10 normal subjects. These results demonstrate the utility of this strategy for the identification of N -linked glycan patterns as potential markers of CRC in human plasma, and may have the utility to distinguish different disease states.     

Cyclin D1与细胞周期调控

细胞周期是细胞生命活动中一个最重要的过程,其关键是G1 期的启动.细胞周期蛋白(Cyclin)、细胞周期蛋白依赖性激酶(CDKs)和CDK抑制因子(CKIs)是参与钿胞周期调控的主要因子.Cyclin D1是调控细胞周期G1期的关键蛋白,是一个比其他Cyclins更加敏感的指标,对细胞周期调控至关重要.综述Cyclin D1的结构和功能及其在肿瘤组织中的表达特征,初步分析Cyclin D在昆虫细胞周期调控的研究.     

点状气单胞菌引起虹鳟感染症及其病原学机制的初步研究

对山西省朔县省虹鳟试验场1987年8月在亲鱼中爆发的一次流行病进行了病原菌分离、培养、毒力试验和详细的生理生化测定,确定点状气单胞菌为其病原菌。并对该菌胞外产物的致病性进行了研究,通过测定其溶血活性、酪蛋白酶活性、对鱼致死性以及对其引起的组织病理学变化的观察,初步确定了胞外产物与该菌侵袭力的相关性。     

Precise Reconstruction of Veins and Bile Ducts in Rat Liver Transplantation

Rat orthotopic liver transplantation (ROLT) remains a technically demanding procedure, especially regarding the reconstruction of the suprahepatic vena cava (SHVC). In this study, a new microsuture technique was developed for anastomosis of the SHVC, and a special single-groove cuff and blade-cut stent were introduced. With these modified techniques, we aimed to make a precise anastomosis of the SHVC and to provide optimal cuffs and stents for the reconstruction of the veins and bile ducts. According to different microsuture techniques for the SHVC and different types of cuffs and stents, three ROLT groups were created to compare the operation times and prognoses. Sham operations were performed as controls in the fourth group. The time expenditures with each step were compared among the transplantation groups. Biochemical parameters were tested at the end of a 1-month observation period. The short- and long-term survival rates of the transplantation groups were recorded and compared. Our new microsuture technique was faster than the conventional continuous suture technique for SHVC anastomosis (P < 0.05). The use of a single-groove cuff for reconstruction of the portal vein and the infrahepatic vena cava shortened the anastomotic time (P < 0.05). The use of blade-cut stents resulted in fewer biliary complications and better survival over the short and long terms (P < 0.05). Our new microsuture technique and the single-groove cuffs proved to be a precise method for venous reconstruction which shortened the anhepatic time and the anastomotic time significantly. The blade-cut stents apparently reduced the incidence of biliary complications. In summary, with this precise microsuture technique and delicate cuffs and stents, excellent long-term survival can be achieved easily and stably for ROLT.     

NMDA受体在海马CA3区习得性TP保持中的作用

The effect of microinjection of 2-amino-5-phosphonovaleric acid (APV), a selective NMDA receptor antagonist, into the rat hippocampal CA3 area on the synaptic efficacy and related conditioned behavior during the acquisition and consolidation of discrimination learning behavior was examined. The results showed: (1) After population spike (PS) amplitude had just increased to the maximum through training i.e. learning-dependent LTP had just formed, APV 1 microliter (2 mmol/L) was injected into CA3 area, then the rats were trained during the time of efficacy of the drug in every experimental block. The result demonstrated that the PS amplitude could not be maintained at the highest level but decreased to the pre-experiment level after 8 blocks. Correct response percentage of rats could not be consolidated with further training but decreased to less than 10%. (2) After the PS amplitude had kept up at the highest level, APV 1 microliter (2 mmol/L) was injected into CA3 area, then the rats were trained during the time of efficacy of the drug in every experimental block, in which case the PS amplitude also could not be maintained at the highest level but decreased to the pre-experiment level after 14 blocks. Correlatively, when the correct response percentage of rats decreased gradually to less than 10%, the conditioned response of the animals extinguished, but its extinction speed was slower than it was in result (1). These results suggest that the NMDA receptor in CA3 area plays an important role in the maintenance of the learning-dependent long-term potentiation.     

Dexamethasone interferes with osteoblasts formation during osteogenesis through altering IGF-1-mediated angiogenesis

Dexamethasone (Dex), a synthetic glucocorticoid (GC) with long-lasting treatment effects, has been proved to exert a modulatory effect on osteoblast proliferation and differentiation during embryonic osteogenesis. However, it is still controversial if Dex exposure influences endochondral ossification and the underlying mechanism. In this study, chick embryos in vivo and preosteoblast cell cultures in vitro were utilized to investigate the effects of Dex on osteoblast formation and differentiation during the skeletal development. We first demonstrated that Dex exposure could shorten the long bones of 17-day chick embryos in vivo, and also downregulated the expressions of osteogenesis-related genes. Next, we established that Dex exposure inhibited the proliferation and viability of preosteoblasts-MC3TC-E1 cells, and the addition of insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) could dramatically rescue these negative effects. On the basis of remarkable changes in the rescue experiments, we next verified the important role of angiogenesis in osteogenesis by culturing isolated embryonic phalanges in Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium culture or on the chick chorioallantoic membrane (CAM). Then, we transplanted MC3T3-E1 cell masses onto the CAM. The data showed that Dex exposure reduced the vessel density within the developed cell mass, concomitantly with the downregulation of IGF-1 pathway. We verified that the inhibition of blood vessel formation caused by Dex could be rescued by IGF-1 treatment using the CAM angiogenesis model. Eventually, we demonstrated that the shortened length of the phalanges in the presence of Dex could be reversed by IGF-1 addition. In summary, these findings suggested that the inhibition of Igf-1 signal caused by Dex exposure exerts a detrimental impact on the formation of osteoblasts and angiogenesis, which consequently shortens long bones during osteogenesis.     

肥沃耕层构建对东北黑土区旱地土壤肥力和玉米产量的影响

有机物料还田是提高土壤肥力、改善土壤结构和增加作物产量的重要农艺措施之一。本研究通过分析有机物料深混还田构建肥沃耕层后土壤的有机质、速效养分含量和玉米产量,明确了黑土区不同土壤类型旱地土壤肥力指标和玉米产量对肥沃耕层构建方式的响应特征,以期为实现东北黑土区旱地保护性利用和农业可持续发展提供科学依据。采用小区试验与大区示范相结合的方式,在黑龙江省、吉林省和辽宁省选取9个生态类型区作为试验点,土壤类型包括黑土(中厚黑土和薄层黑土)、草甸土、黑钙土、白浆土、棕壤、暗棕壤和褐土。每个试验点均设置了玉米秸秆深混构建肥沃耕层(CF_Ⅰ)、秸秆配合有机肥深混构建肥沃耕层(CF_Ⅱ)和无有机物料还田(CK)3个处理。其中,CF_Ⅰ、CF_Ⅱ处理的小区试验和大区示范的秸秆还田量分别为10000 kg·hm^-2和全量还田,CF_Ⅱ处理的有机肥施用量为30000 t·hm^-2;CF_Ⅰ和CF_Ⅱ处理中有机物料的还田深度均为0~35 cm。结果表明: 不同土壤类型旱地的土壤肥力差异较大,不同土层表现为亚耕层土壤肥力小于耕层土壤,其中暗棕壤和白浆土尤为突出;棕壤、褐土耕层和亚耕层的土壤肥力均偏低;黑土和草甸土的质地比较黏重和犁底层较厚。在试验时间为两年以上的5个试验点中,与CK相比,CF_Ⅰ和CF_Ⅱ处理耕层的土壤有机质、碱解氮、速效磷和速效钾含量平均增加1.85 g·kg^-1、20.16 mg·kg^-1、1.56 mg·kg^-1和17.2 mg·kg^-1,亚耕层较耕层增加了2.09 g·kg^-1、12.06 mg·kg^-1、2.18 mg·kg^-1和3.84 mg·kg^-1。与CK相比,CF_Ⅰ处理显著增加了耕作层和亚耕层土壤有机质和速效磷含量,CF_Ⅱ处理显著增加了耕作层和亚耕层的全部土壤肥力指标,说明肥沃耕层构建是提高土壤肥力的重要途径,其中玉米秸秆配施有机肥是快速提升土壤肥力的有效方法。受不同地区水热条件和土壤类型等的影响,不同试验区的玉米产量差异较大;不同处理间差异显著,表现为CF_Ⅱ>CF_Ⅰ>CK,说明肥沃耕层构建方式在不同生态类型区均能有效提高玉米产量。采用玉米秸秆或者玉米秸秆配合有机肥深混的肥沃耕层构建方式能够同步培肥耕层和亚耕层土壤,提高玉米产量。不同生态类型区应根据土壤类型、有机物料来源等采取相应的肥沃耕层构建方式,建议在有机肥源充足的区域,优先采用秸秆配合有机肥深混构建肥沃耕层。