Valsartan Attenuates Atherosclerosis via Upregulating the Th2 Immune Response in Prolonged Angiotensin II–Treated ApoE?/? Mice

Valsartan has a protective effect against hypertension and atherosclerosis in humans and experimental animal models. This study aimed to determine the effect of prolonged treatment with angiotensin II (Ang II) on atherosclerosis and the effect of valsartan on the activity of CD4⁺ T lymphocyte subsets. The results showed that prolonged treatment (8 wks) with exogenous Ang II resulted in an increased atherosclerotic plaque size and a switch of stable-to-unstable plaque via modulating on CD4⁺ T lymphocyte activity, including an increase in the T helper cell type 1 (Th1) and Th17 cells and a decrease in Th2 and regulatory T (Treg) cells. In contrast, valsartan treatment efficiently reversed the imbalance in CD4⁺ T lymphocyte activity, ameliorated atherosclerosis and elicited a stable plaque phenotype in addition to controlling blood pressure. In addition, treatment with anti-interleukin (IL)-5 monoclonal antibodies weakened the antiatherosclerotic effects of valsartan without affecting blood pressure.     

Pathways related to PMA-differentiated THP1 human monocytic leukemia cells revealed by RNA-Seq

Previous analyses have reported that the human monocytic cell line THP1 can be differentiated into cells with macrophage-like characteristics by phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate(PMA). However, little is known about the mechanism responsible for regulating this differentiation process. Here, we performed high-throughput RNA-Seq analysis to investigate the genes differently expressed in THP1 cells treated with and without PMA and examined those that may be responsible for the PMA-induced differentiation of monocytes into macrophages. We found 3,000 genes to be differentially expressed after PMA treatment. Gene ontology analysis revealed that genes related to cellular processes and regulation of biological processes were significantly enriched. KEGG analysis also demonstrated that the differentially expressed genes(DEGs) were significantly enriched in the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway and phagosome pathway. Importantly, we reveal an important role of the PI3K/AKT pathway in PMA-induced THP1 cell differentiation. The identified DEGs and pathways may facilitate further study of the detailed molecular mechanisms of THP1 differentiation. Thus, our results provide numerous potential therapeutic targets for modulation of the differentiation of this disease.     

Variations in Temperature Sensitivity (Q10) of CH4 Emission from a Subtropical Estuarine Marsh in Southeast China

Understanding the functional relationship between greenhouse gas fluxes and environmental variables is crucial for predicting the impacts of wetlands on future climate change in response to various perturbations. We examined the relationships between methane (CH₄) emission and temperature in two marsh stands dominated by the Phragmites australis and Cyperus malaccensis, respectively, in a subtropical estuarine wetland in southeast China based on three years of measurement data (2007–2009). We found that the Q₁₀ coefficient of CH₄ emission to soil temperature (Q_s10) from the two marsh stands varied slightly over the three years (P > 0.05), with a mean value of 3.38 ± 0.46 and 3.89 ± 0.41 for the P. australis and C. malaccensis stands, respectively. On the other hand, the three-year mean Q_a10 values (Q₁₀ coefficients of CH₄ emission to air temperature) were 3.39 ± 0.59 and 4.68 ± 1.10 for the P. australis and C. malaccensis stands, respectively, with a significantly higher Q_a10 value for the C. malaccensis stand in 2008 (P < 0.05). The seasonal variations of Q₁₀ (Q_s10 and Q_a10) differed among years, with generally higher values in the cold months than those in the warm months in 2007 and 2009. We found that the Q_s10 values of both stands were negatively correlated with soil conductivity, but did not obtain any conclusive results about the difference in Q₁₀ of CH₄ emission between the two tidal stages (before flooding and after ebbing). There were no significant differences in both Q_s10 and Q_a10 values of CH₄ emission between the P. australis stand and the C. malaccensis stands (P > 0.05). Our results show that the Q₁₀ values of CH₄ emission in this estuarine marsh are highly variable across space and time. Given that the overall CH₄ flux is governed by a suite of environmental factors, the Q₁₀ values derived from field measurements should only be considered as a semi-empirical parameter for simulating CH₄ emissions.     

毁损大鼠中缝背核内触液神经元对吗啡依赖和戒断的影响

目的:探索脑内远位触液神经元在吗啡依赖和戒断形成过程中的作用。方法:化学性神经元毁损、侧脑室引入霍乱毒素亚单位B与辣根过氧化物酶复合物(CB-HRP)神经示踪、TMB-ST呈色反应,Western blot、nNOS免疫组织化学。结果:毁损大鼠中缝背核内远位触液神经元后,纳洛酮催促的戒断症状明显减弱,戒断症状评分较戒断未毁损组降低约38%(P<0.05);给予溶媒和毁损触液神经元旁侧的大鼠戒断症状与戒断组比较未见明显变化(P>0.05)。毁损组脑片触液神经元密集区局部细胞损坏明显,仅在其毁损区边缘观测到少量CB-HRP阳性细胞。未毁损组CB-HRP标记细胞位置及数量恒定,形态清晰。毁损触液神经元后,脊髓背角nNOS阳性神经元计数及nNOS蛋白表达较戒断未毁损组减少明显(P<0.05),而较正常组和依赖组增加仍显著(P<0.01)。结论:毁损大鼠中缝背核内部分远位触液神经元可减弱吗啡戒断症状和脊髓背角神经元型一氧化氮合酶的表达,提示中缝背核内部分远位触液神经元可能参与了吗啡依赖和戒断的形成,NO介导脑内触液神经元与脊髓水平对吗啡依赖和戒断的调节。     

青稞HbSnRK2.4的克隆及其序列特征与表达特性分析

干旱胁迫是制约农作物生产的重要限制因素之一,研究并增强作物的抗旱性具有重要意义。Sn RK2(Sucrose nonfermenting 1-related protein kinase 2)基因编码一类蔗糖非酵解型蛋白激酶,该酶在ABA信号转录途径和抗渗透胁迫中起着重要作用。以青稞(Hordeum vulgare subsp.vulgare)抗旱品种喜马拉雅10号为材料,利用RT-PCR技术克隆获得了Sn RK2基因全长c DNA序列,命名为Hb Sn RK2.4(登录号:KJ699389)。生物信息学分析表明,该基因全长1 310 bp,编码362个氨基酸序列,蛋白分子量为41.94 k D,等电点(p I)为5.96。Prosite Scan分析结果表明,Hb Sn RK2.4含有多个干旱胁迫响应蛋白的作用位点,如酪蛋白激酶Ⅱ磷酸化位点、酪氨酸激酶磷酸化位点、蛋白激酶C磷酸化位点及N-豆蔻酰化位点等。利用实时定量PCR方法研究了Hb Sn RK2.4在干旱胁迫条件下及复水后不同时间点的表达情况,发现Hb Sn RK2.4在土壤绝对含水量为33.4%时表达量最高,随着土壤绝对含水量的下降而下调表达;当达到作物正常生长所需的土壤绝对含水量时又开始上调表达;进行干旱胁迫后(15.5%)基因表达量下降;复水后8 h时恢复正常表达水平。     

Quantification of proteomic and metabolic burdens predicts growth retardation and overflow metabolism in recombinant Escherichia coli

Escherichia coli has been the host organism most frequently investigated for efficient recombinant protein production. However, the production of a foreign protein in recombinant E. coli often leads to growth deterioration and elevated secretion of acetic acid. Such observed phenomena have been widely linked with cell stress responses and metabolic burdens originated particularly from the increased energy demand. In this study, flux balance analysis and dynamic flux balance analysis were applied to investigate the observed growth physiology of recombinant E. coli, incorporating the proteome allocation theory and an adjustable maintenance energy level (ATPM) to capture the proteomic and energetic burdens introduced by recombinant protein synthesis. Model predictions of biomass growth, substrate consumption, acetate excretion, and protein production with two different strains were in good agreement with the experimental data, indicating that the constraint on the available proteomic resource and the change in ATPM might be important contributors governing the growth physiology of recombinant strains. The modeling framework developed in this work, currently with several limitations to overcome, offers a starting point for the development of a practical, model-based tool to guide metabolic engineering decisions for boosting recombinant protein production.     

Process-induced cell cycle oscillations in CHO cultures: Online monitoring and model-based investigation

The influence of process strategies on the dynamics of cell population heterogeneities in mammalian cell culture is still not well understood. We recently found that the progression of cells through the cell cycle causes metabolic regulations with variable productivities in antibody-producing Chimese hamster ovary (CHO) cells. On the other hand, it is so far unknown how bulk cultivation conditions, for example, variable nutrient concentrations depending on process strategies, can influence cell cycle-derived population dynamics. In this study, process-induced cell cycle synchronization was assessed in repeated-batch and fed-batch cultures. An automated flow cytometry set-up was developed to measure the cell cycle distribution online, using antibody-producing CHO DP-12 cells transduced with the cell cycle-specific fluorescent ubiquitination-based cell cycle indicator (FUCCI) system. On the basis of the population-resolved model, feeding-induced partial self-synchronization was predicted and the results were evaluated experimentally. In the repeated-batch culture, stable cell cycle oscillations were confirmed with an oscillating G1 phase distribution between 41% and 72%. Furthermore, oscillations of the cell cycle distribution were simulated and determined in a (bolus) fed-batch process with up to cells/ml. The cell cycle synchronization arose with pulse feeding only and ceased with continuous feeding. Both simulated and observed oscillations occurred at higher frequencies than those observable based on regular (e.g., daily) sample analysis, thus demonstrating the need for high-frequency online cell cycle analysis. In summary, we showed how experimental methods combined with simulations enable the improved assessment of the effects of process strategies on the dynamics of cell cycle-dependent population heterogeneities. This provides a novel approach to understand cell cycle regulations, control cell population dynamics, avoid inadvertently induced oscillations of cell cycle distributions and thus to improve process stability and efficiency.     

Metformin protects PC12 cells and hippocampal neurons from H2O 2-induced oxidative damage through activation of AMPK pathway

Metformin, a first line anti type 2 diabetes drug, has recently been shown to extend lifespan in various species, and therefore, became the first antiaging drug in clinical trial. Oxidative stress due to excess reactive oxygen species (ROS) is considered to be an important factor in aging and related disease, such as Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, the antioxidative effects of metformin and its underlying mechanisms in neuronal cells is not known. In the present study, we showed that metformin, in clinically relevant concentrations, protected neuronal PC12 cells from H₂O₂-induced cell death. Metformin significantly ameliorated cell death due to H₂O₂ insult by restoring abnormal changes in nuclear morphology, intracellular ROS, lactate dehydrogenase, and mitochondrial membrane potential induced by H₂O₂. Hoechst staining assay and flow cytometry analysis revealed that metformin significantly reduced the apoptosis in PC12 cells exposed to H₂O₂. Western blot analysis further demonstrated that metformin stimulated the phosphorylation and activation of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) in PC12 cells, while application of AMPK inhibitor compound C, or knockdown of the expression of AMPK by specific small interfering RNA or short hairpin RNA blocked the protective effect of metformin. Similar results were obtained in primary cultured hippocampal neurons. Taken together, these results indicated that metformin is able to protect neuronal cells from oxidative injury, at least in part, via the activation of AMPK. As metformin is comparatively cheaper with much less side effects in clinic, our findings support its potential to be a drug for prevention and treatment of aging and aging-related diseases.