Efficient purification and preconcentration of erythropoietin in human urine by reusable immunoaffinity column

In this paper, an efficient method is proposed for purification and preconcentration of erythropoietin (EPO) in human urine samples. The EPO-specific immunoaffinity column (IAC) was generated by covalent immobilization of anti-EPO polyclonal antibodies on Sepharose 4B support. The EPO-binding capacity of the IAC was found to be about 2.0 microg (6.6IU) per 1.5 mL of gel and the activity recoveries of EPO at low concentrations of 7.8, 10 and 120 m IU/mL by the IAC were between 78 and 86%. Substantial cleanup effect was observed when the IAC was applied to human urine samples.     

The role of chloroplast NAD(P)H dehydrogenase in protection of tobacco plant against heat stress

After incubation at 42°C for more than 48 h, brown damages occurred on the stems of tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) ndhC-ndhK-ndhJ deletion mutant (ΔndhCKJ), followed by wilt of the leaves, while less the phenotype was found in its wild type (WT). Analysis of the kinetics of post-illumination rise in chlorophyll fluorescence indicated that the PSI cyclic electron flow and the chlororespiration mediated by NAD(P)H dehydrogenase (NDH) was significantly enhanced in WT under the high temperature. After leaf disks were treated with methyl viologen (MV), photosynthetic apparatus of ΔndhCKJ exhibited more severe photo-oxidative damage, even bleaching of chlorophyll. Analysis of P700 oxidation and reduction showed that the NDH mediated cyclic electron flow probably functioned as an electron competitor with Mehler reaction, to reduce the accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). When leaf disks were heat stressed at 42°C for 6 h, the photochemical activity declined more markedly in ΔndhCKJ than in WT, accompanied with more evident decrease in the amount of soluble Rubisco activase. In addition, the slow phase of millisecond-delayed light emission (ms-DLE) of chlorophyll fluorescence indicated that NDH was involved in the building-up of transthylakoid proton gradient (ΔpH), while the consumption of ΔpH was highly inhibited in ΔndhCKJ after heat stress. Based on the results, we supposed that the cyclic electron flow mediated by NDH could be stimulated under the heat stressed conditions, to divert excess electrons via chlororespiration pathway, and sustain CO₂ assimilation by providing extra ΔpH, thus reducing the photooxidative damage.     

Inductin of neuron-derived orphan receptor-1 in the dentate gyrus of the hippocampal formation following transient global ischemia in the rat

Neuron-derived orphan receptor (NOR-1) is a member of the thyroid/steroid receptor superfamily that was originally identified in forebrain neuronal cells undergoing apoptosis. In addition to apoptotic stimuli, activation of several signal transduction pathways including direct neuronal depolarization regulates the expression of NOR-1. In this study we tested whether the expression of NOR-1 is changed following transient ischemic injury in the adult rat brain. NOR-1 mRNA increased rapidly in the dentate gyrus of the hippocampal formation and piriform cortex 3 h after transient global ischemia and returned to basal level at 6 h. On the other hand, oxygen-glucose deprivation of cultured cerebral cortical neurons did not alter the expression of NOR-1. These results suggest that expression of NOR-1 is differentially regulated in different brain regions in response to globally applied brain ischemia, but that hypoxia is not sufficient to induce its expression.     

Recombinant chimeric antibody hCAb as a novel anti-human colorectal carcinoma agent

A new chimeric IgG1 antibody hCAb which could be specifically directed against a cell surface-associated glycoprotein of colorectal cancer cells was prepared by genetic engineering technology in our lab. In this study, we explored the potential therapeutic mechanisms and described the evaluation of hCAb directed against colorectal cancer. The standard 51Cr release assay showed that like many other clinically validated IgG1 monoclonal antibodies, hCAb primarily acts by antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC). The maximal cell lysis of ADCC induced by hCAb was over 50% in the presence of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). Moreover, in vivo studies showed potent antitumor effects in nude mice with SW480 and Hce-8693 tumor xenografts. The treatment with hCAb induced a dramatic reduction (over 70%) in tumor volume in comparison to untreated control group. Furthermore, during the period of treatment, the animals treated by hCAb did not show signs of wasting or other visible signs of toxicity. No obvious tissue damage in vital organs was detected. The chimeric antibody hCAb may be a promising candidate in the treatment of human colorectal cancer. This study can provide a reference for the potential application of hCAb in clinical trial.     

Enhanced production of exopolysaccharides by fed-batch culture of Ganoderma resinaceum DG-6556

The objectives of this study were to optimize submerged culture conditions of a new fungal isolate, Ganorderma resinaceum, and to enhance the production of bioactive mycelial biomass and exopolysaccharides (EPS) by fed-batch culture. The maximum mycelial growth and EPS production in batch culture were achieved in a medium containing 10 g/l glucose, 8 g/l soy peptone, and 5 mM MnCl(2) at an initial pH 6.0 and temperature 31 degrees C. After optimization of culture medium and environmental conditions in batch cultures, a fed-batch culture strategy was employed to enhance production of mycelial biomass and EPS. Five different EPS with molecular weights ranging from 53,000 to 5,257,000 g/mole were obtained from either top or bottom fractions of ethanol precipitate of culture filtrate. A fed-batch culture of G. resinaceum led to enhanced production of both mycelial biomass and EPS. The maximum concentrations of mycelial biomass (42.2 g/l) and EPS (4.6 g/l) were obtained when 50 g/l of glucose was fed at day 6 into an initial 10 g/l of glucose medium. It may be worth attempting with other mushroom fermentation processes for enhanced production of mushroom polysaccharides, particularly those with industrial potential.     

Development of recombinantPseudomonas putida containing homologous styrene monooxygenase genes for the production of (S)-styrene oxide

Recently isolated,Pseudomonas putida SN1 grows on styrene as its sole carbon and energy source through successive oxidation of styrene by styrene monooxygenase (SMO), styrene oxide isomerase (SOI), and phenylacetaldehyde dehydrogenase. For the production of (S)-styrene oxide, two knockout mutants of SN1 were constructed, one lacking SOI and another lacking both SMO and SOI. These mutants were developed into whole-cell biocatalysts by transformation with a multicopy plasmid vector containing SMO genes (styAB) of the SN1. Neither of these self-cloned recombinants could grow on styrene, but both converted styrene into an enantiopure (S)-styrene oxide (e.e.>99%). Whole-cell SMO activity was higher in the recombinant constructed from the SOI-deleted mutant (130 U/g cdw) than in the other one (35 U/g cdw). However, the SMO activity of the former was about the same as that of the SOI-deleted SN1 possessing a single copy of thestyAB gene that was used as host. This indicates that the copy number ofstyAB genes is not rate-limiting on SMO catalysis by whole-cell SN1.     

Self-organized pullulan/deoxycholic acid nanogels: Physicochemical characterization and anti-cancer drug-releasing behavior

The objective of this study was to develop new self-organized nanogels as a means of drug delivery in patients with cancer. Pullulan (PUL) and deoxycholic acid (DOCA) were conjugated through an ester linkage between the hydroxyl group in PUL and the carboxyl group in DOCA. Three types of PUL/DOCA conjugates were obtained, differing in the number of DOCA substitutions (DS; 5, 8, or 11) per 100 PUL anhydroglucose units. The physicochemical properties of the resulting nanogels were characterized by dynamic light scattering, transmission electron microscopy, and fluorescence spectroscopy. The mean diameter of DS 11 was the smallest (approx. 100 nm), and the size distribution was unimodal. To determine the organizing behavior of these conjugates, we calculated their critical aggregation concentrations (CACs) in a 0.01-M phosphate buffered saline solution. They were 10.5×10⁻⁴ mg/mL, 7.2×10⁻⁴ mg/mL, and 5.6×10⁻⁴ mg/mL for DS 5, 8, and 11, respectively. This indicates that DOCA can serve as a hydrophobic moiety to create self-organized nanogels. To monitor the drug-releasing behavior of these nanogels, we loaded doxorubicin (DOX) onto the conjugates. The DOX-loading efficiency increased with the degree of DOCA substitution. The release rates of DOX from PUL/DOCA nanogels varied inversely with the DS. We concluded that the PUL/DOCA nanogel has some potential for use as an anticancer drug carrier because of its low CAC and satisfactory drug-loading capacity.     

Effect of citrus flavonoids on lipid metabolism and glucose-regulating enzyme mRNA levels in type-2 diabetic mice

Flavonoids have been identified as the antidiabetic components in a number of traditional ethnic remedies. However, the mechanisms whereby these compounds exert their hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic action in type-2 diabetes have rarely been investigated. Therefore, this study investigated the effect of the flavonoids hesperidin and naringin on glucose and lipid regulation in C57BL/KsJ-db/db mice. Hesperidin and naringin both significantly increased the glucokinase mRNA level, while naringin also lowered the mRNA expression of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase and glucose-6-phosphatase in the liver. In addition, the hepatic glucose transporter 2 protein expression was significantly reduced, while the expression of adipocyte glucose transporter 4 and hepatic and adipocyte peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma were elevated in the hesperidin and naringin groups when compared with the control group. Furthermore, hesperidin and naringin effectively lowered the plasma free fatty acid and plasma and hepatic triglyceride levels, and simultaneously reduced the hepatic fatty acid oxidation and carnitine palmitoyl transferase activity. These changes were seemingly attributable to a suppression of the hepatic fatty acid synthase, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, and phosphatidate phosphohydrolase activities and an increase in the fecal triglycerides. The two flavonoids also led to a decrease in the plasma and hepatic cholesterol levels that may have been partly due to the decreased hepatic 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme (HMG-CoA) reductase and acyl CoA: cholesterol acyltransferase (ACAT) activities and increased fecal cholesterol. Consequently, the current results suggest that hesperidin and naringin are beneficial for improving hyperlipidemia and hyperglycemia in type-2 diabetic animals by partly regulating the fatty acid and cholesterol metabolism and affecting the gene expression of glucose-regulating enzymes.     

Synthesis and evaluation of novel chloropyridazine derivatives as potent human rhinovirus (HRV) capsid-binding inhibitors

Human rhinovirus (HRV) is the most important etiologic agent causing common colds. No effective anti-HRV agents are currently available. In this paper we describe the synthesis and the evaluation of novel chloropyridazine derivatives (compounds 5a–g) as potent human rhinovirus (HRV) capsid-binding inhibitors. Results showed that compound 5e and 5f exhibited effective anti-HRV activity against HRV-2 and HRV-14. In addition, compound 5e and 5f showed lower cytotoxicity than Pirodavir.