Development and Application of a Real-time PCR Method for Pharmacokinetic and Biodistribution Studies of Recombinant Adenovirus

A replication-deficient recombinant adenovirus (Ad5-LFA-3/IgG₁) that encodes secreted LFA-3/IgG₁ was constructed for gene therapy treatment of psoriasis. The purpose of this study was to develop a real-time PCR method for pharmacokinetic and biodistribution studies of Ad5-LFA-3/IgG₁ within the circulation and organs. This method showed good specificity, sensitivity and reproducibility over a wide dynamic range of concentrations. Quantitative measurement of recombinant adenoviral DNA suggested that the level of Ad5-LFA-3/IgG₁ DNA in circulating blood peaked within 10 min following intravenous injection in rhesus macaques. Following this peak, the adenoviral DNA level dropped significantly to a very low level. Real-time PCR revealed that Ad5-LFA-3/IgG₁ DNA was enriched in the spleen, lung and liver after injection of the adenovirus into rats through the tail vein. The adenoviral DNA was barely detected in other tissues. These data provide important information for clinical trials of Ad5-LFA-3/IgG₁ and confirm the utility of the real-time PCR assay for monitoring gene therapy trials.     

Compute simulation to characterize structure and function of chalcone synthase from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Scutellaria baicalensis</Emphasis> georgi

Prediction and analysis of molecular structure and biochemical function are of theoretical guiding significance for gene discovery and application, and considered as one of the central problem of computational biology. Here, some characteristic features of chalcone synthase (CHS) family from Scutellaria baicalensis were described via bioinformatic analysis, and showed as following: the nucleic acid sequences and amino acid sequences of three chs member genes shared high similarity in the molecular structures and physicochemical properties; SbCHS proteins were localized to the cytosol, and possessed a good hydrophobic nature, with lacking any transmembrane topological structure. The phylogram analysis suggested that they were a group genes with significant functional association and genetic conservation. The secondary structures of the SbCHSs were mainly composed of α-helixes and random coils, and the tertiary structures contained malonyl CoA linkers, besides, each of CHS-A and CHS-B with N-glycosylation motif included. Taken together, these results demonstrate that CHS family from S. baicalensis has the typical molecular structure and function of chalcone synthase, compared with the experimental data for Medicago sativa CHS protein.     

Electron Microscopic Studies on the Silver-stained Nucleolar Cycle of Physarum polycephalum

The dynamic changes of nucleolar ultrastructure in the cell cycle of Physarum polycephalum Schw. were studied by an en bloc silver-staining method. The results showed that the nucleolus was large in size and situated in the center of the nucleus in late G2-phase, and the fibrillar centers, dense fibrillar components and granular components could be observed in the nucleolus. During prophase, the nucleolus moved towards the periphery of the nucleus and in late prophase disintegrated near the nuclear envelope. In metaphase, the disintegrated nucleolar components were dispersed in masses and located at the periphery of the chromosomal region of the nucleus. No specifically silver-stained area and argentophilic protein sheath were observed on the chromosomes, but there were some big dispersed silver particles within the chromosomes. During telophase the nucleolar components moved towards the two poles along with the chromosomes and co-existed with the decondensing chromatin in daughter nuclei. The nucleolar components then gradually converged with one another and separated from the chromatin. A big nucleolus was formed in the nucleus about 120 min after the completion of mitosis.     

胆碱脱氢酶的动力学性质

本文对增溶胆碱脱氢酶的稳态初速度及产物抑制动力学做了。底物胆碱和ＰＭＳ的相互影响：变化一个底物的浓度,另一个底物的Ｋｍ及Ｖｍａｘ均变化。该酶的产物三甲胺 地 制表现为对底物胆碱非竞争性而地ＰＭＳ竞争性,在胆碱饱和的情况下,三甲胺乙醛对酶的抑制仍表现为对ＰＭＳ竞争性。这些结果表明增溶胆碱脱氢酶的催化机制搂双底物双产物乒乓机制。１－ＰＣ与９－ＡＣ对增溶胆碱脱氢酶均有抑制作用,且均为混和型抑制,Ｋ１分别     

Metabolomics analysis of collagen-induced arthritis in rats and interventional effects of oral tolerance

A serum metabolomics method based on rapid resolution liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (RRLC-Q-TOF-MS) was performed for a holistic evaluation of the metabolic changes of collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) in rats and to assess the interventional effects of type II collagen (CII) in this model. Partial least-squares-discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) was employed to study the metabolic profiling of CIA rats and control rats. Ten metabolites, namely, 12(S)-HHTrE, 12(S)-HEPE, PGE₂, TXB2, 12(S)-HETE, LysoPE(16:0), PE(O-18:0/0:0), Lyso-PE(18:2), Lyso-PE(20:4), and Lyso-PC(22:5) were identified as differential metabolites associated with the pathogenesis of CIA. These results suggested that dysregulation of the arachidonic acid (AA) and phospholipid metabolic networks is involved in the pathomechanism of CIA. Differential metabolomics and histopathological analyses demonstrated that CII inhibits the progress of arthritis. Furthermore, the therapeutic effects of CII on CIA may involve regulation of the disordered AA and phospholipid metabolic networks. This metabolomics study provides new insights into the pathogenesis of arthritis and, furthermore, indicates the potential mechanism underlying the significantly increased prevalence of metabolic syndrome, defined as a clustering of cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors, in arthritis patients.     

耐高温α-淀粉酶基因在马铃薯中的表达

我们将从地衣芽孢杆菌(Bacilluslicheniformis)克隆的约1．68kb的耐高温α-淀粉酶基因构建成表达载体,并转入根癌农杆菌。以马铃薯栽培品种“杂交荷兰7号”块茎圆盘为外植体,按本实验室建立起的再生实验系统[9]及杨美珠等的方法[8]进行转化。采取共培养、芽的诱导、芽的选择再生三步方法获得抗性芽。将抗性芽通过先诱导生根壮苗,再进行卡那霉素筛选,最后再诱导生根的方法得到可能的转基因植株。 对部分可能的转基因植株按改进的王广立等的PCR简单快速鉴定转基因植物的方法[12]进行检测,株号102001、102607、110402均可见到特异性片段的存在。参照张振清[13]及王福荣等[14]的方法对这些植株进行耐高温α—淀粉酶活力测定,这些植株具有相对较强的耐高温α—淀粉酶活性。实验结果表明,耐高温α—淀粉酶基因可能已转入上述植物基因组中,并获表达。     

The identification of antioxidants in dark soy sauce

Soy sauce is a traditional fermented seasoning in Asian countries, that has high antioxidant activity in vitro and some antioxidant activity in vivo. We attempted to identify the major antioxidants present, using the 2,2'-azinobis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) assay as a guide. 3-Hydroxy-2-methyl-4H-pyran-4-one (maltol) was one of several active compounds found in an ethyl acetate extract of dark soy sauce (DSS) and was present at millimolar concentrations in DSS. However, most of the antioxidant activity was present in colored fractions, two of which (CP1 and CP2) were obtained by gel filtration chromatography. Their structural characteristics based on nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and electrospray-ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (ESI-TOF-MS) analysis suggest that carbohydrate-containing pigments such as melanoidins are the major contributors to the high antioxidant capacity of DSS.