Interleukin‐38 alleviates cardiac remodelling after myocardial infarction

Excessive immune‐mediated inflammatory reaction plays a deleterious role in ventricular remodelling after myocardial infarction (MI). Interleukin (IL)‐38 is a newly characterized cytokine of the IL‐1 family and has been reported to exert a protective effect in some autoimmune diseases. However, its role in cardiac remodelling post‐MI remains unknown. In this study, we found that the expression of IL‐38 was increased in infarcted heart after MI induced in C57BL/6 mice by permanent ligation of the left anterior descending artery. In addition, our data showed that ventricular remodelling after MI was significantly ameliorated after recombinant IL‐38 injection in mice. This amelioration was demonstrated by better cardiac function, restricted inflammatory response, attenuated myocardial injury and decreased myocardial fibrosis. Our results in vitro revealed that IL‐38 affects the phenotype of dendritic cells (DCs) and IL‐38 plus troponin I (TNI)‐treated tolerogenic DCs dampened adaptive immune response when co‐cultured with CD4⁺T cells. In conclusion, IL‐38 plays a protective effect in ventricular remodelling post‐MI, one possibility by influencing DCs to attenuate inflammatory response. Therefore, targeting IL‐38 may hold a new therapeutic potential in treating MI.     

Depletion of the Ubiquitin-binding Adaptor Molecule SQSTM1/p62 from Macrophages Harboring cftr ΔF508 Mutation Improves the Delivery of Burkholderia cenocepacia to the Autophagic Machinery

Cystic fibrosis is the most common inherited lethal disease in Caucasians. It is caused by mutations in the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR), of which the cftr ΔF508 mutation is the most common. ΔF508 macrophages are intrinsically defective in autophagy because of the sequestration of essential autophagy molecules within unprocessed CFTR aggregates. Defective autophagy allows Burkholderia cenocepacia (B. cepacia) to survive and replicate in ΔF508 macrophages. Infection by B. cepacia poses a great risk to cystic fibrosis patients because it causes accelerated lung inflammation and, in some cases, a lethal necrotizing pneumonia. Autophagy is a cell survival mechanism whereby an autophagosome engulfs non-functional organelles and delivers them to the lysosome for degradation. The ubiquitin binding adaptor protein SQSTM1/p62 is required for the delivery of several ubiquitinated cargos to the autophagosome. In WT macrophages, p62 depletion and overexpression lead to increased and decreased bacterial intracellular survival, respectively. In contrast, depletion of p62 in ΔF508 macrophages results in decreased bacterial survival, whereas overexpression of p62 leads to increased B. cepacia intracellular growth. Interestingly, the depletion of p62 from ΔF508 macrophages results in the release of the autophagy molecule beclin1 (BECN1) from the mutant CFTR aggregates and allows its redistribution and recruitment to the B. cepacia vacuole, mediating the acquisition of the autophagy marker LC3 and bacterial clearance via autophagy. These data demonstrate that p62 differentially dictates the fate of B. cepacia infection in WT and ΔF508 macrophages.     

Common molecular determinants of tarantula huwentoxin-IV inhibition of Na+ channel voltage sensors in domains II and IV

The voltage sensors of domains II and IV of sodium channels are important determinants of activation and inactivation, respectively. Animal toxins that alter electrophysiological excitability of muscles and neurons often modify sodium channel activation by selectively interacting with domain II and inactivation by selectively interacting with domain IV. This suggests that there may be substantial differences between the toxin-binding sites in these two important domains. Here we explore the ability of the tarantula huwentoxin-IV (HWTX-IV) to inhibit the activity of the domain II and IV voltage sensors. HWTX-IV is specific for domain II, and we identify five residues in the S1-S2 (Glu-753) and S3-S4 (Glu-811, Leu-814, Asp-816, and Glu-818) regions of domain II that are crucial for inhibition of activation by HWTX-IV. These data indicate that a single residue in the S3-S4 linker (Glu-818 in hNav1.7) is crucial for allowing HWTX-IV to interact with the other key residues and trap the voltage sensor in the closed configuration. Mutagenesis analysis indicates that the five corresponding residues in domain IV are all critical for endowing HWTX-IV with the ability to inhibit fast inactivation. Our data suggest that the toxin-binding motif in domain II is conserved in domain IV. Increasing our understanding of the molecular determinants of toxin interactions with voltage-gated sodium channels may permit development of enhanced isoform-specific voltage-gating modifiers.     

Molecular detection of Pectobacterium species causing soft rot of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Amorphophallus konjac</Emphasis>

Soft rot disease of Amorphophallus konjac is caused by Pectobacterium species. Infected corms are considered a primary and important source of inocula. Based on the 16S rDNA sequences of the soft rot pathogens, one pair of specific primers was designed to identify the soft rot disease by real-time PCR and the other two were used to identify the pathogens of Pectobacterium carotovorum subsp. carotovorum. and P. chrysanthemi respectively. According to the results, a single cell of Pectobacterium could be detected by real-time PCR with the designed primer pair, while at least 100 bacteria were required for conventional PCR. Moreover, the two special primers can directly and accurately authenticate to Pectobacterium carotovorum subsp. carotovorum and P. chrysanthemi by the conventional PCR system without testing the pathogenicity, biochemical and phenotypic characterizations and so on. In conclusion, the PCR-based techniques showed several significant advantages in identifying the soft rot pathogens from konjac, such as higher sensitivity, rapidness and precision, and it could be widely used in seed quarantine.     

siRNA干扰马赛病毒潜在翻译起始因子ORF314显著抑制病毒复制

马赛病毒是继拟菌病毒之后被发现的第2类阿米巴巨型病毒,拥有庞大的双链DNA基因组。基因组分析显示,马赛病毒上海株(Mar-SH2016)编码4种潜在翻译因子。其中,ORF314基因与真核翻译起始因子eIF2/eIF5的氨基酸同源性约为60%,但其在马赛病毒复制中的作用还有待揭示。本研究设计了3对靶向Mar-SH2016 ORF314基因的siRNA,通过转染宿主卡氏棘阿米巴细胞,分析siRNA对ORF314基因表达水平和病毒复制的影响。用荧光标记的siRNA转染卡氏棘阿米巴细胞,结果显示约1/3阿米巴细胞成功转染。实时定量聚合酶链反应(real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction,RT-qPCR)和蛋白免疫印迹实验证实,在Mar-SH2016感染宿主的过程中siRNA能使ORF314基因表达水平显著下降。siRNA干扰后病毒毒力测定结果显示,Mar-SH2016的毒力降低约30%(P<0.01)。结果表明,降低ORF314基因的表达水平能显著抑制Mar-SH2016复制。     

重庆四面山常绿阔叶林建群种种子雨、种子库研究

对重庆四面山常绿阔叶林建群种种子雨、种子库的研究表明,建群种早期和晚期的种子雨无活力;种子偏早或偏晚成熟及大籽粒的树种,其种子雨被取食的比例大;种子雨、有活力种子雨、种子库三者的数量变化不一致;有活力种子雨量较大的栲、石栎、小叶青冈、扁刺栲、香桂等,其种子库密度在早期以近几何级数的方式增长,元江栲、银木荷种子库小,存在时间短,翌年无一年生萌发苗;种子库数量动态、消减率动态决定于种子被取食的强度、种子衰老的速度以及种子对病菌、逆境的抗性和种子萌发的整齐性.     

荧光定量PCR测定端粒长度

目的应用实时荧光定量聚合酶链式反应（Q—PCR）方法测定端粒长度。方法选取9种人类细胞株,提取基因组DNA,采用Q—PCR方法测定相对T／S比率,DNA印迹法测定末端限制性片段（TRF）长度,进行二者之间的相关性分析。结果定量PCR测定端粒长度相对T／S比率为0．68±0．57,DNA印迹法测量平均TRF值为8．57±2．34,两种方法测定结果的相关性分析R2=0．7807（P〈0．01）。结论采用荧光定量PCR方法测量端粒长度具有重复性好、省时、简便、可靠的特点,可高通量处理大量样品。     

云芝糖肽对氧化偶氮甲烷-葡聚糖硫酸钠诱导小鼠结直肠癌模型中相关肠道菌的影响及潜在意义

旨在探究云芝糖肽(polysaccharopeptide, PSP)对炎症相关结直肠癌(colorectal cancer, CRC)模型小鼠中肠道潜在致病菌和益生菌的影响。将雄性C57BL/6小鼠随机分为对照组、模型组和PSP组,每组10只。模型组和PSP组以氧化偶氮甲烷(azoxymethane,AOM)/葡聚糖硫酸钠(dextran sodium sulfate,DSS)造模。PSP组在造模基础上每日灌胃PSP 650 mg/kg,持续13周。小鼠炎症状态以疾病活动指数(disease activity index, DAI)进行评估。采用实时荧光定量聚合酶链反应技术测定各组小鼠新鲜粪便中厌氧消化链球菌(Peptostreptococcus anaerobius,P. anaerobius)、嗜黏蛋白阿克曼菌(Akkermansia muciniphila,A. muciniphila)、脆弱拟杆菌(Bacteroides fragilis, B．fragilis)、共生梭菌(Clostridium symbiosum, C．symbiosum)及乳酸杆菌(Lactobacillus spp.)的相对丰度。结果显示,PSP可降低造模所导致的小鼠DAI值升高,且在前两轮DSS处理时与模型组比较有显著性差异(P<0.05、 P<0.01)。PSP下调潜在致病菌P. anaerobius、A.muciniphila、B.fragilis以及C.symbiosum的相对丰度,且中期时P.anaerobius、A.muciniphila、 B．fragilis的丰度均显著低于初始水平(P<0.05、 P<0.01、 P<0.05)。表明PSP可缓解致炎剂诱导的小鼠结肠炎症,并降低部分肠道致病菌的相对丰度,提示PSP对炎症相关CRC可能具有潜在的预防作用。     

Elevated ozone induces jasmonic acid defense of tomato plants and reduces midgut proteinase activity in Helicoverpa armigera

As a consequence of membrane lipid peroxidation, foliar defense compounds are changed by elevated ozone (O₃), which in turn affects the palatability and performance of insect herbivores. The induced defense of two tomato [Solanum esculentum L. (Solanaceae)] genotypes, namely jasmonic acid (JA) pathway‐deficient mutant spr2 and its wild‐type control, was studied in response to cotton bollworm, Helicoverpa armigera Hübner (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), as well as the digestive adaptation of these insects under elevated O₃ in open‐top field chambers. Our data indicated that elevated O₃ increased foliar JA and salicylic acid (SA) levels simultaneously and up‐regulated proteinase inhibitors (PIs) and lipoxidase activities in wild‐type plants, regardless of H. armigera infestation. In contrast, only the O₃+H. armigera treatment increased free SA levels in spr2 plants, but did not affect JA level or PI activities. Additionally, the lower activity of midgut digestive enzymes, including active alkaline trypsin‐like enzyme and chymotrypsin‐like enzyme, was observed in the midgut of cotton bollworms after they consumed wild‐type plants treated for 2 h with elevated O₃. With temporary increases at 8 h, all four digestive enzymes of interest in the insect midgut dropped when they were fed with wild‐type plants under elevated O₃ treatment. Increases in atmospheric O₃ are thought to increase JA signaling and consequently reduce the activities of midgut digestive enzymes in H. armigera, therefore enhancing plant resistance against insect herbivores.