Periplaneta Americana extract inhibits osteoclastic differentiation in vitro

ObjectivesPeriplaneta americana extract (PAE) is proven to be promising in treating fever, wound healing, liver fibrosis, and cardiovascular disease. However, the role of PAE in skeletal disorders remains unclear. This study investigated whether PAE regulates osteoclastic differentiation in vitro via the culture using RAW264.7 cells and bone marrow derived macrophages (BMDMs).Materials and MethodsRAW264.7 cells and BMDMs were cultured and induced for osteoclastic differentiation supplementing with different concentrations of PAE (0, 0.1, 1, and 10 mg/mL). Cell counting kit‐8 (CCK‐8) assay was used to detect the cytotoxicity and cell proliferation. TRAP staining, actin ring staining, real‐time quantitative PCR (RT‐qPCR), and bone resorption activity test were performed to detect osteoclastic differentiation. RT‐qPCR and enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) were conducted to assay the expression and secretion of inflammatory factors. RNA sequencing (RNA‐seq) and western blot analysis were carried out to uncover the underlying mechanism.ResultsCCK‐8 results showed that 10 mg/mL and a lower concentration of PAE did not affect cell proliferation. RT‐qPCR analysis verified that PAE down‐regulated the osteoclastic genes Nfatc1, Ctsk, and Acp5 in macrophages. Moreover, PAE restrained the differentiation, formation, and function of osteoclasts. Besides, RT‐qPCR and ELISA assays showed that PAE decreased inflammatory genes expression and reduced the secretion of inflammatory factors, including IL1β, IL6, and TNFα. Subsequent RNA‐seq analysis identified possible genes and signaling pathways of PAE‐mediated osteoclastogenesis suppression.ConclusionsOur study indicates that PAE has inhibitive effects on osteoclastogenesis and may be a potential therapeutic alternative for bone diseases.

Periplaneta americana extract (PAE), the animal medicine material extracted from the insects Periplaneta americana, is proven to possess a variety of pharmacological functions. However, the role of PAE in skeletal disorders remains unclear. In this study, we found that PAE decreased osteoclast genes expression Nfatc1, Ctsk, and Acp5 in macrophages. Besides, PAE restrained the differentiation, formation, and function of osteoclasts. Moreover, PAE suppressed the LPS‐induced inflammation. Subsequent RNA‐seq analysis identified the signaling pathways of PAE‐mediated osteoclastogenesis suppression. Our study indicated that PAE has inhibitive effects on osteoclastic differentiation and may be a potential therapeutic Chinese medicine for bone diseases.     

A protein–protein interaction map reveals that the Coxiella burnetii effector CirB inhibits host proteasome activity

Coxiella burnetii is the etiological agent of the zoonotic disease Q fever, which is featured by its ability to replicate in acid vacuoles resembling the lysosomal network. One key virulence determinant of C. burnetii is the Dot/Icm system that transfers more than 150 effector proteins into host cells. These effectors function to construct the lysosome-like compartment permissive for bacterial replication, but the functions of most of these effectors remain elusive. In this study, we used an affinity tag purification mass spectrometry (AP-MS) approach to generate a C. burnetii-human protein-protein interaction (PPI) map involving 53 C. burnetii effectors and 3480 host proteins. This PPI map revealed that the C. burnetii effector CBU0425 (designated CirB) interacts with most subunits of the 20S core proteasome. We found that ectopically expressed CirB inhibits hydrolytic activity of the proteasome. In addition, overexpression of CirB in C. burnetii caused dramatic inhibition of proteasome activity in host cells, while knocking down CirB expression alleviated such inhibitory effects. Moreover, we showed that a region of CirB that spans residues 91–120 binds to the proteasome subunit PSMB5 (beta 5). Finally, PSMB5 knockdown promotes C. burnetii virulence, highlighting the importance of proteasome activity modulation during the course of C. burnetii infection.     

我国苏云金杆菌研究60年

综述了我国近60年来的苏云金杆菌研究进展,包括资源收集及分类鉴定、Bt新基因的发掘及组学研究、病理学与作用机制、毒力测定、产品标准化、产业化,并就Bt生物农药存在的问题及改善途径进行了探讨。     

Toxoplasma infection in male mice alters dopamine-sensitive behaviors and host gene expression patterns associated with neuropsychiatric disease

During chronic infection, the single celled parasite, Toxoplasma gondii, can migrate to the brain where it has been associated with altered dopamine function and the capacity to modulate host behavior, increasing risk of neurocognitive disorders. Here we explore alterations in dopamine-related behavior in a new mouse model based on stimulant (cocaine)-induced hyperactivity. In combination with cocaine, infection resulted in heightened sensorimotor deficits and impairment in prepulse inhibition response, which are commonly disrupted in neuropsychiatric conditions. To identify molecular pathways in the brain affected by chronic T. gondii infection, we investigated patterns of gene expression. As expected, infection was associated with an enrichment of genes associated with general immune response pathways, that otherwise limits statistical power to identify more informative pathways. To overcome this limitation and focus on pathways of neurological relevance, we developed a novel context enrichment approach that relies on a customized ontology. Applying this approach, we identified genes that exhibited unexpected patterns of expression arising from the combination of cocaine exposure and infection. These include sets of genes which exhibited dampened response to cocaine in infected mice, suggesting a possible mechanism for some observed behaviors and a neuroprotective effect that may be advantageous to parasite persistence. This model offers a powerful new approach to dissect the molecular pathways by which T. gondii infection contributes to neurocognitive disorders.     

Mild manifestations of COVID-19 in healthcare workers

Medical staff treating Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients are at high risk for exposure to Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), and many have been infected, which may cause panic among medical workers, their relatives, health professionals, and government leaders. We report the epidemiologic and clinical characteristics of healthcare workers and that the majority of infected medical staff had milder symptoms/conditions with a better prognosis than admitted patients. Timely improvement to medical staff’s working conditions such as allowing adequate rest and providing sufficient medical protection is extremely important.     

海州香薷Actin基因片段克隆及表达分析

通过克隆海州香薷Actin基因片段并分析其组织表达,为研究海州香薷重金属抗性相关基因的表达调控奠定基础。根据Gen Bank中其他植物Actin基因保守序列设计兼并引物,以海州香薷根总RNA为模板,利用RT-PCR技术分离得到Actin基因片段。序列分析结果表明,海州香薷Actin基因片段长576 bp,编码192个氨基酸,与其他植物同源基因的氨基酸序列相似性为84%-97%,所克隆的序列为Actin基因的同源片段,将其命名为Eh ACT,在Gen Bank中提交序列,获得登录号AGT37260。半定量RT-PCR分析结果表明,Eh ACT在海州香薷的根、茎和叶中表达相对稳定,初步表明其可作为研究海州香薷基因表达的内参基因。     

四种细菌L型的形态定量分析

用抗生素或臭氧的方法诱导出四种细菌和Ｌ型后,用图像分析技术定量检测Ｌ型多形性,表面积、最大直径、周长、等效圆直径和形状因子,并作比较分析。四种细菌Ｌ型及Ｌ型中的巨形体在上述５项形态学参数指标上除形状因子外均较细菌型明显增大,而形状因子参数明显小于细菌型。细菌Ｌ型之间在形态学指标上的差异有显著性（ｐ＜０．０５）。形态定量分析能准确客观地反映形态定性观察的结果以及细菌Ｌ型的形态变异程度,为细菌Ｌ型的形态定量分析提供依据。     

LATS1过表达对肺癌A549细胞增殖及周期的影响

通过过表达手段上调大肿瘤抑制因子1（1arge tumor suppressor gene 1,LATS1）基因在A549细胞中的表达,研究LATS1对A549细胞生长和细胞周期调控的作用。构建过表达LATS1基因的慢病毒载体,转染A549N胞株,采用RT-PCR和蛋白质印迹法检测转染后A549细胞中LATS1、YAPmRNA和蛋白的表达效率;流式细胞术检测细胞凋亡、周期情况：CCK-8检测细胞的增殖水平变化。结果发现,过表达LATS1慢病毒载体转染A549细胞株后,LATS1mRNA及蛋白表达水平高于未处理组及转染空载体组,YAPmRNA及蛋白表达水平低于未处理组及转染空载体组;过表达LATS1慢病毒转染后,A549细胞增殖率从第五天开始低于对照组（P〈0．05）,过表达组细胞G1期比例明显增高（P〈0．05）,凋亡率明显增加（P〈0．05）,差异均有统计学意义。以上结果提示,LATS1可通过下调YAP的表达水平促进A549细胞的凋亡,诱导G1期阻滞,降低细胞的增殖能力。     

Caveolin-1 siRNA对与乳腺癌细胞共培养的成纤维细胞自噬体表达影响的研究

为了探索乳腺癌相关的人成纤维细胞中窖蛋白-1(Caveolin-1,Cav-1)与自噬体的相关性及其对乳腺癌细胞的作用,该研究采用si RNA技术干扰成纤维细胞株ESF表达Cav-1,q RTPCR和Western blot确定si RNA干扰Cav-1表达的效果;Transwell insert方法共培养乳腺癌细胞株BT474和ESF细胞,单丹磺酰戊二胺(monodansylcadaverin,MDC)染色、激光共聚焦显微镜观察Cav-1 si RNA对自噬体表达的影响;q RT-PCR和Western blot检测Cav-1 si RNA对微管相关蛋白1轻链3II(microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3 II,LC3II)表达的影响;CCK-8方法检测BT474细胞的增殖和活力。结果显示,靶向Cav-1的si RNA下调了ESF细胞中Cav-1的表达;Cav-1 si RNA促进ESF细胞自噬体和LC3II的表达,转染了Cav-1 si RNA的ESF细胞与BT474细胞共培养对自噬体和LC3II的作用更为显著;BT474细胞在ESFsi Cav-1(ESF cells transfected with Cav-1 si RNA)细胞共培养条件下增殖显著加快。研究表明,Cav-1 si RNA促进了与乳腺癌细胞共培养的成纤维细胞自噬体和LC3II的表达,同时加快了与成纤维细胞共培养的乳腺癌细胞的增殖。