白木香内生真菌的分离鉴定及其抑菌活性

从白木香Aquilaria sinensis（Lour．）Gilg木质部的树脂形成部位和健康部位中共分离获得42株内生真菌,经初步鉴定,产孢的33株分属于3目4科7属,其余未产孢的9株暂归为无孢菌群。采用杯碟法和MTT法分别测定了各菌株的发酵上清液对3种病原菌的体外抑菌活性和2种肿瘤细胞的体外细胞毒活性。结果表明,白木香木质部健康部位内生真菌以枝顶孢霉属为优势属,而树脂形成部位的内生真菌种类比健康部位要多,且以青霉属为优势属。其中26株至少能抑制一种指示菌,占总数的61．9％;7株对指示瘤株具有细胞毒活性,占总数的16．7％。抑菌活性菌株主要分布在枝顶孢霉属和青霉属。枝顶孢霉属菌株抑菌活性较强,其抗菌活性成分值得进一步研究。     

水分胁迫下不同进化型小麦抗氧化能力比较

以6种不同基因型小麦为试验材料,研究了水分胁迫下不同生长期小麦体内超氧化物歧化酶（SOD）活性以及超氧自由基（O2）含量变化,并分析了两者之间的相关关系。结果表明,水分胁迫下6种基因型小麦SOD活性及超氧自由基含量在拔节期和灌浆期均有不同程度的增加;栽培型品种SOD活性增幅高于野生型品种,超氧自由基增幅较低;同样,二粒小麦与一粒小麦相比,二粒小麦SOD活性增幅高于一粒小麦,超氧自由基增幅较低;但现代栽培小麦种表现不明显。结果说明,栽培型与野生型小麦相比,二粒小麦与一粒小麦相比,具有较强的抗氧化能力。     

非酒精性脂肪性肝病大鼠肝组织瘦素受体表达的变化

目的检测高脂饮食诱发的非酒精性脂肪性肝病(non-alcoholic fatty liver disease,NAFLD)大鼠肝组织瘦素受体的表达,探讨NAFLD瘦素抵抗的发生机制及瘦素抵抗在NAFLD发病中的作用.方法采用高脂饮食制备Wistar大鼠NAFLD模型;ELISA法测定大鼠血清瘦素(leptin,LP)浓度;全自动生化分析仪测血清甘油三酯(triglyceride,TG)、空腹血糖(fasting blood glucose,FBG),比色法测游离脂肪酸(free fatty acid,FFA),放射免疫法测空腹血清胰岛素(fasting insulin,FINS),计算空腹状态下胰岛素抵抗指数;对肝组织分别进行HE染色、苏丹Ⅳ染色、瘦素受体免疫组化染色,并进行半定量分析.利用SAS 8.0统计软件处理实验数据.结果模型组大鼠肝组织瘦素受体表达比正常组明显减弱,且与血清瘦素浓度、游离脂肪酸、胰岛素敏感指数、肝细胞脂变、炎症活动度显著负相关,相关系数分别为r = -0.83,-0.71, -0.65,-0.83, -0.87.多元线性回归分析显示,瘦素受体表达减弱是肝脂变的独立影响因素.结论肝组织瘦素受体表达减弱是NAFLD瘦素抵抗的重要病理机制之一,瘦素抵抗与胰岛素抵抗相互作用,共同促进了脂肪肝的发生发展.     

Up-regulation of kin17 is essential for proliferation of breast cancer

Background

Kin17 is ubiquitously expressed at low levels in human tissue and participates in DNA replication, DNA repair and cell cycle control. Breast cancer cells are characterized by enabling replicative immortality and accumulated DNA damage. However, whether kin17 contributes to breast carcinogenesis remains unknown.

Methodology/Principal Findings

In this study, we show for the first time that kin17 is an important molecule related to breast cancer. Our results show that kin17 expression was markedly increased in clinical breast tumors and was associated with tumor grade, Ki-67 expression, p53 mutation status and progesterone receptor expression, which were assessed in a clinicopathologic characteristics review. Knockdown of kin17 inhibited DNA replication and repair, blocked cell cycle progression and inhibited anchorage-independent growth, while increasing sensitivity to chemotherapy in breast cancer cells. Moreover, kin17 silencing decreased EGF-stimulated cell growth. Furthermore, overexpression of kin17 promoted DNA replication and cell proliferation in MCF-10A.

Conclusions/Significance

Our findings indicate that up-regulation of kin17 is strongly associated with cellular proliferation, DNA replication, DNA damage response and breast cancer development. The increased level of kin17 was not only a consequence of immortalization but also associated with tumorigenesis. Therefore, kin17 could be a novel therapeutic target for inhibiting cell growth in breast cancer.     

A proteomic analysis of the chromoplasts isolated from sweet orange fruits [Citrus sinensis (L.) Osbeck

Here, a comprehensive proteomic analysis of the chromoplasts purified from sweet orange using Nycodenz density gradient centrifugation is reported. A GeLC-MS/MS shotgun approach was used to identify the proteins of pooled chromoplast samples. A total of 493 proteins were identified from purified chromoplasts, of which 418 are putative plastid proteins based on in silico sequence homology and functional analyses. Based on the predicted functions of these identified plastid proteins, a large proportion (～60%) of the chromoplast proteome of sweet orange is constituted by proteins involved in carbohydrate metabolism, amino acid/protein synthesis, and secondary metabolism. Of note, HDS (hydroxymethylbutenyl 4-diphosphate synthase), PAP (plastid-lipid-associated protein), and psHSPs (plastid small heat shock proteins) involved in the synthesis or storage of carotenoid and stress response are among the most abundant proteins identified. A comparison of chromoplast proteomes between sweet orange and tomato suggested a high level of conservation in a broad range of metabolic pathways. However, the citrus chromoplast was characterized by more extensive carotenoid synthesis, extensive amino acid synthesis without nitrogen assimilation, and evidence for lipid metabolism concerning jasmonic acid synthesis. In conclusion, this study provides an insight into the major metabolic pathways as well as some unique characteristics of the sweet orange chromoplasts at the whole proteome level.     

Effect of a traditional Chinese medicine preparation Xindi soft capsule on rat model of acute blood stasis: a urinary metabonomics study based on liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry

Xindi soft capsule is a traditional Chinese medicine preparation which consists of sea buckthorn flavonoids and sea buckthorn berry oil. In this study, a urinary metabonomics method based on the ultra-performance liquid chromatography combined with quadrupole time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC Q-TOF MS) was used to evaluate the efficacy and study the mechanism of traditional Chinese medicine preparation to blood stasis. With pattern recognition analysis (principal component analysis and partial least squares-discriminate analysis) of urinary metabolites, a clear separation of acute blood stasis model group and healthy control group was achieved, the dose groups were located between acute blood stasis model group and healthy control group showing a tendency of recovering to healthy control group, high dose and middle dose were more effective than low dose. Some significantly changed metabolites like cholic acid, phenylalanine and kynurenic acid have been found and identified and used to explain the mechanism. The work shows that the metabonomics method is a valuable tool in the research mechanism of traditional Chinese medicine.     

Specific LPA receptor subtype mediation of LPA-induced hypertrophy of cardiac myocytes and involvement of Akt and NFkappaB signal pathways

Lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) is a bioactive phospholipid with diverse functions mediated via G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). In view of the elevated levels of LPA in acute myocardial infarction (MI) patients we have conducted studies aimed at identifying specific LPA receptor subtypes and signaling events that may mediate its actions in hypertrophic remodeling. Experiments were carried out in cultured neonatal rat cardiomyocytes (NRCMs) exposed to LPA and in a rat MI model. In NRCMs, LPA-induced hypertrophic growth was completely abrogated by DGPP, an LPA1/LPA3 antagonist. The LPA3 agonist OMPT, but not the LPA2 agonist dodecylphosphate, promoted hypertrophy as examined by 3[H]-Leucine incorporation, ANF-luciferase expression and cell area. In in vivo experiments, LPA1, LPA2 and LPA3 mRNA levels as well as LPA1 and LPA3 protein levels increased together with left ventricular remodeling (LVRM) after MI. In addition, LPA stimulated the phosphorylation of Akt and p65 protein and activated NF-kappaB-luciferase expression. Inhibitors of PI3K (wortmannin), mTOR (rapamycin), and NF-kappaB (PDTC or SN50) effectively prevented LPA-induced 3[H]-Leucine incorporation and ANF-luciferase expression. Furthermore, ERK inhibitors (U0126 and PD98059) suppressed LPA-stimulated activation of NF-kappaB and p65 phosphorylation whereas wortmannin showed no effect on NF-kappaB activation. Our findings indicate that LPA3 and/or LPA1 mediate LPA-induced hypertrophy of NRCMs and that LPA1 and LPA3 may be involved in LVRM of MI rats. Moreover, Akt and NF-kappaB signaling pathways independently implicate in LPA-stimulated myocardial hypertrophic growth.     

Disruption of Smad4 in neural crest cells leads to mid-gestation death with pharyngeal arch, craniofacial and cardiac defects

TGFβ/BMP signaling pathways are essential for normal development of neural crest cells (NCCs). Smad4 encodes the only common Smad protein in mammals, which is a critical nuclear mediator of TGFβ/BMP signaling. In this work, we sought to investigate the roles of Smad4 for development of NCCs. To overcome the early embryonic lethality of Smad4 null mice, we specifically disrupted Smad4 in NCCs using a Cre/loxP system. The mutant mice died at mid-gestation with defects in facial primordia, pharyngeal arches, outflow tract and cardiac ventricles. Further examination revealed that mutant embryos displayed severe molecular defects starting from E9.5. Expression of multiple genes, including Msx1, 2, Ap-2α, Pax3, and Sox9, which play critical roles for NCC development, was downregulated by NCC disruption of Smad4. Moreover, increased cell death was observed in pharyngeal arches from E10.5. However, the cell proliferation rate in these areas was not substantially altered. Taken together, these findings provide compelling genetic evidence that Smad4-mediated activities of TGFβ/BMP signals are essential for appropriate NCC development.