Optimization of novel monobactams with activity against carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae – Identification of LYS228

Metallo-β-lactamases (MBLs), such as New Delhi metallo-β-lactamase (NDM-1) have spread world-wide and present a serious threat. Expression of MBLs confers resistance in Gram-negative bacteria to all classes of β-lactam antibiotics, with the exception of monobactams, which are intrinsically stable to MBLs. However, existing first generation monobactam drugs like aztreonam have limited clinical utility against MBL-expressing strains because they are impacted by serine β-lactamases (SBLs), which are often co-expressed in clinical isolates. Here, we optimized novel monobactams for stability against SBLs, which led to the identification of LYS228 (compound 31). LYS228 is potent in the presence of all classes of β-lactamases and shows potent activity against carbapenem-resistant isolates of Enterobacteriaceae (CRE).     

Gene conjugation of molecular adjuvant C3d3 to hCGbeta increased the anti-hCGbeta Th2 and humoral immune response in DNA immunization

Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) has been used as an anti-fertility vaccine and as a target for cancer immunotherapy. We have explored the use of three copies of C3d in DNA vaccine as molecular adjuvant to improve the immunogenicity of this hormone in previous work and found that the immune response induced by pcDNA3-hCGbeta-C3d3 has been enhanced 243-fold compared with pcDNA3-hCGbeta following DNA immunization in BALB/c mice. In the present study, a new functionally active DNA vaccine of hCGbeta-C3d3 chimera based on pCMV4 vector has been described. We compared the expression efficiency of pCMV4 and pcDNA3 eukaryotic vectors for hCGbeta and hCGbeta-C3d3 fusion protein and the immune response of mice immunized with pcDNA3-hCGbeta, pCMV4-hCGbeta, pcDNA3-hCGbeta-C3d3 and pCMV4-hCGbeta-C3d3, respectively, at 25, 50 and 100 pmol dose, and further analyzed the levels of Th1 and Th2 cytokines produced by spleen lymphocytes of the immunized mice upon hCG restimulation in vitro. It was found that pCMV4 vector achieved 1.3-1.5-fold higher protein expression and raised 1.1-1.2 (primary) and 1.2-1.3 (booster) logs higher titer of anti-hCGbeta IgG than pcDNA3. Mice vaccinated with 50 pmol of hCGbeta-C3d3-DNAs elicited the highest titer of hCGbeta-specific antibody among the serial doses and the immune response induced by pCMV4-hCGbeta-C3d3 were, respectively, 1.3, 1.3 and 1.2 logs higher than that of pcDNA3-hCGbeta-C3d3 and 2.2, 2.9 and 2.4 logs higher than that of pCMV4-hCGbeta at week 2 following the booster immunization. Moreover, we observed that the production of IL-4 and IL-10 increased in mice vaccinated with hCGbeta-C3d3-DNAs and the ratio of IL-4/IFN-(gamma) showed a Th2 bias of immune response in the mice immunized with hCGbeta-C3d3-DNAs. These findings indicated that gene fusion of C3d3 to hCGbeta, as a means of harnessing the adjuvant potential of the innate immune system, may improve the antigen-specific Th2 humoral immune response of the hCGbeta DNA vaccine and the pCMV4 vector is a more ideal eukaryotic vector for DNA vaccine than pcDNA3.     

Luteolin enhances TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand's anticancer activity in a lung cancer xenograft mouse model

Sensitization of cancer cells to apoptosis induced by tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) by luteolin has been suggested by in vitro studies. However, no in vivo experiment has been reported to validate the potentiation effect of luteolin on TRAIL's anticancer activity. In this report, we first confirmed that luteolin potentiates TRAIL-induced cytotoxicity in A549 cells and HeLa cells in association with increased activation of apoptosis. Then we performed an in vivo experiment with a non-small cell lung cancer xenograft mouse model, which showed for the first time that the in vivo anticancer activity of TRAIL was greatly enhanced by luteolin. Compared with that in untreated control or treatment with TRAIL or luteolin alone, inhibition of tumor growth and apoptotic cell death in xenograft tumors were significantly increased in animals receiving combination treatment with TRAIL and luteolin. Data from this study thus provide strong in vivo evidence supporting that luteolin is a potential sensitizer for TRAIL in anticancer therapy.     

黄芩乙醇提取物通过下调NAD特异的谷氨酸脱氢酶抑制哈维氏弧菌生长

哈维氏弧菌（Vibrio harveyi）是水产动物的常见致病菌,对人类健康和水产经济带来巨大威胁。抗生素的滥用使得药物残留和耐药性问题变得日益严重。因此,迫切需要寻找新型、不易产生耐药性和低毒的抗菌物质。本文研究黄芩醇提物对哈维氏弧菌的抑制作用及抑菌机制。实验结果表明,黄芩醇提物对哈维氏弧菌的抑菌圈为18.33±0.58 mm,最低抑菌浓度（MIC）和最小杀菌浓度（MBC）分别为7.92 mg/mL和15.84 mg/mL。经分析型扫描电镜（SEM）观察和细菌胞内外蛋白质浓度测定,发现实验组菌体表面虽有细小破裂,但形态依然完整,表面光滑,菌体细胞膜仍保持相对完整性;通过SDS-PAGE、蛋白质质谱(MALDI-TOF-TOF MS)和实时荧光定量PCR分析,显示黄芩醇提物抑制哈维氏弧菌体内NAD特异性的谷氨酸脱氢酶（NAD-specific glutamate dehydrogenase, NAD-GDH）及其mRNA的表达。本研究表明,黄芩醇提物通过下调NAD特异性的谷氨酸脱氢酶表达而抑制哈维氏弧菌的生长,为中药应用于水产养殖提供了新的证据。     

肠道菌群可能为高血压发病的环境因素

本文通过分析人体肠道菌群与高血压危险因素(胆固醇、动脉粥样硬化、肥胖、代谢综合征、糖尿病)之间的关系,并结合高血压患者肠道菌群变化及乳酸菌降压研究,认为肠道菌群可能为高血压发病的环境因素。     

兼性甲烷氧化菌的发现历程

兼性甲烷氧化菌在新陈代谢上具有独一无二的特性:它们能够利用甲烷或一些含碳碳键的有机物作为唯一碳源和能源.甲基细胞菌属(Methylocella)、甲基孢囊菌属(Methylocystis)和甲基帽菌属(Methylocapsa)的一些菌株已经被确定为兼性甲烷氧化菌.它们都属于a-变形菌纲,能够像利用甲烷一样在大分子有机酸或乙醇里生长.本文全面系统地总结了兼性甲烷氧化菌的研究发展历史,推断出兼性甲烷氧化菌易在酸性环境富集生长;介绍了与之有相近功能的兼性甲烷氧化生物;浅析了其对多碳化合物的代谢机理;最后讨论了兼性甲烷氧化菌研究的现存问题和工程应用前景.     

Two new dianthramide glucosides with cardiomyocytes protective activity from Aconitum carmichaelii

Two new dianthramide glucosides, N-(2′-β-d-glucopyranosyl-5′-hydroxysalicyl)-4-hydroxy-3-methoxyanthranilic acid methyl ester (1) and N-(2′-β-d-glucopyranosyl-5′-hydroxysalicyl)-4-hydroxyanthranilic acid methyl ester (2), together with five known glycosides, were isolated from the lateral roots of Aconitum carmichaelii. Their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic analyses. In the in vitro assays, compounds 1 and 2 showed activity against pentobarbital sodium-induced cardiomyocytes damage by recovering beating rhythm and increasing the cell viability.     

Expression and purification of the catalytic domain of human vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 for inhibitor screening

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), an endothelial cell-specific mitogen, can act in tumor-induced angiogenesis by binding to specific receptors on the surface of endothelial cells. One such receptor, VEGFR-2/KDR, plays a key role in VEGF-induced angiogenesis. Here, we expressed the catalytic domain of VEGFR-2 as a soluble active kinase using Bac-to-Bac expression system, and investigated correlations between VEGFR-2 activity and enzyme concentration, ATP concentration, substrate concentration and divalent cation type. We used these data to establish a convenient, effective and non-radioactive ELISA screening technique for the identification and evaluation of potential inhibitors for VEGFR-2 kinase. We screened 200 RTK target-based compounds and identified one (TKI-31) that potently inhibited VEGFR-2 kinase activity (IC50=0.596 microM). Treatment of NIH3T3/KDR cells with TKI-31 blocked VEGF-induced phosphorylation of KDR in a dose-dependent manner. Moreover, TKI-31 dose-dependently suppressed HUVEC tube formation. Thus, we herein report a novel, efficient method for identifying VEGFR-2 kinase inhibitors and introduce one, TKI-31, that may prove to be a useful new angiogenesis inhibitor.     

Recombinant Galectins of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Haemonchus contortus</Emphasis> Parasite Induces Apoptosis in the Peripheral Blood Lymphocytes of Goat

The effect of Haemonchus contortus galectin peptides rHco-gal-m/f to induce apoptosis in the peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBLCs) of goats was investigated. Analysis of apoptosis was carried out with agarose gel electrophoresis, flow cytometry and transmission electron microscopy. The results indicated that there were visible apoptosis bodies and typical DNA ladders by genomic DNA fragmentation. The quantitative analysis of apoptosis by flow cytometry indicated that rHco-gal-m/f peptides induced apoptosis was time and dose dependent. Ultrastructural studies of the PBLCs revealed that a large number of apoptotic cells were present in galectin-treated cells, which had the typical morphologic changes of apoptosis such as reduction of the cytoplasmic volume, loss of cell surface microvilli, chromatin condensation and fragmentation of the apoptotic cells into small apoptotic bodies.