The immunoglobulin super family protein RIG-3 prevents synaptic potentiation and regulates Wnt signaling

Cell surface Ig superfamily proteins (IgSF) have been implicated in several aspects of neuron development and function. Here, we describe the function of a?Caenorhabditis elegans IgSF protein, RIG-3. Mutants lacking RIG-3 have an exaggerated paralytic response to a cholinesterase inhibitor, aldicarb. Although RIG-3 is expressed in motor neurons, heightened drug responsiveness was caused by an aldicarb-induced increase in muscle ACR-16 acetylcholine receptor (AChR) abundance, and a corresponding potentiation of postsynaptic responses at neuromuscular junctions. Mutants lacking RIG-3 also had defects in the anteroposterior polarity of the ALM mechanosensory neurons. The effects of RIG-3 on synaptic transmission and ALM polarity were both mediated by changes in Wnt signaling, and in particular by inhibiting CAM-1, a Ror-type receptor tyrosine kinase that binds Wnt ligands. These results identify RIG-3 as a regulator of Wnt signaling, and suggest that RIG-3 has an anti-plasticity function that prevents activity-induced changes in postsynaptic receptor fields.     

Fangchinoline inhibits human immunodeficiency virus type 1 replication by interfering with gp160 proteolytic processing

The introduction of highly active antiretroviral therapy has led to a significant reduction in the morbidity and mortality of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome patients. However, the emergence of drug resistance has resulted in the failure of treatments in large numbers of patients and thus necessitates the development of new classes of anti-HIV drugs. In this study, more than 200 plant-derived small-molecule compounds were evaluated in a cell-based HIV-1 antiviral screen, resulting in the identification of a novel HIV-1 inhibitor (fangchinoline). Fangchinoline, a bisbenzylisoquinoline alkaloid isolated from Radix Stephaniae tetrandrae, exhibited antiviral activity against HIV-1 laboratory strains NL4-3, LAI and BaL in MT-4 and PM1 cells with a 50% effective concentration ranging from 0.8 to 1.7 μM. Mechanism-of-action studies showed that fangchinoline did not exhibit measurable antiviral activity in TZM-b1 cells but did inhibit the production of infectious virions in HIV-1 cDNA transfected 293T cells, which suggests that the compound targets a late event in infection cycle. Furthermore, the antiviral effect of fangchinoline seems to be HIV-1 envelope-dependent, as the production of infectious HIV-1 particles packaged with a heterologous envelope, the vesicular stomatitis virus G glycoprotein, was unaffected by fangchinoline. Western blot analysis of HIV envelope proteins expressed in transfected 293T cells and in isolated virions showed that fangchinoline inhibited HIV-1 gp160 processing, resulting in reduced envelope glycoprotein incorporation into nascent virions. Collectively, our results demonstrate that fangchinoline inhibits HIV-1 replication by interfering with gp160 proteolytic processing. Fangchinoline may serve as a starting point for developing a new HIV-1 therapeutic approach.     

VCC-1 over-expression inhibits cisplatin-induced apoptosis in HepG2 cells

Vascular endothelial growth factor-correlated chemokine 1 (VCC-1), a recently described chemokine, is hypothesized to be associated with carcinogenesis. However, the molecular mechanisms by which aberrant VCC-1 expression determines poor outcomes of cancers are unknown. In this study, we found that VCC-1 was highly expressed in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) tissue. It was also associated with proliferation of HepG2 cells, and inhibition of cisplatin-induced apoptosis of HepG2 cells. Conversely, down-regulation of VCC-1 in HepG2 cells increased cisplatin-induced apoptosis of HepG2 cells. In summary, these results suggest that VCC-1 is involved in cisplatin-induced apoptosis of HepG2 cells, and also provides some evidence for VCC-1 as a potential cellular target for chemotherapy.     

PKC-induced sensitization of Ca2+-dependent exocytosis is mediated by reducing the Ca2+ cooperativity in pituitary gonadotropes

The highly cooperative nature of Ca2+-dependent exocytosis is very important for the precise regulation of transmitter release. It is not known whether the number of binding sites on the Ca2+ sensor can be modulated or not. We have previously reported that protein kinase C (PKC) activation sensitizes the Ca2+ sensor for exocytosis in pituitary gonadotropes. To further unravel the underlying mechanism of how the Ca2+ sensor is modulated by protein phosphorylation, we have performed kinetic modeling of the exocytotic burst and investigated how the kinetic parameters of Ca2+-triggered fusion are affected by PKC activation. We propose that PKC sensitizes exocytosis by reducing the number of calcium binding sites on the Ca2+ sensor (from three to two) without significantly altering the Ca2+-binding kinetics. The reduction in the number of Ca2+-binding steps lowers the threshold for release and up-regulates release of fusion-competent vesicles distant from Ca2+ channels.     

Spontaneous Vesicle Fusion Is Differentially Regulated at Cholinergic and GABAergic Synapses

1. Download high-res image (183KB)
2. Download full-size image

     

河西干旱区白芍养分吸收规律与药效成分积累的关系研究

为揭示河西干旱区白芍干物质积累及营养元素吸收特征和药效成分累积规律,明确影响药效成分积累的营养元素种类,科学制定白芍施肥方案和规范化种植。以甘肃省古浪县古丰镇芍药产业基地4年生白芍为研究对象,通过田间试验测定白芍不同生长期干物质积累特征以及根中9个营养元素含量和3类药效成分含量,并分析白芍根中有效成分含量与营养元素的相关关性。结果表明：（1）随着生育期延续,白芍根部干物质积累先下降后上升,全株干物质积累量逐渐增加,出苗后90-130 d是白芍干物质积累最快的时期,占总积累量的79.29 %,是白芍生长的关键时期。（2）白芍地上部氮、钾含量总体呈下降趋势,而磷素含量总体呈明显增加趋势,而根部氮、磷含量总体呈减少趋势,钾含量变化不明显;地上部和根氮累积总量分别在出苗后130 d和150d达到最高。地上部磷积累量在出苗后150 d达到最大,根部磷积累量分别在出苗后30 d、150 d达到高峰,地上部和根部钾积累量分别在出苗后70 d和150 d达到高峰。地上部氮、钾含量在不同生长时期均高于根部,其磷含量则在出苗后90 d前低于根部,在出苗后110 d后高于根部。（3）根中芍药苷、芍药内酯苷积累量均先升高后降低,最后趋于稳定,多糖积累量表现为高-低-高的变化趋势。（4）芍药苷含量与氮、钙、铜含量呈极显著正相关,与钾含量呈显著正相关,芍药内脂苷含量与氮、钾、钙、铜含量呈极显著正相关,而芍药多糖与各营养元素含量之间没有相关性。可见,白芍氮、磷、钾营养最大效率期在出苗后110～150 d,适时追加氮、钾肥有利于根部生物量的积累,施肥中添加Ca、Cu元素能有效促进白芍药效成分的积累;河西冷凉山区白芍宜在9月中下旬（9月16日以后）采挖。     

影响稻褐飞虱声诱集的若干因素(同翅目：飞虱科)

稻褐飞虱Nilaparvata lugens(stal)雌、雄成虫均能发出由固体介质(寄主植株)传递的鸣声(振动)信号,用于交尾前的个体间通讯。雄虫对雌虫鸣声或重放鸣声录音具有强趋性。由此研制的声诱集器有可能首先用于改进褐飞虱测报的田间采样技术。 声诱集效果受若干因素的影响。实验室试验结果表明,声诱集具有种的选择性;诱集率随雄虫虫龄变化,对羽化后4一5日龄雄虫的诱集率最高;异性干扰对诱集效果有明显影响;一天中,中午前后诱集率最高,9：00-18：00的诱集量占总诱集量的54.0%±10.8%;诱集率随气温变化,26℃-28℃诱集效果最好;而室外晴、阴、雨等天气差异对诱集串无显著影响;另外,随诱集信号播放时间的延续,诱集率下降;间断信号的诱集效果高于连续信号。     

Host protein Snapin interacts with human cytomegalovirus pUL130 and affects viral DNA replication

The interplay between the host and Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) plays a pivotal role in the outcome of an infection. HCMV growth in endothelial and epithelial cells requires expression of viral proteins UL128, UL130, and UL131 proteins (UL128-131), of which UL130 is the largest gene and the only one that is not interrupted by introns. Mutation of the C terminus of the UL130 protein causes reduced tropism of endothelial cells (EC). However, very few host factors have been identified that interact with the UL130 protein. In this study, HCMV UL130 protein was shown to directly interact with the human protein Snapin in human embryonic kidney HEK293 cells by Yeast two-hybrid screening, in vitro glutathione S-transferase (GST) pull-down, and co-immunoprecipitation. Additionally, heterologous expression of protein UL130 revealed co-localization with Snapin in the cell membrane and cytoplasm of HEK293 cells using fluorescence confocal microscopy. Furthermore, decreasing the level of Snapin via specific small interfering RNAs decreased the number of viral DNA copies and titer in HCMV-infected U373-S cells. Taken together, these results suggest that Snapin, the pUL130 interacting protein, has a role in modulating HCMV DNA synthesis.     

High-throughput carbohydrate microarray profiling of 27 antibodies demonstrates widespread specificity problems

Progress toward understanding the biological roles of carbohydrates has been remarkably slow, and efforts to exploit this class of biopolymers as diagnostic and therapeutic targets have proven extremely challenging. Both basic and clinical research rely heavily on identifying and monitoring expression levels of carbohydrates. Over the last 30 years, the majority of expression information has been derived from antibody- and lectin-binding studies. Using a carbohydrate microarray containing 80 different glycans and glycoproteins, the specificities of 27 antiglycan antibodies were evaluated, including antibodies to histo-blood group A, B, and H antigens (81FR2.2, CLCP-19B, B389, 92FR-A2, B480, B460, B376, and B393), Lewis antigens (7LE, 15C02, 28, ZC-18C, 121SLE, CA199.02, PR.5C5, 2-25LE, BR55, T174, T218, F3, A70-C/C8, FR4A5, and K21), and other tumor-associated antigens (B389, 1A4, B1.1, and 5B5). In total, evaluation of over 2000 individual carbohydrate-protein interactions was carried out. More than half of the antibodies considered to be specific for their designated antigen were found to cross-react with other glycans. The cross-reactive glycans could be mistaken for the designated antigen in biopsy samples or other biological samples, leading to inaccurate conclusions.     

MicroRNA-124 upregulation inhibits proliferation and invasion of osteosarcoma cells by targeting sphingosine kinase 1

Increasing evidence has confirmed that the dysregulation of microRNAs (miRNAs) contributes to the proliferation and invasion of human cancers. Previous studies have shown that the dysregulation of miR-124 is in numerous cancers. However, the roles of miR-124 in human osteosarcoma (OS) have not been well clarified. Therefore, this study was to investigate the biological functions and molecular mechanisms of miR-124 in OS cell lines, discussing whether it could be a therapeutic biomarker of OS in the future. In this study, our results demonstrated that miR-124 was down-regulated in OS cell lines and tissues. Furthermore, the low level of miR-124 was associated with increased expression of Sphingosine kinase 1 (SPHK1) in OS cells and tissues. Up-regulation of miR-124 significantly inhibited cell proliferation, invasion, and MMP-2 and -9 expressions of OS cells. Bioinformatics analysis predicted that the SPHK1 was a potential target of miR-124. Further study by luciferase reporter assay demonstrated that miR-124 could directly target SPHK1. Overexpression of SPHK1 in OS cells transfected with miR-124 mimic partially reversed the inhibitory of miR-124. In conclusion, miR-124 inhibited cell proliferation and invasion in OS cells by downregulation of SPHK1, and that downregulation of SPHK1 was essential for the miR-124-inhibited cell invasion and in OS cells.