α-Synuclein在脑缺血中的作用

α-Syn(α-Synuclein,SNAC)最初是从阿尔茨海默病患者大脑的淀粉样斑块中分离出来的一种蛋白质,在突触活动中扮演着重要的角色.α-Syn主要在脑中表达,研究发现其参与脑缺血损伤发生发展.在现有证据的基础上,该文简要介绍α-Syn的基本概念,并介绍α-Syn在脑缺血后的表达变化,重点探讨α-Syn在脑缺血中...     

中国人群中肿瘤坏死因子α-308 A/G基因多态和α2-巨球蛋白基因缺失多态与晚发性阿尔茨海默病无相关性

晚发性阿尔茨海默病 (LOAD)是老年痴呆中最常见的一种 ,它是一种病因复杂、由遗传因素和环境等其他因素共同作用引起的老年期疾病。服用非甾类抗炎类药物能延缓或防止LOAD的发病说明炎症反应可能参与LOAD病理 ,肿瘤坏死因子 (TNF)是炎症反应中主要的细胞因子 ,并且能增加 β 淀粉样肽 (Aβ)的产生说明其可能是LOAD的易感基因。α2 巨球蛋白 (A2M)是一种血清蛋白酶抑制剂 ,它是低密度脂蛋白受体相关蛋白 (LRP)主要的配体 ,并且能与Aβ结合并介导其降解和清除 ,说明它可能是另一个LOAD的易感基因。在 6 7名晚发性阿尔茨海默病人和 14 2名正常对照中比较了载脂蛋白E基因 (APOE)、TNF启动子区 (- 30 8A G)多态和A2M一 5bp核苷酸缺失 (I D)多态 (A2M 2 )与LOAD发病风险的关系。结果显示 ,APOEε4等位基因在AD病人组中显著高于对照组 (χ2=11 6 6 ,P <0 0 1) ,而TNF(- 30 8A G)多态和A2M缺失多态的基因型和等位基因在LOAD病人组和对照组中都无显著差别 (P >0 1)。按年龄和APOEε4等位基因分组同样无相关性 ,说明TNF 30 8A G位点的多态与A2M缺失不是中国人群的晚发性老年痴呆的风险因子     

HT-29 human colon cancer cell proliferation is regulated by cytosolic phospholipase A2α dependent PGE2via both PKA and PKB pathways

Cytosolic phospholipase A₂α (cPLA₂α) up-regulation has been reported in human colorectal cancer cells, thus we aimed to elucidate its role in the proliferation of the human colorectal cancer cell line, HT-29. EGF caused a rapid activation of cPLA₂α which coincided with a significant increase in cell proliferation. The inhibition of cPLA₂α activity by pyrrophenone or by antisense oligonucleotide against cPLA₂α (AS) or inhibition of prostaglandin E₂ (PGE₂) production by indomethacin resulted with inhibition of cell proliferation, that was restored by addition of PGE₂. The secreted PGE₂ activated both protein kinase A (PKA) and PKB/Akt pathways via the EP2 and EP4 receptors. Either, the PKA inhibitor (H-89) or the PKB/Akt inhibitor (Ly294002) caused a partial inhibition of cell proliferation which was restored by PGE₂. But, inhibited proliferation in the presence of both inhibitors could not be restored by addition of PGE₂. AS or H-89, but not Ly294002, inhibited CREB activation, suggesting that CREB activation is mediated by PKA. AS or Ly294002, but not H-89, decreased PKB/Akt activation as well as the nuclear localization of β-catenin and cyclin D1 and increased the plasma membrane localization of β-catenin with E-cadherin, suggesting that these processes are regulated by the PKB pathway. Similarly, Caco-2 cells exhibited cPLA₂α dependent proliferation via activation of both PKA and PKB/Akt pathways. In conclusion, our findings suggest that the regulation of HT-29 proliferation is mediated by cPLA₂α-dependent PGE₂ production. PGE₂via EP induces CREB phosphorylation by the PKA pathway and regulates β-catenin and cyclin D1 cellular localization by PKB/Akt pathway.     

A comparison of lipid components of the fresh and dead leaves and pneumatophores of the mangrove Avicennia marina

The component hydrocarbons, sterols, alcohols, monobasic, α,ω-dibasic and ω-hydroxy acids of the fresh hand decayed leaves and the pneumatophores of the mangrove Avicennia marina are reported in detail. From the quantitative comparisons which can be drawn, relative changes in the lipid classes occurring during leaf decay can be highlighted. These base-line data are important to our understanding of inputs to marine intertidal sediments. During leaf decay the only significant changes were a reduction in the total absolute concentrations of monobasic acids due largely to a decrease in concentration of the C₁₈ polyunsaturated fatty acids, and an enhancement of the concentrations of the long-chain monobasic acids, ω-hydroxy acids and α,ω-dibasic acids. This resistance to degradation shown by the cutin derived acids (α,ω-dibasic, ω-hydroxy and long-chain monobasic acids) relative to the cellular and wax derived lipids may allow these cutin components to be used as quantitative markers of A. marina in mangrove associated sediments.     

Lipid-lipid and lipid-protein interactions in chromaffin granule membranes: A spin label ESR study

The ESR spectra of six different positional isomers of a stearic acid and three of a phosphatidylcholine spin label have been studied as a function of temperature in chromaffin granule membranes from the bovine adrenal medulla, and in bilayers formed by aqueous dispersion of the extracted membrane lipids. Only minor differences were found between the spectra of the membranes and the extracted lipid, indicating that the major portion of the membrane lipid is organized in a bilayer arrangement which is relatively unperturbed by the presence of the membrane protein. The order parameter profile of the spin label lipid chain motion is less steep over the first half of the chain than over the section toward the terminal methyl end of the chain. This ‘stiffening’ effect is attributed to the high proportion of cholesterol in the membrane and becomes less marked as the temperature is raised. The isotropic hyperfine splitting factors of the various positional isomers display a profile of decreasing polarity as one penetrates further into the interior of the membrane. No marked differences are observed between the effective polarities in the intact membranes and in bilayers of the extracted membrane lipids. The previously observed temperature-induced structural change occurring in the membranes at approx. 35°C was found also in the extracted lipid bilayers, showing this to be a result of lipid-lipid interactions and not lipid-protein interactions in the membrane. A steroid spin label indicated a second temperature-dependent structural change occurring in the lipid bilayers at lower temperatures. This corresponds to the onset of a more rapid rotation about the long axis of the lipid molecules at a temperature of approx. 10°C. The lipid bilayer regions probed by the spin labels used in this study may be involved in the fusion of the chromaffin granule membrane leading to hormone release by exocytosis.     

Hsp90α/β associates with the GSK3β/axin1/phospho-β-catenin complex in the human MCF-7 epithelial breast cancer model

Hsp90α/β, the signal transduction chaperone, maintains intracellular communication in normal, stem, and cancer cells. The well characterised association of Hsp90α/β with its client kinases form the framework of multiple signalling networks. GSK3β, a known Hsp90α/β client, mediates β-catenin phosphorylation as part of a cytoplasmic destruction complex which targets phospho-β-catenin to the 26S proteasome. The canonical Wnt/β-catenin pathway promotes stem cell self-renewal as well as oncogenesis. The degree of Hsp90α/β involvement in Wnt/β-catenin signalling needs clarification. Here, we describe the association of Hsp90α/β with GSK3β, β-catenin, phospho-β-catenin and the molecular scaffold, axin1, in the human MCF-7 epithelial breast cancer cell model using selective inhibition of Hsp90α/β, confocal laser scanning microscopy and immunoprecipitation. Our findings suggest that Hsp90α/β modulates the phosphorylation of β-catenin by interaction in common complex with GSK3β/axin1/β-catenin.     

海洋环境来源的淀粉酶AmyP对生玉米 淀粉的降解特性

来自海洋宏基因组文库的 α-淀粉酶（AmyP）属于最新建立的糖苷水解酶亚家族GH13₃7。AmyP 是一个生淀粉降解酶,能有效降解玉米生淀粉。在最适反应条件 pH 7.5和 40 °C 下,生玉米淀粉的比活达到 39.6 ± 1.4 U/mg。酶解反应动力学显示 AmyP 可以非常快速的降解生玉米淀粉。对 1%的生玉米淀粉仅需要 30 min;4%和 8%的生玉米淀粉只需 3 h。DTT 可以显著提高 AmyP 对生玉米淀粉的降解活性,1% DTT 促使活性增加 1倍。根据电镜观察和产物分析,认为 AmyP 是以内腐蚀的模式降解生玉米淀粉颗粒,释放出葡萄糖、麦芽糖和麦芽三糖作为终产物。