Inhibition by specific monosaccharides of interleukin 2-induced thymocyte proliferation

When rat thymocytes are cultured for 3 days in serum-free medium and are stimulated to divide by interleukin 2 (IL 2), concanavalin A, or sodium periodate oxidation, addition to the medium of 10–25 mMd-ribose, 2-deoxy-d-ribose, or N-acetyl-d-galactosamine inhibits by 40% or more the incorporation of [³H]thymidine. d-ribose and lectin-free IL 2 generated from sodium periodate oxidation of rat spleen cells were used to study the characteristics of this inhibition and to test possible mechanisms of inhibition. Viability of thymocytes cultured with d-ribose is similar to that of cells cultured without this sugar. In order to be inhibitory, d-ribose has to be added to the cultures within the first 24 hr, and the inhibition can be prevented if the sugar is removed 18–24 hr after the start of culture. d-Ribose does not block the absorption of IL 2 by unstimulated rat thymocytes or by concanavalin A-generated thymic or splenic blast cells. When thymocytes are cultured with d-ribose for 24 hr, inactivated with mitomycin C, and then cultured for 3 days with fresh mitogenically stimulated cells, [³H]thymidine incorporation into the latter is not altered. This suggests that the sugar does not generate suppressor cells or suppressor supernates. d-Ribose does not appear to be a general metabolic inhibitor since [³H]leucine incorporation into thymocyte proteins and the release of [³H]leucine into medium after a 2-hr. [³H]leucine pulse are not altered by d-ribose. Trivial or artifactual effects (nonspecific cytotoxicity, changes in thymidine transport, or changes in isotonicity of the culture medium) cannot explain the inhibition. A hypothetical mechanism of inhibition is discussed.     

Modification of Immobead 150 support for protein immobilization: Effects on the properties of immobilized Aspergillus oryzae β‐galactosidase

We studied the modification of Immobead 150 support by either introducing aldehyde groups using glutaraldehyde (Immobead‐Glu) or carboxyl groups through acid solution (Immobead‐Ac) for enzyme immobilization by covalent attachment or ion exchange, respectively. These two types of immobilization were compared with the use of epoxy groups that are now provided on a commercial support. We used Aspergillus oryzae β‐galactosidase (Gal) as a model protein, immobilizing it on unmodified (epoxy groups, Immobead‐Epx) and modified supports. Immobilization yield and efficiency were tested as a function of protein loading (10–500 mg g^?1 support). Gal was efficiently immobilized on the Immobeads with an immobilization efficiency higher than 75% for almost all supports and protein loads. Immobilization yields significantly decreased when protein loadings were higher than 100 mg g^?1 support. Gal immobilized on Immobead‐Glu and Immobead‐Ac retained approximately 60% of its initial activity after 90 days of storage at 4°C. The three immobilized Gal derivatives presented higher half‐lifes than the soluble enzyme, where the half‐lifes were twice higher than the free Gal at 73°C. All the preparations were moderately operationally stable when tested in lactose solution, whey permeate, cheese whey, and skim milk, and retained approximately 50% of their initial activity after 20 cycles of hydrolyzing lactose solution. The modification of the support with glutaraldehyde provided the most stable derivative during cycling in cheese whey hydrolysis. Our results suggest that the Immobead 150 is a promising support for Gal immobilization. © 2018 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog., 34:934–943, 2018     

FBXL5 interacts with p150Glued and regulates its ubiquitination

The microtubule motor cytoplasmic dynein and its activator dynactin drive vesicular transport and mitotic spindle organization. p150(Glued) is the dynactin subunit responsible for binding to dynein and microtubules. The F-box proteins constitute one of the four subunits of ubiquitin protein ligase complex called SCFs (SKP1-cullin-F-box), which governs phosphorylation-dependent ubiquitination and subsequent proteolysis. Our recent study showed that the proteolysis of mitotic kinesin CENP-E is mediated by SCF via a direct Skp1 link [D. Liu, N. Zhang, J. Du, X. Cai, M. Zhu, C. Jin, Z. Dou, C. Feng, Y. Yang, L. Liu, K. Takeyasu, W. Xie, X. Yao, Interaction of Skp1 with CENP-E at the midbody is essential for cytokinesis, Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 345 (2006) 394-402]. Here we show that F-box protein FBXL5 interacts with p150(Glued) and orchestrates its turnover via ubiquitination. FBXL5 binds to p150(Glued)in vitro and in vivo. FBXL5 and p150(Glued) co-localize primarily in the cytoplasm with peri-nuclear enrichment in HeLa cells. Overexpression of FBXL5 promotes poly-ubiquitination of p150(Glued) and protein turnover of p150(Glued). Our findings provide a potential mechanism by which p150(Glued) protein function is regulated by SCFs.     

Mutant molecular motors disrupt neural circuits in Drosophila

A dominant negative mutation, Glued¹, that codes for a component of the dynactin complex, disrupted the axonal anatomy of leg sensory neurons in Drosophila. To examine neuron structure in mutant animals, a P[Gal4] enhancer trap targeted expression of lacZ to the sensory neurons and thereby labeled neurons in the femoral chordotonal organ and their axons within the central nervous system. When these sensory axons were examined in the Glued¹ mutant specimens, they were observed to arborize abnormally. This anatomical disruption of the sensory axons was associated with a corresponding disruption in a reflex. Normally, the tibial extensor motor neurons were excited when the femoral-tibial joint was flexed, but this resistance reflex was nearly absent in mutant animals. We used the P[Gal4] insertion strains to target expression of tetanus toxin light chain to these sensory neurons in wild-type animals and showed that this blocked the resistance reflex and produced a phenocopy of the Glued result. We conclude that disruption of the dynein-dynactin complex disrupts sensory axon path finding during metamorphosis, and this in turn disrupts synaptic connectivity. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Neurobiol 33: 711–723, 1997     

Multiple molecular dynamics simulations of human LOX‐1 and Trp150Ala mutant reveal the structural determinants causing the full deactivation of the receptor

Multiple classical molecular dynamics simulations have been applied to the human LOX‐1 receptor to clarify the role of the Trp150Ala mutation in the loss of binding activity. Results indicate that the substitution of this crucial residue, located at the dimer interface, markedly disrupts the wild‐type receptor dynamics. The mutation causes an irreversible rearrangement of the subunits interaction pattern that in the wild‐type protein allows the maintaining of a specific symmetrical motion of the monomers. The subunits dislocation determines a loss of linearity of the arginines residues composing the basic spine and a consequent alteration of the long‐range electrostatic attraction of the substrate. Moreover, the anomalous subunits arrangement observed in the mutated receptor also affects the integrity of the hydrophobic tunnel, actively involved in the short‐range hydrophobic recognition of the substrate. The combined effect of these structural rearrangements generates the impairing of the receptor function.     

AMPK调控内质网应激抵抗COPD大鼠肺泡上皮细胞凋亡的实验研究

目的:初步探讨AMPK在内质网应激所致COPD大鼠肺泡上皮细胞凋亡中所起的作用及机制。方法:实验分三组:对照组,COPD模型组,AICAR干预组,以香烟烟雾烟熏加气管内滴注脂多糖方法构建COPD大鼠模型,取大鼠肺组织行HE染色病理观察,免疫组化,western blot检测p-AMPK/AMPK,ORP150,caspase-3及CHOP表达,TUNEL法检测各组凋亡情况。结果:病理HE染色提示模型组大量炎症细胞浸润,肺大疱形成,支气管壁发生狭窄;AICAR干预组炎症细胞较模型组减少。与正常对照组相比,免疫组化及western blot均提示模型组中p-AMPK和ORP150蛋白表达含量增强,差异有统计学意义(P0.05)。而AICAR干预组中p-AMPK/AMPK及ORP150蛋白表达较模型组明显上升,差异有统计学意义(P0.05)。内质网应激相关凋亡指标CHOP及caspase-3的表达在模型组明显增强,较正常组比较差异有显著性(P0.05),而AICAR组中凋亡指标较模型组明显下调。结论:AMPK可以保护肺泡上皮细胞免于香烟烟雾所致内质网应激凋亡,且有可能通过增加ORP150来实现其保护作用。     

Gape coloration reliably reflects immunocompetence of barn swallow (Hirundo rustica) nestlings

In some passerines, parents allocate more food to offspringwith the brightest red gapes, but the function of parental decisionsbased on offspring gape coloration is unknown. We hypothesizethat gape coloration is part of a communication system wherenestlings reveal their condition to attending parents, whichmay thus base their decisions on reliable signals of offspringreproductive value. We analyze the effects of brood size manipulation,injection with an immunogen and food deprivation, on gape coloration,morphology, and T-cell–mediated immunocompetence of nestlingbarn swallows (Hirundo rustica). For each gape we measured threecomponents of coloration (hue, saturation, and brightness) andobtained an overall color score by principal component analysis.Enlargement of brood size and injection with an antigen resultedin less red and less saturated and brighter gape color. Nestlingsin enlarged broods had smaller body mass and T-cell–mediatedimmunocompetence compared to those in reduced broods. A positivecovariation existed between redness and saturation of gape colorand T-cell–mediated immunocompetence. Gape color siblingsraised in different nests did not depend on parentage. Thus,condition-dependent gape coloration can reveal different componentsof nestling state on which parents may base their adaptive decisionsabout allocation of care to the offspring.