Expression, purification and fluorine-18 radiolabeling of recombinant S100 proteins--potential probes for molecular imaging of receptor for advanced glycation endproducts (RAGE) in vivo

Data concerning the pathophysiological role of the interaction of circulating S100 proteins, a multigenic family of Ca(2+)-modulated proteins, with the receptor for advanced glycation endproducts (RAGE) in cardiovascular diseases, inflammatory processes, and tumorigenesis in vivo are scarce. One reason is the shortage of suitable radiotracer methods. We report a novel methodology using recombinant human S100A1, S100B, and S100A12 as potential probes for molecular imaging of this interaction. Therefore, human S100 proteins were cloned as GST fusion proteins in the bacterial expression vector pGEX-6P-1 and expressed in E. coli strain BL21. Purified recombinant human S100 proteins were radiolabeled with the positron emitter fluorine-18 ((18)F) by conjugation with N-succinimidyl-4-[(18)F]fluorobenzoate ([(18)F]SFB). The radiolabeled recombinant S100 proteins ((18)F-S100) were used in biodistribution experiments and small animal positron emission tomography (PET) studies in rats. The tissue-specific distribution of (18)F-S100 proteins in vivo correlated well with the anatomical localization of RAGE, e.g., in lungs and in the vascular system. These findings indicate circulating S100A1, S100B, and S100A12 proteins to be ligands for RAGE in rats in vivo. The approach allows the use of small animal PET and provides novel probes to delineate functional expression of RAGE under normal and pathophysiological conditions in rodent models of disease.     

Protalveolate phylogeny and systematics and the origins of Sporozoa and dinoflagellates (phylum Myzozoa nom. nov.)

The protozoan infrakingdom Alveolata comprises the phyla Ciliophora and Miozoa. The name Myzozoa—sucking life—is introduced here to replace Miozoa (protalveolates, dinoflagellates, Sporozoa, apicomonads) as both subphyla (Dinozoa, Apicomplexa) are commonly or ancestrally myzocytotic feeders. We studied ultrastructurally two contrasting myzocytotic flagellates: Colpodella tetrahymenae sp. n. (predatory on Tetrahymena), with an inner membrane complex like Sporozoa, and Voromonas (=Colpodella) pontica gen. et comb. nov., with discrete cortical alveoli like Dinozoa; we also sequenced 18S rDNA of both of these flagellates and of two highly divergent isolates of Oxyrrhis. Phylogenetic analysis shows early divergence between Colpodella, Voromonas and Alphamonas edax and supports the independent origin of dinoflagellates, Perkinsea and Apicomplexa (Sporozoa, Apicomonadea) from myzocytotic protalveolate flagellates. Oxyrrhis is probably a highly modified dinoflagellate, not a protalveolate with primitive chromatin and ciliary organization. The rapid basal radiation of Myzozoa is poorly resolved; the predatory colpodellids sensu stricto are probably sisters of Sporozoa. We discuss early cellular diversification of Myzozoa (=Miozoa) and revise its classification, establishing a new class Myzomonadea for Voromonas, Alphamonas and Chilovora (=Bodo) perforans gen. et comb. nov., three new peridinean subclasses (Oxyrrhia, Gonaulacoidia, Suessioidia), and five new orders: Acrocoelida for Acrocoelus; Voromonadida for Voromonas and Alphamonas; Chilovorida for Chilovora; Rastromonadida for Rastromonas and Parvilucifera; and Algovorida for Algovora, a new genus for Colpodella turpis and Colpodella pugnax sensu Simpson and Patterson. We suggest that the flattened inner membrane complex of Apicomplexa evolved in association with trichocyst loss by fusion of already flattened myzomonad cortical alveoli as an adaptation for actomyosin-based host penetration and gliding motility.     

大鼠输卵管感染沙眼衣原体后IL-18mRNA的表达及介质效应

目的通过大鼠沙眼衣原体(chlamydial trachomatis,CT)感染模型来研究白介素-18(IL-18)在初次感染后不同阶段的表达及其与干扰素-γ(IFN-γ)之间的介质效应.方法选择成年雌性SD大鼠24只,通过手术从一侧卵巢囊接种沙眼衣原体D型株,分别于感染后3d、7d、14d将大鼠处死,取手术侧输卵管以RT-PCR检测感染前后不同时间输卵管局部IL-18 mRNA及IFN-γ mRNA的表达量;用酶联免疫吸附(ELISA)法测定输卵管组织IFN-γ蛋白含量.结果在接种24h后即可检测到IFN-γ mRNA和IL-18 mRNA的表达,并持续升高.在感染后的3 d至7 d内,两种细胞因子的mRNA表达量一直处于高水平状态,大约两周后它们的mRNA表达已明显下降.感染组织内IFN-γ水平与基因表达趋势基本一致.相关分析表明,输卵管组织IL-18 mRNA表达与IFN-γ mRNA、IFN-γ水平均呈显著正相关.结论输卵管组织IL-18 mRNA表达在初次感染后早期即显著增多,并呈逐渐升高的趋势;感染后IL-18 mRNA基因表达对IFN-γ的生成具有重要影响.     

双歧杆菌的完整肽聚糖对巨噬细胞产生IL-18的影响

目的探讨分叉双歧杆菌的完整肽聚糖对巨噬细胞功能的调节作用.方法以完整肽聚糖注射于小鼠腹腔,用ELISA法测定小鼠腹腔巨噬细胞产生的IL-18的含量.结果完整肽聚糖注射组小鼠腹腔巨噬细胞产生的IL-18的含量显著高于对照组(P＜0.01).结论分叉双歧杆菌的完整肽聚糖能激活巨噬细胞,并使之分泌多量的IL-18.     

增强P18~(INK4C)表达对胃腺癌细胞侵袭的影响(英文)

在应用基因芯片技术筛选胃腺癌转移相关基因的过程中 ,发现CDK抑制因子P18INK4C在人类胃腺癌转移细胞株RF 4 8中的表达较其原发灶细胞株RF 1明显下调 .这提示P18INK4C表达差异与胃腺癌细胞的侵袭转移可能有一定程度的相关性 .通过构建P18INK4C 表达质粒并将其转染入RF 4 8增强P18INK4C的表达 ,研究其对胃腺癌原发灶细胞体外运动、侵袭转移能力以及生长特性的影响 ,进一步明确P18INK4C与人类胃腺癌侵袭转移之间的关系 .结果发现 ,增强P18INK4C表达可以使胃腺癌原发灶细胞的体外侵袭能力明显下降 ,而对RF 4 8的细胞周期和生长增殖能并力未产生影响 .上述结果提示 ,P18INK4C参与人类胃腺癌转移过程 ,在此过程中其主要的作用可能并不是调节细胞周期 ,而是与胃腺癌原发灶细胞侵袭转移能力的调节密切相关 .     

Diversity of soil fungal communities of Cerrado and its closely surrounding agriculture fields

Cerrado is a savanna-like region that covers a large area of Brazil. Despite its biological importance, the Cerrado has been the focus of few microbial diversity studies. A molecular approach was chosen to characterize the soil fungal communities in four areas of the Cerrado biome: a native Cerrado, a riverbank forest, an area converted to a soybean plantation, and an area converted to pasture. Global diversity of fungal communities in each area was assessed through Ribosomal intergenic spacer analysis which revealed remarkable differences among the areas studied. Sequencing of approximately 200 clones containing 18S rDNA sequences from each library was performed and, according to the genetic distance between sequences, these were assigned to operational taxonomic units (OTUs). A total of 75, 85, 85, and 70 OTUs were identified for the native Cerrado, riverbank forest, pasture, and soybean plantation, respectively. Analysis of sequences using a similarity cutoff value of 1% showed that the number of OTUs for the native Cerrado area was reduced by 35%; for the soybean plantation, a reduction by more than 50% was observed, indicating a reduction in fungal biodiversity associated with anthropogenic activity. This is the first study demonstrating the anthropogenic impact on Cerrado soil fungal diversity.     

The influence of plectin deficiency on stability of cytokeratin18 in hepatocellular carcinoma

Intermediate filaments are important in building the cellular architecture. Previously we found cytokeratin18 was modulated in human hepatocellular carcinoma. Plectin is a cross-linking protein that organizes the cytoskeleton into a stable meshwork, which can maintain the uniform size and shape of hepatocytes. Because the cells of hepatocellular carcinoma were morphologically different from the hepatocytes, we speculated that expression of plectin and organization of intermediate filament might play roles in the pleomorphism of hepatocellular carcinoma cells. In this paper, we studied the plectin expression of hepatocellular carcinoma and liver tissues by immunohistochemistry and immunoblot. The results revealed that plectin was deficient and cytokeratin18 was modulated in hepatocellular carcinoma. Furthermore, we knockdown the plectin mRNA in Chang cells, the result revealed the plectin was deficient and the organization of cytokeratin18 was altered. Conclusively, this study offers a hypothesis that plectin deficient might play an important role in the tumorigenesis of hepatocellular carcinoma. Dr. Yi-Hsiang Liu contributed equally as the first author.     

Are employers discriminating with respect to weight?: European Evidence using Quantile Regression

The aim of this research is to investigate the relationship between obesity and wages, using data for nine countries from the European Community Household Panel (ECHP) over the period 1998-2001. We improve upon the existing literature by adopting a Quantile Regression approach to characterize the heterogenous impact of obesity at different points of the wage distribution. Our results show that (i) the evidence obtained from mean regression and pooled analysis hides a significant amount of heterogeneity as the relationship between obesity and wages differs across countries and wages quantiles and (ii) cultural, environmental or institutional settings do not seem to be able to explain differences among countries, leaving room for a pure discriminatory effect hypothesis.     

Interleukin-18 enhances a Th2 biased response and susceptibility to Leishmania mexicana in BALB/c mice

Interleukin-18 deficient mice on a BALB/c background display increased resistance to cutaneous infection with Leishmania mexicana, with reduced lesion progression and reduced parasite burdens compared with wild-type mice. Infected IL-18-/- mice had lower antigen specific IgG1 levels and total IgE levels and conversely higher antigen specific IgG2a levels than similarly infected wild-type mice. Splenocytes isolated from infected IL-18-/- mice produced significantly lower levels of antigen induced IL-4 and higher levels of IFN-gamma than wild-type animals. Consequently IL-18 during L. mexicana infection of BALB/c mice promotes a Th2 biased response and thereby has a disease exacerbating role.     

New amphiphilic chlorins of the chlorophyll <Emphasis Type="Italic">a</Emphasis> series

We treated by nucleophiles derivatives of chlorophyll a with additional six-membered cycles: δ-lactone at pyrrole D and anhydride at pyrrole C bearing a γ-meso-bridge. In the first case, this led to the formation of substituted amides at the propionic acid residue and the introduction of hydroxy group at position 18 of the macrocycle, and, in the second case, to N-substituted cycloimides of chlorin p6.