A型流感病毒PB1-F2蛋白与MOAP-1的相互作用

【目的】探讨A型流感病毒PB1-F2蛋白和人类凋亡调节因子1(MOAP-1)之间的相互作用。【方法】构建pACT2-MOAP-1重组质粒,与pGBKT7-PB1-F2质粒共转化酵母AH109,检测转化菌在四缺培养基的生长情况及β半乳糖苷酶报告基因的活性;利用GST pull-down和免疫共沉淀(Co-IP)技术进一步验证PB1-F2与宿主细胞蛋白MOAP-1的相互作用;通过过表达PB1-F2和MOAP-1,检测PB1-F2对MOAP-1蛋白表达水平的影响。【结果】酵母双杂交结果表明,PB1-F2和MOAP-1可以在酵母细胞内特异性结合。GST pull-down和Co-IP实验也进一步证实了这两种蛋白的相互作用,而且PB1-F2可上调外源MOAP-1的蛋白水平。【结论】流感病毒PB1-F2与MOAP-1存在相互作用,PB1-F2可能通过与MOAP-1的相互作用参与调控细胞生长及凋亡过程。     

微生物降解3,5,6-三氯-2-吡啶醇的研究进展

随着高毒性有机磷杀虫剂的限制和禁止使用,近年来以毒死蜱为代表的低毒性有机磷杀虫剂的市场份额有所增加。然而,毒死蜱的使用也导致了环境中3,5,6-三氯-2-吡啶醇(TCP)的产生,因为TCP是毒死蜱和甲基毒死蜱在环境中降解的主要中间代谢产物。它具有较高的水溶性和迁移性,容易进入深层土壤及水体环境,从而引起广泛的污染。释放到环境中的TCP不仅可以抑制TCP及其母体化合物毒死蜱和甲基毒死蜱的生物降解,而且也能抑制其他有机污染物的生物降解,从而进一步加重环境中TCP以及其他有机污染物的累积残留,影响环境系统的自我修复功能。本文概述了TCP及其母体化合物的结构、TCP的生态毒性、TCP降解菌的多样性及其微生物降解的最新研究进展,为毒死蜱和TCP污染地区进行经济可行的生物修复提供参考。     

牛磺酸对四氯化碳诱导的小鼠肝纤维化模型中IL-6影响

目的:观察牛磺酸对四氯化碳(CCl4)诱导的小鼠肝纤维化模型血清中IL-6的影响。方法:将30只雄性SPF级C57B/L小鼠随机分为空白对照组,模型组和牛磺酸组,每组各10只。空白对照组给予100%花生油1 m L/Kg腹腔注射,每周2次,共10周;模型组给予含20%CCl4的花生油1 m L/Kg腹腔注射,每周2次,共10周;牛磺酸组给予含20%CCl4的花生油1 m L/Kg腹腔注射,每周2次,共10周,并从第3周起给予牛磺酸500 mg/Kg/d灌胃至第10周。在第10周通过摘除眼球取血,检测小鼠血清中的透明质酸(HA)、层黏连蛋白(LN)、三型前胶原(PCⅢ)、四型胶原(Ⅳ-C)、丙氨酸转氨酶(ALT)、天门冬氨酸转氨酶(AST)、IL-6的含量;检测肝脏组织中超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)和丙二醛(MDA)的含量;计算肝脏指数;观察小鼠肝脏的HE染色病理组织学改变。结果:模型组与空白对照组相比小鼠血清中HA、LN、PCⅢ、Ⅳ-C、ALT、AST和IL-6水平显著升高(P0.05),肝脏组织中SOD和MDA水平显著升高(P0.05),肝脏指数增加(P0.05),病理检查显示肝细胞坏死并出现脂肪空泡、纤维组织增生和炎细胞浸润;牛磺酸组与模型组相比小鼠血清中HA、LN、PCⅢ、Ⅳ-C、ALT、AST和IL-6的水平显著降低(P0.05),肝脏组织中SOD显著升高(P0.05),MDA水平显著降低(P0.05),肝脏指数降低(P0.05),病理检查显示肝脏组织中无炎性浸润、脂肪空泡和无纤维组织沉积。结论:牛磺酸可以降低肝纤维化小鼠血清中IL-6的含量,减轻CCl4诱导小鼠肝纤维化程度。     

Loss of Core 1-derived O-Glycans Decreases Breast Cancer Development in Mice

Mucin-type core 1-derived O-glycans, one of the major types of O-glycans, are highly expressed in mammary gland epithelium. Abnormal O-glycans such as Tn antigen are found in over 90% of breast cancers; however, the in vivo role of these aberrant O-glycans in the etiology of breast cancer is unclear. We generated mice with mammary epithelial specific deletion of core 1-derived O-glycans. By crossing with two spontaneous mouse breast cancer models, we determined that loss of core 1-derived O-glycans delays the onset and progression of breast cancer development. Deficiency of core 1 O-glycosylation impaired the localization of Muc1, a major O-glycoprotein, on the apical surfaces of mammary epithelium. Signaling mediated by Muc1, which is critical for breast cancer development, was also defective in the absence of core 1 O-glycans. This study reveals an unexpected role of core 1-derived O-glycans in breast cancer development in mice.     

Anti‐inflammatory effects of activated protein C on human dendritic cells

Activated protein C (APC) has an anticoagulant action and plays an important role in blood coagulation homeostasis. In addition to its anticoagulant action, APC is known to have cytoprotective effects, such as anti‐apoptotic action and endothelial barrier protection, on vascular endothelial cells and monocytes. However, the effects of APC on DCs have not been clarified. To investigate the effects of APC on human DCs, monocytes were isolated from peripheral blood and DC differentiation induced with LPS. APC significantly inhibited the production of inflammatory cytokines TNF‐α and IL‐6 during differentiation of immature DCs to mature DCs, but did not inhibit the production of IL‐12 and anti‐inflammatory cytokine IL‐10. Interestingly, treatment with 5 μg/mL, but not 25 μg/mL, of APC significantly enhanced production of IL‐10. In addition, protein C, which is the zymogen of APC, did not affect production of these cytokines. On the other hand, flow cytometric analysis of DC's surface molecules indicated that APC does not significantly affect expression of CD83, a marker of mDC differentiation, and the co‐stimulatory molecules CD40, CD80 and CD86. These results suggest that APC has anti‐inflammatory effects on human DCs and may be effective against some inflammatory diseases in which the pathogenesis involves TNF‐α and/or IL‐6 production.     

Pleiotrophin inhibits melanogenesis via Erk1/2‐MITF signaling in normal human melanocytes

Pleiotrophin (PTN) is a secreted heparin‐binding protein that is involved in various biological functions of cell growth and differentiation. Little is known about the effects of PTN on the melanocyte function and skin pigmentation. In this study, we investigated whether PTN would affect melanogenesis. PTN was expressed in melanocytes and fibroblasts of human skin. Transfection studies revealed that PTN decreased melanogenesis, probably through MITF degradation via Erk1/2 activation in melanocytes. The inhibitory action of PTN in pigmentation was further confirmed in ex vivo cultured skin and in the melanocytes cocultured with fibroblasts. These findings suggest that PTN is a crucial factor for the regulation of melanogenesis in the skin.     

The auxin transporter,OsAUX1, is involved in primary root and root hair elongation and in Cd stress responses in rice (Oryza sativa L.)

Auxin and cadmium (Cd) stress play critical roles during root development. There are only a few reports on the mechanisms by which Cd stress influences auxin homeostasis and affects primary root (PR) and lateral root (LR) development, and almost nothing is known about how auxin and Cd interfere with root hair (RH) development. Here, we characterize rice osaux1 mutants that have a longer PR and shorter RHs in hydroponic culture, and that are more sensitive to Cd stress compared to wild‐type (Dongjin). OsAUX1 expression in root hair cells is different from that of its paralogous gene, AtAUX1, which is expressed in non‐hair cells. However, OsAUX1, like AtAUX1, localizes at the plasma membrane and appears to function as an auxin tranporter. Decreased auxin distribution and contents in the osaux1 mutant result in reduction of OsCyCB1;1 expression and shortened PRs, LRs and RHs under Cd stress, but may be rescued by treatment with the membrane‐permeable auxin 1‐naphthalene acetic acid. Treatment with the auxin transport inhibitors 1‐naphthoxyacetic acid and N‐1‐naphthylphthalamic acid increased the Cd sensitivity of WT rice. Cd contents in the osaux1 mutant were not altered, but reactive oxygen species‐mediated damage was enhanced, further increasing the sensitivity of the osaux1 mutant to Cd stress. Taken together, our results indicate that OsAUX1 plays an important role in root development and in responses to Cd stress.