Mass spectrometric characterization of N- and O-glycans of plasma-derived coagulation factor VII

Factor VII (FVII) is a vitamin K-dependent glycoprotein which, in its activated form (FVIIa), participates in the coagulation process by activating factor X and factor IX. FVII is secreted as single peptide chain of 406 residues. Plasma-derived FVII undergoes many post-translational modifications such as γ-carboxylation, N- and O-glycosylation, β-hydroxylation. Despite glycosylation of recombinant FVIIa has been fully characterized, nothing is reported on the N- and O-glycans of plasma-derived FVII (pd-FVII) and on their structural heterogeneity at each glycosylation site. N- and O-glycosylation sites and site specific heterogeneity of pd-FVII were studied by various complementary qualitative and quantitative techniques. A MALDI-MS analysis of the native protein indicated that FVII is a 50.1 kDa glycoprotein modified on two sites by diantennary, disialylated non-fucosylated (A2S2) glycans. LC–ESIMS/MS analysis revealed that both light chain and heavy chain were N-glycosylated mainly by A2S2 but also by triantennary sialylated glycans. Nevertheless, lower amounts of triantennary structures were found on Asn₃₂₂ compared to Asn₁₄₅. Moreover, the triantennary glycans were shown to be fucosylated. In parallel, quantitative analysis of the isolated glycans by capillary electrophoresis indicated that the diantennary structures represented about 50% of the total glycan content. Glycan sequencing using different glycanases led to the identification of triantennary difucosylated structures. Last, MS and MS/MS analysis revealed that FVII is O-glycosylated on the light chain at position Ser₆₀ and Ser₅₂ which are modified by oligosaccharide structures such as fucose and Glc(Xyl)_0–1–2, respectively. These latter three O-glycans coexist in equal amounts in plasma-derived FVII.     

VEGF receptor protein-tyrosine kinases: structure and regulation

The human VEGF family consists of VEGF (VEGF-A), VEGF-B, VEGF-C, VEGF-D, and placental growth factor (PlGF). The VEGF family of receptors consists of three protein-tyrosine kinases (VEGFR1, VEGFR2, and VEGFR3) and two non-protein kinase co-receptors (neuropilin-1 and neuropilin-2). These components participate in new blood vessel formation from angioblasts (vasculogenesis) and new blood vessel formation from pre-existing vasculature (angiogenesis). Interaction between VEGFR1 and VEGFR2 or VEGFR2 and VEGFR3 alters receptor tyrosine phosphorylation.     

Opposing actions of Notch1 and VEGF in post-natal cardiac valve endothelial cells

The endothelium of the cardiac valves is unique compared the rest of the vasculature in its ability to undergo an endothelial-to-mesenchymal transformation (EMT) in vitro in response to transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β). EMT is a critical event during embryonic valve development, and both VEGF-A and Notch1 have been shown to function in this process. Here we investigate the effects of VEGF-A and Notch1 on EMT in clonal endothelial cell (EC) populations isolated from adult aortic valve leaflets. VEGF-A inhibited TGF-β-induced EMT. Endothelial growth, however, was not affected by VEGF-A or TGF-β. A positive role for Notch1 was revealed in three experiments: (1) TGF-β induced Notch1 mRNA in valve ECs, (2) a γ-secretase inhibitor of Notch1 signaling blocked EMT, and (3) overexpression of a ligand-independent form of Notch1 induced EMT. These results demonstrate, for the first time, that VEGF-A and Notch1 play opposing roles in regulating EMT in post-natal valve endothelium.     

自分泌运动因子受体在大鼠胃肠的定位

目的 研究自分泌运动因子受体在大鼠胃肠的表达及分布特点。方法应用免疫组织化学方法染色。结果在大鼠胃壁内有自分泌运动因子受体的表达,免疫反应产物主要定位于胃底腺,阳性细胞胞体大,胞核呈阴性,小肠和大肠组织均呈阴性反应。结论正常大鼠胃底腺有自分泌运动因子受体的表达,提示可能参与胃腺的多种生理活动。     

Leukemia inhibitory factor contributes to hepatocyte-like differentiation of human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells

The current majority of protocols for hepatocyte differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are conducted using oncostatin M (OSM) as an inducer of hepatocyte-like maturation. As leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) and OSM share similar signaling pathways, we examined whether LIF could play a role in the hepatocyte differentiation process. A differentiation protocol was designed using LIF as a maturation cytokine and this was compared with standard and control protocols applied to human MSCs of bone marrow origin. We observed that mesenchymal-derived hepatocyte-like cells (MDHLCs) acquired similar morphological changes when exposed to LIF or to OSM. Using protein and gene expression assays, we noticed a comparable hepatic marker expression in both differentiation conditions. Furthermore, LIF and OSM allowed the acquisition of equivalent levels of hepatocyte-like functionality as attested by evaluation of urea secretion and glycogen deposition. However, no increase in the expression of hepatocyte-like features could be observed in MDHLCs after a combined exposition to LIF and OSM. In conclusion, we demonstrated that LIF can play a similar role as OSM in the hepatocyte differentiation process of human MSCs.     

Structure and functional analysis of the IGF-II/IGF2R interaction

Embryonic development and normal growth require exquisite control of insulin-like growth factors (IGFs). In mammals the extracellular region of the cation-independent mannose-6-phosphate receptor has gained an IGF-II-binding function and is termed type II IGF receptor (IGF2R). IGF2R sequesters IGF-II; imbalances occur in cancers and IGF2R is implicated in tumour suppression. We report crystal structures of IGF2R domains 11-12, 11-12-13-14 and domains 11-12-13/IGF-II complex. A distinctive juxtaposition of these domains provides the IGF-II-binding unit, with domain 11 directly interacting with IGF-II and domain 13 modulating binding site flexibility. Our complex shows that Phe19 and Leu53 of IGF-II lock into a hydrophobic pocket unique to domain 11 of mammalian IGF2Rs. Mutagenesis analyses confirm this IGF-II 'binding-hotspot', revealing that IGF-binding proteins and IGF2R have converged on the same high-affinity site.     

双歧杆菌四联活菌片对肝硬化白发性细菌性腹膜炎患者肠黏膜屏障和炎症因子的影响

目的探讨双歧杆菌四联活菌片对肝硬化自发性细菌性腹膜炎（SBP）患者肠黏膜屏障和炎症因子的影响。方法选择乙肝后肝硬化SBP患者68例,分为治疗组和对照组。两组患者均予以低盐饮食、护肝利尿、补充白蛋白和抗感染等基础治疗。治疗组在此基础上予以双歧杆菌四联活菌片口服,1．5g／次,3次／d,连用6周。结果治疗6周后,两组血浆内毒素、PCT和尿L／M比值比较均有明显下降（对照组比较P〈0．05,或治疗组比较P〈0．01）,且治疗组下降幅度明显优于对照组（P〈0．05）;两组血浆TNF-α、IL-6和IL-10水平均有明显下降（对照组比较P〈0．05,或治疗组比较P〈0．01）,且治疗组下降幅度明显优于对照组（P〈0．05）。治疗组临床总有效率明显高于对照组（χ2=8．17,P〈0．01）,治疗期间未发生严重的药物不良反应。结论双歧杆菌四联活菌片治疗肝硬化SBP患者具有较好的临床疗效及安全性,对患者肠黏膜屏障功能具有良好保护和改善作用,并能下降血浆TNF—α、IL-6和IL-10水平,具有辅助治疗肝硬化作用。