Mediation of burn-induced hypermetabolism by CRF receptor-2 activity

Hypermetabolism and anorexia are significant problems associated with major burn trauma. Recent studies have implicated hypothalamic peptides and receptors of the corticotropin releasing factor (CRF) family as putative mediators of burn-induced hypermetabolism. Increased neuronal activity at the CRF type 2 receptor (CRF R-2) appeared particularly involved in the expression of elevated resting energy expenditure (REE) following major burn trauma. In the present study we continued these investigations of CRF R-2 mediation of burn-induced hypermetabolism, demonstrating that 3rd ventricle injection of CRF R-2 antisense oligodeoxynucleotide (ODN) normalized REE in burned rats. Similar treatments with CRF or CRF R-1 antisense ODNs had no significant effect in burned rats. In addition, 3rd ventricle injection of the selective CRF R-2 antagonist, antisauvagine-30, also reduced REE significantly in burned rats, while similar treatment with the selective CRF R-1 antagonist, antalarmin, was without effect. To determine which endogenous peptide was altered following burn we measured hypothalamic levels of urocortin (UCN) and CRF 15 days after burn injury, finding UCN was significantly elevated by nearly 3-fold, while CRF level tended to be decreased. We also assessed hypothalamic mRNA peptide and receptor expression by real-time PCR 7, 14, and 21 days post-burn, observing decreased CRF expression 7 and 21 days post-burn, decreased UCN-2 expression 7 days post-burn, and no significant alteration in UCN-1 at any time point. However, CRF R-2 mRNA was elevated at each post-burn time point. These results continue to suggest that increased neuronal activity is integrally involved in the mediation of burn-induced hypermetabolism, and that one of the UCN peptides may be the endogenous ligand affecting this receptor.     

An oriP expression vector containing the HIV-1 Tat/TAR transactivation axis produces high levels of protein expression in mammalian cells

A mammalian gene expression vector based on cytomegalovirus (CMV)enhancer/promoter (CMVe/p) for the regulation of gene expression was further optimized by adding oriP elements derived from Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and the Tat/TAR transactivation axisfrom human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1). Using the Tat/TAR-oriP expression vector, a transient transfection system was optimized for an extended culture period to produce large amounts of secreted IL-2SA (an IL-2 mutein) in HKB11 cells. We observed a 4-fold increase in IL-2SA expression in cells transfected with vectors containing the HIV-1 transactivation axis (Tat/TAR) or oriP elements alone when compared to cells transfected with the control vector having a CMVe/p. Cells transfected with expression vectors equipped with both oriP and Tat/TAR showed an 18-fold increase in IL-2SA expression. This transient transfection system maintained high secretion of IL-2SA for a period of 10-day with no appreciable loss in expression. We demonstrate that during this 10-day culture period, it was possible to produce 1–100 mg of proteins using 500 μg of plasmid DNA. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

聚球藻7942高效泌氨突变种的获得及其泌氨、谷氨酰胺合成酶活性、光合和生长

将含有Ａｎａｂａｅｎａｓｐ．ＰＣＣ７１２０反义ｇｌｎＡ基因片段的穿梭表达质粒ｐＤＣ－ＡＴＧＳ转化单细胞蓝藻聚球藻Ｓｙｎｅ－ｃｈｏｃｏｃｃｕｓ　ｓｐ．ＰＣＣ７９４２,通过同源重组,外源ＤＮＡ定位整合到染色体上。经过抗菌素筛选,获得一种高效泌氨的Ｓｙｎｅｃhｏｃｏｃｃｕｓ　ｓｐ．７９４２突变种。将此突变种固定化在聚氨脂泡沫中后,定量测定其谷氨酰胺合成酶（ＧＳ）活性。结果表明,固定化后的突变藻培养９ｄ后泌氨活性比自由生活的野生藻高１５６倍,ＧＳ活性降低７３．６％;其生长速度与同条件下野生藻相近,７７Ｋ荧光光谱表明突变种固定化后光系统Ⅱ活性提高４４％。     

反义寡核苷酸对丙型肝炎病毒调控基因表达的体外抑制活性研究

为探讨反义寡核苷酸对丙型肝炎病毒的抑制活性,研究和开发新型抗ＨＣＶ药物。采用ＨＣＶ５’ＮＣＲ调控荧光素酶基因的稳定表达细胞株ＨｅｐＧ２．９７０６,评价了３条针对ＨＣＶ调控基因的ＡＳＯＤＮ,即ＨＣＶ３６３,ＨＣＶ３４９及ＨＣＶ２７９。将Ｌｉｐｏｆｅｃｔｉｎ包封的ＡＳＯＤＮ与ＨｅｐＧ２．９７０６细胞株每天作用５小时,连续３天后检测荧光素酶活性。     

应用反义RNA技术降低肿瘤细胞的耐药性

细胞内的Ｏ６－甲基鸟嘌呤－ＤＮＡ甲基转移酶（ＭＧＭＴ）能够修复亚硝脲药物造成的ＤＮＡ损伤,阻止亚硝脲药物对肿瘤的杀伤作用,使细胞对亚硝脲药物产生耐药性．我们曾经构建了三个表达ＭＧＭＴ反义ＲＮＡ的逆转录病毒载体,导入对亚硝脲呈抗性的ＨｅＬａＳ３细胞,并...     

EB病毒4种反义寡核苷酸片段对鼻咽癌SUNE—1细胞株的影响

用不同浓度的ＥＢ病毒４种（ＢＨＲＦ１、ＤＮＡ酶、核抗原－１及胸苷激酶）反义寡核苷酸片段,（ａｎｔｉｓｅｎｓｅ ｏｌｉｇｏｄｅｏｘｙｎｕｃｌｅｏｔｉｄｅ,ＡＳＯ）分别与含１０％胎牛血清或不含胎牛血清的人人低分化鼻咽癌细胞株（ＳＵＮＥ－１）共同培养４８ｈ。结果仅适当浓度的ＢＨＲＦ１－ＡＳＯ能引起无血清培养的ＳＵＮＥ－１细胞株增殖明显受抑制,透射电镜及琼脂糖凝胶电泳检测结果发现ＳＵＮＥ－１细胞发生调亡有     

Tat碱性结构域-Bcl-Xs融合蛋白与细胞短暂共培养可诱导细胞程序性死亡

艾滋病毒的 Tat蛋白碱性结构域的 1 3个氨基酸的多肽能自主穿越细胞膜并将与之融合表达的其他蛋白带入细胞 .为探讨融合表达的蛋白是否可保持原有的主要生物学功能 ,将 Bcl- Xs蛋白与 Tat碱性结构域在大肠杆菌中融合表达 ,重组蛋白 Tat- Bcl- Xs与 CHO、CNE、Hela和 772 1细胞共温育一段时间后 ,细胞均可见明显生长抑制 ,同时细胞变圆、变小、细胞核收缩 ,并有染色体凝聚、边缘化 ,或细胞核分裂为小核的现象 ,同时出现梯状 DNA,为较典型的细胞程序性死亡 ( PCD)表现 .同时发现放线菌素 D、雷公藤内脂醇与 Tat- Bcl- Xs在诱导细胞 PCD时存在交互作用 .提示Tat- Bcl- Xs蛋白可自主进入细胞内 ,并保持了 Bcl- Xs蛋白的 PCD诱导作用 ,初步证实了利用 Tat碱性结构域进行药物设计的可行性 ,同时也提示 Tat- Bcl- Xs蛋白可能可作为多种药物联合治疗中的一员而在抗肿瘤治疗中发挥作用