生长因子颗粒蛋白前体和肿瘤坏死因子受体基因启动子区改变与阿尔茨 海默病的相关性研究

目的:探讨生长因子颗粒蛋白前体(PGRN)、肿瘤坏死因子受体(TNFR)基因启动子区改变以及全基因组DNA甲基化与阿尔茨海默病的相关性。方法:收集阿尔茨海默病患者血液样本80例以及健康对照血液样本80例,PCR扩增PGRN和TNFR基因启动子区并进行测序,观察两组间的单核苷酸多态性位点是否有差异。同时,用甲基化特异性PCR法检测启动子区DNA甲基化情况以及用ELISA法检测全基因组DNA甲基化水平。结果:在TNFR基因启动子区域发现阿尔茨海默病和对照组之间在多态性位点rs4149570和rs4149569有显著性差异(P0.001和P=0.033)。阿尔茨海默病患者全基因组甲基化水平为(0.79±0.29)%,显著低于对照组的(1.00±0.36)%(P0.001)。结论:TNFR基因多态性位点rs4149570和rs4149569的变异可能与阿尔茨海默病相关,全基因组甲基化水平降低可能与阿尔茨海默病相关。     

动脉粥样硬化大鼠心肌梗死时钙敏感受体表达的变化及其作用机制

目的:探讨动脉粥样硬化大鼠心肌梗死时钙敏感受体表达的变化及其作用机制。方法:Wistar大鼠随机分为4组:正常对照组(Control);异丙肾上腺组(ISO);动脉硬化组(AS);动脉硬化+异丙肾上腺素组(AS/ISO)。采用腹腔注射VD3和高脂饮食及大剂量异丙肾上腺素(ISO 200 mg/kg)皮下注射复制大鼠在体动脉粥样硬化心肌梗死模型,应用RT-PCR测定心肌组织中Ca SR、Bax、Bcl-2和caspase-3 m RNA的表达变化;TUNEL染色观察心肌细胞凋亡情况;光镜观察心肌形态学变化;紫外分光法检测血清肌酸激酶(CK)、电化学免疫发光法检测肌钙蛋白T(c Tn T)水平。结果:与正常组比较,ISO组CK活性、c Tn T水平以及Ca SR、Bax和caspase-3的表达均增加,同时Bcl-2表达减少,心肌细胞损伤严重,AS/ISO的心肌损伤进一步加重。结论:Ca SR的表达增多参与了动脉硬化大鼠心肌梗死的发生,其机制可能与促进心肌细胞凋亡有关。     

Rendomab B4, a monoclonal antibody that discriminates the human endothelin B receptor of melanoma cells and inhibits their migration

Metastatic melanoma is an aggressive cancer with a poor prognostic, and the design of new targeted drugs to treat melanoma is a therapeutic challenge. A promising approach is to produce monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) against the endothelin B receptor (ETB), which is known to be overexpressed in melanoma and to contribute to proliferation, migration and vasculogenic mimicry associated with invasiveness of this cancer.

We previously described rendomab-B1, a mAb produced by DNA immunization. It is endowed with remarkable characteristics in term of affinity, specificity and antagonist properties against human ETB expressed by the endothelial cells, but, surprisingly, had poor affinity for ETB expressed by melanoma cells. This characteristic strongly suggested the existence of a tumor-specific ETB form. In the study reported here, we identified a new mAb, rendomab-B4, which, in contrast to rendomab-B1, binds ETB expressed on UACC-257, WM-266-4 and SLM8 melanoma cells. Moreover, after binding to UACC-257 cells, rendomab-B4 is internalized and colocalizes with the endosomal protein EEA-1. Interestingly, rendomab-B4, despite its inability to compete with endothelin binding, is able to inhibit phospholipase C pathway and migration induced by endothelin. By contrast, rendomab-B4 fails to decrease ERK1/2 phosphorylation induced by endothelin, suggesting a biased effect on ETB.

These particular properties make rendomab-B4 an interesting tool to analyze ETB-structure/function and a promising starting point for the development of new immunological tools in the field of melanoma therapeutics.     

The calcium‐sensing receptor and integrins modulate cerebellar granule cell precursor differentiation and migration

In the developing cerebellum granule cell precursors (GCPs) proliferate in the external granule cell layer before differentiating and migrating to the inner granule cell layer. Aberrant GCP proliferation leads to medulloblastoma, the most prevalent form of childhood brain cancer. Here, we demonstrate that the calcium‐sensing receptor (CaSR), a homodimeric G‐protein coupled receptor, functions in conjunction with cell adhesion proteins, the integrins, to enhance GCP migration and cell homing by promoting GCP differentiation. During the second postnatal week a robust peak in CaSR expression was observed in GCPs; reciprocal immunoprecipitation experiments conducted during this period established that the CaSR and β1 integrins are present together in a macromolecular protein complex. Analysis of cell‐surface proteins demonstrated that activation of the CaSR by positive allosteric modulators promoted plasma membrane expression of β1 integrins via ERK2 and AKT phosphorylation and resulted in increased GCP migration toward an extracellular matrix protein. The results of in vivo experiments whereby CaSR modulators were injected i.c.v. revealed that CaSR activation promoted radial migration of GCPs by enhancing GCP differentiation, and conversely, a CaSR inhibitor disrupted GCP differentiation and promoted GCP proliferation. Our results demonstrate that an ion‐sensing G‐protein coupled receptor acts to promote neuronal differentiation and homing during cerebellar maturation. These findings together with those of others also suggest that CaSR/integrin complexes act to transduce extracellular calcium signals into cellular movement, and may function in this capacity as a universal cell migration/homing complex in the developing brain. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Develop Neurobiol 76: 375–389, 2016     

Cannabinoid receptor 1 ligands revisited: Pharmacological assessment in the ACTOne system

In vitro cannabinoid pharmacology has evolved over time from simple receptor binding to include [³⁵S]GTPγ, β-arrestin, and cAMP assays. Each assay has benefits and drawbacks; however, no single functional system has been used for high-throughput evaluation of compounds from binding to pharmacological functionality and antagonist assessment in a well-characterized human cell line. In this study, we evaluated and validated one system—ACTOne human embryonic kidney cells transfected with a cyclic nucleotide gated channel and cannabinoid receptor 1 (CB1)—and compared human CB1 affinity, functional, and antagonistic effects on cAMP with previously published results. The study was conducted on a diverse group of CB1 ligands, including endocannabinoids and related compounds, 2-AG, AEA, MAEA, and ACEA, the phytocannabinoid Δ⁹ THC, and synthetic cannabinoids CP 55,940, WIN 55,212-2, SR 141716A, CP 945,598, and WIN 55,212-3. Our results were compared with literature values where human CB1 was used for affinity determination and cAMP was used as a functional readout. Here we report the first detailed evaluation of the ACTOne assay for the pharmacological evaluation of CB1 ligands. The results from the study reveal some interesting deviations from previously reported functional activities of the aforementioned ligands.     

Bacteriophage immobilized graphene electrodes for impedimetric sensing of bacteria (Staphylococcus arlettae)

Bacteriophages are a class of viruses that specifically infect and replicate within a bacterium. They possess inherent affinity and specificity to the particular bacterial cells. This property of bacteriophages makes them an attractive biorecognition element in the field of biosensor development. In this work, we report the use of an immobilized bacteriophage for the development of a highly sensitive electrochemical sensor for Staphylococcus arlettae, bacteria from the pathogenic family of coagulase-negative staphylococci (CNS). The specific bacteriophages were covalently immobilized on the screen-printed graphene electrodes. Thus, the fabricated bacteriophage biosensor displayed quantitative response for the target bacteria (S. arlettae) for a broad detection range (2.0–2.0 × 10⁶ cfu). A fast response time (2 min), low limit of detection (2 cfu), specificity, and stability over a prolonged period (3 months) are some of the important highlights of the proposed sensor. The practical utility of the developed sensor has been demonstrated by the analysis of S. arlettae in spiked water and apple juice samples.     

Neutralization of pro‐inflammatory monocytes by targeting TLR2 dimerization ameliorates colitis

Monocytes have emerged as critical driving force of acute inflammation. Here, we show that inhibition of Toll‐like receptor 2(TLR2) dimerization by a TLR2 transmembrane peptide (TLR2‐p) ameliorated DSS‐induced colitis by interfering specifically with the activation of Ly6C⁺ monocytes without affecting their recruitment to the colon. We report that TLR2‐p directly interacts with TLR2 within the membrane, leading to inhibition of TLR2–TLR6/1 assembly induced by natural ligands. This was associated with decreased levels of extracellular signal‐regulated kinases (ERK) signaling and reduced secretion of pro‐inflammatory cytokines, such as interleukin (IL)‐6, IL‐23, IL‐12, and IL‐1β. Altogether, our study provides insights into the essential role of TLR2 dimerization in the activation of pathogenic pro‐inflammatory Ly6C^hi monocytes and suggests that inhibition of this aggregation by TLR2‐p might have therapeutic potential in the treatment of acute gut inflammation.