Circulating soluble CD4 directly prevents host resistance and delayed-type hypersensitivity response to Cryptococcus neoformans in mice

In the present study, we examined the effect of soluble CD4 (sCD4) on host resistance and delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) response to Cryptococcus neoformans using a novel mutant mouse that exhibits a defect in the expression of membrane-bound CD4 but secretes high levels of sCD4 in the serum. In these mice, host resistance to this pathogen was impaired as indicated by an increased number of live pathogens in the lung. To elucidate the mechanism of immunodeficiency, three different sets of experiments were conducted. First, administration of anti-CD4 mAb restored the attenuated host defense. Second, in CD4 gene-disrupted (CD4KO) mice, host resistance was not attenuated compared to control mice. Third, implantation of sCD4 gene-transfected myeloma cells rendered the CD4KO mice susceptible to this infection, while similar treatment with mock-transfected cells did not show such an effect. These results indicated that immunodeficiency in the mutant mice was attributed to the circulating sCD4 rather than to the lack of CD4+ T cells. In addition, DTH response to C. neoformans evaluated by footpad swelling was reduced in the mutant mice compared to that in the control, and the reduced response was restored by the administration of anti-CD4 mAb. Finally, serum levels of IFN-gamma, IL-12 and IL-18 in the mutant mice were significantly reduced, while there was no difference in Th2 cytokines, such as IL-4 and IL-10. Considered collectively, our results demonstrated that sCD4 could directly prevent host resistance and DTH response to C. neoformans through interference with the production of Th1-type cytokines.     

CD63在戊型肝炎病毒感染中的作用机制

本研究旨在寻找戊型肝炎病毒(hepatitis E virus,HEV)衣壳蛋白ORF2的相互作用蛋白,探讨其在HEV感染中的作用。采用酵母双杂交方法从人肝细胞文库中筛选与HEV ORF2相互作用的蛋白,结果显示CD63与HEV ORF2相互作用。Pull-down实验提示原核表达的ORF2与CD63结合较弱,而免疫共沉淀实验提示真核表达的ORF2能与CD63结合。流式细胞术检测结果显示,HEV易感细胞PLC/PRF/5细胞膜表面的CD63表达水平普遍低于HEV非易感细胞。过表达CD63抑制PLC/PRF/5细胞的HEV感染,而小干扰RNA(small interfering RNA,siRNA)干扰CD63表达则促进HEV感染。结果提示,CD63能与HEV ORF2相互作用,可能抑制HEV感染肝细胞。     

Detection of an intermediate during the unfolding process of the dimeric ketosteroid isomerase

Failure to detect the intermediate in spite of its existence often leads to the conclusion that two-state transition in the unfolding process of the protein can be justified. In contrast to the previous equilibrium unfolding experiment fitted to a two-state model by circular dichroism and fluorescence spectroscopies, an equilibrium unfolding intermediate of a dimeric ketosteroid isomerase (KSI) could be detected by small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) and analytical ultracentrifugation. The sizes of KSI were determined to be 18.7A in 0M urea, 17.3A in 5.2M urea, and 25.1A in 7M urea by SAXS. The size of KSI in 5.2M urea was significantly decreased compared with those in 0M and 7M urea, suggesting the existence of a compact intermediate. Sedimentation velocity as obtained by ultracentrifugation confirmed that KSI in 5.2M urea is distinctly different from native and fully-unfolded forms. The sizes measured by pulse field gradient nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy were consistent with those obtained by SAXS. Discrepancy of equilibrium unfolding studies between size measurement methods and optical spectroscopies might be due to the failure in detecting the intermediate by optical spectroscopic methods. Further characterization of the intermediate using (1)H NMR spectroscopy and Kratky plot supported the existence of a partially-folded form of KSI which is distinct from those of native and fully-unfolded KSIs. Taken together, our results suggest that the formation of a compact intermediate should precede the association of monomers prior to the dimerization process during the folding of KSI.     

双波长法用于磺酸型树脂吸附BSA和trypsin的研究

考察了H^ 和Na^ 变化对紫外吸收单波长法、双波长法和考马斯亮蓝法的影响。结果表明双波长法比考马斯亮蓝法和单波长法稳定性要好。选择双波长法用于磺酸型离子交换树脂吸附胰蛋白酶(trypsin)和牛血清白蛋白(BSA)的检测,结果表明：交换容量为4-88mmol／g的树脂对BSA和trypsin的吸附速率和饱和吸附量均高于交换容量为3．17mmol／g的树脂。     

Cell death induced by Pteris semipinnata L. is associated with p53 and oxidant stress in gastric cancer cells

In this study, we demonstrated that Ent-11alpha-hydroxy-15-oxo-kaur-16-en-19-oic-acid (5F) had stronger cytotoxicity against MKN-45, a gastric cancer cell line bearing wild-type p53 than MKN-28, another gastric cancer cell line containing missense mutation in p53. The rapid increase of ROS level was involved in the mechanism of cytotoxicity. Classical features of apoptosis induced by 5F were observed in MKN-45 cells only or more significant in MKN-45 cells than MKN-28 cells. Translocation of Bax from cytosol to mitochondria, reduction of delta psi m and DNA fragmentation were induced by 5F in the p53-dependent manner. We conclude that the expression of Bax and its downstream molecules requires the presentation of a wild-type p53 in the cells treated by 5F.     

CD38基因敲除的淋巴瘤细胞株构建

摘要 目的：构建Luc⁺CD38^-的Raji细胞株,并进行功能的初步验证,为后期探索淋巴瘤细胞CD38位点免疫逃逸现象奠定基础。方法：通过CRISPR-cas9技术和PiggyBac(PB)转座子系统,对Luc⁺Raji细胞的CD38基因位点进行敲除,构建Luc⁺CD38^-Raji细胞株,使用流式细胞术检测与Luc⁺CD38^-Raji细胞株以1：1的比例共孵育CD19 CAR-T和CD38 CAR-T以及未转导的原始T细胞表面活化因子CD69的表达水平,荧光素酶检测法检测上述几组效应细胞对Luc⁺CD38^-Raji细胞株的杀伤效率。结果：成功构建Luc⁺CD38^-Raji细胞,激活实验结果显示,CD19 CAR-T与CD38 CAR-T均可以被Luc⁺Raji细胞激活。而Luc⁺CD38^-Raji19号单克隆细胞由于缺失CD38的表达,仅能够激活CD19 CAR-T。杀伤实验结果显示,两种CAR-T细胞均能够对Luc⁺Raji细胞进行杀伤,而CD38 CAR-T对Luc⁺CD38^-Raji19号单克隆细胞的杀伤效率与原始的T细胞相似。结论：成功构建了Luc⁺CD38^-Raji细胞株,为后期探索淋巴瘤CD38位点免疫逃逸现象奠定基础。     

The formation of titan cells in Cryptococcus neoformans depends on the mouse strain and correlates with induction of Th2‐type responses

Cryptococcus neoformans is a pathogenic yeast that can form titan cells in the lungs, which are fungal cells of abnormal enlarged size. Little is known about the factors that trigger titan cells. In particular, it is not known how the host environment influences this transition. In this work, we describe the formation of titan cells in two mouse strains, CD1 and C57BL/6J. We found that the proportion of C. neoformans titan cells was significantly higher in C57BL/6J mice than in CD1. This higher proportion of titan cells was associated with a higher dissemination of the yeasts to the brain. Histology sections demonstrated eosinophilia in infected animals, although it was significantly lower in the CD1 mice which presented infiltration of lymphocytes. Both mouse strains presented infiltration of granulocytes, but the amount of eosinophils was higher in C57BL/6J. CD1 mice showed a significant accumulation of IFN‐γ, TNF‐α and IL17, while C57BL/BL mice had an increase in the anti‐inflammatory cytokine IL‐4. IgM antibodies to the polysaccharide capsule and total IgE were more abundant in the sera from C57BL/6J, confirming that these animals present a Th2‐type response. We conclude that titan cell formation in C. neoformans depends, not only on microbe factors, but also on the host environment.     

alpha2,6-Sialylation promotes binding of placental protein 14 via its Ca2+-dependent lectin activity: insights into differential effects on CD45RO and CD45RA T cells

Placental protein 14 (PP14; glycodelin) is a pregnancy-associated immunoregulatory protein that is known to inhibit T cells via T-cell receptor desensitization. The recent demonstration of PP14 as lectin has provided insight into how it may mediate its CD45 glycoprotein-dependent T-cell inhibition. In this study, we have investigated PP14's lectin-binding properties in detail. Significantly, PP14 reacts with N-acetyllactosamine (LacNAc) as was also found for members of the galectin family, such as the potent immunoregulatory protein, galectin-1. However, in contrast to galectin-1, PP14's binding is significantly enhanced by alpha2,6-sialylation and also by the presence of cations. This was demonstrated by preferential binding to fetuin as compared with its desialylated variant asialofetuin (ASF) and by using free alpha2,6- versus alpha2,3-sialylated forms of LacNAc in competitive inhibition and direct solid-phase binding assays. Interestingly, from immunological point of view, PP14 also binds differentially to CD45 isoforms known to differ in their degree of sialylation. PP14 preferentially inhibits CD45RA+, as compared with CD45RO+ T cells, and preferentially co-capped this variant CD45 on the T-cell surface. Finally, we demonstrate that PP14 promotes CD45 dimerization and clustering, a phenomenon that may regulate CD45 activity.     

Absolute configuration of eremophilanoids by vibrational circular dichroism

The absolute configurations (AC) of natural occurring 6-hydroxyeuryopsin (1), of its acetyl derivative 2, and of eremophilanolide 8 were confirmed by comparison of the experimental vibrational circular dichroism (VCD) spectra with theoretical curves generated from density functional theory (DFT) calculations. Initial analyses were carried out using a Monte Carlo searching with the MMFF94 molecular mechanics force field. All MMFF94 conformers were further optimized using DFT at the B3LYP/6-31G(d) level of theory, followed by calculations of their vibrational frequencies at the B3LYP/6-31G(d,p); the VCD spectra of 2 and 8 were also calculated at the B3PW91/DGDZVP level of theory. Good agreement between theoretical and experimental VCD curves unambiguously verified the 4S,5R,6S absolute configuration for 1 and 2, and the 1S,4S,5R,6S,8S,10S configuration for 8.     

Properties of the reaction center of the thermophilic purple photosynthetic bacterium Chromatium tepidum

Reaction centers were purified from the thermophilic purple sulfur photosynthetic bacterium Chromatium tepidum. The reaction center consists of four polypeptides L, M, H and C, whose apparent molecular masses were determined to be 25, 30, 34 and 44 kDa, respectively, by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The heaviest peptide corresponds to tightly bound cytochrome. The tightly bound cytochrome c contains two types of heme, high-potential c-556 and low-potential c-553. The low-potential heme is able to be photooxidized at 77 K. The reaction center exhibits laser-flash-induced absorption changes and circular dichroism spectra similar to those observed in other purple photosynthetic bacteria. Whole cells contain both ubiquinone and menaquinone. Reaction centers contain only a single active quinone; chemical analysis showed this to be menaquinone. Reaction center complexes without the tightly bound cytochrome were also prepared. The near-infrared pigment absorption bands are red-shifted in reaction centers with cytochrome compared to those without cytochrome.