利用 CRISPR/Cas9 系统定向编辑黑腹果蝇Osiris24基因

Osiris基因在几丁质沉积过程中表达,可能参与昆虫表皮的发育。本研究利用CRISPR/Cas9 基因编辑系统对Osiris24基因进行编辑,进而观察Osiris24突变体果蝇的性状并且检测Osiris24的表达特征。在Osiris24第1外显子设计2个sgRNA靶位点,插入到pCFD4敲除载体骨架中,同时构建酵母Gal4蛋白序列的供体(donor)载体,将2个载体同时注射到nos-Cas9胚胎中获得G0代转基因果蝇。结果显示,G0代基因编辑阳性率为92.8%,Osiris24纯合突变体在胚胎或1龄幼虫期致死,杂合突变体未观察到可见表型。将阳性G0代雄虫与UAS-GFP雌虫杂交,检测不同龄期和不同组织GFP信号表达情况。结果发现,Osiris24在不同龄期幼虫中均有表达,幼虫期主要在体壁、气管、前肠和后肠高表达,蛹期主要在体壁和翅上表达,推测其在果蝇发育中发挥重要作用,本研究为深入探究Osiris基因功能提供了研究模型。     

腺病毒介导hIL-24抑制裸鼠肝癌荷瘤生长及其机制研究

为了研究腺病毒hIL-24抑制SMMC-7721肝癌细胞裸鼠荷瘤的生长抑制及其作用机制,构建了重组腺病毒载体pAdeasy-1-pTrack-CMV-hIL-24(Ad-hIL-24),经PacI线性化后转染QBI-293A细胞,多轮感染后收获高效价腺病毒重组病毒子。用SMMC-7721肝癌细胞使16只裸鼠致瘤,然后随机NS分成干预组、5-Fu组、Ad组和Ad-hIL-24组,进行抗肿瘤试验。四组均使用瘤体内注射干预用药,100μL/只NS组、Ad组(107pfu)和Ad-hIL-24组(107pfu)隔日一次,共注射5次;5-Fu组20μg/kg,连续注射5d。用药前、用药后1周和2周分别测皮下瘤体的长径(L)、短径(W),计算出瘤体体积,治疗开始后第15天,将裸鼠脱颈处死,摘取瘤体称重,计算出抑瘤率。显微镜观察细胞生长形态、免疫组化法测caspase3蛋白表达、P53及P27核内抑癌基因表达、CD34染色标记测定的MVD及VEGF蛋白表达。与NS组比较,Ad-hIL-24组与5-Fu组的抑瘤率分别为68.52%(P<0.01)和65.64%(P<0.01);镜下Ad-hIL-24组肿瘤组织的caspase3蛋白表达细胞数较其它3组呈显著性升高(P<0.01),P27核内抑癌基因表达细胞数也较NS组明显增高(P<0.01),CD34染色标记测定的CD34及VEGF较NS组和Ad组明显减少(P<0.001),P53未见明显变化。结论Ad-hIL-24可以显著抑制裸鼠SMMC-7721荷瘤的生长,其机制可能通过激活caspase途径、上调P27抑癌基因表达、抑制血管形成等多途径发挥抑瘤作用。     

Simultaneous measurement of plasma vitamin D(3) metabolites, including 4β,25-dihydroxyvitamin D(3), using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry

Simultaneous and accurate measurement of circulating vitamin D metabolites is critical to studies of the metabolic regulation of vitamin D and its impact on health and disease. To that end, we have developed a specific liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS) method that permits the quantification of major circulating vitamin D₃ metabolites in human plasma. Plasma samples were subjected to a protein precipitation, liquid–liquid extraction, and Diels–Alder derivatization procedure prior to LC–MS/MS analysis. Importantly, in all human plasma samples tested, we identified a significant dihydroxyvitamin D₃ peak that could potentially interfere with the determination of 1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D₃ [1α,25(OH)₂D₃] concentrations. This interfering metabolite has been identified as 4β,25-dihydroxyvitamin D₃ [4β,25(OH)₂D₃] and was found at concentrations comparable to 1α,25(OH)₂D₃. Quantification of 1α,25(OH)₂D₃ in plasma required complete chromatographic separation of 1α,25(OH)₂D₃ from 4β,25(OH)₂D₃. An assay incorporating this feature was used to simultaneously determine the plasma concentrations of 25OHD₃, 24R,25(OH)₂D₃, 1α,25(OH)₂D₃, and 4β,25(OH)₂D₃ in healthy individuals. The LC–MS/MS method developed and described here could result in considerable improvement in quantifying 1α,25(OH)₂D₃ as well as monitoring the newly identified circulating metabolite, 4β,25(OH)₂D₃.     

Induction of sister-chromatid exchanges by indirect mutagens/carcinogens in cultured rat hepatoma and esophageal tumor cells and in Chinese hamster Don cells co-cultivated with rat cells

2 rat cell lines originated from ascites hepatoma AH66-B and esophageal tumor R1 were examined for their inducibility of sister-chromatid exchanges (SCEs) after treatment with 14 kinds of indirect mutagens/carcinogens, including 6 amine derivatives, 4 azo compounds, 3 aromatic hydrocarbons and 1 steroid. Of the 14 chemicals tested, 2-acetylaminofluorene (AAF), butylbutanolnitrosamine (BBN), dimethylnitrosamine (DMN), cyclophosphamide (CP), urethane, 2-methyl-4-dimethylaminoazobenzene (2-MeDAB), 3′-methyl-4-dimethylaminoazobenzene (3′-MeDAB), 4-o-tolylazo-o-toluidine (4-TT), benzo[a]pyrene (BP), 7,12-dimethyl-benz[a]anthracene (DMBA) and diethylstilbestrol (DES) were estimated to be effective inducers of SCEs in AH66-B and/or R1 cells, without the use of exogenous activating systems. Cell-mediated SCE tests with 6 selected chemicals, CP, 2-MeDAB, 4-TT, BP, DMBA and DES, showed a significant increase of SCEs in Chinese hamster Don-6 cells co-cultivated with AH66-B or R1 cells, depending on the number and sensitivity of AH66-B or R1 cells, as well as on the dose of chemicals tested, whereas singly cultured Don-6 cells were much less sensitive or almost insensitive to these chemicals. The above findings suggest that AH66-B and R1 cells may retain metabolic activities to convert a wide range of indirect mutagens/carcinogens into their active forms to induce SCEs, and that these cell lines provide simple and reliable screening systems in vitro, including the cell-mediated SCE assay, for detection of genotoxic agents, without the use of exogenous activation systems.     

SPECIFICITY AND FUNCTION OF GLYCERALDEHYDE‐3‐PHOSPHATE DEHYDROGENASE IN A FRESHWATER DIATOM,ASTERIONELLA FORMOSA (BACILLARIOPHYCEAE)1

The plastidic glyceraldehyde‐3‐phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) catalyzes the only reductive step in the Calvin cycle and exists as different forms of which GapC1 enzyme is present in chromalveolates, such as diatoms. Biochemical studies on diatoms are still fragmentary, and, thus, in this report, GAPDH from the freshwater diatom Asterionella formosa Hassall has been purified and kinetically characterized. It is a homotetrameric enzyme with a molecular mass of ~150 ± 15 kDa. The enzyme showed Michaelis–Menten kinetics with respect to both cofactors, NADPH and NADH, with a 16‐fold greater catalytic constant for NADPH. The K_m for NADPH was 140 μM, the lowest affinity reported, while the catalytic constant, 815 s^?1, is the highest reported. The K_m for NADH was 93 μM, and the catalytic constant was 50 s^?1, both are similar to reported values for other types of GAPDH. The GapC1 enzyme, like the Chlamydomonas reinhardtii A₄ GAPDH, exhibits a cooperative behavior toward the substrate, 1,3‐bisphosphoglyceric acid (BPGA), with both cofactors. Mass spectrometry analysis showed that when GapC1 enzyme was purified without reducing agents, it copurified with a small protein with a mass of 8.2 kDa. This protein was recognized by antibodies against CP12. When associated with this protein, GAPDH displayed a lag that disappeared upon incubation with reducing agent in the presence of either BPGA or NADPH as a consequence of dissociation of the GAPDH/CP12 complex. Thus, as in other species of algae and higher plants, regulation of GapC1 enzyme in A. formosa may occur through association‐dissociation processes linked to dark‐light transitions.     

Effects of oxysterols on the blood–brain barrier: Implications for Alzheimer’s disease

Altered brain cholesterol homeostasis plays a key role in neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD). For a long time, the blood–brain barrier (BBB) was basically considered as a barrier isolating the brain from circulating cholesterol, however, several lines of evidence now suggest that the BBB strictly regulates the exchanges of sterol between the brain and the peripheral circulation. Oxysterols, synthesized by neurons or by peripheral cells, cross the BBB easily and modulate the expression of several enzymes, receptors and transporters which are involved not only in cholesterol metabolism but also in other brain functions. This review article deals with the way oxysterols impact BBB cells. These perspectives open new routes for designing certain therapeutical approaches that target the BBB so that the onset and/or progression of brain diseases such as AD may be modulated.     

Zucchini Yellow Fleck Virus is an Emergent Virus on Melon in Sicily (Italy)

Since 2006, winter melon plants (Cucumis melo L. var inodorus) showing symptoms of pin‐point yellow spots were noticed in Sicily (Italy). Leaf samples were tested by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay to the most important viruses‐infecting cucurbits. Zucchini yellow fleck virus (ZYFV, genus Potyvirus) was the only virus detected. Surveys in 2007 and 2008 revealed an increasing number of sites in Sicily with ZYFV‐infected winter melon plants. To confirm the identity of the virus as ZYFV, two isolates from different locations were sequenced and shown to be approximately 85% identical to the published sequences of isolates previously identified in Italy and France. This is the first report of ZYFV occurring on melon in Italy.