荧光定量PCR检测家蚕核型多角体病毒在其宿主体内的增殖动态

为了研究家蚕核型多角体病毒(Bombyx mori nuclear polyhedrosis virus,BmNPV)在其宿主幼虫体内不同组织中的增殖动态,对敏感性家蚕品种306幼虫进行经口定量滴注病毒。在接种后9个时间点,对中肠、血淋巴和脂肪体进行取样。以BmNPV DNA 聚合酶基因(dnapol)指示病毒拷贝数,同时以家蚕细胞质肌动蛋白A3(actin A3)基因作为参比基因,用荧光定量PCR的方法分别检测各个时间点的中肠、血淋巴和脂肪体中病毒的拷贝数。结果表明经口感染2 h,病毒进入中肠;12 h,病毒已经到达血淋巴和脂肪体;再经过约12 h的潜伏期,病毒在各组织中开始快速增殖,到84 h各组织中病毒增殖达到平台期。     

Cytokine gene polymorphisms in endemic pemphigus foliaceus: a possible role for IL6 variants

Endemic pemphigus foliaceus (EPF) is a complex autoimmune disease characterized by the presence of antibodies against desmoglein 1, which lead to the loss of adhesion among keratinocytes (acantholysis). Variants of HLA class II genes have been the only genetic factors found to modulate susceptibility to EPF. This study aims at investigating the influence of cytokine genetic variants in the pathogenesis of EPF, since they may affect the expression levels of these immunomodulatory molecules. The sample included 168 patients and 189 controls and was comprised of mostly Caucasoids and Mulattos. The approach consisted of a case-control association study and the alleles were identified by mismatched PCR-RFLP. No associations were found with variants of IL1A, IL1B, IL1RN, IL4R and IL10. There was a weak negative association with the haplotype -1082G -592C (OR=0.49) of the IL10 gene in Mulattos. In regard to polymorphism -590 of the IL4 gene, a positive association with the T/T genotype (OR=2.71) and a negative association with the C variant (OR=0.37) were found. Associations with IL6 -174 variants suggest that the C/C genotype has a protective effect (OR=0.13) while carriers of the G allele are more susceptible (OR=7.66) to EPF.     

Expression,surface immobilization,and characterization of functional recombinant cannabinoid receptor CB2

Human peripheral cannabinoid receptor CB₂, a G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) involved in regulation of immune response has become an important target for pharmaceutical drug development. Structural and functional studies on CB₂ may benefit from immobilization of the purified and functional receptor onto a suitable surface at a controlled density and, preferably in a uniform orientation. The goal of this project was to develop a generic strategy for preparation of functional recombinant CB₂ and immobilization at solid interfaces. Expression of CB₂ as a fusion with Rho-tag (peptide composed of the last nine amino acids of rhodopsin) in E. coli was evaluated in terms of protein levels, accessibility of the tag, and activity of the receptor. The structural integrity of CB₂ was tested by ligand binding to the receptor solubilized in detergent micelles, captured on tag-specific monoclonal 1D4 antibody-coated resin. Highly pure and functional CB₂ was obtained by sequential chromatography on a 1D4- and Ni-NTA-resin and its affinity to the 1D4 antibody characterized by surface plasmon resonance (SPR). Either the purified receptor or fusion CB₂ from the crude cell extract was captured onto a 1D4-coated CM4 chip (Biacore) in a quantitative fashion at uniform orientation as demonstrated by the SPR signal. Furthermore, the accessibility of the extracellular surface of immobilized CB₂ and the affinity of interaction with a novel monoclonal antibody NAA-1 was studied by SPR. In summary, we present an integral strategy for purification, surface immobilization, ligand- and antibody binding studies of functional cannabinoid receptor CB₂.     

Liposome Vector Containing Biosurfactant-Complexed DNA as Herpes Simplex Virus Thymidine Kinase Gene Delivery System

For injectable-sized liposome complexed with DNA (lipoplexes) with high transfection efficiency of genes, we initially prepared small-sized liposomes by addition of biosurfactant. For selectivity of gene expression, the thymidine kinase (MK-tk) gene controlled by midkine was used for herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase (HSV-tk) gene therapy. Liposomes composed of 3([N-(N′,N′–dimethylaminoethane)-carbamoyl] cholesterol (DC-Chol), L-dioleoylphosphatidylethanolamine (DOPE), and a biosurfactant, such as β-sitosterol β-D-glucoside (Sit-G) for Sit-G-liposomes and mannosylerythrytol lipid A (MEL) for MEL-liposomes, produced about 300-nm-sized lipoplexes. Sit-G- and MEL-liposomes showed higher transfection efficiency of the luciferase marker gene and thymidine kinase activity in the presence of serum in the cells. The treatment with transfection of MK-tk gene by Sit-G-liposome and injection of ganciclovir significantly reduced tumor growth in a solid tumor model, compared with that by Sit-G-liposome alone. This finding suggested that Sit-G-liposome is a potential vector for HSV-tk gene therapy.     

Urine 3-hydroxykynurenine is higher during the postovulatory phase than in the preovulatory phase indicating a higher vitamin B6 requirement

The relationship between l-tryptophan to nicotinamide metabolism and the menstrual cycle of Japanese women was investigated. Nine metabolism intermediates from urine samples collected during the preovulatory and postovulatory phases were measured. Only urine 3-hydroxykynurenine was higher in the postovulatory phase than in the preovulatory phase. This increase in 3-hydroxykynurenine suggests a decreased reaction of 3-hydroxykynurenine?→?3-hydroxyanthranilic acid catalyzed by kynureninase, a vitamin B₆ enzyme.     

Isolation and Characterization of Two Plasmids in Bacillus subtilis var. amylosacchariticus

Five bufadienolides (1-5) isolated from the leaves of Kalanchoe pinnata and K. daigremontiana×tubiflora (Crassulaceae) were examined for their inhibitory effects on Epstein-Barr virus early antigen (EBV-EA) activation in Raji cells induced by the tumor promoter, 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate. All bufadienolides showed inhibitory activity, and bryophyllin A (1) exhibited the most marked inhibition (IC₅₀=0.4 μM) among the tested compounds. Bryophyllin C (2), a reduction analogue of 1, and bersaldegenin-3-acetate (3) lacking the orthoacetate moiety were less active. These results strongly suggest that bufadienolides are potential cancer chemopreventive agents.     

Evaluation of 3-(4′-(4″-fluorophenyl)-6′-phenylpyrimidin-2′-yl)-2-phenylthiazolidin-4-one for in vivo modulation of biomarkers of chemoprevention in the 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene-induced hamster buccal pouch carcinogenesis

A new bis heterocycle comprising both bioactive 2-aminopyrimidine and thiazolidin-4-one nuclei namely 3-(4′-(4″-fluorophenyl)-6′-phenylpyrimidin-2′-yl)-2-phenylthiazolidin-4-one 3 was synthesized, characterized with the help of melting point, elemental analysis, FT-IR, MS, one-dimensional NMR (¹H, ¹³C) spectra and we evaluated the chemopreventive potential of 3-(4′-(4″-fluorophenyl)-6′-phenylpyrimidin-2′-yl)-2-phenylthiazolidin-4-one based on in vivo inhibitory effects on 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA)-induced hamster buccal pouch carcinogenesis. Administration of 3 effectively suppressed oral carcinogenesis initiated with DMBA as revealed by the reduced incidence of neoplasms. Lipid peroxidation, glutathione (GSH) content, and the activities of glutathione peroxidase (GPx), glutathione S-transferase (GST) were used to biomonitor the chemopreventive potential of 3. Lipid peroxidation was found to be significantly decreased, whereas GSH, GPx, GST, and GGT were elevated in the oral mucosa of tumor-bearing animals. Our data suggest that 3 may exert its chemopreventive effects in the oral mucosa by modulation of lipid peroxidation and enhancing the levels of GSH, GPx, and GST.     

血清TRAF-6、MCP-1、sTREM-1、IL-33水平与脓毒症严重程度及与合并急性肾损伤关系的临床分析

目的:探讨脓毒症患者血清肿瘤坏死因子受体相关因子(Tumor necrosis factor receptor-related factor,TRAF)-6、单核细胞趋化蛋白(Monocyte chemotactic protein,MCP)-1、可溶性髓样细胞触发受体(Soluble myeloid cell trigger receptor,s TREM)-1、白介素(Interleukin,IL)-33水平的变化及与病情严重程度及合并急性肾损伤(acute kidney injury, AKI)的相关性。方法:选择2014年2月到2018年7月在我医院ICU病房进行诊治的脓毒症患者145例,分析脓毒症相关性急性肾损伤(sepsis-associated AKI,SAKI)的发生情况,比较SAKI和非SAKI患者血清TRAF-6、MCP-1、s TREM-1、IL-33水平,采用Pearson相关分析血清TRAF-6、MCP-1、s TREM-1、IL-33含量与APACHEⅡ评分、SOFA评分的相关性,多因素logistic回归分析脓毒症患者发生SAKI的影响因素。结果:在145例患者中,发生SAKI者69例,发生率为47.6%。SAKI组患者的年龄、性别、原发病、白细胞(white blood cell,WBC)计数、C反应蛋白(C reactive protein,CRP)、降钙素原(procalcitonin,PCT)、体重指数、BUN、Scr与eGFR值与非SAKI组患者对比差异均无统计学意义(P0.05)。SAKI组患者APACHEⅡ评分、SOFA评分血清TRAF-6、MCP-1、s TREM-1、IL-33含水平含量均显著高于非SAKI组患者(P0.05)。Pearson相关性分析显示血清TRAF-6、MCP-1、s TREM-1、IL-33水平与SAKI患者的急性生理和慢性健康Ⅱ(acute physiology and chronic health evaluation II,APACHEⅡ)评分、序贯多器官功能障碍(sequential organ failure assessment,SOFA)评分均呈显著正相关性(P0.05)。logistic回归分析显示血清TRAF-6、MCP-1、s TREM-1、IL-33水平升高均为影响SAKI发生的独立危险因素(P0.05)。结论:血清TRAF-6、MCP-1、s TREM-1、IL-33水平与脓毒症严重程度显著相关,可能作为诊断和治疗SAKI的参考指标及干预靶点。     

猪流行性腹泻病毒经其附属蛋白抑制细胞凋亡

【背景】orf3位于猪流行性腹泻病毒(porcine epidemic diarrhea virus,PEDV) s基因与e基因之间,是目前发现的PEDV唯一一个附属基因,编码附属蛋白(ORF3蛋白)。我们前期研究初步发现ORF3蛋白对PEDV诱导的细胞凋亡有影响。【目的】研究ORF3蛋白在PEDV侵染复制过程中的毒力作用机制。【方法】实验用3种PEDV:rDR13att-?ORF3 (orf3基因全部敲除)、DR13-ORF3att (携带有C端截短orf3)、rDR13att-ORF3wt(携带全长orf3基因)感染Vero细胞,观察病变情况,再用活细胞成像仪、流式细胞仪、 DNA断裂的原位末端标记法[terminaldeoxynucleotidyltransferase(TDT)-mediated dUTP nick end labeling,TUNEL]等方法检测不同感染时间点的细胞凋亡情况,然后用蛋白质印迹方法分析PEDV感染宿主细胞中主要凋亡相关蛋白(如Caspase-3)的活化或裂解,最后进行转录组测序研究病毒感染细胞中差异基因的表达情况,再用荧光定量PCR验证转录组结果。【结果】rDR13att-?ORF3引起较多的细胞病变,活细胞成像仪的动态观察结果显示,3种病毒侵染的细胞凋亡水平随着时间的延长均高于正常阴性细胞,但敲除orf3的病毒感染细胞后细胞凋亡率比其他两种病毒更高;敲除orf3病毒感染细胞凋亡率显著高于其他两种病毒;病毒rDR13att-?ORF3感染细胞后TUNEL阳性细胞数比DR13-ORF3att和rDR13att-ORF3wt更多;表达ORF3蛋白的重组PEDV可以抑制Caspase-3的活化;ORF3蛋白对受感染细胞Heat shock 70 kD protein 1B (HSP70)基因转录有促进作用,荧光定量PCR结果表明rDR13att-ORF3wt感染细胞的HSP70表达量高于rDR13att-?ORF3感染细胞。【结论】PEDV通过ORF3蛋白抑制细胞凋亡,而且这种作用可能是通过抑制Caspase-3的活化或增加HSP70的产生来完成的。