Analysis of mouse liver membrane proteins using multidimensional separations and tandem mass spectrometry

In the field of proteomic investigation, the analysis of membrane proteins still faces many technical challenges. A fundamental question in this puzzle is how to maintain a proper solvent environment to allow the hydrophobic proteins to remain solubilized. We propose that the denaturation of membrane proteins in a highly concentrated urea solution enables them to be ionized such that ionic exchange chromatography can be employed to separate them. The membrane proteins prepared from the mouse liver were dissolved in 6M guanidine hydrochloride, 20mM Tris-HCl, pH 9.0, and loaded onto a tandem chromatography apparatus coupled with Q-Sepharose FF and Sephacryl S-200HR. These columns were able to adsorb 97.87% of the membrane protein preparations. Using a linear NaCl (0-1.0M) gradient, the bound proteins were eluted out at 0.1-1.0M NaCl, and examined by SDS-PAGE. Furthermore the protein bands underwent excision and digestion with trypsin, followed by reverse-phase chromatography for the separation of the digested peptides and ionic-trap mass spectrometry for the identification of the proteins. From the SDS-PAGE gels, the overlap between proteins from neighboring bands was only 21.34%, indicating that the anionic-size exclusion coupling chromatography efficiently separated these membrane proteins. Of a total of 392 proteins identified, 306 were membrane proteins or membrane-associated proteins. Based on the calculation of hydrophobicity, the GRAVY scores of 83 proteins are greater than, or equal to, 0.00. Taking all of this evidence together, our results revealed that this approach is satisfactory for studies on the membrane proteome from the mouse liver.     

ATP-mediated cell–cell signaling in the organ of Corti: the role of connexin channels

Connexin 26 (Cx26) and connexin 30 (Cx30) form hemichannels that release ATP from the endolymphatic surface of cochlear supporting and epithelial cells and also form gap junction (GJ) channels that allow the concomitant intercellular diffusion of Ca²⁺ mobilizing second messengers. Released ATP in turn activates G-protein coupled P2Y₂ and P2Y₄ receptors, PLC-dependent generation of IP₃, release of Ca²⁺ from intracellular stores, instigating the regenerative propagation of intercellular Ca²⁺ signals (ICS). The range of ICS propagation is sensitive to the concentration of extracellular divalent cations and activity of ectonucleotidases. Here, the expression patterns of Cx26 and Cx30 were characterized in postnatal cochlear tissues obtained from mice aged between P5 and P6. The expression gradient along the longitudinal axis of the cochlea, decreasing from the basal to the apical cochlear turn (CT), was more pronounced in outer sulcus (OS) cells than in inner sulcus (IS) cells. GJ-mediated dye coupling was maximal in OS cells of the basal CT, inhibited by the nonselective connexin channel blocker carbenoxolone (CBX) and absent in hair cells. Photostimulating OS cells with caged inositol (3,4,5) tri-phosphate (IP₃) resulted in transfer of ICS in the lateral direction, from OS cells to IS cells across the hair cell region (HCR) of medial and basal CTs. ICS transfer in the opposite (medial) direction, from IS cells photostimulated with caged IP₃ to OS cells, occurred mostly in the basal CT. In addition, OS cells displayed impressive rhythmic activity with oscillations of cytosolic free Ca²⁺ concentration ([Ca²⁺]_i) coordinated by the propagation of Ca²⁺ wavefronts sweeping repeatedly through the same tissue area along the coiling axis of the cochlea. Oscillations evoked by uncaging IP₃ or by applying ATP differed greatly, by as much as one order of magnitude, in frequency and waveform rise time. ICS evoked by direct application of ATP propagated along convoluted cellular paths in the OS, which often branched and changed dynamically over time. Potential implications of these findings are discussed in the context of developmental regulation and cochlear pathophysiology.     

Easy Production of a Glycolipid Analogue Using Animal Cells in Culture

A glycolipid analogue, GM4‐type ganglioside, was obtained by a combination of chemical synthesis and biosynthetic processes in animal cells with dodecyl β‐D ‐galactoside (Gal C12) as primer. The primer was conveniently prepared in two steps: glycosylation, followed by deacetylation. The primer was introduced to mouse melanoma B16 cells to serve as substrate for cellular, enzyme‐catalyzed glycosylation. Incubation of the cells in the presence of the primer resulted in sialylation of the galactose residue to afford a GM4 analogue that was released from the cells to the culture medium. The strategy of preparation of the GM4 analogue described in this study is a viable alternative to the existing methods. The saccharide‐primer method is fast, convenient, not requiring expensive enzymes and glycosyl donors, and highly stereoselective.     

LPS下调小鼠肝脏、肠道羧酸酯酶表达

目的:研究细菌脂多糖(LPS)对小鼠肝脏、肠道羧酸酯酶表达及酶活性的影响。方法:小鼠经腹腔注射5.0mg/kg的LPS,对照组给予生理盐水,注射后24h处死小鼠,取肝脏和肠道组织。用qRT-PCR技术检测小鼠肝脏、肠道组织羧酸酯酶1和2(mCES1和mCES2)mRNA水平;Westernblot技术检测小鼠肝脏、肠道组织mCES1和mCES2蛋白表达水平。用分光光度计检测小鼠肝脏、肠道组织羧酸酯酶总活性。结果:LPS显著降低小鼠肝脏、肠道组织羧酸酯酶1和2的mRNA水平(P<0.05),同时LPS也显著降低小鼠肝脏、肠道组织羧酸酯酶的蛋白表达水平及酶活性(P<0.05)。结论:LPS造成的炎症状态可显著降低小鼠肝脏、肠道组织羧酸酯酶的表达及酶活性。     

Immunoexpression of Survivin in non-neoplastic lymphoid tissues and malignant lymphomas using a new monoclonal antibody reactive on paraffin sections

Survivin is a member of the inhibitor of apoptosis gene family, which is also implicated in mitosis regulation. Most reports in the literature impute poor prognosis to neoplasms with overexpression of this protein. The purpose of the present study is to validate and compare the immunohistochemical reactivity of malignant lymphomas and reactive lymphoid tissue using a new mouse monoclonal antibody to Survivin produced in our laboratory, 6-78. Survivin was detected by immunohistochemistry on tissue microarrays. It was shown that the antibody anti-Survivin 6-78 reliably stains formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded reactive and neoplastic lymphoid tissues, mostly in a nuclear pattern. We confirmed using this novel antibody that Survivin immunostaining has a tendency to be lower in reactive lymphoid tissues and low-grade B cell lymphomas than in aggressive lymphomas. This antibody may represent a useful tool for standardizing the study of the immunoexpression of Survivin in neoplasms.     

两步串联层析法纯化鼠抗人CD80单克隆抗体4E5

采用阴离子交换与凝胶过滤两步串联层析法,纯化了小鼠腹水来源的CD80阻断型单克隆抗体4E5。腹水样品经离心、过滤预处理后,在Tris-HCl缓冲溶液(pH8.0, 50mmol/L)条件下上阴离子交换柱对目的单抗进行捕集,采用0-0.5 mol/L NaCl浓度分步洗脱;含目的单抗的洗脱馏分再上凝胶过滤柱纯化,用PB缓冲溶液（pH7.2, 20mmol/L）洗脱,获得目的单抗4E5,其生物学活性高、纯度大于95%,抗体总回收率达61%。     

不同温度条件下小鼠囊胚OPS法玻璃化冷冻保存技术的研究

本实验采用OPS法在不同温度条件下对小鼠囊胚实施冷冻保存,研究用EDFS和EFS溶液冷冻保存囊胚的效率和提供不同温度下筛选玻璃化溶液的依据,为家畜和人类胚胎的冷冻保存建立模型。25℃室温和37℃恒温台条件下OPS一步法冷冻保存小鼠囊胚,EFS40和EDFS40冷冻组扩张囊胚率(92.31%,92.30%)与对照(97.26%)均无显著差异(P>0.05),但EDFS40孵化囊胚率(59.62%)显著低于对照组(83.56%)(P<0.05);二步法冷冻结果显示,采用EDFS30和EFS40均能高效保存小鼠囊胚,解冻后扩张囊胚率(95.69%和95.05%)和孵化率(80.48%和78.95%)与对照无显著差异(P>0.05)。当改为25℃室温不使用恒温台条件下,一步法冷冻的胚胎解冻后,仅EDFS40冷冻组扩张囊胚率和孵化囊胚率(85.96%和75.44%)与对照(96.05%和82.89%)无显著性差异(P>0.05);实施二步法冷冻的胚胎,解冻后EDFS30,EDFS40和EFS40组均获得理想效果,扩张囊胚率(92.03%-95.31%)及孵化囊胚率(67.19%-76.76%)与对照均无显著差异(96.05%和82.89%)(P>0.05)。据体外发育结果,选择最佳冷冻组胚胎移植给假孕4d的受体母鼠,其妊娠率和产仔率(90.90%和37.33%)与新鲜胚对照组(91.67%和42.33%)无显著差异(P>0.05)。结果证实,EDFS30、EDFS40和EFS40三种冷冻液在不同的温度条件和采用不同冷冻程序,均能成功保存小鼠囊胚。     

Toxicity of pufferfish Takifugu rubripes cultured in netcages at sea or aquaria on land

Marine pufferfish (family Tetraodontidae) are believed to accumulate tetrodotoxin (TTX) mainly in liver and ovary through the food chain by ingesting TTX-bearing organisms such as starfish, gastropods, crustacean, flatworms, ribbonworms, etc. Consequently, it is hypothesized that non-toxic pufferfish can be produced if they are cultured with TTX-free diets in netcages at sea or aquaria on land, where the invasion of TTX-bearing organisms is completely shut off. To confirm this hypothesis, more than 5000 specimens of the pufferfish (“torafugu”, Takifugu rubripes) cultured in such manners for 1–3 years were collected from several locations in Japan during 2001–2004, and toxicity of their livers and some other parts was examined according to the Japanese official mouse assay method for TTX. In addition, typical specimens were submitted to LC/MS analysis. The results showed that all the livers and other parts tested were ‘non-toxic’ in both of the mouse assay (less than 2 MU/g) and LC/MS analysis (less than 0.1 MU/g). Thus, it is undoubtedly confirmed that pufferfish are intoxicated through the food chain, and non-toxic pufferfish can be successfully produced by netcage or land culture. The livers from these fish can be used with safety as a Japanese traditional food “fugu-kimo” (puffer liver).     

The temporal and spatial expression pattern of myosin Va, Vb and VI in the mouse ovary

There are 16 classes of unconventional myosins. Class V myosins have been shown to be involved in transporting cargo to and from the cell periphery. Class VI myosins have also been shown to transport cargo from the cell periphery, although it seems that these proteins have many roles which include the mediation of cell migration and stereocillia stabilisation. With the requirement of myosin VI for Drosophila oogenesis, the localised expression of Myosin V in the developing egg chamber and recent mounting evidence which links myosin VI to the migration of human ovarian cancer cell lines, we wanted to investigate the expression pattern of these two myosin classes in the normal mouse ovary. Here we show that these myosins are expressed, localised and regulated within the oocyte and granulosa cells of the developing mouse follicle.