Constitutive activation of nuclear factor-E2-related factor 2 induces biotransformation enzyme and transporter expression in livers of mice with hepatocyte-specific deletion of Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1

Chemicals that activate nuclear factor-E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) often increase multidrug-resistance-associated protein (Mrp) expression in liver. Hepatocyte-specific deletion of Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 (Keap1) activates Nrf2. Use of hepatocyte-specific Keap1 deletion represents a nonpharmacological method to determine whether constitutive Nrf2 activation upregulates liver transporter expression in vivo. The mRNA, protein expression, and localization of several biotransformation and transporters were determined in livers of wild-type and hepatocyte-specific Keap1-null mice. Sulfotransferase 2a1/2, NADP(H):quinone oxidoreductase 1, cytochrome P450 2b10, 3a11, and glutamate-cysteine ligase catalytic subunit expression were increased in livers of Keap1-null mice. Organic anion-transporting polypeptide 1a1 expression was nearly abolished, as compared to that detected in livers of wild-type mice. By contrast, Mrp 1-5 mRNA and protein levels were increased in Keap1-null mouse livers, with Mrp4 expression being more than 15-fold higher than wild types. In summary, Nrf2 has a significant role in affecting Oatp and Mrp expressions.     

提取工艺和植物生长调节剂对罗布麻愈伤组织中黄酮含量的影响

以罗布麻愈伤组织粉末为材,在单因素实验的基础上,利用响应曲面法对罗布麻愈伤组织中黄酮的提取工艺进行优化。响应曲面分析结果表明,提取试剂和提取温度对提取的黄酮含量存在显著影响。通过响应曲面分析得到罗布麻愈伤组织中黄酮提取的最佳条件为:提取试剂为70%甲醇,物料比1∶40,提取时间为4 h,提取温度为70℃。培养并比较了30种不同植物生长调节剂浓度与配比诱导100 d生长的愈伤组织中黄酮的含量,结果得出MB+KT(1.0 mg/L)+NAA(0.2 mg/L)上培养约100 d的愈伤组织中黄酮含量最高,为73.90mg/g。测定愈伤组织培养30 d内黄酮的积累动态,探明从培养的愈伤组织提取黄酮的最佳时段。通过优化提取工艺和筛选最佳植物生长调节剂浓度与配比,运用组织培养技术提高了罗布麻愈伤组织中黄酮含量。     

泽漆营养器官发育解剖学研究

采用石蜡切片法、半薄切片法对泽漆营养器官的发育过程进行了观察,同时对3种器官中乳汁管的分布和大小进行了分析。结果表明:泽漆根的发育类似于草本双子叶植物根的一般发育规律。初生木质部为三原型。茎的初生结构由表皮、皮层、维管束环和髓构成,其髓中有空腔,而茎的次生生长过程中维管形成层的活动短暂,仅产生少量次生维管组织,不形成周皮。叶的发育包括原分生组织、初生分生组织和成熟结构3个阶段,属于异面叶结构。泽漆乳汁管主要分布在维管束韧皮部的外侧。在3种器官中,乳汁管直径差异较大,依次为根>茎>叶。     

姜黄素诱导Nrf2核转位对氧化应激诱导人肝细胞胰岛素抵抗的影响

目的：研究姜黄素诱导转录因子NF-E2相关因子2（NF-E2-related factor 2,Nrf2）核转位对氧化应激诱导人肝细胞L02胰岛素抵抗的影响。方法：用15μM和30μM姜黄素干预L02肝细胞6 h和l2 h,Western blot检测Nrf2核转位水平;将肝细胞分为对照组、模型组、干预组,对照组用RPMI1640正常培养,模型组用100U/L葡萄糖氧化酶（GO）干预2 h,干预组用15μM和30μM姜黄素分别干预12h后给予100U/LGO干预2h,各细胞均给予100nM胰岛素干预30min。流式细胞术检测细胞内活性氧簇（ROS）,用荧光强度（FI）来表示ROS水平。分光光度法检测检测细胞MDA、GSH,葡萄糖氧化酶-过氧化物酶法检测细胞培养液中葡萄糖的水平,Western blot检测胰岛素受体底物-1（IRS-1）磷酸化水平。结果：①姜黄素明显诱导Nrf2核转位。②模型组FI、MDA水平较对照组显著升高（P〈0.01）,干预组FI、MDA水平均较模型组显著降低（P〈0.01）,姜黄素15μM组FI、MDA水平高于30μM组（P〈0.01）。模型组GSH水平较对照组显著降低（P〈0.01）,干预组GSH水平较模型组显著升高（P〈0.01）,姜黄素15μM组FI、MDA水平高于30μM组（P〈0.01）。③模型组上清液葡萄糖浓度显著高于对照组（P〈0.01）,干预组上清液葡萄糖浓度显著低于模型组（P〈0.01）,姜黄素15μM组上清液葡萄糖浓度高于30μM组（P〈0.01）。模型组IRS-1磷酸化水平较对照组降低,干预组IRS-1磷酸化水平均较模型组增高,姜黄素30μM组IRS-1磷酸化水平高于15μM组。结论：姜黄素通过诱导Nrf2核转位,降低细胞内氧化应激水平,进而逆转氧化应激诱导的胰岛素抵抗。     

Glutamate dehydrogenase in brain mitochondria: do lipid modifications and transient metabolon formation influence enzyme activity?

Metabolism of glutamate, the primary excitatory neurotransmitter in brain, is complex and of paramount importance to overall brain function. Thus, understanding the regulation of enzymes involved in formation and disposal of glutamate and related metabolites is crucial to understanding glutamate metabolism. Glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) is a pivotal enzyme that links amino acid metabolism and TCA cycle activity in brain and other tissues. The allosteric regulation of GDH has been extensively studied and characterized. Less is known about the influence of lipid modifications on GDH activity, and the participation of GDH in transient heteroenzyme complexes (metabolons) that can greatly influence metabolism by altering kinetic parameters and lead to channeling of metabolites. This review summarizes evidence for palmitoylation and acylation of GDH, information on protein binding, and information regarding the participation of GDH in transient heteroenzyme complexes. Recent studies suggest that a number of other proteins can bind to GDH altering activity and overall metabolism. It is likely that these modifications and interactions contribute additional levels of regulation of GDH activity and glutamate metabolism.     

Impact of transient stress and stress enzymes on development

Stress enzymes triggered by transient stress mediate reprioritization of developmental and homeostatic events to flexibly accomplish the next essential developmental event. This review analyzes recent studies on stress and stress enzyme function during early mammalian development and describes the diverse consequences that result from measurement, analysis of function, and management of stress and stress enzymes during development.     

Structures of the human eIF4E homologous protein, h4EHP, in its m7GTP-bound and unliganded forms

All eukaryotic cellular mRNAs contain a 5' m(7)GpppN cap. In addition to conferring stability to the mRNA, the cap is required for pre-mRNA splicing, nuclear export and translation by providing an anchor point for protein binding. In translation, the interaction between the cap and the eukaryotic initiation factor 4E (eIF4E) is important in the recruitment of the mRNAs to the ribosome. Human 4EHP (h4EHP) is a homologue of eIF4E. Like eIF4E it is able to bind the cap but it appears to play a different cellular role, possibly being involved in the fine-tuning of protein expression levels. Here we use X-ray crystallography and isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) to investigate further the binding of cap analogues and peptides to h4EHP. m(7)GTP binds to 4EHP 200-fold more weakly than it does to eIF4E with the guanine base sandwiched by a tyrosine and a tryptophan instead of two tryptophan residues as seen in eIF4E. The tyrosine resides on a loop that is longer in h4EHP than in eIF4E. The consequent conformational difference between the proteins allows the tyrosine to mimic the six-membered ring of the tryptophan in eIF4E and adopt an orientation that is similar to that seen for equivalent residues in other non-homologous cap-binding proteins. In the absence of ligand the binding site is incompletely formed with one of the aromatic residues being disordered and the side-chain of the other adopting a novel conformation. A peptide derived from the eIF4E inhibitory protein, 4E-BP1 binds h4EHP 100-fold less strongly than eIF4E but in a similar manner. Overall the data, combined with sequence analyses of 4EHP from evolutionary diverse species, strongly support the hypothesis that 4EHP plays a physiological role utilizing both cap-binding and protein-binding functions but which is distinct from eIF4E.     

UDP-N-acetylglucosamine 4'-epimerase from the intestinal protozoan Giardia intestinalis lacks UDP-glucose 4'-epimerase activity

The protozoan parasite Giardia intestinalis has a simple life cycle consisting of an intestinal trophozoite stage and an environmentally resistant cyst stage. The cyst is formed when a trophozoite encases itself within an external filamentous covering, the cyst wall, which is crucial to the cyst's survival outside of the host. The filaments in the cyst wall consist mainly of a beta (1-3) polymer of N-acetylgalactosamine. Its precursor, UDP-N-acetylgalactosamine, is synthesized from fructose 6-phosphate by a pathway of five inducible enzymes. The fifth, UDP-N-acetylglucosamine 4'-epimerase, epimerizes UDP-N-acetylglucosamine to UDP-N-acetylgalactosamine reversibly. The epimerase of G. intestinalis lacks UDP-glucose/UDP-galactose 4'-epimerase activity and shows characteristic amino acyl residues to allow binding of only the larger UDP-N-acetylhexosamines. While the Giardia epimerase catalyzes the reversible epimerization of UDP-N-acetylglucosamine to UDP-N-acetylgalactosamine, the reverse reaction apparently is favored. The enzyme has a higher Vmax and a smaller Km in this direction. Therefore, an excess of UDP-N-acetylglucosamine is required to drive the reaction towards the synthesis of UDP-N-acetylgalactosamine, when it is needed for cyst wall formation. This forms the ultimate regulatory step in cyst wall biosynthesis.     

Optimization of heterologous production of the polyketide 6-MSA in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Polyketides are a group of natural products that have gained much interest due to their use as antibiotics, cholesterol lowering agents, immunosuppressors, and as other drugs. Many organisms that naturally produce polyketides are difficult to cultivate and only produce these metabolites in small amounts. It is therefore of general interest to transfer polyketide synthase (PKS) genes from their natural sources into heterologous hosts that can over-produce the corresponding polyketides. In this study we demonstrate the heterologous expression of 6-methylsalicylic acid synthase (6-MSAS), naturally produced by Penicillium patulum, in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. In order to activate the PKS a 4'-phosphopantetheinyl transferase (PPTase) is required. We therefore co-expressed PPTases encoded by either sfp from Bacillus subtilis or by npgA from Aspergillus nidulans. The different strains were grown in batch cultures. Growth and product concentration were measured and kinetic parameters were calculated. It was shown that both PPTases could be efficiently used for activation of PKS's in yeast as good yields of 6-MSA were obtained with both enzymes.