Effect of deletion of a plant like pentapeptide insert on kinetic, structural and immunological properties of enolase from Plasmodium falciparum

Plasmodium falciparum enolase (Pfen) is of photosynthetic lineage as evident from the presence of a plant like pentapeptide insert ¹⁰⁴EWGWS¹⁰⁸ in a highly conserved surface loop of the protein. Such a unique region which is absent in human enolase, constitutes an excellent target for inhibitor design, provided its essentiality for function could be demonstrated. A deletion Pfen lacking this insert was made and the effect of this deletion on activity and structure was assessed. Deletion of insert resulted in ∼100-fold decrease in k_cat/K_m and caused dissociation of dimeric form into monomers. Since the parasite enolase localizes on the merozoite surface and confers partial protection against malaria [I. Pal-Bhowmick, M. Mehta, I. Coppens, S. Sharma, G.K. Jarori, Infect. Immun. 75 (11) (2007) 5500-5008], the possibility of the insert being involved in protective response was examined. Serum from Pfen vaccinated mouse which showed prolonged survival to parasite challenge had negligible reactivity against deletion protein as compared to wild type enolase. These results indicate that the insert sequence is required for the full enolase activity and may constitute the protective antigenic epitope in parasite enolase.     

Fermentative glycolysis with purified Escherichia coli enzymes for in vitro ATP production and evaluating an engineered enzyme

Each of the twelve enzymes for glycolytic fermentation, eleven from Escherichia coli and one from Saccharomyces cerevisiae, have been over-expressed in E. coli and purified with His-tags. Simple assays have been developed for each enzyme and they have been assembled for fermentation of glucose to ethanol. Phosphorus-31 NMR revealed that this in vitro reaction accumulates fructose 1,6-bisphosphate while recycling the cofactors NAD⁺ and ATP. This reaction represents a defined ATP-regeneration system that can be tailored to suit in vitro biochemical reactions such as cell-free protein synthesis. The enzyme from S. cerevisiae, pyruvate decarboxylase 1 (Pdc1; EC 4.1.1.1), was identified as one of the major ‘flux controlling’ enzymes for the reaction and was replaced with an evolved version of Pdc1 that has over 20-fold greater activity under glycolysis reaction conditions. This substitution was only beneficial when the ratio of glycolytic enzymes was adjusted to suit greater Pdc1 activity.     

Neuroendocrine differentiation contributes to radioresistance development and metastatic potential increase in non-small cell lung cancer

Radiation treatment induces neuroendocrine differentiation (NED) in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) A549 and H157 cells, so higher NE-like features in radioresistant A549 (A549R26-1) and H157 (H157R24-1) cells are observed than in parental cells. We detected higher NED marker expressions in A549R26-1 cell-derived tumors than in A549 cell-derived tumors. In mechanism studies, we found that NED induction in A549R26-1 and H157R24-1 cells was accompanied by increased intracellular cAMP and IL-6 levels. Treatment of radioresistant lung cancer cells with the inhibitor (SQ22536) of adenylate cyclase (AC) which is the enzyme responsible for the cAMP production, or the neutralizing antibody (Ab) of IL-6, resulted in decreased NE-like features in radioresistant lung cancer cells. In addition, we found MEK/Erk is the signaling pathway that triggers the cAMP- and IL-6-mediated NED induction in radioresistant lung cancer cells. Also, we found that MEK/Erk signaling pathway inhibition decreased NED in radioresistant cells. Radioresistant lung cancer cells exhibiting high NE-like features also showed higher radioresistance and higher metastatic potential than parental cells. When we inhibited cAMP-, or IL-6-mediated pathways, or the downstream MEK/Erk signaling pathway, radiosensitivity of radioresistant lung cancer cells was significantly increased and their metastatic potential was significantly reduced. In in vivo mouse studies, reducing NED by treating mice with the MEK/Erk inhibitor increased radiosensitivity. Immunohistochemical staining of tumor tissues lowered expressions of the NED/epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT)/metastatic markers when mice were treated with the MEK/Erk inhibitor.     

NSE 和NGF 在颅脑损伤后血清中含量变化及临床意义

创伤性颅脑损伤后外周血清中神经元特异性烯醇化酶(NSE)和神经生长因子(NGF)含量呈动态变化,在颅脑损伤(尤其是重型颅脑损伤)早期即可出现表达增加,其中NSE含量与颅脑损伤程度呈正相关,而NGF在颅脑损伤后的神经修复、再生和神经元保护等机制中起重要作用,其在血清中含量变化的临床意义明显不同。两者在血清中含量变化对于颅脑损伤后病情、治疗及预后评估有重要的作用,是颅脑损伤后评估病情、进行治疗的重要指标,因此监测血清中NSE及NGF的变化,可以为更准确判断病情、评估预后,并为临床治疗提供依据。本文就其在颅脑损伤患者血清中的含量变化及临床意义作以简要综述。     

Homology modeling of Mycoplasma pneumoniae enolase and its molecular interaction with human plasminogen

Alpha (α)-enolase (e), a glycolytic enzyme, has an alternative role as a surface receptor of several bacteria mediating plasminogen (pg) binding. It is also recognized as a virulence factor of some pathogenic bacteria facilitating plasminogen activation and host cell invasion. A mycoplasmal α-enolase is also a plasminogen binding protein. Molecular interactions of enolase from Mycoplasma pneumoniae with host plasminogen would be useful for exploring the pathogen-host interaction. In an attempt to identify plasminogen binding sites of M. pneumoniae enolase, homology modeling and docking studies were conducted to obtain modeled structures of the M. pneumoniae enolase-plasminogen complex. The refined model was validated further by standard methods. Molecular docking revealed hydrogen bonding of eLys70-pgTyr50, eAsn165-pgThr66, eAla168-pgGlu21, eAsp17-pgLys70, and eAsn213-pgPro68/pgAsn69. Substantial decreases in accessible surface area (ASA) were observed and in concurrence with hydrogen bond pattern. These findings provide a detailed prediction of key residues that interact at the protein-protein interface. Our theoretical prediction is consistent with known biochemical data. The predicted interaction complex can be of great assistance in understanding structural insights, which is necessary to pathogen and host-component interaction. The ability of M. pneumoniae enolase to bind plasminogen may be indicative of an important role in invasion of this pathogen to host.     

SV40 TAg转基因小鼠模型的建立及其表达

为了建立中枢神经系统肿瘤小鼠模型,构建了大鼠神经元特异性烯醇化酶(ratneu-ron-specificenolase,NSE)基因启动子调控下的猿猴病毒40大T抗原基因(simianvirus40largeTantigengene,SV40TAg)转基因载体,通过受精卵雄原核显微注射的方法制备转基因小鼠。PCR鉴定转基因小鼠的基因型;RT-PCR和Northern印迹检测转基因阳性鼠中SV40TAgRNA水平的表达及其组织特异性;免疫组化检测其蛋白质水平的表达。经显微注射共获得9只首代转基因阳性鼠(首建者,Founder小鼠),其中2例出生时即发生神经干细胞来源的肿瘤,其他Founder小鼠经繁育后共建立了5个SV40TAg转基因小鼠系,其中有4个系检测到SV40TAgRNA水平的表达且特异性地表达于脑组织,但未检测到蛋白质水平的表达。研究表明NSE启动子活性具有较强的组织特异性,并起始于小鼠胚胎发育期;SV40TAg具有明显的致癌作用,且SV40TAg诱发的神经系统肿瘤易造成转基因小鼠早期死亡。     

胎儿胰腺发育中CgA和NSE的表达及其意义

目的检测人胎儿胰腺中CgA和NSE的表达特征,初步探讨胎儿胰腺发育过程弥散神经内分泌系统的形成及其生物学作用.方法用免疫组织化学SP法,检测嗜铬素A(chromograin A,CgA)和神经元特异性烯醇化酶(neuron specific enolase,NSE)在不同胎龄胎儿胰腺组织中的表达.结果CgA在16-38周的胰腺中均有表达,随胎儿发育,CgA阳性细胞分布状态和反应程度均有差异变化;NSE在22-38周胎儿胰腺中表达,集中定位于胰腺的内分泌部细胞.结论CgA和NSE在人胎儿胰腺中的阳性表达,反映出弥散神经内分泌系统在胎儿胰腺中的形成过程;表明胎儿胰岛的形成及其DNES细胞的分泌,有调节胰腺外分泌部发育分化的作用,也提示胰岛DNES细胞通过调节血糖可能对胎儿个体发育具有重要影响.     

Identification of Neuron-Specific Enolase and Nonneuronal Enolase in Human and Rat Brain on Two-Dimensional Polyacrylamide Gels

The location of the enzymes neuron-specific enolase and nonneuronal enolase on two-dimensional gels generated from tissue samples obtained from fresh human and rat cortex has been identified. This identification is based upon the following criteria: comigration on polyacrylamide gels with the appropriate purified protein and staining on nitrocellulose protein blots of human and rat cortex using antibodies specific for each protein. The results show that our preparation of neuron-specific enolase from rat and human brain is highly pure, as only one spot is obtained on two-dimensional gels. Further, the antiserum to neuron-specific enolase is highly specific, as it reacts only with neuron-specific enolase on nitrocellulose blots derived from two-dimensional gels of cortical tissue. The location of these proteins is of interest because it positively identifies two major brain proteins on two-dimensional polyacrylamide gels of fresh cortical tissue. This information will be useful in a variety of future studies aimed at both identifying specific proteins on two-dimensional gels and observing the effects of experimental manipulations on brain and other neuronal proteins.     

NSE和NGF在颅脑损伤后血清中含量变化及临床意义

创伤性颅脑损伤后外周血清中神经元特异性烯醇化酶（NSE）和神经生长因子（NGF）含量呈动态变化,在颅脑损伤（尤其是重型颅脑损伤）早期即可出现表达增加,其中NSE含量与颅脑损伤程度呈正相关,而NGF在颅脑损伤后的神经修复、再生和神经元保护等机制中起重要作用,其在血清中含量变化的临床意义明显不同。两者在血清中含量变化对于颅脑损伤后病情、治疗及预后评估有重要的作用,是颅脑损伤后评估病情、进行治疗的重要指标,因此监测血清中NSE及NGF的变化,可以为更准确判断病情、评估预后,并为临床治疗提供依据。本文就其在颅脑损伤患者血清中的含量变化及临床意义作以简要综述。     

血清pNF-H、NSE、ESR与老年脊柱手术患者病情和术后认知功能的相关性研究

摘要 目的：研究老年脊柱手术患者血清神经丝蛋白H磷酸化亚型（pNF-H）、神经元特异性烯醇化酶（NSE）以及红细胞沉降率（ESR）水平与患者病情以及术后认知功能障碍发生的相关性。方法：选取2017年6月到2021年6月在我院进行脊柱手术的老年患者82例,根据病情严重程度分为脊髓未损伤组（n=35）、脊髓不完全损伤组（n=27）和脊髓完全损伤组（n=20）,根据术后是否发生认知功能障碍（POCD）分为认知功能障碍组（POCD组,n=30）和无认知功能障碍组（No-POCD组,n=52）。比较各组患者术前和术后1天、3天、7天血清pNF-H、NSE和ESR水平。结果：（1）脊髓未完全损伤组患者血清pNF-H、NSE和ESR均显著高于脊髓未损伤组患者,而均显著低于脊髓完全损伤组患者（P<0.05）;（2）No-POCD组和POCD组在性别、年龄、体重、BMI、手术时间以及术中失血量均具有可比性（P>0.05）;（3）POCD组患者术前和术后1天、3天、7天血清pNF-H、NSE和ESR水平均显著高于No-POCD组患者（P<0.05）。结论：老年脊柱手术患者血清pNF-H、NSE和ESR水平与患者病情以及术后认知功能障碍发生有关,术前及术后血清pNF-H、NSE和ESR水平升高可能增加老年脊柱手术患者术后认知功能障碍风险,检测血清pNF-H、NSE和ESR水平有助于评估老年手术患者病情和术后认知功能障碍发生风险。