Enzymatic Engineering of Polysialic Acid on Cells in Vitro and in Vivo Using a Purified Bacterial Polysialyltransferase

In vertebrates, polysialic acid (PSA) is typically added to the neural cell adhesion molecule (NCAM) in the Golgi by PST or STX polysialyltransferase. PSA promotes plasticity, and its enhanced expression by viral delivery of the PST or STX gene has been shown to promote cellular processes that are useful for repair of the injured adult nervous system. Here we demonstrate a new strategy for PSA induction on cells involving addition of a purified polysialyltransferase from Neisseria meningitidis (PST_Nm) to the extracellular environment. In the presence of its donor substrate (CMP-Neu5Ac), PST_Nm synthesized PSA directly on surfaces of various cell types in culture, including Chinese hamster ovary cells, chicken DF1 fibroblasts, primary rat Schwann cells, and mouse embryonic stem cells. Similarly, injection of PST_Nm and donor in vivo was able to produce PSA in different adult brain regions, including the cerebral cortex, striatum, and spinal cord. PSA synthesis by PST_Nm requires the presence of the donor CMP-Neu5Ac, and the product could be degraded by the PSA-specific endoneuraminidase-N. Although PST_Nm was able to add PSA to NCAM, most of its product was attached to other cell surface proteins. Nevertheless, the PST_Nm-induced PSA displayed the ability to attenuate cell adhesion, promote neurite outgrowth, and enhance cell migration as has been reported for endogenous PSA-NCAM. Polysialylation by PST_Nm occurred in vivo in less than 2.5 h, persisted in tissues, and then decreased within a few weeks. Together these characteristics suggest that a PST_Nm-based approach may provide a valuable alternative to PST gene therapy.     

严重急性呼吸综合征冠状病毒2型 IgM / IgG、病毒核酸和白细胞介素6的联合检测在2019冠状病毒病诊断和治疗中的价值

探讨严重急性呼吸综合征冠状病毒2型(severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2,SARS-CoV-2)免疫球蛋白M(Immunoglobulin M,IgM)/免疫球蛋白G(Immunoglobulin G,IgG)、病毒核酸和白细胞介素6(interleukin 6, IL-6)的联合检测在2019冠状病毒病(coronavirus disease 2019, COVID-19)诊断和治疗中的临床价值。本研究按照《新型冠状病毒肺炎诊疗方案(试行第七版)》的标准收集了93例确诊病例(51例危重型、18例重型,15例轻型和9例普通型)和20例疑似病例(核酸检测阴性但临床症状和CT检测结果均符合标准)。选取110例儿科、妇科、肿瘤、血液和消化等疾病患者并排除COVID-19作为对照组。采用全自动化学发光免疫分析技术和电化学发光技术检测所有研究对象血清中SARS-CoV-2 IgM/IgG和IL-6。用实时荧光定量反转录聚合酶链反应对病例组和对照组的咽拭子进行SARS-CoV-2核酸检测。结果发现,血清IgM、IgG和IL-6在疑似病例中的阳性率分别为85%、75%和0%,在确诊病例中的阳性率分别为98.9%、95.7%和75.2%(其中危重型分别为100%、100%和100%,重型分别为94.4%、100%和97.9%,轻型分别为100%、93.3%和5%、普通型分别为100%、66.7%和0%)。IL-6和 SARS-CoV-2 IgM/IgG表达水平的改变与患者疾病的严重程度存在一定的关联性,差异有统计学意义(χ²＝273.51,χ²＝149.37;P＜0.05)。血清IL-6和SARS-CoV-2 IgM/IgG的联合检测可作为诊断和治疗COVID-19的监测指标,也可作为SARS-CoV-2核酸检测假阴性的有效互补。     

Serologic Response to SARS-CoV-2 in COVID-19 Patients with Different Severity

Virologica Sinica - The immense patient number caused by coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) global pandemic brings the urge for more knowledge about its immunological features, including the...     

熊去氧胆酸联合非诺贝特对原发性胆汁性胆管炎的临床疗效及安全性

摘要 目的：分析熊去氧胆酸联合非诺贝特对原发性胆汁性胆管炎无熊去氧胆酸生化反应的临床疗效及安全性。方法：151例原发性胆汁性胆管炎无熊去氧胆酸患者按随机数表法分为73例对照组和78例研究组。对照组在常规治疗基础上给予安慰剂联合熊去氧胆酸治疗,研究组在常规基础上给予非诺贝特联合熊去氧胆酸治疗,两组均持续治疗12个月。比较两组临床疗效,肝功能,血脂指标,肝纤维化指标,免疫球蛋白G（IgG）、免疫球蛋白M（IgM）,瘙痒及乏力评分,不良反应发生情况。结果：治疗后,研究组总有效率高于对照组,比较差异有统计学意义（P<0.05）。治疗后,两组肝功能指标均降低,研究组低于对照组,比较有统计学意义（P<0.05）。治疗后,两组总胆固醇（TC）、甘油三酯（TG）均降低,研究组低于对照组,比较有统计学意义（P<0.05）,两组治疗前后低密度脂蛋白胆固醇（LDL-C）、高密度脂蛋白胆固醇（HDL-C）比较无统计学意义（P>0.05）。治疗后,两组肝纤维化指标均降低,研究组低于对照组,比较有统计学意义（P<0.05）。治疗后,两组IgG、IgM均降低,研究组低于对照组,比较有统计学意义（P<0.05）。治疗后,两组瘙痒、乏力评分均降低,研究组低于对照组,比较有统计学意义（P<0.05）。两组不良反应发生率比较差异无统计学意义（P>0.05）。结论：熊去氧胆酸联合非诺贝特对原发性胆汁性胆管炎无熊去氧胆酸生化反应的疗效较好,能够改善肝功能,且未明显增加药物不良反应。     

Alkaline phosphatase and acid phosphatase levels in saliva and serum of patients with healthy periodontium,gingivitis, and periodontitis before and after scaling with root planing: A clinico-biochemical study

Periodontitis is commonly diagnosed based on clinical parameters. However, the analysis of a few unique biomarkers of the disease process present in the saliva and blood can further assist the estimation of the rate of disease progression.AimThe present study attempted to correlate the alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and acid phosphatase (ACP) levels in saliva and serum between patients with healthy periodontium, gingivitis, and chronic periodontitis.Materials and methodsThe present study was conducted in 135 subjects between 20 and 55 years of age. The subjects were divided into three groups, namely healthy (Group A), gingivitis (Group B), and chronic periodontitis (Group C). The clinical parameters were recorded using the plaque index (PI), gingival index (GI), and probing depth (PD). Saliva and serum were analyzed for ALP and ACP levels using an auto analyzer. All patients underwent scaling and root planning (SRP) along with oral hygiene instructions. Patients were then recalled after four weeks, and blood and saliva samples were collected to estimate ALP and ACP levels prior to clinical examination.ResultsThe clinical parameters exhibited a statistically significant decrease in the PI and GI in both group B and group C after SRP. A significant change in the PD and attachment levels (AL) was observed in the periodontitis group after SRP. The mean salivary & serum ALP levels exhibited a statistically significant decrease in group B & C after SRP. The mean serum ACP levels exhibited a statistically significant decrease in group B & C after SRP However, the salivary ACP levels decrease after SRP was only statistically significant in group C.ConclusionSerum and salivary ALP and ACP levels were markedly decreased in the gingivitis and periodontitis groups after SRP and were positively correlated with the clinical parameters.     

GABAB receptor inhibits tumor progression and epithelial-mesenchymal transition via the regulation of Hippo/YAP1 pathway in colorectal cancer

Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid Type B Receptor (GABABR) plays essential roles in tumor progression. However, the function of GABABR in colorectal cancer (CRC) needs further clarification. As the main part of GABABR, GABABR1 expression was identified significantly lower in tumor tissues than those in non-tumor normal tissues and that CRC patients with high GABABR1 expression lived longer. Further studies indicated that knockdown of GABABR1 elevated CRC cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. Furthermore, knockdown of GABABR1 activated the expression of the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT)-related proteins N-cadherin and Vimentin, whereas decrease the protein level of E-cadherin. In addition, activation of Hippo/YAP1 signaling contributes to the GABABR1 down-regulation promoted proliferation, migration, invasion and EMT in CRC cells. At last, we verified the contribution of Hippo/YAP1 signaling in the GABABR1 down-regulation impaired biological phenotype of colon cancer cells in vivo. In summary, these data indicate that GABABR1 impairs the migration and invasion of CRC cells by inhibiting EMT and the Hippo/YAP1 pathway, suggesting that GABABR1 could be a potential therapeutic target for CRC.     

A new technique for studying the stylet tracks of homopteran insects in hand-sectioned plant tissue using light or epifluorescence microscopy

Homopteran insects, such as aphids, psyllids and scales, inject a proteinaceous salivary sheath into their host plant tissue during feeding. This sheath, also referred to as a stylet track, remains in the tissue after the stylets are withdrawn, and is useful for studying plant resistance to insects and plant virus transmission. We describe a new method for studying stylet tracks. Hand microtome sectioned plant material was fixed and cleared in ethanol. The stylet tracks were stained with acid fuchsin and counterstained with aniline blue or fast green. The acid fuchsin stained stylet tracks were pink to red under light microscopy, and orange under TRITC epifluorescence. Stylet tracks in unstained sections autofluoresced under DAPI epifluorescence. This new technique is significantly faster and less complex than previous techniques, and permitted visualization of stylet tracks with light or epifluorescence microscopy within 1 hr of collecting fresh plant material. The technique was also applicable to a broad range of homopterans and plant taxa and provided excellent photomicrographs.     

Transferrin Modifications and Lipid Peroxidation: Implications in Diabetes Mellitus

Free iron is capable of stimulating the production of free radicals which cause oxidative damage such as lipid peroxidation. One of the most important mechanisms of antioxidant defense is thus the sequestration of iron in a redox-inactive form by transferrin. In diabetes mellitus, increased oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation contribute to chronic complications but it is not known if this is related to abnormalities in transferrin function. In this study we investigated the role of transferrin concentration and glycation. The antioxidant capacity of apotransferrin to inhibit lipid peroxidation by iron-binding decreased in a concentration-dependent manner from 89% at &lt;formula&gt;≥2 mg/ml&lt;/formula&gt; to 42% at 0.5 mg/ml. Pre-incubation of apotransferrin with glucose for 14 days resulted in a concentration-dependent increase of glycation: 1, 5 and 13 μmol fructosamine/g transferrin at 0, 5.6 and 33.3 mmol/l glucose respectively, p&lt;0.001. This was accompanied by a decrease in the iron-binding antioxidant capacity of apotransferrin. In contrast, transferrin glycation by up to 33.3 mmol/l glucose did not affect chemiluminescence-quenching antioxidant capacity, which is iron-independent. Colorimetric evaluation of total iron binding capacity in the presence of an excess of iron (iron/transferrin molar ratio=2.4) also decreased from 0.726 to 0.696 and 0.585 mg/g transferrin after 0, 5.6 and 33.3 mmol/l glucose, respectively, p&lt;0.01. In conclusion, these results suggest that lower transferrin concentration and its glycation can, by enhancing the pro-oxidant effects of iron, contribute to the increased lipid peroxidation observed in diabetes.     

Study on the Interaction Mechanism of 2‐Aminoanthraquinone with Calf Thymus DNA

By utilizing multispectrosopic techniques, the toxic interaction of 2‐aminoanthraquinone (2‐AAQ) with calf thymus deoxyribonucleic acid (ctDNA) was investigated in vitro under simulated physiological conditions. The experimental results proved that 2‐AAQ has a toxic interaction with ctDNA. The binding capacity of DNA with 2‐AAQ is diminishing as the pH value of system increasing in the optimization of experimental condition. Moreover we selected pH 7.4, which is nearly physiological condition to enhance the practical significance. According to the Stern–Volmer equation, the quenching was the static quenching process. And the quenching constant can be derived from the fluorescence quenching spectrogram. Ultraviolet absorption spectra and the change in the fluorescence intensity at different ionic strengths further indicated that there was electrostatic binding between 2‐AAQ and ctDNA. The circular dichroism experiment showed that the DNA conformation varied from B to A conformation. The basic group enhanced after 2‐AAQ embedding. The double helix is more compact, and the DNA conformation changes. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J BiochemMol Toxicol 27:272‐278, 2013; View this article online at wileyonlinelibrary.com . DOI 10.1002/jbt.21487     

Inhibition of Acid Phosphatase Isoforms Purified from Mature Soybean (Glyczne MAX) Seeds

The four soybean seed acid phosphatase isoforms AP1, AP2, AP3A and AP3B were competitively inhibited by phosphate, vanadate, fluoride and molybdate, using p-nitrophenylphos-phate as substrate. The four isoforms were not significantly affected by compounds that can interact with SH residues or by pyridoxal phosphate. These results indicated that cysteine and lysine residues are not present in the active site of the four soybean seed acid phosphatase isoforms. The inhibition constant values for phosphate, vanadate, fluoride and molybdate at pH 5.0 were respectively: API (250, 12.8, 1.7, 0.05 μM), AP2 (800,10, 500, 0.025 μM), AP3A (250, 24.2,250, 0.032 μM), AP3B (2400, 36.9,750, 0.05 μM).