表达HIV壳体蛋白转基因枸杞悬浮细胞的培养与鉴定

枸杞是我国珍贵的中药材,利用枸杞作为转基因材料具有易于遗传操作,生物性状稳定的优点。将携有人类免疫缺陷病毒I型（HIV-1）壳体蛋白基因的植物表达载体导入根瘤农杆菌EHA105中,并通过农杆菌侵染枸杞叶片,诱导产生抗性愈伤组织,利用抗性愈伤组织作为材料进行悬浮细胞的培养并对转基因枸杞悬浮细胞鉴定。PCR结果表明已获得遗传转化的转基因枸杞悬浮细胞系。免疫组织化学检测结果表明HIV壳体蛋白已在转基因枸杞悬浮细胞中表达。     

Detection and imaging of non-contractile inclusions and sarcomeric anomalies in skeletal muscle by second harmonic generation combined with two-photon excited fluorescence

The large size of the multinucleated muscle fibers of skeletal muscle makes their examination for structural and pathological defects a challenge. Sections and single fibers are accessible to antibodies and other markers but imaging of such samples does not provide a three-dimensional view of the muscle. Regrettably, bundles of fibers cannot be stained or imaged easily. Two-photon microscopy techniques overcome these obstacles. Second harmonic generation (SHG) by myosin filaments and two-photon excited fluorescence (2PEF) of mitochondrial and lysosomal components provides detailed structural information on unstained tissue. Furthermore, the infrared exciting light can penetrate several layers of muscle fibers and the minimal processing is particularly valuable for fragile biopsies. Here we demonstrate the usefulness of SHG, combined with 2PEF, to reveal enlarged lysosomes and accumulations of non-contractile material in muscles from the mouse model for the lysosomal storage disorder Pompe disease (PD), and in biopsies from adult and infant PD patients. SHG and 2PEF also detect sarcomeric defects that may presage the loss of myofibrils in atrophying muscle and signify loss of elasticity. The combination of SHG and 2PEF should be useful in the analysis and diagnosis of a wide range of skeletal muscle pathologies.     

Age-related impairment of HDL-mediated cholesterol efflux

Our aim in this study was to investigate the effect of aging on the capacity of HDLs to promote reverse cholesterol transport. HDLs were isolated from plasma of young (Y-HDL) and elderly (E-HDL) subjects. HDL-mediated cholesterol efflux was studied using THP-1 and J774 macrophages. Our results show that E-HDLs present a lower capacity to promote cholesterol efflux than Y-HDLs (41.7 +/- 1.4% vs. 49.0 +/- 2.2%, respectively; P = 0.013). Reduction in the HDL-mediated cholesterol efflux capacity with aging was more significant with HDL(3) than HDL(2) (Y-HDL(3), 57.3 +/- 1% vs. E-HDL(3), 50.9 +/- 2%; P = 0.012). Moreover, our results show that ABCA1-mediated cholesterol efflux is the more affected pathway in terms of cholesterol-removing capacity. Interestingly, the composition and structure of HDL revealed a reduction in the phosphatidylcholine-sphingomyelin ratio (E-HDL, 32.7 +/- 2.7 vs. Y-HDL, 40.0 +/- 1.9; P = 0.029) and in the phospholipidic layer membrane fluidity in E-HDL compared with Y-HDL as well as an alteration in the apolipoprotein A-I structure and charge. In conclusion, our results shown that E-HDLs present a reduced capacity to promote cholesterol efflux, principally through the ABCA1 pathway, and this may explain the increase of the incidence of cardiovascular diseases observed during aging.     

NADPH oxidase but not myeloperoxidase protects lymphopenic mice from spontaneous infections

The adaptive immune system plays an important role in host defense against invading micro-organisms. Yet, mice deficient in T- and B-cells are surprisingly healthy and develop few spontaneous infections when raised under specific pathogen-free conditions (SPF). The objective of this study was to ascertain what role phagocyte-associated NADPH oxidase or myeloperoxidase (MPO) plays in host defense in mice lacking both T- and B-cells. To do this, we generated lymphopenic mice deficient in either NADPH oxidase or MPO by crossing gp91(phox)-deficient (gp91 ko) or MPO ko mice with mice deficient in recombinase activating gene-1 (RAG ko). We found that neither gp91 ko, MPO ko mice nor lymphocyte-deficient RAG ko mice developed spontaneous infections when raised under SPF conditions and all mice had life spans similar to wild-type (WT) animals. In contrast, gp91xRAG double-deficient (DKO) but not MPOxRAG DKO mice developed spontaneous multi-organ bacterial and fungal infections early in life and lived only a few months. Infections in the gp91xRAG DKO mice were characterized by granulomatous inflammation of the skin, liver, heart, brain, kidney, and lung. Addition of antibiotics to the drinking water attenuated the spontaneous infections and increased survival of the mice. Oyster glycogen-elicited polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMNs) and macrophages obtained from gp91 ko and gp91xRAG DKO mice had no detectable NADPH oxidase activity whereas WT, RAG ko, and MPOxRAG DKO PMNs and macrophages produced large and similar amounts of superoxide in response to phorbol myristate acetate. The enhanced mortality of the gp91xRAG DKO mice was not due to defects in inflammatory cell recruitment or NO synthase activity (iNOS) as total numbers of elicited PMNs and macrophages as well as PMN- and macrophage-derived production of nitric oxide-derived metabolites in these mice were similar and not reduced when compared to that of WT mice. Taken together, our data suggest that that NADPH oxidase but not MPO (nor iNOS) is required for host defense in lymphopenic mice and that lymphocytes and NADPH oxidase may compensate for each other's deficiency in providing resistance to spontaneous bacterial infections.     

Activation of prothrombin by two subtilisin-like serine proteases from Acremonium sp

Two novel subtilisin-like serine proteases (AS-E1 and -E2) that activate prothrombin have been identified in a culture of the fungus Acremonium sp. The enzymes were purified through repeated hydrophobic interaction chromatography. The N-terminal sequences of AS-E1 (34.4 kDa) and AS-E2 (32 kDa) showed high similarity to the internal sequences of two distinct subtilisin-like hypothetical proteins from Chaetomium globosum. Both enzymes proteolytically activated prothrombin to meizothrombin(desF1)-like molecules, while the activation cleavage seemed to occur at a site (Tyr(316)-Ile(317)) that is four residues proximal to the canonical Xa cleavage site (Arg(320)-Ile(321)). Both enzymes inhibited plasma clotting, possibly due to extensive degradation of fibrinogen and production of meizothrombin(desF1)-like molecule.     

Over-expression and refolding of MAP kinase phosphatase 3

MAP kinase phosphatase 3 (MKP3, also known as DUSP6 and PYST1) is involved in extracellular signal receptor kinase (ERK) regulation and functions as a specific phosphatase to the activated (phosphorylated) forms of ERK1 and ERK2. MKP3 displays allosteric activation, which aids in tightly regulating its function to ERK substrates, but not other related MAPKs. Due to MKP3's specificity for the ERK signaling pathway, the development of specific activators or inhibitors to the enzyme have been suggested in order to expressly influence the ERK1 and ERK2 pathways. To produce the high yields of MKP3 protein necessary for physico-chemical characterization of MKP3 and for high throughput screening of its small-molecule activators and inhibitors, we have cloned, purified and, and identified refolding conditions suitable for producing full-length, human MKP3 from Escherichia coli inclusion bodies. Furthermore, we demonstrate the use of a 96-well plate format refolding assay in which the ERK-induced activity of MKP3 is simulated by 33% DMSO. The assay allowed for rapid detection of MKP3's function following a refolding screen in the absence of ERK and thus provides quick and inexpensive testing of MKP3 activity. Following screening, the refolded product was confirmed to be correctly folded by steady-state kinetic analysis and by the CD spectroscopy-determined secondary structure content. CD data were consistent with 36% helix and 14% sheet, which compared to an expected 32.9% helix and 12.4% sheet. These data indicated that MKP3 was properly folded, making it a suitable protein for use in functional studies.     

Laminin alpha5 is necessary for submandibular gland epithelial morphogenesis and influences FGFR expression through beta1 integrin signaling

Laminin alpha chains have unique spatiotemporal expression patterns during development and defining their function is necessary to understand the regulation of epithelial morphogenesis. We investigated the function of laminin alpha5 in mouse submandibular glands (SMGs). Lama5(-/-) SMGs have a striking phenotype: epithelial clefting is delayed, although proliferation occurs; there is decreased FGFR1b and FGFR2b, but no difference in Lama1 expression; later in development, epithelial cell organization and lumen formation are disrupted. In wild-type SMGs alpha5 and alpha1 are present in epithelial clefts but as branching begins alpha5 expression increases while alpha1 decreases. Lama5 siRNA decreased branching, p42 MAPK phosphorylation, and FGFR expression, and branching was rescued by FGF10. FGFR siRNA decreased Lama5 suggesting that FGFR signaling provides positive feedback for Lama5 expression. Anti-beta1 integrin antibodies decreased FGFR and Lama5 expression, suggesting that beta1 integrin signaling provides positive feedback for Lama5 and FGFR expression. Interestingly, the Itga3(-/-):Itga6(-/-) SMGs have a similar phenotype to Lama5(-/-). Our findings suggest that laminin alpha5 controls SMG epithelial morphogenesis through beta1 integrin signaling by regulating FGFR expression, which also reciprocally regulates the expression of Lama5. These data link changes in basement membrane composition during branching morphogenesis with FGFR expression and signaling.     

Borrelia burgdorferi-induced monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 production in vivo and in vitro

Matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP-9) is selectively upregulated in erythema migrans (EM) lesions with acute Lyme disease. This study explored whether upregulation of MMP-9 was associated with monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 (MCP-1) production, and Borrelia burgdorferi (B. burgdorferi) could induce MCP-1 production in vivo and in vitro. The results indicated that expression of MCP-1 was significantly increased in U937 cells by B. burgdorferi. The activity of MMP-9 could be elevated by recombinant MCP-1 (rMCP-1) in U937 cells. MMP-9 was not upregulated by B. burgdorferi in fibroblasts. However, the expression of MCP-1 was significantly increased in the presence of B. burgdorferi in fibroblasts. The level of MCP-1 in EM lesions and in serum of patients with acute Lyme disease was also significantly elevated compared to that for healthy controls. The secreted MCP-1 may affect the production of MMP-9 in fibroblasts and/or macrophages.