Stereoselective synthesis of a novel 2-aza-7-oxabicyclo[3.3.0]octane as neurokinin-1 receptor antagonist

A novel neurokinin-1 receptor antagonist, (±)-(1R^*,3S^*,4S^*,5S^*)-4-[(N-(2-methoxy-5-trifluoromethoxybenzyl)amino]-3-phenyl-2-aza-7-oxabicyclo[3.3.0]octane (1), was synthesized stereoselectively using Padwa’s intramolecular 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition methodology as the key step. Compound (±)-1 showed high affinity for the NK-1 receptors in human IM-9 cells with an IC₅₀ value of 0.22 nM. This new structural scaffold demonstrated significant in vivo antagonistic activity in the guinea pig ureter capsaicin-induced plasma extravasation model with an ED₅₀ value of 1–10 mg/kg, po.     

可溶性肿瘤坏死因子受体II-脂联素球部融合蛋白的真核表达及生物学活性检测

本研究设计和构建了一种人肿瘤坏死因子受体II胞外区与人脂联素球部的融合基因sTNFRII-gAD,且相应的融合蛋白在哺乳动物细胞BHK-21S的无血清培养体系中实现了表达,并对该融合蛋白进行了初步鉴定。首先,用RT-PCR方法从人的外周血淋巴细胞总RNA中扩增人肿瘤坏死因子II型受体胞外区基因片段,与脂联素球部基因片段融合,克隆至pAAV2neo表达载体中,构建成pAAV2neo-sTNFRII-gAD。随后,用pAAV2neo-sTNFRII-gAD转染BHK-21S细胞获得G418抗性细胞BHK-21S/pAAV2neo-sTNFRII-gAD;然后,将原来含有血清的培养液换成无血清的化学成分限定的培养液,细胞从贴壁培养方式转换成悬浮培养方式;最后,收集BHK-21S/pAAV2neo-sTNFRII-gAD无血清悬浮培养24h后的培养上清,进行sTNFRII-gAD融合蛋白的鉴定分析。酶切鉴定和测序结果显示,所构建的pAAV2neo-sTNFRII-gAD质粒结构正确,sTNFRII-gAD序列与预期一致;分别用抗人肿瘤坏死因子受体II和抗人脂联素球部的单克隆抗体检测pAAV2neo-sTNFRII-gAD瞬时转染的BHK-21S细胞,免疫荧光呈现阳性;免疫印迹分析在pAAV2neo-sTNFRII-gAD稳定转染的BHK-21S细胞上清中检测到sTNFRII-gAD融合蛋白的表达,并以单体、三聚体和三聚体以上的多聚体形式存在。活性测定结果表明,sTNFRII-gAD融合蛋白具有显著抑制TNFα杀伤L929细胞的活性。因此,本研究为下一步大量制备sTNFRII-gAD融合蛋白用于体内外功能研究提供了良好基础。     

下丘脑室旁核加压素能神经元参与电针刺激对实验性内脏痛的抑制

本实验采用内脏痛的实验模型,探讨室旁核中的加压素在针刺抑制内脏痛中的作用。实验结果如下:(1)大鼠在在射酒石酸锑钾(0.1％,10ml/kg,i.p.)后,出现可定量的扭体反应,能作为观察内脏痛的客观指标。(2)电针对内脏痛有抑制效应,即具有镇痛作用。(3)电刺激室旁核,能加强电针对内脏痛的抑制效应,损毁室旁核,则此抑制效应基本消失。(4)脑室注射加压素抗血清(14μl)或加压素拮抗剂[d(CH_2)_5Tyr(Me)-AVP,500ng/5μl]都能明显减弱电针的抑制效应。(5)腹腔注射加压素拮抗剂(10μg/kg),不能翻转电针的抑制效应。上述实验结果表明,下丘脑室旁核的加压素能神经元参与了电针刺激对实验性内脏痛的抑制。     

胃肠道肿瘤抗胃泌素治疗研究进展

胃泌素是胃窦和十二指肠黏膜G细胞分泌的多肽类激素 ,主要生理作用是促进胃酸分泌和胃肠道黏膜细胞生长。研究显示胃泌素是胃肠道肿瘤细胞一种自泌性的生长因子 ,通过促进增殖、抑制凋亡、刺激浸润以及和COX-2协同作用促进肿瘤生长。胃肠道肿瘤抗胃泌素治疗途径分为分泌抑制、受体拮抗、反义寡核苷酸抑制和抗胃泌素抗体治疗。其中抗胃泌素抗体治疗具有诸多优点 ,临床研究进展顺利。     

中红侧沟茧蜂对烟草挥发物的触角电生理及行为反应

中红侧沟茧峰 Microplitis mediator是棉铃虫 H elicoverpa armigera的主要内寄生蜂 ,是优良的蜂种 ,在生物防治上具有广阔的应用前景。但迄今 ,有关中红侧沟茧蜂的化学生态的研究甚少。利用触角电位技术 ,测定了中红侧沟茧蜂对烟草叶片粗提物和烟草中 10种挥发物的触角电生理反应 ,并测定了中红侧沟茧蜂的触角电位反应随日龄的变化。以嗅觉仪测定了中红侧沟茧蜂对烟草粗提物、烟草中 4种挥发物的行为反应。结果表明中红侧沟茧蜂利用烟草释放的气味向烟草定向 ,进而找到其寄主——棉铃虫 ,也佐证了烟草同样是棉铃虫的重要寄主植物的论点。雌蜂对脂肪族化合物反应最强 ,对芳香族化合物和糠醛 (杂环化合物 )的反应居中 ,对萜类化合物反应较弱或者不反应。表明烟草挥发性物质在中红侧沟茧蜂寻找寄主的过程中起着重要的作用 ,但挥发物各组分的作用存在着差异。雌性中红侧沟茧蜂对顺 - 3-己烯醇的触角电位反应随日龄的增加而变化。 1日龄的雌蜂的反应较弱 ,2日龄、3日龄的雌蜂反应较强 ,4日龄、5日龄的雌蜂的反应又减弱。这与该蜂产卵习性相符 :羽化当天的雌蜂产卵较少 ,羽化 2～ 3d之后的雌蜂产卵量较大     

Amino acid sequence and homology modeling of obtustatin,a novel non-RGD-containing short disintegrin isolated from the venom of Vipera lebetina obtusa

Disintegrins represent a group of cysteine-rich peptides occurring in Crotalidae and Viperidae snake venoms, and are potent antagonists of several integrin receptors. A novel disintegrin, obtustatin, was isolated from the venom of the Vipera lebetina obtusa viper, and represents the first potent and selective inhibitor of the binding of integrin alpha(1)beta(1) to collagen IV. The primary structure of obtustatin contains 41 amino acids and is the shortest disintegrin described to date. Obtustatin shares the pattern of cysteines of other short disintegrins. However, in contrast to known short disintegrins, the integrin-binding loop of obtustatin is two residues shorter and does not express the classical RGD sequence. Using synthetic peptides, a KTS motif was identified as the integrin-binding sequence. A three-dimensional model of obtustatin, built by homology-modeling structure calculations using different templates and alignments, strongly indicates that the novel KTS motif may reside at the tip of a flexible loop.     

Mg2+对米曲霉HMP-F28所产α-，β-CPA的调控作用

在米曲霉HMP-F28所产CPA(环匹阿尼酸)类化合物中,β-CPA是α-CPA的生物合成前体化合物,因此β-CPA的含量很低,而α-CPA是主要代谢产物。在研究HMP-F28所产CPA类代谢产物的调控过程中,采用SPE-LC-MS方法建立了一个对HMP-F28所产CPA类代谢物的快速定性分析方法。在此基础上,发现不同浓度的Mg²⁺可调控α-CPA和β-CPA相对含量,高浓度Mg²⁺（320 mmol/L）可使菌株显著提高生物合成中间体β-CPA的产量。由于β-CPA在结构上较α-CPA与IAA拮抗剂hypaphorine更类似,因此本研究为进一步研究其作为IAA拮抗剂诱导植物免疫反应的活性提供参考。     

On the possibility of identifying human subjects using behavioural complexity analyses

Background: Identification of human subjects using a geometric approach to complexity analysis of behavioural data is designed to provide a basis for a more precise diagnosis leading towards personalised medicine. Methods: The approach is based on capturing behavioural time-series that can be characterized by a fractional dimension using non-invasive longer-time acquisitions of heart rate, perfusion, blood oxygenation, skin temperature, relative movement and steps frequency. The geometry based approach consists in the analysis of the area and centroid of convex hulls encapsulating the behavioural data represented in Euclidian index spaces based on the scaling properties of the self-similar normally distributed behavioural time-series of the above mentioned quantities. Results: An example demonstrating the presented approach of behavioural fingerprinting is provided using sensory data of eight healthy human subjects based on approximately fifteen hours of data acquisition. Our results show that healthy subjects can be factorized to different similarity groups based on a particular choice of a convex hull in the corresponding Euclidian space. One of the results indicates that healthy subjects share only a small part of the convex hull pertaining to a highly trained individual from the geometric comparison point of view. Similarly, the presented pair-wise individual geometric similarity measure indicates large differences among the subjects suggesting the possibility of neuro-fingerprinting. Conclusions: Recently introduced multi-channel body-attached sensors provide a possibility to acquire behavioural time-series that can be mathematically analysed to obtain various objective measures of behavioural patterns yielding behavioural diagnoses favouring personalised treatments of, e.g., neuropathologies or aging.     

植食性昆虫的寄主选择机理及行为调控策略

害虫是影响农作物生产的重要因素,过度使用化学农药已带来严重的“3R”问题。为了长期有效地控制害虫的危害,基于植食性昆虫寄主选择机制的行为调控策略已成为害虫治理研究的重要方向。天然植物资源（如驱避植物、诱集植物与诱集枝把）、物理模拟材料（如诱集色、驱避色与诱集模型）和人工合成物质（如引诱剂、驱避剂、刺激剂与抑制剂）等研发工作皆取得了突破性的进展。除单一措施的使用外,多种诱集措施协同利用的“诱集＋诱集”策略、诱集措施与趋避措施结合使用的“排斥-诱集”策略也已被广泛应用。     

Fitness costs of worker specialization for ant societies

Division of labour is of fundamental importance for the success of societies, yet little is known about how individual specialization affects the fitness of the group as a whole. While specialized workers may be more efficient in the tasks they perform than generalists, they may also lack the flexibility to respond to rapid shifts in task needs. Such rigidity could impose fitness costs when societies face dynamic and unpredictable events, such as an attack by socially parasitic slavemakers. Here, we experimentally assess the colony-level fitness consequences of behavioural specialization in Temnothorax longispinosus ants that are attacked by the slavemaker ant T. americanus. We manipulated the social organization of 102 T. longispinosus colonies, based on the behavioural responses of all 3842 workers. We find that strict specialization is disadvantageous for a colony''s annual reproduction and growth during slave raids. These fitness costs may favour generalist strategies in dynamic environments, as we also demonstrate that societies exposed to slavemakers in the field show a lower degree of specialization than those originating from slavemaker-free populations. Our findings provide an explanation for the ubiquity of generalists and highlight their importance for the flexibility and functional robustness of entire societies.