小柴胡汤加减联合奥美拉唑对慢性胃炎具有治疗增效作用

本研究选取本院收治的慢性胃炎患者114例并根据治疗方法不同分为对照组和观察组。对照组患者采用奥美拉唑治疗,观察组患者采用奥美拉唑联合小柴胡汤加减治疗,分析小柴胡汤加减联合奥美拉唑对慢性胃炎血清表皮生长因子(EGF)、胃黏膜氧化酶-2 (COX-2)蛋白表达情况的影响及护理对策。研究结果表明,治疗前两组患者胃镜检查充血水肿、糜烂、黏膜白相、颗粒增生发生率比较无统计学差异(p>0.05);治疗后,观察组患者各项指标发生率低于对照组(p<0.05);治疗前,两组患者血清EGF、Bcl-2、CRP和胃黏膜COX-2、P-p65表达水平比较无统计学差异(p>0.05),治疗后发现观察组患者血清EGF水平高于对照组,血清Bcl-2、CRP和胃黏膜COX-2、P-p65表达水平低于对照组(p<0.05);治疗前,两组患者在躯体功能、躯体职能、躯体疼痛、情感职能、心理健康评分等生活质量评分上比较无统计学差异(p<0.05),治疗后,观察组患者各项评分高于对照组(p>0.05)。本研究初步结论说明,小柴胡汤加减联合奥美拉唑治疗慢性胃炎疗效显著,可改善患者血清EGF、Bcl-2和胃黏膜COX-2表达水平,提高患者生活质量。     

Development of a rapid method for the detection of prostate-specific antigen by immunochromatography

A single-step qualitative rapid test for the determination of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) in samples of human blood serum by immunochromatography using a complex of colloidal gold with monoclonal antibodies to PSA as the detection agent was developed. The determination limit for PSA in serum blood samples is 10 ng/ml; the analysis time, 15–25 min; the sensitivity of the method, 100%; and its specificity, 92.5%.     

岑溪药用野生稻高效内生固氮菌分离及促生特性

【目的】以广西岑溪市野生稻保护区的药用野生稻为材料,分离纯化内生细菌,筛选固氮酶活性较高和对作物促生效果较好的菌株。【方法】利用乙炔还原法检测固氮酶活性,采用SDS-PAGE全细胞蛋白电泳和IS-PCR指纹图谱技术对分离到的固氮菌进行聚类。利用16S rRNA基因和nifH基因确定其系统发育地位。采用钼锑抗比色法、Salkowski比色法和CAS检测法分别测定菌株溶磷性、生长素的分泌能力和产铁载体能力。通过平板和盆栽试验检测其对水稻的促生作用。【结果】共分离得到35株内生固氮菌,分为6个类群。其中CX24固氮酶活性最高,经鉴定属于Klebsiella variicola,其固氮酶活性为298.64 μmol/(L·h),为参比模式菌株DSM15968的9倍。另外该菌株还具有较高的溶磷性、分泌生长素和产铁载体能力,能够有效地促进水稻的萌发和生长。【结论】菌株CX24属于Klebsiella variicola,是一株高效内生固氮菌,具有很好的生产应用前景。     

RasGAP Shields Akt from Deactivating Phosphatases in Fibroblast Growth Factor Signaling but Loses This Ability Once Cleaved by Caspase-3

Fibroblast growth factor receptors (FGFRs) are involved in proliferative and differentiation physiological responses. Deregulation of FGFR-mediated signaling involving the Ras/PI3K/Akt and the Ras/Raf/ERK MAPK pathways is causally involved in the development of several cancers. The caspase-3/p120 RasGAP module is a stress sensor switch. Under mild stress conditions, RasGAP is cleaved by caspase-3 at position 455. The resulting N-terminal fragment, called fragment N, stimulates anti-death signaling. When caspase-3 activity further increases, fragment N is cleaved at position 157. This generates a fragment, called N2, that no longer protects cells. Here, we investigated in Xenopus oocytes the impact of RasGAP and its fragments on FGF1-mediated signaling during G₂/M cell cycle transition. RasGAP used its N-terminal Src homology 2 domain to bind FGFR once stimulated by FGF1, and this was necessary for the recruitment of Akt to the FGFR complex. Fragment N, which did not associate with the FGFR complex, favored FGF1-induced ERK stimulation, leading to accelerated G₂/M transition. In contrast, fragment N2 bound the FGFR, and this inhibited mTORC2-dependent Akt Ser-473 phosphorylation and ERK2 phosphorylation but not phosphorylation of Akt on Thr-308. This also blocked cell cycle progression. Inhibition of Akt Ser-473 phosphorylation and entry into G₂/M was relieved by PHLPP phosphatase inhibition. Hence, full-length RasGAP favors Akt activity by shielding it from deactivating phosphatases. This shielding was abrogated by fragment N2. These results highlight the role played by RasGAP in FGFR signaling and how graded stress intensities, by generating different RasGAP fragments, can positively or negatively impact this signaling.     

Aurantiamide acetate suppresses the growth of malignant gliomas in vitro and in vivo by inhibiting autophagic flux

We aim to investigate the effect of aurantiamide acetate isolated from the aerial parts of Clematis terniflora DC against gliomas. Human malignant glioma U87 and U251 cells were incubated with different concentrations (0–100 μM) of aurantiamide acetate. Aurantiamide acetate greatly decreased the cell viability in a dose‐ and time‐dependent manner. It induced moderate mitochondrial fragmentation and the loss of mitochondrial membrane potential. No significant difference was found in the alternation of other intracellular organelles, although F‐actin structure was slightly disturbed. Apparent ultrastructure alternation with increased autophagosome and autolysosome accumulation was observed in aurantiamide acetate‐treated cells. The expression of LC3‐II was greatly up‐regulated in cells exposed to aurantiamide acetate (P < 0.05 compared with control). The cytoplasmic accumulation of autophagosomes and autolysosomes induced by aurantiamide acetate treatment was confirmed by fluorescent reporter protein labelling. Administration of chloroquine (CQ), which inhibits the fusion step of autophagosomes, further increased the accumulation of autophagosomes in the cytoplasm of U87 cells. Autophagy inhibition by 3‐methyladenine, Bafilomycin A1 or CQ had no influence on aurantiamide acetate‐induced cytotoxicity, whereas autophagy stimulator rapamycin significantly suppressed aurantiamide acetate‐induced cell death. The anti‐tumour effects of aurantiamide acetate were further evaluated in tumour‐bearing nude mice. Intratumoural injection of aurantiamide acetate obviously suppressed tumour growth, and increased number of autophagic vacuoles was observed in tumour tissues of animals receiving aurantiamide acetate. Our findings suggest that aurantiamide acetate may suppress the growth of malignant gliomas by blocking autophagic flux.     

The WD repeat protein FAN regulates lysosome size independent from abnormal downregulation/membrane recruitment of protein kinase C

FAN (factor associated with neutral sphingomyelinase [N-SMase] activation) exhibits striking structural homologies to Lyst (lysosomal trafficking regulator), a BEACH protein whose inactivation causes formation of giant lysosomes/Chediak-Higashi syndrome. Here, we show that cells lacking FAN show a statistically significant increase in lysosome size (although less pronounced as Lyst), pointing to previously unrecognized functions of FAN in regulation of the lysosomal compartment. Since FAN regulates activation of N-SMase in complex with receptor for activated C-kinase (RACK)1, a scaffolding protein that recruits and stabilizes activated protein kinase C (PKC) isotypes at cellular membranes, and since an abnormal (calpain-mediated) downregulation/membrane recruitment of PKC has been linked to the defects observed in Lyst-deficient cells, we assessed whether PKC is also of relevance in FAN signaling. Our results demonstrate that activation of PKC is not required for regulation of N-SMase by FAN/RACK1. Conversely, activation of PKC and recruitment/stabilization by RACK1 occurs uniformly in the presence or absence of FAN (and equally, Lyst). Furthermore, regulation of lysosome size by FAN is not coupled to an abnormal downregulation/membrane recruitment of PKC by calpain. Identical results were obtained for Lyst, questioning the previously reported relevance of PKC for formation of giant lysosomes and in Chediak-Higashi syndrome. In summary, FAN mediates activation of N-SMase as well as regulation of lysosome size by signaling pathways that operate independent from activation/membrane recruitment of PKC.     

Adaptation to climate change: contrasting patterns of thermal-reaction-norm evolution in Pacific versus Atlantic silversides

How organisms may adapt to rising global temperatures is uncertain, but concepts can emerge from studying adaptive physiological trait variations across existing spatial climate gradients. Many ectotherms, particularly fish, have evolved increasing genetic growth capacities with latitude (i.e. countergradient variation (CnGV) in growth), which are thought to be an adaptation primarily to strong gradients in seasonality. In contrast, evolutionary responses to gradients in mean temperature are often assumed to involve an alternative mode, 'thermal adaptation'. We measured thermal growth reaction norms in Pacific silverside populations (Atherinops affinis) occurring across a weak latitudinal temperature gradient with invariant seasonality along the North American Pacific coast. Instead of thermal adaptation, we found novel evidence for CnGV in growth, suggesting that CnGV is a ubiquitous mode of reaction-norm evolution in ectotherms even in response to weak spatial and, by inference, temporal climate gradients. A novel, large-scale comparison between ecologically equivalent Pacific versus Atlantic silversides (Menidia menidia) revealed how closely growth CnGV patterns reflect their respective climate gradients. While steep growth reaction norms and increasing growth plasticity with latitude in M. menidia mimicked the strong, highly seasonal Atlantic coastal gradient, shallow reaction norms and much smaller, latitude-independent growth plasticity in A. affinis resembled the weak Pacific latitudinal temperature gradient.     

ARAP1 association with CIN85 affects epidermal growth factor receptor endocytic trafficking

Background information. ARAP1 is an Arf (ADP‐ribosylation factor)‐directed GAP (GTPase‐activating protein) that inhibits the trafficking of EGFR (epidermal growth factor receptor) to the early endosome. To further understand the function of ARAP1, we sought to identify proteins that interact with ARAP1. Results. Here we report that ARAP1 associates with the CIN85 (Cbl‐interacting protein of 85 kDa). Arg⁸⁶ and Arg⁹⁰ of ARAP1 and the SH3 (Src homology 3) domains of CIN85 are necessary for the interaction. We found that a mutant of ARAP1 with reduced affinity for CIN85 does not efficiently rescue the effect of reduced ARAP1 expression on EGFR trafficking to the early endosome. Reduced expression of CIN85 has a similar effect as reduced expression of ARAP1 on traffic of the EGFR. Cbl proteins regulate the endocytic trafficking of the EGFR by mediating ubiquitination of the EGFR. Overexpression of ARAP1 reduced ubiquitination of the EGFR by Cbl and slowed Cbl‐dependent degradation of the EGFR. Reduced expression of ARAP1 accelerated degradation of EGFR but did not affect the level of ubiquitination of the receptor that was detected. Conclusion. ARAP1 interaction with CIN85 regulates endocytic trafficking of the EGFR and affects ubiquitination of EGFR. We propose a model in which the ARAP1‐CIN85 complex drives exit of EGF—EGFR–Cbl complex from a pre‐early endosome into a pathway distinct from the early endosome/lysosome pathway.