MHC Class I Immunopeptidome: Past,Present, and Future

In the 35 years since the revelation that short peptides bound to major histocompatibility complex class I and II molecules are the secret of the major histocompatibility complex–restricted nature of T-cell recognition, there has been enormous progress in characterizing the immunopeptidome, the repertoire of peptide presented for immunosurveillance. Here, the major milestones in the journey are marked, the contribution of proteasome-mediated splicing to the immunopeptidome is discussed, and exciting recent findings relating the immunopeptidome to the translatome revealed by ribosome profiling (RiboSeq) is detailed. Finally, what is needed for continued progress is opined about, which includes the infusion of talented young scientists into the antigen-processing field, currently undergoing a renaissance; thanks in part to the astounding success of T-cell–based cancer immunotherapy.     

The growth strategy of the Gram-positive rod

Abstract Bacteria grow by enlarging their envelope in such a way that osmotic pressure does not normally cause physical rupture. The strategy of Bacillus subtilis for both cylindrical elongation and pole formation is now substantially defined. Side-wall growth takes place by laying down new peptidoglycan, which is then displaced outwards, stretched and discarded; cross walls are laid down in the absence of stress, and then stretched and bulged outward as the septum is split and the pole is formed.     

Carrier subunit of plasma membrane transporter is required for oxidative folding of its helper subunit

We study the amino acid transport system b(0,+) as a model for folding, assembly, and early traffic of membrane protein complexes. System b(0,+) is made of two disulfide-linked membrane subunits: the carrier, b(0,+) amino acid transporter (b(0,+)AT), a polytopic protein, and the helper, related to b(0,+) amino acid transporter (rBAT), a type II glycoprotein. rBAT ectodomain mutants display folding/trafficking defects that lead to type I cystinuria. Here we show that, in the presence of b(0,+)AT, three disulfides were formed in the rBAT ectodomain. Disulfides Cys-242-Cys-273 and Cys-571-Cys-666 were essential for biogenesis. Cys-673-Cys-685 was dispensable, but the single mutants C673S, and C685S showed compromised stability and trafficking. Cys-242-Cys-273 likely was the first disulfide to form, and unpaired Cys-242 or Cys-273 disrupted oxidative folding. Strikingly, unassembled rBAT was found as an ensemble of different redox species, mainly monomeric. The ensemble did not change upon inhibition of rBAT degradation. Overall, these results indicated a b(0,+)AT-dependent oxidative folding of the rBAT ectodomain, with the initial and probably cotranslational formation of Cys-242-Cys-273, followed by the oxidation of Cys-571-Cys-666 and Cys-673-Cys-685, that was completed posttranslationally.     

Na/K-ATPase as an oligomeric ensemble

Differences in the kinetic behavior and properties of monomeric and oligomeric forms of membrane-bound Na/K-ATPase are analyzed. It is concluded that enzyme molecules within oligomeric complexes are affected by extrinsic signals that result in change of enzyme activity, whereas the individual (protomeric) state is insensitive to these signals. Some of the major factors of such regulation are microviscosity of the lipid environment, reactive oxygen species, and intracellular protein kinases.     

Submarine pollination in the marine angiosperm Zostera marina (Zosteraceae). II. Pollen transport in flow fields and capture by stigmas

Flow chamber observations of the filamentous pollen of Zostera marina L. (Potamogetonales) revealed that pollen rotated and moved toward inflorescences where they were captured by stigmas. The mechanics of this abiotic pollination process were examined and found to be related to the flow environment around emergent flowers. The translational movement of pollen was imparted by the advection of the fluid (e.g., pollen kinetic energy, K, ranged from 0.8 x 10-14 to 2.4 x 10-14 J, and the average K of the fluid was _ 0.7 x 10-14 J), while the rotational motion was imparted by the fluid shear stress (tau) within the velocity gradient (e.g., pollen shear stress, sigmat = omegamu where omega is the rotational velocity and mu is the dynamic viscosity, ranged from 3.4 x 10-4 to 26 x 10-4 Pa, and the average fluid shear stress was tau _ 10 x 10-4 Pa; Ackerman, 1997, American Journal of Botany 84: 1099-1109). These results indicate that there is a greater potential for pollination by filamentous pollen relative to spherical pollen. Functionally, while spherical pollen needs to be directly upstream from stigmas to be captured, filamentous pollen need only be in the vicinity of inflorescences and flowers to be captured by stigmas. Thus, in addition to direct interception on stigmas, filamentous pollen can be captured while they rotate past flowers or when they are redirected through the velocity gradient towards flowers. Filamentous pollen is an adaptation to submarine pollination in seagrasses.     

健脾益肾活血方联合达格列净对糖尿病肾病患者炎症因子、氧化应激和血清AGEs、NGAL、MCP-1的影响

摘要 目的：观察健脾益肾活血方联合达格列净对糖尿病肾病（DN）患者炎症因子、氧化应激和血清中性粒细胞明胶酶相关脂质运载蛋白（NGAL）、晚期糖基化终末产物（AGEs）、单核细胞趋化蛋白1（MCP-1）的影响。方法：根据随机数字表法将如皋市中医院2021年6月~2023年3月期间收治的120例DN患者分为对照组（60例,常规治疗基础上接受达格列净治疗）和研究组（60例,对照组基础上接受健脾益肾活血方治疗）。对比两组疗效、炎症因子[白细胞介素-1β（IL-1β）、肿瘤坏死因子-α（TNF-α）、C反应蛋白（CRP）]、肾功能[血肌酐（Scr）、血尿素氮（BUN）、尿微量白蛋白/肌酐比值（UACR）]、氧化应激[丙二醛（MDA）、超氧化物歧化酶（SOD）]和血清AGEs、NGAL、MCP-1水平,同时观察两组治疗期间不良反应发生情况。结果：研究组的临床总有效率高于对照组（P<0.05）。两组治疗2个疗程后Scr、BUN、UACR下降,且研究组低于对照组（P<0.05）。两组治疗2个疗程后CRP、TNF-α、IL-1β下降,且研究组低于对照组（P<0.05）。两组治疗2个疗程后MDA下降,且研究组低于对照组;SOD升高,且研究组高于对照组（P<0.05）。两组治疗2个疗程后NGAL、AGEs、MCP-1下降,且研究组低于对照组（P<0.05）。两组不良反应发生率对比未见差异（P>0.05）。结论：健脾益肾活血方联合达格列净可有效减轻DN患者氧化应激和炎症反应,调节血清AGEs、NGAL、MCP-1水平。     

茵陈五苓散联合利拉鲁肽对肥胖型2型糖尿病患者糖脂代谢、胰岛素敏感性和氧化应激的影响

摘要 目的：探讨茵陈五苓散联合利拉鲁肽对肥胖型2型糖尿病（T2DM）患者糖脂代谢、胰岛素敏感性和氧化应激的影响。方法：选取2021年12月~2022年12月期间广州中医药大学附属佛山中医院收治的160例痰湿内蕴型肥胖T2DM患者。根据随机数字表法将患者分为对照组（利拉鲁肽治疗,80例）和研究组（茵陈五苓散联合利拉鲁肽治疗,80例）。对比两组疗效、糖脂代谢指标、肥胖相关指标、胰岛素敏感性、氧化应激和不良反应发生情况。结果：与对照组相比,研究组的临床总有效率更高（P<0.05）。研究组治疗后体质量指数（BMI）、空腹血糖（FBG）、腰臀比（WHR）、餐后2 h血糖（2hPG）、丙二醛（MDA）、糖化血红蛋白（HbAlc）、稳态模型胰岛素抵抗指数（HOMA-IR）、总胆固醇（TC）、黄嘌呤氧化酶（XO）、甘油三酯（TG）、低密度脂蛋白胆固醇（LDL-C）较对照组低（P<0.05）。治疗后研究组稳态模型胰岛β细胞功能指数（HOMA-β）、高密度脂蛋白胆固醇（HDL-C）、超氧化物歧化酶（SOD）高于对照组（P<0.05）。两组不良反应发生率组间对比未见差异（P>0.05）。结论：茵陈五苓散联合利拉鲁肽治疗肥胖型T2DM患者疗效确切,可调节糖脂代谢水平,降低胰岛素敏感性,减轻氧化应激,且具有一定安全性,值得临床借鉴应用。     

Nrf2激动剂CDDO-Im对高脂饮食诱导的肥胖小鼠肝脏脂肪变性的影响

摘要 目的：探究Nrf2激动剂CDDO-Im对高脂饮食诱导的肥胖小鼠肝脏脂肪变性的作用。方法：33只雄性C57BL/6J小鼠随机分为两组：一组16只饲喂普通饲料,另一组17只饲喂高脂饲料建立肥胖模型。造模成功后将小鼠随机分成四组：普通饲料溶剂对照组（Control ND组）、普通饲料Nrf2激动剂组（Nrf2(+) ND组）、高脂饲料溶剂对照组（Control HFD组）和高脂饲料Nrf2激动剂组（Nrf2(+) HFD组）。分别给予Nrf2激动剂CDDO-Im和等体积溶剂灌胃干预6周后,检测各组小鼠血清甘油三酯（TG）、总胆固醇（T-CHO）和低密度脂蛋白-胆固醇（LDL-C）。苏木素-伊红（HE）染色观察肝脏组织形态学变化。RT-qPCR检测肝脏Nrf2下游抗氧化基因Nqo1、Ho1和Gclc的mRNA表达水平,Western Blot检测肝脏NQO1、HO-1和GCLC的蛋白表达水平。结果：与正常小鼠相比,肥胖小鼠的体重、TG和LDL-C升高（P＜0.05）,肝脏脂肪变性增加,GCLC的蛋白表达水平降低（P＜0.05）。在肥胖小鼠中,与溶剂对照组相比,Nrf2激动剂组小鼠的体重、血清TG降低（P＜0.05）,肝脏脂肪变性减轻,Nqo1和Gclc的mRNA表达水平升高（P＜0.05）,NQO1和GCLC的蛋白表达水平升高（P＜0.05）。结论：Nrf2激动剂CDDO-Im可改善高脂饮食诱导的肥胖小鼠肝脏脂肪变性,可能与Nrf2激动剂CDDO-Im激活抗氧化基因的表达来减轻肝细胞氧化应激有关。