Mouse to human comparative genetics reveals a novel immunoglobulin E-controlling locus on Hsa8q12

Atopy is a predisposition to hyperproduction of immunoglobulin E (IgE) against common environmental allergens. It is often associated with development of allergic diseases such as asthma, rhinitis, and dermatitis. Production of IgE is influenced by genetic and environmental factors. In spite of progress in the study of heredity of atopy, the genetic mechanisms of IgE regulation have not yet been completely elucidated. The analysis of complex traits can benefit considerably from integration of human and mouse genetics. Previously, we mapped a mouse IgE-controlling locus Lmr9 on chromosome 4 to a segment of <9 Mb. In this study, we tested levels of total IgE and 25 specific IgEs against inhalant and food allergens in 67 Czech atopic families. In the position homologous to Lmr9 on chromosome 8q12 marked by D8S285, we demonstrated a novel human IgE-controlling locus exhibiting suggestive linkage to composite inhalant allergic sensitization (limit of detection, LOD = 2.11, P = 0.0009) and to nine specific IgEs, with maximum LOD (LOD = 2.42, P = 0.0004) to plantain. We also tested 16 markers at previously reported chromosomal regions of atopy. Linkage to plant allergens exceeding the LOD > 2.0 was detected at 5q33 (D5S1507, LOD = 2.11, P = 0.0009) and 13q14 (D13S165, LOD = 2.74, P = 0.0002). The significant association with plant allergens (quantitative and discrete traits) was found at 7p14 (D7S2250, corrected P = 0.026) and 12q13 (D12S1298, corrected P = 0.043). Thus, the finding of linkage on chromosome 8q12 shows precision and predictive power of mouse models in the investigation of complex traits in humans. Our results also confirm the role of loci at 5q33, 7p14, 12q14, and 13q13 in control of IgE. Electronic supplementary material  The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

Metabolomics: building on a century of biochemistry to guide human health

Medical diagnosis and treatment efficacy will improve significantly when a more personalized system for health assessment is implemented. This system will require diagnostics that provide sufficiently detailed information about the metabolic status of individuals such that assay results will be able to guide food, drug and lifestyle choices to maintain or improve distinct aspects of health without compromising others. Achieving this goal will use the new science of metabolomics – comprehensive metabolic profiling of individuals linked to the biological understanding of human integrative metabolism. Candidate technologies to accomplish this goal are largely available, yet they have not been brought into practice for this purpose. Metabolomic technologies must be sufficiently rapid, accurate and affordable to be routinely accessible to both healthy and acutely ill individuals. The use of metabolomic data to predict the health trajectories of individuals will require bioinformatic tools and quantitative reference databases. These databases containing metabolite profiles from the population must be built, stored and indexed according to metabolic and health status. Building and annotating these databases with the knowledge to predict how a specific metabolic pattern from an individual can be adjusted with diet, drugs and lifestyle to improve health represents a logical application of the biochemistry knowledge that the life sciences have produced over the past 100 years.     

阴道微生态与高危型人乳头瘤病毒感染及宫颈病变的相关性

目的 探究阴道微生态与高危型人乳头瘤病毒(HR HPV)感染以及宫颈病变之间的相关性,为后续研究提供参考。 方法 选择2018年1月至2019年6月就诊于石河子大学医学院第一附属医院妇科门诊,同时行爱必维(细菌性阴道病五项联合测定试剂盒)检测、HR HPV检测及宫颈组织病理检查的343名妇女作为研究对象,分析相关检测数据并探究阴道微生态与HR HPV感染以及宫颈病变的相关性。 结果 过氧化氢阳性、唾液酸苷酶阳性、白细胞酯酶阳性、乳杆菌数量减少及阴道清洁度3~4度的妇女感染HR HPV及发生宫颈病变的可能性显著大于过氧化氢阴性、唾液酸苷酶阴性、白细胞酯酶阴性、乳杆菌数量较多及阴道清洁度1~2度的妇女,差异均有统计学意义(均P结论 阴道微生态失衡与HR HPV感染以及宫颈病变有一定关联,纠正阴道微生态失衡可一定程度上预防HR HPV感染及宫颈病变。     

The Role of the N-Terminus of the Myosin Essential Light Chain in Cardiac Muscle Contraction

To study the regulation of cardiac muscle contraction by the myosin essential light chain (ELC) and the physiological significance of its N-terminal extension, we generated transgenic (Tg) mice by partially replacing the endogenous mouse ventricular ELC with either the human ventricular ELC wild type (Tg-WT) or its 43-amino-acid N-terminal truncation mutant (Tg-Δ43) in the murine hearts. The mutant protein is similar in sequence to the short ELC variant present in skeletal muscle, and the ELC protein distribution in Tg-Δ43 ventricles resembles that of fast skeletal muscle. Cardiac muscle preparations from Tg-Δ43 mice demonstrate reduced force per cross-sectional area of muscle, which is likely caused by a reduced number of force-generating myosin cross-bridges and/or by decreased force per cross-bridge. As the mice grow older, the contractile force per cross-sectional area further decreases in Tg-Δ43 mice and the mutant hearts develop a phenotype of nonpathologic hypertrophy while still maintaining normal cardiac performance. The myocardium of older Tg-Δ43 mice also exhibits reduced myosin content. Our results suggest that the role of the N-terminal ELC extension is to maintain the integrity of myosin and to modulate force generation by decreasing myosin neck region compliance and promoting strong cross-bridge formation and/or by enhancing myosin attachment to actin.     

Fruit Flies in Biomedical Research

Many scientists complain that the current funding situation is dire. Indeed, there has been an overall decline in support in funding for research from the National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation. Within the Drosophila field, some of us question how long this funding crunch will last as it demotivates principal investigators and perhaps more importantly affects the long-term career choice of many young scientists. Yet numerous very interesting biological processes and avenues remain to be investigated in Drosophila, and probing questions can be answered fast and efficiently in flies to reveal new biological phenomena. Moreover, Drosophila is an excellent model organism for studies that have translational impact for genetic disease and for other medical implications such as vector-borne illnesses. We would like to promote a better collaboration between Drosophila geneticists/biologists and human geneticists/bioinformaticians/clinicians, as it would benefit both fields and significantly impact the research on human diseases.     

Oxidative Modification of Proteins: Oxidation of Tryptophan and Production of Dityrosine in Purified Proteins Using Fenton's System

Specific features of metal-catalyzed oxidation (MCO) of purified proteins (human serum albumin and human erythrocyte superoxide dismutase) were analyzed by the oxidation level of tryptophan and tyrosine. The production of dityrosine cross-links and the oxidation of tryptophan residues were recorded by fluorescence. The degree of oxidative modification of the amino acid residues of the proteins depended on the concentration of the Fenton's medium components and on the incubation time. These changes were different in different proteins. By electrophoresis and gel-permeation chromatography, changes in the superoxide dismutase structure are shown to be caused by oxidative modification of the enzyme and to be accompanied by a decrease in its activity. Findings with OH^. scavengers (mannitol and ethanol) suggest that oxidative modification of the proteins in Fenton's medium should be associated not only with hydroxyl radical but also with ferryl and perferryl ions and with the radical PH₃.     

新疆维吾尔族妇女宫颈癌组织中乳头瘤病毒16型E6基因的克隆和序列分析

为了分析新疆南部地区维吾尔族妇女宫颈癌组织中HPV16型E6基因结构特点，从中国新疆南部地区维吾尔族妇女宫颈癌活检组织标本中提取DNA，以宫颈癌活检组织标本DNA为模板进行PCR扩增，获得HPV16 E6基因，将其克隆到pUCm-T载体上，并对其进行基因全序列分析.PCR检测结果显示宫颈癌组织中HPV16 E6阳性率为82.35%（14/17）；测序结果显示，新疆株HPV16 E6基因全长456 bp，大小与德国标准株一致.E6基因的第247位碱基发生T→G突变，并由此引起所编码的氨基酸亦发生改变.上述结果表明，中国新疆南部地区维吾尔族妇女宫颈癌患者组织中HPV16 E6的基因结构与德国标准株HPV16 E6基因之间存在差异.     

Determination of the pH dependence,substrate specificity,and turnovers of alternative substrates for human ornithine aminotransferase

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common primary cancer of the liver and occurs predominantly in patients with underlying chronic liver diseases. Over the past decade, human ornithine aminotransferase (hOAT), which is an enzyme that catalyzes the metabolic conversion of ornithine into an intermediate for proline or glutamate synthesis, has been found to be overexpressed in HCC cells. hOAT has since emerged as a promising target for novel anticancer therapies, especially for the ongoing rational design effort to discover mechanism-based inactivators (MBIs). Despite the significance of hOAT in human metabolism and its clinical potential as a drug target against HCC, there are significant knowledge deficits with regard to its catalytic mechanism and structural characteristics. Ongoing MBI design efforts require in-depth knowledge of the enzyme active site, in particular, pKa values of potential nucleophiles and residues necessary for the molecular recognition of ligands. Here, we conducted a study detailing the fundamental active-site properties of hOAT using stopped-flow spectrophotometry and X-ray crystallography. Our results quantitatively revealed the pH dependence of the multistep reaction mechanism and illuminated the roles of ornithine α-amino and δ-amino groups in substrate recognition and in facilitating catalytic turnover. These findings provided insights of the catalytic mechanism that could benefit the rational design of MBIs against hOAT. In addition, substrate recognition and turnover of several fragment-sized alternative substrates of hOATs, which could serve as structural templates for MBI design, were also elucidated.     

Chimeric contribution of human extended pluripotent stem cells to monkey embryos ex vivo

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