Potential‐resolved electrochemiluminescence of Ru(bpy)32+/C2O42− system on gold electrode

The electrogenerated chemiluminescence of Ru(bpy)₃²⁺/C₂O₄^2? system on a pre‐polarized Au electrode was studied using a potential‐resolved electrochemiluminescence (PRECL) method. Two anodic ECL peaks were observed at 1.22 V (vs. SCE) (EP1), 1.41 V (vs. SCE) (EP2), respectively. The effects of the concentration of oxalate and Ru(bpy)₃²⁺, adsorbed sulphur, CO₂, O₂, pH of the solution and pretreatment of the Au electrode on the two PRECL peaks were examined. The surface state of the pre‐oxidized gold electrode was also studied using the X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) technique. Moreover, comparative studies on i–E and I–E curves were carried out and a possible mechanism involving both the catalytic and the direct electro‐oxidation pathways was proposed for the ECL of Ru(bpy)₃²⁺/C₂O₄^2? system. EP1 is attributed to the Ru(bpy)₃^2/3+ reaction catalysed by C₂O₄^2? to generate Ru(bpy)₃^2+*. EP2 is likely because C₂O₄^2? was oxidized at the electrode to form CO₂^?·, followed by reaction with Ru(bpy)₃³⁺ to generate Ru(bpy)₃^2+*. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Tyrosine kinases and calcium dependent activation of endothelial cell phospholipase D by diperoxovanadate

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) mediated modulation of signal transduction pathways represent an important mechanism of cell injury and barrier dysfunction leading to the development of vascular disorders. Towards understanding the role of ROS in vascular dysfunction, we investigated the effect of diperoxovanadate (DPV), derived from mixing hydrogen peroxide and vanadate, on the activation of phospholipase D (PLD) in bovine pulmonary artery endothelial cells (BPAECs). Addition of DPV to BPAECs in the presence of .05% butanol resulted in an accumulation of [32P] phosphatidylbutanol (PBt) in a dose- and time-dependent manner. DPV also caused an increase in tyrosine phosphorylation of several protein bands (Mr 20-200 kD), as determined by western blot analysis with antiphosphotyrosine antibodies. The DPV-induced [³²P] PBt-accumulation was inhibited by putative tyrosine kinase inhibitors such as genistein, herbimycin, tyrphostin and by chelation of Ca²⁺ with either EGTA or BAPTA, however, pretreatment of BPAECs with the inhibitor PKC bisindolylmaleimide showed minimal inhibition. Also down-regulation of PKC and , the major isotypes of PKC in BPAECs, by TPA ( 100 nM, 18 h) did not attenuate the DPV-induced PLD activation. The effects of putative tyrosine kinase and PKC inhibitors were specific as determined by comparing [³²P] PBt formation between DPV and TPA. In addition to tyrosine kinase inhibitors, antioxidants such as N-acetylcysteine and pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate also attenuated DPV-induced protein tyrosine phosphorylation and PLD stimulation. These results suggest that oxidation, prevented by reduction with thiol compounds, is involved in DPV-dependent protein tyrosine phosphorylation and PLD activation.     

miR-32-5p-mediated Dusp5 downregulation contributes to neuropathic pain

Previous studies have demonstrated that microRNAs (miRNAs) play important roles in the pathogenesis of neuropathic pain. In the present study, we found that miR-32-5p was significantly upregulated in rats after spinal nerve ligation (SNL), specifically in the spinal microglia of rats with SNL. Functional assays showed that knockdown of miR-32-5p greatly suppressed mechanical allodynia and heat hyperalgesia, and decreased inflammatory cytokine (IL-1β, TNF-α and IL-6) protein expression in rats after SNL. Similarly, miR-32-5p knockdown alleviated cytokine production in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-treated spinal microglial cells, whereas its overexpression had the opposite effect. Mechanistic investigations revealed Dual-specificity phosphatase 5 (Dusp5) as a direct target of miR-32-5p, which is involved in the miR-32-5p-mediated effects on neuropathic pain and neuroinflammation. We demonstrated for the first time that miR-32-5p promotes neuroinflammation and neuropathic pain development through regulation of Dusp5. Our findings highlight a novel contribution of miR-32-5p to the process of neuropathic pain, and suggest possibilities for the development of novel therapeutic options for neuropathic pain.     

Use of precision cut human liver slices for studying the metabolism and genotoxic potential of xenobiotics by means of the 32P-postlabelling technique: steps towards method validation using testosterone and 2-aminofluorene

In the present study, a new in vitro model combining the short-term incubation of precision-cut human liver slices with DNA-adduct analysis by the ³²P-postlabelling technique is proposed for investigation of the genotoxic potential of xenobiotics. For method validation, the metabolic turnover of testosterone (TES) and the DNA-adduct inducing potential of 2-aminofluorene (2-AF) were used. Precision-cut human liver slices were prepared from a total of 12 human liver samples which were freshly obtained as parts of resectates from liver surgery. The slices were incubated as submersion cultures with TES and 2-AF for up to 6 h in 12-well tissue culture plates at concentrations of 10-50 and 0.06-28 μM, respectively. Slices recovered from the slicing procedure in the 4 °C cold Krebs-Henseleit buffer as indicated by intracellular potassium concentrations which increased for 2 h and then remained stable until the end of the incubation. TES was extensively metabolized by human liver slices with a similar metabolite pattern as observed in vivo. Almost 90% of the metabolites were conjugates. Major phase-I metabolites were androstendione, 6β-OH-androstendione, 6β-OH-TES, and 15β-OHTES. After incubation with 2-AF, substance related DNA-adducts were detected which increased dose-dependently from 12 to 1146 adducts per 10⁹ nucleotides. The adduct pattern consisted of one major adduct spot, A, representing 80-90% of the total adduct level and up to four minor adduct spots, B-E. In summary, the present data demonstrate that precision-cut liver slices are a valuable alternative in vitro system for DNA-adduct determination to screen chemicals for potential genotoxicity in humans.     

INCREASED PHOSPHORYLATION OF DARPP-32 BY D_1 AGONISTIC ACTION OF l-STEPHOLIDINE IN THE 6-OHDA-LESIONED RAT STRIATUM

为了进一步阐明ＳＰＤ对大鼠纹状体突触后Ｄ１受体的激动作用特性,本文应用反磷酸化在体内测定及放射配体结合方法,分别观察ＳＰＤ对６ＯＨＤＡ损毁大鼠纹状体ＤＡＲＰＰ３２体内磷酸化作用及突触后Ｄ１受体密度的影响。结果表明：皮下给予ＳＰＤ（２０,４０ｍｇ／ｋｇ,２１ｄ）,损毁侧纹状体ＤＡＲＰＰ３２体外［３２Ｐ］的掺入量较健侧下降５０％（Ｐ＜００１）。换言之,损毁侧纹状体内ＤＡＲＰＰ３２的磷酸化程度增加了。然而,ＳＰＤ使损毁导致Ｄ１受体上调的作用减弱（Ｂｍａｘ从３８５０±２６１ｆｍｏｌ／ｍｇ降至３１９７±２０１ｆｍｏｌ／ｍｇ水平）。因此,ＳＰＤ激动Ｄ１受体,使６ＯＨＤＡ损毁大鼠纹状体内ＤＡＲＰＰ３２磷酸化作用加强,而受体密度减少。这是ＳＰＤ调节脑内Ｄ１受体信号转导功能的重要机制。     

草鱼TRIM32基因克隆表达及功能研究

TRIM (Tripartite-motif protein) 家族是机体先天性免疫的重要成员, 参与细胞增殖分化、细胞凋亡、肿瘤抑制、抗病毒等过程。为了进一步探究TRIM蛋白在鱼类免疫中的作用, 实验利用PCR方法克隆了草鱼TRIM32基因的编码区全长, 共1980 bp, 编码660个氨基酸。草鱼TRIM32具有TRIM家族典型的3个结构域, 与斑马鱼TRIM32的核苷酸序列同源性较高, 遗传进化分析也聚为一支。间接免疫荧光、Western-blotting检测结果显示草鱼TRIM32在EPC细胞中成功表达, 主要以点状分布在细胞质中, 细胞核中表达量较少; 组织分布分析表明TRIM32在被检测的11个组织中均有表达, 其中在头肾组织中的表达量明显高于其他组织; 不同胚胎发育时期的表达分析进一步表明, TRIM32在受精卵时期、卵裂期和囊胚期的表达量显著高于其他时期(P<0.05), 随后表达量下降, 直到出膜后表达量再次显著性升高。此外, 双荧光素酶检测系统显示TRIM32能够激活NF-κB信号通路, 诱导下游的炎症反应。结果显示, 草鱼TRIM32广泛分布于鱼体内, 并参与机体的天然免疫反应, 对于抵抗病原体的入侵具有重要作用。     

基于ITS和ndhF-rpl32序列的荞麦种间亲缘关系分析

荞麦起源于我国, 演化形成了丰富的物种和遗传多样性。为了有效研究和利用荞麦及其野生种资源, 以从四川、甘肃、贵州等地采集的荞麦属(Fagopyrum)10个种(含变种、亚种和复合体种)共71份材料为对象, 通过ITS和叶绿体ndhF-rpl32序列分析, 利用MEGA5.0构建系统进化树, 探讨了荞麦种内及种间亲缘关系。结果表明, 在ITS序列矩阵中, 序列长度为725 bp, 信息位点为150个, 占序列总长度的20.7%; 在ndhF-rpl32序列矩阵中, 序列长度为940 bp, 信息位点为158个, 占序列总长度的16.8%。由ITS序列和ndhF-rpl32序列构建的两个进化树都可以将71份材料分为大粒荞麦种组和小粒荞麦种组; 其中, 大粒荞麦种组包括栽培苦荞和米苦荞(F. tataricum)、金荞复合体(F. cymosum complex)、栽培甜荞(F. esculentum)和野生甜荞(F. esculentum ssp. ancestralis); 小粒荞麦种组包括齿翅野荞(F. gracilipes var. odontopterum)、疏穗小野荞(F. leptopodum var. grossii)、小野荞(F. leptopodum)、密毛野荞(F. densovillosum)、细柄野荞(F. gracilipes)和硬枝万年荞(F. urophyllum)。而ndhF-rpl32序列构建的系统发育树还能区分栽培甜荞和野生甜荞, 具有更好的聚类效果。另外, 与栽培甜荞相比, 金荞复合体与栽培苦荞的亲缘关系更近。该研究为荞麦属种的分类和条形码研究提供了一定的科学依据。     

Expression and properties of arginyl-tRNA synthetase from jack bean (Canavalia ensiformis)

The coding region for arginyl-tRNA synthetase from jack bean (Canavalia ensiformis) has been sequenced and cloned into the bacterial expression vector pET32a. Transformation of BL21 cells and induction with IPTG results in the high level expression of the protein fused N-terminally with thioredoxin and bearing a His-tag. A substantial proportion of the enzyme is recovered in the soluble fraction of the cell lysate (10 mg per litre cell culture) and can be isolated with metal-affinity technology. The thioredoxin component and the His-tag portion of the fused protein could be removed with thrombin, resulting in a homogeneous product retaining an N-terminal extension of 3.2 kDa compared to the native arginyl-tRNA synthetase. Both full-length fusion and thrombin-treated products proved to be active in aminoacylation, with similar kinetic parameters.     

An alternate sucrose binding mode in the E203Q Arabidopsis invertase mutant: an X-ray crystallography and docking study

In the present study, we report on the X-ray crystallographic structure of a GH32 invertase mutant, (i.e., the Arabidopsis thaliana cell-wall invertase 1-E203Q, AtcwINV1-mutant) in complex with sucrose. This structure was solved to reveal the features of sugar binding in the catalytic pocket. However, as demonstrated by the X-ray structure the sugar binding and the catalytic pocket arrangement is significantly altered as compared with what was expected based on previous X-ray structures on GH-J clan enzymes. We performed a series of docking and molecular dynamics simulations on various derivatives of AtcwINV1 to reveal the reasons behind this modified sugar binding. Our results demonstrate that the E203Q mutation introduced into the catalytic pocket triggers conformational changes that alter the wild type substrate binding. In addition, this study also reveals the putative productive sucrose binding modus in the wild type enzyme.     

Analyses of non-leucine-rich repeat (non-LRR) regions intervening between LRRs in proteins

Background

Many proteins have LRR (leucine-rich repeat) units interrupted by non-LRRs which we call IR (non-LRR island region).

Methods

We identified proteins containing LRR@IRs (LRRs having IR) by using a new method and then analyzed their natures and distributions.

Results

LRR@IR proteins were found in over two hundred proteins from prokaryotes and from eukaryotes. These are divided into twenty-one different protein families. The IRs occur one to four times in LRR regions and range in length from 5 to 11,265 residues. The IR lengths in Fungi adenylate cyclases (acys) range from 5 to 116 residues; there are 22 LRR repeats. The IRs in Leishmania proteophosphoglycans (ppgs) vary from 105 to 11,265 residues. These results indicate that the IRs evolved rapidly. A group of LRR@IR proteins—LRRC17, chondroadherin-like protein, ppgs, and four Pseudomonas proteins—have a super motif consisting of an LRR block and its adjacent LRR@IR region. This indicates that the entire super motif experienced duplication. The sequence analysis of IRs offers functional similarity in some LRR@IR protein families.

General significance

This study suggests that various IRs and super motifs provide a great variety of structures and functions for LRRs.