Novel functions of vimentin in cell adhesion, migration, and signaling

Vimentin is the major intermediate filament (IF) protein of mesenchymal cells. It shows dynamically altered expression patterns during different developmental stages and high sequence homology throughout all vertebrates, suggesting that the protein is physiologically important. Still, until recently, the real tasks of vimentin have been elusive, primarily because the vimentin-deficient mice were originally characterized as having a very mild phenotype. Recent studies have revealed several key functions for vimentin that were not obvious at first sight. Vimentin emerges as an organizer of a number of critical proteins involved in attachment, migration, and cell signaling. The highly dynamic and complex phosphorylation of vimentin seems to be a likely regulator mechanism for these functions. The implicated novel vimentin functions have broad ramifications into many different aspects of cell physiology, cellular interactions, and organ homeostasis.     

Genomewide Scan of Multiple Sclerosis in Finnish Multiplex Families

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a neurological, demyelinating disorder with a putative autoimmune etiology. It is thought to be a multifactorial disease with a complex mode of inheritance. Here we report the results of a two-stage genomewide scan for loci predisposing to MS. The first stage of the screen, with a low-resolution map, was performed in a selection of 16 pedigrees collected from an isolated Finnish population. Multipoint, non-parametric linkage analysis of the 328 markers did not reveal statistically significant results. However, 10 slightly interesting regions (P = .1-.15) emerged, including our previous findings of the HLA complex on 6p21 and a putative locus on 5p14-p12. Eight of these novel regions were further analyzed by use of denser marker maps, in the second stage of the scan. For the chromosomal regions 4cen, 11tel, and 17q, the statistical significance increased, but not conclusively; for 2q32 and 10q21, the statistical significance did not change. Accordingly, genotyping of the high-density markers in these regions was performed, and the data were analyzed by use of two-point, parametric linkage analysis using the complete pedigree information of the 21 Finnish multiplex families. We detected suggestive evidence for a predisposing locus on chromosomal region 17q22-q24. Several markers on 17q22-q24 yielded positive LOD scores, with the maximum LOD score (Zmax) occurring with D17S807 (Zmax = 2.8, theta = .04; dominant model). Interestingly, a suggestive linkage between MS and the markers on 17q22-q24 was also revealed by a recent genomewide scan in MS families from the United Kingdom.     

地喹氯铵联合紫杉醇注射液对神经胶质瘤患者血清IL-6, Th17 细胞水平 及临床疗效的影响

目的:探讨地喹氯铵联合紫杉醇注射液对神经胶质瘤患者血清IL-6、Th17细胞水平及临床疗效的影响。方法:回顾性研究我院神经胶质瘤患者60例,根据电脑生成的随机数字表将所有患者随机分为实验组与对照组,每组各30例,对照组患者给予地喹氯铵进行治疗,实验组患者在对照组的基础上给予紫杉醇注射液。比较治疗前后两组患者血清IL-6,Th17细胞水平,并对两组患者不良反应发生率及临床总有效率进行统计。结果:与治疗前相比,两组患者治疗后的血清IL-6、Th17细胞水平均显著降低(P0.05);且与对照组相比,实验组患者血清IL-6、Th17细胞水平均较低(P0.05)。与对照组相比,实验组患者的不良反应发生率较低(P0.05);临床总有效率较高(P0.05)。结论:地喹氯铵联合紫杉醇注射液能够显著提高神经胶质瘤患者临床疗效,降低不良反应发生率,其机制可能与降低血清IL-6及Th17细胞水平有关。     

生防工程菌株BS-17A稳定性与抑菌活性初步研究

目的:BS-17是内生细菌,对番茄灰霉病菌、叶霉病菌和枯萎病菌具有显著抑菌活性,为了跟踪研究野生型菌株BS-17在番茄根围和叶围的定殖情况,构建了1株带有黄绿荧光蛋白基因标记的生防菌株BS-17A.方法:采用NYD连续培养的方法和平皿抑菌试验的方法对工程菌株的遗传稳定性和抑菌活性进行了初步研究.结果:该工程菌在无选择压力培养基中连续培养50h,质粒遗传稳定性为94%,对番茄灰霉病菌Botrytis cinerea、叶霉病菌Cladosporiumfulvum和枯萎病菌Fusarium oxysporum的抑制作用与野生菌无显著差异,平皿抑菌率分别为85.5%、86.5%和89.8%.结论:该工程菌具有较强的遗传稳定性和抑菌活性.     

Helicobacter pylori Immunology and Vaccines

Helicobacter pylori infection causes chronic gastritis, peptic ulcer, and gastric cancer. Colonization of H. pylori in the stomach activates Toll-like and Nod-like receptors to induce not only innate immunity but also adaptive Th1 responses against this organism. Adaptive Th1 response is not sufficient to clear this organism and, as a result, the infection persists. Insufficient adaptive immunity can be explained by poor activation of Toll-like receptors, suppressive effects of bacterial factors, and induction of regulatory T-cell responses. Significant progress in the understanding of innate and adaptive immunity against H. pylori was made during the past year. Recent findings in the fields of vaccines for H. pylori are also reviewed.     

High-level expression and characterization of an anti-VEGF165 single-chain variable fragment (scFv) by small ubiquitin-related modifier fusion in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Escherichia coli</Emphasis>

Antibodies currently constitute the most rapidly growing class of human therapeutics; however, the high-yield production of recombinant antibodies and antibody fragments is a real challenge. High expression of active single-chain antibody fragment (scFv) in Escherichia coli has not been successful, as the protein contains three intramolecular disulfide bonds that are difficult to form correctly in the bacterial intracellular environment. To solve this problem, we fused the scFv gene against VEGF165 with a small ubiquitin-related modifier gene (SUMO) by synthesizing an artificial SUMO–scFv fusion gene that was highly expressed in the BL21(DE3) strain. The optimal expression level of the soluble fusion protein, SUMO–scFv, was up to 28.5% of the total cellular protein. The fusion protein was purified by Ni nitrilotriacetic acid (NTA) affinity chromatography and cleaved by a SUMO-specific protease to obtain the native scFv, which was further purified by Ni-NTA affinity chromatography. The result of the high-performance liquid chromatography showed that the purity of the recombinant cleaved scFv was greater than 98%. The primary structure of the purified scFv was confirmed by N-terminal amino acid sequencing and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectroscopy analysis. In vitro activity assay demonstrated that the recombinant scFv could dose-dependently inhibit VEGF165-induced human umbilical vein-derived endothelial cell proliferation. The expression strategy presented in this study allows convenient high yield and easy purification of recombinant scFv with native sequences.     

基于MODIS序列的北京市土地利用变化对净初级生产力的影响

了解土地利用变化对区域净初级生产力(NPP)的影响,对于综合理解区域植被的固碳能力及其与土地利用变化的关系,以及维持区域生态安全均具有重要意义。以北京市为例,基于2000—2012年MODIS NPP遥感影像和土地利用类型数据,利用同期Landsat TM影像(分辨率30 m)对MODIS NPP数据进行降尺度计算的基础上,分析北京市区域NPP的时空分布特征,探讨土地利用变化对植被固碳能力的影响。结果表明:研究期内Landsat NDVI与NPP数据的线性关系显著(R~2为0.22—0.68,P0.01),基于该线性关系可实现对MODIS NPP的降尺度重计算。土地利用面积分配和景观格局的变化均显著影响NPP。13年间,北京市林地和草地面积增加而耕地面积迅速减少,NPP总量由123万t C增长至190万t C,其中66%的NPP由林地贡献,其次为耕地(26%),草地最低(8%)。2000—2006年,面积变化促进了NPP的增加,贡献率为34%;而2006—2012年,面积变化则抑制区域NPP的增加,贡献率降低至27%。同时,研究区域内斑块聚集度的降低,斑块密度及丰富度的增加均有利于其NPP的增加。提高研究区植被固碳能力,需要在维持区域当前植被数量和质量的基础上,增加区域景观的异质性和多样性。     

报春PFsHSP17-1基因转化拟南芥及耐热鉴定

根据灰岩皱叶报春PF sHSP 17-1热激蛋白基因序列,采用PCR法从差减文库中克隆得到该基因,并构建pCAMBIA1301-PF sHSP 17-1植物表达载体,通过根癌农杆菌介导的花器浸染法转化拟南芥,经潮霉素筛选、PCR和RT-PCR法鉴定后,对转基因植株和野生型对照进行高温胁迫,分析其耐热性差异.结果显示,在40℃、42℃、44℃处理下,转基因拟南芥的相对电导率和丙二醛含量升高的幅度均显著低于野生型对照,而脯氨酸含量的积累明显高于对照,可溶性蛋白的含量在热胁迫下也比对照稳定,仅有轻微下降.试验证明,PF sHSP 17-1基因对植物的耐热性有重要作用.     

In vivo study: Th1–Th17 reduction in pristane-induced systemic lupus erythematosus mice after treatment with tolerogenic Lactobacillus probiotics

Uncontrolled inflammation in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) could cause dysfunction in multiple organs. T helper 17 (Th17) cells are a main branch of inflammatory responses in the pathogenesis of SLE, and by producing interleukin 17 (IL-17), represent a major functional tool in the progression of inflammation. Animal models provide a special field for better studies of the pathogenesis of diseases. Tolergenic probiotics could decrease inflammation in autoimmune diseases by modulating the immune system and maintaining homeostasis. The aim of this project was to evaluate the effects of Lactobacillus rhamnosus and Lactobacillus delbrueckii on Th17 cells and their related mediators in a pristane-induced BALB/c mice model of SLE. The mice were divided into pretreatment groups, which received probiotics or prednisolone at Day 0, and treatment groups, which received probiotics and prednisolone 2 months after injection. The presence of antinuclear antibody (ANA), anti-double-stranded DNA (anti-dsDNA), and anti-ribonucleoprotein (anti-RNP) and lipogranuloma was evaluated; also, the population of Th1–Th17 cells as well as interferon γ (IFN-γ), IL-17, and IL-10 levels, and the expression of RAR-related orphan related receptor gamma (RORγt) and IL-17 were determined. We observed that probiotics and prednisolone could delay SLE in pretreatment and treatment mice groups, with a reduction in ANA, anti-dsDNA, anti-RNP, and mass of lipogranuloma. Probiotics and prednisolone decreased the population of Th1–Th17 cells and reduced IFN-γ and IL-17 as inflammatory cytokines in the pretreatment and treatment groups in comparison with SLE-induced mice. Our results indicated that, due to their anti-inflammatory properties and reduction of Th17, Th1, and cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) cells, the use of these probiotics could probably represent a new tool for the better management of SLE.     

Gravimetric antigen detection utilizing antibody-modified lipid bilayers

Lipid bilayers containing 5% nitrilotriacetic acid (NTA) lipids supported on SiO₂ have been used as a template for immobilization of oligohistidine-tagged single-chained antibody fragments (scFvs) directed against cholera toxin. It was demonstrated that histidine-tagged scFvs could be equally efficiently coupled to an NTA-Ni²⁺-containing lipid bilayer from a purified sample as from an expression supernatant, thereby providing a coupling method that eliminates time-consuming protein prepurification steps. Irrespective of whether the coupling was made from the unpurified or purified antibody preparation, the template proved to be efficient for antigen (cholera toxin) detection, verified using quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring. In addition, via a secondary amplification step using lipid vesicles containing G_M1 (the natural membrane receptor for cholera toxin), the detection limit of cholera toxin was less than 750 pM. To further strengthen the coupling of scFvs to the lipid bilayer, scFvs containing two histidine tags, instead of just one tag, were also evaluated. The increased coupling strength provided via the bivalent anchoring significantly reduced scFv displacement in complex solutions containing large amounts of histidine-containing proteins, verified via cholera toxin detection in serum.