N-Substituted Benzyl Matrinic Acid Derivatives Inhibit Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) Replication through Down-Regulating Host Heat-Stress Cognate 70 (Hsc70) Expression

Heat-stress cognate 70 (Hsc70) is a host factor that helps hepatitis C virus (HCV) to complete its life cycle in infected hepatocytes. Using Hsc70 as a target for HCV inhibition, a series of novel N-substituted benzyl matrinic/sophoridinic acid derivatives was synthesized and evaluated for their anti-HCV activity in vitro. Among these analogues, compound 7c possessing N-p-methylbenzyl afforded an appealing ability to inhibit HCV replication with SI value over 53. Furthermore, it showed a good oral pharmacokinetic profile with area-under-curve (AUC) of 13.4 µM·h, and a considerably good safety in oral administration in mice (LD₅₀>1000 mg/kg). As 7c suppresses HCV replication via an action mode distinctly different from that of the marketed anti-HCV drugs, it has been selected as a new mechanism anti-HCV candidate for further investigation, with an advantage of no or decreased chance to induce drug-resistant mutations.     

Lipid nanoparticle-encapsulated mRNA antibody provides long-term protection against SARS-CoV-2 in mice and hamsters

Monoclonal antibodies represent important weapons in our arsenal to against the COVID-19 pandemic. However, this potential is severely limited by the time-consuming process of developing effective antibodies and the relative high cost of manufacturing. Herein, we present a rapid and cost-effective lipid nanoparticle (LNP) encapsulated-mRNA platform for in vivo delivery of SARS-CoV-2 neutralization antibodies. Two mRNAs encoding the light and heavy chains of a potent SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibody HB27, which is currently being evaluated in clinical trials, were encapsulated into clinical grade LNP formulations (named as mRNA-HB27-LNP). In vivo characterization demonstrated that intravenous administration of mRNA-HB27-LNP in mice resulted in a longer circulating half-life compared with the original HB27 antibody in protein format. More importantly, a single prophylactic administration of mRNA-HB27-LNP provided protection against SARS-CoV-2 challenge in mice at 1, 7 and even 63 days post administration. In a close contact transmission model, prophylactic administration of mRNA-HB27-LNP prevented SARS-CoV-2 infection between hamsters in a dose-dependent manner. Overall, our results demonstrate a superior long-term protection against SARS-CoV-2 conferred by a single administration of this unique mRNA antibody, highlighting the potential of this universal platform for antibody-based disease prevention and therapy against COVID-19 as well as a variety of other infectious diseases.Subject terms: Biological techniques, Immunology     

Microsatellite primers for Halophila ovalis and cross-amplification in H. minor (Hydrocharitaceae)

?Premise of the study: Polymorphic microsatellite primers were developed in the seagrass Halophila ovalis to investigate genetic variation. ?Methods and Results: Ten polymorphic microsatellite loci were developed in Halophila ovalis. The number of alleles per locus ranged from 2 to 12 across 80 H. ovalis individuals. These loci were successfully amplified in H. minor, and four were monomorphic across 30 individuals. ?Conclusions: These results from four H. ovalis populations and one H. minor population show the broad utility of microsatellite loci in future studies of population genetics. Four distinct alleles were present in H. minor but absent in H. ovalis, indicating potential divergence between them.     

Synthesis and in vitro antitubercular evaluation of novel sansanmycin derivatives

Tuberculosis (TB) is a major health problem worldwide. A series of novel sansanmycin derivatives were designed, semi-synthesized and evaluated for their activity against drug-susceptible Mycobacterium tuberculosis strain H(37)Rv with sansanmycin A (SSA) as the lead. Among these analogs tested, compound 1d possessing an isopropyl group at the amino terminal afforded an increased antimycobacterial activity with a MIC value of 8 μg/mL in comparison with SSA. Importantly, it was active for rifampicin- and isoniazid-resistant M. tuberculosis strain isolated from patients in China. These promising results offer an opportunity for further exploration of this novel class of analogs as antitubercular agents.     

棉铃虫β-微管蛋白基因cDNA序列的克隆与序列分析

β-微管蛋白是构成细胞骨架的重要组成性蛋白,对昆虫的蜕皮、器官形成等生长发育阶段均能产生重要影响。本文以棉铃虫Helicoverpa armigera(Hübner)3日龄成虫为材料,利用RACE末端扩增技术克隆得到棉铃虫的β-微管蛋白基因的cDNA序列。序列分析表明:棉铃虫β-微管蛋白基因的cDNA序列包含1775个碱基,包括一个1347个碱基的开放阅读框,编码448个氨基酸组成的多肽。GenBank登录号:JF767013。同源性分析表明,棉铃虫的微管蛋白基因与本研究所比对其它昆虫的β-微管蛋白基因具有高度的同源性,达到90%左右。本研究克隆得到棉铃虫的β-微管蛋白基因的cDNA序列,对进一步深入研究该基因功能有重要意义。     

Facile synthesis of a dimeric dipyrrole-polyamide and synergetic DNA-cleaving activity of its Cu(II) complex

Inspired by the potent DNA-cleaving activity of the Cu(II) complex of monopyrrole-polyamide dimer 1 (i.e., 1@Cu(2+)), we designed a new dimeric dipyrrole-polyamide analog 2 with the aim to optimize the catalytic activities of the metal complexes of this type of polypyrrole-polyamides. Compound 2 was prepared in 50% yield from the reaction of 1-methyl-4-[(1-methyl-4-nitro-1H-pyrrole-2-carbonyl)-amino]-1H-pyrrole-2-carboxylic acid with 2,2'-(ethane-1,2-diylbis(oxy))diethanamine, and fully characterized on the basis of NMR ((1)H and (13)C), MS (ESI and HR) and IR. Spectrophotometric titration, ESI-MS and conductivity measurements indicated that compound 2 formed a 1:1 complex with Cu(2+) ion (i.e., 2@Cu(2+)). Agarose gel electrophoresis studies indicated that 2@Cu(2+) was capable of efficiently converting pBR322 DNA into open circular and linear forms under physiological conditions, most probably via an oxidative mechanism. Its overall catalytic activity was estimated to be at least 30-fold higher than that of 1@Cu(2+). The fact that the cleaving activities of these Cu(II) complexes parallel, exactly, their binding affinities, raises the possibility that the cleaving activities of polypyrrole-polyamide derivatives of the type can be regulated by the binding affinities.     

Pollen Morphology of Eight Genera of the Subtribe Mutisiinae Less. sensu Bremer （Compositae） from Asia

The pollen morphology of 28 species and one variety representing eight genera of the subtribe Mutisiinae Less. sensu Bremer （Compositae） was investigated by scanning electron microscopy （SEM） and light microscopy. The pollen grains are usually radically symmetrical, isopolar, and tricolporate. The shape varies from spheroidal to subprolate in equatorial view and is three-lobed circular in polar view. Based on exine sculpturing observed under SEM, the pollen grains can be divided into three types： （i） type Ⅰ, with macrogranulate sculpture; （ii） type Ⅱ, with a finely granulate sculpture; and （iii） type Ⅲ with spiny sculpture. The palynological data showed that the Macroclinidium Maxim. was remarkably distinguished from those of the other seven genera. The variation of pollen characteristics within the Mutisiinae in Asia is little at species level, but it proves some useful information for studying the relationships among genera and it has an important significance in further understanding the evolutionary history of Mutisiinae.     

小鼠白血病抑制因子基因的克隆、表达及其对维持鸡原始生殖细胞未分化状态的影响

为了探索鸡原始生殖细胞(Primordial germ cells,PGCs)适合的培养体系,我们在已构建的分泌型真核表达载体pSecTag-mlif(sp-)的基础上,通过脂质体介导将mlif转染到鸡PGCs和鸡胚胎成纤维(Chicken embryonic fibroblast, CEF)细胞中,48 h后收集细胞上清液,蛋白印迹均检测到小鼠白血病抑制因子(mLIF)的表达.以CEF细胞作饲养层,分七组来培养鸡PGCs,结果发现四组和五组培养的PGCs生长状态最好,三组传代后开始2-3天生长状况较好,3天后克隆周围有明显的分化现象.本实验将已构建了含mLIF基因的分泌型真核表达载体成功地瞬时转染到PGCs和CEF细胞中,且表达的mLIF具有维持鸡PGCs未分化状态的功能.     

布雷菲德菌素A调控IRE1-XBP1信号通路增强顺铂诱导GLC-82细胞凋亡的作用

长时间剧烈的内质网应激（endoplasmic reticulum stress,ERS）可启动ERS相关通路诱导细胞凋亡;而IREl-XBP1(肌醇需求蛋白1α-X盒结合蛋白1)为高度保守的ERS基本通路。它是最有前景的肿瘤治疗靶点之一。我们研究已证明,布雷菲德菌素A（brefeldin A,BFA）能增强顺铂（cis-dichlorodiamine platinum,CDDP）的肺癌细胞杀伤作用,但其分子机制尚不清楚。本研究证明了IRE1-XBP1通路在该协同效应中的作用。AnnexinV/PI双染结合流式细胞分析显示,与BFA或CDDP单独处理比较,BFA联合CDDP处理能增强人肺癌GLC-82细胞的凋亡。RT-qPCR和Western印迹揭示,与单独处理比较,BFA联合CDDP处理能增强GLC-82细胞的procaspase3转录本（mRNA）和蛋白质的表达,以及procaspase3的裂解激活,进一步证明了BFA联合CDDP处理可增强GLC-82细胞凋亡。最重要的是,RT-qPCR和Western印迹结果证明,与单独CDDP处理比较,BFA处理的GLC-82细胞中IRE1、XBP1水平明显上调（P < 0.05）,而BFA+CDDP处理的细胞中IRE1、XBP1水平进一步上调,超过BFA组（P < 0.01）。结果提示BFA和BFA+CDDP处理细胞可激活ERS的IRE1-XBP1通路。这些结果证明,BFA可通过激活ERS中的IRE1-XBP1通路增强顺铂诱导的肿瘤细胞凋亡。本研究结果为IREl-XBP1是颇具前景的肿瘤治疗靶点提供了新的证据。