Antibody responses to galectin-8, TARP and TRAP1 in prostate cancer patients treated with a GM-CSF-secreting cellular immunotherapy

A critical factor in clinical development of cancer immunotherapies is the identification of tumor-associated antigens that may be related to immunotherapy potency. In this study, protein microarrays containing >8,000 human proteins were screened with serum from prostate cancer patients (N = 13) before and after treatment with a granulocyte–macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF)-secreting whole cell immunotherapy. Thirty-three proteins were identified that displayed significantly elevated (P ≤ 0.05) signals in post-treatment samples, including three proteins that have previously been associated with prostate carcinogenesis, galectin-8, T-cell alternative reading frame protein (TARP) and TNF-receptor-associated protein 1 (TRAP1). Expanded analysis of antibody induction in metastatic, castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) patients (N = 92) from two phase 1/2 trials of prostate cancer immunotherapy, G-9803 and G-0010, indicated a significant (P = 0.03) association of TARP antibody induction and median survival time (MST). Antibody induction to TARP was also significantly correlated (P = 0.036) with an increase in prostate-specific antigen doubling time (PSADT) in patients with a biochemical (PSA) recurrence following prostatectomy or radiation therapy (N = 19) from in a previous phase 1/2 trial of prostate cancer immunotherapy, G-9802. RNA and protein encoding TARP and TRAP1 was up-regulated in prostate cancer tissue compared to matched normal controls. These preliminary findings suggest that antibody induction to TARP may represent a possible biomarker for treatment response to GM-CSF secreting cellular immunotherapy in prostate cancer patients and demonstrates the utility of using protein microarrays for the high-throughput screening of patient-derived antibody responses.     

Immunogenicity of the Shigella flexneri Serotype Y (SFL124) Vaccine Strain Expressing Cloned Glucosyl Transferase Gene of Converting Bacteriophage SfX

The glucosyl transferase gene (gtr) from bacteriophage phage X (SfX) caused partial conversion of serotype Y (group antigen 3, 4) to X (group antigen 7, 8) when introduced into a candidate vaccine strain of Shigella flexneri serotype Y (SFL124). The gtr gene caused conversion of O-antigens but did not eliminate the adsorption of the corresponding phage SfX. The hybrid strain expressing both group antigens 7, 8 and 3, 4 showed 75% protection when immunized guinea pigs were challenged with a wild-type S. flexneri serotype X strain. No protection was observed against serotype Y challenge, although group antigen 3, 4 was detected in the LPS of the hybrid strain. This suggests the importance of O-antigen immunity in the host defense against shigellosis.     

cDNA for the carboxyl-terminal region of a rat intestinal mucin-like peptide.

When subjected to thiol reduction, purified intestinal mucins have been shown to undergo a decrease in molecular mass and to liberate a 118-kDa glycopeptide (Roberton, A. M., Mantle, M., Fahim, R. E. F., Specian, R., Bennick, A., Kawagishi, S., Sherman, P., and Forstner, J. F. (1989) Biochem. J. 261, 637-647). The latter has been called a putative "link" component because it is assumed to be important for disulfide bond-mediated mucin polymerization. Controversy exists as to whether the putative link is an integral mucin component or a separate mucin-associated glycopeptide. In the present study both NH2-terminal and internal amino acid sequences of the 118-kDa glycopeptide of rat intestinal mucin were used to generate opposing oligonucleotide primers for polymerase chain reaction. A specific 1.2-kilobase (kb) product was obtained, from which a 0.5-kb HindIII fragment was used as a probe to screen a lambda ZAP II cDNA library of rat intestine. A 2.6-kb cDNA (designated MLP 2677) was sequenced and revealed an open reading frame of 2.5 kb encoding 837 amino acids. The deduced amino acid sequence showed that the putative link peptide is equivalent to the carboxyl-terminal 689 amino acids of a larger peptide. Northern blots revealed a mRNA size of approximately 9 kb. Computer searches revealed no sequence homology with other proteins, but similarities were seen in the alignment of cysteine residues in the link and in several domains of human von Willebrand factor, as well as cysteine-rich areas of bovine and porcine submaxillary mucins and a frog skin mucin designated FIM-B.1. In keeping with earlier demonstrations of the presence of mannose in the 118-kDa glycopeptide, there were several (13) consensus sequences for attachment of N-linked oligosaccharides within the link domain. Further sequencing of MLP 2677 in a direction 5' to the codon specifying the NH2-terminal proline of the link has revealed a coding region for 148 amino acids, including a unique 75-amino acid domain rich in cysteine and proline, and a region containing 4.5-variable tandem repeats (each 11-12 amino acids) rich in serine, threonine, and proline. The presence of mucin-like tandem repeats suggests that the entire cysteine-rich link peptide represents the carboxyl-terminal region (75.5 kDa) of a mucin-like peptide (MLP). The latter is estimated to have a molecular mass of approximately 300 kDa.     

一株嗜松青霉JP-NJ4的解磷特性

【目的】土壤中磷素供应不足是造成马尾松林地力衰退的原因之一。本研究对前期从马尾松根际土样中分离筛选出的一株解磷能力较强的嗜松青霉JP-NJ4的解无机磷及解有机磷能力进行探讨。【方法】探究嗜松青霉JP-NJ4对4种无机磷源及2种有机磷源的降解能力,并对其分泌的有机酸和酶类进行测定,对其解磷特性进行初步分析。【结果】表明JP-NJ4菌株可在4种不同无机磷源的培养基中生长,其中对磷酸钙[Ca3(PO4)2]的解磷效果最好,对4种磷源的解磷能力大小为:磷酸钙磷酸铝磷酸氢钙磷酸铁;其分泌的有机酸种类主要为葡萄糖酸、草酸及丙二酸;JP-NJ4菌株的磷酸酶活性较高,并具有一定的植酸酶活性;同时对草甘膦具有较好的生物降解功能,降解率达49.6%。【结论】嗜松青霉JP-NJ4解磷能力受磷源的结构组成影响,且解磷能力与发酵液pH值呈负相关关系;该菌株分泌的葡萄糖酸和草酸对磷酸钙及磷酸铝的溶解效果较明显。本研究供试菌株嗜松青霉JP-NJ4具有良好的解磷功能,在作为林业生物菌肥方面具有极大的应用潜力。     

界面发酵红曲霉的图像解析*

利用计算机视觉技术研究了红曲霉界面发酵过程中菌体形态变化与菌体生长的关系。在界面培养中通过检测前期菌落面积,后期隆起部分的表征体积——基于颜色变化的生长点分布,可以有效表示菌体生长状况。基于此建立了含有相应形态参数的动力学模型,该模型与常规动力学模型具有相似的表达形式。     

黄瓜抗白粉病分子育种研究现状与展望

对黄瓜白粉病病原菌的种类及生理小种分化、抗性遗传规律、分子标记及QTL定位等方面的研究进展进行了综述。对黄瓜白粉病抗病遗传规律的研究结果进行了对比分析,指出了现阶段研究中存在的问题,并提出相应的解决方案和建议,对今后的研究方向进行了展望。     

粒细胞集落刺激因子对氧糖剥夺后培养神经元的影响

目的:观察G-CSF时体外模拟脑缺血损伤神经元的影响,为其临床治疗脑缺血损伤提供理论的依据.方法:应用体外培养原代大脑皮质神经元氧糖剥夺模型模拟脑缺血损伤,氧糖剥夺4h,制作模型过程中加入不同浓度的G-CSF进行干预,通过观察细胞活性、死亡率、细胞色素C释放量判断G-CSF对神经元的保护作用.结果:G-CSF可明显降低氧糖剥夺神经元的死亡率,提高其生存活性,明显降低神经元由线粒体向胞浆内释放细胞色素C,与模型组比较有显著性差异(P＜0.01).结论:G-CSF对氧糖剥夺所致的神经元损伤发挥保护作用.     

母子分离应激对complexin Ⅱ基因缺陷鼠快速移动行为的影响

本文旨在探讨母子分离应激对complexin Ⅱ基因缺陷(Cplx2-/-)小鼠快速移动行为的影响。实验分4组:应激Cplx2-/-组、应激Cplx2+/+组、无应激Cplx2-/-组和无应激Cplx2+/+组。无应激组小鼠正常饲养,应激组小鼠从出生后第2日至第21日每天施加母子分离应激。小鼠生长到第4周时,利用聚合酶链反应技术检测其基因型。4组小鼠腹腔注射激动剂去氧麻黄碱或生理盐水后,采用EthoVision系统对小鼠快速移动行为进行记录。结果显示,应激Cplx2-/-组、应激Cplx2+/+组、无应激Cplx2-/-组和无应激Cplx2+/+组注射去氧麻黄碱后,与生理盐水对照组相比,均出现快速移动行为不同程度的增多(P<0.01);与无应激Cplx2-/-组相比较,应激Cplx2-/-组注射去氧麻黄碱后快速移动行为增多更为明显(P<0.001);与应激Cplx2+/+组相比,应激Cplx2-/-组注射去氧麻黄碱后的快速移动行为增多更为明显(P<0.001)。本实验证实小鼠的行为可能受母子分离应激和Cplx2基因等因素的多重影响。