Novel anti-inflammatory peptides from the region of highest similarity between uteroglobin and lipocortin I

Significant future developments in the effective treatment of inflammatory diseases may arise from non-toxic dual inhibitors of both cyclooxygenase and lipoxygenase pathways in the arachidonate cascade. Inhibition of phospholipase A2(PLA2)(EC3.1.1.4), may provide such a dual action and recent research has concentrated on the role of PLA2-inhibitory proteins as possible anti-inflammatory agents. Blastokinin or uteroglobin is a steroid-induced rabbit secretory protein with PLA2-inhibitory activity. Its biochemical and biological properties have been extensively studied and its crystallographic structure has been resolved at 1.34 A (refs 15, 16). Lipocortins are a family of related proteins, which, it has been suggested, mediate the anti-inflammatory effects of glucocorticoids (for a review, see ref. 23). Some proteins of this group have been purified and the complementary DNA sequences of two human lipocortins are known. Lipocortins inhibit PLA2 in vitro, although their mechanism of action is still unclear. Recombinant lipocortin I inhibits eicosanoid synthesis in isolated perfused lungs from the guinea pig. Here, we report that synthetic oligopeptides corresponding to a region of high amino-acid sequence similarity between uteroglobin and lipocortin I have potent PLA2 inhibitory activity in vitro and striking anti-inflammatory effects in vivo.     

类风湿关节炎灭活滑膜液单个核细胞对非灭活滑膜液单个核细胞分泌IL-10水平的影响

目的观察类风湿关节炎灭活滑膜液单个核细胞对非灭活滑膜液单个核细胞分泌IL-10水平的影响。方法抽取类风湿关节炎(RA)患者关节液,分离关节液单个核细胞,分为对照组:2×10~6的非灭活单个核细胞,培养条件为37℃,5%CO_2孵育箱培养48h;实验组:细胞数为2×10~6个非灭活单个核细胞与甲醛灭活后的单个核细胞按1:10混合培养.用ELISA法测定培养上清中IL-10的水平.结果实验组较对照组IL-10水平明显升高(P<0.01).结论灭活滑膜液单个核细胞对非灭活滑膜液单个核细胞IL-10分泌有促进作用,提示未经克隆选择的RA滑膜液混合细胞可能具有诱导分泌IL-10CD_4调节性T细胞的生成作用.     

TRPC channel activation by extracellular thioredoxin

Mammalian homologues of Drosophila melanogaster transient receptor potential (TRP) are a large family of multimeric cation channels that act, or putatively act, as sensors of one or more chemical factor. Major research objectives are the identification of endogenous activators and the determination of cellular and tissue functions of these channels. Here we show the activation of TRPC5 (canonical TRP 5) homomultimeric and TRPC5-TRPC1 heteromultimeric channels by extracellular reduced thioredoxin, which acts by breaking a disulphide bridge in the predicted extracellular loop adjacent to the ion-selectivity filter of TRPC5. Thioredoxin is an endogenous redox protein with established intracellular functions, but it is also secreted and its extracellular targets are largely unknown. Particularly high extracellular concentrations of thioredoxin are apparent in rheumatoid arthritis, an inflammatory joint disease that disables millions of people worldwide. We show that TRPC5 and TRPC1 are expressed in secretory fibroblast-like synoviocytes from patients with rheumatoid arthritis, that endogenous TRPC5-TRPC1 channels of the cells are activated by reduced thioredoxin, and that blockade of the channels enhances secretory activity and prevents the suppression of secretion by thioredoxin. The data indicate the presence of a previously unrecognized ion-channel activation mechanism that couples extracellular thioredoxin to cell function.     

Evolving concepts of rheumatoid arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis is the most common inflammatory arthritis and is a major cause of disability. It existed in early Native American populations several thousand years ago but might not have appeared in Europe until the 17th century. Early theories on the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis focused on autoantibodies and immune complexes. T-cell-mediated antigen-specific responses, T-cell-independent cytokine networks, and aggressive tumour-like behaviour of rheumatoid synovium have also been implicated. More recently, the contribution of autoantibodies has returned to the forefront. Based on the pathogenic mechanisms, specific therapeutic interventions can be designed to suppress synovial inflammation and joint destruction in rheumatoid arthritis.     

一维点阵的电子态

本文利用A、B构成序列有不同排列方式,模拟出晶体、孪晶、准晶和无序的一维结构。应用紧束缚模型,对各结构的电子态进行计算研究,系统地分析比较了各序列的电子能谱、态密度、局域度以及波函数图象,得出准晶体结构是一种新的结构,其电子态不同于晶体、孪晶及无序体的电子态等结论。     

Post-translational insertion of a fragment of the glucose transporter into microsomes requires phosphoanhydride bond cleavage

Most eukaryotic secretory and membrane proteins insert co-translationally into the membrane of the rough endoplasmic reticulum (RER), and are targeted there by one or more NH2-terminal or internal signal sequences. However, little is known about the actual translocation and membrane integration processes. In particular, any energy requirements for targeting and integration have remained obscure because of the inability to uncouple the processes from concomitant protein synthesis. We recently showed that the human glucose transporter (GT), an integral membrane glycoprotein, can insert post-translationally into dog pancreatic microsomes with low but demonstrable efficiency in vitro, and that a fragment corresponding to the NH2-terminal 340 amino acids and 8 of the 12 membrane-spanning alpha-helixes of GT (GT-N) can insert with significantly greater efficiency. We report here that post-translational insertion of GT-N into pancreatic microsomes requires energy in the form of a phosphodiester bond, and suggest that co-translational insertion of proteins into the RER may also require energy independent of that used for polypeptide synthesis.     

Hedgehog is an early and late mediator of pancreatic cancer tumorigenesis

Hedgehog signalling--an essential pathway during embryonic pancreatic development, the misregulation of which has been implicated in several forms of cancer--may also be an important mediator in human pancreatic carcinoma. Here we report that sonic hedgehog, a secreted hedgehog ligand, is abnormally expressed in pancreatic adenocarcinoma and its precursor lesions: pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasia (PanIN). Pancreata of Pdx-Shh mice (in which Shh is misexpressed in the pancreatic endoderm) develop abnormal tubular structures, a phenocopy of human PanIN-1 and -2. Moreover, these PanIN-like lesions also contain mutations in K-ras and overexpress HER-2/neu, which are genetic mutations found early in the progression of human pancreatic cancer. Furthermore, hedgehog signalling remains active in cell lines established from primary and metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinomas. Notably, inhibition of hedgehog signalling by cyclopamine induced apoptosis and blocked proliferation in a subset of the pancreatic cancer cell lines both in vitro and in vivo. These data suggest that this pathway may have an early and critical role in the genesis of this cancer, and that maintenance of hedgehog signalling is important for aberrant proliferation and tumorigenesis.     

A model for interfacial activation in lipases from the structure of a fungal lipase-inhibitor complex

Lipases are hydrolytic enzymes which break down triacylglycerides into free fatty acids and glycerols. They have been classified as serine hydrolases owing to their inhibition by diethyl p-nitrophenyl phosphate. Lipase activity is greatly increased at the lipid-water interface, a phenomenon known as interfacial activation. X-ray analysis has revealed the atomic structures of two triacylglycerol lipases, unrelated in sequence: the human pancreatic lipase (hPL)4, and an enzyme isolated from the fungus Rhizomucor (formerly Mucor) miehei (RmL). In both enzymes the active centres contain structurally analogous Asp-His-Ser triads (characteristic of serine proteinases), which are buried completely beneath a short helical segment, or 'lid'. Here we present the crystal structure (at 3 A resolution) of a complex of R. miehei lipase with n-hexylphosphonate ethyl ester in which the enzyme's active site is exposed by the movement of the helical lid. This movement also increases the nonpolarity of the surface surrounding the catalytic site. We propose that the structure of the enzyme in this complex is equivalent to the activated state generated by the oil-water interface.     

The APOBEC-2 crystal structure and functional implications for the deaminase AID

APOBEC-2 (APO2) belongs to the family of apolipoprotein B messenger RNA-editing enzyme catalytic (APOBEC) polypeptides, which deaminates mRNA and single-stranded DNA. Different APOBEC members use the same deamination activity to achieve diverse human biological functions. Deamination by an APOBEC protein called activation-induced cytidine deaminase (AID) is critical for generating high-affinity antibodies, and deamination by APOBEC-3 proteins can inhibit retrotransposons and the replication of retroviruses such as human immunodeficiency virus and hepatitis B virus. Here we report the crystal structure of APO2. APO2 forms a rod-shaped tetramer that differs markedly from the square-shaped tetramer of the free nucleotide cytidine deaminase, with which APOBEC proteins share considerable sequence homology. In APO2, two long alpha-helices of a monomer structure prevent the formation of a square-shaped tetramer and facilitate formation of the rod-shaped tetramer via head-to-head interactions of two APO2 dimers. Extensive sequence homology among APOBEC family members allows us to test APO2 structure-based predictions using AID. We show that AID deamination activity is impaired by mutations predicted to interfere with oligomerization and substrate access. The structure suggests how mutations in patients with hyper-IgM-2 syndrome inactivate AID, resulting in defective antibody maturation.     

Chronic polyarthritis caused by mammalian DNA that escapes from degradation in macrophages

A large amount of chromosomal DNA is degraded during programmed cell death and definitive erythropoiesis. DNase II is an enzyme that digests the chromosomal DNA of apoptotic cells and nuclei expelled from erythroid precursor cells after macrophages have engulfed them. Here we show that DNase II-/-IFN-IR-/- mice and mice with an induced deletion of the DNase II gene develop a chronic polyarthritis resembling human rheumatoid arthritis. A set of cytokine genes was strongly activated in the affected joints of these mice, and their serum contained high levels of anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibody, rheumatoid factor and matrix metalloproteinase-3. Early in the pathogenesis, expression of the gene encoding tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha was upregulated in the bone marrow, and administration of anti-TNF-alpha antibody prevented the development of arthritis. These results indicate that if macrophages cannot degrade mammalian DNA from erythroid precursors and apoptotic cells, they produce TNF-alpha, which activates synovial cells to produce various cytokines, leading to the development of chronic polyarthritis.     

Crystal structure of the anti-viral APOBEC3G catalytic domain and functional implications

The APOBEC family members are involved in diverse biological functions. APOBEC3G restricts the replication of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis B virus and retroelements by cytidine deamination on single-stranded DNA or by RNA binding. Here we report the high-resolution crystal structure of the carboxy-terminal deaminase domain of APOBEC3G (APOBEC3G-CD2) purified from Escherichia coli. The APOBEC3G-CD2 structure has a five-stranded beta-sheet core that is common to all known deaminase structures and closely resembles the structure of another APOBEC protein, APOBEC2 (ref. 5). A comparison of APOBEC3G-CD2 with other deaminase structures shows a structural conservation of the active-site loops that are directly involved in substrate binding. In the X-ray structure, these APOBEC3G active-site loops form a continuous 'substrate groove' around the active centre. The orientation of this putative substrate groove differs markedly (by 90 degrees) from the groove predicted by the NMR structure. We have introduced mutations around the groove, and have identified residues involved in substrate specificity, single-stranded DNA binding and deaminase activity. These results provide a basis for understanding the underlying mechanisms of substrate specificity for the APOBEC family.     

Tumour necrosis factor alpha stimulates resorption and inhibits synthesis of proteoglycan in cartilage

During inflammatory reactions, activated leukocytes are thought to produce a variety of small proteins (cytokines) that influence the behaviour of other cells (including other leukocytes). Of these substances, which include the interleukins, interferons and tumour necrosis factors (TNFs), interleukin-1 (IL-1) has been considered potentially a most important inflammatory mediator because of its wide range of effects. In vivo it is pyrogenic and promotes the acute phase response; in vitro it activates lymphocytes and stimulates resorption of cartilage and bone. Cartilage resorption is a major feature of inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, and IL-1 is the only cytokine hitherto known to promote it. TNFs are characterized by their effects on tumours and cytotoxicity to transformed cells, but share some actions with IL-1. I report here that recombinant human TNF alpha stimulates resorption and inhibits synthesis of proteoglycan in explants of cartilage. Its action is similar to and additive with IL-1, and it is a second macrophage-derived cytokine whose production in rheumatoid arthritis, or inflammation generally, could contribute to tissue destruction.     

X-ray structure of phospholipase A2 complexed with a substrate-derived inhibitor

Phospholipases A2 play a part in a number of physiologically important cellular processes such as inflammation, blood platelet aggregation and acute hypersensitivity. These processes are all initiated by the release of arachidonic acid from cell membranes which is catalysed by intracellular phospholipases A2 and followed by conversion of arachidonic acid to prostaglandins, leukotrienes or thromboxanes. An imbalance in the production of these compounds can lead to chronic inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and asthma. Inhibitors of phospholipase A2 might therefore act to reduce the effects of inflammation, so structural information about the binding of phospholipase A2 to its substrates could be helpful in the design of therapeutic drugs. The three-dimensional structure is not known for any intracellular phospholipase A2, but these enzymes share significant sequence homology with secreted phospholipases, for which some of the structures have been determined. Here we report the structure of a complex between an extracellular phospholipase A2 and a competitively inhibiting substrate analogue, which reveals considerable detail about the interaction and suggests a mechanism for catalysis by this enzyme.     

T-cell clones from a type-1 diabetes patient respond to insulin secretory granule proteins

T LYMPHOCYTES reactive to pancreatic beta-cells are thought to have a central role in the autoimmune process leading to type 1 (insulin-dependent) diabetes, but the molecular targets of these T cells have not yet been defined. As identification of such antigens may enable measures to be developed to prevent the disease, we have characterized an antigen that is recognized by insulinoma membrane-reactive T-cell clones established from a newly diagnosed type-1 diabetes patient. Subcellular fractionation studies using rat insulinoma indicate that the antigenic determinant recognized by one of these clones is an integral membrane component of the insulin secretory granule. After a 5,000-fold purification, we have defined the antigen as a monomer of relative molecular mass 38,000. As granular membrane proteins are transiently exposed on the cell surface during exocytosis, their accessibility to components of the immune system may be a function of the secretory activity of beta-cells.     

单关节类风湿性关节炎滑膜组织中uPA、uPAR、PAI-1蛋白表达及意义

为探讨尿激酶型纤溶酶原激活物(urokinase-type plasminogen activator,uPA)及其受体(urokinase-type plas-minogen activator receptor,uPAR)、纤溶酶原激活物抑制剂(plasminogen activator inhibitor,PAI-1)在单关节发病类风湿关节炎(rheumatoid arthritis,RA)的表达。采用免疫组化方法检测13例单关节发病RA、19例典型RA和20例正常滑膜组织中uPAu、PAR、PAI-1蛋白表达情况。结果显示:13例单关节RA滑膜组织中uPA、u PAR、PAI-1阳性表达主要分布在滑膜衬里细胞、滑膜下层单核细胞及血管内皮细胞,阳性表达部位与典型RA相同,但表达强度明显低于典型RA(P<0.05)。与正常滑膜组织相比,单关节RA滑膜中uPA、uPAR、PAI-1蛋白表达明显增高(P<0.05)。由此可知:单关节RA滑膜组织中uPA、uPAR、PAI-1表达明显低于典型RA滑膜组织,可能与单关节RA为典型RA病程早期阶段,滑膜中uPA、uPAR、PAI-1蛋白尚处于低水平表达阶段有关。     

Localization of clathrin light-chain sequences mediating heavy-chain binding and coated vesicle diversity

At least four distinct forms of clathrin light chains are found in mammalian cells. This molecular variability derives from tissue-specific patterns of expression of LCa and LCb genes. Sequence analysis shows an overall homology of 60% between LCa and LCb and the presence of brain-specific insertion sequences. These findings suggest that the different light chains have both shared and specialized functions. To address this question we have used a panel of monoclonal antibodies to identify two structurally and functionally distinct regions in the clathrin light-chain sequences. One region (residues 158-208) is exposed in native clathrin structures (triskelions and coated vesicles) and includes the brain-specific insertion sequences. The second region (residues 93-157), which is cryptic in native clathrin structures, is involved in binding the clathrin heavy chain and contains the region of strongest homology with intermediate filament proteins.     

五味甘露药浴散加减方对佐剂型关节炎大鼠血清RF和滑膜组织JNK1的影响

观察五味甘露药浴散加减方对佐剂型关节炎大鼠的疗效及对大鼠血清RF和踝关节滑膜组织JNK1的的影响.采用弗氏完全佐剂关节炎(Adjuvant Arthritis Rats,AA)大鼠模型,用大鼠致炎侧足跖肿胀率评价五味甘露药浴散加减方对AA大鼠的治疗效果,ELISA法测定血清中RF的水平,免疫组化法测定踝关节滑膜组织蛋白激酶JNK1的表达.实验结果表明,与模型组比较,给药四周,五味甘露药浴散加减方高剂量能有效减少致炎侧足跖肿胀率(P0.05);给药两周和四周,五味甘露药浴散加减方高剂量能明显降低血清中RF的水平(P0.05).五味甘露药浴散加减方各剂量均能显著降低踝关节滑膜组织JNK1的表达(P0.05或P0.01).五味甘露药浴散加减方能有效的减小佐剂性关节炎大鼠致炎侧足跖肿胀率,其作用机制可能与其降低血清中RF的水平和滑膜组织JNK1的表达有关.     

兔膝骨关节炎模型的建立及评价

目的 通过兔软骨缺损制备兔膝骨关节炎模型并进行评价。方法 将动物按体质量和性别随机分成3组：假手术组,模型组和阳性对照氨基葡萄糖组,每组12只。造模4周后开始灌胃给药,每天1次,连续给药4周。末次给药后,将动物处死,ELISA试剂盒检测血清及关节液中IL-1β和TNF-α水平,对关节软骨和滑膜进行HE染色,并对关节软骨进行Mankin’s评分以评价其损伤情况。结果 与假手术组相比,模型组血清、关节液中IL-1β、TNF-α水平明显升高,而给予氨基葡萄糖可降低血清、关节液中IL-1β、TNF-α水平。HE染色见模型组软骨结构改变、缺损,滑膜有炎细胞浸润;软骨评分明显高于假手术组。给予氨基葡萄糖可以减轻软骨缺损,减少滑膜炎细胞浸润,降低软骨评分。结论 关节软骨钻孔可建立兔膝骨关节炎模型,反映其主要特征,并能通过给予阳性对照药减轻损伤和炎症反应。该模型可用于治疗关节炎药物的评价和筛选。     

含氧空位的CaMoO_4晶体电子结构和光学性质的研究

用CASTEP软件包对含氧空位的CaMoO4(CMO)晶体进行了结构优化,计算了含氧空位的CaMoO4(CMO)晶体和完整CMO晶体偏振光的电子结构、介电函数和吸收光谱.计算表明,CMO晶体光学性质表现出各向异性,且其对称性与晶格结构几何对称性一致.计算得到的吸收光谱表明,完整的CMO晶体在可见光和近紫外线范围内不出现吸收带,而含氧空位的CMO晶体的吸收光谱却在1.84 eV(673 nm)处出现一个峰.CMO晶体中680 nm的吸收带的出现与CMO晶体中氧空位的存在相关.     

阴极发光技术在成岩成矿作用研究中的应用

阴极发光技术是通过电子束轰击矿物晶体至使其发光。矿物晶体中的一些微量元素通常成为影响发光中心形成的激活剂。不同世代同种矿物或者是单一矿物晶体内部由于其形成时成矿流体成分的微小差异,因而在阴极发光显微镜下表现出不同的发光性。通过发光后的图像分析,可以区分不同世代的矿物以及不规则生长的晶体内部微形态。对河北光头山碱性花岗岩体、山东文登金矿、湖南水口山硅质岩的阴极发光处理后的样品进行包裹体的系统研究,获得比传统方法更小时间单位成岩成矿流体的演化特征,为模拟和恢复地质作用过程提供比较精确的物化参数。