Thyrotrophin in the pars tuberalis triggers photoperiodic response

Molecular mechanisms regulating animal seasonal breeding in response to changing photoperiod are not well understood. Rapid induction of gene expression of thyroid-hormone-activating enzyme (type 2 deiodinase, DIO2) in the mediobasal hypothalamus (MBH) of the Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica) is the earliest event yet recorded in the photoperiodic signal transduction pathway. Here we show cascades of gene expression in the quail MBH associated with the initiation of photoinduced secretion of luteinizing hormone. We identified two waves of gene expression. The first was initiated about 14 h after dawn of the first long day and included increased thyrotrophin (TSH) beta-subunit expression in the pars tuberalis; the second occurred approximately 4 h later and included increased expression of DIO2. Intracerebroventricular (ICV) administration of TSH to short-day quail stimulated gonadal growth and expression of DIO2 which was shown to be mediated through a TSH receptor-cyclic AMP (cAMP) signalling pathway. Increased TSH in the pars tuberalis therefore seems to trigger long-day photoinduced seasonal breeding.     

Rhodopsin-like sensitivity of extra-retinal photoreceptors mediating the photoperiodic response in quail

It has been known for some 50 years that birds use photoreceptors in or near the hypothalamus to mediate the photoperiodic responses that control seasonal breeding. So far, however, attempts to identify the photopigment by determining an action spectrum have failed. The problems stem from the selective filtering of light by the tissues surrounding the photoreceptors and the need to deliver defined amounts of light over the days or weeks required to induce a quantitative measure of photostimulation. Here we have developed a technique which produces a quantitative action spectrum for the photoperiodic response in the Japanese quail; the results indicate the presence of a rhodopsin photopigment with a peak sensitivity of approximately 492 nm. The photoreceptors exhibit a level of sensitivity comparable with that of vertebrate visual pigments. We conclude that the brain photoreceptors of birds are based on a rhodopsin/rhodopsin-like photopigment.     

Structural basis for a [4Fe-3S] cluster in the oxygen-tolerant membrane-bound [NiFe]-hydrogenase

Membrane-bound respiratory [NiFe]-hydrogenase (MBH), a H(2)-uptake enzyme found in the periplasmic space of bacteria, catalyses the oxidation of dihydrogen: H(2)?→?2H(+)?+?2e(-) (ref. 1). In contrast to the well-studied O(2)-sensitive [NiFe]-hydrogenases (referred to as the standard enzymes), MBH has an O(2)-tolerant H(2) oxidation activity; however, the mechanism of O(2) tolerance is unclear. Here we report the crystal structures of Hydrogenovibrio marinus MBH in three different redox conditions at resolutions between 1.18 and 1.32??. We find that the proximal iron-sulphur (Fe-S) cluster of MBH has a [4Fe-3S] structure coordinated by six cysteine residues--in contrast to the [4Fe-4S] cubane structure coordinated by four cysteine residues found in the proximal Fe-S cluster of the standard enzymes--and that an amide nitrogen of the polypeptide backbone is deprotonated and additionally coordinates the cluster when chemically oxidized, thus stabilizing the superoxidized state of the cluster. The structure of MBH is very similar to that of the O(2)-sensitive standard enzymes except for the proximal Fe-S cluster. Our results give a reasonable explanation why the O(2) tolerance of MBH is attributable to the unique proximal Fe-S cluster; we propose that the cluster is not only a component of the electron transfer for the catalytic cycle, but that it also donates two electrons and one proton crucial for the appropriate reduction of O(2) in preventing the formation of an unready, inactive state of the enzyme.     

Adaptation of photoperiodic control pathways produces short-day flowering in rice

The photoperiodic control of flowering is one of the important developmental processes of plants because it is directly related to successful reproduction. Although the molecular genetic analysis of Arabidopsis thaliana, a long-day (LD) plant, has provided models to explain the control of flowering time in this species, very little is known about its molecular mechanisms for short-day (SD) plants. Here we show how the photoperiodic control of flowering is regulated in rice, a SD plant. Overexpression of OsGI, an orthologue of the Arabidopsis GIGANTEA (GI) gene in transgenic rice, caused late flowering under both SD and LD conditions. Expression of the rice orthologue of the Arabidopsis CONSTANS (CO) gene was increased in the transgenic rice, whereas expression of the rice orthologue of FLOWERING LOCUS T (FT) was suppressed. Our results indicate that three key regulatory genes for the photoperiodic control of flowering are conserved between Arabidopsis, a LD plant, and rice, a SD plant, but regulation of the FT gene by CO was reversed, resulting in the suppression of flowering in rice under LD conditions.     

The T lymphocyte glycoprotein CD2 binds the cell surface ligand LFA-3

CD2 (known also as T11 (ref. 1), LFA-2 (ref. 2) and the erythrocyte rosette receptor (ref. 3] is a functionally important T lymphocyte surface glycoprotein of relative molecular mass 50,000 to 58,000 (Mr 50-58 K) which appears early in thymocyte ontogeny and is present on all mature T cells. Monoclonal antibodies to CD2 inhibit cytotoxic T-lymphocyte (CTL)-mediated killing by binding to the T lymphocyte and blocking adhesion to the target cell. Such antibodies also inhibit T helper cell responses including antigen-stimulated proliferation, interleukin-2 (IL-2) secretion, and IL-2 receptor expression. Certain combinations of monoclonal antibodies to CD2 epitopes trigger proliferation of peripheral blood T lymphocytes, cytotoxic effector function and expression of IL-2 receptors by thymocytes, resulting in thymocyte proliferation in the presence of exogenous IL-2 (ref. 11). These findings suggest that CD2 can function in signalling as well as being an adhesion molecule. To understand the role of CD2 in T-cell adhesion and activation, it is essential to define its natural ligand. Our previous observation that purified CD2 inhibits rosetting of T lymphocytes with sheep erythrocytes and can be absorbed by sheep erythrocytes suggested it also might bind with detectable affinity to human cells. We now report that CD2 binds to a cell-surface antigen known as lymphocyte function-associated antigen-3 (LFA-3) with high affinity, and can mediate adhesion of lymphoid cells via interaction with LFA-3.     

T3-Ti receptor triggering of T8+ suppressor T cells leads to unresponsiveness to interleukin-2

T3-associated disulphide linked heterodimers (Tin) comprised of clonally unique alpha-chains of molecular weight (MW) 49,000-54,000 and beta chains of MW 43,000 have been identified as the antigen receptors on human cytotoxic effector and inducer T-lymphocytes. Crosslinking of Ti molecules by either the appropriate nominal antigen/MHC specificity or anti-clonotypic monoclonal antibody results in clonal expansion of such cells via induction of IL-2 receptor expression, endogenous IL-2 release and IL-2-IL-2 receptor interaction. To determine whether analogous antigen receptor molecules and autocrine growth mechanisms are utilized by suppressor T-cells, we produced an anti-clonotypic monoclonal antibody against a non-cytotoxic T8+ suppressor T-cell, T8AC6, which defines a T3-associated disulphide-linked heterodimer of similar molecular weight to the above clonotypes. We find that Te-Ti triggering of suppressor clones (T8AC6, T8AC7 or T8RW) does not result in IL-2 production or T-cell proliferation and in contrast to inducer clones, also leads to a transient IL-2 unresponsive state. We suggest that such T3-Ti receptor mediated autoregulation of suppressor T-cell growth is necessary in the facilitation of initial inducer T-cell activation following antigenic perturbation.     

PDIA3对人Jurkat T细胞TCR信号通路的调控

为了研究蛋白质二硫键异构酶A3前体(protein disulfide isomerase A3 precursor, PDIA3)在T细胞受体(T cell receptor, TCR)信号通路中的具体功能,利用电穿孔法将T 细胞内的PDIA3蛋白水平敲低,通过Western blotting检测ζ-链相关蛋白70(zeta-chain associated protein 70, ZAP70)的磷酸化修饰水平, 酶联免疫吸附测定(enzyme linked immunosorbent assay, ELISA)实验检测细胞因子IL-2的分泌情况,流式细胞术分析分化抗原簇69(cluster of differentiation 69, CD69)表达水平及荧光素酶报告基因检测NF-κB信号通路.结果显示:T细胞中PDIA3蛋白下调后导致ZAP70蛋白的磷酸化水平、CD69表达和IL-2的分泌都明显降低,并且影响了NF-κB信号通路,表明PDIA3蛋白对T细胞的活化有促进作用,参与T细胞TCR信号通路的调控,为进一步深入研究PDIA3与TCR下游一些功能蛋白的相互作用打下了基础.     

Structure of domain 1 of rat T lymphocyte CD2 antigen.

The CD2 antigen is largely restricted to cells of the T-lymphocyte lineage and has been established as an important adhesion molecule in interactions between human T lymphocytes and accessory cells. In the adhesion reaction, CD2 on T cells binds to LFA-3 on other cells, with binding through domain 1 of CD2. CD2 can also be a target for the delivery of mitogenic signals to T lymphocytes cultured with combinations of anti-CD2 antibodies. Two predictions that are contradictory have been made for the structure of CD2 domain 1. One suggests an immunoglobulin (Ig) fold, on the basis of sequence patterns conserved in the Ig-superfamily (IgSF), whilst the other proposes a pattern of alternating alpha-helices and beta-strands, on the basis of secondary structure predictions. Thus CD2 domain 1 is an important test case for the validity of IgSF assignments based on sequence patterns. We report here the expression of domain 1 of rat CD2 in an Escherichia coli expression system and have determined a low-resolution solution structure by NMR spectroscopy.     

游泳运动治疗对T2DM焦虑样行为小鼠的影响

为研究游泳运动对二型糖尿病（type 2 diabetes mellitus, T2DM）小鼠的焦虑样行为的影响机制。通过高脂联合链脲佐菌素构建T2DM小鼠,随机分为正常组（control,C）,正常+锻炼（exercise, E）组（CE）,T2DM组（T2）,T2DM+锻炼组（T2E）。CE组和T2E组的小鼠进行游泳运动,并观察小鼠体重、血糖波动,行为学焦虑、胰腺病理和血清谷胱甘肽（glutathione,GSH）、丙二醛（malondialdehyde,MDA）和谷胱甘肽二硫醚（glutathione?disulfide,GSSG）的表达变化。结果表明： 在游泳运动3周后显著降低T2DM小鼠体重和血糖波动幅度（P<0.05）,行为学焦虑水平明显改善。CE组和T2E组小鼠胰岛坏死面积减小,葡萄糖和胰岛素抵抗稳态指数降低（P<0.001）,T2E组小鼠大脑MDA水平降低（P<0.05）,GSH水平升高（P<0.01）。游泳运动可以改善T2DM小鼠的胰岛素抵抗和大脑氧化应激反应,对焦虑样行为有改善和保护作用。     

FKF1 is essential for photoperiodic-specific light signalling in Arabidopsis

Adaptation to seasonal change is a crucial component of an organism's survival strategy. To monitor seasonal variation, organisms have developed the capacity to measure day length (photoperiodism). Day-length assessment involves the photoperiodic control of flowering in Arabidopsis thaliana, whereby the coincidence of light and high expression of CONSTANS (CO) induces the expression of FLOWERING LOCUS T (FT), leading to flowering in long-day conditions. Although controlling CO expression is clearly a key step in day-length discrimination, the mechanism that generates day-length-dependent CO expression remains unknown. Here we show that the clock-controlled FLAVIN-BINDING, KELCH REPEAT, F-BOX (FKF1) protein has an essential role in generating the diurnal CO peak and that this function is dependent on light. We show that a recombinant FKF1 LIGHT, OXYGEN OR VOLTAGE (LOV) domain binds the chromophore flavin mononucleotide and undergoes light-induced photochemistry, indicating that FKF1 may function as a photoperiodic blue-light receptor. It is likely that the circadian control of FKF1 expression and the light regulation of FKF1 function coincide to control the daytime CO waveform precisely, which in turn is crucial for day-length discrimination by Arabidopsis.     

Characterization of murine cytolytic-helper hybrid T cell clones

L3T4, Lyt-2 and the T-cell receptor for antigen are cell-surface molecules involved in antigen specific T cell activation. We have constructed functional murine cytolytic-helper T-cell hybrid clones to study the link between expression of cell-surface molecules and specific cell function. Three of the clones express two antigen receptors and both Lyt-2 and L3T4, normally expressed on mutually exclusive subsets of mature T lymphocytes. The pattern of lymphokines produced by the hybrid cells in response to antigen was not controlled by the specific antigen receptor; both T-cell growth factor, produced only by the helper T-cell partner, and gamma-interferon, produced only by the cytolytic T-cell partner, were secreted when either antigen receptor was stimulated. However, cytolytic activity appeared to be restricted to the recognition of antigen by the T-cell receptor of the cytolytic partner. Thus cytolysis appears to be rightly linked to the antigen receptor of the cytolytic parent but lymphokine release is not tightly linked.     

Similarities between interleukin-2 receptor number and affinity on activated B and T lymphocytes

Interleukin-2 (IL-2) is a T-cell-derived polypeptide hormone of 133 amino acids which exerts its growth-promoting activity via a surface receptor. Originally, IL-2 was believed to be a unique growth factor for activated T cells; more recent studies, however, have demonstrated that certain B-cell tumours as well as normal activated B lymphocytes express a surface molecule which is recognized by monoclonal antibodies directed against the IL-2 receptor. Furthermore, we and others have shown recently that activated B cells proliferate in response to either immunoaffinity-purified or recombinant IL-2. These controversial findings prompted us to undertake a detailed quantitative comparison of IL-2 receptor expression on activated B and T cells. We show here, using biosynthetically labelled IL-2(3H-IL-2) and anti-IL-2 receptor antibody (3H-PC61) that activated B and T cells express both high-affinity (apparent dissociation constant, Kd approximately 20 pM) and low-affinity (Kd approximately 1,000 pM) IL-2 receptors. Binding of IL-2 to both classes of receptor is inhibited by the monoclonal anti-IL-2 receptor antibody PC61. B blasts express half as many total IL-2 binding sites or PC61 binding sites as T blasts, and the ratio of the number of low- to high-affinity receptors for each cell type is approximately 10:1. Immunoprecipitation analysis of surface-labelled blasts indicates that B and T cells have IL-2 receptors of similar relative molecular mass. Taken together, these data suggest strongly that IL-2 can act as a growth hormone for both B and T lymphocytes.     

A T3-like protein complex associated with the antigen receptor on murine T cells

Antigen recognition by human T lymphocytes and initiation of T-cell activation are mediated by a group of integral membrane proteins, the T-cell antigen receptor (TCR) and the T3 complex. The polypeptides which comprise T3 (a gamma-chain of relative molecular mass (Mr) 25,000 (25K), and delta and epsilon chains of 20K each) are physically associated with the TCR chains. Surface expression of the complex requires the presence of all the component T3 and TCR proteins. In contrast to the human system, murine T3 has not been identified using antibodies. Here we describe a murine T3-like protein complex. It appears to be more complicated than human T3, containing three monomeric glycoproteins (21-28K), two of which have N-linked carbohydrate side chains and a novel family of TCR-associated homo- and heterodimers. The 28K protein is identified as the murine T3 delta-chain. The 21K protein is phosphorylated on cell activation with concanavalin A (Con A).     

Association of phosphorylation of the T3 antigen with immune activation of T lymphocytes

In human T lymphocytes the antigen receptor (Ti) is associated non-covalently on the cell surface with the invariant T3 antigen which comprises 3 chains: two glycosylated polypeptides of relative molecular mass 26,000 (Mr 26K) and 21K (gamma and delta) and one non-N-glycosylated polypeptide of Mr 19K (epsilon). The proposed function of T3 is to transduce the activation signals delivered via the antigen receptor. Recently we have shown that phorbol esters, which stimulate protein kinase C, can induce phosphorylation of the gamma subunit of the T3 antigen. But the critical question is whether T3 phosphorylation occurs as a normal consequence of immune activation of T lymphocytes. In this respect, it has been shown that immune stimulation of murine T cells results in phosphorylation of Ti-associated polypeptides that may be the functional analogues of the human T3 antigen. We have therefore monitored T3 phosphorylation after exposure of human T cells to antigen or phytohaemagglutinin (PHA). The data show that both stimuli initiate phosphorylation of the gamma subunit of the T3 antigen which indicates that T3 phosphorylation is a physiological response to immune activation.     

IL-21 initiates an alternative pathway to induce proinflammatory T(H)17 cells

On activation, naive T cells differentiate into effector T-cell subsets with specific cytokine phenotypes and specialized effector functions. Recently a subset of T cells, distinct from T helper (T(H))1 and T(H)2 cells, producing interleukin (IL)-17 (T(H)17) was defined and seems to have a crucial role in mediating autoimmunity and inducing tissue inflammation. We and others have shown that transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta and IL-6 together induce the differentiation of T(H)17 cells, in which IL-6 has a pivotal function in dictating whether T cells differentiate into Foxp3+ regulatory T cells (T(reg) cells) or T(H)17 cells. Whereas TGF-beta induces Foxp3 and generates T(reg) cells, IL-6 inhibits the generation of T(reg) cells and induces the production of IL-17, suggesting a reciprocal developmental pathway for T(H)17 and T(reg) cells. Here we show that IL-6-deficient (Il6-/-) mice do not develop a T(H)17 response and their peripheral repertoire is dominated by Foxp3+ T(reg) cells. However, deletion of T(reg) cells leads to the reappearance of T(H)17 cells in Il6-/- mice, suggesting an additional pathway by which T(H)17 cells might be generated in vivo. We show that an IL-2 cytokine family member, IL-21, cooperates with TGF-beta to induce T(H)17 cells in naive Il6-/- T cells and that IL-21-receptor-deficient T cells are defective in generating a T(H)17 response.     

基于核磁共振T2谱的页岩岩心孔隙分布量化表征方法

由于类固体信号的干扰,导致直接从流体饱和页岩的核磁共振T2谱（NMR-OS）中得到的孔隙分布结果不准确,通过采用Beta峰模型统一描述类固体和流体的横向弛豫峰分布,结合六阶导分析和最小二乘法,提出了一种简单、快速、准确分析页岩孔隙分布的核磁共振-反褶积方法（ND）,并对其验证和开展实例应用,分析结果表明：1)该方法可同时拟合对称峰和非对称峰,且峰的衰减速率高,能有效避免基线远离峰情况;2)无需洗油、烘干等复杂的样品预处理过程,可简单、快速得到峰的个数以及各峰参数的估计和约束条件,进而将类固体干扰信号分离出来;3)孔径小于10 nm时,ND方法得到的孔径分布与低温液氮吸附方法（LTNA）和洗油烘干后的T2谱曲线相减反演方法（NMR-O）的结果具有很好的一致性,当T2<1 ms时,ND方法测得的孔隙分布相对误差绝对值（<15%）明显小于通过NMR-OS方法得到的孔隙分布结果（>135%）。