血清转铁蛋白受体的研究进展及临床意义

血清转铁蛋白受体(sT fR)是完整的细胞受体的一个可溶性节段,通过酶免疫法或免疫浊度法可从血清中检出。sT fR反映机体贮存铁的数量以及所需铁的数量,是判断机体是否缺铁的一项敏感指标。sT fR可以定量评价骨髓幼红细胞的生成,尤其适用于评价各类骨髓红系显著增生的溶血性贫血。     

PPAR γ partial agonist, KR-62776, inhibits adipocyte differentiation via activation of ERK

Indenone KR-62776 acts as an agonist of PPARγ without inducing obesity in animal models and cells. X-ray crystallography reveals that the indenone occupies the binding pocket in a different manner than rosiglitazone. 2-Dimensional gel-electrophoresis showed that the expression of 42 proteins was altered more than 2.0-fold between KR-62776- or rosiglitazone-treated adipocyte cells and control cells. Rosiglitazone down-regulated the expression of ERK1/2 and suppressed the phosphorylation of ERK1/2 in these cells. However, the expression of ERK1/2 was up-regulated in KR-62776-treated cells. Phosphorylated ERK1/2, activated by indenone, affects the localization of PPARγ, suggesting a mechanism for indenone-inhibition of adipogenesis in 3T3-L1 preadipocyte cells. The preadipocyte cells are treated with ERK1/2 inhibitor PD98059, a large amount of the cells are converted to adipocyte cells. These results support the conclusion that the localization of PPARγ is one of the key factors explaining the biological responses of the ligands. Received 04 March 2009; received after revision 13 March 2009; accepted 17 March 2009     

Bitter peptides and bitter taste receptors

Bitter peptides are a structurally diverse group of oligopeptides often generated in fermented, aged, and hydrolyzed food products that make them unfavorable for consumption. Humans perceive bitterness by a repertoire of 25 human bitter receptors, termed T2Rs. Knowledge of the structural features of bitter receptors and of the factors that stimulate bitter receptors will aid in understanding the mechanism responsible for bitter taste perception. This article reviews the current knowledge regarding structural features of bitter peptides and bitter taste receptors. Received 24 November 2008; received after revision 11 December 2008; accepted 16 December 2008     

Snake venom components and their applications in biomedicine

Snake envenomation is a socio-medical problem of considerable magnitude. About 2.5 million people are bitten by snakes annually, more than 100,000 fatally. However, although bites can be deadly, snake venom is a natural biological resource that contains several components of potential therapeutic value. Venom has been used in the treatment of a variety of pathophysiological conditions in Ayurveda, homeopathy and folk medicine. With the advent of biotechnology, the efficacy of such treatments has been substantiated by purifying components of venom and delineating their therapeutic properties. This review will focus on certain snake venom components and their applications in health and disease. Received 6 July 2006; received after revision 14 August 2006; accepted 28 September 2006     

Liver X receptors in cardiovascular and metabolic disease

Liver X receptors (LXRs) α and β are nuclear oxysterol receptors and metabolic sensors initially found to regulate cholesterol metabolism and lipid biosynthesis. Recent studies have elucidated the importance of LXR in the development of cardiovascular diseases and metabolic disorders. LXR agonists prevent development of atherosclerosis by modulation of metabolic as well as inflammatory gene expression in rodent models. Moreover, LXR activation inhibits hepatic gluconeogenesis and lowers serum glucose levels, indicating possible application of LXR activation in the treatment of diabetes mellitus. However, first-generation LXR agonists elevate hepatic and serum trigylceride levels, making subtype-specific agonists and selective LXR modulators rather than unselective LXR agonists a potential pharmacological strategy. This review summarizes the multiple physiological and pathophysiological implications of LXRs and observations that identify LXRs as potential targets for therapeutic interventions in human cardiovascular and metabolic disease. Received 30 August 2005; received after revision 10 October 2005; accepted 4 November 2005     

Natural sweet macromolecules: how sweet proteins work

A few proteins, discovered mainly in tropical fruits, have a distinct sweet taste. These proteins have played an important role towards a molecular understanding of the mechanisms of taste. Owing to the huge difference in size, between most sweeteners and sweet proteins, it was believed that they must interact with a different receptor from that of small molecular weight sweeteners. Recent modelling studies have shown that the single sweet taste receptor has multiple active sites and that the mechanism of interaction of sweet proteins is intrinsically different from that of small sweeteners. Small molecular weight sweeteners occupy small receptor cavities inside two subdomains of the receptor, whereas sweet proteins can interact with the sweet receptor according to a mechanism called the ‘wedge model’ in which they bind to a large external cavity. This review describes these mechanisms and outlines a history of sweet proteins. Received 11 February 2006; received after revision 31 March 2006; accepted 11 May 2006     

EGFR基因C端结构域真核表达载体的构建

构建EGFR基因C端结构域的真核表达载体.应用PCR技术,从含EGFR基因C端结构域的大肠杆菌DH 5α中扩增其序列,亚克隆到真核表达载体pcDNA3.1( )中,经酶切及测序进行验证.PCR扩增片段与预期结果相符,真核表达载体构建成功,测序结果与GenBank公布的基因一致.成功地构建了EGFR基因C端两个结构域的真核表达载体.     

温情 诗意 成长——《草房子》的死亡叙事探析

《草房子》是曹文轩成长小说的代表作，小说的叙述多次涉及死亡。其死亡叙事充分体现了三方面的特征：即充满了浓浓的温情；诗意的叙述；死亡是儿童精神成长的特殊契机。     

蒙田的死亡观

蒙田,法国文艺复兴时期最重要的人文主义作家,在其《随笔集》中,以研究自己为起点继而扩展到全人类,从研究死亡出发找寻生命的意义,最终消融了对于死亡的禁忌。     

宣告死亡制度中的若干争议问题探析

我国未来民法典中应保留宣告死亡制度．死亡宣告申请权应有适当的顺序之分。对被宣告死亡人的民事能力的确定，既要坚持民事能力制度的一般性，同时也要照顾宣告死亡制度的特点。关于死亡宣告对于婚姻关系的存废，在符合婚姻法的前提下应尽量考虑当事人的选择权和意思自治权。法律上不能硬性规定其效力。