Science Letters： A synthetic Toll-like receptor 2 ligand decreases allergic immune responses in a mouse rhinitis model sensitized to mite allergen

It has been proposed that activation of Toll-like receptors （TLRs） plays crucial roles in the polarization of adaptive immune responses. A synthetic Toll-like receptor 2 （TLR2） ligand, Pam3CSK4, has been reported to modulate the balance of Th1/Th2 responses. We evaluated the modulation effect of Pam3CSK4 on allergic immune response in a mouse rhinitis model sensitized to house dust mite allergen （HDM）. Mice were sensitized and challenged with Dermatophagoidesfarinae allergen （Der f）, and then the allergic mice were treated by Pam3CSK4. Nasal allergic symptoms and eosinophils were scored. Der f-specific cytokine responses were examined in the splenocytes and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid （BALF）. Serum level of total IgE was also detected. After establishing a mouse allergic rhinitis model with HDM, we have showed that Pam3CSK4 treatment not only ameliorated the nasal allergic symptoms remarkably but also decreased the eosinophils and total inflammation cells in BALF significantly. Analysis of cytokine profile found that IFN-7 released from either BALF or stimulated splenocytes increased markedly in Pam3CSK4-treated mice, while IL-13 decreased significantly. Moreover, serum level of total IgE was significantly lower in Pam3CSK4-treated mice than in the untreated. Thus, in an allergic rhinitis mouse model developed with HDM, Pam3CSK4 was shown to exhibit an antiallergic effect, indicating its potential application in allergic diseases.     

Specific anti-tumor effect induced by attenuated Salmonella typhimurium vaccine expressing extracellular region of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2

The purposes of this research were to study the stable expression of exogenous gene encoding therapeutic protein in attenuated Salmonella typhimurium, observe the metabolism of oral gene vaccine carried by attenuated Salmonella typhimurium in BALB/c mouse, and investigate the feasibility of prevention and treatment of tumors by the recombinant bacteria. Recombinant plasmid pcDNA3.1 VEGFR2(n1-7) was transformed into competent attenuated Salmonella typhimurium SL3261 to develop oral DNA vaccine SL3261-pcDNA3.1 VEGFR2(n1-7). To observe whether the exogenous gene can be expressed in the recombinant bacteria, PCR was performed to amplify the CMV promoter of the eukaryotic expression vector as the proof of stable expression of exogenous protein; transmission elec- tron microscopy (TEM) was applied to observe the morphology of the recombinant bacteria to confirm that the exogenous gene has no impact on the growth of the bacteria, and then BALB/c mice were immunized with the gene vaccine. After inoculation of the gene vaccine, the recombinant bacteria SL3261 could be detected in the tissues such as small intestine, colon, liver and spleen. And then, mice in each group were challenged with tumor cells. The results of animal experiment showed that tumor growth of the mice in experimental group was inhibited and survival time of immunized mice was prolonged compared with control groups. A higher lymphocyte infiltration in tumors from animals treated with DNA vaccine was observed. Immunohistochemical analysis of tumor samples revealed an en- hanced accumulation of CD8 cytotoxic T lymphocytes, as well as an increase in CD4 cells in the tumors of animals treated with the oral gene vaccine compared to tumors from control group mice. Ultrastructure of the tumor tissue showed that tumor cells in the samples of the immunized mice were well-differentiated. Our research confirmed that the exogenous gene can be stably expressed in the attenuated Salmonella typhimurium and has no impact on the growth of the recombinant bacteria; the exogenous gene can de delivered to the host by attenuated Salmonella typhimurium to produce anti-tumor effect with no obvious cytotoxity to the host. In this study, it is established that attenuated Salmonella typhimurium could be used as a vector for oral gene vaccine, and our study provided a theoretical basis for the body distribution and the metabolism of the recombinant bacteria. This strategy may provide a simple, safe and effective way for the prevention and treatment of tumors.     

Growth hormone signal transduction

Growth hormone (GH) promotes animal growth by stimulating bone and cartilage cell proliferation, and influences carbohydrate and lipid metabolism. Some of these effects are brought about indirectly via somatomedin induction in hepatocytes, others by acting directly on the target cells. In either case, GH first binds to specific receptors on cells to trigger a sequence of biochemical events culminating in a biological response. Recently much has been learnt about the molecular structure of GH receptor, its binding to ligand, and the ensuing signal transduction events.     

Cu（Ⅱ） effect on the conformation of regenerated silk fibroin in dilute aqueous solution

Much attention has been paid to the natural mechanism of silkworm spinning due to the impressive mechanical properties of the natural fibers. In this work, we studied the effect of Cu（Ⅱ） ions on the secondary structure of Bombyx mori regenerated silk fibroin （SF） in dilute solution by circular dichroism （CD）. The results indicate that a given amount of Cu（Ⅱ） induces the SF conformational transition from random coil to β-sheet, however, further addition of Cu（Ⅱ） is unfavorable for this conversion. Meanwhile, the conformational changes induced by Cu（Ⅱ） follow a nucleation-dependent aggregation mechanism, which is similar to that found in Prion protein （PrP） denaturation and Aβ-peptide aggregations, leading to the neurodegenerative disease. This work would help one understand further the natural spinning process of silkworm. Additionally, it would be significant for the study of the nervous system diseases, because silk fibroin, extracted in large amounts from Bombyx mori silkworm gland, could be a proper model to study PrP denaturation and Aβ-peptide aggregations.     

Changes in erythrocyte membrane lipid composition affect the transient decrease in membrane order which accompanies insulin receptor down-regulation

We have recently demonstrated, using electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy, that insulin receptor internalization in response to insulin incubation (down-regulation) in human erythrocytes is accompanied by a transient decrease in membrane order, as measured by the 2T order parameter. Since membrane lipids play such an important role in receptor internalization, we investigated the possible effects that an alteration of the normally-occurring lipid profile might have on down-regulation and the concomitant transient decrease in membrane order. Consequently, human erythrocytes enriched with cholesterol and erythrocytes from cirrhotic patients were examined, because both of these groups of cells have a higher cholesterol/phospholipid molar ratio (CH/PL) than controls. The 5-nitroxystearate spin label, which inserts into the lipid bilayer of cell membranes, was used to monitor changes in 2T for a 3-h period at 37°C. We report here that both cholesterol-enriched and cirrhotic erythrocytes do not down-regulate, as demonstrated by binding assays, and that they do not show the typical transient decrease in membrane order observed in controls. The results seem to indicate that a more ordered membrane inhibits internalization of the insulin receptor in erythrocytes, and that an increase in membrane disorder is necessary for insulin receptor down-regulation.     

Internalization of polypeptide hormones and receptor recycling

Conclusion The insulin receptor is an integral protein of the plasma membrane of the cell. It is composed of two subunits: an subunit, which binds the hormone, and a subunit which is a tyrosine specific protein kinase capable of undergoing autophosphorylation. These independent subunits are synthesized by way of a higher molecular weight single chain precursor and thus are the product of a single gene^{29, 49, 85} localized to chromosome 19^{29, 91}. Assuming that the insulin receptor is synthesized in the same fashion as other integral membrane glycoproteins, then the nucleus, the rough endoplasmic reticulum, and the Golgi apparatus are involved in its biosynthesis. Further, there must be some form of transport of the mature receptor subunits to the plasma membrane where they are inserted.By contrast, the endocytotic route involves coated pits, coated vesicles, large clear vesicles or endosomes, multivesicular bodies and other lysosomal forms. In addition, it is possible that some other as yet unidentified organelle is involved in recycling (fig. 8). At the present time, with respect to the insulin receptor, the biosynthetic pathway and the endocytotic pathway appear to be separate. Further, it does not appear that either pathway, i. e. synthesis or endocytosis, exerts a regulatory function over the other.     

区间删失数据下基于OLLGG分布的多参数回归模型的参数估计

该文基于Ⅱ型区间删失数据,在OLLGG分布下提出多参数回归模型,通过线性回归刻画分布参数与协变量之间的关系,并通过极大似然方法给出了模型的参数估计,数值模拟验证了模型参数的估计有良好的性质,将提出的模型应用到血友病患者HIV感染的数据中,发现提出的模型对数据有灵活的拟合效果.     

Pharmacological versus binding analysis of receptor systems: How do they interplay? Myometrial cell receptors for oxytocin as a paradigm

Summary Binding studies in various biological systems frequently indicate the presence of several binding sites for a biologically active ligand. They differ in their affinity for the ligand in question, binding capacity, and Hill coefficient, which suggests differences in the mechanisms of the binding site-ligand interactions. Identification of the true receptors (sites initiating a cellular response) appears to be difficult. Three clusters of binding sites for oxytocin were found on rat myometrial cells. The oxytocin receptor seems to be linked to the medium-affinity site; the cooperation between the high-and medium-affinity sites in eliciting the uterotonic response seems likely, but lacks experimental proof. Dose-response analysis in partially irreversibly inhibited uterus preparations, the method of equipotent doses (Furchgott-Bursztyn method), and structure-activity analysis of oxytocin-like peptides acting as competitive inhibitors of oxytocin, turned out to be suitable for pharmacological analysis of this receptor system.     

Fibronectin peptide DRVPHSRNSIT and fibronectin receptor peptide DLYYLMDL arrest gastrulation ofRana pipiens

Gastrulation is characterized by dramatic cell migration which is thought to require the interaction of cell adhesion molecules with extracellular molecules. We have tested two novel peptides, a fibronectin peptide and a fibronectin receptor peptide, for their effects on gastrulation of the leopard frogRana pipiens. The fibronectin peptide DRVPHSRNSIT corresponds to residues 1373–1383 of the cell-binding domain of fibronectin; the receptor peptide DLYYLMDL corresponds to residues 124–131 of 1 subunit of a variety of integrins including 51. Either of these peptides significantly inhibited gastrulation after being microinjected into mid-blastulae. These results indicate that these sequences may correspond to the ligand/receptor interaction sites of fibronectin and its receptor(s).     

苯甲醛缩氨基硫脲Cu(I)、Zn(Ⅱ)配合物的直接电化学合成

用电化学金属阳极氧化法在非水溶剂中合成了苯甲醛缩氨基硫脲（ＨＬ）与Ｃｕ（Ｉ）、Ｚｎ（Ⅱ）配合物,通过元素分析、红外光谱、紫外光谱、磁矩、摩尔电导等对配合物进行了表征。