Thiyl radicals in biosystems: effects on lipid structures and metabolisms

Thiyl radicals are intermediates of enzyme- and radical-driven biochemical processes, and their potential as reactive species in the biological environment has been somehow underestimated. From organic chemistry, however, it is known that thiyl radicals isomerize the double bonds of unsaturated fatty acids to a mixture with very dominating trans isomers. Recently, this reaction has been particularly studied for biosystems, focusing on the effect of thiyl radicals on the natural all-cis double bonds of unsaturated phospholipids, which undergo a conversion to the unnatural trans form. In this paper we report briefly the role of thiyl radicals in biosystems, describe the main features of the radical-induced cis-trans isomerization process under both in vitro and in vivo conditions, and reflect on some consequences for membrane structures, lipid metabolism and enzymatic reactions.Received 29 October 2004; received after revision 3 December 2004; accepted 4 January 2005     

Alternative exon usage selectively determines both tissue distribution and subcellular localization of the acyl-CoA thioesterase 7 gene products

Acyl-CoA thioesterases (ACOTs) catalyze the hydrolysis of acyl-CoAs to free fatty acids and coenzyme A. Recent studies have demonstrated that one gene named Acot7, reported to be mainly expressed in brain and testis, is transcribed in several different isoforms by alternative usage of first exons. Strongly decreased levels of ACOT7 activity and protein in both mitochondria and cytosol was reported in patients diagnosed with fatty acid oxidation defects, linking ACOT7 function to regulation of fatty acid oxidation in other tissues. In this study, we have identified five possible first exons in mouse Acot7 (Acot7a–e) and show that all five first exons are transcribed in a tissue-specific manner. Taken together, these data show that the Acot7 gene is expressed as multiple isoforms in a tissue-specific manner, and that expression in tissues other than brain and testis is likely to play important roles in fatty acid metabolism. Received 5 February 2007: received after revision 3 April 2007; accepted 19 April 2007     

以秀丽隐杆线虫为模型的玛咖功效评价

先对玛咖进行脱油、水提、冻干,再将所得水提物冻干品与Escherichia coli OP50菌液进行混合,稀释至终质量浓度为1,2mg/mL.以秀丽隐杆线虫(简称线虫)为模型,考察玛咖水提物对线虫的抗氧化作用:经寿命、产卵、吞咽、运动能力实验表明,玛咖水提物对线虫无明显毒性作用,且1,2mg/mL玛咖水提物均能显著延长线虫寿命;由玛咖水提物对线虫热激氧化压力诱导表明,玛咖水提物对线虫体外热激氧化压力有保护作用;通过油红O对脂肪染色表明,玛咖水提物具有一定降脂功效.     

Interaction of SynaptotagminⅠ with Phospholipid Membrane: A Monolayer Study

IntroductionSynaptotagmin is a family of vesicletransmembrane proteins present in synapticvesicles and large secretary granules of neuronsand endocrine cells[1 ] .It is a major constituent ofsynaptic vesicle membranes,comprising7% 8%of the total vesicle protein,characterized by ashort intravesiclar N-terminus,a singletransmembrane region,and a long plasmicdomain.　The best-charaterized form of synaptotagmin,syt ,is found abundantly in rostrol brain.Syt was first described in 1 981 [2 ] ,and i…     

Age-related lipid peroxidation in the digestive gland of mussels: The role of the antioxidant defence systems

Summary The main cellular defence systems against free radical-mediated oxidative stress are significantly reduced in the dige⁺ive gland of aged (>10 years old) compared to younger (2–4 years old) mussels (Mytilus edulis L.). Moreover, the concentration of lipid peroxidation products (malondialdehyde) is increased in the same age group with respect to younger animals. The obtained data indicate that an impairment of the antioxidant defence systems would render the older animals more susceptible to peroxidative stress, thus supporting the general significance of the free radical theory of aging.     

低强度激光照射对红细胞膜的生物学效应

低强度激光照射对整个血液系统及其主要有形成分红细胞都有着广泛的生物学效应,影响着血液和红细胞的各方面生物物理特性。本文从红细胞膜的角度就低强度激光照射对红细胞膜各组分生物学效应加以讨论。     

Synthesis of two new thiazolidines and their hepatoprotective effects

Two new 2-substituted thiazolidine-4（R）-carboxylic acids （TCAs）, 2-glusosaminal-TCA （GIcNH2Cys） and 2-N-acetyl-glueosanlinal-TCA （GlcNAeCys）, were synthesized. Their protective effects against liver toxicity induced by acetaminophen （APAP） were investigated in a mice model. The resuits demonstrate that administration of TCAs （ i. p. , 800 mg/kg） 30 min after APAP challenge efficiently decrease ALF, AST, and LDH levels in liver. GlcNAcCys shows the best proteetive eftects, decreasing ALT, AST and LDH levels to 63%, 18.4% and 37% of the APAP group respectively. Comparison with the control showed that APAP greatly decreases total sulfhydlyl （T-SH） levels （43%）, non-protein hound sulfhydryl （NP-SH） levels （50%） and total antioxidative capabilities （57%） in the liver 24 hr after challenge. TCAs treatments 30min after APAP challenge significantly elevate sulfhydryl levels and total antioxidative capabilities. APAP administration also markedly （P 〈 0.05） increases liver lipid peroxidation to 1.65 and 1.17 times that of the control 4 hr and 24 hr after APAP administration respectively. TCAs treatments can inhibit lipid peroxidation as measured by decreased malondialdehyde （MDA） contents in liver. The histopathological results also further confirm the hepatoprotective effects of TCAs. In conclusion, our data show that TCAs, GleNAcCys particularly, have hepatoprotective anti antioxidant etfects.     

原子力显微镜与磷脂双层膜作用实验结果理论分析

 利用原子力显微镜研究生物膜力学性质,已经成为研究生物膜稳定性的重要技术。通常,原子力显微镜探针和磷脂双层膜相互作用力谱曲线包括非线性部分和线性部分,其中线性部分的物理机制仍不完全清楚。将磷脂双层膜看作弹性半空间,基于相互作用原理,系统地研究了原子力显微镜探针与磷脂双层膜相互作用过程,理论结果包含了能够表征磷脂双层膜稳定性的重要参数：杨氏模量和泊松系数,以及原子力显微镜探针尖端半径。不仅合理地揭示了H. J. Bütt的实验结果曲线中线性部分的物理机制,还指出,通过增加离子浓度,磷脂双层膜的杨氏模量增大和泊松系数减小,从而导致原子力显微镜探针与磷脂双层膜之间的相互作用力随着离子浓度增加而增加。