溴化乙锭对布鲁姆综合症解旋酶生物学特性的影响

目的研究溴化乙锭(EB)对BLM解旋酶的生物学特性的影响。方法应用荧光偏振技术研究EB对BLM解旋酶的DNA结合活性与解链活性的影响;应用自由磷检测技术研究EB对BLM解旋酶的ATPase活性的影响;应用紫外吸收光谱法研究EB对BLM解旋酶的构象的影响。结果EB可完全抑制BLM解旋酶的DNA结合活性,当双链DNA与单链DNA作为底物时,Ci值分别为(21.3±0.7)μmol.L-1和(3.3±0.3)μmol.L-1;可完全抑制BLM解旋酶的解链活性,Ci值为(9.0±0.3)μmol.L-1;对BLM解旋酶的ATPase活性有抑制作用,但差异无显著性;可改变BLM解旋酶的构象,最大吸收峰发生红移。结论 EB可以结合BLM解旋酶并改变其构象,抑制其与DNA的结合,从而抑制BLM解旋酶的生物学活性。     

Campylobacter jejuni DNA-binding protein from starved cells in Guillain–Barré syndrome patients

Campylobacter jejuni enteritis is frequently associated with an axonal form of Guillain–Barré syndrome (GBS) and C. jejuni DNA-binding protein from starved cells (C-Dps) induces paranodal myelin detachment and axonal degeneration through binding with sulfatide in vivo. Here we investigated the invasion of C-Dps into hosts with C. jejuni-related GBS. Our analyses of patient sera found that both C-Dps and anti-C-Dps antibodies were most commonly detected in sera from C. jejuni-related GBS patients (5/27, 14.8% and 15/24, 62.5%; respectively). These findings suggest that C-Dps invades the host and may potentially contribute to the peripheral nerve damage in C. jejuni-related GBS.     

苯甲酸雌二醇对大肠杆菌RecQ解旋酶生物学活性的影响

 目的 研究体外苯甲酸雌二醇对大肠杆菌RecQ解旋酶生物学活性的影响及作用机制。方法 运用荧光偏振技术和ATPase检测技术分析苯甲酸雌二醇对大肠杆菌RecQ解旋酶活性、DNA结合活性和ATPase活性的影响。结果 苯甲酸雌二醇对RecQ解旋酶活性、DNA结合活性及ATPase活性均有弱抑制作用,对RecQ解旋酶活性抑制常数K_i为5×10-3 nmol·L-1,对dsDNA和ssDNA结合活性的K_i分别为5×10-2和0.5 nmol·L-1。结论 在体外苯甲酸雌二醇对大肠杆菌RecQ解旋酶生物学活性具有弱抑制作用,二者至少有两个作用位点。     

Identifying placental epigenetic alterations in an intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) rat model induced by gestational protein deficiency

Poor maternal nutrition during gestation can lead to intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR), a main cause of low birth weight associated with high neonatal morbidity and mortality. Such early uterine environmental exposures can impact the neonatal epigenome to render later-in-life disease susceptibility. We established in Wistar Han rats a mild IUGR model induced by gestational protein deficiency (i.e. 9% crude protein in low protein diet vs. 21% in control, from GD 0 to 21) to identify alterations in gene expression and methylation patterns in certain genes implicated in human IUGR or in placental development. We found differential gene expression of Wnt2 and Dlk1 between IUGR and control. Notably, Wnt2 exhibited significant decrease while Dlk1 increase in IUGR placentas, correlating to decrease in fetal and placental weight. Methylation patterns encompassing 30 CpGs in the Wnt2 promoter region revealed variability in both IUGR and control placentas, but a site-specific hypomethylation was evident in IUGR placentas. Our present findings further support a key role of maternal gestational nutrition in defining the neonatal epigenome.     

Absence of gut microbiota affects lipid metabolism in the prefrontal cortex of mice

ABSTRACT

Objectives: Lipid metabolism is closely associated with many important biological functions. Here, we conducted this study to explore the effects of gut microbiota on the lipid metabolism in the prefrontal cortex of mice.

Methods: Germ-free (GF) mice, specific pathogen-free (SPF) and colonized GF (CGF) mice were used in this study. The open field test (OFT), forced swimming test (FST) and novelty suppressed feeding test (NSFT) were conducted to assess the changes in general behavioral activity. The liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) was used to obtain the lipid metabolites. Both one-way analysis of variance (one-way ANOVA) and orthogonal partial least-squares discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) were used to obtain the key differential lipid metabolites.

Results: The behavioral tests showed that compared to SPF mice, GF mice had more center distance, more center time, less immobility time and less latency to familiar food. Meanwhile, 142 key differential lipid metabolites between SPF mice and GF mice were identified. These lipid metabolites mainly belonged to glycerophospholipids, glycerolipids, sphingolipids, and saccharolipids. The gut microbiota colonization did not reverse these changed behavioral phenotypes, but could restore 25 key differential lipid metabolites.

Discussion: These results showed that the absence of gut microbiota could influence host behaviors and lipid metabolism. Our findings could provide original and valuable data for future studies to further investigate the microbiota-gut-brain axis.     

Case of 15q26-qter deletion associated with a Prader-Willi phenotype

Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) is one of the common neurogenetic disorders associated with intellectual disability. PWS involves a complex inheritance pattern and is caused by an absence of gene expression on the paternally inherited 15q11.2-q13 region, either due to deletion, maternal uniparental disomy or imprinting defect. The syndrome is characterized principally by severe neonatal hypotonia, a weak suck in infancy that is later followed by hyperphagia and obesity, developmental delay, intellectual disability and short stature. In the case of the chromosome 15q26-qter deletion syndrome or Drayer's syndrome, very few reports have been published. Its characteristics include intrauterine growth restriction, postnatal growth failure, varying degrees of intellectual disability, developmental delay, typical facial appearance and diaphragmatic hernia. The present paper describes a female patient in whom clinical findings were suggestive of PWS and deletion in the 15q26-qter region. Both karyotyping and methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction were shown to be normal. Nevertheless, fluorescence in situ hybridization showed a 15qter deletion that was later mapped by single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP)-array. The deleted genomic region involves the insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor (IGF1R) gene, which is related to short stature, developmental delay and intellectual disability. This case had various clinical characteristics in common with the cases of 15q26-qter deletionand characteristics compatible with PWS.     

Chlorine dioxide inhibits the replication of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus by blocking viral attachment

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) causes a great economic loss to the swine industry globally. Current prevention and treatment measures are not effective to control the outbreak and spread of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS). In other words, new antiviral strategies are urgently needed. Chlorine dioxide (ClO₂) is regarded as a broad-spectrum disinfectant with strong inhibitory effects on microbes and parasites. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the inhibitory effects and underlying molecular mechanisms of ClO₂ against PRRSV infection in vitro. Here, we identified ClO₂ (the purity is 99%) could inhibit the infection and replication of PRRSV in both Marc-145 cells and porcine alveolar macrophages (PAMs). ClO₂ could block PRRSV binding to cells rather than internalization and release, suggesting that ClO₂ blocks the first stage of the virus life cycle. We also demonstrated that the inhibition exerted by ClO₂ was attributed to the degradation of PRRSV genome and proteins. Moreover, we confirmed that ClO₂ could decrease the expression of inflammatory cytokines induced by PRRSV. In summary, ClO₂ is an efficient agent and potently suppressed PRRSV infection in vitro.