Purification, characterization and biological activities of the l-amino acid oxidase from Bungarus fasciatus snake venom

l-Amino acid oxidases (LAAOs) are widely distributed in snake venoms, which contribute to the toxicity of venoms. However, LAAO from Bungarus fasciatus (B. fasciatus) snake venom has not been isolated previously. In the present study, LAAO from B. fasciatus snake venom was purified by SP-Sepharose HP anion exchange chromatography followed by Heparin-Sepharose FF affinity chromatography procedure and the purified enzyme was named BF-LAAO. BF-LAAO presented an estimated molecular weight of 55 kDa in SDS-PAGE and an apparent molecular weight of 70 kDa in size-exclusion chromatography suggesting that BF-LAAO is a monomeric protein. Kinetics studies showed that BF-LAAO was very active against l-Tyr, l-Asp, l-Phe, l-Glu, l-Trp, l-His, l-Gln, l-Ile, l-Met, l-Leu and moderately active against l-Lys, l-Arg, l-Ala and l-Asn. BF-LAAO exhibited a cytotoxic effect on A549 cells and caused up to 41.2% apoptosis of A549 cells following 12 h incubation period. In the mouse peritoneum, BF-LAAO provoked a marked increase in the number of neutrophils, lymphocytes and macrophages following injection. It also induced rabbit platelet aggregation in a dose-dependent manner. At 3 h following injection, BF-LAAO elicited severe inflammation in the gastrocnemius muscles of mice, but failed to induce significant organ damage. In conclusion, the cytotoxic and proinflammatory activities of BF-LAAO could be the main cause of the local inflammation, which helps us to understand the pathogenesis of snakebite.     

Abnormal default-mode network activation in cirrhotic patients: a functional magnetic resonance imaging study

Background: Recently, increasing numbers of studies have demonstrated that, in humans, a default-mode functional network exists in the resting state. Abnormal default-mode network in various diseases has been reported; however, no report concerning hepatic cirrhosis has been published to date.

Purpose: To prospectively explore whether the resting-state network in patients with hepatic cirrhosis is abnormal or not, using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI).

Material and Methods: 14 patients with hepatic cirrhosis (12 male, two female; 45±9 years) and 14 age- and gender-matched healthy volunteers (12 male, two female; 42±10 years) participated in a blocked-design fMRI study. A modified Stroop task with Chinese characters was used as the target stimulus. Statistical Parametric Mapping 99 software was employed to process the functional data. Individual maps and group data were generated for patients with hepatic cirrhosis and for healthy controls, respectively. Intergroup analysis between patients and healthy controls was also generated using the two-sample t-test model. Cluster analyses were done based on the group data, and an identical P value ≤0.01 with continuously connected voxels of no less than 10 was defined as significant deactivation. After fMRI scanning was complete, behavioral Stroop interference tests were performed on all subjects; reaction time and error number were recorded.

Results: Functionally, deactivation of the posterior cingulate cortex (PCC) and precuneus was absent when subjects performed the incongruous word-reading task; deactivation of the PCC, precuneus, and ventral medial prefrontal cortex was increased when they performed the incongruous color-naming task.

Conclusion: The functional as well as behavioral data suggest that cirrhotic patients may have an abnormal deactivation mode. The absence of deactivation in the PCC and precuneus may be a sensitive rather than specific marker in patients with hepatic cirrhosis.     

Involvement of oxytocin and its receptor in nociceptive modulation in the central nucleus of amygdala of rats

Studies have demonstrated that oxytocin plays important roles in pain modulation in the central nervous system. Oxytocin-ergic neurons are found in paraventricular nucleus and supraoptic nucleus of the hypothalamus. The oxytocin-ergic neurons send fibers from hypothalamus to amygdala and high density of oxytocin receptors are found in the central nucleus of amygdala (CeA). The present study was performed to investigate the influences of oxytocin and its receptors on nociceptive responses in the CeA of rats. Intra-CeA injection of 0.1, 0.5 or 1 nmol of oxytocin induced dose-dependent increases in the handpaw withdrawal latency induced by noxious thermal and mechanical stimulation in rats. The oxytocin-induced anti-nociception could be blocked by the selective oxytocin antagonist 1-deamino-2-d-Tyr-(Oet)-4-Thr-8-Orn-oxytocin. The present study demonstrated that oxytocin and its receptors are involved in nociceptive modulation in the CeA of rats.     

Anti-inflammatory activity of lansais from endophytic Streptomyces sp. SUC1 in LPS-induced RAW 264.7 cells

This research was undertaken to find the in vitro inflammatory action of lansai A–D produced by Streptomyces sp. SUC1. We investigated the effects of lansai C not only on the formation of nitric oxide (NO), prostaglandin E₂ (PGE₂), tumour necrosis factor (TNF-α), interleukin (IL)-1α, IL-6 and IL-10, but also on inducible NO synthase and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced murine macrophage RAW 264.7 cells. The data obtained were consistent with the modulation of inducible nitric oxide synthase enzyme expression. A similar fashion was also observed when LPS-induced PGE₂ release and COX-2 expression were tested. The significant inhibitory effects were shown in concentration-dependent manners. In addition, lansai C also mildly but significantly reduced the formation of TNF-α. These findings support the application of lansai C as anti-inflammatory agent.     

The use of dentin matrix scaffold and dental follicle cells for dentin regeneration

Scaffold and inductive microenvironment are the two most important factors for dentin regeneration. They have been addressed with hydroxyapatite, tricalcium phosphate, polyglycolic acid, calcined bovine bone, and collagen, among other things. However, as of yet, no scaffold and inductive microenvironment combination has been shown to contribute to the regeneration of complete and prefabricated-shaped dentin tissues that include dentin, predentin and odontoblasts. To test the supporting and inductive effects of treated dentin matrix (TDM) on complete and prefabricated-shaped dentin regeneration, dental follicle cells (DFCs) were seeded onto TDM and further incubated for 1 and 2 weeks in vitro and for 2 and 4 weeks in vivo. The results show that in vitro, in addition to dentin sialoprotein (DSP) and dentin matrix protein 1 (DMP1) (regarded as identifying markers of odontoblasts), DFCs induced by TDM expressed osteocalcin, bone sialoprotein, type I collagen, osteopontin, osteonectin and alkaline phosphatase (all expressed by odontoblasts), and that complete and prefabricated-shaped dentin was successfully regenerated. Most importantly, it was found that in vivo TDM supports and induces regeneration of complete and prefabricated-shaped dentin, and regenerated dentin expresses DSP and DMP1, which are identifying dentin markers. Taken together, these results suggest that, for dentin regeneration, TDM is a suitable scaffold and inductive microenvironment and DFCs are a suitable cell type. The combination of TDM and DFCs may constitute a promising approach for future clinical dentin regeneration.     

血管紧张素-（1-7）对野百合碱诱导的肺动脉高压和肺血管重构的影响

目的： 探讨血管紧张素-（1-7）［Ang-(1-7)］对野百合碱(MCT)诱导的肺动脉高压(PAH)模型中肺动脉压力和肺小动脉重构的影响。方法: 雄性Sprague-Dawley大鼠60只,随机分为:对照组、PAH组、PAH +Ang-(1-7)组。PAH 组和PAH+Ang-(1-7)组一次性颈部注射MCT60 mg/kg,24 h后经微泵持续泵入生理盐水或Ang-(1-7)(24 μg·kg-1·h-1)共4周。对照组一次性颈部注射相同体积的生理盐水,24 h后泵入生理盐水。4周后,测定大鼠的右室收缩压(RVSP)和右心室肥厚指数(RVHI),并运用图像分析软件,测定肺小动脉管壁厚度(WT)占动脉外径(ED)的百分比(WT %)及管壁面积(WA)占血管总面积的百分比(WA%)。通过放射免疫方法检测肺组织中一氧化氮(NO)浓度。 Western blotting分析肺组织内皮一氧化氮合酶(eNOS)和eNOS Ser1177-phosphorylation 的表达。 结果: PAH组与对照组相比,RVSP、RVHI、WT%、WA%明显升高（P<0.01）,肺组织中NO浓度、eNOS、eNOS Ser1177-phosphorylation 的表达水平显著降低（P<0.01）;Ang-(1-7)干预后RVSP、RVHI、WT%、WA %明显降低（P<0.01）,肺组织NO浓度、eNOS、eNOS Ser1177-phosphorylation 的表达明显升高（P<0.01）。结论: 在MCT诱导的肺动脉高压模型中,Ang-(1-7)可预防肺动脉高压的发生,同时抑制肺血管的重构,其机制可能与Ang-(1-7)升高肺组织NO浓度,上调eNOS的表达以及eNOS Ser1177-phosphorylation 水平有关。     

凝血和纤溶失衡在急性肺损伤中的作用

急性肺损伤(acute lung injury,ALI),以肺泡上皮细胞和血管内皮屏障损伤、急性炎症反应、富含蛋白的肺水肿为特征,是一种临床常见的危重病症,可进一步发展为急性呼吸窘迫综合症(acute respiratory distress syndrome,ARDS).     

Very early premature ovarian failure in two sisters compound heterozygous for the FMR1 premutation

Expansion of the CGG trinucleotide repeat in the 5′ untranslated region of the fragile X mental retardation 1 (FMR1) gene within the premutation range is one of the known genetic factors associated with premature ovarian failure and earlier age at menopause. Studies have shown that approximately 16–26% of female carriers will develop premature ovarian failure, and current research is focussed on the identification of molecular factors that predict its occurrence in female carriers. In this report we present two sisters who are compound heterozygous for a premutation, and who were referred because of very early menopause, occurring at the age of 17 years in the youngest sister. Premature ovarian failure associated with FMR1 premutation at such an early age has not been reported in the literature before.     

Characterization of a de novo balanced translocation in a patient with moderate mental retardation and dysmorphic features

Moderate mental retardation (MR) could affect up to 3% of the general population. A proportion of these cases has a genetic origin. Genes responsible for mental retardation can be identified taking advantage of familial cases or patients carrying a chromosomal rearrangement.We have studied a female patient with mild mental retardation and dysmorphic features. Cytogenetic and molecular investigations revealed a de novo balanced translocation 46, XX, t(5;18)(q21.3;q21.32) in the patient. The karyotypes of the parents are normal. We mapped the breakpoints of the translocation on chromosomes 5 and 18 by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). The characterization of the chromosomal breakpoints helped us identify a new candidate region containing a portion of a gene. This gene is called FER. It is a tyrosine kinase located on the chromosome 5q21.3. We found no known genes in the genomic region corresponding to the BAC spanning the 18q21.32 breakpoint.Molecular analysis showed that the FER gene was not interrupted by the translocation breakpoint on chromosome 5. Real-time quantitative PCR performed using RNA from the patient, compared to her parents and controls, showed no significant modification of FER expression ruling out a putative position effect, at least in the tissue tested.Our data suggest that FER is not implicated in the mental retardation phenotype observed in the reported patient. Therefore the MR phenotype might not be caused by the translocation.