The interaction of von Willebrand factor-A1 domain with collagen: mutation G1324S (type 2M von Willebrand disease) impairs the conformational change in A1 domain induced by collagen

BACKGROUND: It is established that the A3 domain in von Willebrand factor (VWF) contains the major collagen-binding site. However, there are conflicting reports describing the capacity of the A1 domain to interact with collagen types I and III. METHODS: In this study, we have used recombinant VWF-A1 polypeptides, as well as conformation-specific monoclonal antibodies (mAb), to analyze the A1-collagen interaction. RESULTS: The A1 domain bound to collagen with K(d) approximately 8.0 nm and this binding was blocked by the mAb 6G1, which blocks the interaction between ristocetin and VWF. In addition, collagen-bound A1 protein was able to support flow-dependent adhesion of platelets, demonstrating that the binding sites for collagen and glycoprotein (GP)Ib are different. Analysis with two conformation-specific mAb demonstrated that the structure of the A1 domain changed as a result of the binding to collagen. In contrast, the antibodies failed to detect conformational change in the G1324S mutant (type 2M von Willebrand disease). Thus, direct binding to collagen induces a change in the structural conformation within the VWF-A1 domain, and the G1324S substitution prevents this conformational change. CONCLUSION: This study has shown that the isolated A1 domain can simultaneously bind to collagen and platelet GPIb, supporting platelet adhesion under high-flow conditions. In addition, this study has used mAb to demonstrate that the binding of the isolated A1 domain or full-length VWF to collagen is accompanied by a conformational change in A1 domain.     

Intra-operative Total Enteroscopy for the Management of Peutz-Jegher's Syndrome

We present a case of Peutz-Jegher's syndrome in an 18 year old female who was followed for gastrointestinal polyps for 13 years from the age of 5 years. The patient was treated four times with surgical or endoscopic polypectomy for gastrointestinal polyps. At the age of 14 years, a combined surgical and endoscopic approach for the management of Peutz-Jegher's syndrome was carried out. A large polyp of the ileum required enterotomy for its removal, and another smaller polyp of the upper jejunum was identified and removed by intra-operative total enteroscopy via the anus. Intra-operative enteroscopy allows one to identify polyps that would previously have been missed. A more complete polypectomy can be performed using this technique, allowing the patient with Peutz-Jegher's syndrome a longer interval between laparotomies and a reduction in symptoms attributed to polyps.     

THE EFFECT OF ACUPUNCTURE ON PREVENTION AND TREATMENT OF ISCHEMIC ARRHYTHMIA AND THE RELATION BETWEEN EFFECT OF ACUPUNCTURE AND CHOLINERGIC MUSCARINE-LIKE RECEPTORS

For investigating the effect of acupuncture on ischemic arrhythmia and its mech-anism, adult albino rats with ligated anterior descending branch of coronary artery as experimentalmodel were treated with or without acupuncture, and others with imitative operation but without bothcoronary artery ligation and acupuncture treatment were used as control. It was found in acupuncturegroup that the fibrillation-liability of ischemic myocardium was efficiently decreased, the affinity ofAch-M receptors on membranes of ischemic myocardium was markedly increased, and the tolerance ofischemic myocardium to atropine was elevated in the experiment of atropine inducing fibrillation.These results indicate that acupuncture may play a therapeutic role on ischemic arrhythmia throughactivating the activity of muscarine-like receptors of cholinergic nervous system.     

Cytotoxicity of Chinese motherwort (YiMuCao) aqueous ethanol extract is non-apoptotic and estrogen receptor independent on human breast cancer cells

Background

Motherwort has been used as medicinal herb for many years in both China and Europe. In particular, Chinese motherwort has been commonly used to treat disorders of mammary gland in Chinese traditional medicine (TCM). Chinese motherwort aqueous extract (MAE) was previously reported to have anti-cancer activity in breast cancer cells with low potency (IC50s in a range of 8–40 mg/mL). However, treatment of motherwort ethanol extract in vivo markedly suppressed the development of uterine adenomyosis and mammary cancers in mice. Therefore, anti-cancer activity of Chinese motherwort, especially in a form of ethanol extract, needs to be confirmed further at cellular level.

Materials and methods

Aerial part of Chinese motherwort (Leonurus japonicus Houtt) dry powder is extracted with 70% ethanol and the chemical components were characterized with HPLC finger print as well as mass spectrometry. Cytotoxicity of the motherwort aqueous ethanol extract (MAEE) was analyzed with MTT assay on ER negative MDA-MB-231 and ER positive MCF-7 human breast cancer cell lines. Hoechst 33342 staining and flow cytometry were used to verify whether the cell death induced by MAEE is apoptosis in nature. Cell cycle status of MAEE treated cells were analyzed with flow cytometry.

Results

Our results showed that MAEE caused cell death in a dose-dependent and time-dependent fashion in both ER positive and negative breast cancer cells. Morphology, Hoechst 33342 staining and flow cytometry evidence all indicated the cell death is not in an apoptotic nature. Furthermore, low concentrations of MAEE caused cell cycle arrest at G2/M phase.

Conclusions

These data suggest that Chinese motherwort aqueous ethanol extract may effectively inhibit the proliferation of breast cancer cells through mechanisms of both cytotoxicity and cell cycle arrest. The cellular effects of MAEE are non-apoptotic and ER independent on breast cancer cells.     

M_2和β_1受体抗体与慢性肺源性心脏病关系的实验研究

目的用缺氧方法制备的肺源性心脏病(肺心病)大鼠为对象,研究肺心病中M2和β1受体抗体的含量及其与疾病的关系。方法选取健康雄性Wistar大鼠36只,随机分为3组:单纯缺氧组,缺氧加注射FeCl3组,健康对照组。SA-酶联免疫吸附测定(ELISA)法检测血清M2和β1受体抗体变化。最后处死大鼠观察心脏指标,并分析它与抗体滴度的相关性。结果血清中M2和β1受体抗体随缺氧时间延长而升高,滴度分别到第3周达高峰M2受体抗体为1∶80(单纯缺氧组)和1∶53(缺氧加注射FeCl3组),β1受体抗体为1∶60(单纯缺氧组)和1∶45(缺氧加注射FeCl3组),并且P/N值从第2周开始有阳性意义,到第3周同样达高峰M2和β1受体抗体分别为2.88(单纯缺氧组)、2.76(缺氧加注射FeCl3组)和3.25(单纯缺氧组)、3.99(缺氧加注射FeCl3组)。而肺心病大鼠心脏指标最终改变为R/(L+S)0.333±0.027(单纯缺氧组),0.348±0.033(缺氧加注射FeCl3组),R/BW×10-30.58±0.13(单纯缺氧组),0.60±0.15(缺氧加注射FeCl3组),(L+S)/BW×10-32.000±0.024(单纯缺氧组),2.081±0.037(缺氧加注射FeCl3组),并且抗体滴度与心脏改变呈正相关。结论M2和β1受体抗体阳性率及抗体滴度在大鼠肺心病模型中明显增高,表明肺心病的发生发展与M2和β1受体的自身抗体密切相关。     

Suppression of B cell differentiation by ligation of membrane-bound IgM

Using B cells from the transgenic mouse line B6-Sp6 and control littermates, stimulated by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) under novel culture conditions that provide for the response of all B cells, we show here that specific ligation of the surface IgM molecules always results in inhibition of terminal differentiation and immunoglobulin secretion by activated cells, regardless of the ligand. Thus, monoclonal antibodies to (a) the CH region of Ig (anti-μ. and anti-allotype), (b) the Cx region, (c) the V region (anti-idiotype) of surface IgM, as well as (d) multivalent antigen (2,4,6-trinitrophenyl-bovine serum albumin), all show similar effects and dose-response curves. IgD-negative transgenic B cells are equally sensitive to IgM ligation-dependent inhibition, as control (IgD-positive) B cells. The allotype specificity of this inhibition, assessed by using anti-u, allotype reagents to inhibit and assay the responses, suggests that B cells expressing transgenic or endogenous IgM in transgenic B6-Sp6 mice are largely independent populations. These observations establish that anti-IgM antibodies in conjunction with appropriate LPS stimulation, provide a universal model system for functional characterization of B cell responses.     

Chronic anemia as a complication of parvovirus B19 infection in a pediatric kidney transplant patient

. This is a report of unexplained anemia that persisted for 4 months in an adolescent renal transplant patient receiving immunosuppression that included prednisone, tacrolimus, and mycophenolate mofetil. This patient required monthly blood transfusions for fatigue, palpitations, and hematocrit levels between 15% and 17%. In addition, his posttransplant course was notable for the development of insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. While receiving low-dose prednisone, he was switched from tacrolimus to cyclosporin and tapered off insulin injections over the next 2 months. At 4.5 months post-transplantation, further diagnostic evaluation was suggestive of parvovirus B19 infection as the cause for our patient’s chronic anemia. After testing negative for serum-specific parvovirus B19 IgM and IgG antibodies, parvovirus B19 infection was detected in blood by the polymerase chain reaction. Treatment with intravenous immunoglobulin (1 g/kg per day × 2 days) resulted in normalization of both his reticulocyte count and hematocrit within 6 weeks. At 4 months after receiving the immunoglobulin infusion, he has maintained a normal hematocrit level and stable renal function without requiring further blood transfusions. Received August 23, 1996; received in revised form and accepted November 20, 1996     

应用因特网对SARS病毒M蛋白B细胞抗原表位的预测

目的：预测SARS冠状病毒M蛋白的B细胞表位。方法：采用EMBOSS软件结合Hopp＆woods亲水性参数、Janin可及性参数、极性参数、柔韧性参数及二级结构方案对SARS冠状病毒M蛋白的B细胞表位进行了预测，并用吴玉章等已建立的B细胞表位预测方法进行评述。结果：SARS冠状病毒M蛋白B细胞识别的表位可能位于第3～13和153～166位氮基酸等区域内或附近，这2个被预测的表位均含有β—转角和无规卷曲结构。结论：该研究对应用合成肽抗原进行SARS早期诊断研究及相关抗体的制备具有重要指导意义。     

浆细胞病患者IL-4产生细胞数减少的意义及机制探讨

本文运用APAAP法检测了16名浆细胞患者外周血细胞在PHA刺激下产生IL-4的能力。发现浆细胞病组阳性细胞比率明显低于正常对照组(P<0.001),且阳性细胞比率与患者血清中多克隆IgM、IgA水平呈正相关(r=0.806和r=0.703)。在正常人外周血中加入CRP50mg/L,经PHA刺激后IL-4产生细胞也明显减少。作者假设,由于IL-6增高引起CRP等急性期相蛋白大量分泌,使IL-4产生受到明显抑制,从而使B细胞激活发生障碍是浆细胞病中多克隆免疫球蛋白合成抑制的主要原因。     

休克期切痂对烫伤大鼠全身和肠道局部免疫功能的影响

目的　观察休克期切痂对烫伤大鼠全身和肠道局部免疫功能的影响 ,探讨其可能的机制。　方法　选用 96只Wistar大鼠。取其中 2 4只大鼠的躯干部皮肤冻存于液氮中 ,另取 8只作正常对照组。余下 6 4只造成 30 %TBSAⅢ度烫伤后 ,随机分为A组 2 4只 ,伤后不作任何处理 ;B组 2 4只 ,伤后 2 4h腹腔注射等渗盐水 5 0ml/kg,一次性切痂后用上述冻存异体皮覆盖 ;C组 1 6只 ,伤后 72h进行处理 ,方法同B组。检测A、B组大鼠伤后 2、4、8d和C组伤后 4、8d及正常对照组大鼠的脾淋巴细胞增殖功能、血浆和肠组织白细胞介素 (IL)2水平、肠黏液分泌型免疫球蛋白A(sIgA)及肠组织中二胺氧化酶 (DAO)含量的变化。　结果　各时相点下A、B、C组大鼠脾淋巴细胞增殖功能、血浆IL 2水平、肠组织IL 2及肠黏液sIgA含量均较正常对照组减少。B组伤后 4、8d和C组伤后 8d的脾淋巴细胞增殖功能接近正常对照组 ,血浆和肠组织IL 2水平明显高于A组 (P <0.0 1)。伤后 4、8d,B组肠黏液sIgA含量分别为 (3.5 1± 2 .1 4 )、(3.0 3± 0 .95 )mg/g,C组分别为 (1 .4 0± 0 .6 4 )、(1 .5 2± 1 .2 6 )mg/g,B组较C组增加近 1倍 (P 0.0 1 )。A组伤后 4、8d肠组织DAO活性低于正常对照组和B组 (P 0.0 5)。结论　休克期切痂有助于烫伤大鼠全身和肠道