Production of multiple murine CD2 receptor constructs using the baculovirus expression vector and a rapid dot-blot assay

The baculovirus expression system was used to produce three different constructs of the murine cell surface adhesion receptor CD2. One construct coded for a single, N-terminal, Ig-fold domain. It was inefficiently secreted and therefore primarily intracellular. The second construct coded for both extracellular, N-terminal Ig-fold domains. This was efficiently secreted into culture supernatant. The third construct coded for the full-length transmembrane molecule which localized to the cell surface. All constructs were monomers of predicted MW_r and were appropriately glycosylated. They retained epitopic specificity as demonstrated by binding to mAbs, and adhesion function as demonstrated by a rosetting assay.     

Cell extract-derived differentiation of embryonic stem cells

Various means have been used to encourage the differentiation of embryonic stem cells (ESCs) toward specific lineages, including growth factor administration, genetic modification, and coculture with relevant cells/tissues. Cell extract-based reprogramming has recently been used to derive mature cells from nonrelated phenotypes. In this communication, we tested whether this in vitro reprogramming approach can be used to direct ESC differentiation. Permeabilized murine ESCs exposed to extracts of murine type II pneumocytes showed increased expression of surfactant protein C and its corresponding mRNA, reflecting enhanced differentiation of pneumocytes. Subsequent differentiation to a type I phenotype was demonstrated by expression of aquaporin 5. Pneumocyte formation occurred quicker than with growth factor-induced differentiation. Our findings establish that ESCs can be differentiated in vitro using cellular extracts. This model provides a tool for analysis of the key factors involved in the differentiation of ESCs to type II pneumocytes.     

红细胞分化调节因子对体外培养的L929和KB细胞的生长抑制作用

从兔网织红细胞提纯的红细胞分化调节因子(erythroid differentiation factor,EDF),能对体外培养的自发转化成纤维细胞系L929及人鼻咽癌细胞系KB产生作用。当EDF剂量为0.10μg/ml时,可引起L929细胞形态发生改变,并有细胞核固缩现象。第2d的细胞生长抑制率为64.86％,软琼脂集落形成率为0;第5d时细胞增殖为负值。~3H-TdR掺入率明显降低。EDF剂量为0.15μg/ml时,对KB细胞生长已有抑制作用。EDF剂量达0.30μg/ml时,生长抑制明显。以上结果证明了EDF对恶性细胞具有增殖抑制作用。这种作用对不同种类细胞敏感性不同,并且与剂量呈正相关。     

中性粒细胞分布数据序列小波变换研究

目的　研究小波分析结合复倒谱处理血膜中中性粒细胞分布数据信号的新方法及临床意义。方法　利用“虚拟盒计数法”方法采集血膜中的细胞分布数据信号 ,然后进行小波变换结合复倒谱分析方法处理。结果　提出血膜中细胞分布状态的“密集子”新概念。计算出小波变换复倒谱主极大值 ,并以此作为不同情况下血膜中中性粒细胞分布“密集子”间距的准确参数。结论　方法简单 ,能较好的反映血膜中细胞分布状态的微观组织结构特征 ,是血膜中细胞“密集子”表达定征的一种有效方法     

Reprogramming the immune system for tolerance with monoclonal antibodies

Monoclonal antibodies to CD4, CD8 and CD11a can be used in vivo either to deplete or functionally block T cells to create a tolerance permissive environment. Short courses of non-depleting CD4 and CD8 antibodies were used to induce tolerance separately in CD4+ and CD8+ T cells either to foreign immunoglobulins, bone marrow, or skin grafts. Tolerance was obtained to minor (non-MHC) transplantation antigens without T cell depletion even in actively sensitized mice, or to MHC plus minor antigens presented directly by skin grafts using combinations of depleting followed by blockading CD4 and CD8 antibodies. In all cases, tolerance was specific to the antigen/tissue given under cover of antibody treatment, and in one example it could be shown that T cells directed to MLS-1a had been forced into an anergic state. This induction of tolerant, anergic T cells in the periphery is able to explain many of the features associated with tolerance, not only in the model systems using foreign antigens, but also in the normal regulation of anti-self responses and its failure in autoimmune diseases. It is our new found ability to use antigen under the cover of antibody treatment to accurately control the pattern of tolerant T cells in vivo that we refer to by using the term 'reprogramming'. We also describe the clinical treatment of one patient with an autoimmune vasculitis based on the ideas developed from the mouse models.     

Pds1 phosphorylation in response to DNA damage is essential for its DNA damage checkpoint function

In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Pds1 is an anaphase inhibitor and plays an essential role in DNA damage and spindle checkpoint pathways. Pds1 is phosphorylated in response to DNA damage but not spindle disruption, indicating distinct mechanisms delaying anaphase entry. Phosphorylation of Pds1 is Mec1 and Chk1 dependent in vivo. Here, we show that Pds1 is phosphorylated at multiple sites in vivo in response to DNA damage by Chk1. Mutation of the Chk1 phosphorylation sites on Pds1 abolished most of its DNA damage-inducible phosphorylation and its checkpoint function, whereas its anaphase inhibitor functions and spindle checkpoint functions remain intact. Loss of Pds1 phosphorylation correlates with APC-dependent Pds1 destruction in response to DNA damage. We also show that APC(Cdc20) is active in preanaphase arrested cells after DNA damage. This suggests that Pds1 is stabilized by phosphorylation in response to DNA damage, but APC(Cdc20) activity is not altered. Our results indicate that phosphorylation of Pds1 by Chk1 is the key function of Chk1 required to prevent anaphase entry.     

Involvement of ERK, p38 and NF-kappaB signal transduction in regulation of TLR2, TLR4 and TLR9 gene expression induced by lipopolysaccharide in mouse dendritic cells

Toll-like receptors (TLR) are sentinel receptors capable of recognizing pathogen-associated molecule patterns (PAMP) such as lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and CpG-containing oligonucleotides (CpG ODN). TLR2 and TLR4 are major receptors for Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterial cell wall components, respectively. TLR9 is necessary for CpG signalling. LPS or CpG ODN can activate immature dendritic cells (DC) and induce DC maturation characterized by production of cytokines, up-regulation of co-stimulatory molecules, and increased ability to activate T cells. However, little is known regarding the regulation of TLR gene expression in mouse DC. In this study, we investigated the regulation of TLR2, TLR4 and TLR9 gene expression by LPS in murine immature DC. TLR2, TLR4 and TLR9 mRNA were up-regulated following LPS stimulation. The up-regulation of TLR9 expression coincided with significantly increased production of tumour necrosis factor-alpha induced by LPS plus CpG ODN. While inhibition of extracellular signal-related kinase and NF-kappaB activation suppressed the up-regulation of the expression of TLR2, TLR4 and TLR9 mRNA, inhibition of p38 kinase prevented the up-regulation of TLR2 and TLR4 mRNA expression but enhanced the up-regulation of TLR9 expression. These results demonstrated that TLR2, TLR4 and TLR9 gene expression was differently regulated by LPS in mouse immature DC. Up-regulation of TLR2, TLR4 and TLR9 expression by LPS might promote the overall responses of DC to bacteria and help to explain the synergy between LPS and other bacterial products in the induction of cytokine production.     

平行平板流动腔的合理设计和使用

高度远小于横向和纵向几何尺寸的平行平板流动腔，是当前用以体外研究细胞力学行为，特别是细胞粘附特性的主要工具之一。本文从目前常用的平行平板流动腔内流体定常流动时的切应力表达式出发，指出该切应力表达式仅适用于小雷诺数条件，由此确定平行平板流动腔几何尺寸的合理选择；通过对小孔入流和出流的平行平板流动腔流场的分析，指出该切应力表达式只在远离孔口边界一定距离，即达到均匀流动后成立。     

Urothelial carcinoma of the urinary bladder with a component of acinar/tubular type differentiation simulating prostatic adenocarcinoma

We report a case of an 83-year-old man with a high-grade carcinoma of the urinary bladder who underwent cystoprostatectomy. The invasive carcinoma showed mixed, morphologically distinct patterns consisting of conventional high-grade urothelial carcinoma, glandular differentiation resembling enteric type adenocarcinoma, and acinar/tubular type differentiation, morphologically similar to Gleason grade 3 prostatic adenocarcinoma. Immunohistochemical studies revealed the acinar/tubular component of the tumor to be negative for prostate-specific antigen and prostatic acid phosphatase, but positive for cytokeratin 7, cytokeratin 20, high molecular weight cytokeratin (34 beta E12), and thrombomodulin, consistent with origin from the bladder rather than the prostate. Although bladder carcinomas composed of mixed morphologic patterns are not uncommon, to our knowledge, the presence of acinar/tubular type features simulating prostatic adenocarcinoma in such tumors has not been described elsewhere.