Mcm1 regulates donor preference controlled by the recombination enhancer in Saccharomyces mating-type switching

Switching of Saccharomyces mating type by replacement of sequences at the MAT locus involves a choice between two donors, HML and HMR. MATα cells inhibit recombination along the entire left arm of chromosome III, including HML, whereas MATa cells activate this same region. MATa-dependent activation of HML depends on a small, cis-acting DNA sequence designated the recombination enhancer (RE), located 17 kb centromere-proximal to HML. A comparison of RE sequences interchangeable between Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Saccharomyces carlsbergensis defines a minimum RE of 244 bp. RE activity is repressed in MATα cells by binding of the Matα2–Mcm1 corepressor to a site within the RE. Mutation of the two Matα2 binding sites removes most, but not all, of this repression, and RE chromatin structure in MATα cells becomes indistinguishable from that seen in MATa. Surprisingly, a 2-bp mutation in the Mcm1 binding site completely abolishes RE activity in MATa cells; moreover, RE chromatin structure in the MATa mutant becomes very similar to that seen in MATα cells with a normal RE, displaying highly ordered nucleosomes despite the absence of Matα2. Further, a mutation that alters the ability of Mcm1 to act with Matα2 in repressing a-specific genes also alters donor preference in either mating type. Thus, Mcm1 is critically responsible for the activation as well as the Matα2-Mcm1-mediated repression of RE activity.     

Localization of IFN-gamma-activated Stat1 and IFN regulatory factors 1 and 2 in breast cancer cells.

The aim of the present work was to evaluate the induction and localization of Stat1, interferon (IFN) regulatory factor-1 (IRF-1), and IRF-2 after IFN-gamma exposure of human breast cancer cell lines, SKBR3, MDA468, MCF7, and BT20. Results from growth assays, Western staining, electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA), and immunohistochemical staining were collated to test our hypothesis that immunohistochemical analysis of Stat1, IRF-1, and IRF-2 would provide additional information about the functionality of the IFN-gamma signaling pathway in human tumor lines. EMSA results showed that in each of four cell lines, Stat1 expression was increased and demonstrated functional activity after IFN-gamma stimulation. Western and EMSA analysis showed upregulation of IRF-1 but not IRF-2 in each cell line. Confocal microscopy of cells stained for Stat1, IRF-1, and IRF-2 confirmed the results and also provided novel information about the intracellular localization of proteins and intercellular variations in responses. The proportion of cells with IRF-1 stimulation and translocation was positively correlated with the IFN-gamma growth suppression in vitro. In conclusion, using four independent assays, we have demonstrated that heterogeneity in IFN-gamma-mediated upregulation of signal transduction proteins can be detected in vitro and that these differences can explain distinct cellular growth effects.     

Intranasal vaccination induces protective immunity against intranasal infection with virulent Francisella tularensis biovar A

The inhalation of Francisella tularensis biovar A causes pneumonic tularemia associated with high morbidity and mortality rates in humans. Exposure to F. tularensis usually occurs by accident, but there is increasing awareness that F. tularensis may be deliberately released in an act of bioterrorism or war. The development of a vaccine against pneumonic tularemia has been limited by a lack of information regarding the mechanisms required to protect against this disease. Vaccine models for F. tularensis in inbred mice would facilitate investigations of the protective mechanisms and significantly enhance vaccine development. Intranasal vaccination with the attenuated live vaccine strain (LVS) of F. tularensis reproducibly protected BALB/c mice, but not C57BL/6 mice, against intranasal and subcutaneous challenges with a virulent clinical isolate of F. tularensis biovar A (NMFTA1). The resistance of LVS-vaccinated BALB/c mice to intranasal NMFTA1 challenge was increased 100-fold by boosting with live NMFTA1 but not with LVS. The protective response was specific for F. tularensis and required both CD4 and CD8 T cells. The vaccinated mice appeared outwardly healthy for more than 2 months after NMFTA1 challenge, even though NMFTA1 was recovered from more than half of the vaccinated mice. These results show that intranasal vaccination induces immunity that protects BALB/c mice from intranasal infection by F. tularensis biovar A.     

Regulatory gamma delta T cells in Heymann nephritis express an invariant Vgamma6/Vdelta1 with a canonical CDR3 sequence

Gammadelta T cells are expanded in human IgA nephropathy and in a rat model of adriamycin (ADR)-induced nephropathy. Despite different diseases and species, these renal gammadelta T cells use a restricted set of gammadelta T cell receptor (TCR) genes. To explore whether this phenomenon of post injury expansion of gammadelta T cells occurs in autoimmune-mediated glomerulonephritis, we studied gammadelta TCR genes in Heymann nephritis (HN). Gammadelta T cells were increased in HN kidneys (p<0.001). These gammadelta T cells predominantly expressed Vgamma6/Vdelta1 genes and used canonical matching sequences previously seen in the other models of renal injury. Gammadelta T cells from the kidneys expressed high levels of TGF-beta, IL-4 and IL-5. The gammadelta T cells from both ADR-treated and HN kidneys expressed NKG2D, the NK cell-activating receptor. These results demonstrate that the majority of gammadelta T cells in the HN kidney use a canonical Vgamma6/Vdelta1 TCR--the gammadelta TCR previously described in the rat ADR-treated kidney. The restriction in gammadelta TCR seen in two completely different models of kidney injury and the expression of an innate activating molecule NKG2D suggests that the gammadelta T cells may be responding to tissue stress from injury and producing a regulatory response.     

Detection of dengue viral RNA using a nucleic acid sequence-based amplification assay

Faster techniques are needed for the early diagnosis of dengue fever and dengue hemorrhagic fever during the acute viremic phase of infection. An isothermal nucleic acid sequence-based amplification (NASBA) assay was optimized to amplify viral RNA of all four dengue virus serotypes by a set of universal primers and to type the amplified products by serotype-specific capture probes. The NASBA assay involved the use of silica to extract viral nucleic acid, which was amplified without thermocycling. The amplified product was detected by a probe-hybridization method that utilized electrochemiluminescence. Using normal human plasma spiked with dengue viruses, the NASBA assay had a detection threshold of 1 to 10 PFU/ml. The sensitivity and specificity of the assay were determined by testing 67 dengue virus-positive and 21 dengue virus-negative human serum or plasma samples. The "gold standard" used for comparison and evaluation was the mosquito C6/36 cell culture assay followed by an immunofluorescent assay. Viral infectivity titers in test samples were also determined by a direct plaque assay in Vero cells. The NASBA assay was able to detect dengue viral RNA in the clinical samples at plaque titers below 25 PFU/ml (the detection limit of the plaque assay). Of the 67 samples found positive by the C6/36 assay, 66 were found positive by the NASBA assay, for a sensitivity of 98.5%. The NASBA assay had a specificity of 100% based on the negative test results for the 21 normal human serum or plasma samples. These results indicate that the NASBA assay is a promising assay for the early diagnosis of dengue infections.     

密质骨损伤机理的实验研究

用Ｉｎｓｔｒｏｎ试验机对新鲜夫股骨密质骨试样进行一维拉伸实验研究，利用实验结果对由平行粘弹性杆系统建立的密质骨损伤本构模型待定参数进行拟合，获得较高的相关系数和较好的显著性水平。     

Selective recognition of DNA antigenic determinants by murine monoclonal anti-DNA antibodies.

To assess the immune recognition of DNA in systemic lupus erythematosus, the antigenic specificity of monoclonal anti-DNA antibodies from autoimmune MRL-lpr/lpr mice was investigated Determinant specificity was assessed by ELISA in terms of binding to a panel of ssDNA antigens including calf thymus, human placenta, Escherichia coli, Clostridium perfringens, Micrococcus lysodeikticus, salmon testes, chicken blood and murine DNA. Among the monoclonal antibodies, a variety of binding patterns was observed, although for all antibodies tested murine DNA was among the most reactive antigens. Binding to other DNAs varied markedly, with some antibodies showing only low reactivity to certain antigens in the test panel. Similar results were obtained with sera of individual MRL-lpr/lpr mice. These results suggest that anti-DNA antibodies bind specific antigenic determinants variably expressed by DNAs of various species. Furthermore, the preferential binding to mouse DNA by some MRL-lpr/lpr antibodies may suggest a role of self-DNA in the in vivo selection of anti-DNA antibodies for expression.     

NMDA受体在β-淀粉样蛋白引起海马神经元突触蛋白改变中的作用

为了研究NMDA受体活性对Aβ引发的海马神经元突触蛋白表达变化的影响,本文运用免疫细胞化学方法检测不同浓度NMDA受体激动剂以及拮抗剂对Aβ诱导的海马神经元突触蛋白变化的影响。结果显示:NMDA可浓度依赖性地缓解Aβ25-35引起的突触蛋白synaptophysin与PSD-95的减少。抑制突触内NMDA受体,NMDA缓解Aβ减少突触蛋白的作用减弱;抑制突触外NMDA受体,对抗Aβ的作用无显著变化。本研究结果提示NMDA受体活性改变影响Aβ诱导的突触蛋白减少,突触内NMDA受体激活可对抗Aβ的毒性作用。突触内NMDA受体活性减弱可能在谷氨酸兴奋毒性中发挥作用。