Shuttle vectors for <Emphasis Type="Italic">Candida albicans</Emphasis>: control of plasmid copy number and elevated expression of cloned genes

Plasmids containing the inosine monophosphate dehydrogenase gene CaIMH3 from Candida albicans strain ATCC 32354 transform their host to resistance against mycophenolic acid (MPA). The transformants maintain the plasmids at a high copy number (20–40 per cell) and express the CaIMH3 gene at very high levels relative to untransformed controls. The plasmid copy number can be controlled by the concentration of MPA in the media. The transformation procedure is reproducible and the efficiency of transformation is high, up to 15,000 per microgram. Unrearranged plasmids are readily recovered by transforming total DNA from transformants back into Escherichia coli. C. albicans genes cloned into the plasmid are expressed at elevated levels relative to untransformed controls. A derivative vector containing the CaMAL2 promoter and termination sequences expresses the CaERG11 ORF at high levels and confers moderate resistance to fluconazole. These shuttle vectors should facilitate global genomics approaches in C. albicans that have been hampered by its diploid genome.     

Optical properties of porcine skin dermis between 900 nm and 1500 nm

The weak absorption of shortwave infrared light by skin tissues between 700 and 1500 nm offers an important window for diagnosis by optical means. The strong scattering of shortwave infrared light by the skin, however, presents a challenge to the modelling of light propagation through the skin and the understanding of skin optics. We have measured the collimated and diffuse transmittance and diffuse reflectance of porcine skin dermis samples within 30 h post-mortem. Monte Carlo simulations have been performed to inversely determine the absorption coefficient, scattering coefficient and anisotropy factor of the dermis samples in the spectral range from 900 to 1500 nm. We further analyse the sensitivity of the values of the parameters to the experimental errors and inverse calculation procedures. The state of the cellular integrity of the skin samples following optical measurements was verified using transmission electron microscopy. These results were correlated to study post-mortem effects on the in vitro optical properties of porcine dermis. We concluded that for samples stored within crushed ice for up to 30 h post-mortem the wavelength dependence of optical properties of the dermis remains unchanged while the values of the parameters vary moderately due to modification of the water content of the tissue.     

Association of the CTLA-4 gene with rheumatoid arthritis in Chinese Han population

Cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated antigen 4 (CTLA-4) is important for downregulation of T-cell activation, and CTLA-4 gene polymorphisms have been implicated as risk factors for rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Previous studies of the association between the +49 polymorphism of the CTLA-4 gene in RA have provided conflicting results. In order to determine association of the CTLA-4 gene with RA in Chinese Han population, we used denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) to genotype polymorphisms of four SNPs (MH30, +49, CT60 and JO31) of the CTLA-4 gene in 326 RA patients and 250 healthy controls. Furthermore, meta-analysis of all available studies relating +49 polymorphism to the risk of RA was performed to confirm the disease association. Among the SNPs examined, the genotype frequencies of CTLA-4 +49 and CT60 in RA patients differed significantly from controls (P=0.028 and 0.007). In addition, the distribution of four haplotypes constructed by these two SNPs was significantly different between patients and controls (chi(2)=10.58, d.f. =3, P=0.014). The meta-analysis also revealed that in both European and Asian populations, the CLTA-4 +49 G allele was associated with the risk of RA. These results suggested that the CTLA-4 gene might be involved in the susceptibility to RA in the Chinese Han population and both +49 and CT60 of CTLA-4 gene might be the causal variants in RA disease.     

早老素1基因在转染CHO细胞中的表达及其与γ-分泌酶的关系

目的 研究早老素1(PS1)在淀粉样前体蛋白(APP)加工生成β-淀粉样多肽(Ap)过程中的作用及其与γ-分泌酶的关系。方法构建APP和PSI双基因稳定转染的中国仓鼠卵巢(CHO)细胞株,应用免疫沉淀和印迹、脉冲追踪及ELISA方法,检测PS1的表达和代谢半衰期,分析对Aβ分泌的影响及与γ-分泌酶功能的关系。结果PS1转染的CHO细胞(APP-PSI)表达的主要是相对分子质量为45000的全长PS1蛋白,其半衰期短于1h,而其活性片段的N-末端片段和C-末端片段则相对稳定,半衰期接近16h。突变型PS1(M146L)转染细胞分泌的Ap总量与野生型PS1转染细胞没有明显差别,但分泌的Aβ亚型Ap142是未转染PS1或野生型PS1转染细胞分泌的将近2倍。结论 PS1参与了APP加工生成Aβ的过程,突变型PS1(M16L)导致Aβ142的分泌增加,提示PS1可能就是预期的γ-分泌酶。     

超声彩色脉搏波技术在定量评价2型糖尿病患者颈动脉弹性变化中的应用

目的 探讨超声彩色脉搏波(UFPWV)技术在定量评价2型糖尿病患者颈动脉血管管壁弹性变化中的应用价值。方法 回顾性研究。纳入2018年7月-2019年3月蚌埠医学院第一附属医院收治的97例2型糖尿病患者为观察组,其中男47例、女50例,年龄20~74(46.6±9.3)岁;根据颈动脉内中膜厚度(IMT)将观察组分为颈动脉粥样斑块组(A组)、颈动脉内中膜增厚组(B组)和颈动脉内中膜正常组(C组),依据下肢动脉有无斑块将C组分为下肢动脉斑块组(C1组)、下肢动脉无斑块组(C2组)。选取2017年12月-2018年12月在蚌埠医学院第一附属医院体检中心血糖及颈动脉IMT正常的健康体检者64人为对照组,其中男25人、女39人,年龄20~74(44.3±12.0)岁。运用UFPWV采集脉搏波速度 (PWV),计算颈动脉收缩早期PWV(PWV-BS)及收缩晚期PWV(PWV-ES),分析各项参数组间的差异。结果 观察组中,A组颈动脉PWV-BS、PWV-ES分别为(9.51±1.25)m/s、(10.79±1.64)m/s,B组分别为(8.47±0.91)m/s、(9.81±1.05)m/s,C组分别为(7.97±0.77)m/s、(9.07±0.74)m/s,对照组颈动脉PWV-BS、PWV-ES分别为(6.10±1.00)m/s、(7.40±1.20)m/s,A组、B组、C组及对照组间颈动脉PWV-BS、PWV-ES测量值依次降低,差异均有统计学意义(P值均<0.05)。C组中,C1组颈动脉PWV-BS、PWV-ES分别为(7.83±0.85)m/s、(8.82±0.59)m/s,C2组分别为(8.14±0.64)m/s、(9.34±0.79)m/s, C1组PWV-ES显著高于C2组,差异有统计学意义(t=3.402,P＜0.01),而两组间PWV-BS的差异无统计学意义(P>0.05)。结论 UFPWV技术可定量评价2型糖尿病患者颈动脉弹性变化,并可通过PWV-ES的改变评估颈动脉形态学正常的患者动脉粥样硬化的进展程度,对临床诊疗具有一定意义。     

Human adipose-derived adult stem cells produce osteoid in vivo

Adult subcutaneous fat tissue is an abundant source of multipotent cells. Previous studies from our laboratory have shown that, in vitro, adipose-derived adult stem (ADAS) cells express bone marker proteins including alkaline phosphatase, type I collagen, osteopontin, and osteocalcin and produce a mineralized matrix as shown by alizarin red staining. In the current study, the ADAS cell ability to form osteoid in vivo was determined. ADAS cells were isolated from liposuction waste of three individual donors and expanded in vitro before implantation. Equal numbers of cells (3 x 10(6)) were loaded onto either hydroxyapatite/tricalcium phosphate (HA-TCP) cubes or the collagen/HA-TCP composite matrix, Collagraft, and then implanted subcutaneously into SCID mice. After 6 weeks, implants were removed, fixed, and demineralized and sectioned for hematoxylin and eosin staining. Osteoid formation was observed in 80% of HA-TCP implants loaded with ADAS cells. Only 20% of Collagraft implants were positive for the presence of osteoid matrix. Whereas 100% of HA-TCP implants loaded with hFOB 1.19 cells formed osteoid, Collagraft loaded with hFOB 1.19 cells displayed a high degree of adipose tissue within the matrix. Immunostaining of serial sections for human nuclear antigen demonstrated that the osteoid contained human cells. Osteoid formation was not observed in control HA-TCP or Collagraft matrices implanted without cells. In summary, the data demonstrate the ability of ADAS cells to form osteoid matrix in vivo. Because of their abundance and accessibility, ADAS cells may prove to be a novel cell therapeutic for bone repair and regeneration.     

苯并（a）芘代谢产物诱发BALB／3T3细胞程序外DNA合成（UDS）的研究

本实验采用单标记和双标记法,分别检测4种苯并(a)芘代谢产物(anti-BPDE,syn-BPDE,3-OH-BP和9-OH-BP)对BALB/3T3细胞DNA合成和程序外DNA合成(UDS)的影响,结果表明,anti-BPDE、syn-BPDE、3-OH-BP和9-OH-BP均在不同程度上使BALB/3T3细胞DNA合成增加,但只有anti-BPDE、3-OH-BP和9-OH-BP可诱发BALB/3T3细胞的UDS,说明这些苯并(a)芘代谢产物可损伤BALB/3T3细胞的DNA,同时,这种效应与苯并(a)芘代谢产物的立体结构有关。     

Maize NDC80 is a constitutive feature of the central kinetochore

In yeast and animals, Nuclear Division Cycle 80 (NDC80) is an important kinetochore protein that binds to microtubules and mediates chromosome movement. Its localization pattern is unusual, since it is generally not viewed as either an inner (centromeric chromatin) or outer (regulatory) component of the kinetochore. Here we report the characterization of NDC80 in a higher plant. By taking advantage of the large meiotic kinetochores of maize, we were able to show that NDC80 localizes outside of the constitutive kinetochore protein CENP-C. Further, a detailed analysis of mitosis indicates that NDC80 is stably present on kinetochores throughout the cell cycle. The quantity of NDC80 positively correlates with measured quantities of DNA and CENP-C, suggesting that NDC80 rapidly associates with DNA following replication and is stably maintained at centromeres during cell division. The data suggest that in plants NDC80 is on par with ‘foundation’ kinetochore proteins such as CENH3 and CENP-C.     

Global gene expression and the role of sigma factors in Neisseria gonorrhoeae in interactions with epithelial cells

Like many bacterial pathogens, Neisseria gonorrhoeae must adapt to environmental changes in order to successfully colonize and proliferate in a new host. Modulation of gene expression in response to environmental signals is an efficient mechanism used by bacteria to achieve this goal. Using DNA microarrays and a tissue culture model for gonococcal infection, we examined global changes in gene expression in N. gonorrhoeae in response to adherence to host cells. Among those genes induced upon adherence to human epithelial cells in culture was rpoH, which encodes a homolog of the heat shock sigma factor, sigma(32) (RpoH), as well as genes of the RpoH regulon, groEL and groES. Attempts to construct an rpoH null mutant in N. gonorrhoeae were unsuccessful, suggesting that RpoH is essential for viability of N. gonorrhoeae. The extracytoplasmic sigma factor, RpoE (sigma(E)), while known to regulate rpoH in other bacteria, was found not to be necessary for the up-regulation of rpoH in gonococci upon adherence to host cells. To examine the role of RpoH in host cell interactions, an N. gonorrhoeae strain conditionally expressing rpoH was constructed. The results of our experiments showed that while induction of rpoH expression is not necessary for adherence of gonococci to epithelial cells, it is important for the subsequent invasion step, as gonococci depleted for rpoH invade cells two- to threefold less efficiently than a wild-type strain. Taken together, these results indicate that sigma(32), but not sigma(E), is important for the response of gonococci in the initial steps of an infection.     

Recurrent chromosome changes in 62 primary gastric carcinomas detected by comparative genomic hybridization

Comparative genomic hybridization (CGH) has been applied to detect recurrent chromosome alterations in 62 primary gastric carcinomas. Several nonrandom chromosomal changes, including gains of 8q (31 cases, 50%), 20q (29 cases, 47%) with a minimum gain region at 20q11. 2-q12, 13q (21 cases, 34%) with a minimum gain region at 13q22, and 3q (19 cases, 31%) were commonly observed. The regions most frequently lost included: 19p (23 cases, 37%), 17p (21 cases, 33%), and 1p (14 cases, 23%). High copy number gain (DNA sequence amplification) was detected in 6 cases. Amplification of 8q23-q24.2 and 20q11.2-q12 were observed in 3 cases. Gain of 20q and loss of 19p were confirmed by fluorescence in situ hybridization using corresponding bacterial artificial chromosomes (BAC) clones from those regions. The gain and loss of chromosomal regions identified in this study provide candidate regions involved in gastric tumorigenesis.