Comparison of a carboxypeptidase E-like enzyme in human, bovine, mouse, Xenopus, shark and Aplysia neural tissue

Several diverse species contain an enzyme with many properties in common with those of bovine carboxypeptidase E (CPE), a neuropeptide processing carboxypeptidase B-like enzyme. This enzyme has been designated EC 3.4.17.10, and is also known as enkephalin convertase and carboxypeptidase H. All tissues that are known to contain bioactive peptides also contain CPE-like enzymatic activity. In Xenopus laevis, enzyme activity is highest in the brain and pituitary, lower in the skin, and undetectable in liver and gut. In Aplysia californica, enzyme activity is highest in the atrial gland, but is also present in moderate amounts in the various neural tissue. CPE extracted from human, bovine, mouse, Xenopus, shark, and Aplysia neural tissue is substantially purified using substrate affinity chromatography and concanavalin A sepharose columns. The partially purified enzyme from all species examined possess very similar enzymatic properties. These properties include a pH optimum of 5.6, a stimulation by cobalt chloride, and an inhibition by chelating agents (1,10-phenanthroline). Arginine-derived active site-directed inhibitors show similar inhibition constants (Ki's) towards enzyme from the various species, whereas lysine-derived inhibitors are substantially less potent towards the Aplysia carboxypeptidase than towards enzyme isolated from the other species. The similar properties of the carboxypeptidase isolated from the various species suggests that a CPE-like is involved in the biosynthesis of many peptide neurotransmitters and hormones in a wide range of organisms.     

Differential effect of catechol-O-methyltransferase Val158Met genotype on emotional recognition abilities in healthy men and women.

The catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) Val158Met polymorphism modulates executive functions and working memory and recent neuroimaging studies implicate an association with emotional processing. We examined the relationship between the COMT Val158Met polymorphism and facial emotion recognition and differentiation in 100 healthy individuals. Compared to Met homozygosity, Val homozygosity was associated with better and faster recognition of negative facial expressions such as anger and sad. Our study provides evidence for a possible influence of the COMT polymorphism on emotion recognition abilities in healthy subjects. Additional research is needed to further define the neurocognitive phenotypes associated with COMT polymorphisms.     

Partial replication of a DRD4 association in ADHD individuals using a statistically derived quantitative trait for ADHD in a family-based association test.

BACKGROUND: Previous research found an association between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the promoter region of DRD4 and statistically derived phenotypes generated from attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms. We sought to replicate this finding by using the same methodology in an independent sample of ADHD individuals. METHODS: Four SNPs were genotyped in and around DRD4 in 2631 individuals in 642 families. We developed a quantitative phenotype at each SNP by weighting nine inattentive and nine hyperactive-impulsive symptoms. The weights were selected to maximize the heritability at each SNP. Once a quantitative phenotype was generated at each SNP, the screening procedure implemented in PBAT was used to select and test the five SNPs/genetic model combinations with the greatest power to detect an association for DRD4. RESULTS: One of the four SNPs was associated with the quantitative phenotypes generated from the ADHD symptoms (corrected p-values = .02). A rank ordering of the correlation between each of the ADHD symptoms and the quantitative phenotype suggested that hyperactive-impulsive symptoms were more strongly correlated with the phenotype; however, including inattentive symptoms was necessary to achieve a significant result. CONCLUSIONS: This study partially replicated a previous finding by identifying an association between rs7124601 and a quantitative trait generated from ADHD symptoms. The rs7124601 is in linkage disequilibrium (LD) with the SNPs identified previously. In contrast to the previous study, this finding suggests that both hyperactive-impulsive and inattentive symptoms are important in the association.     

豚鼠爆震性聋耳蜗结构与功能的动态变化

目的 探讨爆震性聋与耳蜗损伤之间的关系。方法 通过畸变产物耳声发射及扫描电镜进行研究。结果 豚鼠爆震后即刻出现听阈的提高，与爆震前相比，DPOAEs幅值于1kHz处开始出现非常显著的减低（P〈0．05），在8kHz处两者的差值更大（P〈0．05），DPOAEs幅值随频率升高而逐渐下降，以高频段更为严重。爆震后20天DPOAEs幅值在0．5、0．7、1kHz处基本恢复至爆震前水平，在1．5—8kHz处较爆震后即刻明显提高，但仍低于爆震前水平（各频率均P〈0.05）。爆震后40天DPOAEs幅值与爆震后20天无明显改变（各频率均P〉0．05）。扫描电镜下见豚鼠爆震后即刻出现IHC纤毛排列紊乱，第一排OHC形态基本正常，第二排OHC部分纤毛扭曲或倒伏，尚可看到鸟翼状结构，第三排OHC倒伏、分散，部分折断；20天组IHC纤毛排列仍然紊乱，第一排OHC纤毛基本正常，第二、第三排OHC纤毛排列极度扭曲，以第三排更为严重，少数OHC溶解变性，空位由支持细胞取代；40天组与20天组无明显差别。结论 爆震性聋出现耳蜗HC结构改变及功能减退，提示耳蜗损伤与爆震性聋紧密相关。     

Polymorphic distribution of Y-chromosome haplotype and mitochondrial DNA in the Bouyei people in China

In the evolution of humans, many kinds of mutations in the human genome have been accumulated, providing credible genetic evidence for the study of human origins and migrations. The "out-of-Africa" hypothesis of modern human evolution and the genetic origin of the Japanese has come about by studying mitochondrial DNA.l,2 Recently, researchers have recognized the power of Y-chromosome markers in resolving migratory patterns of modern humans as more and more Y-chromosome single nucleotide polymorphism markers have been found. The markers on the nonrecombinant part of the Y-chromosome allows for the reconstruction of intact haplotypes which are probably the best genetic tools to study human migrations. We can analyze the paternal history of some people in different areas by Y-chromosome haplotypes.     

富血小板血浆与骨再生

急性臂丛神经炎是一种少见病,但人们往往认识不足,在早期,易被误诊为神经根型颈椎病或胸廓出口综合征。为了提高对本病的认识,降低误诊和漏诊率,本文就急性臂丛神经炎的诊断、鉴别诊断与治疗进行综述。1诊断名词与病因急性臂丛神经炎,病因尚未明了,但却有典型的临床特征。最初由Parsonage等[1]和Turner等[2]报道为肩胛带综合征和麻痹性臂丛神经炎,后被称之为:Parsonage-Turner综合征。其他诊断名词有:急性臂丛神经炎,神经源性肌萎缩,术后原发性臂丛神经炎等[3,4]。     

Teilzulassung – neue Gestaltungsmöglichkeit ohne praktische Bedeutung?

Ohne Zusammenfassung     

沉默树突状细胞恒定链以增强其抗肿瘤作用的体外实验研究

目的初步观察用小分子干扰RNA(siRNA)沉默树突状细胞(DCs)恒定链(Ii)后,DCs疫苗的体外抗肿瘤效果。方法从小鼠骨髓分离骨髓前体细胞,细胞经100 ng/ml GM-CSF和100 ng/ml IL-4诱导培养6 d后,转染针对DCs Ii链特异的Ii-siRNA,转染后加用50 ng/ml TNF-α继续诱导细胞成熟48 h,然后分别用Western blot检测沉默效果及CCK-8试剂盒检测DCs刺激同种异体淋巴细胞增殖的能力;此外,DCs共转染Ii-siRNA和小鼠胃癌前体细胞MFC的总RNA后,与同种异体淋巴细胞共培养,通过ELISA检测培养上清IFN-γ/和IL-4的水平,并收集致敏淋巴细胞进行体外杀伤实验。结果Ii-siRNA明显抑制DCs Ii的表达。沉默Ii链能够增强DCs的淋巴细胞增殖能力,并促使淋巴细胞向Th1的方向漂移[IFN-γ:(5107±351)pg/ml,IL-4:(65±13)pg/ml,P＜0．05]。淋巴细胞经共转染Ii-siRNA和MFC RNA的DCs激活后,明显而特异地杀伤靶肿瘤细胞(杀伤百分率: 66．94%±2．75%,P＜0．05)。结论通过siRNA沉默DCs的Ii链可能是一种行之有效的增强抗肿瘤免疫的方法。