The structure and mode of action of different botulinum toxins

The seven serotypes (A–G) of botulinum neurotoxin (BoNT) are proteins produced by Clostridium botulinum and have multifunctional abilities: (i) they target cholinergic nerve endings via binding to ecto‐acceptors (ii) they undergo endocytosis/translocation and (iii) their light chains act intraneuronally to block acetylcholine release. The fundamental process of quantal transmitter release occurs by Ca²⁺‐regulated exocytosis involving sensitive factor attachment protein‐25 (SNAP‐25), syntaxin and synaptobrevin. Proteolytic cleavage by BoNT‐A of nine amino acids from the C‐terminal of SNAP‐25 disables its function, causing prolonged muscle weakness. This unique combination of activities underlies the effectiveness of BoNT‐A haemagglutinin complex in treating human conditions resulting from hyperactivity at peripheral cholinergic nerve endings. In vivo imaging and immunomicroscopy of murine muscles injected with type A toxin revealed that the extended duration of action results from the longevity of its protease, persistence of the cleaved SNAP‐25 and a protracted time course for the remodelling of treated nerve–muscle synapses. In addition, an application in pain management has been indicated by the ability of BoNT to inhibit neuropeptide release from nociceptors, thereby blocking central and peripheral pain sensitization processes. The widespread cellular distribution of SNAP‐25 and the diversity of the toxin's neuronal acceptors are being exploited for other therapeutic applications.     

A neosynthesis of sodium channels is involved in the evolution of the sodium current in isolated adult DUM neurons

Short-term culture of isolated adult dorsal unpaired median (DUM) neurons of the cockroach Periplaneta americana has been used to study the evolution of the sodium current during the time in culture after axotomy and deafferentation treatment. An increase in the maximum peak amplitude of the sodium current recorded under voltage-clamp conditions with the patch-clamp technique in the whole-cell recording configuration, was only observed between 24h and 72h (75%) without any modification of the kinetics and the voltage-dependence of the current. A decrease in the level of foetal calf serum in the culture medium reduces the amplitude of the sodium current on all days but does not affect its time-course of development which was on the contrary completely abolished by both protein synthesis inhibitors, actinomycin D and cycloheximide. The results obtained in these neurons strongly suggest that a neosynthesis of sodium channel proteins is involved in the evolution of the sodium current induced by axotomy and deafferentation.     

急性胰腺炎血清免疫抑制酸性蛋白检测的临床意义

目的 :了解急性胰腺炎患者血清免疫抑制酸性蛋白 (IAP)的临床意义。方法 :应用免疫扩散法检测 32例患者和 2 0例健康人中的IAP水平。结果 :正常组 (2 0例 )、轻症组 (2 0例 )和重症组 (12例 )的血清IAP在入院时分别为(32 5± 10 5 )mg/L、(40 4± 15 1)mg/L和 (5 75± 14 5 )mg/L ,重症组血清IAP水平高于正常组 (P <0 .0 1) ,也高于轻症组 (P <0 .0 5 )。其次重症组IAP值在入院后第 3、5、7天与轻症组比较仍明显升高 ,两组有统计上的差异性。结论 :检测IAP可以作为了解急性胰腺炎炎症程度的指标     

重组人生长激素对老年人骨盆骨折蛋白质代谢及免疫功能的影响

目的 探讨应用重组人生长激素(recombinant human growth hormone,rhGH)对接受常规肠内营养支持的老年骨盆骨折患者蛋白质代谢及免疫功能的调理作用.方法 选择多发性骨盆骨折(骨折3处以上),年龄＞70岁患者30例,随机分为2组: 治疗组15例,采用标准肠内营养 rhGH[rhGH 0.2U/(kg·d)皮下注射,共计8天];另外15例作为对照组,治疗前和治疗后的第8天,分别测定血清白蛋白、血清转铁蛋白、血清前白蛋白浓度、免疫球蛋白(IgA、IgG、IgM)、T淋巴细胞亚群(CD3、CD4、CD8),并统计医院获得性肺炎的发生情况.结果 治疗组患者在治疗后第8天的血清白蛋白、血清转铁蛋白和血清前白蛋白水平比对照组显著升高(P＜0.05), IgA、IgG、IgM、CD3、CD4、CD4/CD8与对照组相比有明显增高(P＜0.05);治疗组患者医院获得性肺炎的发生率也较对照组显著降低(P＜0.05).结论 在肠内营养支持下加用rhGH可以明显促进老年骨盆骨折患者的蛋白质合成代谢,并改善免疫功能,增加肌肉的收缩力,增强排痰力度,减少医院获得性肺炎的发生率.     

葡萄糖酸内酯为凝固剂时大豆蛋白的胶凝特性

测定了以葡萄糖酸内酯(GDL)作为凝固剂时不同热处理条件下大豆蛋白主要组分———7S和11S单独胶凝时的流变学曲线,证实了蛋白质的充分变性是GDL引发大豆蛋白胶凝的前提,且已充分热变性的7S和11S组分在单独胶凝时具有大致相当的凝胶强度.通过测定7S和11S组分的物理化学性质,解释了在以GDL作为凝固剂时两组分表现出基本相似的胶凝能力,与7S组分较高的疏水性和11S组分较高的巯基含量有关.     

血栓前体蛋白与心脏瓣膜置换术后的抗凝监测

目的：探讨血栓前体蛋白(TPP)在心脏机械瓣膜置换术后抗凝治疗监测中的意义，及制定术后抗凝治疗的合理方案。方法：比较抗凝组(60例)和对照组(20例)的国际标准化比率(INR)、TPP，并比较抗凝组中有、无房颤的病人华法林用量、INR和TPP，对抗凝组病人TPP和INR的关系作一元线性回归分析，比较各组的INR和血浆TPP浓度。结果：抗凝组与对照组相比，TPP低、INR高。抗凝组有房颤者的血浆TPP浓度高于窦性心律者。线性回归分析结果表明，TPP和INR无明显相关性。出血病人的血浆TPP浓度明显低于正常高限(6μg／ml)。结论：TPP是心脏机械瓣置换术后抗凝治疗理想的辅助监测指标。术后有房颤心律者的血栓栓塞危险性增加。抗凝治疗应同时检测INR和TPP。     

重组人骨形成蛋白2骨诱导中神经生长因子及其受体的表达

目的 观察重组人骨形成蛋白2（recombined human bone morphogenetic protein2，rhBMP-2）异位诱导成骨过程中神经生长因子（nerve growth factor，NGF）及其高亲和力受体（tyrosine kinasere ceptor A，TrkA）的表达，探讨NGF在BMP骨诱导中的作用。方法ICR小鼠36只，随机分为实验组和对照组，每组18只，均制备右侧股后部肌袋异位成骨模型。实验组植入含rhBMP-2胶原复合物，对照组仅植入相同体积的胶原海绵。分别于术后7、14和21d取材，行大体、组织学、免疫组织化学观察及RT-PCR检测。结果大体观察实验组术后7d，右股后部可扪及较硬肿块；术后14、21d，肿块硬度增加。对照组各时间点未发现肿块。组织学观察实验组中rhBMP-2胶原复合物具有良好的诱导成骨能力，免疫组织化学结果显示骨诱导材料植入后7d，NGF于成纤维细胞、成软骨细胞、软骨细胞、肥大软骨细胞和成骨细胞中均有阳性表达；14d，NGF阳性表达局限于部分成骨细胞、幼稚骨细胞和成骨样细胞，同时在骨髓中单核巨噬细胞、多核巨噬细胞和破骨细胞中有明显表达；21d，只有少量成骨样细胞和破骨细胞以及骨髓中多核巨噬细胞有NGF表达；TrkA免疫组织化学染色与NGF的表达基本一致。对照组术后各时间点未见成骨现象。实验组NGFmRNA的RT-PCR检测显示，术后7dNGF的mRNA表达最高，14d表达下降，21d只有微量表达。结论rhBMP-2复合物是一种有效的诱导成骨材料。在外源性BMP诱导成骨过程中有明显的NGF及其高亲和力受体TrkA的表达，NGF可以通过直接和间接的方式参与BMP的诱导成骨过程。     

Designed polyanionic coiled-coil proteins: acceleration of heparin cofactor II inhibition of thrombin

Novel polyanionic proteins were designed to increase the rate of heparin cofactor II (HC) inhibition of α-thrombin, an essential protease in the coagulation cascade. Two α-helical coiled-coil proteins, a 62-residue dimer containing 8 Glu residues (E8C) and a 104-residue dimer containing 14 Glu residues (E14C), plus two 31-residue control peptides containing 8 Glu residues each (E8A and E8B), were chemically synthesized, structurally characterized and enzymatically assayed. Circular dichroic spectrophotometry indicated that both E8C and E14C formed stable two-chain α-helical coiled coils at pH 7 and 25 °C. The control peptides were only partially α-helical. E14C remained folded at 90 °C but E8C was half unfolded at 49 °C. Coiled-coil proteins E8C and E14C maximally accelerated by 35- and 33-fold, respectively, the rate of HC inhibition of α-thrombin. None of these compounds accelerated antithrombin inhibition of α-thrombin, and neither control peptide accelerated HC inhibition of α-thrombin. Acceleration of the HC inhibition of α-thrombin showed bimodal dependence on the concentration of the polyanionic protein, which is consistent with formation of a HC-coiled-coil-thrombin ternary complex. The results suggest that antithrombotic polyanionic α-helical coiled-coil proteins can be designed and synthesized and that the occurrence of secondary structure can be correlated with biologcal activity. © Munksgaard 1995.     

L158,809和西拉普利对体外培养系膜细胞TGF-β1表达和细胞外基质蛋白分泌的影响

目的：观察血管紧张素受体拮抗剂(ARBs)L158，809和血管紧张素转换酶(ACE)抑制剂西拉普利对体外培养人肾小球系膜细胞转化生成因子(TGF—β1)表达和纤维连接蛋白、层粘连蛋白和Ⅳ型胶原分泌的影响。方法：分别在不同葡萄糖浓度(5.6mmol／L和30mmol／L)和药物浓度(1、10、100和500μmol／L)下体外培养人肾小球系膜细胞，分别于24、48和72h后测定细胞增殖。然后将系膜细胞分为低糖(5．6mmol／L)对照组(LG)、高糖(30mmol／L)对照组(HG)、L158，809(10μmol／L)组和西拉普利(10μmmol／L)组，48h后，分别用RT-PCR法测定TGF-β1表达，ELISA和放射免疫法测定细胞上清液中TGF-β1、纤维连接蛋白、层粘连蛋白和Ⅳ胶原浓度。结果：与低糖对照组相比，高糖对照组系膜细胞过度增殖，细胞上清液中TGF-βl、纤维连接蛋白、层粘连蛋白和Ⅳ胶原浓度明显升高，TGF-βlmRNA表达也显升高；而L158，809组和西拉普利组TGF-β1和细胞外基质(ECM)蛋白水平明显低于高糖对照组，且TGF-β1mRNA水平亦表达明显降低。结论：高糖可刺激体外培养系膜细胞过度增殖，TGF-β1表达增高，ECM蛋白分泌明显增加，而L158，809和西拉普利均可抑制高糖环境下上述现象。