Elevation of plasma thioredoxin levels in HIV-infected individuals

Thioredoxin (Trx), a ubiquitous protein intimately involvedin redox and protein disulfide reductions, has been shown tobe released from cells and to have cytokine-like activities.In addition, Trx has been implicated in the redox regulationof immunological responses and shown to be deficient in tissuesfrom AIDS patients. In studies presented here, plasma Trx levelswere measured by ELISA in plasma samples from HIV-infected individuals(n = 136) and HIV-negative controls (n = 47). To account forthe release of Trx into plasma due to hemolysis, the Trx measurementswere corrected according to the level of hemoglobin in the plasmasample. Data presented show that, in contrast to tissue Trxlevels, corrected plasma Trx levels are significantly higherin HIV-infected individuals than in controls (P < 0.0001).Furthermore, {small tilde}25% of the HIV-infected individualsstudied have plasma Trx levels greater than the highest levelfound in controls (37 ng/ml). Detailed multiparameter FACS analysisof peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from the infectedindividuals demonstrates that those with higher plasma Trx levels(37 ng/ml or greater) tend to have lower overall CD4 counts.In addition, increases in plasma Trx levels correlate with decreasesin monochlorobimane staining (indicative of lower intracellularglutathione levels in PBMC) and with changes in surface antigenexpression (CD62L, CD38 and CD20) that occur in the later stagesof HIV infection. These correlations suggest that elevationof plasma Trx levels may be an important component of advancedHIV disease, perhaps related to the oxidative stress that oftenoccurs at this stage.     

苯并嘧啶衍生物的合成和抗糖尿病活性评价

硫氧还蛋白相互作用蛋白(thioredoxin-interacting protein, TXNIP)主要调节胰岛β细胞中葡萄糖的稳态,是治疗糖尿病的新颖靶点。本研究以4-羟基苯并嘧啶为原料,通过不同长度的碳链,引入吡唑、甲基哌嗪、咪唑、吗啡啉等4种含氮杂环,设计合成靶向TXNIP的苯并嘧啶骨架拼合含氮杂环的衍生物,并考察化合物对棕榈酸(palmitate acid, PA)刺激的胰岛β细胞损伤的保护作用。共设计合成20个苯并嘧啶衍生物,结构经¹H NMR、ESI-MS确证;药理活性表明大部分化合物对胰岛β细胞有保护作用,其中化合物C-1、C-2、C-4、D-2保护作用较强,相较PA模型组细胞活力为38.3%,这4个化合物细胞活力高于70%,其中化合物D-2细胞活力最高,达到87.2%;化合物D-2可以作为潜在的抗糖尿病新化学实体。     

Negative biomarker-based male fertility evaluation: sperm phenotypes associated with molecular-level anomalies

Biomarker-based sperm analysis elevates the treatment of human infertility and ameliorates reproductive performance in livestock. The negative biomarker-based approach focuses on proteins and ligands unique to defective spermatozoa, regardless of their morphological phenotype, lending itself to analysis by flow cytometry (FC). A prime example is the spermatid specific thioredoxin SPTRX3/TXNDC8, retained in the nuclear vacuoles and superfluous cytoplasm of defective human spermatozoa. Infertile couples with high semen SPTRX3 are less likely to conceive by assisted reproductive therapies (ART) and more prone to recurrent miscarriage while low SPTRX3 has been associated with multiple ART births. Ubiquitin, a small, proteolysis-promoting covalent posttranslational protein modifier is found on the surface of defective posttesticular spermatozoa and in the damaged protein aggregates, the aggresomes of spermiogenic origin. Semen ubiquitin content correlates negatively with fertility and conventional semen parameters, and with sperm binding of lectins LCA (Lens culinaris agglutinin; reveals altered sperm surface) and PNA (Arachis hypogaea/peanut agglutinin; reveals acrosomal malformation or damage). The Postacrosomal Sheath WWI Domain Binding Protein (PAWP), implicated in oocyte activation during fertilization, is ectopic or absent from defective human and animal spermatozoa. Consequently, FC-parameters of PAWP correlate with ART outcomes in infertile couples and with fertility in bulls. Assays based on the above biomarkers have been combined into multiplex FC semen screening protocols, and the surface expression of lectins and ubiquitin has been utilized to develop nanoparticle-based bull semen purification method validated by field artificial insemination trials. These advances go hand-in-hand with the innovation of FC-technology and genomics/proteomics-based biomarker discovery.     

白芍总苷对糖尿病大鼠肾组织Txnip、Trx与ASK1表达的调节作用

目的：了解白芍总苷( TGP)对糖尿病大鼠肾组织硫氧还蛋白相互作用蛋白( Txnip)、硫氧还蛋白( Trx)与凋亡信号激酶1(ASK1)表达的影响,探讨TGP对糖尿病肾组织Trx系统调节作用。方法将链脲佐菌素( STZ)诱导的糖尿病大鼠随机分为模型组、TGP [50、100、200 mg/(kg·d)]给药组,另取正常大鼠为对照组,8周后测定大鼠尿白蛋白排泄率( UAER)。应用免疫组化、Western blot法及实时定量PCR法检测大鼠肾组织Txnip、Trx与ASK1表达。结果实验8周后TGP[50、100、200 mg/(kg·d)]给药组及对照组大鼠UAER水平均低于模型组(P<0．01);免疫组化和(或)West-ern blot法显示TGP [50、100、200 mg/(kg·d)]给药组及对照组大鼠肾组织Txnip、ASK1表达低于模型组( P<0．05,P<0．01),而Trx高于模型组(P<0．05,P<0．01);实时定量PCR显示TGP [50、100、200 mg/(kg·d)]给药组及对照组Txnip mRNA低于模型组(P<0．01,P<0．05),Trx mRNA高于模型组(P<0．01,P<0．05)。结论糖尿病肾病大鼠肾组织存在Trx系统异常,TGP对糖尿病大鼠肾组织保护作用可能与抑制Txnip表达、提高Trx表达有关。     

Increased plasma thioredoxin in patients with acute myocardial infarction

BACKGROUND AND HYPOTHESIS: Thioredoxin is an important biomarker for oxidative stress. We investigated whether thioredoxin levels were elevated in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and were associated with the results of coronary reperfusion. METHODS: The present study determined plasma thioredoxin levels in 51 patients with AMI, 30 patients with stable exertional angina (SEA), and 30 patients with chest pain syndrome (CPS). Plasma sampling was performed on admission, at 12 h, 1 week, 2 weeks, and 4 weeks in patients with AMI, and after admission in patients with SEA and CPS. RESULTS: Plasma thioredoxin levels on admission were higher in patients with AMI than in those with SEA and CPS. Plasma thioredoxin levels in patients with AMI were decreased in 12 h without further change thereafter. However, thioredoxin levels in patients with AMI remained higher than in those with SEA. In multivariate analysis, higher levels of thioredoxin on admission were a risk factor for failure in emergent reperfusion therapy in patients with AMI independent of other factors. CONCLUSION: Plasma thioredoxin levels are elevated in patients with AMI, and higher thioredoxin levels may predict subsequent failed coronary reperfusion therapy in patients with AMI.     

过表达TrxR1重组HEK293细胞株的构建和鉴定

目的 构建稳定过表达硫氧还蛋白还原酶1（TrxR1）的HEK293细胞株,为TrxR1的功能研究以及靶向TrxR1药物筛选提供细胞模型。方法 通过PCR扩增,连接转化以及Sanger双脱氧测序构建并筛选出TrxR1的重组慢病毒表达载体pLVX-PuroTXNRD1,转染HEK293细胞,经嘌呤霉素筛选获得稳定转染细胞株。后续研究分为3组进行：①TrxR1过表达HEK293细胞：pLVX-Puro-TXNRD1载体稳定转染细胞;②对照HEK293细胞：pLVX-Puro空载病毒载体稳定转染细胞;③正常HEK293细胞;通过RT-qPCR、Western blot实验检测上述3组细胞中TrxR1的mRNA以及蛋白表达情况;通过胰岛素终点法以及TRFS-green探针成像检测上述3种细胞内TrxR1的酶活力;通过CCK8实验检测上述3种细胞对TrxR1特异性抑制剂auranofin的敏感性。结果 构建载体经DNA测序,成功获得插入TrxR1的重组慢病毒表达载体pLVX-Puro-TXNRD1。与HEK293以及HEK293-NC细胞相比,HEK293-TrxR1-OE细胞中TrxR1的mRNA和蛋白高表达,且酶活力也同样显著上升（P<0.005）;而与HEK293以及HEK293-NC细胞相比,auranofin对HEK293-TrxR1-OE细胞中TrxR1酶活力以及细胞增殖的抑制效率均显著下降（P<0.005）。结论 通过构建pLVX-Puro-TXNRD1慢病毒载体,成功获得过表达TrxR1酶的HEK293细胞株,该细胞对特异性靶向TrxR1的抑制剂的抗增殖作用具有抵抗,因而可用于靶向TrxR1药物的筛选。