Ubiquitin and heat shock protein expression in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

The expression of two heat shock proteins, HSP72 and p57, in addition to ubiquitin, has been studied immunocytochemically in nine amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) cases and 10 age-matched controls. HSP72 and p57 antibodies did not identify the characteristic ubiquitin-immunoreactive inclusions present in anterior horn cells in ALS spinal cord. Antibodies to HSP72, but not to p57 or ubiquitin, strongly labelled structures corresponding to polyglucosan bodies in spinal grey matter. Such immunoreactive profiles were more abundant in ALS cases, although they were also present in control material. They were sometimes identified by haematoxylin and eosin and periodic acid Schiff reaction, but were not labeled by phosphotungstic acid haematoxylin or by antibodies to glial fibrillary acidic protein. Although ubiquitin, HSP72 and p57 are stress-induced proteins, they are expressed differently and might therefore have different significance in neuronal degeneration.     

Coexistence of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and argyrophilic grain disease: A non‐demented autopsy case showing circumscribed temporal atrophy and involvement of the amygdala

We report a case of a 68‐year‐old right‐handed man with sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and argyrophilic grain disease (AGD) having a 22‐month duration. His initial symptoms were dysarthria and swallowing difficulty at the age of 67. Subsequently bulbar palsy and pyramidal signs developed. His cognitive functions including face recognition, personality, and behavior were not changed compared with that of before the disease onset. However, magnetic resonance imaging disclosed severe right side‐predominant temporal atrophy. The neurological diagnosis was bulbar type ALS. Pathological examination disclosed histological evidence of ALS, including loss of Betz cells and lower motor neurons, corticospinal tract degeneration, and Bunina bodies. In addition, severe neuronal loss in the bilateral temporal cortex with an anterior gradient was found. Ubiquitin‐positive inclusions were encountered in the spinal anterior horn cells and hippocampal dentate gyrus, while few ubiquitin‐positive inclusions were noted in the affected temporal cortex. The amygdala, especially the basolateral nuclear group, was severely affected by neuronal loss with tissue rarefaction. Moderate neuronal loss was encountered in the parahippocampal gyrus, and to a lesser degree, in the ambient gyrus. Unexpectedly, many argyrophilic grains, coiled bodies, tau‐positive bush‐like astrocytes, pretangles, and ballooned neurons were found in the limbic system and temporal cortex. In the hippocampus, selective tau accumulation with minor neurofibrillary changes was observed in CA2 neurons. The present case suggests that (i) ALS and AGD do rarely coexist, and (ii) when ALS patients have severe temporal atrophy, not only ALS with dementia but also concurrent AGD should be considered in the differential diagnosis.     

Complex interactions in Parkinson's disease: a two-phased approach.

The identification of pathogenic mutations in the three genes alpha-synuclein, parkin, and ubiquitin carboxy-terminal hydrolase L1 (UCHL1) has elucidated the ubiquitin proteasome system (UPS) and its potential role as a causal pathway in Parkinson's disease (PD). In addition, polymorphisms of these three genes have been shown to be independently associated with PD. In a sample of 298 unrelated PD cases and 185 controls, we applied a two-phased approach of recursive partitioning and logistic regression analyses to explore complex interactions. For women only, we observed an epistatic interaction of UCHL1 and alpha-synuclein genotypes with significant effects on PD risk (odds ratio = 2.42; P = 0.003). Our findings are consistent with the hypothesis that PD is a multigenic disorder of the UPS.     

蛋白泛素途径及其非降解功能研究新进展

泛素化是单个或多个泛素在泛素激活酶、泛素结合酶及泛素蛋白连接酶的作用下共价修饰底物蛋白质的过程。在蛋白质降解的过程中，泛素化标记被蛋白水解酶体特异性识别，发挥着枢纽的作用。而近年来的研究发现。泛素化不仅仅是蛋白质降解的标志，它有更为广泛的用途，参与了大量的生命活动。这些研究极大地丰富了对泛素化蛋白水解系统的认识，也使得在分子水平上对蛋白质降解异常导致的顽疾进行治疗不再是梦想。     

依达拉奉联合瑞舒伐他汀治疗心源性脑梗死的疗效及对血清CXCL12、UCH-L1、HC-gp39水平的影响

目的 探究依达拉奉联合瑞舒伐他汀治疗心源性脑梗死的疗效及对血清趋化因子12（CXCL12）、泛素C末端水解酶L1（UCH-L1）、人类软骨糖蛋白-39（HC-gp39）水平的影响。方法 选取2020年3月—2022年4月达州市中心医院收治的90例心源性脑梗死患者作为研究对象,随机分为对照组和观察组,各45例。对照组给予瑞舒伐他汀治疗,观察组给予依达拉奉联合瑞舒伐他汀治疗。比较两组疗效、CXCL12、UCH-L1、HC-gp39、血液流变学指标、血脂水平及美国国立卫生研究院脑卒中量表（NIHSS）评分。结果 观察组总有效率高于对照组（P <0.05）。观察组治疗前后血清CXCL12、UCH-L1、HC-gp39水平的差值高于对照组（P <0.05）。观察组治疗前后全血低切黏度、全血高切黏度及纤维蛋白原水平的差值高于对照组（P <0.05）。观察组治疗前后TC、TG、LDL-C水平的差值高于对照组（P <0.05）。观察组治疗前后NIHSS评分的差值高于对照组（P <0.05）。结论 依达拉奉联合瑞舒伐他汀治疗心源性心肌梗死可有效提高患者临床疗效,改善血液流变学指标、血脂、神经功能及炎症反应。     

Sperm ubiquitination positively correlates to normal morphology in human semen

BACKGROUND: Global ubiquitination in human semen has been found to negatively correlate with standard semen parameters, indicating that ubiquitination can be considered a marker of poor semen quality. However, the inclusion of all semen components in the analysis may be misleading on the biological significance of ubiquitination of sperm cells. We have recently demonstrated the variable presence of bodies of different size, with the highest concentration in oligoasthenoteratozoospermia. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the relationship between ubiquitination and standard semen parameters, after distinguishing between ubiquitinated sperm and bodies in each sample. METHODS: Ubiquitination was evaluated by flow cytometric sperm ubiquitin tag immunoassay (SUTI) in sperm samples from 45 subjects. Semen analysis was performed according to WHO (1999) guidelines. RESULTS: When only ubiquitinated sperm were considered, a positive correlation with number, motility and normal morphology was found. When correlation was evaluated considering the percentage of ubiquitinated bodies, a negative correlation was found with good semen quality. CONCLUSIONS: Results indicate that the negative correlations previously found between global semen ubiquitination and parameters of semen analysis are mainly driven by components other than sperm. The positive correlation between sperm ubiquitination and good quality parameters suggests a previously unrecognized role for sperm ubiquitination.     

Prion protein is ubiquitinated after developing protease resistance in the brains of scrapie-infected mice

Although the key event in the pathology of prion diseases is thought to be the conversion of cellular prion protein (PrP(C)) to the protease-resistant scrapie species termed PrP(Sc), the factors that contribute to neurodegeneration in scrapie-infected animals are poorly understood. One probable determinant could be when the accumulation of PrP(Sc) in infected brain overwhelms the ubiquitin-proteasome system and triggers the degenerative cascade. In the present study, it was found that in mouse brains infected with the ME7 scrapie strain, the level of ubiquitin protein conjugates increased significantly at approximately 144 days post-infection (pi) when clinical signs first become apparent. This elevation correlated with the detection of protease-resistant PrP(Sc) and a decline in two endopeptidase activities associated with proteasome function. However, ubiquitination of PrP was only detected at the terminal stage, 3 weeks after the development of clinical symptoms (approximately 165 days pi). These results suggest that ubiquitination of PrP is a late event phenomenon and this conjugation occurs after the formation of protease-resistant PrP(Sc). Whether this post-translational modification and the impairment of proteasome function are pivotal events in the pathogenesis of prion diseases remains to be determined.     

Transcription from the gene encoding the herpesvirus entry receptor nectin-1 (HveC) in nervous tissue of adult mouse

Hepatitis C virus core protein, in addition to being a component of the viral capsid, has a number of regulatory functions. Here we showed two bodies of evidence indicating that a fraction of the core protein species is a substrate of the ubiquitin (Ub)-proteasome pathway of targeted proteolysis. First, the core protein processing the C-terminal hydrophobic region is metabolically unstable, and incubation with a proteasome inhibitor led to a significant accumulation of the protein. Second, an in vivo ubiquitylation assay indicates conjugation of multi-Ub chain to the unstable core protein. In contrast, a stable form of core protein, p21, is also able to be ubiquitylated, but it links to a single or only a few Ub moiety. Therefore, processing event(s) at the C-terminal hydrophobic domain of HCV core protein may affect the ubiquitylation pathway, particularly the efficiency of the multi-Ub chain assembly, resulting in stable, matured core proteins.     

泛素蛋白酶体抑制剂MG-132对胃癌细胞增殖和凋亡的影响

目的:研究泛素蛋白酶体抑制剂对胃癌细胞增殖和凋亡的影响。方法:将泛素蛋白酶体抑制剂MG-132加入胃癌细胞SGC7901,用四氮唑蓝(MTT)法测定细胞生长抑制效应,流式细胞仪检测细胞凋亡,免疫细胞化学检测生存素的表达。结果:MG-132对胃癌细胞有显著的抑制作用,24,48h的IC50分别为80.9,9.1μmol·L-1;MG1325.0μmol·L-1作用胃癌细胞24,48,72,96h后,细胞凋亡率分别为(4.2±s0.6)%,(30±4)%,(47±6)%,(53±6)%,生存素在胃癌细胞中呈高表达,经MG132作用后,表达明显降低。结论:MG132能显著抑制胃癌细胞的增殖、诱导其凋亡,并下调生存素的表达。     

泛素水解酶22调控丝裂原活化蛋白激酶激酶6基因的转录活性

目的：克隆丝裂原活化蛋白激酶激酶6(mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase 6,MKK6)基因启动子,研究泛 素水解酶22(ubiquitin specific peptidase 22,USP22)对MKK6转录活性的调控作用。方法：采用PCR扩增MKK6基因启动 子片段,并以该片段为模板对USP22结合位点进行定点突变,将野生型与突变型启动子片段定向插入荧光素酶表达 载体pGL3-Basic;用重组载体与内参质粒pRL-TK共转染HeLa细胞,行双荧光素酶活性检测以确定其转录活性;利用 染色质免疫共沉淀(chromatin immunoprecipitation,ChIP)实验观察USP22蛋白与MKK6启动子是否存在直接的结合;下 调USP22表达后,检测MKK6转录活性的变化。结果：成功扩增MKK6启动子及其突变体并构建荧光素酶表达载体; USP22结合位点的突变导致该启动子活性在HeLa细胞中明显降低(P<0.05);USP22与MKK6启动子在细胞中存在直接结 合;抑制USP22的表达导致MKK6转录水平明显下降(P<0.05)。结论：在HeLa细胞中,USP22有效地调控MKK6基因的 转录。