C3aR inhibition reduces neurodegeneration in experimental lupus

Complement activation is an important aspect of systemic lupus erythematosus. In this study we investigated the role of C3a/C3a receptor (R) signaling in brains of the lupus model, MRL/lpr mice, by treating the mice with C3aR antagonist (a) from 13 to 19 weeks of age. C3aR mRNA (0.2 +/- 0.027 versus 0.56 +/- 0.19) and protein (0.16 +/- 0.09 versus 0.63 +/- 0.19) expression was increased in MRL/lpr brains compared with MRL+/+ controls. Apoptosis, a key feature in lupus brain, was significantly reduced by C3aRa treatment, as assessed by DNA laddering, TUNEL staining and caspase3 activity (48% of MRL/lpr mice). mRNA expression of proinflammatory molecules that cause apoptosis, TNFalpha (0.33 +/- 0.07 versus 0.15 +/- 0.1), MIP2 (3.8 +/- 1.3 versus 1.7 +/- 0.6), and INFgamma (4.8 +/- 1.0 versus 2.07 +/- 1.28) are reduced in MRL/lpr brains with C3aRa treatment. In line with these results, Western blotting demonstrates the significant increase in phosphorylation of survival molecules Akt and Erk, decrease in PTEN and reduced iNOS expression. INFgamma receptor (R) and AMPA-GluR1 co-localized, and concomitant with reduced INFgammaR expression, AMPAGluR1 expression was also decreased by C3aR antagonist. All of these variables that modulate neuronal excitability and regulate synaptic plasticity are C3aR dependent in the MRL/lpr brains and suggest a potential therapeutic role for C3aR inhibition in CNS lupus.

Dampness in dorm rooms and its associations with allergy and airways infections among college students in China: a cross-sectional study

A cross-sectional study was carried out at Tianjin University campus, China, from February 21 to June 10, 2006, to survey the association between dampness in dorms, and allergy and airways infections among college students. The health and dampness conditions were self-reported by 3436 students living in 1511 dorm rooms located in 13 buildings on the campus. The buildings were selected according to their positions, construction periods and occupant densities. The symptoms involved wheezing, dry cough during night, rhinitis, eczema, cold/flu, ear inflammation, pneumonia and tuberculosis. The indoor moisture signs were mould/damp spots on walls, ceilings and floors; suspected or ever happened water damage; condensation on windowpane in winter and odours perceived by subjects themselves. There was a significant positive association between condensation and dry cough. Eczema was often reported in rooms with moisture problem. Dampness was a significant risk factor for common cold.

PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS

Dampness problems in dorms of Chinese students are a risk factor for allergic symptoms, and hence there is a need for dorm environment improvement. Health problems related to ventilation and microbiology problems in dorms should be further studied.

High-titer lentiviral vectors stimulate fetal calf serum-specific human CD4 T-cell responses: implications in human gene therapy

Human immunodeficiency virus-1-derived lentiviral vectors have been increasingly used for gene delivery in both pre-clinical and clinical models. Numerous studies have shown that dendritic cells (DC) transduced with concentrated lentiviral vectors can induce primary T-cell responses to viral and tumor antigens. In this study, we attempted to generate influenza hemagglutinin-specific CD4 T cells using lentiviral vectors containing the signal sequence and human lysosome-associated membrane protein to target hemagglutinin to the major histocompatibility complex class II processing pathway. Autologous dendritic cells were generated in serum-free medium and transduced with concentrated, high-titer lentiviruses to stimulate autologous T cells. Unexpectedly, we failed to generate influenza hemagglutinin-specific CD4 T cells rather than T cells specific for fetal calf serum (FCS). By limiting dilution, we established several FCS-specific CD4 T-cell clones restricted by human leukocyte antigen-DR1 and human leukocyte antigen-DR4. Lentiviruses produced in human serum-adapted 293 cells or in serum-free medium were unable to sensitize dendritic cells for recognition by FCS-specific CD4 T-cell clones. Our results indicate that residual FCS in concentrated lentiviral pellets is, in part, responsible for its immunogenicity. These FCS-specific CD4 T cells may be useful in testing clinical grade lentiviral vectors for the presence of contaminating FCS.

Dampness at dorm and its associations with allergy and airways infection among college students in China: a cross-sectional study

A cross-sectional study was carried out at Tianjin University campus, China, from February 21 to June10, 2006, to survey the association between dampness in dorms and allergy and airways infection among college students. The health and dampness condition were self-reported by 3436 students living in 1511 dorm rooms located in 13 buildings on the campus. The buildings were selected according to their positions, construction periods and occupant densities. The allergy and airways infection symptoms involved wheezing, dry cough during night, rhinitis, eczema, cold/flu, ear inflammation, pneumonia and tuberculosis. The indoor moisture signs were mould/damp spots on walls, ceilings and floors; suspected or ever happened water damage; condensation on windowpane in winter and odours perceived by subjects themselves. This study showed there was significantly positive association between condensation and dry cough. Eczema was often reported in rooms with suspected moisture problem. Dampness was a significantly risk factor for common cold.

PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS

This paper indicated that dampness problem at dorms of Chinese students was a risk factor in irritating allergic symptoms, and hence there is a need for dorm environment improvement. The ventilation and microbiology problems in dorm environment corresponding to dampness should be further studied, especially when it is associated to occupants' health.

The early and initiation processes of radiation-induced bystander effects involved in the induction of DNA double strand breaks in non-irradiated cultures

The initiation and the early process of bystander response induced by low dose alpha-particle irradiation are very important for understanding the mechanisms underlying the bystander response. Using a 1 cGy alpha-particle to irradiate 50% of the area of a rectangular mylar dish, time-dependent DNA double strand breaks (DSBs) were induced shortly after irradiation in AG1522 cells, located either in the irradiated area or in the non-irradiated bystander area, reaching a maximum 30 min post irradiation. Medium transfer experiments showed that the conditioned medium harvested from the irradiated culture induced excessive DNA DSBs in the medium recipient cells, and the DSB-inducing ability of the medium showed was time-dependent. The medium transfer results indicated that the soluble bystander signalling molecule(s) had been generated very soon (probably less than 2.5 min) after irradiation and exist continuously to 30 min although the production of signalling molecule(s) decreased after 10 min post irradiation. Pre-treatment with dimethyl sulphoxide (DMSO) eliminated the DNA DSB-inducing ability of the conditioned medium, as well as the formation of excessive DNA DSBs in both irradiated and non-irradiated bystander areas, indicating that reactive oxygen/nitrogen species etc. might be involved in these processes.

Constitutive nitric oxide acting as a possible intercellular signaling molecule in the initiation of radiation-induced DNA double strand breaks in non-irradiated bystander cells

The initiation and propagation of the early processes of bystander signaling induced by low-dose alpha-particle irradiation are very important for understanding the underlying mechanism of the bystander process. Our previous investigation showed that the medium collected from cell culture exposed to low-dose alpha-particle rapidly induced phosphorylated form of H2AX protein foci formation among the non-irradiated medium receptor cells in a time-dependent manner. Using N(G)-methyl-L-arginine, 4-amino-5-methylamino-2',7'-difluorofluorescein diacetate and N(omega)-nitro-L-arginine (L-NNA) treatment before exposure to 1 cGy alpha-particle, we showed in the present study that nitric oxide (NO(*)) produced in the irradiated cells was important and necessary for the DNA double strand break inducing activity (DIA) of conditioned medium and the generation of NO(*) in irradiated confluent AG1522 cells is in a time-dependent manner and that almost all NO(*) was generated within 15 min post-irradiation. Concurrently, the kinetics of NO(*) production in the medium of irradiated cells after irradiation was rapid and in a time-dependent manner as well, with a maximum yield observed at 10 min after irradiation with electron spin resonance analysis. Furthermore, our results that 7-Nitroindazole and L-NNA, but not aminoguanidine hemisulfate, treatment before exposure to 1 cGy alpha-particle significantly decrease the DIA of the conditioned medium suggested that constitutive NO(*) from the irradiated cells possibly acted as an intercellular signaling molecule to initiate and activate the early process (<or=30 min) of bystander response after low-dose irradiation.

Differential expression of synaptoporin and synaptophysin in primary sensory neurons and up-regulation of synaptoporin after peripheral nerve injury

Synaptoporin and synaptophysin are integral membrane components of synaptic vesicles. The distribution of synaptoporin and its relationship with synaptophysin in sensory afferent fibers remain unclear. In the present study, we showed that in the rat dorsal root ganglia synaptoporin was expressed in subsets of small neurons that contain either calcitonin gene-related peptide or isolectin B4, and was distributed in their afferent terminals in laminae I-II of the spinal cord. Synaptophysin was expressed in 57% of synaptoporin-containing small dorsal root ganglion neurons and in large dorsal root ganglion neurons. In the spinal dorsal horn, synaptophysin-immunolabeling was weak in the afferent fibers in lamina I, outer lamina II and the dorsal part of inner lamina II, but strong in the afferent fibers in laminae III-IV. However, a subpopulation of isolectin B4-positive small dorsal root ganglion neurons expressed both synaptoporin and synaptophysin, and their afferent fibers were mainly distributed in the ventral part of inner lamina II. After peripheral nerve injury, synaptoporin expression was up-regulated in small dorsal root ganglion neurons, and synaptoporin level was increased in their afferent terminals. Thus, synaptoporin and synaptophysin have topographically distinct distributions in afferent fibers. Synaptoporin is a major synaptic vesicle protein in Adelta- and C-fibers in both physiological and neuropathic pain states.

Efficiencies of residual organic pollutants removal from secondary effluent by switching of coagulation- air flotation -filtration processes

It is an essential task to remove the residual organic pollutants (ROP) from secondary effluent of a Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) in wastewater reclamation and reuse processes. Four different compared flow schemes would be achieved for further purification of the secondary effluent by switching of different valves. In order to mainly remove non-biodegradable residual organic pollutants under various operating conditions, the optimum technology and economic process was obtained in the advanced purification flow scheme at a flow of 3200 m(3)/d in Harbin Wenchang WWTP. Conclusions under a lot of experiments show that: choosing the coagulation-settler plus biofilm filter for advanced purification process is reasonable; during the stable operation phase, this process showed good performance in removing the COD, BOD5, TP, NH3-N and SS; the removal rates are 50%, 39%, 67%, 50%, 80% respectively. The effluent is able to excel the requirements for wastewater reuse standards. The unit cost of the water is 0.542 yuan/m(3), which is far below the fee paid for supply water, long-distance transfer water or seawater desalination through economic analysis.

Increased serum C3 levels in Crry transgenic mice partially abrogates its complement inhibitory effects

Complement receptor 1-related gene/protein y (Crry) is a potent murine complement regulator that inhibits C3 convertases. Transgenic mice that overexpress soluble Crry (sCrry), directed systemically by the metallothionein-I promoter, have been used as an animal model for chronic blockade of complement activation. Recently we have found that alternative pathway (AP) activity in Crry transgenic mice was not inhibited as much as expected. To elucidate the mechanism of this effect, we evaluated the AP activities and levels of sCrry and AP complement components in transgenic and non-transgenic mice. In transgenic mice, expression of sCrry was induced by feeding zinc sulphate solution to 70.1 +/- 42.7 micro g/ml mean serum level. Its corresponding level of purified sCrry inhibited 49% of AP activity of normal mice serum; however, the actual AP activities in transgenic mice were not decreased when compared to non-transgenic mice (130.2 +/- 9.0%versus 113.0 +/- 35.4%). Expressed sCrry was functional, as immunoprecipitation and removal of sCrry from transgenic sera with rabbit anti-Crry polyclonal antibody resulted in enhanced AP activity, consistent with initial levels of sCrry. We then compared the changes to C3, factor B, factor H and factor D serum levels in transgenic and non-transgenic mice after induction of sCrry expression. Of these only C3 was increased after zinc feeding in transgenic mice compared to non-transgenic mice (142.8 +/- 14.1%versus 121.4 +/- 15.1%, P = 0.023). These results suggest that the inhibitory effect of chronic exposure to sCrry is compensated by concomitant alteration in C3 levels. This result also suggests the presence of a complement regulatory protein controls the level of serum C3, which has potential importance in the design and interpretation of studies involving chronic use of complement inhibitors.

Reproductive fitness in maternal homocystinuria due to cystathionine beta-synthase deficiency

Early diagnosis and improved treatment are leading to the potential for increased reproductive capability in homocystinuria due to cystathionine beta-synthase (CbetaS) deficiency, but information about reproductive outcome and risk of thromboembolism in pregnancy is limited. To provide further information, clinical and biochemical information was obtained on women with maternal homocystinuria, on their pregnancies and on the offspring. This information included blood sulphur amino acids and total homocysteine, CbetaS gene mutations and developmental and cognitive scores in the offspring. The study involved 15 pregnancies in 11 women, of whom 5 were pyridoxine-nonresponsive and 6 were pyridoxine-responsive. Complications of pregnancy included pre-eclampsia at term in two pregnancies and superficial venous thrombosis of the leg in a third pregnancy. One pregnancy was terminated and two pregnancies resulted in first-trimester spontaneous abortions. The remaining 12 pregnancies produced live-born infants with normal or above-normal birth measurements. One offspring has multiple congenital anomalies that include colobomas of the iris and choroid, neural tube defect and undescended testes. He is also mentally retarded and autistic. A second offspring has Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome. The remaining 10 offspring were normal at birth and have remained normal. There was no relationship between the severity of the biochemical abnormalities or the therapies during pregnancy to either the pregnancy complications or the offspring outcomes. The infrequent occurrences of pregnancy complications, offspring abnormalities and maternal thromboembolic events in this series suggest that pregnancy and outcome in maternal homocystinuria are usually normal. Nevertheless, a cautious approach would include careful monitoring of these pregnancies with attention to metabolic therapy and possibly anticoagulation.

Adjuvant-induced arthritis: IL-1 beta, IL-6 and TNF-alpha are up-regulated in the spinal cord

Adjuvant-induced arthritis (AIA) is a widely used animal model of human rheumatoid arthritis (RA). We have previously shown that increased neuropeptide expression is observed in the spinal cord of AIA rats. To study the potential role of cytokines in the spinal cord of AIA, we wanted to determine whether there are changes of glial and cytokine expression (IL-1 beta, IL-6, TNF-alpha and IFN-gamma) in the spinal cord of AIA rats. Our data indicated that macroglia and MHC class II immunostaining were enhanced, astrocytes expressing GFAP were increased in number and immunostaining intensity. Using in situ hybridization and immunohistochemical methods, both mRNA and protein levels of IL-1 beta, IL-6 and TNF-alpha were significantly increased in the spinal cord of arthritic rats. Increased cytokine expression was presented in the reactive astrocytes and microglia.

Comparing the similarity of time-series gene expression using signal processing metrics

Many algorithms have been used to cluster genes measured by microarray across a time series. Instead of clustering, our goal was to compare all pairs of genes to determine whether there was evidence of a phase shift between them. We describe a technique where gene expression is treated as a discrete time-invariant signal, allowing the use of digital signal-processing tools, including power spectral density, coherence, and transfer gain and phase shift. We used these on a public RNA expression set of 2467 genes measured every 7 min for 119 min and found 18 putative associations. Two of these were known in the biomedical literature and may have been missed using correlation coefficients. Digital signal processing tools can be embedded and enhance existing clustering algorithms.

[Preliminary research of Astangahrdayasamhita]

Astangahrdayasamhita, transmitted into the region of Tibet and Mongolia as Buddist Scripture, is a classical work of ancient Indian medicine. It has had an important influence on the formation of the theoretical system of Tibetan medicine and Mongolian medicine. Divided into six parts, eight branches and 120 chapters, Astangahrdayasamhita describes systematically physiology, pathology, diagnosis and treatment of diseases. This article describes Astangahrdayasamhita in four aspects, including the author and dating of its writing: the main contents; its position in Ayur-vedic medicine; the influence on Tibetan and Mongolian medicine.

[Molecular cloning and expression in E. coli of the surface-exposed lipoprotein LipL41 gene of Leptospira lai]

OBJECTIVE

To construct a recombinant expressive plasmid using LipL41 gene of leptospira lai for further research of subunit vaccine of leptospira.

METHODS

A pair of oligonucleotide primers were designed based on the sequence of LipL41 of leptospira kirschneri RM 52 in Genbank. With genomic DNA of leptospira lai 017 as template, a fragment was amplified by PCR and DNA sequencing analysis showed this fragment to be the gene that encodes LipL41. A recombinant vector was constructed using plasmid pGEX1 lambda T and the expression of LipL41 gene was tested.

RESULTS

The production of PCR was LipL41 gene. The recombinant plasmid was constructed and testified by nuclease digestion and PCR, and LipL41 gene could express in E. coli.

CONCLUSION

The recombinant plasmid has been constructed successfully and LipL41 gene can express stably at high level.

[DNA sequence analysis and expression of the recombinant plasmid pBX1 from Borrelia burgdorferi B31 strain]

OBJECTIVE

This study was to provide the target antigen for the development of a Lyme disease vaccine and serodiagnosis reagent.

METHODS

We used the automatic DNA sequencing machine (Model 377) to detect the nucleotide sequence of the inserted part of the recombinant plasmid pBX1 from Borrelia burgdorferi B31 strain. The restriction enzyme map of the inserted part of pBX1 was analysed by using computer software. The expressed product of pBX1 in E. coli XLI-Blue MRF was analysed by using SDS-PAGE and western-blotting.

RESULTS

1. DNA sequencing showed that pBX1 contained a 477bp inserted gene fragment, and when it was compared with the published sequence of the specific region of the gene of the 83 kd antigen protein from Borrelia burgdorferi B31 strain, only one amino acid codon was different. 2. The restriction enzyme map of the inserted part of pBX1 was successfully constructed. 3. The recombinant plasmid pBX1 expressed a 29 kd fusion protein in E. coli XL1-Blue MRF' after induced with IPTG. The recombinant fusion protein could be recongnized by rabbit polyclonal antiserum against Borrelia burgdorferi B31 strain.

CONCLUSION

A recombinant plasmid which contains the gene fragment encoding the specific region of the 83 kd antigen protein from Borrelia burgdorferi B31 strain has been successfully constructed. The recombinant plasmid can stably express 29 kd fusion protein in E. coli XL1-Blue MRF'. These results could serve as a base of further studies on the usefulness of the fusion protein in serodiagnosis and vaccine for Lyme disease.

Molecular cloning and structural characterization of the rat thymosin beta15 gene

Thymosin beta15 is expressed in metastatic variants of Dunning rat prostatic carcinoma but not in a nonmetastatic variant. It is also upregulated in malignant human prostate cancers and was shown to be a predictive marker for patient outcome in prostate cancer. To explore the molecular mechanism of transcriptional regulation of thymosin beta15, we isolated and characterized the rat thymosin beta15 gene. The gene appears to exist as a single copy in the rat genome and to comprise three exons distributed over 2kb. The transcription start site was defined by primer extension analysis at 30 bp upstream of the translation start site. Sequence analysis of the 5'-flanking region of the transcription start site revealed properties consistent with promoter activity. The promoter region is GC rich and contains numerous consensus transcription factor binding sites as well as a GC box, but no TATA box. The transcriptional activity of the 5'-flanking region was analyzed by transient transfection of rat prostate cancer cells with firefly luciferase-encoding gene expression vector constructs. The isolated 5' region showed significant promoter activity. The identification of the thymosin beta15 promoter could aid our understanding of the regulation of this gene and its enhanced expression in human cancer.

RhoC GTPase overexpression modulates induction of angiogenic factors in breast cells

Inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) is a distinct and aggressive form of locally advanced breast cancer. IBC is highly angiogenic, invasive, and metastatic at its inception. Previously, we identified specific genetic alterations of IBC that contribute to this highly invasive phenotype. RhoC GTPase was overexpressed in 90% of archival IBC tumor samples, but not in stage-matched, non-IBC tumors. To study the role of RhoC GTPase in contributing to an IBC-like phenotype, we generated stable transfectants of human mammary epithelial cells overexpressing the RhoC gene, and studied the effect of RhoC GTPase overexpression on the modulation of angiogenesis in IBC. Levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and interleukin-8 (IL-8) were significantly higher in the conditioned media of the HME-RhoC transfectants than in the untransfected HME and HME-beta-galactosidase control media, similar to the SUM149 IBC cell line. Inhibition of RhoC function by introduction of C3 exotransferase decreased production of angiogenic factors by the HME-RhoC transfectants and the SUM149 IBC cell line, but did not affect the control cells. These data support the conclusion that overexpression of RhoC GTPase is specifically and directly implicated in the control of the production of angiogenic factors by IBC cells.

[The MN typing of whole blood and bloodstains by the method of one-step sandwich ELISA]

The samples of whole blood and bloodstain were MN-typed by the method of one-step sandwich ELISA, monoclonal antibodies include anti-M, N and glycern-protein. The lowest sample amount in this study is: for whole blood is 0.065 microliter, for bloodstain about 10 to 50 ng. 455 cases of fresh blood and 200 cases of fresh bloodstain are correctly typed. For 58 cases of old bloodstains, the success rate is 96.6%.