Toll-like receptors （TLRs） are a group of highly conserved molecules which initiate the innate immune response to pathogens by recognizing structural motifs of microbes. Understanding the changes in chicken Toll-lik...Toll-like receptors （TLRs） are a group of highly conserved molecules which initiate the innate immune response to pathogens by recognizing structural motifs of microbes. Understanding the changes in chicken Toll-like receptors （ChTLRs） and signal adaptors expression that occur with Eimeria tenella infection will help to elucidate the molecular basis of immune control of coccidiosis caused by Eimeria. The present study detected the dynamic changes in the expression of ChTLRs and associated signal adaptors in the spleen and cecum ofE. tenella-infected chickens during the early stage of infection. The results showed that the expression peak for ChTLRs, MyD88 and TRIF occurred at 12 h post-infection （hpi）, ChTLR3, ChTLRI 5 and MyD88 mRNA expression in the spleen ofE. tenella infected chickens were significantly higher （P〈0.05） than that of negative control chickens, and there were similar tendencies of these molecules expression in the cecum and spleen of E. tenella-infected chickens. The expression of MyD88 was upregnlated at four time points in the cecum of E. tenella-infected chickens. The results of this study indicate that ChTLR3, ChTLR15 and MyD88 play a role in young chickens infected with E. tenella.展开更多
BACKGROUND Adaptor protein,phosphotyrosine interacting with PH domain and leucine zipper 1(APPL1)plays a crucial role in regulating insulin signaling and glucose metabolism.Mutations in the APPL1 gene have been associ...BACKGROUND Adaptor protein,phosphotyrosine interacting with PH domain and leucine zipper 1(APPL1)plays a crucial role in regulating insulin signaling and glucose metabolism.Mutations in the APPL1 gene have been associated with the development of maturity-onset diabetes of the young type 14(MODY14).Currently,only two mutations[c.1655T>A(p.Leu552*)and c.281G>A p.(Asp94Asn)]have been identified in association with this disease.Given the limited understanding of MODY14,it is imperative to identify additional cases and carry out comprehensive research on MODY14 and APPL1 mutations.AIM To assess the pathogenicity of APPL1 gene mutations in diabetic patients and to characterize the functional role of the APPL1 domain.METHODS Patients exhibiting clinical signs and a medical history suggestive of MODY were screened for the study.Whole exome sequencing was performed on the patients as well as their family members.The pathogenicity of the identified APPL1 variants was predicted on the basis of bioinformatics analysis.In addition,the pathogenicity of the novel APPL1 variant was preliminarily evaluated through in vitro functional experiments.Finally,the impact of these variants on APPL1 protein expression and the insulin pathway were assessed,and the potential mechanism underlying the interaction between the APPL1 protein and the insulin receptor was further explored.RESULTS A total of five novel mutations were identified,including four missense mutations(Asp632Tyr,Arg633His,Arg532Gln,and Ile642Met)and one intronic mutation(1153-16A>T).Pathogenicity prediction analysis revealed that the Arg532Gln was pathogenic across all predictions.The Asp632Tyr and Arg633His variants also had pathogenicity based on MutationTaster.In addition,multiple alignment of amino acid sequences showed that the Arg532Gln,Asp632Tyr,and Arg633His variants were conserved across different species.Moreover,in in vitro functional experiments,both the c.1894G>T(at Asp632Tyr)and c.1595G>A(at Arg532Gln)mutations were found to downregulate the expression of APPL1 on both protein and mRNA levels,indicating their pathogenic nature.Therefore,based on the patient’s clinical and family history,combined with the results from bioinformatics analysis and functional experiment,the c.1894G>T(at Asp632Tyr)and c.1595G>A(at Arg532Gln)mutations were classified as pathogenic mutations.Importantly,all these mutations were located within the phosphotyrosinebinding domain of APPL1,which plays a critical role in the insulin sensitization effect.CONCLUSION This study provided new insights into the pathogenicity of APPL1 gene mutations in diabetes and revealed a potential target for the diagnosis and treatment of the disease.展开更多
Amyloid precursor protein intracellular domain （AICD） is one of the potential candidates in deciphering the complexity of Alzheimer＇s disease. It plays important roles in determining cell fate and neurodegeneration...Amyloid precursor protein intracellular domain （AICD） is one of the potential candidates in deciphering the complexity of Alzheimer＇s disease. It plays important roles in determining cell fate and neurodegeneration through its interactions with several adaptors. The pres- ence or absence of phosphorylation at specific sites determines the choice of partners. In this study, we identified 20 novel AICD- interacting proteins by in vitro pull down experiments followed by 2D gel electrophoresis and MALDI-MS analysis. The identified proteins can be grouped into different functional classes including molecular chaperones, structural proteins, signaling and transport molecules, adaptors, motor proteins and apoptosis determinants. Interactions of nine proteins were further validated either by colocal- ization using confocal imaging or by co-immunoprecipitation followed by immunoblotting. The cellular functions of most of the proteins can be correlated with AD. Hence, illustration of their interactions with AICD may shed some light on the disease pathophysiology.展开更多
Microbial components and the endogenous molecules released from damaged cells can stimulate germ-line-encoded pattern recognition receptors(PRRs)to transduce signals to the hub of the innate immune signaling network-t...Microbial components and the endogenous molecules released from damaged cells can stimulate germ-line-encoded pattern recognition receptors(PRRs)to transduce signals to the hub of the innate immune signaling network-the adaptor proteins MyD88/TRIF/MAVS/STING/Caspase-1,where integrated signals relay to the relevant transcription factors IRF3/IRF7/NF-κB/AP-1 and the signal transducer and activator of tran-scription 6(STAT6)to trigger the expression of typeІinterferons and inflammatory cytokines or the assem-bly of inflammasomes.Most pleiotropic cytokines are secreted and bind to specific receptors,activating the signaling pathways including JAK-STAT for the prolif-eration,differentiation and functional capacity of im-mune cells.This review focuses on several critical adaptors in innate immune signaling cascades and recent progress in their molecular mechanisms.展开更多
Toll-like receptor 4(TLR4) and protease-activated receptor 2(PAR2) play pivotal roles in the mammalian innate immune response.Notably,in addition to their involvement in detection of invading pathogens,PAR2 and TLR4 m...Toll-like receptor 4(TLR4) and protease-activated receptor 2(PAR2) play pivotal roles in the mammalian innate immune response.Notably,in addition to their involvement in detection of invading pathogens,PAR2 and TLR4 modulate the levels of cell death-induced sterile inflammation by activating pro-or anti-inflammatory downstream signaling cascades.Within the central nervous system,there is emerging evidence that both receptors are involved in synaptic transmission and brain plasticity.Furthermore,due to their prominent role in mediating neuroinflammation,PAR2 and TLR4 are associated with development and progression of neurodegenerative disorders including but not limited to Alzheimer's disease,Parkinson's disease and multiple sclerosis.In this article,we summarise the current knowledge on the cooperation between PAR2 and TLR4,discuss the potential cross-talk levels and highlight the impact of the cross-coupling on neuroinflammation.展开更多
BACKGROUND Acute pancreatitis(AP)and recurring AP are serious health care problems causing excruciating pain and potentially lethal outcomes due to sepsis.The validated caerulein-(CAE)induced mouse model of acute/recu...BACKGROUND Acute pancreatitis(AP)and recurring AP are serious health care problems causing excruciating pain and potentially lethal outcomes due to sepsis.The validated caerulein-(CAE)induced mouse model of acute/recurring AP produces secondary persistent hypersensitivity and anxiety-like behavioral changes for study.AIM To determine efficacy of acetyl-L-carnitine(ALC)to reduce pain-related behaviors and brain microglial activation along the pain circuitry in CAE-pancreatitis.METHODS Pancreatitis was induced with 6 hly intraperitoneal(i.p.)injections of CAE(50μg/kg),3 d a week for 6 wk in male C57BL/6J mice.Starting in week 4,mice received either vehicle or ALC until experiment’s end.Mechanical hypersensitivity was assessed with von Frey filaments.Heat hypersensitivity was determined with the hotplate test.Anxiety-like behavior was tested in week 6 using elevated plus maze and open field tests.Microglial activation in brain was quantified histologically by immunostaining for ionized calcium-binding adaptor molecule 1(Iba1).RESULTS Mice with CAE-induced pancreatitis had significantly reduced mechanical withdrawal thresholds and heat response latencies,indicating ongoing pain.Treatment with ALC attenuated inflammation-induced hypersensitivity,but hypersensitivity due to abdominal wall injury caused by repeated intraperitoneal injections persisted.Animals with pancreatitis displayed spontaneous anxiety-like behavior in the elevated plus maze compared to controls.Treatment with ALC resulted in increased numbers of rearing activity events,but time spent in“safety”was not changed.After all the abdominal injections,pancreata were translucent if excised at experiment’s end and opaque if excised on the subsequent day,indicative of spontaneous healing.Post mortem histopathological analysis performed on pancreas sections stained with Sirius Red and Fast Green identified wide-spread fibrosis and acinar cell atrophy in sections from mice with CAE-induced pancreatitis that was not rescued by treatment with ALC.Microglial Iba1 immunostaining was significantly increased in hippocampus,thalamus(intralaminar nuclei),hypothalamus,and amygdala of mice with CAE-induced pancreatitis compared to naïve controls but unchanged in the primary somatosensory cortex compared to naïves.CONCLUSION CAE-induced pancreatitis caused increased pain-related behaviors,pancreatic fibrosis,and brain microglial changes.ALC alleviated CAE-induced mechanical and heat hypersensitivity but not abdominal wall injury-induced hypersensitivity caused by the repeated injections.展开更多
Evidence suggests that rapid changes to supporting glia may predispose individuals with spinal cord injury(SCI) to such comorbidities. Here, we interrogated the expression of astrocyte-and microglial-specific markers ...Evidence suggests that rapid changes to supporting glia may predispose individuals with spinal cord injury(SCI) to such comorbidities. Here, we interrogated the expression of astrocyte-and microglial-specific markers glial fibrillary acidic protein(GFAP) and ionized calcium binding adaptor molecule 1(Iba1) in the rat brain in the first 24 hours following SCI. Female Sprague-Dawley rats underwent thoracic laminectomy;half of the rats received a mild contusion injury at the level of the T10 vertebral body(SCI group), the other half did not(Sham group). Twenty-four hours post-surgery the amygdala, periaqueductal grey, prefrontal cortex, hypothalamus, lateral thalamus, hippocampus(dorsal and ventral) in rats were collected. GFAP and Iba1 m RNA and protein levels were measured by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction and Western blot. In SCI rats, GFAP m RNA and protein expression increased in the amygdala and hypothalamus. In contrast, gene and protein expression decreased in the thalamus and dorsal hippocampus. Interestingly, Iba1 transcripts and proteins were significantly diminished only in the dorsal and ventral hippocampus, where gene expression diminished. These findings demonstrate that as early as 24 hours post-SCI there are region-specific disruptions of GFAP and Iba1 transcript and protein levels in higher brain regions. All procedures were approved by the University of Technology Sydney Institutional Animal Care and Ethics Committee(UTS ACEC13-0069).展开更多
The neuroprotective effect against spinal cord ischemia/reperfusion injury in rats exerted by delayed xenon post-conditioning is stronger than that produced by immediate xenon post-conditioning. However, the mechanism...The neuroprotective effect against spinal cord ischemia/reperfusion injury in rats exerted by delayed xenon post-conditioning is stronger than that produced by immediate xenon post-conditioning. However, the mechanisms underlying this process remain unclear. Activated microglia are the main inflammatory cell type in the nervous system. The release of pro-inflammatory factors following microglial activation can lead to spinal cord damage, and inhibition of microglial activation can relieve spinal cord ischemia/reperfusion injury. To investigate how xenon regulates microglial activation and the release of inflammatory factors, a rabbit model of spinal cord ischemia/reperfusion injury was induced by balloon occlusion of the infrarenal aorta. After establishment of the model, two interventions were given： （1） immediate xenon post-conditioning—after reperfusion, inhalation of 50% xenon for 1 hour, 50% N2/50%O2 for 2 hours; （2） delayed xenon post-conditioning—after reperfusion, inhalation of 50% N2/50%O2 for 2 hours, 50% xenon for 1 hour. At 4, 8, 24, 48 and 72 hours after reperfusion, hindlimb locomotor function was scored using the Jacobs locomotor scale. At 72 hours after reperfusion, interleukin 6 and interleukin 10 levels in the spinal cord of each group were measured using western blot assays. Iba1 levels were determined using immunohistochemistry and a western blot assay. The number of normal neurons at the injury site was quantified using hematoxylin-eosin staining. At 72 hours after reperfusion, delayed xenon post-conditioning remarkably enhanced hindlimb motor function, increased the number of normal neurons at the injury site, decreased Iba1 levels, and inhibited interleukin-6 and interleukin-10 levels in the spinal cord.Immediate xenon post-conditioning did not noticeably affect the above-mentioned indexes. These findings indicate that delayed xenon post-conditioning after spinal cord injury improves the recovery of neurological function by reducing microglial activation and the release of interleukin-6 and interleukin-10.展开更多
AIM:To examine the expression of downstream of tyrosine kinase(DOK)1-6 genes in normal and breast cancer tissue and correlated this with several clinicopathological and prognostic factors.METHODS:DOK1-6 m RNA extracti...AIM:To examine the expression of downstream of tyrosine kinase(DOK)1-6 genes in normal and breast cancer tissue and correlated this with several clinicopathological and prognostic factors.METHODS:DOK1-6 m RNA extraction and reverse transcription were performed on fresh frozen breast cancer tissue samples(n = 112) and normal background breast tissue(n = 31). Tissues were collected between 1991 and 1996 at two centres and all patients underwent mastectomy and ipsilateral axillary node dissection. All tissues were randomly numbered and the details were only made known after all analyses were completed. Transcript levels of expression were determined using real-time polymerase chain reaction and analyzed against TNM stage, tumour grade and clinical outcome over a 10-year follow-up period.RESULTS:DOK-2 and DOK-6 expression decreased with increasing TNM stage. DOK-6 expression decreased with increasing Nottingham Prognostic Index(NPI) [NPI-1 vs NPI-3(mean copy number 15.4 vs 0.22, 95%CI:2.7-27.6, P = 0.018) and NPI-2 vs NPI-3(mean copy number 7.6 vs 0.22, 95%CI:0.1-14.6, P = 0.048)]. After a median follow up period of 10 years, higherlevels of DOK-2 expression were found among patients who remained disease-free compared to those who developed local or distant recurrence(mean copy number 3.94 vs 0.0000096, 95%CI:1.0-6.85, P = 0.0091), and distant recurrence(mean copy number 3.94 vs 0.0025, 95%CI:1.0-6.84, P = 0.0092). Patients who remained disease-free had higher levels of DOK-6 expression compared to those who died from breast cancer.CONCLUSION:Decreasing expression levels of DOK-2 and DOK-6 with increased breast tumour progression supports the notion that DOK-2 and DOK-6 behave as tumour suppressors in human breast cancer.展开更多
Most of the existing approaches focus on identifying mismatches and synthesizing adaptors at design-time or recently at run-time. However, few works have been proposed to support adaptor reconfiguration when services ...Most of the existing approaches focus on identifying mismatches and synthesizing adaptors at design-time or recently at run-time. However, few works have been proposed to support adaptor reconfiguration when services in the composition evolve due to changes in business needs. To address the deficiencies, the problem of adaptor reconfiguration is targeted in the context of service composition. Firstly, the formal models for describing services and adaptors are presented. Then, under this formalization,the notion of reconfiguration compliance is proposed to determine the validity of an adaptor instance with respect to its history executions and future executions. Based on the notion,the algorithm for reconfiguration analysis of adaptors is presented and it can be used for determining the migratability of an adaptor instance and the corresponding target state of reconfiguration if migratable.Finally,feasibility of the proposed approach is validated on a realistic case study. The proposed approach improves the flexibility of adaptor-based service composition by equipping adaptors with reconfiguration capabilities.展开更多
Podocytes covering the glomerular basement mem-brane over the glomerular capillary consist of three morphologically and functionally different segments, the cell body, major processes and extending finger-like foot pr...Podocytes covering the glomerular basement mem-brane over the glomerular capillary consist of three morphologically and functionally different segments, the cell body, major processes and extending finger-like foot processes （FPs）. The FPs of neighboring podo-cytes are connected by a continuous adherent junction structure named the slit diaphragm （SD）. The extracel-lular SD is linked to the intracellular, a highly dynamic, cytoskeleton through adaptor proteins. These adaptor proteins, such as CD2-associated protein, zonula oc-cludens 1, β-catenin, Nck and p130Cas, located at the intracellular SD insertion area near lipid rafts, have important structural and functional roles. Adaptor pro-teins in podocytes play important roles as a structural component of the podocyte structure, linking the SD to the cytoskeletal structure and as a signaling platform sending signals from the SD to the actin cytoskeleton. This review discusses the roles of adaptor proteins in the podocyte cytoskeletal structure and signaling from the SD to the actin cytoskeleton.展开更多
Objective： The mucus production is an indicator for the histological grade of mucinous epithelial ovarian cancer （mEOC）. In our previous study, Crk expression was targeted in the human ovarian mucinous adenocarcino...Objective： The mucus production is an indicator for the histological grade of mucinous epithelial ovarian cancer （mEOC）. In our previous study, Crk expression was targeted in the human ovarian mucinous adenocarcinoma cell line MCAS through RNA interference, resulting in the establishment of Crk knock down cells. These cells exhibited decreased tumorigenic potential both in vitro and in vivo. The purpose of this study was to investigate if there is any change in the capability of forming mucus in these Crk knock down cells. Methods： Cytoplasmic periodic acid Schiff （PAS） staining and particle excluding assay were conducted to assess the mucus formation within and around cells, respectively. Additionally, the amount of mucus formed in tumor lumps from nude mice model was measured following HE and PAS staining. Results： The increased mucus production in Crk knockdown mEOC cells （MCAS） was manifested by increased number of enlarged cells filled with vacuoles-like mucus observed by phase-contrast microscope and cytoplasmic PAS staining; and enhanced mucus secretion was represented by the assembly of pericellular matrix in particle excluding assay and increased mucus area in tumor lumps from nude mice models. Conclusion： The course of carcinogenesis in mEOC is associated with the altered pattern of mucus production and secretion. The adaptor protein Crk is implicated in both pathways.展开更多
Normal epithelial cells that lose the integrindependent anchorage to their extracellular matrix trigger anoikis,while metastatic tumor cells bypass anoikis pathway, which is one of the key events to achieve the metast...Normal epithelial cells that lose the integrindependent anchorage to their extracellular matrix trigger anoikis,while metastatic tumor cells bypass anoikis pathway, which is one of the key events to achieve the metastasis. Physiological role of anoikis is also involved during embryonic development and tissue homeostasis, suggesting that anoikis must be strictly regulated at some level. Despite its importance, the molecular pathways involved in the regulation of anoikis and the proximal signals reporting loss of anchorage are poorly understood. Recent studies suggest an adaptor protein p66Shc, localizing at focal adhesions,mediates anoikis through activation of RhoA. However, expression of p66Shc is inadequate in metastatic cancer cells, failing to initiate anoikis and promoting tumor metastasis. Reexpression of proapoptotic protein p66Shc can restore the susceptibility to anoikis.Thus, p66Shc may be a potential target molecule for diagnosis of tumor metastasis and for tumor treatment.展开更多
Objective T cell receptor-associated transmembrane adaptor 1(TRAT1)is one of the hub genes regulating T cell receptors(TCRs).Herein,the roles of TRAT1 in the prognosis and immune microenvironment of non-small cell lun...Objective T cell receptor-associated transmembrane adaptor 1(TRAT1)is one of the hub genes regulating T cell receptors(TCRs).Herein,the roles of TRAT1 in the prognosis and immune microenvironment of non-small cell lung cancer(NSCLC)were investigated.Methods The expression and prognosis values of TRAT1 in NSCLC,and the relationship between TRAT1 expression levels and cancer immune cell infiltration was identified via the TIMER,UALCAN,TISIDB,and other databases.The mechanism of TRAT1 in NSCLC was analyzed using gene set enrichment analysis(GSEA).Results The expression level of TRAT1 was decreased in NSCLC tissues.Low TRAT1 expression was associated with shorter overall survival of patients with NSCLC and was related to gender,smoking,and tumor grade.TRAT1 was involved in regulating immune response,TCR signaling pathway,PI3K/AKT,and other processes.TRAT1 expression levels were positively correlated with immune cell infiltration in NSCLC.Conclusion Down-regulation of TRAT1 expression was associated with an unfavorable prognosis and immune infiltration of NSCLC.展开更多
The brain is the third largest organ in the human body and consists of over80 billion neurons（Herculano-Houzel,2009）.Neurons are interconnected by neurite to form a complex neural network that allows the communicati...The brain is the third largest organ in the human body and consists of over80 billion neurons（Herculano-Houzel,2009）.Neurons are interconnected by neurite to form a complex neural network that allows the communication of neurons to regulate different body functions and activities.Neurites,body.展开更多
基金the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities,China(XDJK2010C099)the Science Fundation for Young Scientists of Southwest University,China(QNRC200804)the Scientific Research Fund of Veterinary Medicine Department of Southwest University,China
文摘Toll-like receptors （TLRs） are a group of highly conserved molecules which initiate the innate immune response to pathogens by recognizing structural motifs of microbes. Understanding the changes in chicken Toll-like receptors （ChTLRs） and signal adaptors expression that occur with Eimeria tenella infection will help to elucidate the molecular basis of immune control of coccidiosis caused by Eimeria. The present study detected the dynamic changes in the expression of ChTLRs and associated signal adaptors in the spleen and cecum ofE. tenella-infected chickens during the early stage of infection. The results showed that the expression peak for ChTLRs, MyD88 and TRIF occurred at 12 h post-infection （hpi）, ChTLR3, ChTLRI 5 and MyD88 mRNA expression in the spleen ofE. tenella infected chickens were significantly higher （P〈0.05） than that of negative control chickens, and there were similar tendencies of these molecules expression in the cecum and spleen of E. tenella-infected chickens. The expression of MyD88 was upregnlated at four time points in the cecum of E. tenella-infected chickens. The results of this study indicate that ChTLR3, ChTLR15 and MyD88 play a role in young chickens infected with E. tenella.
基金Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation,No.81974124and Taishan Scholar Project,No.tsqn20161071.
文摘BACKGROUND Adaptor protein,phosphotyrosine interacting with PH domain and leucine zipper 1(APPL1)plays a crucial role in regulating insulin signaling and glucose metabolism.Mutations in the APPL1 gene have been associated with the development of maturity-onset diabetes of the young type 14(MODY14).Currently,only two mutations[c.1655T>A(p.Leu552*)and c.281G>A p.(Asp94Asn)]have been identified in association with this disease.Given the limited understanding of MODY14,it is imperative to identify additional cases and carry out comprehensive research on MODY14 and APPL1 mutations.AIM To assess the pathogenicity of APPL1 gene mutations in diabetic patients and to characterize the functional role of the APPL1 domain.METHODS Patients exhibiting clinical signs and a medical history suggestive of MODY were screened for the study.Whole exome sequencing was performed on the patients as well as their family members.The pathogenicity of the identified APPL1 variants was predicted on the basis of bioinformatics analysis.In addition,the pathogenicity of the novel APPL1 variant was preliminarily evaluated through in vitro functional experiments.Finally,the impact of these variants on APPL1 protein expression and the insulin pathway were assessed,and the potential mechanism underlying the interaction between the APPL1 protein and the insulin receptor was further explored.RESULTS A total of five novel mutations were identified,including four missense mutations(Asp632Tyr,Arg633His,Arg532Gln,and Ile642Met)and one intronic mutation(1153-16A>T).Pathogenicity prediction analysis revealed that the Arg532Gln was pathogenic across all predictions.The Asp632Tyr and Arg633His variants also had pathogenicity based on MutationTaster.In addition,multiple alignment of amino acid sequences showed that the Arg532Gln,Asp632Tyr,and Arg633His variants were conserved across different species.Moreover,in in vitro functional experiments,both the c.1894G>T(at Asp632Tyr)and c.1595G>A(at Arg532Gln)mutations were found to downregulate the expression of APPL1 on both protein and mRNA levels,indicating their pathogenic nature.Therefore,based on the patient’s clinical and family history,combined with the results from bioinformatics analysis and functional experiment,the c.1894G>T(at Asp632Tyr)and c.1595G>A(at Arg532Gln)mutations were classified as pathogenic mutations.Importantly,all these mutations were located within the phosphotyrosinebinding domain of APPL1,which plays a critical role in the insulin sensitization effect.CONCLUSION This study provided new insights into the pathogenicity of APPL1 gene mutations in diabetes and revealed a potential target for the diagnosis and treatment of the disease.
基金supported by the Structural Proteomics and Genomics of Human Genetic Disorders Project of Department of Atomic Energy
文摘Amyloid precursor protein intracellular domain （AICD） is one of the potential candidates in deciphering the complexity of Alzheimer＇s disease. It plays important roles in determining cell fate and neurodegeneration through its interactions with several adaptors. The pres- ence or absence of phosphorylation at specific sites determines the choice of partners. In this study, we identified 20 novel AICD- interacting proteins by in vitro pull down experiments followed by 2D gel electrophoresis and MALDI-MS analysis. The identified proteins can be grouped into different functional classes including molecular chaperones, structural proteins, signaling and transport molecules, adaptors, motor proteins and apoptosis determinants. Interactions of nine proteins were further validated either by colocal- ization using confocal imaging or by co-immunoprecipitation followed by immunoblotting. The cellular functions of most of the proteins can be correlated with AD. Hence, illustration of their interactions with AICD may shed some light on the disease pathophysiology.
文摘Microbial components and the endogenous molecules released from damaged cells can stimulate germ-line-encoded pattern recognition receptors(PRRs)to transduce signals to the hub of the innate immune signaling network-the adaptor proteins MyD88/TRIF/MAVS/STING/Caspase-1,where integrated signals relay to the relevant transcription factors IRF3/IRF7/NF-κB/AP-1 and the signal transducer and activator of tran-scription 6(STAT6)to trigger the expression of typeІinterferons and inflammatory cytokines or the assem-bly of inflammasomes.Most pleiotropic cytokines are secreted and bind to specific receptors,activating the signaling pathways including JAK-STAT for the prolif-eration,differentiation and functional capacity of im-mune cells.This review focuses on several critical adaptors in innate immune signaling cascades and recent progress in their molecular mechanisms.
文摘Toll-like receptor 4(TLR4) and protease-activated receptor 2(PAR2) play pivotal roles in the mammalian innate immune response.Notably,in addition to their involvement in detection of invading pathogens,PAR2 and TLR4 modulate the levels of cell death-induced sterile inflammation by activating pro-or anti-inflammatory downstream signaling cascades.Within the central nervous system,there is emerging evidence that both receptors are involved in synaptic transmission and brain plasticity.Furthermore,due to their prominent role in mediating neuroinflammation,PAR2 and TLR4 are associated with development and progression of neurodegenerative disorders including but not limited to Alzheimer's disease,Parkinson's disease and multiple sclerosis.In this article,we summarise the current knowledge on the cooperation between PAR2 and TLR4,discuss the potential cross-talk levels and highlight the impact of the cross-coupling on neuroinflammation.
基金United States Department of Veterans Affairs,VA Merit Grant,No.BX002695United States National Institute of Health,No.R01AG055359,No.R01GM126181 and No.R01NS39041-15.
文摘BACKGROUND Acute pancreatitis(AP)and recurring AP are serious health care problems causing excruciating pain and potentially lethal outcomes due to sepsis.The validated caerulein-(CAE)induced mouse model of acute/recurring AP produces secondary persistent hypersensitivity and anxiety-like behavioral changes for study.AIM To determine efficacy of acetyl-L-carnitine(ALC)to reduce pain-related behaviors and brain microglial activation along the pain circuitry in CAE-pancreatitis.METHODS Pancreatitis was induced with 6 hly intraperitoneal(i.p.)injections of CAE(50μg/kg),3 d a week for 6 wk in male C57BL/6J mice.Starting in week 4,mice received either vehicle or ALC until experiment’s end.Mechanical hypersensitivity was assessed with von Frey filaments.Heat hypersensitivity was determined with the hotplate test.Anxiety-like behavior was tested in week 6 using elevated plus maze and open field tests.Microglial activation in brain was quantified histologically by immunostaining for ionized calcium-binding adaptor molecule 1(Iba1).RESULTS Mice with CAE-induced pancreatitis had significantly reduced mechanical withdrawal thresholds and heat response latencies,indicating ongoing pain.Treatment with ALC attenuated inflammation-induced hypersensitivity,but hypersensitivity due to abdominal wall injury caused by repeated intraperitoneal injections persisted.Animals with pancreatitis displayed spontaneous anxiety-like behavior in the elevated plus maze compared to controls.Treatment with ALC resulted in increased numbers of rearing activity events,but time spent in“safety”was not changed.After all the abdominal injections,pancreata were translucent if excised at experiment’s end and opaque if excised on the subsequent day,indicative of spontaneous healing.Post mortem histopathological analysis performed on pancreas sections stained with Sirius Red and Fast Green identified wide-spread fibrosis and acinar cell atrophy in sections from mice with CAE-induced pancreatitis that was not rescued by treatment with ALC.Microglial Iba1 immunostaining was significantly increased in hippocampus,thalamus(intralaminar nuclei),hypothalamus,and amygdala of mice with CAE-induced pancreatitis compared to naïve controls but unchanged in the primary somatosensory cortex compared to naïves.CONCLUSION CAE-induced pancreatitis caused increased pain-related behaviors,pancreatic fibrosis,and brain microglial changes.ALC alleviated CAE-induced mechanical and heat hypersensitivity but not abdominal wall injury-induced hypersensitivity caused by the repeated injections.
基金The University of Technology Sydney(UTS)Start-up Research Grant 2018 funded this study(to AC)。
文摘Evidence suggests that rapid changes to supporting glia may predispose individuals with spinal cord injury(SCI) to such comorbidities. Here, we interrogated the expression of astrocyte-and microglial-specific markers glial fibrillary acidic protein(GFAP) and ionized calcium binding adaptor molecule 1(Iba1) in the rat brain in the first 24 hours following SCI. Female Sprague-Dawley rats underwent thoracic laminectomy;half of the rats received a mild contusion injury at the level of the T10 vertebral body(SCI group), the other half did not(Sham group). Twenty-four hours post-surgery the amygdala, periaqueductal grey, prefrontal cortex, hypothalamus, lateral thalamus, hippocampus(dorsal and ventral) in rats were collected. GFAP and Iba1 m RNA and protein levels were measured by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction and Western blot. In SCI rats, GFAP m RNA and protein expression increased in the amygdala and hypothalamus. In contrast, gene and protein expression decreased in the thalamus and dorsal hippocampus. Interestingly, Iba1 transcripts and proteins were significantly diminished only in the dorsal and ventral hippocampus, where gene expression diminished. These findings demonstrate that as early as 24 hours post-SCI there are region-specific disruptions of GFAP and Iba1 transcript and protein levels in higher brain regions. All procedures were approved by the University of Technology Sydney Institutional Animal Care and Ethics Committee(UTS ACEC13-0069).
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China,No.81271387the Research Special Fund of Public Welfare and Health Department of China,No.201402009a grant form the National Key Technology R&D Program in China,No.Z141107002514031
文摘The neuroprotective effect against spinal cord ischemia/reperfusion injury in rats exerted by delayed xenon post-conditioning is stronger than that produced by immediate xenon post-conditioning. However, the mechanisms underlying this process remain unclear. Activated microglia are the main inflammatory cell type in the nervous system. The release of pro-inflammatory factors following microglial activation can lead to spinal cord damage, and inhibition of microglial activation can relieve spinal cord ischemia/reperfusion injury. To investigate how xenon regulates microglial activation and the release of inflammatory factors, a rabbit model of spinal cord ischemia/reperfusion injury was induced by balloon occlusion of the infrarenal aorta. After establishment of the model, two interventions were given： （1） immediate xenon post-conditioning—after reperfusion, inhalation of 50% xenon for 1 hour, 50% N2/50%O2 for 2 hours; （2） delayed xenon post-conditioning—after reperfusion, inhalation of 50% N2/50%O2 for 2 hours, 50% xenon for 1 hour. At 4, 8, 24, 48 and 72 hours after reperfusion, hindlimb locomotor function was scored using the Jacobs locomotor scale. At 72 hours after reperfusion, interleukin 6 and interleukin 10 levels in the spinal cord of each group were measured using western blot assays. Iba1 levels were determined using immunohistochemistry and a western blot assay. The number of normal neurons at the injury site was quantified using hematoxylin-eosin staining. At 72 hours after reperfusion, delayed xenon post-conditioning remarkably enhanced hindlimb motor function, increased the number of normal neurons at the injury site, decreased Iba1 levels, and inhibited interleukin-6 and interleukin-10 levels in the spinal cord.Immediate xenon post-conditioning did not noticeably affect the above-mentioned indexes. These findings indicate that delayed xenon post-conditioning after spinal cord injury improves the recovery of neurological function by reducing microglial activation and the release of interleukin-6 and interleukin-10.
文摘AIM:To examine the expression of downstream of tyrosine kinase(DOK)1-6 genes in normal and breast cancer tissue and correlated this with several clinicopathological and prognostic factors.METHODS:DOK1-6 m RNA extraction and reverse transcription were performed on fresh frozen breast cancer tissue samples(n = 112) and normal background breast tissue(n = 31). Tissues were collected between 1991 and 1996 at two centres and all patients underwent mastectomy and ipsilateral axillary node dissection. All tissues were randomly numbered and the details were only made known after all analyses were completed. Transcript levels of expression were determined using real-time polymerase chain reaction and analyzed against TNM stage, tumour grade and clinical outcome over a 10-year follow-up period.RESULTS:DOK-2 and DOK-6 expression decreased with increasing TNM stage. DOK-6 expression decreased with increasing Nottingham Prognostic Index(NPI) [NPI-1 vs NPI-3(mean copy number 15.4 vs 0.22, 95%CI:2.7-27.6, P = 0.018) and NPI-2 vs NPI-3(mean copy number 7.6 vs 0.22, 95%CI:0.1-14.6, P = 0.048)]. After a median follow up period of 10 years, higherlevels of DOK-2 expression were found among patients who remained disease-free compared to those who developed local or distant recurrence(mean copy number 3.94 vs 0.0000096, 95%CI:1.0-6.85, P = 0.0091), and distant recurrence(mean copy number 3.94 vs 0.0025, 95%CI:1.0-6.84, P = 0.0092). Patients who remained disease-free had higher levels of DOK-6 expression compared to those who died from breast cancer.CONCLUSION:Decreasing expression levels of DOK-2 and DOK-6 with increased breast tumour progression supports the notion that DOK-2 and DOK-6 behave as tumour suppressors in human breast cancer.
基金National Natural Science Foundations of China(Nos.61272083,61262002,61170043)China Postdoctoral Science Foundation(Nos.20110491411,2014M562177)The Science Foundations of Nanjing Institute of Technology,China(Nos.QKJB201304,YKJ201420)
文摘Most of the existing approaches focus on identifying mismatches and synthesizing adaptors at design-time or recently at run-time. However, few works have been proposed to support adaptor reconfiguration when services in the composition evolve due to changes in business needs. To address the deficiencies, the problem of adaptor reconfiguration is targeted in the context of service composition. Firstly, the formal models for describing services and adaptors are presented. Then, under this formalization,the notion of reconfiguration compliance is proposed to determine the validity of an adaptor instance with respect to its history executions and future executions. Based on the notion,the algorithm for reconfiguration analysis of adaptors is presented and it can be used for determining the migratability of an adaptor instance and the corresponding target state of reconfiguration if migratable.Finally,feasibility of the proposed approach is validated on a realistic case study. The proposed approach improves the flexibility of adaptor-based service composition by equipping adaptors with reconfiguration capabilities.
文摘Podocytes covering the glomerular basement mem-brane over the glomerular capillary consist of three morphologically and functionally different segments, the cell body, major processes and extending finger-like foot processes （FPs）. The FPs of neighboring podo-cytes are connected by a continuous adherent junction structure named the slit diaphragm （SD）. The extracel-lular SD is linked to the intracellular, a highly dynamic, cytoskeleton through adaptor proteins. These adaptor proteins, such as CD2-associated protein, zonula oc-cludens 1, β-catenin, Nck and p130Cas, located at the intracellular SD insertion area near lipid rafts, have important structural and functional roles. Adaptor pro-teins in podocytes play important roles as a structural component of the podocyte structure, linking the SD to the cytoskeletal structure and as a signaling platform sending signals from the SD to the actin cytoskeleton. This review discusses the roles of adaptor proteins in the podocyte cytoskeletal structure and signaling from the SD to the actin cytoskeleton.
基金a grant from the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.C30672432,No.30772330)the Natural Science Foundation of Chongqing City(No.2007BB5319)the Japan-China Sasakawa Medical Fellowship
文摘Objective： The mucus production is an indicator for the histological grade of mucinous epithelial ovarian cancer （mEOC）. In our previous study, Crk expression was targeted in the human ovarian mucinous adenocarcinoma cell line MCAS through RNA interference, resulting in the establishment of Crk knock down cells. These cells exhibited decreased tumorigenic potential both in vitro and in vivo. The purpose of this study was to investigate if there is any change in the capability of forming mucus in these Crk knock down cells. Methods： Cytoplasmic periodic acid Schiff （PAS） staining and particle excluding assay were conducted to assess the mucus formation within and around cells, respectively. Additionally, the amount of mucus formed in tumor lumps from nude mice model was measured following HE and PAS staining. Results： The increased mucus production in Crk knockdown mEOC cells （MCAS） was manifested by increased number of enlarged cells filled with vacuoles-like mucus observed by phase-contrast microscope and cytoplasmic PAS staining; and enhanced mucus secretion was represented by the assembly of pericellular matrix in particle excluding assay and increased mucus area in tumor lumps from nude mice models. Conclusion： The course of carcinogenesis in mEOC is associated with the altered pattern of mucus production and secretion. The adaptor protein Crk is implicated in both pathways.
基金This work was supported by grants from The National Natural Science Foundation of China （No. 81071730, 91019012, 31071128）.
文摘Normal epithelial cells that lose the integrindependent anchorage to their extracellular matrix trigger anoikis,while metastatic tumor cells bypass anoikis pathway, which is one of the key events to achieve the metastasis. Physiological role of anoikis is also involved during embryonic development and tissue homeostasis, suggesting that anoikis must be strictly regulated at some level. Despite its importance, the molecular pathways involved in the regulation of anoikis and the proximal signals reporting loss of anchorage are poorly understood. Recent studies suggest an adaptor protein p66Shc, localizing at focal adhesions,mediates anoikis through activation of RhoA. However, expression of p66Shc is inadequate in metastatic cancer cells, failing to initiate anoikis and promoting tumor metastasis. Reexpression of proapoptotic protein p66Shc can restore the susceptibility to anoikis.Thus, p66Shc may be a potential target molecule for diagnosis of tumor metastasis and for tumor treatment.
基金supported by grants from the Natural Science Foundation of Hubei(No.2020CFB392)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.82100115,No.82100116 and No.82070431).
文摘Objective T cell receptor-associated transmembrane adaptor 1(TRAT1)is one of the hub genes regulating T cell receptors(TCRs).Herein,the roles of TRAT1 in the prognosis and immune microenvironment of non-small cell lung cancer(NSCLC)were investigated.Methods The expression and prognosis values of TRAT1 in NSCLC,and the relationship between TRAT1 expression levels and cancer immune cell infiltration was identified via the TIMER,UALCAN,TISIDB,and other databases.The mechanism of TRAT1 in NSCLC was analyzed using gene set enrichment analysis(GSEA).Results The expression level of TRAT1 was decreased in NSCLC tissues.Low TRAT1 expression was associated with shorter overall survival of patients with NSCLC and was related to gender,smoking,and tumor grade.TRAT1 was involved in regulating immune response,TCR signaling pathway,PI3K/AKT,and other processes.TRAT1 expression levels were positively correlated with immune cell infiltration in NSCLC.Conclusion Down-regulation of TRAT1 expression was associated with an unfavorable prognosis and immune infiltration of NSCLC.
基金supported by funds from the Research Grants Council Hong KongHealth and Medical Research Fund(Hong Kong)+2 种基金the Chinese University of Hong Kong(CUHK) direct grant schemethe United College endowment fundthe TUYF Charitable Trust
文摘The brain is the third largest organ in the human body and consists of over80 billion neurons（Herculano-Houzel,2009）.Neurons are interconnected by neurite to form a complex neural network that allows the communication of neurons to regulate different body functions and activities.Neurites,body.
