1.Cloning and synthesis of a new A-superfamily conotoxin Bt14.10
Fei WANG ; Longxiao ZHANG ; Liang LI ; Zhuguo LIU ; Qiuyun DAI
Military Medical Sciences 2014;(8):598-601
Objective To clone a new conotoxin Bt14.10 from Conus betulinus derived from the South China Sea, synthesize the peptide , and to determine linkage of its disulfide bridges .Methods The genomic DNA was extracted from C.betulinus venom duct while the Bt14.10 sequence was cloned using primers designed based on the untranslated region and intron.The peptide was then synthesized using solid-phase method and folded into the target product whose disulfide bridge connection was further determined by two-step oxidative folding .Results A novel conotoxin designated as Bt 14.10 (CAHSVPGMHPCKCNNTC-NH2) was obtained,the disulfide connectivity of which was C1-C3,C2-C4.Conclusion Bt14.10 is a new A-superfamily conotoxin and has a distinct loop spacing pattern between cysteines in A-superfamily conotoxins.
2.Cloning, synthesis and target identification of a novel α-conotoxin Lt1.1
Huying NING ; Liang LI ; Longxiao ZHANG ; Zhuguo LIU ; Qiuyun DAI
Military Medical Sciences 2017;41(5):334-337
Objective To discover novel conopeptides which are the antagonists of neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) in order to contribute to the development of novel analgesic drugs and neuropharmacological probes.Methods Based on the conserved untranslated region and intron of A-superfamily conotoxins,a novel α-conotoxin Lt1.1 was cloned from Conus litteratus.The peptide-resin was synthesized using the solid-phased method and was cleaved.The resulting linear peptide was oxidized by air to give the product containing disulfide bridges.The folding product was finally purified by HPLC.The disulfide bond connectivity was determined using the two-step oxidative folding methods.The cRNA of rat nAChRs was expressed on the membrane of Xenopus oocyte.Membrane currents were recorded using the two electrode voltage-clamp technique.Results A novel α-conotoxin designated as Lt1.1(GCCSHPACNVNNPDIC-NH2) was cloned and its disulfide connectivity was C1-C3,C2-C4.Lt1.1 selectively inhibited the α3β2 and α3β4 nAChRs with an IC50 of 166.76 and 190.00 nmol/L,respectively.Conclusion Lt1.1 is a novel 4/7 α-conotoxin that selectively targets α3β2 and α3β4 nAChRs.
3.Effectsofnucleusaccumbensablativesurgeryonamplitudeoflow-frequencyfluctuationsofbrain inheroindependentpatients:aresting-statefunctionalmagneticresonanceimagingstudy
Fan WANG ; Xiaohuai LI ; Feng HU ; Jing CHEN ; Wei LIU ; Jiajie CHEN ; Qiang LI ; Longxiao WEI ; Wei WANG
Journal of Practical Radiology 2019;35(7):1034-1037,1053
Objective Toinvestigatethechangesinbrainfunctionofheroindependentindividualsafternucleusaccumbens(NAC) ablativesurgery.Methods Twenty-fourheroindependentindividualsafterNACablativesurgery(NACgroup),27heroindependent individualsinshort-termabstinence(HDgroup)and32healthycontrol(HCgroup)wereincludedaresting-statefMRIstudy.Amplitudeoflow-frequencyfluctuations(ALFF)valuesofeachparticipantswerecalculated.DiffernecesinALFFvalueamongthethreegroupswere analyzed by One-Way ANOVA .Results Brain regions with statistically significant A L F F differences a m ong the three groups included left cerebellum,rightposteriorcentralgyrus,leftcaudatenucleus,rightmiddlefrontalgyrus,leftcuneusandbilateralinferiortemporal gyrusI.ntherightcentralposteriorgyrus,theALFFvalueofHDgroupwaslowerthanthatofNACandHCgroupI.ntheleftcerebellum,the ALFFvalueofHDgroupwashigherthanthatofNACandHCgrouprespectivelyI.nbilateralinferiortemporalgyrusandleftcaudatenucleus, ALFFvaluesofNACandHDgroupswerelowerthanHCgroup.ALFFvaluesofNACandHDgroupswerehigherthanHCgroup inrightmedialfrontalgyrusandleftcuneus.Conclusion InheroindependentindividualsafterNACablativesurgery,theALFFvaluesofleft cerebellumandrightposteriorcentralgyrustendtobenormal.NodifferenceinALFFvalueinregionsofdefaultmodenetworkbetweenNACand HDgroups.
4.Clinical Characteristics and Influencing Factors of Rheumatoid Arthritis in Patients with Cold Dampness Obstruction Syndrome
Yanyu CHEN ; Yanqi LI ; Longxiao LIU ; Liubo ZHANG ; Tianyi LAN ; Nan ZHANG ; Cheng XIAO ; Yuan XU ; Qingwen TAO
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2025;31(3):140-146
ObjectiveTo study the clinical characteristics and influencing factors of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in the patients with cold dampness obstruction syndrome. MethodsThe RA patients treated in the Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Rheumatology of the China-Japan Friendship Hospital from August 2022 to June 2024 were selected. The demographic information, clinical data, laboratory test results, and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) symptom information were collected for syndrome differentiation, on the basis of which the characteristics and influencing factors of cold dampness obstruction syndrome were analyzed. ResultsA total of 258 RA patients were selected in this study, including 88 (34.1%) patients with cold dampness obstruction syndrome, 53 (20.5%) patients with dampness and heat obstruction syndrome, 31 (12.0%) patients with wind dampness obstruction syndrome, 29 (11.2%) patients with liver-kidney deficiency syndrome, 19 (7.4%) patients with Qi-blood deficiency syndrome, 14 (5.4%) patients with phlegm-stasis obstruction syndrome, 15 (5.8%) patients with stasis obstructing collateral syndrome and 9 (3.5%) patients with Qi-Yin deficiency syndrome. The patients were assigned into two groups of cold dampness obstruction syndrome and other syndromes. The group of cold dampness obstruction syndrome had lower joint fever, 28-tender joint count (TJC28), and 28-joint disease activity score (DAS28)-C-reactive protein (CRP) and higher central sensitization, cold feeling of joints, fear of wind and cold, cold limbs, and abdominal distention than the group of other syndromes (P<0.05). The binary logistic regression analysis showed that central sensitization (OR 5.749, 95%CI 2.116-15.616, P<0.001) and DAS28-CRP (OR 0.600, 95% CI 0.418-0.862, P=0.006) were the independent factors influencing cold dampness obstruction syndrome in RA. ConclusionCold dampness obstruction syndrome is a common syndrome in RA patients. It is associated with central sensitization, cold feeling of joints, abdominal distension and may be a clinical syndrome associated with central sensitization.
5.Establishment and Evaluation of Animal Model of Acute Myocardial Infarction with Syndrome of Qi and Yin Deficiency
Yunxiao GAO ; Qiuyan ZHANG ; Juqin PENG ; Hao GUO ; Xiaoxiao CHEN ; Wei HAO ; Longxiao HU ; Yali SHI ; Junguo REN ; Jianxun LIU
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2024;30(4):134-142
ObjectiveTo explore the establishment and evaluation methods of the rat model of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in coronary heart disease with the syndrome of Qi and Yin deficiency by sleep deprivation (SD) combined with isoproterenol (ISO) and preliminarily explore its biological basis. MethodForty SD rats were assigned into normal (no treatment), SD (treatment in modified multi-platform water environment for 96 h), ISO (subcutaneous injection of ISO at 100 mg·kg-1 once every other day for a total of 2 times), and SD+ISO (injection of 100 mg·kg-1 ISO after SD for 72 h and 96 h) groups. The cardiac function was detected by small animal echocardiography. The serum levels of creatine kinase (CK), creatine kinase isoenzyme (CK-MB), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and cardiac troponin T (cTnT) were measured by biochemical methods. The pathological changes of the myocardial tissue were observed by hematoxylin-eosin staining. The general state, body weight, grip strength, body temperature, behaviors in open field test, serum levels of cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP), cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP), cAMP/cGMP ratio, red (R), green (G), blue (B) values of the tongue surface, and pulse amplitude were observed and measured to evaluate the modeling results. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was employed to determine the serum levels of interleukin-18 (IL-18), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), superoxide dismutase (SOD), malondialdehyde (MDA), corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF), adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), triiodothyronine (T3), tetraiodothyronine (T4), cluster of differentiation 4 (CD4), and cluster of differentiation 8 (CD8). ResultIn terms of disease indicators, the ISO and SD+ISO groups had lower cardiac function indicators than the normal group (P<0.01). The levels of CK, CM-MB, LDH and cTnT elevated in each model group compared with the normal group (P<0.01). The pathological changes of myocardial tissue were obvious in the ISO and SD+ISO groups. In terms of syndrome indicators, compared with the normal group, the SD and SD+ISO groups showed decreased body weight at each time point (P<0.01), and the ISO group showed decreased body weight at the time points of 48 h and 72 h (P<0.05, P<0.01). The paw temperature and rectal temperature increased in the SD group (P<0.01). The model groups showed weakened grasp strength, lowered R, G, and B values of the tongue surface (P<0.01), prolonged immobility time (P<0.01), reduced total distance and number of entering the central area (P<0.01), decreased average speed (P<0.05, P<0.01), and increased cAMP and cGMP (P<0.05, P<0.01). The cAMP/cGMP ratio was increased in the SD+ISO group (P<0.01), and the pulse amplitude was decreased in the SD and SD+ISO groups (P<0.01). In terms of serological indicators,compared with the normal group, the levels of IL-18, TNF-α, SOD and MDA were significantly increased in the ISO and SD+ISO groups (P<0.01), the CRF, ACTH, CORT, T3, T4, CD4 and CD8 in the model groups were increased (P<0.05, P<0.01). ConclusionSleep deprivation for 96 h combined with high-dose ISO can successfully establish a rat model of acute myocardial infarction in coronary heart disease with the syndrome of Qi and Yin deficiency. The model evaluation system can be built with disease indicators of western medicine, histopathological indicators, macroscopic indicators of traditional Chinese medicine, and serological indicators.