The monoamine oxidase mutant A-1 (F210V/L213C) from Aspergillus niger showed some catalytic activity on mexiletine. To futher improve its activity, the mutant was subjected to directed evolution with MegaWHOP PCR (Megaprimer PCR of Whole Plasmid) and selection employing a high-throughput agar plate-based colorimetric screen. This approach led to the identification of a mutant ep-1, which specific activity was 189% of that for A-1. The ep-1 also showed significantly improved enantioselectivity, with the E value increased from 101 to 282; its kinetic k(cat)/K(m) value increased from 0.001 51 mmol/(L x s) to 0.002 89 mmol/(L x s), suggesting that catalytic efficiency of ep-1 had been improved. The mutant showed obviously higher specific activities on 7 of all tested 11 amines substrates, and the others were comparable. Sequence analysis revealed that there was a new mutation T162A on ep-1. The molecular dynamics simulation indicated that T162A may affect the secondary structure of the substrate channel and expand the binding pocket.
Aspergillus niger ; enzymology ; Catalysis ; Kinetics ; Monoamine Oxidase ; genetics ; metabolism ; Mutation ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Protein Engineering ; Protein Structure, Secondary ; Substrate Specificity

Objective:To study the anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects of different solvent extracts of Folium Pyrrosiae. Meth-ods:Water extract and 75% alcohol extract of Folium Pyrrosiae were obtained. Mouse auricle swelling model induced by xylene was used to observe the anti-inflammation. The analgesic effect was tested by acetic acid writhing test and hot plate test. Results:The eth-anol extract of Folium Pyrrosiae could markedly inhibit the mouse auricle swelling induced by xylene (P<0. 01), and had the ability to inhibit the twisting induced by acetic acid in the mice (P <0. 05). The ethanol extract of Folium Pyrrosiae could increase the threshold of pain in the mice significantly after the 1-hour and 2-hour treatment (P<0. 05). The water extract of Folium Pyrrosiae could inhibit the mouse auricle swelling induced by xylene and the writhing reaction induced by acetic acid (P<0. 05). The water ex-tract of Folium Pyrrosiae could increase the threshold of pain in the mice significantly after the 1-hour treatment (P<0. 05). Conclu-sion:Folium Pyrrosiae has obvious analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects.

Objective The aim of this study was to investigate the co-operative role of HGF and IL-1ra in metastatic processes by interactions between colon cancer cells and stromal cells in their microenvironment.Methods Expression of IL-1α,HGF and c-Met mRNA and proteins were determined by RT-PCR and Western blot.The effect of HGF on metastatic potential was evaluated by proliferation,invasion,and angiogenesis assays using an in vitro system consisting of co-cultured tumor cells and stromal cells.Results IL-1α expression was closely correlated with metastatic potential,and cancer cell-derived IL-1α significantly promoted HGF expression by fibroblasts (P ＜ 0.01).HGF enhanced the migration and proliferation of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs),and angiogenesis (P ＜ 0.01).The high liver-metastatic colon cancer cell line (HT-29),which secretes IL-1 α,significantly enhanced angiogenesis compared to the low liver-metastatic cell line (CaCo-2),which does not produce IL-1 α (P ＜ 0.01).IL-1 ra significantly inhibit migration,proliferation and angiogenesis (P ＜ 0.01).Conclusions Autocrine IL-1α and paracrine HGF enhance the metastatic potential of colon cancer cells;IL-1ra inhibit the metastatic potential of colon cancer cells by blocking IL-1α and HGF signaling pathways.

To investigate the relationship between the plasma biomarker proteins and the states of Zang-Fu organs in patients with phlegm or blood stagnation syndromes due to hyperlipidemia and atherosclerosis.

OBJECTIVETo explore the effect of colon cancer cell-derived interleukin-1α on the migration and proliferation of human umbilical vein endothelial cells as well as the role of IL-1α and IL-1ra in the angiogenesis process.

METHODSWestern blot was used to detect the expression of IL-1α and IL-1R1 protein in the colon cancer cell lines with different liver metastatic potential. We also examined how IL-1α and IL-1ra influence the proliferation and migration of umbilical vascular endothelial cells assessed by PreMix WST-1 assay and migration assay, respectively. Double layer culture technique was used to detect the effect of IL-1α on the proliferation and migration of vascular endothelial cells and the effect of IL-1ra on the vascular endothelial cells.

RESULTSWestern blot analysis showed that IL-1α protein was only detected in highly metastatic colon cancer HT-29 and WiDr cells, but not in the lowly metastatic CaCo-2 and CoLo320 cells.Migration assay showed that there were significant differences in the number of penetrated cells between the control (17.9±3.6) and 1 ng/ml rIL-1α group (23.2±4.2), 10 ng/ml rIL-1α group (31.7±4.5), and 100 ng/ml rIL-1α group (38.6±4.9), showing that it was positively correlated with the increasing concentration of rIL-1α (P<0.01 for all). The proliferation assay showed that the absorbance values were 1.37±0.18 in the control group, and 1.79±0.14 in the 1 ng/ml rIL-1α group, 2.14±0.17 in the 10 ng/ml rIL-1α group, and 2.21±0.23 in the 100 ng/ml rIL-1α group, showing a positive correlation with the increasing concentration of rIL-1α(P<0.01 for all). IL-1ra significantly inhibited the proliferation and migration of vascular endothelial cells (P<0.01). The levels of VEGF protein were (1.697±0.072) ng/ml, (3.507±0.064)ng/ml and (4.139±0.039)ng/ml in the control, HUVECs+ IL-1α and HUVECs+ HT-29 co-culture system groups, respectively, showing a significant difference between the control and HUVECs+ 10 pg/ml rIL-1α groups and between the control and HUVECs+ HT-29 groups (P<0.01 for both).

CONCLUSIONSOur findings indicate that colon cancer cell-derived IL-1α plays an important role in the liver metastasis of colon cancer through increased VEGF level of the colon cancer cells and enhanced vascular endothelial cells proliferation, migration and angiogenesis, while IL-1ra can suppress the effect of IL-1α and inhibit the angiogenesis in colon cancer.

Blotting, Western ; Caco-2 Cells ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Movement ; physiology ; Cell Proliferation ; physiology ; Coculture Techniques ; Colonic Neoplasms ; blood supply ; metabolism ; pathology ; Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells ; cytology ; Humans ; Interleukin 1 Receptor Antagonist Protein ; metabolism ; physiology ; Interleukin-1alpha ; metabolism ; physiology ; Liver Neoplasms ; secondary ; Neovascularization, Pathologic ; etiology

Objective To summarize the preliminary application results of ultrasound-guided biliary drainage tube replacement, present the corresponding technical points, and discuss the operation strategy and clinical application value. Methods The clinical data of 60 patients who underwent ultrasound-guided biliary drainage tube replacement in Qilu Hospital of Shandong University between August 2014 and August 2020 were retrospectively analyzed. The operation procedure, clinical applications, and postoperative complications were summarized and analyzed. Results Fifty-eight of the 60 patients (96.67%) were successfully replaced with drainage tubes along the original sinus. Among them, dilated sinus tracts of 47 patients were placed with coarse-grade drainage tubes, and dilated sinus tracts of the remaining 11 patients were placed with the original type of drainage tubes, with the mean operation time of 15.8(12.0-19.0) min under local anesthesia. In total, bile was drained from 28 patients receiving PTCD drainage, 23 patients receiving gallbladder drainage, and 9 patients receiving T-tube drainage. The post-operation evaluation revealed that the drainage situation has improved, with a 100% effective rate. No obvious abnormality was found in the postoperative follow-up visit. Conclusion The replacement of drainage tube under ultrasound guidance is simple, safe and feasible, and it provides further promotion in clinical practice with sufficient data support.