Staphylococcus aureus is the most important Gram-positive colonizer of human skin and nasal passage, causing high morbidity and mortality. SD-repeat containing protein D (SdrD), an MSCRAMM (Microbial Surface Components Recognizing Adhesive Matrix Molecules) family surface protein, plays an important role in S. aureus adhesion and pathogenesis, while its binding target and molecular mechanism remain largely unknown. Here we solved the crystal structures of SdrD N2-N3 domain and N2-N3-B1 domain. Through structural analysis and comparisons, we characterized the ligand binding site of SdrD, and proposed a featured sequence motif of its potential ligands. In addition, the structures revealed for the first time the interactions between B1 domain and N2-N3 domain among B domain-containing MSCRAMMs. Our results may help in understanding the roles SdrD plays in S. aureus adhesion and shed light on the development of novel antibiotics.
Amino Acid Sequence ; Bacterial Proteins ; chemistry ; genetics ; metabolism ; Binding Sites ; Calcium ; chemistry ; metabolism ; Calcium-Binding Proteins ; chemistry ; genetics ; metabolism ; Hydrogen Bonding ; Ligands ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Protein Binding ; Protein Structure, Tertiary ; Receptors, Cell Surface ; chemistry ; metabolism ; Recombinant Proteins ; biosynthesis ; chemistry ; genetics ; Sequence Alignment ; Staphylococcus aureus ; metabolism

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the expression and the relativity of RECK,RAGE and MMP-9 in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) tissues. METHOD: RECK, RAGE and MMP-9 were detected with immunohistochemical methods in 64 NPC specimens(30 cases with cervical lymph nodes metastasis, while the other 34 cases are not) and 30 specimens with chronic nasopharyngitis. RESULT: RECK hardly expressed in chronic nasopharyngitis and NPC tissues, However, strong expression of RECK could be seen in the surrounding inflammatory cells and matrix of cancer nests. The positive rates of RECK in NPC with and without cervical lymph nodes metastasis were 3.3% (1/30) and 11.8% (4/34), separately, There was no statistical significance between the groups (P > 0.05). The positive rates of RAGE in chronic nasopharyngitis and NPC tissues were 100% (30/30) and 70.3% (45/64) respectively, while MMP-9 were 46.7% (14/30) and 78.1% (50/64). The positive rates of RAGE in NPC with and without cervical lymph nodes metastasis were 86.7% (26/30) and 55.9% (19/34) separately, whereas MMP-9 were 90.0% (27/30) and 67.7% (23/34) respectively. They all showed statistical significance between the groups. MMP-9 had a negative correlation with RECK (r = -0.369, P < 0.05) and a positive correlation with RAGE in NPC (r = 0.471, P < 0.05). CONCLUSION The expression of RECK and RAGE in NPC were down-regulated, the expression of MMP-9 was up-regulated. While the expression of RECK in NPC with cervical lymph nodes metastasis was down-regulated, while RAGE and MMP-9 were up-regulated. The abnormal expression of the three genes may be related to the progression of NPC. RECK and RAGE may be involved in the invasion and metastasis of NPC by regulating the expression of MMP-9.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Female ; GPI-Linked Proteins ; metabolism ; Glycation End Products, Advanced ; metabolism ; Humans ; Male ; Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 ; metabolism ; Middle Aged ; Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Neoplasm Invasiveness ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; Receptor for Advanced Glycation End Products ; metabolism ; Receptors, Cell Surface ; biosynthesis ; Young Adult

Mammalian zona pellucida 3(ZP3) plays an important role in the induction of capacitating sperm acrosome reaction. In this study, we obtained the soluble mZP3 fusion protein and identified its immunoreactivity. mZP3 cDNA was cloned into plasmid pMAL-p2x, and the recombinant plasmid was transformed into Escherichia coli BL21. To get the soluble mZP3 fusion protein, we tried to optimize the expression conditions, including additives, IPTG concentrations, temperatures and induction duration. Then, Western blotting and ELISA were used to identify the immunoreactivity of the purified protein. Based on the optimization experiments, we concluded that the best soluble expression conditions for the mZP3 fusion protein involved incubation to an A600 of 0.6, addition of glucose to a final concentration of 0.02 mol/L, addition of IPTG to a final concentration of 0.6 mmol/L and then further incubation for 4 h at 25 degrees C. Western blotting and ELISA showed that the mZP3 fusion protein retained immunoreactivity. The fusion protein can be used as solubility antigens for developing the immunocontraception vaccines of mZP3 and detecting the immune effects of the vaccine.
Animals ; Egg Proteins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; immunology ; Escherichia coli ; genetics ; metabolism ; Female ; Membrane Glycoproteins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; immunology ; Mice ; Receptors, Cell Surface ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; immunology ; Recombinant Fusion Proteins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; immunology ; Solubility ; Vaccines, Contraceptive ; immunology ; Zona Pellucida Glycoproteins

GPR43 (G protein-coupled receptor 43) is a recently discovered short-chain free fatty acid receptor which plays important role in adipogenesis. Here we explored the transcriptional expression rule of GPR43 in porcine adipose tissue and primary cultured adipocytes. Partial cDNA of GPR43 was successfully cloned from swine by RT-PCR and the expression profile of GPR43 mRNA was studied from different types, different growing stages, and different sites of porcine adipose tissue as well as porcine primary cultured adipocytes. The results showed that porcine GPR43 shared high homology with human (89%), mouse (84%) and rat (83%). The expression level of GPR43 mRNA was significantly higher in adipose tissue of obese pigs than that of lean pigs, and also the expression level gradually increased with age. Further, the abundance of GPR43 mRNA level was higher in subcutaneous fat than in visceral fat. In addition, during the adipocytes differentiation, the expression of GPR43 mRNA increased in a time-dependent manner. These data indicated that GPR43 gene expression was relate to the site of adipose tissue, economic type, and age of pig as well as differentiating state of adipocytes, implying that GPR43 can be a potential factor to regulate adipogenesis.
Adipocytes ; cytology ; metabolism ; Adipose Tissue ; metabolism ; Animals ; Cells, Cultured ; DNA, Complementary ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Gene Expression Profiling ; Humans ; RNA, Messenger ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Receptors, Cell Surface ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Swine ; Transcription, Genetic

OBJECTIVESTo study the fibrinolytic activity and the expression of uPAR and Annexin II in leukemic cell lines and their alterations on all-trans retinoic acid ( ATRA) treatment.

METHODSThe fibrinolytic activity was measured by chromogenic assay in NB4, SHI-1, K562, Jurkat and Raji cell lines. The protein expression of uPAR and Annexin II on cells surface and the mRNA expression of uPAR and Annexin II in cells of these cell lines were detected using flow cytometry and RT-PCR method respectively.

RESULTSThe plasmin activity in supernatant was increased significantly after incubation of SHI-1 and NB4 cells with plasminogen. The plasmin activity of NB4 cells was obviously decreased by ATRA. The plasmin activity of NB4 and SHI-1 cells was significantly decreased by uPAR monoclonal antibodies. The expressions of uPAR and Annexin II and their mRNA in SHI-1 and NB4 cells were higher than that in other cell lines. ATRA could remarkably decrease the expressions of Annexin II and uPAR and their mRNA in NB4 cells.

CONCLUSIONIn leukemia cell lines, NB4 and SHI-1 cells have stronger fibrinolytic activity. Both Annexin II and uPAR on the leukemic cell membranes might contribute to this activity. The high fibrinolytic activity can be corrected by ATRA by down-regulating Annexin I and uPAR mRNA and protein expression in NB4 cells.

Annexin A2 ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Fibrinolysis ; drug effects ; Humans ; Leukemia ; metabolism ; pathology ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; Receptors, Cell Surface ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Receptors, Urokinase Plasminogen Activator ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Tretinoin ; pharmacology

The present study was aimed to analyze the immunogenicity of recombinant human zona pellucida-3 peptides (r-huZP3a(22 approximately 176) and r-huZP3b(177 approximately 348)) expressed in E. coli through immunizing rabbits, and to evaluate the efficacy of their polyclonal antisera against r-huZP3a(22 approximately 176) and r-huZP3b(177 approximately 348) to inhibit in vitro human sperm-egg binding respectively. Male New Zealand rabbits were immunized using r-huZP3a(22 approximately 176) or r-huZP3b(177 approximately 348) as antigen respectively, which was purified through an improved method of preparative gel polyacryulamide gel electrophoresis. The antibody response level of r-huZP3a(22 approximately 176) or r-huZP3b(177 approximately 348) immunogen in rabbits was determined by ELISA using mouse ZP3-5 (amino acid sequence(137 approximately 150) being completely conserved with huZP3(138 approximately 151) sequence) and specific huZP3-14 (amino acid sequence(327 approximately 340)) synthetic peptides as coating antigens respectively. The immunoreactivity and specificity of the anti-r-huZP3a(22 approximately 176) and anti-r-huZP3b(177 approximately 348) antisera with each r-huZP3 peptides, were tested by immunoblot and immunohistochemistry (using native huZP and human ovary section) respectively. A competitive hemizona assay (HZA) was used to evaluate the efficacy of the antisera against r-huZP3a(22 approximately 176) and r-huZP3b(177 approximately 348) to inhibit in vitro human sperm-egg binding. Both r-huZP3 peptides were able to induce higher antibody titers in rabbits. Each antiserum could specifically recognize or bind to each target r-huZP3 peptide expressed in E. coli and native human ZP in vitro. The antisera also inhibited sperm-egg binding in the HZA. These results show that r-huZP3a(22 approximately 176) and r-huZP3b(177 approximately 348) are of strong immunogenicity. They can be used to develop a kit for detecting whether there are autoantibodies to zona pellucida in unexplained infertile women, and their antisera might be useful tools for determining minimal B-cell epitope sequences of several known huZP3 epitope peptides.
Animals ; Egg Proteins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; immunology ; Escherichia coli ; genetics ; metabolism ; Female ; Humans ; Immune Sera ; immunology ; Immunization ; Male ; Membrane Glycoproteins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; immunology ; Rabbits ; Receptors, Cell Surface ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; immunology ; Recombinant Proteins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; immunology ; Sperm-Ovum Interactions ; immunology ; Zona Pellucida Glycoproteins

OBJECTIVETo study endoglin (CD105) gene expression in breast cancer and its clinicopathologic significance.

METHODSIn 40 patients with breast cancers, CD105 mRNA was detected at center and periphery of tumor and at nearby normal tissue by RT-PCR.

RESULTSThe difference in CD105 mRNA expressions between cancer and normal breast tissue was significant (t = 12.08, P < 0.05), and the expression was significantly higher at the tumor periphery than at the tumor center (t = 7.52, P < 0.05). CD105 over-expression was related to lymph node metastases (t = 2.71, P < 0.05), but not to age, tumor size, pathologic grade or pathologic type (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONCD105 over-expression may play a crucial role in the progression of breast cancer and lymph node metastasis.

Adult ; Aged ; Antigens, CD ; Biomarkers, Tumor ; metabolism ; Breast Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast ; metabolism ; pathology ; secondary ; Endoglin ; Female ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic ; Humans ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Staging ; RNA, Messenger ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Receptors, Cell Surface ; Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 ; biosynthesis ; genetics

ATR-Fc is a fusion protein consisting of extracellular domain of human anthrax toxin receptor (ATR) and a fragment (hinge, CH2, and CH3 domains) of the Fc of human IgG1. The aim of ATR-Fc expression is to get an antibody-like molecule binding to protective antigen (PA), a component of anthrax toxins, this fusion protein may compete with cell surface receptor for PA binding, and block the transport of lethal factor (LF) and edema factor (EF) into cells, thereby act as an antitoxin to prevent and treat anthrax infection. A DNA fragment encoding N-terminal amino acids 1-227 of ATR and human IgG1 Fc was inserted into the Hind III and Not I sites of pcDNA3.1 to generate the eukaryotic vector pcDNA3.1/ATR-Fc for expression of ATR-Fc fusion protein. Using lipofectine-mediated gene transfer technique, pcDNA3.1/ATR-Fc was transfected into CHO-K1 cells. After selected with G418, a recombinant CHO cell line, ATR-Fc-1D5, whose expression level was about 10 - 15 microg/(10(6) cells x d), was established. The recombinant protein expressed by the ATR-Fc-1D5 cells was purified with protein A chromatography. The experimental results demonstrated a direct and specific interaction between ATR-Fc and PA assessed by ELISA.
Animals ; CHO Cells ; Cricetinae ; Cricetulus ; Gene Transfer Techniques ; Genetic Vectors ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin Fc Fragments ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Immunoglobulin G ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Neoplasm Proteins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Receptors, Cell Surface ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Recombinant Fusion Proteins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; immunology

Adenocarcinoma ; blood supply ; metabolism ; mortality ; secondary ; Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Male ; Microcirculation ; Middle Aged ; Neovascularization, Pathologic ; metabolism ; pathology ; Prognosis ; RNA, Messenger ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Receptors, Cell Surface ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Receptors, Urokinase Plasminogen Activator ; Stomach Neoplasms ; blood supply ; metabolism ; mortality ; pathology ; Survival Rate ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo investigate the protective mechanisms of Radix Salviae miltiorrhizae (RSM) on chronic alcoholic liver injury in mice.

METHODSThe chronic alcoholic liver injury mouse model was established. The morphologic change of hepatic tissue was observed with hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining; the levels of toll-like receptor-4 (TLR-4) mRNA in hepatic tissue and hemeoxygenase-1 (HO-1) mRNA were determined using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) technique; and the expression of TLR-4 protein was determined by immunohistochemistry method.

RESULTSRSM could alleviate the fatty degeneration and adiponecrosis of hepatic cells induced by alcohol, down-regulate the expressions of TLR-4 mRNA and HO-1 mRNA, and significantly decrease the number of TLR-4 positive cells.

CONCLUSIONRSM could prevent liver injury from alcohol by way of influencing TLR-4 signal transcription.

Animals ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Heme Oxygenase (Decyclizing) ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Heme Oxygenase-1 ; Hepatitis, Alcoholic ; drug therapy ; pathology ; Liver ; metabolism ; Male ; Membrane Glycoproteins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Membrane Proteins ; Mice ; Phytotherapy ; RNA, Messenger ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Receptors, Cell Surface ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Salvia miltiorrhiza ; Toll-Like Receptor 4 ; Toll-Like Receptors