Transcriptomic profiling of long non-coding RNAs and messenger RNAs in the liver of mice during Toxoplasma gondii infection.

Background: Toxoplasma gondii is an intracellular protozoan parasite that can infect a wide range of warm-blooded animals, including humans. It poses significant health risks, particularly in immunocompromised individuals and during pregnancy, leading to severe disease manifestations. The liver, being a crucial organ involved in immune response and metabolic regulation, plays a critical role in the host's defense against T.

A metal chaperone OsHIPP16 detoxifies cadmium by repressing its accumulation in rice crops.

Cadmium (Cd) is an environmentally polluted toxic heavy metal and seriously risks food safety and human health through food chain. Mining genetic potentials of plants is a crucial step for limiting Cd accumulation in rice crops and improving environmental quality. This study characterized a novel locus in rice genome encoding a Cd-binding protein named OsHIPP16, which resides in the nucleus and near plasma membrane.

Identification of a rice metallochaperone for cadmium tolerance by an epigenetic mechanism and potential use for clean up in wetland.

Cadmium (Cd) is a toxic heavy metal that initiates diverse chronic diseases through food chains. Developing a biotechnology for manipulating Cd uptake in plants is beneficial to reduce environmental and health risks. Here, we identified a novel epigenetic mechanism underlying Cd accumulation regulated by an uncharacterized metallochaperone namely Heavy Metal Responsive Protein (HMP) in rice plants.

Food-grade γ-aminobutyric acid production by immobilized glutamate decarboxylase from Lactobacillus plantarum in rice vinegar and monosodium glutamate system.

Objectives: γ-amino butyric acid (GABA) is a non-protein amino acid, considered a potent bioactive compound. This study focused on biosynthesis of food-grade GABA by immobilized glutamate decarboxylase (GAD) from Lactobacillus plantarum in the rice vinegar and monosodium glutamate (MSG) reaction system.

Results: The gene encoding glutamate decarboxylase (GadB) from L.

Identification of a new function of metallothionein-like gene OsMT1e for cadmium detoxification and potential phytoremediation.

Cadmium (Cd) is a biologically non-essential and toxic heavy metal leaking to the environment via natural emission or anthropogenic activities, thereby contaminating crops and threatening human health. Metallothioneins (MTs) are a group of metal-binding proteins playing critical roles in metal allocation and homeostasis. In this study, we identified a novel function of OsMT1e from rice plants.

OsNHAD is a chloroplast membrane-located transporter required for resistance to salt stress in rice (Oryza sativa).

Salt stress is one of the major environmental factors limiting crop productivity. Although physiological and molecular characterization of salt stress response in plants has been the focus for many years, research on transporters for sodium ion (Na) uptake, translocation and accumulation in plants, particularly in food crops like rice is limited. In this study, we functionally identified an uncharacterized sodium ion transporter named OsNHAD which encodes a putative Na ⁄ H antiporter in rice.

OsZIP1 functions as a metal efflux transporter limiting excess zinc, copper and cadmium accumulation in rice.

Background: Metal homeostasis is critical for plant growth, development and adaptation to environmental stresses and largely governed by a variety of metal transporters. The plant ZIP (Zn-regulated transporter, Iron-regulated transporter-like Protein) family proteins belong to the integral membrane transporters responsible for uptake and allocation of essential and non-essential metals. However, whether the ZIP family members mediate metal efflux and its regulatory mechanism remains unknown.

MiR-223 regulates proliferation and apoptosis of IL-22-stimulated HaCat human keratinocyte cell lines via the PTEN/Akt pathway.

Psoriasis, a chronic inflammatory skin disorder disease, is closely associated with hyperproliferation of keratinocytes. Upregulated miR-223 has been found in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from patients with psoriasis and from psoriatic skin. However, its role in keratinocytes remains unknown.

Identification of novel rice (Oryza sativa) HPP and HIPP genes tolerant to heavy metal toxicity.

HPP (heavy metal associated plant protein) and HIPP (heavy metal associated isoprenylated plant protein) are a group of metal-binding metallochaperones playing crucial roles in metal homeostasis and detoxification. Up to now, only few of them have been functionally identified in plants. Here, we identified 54 HPP and HIPP genes in rice genome.

Analysis of synonymous codon usage in enterovirus 71.

Enterovirus 71 (EV71) is the major cause of hand-foot-and-mouth disease in children. In our study, using the complete genome sequences of 42 EV71 representing all three genotypes, we analyzed synonymous codon usage and the relative dinucleotide abundance in EV71 genome. The general correlation between base composition and codon usage bias suggests that mutational pressure rather than natural selection is the main factor that determines the codon usage bias in EV71 genome.

[Therapeutic efficacy of three bispecific antibodies on rheumatoid arthritis mice models].

In order to obtain the lead compound for treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), in this study, therapeutic efficacy of three bispecific antibodies (BsAB-1, BsAB-2 and BsAB-3) against both hIL-1beta and hIL-17 were compared on CIA model mice. First, by ELISA method we compared the binding capacity of the three bispecific antibodies to the two antigens. The results showed that all three antibodies could simultaneously bind both antigens, among these antibodies, BsAB-1 was superior over BsAB-2 and BsAB-3.

[Antitumor efficacy of the recombinant Newcastle disease virus rNDV-IL15 on melanoma models].

In order to enhance the antitumor efficacy of recombinant Newcastle disease virus, rNDV-IL15 was rescued in this study. Recombinant plasmid prNDV-IL15 was constructed, and BHK21 cells were transfected with the recombinant plasmid. Finally, the recombinant Newcastle disease virus rNDV-IL15 was successfully rescued.

scFv antibodies against infectious bursal disease virus isolated from a combinatorial antibody library by flow cytometry.

Infectious bursal disease is an economically important disease that affects chickens worldwide. Here, a recombinant single chain variable fragment (scFv) antibody library derived from chickens immunized with VP2 protein of infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV) was constructed. The library was subjected to three rounds of screening by flow cytometry against VP2 protein through a bacteria display technology, resulting in the enrichment of scFv.

Analysis of synonymous codon usage in Newcastle disease virus hemagglutinin-neuraminidase (HN) gene and fusion protein (F) gene.

Newcastle disease virus (NDV) hemagglutinin-neuraminidase (HN) is a multifunctional protein, which possesses both the receptor recognition and neuraminidase activities. The fusion (F) protein is a type I membrane glycoprotein that mediates the merger of the viral envelope to the host cell membrane. Although the functions of the HN and F proteins have been well studied, however, the factors shaping synonymous codon usage bias and nucleotide composition in HN and F genes have been few reported.

[Expression and pharmacological evaluation of fusion protein FGF21-L-Fc].

FGF21 (fibroblast growth factor 21) is a recently described member of the FGF family. It has been previously demonstrated that FGF21 is a potent regulator of glucose homeostasis. To improve stability of FGF21 for better efficacy, a new form of recombinant FGF21 was generated by fusion of a full length FGF21 gene and the Fc fragment of human IgG4 with flexible linker sequence.

Purification of a protein from coelomic fluid of the earthworm Eisenia foetida and evaluation of its hemolytic, antibacterial, and antitumor activities.

Context: Earthworm Eisenia foetida (Lumbricus rubellus), a traditional Chinese medicine, is used for treating many diseases, and its coelomic fluid has extensive biological functions.

Objective: The hemolytic, antibacterial and antitumor activities of an earthworm protein purified from coelomic fluid were investigated in vitro.

Materials And Methods: We used ultrafiltration, gel chromatography, and ion exchange chromatography in sequence to isolate and purify an earthworm protein from coelomic fluid (ECFP), and ECFP was characterized by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE).

[Expression of glucagon in gestational and diet-induced hyperlipidemic gestational rats].

Aim: To observe the difference in the expression of glucagon in normal and in diet-induced hyperlipidemic gestational rats.

Methods: Thirty-two female SD rats were divided into control group, hyperlipidemia group, gestation group and hyperlipidemic-gestation group. Fourteen days after gestation, real-time quantitative PCR was performed to detect the expression of preglucagon mRNA and Western blot was employed to detect the expression of glucagon in pancreas in different groups.

[Identification of HBV genotype-specific tag sequences].

Objective: To identify the HBV genotype-specific tag sequence.

Methods: The large S region sequences from 930 HBV genomes were aligned to identify the genotype-specific tag sequences. PCR was used to check the genotyping effect of these tags.

[Effect of mastoparan-1 on lipopolysaccharide-induced acute hepatic injury in mice].

Objective: To observe the effect of mastoparan-1 (MP-1) on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced acute hepatic injury in mice and probe into its possible mechanism.

Methods: One hundred and four BALB/c mice were randomly divided into healthy control group (n = 8, without treatment, HC), LPS group (n = 48, with injection of LPS 5 mg/kg via tail vein), and MP-1 group (n = 48, with injection of LPS 5 mg/kg and MP-1 3 mg/kg via tail vein). Mice in LPS group and MP-1 group were sacrificed at 2nd, 6th, 12th, 24th, 48th and 72nd post injection hour (PIH), 8 mice at each time point in each group.

[Study of lipopolysaccharide antagonizing effect of DPR-2 in vitro].

Objective: To investigate the lipopolysaccharide (LPS) antagonizing biological activity of densefruit pattany root-bark extract (DPR-2) in vitro.

Methods: The effect of DPR-2 in neutralizing LPS (0.1 microg/L) was detected by kinetic turbidimetric limulus test.

Polymyxin B antagonizing biological activity of lipopolysaccharide.

Objective: To investigate the mechanism of polymyxin B (PMB) antagonizing the biological activity of lipopolysaccharide (LPS).

Methods: The affinity of PMB for LPS and lipid A was assayed by biosensor, and the neutralization of PMB for LPS (2 ng/ml) was detected by kinetic turbidimetric limulus test. The releases of TNF-alpha and IL-6 in murine peritoneal macrophages a (PMphi) after exposure to LPS (100 ng/ml) were detected, and the expression levels of TLR4, TNF-alpha and IL-6 mRNA in PMphi induced by LPS (100 ng/ml) were measured by RT-PCR.

[Investigation on bovine leukocyte adhesion deficiency].

Bovine leukocyte adhesion deficiency (BLAD) is autosomal recessive disease. The pathogeny of BLAD is genic mutation of CD18-integrins on the leukocyte. In order to know the carrier and occurrence of bovine leukocyte adhesion deficiency (BLAD) among cows age from one to six years old in China, 1,000 cows were investigated by means of amplifying a CD18 gene fragment via reverse transcriptase-PCR followed by restriction digestion with Taq I.