[Preparation and identification of the polyclonal antibody against human VSTM1].

Aim: To prepare and characterize the polyclonal antibody against human VSTM1.

Methods: VSTM1 has two main isoforms, VSTM1-v1, a type I transmembrane protein, and VSTM1-v2, a classical secretory protein, lacking only the transmembrane domain compared with VSTM1-v1. Two recombinant prokaryotic proteins of VSTM1-v2, Trx-His-S-VSTM1-v2 and GST-VSTM1-v2, were constructed, expressed, purified, and then used for immunization of New Zealand rabbits to prepare anti-VSTM1 antibody and coupling with CNBr-activated Sepharose 4B to purify the antibody by immunoaffinity chromatography, respectively.

Simvastatin induces estrogen receptor-alpha expression in bone, restores bone loss, and decreases ERα expression and uterine wet weight in ovariectomized rats.

We previously reported that simvastatin induces estrogen receptor-alpha (ERα) in murine bone marrow stromal cells in vitro. In this study, we investigated the effect of simvastatin on ERα expression in bone and uterus in ovariectomized (OVX) rats and evaluated bone mass, bone strength, and uterine wet weight. Three-month-old Sprague-Dawley female rats received OVX or sham operation.

[Sensitizing effect of recombinant human PDCD5 protein on chemotherapy of acute monocytic leukemia cell line U937 and its mechanism].

This study was aimed to investigate the sensitizing effect of recombinant human PDCD5 (rhPDCD5) protein on chemotherapy of U937 cell line and its mechanism. The flow cytometry was performed to assess the changes of cell apoptosis and cell cycle influenced by rhPDCD5. Hochst 33258 staining was used to observe morphology of the apoptotic cells.

[Outcome and significance of pulmonary pathological changes induced by a single intramuscular injection of chemokine-like factor 1 in mice].

Objective: To investigate the significance of pathological changes in murine lung by a single intramuscular injection of chemokine-like factor 1 (CKLF1).

Methods: A total of 120 gender-matched BALB/c mice were randomly and evenly divided into treatment group and control group (60 in each). One hundred nanomilligram of pcDNA3.

[Preparation and characterization of monoclonal antibodies against CMTM7].

Objective: To obtain monoclonal antibodies against CMTM7 (CKLF-like MARVEL transmembrane domain containing 7) for further study of the structure and biological function of CMTM7.

Methods: Three polypeptides were synthesized based on the bioinformatics analysis of the CMTM7 and coupled with keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH). Balb/c mice were immunized with these mixed CMTM7 polypeptides.

[Preparation, purification and characterization of the polyclonal antibody against human CMTM4].

Aim: To prepare, purify and characterize the polyclonal antibodies against CMTM4.

Methods: Four polypeptides named peptide 1, 2, 3, and 4 were synthesized based on the bioinformatics analysis of the three isoforms of CMTM4, CMTM4-v1, -v2, and -v3, and coupled with keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH) for immunization. Among them, peptide 1, 2, and 3, common for CMTM4-v1, v2, and v3, were mixed for immunization to prepare the antibody which can recognize all of the three isoforms (Ab1); while peptide 4, which is specific for CMTM4-v1, was injected separately into New Zealand rabbits to prepare the antibody specifically targeting CMTM4-v1 (Ab2).

[CMTM1-v17, a new potential corepressor of androgen receptor].

Objective: To analyze the expression of CMTM1-v17 in normal prostate tissue and prostate carcinoma originated cell lines, and study its impact on the transactivation of androgen receptor and the possible mechanism.

Methods: The expression of CMTM1-v17 in normal prostate tissue was analyzed with immunohistochemistry method. In immunocytochemistry was used to analyze the expression of CMTM1-v17 in prostate carcinoma originated cell lines.

[Expression and significance of severe acute respiratory syndrome associated coronavirus (SARS-CoV)-X4 protein in lungs of SARS patients].

Objective: To investigate the significance of severe acute respiratory syndrome associated coronavirus (SARS-CoV)-X4 protein expression in lungs of patients with SARS.

Methods: Pathological features of the lungs from 4 SARS patients were examined and the expression of SARS-CoV-X4 protein in the lungs was evaluated with immunohistochemical staining using specific antibodies against protein X4.

Results: Microscopically, all lungs from 4 cases showed edema, erythrocyte and fibrin exudates in the alveoli, hyperplasia of alveolar epithelium, necrosis, hyaline membrane formation and fibroblast foci.

[Chemotactic and mitogenic effect of rat chemokine-like factor 1 on aortic smooth muscle cells].

Objective: To study the effects of rat chemokine-like factor 1 (rCklf1) on chemotaxis and proliferation of rat aortic smooth muscle cells(ASMC).

Methods: The recombinant eukaryotic expression vector pcDNA3.1/rCklf1 was transiently transfected into 293T cells.

The protein X4 of severe acute respiratory syndrome-associated coronavirus is expressed on both virus-infected cells and lung tissue of severe acute respiratory syndrome patients and inhibits growth of Balb/c 3T3 cell line.

Background: The genome of the severe acute respiratory syndrome-associated coronavirus (SARS-CoV) includes sequences encoding the putative protein X4 (ORF8, ORF7a), consisting of 122 amino acids. The deduced sequence contains a probable cleaved signal peptide sequence and a C-terminal transmembrane helix, indicating that protein X4 is likely to be a type I membrane protein. This study was conducted to demonstrate whether the protein X4 was expressed and its essential function in the process of SARS-CoV infection.