[Prokaryotic expression of mouse Stra8 and preparation and identification of rabbit anti-mouse Stra8 polyclonal antibody].

Objective To prokaryotically express mouse stimulated by retinoic acid gene 8 (Stra8) and prepare rabbit anti-mouse Stra8 polyclonal antibody. Methods The recombinant plasmid pET28a-Stra8 was constructed by cloning technology and identified by double enzyme digestion and sequencing, and then transformed into E. coli BL21 (DE3).

Meiotic gatekeeper STRA8 regulates cell cycle by interacting with SETD8 during spermatogenesis.

STRA8 (Stimulated By Retinoic Acid Gene 8) is a retinoic acid (RA) induced gene that plays vital roles in spermatogonial proliferation, differentiation and meiosis. The SETD8 and STRA8 protein interaction was discovered using the yeast two-hybrid technique using a mouse spermatogonial stem cell (SSC) cDNA library. The interaction of these two proteins was confirmed using co-immunoprecipitation and identification of key domains governing the protein: protein complex.

Adenovirus-mediated Gene Therapy for Allergy.

Allergy poses a heavy health burden in modern society. Other than symptom-relieving medications, the only available treatment approach is allergen-specific immunotherapy, which in spite of offering a potential cure, requires a long treatment duration with multiple doses of allergen administration and carries a risk of anaphylaxis. Gene therapy has shown advantages in experimental studies for treatment of tumors, genetic diseases, chronic infections, and allergy.

An Approach to Optically Pure Bridging Chiral p-tert-Butylcalix[4]arenes through a Homologous Anionic Ortho-Fries Rearrangement.

A novel efficient approach to optically pure bridging chiral calix[4]arenes through a homologous anionic ortho-Fries rearrangement of inherently chiral calix[4]arenes was presented for the first time. As a result, two pairs of N,N'-dimethylformamidyl-substituted bridging chiral p-tert-butylcalix[4]arene enantiomers were facilely obtained. Their absolute configurations were determined through ROESY analysis, ECD comparison, and X-ray crystallographic analysis.

Component-Resolved Diagnosis of Peanut Allergy and Its Possible Origins of Sensitization in China.

Background: Clinical and immunological characteristics of food allergies vary depending on geographic regions. Little is known about peanut allergy in China. The aim of this study was to investigate the peanut sensitization profile in China.

Periodic Paralysis as a New Phenotype of Resistance to Thyroid Hormone Syndrome in a Chinese Male Adult.

Context: A majority of patients with resistance to thyroid hormone (RTH) are asymptomatic, whereas some patients show signs of hyperthyroidism, or hypothyroidism, or both. Thyrotoxic periodic paralysis is the most common form of acquired periodic paralysis. However, it has not been reported in a patient with RTH up to now.

Ubiquitously expressed transcript is a novel interacting protein of protein inhibitor of activated signal transducer and activator of transcription 2.

Protein inhibitor of activated signal transducer and activator of transcription 2 (PIAS2) is a member of the PIAS protein family. This protein family modulates the activity of several transcription factors and acts as an E3 ubiquitin ligase in the sumoylation pathway. To improve understanding of the physiological roles of PIAS2, the current study used a yeast two‑hybrid system to screen mouse stem cell cDNA libraries for proteins that interact with PIAS2.

Anaphylaxis induced by ingestion of raw garlic.

Patients allergic to garlic often present dermatitis, rhinitis, asthma, and urticaria after ingestion of garlic, contact with garlic, or exposure to garlic dust. Garlic-related anaphylaxis is rare, and the impact of heating on garlic allergens is not very clear. We report a case of anaphylaxis induced by ingestion of raw rather than cooked garlic with manifestations different from previous reports, and we hypothesized that heating could reduce the allergenicity of garlic.

Virtual screening for natural product inhibitors of HIV-1 integrase.

Since there is no human homolog of this enzyme, HIV-1 integrase (IN) represents a rational and important target for treating HIV infection and preventing AIDS. The 3D structure of full-length HIV-1 IN, either separately or in complex with its inhibitors, has been lacking. Thus, scarce information about the interactions between the HIV-1 IN and its inhibitors can be referenced.

[Better performance of Western blotting: quick vs slow protein transfer, blotting membranes and the visualization methods].

Objective: To study how the choices of the quick vs slow protein transfer, the blotting membranes and the visualization methods influence the performance of Western blotting.

Methods: The cellular proteins were abstracted from human breast cell line MDA-MB-231 for analysis with Western blotting using quick (2 h) and slow (overnight) protein transfer, different blotting membranes (nitrocellulose, PVDF and nylon membranes) and different visualization methods (ECL and DAB).

Results: In Western blotting with slow and quick protein transfer, the prestained marker presented more distinct bands on nitrocellulose membrane than on the nylon and PVDF membranes, and the latter also showed clear bands on the back of the membrane to very likely cause confusion, which did not occur with nitrocellulose membrane.

Elevated serum RBP4 is associated with insulin resistance in women with polycystic ovary syndrome.

Retinol binding protein 4 (RBP4) is a novel adipocyte-secreted protein that contributes to systemic insulin resistance. Experiments in mice suggest that elevated RBP4 causes insulin resistance. In the present study, we determined serum RBP4 concentration and evaluated its association with insulin resistance in women with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS); 39 PCOS women and 45 healthy control subjects were enrolled in this study.