A Pro253Arg mutation in fibroblast growth factor receptor 2 (Fgfr2) causes skeleton malformation mimicking human Apert syndrome by affecting both chondrogenesis and osteogenesis.

Apert syndrome is one of the most severe craniosynostosis that is mainly caused by either a Ser252Trp(S252W) or Pro253Arg(P253R) mutation in fibroblast growth factor receptor 2 (FGFR2). As an autosomal dominant disorder, Apert syndrome is mainly characterized by skull malformation resulting from premature fusion of craniofacial sutures, as well as syndactyly, etc. A P253R mutation of FGFR2 results in nearly one-thirds of the cases of Apert syndrome.

Safety and immunogenicity from a phase I trial of inactivated severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus vaccine.

Background: Emergence of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) from the winter of 2002 to the spring of 2003 has caused a serious threat to public health.

Methods: To evaluate the safety and immunogenicity of the inactivated SARS coronavirus (SARS-CoV) vaccine, 36 subjects received two doses of 16 SARS-CoV units (SU) or 32 SU inactivated SARS-CoV vaccine, or placebo control.

Results: On day 42, the seroconversion reached 100% for both vaccine groups.

FGF signaling: its role in bone development and human skeleton diseases.

Fibroblast growth factors (FGFs)/Fibroblast growth factor receptors (FGFRs) signaling has recently been found to play very important roles in bone development and diseases. Missense mutations in several FGFs and FGFRs were found in human to cause a variety of congenital bone diseases including chondrodysplasia syndromes, craniosynostosis syndromes, and syndromes with dysregulated phosphate metabolism, etc. In addition to its role in bone development and genetic diseases, FGF signaling is also involved in the maintenance of adult bone homeostasis and fracture healing, etc.

Correlation between asparaginase sensitivity and asparagine synthetase protein content, but not mRNA, in acute lymphoblastic leukemia cell lines.

Background: Asparaginase (ASNase) is an essential component of most treatment protocols for childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Although increased asparagine synthetase (ASNS) expression may contribute to ASNase resistance, there is conflicting data from patient samples with regard to correlation between ASNS mRNA content and ASNase sensitivity.

Procedure: Both T-cell and B-cell derived ALL cell lines were treated with ASNase and then monitored for cell proliferation, cell death, and ASNS mRNA and protein expression.

[The efficacy and safety of tulobuterol tape in mild and moderate persistent asthma patients].

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of tulobuterol tape in mild and moderate persistent asthma patients.

Methods: A multicenter, randomized, controlled, open label study was performed. A total of 233 adult patients with mild and moderate persistent asthma were enrolled, and 115 patients were treated with tulobuterol tape and 118 with tulobuterol tablet.

Safety and immunogenicity of an inactivated adjuvanted whole-virion influenza A (H5N1) vaccine: a phase I randomised controlled trial.

Background: Avian influenza A virus H5N1 has caused widespread infections that have resulted in severe disease or death in poultry and wild birds as well as human beings. This virus has the potential to emerge as a pandemic threat and H5N1 vaccines are being developed in many countries. Our aim was to assess the safety and immunogenicity of an inactivated adjuvanted whole-virion H5N1 vaccine.

Crystal structures of Nipah and Hendra virus fusion core proteins.

The Nipah and Hendra viruses are highly pathogenic paramyxoviruses that recently emerged from flying foxes to cause serious disease outbreaks in humans and livestock in Australia, Malaysia, Singapore and Bangladesh. Their unique genetic constitution, high virulence and wide host range set them apart from other paramyxoviruses. These characteristics have led to their classification into the new genus Henpavirus within the family Paramyxoviridae and to their designation as Biosafety Level 4 pathogens.

[Gly374Arg mutation in Fgfr3 causes achondroplasia in mice].

Objective: To establish the mouse model of Gly374Arg mutation in fibroblast growth factor receptor 3(Fgfr3) and to analyze the phenotype of the mutant mice.

Methods: The double PCR was used to introduce Gly374Arg point mutation into mouse Fgfr3. The electroporation of embryonic stem(ES) cells was carried out with targeting vector.

Crystallization and preliminary crystallographic analysis of the heptad-repeat complex of SARS coronavirus spike protein.

The aetiological agent of an emergent outbreak of atypical pneumonia, severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), is a positive-stranded RNA virus (SARS-CoV) belonging to the Coronaviridae family with a genome that differs substantially from those of other known coronaviruses. Highly conserved heptad-repeat (HR1 and HR2) regions in class I viral fusion proteins, including spike protein from SARS coronavirus, interact with each other to form a six-helix bundle, which is called a fusion core. The crystal structure of the fusion core is expected to greatly facilitate drug design.

Characterization of the heptad repeat regions, HR1 and HR2, and design of a fusion core structure model of the spike protein from severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) coronavirus.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) is a newly emergent virus responsible for a worldwide epidemic in 2003. The coronavirus spike proteins belong to class I fusion proteins, and are characterized by the existence of two heptad repeat (HR) regions, HR1 and HR2. The HR1 region in coronaviruses is predicted to be considerably longer than that in other type I virus fusion proteins.

[Efficacy and safety of arbidol in treatment of naturally acquired influenza].

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of Arbidol in the treatment of naturally acquired influenza.

Methods: A randomized, double-blinded, placebo controlled trial was conducted. Subjects were enrolled.

Crystallization and preliminary crystallographic analysis of the fusion core from two new zoonotic paramyxoviruses, Nipah virus and Hendra virus.

Highly conserved heptad-repeat (HR1 and HR2) regions in class I viral fusion (F) proteins, including the F protein from paramyxovirus, interact with each other post-fusion to form a six-helix bundle called a fusion core. Crystals of the fusion core of Nipah virus have been grown at 291 K using PEG 4000 as precipitant. The diffraction pattern of the crystal extends to 2.

Basis for fusion inhibition by peptides: analysis of the heptad repeat regions of the fusion proteins from Nipah and Hendra viruses, newly emergent zoonotic paramyxoviruses.

Nipah virus (NiV) and Hendra virus (HeV) are novel zoonotic members of the Paramyxoviridae family and are the prototypes for a newly designated genus, Genus Henipavirus. Recent studies have shown that paramyxovirus might adopt a similar mechanism of virus fusion-entry. Under this mechanism, the two highly conserved heptad repeat (HR) regions, HR1 and HR2, in the fusion (F) protein, seem to show characteristic structure in the fusion core: the formation of a 6-helix coiled-coil bundle.