Lactic acid bacterial surface display of scytovirin inhibitors for anti-ebolavirus infection.

Scytovirin (SVN) is a lectin from cyanobacteria which has a strong inhibitory activity against Ebola virus infection. We engineered scytovirin as the inhibitor for surface display of lactic acid bacteria to block Ebola virus infection. Two different bacterial strains ( and ) were successfully engineered for scytovirin expression on the bacterial surface.

Combined gene therapy via VEGF and mini-dystrophin synergistically improves pathologies in temporalis muscle of dystrophin/utrophin double knockout mice.

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a severe X-linked inherited muscular disorder characterized by the loss of dystrophin. We have previously shown that monogene therapy using the mini-dystrophin gene improves muscle function in DMD. However, chronic inflammation plays an important role in progressive muscle degeneration in DMD as well.

Beneficial effects of baicalein on a model of allergic rhinitis.

Allergic rhinitis (AR) is a common disease that causes severe inflammation and even disabilities. Previous studies have reported baicalein to have an anti-inflammatory effect. However, the pharmacological action of baicalein on anaphylaxis has not been clarified yet.

Blocking HIV-1 Infection by Chromosomal Integrative Expression of Human CD4 on the Surface of Lactobacillus acidophilus ATCC 4356.

bacteria are potential delivery vehicles for biopharmaceutical molecules because they are well-recognized as safe microorganisms that naturally inhabit the human body. The goal of this study was to employ these lactobacilli to combat human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection and transmission. By using a chromosomal integration method, we engineered ATCC 4356 to display human CD4, the HIV-1 receptor, on the cell surface.

Correlation of nm 23 expression with pharyngeal cancer and patient prognoses.

The present study investigated the expression of non-metastasis 23 (nm 23) in laryngeal cancer tissues and analyzed its correlation with the prognoses of laryngeal cancer patients. A total of 122 laryngeal cancer patients who were admitted to The Affiliated Hospital of Jining Medical College from June 2009 to June 2012, and 30 normal laryngeal mucosal tissues were selected as the control group. Immunohistochemical staining method was used to test the expression of nm 23 in tissues.

Ischemic Injury-Induced CaMKIIδ and CaMKIIγ Confer Neuroprotection Through the NF-κB Signaling Pathway.

Ca/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) has long been implicated in neuronal injury caused by acute ischemia/reperfusion (I/R). However, its precise role and regulatory mechanisms remain obscure. Here, we investigated the role of the CaMKII family in neuronal survival during I/R.

Contribution of the gp120 V3 loop to envelope glycoprotein trimer stability in primate immunodeficiency viruses.

The V3 loop of the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) gp120 exterior envelope glycoprotein (Env) becomes exposed after CD4 binding and contacts the coreceptor to mediate viral entry. Prior to CD4 engagement, a hydrophobic patch located at the tip of the V3 loop stabilizes the non-covalent association of gp120 with the Env trimer of HIV-1 subtype B strains. Here, we show that this conserved hydrophobic patch (amino acid residues 307, 309 and 317) contributes to gp120-trimer association in HIV-1 subtype C, HIV-2 and SIV.

Characterization of twin-cysteine motif in the V2-loop region of gp120 in primate lentiviruses.

The twin-cysteine motif (TCM) in the V2 loop region of gp120, identified in our previous report on the simian immunodeficiency virus mac239 (SIVmac239), is a conserved evolutionary element in all primate lentiviruses except for HIV-1 which has lost the TCM during cross-species transmission. In this study, we have further explored the TCM in other SIV and HIV-2 strains. Our data shows that strains from different evolutionary lineages have different phenotypes when the twin-cysteines are removed.

Cartilage and Muscle Cell Fate and Origins during Lizard Tail Regeneration.

Introduction: Human cartilage is an avascular tissue with limited capacity for repair. By contrast, certain lizards are capable of musculoskeletal tissue regeneration following tail loss throughout all stages of their lives. This extraordinary ability is the result of a complex process in which a blastema forms and gives rise to the tissues of the regenerate.

Tryptophan 375 stabilizes the outer-domain core of gp120 for HIV vaccine immunogen design.

The outer-domain core of gp120 may serve as a better HIV vaccine immunogen than the full-length gp120 because of its greater stability and immunogenicity. In our previous report, we introduced two disulfide bonds to the outer-domain core of gp120 to fix its conformation into a CD4-bound state, which resulted in a significant increase in its immunogenicity when compared to the wild-type outer-domain core. In this report, to further improve the immunogenicity of the outer-domain core based immunogen, we have introduced a Tryptophan residue at gp120 amino acid sequence position 375 (375S/W).

Cadmium and Secondary Structure-dependent Function of a Degron in the Pca1p Cadmium Exporter.

Protein turnover is a critical cellular process regulating biochemical pathways and destroying terminally misfolded or damaged proteins. Pca1p, a cadmium exporter in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, is rapidly degraded by the endoplasmic reticulum-associated degradation (ERAD) system via a cis-acting degron that exists at the 250-350 amino acid region of Pca1p and is transferable to other proteins to serve as a degradation signal. Cadmium stabilizes Pca1p in a manner dependent on the degron.

YCF1-mediated cadmium resistance in yeast is dependent on copper metabolism and antioxidant enzymes.

Aims: Acquisition and detoxification of metal ions are vital biological processes. Given the requirement of metallochaperones in cellular copper distribution and metallation of cuproproteins, this study investigates whether the metallochaperones also deliver metal ions for transporters functioning in metal detoxification.

Results: Resistance to excess cadmium and copper of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, which is conferred by PCA1 and CaCRP1 metal efflux P-type ATPases, respectively, does not rely on known metallochaperones, Atx1p, Ccs1p, and Cox17p.

Cadmium-mediated rescue from ER-associated degradation induces expression of its exporter.

Cadmium is a highly toxic environmental contaminant that has been implicated in various disorders. A major mechanism for cadmium detoxification in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae relies on extrusion via Pca1, a P-type ATPase. While an N-terminal degron targets Pca1 for degradation before its secretion to the plasma membrane, cadmium in the growth media rapidly up-regulates Pca1 by preventing its turnover.

Extracellular high-mobility group box 1 acts as an innate immune mediator to enhance autoimmune progression and diabetes onset in NOD mice.

Objective: The implication of innate immunity in type 1 diabetes development has long been proposed. High-mobility group box 1 (HMGB1), an evolutionarily conserved chromosomal protein, was recently recognized to be a potent innate inflammatory mediator when released extracellularly. We sought to test the hypothesis that HMGB1 acts as an innate immune mediator implicated in type 1 diabetes pathogenesis.

[Food-grade expression of human Cu/Zn-superoxide dismutase gene in Lactococcus lactis].

A food-grade gene expression system in L. lactis using the lacF gene as selection marker was constructed and further used for food-grade expression of human Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase (Cu/Zn SOD). Firstly, an integrative plasmid pUCEmDE containing homologous fragments with 0.

Food-grade expression of human glutathione S-transferase and Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase in Lactococcus lactis.

A food-grade gene expression system in Lactococcus lactis was established by the combination of a vector containing the lacF gene as the selection marker and a strain WZ103 carrying an in-frame deletion of this gene in the chromosome as the host. The human glutathione S-transferase A1-1 (hGSTA1) and Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase (hSOD) genes were respectively cloned into a food-grade vector under the control of the lactococcal inducible promoter P(lacA). The resulting expression plasmids were separately introduced into the lactose-deficient (Lac(-)) host, and the lactose-utilizing (Lac(+)) transformants were directly selected on a chemically defined medium, using lactose as the sole carbon source.