Design and Synthesis of Matrix Metalloprotease Photoaffinity Trimodular Probes

To explore the molecular mechanism of the matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) in tumor processes, two photoaffinity trimodular probes were designed and synthesized based on the structure activity relationship and the following photoaffinity labelling experiments afforded positive results.     

Optical probes for detection and quantification of neutrophils’ oxidative burst. A review

Neutrophils, also known as polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN), are the most common type of white blood cells, comprising about 50-70% of all white blood cells. In the event of inflammatory processes, neutrophils display increased mobility, tissue influx ability, prolonged life span, and an increased phagocytic capacity, constituting the initial participants in the cellular defense of the organism. One of the most important defense systems of neutrophils corresponds to their ability to mediate a strong oxidative burst through the formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reactive nitrogen species (RNS). While oxidative burst is important for the elimination of invading microorganisms, the overproduction of ROS and RNS or the impairment of endogenous antioxidant defenses may result to detrimental effects to the host. The nature and the extent of ROS and RNS production by neutrophils in response to different stimuli is, consequently, a matter of extensive research, with scientific reports showing an enormous variability on the detection methodologies employed. This review attempts to provide a critical assessment of the most common approaches to identify and quantify reactive species formed during the neutrophils’ oxidative burst. The detection mechanisms and performance, as well as advantages and limitations of the different methodologies, are scrutinized, focusing on the use of fluorimetric, chemiluminometric and colorimetric probes.     

Quantitative analysis of human serum leptin using a nanoarray protein chip based on single-molecule sandwich immunoassay

We report a method for the quantitative analysis of human serum leptin, which is a protein hormone associated with obesity, using a nanoarray protein chip based on a single-molecule sandwich immunoassay. The nanoarray patterning of a biotin-probe with a spot diameter of 150 nm on a self-assembled monolayer functionalized by MPTMS on a glass substrate was successfully accomplished using atomic force microscopy (AFM)-based dip-pen nanolithography (DPN). Unlabeled leptin protein molecules in human serum were detected based on the sandwich fluorescence immunoassay by total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy (TIRFM). The linear regression equation for leptin in the range of 100 zM-400 aM was determined to be y = 456.35x + 80,382 (R = 0.9901). The accuracy and sensitivity of the chip assay were clinically validated by comparing the leptin level in adult serum obtained by this method with those measured using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) performed with the same leptin standards and serum samples. In contrast to conventional ELISA techniques, the proposed chip methodology exhibited the advantages of ultra-sensitivity, a smaller sample volume and faster analysis time.     

偶氮氯膦Ⅰ分光光度法测定血清蛋白质的效果分析

在Na2HPO4-柠檬酸酸性缓冲液中,加入非离子表面活性剂聚氧乙烯月桂醚（Brij-35）,使偶氮氯膦Ⅰ（CPA—Ⅰ）与牛血清白蛋白形成复合物,复合物的最大吸收波长在570nm,比试剂本身红移了70nm,表观摩尔吸光系数为5．88×10^4L／（mol·cm^-1）,线性范围0—166mg／L,采用分光光度法研究该结合反应的最佳反应条件,并据此建立了一种测定血清蛋白质的新方法。结果表明,该法回收率为98．7％～102．2％,批内变异系数为2．4％,血清用量少,线性范围宽,具有操作快速、简便、结果灵敏可靠等优点,与双缩脲法相关性良好。     

聚乳酸-聚半胱氨酸混纺纤维毡用于谷胱甘肽S-转移酶的捕获和洗脱

本文研究一种分离纯化GST（谷胱甘肽S-转移酶）的方法：将嵌段聚合物聚左旋乳酸-聚半胱氨酸（PLLA—PCys）电纺丝制成超细纤维,将还原型谷胱甘肽（GSH）通过二硫键偶联到纤维上,再将纤维填充玻璃管,制成吸附柱;含有GST的混合溶液通过吸附柱时,GST被纤维捕获;再用含GSH的溶液流过吸附柱,GST被洗脱下来,经冷冻干燥获得GST纯品．用十二烷基磺酸钠-聚丙烯酰胺凝胶电泳进行检测．结果表明,键合了GSH的PLLA—PCys混纺纤维毡能够从蛋白混合溶液中专一性地捕获GST,被捕获的GST可以有效地回收．所以,此种键合了GSH的电纺丝纤维可望用于GST或以GST为标签的蛋白的分离、纯化以及检测．     

Low molecular weight proteins in urines from healthy subjects as well as diabetic,nephropathic and diabetic‐nephropathic patients: a MALDI study

Urine samples from healthy subjects as well as diabetic, nephropathic and diabetic‐nephropathic patients were analyzed by matrix assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) mass spectrometry in order to establish evidence of some possible differences in the peptide profile related to the pathological states. Multivariate analysis suggested the possibility of a distinction among the considered groups of patients. Some differences have been found, in particular, in the relative abundances of three ions at m/z 1912, 1219 and 2049. For these reasons, further investigation was carried out by MALDI/TOF/TOF to determine the sequence of these peptides and, consequently, to individuate their possible origin. By this approach, the peptide at m/z 1912 was found to originate from uromodulin, and its lower expression in the case of nephropathy can be well related to the pathological condition. Ions at m/z 2049 and 1219 originate from the collagen α‐1(I) chain precursor and from the collagen α‐5 (IV) chain precursor, respectively, and, also in this case, their different expressions can be related to the pathologies under investigation. The obtained data seem to indicate that urine is an interesting biological fluid to investigate on the peptide profile and to obtain, consequently, information on the dismetabolism activated by specific pathologies. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Polymorphisms of COTL1 gene identified by proteomic approach and their association with autoimmune disorders

To select candidate genes, we attempted to comparative analysis of protein levels between rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients and healthy controls by two-dimensional electrophoresis (2-DE) and matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS). We identified 17 proteins that showed up- or down-regulated spots in RA patients. We found that coactosin-like1 (COTL1) were highly expressed in RA patients compared with healthy controls. We performed a case-control study to determine whether the COTL1 gene polymorphisms were associated with RA and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The genotype frequency of c.-1124G>T and the allelic frequency of c.484G>A in RA patients, and the genotype frequency of c.484G>A in SLE patients were significantly different from healthy controls (P = 0.009, 0.027, and 0.025, respectively). We also investigated the correlation with the levels of rheumatoid factor (RF) and anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (CCP) antibody in RA patients, and anti-nuclear antibodies (ANA) in SLE patients. The c.484G>A polymorphism in RA patients has significant association with the levels of anti-CCP antibody (P = 0.03). Our findings demonstrated that c.-1124G>T and c.484G>A polymorphisms of the COTL1 gene might be associated with the genetic susceptibility of autoimmune disorders.     

Down syndrome critical region 1 enhances the proteolytic cleavage of calcineurin

Down syndrome critical region 1 (DSCR1), an oxidative stress-response gene, interacts with calcineurin and represses its phosphatase activity. Recently it was shown that hydrogen peroxide inactivates calcineurin by proteolytic cleavage. Based on these facts, we investigated whether oxidative stress affects DSCR1-mediated inactivation of calcineurin. We determined that overexpression of DSCR1 leads to increased proteolytic cleavage of calcineurin. Convertsely, knockdown of DSCR1 abolished calcineurin cleavage upon treatment with hydrogen peroxide. The PXIIXT motif in the COOH-terminus of DSCR1 is responsible for both binding and cleavage of calcineurin. The knockdown of overexpressed DSCR1 in DS fibroblast cells also abrogated calcineurin proteolysis by hydrogen peroxide. These results suggest that DSCR1 has the ability to inactivate calcineurin by inducing proteolytic cleavage of calcineurin upon oxidative stress.