Using Toad Oocytes as an Ultrasensitive System for Estimating the Biological Activity of Trichosanthin

A sensitive bioassay for estimating the activity of Trichosanthin was developed by using intraoocyte microinjection as the technique and germinal vescicle breakdown as a marker. The GVBD inhibitory activity assay was million-fold more sensitive than the routinely used abortifacient activity assay. The detectable amount of Trichosanthin ranged from 0.5 to 100 pg. Since the least detectable dose was 0.5 pg, it made the assay suitable to analyse the microquantity of pure Trichosanthin used for studying the structure and function of the drug.     

蟾蜍卵母细胞作为天花粉蛋白生物活性的超微量检测系统

天花粉蛋白可以抑制翻译水平蛋白质合成活动,孕酮刺激中华大蟾蜍卵母细胞能诱发促卵球成熟的活性蛋白质(MPF)的合成。以MPF导致卵母细胞生发泡破裂(GVBD)为指标,建立了天花粉蛋白生物活性超微量检测新系统。本测活系统方法简便、重复性好,可测范围为0.5—100pg;以观察形态学变化为指标,但能反映蛋白质合成活动的程度,并与“小鼠止孕测活系统”有良好的对应关系,灵敏度提高近一百万倍,从而克服了在“结构和功能”研究中微量样品无法测活的困难,是一个颇具特点的检测新系统。