Dissecting Molecular Aspects of Cell Interactions Using Glycodendrimersomes with Programmable Glycan Presentation and Engineered Human Lectins

Glycodendrimersomes with programmable surface display of glycan, together with artificially engineered galectins, were used to understand the physiological significance of human lectins with homodimeric and tandem‐repeat‐type displays. The mode of topological surface presentation and the density of glycan affected vesicle aggregation mediated by multivalent carbohydrate–protein interactions. The cross‐linking capacity of homodimeric lectins was enhanced by covalent connection of the two carbohydrate‐binding sites. These findings highlight the value of glycodendrimersomes as versatile cell membrane mimetics, and assays provide diagnostic tools for protein functionality. This work also provides guidelines for the design of cell separators, bioactive matrices, bioeffectors, and other biomedical applications.     

Ezrin Modulates the Cell Surface Expression of Programmed Cell Death Ligand-1 in Human Cervical Adenocarcinoma Cells

Cancer cells employ programmed cell death ligand-1 (PD-L1), an immune checkpoint protein that binds to programmed cell death-1 (PD-1) and is highly expressed in various cancers, including cervical carcinoma, to abolish T-cell-mediated immunosurveillance. Despite a key role of PD-L1 in various cancer cell types, the regulatory mechanism for PD-L1 expression is largely unknown. Understanding this mechanism could provide a novel strategy for cervical cancer therapy. Here, we investigated the influence of ezrin/radixin/moesin (ERM) family scaffold proteins, crosslinking the actin cytoskeleton and certain plasma membrane proteins, on the expression of PD-L1 in HeLa cells. Our results showed that all proteins were expressed at mRNA and protein levels and that all ERM proteins were highly colocalized with PD-L1 in the plasma membrane. Interestingly, immunoprecipitation assay results demonstrated that PD-L1 interacted with ERM as well as actin cytoskeleton proteins. Furthermore, gene silencing of ezrin, but not radixin and moesin, remarkably decreased the protein expression of PD-L1 without affecting its mRNA expression. In conclusion, ezrin may function as a scaffold protein for PD-L1; regulate PD-L1 protein expression, possibly via post-translational modification in HeLa cells; and serve as a potential therapeutic target for cervical cancer, improving the current immune checkpoint blockade therapy.     

Breaking the Limits in Analyzing Carbohydrate Recognition by NMR Spectroscopy: Resolving Branch‐Selective Interaction of a Tetra‐Antennary N‐Glycan with Lectins

The biological recognition of complex‐type N ‐glycans is part of many key physiological and pathological events. Despite their importance, the structural characterization of these events remains unsolved. The inherent flexibility of N ‐glycans hampers crystallization and the chemical equivalence of individual branches precludes their NMR characterization. By using a chemoenzymatically synthesized tetra‐antennary N ‐glycan conjugated to a lanthanide binding tag, the NMR signals under paramagnetic conditions discriminated all four N ‐acetyl lactosamine antennae with unprecedented resolution. The NMR data revealed the conformation of the N ‐glycan and permitted for the first time the direct identification of individual branches involved in the recognition by two N ‐acetyllactosamine‐binding lectins, Datura stramonium seed lectin (DSL) and Ricinus Communis agglutinin (RCA120).     

芯片式流通池用于顺序注射可更新表面荧光免疫法测定人血清中的IgG

采用芯片式流通池作为非均相免疫反应和原位固相荧光检测的场所,用双岔光纤将芯片式流通池与荧光光度计耦联,以双抗夹心式非均相免疫反应的模式,研究建立了测定人血清中IgG的顺序注射可更新表面非均相免疫分析新方法.     

顺序注射可更新表面固相荧光免疫法测定人血清中免疫球蛋白G

建立了采用芯片式微型流通池的测定人血清中免疫球蛋白G(IgG)的顺序注射可更新表面非均相荧光免疫分析法。将羊抗人IgG抗体固定于包被有蛋白A的Sephamse CL4B凝胶微珠,然后制备成固相抗体。用标记FITC的抗人IgG抗体作为第二抗体。固相抗体、血清试样和荧光标记第二抗体由顺序注射系统注入芯片式微型流通池,并在其中进行免疫反应生成夹心式抗体．抗原荧光复合物。荧光分光光度计通过光纤与流通池耦合测定截留于流通池中的抗体一抗原复合物荧光强度。一次测定完成后,微珠即被排出流通池。流通池经缓冲液清洗后即可进行下一次测定。体系经优化后,检出限为0．1mg／L IgG,分析速率达到11次／h。3．9mg／L IgG的日内和日间精密度(RSD)分别为1．7％和5．2％;校正曲线的线性范围为0．3—7．0mg／L IgG。所建立的方法已成功地应用于人血清中IgG的测定。     

Structural Characterization of N-Linked Glycans in the Receptor Binding Domain of the SARS-CoV-2 Spike Protein and their Interactions with Human Lectins

The glycan structures of the receptor binding domain of the SARS-CoV2 spike glycoprotein expressed in human HEK293F cells have been studied by using NMR. The different possible interacting epitopes have been deeply analysed and characterized, providing evidence of the presence of glycan structures not found in previous MS-based analyses. The interaction of the RBD ¹³C-labelled glycans with different human lectins, which are expressed in different organs and tissues that may be affected during the infection process, has also been evaluated by NMR. In particular, ¹⁵N-labelled galectins (galectins-3, -7 and -8 N-terminal), Siglecs (Siglec-8, Siglec-10), and C-type lectins (DC-SIGN, MGL) have been employed. Complementary experiments from the glycoprotein perspective or from the lectin's point of view have permitted to disentangle the specific interacting epitopes in each case. Based on these findings, 3D models of the interacting complexes have been proposed.     

QCM Detection of Adhesion, Spreading and Proliferation of Human Breast Cancer Cells （MCF-7） on a Gold Surface

The quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) was used to monitor the one-day incubation of human breast cancer cells (MCF-7) on the gold electrode. In combination with an optical microscope simulation experiment, the cell-population pictures at various stages, the QCM responses to the cells' adhesion, spreading and proliferation on the electrode surface were discussed. The △f0 and △R1 responses were found mainly from mixed effects of viscodensity and surface stress, and in proportion to the cell coverage, rather than to the number of cells at the electrode. The significant fore-and-aft changes in cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy of the ferri-ferrocyanide redox couple also proved that the cells were adhesion to the gold surface.     

Effect of the Structure of Benzo- and Dibenzocrown Ethers on Their Reaction with the Aerosil Surface

The adsorption of 4-substituted benzo- and 5,5′-disubstituted dibenzocrown ethers from benzene by aerosil A-300 was studied. The ethers included a total of 45 compounds with diphenyl oxide, diphenyl, and diphenyl sulfide fragments. Analysis of the Henry coefficients (K_H) and the extent of desorption, the IR spectra of the adsorbed compounds, and the relationship between their structure and adsorption capacity indicated that all structural fragments of the crown ethers studied interact to some extent with aerosil surface fragments. The number of oxygen atoms in the polyether fragment and the size of the macrocycle are the predominant factors. A large, nonadditive increase in K_H is observed in going from pentadentate to hexadentate crown ethers. __________ Translated from Teoreticheskaya i Eksperimental'naya Khimiya, Vol. 41, No. 4, pp. 247–251, July–August, 2005.     

镧在轮藻节间细胞中的分布及与细胞壁的结合状态

利用电感耦合等离子体质谱(ICP-MS)和X射线吸收谱(XAS)研究了稀土元素镧在轮藻节间细胞中的分布和配位环境. 实验结果发现, 4 μmol•dm－3 LaCl3溶液处理12 h, 细胞中绝大部分的La存在于细胞壁且结合紧密, 各亚细胞组分中La的浓度依次为: 细胞壁>>细胞质>>液泡. XAS的结果表明La3＋在细胞壁中与9个氧原子配位, 配位环境类似于醋酸镧, 说明在细胞壁中La3＋的主要配位基团是羧基. 珊瑚轮藻具有很强的从培养介质中富集La3＋的能力, 可用于水体中稀土元素的监测与污染治理.     

A Ternary Composite Based on Graphene,Hemin, and Gold Nanorods with High Catalytic Activity for the Detection of Cell‐Surface Glycan Expression

A novel graphene‐family ternary composite with high catalytic activity has been developed by using simple synthetic methods. The graphene‐based ternary composite has abundant positively charged Au NRs, which greatly improved the catalytic properties of the graphene‐family of peroxidase mimetics, because of the high electron‐transfer rate of graphene and the synergistic interaction of three components. Sensitive detection of glycan expression on K562 cell surface can be achieved with a low detection limit of 10 cells. This finding constitutes a novel graphene‐family hybrid nanomaterials‐based peroxidase mimetic that is expected to be applied widely in the construction of simple, sensitive, and selective biosensors for nucleic acids and proteins both inside and outside of cells through catalytic reaction of H₂O₂.     

Theoretical Aspects of a Surface Electrode Reaction Coupled with Preceding and Regenerative Chemical Steps: Square‐wave Voltammetry of a Surface CEC’ Mechanism

Large number of lipophilic substances, whose electrochemical transformation takes place from adsorbed state, belong to the class of so‐called “surface‐redox reactions”. Of these, especially important are the enzymatic redox reactions. With the technique named “protein‐film voltammetry” we can get insight into the chemical features of many lipophilic redox enzymes. Electrochemical processes of many redox adsorbates, occurring at a surface of working electrode, are very often coupled with chemical reactions. In this work, we focus on the application of square‐wave voltammetry (SWV) to study the theoretical features of a surface electrode reaction coupled with two chemical steps. The starting electroactive form Ox_(ads) in this mechanism gets initially generated via preceding chemical reaction. After undergoing redox transformation at the working electrode, Ox_(ads) species got additionally regenerated via chemical reaction of electrochemically generated product Red_(ads) with a given substrate Y. The theory of this so‐called surface CEC’ mechanism is presented for the first time under conditions of square‐wave voltammetry. While we present plenty of calculated voltammograms of this complex electrode mechanism, we focus on the effect of rate of regenerative (catalytic) step to simulated voltammograms. We consider both, electrochemical reactions featuring moderate and fast electron transfer. The obtained voltammetric patterns are very specific, having sometime hybrid‐like features of voltammograms as typical for CE, EC and EC’ mechanisms. We give diagnostic criteria to recognize this complex mechanism in SWV, but we also present hints to access the kinetic and thermodynamic parameters relevant to both chemical steps, and the electrochemical reaction, too. Indeed, the results presented in this work can help experimentalists to design proper experiments to study chemical features of important lipophilic systems.     

Exploring the Condensation Reaction between Aromatic Nitriles and Amino Thiols To Optimize In Situ Nanoparticle Formation for the Imaging of Proteases and Glycosidases in Cells

The condensation reaction between 6‐hydroxy‐2‐cyanobenzothiazole (CBT) and cysteine has been shown for various applications such as site‐specific protein labelling and in vivo cancer imaging. This report further expands the substrate scope of this reaction by varying the substituents on aromatic nitriles and amino thiols and testing their reactivity and ability to form nanoparticles for cell imaging. The structure–activity relationship study leads to the identification of the minimum structural requirement for the macrocyclization and assembly process in forming nanoparticles. One of the scaffolds made of 2‐pyrimidinecarbonitrile and cysteine joined by a benzyl linker was applied to design fluorescent probes for imaging caspase‐3/7 and β‐galactosidase activity in live cells. These results demonstrate the generality of this system for imaging hydrolytic enzymes.     

Surface Coating with a Thermoresponsive Copolymer for the Culture and Non‐Enzymatic Recovery of Mouse Embryonic Stem Cells

A thermoresponsive substrate based on a triblock copolymer, poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide)‐block‐poly[(R)‐3‐hydroxybutyrate]‐block‐poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAAm‐PHB‐PNIPAAm), co‐coated with gelatin, was developed for the culture and non‐enzymatic recovery of mouse embryonic stem cells. After culture, the cells could be detached by cooling at 4 °C for 20 min without trypsin digestion. The embryonic stem cells remained undifferentiated after culture on the gelatin/copolymer‐coated surfaces, similar to standard culture techniques. Overall, the triblock copolymer coating was superior to the PNIPAAm homopolymer coating in terms of supporting better cell growth, being more stable, presenting a more homogeneous surface coating, and maintaining pluripotency of the embryonic stem cells.

     

Analytical Strategy for the Determination of Selenium in Biological Materials by Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry with a Dynamic Reaction Cell

Selenium was determined in serum, hair, and tobacco by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry using ⁷⁷Se, ⁷⁸Se, and ⁸²Se. The set of standards method (SSM) and the standard addition method (SAM) were applied to calibration with and without the use of internal standards (⁷²Ge and ¹⁰³Rh). In addition, the usefulness of the dynamic reaction cell (DRC) with methane as the reaction gas was characterized. The results obtained in different conditions were evaluated in terms of precision and accuracy. It was demonstrated theoretically and experimentally that an internal standard is a potential source of systematic errors as it can be influenced multiplicatively and additively by its own interferents (independently of selenium). Furthermore, it was shown that—against common opinion—an internal standard can fail in elimination of chemical interference effects influencing selenium and in increasing of precision of selenium determinations. The DRC was shown to be effective in the elimination of additive effects, although the results obtained by both SSM and SAM with DRC were systematically positively erroneous. Finally, selenium was determined accurately in each examined sample when SAM was applied to calibration, and signals were measured either for ⁸²Se without the use of the DRC, or for ⁷⁷Se or ⁷⁸Se with the use of the DRC. In addition, it has also been shown that samples should be diluted prior to analysis to the greatest acceptable extent.     

Determination of Commercial Animal and Vegetable Milks’ Lipid Profile and Its Correlation with Cell Viability and Antioxidant Activity on Human Intestinal Caco-2 Cells

Lipids from milk are important nutritional components, although their health effects, especially for animal milks, are still questioned. Four types of commercial milks, two semi-skimmed animal milks (bovine and goat) and two vegetable ones (soy and rice), along with their total and free lipid fractions recovered by sequential centrifugation or by ethyl acetate extraction, respectively, have been analyzed. A higher antioxidant ability, reported as Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity, was found for all raw milks compared to that of rice. This trend was confirmed, except for soy milk, as ROS reduction in Caco-2 cells. The free lipid fraction was shown to have the highest antioxidant potential in both chemical and biological tests. Moreover, goat and soy raw milks positively regulated Caco-2 cell viability after an inflammatory stimulus. This effect was lost when their total lipid fraction was tested. Finally, only the free lipid fraction from rice milk preserved the Caco-2 viability after LPS stimulation. Our data demonstrated that the lipid profile of each milk, characterized by GC-MS analysis, could contribute to dictate its biological effects, and, although additional in vitro and in vivo studies are needed, they could support the literature re-evaluating the health effects of animal-based versus plant-based milks in the intestinal cellular model.