On-bead fluorescent DNA nanoprobes to analyze base excision repair activities

DNA integrity is constantly threatened by endogenous and exogenous agents that can modify its physical and chemical structure. Changes in DNA sequence can cause mutations sparked by some genetic diseases or cancers. Organisms have developed efficient defense mechanisms able to specifically repair each kind of lesion (alkylation, oxidation, single or double strand break, mismatch, etc). Here we report the adjustment of an original assay to detect enzymes’ activity of base excision repair (BER), that supports a set of lesions including abasic sites, alkylation, oxidation or deamination products of bases. The biosensor is characterized by a set of fluorescent hairpin-shaped nucleic acid probes supported on magnetic beads, each containing a selective lesion targeting a specific BER enzyme. We have studied the DNA glycosylase alkyl-adenine glycosylase (AAG) and the human AP-endonuclease (APE1) by incorporating within the DNA probe a hypoxanthine lesion or an abasic site analog (tetrahydrofuran), respectively. Enzymatic repair activity induces the formation of a nick in the damaged strand, leading to probe's break, that is detected in the supernatant by fluorescence. The functional assay allows the measurement of DNA repair activities from purified enzymes or in cell-free extracts in a fast, specific, quantitative and sensitive way, using only 1 pmol of probe for a test. We recorded a detection limit of 1 μg mL⁻¹ and 50 μg mL⁻¹ of HeLa nuclear extracts for APE1 and AAG enzymes, respectively. Finally, the on-bead assay should be useful to screen inhibitors of DNA repair activities.     

Orphan nuclear receptor small heterodimer partner inhibits angiotensin II-stimulated PAI-1 expression in vascular smooth muscle cells

Angiotensin II is a major effector molecule in the development of cardiovascular disease. In vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs), angiotensin II promotes cellular proliferation and extracellular matrix accumulation through the upregulation of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) expression. Previously, we demonstrated that small heterodimer partner (SHP) represses PAI-1 expression in the liver through the inhibition of TGF-β signaling pathways. Here, we investigated whether SHP inhibited angiotensin II-stimulated PAI-1 expression in VSMCs. Adenovirus-mediated overexpression of SHP (Ad-SHP) in VSMCs inhibited angiotensin II- and TGF-β-stimulated PAI-1 expression. Ad-SHP also inhibited angiotensin II-, TGF-β- and Smad3-stimulated PAI-1 promoter activity, and angiotensin II-stimulated AP-1 activity. The level of PAI-1 expression was significantly higher in VSMCs of SHP^-/- mice than wild type mice. Moreover, loss of SHP increased PAI-1 mRNA expression after angiotensin II treatment. These results suggest that SHP inhibits PAI-1 expression in VSMCs through the suppression of TGF-β/Smad3 and AP-1 activity. Thus, agents that target the induction of SHP expression in VSMCs might help prevent the development and progression of atherosclerosis.     

A simple and sensitive assay for apurinic/apyrimidinic endonuclease 1activity based on host-guest interaction of β-cyclodextrin polymer and pyrene

A simple and sensitive method for APE1 activity detection was developed based on fluorescence enhancement of pyrene in the presence of β-cyclodextrin polymer.     

基于1H-苯并咪唑-2-羧酸的三个镧系超分子化合物的结构、热分解动力学和荧光性质

在水热条件下合成了三个镧系超分子化合物[Ln(HBIC)₃]_n [Ln=Sm (1), Ho (2), Yb (3); H₂BIC=1H-苯并咪唑-2-羧酸], 其中化合物1、2呈单晶态, 化合物3则为粉末样品; 借助单晶X射线衍射(XRD)、粉末衍射、元素分析、红外(IR)光谱、热分析等手段对化合物进行了表征. 结构分析表明, 1-3为同构化合物, 都呈现二维的平面结构, 其中每一个镧系金属中心与来自五个HBIC^-配体的三个氮原子和五个氧原子以两种新的配位模式配位形成一个轻微扭曲的双帽三棱柱几何构型, 相邻的二维(2D)平面进一步通过强的氢键作用形成了一个三维(3D)的超分子结构. 热重分析结果表明, 化合物1-3在360 ℃前均保持稳定, 呈现出良好的热稳定性. 基于Kissinger和Ozawa-Doyle两种方法, 通过差示扫描量热(DSC)技术研究得到了化合物1热分解的动力学参数(指前因子A_K=1.286×10⁸ s^-1; 活化能E_K=199.3 kJ·mol^-1, E_O=205.2 kJ·mol^-1). 另外, 也研究了室温下化合物1和3的固态发光性能, 结果表明, 化合物1和3分别在可见光区和近红外光区呈现出相应镧系金属离子的特征发射.     

Characterizing affinity epitopes between prion protein and β-amyloid using an epitope mapping immunoassay

Cellular prion protein, a membrane protein, is expressed in all mammals. Prion protein is also found in human blood as an anchorless protein, and this protein form is one of the many potential sources of misfolded prion protein replication during transmission. Many studies have suggested that β-amyloid_1–42 oligomer causes neurotoxicity associated with Alzheimer''s disease, which is mediated by the prion protein that acts as a receptor and regulates the hippocampal potentiation. The prevention of the binding of these proteins has been proposed as a possible preventative treatment for Alzheimer''s disease; therefore, a greater understanding of the binding hot-spots between the two molecules is necessary. In this study, the epitope mapping immunoassay was employed to characterize binding epitopes within the prion protein and complementary epitopes in β-amyloid. Residues 23–39 and 93–119 in the prion protein were involved in binding to β-amyloid_1–40 and _1–42, and monomers of this protein interacted with prion protein residues 93–113 and 123–166. Furthermore, β-amyloid antibodies against the C-terminus detected bound β-amyloid_1–42 at residues 23–40, 104–122 and 159–175. β-Amyloid epitopes necessary for the interaction with prion protein were not determined. In conclusion, charged clusters and hydrophobic regions of the prion protein were involved in binding to β-amyloid_1–40 and _1–42. The 3D structure appears to be necessary for β-amyloid to interact with prion protein. In the future, these binding sites may be utilized for 3D structure modeling, as well as for the pharmaceutical intervention of Alzheimer''s disease.     

Preparation,Properties, and Reactions of Metal‐Containing Heterocycles. CX [1] Crystal Structure of 1, 1'‐Bis{[4‐(1, 10‐phenanthroline‐3‐yl‐ethynyl)‐2, 5‐dipropoxy‐phenyl]ethynyl}ferrocene

The crystal structure of 1, 1'‐bis{[4‐(1, 10‐phenanthroline‐3‐yl‐ethynyl)‐2, 5‐dipropoxy‐phenyl]ethynyl}ferrocene ( 1 ) is reported. This compound crystallizes with two chloroform solvent molecules in the monoclinic space group P2₁/c (No. 14), a = 15.4253(11), b = 23.2003(10), c = 17.2630(13) Å, β = 90.866(9)° and Z = 4. Both arms of the ferrocene moiety are parallel displaced with the four nitrogen atoms pointing to the same direction.     

Targeted resequencing of candidate genes reveals novel variants associated with severe Beh?et's uveitis

Behçet''s disease (BD) is a chronic systemic inflammatory disorder characterized by four major manifestations: recurrent uveitis, oral and genital ulcers and skin lesions. To identify some pathogenic variants associated with severe Behçet''s uveitis, we used targeted and massively parallel sequencing methods to explore the genetic diversity of target regions. A solution-based target enrichment kit was designed to capture whole-exonic regions of 132 candidate genes. Using a multiplexing strategy, 32 samples from patients with a severe type of Behçet''s uveitis were sequenced with a Genome Analyzer IIx. We compared the frequency of each variant with that of 59 normal Korean controls, and selected five rare and eight common single-nucleotide variants as the candidates for a replication study. The selected variants were genotyped in 61 cases and 320 controls and, as a result, two rare and seven common variants showed significant associations with severe Behçet''s uveitis (P<0.05). Some of these, including rs199955684 in KIR3DL3, rs1801133 in MTHFR, rs1051790 in MICA and rs1051456 in KIR2DL4, were predicted to be damaging by either the PolyPhen-2 or SIFT prediction program. Variants on FCGR3A (rs396991) and ICAM1 (rs5498) have been previously reported as susceptibility loci of this disease, and those on IFNAR1, MTFHR and MICA also replicated the previous reports at the gene level. The KIR3DL3 and KIR2DL4 genes are novel susceptibility genes that have not been reported in association with BD. In conclusion, this study showed that target enrichment and next-generation sequencing technologies can provide valuable information on the genetic predisposition for Behçet''s uveitis.     

1，1'-二羟基-5，5'-联四唑的镧系金属配合物的合成、表征及热行为

以1,1′-二羟基-5,5′-联四唑(H_2BTO)为配体,镧系金属离子作为金属中心,采用溶剂热法制备了5种金属配合物:[La_2(BTO)_3(H_2O)_8]·2H_2O (1)、[Ce_2(BTO)_3(H_2O)_8]·2H_2O (2)、[Pr_2(BTO)_3(H_2O)_8]·2H_2O (3)、[Sm_2(BTO)_3(H_2O)_8]·2H_2O (4)和[Nd_2(BTO)_3(DMF)_4]·6H_2O (5)。通过单晶X射线衍射和元素分析对5种配合物的结构进行了表征。结果表明,5种配合物均属于单斜晶系,P2_1/n空间群。利用差示扫描量热法研究了配合物1～4的热稳定性,采用Kissinger法和Ozawa法分别计算了其热分解动力学参数。     

Unveiling the Role of DJ-1 Protein in Vesicular Storage and Release of Catecholamine with Nano/Micro-Tip Electrodes

DJ-1 protein deficiency caused by PARK7 gene mutation has been suggested to closely relate to Parkinson's disease (PD), mainly through the attenuation D2 dopamine receptor activity in mice; however, whether or how it affects the vesicular storage and exocytosis of neurochemicals remains unclear. By using electrochemical methods at a single vesicle/cell level with nano/micro-tip electrodes, we for the first time find that DJ-1 protein deficiency caused by PARK7 gene knockout (KO) in mice has little effect on vesicular catecholamine content but significantly prolongs the exocytotic events, especially the closing time of exocytotic fusion pores. Further studies suggest the inhibition of α-synuclein aggregation by DJ-1 protein might be one way that DJ-1 protein acts on neurotransmission. This finding offers the first direct link between DJ-1 protein deficiency and vesicular chemical storage and release of chemicals, providing a new chemical insight into the pathology of PD caused by PARK7 gene mutation.     

Hammett MSP and Taft DSP analysis of substituent effects on Mulliken charges of 1‐(arylmethylene)‐1H‐cyclopropanaphthalene

Density functional theory (DFT) method is used to investigate the effects of a variety of substituents (N(CH₃)_2, OCH_3, CH₃,Br, H, F, CN, and NO₂) on Mulliken charge (Q_M) for C‐α and C‐β of 1‐(Arylmethylene)‐1H‐cyclopropanaphthalene using Hammett's mono substituent parameter (MSP) and Taft's dual substituent parameter (DSP) models. The Hammett's model approach gave statistically more significant results than the Taft's model for both carbons atoms. For the C‐α atom a reverse substituent effect was observed and attributed to localized π‐polarization. On the other hand, the MSP and DSP for the C‐β atom showed normal substituent effect. The λ value at the C‐α, explain that the resonance effects more contribution than inductive effects. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2007