The Role of Neutrophils in the Pathogenesis of Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia

Tumor-associated neutrophils appear to be a crucial element of the tumor microenvironment that actively participates in the development and progression of cancerous diseases. The increased lifespan, plasticity in changing of phenotype, and functions of neutrophils influence the course of the disease and may significantly affect survival. In patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), disturbances in neutrophils functions impede the effective immune defense against pathogens. Therefore, understanding the mechanism underlying such a phenomenon in CLL seems to be of great importance. Here we discuss the recent reports analyzing the phenotype and functions of neutrophils in CLL, the most common leukemia in adults. We summarize the data concerning both the phenotype and the mechanisms by which neutrophils directly support the proliferation and survival of malignant B cells.     

NK Cells in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia and Their Therapeutic Implications

Key features of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) are defects in the immune system and the ability of leukemic cells to evade immune defenses and induce immunosuppression, resulting in increased susceptibility to infections and disease progression. Several immune effectors are impaired in CLL, including T and natural killer (NK) cells. The role of T cells in defense against CLL and in CLL progression and immunotherapy has been extensively studied. Less is known about the role of NK cells in this leukemia, and data on NK cell alterations in CLL are contrasting. Besides studies showing that NK cells have intrinsic defects in CLL, there is a large body of evidence indicating that NK cell dysfunctions in CLL mainly depend on the escape mechanisms employed by leukemic cells. In keeping, it has been shown that NK cell functions, including antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC), can be retained and/or restored after adequate stimulation. Therefore, due to their preserved ADCC function and the reversibility of CLL-related dysfunctions, NK cells are an attractive source for novel immunotherapeutic strategies in this disease, including chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) therapy. Recently, satisfying clinical responses have been obtained in CLL patients using cord blood-derived CAR-NK cells, opening new possibilities for further exploring NK cells in the immunotherapy of CLL. However, notwithstanding the promising results of this clinical trial, more evidence is needed to fully understand whether and in which CLL cases NK cell-based immunotherapy may represent a valid, alternative/additional therapeutic option for this leukemia. In this review, we provide an overview of the current knowledge about phenotypic and functional alterations of NK cells in CLL and the mechanisms by which CLL cells circumvent NK cell-mediated immunosurveillance. Additionally, we discuss the potential relevance of using NK cells in CLL immunotherapy.     

Regulation of S100As Expression by Inflammatory Cytokines in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia

The calcium-binding proteins S100A4, S100A8, and S100A9 are upregulated in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), while the S100A9 promotes NF-κB activity during disease progression. The S100-protein family has been involved in several malignancies as mediators of inflammation and proliferation. The hypothesis of our study is that S100A proteins are mediators in signaling pathways associated with inflammation-induced proliferation, such as NF-κB, PI3K/AKT, and JAK/STAT. The mononuclear cells (MNCs) of CLL were treated with proinflammatory IL-6, anti-inflammatory IL-10 cytokines, inhibitors of JAK1/2, NF-κB, and PI3K signaling pathways, to evaluate S100A4, S100A8, S100A9, and S100A12 expression as well as NF-κB activation by qRT-PCR, immunocytochemistry, and immunoblotting. The quantity of S100A4, S100A8, and S100A9 positive cells (p < 0.05) and their protein expression (p < 0.01) were significantly decreased in MNCs of CLL patients compared to healthy controls. The S100A levels were generally increased in CD19⁺ cells compared to MNCs of CLL. The S100A4 gene expression was significantly stimulated (p < 0.05) by the inhibition of the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway in MNCs. IL-6 stimulated S100A4 and S100A8 protein expression, prevented by the NF-κB and JAK1/2 inhibitors. In contrast, IL-10 reduced S100A8, S100A9, and S100A12 protein expressions in MNCs of CLL. Moreover, IL-10 inhibited activation of NF-κB signaling (4-fold, p < 0.05). In conclusion, inflammation stimulated the S100A protein expression mediated via the proliferation-related signaling and balanced by the cytokines in CLL.     

Complete Plastid and Mitochondrial Genomes of Aeginetia indica Reveal Intracellular Gene Transfer (IGT), Horizontal Gene Transfer (HGT), and Cytoplasmic Male Sterility (CMS)

Orobanchaceae have become a model group for studies on the evolution of parasitic flowering plants, and Aeginetia indica, a holoparasitic plant, is a member of this family. In this study, we assembled the complete chloroplast and mitochondrial genomes of A. indica. The chloroplast and mitochondrial genomes were 56,381 bp and 401,628 bp long, respectively. The chloroplast genome of A. indica shows massive plastid genes and the loss of one IR (inverted repeat). A comparison of the A. indica chloroplast genome sequence with that of a previous study demonstrated that the two chloroplast genomes encode a similar number of proteins (except atpH) but differ greatly in length. The A. indica mitochondrial genome has 53 genes, including 35 protein-coding genes (34 native mitochondrial genes and one chloroplast gene), 15 tRNA (11 native mitochondrial genes and four chloroplast genes) genes, and three rRNA genes. Evidence for intracellular gene transfer (IGT) and horizontal gene transfer (HGT) was obtained for plastid and mitochondrial genomes. ψndhB and ψcemA in the A. indica mitogenome were transferred from the plastid genome of A. indica. The atpH gene in the plastid of A. indica was transferred from another plastid angiosperm plastid and the atpI gene in mitogenome A. indica was transferred from a host plant like Miscanthus siensis. Cox2 (orf43) encodes proteins containing a membrane domain, making ORF (Open Reading Frame) the most likely candidate gene for CMS development in A. indica.     

慢性粒细胞白血病Bcr/Abl基因OD域融合蛋白的原核表达及纯化

目的原核表达并纯化慢性粒细胞白血病(CML)Bcr/Abl基因OD域融合蛋白。方法将TAT、OD和HA基因片段顺次克隆入pET32a(+)原核表达载体,构建重组原核表达质粒pTAT-OD-HA,经PCR、双酶切和测序鉴定正确的重组质粒转化E.coliBL2(lDE3),IPTG诱导表达,表达产物经SDS-PAGE及Westernblot分析后,用镍离子亲和层析柱纯化。结果所构建的重组质粒pTAT-OD-HA经PCR、双酶切及测序鉴定正确;表达的重组蛋白相对分子质量约为30000,诱导6h蛋白表达量达最高,约为10%;Westernblot分析显示,该蛋白可与鼠抗HA单克隆抗体发生特异性反应;纯化后纯度约为95%。结论已成功原核表达并纯化了TAT-OD-HA融合蛋白,为进一步研究其在CML中的作用奠定了基础。     

Gene Transfer of Skeletal Muscle-Type Myosin Light Chain Kinase via Adeno-Associated Virus 6 Improves Muscle Functions in an Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Mouse Model

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative disease that shows progressive muscle weakness. A few treatments exist including symptomatic therapies, which can prolong survival or reduce a symptom; however, no fundamental therapies have been found. As a therapeutic strategy, enhancing muscle force is important for patients’ quality of life. In this study, we focused on skeletal muscle-specific myosin regulatory light chain kinase (skMLCK), which potentially enhances muscle contraction, as overexpression of skMLCK was thought to improve muscle function. The adeno-associated virus serotype 6 encoding skMLCK (AAV6/skMLCK) and eGFP (control) was produced and injected intramuscularly into the lower limbs of SOD1^G37R mice, which are a familial ALS model. AAV6/skMLCK showed the successful expression of skMLCK in the muscle tissues. Although the control did not affect the muscle force in both of the WT and SOD1^G37R mice, AAV6/skMLCK enhanced the twitch force of SOD1^G37R mice and the tetanic force of WT and SOD1^G37R mice. These results indicate that overexpression of skMLCK can enhance the tetanic force of healthy muscle as well as rescue weakened muscle function. In conclusion, the gene transfer of skMLCK has the potential to be a new therapy for ALS as well as for other neuromuscular diseases.     

Dysregulated Expression of Transposable Elements in TDP-43M337V Human Motor Neurons That Recapitulate Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis In Vitro

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a disease that progressively annihilates spinal cord motor neurons, causing severe motor decline and death. The disease is divided into familial and sporadic ALS. Mutations in the TAR DNA binding protein 43 (TDP-43) have been involved in the pathological emergence and progression of ALS, although the molecular mechanisms eliciting the disease are unknown. Transposable elements (TEs) and DNA sequences capable of transposing within the genome become dysregulated and transcribed in the presence of TDP-43 mutations. We performed RNA-Seq in human motor neurons (iMNs) derived from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) from TDP-43 wild-type—iMNs-TDP-43^WT—and mutant—iMNs-TDP-43^M337V—genotypes at 7 and 14 DIV, and, with state-of-the-art bioinformatic tools, analyzed whether TDP-43^M337V alters both gene expression and TE activity. Our results show that TDP-43^M337V induced global changes in the gene expression and TEs levels at all in vitro stages studied. Interestingly, many genetic pathways overlapped with that of the TEs activity, suggesting that TEs control the expression of several genes. TEs correlated with genes that played key roles in the extracellular matrix and RNA processing: all the regulatory pathways affected in ALS. Thus, the loss of TE regulation is present in TDP-43 mutations and is a critical determinant of the disease in human motor neurons. Overall, our results support the evidence that indicates TEs are critical regulatory sequences contributing to ALS neurodegeneration.     

Diurnal Expression of the Per2 Gene and Protein in the Lateral Habenular Nucleus

The suprachiasmatic nucleus plays an important role in generating circadian rhythms in mammals. The lateral habenular nucleus (LHb) is closely linked to this structure. Interestingly, the LHb shows a rhythmic firing rate in vivo and in vitro, and sustained oscillation of rhythmic genes in vitro. However, under the in vivo condition, whether rhythmic gene expression in the LHb has circadian rhythms remains unknown. In this study, we examined LHb tissue in rats to determine Period2 (Per2) gene and protein expression at six zeitgeber time points (ZT2, ZT6, ZT10, ZT14, ZT18, and ZT22) in a 12-h light and 12-h dark (LD) environment. We found that in the LD environment, Per2 gene expression and PER2 protein levels in the LHb were higher in the day and lower in the night, showing periodic oscillation, with a peak at ZT10 and a trough at ZT22 (Per2 mRNA) and ZT18 (PER2 protein). We conclude that Per2 expression and PER2 protein levels in the LHb have rhythmic oscillation in vivo. This study provides a basis for further study on the role of the LHb in the circadian rhythm system.     

Identification of QTLs and a Candidate Gene for Reducing Pre-Harvest Sprouting in Aegilops tauschii–Triticum aestivum Chromosome Segment Substitution Lines

Wheat pre-harvest sprouting (PHS) causes serious losses in wheat yield. In this study, precise mapping was carried out in the chromosome segment substitution lines (CSSL) F₂ population generated by a direct cross of Zhoumai 18 (PHS-sensitive) and Aegilops tauschii accession T093 (highly PHS-resistant). Three Ae. tauschii-derived quantitative trait loci (QTLs), QDor.3D.1, QDor.3D.2, and QDor.3D.3, were detected on chromosome 3DL using four simple sequence repeats (SSR) markers and 10 developed Kompetitive allele-specific PCR (KASP) markers. Alongside these QTL results, the RNA-Seq and qRT-PCR analysis revealed expression levels of TraesCS3D01G466100 in the QDor.3D.2 region that were significantly higher in CSSLs 495 than in Zhoumai 18 during the seed imbibition treatment. The cDNA sequencing results of TraesCS3D01G466100 showed two single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), resulting in two changed amino acid substitutions between Zhoumai 18 and line 495, and the 148 nt amino acid substitution of TraesCS3D01G466100, derived from Ae. tauschii T093, which may play an important role in the functioning of ubiquitin ligase enzymes 3 (E3) according to the homology protein analysis, which could lead to differential PHS-resistance phenotypes. Taken together, our results may foster a better understanding of the mechanism of PHS resistance and are potentially valuable for marker-assisted selection in practical wheat breeding efforts.     

人巨细胞病毒pp65基因片段的原核表达及鉴定

目的构建人巨细胞病毒(HCMV)pp65基因片段(363～505位氨基酸)的原核表达质粒,并鉴定所表达蛋白的反应原性。方法以含有HCMVpp65全长基因的pGEM-T-pp65质粒为模板,PCR扩增pp65基因第1087～1515位核苷酸片段,酶切后插入pET-21a(+)载体,转化大肠杆菌BL21(DE3)。经IPTG诱导表达,纯化后进行Western blot鉴定。结果酶切分析和测序证明原核表达质粒pET-21a(+)-pp65构建正确。表达的融合蛋白主要以包涵体形式存在,以1.0mmol/L IPTG诱导5h,目的蛋白的表达量最高。纯化后的蛋白具有良好的反应原性。结论已成功构建了HCMV pp65基因片段原核表达质粒,并在大肠杆菌中表达了融合蛋白。     

PVC薄膜中增塑剂在水环境中迁移规律研究

研究了PVC中的增塑剂在水中的迁移情况及时间、温度等因素对迁移的影响。同时研究了增塑剂迁移对薄膜力学性能的影响。     

人CD147基因siRNA真核表达质粒的构建及其对HeLa细胞中CD147基因表达的影响

目的构建针对人CD147基因的siRNA真核表达质粒,并观察其对HeLa细胞中CD147基因表达的影响。方法根据GenBank中登录的人CD147基因序列,设计并合成针对CD147基因的特异性小干扰片段,并将其定向克隆至带有卡那霉素抗性和增强型绿色荧光蛋白的真核表达载体pGenesil-1中,对重组质粒进行酶切分析和DNA序列测定。用脂质体将重组质粒转染至HeLa细胞中,观察其对HeLa细胞CD147基因mRNA及蛋白表达水平的影响。结果酶切鉴定和测序结果表明,3个表达短发夹RNA的质粒及其阴性对照质粒构建正确。3个siRNA真核表达质粒对HeLa细胞CD147基因mRNA转录水平的抑制率分别为32.5%、66.8%和59.1%;对CD147蛋白表达水平的抑制率分别为28.3%、63.5%和56.2%。结论已成功构建针对人CD147基因的siRNA真核表达质粒,其对HeLa细胞CD147基因的表达具有明显的抑制作用,为进一步研究CD147基因的功能奠定了基础。     

Hormonal Responses to Susceptible,Intermediate, and Resistant Interactions in the Brassica napus–Leptosphaeria maculans Pathosystem

Hormone signaling plays a pivotal role in plant–microbe interactions. There are three major phytohormones in plant defense: salicylic acid (SA), jasmonic acid (JA), and ethylene (ET). The activation and trade-off of signaling between these three hormones likely determines the strength of plant defense in response to pathogens. Here, we describe the allocation of hormonal signaling in Brassica napus against the fungal pathogen Leptosphaeria maculans. Three B. napus genotypes (Westar, Surpass400, and 01-23-2-1) were inoculated with two L. maculans isolates (H75 8-1 and H77 7-2), subsequently exhibiting three levels of resistance: susceptible, intermediate, and resistant. Quantitative analyses suggest that the early activation of some SA-responsive genes, including WRKY70 and NPR1, contribute to an effective defense against L. maculans. The co-expression among factors responding to SA/ET/JA was also observed in the late stage of infection. The results of conjugated SA measurement also support that early SA activation plays a crucial role in durable resistance. Our results demonstrate the relationship between the onset patterns of certain hormone regulators and the effectiveness of the defense of B. napus against L. maculans.     

人巨细胞病毒糖蛋白gB基因重组腺病毒载体的构建及包装

目的构建携带有人巨细胞病毒(HCMV)糖蛋白gB基因的重组腺病毒载体,并在HEK293细胞中进行包装。方法将gB基因克隆至穿梭质粒Track-CMV,构建重组质粒Track-CMV/gB,亚克隆至转移载体pAD-Easy-1,构建重组质粒pAD-Easy-1/gB,将该重组骨架质粒转染HEK293细胞,利用HEK293细胞产生重组腺病毒。空斑法及PCR法挑选重组病毒,荧光显微镜观察标志蛋白(绿色荧光蛋白)的表达,利用噬斑法检测病毒滴度。结果重组腺病毒载体经酶切鉴定证明构建正确,转染重组腺病毒载体的HEK293细胞经PCR扩增,可见约700bp的目的基因片段,荧光显微镜观察可见绿色荧光蛋白表达,空斑试验检测病毒滴度为2×106PFU/ml。结论已成功构建了含有gB基因的重组腺病毒载体,为进一步研制重组腺病毒载体HCMV疫苗提供了条件。     

人Makorin环指蛋白1基因沉默对HEK293细胞的影响

目的探讨特异性抑制人Makorin环指蛋白1(MKRN1)基因的表达对HEK293细胞的影响。方法用脂质体将前期筛选出的含最有效干扰序列的人MKRN1基因shRNA真核表达质粒,转染至HEK293细胞中,观察其对人端粒酶逆转录酶(hTERT)基因mRNA转录水平、蛋白表达水平及细胞增殖的影响。结果人MKRN1基因shRNA真核表达质粒转染HEK293细胞后,在mRNA和蛋白水平均能明显上调细胞hTERT基因的表达,且细胞明显增殖。结论抑制HEK293细胞中人MKRN1基因的表达,可导致hTERT基因mRNA转录水平和蛋白表达水平上调,并促进细胞增殖。     

人乳头瘤病毒结构蛋白L1与白色念珠菌甘露糖蛋白CTL表位嵌合基因在昆虫细胞中的表达

目的构建携带人乳头瘤病毒(HPV)结构蛋白L1和白色念珠菌甘露糖蛋白(CaMp65)细胞毒性T细胞表位(CTL)基因的重组质粒,并在杆状病毒-昆虫细胞系统中进行表达。方法分别设计包含HPV6bL1和CaMp65CTL145-153的引物,经PCR扩增嵌合基因HPV6bL1/CaMp65CTL145-153,并进一步将其插入杆状病毒表达载体pFastBacTM1。在E.coliDH10Bac中组装成重组杆状病毒,在昆虫细胞sf-9中表达嵌合蛋白,并经SDS-PAGE和Westernblot分析鉴定。结果HPV6bL1/CaMp65CTL145-153嵌合蛋白在昆虫细胞sf-9中得到了表达,表达产物的相对分子质量为56000,与HPV6bL1单抗能产生特异性反应。结论HPV6bL1/CaMp65CTL145-153嵌合蛋白在杆状病毒-昆虫细胞系统中得到了成功表达,为防治HPV和白色念珠菌感染的基因工程疫苗的研究奠定了基础。     

Electrochemical Approach to Copper‐Catalyzed Reversed Atom Transfer Radical Cyclization

Electrochemically mediated atom transfer radical cyclization (eATRC) has been developed as an easy and clean method allowing the synthesis of halogenated cyclic compounds. This method has been successfully applied to the copper‐catalyzed atom transfer radical cyclization of some N‐allyl‐α,α‐dichloroamides in acetonitrile (CH₃CN) using a copper complex with tris(2‐pyridylmethyl)amine (TPMA) with a metal loading of 1%. The catalyst is introduced as [Cu(II)TPMA]²⁺ and is activated and continuously regenerated to its active copper(I) form by reduction at a platinum (Pt) electrode. During the ATRC process a new copper(II) complex, namely, [ClCu(II)TPMA]⁺, whose reduction potential is ca. 0.350 V more negative than that of the starting [Cu(II)TPMA]²⁺, is formed. Therefore, the choice of the applied potential is critical and should be done taking care that all copper(II) species are reduced to copper(I). The compounds undergo very high conversions (79–100%) in a few hours of electrolysis, producing a cyclic γ‐lactam (yield 60–98%) as a mixture of two isomers, with a good cis‐diastereoselectivity [dr (cis/trans)=59/41–83/17]. [Cu(II)PMDETA]²⁺ (PMDETA=N,N,N′,N′′,N′′‐pentamethyldiethylenetriamine), which is much cheaper, albeit less reactive than [Cu(II)TPMA]²⁺, was also investigated but the results were not satisfactory.

     

Structure–Function Relationships in the Human P-Glycoprotein (ABCB1): Insights from Molecular Dynamics Simulations

P-Glycoprotein (P-gp) is a transmembrane protein belonging to the ATP binding cassette superfamily of transporters, and it is a xenobiotic efflux pump that limits intracellular drug accumulation by pumping compounds out of cells. P-gp contributes to a reduction in toxicity, and has broad substrate specificity. It is involved in the failure of many cancer and antiviral chemotherapies due to the phenomenon of multidrug resistance (MDR), in which the membrane transporter removes chemotherapeutic drugs from target cells. Understanding the details of the ligand–P-gp interaction is therefore critical for the development of drugs that can overcome the MDR phenomenon, for the early identification of P-gp substrates that will help us to obtain a more effective prediction of toxicity, and for the subsequent outdesign of substrate properties if needed. In this work, a series of molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of human P-gp (hP-gp) in an explicit membrane-and-water environment were performed to investigate the effects of binding different compounds on the conformational dynamics of P-gp. The results revealed significant differences in the behaviour of P-gp in the presence of active and non-active compounds within the binding pocket, as different patterns of movement were identified that could be correlated with conformational changes leading to the activation of the translocation mechanism. The predicted ligand–P-gp interactions are in good agreement with the available experimental data, as well as the estimation of the binding-free energies of the studied complexes, demonstrating the validity of the results derived from the MD simulations.     

Mineralocorticoid Receptor Antagonists—Use in Chronic Kidney Disease

Mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists (MRA) are drugs with a potentially broad spectrum of action. They have been reported to have healing effects in many diseases, such as chronic heart failure, hypertension, or nephrotic syndrome. Numerous studies suggest that mineralocorticoid receptor activation is pathogenic and a progression factor of chronic kidney disease (CKD); however, results of studies on the use of MRA in the treatment of CKD are inconclusive. Current guidelines recommend against the use of MRA in patients with advanced CKD. Although, there is growing interest on their use in this population due to treatment benefits. In this review, we summarize studies which were purposed to evaluate the impact of MRA therapy on CKD patients. Despite many benefits of this treatment e.g., reducing cardiovascular mortality or alleviating proteinuria, steroidal MRA (such as spironolactone or eplerenone) have a low safety profile. They often lead to hyperkalemia complications which are dangerous in patients with CKD, and diabetic nephropathy, especially in hemodialysis patients. Studies on recently developed nonsteroidal MRA showed that they have fewer side effects. In our review, we discuss steroidal and nonsteroidal MRA treatment effects on the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), proteinuria, the cardiovascular system, and hyperkalemia in CKD patients. We present new content and recent publications in this field.