Taurine ameliorates alcoholic steatohepatitis via enhancing self-antioxidant capacity and alcohol metabolism

Chronic alcohol consumption or alcohol abuse is the main cause of alcoholic steatohepatitis or further cirrhosis. This study was to exam if the antioxidant capacity and alcohol metabolism in livers of chronic alcohol-fed rats were improved by supplementing taurine (Tau). Rats were randomly divided into four groups with five times per week of treatment: 1) isocaloric solution; 2) 3 g alcohol/kg BW/day; 3) 3 g alcohol/kg BW/day + 1 g taurine (Tau)/kg BW/day; and 4) 3 g alcohol/kg BW/day + 2 g Tau/kg BW/day. A 6-week alcohol consumption resulted in lower (p < 0.05) body weight gain and self-antioxidant capacities, as well as increased (p < 0.05) liver size, serum/hepatic lipids, and AST and ALT values. However, alcohol-fed rats co-treated with Tau have decreased (p < 0.05) liver lipid levels via increasing fecal lipid output and cholesterol metabolism. Besides, co-treatment of Tau also enhanced (p < 0.05) self-antioxidant capacities and alcohol metabolism in livers via enhancing GSH contents, CAT, GSH-Px, ADH, and ALDH activities, but decreasing MDA contents. In a histological examination of rat liver, microvesicular steatosis and necrotic cells were observed in alcohol-fed rats without Tau while largely suppressed microvesicular steatosis and no necrotic cells were observed in alcohol-fed rat supplemented with Tau. Therefore, Tau could be an effective hepatoprotective agent against alcohol-induced damage via enhancing self-antioxidant capacity and alcohol metabolism.     

天冬氨酸转氨酶及其酶学性质

从大肠杆菌中提取了天冬氨酸转氨酶 ,并对其酶学性质进行了系统的研究 ,得出该酶的最适反应温度为37℃、最佳反应 p H范围为 8.0～ 8.5、最佳氨基供体为 L -天冬氨酸、转化反应动力学常数 Km,同时对影响该酶作用的其它因素 (辅酶、金属离子 )作了研究。利用几种α-酮酸 ,考察了该酶在转化制备相应的芳香族 L -氨基酸过程中的作用。为该酶的工业化应用提供了理论上的依据     

Chiral recognition of alanine across modified carbon electrodes with 3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine

3,4-Dihydroxyphenylalanine (DOPA) was covalently grafted onto a glassy carbon electrode (GCE) by the formation of an amine cation radical in the electro-oxidation of the amino-containing compound. Cyclic voltammetric experiments proved that the DOPA was formed on the GCE as a monolayer. Its electron transfer over the GCE surface at different pH values was studied by cyclic voltammetry. Changes in solution pH resulted in the variation of the charge state of the terminal group and the surface pK_a was estimated on the basis of these results. Because of electrostatic interactions between the negatively charged groups on the electrode surface and the alanine (Ala) in solution, the modified electrode was used as an enantioselective sensor. The peak current for d(+) or l(−)DOPA over the modified electrode decreased as a result of the chiral recognition across the blocking interaction with the respective enantiomer of l(−) or d(+)Ala. The recognition was verified with the protection of l(−)DOPA with a Fmoc group.     

Development of an Engineered Sugar Aminotransferase with Simultaneously Improved Stability and Non-Natural Substrate Activity to Synthesize the Glucosidase Inhibitor Valienamine

Sugar aminotransferases(SATs)catalyze the installation of chiral amines onto specific keto sugars,pro-ducing bioactive amino sugars.Their activity has been utilized in artificial reactions,such as using the SAT WecE to transform valienone into the valuable α-glucosidase inhibitor valienamine.However,the low thermostability and limited activity on non-natural substrates have hindered their applications.Simultaneously improving stability and enzyme activity is particularly challenging owing to the acknowledged inherent trade-off between stability and activity.A customized combinatorial active-site saturation test-iterative saturation mutagenesis(CAST-ISM)strategy was used to simultaneously enhance the stability and activity of WecE toward valienone.Fourteen hotspots related to improving the stability-activity trade-off were identified based on evolutionary conservation and the average mutation folding energy assessment of 57 residues in the active site of WecE.Positive mutagenesis and combinatorial mutations of these specific residues were accomplished via site-directed saturation mutagenesis(SSM)and iterative evolution cycles.Compared with those of the wild-type(WT)WecE,the quadruple mutant M4(Y321F/K209F/V318R/F319V)displayed a 641.49-fold increase in half-life(t1/2)at 40 ℃ and a 31.37-fold increase in activity toward the non-natural substrate valienone.The tri-ple mutant M3(Y321F/K209F/V318R)demonstrated an 83.04-fold increase in(t1/2)at 40 ℃ and a 37.77-fold increase in activity toward valienone.The underlying mechanism was dependent on the strengthened interface interactions and shortened transamination reaction catalytic distance,compared with those of the WT,which improved the stability and activity of the obtained mutants.Thus,we accomplished a general target-oriented strategy for obtaining stable and highly active SATs for artificial amino-sugar biosynthesis applications.     

ALANINE/ESR DOSIMETRY FOR MEASUREMENT OF ELECTRON DOSES IN INDUSTRIAL APPLICATIONS

In this report, the results of preliminary research on L-alanine/ESR electron dosimeters are described. They include the designs of modelling tools and experimental capsules, the preparation and irradiation of very thin dosimeters, the measurement of ESR signal spectrum and the calibration method. The physical, chemical and dosimetric properties of the alanine free radical dosimeters, such as the smallest thickness, average density, lowest detectable limit, repeatability of the method, reproducibility resulted in directivity and location in resonance cavity, linearity regions as well as relative scattering of the response to identical doses, are summarized.     

Thermochemical Study on Ternary Solid Complex of La（Gly）2（Ala）3Cl3·2H2O（s）

The complex of lanthanum chloride with Glycine and Alanine,La(Gly)2(Ala)3Cl3·2H2O,was synthesized and characterized by IR,elementary analysis,thermogravimetric analysis,and chemical analysis.The dissolution enthalpies of LaCl3 ·7H2O(s),2Gly(s) 3Ala(s)and La(Gly)2(Ala)3Cl3 ·2H2O(s)were determined in 2 mol·L-1 HCl by a solution-reaction isoperibol calorimeter.By designing a thermochemical cycle in terms of Hess' Law and through calculation,the reaction enthalpy of lanthanum chloride seven-hydrate with Glycine and Alanine was obtained:ΔrHθm(298.15 K)=(29.652±0.504)kJ·mol-1,and the standard enthalpy of formation of La(Gly)2(Ala)3Cl3·2H2O(s)ΔfHθm [La(Gly)2(Ala)3Cl3·2H2O,s,298.15 K]=-4467.6±8.3 kJ·mol-1.     

丙氨酸／EPR剂量标定及对电子直线加速器辐照场的测量

用标准丙氨酸剂量计对ER-200D型电子顺磁共振仪进行标定,并利用这一标定结果对合肥国家同步辐射实验室的200MeV直线加速器周围的辐射场进行了测量,获得了满意的结果。     

提高工业辐照剂量测量准确度的研究

基于丙氨酸/ESR剂量测量技术,利用LAEA/IDAS剂量核验提供服务,对保证辐照产品质量和促进幅照加工产业化发挥了重要作用。本文研究和讨论了剂量核验技术,它涉及基本概念、模体、误差、剂量水平和在剂量核验中质量控制的技术细节。