The Inhibitory Effect of Phycocyanin Peptide on Pulmonary Fibrosis In Vitro

Phycocyanin is an excellent antioxidant with anti-inflammatory effects on which recent studies are growing; however, its specific target remains unclear. Linear tetrapyrrole compounds such as bilirubin have been shown to lead to the induction of heme oxygenase 1 expression in vivo, thus achieving antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. Phycocyanin is bound internally with linear tetrapyrrole phycocyanobilin in a similar structure to bilirubin. We speculate that there is probably a way of inducing the expression of heme oxygenase 1, with which tissue oxidative stress and inflammation can be inhibited, thus inhibiting pulmonary fibrosis caused by oxidative damage and inflammation of lung. By optimizing the enzymatic hydrolysis process, phycocyanobilin-bound phycocyanin peptide were obtained, and its in vitro antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-pulmonary fibrosis activities were investigated. The results show that the phycocyanobilin peptide was able to alleviate oxidative and inflammatory damage in cells through the Keap1-Nrf2-HO-1 pathway, which in turn relieved pulmonary fibrosis symptoms.     

血红素的应用与提取方法

血红素是血红蛋白、肌红蛋白等的辅基,具有重要的生理功能,在医药、食品等方面得到广泛应用。论文介绍了血红素的冰醋酸提取法,酸性丙酮提取法、羧甲基纤维素提取法、酶解提取法、血粉提取法、有机酸和有机碱混合提取法。     

血红素铁的研究进展

缺铁性贫血是我国人群普遍存在的营养性疾病之一。虽然传统的补铁剂在日常生活中起到一定的治疗效果,但其副作用大、吸收率低,而血红素铁是一种生物态铁,可以直接被肠黏膜细胞吸收,生物利用率高,在国外已作为食品营养强化剂广为使用。就血红素铁的特性及研究进展加以综述。     

捻转血矛线虫Hc-hrg-2拯救血红素缺陷型酵母生长表型

[目的]已有研究表明捻转血矛线虫(Haemonchus contortus)Hc-hrg-2属于血红素应答基因,高浓度血红素的刺激可导致该基因的转录水平上调,但其在血红素调控中的功能尚缺乏研究.研究通过同源重组技术构建血红素合成缺陷型酿酒酵母(Saccharomyces cerevisiae)hem1敲除株,通过异源表...     

Quantitative expression of candidate genes affecting eggshell color

There are three pigments that affect the color of an eggshell: protoporphyrin, biliverdin and biliverdin‐zinc chelate. Protoporphyrin is the main pigment in brown and light‐brown eggshells, whereas very little protoporphyrin is found in white eggshells. Eggshell protoporphyrin is derived from the heme formation in birds. Coproporphyrinogen III oxidase (CPOX) and ferrochelatase (FECH) represent rate‐limiting enzymes for the heme‐biosynthetic pathway. Breast cancer resistance protein (BCRP), feline leukemia virus receptor (FLVCR), and heme‐responsive gene‐1 (HRG1) serve as primary transporters for both protoporphyrinogen and heme. Finally, four organic anion transporting polypeptide family members (including solute carrier organic anion transporter family, SLCO1C1, SLCO1A2, SLCO1B3 and LOC418189) may affect pigment transport within eggshells. Here we measured gene expression levels in key tissues of egg‐producing hens. We analyzed three different types of hens that generated distinct eggshell colors: white, pink or brown. Our data revealed three ways in which eggshell color was genetically influenced. First, high‐level expression of CPOX generated more protoporphyrinogen and a brown eggshell color. In contrast, high expression of FECH likely converted more protoporphyrinogen into heme, reduced protoporphyrinogen levels within the eggshell and generated a light color. Second, heme transporters also affected eggshell color. High‐level expression of BCRP, HRG1 and FLVCR were associated with brown, white and generally lighter eggshell colors, respectively. Finally, protoporphyrin precipitation also affected eggshell color, as high expression of both SLCO1A2 and SLCO1C1 were associated with brown eggshell color. As such, we have identified seven genes in which expression levels in different tissues were associated with eggshell color.     

拟南芥叶绿体血红素加氧酶AtHO1基因的克隆和多克隆抗血清制备

为研究叶绿体血红素加氧酶HO1的生物学功能和分子作用机制,构建了拟南芥血红素加氧酶基因AtHO1的重组融合蛋白表达载体pET28a-AtHO1,质粒转化到Escherichia coli BL21(DE3)中诱导表达重组蛋白。经SDS-PAGE电泳检测,AtHO1的重组融合蛋白获得了高效表达,分子质量为28～36ku,且为可溶蛋白。重组蛋白经Ni-NTA亲和层析法纯化后,得到纯度较高的蛋白。纯化产物免疫新西兰大耳兔获得了专一识别重组蛋白6×His-AtHO1的抗血清,进一步提取拟南芥和水稻叶片总蛋白,蛋白质印迹检测显示,在分子质量28～36ku之间出现特异性条带,证明用重组蛋白6×His-AtHO1制备的多克隆抗血清可以与拟南芥和水稻HO1蛋白特异性结合,说明拟南芥HO1的抗血清能够用于水稻HO1的功能分析和应用研究。     

Chromium Alters Iron Nutrition and Water Relations of Spinach

Spinach (Spinacea oleracea L. cv. ‘Banarasi’), known to be responsive to potentially toxic elements, was investigated for chromium (Cr^{6 +}) effect on iron metabolism and water relations. After 40 days growth in sand culture, a set of plants was supplied with 100 and 400 μM Cr^{6 +} (potassium dichromate, K₂Cr₂O₇), superimposed over the complete nutrient solution (control). Excess Cr^{6 +} produced visual symptoms of toxicity and increased accumulation of Cr, more in roots than in leaves. Decreased concentration of chlorophylls and the activities of heme enzymes, catalase and peroxidase in excess Cr^{6 +} may suggest interference of Cr in iron metabolism of plants. These changes associated with decrease in iron (Fe) accumulation in Cr^{6 +} treated plants, indicate that by reducing absorption of Fe, Cr^{6 +} impairs the Fe requiring steps of chlorophyll and heme biosynthesis. In spite of lower water saturation deficit, the leaves of Cr^{6 +} treated plants showed a decrease in leaf water potential, associated with increase in diffusive resistance and lowering of transpiration rate along with proline accumulation indicates water stress. The changes observed in water stress parameters in Cr^{6 +} treated plants indicate that excess supply of Cr^{6 +} reduces the physiological availability of water.     

PTP1B Inhibitory and Anti-Inflammatory Effects of Secondary Metabolites Isolated from the Marine-Derived Fungus Penicillium sp. JF-55

Protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B) plays a major role in the negative regulation of insulin signaling, and is thus considered as an attractive therapeutic target for the treatment of diabetes. Bioassay-guided investigation of the methylethylketone extract of marine-derived fungus Penicillium sp. JF-55 cultures afforded a new PTP1B inhibitory styrylpyrone-type metabolite named penstyrylpyrone (1), and two known metabolites, anhydrofulvic acid (2) and citromycetin (3). Compounds 1 and 2 inhibited PTP1B activity in a dose-dependent manner, and kinetic analyses of PTP1B inhibition suggested that these compounds inhibited PTP1B activity in a competitive manner. In an effort to gain more biological potential of the isolated compounds, the anti-inflammatory effects of compounds 1–3 were also evaluated. Among the tested compounds, only compound 1 inhibited the production of NO and PGE₂, due to the inhibition of the expression of iNOS and COX-2. Penstyrylpyrone (1) also reduced TNF-α and IL-1β production, and these anti-inflammatory effects were shown to be correlated with the suppression of the phosphorylation and degradation of IκB-α, NF-κB nuclear translocation, and NF-κB DNA binding activity. In addition, using inhibitor tin protoporphyrin (SnPP), an inhibitor of HO-1, it was verified that the inhibitory effects of penstyrylpyrone (1) on the pro-inflammatory mediators and NF-κB DNA binding activity were associated with the HO-1 expression. Therefore, these results suggest that penstyrylpyrone (1) suppresses PTP1B activity, as well as the production of pro-inflammatory mediators via NF-κB pathway, through expression of anti-inflammatory HO-1.