Mechanism of Fuzilizhong decoction alleviating inflammatory damage of rats with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease

AIM To observe the effect of Fuzilizhong decoction on the inflammatory damage of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease （NAFLD） rats and to explore its mechanism. METHODS SPF male SD rats were randomly divided into 6 groups： control group, model group, high dose （20 mg·kg^-1·d^-1）, middle dose （10 mg·kg^-1·d^-1）, low dose （5 mg·kg^-1·d^-1） Fuzilizhong decoction group and Yishanfu （30 mg·kg^-1·d^-1）group, 8 rats in each group. A NAFLD rat modelwas established by intragastric administration of fat emulsion for 4 weeks. Then the drug was given for 4 weeks in each treatment group. HE staining was performed to observe the histopathological changes of the rat liver.The serum levels of interleukin-2（IL-2）, IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor-α（TNF-α） were measured by ELISA. The expression of toll like receptor 4（TLR4） and NF-κB p65 in liver tissues at mRNA and protein levels was determined by RT-qPCR and Western bolt,respectively. RESULTS Compared with control group, the inflammatory damage of liver tissue was more serious, the serum levels of IL-2, IL-6 and TNF-α, the mRNA expression TLR4 and NF-κB p65 in liver tissues were significantly increased in model group（P<0.05）. However, compared with model group, the liver pathological changes in each treatment group were significantly relieved, the serum levels of IL-2, IL-6 and TNF-α, the mRNA expression of TLR4 and NF-κB p65 in liver tissues were significantly reduced（P<0.05）.In addition, the changes of TLR4 and p-NF-κB p65 protein levels in liver tissue were consistent with the changes of TLR4 and NF-κB p65 mRNA. CONCLUSION Fuzilizhong decoction attenuates the inflammatory damages of NAFLD in rats by inhibiting TLR4/NF-κB p65 signaling pathway.     

卵形鲳鲹TLR13基因的克隆、表达分析和亚细胞定位研究

Toll样受体(Toll-like receptor,TLR)是一种古老的先天性免疫受体,参与病原体相关分子模式识别,对维持免疫稳态和预防感染至关重要。本研究克隆和鉴定了卵形鲳鲹(Trachinotus ovatus)TLR13基因(命名为ToTLR13),其开放阅读框(ORF)为1 269 bp,编码422个氨基酸,等电点为8.13。保守结构域分析显示,ToTLR13含有跨膜结构域(TM)、LRR结构域和TIR结构域,符合TLR家族的典型特征。通过建立TLR13保守域三级结构发现,ToTLR13与小鼠(Mus musculus)和大黄鱼(Larimichthys crocea) TLR13功能结构域的蛋白三级结构具有较高重叠性。多序列比对显示,ToTLR13与其他硬骨鱼TLR13具有较高的相似性,与其他纲物种的序列相似性较低。系统进化树结果显示,To TLR13与硬骨鱼TLR13聚在一起,其中与鞍带石斑鱼(Epinephelus lanceolatus)最为接近,与哺乳动物、两栖类和贝类相分离。实时荧光定量PCR (Real-time fluorescence quantitativ...     

斑节对虾Toll9受体基因免疫功能的研究与表达分析

Toll受体蛋白(Toll receptors)是一类重要的模式识别受体,在无脊椎动物先天性免疫系统中发挥重要作用。文章对斑节对虾(Penaeus monodon)新型Toll9受体基因(Pm Toll9)进行了研究:以人源胚胎肾细胞(HEK293T)成功构建体外细胞免疫模型,通过免疫印迹方法证实Pm Toll9重组真核蛋白可在HEK293T中成功表达。双荧光素酶报告系统检测发现在200 ng转染浓度处Pm Toll9对NF-κB报告基因的激活效果显著。q RT-PCR数据证明PmToll9成功激活HEK293T细胞Toll-like receptor(TLR)信号通路,促进通路下游髓样分化因子(My D88)、肿瘤坏死因子(TNF-α)和白介素(IL-10)的上调表达,同时酶联免疫吸附测定结果证明Pm Toll9可促进TNF-α蛋白表达水平显著上调。斑节对虾体内细菌刺激实验结果显示无乳链球菌(Streptococcus agalactiae)可激活Pm Toll9在肝胰腺、肠、淋巴和鳃中的表达,哈维氏弧菌(Vibrio harveyi)可显著抑制Pm Toll9在肝胰腺中的表达。提示无乳链球菌可通过Pm Toll9激活Toll信号通路,引起机体免疫防御反应,而哈维氏弧菌对此过程具有一定的抑制作用。     

LPS-TLR4/MD-2–TNF-α signaling mediates alcohol-induced liver fibrosis in rats

Liver fibrosis results from liver inflammation and progresses to liver cirrhosis or liver cancer. It is known that nonalcoholic liver disease is mediated by the Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4)/myeloid differentiation factor-2 (MD-2)–tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) signaling pathway. This study aimed to investigate whether alcoholic liver disease is also mediated by this pathway. To this end, we first established rat models of liver fibrosis by administering alcohol. Next, the rats were injected with anti-TLR4 and anti-MD-2 antibodies. Real Time Quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) and Western blotting were used to detect the activation of the TLR4/MD-2–TNF-α signaling pathway and hepatic stellate cells (HSCs). Moreover, the expression of molecules related to liver fibrosis was estimated. The morphology of rat liver tissue was observed through hematoxylin–eosin staining and Masson staining. For in vitro studies, Kupffer cells (KCs) isolated from the liver were transfected with si-TLR4 and si-MD-2 and co-cultured with HSCs to determine the activity of HSCs. It was found that alcohol treatment activated the TLR4/MD-2–TNF-α signaling pathway and upregulated the molecules associated with liver fibrosis. However, inhibition of TLR4 and MD-2 partially reversed this trend. Notably, in vitro studies indicated that knockdown of TLR4 and MD-2 in KCs partially inhibited LPS-induced activation of KCs and HSCs. Overall, this study showed that alcohol induces liver fibrosis via the LPS-TLR4/MD-2–TNF-α signaling pathway.     

Role of TLR4-TRPC6 in LPS-induced NF-κB P65 expression and nuclear translocation in airway epithelial 16HBE cells

AIM: To investigate the role of Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) and transient receptor potential channel 6 (TRPC6) signaling pathway in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) P65 expression and nuclear translocation in airway epithelial cells (16HBE) for supplementing the mechanism for airway inflammation. METHODS: After stimulating the 16HBE cells with LPS at 1 mg/L for 0, 0.5, 2, 6, 12 and 24 h, the expression of NF-κB P65 at mRNA and protein levels in the 16HBE cells were determined by RT-PCR and Western blot respectively, and the nuclear translocation of NF-κB P65 was detected by immunocytochemical staining method. The effects of TLR4 inhibitor CLI-095 at 5 μmol/L and TRPC6 agonist Hyp9 at 10 μmol/L on LPS (1 mg/L)-induced NF-κB P65 expression and nuclear translocation in the 16HBE cells were determined by RT-PCR, Western blot and immunocytochemical staining. RESULTS: LPS increased the mRNA and protein expression of NF-κB P65 and nuclear translocation in the 16HBE cells(P<0.05). TLR4 inhibitor CLI-095 reduced the mRNA and protein expression of NF-κB P65 and nuclear translocation induced by LPS, while Hyp9 enhanced the mRNA and protein expression of NF-κB P65 and nuclear translocation induced by LPS in the 16HBE cells(P<0.05). CONCLUSION: LPS induces the expression and nuclear translocation of NF-κB P65 in the 16HBE cells via TLR4-TRPC6 signaling pathway.     

牛TLR4基因生物信息学分析

为了更加深入地了解牛TLR4基因的功能、结构及与该基因有关联的疾病识别及其致病机理,利用牛TLR4基因的氨基酸序列对其编码蛋白的基本理化性质、蛋白质译后的磷酸化位点和糖基化位点以及跨膜结构域和蛋白质结构进行预测。结果显示,牛TLR4基因一共编码841个氨基酸,负电荷残基总和(Asp+Glu)为84,正电荷残基总和(Arg+Lys)为76,不稳定指数小于40,表明该基因编码产物稳定性较好。在该基因整个编码产物中,亲水氨基酸占比较多,平均分值为-0.011,由此得知TLR4基因编码的蛋白质是一种易溶蛋白。有9个潜在的N-糖基化位点;78个磷酸化位点以及存在一个跨膜蛋白和存在信号肽,其切割位点在第25和第26个氨基酸之间。蛋白质的二、三级结构预测结果显示,二级结构和三级结构均由α-螺旋、β-折叠和无规则卷曲组成,其在生物合成、基因表达与调控等方面有重要作用。本研究结果可为牛TLR4基因深入研究提供理论基础。     

牛TLR4基因的遗传多态性与乳房炎的关联分析

TLR4通过识别病原体而激活免疫细胞，在先天免疫和适应性免疫防御中起着重要作用。以中国荷斯坦奶牛、三河牛和中国西门塔尔牛共397头为研究对象，利用创造酶切位点PCR法扩增243bp的目的片段，通过限制性内切酶HinfⅠ酶切来检测TLR4第3外显子的多态性，结果发现扩增产物的27bp处C到T的突变使得多态位点产生，编码的氨基酸由苏氨酸变为异亮氨酸。A、B2个等位基因在3个群体中均有分布，A等位基因占优势（大于78％），经χ^2适合性检验，三河牛在该位点未达到Hardy-Weinberg平衡状态（P〈0．05）。运用SAS8．2软件采用最小二乘法拟合线性模型，将该基因座不同基因型与奶牛乳房炎进行了关联分析，结果表明：AA基因型为乳房炎抗性基因型（P〈0．05），A等位基因为乳房炎抗性的有利基因。     

Characterization of an intravenous lipopolysaccharide inflammation model in calves with respect to the acute-phase response

Our objective was to develop a lipopolysaccharide (LPS) inflammation model in calves to evaluate the acute-phase response with respect to the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines and acute-phase proteins, fever development and sickness behaviour. Fourteen 4-week-old male Holstein Friesian calves were included and randomly assigned to a negative control group (n = 3) and an LPS-challenged group (n = 11). The latter received an intravenous bolus injection of 0.5 μg of LPS/kg body weight. Blood collection and clinical scoring were performed at 0, 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5, 3, 3.5, 4, 5, 6, 8, 12, 18, 24, 28, 32, 48, 54 and 72 h post LPS administration (p.a.). In the LPS group, the following clinical signs were observed successively: tachypnoea (on average 18 min p.a.), decubitus (29 min p.a.), general depression (1.75 h p.a.), fever (5 h p.a.) and tachycardia (5 h p.a.). Subsequent to the recovery from respiratory distress, general depression was prominent, which deteriorated when fever increased. One animal did not survive LPS administration, whereas the other animals recovered on average within 6.1 h p.a. Moreover, the challenge significantly increased plasma concentrations of tumour necrosis factor-α, interleukin 6, serum amyloid A and haptoglobin, with peaking levels at 1, 3.5, 24 and 18 h p.a., respectively. The present LPS model was practical and reproducible, caused obvious clinical signs related to endotoxemia and a marked change in the studied inflammatory mediators, making it a suitable model to study the immunomodulatory properties of drugs in future research.     

猪TLR6基因Msp I多态性与生长性状相关性研究

本研究旨在阐明猪TLR6基因片段多态性及其与生长性状之间的关系,利用PCR-RFLPs技术检测405头猪TLR6基因片段Msp I酶切位点的多态性,结果表明：该位点具有两种等位基因T\C, 在大围子猪、沙子岭猪、宁乡猪和黔邵花猪各群体中的频率分别为0.136/0.864、0.189/0.811、0.186/0.814、0.281/0.719。C等位基因是群体中的优势等位基因,该基因座处于Hardy-Weinberg平衡状态。利用最小二乘分析研究了该多态位点对初生体质量、45日龄体质量、60日龄体质量、4月龄体质量、6月龄体质量、6月龄体高、6月龄体长、6月龄胸围等生长性状的影响。结果显示：TT基因型个体对4月龄体质量性状影响达极显著水平（P<0.01）;TT基因型4月龄体质量比CC型高25.92%;对45日龄体质量、6月龄体质量、体长和胸围性状影响达显著水平（P<0.05）,TT基因型45日龄体质量比CC型高12.46%、6月龄体质量高7.20%、6月龄体长高7.62%、6月龄胸围高7.24%。由此可知,猪TLR6基因不同基因型对生长性状有着重要的影响,是猪育种应用中的一个潜在遗传标记。