ABSTRACT
Lysophosphatidyl acyltransferase (LPAT) is the important enzyme responsible for the acylation of lysophosphatidic acid (LPA), leading to the generation of phosphatidic acid (PA) in plant. Its encoding gene is an essential candidate for oil crops to improve oil composition and increase seed oil content through genetic engineering. In this study, a fulllength AhLPAT4 gene was isolated via cDNA library screening and rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE); our data demonstrated that AhLPAT4 had 1631 nucleotides, encoding a putative 43.8 kDa protein with 383 amino acid residues. The deduced protein included a conserved acyltransferase domain and four motifs (I–IV) with putative LPA and acyl-CoA catalytic and binding sites. Bioinformatic analysis indicated that AhLPAT4 contained four transmembrane domains (TMDs), localized to the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) membrane; detailed analysis indicated that motif I and motifs II–III in AhLPAT4 were separated by the third TMD, which located on cytosolic and ER luminal side respectively, and hydrophobic residues on the surface of AhLPAT4 protein fold to form a hydrophobic tunnel to accommodate the acyl chain. Subcellular localization analysis confirmed that AhLPAT4 was a cytoplasm protein. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that AhLPAT4 had a high homology (63.7–78.3%) with putative LPAT4 proteins from Glycine max, Arabidopsis thaliana and Ricinus communis. AhLPAT4 was ubiquitously expressed in diverse tissues except in flower, which is almost undetectable. The expression analysis in different developmental stages in peanut seeds indicated that AhLPAT4 did not coincide with oil accumulation.
ABSTRACT
The role of interleukin-17 (IL-17) in autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) was investigated. A mouse model of experimental autoimmune hepatitis was established, and the syngeneic S-100 antigen emulsified in complete Freud's adjuvant was injected intraperitoneally into adult male C57BL/6 mice. The IL-17 expression in serum and the livers of the mice models was detected by using ELISA and immunohistochemistry, respectively. IL-17 neutralizing antibody was used to study the biological effect of IL-17 in the experimental AIH. IL-17 neutralizing antibody in vivo administration alleviated the hepatic inflammation and ALT level in the AIH model. IL-17 in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) of A1H patients was measured by using real-time PCR method. The results showed that IL-17 level was significantly up-regulated in AIH patients and mice models. It was concluded that IL-17 contributed to the development of A IH and might be a potential therapeutic target of AIH.
ABSTRACT
The therapeutic effects of anluohuaxian tablet combined with γ-IFN on schistosomal liver fibrosis and its mechanism were studied in a murine model and clinical cases of schistosomal liver fibrosis.Fifty Kunming mice were randomly divided into 5 groups:normal control group,infection control group,anluohuaxian tablet-treated group,γ-IFN-treated group and combined treatment (anluohuaian tablet+γ-IFN) group.Pathologic changes in liver,including hepatic pigmentation and the size of schistosomal egg granuloma,were observed by HE staining after treatment for 8 weeks.The expression of the type Ⅰ and Ⅲ collagen,and TIMP-1 was detected by immunohistochemistry.TGF-β1 mRNA expression was examined by real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR.Sixty patients with schistosomal liver fibrosis were divided into treatment group and control group.The patients in treatment group were treated with anluohuaxian tablet in combination with γ-IFN for 6 months.Be-fore and after treatment,the changes of symptoms and signs,liver function,serum liver fibrosis in-dexes and imaging indexes were observed.The results showed that as compared with infection con-trol group,all forms of treatments relieved the hepatic pathological injury with apparently diminished size of schistosomal egg nodules and decreased percentage of pigmentation (P<0.05).Furthermore,the expression of collagen Ⅰ and Ⅲ,TIMP-Ⅰ,and TGF-β1 mRNA in combined treatment group was significantly decreased as compared with anluohuaxian tablet-treated and γ-IFN-treated groups (P<0.05).In the clinical observation,the serum liver fibrosis indexes,the portal vein width as well as the spleen thickness was significantly reduced in treatment group as compared with control group (P<0.05).It was concluded that the combined use of anluohuaxian tablet with γ-IFN in schistosomal liver fibrosis could protect liver function,alleviate liver fibrosis,and could be used as a choice in treating patients with schiatosomal liver fibrosis.