Recent advances in curcumin and its derivatives for treatment of liver diseases / 药学学报

Curcumin is a principal polyphenolic curcuminoid extracted from turmeric rhizome, which has been used for treating inflammation of joints, ulcers, jaundice and other disorders in Asian traditional medicine. In recent years, many studies have indicated that curcumin plays important roles in treatment of liver diseases. Curcumin attenuates liver injury and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease by lowering the release of inflammation cytokines, minimizing oxidative stress, enhancing the sensitivity of insulin and altering lipid metabolism. Curcumin shows potent anti-fibrosis activity, contributing to inhibit the activation of hepatic stellate cells and reduce the deposition of extracellular matrix by its regulation of PPAR-γ, NF-ΚB and TGF-β signaling pathways. Moreover, curcumin exhibits anti-cancer effect by inducing G2/M phase cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in several hepatoma cell lines. However, poor water solubility and low bioavailability of curcumin limit its clinical applications. To overcome its limited systemic bioavailability, many new approaches have been explored to deliver curcumin effectively. This article focuses on advances in the effects of curcumin and its derivatives for treatment of liver injury, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, liver fibrosis and hepatocarcinoma.

The effects of curcumin derivative on experimental steatohepatitis / 中华肝脏病杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To observe the effects of curcumin derivative on non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>60 SD male rats were randomly divided into 5 groups. The NASH model was induced by high fat diet combined with carbon tetrachloride. These rats were then treated with curcumin and curcumin derivative, saline treating group as control. The serum biochemical parameters and liver histological examinations were observed. The TNF alpha, NF-kappa B and HMG-CoA reductase mRNA transcriptions of liver tissue were detected with RT-PCR. The protein expressions of TNF alpha and NF-kappa B were detected by western blot.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Compared with the saline group, A remarkable reduction was observed in serum ALT (U/L), AST (U/L) and TC (mmol/L) in rats treated with curcumin derivatives [(69.20 +/- 27.58) vs (102.43 +/- 47.29), (158.00 +/- 39.15) vs (229.50 +/- 105.20) and (2.08 +/- 0.30) vs (2.58 +/- 1.02), P < 0.05]. The degrees of fibrosis were significantly alleviated; Compared with curcumin group, liver index and serum ALT, AST of curcumin derivative group were also significantly decreased [(4.88 +/- 0.62) vs (5.16 +/- 0.61); (69.20 +/- 27.58) vs (82.5 +/- 33.23); (158.00 +/- 39.15) vs (211.75 +/- 106.30), P < 0.05]; The liver steatosis and inflammation grade were also significantly improved .The gene transcriptions of TNF alpha, NF-kappa B and HMG-CoA reductase in curcumin derivative group were significantly lower than those in curcumin and saline group (P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>These results indicate that the water-soluble curcumin derivative displays superior bioavailability to the parent curcumin, which can effectively improve the lipid metabolism and delay the progression of hepatic fibrosis in rats with steatohepatitis.</p>

Advance in the study of poly(lactide-co-glycolide) nano/microparticles as gene vector / 药学学报

Biodegradable nano/microparticles of poly(D, L-lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) is a novel non-viral gene vector, which has many advantages, such as safety, non-immunogenicity, easy of large-scale preparation and well load-capability. Therefore, more and more attentions and researches have been paid on its application. Especially, PLGA has shown enormous potential application value and space in the field of plasmid DNA (pDNA) delivery system. On the basis of the current situation of PLGA nano/microparticles for pDNA delivery, this paper focused on summarizing the current preparation approaches and surface modified methods of PLGA particle, furthermore showing its application in gene therapy and genetic vaccine delivery. These showed that PLGA nano/microparticles have extensive prospect in the development of controlled gene delivery system.

Fusion of human orphan G protein-coupled receptors GPR45, GPR85 or GPR174 with Gi1α and their expression in insect Sf9 cells / 军事医学科学院院刊

Objective To obtain the fusion genes of several human orphan G protein coupled receptors (oGPCRs) with Gi1α subtype of G protein and their expression system. Methods The whole open reading frames of GPR45, GPR85, GPR174 and Gilα were cloned by RT-PCR from HepG2 cDNA separately,and the corresponding fusion genes were amplified by overlap extension PCR. Then, the fusion genes-containing pBacmids were successfully constructed with the Bac-to-Bac baculovirus expression system indicated by specific transposition and virus recombination. The insect Sf9 cells were transfected with pBacmid-oGPCRs-Gi1α, and the supernatant containing recombinant virus was harvested. With the supernatant, insect Sf9 cells were infected under an optimized condition (MOI=5, infection time=72 h) and the fusion proteins were prepared and detected by Western blotting.Results The three fusion genes of GPCR45, GPR85 or GPR174 with Gi1α were obtained. The corresponding fusion proteins could be properly prepared in Sf9 cells.Conclusion Human oGPCRs could be fused with Gilα, and the fusion genes could be expressed using the Bac-to-Bac baculovirus expression system in insect Sf9 cells.

Immune response to HSP70-HBcAg(18-27) complex in HBV transgenic mice / 中华肝脏病杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVES</b>To study the cellular immune response to HSP70-HBcAg(18-27) complex in HBV transgenic mice.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>HSP70-HBcAg(18-27) complex was reconstituted in vitro, then it was injected into HBV transgenic mice to observe the cellular immune response. At the same time, we investigated whether HSP70-HBcAg(18-27) complex could generate antigen specific cytotoxic T lymphocyte responses in spleen cells.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Our results demonstrated that HSP70-HBcAg(18-27) complex increased levels of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells in the spleens and peripheral blood of HBV transgenic mice, and the complex also activated dendritic and natural killer cells.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>HSP70-HBcAg(18-27) complex has an immunological antigenicity in raising the immunoresponse to chronic HBV infection in HBV transgenic mice. HSP70-HBcAg(18-27) complex might be considered as a candidate for further studies on its role as a therapeutic vaccine against chronic HBV infection in humans.</p>

Establishing a L02 cell model with whole HBV gene transfection and analyzing its expressions of HLA-A, B, C and MICA/B / 中华肝脏病杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To establish a cell model with HBV secretion by plasmid transfection with whole HBV genes into hepatic L02 cells, and to analyze the effect of HBV on the expression of HLA-A, B, C and MICA/B in L02 cells.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The mock control plasmid was built by digesting pEcob6 plasmid with EcoR I at the HBV DNA site and ligating the fragment without HBV DNA. The L02 cells were transfected with pEcob6 or mock plasmid and pcDNA3 1-neo by liposome. The expressions of HBsAg, HBcAg/HBeAg and HBV DNA were detected by immunofluorescence assay, Abbott enzymoimmunoassay, or FQ-PCR. The expressions of HLA-A, B, C and MICA/B were determined by FACS and the differences in the two molecules were analyzed.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>After the transfected cells were selected by G418, the HBsAg and HBeAg in the supernatant of L02-HBV cells were 24.78(S/N) and 4.117(S/N). The quantity of HBV DNA was 9.67 x 10(4) copies/ml, but in L02-mock and in L02 cells they were all negative. Under a confocal microscope HBsAg was brightly shown in the cytoplasm while HBcAg showed dimly in the cytoplasm or in the nuclei. By using FACS, the L02 and L02-mock cells showed some low expressions of HLA-A, B, C and a little expression of MICA/B, while the expression of the two molecules was higher in L02-HBV and the differences were significant (P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>A cell model with the expression of HBV antigens and the secretion of HBV DNA was established by pEcob6 transfection into L02 cells, the transcription or replication of HBV gene might induce stronger expressions of HLA-A, B, C and MICA/B on hepatic cells. They might be related to the immune injuries of hepatic cells.</p>

Immune adjuvant effect of TB.HSP70 to its accompanying cytotoxic T lymphocytes epitope elicits HBV specific immune response / 中华肝脏病杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate whether Mycobacterium tuberculosis heat shock protein 70 (TB.HSP70) can be used as an adjuvant carrier to stimulate immune response to an accompanying cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) epitope peptide from hepatitis B virus (HBV) core antigen.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>In vitro, peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from chronic hepatitis B volunteers were stimulated with TB.HSP70-CTL fusion protein and TB.HSP70/CTL complex, and then HBV specific CTL activity was assessed. In vivo, the CD4+ T, CD8+ T and natural killer cells (NKs) in the peripheral blood and in spleens of the immunized mice were measured by flow cytometry and the protective HBV specific immune responses of the mice were also evaluated.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The results revealed that both of them could induce HBV specific CTL response in human PBMCs and in the immunized mice. In the mice they activated CD4+ T, CD8+ T and NKs. Furthermore, the immunocompetence of the TB.HSP70-CTL fusion protein was stronger than that of TB.HSP70/CTL complex. The HBV specific killing rate was 28.9%, the CD8+ T cell population was 43.9% and the NKs was 13.6% in splenocytes of immunized mice with TB.HSP70-CTL fusion protein. The CTL peptide alone was capable of generating weak CTL lysis. The TB.HSP70 showed almost no target cell killing.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The results demonstrate that TB.HSP70 may be used as a new adjuvant carrier to improve the immunogenicity of short CTL epitope and produce effective CTL response.</p>

PreS/S gene mutations in HBV in children infected through mother-to-infant transmission and in their mothers / 中华肝脏病杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVES</b>To investigate the characteristics of mutations in PreS/S gene of HBV in children infected through mother-to-infant transmission and in their mothers with different degree of viremia.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>There were 15 pairs of child and mother in this study. Mothers of all children were chronic asymptomatic HBsAg carrier (ASC) before pregnancy and the children were not inoculated against HBV after birth. Anti-HBV medicine was never administrated to all subjects. The serological markers of hepatitis A, B, C, D and E virus were tested and the titers of serum HBV DNA were quantitated. PreS/S gene was amplified by PCR and cloned into pGEM-T vector with T-A cloning technique. The recombinant plasmid pGEM-PreS/S was confirmed by digestion with restriction enzyme ApaI and SacI. Two clones were selected to be sequenced from each patient.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>According to the degree of viremia in every pair of mother and child, 15 pairs of child and mother were divided into three groups: group A (both children and mothers had high viremia with HBeAg-positive), group B (high in children and low in mothers with anti-HBe positive), and group C (low in children and high in mothers), and there were 5 pairs in each group. The subtype of each pair was the same. There were 4/5 pairs of HBV with B/adw2 and 1/5 pair of HBV with C/adrq+ in each group. It was shown that there were no difference among the four high viremia groups or between the two low viremia groups in the number of mutations and the number of mutational positions. However, there was significant difference between high viremia group and low viremia group. The mutation was not related to age. There were 56 mutational positions and there was no mutational hotspot in high viremia patients. In two low viremia groups (the mothers in group B and the children in group C), there were 113 mutational positions and 85 mutational positions were hotspots (owned by 5/8 clones in each) which could make 37 amino acids changed. Most of mutational amino acids were located within T and B cell epitopes of envelope protein or/and located in the surrounding regions.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>There are many differences in HBV with different degree of viremia, even if it comes from the same strain. There are some regular patterns in the mutations of HBV after HBeAg seroconversion happened.</p>

Specific immune responses in Balb/c mice induced by plasmid coexpressing hepatitis B surface antigen and granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor / 中华肝脏病杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVES</b>To investigate the improvement of specific immune responses induced by plasmid coexpressing hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>All Balb/c (H-2d) mice were immunized with pGM-CSF/S, pS/GM-CSF, pS or control plasmids. 4 weeks later, anti-HBs titer and the levels of IL-2, IL-4 and IFN-gamma in the supernatant of splenocytes were detected using enzyme- linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and HBsAg-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) activity was measured with a 51Cr release assay, using P815/S transfectants as target cells.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The anti-HBs antibody titers in the serum, the levels of IL-2 and IFN-gamma, and the CTL activity in pcDNA3.1-GM-CSF-S immuned mice were higher than those in PcDNA3.1-S immunized mice (F=4.176, P<0.01; F=31.188, P<0.01; F=31.796, P<0.01; F<or=26.891, P<0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>It will improve the specific immune responses induced by HBsAg DNA vaccine after it is binded to the gene of GM-CSF.</p>

Secretion expression of Mt. heat shock protein 70 in Pichia pastoris and identification of the protein / 生物工程学报

To obtain the expression of Mycobacterium tuberculosis heat shock protein 70 in methylotropic yeast. The expression vector pPIC9K-hsp70 was constructed, linearized and introduced into Pichia pastoris GS115 by electroporation. The result protein was secreted into the supernatant induced by 0.5% methanol at 30 degrees C and purified by centrifugation, ultrafiltration and ATP-agarose. The recombinant Hsp70 was identified by SDS-PAGE, Western blot, mice experiment and effect on the immature DC. The SDS-PAGE and Western blot analysis showed that the apparent molecular weight of expressed Hsp70 was about 70 kD and the expressed protein could specifically react with anti-Mt. Hsp70 IgG. And mice immunization indicated the expressed hsp70 had immunogenicity. Hsp70 could induce DC maturation and release Th1 cytokine. The secreted 70 kD protein was about 120 mg/L which accounted for more than 30% of the total supernatant protein and was purified to electrophoretic purity. The Hsp70, which had the biological activity, is successfully secretorily expressed in the Pichia pastoris GS115.

The primary study on the anti-HBV effect of whole recombinant yeast / 中华肝脏病杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVES</b>Based on the immunologic character of Pichia pastoris yeast, a new therapeutic vaccine, whole recombinant yeast, was used to explore a new way to activate cell-mediated anti-viral immunity.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The recombinant plasmids, pPIC9K/S and PIC9K/hsp(1-370)-S, were constructed by inserting the gene encoding HBsAg, HSP70 (1-370) -HBsAg into vector pPIC9K and then the recombinants were transfected into Pichia pastoris yeast,GS115, respectively. Then that recombinant yeast immunized BALB/C mice were detected for humoral and cellular immunity to HBsAg.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Recombinant yeast successfully activated the humoral immunity to HBsAg in mice, but failed to activate the cellular immunity.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The whole recombinant yeast can be used as vaccine, but need further study for optimal way of immunization.</p>

Prokaryocytic expression of the shortened hepatitis B surface antigen and antigenic analysis / 中华肝脏病杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the expression of the shortened hepatitis B surface antigen in prokaryocyte and detect the antigenic characters.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Firstly, the gene fragments coding the 152 and 124 amino acids of the carboxyl terminus of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) were amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Secondly, they were cloned to plasmid pBKS+, and the accuracy of those constructions were confirmed by restriction enzyme digestion and DNA sequencing. Then, they were cloned to prokaryocytic expression vector-plasmid pET32a(+). The recombinant plasmids were transfected into E.coli BL21 and induced to express with IPTG.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The recombinant plasmids were successfully constructed. In E.coli BL21, the protein was expressed in a fusion fashion and could be recognized by monoclonal antibody against HBsAg with ELISA and Western blot.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The shortened HBsAg can be expressed in prokaryocyte.</p>

Heat shock protein 70-HBsAg complex inducing antigen-specific cytotoxic T lymphocyte immune response / 中华肝脏病杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the possibility of cell-medicated immune response induced with heat shock protein 70 (HSP70)-HBsAg protein complex in vitro.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>HSP70-HBsAg complex was reconstituted in vitro which was injected into mice in order to observe that whether HSP70-HBsAg would stimulate humoral and cellular immune responses. HSP70, HSP70-HBsAg complex and HBsAg were used to activate the dentritic cell (DC) individually, which would initiate homogeneic T lymphocyte to transform to cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL). The cytotoxicity of CTL was detected with MTT assay.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>HSP70-HBsAg complex elicited both humoral and cellular immune responses against HBsAg in mice. Specific CD8+ CTL response was readily induced by HSP70-HBsAg complex and HBsAg, especially the former.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>HSP70-HBsAg complex is immunogenic and HSP70 can lead to great efficient CTL response. And HSP70-HBsAg complex may be used as a protein vaccine for immunotherapy for chronic hepatitis B.</p>

Establishment of consensus sequence of PreS/S of hepatitis B virus with genotype B/serotype adw2 or genotype C/serotype adrq+ prevailing in Chongqing of China / 中华流行病学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To develop consensus sequence of HBV PreS/S with different subtype in Chongqing of China.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The gene of PreS/S of HBV in 18 AsC was sequenced. The genotype and serotype of HBV were determined. The main HBV strain prevailing in Chongqing was identified to establish its consensus sequence.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>It was found that 9 strains were genotype B/serotype adw2, 6 were genotype C/serotype adrq+ and 3 were genotype B/serotype ayw1. The consensus sequence of PreS/S of HBV with genotype B/serotype adw2 and genotype C/serotype adrq+ were established. There were 6 nucleotide variants which causing 4 amino acids change between consensus sequence of PreS/S with genotype B/serotype adw2 in Chongqing and in Southeast of China (homology showed 99.5% and 99.0% respectively). There were 13 different sites that caused 4 amino acids change between consensus sequence of PreS/S with genotype C/serotype adrq+ in Chongqing and in Northeast and South of China (homology showed 98.9% and 99.0% respectively). Comparing the two consensus sequence of PreS/S gene of different subtype HBV in Chongqing, there was 95 variants which caused 40 amino acids variants (the homology was 92.1% and 90.0% respectively).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The consensus sequence of PreS/S of hepatitis B virus with genotype B/serotype adw2 and genotype C/serotype adrq+ prevailing in Chongqing was established.</p>