Quantitative proteomic analysis for high-throughput screening of differential glycoproteins in hepatocellular carcinoma serum.

OBJECTIVE: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a leading cause of cancer-related deaths. Novel serum biomarkers are required to increase the sensitivity and specificity of serum screening for early HCC diagnosis. This study employed a quantitative proteomic strategy to analyze the differential expression of serum glycoproteins between HCC and normal control serum samples. METHODS: Lectin affinity chromatography (LAC) was used to enrich glycoproteins from the serum samples. Quantitative mass spectrometric analysis combined with stable isotope dimethyl labeling and 2D liquid chromatography (LC) separations were performed to examine the differential levels of the detected proteins between HCC and control serum samples. Western blot was used to analyze the differential expression levels of the three serum proteins. RESULTS: A total of 2,280 protein groups were identified in the serum samples from HCC patients by using the 2D LC-MS/MS method. Up to 36 proteins were up-regulated in the HCC serum, whereas 19 proteins were down-regulated. Three differential glycoproteins, namely, fibrinogen gamma chain (FGG), FOS-like antigen 2 (FOSL2), and α-1,6-mannosylglycoprotein 6-ß-N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase B (MGAT5B) were validated by Western blot. All these three proteins were up-regulated in the HCC serum samples. CONCLUSION: A quantitative glycoproteomic method was established and proven useful to determine potential novel biomarkers for HCC.

[Effects of low temperature and weak light on the functions of photosystem in Prunus armeniaca L. leaves in solar greenhouse].

In this paper, the net photosynthetic rate (Pn), actual photochemical efficiency of PS II (PhiPSII), photochemical quenching (qp), and maximal photochemical efficiency of PS II in light (Fv'/Fm') of apricot (Prunus armeniaca) leaves in solar greenhouse were measured, and the effects of low temperature (7 degrees C) and weak light (200 micromol x m(-2) x s(-1) PFD) on the photoinhibition of PS I and PS II were investigated. The results showed that the optimal temperature for the photosynthesis of apricot leaves was around 25 degrees C, and the photosynthetic capacity was reduced greatly by the low temperature and weak light, inducing a markedly increased excitation press (1-qp) and in turn, resulting in photoinhibition. The functions of both PS I and PS II were damaged by the low temperature and weak light. Comparing with those only subjected to low temperature, the leaves subjected to both low temperature and weak light had a decreased activity of PS I, with a decrement of 28.26% within 2 h, but their maximal photochemical effeciency of PS II (Fv/Fm) had little change in the same period, suggesting that under low temperature and weak light, PS I was more suffered from photoinhibition than PS II.

[Physiological function of arginine and its metabolites in plants].

L-arginine is an important and unique amino acid in plants. It serves not only as an important nitrogen reserve and recycling, but also as a precursor of the biosynthesis of polyamines, nitric oxide and so on. Polyamines and nitric oxide are important messengers involved in almost all physiological and biochemical processes, growth & development, and adaptation of plants to stress. Arginine decarboxylase, arginase and nitric oxide synthase are the key enzymes in L-arginine catabolism, in which polyamines are formed through ADC or arginase-ODC pathway while nitric oxide is formed through the NOS pathway. The relative activity of these three enzymes can control the direction of arginine metabolism. Arginine content keeps higher level in roots during overwinter period. The arginine metabolism plays important role in perception and adaptation of plant to environmental disturbances.