Changes in milk fat globule membrane proteins along lactation stage of Laoshan dairy goat

The milk fat globule membrane(MFGM)is a complex structure with numerous functions,and its composition is affected by many factors.There have been few systematic investigations on goat MFGM proteome profiling during lactation.Individual milk samples from 15 healthy dairy goats were obtained at six lactation time points for investigation of the MFGM proteome using both data-independent acquisition(DIA)and data-dependent acquisition(DDA)proteomics techniques combined with multivariate statistical analysis.Using the DIA method,890 variably abundant MFGM proteins were discovered throughout the lactation cycle.From 1 to 240 d,butyrophilin subfamily 1 member A1,lipoprotein lipase,perilipin-2,and adipose triglyceride lipase were upregulated,while APOE,complement C3,clusterin,and IgG were downregulated.Furthermore,from 1 to 90 d,annexin A1,annexin A2,and antithrombin-ll were downregulated,then upregulated by d 240.Albumin had a high degree of connectedness,indicating that it was a key protein,according to protein-protein interaction research.Overall,our findings gave new insights into the biological features of MFGM protein in goat milk throughout lactation,which may aid in the creation of specialized MFGM products and infant formula.

Functional characterization of sensory neuron membrane protein 1a involved in sex pheromone detection of Apolygus lucorum(Hemiptera:Miridae)

The mirid bug Apolygus lucorum(Hemiptera:Miridae)is a polyphagous pest that affects a wide range of host plants.Its control remains challenging mainly due to its rapid reproduction,necessitating an understanding of sex pheromone communication.The recognition of sex pheromones is vital for courtship and mating behaviors,and is mediated by various chemosensory-associated proteins.Among these,sensory neuron membrane protein(SNMP),a CD36-related protein,is suggested to play crucial roles in detecting sex pheromones.In this study,we employed transcriptomic and genomic data from A.lucorum and phylogenetic approaches,and identified four putative SNMP genes(AlucSNMP1a,AlucSNMP1b,AlucSNMP2a,and AlucSNMP2b)with full open reading frames.Expression analysis revealed the ubiquitous presence of AlucSNMP transcripts in multiple tissues,with only AlucSNMP1a exhibiting male-biased expression in the antennae,suggesting its potential role in male chemosensation.Functional analysis using the Xenopus oocyte expression system,coupled with two-electrode voltage clamp recording,demonstrated that the co-expression of AlucSNMP1a with specific pheromone receptors(PRs)and the Odorant receptor co-receptor(Orco)significantly enhanced electrophysiological responses to sex pheromones compared to the co-expression of PRs and Orco alone.Moreover,the results indicated that the presence of AlucSNMP1a not only affected the responsiveness to sex pheromones but also influenced the kinetics(activation and inactivation)of the induced signals.In contrast,the co-expression of AlucSNMP1b with AlucPR/Orco complexes had no impact on the inward currents induced by two pheromone compounds.An examination of the selective pressures on SNMP1 genes across 20 species indicated strong purifying selection,implying potential functional conservation in various insects.These findings highlight the crucial role of AlucSNMP1a in the response to sex pheromones.

Plasma membrane-anchored fluorescent tracker based on boron-dipyrromethene

The construction of a stable-membrane tracker has significant implications for the visualization of the membrane in live cells.However,most current plasma trackers are not suitable for tracking plasma membranes for a long time due to their limited retention time.Herein,Mem580-F-Sulfo is designed to target and anchor cell membranes and therefore track cell membranes for a longer time.This tracker is composed of a lipophilic boron-dipyrromethene(BODIPY)derivative and a hydrophilic zwitterion to form an amphiphilic structure,which enables its targeting ability toward cell membranes.Moreover,a reactive ester group is included to bind with proteins through covalent bonds in cell membranes nonspecifically,which extends retention time in cell membranes.Mem580-F-Sulfo shows intense brightness(94600),with a high molar absorption coefficient of up to about 100000 L·mol^(-1)·cm^(-1)and a fluorescence quantum yield of up to 0.97.It shows fast cell membrane targeting ability and long retention up to 90 min.In brief,this work has not only developed a tracker with good cell membrane targetability but also provided a new strategy for improving the targeting stability of cell membranes.

Fluorescence Study on The Interaction Between Cisplatinand Erythrocyte Membrane Proteins

The interaction between cisplatin and erythrocyte membrane proteins was studied based on the quenching effect of cisplatin on the intrinsic fluorescence of proteins.A concentration-dependent quenching effect was observed.The presence of chloride and sulphate weakens the effect significantly.A pH-dependence was also noted with a stronger effect in acidic solution. The nature of the interaction is considered to be platinum-thiol group binding according to the effect of cisplatin on the fluorescence of FMA labeled membrane. The mechanism of the cisplatin-protein interactions was discussed based on the effect of coexisting anion

Water relations and an expression analysis of plasma membrane intrinsic proteins in sensitive and tolerant rice during chilling and recovery

A symptom of chilling injury is development of water deficit in shoots, resulting from an imbalance of water transport and transpiration. In this work, two rice varieties （Oryza sativa L. var. Wasetoitsu and Somewake） seedlings were chilled at 7 ℃, followed by recovery at 28 ℃. Based on the growth phenotype and electrolyte leakage tests, Somewake was shown to be a chilling-tolerant variety, and Wasetoitsu a chilling-sensitive one. The chilling stress reduced markedly the relative water content （RWC） of leaves, accumulative transpiration and osmotic root hydraulic conductivity （Lp） in both varieties. But when retumed to 28 ℃, the water relation balance of Somewake recovered better. The mRNA expression profile of all the 11 plasma membrane intrinsic proteins （PIPs）, a subgroup of aquaporins, was subsequently determined by real-time reverse transcription （RT）-PCR with TaqMan-minor grove binder （MGB） probes derived from rice var. Nipponbare during chilling treatment and recovery. Most of the PIP genes was down-regulated at the low temperature, and recovered at the warm temperature. The relative expression of some PIPs in both Somewake and Wasetoitsu decreased in parallel during the chilling. However during the recovery, the relative expression of OsPIP1;1, OsPIP2;1, OsPIP2;7 in shoots and OsPIP1：1, OsPIP2：1 in roots were significantly higher in Somewake than Wasetoitsu. This supports the role of PIPs in re-establishing water balance after chilling conditions. We discuss the diversified roles played by members of the aquaporin PIP subfamily in plant chilling tolerance depending on aquaporin isoforms, plant tissue and the stage of chilling duration.

Interactions between mycoplasma lipid-associated membrane proteins and the host cells

Mycoplamas are a group of wall-less prokaryotes widely distributed in nature, some of which are pathogenic for humans and animals. There are many lipoproteins anchored on the outer face of the plasma membrane, called lipid-associated membrane proteins (LAMPs). LAMPs are highly antigenic and could undergo phase and size variation, and are recognized by the innate immune system through Toll-like receptors (TLR) 2 and 6. LAMPs can modulate the immune system, and could induce immune cells apoptosis or death. In addition, they may associate with malignant transformation of host cells and are also con-sidered to be cofactors in the progression of AIDS.

Immunoproteomics of membrane proteins of Shigella flexneri 2a 2457T

AIM： To screen the immunogenic membrane proteins of Shigella Aexneri 2a 2457T. METHODS： The routine two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis （2-DE） and Western blotting were combined to screen immunogenic proteins of S. Aexneri 2a 2457T. Serum was gained from rabbits immunized with the same bacteria. Immunogenic spots were cut out from the polyacrylamide gel and digested by trypsin in-gel. Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time of flight-mass spectrometry （MALDI-TOF-MS） was performed to determine the molecular weight of peptides. Electrospray ionization （ESI-MS/MS） was performed to determine the sequences of the interesting peptides. RESULTS： A total of 20 spots were successfully identified from Coomassie brilliant blue stained gels representing 13 protein entries, 5 known antigens and 8 novel antigens. A hypothetical protein （YaeT） was detected, which might be a candidate target of vaccine. CONCLUSION： Membrane proteins of S. flexneri 2a 2457T were successfully observed by 2-DE. Several known and novel antigens were identified by mass spectrum.

Antimicrobial Susceptibility and Characterization of Outer Membrane Proteins of Aeromonas hydrophila Isolated in China

Aeromonas hydrophila isolates from clinical cases （n=43） were tested against 8 antimicrobial agents and typed by outer membrane protein （OMP） pattern by using sodium dodecyl sulfate gel electrophoresis. All isolates were resistant to ampicillin （MICs, ≥16 μg mL-1） and sulfamonomethoxine （MICs≥64 μg mLl）, but susceptible to norfloxacin （MICs,≤0.5 μg mL-1）. There was a high incidence of resistance to erythromycin （90.70%） and tylosin （93.02%）, while a low incidences of resistance to ciprofloxacin （2.33%）, enrofloxacin （2.33%） and florfenicol （4.65%）. Six different outer membrane protein patterns were found among 34 isolates by analyzing proteins in the range of 22 to 50 kDa, other than 9 isolates with their respective profiles. The strains with the similar OMP profiles had similar resistances. Compared with the other strains from the same OMP patterns, NB-1, A.Pun and MR-1 had lacked the proteins in the range of 30 to 45 kDa and their resistance to florfenicol substantially increased. It is speculated that the outer membrane protein changes might correlate with decreased susceptibility to florfenicol in the three strains. Some strains which showed completely identical OMP types had a little difference in their resistance to fluoroquinolones, indicating that there might be other factors that were involved in the antimicrobial resistance of A. hydrophila.

Demethylation of miR-34a upregulates expression of membrane palmitoylated proteins and promotes the apoptosis of liver cancer cells

BACKGROUND Liver cancer is a common cancer and the main cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide.Liver cancer is the sixth most common cancer in the world.Although miR-34a and palmitoyl membrane palmitoylated protein(MPP2)are reportedly involved in various cell processes,their precise roles in liver cancer are still unclear.AIM To investigate the expression of micro RNA 34a(miR-34a),methylation of the miR-34a promoter and the expression of MPP2 in liver cancer cells and their related mechanisms.METHODS Together,78 cases of liver cancer tissues and 78 cases of adjacent tissues were collected.The methylation degree of miR-34a promoter in liver cancer/paracancerous tissue and liver cancer cells/normal liver cells,and the expression levels of miR-34a and MPP2 in the above samples were detected.Demethylation of liver cancer cells or transfection of liver cancer cells with miR-34a mimetic was performed.The MPP2 overexpression vector was used to transfect liver cancer cells,and the changes in proliferation,invasion,apoptosis,migration,and other biological functions of liver cancer cells after the above interventions were observed.Double luciferase reporter genes were used to detect the targeting relationship between miR-34a and MPP2.RESULTS Clinical samples showed that the expression levels of miR-34a and MPP2 in liver cancer tissues were lower than those in the normal tissues.The methylation degree of miR-34a promoter region in liver cancer cells was higher than that in normal liver cells.After miR-34a demethylation/mimetic transfection/MPP2 overexpression,the apoptosis of liver cancer cells was increased;the proliferation,invasion and migration capabilities were decreased;the expression levels of caspase 3,caspase 9,E-cadherin,and B-cell lymphoma 2(Bcl-2)-associated X protein were increased;and the expression levels of Bcl-2,N-cadherin,andβ-catenin were decreased.Double luciferase reporter genes confirmed that MPP2 is targeted by miR-34a.Rescue experiments showed that small interfering MPP2 could counteract the promoting effect of miR-34a demethylation on apoptosis and the inhibitory effect on cell proliferation,invasion,and migration.CONCLUSION miR-34a demethylation upregulates the expression level of MPP2 in liver cancer cells and promotes the apoptosis of liver cancer cells.miR-34a demethylation is a potential method for liver cancer treatment.

Study on screening potential allergenic proteins from infant milk powders based on human mast cell membrane chromatography and histamine release assays

Cow's milk allergy is mainly observed in infants and young children. Most allergic reactions affect the skin, followed by the gastrointestinal and respiratory systems. Conventional diagnosis is based on positive allergy studies and evaluation of parameters including IgE and IgG1 levels, acute allergic skin response and anaphylactic shock reactions. We developed a cell membrane chromatographic(CMC)method based on human mast cells(HMC-1) for screening potential allergens in infant formula milk powders(IFMP). HMC-1 cell membranes were extracted and mixed with silica to prepare cell membrane chromatography columns(10 mm ? 2 mm i.d., 5 mm). Under the conditions of 0.2 mL/min flow rate and214 nm detection wavelength, human breast milk showed no retention. However, IFMP showed clear retention. The retained fractions were collected and analyzed through matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time of flight mass spectrometry(MALDI-TOF-MS). Four major milk proteins, i.e., α-casein, β-casein, α-lactalbumin, and β-lactoglobulin A, were identified. Furthermore, these proteins and β-lactoglobulin B showed clear retention on HMC-1/CMC columns. To test the degranulation effects of the five proteins, histamine and β-hexosaminidase release assays were carried out. All five proteins induced HMC-1 cells to release histamine and β-hexosaminidase. Also, we established a reversed phase liquid chromatographic(RPLC) method for the determination of the five proteins in IFMP and the results showed that 90% proteins in IFMP were α-casein and β-casein. We concluded that cow's milk proteins may be potential allergens and caseins cause more β-casein allergic risk than other proteins. This conclusion was consistent with other studies.

Generation and Identification of Monoclonal Antibody Against Porcine Adipocyte Plasma Membrane Proteins

Production of monoclonal antibody against porcine adipocyte plasma membrane proteins to explore a new way of controlling body fat deposition and improving carcass quality is discussed in this article. Membrane proteins of pig adipocyte plasma membrane proteins were extracted with the help of sucrose density gradient centrifugation, and two kinds of proteins were obtained. The monoclonal antibody （designated 3B2 and 3F3） of IgG1 and IgG2b subclass against adipocyte membrane proteins were produced by immunization, with adipocyte membrane proteins as an antigen, and its titer was 1：105 detected by enzyme-linked immunoadsorbent assay （ELISA）. The cell strains were identified by analyzing the number of chromosomes, the heat stability, the acid and alkali, the types and subtypes of immnoglobulin, and its peculiarities and affinities. Through identification, the chromosome number of hybridoma cell strains was from 80 to 100 and the strains formed good hybridomas colonies. The strains＇ affinity constants were 4.63 × 10^9 and 3.75 × 10^9 （mol L^-1）-1, respectively. At the same time, the McAb secreted was stable to environmental factors, such as, temperature, acid, alkali and so on. The monoclonal antibodies had been obtained and their specificity to porcine adipocyte plasma membrane proteins had been identified.

Determination of the genus-specific antigens in outer membrane proteins from the strains of Leptospira interrogans and Leptospira biflexa with different virulence

Objective:To determine the existence of genus-specific antigens in outer membrane proteins (OMPs) of leptospira with different virulence. Methods: Microscope agglutination test (MAT) was applied to detect the agglutination between commercial rabbit antiserum against leptospiral genus-specific TR/Patoc I antigen and 17 strains of Leptospira interrongans belonging to 15 serogroups and 2 strains of Leptospira biflexa belonging to 2 serogroups.The outer envelopes (OEs) of L.interrogans serogroup Icterohaemorrhagiae serovar lai strain lai (56601) with strong virulence and serogroup Pomona serovar pomona strain Luo (56608) with low virulence,and L.biflexa serogroup Semaranga serovar patoc strain Patoc I without virulence were prepared by using the method reported in Auran et al.(1972).OMPs in the OEs were obtained by treatment with sodium deoxycholate. SDS-PAGE and western blot were used for analyzing the features of the OMPs on electrophoretic pattern and the immunoreactivity to the antiserum against TR/Patoc I antigen, respectively. Results:All the tested strains belonging to different leptospiral serogroups agglutinated to the antiserum against leptospiral genus-specific TR/Patoc I antigen with agglutination titers ranging from 1:256-1:512. A similar SDS-PAGE pattern of the OMPs from the three strains of leptospira with different virulence was shown and the molecular weight of a major protein fragment in the OMPs was found to be approximately 60 KDa.A positive protein fragment with approximately 32 KDa confirmed by Western blot,was able to react with the antiserum against leptospiral genus-specific TR/Patoc I antigen, and was found in each the OMPs of the three stains of leptospira.Conclusion: There are genus-specific antigens on the surface of L.interrogans and L.biflexa. The OMP with molecular weight of 32 KDa may be one of the genus-specific protein antigens of leptospira.

Antibody Therapies Targeting Complex Membrane Proteins

In analyses of protein families that may serve as drug targets,membrane-associated G-protein-coupled receptors(GPCRs)dominate,followed by ion channels,transporters,and—to a lesser extent—membrane-bound enzymes.However,various challenges put such membrane proteins among key groups of underutilized opportunities for the application of therapeutic antibodies.Antibodies hold the promise of exquisite specificity,as they are able to target even specific conformations of a particular membrane protein,as well as adaptability through engineering into various antibody formats.However,the ease of raising and isolating specific,effective antibodies targeting membrane proteins depends on many factors.In particular,the generation of specific antibodies is easier when targeting larger,simpler,extracellular domains with greater uniqueness of amino acid sequence.The rareness of such ideal conditions is illustrated by the limited number of approved biologics for targeting GPCRs and other complex membrane proteins.Challenges in developing antibodies to complex membrane proteins such as GPCRs,ion channels,transporters,and membrane-bound enzymes can be addressed by the design of the antigen,antibody-generation strategies,lead optimization technologies,and antibody modalities.A better understanding of the membrane proteins being targeted would facilitate mechanism-based drug discovery.This review describes the advantages and challenges of targeting complex membrane proteins with antibodies and discusses the preparation of membrane protein antigens and antibody generation,illustrated by select examples of success.

Immunogenicity and protective role of antigenic regions from five outer membrane proteins of Flavobacterium columnare in grass carp Ctenopharyngodon idella

Flavobacterium columnare causes columnaris disease in freshwater fi sh. In the present study, the antigenic regions of fi ve outer membrane proteins(OMPs), including zinc metalloprotease, prolyl oligopeptidase, thermolysin, collagenase and chondroitin AC lyase, were bioinformatically analyzed, fused together, and then expressed as a recombinant fusion protein in Escherichia coli. The expressed protein of 95.6 k Da, as estimated by 10% sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, was consistent with the molecular weight deduced from the amino acid sequence. The purifi ed recombinant protein was used to vaccinate the grass carp, C tenopharyngodon idella. Following vaccination of the fi sh their Ig M antibody levels were examined, as was the expression of I g M, Ig D and Ig Z immunoglobulin genes and other genes such as MHC Iα and MHC I I β, which are also involved in adaptive immunity. Interleukin genes( IL), including I L- 1β, IL- 8 and I L- 10, and type I and type II interferon(I FN) genes were also examined. At 3 and 4 weeks post-vaccination(wpv), signifi cant increases in Ig M antibody levels were observed in the fi sh vaccinated with the recombinant fusion protein, and an increase in the expression levels of I g M, Ig D and Ig Z genes was also detected following the vaccinations, thus indicating that an adaptive immune response was induced by the vaccinations. Early increases in the expression levels of IL and IFN genes were also observed in the vaccinated fi sh. At four wpv, the fi sh were challenged with F. column a re, and the vaccinated fi sh showed a good level of protection against this pathogen, with 39% relative percent survival(RPS) compared with the control group. It can be concluded, therefore, that the fi ve OMPs, in the form of a recombinant fusion protein vaccine, induced an immune response in fi sh and protection against F. columnare.

Multiscale molecular dynamics simulations of membrane remodeling by Bin/Amphiphysin/Rvs family proteins

Membrane curvature is no longer thought of as a passive property of the membrane; rather, it is considered as an ac- tive, regulated state that serves various purposes in the cell such as between cells and organelle definition. While transport is usually mediated by tiny membrane bubbles known as vesicles or membrane tubules, such communication requires complex interplay between the lipid bilayers and cytosolic proteins such as members of the Bin/Amphiphysin/Rvs （BAR） superfam- ily of proteins. With rapid developments in novel experimental techniques, membrane remodeling has become a rapidly emerging new field in recent years. Molecular dynamics （MD） simulations are important tools for obtaining atomistic information regarding the structural and dynamic aspects of biological systems and for understanding the physics-related aspects. The availability of more sophisticated experimental data poses challenges to the theoretical community for devel- oping novel theoretical and computational techniques that can be used to better interpret the experimental results to obtain further functional insights. In this review, we summarize the general mechanisms underlying membrane remodeling con- trolled or mediated by proteins. While studies combining experiments and molecular dynamics simulations recall existing mechanistic models, concurrently, they extend the role of different BAR domain proteins during membrane remodeling pro- cesses. We review these recent findings, focusing on how multiscale molecular dynamics simulations aid in understanding the physical basis of BAR domain proteins, as a representative of membrane-remodeling proteins.

Extraction and identification of membrane proteins from black widow spider eggs

The eggs of oviparous animals are storehouses of maternal proteins required for embryonic development. Identification and molecular characterization of such proteins will provide much insight into the regulation of embryonic development. We previously analyzed soluble proteins in the eggs of the black widow spider （Latrodectus tredecimguttatus）, and report here on the extraction and mass spectrometric identification of the egg membrane proteins. Comparison of different lysis solutions indicated that the highest extraction of the membrane proteins was achieved with 3%-4% sodium laurate in 40 mmol/L Tris-HCI buffer containing 4% CHAPS and 2% DTT （pH 7.4）. SDS-PAGE combined with nLC- MS/MS identified 39 proteins with membranelocalization annotation, including those with structural, catalytic, and regulatory activities. Nearly half of the identified membrane proteins were metabolic enzymes involved in various cellular processes, particularly energy metabolism and biosynthesis, suggesting that relevant metabolic processes were active during the embryonic development of the eggs. Several identified cell membrane proteins were involved in the special structure formation and function of the egg cell membranes. The present proteomic analysis of the egg membrane proteins provides new insight into the molecular mechanisms of spider embryonic development.

Immunoproteomic Analysis of Bordetella bronchiseptica Outer Membrane Proteins and Identification of New Immunogenic Proteins

Bordetella bronchiseptica is a Gram-negative pathogen that causes acute and chronic respiratory infection in a variety of animals. To identify useful antigen candidates for diagnosis and subunit vaccine of B. bronchiseptica, immunoproteomic analysis was adopted to analyse outer membrane proteins of it. The outer membrane proteins extracted from B. bronchiseptica were separated by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and analyzed by Western blotting for their reactivity with the convalescent serum against two strains. Immunogenic proteins were identified by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time of flight-mass spectrometry（MALDI-TOF-MS）, a total of 14 proteins are common immunoreactive proteins, of which 1 was known antigen and 13 were novel immunogenic proteins for B. bronchiseptica. Putative lipoprotein gene was cloned and recombinantly expressed. The recombinant protein induced high titer antibody, but showed low protective indices against challenges with HB（B. bronchiseptica strain isolated from a infected rabbit）. The mortality of mice was 80% compared to 100% of positive controls. The identification of these novel antigenic proteins is an important resource for further development of a new diagnostic test and vaccine for B. bronchiseptica.

Secondary Structure Changes and Thermal Stability of Plasma Membrane Proteins of Wheat Roots in Heat Stress

The wheat roots membrane separates the cell from the environment around it and encloses the cell contents. The pro-tein secondary structure and thermal stability of the plasma membrane of wheat root have been characterized in D2O buffer from 20°C to 90°C by Attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR). Quantitative analysis of the amide I band (1700 - 1600 cm–1) showed that the plasma membrane proteins contains 41% α-helix, 16% β-sheet, 18% turn, and 25% disorder structures at 20°C. At elevated temperatures from 25°C up to 90°C, the α-helix and the β-sheet structure unfold into turns and the disorder structure, with a major conformational transition occurring at 50°C. There is a rapid decline in H+-ATPase activity of plasma membrane from 35°C to 55°C and it remain very low level H+-ATPase activity of PM from 55°C to 90°C. Therefore the protein conformational transition was one of reasons of loses H+-ATPase activity of plasma membrane.

Lipid-associated membrane proteins of Mycoplasma penetrans induce production of proinflammatory cytokines in human monocytic cells

The aim of this study is to explore potential pathogenicity of Mycoplasma penetrans, and to investigate whether M. penetrans lipid-associated membrane proteins （LAMPs） could induce human monocytic cell line （THP- 1 ） to produce some proinflammatory cytokines in vitro, including interleukin- 1β （ IL- 1β）, tumor necrosis factor alpha （TNF-α）, and IL-8. THP-1 was stimulated with different concentrations of M.penetrans LAMPs and at different time to analyze the production of human IL-1β, TNF-α and IL-8. The protein levels of human IL-1β, TNF-α and IL-8 were measured by enzyme-linked immunoadsorbent assay （ELISA） and the mRNA levels of these proinflammatory cytokines were detected by reverse transcriptase-PCR （RT-PCR）. It was demonstrated in the present study that the production of IL-1β, TNF-α and IL-8 increased in dose- and time-dependent manner after stimulation with M. penetrans LAMPs in THP-1 cells. M. penetrans LAMPs also induced the expression of IL-1β, TNF-α and IL-8 mRNA. The production of IL-1β, TNF-α and IL-8 and the expression of mRNA were down-regulated by pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate （PDTC）. This study demonstrated that M. penetrans LAMPs can induce the production of proinflammatory cytokines in human monocytic cells in vitro, thus suggesting that it may be an important etiological factor.

Solid-State NMR Spectroscopic Approaches to Investigate Dynamics, Secondary Structure and Topology of Membrane Proteins

Solid-state NMR spectroscopy is routinely used to determine the structural and dynamic properties of both membrane proteins and peptides in phospholipid bilayers [1-26]. From the perspective of the perpetuated lipids, 2H solid-state NMR spectroscopy can be used to probe the effect of embedded proteins on the order and dynamics of the acyl chains of phospholipid bilayers [8-13]. Moreover, 31P solid-state NMR spectroscopy can be used to investigate the interaction of peptides, proteins and drugs with phospholipid head groups [11-14]. The secondary structure of 13C = O site-specific isotopically labeled peptides or proteins inserted into lipid bilayers can be probed utilizing 13C CPMAS solid-state NMR spectroscopy [15-18]. Also, solid-state NMR spectroscopic studies can be utilized to ascertain pertinent informa- tion on the backbone and side-chain dynamics of 2H- and 15N-labeled proteins, respectively, in phospholipid bilayers [19-26]. Finally, specific 15N-labeled amide sites on a protein embedded inside oriented bilayers can be used to probe the alignment of the helices with respect to the bilayer normal [2]. A brief summary of all these solid-state NMR ap- proaches are provided in this minireview.