Myelin basic protein mRNA levels affect myelin sheath dimensions, architecture, plasticity, and density of resident glial cells.

Myelin Basic Protein (MBP) is essential for both elaboration and maintenance of CNS myelin, and its reduced accumulation results in hypomyelination. How different Mbp mRNA levels affect myelin dimensions across the lifespan and how resident glial cells may respond to such changes are unknown. Here, to investigate these questions, we used enhancer-edited mouse lines that accumulate Mbp mRNA levels ranging from 8% to 160% of wild type. In young mice, reduced Mbp mRNA levels resulted in corresponding decreases in Mbp protein accumulation and myelin sheath thickness, confirming the previously demonstrated rate-limiting role of Mbp transcription in the control of initial myelin synthesis. However, despite maintaining lower line specific Mbp mRNA levels into old age, both MBP protein levels and myelin thickness improved or fully normalized at rates defined by the relative Mbp mRNA level. Sheath length, in contrast, was affected only when mRNA levels were very low, demonstrating that sheath thickness and length are not equally coupled to Mbp mRNA level. Striking abnormalities in sheath structure also emerged with reduced mRNA levels. Unexpectedly, an increase in the density of all glial cell types arose in response to reduced Mbp mRNA levels. This investigation extends understanding of the role MBP plays in myelin sheath elaboration, architecture, and plasticity across the mouse lifespan and illuminates a novel axis of glial cell crosstalk.

Putative APSES family transcription factor mbp1 plays an essential role in regulating cell wall synthesis in the agaricomycete Pleurotus ostreatus.

The clade A APSES family transcription factors (Mbp1, Swi4, and Swi6) contribute to cell wall synthesis regulation in fungi. Herein, evolutionary relationships among these proteins were clarified by phylogenetic analysis using various ascomycetes and basidiomycetes, and then the detailed function of Mbp1 in cell wall synthesis regulation was analyzed in Pleurotus ostreatus. Our phylogenetic analysis revealed that Mbp1 and Swi6 are widely conserved among various fungi, whereas Swi4 is a protein specific for Saccharomycotina. In P. ostreatus, two putative clade A APSES family transcription factors, protein ID 83192 and 134090, were found and identified as Mbp1 and Swi6, respectively. The mbp1 gene was then disrupted through homologous recombination using P. ostreatus 20b strain (Δku80) as a host to obtain mbp1 disruption strains (Δmbp1). Disruption of mbp1 significantly decreased the growth rate and shortened aerial hyphae, suggesting that Mbp1 is involved in mycelial growth, especially aerial hyphal growth. Furthermore, thinner cell walls, decreased relative percentage of ß-glucan, and downregulation of all ß-glucan synthase genes were observed in Δmbp1 strains. Therefore, Mbp1 plays an essential role in ß-glucan synthesis regulation in P. ostreatus. Disruption of mbp1 also impacted the expression profiles of chitin synthase genes, septum formation, and sensitivity to a chitin synthesis inhibitor, suggesting that Mbp1 also regulates chitin synthesis. In conclusion, Mbp1 is responsible for normal mycelial growth and regulates ß-glucan and chitin synthesis in P. ostreatus. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on the detailed function of Mbp1 in cell wall synthesis regulation in fungi.

Generation and characterization of cerebellar granule neurons specific knockout mice of Golli-MBP.

Golli-myelin basic proteins, encoded by the myelin basic protein gene, are widely expressed in neurons and oligodendrocytes in the central nervous system. Further, prior research has shown that Golli-myelin basic protein is necessary for myelination and neuronal maturation during central nervous system development. In this study, we established Golli-myelin basic protein-floxed mice to elucidate the cell-type-specific effects of Golli-myelin basic protein knockout through the generation of conditional knockout mice (Golli-myelin basic proteinsfl/fl; E3CreN), in which Golli-myelin basic proteins were specifically deleted in cerebellar granule neurons, where Golli-myelin basic proteins are expressed abundantly in wild-type mice. To investigate the role of Golli-myelin basic proteins in cerebellar granule neurons, we further performed histopathological analyses of these mice, with results indicating no morphological changes or degeneration of the major cellular components of the cerebellum. Furthermore, behavioral analysis showed that Golli-myelin basic proteinsfl/fl; E3CreN mice were healthy and did not display any abnormal behavior. These results suggest that the loss of Golli-myelin basic proteins in cerebellar granule neurons does not lead to cerebellar perturbations or behavioral abnormalities. This mouse model could therefore be employed to analyze the effect of Golli-myelin basic protein deletion in specific cell types of the central nervous system, such as other neuronal cells and oligodendrocytes, or in lymphocytes of the immune system.

Use of pure recombinant human enzymes to assess the disease-causing potential of missense mutations in urea cycle disorders, applied to N-acetylglutamate synthase deficiency.

N-acetylglutamate synthase (NAGS) makes acetylglutamate, the essential activator of the first, regulatory enzyme of the urea cycle, carbamoyl phosphate synthetase 1 (CPS1). NAGS deficiency (NAGSD) and CPS1 deficiency (CPS1D) present identical phenotypes. However, they must be distinguished, because NAGSD is cured by substitutive therapy with the N-acetyl-L-glutamate analogue N-carbamyl-L-glutamate, while curative therapy of CPS1D requires liver transplantation. Since their differentiation is done genetically, it is important to ascertain the disease-causing potential of CPS1 and NAGS genetic variants. With this goal, we previously carried out site-directed mutagenesis studies with pure recombinant human CPS1. We could not do the same with human NAGS (HuNAGS) because of enzyme instability, leading to our prior utilization of a bacterial NAGS as an imperfect surrogate of HuNAGS. We now use genuine HuNAGS, stabilized as a chimera of its conserved domain (cHuNAGS) with the maltose binding protein (MBP), and produced in Escherichia coli. MBP-cHuNAGS linker cleavage allowed assessment of the enzymatic properties and thermal stability of cHuNAGS, either wild-type or hosting each one of 23 nonsynonymous single-base changes found in NAGSD patients. For all but one change, disease causation was accounted by the enzymatic alterations identified, including, depending on the variant, loss of arginine activation, increased Km Glutamate, active site inactivation, decreased thermal stability, and protein misfolding. Our present approach outperforms experimental in vitro use of bacterial NAGS or in silico utilization of prediction servers (including AlphaMissense), illustrating with HuNAGS the value for UCDs of using recombinant enzymes for assessing disease-causation and molecular pathogenesis, and for therapeutic guidance.

The restoration of hippocampal nerve de-myelination by methylcobalamin relates with the enzymatic regulation of homocysteine level in a rat model of moderate grade hepatic encephalopathy.

This article describes how methylcobalamin (MeCbl) restores nerve myelination in a moderate- grade hepatic encephalopathy (MoHE) model of ammonia neurotoxicity. The comparative profiles of myelin basic protein (MBP), homocysteine (Hcy) and methionine synthase (MS: a MeCbl- dependent enzyme) activity versus nerve myelination status were studied in the hippocampus of the control, the MoHE (developed by administering 100 mg/kg bw thioacetamide i.p. for 10 days) and the MoHE rats treated with MeCbl (500 µg/kg BW i.p.) for 7 days. Compared to those of control rats, the hippocampal CA1 and CA3 regions of the MoHE rats showed significantly lower myelinated areas and MBP immunostaining. This coincided with the deranged myelin layering in TEM images, decreased MBP protein and its transcript levels in hippocampus of MoHE rats. However, all these parameters recovered to normal levels after MeCbl treatment. MeCbl is a cofactor of MS that catalyzes the conversion of Hcy to methionine as a feeder step of methylation reactions. We observed significantly increased serum and hippocampal Hcy levels in MoHE rats, however, these levels were restored to control values with a concordant activation of MS due to MeCbl treatment. A significant recovery in neurobehavioral impairments in the MoHE rats due to MeCbl treatment was also observed. These findings suggest that MoHE pathogenesis is associated with deranged nerve myelination in the hippocampus and that MeCbl treatment is able to restore it mainly by activating MS, a MeCbl-dependent Hcy-metabolizing enzyme.

Myelin Basic Protein Attenuates Furin-Mediated Bri2 Cleavage and Postpones Its Membrane Trafficking.

Myelin basic protein (MBP) is the second most abundant protein in the central nervous system and is responsible for structural maintenance of the myelin sheath covering axons. Previously, we showed that MBP has a more proactive role in the oligodendrocyte homeostasis, interacting with membrane-associated proteins, including integral membrane protein 2B (ITM2B or Bri2) that is associated with familial dementias. Here, we report that the molecular dynamics of the in silico-generated MBP-Bri2 complex revealed that MBP covers a significant portion of the Bri2 ectodomain, assumingly trapping the furin cleavage site, while the surface of the BRICHOS domain, which is responsible for the multimerization and activation of the Bri2 high-molecular-weight oligomer chaperone function, remains unmasked. These observations were supported by the co-expression of MBP with Bri2, its mature form, and disease-associated mutants, which showed that in mammalian cells, MBP indeed modulates the post-translational processing of Bri2 by restriction of the furin-catalyzed release of its C-terminal peptide. Moreover, we showed that the co-expression of MBP and Bri2 also leads to an altered cellular localization of Bri2, restricting its membrane trafficking independently of the MBP-mediated suppression of the Bri2 C-terminal peptide release. Further investigations should elucidate if these observations have physiological meaning in terms of Bri2 as a MBP chaperone activated by the MBP-dependent postponement of Bri2 membrane trafficking.

Insights into the oligomeric structure of the HIV-1 Vpu protein.

The HIV-1-encoded protein Vpu forms an oligomeric ion channel/pore in membranes and interacts with host proteins to support the virus lifecycle. However, Vpu molecular mechanisms are currently not well understood. Here, we report on the Vpu oligomeric organization under membrane and aqueous conditions and provide insights into how the Vpu environment affects the oligomer formation. For these studies, we designed a maltose-binding protein (MBP)-Vpu chimera protein and produced it in E. coli in soluble form. We analyzed this protein using analytical size-exclusion chromatography (SEC), negative staining electron microscopy (nsEM), and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy. Surprisingly, we found that MBP-Vpu formed stable oligomers in solution, seemingly driven by Vpu transmembrane domain self-association. A coarse modeling of nsEM data as well as SEC and EPR data suggests that these oligomers most likely are pentamers, similar to what was reported regarding membrane-bound Vpu. We also noticed reduced MBP-Vpu oligomer stability upon reconstitution of the protein in ß-DDM detergent and mixtures of lyso-PC/PG or DHPC/DHPG. In these cases, we observed greater oligomer heterogeneity, with MBP-Vpu oligomeric order generally lower than in solution; however, larger oligomers were also present. Notably, we found that in lyso-PC/PG, above a certain protein concentration, MBP-Vpu assembles into extended structures, which had not been reported for Vpu. Therefore, we captured various Vpu oligomeric forms, which can shed light on Vpu quaternary organization. Our findings could be useful in understanding Vpu organization and function in cellular membranes and could provide information regarding the biophysical properties of single-pass transmembrane proteins.

Myelin regulatory factor is a target of individual and interactive effects of HIV-1 Tat and morphine in the striatum and pre-frontal cortex.

HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND) remain pervasive even with increased efficacy/use of antiretroviral therapies. Opioid use/abuse among HIV + individuals is documented to exacerbate CNS deficits. White matter (WM) alterations, including myelin pallor, and volume/structural alterations detected by diffusion tensor imaging are common observations in HIV + individuals, and studies in non-human primates suggest that WM may harbor virus. Using transgenic mice that express the HIV-1 Tat protein, we examined in vivo effects of 2-6 weeks of Tat and morphine exposure on WM using genomic and biochemical methods. RNA sequencing of striatal tissue at 2 weeks revealed robust changes in mRNAs associated with oligodendrocyte precursor populations and myelin integrity, including those for transferrin, the atypical oligodendrocyte marker N-myc downstream regulated 1 (Ndrg1), and myelin regulatory factor (Myrf/Mrf), an oligodendrocyte-specific transcription factor with a significant role in oligodendrocyte differentiation/maturation. Western blots conducted after 6-weeks exposure in 3 brain regions (striatum, corpus callosum, pre-frontal cortex) revealed regional differences in the effect of Tat and morphine on Myrf levels, and on levels of myelin basic protein (MBP), whose transcription is regulated by Myrf. Responses included individual and interactive effects. Although baseline and post-treatment levels of Myrf and MBP differed between brain regions, post-treatment MBP levels in striatum and pre-frontal cortex were compatible with changes in Myrf activity. Additionally, the Myrf regulatory ubiquitin ligase Fbxw7 was identified as a novel target in our model. These results suggest that Myrf and Fbxw7 contribute to altered myelin gene regulation in HIV.

DBP exposure induces thyroid inflammatory impairment through activating AKT/NF-κB/NLRP3 signaling.

Previous studies exhibited reproductive and neurodevelopmental toxicity in rats exposed to Di-n-butyl phthalate (DBP). However, the effects of DBP exposure on the other endocrine organ are still unclear. This study aimed to assess the impact of DBP exposure on the thyroid of male rats and the associated mechanisms. Here, rats were respectively treated with DBP at 0 (control), 50 (low dose), 250 (medium dose), or 500 (high dose) mg/kg/day dissolved in 1 ml quantity of corn oil by intragastrical administration for two weeks. The results demonstrated that the proliferation and inflammatory response changes were significantly different compared to the control. In vivo DBP is mainly converted to mono-n-butyl phthalate (MBP), an active form producing untoward reactions of DBP exposure. Therefore, for in vitro experiments, we treated the thyroid follicular epithelial cell line (Nthy-ori 3-1) in a temporal gradient using 1 mM MBP. Further in vitro studies showed that MBP exposure upregulated tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), as well as interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß) by activating AKT/NF-κB/NLRP3 signaling. Meanwhile, we detected that Pellino2 (Peli2) played an essential role in promoting the activation of NLRP3 inflammasome. Briefly speaking, this study confirmed that DBP exposure caused impaired thyroid structure and thyroid inflammation in male rats, which offered new views into the harm of DBP exposure on the endocrine organ.

Involvement of Degenerating 21.5 kDa Isoform of Myelin Basic Protein in the Pathogenesis of the Relapse in Murine Relapsing-Remitting Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis and MS Autopsied Brain.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is the chronic inflammatory demyelinating disease of the CNS. Relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS) is the most common type of MS. However, the mechanisms of relapse and remission in MS have not been fully understood. While SJL mice immunized with proteolipid protein (PLP) develop relapsing-remitting experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (RR-EAE), we have recently observed that some of these mice were resistant to the active induction of relapsing EAE after initial clinical and histological symptoms of EAE with a severity similar to the relapsing EAE mice. To clarify the mechanism of relapsing, we examined myelin morphology during PLP139-151-induced RR-EAE in the SJL mice. While RR-EAE mice showed an increased EAE severity (relapse) with CNS inflammation, demyelination with abnormal myelin morphology in the spinal cord, the resistant mice exhibited a milder EAE phenotype with diminished relapse. Compared with the RR-EAE mice, the resistant mice showed less CNS inflammation, demyelination, and abnormalities of the myelin structure. In addition, scanning electron microscopic (SEM) analysis with the osmium-maceration method displayed ultrastructural abnormalities of the myelin structure in the white matter of the RR-EAE spinal cord, but not in that of the resistant mice. While the intensity of myelin staining was reduced in the relapsing EAE spinal cord, immunohistochemistry and immunoblot analysis revealed that the 21.5 kDa isoform of degenerating myelin basic protein (MBP) was specifically induced in the relapsing EAE spinal cord. Taken together, the neuroinflammation-induced degenerating 21 kDa isoform of MBP sheds light on the development of abnormal myelin on the relapse of MS pathogenesis.

Myelin Basic Protein in Oligodendrocyte-Derived Extracellular Vesicles as a Diagnostic and Prognostic Biomarker in Multiple Sclerosis: A Pilot Study.

Approximately 15% of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients develop a progressive form of disease from onset; this condition (primary progressive-PP) MS is difficult to diagnose and treat, and is associated with a poor prognosis. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) of brain origin isolated from blood and their protein cargoes could function as a biomarker of pathological conditions. We verified whether MBP and MOG content in oligodendrocytes-derived EVs (ODEVs) could be biomarkers of MS and could help in the differential diagnosis of clinical MS phenotypes. A total of 136 individuals (7 clinically isolated syndrome (CIS), 18 PPMS, 49 relapsing remitting (RRMS)) and 70 matched healthy controls (HC) were enrolled. ODEVs were enriched from serum by immune-capture with anti-MOG antibody; MBP and MOG protein cargoes were measured by ELISA. MBP concentration in ODEVs was significantly increased in CIS (p < 0.001), RRMS (p < 0.001) and PPMS (p < 0.001) compared to HC and was correlated with disease severity measured by EDSS and MSSS. Notably, MBP concentration in ODEVs was also significantly augmented in PPMS compared to RRMS (p = 0.004) and CIS (p = 0.03). Logistic regression and ROC analyses confirmed these results. A minimally invasive blood test measuring the concentration of MBP in ODEVs is a promising tool that could facilitate MS diagnosis.

DDR1 and Its Ligand, Collagen IV, Are Involved in In Vitro Oligodendrocyte Maturation.

Discoidin domain receptor 1 (DDR1) is a tyrosine kinase receptor expressed in epithelial cells from different tissues in which collagen binding activates pleiotropic functions. In the brain, DDR1 is mainly expressed in oligodendrocytes (OLs), the function of which is unclear. Whether collagen can activate DDR1 in OLs has not been studied. Here, we assessed the expression of DDR1 during in vitro OL differentiation, including collagen IV incubation, and the capability of collagen IV to induce DDR1 phosphorylation. Experiments were performed using two in vitro models of OL differentiation: OLs derived from adult rat neural stem cells (NSCs) and the HOG16 human oligodendroglial cell line. Immunocytofluorescence, western blotting, and ELISA were performed to analyze these questions. The differentiation of OLs from NSCs was addressed using oligodendrocyte transcription factor 2 (Olig2) and myelin basic protein (MBP). In HOG16 OLs, collagen IV induced DDR1 phosphorylation through slow and sustained kinetics. In NSC-derived OLs, DDR1 was found in a high proportion of differentiating cells (MBP+/Olig2+), but its protein expression was decreased in later stages. The addition of collagen IV did not change the number of DDR1+/MBP+ cells but did accelerate OL branching. Here, we provide the first demonstration that collagen IV mediates the phosphorylation of DDR1 in HOG16 cells and that the in vitro co-expression of DDR1 and MBP is associated with accelerated branching during the differentiation of primary OLs.

Neurotherapeutic efficacy of loaded sulforaphane on iron oxide nanoparticles against cuprizone-induced neurotoxicity: role of MMP-9 and S100ß.

Cuprizone (CUP) induces neurotoxicity and demyelination in animal models by provoking the activation of glial cells and the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Sulforaphane (SF) is a phytochemical that exhibits a neuroprotective potential. In this study, we investigated the neurotherapeutic and pro-remyelinating activities of SF and SF-loaded within iron oxide nanoparticles (IONP-SF) in CUP-exposed rats. Magnetite iron oxide nanoparticles (IONPs) were prepared using the hydrothermal method that was further loaded with SF (IONP-SF). The loading of SF within the magnetite nanoparticles was assessed using FTIR, TEM, DLS, Zetasizer, and XPS. For the in vivo investigations, adult male Wistar rats (n = 40) were administrated either on a regular diet or a diet with CUP (0.2%) for 5 weeks. The rats were divided into four groups: negative control, CUP-induced, CUP + SF, and CUP + IONP-SF. CUP-exposed brains exhibited a marked elevation in lipid peroxidation, along with a significant decrease in the activities of glutathione peroxidase (GPx), and catalase (CAT). In addition, CUP intoxication downregulated the expression of myelin basic protein (MBP) and myelin proteolipid protein (PLP), upregulated the expression of Matrix metallopeptidase-9 (MMP-9) and S100ß, and increased caspase-3 immunoexpression, these results were supported histopathologically in the cerebral cortexes. Treatment of CUP-rats with either SF or IONP-SF demonstrated remyelinating and neurotherapeutic activities. We could conclude that IONP-SF was more effective than free SF in mitigating the CUP-induced downregulation of MBP, upregulation of S100ß, and caspase-3 immunoexpression.

In utero alcohol exposure impairs vessel-associated positioning and differentiation of oligodendrocytes in the developing neocortex.

Prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) is a major cause of nongenetic mental retardation and can lead to fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS), the most severe manifestation of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD). FASD infants present behavioral disabilities resulting from neurodevelopmental defects. Both grey and white matter lesions have been characterized and are associated with apoptotic death and/or ectopic migration profiles. In the last decade, it was shown that PAE impairs brain angiogenesis, and the radial organization of cortical microvessels is lost. Concurrently, several studies have reported that tangential migration of oligodendrocyte precursors (OPCs) originating from ganglionic eminences is vascular associated. Because numerous migrating oligodendrocytes enter the developing neocortex, the present study aimed to determine whether migrating OPCs interacted with radial cortical microvessels and whether alcohol-induced vascular impairments were associated with altered positioning and differentiation of cortical oligodendrocytes. Using a 3D morphometric analysis, the results revealed that in both human and mouse cortices, 15 to 40% of Olig2-positive cells were in close association with radial cortical microvessels, respectively. Despite perinatal vascular disorganization, PAE did not modify the vessel association of Olig2-positive cells but impaired their positioning between deep and superficial cortical layers. At the molecular level, PAE markedly but transiently reduced the expression of CNPase and MBP, two differentiation markers of immature and mature oligodendrocytes. In particular, PAE inverted their distribution profiles in cortical layers V and VI and reduced the thickness of the myelin sheath of efferent axons. These perinatal oligo-vascular defects were associated with motor disabilities that persisted in adults. Altogether, the present study provides the first evidence that Olig2-positive cells entering the neocortex are associated with radial microvessels. PAE disorganized the cortical microvasculature and delayed the positioning and differentiation of oligodendrocytes. Although most of these oligovascular defects occurred in perinatal life, the offspring developed long-term motor troubles. Altogether, these data suggest that alcohol-induced oligo-vascular impairments contribute to the neurodevelopmental issues described in FASD.

Expression and characterization of heparinase II with MBP tag from a novel strain, Raoultella NX-TZ-3-15.

The enzymes are biological macromolecules that biocatalyze certain biochemical reactions without undergoing any modification or degradation at the end of the reaction. In this work, we constructed a recombinant novel Raoultella sp. NX-TZ-3-15 strain that produces heparinase with a maltose binding tag to enhance its production and activity. Additionally, MBP-heparinase was purified and its enzymatic capabilities are investigated to determine its industrial application. Moreover, the recombinant plasmid encoding the MBP-heparinase fusion protein was effectively generated and purified to a high purity. According to SDS-PAGE analysis, the MBP-heparinase has a molecular weight of around 70 kDa and the majority of it being soluble with a maximum activity of 5386 U/L. It has also been noted that the three ions of Ca2 + , Co2 + , and Mg2 + can have an effect on heparinase activities, with Mg2 + being the most noticeable, increasing by about 85%, while Cu2 + , Fe2 + , Zn2 + having an inhibitory effect on heparinase activities. Further investigations on the mechanistic action, structural features, and genomes of Raoultella sp. NX-TZ-3-15 heparinase synthesis are required for industrial-scale manufacturing.

Soluble expression of bioactive recombinant porcine-human chimeric uricase mutant employing MBP-SUMO fusion system.

Urate oxidase is a promising biological medicine for hyperuricemia treatment, but immunogenicity obstructs the development of its clinical application. The recombinant porcine-human chimeric uricase mutant named dHU-wPU is a humanized chimeric uricase based on wild porcine uricase (wPU), which can effectively reduce the limitation of potential immunogenicity with a high homology (92.76%) to deduced human uricase (dHU). Unfortunately, the insoluble expression form of dHU-wPU in E. coli increases the difficulty of production. In this study, we described a more convenient method to efficiently obtain recombinant dHU-wPU protein from E. coli. Combination small ubiquitin-related modifier protein (SUMO) and maltose-binding protein (MBP) was employed to achieve the soluble expression of dHU-wPU. MBP-SUMO-dHU-wPU fusion protein was not only overexpressed in a soluble form, but also showed high purification and cleavage efficiency. Subsequently, we optimized the culture conditions of shake flasks and expanded the production of MBP-SUMO-dHU-wPU fusion protein in a 5 L bioreactor. Finally, about 15 mg of recombinant dHU-wPU was obtained from 1 L M9 fermentation culture by using two-step affinity chromatography, with a SDS-PAGE purity over 90%. In vitro activity analysis showed that dHU-wPU had better ability to catalyze uric acid than wPU.

A comparison between MBP- and NT* as N-terminal fusion partner for recombinant protein production in E. coli.

Advances in structural biology have been fueled in part by developing techniques for large-scale heterologous expression and purification of proteins. Nevertheless, this step is still a bottleneck in biophysical studies of many proteins. Often, fusion proteins are used to increase expression levels, solubility, or both. Here, we compare a recently reported fusion tag, NT*, with Maltose Binding Protein (MBP), a well-known fusion tag and solubility enhancer. NT* shows high expression and solubility when used as an N-terminal fusion partner for several aggregation-prone peptides. Its efficacy in enhancing the solubility of aggregation-prone globular proteins has, however, not been tested. We find here that although the overall expression levels for NT* fusions are much higher than those for the MBP fusion, MBP was far superior for enhancing the solubility of the passenger protein. Nevertheless, the effective yield after purification from the soluble fraction of both MBP-fusion and NT*-fusion was comparable, mainly due to higher expression levels in NT*-fusion and a smaller fraction of the passenger protein net weight being locked in the fusion protein. We conclude that NT* is an excellent fusion tag to improve the overall expression of globular proteins but does not increase the passenger protein's solubility compared to MBP. Proteins that are partially soluble or can be refolded in-vitro will significantly benefit from N-terminal NT* fusions. MBP, however, still remains one of the very few options for an N-terminal fusion if the solubility of the protein after expression is critical for preserving its proper fold or activity.

Myelin sheath structure and regeneration in peripheral nerve injury repair.

Observing the structure and regeneration of the myelin sheath in peripheral nerves following injury and during repair would help in understanding the pathogenesis and treatment of neurological diseases caused by an abnormal myelin sheath. In the present study, transmission electron microscopy, immunofluorescence staining, and transcriptome analyses were used to investigate the structure and regeneration of the myelin sheath after end-to-end anastomosis, autologous nerve transplantation, and nerve tube transplantation in a rat model of sciatic nerve injury, with normal optic nerve, oculomotor nerve, sciatic nerve, and Schwann cells used as controls. The results suggested that the double-bilayer was the structural unit that constituted the myelin sheath. The major feature during regeneration was the compaction of the myelin sheath, wherein the distance between the 2 layers of cell membrane in the double-bilayer became shorter and the adjacent double-bilayers tightly closed together and formed the major dense line. The expression level of myelin basic protein was positively correlated with the formation of the major dense line, and the compacted myelin sheath could not be formed without the anchoring of the lipophilin particles to the myelin sheath.

MF59 Promoted the Combination of CpG ODN1826 and MUC1-MBP Vaccine-Induced Antitumor Activity Involved in the Enhancement of DC Maturation by Prolonging the Local Retention Time of Antigen and Down-Regulating of IL-6/STAT3.

Our previous study found that CpG oligodeoxynucleotides 1826 (CpG 1826), combined with mucin 1 (MUC1)-maltose-binding protein (MBP) (M-M), had certain antitumor activity. However, this combination is less than ideal for tumor suppression (tumors vary in size and vary widely among individuals), with a drawback being that CpG 1826 is unstable. To solve these problems, here, we evaluate MF59/CpG 1826 as a compound adjuvant with M-M vaccine on immune response, tumor suppression and survival. The results showed that MF59 could promote the CpG 1826/M-M vaccine-induced tumor growth inhibition and a Th1-prone cellular immune response, as well as reduce the individual differences of tumor growth and prolonged prophylactic and therapeutic mouse survival. Further research showed that MF59 promotes the maturation of DCs stimulated by CpG1826/M-M, resulting in Th1 polarization. The possible mechanism is speculated to be that MF59 could significantly prolong the retention time of CpG 1826, or the combination of CpG 1826 and M-M, as well as downregulate IL-6/STAT3 involved in MF59 combined CpG 1826-induced dendritic cell maturation. This study clarifies the utility of MF59/CpG 1826 as a vaccine compound adjuvant, laying the theoretical basis for the development of a novel M-M vaccine.

Mechanistic Target of Rapamycin Regulates the Oligodendrocyte Cytoskeleton during Myelination.

During differentiation, oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPCs) extend a network of processes that make contact with axons and initiate myelination. Recent studies revealed that actin polymerization is required for initiation of myelination whereas actin depolymerization promotes myelin wrapping. Here, we used primary OPCs in culture isolated from neonatal rat cortices of both sexes and young male and female mice with oligodendrocyte-specific deletion of mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) to demonstrate that mTOR regulates expression of specific cytoskeletal targets and actin reorganization in oligodendrocytes during developmental myelination. Loss or inhibition of mTOR reduced expression of profilin2 and ARPC3, actin polymerizing factors, and elevated levels of active cofilin, which mediates actin depolymerization. The deficits in actin polymerization were revealed in reduced phalloidin and deficits in oligodendrocyte cellular branching complexity at the peak of morphologic differentiation and a delay in initiation of myelination. We further show a critical role for mTOR in expression and localization of myelin basic protein (Mbp) mRNA and MBP protein to the cellular processes where it is necessary at the myelin membrane for axon wrapping. Mbp mRNA transport deficits were confirmed by single molecule RNA FISH. Moreover, expression of the kinesin family member 1B, an Mbp mRNA transport protein, was reduced in CC1+ cells in the mTOR cKO and in mTOR inhibited oligodendrocytes undergoing differentiation in vitro These data support the conclusion that mTOR regulates both initiation of myelination and axon wrapping by targeting cytoskeletal reorganization and MBP localization to oligodendrocyte processes.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Myelination is essential for normal CNS development and adult axon preservation and function. The mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathway has been implicated in promoting CNS myelination; however, there is a gap in our understanding of the mechanisms by which mTOR promotes developmental myelination through regulating specific downstream targets. Here, we present evidence that mTOR promotes the initiation of myelination through regulating specific cytoskeletal targets and cellular process expansion by oligodendrocyte precursor cells as well as expression and cellular localization of myelin basic protein.