Hyperuricemia (HUA) is caused by increased synthesis and/or insufficient excretion of uric acid (UA). Long-lasting HUA may lead to a number of diseases including gout and kidney injury. Harpagoside (Harp) is a bioactive compound with potent anti-inflammatory activity from the roots of Scrophularia ningpoensis. Nevertheless, its potential effect on HUA was not reported. The anti-HUA and nephroprotective effects of Harp on HUA mice were assessed by biochemical and histological analysis. The proteins responsible for UA production and transportation were investigated to figure out its anti-HUA mechanism, while proteins related to NF-κB/NLRP3 pathway were evaluated to reveal its nephroprotective mechanism. The safety was evaluated by testing its effect on body weight and organ coefficients. The results showed that Harp significantly reduced the SUA level and protected the kidney against HUA-induced injury but had no negative effect on safety. Mechanistically, Harp significantly reduced UA production by acting as inhibitors of xanthine oxidase (XOD) and adenosine deaminase (ADA) and decreased UA excretion by acting as activators of ABCG2, OAT1 and inhibitors of GLUT9 and URAT1. Moreover, Harp markedly reduced infiltration of inflammatory cells and down-regulated expressions of TNF-α, NF-κB, NLRP3 and IL-1ß in the kidney. Harp was a promising anti-HUA agent.
Glycosides , Hyperuricemia , NLR Family, Pyrin Domain-Containing 3 Protein , Pyrans , Uric Acid , Animals , Hyperuricemia/drug therapy , Hyperuricemia/metabolism , Uric Acid/blood , Male , Glycosides/pharmacology , Glycosides/therapeutic use , Pyrans/pharmacology , Pyrans/therapeutic use , Mice , NLR Family, Pyrin Domain-Containing 3 Protein/metabolism , Kidney/drug effects , Kidney/pathology , Kidney/metabolism , NF-kappa B/metabolism , Mice, Inbred C57BL
OBJECTIVE: To express enolase gene of Taenia asiatica, investigate the immunoreactivity of the recombinant TaENO protein, and immuno-histo-localize the presence of the recombinant TaENO in adults of T. asiatica. METHODS: The gene encoding enolase of T. asiatica (TaENO) was cloned by high throughput sequencing from the cDNA library of adult T. asiatica. The coding region of TaENO was amplified by PCR, and cloned into a prokaryotic expression vector pET-30a (+). The recombinant plasmid was transformed into E. coli BL-21/DE3 and followed by expression of the protein induced by IPTG. The protein was purified by Ni-IDA affinity chromatography, and tested by SDS-PAGE. Its immunoreactivity was examined by Western blotting. The mice were immunized subcutaneously with purified TaENO formulated in Freund's adjuvant. Serum samples were collected and analyzed for specific antibodies by ELISA. The localization of TaENO in adult worms was demonstrated by immunofluorescent technique. RESULTS: The recombinant expression plasmid was identified by PCR, double endonuclease digestion and sequencing. The recombinant TaENO was about Mr 47 000 with a concentration of 0.37 mg/ml. It was recognized by antisera of SD rats immunized with TaENO, sera of taeniasis patients and sera of infected swine. The immunofluorescence assay revealed that TaENO immune serum located in the tegument of T. asiatica adult. CONCLUSION: The TaENO gene has been expressed with immunoreactivity, and the recombinant TaENO is immunolocalized in the tegument of T. asiatica adult.
Phosphopyruvate Hydratase/genetics , Phosphopyruvate Hydratase/isolation & purification , Taenia/genetics , Animals , Female , Gene Expression , Genetic Vectors , Humans , Plasmids , Rats , Rats, Sprague-Dawley , Recombinant Proteins/biosynthesis , Taenia/enzymology
OBJECTIVE: To clone and express the lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) gene of Taenia saginata asiatica and analyze the immunogenicity of the recombinant protein. METHODS: By screening the full length cDNA plasmid library, the coding region of LDH was amplified with PCR, and cloned into the prokaryotic expression vector pET-30a (+), then expressed in E. coli BL21 with IPTG induction. The recombinant protein was detected by SDS-PAGE and purified by Ni-IDA affinity chromatography, and its immunogenicity was analyzed by Western blotting. RESULTS: PCR, double enzyme digestion and DNA sequencing confirmed that the recombinant expression plasmid was constructed. The expression products were obtained and purified by Ni-IDA affinity chromatography. Western blotting analysis of LDH recombinant protein testified that the recombinant protein could be recognized by sera of the Taenia saginata asiatica infected swine and the patient. CONCLUSIONS: The LDH gene of Taenia saginata asiatica has been cloned and expressed, and the purified protein has been confirmed with immunogenicity.
Malate Dehydrogenase/genetics , Malate Dehydrogenase/metabolism , Swine/parasitology , Taenia saginata/enzymology , Animals , Cloning, Molecular , Escherichia coli/genetics , Escherichia coli/metabolism , Gene Expression , Humans , Malate Dehydrogenase/immunology , Recombinant Proteins/genetics , Recombinant Proteins/immunology
Tools from bioinformatics websites such as NCBI, ExPaSy were used for the analysis. The malate dehydrogenase full-length gene from Taenia saginata asiatica was 1 212 bp in length, with a coding region of 30-1 028 bp and coding 332 amino acids. It was a complete and full-length gene compared with the homologues in GenBank. The protein showed no transmembrane region, with stable physical-chemical characteristics. Three major linear epitopes located aa95-aa100, aa322-aa327 and aa117-aa122, with certain distance from each other on the surface of spatial structure of malate dehydrogenase (MDH). The last one was the linear epitope of Taenia. This cytosolic malate dehydrogenase gene is a potential antigen for diagnosis.
Helminth Proteins/genetics , Malate Dehydrogenase/genetics , Taenia saginata/genetics , Animals , Computational Biology , DNA, Complementary , Epitopes/genetics , Molecular Sequence Data , Taenia saginata/enzymology , Taenia saginata/immunology
