Project description:The Moutan Cortex Radicis (MCR) has been used as an analgesic, sedative and anti-inflammatory agent. This study investigated the changes in gene expression by MCR treatment when stimulated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in cultured human gingival fibroblasts (HGFs) and the gene expression changes by the MCR when challenged with LPS using a microarray chip.
Project description:We tested orphan TCR autoreactivity using the peptide MHC-TCR chimeric receptor (MCR) co-culture system. In this system, cognate antigen recognition leads to TCR specific NFAT activation in MCR reporter cells expressing a mouse I-Ab MHC class II extracellular domain covalently linked to candidate peptides and an intracellular TCR signaling domain. We used mixed autoimmune bone marrow chimera spleens and kidneys as sources of cDNA to generate a transcriptome-wide library of natural autoantigen peptides . We cloned this cDNA-derived peptide (CDP) autoantigen library into the MCR retroviral backbone and transduced NFAT reporter cells to make a murine autoantigen MCR reporter library (MCR-Lib). We then used this library to screen orphan TCRs identified by scTCR-seq for autoreactivity.
Project description:Antibiotic resistance associated with the expression of the clinically significant carbapenemases, IMP, KPC, and NDM and OXA-48 in Enterobacteriaceae is emerging as a worldwide calamity to health care. In Australia, IMP-producing Enterobacteriaceae is the most prevalent carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae (CPE). Genomic characteristics of such carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae (CPE) are well described, but the corresponding proteome is poorly characterised. We have thus developed a method to analyse dynamic changes in the proteome of CPE under antibiotic pressure. Specifically, we have investigated the effect of meropenem at sub-lethal concentrations to develop a better understanding of how antibiotic pressure leads to resistance. Escherichia coli, producing either NDM, IMP or KPC type carbapenemase were included in this study, and their proteomes were analysed in growth conditions with or without meropenem.
