中枢神经系统周细胞表达结蛋白desmin

目的:本研究着重探讨中枢神经系统周细胞是否表达desmin。方法:取3周龄雄性Wistar大鼠,取其大脑和脊髓组织,分离提取培养脑微血管周细胞(BMP)和脊髓微血管周细胞(SCMP)两种周细胞,用周细胞非特异性标记物神经胶质抗原2(NG2)和α-平滑肌肌动蛋白(α-SMA)双标鉴定周细胞,并用免疫荧光方法定性定量测定两种周细胞表达desmin阳性率,免疫印记分析实验定量测定两种周细胞表达desmin。结果:观察刚分离得到的脑微血管和脊髓微血管,前者在长度和密度上多于后者,培养至第3天时,观察到BMP更趋向于聚集,而SCMP则更分散。培养至第9天时,两种周细胞基本铺满了培养皿。经用周细胞非特异性标记物NG2和α-SMA双标鉴定,确定分离得到的细胞为周细胞,免疫荧光和western blot实验结果表明两种周细胞均表达desmin,且SCMP表达desmin阳性率显著多于BMP(P0.001),SCMP表达desmin量显著多于BMP(P0.05)。结论:中枢神经系统周细胞表达结蛋白desmin,表达量不同暗示了血脑屏障和血脊髓屏障之间存在差异。     

周细胞的原代培养

目的:探讨Wistar大鼠视网膜毛细血管周细胞(pericyte,PC)的原代培养和鉴定方法。方法:结合视网膜微血管的消化分离,采用含10%胎牛血清的DMEM培养基选择性培养PC,通过活细胞观察原代PC的形态、生长特性以及与血管碎片之间的关系,同时应用免疫细胞化学染色来鉴定PC。结果:选择性培养获得的PC的纯度达到95%以上,并能连续传代。该细胞呈长梭形或星芒状,漩涡或栅栏状生长,无接触性抑制,单核,偶见双核,核卵圆形,细胞浆丰富,α-SMA、PDGFR-β染色阳性。结论:通过对视网膜微血管的消化分离能够获得较为纯净的PC。     

大鼠脑微血管内皮细胞培养及其药物转运体Oatp2和P-gp的表达

贴块法培养脑微血管内皮细胞(BMECs),倒置显微镜动态观察细胞生长及形态,Ⅷ因子相关抗原、CD34免疫细胞化学联合鉴定细胞并确定纯度。免疫细胞化学和Western印迹法检测药物转运体有机阴离子转运多肽亚型2(Oatp2)及P-糖蛋白(P-gp)在培养内皮细胞上的表达。结果显示,获得的BMECs呈多角形或铺路石形,单层贴壁生长;培养细胞Ⅷ因子相关抗原免疫细胞化学、CD34免疫荧光染色均为阳性,细胞纯度90%;培养细胞有Oatp2及P-gp表达,且二者均主要表达于BMECs细胞膜。提示贴块法可获得原代培养BMECs,方法简便易行,细胞纯度较高。原代培养的BMECs上有药物转运体Oatp2及P-gp的表达,为血脑屏障上药物转运体的体外研究提供了可能途径。     

大鼠脑微血管内皮细胞的分离与原代培养

为了建立大鼠脑微血管内皮细胞体外培养模型,探索纯度较高的大鼠脑微血管内皮细胞分离和原代培养的方法并进行形态学观察。采用2～3周龄的SD大鼠,解剖得到大脑皮质,两次酶消化及牛血清白蛋白或葡聚糖和Percoll梯度离心获得较纯的脑微血管段后,接种于涂布基质的培养皿进行原代培养;培养的细胞采用相差显微镜形态学观察、透射电镜观察及Ⅷ因子相关抗原免疫组化检测鉴定。结果发现,培养12h即可见细胞从贴壁的脑微血管段周围长出,细胞呈短梭形,区域性单层生长,5～7天内皮细胞融合,内皮细胞纯度达90％以上;内皮细胞的贴壁和生长有赖于所涂布的基质,纤连蛋白／Ⅳ型胶原优于鼠尾胶和明胶;Ⅷ因子相关抗原免疫组化检测内皮细胞表达阳性,透射电镜观察可见相邻内皮细胞间存在紧密连接结构。提示该方法能成功进行纯度较高的大鼠脑微血管内皮细胞原代培养,可用于脑微血管内皮的生理、生化及药理学研究,亦可用于构建大鼠血脑屏障模型。     

成纤维细胞生长因子9抑制PDGF-BB诱导的肺血管平滑肌细胞表型转化

该研究探讨了成纤维细胞生长因子9(fibroblast growth factor 9,FGF9)在肺动脉高压(pulmonary arterial hypertension,PAH)及肺血管平滑肌细胞表型转化中的作用。建立野百合碱(monocrotaline,MCT)诱导的大鼠肺动脉高压模型,Western blot检测大鼠肺组织中FGF9的表达情况。血小板衍生生长因子-BB(platelet-derived growth factor BB,PDGF-BB)诱导肺动脉平滑肌细胞(pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells,PASMCs)表型转化,Western blot检测PASMCs中FGF9的表达情况。重组人成纤维细胞生长因子9(recombinant human fibroblast growth factor 9,rhFGF9)干预PASMCs,通过划痕实验检测细胞迁移能力,Western blot检测细胞表型相关蛋白[α-平滑肌肌动蛋白(α-smooth muscle actin,α-SMA)、骨桥蛋白(osteopontin,OPN)]、增殖细胞核抗原(proliferating cell nuclear antigen,PCNA)及血小板衍生生长因子受体β(platelet-derived growth factor receptor β,PDGFR-β)的表达水平。siRNA抑制FGF9后,Western blot检测PASMCs表型与PCNA蛋白水平。结果显示,大鼠肺组织及PASMCs中FGF9的表达显著降低(P0.05);PDGF-BB下调PDGFR-β与收缩表型标志物α-SMA的表达(P0.05),同时上调PCNA与合成表型标志物OPN的表达(P0.05),且细胞的迁移能力增加;rhFGF9抑制PDGF-BB诱导的细胞表型转化和细胞迁移,而不影响PCNA与PDGFR-β的表达;下调FGF9可降低α-SMA(P0.05)的表达,而PCNA与OPN的表达无显著改变,即下调FGF9后,平滑肌细胞的收缩表型发生改变。总之,rhFGF9抑制PDGF-BB诱导的平滑肌细胞表型转化和迁移,下调FGF9能改变平滑肌细胞的收缩表型,提示FGF9可能参与肺动脉高压的病理过程。     

运用植块法培养脑微血管内皮细胞

探讨简易可行的脑微血管内皮细胞(brain microvascular endothelial cells,BMECs培)养方法,为研究BMECs细胞在脑血管疾病中的重要作用提供技术支持。分离出生后1~7天内的SD乳鼠大脑皮质区,植块法培养BMECs细胞。用倒置显微镜观察BMECs细胞的形态以及从皮质块迁出的过程;MTT比色法检测BMECs细胞的生长曲线;采用免疫组化染色检测VIII因子相关抗原和CD34抗原,以鉴定内皮细胞。结果发现,大脑皮质块植块法培养的大鼠BMECs细胞呈单层贴壁生长,细胞形态以长梭形、多角形三角形、四边形为主,呈典型的“铺路石”样征象,经鉴定为内皮细胞,第三代纯度达95%以上。提示该方法具有经济、简便、要求条件不高,易于纯化的优点,可作为大鼠BMECs细胞体外培养的良好模型。     

黄芪甲苷激活TGF-β1/Smad2信号通路诱导骨髓间充质干细胞向周细胞分化的作用研究

目的:观察黄芪甲苷促进大鼠骨髓间充质干细胞(Mesenchymal stem cell,MSCs)向周细胞分化的作用,揭示中药黄芪治疗缺血性心脏病的意义。方法:本研究以大鼠骨髓间充质干细胞为研究对象,采用全骨髓培养法,从SD大鼠乳鼠(5d-7d)股骨提取原代细胞,体外传代纯化,P4-P5代用于实验。实验分阴性对照组,大鼠BMSCs 15%胎牛血清(Fetal Bovine Serum,FBS)向周细胞分化的作用,揭示中药黄芪治疗缺血性心脏病的意义。方法:本研究以大鼠骨髓间培养基培养,不给予药物干预;阳性对照组,给予转化生长因子β1(TGF-β1)5 ng/mL干预3天;黄芪甲苷(Astragaloside,Ast)组,给予黄芪甲苷4μg/mL分别干预1 d、2 d、3 d、5 d、7d;阻断剂组,TGF-β1受体阻断剂sb431542预处理后,再加入黄芪甲苷4μg/mL分别诱导1 d、2 d、3 d。实时定量PCR(RT-PCR)检测神经元-胶质细胞抗原2(Neuron-glial antigen 2,NG2)、α-平滑肌肌动蛋白(alpha smooth muscle actin,α-SMA)信使核糖核酸(mRNA)表达;印迹法(Western blot)检测NG2、α-SMA、Smad2/3、p-Smad2蛋白表达。结果:经黄芪甲苷诱导刺激后,大鼠骨髓间充质干细胞在mRNA和蛋白水平上,NG2、α-SMA的表达量均升高;Ast 3d组,与阴性对照组和阳性对照组相比,NG2、α-SMA蛋白和mRNA的表达量均显著升高(p0.05)。黄芪甲苷刺激细胞后,TGF-β1/Smad2信号传导通路被激活,从第一天开始,p-Smad2蛋白表达量升高,第3天到达顶峰,随后降低;其中第三天,p-Smad2蛋白表达量显著高于Ast 0d组(p0.01)。加入阻断剂后,黄芪甲苷受到sb431542影响,对细胞的作用减弱,NG2、α-SMA蛋白和mRNA表达量均下调;sb431542+Ast 3d组,与Ast 3d组相比,NG2、α-SMA蛋白和mRNA的表达量显著降低(p0.001)。受阻断剂的影响,黄芪甲苷对TGF-β1/Smad2信号传导通路的作用减弱,前三天p-Smad2蛋白的表达量均降低,sb431542+Ast 3d组,与Ast 3d组相比,p-Smad2蛋白的表达量显著降低(p0.001)。结论:黄芪甲苷具有促进大鼠BMSCs向周细胞分化的作用,其机制与激活TGF-β1/Smad2信号传导通路相关。     

PDGF-D/PDGFR-β在胃癌中的表达及与血管形成的关系

为了探讨PDGF-D及其受体PDGFR-β在胃癌组织中的表达及其与血管生成的关系.采用免疫组织化学法检测88例胃癌手术切除标本中癌组织、癌旁组织及正常胃粘膜中PDGF-D/PDGFR-β的表达,采用CD34标记的微血管内皮细胞,计算微血管密度(MVD).分析PDGF-D/PDGFR-β的表达与胃癌临床病例特征及MVD的关系.研究发现胃癌组织中的PDGF-D/PDGFR-β的表达及MVD显著高于癌旁组织及正常胃粘膜(P<0.05).PDGF-D/PDGFR-β的表达及MVD的值与胃癌的TNM分期、浸润深度及局部淋巴结转移有关(P<0.05);MVD还与胃癌的直径有关(P<0.05),PDGF-D/PDGFR-β两者的表达呈正相关性(r=0.647,P<0.05).PDGF-D/PDGFR-β阳性组的MVD平均值高于PDGF-D/PDGFR-β阴性组(P<0.05).结果提示,PDGF-D及其受体PDGFR-β在胃癌组织中呈特异性的高表达,并与胃癌的MVD有关,可能参与胃癌的血管形成,在胃癌的进展过程中起着重要作用.     

TGF-β1激活肝星状细胞并促进血管内皮细胞新生血管形成

该研究旨在探讨转化生长因子-β1(transforming growth factor-β1,TGF-β1)在肝星状细胞(hepatic stellate cells,HSCs)激活中的机制以及活化HSCs促进内皮细胞血管新生(angiogenesis)的作用效果。运用q RT-PCR检测α-SMA、Smad2/3、VEGFA和TGF-β1-RI的m RNA水平;Western blot检测α-SMA、Smad2/3、p-Smad2/3、VEGFA和TGF-β1-RI的蛋白质水平;基质胶(matrigel)血管形成实验检测活化HSCs的促人脐静脉血内皮细胞(human umbilical vein endothelial cells,HUVECs)血管形成作用。TGF-β1作用后的HSCs高表达α-SMA以及经典的TGF-β1/TGF-β1-RI/Smad2/3信号通路下游相关的TGF-β1-RI和Smad2/3等,具备了活化表型并能促进内皮细胞血管新生。结果表明,TGF-β1信号通过经典的Smad2/3通路激活了HSCs,使激活后的HSCs通过分泌VEGFA具备了促进内皮细胞血管新生的功能。     

脂多糖对新生小鼠肺血管内皮细胞的影响及机制探讨

该文旨在探讨脂多糖(lipopolysaccharide, LPS)对新生小鼠肺血管内皮细胞的影响及机制。将分离培养的肺血管内皮细胞随机分为空白对照组和LPS组;用10μg/mL的LPS处理细胞后分别于0 h、6 h、12 h、24 h、48 h时间点收集细胞标本进行检测;采用划痕实验观察LPS对肺血管内皮细胞迁移的影响;用荧光定量PCR(Real-time PCR, RT-PCR)检测白介素-1β(IL-1β)、巨噬细胞炎性蛋白-1α(MIP-1α)、单核细胞趋化蛋白-1(MCP-1)、肿瘤坏死因子-α(TNF-α) mRNA水平变化; Western blot检测血管内皮生长因子(VEGF)、血管内皮生长因子受体2(VEGFR2)及核因子κB(nuclear factor kappa-B, NF-κB)相关蛋白P65水平的变化。结果显示,体外分离培养的肺血管内皮细胞成鹅卵石样排列, VIII因子相关抗原和CD31表面抗原荧光染色阳性。划痕实验中, LPS组细胞在12 h的迁移高于对照组(P0.001);荧光定量PCR检测到LPS组分泌的炎症因子IL-1β、TNF-α和趋化因子MIP-1α、MCP-1的mRNA表达明显高于对照组(P0.001); Western blot显示, LPS组与对照组相比, VEGF蛋白表达在24 h、48 h处降低(P0.05), VEGFR2蛋白表达在各时间段都明显降低(P0.001),同时, NF-κB相关蛋白P65活性显著升高(P0.05)。研究表明,脂多糖诱发的炎症反应影响肺血管内皮细胞的发育,其机制可能与NF-κB通路激活,诱导炎症因子、趋化因子表达升高和VEGF/VEGFR2表达下降有关。     

A Unique Protease Cleavage Site Predicted in the Spike Protein of the Novel Pneumonia Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) Potentially Related to Viral Transmissibility

正Dear Editor,In December 2019, a novel human coronavirus caused an epidemic of severe pneumonia(Coronavirus Disease 2019,COVID-19) in Wuhan, Hubei, China(Wu et al. 2020; Zhu et al. 2020). So far, this virus has spread to all areas of China and even to other countries. The epidemic has caused 67,102 confirmed infections with 1526 fatal cases     

Curcuminoids as inhibitors of thioredoxin reductase: A receptor based pharmacophore study with distance mapping of the active site

Curcumin is the yellow pigment of turmeric that interacts irreversibly forming an adduct with thioredoxin reductase (TrxR), an enzyme responsible for redox control of cell and defence against oxidative stress. Docking at both the active sites of TrxR was performed to compare the potency of three naturally occurring curcuminoids, namely curcumin, demethoxy curcumin and bis-demethoxy curcumin. Results show that active sites of TrxR occur at the junction of E and F chains. Volume and area of both cavities is predicted. It has been concluded by distance mapping of the most active conformations that Se atom of catalytic residue SeCYS498, is at a distance of 3.56 from C13 of demethoxy curcumin at the E chain active site, whereas C13 carbon atom forms adduct with Se atom of SeCys 498. We report that at least one methoxy group in curcuminoids is necessary for interation with catalytic residues of thioredoxin. Pharmacophore of both active sites of the TrxR receptor for curcumin and demethoxy curcumin molecules has been drawn and proposed for design and synthesis of most probable potent antiproliferative synthetic drugs.     

Comparative morphology of the carpel in the Liliaceae: Hewardieae, Petrosavieae, and Tricyrteae

The young pistils in the melanthioid tribes, Hewardieae, Petrosavieae and Tricyrteae, are uniformly tricarpellate and syncarpous. They lack raphide idioblasts. All are multiovulate, with bitegmic ovules. The Petrosavieae are marked by the presence of septal glands and incomplete syncarpy. Tepals and stamens adhere to the ovary in the Hewardieae and the Petrosavieae but not in the Tricyrteae. Two vascular bundles occur in the stamens of the Hewartlieae and Tricyrtis latifolia. Ventral bundles in the upper part of the ovary of the Hewardieae are continuous with compound septal bundles and placental bundles in the lower part. Putative ventral bundles occur in the alternate position in the Tricyrteae and putative placental bundles in the opposite. position in the Petrosavieae. The dichtomously branched stigma in each carpel of the Tricyrteae is supplied by a bifurcated dorsal bundle.     

Enterovirus 71 3C proteolytically processes the histone H3 N-terminal tail during infection

Highlights
1. The N-terminal tail of histone H3 is specifically cleaved during EV71 infection.
2. Viral protease 3C is identified as a protease responsible for proteolytically processing the N-terminal H3 tail.
3. Our finding reveals a new epigenetic regulatory mechanism for Enterovirus 71 in virus-host interactions.     

Detection of EBV and HHV6 in the Brain Tissue of Patients with Rasmussen’s Encephalitis

Rasmussen’s encephalitis (RE) is a rare pediatric neurological disorder, and the exact etiology is not clear. Viral infection may be involved in the pathogenesis of RE, but conflicting results have reported. In this study, we evaluated the expression of both Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and human herpes virus (HHV) 6 antigens in brain sections from 30 patients with RE and 16 control individuals by immunohistochemistry. In the RE group, EBV and HHV6 antigens were detected in 56.7% (17/30) and 50% (15/30) of individuals, respectively. In contrast, no detectable EBV and HHV6 antigen expression was found in brain tissues of the control group. The co-expression of EBV and HHV6 was detected in 20.0% (6/30) of individuals. In particular, a 4-year-old boy had a typical clinical course, including a medical history of viral encephalitis, intractable epilepsy, and hemispheric atrophy. The co-expression of EBV and HHV6 was detected in neurons and astrocytes in the brain tissue, accompanied by a high frequency of CD8⁺ T cells. Our results suggest that EBV and HHV6 infection and the activation of CD8⁺ T cells are involved in the pathogenesis of RE.     

Perinatal Vertical Transmission of Chikungunya Virus in Ruili,a Town on the Border between China and Myanmar

正Dear Editor,Chikungunya virus (CHIKV), an arbovirus in the family of Togaviridae, genus Alphavirus, is transmitted by the A.aegyptii or A. albopictus mosquito, and causes disease in humans characterized by fever, rash, and arthralgia (Silva and Dermody 2017; Suhrbier 2019). It was first reported in 1953 in Tanzania, and caused only a few outbreaks and sporadic cases in Africa and Asia in last century. However, in the epidemic in 2004, CHIKV acquired mutations that conferred enhanced transmission by the A. albopictus mosquito(Schuffenecker et al. 2006). Since then, it has successively caused outbreaks in Africa, the Indian Ocean, South East Asia, the South America, and Europe (Zeller et al. 2016).     

Development of a Novel Reverse Transcription Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification Method for Rapid Detection of SARS-CoV-2

In conclusion, the novel visual RT-LAMP assay is a simple, rapid, and sensitive approach for detection of SARS-CoV-2, and it is ready for application in primary care and community hospitals or health care centers, and even patients' own houses in response to the current SARS-CoV-2 epidemic because the assay does not require sophisticated equipment and skilled personnel. Furthermore, it is also ready to be used in fields for screening samples from wild animals and environments to facilitate the identification of potential intermediate hosts that mediate the cross-species transmission of SARS-CoV-2 from bats to humans.