蛋白激酶H11基因在小鼠子宫中的表达及其性激素调节

为研究蛋白激酶H11基因在生殖系统中的作用,我们采用半定量RT-PCR和原位杂交方法,研究了蛋白激酶H11基因在小鼠中的组织特异性表达,在妊娠初始期胚胎植入位点、妊娠期子宫和胎盘以及正常动情周期子宫中的表达及其受性激素的调节。结果发现:蛋白激酶H11基因在小鼠多种组织中都有表达,在卵巢及子宫等一些生殖相关的组织中表达水平较高;妊娠初始期,蛋白激酶H11基因在小鼠子宫内膜植入位点处有明显的高表达,其mRNA定位于腔上皮细胞和基质细胞中。在动情周期中,蛋白激酶H11基因在动情前期子宫中表达水平较低;卵巢切除模型显示雌激素和孕激素均可显著上调蛋白激酶H11基因的表达。以上结果提示蛋白激酶H11可能参与了胚胎植入过程中腔上皮细胞凋亡和基质细胞增殖与蜕膜化以及动情周期小鼠子宫内膜细胞的功能调节[动物学报51(3):462-468,2005]。     

Caveolin-1在围植入期小鼠子宫内膜组织中的动态变化

目的检测caveolin-1在胚胎植入过程中小鼠子宫内膜组织中的表达,探讨其在胚胎植入过程中的作用。方法选择成年雌性昆明小白鼠42只,随机均分为7组(处于动情期的未孕组、妊娠3.5天组、妊娠4.5天组、妊娠5.5天组、妊娠6.5天组、妊娠7.5天组、妊娠9天组),采用免疫组织化学和RT-PCR方法检测子宫内膜组织中caveolin-1蛋白及mRNA水平在围植入期的变化。结果 (1)caveolin-1在胚胎植入前期(0d、3.5d)小鼠子宫内膜组织中的表达高于胚胎植入期(4.5d、5.5d、6.5d),差异有显著性(P<0.05)。(2)caveolin-1在胚胎植入后期(7.5d、9d)小鼠子宫内膜组织中的表达高于胚胎植入期(4.5d、5.5d、6.5d),差异有显著性(P<0.05)。(3)caveolin-1在胚胎植入后期小鼠子宫内膜组织中的表达略高于胚胎植入前期,但差异无显著性(P>0.05)。结论 Caveolin-1在胚胎植入前期和后期均高表达,植入期低表达。这种变化提示caveolin-1是影响胚胎植入的重要因素之一。     

VEGF在人胎卵巢发育过程中的表达研究

目的研究血管内皮生长因子（VEGF）在人胚胎卵巢组织发生过程中的表达特征,探讨其在卵巢发生中的作用。方法采用HE染色和SP免疫组织化法学法检测VEGF在不同胎龄卵巢组织中的表达变化。结果VEGF在胎儿卵巢初级卵母细胞、卵泡细胞、部分基质细胞呈阳性表达,在卵母细胞的染色程度均强于卵泡细胞和基质细胞,基质小血管内皮也有阳性表达。其在卵母细胞中以胎24w阳性细胞多且表达量强,此后呈逐渐下降趋势。结论胎儿卵巢存在局部调节因子,VEGF表达于人胎卵巢中,以自分泌或旁分泌方式参与卵母细胞生长,在卵巢发生、发育过程中起着一定的作用。     

中华大蟾蜍斯钙素基因的组织表达及其在肾脏中的细胞定位

斯钙素(Stanniocalcin, STC)是一类首先在鱼类特有的内分泌腺--斯坦尼氏小体(Corpuscles of Stannius, CS)、随后又在人和哺乳动物中发现的同型二聚体糖蛋白激素,具有广泛的组织表达模式和多种生物学效应.为阐明两栖类动物是否存在STC1基因的表达及其表达模式,本研究基于部分已知鱼类和哺乳动物的STC1基因序列,从中华大蟾蜍(Bufo bufo gargarizans)卵巢获得了STC1基因的部分序列(GenBank注册号为EF586886).同源性分析显示,所获得的中华大蟾蜍STC1基因部分序列与鱼类STC1基因相应序列的同源性在40%-48%,而与小鼠和人STC1基因相应序列的同源性分别为41.89%和37.95%.RT-PCR分析显示STC1基因可在肾脏、性腺等多种组织中表达;原位杂交(in situ hybridization, ISH)技术表明中华大蟾蜍肾脏的近端小管、远端小管和集合管细胞内表达STC1 mRNA.这些结果首次证实两栖类动物中华大蟾蜍组织中存在STC1基因的表达     

干扰素α应答基因的克隆及在兔早期胚胎发育中功能分析

干扰素(interferon,IFN)在哺乳动物早期胚胎发育过程中具有重要的生理功能,但是其作用机制尚不清楚.通过筛选卵巢cDNA文库和5′-RACE方法,克隆了兔卵巢干扰素α应答基因(interferonresponsivegene,IFRG)的全长cDNA(登录号:AJ584672).利用RT-PCR证明IFRG在兔卵母细胞和植入前胚胎中均有表达,这将为深入研究IFN在早期胚胎中的作用机制提供理论参考,卵巢原位杂交表明IFRG在成熟卵泡(类型5)的颗粒细胞中有表达,在初级和次级卵泡的膜鞘细胞和粒层细胞中有很高的表达,鉴于这些细胞与卵泡的发育密切相关,推测IFRG在卵泡的发育、成熟和排卵中发挥重要作用.     

哺乳动物早期发育相关microRNAs的研究进展

本文简要总结了近年来哺乳动物早期发育相关microRNA(miRNA)的研究进展。miRNA是真核生物中一类长度约为18～25 nt的内源性非编码单链小RNA分子,其调控基因表达是近年来在动植物体内发现的一种新的生物学调节机制。通过荧光定量PCR检测、miRNA的过表达、抑制或基因敲除实验以及生物信息学分析等发现,miRNA在哺乳动物植入前胚胎前的发育过程中有重要作用,参与胚胎细胞的增殖、分化、基因印记以及重编程甲基化等,与动物生殖或发育异常相关,是表观遗传学的研究热点之一。     

卵巢激素对小鼠围着床期子宫内膜Le^y寡糖表达的调控

研究表明Le^y寡糖介导了胚胎与子宫内膜之间的识别与粘附,在胚胎植入中起重要作用。其α1,2、α1,3岩藻糖基的合成分别与α1,2岩藻糖基转移酶（FUT1）、α1,3岩藻糖基转移酶（FUT4）的催化作用密切相关,应用Western印迹、免疫组化和半定量RT-PCR方法,观察小鼠妊娠早期、去卵巢后雌孕激素处理的子宫内膜Le^y寡糖抗原以及其合成相关的FUT1、FUT4基因的表达,分析卵巢激素对Le^y寡糖表达的调控,结果显示：妊娠早期,FUT1、FUT4基因的转录水平随孕激素水平上程式而呈下降的趋势,这与Le^y寡糖抗原表达一致。进一步观察发现,去卵巢后经孕激素处理,FUT1、FUT4基因及Le^y寡糖抗原表达均较对照组降低,雌激素处理组表达则明显升高;雌孕激素联合作用介于雌激素组和孕激素组之间,结果表明,孕激素能下调FUT1、FUT4基因的表达。雌激素对其有上调作用,两种激素之间表现为相互拮抗,提示雌孕激素可能通过FUT1、FUT4基因转录水平调控Le^y寡糖抗原在小鼠子宫内膜上皮的表达。     

哺乳动物滋养层细胞在胚胎植入中的作用

胚胎植入是哺乳动物生殖的关键环节,是一个非常复杂的过程.在胚胎植入过程中,多种着床相关因子、激素在母体-胚胎之间进行多重作用,引发复杂的生理作用,从而完成胚胎着床.在母体-胚胎界面上,胎源性滋养层细胞与母体子宫内膜细胞在信号联系（妊娠识别）和组织紧密连接（胚胎植入）过程中起着决定性作用,尤其是胚源性滋养层细胞,在胚胎植入过程中起主导作用.本文通过对滋养层细胞在胚胎植入中的作用的阐述,为进一步阐明胚胎植入的分子机制提供思路.     

卵母细胞在哺乳动物卵巢排卵过程中的决定性作用

哺乳动物卵巢排卵是一个复杂的调控过程。卵泡成熟破裂后,卵母细胞从卵巢中排出。卵泡细胞感受排卵刺激,并诱导卵母细胞减数分裂的恢复及其随后的释放。卵母细胞及其周围颗粒细胞的旁分泌在对此起关键性作用,其中卵母细胞对其释放具有决定性作用。作者先前已经阐述过颗粒细胞在哺乳动物卵巢排卵过程中的调控作用,该文将从卵母细胞的发育及其调控角度重点阐明其在排卵过程中的决定作用,旨在进一步理解哺乳动物卵巢的排卵过程,同时为不孕不育等卵巢疾病的治疗提供重要的研究方向和理论基础。     

PCOS易感基因Hmga2在小鼠子宫蜕膜化中的表达与调节

目的研究PCOS易感基因Hmga2在子宫内膜容受性和蜕膜化中的表达与调节。方法通过早期妊娠、延期着床与激活、人工蜕膜化、卵巢类固醇激素处理等实验,利用q PCR、Western blot技术,阐述Hmga2在子宫内膜容受性中的作用。结果 Hmga2随着妊娠表达量逐渐增加,着床点与非着床点相比表达量显著升高,胚胎激活组比延迟着床表达量显著增高,人工诱导蜕膜化与非蜕膜化比较表达显著升高,Hmga2的表达与雌激素和孕激素呈正相关,体内受雌孕激素调节。结论表明Hmga2的表达与小鼠早期妊娠胚胎着床过程密切相关,参与子宫内膜蜕膜化过程,受活化胚泡和类固醇激素的影响。     

Changes in lactate dehydrogenase activity in chicken tissues in hyperthyreosis in ontogenesis

The lactate dehydrogenase activity in reactions of lactate oxidation and synthesis was studied in subfractions of the chicken brain, heart and liver at the embryonal, early postembryonal and adult stages of development after thyroxine administration. It has been shown that during embryogenesis thyroxine predominantly enhanced the rate of lactate oxidation in the mitochondrial tissues. A marked increase in the lactate synthesis was found in cytoplasm of the adult chicken tissues. Specificity of enzyme activity alterations was detected in the chicken brain during ontogenesis after thyroxine administration.     

Scurvy in capybaras bred in captivity in Argentine

In order to determine if the absence of vitamin C in the diet of capybaras (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) causes scurvy, a group of seven young individuals were fed food pellets without ascorbic acid, while another group of eight individuals received the same food with 1 g of ascorbic acid per animal per day. Animals in the first group developed signs of scurvy-like gingivitis, breaking of the incisors and death of one animal. Clinical signs appeared between 25 and 104 days from the beginning of the trial in all individuals. Growth rates of individuals deprived of vitamin C was considerably less than those observed in the control group. Deficiency of ascorbic acid had a severe effect on reproduction of another population of captive capybaras. We found that the decrease in ascorbic acid content in the diet affected pregnancy, especially during the first stages. The results obtained suggest that it is necessary to supply a suitable quantity of vitamin C in the diet of this species in captivity.     

Role for dopamine in malonate-induced damage in vivo in striatum and in vitro in mesencephalic cultures

Defects in mitochondrial energy metabolism have been implicated in the pathology of several neurodegenerative disorders. In addition, the reactive metabolites generated from the metabolism and oxidation of the neurotransmitter dopamine (DA) are thought to contribute to the damage to neurons of the basal ganglia. We have previously demonstrated that infusions of the metabolic inhibitor malonate into the striata of mice or rats produce degeneration of DA nerve terminals. In the present studies, we demonstrate that an intrastriatal infusion of malonate induces a substantial increase in DA efflux in awake, behaving mice as measured by in vivo microdialysis. Furthermore, pretreatment of mice with tetrabenazine (TBZ) or the TBZ analogue Ro 4-1284 (Ro-4), compounds that reversibly inhibit the vesicular storage of DA, attenuates the malonate-induced DA efflux as well as the damage to DA nerve terminals. Consistent with these findings, the damage to both DA and GABA neurons in mesencephalic cultures by malonate exposure was attenuated by pretreatment with TBZ or Ro-4. Treatment with these compounds did not affect the formation of free radicals or the inhibition of oxidative phosphorylation resulting from malonate exposure alone. Our data suggest that DA plays an important role in the neurotoxicity produced by malonate. These findings provide direct evidence that inhibition of succinate dehydrogenase causes an increase in extracellular DA levels and indicate that bioenergetic defects may contribute to the pathogenesis of chronic neurodegenerative diseases through a mechanism involving DA.     

SSTR5 ablation in islet results in alterations in glucose homeostasis in mice

Somatostatin (SST) peptide is a potent inhibitor of insulin secretion and its effect is mediated via somatostatin receptor 5 (SSTR5) in the endocrine pancreas. To investigate the consequences of gene ablation of SSTR5 in the mouse pancreas, we have generated a mouse model in which the SSTR5 gene was specifically knocked down in the pancreatic beta cells (betaSSTR5Kd) using the Cre-lox system. Immunohistochemistry analysis showed that SSTR5 gene expression was absent in beta cells at three months of age. At the time of gene ablation, betaSSTR5Kd mice demonstrated glucose intolerance with lack of insulin response and significantly reduced serum insulin levels. Insulin tolerance test demonstrated a significant increase of insulin clearance in vivo at the same age. In vitro studies demonstrated an absence of response to SST-28 stimulation in the betaSSTR5Kd mouse islet, which was associated with a significantly reduced SST expression level in betaSSTR5Kd mice pancreata. In addition, betaSSTR5Kd mice had significantly reduced serum glucose levels and increased serum insulin levels at 12 months of age. Glucose tolerance test at an older age also indicated a persistently higher insulin level in betaSSTR5Kd mice. Further studies of betaSSTR5Kd mice had revealed elevated serum C-peptide levels at both 3 and 12 months of age, suggesting that these mice are capable of producing and releasing insulin to the periphery. These results support the hypothesis that SSTR5 plays a pivotal role in the regulation of insulin secretion in the mouse pancreas.     

2018年中国植物科学若干领域重要研究进展

2018年中国植物科学继续呈现快速发展的态势, 我国科学家在国际植物科学主流学术刊物发表论文数量大幅增加, 取得了多项具有重要影响的成果。调控植物生长-代谢平衡实现可持续农业发展入选2018年度中国科学十大进展; 中国被子植物区系进化历史研究入选2018年度中国生命科学十大进展。以水稻为代表的农作物和果蔬等经济作物研究在国际上已呈现出明显的优势, 若干领域已从“追赶”状态跨越到“领跑”地位。该文对2018年中国科学家在植物科学若干领域取得的重要研究成果进行了概括性评述, 旨在全面追踪和报道当前中国植物科学领域的发展前沿和热点, 展示中国科学家所取得的杰出成就。