Feedback regulation of coronary artery disease susceptibility gene ADTRP and LDL receptors LDLR/CD36/LOX-1 in endothelia cell functions involved in atherosclerosis

A high level of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL) is one of the most important risk factors for coronary artery disease (CAD), the leading cause of death worldwide. However, a low concentration of LDL may be protective. Genome-wide association studies revealed that variation in ADTRP gene increased the risk of CAD. In this study, we found that a low concentration of oxidized-LDL induced the expression of ADTRP. Further analyses showed that knockdown of the expression of LDL receptor genes LDLR, CD36, or LOX-1 significantly downregulated ADTRP expression, whereas overexpression of LDLR/CD36/LOX-1 markedly increased ADTRP expression through the NF-κB pathway. Like ADTRP, LDLR, CD36 and LOX-1 were all involved in endothelial cell (EC) functions relevant to the initiation of atherosclerosis. Downregulation of LDLR/CD36/LOX-1 promoted monocyte adhesion to ECs and transendothelial migration of monocytes by increasing expression of ICAM-1, VCAM-1, E-selectin and P-selectin, decreased EC proliferation and migration, and increased EC apoptosis, thereby promoting the initiation of atherosclerosis. Opposite effects were observed with the overexpression of ADTRP and LDLR/CD36/LOX-1 in ECs. Interestingly, through the NF-κB and AKT pathways, overexpression of ADTRP significantly upregulated the expression of LDLR, CD36, and LOX-1, and knockdown of ADTRP expression significantly downregulated the expression of LDLR, CD36, and LOX-1. These data suggest that ADTRP and LDL receptors LDLR/CD36/LOX-1 positively regulate each other, and form a positive regulatory loop that regulates endothelial cell functions, thereby providing a potential protective mechanism against atherosclerosis. Our findings provide a new molecular mechanism by which deregulation of ADTRP and LDLR/CD36/LOX-1 promote the development of atherosclerosis and CAD.     

Divergent DNA methylation contributes to duplicated gene evolution and chilling response in tea plants

The tea plant (Camellia sinensis) is a thermophilic cash crop and contains a highly duplicated and repeat-rich genome. It is still unclear how DNA methylation regulates the evolution of duplicated genes and chilling stress in tea plants. We therefore generated a single-base-resolution DNA methylation map of tea plants under chilling stress. We found that, compared with other plants, the tea plant genome is highly methylated in all three sequence contexts, including CG, CHG and CHH (where H = A, T, or C), which is further proven to be correlated with its repeat content and genome size. We show that DNA methylation in the gene body negatively regulates the gene expression of tea plants, whereas non-CG methylation in the flanking region enables a positive regulation of gene expression. We demonstrate that transposable element-mediated methylation dynamics significantly drives the expression divergence of duplicated genes in tea plants. The DNA methylation and expression divergence of duplicated genes in the tea plant increases with evolutionary age and selective pressure. Moreover, we detect thousands of differentially methylated genes, some of which are functionally associated with chilling stress. We also experimentally reveal that DNA methyltransferase genes of tea plants are significantly downregulated, whereas demethylase genes are upregulated at the initial stage of chilling stress, which is in line with the significant loss of DNA methylation of three well-known cold-responsive genes at their promoter and gene body regions. Overall, our findings underscore the importance of DNA methylation regulation and offer new insights into duplicated gene evolution and chilling tolerance in tea plants.     

Stromal cell‐derived factor‐1/Exendin‐4 cotherapy facilitates the proliferation,migration and osteogenic differentiation of human periodontal ligament stem cells in vitro and promotes periodontal bone regeneration in vivo

ObjectivesStromal cell‐derived factor‐1 (SDF‐1) actively directs endogenous cell homing. Exendin‐4 (EX‐4) promotes stem cell osteogenic differentiation. Studies revealed that EX‐4 strengthened SDF‐1‐mediated stem cell migration. However, the effects of SDF‐1 and EX‐4 on periodontal ligament stem cells (PDLSCs) and bone regeneration have not been investigated. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the effects of SDF‐1/EX‐4 cotherapy on PDLSCs in vitro and periodontal bone regeneration in vivo.MethodsCell‐counting kit‐8 (CCK8), transwell assay, qRT‐PCR and western blot were used to determine the effects and mechanism of SDF‐1/EX‐4 cotherapy on PDLSCs in vitro. A rat periodontal bone defect model was developed to evaluate the effects of topical application of SDF‐1 and systemic injection of EX‐4 on endogenous cell recruitment, osteoclastogenesis and bone regeneration in vivo.ResultsSDF‐1/EX‐4 cotherapy had additive effects on PDLSC proliferation, migration, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, mineral deposition and osteogenesis‐related gene expression compared to SDF‐1 or EX‐4 in vitro. Pretreatment with ERK inhibitor U0126 blocked SDF‐1/EX‐4 cotherapy induced ERK signal activation and PDLSC proliferation. SDF‐1/EX‐4 cotherapy significantly promoted new bone formation, recruited more CXCR4⁺ cells and CD90⁺/CD34^‐ stromal cells to the defects, enhanced early‐stage osteoclastogenesis and osteogenesis‐related markers expression in regenerated bone compared to control, SDF‐1 or EX‐4 in vivo.ConclusionsSDF‐1/EX‐4 cotherapy synergistically regulated PDLSC activities, promoted periodontal bone formation, thereby providing a new strategy for periodontal bone regeneration.     

帝萝花‘璀璨明珠'的植株高效再生

为解决木本切花植物帝萝花‘璀璨明珠’繁殖效率低的问题,该文以帝萝花‘璀璨明珠’的幼嫩枝芽为外植体,研究了不同基本培养基对其长势的影响、不同激素种类和浓度对其增殖和生根的效果,分析了其离体繁殖的生长特点,并建立了高效的帝萝花‘璀璨明珠’组培快繁技术体系。结果表明:帝萝花‘璀璨明珠’幼嫩枝芽的消毒方法为0.1%的升汞溶液浸泡12 min,污染率为21.5%;外植体在WPM+ZT 1 mg·L~(-1)+NAA 0.1 mg·L~(-1)培养基上,侧芽萌发率为73%;增殖的最佳培养基为MS+BA 0.4 mg·L~(-1)+NAA 0.05 mg·L~(-1),增殖系数为6.63,增殖方式为侧芽增殖和植株基部丛生芽增殖;生根的适宜培养基为MS+IBA 0.75mg·L~(-1)+NAA 1 mg·L~(-1),生根率为70%;生根瓶苗移栽于珍珠岩和细草炭(体积比为0.5∶1)的基质中,光照强度为10 000～12 000 lx,空气湿度为70%～80%下培养,60 d后成活率可达72%。该研究结果为帝萝花组培种苗的商业化生产提供了技术支撑,同时促进了该高档木本切花的推广和种植及产业化。     

虾青素复合有氧运动对D-半乳糖诱导大鼠肾脏衰老的干预作用及其机制

目的: 研究虾青素复合有氧运动对D-半乳糖诱导大鼠肾脏衰老的干预作用及其机制。方法: 60只3月龄SPF级SD大鼠采用两因素两水平2×2析因设计随机分为空白对照组(C组)、急性衰老组(S组)、虾青素+急性衰老组(AS组)、有氧运动+急性衰老组(ES组)、虾青素+有氧运动+急性衰老组(AES组),每组12只。大鼠腹腔注射100 mg/(kg·d) D-半乳糖复制经典急性衰老模型,并分别以20 mg/(kg·d) 虾青素和/或强度为60%最大摄氧量的有氧运动进行干预,实验周期6周。末次训练12 h后取肾脏,光镜/电镜观察肾脏组织形态/超微结构,酶联免疫吸附法检测肾脏组织超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)、γ-谷氨酸半胱氨酸合酶(γ-GCS)活性及丙二醛(MDA)含量,荧光比色法检测肾脏组织脂褐质(LDF)含量,免疫组化法检测肾脏组织核因子E2相关因子2(Nrf2)通路蛋白质表达水平。结果: 与AS、ES组比较:AES组肾脏组织形态/超微结构改善更为显著;LDF含量均显著降低(P＜0.01);SOD活性均显著升高(P＜0.01);γ-GCS活性显著高于AS组,而与ES组无显著性差异(P＞0.05);MDA含量组间无显著性差异(P＞0.05);Nrf2、磷酸化核因子E2相关因子2(p-Nrf2)蛋白质表达均显著升高(P＜0.05,P＜0.01);抗氧化酶血红素氧合酶1(HO-1)蛋白质表达显著高于ES组(P＜0.05),而与AS组无显著性差异(P＜0.05)。结论: 虾青素复合有氧运动可以延缓肾脏衰老,其作用机制可能为调控Nrf2信号通路相关蛋白质表达及下游Ⅱ相解毒酶和抗氧化酶活性,改善D-半乳糖致衰大鼠肾脏氧化应激。     

高血压的分类、症状及并发症与公众认知

高血压(hypertension,high blood pressure)是动脉血压持续偏高的慢性疾病,是人类社会最为常见的慢性医学问题.80％以上的高血压患者了解他们自身的血压状况,其中70％以上的患者服用治疗高血压药物.然而,这些认识到自身高血压状况的人中,只有48％的患者的高血压得到了充分的控制.本文系统地阐述了高血压的类型、诊断标准及治疗或控制策略,以期提高公众对高血压的认知,有利于患者对高血压的控制和管理.     

氧化甾醇结合蛋白相关蛋白家族的研究进展

膜脂是细胞膜的主要组分, 也是参与信号转导的重要信号分子。不同脂质分子在细胞膜上的不均等分布需要特殊类型的通道蛋白和运输蛋白来实现。氧化甾醇结合蛋白相关蛋白(ORPs)是一类非常保守的蛋白分子, 能够对磷脂酰肌醇和固醇等脂类分子进行识别并转运, 参与细胞中的许多生理过程, 包括信号转导、囊泡运输、脂类代谢和非囊泡运输等, 对于个体的生长发育具有重要作用。近几年, 关于ORPs在哺乳动物和酵母(Saccharomyces cerevisiae)中结构和功能的研究取得了一系列重要进展, 但在植物中相关研究尚少。该文综述了ORPs及其相关蛋白在哺乳动物、酵母和植物中的研究进展, 探讨了植物ORPs的结构及其与哺乳动物和酵母同源蛋白之间的进化关系, 并对植物ORPs未来的研究方向进行了展望。     

聚多巴胺的表面修饰功能在组织工程的应用进展*

聚多巴胺作为贻贝的仿生材料,可由多巴胺在碱性环境中自发形成。由于其较好的黏附特性以及组织相容性,在生命科学等领域有着广泛的应用。将聚多巴胺对材料进行表面修饰,既可以保护材料免受强氧化剂、酸碱等外界的侵蚀,也可以通过表面改性赋予材料新的功能,使其在各领域发挥更好的作用。对聚多巴胺的制备原理、生物性能,以及近年来在组织工程领域(骨组织、软骨组织、硬脑膜组织、血管组织、耳组织)的运用进行综述,以期为后续聚多巴胺作为组织工程黏附材料的研究提供参考。