Relationship between rate of gluconeogenesis and content of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide in renal cortex

Gluconeogenesis in rat renal cortex was measured using tissue slices incubated with or without appropriate substrates. Immediately after incubation the tissue slices were snap-frozen and the content of oxidized nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD⁺) was determined. Incubation with 10 mM α-ketoglutarate or L-glutamate led to enhanced glucose production and an increase in tissue content of NAD⁺. Quinolinate and 3-mercaptopicolinate inhibited the rate of gluconeogenesis from L-glutamate and α-ketoglutarate respectively, and decreased the tissue levels of NAD⁺. The enhanced rate of gluconeogenesis was associated with an increase of NAD⁺ in the cytosol fraction (10⁵ × g supernatant) but not in the particulate fraction (10⁵ × g pellet) of renal cortex homogenate. Present results indicate that NAD⁺ content changes in parallel with the rate of gluconeogenesis in renal cortical tissue.     

Role of surface exclusion genes in lethal zygosis in Escherichia coli K12 mating

Summary We find that diaminopimelic acid in the recipient membrane is released into the medium during bacterial matings, indicating that membrane damage was inflicted on the recipient by the donor, probably for forming a channel for DNA transfer. When the damage is extensive, as in matings with an excess of Hfr bacteria, the F^- bacteria are killed (lethal zygosis). The transfer of a large amount of DNA in Hfr matings appears to enhance the killing. In analogous F⁺xF^- (Nal^r) matings, on the other hand, killing of F^- bacteria does not occur unless F plasmid transfer is inhibited by a substance like nalidixic acid. The F^- bacteria are killed, suggesting that F plasmids contain genes that express immunity to lethal zygosis in the recipient. For example, bacteria containing surface exclusion-deficient mutants of F plasmids, such as traS ^- and traT ^-, induce lethal zygosis in F^- bacteria and are susceptible to it. Various tra ^- polar mutants that abolish surface exclusion are also susceptible to lethal zygosis when mated with Hfr bacteria. Kinetic experiments indicate that in F⁺ (wild type) x F^- matings, immunity to lethal zygosis is expressed in the F^- recipient within 1/4 division time, whereas a complete expression of surface exclusion requires more than 1 division time. Thus, a complete change in all receptor sites seems to be required for the expression of surface exclusion.     

Enzyme assay in cultures of Escherichia coli by a continuous flow method based on lysis from without by a phage ghost.

Lysis of Escherichia coli from without by excess of phage ghost has been shown to give excellent yield of several enzymes. The application of lysis from without to a continuous determination of enzymes in growing cultures of E. coli is illustrated with β-galactosidase. This application can be used in studies on changes of a large number of enzymes during metabolic perturbation (induction, repression, etc.) of growing cultures of E. coli.     

Effect of 1,10-phenanthroline on bacterial conjugation in Escherichia coli K-12: inhibition of maturation from preliminary mates into effective mates.

The addition of 1 mM orthophenanthroline (OP) into a mating mixture drastically reduced the production of recombinants. Examination of the effect of OP on each step of conjugation showed that the effect on the following steps could not account for the up to 500-fold reduction of recombinant formation: (i) preliminary mate formation and (ii) deoxyribonucleic acid transfer and integration. Taking these results and additional experiments together, we conclude that OP inhibits the maturation of preliminary mates into effective mates. Kinetic experiments showed that there were two phases in the maturation of preliminary (OP-sensitive) mates into effective (OP-resistant) mates. The half-time (the time required to reach 50% OP-resistant mates) was 2.5 min for the first phase and 4 min for the second phase, with an overall half-time of 7.5 min. In contrast, only 3 min was required to reach 50% Zn2+-resistant mates. The difference in half-time suggests that there is an intermediate step involved to form an effective mate from a preliminary mate.     

Effect of Genetic Variants in Two Chemokine Decoy Receptor Genes,DARC and CCBP2, on Metastatic Potential of Breast Cancer

The inhibitory effect of two chemokine decoy receptors (CDRs), DARC and D6, on breast cancer metastasis is mainly due to their ability to sequester pro-malignant chemokines. We hypothesized that genetic variants in the DARC and CCBP2 (encoding D6) genes may be associated with breast cancer progression. In the present study, we evaluated the genetic contributions of DARC and CCBP2 to metastatic potential, indicated by lymph node metastasis (LNM). Ten single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) (potentially functional SNPs and block-based tagging SNPs) in DARC and CCBP2 were genotyped in 785 breast cancer patients who had negative lymph nodes and 678 patients with positive lymph nodes. Two non-synonymous SNPs, rs12075 (G42D) in DARC and rs2228468 (S373Y) in CCBP2, were observed to be associated with LNM in univariate analysis and remained significant after adjustment for conventional clinical risk factors, with odds ratios (ORs) of 0.54 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.37 to 0.79) and 0.78 (95% CI, 0.62 to 0.98), respectively. Additional functional experiments revealed that both of these significant SNPs could affect metastasis of breast cancer in xenograft models by differentially altering the chemokine sequestration ability of their corresponding proteins. Furthermore, heterozygous GD genotype of G42D on human erythrocytes had a significantly stronger chemokine sequestration ability than homozygous GG of G42D ex vivo. Our data suggest that the genetic variants in the CDR genes are probably associated with the varied metastatic potential of breast cancer. The underlying mechanism, though it needs to be further investigated, may be that CDR variants could affect the chemokine sequestration ability of CDR proteins.     

Validation of Chinese Version of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Health-Related Quality of Life Questionnaire (Chi-PCOSQ)

ObjectivesTo evaluate the responsiveness, longitudinal validity, and measurement invariance of the Chinese version of the Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Health-related Quality of Life Questionnaire (Chi-PCOSQ).ResultsWith improved 2-hour glucose and insulin levels, we also found significantly increased Chi-PCOSQ total and individual domain scores (total score: t (49) = 5.20; p < 0.001, domain scores: t (49) = 2.72 to 3.87; p < 0.01), except for hair growth. Half of the domains scores (3 of 6) and the total score of Chi-PCOSQ had a medium responsiveness, but WHOQOL-BREF was not sufficiently responsive to clinical changes of PCOS. Improved PCOS-specific health-related quality of life (HRQoL), as indicated by Chi-PCOSQ scores, was significantly associated with improved 2-hour glucose and insulin levels. All indices of the data-model fit of the Chi-PCOSQ structure were satisfactory, except for the slightly high standardized root mean square residual values (0.087 to 0.088). The measurement invariance of Chi-PCOSQ was supported across time.ConclusionChi-PCOSQ is sufficiently sensitive in detecting clinical changes and its measurement structure is suitable for Chinese women with PCOS. It is thus a promising tool for assessing the HRQoL of ethnic Chinese women with PCOS.     

MicroRNA‐183‐5p is stress‐inducible and protects neurons against cell death in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease characterized by the death of motor neurons. A fundamental pathogenesis of ALS is the prolonged cell stress in neurons, which is caused by either accumulation of protein aggregates or reactive oxygen species. However, the mechanistic link between stress sensing and cell death is unsettled. Here, we identify that miR‐183‐5p, a neuron‐enriched miRNA, couples stress sensing and cell death programming in ALS. miR‐183‐5p is immediately induced by hydrogen peroxide, tunicamycin or TNF‐α in neurons. The overexpression of miR‐183‐5p increases neuron survival under stress conditions, whereas its knockdown causes neuron death. miR‐183‐5p coordinates apoptosis and necroptosis pathways by directly targeting PDCD4 and RIPK3, and thus protects neurons against cell death under stress conditions. The consistent reduction of miR‐183‐5p in ALS patients and mouse models enhances the notion that miR‐183‐5p is a central regulator of motor neuron survival under stress conditions. Our study supplements current understanding of the mechanistic link between cell stress and death/survival, and provides novel targets for clinical interventions of ALS.     

细叶百合LpPEX7基因克隆及盐胁迫下的表达特性分析

从细叶百合的鳞茎中克隆出过氧化物酶体生物合成蛋白基因（LpPEX7）,该基因ORF全长957 bp,编码318个氨基酸。LpPEX7蛋白序列包含6个WD40保守结构域,通过同源蛋白序列比对和进化树分析,发现LpPEX7与其他植物的PEX7蛋白具有较高的同源性。LpPEX7基因在细叶百合种子,叶片和鳞茎中的表达量比较高,在根和花中表达量比较低,在H₂O₂,NaCl,NaHCO₃不同逆境处理条件下,LpPEX7基因的表达量都发生了改变。在盐碱和氧化胁迫处理下,LpPEX7过表达拟南芥株系种子的萌发要早于野生型种子的萌发,这些研究结果表明LpPEX7基因与盐碱、氧化逆境有一定的应答关系,为细叶百合的耐盐碱性分子机理研究提供一个非常重要的候选基因。     

脐血管前置产前超声表现及临床效果分析

目的:研究脐血管前置产前超声表现及临床效果。方法:回顾性分析2017年1月至2018年12月期间本院收治的34例脐血管前置孕妇临床资料,均进行产前超声检查,将结果与产后病理结果进行比较,分析超声表现。结果:同产后病理检查结果相比较,34例孕妇的产前超声诊断准确率、误诊率分别为97.06%、2.94%,数据对比差异无统计学意义(P>0.05),产前超声检查显示的胎盘及脐带入口情况主要为帆状胎盘、脐带胎盘边缘附着、边缘性前置胎盘、低置性前置胎盘、副胎盘等。结论:产前超声检查具有较高的脐血管前置诊断准确率,可为临床分娩结局的改善提供指导,适合推广应用在临床中。     

DVC orexin-A通过调控ghrelin受体信号通路改善顺铂所致大鼠胃功能紊乱

目的:探讨迷走神经复合体(Dorsal vagal complex,DVC)内orexin-A对顺铂所致胃功能紊乱的影响及可能机制。方法:随机选取30只大鼠并将其分为3组(n=10):对照组(NS组);24 h顺铂治疗组;48 h顺铂治疗组。24 h顺铂治疗组和48 h顺铂治疗组大鼠分别在腹腔注射顺铂后24 h和48 h处死大鼠,对照组大鼠腹腔注射生理盐水(Normal saline,NS)。采用定量实时PCR检测各组大鼠下丘脑orexin-A mRNA的表达,ELISA测量大鼠脑脊液中P物质水平;DVC内微量注射orexin-A和ghrelin受体拮抗剂后,检测大鼠食物和高岭土的摄入量。结果:顺铂可显著减少大鼠下丘脑orexin-A mRNA表达,增加其脑脊液内P物质的浓度。外源性orexin-A可改善顺铂引起的厌食症和异食癖。orexin-A以上的效应可被DVC内预先注射ghrelin受体拮抗剂部分逆转。结论:orexin-A可能通过ghrelin神经肽系统改善顺铂在化疗过程中诱导的胃功能紊乱。