Adult murine skeletal muscle contains cells that can differentiate into beating cardiomyocytes in vitro

It has long been held as scientific fact that soon after birth, cardiomyocytes cease dividing, thus explaining the limited restoration of cardiac function after a heart attack. Recent demonstrations of cardiac myocyte differentiation observed in vitro or after in vivo transplantation of adult stem cells from blood, fat, skeletal muscle, or heart have challenged this view. Analysis of these studies has been complicated by the large disparity in the magnitude of effects seen by different groups and obscured by the recently appreciated process of in vivo stem-cell fusion. We now show a novel population of nonsatellite cells in adult murine skeletal muscle that progress under standard primary cell-culture conditions to autonomously beating cardiomyocytes. Their differentiation into beating cardiomyocytes is characterized here by video microscopy, confocal-detected calcium transients, electron microscopy, immunofluorescent cardiac-specific markers, and single-cell patch recordings of cardiac action potentials. Within 2 d after tail-vein injection of these marked cells into a mouse model of acute infarction, the marked cells are visible in the heart. By 6 d they begin to differentiate without fusing to recipient cardiac cells. Three months later, the tagged cells are visible as striated heart muscle restricted to the region of the cardiac infarct.     

假苍耳的生活史进程中几种生理生化指标的变化

本文试图从生理生化的角度对假苍耳(Iva xanthifolia)生活史进程中可溶性糖类、赤霉素、单宁以及黄酮的变化进行探讨。通过对假苍耳在生长发育期间几种生理生化指标的测定, 结果表明, 在假苍耳生活史进程的不同阶段, 其体内各种代谢产物的含量基本都在种子或芽阶段具有最高含量。此外, 不同发育阶段可溶性还原糖含量的变化规律相似: 芽>花序>苗>成株>种子。除在花序和苗阶段没有测到海藻糖, 其他各阶段海藻糖的含量变化如下: 芽>成株>种子。另外, 只有在种子阶段检测到棉子糖, 其含量为15.43 mg.g-1。赤霉素含量的变化规律如下: 种子＞芽≈苗≈花序＞成株。单宁含量的变化趋势: 种子＞成株＞苗＞芽＞花序。黄酮含量的变化趋势: 种子＞芽＞成株≈花序＞苗。值得注意的是, 当单宁/黄酮的比值接近1时, 植物体内需要的单宁和黄酮的含量则相对较低; 相反, 当单宁/黄酮的比值接近0时, 植物体内需要的单宁和黄酮的含量则较高。     

Isoform-specific Prolongation of Kv7 (KCNQ) Potassium Channel Opening Mediated by New Molecular Determinants for Drug-Channel Interactions

Kv7 channels, especially Kv7.2 (KCNQ2) and Kv7.3 (KCNQ3), are key determinants for membrane excitability in the brain. Some chemical modulators of KCNQ channels are in development for use as anti-epileptic drugs, such as retigabine (D-23129, N-(2-amino-4-(4-fluorobenzylamino)-phenyl)), which was recently approved for clinical use. In addition, several other compounds were also reported to potentiate activity of the Kv7 channels. It is therefore of interest to investigate compound-channel interactions, so that more insights may be gained to aid future development of therapeutics. We have conducted a screen of 20,000 compounds for KCNQ2 potentiators using rubidium flux combined with atomic absorption spectrometry. Here, we report the characterization of a series of new structures that display isoform specificity and induce a marked reduction of deactivation distinct from that of retigabine. Furthermore, KCNQ2(W236L), a previously reported mutation that abolishes sensitivity to retigabine, remains fully sensitive to these compounds. This result, together with mutagenesis and other studies, suggests that the reported compounds confer a unique mode of action and involve new molecular determinants on the channel protein, consistent with the idea of recognizing a new site on channel protein.     

Cajanol,a novel anticancer agent from Pigeonpea [Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp.] roots,induces apoptosis in human breast cancer cells through a ROS-mediated mitochondrial pathway

Cajanol (5-hydroxy-3-(4-hydroxy-2-methoxyphenyl)-7-methoxychroman-4-one) is an isoflavanone from Pigeonpea [Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp.] roots. As the most effective phytoalexin in pigeonpea, the cytotoxic activity of cajanol towards cancer cells has not been report as yet. In the present study, the anticancer activity of cajanol towards MCF-7 human breast cancer cells was investigated. In order to explore the underlying mechanism of cell growth inhibition of cajanol, cell cycle distribution, DNA fragmentation assay and morphological assessment of nuclear change, ROS generation, mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm) disruption, and expression of caspase-3 and caspase-9, Bax, Bcl-2, PARP and cytochrome c were measured in MCF-7 cells. Cajanol inhibited the growth of MCF-7 cells in a time and dose-dependent manner. The IC₅₀ value was 54.05 μM after 72 h treatment, 58.32 μM after 48 h; and 83.42 μM after 24 h. Cajanol arrested the cell cycle in the G2/M phase and induced apoptosis via a ROS-mediated mitochondria-dependent pathway. Western blot analysis showed that cajanol inhibited Bcl-2 expression and induced Bax expression to desintegrate the outer mitochondrial membrane and causing cytochrome c release. Mitochondrial cytochrome c release was associated with the activation of caspase-9 and caspase-3 cascade, and active-caspase-3 was involved in PARP cleavage. All of these signal transduction pathways are involved in initiating apoptosis. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report demonstrating the cytotoxic activity of cajanol towards cancer cells in vitro.     

Expression of BjMT2, a metallothionein 2 from Brassica juncea, increases copper and cadmium tolerance in Escherichia coli and Arabidopsis thaliana, but inhibits root elongation in Arabidopsis thaliana seedlings

The protective function of a plant type-2 metallothionein was analysed after expression in Escherichia coli and in Arabidopsis thaliana seedlings. BjMT2 from Brassica juncea was expressed in E. coli as a TrxABjMT2 fusion protein. After affinity chromatography and cleavage from the TrxA domain, pure BjMT2 protein was obtained which strongly reacted with the thiol reagent monobromobimane. Escherichia coli cells expressing the TrxABjMT2 fusion were more tolerant to Cu2+ and Cd2+ exposure than control strains. Likewise, when BjMT2 cDNA was expressed in A. thaliana under the regulation of the 35S promoter, seedlings exhibited an increased tolerance against Cu2+ and Cd2+ based on shoot growth and chlorophyll content. Analysis of transiently transformed cells of A. thaliana and tobacco leaves by confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) revealed exclusive cytosolic localization of a BjMT2::EGFP (enhanced green fluorescent protein) fusion protein in control and heavy metal-exposed plant cells. Remarkably, ectopic expression of BjMT2 reduced root growth in the absence of heavy metal exposure, whereas in the presence of 50 or 100 microM Cu2+ root growth in control and transgenic lines was identical. The results indicate that in A. thaliana, root and shoot development are differentially affected by ectopic expression of BjMT2.     

Newly-formed photosynthates and the respiration rate of girdled stems of Korean pine (Pinus koraiensis Sieb. et Zucc.)

A stem-girdling experiment was carried out on an evergreen conifer, the Korean pine (Pinus koraiensis Sieb. et Zucc.), in mid summer in Northeast China. A 50 % higher respiration rate at the upper part of the stem was observed 3 d after stem girdling, and a stable higher rate (1.2–2.8 times) one week later. However, no higher soluble sugar or starch contents were found in the upper bark of the girdled stems in measurements over three weeks. These findings indicate that most of the newly-formed photosynthates were consumed by the high respiratory activity; this is also implied by the strong correlation between the photosynthetic photon flux over the canopy (PPF) and respiration at the upper parts of girdled stems. Moreover, the maximum PPF and cumulative PPF one day before measurement (PPFmax-Y and CPPF-Y, respectively) were closely correlated with the respiratory difference between the upper and the lower parts, but no such correlation was found with the instantaneous PPF (PPF-I) and cumulative PPF on the current day from sunrise to measured time point (CPPF-C). This shows that photosynthates newly formed by canopy needles need at least one day for transportation in order to increase the stem respiration at tree breast height.     

Novel SNPs in the <Emphasis Type="Italic">PRDM16</Emphasis> gene and their associations with performance traits in chickens

The PR domain containing 16 (PRDM16) is a member of the Prdm family, and is known to regulate cell differentiation. In the present study, DNA pool sequencing methods were employed to screen genetic variations in the chicken PRDM16 gene. The results revealed four novel single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs): NC_006108.2: g.92188G>A, XM_417551: c.1161C>T (Ala/Ala, 387aa), c.1233C>T (Ser/Ser, 411aa) and c.1433G>A (Ser/Asn, 478aa). The BglI polymerase chain reaction–restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) was used to detect c.1161C>T, while HhaI Forced PCR-RFLP methods were used to detect 1233C>T and c.1433G>A in 964 chickens. The chickens comprised 38 grandparents, 66 F₁ parents and 860 F₂ birds derived from an F₂ resource population of Gushi chickens crossed with Anka broilers. The associations of the polymorphisms in the chicken PRDM16 gene with performance traits were analyzed in the 860 F₂ chickens. The results indicated that the three SNPs were significantly associated with growth, fatness and meat quality traits in the chickens. In particular, the polymorphisms of the missense SNP (c.1433G>A) had positive effects on chicken body weight and body size at different stages. It affected also fatness traits significantly. Comparison of the different genotypes of c.1433G>A showed that the GG genotype favored chicken growth and fatness traits.     

A Large Insertion in bHLH Transcription Factor BrTT8 Resulting in Yellow Seed Coat in Brassica rapa

Yellow seed is a desirable quality trait of the Brassica oilseed species. Previously, several seed coat color genes have been mapped in the Brassica species, but the molecular mechanism is still unknown. In the present investigation, map-based cloning method was used to identify a seed coat color gene, located on A9 in B. rapa. Blast analysis with the Arabidopsis genome showed that there were 22 Arabidopsis genes in this region including at4g09820 to at4g10620. Functional complementation test exhibited a phenotype reversion in the Arabidopsis thaliana tt8-1 mutant and yellow-seeded plant. These results suggested that the candidate gene was a homolog of TRANSPARENT TESTA8 (TT8) locus. BrTT8 regulated the accumulation of proanthocyanidins (PAs) in the seed coat. Sequence analysis of two alleles revealed a large insertion of a new class of transposable elements, Helitron in yellow sarson. In addition, no mRNA expression of BrTT8 was detected in the yellow-seeded line. It indicated that the natural transposon might have caused the loss in function of BrTT8. BrTT8 encodes a basic/helix-loop-helix (bHLH) protein that shares a high degree of similarity with other bHLH proteins in the Brassica. Further expression analysis also revealed that BrTT8 was involved in controlling the late biosynthetic genes (LBGs) of the flavonoid pathway. Our present findings provided with further studies could assist in understanding the molecular mechanism involved in seed coat color formation in Brassica species, which is an important oil yielding quality trait.     

有氧运动训练影响大鼠胸主动脉环内皮依赖性舒张功能机制的研究

目的:探讨有氧运动对大鼠胸主动脉内皮依赖性舒张功能影响的机制。方法:12只SD大鼠随机分为有氧运动和对照两组(n=6),经过8周每天1 h的游泳训练后(每周5天),测定比较2组间大鼠胸主动脉舒张功能的改变。结果:有氧运动组一氧化氮(NO)和前列环素PGI2途径胸主动脉舒张功能的Rmax值较对照组明显提高(P<0.05)。结论:有氧运动对大鼠胸主动脉舒张功能的有益影响,主要是由NO和PGI2途径介导的。     

不同海拔高度对健康成年男性心脏血流动力学和心电图的影响

目的:监测中国南极冰盖考察预选队员心血管系统随海拔增高的变化,探讨筛查低氧易感队员和急性高原病的防治。方法:用无创血流动力学监护仪和十二导联心电图机,在北京(40 m)、拉萨(3 650 m)、羊八井(4 300 m)对第25次和26次南极冰盖考察预选队员心血管功能进行连续动态性监测。结果:随着海拔的增高,心率、收缩压、舒张压、平均动脉压、外周血管阻力、外周血管阻力指数显著升高(P0.05),心输出量、心指数、搏出量、搏出指数、加速度指数、速度指数、左心射血时间显著降低(P0.05),预射血期呈降低趋势(P0.05)。结论:随着海拔的增高,预选队员的外周血管阻力显著升高,左心泵血和收缩功能减弱且与Q-TC间期呈负相关。