Tetanic contraction induces enhancement of fatigability and sarcomeric damage in atrophic skeletal muscle and its underlying molecular mechanisms

Muscle unloading due to long-term exposure of weightlessness or simulated weightlessness causes atrophy, loss of functional capacity, impaired locomotor coordination, and decreased resistance to fatigue in the antigravity muscles of the lower limbs. Besides reducing astronauts＇ mobility in space and on returning to a gravity environment, the molecular mechanisms for the adaptation of skeletal muscle to unloading also play an important medical role in conditions such as disuse and paralysis. The tail-suspended rat model was used to simulate the effects of weightlessness on skeletal muscles and to induce muscle unloading in the rat hindlimb. Our series studies have shown that the maximum of twitch tension and the twitch duration decreased significantly in the atrophic soleus muscles, the maximal tension of high-frequency tetanic contraction was significantly reduced in 2-week unloaded soleus muscles, however, the fatigability of high- frequency tetanic contraction increased after one week of unloading. The maximal isometric tension of intermittent tetanic contraction at optimal stimulating frequency did not alter in 1- and 2-week unloaded soleus, but significantly decreased in 4-week unloaded soleus. The 1-week unloaded soleus, but not extensor digitorum Iongus （EDL）, was more susceptible to fatigue during intermittent tetanic contraction than the synchronous controls. The changes in K＋ channel characteristics may increase the fatigability during high-frequency tetanic contraction in atrophic soleus muscles. High fatigability of intermittent tetanic contraction may be involved in enhanced activity of sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2＋-ATPase （SERCA） and switching from slow to fast isoform of myosin heavy chain, tropomyosin, troponin I and T subunit in atrophic soleus muscles. Unloaded soleus muscle also showed a decreased protein level of neuronal nitric oxide synthase （nNOS）, and the reduction in nNOS-derived NO increased frequency of calcium sparks and elevated intracellular resting Ca2＋ concentration （[Ca2＋]i） in unloaded soleus muscles. High [Ca2＋]i activated calpain-1 which induced a higher degradation of desmin. Desmin degradation may loose connections between adjacent myofibrils and further misaligned Z-disc during repeated tetanic contractions. Passive stretch in unloaded muscle could preserve the stability of sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2＋ release channels by means of keeping nNOS activity, and decrease the enhanced protein level and activity of calpain to control levels in unloaded soleus muscles. Therefore, passive stretch restored normal appearance of Z-disc and resisted in part atrophy of unloaded soleus muscles. The above results indicate that enhanced fatigability of high-frequency tetanic contraction is associated to the alteration in K＋ channel characteristics, and elevated SERCA activity and slow to fast transition of myosin heavy chain （MHC） isoforms increases fatigability of intermittent tetanic contraction in atrophic soleus muscle. The sarcomeric damage induced by tetanic contraction can be retarded by stretch in atrophic soleus muscles.     

大蒜素对运动大鼠心肌脂质过氧化反应的干预作用研究

研究大蒜素对大鼠大负荷运动后心肌脂质过氧化反应的干预作用及机制。将成年雄性SD大鼠48只,随机分为安慰剂组(A组)和用药组(B组),B组每日定时经口腔灌胃给予大蒜素30 mg/kg体重,A组给予相同体重比例的安慰剂(蒸馏水)。两周后观察各组在安静时及完成一次性大负荷游泳运动后即刻、运动后24 h心肌超微结构变化,并测定心肌组织SOD、MDA、TAC和血清CK-MB等指标。结果显示运动后两组大鼠心肌超微结构都出现改变和损伤,B组表现较轻微。B组在运动后两个时相心肌SOD和TAC均显著高于A组;心肌MDA和血清CK-MB非常显著低于A组。提示大蒜素有助于减轻大负荷运动导致的心肌脂质过氧化反应。     

ERK介导的炎性反应参与肾缺血再灌注损伤

目的研究小鼠肾缺血再灌注损伤的发病机制。方法建立小鼠肾缺血再灌注损伤模型。12只雄性C57BL／6随机分为2个组（n=6）,分别为假手术组（Sham）,肾缺血再灌注损伤模型组（IRI）。IRI组血管夹夹闭左肾动脉,置于32℃温箱后1h松开血管夹,去除右肾。Sham组操作同上,但不夹闭左肾动脉。再灌注24h后处死小鼠,收集血清和肾脏标本。测定血清肌酐（Cr）和血尿素氮（BUN）。PAS染色后显微镜下观察肾脏形态学变化,Western印迹分析ERK、p-ERK的表达,PCR检测MCP-1、IFN-γ。结果与假手术组（Sham）相比,IRI组血清肌酐、血尿素氮明显升高,病理检查可见肾脏内肾小管上皮细胞明显肿胀坏死、蛋白管型形成明显,还可观察到炎性细胞浸润明显增加。ERK、p-ERKWestern印迹结果PCR显示MCP-1、TNF-α也明显上调,但ERK表达不变。结论在肾缺血再灌注中,ERK激活介导的炎性后府可能参与了肾扣伤。     

米诺环素对不完全脊髓损伤大鼠脊髓BDNF和NT-3表达的影响

目的观察腹腔注射米诺环素对改良Allen’s法造成的不完全脊髓损伤大鼠脊髓中脑源性神经营养因子以及神经营养因子3表达的影响,探讨米诺环素治疗脊髓损伤的作用机制。方法成年雌性Sprague-Dawley(SD)大鼠54只,改良Allen’s法造成不完全脊髓损伤,根据实验需要可以分为3组,空白组,只打开脊柱椎板,不损伤;治疗组,大鼠脊髓损伤,并腹腔注射米诺环素;损伤组,大鼠脊髓损伤,腹腔注射等剂量的生理盐水。观察各组大鼠的后肢能力Basso-Beattie-Bresnahan评分,并于不同时段(3d、7d,14d)取大鼠脊髓T8-9段采用逆转录PCR,以及免疫化学组织染色法测定脑源性神经营养因子以及神经营养因子3的表达。结果米诺环素能够明显改善不完全脊髓损伤大鼠的功能,逆转录PCR和脊髓组织冰冻切片免疫组织化学染色DAB都能证实米诺环素治疗组脑源性神经营养因子以及神经营养因子3表达显著增多。结论米诺环素在治疗不完全脊髓损伤大鼠的机制还应与其上调了大鼠体内的脑源性神经营养因子以及神经营养因子3表达有关。     

N—acetylserotonin对肝缺血再灌注小鼠氧化应激损伤的保护作用

目的探讨NAS对肝缺血再灌注所诱导的脂质过氧化损伤产生的保护作用。方法采用夹闭肝蒂法30min、再灌注6h制作肝缺血再灌注模型,冰冻切片,HE染色,光学显微镜下观察肝细胞形态结构的变化;比色法检测损伤后血清中谷丙转氨酶（ALT）水平及肝组织中超氧化物歧化酶（SOD）、丙二醛（MDA）、谷胱甘肽过氧化物酶（GSH—Px）的含量。结果夹闭肝蒂30min、再灌注6h后,肝小叶结构紊乱、肝血窦淤血,其间有白细胞浸润、肝细胞出现变性、坏死;血清中ALT水平升高,肝组织中s0D和GSH—Px的含量降低,MDA升高;NAS可减少缺血再灌注后血清ALT的释放,使肝组织中SOD和GSHPx的含量升高,MDA的含量降低;NAS＋Luz可逆转NAS的这一作用。结论NAS对肝缺血再灌注小鼠的氧化应激损伤具有保护作用。     

大鼠骨骼肌损伤后中性粒细胞、巨噬细胞和肌成纤维细胞数量分析研究

目的 研究大鼠骨骼肌损伤后中性粒细胞、巨噬细胞和肌成纤维细胞数量的变化情况,为今后骨骼肌损伤修复的病理学机制研究打下坚实的基础.方法 建立大鼠骨骼肌机械性损伤动物模型,随机分为伤后6h、12h、1d、3d、7d、10d、14d及正常对照组.应用免疫组织荧光染色和免疫组织化学染色,检测大鼠骨骼肌损伤后不同时间点中性粒细胞、巨噬细胞和肌成纤维细胞的数量.结果 伤后6h-12h,损伤区可见中性粒细胞和巨噬细胞浸润,中性粒细胞数量达到高峰.伤后1d,损伤区巨噬细胞数量急剧增加,迅速达到高峰,而中性粒细胞数量开始下降.伤后3d,中性粒细胞和巨噬细胞数量都显著下降.伤后7d,肌成纤维细胞开始出现.到伤后10d-14d,损伤区主要以肌成纤维细胞为主,偶见巨噬细胞.结论 大鼠骨骼肌损伤区中性粒细胞、巨噬细胞和肌成纤维细胞数量呈时间规律性变化,以期为骨骼肌损伤修复的病理学机制研究提供参考资料.     

非损伤微测技术在植物根系生长发育研究中的应用

进出组织和细胞的无机离子的运输对植物生命极为重要。膜片钳和荧光成像等传统方法技术要求高、设备要求先进且测得的数据很难直接用于样品植株上。"非损伤微测技术"因其具有非损伤性、高的时空分辨率的特点,使其可以在不破坏样品的前提下测到样品的生理特征和生命活动规律,测得的数据生理真实性高,可以直接应用于样品植株上。文章较详细地介绍了运用非损伤微测技术,尤其是用于测量离子流的SIET技术和MIFE技术,及其在测量植物根部净离子流量以研究植物根系生长发育的一些报告。     

NF-κB p65的敲减加重结肠上皮HCT116细胞氧化损伤

炎症细胞诱导的活性氧类生成和肠道氧化应激与慢性炎症性肠疾病以及结直肠肿瘤的发病密切相关。NF-κB信号通路参与氧化应激反应以及在结直肠炎症和肿瘤发生中的作用还并不完全清楚。本研究将化学合成一对编码小干扰RNA 序列、靶向人NF-κB 基因的长60 bp寡核苷酸链定向克隆至pSUPER小干扰RNA表达载体中,通过单酶切、双酶切及测序证实重组RNA干扰载体构建成功. 将构建成功的质粒转染至结肠上皮细胞HCT116中敲减p65,分别采用Western blot方法检测NF-κB p65蛋白表达水平,（3-(4,5-二甲基噻唑-2)-3,5-二苯基四氮唑溴盐（MTT）方法检测细胞存活情况. 结果显示,pSUPER-NF-κB p65载体可特异性下调NF-κB p65蛋白表达;下调p65表达可导致过氧化氢诱导的HCT116内活性氧类物质生成增高,存活细胞数目显著减少,氧化损伤加重。研究表明,在人结肠上皮细胞内NF-κB p65通路的抑制显著加重了结肠上皮细胞氧化损伤情况.     

Formaldehyde induces toxic effects and regulates the expression of damage response genes in BM-MSCs

In this study, we assessed the toxic effects of formaldehyde （FA） on mouse bone marrow mesenchymai stem cells （BM- MSCs）. Cytotoxicity was measured by using MTT assay. DNA strand breakage was detected by standard alkaline comet assay and comet assay modified with proteinase K （PK）. DNA-protein crosslinks （DPCs） were detected by KCI-SDS precipitation assay. We found that FA at a con- centration from 75 to 200 μM inhibited cell survival and induced DPCs over 125 μM. The PK-modified comet assay showed that FA-induced DNA strand breakage was increased in a dose-dependent manner from 75 to 200 μM. On the other hand, standard alkaline comet assay showed that DNA strand breakage was decreased with FA concen- tration over 125 μM. We confirmed by using Pearson cor- relation that there was a negative linear correlation between DPCs and survival rate （r = -0.987, P 〈 0.01） and positive linear relationships between DPCs and （i） sister chromatid exchange and （ii） micronucleus （r = 0.995, P〈 0.01; r = 0.968, P〈 0.01）. DNA damage RTz profiler polymerase chain reaction array was used to investigate the changes in the expression of damage response genes. Xpa and Xpc of the nucleotide excision repair pathway and Brca2, Rad51, and Xrcc2 of the homologous recombination pathway were all up-regulated in both 75 and 125 μM FA. However, the same genes were down-regulated with 175 μM FA. The expressions of Chekl and Husl, which are involved in cell cycle regulation, were altered in the same manner with 75, 125, and 175 μM FA. These results indicated that Xpa, Xpc, Brca2, Rad51, Xrcc2, Chekl, and Husl were essential for the BM-MSCs to counteract the effects of FA.     

线粒体分裂蛋白抑制剂在大鼠脑缺血再灌注损伤中的作用及其机制

目的:观察线粒体分裂蛋白抑制剂在大鼠脑缺血再灌注损伤中的作用,并初步探讨其在线粒体凋亡途径中的作用机制.方法:雄性Wistar大鼠48只,体重250～300 g,随机分为三组(n=16):假手术组(Sham组)、脑缺血再灌注组(I/R组)和mdivi-1预处理组(mdivi-1组),线栓法建立大鼠大脑中动脉闭塞(MCAO)模型,缺血2小时,再灌注24小时后应用流式细胞术检测神经元凋亡;Western blot法检测Cyt C蛋白的表达;RT-PCR法检测Cyt C mRNA的表达.结果:与Sham组比较,I/R组神经细胞凋亡率与CytC蛋白以及mRNA表达水平显著升高(P＜0.01).应用mdivi-1预处理后细胞凋亡率与CytC蛋白以及mRNA表达水平明显降低(P＜0.01).结论:线粒体分裂蛋白抑制剂可以明显减轻脑缺血再灌注损伤,其作用机制可能通过阻断线粒体-细胞色素C途径来抑制细胞凋亡.