Chromatin reorganization and endogenous auxin/cytokinin dynamic activity during somatic embryogenesis of cultured cotton cell

We conducted a systematic assessment and comparative study on the biochemical and cellular characteristics of cultured cotton cells during the entire process of somatic embryogenesis (SE). All staged cultures were widely investigated in this assay. Cell and tissue ectogenesis manipulation combined with flow cytometry (FCM) was employed to cellular study during the whole totipotency process of dedifferentiation and redifferentiation. We identified two phases of chromatin decondensation during the dedifferentiation and redifferentiation. At the same time, sharp increase in the ratio of indoleacetic acid (IAA), isopentenyladenosine group (iPAs) at the same stage of cell dedifferentiation and redifferentiation process serve as distinct biochemical maker of dedifferentiation and SE initiation with the unique feature. Our results suggest the two phases of chromatin reorganization associated with endogenous auxin/cytokinin dynamic activity may underlie dedifferentiation and redifferentiation during the entire SE process in cotton.     

Self-excreted mediator from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Escherichia coli</Emphasis> K-12 for electron transfer to carbon electrodes

Escherichia coli K-12 was cultured under anaerobic conditions to form biofilm on carbon fiber electrodes in glucose-containing medium. The anodic current increased with the development of the biofilm and depended on the glucose concentration. Cyclic voltammetric results support the presence of a redox compound(s) excreted from E. coli cells in the biofilm. The compound remained in the film under conditions of continuous flow and gave a couple of oxidation and reduction waves, which may be assigned to a menaquinone-like compound based on the mid-point potential (−0.22 V vs Ag|AgCl at pH 7.1) and its pH dependence. The catalytic current started to increase around the anodic peak potential of the redox compound and also increased by the permeabilization of the E. coli cell membranes with ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid-treatment. The results indicate that the E. coli-excreted redox compound works as a mediator for the electron transfer from the E. coli cells to the electrode as the final electron acceptor. The activity of the redox compound in the E. coli-biofilm as a mediator with some mobility was also verified for diaphorase-catalyzed electrochemical oxidation of NADH.     

RGS9-2 is a negative modulator of mu-opioid receptor function

Regulators of G-protein signaling (RGS) 9-2 is a striatal enriched protein that controls G protein coupled receptor signaling duration by accelerating Galpha subunit guanosine triphosphate hydrolysis. We have previously demonstrated that mice lacking the RGS9 gene show enhanced morphine analgesia and delayed development of tolerance. Here we extend these studies to understand the mechanism via which RGS9-2 modulates opiate actions. Our data suggest that RGS9-2 prevents several events triggered by mu-opioid receptor (MOR) activation. In transiently transfected PC12 cells, RGS9-2 delays agonist induced internalization of epitope HA-tagged mu-opioid receptor. This action of RGS9-2 requires localization of the protein near the cell membrane. Co-immunoprecipitation studies reveal that RGS9-2 interacts with HA-tagged mu-opioid receptor, and that this interaction is enhanced by morphine treatment. In addition, morphine promotes the association of RGS9-2 with another essential component of MOR desensitization, beta-arrestin-2. We also show that over-expression of RGS9-2 prevents opiate-induced extracellular signal-regulated kinase phosphorylation. Our data indicate that RGS9-2 plays an essential role in opiate actions, by negatively modulating MOR downstream signaling as well as the rate of MOR endocytosis.     

毁损大鼠中缝背核内触液神经元对吗啡依赖和戒断的影响

目的:探索脑内远位触液神经元在吗啡依赖和戒断形成过程中的作用。方法:化学性神经元毁损、侧脑室引入霍乱毒素亚单位B与辣根过氧化物酶复合物(CB-HRP)神经示踪、TMB-ST呈色反应,Western blot、nNOS免疫组织化学。结果:毁损大鼠中缝背核内远位触液神经元后,纳洛酮催促的戒断症状明显减弱,戒断症状评分较戒断未毁损组降低约38%(P<0.05);给予溶媒和毁损触液神经元旁侧的大鼠戒断症状与戒断组比较未见明显变化(P>0.05)。毁损组脑片触液神经元密集区局部细胞损坏明显,仅在其毁损区边缘观测到少量CB-HRP阳性细胞。未毁损组CB-HRP标记细胞位置及数量恒定,形态清晰。毁损触液神经元后,脊髓背角nNOS阳性神经元计数及nNOS蛋白表达较戒断未毁损组减少明显(P<0.05),而较正常组和依赖组增加仍显著(P<0.01)。结论:毁损大鼠中缝背核内部分远位触液神经元可减弱吗啡戒断症状和脊髓背角神经元型一氧化氮合酶的表达,提示中缝背核内部分远位触液神经元可能参与了吗啡依赖和戒断的形成,NO介导脑内触液神经元与脊髓水平对吗啡依赖和戒断的调节。     

吗啡对鸡胚胎发育的影响

目的：研究吗啡对胎动、心率、孵化率、孵化时间、雏鸡体重等的影响。方法：以气室给药的方式给鸡胚注射吗啡,记录胎动、心率、孵化率、孵化时间、雏鸡体重。结果：吗啡可以缩短雏鸡的孵化时间,降低雏鸡的孵化率,并导致雏鸡出现运动障碍;20mg／kg吗啡剂量和12—16胚龄的给药时间,鸡胚孵化率最高,残疾率最低;吗啡导致胚胎心率加快,胎动减少（P〈0．05）。结论：吗啡对胚胎发育有损伤作用,损伤程度与吗啡剂量和给药时间有关。     

Peptides derived from type I thrombospondin repeat-containing proteins of the CCN family inhibit proliferation and migration of endothelial cells

Angiogenesis, or neovascularization, is tightly orchestrated by endogenous regulators that promote or inhibit the process. The fine-tuning of these pro- and anti-angiogenic elements (the angiogenic balance) helps establish the homeostasis in tissues, and any aberration leads to pathologic conditions. The type I thrombospondin repeats are a family of protein structural elements involved in the control of angiogenesis, and some proteins containing these repeats have been identified as negative regulators of angiogenesis. Here we identify a set of 11 novel, anti-angiogenic 18–20-amino acid peptides that are derived from proteins that belong to the CCN protein family and contain type I thrombospondin motifs. We have named these peptides spondinstatin-1, cyrostatin, connectostatin, nephroblastostatin, wispostatin-2, wispostatin-3, netrinstatin-5C, netrinstatin-5D, adamtsostatin-like-4, fibulostatin-6.1, and complestatin-C6 to reflect their origin. We have shown that these peptides inhibit proliferation and migration of human umbilical vein endothelial cells in vitro. By conducting a clustering analysis of the amino acid sequences using sequence similarity criteria and of the experimental results using a hierarchical clustering algorithm, we have demonstrated that there is an underlying correlation between the sequence and activity of the identified peptides. This combination of experimental and computational approaches introduces a novel systematic framework for studying peptide activity, identifying novel peptides with anti-angiogenic activity, and designing mimetic peptides with tailored properties.     

慢性吗啡给予、戒断及再给药过程中大鼠海马感觉门控的动态变化

药物成瘾被认为是药物长期作用于脑而产生的一种慢性复吸性脑疾病,长期反复的药物（如吗啡）滥用会导致一系列严重后果,如药物依赖、药物耐受、强迫性药物寻求等。本实验利用条件化位置偏好（conditioned place preference,CPP）模型来检测大鼠对吗啡依赖和心理渴求等过程;采用双声刺激听觉诱发电位来研究大鼠在慢性吗啡给予、戒断以及再给药过程中海马感觉门控（N40）的动态变化。吗啡组大鼠注射吗啡（10mg／kg,i．p．）12d,经历第一次戒断12d,再次注射吗啡（2．5mg／kg,i．P．）1d,之后经历第二次戒断2d;对照组大鼠注射同体积生理盐水,其余实验条件与吗啡组相同。CPP实验表明,这种药物给予方法促使大鼠对吗啡产生药物依赖和心理渴求。双声刺激诱发电位实验表明,吗啡组大鼠在吗啡给予期间海马感觉门控受到损伤;第一次戒断期的第1～2天海马感觉门控能力减弱,第3天增强,第4～12天逐渐恢复到正常水平;再次给予吗啡后海马感觉门控能力与对照组相比显著降低,并且随后2d的戒断期内海马感觉门控能力也一直保持较低水平,表明再次给药使大鼠海马感觉门控对吗啡更加敏感化。结果提示,长期反复的吗啡给予及再给药干扰了海马的感觉门控能力,吗啡成瘾对大脑可能产生长期影响。     

钾肥类型对菜心(菜薹)生长、细胞保护酶和内源激素的影响

为探讨钾肥类型对菜心(Brassica campestris L. ssp. chinensis var. utilis Tsen et Lee)的作用效应,研究了不同钾肥类型和水平对菜心生长、细胞保护酶和内源激素的影响。结果表明,氯化钾或硫酸钾处理可提高菜心叶片的POD 和CAT 活性、IAA 和GA₃ 含量,降低MDA 含量,提高菜薹产量。随着钾水平的提高,叶片IAA 和GA₃ 含量、POD 和CAT 活性以及菜薹质量明显提高,MDA 含量降低。当施钾90 kg hm^-2 时,叶片的GA₃ 和IAA 含量显著下降,而POD 活性和菜薹产量没有显著变化。在相同水平下,氯化钾与硫酸钾对植株生长、菜薹产量、叶片GA₃ 含量的影响不显著。当施钾0~90 kg hm^-2 时,氯化钾处理的叶片POD 活性显著高于硫酸钾处理;而施钾135~180 kg hm^-2 时,氯化钾处理的叶片POD 活性则显著低于硫酸钾处理。除了90 kg hm^-2 氯化钾处理的CAT 活性和45 kg hm^-2 氯化钾处理的MDA 含量低于硫酸钾处理以及90 kg hm^-2 和180 kg hm^-2 氯化钾处理的IAA 含量高于硫酸钾处理的外,相同水平氯化钾和硫酸钾处理的CAT 活性、MDA 含量和IAA 含量没有显著差异。可见,钾肥类型对菜心的活性氧代谢系统及内源激素含量有一定的影响,但氯化钾与硫酸钾对菜心的施用效果相当,生产上可采用氯化钾代替硫酸钾以节约肥料成本,K₂O 施用量以90 kg hm^-2 为宜。     

吗啡依赖小鼠前脑皮质神经元神经营养因子-3的表达

目的:探讨吗啡依赖小鼠前脑皮质神经元神经营养因子-3(neurotrophin-3,NT-3)的表达.方法:采用免疫组织化学法显示吗啡依赖小鼠前脑皮质神经元NT-3的表达.结果:吗啡依赖组和纳洛酮诱发戒断组小鼠前脑皮质NT-3密度均明显增加(P＜0 01).结论:NT-3参与了吗啡依赖对前脑皮质神经元损害的保护作用.