Slow and sustained nitric oxide releasing compounds inhibit multipotent vascular stem cell proliferation and differentiation without causing cell death

Atherosclerosis is the leading cause of cerebral and myocardial infarction. It is believed that neointimal growth common in the later stages of atherosclerosis is a result of vascular smooth muscle cell (SMC) de-differentiation in response to endothelial injury. However, the claims of the SMC de-differentiation theory have not been substantiated by monitoring the fate of mature SMCs in response to such injuries. A recent study suggests that atherosclerosis is a consequence of multipotent vascular stem cell (MVSC) differentiation. Nitric oxide (NO) is a well-known mediator against atherosclerosis, in part because of its inhibitory effect on SMC proliferation. Using three different NO-donors, we have investigated the effects of NO on MVSC proliferation. Results indicate that NO inhibits MVSC proliferation in a concentration dependent manner. A slow and sustained delivery of NO proved to inhibit proliferation without causing cell death. On the other hand, larger, single-burst NO concentrations, inhibits proliferation, with concurrent significant cell death. Furthermore, our results indicate that endogenously produced NO inhibits MVSC differentiation to mesenchymal-like stem cells (MSCs) and subsequently to SMC as well.     

BMP4 is required for the initial expression of MITF in melanocyte precursor differentiation from embryonic stem cells

Although the differentiation of melanoblasts to melanocytes is known to depend on many distinct factors, it is still poorly understood which factors lead to the induction of melanoblasts. To determine which factors might induce melanoblasts, we examined a set of candidate factors for their ability to induce expression of MITF, a master regulator of melanoblast development, in an ES cell-based melanocyte differentiation system. It appears that BMP4 is capable of inducing MITF expression in stem cells. In contrast, a number of other factors normally implicated in the development of the melanocyte lineage, including WNT1, WNT3a, SCF, EDN3, IGF1, PDGF, and RA, cannot induce MITF expression. Nevertheless, BMP4 alone does not allow MITF-expressing precursors to become differentiated melanocytes, but the addition of EDN3 further promotes differentiation of the precursors into mature melanocytes. Our results support a model in which BMP4 induces MITF expression in pluripotent stem cells and EDN3 subsequently promotes differentiation of these MITF expressing cells along the melanocyte lineage.     

The phosphatase inhibitor, okadaic acid, strongly protects primary rat cortical neurons from lethal oxygen-glucose deprivation

The protein kinase-mediated actions of peptide growth factors such as IGF-1 and bFGF protect cultured neurons from being killed by the oxygen and glucose deprivations (OGD) that prevail in the ‘stroked brain’. Here, we show that neuroprotection by IGF-1 is mediated by PI-3K/Akt, whereas that of bFGF is mediated by MAPK. IGF-1 and bFGF together did not further increase protection suggesting a downstream convergence of their pathways. Since protein kinases mediated the protection, a phosphatase inhibitor such as okadaic acid (OA) might be as protective as the growth factors against OGD. Here, we show that OA is actually a much more effective protector. It increased the phosphorylation of both PI-3K/Akt and MAPK, and stimulated new protein synthesis. OA also acted independently of the CREB activation and FKHRL1 and GSK-3 inactivation which have been implicated in IGF-1 actions.     

组织工程化血管构建中有关VEGF和bFGF的研究进展

内皮细胞是血管组织工程的重要种子细胞,小肠粘膜下基质(SIS)的生物活性和力学特性日益引起人们的关注,细胞因子的生物活性成分及其在组织工程化血管构建中的作用可以从不同角度、不同水平进行研究。本文主要从以下两个方面进行综述:SIS中所含生长因子的含量、类型和分布;内皮细胞中碱性成纤维细胞生长因子和血管内皮细胞生长因子的分泌情况,并着重对剪切力作用下内皮细胞分泌活性的变化进行综述,从而为组织工程化血管的基础研究提供参考。     

抗菌肽与碱性成纤维细胞生长因子基因的融合及其在酵母中的表达

从重组质粒ｒＢＳ上切下柞蚕抗菌肽Ｄ基因片段,切去终止密码后连接到重组穿梭质粒ｐＶＴ－ＧＦ上碱性成纤维细胞生长因子ｃＤＮＡ的５′端,使密码框正确排列,构建成融合基因重组质粒ｐＶＴ－ＣＤＧＦ,转化到酵母中进行表达。转化子酵母蛋白粗提物用Ｅ．ｃｏｌｉＫ１２Ｄ３１作指示菌进行抑菌圈测试,初步检出具有抑菌活性,用ＥＬＩＳＡ检测证明其具有碱性成纤维细胞生长因子的抗原性。     

免疫胶体金法检测TGFβ2,bFGF在IgAN肾组织内位点

目的探讨TGFβ2和bFGF在IgAN肾组织内存在的位点.方法采用免疫组织化学,胶体金标记和免疫电镜技术,对28例IgAN肾活检组织进行了TGFβ2和bFGF检测.结果 TGFβ2和bFGF主要集中于肾小管上皮细胞的线粒体基质内,在其它部位有极少量的分布.结论免疫电镜技术和免疫组织化学技术联合应用,对抗原的精确定位具有重要的研究意义.TGFβ2和bFGF主要集中于肾小管上皮细胞的线粒体基质内的生物化学意义需要进一步研究.     

Deposition of Basic Fibroblast Growth Factor on Surface of Epidermal Melanocytes Suggesting the Stromal Control of Epidermal Pigmentation

Scanning electron microscopy with immunogold labeling was used to demonstrate the in vivo distribution of molecules of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) that were expressed and/or present on the surface of the cells of the normal epidermis and dermal connective tissue of humans. We found that molecules of bFGF, seen as deposits of gold particles, were present densely on the surfaces of the melanocytes but not the epidermal keratinocytes. In connective tissue, these molecules were present exclusively on the surfaces of the fibroblasts, macrophages, vascular endothelial cells, and the basement membrane surrounding the endothelial tube. The selective deposition of bFGF molecules on the melanocytes suggests that the dermal connective tissue may be involved in controlling the proliferation of melanocytes by means of bFGF molecules in vivo, since these melanocytes require bFGF to proliferate in vitro. The latter is synthesized and stored exclusively in the connective tissue.     

Inter-connecting pores of chitosan scaffold with basic fibroblast growth factor modulate biological activity on human mesenchymal stem cells

In this study, we developed bio-active molecules immobilized chitosan scaffolds with controlled pore architectures for enhanced viability of human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs). The decreasing in molecular weight of chitosan by ultrasonication of chitosan solution was effective in the formation of porous chitosan scaffolds, resulting in an increase of inter-connecting micropores (∼10 μm) between macropores. Using a layer-by-layer method, we then prepared heparin-coated chitosan scaffolds as depots for basic fibroblast growth factors (bFGF). Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays confirmed that heparin-coated chitosan scaffolds could bind higher amount of bFGF (24.21 ng/mg) compared to 2.53 ng/mg of non-coated scaffold. Moreover, we were able to manipulate the release profiles of bFGF from the scaffolds for 7 days. In vitro studies showed that chitosan scaffolds induced the improved viability and proliferation of hMSCs through their synergetic effects of the inter-connecting micropores and the sustained released of bFGF. Our results suggest that bFGF immobilized chitosan scaffolds with controlled inter-connecting pores, in combination with other heparin-binding growth factors, have potential implants for controlling biological functions in regenerative medicine.     

Dissociation between early loss of actin fibres and subsequent cell death in serum-deprived quiescent Balb/c-3T3 cells

Serum withdrawal from either growing or quiescent Balb/c-3T3 murine fibroblasts causes a loss of F-actin fibres and focal adhesions within 30 min. Cells that are growing survive serum deprivation, whereas the great majority of density-arrested quiescent cells die during a period of up to 5 h from serum withdrawal. During this time an approximately constant fraction of the quiescent cell population dies per unit time. The population half-life is 60–70 min during this time. Addition of an appropriate cell growth factor or second messenger agonist at the time of serum withdrawal or within 2 h after serum withdawal protects a similar fraction of viable cells. These findings suggest a model according to which withdrawal of serum (i.e. growth factors) initiates the death process in cells of the population with kinetics that approximate first-order kinetics. We postulate that appropriate growth factors or second messenger agonists block the initiating event that starts the cell death process.