Radiation responses of cancer stem cells

Recent experimental evidence indicates that many solid cancers have a hierarchical organization structure with a subpopulation of cancer stem cells (CSCs). The ability to identify CSCs prospectively now allows for testing the responses of CSCs to treatment modalities like radiation therapy. Initial studies have found CSCs in glioma and breast cancer relatively resistant to ionizing radiation and possible mechanisms behind this resistance have been explored. This review summarizes the landmark publications in this young field with an emphasis on the radiation responses of CSCs. The existence of CSCs in solid cancers place restrictions on the interpretation of many radiobiological observations, while explaining others. The fact that these cells may be a relatively quiescent subpopulation that are metabolically distinct from the other cells in the tumor has implications for both imaging and therapy of cancer. This is particularly true for biological targeting of cancer for enhanced radiotherapeutic benefit, which must consider whether the unique properties of this subpopulation allow it to avoid such therapies. J. Cell. Biochem. 108: 339–342, 2009. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

Peculiarities of the antioxidant and radioprotective effects of hydrated C60 fullerene nanostuctures in vitro and in vivo

Aqueous solutions of highly stable supramolecular donor–acceptor complexes of chemically nonmodified pristine C₆₀ fullerene molecules with H₂O molecules (hydrated C₆₀ fullerene–C₆₀HyFn) and their labile nano-sized clusters were examined for their antioxidant effects on removal of hydroxyl radicals (OH) and protecting DNA against oxidative damage induced by ionizing radiation in vitro. The suppressing influence of C₆₀HyFn on the formation of OH-radicals in water exposed to X-rays at doses of 1–7 Gy was assessed by determination of oxidation levels of coumarin-3-carboxylic acid. C₆₀HyFn demonstrates apparent antiradical activity in vitro in the range of concentrations of 10⁻¹¹–10⁻⁶ M. Paradoxically, the OH-removing efficacy of C₆₀HyFn was in reverse correlation with fullerene concentration. It was hypothesized that the antiradical action of C₆₀HyFn in water medium generally is due to a “nonstoichiometric” mechanism, supposedly to a hydrated free radical recombination (self-neutralization), which is catalyzed by specific water structures ordered by C₆₀HyFn. With the use of 8-oxoguanine as a marker of oxidative damage to DNA, it has been demonstrated that C₆₀HyFn in concentrations of 10⁻⁷–10⁻⁶ M protects nucleic acids against radical-induced damage. The second part of the present study was aimed to evaluate the overall radioprotective efficacy of C₆₀HyFn in doses of 0.1 or 1 mg/kg b.w. injected intraperitoneally to mice either 1 h before or 15 min after lethal dose exposure of the X-ray (7 Gy) irradiation. Survival rate of the mice was observed at 30 day intervals after irradiation, while the weight gains of experimental animals were monitored as well. The most significant protective effect was demonstrated when 1 mg/kg dosage of C₆₀HyFn was administered before irradiation. The outcome of the substance testing is 15% survival rate of irradiated animals at 30 days of observation, and prevention of noticeable weight loss characteristic for radiation impact, versus unprotected control animals. In conclusion, results of the study obviate that the apparent protective action of C₆₀HyFn in vivo is determined by its considerable ability to decrease X-ray-generated reactive oxygen species. Based on the results and that neat C₆₀ is nontoxic, actually in the hydrated form, without side effects and with sufficient radioprotective effects in low doses, C₆₀HyFn may be considered as a novel antioxidant agent, which substantially diminishes the harmful effects of ionizing radiation.     

Comparative evolution of flower and fruit morphology

Angiosperm diversification has resulted in a vast array of plant morphologies. Only recently has it been appreciated that diversification might have proceeded quite differently for the two key diagnostic structures of this clade, flowers and fruits. These structures are hypothesized to have experienced different selective pressures via their interactions with animals in dispersal mutualisms, resulting in a greater amount of morphological diversification in animal-pollinated flowers than in animal-dispersed fruits. I tested this idea using size and colour traits for the flowers and fruits of 472 species occurring in three floras (St John, Hawaii and the Great Plains). Phylogenetically controlled analyses of nearest-neighbour distances in multidimensional trait space matched the predicted pattern: in each of the three floras, flowers were more divergent from one another than were fruits. In addition, the spacing of species clusters differed for flowers versus fruits in the flora of St John, with clusters in flower space more divergent than those in fruit space. The results are consistent with the idea that a major driver of angiosperm diversification has been stronger selection for divergent floral morphology than for divergent fruit morphology, although genetic, physiological and ecological constraints may also play a role.     

同步辐射方法在生命科学中的应用

同步辐射方法在生命科学研究中有着十分重要的应用。上海光源是我国建造的第一个第三代同步辐射装置,本文结合上海光源首批建造的光束线站,介绍了几类同步辐射实验方法在生命科学中的应用。     

浑善达克沙地不同光合途径植物叶片气体交换和水势特征(英文)

以生长于浑善达克沙地上的C3植物白榆(Ulmus pumila)、C4植物沙米(Agriophyllum pungens)和CAM植物钝叶瓦松(Orostachys malacophyllus)3种不同光合途径植物为材料,测定了它们生长期叶片的光合气体交换参数、叶绿素荧光参数和水势,探讨它们对生长环境的生理响应特征.结果表明,白榆和沙米的净光合速率、气孔导度均高于钝叶瓦松,特别是在夏季高温(>40℃)和强光照(>2 100 μmol·m-2·s-1)条件下表现得更加明显.白榆和沙米的光合速率、叶片水势都发生了严重的午休现象,其白天光合速率的降低主要是由于气孔关闭造成的.钝叶瓦松的叶片水势在3种植物中最高,但是白天的光合速率很低;其Fv/Fm值在14:00最低,一天中此时光系统II受伤害最大;CAM物种瓦松的碳固定仅发生在夜间.研究发现,C3植物白榆和C4植物沙米比CAM植物钝叶瓦松对热和高光照有着更强的忍耐力,瓦松固定碳主要发生在生长最快的阶段;CAM植物瓦松为了能够在夏季强光和高温条件下生存,它必须进行高强度的呼吸,仅在早晨和夜间进行碳固定.     

植物对UV-B辐射增强应答的分子机制及信号级联研究进展

地表的UV-B辐射量伴随着大气平流层臭氧层的变薄而不断增强,给地球生态系统带来严重影响.UV-B主要通过抑制植物光合作用、伤害生物膜及DNA等生物大分子来影响其生长发育,最终导致生物量及产量降低,甚至致死.植物在进化过程中形成了自我防护及防御机制,如DNA损伤的自我修复,活性氧自由基的酶促及非酶促清除机制,以及紫外吸收物质的诱导合成等;同时,在植物中也有许多物质及不同途径来感受和应答UV-B胁迫.本文从UV-B辐射增强对植物造成损伤的主要途径、植物对UV-B辐射增强的应答机制及信号级联过程等方面的研究进展进行综述.     

自然条件下滤减UV-B辐射对烤烟光合色素含量的影响

在自然环境中,以烟草栽培品种K326为材料,通过覆盖不同透明薄膜滤减UV—B辐射,研究100％（CK）、75％（T1）、50％（T2）、35％（T3）UV—B辐射透过率处理下,不同强度UV—B辐射对烟草光合色素含量的影响。结果表明：烤烟三类光合色素对UV—B辐射有不同响应。类胡萝卜素对UV—B辐射响应较敏感。成熟初期,类胡萝卜素含量与UV—B辐射强度变化具有较好的正相关性,而chl a和chl b含量基本与UV—B辐射强度呈反向变化关系。成熟后期,由于UV—B辐射累积效应,光合色素含量变化没有明显规律。现蕾期至成熟采烤烟初期,chl a：chl b与UV—B辐射的反向变化关系较明显,后期则无明显规律,其含量的下降与UV—B辐射的累积效应有关。     

苹果密植园与间伐园树冠层内叶片光合潜力比较

通过对成龄苹果密植园和间伐园树冠不同层次和部位叶片光合潜力及辐射通量密度、叶片N含量和比叶重等指标的比较分析,研究了苹果园改造前后辐射能和氮素利用效率差异及其与产量品质的关系.结果表明：间伐显著改善了冠层内的辐射环境,间伐园冠层内的辐射分布明显比密植园均匀,相对辐射通量密度小于30%的无效光区接近0,而密植园冠层内的最低相对辐射通量密度为17%,在相对高度03以下均为无效光区;间伐园内冠层叶片的光合效率显著提高,间伐园树冠中、下部叶片的光合速率比密植园分别提高了78%和102%;叶片的最大羧化速率和最大电子传递速率也有较大幅度的提升.苹果园冠层叶片的光合效率与叶片N含量存在显著的相关关系,而叶片N含量又与辐射通量密度存在显著的相关关系,因此,可根据冠层叶片相对N含量的垂直分布间接和定量地判断叶片的光合效率或相对辐射通量密度的空间分布.     

下扬子区奥陶纪牙形刺多样性演变初探

根据前人和作者现有资料,对下扬子地区,特别是宁镇地区奥陶纪已经报道的牙形刺属种进行厘定,并按牙形刺带逐带进行多样性统计分析,初步编制出该地区奥陶纪牙形刺属种的地层延限表.研究表明;下扬子区牙形刺在奥陶纪的宏演化经历了3次较明显的辐射事件,分别发生在特马豆克期晚期-弗洛期早期(Serratognathus diversua带)、大坪期早期(Baltoniodus triangularis带)、达瑞威尔期晚期(Eoplacognathus suecicus带);此外,还经历了2次快速增长期,分别发生在达瑞威尔期早期(Lenodus antivariabilis带)、桑比期晚期至凯迪期早期(Hamarodus europaeus带),后者可能与局部环境变化有关.研究表明:华南海平面升降对下扬子区牙形刺宏演化趋势有重要影响.     

地表UV-B辐射增强对土壤-大豆系统N2O排放的影响

通过大田试验和室外盆栽试验,采用人工增加紫外辐射的方法模拟UV-B辐射增强,用静态箱-气相色谱法测定N_2O排放通量,研究地表UV-B辐射增强对土壤-大豆系统N_2O排放的影响.结果表明:在相同的气象条件和田间管理措施下,UV-B辐射增强没有改变土壤-大豆系统N_2O排放通量的季节性变化规律.但从植株结荚到成熟,UV-B辐射增强降低了土壤-大豆系统N_2O排放通量,进而降低了N_2O的累积排放量.收割实验发现,在分枝开花期,UV-B辐射增强对土壤N_2O排放影响明显,降低了土壤N_2O排放通量;从结荚至鼓粒期,UV-B辐射增强主要通过降低植株地上部分N_2O排放通量来降低土壤-大豆系统的N_2O排放.UV-B辐射增强显著降低了植株的生物量,并影响到植株的氮代谢和土壤NH_4~+-N与微生物氮.UV-B辐射增强可能会导致农田生态系统N_2O排放量降低.