Cystine Deprivation Induces Oligodendroglial Death: Rescue by Free Radical Scavengers and by a Diffusible Glial Factor

Abstract: In this study we examined the effect on oligodendroglial survival of exogenous cystine deprivation. Oligodendroglia isolated from mixed glial primary cultures derived from brains of 1-day-old rats, and then grown for 3 days, were markedly dependent on extracellular cystine for survival. The EC₅₀ values for cystine for a 24-h exposure ranged from 2 to 65 µ M . After 6 h of cystine deprivation, the cellular glutathione level decreased to 21 ± 13% of the control. Free radical scavengers (α-tocopherol, ascorbate, idebenone, and N-tert -butyl-α-phenylnitrone) were protective against cystine deprivation but had no effect on the glutathione level. An iron chelator, desferrioxamine mesylate, also was protective. These findings suggest that intracellular hydroxyl radicals are important for this toxicity. In contrast to the observations in 3-day-old cultures, the dependence on exogenous cystine for cell viability was not observed consistently in oligodendroglia cultured for 6 days before the onset of cystine deprivation. Several observations suggested that this loss of cystine dependence was due to a diffusible factor. Sensitivity to the toxicity of cystine deprivation in day 6 cultures increased as the volume of medium was increased from 0.3 to 2 ml. Furthermore, preincubation of cystine-depleted medium with astrocyte cultures eliminated the toxicity of the cystine deprivation. HPLC assay of the conditioned cystine-depleted medium showed no significant change in cystine or cysteine concentration. We conclude that oligodendroglia are highly susceptible to cystine deprivation in day 3 cultures and that this susceptibility is due to the accumulation of intracellular free radicals in the setting of glutathione depletion. The resistance of day 6 oligodendroglial cultures is caused at least in part by a diffusible factor.     

Size-dependent mortality in a Neotropical savanna tree: the role of height-related adjustments in hydraulic architecture and carbon allocation

Size-related changes in hydraulic architecture, carbon allocation and gas exchange of Sclerolobium paniculatum (Leguminosae), a dominant tree species in Neotropical savannas of central Brazil (Cerrado), were investigated to assess their potential role in the dieback of tall individuals. Trees greater than ∼6-m-tall exhibited more branch damage, larger numbers of dead individuals, higher wood density, greater leaf mass per area, lower leaf area to sapwood area ratio (LA/SA), lower stomatal conductance and lower net CO₂ assimilation than small trees. Stem-specific hydraulic conductivity decreased, while leaf-specific hydraulic conductivity remained nearly constant, with increasing tree size because of lower LA/SA in larger trees. Leaves were substantially more vulnerable to embolism than stems. Large trees had lower maximum leaf hydraulic conductance ( K _leaf) than small trees and all tree sizes exhibited lower K _leaf at midday than at dawn. These size-related adjustments in hydraulic architecture and carbon allocation apparently incurred a large physiological cost: large trees received a lower return in carbon gain from their investment in stem and leaf biomass compared with small trees. Additionally, large trees may experience more severe water deficits in dry years due to lower capacity for buffering the effects of hydraulic path-length and soil water deficits.     

重庆市生态风险预警等级划分及演化趋势模拟

生态风险预警等级评估和演化趋势模拟，可为生态风险管理提供可靠的辅助决策。以重庆市为研究对象，基于驱动力-压力-状态-影响-响应模型，构建重庆市生态风险预警指标体系，采用正态云模型和集对分析法，定量分析重庆市生态风险时空分异特征和演化趋势。研究结果表明：（1）2013-2019年，重庆市生态风险值呈"上升-下降"的波动趋势，综合生态风险隶属于重警等级，生态风险综合值从0.295下降到0.278，生态环境逐年好转；（2）重庆市生态风险有下降、不变、先上升后降低、先降低后上升以及一直升高5种演化趋势，分别占比39%、16%、5%、21%、24%；（3）重庆市生态风险转移分为两个方向，2013-2016年生态风险空间分异性增大，中警、轻警和无警风险等级不断向东北、东南和西部四周分散转移；2016-2019年生态风险分布格局变化较小，重警风险区在东部聚集；（4）演化趋势模拟结果表明，未来重庆市生态风险降低的区县有13个，占比34%，生态环境有向好发展的趋势；生态风险上升的区县有25个，占比66%，生态环境会有所恶化，但是恶化程度较低。将生态风险等级划分与预警演化趋势相结合，能为城市生态风险管理提供科学依据。     

In-depth Profiling and Quantification of the Lysine Acetylome in Hepatocellular Carcinoma with a Trapped Ion Mobility Mass Spectrometer

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the third most common cause of cancer-related death worldwide with limited therapeutic options. Comprehensive investigation of protein posttranslational modifications in HCC is still limited. Lysine acetylation is one of the most common types of posttranslational modification involved in many cellular processes and plays crucial roles in the regulation of cancer. In this study, we analyzed the proteome and K-acetylome in eight pairs of HCC tumors and normal adjacent tissues using a timsTOF Pro instrument. As a result, we identified 9219 K-acetylation sites in 2625 proteins, of which 1003 sites exhibited differential acetylation levels between tumors and normal adjacent tissues. Interestingly, many novel tumor-specific K-acetylation sites were characterized, for example, filamin A (K865), filamin B (K697), and cofilin (K19), suggesting altered activities of these cytoskeleton-modulating molecules, which may contribute to tumor metastasis. In addition, we observed an overall suppression of protein K-acetylation in HCC tumors, especially for enzymes from various metabolic pathways, for example, glycolysis, tricarboxylic acid cycle, and fatty acid metabolism. Moreover, the expression of deacetylase sirtuin 2 (SIRT2) was upregulated in HCC tumors, and its role of deacetylation in HCC cells was further explored by examining the impact of SIRT2 overexpression on the proteome and K-acetylome in Huh7 HCC cells. SIRT2 overexpression reduced K-acetylation of proteins involved in a wide range of cellular processes, including energy metabolism. Furthermore, cellular assays showed that overexpression of SIRT2 in HCC cells inhibited both glycolysis and oxidative phosphorylation. Taken together, our findings provide valuable information to better understand the roles of K-acetylation in HCC and to treat this disease by correcting the aberrant acetylation patterns.     

[D丙~6,脯~9乙基胺]-促黄体素释放激素LH-RHA对妊娠兔子宫内膜多聚核糖体mRNA的作用

本实验制备了非孕兔、孕兔和绐孕兔注射高剂量[D丙‘,脯’乙基胺]-促黄体素释放激素(LH-RH A)不同天数的子宫内膜多聚核糖体,并从多聚核糖体提取mRNA,在网织红细胞无细胞翻译系统中测定了活性。结果指出用LH-RH A处理后多聚核糖体mRNA量减少,其翻译活性降低,在体内实验中核糖体mRNA诱导兔子宫分秘蛋白的合成也受到抑制,特别是分子量大约为22,000和69,000左右的分泌蛋白合成受到明显抑制。     

普通小麦栽培品种丰抗13的4B—1D染色体易位的鉴定

通过细胞学观察,在普通小麦栽培品种“丰抗13”和“京红1号”的杂交后代中,发现有多价体出现,这就表明有染色体易位发生。为进一步弄清究竟是哪条染色体发生了易位,我们采用单体测交方法,观察鉴定所有各单体系F_1的花粉母细胞第一次减数分裂中期Ⅰ(以下简称PMCs中Ⅰ)染色体构型。从鉴定结果发现,凡2n=42的F_1 PMCs中Ⅰ出现19~Ⅱ 1~Ⅳ,而2n=41的F_1PMCs中Ⅰ的染色体构型不同,单体与易位有关的两个单体系4B和1D F_1 PMCs中的Ⅰ构型中有部分呈现为19个二价体加1个三价体,即19~Ⅱ 1~Ⅲ,没有单价体,而其余各单体系F_1 PMCs中Ⅰ构型则表现为18个二价体,1个四价体和1个单价体,即18~Ⅱ 1~Ⅰ 1~Ⅳ。因此,可以肯定“丰抗13”存在1个染色体易位,其有关染色体就是4B和1D。     

左旋四氢巴马汀加强电针对兔大脑皮层牙髓诱发电位的抑制作用

家兔6只,用氨基甲酸乙酯和氯醛糖麻醉,电刺激牙髓,在对侧大脑皮层体感Ⅰ区引导其诱发电位,观察诱发电位各成分与痛的关系。结果观察到,在P1、N1、P2和 N2 4个波中,P1和 P2波相对稳定。其中,P2波(波峰潜伏期:66.1±1.9ms)具有较高的阈值,且不受无镇痛作用的中枢抑制剂安定的影响,而受小剂量镇痛剂度冷丁的抑制,提示 P2波与痛有关。以 P2波的波幅为指标,进一步在12只家兔上观察了 L-THP 和电针及两者合用对诱发电位的影响。结果显示,L-THP 和电针对诱发电位均有抑制作用,且两者在作用强度和时间上存在明显的协同,提示 L-THP 具有加强电针对兔大脑皮层牙髓诱发电位中痛相关成分的抑制作用。     

Proteolytic processing of Blattella germanica vitellin during early embryo development

In the eggs of the cockroach Blattella germanica, vitellin (Vt) utilization is initiated 4 days postovulation by the proteolytic processing of its three subunits. These reactions yield a specific set of peptides that are consumed by the developing embryo. A yolk proteinase activity, believed central to this processing event, has been investigated. First expressed at day 3 postovulation, just prior to Vt's processing, its specific activity with synthetic substrates increased four-fold to 18-fold through day 6. In addition, a mixing experiment showed that these proteinases(s) can also process Vt's large subunits in vitro. A relationship between Vt processing and proteinase specific activity was also noted with two B. germanica translocation heterozygotes, which displayed differences in the extent of Vt processing. One group of eggs (group A) failed to process any Vt subunit. A second group (B) processed the M_r 102,000 subunit but not the M_r 95,000. A third group (C) processed their Vt normally. Proteinase specific activities in the yolk of translocant's eggs at day 6 mirrored the extent of processing, being highest in group C eggs and effectively absent from the yolk of group A eggs. Eggs defective in Vt processing also contained arrested embryos. It is concluded that the yolk proteinase activity described here participates in Vt processing at day 4 postovulation. Microscopic examination of yolk obtained from eggs of wild type females showed that, as processing began in vivo (day 4), the yolk granules also underwent an abrupt decrease in size from diameters of 15–30 μm to 3–10 μm. Yolk granules of those translocant's eggs that were defective in Vt processing did not undergo this size decrease, suggesting that granule reorganization and Vt proteolysis may be linked functionally.     

数种昆虫5S rRNA结构特点的比较

比较已知结构的昆虫5S rRNA的核苷酸顺序,发现同科、同目的昆虫比不同科、不同目的昆虫有较少的核苷酸差别.根据Kimura和Ohta(1972)提出的经验公式,绘制了数种昆虫的系统发育图.结果表明,从分子进化得到的结论和经典分类基本上是一致的.根据DeWachter等(1982)提出的二级结构模型,归纳分析这些昆虫5S rRNA,发现保守位点与半保守位点(同一位点仅出现二种核苷酸残基)之和几乎占整个5S rRNA分子的100%.     

陕西省棘蝇属一新种(双翅目:蝇科)

整理近年来采自我国秦岭山区的蝇科标本中,发现棘蝇属Phaonia R.-D.一新种。模式标本保存于沈阳师范学院生物系。