The art of cobbling a running pump—Will human embryonic stem cells mend broken hearts?

The heart is one of the least regenerative organs in the body, and highly vulnerable to the increasing incidence of cardiovascular diseases in an aging world population. Cell-based approaches aimed at cardiac repair have recently caused great public excitement. But clinical trials of patients’ own skeletal myoblasts or bone marrow cells for transplantation have been disappointing. Human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) form bona fide cardiomyocytes in vitro which are readily generated in mass culture and are being tested in animal models of heart damage. The early results, while encouraging, underscore that much remains to be done. This review focuses on the many challenges that remain before hESCs-mediated repair of the human heart becomes a reality.     

Morphological and phylogenetic studies of Cytospora (Valsaceae,Diaporthales) isolates from Chinese scholar tree,with description of a new species

Cytospora species are the most serious and widespread pathogens associated with canker disease on multiple plants. In this study, three species, i.e., Cytospora sophoricola, C. chrysosperma, and C. sophorae, which were isolated from Sophora in China, are described and illustrated based on their morphological characteristics and phylogenetic analyses. Cytospora sophoricola was distinguished clearly by its larger disc, multiple ostioles, cystic and multiple locules, and specific cultural characteristics, i.e., protruding fruiting bodies. Maximum parsimony and maximum likelihood analysis showed that it did not cluster with any known species of Cytospora, so it is described as a new species. Cytospora sophorae is a previously reported species from Sophora, which is redescribed based on new isolates and additional observations. Another species was identified as C. chrysosperma, which is reported for the first time on Sophora, so Papilionaceae is shown to be a new host family for C. chrysosperma. The morphological affinities of these species with related taxa are discussed, while the phylogenetic relationships of these species with other fungus in the genus Cytospora were elucidated based on their internal transcribed spacer (ITS) rRNA region sequences.     

The human vocal cord surface

Summary The effect of phenylthiourea (PTU) on the pigment epithelium and the photoreceptor cells in the developing retina of Haplochromis burtoni was studied by electron microscopy. In the retinal pigment epithelium of 6-day old embryos, both types of melanin granule (spindle-shaped and rod-shaped) are already found. PTU inhibits the biosynthesis of melanin but does not influence the formation of premelanosomes so that in PTU-treated embryos there are no melanosomes, but an abundance of premelanosomes. The structure of the premelanosomes is described. It differs completely from that of all other vertebrates. Other changes: an increase in polysomes, retarded development of the inner segment of the photoreceptor cells and enlargement of the intercellular space between the inner and outer leaflet of the retina, may be due to a toxic effect of PTU.This investigation was supported by grants of the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft     

CXCR4基因转染人脐带间充质干细胞移植治疗糖尿病肾病的实验研究

摘要 目的：探讨过表达CXCR4的人脐带间充质干细胞（human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cell, hUC-MSCs）移植后对糖尿病肾病的治疗作用。方法：构建CXCR4的慢病毒表达载体，并建立过表达 CXCR4 的人脐带间充质干细胞（CXCR4-MSCs）。采用8周龄健康雌性SD大鼠75只，其中15只为正常对照组，60只为实验组。实验组糖尿病成模后一个月，将糖尿病实验大鼠60只随机分为4组：①移植CXCR4-MSCs组(CXCR4基因转染MSCs组)，即CXCR4组；②移植null-MSCs组(空质粒未转染CXCR4基因的MSCs组)，即null-MSCs；③移植MSCs组( MSCs组)；④PBS组(未移植任何的MSCs，单纯PBS注射，PBS组)。将CXCR4-MSCs、null-MSCs及MSCs消化离心，取含1×106个细胞悬液经尾静脉分别注入CXCR4-MSCs组、null-MSCs组及MSCs组大鼠体内，PBS组注射l mL PBS。干细胞治疗8周后，处死五组大鼠。各组大鼠处死前放代谢笼留取24 h尿，计算尿量，保存送检。处死前尾静脉采血检测血糖、称体重并记录。观察血糖、肾脏肥大指数、肾重、体重、24小时尿蛋白排泄量，并观察肾脏组织病理学改变。结果：60只SD雌性大鼠糖尿病模型成功率达100％，至实验8周糖尿病大鼠总共死亡14只，存活率达76.67％。实验开始后的8周，所有CXCR4组、Null-MSCs组、MSCs组、PBS组大鼠与正常组比较，体重均明显减轻(P<0.01)，血糖明显升高(P<0.01)。MSCs治疗后8周，除正常组外，其余各组大鼠血糖、肾重、肾重/体重比、24小时尿蛋白均显著增高，体重显著降低(P<0.05)；与PBS组相比，CXCR4组、null-MSCs组，MSCs组大鼠的肾重、肾重/体重比、24小时尿蛋白均明显降低(P<0.05)，体重无明显增加，血糖无明显降低(P>0.05)。CXCR4组大鼠的肾重、肾重/体重比、24小时尿蛋白较除正常组外的各组均明显降低(P<0.05)。糖尿病成模后，给予大鼠尾静脉注射干细胞悬液或等量培养液，注射后8周，除正常组外，其余各组PAS染色可见大鼠肾小球肥大，肾小球基底膜增厚、系膜增生、系膜基质增多，部分肾小球出现明显硬化，符合糖尿病肾病中期病理表现。CXCR4组大鼠肾小球系膜基质增生较其余各组大鼠减少(P<0.05)。结论：转染CXCR4的MSCs可改善糖尿病肾病。     

Activation of the Transcription Factor FosB/Activating Protein-1 (AP-1) Is a Prominent Downstream Signal of the Extracellular Nucleotide Receptor P2RX7 in Monocytic and Osteoblastic Cells

Activation of the ionotropic P2RX7 nucleotide receptor by extracellular ATP has been implicated in modulating inflammatory disease progression. Continuous exposure of P2RX7 to ligand can result in apoptosis in many cell types, including monocytic cells, whereas transient activation of P2RX7 is linked to inflammatory mediator production and the promotion of cell growth. Given the rapid hydrolysis of ATP in the circulation and interstitial space, transient activation of P2RX7 appears critically important for its action, yet its effects on gene expression are unclear. The present study demonstrates that short-term stimulation of human and mouse monocytic cells as well as mouse osteoblasts with P2RX7 agonists substantially induces the expression of several activating protein-1 (AP-1) members, particularly FosB. The potent activation of FosB after P2RX7 stimulation is especially noteworthy considering that little is known concerning the role of FosB in immunological regulation. Interestingly, the magnitude of FosB activation induced by P2RX7 stimulation appears greater than that observed with other known inducers of FosB expression. In addition, we have identified a previously unrecognized role for FosB in osteoblasts with respect to nucleotide-induced expression of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), which is the rate-limiting enzyme in prostaglandin biosynthesis from arachidonic acid and is critical for osteoblastic differentiation and immune behavior. The present studies are the first to link P2RX7 action to FosB/AP-1 regulation in multiple cell types, including a role in nucleotide-induced COX-2 expression, and support a role for FosB in the control of immune and osteogenic function by P2RX7.     

Anomalous segregations at the Sr6 locus for stem rust resistance in wheat

The action of the gene Sr6 for stem rust resistance in wheat is affected by temperature, light, and the particular susceptible parent with which a line carrying Sr6 has been crossed. Two experiments were carried out to determine whether the effect of the susceptible parents was due to modifier genes, the general genetic background, or interallelic interactions. The data indicated that the susceptible parents carried different sr6 alleles that interacted with Sr6, possibly in a paramutation-like process. In the course of the study, a number of anomalous results were obtained that may be due to the action of transposable elements. Received: 18 February 2000 / Accepted: 31 October 2000