Ontogenetic and lung development in Tupaia belangeri during the early postnatal period

The Belanger's tree shrew (Tupaia belangeri) has an unusual reproductive strategy. The animals are born in altricial condition and remain in the nest for the first four weeks of life, nursed only once in 48 h. This is highly demanding for the constitution of the neonates. Despite their immaturity in the external appearance at birth, newborn tree shrews have to deal with the absence of the mother. We asked if the lung structure of the neonates match the high physiological requirements of this “absentee system”. To examine the lung development of nest young tree shrews, histological and ultrastructural investigations were performed. Newborn tree shrews are at the transition stage between the saccular and the alveolar stage of lung development. In addition to small saccules, the lung has alveoli and associated structures already at birth and thus appears more mature compared with typical altricial species. The results of the present study reveal that despite their immaturity in the external appearance newborn tree shrews are relatively mature in terms of lung development. This can be interpreted as a prerequisite for thermoregulatory abilities, necessary in neonate tree shrews to cope with the restricted nature of maternal care.     

昆明城郊中国树鼩群体线粒体DNA遗传多样性

由于树鼩是灵长类动物的近亲,且具有体型小、繁殖周期短、饲养管理成本低等优点,长期以来被认为有望替代灵长类动物用于人类疾病的动物模型研究.然而,目前对树鼩的群体遗传结构还知之甚少,这极大地限制了其在疾病动物模型研究的应用,也是其品系资源创制的瓶颈.本研究通过分析80只采自于云南省昆明周边地区的野生树鼩(Tupaia belangeri chinensis)线粒体DNA(mtDNA)多态性,结合国外报道的2个树鼩(Tupaia belangeri)序列比较后发现,在604 bp的mtDNA控制区片段中兵检测到29个核苷酸替代变异,这些变异共界定了13种单倍型,表现较高的群体遗传多样度.另外,昆明地区的树鼩与国外报道的2个树鼩间存在较大的遗传分化,mtDNA控制区单倍型之间的核苷酸替换数大于18个,远高于昆明地区树鼢群体内部不同单倍型之间的差异.选择含有代表性的mtDNA控制区单倍型的17个昆明地区树鼩个体进一步测定了细胞色素b基因片段(1134 bp),结合前人报道的数据分析,结果进一步支持mtDNA控制区数据反映的遗传格局及揭示的昆明地区树询与国外报道树鼩之间的明显差异.本研究结果提示,昆明地区树鼩与国外树鼩之间存在较大遗传差异,在将树鼩用于人类疾病动物模型研究中要注意这些遗传差别.昆明城郊的树鼩群体具有较高的遗传多样度,在开展近交系建立等工作时须考虑选取群体内部具有代表性的mtDNA世系.

Abstract：

Due to their special phylogenetic position in the Euarchontoglires and close affinity to primates, tree shrews have been proposed as an alternative experimental animal to primates in biomedical research. However, the population genetic structure of tree shrews has largely remained unknown and this has hindered the development of tree shrew breeding and selection. Here we sampled 80 Chinese tree shrews (Tupaia belangeri chinensis) in Kunming, China, and analyzed partial mtDNA control region sequence variation. Based on our samples and two published sequences from northern tree shrews (T. belangeri), we identified 29 substitutions in the mtDNA control region fragment (～ 604 bp)across 82 individuals and defined 13 hapiotypes. Seventeen samples were selected for sequencing of the cytochrome b (Cyt b; 1134 bp) gene based on control region sequence variation and were analyzed in combination with 34 published sequences to solidify the phylogenetic pattern obtained from control region data. Overall, tree shrews from Kunming have high genetic diversity and present a remarkable long genetic distance to the two reported northern tree shrews outside China. Our results provide some caution when using tree shrews to establish animal models because of this apparent genetic difference. In addition, the high genetic diversity of Chinese tree shrews inhabiting Kunming suggests that systematic genetic investigations should be conducted before establishing an inbred strain for medical and biological research.     

Sequence diversity of the MHC Ⅱ DRB gene in Chinese tree shrews (Tupaia belangeri chinensis)

The major histocompatibility complex (MHC) is a cluster of genes involved in vertebrate immune response regulation. MHC class I and II cell surface proteins are crucial for discrimination of self versus non-self by the adaptive immune system. Due to their special phylogenetic position within the Euarchontoglires and as a relative of primates, tree shrews have been proposed as an alternative experimental animal model for biomedical studies. However, information about the genetic structure of the tree shrew populations is largely unknown. In this study, we characterized diversity in exon 2 of the MHC II DRB gene isolated from Chinese tree shrews (Tupaia belangeri chinensis). We identified 12 different DRB exon 2 alleles from 15 Chinese tree shrews, 1 to 4 alleles were observed per individual with high levels of sequence divergence between alleles. There were more non-synonymous than synonymous substitutions in the functionally important antigen-binding site (dN/dS = 2.7952, P < 0.01), indicating that the DRB exon 2 in Chinese tree shrews has been influenced by positive selection.     

Motor Function in MPTP-Treated Tree Shrews (Tupaia belangeri chinensis)

The tree shrew, a new experimental animal model, has been used to study a variety of diseases, especially diseases of the nervous system. 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) is the gold standard for toxin-based animal models of Parkinson’s disease (PD) because MPTP treatment replicates almost all of the pathological hallmarks of PD. Therefore, in this study, the effects of MPTP on the motor function of the tree shrew were examined. After five daily injections of a 3 mg/kg dose of MPTP, the motor function of MPTP-injected tree shrews decreased significantly, and the classic Parkinsonian symptoms of action and resting tremor, bradykinesia, posture abnormalities, and gait instability were observed in most MPTP-injected tree shrews. HPLC results also showed significantly reduced striatal dopamine and 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid levels in tree shrews after MPTP injection. Increased oxidative stress levels are usually considered to be the cause of dopaminergic neuron depletion in the presence of MPTP and were observed in the substantia nigra of MPTP-treated tree shrews, as indicated by a significant reduction in superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase activity and increased levels of malondialdehyde. In addition, elevated α-synuclein mRNA levels in the midbrain of MPTP-treated tree shrews were observed. Furthermore, MPTP-treated tree shrews showed the classic Parkinsonian symptoms at a lower MPTP dosage compared with other animal models. Thus, the MPTP-treated tree shrew may be a potential animal model for studying the pathogenesis of PD.     

Hippocampal glucocorticoid receptor expression in the tree shrew: Regulation by psychosocial conflict

Summary 1. This study was conducted to determine whether chronic psychosocial conflict alters the expression of glucocorticoid receptor (GR) mRNA in the hippocampus of male tree shrews (Tupaia belangeri).2. To generate probes for thein situ hybridization, the tree shrew GR gene was partly cloned. There was a 90% homology between the deduced amino acid sequence of the cloned tree shrew GR and that of the corresponding human GR sequence.³⁵S-Labeled riboprobes which had been transcribed from the tree shrew GR clone hybridized to pyramidal neurons in all subregions of the tree shrew hippocampal formation and to granule neurons in the dentate gyrus.3. Afterin situ hybridization, the expression of GR mRNA was semiquantitatively determined by counting silver grains over single neurons of the hippocampal formation of psychosocially stressed tree shrews and control animals. After 12 days of social conflict, the number of silver grains in the CA1 and CA3 pyramidal neurons of stressed animals was significantly lower than in controls. No statistically significant differences in mRNA expression were observed in the pyramidal neurons of the subiculum and in the granule neurons of the dentate gyrus.4. The present results suggest that psychosocial stress leads to a site-specific down-regulation of hippocampal GR via modification of mRNA expression.     

树鼩脑星形胶质细胞的体外培养及纯化

本文旨在建立低等灵长类动物树鼩(Tupaia belangeri)脑星形胶质细胞(astrocyte,AS)原代培养及纯化的技术,为利用新型实验动物树鼩进行研究工作而建立体外模型。将新生树鼩大脑皮质机械分离,置于4°C冰箱20min以损伤神经元,皮质组织块用胰蛋白酶消化后制成细胞悬液,分次贴壁去除成纤维细胞,培养的混合细胞在每次换液时用0.005%胰蛋白酶轻柔漂洗去除神经元。细胞长满培养瓶底面积约70%时,用0.025%胰酶溶液静置消化,至肉眼可见一层白色薄膜从瓶底脱落时终止消化,此白色薄膜即为AS层。AS传至第三代时,用抗胶质纤维酸性蛋白(glial fibrillary acidic protein,GFAP)抗体进行免疫组织化学染色和免疫荧光染色鉴定。结果显示,本方法所得的树鼩脑AS的纯度可达98%以上。该结果提示,这种通过分次贴壁法结合差异消化的培养及纯化技术可获得高纯度的树鼩脑AS,为建立神经系统疾病新的体外细胞培养模型打下了基础。     

Role of HO-1 in the Arsenite-Induced Neurotoxicity in Primary Cultured Cortical Neurons

In the present study, the role of heme oxygenase (HO)-1 in sodium arsenite (arsenite)-induced neurotoxicity was investigated using primary cultured cortical neurons. Incubation with arsenite was found to cause cell death of primary cultured cortical neurons in concentration- and time-dependent manners. Furthermore, arsenite induced caspase 3 activation and decreased procaspase 12 levels, indicating that apoptosis is involved in the arsenite-induced neurotoxicity. The oxidative mechanism underlying arsenite-induced neurotoxicity was investigated. Western blot assay showed that arsenite significantly increased HO-1 levels, a redox-regulated protein. Co-incubation with glutathione (10 mM) attenuated arsenite-induced HO-1 elevation and caspase 3 activation, suggesting that oxidative stress is involved in the arsenite-induced neurotoxicity. The neurotoxic effects of inorganic arsenics were compared; arsenite was more potent than arsenate in inducing HO-1 expression and caspase 3 activation. Moreover, the cell viabilities of arsenite and arsenate were 60?±?2 and 99?±?2 % of control, respectively. HO-1 siRNA transfection was employed to prevent arsenite-induced HO-1 elevation. At the same time, arsenite-induced caspase 3 activation and neuronal death were attenuated in the HO-1 siRNA-transfected cells. Taken together, HO-1 appears to be neuroprotective in the arsenite-induced neurotoxicity in primary cultured cortical neurons. In addition to antioxidants, HO-1 elevation may be a neuroprotective strategy for arsenite-induced neurotoxicity.     

Evaluating the Phylogenetic Position of Chinese Tree Shrew （Tupaia belangeri chinensis） Based on Complete Mitochondrial Genome： Implication for Using Tree Shrew as an Alternative Experimental Animal to Primates in Biomedical Research

Tree shrew(Tupaia belangeri) is currently placed in Order Scandentia and has a wide distribution in Southeast Asia and Southwest China.Due to its unique characteristics,such as small body size,high brain-to-body mass ratio,short reproductive cycle and life span,and low-cost of maintenance,tree shrew has been proposed to be an alternative experimental animal to primates in biomedical research.However,there are some debates regarding the exact phylogenetic affinity of tree shrew to primates.In this study,we determined the mtDNA entire genomes of three Chinese tree shrews(T.belangeri chinensis) and one Malayan flying lemur(Galeopterus variegatus).Combined with the published data for species in Euarchonta,we intended to discern the phylogenetic relationship among representative species of Dermoptera,Scandentia and Primates.The mtDNA genomes of Chinese tree shrews and Malayan flying lemur shared similar gene organization and structure with those of other mammals.Phylogenetic analysis based on 12 concatenated mitochondrial proteinencoding genes revealed a closer relationship between species of Scandentia and Glires,whereas species of Dermoptera were clustered with Primates.This pattern was consistent with previously reported phylogeny based on mtDNA data,but differed from the one reconstructed on the basis of nuclear genes.Our result suggested that the matrilineal affinity of tree shrew to primates may not be as close as we had thought.The ongoing project for sequencing the entire genome of Chinese tree shrew will provide more information to clarify this important issue.     

Microglia enhance beta-amyloid peptide-induced toxicity in cortical and mesencephalic neurons by producing reactive oxygen species

The purpose of this study was to assess and compare the toxicity of beta-amyloid (Abeta) on primary cortical and mesencephalic neurons cultured with and without microglia in order to determine the mechanism underlying microglia-mediated Abeta-induced neurotoxicity. Incubation of cortical or mesencephalic neuron-enriched and mixed neuron-glia cultures with Abeta(1-42) over the concentration range 0.1-6.0 microm caused concentration-dependent neurotoxicity. High concentrations of Abeta (6.0 microm for cortex and 1.5-2.0 microm for mesencephalon) directly injured neurons in neuron-enriched cultures. In contrast, lower concentrations of Abeta (1.0-3.0 microm for cortex and 0.25-1.0 microm for mesencephalon) caused significant neurotoxicity in mixed neuron-glia cultures, but not in neuron- enriched cultures. Several lines of evidence indicated that microglia mediated the potentiated neurotoxicity of Abeta, including the observations that low concentrations of Abeta activated microglia morphologically in neuron-glia cultures and that addition of microglia to cortical neuron-glia cultures enhanced Abeta-induced neurotoxicity. To search for the mechanism underlying the microglia-mediated effects, several proinflammatory factors were examined in neuron-glia cultures. Low doses of Abeta significantly increased the production of superoxide anions, but not of tumor necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin-1beta or nitric oxide. Catalase and superoxide dismutase significantly protected neurons from Abeta toxicity in the presence of microglia. Inhibition of NADPH oxidase activity by diphenyleneiodonium also prevented Abeta-induced neurotoxicity in neuron-glia mixed cultures. The role of NADPH oxidase-generated superoxide in mediating Abeta-induced neurotoxicity was further substantiated by a study which showed that Abeta caused less of a decrease in dopamine uptake in mesencephalic neuron-glia cultures from NADPH oxidase-deficient mutant mice than in that from wild-type controls. This study demonstrates that one of the mechanisms by which microglia can enhance the neurotoxicity of Abeta is via the production of reactive oxygen species.     

Ultrastructure of sensorimotor cortex neurons in the progeny of rats receiving alcohol during pregnancy

Dynamics of ultrastructural changes in the sensomotor cortex neurons has been studied on the 21st, 30th and 60th days of life in offspring born by the rats given 20% alcohol (2 g/kg) during pregnancy. Moderate antenatal alcoholization produces certain disturbances in the ultrastructure of the cortical neurons and their dendrites. This is manifested as presence of retardation signs in maturation of nervous cell populations, as dystrophic changes in the neurons and their dendrites and display of reparative character with their own dynamics in the postnatal period of ontogenesis. The first two categories of the ultrastructural changes in the cortical neurons are more manifested at early stages of the postnatal development of the offspring, and the reparative processes--at the age of two months. Despite the presence of the reparative shifts, the dystrophic changes of the neurons of hypoxic character are present up to the period of sexual maturation. This demonstrates that the antenatal alcoholic intoxication in the offspring is manifested in the postnatal ontogenesis for a long time.     

Experimental chronic hepatitis B infection of neonatal tree shrews (Tupaia belangeri chinensis): A model to study molecular causes for susceptibility and disease progression to chronic hepatitis in humans

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection continues to be an escalating global health problem. Feasible and effective animal models for HBV infection are the prerequisite for developing novel therapies for this disease. The tree shrew (Tupaia) is a small animal species evolutionary closely related to humans, and thus is permissive to certain human viral pathogens. Whether tree shrews could be chronically infected with HBV in vivo has been controversial for decades. Most published research has been reported on adult tree shrews, and only small numbers of HBV infected newborn tree shrews had been observed over short time periods. We investigated susceptibility of newborn tree shrews to experimental HBV infection as well as viral clearance over a protracted time period. RESULTS: Forty-six newborn tree shrews were inoculated with the sera from HBV-infected patients or tree shrews. Serum and liver samples of the inoculated animals were periodically collected and analyzed using fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, Southern blot, and immunohistochemistry. Six tree shrews were confirmed and four were suspected as chronically HBV-infected for more than 48 (up to 228) weeks after inoculation, including three that had been inoculated with serum from a confirmed HBV-infected tree shrew. CONCLUSIONS: Outbred neonatal tree shrews can be long-term chronically infected with HBV at a frequency comparable to humans. The model resembles human disease where also a smaller proportion of infected individuals develop chronic HBV related disease. This model might enable genetic and immunologic investigations which would allow determination of underlying molecular causes favoring susceptibility for chronic HBV infection and disease establishment vs. viral clearance.     

野生和人工繁育树鼩部分生理指标检测与比较

比较野生和人工繁育树鼩的部分生理指标,为人类疾病的动物模型创制提供基本参数.血液采自昆明地区54只野生树鼩(被捕获后人工饲养1-2月)和54只子一代人工繁育树鼩.该研究首次报道在两组动物中,肌酸激酶、肌钙蛋白I、总胆汁酸、果糖胺、低密度脂蛋白胆固醇等在性别间差异无显著性;这些指标在人工繁育树鼩中的中位数(四分位数间距)依次为:1449(956)U/L、5.94(7.23)μg/L、15.6(19.7)μmol/L、393.5(80.8)μmol/L和0.36(0.32)mmol/L;在野生树鼩中依次为:986(564)U/L、4.01(4.10)μg/L、20.0(20.6)μmol/L、379.0(104.0)μmol/L和0.46(0.23)mmol/L.人工繁育树鼩生理指标表现出个体间离散程度降低趋势,但个别反映肝脏功能及心肌情况的指标表现出平均值上升,个体离散程度扩大的现象.这些生理指标为人类疾病的树鼢模型创制打下了基础.     

The tree shrews: adjuncts and alternatives to primates as models for biomedical research

The tree shrews are non-rodent, primate-like, small animals. There is increasing interest in using them to establish animal models for medical and biological research. This review focuses on the use of the tree shrews in in vivo studies on viral hepatitis, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), myopia, and psychosocial stress. Because of the susceptibility of the tree shrews (Tupaia belangeri) and their hepatocytes to infection with human hepatitis B virus (HBV) in vivo and in vitro, these animals have been used to establish human hepatitis virus-induced hepatitis and human HBV- and aflatoxin B1-associated HCC models. As these animals are phylogenetically close to primates in evolution and have a well-developed visual system and color vision in some species, they have been utilized to establish myopia models. Because dramatic behavioral, physiological, and neuroendocrine changes in subordinate male tree shrews are similar to those observed in depressed human patients, the tree shrews have been successfully employed to experimentally study psychosocial stress. However, the tree shrews holds significant promise as research models and great use could be made of these animals in biomedical research.     

树鼩肝炎动物模型的研究进展

肝炎的的大范围流行已成为国内外关注的重要公共卫生问题之一。甲肝、乙肝虽已有疫苗,但不能忽视未来由于病毒变异所带来的威胁。丙肝目前尚未发现非常有效的疫苗,且丙肝的病理学机制也尚未完全清晰,主要原因是缺乏理想的动物模型。树胸属于低等灵长类动物。研究发现,他对很多人类疾病易感,所以建立肝炎树胸动物模型成为现在肝炎研究的一个热点。本文介绍了各型肝炎主要是甲、乙、丙型肝炎研究中建立树胸动物模型的自内外进展情况及存在的问题。     

树鼩CD4全长编码序列的克隆及分子特征分析

树鼩作为多种人类疾病研究模型的可能性已受到广泛关注,但尚缺乏研究其免疫功能的基本标志以及单克隆抗体。该实验首先以树鼩外周血总RNA为材料,通过RT-PCR扩增得到长度为1365bp的树鼩CD4全长编码序列,并确定了数据库中缺失的两个片段,进而通过ClustalW等软件对其序列和分子特征进行分析,发现树鼩CD4氨基酸序列胞外和胞内域保守性较好,且与人类和猴的亲缘关系较近。虽然树鼩和人CD4分子表面大部分区域均带正电荷,但与人CD4胞外域D1相比,树鼩CD4D1结构区域表面带负电荷较多,且多出两个N-糖基化位点。这些差异对抗体的结合可能存在影响。该研究为今后树鼩CD4单克隆抗体制备及功能研究奠定了基础。     

Hypochlorous acid induces apoptosis of cultured cortical neurons through activation of calpains and rupture of lysosomes

3-Chlorotyrosine, a bio-marker of hypochlorous acid (HOCl) in vivo, was reported to be substantially elevated in the Alzheimer's disease (AD) brains. Thus, HOCl might be implicated in the development of AD. However, its effect and mechanism on neuronal cell death have not been investigated. Here, we report for the first time that HOCl treatment induces an apoptotic-necrotic continuum of concentration-dependent cell death in cultured cortical neurons. Neurotoxicity caused by an intermediate concentration of HOCl (250 microm) exhibited several biochemical markers of apoptosis in the absence of caspase activation. However, the involvement of calpains was demonstrated by data showing that calpain inhibitors protect cortical neurons from apoptosis and the formation of 145/150 kDa alpha-fodrin fragments. Moreover, an increase in cytosolic Ca2+ concentration was associated with HOCl neurotoxicity and Ca2+ channel antagonists, and Ca2+ chelators prevented cleavage of alpha-fodrin and the induction of apoptosis. Finally, we found that calpain activation ruptured lysosomes. Stabilization of lysosomes by calpain inhibitors or imidazoline drugs, as well as inhibition of cathepsin protease activities, rescued cells from HOCl-induced neurotoxicity. Our results showed for the first time that HOCl induces apoptosis in cortical neurons, and that the cell death process involves calpain activation and rupture of lysosomes.     

Molecular phylogenetic evidence confirming the Eulipotyphla concept and in support of hedgehogs as the sister group to shrews

For more than a century, living insectivore-like mammals have been viewed as little removed from the ancestral mammalian stock based on their retention of numerous primitive characteristics. This circumstance has made "insectivores" a group of special interest in the study of mammalian evolution. included hedgehogs, moles, shrews, solenodons, golden moles, tenrecs, flying lemurs, tree shrews, and elephant shrews in Insectivora. Subsequently, morphologists excluded flying lemurs, tree shrews, and elephant shrews from Insectivora and placed these taxa in the orders Dermoptera, Scandentia, and Macroscelidea, respectively. The remaining insectivores constitute Lipotyphla, which is monophyletic based on morphology. In contrast, molecular data suggest that lipotyphlans are polyphyletic, with golden moles and tenrecs placed in their own order (Afrosoricida) in the superordinal group Afrotheria. Studies based on nuclear genes support the monophyly of the remaining lipotyphlans (=Eulipotyphla) whereas mitochondrial genome studies dissociate hedgehogs from moles and place the former as the first offshoot on the placental tree. One shortcoming of previous molecular studies investigating lipotyphlan relationships is limited taxonomic sampling. Here, we evaluate lipotyphlan relationships using the largest and taxonomically most diverse data set yet assembled for Lipotyphla. Our results provide convincing support for both lipotyphlan diphyly and the monophyly of Eulipotyphla. More surprisingly, we find strong evidence for a sister-group relationship between shrews and hedgehogs to the exclusion of moles.     

慢性环境刺激对中国树鼩行为方式的影响

以中国树鼩为实验对象,采用缩小生活空间和增加同种动物个体数目或给干预的方法,观察慢性环境刺激对中国树鼩生活行为、生理生化的影响。结果发现:与对照组(大饲养笼饲养)比,生活在小饲养笼的中国树鼩的体重明显减轻,血象和胸骨骨髓象各类细胞数均显著增加,雄性树鼩出现睾丸萎缩、阴茎外露下垂、性行为减退。干预组(给利血平)的中国树鼩应激性显著降低,外界环境刺激对生活行为、角斗、体重、血象和胸骨骨髓象各类细胞数、性器官及性行为影响较小。     

自发性树鼩乳腺肿瘤的特性(英文)

乳腺癌是严重危害女性健康的常见恶性肿瘤,建立合适的乳腺癌动物模型对于研究人类乳腺癌的生物学机制及发展新的防治方法至关重要。相对于常用的啮齿类动物,树鼩(Tupaia belangeri chinensis,tree shrew)因在进化层次上更接近于人类而可用于建立更适合的乳腺癌模型。该文详细了介绍一例树鼩自发性乳头状良性乳腺肿瘤。免疫组化结果显示该例肿瘤孕激素受体阳性且Ki-67阳性细胞比例显著增加;而活化的Caspase3阳性细胞比例较低;且肿瘤的形态和病理与人导管内乳头状肿瘤非常接近。提示利用树鼩建立乳腺肿瘤模型的可行性。