灵长类动物胫神经和腓总神经损伤再生规律的研究

目的:研究灵长类动物胫神经和腓总神经再生能力差异。方法:健康成年恒河猴16只,分为A、B两组,每组8只,使用刀片切割完全损伤胫神经和腓总神经,后立即予神经外膜缝合,在术后3周、8周分别取A、B组胫神经和腓总神经吻合口远、近端神经组织行Luxol Fast Blue染色,观察胫神经和腓总神经远端、近端轴突数目,计算轴突密度,远端轴突密度/近端轴突密度为神经再生通过率。结果:术后3周和8周时,胫神经和腓总神经相比,胫神经在远端轴突密度、神经通过率等指标上,胫神经愈后优于腓总神经(P0.05)。结论:坐骨神经神经损伤修复后,胫神经轴突通过吻合口的通过率较腓总神经高,吻合口远端有更多的神经轴突,其靶器官有更多的神经纤维支配,这是导致坐骨神经损伤修复后胫神经功能恢复较腓总神经功能恢复好的重要原因之一。     

MicroRNA调控小胶质细胞极化在神经系统疾病中的作用和机制研究进展

小胶质细胞是定居于中枢神经系统的巨噬细胞,其激活介导的免疫炎症反应在多种神经系统疾病的病理进程中均扮演极其重要的角色。激活的小胶质细胞存在M1和M2两种形态、功能显著不同的极化类型。M1型细胞主要发挥杀菌和促炎作用,M2型细胞则具有抗炎和促进神经修复等功能。越来越多的证据表明,micro RNA(mi RNA)在不同极化状态的小胶质细胞中表达模式存在明显差异,mi RNA可以调控小胶质细胞的极化过程,并进一步影响神经疾病的病理进展。充分阐明疾病发病过程中小胶质细胞的极化亚型及其mi RNA调节机制,有助于深入认识小胶质细胞参与神经系统疾病发病的免疫病理机制,为寻找更加有效的神经疾病治疗新靶点提供理论依据。     

趋化因子及其受体在神经系统发育中的作用

趋化因子是具有趋化作用的一类细胞因子,参与白细胞迁移的调控,在炎症中诱导性表达,与炎症过程密切相关,最初的研究主要局限于免疫系统。近几年来研究发现,趋化因子不仅参与神经系统疾病的炎症过程,而且在神经细胞成熟、发育等生理情况下组成性表达,发挥重要的生理调节作用,这一有趣的现象日益成为关注的焦点。本文主要针对趋化因子及其受体在神经系统发育中的作用及相关机制的研究成果予以综述,将有助于深入理解趋化因子与神经系统发育的关系,为进一步的研究提供依据。     

一氧化氮在神经系统中的作用

一氧化氮可能作为一种“气体性”的信使分子在神经系统中发挥作用,它既可能参与神经细胞间的信息传递,又可能参与多种神经系统疾病的病理过程。对一氧化氮作用机理的研究不仅有可能阐明许多过去未能解释的生理现象,而且有可能为防治许多疾病提供新的思路和手段。     

神经退变和再生过程中郎氏结构筑的变化

将夹伤的大鼠坐骨神经分离成单根纤维,在光镜、扫描和透射电镜下观察伤后９８天内郎氏结的构筑变化。发现损伤使细胞器的轴浆转运阻断,积累的退变细胞器使结区的轴突外凸,郎氏结构构筑变形,髓鞘板层失序,轴膜崩解,积累的细胞器逸出,并看到仅残存的郎氏结近心端构筑、由近心端的母体神经和远心端的再生神经共同构筑的新生郎氏结,以及新生郎氏结构的发育过程等特征性图象。再生轴突中转运的微管等细胞器和施旺细胞中富含的线粒     

糖皮质激素在神经系统发育中的作用

在神经系统的早期发育阶段,糖 皮质激素可通过影响下丘脑－垂体－肾上腺（ＨＰＡ）轴的活动,并经由糖 皮质激素受体介导对神经元和神经胶质的存活、分化、生长和凋亡过程进行调节;在成年阶段,糖皮质激素对与神经元可塑性相关的因子进行调节,从而影响神经元的可塑性变化;在老年阶段,过量的糖皮质激素对神经元更多地产生危害作用。因此,糖皮质激素对神经元的发育起着重要的调节作用。     

性类固醇激素及其受体在文昌鱼性腺和神经系统中的分布

首次用雌二醇,睾酮及孕酮受体的多克隆抗体在文昌鱼性腺,脑泡和神经管中进行免疫细胞化学定位研究,结果表明,不同发育时期的卵原细胞和卵母细胞中都存在雌激素,雄激素和孕激素受体,在小生长期,3种受体通常定位在卵原细胞和早期初级卵母细胞的胞质或核膜,在大生长期和成熟期,则定位在胞质和核质,在雄性,3种类固醇激素受体分布在不同发育时期的精原细胞,精母细胞和精子细胞（雌激素受体例外）中,受体阳性物定位在胞质和核,另外,用免疫细胞化学方法和性类固醇激素抗体对文昌鱼不同发育时期的性腺和神经系统进行研究,结果揭示,免疫阳性物存在于不同发育时期的卵巢和精巢中,在卵巢发育是上期,卵原细胞和卵母细胞的胸质和核仁膜对紫二醇,睾酮和孕酮抗体显示强或中等强度免疫阳性反应,在大生长期和成熟期,卵母细胞胞质和核仁膜对睾酮和孕酮抗体的免疫阳性反应明显减弱,而对雌二醇则显著增强,在雄性,随着精原细胞和精母细胞对孕酮抗体发生强的免疫阳性反应,在成熟期则对雌二醇抗体发生免疫阴性反应,精子始终为免疫阴性,本文研究首次发现,文昌鱼脑泡和神经管中存在哺乳动物神经旮体激素样免疫阳性神经细胞及其纤维,免疫阳性物分布在神经细胞胸质,核显阴性反应,这些结果为证明文昌鱼性类固醇激素参与调节性腺发育成熟和生殖内分泌调控轴的功能成熟提供重要的形态学新证据。     

混沌在神经系统中的作用

随着非线性动力学的发展,发现神经的不规则电活动具有确定混沌特性。混沌广泛地存在于神经系统,神经元的混沌电活动对神经元的生理功能必不可少,服电的混沌活动特性与大脑的功能状态密切相关,在大脑正常状态下脑电混沌活动的维数、李雅普指数、复杂度等指标较高;而在服功能受损的病理状态下,上述混沌指标降低。混沌在神经系统中起着重要的作用。     

大麻素在神经系统中的作用

自内源性大麻素系统发现以来,越来越多的研究表明大麻素对神经系统具有广泛的生理作用和临床应用价值.大麻素可以在脊髓、脊髓上及外周多个水平参与对痛觉的调制.同时,大麻素对运动功能、学习和记忆、神经内分泌等具有调制作用,也有研究表明大麻素对神经细胞具有保护作用.本文对大麻素在神经系统中的作用及其机制的研究进展作一简要介绍.     

Altered microRNA expression patterns in irradiated hematopoietic tissues suggest a sex-specific protective mechanism

To investigate involvement of miRNAs in radiation responses we used microRNAome profiling to analyze the sex-specific response of radiation sensitive hematopoietic lymphoid tissues. We show that radiation exposure resulted in a significant and sex-specific deregulation of microRNA expression in murine spleen and thymus tissues. Among the regulated miRNAs, we found that changes in expression of miR-34a and miR-7 may be involved in important protective mechanisms counteracting radiation cytotoxicity. We observed a significant increase in the expression of tumor-suppressor miR-34a, paralleled by a decrease in the expression of its target oncogenes NOTCH1, MYC, E2F3 and cyclin D1. Additionally, we show that miR-7 targets the lymphoid-specific helicase LSH, a pivotal regulator of DNA methylation and genome stability. While miR-7 was significantly down-regulated LSH was significantly up-regulated. These cellular changes may constitute an attempt to counteract radiation-induced hypomethylation. Tissue specificity of miRNA responses and possible regulation of miRNA expression upon irradiation are discussed.     

Arctiin blocks hydrogen peroxide-induced senescence and cell death though microRNA expression changes in human dermal papilla cells

Background

Accumulating evidence indicates that reactive oxygen species (ROS) are an important etiological factor for the induction of dermal papilla cell senescence and hair loss, which is also known alopecia. Arctiin is an active lignin isolated from Arctium lappa and has anti-inflammation, anti-microbial, and anti-carcinogenic effects. In the present study, we found that arctiin exerts anti-oxidative effects on human hair dermal papilla cells (HHDPCs).

Results

To better understand the mechanism, we analyzed the level of hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂)-induced cytotoxicity, cell death, ROS production and senescence after arctiin pretreatment of HHDPCs. The results showed that arctiin pretreatment significantly inhibited the H₂O₂-induced reduction in cell viability. Moreover, H₂O₂-induced sub-G1 phase accumulation and G2 cell cycle arrest were also downregulated by arctiin pretreatment. Interestingly, the increase in intracellular ROS mediated by H₂O₂ was drastically decreased in HHDPCs cultured in the presence of arctiin. This effect was confirmed by senescence associated-beta galactosidase (SA-β-gal) assay results; we found that arctiin pretreatment impaired H₂O₂-induced senescence in HHDPCs. Using microRNA (miRNA) microarray and bioinformatic analysis, we showed that this anti-oxidative effect of arctiin in HHDPCs was related with mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and Wnt signaling pathways.

Conclusions

Taken together, our data suggest that arctiin has a protective effect on ROS-induced cell dysfunction in HHDPCs and may therefore be useful for alopecia prevention and treatment strategies.     

植物microRNA与逆境响应研究进展

MieroRNA(miRNA)是一类在生物体内普遍存在的非编码、长度约16～29 nt的小分子RNA,由内源基因编码,于转录后水平通过介导靶mRNA降解或翻译抑制调控基因表达,是真核细胞基因表达的重要调控因子.随着生物信息学与研究技术的发展,越来越多的植物miRNA得到预测和验证.逆境胁迫下,植物体诱导或下调相关miRNA表达,参与植物逆境生理调节与适应.文章综述了植物miRNA生物合成、与靶基因的作用方式,生物功能以及逆境胁迫响应miRNA,概要介绍了目前常用的miRNA研究方法.     

Altered microRNA expression in bovine subcutaneous and visceral adipose tissues from cattle under different diet

Background

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of molecular regulators found to participate in numerous biological processes, including adipogenesis in mammals. This study aimed to evaluate the differences of miRNA expression between bovine subcutaneous (backfat) and visceral fat depots (perirenal fat) and the dietary effect on miRNA expression in these fat tissues.

Methodology/Principal Findings

Fat tissues were collected from 16 Hereford×Aberdeen Angus cross bred steers (15.5 month old) fed a high-fat diet (5.85% fat, n = 8) or control diet (1.95% fat, n = 8). Total RNA from each animal was subjected to miRNA microarray analysis using a customized Agilent miRNA microarray containing 672 bovine miRNA probes. Expression of miRNAs was not equal between fat depots as well as diets: 207 miRNAs were detected in both fat depots, while 37 of these were found to be tissue specific; and 169 miRNAs were commonly expressed under two diets while 75 were diet specific. The number of miRNAs detected per animal fed the high fat diet was higher than those fed control diet (p = 0.037 in subcutaneous fat and p = 0.002 visceral fat). Further qRT-PCR analysis confirmed that the expression of some miRNAs was highly influenced by diet (miR-19a, -92a, -92b, -101, -103, -106, -142–5p, and 296) or fat depot (miR-196a and -2454).

Conclusions/Significance

Our results revealed that the miRNA may differ among adipose depots and level of fat in the diet, suggesting that miRNAs may play a role in the regulation of bovine adipogenesis.     

Specific functions of Drosophila amyloid precursor-like protein in the development of nervous system and nonneural tissues

Drosophila amyloid precursor-like protein (APPL) is expressed extensively in the nervous system soon after neuronal differentiation. By utilizing different transgenic flies, we studied the physiological function of two APPL protein forms, membrane-bound form (mAPPL) and secreted form (sAPPL), in neural development. We found that neither deletion nor overexpression of APPL protein altered the gross structure of mushroom bodies in the adult brain. No changes were detected in cell types and their relative ration in embryo-derived cultures from all APPL mutants. However, the neurite length was significantly increased in mutants overexpressing mAPPL. In addition, mutants lacking sAPPL had numerous neurite branches with abnormal lamellate membrane structures (LMSs) and blebs, while no apoptosis was detected in these neurons. The abnormal neurite morphology was most likely due to the disorganization of the cytoskeleton, as shown by double staining of actin filaments and microtubules. Electrophysiologically, A-type K+ current was significantly enhanced, and spontaneous excitatory postsynaptic potentials (sEPSPs) were greatly increased in APPL mutants lacking sAPPL. Moreover, panneural overexpression of different forms of APPL protein generated different defects of wings and cuticle in adult flies. Taken together, our results suggest that both mAPPL and sAPPL play essential roles in the development of the central nervous system and nonneural tissues.