Techniques for Studying Adipocytes

Various fixatives as well as tissue and slide handling procedures have been evaluated in attempts to demonstrate adipocytes histochemically while maintaining cell and tissue integrity. The optimal procedure for analysis of immature adipose depots consists of the following steps: 1) fresh, unfixed tissues are frozen rapidly in isopentane quenched in a liquid nitrogen bath; 2) cryostat sections are cut, removed from the knife with a room temperature slide, and then air dried for 5-10 minutes; 3) slides can be stained directly with picro-Ponceau or toluidine blue procedures or with oil red O following fixation for 30 minutes in cold (4 C) 10% formalin-CaCl₂ (1.25%). For analysis of mature rat adipose depots steps 2 and 3 are modified as follows: 2) cryostat sections are removed from the knife with a cold slide (-20 C) and dried for 30 minutes at 4 C; 3) the mounted sections are stained with oil red O following fixation for 30 minutes in cold (4 C) 10% formalin-HgCl₂ (2.5%). When procedures described above for immature adipose depots are combined with esterase fining, adipocyte cytoplasm is clearly demonstrated. These procedures allow the routine use of fresh frozen, unfixed cryostat sections in studies of adipose cellularity.     

Establishment of a Reverse Genetics System for Studying Human Bocavirus in Human Airway Epithelia

Human bocavirus 1 (HBoV1) has been identified as one of the etiological agents of wheezing in young children with acute respiratory-tract infections. In this study, we have obtained the sequence of a full-length HBoV1 genome (including both termini) using viral DNA extracted from a nasopharyngeal aspirate of an infected patient, cloned the full-length HBoV1 genome, and demonstrated DNA replication, encapsidation of the ssDNA genome, and release of the HBoV1 virions from human embryonic kidney 293 cells. The HBoV1 virions generated from this cell line-based production system exhibits a typical icosahedral structure of approximately 26 nm in diameter, and is capable of productively infecting polarized primary human airway epithelia (HAE) from the apical surface. Infected HAE showed hallmarks of lung airway-tract injury, including disruption of the tight junction barrier, loss of cilia and epithelial cell hypertrophy. Notably, polarized HAE cultured from an immortalized airway epithelial cell line, CuFi-8 (originally derived from a cystic fibrosis patient), also supported productive infection of HBoV1. Thus, we have established a reverse genetics system and generated the first cell line-based culture system for the study of HBoV1 infection, which will significantly advance the study of HBoV1 replication and pathogenesis.     

近红外光谱技术在运动脑功能研究中的应用

近红外光谱是一种评估生物组织氧合水平的无创性光学技术,这一技术以血液动力学原理为基础,能实时监测局部脑区的动态变化。近红外光谱作为一种客观的测量工具,在人体运动科学领域广泛运用。近红外光谱技术可用于区别体能水平、监控耐力训练和抗阻训练过程特征以及考察运动中的认知活动变化。本文综述了近红外光谱技术原理及其在抗阻运动、运动中枢疲劳和运动认知领域的运用,并对近红外光谱在运动科学领域的未来研究趋向作了分析。     

Apelin Attenuates Oxidative Stress in Human Adipocytes

It has been recently recognized that the increased oxidative stress (ROS overproduction) in obese condition is a key contributor to the pathogenesis of obesity-associated metabolic diseases. Apelin is an adipocytokine secreted by adipocytes, and known for its anti-obesity and anti-diabetic properties. In obesity, both oxidative stress and plasma level of apelin are increased. However, the regulatory roles of apelin on oxidative stress in adipocytes remain unknown. In the present study, we provide evidence that apelin, through its interaction with apelin receptor (APJ), suppresses production and release of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in adipocytes. This is further supported by the observations that apelin promotes the expression of anti-oxidant enzymes via MAPK kinase/ERK and AMPK pathways, and suppresses the expression of pro-oxidant enzyme via AMPK pathway. We further demonstrate that apelin is able to relieve oxidative stress-induced dysregulations of the expression of anti- and pro-oxidant enzymes, mitochondrial biogenesis and function, as well as release of pro- and anti-inflammatory adipocytokines. This study, for the first time, reveals the antioxidant properties of apelin in adipocytes, and suggests its potential as a novel therapeutic target for metabolic diseases.     

人源microRNA分子表达库的构建

microRNA(miRNA)是一类长度为22nt左右的单链非编码小RNA分子,通过与靶mRNA分子结合而沉默其表达.目前,虽然在多种生物中发现了大量的miRNA,但对它们的功能还知之甚少.为了深入研究miRNA的功能,构建了一个包括170多种人源miRNA表达载体的miRNA分子表达库,并对部分表达载体采用RNA印迹及双荧光素酶分析技术进行验证.实验证明:这些miRNA表达载体在HEK-293细胞内可以高水平表达miRNA前体和成熟的miRNA,并且能抑制含有相应靶位点的报告基因的表达.这些结果表明:该miRNA表达库可以表达功能miRNA,并可用于miRNA功能的筛选和研究.     

Real-Time Monitoring of miRNA Function in Pancreatic Cell Lines Using Recombinant AAV-Based miRNA Asensors

Background

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are reportedly involved in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) development. Current methods do not allow us to reliably monitor miRNA function. Asensors are adeno-associated virus (AAV) vector miRNA sensors for real-time consecutive functional monitoring of miRNA profiling in living cells.

Methods

miR-200a, -200b, -21, -96, -146a, -10a, -155, and -221 in three PDAC cell lines (BxPC-3, CFPAC-1, SW1990), pancreatic epithelioid carcinoma cells (PANC-1), and human pancreatic nestin-expressing cells (hTERT-HPNE) were monitored by Asensors. Subsequently, the real-time consecutive functional profile of all miRNAs was evaluated.

Results

Selected miRNAs were detectable in all cell lines with high sensitivity and reproducibility. In the three PDAC cell lines, BxPC-3, CFPAC-1, and SW1990, the calibrated signal unit of the eight miRNAs Asensors was significantly lower than that of the Asensor control. However, in PANC-1 cells, miR-200a and -155 showed upregulation of target gene expression at 24 hours after infection with the sensors; at 48 hours, miR-200b and -155 displayed upregulation of reporter expression; and at 72 hours, reporter gene expression was upregulated by miR-200a and -200b. The result that miRNA could upregulate gene expression was further confirmed in miR-155 of hTERT-HPNE cells. Furthermore, miRNA activity varied among cell/tissue types and time.

Conclusion

It is possible that miRNA participates in the pathophysiology of pancreatic cancer, but the current popular methods do not accurately reveal the real-time miRNA function. Thus, this report provided a convenient, accurate, and sensitive approach to miRNA research.     

microRNA在人类免疫缺陷病毒感染中的作用

microRNA(miRNA)对调控基因表达有着重要作用,病毒与宿主在miRNA水平存在着复杂的"对话"。研究显示,人类免疫缺陷病毒(HIV)可能编码病毒miRNA(vmiRNA),通过维持病毒潜伏、保护感染细胞免于凋亡或外力刺激下的细胞死亡等方式,在HIV病理过程中发挥重要作用。宿主miRNA则参与到了抗HIV的防御性机制中,但也面临HIV调控相应宿主miRNA、编码RNA沉默抑制物等多种阻力。深入研究HIV与宿主间miRNA水平上的动态相互作用,有助于进一步了解HIV的致病机理,开发新的治疗策略。     

适合于miRNA的荧光定量PCR优化体系的建立及其标准

实时荧光定量PCR是目前基因表达量差异分析的首选方法之一。虽然其操作简单,但如何保证其定量结果的可信度一直是个难题,特别是针对只有20多个碱基的miRNA的定量分析。本研究以水稻miR408在不同组织中的表达差异为实例,系统地优化和阐述了有关荧光定量的新标准及要求。结果表明,引物的浓度对于荧光定量PCR体系的优化至关重要。     

MicroRNAs在棕色脂肪细胞分化过程中的作用

MicroRNA(miRNA)是一种非编码的小分子RNA,负性调控转录后基因表达。miRNA在个体时序性发育、细胞增殖分化和凋亡、器官发育、脂肪代谢等许多生物发育过程中起着重要作用。近年来对miRNA的研究证实,miRNA直接或间接影响棕色脂肪组织发育过程中重要转录因子的表达。综述了miRNA调节棕色脂肪细胞分化的最新研究进展。     

Lipofection strategy for the study of Xenopus retinal development

The analysis of gene function during retinal development can be addressed by perturbing gene expression either by inhibition or by overexpression in desired regions and at defined stages of development. An in vivo lipofection strategy has been applied for stage-specific and region-specific expression of genes in Xenopus retina. Due to colipofection efficiency, this strategy enables us to study functional interaction of genes by lipofecting multiple expression constructs. This lipofection technique also allows us to transfect morpholino oligonucleotides into retinoblasts to block gene function. We present here various aspects of this technique, including recent improvements and modifications.     

Transgenic Rabbit Models for Studying Human Cardiovascular Diseases

Cardiovascular diseases involve the heart or blood vessels and remain a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in developed countries. A variety of animal models have been used to study cardiovascular diseases and have contributed to our understanding of their pathophysiology and treatment. However, mutations or abnormal expression of specific genes play important roles in the pathophysiology of some heart diseases, for which a closely similar animal model often is not naturally available. With the advent of techniques for specific genomic modification, several transgenic and knockout mouse models have been developed for cardiovascular conditions that result from spontaneous mutations. However, mouse and human heart show marked electrophysiologic differences. In addition, cardiac studies in mouse models are extremely difficult because of their small heart size and fast heart rate. Therefore, larger genetically engineered animal models are needed to overcome the limitations of the mouse models. This review summarizes the transgenic rabbit models that have been developed to study cardiovascular diseases.Abbreviations: APD, action potential duration; apo, apolipoprotein; LCAT, lecithin-cholesterol acyltransferase; LPL, lipoprotein lipase; LQT, long QT; MHC, myosin heavy chain; MMP, matrix metalloproteinaseSince the generation of the first transgenic rabbit was reported in 1985,^25,64 transgenic rabbit lines have been established and used as animal models for a variety of human diseases, especially cardiovascular diseases. Although transgenic and knockout mice are predominantly used as models for many human diseases, the causative mutations of some human diseases do not lead to corresponding pathologic changes in mice.⁷ In addition, whereas the major myosin heavy chain (MHC) in rodents is α-MHC, β-MHC is predominantly expressed in larger mammals, including rabbits and humans.^15,43 Moreover, rats and mice are considered inappropriate for modeling cardiac ion channel disorders such as long QT (LQT) syndrome because the ionic mechanisms of repolarization in adult rats and mice differ from those in larger species, including humans.⁵² In addition, various techniques—such as those for studies of the LQT syndrome and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy—are difficult to apply to mice due to their small size and phylogenetic features.^10,40,48,52 Alternatively, because of their intermediate size between rodents and farm animals, rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) are well-suited to various physiologic manipulations; these attributes have made rabbits appealing models of diverse human diseases. Since the generation of transgenic rabbits that overexpressed hepatic lipase,²¹ transgenic rabbits have often been generated for use as models of cardiovascular diseases, including atherosclerosis, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, and LQT syndrome. The current review focuses on recent publications involving transgenic rabbit models of human cardiovascular diseases.     

Weak Functional Coupling of the Melanocortin-1 Receptor Expressed in Human Adipocytes

The melanocortin (MC) receptor type-1 (MC1-R) is the only one of the five MC receptor subtypes expressed in human adipose tissue explants, human mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), and MSC-derived adipocytes. Following our recent expression studies (Obesity 2007, 15, 40–49), we now investigated the functional role of MC1-R in these tissues and cells to deduce the coupling state of MC1-R to intracellular output signals in human fat cells and tissue. Expression of MC1-R by undifferentiated and differentiated MSCs was quantified by real-time TaqMan PCR. Intracellular output signals (cAMP, lipolysis, secretion of IL-6, IL-10, and TNF-α), as well as effects on the metabolic rate and proliferation of human MSCs were analyzed by standard assays, exposing undifferentiated and differentiated MSCs and, in part, human adipose tissue explants to the potent MC1-R agonist, [Nle⁴, D-Phe⁷]-α -MSH (NDP-MSH). This agonist induced a weak cAMP signal in MSC-derived adipocytes. However, it did not affect lipolysis in these cells or in adipose tissue explants, nor did it modulate cytokine release and mRNA expression of IL-6, IL-8, and TNF-α upon LPS stimulation. In undifferentiated MSCs, NDP-MSH did not alter the metabolic rate, but it showed a significant antiproliferative effect. Therefore, it appears that MC1-R–effector coupling in (differentiated) human adipocytes is too weak to induce a regulatory effect on lipolysis or inflammation; by contrast, MC1-R stimulation in undifferentiated MSCs induces an inhibitory signal on cell proliferation.     

在结肠癌细胞中RNA干扰TGFBR2慢病毒载体的构建及其功能的初步研究

目的:构建TGFBR2基因的RNA干扰慢病毒载体,为研究该基因在结肠癌细胞中的作用奠定基础.方法:合成TGFBR2基因特异性RNAi靶序列,与pcDNATM6.2-GW/EmGFP-miR载体连接,构建干扰载体并鉴定.与TGFBR2质粒共转染HEK293细胞,qRT-PCR和Western blot方法筛选最佳干扰序列,感染SW480细胞.10ng/ml TGF-β1和20ng/ml TNF-a共作用TGFBR2干扰后的SW480细胞和未干扰组细胞72h后,通过细胞侵袭试验计算细胞侵袭数目.结果:成功构建TGFBR2的RNA干扰载体,第4组序列效果最佳,感染SW480后,TGFBR2基因的mRNA表达抑制率为78.45％.TNF-a和TGF-β1处理干扰前后的SW480细胞,通过细胞侵袭试验显示各组细胞迁移的数目:干扰组为89.3±7.9,未干扰组为15.1±8.2,干扰组细胞明显多于对照组(P＜0.01).结论:成功构建人TGFBR2基因特异性的慢病毒干扰载体,并建立稳定的细胞株,为预防和干预结肠癌的早期转移奠定基础.初步提示在TGF-β1和TNF-a因子存在的炎症微环境中,TGFBR2基因突变的结肠癌细胞更具有侵袭性.     

Human Bone Marrow Is Comprised of Adipocytes with Specific Lipid Metabolism

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The Role of Calcium in Differentiation of Human Adipose-Derived Stem Cells to Adipocytes

Differentiation process of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) into adipocyte is involved in obesity. Multiple factors such as Ca²⁺ play important roles in different stages of this process. Because of the complicated roles of Ca²⁺ in adipogenesis, the aim of present investigation was to study the influx and efflux of Ca²⁺ into and out of the cells during adipogenesis. Adipose-derived MSCs were used to differentiate into adipocytes. MSCs were exposed to 2.5 mM Ca²⁺ or 1.8 mM Ca²⁺ plus calcium ionophore, A23187, for 3 days. Lipid staining, triglycerides (TG) content, and glyceraldehyde phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) activity were evaluated to confirm the efficiency of the differentiation. Gene expression of GLUT4, PPARγ2, RAR-α, and calreticulin, as well as the protein levels of GLUT4 and PPARγ2 were determined. Ca²⁺ and in particular Ca²⁺ plus A23187 significantly lowered the efficiency of differentiation accompanied by decrease in intracellular TG deposits, GAPDH activity and alleviation of gene, and protein levels of GLUT4 and PPARγ2. While calreticulin and RAR-α were remarkably upregulated in A23187 group. This study showed the inhibitory effects of calcium in adipogenesis. Additionally, it indicated the greater inhibitory effect of calreticulin and RAR-α in controlling adipogenesis by higher levels of calcium.     

A Novel Approach for Studying Histone H1 Function in Vivo

In this report, we investigate the mechanisms that regulate Drosophila histone H1 expression and its association with chromatin in vivo. We show that histone H1 is subject to negative autoregulation and exploit this result to examine the effects of mutations of the main phosphorylation site of histone H1.