普伐他汀对醛固酮诱导心脏成纤维细胞内皮素合成的影响

目的:探讨普伐他汀对醛固酮诱导新生大鼠心脏成纤维细胞内皮素(ET)的影响。方法:采用胰酶消化法和差速贴壁分离法获取和培养新生大鼠心脏成纤维细胞,应用放免法、流式细胞术、RT-PCR的方法分别测定醛固酮、普伐他汀以及甲羟戊酸干预下心脏成纤维细胞培养液中ET水平和心脏成纤维细胞中的ET-1含量,以及内皮素-1前体(ppET-1)mRNA的表达。结果:与正常对照组相比,醛固酮(10-7mol/L)可促进心脏成纤维细胞培养液中ET水平和心脏成纤维细胞中的ET-1含量及ppET-1 mRNA的表达,提前给予普伐他汀(10-5,10-4,10-3mol/L)能剂量依赖性地抑制醛固酮的上述作用,同时这种抑制作用可被甲羟戊酸所逆转。结论:普伐他汀可抑制醛固酮诱导的心脏成纤维细胞ppET-1mRNA表达以及ET-1的合成和分泌,其机制可能与甲羟戊酸代谢途径有关。     

AcSDKP对TGF-β1介导的大鼠心脏成纤维细胞MMP-1、MMP-2和MMP-9表达的调节

目的:探讨N-乙酰基-丝氨酰-天门冬酰-赖氨酰-脯氨酸(AcSDKP)对转化生长因子-β1(TGF-β1)诱导的大鼠心脏成纤维细胞MMP-1、MMP-2和MMP-9调节作用。方法:建立新生大鼠的心脏成纤维细胞系,分别用Westernblot法和明胶酶谱法检测心脏成纤维细胞MMP-1和MMP-2、MMP-9酶的表达。结果:10%血清能使心脏成纤维细胞MMP-2、MMP-9和MMP-1酶的表达增加,AcSDKP能进一步增加在10%血清诱导基础上三种酶的表达。TGF-β1促进心脏成纤维细胞MMP2和MMP-9酶的表达,而下调MMP-1酶表达。AcSDKP能进一步上调由TGF-β1诱导的心脏成纤维细胞MMP2和MMP-9酶的表达,并上调MMP-1酶表达。结论:AcSDKP对TGF-β1诱导的心脏成纤维细胞MMP-2、MMP-9和MMP-1酶表达有促进作用。     

TGF-β1信号在成纤维细胞促血管生成中作用的研究

该研究旨在探讨转化生长因子-β1(transforming growth factor-β1,TGF-β1)信号在成纤维细胞促血管生成中的作用。实验通过ELISA检测了Hepa1-6细胞上清液中TGF-β1的含量。将胎鼠成纤维细胞分三组,分别用普通培养液(DMEM/F12组)、含Hepa1-6细胞上清液的条件培养液(Hepa1-6组)以及加入1μmol/L TGF-β1受体抑制剂(GW788388)的条件培养液(GWHepa1-6组)培养。采用免疫荧光双染法、q PCR检测培养的成纤维细胞中α-平滑肌肌动蛋白(alpha-smooth muscle actin,α-SMA)、血管内皮生长因子A(vascular endothelial growth factor A,VEGFA)的蛋白质及m RNA表达水平。采用基质胶(Matrigel)血管形成实验检测成纤维细胞上清液作用下EA.hy 926细胞的血管形成能力。ELISA结果显示,与DMEM/F12相比,Hepa1-6细胞上清液中TGF-β1表达量明显升高(P0.01)。免疫荧光双染法和q PCR结果显示,与DMEM/F12组和GWHepa1-6组比较,Hepa1-6组成纤维细胞中α-SMA和VEGFA蛋白质及m RNA相对水平明显增加(P0.01),且在第5 d时达最高,其上清液诱导EA.hy 926细胞的血管形成能力明显增强(P0.01)。该研究表明,TGF-β1信号通路可以诱导成纤维细胞α-SMA和VEGFA的表达,进而促进EA.hy 926细胞形成小管样结构。     

低氧时肾上腺髓质素对人胚肺成纤维细胞胶原合成和转化生长因子β1表达的影响

观察低长因子β1(TGF-β1)表达的影响.体外培养人胚肺成纤维细胞,分常氧和低氧24、48、72 h组,用[3H]-脯氨酸掺入法反映细胞总胶原合成和分泌,ELISA法检测细胞上清液中TGF-β1活化蛋白质含量.低氧24、48、72 h,细胞总胶原合成和分泌分别是常氧组的125.88%和124.74%、183.44%和165.73%、152.55%和172.93%(P＜0.01).低氧24、72 h,ADM(10-7mol/L)组细胞胶原合成分泌减少了19.24%和20.76%(P＜0.01)、9.57%(P＜0.05)和10.98%(P＜0.01);低氧48 h,ADM(10-9、10-8、10-7mol/L)组胶原合成分泌分别降低了5.57%(P＜0.05)和9.19%(P＞0.05)、11.09%(P＜0.01)和14.49%(P＜0.05)、35.41%(P＜0.01)和18.57%(P＜0.05).低氧48 h,细胞培养液中TGF-β1上升了24.17%(P＜0.05),加入ADM(10-7mol/L),TGF-β1比对照组下降了17.53%(P＜0.05);低氧72 h,ADM(10-7mol/L)组TGF-β1下降了19.49%(P＜0.05).低氧时ADM通过阻碍成纤维细胞胶原合成而影响低氧性肺血管改建及损伤组织修复过程,ADM与TGF-β1可能通过相互拮抗,共同调节成纤维细胞胶原的生成.     

异钩藤碱调控ERK/p27^(Kip1)信号通路改善博莱霉素诱导的小鼠肺纤维化CSCD

基于细胞外调节蛋白激酶1/2(ERK1/2)、p27^(Kip1)信号通路探究异钩藤碱(isorhynchophylline,IRN)对博莱霉素(bleomycin,BLM)诱导的小鼠肺纤维化(pulmonary fibrosis,PF)的作用及机制。C57BL/6J小鼠48只,随机正常组、BLM组、BLM+IRN(10、20 mg/kg)两个剂量组,每组12只。气管注射BLM(5000 U/kg)诱导PF小鼠模型,造模后连续灌胃给药21天。HE和Masson染色观察肺组织病理变化及胶原沉积情况。免疫组化检测肺组织α-平滑肌肌动蛋白(alpha-smooth muscle actin,α-SMA)的表达。体外培养小鼠原代肺成纤维细胞,实验设对照组、转化生长因子-β1(transforming growth factor-beta 1,TGF-β1)(10 ng/mL)组和TGF-β1+IRN(5、10、20μmol/L)三个剂量组。EdU掺入法和流式细胞术检测细胞增殖,Transwell观察细胞的迁移能力。RT-qPCR检测肺组织或肺成纤维细胞TGF-β1、collagen I和α-SMA mRNA的表达。Western blot检测肺组织和(或)肺成纤维细胞TGF-β1、collagen I、α-SMA、p-ERK1/2,p27^(Kip1)、CDK2和Cyclin E1的蛋白水平。动物实验结果显示,与BLM组相比,不同剂量IRN均能明显减轻肺组织结构的损伤、降低炎症细胞的浸润和胶原的沉积;此外,IRN不同程度地降低肺组织TGF-β1、collagen I和α-SMA mRNA和蛋白的表达;同时,IRN还抑制了肺组织ERK1/2的磷酸化、上调p27^(Kip1)和下调CDK2和Cyclin E1的蛋白表达。细胞实验结果显示,与TGF-β1组相比,不同剂量IRN能够明显抑制TGF-β1诱导的肺成纤维细胞增殖、显著降低细胞迁移能力;明显降低TGF-β1诱导的collagen I和α-SMA mRNA和蛋白的表达,同时降低ERK1/2的磷酸化水平、上调p27^(Kip1)和下调CDK2和Cyclin E1的蛋白表达。以上结果表明IRN可能通过抑制ERK1/2信号通路、上调p27^(Kip1)的表达而抑制了肺成纤维细胞向肌成纤维细胞的转化,从而减轻了BLM诱导的PF。     

间充质干细胞来源的外泌体通过TGF-β1/Smad2/3信号通路抑制高糖诱导的成纤维细胞转分化

心脏纤维化是糖尿病患者心肌功能障碍的主要原因。成纤维细胞转分化为成肌纤维细胞是心脏纤维化过程中的一个关键性事件。该研究的目的是探究高糖诱导成纤维细胞转分化的分子机制,并找寻抑制成纤维细胞转分化的方法。结果显示,经高糖处理的BJ细胞(人皮肤成纤维细胞系)与正常BJ细胞相比,α-平滑肌肌动蛋白(α-smooth muscle actin,α-SMA)的表达明显上调。通过使用SB525334或转化生长因子-β1(transforming growth factor-β1,TGF-β1)si RNA抑制TGF-β1/Smad2/3信号通路的活化,发现α-SMA和胶原I的蛋白质水平及Smad2/3的磷酸化水平均降低。同时,SB525334也抑制了高糖诱导的BJ细胞增殖。大鼠骨髓间充质干细胞来源的外泌体(mesenchymal stem cell-derived exosome,MSC-Exo)通过降低Smad2/3磷酸化水平,抑制高糖诱导的α-SMA表达。综上所述,高糖通过激活TGF-β1信号通路导致BJ细胞的转分化,而MSC-Exo通过抑制该通路防止BJ细胞的转分化。     

人皮肤成纤维细胞在紫外线B照射后的TGF-β和HSP70表达

目的和方法:采用人体皮肤成纤维细胞,观察了紫外线照射后细胞TGF-β表达与HSP70表达水平的相关性.结果:①经不同剂量的紫外线B照射后,GF-βmRNA表达与HSP70表达水平呈正相关(r=0.906);②应用抗TGF-βⅡ型受体抗体后,在紫外线B照射后细胞培养上清液中的TGF-β含量与细胞HSP70表达水平呈负相关(r=-0.995).结论:在紫外线B照射诱导人皮肤成纤维细胞表达HSP70的反应过程中TGF-β参与其信号转导.     

SAHA对TGF-β诱导人胚肺成纤维细胞α-SMA蛋白及前胶原蛋白mRNA表达的影响

目的:探讨在转化生长因子-β 1(TGF-β1)刺激下,组蛋白去乙酰化酶抑制剂辛二酰苯胺异羟肟酸(SAHA)对人胚肺成纤维细胞系HELF向肌成纤维细胞(MF)分化时,α-SMA蛋白及前胶原蛋白mRNA表达的影响.方法:体外培养人胚肺成纤维细胞系HELF,并根据不同的实验目的分为空白对照组,TGF-β1处理组以及SAHA干预组.细胞处理结束后,用Western blot检测α-SMA表达,RT-PCR检测Ⅰ、Ⅲ型前胶原的mRNA表达水平.结果:空白对照组中几乎无α-SMA蛋白表达,TGF-β1处理后α-SMA水平显著增高,而SAHA能有效降低α-SMA的水平.SAHA孵育24h后,能够明显抑制TGF-βl刺激后的细胞表达Ⅰ型和Ⅲ型前胶原蛋白mRNA,并且具有明显的剂量依赖性.结论:SAHA能降低TGF-βl诱导HELF细胞向MF转化时α-SMA表达以及前胶原蛋白表达.     

Redox Regulation of Arabidopsis Mitochondrial Citrate Synthase

Citrate synthase has a key role in the tricarboxylic （TCA） cycle of mitochondria of all organisms, as it cata- lyzes the first committed step which is the fusion of a carbon-carbon bond between oxaloacetate and acetyl CoA. The regulation of TCA cycle function is especially important in plants, since mitochondrial activities have to be coordinated with photosynthesis. The posttranslational regulation of TCA cycle activity in plants is thus far almost entirely unexplored. Although several TCA cycle enzymes have been identified as thioredoxin targets in vitro, the existence of any thioredoxin-dependent regulation as known for the Calvin cycle, yet remains to be demonstrated. Here we have investigated the redox regulation of the Arabidopsis citrate synthase enzyme by site-directed mutagenesis of its six cysteine residues. Our results indicate that oxidation inhibits the enzyme activity by the formation of mixed disulfides, as the partially oxidized citrate synthase enzyme forms large redox-dependent aggregates. Furthermore, we were able to demonstrate that thioredoxin can cleave diverse intraas well as intermolecular disulfide bridges, which strongly enhances the activity of the enzyme. Activity measurements with the cysteine variants of the enzyme revealed important cysteine residues affecting total enzyme activity as well as the redox sensitivity of the enzyme.     

Cell Wall,Cytoskeleton, and Cell Expansion in Higher Plants

To accommodate two seemingly contradictory biological roles in plant physiology, providing both the rigid structural support of plant cells and the adjustable elasticity needed for cell expansion, the composition of the plant cell wall has evolved to become an intricate network of cellulosic, hemicellulosic, and pectic polysaccharides and protein. Due to its complexity, many aspects of the cell wall influence plant cell expansion, and many new and insightful observations and technologies are forthcoming. The biosynthesis of cell wall polymers and the roles of the variety of proteins involved in polysaccharide synthesis continue to be characterized. The interactions within the cell wall polymer network and the modification of these interactions provide insight into how the plant cell wall provides its dual function. The complex cell wall architecture is controlled and organized in part by the dynamic intracellular cytoskeleton and by diverse trafficking pathways of the cell wall polymers and cell wall-related machinery. Meanwhile, the cell wall is continually influenced by hormonal and integrity sensing stimuli that are perceived by the cell. These many processes cooperate to construct, maintain, and manipulate the intricate plant cell wall--an essential structure for the sustaining of the plant stature, growth, and life.     

Organelle pH in the Arabidopsis Endomembrane System

The pH of intracellular compartments is essential for the viability of cells. Despite its relevance, little is known about the pH of these compartments. To measure pH in vivo, we have first generated two pH sensors by combining the improved-solubility feature of solubility-modified green fluorescent protein （GFP） （smGFP） with the pH-sensing capabil- ity of the pHluorins and codon optimized for expression in Arabidopsis. PEpHluorin （plant-solubility-modified ecliptic pHluorin） gradually loses fluorescence as pH is lowered with fluorescence vanishing at pH 6.2 and PRpHluorin （plant- solubility-modified ratiomatric pHluorin）, a dual-excitation sensor, allowing for precise measurements. Compartment- specific sensors were generated by further fusing specific sorting signals to PEpHluorin and PRpHluorin. Our results show that the pH of cytosol and nucleus is similar （pH 7.3 and 7.2）, while peroxisomes, mitochondrial matrix, and plastidial stroma have alkaline pH. Compartments of the secretory pathway reveal a gradual acidification, spanning from pH 7.1 in the endoplasmic reticulum （ER） to pH 5.2 in the vacuole. Surprisingly, pH in the trans-Golgi network （TGN） and mul- tivesicular body （MVB） is, with pH 6.3 and 6.2, quite similar. The inhibition of vacuolar-type H＋-ATPase （V-ATPase） with concanamycin A （ConcA） caused drastic increase in pH in TGN and vacuole. Overall, the PEpHluorin and PRpHluorin are excellent pH sensors for visualization and quantification of pH in vivo, respectively.     

How does the host-specialized aphid deal with food deficiency？

Aphis gossypii Glover shows obvious host specialization, with cucurbit- and cotton-specialized biotypes or host races in many regions. Because its annual natal hostcrops senesce earlier the cucurbit-specialized biotype may suffer food deficiency. The method this biotype uses to overcome this challenge is still poorly understood. In orderto understand the potential of the cucurbit-specialized biotype aphids in host shift and usage, the performance of this biotype on cotton （Gossypium hirsutum）, a common butpoor quality host plant, was explored in this study. The cucurbit-specialized aphids could establish populations on cotton only when these plants had at least nine leaves, and subsequent populations developed rather slowly. The presence of whitefly populations on cotton improved the success rate of cucurbit-specialized aphids. The cucurbit-specialized aphidswere mainly distributed on the older leaves of cotton, with only a few settling on the upper leaves. The cucurbit-specialized aphids reared on cotton for 40, 54 and 61 days stillmaintained strong preference for their natal host plant, cucumber （Cucumis sativus）, rather than cotton, and their net reproductive rates and intrinsic rates of natural increase weredramatically lower when they were transferred onto new six-leaf cotton plants or detached leaves. Therefore, we concluded that the cucurbit-specialized aphids have the potentialto utilize mature or whitefly-stressed cotton plants, but that this feeding experience on cotton did not alter their specialization for cucurbits. Some cotton plants could act as atemporary host for the cucurbit-specialized aphids to overcome food deficiency arising from senescing cucurbits.     

Plastid Signals and the Bundle Sheath： Mesophyll Development in Reticulate Mutants

The development of a plant leaf is a meticulously orchestrated sequence of events producing a complex organ comprising diverse cell types. The reticulate class of leaf variegation mutants displays contrasting pigmentation between veins and interveinal regions due to specific aberrations in the development of mesophyll cells. Thus, the reticulate mutants offer a potent tool to investigate cell-type-specific developmental processes. The discovery that most mutants are affected in plastid-localized, metabolic pathways that are strongly expressed in vasculature-associated tis- sues implicates a crucial role for the bundle sheath and their chloroplasts in proper development of the mesophyll cells. Here, we review the reticulate mutants and their phenotypic characteristics, with a focus on those in Arabidopsis thali- ana. Two alternative models have been put forward to explain the relationship between plastid metabolism and meso- phyll cell development, which we call here the supply and the signaling hypotheses. We critically assess these proposed models and discuss their implications for leaf development and bundle sheath function in C3 species. The characteriza- tion of the reticulate mutants supports the significance of plastid retrograde signaling in cell development and highlights the significance of the bundle sheath in C3 photosynthesis.     

Dissecting the Heat Stress Response in Chlamydomonas by Pharmaceutical and RNAi Approaches Reveals Conserved and Novel Aspects

To study how conserved fundamental concepts of the heat stress response （HSR） are in photosynthetic eukaryotes, we applied pharmaceutical and antisense/amiRNA approaches to the unicellular green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. The Chlamydomonas HSR appears to be triggered by the accumulation of unfolded proteins, as it was induced at ambient temperatures by feeding cells with the arginine analog canavanine. The protein kinase inhibitor staurosporine strongly retarded the HSR, demonstrating the importance of phosphorylation during activation of the HSR also in Chlamydomonas. While the removal of extracellular calcium by the application of EGTA and BAPTA inhibited the HSR in moss and higher plants, only the addition of BAPTA, but not of EGTA, retarded the HSR and impaired thermotoler- ance in Chlamydomonas. The addition of cycloheximide, an inhibitor of cytosolic protein synthesis, abolished the attenu- ation of the HSR, indicating that protein synthesis is necessary to restore proteostasis. HSP90 inhibitors induced a stress response when added at ambient conditions and retarded attenuation of the HSR at elevated temperatures. In addition, we detected a direct physical interaction between cytosolic HSP90A/HSP70A and heat shock factor 1, but surprisingly this interaction persisted after the onset of stress. Finally, the expression of antisense constructs targeting chloroplast HSP70B resulted in a delay of the cell＇s entire HSR, thus suggesting the existence of a retrograde stress signaling cascade that is desensitized in HSP7OB-antisense strains.     

Aphis （Hemiptera： Aphididae） species groups found in the Midwestern United States and their contribution to the phylogenetic knowledge of the genus

A phylogeny of the genus Aphis Linnaeus, 1 758 was built primarily from specimens collected in the Midwest of the United States. A data matrix was constructedwith 68 species and 41 morphological characters with respective character states of alate and apterous viviparous females. Dendrogram topologies of analyses performed usingUPGMA （Unweighted Pair Group Method with Arithmetic Mean）, Maximum Parsimony and Bayesian analysis of Cytochrome Oxidase I, Elongation Factor 1-α and primary endosymbiont Buchnera aphidicola 16S sequences were not congruent. Bayesian analysis strongly supported most terminal nodes of the phylogenetic trees. The phylogeny wasstrongly supported by EFI-α, and analysis of COl and EFI-α molecular data combined with morphological characters. It was not supported by single analysis of COI or Buch-hera aphidicola 16S. Results from the Bayesian phylogeny show 4 main species groups： asclepiadis,fabae, gossypii, and middletonii. Results place Aphis and species of the generaProtaphis Bōrner, 1952, Toxoptera Koch, 1856 and Xerobion Nevsky, 1928 in a monophyletic clade. Morphological characters support this monophyly as well. The phylogenyshows that the monophyletic clade of the North American middletonii species group belong to the genus Protaphis： P. debilicornis （Gillette ＆ Palmer, 1929）, comb. nov., P. echinaceae（Lagos and Voegtlin, 2009）, comb. nov., and P. middletonii （Thomas, 1879）. The genus Toxoptera should be considered a subgenus of Aphis （stat. nov.）. The analysis also indicatesthat the current genus Iowana Frison, 1954 should be considered a subgenus of Aphis （stat. nov.）.     

A New Set of Reversibly Photoswitchable Fluorescent Proteins for Use in Transgenic Plants

Fluorescent reporter proteins that allow repeated switching between a fluorescent and a non-fluorescent state in response to specific wavelengths of light are novel tools for monitoring of protein trafficking and super-resolu- tion fluorescence microscopy in living organisms. Here, we describe variants of the reversibly photoswitchable fluores- cent proteins rsFastLime, bsDronpa, and Padron that have been codon-optimized for the use in transgenic Arabidopsis plants. The synthetic proteins, designated rsFastLIME-s, bsDRONPA-s, and PADRON C-s, showed photophysical properties and switching behavior comparable to those reported for the original proteins. By combining the ＇positively switchable＇ PADRON C-s with the ＇negatively switchable＇ rsFastLIME-s or bsDRONPA-s, two different fluorescent reporter proteins could be imaged at the same wavelength upon transient expression in Nicotiana benthamiana cells. Thus, co-localiza- tion analysis can be performed using only a single detection channel. Furthermore, the proteins were used to tag the RNA-binding protein AtGRP7 （Arabidopsis thaliana glycine-rich RNA-binding protein 7） in transgenic Arabidopsis plants. Because the new reversibly photoswitchable fluorescent proteins show an increase in signal strength during each pho- toactivation cycle, we were able to generate a large number of scans of the same region and reconstruct 3-D images of AtGRP7 expression in the root tip. Upon photoactivation of the AtGRP7：rsFastLIME-s fusion protein in a defined region of a transgenic Arabidopsis root, spreading of the fluorescence signal into adjacent regions was observed, indicating that movement from cell to cell can be monitored. Our results demonstrate that rsFastLIME-s, bsDRONPA-s, and PADRON C-s are versatile fluorescent markers in plants, Furthermore, the proteins also show strong fluorescence in mammalian cells including COS-7 and HeLa cells.     

Heteromeric and Homomeric Geranyl Diphosphate Synthases from Catharanthus roseus and Their Role in Monoterpene Indole Alkaloid Biosynthesis

Catharanthus roseus is the sole source of two most important monoterpene indole alkaloid （MIA） anti- cancer agents： vinblastine and vincristine. MIAs possess a terpene and an indole moiety derived from terpenoid and shikimate pathways, respectively. Geranyl diphosphate （GPP）, the entry point to the formation of terpene moiety, is a product of the condensation of isopentenyl diphosphate （IPP） and dimethylallyl diphosphate （DMAPP） by GPP synthase （GPPS）. Here, we report three genes encoding proteins with sequence similarity to large subunit （CrGPPS.LSU） and small subunit （CrGPPS.SSU） of heteromeric GPPSs, and a homomeric GPPSs. CrGPPS.LSU is a bifunctional enzyme producing both GPP and geranyl geranyl diphosphate （GGPP）, CrGPPS.SSU is inactive, whereas CrGPPS is a homomeric enzyme forming GPP. Co-expression of both subunits in Escherichia coil resulted in heteromeric enzyme with enhanced activity producing only GPR While CrGPPS.LSU and CrGPPS showed higher expression in older and younger leaves, respectively, CrGPPS.SSU showed an increasing trend and decreased gradually. Methyl jasmonate （MelA） treatment of leaves sig- nificantly induced the expression of only CrGPPS.SSU. GFP localization indicated that CrGPPS.SSU is plastidial whereas CrGPPS is mitochondrial. Transient overexpression of AmGPPS.SSU in C. roseus leaves resulted in increased vindoline, immediate monomeric precursor of vinblastine and vincristine. Although C. roseus has both heteromeric and homomeric GPPS enzymes, our results implicate the involvement of only heteromeric GPPS with CrGPPS.SSU regulating the GPP flux for MIA biosynthesis.