4-Aminopyridine Decreases Progesterone Production by Porcine Granulosa Cells

Background  

Ion channels occur as large families of related genes with cell-specific expression patterns. Granulosa cells have been shown to express voltage-gated potassium channels from more than one family. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of 4-aminopyridine (4-AP), an antagonist of KCNA but not KCNQ channels.     

Oxidative Stress Induced by Zearalenone in Porcine Granulosa Cells and Its Rescue by Curcumin In Vitro

Oxidative stress (OS), as a signal of aberrant intracellular mechanisms, plays key roles in maintaining homeostasis for organisms. The occurrence of OS due to the disorder of normal cellular redox balance indicates the overproduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and/or deficiency of antioxidants. Once the balance is broken down, repression of oxidative stress is one of the most effective ways to alleviate it. Ongoing studies provide remarkable evidence that oxidative stress is involved in reproductive toxicity induced by various stimuli, such as environmental toxicants and food toxicity. Zearalenone (ZEA), as a toxic compound existing in contaminated food products, is found to induce mycotoxicosis that has a significant impact on the reproduction of domestic animals, especially pigs. However, there is no information about how ROS and oxidative stress is involved in the influence of ZEA on porcine granulosa cells, or whether the stress can be rescued by curcumin. In this study, ZEA-induced effect on porcine granulosa cells was investigated at low concentrations (15 μM, 30 μM and 60 μM). In vitro ROS levels, the mRNA level and activity of superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase and catalase were obtained. The results showed that in comparison with negative control, ZEA increased oxidative stress with higher ROS levels, reduced the expression and activity of antioxidative enzymes, increased the intensity of fluorogenic probes 2’, 7’-Dichlorodihydrofluorescin diacetate and dihydroethidium in flow cytometry assay and fluorescence microscopy. Meanwhile, the activity of glutathione (GSH) did not change obviously following 60 μM ZEA treatment. Furthermore, the underlying protective mechanisms of curcumin on the ZEA-treated porcine granulosa cells were investigated. The data revealed that curcumin pre-treatment significantly suppressed ZEA-induced oxidative stress. Collectively, porcine granulosa cells were sensitive to ZEA, which may induce oxidative stress. The findings from this study clearly demonstrate that curcumin is effective to reduce the dysregulation of cellular redox balance on porcine granulosa cells in vitro and should be further investigated for its protective role against ZEA in animals.     

Simulated Microgravity Induces the Proliferative Inhibition and Morphological Changes in Porcine Granulosa Cells

Astronauts are always faced with serious health problems during prolonged spaceflights. Previous studies have shown that weightlessness significantly affects the physiological function of female astronauts, including a change in reproductive hormones and ovarian cells, such as granulosa and theca cells. However, the effects of microgravity on these cells have not been well characterized, especially in granulosa cells. This study aimed to investigate the effects of simulated microgravity (SMG) on the proliferation and morphology of porcine granulosa cells (pGCs). pGC proliferation from the SMG group was inhibited, demonstrated by the reduced O.D. value and cell density in the WST-1 assay and cell number counting. SMG-induced pGCs exhibited an increased ratio of cells in the G0/G1 phase and a decreased ratio of cells in the S and G2/M phase. Western blot analysis indicated a down-regulation of cyclin D1, cyclin-dependent kinase 4 (cdk4), and cyclin-dependent kinase 6 (cdk6), leading to the prevention of the G1-S transition and inducing the arrest phase. pGCs under the SMG condition showed an increase in nuclear area. This caused a reduction in nuclear shape value in pGCs under the SMG condition. SMG-induced pGCs exhibited different morphologies, including fibroblast-like shape, rhomboid shape, and pebble-like shape. These results revealed that SMG inhibited proliferation and induced morphological changes in pGCs.     

Fine Structural Alterations in Trypanosoma rhodesiense Grown In Vitro,Treated with WR 1635771

Fine-structural alterations in Trypanosoma rhodesiense trypomastigotes exposed to WR 163577, a prophylactic agent against animal African trypanosomiasis, were determined from cells grown in vitro. Exposure of trypomastigotes to a low concentration of drug resulted only in condensation of kinetoplast DNA fibrils. Exposure to higher drug concentrations caused clumping of nuclear chromatin and of cytoplasmic contents. Although alteration of kinetoplast DNA is the first detectable drug-induced change, the function of the kinetoplast in mammalian forms of African trypanosomes is unclear, and the secondary changes in the nucleus and cytoplasm may constitute the functionally significant alterations caused by WR 163577.     

In Vitro Thymidine Labelling In Human and Porcine Growth Plates

Abstract. An in vitro technique has been used to label dividing cells in the growth plates of human bones with tritiated thymidine. the patterns of labelling in autoradiographs of human plates are described and values given for the labelling index, the number of cells in the proliferation zones and the heights of hypertrophied cells. In two of the four subjects no labelled cells were found in the growth plates and possible causes for these failures are discussed. In vitro labelling data on five porcine growth plates are also presented for comparison with the human data. In both structure and cell kinetics the epiphyseal cartilage plate in the pig is intermediate between the human and rodent plates.     

过表达Gpr3诱导猪颗粒细胞G1阻滞及凋亡

G蛋白偶联受体3（Gpr3）属于G蛋白偶联受体视紫质家族成员. Gpr3通过激活Gs蛋白介导的下游信号通路,维持卵泡卵母细胞减数分裂的前期阻滞,但在卵泡颗粒细胞中的作用不清. 为了明确Gpr3在猪卵泡颗粒细胞中的功能,构建了Gpr3基因的真核表达载体,利用过表达的方式激活其介导的信号通路,并利用MTT、流式细胞术和real-time PCR等方法检测了过表达Gpr3对猪卵泡颗粒细胞增殖及凋亡的影响. 结果显示,过表达Gpr3后,猪颗粒细胞的增殖水平显著下调,G0/G1期细胞的百分比增加,S期细胞减少,Cyclin B1和CDK1 mRNA的表达量也显著降低;同时,显著增加了颗粒细胞的凋亡率,在抑制Bcl-2表达的同时,促进了Bax的表达. 结果表明：过表达Gpr3在猪颗粒细胞中具有抑增殖促凋亡的作用,丰富了其在调节卵泡发育过程中的生物学功能.     

猪前体脂肪细胞的分离培养

在比较组织块法和消化法分离培养猪前体脂肪细胞的基础上,通过对前体脂肪细胞增殖与分化过程中细胞的形态学变化、生长曲线、油红O染色以及脂肪细胞特异性标志基因脂蛋白脂酶（lipoprotein lipase,LPL）和过氧化物体增殖剂活化受体γ（peroxisome proliferators-activated receptor γ,PPARγ）表达的研究,证明用消化法可从猪的脂肪组织中分离获得大量的前体脂肪细胞,其生长旺盛,可见自发充脂;传代细胞经诱导培养后,充脂率大幅度提高,脂肪特异性标志基因表达增强。这为深入研究脂肪细胞增殖与分化以及猪体脂肪沉积提供了一个较好的模型。     

猪卵母细胞的体外受精及多精受精

对用于猪体外受精(IVF)的研究方法和技术,如传统的液滴IVF、透明带下注射精子受精(SUZI)、卵母细胞质内单精注射受精(ICSI)及细管IVF等进行了简述。与其它动物相比,进行猪卵的体外受精研究,多精受精现象特别明显。大量的研究表明,猪卵的多精受精不但与其品种特性有关,而且与卵母细胞成熟的程度、透明带的异常、受精时获能精子的浓度、输卵管分泌物、受精液蛋白添加成分、NaHCO3浓度、咖啡因、pH值以及温度等因素密切相关。     

Solubilization and Characterization of High Affinity Follicle-Stimulating Hormone Receptors from Porcine Granulosa Cells

Abstract

Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH)-receptors were solubilized from immature porcine ovarian granulosa cells with retention of high affinity ¹²⁵I-porcine FSH-binding activity. The optimal concentration of Triton X-100 for solubilization was 0.5% (w/v), and the optimal cellular protein concentration 25 mg/ml. Glycerol (30%) increased recovery of solubilized receptor. ¹²⁵I-pFSH-binding affinity ranged from 4 × 10¹⁰ M^?1 to 8 × 10¹⁰ M^?1 inn either the absence or presence of glycerol. ¹²⁵I-pFSH-binding capacity was 5 fmol/mg protein in the absence of glycerol and 58 fmol/mg protein in the presence of glycerol as determined by equilibrium saturation binding analysis. By gel permeation chromatography, the apparent size of the ¹²⁵I-pFSH-receptor complex was 462 kDa in the absence of glycerol and 762 kDa in the presence of glycerol. Ligand blotting of solubilized receptor yielded a single species with an apparent molecular weight of 200 kDa under nonreducing conditions and a single species with an apparent molecular weight of 60 kDa under reducing conditions. These studies indicated that high affinity FSH-binding activity can be solubilized from membranes of immature porcine granulosa.     

Alterations in Functional and Structural Connectivity in Pediatric-Onset Multiple Sclerosis

Background

Reduced white matter (WM) integrity is a fundamental aspect of pediatric multiple sclerosis (MS), though relations to resting-state functional MRI (fMRI) connectivity remain unknown. The objective of this study was to relate diffusion-tensor imaging (DTI) measures of WM microstructural integrity to resting-state network (RSN) functional connectivity in pediatric-onset MS to test the hypothesis that abnormalities in RSN reflects changes in structural integrity.

Methods

This study enrolled 19 patients with pediatric-onset MS (mean age = 19, range 13–24 years, 14 female, mean disease duration = 65 months, mean age of disease onset = 13 years) and 16 age- and sex-matched healthy controls (HC). All subjects underwent 3.0T anatomical and functional MRI which included DTI and resting-state acquisitions. DTI processing was performed using Tract-Based Spatial Statistics (TBSS). RSNs were identified using Independent Components Analysis, and a dual regression technique was used to detect between-group differences in the functional connectivity of RSNs. Correlations were investigated between DTI measures and RSN connectivity.

Results

Lower fractional anisotropy (FA) was observed in the pediatric-onset MS group compared to HC group within the entire WM skeleton, and particularly the corpus callosum, posterior thalamic radiation, corona radiata and sagittal stratum (all p < .01, corrected). Relative to HCs, MS patients showed higher functional connectivity involving the anterior cingulate cortex and right precuneus of the default-mode network, as well as involving the anterior cingulate cortex and left middle frontal gyrus of the frontoparietal network (all p < .005 uncorrected, k≥30 voxels). Higher functional connectivity of the right precuneus within the default-mode network was associated with lower FA of the entire WM skeleton (r = -.525, p = .02), genu of the corpus callosum (r = -.553, p = .014), and left (r = -.467, p = .044) and right (r = -.615, p = .005) sagittal stratum.

Conclusions

Loss of WM microstructural integrity is associated with increased resting-state functional connectivity in pediatric MS, which may reflect a diffuse and potentially compensatory activation early in MS.     

In Vitro Model for Ischemic Stroke: Functional Analysis of Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells

Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology - The Neurovascular Unit (NVU) is formed by vascular and neural cells controlling the cerebral hyperaemia. All the components are anatomically and functionally...     

沉默Gpr3基因表达对猪卵泡颗粒细胞凋亡的影响

G蛋白偶联受体3（G protein-coupled receptor 3,Gpr3）属于G蛋白偶联受体超家族成员,能够维持卵泡卵母细胞减数分裂的前期阻滞,但在卵泡颗粒细胞中的作用不清。该研究利用RNAi技术,以化学合成的siRNA转染体外培养的猪卵泡颗粒细胞,并利用Real-time PCR和Western blot技术检验Gpr3基因的沉默效果;利用MTT（四甲基偶氮唑盐）、流式细胞术和Real-time PCR技术检测沉默Gpr3基因表达对猪卵泡颗粒细胞凋亡以及凋亡相关基因表达的影响。结果显示,Gpr3-siRNA能够有效地抑制猪卵泡颗粒细胞中Gpr3基因mRNA和蛋白的表达（P〈0.01）;在沉默Gpr3基因表达后,猪卵泡颗粒细胞的细胞活性由0.419升高至0.586,同时细胞凋亡率由2.67%下降至0.42%,并在显著上调Bcl-2表达的同时,下调了Bax的表达（P〈0.05）。结果表明,沉默Gpr3基因的表达抑制了猪卵泡颗粒细胞的凋亡,其机制可能与调控Bcl-2和Bax表达有关。     

Alterations In Metaphase Durations In Cells Derived From Human Tumours

With the use of time-lapse cinemicrography, we previously found that metaphase durations were significantly prolonged in SV40-transformed human fibroblasts when compared to untransformed controls. This was consistent with some earlier reports and suggested that prolonged metaphases could account for high metaphase/prophase ratios and possibly, in part, for increased mitotic indices seen in advanced tumours. However, there are inconsistencies in the literature and no comparable data available from malignant carcinomas. Presented in this paper are data from two cervical dysplasias, two cases of carcinoma in situ, nine malignant carcinomas and several other types of human cells. the results show that mean metaphase durations were prolonged in cells derived from most of the carcinomas but not from the other cell types. On the other hand, cytokinesis appears to progress more rapidly than normal in most of the tumour-derived cells. These and other findings indicate that the changes are a result of some metabolic alteration common to many but not all tumour cells. For reasons presented, we suggest as a working hypothesis that the alterations may be due to changes in calcium regulation, possibly resulting from alterations in mitochondrial metabolism.     

Characterization of Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding to Human Granulosa Cells Obtained During in Vitro Fertilizationd

Abstract

Insulin and IGF-I affect in vitro ovarian stromal and follicular cell function in several species. We previously characterized insulin receptors on human granulosa cells obtained from in vitro fertilization procedures but were unable to demonstrate specific binding of IGF-I.

Following modification of the assay conditions, we now report specific, high affinity IGF-1 binding sites on human granulosa cells. Substitution of equimolar concentrations of sucrose for sodium chloride in the buffer solution increased binding of IGF but not insulin in equilibrium assays. Maximal specific IGF-I binding was 2.69 ± 0.30%/10⁵ cells (SEM, n=9) with half-maximal inhibition of binding at 2 ng/ml IGF-I. Unlabeled insulin recognized the type I IGF receptor with low affinity. An IGF-I receptor monoclonal antibody (αIR-3) inhibited ¹²⁵I-IGF-I but not ¹²⁵I-insulin binding. Affinity crosslinking followed by SDS/PAGE under reducing conditions revealed IGF-I binding at a molecular weight compatible with the αsubunit of the type I IGF receptor and with a pattern of inhibition by various ligands that paralleled the equilibrium binding assays.

IGF-I receptors are present on freshly isolated human ovarian granulosa cells obtained following pharmacologic stimulation with gonadotrophin according to the protocols of in vitro fertilization. The biologic function of these receptors currently is being investigated.     

In Vitro and In Vivo Isolation of a Novel Rearranged Porcine Circovirus Type 2

Here, we present the first report of a novel rearranged porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) strain named BIV, isolated from both in vitro and in vivo sources. The complete circular genome of BIV is 896 nucleotides in length. The data will help us to update current knowledge of the replication of PCV2 viruses in cell culture and of their molecular evolution, as well as their diagnosis.