熊果苷和丙戊酸影响企鹅珍珠贝(Pteria penguin)贝壳色泽

企鹅珍珠贝(Pteria penguin)是我国最具潜力培育大型海水珍珠的优质母贝,其贝壳色泽及珍珠层颜色与黑色素(melanin)的合成水平有关。为了筛选安全有效的企鹅珍珠贝黑色素抑制剂和增强剂,探讨其有效使用浓度和作用时间,分析其毒副作用,实验分别采用不同浓度的熊果苷(arbutin)和丙戊酸(valproic acid)浸泡1月龄稚贝不同时间,观察3月龄,5月龄和7月龄幼贝壳色,并统计熊果苷和丙戊酸的使用对幼贝变色率、存活率、壳长、壳高、壳宽的影响。结果显示,2 mmol/L熊果苷处理稚贝1h或5 mmol/L丙戊酸处理1h即可显著提高壳色变异的比率(p0.05),且幼贝变色率随熊果苷和丙戊酸的浓度和作用时间的增加而增加。对熊果苷和丙戊酸的毒性检测发现,熊果苷达到10 mmol/L处理8h时,仍不会影响幼贝的存活率、壳长、壳高、壳宽(p0.05);但丙戊酸在浓度为5 mmol/L处理4h时,幼贝的存活率即显著下降,壳长、壳高和壳宽亦显著低于对照(p0.05)。研究表明,熊果苷和丙戊酸对企鹅珍珠贝幼贝而言分别是有效的黑色素抑制剂和增强剂,熊果苷在10 mmol/L处理8h以下都未检测到毒副作用,丙戊酸在5 mmol/L处理4h时即存在一定毒性。     

企鹅珍珠贝不同地理群体遗传多样性的fAFLP 分析

为阐明企鹅珍珠贝(Pteria penguin)不同地理种群的遗传多样性机制, 采用荧光标记扩增片段长度多态性(fAFLP)技术分析了企鹅珍珠贝广西涠洲岛、广东流沙湾和海南黎安3 个不同地理群体的遗传多样性。选取7 对引物组合对90 个个体(每个群体30 个)进行fAFLP 扩增, 结果发现每个个体均能扩增出清晰的、可重复的扩增条带, 每对引物的扩增位点数在100—163 之间, 共得到895 个扩增位点, 多态位点数为865 个; 涠洲岛、流沙湾和黎安群体的多态位点比例分别为70.73%、63.13%、66.82%。Nei 遗传多样性指数为0.1634、0.1558、0.1783, Shannon 遗传多样性指数为0.2635、0.2474、0.2932。3 个群体间遗传相似度在0.9722—0.9824之间, 遗传距离在0.0177—0.0282 之间。根据遗传距离绘制UPGMA 聚类图, 但Mantel 检验结果显示企鹅珍珠贝三群体间的遗传距离与地理距离之间无显著相关。Shannon 遗传多样性指数和AMOVA 分析, 结果均显示企鹅珍珠贝的遗传变异主要来源于群体内个体间, 7.91%的遗传变异来自群体间, 92.09%的遗传变异来自群体内。分析群体的显性基因型频率分布和基因流Nm 发现3 个群体有基本相同的遗传结构, 有明显的基因交流。研究结果表明北海涠洲岛群体、湛江流沙湾群体和海南黎安群体的企鹅珍珠贝种质有较高的多态位点比例, 但未发生显著地理分化。这一结果为我国企鹅珍珠贝的良种选育以及种质资源保护措施的制定提供了参考依据。       

冬虫夏草提取物的美白作用

以冬虫夏草提取物(Chinese cordyceps extract)为研究对象,通过蘑菇酪氨酸酶活性抑制试验和小鼠皮肤黑色素瘤细胞(B16-F10)黑素合成抑制试验考察冬虫夏草提取物的美白活性。结果显示冬虫夏草提取物(质量浓度40～200 mg/m L)呈剂量依赖性抑制蘑菇酪氨酸酶的活性,且在安全剂量(质量浓度0.1～0.5 mg/m L)下显著抑制小鼠皮肤黑色素瘤细胞(B16-F10)内的黑色素合成(P0.05)。说明冬虫夏草提取物能通过抑制酪氨酸酶活性有效阻滞黑色素的合成,从而实现美白作用。     

人KRT2促进体外培养的羊驼皮肤黑色素细胞的黑色素生成北大核心CSCD

基因表达谱显示,绵羊角蛋白2(keratin2,Krt2)的mRNA在不同毛色皮肤的表达不同,暗示Krt2基因可能对皮肤黑色素生成有一定的影响。为探索角蛋白2对体外培养的羊驼皮肤黑色素细胞黑色素生成的影响,首先采用PCR扩增产物测序,结合DNAMAN软件比对分析发现,羊驼Krt2编码序列(c DNA)与NCBI公布的人KRT2高度同源(91%);将人KRT2添加于培养的羊驼皮肤黑色素细胞,观察人KRT2对羊驼皮肤黑色素细胞黑色素的生成作用。免疫组织化学显示,外源性的人KRT2处理羊驼皮肤黑色素细胞72 h后,黑色素细胞的细胞质中Krt2表达增强。实时定量PCR及Western印迹实验揭示,与胎牛血清清蛋白处理的羊驼皮肤黑色素细胞比较,1 ng/m L、10 ng/m L和100 ng/m L人KTR2处理的羊驼皮肤黑色素细胞酪氨酸酶(Tyr)、酪氨酸相关蛋白-1(Tyrp1)、小眼畸形相关转录因子(Mitf)基因表达明显上调(P<0.05);尤其在添加10 ng/m L KTR2的细胞中,3个基因的mRNA相对表达水平升高尤其显著,分别是对照细胞的4倍、10倍和12.9倍(P<0.01),蛋白质相对表达水平分别是对照细胞的2倍、2.1倍和1.7倍(P<0.01)。分光光度法测量A490结果证明,1 ng/m L、10 ng/m L和100 ng/m L人KTR2处理的羊驼皮肤黑色素细胞产生的黑色素含量分别是对照细胞的1.3倍(P<0.05)、1.8倍(P<0.01)和1.5倍(P<0.05)。上述结果说明,人KTR2处理可通过刺激羊驼皮肤黑色素细胞黑色素合成相关信号通路,促进黑色素的合成。     

5种常见珍珠贝的系统发育和遗传多样性分析

利用RAPD标记分析了珠母贝属常见的马氏珠母贝、大珠母贝、珠母贝、解氏珠母贝以及珍珠贝属常见企鹅珍珠贝的系统发育,同时分析了马氏珠母贝和大珠母贝不同地理种群的遗传多样性,并以邻接法(neighbor-joining,NJ)构建了种间及种群间的系统分支图.结果表明:(1)在珍珠贝5种9个种群中,大珠母贝的4个种群最早聚在一起分别成为2个姊妹群,这2个姊妹群聚合为1个单元群后,又与珠母贝聚在一起,然后才与马氏珠母贝姊妹群聚合成的单元群聚合,再与解氏珠母贝聚合,最后才与企鹅珍珠贝聚合;(2)珠母贝属4种珍珠贝进化程度由低到高的等级顺序为解氏珠母贝-马氏珠母贝-珠母贝-大珠母贝;解氏珠母贝是最晚形成的种类;(3)比较5种珍珠贝野生种群的Nei's多样性和Shannon多样性值为:马氏珠母贝(0.411 1和0.593 3)>珠母贝(0.397 1和0.578 4)>企鹅珠母贝(0.383 1和0.549 3)>大珠母贝(0.338 8和0.499 9)>解氏珠母贝(0.301 6和0.445 2);(4)无论是马氏珠母贝,还是大珠母贝,野生种群的遗传多样性值均大于养殖种群.     

丙戊酸钠协同硼替佐米对RPMI8226细胞的促凋亡作用

目的:以骨髓瘤细胞株RPMI8226为实验对象,观察丙戊酸钠(valproic acid,VPA)和硼替佐米(bortezomib,BZ)对此细胞株的增殖及凋亡的诱导情况。方法:实验分组如下:对照组,VPA单药组(1.0 mmol/L),BZ单药A组(10.0 nmol/L),BZ单药B组(20.0 nmol/L),BZ单药C组(35.0 nmol/L),联合用药A组(VPA1.0 mmol/L+BZ10.0 nmol/L),联合用药B组(VPA 1.0 mmol/L+BZ20.0 nmol/L),联合用药C组(VPA 1.0 mmol/L+BZ 35.0 nmol/L)。用MTT技术检测细胞增殖抑制情况;流式细胞仪检测凋亡比例。结果:丙戊酸钠与硼替佐米单用对RPMI8226细胞株细胞增殖有抑制作用,有细胞凋亡,但丙戊酸钠与硼替佐米协同用药A组、B组、C组增殖抑制可达75.1%及凋亡情况可达68.9%(P0.01)。结论:丙戊酸钠与硼替佐米协同用药后对RPMI8226细胞增殖抑制及诱导凋亡作用更显著,丙戊酸钠对硼替佐米有增敏作用。     

企鹅珍珠贝微卫星标记与生长性状的相关性研究

研究利用5个高度多态性的微卫星标记,对500个企鹅珍珠贝(Pteria penguin)的4个生长性状进行了关联分析。结果显示, QEB-D15和CL-232两个微卫星标记与企鹅珍珠贝的壳宽呈极显著相关(P<0.01);位点QEBD15基因型是239/263的个体壳宽为最大值,基因型是239/273的个体壳宽为最小值,推测263 bp等位基因与壳宽之间存在正相关关系,而273 bp等位基因与壳宽之间存在负相关关系;位点CL-232基因型为157/174的个体壳长、壳宽、总重的均值较同一位点的其他基因型均为最大值,该基因型推测为优势基因型;而基因型为177/192的个体壳长、壳宽、壳高和总重的均值较同一位点的其他基因型均为最小值,推测该基因型为劣势基因型,上述结果可为企鹅珍珠贝分子标记辅助选择育种提供理论依据和参考。     

环磷酸腺苷促进泰和乌骨鸡皮肤黑色素细胞黑色素合成

该实验旨在研究环磷酸腺苷(cyclic adenosine monophosphate,c AMP)作为α-黑色素细胞刺激素(α-melanocyte stimulating hormone,α-MSH)-黑素皮质素受体1(melanocortin 1 receptor,MC1R)通路的下游信号分子对泰和乌骨鸡皮肤黑色素细胞黑色素合成的影响。利用体外培养的泰和乌骨鸡皮肤黑色素细胞,观察不同浓度c AMP(0、1×10–5、1×10–4、1×10–3 mol/L)及其抑制剂、腺苷酸环化酶(adenylate cyclase,AC)抑制剂对乌骨鸡皮肤黑色素细胞酪氨酸酶(tyrosinase,TYR)活性和黑色素含量的影响。结果表明,与不添加c AMP的对照组相比,不同浓度的c AMP均极显著提高泰和乌骨鸡皮肤黑色素细胞TYR活性(P0.01),10–4 mol/L组提高的幅度最大。不同浓度的c AMP可不同程度地促进黑色素细胞黑色素的合成,1×10–5 mol/L和1×10–4 mol/L组黑色素含量分别显著(P0.05)和极显著(P0.01)高于不添加c AMP的对照组。c AMP抑制剂Rp-c AMPS预处理黑色素细胞显著抑制c AMP(1×10–4 mol/L)作用下酪氨酸酶活性(P0.01)和黑色素含量的升高(P0.05)。Rpc AMPS和AC抑制剂NKY80预处理黑色素细胞均显著抑制α-MSH(2.5μg/m L)引起的TYR活性、c AMP含量和黑色素含量的升高(P0.01或P0.05)。c AMP作为α-MSH-MC1R信号通路中的第二信使或下游信号分子在泰和乌骨鸡皮肤黑色素细胞黑色素的合成中发挥重要作用,其浓度的升高可提高泰和乌骨鸡皮肤黑色素细胞酪氨酸酶活性以及黑色素的合成。     

盐度对企鹅珍珠贝足丝分泌的影响

企鹅珍珠贝（Pteria penguin）是生产附壳珍珠的大型海水经济贝类,其依靠强壮的足丝将自身固定在硬质基底上,抵抗水流的冲击和抵御被捕食等。足丝分泌和足丝的形状很容易受到环境的影响,本实验采用盐度30为低盐度组、盐度35为中盐度组和盐度40为高盐度组,研究这3种盐度对企鹅珍珠贝足丝分泌、足丝直径和足丝拉力的影响,通过单因素方差分析法（LSD法）分析这三个足丝相关指标在3种盐度组间是否存在显著性差异。结果显示,3种盐度下企鹅珍珠贝足丝附着率无显著差异,但在整个实验周期72 h内,中盐度组的足丝分泌总数为（48.7 ± 15.1）根,显著高于低盐度组的（24.7 ± 5.0）根和高盐度组的（13.3 ± 1.5）根。在实验的前6 h内,中盐度组的足丝首次附着率显著高于低盐度组和高盐度组（P < 0.05）,但在后续的12 h、18 h、30 h、42 h、54 h和66 h这6个时间点,3个盐度组的足丝首次附着率均无显著性差异。足丝直径未受盐度变化的影响,但盐度对足丝拉力具有显著影响,中盐度组的足丝拉力显著高于低盐度组和高盐度组（P < 0.05）。上述结果表明,企鹅珍珠贝为适应一定范围内盐度的改变,会在短时间内通过抑制足丝分泌来减少能量消耗,随着对环境的适应足丝分泌会恢复。盐度影响足丝分泌且对足丝拉力影响显著,但对足丝直径无明显影响。本研究可以为企鹅珍珠贝养殖及珍珠插核培育提供理论基础。     

牛磺酸对HepG2细胞甘油三酯合成的影响研究

本文探讨牛磺酸对HepG2细胞甘油三酯合成的影响,为牛磺酸预防/改善机体高脂状态的深入研究提供参考。在DMEM培养基中添加0.05 mmol/L油酸建立高甘油三酯细胞模型,分别以终浓度为1、5、10、20 mmol/L的牛磺酸处理细胞24、48、72 h,测定细胞内甘油三酯水平;并检测5 mmol/L牛磺酸作用24 h后细胞内固醇调节元件结合蛋白1c(SREBP-1c)及脂肪合成相关酶乙酰辅酶A合成酶(AceCS)、乙酰辅酶A羧化酶(ACC)、脂肪酸合成酶(FAS)、长链酰基辅酶A合成酶1(ACSL1)的蛋白表达水平。1 mmol/L牛磺酸作用72 h,5和10 mmol/L牛磺酸作用24、48、72 h,20 mmol/L牛磺酸作用24和48 h均可使高脂HepG2细胞内甘油三酯水平显著下降(P0.05);5 mmol/L牛磺酸作用24 h,高脂HepG2细胞的SREBP-1c、FAS、ACC、AceCS1、ACSL1表达明显减少(P0.05),磷酸化ACC表达显著增加(P0.05)。结论:牛磺酸通过调控SREBP-1c及其下游靶基因而抑制高脂HepG2细胞脂肪酸/甘油三酯的合成。     

Evaluation of melanogenesis in A-375 melanoma cells treated with 5,7-dimethoxycoumarin and valproic acid

Malignant melanoma (melanoma malignum) is one of the most dangerous types of tumor. It is very difficult to cure. In recent years, a lot of attention has been given to chemoprevention. This method uses natural and synthetic compounds to interfere with and inhibit the process of carcinogenesis. In this study, a new treatment strategy was proposed consisting of a combination of 5,7-dimethoxycoumarin (DMC), an activator of melanogenesis, and valproic acid (VPA), a well-known drug that is one of the histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDACis). In conjunction with 1 mM VPA, all of the tested concentrations of DMC (10?C150 ??M) significantly decreased the proliferation of A-375 cells. VPA and DMC also induced the synthesis of melanin and the formation of dendrite and star-shaped cells. Tyrosinase gene expression and tyrosinase activity significantly increased in response to VPA treatment. Pyrolysis with gas chromatography and mass spectrometry (Py-GC/MS) was used to investigate the structure of the isolated melanin. This showed that the quantitative and qualitative components of melanin degradation products are dependent on the type of applied melanogenesis inductor. Products derived from eumelanin were detected in the pyrolytic profile of melanin isolated from A-375 cells stimulated with DMC. Thermal degradation of melanin isolated from melanoma cells after exposure to VPA or a mixture of VPA and DMC revealed the additional presence of products derived from pheomelanin.     

Effects of valproic acid on cardiac metabolism

We investigated whether the antiepileptic valproic acid (VPA) might interfere with oxidative metabolism in heart, as it does in liver. We administered VPA to working rat hearts perfused with radiolabeled carbohydrate and fatty acid fuels. Measurements included oxidation rates of (i) glucose, pyruvate, or lactate in the presence of palmitate and (ii) palmitate, octanoate, or butyrate in the presence of glucose. Oxidation rates were quantified as the rate of appearance of 14CO2 or 3H2O from 14C- or 3H-labeled substrates. In hearts perfused with palmitate, VPA (1 mmol/L) strongly inhibited the oxidation of pyruvate and lactate but slightly stimulated the oxidation of glucose. VPA also inhibited lactate or pyruvate uptake into erythrocytes in vitro. In hearts perfused with glucose, VPA strongly inhibited the oxidation of palmitate and octanoate but had no effect on butyrate oxidation. The absence of valproate CoA ligase activity in cell-free homogenates indicated that the inhibition of fatty acid oxidation by VPA did not require prior activation to valproyl-CoA. The results are consistent with the hypothesis that VPA selectively interferes with myocardial fuel oxidation by mechanisms that are independent of conversion to the CoA thioester.     

丙戊酸影响神经干细胞体外分化的量效和时效关系

目的：研究丙戊酸（VPA）浓度和干预时间对神经干细胞（NSCs）体外分化的影响。方法：以不同浓度的VPA（0.1、0.3、0.5、0.75和1.0mmol/L）处理原代培养的神经干细胞,以NB培养基组做对照,分别于神经干细胞分化后3天、7天、10天和14天用免疫荧光双标鉴定并计数微管蛋白-Ⅲ（β-tubllin III）和胶质原纤维酸性蛋白（GFAP）阳性细胞的比例,并作统计学分析。结果：同一时相点组间比较,3天时各组中神经元分化比例无显著差异;7天时不同浓度VPA组与对照组分化神经元比例开始呈现差异;10天时这种差异继续增大,0.75 mmol/L VPA组中神经元比例为82.15±0.93%;14天时保持这种差异;但各时相点1.0 mmol/L VPA组与0.75 mmol/L VPA组神经元分化的比例无显著差异。不同时相点组内比较发现,3-10天内随着时间的延长,各组神经元分化的比例显著增加,但14天时神经元分化的比例较10天无显著变化。结论：0.75mmol/L VPA在10天时促神经干细胞向神经元分化的作用最佳。     

The neuroprotective agent, valproic acid, regulates the mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway through modulation of protein kinase A signalling in Dictyostelium discoideum

Activation of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascade gives rise to a neuroprotective effect in a variety of cell types. The bipolar disorder treatment, valproic acid (VPA), increases the activity of this pathway by modulating extracellular signal-regulated kinase 2 (ERK2) phosphorylation through an unknown mechanism. To investigate the molecular basis of this effect, we have used the biomedical model system Dictyostelium discoideum to dissect this signalling pathway. We find that, similar to mammalian systems, VPA causes a transient increase in the activation of the MAPK signalling pathway, as shown by ERK2 phosphorylation. We show that the MAP kinase and phosphatase, protein kinase A (PKA) and glycogen synthase kinase signalling pathways all function in controlling the levels of phospho-ERK2 (pERK2). We find that VPA induces elevated pERK2 levels through attenuation of the PKA signalling pathway. Interestingly, pERK2 levels are also controlled by another bipolar disorder drug, lithium, providing a common effect of these two drugs. This work therefore suggests a conserved pathway in eukaryotes that is targeted by neuroprotective and bipolar disorder drugs and allows us to propose a model for this neuroprotective effect.     

Valproic acid induces hair regeneration in murine model and activates alkaline phosphatase activity in human dermal papilla cells

BACKGROUND: Alopecia is the common hair loss problem that can affect many people. However, current therapies for treatment of alopecia are limited by low efficacy and potentially undesirable side effects. We have identified a new function for valproic acid (VPA), a GSK3β inhibitor that activates the Wnt/β-catenin pathway, to promote hair re-growth in vitro and in vivo. METHODOLOGY/ PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Topical application of VPA to male C3H mice critically stimulated hair re-growth and induced terminally differentiated epidermal markers such as filaggrin and loricrin, and the dermal papilla marker alkaline phosphatase (ALP). VPA induced ALP in human dermal papilla cells by up-regulating the Wnt/β-catenin pathway, whereas minoxidil (MNX), a drug commonly used to treat alopecia, did not significantly affect the Wnt/β-catenin pathway. VPA analogs and other GSK3β inhibitors that activate the Wnt/β-catenin pathway such as 4-phenyl butyric acid, LiCl, and BeCl(2) also exhibited hair growth-promoting activities in vivo. Importantly, VPA, but not MNX, successfully stimulate hair growth in the wounds of C3H mice. CONCLUSIONS/ SIGNIFICANCE: Our findings indicate that small molecules that activate the Wnt/β-catenin pathway, such as VPA, can potentially be developed as drugs to stimulate hair re-growth.     

Effect of sodium valproate on subcellular fraction enzymes in rat liver

Previous observations that valproic acid (VPA) causes hepatic damage prompted us to investigate the effect of large doses of the drug (0.6, 1.2 and 1.8 mmol/kg/day) on a number of liver enzymes located on different subcellular fractions. In mitochondria, glutamate dehydrogenase, aspartate aminotransferase and ornithine carbamoyltransferase were significantly increased (1.8 mmol/kg/day). In microsomes, gamma-glutamyltransferase activity increased significantly (1.8 mmol/kg) and cytochrome P-450 content decreased significantly (1.2 and 1.8 mmol/kg). In cytosol, both aspartate and alanine aminotransferase activities were increased at all dose levels. These results indicate that VPA induces dose-dependent changes in some liver enzyme activities.     

Chronic valproate treatment decreases the in vivo turnover of arachidonic acid in brain phospholipids: a possible common effect of mood stabilizers

Both (Li(+)) and valproic acid (VPA) are effective in treating bipolar disorder, but the pathway by which either works, and whether it is common to both drugs, is not agreed upon. We recently reported, using an in vivo fatty acid model, that Li(+) reduces the turnover rate of the second messenger arachidonic acid (AA) by 80% in brain phospholipids of the awake rat, without changing turnover rates of docosahexaenoic or palmitic acid. Reduced AA turnover was accompanied by down-regulation of gene expression and protein levels of an AA-specific cytosolic phospholipase A(2) (cPLA(2)). To see if VPA had the same effect on AA turnover, we used our in vivo fatty acid model in rats chronically administered VPA (200 mg/kg, i.p. for 30 days). Like Li(+), VPA treatment significantly decreased AA turnover within brain phospholipids (by 28-33%), although it had no effect on cPLA(2) protein levels. Thus, both mood stabilizers, Li(+) and VPA have a common action in reducing AA turnover in brain phospholipids, albeit by different mechanisms.     

Valproic acid inhibits substance P-induced activation of protein kinase C epsilon and expression of the substance P receptor

The neuropeptide substance P (SP) has been hypothesized to be involved in the etiopathology of affective disorders. This hypothesis is based on the findings that neurokinin-1-receptor antagonists have antidepressant effects in depressed patients and that SP may worsen mood. In this study, we investigated the effect of the mood-stabilizing agents valproic acid (VPA), carbamazepine, and lithium on SP-induced gene expression. As a model system, we used primary rat astrocytes and human astrocytoma cells, which both express functional SP-receptors and, upon stimulation with SP, synthesize interleukin-6 (IL-6), a cytokine which has been shown to be elevated during the acute depressive state. We found that VPA dose-dependently inhibited SP-induced IL-6 synthesis which was seen with pre-incubation periods of 30 min, 3, 7 and 14 days, whereas carbamazepine and lithium showed no inhibitory effect. The inhibitory effect of VPA was not mediated by inhibition of the stress-regulated kinases p38 and p42/44 (Erk1/2) but by inhibition of protein kinase C epsilon activation. Furthermore, VPA down-regulated the expression of the substance P receptor (neurokinin(NK)-1-receptor) as assessed by real-time PCR. Whether both mechanisms contribute to the mood-stabilizing properties of VPA has to be evaluated in further studies.