Ontogeny of d-Mannose Transport and Metabolism in Rat Small Intestine

Oral mannose therapy is used to treat congenital disorders of glycosylation caused by a deficiency in phosphomannose isomerase. The segmental distribution and ontogenic regulation of d-mannose transport, phosphomannose isomerase, and phosphomannose mutase is investigated in the small intestine of fetuses, newborn, suckling, 1-month-old, and adult rats. The small intestine transports d-mannose by both Na⁺-dependent and Na⁺-independent transport mechanisms. The activities of both systems normalized to intestinal weight peak at birth and thereafter they decreased. In all the ages tested, the activity of the Na⁺-independent mechanism was higher than that of the Na⁺/mannose transport system. At birth, the Na⁺-independent d-mannose transport in the ileum was significantly higher than that in jejunum. Phosphomannose isomerase activity and mRNA levels increased at 1 month, and the values in the ileum were lower than in jejunum. Phosphomannose mutase activity in jejunum increased during the early stages of life, and it decreased at 1 month old, as does the amount of mannose incorporated into glycoproteins, whereas in the ileum, they were not affected by age. The phosphomannose isomerase/phosphomannose mutase activity ratio decreased at birth and during the suckling period, and increased at 1 month old. In conclusion, intestinal d-mannose transport activity and metabolism were affected by ontogeny and intestinal segment.     

西藏小型猪肾脏应用组织学特点

目的研究西藏小型猪肾脏的组织结构,为其在生物医药领域中的应用提供形态学依据。方法取西藏小型猪肾脏标本投入10%中性福尔马林溶液固定24 h以上,修块,冲洗,脱水,透明,包埋,常规石蜡切片,HE染色,光镜观察拍照。结果西藏小型猪的肾与人肾一样呈长而扁的菜豆形,是表面光滑的多乳头肾,肾的表面有致密的结缔组织构成的被膜,肾实质可分为皮质和髓质,由数百万个肾单位和泌尿小管组成,其间由少量结缔组织、血管和神经等构成肾间质。结论西藏小型猪的肾脏结构比犬和猴更接近于人类,在异种器官移植、药物临床前安全性评价等生物医药领域中具有重要应用前景。     

西藏小型猪群体遗传结构分析

目的了解西藏小型猪的群体遗传结构。方法针对所优选出的40个微卫星位点设计引物,对35头南方医科大学饲养的西藏小型猪样本进行PCR扩增,扩增产物采用STR扫描技术进行测定,分析西藏小型猪的群体遗传结构。结果西藏小型猪群体平均有效等位基因数为4.6187,平均杂合度为0.7576,平均多态性信息含量0.7463。结论西藏小型猪群体具有丰富的遗传多样性,符合封闭群动物遗传特性。     

Baicalein Reduces Airway Injury in Allergen and IL-13 Induced Airway Inflammation

Background

Baicalein, a bioflavone present in the dry roots of Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi, is known to reduce eotaxin production in human fibroblasts. However, there are no reports of its anti-asthma activity or its effect on airway injury.

Methodology/Principal Findings

In a standard experimental asthma model, male Balb/c mice that were sensitized with ovalbumin (OVA), treated with baicalein (10 mg/kg, ip) or a vehicle control, either during (preventive use) or after OVA challenge (therapeutic use). In an alternate model, baicalein was administered to male Balb/c mice which were given either IL-4 or IL-13 intranasally. Features of asthma were determined by estimating airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR), histopathological changes and biochemical assays of key inflammatory molecules. Airway injury was determined with apoptotic assays, transmission electron microscopy and assessing key mitochondrial functions. Baicalein treatment reduced AHR and inflammation in both experimental models. TGF-β₁, sub-epithelial fibrosis and goblet cell metaplasia, were also reduced. Furthermore, baicalein treatment significantly reduced 12/15-LOX activity, features of mitochondrial dysfunctions, and apoptosis of bronchial epithelia.

Conclusion/Significance

Our findings demonstrate that baicalein can attenuate important features of asthma, possibly through the reduction of airway injury and restoration of mitochondrial function.     

NO-1886改善糖尿病小型猪的糖代谢

合成化合物NO-1886是一种脂蛋白脂酶活化剂,已被证明其可降低血浆TG并能升高HDLC的浓度．后又发现其还有降低高脂高蔗糖诱发糖尿病兔血浆葡萄糖浓度的作用．对高脂高蔗糖饲料喂养的小型猪脂肪细胞大小、血浆TNF—α和FFA的水平以及NO-1886对其影响进行了研究,结果发现,脂肪细胞明显肥大．血浆TNF-α和FFA以及空腹血糖水平均增高,且引起胰岛素抵抗．添加了l％NO-1886后．脂肪细胞增大被抑制,血浆TNF—α、FFA和空腹血糖的浓度均显著降低,血浆葡萄糖清除率和胰岛素分泌急性相都有了明显改善．以上结果说明,NO-1886可能通过抑制脂肪蓄积、降低血浆TNF-α和FFA的浓度而改善高脂高蔗糖饲料引起的小型猪的糖代谢紊乱．     

Toll-Like Receptor 2 Mediates Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury of the Small Intestine in Adult Mice

Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2) recognizes conserved molecular patterns associated with both gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria, and detects some endogenous ligands. Previous studies demonstrated that in ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury of the small intestine, the TLR2-dependent signaling exerted preventive effects on the damage in young mice, but did not have a significant effect in neonatal mice. We investigated the role of TLR2 in adult ischemia-reperfusion injury in the small intestine. Wild-type and TLR2 knockout mice at 16 weeks of age were subjected to intestinal I/R injury. Some wild-type mice received anti-Ly-6G antibodies to deplete circulating neutrophils. In wild-type mice, I/R induced severe small intestinal injury characterized by infiltration by inflammatory cells, disruption of the mucosal epithelium, and mucosal bleeding. Compared to wild-type mice, TLR2 knockout mice exhibited less severe mucosal injury induced by I/R, with a 35%, 33%, and 43% reduction in histological grading score and luminal concentration of hemoglobin, and the numbers of apoptotic epithelial cells, respectively. The I/R increased the activity of myeloperoxidase (MPO), a marker of neutrophil infiltration, and the levels of mRNA expression of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) in the small intestine of the wild-type mice by 3.3-, 3.2-, and 13.0-fold, respectively. TLR2 deficiency significantly inhibited the I/R-induced increase in MPO activity and the expression of mRNAs for TNF-α and ICAM-1, but did not affect the expression of COX-2 mRNA. I/R also enhanced TLR2 mRNA expression by 2.9-fold. TLR2 proteins were found to be expressed in the epithelial cells, inflammatory cells, and endothelial cells. Neutrophil depletion prevented intestinal I/R injury in wild-type mice. These findings suggest that TLR2 may mediate I/R injury of the small intestine in adult mice via induction of inflammatory mediators such as TNF-α and ICAM-1.     

西藏小型猪心脏、呼吸系统组织学观察

目的积累西藏小型猪心脏和呼吸系统的组织学资料,对西藏小型猪在相关生物学研究上的应用提供参考。方法将西藏小型猪心脏和呼吸系统各脏器固定于10％中性甲醛溶液中,常规石蜡切片,HE染色,光镜下观察。结果西藏小型猪心脏壁厚,心内膜下浦肯野纤维粗,束细胞大而清晰,排列规则;心肌纤维粗大,排列紧密,横纹较模糊,润盘少且不清楚,肌间血管丰富;心外膜较厚。西藏小型猪鼻黏膜较厚;气管和支气管假复层柱状纤毛上皮排列紧密,纤毛粗而长,黏膜下腺体量少;肺支气管周围无炎性细胞浸润,肺泡腔内尘细胞极少,肺泡壁和肺间质血管较丰富。结论西藏小型猪心脏、呼吸系统表现出高原动物组织学特点,其这种特点对今后西藏小型猪实验所涉及的组织学判断有重要参考价值。     

Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress in Heat- and Shake-Induced Injury in the Rat Small Intestine

We investigated the mechanisms underlying damage to rat small intestine in heat- and shake-induced stress. Eighteen Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into a control group and a 3-day stressed group treated 2 h daily for 3 days on a rotary platform at 35°C and 60 r/min. Hematoxylin and eosin-stained paraffin sections of the jejunum following stress revealed shedding of the villus tip epithelial cells and lamina propria exposure. Apoptosis increased at the villus tip and extended to the basement membrane. Photomicrographs revealed that the microvilli were shorter and sparser; the nuclear envelope invaginated and gaps in the karyolemma increased; and the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) swelled significantly. Gene microarray analysis assessed 93 differentially expressed genes associated with apoptosis, ER stress, and autophagy. Relevant genes were compiled from the Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) databases. Forty-one genes were involved in the regulation of apoptosis, fifteen were related to autophagy, and eleven responded to ER stress. According to KEGG, the apoptosis pathways, mitogen-activated protein kinase(MAPK) signaling pathway, the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathway, and regulation of autophagy were involved. Caspase3 (Casp3), caspase12 (Casp12), and microtubule-associate proteins 1 light chain 3(LC3) increased significantly at the villus tip while mTOR decreased; phosphorylated-AKT (P-AKT) decreased. ER stress was involved and induced autophagy and apoptosis in rat intestinal damage following heat and shake stress. Bioinformatic analysis will help determine the underlying mechanisms in stress-induced damage in the small intestine.     

西藏小型猪10种猪病血清学调查

目的对西藏小型猪进行10种猪病（猪瘟、伪狂犬病、篮耳病、猪流感、圆环病毒感染、细小病毒病、乙型脑炎、弓形体病、衣原体病和布氏杆菌病）的血清学调查。方法采用ELISA或凝集试验方法对10头已注射猪瘟疫苗的原代（F0代）母猪和40头20日龄乳猪、50头第一代（F1代）3～5月龄猪进行10种猪病的血清学检测。结果猪瘟病毒、细小病毒和乙型脑炎病毒抗体阳性率分别是母猪为80.0%、80.0%、70.0%;20日龄乳猪为45.0%、25.0%、45.0%;3～5月龄猪为4.0%、76.0%、80.0%。圆环病毒抗体阳性率母猪为60.0%,20日龄乳猪为5.0%。3～5月龄猪为0%;篮耳病病毒、伪狂犬病病毒、猪流感病毒、弓形体、衣原体、布氏杆菌在不同年龄西藏小型猪中抗体阳性率均为0%。结论不同年龄西藏小型猪未受篮耳病病毒、伪狂犬病病毒、猪流感病毒、弓形体病、衣原体病、布氏杆菌病感染。     

Metformin Reduces Hepatic Expression of SIRT3, the Mitochondrial Deacetylase Controlling Energy Metabolism

Metformin inhibits ATP production in mitochondria and this may be involved in the anti-hyperglycemic effects of the drug. Sirtuin 3 (SIRT3) is a mitochondrial protein deacetylase that regulates the function of the electron transport chain and maintains basal ATP yield. We hypothesized that metformin treatment could diminish mitochondrial ATP production through downregulation of SIRT3 expression. Glucagon and cAMP induced SIRT3 mRNA in mouse primary hepatocytes. Metformin prevented SIRT3 induction by glucagon. Moreover, metformin downregulated constitutive expression of SIRT3 in primary hepatocytes and in the liver in vivo. Estrogen related receptor alpha (ERRα) mediates regulation of Sirt3 gene by peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator 1-alpha (PGC-1α). ERRα mRNA expression was regulated in a similar manner as SIRT3 mRNA by glucagon, cAMP and metformin. However, a higher metformin concentration was required for downregulation of ERRα than SIRT3. ERRα siRNA attenuated PGC-1α mediated induction of SIRT3, but did not affect constitutive expression. Overexpression of the constitutively active form of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) induced SIRT3 mRNA, indicating that the SIRT3 downregulation by metformin is not mediated by AMPK. Metformin reduced the hepatocyte ATP level. This effect was partially counteracted by SIRT3 overexpression. Furthermore, metformin decreased mitochondrial SIRT3 protein levels and this was associated with enhanced acetylation of several mitochondrial proteins. However, metformin increased mitochondrial mass in hepatocytes. Altogether, our results indicate that metformin attenuates mitochondrial expression of SIRT3 and suggest that this mechanism is involved in regulation of energy metabolism by metformin in the liver and may contribute to the therapeutic action of metformin.