柠檬醛抗黄曲霉作用的分子机理

以多组分山苍子[Litsea cubeba(Lour)Per]香精油作为复合中药模型。以该香精油中主要抗菌成分柠檬醛为中药靶部位,以能分泌致癌毒素的黄曲霉单细胞作为药物作用对象,吸收当今医学影像领域先进的科学技术,采用多学科交叉策略,将多维显微、瑞利光散射(Rayleigh scattering)、电镜与生化分析4项技术构筑平台, 从细胞、亚细胞和生物大分子三个水平,研究柠檬醛作用于黄曲霉的动静态过程,阐明模拟的中药方剂靶部位对细胞整体的作用规律.发现该醛不仅能改变黄曲霉细胞膜的形态结构、物理学特性及其生物学功能(如对物质吸收的选择通透性,细胞体积调节机制等),而且使细胞膜产生脂质过氧化损伤;进入细胞后,既作用于细胞器(如线粒体、细胞核等),使其产生损伤及区域性分布;又通过干扰细胞内大分子拥挤状态,导致细胞内生物大分子构象的改变、高含量类大分子缔合反应不可逆增强以及因生化反应区域效应丧失而产生的新陈代谢紊乱,揭示该醛能使黄曲霉孢子失去萌发力、菌丝体生长被抑制及产生孢子的能力,在于黄曲霉细胞膜、细胞器及大分子失去了正常结构、功能及相关的调节机制.在实现对柠檬醛抗黄曲霉机理阐明的过程中,在研究思路和方法上进行全新的探索.     

柠檬醛损伤黄曲霉线粒体生化机理的研究

应用生物化学方法并结合扫描电镜,研究柠檬醛掺入黄曲霉细胞,并通过损伤线粒体(Mt),导致抑制其生长的机理。结果表明,在药物致敏浓度时,菌丝体经该醛作用后,胞内Mt呈不规则增多,氧化还原反应系统受到破坏,与对照组相比,柠檬醛组的琥珀酸脱氢酶(Succinate Dehydrogenase,SDH)、苹果酸脱氢酶(Malate Dehydrogenase,MDH)活性分别呈不可逆下降271%和242%,随着药物浓度的升高,SDH、MDH的活性直至消失;以琥珀酸、α酮戊二酸和丙酮酸为底物时,线粒体呼吸速率分别下降24.1%、14.3%和36.1%,提示柠檬醛能使菌丝体DNA、RNA、脂类和蛋白质等生物合成受到抑制,促进细胞死亡。     

柠檬醛致黄曲霉孢子丧失萌发力的机制

通过由倒置显微镜、衍射光栅和线阵光电偶合器件CCD(chargecoupleddevice)等构成的显微多道分光光度系统及由计算机DEPHI编程工具编制的单细胞凝胶电泳SCGE(single cellgelelectro phoresis)图像分析系统 ,摄取荧光显微镜所呈图像 ,再由图像捕捉卡将CCD产生的图像信号送入计算机 ,将柠檬醛对黄曲霉质膜和核DNA损伤的图像进行显示存储和分析处理 ,测定彗星长度、荧光强度、矩类及头尾DNA含量比等彗星参数指标 .结果发现Olive尾矩、尾长、尾分布矩等彗星尾参数指标与柠檬醛致黄曲霉损伤浓度呈正相关性 ,当致损浓度达到 1 5mg L以上时 ,DNA损伤为致死性损伤 ,不能被细胞内修复系统所修复 .揭示柠檬醛通过损伤质膜而进入细胞 ,对DNA产生不可逆损伤 ,使孢子失去萌发力的机制 .实现将DNA损伤的生化定性检测推进到数值化研究范围 ,为柠檬醛的开发应用提供了重要理论依据 .与国内外同类技术相比 ,本检测观察系统还具有高灵敏度、快速、无扰、多光谱显微测定之特点 .     

柠檬醛顺反异构体对黄曲霉超微结构及膜功能的影响

研究柠檬醛顺反异构体（香叶醛和橙花醛）抗菌性是阐明该醛抗菌机理核心所在.用酶转化法合成香叶醛和橙花醛后,用液态或气态的异构单体分别对黄曲霉孢子及菌丝体进行毒化.采用透射电镜、多维显微及激光拉曼散射技术对毒化的黄曲霉孢子及菌丝体进行显微结构观察和膜相关参数的测定.结果表明,无论是液体还是气体毒化方式,柠檬醛顺反异构体单独存在时均有抗黄曲霉作用;二者混合物的抗菌总活性与单体相比表现出一定程度协同性;二个异构单体的抗菌作用不仅表现为破坏黄曲霉超微结构,而且还反映在损伤其细胞膜体积调节功能及变形能力.     

显微多道分光光度法研究受柠檬醛损伤后黄曲霉细胞形态变化

采用从山苍籽油分离出的柠檬醛作为抗菌药物,产毒和无毒的黄曲霉细胞（Aspergillus flavus cell, AFC）作为药物作用的靶,以显微多道分光光度法和显微图像分析法对被该醛所损伤的AFC进行图像捕获,测定受损伤后细胞内吸收光谱、截面积、周长、长轴长及短轴长所发生的变化。发现在410nm和665nm处产毒AFC存在特征吸收峰,受该醛损伤后产毒和无毒AFC的吸收光谱波峰均发生迁移,且峰面积增大;截面积等4类形态参数的数值随柠檬醛浓度升高而减少;为质膜物理化学及细胞内生理生化指标变化提供了理论依据。表明柠檬醛不仅破坏质膜的选择性通透性,而且使细胞质膜结构改变并进入细胞,与靶分子及靶细胞器作用而引发一系列新的生理生化现象的出现。实现对活态细胞受药物作用后形态及生物大分子动态变化的快速、实时、在位的测定,对抗菌药物作用于细胞并使其发生形态结构及靶分子的变化提供了必要的物理参数,在药物抗菌理论及方法研究上具有重要意义。     

微量液基稀释法测定中药活性成分的体外抗曲霉菌活性*

通过测定中药活性成分肉桂醛和柠檬醛对常见深部条件致病性真菌黄曲霉、烟曲霉的抗菌活性,为建立中药抗曲霉菌药敏试验标准提供参考依据。参照美国国家临床试验标准化委员会(National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards,NCCLS)提出的标准,用微量液基稀释法分别测定肉桂醛和柠檬醛对黄曲霉、烟曲霉的抗菌活性。肉桂醛对黄曲霉、烟曲霉最低抑菌浓度(Minimal inhibitory concentration,MIC)分别为：0.100μg/mL,0.050μg/mL,柠檬醛对黄曲霉、烟曲霉的MIC分别为：2．600μg/mL、0．650μg/mL。中药活性成分肉桂醛和柠檬醛具有高效抗曲霉作用。该研究可为制定中药抗曲霉作用评价标准提供参考依据。     

自由基相关细胞信号传导的研究进展

自由基是带有一个孤对电子的分子,具有很强的反应性。自由基可以直接与细胞组成成分发生反应,造成细胞损伤,如通过氧化线粒体DNA和线粒体心磷脂对线粒体造成氧化损伤,从而诱导细胞凋亡。此外,自由基还能影响包括Ca2+、蛋白质磷酸化、转录因子、Bcl-2基因等多种细胞信号传导。因此,自由基产生的生物学效应范围广泛,覆盖了从生理功能调节到影响诸多疾病的病程变化。该文从自由基的产生、清除及其对多种细胞信号传导的影响等方面对相关自由基的研究进展作简要的阐述,以期获得对自由基相关细胞信号传导研究进展较为全面的了解。     

彗星系统定量检测柠檬醛损伤黄曲霉DNA的研究

理化因素致细胞DNA损伤,彗星测试提供了一个直观的方法。采用新型SCGE图象分析系统(IMI10),将细胞显微分光光度分析与显微成像及图象分析结合,直接检测柠檬醛致黄曲霉核DNA损伤,与国际流行的SCGE图象分析系统相比,具有分析速度快、便于分析,同时具有中英文可切换界面和多格式输出打印特点。该系统使彗星试验的检测时间缩短2/3,并提高了准确性,可实现对活细胞多种结构参数、细胞内分子与膜的变化状况同时进行长时间连续的动态瞬间监测,具有广阔应用前景。     

线粒体，活性氧和细胞凋亡

在能量代谢和自由基代谢中,线粒体均占据着十分重要的地位.通过呼吸链电子漏途径,线粒体产生大量超氧阴离子,并通过链式反应形成对机体有损伤作用的活性氧.通过呼吸链电子漏,氧化磷酸化解偶联,线粒体内膜产生通透性转变孔道（PTP）及Box-和/或PTP-介导的细胞色素c向胞质的转移等种种因素,线粒体参与一般抗氧化防御及细胞凋亡等重要生理过程的调控.在与线粒体相关的细胞凋亡中,活性氧的信号作用是十分明显的.     

柠檬醛对黄曲霉质膜损伤机制的初步研究

与正常生长的黄曲霉对照 ,通过测定经柠檬醛毒化的菌丝体对还原糖和蛋白质利用率、[Na+ ,K+ ] ATPase分解ATP活性、细胞电解质渗出率、并结合扫描电镜和快速显微多道分光光度法观察菌丝体细胞及孢子形态变化 ,结果表明经该醛MIC毒化后 ,菌丝体细胞及孢子表面疏松而粗糙 ;隘痕缩小并关闭 ;电导率增加 5 2 8% ;对还原糖和蛋白质的利用速率分别下降 6 1 5 %和 44 3 % ;孢子萌发率下降至 6 1 4% ;该醛能明显改变细胞质膜的分子结构 ,使其失去选择通透性而抑制菌丝体生长和孢子萌发率。     

Effects of citral on Aspergillus flavus spores by quasi-elastic light scattering and multiplex microanalysis techniques

Litsea cubeba (Lour.) Pers. is a kind of medicinal plantin China. The first report about the antibacterial and anti-phlogistic function of Litsea cubeba (Lour.) Pers. and itsoil appeared in the Zhong Yao Da Ci Dian [1]. Since 1980s,many studies showed that Litsea cubeba oil had wideantibacterial and antifungal activity [2–4]. The antibioticfunctions of Litsea cubeba oil are attributable mainly tocitral [5–7], which amounts to 60%–80% of the essentialoil [8]. Pattnaik [9] reported that…     

Post-irradiation free radical generation: evidence from the conversion of xanthine dehydrogenase into xanthine oxidase

The xanthine oxidoreductase (XOR) system which consists of xanthine dehydrogenase (XDH) and xathine oxidase (XO), is one of the major sources of free radicals in biological systems. The XOR system is pre-dominantly present as XDH in normal tissues and converts into the free radical generating XO-form in the damaged tissue. Therefore, the XO-form of the XOR system is expected to be mainly found in radiolytically damaged tissues. In such an event, XO may catalyze the generation of free radicals and potentiate radiation effects in the post-irradiation period. Recent findings on the effect of ionizing radiation on the XOR system in the liver of mice, peroxidative damage and lactate dehydrogenase support this possibility. From these results it has been hypothesized that free radical generating systems could be activated in the radiolytically damaged cell and in turn contribute to the cause and complications of late effects and their persistence in post-irradiation period. This aspect may have great significance in the understanding of radiation-induced damages. It may also have serious implication in various fields like radiation therapy, health physics, carcinogenesis, space travelling radiation exposures and post nuclear accident care. Further, it is suggested that efforts need to be made to search more system(s) which could be activated particularly at lower doses of radiation to generate free radicals in the post-exposure period.     

Dusky Sap Beetle Mediated Dispersal of Bacillus subtilis to Inhibit Aspergillus flavus and Aflatoxin Production in Maize Zea mays L.

Laboratory assays were performed with detached milk stage maize ( Zea mays L.) ears and dusky sap beetles ( Carpophilus lugubris Murray) carrying the Kodiak Concentrate formulation of the bacterium, Bacillus subtilis (Ehrenberg) Cohn. After 1 day of exposure to the B. subtilis- contaminated C. lugubris , the colonization of mechanically damaged kernels by Aspergillus flavus Link ex. Fries was reduced from 82% (if the A. flavus was inoculated first) to 41% (if B. subtilis was added by C. lugubris before the A. flavus ). Field cage studies were performed with an autoinoculative device containing B. subtilis into which C. lugubris beetles were introduced. C. lugubris -dispersed B. subtilis reduced visible A. flavus colonization by 97% when the A. flavus was added to purposely damaged maize ears 4 days after C. lugubris were released from the autoinoculator. In 1993 field studies, none of the purposely damaged ears that allowed access to C. lugubris beetles emerging from autoinoculators containing B. subtilis had visible sporulating A. flavus compared with 92% of ears that did not allow access of C. lugubris but that subsequently had the A. flavus inoculum added. In 1994 field studies, 70% of the ears that excluded C. lugubris had aflatoxin levels greater than 200 ppb in purposely damaged kernels, as opposed to less than 10% of kernels that permitted access by natural populations of C. lugubris that probably acquired B. subtilis from a single autoinoculator. Aflatoxin levels in these ears were negatively correlated with the presence of both B. subtilis and C. lugubris . The B. subtilis was widely dispersed over a 16-ha area as indicated by maize ear and C. lugubris trap sampling. These studies indicate that autoinoculative dispersal of B. subtilis by natural populations of C. lugubris is a potentially useful means for reducing A. flavus and aflatoxin in maize.     

Alteration of free radical metabolism in the brain of mice infected with scrapie agent.

Alteration of free radical metabolism in the mouse brain by scrapie infection was evaluated. The infection of mice with scrapie agent, 87V strain, slightly increased the activities of catalase and glutathione-S-transferase, while it had no effect on glutathione peroxidase, glutathione reductase, and Cu, Zn-superoxide dismutase. Results show that the scrapie infection decreased the activity of mitochondrial Mn-superoxide dismutase by 50% but increased that of monoamine oxidase (p < 0.05). Scrapie infection also increased the rate of mitochondrial superoxide generation (p < 0.05). Following scrapie infection, the level of free-sulfhydryl compounds in brain homogenates slightly decreased, but the content of thiobarbituric-acid-reactive substances and malondialdehyde increased significantly. Electron microscopy indicated that the ultrastructure of mitochondria was destroyed in the brain of scrapie-infected mice. These results suggest that elevated oxygen free radical generation and lowered scavenging activity in mitochondria might cause the free radical damage to the brain. Such deleterious changes in mitochondria may contribute to the development of prion disease.     

Oxygen radical-induced mitochondrial DNA damage and repair in pulmonary vascular endothelial cell phenotypes

Mitochondrial (mt) DNA is damaged by free radicals. Recent data also show that there are cell type-dependent differences in mtDNA repair capacity. In this study, we explored the effects of xanthine oxidase (XO), which generates superoxide anion directly, and menadione, which enhances superoxide production within mitochondria, on mtDNA in pulmonary arterial (PA), microvascular (MV), and pulmonary venous (PV) endothelial cells (ECs). Both XO and menadione damaged mtDNA in the EC phenotypes, with a rank order of sensitivity of (from most to least) PV > PA > MV for XO and MV = PV > PA for menadione. Dimethylthiourea and deferoxamine blunted menadione- and XO-induced mtDNA damage, thus supporting a role for the iron-catalyzed formation of hydroxyl radical. Damage to the nuclear vascular endothelial growth factor gene was not detected with either XO or menadione. PAECs and MVECs, but not PVECs, repaired XO-induced mtDNA damage quickly. Menadione-induced mtDNA damage was avidly repaired in MVECs and PVECs, whereas repair in PAECs was slower. Analysis of mtDNA lesions at nucleotide resolution showed that damage patterns were similar between EC phenotypes, but there were disparities between XO and menadione in terms of the specific nucleotides damaged. These findings indicate that mtDNA in lung vascular ECs is damaged by XO- and menadione-derived free radicals and suggest that mtDNA damage and repair capacities differ between EC phenotypes.     

Low Mitochondrial Free Radical Production Per Unit O2 Consumption Can Explain the Simultaneous Presence of High Longevity and High Aerobic Metabolic Rate in Birds

Birds are unique since they can combine a high rate of oxygen consumption at rest with a high maximum life span (MLSP). The reasons for this capacity are unknown. A similar situation is present in primates including humans which show MLSPs higher than predicted from their rates of O₂ consumption. In this work rates of oxygen radical production and O₂ consumption by mitochondria were compared between adult male rats (MLSP = 4 years) and adult pigeons (MLSP = 35 years), animals of similar body size. Both the O₂ consumption of the whole animal at rest and the O₂ consumption of brain, lung and liver mitochondria were higher in the pigeon than in the rat. Nevertheless, mitochondrial free radical production was 2-4 times lower in pigeon than in rat tissues. This is possible because pigeon mitochondria show a rate of free radical production per unit O₂ consumed one order of magnitude lower than rat mitochondria: bird mitochondria show a lower free radical leak at the respiratory chain. This result, described here for the first time, can possibly explain the capacity of birds to simultaneously increase maximum longevity and basal metabolic rate. It also suggests that the main factor relating oxidative stress to aging and longevity is not the rate of oxygen consumption but the rate of oxygen radical production. Previous inconsistencies of the rate of living theory of aging can be explained by a free radical theory of aging which focuses on the rate of oxygen radical production and on local damage to targets relevant for aging situated near the places where free radicals are continuously generated.