MADS-box基因在植物发育中的功能

MADS-box基因是一类序列特异的调节基因家族,是同源异型基因。它编码的蛋白质是一类转录因子,在植物的发育尤其在花器官的发育调控中起作用。文章介绍MADS-box基因调控植物开花的作用模式、MADS-box基因间的相互调控以及MADS-box基因功能的研究进展。     

小青龙汤对慢性支气管哮喘患者肺功能的影响

目的：探讨小青龙汤治疗慢性支气管哮喘的临床疗效。方法：选取2009年1月至2011年1月我院收治入院的哮喘患者84例,随机分为对照组和治疗纽,对照组采用西药对症治疗,治疗组在对照纽的基础上联合应用小青龙汤,治疗结束后对两组患者的临床疗效和肺功能进行分析。结果：临床疗效比较：治疗组总有效率显著高于对照组（95．42％VS80．95％,P〈0．05）;治疗结束后,两组患者肺功能FEV1占预计值％和PEF占预计值％均显著升高,肺功能明显好转（P〈0．05）,且治疗组肺功能改善更为明显（P〈0．05）。结论：小青龙汤作为中医经典方剂治疗慢性支气管哮喘,可显著改善肺功能,提高临床疗效。     

小青龙汤对慢性支气管哮喘患者肺功能的影响

目的:探讨小青龙汤治疗慢性支气管哮喘的临床疗效。方法:选取2009年1月至2011年1月我院收治入院的哮喘患者84例,随机分为对照组和治疗组,对照组采用西药对症治疗,治疗组在对照组的基础上联合应用小青龙汤,治疗结束后对两组患者的临床疗效和肺功能进行分析。结果:临床疗效比较:治疗组总有效率显著高于对照组(95.42%VS 80.95%,P<0.05);治疗结束后,两组患者肺功能FEV1占预计值%和PEF占预计值%均显著升高,肺功能明显好转(P<0.05),且治疗组肺功能改善更为明显(P<0.05)。结论:小青龙汤作为中医经典方剂治疗慢性支气管哮喘,可显著改善肺功能,提高临床疗效。     

Iron Status is Associated with Asthma and Lung Function in US Women

BackgroundAsthma and iron deficiency are common conditions. Whether iron status affects the risk of asthma is unclear.ObjectiveTo determine the relationship between iron status and asthma, lung function, and pulmonary inflammation.MethodsRelationships between measures of iron status (serum ferritin, serum soluble transferrin receptor (sTfR), and sTfR/log10ferritin (sTfR-F Index)) and asthma, lung function, and pulmonary inflammation were examined in women 20-49 years in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Logistic, linear, and quadratic regression models accounting for the survey design of NHANES were used to evaluate associations between iron status and asthma-related outcomes and were adjusted for race/ethnicity, age, smoking status, income, and BMI.ResultsApproximately 16% reported a lifetime history of asthma, 9% reported current asthma, and 5% reported a recent asthma episode/attack (n = 2906). Increased ferritin (iron stores) was associated with decreased odds of lifetime asthma, current asthma, and asthma attacks/episodes in the range of ferritin linearly correlated with iron stores (20-300ng/ml). The highest quintile of ferritin (>76 ng/ml) was also associated with a decreased odds of asthma. Ferritin levels were not associated with FEV1. Increased values of the sTfR-F Index and sTfR, indicating lower body iron and higher tissue iron need, respectively, were associated with decreased FEV1, but neither was associated with asthma. None of the iron indices were associated with FeNO.ConclusionIn US women, higher iron stores were inversely associated with asthma and lower body iron and higher tissue iron need were associated with lower lung function. Together, these findings suggest that iron status may play a role in asthma and lung function in US women.     

Location of Airway Inflammation in Asthma and the Relationship to Orcadian Change in Lung Function

Nocturnal asthma is an important part of asthma as the majority of patients with asthma have nocturnal worsening in lung function. The etiology of this process is multifactorial and interactive. There are many naturally occurring circadian rhythms, which for the normal individual have only a minor effect on lung function. However, in the asthmatic patient, these day-to-night alterations produce increased airway inflammation and worsening of asthma. Although asthma is considered an airway disease, the location of the inflammatory response may be greater in the alveolar tissue area. If correct, this could alter the therapeutic approach to this disease.     

Copy Number Variation of the Beta-Defensin Genes in Europeans: No Supporting Evidence for Association with Lung Function,Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease or Asthma

Lung function measures are heritable, predict mortality and are relevant in diagnosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). COPD and asthma are diseases of the airways with major public health impacts and each have a heritable component. Genome-wide association studies of SNPs have revealed novel genetic associations with both diseases but only account for a small proportion of the heritability. Complex copy number variation may account for some of the missing heritability. A well-characterised genomic region of complex copy number variation contains beta-defensin genes (DEFB103, DEFB104 and DEFB4), which have a role in the innate immune response. Previous studies have implicated these and related genes as being associated with asthma or COPD. We hypothesised that copy number variation of these genes may play a role in lung function in the general population and in COPD and asthma risk. We undertook copy number typing of this locus in 1149 adult and 689 children using a paralogue ratio test and investigated association with COPD, asthma and lung function. Replication of findings was assessed in a larger independent sample of COPD cases and smoking controls. We found evidence for an association of beta-defensin copy number with COPD in the adult cohort (OR = 1.4, 95%CI:1.02–1.92, P = 0.039) but this finding, and findings from a previous study, were not replicated in a larger follow-up sample(OR = 0.89, 95%CI:0.72–1.07, P = 0.217). No robust evidence of association with asthma in children was observed. We found no evidence for association between beta-defensin copy number and lung function in the general populations. Our findings suggest that previous reports of association of beta-defensin copy number with COPD should be viewed with caution. Suboptimal measurement of copy number can lead to spurious associations. Further beta-defensin copy number measurement in larger sample sizes of COPD cases and children with asthma are needed.     

肺炎支原体抗体阳性对咳嗽变异性哮喘患儿肺功能的影响研究

目的:通过探讨肺炎支原体(MP)抗体阳性感染对咳嗽变异性哮喘(CVA)患儿肺功能的影响,为临床治疗提供依据。方法:选择2012年6月~2014年6月本院收治的CVA患儿共60例,依据支原体抗体检查和肺功能检测结果,分为CVA合并MP组(合并组)和CVA组,检测两组患儿初诊时肺通气功能、支气管激发试验阳性率,分析初诊时、治疗1、3个月后MP抗体对肺功能第一秒用力呼吸容积/用力肺活量(FEV1%)的影响。结果:初诊时两组患儿肺活量(FVC)、最大呼气峰流速(PEF)、FEV1%、最大中段呼气流速(MMEF75/25)实测值均低于预测值(P0.05),合并组MMEF75/25预测值/实测值的比值较CVA组高(P0.05)。支气管激发试验阳性患儿中,合并组以轻度和极轻度为主,CVA组以重度和中度为主(P0.05)。MP抗体滴度持续阳性和阴性患儿FEV1%无统计学差异(P0.05)。结论:合并MP抗体阳性CVA患儿气道高反应性程度较低,小气道阻塞加重,对肺通气功能无影响。     

2型固有淋巴细胞在哮喘发生中的作用研究进展

哮喘是世界公认的医学难题,困扰全球3亿、我国3 000万人口。哮喘发病机制多样且复杂。近年来,固有免疫在哮喘发生中的作用及地位受到广泛关注。2010年发现的2型固有淋巴细胞（ILC2s）具有堪比CD4⁺Th2细胞的强大的Th2型细胞因子分泌能力,是引起气道炎症和气道高反应性的关键固有免疫细胞。围绕ILC2s的来源、特性、生物学活性及其在支气管哮喘发生发展中的作用及作用机制进行综述。     

Function for Hedgehog Genes in Zebrafish Retinal Development

The hedgehog (hh) genes encode secreted signaling proteins that have important developmental functions in vertebrates and invertebrates. In Drosophila, expression of hh coordinates retinal development by propagating a wave of photoreceptor differentiation across the eye primordium. Here we report that two vertebrate hh genes, sonic hedgehog (shh) and tiggy-winkle hedgehog (twhh), may perform similar functions in the developing zebrafish. Both shh and twhh are expressed in the embryonic zebrafish retinal pigmented epithelium (RPE), initially in a discrete ventral patch which then expands outward in advance of an expanding wave of photoreceptor recruitment in the subjacent neural retina. A gene encoding a receptor for the hedgehog protein, ptc-2, is expressed by retinal neuroepithelial cells. Injection of a cocktail of antisense (αshh/αtwhh) oligonucleotides reduces expression of both hh genes in the RPE and slows or arrests the progression of rod and cone photoreceptor differentiation. Zebrafish strains known to have mutations in Hh signaling pathway genes similarly exhibit retardation of photoreceptor differentiation. We propose that hedgehog genes may play a role in propagating photoreceptor differentiation across the developing eye of the zebrafish.     

Smads基因功能的研究进展

转化生长因子 -β( TGF-β)超家族通过调节细胞的增殖、分化、移行和凋亡而在脊椎动物发育过程中起重要的作用 . SMAD家族是一类新发现的 TGF-β信号的细胞质内介导者 ,它们可将TGF- β信号直接从细胞膜转导入细胞核内 .受体激活的 SMADs被特导性的细胞表面受体磷酸化后 ,与通用介导分子 SMAD4相互作用形成异源三聚体 ,转移至细胞核内并激活靶基因的转录 .抑制型 SMADs通过负反馈途径阻断或减弱 TGF- β信号 .SMADs通过与 TGF- β配体应答的启动子序列及其它转录因子和辅助活化因子相互作用而调节转录 .通过同源重组在小鼠中定位敲除Smads基因的研究已经开始揭示 SMADs分子在脊椎动物发育过程中的功能 .     

Role of Dystrophin in Airway Smooth Muscle Phenotype,Contraction and Lung Function

Dystrophin links the transmembrane dystrophin-glycoprotein complex to the actin cytoskeleton. We have shown that dystrophin-glycoprotein complex subunits are markers for airway smooth muscle phenotype maturation and together with caveolin-1, play an important role in calcium homeostasis. We tested if dystrophin affects phenotype maturation, tracheal contraction and lung physiology. We used dystrophin deficient Golden Retriever dogs (GRMD) and mdx mice vs healthy control animals in our approach. We found significant reduction of contractile protein markers: smooth muscle myosin heavy chain (smMHC) and calponin and reduced Ca²⁺ response to contractile agonist in dystrophin deficient cells. Immunocytochemistry revealed reduced stress fibers and number of smMHC positive cells in dystrophin-deficient cells, when compared to control. Immunoblot analysis of Akt1, GSK3β and mTOR phosphorylation further revealed that downstream PI3K signaling, which is essential for phenotype maturation, was suppressed in dystrophin deficient cell cultures. Tracheal rings from mdx mice showed significant reduction in the isometric contraction to methacholine (MCh) when compared to genetic control BL10ScSnJ mice (wild-type). In vivo lung function studies using a small animal ventilator revealed a significant reduction in peak airway resistance induced by maximum concentrations of inhaled MCh in mdx mice, while there was no change in other lung function parameters. These data show that the lack of dystrophin is associated with a concomitant suppression of ASM cell phenotype maturation in vitro, ASM contraction ex vivo and lung function in vivo, indicating that a linkage between the DGC and the actin cytoskeleton via dystrophin is a determinant of the phenotype and functional properties of ASM.     

蛋白酶活化受体1在凝血酶介导的肺癌细胞功能中的作用

目的:探讨蛋白酶活化受体1(PAR1)在凝血酶促进肺癌细胞迁移、黏附、克隆形成及胶原收缩中的作用。方法:将本实验室已构建的重组干扰载体pSilence-shPAR1和过表达载体pIRES-EGFP-PAR1分别转入人肺癌细胞PLA-801D和PLA-801C中,采用反转录PCR和实时荧光定量PCR方法检测细胞中PAR1的表达量,Transwell实验检测细胞的迁移能力,细胞黏附实验检测细胞对细胞外基质的黏附能力,克隆形成实验检测细胞的增殖能力,胶原收缩实验评价细胞对细胞外基质的重塑能力。结果:PAR1高表达(PLA-801C-pIRES-EGFP-PAR1)可明显增强PLA-801C细胞的迁移、黏附和胶原收缩能力(P<0.05,P<0.001),而PAR1被有效干扰后(PLA-801D-pSi lence-shPAR1),PLA-801D细胞的迁移、黏附和胶原收缩能力显著减弱(P<0.05,P<0.001),而且PAR1的表达量直接与PLA-801D和PLA-801C细胞的克隆形成能力呈正相关。结论:PAR1在凝血酶促进肺癌细胞的黏附、迁移增殖和细胞外基质重塑等功能中发挥着重要作用,为以PAR1为靶的抗肿瘤治疗提供了理论基础。     

Role of Nicotine Dependence on the Relationship between Variants in the Nicotinic Receptor Genes and Risk of Lung Adenocarcinoma

Several variations in the nicotinic receptor genes have been identified to be associated with both lung cancer risk and smoking in the genome-wide association (GWA) studies. However, the relationships among these three factors (genetic variants, nicotine dependence, and lung cancer) remain unclear. In an attempt to elucidate these relationships, we applied mediation analysis to quantify the impact of nicotine dependence on the association between the nicotinic receptor genetic variants and lung adenocarcinoma risk. We evaluated 23 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the five nicotinic receptor related genes (CHRNB3, CHRNA6, and CHRNA5/A3/B4) previously reported to be associated with lung cancer risk and smoking behavior and 14 SNPs in the four ‘control’ genes (TERT, CLPTM1L, CYP1A1, and TP53), which were not reported in the smoking GWA studies. A total of 661 lung adenocarcinoma cases and 1,347 controls with a smoking history, obtained from the Environment and Genetics in Lung Cancer Etiology case-control study, were included in the study. Results show that nicotine dependence is a mediator of the association between lung adenocarcinoma and gene variations in the regions of CHRNA5/A3/B4 and accounts for approximately 15% of this relationship. The top two CHRNA3 SNPs associated with the risk for lung adenocarcinoma were rs1051730 and rs12914385 (p-value = 1.9×10⁻¹⁰ and 1.1×10⁻¹⁰, respectively). Also, these two SNPs had significant indirect effects on lung adenocarcinoma risk through nicotine dependence (p = 0.003 and 0.007). Gene variations rs2736100 and rs2853676 in TERT and rs401681 and rs31489 in CLPTM1L had significant direct associations on lung adenocarcinoma without indirect effects through nicotine dependence. Our findings suggest that nicotine dependence plays an important role between genetic variants in the CHRNA5/A3/B4 region, especially CHRNA3, and lung adenocarcinoma. This may provide valuable information for understanding the pathogenesis of lung adenocarcinoma and for conducting personalized smoking cessation interventions.     

Pooled Sequencing of Candidate Genes Implicates Rare Variants in the Development of Asthma Following Severe RSV Bronchiolitis in Infancy

Severe infection with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) during infancy is strongly associated with the development of asthma. To identify genetic variation that contributes to asthma following severe RSV bronchiolitis during infancy, we sequenced the coding exons of 131 asthma candidate genes in 182 European and African American children with severe RSV bronchiolitis in infancy using anonymous pools for variant discovery, and then directly genotyped a set of 190 nonsynonymous variants. Association testing was performed for physician-diagnosed asthma before the 7^th birthday (asthma) using genotypes from 6,500 individuals from the Exome Sequencing Project (ESP) as controls to gain statistical power. In addition, among patients with severe RSV bronchiolitis during infancy, we examined genetic associations with asthma, active asthma, persistent wheeze, and bronchial hyperreactivity (methacholine PC₂₀) at age 6 years. We identified four rare nonsynonymous variants that were significantly associated with asthma following severe RSV bronchiolitis, including single variants in ADRB2, FLG and NCAM1 in European Americans (p = 4.6x10^-4, 1.9x10^-13 and 5.0x10^-5, respectively), and NOS1 in African Americans (p = 2.3x10^-11). One of the variants was a highly functional nonsynonymous variant in ADRB2 (rs1800888), which was also nominally associated with asthma (p = 0.027) and active asthma (p = 0.013) among European Americans with severe RSV bronchiolitis without including the ESP. Our results suggest that rare nonsynonymous variants contribute to the development of asthma following severe RSV bronchiolitis in infancy, notably in ADRB2. Additional studies are required to explore the role of rare variants in the etiology of asthma and asthma-related traits following severe RSV bronchiolitis.     

AP2功能基因在植物花发育中的重要作用

AP2基因作为调控植物花发育的功能基因,参与花分生特性建立、花器官的特性特化以及形成调控。所编码的AP2/EREBP转录因子的主要特征是都至少含有一个由60到70个左右的氨基酸组成高度保守的DNA结合区,称作AP2结合域。按其所含的AP2结构域的数目分为3个亚族,即AP2亚家族、EREBP亚家族和RAV亚家族,每个亚家族都有各自的作用。AP2基因不但自身调控着花、胚珠的发育,而且与其他因子相互协作,参与到复杂的花发育调控网络。将对AP2基因的特征和分类及其在花发育中的作用进行概述。     

Genetic Regulation of Development in Sorghum bicolar: I. Role of the Maturity Genes

The photoperiodic behavior and other developmental and morphological differences of 11 maturity genotypes (as identified by JR Quinby 1967, Adv Agron 19: 267-305) of the milo group of Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench were studied under 8, 10, 12, and 14 hour photoperiods. Sorghum is a quantitative short day plant. The genotypes studied differ in genes which modify photoperiodic behavior and thus maturity; the alleles are designated as Ma(1), ma(1), Ma(2), ma(2), Ma(3), ma(3), and ma(3) (R) (single symbols indicate homozygosity at the indicated gene loci). Based on floral initiation (differentiation) under 10, 12, and 14 hour photoperiods the 11 genotypes were assigned to three clases: (I) flower initiation delayed by 12 hour photoperiods (all genotypes with Ma(1)Ma(2) but not ma(3) (R)), (II) flower initiation delayed by 14 hour photoperiods (all genotypes with Ma(1)ma(2), ma(1)Ma(2), or ma(1)ma(2) but not ma(3) (R)), (III) flower initiation not drastically delayed by 14 hour photoperiods (all genotypes with ma(3) (R)). All of the class III genotypes were taller, had longer leaf sheaths, narrower and longer leaf blades, and less leaf area, than the other genotypes. In addition, the class III genotypes initiated rapid culm and thus internode elongation sooner after floral initiation than any of the class I or II genotypes. Dry weight did not differ between the class III genotypes and the others. The rate of leaf emergence in the class III genotypes and all others was indistinguishable until after floral initiation in the former. The allelic combination unique to class I, Ma(1)Ma(2), makes plants very photoperiod sensitive without causing observable changes in morphology or other development events. The allelic combination unique to class III, ma(3) (R), makes plants relatively photoperiod insensitive and results in several differences in morphology and development.