Can the growth factors PTHrP,Ihh and VEGF,together regulate the development of a long bone?

Endochondral ossification is the process of differentiation of cartilaginous into osseous tissue. Parathyroid hormone related protein (PTHrP), Indian hedgehog (Ihh) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), which are synthesized in different zones of the growth plate, were found to have crucial roles in regulating endochondral ossification. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether the three growth factors PTHrP, Ihh and VEGF, together, could regulate longitudinal growth in a normal human, fetal femur. For this purpose, a one-dimensional finite element (FE) model, incorporating growth factor signaling, was developed of the human, distal, femoral growth plate. It included growth factor synthesis in the relevant zones, their transport and degradation and their effects. Simulations ran from initial hypertrophy in the center of the bone until secondary ossification starts at approximately 3.5 months postnatal. For clarity, we emphasize that no mechanical stresses were considered. The FE model showed a stable growth plate in which the bone growth rate was constant and the number of cells per zone oscillated around an equilibrium. Simulations incorporating increased and decreased PTHrP and Ihh synthesis rates resulted, respectively, in more and less cells per zone and in increased and decreased bone growth rates. The FE model correctly reflected the development of a growth plate and the rate of bone growth in the femur. Simulations incorporating increased and decreased PTHrP and Ihh synthesis rates reflected growth plate pathologies and growth plates in PTHrP-/- and Ihh-/- mice. The three growth factors, PTHrP, Ihh and VEGF, could potentially together regulate tissue differentiation.     

The Wnt/β-Catenin Pathway Interacts Differentially with PTHrP Signaling to Control Chondrocyte Hypertrophy and Final Maturation

Sequential proliferation, hypertrophy and maturation of chondrocytes are required for proper endochondral bone development and tightly regulated by cell signaling. The canonical Wnt signaling pathway acts through β-catenin to promote chondrocyte hypertrophy whereas PTHrP signaling inhibits it by holding chondrocytes in proliferating states. Here we show by genetic approaches that chondrocyte hypertrophy and final maturation are two distinct developmental processes that are differentially regulated by Wnt/β-catenin and PTHrP signaling. Wnt/β-catenin signaling regulates initiation of chondrocyte hypertrophy by inhibiting PTHrP signaling activity, but it does not regulate PTHrP expression. In addition, Wnt/β-catenin signaling regulates chondrocyte hypertrophy in a non-cell autonomous manner and Gdf5/Bmp signaling may be one of the downstream pathways. Furthermore, Wnt/β-catenin signaling also controls final maturation of hypertrophic chondrocytes, but such regulation is PTHrP signaling-independent.     

山羊PTHrP基因干扰重组腺病毒的制备与鉴定

甲状旁腺激素相关蛋白 (Parathyroid hormone related protein,PTHrP) 具有广泛生物学功能,对调控钙代谢具有重要作用。采用RNA干扰和重组腺病毒技术,对山羊乳腺上皮细胞中PTHrP基因表达进行沉默,为进一步研究该基因在乳腺上皮细胞中的功能奠定基础。采用BLOCK-iT shRNA腺病毒干扰系统,将设计好的寡聚shRNA-322/357经退火复性后插入穿梭质粒pENTR/CMV-GFP/U6中。经Western blotting检测干扰效率后,选择pENTR/CMV-GFP/U6-322与病毒骨架质粒pAd/PL-DEST进行同源重组,成功获得重组干扰腺病毒载体pAD/PL-DEST/CMV-GFP/U6-322,并转染HEK-293细胞,通过包装、扩增后产生干扰重组腺病毒AD-PTHrP-322,TCID50法测定其滴度为2.0×109 PFU/mL。用AD-PTHrP-322感染山羊原代乳腺上皮细胞(MOI=200),经实时定量PCR及Western blotting检测表明在病毒感染24 h、48 h和72 h后,山羊乳腺上皮细胞中PTHrP mRNA表达量分别下调了29.2％、68.1％和82.6％ (P＜0.05),其蛋白表达水平也明显下调,干扰效果明显。     

PTHrP受体胞外区基因的克隆及其在大肠杆菌中的表达

PTHrP(甲状旁腺激素相关蛋白,Parathyroid hormone related protein)与多种肿瘤的生物学行为有关,尤其对肿瘤的骨转移起重要作用。应用其可溶性受体阻断它的病理作用是一个非常值得研究的课题。从肾癌组织中提取RNA,采用逆转录PCR (RT-PCR)方法获得PTHrP受体N端胞外区543碱基对的带信号肽的cDNA片段。将其核苷酸序列与国外发表的资料相比,基因中第262位核苷酸由T变为C,相应密码子由TAC变为CAC,导致氨基酸变异,即由酪氨酸变为组氨酸。将获得的受体基因克隆到原核表达载体pET-3a,在大肠杆菌得到高效表达,经ELISA证实表达产物可与PTHrP特异性结合。体外生物学活性检测表明表达产物可阻断PTHrP的生物学活性。     

PTHrP1-34对荷瘤小鼠骨代谢与肿瘤生长情况的影响

目的研究甲状旁腺激素相关蛋白1-34（PTHrP1-34）对荷瘤小鼠骨代谢的影响,同时观察肿瘤生长情况。方法对照组、模型组、实验组4周龄健康雌性BALB/c小鼠各12只,模型组和实验组采用乳腺癌组织块悬浊液注射法制备小鼠乳腺癌模型,10d后模型组每日予以生理盐水腹腔注射,实验组每日予以PTHrP1-34400μg/（kg.bw）腹腔注射。用药35 d后测全身骨密度（BMD）、股骨灰干重比、骨代谢相关血清指标[钙（Ca）、磷（P）、碱性磷酸酶（ALP）、骨钙素（OC）、Ⅰ型胶原C-末端交联顶端肽β（β-CTX）、骨唾液酸蛋白（BSP）],剥离肿瘤比较体积与质量。结果各组Ca水平差异无显著性（P〉0.05）。与对照组和模型组比较,实验组P、β-CTX、BSP等反映骨吸收的指标显著升高（P〈0.01或P〈0.05）,总ALP、BGP等反映骨形成的指标显著降低（P〈0.01或P〈0.05）;实验组BMD、股骨灰干重比均显著降低（P〈0.01）。与对照组相比,模型组各指标变化差异无显著性。实验组肿瘤体积和质量显著升高（P〈0.01）。结论在PTHrP1-34的作用下,荷瘤小鼠骨吸收大于骨形成,造成溶骨性骨破坏,骨密度降低,骨破坏释放的细胞因子可能促进肿瘤生长。     

How to regulate a gene: to repress or to activate?

Gene-expression responses to an input can depend on growth conditions; in this issue, Sasson et al. (2012) show that this dependence is lower when the input results in a high degree of promoter occupancy.     

Disgust sensitivity relates to affective responses to – but not ability to detect – olfactory cues to pathogens

Hundreds of studies have assessed variation in the degree to which people experience disgust toward substances associated with pathogens, but little is known about the mechanistic sources of this variation. The current investigation uses olfactory perception and threshold methods to test whether it is apparent at the cue-detection level, at the cue-interpretation level, or both. It further tests whether relations between disgust sensitivity and olfactory perception are specific to odors associated with pathogens. Two studies (N's = 119 and 160) of individuals sampled from a Dutch university each revealed that pathogen disgust sensitivity relates to valence perceptions of odors found in pathogen sources, but not to valence perceptions of odors not associated with pathogens, nor to intensity perceptions of odors of either type. Study 2, which also assessed olfactory thresholds via a three-alternative forced-choice staircase method, did not reveal a relation between pathogen disgust sensitivity and the ability to detect an odor associated with pathogens, nor an odor not associated with pathogens. In total, results are consistent with the idea that pathogen disgust sensitivity relates to how olfactory pathogen cues are interpreted after detection, but not necessarily to the ability to detect such cues.     

Instructions to Authors

Acta Biochimica et Biophysica Sinica (ABBS) is a scientific journal publishing monthly research papers, short communications and minireviews in biochemistry, molecular biology and biophysics. Research papers and short communications should report original work not published or considered for publication elsewhere. Minireviews should provide a concise introduction to the subject matter to inform the readers of the latest developments in a certain area.     

Instructions to Authors

Acta Biochimica et Biophysica Sinica (ABBS) is a scientific journal publishing monthly research papers, short com-munications and minireviews in biochemistry, molecular biology and biophysics. Research papers and short communi-cations should report original work not published or considered for publication elsewhere. Minireviews should provide     

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