Phytotoxins from Alternaria helianthi: radicinin,and the structures of deoxyradicinol and radianthin

A novel compound, radianthin, with phytotoxic activity was isolated from liquid cultures of Alternaria helianthi and identified as a pyrone related to radicinin. A second metabolite was identified as radicinin itself while deoxyradicinol is described for the first time as a natural product.     

Formation of (4R)- and (4S)-4-hydroxyochratoxin A and 10-hydroxyochratoxin A from Ochratoxin A by rabbit liver microsomes.

Three metabolites were formed from ochratoxin A in the presence of rabbit liver microsomal fractions and NADPH. They were isolated by extraction, thin-layer chromatography, and high-pressure liquid chromatography. Two of them were identified as (4R)- and (4S)-4-hydroxyochratoxin A. It is suggested on the basis of mass and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy that the third metabolite is 10-hydroxyochratoxin A. The formation of the metabolites was inhibited by carbon monoxide and metyrapone and was stimulated when microsomes from phenobarbital-treated animals were used. The results suggest that cytochrome P-450 catalyzes the formation of these metabolites.     

定量分析调控人类免疫缺陷病毒潜伏与激活的动力学机制

目的 治疗艾滋病最大的障碍在于无法根除人类免疫缺陷病毒（HIV）潜伏于人体细胞所形成的病毒存储库。构建描述病毒存储库建立分子机制的动力学模型需考虑生物体内的噪声环境和多重影响因素,本文通过一种全新的动力学结构分解方法将随机微分方程的确定性部分与随机性噪声分开,从而在仅需分析常微分方程不动点的情况下即可判断不同药物靶点的作用效果。方法 使用连续的随机微分方程构建了HIV转录过程的动力学模型,简化了描述系统所需方程的维度,增大了模型的可探索空间,在此基础上,通过计算得到的势能函数和概率分布函数直观表示病毒潜伏与激活的不同表达状态以及它们之间的关系。结果 定量分析了不同动力学参数对系统稳态和势函数的影响程度,分别得到了系统处于双稳态和单稳态时的参数范围,并将不同因素对动力系统分岔的影响程度与生物学实验结果对比,验证了本工作的理论基础。结论 本文突破了以往离散、随机的方法,可以通过常微分方程定量分析HIV转录调控的动力学机制,有利于推广到处理高维情况,进一步研究艾滋病在生物体内的发生发展,从而指导设计实验寻找临床上的治疗方案。     

Formation of (4R)- and (4S)-4-hydroxyochratoxin A from ochratoxin A by liver microsomes from various species.

Two metabolic products were formed from ochratoxin A by human, pig, and rat liver microsomal fractions in the presence of reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate. They were isolated from the incubation mixture in the presence of pig liver microsomes by extraction, thin-layer chromatography, and high-pressure liquid chromatography Their structures are suggested to be (4R)- and (4S)-4-hydroxyochratoxin A on the basis of mass and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Km and the maximum velocity for the formation of the two metabolites by human, pig, and rat microsomes were determined. Their formation was inhibited by carbon monoxide and metyrapone. The results indicate that the microsomal hydroxylation system is a cytochrome P-450 and that different species are involved in the formation of the two epimeric forms of 4-hydroxyochratoxin A.     

Movement patterns of temperate wrasses (Labridae) within a small marine protected area

The movement patterns of three commercially important wrasse (Labridae) species inside a small marine protected area (~ 0.15 km²) on the west coast of Norway were analysed over a period of 21 months. The mean distance between capture and recapture locations varied between 10 and 187 m, and was species and season specific. The extent of movement was not related to body size or sex. These results imply that a network of small strategically located marine protected areas can be used as management tools to protect wrasses from size- and sex-selective fishing mortality.     

受体相互作用蛋白质激酶3通过上调整合素β3促进骨关节炎相关病变

骨关节炎（osteoarthritis,OA）是最常见的慢性致残性关节疾患,目前尚无针对病因的有效治疗手段。程序性坏死在多种疾病中扮演关键角色,受体相互作用蛋白质激酶3（receptor-interacting protein kinase 3, RIP3）是程序性坏死进程的关键调控因子。有研究显示,RIP3在人与鼠骨关节炎退变软骨组织中表达水平显著上调,提示程序性坏死的发生,但RIP3在软骨中的具体病生理角色仍不明确。本研究拟对过表达RIP3前后的软骨细胞转录物组进行测序分析,探索RIP3在骨关节炎进程中发挥作用的具体机制。RNA测序结果显示,RIP3的过表达诱发软骨细胞中244个基因表达上调,277个表达下调。通过进一步构建基因间共表达作用网络,筛选出16个候选靶基因在mRNA水平进行验证,证实RIP3对磷脂酰肌醇3激酶调节亚单位5（phosphoinositide-3-kinase, regulatory subunit 5,Pik3r5）、整合素β3（integrin subunit beta 3,Itgb3）及成髓细胞瘤转录因子第2亚型（MYB proto-oncogene like 2,Mybl2）的表达上调作用最为显著。CCK-8以及乳酸脱氢酶活性检测结果表明,利用siRNA沉默Itgb3的表达可显著抑制RIP3诱发的软骨细胞活力下降及程序性坏死,同时也抑制了RIP3对软骨细胞中分解代谢相关基因Mmp1、Mmp13与Il6的表达上调作用,以及其对合成代谢相关基因Acan、Col2a1与Sox9的下调作用。本研究证实,RIP3通过上调软骨细胞中Itgb3的表达诱发软骨细胞坏死与软骨基质代谢紊乱,并最终导致软骨退变,为骨关节炎的临床治疗提供了新靶点,同时进一步明确了程序性坏死的病理生理学意义。     

Variability in host plant resistance of Sorghum to Striga Hermonthica infestation in West Africa

Fourteen elite sorghum lines were evaluated for their resistance to Striga hermonthica at three locations in Nigeria and Mali. Results showed that many of the lines especially MALISOR 84-1, SAMSORG 41, 97-SB-F5DT-64 (Keninkédié) and the check SRN 39 remained resistant to Striga in all locations with low emerged Striga counts, while SAMSORG 14 had the highest Striga infestation in all locations. Considerable variation in reaction to Striga infestation was observed on Séguètana, 97-SB-F5DT-63 (Wasa), 97-SB-F5DT-65, CMDT 38, CMDT 39 and CMDT 45 which were susceptible to Striga at Samaru, Nigeria but were resistant to Striga at both locations in Mali. Based on low Striga resistance and high grain yield, lines MALISOR 84-1, SAMSORG 41, 97-SB-F5DT-64, 97-SB-F5DT-65, CMDT 39 and SAMSORT 14 have been nominated for wider evaluation across more West African countries.     

Cdkn2a示踪小鼠:研究创伤性骨关节炎软骨退变细胞衰老的新模型

骨关节炎(osteoarthritis,OA)是临床上最为常见的老年性运动系统疾病之一。研究表明,衰老是OA发生发展的重要影响因素之一,但其具体作用及机制尚未完全清楚。本研究通过CRISPR/Cas9技术,建立了Cdkn2a-e(Luc-2A-tdTomato-2A-CreERT2-WPRE-pA)1定点敲入的杂合子小鼠模型,可在小鼠活体内追踪衰老经典标记物Cdkn2a(p16, p16INK4a)的表达情况,结合前交叉韧带横断术(ACLT)诱导OA小鼠模型,将OA病理进程中的衰老变化在体外直观呈现,明确衰老与OA之间的关系。本研究选取10 ～ 12周龄Cdkn2a小鼠,随机分为非手术对照组、假手术组和ACLT组,通过ACLT手术在小鼠中构建OA的模型,术后4周收取动物进行活体荧光成像检测显示,ACLT组术后4周的小鼠膝关节局部Cdkn2a荧光表达升高(P＜0.05),小鼠膝关节组织切片的番红O固绿染色显示,4周时ACLT组膝关节软骨出现退变(P＜0.05),对小鼠膝关节组织进行Cdkn2a免疫组织化学染色,相较其他2个组,ACLT组的小鼠膝关节组织软骨表面Cdkn2a染色更深。研究结果显示,通过手术诱导的OA模型在局部具有衰老的表现,这进一步验证了衰老和OA的关系。同时,该Cdkn2a示踪小鼠模型能够在活体小鼠内体现衰老的进展。结合影像学检查,可以实时观察衰老和OA发生、进展的关系,为衰老与OA疾病机制的研究提供了良好的模型,也为今后进行靶向衰老进行OA的治疗提供了很好的研究工具。