Effects of cod liver oil on tissue antioxidant pathways in normal and streptozotocin-diabetic rats

Lipid disorders and increased oxidative stress may exacerbate some complications of diabetes mellitus. Previous studies have implicated the beneficial effects of some antioxidants, omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) in the protection of cells from the destructive effect of increased lipids and lipid peroxidation products. This study, therefore, was designed to investigate the effects of cod liver oil (CLO, Lysi Ltd. Island), which comprises mainly vitamin A, PUFAs, EPA and DHA. Effects were monitored on plasma lipids, lipid peroxidation products (MDA) and the activities of antioxidant enzymes, glutathione peroxidase (GSHPx) and catalase in heart, liver, kidney and lung of non-diabetic control and streptozotocin (STZ)-induced-diabetic rats. Two days after STZ-injection (55 mg kg(-1) i.p.), non-diabetic control and diabetic rats were divided randomly into two groups as untreated or treated with CLO (0.5 ml kg(-1) rat per day) for 12 weeks. Plasma glucose, triacylglycerol and cholesterol concentrations were significantly elevated in 12-week untreated-diabetic animals; CLO treatment almost completely prevented these abnormalities in triacylglycerol and cholesterol, but hyperglycaemia was partially controlled. CLO also provided better weight gain in diabetic animals. In untreated diabetic rats, MDA markedly increased in aorta, heart and liver but was not significantly changed in kidney and lung. This was accompanied by a significant increase in both GSHPx and catalase enzyme activities in aorta, heart, and liver of diabetic rats. In kidney and lung, diabetes resulted in reduced catalase while GSHPx was significantly activated. In aorta, heart, and liver, diabetes-induced changes in MDA were entirely prevented by CLO treatment. In the tissues of CLO-treated diabetic animals, GSHPx activity paralleled those of control animals. CLO treatment also caused significant improvements in catalase activities in every tissue of diabetic rats, but failed to affect MDA and antioxidant activity in control animals. The current study suggests that the treatment of diabetic rats with CLO provides better control of glucose and lipid metabolism, allows recovery of normal growth rate, prevents oxidative/peroxidative stress and ameliorates endogenous antioxidant enzyme activities in various tissues. Because CLO contains a plethora of beneficial compounds together, its use for the management of diabetes-induced complications may provide important advantages.     

Mutation analysis of the coding sequence of the MECP2 gene in infantile autism

Mutations in the coding region of the methyl-CpG-binding protein 2 ( MECP2) gene cause Rett syndrome and have also been reported in a number of X-linked mental retardation syndromes. Furthermore, such mutations have recently been described in a few autistic patients. In this study, a large sample of individuals with autism was screened in order to elucidate systematically whether specific mutations in MECP2 play a role in autism. The mutation analysis of the coding sequence of the gene was performed by denaturing high-pressure liquid chromatography and direct sequencing. Taken together, 14 sequence variants were identified in 152 autistic patients from 134 German families and 50 unrelated patients from the International Molecular Genetic Study of Autism Consortium affected relative-pair sample. Eleven of these variants were excluded for having an aetiological role as they were either silent mutations, did not cosegregate with autism in the pedigrees of the patients or represented known polymorphisms. The relevance of the three remaining mutations towards the aetiology of autism could not be ruled out, although they were not localised within functional domains of MeCP2 and may be rare polymorphisms. Taking into account the large size of our sample, we conclude that mutations in the coding region of MECP2 do not play a major role in autism susceptibility. Therefore, infantile autism and Rett syndrome probably represent two distinct entities at the molecular genetic level.     

Ang Ⅱ 对培养新生大鼠心肌成纤维细胞增殖及丝裂素活化蛋白激酶的影响

本研究目的在于探讨丝裂素活化蛋白激酶（ＭＡＰＫ）是否在ＡｎｇⅡ（１０－８ｍｏｌ／Ｌ）诱导的培养新生大鼠心肌成纤维细胞（ＦＢ）的增殖反应中起重要作用。实验以ＦＢ数目和ＤＮＡ合成速率（３Ｈ－胸腺嘧啶掺入率）为增殖指标,［γ－３２Ｐ］ＡＴＰ掺入法和免疫印迹法分别测定ＦＢＭＡＰＫ的活性和含量,结果发现（１）ＡｎｇⅡ处理ＦＢ２４ｈ后,ＤＮＡ合成速率和细胞数比对照组分别增加６０％和３９％;（２）ＡｎｇⅡ处理ＦＢ５ｍｉｎ后,ＭＡＰＫ活性比对照组增高２０３％;（３）培养新生大鼠ＦＢ含有两个ＭＡＰＫ同型体－ｐ４４ｍａｐｋ和ｐ４２ｍａｐｋ,其中ｐ４４ｍａｐｋ含量高于ｐ４２ｍａｐｋ,分别为总量的５８％和４２％。ＡｎｇⅡ处理５ｍｉｎ后,ＭＡＰＫ蛋白含量（ｐ４４＋ｐ４２〕增高４２９％,其中ｐ４４ｍａｐｋ的增加明显大于ｐ４２ｍａｐｋ的增加,分别比相应对照增高４８６％和３４９％。以上结果表明,ＡｎｇⅡ诱导的ＭＡＰＫ活性和含量的增加,参与了ＦＢ的增殖反应,其中ｐ４４ｍａｐｋ的作用较为显著     

Trichosanthin inhibits T cell activation by interfering with the recruitment of ZAP-70 to CD3 ζchain

INTRoDUCTIONThichosanthin(Tk),aplantproteinisolatedfromaChinesemedicinalherbTh-1.Correspondenceaddress:Dr.KuangYenCHoU,ShanghaiInstituteofImmunology,Shang-haiSecondMedicalUniversity28oSouthChongqingRoad,Shanghai2ooo25,China.Fax:(8621)63846383,E-mail:my@sh…     

广布中剑水蚤对裸腹和秀体的摄食(英文)

１９９５年６月至９月,在武汉东湖,通过摄食实验和野外调查,作者研究了广布中剑水蚤对裸腹和秀体的摄食。研究结果证实,广布中剑水蚤能够抓取和摄食裸腹和秀体。广布中剑水蚤对小型裸腹的平均摄食率高于大型裸腹。多重统计分析结果表明,广布中剑水蚤对小型和大型裸腹的摄食率有显著差异（Ｐ＝００３３５）,捕食者喜食小型猎物。由于广布中剑水蚤的摄食习性,它对裸腹和秀体的种群动态有重要影响,但随着鱼产量增加,广布中剑水蚤对猎物摄食的影响效果被减弱了。     

植物铜转运蛋白的结构和功能

铜(Cu)是植物必需的微量营养元素, 参与植物生长发育过程中的许多生理生化反应。Cu缺乏或过量都会影响植物的正常新陈代谢过程。因此, 植物需要一系列Cu转运蛋白协同作用以保持体内Cu离子的稳态平衡。通常, Cu转运蛋白可分为两类, 即吸收型Cu转运蛋白(如COPT、ZIP和YSL蛋白家族)和排出型Cu转运蛋白(如HMA蛋白家族), 主要负责Cu离子的跨膜转运及调节Cu离子的吸收和排出。然而, 最近有研究表明, 有些Cu伴侣蛋白家族可能是从Cu转运蛋白家族进化而来, 且它们在维持植物细胞Cu离子稳态平衡中也具重要功能。该文对Cu转运蛋白和Cu伴侣蛋白的表达、结构、定位及功能等研究进展进行综述。     

23价肺炎球菌多糖疫苗对60岁以上人群抗社区获得性肺炎的有效性

<正>背景:使用23价肺炎球菌多糖疫苗(PPV23)的好处是有争议的。作者研究了PPV23在年龄大于等于60岁人群中预防社区获得性肺炎(CAP)的临床效果。方法 :研究是在西班牙的塔拉戈纳地区,从2008年11月1日到2011年12月30日,年龄≥60岁人群中选取27 204人作为队列研究的人群基础。主要结果来自肺炎球菌CAP(有菌血症和非菌血     

《生物多样性》2000年度优秀论文奖

经我刊2/3以上编委投票,并经编委会讨论评选出2000年度优秀论文奖,公布如下： 　　黄宏文,龚俊杰,王圣梅,何子灿,张忠慧,李建强.猕猴桃属(Actinidia)植物的遗传多样性.2000,8(1)1～12 　　东秀珠,沈德龙,辛玉华.16S rDNA同源性所揭示的双歧杆菌与有关细菌的亲缘关系.2000,8（2）146～152 　　王剑伟,王伟,崔迎松.野生和近交稀有鮈鲫的遗传多样性.2000,8（3）241～247 　　本刊将对以上作者颁发荣誉证书、赠送2001年全年刊物并给予一定的物质奖励。 《生物多样性》编辑部     

甘蔗节间伸长过程赤霉素生物合成关键基因的表达及相关植物激素动态变化

以甘蔗(Saccharum officinarum)优良品种桂糖42号(GT42)为研究材料, 分别于未伸长期(9-10叶龄以前) (Ls1)、伸长初期(12-13叶龄) (Ls2)和伸长盛期(15-16叶龄) (Ls3)取甘蔗第2片真叶(自顶部起)对应的节间组织, 测定其赤霉素(GA)、生长素(IAA)、油菜素甾醇(BR)、细胞分裂素(CTK)、乙烯(ETH)和脱落酸(ABA)的含量, 并通过实时荧光定量PCR (qRT-PCR)分析赤霉素合成途径关键基因GA₂₀氧化酶基因(GA20-Oxidase1)、赤霉素受体基因(GID1)和DELLA蛋白编码基因(GAI)的差异表达。结果表明, 在甘蔗伸长期间, GA和IAA含量呈现上升趋势, CTK和ABA含量呈下降趋势, ETH含量先上升后下降, BR含量则变化不明显; GA20-Oxidase1和GID1的表达呈上升趋势, 而GAI的表达则呈下降趋势, 这与相关植物激素的变化基本一致。综上, 甘蔗节间伸长过程主要与GA和IAA相关, 其次为CTK和ABA, 而ETH受到IAA的调控影响节间伸长; 植物激素间通过相互作用调控GA20-Oxidase1、GID1和GAI的表达, 影响GA含量和GA的信号转导过程, 进而影响甘蔗节间的伸长。该研究揭示了甘蔗节间伸长过程中赤霉素生物合成途径和信号转导关键基因的差异表达及植物激素含量的动态变化规律。     

水稻糯性相关基因的全基因组关联分析

利用1 090 071个SNP标记, 对419份广西地方稻种资源核心种质的糯性进行全基因组关联分析。结果表明, 运用混合线性模型, 在P<4.72×10^-8 (4.72E-8)水平下, 检测到45个与糯性显著关联的SNP位点, 均位于第6号染色体上。通过筛选显著关联位点上、下游各150 kb区域内的基因, 共找到305个候选基因, 其中包含2个与淀粉合成酶相关的Wx和SSIIa基因; 同时在第6号染色体5.69-5.89 Mb区域发现4个与糯性显著关联的SNP位点, 该区域可能是影响水稻(Oryza sativa)糯性的重要候选区域。