姜黄素诱导人胰腺癌PANC-1细胞凋亡的机制研究

目的：胰腺癌恶性程度高、进展快、预后差,姜黄素对于抑制恶性肿瘤的发生和进程具有广泛的生物学效应。但姜黄素能否诱导人胰腺癌细胞凋亡,其具体作用机制如何？目前仍无报道。本研究拟观察姜黄素对人胰腺癌PANC．1细胞凋亡的影响,探讨姜黄素诱导PANC．1细胞凋亡的机制。方法：不同浓度姜黄素处理人胰腺癌PANC-1细胞,流式细胞仪检测PANC-1细胞凋亡率,并分析Caspase-9和Caspase-3活性的变化,同时通过RT—PCR和Westemblot分析PANC-1细胞中P53表达的变化。结果：PANC-1细胞经不同浓度的姜黄素处理后,可以显著诱导细胞凋亡,并呈现一定的剂量依赖性,提示姜黄素具有一定抗肿瘤活性。姜黄素能够同时增加Caspase-9和Caspase-3的活性,并呈现一定的剂量依赖性,提示姜黄素可能通过Caspase-9和Caspase-3途径来诱导PANC．1细胞凋亡的发生。RT—PCR和westernblot结果显示,姜黄素可以显著增加PANC-1细胞中P53蛋白表达水平。结论：姜黄素可以显著诱导PANC-1细胞凋亡的发生,提高Caspase-9和Caspase-3的活性,同时增加的P53表达,并呈现一定的剂量依赖性,提示姜黄素诱导PANC-1细胞凋亡的过程可能与增加细胞中Caspase-9,Caspase-3以及P53的表达有关。本研究探讨了姜黄素诱导PANC-1细胞凋亡的分子机制,为姜黄素的进一步应用提供了新的思路和理论支持,在人胰腺癌的临床治疗中具有一定的潜在应用价值。     

Decreased Extracellular Adenosine Levels Lead to Loss of Hypoxia-Induced Neuroprotection after Repeated Episodes of Exposure to Hypoxia

Achieving a prolonged neuroprotective state following transient ischemic attacks (TIAs) is likely to effectively reduce the brain damage and neurological dysfunction associated with recurrent stroke. HPC is a phenomenon in which advanced exposure to mild hypoxia reduces the stroke volume produced by a subsequent TIA. However, this neuroprotection is not long-lasting, with the effects reaching a peak after 3 days. Therefore, in this study, we investigated the use of multiple episodes of hypoxic exposure at different time intervals to induce longer-term protection in a mouse stroke model. C57BL/6 mice were subjected to different hypoxic preconditioning protocols: a single episode of HPC or five identical episodes at intervals of 3 days (E3d HPC) or 6 days (E6d HPC). Three days after the last hypoxic exposure, temporary middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) was induced. The effects of these HPC protocols on hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) regulated gene mRNA expression were measured by quantitative PCR. Changes in extracellular adenosine concentrations, known to exert neuroprotective effects, were also measured using in vivo microdialysis and high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC). Neuroprotection was provided by E6d HPC but not E3d HPC. HIF-regulated target gene expression increased significantly following all HPC protocols. However, E3d HPC significantly decreased extracellular adenosine and reduced cerebral blood flow in the ischemic region with upregulated expression of the adenosine transporter, equilibrative nucleoside transporter 1 (ENT1). An ENT1 inhibitor, propentofylline increased the cerebral blood flow and re-established neuroprotection in E3d HPC. Adenosine receptor specific antagonists showed that adenosine mainly through A1 receptor mediates HPC induced neuroprotection. Our data indicate that cooperation of HIF-regulated genes and extracellular adenosine is necessary for HPC-induced neuroprotection.     

The Characteristic and Changes of the Event-Related Potentials (ERP) and Brain Topographic Maps before and after Treatment with rTMS in Subjective Tinnitus Patients

Objectives

To compare the event-related potentials (ERPs) and brain topographic maps characteristic and change in normal controls and subjective tinnitus patients before and after repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) treatment.

Methods and Participants

The ERPs and brain topographic maps elicited by target stimulus were compared before and after 1-week treatment with rTMS in 20 subjective tinnitus patients and 16 healthy controls.

Results

Before rTMS, target stimulus elicited a larger N1 component than the standard stimuli (repeating sounds)in control group but not in tinnitus patients. Instead, the tinnitus group pre-treatment exhibited larger amplitude of N1 in response to standard stimuli than to deviant stimuli. Furthermore tinnitus patients had smaller mismatch negativity (MMN) and late discriminative negativity (LDN)component at Fz compared with the control group. After rTMS treatment, tinnitus patients showed increased N1 response to deviant stimuli and larger MMN and LDN compared with pre-treatment. The topographic maps for the tinnitus group before rTMS -treatment demonstrated global asymmetry between the left and right cerebral hemispheres with more negative activities in left side and more positive activities in right side. In contrast, the brain topographic maps for patients after rTMS-treatment and controls seem roughly symmetrical. The ERP amplitudes and brain topographic maps in post-treatment patient group showed no significant difference with those in controls.

Conclusions

The characterical changes in ERP and brain topographic maps in tinnitus patients maybe related with the electrophysiological mechanism of tinnitus induction and development. It can be used as an objective biomarker for the evaluation of auditory central in subjective tinnitus patients. These findings support the notion that rTMS treatment in tinnitus patients may exert a beneficial effect.     

小哺乳动物化石牙齿釉质碳、氧同位素测试方法简介及应用前景

探讨古环境和古气候变化与哺乳动物演化之间的关系是目前古生物学研究领域中的一个热点,而哺乳动物化石牙齿釉质的碳、氧同位素分析是恢复古环境和古气候的一个重要手段。以往的哺乳动物化石牙齿釉质稳定同位素分析多集中在大哺乳动物化石,这主要是受到技术手段的限制,所需的样品量较大所决定的。但最近几年随着激光和离子显微探针技术的应用,对小哺乳动物化石(如啮齿类和兔形类)的牙齿釉质碳、氧同位素的分析和应用日趋成熟和广泛。除了传统的化学处理方法之外,对小哺乳动物化石牙齿釉质碳、氧同位素的分析还有以下三种方法:1)激光剥蚀气相色谱/同位素比值质谱分析;2)直接激光氟化技术;3)离子显微探针技术(SHRIMPII)。这些技术需要的样品量少,对标本的破损小,准确度和精密度高,所以在小哺乳动物化石和一些珍贵标本(如古人类化石)的稳定同位素分析中起到了重要作用。相对于大哺乳动物化石,小哺乳动物化石数量多、演化速度快,更能反映多个层位长时间序列的古环境和气候变化;而且小哺乳动物通常没有长距离迁徙的行为,栖息地局限,所以更能准确反映化石埋藏地点的古环境和气候状况。     

NO体外供体硝普钠诱导蚕豆气孔保卫细胞死亡机理研究

为分析NO在植物细胞死亡过程中的作用,以蚕豆表皮条和NO体外供体硝普钠(SNP)及NO信号途径抑制剂为材料,采用表皮条生物法,探讨SNP对蚕豆叶面保卫细胞的毒性机理.结果表明:(1)0.5～9 mmol· L-1的SNP可使蚕豆气孔保卫细胞活性降低,部分细胞死亡,且随着SNP浓度的增高细胞死亡率增高.(2)凋亡抑制剂Z-Asp-CH2-DCB或TLCK可显著降低SNP诱发的保卫细胞死亡率.(3)抗坏血酸(AsA)、过氧化氢酶(CAT)、Ca2+螯合剂EGTA或Ca2+通道抑制剂LaCl3与SNP共同作用时,细胞死亡率显著降低.(4)NO清除剂c-PTIO、MAPK激酶抑制剂PD98059和鸟苷酸环化酶抑制荆ODQ亦能有效阻止SNP诱发的细胞死亡.研究发现,较高浓度的SNP可诱导蚕豆保卫细胞程序性死亡,SNP诱发植物细胞死亡与胁迫组保卫细胞内NO、ROS和Ca2+水平升高有关,cGMP和MAPK参与了SNP诱发的细胞死亡.     

新疆赤藓属植物的地理分布及3个新记录种

采用经典分类方法,对1989～2012年采自新疆各地的赤藓属植物360余号标本进行鉴定。结果表明:(1)共鉴定出新疆赤藓属(Syntrichia Brid.)植物11种(含1变种),其中3种为新疆新记录种。(2)新疆首次发现的3个新记录种为:北方赤藓(Syntrichia norvegica)、双齿赤藓(S.bidentata)和齿肋赤藓异叶变种(S.caninervis var.spuria),其中双齿赤藓为中国濒危物种。(3)对新疆赤藓属植物11种的形态特征及其在新疆的分布进行了描述,并编制了新疆赤藓属植物的分种检索表。     

痘病毒宿主范围因子及其作用机制研究进展

痘病毒是已知病毒中基因组最大、宿主谱最广和危害最严重的人兽共患病病原之一。随着病原和宿主互作的分子生物学、功能基因组学以及免疫学相关技术的发展,痘病毒宿主范围因子及其相关作用机制被相继发现和研究,这为痘病毒的组织嗜性和宿主特异性的阐明奠定了分子基础。本文将通过对脊椎动物重要痘病毒属主要成员的宿主范围因子及其作用机制的介绍,以加深对痘病毒的分子遗传演化、组织嗜性和跨宿主种间感染机制的理解和认识。     

环境雌激素的生殖毒性的分子机理研究进展

环境激素（environmental endocrines,EEs）是外源性激素,可模拟体内天然激素与机体内的受体以及相应靶点结合,导致内分泌系统以及生殖系统功能紊乱。环境激素所产生的效应十分复杂,因此,进一步明确其毒性机理将为环境激素所致危害的预防和治疗提供理论依据。就环境雌激素的生殖、发育等毒性机理作一综述。     

前列腺凋亡反应蛋白-4抗肿瘤作用研究进展

前列腺凋亡反应基因-4（prostate apoptosis responsegene．4,par-4）是从凋亡的前列腺癌细胞中分离出来的一种基因,该基因编码的产物是前列腺凋亡反应蛋白4（Par-4）。Par-4可通过细胞内、外途径调节各种分子表达,诱导癌细胞凋亡,选择性抑制肿瘤细胞生长,因此,Par-4的表达与肿瘤的发生、发展及预后有密切的联系。Par-4在治疗恶性肿瘤中表现出良好的肿瘤细胞靶向杀伤效应,对正常组织细胞无明显影响,故具有极其重要的应用价值。就Par-4特异性诱导肿瘤细胞凋亡及其潜在抗肿瘤作用的进展进行综述。