树鼩神经肽Y的分子克隆及其灵长类类似物的同源性比较

树鼩由于与灵长类动物有较密切的亲缘关系和其个体小,以及繁殖周期短等特性而倍受关注,尤其是作为医用实验动物的研究,近年来已受到越来越多的重视,但树鼩的分类地位还一直有所争论。该研究从树鼩脑cDNA文库中克隆得到编码树鼩神经肽Y(neuropeptide Y,NPY)前体序列,序列比对发现该序列与灵长类NPY序列同源性高达96.9%。将该序列与GenBank数据库中其他物种的NPY序列构建系统进化树,发现树鼩与灵长类处于同一分支。该研究结果揭示了树鼩与灵长类较近的亲缘关系。     

Salidroside Inhibits Reactive Astrogliosis and Glial Scar Formation in Late Cerebral Ischemia via the Akt/GSK-3β Pathway

Neurochemical Research - Cerebral ischemia leads to reactive astrogliosis and glial scar formation. Glial scarring can impede functional restoration during the recovery phase of stroke. Salidroside...     

Identification of Two Species of Yeast-like Symbiotes in the Brown Planthopper, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Nilaparvata lugens</Emphasis>

To determine the species of the yeast-like symbionts (YLS) in the brown planthoppers (BPH), Nilaparvata lugens, YLS were first isolated and purified by ultracentrifugation from the fat bodies of BPH, and then 18S rDNA and internal transcribed spacer (ITS)–5.8S rDNA sequences of YLS were amplified with the different general primers for fungi. The results showed that the two different 18S and ITS–5.8S rDNA sequences of YLS were obtained. One 2291-bp DNA sequence, which contained 18S and ITS–5.8S rDNA, showed the high similarity to Cryptococcus and was named Cryp-Like symbiotes. Another 1248-bp DNA sequence, which contained a part of 18S and ITS–5.8S rDNA, showed the high similarity to Pichia guilliermondii and was named Pichia-Like symbiotes. It was further proved that Cryp- and Pichia-Like symbiotes existed in BPH through nested PCR with specific primers for two symbiotes and in situ hybridization analysis using digoxigenin-labeled probes. Our results showed that BPH harbored more than one species of eukaryotic YLS, which suggested that diversity of fungal endosymbiotes may be occurred in planthoppers, just like bacterial endosymbiotes.     

Gene Expression of Neuropilin-1 and Its Receptors,VEGF/Semaphorin 3a,in Normal and Cancer Cells

Extracellular domains of the transmembrane glycoprotein, neuropilin-1 (Np1), specifically bind an array of factors and co-receptors including class-3 semaphorins (Sema3a), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), hepatocyte growth factor, platelet-derived growth factor BB, transforming growth factor-β 1 (TGF-β1), and fibroblast growth factor2 (FGF2). Np1 may have a role in immune response, tumor cell growth, and angiogenesis, but its relative expression in comparison to its co-primary receptors, VEGF and Sema3a, is not known. In this study we determined the mRNA expression of Np1 and its co-receptors, VEGF and Sema3a, and the ratio of VEGF/Sema3a in different human and rodent cell lines. Expression of Np1, VEGF and Sema3a is very low in cells derived from normal tissues, but these proteins are highly expressed in tumor-derived cells. Furthermore, the ratio of VEGF/Sema3a is highly variable in different tumor cells. The elevated mRNA expression of Np1 and its putative receptors in tumor cells suggests a role for these proteins in tumor cell migration and angiogenesis. As different tumor cells exhibit varying VEGF/Sema3a ratios, it appears that cancer cells show differential response to angiogenic factors. These results bring to light the individual variation among the cancer-related genes, Np1, VEGF, and Sema3a, and provide an important impetus for the possible personalized therapeutic approaches for cancer patients.     

Endoplasmic reticulum stress and its regulator XBP-1 contributes to dendritic cell maturation and activation induced by high mobility group box-1 protein

High mobility group box-1 protein (HMGB1) had been proved to induce maturation and activation of dendritic cell (DC), however, the endogenous changes and mechanisms underlying are unknown. Since endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) activates an adaptive unfolded protein response (UPR) that facilitates cellular survival and repair, we hypothesized that HMGB1 may regulate the function of DC by modulating ERS. In our study, HMGB1 stimulation induced significant ERS responses in DCs in a time- and dose-dependent manner, demonstrated by the up-regulation of a number of ERS markers. Gene silence of XBP-1 in splenic DCs decreased the levels of CD80, CD86 as well as major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-II expression and cytokine secretion after HMGB1 treatment, when compared with untransfected or nontargeting-transfected DCs (all P<0.05). Moreover, XBP-1 silenced DCs after treatment with HMGB1 failed to stimulate notable proliferation and differentiation of T cells, unlike normal DCs or nontargeting-transfected DCs (all P<0.05). Gene silence of XBP-1 resulted in down-regulation of the receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE) expression on the surface of splenic DCs induced by HMGB1 stimulation (P<0.05). These findings demonstrate an important role for ERS and its regulator XBP-1 in HMGB1-induced maturation and activation of DCs.     

Targeted overexpression of inducible 6-phosphofructo-2-kinase in adipose tissue increases fat deposition but protects against diet-induced insulin resistance and inflammatory responses

Increasing evidence demonstrates the dissociation of fat deposition, the inflammatory response, and insulin resistance in the development of obesity-related metabolic diseases. As a regulatory enzyme of glycolysis, inducible 6-phosphofructo-2-kinase (iPFK2, encoded by PFKFB3) protects against diet-induced adipose tissue inflammatory response and systemic insulin resistance independently of adiposity. Using aP2-PFKFB3 transgenic (Tg) mice, we explored the ability of targeted adipocyte PFKFB3/iPFK2 overexpression to modulate diet-induced inflammatory responses and insulin resistance arising from fat deposition in both adipose and liver tissues. Compared with wild-type littermates (controls) on a high fat diet (HFD), Tg mice exhibited increased adiposity, decreased adipose inflammatory response, and improved insulin sensitivity. In a parallel pattern, HFD-fed Tg mice showed increased hepatic steatosis, decreased liver inflammatory response, and improved liver insulin sensitivity compared with controls. In both adipose and liver tissues, increased fat deposition was associated with lipid profile alterations characterized by an increase in palmitoleate. Additionally, plasma lipid profiles also displayed an increase in palmitoleate in HFD-Tg mice compared with controls. In cultured 3T3-L1 adipocytes, overexpression of PFKFB3/iPFK2 recapitulated metabolic and inflammatory changes observed in adipose tissue of Tg mice. Upon treatment with conditioned medium from iPFK2-overexpressing adipocytes, mouse primary hepatocytes displayed metabolic and inflammatory responses that were similar to those observed in livers of Tg mice. Together, these data demonstrate a unique role for PFKFB3/iPFK2 in adipocytes with regard to diet-induced inflammatory responses in both adipose and liver tissues.     

DHP-Derivative and Low Oxygen Tension Effectively Induces Human Adipose Stromal Cell Reprogramming

Background and Methods

In this study, we utilized a combination of low oxygen tension and a novel anti-oxidant, 4-(3,4-dihydroxy-phenyl)-derivative (DHP-d) to directly induce adipose tissue stromal cells (ATSC) to de-differentiate into more primitive stem cells. De-differentiated ATSCs was overexpress stemness genes, Rex-1, Oct-4, Sox-2, and Nanog. Additionally, demethylation of the regulatory regions of Rex-1, stemnesses, and HIF1α and scavenging of reactive oxygen species were finally resulted in an improved stem cell behavior of de-differentiate ATSC (de-ATSC). Proliferation activity of ATSCs after dedifferentiation was induced by REX1, Oct4, and JAK/STAT3 directly or indirectly. De-ATSCs showed increased migration activity that mediated by P38/JUNK and ERK phosphorylation. Moreover, regenerative efficacy of de-ATSC engrafted spinal cord-injured rats and chemical-induced diabetes animals were significantly restored their functions.

Conclusions/Significance

Our stem cell remodeling system may provide a good model which would provide insight into the molecular mechanisms underlying ATSC proliferation and transdifferentiation. Also, these multipotent stem cells can be harvested may provide us with a valuable reservoir of primitive and autologous stem cells for use in a broad spectrum of regenerative cell-based disease therapy.     

有丝分裂细胞死亡

细胞死亡有坏死、凋亡、裂亡、自体吞噬等多种方式。细胞裂亡指细胞经过一次有丝分裂后才开始死亡的现象。本文综述了对于细胞裂亡这种新型细胞死亡方式的初步认识。