Fragile X mental retardation protein is required for chemically-induced long-term potentiation of the hippocampus in adult mice

Fragile X syndrome (FXS), a common form of inherited mental retardation, is caused by the lack of fragile X mental retardation protein (FMRP). The animal model of FXS, Fmr1 knockout mice, have deficits in the Morris water maze and trace fear memory tests, showing impairment in hippocampus-dependent learning and memory. However, results for synaptic long-term potentiation (LTP), a key cellular model for learning and memory, remain inconclusive in the hippocampus of Fmr1 knockout mice. Here, we demonstrate that FMRP is required for glycine induced LTP (Gly-LTP) in the CA1 of hippocampus. This form of LTP requires activation of post-synaptic NMDA receptors and metabotropic glutamateric receptors, as well as the subsequent activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) 1/2. However, paired-pulse facilitation was not affected by glycine treatment. Genetic deletion of FMRP interrupted the phosphorylation of ERK1/2, suggesting the possible role of FMRP in the regulation of the activity of ERK1/2. Our study provide strong evidences that FMRP participates in Gly-LTP in the hippocampus by regulating the phosphorylation of ERK1/2, and that improper regulation of these signaling pathways may contribute to the learning and memory deficits observed in FXS.     

Somatic embryogenesis and plant regeneration from leaf, root and stem-derived callus cultures of Areca catechu

Plant regeneration through somatic embryogenesis of Areca catechu L. was established using leaf, root and stem segments as explants. Embryogenic callus was induced and maintained on medium supplemented with 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) or 3,6-dichloro-2-methoxybenzoic acid (dicamba) at concentrations 2, 4, 6 and 8 mg dm⁻³ in darkness. Somatic embryos were found on primary callus in the presence of 2 and 4 mg dm⁻³ dicamba and during subculture on 2 – 8 mg dm⁻³ 2,4-D or 2 – 4 mg dm⁻³ dicamba-containing media. Plantlet conversion from embryos was successfully achieved on growth regulator-free medium. The plants grew well when transplanted to containers in shaded greenhouse.     

Tumor necrosis factor-α accelerates apoptosis of steatotic hepatocytes from a murine model of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease

Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) develops in a subset of patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), but the exact mechanisms involved in the progression of NAFLD to NASH remain poorly understood. We investigated the role of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in the apoptosis of hepatocytes that is related to the severity of NASH. We separated primary hepatocytes from the NAFLD liver caused by a high-fat diet. The production of intracellular reactive oxygen species was increased in steatotic hepatocytes, which were also sensitive to TNF-α. This factor induced significant apoptosis through the signal-regulating kinase 1 (ASK1) and c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) pathway. We describe here a novel culture model of steatotic hepatocytes separated from the NAFLD liver, and demonstrate that TNF-α induces their apoptosis in vitro.     

Dexamethasone interferes with osteoblasts formation during osteogenesis through altering IGF-1-mediated angiogenesis

Dexamethasone (Dex), a synthetic glucocorticoid (GC) with long-lasting treatment effects, has been proved to exert a modulatory effect on osteoblast proliferation and differentiation during embryonic osteogenesis. However, it is still controversial if Dex exposure influences endochondral ossification and the underlying mechanism. In this study, chick embryos in vivo and preosteoblast cell cultures in vitro were utilized to investigate the effects of Dex on osteoblast formation and differentiation during the skeletal development. We first demonstrated that Dex exposure could shorten the long bones of 17-day chick embryos in vivo, and also downregulated the expressions of osteogenesis-related genes. Next, we established that Dex exposure inhibited the proliferation and viability of preosteoblasts-MC3TC-E1 cells, and the addition of insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) could dramatically rescue these negative effects. On the basis of remarkable changes in the rescue experiments, we next verified the important role of angiogenesis in osteogenesis by culturing isolated embryonic phalanges in Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium culture or on the chick chorioallantoic membrane (CAM). Then, we transplanted MC3T3-E1 cell masses onto the CAM. The data showed that Dex exposure reduced the vessel density within the developed cell mass, concomitantly with the downregulation of IGF-1 pathway. We verified that the inhibition of blood vessel formation caused by Dex could be rescued by IGF-1 treatment using the CAM angiogenesis model. Eventually, we demonstrated that the shortened length of the phalanges in the presence of Dex could be reversed by IGF-1 addition. In summary, these findings suggested that the inhibition of Igf-1 signal caused by Dex exposure exerts a detrimental impact on the formation of osteoblasts and angiogenesis, which consequently shortens long bones during osteogenesis.     

N-糖基化位点突变的人IFN-λ1在毕赤酵母中的表达、纯化及表征

IFN-λ1是Ⅲ型干扰素家族的一个成员,具有与Ⅰ型干扰素相似的功能。此前,我们已经从毕赤酵母表达获得了可溶性重组人干扰素-λ1。然而,毕赤酵母表达中的高糖基化带来了免疫原性,影响了蛋白质的生产纯化效率。为了克服这个缺点,文中构建了一种干扰素突变体 (rhIFN-λ1-Nm),定点突变潜在糖基化位点。AOX1启动子与α因子信号序列存在的情况下,用甲醇诱导成功地实现了rhIFN-λ1-Nm在毕赤酵母GS115胞外分泌表达。对rhIFN-λ1-Nm进行纯化,获得了纯度>98%的产品,并对糖化水平、分子量、二级结构、N末端序列等理化性质和生物活性进行了研究。研究结果表明,rhIFN-λ1-Nm糖基化水平明显降低,蛋白质生产纯化收率显著提高,而对结构和生物活性无影响;糖基化位点突变rhIFN-λ1可以被开发为IFN-λ1的替代品,有望发展成为未来的生物免疫制剂。     

Successive chromosome walking by compatible ends ligation inverse PCR

Here we describe an advanced polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique, the compatible ends ligation inverse PCR (CELI-PCR) for chromosome walking. In CELI-PCR, several restriction enzymes, which produce compatible cohesive ends, were used to digest target DNA simultaneously or sequentially to produce DNA fragments of suitable size. DNA fragments were then easily circularized and PCR amplification could be carried out efficiently. The previous limitations of inverse PCR were overcome, such as unavailable restriction sites, poor template DNA circularization, and low amplification efficiency. Therefore, successive chromosome walking was performed successfully. Our work, isolating a 11,395-bp fragment from Gossypium hirsutum, was presented as an example to describe how CELI-PCR was carried out.     

突变靶基因xylE转基因小鼠

本研究以ｐＥＳｎｘ穿梭质粒为载体,选用恶臭假单孢杆菌ＴＯＬ质粒上的ｘｙｌＥ基因作为突变靶基因组构建的重组构件,经微注射导入ＩＣＲ小鼠５４９枚受精卵雄原核,将存活的３５２枚卵移入２４只假孕鼠输卵管内,７只妊娠,共产仔４１只,其中７只死胎,出生后死亡４只,３０只存活。注射卵存活率为６４％（３５２／５４９）,出生率为１１．６％（４１／３５２）。存活鼠经ＰＣＲ－Ｓｏｕｔｈｅｒｎ检测,整合率为５７％（１７／３０）。在整合阳性鼠中选择了杂交信号较强的２只当代公鼠,通过回收载体和转化试验,结果表明整合基因完整,具有转化的功能,由此,建立了突变靶基因ｘｙｌＥ转基因小鼠模型。     

CD40 signal expression in gastric cancer tissue and its correlation with prognosis of gastric cancer patients

CD40 signaling plays a critical role in the survival rate of gastric cancer patients. Tumour samples were collected from 73 patients with who were diagnosed as gastric cancer in general surgery department in the 1st affiliated hospital of Suzhou University between September 2002 and July 2003. All patients had not received radiotherapy and chemotherapy before operation. These patients include 46 male and 27 female. Here we show that CD40 is constitutively expressed in the human gastric carcinoma tissues, and CD40 protein and mRNA positive expression in gastric cancer tissues closely correlated with lymph node metastasis and tumour TNM stage. CD40 positive expression in gastric cancer patients with lymph node metastasis was markedly higher than that in gastric cancer patients without lymph node metastasis. CD40 positive expression in stage III-IV gastric cancer patients was markedly higher than that in stage I-II gastric cancer patients. Moreover, CD40 expression closely correlated with prognosis of gastric cancer patients. Therefore, CD40 was taken as grouping variable, and lymph node metastasis and clinical staging were taken as stratification variables, respectively, further analysis showed that prognosis in gastric cancer patients with lymph node metastasis and CD40 positive expression was markedly worse than that in gastric cancer patients without lymph node metastasis and CD40 negative expression (P = 0.0076). These results suggest that CD40 signaling plays a critical role in the survival of gastric cancer patients.