Drosophila sperm swim backwards in the female reproductive tract and are activated via TRPP2 ion channels

Background

Sperm have but one purpose, to fertilize an egg. In various species including Drosophila melanogaster female sperm storage is a necessary step in the reproductive process. Amo is a homolog of the human transient receptor potential channel TRPP2 (also known as PKD2), which is mutated in autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease. In flies Amo is required for sperm storage. Drosophila males with Amo mutations produce motile sperm that are transferred to the uterus but they do not reach the female storage organs. Therefore Amo appears to be a mediator of directed sperm motility in the female reproductive tract but the underlying mechanism is unknown.

Methodology/Principal Findings

Amo exhibits a unique expression pattern during spermatogenesis. In spermatocytes, Amo is restricted to the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) whereas in mature sperm, Amo clusters at the distal tip of the sperm tail. Here we show that flagellar localization of Amo is required for sperm storage. This raised the question of how Amo at the rear end of sperm regulates forward movement into the storage organs. In order to address this question, we used in vivo imaging of dual labelled sperm to demonstrate that Drosophila sperm navigate backwards in the female reproductive tract. In addition, we show that sperm exhibit hyperactivation upon transfer to the uterus. Amo mutant sperm remain capable of reverse motility but fail to display hyperactivation and directed movement, suggesting that these functions are required for sperm storage in flies.

Conclusions/Significance

Amo is part of a signalling complex at the leading edge of the sperm tail that modulates flagellar beating and that guides a backwards path into the storage organs. Our data support an evolutionarily conserved role for TRPP2 channels in cilia.     

A history of chagas disease transmission, control, and re-emergence in peri-rural La Joya, Peru

Background

The history of Chagas disease control in Peru and many other nations is marked by scattered and poorly documented vector control campaigns. The complexities of human migration and sporadic control campaigns complicate evaluation of the burden of Chagas disease and dynamics of Trypanosoma cruzi transmission.

Methodology/Principal Findings

We conducted a cross-sectional serological and entomological study to evaluate temporal and spatial patterns of T. cruzi transmission in a peri-rural region of La Joya, Peru. We use a multivariate catalytic model and Bayesian methods to estimate incidence of infection over time and thereby elucidate the complex history of transmission in the area. Of 1,333 study participants, 101 (7.6%; 95% CI: 6.2–9.0%) were confirmed T. cruzi seropositive. Spatial clustering of parasitic infection was found in vector insects, but not in human cases. Expanded catalytic models suggest that transmission was interrupted in the study area in 1996 (95% credible interval: 1991–2000), with a resultant decline in the average annual incidence of infection from 0.9% (95% credible interval: 0.6–1.3%) to 0.1% (95% credible interval: 0.005–0.3%). Through a search of archival newspaper reports, we uncovered documentation of a 1995 vector control campaign, and thereby independently validated the model estimates.

Conclusions/Significance

High levels of T. cruzi transmission had been ongoing in peri-rural La Joya prior to interruption of parasite transmission through a little-documented vector control campaign in 1995. Despite the efficacy of the 1995 control campaign, T. cruzi was rapidly reemerging in vector populations in La Joya, emphasizing the need for continuing surveillance and control at the rural-urban interface.     

Kv1.3 钾离子通道在卵巢癌细胞株中的表达及活性

目的:研究Kv1.3钾离子通道在SKOV3卵巢癌细胞中的表达及其在细胞增殖和细胞周期中的作用。方法:应用RT-PCR和免疫细胞化学鉴别Kv1.3钾离子通道在SKOV3卵巢癌细胞中的表达。应用MTT和流式细胞技术观察KV1.3钾离子通道对SKOV3卵巢癌细胞增殖及细胞周期的影响。结果:4-氨基吡啶是Kv1.3钾离子通道特异性阻滞剂。不同浓度的4-氨基吡啶可以明显抑制SKOV3细胞的增殖,并且细胞周期也受到影响。G0/G1细胞比例增加,S期和G2/M期细胞比例下降。结论:Kv1.3钾离子通道在SKOV3卵巢癌细胞中表达,并且在细胞增殖及细胞周期变换中扮演着重要的角色。     

1,25（OH）2D3缺失对膜内和软骨内成骨影响的比较研究

目的:比较1,25(OH)2D3缺失对膜内成骨和软骨内成骨影响的不同。方法:用免疫组织化学染色、HE染色和Western-blot等方法检测6周龄的野生型(wild type,WT)和1琢(OH)ase-/-小鼠的颅骨和股骨干骺端骨组织中I型胶原和甲状旁腺素受体(parathyroid hormone receptor,PTHR)的表达水平。结果:和WT小鼠相比较,1 ase-/-小鼠颅骨的I型胶原阳性面积明显减少,但是干骺端I型胶原阳性面积明显增加,差异有显著性(P<0.01);1琢(OH)ase-/-小鼠颅骨成骨细胞计数明显减少,差异存在统计学意义(P<0.05);但是干骺端成骨细胞计数明显增加,差异有显著性(P<0.01);1琢(OH)ase-/-小鼠颅骨的PHTR表达水平明显减少,但是在干骺端PHTR表达水平明显增加,差异均有显著性(P<0.01)。结论:1,25(OH)2D3缺乏导致小鼠膜内成骨方式骨形成减少,而软骨内成骨骨形成增加。     

AKT2 基因短发夹结构RNA 慢病毒载体的构建及鉴定

目的:构建丝/苏氨酸蛋白激酶2(AKT2)基因RNA干扰(RNAi)慢病毒载体。方法:利用公用网站按照RNAi序列设计原则,设计RNAi靶点序列并合成靶序列的Oligo DNA,退火形成双链DNA,与经MluI和ClaI进行酶切后的PLVTHM载体连接产生shRNA慢病毒载体。应用shRNA慢病毒载体转染293T细胞及U87细胞,测定病毒滴度,流式细胞仪测定U87细胞的转染效率,PCR及Western blot鉴定AKT2基因在U87细胞中的下调作用。结果:成功构建了shRNA-AKT2慢病毒载体,经测序与设计合成的靶向链完全一致。荧光显微镜下观察293T细胞感染效率大于90%,病毒滴度为3.59×107TU/ml;流式细胞仪测定对AKT2细胞的转染效率为86.93%。PCR测定shRNA载体感染U87细胞后AKT2的干扰效率为68%。Western Blot结果显示该慢病毒载体对AKT2的表达有较为显著的敲减作用。结论:成功构建了人胶质瘤细胞株AKT2基因RNAi慢病毒载体,为后续的体内外功能学试验创造了条件。     

2-amino-nonyl-6-methoxyl-tetralin muriate activity against Candida albicans augments endogenous reactive oxygen species production --a microarray analysis study

Candida infections have become an increasingly significant problem, mainly because of the widespread nature of Candida and drug resistance. There is an urgent need to develop new classes of drugs for the treatment of opportunistic Candida infections, especially in medically complex patients. Previous studies have confirmed that 2-amino-nonyl-6-methoxyl-tetralin muriate (10b) possesses powerful antifungal activity in vitro against Candia albicans. To clarify the underlying action mechanism, an oligonucleotide microarray study was performed in C. albicans SC5314 without and with 10b treatment. The analytical results showed that energy metabolism-related genes, including glycolysis-related genes (PFK1, CDC19 and HXK2), fermentation-related genes (PDC11, ALD5 and ADH1) and respiratory electron transport chain-related genes (CBP3, COR1 and QCR8), were downregulated significantly. Functional analysis revealed that 10b treatment increased the generation of endogenous reactive oxygen species, and decreased mitochondrial membrane potential, ubiquinone-cytochrome c reductase (complex III) activity and intracellular ATP levels in C. albicans SC5314. Also, addition of the antioxidant ascorbic acid reduced the antifungal activity of 10b significantly. These results suggest that mitochondrial aerobic respiration shift and endogenous reactive oxygen species augmentation might contribute to the antifungal activity of 10b against C. albicans. This information may prove to be useful for the development of new strategies to treat Candida infections.     

Soil moisture condition and soil nitrogen dynamics in a pure Alnus japonica forest in Korea

This study was conducted to examine the influences of soil-moisture conditions on soil nitrogen (N) dynamics, including in situ soil N mineralization, N availability, and denitrification in a pure Alnus japonica forest located in Seoul, central Korea. The soil N mineralization, N availability, and denitrification were determined using the buried bag incubation method, ion exchange resin bag method, and acetylene block method, respectively. The annual net N mineralization rate (kg N ha⁻¹ year⁻¹) and annual N availability (mg N bag⁻¹) were 40.26 and 80.65 in the relatively dry site, −5.43 and 45.39 in the moist site, and 7.09 and 39.17 in the wet site, respectively. The annual net N mineralization rate and annual N availability in the dry site were significantly higher than those in the moist and wet sites, whereas there was no significant difference between the moist and wet sites. The annual mean denitrification rate (kg N ha⁻¹ year⁻¹) in the dry, moist, and wet sites was 2.37, 2.76, and 1.59, respectively. However, there was no significant difference among sites due to the high spatial and temporal variations. Our results indicate that soil-moisture condition influenced the in situ N mineralization and resin bag N availability in an A. japonica forest, and treatments of proper drainage for poorly drained sites would increase soil N mineralization and N availability and consequently be useful to conserve and manage the A. japonica forest.     

Replication of putative susceptibility loci from genome-wide association studies associated with coronary atherosclerosis in Chinese Han population

Background

Coronary atherosclerosis, the main cause of cardiovascular disease, is a progressive disease. Recent Genome Wide Association Studies (GWASs) discovered several novel loci associated with coronary artery disease (CAD) or its main complication myocardial infarction (MI). In this study, we investigated the associations between previously reported CAD- and MI-associated variants and coronary atherosclerosis in Chinese Han population.

Methodology/Principal Findings

We performed a case-control association study with 2,335 coronary atherosclerosis patients and 1,078 controls undergoing coronary angiography of Chinese Han from China. Fourteen single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), located at 1p13.3, 1q41, 2q36.3, 6q25.1, 9p21.3, 10q11.21 and 15q22.33, were genotyped in our sample collection. Six SNPs at 9p21 were associated with coronary atherosclerosis susceptibility (P_trend<0.05) and rs10757274 showed the most significant association (P = 2.38×10⁻⁰⁸, OR = 1.34). These associations remained significant after adjustment for multiple comparisons. Rs17465637 at 1q41 (P_trend = 6.83×10⁻⁰³, OR = 0.86) also showed significant association with coronary atherosclerosis, but the association was not significant after multiple comparisons. Additionally, rs501120 (P = 8.36×10⁻⁰³, OR = 0.80) at 10q11.21 was associated with coronary atherosclerosis in females, but did not show association in males and all participants. Variants at 1p13.3, 2q36.3, 6q25.1 and 15q22.33 showed no associations with coronary atherosclerosis and main cardiovascular risk factors in our data.

Conclusions/Significance

Our findings indicated variants at 9p21 were significantly associated with coronary atherosclerosis in Han Chinese. Variants at 1q41 showed suggestive evidence of association and variants at 10q11.21 showed suggestive evidence of association in females, which warrant further study in a larger sample.     

WHO 2010 guidelines for prevention of mother-to-child HIV transmission in Zimbabwe: modeling clinical outcomes in infants and mothers

Background

The Zimbabwean national prevention of mother-to-child HIV transmission (PMTCT) program provided primarily single-dose nevirapine (sdNVP) from 2002–2009 and is currently replacing sdNVP with more effective antiretroviral (ARV) regimens.

Methods

Published HIV and PMTCT models, with local trial and programmatic data, were used to simulate a cohort of HIV-infected, pregnant/breastfeeding women in Zimbabwe (mean age 24.0 years, mean CD4 451 cells/µL). We compared five PMTCT regimens at a fixed level of PMTCT medication uptake: 1) no antenatal ARVs (comparator); 2) sdNVP; 3) WHO 2010 guidelines using “Option A” (zidovudine during pregnancy/infant NVP during breastfeeding for women without advanced HIV disease; lifelong 3-drug antiretroviral therapy (ART) for women with advanced disease); 4) WHO “Option B” (ART during pregnancy/breastfeeding without advanced disease; lifelong ART with advanced disease); and 5) “Option B+:” lifelong ART for all pregnant/breastfeeding, HIV-infected women. Pediatric (4–6 week and 18-month infection risk, 2-year survival) and maternal (2- and 5-year survival, life expectancy from delivery) outcomes were projected.

Results

Eighteen-month pediatric infection risks ranged from 25.8% (no antenatal ARVs) to 10.9% (Options B/B+). Although maternal short-term outcomes (2- and 5-year survival) varied only slightly by regimen, maternal life expectancy was reduced after receipt of sdNVP (13.8 years) or Option B (13.9 years) compared to no antenatal ARVs (14.0 years), Option A (14.0 years), or Option B+ (14.5 years).

Conclusions

Replacement of sdNVP with currently recommended regimens for PMTCT (WHO Options A, B, or B+) is necessary to reduce infant HIV infection risk in Zimbabwe. The planned transition to Option A may also improve both pediatric and maternal outcomes.