Adoptive transfers of CD4+CD25+ Tregs partially alleviate mouse premature ovarian insufficiency

This study was designed to investigate the protective effect of CD4⁺CD25⁺ regulatory T cells (Tregs) against zona pellucida glycoprotein 3 peptide (pZP3) immunization‐induced premature ovarian insufficiency (POI) in mice. A mouse POI model was induced by two subcutaneous injections of pZP3 (50 nmol/L). Mice in the pZP3‐Treg group were intraperitoneally injected with 5 × 10⁵ CD4⁺CD25⁺ Tregs after the POI model was established. Sex hormone levels, follicle numbers, apoptotic events, and the Akt/FOXO3a signaling pathway molecules in the ovaries were assessed. Compared with control group, the weight of ovaries in both pZP3 group and pZP3‐Treg group was decreased and no difference was found between them. The number of follicles in the Treg transferred mice, like in pZP3 group, was significantly reduced compared to the control group, but showed a modest improvement when compared the pZP3 group alone. Significantly lower serum concentrations of follicle‐stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, and anti‐zona pellucida antibodies (AZPAbs) were found, while the concentrations of estradiol and anti‐Mullerian hormone increased. In mechanism, Treg cell transfer to ZP3 treated mice restored the levels of Caspase3 to control levels, and partially restored Bax, however, had no effect on Bcl‐2. Moreover, Treg cell transfer to ZP3 treated mice partially restored the levels of Akt and FOXO3a, and partially restored the ratios of p‐Akt/Akt and p‐FOXO3a/FOXO3a. In conclusion, Treg cells improved some aspects of ZP3‐induced POI which may be mediate by suppressing ovarian cells apoptosis and involving the Akt/FOXO3a signaling pathway. Therefore, Treg cells may be protective against autoimmune POI.     

Statistical and multivariate statistical techniques to trace the sources and affecting factors of groundwater pollution in a rapidly growing city on the Chinese Loess Plateau

Abstract

Groundwater quality is defined by various water quality parameters. The aims of the research are to understand the relationships among different groundwater quality parameters and to trace the sources and affecting factors of groundwater pollution via statistical and multivariate statistical techniques. The 36 shallow groundwater samples collected from shallow pumping wells in Yan’an City were analyzed for various water quality parameters. Correlation analysis, principal component analysis (PCA), hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA), and multivariable linear regressions (MLR) were jointly used in this study to explore the sources and affecting factors of groundwater pollution. The study reveals that the mineral dissolution/precipitation and anthropogenic input are the main sources of the physicochemical indices and trace elements in the groundwater. Groundwater chemistry is predominantly regulated by natural processes such as dissolution of carbonates, silicates, and evaporates and soil leaching, followed by human activities as the second factor. Climatic factors and land use types are also important in affecting groundwater chemistry. Cl^– is the greatest contributor to the overall groundwater quality revealed by the two regression models. The first model which has eight dependent variables is high in model reliability and stability, and is recommended for the overall groundwater quality prediction. The study is helpful for understanding groundwater quality variation in urban areas.     

Probiotic Lactobacillus johnsonii BS15 Promotes Growth Performance,Intestinal Immunity,and Gut Microbiota in Piglets

Probiotics and Antimicrobial Proteins - Numerous studies have investigated the beneficial effects of Lactobacillus johnsonii strain BS15 on mice and broilers. This study aimed to understand the...     

中国植被分类系统修订方案

为了推动《中国植被志》研编工作, 该文回顾了中国植被分类系统的发展过程和主要阶段性成果, 提出了作为《中国植被志》研编技术框架组成部分的中国植被分类系统修订方案, 对各植被型组及各植被型进行了简单定义和描述, 并针对中国植被分类系统若干问题, 特别就中国植被分类系统总体框架、混交林的界定以及土壤在植被分类中的重要性等问题进行了讨论。1960年侯学煜在《中国的植被》中首次提出了中国植被分类的原则和系统, 1980年出版的《中国植被》制定了分类等级和划分依据等更加完善的系统, 之后《中国植被及其地理格局——中华人民共和国1:1 000 000植被图说明书》和《中国植物区系与植被地理》以及很多省区的植被专著对该系统进行过修订。2017年宋永昌在《植被生态学》中提出了一个分类等级单位调整的方案。本次提出的中国植被分类系统修订方案基本沿用《中国植被》的植被分类原则、分类单位及系统, 采用“植物群落学-生态学”分类原则, 主要以植物群落特征及其与环境的关系作为分类依据, 包含三级主要分类单位, 即植被型(高级单位)、群系(中级单位)和群丛(低级单位); 在三个主要分类单位之上分别增加辅助单位植被型组、群系组和群丛组, 在植被型和群系之下主要根据群落的生态差异和实际需要可再增加植被亚型或亚群系。修订方案包含了森林、灌丛、草本植被(草地)、荒漠、高山冻原与稀疏植被、沼泽与水生植被(湿地)、农业植被、城市植被和无植被地段9个植被型组, 划分为48个植被型(含30个自然植被型、12个农业植被型、5个城市植被型和无植被地段)。自然植被中有23个植被型进一步划分出了81个植被亚型。     

肠道菌群与呼吸道感染患者免疫球蛋白的关系及其肠内营养的疗效

目的分析肠道菌群紊乱对呼吸道感染患者免疫球蛋白水平的影响,探讨肠内营养对此类患者的疗效。方法选取2016年2月至2018年12月在我院接受治疗的116例呼吸道感染患者作为观察组,进一步将其分为非菌群失调组(50例)和菌群失调组(66例),选取同期60例健康体检者作为对照组,比较各组对象肠道菌群失调情况和血清免疫球蛋白水平,同时对菌群失调患者在常规治疗基础上联合应用肠内营养治疗,观察其治疗效果。结果 (1)观察组患者肠道乳杆菌、双歧杆菌数量及双歧杆菌/大肠埃希菌比值(B/E)显著低于对照组,而肠球菌、大肠埃希菌数量显著高于对照组(均P0.05);观察组患者血清IgM、IgA、IgG水平均显著低于对照组(均P0.05);菌群失调组患者血清IgM、IgA、IgG水平均显著低于非菌群失调组(均P0.05)。(2)观察组患者肠道乳杆菌、双歧杆菌数量及B/E值与血清IgM、IgA、IgG水平呈显著正相关(均P0.05),而大肠埃希菌和肠球菌数量与之呈显著负相关(均P0.05)。(3)菌群失调组患者血清ALB、PA水平随治疗时间的延长而逐渐升高,CRP、PCT水平逐渐降低,IgM、IgA、IgG水平逐渐升高,乳杆菌、双歧杆菌数量和B/E值逐渐增加,大肠埃希菌和肠球菌数量逐渐减少(均P0.05)。结论呼吸道感染患者存在明显的肠道菌群失调情况,其与患者免疫球蛋白水平的降低有关,这可能是引发呼吸道感染的主要危险因素。肠内营养支持疗法能有效改善患者肠道菌群失调,降低血清炎性因子水平,增强机体免疫力,提高患者营养状况及治疗效果。     

土著入侵种黄帚橐吾的替代防控展望

黄帚橐吾是青藏高原高寒草场中分布最广、危害极大的优势毒草,严重影响了该地区群落结构和草地畜牧业的发展。在介绍土著入侵种和替代防控概念及相关研究进展的基础上,针对黄帚橐吾目前缺乏高效经济生态防控措施的现状,结合国内外对入侵植物进行替代防控的经验与原则,提出了对黄帚橐吾进行替代防控的生态防控设想和黄帚橐吾替代植物选用的基本原则,初步划定了防控黄帚橐吾的替代植物范围。通过引种或者驯化乡土草种,在青藏高原培育禾本科、豆科植物或者建植禾豆混播人工草地,使其具备替代防控黄帚橐吾的潜力。     

Rapamycin inhibits AR signaling pathway in prostate cancer by interacting with the FK1 domain of FKBP51

Reactivation of the androgen receptor signaling pathway in the emasculated environment is the main reason for the occurrence of castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). The immunophilin FKBP51, as a co-chaperone protein, together with Hsp90 help the correct folding of AR. Rapamycin is a known small-molecule inhibitor of FKBP51, but its effect on the FKBP51/AR signaling pathway is not clear. In this study, the interaction mechanism between FKBP51 and rapamycin was investigated using steady-state fluorescence quenching, X-ray crystallization, MTT assay, and qRT-PCR. Steady-state fluorescence quenching assay showed that rapamycin could interact with FKBP51. The crystal of the rapamycin-FKBP51 complex indicated that rapamycin occupies the hydrophobic binding pocket of FK1 domain which is vital for AR activity. The residues involving rapamycin binding are mainly hydrophobic and may overlap with the AR interaction site. Further assays showed that rapamycin could inhibit the androgen-dependent growth of human prostate cancer cells by down-regulating the expression levels of AR activated downstream genes. Taken together, our study demonstrates that rapamycin suppresses AR signaling pathway by interfering with the interaction between AR and FKBP51. The results of this study not only can provide useful information about the interaction mechanism between rapamycin and FKBP51, but also can provide new clues for the treatment of prostate cancer and castration-resistant prostate cancer.