Protein kinase C delta null mice exhibit structural alterations in articular surface,intra-articular and subchondral compartments

IntroductionStructural alterations in intra-articular and subchondral compartments are hallmarks of osteoarthritis, a degenerative disease that causes pain and disability in the aging population. Protein kinase C delta (PKC-δ) plays versatile functions in cell growth and differentiation, but its role in the articular cartilage and subchondral bone is not known.MethodsHistological analysis including alcian blue, safranin O staining and fluorochrome labeling were used to reveal structural alterations at the articular cartilage surface and bone–cartilage interface in PKC-δ knockout (KO) mice. The morphology and organization of chondrocytes were studied using confocal microscopy. Glycosaminoglycan content was studied by micromass culture of chondrocytes of PKC-δ KO mice.ResultsWe uncovered atypical structural demarcation between articular cartilage and subchondral bone of PKC-δ KO mice. Histology analyses revealed a thickening of the articular cartilage and calcified bone–cartilage interface, and decreased safranin O staining accompanied by an increase in the number of hypertrophic chondrocytes in the articular cartilage of PKC-δ KO mice. Interestingly, loss of demarcation between articular cartilage and bone was concomitant with irregular chondrocyte morphology and arrangement. Consistently, in vivo calcein labeling assay showed an increased intensity of calcein labeling in the interface of the growth plate and metaphysis in PKC-δ KO mice. Furthermore, in vitro culture of chondrocyte micromass showed a decreased alcian blue staining of chondrocyte micromass in the PKC-δ KO mice, indicative of a reduced level of glycosaminoglycan production.ConclusionsOur data imply a role for PKC-δ in the osteochondral plasticity of the interface between articular cartilage and the osteochondral junction.

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The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13075-015-0720-4) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

Pyrosequencing Reveals Contrasting Soil Bacterial Diversity and Community Structure of Two Main Winter Wheat Cropping Systems in China

Microbes are key components of the soil environment, playing an important role in maintaining soil health, sustainability, and productivity. The composition and structure of soil bacterial communities were examined in winter wheat–rice (WR) and winter wheat–maize (WM) cropping systems derived from five locations in the Low-Middle Yangtze River plain and the Huang-Huai-Hai plain by pyrosequencing of the 16S ribosomal RNA gene amplicons. A total of 102,367 high quality sequences were used for multivariate statistical analysis and to test for correlation between community structure and environmental variables such as crop rotations, soil properties, and locations. The most abundant phyla across all soil samples were Proteobacteria, Acidobacteria, and Bacteroidetes. Similar patterns of bacterial diversity and community structure were observed within the same cropping systems, and a higher relative abundance of anaerobic bacteria was found in WR compared to WM cropping systems. Variance partitioning analysis revealed complex relationships between bacterial community and environmental variables. The effect of crop rotations was low but significant, and interactions among soil properties, locations, and crop rotations accounted for most of the explained variation in the structure of bacterial communities. Soil properties such as pH, available P, and available K showed higher correlations (positive or negative) with the majority of the abundant taxa. Bacterial diversity (the Shannon index) and richness (Chao1 and ACE) were higher under WR than WM cropping systems.     

胡杨甜菜碱醛脱氢酶基因的功能分化

甜菜碱醛脱氢酶(BADH)在植物抗逆反应中发挥着重要作用。文中从胡杨cDNA克隆到2个甜菜碱醛脱氢酶基因,分别命名为PeBADH1和PeBADH2。PeBADH1和PeBADH2均编码503个氨基酸的蛋白质,预测分子量分别是54.93 kDa和54.90 kDa。组织表达模式分析发现这2个基因在正常生长、盐和H2O2胁迫下,在不同组织中的表达模式有较大差异。在大肠杆菌中表达并纯化了2个基因的重组蛋白。酶活性分析显示PeBADH1和PeBADH2蛋白对底物的活性分别是0.073μmol/(min.mg)和0.107μmol/(min.mg)。热力学稳定性分析显示这2个蛋白的热力学稳定性具有明显差异。因此,基因表达模式差异与蛋白质酶学性质的不同预示着这2个基因可能存在功能上的分化。     

Inhibition of mitochondrial complex I improves glucose metabolism independently of AMPK activation

Accumulating evidences showed metformin and berberine, well‐known glucose‐lowering agents, were able to inhibit mitochondrial electron transport chain at complex I. In this study, we aimed to explore the antihyperglycaemic effect of complex I inhibition. Rotenone, amobarbital and gene silence of NDUFA13 were used to inhibit complex I. Intraperitoneal glucose tolerance test and insulin tolerance test were performed in db/db mice. Lactate release and glucose consumption were measured to investigate glucose metabolism in HepG2 hepatocytes and C2C12 myotubes. Glucose output was measured in primary hepatocytes. Compound C and adenoviruses expressing dominant negative AMP‐activated protein kinase (AMPK) α1/2 were exploited to inactivate AMPK pathway. Cellular NAD⁺/NADH ratio was assayed to evaluate energy transforming and redox state. Rotenone ameliorated hyperglycaemia and insulin resistance in db/db mice. It induced glucose consumption and glycolysis and reduced hepatic glucose output. Rotenone also activated AMPK. Furthermore, it remained effective with AMPK inactivation. The enhanced glycolysis and repressed gluconeogenesis correlated with a reduction in cellular NAD⁺/NADH ratio, which resulted from complex I suppression. Amobarbital, another representative complex I inhibitor, stimulated glucose consumption and decreased hepatic glucose output in vitro, too. Similar changes were observed while expression of NDUFA13, a subunit of complex I, was knocked down with gene silencing. These findings reveal mitochondrial complex I emerges as a key drug target for diabetes treatment. Inhibition of complex I improves glucose homoeostasis via non‐AMPK pathway, which may relate to the suppression of the cellular NAD⁺/NADH ratio.     

寡肽转运蛋白PepT2原核表达质粒的构建及其表达初探

寡肤转运蛋白(PepT2,peptide transporter,SLC15A2)是哺乳动物体内能够转运二肤、三肽的蛋白.研究表明,一些类肽的小分子药物也是PepT2的底物,但PepT2的结构与生物学功能尚待研究.建立稳定表达PepT2的表达体系是研究PepT2的重要环节.根据GenBank中人PepT2基因序列,借助Primer5.0设计了1对寡核苷酸引物,经PCR合成长达2 190bp的目的序列,通过重组构建pET30a(+)/PepT2表达质柱,测序分析确认目的基因中的3个碱基发生突变.初步研究了pET30a(+)/PepT2在大肠杆菌BL21(DE3)pLysS中的表达,为PepT2原核表达的进一步科研和实际应用奠定了基础.     

In vivo genotoxicity of 2-amino-3,8-dimethylimidazo[4, 5-f]quinoxaline in lacI transgenic (Big Blue) mice

2-Amino-3,8-dimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoxaline (MeIQx), a heterocyclic amine found in cooked meat, is a strong mutagen in the Salmonella/microsome assay and was proven to be a hepatocarcinogen in rodents. We used the lacI transgenic (Big Blue(R)) mouse to investigate MeIQx genotoxicity in vivo. lacI mutant frequencies were examined in liver and colon after single intragastric administration of MeIQx (males) or 12 weeks of feeding in the diet (males and females). Micronucleus induction was monitored in the peripheral blood and cell proliferating activity was monitored by proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) immunostaining, but only after the intragastric administration. Intragastric treatment with MeIQx (100 mg/kg) did not increase mutant frequency (MF) in liver or colon but it did induce a slight but statistically significant increase in the incidence of micronucleated reticulocytes 48 h after the treatment. No apparent increase in PCNA-positive foci was observed in any of tissues analyzed 14 days after the treatment. Administration of MeIQx (300 ppm) in diet for 12 weeks, however, caused MF increases in liver and colon in male and female mice, with greater increases in the females. An increase was also obvious after 4 weeks, but only in females. The sex difference in MF is consistent with the fact that female mice are more susceptible to MeIQx carcinogenesis. These results demonstrated that in the transgenic mouse mutation assay, long-term feeding of MeIQx was more effective than single gastric exposures in revealing the compound's mutagenicity in the target organs of carcinogenicity and that sex differences in susceptibility can also be observed.     

颈动脉窦部支架置入术中血压和心率的精细化管理

目的:探讨颈动脉窦部支架置入术中血压、心率的精细化管理,以减少心血管并发症,提高手术成功率.方法:对2009年6月-2010年3月间行颈动脉窦部狭窄支架置入术的59例患者,通过制定精细化的护理措施,从认知、心理、行为等方面进行护理干预,充分作好预见性准备,建立血压、心率波动曲线图,及时发现术中心率、血压的变化,把握给药时机,有效预防和控制心血管并发症.结果:通过良好的精细化管理措施,术中有心率减慢6例、血压降低4例、血压升高2例,因发现及时,给予对症处理后恢复正常,其余患者顺利完成介入治疗,无严重并发症发生.结论:加强窦部支架置入术中心率、血压的精细化管理,是保证病人安全的有力措施,对手术的顺利进行具有重要的指导意义.     

水稻种子内生细菌多样性及其分泌植物生长素能力的测定

[目的]探讨水稻种子内生细菌的多样性并测定其分泌IAA能力.[方法]采用传统的可培养方法分离水稻种子内生细菌,并通过16S Rrna基因序列分析初步确定分离菌株的系统发育地位,利用比色法进一步对不同种类菌株产植物生长素(IAA)能力进行定性、定量检测.[结果]共分离纯化获得66株内生细菌菌株,分属于5个类群的15个属26个种.以26株细菌为代表对其进行分泌生长素(IAA)能力的定性及定量测定,共发现19株细菌可分泌生长素或其类似物,其中Z10、Z17、Z14和Z20 4株内生细菌具较强的分泌植物生长素能力.[讨论]分离得到的内生细菌表现了水稻种子内生细菌的多样性,其中某些细菌对植物有一定的促生功能.     

植物重要功能基因研究进展及其应用

随着越来越多植物全基因组测序的完成,植物基因研究的重点将逐渐从基因的发现转移到对基因功能的研究上来。近年来,植物基因功能的阐述日益深入,尤其是与作物产量和抗性相关的重要农艺性状调控机理的研究更加引人注目,一些具有应用价值的功能基因相继被鉴定并得到功能注释。该文综述植物功能基因研究领域近年来的主要进展,着重介绍具有应用前景的重要功能基因的研究。同时,对目前利用基因工程、分子标记辅助选择等于段改良作物的现状及其前景进行讨论。     

间充质干细胞治疗急性放射性损伤的研究

急性放射性损伤是组织损伤的一种重要类型,目前未有较理想的治疗方案。间充质干细胞（MSCs）能够多向分化、自我更新,且具有分泌多种细胞因子、抗炎、免疫调节等生物活性。其在促进组织修复的优势显而易见,而移植的时机、剂量长期以来莫衷一是。致瘤性等安全问题制约其临床研究的进一步开展。近年来,MSCs趋向于无细胞化移植取得了明显成效。这一研究新进展势必迎来急性放射性损伤治疗的新格局,本文对此研究现状及进展进行综述。