Tenascin-R distinct domains modulate migration of neural stem/progenitor cells in vitro

Extracellular matrix (ECM) molecules constitute a "niche" that modulates the migration, proliferation, and differentiation of neural stem/progenitor cells (NSPCs). The glycoprotein Tenascin-R (TN-R) is an ECM molecule, comprising multiple domains. Either the whole TN-R molecule or its distinct domains has been demonstrated to play a very important role in the developing central nervous system. However, little is known about the effect of the TN-R domain on NSPCs, especially NSPC migration. In the present study, we first show that both TN-R domains epidermal growth factor-like repeat (EGFL) and fibronectin type III (FN)6-8 can inhibit the NSPCs migration from neurospheres in vitro. Furthermore, both the EGFL and FN6-8 domains affect the distribution of neurons generated from neurospheres, indicating that EGFL and FN6-8 domains inhibit the motility of neurons generated from neurospheres. These results suggest that TN-R has an inhibitory effect on NSPCs migration.     

不同冷季型牧草品种的产草量及品质比较分析

采用随机区组试验设计,对引进的8个冷季型牧草品种进行产草量和营养成分的比较分析.结果表明:4次刈割的总鲜重和总干重在品种间差异极显著,且以蓝天堂黑麦草(7号)最高.品种间的粗蛋白含量差异显著,其中第1次刈割以奇可利(3号)最高,蓝天堂黑麦草(7号)居第2位;第2次仍以奇可利(3号)最高,特高黑麦草(1号)和蓝天堂黑麦草(7号)居其次;第3次以紫花苜蓿(8号)最高,其次是多年生黑麦草(4号);第4次以奇可利(3号)最高,多年生黑麦草(4号)居第2位;粗纤维、粗脂肪和粗灰分在品种间的差别较小.综合产草量和品质两方面考虑,蓝天堂黑麦草(7号)可作为本地首选推广的冷季型牧草品种,奇可利(3号)和多年生黑麦草(4号)可作为备选推广的牧草品种.     

单穗升麻的柱头和雌配子体发育及胚胎发生

单穗升麻的雌蕊群由1～5枚离生心皮组成。子房单室,4～9枚倒生胚珠,双珠被,厚珠心;大孢子四分体呈线形或T形排列,合点端一个具功能。胚囊发育为蓼型。成熟胚囊中3个单核反足细胞,胞质浓密,在球形胚时期尚能观察到其退化痕迹。极核融合早,次生核位于合点端。胚胎发生为柳叶菜型;核型胚乳。雄蕊凋谢后1～2天花柱顶端腹缝线周围出现乳突细胞,雄蕊凋谢后3～5天延长成柱头毛。讨论了单穗升麻与南川升麻柱头可授期与花粉生活力的差异对传粉效果和结籽率的显著影响。     

全球寡核苷酸类药物开发现状与趋势

从产品开发角度分析寡核苷酸类药物的发展现状和未来趋势。     

Combined analysis of the association between p73 G4C14-to-A4T14 polymorphisms and cancer risk

P73 is a structural and functional homologue of p53, and plays an important role in regulating cell cycle and apoptosis. A potentially functional polymorphism (designated as p73 G4C14-to-A4T14) has been identified in a region in exon 2 of the p73 gene, which may theoretically form a stem-loop structure and thereby affect p73 expression. Several investigations have reported the correlation between p73 G4C14-to-A4T14 polymorphism and cancer risk. However, the results are inconclusive. To further assess the association between p73 polymorphism and cancer risk, we performed meta-analysis of the data sets obtained from 26 individual studies involving 8,148 cancer patients and 8,150 controls. The association between p73 G4C14-to-A4T14 polymorphism and cancer risk was determined by crude odd ratios (OR) with 95% CI (confidential interval). AT-allele carriers were found to have a significantly increased risk of cervical cancer (AT/GC vs. GC/GC, OR = 1.63, 95% CI = 1.14–2.33; AT/AT + AT/GC vs. GC/GC, OR = 1.49, 95% CI = 1.05–2.10), colorectal cancer (AT/AT vs. AT/GC + GC/GC, OR = 1.98, 95% CI = 1.25–3.12), head and neck cancer (AT/AT + AT/GC vs. GC/GC, OR = 1.44, 95% CI = 1.06–1.96) and other cancers (AT/AT vs. GC/GC, OR = 1.78, 95% CI = 1.24–2.57; AT/AT vs. AT/GC + GC/GC, OR = 1.80, 95% CI = 1.26–2.56). In the stratified analysis of ethnicity, a significantly elevated cancer risk was found in Caucasians (AT/AT + AT/GC vs. GC/GC, OR = 1.18, 95% CI = 1.08–1.30; allele AT vs. allele GC, OR = 1.15, 95% CI = 1.06–1.24). No significant association of p73 polymorphism with the cancer risk of smoking was detected by stratified analysis by smoking status. Together, our data suggest that the p73 G4C14-to-A4T14 may be a risk factor of cancer especially in Caucasians.     

Body mass and behavior in Swiss mice subjected to continuous or discontinuous food restriction and refeeding

Food restriction (FR) is hypothesized to decrease body fat content of an animal and thus prevent obesity. However, the response of energy budget to a continuous (CFR) or discontinuous FR (DFR) remains inconsistent. In the present study, effects of CFR or DFR and refeeding on energy budget and behavior were examined in male Swiss mice. CFR significantly decreased the energy expenditure associated with basal metabolic rate (BMR) and activity behavior, but not sufficiently to compensate for energy deficit and thus resulted in lower body mass and fat content. DFR mice had a significantly higher food intake on ad libitum days and showed increases in BMR and activity after 4 weeks’ DFR, which might resulted in lower body mass and less body fat than controls. After being refed ad libitum, both CFR and DFR mice had similar body mass, BMR, and behavioral patterns to controls but had 95% and 75% higher fat content. This suggested that not only CFR but also DFR would be a significant factor in the process of obesity for animals that were refed ad libitum. It also indicated that food restriction interrupted many times by periods of ad libitum feeding had the same long-term effects like continuous underfeeding.     

Comparison of bioelectrical impedance and BMI in predicting obesity-related medical conditions

Objective : To determine the relative validity of specific bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) prediction equations and BMI as predictors of physiologically relevant general adiposity. Research Methods and Procedures : Subjects were >12, 000 men and women from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey population. We examined the correlations between BMI and percentage body fat based on 51 different predictive equations, blood pressure, and blood levels of glucose, high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol, and triglycerides, which are known to reflect adiposity, while controlling for other determinants of these physiological measures. Results : BMI consistently had one of the highest correlations across biological markers, and no BIA‐based measure was superior. Percent body fat estimated from BIA was minimally predictive of the physiological markers independent of BMI. Discussion : These results suggest that BIA is not superior to BMI as a predictor of overall adiposity in a general population.     

FIT2 organizes lipid droplet biogenesis with ER tubule-forming proteins and septins

Lipid droplets (LDs) are critical for lipid storage and energy metabolism. LDs form in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). However, the molecular basis for LD biogenesis remains elusive. Here, we show that fat storage–inducing transmembrane protein 2 (FIT2) interacts with ER tubule-forming proteins Rtn4 and REEP5. The association is mainly transmembrane domain based and stimulated by oleic acid. Depletion of ER tubule-forming proteins decreases the number and size of LDs in cells and Caenorhabditis elegans, mimicking loss of FIT2. Through cytosolic loops, FIT2 binds to cytoskeletal protein septin 7, an interaction that is also required for normal LD biogenesis. Depletion of ER tubule-forming proteins or septins delays nascent LD formation. In addition, FIT2-interacting proteins are up-regulated during adipocyte differentiation, and ER tubule-forming proteins, septin 7, and FIT2 are transiently enriched at LD formation sites. Thus, FIT2-mediated nascent LD biogenesis is facilitated by ER tubule-forming proteins and septins.