Dominance complementation of Hd1 and Ghd8 contributes to extremely late flowering in two rice hybrids

Molecular Breeding - Lack of seed dormancy, a major cause of pre-harvest sprouting in rice and other cereal crops, causes significant reductions in grain yield and quality. Weedy rice is often...     

瘦素对糖尿病大鼠糖脂代谢及炎性因子的影响

目的: 探讨瘦素对糖尿病大鼠糖脂代谢及相关炎症因子的影响。方法: 将健康Wistar雄性大鼠60只随机选取10只作为对照组,50只给予高糖高脂饲料喂养加腹腔内注射链脲佐霉素(STZ,25 mg/kg)的方法诱发并建立糖尿病大鼠模型。并随机分为模型组、瘦素低剂量组、瘦素中剂量组和瘦素高剂量组,每组10只。4组大鼠造模成功后均持续给予高糖高脂饲料喂养,瘦素低、中、高剂量组给予20 μg/kg、50 μg/kg和100 μg/kg,连续5 d。GOD-PAP法检测大鼠血糖(FBG),放射免疫法测定胰岛素含量(Ins),全自动生化分析仪测定血清中三酰甘油(TG)、总胆固醇(TC)、低密度脂蛋白(LDL-C)、高密度脂蛋白(HDL-C)。采用酶联免疫方法(ELISA)测定丙二醛(MDA)、白细胞介素-6(IL-6)及肿瘤坏死因子-α(TNF-α)。采用Western blot检测糖尿病大鼠脂肪组织中瘦素表达情况。结果: 与对照组比较,各组大鼠血糖水平均显著升高(P＜0.01);与模型组比较,瘦素中、高剂量大鼠血糖显著降低(P＜0.05,P＜0.01);瘦素高剂量组胰岛素水平显著降低(P＜0.01)。不同剂量瘦素组间比较,给药后三组大鼠FBG及INS无统计学差异(P＞0.05)。与模型组比较,瘦素中、高剂量组TC水平显著下降(P＜0.05,P＜0.01);高剂量组TG、LDL-C水平显著降低(P＜0.05),高剂量组HDL-C水平显著升高(P＜0.01)。不同剂量瘦素组进行组间比较,高剂量组在降低TC、TG、LDL-C水平,升高HDL-C水平优于中、低剂量组(P＜0.05)。Western blot结果显示,与模型组(52.27±10.93)比,瘦素高剂量组100 μg/kg(40.13±9.87)、中剂量组50 μg/kg(44.68±10.23)、低剂量组20 μg/kg(47.35±12.09)脂肪中瘦素表达水平依次降低。结论: 瘦素水平分泌异常是诱发糖尿病因素之一,在给予一定浓度外源性瘦素(100 μg/kg)干预下,能显著降低MDA、TNF-α水平,提高IL-6水平,其机制可能与瘦素在减轻炎症反应、氧化应激,纠正血脂异常紊乱有密切关系。     

Assessing Cerebral Autoregulation via Oscillatory Lower Body Negative Pressure and Projection Pursuit Regression

The process by which cerebral perfusion is maintained constant over a wide range of systemic pressures is known as “cerebral autoregulation.” Effective dampening of flow against pressure changes occurs over periods as short as ~15 sec and becomes progressively greater over longer time periods. Thus, slower changes in blood pressure are effectively blunted and faster changes or fluctuations pass through to cerebral blood flow relatively unaffected. The primary difficulty in characterizing the frequency dependence of cerebral autoregulation is the lack of prominent spontaneous fluctuations in arterial pressure around the frequencies of interest (less than ~0.07 Hz or ~15 sec). Oscillatory lower body negative pressure (OLBNP) can be employed to generate oscillations in central venous return that result in arterial pressure fluctuations at the frequency of OLBNP. Moreover, Projection Pursuit Regression (PPR) provides a nonparametric method to characterize nonlinear relations inherent in the system without a priori assumptions and reveals the characteristic non-linearity of cerebral autoregulation. OLBNP generates larger fluctuations in arterial pressure as the frequency of negative pressure oscillations become slower; however, fluctuations in cerebral blood flow become progressively lesser. Hence, the PPR shows an increasingly more prominent autoregulatory region at OLBNP frequencies of 0.05 Hz and below (20 sec cycles). The goal of this approach it to allow laboratory-based determination of the characteristic nonlinear relationship between pressure and cerebral flow and could provide unique insight to integrated cerebrovascular control as well as to physiological alterations underlying impaired cerebral autoregulation (e.g., after traumatic brain injury, stroke, etc.).     

居瘤胃解纤维素菌细胞密度与纤维素酶的合成

居瘤胃解纤维素菌(Cellulosilyticum ruminicola)H1是本实验室分离自青海牦牛瘤胃的一株新的纤维素降解细菌。前期研究发现,菌株H1在滤纸纤维素上连续传代数次后无法生长,只有在纤维素降解产物纤维二糖中培养后方能继续在纤维素中生长,并恢复其纤维素降解活性。这与纤维素酶合成受"代谢产物抑制"的传统认识相悖。【目的】证明菌株H1的纤维素酶合成受细胞密度调控。【方法】检测菌株H1的纤维素酶活和转录水平在高和低密度细胞培养物中差异,并检测高密度细胞培养物中的寡肽对低密度细胞纤维素酶活和转录水平的促进作用。【结果】菌株H1的高密度细胞培养物的纤维素酶活和转录水平比低密度细胞的高3-10倍;并且高密度细胞培养液能显著提高低密度细胞纤维素酶活和转录水平。【结论】居瘤胃解纤维素菌(Cellulosilyticum ruminicola)H1纤维素酶的合成受细胞密度调控。     

ACE2‐EPC‐EXs protect ageing ECs against hypoxia/reoxygenation‐induced injury through the miR‐18a/Nox2/ROS pathway

Oxidative stress is one of the mechanisms of ageing‐associated vascular dysfunction. Angiotensin‐converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) and microRNA (miR)‐18a have shown to be down‐regulated in ageing cells. Our previous study has shown that ACE2‐primed endothelial progenitor cells (ACE2‐EPCs) have protective effects on endothelial cells (ECs), which might be due to their released exosomes (EXs). Here, we aimed to investigate whether ACE2‐EPC‐EXs could attenuate hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R)‐induced injury in ageing ECs through their carried miR‐18a. Young and angiotensin II‐induced ageing ECs were subjected to H/R and co‐cultured with vehicle (medium), EPC‐EXs, ACE2‐EPCs‐EXs, ACE2‐EPCs‐EXs + DX600 or ACE2‐EPCs‐EXs with miR‐18a deficiency (ACE2‐EPCs‐EXs^{anti‐miR‐18a}). Results showed (1) ageing ECs displayed increased senescence, apoptosis and ROS production, but decreased ACE2 and miR‐18a expressions and tube formation ability; (2) under H/R condition, ageing ECs showed higher rate of apoptosis, ROS overproduction and nitric oxide reduction, up‐regulation of Nox2, down‐regulation of ACE2, miR‐18a and eNOS, and compromised tube formation ability; (3) compared with EPC‐EXs, ACE2‐EPC‐EXs had better efficiencies on protecting ECs from H/R‐induced changes; (4) The protective effects were less seen in ACE2‐EPCs‐EXs + DX600 and ACE2‐EPCs‐EXs^{anti‐miR‐18a} groups. These data suggest that ACE‐EPCs‐EXs have better protective effects on H/R injury in ageing ECs which could be through their carried miR‐18a and subsequently down‐regulating the Nox2/ROS pathway.     

The Study of a Novel Sorafenib Derivative HLC-080 as an Antitumor Agent

In this study, our objective is to evaluate the potential of a novel Sorafenib derivative, named HLC-080, as a new anticancer agent for colon cancer. We firstly carried out MTT assay, colony formation assay, flow cytometry analysis and transwell invasion assay to determine effect of our compound HLC-080 on cell viability, anti-proliferation activity, cell cycle arrest and the intervention on cell invasion, respectively. On the other hand, in vivo antitumor activity of HLC-080 was also tested using H22 xenograft model and the angiogenesis effect of HLC-080 was measured by EA.hy926 tube formation assay. The expression levels of various proteins in HLC-080 treated with HT-29 cell lines were examined using Western blot and ELISA experiments. The results showed that HLC-080 could dramatically inhibit the growth and colony formation of various tumor cells, therefore exhibited remarkable antitumor activity. HLC-080 can induce cell cycle arrest at G1 phase in HT-29 cells and subsequently inhibit the invasive potential of colon cancer cells. HLC-080 also exhibits anti-angiogenesis effect in EA.hy926 model. Additionally, the in vivo study showed that HLC-080 was able to reduced the tumor weight with the rate of 35.81%. And at the concentration of 0.352±0.034 µM, HLC-080 is able to reduce half of the regular protein level of p-c-Raf (Ser259), consequently block Raf/MEK/ERK signaling in HT-29 cell lines. In conclusion, our study suggests that Sorafenib derivative HLC-080 has the potential to inhibit cell proliferation and angiogenesis, Since, HLC-080 is particularly active against human colon cancer cells, our study highlights that HLC-080 and its related analogues may serve as a new anti-cancer drug, particularly against colon cancer.     

Targeted Protein Engineering Provides Insights into Binding Mechanism and Affinities of Bacterial Collagen Adhesins

The collagen-binding bacterial proteins, Ace and Cna, are well characterized on the biochemical and structural level. Despite overall structural similarity, recombinant forms of the Ace and Cna ligand-binding domains exhibit significantly different affinities and binding kinetics for collagen type I (CI) in vitro. In this study, we sought to understand, in submolecular detail, the bases for these differences. Using a structure-based approach, we engineered Cna and Ace variants by altering specific structural elements within the ligand-binding domains. Surface plasmon resonance-based binding analysis demonstrated that mutations that are predicted to alter the orientation of the Ace and Cna N₁ and N₂ subdomains significantly affect the interaction between the MSCRAMM (microbial surface components recognizing adhesive matrix molecule) and CI in vitro, including affinity, association/dissociation rates and binding ratio. Moreover, we utilized this information to engineer an Ace variant with an 11,000-fold higher CI affinity than the parent protein. Finally, we noted that several engineered proteins that exhibited a weak interaction with CI recognized more sites on CI, suggesting an inverse correlation between affinity and specificity.     

Extramuscular myofascial force transmission alters substantially the acute effects of surgical aponeurotomy: assessment by finite element modeling

Effects of extramuscular myofascial force transmission on the acute effects of aponeurotomy were studied using finite element modeling and implications of such effects on surgery were discussed. Aponeurotomized EDL muscle of the rat was modeled in two conditions: (1) fully isolated (2) with intact extramuscular connections. The specific goal was to assess the alterations in muscle length-force characteristics in relation to sarcomere length distributions and to investigate how the mechanical mechanism of the intervention is affected if the muscle is not isolated. Major effects of extramuscular myofascial force transmission were shown on muscle length-force characteristics. In contrast to the identical proximal and distal forces of the aponeurotomized isolated muscle, substantial proximo-distal force differences were shown for aponeurotomized muscle with extramuscular connections (for all muscle lengths F (dist) > F (prox) after distal muscle lengthening). Proximal optimal length did not change whereas distal optimal length was lower (by 0.5 mm). The optimal forces of the aponeurotomized muscle with extramuscular connections exerted at both proximal and distal tendons were lower than that of isolated muscle (by 15 and 7%, respectively). The length of the gap separating the two cut ends of the intervened aponeurosis decreases substantially due to extramuscular myofascial force transmission. The amplitude of the difference in gap length was muscle length dependent (maximally 11.6% of the gap length of the extramuscularly connected muscle). Extramuscular myofascial force transmission has substantial effects on distributions of lengths of sarcomeres within the muscle fiber populations distal and proximal to the location of intervention: (a) Within the distal population, the substantial sarcomere shortening at the proximal ends of muscle fibers due to the intervention remained unaffected however, extramuscular myofascial force transmission caused a more pronounced serial distribution towards the distal ends of muscle fibers. (b) In contrast, extramuscular myofascial force transmission limits the serial distribution of sarcomere lengths shown for the aponeurotomized isolated muscle in the proximal population. Fiber stress distributions showed that extramuscular myofascial force transmission causes most sarcomeres within the aponeurotomized muscle to attain lengths favorable for higher force exertion. It is concluded that acute effects of aponeurotomy on muscular mechanics are affected greatly by extramuscular myofascial force transmission. Such effects have important implications for the outcome of surgery performed to improve impeded function since muscle in vivo is not isolated both anatomically and mechanically.     

A Highlights from MBoC Selection: Serine 129 phosphorylation of membrane-associated α-synuclein modulates dopamine transporter function in a G protein–coupled receptor kinase–dependent manner

Most α-synuclein (α-syn) deposited in Lewy bodies, the pathological hallmark of Parkinson disease (PD), is phosphorylated at Ser-129. However, the physiological and pathological roles of this modification are unclear. Here we investigate the effects of Ser-129 phosphorylation on dopamine (DA) uptake in dopaminergic SH-SY5Y cells expressing α-syn. Subcellular fractionation of small interfering RNA (siRNA)–treated cells shows that G protein–coupled receptor kinase 3 (GRK3), GRK5, GRK6, and casein kinase 2 (CK2) contribute to Ser-129 phosphorylation of membrane-associated α-syn, whereas cytosolic α-syn is phosphorylated exclusively by CK2. Expression of wild-type α-syn increases DA uptake, and this effect is diminished by introducing the S129A mutation into α-syn. However, wild-type and S129A α-syn equally increase the cell surface expression of dopamine transporter (DAT) in SH-SY5Y cells and nonneuronal HEK293 cells. In addition, siRNA-mediated knockdown of GRK5 or GRK6 significantly attenuates DA uptake without altering DAT cell surface expression, whereas knockdown of CK2 has no effect on uptake. Taken together, our results demonstrate that membrane-associated α-syn enhances DA uptake capacity of DAT by GRKs-mediated Ser-129 phosphorylation, suggesting that α-syn modulates intracellular DA levels with no functional redundancy in Ser-129 phosphorylation between GRKs and CK2.     

血人参石油醚部位化学成分研究

为深入探究血人参中的活性物质成分,该文采用硅胶柱色谱、Sephadex LH-20柱色谱、半制备高效液相色谱以及重结晶等方法对血人参石油醚部位进行了系统分离纯化,并利用现代波谱技术对分离得到的单体化合物进行结构鉴定。结果表明：从血人参石油醚部位共分离得到22个单体化合物,分别鉴定为β-谷甾酮(1)、豆甾烷3,6-二酮(2)、6β-羟基-豆甾-4-烯-3-酮(3)、(22E)-5α,8α-epidioxyergosta-6, 22-dien-3β-ol(4)、美迪紫檀素(5)、sativan(6)、2′,4′-二羟基查尔酮(7)、6,7-dimethoxy-4-hydroxy-1-naphthoic acid(8)、对羟基苯甲酸乙酯(9)、2,4-二羟基苯甲酸乙酯(10)、(9E,11E)-13-oxo-9,11-ocatadecadienoic acid(11)、(9E,11E)-13-oxo-9,11-octadecadienoic acid methyl ester(12)、9-oxo-10E,12E-octadecadienoic acid methyl ester(13)、9-...