Pioglitazone induces de novo ceramide synthesis in the rat heart

Ceramide (CER) is an important mediator of lipotoxicity in the heart. It was found that Zucker diabetic fatty rats develop an age-dependent accumulation of myocardial CER leading to cardiomyocyte apoptosis. However, administration of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) gamma agonist decreased the content of CER and prevented cardiomyocyte apoptosis [Zhou et al. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 2000;97:1784-9]. These data suggest that PPARgamma activators affect myocardial CER metabolism. Therefore, the aim of our study was to examine the effects of pioglitazone, a selective PPARgamma agonist, on the content of CER and its metabolites and on the activity of key enzymes of CER metabolism in the heart. The experiments were conducted on rats fed either a standard chow (STD) or a high-fat diet (HFD) for 21 days. Each group was divided into two subgroups: control and treated with pioglitazone for 14 days. Surprisingly, administration of PPARgamma agonist significantly increased myocardial CER content in both STD and HFD rats. In the latter group an elevation in the amount of sphingomyelin was also observed. In STD rats pioglitazone treatment increased the activity of neutral sphingomyelinase and acid ceramidase. However, in HFD group the compound did not affect the activity of the aforementioned enzymes. Interestingly, the activity of serine palmitoyltransferase in both STD and HFD rats increased two-fold after pioglitazone treatment. We conclude that pioglitazone induced accumulation of CER in rat myocardium as a result of augmented CER synthesis de novo. However, in the STD group increased activity of neutral sphingomyelinase could also contributed to this effect.     

Gelatin-based microcarriers as embryonic stem cell delivery system in bone tissue engineering: an in-vitro study

Mouse embryonic stem cells were cultured on commercially available biodegradable macroporous microcarriers. A culture period of 1-2 weeks was needed to colonize the microcarriers. Embryonic stem cells retained their pluripotency for up to 14 days when cultured in medium supplemented with leukemia inhibitory factor. Replacing this medium by differentiation medium for 2 weeks initiated osteogenic differentiation. Encapsulation of the cell-loaded microcarriers in photopolymerizable polymers (methacrylate-endcapped poly-D,L-lactide-co-caprolactone), triacetin/hydroxyethylmethacrylate (HEMA) as solvent and with/without gelatin as porogen, resulted in a homogeneous distribution of the microcarriers in the polymer. As observed by transmission electron microscopy, viability of the cells was optimal when gelatin was omitted and when using triacetin instead of HEMA.     

Histochemische Untersuchungen zum Nachweis der Xylitdehydrogenasen

Zusammenfassung Für die NAD- und NADP-abhängigen Xylit-dehydrierenden Enzyme die wichtige Glieder des Glukuronsäure-Zyklus bei der Umwandlung enantimorpher Xyluloseformen darstellen, werden topochemische Nachweismethoden beschrieben. In beiden Fällen handelt es sich um strukturgebundene Enzyme, die topochemisch ein teilweise unterschiedliches Verhalten zeigen. Im Falle des NAD-abhängigen Enzyms werden die Beziehungen zur Sorbitdehydrogenase diskutiert. Na₂-Aedta beeinflußt den Nachweis des NAD-abhängigen Enzyms nicht, wogegen im Falle des NADP-abhängigen Enzyms, eine erhebliche Verzögerung der Reaktion eintritt.

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Summary Topochemical methods are described for the determination of NAD- and NADP-dependent-xylit-dehydrating enzymes, which play an important role within the glucoronic acid cycle (transformation of enantomorphe xylulose). In both cases the enzymes are structure bound; to some extent they show a topochemically different behaviour pattern. In the case of the NAD-dependent enzyme the relation to sorbitol dehydrogenase is discussed. Na₂-EDTA has no influence on the determination of the NAD-dependent enzyme, whereas a marked delay of the reaction is observed in the case of the NADP-dependent enzyme.

     

灰胸竹鸡消化系统形态解剖初探

观察和测定了13只灰胸竹鸡消化系统的解剖参数,结果表明:雌性和雄性体重分别为227.39 g和216.79 g,体长分别为237.22 mm和230.00 mm;腺胃粘膜表面具有40～50枚圆形乳头,肌胃较发达;雌性和雄性的食道分别长约93.96 mm和99.75 mm,肠道总长分别为683.83 mm和672.95 mm,肝脏分别重4.87 g和5.20 g,胰脏分别重0.38 g和0.45 g.此研究为进行竹鸡的人工驯养和生物学研究提供解剖学资料.     

VEGF、VEGFR2在青春期大鼠睾丸、附睾及附睾精子上的表达

目的通过对血管内皮生长因子(VEGF)及其受体VEGFR2在青春期大鼠睾丸及附睾表达的研究,探讨其在雄性生殖器官中的作用。方法采用免疫组化法检测VEGF、VEGFR2在SD大鼠睾丸和附睾的表达定位,用免疫荧光法检测它们在大鼠附睾精子上的表达定位。结果VEGF及VEGFR2在青春期大鼠睾丸和附睾组织中均有表达。在睾丸中,VEGF主要表达于精原细胞胞质、精子细胞发育中的顶体、Sertoli细胞胞质及精子残余体内,Leydig细胞胞质也有阳性表达;VEGFR2主要表达于精子细胞发育中的顶体和间质细胞胞质。在附睾中,VEGF表达于附睾管上皮所有主细胞胞质内;而VEGFR2表达于附睾管头段和尾段上皮主细胞胞质内,体段免疫染色阴性。免疫荧光显示,VEGF与VEGFR2都与精子头部顶体、尾部颈段、中段和主段相结合,末段未见阳性荧光。结论VEGF及VEGFR2在大鼠的睾丸和附睾中均有表达,其表达定位具有细胞特异性和区域特异性,提示其可能在大鼠睾丸精子发生和附睾精子成熟中发挥重要作用。     

伴刀豆球蛋白A-糖复合物的模拟分析

主要分析ConA与不同的糖特异性结合时其活性位点构象变化的特征。模拟分析了ConA糖结合活性中心氨基酸残基结构特征,同时对相应残基原子可及性表面进行了计算和分析。结果表明：（1）ConA在和不同的糖结合时,存在不同的结合方式;（2）不管ConA和什么糖结合,主要的作用是由活性中心的Tyr12、Asn14、Asp208和Arg228提供的;（3）无论是结合单糖还是寡糖,活性中心总是与第一个糖环起主要的结合作用。     

斑点叉尾鮰源普通变形杆菌的分离、鉴定及药敏特性

【目的】对患病斑点叉尾鮰进行病原菌分离、鉴定及药敏实验,为斑点叉尾鮰肠道坏死病的防控提供参考。【方法】从患病斑点叉尾鮰病灶、肝、脾和肾分离纯化病原菌,经理化特性测定及16S rRNA基因序列分析对其进行鉴定,开展人工感染试验,并利用纸片扩散法进行药敏特性分析。【结果】分离菌株k1为本次引发斑点叉尾鮰病害的致病菌,其对斑点叉尾鮰的LD50为2.82×10~5 CFU/g。菌株k1理化特性与普通变形杆菌Proteus vulgaris基本一致,16S rRNA基因序列与普通变形杆菌相似性最高,综合判定分离菌株为普通变形杆菌。分离菌株k1对环丙沙星、头孢唑林及头孢拉定等12种抗生素高度敏感,对苯唑西林、阿莫西林及痢特灵等7种抗生素耐药。【结论】分离菌株k1是斑点叉尾鮰病原菌,养殖时可选用庆大霉素及氟苯尼考等药物进行防控。