Ginsenoside Rd Attenuates Myocardial Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury via Akt/GSK-3β Signaling and Inhibition of the Mitochondria-Dependent Apoptotic Pathway

Evidence suggests Ginsenoside Rd (GSRd), a biologically active extract from the medical plant Panax Ginseng, exerts antioxidant effect, decreasing reactive oxygen species (ROS) formation. Current study determined the effect of GSRd on myocardial ischemia/reperfusion (MI/R) injury (a pathological condition where ROS production is significantly increased) and investigated the underlying mechanisms. The current study utilized an in vivo rat model of MI/R injury and an in vitro neonatal rat cardiomyocyte (NRC) model of simulated ischemia/reperfusion (SI/R) injury. Infarct size was measured by Evans blue/TTC double staining. NRC injury was determined by MTT and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) leakage assay. ROS accumulation and apoptosis were assessed by flow cytometry. Mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) was determined by 5, 5′, 6, 6′-tetrachloro-1, 1′, 3, 3′-tetrathylbenzimidazol carbocyanine iodide (JC-1). Cytosolic translocation of mitochondrial cytochrome c and expression of caspase-9, caspase-3, Bcl-2 family proteins, and phosphorylated Akt and GSK-3β were determined by western blot. Pretreatment with GSRd (50 mg/kg) significantly augmented rat cardiac function, as evidenced by increased left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and ±dP/dt. GSRd reduced myocardial infarct size, apoptotic cell death, and blood creatine kinase/lactate dehydrogenase levels after MI/R. In NRCs, GSRd (10 µM) inhibited SI/R-induced ROS generation (P<0.01), decreased cellular apoptosis, stabilized the mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), and attenuated cytosolic translocation of mitochondrial cytochrome c. GSRd inhibited activation of caspase-9 and caspase-3, increased the phosphorylated Akt and GSK-3β, and increased the Bcl-2/Bax ratio. Together, these data demonstrate GSRd mediated cardioprotective effect against MI/R–induced apoptosis via a mitochondrial-dependent apoptotic pathway.     

杀虫素48号产生菌株最适液体营养条件的筛选

以杀虫素 48号产生菌株为研究对象 ,通过正交试验和方差分析 ,对其最适液体营养条件进行了筛选 ,其组成为 (% ) :可溶性淀粉 3 ,葡萄糖 2 ,花生饼粉 4,蛋白胨 0 6 ,(NH₄) ) ₂ SO₄0.3 ,K₂ HPO₄0.10。进一步通过在最适配方和原始配方营养条件下的对比试验 ,结果表明 ,在最适配方营养条件下 ,该菌株生物量提高了约 5 9% (P <0.01 )     

间断低氧对大鼠下丘脑超微结构及前增食欲素水平的影响

目的探讨睡眠中间断低氧对大鼠下丘脑前增食欲素及受体水平的影响以及下丘脑超微结构的变化。方法大鼠分成对照组、间断低氧组和持续低氧组,分别给予吸入空气,持续低氧和间断低氧气体,并在实验开始后1d、3d、1w和4w应用RT-PCR方法测定大鼠下丘脑前增食欲素及受体水平,分析其间的变化关系,电镜观察下丘脑的超微结构变化。结果与对照组和持续低氧组比较,间断低氧4w后大鼠下丘脑前增食欲素mRNA水平明显降低,受体水平升高,但在持续低氧和对照组之间无明显差异。在低氧后1d、3d、7d后大鼠下丘脑前增食欲素mRNA降低,受体水平升高,在4w后,持续低氧组则接近正常。急性持续低氧大鼠超微结构变化更严重,而慢性间断低氧变化更持久。结论慢性间断低氧可以引起下丘脑前增食欲素下降及受体水平升高,急性持续低氧也可引起上述变化,而慢性持续低氧未引起增食欲素改变;慢性间断低氧大鼠下丘脑超微结构表现为严重而持久的变化。     

不同地理种源长白落叶松生理生态特性的研究

在人工气候室中测定了１０个种源长白落叶松二年生硬枝扦插苗的光合、水分生理生态参数。结果表明,不同种源的长白落叶松生理生态参数变异较大,但有一定规律可循。各种源的总光合速率＞最大净光合速率＞净光合速率＞半饱和光强时的净光合速率＞光呼吸速率＞呼吸速率,只偶有例外。各参数中呼吸速率在各种源间变异最小,光呼吸速率变异较大,总光合速率变异最大。各参数在种源间的变化趋势均与净光合速率一致,即净光合速率大的种源其它参数也大,净光合速率小的种源其它参数也小。相对光呼吸在各种源间变异较大,其释放的ＣＯ２相当于光合固定ＣＯ２的总量的１／３。光补偿点、饱和点和半饱和点在各种源间的变异较大。水分利用率在各种源间的较大变异主要是由净光合速率引起,与蒸腾速率关系不大。净光合速率占总光合速率的百分比、呼吸功效、ＣＯ２补偿点、蒸腾速率和水势在各种源间变异不大     

强光下高温与干旱胁迫对花生光系统的伤害机制

为探讨高温和干旱胁迫对花生光合系统的不同影响机制,以鲁花14为试材进行高温(42 ℃)强光(1200 μmol · m^-2 · s^-1)(HH)、干旱(PEG6000,30%)强光(1200 μmol · m^-2 · s^-1)(DH)和强光(1200 μmol · m^-2 · s^-1)胁迫(NH)处理,以未处理为对照(CK)的实验。与CK及NH处理相比,HH和DH的最大光化学效率(Fv/Fm)和820 nm光吸收大幅下降,叶绿素荧光动力学曲线上J点相对荧光(Vj)上升,单位面积内吸收的光量子(ABS/CSm)、单位面积内反应中心捕获的光量子(TRo/CSm)和单位面积内有活性的反应中心的数目(RC/CSm)均出现大幅下降,而PSⅡ的关闭程度(1-qP)明显升高,依赖于叶黄素循环的非辐射能量耗散(NPQ)升高,同时超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)活性出现下降,丙二醛(MDA)和膜透性增加,这些结果表明,HH和DH胁迫引起了花生叶片的严重光抑制,但快速叶绿素荧光诱导动力学曲线中均没有出现K点,表明花生叶片光合系统放氧复合体(OEC)对高温和干旱胁迫不敏感,光合系统Ⅱ(PSⅡ)反应中心的受体侧更容易受到高温和干旱的影响,而对花生光系统造成严重破坏的主要原因则是过剩光能的积累,一方面虽然叶黄素循环可以耗散部分能量,但不是全部;另一方面水-水循环受到高温和干旱的影响不能有效起到能量消耗的作用,造成活性氧的大量积累。HH和DH处理对花生光系统造成的伤害相似,但DH处理对花生光系统的伤害程度大一些,强光下,高温和干旱对花生叶片的伤害位点及破坏机制却较为相似。     

Structure insights into mechanisms of ATP hydrolysis and the activation of human heat-shock protein 90

The activation of molecular chaperone heat-shock protein 90 (Hsp90) is dependent on ATP binding and hydrolysis, which occurs in the N-terminal domains of protein. Here, we have determined three crystal structures of the N-terminal domain of human Hsp90 in native and in complex with ATP and ATP analog, providing a clear view of the catalytic mechanism of ATP hydrolysis by Hsp90. Additionally, the binding of ATP leads the N-terminal domains to be an intermediate state that could be used to partially explain why the isolated N-terminal domain of Hsp90 has very weak ATP hydrolytic activity.     

Encoding of sound duration by neurons in the auditory cortex of the little brown bat, Myotis lucifugus

Responses of 117 single- or multi-units in the auditory cortex (AC) of bats (Myotis lucifugus) to tone bursts of different stimulus durations (1– 400 ms) were studied over a wide range of stimulus intensities to determine how stimulus duration is represented in the AC. 36% of AC neurons responded more strongly to short stimulus durations showing short-pass duration response functions, 31% responded equally to all pulse durations (i.e., all-pass), 18% responded preferentially to stimuli having longer durations (i.e., long-pass), and 15% responded to a narrow range of stimulus durations (i.e., band-pass). Neurons showing long-pass and short-pass duration response functions were narrowly distributed within two horizontal slabs of the cortex, over the rostrocaudal extent of the AC. The effects of stimulus level on duration selectivity were evaluated for 17 AC neurons. For 65% of these units, an increase in stimulus intensity resulted in a progressive decrease in the best duration. In light of the unusual intensity-dependent duration responses of AC neurons, we hypothesized that the response selectivities of AC neurons is different from that in the brainstem. This hypothesis was validated by results of study of the duration response characteristics of single neurons in the inferior colliculus. Accepted: 8 November 1996     

黄瓜雄花形成过程中心皮的发育

黄瓜(Cucumis sativus L.)为重要的经济作物,雌雄同株异花,是研究植物性别分化的经典材料。人们对黄瓜性别分化进行了广泛的研究。Astmon和Galun、任吉君和王艳对黄瓜性别分化的形态特征和器官发生进行了初步研究,表明黄瓜单性花分化和发育过程中经历了无性期、两性期和单性期,最终只有一种性别的性器官原基发育成有功能的性器官,从而形成单性花,而对单性花中未形成有功能器官的相反性别原基的研究报道甚少。我们对雄花发育过程进行了连续的形态学分析,并对不同时期雄花中的心皮进行了细胞计数和同工酶电泳分析,以期从性器官发育的角度探讨黄瓜性别表现的机理。     

核移植重构胚染色体重塑的分析研究进展

重构胚核染色体重塑对于核移植的成功是必要的。供体核在卵胞质内将会发生一系列的形态学变化,包括核膜破裂、成熟前的染色体凝集,然后重新形成新的核结构,指导着整个胚胎的发育过程。本综述对发生在核移植重构胚染色体中的生物学事件进行了简要阐述。