天然杀伤细胞在受照射小鼠中的造血调控作用

研究了天然杀伤（ＮＫ）细胞对受致死剂量γ线照射的同系小鼠的造血调控作用。ＡＭＳ／５小鼠经９Ｇｙγ线全身照射后立即经尾静脉注射ＮＫ细胞（５×１０５）,可明显提高受照小鼠３０ｄ活存率,照后８ｄ小鼠骨髓中ＣＦＵ－ＧＭ数量明显高于对照和脾细胞注射组,照射后３０ｄ,ＮＫ细胞注射组活存小鼠的骨髓有核细胞数和ＣＦＵ－ＧＭ数已恢复到正常的７６％─９６％。病理组织学观察显示,输注ＮＫ细胞可使小鼠骨髓、脾脏的组织损伤程度减轻,造血功能增强,表现为造血灶数增多,造血细胞功能活跃,核分裂相增多,且涉及红系、粒系、巨核细胞系造血。ＮＫ细胞可能通过直接与造血干细胞相互作用或改善造血微环境等促进“内源性”造血功能,从而发挥对造血的正调控作用。提示ＮＫ细胞在小鼠造血功能的平衡维持中起重要作用。     

Cell cycle-regulated phosphorylation of the pre-mRNA-binding (heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein) C proteins.

Heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein (hnRNP) complexes, the structures that contain heterogeneous nuclear RNA and its associated proteins, constitute one of the most abundant components of the eukaryotic nucleus. hnRNPs appear to play important roles in the processing, and possibly also in the transport, of mRNA. hnRNP C proteins (C1, M(r) of 41,000; C2, M(r) of 43,000 [by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis]) are among the most abundant pre-mRNA-binding proteins, and they bind tenaciously to sequences relevant to pre-mRNA processing, including the polypyrimidine stretch of introns (when it is uridine rich). C proteins are found in the nucleus during the interphase, but during mitosis they disperse throughout the cell. They have been shown previously to be phosphorylated in vivo, and they can be phosphorylated in vitro by a casein kinase type II. We have identified and partially purified at least two additional C protein kinases. One of these, termed Cs kinase, caused a distinct mobility shift of C proteins on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. These phosphorylated C proteins, the Cs proteins, were the prevalent forms of C proteins during mitosis, and Cs kinase activity was also increased in extracts prepared from mitotic cells. Thus, hnRNP C proteins undergo cell cycle-dependent phosphorylation by a cell cycle-regulated protein kinase. Cs kinase activity appears to be distinct from the well-characterized mitosis-specific histone H1 kinase activity. Several additional hnRNP proteins are also phosphorylated during mitosis and are thus also potential substrates for Cs kinase. These novel phosphorylations may be important in regulating the assembly and disassembly of hnRNP complexes and in the function or cellular localization of RNA-binding proteins.     

Exploring the legacy of African and Indigenous Caribbean admixture in Puerto Rico

Objectives

From an anthropological genetic perspective, little is known about the ethnogenesis of African descendants in Puerto Rico. Furthermore, historical interactions between Indigenous Caribbean and African descendant peoples that may be reflected in the ancestry of contemporary populations are understudied. Given this dearth of genetic research and the precedence for Afro-Indigenous interactions documented by historical, archeological, and other lines of evidence, we sought to assess the biogeographic origins of African descendant Puerto Ricans and to query the potential for Indigenous ancestry within this community.

Materials and Methods

Saliva samples were collected from 58 self-identified African descendant Puerto Ricans residing in Puerto Rico. We sequenced whole mitochondrial genomes and genotyped Y chromosome haplogroups for each male individual (n = 25). Summary statistics, comparative analyses, and network analysis were used to assess diversity and variation in haplogroup distribution between the sample and comparative populations.

Results

As indicated by mitochondrial haplogroups, 66% had African, 5% had European, and 29% had Indigenous American matrilines. Along the Y chromosome, 52% had African, 28% had Western European, 16% had Eurasian, and, notably, 4% had Indigenous American patrilines. Both mitochondrial and Y chromosome haplogroup frequencies were significantly different from several comparative populations.

Discussion

Biogeographic origins are consistent with historical accounts of African, Indigenous American, and European ancestry. However, this first report of Indigenous American paternal ancestry in Puerto Rico suggests distinctive features within African descendant communities on the island. Future studies expanding sampling and incorporating higher resolution genetic markers are necessary to more fully understand African descendant history in Puerto Rico.     

两种珙桐叶片结构的观察

珙桐(Davidia involucrata Baill.)与它的变种光叶珙桐[Davidia involucrata Baill.var.vilmoriniana(Dode)Wanger.]叶下表皮(即远轴面)差异较大,前者叶下表皮密被淡黄色或淡白色丝状单细胞粗毛,后者叶下表皮无毛或仅叶脉处被稀疏单细胞短毛或丝状粗毛。两者结构基本相似,表皮均由一层细胞构成,气孔仅分布在下表皮,无一定排列方向,为无规则型。叶肉具明显栅栏组织和海绵组织,是典型两面叶。叶脉的机械组织为腔隙厚角组织,维管组织韧皮部位于远轴面,木质部位于近轴面,两者间具形成层。     

Dipole moments of random coil polypeptides

The Rotational Isomeric States model is applied to calculate dipole moments of polypeptides of the twenty natural α-amino acids in the random coil state. Dipole moments of each repeat unit (μ_i), are evaluated using a quantum mechanics procedure. Dipole moment ratios ($\text{D}{}_{\mathrm{x}}\text{=}\text{〈μ}{}^2\text{〉}\text{x}\text{μ}{}_{\mathrm{i}}{}^2\text{,}\text{x = number of repeat units}$) of homopolypeptides are calculated and extrapolated to x →?. With a few exceptions, D_? = 0.36 ± 0.1. Ten actual proteins and three enzymes are also studied; their dipole ratios (D_x′ =〈μ〉/x) range from 7.34 to 10.57 in 10^?59 C² m² (6.6–9.5 D²). Diffferences in the values of D_x′ are due mainly to the different contributions, μ_i, of the amino acid residues contained in each polymer, whereas the sequence of amino acids has a very minor effect.     

Biochemical ethanol effects affected by a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug.

The non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, piroxicam, prevents the hepatic increase of triacylglycerols and malondialdehyde resulting from the acute intoxication of rats with ethanol. In addition, in the intoxicated rats, piroxicam consistently produces a decrease in the levels of blood ethanol in comparison with control animals. It is suggested that the anti-inflammatory compound stimulates ethanol oxidation.     

Selection for canalization at two extra dorsocentral bristles in Drosophila melanogaster.

From 10 isofemale lines of D. melanogaster, the D2 line was established with the aim of obtaining an invariant phenotype at two extra dorsocentral bristles. Line D2 was also subdivided into two other lines, SA and ASD, based on their different bristle patterns. The SA line was selected for two symmetrical anterior extra bristles, and the ASD line was selected for two asymmetrical extra bristles, one anterior and one posterior. Only the SA line showed any canalizing response (estimated by the width of the probit transformation) at the two-extra-bristle class. Nevertheless, the results from the different lines were more consistent with the independent ones of both the anterior and posterior regions of the extra dorsocentral bristles. This analysis showed some independent genetic systems for each region, developmental canalization being at two extra symmetrical bristles per region in all the selected lines (D2, ASD, and SA). Therefore, this canalization did not depend directly on the extra-bristle positional pattern used in the selection. The wild-type canalizing system is suggested to explain the fast canalizing response in a phenotype that had not been previously canalized by natural selection.     

Fatty acid metabolism in human lymphocytes. I. Time-course changes in fatty acid composition and membrane fluidity during blastic transformation of peripheral blood lymphocytes

The time-course changes in fatty acid composition of human T-lymphocytes during blastic transformation were analysed, as well as the variations in membrane fluidity determined by fluorescence polarization of 1,6-diphenyl-1,3,5-hexatriene (DPH), using a fluorescence-activated cell sorter. The more important changes observed, in activated relative to quiescent cells, started after 24 h and consisted in an increase in the proportion of oleic (18:1(n - 9)), docosapentaenoic (22:5(n - 3)) and docosahexaenoic (22:6(n - 3)) acids and a decrease in that of linoleic (18:2(n - 6)) and arachidonic (20:4(n - 6)) acids. This represented a relative increase of 26% for 18:1, 56% for 22:5 and 84% for 22:6 in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and 35%, 182% and 94%, respectively, in purified T-lymphocytes, both activated for 72 h. The decrease in n - 6 fatty acids was of 42% for 18:2 and 14% for 20:4 in PBMC and 30% and 19%, respectively, for 72 h. The decrease in n - 6 fatty acids was of 42% for 18:2 and 14% for 20:4 in PBMC and 30% and phosphatidylethanolamine) rather than neutral lipids. The 18:1/18:0 ratio increased greatly in major cell phospholipids. The proportion of 20:4, 22:5 and 22:6 in phosphatidylinositol was not significantly altered after 72 h of activation. The molar ratio cholesterol/phospholipids was reduced in 72-h-activated lymphocytes (0.29) compared to quiescent cells (0.5). On the other hand, the stimulation of human T-lymphocytes caused a significant decrease in the order parameter (S) of DPH, according to the observed changes in lipid composition. After 72 h in culture, the S value for quiescent and stimulated T-lymphocytes was 0.530 and 0.326, respectively. In conclusion, the blastic transformation of human T-lymphocytes is associated with changes in lipid composition which modify the physical properties of their membranes. These modifications could modulate, in turn, the activity of membrane proteins implicated in the process of blastic transformation.     

Long-chain fatty acids bound to alpha-fetoprotein and to serum albumin from fetal and adult pig

1. Pig alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) and albumin were isolated from fetal serum by DEAE-Sephadex ion exchange chromatography combined with Cibacron Blue-Sepharose and trypsin-Sepharose adsorptions. 2. AFP, fetal albumin and adult albumin carried 2.6, 2.4, and 1.9 moles of fatty acids per mole of protein, respectively. 3. Most of fatty acids bound to AFP were polyunsaturated: mainly arachidonic (20:4, n-6) and docosahexaenoic (22:6, n-3) acids, which accounted respectively for 21.7 and 18.8% of the total fatty acids. 4. By contrast, the fatty acids found in the albumins (fetal and adult) were preferentially saturated and monounsaturated. 5. Arachidonic acid was a minor component in both albumins, and no docosahexaenoic acid was detected.