镉对小鼠精子和生精细胞超微结构及生精细胞bcl-2、bax基因表达的影响

研究镉暴露对小鼠附睾精子和睾丸生精细胞超微结构的变化以及镉对生精细胞凋亡相关基因bcl-2、bax表达水平的影响。采用24只雄性ICR小鼠随机分为4组,每组6只,分别以0.183、0.915、1.83mg/kg氯化镉腹腔注射,每天1次,连续5次,设阴性对照生理盐水组。于第6天透射电镜观察附睾精子超微结构、睾丸生精细胞核和线粒体超微结构的变化,免疫组化方法检测生精细胞Bcl-2、Bax表达水平。透射电镜观察显示,0.183mg/kg组精子超微结构无显著性变化,0.915mg/kg组精子头部两侧膜与头部胞质间隙轻微扩大,线粒体嵴间腔扩大且轻度空泡化,但与对照组相比无统计学意义(P>0.05)。1.83mg/kg组头部两侧膜与胞质间隙扩大,与对照组相比有显著性差异(P<0.05),尾部线粒体嵴间腔扩大且轻度空泡化,与对照组相比有显著性差异(P<0.05)。3种剂量处理组睾丸生精细胞核超微结构异常发生率显著高于对照组(P<0.05),且随着处理浓度的升高异常发生率升高;1.83mg/kg组线粒体肿胀空泡化发生率显著高于对照组(P<0.05)。3种剂量实验组生精细胞Bcl-2表达水平(吸光度)显著低于对照组(P<0.01),0.915mg/kg组Bax表达水平显著高于对照组和0.183、1.83mg/kg组(P<0.01)。3种剂量实验组Bcl-2/Bax吸光度比值显著低于对照组(P<0.01);0.915mg/kg组Bcl-2/Bax比值显著低于1.83mg/kg组(P<0.01)。上述结果提示:高浓度镉诱导附睾精子超微结构改变,高中低浓度镉致睾丸生精细胞超微结构的改变,生精细胞超微结构发生凋亡现象。镉对Bcl-2、Bax表达水平的改变可能是生精细胞凋亡的分子机制之一。     

体外诱导成年大鼠骨髓间充质干细胞分化为 5-羟色胺敏感性神经元

体外诱导成年大鼠骨髓间充质干细胞分化为具有神经元表型和部分功能的细胞。在对Woodbury化学诱导法作改良的基础上,加用全反式视黄酸对骨髓间充质干细胞作预诱导。诱导3h后,细胞开始表现神经元的形态特征,细胞折光性增强,形成收缩的双极或多极胞体和细长突起。细胞可以维持神经元样存活72h以上。诱导5h后,对免疫染色的细胞用DAPI进行复染,(92.4±6.9)%的细胞表达神经元特异性烯醇化酶。诱导24h后,(93.9±5.2)%的细胞表达成熟神经元的标志物神经丝M H。在给予5-羟色胺刺激时可以产生与神经元相似的胞内钙离子峰,且免疫组化证实5-羟色胺1A受体在干细胞上表达微弱,但在分化后的神经元中表达较强。实验不仅从形态、细胞标志物而且从功能上证实诱导后的细胞为5-羟色胺敏感性神经元。     

Protection against fatty liver but normal adipogenesis in mice lacking adipose differentiation-related protein

Adipose differentiation-related protein (ADFP; also known as ADRP or adipophilin), is a lipid droplet (LD) protein found in most cells and tissues. ADFP expression is strongly induced in cells with increased lipid load. We have inactivated the Adfp gene in mice to better understand its role in lipid accumulation. The Adfp-deficient mice have unaltered adipose differentiation or lipolysis in vitro or in vivo. Importantly, they display a 60% reduction in hepatic triglyceride (TG) and are resistant to diet-induced fatty liver. To determine the mechanism for the reduced hepatic TG content, we measured hepatic lipogenesis, very-low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) secretion, and lipid uptake and utilization, all of which parameters were shown to be similar between mutant and wild-type mice. The finding of similar VLDL output in the presence of a reduction in total TG in the Adfp-deficient liver is explained by the retention of TG in the microsomes where VLDL is assembled. Given that lipid droplets are thought to form from the outer leaflet of the microsomal membrane, the reduction of TG in the cytosol with concomitant accumulation of TG in the microsome of Adfp-/- cells suggests that ADFP may facilitate the formation of new LDs. In the absence of ADFP, impairment of LD formation is associated with the accumulation of microsomal TG but a reduction in TG in other subcellular compartments.     

Confirmation of linkage to chromosome 1q for spine bone mineral density in southern Chinese

Chromosome 1q has previously been linked to bone mineral density (BMD) variation in the general population in several genome-wide linkage studies in both humans and mouse model. The aim of present study is to replicate and fine map the QTL influencing BMD in chromosome 1q in southern Chinese. Twelve microsatellite markers were genotyped for a 57 cΜ region in the chromosome 1q in 306 southern Chinese families with 1,459 subjects. Each of these families was ascertained through a proband with BMD Z-scores less than −1.3 at the hip or spine. BMD (g/cm²) at the L1-4 lumbar spine, femoral neck (FN), trochanter and total hip was measured by dual-energy X-ray absortiometry. Linkage analyses were performed using the variance component linkage analysis method implemented in Merlin software. Four markers (D1S2878, D1S196, D1S452, and D1S218) achieved a LOD score greater than 1.0 with spine BMD, with the maximum multipoint LOD score of 2.36 at the marker D1S196. We did not detect a LOD score greater than 1.0 for BMD at the FN, trochanter, or total hip in multipoint linkage analyses. Our results present the first evidence for the presence of an osteoporosis susceptibility gene on chromosome 1q in non-Caucasian subjects. Further analyses of candidate genes are warranted to identify QTL genes and variants underlying the variations of BMD in this region.     

Antiplatelet prenylflavonoids from Artocarpus communis

Four flavonoids, dihydroartomunoxanthone (1), artomunoisoxanthone (2), cyclocomunomethonol (3) and artomunoflavanone (4), together with three known compounds, artochamins B (5), D and artocommunol CC (6) were isolated from the cortex of the roots of Artocarpus communis. The structures of 1-4 were determined by spectroscopic methods. The antiplatelet effects of the flavonoids, 1-3, 5 and 6 on human platelet-rich plasma (PRP) were evaluated. Of the compounds tested in human PRP, compounds 1, 5 and 6 showed significant inhibition of secondary aggregation induced by adrenaline. It is concluded that the antiplatelet effect of 1, 5 and 6 is mainly owing to an inhibitory effect on thromboxane formation.     

TRPV1+ sensory neurons control beta cell stress and islet inflammation in autoimmune diabetes

In type 1 diabetes, T cell-mediated death of pancreatic beta cells produces insulin deficiency. However, what attracts or restricts broadly autoreactive lymphocyte pools to the pancreas remains unclear. We report that TRPV1(+) pancreatic sensory neurons control islet inflammation and insulin resistance. Eliminating these neurons in diabetes-prone NOD mice prevents insulitis and diabetes, despite systemic persistence of pathogenic T cell pools. Insulin resistance and beta cell stress of prediabetic NOD mice are prevented when TRPV1(+) neurons are eliminated. TRPV1(NOD), localized to the Idd4.1 diabetes-risk locus, is a hypofunctional mutant, mediating depressed neurogenic inflammation. Delivering the neuropeptide substance P by intra-arterial injection into the NOD pancreas reverses abnormal insulin resistance, insulitis, and diabetes for weeks. Concordantly, insulin sensitivity is enhanced in trpv1(-/-) mice, whereas insulitis/diabetes-resistant NODxB6Idd4-congenic mice, carrying wild-type TRPV1, show restored TRPV1 function and insulin sensitivity. Our data uncover a fundamental role for insulin-responsive TRPV1(+) sensory neurons in beta cell function and diabetes pathoetiology.     

Mitochondria: dynamic organelles in disease, aging, and development

Mitochondria are the primary energy-generating system in most eukaryotic cells. Additionally, they participate in intermediary metabolism, calcium signaling, and apoptosis. Given these well-established functions, it might be expected that mitochondrial dysfunction would give rise to a simple and predictable set of defects in all tissues. However, mitochondrial dysfunction has pleiotropic effects in multicellular organisms. Clearly, much about the basic biology of mitochondria remains to be understood. Here we discuss recent work that suggests that the dynamics (fusion and fission) of these organelles is important in development and disease.     

An ARGONAUTE4-containing nuclear processing center colocalized with Cajal bodies in Arabidopsis thaliana

ARGONAUTE4 (AGO4) and RNA polymerase IV (Pol IV) are required for DNA methylation guided by 24 nucleotide small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) in Arabidopsis thaliana. Here we show that AGO4 localizes to nucleolus-associated bodies along with the Pol IV subunit NRPD1b; the small nuclear RNA (snRNA) binding protein SmD3; and two markers of Cajal bodies, trimethylguanosine-capped snRNAs and the U2 snRNA binding protein U2B'. AGO4 interacts with the C-terminal domain of NRPD1b, and AGO4 protein stability depends on upstream factors that synthesize siRNAs. AGO4 is also found, along with the DNA methyltransferase DRM2, throughout the nucleus at presumed DNA methylation target sites. Cajal bodies are conserved sites for the maturation of ribonucleoprotein complexes. Our results suggest a function for Cajal bodies as a center for the assembly of an AGO4/NRPD1b/siRNA complex, facilitating its function in RNA-directed gene silencing at target loci.     

Gene targets for fungal and mycotoxin control

It was initially shown that gallic acid, from hydrolysable tannins in the pelliele of walnut kernels, dramatically inhibits biosynthesis of aflatoxin byAspergillus flavus. The mechanism of this inhibition was found to take place upstream from the gene cluster, including the regulatory gene,aflR, involved in aflatoxin biosynthesis. Additional research using other antioxidant phenolics showed similar antiaflatoxigenic activity to gallic acid. Treatment ofA. flavus withtert-butyl hydroperoxide resulted in an almost doubling of aflatoxin biosynthesis compared to untreated samples. Thus, antioxidative response systems are potentially useful molecular targets for control ofA. flavus. A high throughput screening system was developed using yeast,Saccharomyces cerevisiae, as a model fungus. This screening provided an avenue to quickly identify fungal genes that were vulnerable to treatment by phenolic compounds. The assay also provided a means to quickly assess effects of combinations of phenolics and certain fungicides affecting mitochondrial respiration. For example, theS. cerevisiae sod2† mutant was highly sensitive to treatment by certain phenolics and strobilurins/antimycin A, fungicides which inhibit complex III of the mitochondrial respiratory chain. Verification of stress to this system in the target fungus,A. flavus, was shown through complementation analysis, wherein the mitochondrial superoxide dismutase (Mn-SOD) gene (sodA) ofA. flavus in the ortholog mutant,sod2†, ofS. cerevisiae, relieved phenolic-induced stress. Mitochondrial antioxidative stress systems play an important role in fungal response to antifungals. Combined treatment of fungi with phenolics and inhibitors of mitochondrial respiration can effectively suppress growth ofA. flavus in a synergistic fashion.