The expression of a novel estrogen receptor, GPR30, in epithelial ovarian carcinoma and its correlation with MMP-9

The aim of the present study is to investigate the expression of a novel estrogen receptor, G protein-coupled receptor 30 (GPR30) and its correlation with matrix metalloproteinases-9 (MMP-9) in epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC). Ovary tissues were obtained from 39 female patients, including 30 cases of EOC and 9 cases of benign ovarian tumor. Four normal ovary tissues were used as control. Immunohistochemical staining was used to detect the expressions of GPR30 and MMP-9. Chi square test, Fisher's exact test and Spearman's rank correlation analysis were used for statistical analysis. The results showed that GPR30 overexpression rate in EOC cases was significantly higher than those in benign ovarian tumor and normal ovary cases. Whereas MMP-9 overexpression rate in EOC cases was significantly higher than that in normal ovary cases, without any difference to that in benign ovarian tumor cases. To demonstrate the relationship between GPR30 and clinicopathological variables of EOC, we further analyzed the pathology type, FIGO stage and age of patients sampled in our study. The analysis showed there were significant differences of GPR30 overexpression rate among various pathology types and different FIGO stages (P<0.05), and no significant difference of both GPR30 and MMP-9 among three age groups (P>0.05). Moreover, GPR30 expression was positively correlated with MMP-9 (r(s)=1.000, P=0.002). These results suggest that GPR30 may be involved in the invasion and metastasis of EOC, being a potential index of EOC early diagnosis and malignancy grade prediction.     

一步法扩增克隆IBDV上海超强毒VP2-4-3基因

分离、纯化了鸡传染性法氏囊病病毒超强毒 (vvIBDV) 上海株SH95的病毒核酸dsRNA,应用随机引物将RNA反转录成cDNA,以此为模板一步扩增出A片段前体融合蛋白基因即VP2-4-3基因,将其克隆入pGEM-T载体,并进行序列分析,其与超强毒株HK46的核苷酸序列的同源性达98%,整个基因有5个氨基酸差异,同源性达99.51%(1007/1012).     

Characterization of Acetylcholine-induced Increases in Cytosolic Free Calcium Concentration in Individual Rat Pancreatic β-cells

The intracellular free Ca²⁺ ion concentration ([Ca²⁺]i) was measured using fura-2 microspec-trofluorimetry in individual rat pancreatic β-cells prepared by enzymatic digestion and fluorescence-activated cell sorting. The mean basal concentration of [Ca²⁺]i in β-cells in the presence of 4.4 mM glucose and 1.8 mM Ca²⁺ was 112±1.6 nM (n=207). The action of acetylcholine (ACh) was concentration-dependent, and raising the concentration resulted in [Ca²⁺]i spikes of increasing amplitude and duration in some, but not all of the β-cells. In addition, the β-cells demonstrated variable sensitivity to ACh. The increases in [Ca²⁺]i were rapid, transient and were blocked by atropine at 10^-6M. A brief exposure to 50 mM K⁺ resulted in a transient increase in [Ca²⁺]i similar to that induced by ACh, but resistant to atropine. A high concentration of ACh (100μL 10^-4M or 10^-3M) induced [Ca²⁺]i oscillations in 11 out of 57 β-cells in the presence of 4.4 mM glucose. Using calcium channel blockers and Ca²⁺ free medium, the source of the increase in [Ca²⁺]i was deduced to be from extracellular spaces. Changing the temperature from 22 to 37°C did not affect the action of ACh on [Ca²⁺]i. These data strongly suggest that ACh exerted a direct action on [Ca²⁺]i in normal rat pancreatic β-cells and support a role for Ca²⁺ as a second messenger in the action of ACh.     

Response of rice (Oryza sativa) with root surface iron plaque under aluminium stress

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Rice (Oryza sativa) is an aquatic plant with a characteristic of forming iron plaque on its root surfaces. It is considered to be the most Al-tolerant species among the cereal crops. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of root surface iron plaque on Al translocation, accumulation and the change of physiological responses under Al stress in rice in the presence of iron plaque. METHODS: The japonica variety rice, Koshihikari, was used in this study and was grown hydroponically in a growth chamber. Iron plaque was induced by exposing the rice roots to 30 mg L(-1) ferrous iron either as Fe(II)-EDTA in nutrient solution (6 d, Method I) or as FeSO(4) in water solution (12 h, Method II). Organic acid in root exudates was retained in the anion-exchange resin and eluted with 2 m HCl, then analysed by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) after proper pre-treatment. Fe and Al in iron plaque were extracted with DCB (dithionite-citrate-bicarbonate) solution. KEY RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: Both methods (I and II) could induce the formation of iron plaque on rice root surfaces. The amounts of DCB-extractable Fe and Al on root surfaces were much higher in the presence of iron plaque than in the absence of iron plaque. Al contents in root tips were significantly decreased with iron plaque; translocation of Al from roots to shoots was significantly reduced with iron plaque. Al-induced secretion of citrate was observed and iron plaque could greatly depress this citrate secretion. These results suggested that iron plaque on rice root surfaces can be a sink to sequester Al onto the root surfaces and Fe ions can pre-saturate Al-binding sites in root tips, which protects the rice root tips from suffering Al stress to a certain extent.     

拉格啤酒酵母菌物种和株系的快速分子鉴定

近年来的基因组学研究结果已证实拉格啤酒酵母Saccharomyces pastorianus是一个由艾尔啤酒酵母S. cerevisiae和真贝氏酿酒酵母S. eubayanus杂交而成的杂交种,并可根据地域传承和染色体倍性分为两个株系,即I型/Saaz系和II型/Frohberg系。前者主要为异源3倍体,后者则主要为异源4倍体。为了探讨中国啤酒酿造酵母菌的物种和菌系归属,我们根据拉格啤酒酵母及其两个菌系的基因组特性,制定了一套基于IntFR片段种特异性扩增和ITS-RFLP分析的精确但简便易行的拉格啤酒酵母菌物种和株系鉴定新方法,并以酿酒酵母属内相关种的模式或权威菌株和部分酒精及面包酵母为参照,对保藏于中国普通微生物菌种保藏中心（CGMCC）的41株啤酒酿造酵母菌进行了重新鉴定和分型。这些菌株除1株原定名为贝氏酿酒酵母S. bayanus外,其余菌株的原定名均为S. cerevisiae。研究结果确认了S. bayanus菌株鉴定的正确性,但在其余的40株啤酒酵母菌株中,21株属于S. cerevisiae,1株属于葡萄汁酿酒酵母S. uvarum,18株属于S. pastorianus。菌系鉴定和流式细胞测定结果显示在确认的S. pastorianus菌株中,1株为I型/Saaz系,3倍体;17株为II型/Frohberg系,其中9株为4倍体,两株为3倍体,5株介于3倍至4倍体之间。啤酒酵母物种和株系的确认对优化发酵工艺和菌种选育及遗传改造等具有重要意义。     

丙型肝炎病毒RNA打点杂交检测方法同RT－PCR方法的比较

采用ＨＣＶ基因组结构区Ｃ区ｃＤＮＡ探针和非结构区ＮＳ３－４区ｃＤＮＡ探针,建立了用打点杂交（ｄｏｔｂｌｏｔｈｙｂｒｉｄｉｚａｔｉｏｎ）检测血清中ＨＣＶＲＮＡ的方法,同采用ＨＣＶ基因组５’端非编码区的一对寡核苷酸引物通过逆转录－聚合酶链式反应（ＲＴ－ＰＣＲ）检测血清中ＨＣＶＲＮＡ的方法相比较,发现两种方法都能快速早期和特异地检出血清中ＨＣＶＲＮＡ,但ＲＴ－ＰＣＲ法敏感性优于ＲＮＡ打点杂交法。对于无血清学指标的慢性ＮＡＮＢ肝炎病人的诊断,可采用这两种方法。这两种方法的敏感性在很大程度上依赖于引物和探针的敏感性,以及ＲＮＡ提取方法。ＲＴ－ＰＣＲ法适用于诊断病毒血症和复制,打点杂交法适用于研究ＨＣＶＲＮＡ量的变化,对治疗的评价,以及为实验筛选较高滴度的ＨＣＶＲＮＡ阳性样本。     

中国管蛛属一新种：蜘蛛目：圆颚蛛科

本文记述采自江西省修水县的管蛛属蜘蛛一新种：中华管蛛Ｔｒａｃｈｅｌａｓｓｉｎｅｎｓｉｓｓｐ．ｎｏｖ．。该种与日本管蛛Ｔ．ｊａｐｏｎｉｃａＢｏｅｓ．ｅｔＳｔｒ．,１９０６在体型,体色及腹部背面的斑纹上非常相似,但该种的身体明显大于后者,两者外生殖器存在明显的差异。     

Basic Fibroblast Growth Factor Expression is Implicated in Mesenchymal Stem Cells Response to Light-Induced Retinal Injury

Neurotrophic factors are involved in neuroprotection and its expression in mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) may change during light-induced retinal injury. In this study, neurotrophic factor expression in MSCs was investigated after stimulation by supernatants of homogenized retina (SHR) from normal and light-injured rats. Conditioned media from control MSCs (CM-MSCs), MSCs stimulated by normal SHR (CM-NSHR), and MSCs stimulated by light-injured SHR (CM-ISHR) were examined regarding their ability to prevent degeneration of retinal explants. Basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) in MSCs was knockdown by lentivirus-mediated mRNA interference. Transfected MSCs were stimulated by SHR, and retinal preservation was reevaluated in the resultant conditioned media. We detected significant up-regulation of bFGF in CM-ISHR, accompanied by superior retinal neurotrophic effects in CM-ISHR over CM-NSHR and CM-MSCs. Down-regulation of bFGF in MSCs effectively inhibited this protective effect. Adding neutralizing antibody against bFGF to CM-ISHR also induced a similar effect. It is thus concluded that retinal injury may enhance neurotrophic factor expression in MSCs and promote the repair process. bFGF may play a critical role in MSCs’ response to retinal injury.     

丝状真菌Amorphotheca resinae ZN1的糠醛降解代谢分析

木质纤维素在预处理过程产生的降解产物对后续的酶水解和微生物发酵过程产生了强烈的抑制。因此,这些抑制物的脱除即所谓的"脱毒"步骤是正常进行后续酶解和发酵的前提条件。我们对本实验室筛选的丝状真菌Amorphotheca resinae ZN1的糠醛的代谢路径进行了研究。丝状真菌A.resinae ZN1转化糠醛的降解代谢途径可以简述为:糠醛首先快速地转化为毒性较低的糠醇;在有氧条件下,糠醇又再度生成不致对微生物产生危害的低浓度糠醛,糠醛继续氧化为糠酸。推测糠酸可能继续进入TCA循环,进而完成糠醛的完全降解。研究结果为将来加快丝状真菌A.resinae ZN1生物脱毒速率、改善木质纤维素生物转化的限速步骤提供了重要的实验依据。     

红松阔叶林倒木贮量动态的研究

在森林倒木研究的基础上探讨长白山红松阔叶林倒木贮量的动态,涉及红松阔叶林倒木分解及其贮量的动态规律。研究表明,倒木分解,除心腐木外,均由表及里进行;倒木分解速率在其它生态条件相同时因树种、直径和部位而异。红松阔叶林倒木贮量动态包括现有倒木贮量和倒木年输入量两个分解动态过程,现有倒木贮量在头100年其干重迅速减少,其中椴树比红松尤速,前者分解91%,后者为72%.林地倒木贮量动态与倒木年输入量分解动态相似,但前者在分解初期贮量增加较大,因为部分现有倒木未完全分解;100年后趋于一致,并恒定于16～17t·hm^-2,直至群落的顶极阶段结束.