B cell abnormalities in systemic lupus erythematosus

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic, multisystem autoimmune disease characterized by the differentiation of short- and long-lived immunoglobulin secreting plasma cells that secrete pathogenic autoantibodies. Ectopic germinal centers and plasma cells secreting autoantibodies have been observed in lupus nephritis kidneys. Candidate genetic susceptibility loci for SLE include genes that affect differentiation and survival of plasma cells, such as those that influence activation, proliferation, cytokine and chemokine secretion/responsiveness, and apoptosis of the T and B cells that are involved in humoral immunity generated in germinal centers, as well as genes that are involved in presentation and clearance of apoptotic material and autoantigens by antigen presenting cells and other phagocytes. Emerging data have demonstrated that B lymphocytes are active participants in humoral immune responses that lead to T-dependent and T-independent differentiation of immunoglobulin-secreting plasma cells by homotypic CD154-CD40 interactions as well as continued stimulation by B cell activating factor through B cell maturation antigen, B cell activating factor receptor and transmembrane activater.     

An Allele-specific PCR Assay for Detecting Azoxystrobin-resistant Alternaria Isolates from Pistachio in California

Alternaria late blight caused by Alternaria spp. in the alternata, tenuissima and arborescens species‐groups is one of the most common fungal diseases of pistachio in California. A single point mutation resulting in the replacement of a glycine by an alanine at codon 143 (G143A) in the mitochondrial cytochrome b (cyt b) has been found in all azoxystrobin‐resistant isolates of these three species from California pistachio. In this study, a pair of allele‐specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR) primers was developed to detect this point mutation. The allele‐specific PCR assay coupled with a rapid DNA extraction method could detect azoxystrobin‐resistant Alternaria isolates in a few hours. The allele‐specific PCR method was also reliable for detecting azoxystrobin‐resistant Alternaria directly in both laboratory‐inoculated and naturally infected pistachio leaves.     

Polymorphism of bone morphogenetic protein 4 gene and its relationship with litter size of Jining Grey goats

Two pairs of primers (P1 and P2) were designed to detect single nucleotide polymorphisms of exon 2 and intron 2 of bone morphogenetic protein 4 (BMP4) gene in both high fecundity breed (Jining Grey goat) and low fecundity breeds (Boer, Angora and Inner Mongolia Cashmere goats) by single strand conformation polymorphism. Results showed that no polymorphism was detected for exon 2 (primer P1) of BMP4 gene in four goat breeds. For intron 2 (primer P2), three genotypes (AA, AB and BB) were detected in Jining Grey and Inner Mongolia Cashmere goats, two genotypes (AB and BB) in Angora goats, and only one genotype (AA) in Boer goats. Sequencing revealed one mutation (2203G>A) of BMP4 gene in the genotype BB in comparison to the genotype AA. The differences of litter size between AA, AB and BB genotypes were not significant (P > 0.05) in Jining Grey goats. A pair of primer (P3) was designed to detect polymorphism in the 3' flanking region of BMP4 gene that contained dinucleotide repeated sequence (CA) in the four goat breeds by microsatellite analysis. For primer P3, three genotypes (CC, CD and DD) were detected in four goat breeds. Sequencing revealed one more CA dinucleotide in genotype DD than in genotype CC. The Jining Grey does with genotype CC had 0.55 (P < 0.05) or 0.72 (P < 0.05) kids more than those with genotype CD or DD. These results preliminarily indicated that allele C of BMP4 gene is a potential DNA marker for improving litter size in goats.     

Glutamate receptors and signal transduction in learning and memory

The plasticity of the central nervous system helps form the basis for the neurobiology of learning and memory. Long-term potentiation (LTP) is the main form of synaptic plasticity, reflecting the activity level of the synaptic information storage process, and provides a good model to study the underlying mechanisms of learning and memory. The glutamate receptor-mediated signal pathway plays a key role in the induction and maintenance of LTP, and hence the regulation of learning and memory. The progress in the understanding of the glutamate receptors and related signal transduction systems in learning and memory research are reviewed in this article.     

携带siSPK1重组腺病毒的构建及其对N2a细胞凋亡的影响

应用AdMax腺病毒载体系统构建携带siSPK1基因的重组腺病毒,进一步研究SPK1基因对N2a细胞凋亡的影响。设计可形成小发夹结构的SPK1-siRNA模板cDNA序列,克隆至质粒pDC316-siRNA,构建SPK1-siRNA穿梭质粒pDC316-SPK1,经鉴定正确后,将pDC316-SPK1与辅助包装质粒（pBHG loxΔE1,3 Cre）共转染至HEK293细胞,包装纯化并扩增重组腺病毒颗粒,终点稀释法测定病毒滴度;病毒感染N2a细胞,Western blot法检测SPK1蛋白的表达;Hoechst33258染色检测SPK1基因对N2a细胞凋亡的影响。酶切后PCR分析、测序鉴定表明,pDC316-SPK1构建成功,病毒纯化后滴度为2.50E＋10 PFU/mL;重组病毒可在蛋白水平抑制SPK1的表达;SPK1基因抑制后,N2a细胞凋亡增加（P〈0.001）。上述结果表明,含有SPK1-siRNA的重组腺病毒构建成功,且具有抑制SPK1蛋白表达的功能,该基因沉默后,N2a细胞凋亡增加。     

细胞骨架对凝血酶诱导人血小板分泌反应的调节(英文)

本文利用血小板表面外露的GMP-140为血小板分泌反应的特异性标志,通过放射免疫分析法定量测定血小板表面GMP-140分子数,研究了细胞骨架抑制剂对凝血酶诱导血小板分泌反应的影响。结果表明,凝血酶激活使血小板表面GMP-140的外露明显增加,反应迅速,并在一定范围内呈剂量和时间依赖性;而ADP刺激则几乎不引起GMP-140外露的增加。凝血酶激活前加入不同的细胞骨架抑制剂处理可产生不同的效应:细胞松驰素B(肌动蛋白微丝抑制剂)可明显上调凝血酶诱导的GMP-140外露;而秋水仙素(微管抑制剂)则下调GMP-140的外露;两者同时处理仍呈现明显的上调作用。提示凝血酶作为一种强激活剂,不仅可通过受体-G蛋白-第二信使的途径启动血小板分泌反应,而且可能经诱导肌动蛋白微丝的形成对分泌反应起反馈性负调节作用。微管的存在则可能对凝血酶诱导的分泌反应起促进作用。虽然两种细胞骨架的作用相反,但以微丝的作用为主,两者间无相互拮抗现象。     

Bovine and human insulin activate CD8+-autoreactive CTL expressing both type 1 and type 2 cytokines in C57BL/6 mice

CD8+ T cells down-regulate a variety of immune responses. For example, porcine and human insulin do not stimulate Abs in C57BL/6 mice because CD8+ T cells inhibit CD4+ helper T cells. By contrast, bovine insulin induces Ab in C57BL/6 mice, and removal of CD8+ T cells does not alter this response. This raises the question of whether porcine, but not bovine, insulin activates CD8+ T cells or whether both insulins activate CD8+ T cells but CD4+ helper T cells are differentially inhibited by them. In this study, we show that insulin-specific CD8+ CTL can be cultured from C57BL/6 mice primed with either bovine or human insulin in CFA. Thus, exogenous Ags, besides OVA, induce CD8+ CTL when administered in an adjuvant, suggesting this is a typical response. These CTL are H-2Kb restricted and produce IL-5, IL-10, IFN-gamma, and small amounts of IL-4, which is distinct from IFN-gamma and TNF-alpha that are typically secreted by virus-specific CTL. Moreover, the CTL primed with either bovine or human insulin recognize an A-chain peptide that is identical to the mouse insulin sequence. That foreign proteins, which are closely related to self-proteins, activated autoreactive, CD8+ T cells in vivo is a novel finding. It raises the possibility that self-reactive CTL may be activated by cross-reacting Ags and once activated they might participate in autoimmunity. These results also suggest that down-regulation of insulin-specific responses by autoreactive CD8+ T cells is most likely due to the differential sensitivity of bovine and human insulin-specific CD4+ T cells.     

家兔发热过程中单核细胞HSF1聚合与IL-1β、TNF-αmRNA表达的关系

目的：探讨热休克因子1（HSF1）参与体温调控的作用及其生物学机制。方法：在复制家兔LPS发热模型基础上,检测在发热过程中单核细胞HSF1的表达与IL-1α、TNF-α mRNA表达之间的关系。结果：注射LPS0．5μg／kg后家兔体温明显升高,在60min和180min时出现两个体温高峰;由LPS引起发热过程中单核细胞TNF-α、IL-1βmRNA表达量分别在80min和160min达高峰,400min以内降至基础水平;单核细胞HSF1三聚体含量在体温上升到一定水平,即从注射LPS后160min开始逐渐增多。LPS致发热时单核细胞HSF1三聚体含量与单核细胞IL-1β、TNF-αmRNA表达量之间呈现负相关关系;而体温与单核细胞IL-1βmRNA表达量呈现正相关动态变化。结论：在LPS致发热时HSF1可能通过抑制IL-1β、TNF-α等内生性致热原基因的表达而限制体温升高。