Characterization of Multiple Ion Channels in Cultured Human Cardiac Fibroblasts

Background

Although fibroblast-to-myocyte electrical coupling is experimentally suggested, electrophysiology of cardiac fibroblasts is not as well established as contractile cardiac myocytes. The present study was therefore designed to characterize ion channels in cultured human cardiac fibroblasts.

Methods and Findings

A whole-cell patch voltage clamp technique and RT-PCR were employed to determine ion channels expression and their molecular identities. We found that multiple ion channels were heterogeneously expressed in human cardiac fibroblasts. These include a big conductance Ca²⁺-activated K⁺ current (BK_Ca) in most (88%) human cardiac fibroblasts, a delayed rectifier K⁺ current (IK_DR) and a transient outward K⁺ current (I_to) in a small population (15 and 14%, respectively) of cells, an inwardly-rectifying K⁺ current (I_Kir) in 24% of cells, and a chloride current (I_Cl) in 7% of cells under isotonic conditions. In addition, two types of voltage-gated Na⁺ currents (I_Na) with distinct properties were present in most (61%) human cardiac fibroblasts. One was a slowly inactivated current with a persistent component, sensitive to tetrodotoxin (TTX) inhibition (I_Na.TTX, IC₅₀ = 7.8 nM), the other was a rapidly inactivated current, relatively resistant to TTX (I_Na.TTXR, IC₅₀ = 1.8 µM). RT-PCR revealed the molecular identities (mRNAs) of these ion channels in human cardiac fibroblasts, including KCa.1.1 (responsible for BK_Ca), Kv1.5, Kv1.6 (responsible for IK_DR), Kv4.2, Kv4.3 (responsible for I_to), Kir2.1, Kir2.3 (for I_Kir), Clnc3 (for I_Cl), Na_V1.2, Na_V1.3, Na_V1.6, Na_V1.7 (for I_Na.TTX), and Na_V1.5 (for I_Na.TTXR).

Conclusions

These results provide the first information that multiple ion channels are present in cultured human cardiac fibroblasts, and suggest the potential contribution of these ion channels to fibroblast-myocytes electrical coupling.     

Impact of prophylactic/preemptive donor lymphocyte infusion and intensified conditioning for relapsed/refractory leukemia: a real-world study

Prophylactic/preemptive donor lymphocyte infusion(p/pDLI) and intensified conditioning have shown promising results in experimental studies of refractory/relapsed acute leukemia(RRAL), but real-world data remain scarce. We conducted a multicenter, population-based analysis of 932 consecutive patients. The three-year leukemia-free survival(LFS) rates were 56% for patients receiving both p/pDLI and intensified myeloablative conditioning(MAC)(intenseMAC) and 30% for those who received neither therapy per landmark analysis. Multivariable analyses were run separately for acute myeloid leukemia(AML)and acute lymphoblastic leukemia(ALL), and p/pDLI treatment was linked to significantly higher LFS than non-DLI for both AML and ALL patients without increasing the nonrelapse mortality. IntenseMAC was associated with significantly lower relapse and higher LFS than nonintensified MAC despite higher nonrelapse mortality rates in ALL, while there was no impact of intenseMAC observed in AML. p/pDLI achieved superior outcomes in both matched-sibling donor(MSD) and haploidentical donor transplantation, while intenseMAC only influenced MSD outcomes. Data suggest that RRAL patients receiving "total therapy" by way of p/pDLI and intensified conditioning treatment have an improved chance for LFS, with p/pDLI being safer with a more extensive impact relative to intenseMAC. Patients with RRAL can tolerate both interventions and achieve a reasonable outcome.     

重组新城疫病毒Anhinga株与TRAIL蛋白协同杀伤肿瘤细胞

将新城疫病毒（Newscastle disease virus, NDV）Anhinga株的全 长基因组cDNA克隆质粒、pTM1-L、pTM1-P、pTM1-NP表达质粒共转染稳定表 达T7 RNA聚合酶的BSRT7/5细胞,得到拯救NDV病毒．通过PCR、酶切法、测 序证明拯救病毒中存在引入的分子标签.通过血凝实验、蚀斑测定证明成功 拯救病毒.并研究了该重组病毒对4种不同人肿瘤细胞的体外杀伤效果．首 次证明重组Anhinga株对SMMC-7721细胞、A549细胞、HepG2细胞和SH-SY5Y 细胞均有杀伤作用．该重组病毒主要诱导SMMC-7721细胞和A549细胞凋亡, 诱导HepG2细胞和SH-SY5Y细胞坏死．TNF家族成员TRAIL蛋白可以显著增强 NDV杀伤肿瘤细胞的效果.本实验为进一步研究重组NDV用于肿瘤治疗奠定基 础．     

平衡时间、冷冻方法及解冻程序对马精液冷冻效果的影响

精液平衡、冷冻及解冻是冻精制作过程中三个必不可少的环节,对精液冷冻效果起着决定性作用。在马(Equus caballus)精子冷冻中针对这三个过程的研究较少,为进一步优化马精液冷冻方法,提高精液冻后质量,本研究比较不同平衡时间、冷冻方法及解冻程序对冻融后精子运动参数、质膜完整性及线粒体膜电势的影响。平衡120 min、180 min和240 min组冻融后精液活力及质膜完整性明显高于平衡0 min、45 min、90 min及8 h平衡组;距离液氮面2 cm和4 cm高度熏蒸冷冻获得了与程序冷冻仪冷冻法相似的冷冻效果;采用高温瞬时解冻法(75℃7 s和46℃20 s)比常规方法(37℃30 s)获得了更高的冻后精液活力(P0.05)。综合上述结果,在马精液冷冻过程中综合采用120~240 min平衡,距离液氮面2~4 cm熏蒸法和高温瞬时解冻法(75℃7s和46℃20 s)可获得更好的精液冷冻效果。     

Disruption of the chitin synthase gene CHS1 from Fusarium asiaticum results in an altered structure of cell walls and reduced virulence

Natural resistance of wheat against Fusarium head blight (FHB) is inadequate and new strategies for controlling the disease are required. Chitin synthases that catalyze chitin biosynthesis would be an ideal target for antifungal agents. In this study, a class I chitin synthase gene (CHS1) from Fusarium asiaticum, the predominant species of FHB pathogens on wheat in China, was functionally disrupted via Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation. Specific disruption of the CHS1 gene resulted in a 58% reduction of chitin synthase activity, accompanied by decreases of 35% in chitin content, 22% in conidiation, and 16% in macroconidium length. The Δchs1 mutant strain had a growth rate comparable to that of the wild-type on PDA medium but had a 35% increase in the number of nuclear cellulae and exhibited a remarkably increased sensitivity to osmosis stresses. Electron microscopy revealed substantial changes occurring in cell wall structures of the macroconidium, ascospore, and mycelium, with the most profound changes in the mycelium. Furthermore, the Δchs1 mutant displayed significantly reduced pathogenicity on wheat spikes and seedlings. Re-introduction of a functional CHS1 gene into the Δchs1 mutant strain restored the wild-type phenotype. These results reveal an important in vivo role played by a CHS1 gene in a FHB pathogen whose mycelial chitin could serve as a target for controlling the disease.     

芍药组内不同类群间光合特性及叶绿素荧光特性比较

为了比较分析芍药组不同类群光合生理差异以及它们对各自不同光照环境的适应性, 测定了芍药组(Paeonia sect. Paeonia) 4种2变种的光合日变化、光响应曲线、CO₂响应曲线, 以及叶绿素荧光特性。结果显示, 芍药组中不同类群之间光合速率差异明显, 各个种类的“午休”程度不同, 芍药(Paeonia lactiflora )和毛果芍药(P. lactiflora var. trichocarpa)的强光抑制现象没有川赤芍(P. veitchii)、美丽芍药(P. mairei)和窄叶芍药(P. anomala)明显。叶绿素荧光特征能够反映芍药组不同类群光合生理的差异。芍药组内不同类群地理分布的差异能部分从光合生理特征的适应性方面得到解释。     

Proteomic analysis of mitochondrial proteins in cardiomyocytes from chronic stressed rat

Chronic restraint stress induces cardiac dysfunction as well as cardiomyocyte injury including severe ultrastructural alteration and cell death, but its mechanism and molecular basis remain unclear. Mitochondria play a key role in regulating cell life. For exploring mitochondrial proteins which correlate with stress-induced injury, two-dimensional electrophoresis and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) were applied. After comparing the protein profiles of myocardial mitochondria between a chronic restraint stress group and a control group, 11 protein spots were found altered, seven of which were identified by MALDI-TOF MS. Among the seven proteins, five proteins involved in the Krebs cycle and lipid metabolism in mitochondria decreased after chronic restraint stress. They were identified as carnitine palmitoyltransferase 2, mitochondrial acyl-CoA thioesterase 1, isocitrate dehydrogenase 3 (NAD+) alpha, fumarate hydratase 1 and pyruvate dehydrogenase beta. The last two proteins, creatine kinase and prohibitin, increased after chronic restraint stress. Biochemical tests for energy metabolism in mitochondria also supported the proteomic results. These findings provide clues for understanding the mechanism of dysfunction or injury in cardiomyocytes induced by chronic stress.     

昆虫围食膜的研究进展

围食膜是大多数昆虫中肠内的半透性薄膜 ,主要由几丁质、蛋白质构成。依据其形成的方式分 :Ⅰ型围食膜 ,由整个中肠细胞分泌形成多层管状膜 ;Ⅱ型围食膜由中肠前端特殊的细胞分泌成连续的套筒管状膜。由于位于食物与中肠上皮细胞间而在中肠生理中起重要作用 ,围食膜保护中肠上皮免于机械损伤以及病原菌、毒素的入侵 ;作为半透膜以及将中肠分为不同的区室而在营养物质的消化和吸收中具有重要作用。该文综述了有关围食膜结构、组分、功能、通透性以及与害虫防治的关系等方面的研究进展。