Feedback mechanisms regulate retinoic acid production and degradation in the zebrafish embryo

Retinoic acid (RA) signaling in vertebrate embryos occurs in a distinct physical and temporal pattern. Regulating this spatial distribution is crucial to the development of the embryo, as RA in excess or in inappropriate tissues is teratogenic. In order to understand how RA availability is determined in zebrafish we have investigated the expression of cyp26a1, an enzyme that inactivates RA, and its relationship to raldh2, one of the enzymes that produce RA from retinal. cyp26a1 expression follows three phases: in presumptive anterior neurectoderm and in a circumblastoporal ring during gastrulation, in the tailbud throughout somitogenesis, and in multiple specific tissue types beginning at mid-somitogenesis and continuing through 48 h postfertilization (hpf). This expression was either adjacent or opposite to those tissues expressing raldh2. We then investigated how RA production might regulate these relationships. Endogenous RA produced by raldhs did not play a role in setting cyp26a1 expression in most tissues. However, exogenous RA regulates expression of both enzymes. cyp26a1 is up regulated in the embryo in a time, concentration, and tissue-dependent manner. Conversely, raldh2 expression is reduced with RA treatment. Tests of the raldh2 promoter in cell transfections proved that RA directly represses its activity. These data demonstrate that the feedback mechanisms regulating production and degradation of RA must be considered in any experiments altering levels of RA in the developing vertebrate embryo.     

江苏省直立穗型粳稻品种主要农艺性状和品质性状分析

通过对江苏省淮北稻区种植的主要粳稻品种品质状况和近十年来育成的直立穗型粳稻品种(系)主要品质和农艺性状的分析,发现前期育成直立穗型粳稻品种相时半直立穗型粳稻品种加工品质低,垩白率高和垩白度大,蛋白质含量高;而近期育成直立穗型粳稻品种在上述品质指标上有了较大改进,食味品质也有了显著提高.在主要农艺性状中,近期育成品种呈现每穗总粒数上升、穗长变长、着粒密度下降趋势,产量水平的提高与每穗粒数的增加有着紧密相关.     

Malnutrition impairs alveolar fluid clearance in rat lungs

Inadequate nutrition complicates the clinical course of critically ill patients, and many of these patients develop pulmonary edema. However, little is known about the effect of malnutrition on the mechanisms that resolve alveolar edema. Therefore, we studied the mechanisms responsible for the decrease in alveolar fluid clearance in rats exposed to malnutrition. Rats were allowed access to water, but not to food, for 120 h. Then, the left and right lungs were isolated for the measurement of lung water volume and alveolar fluid clearance, respectively. The rate of alveolar fluid clearance was measured by the progressive increase in the concentration of Evans blue dye that was instilled into the distal air spaces with an isosmolar 5% albumin solution over 1 h. Malnutrition decreased alveolar fluid clearance by 38% compared with controls. Amiloride (10(-3) M) abolished alveolar fluid clearance in malnourished rats. Either refeeding for 120 h following nutritional deprivation for 120 h or an oral supply of sodium glutamate during nutritional deprivation for 120 h restored alveolar fluid clearance to 91 and 86% of normal, respectively. Dibutyryl-cGMP, a cyclic nucleotide-gated cation channel agonist, increased alveolar fluid clearance in malnourished rats supplied with sodium glutamate. Terbutaline, a beta(2)-adrenergic agonist, increased alveolar fluid clearance in rats under all conditions (control, malnutrition, refeeding, and glutamate-treated). These results indicate that malnutrition impairs primarily amiloride-insensitive and dibutyryl-cGMP-sensitive alveolar fluid clearance, but this effect is partially reversible by refeeding, treatment with sodium glutamate, or beta-adrenergic agonist therapy.     

缺氧诱导因子-1α和葡萄糖转运蛋白-1在不同月龄大鼠椎间盘中的表达

目的检测缺氧诱导因子-1α(hypoxia-inducible factor-1α,HIF-1α)和葡萄糖转运蛋白-1(glucose transporter-1,GLUT-1)在不同月龄大鼠椎间盘纤维环组织中的表达及其相关性,探讨HIF-1α及GLUT-1在椎间盘退变过程中的作用。方法取Wistar大鼠50只,分别以1,3,6,12,18个月龄分为5组。采用免疫组化法及Western blot法检测各组椎间盘中HIF-1α和GLUT-1表达情况。结果随着大鼠月龄的增长,其椎间盘纤维环组织中HIF-1α和GLUT-1的表达也发生变化,由低月龄组(1-3月龄)至成年组(6-12月龄)HIF-1α和GLUT-1表达逐渐减少,而老年组(18月龄)二者表达显著增加。且这种变化有显著统计学意义(P0.01)。纤维环中HIF-1α和GLUT-1的蛋白表达呈正相关。结论HIF-1α、GLUT-1表达水平的变化与椎间盘退变的发生关系密切相关,HIF-1α可以通过上调GLUT-1等相关因子并延缓椎间盘退变,可能作为椎间盘退变治疗研究的切入点。     

脑缺血再灌注大鼠模型eNOS和nNOS的变化

目的通过对缺血再灌注早期eNOS与nNOS表达情况的观察,探讨NO在脑缺血再灌注损伤中发挥神经毒性作用时是否出现一氧化氮合酶(NOS)不同亚型的变化。方法采用线栓法制作大鼠脑缺血再灌注模型,激光多普勒灌流监测仪测血流来判断模型是否成功,Western blot方法检测eNOS与nNOS变化。结果血管内皮细胞内eNOS表达在缺血1h内升高,之后到再灌注2h内持续降低;而nNOS的表达在缺血到再灌注2h内持续上升。结论大鼠脑缺血再灌注模型中eNOS与nNOS的变化趋势不同。表明NO在缺血性脑损伤的病理过程的发挥作用与NOS亚型的变化有关。     

Snail基因及其蛋白、E-cadherin蛋白在胃癌中的表达及其临床意义

目的观察Snail mRNA及其蛋白、E-cadherin蛋白在胃癌组织中的表达及其与胃癌临床病理特征的关系,并探讨它们在胃癌发生、发展中的作用及其临床应用价值。方法收集96例手术切除胃癌标本,同时取80例癌旁组织作为对照。应用免疫组织化学S-P法检测胃癌组织、癌旁组织中snail蛋白、E-cadherin蛋白的表达;运用原位分子杂交技术检测胃癌组织、癌旁组织中Snail mRNA的表达。结果（1）Snail蛋白在胃癌组织阳性率（83.3%）显著高于癌旁组织（41.25%）（P〈0.05）;高、中分化组Snail蛋白阳性表达率显著低于低分化组（P〈0.05）;Snail蛋白的阳性表达率在乳头状腺癌、管状腺癌及低分化腺癌与黏液癌之间差异有显著性（P〈0.05）;Snail蛋白的表达与胃癌浸润深度、淋巴结转移及远处转移有关（P〈0.05）,与性别、年龄、肿瘤大小、肿瘤部位及临床分期无关（P〉0.05）;（2）胃癌组织中snail mR-NA的阳性率（76%）显著高于癌旁组织（30%）（P〈0.05）;高、中分化组Snail mRNA阳性表达率显著低于低分化组（P〈0.05）;Snail mRNA的阳性表达率在乳头状腺癌、管状腺癌及低分化腺癌与黏液癌之间差异有显著性（P〈0.05）;Snail mRNA的表达与浸润深度及淋巴结转移有关（P〈0.05）,与性别、年龄、肿瘤大小、肿瘤部位、临床分期及远处转移无关（P〉0.05）;（3）E-cadherin蛋白在胃癌组织阳性率（37.5%）显著低于癌旁组织（100%）（P〈0.05）;高、中分化组E-cadherin蛋白阳性率显著高于低分化组（P〈0.05）;E-cadherin蛋白阳性率在乳头状腺癌、管状腺癌及低分化腺癌与黏液癌之间差异有显著性（P〈0.05）;E-cadherin蛋白的表达与胃癌浸润深度、淋巴结转移、临床分期及远处转移有关（P〈0.05）,与性别、年龄、肿瘤大小、肿瘤部位均无关（P〉0.05）;（4）胃癌组织中snail mRNA和snail蛋白的表达呈正相关（r=0.594,P〈0.05）;Snail蛋白和E-cadherin蛋白的表达呈负相关（r=-0.234,P〈0.05）。结论（1）E-cadher-in蛋白低表达与Snail蛋白高表达可能是胃黏膜恶性转变以及胃癌发生浸润转移的重要生物学标志;联合检测E-cadherin蛋白与Snail蛋白对预测胃癌浸润转移有重要意义。（2）Snail蛋白可能在转录水平上调控E-cadherin蛋白的表达。