腺苷及其受体阻断剂对蟾蜍离体心脏功能的影响

实验采用离体心脏灌流方法,观察了腺苷,腺苷受体特异性阻断ＤＰＣＰＸ以及非特异性腺苷受体阻断剂茶碱对两栖类动物蟾蜍的离体心脏力和心率的影响。结果显示,腺苷对心脏收缩力和心率有明显的剂量依赖性抑制作用。单纯的ＤＰＣＰＸ或茶碱对心肌收缩力和心率无显著影响,但在含腺苷的灌流液中加入ＤＰＣＰＸ或茶碱后,对腺苷有明显的拮抗效应。     

人谷胱甘肽S-转移酶pi(GSTp)中半胱氨酸对其在细胞氧化应激下功能的影响

利用PCR定点突变技术构建人GSTp三种半胱氨酸突变体C~(47/101)、C~(14/47/101)和C~(14/47/101/169)。将CSTp 野生型和突变体表达质粒转染293细胞,以CDNB 为底物测定胞内GST 的转移酶活性,结果显示各类突变体均明显抑制了细胞内源性CST 的催化活性,具有显著的负显性(dominant nega-tive)突变体的功能;将CSTp 野生型和突变体与c-Jun、NF-kB 和p53的报告基因载体共转染,通过萤光素酶活性测定发现突变体C~(14/47/101)和C~(14/47/101/169)能明显激活c-Jun 和p21的转录活性;Western印迹分析显示突变体均能上调细胞内p21蛋白的水平,细胞存活率的测定表明GSTp 突变体能增强293细胞对H_2O_2刺激的敏感性;实验结果表明半胱氨酸残基对于维持GSTp 在对抗细胞氧化应激过程中的保护作用至关重要。     

以染料为底物的Trametes hirsuta降解反应体系的建立

建立Trametes hirsuta的生长繁殖和对模式染料比布列希猩红脱色降解的反应体系,研究表明：菌的生长与降解活动的适宜温度为30℃,静培养;培养基组分对脱色降解的影响不大;从便于观察和缩短反应周期考虑,土豆液体培养基有明显的优点,可作为建立Trametes hirsuta反应体系的首选培养基。菌对比布列希猩红、直接深蓝L-3RB、活性艳蓝X-BR、碱性紫5BN和亚甲基蓝等均有较好的脱色降解效果。     

广东南岭国家级自然保护区珍稀濒危植物及其保护

经调查,广东南岭国家级自然保护区共有珍稀濒危植物46种,隶属于29科39属,其中属于国家重点一级保护的有5种,二级保护的有29种.建议将19种列入国家保护名录,20种列入省级保护名录,其中包括广东新分布6种,粤北及南岭特有种9种.分析了广东南岭珍稀濒危植物面临的主要威胁是人为破坏,并针对所受威胁提出了相应的保护措施.     

The NF-kappa B-inducing kinase induces PC12 cell differentiation and prevents apoptosis

NF-kappa B has been implicated in the survival and differentiation of PC12 cells. In this study, we examined the effect of the NF-kappa B-inducing kinase (NIK) on these processes. When inducibly expressed in PC12 cells, a kinase-proficient but not -deficient form of NIK promoted neurite process formation and mediated anti-apoptotic signaling. As expected, NIK expression led to I kappa B kinase activation and induced nuclear translocation of NF-kappa B. However, NIK-induced neurite outgrowth was only partially blocked by concomitant expression of a nondegradable form of I kappa B alpha that completely blocks NF-kappa B induction. In search of additional signaling pathways activated by NIK, we now demonstrate that NIK activates MEK1 phosphorylation and induces the Erk1/Erk2 MAPK pathway. Treatment of PC12 cells with PD98059, a MEK1 inhibitor, potently blocked neurite process formation; however, a dominantly interfering mutant of the upstream Shc adapter failed to alter this response. These findings reveal a new function for NIK as a MEK1-dependent activator of the MAPK pathway and implicate both the I kappa B kinase and MAPK signaling cascades in NIK-induced differentiation of PC12 cells.     

Polydatin promotes the neuronal differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells in vitro and in vivo: Involvement of Nrf2 signalling pathway

Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell (BMSC) transplantation represents a promising repair strategy following spinal cord injury (SCI), although the therapeutic effects are minimal due to their limited neural differentiation potential. Polydatin (PD), a key component of the Chinese herb Polygonum cuspidatum, exerts significant neuroprotective effects in various central nervous system disorders and protects BMSCs against oxidative injury. However, the effect of PD on the neuronal differentiation of BMSCs, and the underlying mechanisms remain inadequately understood. In this study, we induced neuronal differentiation of BMSCs in the presence of PD, and analysed the Nrf2 signalling and neuronal differentiation markers using routine molecular assays. We also established an in vivo model of SCI and assessed the locomotor function of the mice through hindlimb movements and electrophysiological measurements. Finally, tissue regeneration was evaluated by H&E staining, Nissl staining and transmission electron microscopy. PD (30 μmol/L) markedly facilitated BMSC differentiation into neuron‐like cells by activating the Nrf2 pathway and increased the expression of neuronal markers in the transplanted BMSCs at the injured spinal cord sites. Furthermore, compared with either monotherapy, the combination of PD and BMSC transplantation promoted axonal rehabilitation, attenuated glial scar formation and promoted axonal generation across the glial scar, thereby enhancing recovery of hindlimb locomotor function. Taken together, PD augments the neuronal differentiation of BMSCs via Nrf2 activation and improves functional recovery, indicating a promising new therapeutic approach against SCI.     

Highly sensitive determination of the methylated p16 gene in cancer patients by microchip electrophoresis

The p16 tumor suppressor gene is inactivated by promoter region hypermethylation in many types of tumor. Recent studies showed that aberrant methylation of the p16 gene is an early event in many tumors, especially in lung cancer, and may constitute a new biomarker for early detection and monitoring of prevention trials. We detected tumor-associated aberrant hypermethylation of the p16 gene in plasma and tissue DNA from 153 specimens using a modified semi-nested methylation-specific PCR (MSP) combining plastic microchip electrophoresis or slab gel electrophoresis, respectively. Specimens were from 79 lung cancer patients, 15 abdominal tumor patients, 30 positive controls and 30 negative controls. The results showed that the positive rate obtained by microchip electrophoresis was more than 26.6% higher and the same specificity was kept when compared with slab gel electrophoresis. The microchip electrophoresis can rapidly and accurately analyze the PCR products of methylated DNA and obviously improve the positive rate of diagnosis of cancer patients when compared with gel electrophoresis. This method with the high assay sensitivity might be used for detection of methylation of p16 gene and even to facilitate early diagnosis of cancer patients.     

Autosomal dominant avascular necrosis of femoral head in two Taiwanese pedigrees and linkage to chromosome 12q13

Avascular necrosis of the femoral head (ANFH) is a debilitating disease that commonly leads to destruction of the hip joint in adults. The etiology of ANFH is unknown, but previous studies have indicated that heritable thrombophilia (increased tendency to form thrombi) and hypofibrinolysis (reduced ability to lyse thrombi), alcohol intake, and steroid use are risk factors for ANFH. We recently identified two families with ANFH showing autosomal dominant inheritance. By applying linkage analysis to a four-generation pedigree, we excluded linkage between the family and three genes related to thrombophilia and hypofibrinolysis: protein C, protein S, and plasminogen activator inhibitor. Furthermore, by a genomewide scan, a significant two-point LOD score of 3.45 (recombination fraction [theta] = 0) was obtained between the family with ANFH and marker D12S85 on chromosome 12. High-resolution mapping was conducted in a second family with ANFH and replicated the linkage to D12S368 (pedigree I: LOD score 2.47, theta = 0.05; pedigree II: LOD score 2.81, theta = 0.10). When an age-dependent-penetrance model was applied, the combined multipoint LOD score was 6.43 between D12S1663 and D12S85. Thus, we mapped the candidate gene for autosomal dominant ANFH to a 15-cM region between D12S1663 and D12S1632 on chromosome 12q13.     

大树蛙与斑腿树蛙的繁殖与驯养

1997～2000年,在广州动物园生态蛙蟾馆观察与研究了笼养条件下大树蛙和斑腿树蛙的繁殖行为和驯养过程,比较了两种树蛙繁殖生态的差别。