中华水韭对不同营养条件的生理生态响应

采用水培法,研究了不同营养条件对中华水韭叶片生理生化特性和光合荧光特性的影响。结果显示:随着营养液中氮、磷浓度的升高,中华水韭叶片的生理生化特性除叶绿素含量呈下降的变化趋势外,可溶性糖、丙二醛、脯氨酸含量、过氧化氢酶活性(CAT)均呈上升趋势,而过氧化物酶活性(POD)则呈先上升后下降的趋势;同时叶片光合荧光特性中除非光化学猝灭系数(qN)呈上升的趋势外,PSⅡ的最大量子产量(Fv/Fm)、有效量子产量(Yield)、光化学猝灭系数(qP)、最大潜在相对电子传递速率(Pm)以及快速光响应曲线初始斜率(α)和半饱和光强(Ik)均呈下降的趋势。研究表明,随着水体氮、磷浓度的升高,中华水韭在中度营养条件下(N 0.4mg·L~(-1)、P0.04mg·L~(-1))耐受性较好,但在高营养条件下(N 1.2mg·L~(-1)、P 0.12mg·L~(-1))耐受性较差,其渗透调节能力和抗氧化能力上升,但光合作用能力下降,抑制了中华水韭的正常光合生理活动,进而影响其生长,推测水体富营养化可能是造成中华水韭濒危的重要原因之一。     

Benzo(a)pyrene inhibits endometrial cell apoptosis in early pregnant mice via the WNT5A pathway

Benzo(a)pyrene (BaP) is an endocrine-disrupting pollutant present in various aspects of daily life, and studies have demonstrated that BaP exerts reproductive toxicity. We previously showed that BaP damages endometrial morphology and decreases the number of implantation sites in early pregnant mice, but the mechanisms underlying these effects remain unclear. The endometrial function is crucial for implantation, which is associated with endometrial cell apoptosis. In this study, we focused on the effect of BaP on endometrial cell apoptosis and the role of WNT signaling during this process. Pregnant mice were gavaged with corn oil (control group) or 0.2 mg·kg⁻¹·day ⁻¹ BaP (treatment group) from Days 1 to 6 of pregnancy. BaP impaired endometrial function by decreasing the expression of HOXA10 and BMP2, two markers of receptivity and decidualization. WNT5A and β-catenin were activated in the BaP group. BaP affected the expression of apoptosis-related proteins and inhibited the apoptosis of endometrial stromal cells. In vitro, human endometrial stromal cells (HESCs) were treated with different concentrations of BaP (dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO); 5, 10 µM). WNT5A and β-catenin were also upregulated in the BaP treatment group. HESC apoptosis was restrained by BaP. Inhibiting WNT5A by SFRP5 partially restored the effect of BaP on apoptosis. In summary, these results suggested that BaP exposure during early pregnancy activates WNT5A/β-catenin signaling pathway, which inhibits the endometrial cell apoptosis and potentially destroys endometrial function.     

MAP2 is required for dendrite elongation,PKA anchoring in dendrites,and proper PKA signal transduction

Microtubule-associated protein 2 (MAP2) is a major component of cross-bridges between microtubules in dendrites, and is known to stabilize microtubules. MAP2 also has a binding domain for the regulatory subunit II of cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA). We found that there is reduction in microtubule density in dendrites and a reduction of dendritic length in MAP2-deficient mice. Moreover, there is a significant reduction of various subunits of PKA in dendrites and total amounts of various PKA subunits in hippocampal tissue and cultured neurons. In MAP2-deficient cultured neurons, the induction rate of phosphorylated CREB after forskolin stimulation was much lower than in wild-type neurons. Therefore, MAP2 is an anchoring protein of PKA in dendrites, whose loss leads to reduced amount of dendritic and total PKA and reduced activation of CREB.     

Possible Roles of mmu-miR-141 in the Endometrium of Mice in Early Pregnancy Following Embryo Implantation

Objective

Embryo implantation is directly affected by genes related to uterine receptivity. Studies have demonstrated the important roles of miRNAs in the regulation of gene expression. Our early miRNA chip analyses revealed that the mmu-miR-141 expression in endometrial tissue is lower after embryo implantation than before it. However, the possible roles of miR-141 in embryo implantation have not yet been elucidated. Here, mmu-miR-141 was designed to detect the expression and role of miR-141 in the endometria of mice in early pregnancy following embryo implantation.

Methods

Real-time PCR and in-situ hybridization were used to study mmu-miR-141 expression in mouse uterus. Cell proliferation was detected by tetrazolium dye (MTT) assay and flow cytometry. Real-time PCR and Western blot analysis were used to confirm the mRNA and protein levels of phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) to determine whether it was the target gene of mmu-miR-141. Enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) fluorescence reporter vector analysis was also performed. A functional study was performed by injecting mice uteri with mmu-miR-141 inhibitor or mimic vectors.

Results

mmu-miR-141 expression was lower on day 6 (D6) than day 4 (D4) and could be increased by progesterone. Reduced mmu-miR-141 could decrease the proliferation activity of stromal cells and promote apoptosis. Upregulation of mmu-miR-141 inhibited PTEN protein expression but downregulation of mmu-miR-141 increased it, while the mRNA level remained unchanged. EGFP fluorescence reporter vector analysis showed that miR-141 targets the 3′-untranslated region of the PTEN mRNA. In addition, when the physiological mmu-miR-141 level was altered on D2 by injecting with inhibitor or mimic, the embryo implantation sites were significantly decreased on D7.

Conclusions

This study demonstrated that mmu-miR-141 might influence cell proliferation and apoptosis in the endometrium by negatively regulating PTEN expression, and could also influence the number of embryo implantation sites. mmu-miR-141 plays an essential role in embryo implantation.     

哺乳动物雷帕霉素靶蛋白（mTOR）在不同发育阶段SD大鼠睾丸中的表达及作用

精子发生是男性生殖中的主要过程,精原细胞的不断分裂增殖又保证了精子发生的顺利进行。随着年龄的不断增长,男性精子的数量、质量出现下降趋势。mTOR信号转导通路在细胞增殖分化中发挥着中心调控作用,因此,mTOR信号通路可能在精子发生过程中有着重要的地位。为了探明mTOR信号通路与精子发生的关系,首先,通过SD大鼠睾丸组织切片的免疫组化,发现mTOR是在生精小管的精原细胞胞浆中表达;其次,采用FQ-PCR检测mTOR mRNA在SD大鼠睾丸中的表达。结果显示,80周龄组mTOR的转录与8周龄组相比差异显著。最后利用Western blot检测出mTOR蛋白的表达及其对下游靶蛋白P70S6K的磷酸化效率均随年龄的增长逐渐下降。同时,在用雷帕霉素处理8周龄SD大鼠中,发现精子数量减少,P70S6K磷酸化效率降低并伴随生精小管萎缩和空泡化。通过这些结果,可以看出mTOR信号转导通路可能在精子发生中发挥着重要作用。     

南极地区苔藓剖面中地球化学元素的营养运移特征

对采自南极的苔藓剖面上各层苔藓的地球化学元素含量进行分析,得到以下的初步结论：地球化学元素在苔藓剖面上的分布具有很强的继承性;不同地球化学元素在苔藓剖面上的分布特征不同,这与元素在苔藓中的营养特征有关,研究发现元素Ca在苔藓体内,异常活跃,它极易被累积在新鲜苔藓体内,Zn也是苔藓易吸收的元素;地球化学元素在老新苔藓中的转移能力不同;底层苔藓的元素转移能力很低,中层苔藓中元素维持在基本平衡的状态,上层苔藓中元素的转移系数较大。     

珍稀濒危药用植物黄檗野生种群遗传多样性的AFLP分析

黄檗(Phellodendronamurense)是我国珍贵的药用和用材树种,现已被列为国家二级保护植物。为了研究其遗传多样性和遗传结构,以制定有针对性的保护策略,作者采用8对荧光引物,对来自10个野生种群共计129个黄檗个体进行了AFLP分析。共扩增出1,704条谱带,其中多态带1,581条。遗传分化系数Gst为0.3420,即有34.20%的遗传变异来自种群间。黄檗物种水平的遗传多样性高于种群水平:在物种水平上,多态位点百分率PPL=92.77%,有效等位基因数Ne=1.4636,Nei’s基因多样性指数H=0.2316,Shannon信息指数I=0.4275;在种群水平上,PPL=54.20%,Ne=1.2487,H=0.1524,I=0.2371。UPGMA聚类结果表明,黄檗野生种群可分为四类,并且来自同一地区的黄檗个体有聚为一类的趋势,说明其遗传变异可能与生境有关。建议在各种群内大量采样,实施迁地保护;在长白山、完达山、大兴安岭、小兴安岭、千山以及燕山山脉的云蒙山等地区,均匀布点划分区域进行就地保护,保护种群完整性,促进种群自我更新。