Renal responses to the kappa-opioid-receptor agonist U-50488H in conscious lambs

In adult animals and humans, activation of kappa-opioid receptors results in a diuresis. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether kappa-opioids are also diuretic early in life and whether this is altered during postnatal maturation. Therefore, the renal effects of the kappa-opioid-receptor agonist U-50488H were measured in two separate age groups of conscious lambs at two stages of postnatal maturation (approximately 1 wk and approximately 6 wk) under physiological conditions. To evaluate whether the renal responses to U-50488H resulted from receptor-dependent effects, responses to U-50488H were also tested in the presence of the specific kappa-opioid-receptor antagonist 5'-guanidinonaltrindole (GNTI). Urinary flow rate, free water clearance, and electrolyte excretions and clearances were measured for 30 min before and for 90 min after intravenous injection of U-50488H or vehicle. An increase in urinary flow rate accompanied by an increase in free water clearance occurred in response to administration of U-50488H but not vehicle. There were no effects of U-50488H on electrolyte excretions or clearances at either 1 or 6 wk of postnatal life. Although there were no effects of GNTI on any of the measured or calculated variables, the aforementioned diuretic response to U-50488H was abolished by pretreatment with GNTI in both age groups. We conclude that kappa-opioid receptors are diuretic early in life and that this response does not appear to be altered as postnatal maturation proceeds. Therefore, these data provide evidence that activation of kappa-opioid receptors early in life may lead to alterations in fluid balance.     

NFKB1 promoter variation implicates shear-induced NOS3 gene expression and endothelial function in prehypertensives and stage I hypertensives

In endothelial cells, NF-kappaB is an important intracellular signaling molecule by which changes in wall shear stress are transduced into the nucleus to initiate downstream endothelial nitric oxide synthase (NOS3) gene expression. We investigated whether NF-kappa light-chain gene enhancer in B cells 1 (NFKB1) promoter polymorphism ((-94)NFKB1 I/D, where I is the insertion allele and D is the deletion allele) was associated with 1) NOS3 gene expression in endothelial cells under physiological levels of unidirectional laminar shear stress (LSS) and 2) endothelial function in prehypertensive and stage I hypertensive individuals before and after a 6-mo supervised endurance exercise intervention. Competitive EMSAs revealed that proteins present in the nuclei of endothelial cells preferentially bound to the I allele NFKB1 promoter compared with the D allele. Reporter gene assays showed that the I allele promoter had significantly higher activity than the D allele. In agreement with these observations, homozygous II genotype cells had higher p50 expression levels than homozygous DD genotype cells. Cells with the homozygous II genotype showed a greater increase in NOS3 protein expression than did homozygous DD genotype cells under LSS. Functional experiments on volunteers confirmed higher baseline reactive hyperemic forearm blood flow, and, furthermore, the subgroup analysis revealed that DD homozygotes were significantly less prevalent in the exercise responder group compared with II and ID genotypes. We conclude that the (-94)NFKB1 I/D promoter variation contributes to the modulation of vascular function and adaptability to exercise-induced flow shear stress, most likely due to differences in NFKB1 gene transactivity.     

酿酒酵母糖酵解途径中酶量变化对乙醇浓度影响的模拟分析

代谢组学是系统生物学的一个重要组成部分,应用相关方法获得了大量的数据。如何处理这些数据以及如何将这些数据与其他组学数据结合起来的问题不容忽视。在酶的反应动力学方程中引入“酶量倍数因子”能够解决其中的部分问题。如果反应动力学方程中酶的量发生变化,只需要改变相应的酶量倍数因子的数值。为了观察酿酒酵母糖酵解途径中酶量变化对乙醇浓度的影响,设定了高低两个酶量水平进行计算机模拟,对应的酶量倍数因子分别为10和0.1。基于计算机模拟结果,使用聚类分析方法,12种酶被分为两类。属于第一大类的四种酶ADH、HK、PFK和PDC,均催化不可逆反应。第二大类8种酶中的6种,ALD、GAPDH、GlcTrans、lpPEP、PGI和TIM均催化可逆反应。第二大类中另外两种酶lpGlyc和PK催化不可逆反应。按照这种方法,代谢组和蛋白质组数据能较容易地结合起来对系统作出较全面的分析。     

防风体细胞胚发生发育中的淀粉体和多糖动态

以防风体细胞胚的发生体系为材料,通过半薄切片技术研究了培养物中淀粉体的组织化学定位,并采用分光光度法测定了不同培养阶段的多糖含量.结果发现在胚性细胞内积累了大量的淀粉体;含4%蔗糖的培养基中的胚性愈伤组织阶段多糖含量最高.研究表明糖类物质的活跃代谢为胚性细胞的分化和发育直接提供了物质和能源;大量淀粉体的存在可作为胚性细胞分化的标记.     

血管紧张素转换酶抑制剂和醛固酮受体阻断剂对钙超载大鼠心功能的影响

目的:观察血管紧张素转换酶抑制剂(ACEI)和醛固酮(ALDO)受体阻断剂(spironolactone,安体舒通)对钙超载大鼠心功能的影响,以探讨钙超载引起心功能降低和心肌损伤的机制。方法:维生素D3加尼古丁诱导心肌钙超载,放射免疫法测定心肌组织AngⅡ和ALDO含量,Powerlab仪测定心功能,原子吸收测定心肌和血管钙含量,生化法测定心肌MDA和conjugated diene变化,自动生化分析仪测定血浆LDH和CPK含量。结果:心肌钙超载后,心肌和血管钙含量较对照组分别增加3.2和5.8倍,LVdp/dtmax和LVdp/dtmin分别降低27%和34%,LVESP和LVEDP增加42%和32%;心肌MDA和conjugated diene增加22%和68%;血浆LDH和CPK增加4.5和3.1倍(均P<0.01)。运用ACEI和ALDO受体阻断剂可缓解上述指标变化,与钙超载组相比,心肌钙含量分别低44%和39%,主动脉钙含量也低57%和34%,MDA低20%和30%,conjugated diene低44%和35%,LDH、CPK分别减少28%和34%、20%和27%(均P<0.01)。结论:心肌钙超载可以导致心功能下降和心肌损伤,运用ACEI和ALDO受体阻断剂可以减轻心肌钙超载和改善心功能,心肌损伤程度减轻。     

大气CO2浓度升高对植物根系的影响

植物长期生长在CO2浓度不断升高的环境中,其结构和功能都将受到影响,这种影响不仅表现在植物的地上部分,同时也表现在植物的地下部分(根系),尤其是细根的长度、直径、产量、周转以及根与枝的分配模式等方面。植物根系结构和功能的改变影响植物地上部分和生态系统物质循环中的碳动态及土壤中碳库的变化。目前有关大气CO2浓度升高对根系动态影响的研究报道主要包括大气CO2浓度升高对根系结构(直径、分枝、长度、数量等)和根系生理(周转率、产量、碳分配模式等)的影响2个方面。目前,该领域研究还存在一些不足,例如在CO2浓度升高条件下,对植物根系内部的调控机制,以及由其引起的物质循环和能量流动的动态变化的了解较少;至今没有令人信服的证据说明大气CO2浓度升高使根系周转升高还是降低。今后应加强研究在CO2浓度升高条件下根系的周转变化和光合产物分配模式变化,CO2浓度升高和外界环境因素的共同作用对根系的影响,以及采用不同研究方法和研究对象在不同立地条件下开展升高CO2浓度对根系影响的对比研究等。     

酶水解日粮在动物营养中的应用前景

近代饲料工业的发展使动物对饲料的消化率得到了很大提高,但已快接近动物消化能力的极限。酶水解日粮技术可望成为突破这一极限的可行途径之一。本文对动物的消化吸收能力极限、传统酶制剂添加技术的局限性、酶水解日粮技术的优势和存在问题作了分析,以期为进一步提高动物对饲料的利用效率提供新的思路。     

黄瑞木果实红色素的分离及其化学结构研究

采用纸层析、紫外-可见光谱、红外光谱和液-质联用等技术对福建野生黄瑞木〔Adinandra millettii(Hook. et Arn.)Benth.〕果实红色素进行了分析研究。结果表明,该红色素主要含有矢车菊素-3-芸香糖苷(cyanidin-3-rutinoside)和矢车菊素-3-葡萄糖苷(cyanidin-3-glucoside)2种花色苷,呈鲜艳的红色,可作为天然保健食品的色素添加剂加以推广应用。     

瑞香狼毒根提取物对山楂叶螨的生物活性

采用不同的生物活性测定方法比较了瑞香狼毒(Stellera chamaejasme L.)根部4种不同溶剂提取物的杀螨活性。结果表明,瑞香狼毒根提取物对山楂叶螨(Tetranychus viennensis Zacher)有很好的触杀和内吸活性。在触杀活性测试中,石油醚提取物和氯仿提取物的杀螨活性最高;在内吸作用中,乙醇、氯仿和石油醚提取物的杀螨活性均较高,杀螨效果显著。在对石油醚提取物的不同溶剂萃取物进行生物活性追踪测定中发现,石油醚萃取物和氯仿萃取物具有较高的生物活性,浓度为0.6 g.L-1,山楂叶螨的24 h校正死亡率分别达到93.22%和79.66%。     

水淹胁迫下10个树种某些生理指标的变化及其耐水淹能力的比较

以游离脯氨酸和丙二醛(MDA)含量及相对电导率为指标,比较了水淹条件下10个树种的耐水淹能力。结果表明,水淹胁迫下,不同树种的相对电导率及丙二醛含量均呈上升趋势,而游离脯氨酸含量的变化则有显著差异。根据生理指标的变化可以看出,黄连木(Pistacia chinensis Bunge)和石楠(Photinia serrulata Lindl.)的耐水淹能力较弱,耐水淹时间仅为5至10 d;蓝果树(Nyssa sinensis Oliv.)、薄壳山核桃〔Carya illinoensis(Wangenh.)Koch〕、榉树(Zelkova schneideriana Hand.-Mazz.)和一球悬铃木(Platanus occidentalis L.)具有一定的耐水淹能力,耐水淹时间约为25 d;乌桕〔Sapium sebiferum(L.) Roxb.〕和白蜡(Fraxinus chinensis Roxb.)的耐水淹能力较强,耐水淹时间超过45 d;墨西哥落羽杉(Taxodium macronatum Ten.)和花叶杞柳(Salixintegra‘Hakuro Nishiki’)的耐水淹能力最强,受水淹的60 d内无受害现象。