MPTP诱导的帕金森病鼠脑内Calbindin-D28k表达的免疫组化研究

目的探讨Calbindin-D28k在帕金森病发病过程中的作用.方法健康C57BL/6J小鼠采用MPTP腹腔注射建立帕金森病动物模型,动物存活期分别为14d和28d.应用ABC免疫组化结合图像分析技术观察Calbindin-D28k在不同脑区的表达.结果帕金森病鼠脑内黑质和腹侧被盖区Calbindin-D28k的表达在28d比对照组增加,造模后海马CA1区Calbindin -D28k的表达在14d和28d两个时间点均比对照组增加;而在脑皮质Calbindin-D28k的表达在造模14d和28d均较对照组降低.结论不同脑区神经元可能由于Calbindin- D28k含量的不同而对MPTP的敏感性不同;帕金森病鼠不同脑区Calbindin- D28k表达的变化,可能是脑内神经元启动自我保护机制引起Calbindin- D28k在不同脑区重新分配,以达到保护损伤神经元的目的.     

Neural precursors derived from human embryonic stem cells

Before the successful isolation of human embryonic stem (hES) cells, many investigations had shown that mouse embryonic stem (mES) cells can be induced to differentiate into neural precursors which could be purified and differentiated to mature dopamine, motor, serotonin, GABA neurons, and oligodendrocytes and astrocytes in vitro[1―3]. mES cell-derived dopamine neurons have been shown capable of integrating into host brains after transplanting to the rodents of Park-inson’s disease model …     

秸秆还田和秋施肥对旱地玉米生长发育及水肥效应的影响

在我国北方半湿润偏旱区的晋东豫西(寿阳)旱农试验区,持续10年进行了多种方式秸秆还田与秋季深施肥配合定位试验。探讨秸秆还田秋施肥对旱地玉米生长发育、产量、土壤水肥高效利用和土壤肥力变化的影响。结果表明,秸秆还田秋施肥较好地解决了深施肥与春季保墒捉全苗的矛盾,以及秸秆腐解与幼苗争夺水分养分而影响玉米幼苗生长的矛盾,秸秆资源丰富的区域优势得以充分利用,土壤微生物活动更为活跃,土壤水肥状况得到明显改善。表现为玉米苗全苗壮,根系发达,植株叶片光合速率、蒸腾速率提高,水分利用效率年平均提高了3．26～4．51kg·hm^-2·mm^-1,生育期耗水量累计减少8．1～264．5mm,氮、磷肥利用率分别提高了3．9％～13．9％和3．0％～9．1％,水肥资源得到了高效利用,10年累计增加12．10～17．27t·hm^-2玉米籽粒,增产幅度达25．6％～36．5％。玉米产量年际间波动减小,同时维持了较高的土壤肥力和生产力。     

Disruption of the PACAP gene promotes medulloblastoma in ptc1 mutant mice

Hedgehog (Hh) proteins and cAMP-dependent protein kinase A (PKA) generally play opposing roles in developmental patterning events. Humans and mice heterozygous for mutations in the sonic hedgehog (Shh) receptor gene patched-1 (ptc1) have an increased incidence of certain types of cancer, including medulloblastoma (MB), a highly aggressive tumor of the cerebellum. Despite the importance of PKA in Hh signaling, little is known about how PKA activity is regulated in the context of Hh signaling, or the consequences of improper regulation. One molecule that can influence PKA activity is pituitary adenylyl cyclase-activating peptide (PACAP), which has been shown to regulate cerebellar granule precursor proliferation in vitro, a cell population thought to give rise to MB. To test for a PACAP/Hh interaction in the initiation or propagation of these tumors, we introduced a PACAP mutation into ptc1 mutant mice. Deletion of a single copy of PACAP increased MB incidence approximate 2.5-fold, to 66%, thereby demonstrating that PACAP exerts a powerful inhibitory action on the induction, growth or survival of these tumors. Tumors from PACAP/ptc1 mutant mice retained PACAP receptor gene expression, and exhibited superinduction of Hh target genes compared to those from ptc1+/- mice. Moreover, PACAP inhibited proliferation of cell lines derived from tumors in a PKA-dependent manner, and inhibited expression of the Hh target gene gli1. The results provide genetic evidence that PACAP acts as a physiological factor that regulates the pathogenesis of Hh pathway-associated MB tumors.     

CDC25B acts as a potential target of PRKACA in fertilized mouse eggs

Protein kinase A (PRKACA) has been documented as a pivotal regulator in meiosis and mitosis arrest. Although our previous work has established that PRKACA regulates cell cycle progression of mouse fertilized eggs by inhibiting M-phase promoting factor (MPF), little is known about the intermediate factor between PRKACA and MPF in the mitotic cell cycle. In this study, we investigated the role of the PRKACA/CDC25B pathway on the early development of mouse fertilized eggs. Overexpression of unphosphorylatable CDC25B mutant (Cdc25b-S321A or Cdc25b-S229A/S321A) rapidly caused G2-phase eggs to enter mitosis. Microinjection of either Cdc25b-WT or Cdc25b-S229A mRNA also promoted G2/M transition, but much less efficiently than Cdc25b-S321A and Cdc25b-S229A/S321A. Moreover, mouse fertilized eggs overrode the G2 arrest by microinjection of either Cdc25b-S321A or Cdc25b-S229A/S321A mRNA, which efficiently resulted in MPF activation by directly dephosphorylating CDC2A-Tyr15, despite culture under conditions that maintained exogenous dibutyryl cAMP. Using a highly specific antibody against phospho-Ser321 of CDC25B in Western blotting, we showed that CDC25B-Ser321 was phosphorylated at the G1 and S phases, whereas Ser321 was dephosphorylated at the G2 and M phases in vivo. Our findings identify CDC25B as a potential target of PRKACA and show that PRKACA regulates G2/M transition by phosphorylating CDC25B-Ser321 but not CDC25B-Ser229 on the first mitotic division of mouse fertilized eggs.     

Inhibitory effect of D1-like and D3 dopamine receptors on norepinephrine-induced proliferation in vascular smooth muscle cells

The sympathetic nervous system plays an important role in the regulation of blood pressure. There is increasing evidence for positive and negative interactions between dopamine and adrenergic receptors; the activation of the alpha-adrenergic receptor induces vasoconstriction, whereas the activation of dopamine receptor induces vasorelaxation. We hypothesize that the D1-like receptor and/or D3 receptor also inhibit alpha1-adrenergic receptor-mediated proliferation in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). In this study, VSMC proliferation was determined by measuring [3H]thymidine incorporation, cell number, and uptake of 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT). Norepinephrine increased VSMC number and MTT uptake, as well as [3H]thymidine incorporation via the alpha1-adrenergic receptor in aortic VSMCs from Sprague-Dawley rats. The proliferative effects of norepinephrine were attenuated by the activation of D1-like receptors or D3 receptors, although a D1-like receptor agonist, fenoldopam, and a D3 receptor agonist, PD-128907, by themselves, at low concentrations, had no effect on VSMC proliferation. Simultaneous stimulation of both D1-like and D3 receptors had an additive inhibitory effect. The inhibitory effect of D3 receptor was via protein kinase A, whereas the D1-like receptor effect was via protein kinase C-zeta. The interaction between alpha1-adrenergic and dopamine receptors, especially D1-like and D3 receptors in VSMCs, could be involved in the pathogenesis of hypertension.     

cDNA cloning and characterization of a new stress-responsive gene BoRS1 from Brassica oleracea var. acephala

A new stress-responsive gene BoRS1 (GenBank accession No. AY373021 ) was isolated from Brassica oleracea var. acephala by rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE). The full-length cDNA of BoRS1 was 2076 bp and contained a 1851 bp open reading frame (ORF) encoding 617 amino acids. Sequence analysis indicated that the deduced BoRS1 shared some identities with LTI65 , RD29A, RD29B and COR78 from Arabidopsis thaliana . Southern blot analysis of genomic DNA indicated that other related genes existed and there were two copies of BoRS1 in the genome of B. oleracea . Northern blot analysis revealed that BoRS1 was up-regulated by cold, mannitol, NaCl and abscisic acid (ABA). Expressional fluctuation of time course with ABA implied a two-step induction process. Tissue-specific expression analysis indicated that BoRS1 was expressed in all the tested plant tissues including leaves, stems and roots. Our studies imply that BoRS1 is a new gene that is responsive to environmental stresses such as low temperature, salinity and osmotic stress.     

西双版纳热带雨林干季林冠层雾露形成的小气候特征研究

对西双版纳热带雨林干季林冠层雾露形成的小气候特征进行了观测研究。结果表明,雾露首先形成于最上林冠层,林下露水的形成迟于林上3～4h,林下雾是由上层雾变浓、下沉而来。夜间,雾形成前,气温高于叶表温;雾形成后,气温则低于叶表温,且气温及叶表温均有回升。雾露的形成不仅凝结了水汽进入森林,同时也对森林起到了一定的保温作用,这对热带雨林的生存和发展具有致关重要的作用。     

Application of two remote sensing GPP algorithms at a semiarid grassland site of North China

Aims Estimation of gross primary production (GPP) from remote sensing data is an important approach to study regional or global carbon cycle. However, for a given algorithm, it usually has its limitation on applications to a wide range of vegetation types and/or under diverse environmental conditions. This study was conducted to compare the performance of two remote sensing GPP algorithms, the MODIS GPP and the vegetation photosynthesis model (VPM), in a semiarid temperate grassland ecosystem.Methods The study was conducted at a typical grassland site in Ujimuqin of Inner Mongolia, North China, over 2 years in 2006 and 2007. Environmental controls on GPP measured by the eddy covariance (EC) technique at the study site were first investigated with path analysis of meteorological and soil moisture data at a daily and 8-day time steps. The estimates of GPP derived from the MODIS GPP and the VPM with site-specific inputs were then compared with the values of EC measurements as ground truthing at the site. Site-specific ? max (α) was estimated by using rectangular hyperbola function based on the 7-day flux data at 30-min intervals over the peak period of the growing season (May to September).Important findings Between the two remote sensing GPP algorithms and various estimates of the fraction of absorbed photosynthetic active radiation (FPAR), the VPM based on FPAR derived from the enhanced vegetation index (EVI) works the best in predicting GPP against the ground truthing of EC GPP. A path analysis indicates that the EC GPP in this semiarid temperate grassland ecosystem is controlled predominantly by both soil water and temperature. The site water condition is slightly better simulated by the moisture multiplier in the VPM than in the MODIS GPP algorithm, which is a most probable explanation for a better performance of the VPM than MODIS GPP algorithm in this semiarid grassland ecosystem.