Immunohistochemical Localization of G Protein β1, β2, β3, β4, β5, and γ3 Subunits in the Adult Rat Brain

Abstract: The regional distributions of the G protein β subunits (Gβ1–β5) and of the Gγ3 subunit were examined by immunohistochemical methods in the adult rat brain. In general, the Gβ and Gγ3 subunits were widely distributed throughout the brain, with most regions containing several Gβ subunits within their neuronal networks. The olfactory bulb, neocortex, hippocampus, striatum, thalamus, cerebellum, and brainstem exhibited light to intense Gβ immunostaining. Negative immunostaining was observed in cortical layer I for Gβ1 and layer IV for Gβ4. The hippocampal dentate granular and CA1–CA3 pyramidal cells displayed little or no positive immunostaining for Gβ2 or Gβ4. No anti-Gβ4 immunostaining was observed in the pars compacta of the substantia nigra or in the cerebellar granule cell layer and Purkinje cells. Immunoreactivity for Gβ1 was absent from the cerebellar molecular layer, and Gβ2 was not detected in the Purkinje cells. No positive Gγ3 immunoreactivity was observed in the lateral habenula, lateral septal nucleus, or Purkinje cells. Double-fluorescence immunostaining with anti-Gγ3 antibody and individual anti-Gβ1–β5 antibodies displayed regional selectivity with Gβ1 (cortical layers V–VI) and Gβ2 (cortical layer I). In conclusion, despite the widespread overlapping distributions of Gβ1–β5 with Gγ3, specific dimeric associations in situ were observed within discrete brain regions.     

大鼠坐骨神经结扎后脊髓钙结合蛋白PV的表达变化

目的:研究大鼠坐骨神经结扎模型钙结合蛋白Parvalbumin(PV)在脊髓的时空变化规律,为探讨其在神经再生中的作用与机制提供实验依据。方法:SD大鼠随机分为假手术对照组和坐骨神经结扎组,实验组结扎后分别存活1,3,7,14或21d,采用免疫组化结合图像分析技术观察PV在脊髓的表达变化。结果:在对照组,PV免疫阳性神经元主要分布于腰髓背角Ⅱ层,Ⅲ～Ⅵ层只观察到少量散在分布的PV样阳性神经元,脊髓前角Ⅷ层和Ⅸ层内也可见少量多极的大型阳性神经元。术后各时间点PV样阳性神经元表达下降,14d下降最显著,21d表达有所上升,但还是低于7d组。脊髓后角PV免疫阳性产物灰度值测定结果显示:术后14d后角PV表达最低,与对侧和对照组以及1、3d组相比有统计学意义(P<0.05)。结论:坐骨神经结扎后PV表达变化呈现一定的时空模式,为进一步揭示PV在神经系统疾病中的作用提供实验依据。     

Classification of established atopic dermatitis in children with the in vivo imaging methods

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a cutaneous disease resulting from a defective barrier and dysregulated immune response. The severity scoring of atopic dermatitis (SCORAD) is used to classify AD. Noninvasive imaging approaches supplementary to SCORAD were investigated. Cr:forsterite laser‐based microscopy was employed to analyze endogenous third‐harmonic generation (THG) and second‐harmonic generation (SHG) signals from skin. Imaging parameters were compared between different AD severities. Three‐dimensional reconstruction of imaged skin layers was performed. Finally, statistic models from quantitative imaging parameters were developed for predicting disease severity. Our data demonstrate that THG signal intensity of lesional skin in AD were significantly increased and was positively correlated with AD severity. Characteristic gray level co‐occurrence matrix (GLCM) values were observed in more severe AD. In the 3D reconstruction video, individual dermal papilla and obvious fibrosis in the upper papillary dermis were easily identified. Our estimation models could predict the disease severity of AD patients with an accuracy of nearly 85%. The THG signal intensity and characteristic GLCM patterns are associated with AD severity and can serve as quantitative predictive parameters. Our imaging approach can be used to identify the histopathological changes of AD objectively, and to complement the SCORAD index, thus improving the accuracy of classifying AD severity.      

中国茶树种质资源研究的主要进展和展望

茶树种质资源是生产利用、品种创新和生物技术研究的物质基础,具有十分重要的价值和意义.本文系统阐述了近20年中国茶树种质资源考察收集、保存编目、鉴定评价、分子标记、遗传稳定性等研究的主要成就与进展.着重提出近期继续征集、在资源个体与基因水平上深入鉴定评价、加强种质创新不断提供新基因源、建立核心种质、建立种质资源共享平台等研究工作的建议和展望.     

Expression of an Oncidium gene encoding a patatin-like protein delays flowering in Arabidopsis by reducing gibberellin synthesis

The involvement of lipase in flowering is seldom studied, and this research provides evidence that fatty acids produced by lipase affect flowering. OSAG78 encoding a patatin-like protein was isolated from Oncidium Gower Ramsey. OSAG78 fused with green fluorescent protein was found to localize at the cell membrane. Transgenic Arabidopsis overexpressing OSAG78 demonstrated higher lipase activity than the wild-type control. In addition, the amount of free linoleic acid and linolenic acid in transgenic Arabidopsis was found to be higher than that in the wild type. Transgenics overexpressing OSAG78 exhibited altered phenotypes, including smaller leaves and rounder flowers, and also demonstrated a late flowering phenotype that could be rescued by gibberellin A(3) (GA(3)) application. Several flowering-related genes were analyzed, indicating that the expression of gibberellin-stimulated genes was decreased in the plants overexpressing OSAG78. Also, the expression of AtGA2ox1, AtGA3ox1 and AtGA20ox1 genes encoding GA2-, GA3- and GA20-oxidases, respectively, which are mainly responsible for gibberellin metabolism, was decreased, and the level of GA(4), a bioactive gibberellin, measured by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry was also reduced in the overexpressing lines. Furthermore, the expression levels of AtGA3ox1 and AtGA20ox1 were significantly decreased in wild-type Arabidopsis treated with linoleic acid, linolenic acid or methyl jasmonate. The membrane-bound OSAG78 might hydrolyze phospholipids to release linoleic acid and linolenic acid, and then depress the expression of genes encoding GA3- and GA20-oxidase. These changes reduced the bioactive gibberellin level, and, finally, late flowering occurred. Our results indicate that a patatin-like membrane protein with lipase activity affects flowering through the regulation of gibberellin metabolism.     

Oral and intranasal administration of somatostatin DNA vaccine mediated by attenuated Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium to promote growth of piglets

An attenuated strain of Salmonella typhimurium has been used as a carrier for oral and intranasal genetic immunization. Here, we evaluate the efficacy of a vaccine strain of S. typhimurium. CSO22 (pGM-CSF/SS, plasmid granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor/somatostatin) expressing two copies of SS genes. A total of 115 piglets, aged 2 months old, were either orally or intranasally immunized against the vaccine strain CSO22 (pGM-CSF/SS) with three dosages (5 × 10(10) colony forming units (CFU), 5 × 10(9) CFU and 5 × 10(8) CFU). For oral immunization, the specific anti-SS antibodies were detected in the immunized piglets. The levels of SS antibodies in the high-dose immunized group (5 × 10(10) CFU) were significantly higher than that in the phosphate buffered saline immunized group (P < 0.01) and 40% of animals were positive in SS antibodies in the high-dose immunized group. Moreover, the weight gain of the high-dose group was increased by 20.86%, 10.26% and 15.30% during 4, 8 and 12 weeks, respectively, after immunization in comparison to the control. For intranasal immunization, the growth of the low-dose group was increased by 10.23% in the whole test period (12 weeks). In conclusion, our results suggest that the recombinant strain could elicit anti-SS antibodies and improve the growth performance of immunized piglets, and that the oral immunization program is better than the intranasal program.