Temporal relationship of autophagy and apoptosis in neurons challenged by low molecular weight β‐amyloid peptide

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is an aging‐related progressive neurodegenerative disorder. Previous studies suggested that various soluble Aβ species are neurotoxic and able to activate apoptosis and autophagy, the type I and type II programmed cell death, respectively. However, the sequential and functional relationships between these two cellular events remain elusive. Here we report that low molecular weight Aβ triggered cleavage of caspase 3 and poly (ADP‐ribose) polymerase to cause neuronal apoptosis in rat cortical neurons. On the other hand, Aβ activated autophagy by inducing autophagic vesicle formation and autophagy related gene 12 (ATG12), and up‐regulated the lysoso‐mal machinery for the degradation of autophagosomes. Moreover, we demonstrated that activation of autophagy by Aβ preceded that of apoptosis, with death associated protein kinase phosphorylation as the potential molecular link. More importantly, under Aβ toxicity, neurons exhibiting high level of autophagosome formation were absent of apoptotic features, and inhibition of autophagy by 3‐methylade‐nine advanced neuronal apoptosis, suggesting that autophagy can protect neurons from Aβ‐induced apoptosis.     

人β干挠素基因在SV40晚期启动子控制下在小鼠骨髓瘤细胞中表达

人成纤维细胞干挠素(Hu-IFN-β)基因的HindⅡ片段,插入载体pSV2-dhfr质粒中SV40晚期启动子(Lp)下游PvuⅡ位点处。用此重组质粒与带有黄嘌呤磷酸核糖转移酶(XGPRT)基因的质粒pSV2-gpt共转染次黄嘌吟核糖转移酶(HGPRT)基因缺陷的小鼠骨髓瘤(SP2/0)细胞。在含有霉酚酸和氨基喋呤的选择培基中,筛选出有效地组成性表达的细胞株。在未加氨甲喋呤压力倍增的条件下,Hu-IFN-β抗病毒活性为1275U/10~5细胞,1ml,48小时。     

重组人脑乙酰胆碱酯酶的基因表达和生化毒理学性质

人脑乙酰胆碱酯酶的全长cDNA序列克隆到真核高效表达载体pcDNA3.1中 ,并将pcDNA AChE转染人胚肾细胞株 2 93细胞 ,进行rhAChE的暂时表达 .真核细胞表达的rhAChE的生化性质与天然人脑AChE十分相似 .rhAChE的Km 值约为 137μmol L ;有过量底物抑制现象 ;可被胆碱酯酶抑制剂huperzineA和eserine抑制 (IC50 分别为 2 5× 10 -8mol L和 1 0× 10 -7mol L) ;肟类化合物HI 6 (10 -4 mol L)可以有效地重活化被sarin(10 -6mol L及 10 -7mol L)抑制的rhAChE ,4h内重活化率分别达 86 %和 97% .rhAChE反复冻融 3次 ,酶活性没有损失 .     

菲菊头蝠回声定位声波频率的性二态有利于性别识别

许多动物的叫声频率呈现性二态现象。蝙蝠夜间活动,主要利用声音信号导航空间、追踪猎物、传递交流信息。本研究选择成体菲菊头蝠作为研究对象,检验回声定位声波频率性二态是否有利于性别识别。研究发现,菲菊头蝠回声定位声波频率参数具有显著性别差异。播放白噪音、雄性回声定位声波及雌性回声定位声波期间,实验个体的反应叫声数量依次递减。播放白噪音、雌性回声定位声波及雄性回声定位声波后,实验个体的反应叫声数量依次递增。白噪音诱导反应叫声强度高于回声定位声波诱导反应叫声强度。研究结果表明,菲菊头蝠回声定位声波的频率参数编码发声者性别信息,有利于种群内部的性别识别。本研究暗示,回声定位声波可能在蝙蝠配偶选择中扮演一定作用。     

柠檬醛损伤黄曲霉线粒体生化机理的研究

应用生物化学方法并结合扫描电镜,研究柠檬醛掺入黄曲霉细胞,并通过损伤线粒体(Mt),导致抑制其生长的机理。结果表明,在药物致敏浓度时,菌丝体经该醛作用后,胞内Mt呈不规则增多,氧化还原反应系统受到破坏,与对照组相比,柠檬醛组的琥珀酸脱氢酶(Succinate Dehydrogenase,SDH)、苹果酸脱氢酶(Malate Dehydrogenase,MDH)活性分别呈不可逆下降271%和242%,随着药物浓度的升高,SDH、MDH的活性直至消失;以琥珀酸、α酮戊二酸和丙酮酸为底物时,线粒体呼吸速率分别下降24.1%、14.3%和36.1%,提示柠檬醛能使菌丝体DNA、RNA、脂类和蛋白质等生物合成受到抑制,促进细胞死亡。     

全雌系苦瓜ACC氧化酶基因cDNA克隆及序列分析

为研究1-氨基环丙烷-1-羧酸氧化酶(ACC氧化酶,ACO)基因在苦瓜性别分化中的作用,以全雌系苦瓜‘X-Hei-d-d’花蕾为试材,采用RT-PCR和RACE技术获得了ACC氧化酶基因(Mc-ACO1)的全长cDNA序列。该序列为1 137 bp(GenBank登录号:FJ459813),其完整开放阅读框长1 005 bp,编码334个氨基酸,预测分子量为37.30 kD,肽链N端缺失ACOs家族典型的1个保守区和2个保守二价铁离子/抗坏血酸依赖型双加氧酶氨基酸残基。序列分析表明,植物ACO基因的演化与其来源植物亲缘关系的一致性较高;与其他物种相比,苦瓜Mc-ACO1不同的氨基酸序列主要表现在肽链N端;苦瓜Mc-ACO1应属于黄瓜Cs-ACO2类成员,功能可能与性别分化相关。     

Protein kinase C delta null mice exhibit structural alterations in articular surface,intra-articular and subchondral compartments

IntroductionStructural alterations in intra-articular and subchondral compartments are hallmarks of osteoarthritis, a degenerative disease that causes pain and disability in the aging population. Protein kinase C delta (PKC-δ) plays versatile functions in cell growth and differentiation, but its role in the articular cartilage and subchondral bone is not known.MethodsHistological analysis including alcian blue, safranin O staining and fluorochrome labeling were used to reveal structural alterations at the articular cartilage surface and bone–cartilage interface in PKC-δ knockout (KO) mice. The morphology and organization of chondrocytes were studied using confocal microscopy. Glycosaminoglycan content was studied by micromass culture of chondrocytes of PKC-δ KO mice.ResultsWe uncovered atypical structural demarcation between articular cartilage and subchondral bone of PKC-δ KO mice. Histology analyses revealed a thickening of the articular cartilage and calcified bone–cartilage interface, and decreased safranin O staining accompanied by an increase in the number of hypertrophic chondrocytes in the articular cartilage of PKC-δ KO mice. Interestingly, loss of demarcation between articular cartilage and bone was concomitant with irregular chondrocyte morphology and arrangement. Consistently, in vivo calcein labeling assay showed an increased intensity of calcein labeling in the interface of the growth plate and metaphysis in PKC-δ KO mice. Furthermore, in vitro culture of chondrocyte micromass showed a decreased alcian blue staining of chondrocyte micromass in the PKC-δ KO mice, indicative of a reduced level of glycosaminoglycan production.ConclusionsOur data imply a role for PKC-δ in the osteochondral plasticity of the interface between articular cartilage and the osteochondral junction.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13075-015-0720-4) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

溃疡性结肠炎发病机制研究进展

溃疡性结肠炎是一种常见的慢性肠道疾病,近年来发病呈上升趋势,而其发病机制目前尚不明确,目前认为与多种因素有关.其中免疫异常被认为是该病发病的重要因素,主要包括自身抗体、细胞免疫、细胞因子、环氧合酶与基质金属蛋白酶、氧自由基和一氧化氮等.但是遗传因素,感染因素,精神因素,饮食因素等均在其发生和发展中亦起着一定作用.本文就溃疡性结肠炎发病机制的各种影响因素予以综述.     

能源植物甜高粱种质资源和分子生物学研究进展

世界能源危机和全球生态环境日益恶化迫使人们急需开发可再生能源。生物质能源作为一种清洁的可再生能源已受到世界各国的高度重视。发展生物质能源的瓶颈之一是生物质原料不足。甜高粱的生物学产量和含糖量极高, 同时兼有耐旱、耐涝、耐贫瘠和耐盐碱等诸多优良特性, 被认为是最具开发潜力的能源植物之一。该文从甜高粱的分类学、生物学特点、种质资源评价、功能基因以及基因组信息等方面综述了甜高粱的最新研究进展和存在的问题, 并展望了甜高粱作为能源植物的研发前景。