Aberrant activation of the interleukin-2 autocrine loop through the nuclear factor of activated T cells by nonleukemogenic human T-cell leukemia virus type 2 but not by leukemogenic type 1 virus

Human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) but not HTLV-2 is associated with adult T-cell leukemia. We found that HTLV-2 Tax2 protein stimulated reporter gene expression regulated by the interleukin (IL)-2 promoter through the nuclear factor of activated T cells (NFAT) in a human T-cell line (Jurkat). However, the activity of HTLV-1 Tax1 was minimal in this system. T-cell lines immortalized by HTLV-2 but not HTLV-1 constitutively exhibited activated NFAT in the nucleus and constitutively expressed IL-2 mRNA. Cyclosporine A, an inhibitor of NFAT activation, abrogated the induction of IL-2 mRNA in HTLV-2-immortalized T-cell lines and concomitantly inhibited cell growth. This growth inhibition was rescued by the addition of IL-2 to the culture. Furthermore, anti-IL-2 receptor antibodies significantly reduced the proliferation of HTLV-2-infected T-cell lines but not that of HTLV-1-infected cells. Our results suggest that Tax2 activates an IL-2 autocrine loop mediated through NFAT that supports the growth of HTLV-2-infected cells under low-IL-2 conditions. This mechanism would be especially important in vivo, where this autocrine mechanism establishes a nonleukemogenic life-long HTLV-2 infection. The results also suggest that differences in long-term cytokine production between HTLV-1 and HTLV-2 infection are another factor for the differences in pathogenesis.     

小鼠BTB/锌指结构新基因Bsg6的克隆及表达谱分析

Bsg6 (brain specific gene 6) 是用消减差异筛选的方法克隆的小鼠头部特异表达 新基因. Bsg6基因cDNA长3 871 bp,编码一个670个氨基酸残基的蛋白,GenBank 登录号AY635051,位于小鼠第4号染色体,由2个外显子构成. Bsg6蛋白含有一个N端BTB（Broad complex, Tramtrack, and Bric a brac）结构域和两个C端C２Ｈ２型锌指结构域. 小鼠Bsg6蛋白与其在人类和鸡中同源蛋白的同源性分别为86.2%和79.1%. Bsg6在小鼠胚胎中的表达具有一定动态性,在E8.5的小鼠胚胎中,Bsg6主要在前脑和神经管表达. 在E9.5的小鼠胚胎中,Bsg6的表达明显增强并主要集中在前脑的端脑部. Bsg6在E10.5小鼠胚胎端脑的表达出现了下降,但是在中脑和后脑的表达增加,此外,Bsg6 mRNA的表达还出现在肢芽和尾部. 在HH10期的鸡胚中,Bsg6主要在头部和神经管前端表达. Northern杂交结果显示,Bsg6在很多小鼠成体组织中没有表达,但是在破骨细胞瘤中高表达. Bsg6的表达谱提示,Bsg6可能是在器官形成期对脑的发育起到重要作用的转录因子,而且其表达受到严格的调控,此外Bsg6还能与肿瘤的发生有关.     

Soymorphin-5, a soy-derived μ-opioid peptide, decreases glucose and triglyceride levels through activating adiponectin and PPARα systems in diabetic KKAy mice

Soymorphin-5 (YPFVV) derived from soybean β-conglycinin β-subunit is a μ-opioid agonist peptide having anxiolytic-like activity. Here, we show that soymorphin-5 improves glucose and lipid metabolism after long-term oral administration to KKAy mice, a type 2 diabetes model animal. Soymorphin-5 inhibited hyperglycemia without an increase in plasma insulin levels in KKAy mice. Soymorphin-5 also decreased plasma and liver triglyceride (TG) levels and liver weight, suggesting that soymorphin-5 improved lipid metabolism. Soymorphin-5 increased plasma adiponectin concentration and liver mRNA expression of AdipoR2, a subtype of adiponectin receptor that is involved in stimulating the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)α pathway and fatty acid β-oxidation. The expressions of the mRNA of PPARα and its target genes acyl-CoA oxidase, carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1 A, and uncoupling protein-2, in the liver were also increased after oral administration of soymorphin-5. Furthermore, des-Tyr-soymorphin-5 (PFVV) without μ-opioid and anxiolytic-like activities did not decrease blood glucose levels in KKAy mice. These results suggest that μ-opioid peptide soymorphin-5 improves glucose and lipid metabolism via activation of the adiponectin and PPARα system and subsequent increases of β-oxidation and energy expenditure in KKAy mice.     

A new species of Viola L. (Violaceae) from South Anatolia

A new species of Viola L., Viola yildirimlii M. Dinç & Y. Bağcı sp. nov. from South Anatolia is described and illustrated. It is found on the rocky slopes of Aladağ National Park, in the county of Adana, south Turkey, at an elevation of 1800 m. It belongs to Viola , subsect. Viola , and is similar to the Turkish endemics Viola isaurica Contandr. & Quézel and V. kizildaghensis M. Dinç & Ş. Yıldırımlı. Diagnostic morphologic characters for a detailed discrimination from two similar taxa and other Turkish Eflagellatae species are discussed.  © 2003 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society , 2003, 141 , 477–482.     

心衰患者动脉血气波浪式变化及其幅度降低的初步实验证据*

目的: 心力衰竭患者呼吸调控异常的机制众说纷纭,特别是动脉血气周期性波浪式变化信号的改变及其与心功能的关系尚缺乏直接的试验证据。本文依据心力衰竭患者动脉血气周期性波浪式变化信号的降低幅度,探讨心力衰竭导致呼吸调控异常的机制。方法: 选择5名心力衰竭患者,连续桡动脉逐搏取血,测定PaO₂,PaCO₂,pHa和SaO₂。选取2个典型呼吸周期,用于分析动脉血气的波浪式变化。比较患者相邻最高和最低值,以验证是否存在周期性波浪式信号变化。此外,将心力衰竭患者与心功能正常患者动脉血气周期性波浪式信号的变化幅度进行统计学t检验分析,比较有无差异。结果: 心力衰竭患者包括2例外科手术和3例ICU住院监护患者,4男1女,年龄(69±7)岁,身高(169±10)cm,体质量(75±19)kg,左心射血分数(LVEF)=(38±3)%。动脉血液充满肝素化细长塑化管需要17±2次心跳,即取血需要17±2次心跳,覆盖超过2个呼吸周期。心力衰竭患者PaO₂,PaCO₂,[H⁺]a和SaO₂均呈现明显的波浪式变化(P<0.05),幅度分别是(7.94±2.02)mmHg,(1.18±0.56)mmHg,(0.54±0.17)nmol/L和(0.21±0.07)%,分别是各自均值的(6.1±1.5)%,(3.2±1.5)%,(1.5±0.5)%和(0.2±0.1)%。与心功能正常患者比较,动脉血气波浪式变化幅度呈现明显降低趋势,但仅PaO₂和[H⁺]a有明显统计学差异(P<0.05)。结论: 采用连续逐搏动脉取血血气分析法证实,心力衰竭患者自主呼吸时动脉血气也有周期性波浪式变化信号,但其变化幅度较心功能正常患者明显降低。     

代谢、血液碱化和纯氧影响呼吸调控的人体实验研究II： 血液碱化后运动试验*

目的: 在完成吸入室内空气状态下症状限制性最大极限心肺运动试验(CPET)和动脉血气指标动态变化规律的基础上,进一步探讨体液酸碱度和CO₂含量对呼吸调控的影响。方法: 选正常志愿者5名,给予5%NaHCO₃(总量0.3 g/kg)分次口服,每5 min口服75 ml(3.75g )。总量服完1 h后,重复CPET。于静息、热身、运动及恢复期,连续测定肺通气指标及每分钟动脉取样的血气指标变化,并与本人在非碱化血液条件下对照数据进行配对t检验比较。结果: 碱化血液之后,CPET期间随着运动功率逐步递增,气体交换和血气指标的反应模式与非碱化血液对照相似（P>0.05）;即与静息状态比较,每分通气量、潮气量、呼吸频率、VO₂、VCO₂均呈现近于线性渐进性递增(P<0.05~0.001)。与碱化血液前吸入室内空气的对照比较：在碱化血液条件下,所有时间点血红蛋白浓度,PaCO₂与pH均显著提高(P<0.05);除无氧阈PaCO₂减低外,只有热身状态呈增高态势,统计学有显著差异(P<0.05);而PaO₂无差异(P>0.05),各状态均较对照状态减低,除恢复期外均有统计学差异(P<0.05)。与非碱化血液对照比较,除静息每分通气量低于对照(P<0.05）外,所有通气指标均无统计学差异(P>0.05)。结论: 碱化血液条件下, 尽管有更高的CaCO₂, PaCO₂ 和 pHa平均水平及更低的Hba和[H⁺]a平均水平,机体对CPET的呼吸反应模式基本相似。     

基于样带的唐古特白刺灌丛沙包空间格局尺度研究

黄河河岸与库布齐沙漠之间生态过渡带上的唐古特白刺(Nitraria Tangutorum)灌丛沙包由于遭受到不同程度的破坏而表现出一定程度的退化,空间格局尺度从一定程度上表征了其破碎化程度。我们分别应用样方方差法,小波分析,分维,谱分析以及空隙度分析等方法对鄂尔多斯高原北缘唐古特白刺灌丛沙包的空间格局尺度进行了比较研究,旨在选出适合分析干旱半干旱区白刺灌丛沙包空间格局尺度的方法,并确定研究区内唐古特白刺灌丛沙包的空间格局尺度,为保护唐古特白刺灌丛沙包提供科学依据。结果表明:(1)TTLQV法得到的格局尺度过大,而小波分析得到的格局尺度过小,分维分析得到的格局尺度除了相对较小之外,趋势也不明显,因此都不适合分析干旱半干旱区白刺灌丛沙包的空间格局尺度;(2)而3TLQV,tQV,谱分析和空隙度分析所得到的结果则相对容易接受,其大小顺序是:3TLQV>tQV>空隙度分析>谱分析;(3)独贵塔拉、呼和木独和巴拉贡唐古特白刺灌丛沙包的空间格局尺度分别为16.7～27.1m,10.2～25.0m和8.8～17.0m,这一结果将有助于在今后的研究中合理地确定研究范围和尺度。