Inhibition of spontaneous beta 2-adrenergic activation rescues beta 1-adrenergic contractile response in cardiomyocytes overexpressing beta 2-adrenoceptor

Cardiac-specific overexpression of the human beta(2)-adrenergic receptor (AR) in transgenic mice (TG4) enhances basal cardiac function due to ligand-independent spontaneous beta(2)-AR activation. However, agonist-mediated stimulation of either beta(1)-AR or beta(2)-AR fails to further enhance contractility in TG4 ventricular myocytes. Although the lack of beta(2)-AR response has been ascribed to an efficient coupling of the receptor to pertussis toxin-sensitive G(i) proteins in addition to G(s), the contractile response to beta(1)-AR stimulation by norepinephrine and an alpha(1)-adrenergic antagonist prazosin is not restored by pertussis toxin treatment despite a G(i) protein elevation of 1.7-fold in TG4 hearts. Since beta-adrenergic receptor kinase, betaARK1, activity remains unaltered, the unresponsiveness of beta(1)-AR is not caused by betaARK1-mediated receptor desensitization. In contrast, pre-incubation of cells with anti-adrenergic reagents such as muscarinic receptor agonist, carbachol (10(-5)m), or a beta(2)-AR inverse agonist, ICI 118,551 (5 x 10(-7)m), to abolish spontaneous beta(2)-AR signaling, both reduce the base-line cAMP and contractility and, surprisingly, restore the beta(1)-AR contractile response. The "rescued" contractile response is completely reversed by a beta(1)-AR antagonist, CGP 20712A. Furthermore, these results from the transgenic animals are corroborated by in vitro acute gene manipulation in cultured wild type adult mouse ventricular myocytes. Adenovirus-directed overexpression of the human beta(2)-AR results in elevated base-line cAMP and contraction associated with a marked attenuation of beta(1)-AR response; carbachol pretreatment fully revives the diminished beta(1)-AR contractile response. Thus, we conclude that constitutive beta(2)-AR activation induces a heterologous desensitization of beta(1)-ARs independent of betaARK1 and G(i) proteins; suppression of the constitutive beta(2)-AR signaling by either a beta(2)-AR inverse agonist or stimulation of the muscarinic receptor rescues the beta(1)-ARs from desensitization, permitting agonist-induced contractile response.     

Pax genes in development and maturation of the vertebrate visual system: implications for optic nerve regeneration

Pax genes play a pivotal role in development of the vertebrate visual system. Pax6 is the master control gene for eye development: ectopic expression of Pax6 in Xenopus laevis and Drosphila melanogaster leads to the formation of differentiated eyes on the legs or wings. Pax6 is involved in formation of ganglion cells of the retina, as well as cells of the lens, iris and cornea. In addition Pax6 may play a role in axon guidance in the visual system. Pax2 regulates differentiation of the optic disk through which retinal ganglion cell axons exit the eye. Furthermore, Pax2 plays a critical role in development of the optic chiasm and in the guidance of axons along the contralateral or ipsilateral tracts of the optic nerve to visual targets in the brain. During development Pax7 is expressed in neuronal cells of one of the major visual targets in the brain, the optic tectum/superior colliculus. Neurons expressing Pax7 migrate towards the pia and concentrate in the stratum griseum superficiale (SGFS), the target site for retinal axons. Together, expression of Pax2, 6 and 7 may guide axons during formation of functional retinotectal/collicular projections. Highly regulated Pax gene expression is also observed in mature animals. Moreover, evidence suggests that Pax genes are important for regeneration of the visual system. We are currently investigating Pax gene expression in species that display a range of outcomes of optic nerve regeneration. We predict that such information will provide valuable insights for the induction of successful regeneration of the optic nerve and of other regions of the central nervous system in mammals including man.     

Isolation and characterization of microsatellite markers in the sacred lotus (Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn.)

The sacred lotus (Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn.) is an aquatic plant of economic and ornamental importance in China. From an (AG)_n‐enriched genomic library, 24 microsatellites were isolated and identified by using the (fast isolation by the AFLP of sequences containing repeats) FIASCO protocol. Eleven loci showed polymorphism with two to six alleles per locus. These markers yielded 42 alleles in a survey of 32 accessions of the sacred lotus. Eleven effective primer pairs of simple sequence repeats were designed and will be used as genetic markers to evaluate the fine‐scale population structure of the sacred lotus in the future.     

常用麻醉剂对麻醉小鼠超声心功能的影响

目的:比较常见的多种麻醉剂对小鼠心脏超声结果的影响。方法:C57BL/6小鼠25只,随机分5组,每组5只。首先在清醒状态下,借助小动物高频超声系统(Vevo2100)评价小鼠心功能,然后分别用戊巴比妥钠、水合氯醛、三溴乙醇、氯胺酮/地西泮及异氟烷麻醉,再次对心功能进行评价。比较6种不同处理情况下,超声反映的小鼠心功能的差异。结果:与清醒状态相比,5种麻醉方式下,小鼠的心率及心功能均有不同程度降低。其中,戊巴比妥钠、水合氯醛、三溴乙醇及异氟烷麻醉组的左心收缩功能显著降低(P0.01),而氯胺酮/地西泮麻醉的小鼠与清醒组相比,收缩功能无明显差异(P0.05),但其余参数也有显著差异(P0.01)。结论:不论何种麻醉方式,都会对小鼠心率及心功能造成一定影响,但其同组内仍具有可比性;因此应根据现实条件及实验需要选择麻醉剂,并贯彻始终,保持试验中麻醉条件的一致性。     

介绍一种兔VX2肿瘤的传代和接种方法及其应用经验和体会

目的:介绍一种兔VX2肿瘤的传代和接种方法及其应用经验和体会,从而更好的利用此模型进行生物医学研究。方法:从荷瘤新西兰大白兔取活性良好的肿瘤组织块,制备肿瘤细胞悬液,过滤后接种于健康成年新西兰兔左后肢肌肉内。通过一般观察、MRI和大体及病理学切片对肿瘤进行验证。结果:肿瘤传代和接种后生长良好,MRI、大体及组织学验证保持了VX2的肿瘤特点。结论:本研究介绍的兔VX2肿瘤的传代与接种方法稳定、可靠,值得大家推广和应用。     

稳定高表达和干扰Nodal基因黑色素瘤细胞株构建及EMT表型鉴定

目的:构建稳定过表达及稳定干扰Nodal的黑色素瘤细胞B16细胞株,并鉴定其EMT表型,用于研究Nodal诱导黑色素瘤EMT的现象及机理。方法:将过表达小鼠Nodal基因的质粒pL-tdTomatomNodal,及携带有干扰Nodal基因序列的shRNA质粒pGFP-V-RS-Nodal,分别转染B16细胞。通过抗性筛选富集,阳性克隆挑选及扩大培养,获得稳定转染细胞株B16/dT-mNodal及B16/sh-Nodal。通过实时荧光定量PCR和Western blot技术检测胞内Nodal的过表达及敲除情况和EMT标记物的表达情况。结果:两株细胞均构建成功,B16/dT-mNodal细胞株发出强烈红色荧光,胞内Nodal水平上调明显,并呈现间质细胞特性;B16/sh-Nodal细胞株发出强烈绿色荧光,胞内Nodal水平下调明显,并呈现上皮细胞特性。结论:成功构建稳定过表达Nodal及稳定干扰Nodal的B16细胞株,并构建Nodal影响B16细胞EMT过程的模型,为研究Nodal在黑色素瘤EMT过程中的作用提供了重要的实验工具。