Ligation or cross-linking of CD40 has different effects on AGS gastric cancer cells

A gastric cancer (GC) cell line, AGS, has high-level expression of CD40, a tumor necrosis factor receptor (TNFR) family member. CD40 is present on the surfaces of a large variety of cells, including B cells, endothelial cells, dendritic cells and some carcinoma cells, and delivers signals regulating diverse cellular responses, such as proliferation, differentiation, growth suppression, and cell death. In this research, we studied the effects of different forms of CD40 stimulation on AGS cells by flow cytometry, Western blotting and siRNA transfection. We found that different forms of CD40 stimulation, either recombinant soluble CD40L (sCD40L, ligation) or agonist anti-CD40 antibody (cross-linking), induced different effects in AGS gastric cancer cells, proliferation or apoptosis. We also showed that VEGF provided a significant contribution to sCD40L-induced proliferation, while agonist anti-CD40 antibody induced GADD45 upregulation and promoted apoptosis.     

急性低氧暴露小鼠外周血代谢组变化分析

目的：探讨急性低氧对小鼠外周血代谢组的影响。方法：将14只小鼠随机分为正常组和低氧组。用基础饲料喂养2周后,将低氧组减压至6000m模拟高度停留8h,实验结束后,采集静脉血制备血浆待测。在核磁共振波谱仪进行^1H NMR检测,采用模式识别分析方法处理数据。结果：与正常组相比,低氧组乳酸含量明显增加,肉碱水平明显降低;脂类、丙氨酸、丙酮酸、谷氨酰胺、胆碱、牛磺酸和葡萄糖含量升高,缬氨酸、肛羟丁酸、谷氨酸、甘油、甘氨酸和丝氨酸含量下降。结论：急性低氧暴露使小鼠血浆碳水化合物、脂肪代谢和氨基酸代谢谱发生变化,表明低氧后能量代谢以及相关物质含量发生改变。     

Changes in hemocytes of Plutella xylostella after parasitism by Diadegma semiclausum

We examined the changes of hemocytes in the diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae), due to parasitism by the endoparasitoid Diadegma semiclausum (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae). Necrosis of prohemocytes in different stages was observed while cell death was absent in the mature hemocytes in the parasitized larvae, which was related to the declined total hemocyte count per microliter (THC). THC in the host hemolymph declined sharply by 12 h post-parasitization and then remained at a low level. When hemocytes of the parasitized larvae were cultured in vitro, encapsulation ability was suppressed coincidently with the inhibited spreading ability; however, such effects were transient. Simultaneously, activation of the prophenoloxidae from the hemocytes was inhibited. Unlike the results of previous studies, the decrease in hemocytes, which was due to the necrosis of the prohemocytes instead of the mature hemocytes in our study, was not responsible for the impaired encapsulation. Our studies suggest that parasitism by D. semiclausum have some effects on hematopoietic regulation and on hemocyte immune reaction of P. xylostella larvae.     

Potential of the seaweed Gracilaria lemaneiformis for integrated multi-trophic aquaculture with scallop Chlamys farreri in North China

In this study the red alga, Gracilaria lemaneiformis, was cultivated with the scallop Chlamys farreri in an integrated multi-trophic aquaculture (IMTA) system for 3 weeks at the Marine Aquaculture Laboratory of the Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (IOCAS) in Qingdao, Shandong Province, North China. The nutrient uptake rate and nutrient reduction efficiency of ammonium and phosphorus from scallop excretion were determined. The experiment included four treatments each with three replicates, and three scallop monoculture systems served as the control. Scallop density (407.9 ± 2.84 g m⁻³) remained the same in all treatments while seaweed density differed. The seaweed density was set at four levels (treatments 1, 2, 3, 4) with thallus wet weight of 69.3 ± 3.21, 139.1 ± 3.80, 263.5 ± 6.83, and 347.6 ± 6.30 g m⁻³, respectively. There were no significant differences in the initial nitrogen and phosphorus concentration between each treatment and the control group (ANOVA, p > 0.05). The results showed that at the end of the experiment, the nitrogen concentration in the control group and treatment 1 was significantly higher than in the other treatments. There was also a significant difference in phosphorus concentration between the control group and the IMTA treatments (ANOVA, p < 0.05). Growth rate, C and N content of the thallus, and mortality of scallop was different between the IMTA treatments. The nutrient uptake rate and nutrient reduction efficiency of ammonium and phosphorus changed with different cultivation density and time. The maximum reduction efficiency of ammonium and phosphorus was 83.7% and 70.4%, respectively. The maximum uptake rate of ammonium and phosphorus was 6.3 and 3.3 μmol g⁻¹ DW h⁻¹. A bivalve/seaweed biomass ratio from 1:0.33 to 1:0.80 (treatments 2, 3, and 4) was preferable for efficient nutrient uptake and for maintaining lower nutrient levels. Results indicate that G. lemaneiformis can efficiently absorb the ammonium and phosphorus from scallop excretion and is a suitable candidate for IMTA.     

NMR Characterization of C3H and HCT Down-Regulated Alfalfa Lignin

Independent down-regulation of genes encoding p-coumarate 3-hydroxylase (C3H) and hydroxycinnamoyl CoA:shikimate/quinate hydroxycinnamoyl transferase (HCT) has been previously shown to reduce the recalcitrance of alfalfa and thereby improve the release of fermentable sugars during enzymatic hydrolysis. In this study, ball-milled lignins were isolated from wild-type control, C3H, and HCT gene down-regulated alfalfa plants. One- and two-dimensional nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) techniques were utilized to determine structural changes in the ball-milled alfalfa lignins resulting from this genetic engineering. After C3H and HCT gene down-regulation, significant structural changes had occurred to the alfalfa ball-milled lignins compared to the wild-type control. A substantial increase in p-hydroxyphenyl units was observed in the transgenic alfalfa ball-milled lignins as well as a concomitant decrease in guaiacyl and syringyl units. Two-dimensional ¹³C–¹H heteronuclear single quantum coherence correlation NMR, one-dimensional distortionless enhancement by polarization transfer-135, and ¹³C NMR measurement showed a noteworthy decrease in methoxyl group and β-O-4 linkage contents in these transgenic alfalfa lignins. ¹³C NMR analysis estimated that C3H gene down-regulation reduced the methoxyl content by ~55–58% in the ball-milled lignin, while HCT down-regulation decreased methoxyl content by ~73%. The gene down-regulated C3H and HCT transgenic alfalfa lignin was largely a p-hydroxyphenyl (H) rich type lignin. Compared to the wild-type plant, the C3H and HCT transgenic lines had an increase in relative abundance of phenylcoumaran and resinol in the ball-milled lignins.     

乙酰肝素酶重组慢病毒转基因和siRNA干扰质粒的构建及鉴定

目的：构建乙酰肝素酶重组慢病毒转基因和siRNA干扰质粒,为探讨HPSE在在肿瘤浸润转移过程中的分子机理奠定基础。方法：乙酰肝素酶cDNA全长扩增和最佳siRNA干扰片段筛选分别采用PCR和Real-time PCR方法,慢病毒系统载体分别使用pWPI和siRNA pSico系统,采用限制性内切酶快速连接方法联接目的基因和最佳最佳siRNA干扰片段,表达载体鉴定均采用核苷酸序列测定,HPSE重组慢病毒表达质粒和siRNA片段细胞转染采用脂质体转染法。结果：成功扩增乙酰肝素酶全长并连接入pWPI载体构建成重组表达载体HPSE-pWPI,重组质粒测序结果显与HPSE基因的同源性达99%。转染293T后有HPSE基因的表达。筛选出最佳siRNA干扰片段为HPSE-1222并成功插入pSico载体,构建成重组表达载体HPSE-siRNA pSico,重组载体测序显示与构建的shRNA结构序列完全一致。结论：成功采用慢病毒载体系统构建了乙酰肝素酶重组慢病毒转基因和siRNA干扰质粒,为探讨HPSE在在肿瘤浸润转移过程中的分子机理奠定基础。