黄连素通过SOCS1减轻Aβ淀粉样蛋白诱导的小胶质细胞激活

目的:观察黄连素(Berberine,BBR)对暴露于Aβ淀粉样蛋白(βAmyloid,Aβ)中的小胶质细胞激活的影响,并明确细胞因子沉默蛋白1(Silencing of Cytokine Signaling Factor 1, SOCS1)是否参与了BBR对小胶质细胞激活的影响。方法:将N9小胶质细胞暴露于含5μM Aβ的培养基中模拟阿尔兹海默症(Alzheimer's,AD)中的小胶质细胞激活。随后,将细胞分为5组,分别为Control组、5μM的Aβ损伤组(Aβ)、BBR+Aβ组、SOCS1-siRNA干扰组(SOCS1-siRNA+BBR+Aβ)和乱序si RNA处理组(SC-si RNA+BBR+Aβ),细胞处理24 h后,采用Western blot检测细胞诱导型一氧化氮合酶(Inducible Nitric Oxide Synthase,i NOS)、SOCS1蛋白的表达,酶联免疫吸附法(Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay,ELISA)检测细胞培养基内炎症因子的水平。结果:与正常培养的Control组相比,5μM的Aβ暴露24 h可显著增加细胞i NOS蛋白表达水平和肿瘤坏死因子α(Tumor Necrosis Factorα,TNF-α)、白细胞介素1β(Interleukin 1β,IL-1β)和IL-6的释放(P0.05),但并未对SOCS1蛋白表达产生显著影响(P0.05),5μM的BBR可显著降低i NOS表达和上述3种促炎症因子的释放(P0.05),并上调SOCS1蛋白表达,而SOCS1-siRNA可显著逆转BBR对i NOS和SOCS1蛋白表达及3种炎症因子释放的影响(P0.05)。结论:BBR可能通过SOCS1减轻Aβ淀粉样蛋白对小胶质细胞的激活。     

FGF-21抑制HSC-T6细胞活化的抗肝纤维化作用及其机制的研究

目的:探索成纤维细胞生长因子21(FGF-21)对肝星形细胞T6(HSC-T6)活化的作用及其作用机制。方法:1640+10%胎牛血清的培养基培养HSC-T6细胞,实验分为5组:正常对照组(Control)、模型组(Model 20 m M乙醇处理细胞12 h)、低剂量FGF-21组(LFGF-21,0.5μmol/L)、中剂量FGF-21组(MFGF-21,1.0μmol/L)和高剂量FGF-21组(HFGF-21,2.0μmol/L)。Real-time PCR检测α-平滑肌肌动蛋白(α-SMA)、胶原蛋白Ⅰ(CollagenⅠ)、基质金属蛋白酶-2(MMP2)、基质金属蛋白酶-9(MMP9)和Notch2的m RNA水平,Western blot检测CollagenⅠ、α-SMA、MMP2、MMP9和Notch2的蛋白水平,ELISA检测IL-1β、TNF-α的蛋白水平。结果:模型组α-SMA、CollagenⅠ、MMP2、MMP9、IL-1β、TNF-α、Notch2的水平高于对照组(P0.05),HFGF-21组α-SMA、CollagenⅠ、MMP2、MMP9、IL-1β、TNF-α、Notch2的水平均低于模型组(P0.05)。结论:FGF-21可抑制Notch2的表达,抑制炎症反应,从而抑制HSC的活化,发挥抗肝纤维化作用。     

Genome sequencing and CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing of an early flowering Mini‐Citrus (Fortunella hindsii)

Hongkong kumquat (Fortunella hindsii) is a wild citrus species characterized by dwarf plant height and early flowering. Here, we identified the monoembryonic F. hindsii (designated as ‘Mini‐Citrus’) for the first time and constructed its selfing lines. This germplasm constitutes an ideal model for the genetic and functional genomics studies of citrus, which have been severely hindered by the long juvenility and inherent apomixes of citrus. F. hindsii showed a very short juvenile period (~8 months) and stable monoembryonic phenotype under cultivation. We report the first de novo assembled 373.6 Mb genome sequences (Contig‐N50 2.2 Mb and Scaffold‐N50 5.2 Mb) for F. hindsii. In total, 32 257 protein‐coding genes were annotated, 96.9% of which had homologues in other eight Citrinae species. The phylogenomic analysis revealed a close relationship of F. hindsii with cultivated citrus varieties, especially with mandarin. Furthermore, the CRISPR/Cas9 system was demonstrated to be an efficient strategy to generate target mutagenesis on F. hindsii. The modifications of target genes in the CRISPR‐modified F. hindsii were predominantly 1‐bp insertions or small deletions. This genetic transformation system based on F. hindsii could shorten the whole process from explant to T₁ mutant to about 15 months. Overall, due to its short juvenility, monoembryony, close genetic background to cultivated citrus and applicability of CRISPR, F. hindsii shows unprecedented potentials to be used as a model species for citrus research.     

A molecularly imprinted polymer based chemiluminescence array sensor for one‐step determination of phenothiazines and benzodiazepines in pig urine

The residues of phenothiazines and benzodiazepines in foods of animal origin are dangerous to consumers. For inspection of their abuses, this study for the first time reported on the use of a chemiluminescence array sensor for the simultaneous determination of four phenothiazines and five benzodiazepines in pig urine. Two molecularly imprinted polymers were coated in different wells of a conventional 96‐well microtiter plate as the recognition reagents. After sample loading, the absorbed analytes were initiated directly by using an imidazole enhanced bis(2,4,6‐trichlorophenyl)oxalate–hydrogen peroxide system to emit light. The assay process consisted of only one sample‐loading step prior to data acquisition, so one test was finished within 10 min. The limits of detection for the nine drugs in the pig urine were in a range of 0.1 to 0.6 pg/mL, and the recoveries from the fortified blank urine samples were in a range of 80.3 to 95%. Furthermore, the sensor could be reused six times. Therefore, this sensor could be used as a simple, rapid, sensitive and reusable tool for routine screening for residues of phenothiazines and benzodiazepines in pig urine.     

Ratiometric fluorescent detection of Cu2+ based on dual‐emission ZIF‐8@rhodamine‐B nanocomposites

Zeolitic imidazolate framework‐8 (ZIF‐8) loading rhodamine‐B (ZIF‐8@rhodamine‐B) nanocomposites was proposed and used as ratiometric fluorescent sensor to detect copper(II) ion (Cu²⁺). Scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X‐ray powder diffraction, nitrogen adsorption/desorption isotherms and fluorescence emission spectroscopy were employed to characterize the ZIF‐8@rhodamine‐B nanocomposites. The results showed the rhodamine‐B was successfully assembled on ZIF‐8 based on the π‐π interaction and the hydrogen bond between the nitrogen atom of ZIF‐8 and –COOH of rhodamine‐B. The as‐obtained ZIF‐8@rhodamine‐B nanocomposites were octahedron with size about 150–200 nm, had good water dispersion, and exhibited the characteristic fluorescence emission of ZIF‐8 at 335 nm and rhodamine‐B at 575 nm. The Cu²⁺ could quench fluorescence of ZIF‐8 rather than rhodamine‐B. The ZIF‐8 not only acted as the template to assemble rhodamine‐B, but also was employed as the signal fluorescence together with the fluorescence of rhodamine‐B as the reference to construct a novel ratiometric fluorescent sensor to detect Cu²⁺. The resulted ZIF‐8@rhodamine‐B nanocomposite fluorescence probe showed good linear range (68.4 nM to 125 μM) with a low detection limit (22.8 nM) for Cu²⁺ combined with good sensitivity and selectivity. The work also provides a better way to design ratiometric fluorescent sensors from ZIF‐8 and other fluorescent molecules.     

热带滨海植物红厚壳的抗逆生物学特性

为了解红厚壳(Calophyllum inophyllum)的抗逆特性,对西沙群岛自然生长的红厚壳叶片的形态解剖、生理生态、以及叶片和适生土壤的元素含量进行了研究。结果表明,红厚壳是阳生性植物,其上表皮厚,海绵组织发达且栅栏组织排列紧密,气孔排列松散且密度小(24.40 mm~(-2)),有利于叶片保水抵御干旱。叶片的叶绿素a、b含量低(分别为0.87和0.43 mg g~(-1)),表明红厚壳具适应强光环境的能力。叶片的MDA含量低(13.46 nmol g~(-1)),PRO含量高(127.89μg g~(-1)),SOD活性高(149.42 U g~(-1)),总抗氧化能力高(388.60 U g~(-1)),显示红厚壳能通过提高自身的抗氧化能力抵御膜脂过氧化伤害。红厚壳自然生长的珊瑚岛土壤较为贫瘠、营养元素含量低,但红厚壳植株体内具有较高的营养元素含量,表明红厚壳营养元素利用率高,对于贫瘠土壤具有很好的适应能力。因此,红厚壳具有较高的抗氧化胁迫能力和耐受干旱的能力,适宜生长在热带珊瑚岛等土壤贫瘠的生境,可以作为热带珊瑚岛防风固沙和植被恢复的工具种。     

基因前定点敲入FLAG标签表达的FLAG-SND1蛋白参与胞内应激颗粒的形成

CRISPR/Cas9 (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats-Cas9 nuclease) 基因编辑技术是近年来新兴的一种可以实现基因特异性敲除和敲入的技术。本文利用CRISPR/Cas9基因编辑系统,将3×FLAG标签定点敲入HeLa细胞SND1基因前方,使细胞内源性表达的SND1蛋白带有3×FLAG标签,并观察SND1与应激颗粒及加工体的定位情况。设计针对SND1基因起始密码子ATG附近的sgRNA,以px459为表达载体,构建出重组真核表达质粒。设计含有3×FLAG及待插入位置上下游150 bp同源臂的序列,经公司合成获得重组质粒。将2个质粒共同转染HeLa细胞,使用嘌呤霉素筛选阳性细胞,挑取单克隆后培养。Western 印迹表明,细胞表达3×FLAG-SND1融合蛋白质。提取细胞基因组DNA进行测序。测序无误获得稳定株后,用流式细胞术检测细胞周期和凋亡,发现与WT细胞相比无显著性差异。同时,使用0.5 mmol/L亚砷酸钠处理,细胞发生氧化应激,eIF2α蛋白磷酸化增加,胞浆中出现应激颗粒,SND1与应激颗粒标志蛋白TIAR存在共定位现象,但不存在与加工体蛋白DCP1α的共定位。