Suppression of thymus- and activation-regulated chemokine (TARC/CCL17) production by 1,2,3,4,6-penta-O-galloyl-β-d-glucose via blockade of NF-κB and STAT1 activation in the HaCaT cells

Keratinocytes, one of major cell types in the skin, can be induced by TNF-α and IFN-γ to express thymus- and activation-regulated chemokine (TARC/CCL17), which is considered to be a pivotal mediator in the inflammatory responses during the development of inflammatory skin diseases, such as atopic dermatitis (AD). In this study, we examined the effect of 1,2,3,4,6-penta-O-galloyl-β-d-glucose (PGG), isolated from the barks of Juglans mandshurica, on TNF-α/IFN-γ induced CCL17 expression in the human keratinocyte cell line HaCaT. Pretreatment of HaCaT cells with PGG suppressed TNF-α/IFN-γ-induced protein and mRNA expression of CCL17. PGG significantly inhibited TNF-α/IFN-γ-induced NF-κB activation as well as STAT1 activation. Furthermore, pretreatment with PGG resulted in significant reduction in expression of CXCL9, 10, and 11 in the HaCaT cells treated with IFN-γ. These results suggest that PGG may exert anti-inflammatory responses by suppressing TNF-α and/or IFN-γ-induced activation of NF-κB and STAT1 in the keratinocytes and might be a useful tool in therapy of skin inflammatory diseases.     

DNA priming-protein boosting enhances both antigen-specific antibody and Th1-type cellular immune responses in a murine herpes simplex virus-2 gD vaccine model.

It has previously been reported that herpes simplex virus (HSV)-2 gD DNA vaccine preferentially induces T-helper (Th) 1-type cellular immune responses, whereas the literature supports the view that subunit vaccines tend to induce potent antibody responses, supporting a Th2 bias. Here, using an HSV gD vaccine model, we investigated whether priming and boosting with a DNA or protein vaccine could induce both potent antibody and Th1-type cellular immune responses. When animals were primed with DNA and boosted with protein, both antibody and Th-cell proliferative responses were significantly enhanced. Furthermore, production of Th1-type cytokines (interleukin-2, interferon-gamma) was enhanced by DNA priming-protein boosting. In contrast, protein priming-DNA boosting produced antibody levels similar to those following protein-protein vaccination but failed to further enhance Th-cell proliferative responses or cytokine production. DNA priming-protein boosting resulted in an increased IgG2a isotype (a Th1 indicator) profile, similar to that induced by DNA-DNA vaccination, whereas protein priming-DNA boosting caused an increased IgG1 isotype (a Th2 indicator) profile similar to that seen after protein-protein vaccination. This result indicates that preferential induction of IgG1 or IgG2a isotype is determined by the type of priming vaccine used. Thus, this study suggests that HSV DNA priming-protein boosting could elicit both potent Th1-type cellular immune responses and antibody responses, both of which likely are important for protection against HSV infection.     

不同油松种源光合和荧光参数对水分胁迫的响应特征

采用盆栽控水试验方法,设置正常水分(T1,田间持水量的70％-80％)、轻度胁迫(T2,田间持水量的50％-60％)和严重胁迫(T3,田间持水量的30％-40％)3个水分梯度,对6个油松(Pinus tabulaeformis Carr.)种源(陕西洛南LN,陕西桥山 QO,山西灵空山LK,辽宁千山QN,河北雾灵山WL和山西芦芽山LY)的光合参数和叶绿素荧光参数进行比较,探讨种源间光合和水分利用特征的差异及其与气孔导度和荧光参数的关系.结果表明,3个水分梯度下6个种源的净光合速率(Pn)、蒸腾速率(Tr)、气孔导度(Gs)、水分利用效率(WUE)、原初光能转换效率(Fv/Fm)和PSⅡ潜在活性(Fv/Fo)差异均极显著(P＜0.01),在T1和T3下,各种源的实际光量子效率φPSⅡ和电子传递速率ETR差异显著(P＜0.05).在T2下,LK和WL的Pn达到最大,具有轻度胁迫下提高光合生产力的倾向.在T3下,QN种源的Pn和WUE较高(除LK的WUE最高外),而WL的Pn和WUE较低(除LK的Pn最低外);6个种源中QN的Pn、φPSⅡ和ETR最大,LY和QO的光合生产力仅次于QN,而LN、LK和WL的Pn、Gs、φPSⅡ和ETR比较低,其光合生产力及光量子产量受干旱胁迫影响较大.LK的WUE在各个水分梯度下均显著高于其它种源(P＜0.05).在T3下,各种源通过降低Tr提高WUE.在T1下,气孔限制是影响油松Pn的主要因素;在T2和T3下,Pn和WUE均与气孔导度、PSⅡ反应中心的光量子产量和电子传递速率密切相关.     

气候变化对内蒙古草原典型植物物候的影响

自然物候期是气候变化最直观的植物信号记录,自然物候变化是气候与自然环境变化的综合指标。基于1983—2009年内蒙古草甸草原、典型草原和荒漠草原区典型植物马兰草、霸王、贝加尔针茅和羊草生长期物候观测资料和同时段的气象观测资料,利用数理统计等方法,分析了不同草原区典型植物物候期与气候要素间的相互关系,结果表明:(1)1983—2009年内蒙古草原区植物物候期总体呈提前趋势,但地域差异明显,典型草原区植物萌芽返青、开花及黄枯期等物候提早趋势最为明显,说明不同草原区植物物候对气候变暖的区域响应不同。(2)内蒙古草原区植物物候期与气候变化密切相关。春季3—5月累积气温与植物萌芽返青期和开花期呈显著负相关,与日照时数为正相关,降水量对其影响不同草原区差异较大。荒漠草原和典型草原区植物黄枯期早晚与黄枯前1—2个月平均气温呈显著负相关,草甸草原区植物黄枯期与前1—2个月的降水量和日照时数有关,与气温关系不显著。(3)随着气候变暖,马兰草生长期缩短,霸王、贝加尔针茅和羊草生长期延长,其中典型草原区主要植物针茅生长季延长趋势最为明显,荒漠草原次之,草甸草原延长最少。     

功能植物金盏菊对七星瓢虫温室定殖控害的增效作用研究

利用蜜源植物为天敌提供栖境和营养的生物防治增效技术已广泛应用。金盏菊Calendula officinalis(Asterales:Asteraceae)由于生长快、花期长而具备作为蜜源性功能植物为天敌昆虫定殖、迁移和控害能力增效的潜力。本试验从室内种群定殖、诱集助迁和控害增效作用评价3个方面研究了金盏菊对七星瓢虫Coccinella septempunctata(Coleoptera:Coccinellidae)温室定殖控害的增效作用。试验表明,在金盏菊的伴存下七星瓢虫种群个体数在15 d和30 d时分别增长170%和320%,显著高于对照组。金盏菊伴存时番茄植株对七星瓢虫的诱集助迁作用随时间的延长而显著上升。控害增效作用评价试验表明,引入瓢虫15 d后,试验处理内各个区域间七星瓢虫个体数量和蚜虫密度均有显著差异,种植有金盏菊的小区内七星瓢虫个体数量显著大于对照组,蚜虫密度均显著小于对照组;引入瓢虫30 d时,不同区域间的七星瓢虫个体数量和蚜虫密度未见显著差异。本研究证明了金盏菊对七星瓢虫诱集助迁、温室内定殖及控害效果均有增效作用,为其作为功能性蜜源植物增加天敌释放效率和控害效果奠定了理论基础。     

高温强光胁迫对苹果果皮PPO活性的影响

苹果果实日烧是一种普遍发生的生理病害,最常见的特征之一就是在果实表面出现褐变。通常认为PPO与植物的酶促褐变密切相关。研究了自然和控制条件下,高温强光胁迫对果实PPO活性的影响,以便揭示高温强光胁迫下苹果果实褐变与PPO活性之间的联系。结果表明：高温和强光胁迫与果皮PPO活性变化密切相关。就树冠不同方位而言,西南方位是高温和强光胁迫最严重的区域,其外围裸露果实的PPO活性也最强。在一定范围内,随着处理温度和光照强度的升高,果皮PPO活性也逐渐增强。短时间剧烈升温能够引起PPO活性骤然上升。在同样程度的高温胁迫下,提高环境湿度有利于抑制果皮PPO活性,从而减轻褐变症状的发生。室内外试验一致证实：果实日烧褐变现象与高温强光胁迫下果皮组织PPO活性大幅度提高有直接关系。     

The P2X7 receptor antagonist JNJ-47965567 administered thrice weekly from disease onset does not alter progression of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in SOD1G93A mice

Purinergic Signalling - The ATP-gated P2X7 ion channel has emerging roles in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) progression. Pharmacological blockade of P2X7 with Brilliant Blue G can ameliorate...     

Activation of acid growth in germinating horse chestnut seeds

The validity of the acid-growth hypothesis is proved for the case of cell elongation initiation in germinating seeds of horse chestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum L.), the embryo axes of which are known to extend during the first stages of germination only by cell elongation. During seed imbibition, H⁺-ion excretion was firstly low; it increased several times prior to radicle emergence and was maintained at a high level during growth initiation and further cell elongation. Cell wall acidification and radicle emergence were enhanced in the presence of 0.02 mM fusicoccin, thus indicating the involvement of the plasma membrane H⁺-ATPase in the execution of acid growth. The presence of this enzyme and its activator (14-3-3 protein) in microsomal fractions obtained from radicles and hypocotyls of the embryo axes during and after initiation of cell elongation was demonstrated immunochemically. It is supposed that the initiation of cell elongation at early germination occurs via the activation of the plasma membrane H⁺-ATPase and results in the acidification of cell walls, leading to their higher extensibility, in accordance with the hypothesis of acid growth.