O‐GlcNAcylation of protein kinase A catalytic subunits enhances its activity: a mechanism linked to learning and memory deficits in Alzheimer's disease

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is characterized clinically by memory loss and cognitive decline. Protein kinase A (PKA)‐CREB signaling plays a critical role in learning and memory. It is known that glucose uptake and O‐GlcNAcylation are reduced in AD brain. In this study, we found that PKA catalytic subunits (PKAcs) were posttranslationally modified by O‐linked N‐acetylglucosamine (O‐GlcNAc). O‐GlcNAcylation regulated the subcellular location of PKAcα and PKAcβ and enhanced their kinase activity. Upregulation of O‐GlcNAcylation in metabolically active rat brain slices by O‐(2‐acetamido‐2‐deoxy‐d ‐glucopyranosylidenamino) N‐phenylcarbamate (PUGNAc), an inhibitor of N‐acetylglucosaminidase, increased the phosphorylation of tau at the PKA site, Ser214, but not at the non‐PKA site, Thr205. In contrast, in rat and mouse brains, downregulation of O‐GlcNAcylation caused decreases in the phosphorylation of CREB at Ser133 and of tau at Ser214, but not at Thr205. Reduction in O‐GlcNAcylation through intracerebroventricular injection of 6‐diazo‐5‐oxo‐l ‐norleucine (DON), the inhibitor of glutamine fructose‐6‐phosphate amidotransferase, suppressed PKA‐CREB signaling and impaired learning and memory in mice. These results indicate that in addition to cAMP and phosphorylation, O‐GlcNAcylation is a novel mechanism that regulates PKA‐CREB signaling. Downregulation of O‐GlcNAcylation suppresses PKA‐CREB signaling and consequently causes learning and memory deficits in AD.     

植物谷氨酸受体的研究进展

离子型谷氨酸受体(iGLuR)是哺乳动物中一类由L-氨基酸(如谷氨酸、甘氨酸)等配体门控的阳离子通道, 具有调节兴奋性神经信号传递和引导神经元发育等分子功能。1998年研究者在拟南芥(Arabidopsis thaliana)中发现了20个与iGLuRs同源的序列(即AtGLRs), 它们的功能涉及植物光信号传递、根尖分生细胞活性、花粉管生长、胞质Ca²⁺流以及应答多种生物和非生物环境胁迫等。该文从谷氨酸受体(GLR)的结构特征、离子通道激活与配体的关系、表达模式及可能的生物学功能等方面, 综述了近十几年来关于植物GLR和氨基酸信号的研究成果, 旨在为相关领域的同行提供有益的参考。     

Cell Surface Beta 1, 4-galactosyltransferase 1 promotes apoptosis by inhibiting epidermal growth factor receptor pathway

Our previous studies have shown that overexpression of β1,4-galactosyltransferase1 (β1,4GT1) leads to increased apoptosis induced by cycloheximide (CHX) in SMMC-7721 human hepatocarcinoma cells. However, the role of β1,4GT1 in apoptosis remains unclear. Here we demonstrated that cell surface β1,4GT1 inhibited the autophosphorylation of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) especially at Try 1068. The phosphorylation of protein kinase B (PKB/Akt) and extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase1/2 (ERK1/2), which are downstream molecules of EGFR, were also reduced in cell surface β1,4GT1-overexpressing cells. Furthermore, the translocations of Bad and Bax that are regulated by PKB/Akt and ERK1/2 were also increased in these cells. As a result, the release of cytochrome c from mitochondria to cytosol was increased and caspase-3 was activated. In contrast, RNAi-mediated knockdown of β1,4GT1 increased the autophosphorylation of EGFR. These results demonstrated that cell surface β1,4GT1 may negatively regulate cell survival possibly through inhibiting and modulating EGFR signaling pathway.     

寒颤对呼吸道复温作用的影响

目的：检测寒颤对呼吸道复温的影响。方法：采用冷水浸泡降温和注射卡肌宁抑制寒颤的方法建立抑制寒颤的低体温犬模型。受试犬吸湿热空气（40．45℃,RH99．9％）及室温空气（19±1℃,RH30％～75％）复温各2h,不同温度空气复温的先后顺序随机安排。复温4h后,加压呼吸湿热空气复温使其恢复自主呼吸,继续呼吸湿热空气复温直至直肠温度（Tr）和食道温度（Te）恢复入水时温度。实验过程中采用间接测热法测定代谢产热量。结果：①抑制寒颤时,吸湿热空气2h可使Tr和Te平均每小时分别增高0．26～0．39℃和0．44—1．11℃,吸室温空气2h可使Tr和re平均每小时分别降低0．24-0．51℃和0．58～0．67℃,Tr和Te的变化与呼吸不同温度空气的先后顺序无关。②有寒颤、自主呼吸湿热空气时,Tr和Te的复温速度分别为2．26～2．33℃／h和1．96～2．38℃／h,较抑制寒颤、呼吸湿热空气时明显加快。③与抑制寒颤、加压呼吸湿热空气时的代谢产热量比较,受试犬恢复寒颤自主呼吸湿热空气时代谢产热量明显增高,使复温速度明显加快。结论：呼吸道复温有助于低体温机体复温。寒颤时机体代谢产热量明显增高,使复温速度明显加快。因此,检测呼吸道复温作用时应抑制寒颤,排除寒颤产热的干扰。     

生石膏对致热原作用下猫PO／AH温敏神经元放电的影响

目的:研究中药生石膏解热作用的中枢机制.方法:复制发热模型后,静脉注射生石膏,应用微电极细胞外记录技术记录视前区-下丘脑前部(PO/AH) 温敏神经元单位放电的变化情况.结果:给予致热原后,PO/AH 区热敏神经元放电频率显著减少(P<0.01 ),冷敏神经元放电频率明显增加(P<0.05); 静脉注射生石膏后,可反转致热原对PO/AH区温敏神经元的上述作用,与给药前相比,热敏神经元放电频率明显回升(P<0.01 ),冷敏神经元放电频率明显回降(P<0.05).结论:提示生石膏是通过影响致热原作用下PO/AH区温敏神经元的放电活动,在中枢神经元水平上发挥解热作用的.     

Involvement of regulatory volume decrease in the migration of nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells

The transwell chamber migration assay and CCD digital camera imaging techniques were used to investigate the relationship between regulatory volume decrease (RVD) and cell migration in nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells (CNE-2Z cells). Both migrated and non-migrated CNE-2Z cells, when swollen by 47% hypotonic solution, exhibited RVD which was inhibited by extracellular application of chloride channel blockers adenosine 5‘-triphosphate (ATP), 5-nitro-2-(3-phenylpropylamino) benzoic acid (NPPB) and tamoxifen. However, RVD rate in migrated CNE-2Z cells was bigger than that of non-migrated cells and the sensitivity of migrated cells to NPPB and tamoxifen was higher than that of nonmigrated cells. ATP, NPPB and tamoxifen also inhibited migration of CNE-2Z cells. The inhibition of migration was positively correlated to the blockage of RVD, with a correlation coefficient (r) = 0.99, suggesting a functional relationship between RVD and cell migration. We conclude that RVD is involved in cell migration and RVD may play an important role in migratory process in CNE-2Z cells.     

植物非生物胁迫相关转录因子研究方法

转录因子是一类能够与启动子区域顺式作用元件特异性结合的蛋白质,是一大类转录调控因子,也是植物中最大的基因家族之一。转录因子可以调节众多下游基因的表达,对植物的生长发育、形态建成、激素调节,以及抵抗多种生物和非生物胁迫具有重要作用。结合近年来转录因子的研究进展,归纳总结了植物非生物胁迫相关转录因子研究的主要策略和方法,包括转录因子结构域、亚细胞定位、转录激活作用、转录因子复合体以及转录因子功能的研究,为植物转录因子的相关研究提供理论和方法的参考。     

北京市5种园林树木蒸腾作用模拟研究

通过对北京市园林5种常用乔木,国槐（Sophora japonica）、银杏（Ginkgo biloba）、白蜡（Fraxinus chinensis）、杜仲（Eucommia ulmoides）和臭椿（Ailanthus altissima）等植物蒸腾作用与周围环境气象因子（温度、湿度、太阳有效辐射）及植株叶面积指数相关关系的研究,利用Javis公式计算冠层气孔阻力,同时采用PM公式计算冠层蒸腾速率和植株日蒸腾量,并分析不同乔木的冠层气孔导度对环境主要驱动因子的响应规律。结果表明：5种被观测乔木中,国槐耗水量最大,白蜡耗水量最小,植株蒸腾量大小依次为国槐〉银杏〉杜仲〉臭椿〉白蜡（P＜0．01）。植物叶片气孔导度及蒸腾量与环境驱动因子太阳辐射及水气压亏缺的相关关系表明,在土壤水分条件较好时,国槐长势优于其它4种乔木,但是其对水分的利用不够经济,在干旱的情况下不能有效节水。     

基因芯片技术在植物基因克隆中的应用研究进展

基因芯片是以预先设计的方式将大量的生物讯息密码(寡核苷酸、cDNA、基因组DNA等)固定在玻片、硅片等固相载体上组成的密集分子阵列.基因芯片技术本质是生物信号的平行分析,它利用核酸分子杂交原理,通过荧光标记技术检测杂交亲和与否,再经过计算机分析处理可迅速获得所需信息.由于其具有高通量、微型化、连续化、自动化、快速和准确等特点,已引起国际国内广泛的关注和重视,在许多领域得到了广泛的应用.本文简述了基因芯片的概念,技术特点及主要分类,着重对其在基因表达水平检测,基因突变和多态性的分析,基因组DNA分析,后基因组学研究以及转基因农作物检测等方面进行阐述,并说明其存在的问题及展望.     

Quantitative determination of helicid in rat biosamples by liquid chromatography electrospray ionization mass spectrometry

A simple liquid chromatography electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (LC–ESI–MS) method with highly improved sensitivities for the determination of helicid in rat bile, urine, feces and most tissues was developed. The tissues and feces were firstly homogenized mechanically using deionized water as the media. Bile, urine, tissues and feces homogenates were extracted by liquid–liquid extraction with n-butyl alcohol for sample preparation. The subsequent analysis procedures were performed on a Shimadzu LCMS2010A system (electrospray ionization single quadrupole mass analyzer). A Luna C₁₈ column (150 mm × 2.00 mm, 5 μm) was used as the analytical column, while a mixture of acetonitrile and ammonium chloride water solution was used as the mobile phase. The proportions of mobile phase were changed timely according to gradient programs. Chlorinated adducts of molecular ions [M+Cl]^? at m/z 319.00 and 363.05 were used to quantify helicid and bergeninum (internal standard), respectively. The method was validated to be accurate, precise and rugged with good linearity. The proposed method was successfully applied to the preclinical tissue distribution and excretion studies of helicid in rats.