Simultaneous determination of m-nisoldipine and its three metabolites in rat plasma by liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry

A simple, sensitive and selective liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS) method for the simultaneous determination of m-nisoldipine and its three metabolites in rat plasma has been developed using nitrendipine as an internal standard (IS). Following liquid–liquid extraction, the analytes were separated using an isocratic mobile phase on a reverse phase C₁₈ column and analyzed by MS in the multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) mode. To avoid contamination by residual sample in the injection syringe, a special injection protocol was developed. We found that m-nisoldipine, metabolite M1 and IS could be ionized under positive or negative electrospray ionization conditions, whereas metabolite M and M2 could only be ionized in the positive mode. The mass spectrometry fragmentation pathways for these analytes are analyzed and discussed herein. The total analysis time required less than 5 min per sample. We employed this method successfully to study the metabolism of m-nisoldipine when it was orally administered to rats at a dose of 9 mg/kg. Three metabolites of m-nisoldipine and an unknown compound of molecular weight 386 were found for the first time in rat plasma. The concentration of the potentially active metabolite was approximately equal to its parent compound concentration.     

A new lysozyme from the eastern oyster, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Crassostrea virginica</Emphasis>, and a possible evolutionary pathway for i-type lysozymes in bivalves from host defense to digestion

Background  

Lysozymes are enzymes that lyse bacterial cell walls, an activity widely used for host defense but also modified in some instances for digestion. The biochemical and evolutionary changes between these different functional forms has been well-studied in the c-type lysozymes of vertebrates, but less so in the i-type lysozymes prevalent in most invertebrate animals. Some bivalve molluscs possess both defensive and digestive lysozymes.     

次氯酸钠离析法观测甘蓝叶片脉序的处理条件优化筛选

次氯酸钠（NaClO）离析法主要用于植物叶片表皮的观测,在研究过程中发现该法也可用于叶片脉序的观测。以甘蓝（Brassica oleracea var.capitata）为实验材料,采用二次正交设计方法对水煮时间、NaOH浓度、NaOH处理时间、NaClO浓度、NaClO处理温度和处理时间等各种处理条件进行优化筛选,以期得到适合于甘蓝叶片脉序观测的最佳处理条件组合。实验结果表明,新鲜甘蓝叶片水煮3分钟,10%的NaOH溶液60°C水浴处理2.5小时,3%的NaClO溶液40°C水浴离析2小时,叶片脉序的观测效果最佳。     

亚热带山地亮叶水青冈林的群落分类及物种组成与更新

水青冈属(Fagus)约有11种,我国有5种。亮叶水青冈(Faguslucida)是我国间断分布于亚热带高海拔山地的主要落叶树种。近年来亮叶水青冈林受砍伐严重,为了保护残存的林地,作者采用Braun-Blanquet(1964)、Fujiwara(1987)的植物社会学方法,对分布于中国亚热带山地的南山、梵净山、宽阔水、八大公山4地域的亮叶水青冈林进行了植被的比较研究。根据37个样方调查的资料,区分出3个群丛6个亚群丛。比较3个群丛的物种组成、生活型结构发现,位于南山的毛玉山竹–亮叶水青冈群丛(Yushaniobasihirsuto–Fagetumlucidae)及位于梵净山与宽阔水的大箭竹–亮叶水青冈群丛(Sinarundinariochungii–Fagetumlucidae),其常绿落叶阔叶混交林的特征明显;而八大公山的箭竹–亮叶水青冈群丛(Sinarundinarionitido–Fagetumlucidae),其落叶阔叶林的特征较显著。南山与八大公山的亮叶水青冈林立木结构分析结果表明,前者呈“L”型分布,林窗的存在使亮叶水青冈可以保持更新,密集的竹子是妨碍其自然更新的主要因素;后者呈“Λ”状分布,尽管林下竹子稀疏,自然更新却严重不良,其原因尚待继续定点观测分析。     

祁连山两侧中国沙棘不同居群的遗传多样性研究

应用RAPD技术研究了祁连山中段中国沙棘(Hippophae rhamnoidoes ssp．sinensis)4个居群和1个对照居群的遗传多样性水平,探讨中国沙棘边缘居群的遗传变异以及天然屏障祁连山对中国沙棘居群遗传结构的影响。结果显示,祁连山地区中国沙棘居群水平的Nei’基因多样度(h)和Shannon多态信息指数(I)分别为0．2070和 0．297 4,基因分化系数(Gst)为0．319 3,均高于中国沙棘整个分布区的平均值,表明该地中国沙棘边缘居群遗传多样性水平及居群间的遗传分化都有增加的趋势;居群间每代迁移数(Nm=1．065 9)显著低于异交风媒植物(Nm= 5．380),表明祁连山的隔离对中国沙棘居群间的基因交流有限制作用,造成了该地中国沙棘边缘居群间较高的遗传分化。     

Lz-0 × Berkeley: a new Arabidopsis recombinant inbred line population for the mapping of complex traits

This study describes the generation and test of a genetic resource suited to identify determinants of cell biological traits in plants. The use of quantitative trait loci (QTL) mapping for a better genetic understanding of cell biological traits is still at an early stage, even for biotechnologically important cell properties, such as the dimensions of fiber cells. A common strategy, the mapping of QTLs in recombinant inbred line (RIL) populations, is limited by the fact that the existing RIL populations exploit only a small fraction of the existing natural variation. Here, we report the mapping of QTLs impacting on the length of fiber cells in Arabidopsis inflorescence stems in a newly generated RIL population derived from a cross between the accessions Berkeley and the little known Lz-0. Through inbreeding of individual F₂ plants, a total of 159 new F₈ lines were produced and genotyped with a set of 49 single nucleotide polymorphism markers. The population was successfully used not only for the mapping of three QTLs controlling fiber length, but also to map five QTL controlling flowering time under short and long-day conditions. Our study demonstrates the usefulness of this new genetic resource by mapping in it QTLs underlying a poorly explored cellular trait as well as an already better explored regulatory pathway. The new RIL population and an online platform for the continuous supplementation of genetic markers will be generally available to substantially broaden the genetic diversity through which loci with impact on plant quantitative traits can be identified.     

Alterations of the Ca2+ signaling pathway in pancreatic beta-cells isolated from db/db mice

Upon glucose elevation, pancreatic beta-cells secrete insulin in a Ca²⁺-dependent manner. In diabetic animal models, different aspects of the calcium signaling pathway in beta-cells are altered, but there is no consensus regarding their relative contributions to the development of beta-cell dysfunction. In this study, we compared the increase in cytosolic Ca²⁺ ([Ca²⁺]_i) via Ca²⁺ influx, Ca²⁺ mobilization from endoplasmic reticulum (ER) calcium stores, and the removal of Ca²⁺ via multiple mechanisms in beta-cells from both diabetic db/db mice and nondiabetic C57BL/6J mice. We refined our previous quantitative model to describe the slow [Ca²⁺]_i recovery after depolarization in beta-cells from db/db mice. According to the model, the activity levels of the two subtypes of the sarco-endoplasmic reticulum Ca²⁺-ATPase (SERCA) pump, SERCA2 and SERCA3, were severely down-regulated in diabetic cells to 65% and 0% of the levels in normal cells. This down-regulation may lead to a reduction in the Ca²⁺ concentration in the ER, a compensatory up-regulation of the plasma membrane Na⁺/Ca²⁺ exchanger (NCX) and a reduction in depolarizationevoked Ca²⁺ influx. As a result, the patterns of glucosestimulated calcium oscillations were significantly different in db/db diabetic beta-cells compared with normal cells. Overall, quantifying the changes in the calcium signaling pathway in db/db diabetic beta-cells will aid in the development of a disease model that could provide insight into the adaptive transformations of beta-cell function during diabetes development.     

人视黄醇结合蛋白在大肠杆菌中的高效表达及其活性测定

视黄醇结合蛋白 (retinol- binding protein,RBP)是体内结合、转运维生素 A的重要载体蛋白 ,对生长、繁殖、视觉及维持上皮细胞分化状态至关重要 ,不但是临床营养支持蛋白质营养评价的最灵敏指标 ,而且可作为慢性肾病、严重肝病、甲亢等相关疾病的辅助诊断指标 .同时 ,RBP可作为疏水小分子结合蛋白家族构效关系研究的模型 ,具有重要的理论与应用研究价值 .我们已克隆出了它的 c D-NA[1 ] ,本文报道了人 RBP在大肠杆菌中的高效表达及其产物的初步纯化和活性测定 .1　材料与方法1 .1　材料含目的片段的克隆质粒 p GEM- RBP为本室构建 …     

Identification of a MHC class-II restricted epitope in carcinoembryonic antigen

Purpose The carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) is extensively expressed on the vast majority of colorectal, gastric, and pancreatic carcinomas, and, therefore, is a good target for tumor immunotherapy. CD4+ T-helper (Th) cells play a critical role in initiation, regulation, and maintenance of immune responses. In this study, we sought to identify Th epitopes derived from CEA which can induce CEA-specific Th responses. The combined application with cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) epitopes would be more potent than tumor vaccines that primarily activate CTL alone.Methods We utilized a combined approach of using a computer-based algorithm analysis TEPITOPE and in vitro biological analysis to identify Th epitopes in CEA.Results Initial screening of healthy donors showed that all five predicted peptides derived from CEA could induce peptide-specific T-cell proliferation in vitro. We characterized these CEA epitopes by establishing and analyzing peptide-specific T-cell clones. It was shown that CD4+ T-cells specific for the CEA₁₁₆ epitope can recognize and respond to naturally processed CEA protein and CEA₁₁₆ epitope can be promiscuously presented by commonly found major histocompatibility complex (MHC) alleles. Furthermore, it was demonstrated that immunization of human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-DR4 transgenic mice with CEA₁₁₆ peptide elicited antigen-specific Th responses which can recognize the antigenic peptides derived from CEA protein and CEA-positive tumors.Conclusion The MHC class II-restricted epitope CEA₁₁₆ could be used in the design of peptide-based tumor vaccine against several common cancers expressing CEA.