WY14643 Attenuates the Scopolamine-Induced Memory Impairments in Mice

WY14643 is a selective agonist of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-α (PPAR-α) with neuroprotective and neurotrophic effects. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of WY14643 on cognitive impairments induced by scopolamine, a muscarinic acetylcholine receptor antagonist. We conducted different behavior tests including the Y-maze, Morris water maze, and passive avoidance test to measure the cognitive functions of C57BL/6J mice after scopolamine and WY14643 treatment. It was found that WY14643 injection significantly attenuated the scopolamine-induced cognitive impairments in these behavioral tests. Moreover, WY14643 treatment significantly enhanced the expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) signaling cascade in the hippocampus. The usage of both PPAR-α inhibitor GW6471 and BDNF system inhibitor K252a fully prevented the memory-enhancing effects of WY14643. Therefore, these findings suggest that WY14643 could improve the scopolamine-induced memory impairments, and these effects are mediated by the activation of PPAR-α and BDNF system, thereby exhibiting a cognition-enhancing potential.     

Release of hydrophobic anticancer drug from a newly designed self-assembling peptide

A newly designed self-assembling peptide, P4 (Ac-NH-LDLKLELKLDLKLELK-CONH(2)), capable of stabilizing hydrophobic compounds in aqueous solution has been discovered. The ionic self-complementary peptide P4 has 16 amino acids, ～5 nm in size, with an alternating polar and non-polar pattern. Circular dichroism analysis demonstrated that P4 forms stable β-sheet structures, and self-assembles into nanofibers, which was demonstrated by atomic force microscopy. These nanofibers can form a scaffold hydrogel consisting of >99% water. It showed that the P4 hydrogel had stable hydrogel rheological properties. The ability of the peptide to stabilize the hydrophobic anticancer agent ellipticine was tested in this research. The results showed that the state of ellipticine in the complexes was dependent on the concentration of the peptide, which also affected the size and morphology of the complex. The anticancer activity of the complexes was studied by testing the viability with a MTT assay and a LIVE/DEAD Viability/Cytotoxicity kit in two cancer cell lines including SMMC7721 and EC9706. The viability results showed that complexes of protonated ellipticine could significantly reduce the viability of the two cell lines. The results described herein provide further incentives for basic studies on self-assembling peptide-based delivery of hydrophobic anticancer drugs.     

内毒诱导肺动脉内皮细胞生成过氧亚硝基阴离子的意义

目的：探讨牛肺动脉内皮细胞（BPAEC）产生过氧亚硝基阴离子（ONOO^-）的能力及其作用。方法：用流式细胞免疫荧光技术,定量检测内毒素主要成分脂多糖（LPS）诱导培养的BPAEC中ONOO^-生成标志物硝基酪氨酸（NT）的含量,观察ONOO^-对BPAEC形态变化的影响。结果：LPS可剂量依赖性诱导BPAEC产生ONOO^-明显增多,并为氮基胍部分翻转;ONOO^-可导致BPAEC明显回缩,胞体变小,细胞间隙增宽。结论：LPS诱导BPAEC产生增多的ONOO^-可能参与介导LPS对BPAEC本身的损伤效应。     

Streamlined beta-galactosidase assay for analysis of recombinant yeast response to estrogens

Here, we describe a rapid, convenient, and quantitative beta-galactosidase assay in liquid culture of recombinant yeast that expresses the estrogen receptor. This assay allows large-scale screening of chemicals (more than 600 samples/day) for the evaluation of their direct estrogenic potency and accurate determination of their EC50 with minimal manipulations. The assay, which is based on digestion of the yeast cell wall by lyticase (zymolase), a beta-glucanase isolated from Arthrobacter luteus, followed by a hypoosmotic shock lysis, is performed completely in 96-well plates. This protocol for using recombinant yeast with the two-hybrid technology significantly advances recombinant yeast manipulation.     

Rapid spontaneous accessibility of nucleosomal DNA

DNA wrapped in nucleosomes is sterically occluded, creating obstacles for proteins that must bind it. How proteins gain access to DNA buried inside nucleosomes is not known. Here we report measurements of the rates of spontaneous nucleosome conformational changes in which a stretch of DNA transiently unwraps off the histone surface, starting from one end of the nucleosome, and then rewraps. The rates are rapid. Nucleosomal DNA remains fully wrapped for only approximately 250 ms before spontaneously unwrapping; unwrapped DNA rewraps within approximately 10-50 ms. Spontaneous unwrapping of nucleosomal DNA allows any protein rapid access even to buried stretches of the DNA. Our results explain how remodeling factors can be recruited to particular nucleosomes on a biologically relevant timescale, and they imply that the major impediment to entry of RNA polymerase into a nucleosome is rewrapping of nucleosomal DNA, not unwrapping.     

Identification of SCAR markers linked to Rca2 anthracnose resistance gene and their assessment in strawberry germplasm

Bulked segregant analysis combined with AFLPs was used to identify molecular markers linked to the Rca2 gene conferring resistance to Colletotrichum acutatum pathogenicity group 2 which causes anthracnose in the octoploid strawberry Fragaria × ananassa. DNA bulks originating from a cross between the resistant cultivar ‘Capitola’ and the susceptible cultivar ‘Pajaro’ were screened with 110 EcoRI/MseI AFLP combinations. Four AFLP markers were found linked in coupling phase to Rca2 with recombination percentages between 0% and 17.7%. Among the four markers linked to the resistance gene, two were converted into SCAR markers (STS-Rca2_417 and STS-Rca2_240) and screened in a large segregating population including 179 genotypes. The Rca2 resistance gene was estimated to be 0.6 cM from STS-Rca2_417 and 2.8 cM from STS-Rca2_240. The presence/absence of the two SCAR markers was further studied in 43 cultivars of F. × ananassa, including 14 susceptible, 28 resistant, and one intermediate genotype. Results showed that 81.4% and 62.8% of the resistant/susceptible genotypes were correctly predicted by using STS-Rca2_417 and STS-Rca2_240, respectively. The 14 susceptible genotypes showed no amplification for either SCARs. These developed SCARs constitute new tools for indirect selection criteria of anthracnose resistance genotypes in strawberry breeding programs.     

子叶节区理论与木材结构的演化

从系统发育看,出现最早的应是早已灭亡的乔木状蕨类植物的隐花植物式木材,例如：Ｌｅｐｉｄｏｄｅｎｄｒｏｎ,ｓｐｈｅｎｏｐｈｙｌｌｕｍ等。现存的都是出现在古生代末期和中生代以后的显花植物式木材,它包括裸子植的的叶子树材与被子植物的痴味树材。     

温度和水分对无芒隐子草和条叶车前种子萌发的影响

研究了无芒隐子草 (Cleistogenessongorica)和条叶车前 (Plantago lessingii)种子萌发对不同温度和水分渗透势的响应。温度在 10℃恒温至 5 0 /2 0℃变温范围内设 11个处理 ,水分渗透势在 0～ - 1.8MPa区间以 0 .2 MPa为间隔设 10个处理。结果显示 :无芒隐子草鞘内小穗的种子具有很高的生活力 ,其萌发温度幅较宽 ,在 10～ 5 0 /2 0℃温度区间 ,较高温度促进萌发 ;条叶车前种子萌发温度幅较窄 ,在 10～ 30℃温度区间 ,较低温度促进其萌发。无芒隐子草和条叶车前种子的最佳萌发温度分别为35 /2 0℃变温和 2 0℃恒温 ,在此条件下的发芽率分别达 94 %和 6 1% ,后者发芽率低的原因是种子存在生理休眠。两种植物种子萌发的最低水分阈值为 - 1.6 MPa,发芽率皆随渗透势降低而呈直线下降趋势 ,但条叶车前较无芒隐子草下降缓慢。发芽率 (y)与渗透势 (x)的回归方程 ,无芒隐子草为 y1 =- 10 .976 x1 98.4 (r2 =0 .95 4 ) ,条叶车前为 y2 =- 5 .90 9x2 6 0 .2 (r2 =0 .96 4 )。随着水分胁迫的加剧 ,供试种胚芽长呈逐渐下降趋势 ,但胚根长呈先增加 (无芒隐子草在 - 0 .6 MPa,而条叶车前在 - 0 .4 MPa)而后下降的趋势。讨论了两种植物种子萌发对不同温度和水分响应的生态学意义     

Effects of Arachidonic Acid on the Lysosomal Ion Permeability and Osmotic Stability

In this study, we investigated the effects of arachidonic acid, a PLA₂-produced lipid metabolite, on the lysosomal permeability, osmotic sensitivity and stability. Through the measurements of lysosomal β-hexosaminidase free activity, membrane potential, intralysosomal pH, and lysosomal latency loss in hypotonic sucrose medium, we established that arachidonic acid could increase the lysosomal permeability to both potassium ions and protons, and enhance the lysosomal osmotic sensitivity. As a result, the fatty-acid-promoted entry of potassium ions into the lysosomes via K⁺/H⁺ exchange, which could produce osmotic imbalance across their membranes and osmotically destabilize the lysosomes. In addition, the enhancement of lysosomal osmotic sensitivity caused the lysosomes to become more liable to destabilization in osmotic shock. The results suggest that arachidonic acid may play a role in the lysosomal destabilization.