The morphology and haemodynamics of the rabbit renal artery: evaluation by conventional and contrast-enhanced ultrasonography

The purpose of this study was to test the morphology and haemodynamics of the renal artery in the rabbit as evaluated by conventional and contrast-enhanced ultrasonography (CEUS). The morphology and haemodynamics of the rabbit renal artery, including the diameter, which were measured using B-mode ultrasonography (US), colour Doppler US and CEUS, and systolic velocity, diastolic velocity and resistive index (RI) were measured using pulsed wave Doppler US. CEUS was used to measure the renal artery diameter: 0.21 ± 0.04 cm (right) and 0.21 ± 0.03 cm (left). Values of the main renal artery diameter obtained from CEUS significantly correlated with those of digital subtraction angiography. The blood flow velocity of the right main renal artery was 44.20 ± 8.71/18.92 ± 6.26 cm/s (systolic/diastolic) and 36.30 ± 6.89/17.64 ± 5.58 cm/s (systolic/diastolic), at its origin from the aorta and at the renal hilus, respectively. The blood flow velocity of the left main renal artery was 45.10 ± 8.49/19.00 ± 6.80 cm/s (systolic/diastolic) and 41.70 ± 10.25/19.55 ± 7.90 cm/s (systolic/diastolic), at its origin from the aorta and at the renal hilus, respectively. Conventional US provides a more feasible modality for measuring the morphology and haemodynamics of the rabbit renal artery. CEUS is a more accurate method for measuring diameter. This information on the morphology and haemodynamics of the rabbit renal artery might be helpful for researchers.     

摇瓶培养条件下雷公藤不定根生长及次生代谢产物含量的研究

以雷公藤(Tripterygium wilfordii Hook. f.)不定根为材料,研究摇瓶悬浮培养条件下接种密度、装液比例、逐级放大、消泡剂、大孔吸附树脂种类及浓度对雷公藤不定根增长量、不定根及培养基中雷公藤内酯醇、雷公藤吉碱、雷公藤次碱含量的影响。结果显示,接种密度在15 g/L (FW)时较适合不定根的继代培养和次生代谢产物的积累。250 m L摇瓶中装入100 m L培养基,即装液量为2/5时,培养基利用率最高。随着摇瓶体积的逐渐放大,不定根增长量和3种次生代谢产物含量略有下降,5 L摇瓶中不定根增长量为对照的91.6%,内酯醇、吉碱和次碱的含量分别为对照的91.8%、91.7%和96.9%。6种大孔吸附树脂中,XAD-7处理对不定根的生长有明显促进作用,培养结束时,3种次生代谢产物产量显著提高,当XAD-7浓度为0.5 g/瓶时不定根增长量为对照的1.2倍,内酯醇、吉碱和次碱产量最高,分别为对照的2.9、2.4和2.2倍。培养基中添加消泡剂后不定根增长量、3种次生代谢产物总产量均不同程度下降,其中,LX-603处理后,虽然不定根增长量为对照的85%,内酯醇、吉碱和次碱产量分别为对照的78%、64%和87%,但明显抑制了培养过程中泡沫的产生。研究结果表明筛选的摇瓶逐级放大培养雷公藤不定根的方法效果较好,可为雷公藤不定根生物反应器放大培养奠定基础。     

表达流感病毒神经氨酸酶基因的重组腺病毒的构建

通过RT-PCR方法扩增流感病毒神经氨酸酶基因,将其克隆到腺病毒穿梭载体pTrackCMV,此重组质粒与腺病毒DNA共转化大肠杆菌BJ5183,通过细菌内同源重组获得重组腺病毒DNA,将其转染293细胞获得重组腺病毒.经PCR证实目的基因已整合至腺病毒基因组中,western blot检测到神经氨酸酶的表达.重组病毒经滴鼻和灌胃两种途径免疫小鼠,结果表明2次免疫后滴鼻组和灌胃组均产生明显的免疫应答反应,滴鼻组的免疫效果优于灌胃组.     

NYD-SP16, a novel gene associated with spermatogenesis of human testis

By hybridizing human adult testis cDNA microarrays with human adult and embryo testis cDNA probes, a novel human testis gene NYD-SP16 was identified. NYD-SP16 expression was 6.44-fold higher in adult testis than in fetal testis. NYD-SP16 contains 1595 base pairs (bp) and a 762-bp open reading frame encoding a 254-amino acid protein with 73% amino acid sequence identity with the mouse testis homologous protein. The NYD-SP16 gene was localized to human chromosome 5q14. The deduced structure of the NYD-SP16 protein contains one transmembrane domain, which was confirmed by GFP/NYD-SP16 fusion protein expression in the cytomembrane of the transfected human choriocarcinoma JAR cells, suggesting that it is a transmembrane protein. Multiple tissue distribution indicated that NYD-SP16 mRNA is highly expressed in the testes and pancreas, with little or no expression elsewhere. Further analysis of abnormal expression in infertile male patients revealed complete absence of NYD-SP16 in the testes of patients with Sertoli-cell-only syndrome and variable expression in patients with spermatogenic arrest. Homologous gene expression in mouse testis was confirmed in spermatogenic cells by in situ hybridization. The results of cDNA microarray, in situ hybridization, and semiquantitative polymerase chain reaction in mouse testis of different stages indicated that NYD-SP16 expression is developmentally regulated. These results suggest that the putative NYD-SP16 protein may play an important role in testicular development/spermatogenesis and may be an important factor in male infertility.     

Identification of a novel MTOR activator and discovery of a competing endogenous RNA regulating autophagy in vascular endothelial cells

MTOR, a central regulator of autophagy, is involved in cancer and cardiovascular and neurological diseases. Modulating the MTOR signaling balance could be of great significance for numerous diseases. No chemical activators of MTOR have been found, and the urgent challenge is to find novel MTOR downstream components. In previous studies, we found a chemical small molecule, 3-benzyl-5-((2-nitrophenoxy) methyl)–dihydrofuran-2(3H)-one (3BDO), that inhibited autophagy in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) and neuronal cells. Here, we found that 3BDO activated MTOR by targeting FKBP1A (FK506-binding protein 1A, 12 kDa). We next used 3BDO to detect novel factors downstream of the MTOR signaling pathway. Activation of MTOR by 3BDO increased the phosphorylation of TIA1 (TIA1 cytotoxic granule-associated RNA binding protein/T-cell-restricted intracellular antigen-1). Finally, we used gene microarray, RNA interference, RNA-ChIP assay, bioinformatics, luciferase reporter assay, and other assays and found that 3BDO greatly decreased the level of a long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) derived from the 3′ untranslated region (3′UTR) of TGFB2, known as FLJ11812. TIA1 was responsible for processing FLJ11812. Further experiments results showed that FLJ11812 could bind with MIR4459 targeting ATG13 (autophagy-related 13), and ATG13 protein level was decreased along with 3BDO-decreased FLJ11812 level. Here, we provide a new activator of MTOR, and our findings highlight the role of the lncRNA in autophagy.