Uptake and metabolism of fructose by rat neocortical cells in vivo and by isolated nerve terminals in vitro

Fructose reacts spontaneously with proteins in the brain to form advanced glycation end products (AGE) that may elicit neuroinflammation and cause brain pathology, including Alzheimer's disease. We investigated whether fructose is eliminated by oxidative metabolism in neocortex. Injection of [¹⁴C]fructose or its AGE‐prone metabolite [¹⁴C]glyceraldehyde into rat neocortex in vivo led to formation of ¹⁴C‐labeled alanine, glutamate, aspartate, GABA, and glutamine. In isolated neocortical nerve terminals, [¹⁴C]fructose‐labeled glutamate, GABA, and aspartate, indicating uptake of fructose into nerve terminals and oxidative fructose metabolism in these structures. This was supported by high expression of hexokinase 1, which channels fructose into glycolysis, and whose activity was similar with fructose or glucose as substrates. By contrast, the fructose‐specific ketohexokinase was weakly expressed. The fructose transporter Glut5 was expressed at only 4% of the level of neuronal glucose transporter Glut3, suggesting transport across plasma membranes of brain cells as the limiting factor in removal of extracellular fructose. The genes encoding aldose reductase and sorbitol dehydrogenase, enzymes of the polyol pathway that forms glucose from fructose, were expressed in rat neocortex. These results point to fructose being transported into neocortical cells, including nerve terminals, and that it is metabolized and thereby detoxified primarily through hexokinase activity.

     

中国稻纵卷叶螟发生特点及北迁的大气背景

稻纵卷叶螟因其发生面积大、暴发频率高、致害程度重而成为我国水稻生产上的重要害虫。为了阐明大气背景对其北迁重大过程的影响,利用2000—2012年中国稻纵卷叶螟灯诱数据分析了我国水稻主产区稻纵卷叶螟迁入的主要特征;选取2007年7月下旬的一次重大北迁过程作为典型个例,运用中尺度天气研究和预报模式WRF,结合NCEP气象再分析资料,模拟了这一过程的大气背景,推算了稻纵卷叶螟的迁飞轨迹,并分析了大气背景对稻纵卷叶螟灾变性迁入的影响。研究表明:(1)这13年中,我国稻纵卷叶螟的迁入大多在3月初始见,3—8月为北迁期,从南到北先后在华南、西南、江岭、江淮稻区出现迁入峰;9—11月为南迁期,从北到南先后迁入江淮、江岭、华南稻区并出现相应的迁入峰,10月底至11月初为终见期。(2)北迁个例中各站逆推轨迹分析显示:包括再迁飞在内的不同时段虫源地基本上位于降虫区的西南方,迁飞高度都变化于550—850 m之间,但在沿海地区降落的稻纵卷叶螟迁飞轨迹是复杂的。(3)水平气流是稻纵卷叶螟远距离北迁的主要运载动力,925 h Pa上南方稻区一致的偏南气流对稻纵卷叶螟北迁极为有利;三维流场的起伏、特别是垂直气流的强弱变化对迁飞高度的变化起重要的作用。(4)下沉气流和降水是稻纵卷叶螟降落的关键动力因素,两者都对降虫有明显影响。(5)在这一北迁过程中,稻纵卷叶螟种群多降落在相对湿度大的区域,降虫区的相对湿度均在75%以上。     

珍稀濒危植物堇叶紫金牛对持续干旱的生理响应

采用盆栽控水法,研究了珍稀濒危植物堇叶紫金牛(Ardisia violacea)在持续干旱条件下的生理响应。随着持续干旱时间的延长,堇叶紫金牛应对持续干旱的阶段可分为适应期、轻度干旱期、中度干旱期和重度干旱期。在适应期和轻度干旱期,堇叶紫金牛叶片游离脯氨酸和可溶性糖含量稳定在一个较低水平,可溶性蛋白质含量先下降后快速上升,细胞膜系统和抗氧化酶系统能主动进行生理调节;中度干旱期,丙二醛(MDA)含量和质膜相对透性迅速升高,细胞膜系统受损加剧,游离脯氨酸、可溶性糖含量均急剧增加,对抵御干旱起到重要的渗透调节作用。在轻度干旱期和中度干旱期,光合色素中叶绿素a和叶绿素b含量显著提高,以抵抗干旱胁迫。重度干旱期,细胞膜系统、抗氧化酶SOD、游离脯氨酸和可溶性糖含量上升,但MDA略微下降,这时可能达到植物耐受干旱的极限,不再发生膜脂过氧化作用。综上表明,堇叶紫金牛具有较强的耐旱性,RWC为49.94%是细胞膜系统、抗氧化酶系统和渗透调节物质含量变化的拐点,渗透调节和抗氧化酶系统的主动适应是其耐旱的主要机制。     

Genome-wide identification of antimicrobial peptides in the liver fluke,Clonorchis sinensis

The increase in prevalence of antimicrobial resistance makes the search for new antibiotic agents imperative. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) from natural resources have been recognized as suitable tools to combat antibiotic-resistant bacteria. The liver fluke Clonorchis sinensis living in germ-filled environments could be a good source of antimicrobials. Here, we report the use of a rational protocol that combines AMP predictions based on their physicochemical properties and their in vivo stability to discover AMP candidates from the entire genome of C. sinensis. To screen AMP candidates, in silico analyses based on the physicochemical properties of known AMPs, such as length, charge, isoelectric point, and in vitro and in vivo aggregation values were performed. To enhance their in vivo stability, proteins having proteolytic cleavage sites were excluded. As a consequence, four high-activity, highstability peptides were identified. These peptides could be potential starting materials for the development of new AMPs via structural modification and optimization. Thus, this study proposes a refined computational method to develop new AMPs and identifies four AMP candidates, which could serve as templates for further development of peptide antibiotics.     

斑蝥素酸镁对人肝癌细胞SMMC-7721裸鼠皮下移植瘤凋亡的影响

建立人肝癌细胞SMMC-7721裸鼠皮下移植瘤模型,实验组每只裸鼠瘤周注射斑蝥素酸镁6.26×10-5mmol,对照组给予相同容积的无菌生理盐水瘤周注射。给药22 d后,观察斑蝥素酸镁对皮下移植瘤增殖的影响,并在此基础上,利用HE染色观察药物对人肝癌裸鼠皮下移植瘤组织形态学特征的影响。实验发现斑蝥素酸镁组移植瘤细胞体积变小、胞浆固缩、嗜酸性变,细胞核固缩、碎裂。透射电镜观察人肝癌裸鼠皮下移植瘤组织超微结构的改变,镜下见斑蝥素酸镁组移植瘤细胞核膜基本消失、核染色质聚集成团等改变。免疫组化二步法检测人肝癌裸鼠皮下移植瘤组织中bcl-2、bax的表达水平,结果显示斑蝥素酸镁组瘤组织中bcl-2的表达低于生理盐水组,而bax的表达高于生理盐水组(P0.05)。本实验提示斑蝥素酸镁能明显抑制人肝癌裸鼠皮下移植瘤的增殖,并能诱导移植瘤细胞发生凋亡,其机制可能与上调bax和下调bcl-2表达有关。     

Glucagon-Like Peptide 1 Protects against Hyperglycemic-Induced Endothelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition and Improves Myocardial Dysfunction by Suppressing Poly(ADP-Ribose) Polymerase 1 Activity

Under high glucose conditions, endothelial cells respond by acquiring fibroblast characteristics, that is, endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EndMT), contributing to diabetic cardiac fibrosis. Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) has cardioprotective properties independent of its glucose-lowering effect. However, the potential mechanism has not been fully clarified. Here we investigated whether GLP-1 inhibits myocardial EndMT in diabetic mice and whether this is mediated by suppressing poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase 1 (PARP-1). Streptozotocin diabetic C57BL/6 mice were treated with or without GLP-1 analog (24 nmol/kg daily) for 24 wks. Transthoracic echocardiography was performed to assess cardiac function. Human aortic endothelial cells (HAECs) were cultured in normal glucose (NG) (5.5 mmol/L) or high glucose (HG) (30 mmol/L) medium with or without GLP-1analog. Immunofluorescent staining and Western blot were performed to evaluate EndMT and PARP-1 activity. Diabetes mellitus attenuated cardiac function and increased cardiac fibrosis. Treatment with the GLP-1 analog improved diabetes mellitus–related cardiac dysfunction and cardiac fibrosis. Immunofluorescence staining revealed that hyperglycemia markedly increased the percentage of von Willebrand factor (vWF)⁺/alpha smooth muscle actin (α-SMA)⁺ cells in total α-SMA⁺ cells in diabetic hearts compared with controls, which was attenuated by GLP-1 analog treatment. In cultured HAECs, immunofluorescent staining and Western blot also showed that both GLP-1 analog and PARP-1 gene silencing could inhibit the HG-induced EndMT. In addition, GLP-1 analog could attenuate PARP-1 activation by decreasing the level of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Therefore, GLP-1 treatment could protect against the hyperglycemia-induced EndMT and myocardial dysfunction. This effect is mediated, at least partially, by suppressing PARP-1 activation.