Description of a new record species of Heterodera from China (Tylenchida, Heteroderidae)

A new record species Heterodera ripae was found in the rhizosphere soil of nettle(Urtica sp.) on the bank of the Mangniu River in Shenyang City,Liaoning Province,China.The new record species can be characterized by vulval cone bifenestrate with circular or subcircular semifenestrae,vulval slit length averaging 34.2 μm,vulval bridge mostly broad,underbridge weak,bullae absent;the second-stage larvae stylet knobs rather wide and slightly projecting anteriorly,tail length averaging 43.7 μm and hyaline region length averaging 22.3 μm.     

Silencing of RHEB inhibits cell proliferation and promotes apoptosis in colorectal cancer cells via inhibition of the mTOR signaling pathway

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is commonly known as one of the most prominent reasons for cancer-related death in China. Ras homolog enriched in brain (RHEB) and the mammalian target activity of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathway were found correlated with CRC, but their specific interaction in CRC was still to be investigated. Therefore, we explored whether RHEB gene silencing affected the cell proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis by directly targeting the mTOR signaling pathway in cells previously harvested from CRC patients. A microarray analysis was subsequently conducted to investigate the relationship between RHEB and mTOR. Eighty-three adjacent normal tissues and CRC tissues were selected. Immunohistochemistry was carried out to detect the positive expression rates of RHEB and Ki-67 in the CRC tissues. Cells were then transfected with different siRNAs to investigate the potential effects RHEB would have on CRC progression. The expressions of RHEB, 4EBP1, ribosomal protein S6 kinase (p70S6K), proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), B cell lymphoma 2 (bcl-2), and bcl-2-associated X protein (bax) were determined and then the cell cycle, cell proliferation, and apoptotic rate were also measured. We identified RHEB and mTOR as upregulated genes in CRC. Cells treated with RHEB silencing showed a decreased extent of mTOR, p70S6K, 4EBP1 phosphorylation and expression of RHEB, Ki-67, mTOR, p70S6K, 4EBP1, bcl-2, and PCNA as well as decreased activity of cell proliferation and differentiation; although, the expression of bax was evidently higher. Collectively, our data propose the idea that RHEB gene silencing might repress cell proliferation and differentiation while accelerating apoptosis via inactivating the mTOR signaling pathway.     

光动力疗法治疗感染性疾病的动物模型

光动力疗法(photodynamic therapy,PDT)是利用特定波长的激发光照射生物靶标上的光敏剂,从而产生活性氧并有效杀伤多种耐药病原体的新型治疗方式,具有作用广、安全可控、不易耐受等优点。大量体外实验已证实了PDT疗效,但目前动物实验数据较少,且治疗参数不一,一定程度上影响了PDT在临床治疗中的广泛应用。本文综述近年来PDT用于体内抗感染治疗的动物模型构建、治疗方案设计等方面的研究进展,为未来PDT抗感染研究及临床应用提供参考。     

Up-Regulation of Cdc37 Contributes to Schwann Cell Proliferation and Migration After Sciatic Nerve Crush

Cell division cycle protein 37 (Cdc37), a molecular chaperone takes part in a series of cellular processes including cell signal transduction, cell cycle progression, cell proliferation, cell motility, oncogenesis and malignant progression. It can not only recruit immature protein kinases to HSP90 but also work alone. Cdc37 was reported to be associated with neurogenesis, neurite outgrowth, axon guidance and myelination. However, the roles of Cdc37 on Schwann cells (SC) after peripheral nerve injury (PNI) remain unknown. In this study, we found that the expression of Cdc37 increased and reached the peak at 1 week after sciatic nerve crush (SNC), which was consistent with that of proliferation cell nuclear antigen. Immunofluorescence verified that Cdc37 co-localized with SC in vivo and in vitro. Intriguingly, Cdc37 protein level was potentiated in the model of TNF-α-induced SC proliferation. Moreover, we found that Cdc37 silencing impaired proliferation of SC in vitro. Moreover, Cdc37 suppression attenuated kinase signaling pathways of Raf–ERK and PI3K/AKT which are crucial cell signaling for SC proliferation. Finally, we found that Cdc37 silencing inhibited SC migration in vitro. In conclusion, we demonstrated that the way Cdc37 contributed to SC proliferation is likely via activating kinase signaling pathways of Raf–ERK and PI3K/AKT, and CDC37 was also involved in SC migration after SNC.     

EFCBP1/NECAB1, a brain-specifically expressed gene with highest abundance in temporal lobe, encodes a protein containing EF-hand and antibiotic biosynthesis monooxygenase domains.

Human EFCBP/NECAB family consists of important participants in neuronal calcium signaling, including EFCBP1/NECAB1, EFCBP2/NECAB2 and EFCBP3/NECAB3. In the present study, we identified the full-length 5229 bp EFCBP1 cDNA which was not described before. Human EFCBP1 encodes a 351 amino acid protein containing two EF-hand motifs and an antibiotic biosynthesis monooxygenase (ABM) domain, sharing 49.9 and 56.8% global homology with human EFCBP2 and EFCBP3. Northern hybridization revealed that EFCBP1 is specifically expressed in brain and its abundance varies in different brain regions. EFCBP1's abundance in temporal lobe, frontal lobe and occipital pole is about 3.4, 1.9 and 1.5 folds of the average abundance in cerebral cortex, respectively. The expression level of EFCBP1 equals in putamen and cerebral cortex, while no hybridization signal was detected in spinal cord. In addition, we found that EFCBP1, EFCBP2 and EFCBP3 share a similar exon distribution mode, though their chromosomal localizations, genomic sizes and intron sizes are diverse.     

缘座壳孢菌抑菌活性化合物的分离及鉴定

【目的】座壳孢菌是粉虱和蚧壳虫的一种重要昆虫病原真菌,其代谢产物具有抑菌、杀虫、抗肿瘤和抗氧化等生物活性。本研究旨在分离并鉴定缘座壳孢发酵物中的代谢物,以期为拓展该生防菌的应用提供依据。【方法】基于色谱技术从缘座壳孢菌A. marginata WYTF2017-01发酵培养物中分离化合物,借助波谱手段鉴定其化合物结构,分析化合物的抑菌活性。【结果】本研究共鉴定了12种化合物,包括Methyl 24-methylene-3-oxolanost-8-en-26-oic ester (1)、Ergosta-5,7,22-trien-3-ol,4-methyl-,(3β,4α,22E) (2)、杜斯塔宁(3)、3β-acetoxy-15α,22-dihydroxyhopane (4)、麦角固醇(5)、4-(Hydroxymethyl)-3-furancarboxylic acid (6)、Eupenicisirenin B (7)、4,6-dihydroxy-1(3H)-isobenzofuranone (8)、β-谷甾醇(9)、对叔丁基苯甲酸甲酯(10)、2-benzyl-4H-pyran-4-one(11)和6-benzyl-4-oxo-4H-pyran-3-carboxamide (12),其中化合物1、2、6~12为首次从昆虫病原真菌中分离鉴定。化合物1、2、3、6、7、8、11和12对真菌或细菌具有不同程度的抑制活性,MIC值为3.13~50.00 μg·mL^-1。化合物7、8和12抑菌活性较为突出,化合物7对大肠杆菌的MIC值为3.13 μg·mL^-1,效果与阳性对照链霉素相同,而8和12对青枯劳尔氏菌的MIC值分别为6.25和12.50 μg·mL^-1,优于或等同于链霉素(MIC值为12.50 μg·mL^-1)。【结论】从缘座壳孢菌分离的多种代谢物具有良好的抑菌活性,显示了防治植物病害的潜力。     

荒漠草原建群种短花针茅功能性状对长期放牧的可塑性响应

植物功能性状反映了植物对生长环境的响应和适应,将环境、植物个体和生态系统结构、过程与功能联系起来,而放牧是草原生态系统的主要土地利用方式,对草原生态系统的群落结构和生态系统功能的改变起着重要作用。该研究测定了内蒙古四子王旗长期不同放牧强度下草原建群种短花针茅(Stipa breviflora)的功能性状,探讨放牧对草原群落结构的影响。研究发现:(1)随放牧强度增加,叶片各性状指标、个体生物量、植株高度、冠(丛)幅均有显著变小、变矮的趋势。(2)通过排序构建的短花针茅性状可塑性变化谱显示,各功能性状指标的可塑性指数均在重牧区最高,轻牧区最低;茎质量、叶质量、全株地上生物量对放牧响应敏感,而茎基部直径、冠(丛)幅和比叶质量响应不敏感。(3)短花针茅对长期放牧的变异系数(CV)与其响应程度(PI)之间符合指数方程y=0.08+0.18e~(1.61 x)(R~2=0.53,P0.05),植物功能性状的变异性与性状对放牧的响应强度呈正相关关系。(4)影响地上生物量的因子中,表型功能性状中的冠(丛)幅、平均叶长、叶片数量和总叶面积的贡献率之和达到72.93%。研究认为,随着放牧强度增强,短花针茅的变异性增大、可塑性增强,这可能是短花针茅能够成为建群种的生态响应机制。     

CRISPR/Cas9-mediated gene editing in human tripronuclear zygotes

Genome editing tools such as the clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat (CRISPR)-associated system (Cas) have been widely used to modify genes in model systems including animal zygotes and human cells, and hold tremendous promise for both basic research and clinical applications. To date, a serious knowledge gap remains in our understanding of DNA repair mechanisms in human early embryos, and in the efficiency and potential off-target effects of using technologies such as CRISPR/Cas9 in human pre-implantation embryos. In this report, we used tripronuclear (3PN) zygotes to further investigate CRISPR/Cas9-mediated gene editing in human cells. We found that CRISPR/Cas9 could effectively cleave the endogenous β-globin gene (HBB). However, the efficiency of homologous recombination directed repair (HDR) of HBB was low and the edited embryos were mosaic. Off-target cleavage was also apparent in these 3PN zygotes as revealed by the T7E1 assay and whole-exome sequencing. Furthermore, the endogenous delta-globin gene (HBD), which is homologous to HBB, competed with exogenous donor oligos to act as the repair template, leading to untoward mutations. Our data also indicated that repair of the HBB locus in these embryos occurred preferentially through the non-crossover HDR pathway. Taken together, our work highlights the pressing need to further improve the fidelity and specificity of the CRISPR/Cas9 platform, a prerequisite for any clinical applications of CRSIPR/Cas9-mediated editing.     

Vasoregression Linked to Neuronal Damage in the Rat with Defect of Polycystin-2

Background

Neuronal damage is correlated with vascular dysfunction in the diseased retina, but the underlying mechanisms remain controversial because of the lack of suitable models in which vasoregression related to neuronal damage initiates in the mature retinal vasculature. The aim of this study was to assess the temporal link between neuronal damage and vascular patency in a transgenic rat (TGR) with overexpression of a mutant cilia gene polycystin-2.

Methods

Vasoregression, neuroglial changes and expression of neurotrophic factors were assessed in TGR and control rats in a time course. Determination of neuronal changes was performed by quantitative morphometry of paraffin-embedded vertical sections. Vascular cell composition and patency were assessed by quantitative retinal morphometry of digest preparations. Glial activation was assessed by western blot and immunofluorescence. Expression of neurotrophic factors was detected by quantitative PCR.

Findings

At one month, number and thickness of the outer nuclear cell layers (ONL) in TGR rats were reduced by 31% (p<0.001) and 17% (p<0.05), respectively, compared to age-matched control rats. Furthermore, the reduction progressed from 1 to 7 months in TGR rats. Apoptosis was selectively detected in the photoreceptor in the ONL, starting after one month. Nevertheless, TGR and control rats showed normal responses in electroretinogram at one month. From the second month onwards, TGR retinas had significantly increased acellular capillaries (p<0.001), and a reduction of endothelial cells (p<0.01) and pericytes (p<0.01). Upregulation of GFAP was first detected in TGR retinas after 1 month in glial cells, in parallel with an increase of FGF2 (fourfold) and CNTF (60 %), followed by upregulation of NGF (40 %) at 3 months.

Interpretation

Our data suggest that TGR is an appropriate animal model for vasoregression related to neuronal damage. Similarities to experimental diabetic retinopathy render this model suitable to understand general mechanisms of maturity-onset vasoregression.