Contents of Volume 53

Plant Molecular Biology -     

The Stress Hormone Corticosterone Increases Synaptic ��-Amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic Acid (AMPA) Receptors via Serum- and Glucocorticoid-inducible Kinase (SGK) Regulation of the GDI-Rab4 Complex

Corticosterone, the major stress hormone, plays an important role in regulating neuronal functions of the limbic system, although the cellular targets and molecular mechanisms of corticosteroid signaling are largely unknown. Here we show that a short treatment of corticosterone significantly increases α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid receptor (AMPAR)-mediated synaptic transmission and AMPAR membrane trafficking in pyramidal neurons of prefrontal cortex, a key region involved in cognition and emotion. This enhancing effect of corticosterone is through a mechanism dependent on Rab4, the small GTPase-controlling receptor recycling between early endosome and plasma membrane. Guanosine nucleotide dissociation inhibitor (GDI), which regulates the cycle of Rab proteins between membrane and cytosol, forms an increased complex with Rab4 after corticosterone treatment. Corticosterone also triggers an increased GDI phosphorylation at Ser-213 by the serum- and glucocorticoid-inducible kinase (SGK). Moreover, AMPAR synaptic currents and surface expression and their regulation by corticosterone are altered by mutating Ser-213 on GDI. These results suggest that corticosterone, via SGK phosphorylation of GDI at Ser-213, increases the formation of GDI-Rab4 complex, facilitating the functional cycle of Rab4 and Rab4-mediated recycling of AMPARs to the synaptic membrane. It provides a potential mechanism underlying the role of corticosteroid stress hormone in up-regulating excitatory synaptic efficacy in cortical neurons.     

广东省种子植物分布新资料

报道广东省种子植物分布新记录2属——甜茅属(Glyceria R. Br.)及锦鸡儿属(Caragana Fabr.)，2个新记录种——甜茅[Glyceria acutiflora subsp. japonica (Steud.) T. Koyama et Kawano]及锦鸡儿[Caragana sinica (Buc’hoz) Rehder]，均发现于丹霞山国家级自然保护区。新记录的发现对于研究丹霞山的区系发生具有一定指示意义。     

PET-CT在非完全实性肺结节中的应用价值

肺癌在中国恶性肿瘤的发病率位居第一,随着低剂量薄层CT在肺癌筛查中的广泛应用,临床发现更多表现为非完全实性结节的肺腺癌,目前众多研究使CT影像学特征和肺腺癌病理的关系得到更进一步的认知,虽然CT能对部分非完全实性结节做出定性和定位诊断,但仍有部分非完全实性结节诊断困难,PET-CT结合了病灶的代谢信息和精确的定位信息,从而提高对肺部结节诊断的敏感性、特异性、准确性,综合多个文献PET-CT在非完全实性结节中的诊断分期价值较CT无明显提升,却在评估预后和制定合适手术方案上可以起到一定的作用,本文就PET-CT在SSN中的应用价值进行阐述。     

经甫树蛙的染色体组型、C带和Ag-NORs的研究

本文分别用骨髓细胞染色体标本制作法、BSG技术和一种快速、简便的Ag-NORs显带技术,首次研究了经甫树蛙的染色体组型、C带和Ag-NORs。结果表明,经甫树蛙2n=26,有5对大型和8对小型染色体,次缢痕在No.11染色体长臂末端,为C带负染;银染表明,此次缢痕处即是经甫树蛙的“标准NORs”经甫树娃的C带结构异染色质主要是着丝点型和插入型的。文章初步讨论了树蛙属的细胞分类、经甫树蛙次缢痕、Ag-NORs和C带的关系。     

电刺激大鼠尾核头部对丘脑腹后外侧核痛相关神经元电活动的影响

丘脑腹后外侧核的神经元对伤害性刺激的反应形式主要为以下三种类型:痛兴奋神经元、痛抑制神经元和痛无关神经元。痛相关神经元的放电活动可被吗啡类药物所抑制。电刺激尾核头部对痛相关神经元主要产生抑制作用,尾核头部背侧的作用强于腹侧,且受不同刺激参数的影响。本文就以上结果在镇痛中的意义进行了讨论。