Cytological and cytogenetical studies on brain tumors

Summary Twelve out of 88 cytogenetically examined meningiomas of female patients showed, in addition to the typical loss of a chromosome 22, a loss of 1 or more chromosomes of group C. Among them 8 tumors had less than 8% cells with Barr-body-like particles, whereas in one tumor 12% and in 3 others over 20% Barr bodies were found, which, based on control studies, were classified as sex-chromatin negative, partly positive, and positive, respectively. In one case the loss of an X chromosome was verified by Giemsa banding.In 6 out of 24 meningiomas of male origin, the chromosoma. morphology and association pattern strongly indicated that besides the loss of a chromosome 22, the Y chromosome was also missing. Moreover, the loss of the male sex chromosome could be ascertained in 4 tumors by the conspicuous absence of Y fluorescence in interphase nuclei and in metaphase plates after fluorescence staining.The findings are discussed in connection with the gonosomal loss in other human tumors and in old age.

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Zusammenfassung Unter 88 cytogenetisch untersuchten Meningeomen von Frauen wurden 12 Tumoren gefunden, bei denen außer dem für Meningeome typischen Verlust eines Chromosoms 22 auch ein oder mehrere Chromosomen der C-Gruppe verlorengegangen waren. Bei 8 dieser Tumoren konnte in Gewebekulturpräparaten nur in weniger als 8% der untersuchten Zellen Barr-body-ähnliche Kernstrukturen nachgewiesen werden, bei einem Tumor fanden sich 12% und bei 3 über 20% Barr-bodies. Auf Grund von Vergleichsuntersuchungen wurden 8 Tumoren als geschlechtschromatinnegativ, 1 Tumor als teilweise positiv und die übrigen 3 als eindeutig positiv eingestuft. Bei einem Meningeom konnte das Fehlen eines X-Chromosoms direkt mit der Giemsa-Bandentechnik nachgewiesen werden.Bei 6 von 24 Meningeomen männlicher Herkunft konnte auf Grund der Chromosomenmorphologie und des Assoziationsverhaltens sehr wahrscheinlich gemacht werden, daß außer dem Chromosom 22 auch das Y-Chromosom verlorengegangen war. Bei 4 dieser Tumoren konnte eine Fluorescenzfärbung durchgeführt werden, wobei das Fehlen einer Y-Fluorescenz in Interphasezellen und Metaphaseplatten nachweisbar war.Diese Befunde werden im Zusammenhang mit dem Geschlechtschromosomenverlust bei anderen menschlichen Tumoren und im hohen Lebensalter diskutiert.

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Supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (SFB 51 E 12).

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Parts of this work are included in the doctoral thesis (M.D.) of H.S. at the University of Munich, Germany.     

Exosome derived from CD137‐modified endothelial cells regulates the Th17 responses in atherosclerosis

The role of exosomes derived from endothelial cells (ECs) in the progression of atherosclerosis (AS) and inflammation remains largely unexplored. We aimed to investigate whether exosome derived from CD137‐modified ECs (CD137‐Exo) played a major role in AS and to elucidate the potential mechanism underlying the inflammatory effect. Exosomes derived from mouse brain microvascular ECs treated with agonist anti‐CD137 antibody were used to explore the effect of CD137 signalling in AS and inflammation in vitro and vivo. CD137‐Exo efficiently induced the progression of AS in ApoE^?/? mice. CD137‐Exo increased the proportion of Th17 cells both in vitro and vivo. The IL‐6 contained in CD137‐Exo which is regulated by Akt and NF‐КB pathway was verified to activate Th17 cell differentiation. IL‐17 increased apoptosis, inhibited cell viability and improved lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release in ECs subjected to inflammation induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS). The expression of soluble intercellular adhesion molecule1 (sICAM‐1), monocyte chemoattractant protein‐1 (MCP‐1) and E‐selectin in the supernatants of ECs after IL‐17 treatment was dramatically increased. CD137‐Exo promoted the progression of AS and Th17 cell differentiation via NF‐КB pathway mediated IL‐6 expression. This finding provided a potential method to prevent local and peripheral inflammation in AS.     

Global Profiling of Alternative Splicing in Callus Induction of Immature Maize Embryo

In Vitro Cellular & Developmental Biology - Plant - Callus induction in plants is similar to pluripotent stem cell induction in animals and can incite global changes in gene expression....     

On the Use of Marker Strategy Design to Detect Predictive Marker Effect in Cancer Immunotherapy and Targeted Therapy

The marker strategy design (MSGD) has been proposed to assess and validate predictive markers for targeted therapies and immunotherapies. Under this design     

极小种群野生植物坡垒的生境特征及其对幼苗多度的影响

极小种群野生植物坡垒(Hopea hainanensis)曾经是热带低地雨林的优势种, 但由于商业采伐和刀耕火种等严重人类干扰及自然更新困难, 致使其种群数量急剧下降到最小可存活的界限, 急需开展种群的拯救恢复工作。而对于坡垒生境适宜性及更新限制的了解, 是进行种群保护及恢复的基础。本文在对野生坡垒种群及其生境因子调查测定的基础上, 分析了生物与非生物生境特征及其对坡垒种群更新幼苗多度的影响。结果表明: 坡垒种群从幼苗至幼树阶段存在着严重的增补限制。坡度小、土壤含水量和有效磷含量高、母株胸径和冠幅较大、伴生种胸高断面积中等的环境是坡垒幼苗较为适宜的生境, 且坡垒幼苗多度与坡度及土壤pH值显著负相关, 与土壤含水量及土壤全磷含量显著正相关。这些研究结果为极小种群野生植物坡垒的就地保护与种群复壮提供了科学依据。     

链球菌病类活疫苗活菌计数参考品的研制

研制链球菌病类活疫苗活菌计数参考品,可以更加科学地评价活菌计数结果的准确性和有效性。首先,制备了一批链球菌病类活疫苗活菌计数参考品,对其物理性状、纯粹性、真空度、剩余水分进行检验,并对其均一性、运输稳定性、热稳定性进行测定,另组织3家单位通过协作标定的方式对参考品活菌数进行赋值,用协作标定法统计参考品在12个月内的保存期。参考品的性状检查、纯粹检验、真空度测定和剩余水分测定结果均符合《中国兽药典》的规定;均一性试验结果显示,参考品计数结果的变异系数小于10%,均一性良好;运输稳定性试验证明,参考品在夏季和冬季用泡沫盒加冰袋的方式运输3日内数值仍能保持稳定;加速热稳定性试验验证,参考品在–20 ℃条件下保存3个月、4 ℃条件下保存21 d内均可活菌数稳定;通过协作标定,统计出参考品活菌数的赋值范围为 (8.5–12.1)×107 CFU/支;保存期试验结果证实,参考品在–70 ℃以下保存一年内活菌数可维持稳定状态。链球菌病类活疫苗活菌计数参考品,不仅可以为链球菌病类活疫苗的活菌计数实验提供参照物,而且可以用于评价马丁琼脂培养基的质量,为兽用生物制品质量控制提供保障。     

Fluorescent-Based Methods for Gene Knockdown and Functional Cardiac Imaging in Zebrafish

A notable advantage of zebrafish as a model organism is the ease of gene knockdown using morpholino antisense oligonucleotide (MO). However, zebrafish morphants injected with MO for a target protein often show heterogeneous phenotypes, despite controlling the injection volume of the MO solution in all embryos. We developed a method for estimating the quantity of MO injected into each living morphant, based on the co-injection of a control MO labeled with the fluorophore lissamine. By applying this method for knockdown of cardiac troponin T (tnnt2a) in zebrafish, we could efficiently select the partial tnnt2a-depleted zebrafish with a decreased heart rate and impairment of cardiac contraction. To investigate cardiac impairment of the tnnt2a morphant, we performed fluorescent cardiac imaging using Bodipy-ceramide. Cardiac image analysis showed moderate reduction of tnnt2a impaired diastolic distensibility and decreased contraction and relaxation velocities. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report to analyze the role of tnnt2a in cardiac function in tnnt2a-depleted living animals. Our combinatorial approach can be applied for analyzing the molecular function of any protein associated with human cardiac diseases.