Refractory hypothalamic alpha-mSH satiety and AGRP feeding systems in rats bearing MCA sarcomas

In pre-anorectic tumor-bearing (TB: methylcholanthrene-induced sarcoma) rats, injection of alpha-melanocyte stimulating hormone (alpha-MSH) into the perifornical hypothalamus (PFH) had no significant effect on food intake at a dose (5 microg) that reduced feeding in non-TB control rats. Following the development of anorexia, injection of alpha-MSH MC3/MC4 receptor antagonists, SHU9119 (1 microg) or 4 microg agouti-related protein (AGRP), stimulated feeding in non-TB rats, while having no significant effect in TB rats. Concentrations of alpha-MSH were not altered significantly in ventromedial, dorsomedial or lateral hypothalamic areas of TB rats, and proopiomelanocortin (POMC) messenger RNA was not changed in TB rats in these hypothalamic areas. Determination of cytokines by ELISA in non-operated TB and non-TB rats revealed elevated IL-2 in plasma and hypothalamus as well as increased TNF-alpha in the hypothalamus of anorectic TB rats. IL-1B was not detectable in plasma and was not altered significantly in hypothalamus of TB rats. These results suggest that the POMC alpha-MSH satiety system is refractory in TB rats, even prior to the onset of anorexia. This change in MC3/MC4 receptor response does not appear to be secondary to alterations of endogenous alpha-MSH in TB rats. Cytokine involvement in the altered response to MC3/MC4 receptor stimulation and blockade is a possibility, since TNF-alpha and IL-2 were increased in hypothalamus of anorectic TB rats. Therefore, these results suggest major alterations in POMC neuropeptide systems in TB rats as anorexia progresses. Although these changes do not appear to have occurred due to grossly-altered concentrations of alpha-MSH, elevated cytokine activity in the hypothalamus may be an important factor. Due to the complex multi-factorial nature of feeding control, additional factors are likely to be involved in cancer anorexia.     

Intrinsic Regulation of Brain Inflammatory Responses

It is now well accepted that inflammatory responses in brain contribute to the genesis and evolution of damage in neurological diseases, trauma, and infection. Inflammatory mediators including cytokines, cell adhesion molecules, and reactive oxygen species including NO are detected in human brain and its animal models, and interventions that reduce levels or expression of these agents provide therapeutic benefit in many cases. Although in some cases, the causes of central inflammatory responses are clear—for example those due to viral infection in AIDS dementia, or those due to the secretion of proinflammatory substances by activated lymphocytes in multiple sclerosis—in other conditions the factors that allow the initiation of brain inflammation are not well understood; nor is it well known why brain inflammatory activation is not as well restricted as it is in the periphery. The concept is emerging that perturbation of endogenous regulatory mechanisms could be an important factor for initiation, maintenance, and lack of resolution of brain inflammation. Conversely, activation of intrinsic regulatory neuronal pathways could provide protection in neuroinflammatory conditions. This concept is the extension of the principle of central neurogenic neuroprotection formulated by Donald Reis and colleagues, which contends the existence of neuronal circuits that protect the brain against the damage initiated by excitotoxic injury. In this paper we will review work initiated in the Reis laboratory establishing that activation of endogenous neural circuits can exert anti-inflammatory actions in brain, present data suggesting that these effects could be mediated by noradrenaline, and summarize recent studies suggesting that loss of noradrenergic locus ceruleus neurons contributes to inflammatory activation in Alzheimer's disease.     

A high incidence of Shigella-induced arthritis in a primate species: major histocompatibility complex class I molecules associated with resistance and susceptiblity, and their relationship to HLA-B27

 The human major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I gene, HLA-B27, is a strong risk factor for susceptibility to a group of disorders termed spondyloarthropathies. Rodents that express HLA-B27 develop spondyloarthropathies, implicating HLA-B27 in the etiology of these disorders. To determine whether an HLA-B27-like molecule was associated with spondyloarthropathies in nonhuman primates, we analyzed the MHC class I cDNAs expressed in a cohort of rhesus macaques that developed reactive arthritis after an outbreak of shigellosis. We identified several cDNAs with only limited sequence similarity to HLA-B27. Interestingly, one of these MHC molecules had a B pocket identical to that of HLA-B39. Pool sequencing of radiolabeled peptides bound by this molecule demonstrated that, like HLA-B27 and HLA-B39, it could bind peptides with arginine at the second position. However, extensive analysis of the MHC class I molecules in this cohort revealed no statistically significant association between any particular MHC class I allele and susceptibility to reactive arthritis. Furthermore, none of the rhesus MHC class I molecules bore a strong resemblance to HLA-B27, indicating that reactive arthritis can develop in this animal model in the absence of an HLA-B27-like molecule. Surprisingly, there was a statistically significant association between the rhesus macaque MHC A locus allele, Mamu-A*12, and the absence of reactive arthritis following Shigella infection. Received: 26 July 1999 / Revised: 28 December 1999     

Norepinephrine transporter expression and function in noradrenergic cell differentiations

The classical view of norepinephrine transporter (NET) function is the re-uptake of released norepinephrine (NE) by mature sympathetic neurons and noradrenergic neurons of the locus ceruleus (LC; [1-3]). In this report we review previous data and present new results that show that NET is expressed in the young embryo in a wide range of neuronal and non-neuronal tissues and that NET has additional functions during embryonic development. Sympathetic neurons are derived from neural crest stem cells. Fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF-2), neurotrophin-3 (NT-3) and transforming growth factor-1 (TGF-1) regulate NET expression in cultured quail neural crest cells by causing an increase in NET mRNA levels. They also promote NET function in both neural crest cells and presumptive noradrenergic cells of the LC. The growth factors are synthesized by the neural crest cells and therefore are likely to have autocrine function. In a subsequent stage of development, NE transport regulates differentiation of noradrenergic neurons in the peripheral nervous system and the LC by promoting expression of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) and dopamine--hydroxylase (DBH). Conversely, uptake inhibitors, such as the tricyclic antidepressant, desipramine, and the drug of abuse, cocaine, inhibit noradrenergic differentiation in both tissues. Taken together, our data indicate that NET is expressed early in embryonic development, NE transport is involved in regulating expression of the noradrenergic phenotype in the peripheral and central nervous systems, and norepinephrine uptake inhibitors can disturb noradrenergic cell differentiation in the sympathetic ganglion (SG) and LC.     

Effects of sucrose supply on growth and paraquat tolerance of the late-flowering gi-3 mutant

Mutations at the GI locus in Arabidopsis are pleiotropic: gi mutants are late-flowering, tolerant to the toxicity of the herbicide paraquat, and have an increased starch content. We tested the effects of exogenous sucrose supply on the level of paraquat tolerance and on growth and development of the gi-3 mutant. Paraquat tolerance was the highest in gi-3 seedlings grown on medium containing 1% sucrose. As expected, all measured growth parameters (root length, fresh weight, anthocyanin, and sucrose content) were influenced by the sucrose dose, but in a number of assays (effect on fresh weight and developmental characteristics) the sucrose-dependent response in gi-3 was heterochronic. Additionally, the late-flowering phenotype of the gi-3 mutant was reverted to wild type after prolonged growth in darkness on sucrose-containing media.     

水稻蒸煮品质相关QTL定位及候选基因分析

挖掘与稻米蒸煮品质相关的数量性状基因座(quantitative trait locus, QTL)，分析候选基因，并通过遗传育种手段改良稻米蒸煮品质相关性状，可有效提升稻米的口感。以籼稻华占(Huazhan, HZ)、粳稻热研2号(Nekken2)及由其构建的120个重组自交系(recombinant inbred lines, RILs)群体为实验材料，测定成熟期稻米的糊化温度(gelatinization temperature, GT)、胶稠度(gel consistency, GC)和直链淀粉含量(amylose content, AC)。结合高密度分子遗传图谱进行QTL定位，共检测到26个与稻米蒸煮品质相关的QTLs (糊化温度相关位点1个、胶稠度相关位点13个、直链淀粉含量相关位点12个)，其中最高奇数的可能性(likelihood of odd, LOD)值达30.24。通过实时荧光定量PCR (quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, qRT-PCR)分析定位区间内候选基因的表达量，发现6个基因在双亲间的表达量差异显著，推测LOC_Os04g20270和LOC_Os11g40100的高表达可能会极大地提高稻米的胶稠度，而LOC_Os01g04920和LOC_Os02g17500的高表达以及LOC_Os03g02650和LOC_Os05g25840的低表达有助于降低直链淀粉含量。这些结果为培育优质水稻新品种奠定了分子基础，并为揭示稻米蒸煮品质的分子调控机制提供了重要的遗传资源。     

CDKN2B expression and subcutaneous adipose tissue expandability: Possible influence of the 9p21 atherosclerosis locus

Risk alleles within a gene desert at the 9p21 locus constitute the most prevalent genetic determinant of cardiovascular disease. Previous research has demonstrated that 9p21 risk variants influence gene expression in vascular tissues, yet the biological mechanisms by which this would mediate atherosclerosis merits further investigation. To investigate possible influences of this locus on other tissues, we explored expression patterns of 9p21-regulated genes in a panel of multiple human tissues and found that the tumor suppressor CDKN2B was highly expressed in subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT). CDKN2B expression was regulated by obesity status, and this effect was stronger in carriers of 9p21 risk alleles. Covariation between expression of CDKN2B and genes implemented in adipogenesis was consistent with an inhibitory effect of CDKN2B on SAT proliferation. Moreover, studies of postprandial triacylglycerol clearance indicated that CDKN2B is involved in down-regulation of SAT fatty acid trafficking. CDKN2B expression in SAT correlated with indicators of ectopic fat accumulation, including markers of hepatic steatosis. Among genes regulated by 9p21 risk variants, CDKN2B appears to play a significant role in the regulation of SAT expandability, which is a strong determinant of lipotoxicity and therefore might contribute to the development of atherosclerosis.     

Mapping of qGL7-2,a grain length QTL on chromosome 7 of rice

A residual heterozygous line(RHL)carrying a heterozygous segment between two SSR loci RM11 and RM134 on the rice chromosome 7 was selected from a set of recombinant inbred lines from the cross D50(javanica)/HB277(indica).The former parent produces much longer grains than the latter.Selfed progenies of this selection were analyzed genotypically(SSRs)and phenotypically(grain length).Grain length was discontinuously variable in the mapping populations,allowing for the placement of this QTL qGL7-2 within a～4.8 cM interval defined by RM351 and RM234.A set of new markers within this region were developed,which narrowed the QTL to a 278 kb region defined by the markers Indel1 and RM21945.This region contains 49 predicted genes.The results also suggest that the novel allele for grain length will be used for the application of marker assisted selection for the improvement of grain length.     

彩色马铃薯色素相关基因座的种类、功能与染色体定位(英文)

综述了与彩色马铃薯色素产生与分布相关基因座的观念起源、种类、功能和染色体定位。与彩色马铃薯色素相关基因座的观念起源于试图解释四倍体和二倍体马铃薯块茎和其他部位颜色呈现遗传行为的两个遗传模式。与彩色马铃薯色素相关的13个基因座可划分为4类,第1、第2和第3类分别与马铃薯花色苷的合成、酰化和分布有关,第4类与马铃薯类胡萝卜素的产生相关。基因座I,P,R和Y分别编码一个MYB结构域转录因子、类黄酮3′,5′-羟化酶、二氢黄酮醇4-还原酶和β-胡萝卜素羟化酶。基因座之间复杂多样的互作综合决定了彩色马铃薯色素特别是花色苷的产生与分布。基因座D和R定位在马铃薯的2号染色体上,E,F,I和PSC在10号染色体上,P在11号染色体上,Y在3号染色体上。可为彩色马铃薯颜色呈现的遗传机理探索提供参考。