NADPH oxidases differentially regulate ROS metabolism and nutrient uptake under cadmium toxicity

The role of NADPH oxidases under cadmium (Cd) toxicity was studied using Arabidopsis thaliana mutants AtrbohC, AtrbohD and AtrbohF, which were grown under hydroponic conditions with 25 and 100 μM Cd for 1 and 5 days. Cadmium reduced the growth of leaves in WT, AtrbohC and D, but not in AtrbohF. A time‐dependent increase in H₂O₂ and lipid peroxidation was observed in all genotypes, with AtrbohC showing the smallest increase. An opposite behaviour was observed with NO accumulation. Cadmium increased catalase activity in WT plants and decreased it in Atrboh mutants, while glutathione reductase and glycolate oxidase activities increased in Atrboh mutants, and superoxide dismutases were down‐regulated in AtrbohC. The GSH/GSSG and ASA/DHA couples were also affected by the treatment, principally in AtrbohC and AtrbohF, respectively. Cadmium translocation to the leaves was severely reduced in Atrboh mutants after 1 day of treatment and even after 5 days in AtrbohF. Similar results were observed for S, P, Ca, Zn and Fe accumulation, while an opposite trend was observed for K accumulation, except in AtrbohF. Thus, under Cd stress, RBOHs differentially regulate ROS metabolism, redox homeostasis and nutrient balance and could be of potential interest in biotechnology for the phytoremediation of polluted soils.     

The effects of nutritional imbalance on compensatory feeding for cellulose-mediated dietary dilution in a generalist caterpillar

Abstract. The interactive effects of macronutrient balance [protein (P) : carbohydrate (C) ratio] and dietary dilution by cellulose on nutritional regulation and performance were investigated in the generalist caterpillar Spodoptera littoralis (Boisduval). Caterpillars were reared through the final stadium on one of 20 foods varying factorially in macronutrient content (P + C%: 42, 33.6. 25.2 or 16.8%) and P : C ratio (5 : 1, 2 : 1, 1 : 1, 1 : 2 or 1 : 5). The animals compensate by eating more of diluted foods, but suffer reduced nutrient intake in proportion to the degree of dilution. Increase in food intake with dilution is greater on balanced than imbalanced foods and this is reflected in greater reduction of dry pupal mass with dilution in the latter. Whereas dilution results in a reduction in the amount of whichever macronutrient is in excess in the food, by contrast, the ability to compensate for the deficient macronutrient in the food is unaffected by nutrient imbalance. Excess protein intake due to nutritional imbalance (diets with high P : C ratios) results in a regulatory decrease in the efficiency of retention of ingested nitrogen relative to restricted protein intake on oppositely imbalanced foods (low P : C ratios). By contrast, decreased protein intake due to dietary dilution is associated with a non‐regulatory reduction in the efficiency of retention, irrespective of P : C ratio. Dilution is similarly associated with reduced utilization efficiency of ingested carbohydrate. The ecological implications of these results are discussed.     

Biological significance of chromosomal imbalance aberrations in gastrointestinal stromal tumors

Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) are the most common mesenchymal tumors of the gastrointestinal tract. Current criteria for the diagnosis of malignant GISTs do not always reliably predict patient outcomes. In order to search for genetic markers with prognostic potential, chromosomal imbalance aberrations (CIAs) were analyzed in 28 subjects with GIST using comparative genomic hybridization and correlated with clinicopathological features. Except for a small rectal tumor, CIAs were identified in all GISTs, including 14 from the stomach, 11 from the small intestine, 1 from the esophagus, and 1 from the rectum. Losses were more common than gains. The median number of CIAs in high-risk GISTs was significantly higher than that in low-risk GISTs (5.60±2.59 vs. 3.38±2.55; p<0.05), especially for losses (4.60±1.84 vs. 2.63±2.13; p<0.01). Loss of 14q was the most common CIA in both low-risk and high-risk GISTs, and can be regarded as an early event of GIST development. Losses of 1p and 15q were also very common, often coexisting, and were slightly more frequent in high-risk GISTs than in low-risk GISTs. Other recurrent CIAs, including losses of 10q, 13q, 15q, 18q, and 22q and gains of 5p, 12q, 17q, and 20q were relatively less common in this series. Among these CIAs, losses of 13q, 10q (with minimal overlapping on q11–q22), and 22q were most likely the chromosomal loci potentially harboring the tumor suppressor gene(s) which may be related to early recurrence and/or metastasis during malignant transformation of GISTs.     

"生存还是毁灭",发育还是阻滞--小鼠早胚体外发育2-细胞阻滞产生机制初析

在体外培养条件下,小鼠受精卵往往经一次分裂后就停滞在２－细胞,不能完成到达囊胚的后续发育过程,称作２－细胞阻滞。氧自由基伤害、培养液成分不平衡等外界因素都能引起阻滞。小鼠的２－细胞阻滞现象受细胞质内母型物质制约,具有品系依赖性。在阻滞品系小鼠胚胎的细胞质内可能缺乏某些重要的蛋白因子,在无外源信号的培养体系内不能继续分裂。发生阻滞的胚胎细胞内ＭＰＦ前体物虽然储备充足,但因无法去磷酸化激活而最终导致发     

农产品质量安全的生态观认识

可持续农业概念提出30多年,世界各地区都有不同的认识.我国类似的概念被称作生态农业,历经几十年的实践,在理论、模式及配套技术上都有了认识总结,但迄今仍然缺乏明确界定的应用指导.欧盟提出的有机农业模式现在被广为接受,但其受益群体和承担的社会责任、生态责任均有一定的局限性.针对以上问题,本文从生态学角度出发,分析了生态失衡弊端对农产品质量安全的负面影响,提出了可持续安全农产品概念.支持该概念的农业生产模式追求两方面的价值,一是拥有一个健康的生态圈环境作为农业产业平台,二是能从这个产业平台可持续地获取安全农产品.围绕该概念的核心价值,设计了生产可持续安全农产品的农业构建模式,同时提出了对不可逆、不可控、难修复的农艺措施在改良之前放弃使用的原则.最后通过与有机农业在承担责任、受益群体、农艺措施选用以及对转基因技术的认识等方面进行对比,反证可持续安全农业模式下生产的农产品在数量安全、质量安全上的先进性.     

Nutritional imbalance caused by nitrogen excess is correlated with the occurrence of watermark disease in white willow

Willows in the Flemish region are threatened by the watermark disease, a wood disease caused by the bacterium Brenneria salicis (Hauben et al. Syst Appl Microbiol 21:384–397, 1998). Affected trees are observed to grow at specific sites which seem more sensitive to periodical watermark symptom development than other sites. In this study we aim at revealing abiotic site factors that could play a role in triggering the watermark disease. During three consecutive years we analyzed stands of young isogenic willows (Salix alba L. cv. Lichtenvoorde), which were planted on four different sites in an agricultural environment. These test sites were chosen, based on the occurrence/absence of watermark disease in the old willows that grow on these sites. Two sites had old willow pollards with clear watermark symptoms, and on the two other sites the old willows were unaffected. Differences in abiotic characteristics between the sites were analysed and their effects on the nutrient status in willow were measured in the isogenic willows that were newly planted. Brenneria salicis-specific multiplex PCR revealed the presence of this pathogenic bacterium in both the old and the freshly planted young willows. At each site, the physical and chemical characteristics of soil and groundwater were investigated; the young tree growth was monitored and nutritional status of the willow plantings was assessed by foliar analysis. Physical soil properties including soil type and profile water availability, and chemical soil analysis were unable to explain differences between healthy and affected sites. Diseased sites, however, had significantly higher N concentrations and traces of herbicides in the groundwater. In young trees, foliar levels of N and S were always greater at the affected sites, while P contents were lower. Dry mass based N concentration in the leaves of the newly planted trees increased systematically over the years, but more at affected than at healthy sites. Also, chlorophyll content was significantly greater at the affected sites. Growth rate of the young isogenic trees was twice as fast at the diseased sites. The presented data suggest that application of fertilisers in agriculture causes an imbalance in the nutritional status of Salix alba L. Excess nitrogen makes this species fast-growing, reflected by an average foliar N:P ratio >10, and more susceptible for watermark disease, indicated by an average foliar N:Ca ratio exceeding 1.5.     

The effect of dehydration with or without abscisic acid pretreatment on buds regeneration from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Polypodium vulgare</Emphasis> L. rhizomes

Polypodium vulgare L., a widely distributed fern, is water-stress tolerant. Under controlled dehydration conditions (20% mannitol, 9 h) without and with abscisic acid (ABA) pretreatment (2 mg l⁻¹, 24 h), dehydration tolerance and regenerative, potential of common polypody rhizomes was investigated. We demonstrated the positive effect of ABA on changes in dehydrated rhizome metabolism. ABA pretreatment reduced electrolyte leakage from cells: it has also a role in regulating sucrose accumulation and thus, osmotic adjustment. Our findings confirm that P. vulgare rhizomes are well adapted to stress conditions through maintaining of ability to bud formation by dehydrated and rehydrated rhizomes.     

荒漠草地土壤微生物生物量和微生物熵对沙漠化的响应

采用空间序列代替时间演替的方法,分析宁夏中北部盐池县荒漠草地不同沙漠化阶段(荒漠草地、固定沙地、半固定沙地和流动沙地)土壤微生物生物量(SMB)和微生物熵(qMB)的变化特征及其影响因子.结果表明:从荒漠草地到流动沙地,土壤微生物生物量碳、氮、磷分别降低46.1%、80.8%和30.0%.随着荒漠草地沙漠化程度的加剧,土壤微生物熵碳(qMBC)、土壤微生物熵氮(qMBN)、土壤微生物熵磷(qMBP)均表现为荒漠草地>固定沙地>半固定沙地>流动沙地,而土壤-微生物化学计量不平衡性(C∶Nimb、C∶Pimb、N∶Pimb)基本呈增加趋势.土壤微生物生物量氮与C∶Nimb呈显著正相关,与N∶Pimb呈显著负相关;土壤微生物生物量磷与C∶Pimb呈显著正相关.冗余分析(RDA)显示,土壤生态化学计量(C∶N、C∶P)对微生物熵碳的负效应最明显.荒漠草地沙漠化显著影响土壤微生物生物量和微生物熵.     

七味白术散对菌群失调腹泻 小鼠肠道蔗糖酶活性的影响

目的探究七味白术散对菌群失调腹泻小鼠肠道蔗糖酶活性的影响,为其临床应用提供依据。方法将132只SPF级KM小鼠分为正常组、模型组、七味白术散组,每组44只,雌雄各半。采用硫酸庆大霉素和头孢拉定混合抗生素制备腹泻小鼠模型,造模成功后,七味白术散组给予七味白术散汤剂进行治疗,正常组和模型组给予等量无菌水进行灌胃,连续治疗6 d。造模结束和治疗期间每天灌胃前进行小鼠肠道取材,分别测定小鼠肠道内容物、肠道黏膜前中后段蔗糖酶活性,观察治疗期间蔗糖酶活性的动态变化。结果造模结束后,小鼠的肠道内容物和肠道黏膜前中后段蔗糖酶活性与正常组比均下降明显(t=23.684,P0.01)。肠道内容物:治疗第1天,模型组、七味白术散组蔗糖酶活性仍低于正常组(t=13.909,P0.01),到治疗第3天,模型组和正常组差异无统计学意义(P0.05),七味白术散组显著高于正常组和模型组(t=14.189,P0.01)。肠道黏膜前段和中段:治疗第1天,模型组和七味白术散组酶活性差异无统计学意义(P0.05),且均低于正常组(t=19.274,P0.01),治疗第3天,模型组和正常组酶活性差异无统计学意义(P0.05),七味白术散组酶活性远远高于正常组和模型组(t=19.467,P0.01)。黏膜后段:治疗第1天,模型组和七味白术散组酶活性差异无统计学意义(P0.05),均显著低于正常组(t=12.783,P0.01),治疗第3天,模型组和正常组酶活性差异无统计学意义(P0.05),七味白术散组酶活性均远远高于正常组和模型组(t=10.942,P0.01)。结论抗生素可引起小鼠腹泻及肠道蔗糖酶活性下降,七味白术散可促进腹泻小鼠肠道黏膜蔗糖酶活性恢复而治疗腹泻。     

Oxidative stress,redox signaling pathways,and autophagy in cachectic muscles of male patients with advanced COPD and lung cancer

Muscle dysfunction and wasting are predictors of mortality in advanced COPD and malignancies. Redox imbalance and enhanced protein catabolism are underlying mechanisms in COPD. We hypothesized that the expression profile of several biological markers share similarities in patients with cachexia associated with either COPD or lung cancer (LC). In vastus lateralis of cachectic patients with either LC (n=10) or advanced COPD (n=16) and healthy controls (n=10), markers of redox balance, inflammation, proteolysis, autophagy, signaling pathways, mitochondrial function, muscle structure, and sarcomere damage were measured using laboratory and light and electron microscopy techniques. Systemic redox balance and inflammation were also determined. All subjects were clinically evaluated. Compared to controls, in both cachectic groups of patients, a similar expression profile of different biological markers was observed in their muscles: increased levels of muscle protein oxidation and ubiquitination (p<0.05, both), which positively correlated (r=0.888), redox-sensitive signaling pathways (NF-κB and FoxO) were activated (p<0.05, all), fast-twitch fiber sizes were atrophied, muscle structural abnormalities and sarcomere disruptions were significantly greater (p<0.05, both). Structural and functional protein levels were lower in muscles of both cachectic patient groups than in controls (p<0.05, all). However, levels of autophagy markers including ultrastructural autophagosome counts were increased only in muscles of cachectic COPD patients (p<0.05). Systemic oxidative stress and inflammation levels were also increased in both patient groups compared to controls (p<0.005, both). Oxidative stress and redox-sensitive signaling pathways are likely to contribute to the etiology of muscle wasting and sarcomere disruption in patients with respiratory cachexia: LC and COPD.