低氧促进肺腺癌A549细胞迁移的机制*

目的: 探讨低氧促进肺腺癌A549细胞迁移的机制。方法: 培养肺腺癌A549细胞,转染慢病毒获得稳定敲低ACC1的A549细胞株,转染si-RNA获得敲低SREBP-1的A549细胞。分别以低氧(5％ O₂)联合低氧诱导因子1α(HIF-1α)抑制剂PX-478(25 μmol)处理A549细胞,低氧联合亚油酸(LA)(20 μmol)处理敲低ACC1的A549细胞,低氧处理敲低胆固醇调节原件结合蛋白1(SREBP-1)的A549细胞。Transwell实验检测细胞迁移,蛋白质印迹法检测HIF-1α、ACC1及上皮-间质转化(EMT)相关波形蛋白(Vimentin)及E-钙黏蛋白(E-Cadherin)的表达与SREBP-1的表达,实时荧光定量聚合酶链反应(RT-qPCR)检测低氧联合HIF-1α抑制剂PX-478(25 μmol)处理A549细胞后ACC1及SREBP-1 mRNA水平变化。每项实验重复三次。结果: 与常氧组相比,低氧组A549细胞迁移数增加,ACC1与HIF-1α表达上调(P均＜0.01),SREBP-1表达上调(P＜0.05);与低氧对照组相比,PX-478(25 μmol)抑制A549细胞迁移,SREBP-1表达下调(P＜0.05);低氧处理A549细胞后ACC1 mRNA上升(P＜0.05),SREBP-1 mRNA水平上升(P＜0.01);低氧并使用PX-478(25 μmol)处理A549细胞24 h,ACC1 mRNA水平下降(P＜0.05),SREBP-1 mRNA 水平下降(P＜0.01);转染si-RNA获得敲低SREBP-1的A549细胞,Transwell 实验显示si-SREBP-1组细胞迁移数较常氧对照组减少(P＜0.01);低氧处理si-SREBP-1组与si-NC组,与对照组相比si-SREBP-1组细胞迁移数减少(P＜0.01)但与常氧组相比差异无统计学意义(P＞0.05);Western blot检测到si-SREBP-1组ACC1表达较对照组下降(P＜0.01);低氧处理si-SREBP-1组,ACC1表达较对照组下降(P＜0.01);敲低ACC1抑制A549细胞迁移(P＜0.05),敲低ACC1后A549细胞在常氧和5％ O₂条件下细胞迁移数目差异无统计学意义(P＞ 0.05);低氧处理敲低ACC1的A549细胞并给予LA(25 μmol)促进A549细胞迁移(P＜0.05)。结论: 低氧通过HIF-1α/SREBP-1/ACC1途径调节脂肪酸代谢进而促进肺腺癌A549细胞迁移。     

基于地理探测器的宁夏贺兰山植被覆盖度时空分异及驱动因子

监测区域植被覆盖变化并分析其驱动因子,有利于实现生态环境的可持续发展。本研究以1989—2021年Landsat 5/8遥感影像为数据源,利用像元二分模型获取宁夏贺兰山植被覆盖度,基于地理探测器量化了环境和人为等10个因子对其时空分布的影响。结果表明: 1989—2021年间,宁夏贺兰山平均植被覆盖度为35.8%,时间尺度上总体呈增加趋势,平均增幅为0.043·(10 a)^-1,空间尺度上呈现从西南向东北递减的分布特征;研究区58.1%的区域植被覆盖度未来将持续性改善,但仍有30.7%的植被存在退化的潜在风险。降水是影响植被分布的主要环境因子,与单因子相比,环境因子和人为因子的交互作用对植被覆盖度的解释力更强,降水与其他因子的交互作用处于主导作用。     

闽西南红壤侵蚀区黑莎草功能性状特征及其与土壤因子的关系

为了解黑莎草(Gahnia tristis)在南方红壤侵蚀区的适应状况,测定了长汀县红壤侵蚀区的黑莎草叶片、根系的功能性状及土壤理化性质,并应用数理统计方法分析了黑莎草叶片与根系功能性状之间的相关性,及其对土壤因子的响应。结果表明,黑莎草叶片表型性状在冬夏季间存在显著差异,叶长、叶宽、叶组织密度和叶绿素表现为夏季显著大于冬季,根系表型性状则更具稳定性,冬季的根系养分含量均高于夏季,养分的分配上叶片养分高于根系养分。叶组织密度与叶绿素含量呈显著正相关,与比叶面积呈显著负相关;根组织密度与比根长和比根面积均呈显著负相关,叶片和根系养分间均呈显著正相关,土壤碳、氮、磷含量是影响黑莎草功能性状主要因子。因此,黑莎草可通过调节功能性状以适应环境变化,可作为地带性植物应用于南方红壤侵蚀区的植被恢复和水土流失治理。     

综述与专论: 白质消融性白质脑病研究进展

白质消融性白质脑病（leukoencephalopathy with vanishing white matter,VWM）是一种常染色体隐性遗传性脑白质病,其致病基因EIF2B 1~5分别编码真核细胞蛋白质翻译起始因子2B（eukaryotic initiation factor 2B,eIF2B）的5个亚基α~ε,其中任一编码基因突变均可引起发病。起病多见于婴幼儿及儿童期,临床表型差异大,典型表现为进行性运动功能退行,可伴共济失调和癫痫。应激（发热、外伤等）可导致发作性加重。影像学显示大脑白质进行性液化。尸解神经病理学特征主要表现为广泛性白质稀疏和囊性变性,无神经胶质细胞反应性增生,星形胶质细胞形态异常,过表达祖细胞标志物巢蛋白（Nestin）和胶质纤维酸性蛋白δ（GFAPδ）,少突前体细胞数量增加和成熟少突胶质细胞减少、泡沫化且凋亡增加。VWM致病基因EIF2B 1~5是管家基因,但多数患者通常仅脑白质受累。少数胎儿期及婴儿早期发病的患者可出现多系统受累,成年女性患者可有卵巢功能障碍。目前认为,星形胶质细胞在其致病机制中起着核心作用,病理性星形胶质细胞继发性引起少突胶质细胞成熟障碍和髓鞘形成异常,进而导致脑白质病变。其他疾病机制包括内质网应激后未折叠蛋白反应（UPR）过度激活、线粒体功能障碍、自噬抑制等,尚不完全明确。     

猪环状RNA IGF1R促进脂肪细胞分化

环状RNA(circular RNA, circRNA)作为竞争性内源RNA(competitive endogenous RNA, ceRNA)在细胞分化调控中发挥着重要作用。本研究旨在对猪环状RNA IGF1R(circular RNA insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor, circIGF1R)进行鉴定及分析,探明其表达规律,构建猪circIGF1R相关的ceRNA调控网络,并探究其异位表达对小鼠间充质干细胞(C3H10T1/2)成脂分化的调控作用。通过正反向引物PCR、Sanger测序、RNase R酶消化检测和qRT-PCR验证circIGF1R是胰岛素样生长因子1受体(insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor, IGF1R)第二外显子形成的circRNA,它在猪各组织中均有表达,且其表达量在脂肪组织中随日龄增加呈上升趋势;使用miRDB、TargetScan和miRWalk在线软件预测circIGF1R靶基因,运用RNAhybrid软件进行结合位点预测,使用DAVID生物信息功能分析软件对候选靶基因进行GO和KEGG富集分析,运用Cytoscape软件构建ceRNA网络,基于基因表达相关性和预测的靶标关系,绘制了GO和KEGG富集分析及构建了ceRNA网络;双荧光素酶报告基因分析证明circIGF1R及FABP4可与ssc (Sus scrofa chromosome) -miR-133a-5p结合;成功构建circIGF1R过表达载体,在间充质干细胞C3H10T1/2中异位表达,过表达circIGF1R后关键成脂调控因子CEBPα、CEBPβ、FABP4和PPARγ极显著升高(P＜0.01),脂滴数量显著增加。本研究结果证明,circIGF1R在猪脂肪组织中存在,并且可能通过ceRNA机制正调控C3H10T1/2细胞成脂分化,为进一步研究circIGF1R调控猪前体肌内脂肪细胞成脂分化奠定理论基础。     

A novel in vitro co-culture model to examine contact formation between astrocytic processes and cerebral vessels

Here, we developed a novel in vitro co-culture model, in which process-bearing astrocytes and isolated cerebral microvessels from mice were co-cultured. Astrocytes formed contacts with microvessels from both adult and neonatal mice. However, concentrated localization of the immunofluorescence signal for aquaporin-4 (AQP4) at contact sites between perivascular endfoot processes and blood vessels was only detected with neonatal mouse microvessels. Contact between astrocytic processes and microvessels was retained, whereas concentrated localization of AQP4 signal at contact sites was lost, by knockdown of dystroglycan or α-syntrophin, reflecting polarized localization of AQP4 at perivascular regions in the brain. Further, using our in vitro co-culture model, we found that astrocytes predominantly extend processes to pericytes located at the abluminal surface of microvessels, providing additional evidence that this model is representative of the in vivo situation. Altogether, we have developed a novel in vitro co-culture model that can reproduce aspects of the in vivo situation and is useful for assessing contact formation between astrocytes and blood vessels.     

Expression and functional analysis of flotillins in Dugesia japonica

FLOTILLIN-1 and FLOTILLIN-2 are membrane rafts associated proteins that have been implicated in insulin and growth factor signaling, endocytosis, cell migration, proliferation, differentiation, cytoskeleton remodeling and membrane trafficking. Furthermore, FLOTILLINs also play important roles in the progression of cancer and neurodegenerative diseases. In this study, the roles of flotillins are investigated in planarian Dugesia japonica. The results show that Djflotillin-1 and Djflotillin-2 play a key role in homeostasis maintenance and regeneration process by regulating the proliferation of the neoblast cells, they are not involved in the maintenance and regeneration of the central nervous system in planarians.     

The PDZ-GEF Gef26 regulates synapse development and function via FasII and Rap1 at the Drosophila neuromuscular junction

Guanine nucleotide exchange factors (GEFs) are essential for small G proteins to activate their downstream signaling pathways, which are involved in morphogenesis, cell adhesion, and migration. Mutants of Gef26, a PDZ-GEF (PDZ domain-containing guanine nucleotide exchange factor) in Drosophila, exhibit strong defects in wings, eyes, and the reproductive and nervous systems. However, the precise roles of Gef26 in development remain unclear. In the present study, we analyzed the role of Gef26 in synaptic development and function. We identified significant decreases in bouton number and branch length at larval neuromuscular junctions (NMJs) in Gef26 mutants, and these defects were fully rescued by restoring Gef26 expression, indicating that Gef26 plays an important role in NMJ morphogenesis. In addition to the observed defects in NMJ morphology, electrophysiological analyses revealed functional defects at NMJs, and locomotor deficiency appeared in Gef26 mutant larvae. Furthermore, Gef26 regulated NMJ morphogenesis by regulating the level of synaptic Fasciclin II (FasII), a well-studied cell adhesion molecule that functions in NMJ development and remodeling. Finally, our data demonstrate that Gef26-specific small G protein Rap1 worked downstream of Gef26 to regulate the level of FasII at NMJs, possibly through a βPS integrin-mediated signaling pathway. Taken together, our findings define a novel role of Gef26 in regulating NMJ development and function.     

Aggregation of human dental pulp cells into 3D spheroids enhances their migration ability after reseeding

Multicellular three-dimensional (3D) spheroids allow intimate cell–cell communication and cell–extracellular matrix interaction. Thus, 3D cell spheroids better mimic microenvironment in vivo than two-dimensional (2D) monolayer cultures. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the behaviors of human dental pulp cells (DPCs) cultured on chitosan and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) membranes. The protein expression of hypoxia-inducible factor 1-α (HIF-1α) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and the migration ability of the DPCs from 2D versus 3D environments were investigated. The results showed that both chitosan and PVA membranes support DPCs aggregation to form multicellular spheroids. In comparison to 2D cultures on tissue culture polystyrene, DPC spheroids exhibited higher protein expression of HIF-1α and VEGF. The treatment with YC-1 (inhibitor to HIF-1α) blocked the upregulation of VEGF, indicating a downstream event to HIF-1α expression. When DPC spheroids were collected and subjected to the transwell assay, the cells growing outward from 3D spheroids showed greater migration ability than those from 2D cultures. Moreover, DPCs aggregation and spheroid formation on chitosan membrane were abolished by Y-27632 (inhibitor to Rho-associated kinases), whereas the inhibitory effect did not exist on PVA membrane. This suggests that the mechanism regulating DPCs aggregation and spheroid formation on chitosan membrane is involved with the Rho-associated kinase signaling pathway. In summary, the multicellular spheroid structure was beneficial to the protein expression of HIF-1α and VEGF in DPCs and enhanced the migration ability of the cells climbing from spheroids. This study showed a new perspective in exploring novel strategies for DPC-based research and application.