Knockdown of phosphotyrosyl phosphatase activator induces apoptosis via mitochondrial pathway and the attenuation by simultaneous tau hyperphosphorylation

Phosphotyrosyl phosphatase activator (PTPA) is decreased in the brains of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and the AD transgenic mouse models. Here, we investigated whether down‐regulation of PTPA affects cell viability and the underlying mechanisms. We found that PTPA was located in the integral membrane of mitochondria, and knockdown of PTPA induced cell apoptosis in HEK293 and N2a cell lines. PTPA knockdown decreased mitochondrial membrane potential and induced Bax translocation into the mitochondria with a simultaneous release of Cyt C, activation of caspase‐3, cleavage of poly (DNA ribose) polymerase (PARP), and decrease in Bcl‐xl and Bcl‐2 protein levels. Over‐expression of Protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) catalytic subunit (PP2A_C) did not rescue the apoptosis induced by PTPA knockdown, and PTPA knockdown did not affect the level of and their phosphorylation of mitogen‐activated protein kinases (MAPKs), indicating that PP2A and MAPKs were not involved in the apoptosis induced by PTPA knockdown. In the cells with over‐expression of tau, PTPA knockdown induced PP2A inhibition and tau hyperphosphorylation but did not cause significant cell death. These data suggest that PTPA deficit causes apoptotic cell death through mitochondrial pathway and simultaneous tau hyperphosphorylation attenuates the PTPA‐induced cell death.

     

Does elevated atmospheric CO2 concentrations affect wood decomposition?

This study was conducted to test the hypothesis that wood tissues generated under elevated atmospheric [CO₂] have lower quality and subsequent reduced decomposition rates. Chemical composition and subsequent field decomposition rates were studied for beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) twigs grown under ambient and elevated [CO₂] in open top chambers. Elevated [CO₂] significantly affected the chemical composition of beech twigs, which had 38% lower N and 12% lower lignin concentrations than twigs grown under ambient [CO₂]. The strong decrease in N concentration resulted in a significant increase in the C/N and lignin/N ratios of the beech wood grown at elevated [CO₂]. However, the elevated [CO₂] treatment did not reduce the decomposition rates of twigs, neither were the dynamics of N and lignin in the decomposing beech wood affected by the [CO₂] treatment, despite initial changes in N and lignin concentrations between the ambient and elevated [CO₂] beech wood. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Elevated CO2 and plant nitrogen-use: is reduced tissue nitrogen concentration size-dependent?

Plants often respond to elevated atmospheric CO₂ levels with reduced tissue nitrogen concentrations relative to ambient CO₂-grown plants when comparisons are made at a common time. Another common response to enriched CO₂ atmospheres is an acceleration in plant growth rates. Because plant nitrogen concentrations are often highest in seedlings and subsequently decrease during growth, comparisons between ambient and elevated CO₂-grown plants made at a common time may not demonstrate CO₂-induced reductions in plant nitrogen concentration per se. Rather, this comparison may be highlighting differences in nitrogen concentration between bigger, more developed plants and smaller, less developed plants. In this study, we directly examined whether elevated CO₂ environments reduce plant nitrogen concentrations independent of changes in plant growth rates. We grew two annual plant species. Abutilon theophrasti (C₃ photosynthetic pathway) and Amaranthus retroflexus (C₄ photosynthetic pathway), from seed in glass-sided growth chambers with atmospheric CO₂ levels of 350 mol·mol^–1 or 700 mol·mol^–1 and with high or low fertilizer applications. Individual plants were harvested every 2 days starting 3 days after germination to determine plant biomass and nitrogen concentration. We found: 1. High CO₂-grown plants had reduced nitrogen concentrations and increased biomass relative to ambient CO₂-grown plants when compared at a common time; 2. Tissue nitrogen concentrations did not vary as a function of CO₂ level when plants were compared at a common size; and 3. The rate of biomass accumulation per rate of increase in plant nitrogen was unaffected by CO₂ availability, but was altered by nutrient availability. These results indicate that a CO₂-induced reduction in plant nitrogen concentration may not be due to physiological changes in plant nitrogen use efficiency, but is probably a size-dependent phenomenon resulting from accelerated plant growth.     

δ13C and δ15N changes after dietary shift in veliger larvae of the slipper limpet Crepidula fornicata: an experimental evidence

δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N measurements are still poorly conducted in benthic invertebrate larvae. To assess the δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N changes occurring after a dietary shift, experiments were conducted on veliger larvae of Crepidula fornicata fed with two cultured microalgae (Isochrysis galbana and Pavlova lutheri) of known isotopic composition, ¹³C-enriched and ¹⁵N-depleted compared to the initial values of the larvae. Rapid changes in larval δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N were observed after the dietary shift, with an increase in δ¹³C and a decrease in δ¹⁵N. After 19 days of feeding, isotopic equilibrium was still not reached, a period which is close to the duration of the pelagic life of the larvae. This implies that the isotopic composition measured in field-collected larvae might only partly reflect actual larval feeding but also the parental isotopic signature, especially during the early developmental stages. Isotopic measurements in marine invertebrate larvae should thus be interpreted cautiously. In planktonic food web investigations, the study of field-collected larvae of different size/developmental stage may reduce potential misinterpretations.     

Application of 13C-[2] - and 13C-[1,2] acetate in metabolic labelling studies of yeast and insect cells

The advantage of using ¹³C-labelled glucose in metabolic studies is that it is an important carbon and energy source for almost all biotechnologically and medically important organisms. On the other hand, the disadvantage is its relatively high cost in the labelling experiments. Looking for cheaper alternatives we found that ¹³C-[2] acetate or ¹³C-[1,2] acetate is a prospective compound for such experiments. Acetate is well incorporated by many organisms, including mammalian and insect cell cultures as preferred source of acetyl-CoA. Our experimental results using ¹³C NMR demonstrated that acetate was efficiently incorporated into glutamate and alanine secreted by the insect cell culture. Using D-stat culture of Saccharomyces uvarum on glucose/¹³C-acetate mineral media we demonstrated that the labelling patterns of proteinogenic amino acids can be well predicted on the basis of specific substrate consumption rates using the modified scheme of yeast metabolism and stoichiometric modelling. According to this scheme aspartate and alanine in S. uvarum under the experimental conditions used is synthesised in the mitochondria. Synthesis of alanine in the mitochondria was also demonstrated for Spodoptera frugiperda. For both organisms malic enzyme was also operative. For S. uvarum it was shown that the activity of malic enzyme is sufficient for supporting the mitochondrial biosynthetic reactions with NADPH.     

The role of below-ground competition during early stages of secondary succession: the case of 3-year-old Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) seedlings in an abandoned grassland

In abandoned or extensively managed grasslands, the mechanisms involved in pioneer tree species success are not fully explained. Resource competition among plants and microclimate modifications have been emphasised as possible mechanisms to explain variation of survivorship and growth. In this study, we evaluated a number of mechanisms that may lead to successful survival and growth of seedlings of a pioneer tree species (Pinus sylvestris) in a grass-dominated grassland. Three-year-old Scots pines were planted in an extensively managed grassland of the French Massif Central and for 2 years were either maintained in bare soil or subjected to aerial and below-ground interactions induced by grass vegetation. Soil temperatures were slightly higher in bare soil than under the grass vegetation, but not to an extent explaining pine growth differences. The tall grass canopy reduced light transmission by 77% at ground level and by 20% in the upper part of Scots pine seedlings. Grass vegetation presence also significantly decreased soil volumetric water content (Hv) and soil nitrate in spring and in summer. In these conditions, the average tree height was reduced by 5% compared to trees grown in bare soil, and plant biomass was reduced by 85%. Scots pine intrinsic water-use efficiency (A/g), measured by leaf gas-exchange, increased when Hv decreased owing to a rapid decline of stomatal conductance (g). This result was also confirmed by δ ¹³C analyses of needles. A summer ¹⁵N labelling of seedlings and grass vegetation confirmed the higher NO₃ capture capacity of grass vegetation in comparison with Scots pine seedlings. Our results provide evidence that the seedlings' success was linked to tolerance of below-ground resource depletion (particularly water) induced by grass vegetation based on morphological and physiological plasticity as well as to resource conservation.     

核糖核酸酶抑制因子对H_2O_2损伤的大鼠神经胶质瘤细胞系C6的影响

核糖核酸酶抑制因子 (ribonucleaseinhibitor,RI)是广泛存在于哺乳动物细胞浆中的一种酸性糖蛋白 .为了进一步了解RI的功能 ,根据RI分子结构富含巯基的特点 ,研究了RI对过氧化氢(H2 O2 )损伤的大鼠神经胶质瘤细胞 (C6 )的影响 .用不同浓度的H2 O2 分别作用于转染有RIcDNA并且RI过表达的C6细胞和正常C6细胞 ,对比损伤前后 2者的细胞存活率、LDH漏出量、细胞内GSH和MDA含量差别 ,以及细胞内抗氧化酶类GPX、CAT和GST活性的差别 .结果表明 ,与正常C6细胞相比 ,RI过表达的C6细胞在H2 O2 作用下存活率高 ,LDH漏出量、MDA含量明显减少 ,而细胞内GSH较多 ;RI过表达的C6细胞在损伤前后均表现出更强的CAT和GST活性 .提示RI具有抗氧化功能 ,能够减轻H2 O2 所致的细胞过氧化损伤 .     

口服型HCV融合抗原DNA疫苗在小鼠诱导免疫应答

将编码一个外源信号肽、一个通用型辅助性T淋巴细胞抗原表位和HCV核心 包膜蛋白E2融合抗原基因的真核表达质粒pST CE2t(DNA疫苗 )转化到减毒鼠伤寒沙门菌SL72 0 7.将该重组菌口服接种BALB c小鼠 3次 .小鼠的抗HCV核心和E2抗体阳转率分别达 6 0 %和 70 % .体外以重组HCV核心或E2抗原刺激小鼠脾细胞 ,均使之发生明显的增殖反应 ,且小鼠脾细胞能有效杀伤表达HCV核心抗原的同系骨髓瘤细胞SP2 0 .这为研制高效免疫、成本低廉、接种方便的HCV疫苗提供了一个新的可行途径