长链非编码RNA与性激素依赖性肿瘤

随着基因测序技术与核酸定量分析技术的发展,近年的大量研究表明,长链非编码RNA (long non-coding RNA,LncRNA) 通过多种途径调控基因表达,具有调节细胞功能的重要作用。LncRNA的异常表达与肿瘤发生发展之间的联系被广泛关注。其中,关于LncRNA与3种最常见的性激素依赖性肿瘤乳腺癌、子宫内膜癌和前列腺癌的研究,揭示其在肿瘤细胞或组织中扮演着类似于原癌基因或抑癌基因的双重角色。并通过多种调控机制,参与癌细胞的侵袭、增殖、转移等过程。因性激素受体分布的特异性,使得与之相关的多种LncRNA的表达也具有较高的特异性。本文总结LncRNA与乳腺癌、子宫内膜癌和前列腺癌的相关研究进展,包括涉及到的LncRNA种类、表达差异、作用机制及作为生物标志物或治疗靶点的可行性评价。     

Role of keratinocyte‐derived factors involved in regulating the proliferation and differentiation of mammalian epidermal melanocytes

Melanocytes characterized by the activities of tyrosinase, tyrosinase‐related protein (TRP)‐1 and TRP‐2 as well as by melanosomes and dendrites are located mainly in the epidermis, dermis and hair bulb of the mammalian skin. Melanocytes differentiate from melanoblasts, undifferentiated precursors, derived from embryonic neural crest cells. Because hair bulb melanocytes are derived from epidermal melanoblasts and melanocytes, the mechanism of the regulation of the proliferation and differentiation of epidermal melanocytes should be clarified. The regulation by the tissue environment, especially by keratinocytes is indispensable in addition to the regulation by genetic factors in melanocytes. Recent advances in the techniques of tissue culture and biochemistry have enabled us to clarify factors derived from keratinocytes. Alpha‐melanocyte‐stimulating hormone, adrenocorticotrophic hormone, basic fibroblast growth factor, nerve growth factor, endothelins, granulocyte‐macrophage colony‐stimulating factor, steel factor, leukemia inhibitory factor and hepatocyte growth factor have been suggested to be the keratinocyte‐derived factors and to regulate the proliferation and/or differentiation of mammalian epidermal melanocytes. Numerous factors may be produced in and released from keratinocytes and be involved in regulating the proliferation and differentiation of mammalian epidermal melanocytes through receptor‐mediated signaling pathways.     

Serum catecholamine and hormonal titers in the hibernating snake Naja haje haje, with reference to the annual climatic cycle

(1) The analysis of catecholamines revealed alterations in norepinephrine levels in the blood serum and the central nervous system of the Egyptian cobra during the different phases of the hibernation cycle. This may reflect an increased central demand for norepinephrine as a mediator for adaptive changes to cold.

(2) The low and variable concentration of dopamine suggests retarded synthesis during all the phases studied.

(3) Serotonin may be depleted or associated with increased activity of serotonergic neurons during cold acclimation. This increases the rate of turnover of serotonin to 5-hydroxy indole acetic acid.

(4) Cricannual measurements of cortisol and adrenocorticotrophic hormones revealed marked suppression that would clarify the direct effect of hibernation on higher centers. The decreased levels during prehibernation and hibernation were restored in normothermic animals when the pituitary–adrenal axis resumed its activity.

(5) The decline in thyroid hormone concentrations has its behavioural and physiological responses that lead to seasonal adjustments in the hibernating cobras.

A possible role of prolyl oligopeptidase during Linum usitatissimum (flax) seed development

Involvement of prolyl oligopeptidases (POPs) in the control of several mammalian peptide hormone signalling pathways has been studied extensively in recent years. POPs are ubiquitous enzymes, but little attention has been paid to understanding their function in plants. Using a cDNA-AFLP approach, two flax (Linum usitatissimum) POP ESTs were identified as being specifically expressed in the early stages of flax seed development. This specific expression was confirmed using real time RT-PCR and in situ hybridisation approaches. Seed expression of Arabidopsis POP genes was measured and showed no specificity. Comparison between results obtained with flax and Arabidopsis is discussed in order to address a hypothetic function for POPs during seed formation. These results provide the first insights into POP gene expression and hypothetical function in plants.     

棉纤维分化起始的分子生物学研究进展

棉纤维的分化起始是棉纤维形态建成的初始阶段,对棉纤维的产量和质量有重要影响。本文对棉纤维细胞起始分化的时空顺序、影响因素以及近年来棉纤维分化起始在分子水平上的研究进展进行了综述,以阐明细胞分化的内在机理,为通过遗传工程途径人为控制棉纤维生长发育、选育优良农艺性状的新种质提供依据。     

植物MAP激酶级联途径研究进展

MAP激酶(促分裂原活化蛋白激酶)级联途径可以将不同的细胞膜感受器与细胞应答联系起来,响应各种生物以及非生物胁迫,在植物激素信号以及细胞分裂和发育过程中发挥着重要的作用.为有效地传递各种特异信号,MAP激酶级联相互交叉形成复杂的信号传递网络.近年来,随着功能获得型突变体、功能缺失型突变体的获得以及其它一些新技术的应用,进一步阐明了MAP激酶级联途径在信号传导过程中的功能和作用.本文主要对植物MAPK级联途径在信号传导过程中交叉串通以及复杂性的最新研究结果进行综述.     

Molecular anatomy of the cytoplasmic domain of bovine growth hormone receptor, a quantitative trait locus

Quantitative trait loci (QTL) studies have indicated growth hormone receptor (GHR) as a candidate gene affecting cattle milk yield and composition. In order to characterize genetic variation at GHR in cattle, we studied European and East African breeds with different histories of selection, and Bos grunniens, Ovis aries, Sus scrofa, Bison bison and Rangifer tarandus as references. We sequenced most of the cytoplasmic domain (900 bp of exon 10), 89 bp of exon 8, including the putative causative mutation for the QTL effect, and 390 bp of intron 8 for comparison. In the cytoplasmic domain, seven synonymous and seven non-synonymous single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) were identified in cattle. Three non-synonymous SNPs were found in sheep and one synonymous SNP in yak, while other studied species were monomorphic. Three major haplotypes were observed, one unique to African breeds, one unique to European breeds and one shared. Bison and yak haplotypes are derivatives of the European haplotype lineage. Most of the exon 10 non-synonymous cattle SNPs appear at phylogenetically highly conserved sites. The polymorphisms in exon 10 cluster around a ruminant-specific tyrosine residue, suggesting that this site may act as an additional signalling domain of GHR in ruminants. Alternative explanations for the persistent polymorphism include balancing selection, hitch-hiking, pleiotropic or sexually antagonistic fitness effects or relaxed functional constraints.     

Sources of individual variation in plasma testosterone levels

The steroid hormone testosterone (T) plays a central role in the regulation of breeding in males, because many physiological, morphological and behavioural traits related to reproduction are T dependent. Moreover, in many seasonally breeding vertebrates, male plasma T levels typically show a pronounced peak during the breeding season. While such population-level patterns are fairly well worked out, the sources and the implications of the large variability in individual T levels within the seasonal cycle remain surprisingly little understood. Understanding the potential sources of individual variation in T levels is important for behavioural and evolutionary ecologists, for at least two reasons. First, in 'honest signalling' theory, T is hypothesized to play a critical role as the assumed factor that enforces honesty of the expression of sexually selected quality indicators. Second, T is often considered a key mediator of central life-history trade-offs, such as investment in survival versus reproduction or in mating versus parental care. Here, we discuss the patterns of within- and between-individual variation in male plasma T levels in free-living populations of birds. We argue that it is unclear whether this variability mainly reflects differences in underlying individual quality (intrinsic factors such as genetic or maternal effects) or in the environment (extrinsic factors including time of day, individual territorial status and past experience). Research in avian behavioural endocrinology has mainly focused on the effects of extrinsic factors, while other sources of variance are often ignored. We suggest that studies that use an integrative approach and investigate the relative importance of all potential sources of variation are essential for the interpretation of data on individual plasma T levels.