日本大耳白黑眼兔在不同生长阶段蛋白质营养与肝脏相关基因表达的关系

目的研究日粮粗蛋白水平和生长阶段对日本大耳白黑眼兔（WHBE兔）肝脏相关基因表达的影响。方法采用两因素实验设计,分别选取断奶和2月龄WHBE兔各20只进行为期1个月的幼兔期和育成兔期饲养实验,每个阶段实验均将兔随机分为5组,各组日粮粗蛋白水平分别为12%、14%、16%、18%和20%,实验结束,用实时荧光定量PCR技术测定肝脏胰岛素样生长因子-1（IGF-1）和磷酸烯醇式丙酮酸羧激酶-C（PEPCK-C）的mRNA的表达丰度。结果生长阶段和粗蛋白水平均对WHBE兔肝脏IGF-1mRNA的表达丰度有显著影响,育成兔期IGF-1 mRNA的表达丰度明显高于幼兔期;日粮粗蛋白水平为16%和18%时IGF-1mRNA表达丰度较高,显著高于其他3组。PEPCK-C mRNA的表达也以16%粗蛋白组最高,幼兔期和育成兔期之间差异无显著性。结论日粮粗蛋白水平对IGF-1和PEPCK-C基因表达有显著影响,生长阶段与IGF-1mRNA表达密切相关。     

Studies on the structural stability of rabbit prion probed by molecular dynamics simulations of its wild-type and mutants

Prion diseases are invariably fatal and highly infectious neurodegenerative diseases that affect humans and animals. Rabbits are the only mammalian species reported to be resistant to infection from prion diseases isolated from other species (Vorberg et al., 2003). Fortunately, the NMR structure of rabbit prion (124-228) (PDB entry 2FJ3), the NMR structure of rabbit prion protein mutation S173N (PDB entry 2JOH) and the NMR structure of rabbit prion protein mutation I214V (PDB entry 2JOM) were released recently. This paper studies these NMR structures by molecular dynamics simulations. Simulation results confirm the structural stability of wild-type rabbit prion, and show that the salt bridge between D177 and R163 greatly contributes to the structural stability of rabbit prion protein.     

Post-operative course in a surgical model of acute myocardial infarction in the rabbit

This study was undertaken to evaluate the post-operative (post-OP) course of rabbits in a surgical model of myocardial infarction (MI). Ten New Zealand White rabbits were subjected to coronary artery ligation after lateral thoracotomy. Anesthesia was delivered using a xylazine-ketamine-isoflurane protocol after endotracheal intubation. Among other cardiorespiratory parameters, arterial pressure was monitored via central ear artery catheterization. Post-OP care included oxygen, antibiotic and analgesic treatment as well as nutritional and fluid support. A series of cardiorespiratory, hematological, blood biochemical and clinical parameters were assessed during the first 21 days. The mortality rate was 10%. Hypotension and hypothermia, noted during the operation, reverted within the first few post-MI hours. Electrocardiographic alterations, which included ST segment elevation and Q wave, appeared after MI and remained throughout the study period. Tachycardia was observed during the first 5 days. Hematological examination revealed mild and transient anemia during the post-OP period and leucocytosis up to the 5th day. Urea was increased up to the 12th post-MI hour while increased AST, ALT, LDH and CK levels normalized by the first 4-5 days. Although the post-OP anorexia period lasted around 5 days, the animals did not manage to regain their body weight by the end of the study period. In conclusion, the present model offers a low mortality rate and could be useful in mid- or long-term MI studies. The animals go through a critical post-OP period of around 5 days during which special care should be given. After that time, their clinical and blood laboratory parameters tend to normalize.     

Identification of Pip4k2β as a mechanical stimulus responsive gene and its expression during musculoskeletal tissue healing

To investigate the mechano-transduction system of cells, we identified genes responsive to a cyclic mechanical stimulus. MC3T3.E1 cells were cultured on a computer-controlled vacuum-pump-operated device designed to provide a cyclic mechanical stimulus. A maximum elongation of 15% of membrane at 10 cycles/min (3 s extension followed by 3 s relax per cycle) was repeated for 48 h. By means of a differential display, the gene expression pattern of cells exposed to the stimulus was compared with that of unexposed cells. As a result, a gene fragment that was exclusively expressed in mechanically stressed cells was identified. By using expressed sequence tag walking together with the oligo-capping method, this gene was identified as phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate 5-kinase type II β (initially known as Pip5k2β but now reclassified as Pip4k2β). The specific up-regulation of Pip4k2β upon mechanical stimulus was also confirmed by using another apparatus, viz. a computer-controlled linearized-stepping motor system. To examine the involvement of the cyclic mechanical stimulus in the regulation of Pip4k2β expression in musculoskeletal tissue, we created an Achilles tendon transection model in rabbits. The temporal expression of Pip4k2β was assessed by means of a quantitative reverse-transcribed polymerase chain reaction. In the gastrocnemius muscle, expression of Pip4k2β rapidly decreased 1 week after transection but was restored to normal levels at 4 weeks. In the Achilles tendon, however, expression remained decreased until 4 weeks after transection. We suggest that the expression of Pip4k2β can be used as a marker for cells receiving a suitable mechanical stimulus. This study was supported by a Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research from the Ministry of Education, Science, Sports and Culture of Japan.     

Expression and characteristics of vanilloid receptor 1 in the rabbit submandibular gland

Vanilloid receptor 1 (VR1) is a polymodal receptor originally found in sensory neurons of the central nervous system. Recent evidence indicates that VR1 is also expressed in non-neuronal tissues. We report here endogenous expression of VR1 in rabbit submandibular gland (SMG) and its possible role in regulating saliva secretion based on: (i) the expression of VR1 mRNA and protein detected in SMG; (ii) VR1 was mainly localized in the basolateral membrane of duct cells and the cytoplasm of acinar cells and also in cytoplasm of primary cultured neonatal rabbit SMG cells; (iii) stimulation of neonatal rabbit SMG cells with capsaicin induced a significant increase in intracellular calcium, and capsazepine, a VR1 antagonist, abolished this increase; (iv) infusion of capsaicin via the external carotid artery to isolated SMG increased saliva secretion of the gland. These findings indicated that VR1 was expressed in SMG and appeared to play an important role in regulating saliva secretion.     

Effect of antibiotics on thermodynamic properties of freezing media in rabbit species: A first calorimetric approach

Semen freezing is an effective and safe solution for the cryopreservation of animal genetic resources and for the diffusion of the genetic progress. Actually, these techniques are not yet under control for the rabbit species partly because methods are not clearly defined. Thus, the aim of this work is to study the effect of antibiotics (Penicillin G, Streptomycin) routinely used in freezing semen on the thermodynamic properties of freezing media mainly used in rabbit species. Measurements realized by differential scanning calorimetry show that these antibiotics may change the temperature of crystallization and the quantity of ice formed in the freezing media considered. Our calorimetric approach underlined that the composition and the properties of the cryoprotective solutions should be studied more precisely.     

Role of rabbit prostate granules on sperm viability and acrosome reaction evaluated with different methods

In the present study, the role of rabbit seminal granules was observed. Their influence on motility, capacitation and acrosome reaction, as well as the presence of apoptosis and the morphology of rabbit sperm, were compared in different conditions. Ejaculated sperm from five mature New Zealand White rabbit bucks during three series of collections were studied, comparing raw semen, Percoll-selected sperm and Percoll-selected sperm plus prostate granules. We observed sperm motility kinetic traits by computer-assisted sperm analyzer (CASA) analysis in each sample. Acrosome status was evaluated by FITC-labeled Pisum sativum Agglutinin staining and chlortetracycline fluorescence assay, phosphatidylserine translocation was determined by AnnexinV/Propidium iodide assay and sperm morphology was studied using transmission electron microscopy (TEM). All traits were observed after 30 min incubation at 37 °C in 5% CO₂. Data showed that sperm motility and viability markedly improved in the presence of prostate granules, whereas capacitation, acrosome reaction and phosphatidylserine translocation were lowered. TEM confirmed these results. In conclusion, the role of granules was confirmed in synchronizing sperm capacitation and acrosome reaction with egg availability; indeed, rabbit ovulation occurs only 6 to 10 h after mating.     

Generation of rabbit pluripotent stem cell lines

Pluripotent stem cells have the capacity to divide indefinitely and to differentiate into all somatic cells and tissue lines. They can be genetically manipulated in vitro by knocking genes in or out, and therefore serve as an excellent tool for gene function studies and for the generation of models for some human diseases. Since 1981, when the first mouse embryonic stem cell (ESC) line was generated, many attempts have been made to generate pluripotent stem cell lines from other species. Comparative characterization of ESCs from different species would help us to understand differences and similarities in the signaling pathways involved in the maintenance of pluripotency and the initiation of differentiation, and would reveal whether the fundamental mechanism controlling self-renewal of pluripotent cells is conserved across different species. This report gives an overview of research into embryonic and induced pluripotent stem cells in the rabbit, an important nonrodent species with considerable merits as an animal model for specific diseases. A number of putative rabbit ESC and induced pluripotent stem cell lines have been described. All of them expressed stem cell-associated markers and maintained apparent pluripotency during multiple passages in vitro, but none have been convincingly proven to be fully pluripotent in vivo. Moreover, as in other domestic species, the markers currently used to characterize the putative rabbit ESCs are suboptimal because recent studies have revealed that they are not always specific to the pluripotent inner cell mass. Future validation of rabbit pluripotent stem cells would benefit greatly from a validated panel of molecular markers specific to pluripotent cells of the developing rabbit embryos. Using rabbit-specific pluripotency genes may improve the efficiency of somatic cell reprogramming for generating induced pluripotent stem cells and thereby overcome some of the challenges limiting the potential of this technology.     

白毛黑眼兔眼部虹膜Trp1、Trp2基因克隆与分析

目的 克隆日本大耳白兔白毛黑眼系(白毛黑眼兔)眼部虹膜Trp1、Trp2基因,获取其完整的外显子序列.进一步推测这两个基因编码的蛋白,并分析其特征.方法 从白毛黑眼兔的黑色虹膜组织中提取RNA,并反转录成cDNA.利用来自小鼠、大鼠和人的同源引物,扩增获得白毛黑眼兔Trp1、Trp2基因外显子片段.然后对已知片段进行3' RACE和5'RACE,从而获得白毛黑眼兔Trp1、Trp2基因外显子完整序列.利用相关软件对获得序列进行翻译和分析.结果 首次获得了白毛黑眼兔Trp1、Trp2基因外显子全序列.该实验兔Trp1基因的编码序列全长1604个碱基,其核苷酸序列与人的相似度为87.9％,与小鼠的相似度为82.7％.TRP1成熟蛋白包含513氨基酸,氨基酸序列与人的相似度为89.8％,与小鼠的相似度为86.6％.该实验兔Trp2基因序列全长1554个碱基,其核苷酸序列与人的相似度为83.2％,与小鼠的相似度为81.9％.TRP2成熟蛋白包含494个氨基酸,其序列与人的一致度为84.2％,与小鼠的一致度为84.4％.结论 本研究获得的TRP1、TRP2的序列与已知的家兔酪氨酸相关蛋白家族成员TYR的序列进行比对,结果显示这三种蛋白之间有较高的相似度,并且TRP1和TRP2蛋白序列表现出了酪氨酸酶家族结构上的保守性和特有的结构特征.     

兔附件扭转模型的建立及其意义探讨

目的 建立一种操作简单、病变典型、稳定性好的兔在体附件扭转模型并探讨保留卵巢术后卵巢的病理变化和iNOS的改变.方法 40只日本大耳白兔采用随机数字法分为附件扭转(adnexal torsion,AT)模型组(n=32)和对照组(n=8).模型组兔将左侧附件按顺时针方向扭转3周,避开血管,以4/0丝线横穿扭转形成的3个螺旋圈后固定于左侧腹壁,然后再将之分成4组,每组8只,分别于扭转24、48、72、96h后解除扭转后取双侧卵巢;对照组假手术后96h后取双侧卵巢.所有切除之右侧卵巢组织行病理学研究的内对照,左侧卵巢取1/2行病理检测,另1/2行iNOS生化水平检测.结果 左侧附件扭转3周固定左侧腹壁24 h后可见卵巢充血、炎细胞浸润、细胞水肿;48h见较多的炎细胞浸润,细胞结构紊乱;72 h见大量炎细胞浸润,结构损坏和局灶性坏死;96 h见弥漫性细胞坏死;卵巢组织病理评分呈现相同的时相性变化.各组iNOS生化检测水平(左侧vs.右侧),AT组[24 h(3.542±0.987) vs.(1.521±0.214) U/mgprot,P＜0.01;48 h(4.986±1.321) vs.(1.832±0.321) U/mgprot,P＜0.01;72 h(7.991±1.832) vs.(1.124±0.357)U/mgprot,P＜0.01;96 h(6.991±1.227) vs.(1.732±0.572)U/mgprot,P＜0.01].且AT组卵巢均有iNOS不同程度表达,72 h组表达达高峰,96 h下降.结论 成功地制备兔附件扭转模型,方法简单、病变典型、重复性好,可模拟女性附件扭转的病理生理过程,对进一步研究附件扭转具有重要意义.初步认为附件扭转72h后卵巢发生不可逆改变,是临床处理附件扭转并保留卵巢的时间临界点.