无线遥测和刺激技术建立兔房颤模型的探索

目的探索一种在无线遥测和刺激技术基础上的兔房颤模型的制作。方法新西兰兔皮下植入自主研发的植入式遥测刺激器,植入式遥测刺激器的制作是以TI公司（德州仪器）的MSP单片机和TI公司的RF无线收发芯片CC2250为核心开发设计。优化植入系统设计以满足新西兰兔房颤模型建立的探索实验;植入子植入新西兰兔腹部皮下,采集电极留置于左上肢和右上肢腋下皮下,两个刺激电极分别缝合于左心耳和左心房上,通过无线收发采集和刺激信号;实现利用Powerlab生理记录仪连续监测体表I导联心电信号,并通过专用计算机程序刺激软件,发放间歇（刺激2 s,暂停2 s）高频（频率20 Hz）阈上（强度2 mA,脉宽1 ms）刺激,若间歇期内出现房颤,则人为干预中止刺激,若转为窦性心律,则继续刺激。结果植入式遥测刺激器在体内可稳定工作（包括采集模拟心电信号和发放刺激）30 d,植入新西兰兔体内刺激3周后可诱导出房颤,持续时间〉48 h。结论用新西兰兔代替比格犬建立基于无线遥测和刺激基础上的房颤模型是完全可行的,同时也体现了动物福利优化和替代原则。     

血液磁极化疗法对糖尿病兔胰岛功能的影响

目的观察血液磁极化疗法(简称血磁治疗)对糖尿病(DM)的治疗效果和对胰岛功能的影响。方法制备了四氧嘧啶DM兔模型20只,随机分为两组,即DM模型血磁治疗组及DM模型未治疗组,同时设立正常对照组10只,分别测定治疗前后空腹血糖(FPG)、糖化血红蛋白(HbA1c)、胰岛素(INS)及C-肽(C-P),并于观察期结束后处死动物取胰腺组织常规石蜡包埋切片,行HE及Mallory三色法特殊染色观察3组胰岛形态学变化。结果血磁治疗显著降低DM兔的FPG(P<0.001)。DM治疗组INS及C-P水平较治疗前明显升高(P<0.01),与未治疗组相比差异显著(P<0.05)。胰岛病理改变可见治疗组β细胞数量明显多于DM未治疗组,提示血磁疗法具有促进胰岛修复,改善胰岛功能的作用。结论血磁疗法能够促进DM时受损胰岛组织的修复,改善胰岛β细胞分泌功能,降血糖作用明显。     

Nematospiroides dubius: Mechanisms of host immunity: II. Skin testing and immunosuppression of orally or subcutaneously sensitized mice

The present study was designed to acquire further understanding of the differences in the immune response of mice orally (OS) or subcutaneously (SS) sensitized to Nematospiroides dubius. Two immunosuppressive agents and skin tests were utilized in this regard.Rabbit antimouse thymus serum (RAMTS) and cyproheptadine (antihistamine-antiserotonin) were similarly effective in suppressing the immune response of subcutaneously sensitized mice. When compared to normal rabbit serum and SS control (sensitized, untreated) animals, observations of the intestinal tunica muscularis in the immunosuppressed SS groups revealed granulomatous lesions in which fewer eosinophils enveloped the sequestered parasite. Cyproheptadine was more successful than the other treatments in interrupting the immune expulsion of N. dubius from orally sensitized mice, but this was only at a borderline significance level.The size and intensity of the active cutaneous anaphylactic skin tests in OS mice injected with an adult or larval antigen, was greater than the response elicited in SS mice or uninfected control mice injected with the same preparations. Similarly, the reaction in subcutaneously sensitized mice exceeded that observed in the noninfected controls.     

In vitro cultivation of Plasmodium falciparum: studies with modified medium supplemented with ALBUMAX II and various animal sera

RPNI, a combination of three commercially available growth media (RPMI-1640, NCTC-135 and IMDM) has been found to support long term continuous cultivation of 3D7 strain of Plasmodium falciparum in the presence of 10% bovine calf serum. During the present study, the suitability of this medium was evaluated for the development of P. falciparum in the presence of horse, goat and rabbit sera as well as various concentrations of ALBUMAX II. RPNI medium supplemented with 10% bovine calf serum (RPNI-BCS) was used as control. The cultures were maintained in candle jars protocol and parasitaemia was monitored daily up to day 7. Horse, goat and rabbit sera all supported the development of P. falciparum. Horse serum gave best results in RPNI medium and supported continuous culture up to day 100. The parasitaemia in the presence of ALBUMAX was significantly higher in RPNI than in RPMI-1640. Addition of hypoxanthine in RPMI-1640 caused an increase in parasitaemia whereas no obvious advantage could be observed in RPNI. The findings exhibited that medium RPNI has an edge over conventional RPMI-1640 medium for in vitro cultivation of P. falciparum.     

Phosphodiesterase inhibitor 3-isobutyl-methyl-xanthine stimulates reproduction in rabbit females

The aim of our study was to examine the influence of 3-isobutyl-1-methyl-xanthine (IBMX), an inhibitor of cyclic adenosine monophosphate and cyclic guanosine monophosphate phosphodiesterases, on the reproductive efficiency of gonadotropin-stimulated rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus, Leporidae, Lagomorpha). The ovarian cycle and ovulation of control rabbits was induced by pregnant mare serum gonadotropin (PMSG) followed by administration of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG; first series of experiments) or gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH; second series of experiments). Experimental animals received PMSG and hCG together with IBMX (at 5 or 25 μg/animal) or GnRH together with IBMX (at 50 or 500 μg/animal). After ovulation and mating, in the first series of experiments, animals were killed; the pronuclear-stage eggs were flushed from the oviducts and cultured up to blastocyst cell stage. Numbers of ovarian corpora lutea, ovulated oocytes, and oocyte-derived embryos reaching blastocyst stage were determined. In the second series of experiments, all the animals were kept until parturition, when the pregnancy and birth rate, litter size, and number, viability, and body weight of pups were recorded. IBMX injections at doses of 5 or 25 μg/animal significantly increased the number of ovulations/corpora lutea, harvested zygotes, and embryos derived from these zygotes. Administration of IBMX at doses of 500 μg/animal or 50 μg/animal to nulliparous young animals (4.5 mo of age) significantly increased their pregnancy rate and birth rate, litter size, and litter weight. In multiparous old animals (2 yr of age), IBMX at a dose of 50 μg/animal, but not 500 μg/animal, significantly increased their pregnancy rate and litter size, but not the birth rate, number of pups per female, or litter weight. These data demonstrate that (1) IBMX can enhance the stimulatory effect of GnRH/gonadotropins on rabbit ovulation, oocyte maturation, embryo yield and development, pregnancy and birth rate, and number, viability, and body weight of pups; (2) nulliparous young females (4.5 mo of age) are more sensitive to IBMX treatments than the multiparous old animals (2 yr of age); and (3) cyclic nucleotides-dependent intracellular mechanisms are involved in control of rabbit reproductive functions and IBMX, an activator of these mechanisms, can be a stimulator of reproduction and fertility.     

高糖高脂饮食对兔肾小管间质纤维化的影响

为研究高糖高脂饮食对新西兰兔(Oryctolagus cuniculus)肾小管间质纤维化的影响,将20只雄兔随机均分2组,分别喂正常饲料(对照组)和高糖高脂饲料(模型组),每月测空腹血糖和甘油三酯(TG),5个月后取尿液测尿糖、微量白蛋白(mAlb)和N-乙酰β-氨基葡萄糖苷酶(NAG),H.E、VG染色观察肾髓质病理改变,计算肾小管间质纤维化指数(TIFI)和胶原纤维面积,免疫组化测Ⅳ型胶原、纤维连接蛋白(FN)和转化生长因子β1(TGF-β1)的蛋白表达。结果显示,与对照组相比,模型组血糖、TG、尿糖、mAlb和NAG上升(P0.05或P0.01);肾小管间质肿胀,炎症细胞浸润,胶原纤维面积增加(22.47%±5.66%vs.9.43%±3.03%,P0.01),TIFI升高(2.369±0.6734vs.0.6810±0.2248,P0.01);Ⅳ型胶原、FN和TGF-β1的表达显著增加(P0.01)。上述结果说明,高糖高脂喂养兔5个月可导致肾小管、间质的结构和功能发生改变,细胞外基质表达增加,促进纤维化形成。     

一种新的兔内皮素B受体基因克隆和全序列分析

Endothelin(ET)is the most potent mammalian vasoconstrictor identified to data. As a pathogenic factor,ET is involved in the genesis of many diseases. In this study, a pair of primers was designed and synthesized according to the human ETB receptor gene (hETBR)sequence. A 394bp of DNA fragment was amplified by polymerase chain reaction(PCR) and labeled with a-32p-CTP using Random Primer-Labeling method. With this probe, rabbit lung cDNA library was screened by in situ hybridization and 11 positive clones were identified. Sequencing result showed that a complete reading frame of rabbit ETB receptor(rETBR)cDNA could be produced from three positive clones of eleven. By a series of subcloning,a recombinant plasmid including the 1326 bp of rETBR coding sequences, named pBlu Script-rETBR, was constructed. The deduced amino acid sequence indicated that the rETBR is 441 residues in length, with an expected molecular mass of approximately 49.44 kD. N-terminal 18 residues is the potential signal peptide (Score＝11.11)and therefore the molecular mass of mature rETBR is 47.65 kD with 423 amino acid residues. Analysis of the rETBR hydropathy profile indicates the presence of seven hydrophobic regions, putative transmembrane domains. Potential N-glycosylation sites are the 60th and the 118 th. The structure exhibits a significant sequence and topographical similarity with G protein-coupled receptors.     

Haemoglobin biosynthesis site in rabbit embryo erythroid cells

Properly metabolized globin synthesis and iron uptake are indispensable for erythroid cell differentiation and maturation. Mitochondrial participation is crucial in the process of haeme synthesis for cytochromes and haemoglobin. We studied the final biosynthesis site of haemoglobin using an ultrastructural approach, with erythroid cells obtained from rabbit embryos, in order to compare these results with those of animals treated with saponine or phenylhydrazine. Our results are similar to those obtained in assays with adult mammals, birds, amphibians, reptiles and fish, after induction of haemolytic anaemia. Therefore, the treatment did not interfere with the process studied, confirming our previous findings. Immunoelectron microscopy showed no labelling of mitochondria or other cellular organelles supposedly involved in the final biosynthesis of haemoglobin molecules, suggesting instead that it occurs free in the cytoplasm immediately after the liberation of haeme from the mitochondria, by electrostatic attraction between haeme and globin chains.     

Isolation of the sodium-dependent d-glucose transport protein from brush-border membranes

Rabbit kidney brush-border membrane vesicles were exposed to bacterial protease which cleaves off a large number of externally oriented proteins. Na⁺-dependent d-glucose transport is left intact in the protease-treated vesicles. The protease-treated membrane was solubilized with deoxycholate and the deoxycholate-extracted proteins were further resolved by passage through Con A-Sepharose columns. Sodium-dependent d-glucose activity was found to reside in a fraction containing a single protein band of M_r ? 165000 which is apparently a dimer of M_r ? 85 000. When reconstituted and tested for transport, this protein showed Na⁺-dependent, stereo-specific and phlorizin-inhibitable glucose transport. Transport activity is completely recovered and is 20-fold increased in specific activity. A similar isolate was obtained from rabbit small intestinal brush-border membranes and kidneys from several other species of animals.     

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.