Could glucose be a proaging factor?

There is an ever-increasing scientific interest for the interplay between cell's environment and the aging process. Although it is known that calorie restriction affects longevity, the exact molecular mechanisms through which nutrients influence various cell signalling/modulators of lifespan remain a largely unresolved issue. Among nutrients, glucose constitutes an evolutionarily stable, precious metabolic fuel, which is catabolized through glycolytic pathway providing energy in the form of ATP and consuming NAD. Accumulating evidence shows that among the important regulators of aging process are autophagy, sirtuin activity and oxidative stress. In light of recent work indicating that glucose availability decreases lifespan whilst impaired glucose metabolism extends life expectancy, the present article deals with the potential role of glucose in the aging process by regulating - directly through its metabolism or indirectly through insulin secretion - autophagy, sirtuins as well as other modulators of aging like oxidative stress and advanced glycation end-products (AGEs).     

Distinctive patterns of DNA methylation associated with Parkinson disease

Parkinson disease (PD) is a multifactorial neurodegenerative disorder with high incidence in the elderly, where environmental and genetic factors are involved in etiology. In addition, epigenetic mechanisms, including deregulation of DNA methylation have been recently associated to PD. As accurate diagnosis cannot be achieved pre-mortem, identification of early pathological changes is crucial to enable therapeutic interventions before major neuropathological damage occurs. Here we investigated genome-wide DNA methylation in brain and blood samples from PD patients and observed a distinctive pattern of methylation involving many genes previously associated to PD, therefore supporting the role of epigenetic alterations as a molecular mechanism in neurodegeneration. Importantly, we identified concordant methylation alterations in brain and blood, suggesting that blood might hold promise as a surrogate for brain tissue to detect DNA methylation in PD and as a source for biomarker discovery.     

Interleukin-33/ST2 signaling promotes production of interleukin-6 and interleukin-8 in systemic inflammation in cigarette smoke-induced chronic obstructive pulmonary disease mice

Interleukin-33 is a newly described member of the interleukin-1 family. Recent research suggests that IL-33 is increased in lungs and plays a critical role in chronic airway inflammation in cigarette smoke-induced chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) mice. To determine the role of IL-33 in systemic inflammation, we induced COPD mice models by passive cigarette smoking and identified the IL-33 expression in bronchial endothelial cells and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of them. After isolation, PBMCs were cultured and stimulated in vitro. We measured expressions of interleukin-6 and interleukin-8 in PBMCs in different groups. The expression of IL-33 in bronchial endothelial cells and PBMCs of COPD mice were highly expressed. Stimulated by cigarette smoke extract (CSE), the expression of IL-6 and IL-8 were induced and enhanced by IL-33. PBMCs of COPD mice produced more IL-6 and IL-8 stimulated by CSE and IL-33. Expression of IL-6 and IL-8 were decreased when stimulated by IL-33 together with soluble ST2. The mRNA production of ST2 in IL-33 stimulated PBMCs was increased. Being pretreated with several kinds of MAPK inhibitors, the secretions of IL-6 and IL-8 in PBMCs did not decrease except for the p38 MAPK inhibitor. We found that IL-33 could induce and enhance the expression of IL-6 and IL-8 in PBMCs of COPD mice via p38 MAPK pathway, and it is a promoter of the IL-6 and IL-8 production in systemic inflammation in COPD mice.     

Elevated atmospheric CO2 increases microbial growth rates in soil: results of three CO2 enrichment experiments

Increasing the belowground translocation of assimilated carbon by plants grown under elevated CO₂ can cause a shift in the structure and activity of the microbial community responsible for the turnover of organic matter in soil. We investigated the long‐term effect of elevated CO₂ in the atmosphere on microbial biomass and specific growth rates in root‐free and rhizosphere soil. The experiments were conducted under two free air carbon dioxide enrichment (FACE) systems: in Hohenheim and Braunschweig, as well as in the intensively managed forest mesocosm of the Biosphere 2 Laboratory (B2L) in Oracle, AZ. Specific microbial growth rates (μ) were determined using the substrate‐induced respiration response after glucose and/or yeast extract addition to the soil. For B2L and both FACE systems, up to 58% higher μ were observed under elevated vs. ambient CO₂, depending on site, plant species and N fertilization. The μ‐values increased linearly with atmospheric CO₂ concentration at all three sites. The effect of elevated CO₂ on rhizosphere microorganisms was plant dependent and increased for: Brassica napus=Triticum aestivum<Beta vulgaris<Populus deltoides. N deficiency affected microbial growth rates directly (N limitation) and indirectly (changing the quantity of fine roots). So, 50% decrease in N fertilization caused the overall increase or decrease of microbial growth rates depending on plant species. The μ‐value increase was lower for microorganisms growing on yeast extract then for those growing on glucose, i.e. the effect of elevated CO₂ was smoothed on rich vs. simple substrate. So, the r/K strategies ratio can be better revealed by studying growth on simple (glucose) than on rich substrate mixtures (yeast extract). Our results clearly showed that the functional characteristics of the soil microbial community (i.e. specific growth rates) rather than total microbial biomass amount are sensitive to increased atmospheric CO₂. We conclude that the more abundant available organics released by roots at elevated CO₂ altered the ecological strategy of the soil microbial community specifically a shift to a higher contribution of fast‐growing r‐selected species was observed. These changes in functional structure of the soil microbial community may counterbalance higher C input into the soil under elevated atmospheric CO₂ concentration.     

植物性发酵乳杆菌对免疫系统的生理活性、抗高血糖和促进肠蠕动的影响

研究植物源性发酵乳杆菌对免疫系统生理活性、抗高血糖和促进肠蠕动的影响.β-内啡肽对免疫系统有重要作用,阿片-促黑素细胞皮质素原(POMC)是β-内啡肽的前体物质,为了探讨发酵乳杆菌对免疫功能的影响,检测小鼠下丘脑和脑垂体中POMC的基因表达水平.通过喂食发酵乳杆菌时间和浓度的不同及测量β一内啡肽表达水平的方式,来分析血液中B-内啡肽的变化情况.此外,测定了三种小鼠模型的血糖变化,即常规的WT小鼠模型、D-葡萄糖诱导的急性高血糖模型和链唑霉素(STZ)诱导的糖尿病模型,以证实发酵乳杆菌的降血糖效果,并对降血糖效果进行了验证.通过检测血糖随喂食发酵乳杆菌浓度和时间而变化的情况,已证实给药浓度和时间对血糖浓度有很好的影响.另外,为证实发酵乳杆菌对肠蠕动的影响测定了胃肠通过时间,证明发酵乳杆菌对肠蠕动有极好的促进作用.通过此项研究,证实发酵乳杆菌对提高人体免疫系统的生理活性、抗高血糖和促进小肠蠕动有极佳的效果.     

急性早幼粒细胞白血病维甲酸耐药性的双向电泳分析

目的:研究急性早幼粒细胞白血病(APL)对全反式维甲酸(ATRA)治疗敏感和耐药患者的外周血淋巴细胞在蛋白质组水平上的差异。方法:采用双向凝胶电泳(2-DE)对敏感和耐药患者的外周血淋巴细胞进行蛋白质组差异分析。结果:ATRA敏感和耐药患者外周血淋巴细胞的2-DE平均蛋白质点分别为(746±57)和(617±41),敏感与耐药患者的2-DE相比,有16个蛋白点表达明显上调,22个明显下调。另有4个蛋白点(Mr/pI:24.6kD/8.05,32.3kD/5.17,22.3kD/6.51,25.1kD/7.09)在敏感患者中特异表达,5个蛋白点(Mr/pI:21.9kD/5.45,23.4kD/6.27,22.9kD/6.65,23.9kD/7.39,24.7kD/7.65)在耐药患者中特异表达。结论:结果提示这些差异表达的蛋白质可能与APL对ATRA耐药的机制有关,该研究有助于揭示APL对ATRA耐药机理和发现新的临床分子标志物。     

海洋来源担子菌产葡萄糖氧化酶发酵条件优化

为提高从大连渤海海域海泥中筛选到的菌株Basidioascus sp. LG-31产低温葡萄糖氧化酶活性性,对菌株Basidioascus sp.LG-31进行了单因素发酵条件优化,结果表明,菌株Basidioascus sp.LG-31产低温葡萄糖氧化酶活性显著提高。单因素优化结果：蔗糖4%(质量分数)、酵母粉0.3%(质量分数)、NaNO₃ 0.4%(质量分数)、无机盐(KH₂PO₄ 0.02%(质量分数)、KCl 0.10%(质量分数)、MgSO₄·7H₂O 0.10%(质量分数))、初始pH值7.0、装液量125 mL/250 mL、接种量2%(体积分数)、转速200 r/min、温度20℃。最高酶活性达435.37 U/mL,相对于优化前的最高酶活性15.28 U/mL,提高了28.49倍。为下一步酶学性质研究及低温葡萄糖氧化酶在工业中的应用提供参考。     

Preserving avian blood and DNA sampled in the wild: A survey of personal experiences

Collecting and storing biological material from wild animals in a way that does not deteriorate DNA quality for subsequent analyses is instrumental for research in ecology and evolution. Our aims were to gather reports on the effectiveness of methods commonly used by researchers for the field collection and long‐term storage of blood samples and DNA extracts from wild birds. Personal experiences were collected with an online survey targeted specifically at researchers sampling wild birds. Many researchers experienced problems with blood sample storage but not with DNA extract storage. Storage issues generated problems with obtaining adequate DNA quality and sufficient DNA quantity for the targeted molecular analyses but were not related to season of blood sampling, access to equipment, transporting samples, temperature, and method of blood storage. Final DNA quality and quantity were also not affected by storage time before DNA extraction or the methods used to extract DNA. We discuss practical aspects of field collection and storage and provide some general recommendations, with a list of pros and cons of different preservation methods of avian blood samples and DNA extracts.     

Skeletal muscle biochemical origin of exercise intensity domains and their relation to whole-body V̇O2 kinetics

This article presents the biochemical intra-skeletal-muscle basis of exercise intensity domains: moderate (M), heavy (H), very heavy (VH) and severe (S). Threshold origins are mediated by a ‘P_i double-threshold’ mechanism of muscle fatigue, which assumes (1) additional ATP usage, underlying muscle V̇O₂ and metabolite slow components, is initiated when inorganic phosphate (P_i) exceeds a critical value (Pi_crit); (2) exercise is terminated because of fatigue, when P_i reaches a peak value (Pi_peak); and (3) the P_i increase and additional ATP usage increase mutually stimulate each other forming a positive feedback. M/H and H/VH borders are defined by P_i on-kinetics in relation to Pi_crit and Pi_peak. The values of the ATP usage activity, proportional to power output (PO), for the M/H, H/VH and VH/S borders are lowest in untrained muscle and highest in well-trained muscle. The metabolic range between the M/H and H/VH border (or ‘H space’) decreases with muscle training, while the difference between the H/VH and VH/S border (or ‘VH space’) is only weakly dependent on training status. The absolute magnitude of the muscle V̇O₂ slow-component, absent in M exercise, rises gradually with PO to a maximal value in H exercise, and then decreases with PO in VH and S exercise. Simulations of untrained, physically active and well-trained muscle demonstrate that the muscle M/H border need not be identical to the whole-body M/H border determined from pulmonary V̇O₂ on-kinetics and blood lactate, while suggesting that the biochemical origins of the H/VH border reside within skeletal muscle and correspond to whole-body critical power.     

输血前检测技术的应用与展望

精准输血对疾病治疗、急诊抢救意义重大。开展输血前多项标志物检测是保障精准治疗的关键,是降低输血风险的前提。输血前检测主要是指为保证输血安全、预防交叉感染,从而对血型、凝血、感染等进行检测。其常规检测指标包括血型、交叉配血、纤维蛋白原、病毒性肝炎、人类免疫缺陷病毒和梅毒等。传统的临床输血前检测技术以免疫分析为主。随着临床救治需求由院内向现场救治拓展,电化学传感技术、微流控技术、光谱技术等新技术也逐步发展用于输血前快速检测。基于此,本文综述了不同输血前检测技术的应用场景和优缺点,分析了系列新技术在输血前检测中的应用及未来发展趋势,为推动输血前检测乃至疾病标志物快速检测技术的发展提供参考。