Effects of monovalent cations on red cell shape and size

Human erythrocytes were incubated in isotonic solutions of different monovalent cations. The apparent size of the red cells measured on scanning electron microscopic pictures decreases in the order Li⁺>Na⁺=K⁺>Rb⁺. These differences in size are abolished after pretreatment with trypsin, which removes a large part of the charges associated with membrane glycoproteins. Shape alterations are also observed. Normal biconcave shapes are visible after Na⁺ or K⁺ incubation, whereas Li⁺ leads to flabby, flattened cells with a certain tendency to crenation, and Rb⁺ causes more pronounced biconcavity with a certain tendency to cupping. The overall effects of pretreatment with trypsin are similar to those of Li⁺. Our results provide evidence that the electrostatic repulsion of glycoproteins and other charged membrane components may play an essential role in maintaining red cell shape.     

蟾蜍红细胞与网织红细胞染色质蛋白的比较研究Ⅲ·HMG蛋白质

从亚洲蟾蜍(Bufo bufo asiaticus)与鸡红细胞核内分离纯化了HMG蛋白(Highmobility group proteins),经聚丙烯酰胺凝胶电泳鉴定,证明两者的电泳图谱不完全相同,在蟾蜍的红细胞内也能观察到与鸡HMG_(17)相对应位置上的蛋白质区带,但在鸡HMG_(14)相对应的位置上,却能观察到两条显著的蛋白质区带(A及B带)。此外,我们已把蟾蜍成熟红细胞与苯肼诱发后的网织红细胞内的HMG蛋白进行比较,证明两者有显著的差异。网织红细胞内HMG_A和HMG_B蛋白在含量上起了变化,却与成熟的红细胞相反。另外还出现了二条新的蛋白区带(C与D带)。初步的结果暗示了,HMG蛋白类似于非组蛋白、染色质蛋白,在量上的变化将会引起功能上的变化。     

小鼠肝脏免疫抑制蛋白质(LISP)的分离纯化和鉴定

用硫酸铵分段盐析及DEAE-Sephadex A-50、羟磷灰石和CM纤维素等多种柱层析方法,从正常小鼠肝浸液中分离纯化出一种免疫抑制蛋白质(LISP)。在体外用微量该蛋白质就能强烈抑制小鼠T、B淋巴细胞对促有丝分裂原和同种异型抗原的增生反应。纯化的蛋白质在聚丙烯酰胺凝胶电泳(PACE)和等电聚焦(IEF)鉴定时均显示为一条区带,其等电点(pI)值在7.5—7.8范围。沉降系数利S_(20),w为5.39。Sephadex G-100凝胶层析测得LISP的分子量为78,000道尔顿。十二烷基硫酸钠-聚丙烯酰胺凝胶电泳(SDS-PAGE)提示LISP是由二个相同的亚基组成,亚基分子量为38,500道尔顿。LISP是一种既非糖蛋白又非脂蛋白的碱性蛋白质,对它的氨基酸组成也作了分析。     

Compensation by locusts for changes in dietary nutrients: behavioural mechanisms

ABSTRACT. The detailed behavioural mechanisms underlying an instance of compensation for changes in dietary nutrients are described for the first time in an insect. Nymphs of Locusta migratoria L. were given one of four artificial diets on the third day of the fifth instar, and their feeding patterns recorded in detail for 12 h. The diets represented combinations of two protein and two digestible carbohydrate levels (28% and 14% dry weight) presented in an otherwise complete nutrient mix. At the nutrient levels used, locusts regulated their intake of food with respect to protein but not digestible carbohydrate in the diet. They ate more of the lower protein diets by eating the same sized meals more frequently than insects fed on the higher protein diets. Compensation was not complete over the 12 h observation period: insects on the lower-protein diets ingested and absorbed 72% as much nitrogen as those insects fed on the higher-protein diets. Possible physiological mechanisms underlying the behavioural mechanisms are discussed.     

Lobula plate and ocellar interneurons converge onto a cluster of descending neurons leading to neck and leg motor neuropil in Calliphora erythrocephala

Summary In the fly, Calliphora erythrocephala, a cluster of three Y-shaped descending neurons (DNOVS 1–3) receives ocellar interneuron and vertical cell (VS4–9) terminals. Synaptic connections to one of them (DNOVS 1) are described. In addition, three types of small lobula plate vertical cell (sVS) and one type of contralateral horizontal neuron (Hc) terminate at DNOVS 1, as do two forms of ascending neurons derived from thoracic ganglia. A contralateral neuron, with terminals in the opposite lobula plate, arises at the DNOVS cluster and is thought to provide heterolateral interaction between the VS4–9 output of one side to the VS4–9 dendrites of the other. DNOVS 2 and 3 extend through pro-, meso-, and metathoracic ganglia, branching ipsilaterally within their tract and into the inner margin of leg motor neuropil of each ganglion. DNOVS 1 terminates as a stubby ending in the dorsal prothoracic ganglion onto the main dendritic trunks of neck muscle motor neurons. Convergence of VS and ocellar interneurons to DNOVS 1 comprises a second pathway from the visual system to the neck motor, the other being carried by motor neurons arising in the brain. Their significance for saccadic head movement and the stabilization of the retinal image is discussed.     

Phosphoglucose isomerase isozymes in teleostean fishes from the Arabian Gulf

Two phosphoglucose isomerases (PGI) with different electrophoretic mobilities have been found in all groups of teleostean fishes studied, with the exception of the Clupeomorpha. PGI proved to be a good taxonomic criterion to differentiate members of the Nemipteridae, Sciaenidae, Platycephalidae and Stromateidae from the other teleost families.     

Genetic variation and divergence of the sibling pair of cyprinid fishes, Notropis cornutus and N. chrysocephalus

Horizontal starch gel electrophoresis was used to estimate the amount of genetic divergence between Notropis cornutus and N. chrysocephalus. Measures of genetic identity (1) and distance (D) were 0.881 and 0.127 ± 0.055 (s.e.), respectively. These estimates correspond more closely to the sibling species status of these taxa than other previously reported estimates. Notropis cornutus was found to be significantly more variable than N. chrysocephalus electrophoretically and morphologically. Assuming the existence of an electrophoretic clock, the time of divergence was calculated to be roughly 1.9–2.5 million years. This estimate corresponds very closely to a previously hypothesized late Pliocene divergence.     

miR-145通过靶向吞噬和细胞活力蛋白1抑制乳腺癌细胞侵袭

吞噬和细胞活力蛋白1（engulfment and cell motility protein 1,ELMO1）可以促进多种癌细胞的侵袭和转移,但ELMO1的表达是否受miRNA的调控鲜有研究。本研究旨在探讨miR-145与ELMO1表达的相关性,以及miR-145通过结合ELMO1的mRNA对乳腺癌侵袭的影响。通过TargetScan (http://www.targetscan.org/)靶基因预测软件预测与ELMO1的3′UTR结合的miR-145。荧光素酶结果证实两者互补结合。Transwell侵袭结果显示,miR-145组和siELMO1+miR-145组MDA-231乳腺癌细胞穿膜数较对照组分别降低40%（P＜0.05）和79%（P＜0.05）。siELMO1+miR-145组和siELMO1组细胞穿膜数则无显著差异（P>0.05）。结果提示,miR-145通过与ELMO1的mRNA结合抑制细胞侵袭。qRT-PCR显示,低侵袭的MCF-7乳腺癌细胞miR-145的表达量较高侵袭的MDA-435细胞高80%（P＜0.05）,较MDA-231乳腺癌细胞高75%（P＜0.05）,即miR-145与癌细胞侵袭能力呈负相关。Western印迹结果表明,miR-145组ELMO1表达量低于阴性对照组,miR-145 抑制组ELMO1表达量高于抑制剂NC组（P＜0.05）,证明miR-145抑制ELMO1的表达。qRT-PCR显示,过表达miR-145后ELMO1 mRNA含量与对照组无显著差异（P>0.05）。结果提示,miR-145对ELMO1的调控作用通过抑制其翻译实现。F-肌动蛋白聚合实验表明,miR-145组和阴性对照组于20 s和60 s时F-肌动蛋白聚合结果存在明显区别（P＜0.05）。Western 印迹结果表明,miR-145组活化的Rac1表达量较阴性对照组降低60%（P<0.05）,抑制剂NC组活化的Rac1较miR-145 抑制组降低55%（P<0.05）;miR-145组磷酸化的整合素β1较对照组于15 min时降低42%（P<0.05）,于30 min时降低31%（P<0.05）。由此得出的miR-145过表达显著促进乳腺癌细胞F-肌动蛋白聚合、Rac1活化和整合素β1磷酸化结论。综上所述,miR-145通过靶向ELMO1的 mRNA抑制ELMO1翻译,从而抑制乳腺癌的侵袭。     

肿瘤坏死因子受体超家族成员在免疫系统和疾病中的研究

肿瘤坏死因子受体超家族 (tumor necrosis factor receptor superfamily, TNFRSF) 是细胞因子受体的一个蛋白质超家族,其显著特征是通过细胞外富含半胱氨酸结构域结合肿瘤坏死因子(tumor necrosis factor,TNF)。肿瘤坏死因子受体(tumor necrosis factor receptors,TNFRs)是古老的细胞因子,TNFRs同源基因最早可追溯到节肢动物果蝇中。TNFRs在炎症反应、细胞凋亡、淋巴细胞稳态和组织发育中发挥重要的作用,TNFRs最主要的功能是与免疫系统相关。鉴于其在免疫系统中发挥重要的作用,肿瘤坏死因子受体家族成员已成为治疗糖尿病、动脉粥样硬化、骨质疏松、自身免疫性疾病、移植排斥反应和癌症等人类疾病的靶点。随着科学技术发展,关于TNFRs的功能有了新的进展,在无脊椎动物和低等脊椎动物中已经有大量报道。在本篇综述中,主要总结了在高等哺乳动物中发现的29种TNFR成员的相关报道,包括8种死亡受体和21种非死亡受体,主要涉及在免疫系统以及与疾病相关领域的研究。大多数研究处于基础实验阶段,少数走向临床研究的案例取得的临床效果并不理想,靶向设计针对自身免疫性疾病、炎症和肿瘤疾病的治疗方案需要更深入的理解TNFRs功能。本文旨在对TNFRs成员发挥的功能有进一步的认识。     

Effects of fructose on human fibroblast metabolism: the application of DNA measurements as a basis for interpretation

Summary A fluorometric procedure for measuring DNA was used to study growth and metabolic responses of eight cell strains of human foreskin fibroblasts. In preliminary studies this procedure gave more precise specific activity changes inN-acetyl-β-d-glucosaminidase (NAG) than did a protein activity basis, when changes in this enzyme's specific activity were investigated as a function of experimental cell manipulation. When fibroblast growth in eight cell strains was compared in 134 mM d-fructose vs. 13.4 mM glucose-supplemented minimum essential media, a significant increase in cellular DNA (50%) and protein (45%) occurred over an 11-d period. No significant differences in media pH change, lactate production, or carbohydrate uptake occurred on a DNA basis when cell metabolism was compared over the last 24 h of culture in the two media. Cells grown in fructose-containing media tended to show a reduction in NAG specific activity when compared with those grown in glucose-containing media.