Downregulation of lncRNA APCDD1L-AS1 due to DNA hypermethylation and loss of VHL protein expression promotes the progression of clear cell renal cell carcinoma

Background: The current studies only indicated that long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) APCDD1L-AS1, as a novel lncRNA, may play a role in oral squamous cell carcinoma and lung cancer. However, its potential role in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) and its possible mechanism of action remain vague.Methods: TCGA-KIRC and GEO data and qRT-PCR and pyrosequencing results of clinical specimens were used to identify the expression level and DNA methylation status of APCDD1L-AS1. The effects of APCDD1L-AS1 overexpression on ccRCC growth and metastasis were determined by function experiments. Western blot and Tandem mass tags (TMT) were utilized to explore the relationship between APCDD1L-AS1 and VHL expression and its downstream underlying mechanisms.Results: The expression of APCDD1L-AS1 was downregulated in ccRCC. Decreased APCDD1L-AS1 expression was related to higher tumor stage and histological grade and shorter RFS (Relapse-free survival). Besides, APCDD1L-AS1 overexpression restrained the growth and metastasis of ccRCC cells in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, reduced APCDD1L-AS1 expression could be caused by DNA hypermethylation and loss of von Hippel Lindau (VHL) protein expression. Furthermore, the dysregulation of histones expression caused by APCDD1L-AS1 overexpression may be one of the important mechanisms to suppress the progression of ccRCC.Conclusion: APCDD1L-AS1 was able to inhibit the progression of ccRCC, and its decreased expression could be caused by DNA hypermethylation and loss of VHL protein expression. Therefore, APCDD1L-AS1 may serve as a new therapeutic target in the treatment of ccRCC.     

典型矿区植被覆盖度时空分布特征及影响因素

植被状况可以直接或间接地反映采煤对生态环境的影响。以长河井工煤矿、离柳井工煤矿、平朔露天煤矿3个典型矿区为研究区域。以Landsat数据为数据源，基于地形调节植被指数的像元二分模型提取植被覆盖度；采用趋势分析、线性回归斜率、稳定性分析方法，分析了3个典型矿区2001-2016年植被覆盖度的时空变化特征；运用"以时间换空间"的方法，采用相关分析方法对植被覆盖度变化的自然影响因素进行了分析。结果表明：（1）近16年3个典型矿区植被覆盖度呈增加趋势，长河、离柳、平朔矿区的增长速率分别为0.09%/10 a、0.10%/10 a、0.08%/10 a（P > 0.05）。（2）空间上，长河、离柳、平朔矿区植被覆盖度变化不明显比例分别占到66.63%，59.90%，62.25%，呈增加趋势的比例仅分别占28.14%、32.55%、27.81%，而呈减少趋势的比例分别占到5.23%、7.55%、9.94%。长河矿区明显改善的区域位于自然植被和耕作区的北部和东北部，离柳矿区明显改善的区域位于以低植被覆盖度为主的北部，平朔矿区明显改善的区域位于复垦的中西部。（3）不区分植被类型时，3个矿区的植被覆盖度变化与高程、高程与温度的交互作用表现出显著相关性（P < 0.01），与各自然因素的相关性总体表现为长河 > 离柳 > 平朔矿区；区分植被类型时，草地与坡度的相关性不显著（P > 0.05），与降雨量、高程存在显著正相关（P < 0.05）；灌木林与温度相关性不显著，与高程和降雨量的交互作用存在显著正相关；旱地与高程、高程与温度的交互作用存在显著相关性；疏林地与坡向、降雨量与坡向坡度的交互作用均没有表现出相关性；有林地与高程降雨量的交互作用表现出显著正相关性。探讨不同植被类型对自然因素的响应，可为矿区植被结构的选择，矿区复垦提供参考依据。     

中国姬鼠属的研究及与日本种类关系的讨论

姬鼠属(Apodemus)分布在欧亚大陆及其邻近的岛屿上,种类及数量均较多。一般认为有2个亚属:田姬鼠亚属(Apodemus)和林姬鼠亚属(Sylvaemus)。Ellerman和Morrison-Scott(1951)虽对它作了较系统的研究,但对中国所产的姬鼠仍有许多不同的意见,随着中国研究工作的深入,有许多看法与他们不同。Corbet(1978)虽作了一些改正,但仍不能令人满意。仅就现有材料提出个人的意见,抛砖引玉,提供进一步研究的一块踏板。     

TVDI模型的农业旱情时空变化遥感应用

温度植被干旱指数(TVDI)是一种通过反演土壤湿度来反映农业干旱状况的重要方法,其中能量平衡和植被指数的变化是影响TVDI模型精度的主要因子。在研究比值植被指数(RVI)、归一化植被指数(NDVI)、增强型植被指数(EVI)和修正土壤调节植被指数(MSAVI)和下垫面温度(Ts)的基础上,引入DEM数据并对Ts做地形校正,减少了地形起伏对能量平衡的影响,建立不同植被指数的Ts-Ⅵ特征空间,选择与土壤湿度相关性最好的温度植被干旱指数(TVDI),获取研究区2005年作物生长季(5—9月)的干旱状况,并用同步的气象信息对干旱状况进行验证。结果表明:根据不同时期采用不同植被指数的TVDI模型,经过地形校正后能够更好地反映研究区的农业干旱状况。     

先秦时代对野生生物资源的管理及其生态学的认识

野生生物资源是可再生的,如利用管理合理,可以永续满足人类需求,反之它将被破坏并不能恢复。这是应用生态学上一个重要问题。先秦时代古人对利用与管理这类资源的原理与措施,均有一定的认识。 1.古文献中可反映出由破坏到保护与管理生物资源的过程。 2.管理的措施如下:1)设置官吏,专司管理山林、沼泽和鱼、鸟、兽等;2)建立制度以管理自然资源,特别是在一年内规定伐期、猎期、渔期等。 3.这些措施是以生态学知识为基础的,既涉及个体生态学又涉及群体生态学。古文献中记录了许多动,植物的栖息地、行为和繁殖等。生物群落及食物链的概念更为宝贵,虽然,这些记录是简单的、朴素的。     

高原鼠兔食物资源利用的研究

高原鼠兔(Ochatona curzoniae Hodgson)为青藏高原草场上的重要害鼠。每年都要投入很大的力量进行防治,因之它的生态学研究是非常必要的。草原上的初级生产--绿色植被是如何被高原鼠兔利用的就是一项重要的研究课题。皮南林(1975)曾在快尔玛地区研究过高原鼠兔的食性,并注意到食性与植物多度的关系。     

Involvements of p38 MAPK and oxidative stress in the ozone-induced enhancement of AHR and pulmonary inflammation in an allergic asthma model

Background

Exposure to ambient ozone (O₃) increases the susceptivity to allergens and triggers exacerbations in patients with asthma. However, the detailed mechanisms of action for O₃ to trigger asthma exacerbations are still unclear.

Methods

An ovalbumin (OVA)-established asthmatic mouse model was selected to expose to filtered air (OVA-model) or 1.0 ppm O₃ (OVA-O₃ model) during the process of OVA challenge. Next, the possible involvements of p38 MAPK and oxidative stress in the ozone actions on the asthma exacerbations were investigated on the mice of OVA-O₃ model by treating them with SB239063 (a p38 MAPK inhibitor), and/or the α-tocopherol (antioxidant). Biological measurements were conducted including airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR), airway resistance (Raw), lung compliance (CL), inflammation in the airway lumen and lung parenchyma, the phosphorylation of p38 MAPK and heat shock protein (HSP) 27 in the tracheal tissues, and the malondialdehyde (MDA) content and the glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activity in lung tissues.

Results

In OVA-allergic mice, O3 exposure deteriorated airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR), airway resistance (Raw), lung compliance (CL) and pulmonary inflammation, accompanied by the increased oxidative stress in lung tissues and promoted p38 MAPK and HSP27 phosphorylation in tracheal tissues. Administration of SB239063 (a p38 MAPK inhibitor) on OVA-O3 model exclusively mitigated the Raw, the CL, and the BAL IL-13 content, while α-tocopherol (antioxidant) differentially reduced the BAL number of eosinophils and macrophages, the content of BAL hyaluronan, the peribronchial inflammation, as well as the mRNA expression of TNF-α and IL-5 in the lung tissues of OVA-O3 model. Administration of these two chemical inhibitors similarly inhibited the AHR, the BAL IFN-γ and IL-6 production, the perivascular lung inflammation and the lung IL-17 mRNA expression of OVA-O3 model. Interestingly, the combined treatment of both compounds together synergistically inhibited neutrophil counts in the BALF and CXCL-1 gene expression in the lung.

Conclusions

O₃ exposure during the OVA challenge process promoted exacerbation in asthma. Both p38 MAPK and oxidative stress were found to play a critical role in this process and simultaneous inhibition of these two pathways significantly reduced the O₃-elicited detrimental effects on the asthma exacerbation.

     

一个外切菊粉酶基因的克隆表达及酶学性质

从马克斯克鲁维酵母（Kluyveromycesmarxianus）DSM5418中克隆出外切菊粉酶（INU）的成熟肽编码区域,在毕赤酵母（Pichiapastoris）GS115中实现了高效分泌表达,体积酶活力达到15．27U／mL,进一步对重组酶进行了纯化与表征。经过（NH4）2SO4沉淀、透析和分子筛过滤后,得到了纯度大于95％的纯化重组酶,SDS-PAGE分析发现INU的表观相对分子质量为9．0×10^4,大于理论预测值6．0×10^4。纯化酶液的表征结果表明,INU的最适温度和最适pH分别为55℃和5．0,在此条件下INU对菊粉的K。值和比酶活分别为1．90mmol／L和433．86U／mg,对蔗糖的K。值和比酶活分别为27．81mmol/L和1249．49U／mg,I/S值为0．34;HPLC分析表明,INU酶解菊粉的产物由果糖和葡萄糖组成;金属离子Mn2＋、Fe3｜、K｜和Co2＋对酶有促进作用,而Zn2＋、Cu2＋、Ni2＋、SDS和EDTA对酶活力有不同程度的抑制作用。