Effect of insulin on the secretion of VEGF and its receptor in serum-free cultured bovine thoracic aortic endothelial cells

AIM: This study was designed to investigate the secretion of VEGF and its receptor (flt-1 or flk-1/KDR) protein by cultured bovine thoracic aortic endothelial cells treated with various insulin concentrations. METHODS: Endothelial cells was isolated from bovine thoracic aorta, and cultured in serum-free medium, then incubated with different insulin concentrations (30 mU/L, 300 mU/L, 3 000 mU/L). The level of VEGF and its receptor (flt-1 or flk-1/KDR) protein were detected by immunohistochemical staining. RESULTS: As compared with no insulin group, the expression of VEGF protein in low insulin concentration (30 mU/L and 300 mU/L) groups were significantly increased (P＜0.01). The expression of VEGF protein in high insulin concentration (3 000 mU/L) group was significantly decreased (P＜0.05). Howerer, no difference of the expression of VEGF receptor (flt-1 or flk-1/KDR) protein among all groups (P＞0.05) was observed. CONCLUSION: Low concentration insulin up-regulates the VEGF protein expression while high concentration insulin down-regulates the VEGF protein expression in bovine thoracic aortic endothelial cells, but insulin had no directly effect on the VEGF receptor (flt-1 or flk-1/KDR) protein expression in bovine thoracic aortic endothelial cells.     

薇甘菊天敌安婀珍蝶生物学特性的研究

安婀珍蝶Actinote anteas(Doubleday ＆ Hewitson)是薇甘菊的天敌,取食薇甘菊Mikania micrantha Kunth.的叶片,能有效的控制薇甘菊的蔓延和生长。在广州市和深圳龙岗进行的观察表明,在实验室条件下,安婀珍蝶一年生长3代~4代。世代平均历期为112.44±1.18天;卵期平均为11.44±1.18天;幼虫期平均为82.54±4.05天;蛹期平均为12.98±1.31天;成虫期平均为7.33±0.80天。本文还记述了该蝶各虫态的形态特征、生活习性及其天敌等。     

线粒体复合体Ⅰ呼吸抑制剂的研究

线粒体复合体Ⅰ呼吸抑制剂不仅在医药上有着重要的研究价值,在农药方面也有着特殊的意义。这类药剂的作用机制比较特殊,害虫不易产生抗性,是一类非常有前途的杀虫药剂。从植物,微生物等生物体中发现了许多线粒体复合体Ⅰ呼吸抑制剂,如鱼藤酮、粉蝶霉素A、辣椒碱,番荔枝内酯、myxalamid等,它们可以作为农药的先导化合物进行药物合成。根据不同的作用方式,线粒体复合体Ⅰ呼吸抑制剂可分3种类型,分别以粉蝶霉素A、鱼藤酮、辣椒碱为代表。     

Effect of EGFP gene transfection on the cell cycle distribution of primary cultured human chondrocytes

AIM: To investigate the effect of enhanced green fluorescence protein (EGFP) gene transfection on the cell cycle distribution of primary cultured human chondrocytes in order to establish a tracking method of cultured human nasoseptal chondrocytes. METHODS: pEGFP-N1 plasmid was amplified in E.coli, and purified by high purity kit. Primary cultured human chondrocytes,which were initially obtained from the nasoseptal cartilage, were cultured in vitro and transferred with pEGFP-N1 by means of electroporation with Amaxa nucleofector device. Transfering process and transient expression were evaluated by laser scanning confocal microscope (LSCM), the transfer efficiency and the cell cycle distribution were evaluated by flow cytometry. RESULTS: There was significant expression of EGFP at 24 h after transferring. The transfection efficiency of pEGFP-N1 into primary cultured human chondrocytes reached 35.37％ at 48 h. It didn't affect the process of cell adherance and had no effect on the cell cycle distribution. CONCLUSION: Primary cultured human chondrocytes, which were transfected with pEGFP, are alive in vitro, and the transferring process doesn't affect the cell cycle distribution. These results suggest that pEGFP-N1 is an ideal transient expression vector for primary cultured human chondrocytes and it might be a well tracer in construction tissue engineered cartilage.     

Expression of DNA repair gene ERCC1 and its relationship with PAH-DNA adducts in lung cancer tissues

AIM: To investigate the expression of nucleotide excision repair gene ERCC1 and its relationship with PAH (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons)-DNA adducts in lung cancer tissues. METHODS: ERCC1 mRNA expression and the PAH-induced DNA adducts were detected in 150 lung cancer tissues, 120 adjacent lung tissues without cancer cells, 40 benign lung lesions and 40 normal lung tissues. The effects of some exposure factors on the expression of ERCC1 gene and the connection between ERCC1 and PAH-DNA adduct was analyzed. RESULTS: Reduced expression levels of ERCC1 were observed in 46 of 150 (30.7%) lung cancer specimens and 1 of 40 (2.5%) normal lung tissues. Smoking may suppress the expression of ERCC1 gene. The level of PAH-DNA adduct was negatively correlated with the expression of ERCC1 gene, the Spearman coefficient was -0.648, P<0.01. CONCLUSION: ERCC1 is an important nucleotide excision repair gene and may participate in the repair of DNA damage, such as PAH-DNA adduct. Low expression of ERCC1 may play an important role in the development of human lung cancer.     

Expression and subcellular localization of urocortin in syncytiotrophoblast of human term placenta

AIM: To obverse the expression and localization of urocortin on ultrathin cryosections of syncytiotrophoblast of human term placenta with immunocytochemistry technique under transmission electron microscope. METHODS: The human term placenta tissue from Cesarean delivery and normal labor were fixed in 4% paraformaldehyde, and then divided into two parts. One part was for regular immunocytochemistry under microscope, and the other part was used to prepare ultrathin cryosections for immunocytochemistry under transmission electron microscope. RESULTS: 1.Uroncortin mainly distributed in cytoplasm of syncytiotrophoblast of human term placenta under microscope. Urocortin also appeared in cytoplasm in some stromal cells. 2. Under transmission electron microscope, the anti-urocortin gold particles were observed in cytoplasm of syncytioptrophoblast ultrathin cryosections and sited on rough-surfaced endoplasmic reticulum. The anti-urocortin gold particles also appeared on nucleus and nuclear membrane of syncytiotrophoblast. CONCLUSION: Syncytiotrophoblast of human term placenta synthesized and secreted urocortin. The internalization of urocortin within syncytiotrophoblast nuclear indicates that urocortin may act as intracrine.     

Long-term effects of TCV116 on left ventricular remodeling and heart function after myocardial infarction in rats

AIM: To investigate the effects of long-term TCV116 on left ventricular remodeling and heart function after myocardial infarction. METHODS: Myocardial infarction (MI) was caused by ligation of the left anterior descending coronary artery in rats. One week after the surgical performance, the surviving rats were randomly assigned to the following treatment protocols: (1) MI rats with no therapy; (2) MI rats treated with TCV116 2 mg/kg per day; (3) Sham-operated control; (4) Sham-operated rats, treated with TCV116 2 mg/kg per day. At 22 weeks, cardiac hemodynamic parameters such as MAP, LVSP, dp/dt_max and LVEDP, and histomorphometric parameters such as LVW/BW and LVCA/BW were measured, mRNA of cardiac genes such as βMHC, BNP, TGF-β₁, collagen I and III were quantified, and survival rates were calculated. RESULTS: Compared with sham-operated rats, MI rats without therapy showed significant increases in histomorphometric parameters as well as in mRAN expressions of cardiac genes (P<0.01); While their hemodynamic parameters were significantly impaired (P<0.01), and survival duration shortened (P<0.05). Compared with MI rats without therapy, MI rats treated with TCV116 showed significant attenuation of mRAN expression of cardiac genes (P<0.01); While their hemodynamic parameters were significantly improved (P<0.05 or P＜0.01), and survival duration extended (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Treatment with long-term angiotensin II type 1 receptor antagonist may improve left ventricular remodeling and cardiac function after MI in rats.     

秦巴山区养羊户适度经营规模的研究

通过对秦巴山区陕西省西乡县15个典型陕南白山羊养殖专业户的资金投入、羊群结构、草地资源、经济效益等情况的调查，分析了养羊户的资源利用和生产经营状况，确定了与山羊生产密切相关的12个变量，即种公羊数、基础母羊数、后备母羊数、育肥羊数、羊舍面积、草地补种及施肥费用、医杂费、氨化或青贮饲料量、补饲精料量、工作日、投资额，并确定了各变量的参数值，以利润最大为目标函数，然后运用线性规划模型，计算出不同投资、不同人力及草地资源等条件下的适度经营规模。结果表明，养羊户的投资额是决定适度规模的主要因素。根据投资和羊群基础母羊数量设计的三种典型经营条件下，基础母羊全部留种的经营方式可获最大投资收益率(140．1％)；基础母羊数量达到20只以上，自繁种公羊的经营方式的最大投资收益率为74．0％；资金有限，人工授精配种的经营方式的投资收益率最低，为73．1％。     

浅论优质牧草在肉牛饲养中的利用

针对我国肉牛饲养在饲料利用中的误区,结合肉牛的消化及代谢特点,分析了牧草的鲜喂、青贮、干草饲喂以及综合利用4种不同的利用方式及其营养特点,指出优质牧草用于肉牛饲养能充分发挥牧草的优良特性,而且符合我国畜牧业发展要求,值得广泛推广.     

中国野牦牛种质资源库体系的建立及利用

介绍构建野牦牛种质资源信息收集、整理及调查的方法;建立了野牦牛50头规模的可良性运作的遗传繁育基地，可年产2万支冷冻精液的动态保存库，以及0.1万～0.15万枚野牦牛冷冻胚胎动态保存库的条件与规模;创建了国内外相关野生动物保护组织、行业、协会等保护和利用野牦牛遗传资源的共享平台.