Ginkgo biloba extract enhances c-jun expression and attenuates motoneuron death induced by root avulsion

AIM: To investigate the influence of Ginkgo biloba extract (EGb761) on c-jun expressions and motoneurons survival following root avulsion. METHODS: One hundred and eighty adult Sprague-Dawley female rats were randomly divided into control and EGb761 groups. Immediately after avulsion of C5-T1 nerve roots, the rats were injected ip with either 1 mL of EGb761 25 mg·kg^-1·d^-1 or the same volume of normal saline, and the treatment repeated everyday. At 4 h to 6 weeks following avulsion, the C7 spinal segments of all rats were collected and prepared for c-jun immunocytochemistry and neutral red stain. The numbers of c-jun positive and survival motoneurons were counted and compared between two groups at each time point. RESULTS: In control rats following avulsion, c-jun positive motoneurons appeared at 4 h, reached its maximum at 1 d and declined to 2 weeks. Avulsion-induced motoneurons death started at 2 weeks, climbed to its maximum at 4 weeks-6 weeks. In EGb761 treated rats, both numbers of c-jun positive and survival motoneurons were more than that in control group at each time point. CONCLUSION: EGb761 attenuates avulsion-induced motoneurons death, and this effect may be related to up-regulation of c-jun gene in avulsed motoneurons.     

除草剂靶标酮醇酸还原异构酶(KARI)研究进展

酮醇酸还原异构酶(KARI)是植物和微生物体内支链氨基酸生物合成的关键酶之一,可以作为设计除草剂的靶标,通过抑制酶的活性中断支链氨基酸的合成使植物死亡,达到除草目的。文章综述了KARI的催化性质、晶体结构以及作为除草剂靶标的研究现状。     

Osmolarity,cell volume and proliferation in nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells

AIM: To investigate the relationship between osmolarity, cell volume and cell proliferation in nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells. METHODS: MTT method was applied to detect the proliferation ability of the poorly-differentiated nasopharyngeal carcinoma cell (CNE-2Z) under various osmolarity conditions. The flow cytometry was used to analyse cell cycle distribution. Cell volume was obtained by the image analysis of living cells and cell viability was determined by the trypan blue assay. RESULTS: Cultivation of cells under the hypertonic conditions of 370 and 440 mOsmol/L increased cell volume by 8.7% and 27.8% and facilitated cell proliferation by 22.2% and 33.9%, respectively. However, hypotonic incubation of cells with osmolarity of 160 and 230 mOsmol/L decreased cell volume by 12.8% and 4.1% and inhibited cell proliferation by 34.0% and 15.6%, respectively. Cell volume was positively correlated with cell proliferation rate. Long-term cultivation of cells under anisotonic conditions did not significantly alter cell cycle distribution, but hypotonic cultivation decreased cell viability. CONCLUSION: Proliferation of nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells was closely correlated with the osmolarity of culture medium and cell volume. Hypotonic cultivation may inhibit cell proliferation by decreasing cell volume to facilitate cell death mechanisms.     

Relationship of p21WAF1 gene polymorphisms with protein expression in breast carcinomas

AIM: To investigate the relationship between p21^WAF1gene polymorphisms and protein expression in breast carcinoma. METHODS: Polymerase chain reaction single-strand conformation polymorphisms technique (PCR-SSCP) and immunohistochemical assay of S-P immunostaining technique were used to study polymorphisms of p21^WAF1 and protein expression respectively on the specimen of paraffin-embedded tissues in 100 cases of breast carcinomas and 40 benign breast diseases as control. RESULTS: Two p21^WAF1 gene polymorphisms were found in 18% (18/100) of breast carcinomas and 5% (2/40) of control samples. The difference between the two groups was statistically significant (χ²=3.94, P＜0.05). The positive immunohistochemical reaction of p21^WAF1 protein were found in 50% (50/100) of breast carcinomas and 12.5% (5/40) of control samples. The difference between the two groups was statistically significant (χ²=16.84, P＜0.01). The positive immunohistochemical reaction of p21^WAF1 protein were found in 100% (18/18) of breast carcinomas with p21^WAF1 gene polymorphisms and 39% (32/82) of no p21^WAF1 gene polymorphisms. The difference between two groups was statistically significant (χ²=21.95, P＜0.01). The p21^WAF1 gene polymorphisms were correlated with the protein expression in breast carcinomas (r=0.576, P＜0.01). CONCLUSION: p21^WAF1 gene polymorphisms may create the different copies of mRNA and may make relevant protein molecules.     

Effects of component of some Chinese herbs on proliferation of human umbilical vein endothelial cells in vitro

AIM: To observe the effects of some component of Chinese herbs for external use on proliferation of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) and investigate the mechanism of promoting tissue repair. METHODS: The method of MTT was used to examine the effects of Rg1, Rh1, perlolyrine, cinnamyl aldehyde, muscone, astragaluspolysaccharin (APS), velver antler polypeptide (VAP) and soluble extract of boswellia carterii birdw (BCB) on proliferation of HUVEC. RESULTS: APS did not promote proliferation of HUVEC at 9.75 mg/L-2.5 g/L; Rh1 promoted proliferation of HUVEC at 1.94 mg/L-0.5 g/L (P<0.05 or P＜0.01), and Rg1 inhibited proliferation of HUVEC at 31 mg/L (P<0.05); VAP promoted proliferation of HUVEC at 1 mg/L-0.5 g/L with optimal dose of 10 mg/L (P<0.01), Cinnamyl aldehyde promoted proliferation of HUVEC at 2 g/L(P＜0. 05); Muscone and soluble extract of BCB inhibited proliferation of HUVEC at 1 g/L, 0.5-2.5 kg/L(P＜0. 01), respectively; Perlolyrine inhibited proliferation of HUVEC at 0.125 g/L-0.5 g/L(P＜0. 01). CONCLUSION: The external herbs for supplementing Qi and warming Yang can promote HUVEC proliferation and improve angiogenesis during tissue repair. The external herbs for promoting blood circulation and accelerating capillary movement may have influence upon other stages of tissue repair.     

Radioligand binding assay of insulin receptor in rabbit kidney during ischemic and reperfusion

AIM: To observe the change of insulin receptor in rabbit kidney with acute ischemic-reperfusion injury. METHODS: 15 Japanese white rabbits were allocated randomly into control group, ischemic-reperfusion group(IR group). IR group received clamping for 1 h followed by 2 h or 48 h of reperfusion. At 2 h or 48 h after reperfusion, glucose and insulin in serum were determined. Insulin receptor in renal tissue was analyzed by radioligand binging assay(BAD). RESULTS: The level of serum glucose increased after 2 h reperfusion in 2 groups, but in IR group the value increased much more higher than those in control groups(P＜0.05). Plasma insulin of IR group was significantly higher than that in control after 2 h reperfusion(P＜0.05). Scatchard analysis of data resulted in curvilinear profiles, indicating that there are two classes of receptors with different affinity or the presence of a single class of receptors with a negative cooperative hormone-receptor interaction. Data analyzed for a two-site model showed that the values of Bmax₁(high affinity site), Bmax₂(low affinity site) and Kd₁, Kd₂ were significantly lower than that of control (P＜0.05) after 2 h perfusion. 48 h after IR there was no difference of Bmax₁, Bmax₂, and Kd₁ between 2 groups,but Kd₂ of IR group was higher than that of control (P＜0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The results indicate that the effect of intrinsic insulin decreases in the progress of the renal ischemic-reperfusion. The resulting high serum glucose may aggravate renal injury in the progress of ischemic-reperfusion.     

Effect of atrial natriuretic peptide on acute lung injury induced by lipopolysaccharide

AIM: To investigate effect of atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) on acute lung injury (ALI) induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in rat. METHODS: Mean arterial blood pressure (MAP) was recorded with model 6280 physiology intelligentialize grapher, nitric oxide (NO) and endothelin (ET) concentrations in plasma were measured after lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or following LPS ,ANP was injected into vein in rats. After experiment,lung water as well as pulmonary histopathological changes was measured and observed, respectively. RESULTS: Administration of LPS elicited a persistence decrease in MAP (8.1 kPa±2.6 kPa,at 4 h,P<0.01 vs control); NO and ET concentration in plasma was evident higher than that in control group, respectively (P<0.01); Wet-dry ratio of lung was higher than that in control group (5.15±0.43,at 4 h) (P<0.05); Alveolus detelectasis was observed and pulmonary mesenchyme was thicker than that in control group. No erythrocyte and leukocytes in alveolus,which show an interstitial pulmonary edema, was observed in LPS+ANP group, ANP maintained MAP at higher levels (13.35 kPa±2.93 kPa, at 4 h, P<0.05 vs LPS) after an transient decline when LPS was injected; NO and ET concentration of plasma had all significantly decrease, respectively (P<0.05 vs LPS, at 4 h); Wet-dry ratio of lung was lower than LPS group (4.57±0.35, P<0.05). Compared with control group the ratio was not evident difference (P>0.05); The histopathological of lung displayed markedly improved. CONCLUSION: ANP attenuates ALI induced by LPS in the rat. The effect of ANP may be via decreasing secretion of ET,NO and regulation arterial blood pressure.     

披碱草和野大麦杂种F1与BC1F1代的生物学及农艺特性研究

对披碱草和野大麦及其杂种F1与BC1F1代的生物学及农艺特性进行了分析比较。结果表明,亲本野大麦生长发育节律较快,较早地开花结实,果后营养期较长,生育期74d,生长天数达206d,具有很强的分蘖能力;披碱草生长发育节律较慢,生育期124d,生长天数193d;杂种F1的生长天数介于双亲之间,生长动态偏向亲本披碱草,分蘖能力介于双亲之间;BC1F1代生长发育节律较F1代提早,不同株系生长天数不同,生长动态偏向轮回亲本野大麦,分蘖能力有较大的变异。杂种F1代表现出较强的杂种优势,BC1F1代产草量较F1代有所降低,不同株系间存在明显的差异。总体上,BC1F1代的生产性能倾向于轮回亲本野大麦。     

pH及阳离子浓度对柞蚕蛹蛋白溶解性的影响

对不同pH及阳离子浓度下柞蚕蛹蛋白的溶解性进行了研究。结果表明,柞蚕蛹蛋白的等电点pI为4.2~4.5。测定不同的阳离子对其溶解度的影响顺序为Zn2+>Ca2+>Mg2+>Na+,随着阳离子浓度的增加,蛹蛋白的溶解性增加,当离子浓度超过1.0 mol/L时,其溶解性则降低。