Effect of Toll-like receptor 4 signal transduction on airway inflammation in infant asthmatic rat

AIM: To study the change and regulatory mechanism of Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) on eosinophil (EOS) apoptosis. METHODS: Twenty-seven SD rats were randomly divided into control group (A), asthma group (B) and dexamethasone group (D). Asthmatic model rats were sensitized and repeatedly exposed to aerosolized ovalbumin. Pulmonary tissues were observed under light microscope (LM). The inflammatory cells in BALF were counted. The levels of IL-10 in serum were measured by ELISA. Expressions of TLR4 mRNA were tested by hybridization. The apoptotic EOS was detected by TUNEL.RESULTS: (1) LM showed that inflammatory cells infiltrated around the bronchus, airway mucous plug in group B, obviously lightened in group D. (2) Inflammatory cells count in BALF: the total cellular score, EOS absolute count and EOS% in group B were significantly increased (P<0.01). Compared to group B, a significant decrease in group D was observed (P<0.01). (3) The level of IL-10 in group B was significantly higher than that in group A and in group D (P<0.01). (4) No significant difference (P>0.05) of TLR4 mRNA expression was observed between group A and group B. However, that in group D were significantly increased (P< 0.01). (5) Percentages of apoptotic EOS in group B were significantly lower than those in group A (P<0.01), those in group D were significantly increased (P<0.01). A significant correlation between TLR4 mRNA and apoptotic EOS (r=0.612, P<0.01) was observed. CONCLUSION: Dexamethasone can increase IL-10 secretion, induce EOS apoptosis, which may correlate with TLR4 signal transduction.     

Expression of MMP-2 and NF-κB in myocardium of mice with viral myocarditis

AIM: To observe the effects of TNF-α/nuclear factor-κB(NF-κB)/matrix metalloproteinase-2(MMP-2) pathway on the expression of MMP-2 in the mice with viral myocarditis. METHODS: Six-week-old inbred male mice were randomly assigned to control and myocarditis group. The mice in myocarditis group and control group were intraperitoneally inoculated with 0.1 mL 10^-5.69 TCID50/mL coxsackievirus B3 and vehicle (PBS), respectively. Ten mice were sacrificed at the 4th and 10th days after injection. The blood and heart specimens were harvested. The serum content of TNF-α was measured by ELISA. The myocardial levels of MMP-2, NF-κB p65 and IκBα were determined by Western blot. RESULTS: Compared with control group, the protein expression of MMP-2 and NF-κB p65 in the myocardium and the serum content of TNF-α were significantly increased in myocarditis group (P<0.05). The protein expression of IκBα was lower in myocarditis group than that in control group (P<0.05).CONCLUSION: TNF-α, NF-κB p65 and MMP-2 were higher in the mice with acute viral myocarditis. The increased expression of them might be involved in the pathogenesis of viral myocarditis.     

茶树硫酸盐转运蛋白基因CsSULTR3.1的克隆及其对硫和硒的响应分析

从茶树(Camellia sinensis)根系中克隆获得1条长度为1 999 bp的核酸序列,该序列包含1 980 bp的开放阅读框(ORF),编码659个氨基酸。BlastX同源性比对显示,该基因编码的氨基酸序列与葡萄VvSULTR3.1相似度最高(86%),将其命名为CsSULTR3.1(GenBank登录号:KY963793)。进一步分析显示,该基因编码的蛋白分子量为72.39 kD,理论等电点为7.61,属于非分泌性蛋白,包含10个跨膜结构域。以GFP作为标记进行亚细胞定位发现,该蛋白定位于细胞质中。qRT-PCR分析显示,CsSULTR3.1具有组织表达特异性,在茶树茎中表达量最高。CsSULTR3.1在茶树根系中的表达受Na_2SO_4和Na_2SeO_4诱导:60 mg·L~(-1) Na_2SO_4处理12 h后逐渐上调表达,在48 h时达到最大值,而240 mg·L-1Na_2SO_4处理12 h内显著下调表达,随后显著上调并维持相对稳定状态;在不同浓度Na_2SeO_4处理条件下表达量均呈现先降低后升高再降低的趋势,且均在48 h时达到最高。     

Effects of PFOA exposure on inflammatory mediators IL-4, IFN-γ and glucocorticoid receptor in asthmatic mice

AIM: To investigate the effects of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) exposure on the changes of asthmatic mouse airway inflammation, inflammatory mediators interleukin-4 (IL-4) and interferon-γ (IFN-γ) in serum, and glucocorticoid receptor (GR) expression in the lung tissue.METHODS: BALB/c mice (n=30) were randomly divided into 5 groups:normal control (C) group, asthma (A) group, asthma+low-dose PFOA (AP10) group, asthma+ mode-rate-dose PFOA (AP50) group and asthma+high-dose PFOA (AP100) group. Asthma model and PFOA exposure model of mice were established according to the grouping. The animals were sacrificed and their lungs were collected for HE staining, transmission electron microscopy, Western blot and immunohistochemical staining. ELISA was applied to detect the levels of IL-4 and IFN-γ in the serum.RESULTS: HE staining of the lungs showed that the asthmatic mice, compared with the normal control mice, had obvious mucus secretion around the airways and infiltration of inflammatory cells around airways and blood vessels, and the effects were much more marked in AP groups. Ultrastructural alteration of the lung tissues in the asthmatic mice were indicated by transmission electron microscopy. Compared with C group, the results of ELISA in A group and AP groups proved that IL-4 in the serum was increased and IFN-γ was decreased significantly (P<0.05). Compare with A group, IL-4 was significantly increased and IFN-γ was decreased in AP100 group (P<0.05), and no difference of those between AP10 group and AP50 group was found. The results of Western blot indicated that GR protein expression in the asthmatic mice were decreased compare with the normal mice (P<0.05), and no difference of that among A group and AP groups was observed. Immunohistochemical staining manifested that GR protein was mainly located in the cytoplasm of bronchial columnar epithelial cells, airway smooth muscle cells and vascular smooth muscle cells.CONCLUSION: Acute airway PFOA exposure in asthmatic mice dose-dependently exacebates lung inflammation by inducing Th2 type immune responses, promotes infiltration of inflammatory cells and mucus secretion around the airways and blood vessels, and destroys the ultrastructure of the lung tissues.     

Effect of bFGF on promoting angiogenesis in infarct area and improving myocardial fibrosis in mouse myocardial infarction model

AIM: To investigate the protective effect of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) on the heart of mice with myocardial infarction and its mechanism. METHODS: The model of myocardial infarction was established by the ligation of left anterior descending artery of C57/B6 mice (8~12 weeks old) after lateral thoracotomy. The mice were divided into sham operation group, myocardial infarction group and bFGF administration group. bFGF at 0.5 μg was intraperitoneally injected on alternate days after myocardial infarction for 7 d. Cardiac Doppler ultrasonography was used to detect cardiac function after myocardial infarction for 28 d, and left ventricular end-diastolic diameter, left ventricular end-systolic diameter, left ventricular ejection fraction and left ventricular shortening fraction (LVFS) were used to evaluate cardiac function. After myocardial infarction for 28 d, the mice were sacrificed and the hearts were collected for preparing pathological sections. The degrees of myocardial fibrosis and angiogenesis in the myocardial infarction area were observed. Western blot was used to detect the indicators of angiogenesis. RESULTS: The results of Masson staining showed that bFGF administration significantly reduced myocardial fibrosis at 28 d after myocardial infarction. Cardiac ultrasound data showed that cardiac functions in myocardial infarction group were poorer than those in sham group, and bFGF administration significantly improved cardiac functions. Immunofluorescence staining showed that neovascularization in myocardial infarction area of bFGF administration group was more than that in myocardial infarction group. The results of Western blot showed that bFGF activated AKT/HIF-1α/VEGF signaling pathway. CONCLUSION: Intraperitoneal injection of bFGF reduces myocardial fibrosis and improves cardiac function in myocardial infarction mice. bFGF may promote angiogenesis by activating AKT/HIF-1α/VEGF signaling pathway.     

高低温胁迫下白银豆离区酶活性及其解剖学的研究

研究了高低温胁迫下白银豆落花落荚率、离区生理特性及解剖学观察,结果表明,高低温处理使白银豆落花落荚率显著增加,分别比对照增加了262.90%和202.69%;可溶性蛋白含量显著降低,分别下降了34.10%和43.33%;高低温处理后白银豆离区纤维素酶活性、多聚半乳糖醛酸酶和过氧化物酶活性均显著提高（P＜0.05）;且与高温处理相比,低温处理下酶的活性均较高,同时落花落荚率也较高。解剖学实验表明,高低温胁迫条件下白银豆离区细胞膨大,细胞间出现空腔,这可能有利于维管束的断裂脱落。     

中国土壤风蚀灾害发生的范围

从大尺度讨论土壤风蚀灾害,认为风蚀是侵蚀因子（风力、可蚀表面等）和抑制因子（植被、水分等）斗争的结果,风蚀灾害发生在侵蚀风和干燥无覆被土壤共同出现的时段,所以说气候决定风蚀灾害的范围。依据李世奎等的《中国农业气候区划》诊断各个农业气候区发生风蚀灾害的时间和强度,农业土壤和非农业土壤采用的方法相似,但指标体系不同,确定了中国土壤风蚀灾害发生的范围。结果表明中国土壤风蚀灾害主要发生在温带,范围涉及国土面积60.9%的广大地区,其中,东部季风农业气候大区和青藏高寒农业气候大区,土壤风蚀灾害以农业土壤为主;西北干旱农业气候大区,农业和非农业土壤均遭受风蚀灾害,而且风蚀程度也大于其他气候大区。     

白丁香鲜花在不同开花期的香气化学成分研究

采用固相微萃取（SPME）吸附采集白丁香鲜花的挥发性成分。并用GC-MS及总离子流色谱法定量分析了白丁香鲜花的挥发性成分,鉴定出丁香醛A～D、丁香醇A～D、α-蒎烯、桧烯、β-蒎烯、月桂烯、柠檬烯、桉树脑、顺式罗勒烯、苯甲醛、异松油烯、芳樟醇、苯乙醛、α-松油醇、对甲氧基茴香醚、茴香醛、（Z,E）-α-金合欢烯、（E,E）-α-金合欢烯等39种化合物。其中所含的4个丁香醇异构体和4个丁香醛异构体是白丁香鲜花的特征性香气成分,并考察了白丁香在不同开花期挥发性香气成分的变化。SPME-GC-MS是一种可用于分析不同开花期的鲜花香气成分变化的简单可行的分析方法。     

紫贻贝SOD和POD同工酶的组织特异性研究

用聚丙烯酰胺垂直电泳对紫贻贝的鳃、性腺、外套膜、足、闭壳肌等5种组织的超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)和过氧化物酶(POD)进行了检测分析。结果表明,SOD在各组织器官中均表达,共表现为5条酶带,酶带a和b在上述五种组织中均出现,酶带c在除鳃以外的其他4个组织中有表达,酶带d则在除外套膜以外的4个组织中表达,酶带e仅在性腺中存在,所有上述酶带在性腺和鳃中活性相对较强;POD在不同组织中表达各不相同,酶带a仅在外套膜中存在,酶带b存在于除外套膜外的4个组织中,酶带c在性腺、闭壳肌和外套膜中表达。从检测结果来看,SOD和POD在紫贻贝体内的表达有一定的组织特异性,这种特异性不仅与各组织的不同生理分工相关,而且也与机体对自身基因表达进行调控相联系。     

HCMV-infected human THP-1 cells induce expression of HLA-G and its receptors

AIM: To investigate the differential expression of human leukocyte antigen-G (HLA-G) isoforms and its receptors in human monocyte line THP-1 after human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) infection for exploring the role of HLA-G in HCMV escaping the immune response of the organism.METHODS: THP-1 cells were infected with HCMV Towne strain. The expression of HLA-G isoforms at mRNA and protein levels was determined by RT-PCR and Western blot, respectively. The surface expression of HLA-G and its receptors ILT2/ILT4 and the cell viability were analyzed by flow cytometry. The levels of soluble HLA-G (sHLA-G) and IL-10 were measured by ELISA.RESULTS: After infection of the THP-1 cells with HCMV, no obvious apoptosis in the cells was observed, and the viability of the cells was high. A significant up-regulation of HLA-G1, -G3, -G4 and -G5 at mRNA expression level 1 d after infection was found, while the protein expression of HLA-G1 and HLA-G5 isoforms was mainly detected. The expression of HLA-G/ILT2/ILT4 was evidently up-regulated 1 d after infection. The level of sHLA-G was significantly increased 1 d after infection as compared with control group (P<0.01). The expression of IL-10 was obviously up-regulated 1 d post-infection as compared with control group.CONCLUSION: The differential expression of HLA-G isoforms and secretion of the receptors ILT2/ILT4 and IL-10 in the THP-1 cells are induced after HCMV infection. This study provides experimental evidence for evaluating the immune mechanism of HCMV infection.