Effects of adiponectin on expression of connexin 43 in rat myocardium during ischemia-reperfusion

AIM: To observe the effects of adiponectin(APN) on the expression of connexin 43 (Cx43) in rat myocardium during ischemia-induced arrhythmias. METHODS: The SD rats were randomly divided into 4 groups (n=12): sham operation group (SM group), ischemia and reperfusion group (I/R group), I/R+adiponectin(APN1) group: pre-ischemia with 3.5 μg/kg of APN; I/R+APN2 group: post-ischemia with 3.5 μg/kg of APN. The incidence of ventricular arrhythmias and ventricular arrhythmia score (VAS) were determined. The expression of Cx43 in the ischemic myocardium was studied by the techniques of immunohistochemistry and RT-PCR. The levels of malondialdehyde(MDA) and superoxide dismutase(SOD) were measured by the methods of xanthine oxidase and thiobarbituric acid. The expression of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) at mRNA and protein levels was determined by RT-PCR and Western blotting,respectively.The morphological changes of the myocardial tissues were observed under electronic microscope. RESULTS: The VAS and concentration of MDA increased obviously and the activity of SOD was decreased in I/R group as compared with SM group (P<0.01). The expression of Cx43 was evidently decreased and the distribution of Cx43 in the myocardium was disturbed. The expression of eNOS at mRNA and protein levels was decreased in I/R group (P<0.05). The ultrastructure of ventricular myocardium was abnormal in I/R group. Compared with I/R group, APN obviously decreased the VAS caused by ischemia and reperfusion (P<0.01) no matter the drug was given before or after ischemia. APN increased the activity of SOD, inhibited the MDA content in serum, and resulted in normal distribution of Cx43 and increased the expression of Cx43 and eNOS. Compared with I/R group, the changes of heart ultrastructure attenuated greatly in APN group, but didn't recover to normal state. CONCLUSION: Adiponectin antagonizes the arrhythmias during myocardial ischemia and reperfusion via inhibiting oxidative stress and regulating Cx43.     

猕猴桃花青素合成途径基因AcCHS 和AcLDOX的克隆与表达分析

 根据物种水平上蛋白保守序列设计特异引物,扩增获得‘红阳’猕猴桃花青素合成途径中查尔酮合成酶（chalcone synthase,CHS）和无色花青素双加氧酶（leucoanthocyanidin dioxygenase,LDOX）基因的特异片段,用RACE（rapid-amplification of cDNA ends）技术克隆出这两个基因的cDNA全长,长度分别为1501 bp（AcCHS）和1381 bp（AcLDOX）,分别编码389个和355个氨基酸。通过比对发现AcCHS与棉花（Gossypium hirsutum）、山茶（Camellia japonica）和黄蜀魁（Abelmoschus manihot）的CHS序列相似性较高,达到95%,与葡萄（Vitis vinifera）和苹果（Malus × domestica）的相似性分别为94%和93%;AcLDOX与山葡萄（Vitis amurensis）和葡葡的相似性分别高达94%和93%。用实时荧光定量PCR分析AcCHS和AcLDOX在‘红阳’（红肉）、‘金魁’（绿肉）和‘金农’（黄肉）3种不同果肉颜色的猕猴桃内果皮中的表达,发现AcCHS的表达量在‘红阳’果实转色期（花后65 d）较高,而在‘金农’开花后表达量呈持续下降趋势;AcLDOX在‘红阳’果实发育早期呈上升趋势,花后65 d后迅速下降,在‘金魁’果实发育后期呈明显上升趋势,在‘金农’开花后呈持续下降趋势。     

欧洲山芥皂苷合成关键酶基因Bv-beta-AS 克隆及表达分析

 以能够产生抗虫皂苷的高抗小菜蛾资源G 型欧洲山芥（Barbarea vulgaris R. Br.）B44 为材料,利用RACE 技术克隆出皂苷合成关键酶beta–香树脂合成酶的基因（Barbarea vulgaris beta-amyrin synthase,Bv-beta-AS）。该基因编码区序列长为2 289 bp（GenBank 登录号JQ172795）,推导其编码762个氨基酸;在基因组水平上长度为4 107 bp （GenBank 登录号JQ172796）,含有15 个内含子。Bv-beta-AS编码的氨基酸具有beta–香树脂合成酶基因家族的保守序列,即DCTAE 序列和QW 特征序列,氨基酸多序列比对和进化树分析表明,该基因与拟南芥beta–香树脂合成酶基因的相似性最高,为74%。利用荧光定量PCR 对欧洲山芥在小菜蛾诱导下该基因的表达进行研究,结果表明,该基因受虫害诱导时上调表达,但是上升到12 h 达顶峰后随时间推移呈回归的趋势。从序列特征和表达模式上推测,Bv-beta-AS 可能是抗虫皂苷合成途径的一个关键酶的基因。     

观赏桃查尔酮合成酶基因的克隆及其序列分析

 以观赏桃品种‘红雨垂枝’为试材,采用SON-PCR方法从叶片中快速获得了查尔酮合成酶基因全长序列,命名为PphCHS,GenBank登录号为JN391444,其长度为2353 bp,具有一个1140 bp的完整开放阅读框（ORF）,编码379个氨基酸。氨基酸同源性分析表明,PphCHS与已报道的其他植物的CHS推导的氨基酸序列具有高达90%以上的相似性;氨基酸聚类分析表明：观赏桃首先与樱桃李聚类,其次与草莓。生物信息学分析表明：PphCHS蛋白含有查尔酮合酶家族的特征多肽序列RLMMYQQG CFAGGTVLR,不含信号肽序列。     

Effects of ATP-competitive GSK-3 inhibitor on multidrug resistance of human esophageal squamous-cell carcinoma cells

AIM: To study the changes and correlations of β-catenin, multidrug resistance-associated protein 2 (MRP2), P-glycoprotein (P-gp), Bcl-2 and the free ATP level in esophageal squamous-cell carcinoma (ESCC) cell line EC-109 induced by ATP-competitive glycogen synthase kinase(GSK-3) inhibitor 6-bromoindirubin-3'-oxime (BIO). METHODS: The methods of flow cytometry, immunofluorescence, cytochemistry and ATP assay were used to study the expression levels of MRP2, P-gp, β-catenin and Bcl-2, the efflux capability of ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters, and the free ATP level in ESCC cells. RESULTS: After induced by BIO, up-regulation of β-catenin and Bcl-2 expression in cytoplasm and accumulation of β-catenin in nucleus were found in ESCC cells. The expression of MRP2 was up-regulated in cytoplasm and cell membrane. On the contrary, the expression of P-gp was down-regulated in cytoplasm and cell membrane. The free ATP level and the efflux capability of ABC transporters increased in ESCC cells. CONCLUSION: The multidrug resistance of ESCC cells in enhanced by BIO treatment.     

iNOS-GC-cGMP signaling activation might be involved in vascular hyporeactivity in endotoxemic rats

AIM: To evaluate the activation of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS)-guanylate cyclase(GC)-cyclic guanosine monophosphate(cGMP) signaling on vascular hyporeactivity in endotoxemic rats. METHODS: Twenty-four SD rats were randomly divided into 4 groups as follows: sham operation group (sham group), lipopolysaccharide group(LPS group), LPS+polymyxin B group (LPS+PMX-B group) and polymyxin B group (PMX-B group). Cannulation of the carotid artery was performed to record mean arterial blood pressure (MABP). The levels of plasma NO, iNOS and TNF-α were detected. The tension of the thoracic aortic rings was measured by a biological analytical system. RESULTS: Compared with sham group, MABP in LPS group was significantly lower (P<0.01), whereas MABP in LPS+PMX-B group was significantly higher than that in LPS group (P<0.05), and no statistical difference of MABP between PMX-B group and sham group was observed (P>0.05). The plasma levels of NO and iNOS in LPS group were significantly higher than those in sham group and LPS+PMX-B group (P<0.01). The contraction of isolated thoracic aortic rings stimulated by phenylephrine and the relaxation response by acetylcholine in LPS group were significantly lower than those in sham group (P<0.01), whereas those in LPS+PMX-B group were significantly improved (P<0.01). The vascular hyporeactivity to vasoconstrictors was completely reversed by pretreatment either with aminoguanidine, a selective iNOS inhibitor, or with methylene blue, an inhibitor of NO-sensitive GC. CONCLUSION: The iNOS-GC-cGMP signaling activation might be involved in vascular hyporeactivity in LPS-induced endotoxemic rats. Polymyxin B partly reverses the vascular hyporeactivity to vasoconstrictors by reducing the level of serum TNF-α, which may be mediated by the iNOS-GC-cGMP signal pathways to attenuate the overexpression of iNOS and NO production.     

柠檬酸对小鼠睾丸组织抗氧化酶活性的影响

为研究柠檬酸对小鼠睾丸组织抗氧化酶活性的影响,将40只健康昆明系小鼠随机分为对照组(生理盐水)、柠檬酸低(180mg/kg)、中(270mg/kg)、高(360mg/kg)剂量组,各组小鼠每周腹腔注射相应剂量试剂0.2mL,连续注射3周,第3次注射后的第7天时颈椎脱臼处死小鼠,取其睾丸组织制作匀浆液检测过氧化物歧化酶(SOD)、谷胱甘肽过氧化物酶(GSH-Px)、乳酸脱氢酶(LDH)、总一氧化氮合酶(T-NOS)活性及丙二醛(MDA)含量。结果表明,与对照组相比,中、高柠檬酸剂量组小鼠睾丸组织SOD活性显著降低(P<0.05);柠檬酸处理组GSH-Px活性、MDA含量均显著下降(P<0.05);随着柠檬酸剂量的增加,LDH、NOS活性分别呈下降、上升趋势。此结果提示,一定剂量的柠檬酸可以降低小鼠睾丸组织SOD、GSH-Px活性,但可能通过NO途径减少睾丸细胞膜脂质过氧化,提高细胞膜的稳定性。     

MiAsg分子克隆及与南方根结线虫病害的关系

根结线虫(Meloidogyne spp.)是一种世界性的植物病害。在前期研究中,通过利用生物信息学方法在线虫全基因组中预测了一些功能基因。本研究以预测到的线粒体ATP合成酶g亚基基因(Asg)序列设计特异引物克隆了南方根结线虫(M. incognita)的Asg基因(MiAsg),对其序列进行了特征分析后,利用病毒诱导的基因沉默(VIGS)技术,将其导入番茄植株,然后接种M. incognita,研究MiAsg基因与根结线虫病害的关系。结果表明,克隆到的MiAsg基因与预测到的MiAsg基因相似性高达100%。接种M. incognita 60 d后,MiAsg基因沉默的番茄植株根结数分别比空载体对照减少了59.6%,比清水对照降低了59.5%。结果表明,MiAsg基因沉默对根结线虫病害具有很好的防控效果,也说明MiAsg基因可能参与线虫的致病性。     

桑树花青素合成酶(ANS)基因的克隆及在2种果色桑树中的表达特征

花青素合成酶(anthocyanidin synthase,ANS)是植物花青素生物合成途径末端的关键酶,催化无色花色素到有色花色素的转变。从广东桑品种粤椹大10中克隆得到一条ANS序列,其ORF为1 077 bp,编码358个氨基酸,预测蛋白质分子质量为41 kD,等电点为5.62,具有2-酮戊二酸双加氧酶的保守结构域。多重序列比对表明物种间的ANS序列高度保守,系统进化树中桑树ANS与芍药科、芸香科、葡萄科等植物的同源序列聚在一个类群上。RT-PCR检测桑树ANS在结紫色果的粤椹大10的幼叶和桑椹中特异性表达,并且随着果色加深其表达水平呈上升趋势,而在结白色果的桑品种珍珠白的幼叶和桑椹中检测不到ANS的表达,暗示桑树ANS在桑椹的颜色形成中起到重要作用。     

植物异黄酮合酶及其基因的研究进展

异黄酮合酶(IFS)具有催化黄烷酮的活性,同时也是异黄酮生物合成代谢途径中的关键酶.详细阐述了植物异黄酮合酶及其基因的研究进展.