Zerumbone attenuates MPP+-induced cytotoxicity in human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells by inhibition of oxidative stress

AIM: To investigate the role of zerumbone (ZER) in 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium (MPP⁺)-induced cytotoxicity of human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells. METHODS: Human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells were cultured in vitro and the protective effect of ZER against MPP⁺-induced cytotoxicity was measured by CCK-8 assay. Flow cytometry was used to determine the apoptosis and reactive oxygen species (ROS). The expression of Parkinson disease protein 7 (PARK7) was knocked-down by using PARK7-specific short hairpin RNA (shRNA). The protein levels of PARK7, nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) were determined by Western blot. RESULTS: MMP⁺ remarkably reduced the cell viability in a dose-dependent and time-dependent manner. The SH-SY5Y cell injury model was established by treatment with MPP⁺ at 600 μmol/L for 24 h. ZER up-regulated the protein levels of PARK7 and Nrf2 (P<0.05), alleviated apoptosis (P<0.05), and reduced ROS production (P<0.05) in the SH-SY5Y cell injury model. Meanwhile, N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC) had the similar functions. Moreover, significant reductions in the protein levels of Nrf2 and HO-1 (P<0.05), and obvious increases in apoptosis (P<0.05) and ROS level (P<0.05) were demonstrated in PARK7-knockdown cells. CONCLUSION: ZER protects SH-SY5Y cells against MPP⁺-induced cytotoxi-city, which may be related to activation of PARK7/Nrf2/HO-1 pathway, and subsequent attenuation of oxidative stress and apoptosis.     

耐盐抗旱优质高产棉花新品种‘衡棉1670’的选育研究

抗逆优质丰产棉花新品种的培育及应用是当前棉花生产节水提质增效的关键。‘衡棉1670’是河北省农林科学院旱作农业研究所以中早熟陆地棉品种资源材料‘衡棉210’为母本,以‘衡棉4号’为父本杂交,后代多年南繁北育,经旱棚盐池鉴定选择,在枯黄萎病混生重病地、不防治棉铃虫的高压胁迫下,经过多年连续定向选择育成。其突出表现为抗枯黄萎病、丰产优质、耐盐抗旱节水,适宜在河北省及黄河流域同类生态春播棉区推广种植,2019年8月通过河北省农作物品种审定委员会审定（审定编号为冀审棉20190013）。     

Three SNPs within exons of INHA and ACVR2B genes are significantly associated with litter size in Dazu black goats

The aim of this study was to analyse the association between single-nucleotide polymorphisms within INHA and ACVR2B and litter size in Dazu black goats. In total, twenty-two SNPs were genotyped in 190 individuals by SNaPshot and resequencing. The results showed that three SNPs (SNP_1, SNP_12 and SNP_13 in this study) were detected to have significant additive genetic effect on the recorded goat litter size (p < .05). The SNP_1 (NC_030809.1), a non-synonymous substitution of G for T at chr2-g. 28314990 in the exon 2 of INHA gene (NM_001285606.1), resulted in homozygote 2 (HOM2) contributed 0.25 and heterozygote (HET) contributed 0.12 larger litter than homozygote 1 (HOM1). Meanwhile, SNP_12 (Chr22-g. 11721225 A > T) and SNP_13 (Chr22-g. 11721227 A > C) (NC_030829.1) simultaneously mutated at the first and third position of a triplet AAA (lysine, K) in the exon 4 of ACVR2B gene (XM_018066623.1) had estimated genetic effects of HOM1 (0.00) and HOM2 (0.03) larger than HET (−0.12). In conclusion, one SNPs (chr2-g. 28314990 T > G) within the exon 2 of INHA and two SNPs (Chr22-g. 11721225 A > T and Chr22-g. 11721227 A > C) i n the exon 4 of ACVR2B gene were highly recommended as candidate markers of litter size in Dazu black goats. A large-scale association study to assess the impact of these variants on litter size is still necessary.     

粪肠球菌生长曲线的测定及其对小鼠脑组织的影响

为测定致羔羊脑炎粪肠球菌（Enterococcus faecalis）的生长曲线，寻求一种快速而准确的方法测定不同生长时期粪肠球菌数量，并客观评价其毒性强弱及其对小鼠脑组织的影响，试验采用平板菌落计数法和OD-Monitor振荡比浊法（D_λ值法）测定粪肠球菌的生长曲线，探究该菌在合适时间段内的吸光值（D_{600 nm}）与平板菌落计数法测定的活菌数（CFU）的关系。用粪肠球菌感染小鼠，观察记录小鼠的死亡情况，最后采用Karber法计算粪肠球菌感染小鼠的半数致死量（LD₅₀）。用LD₅₀的剂量感染小鼠，及时采集死亡小鼠脑组织，未死亡的小鼠72 h后全部剖杀取脑组织，一部分做涂片染色，制作病理切片，观察病理变化；一部分进行培养，用于PCR方法进行细菌的回收鉴定。结果显示，用两种方法测定此株粪肠球菌的生长曲线基本一致，在2~8 h生长迅速，为对数生长期，8~14 h生长缓慢，为稳定期，14 h之后死亡数增加，进入衰亡期；对12 h粪肠球菌D_{600 nm}与CFU的关系进行探讨，成功建立回归方程：y=20.769x-1.3422，R²=0.997；其感染小鼠的LD₅₀为7.77×10¹¹个活菌。以此剂量感染小鼠，脑组织涂片染色和培养染色，均能看到革兰氏阳性球菌；PCR结果显示，均出现了大小为112 bp的条带。对脑组织进行病理学观察发现该菌可导致脑组织充血、出血、形成微血栓，脑膜充血。通过生长曲线和其D_{600 nm}与CFU关系的建立，可实时监测粪肠球菌数量，为后期更深入研究粪肠球菌穿越血脑屏障的机制奠定重要的理论基础。     

低聚半乳糖干预缓解肠道炎症的研究进展

肠道炎症已成为我国社会健康的难题和挑战，其发病率在我国迅速增长。肠道炎症发病原因复杂，目前尚缺乏有效的缓解药物，因此加强肠道炎症有效缓解物质的研发至关重要。低聚半乳糖（galactooligosaccharide，GOS）是一种食疗益生性较优的乳源功能性低聚糖，能够有效促进肠道内益生菌的增殖，改变肠道菌群结构，刺激免疫应答，进而改善肠黏膜屏障功能，缓解肠道炎症。本文综述近年来国内外有关肠道炎症及GOS干预缓解肠道炎症作用的研究进展，并对其应用前景进行展望，为此领域的研究提供科学依据。     

Regulatory role of l-proline in fetal pig growth and intestinal epithelial cell proliferation

l-proline (Pro) is a precursor of ornithine, which is converted into polyamines via ornithine decarboxylase (ODC). Polyamines plays a key role in the proliferation of intestinal epithelial cells. The study investigated the effect of Pro on polyamine metabolism and cell proliferation on porcine enterocytes in vivo and in vitro. Twenty-four Huanjiang mini-pigs were randomly assigned into 1 of 3 groups and fed a basal diet that contained 0.77% alanine (Ala, iso-nitrogenous control), 1% Pro or 1% Pro + 0.0167% α-difluoromethylornithine (DFMO) from d 15 to 70 of gestation. The fetal body weight and number of fetuses per litter were determined, and the small and large intestines were obtained on d 70 ± 1.78 of gestation. The in vitro study was performed in intestinal porcine epithelial (IPEC-J2) cells cultured in Dulbecco''s modified Eagle medium-high glucose (DMEM-H) containing 0 μmol/L Pro, 400 μmol/L Pro, or 400 μmol/L Pro + 10 mmol/L DFMO for 4 d. The results showed that maternal dietary supplementation with 1% Pro increased fetal weight; the protein and DNA concentrations of the fetal small intestine; and mRNA levels for potassium voltage-gated channel, shaker-related subfamily, member 1 (Kv1.1) in the fetal small and large intestines (P < 0.05). Supplementing Pro to either gilts or IPEC-J2 cells increased ODC protein abundances and polyamine concentrations in the fetal intestines and IPEC-J2 cells (P < 0.05). In comparison with the Pro group, the combined administration of Pro and DFMO reduced the expression of ODC protein and spermine concentration in the fetal intestine, as well as the concentrations of putrescine, spermidine and spermine in IPEC-J2 cells (P < 0.05). Meanwhile, the percentage of cells in the S-phase and the mRNA levels of proto-oncogenes c-fos and c-myc were increased in response to Pro supplementation, whereas depletion of cellular polyamines with DFMO increased tumor protein p53 (p53) mRNA levels (P < 0.05). Taken together, dietary supplementation with Pro improved fetal pig growth and intestinal epithelial cell proliferation via enhancing polyamine synthesis.     

EPS364, a Novel Deep-Sea Bacterial Exopolysaccharide,Inhibits Liver Cancer Cell Growth and Adhesion

The prognosis of liver cancer was inferior among tumors. New medicine treatments are urgently needed. In this study, a novel exopolysaccharide EPS364 was purified from Vibrio alginolyticus 364, which was isolated from a deep-sea cold seep of the South China Sea. Further research showed that EPS364 consisted of mannose, glucosamine, gluconic acid, galactosamine and arabinose with a molar ratio of 5:9:3.4:0.5:0.8. The relative molecular weight of EPS364 was 14.8 kDa. Our results further revealed that EPS364 was a β-linked and phosphorylated polysaccharide. Notably, EPS364 exhibited a significant antitumor activity, with inducing apoptosis, dissipation of the mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) and generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in Huh7.5 liver cancer cells. Proteomic and quantitative real-time PCR analyses indicated that EPS364 inhibited cancer cell growth and adhesion via targeting the FGF19-FGFR4 signaling pathway. These findings suggest that EPS364 is a promising antitumor agent for pharmacotherapy.     

Identification of an H1N1 subtype of swine influenza virus and serological analysis

To investigate the epizootic of swine influenza virus(SIV), 60 nasal swabs were collected from a clinical cases of pig farm in Tai'an City, Shandong Province of China in April 2017. SIV was isolated by inoculating into 10-day-old Special Pathogen Free embryonated eggs and the whole genome was sequenced. An H1N1 subtype SIV was isolated and designated as A/swine/Shandong/TA04/2017(H1N1). Phylogenetic analysis showed that apart from the polymerase A(PA) fragment belonging to the 2009 pandemic H1N1 branch, seven genome segments belonged to avian-like H1N1 influenza virus lineage. The cleavage site sequence of the hemagglutinin(HA) protein was PSIQSR↓G, which is a typical molecular biological characteristic. Five potential N-glycosylation sites(N14, N26, N277, N484 and N543) were found in the HA gene. To further investigate the epidemiology of SIV in this farm, the 995 serum samples were assessed with EAH1N1 2009 pandemic H1N1 and H3 N2 antigens. The results showed that the total positive rate was 65.43%. The positive rates of single virus infection detected by EAH1N1, 2009 pdmH1N1 and H3 N2 for serum HI(Hemagglutination inhibition) were 48.35, 30.85 and 7.47%, respectively. The results showed that SIV in Shandong Province has been reassorted in some segments and the SIV-positive rate was high on the SIV outbreak farm. These data provide evidence of an epizootic of SIV.     

亏缺灌溉对南疆棉花生长和水分利用的影响

针对南疆地区水资源短缺、作物水分利用效率低等问题,以棉花为试验材料进行田间小区试验,在棉花现蕾期、开花期以及结铃期分别设置3个亏缺灌溉水平(W₁:50%ET_c,W₂:65%ET_c,W₃:80%ET_c,ET_c为作物蒸发蒸腾量),以全生育期100%ET_c灌溉处理为对照(CK),研究膜下滴灌条件下,不同生育期亏缺灌溉对棉花生长、产量、氮素吸收和水分利用效率的影响.结果表明:现蕾期亏水对棉花株高、叶面积指数、地上干物质生长、氮素吸收和产量有不同程度的抑制效应,但复水后补偿效应显著,其中轻度亏水(W₃)在籽棉产量减少3.48%的条件下,WUE高达1.57 kg/m³,显著高于CK的1.48 kg/m³;开花期亏水,棉花的各项生长指标均有显著降低,复水后补偿效应不显著,不利于棉花生长发育;结铃期亏水对棉花地上干物质累积、氮素吸收和产量均有显著的抑制效应,但在W₂和W₃水平下,WUE均达1.51 kg/m³.综合考虑在保证棉花产量的同时达到节水增产的目的,可在棉花蕾期进行80%ET_c灌水,其他生育阶段实施充分灌溉,来控制营养生长,促进生殖生长,获得更高的水分利用效率.     

施用锌肥和遮阴互作对花生生长发育、抗病性及产量的影响

采用大田裂区试验，研究了施用锌肥和不同遮阴程度互作对花生生长发育、抗病性及产量的影响。结果表明，与不施锌肥相比，施用锌肥能提高花生不同部位锌含量、增加叶片SPAD值，提高花生叶片中可溶性糖、蛋白质和生长素含量，减少花生病害的发生，平均降低7.1个百分点，花生产量平均增加19.4%。相同施锌水平下，随着遮阴程度的增加，花生不同部位锌的含量和不同生育期叶片SPAD值以及花生叶片中可溶性糖、蛋白质和生长素含量呈增加趋势，花生的发病率比不遮阴对照增加4.8、10.2个百分点，花生产量平均降低16.5%、10.0%。在30%、70%的遮阴条件下，施用锌肥的花生产量比不施锌的分别提高21.1%、25.0%。本试验条件下，施用七水硫酸锌30 kg/hm2，使花生具有较强的抗低温寡照能力及抗病性能，增产显著，可在花生产区推广应用。