Sphingosine-1-phosphate receptor-2 attenuates lipopolysaccharide-induced acute lung injury

AIM: To investigate the effects and mechanisms of sphingosine-1-phosphate receptor-2 (S1P2R)on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced acute lung injury (ALI). METHODS: ALI model was induced by intratracheal administration of LPS in both wild-type mice and S1P2R -deficient mice. The pathological changes in the lung tissues were observed, and the protein concentration, total cell number, neutrophil ratio, TNF-α level and IL-6 level were determined in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) 24 h after LPS injection. In order to investigate the mechanisms of S1P2R in LPS-induced ALI, 10 min before LPS injection, both wild-type mice and S1P2R -deficient mice were injected with nitric oxide synthase inhibitor by tail vein injection, the pathological changes of the lung tissues were observed, and the protein concentration and total cell number in BALF were determined 12 h after LPS injection. RESULTS: Compared with wild-type mice, S1P2R -deficient mice showed more severe LPS-induced ALI, and the protein concentration, neutrophils and inflammatory cytokines in BALF were significantly increased in S1P2R -deficient mice. Administration of nitric oxide synthase inhibitor N^ω-L-nitro-arginine methyl ester protected S1P2R -deficient mice from aggravation of ALI. CONCLUSION: S1P2R mediates the protection from LPS-induced ALI possibly through inhibiting nitric oxide synthase.     

miR-21 inhibits apoptosis of Schwann cells following peripheral nerve injury

AIM: To explore the relationship and molecular mechanism between microRNA-21(miR-21) and Schwann cells (SC) following peripheral nerve injury. METHODS: The mRNA expression of miR-21 and phosphatase and tensin homologue deleted on chromosome ten (PTEN) in animal model were detected by real-time PCR. The over-expression of miR-21 and inhibition of miR-21 expression in the Schwann cells according to transfection of lentiviral vectors were performed, the nonspecific miRNA was used as a negative control (NC). The cell apoptosis was measured by flow cytometry. The mRNA expression of miR-21 and PTEN in the cells was detected by real-time PCR. The protein expression of PTEN and cleaved caspase-3 was determined by Western blot. RESULTS: The level of miR-21 was significantly higher and the mRNA level of PTEN was significantly lower in the model of nerve injury than those in control group. miR-21 over-expression decreased the number of apoptotic Schwann cells compared with NC-SC. The mRNA expression of PTEN was down-regulated by over-expression of miR-21. The protein expression of PTEN and cleaved caspase-3 was down-regulated by over-expression of miR-21(P<0.05). CONCLUSION: miR-21 may play an important role in the peripheral nerve injury through inhibiting apoptosis of Schwann cells by down-regulating the expression of PTEN.     

Effect of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ agonist rosiglitazone on intestinal injury in rats undergoing orthotopic autologous liver transplantation by inhibiting inflammatory response

AIM: To investigate the effect of rosiglitazone, a peroxisome proliferators-activated receptor γ(PPARγ) agonist, on the expression of PPARγ, the activation of NF-κB and intestine injury in the rats undergoing orthotopic autologous liver transplantation(OALT).METHODS: Sprague-Dawley male rats were randomly divided into 4 groups:control group, sham group, OALT group and rosiglitazone(0.3 mg/kg, iv) pretreatment(ROS+OALT) group. The OALT model was established, and the intestinal tissues were collected 8 h after the liver reperfusion. The intestinal tissue sections were stained to visualize the damage. The expression of PPARγ and NF-κB in the tissues, the concentrations of diamine oxidase(DAO) and fatty acid-binding protein 2(FABP2) in the serum and the concentration of TNF-α and IL-6 in the tissues were measured.RESULTS: Compared with sham group, the intestinal mucosa of the rats showed obvious pathological injury after liver reperfusion in OALT group and ROS group, the Chiu,s scores of intestinal mucosa was significantly higher, and the serum concentrations of DAO and FABP2 increased(P<0.05). After rosiglitazone pretreatment, the injury of intestinal mucosa of the rats was alleviated, the Chiu,s scores was lower and the serum concentrations of DAO and FABP2 decreased(P<0.05), the PPARγ expression was obviously up-regulated in the intestinal tissues, the nuclear translocation of NF-κB was reduced and the concentrations of IL-6 and TNF-α were decreased.CONCLUSION: During perioperative period of OALT in rats, the inflammatory responses are obvious. Furthermore, obvious intestinal injury occurs. PPARγ agonist rosiglitazone obviously up-regulates PPARγ expression and inhibits the inflammation in the intestines, thus protecting against intestinal injury in rats undergoing OALT.     

Chilling Tolerance, Cold Hardening and Freezing Tolerance of Low-temperature-tolerant Mutants of Dendranthema × grandiflorum (Ramat.) Kitamura

Two low-temperature-tolerant mutants of the Dendranthema × grandiflorum (Ramat.) Kitamura cultivar ‘Puck’ derived from an x-radiated tissue culture system were compared, as vegetatively growing plants, to ‘Puck’ ssfor several physiological properties under low-temperature conditions. So far, the low-temperature tolerance of the mutants has been defined as the capacity to flower earlier under low temperature conditions (8—15°C) the wild type. All three lines were not chilling sensitive in the vegetative state and were able to acclimatize and to develop freezing tolerance. Differences between ‘Puck’ and the mutants were found but could not be related to the low-temperature tolerance of the mutants in the generative phase. Levels of the amino acid proline increased during the hardening process, reaching the highest level in the cultivar ‘Puck’. No evidence could be obtained that proline is causally involved in the cold-hardening process. Freezing-induced membrane injury was found to decrease with cold hardening (0—28 days) but the two mutants did not show a greater capacity to acclimatize and cold harden than the original cultivar ‘Puck’.     

Path-Coefficient Analysis of Leaf-Anatomical Characters Affecting Frost Injury in Potato

Correlation and path-coefficient analysis for leaf-anatomical characters affecting frost injury was carried out in twenty eight varieties and accessions belonging to several wild and cultivated tuber-bearing species of Solanum in order to identify selection criteria in breeding for frost resistance in potato Palisade thickness and palisade proportion showed a significant negative correlation with frost injury Path-coefficient analysis revealed that palisade thickness had the highest direct negative effect on frost injury whereas leaf thickness, not conforming to its behaviour as found in simple correlation analysis, emerged ax the next highest factor to have direct positive effect on frost injury. Direct and indirect effects of these factors on frost injury vis a vis their interdependence were found to be in support ot the ‘palisade thickness method’ for screening frost resistant genotypes in potato breeding programmes.     

Somaclonal variation and improvement in chilling tolerance in rice: changes in chilling-induced electrolyte leakage

Excised leaves of four rice varieties, ‘Facagro 57’, ‘Facagro 76’, ‘Kirundo 3’, ‘Kirundo 9’, were chilled for six days at 10/5°C day/night, along with 11 somaclonal families arising from three of these varieties, which had been selected over four generations for improved chilling tolerance. At the end of the chilling treatment, electrolyte leakage from leaf pieces was followed for 12 h and compared with an unchilled control. With unchilled leaves, no varietal differences nor a rise in leakage over time were observed. Chilling induced higher leakages in all varieties, except in ‘Kirundo 3’ at the time of first measurement, and a continuous rise over time was found in all varieties. Varietal differences were detected, ‘Kirundo 3’ being the least affected, followed by ‘Kirundo 9’ and ‘Facagro 76’, and finally ‘Facagro 57’, which coincides with their ranking for chilling tolerance established through chilling survival tests. The leakages were generally lower in the somaclonal families than in the variety they originated from in ‘Kirundo 9’ and ‘Facagro 76’, while the opposite was observed in ‘Kirundo 3’. The significance and usefulness of electrolyte leakage measurement for chilling tolerance screening, and the potentials of somaclonal variation for chilling tolerance improvement are discussed.     

渗透胁迫诱导水稻幼苗的氧化伤害

水稻幼苗在渗透胁迫下，随着胁迫强度的增加及时间的延长，O2和H2O2大量产生，膜脂过氧化加剧，细胞膜的完整性受到破坏，离子大量外泄；严重渗透胁迫亦使叶绿素——蛋白质复合体结合松弛，叶绿素含量明显降低。活性氧清除剂α-生育酚、抗坏血酸及甘露醇可阴抑渗透胁迫所诱导的丙二醛增生，减少叶绿素的氧化破坏。这些结果表     

Screening techniques and sources of resistance to abiotic stresses in cool-season food legumes

Summary The adaptability and productivity of cool-season food legumes (chickpea, faba bean, lentil, pea) are limited by major abiotic stresses including drought, heat, frost, chilling, waterlogging, salinity and mineral toxicities. The severity of these stresses is unpredictable in field experiments, so field trials are increasingly supplemented with controlled-environment testing and physiological screening. For drought testing, irrigation is used in dry fields and rain-out shelters in damp ones. Carbon isotope discrimination (Δ¹³C) is a well-established screen for drought tolerance in C3 cereal crops which is now being validated for use in grain legumes, but it is relatively expensive per sample and more economical methods include stomatal conductance and canopy temperature. Chickpea lines ICC4958 and FLIP87-59C and faba bean line ILB938 have demonstrated good drought tolerance parameters in different experiments. For frost tolerance, an efficient controlled-environment procedure involves exposing hardened pot-grown plants to sub-zero temperatures. Faba beans Cote d’Or and BPL4628 as well as lentil ILL5865 have demonstrated good freezing tolerance in such tests. Chilling-tolerance tests are more commonly conducted in the field and lentil line ILL1878 as well as derivatives of interspecific crosses between chickpea and its wild relatives have repeatedly shown good results. The timing of chilling is particularly important as temperatures which are not lethal to the plant can greatly disrupt fertilization of flowers. Salinity response can be determined using hydroponic methods with a sand or gravel substrate and rapid, efficient scoring is based on leaf symptoms. Many lines of chickpea, faba bean and lentil have shown good salinity tolerance in a single article but none has become a benchmark. Waterlogging tolerance can be evaluated using paired hydroponic systems, one oxygenated and the other de-oxygenated. The development of lysigenous cavities or aerenchyma in roots, common in warm-season legumes, is reported in pea and lentil but is not well established in chickpea or faba bean. Many stresses are associated with oxidative damage leading to changes in chlorophyll fluorescence, membrane stability and peroxidase levels. An additional factor relevant to the legumes is the response of the symbiotic nitrogen-fixing bacteria to the stress.     

温,湿度条件及不同种子处理对棉籽吸胀冷害的影响

棉籽在4－5℃条件下吸水，发生吸胀冷害的程度随吸水速度的加快而减轻，随吸水时间的延长而加重；在10-12℃、18－20℃的水中吸水分别超过16小时、12小时，会因吸水时间过长使部分棉籽的种子活力降低，而使正常发芽率降低。经温汤浸种和预冷处理的棉籽能耐72小时0－5℃的低温，且耐较长时间低温的能力强于干籽与晾干籽；干籽、晾干籽能耐24小时0－2℃的低温，且干籽耐短时间低温的能力强于湿籽。     

近20年来霜冻害的发生与防御研究进展

分析了近20年来霜冻害的发生趋于严重的原因，提出了相应的防御对策措施。重点概述了近年来霜冻防御技术研究的新进展。