Pyroptosis mediates high glucose-induced inflammation and injury in MC3T3-E1 osteoblasts

AIM To investigate whether pyroptosis contributes to the inflammation and injury in mouse embryonic osteoblastic cell line MC3T3-E1 induced by high glucose (HG; 45 mmol/L glucose). METHODS The cell viability was measured by CCK-8 assay. The protein expression levels of nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3) and caspase-1 (CASP1) were determined by Western blot. The secretion levels of interleukin-18 (IL-18) and IL-1β were measured by ELISA. The intracellular level of reactive oxygen species (ROS) was detected by 2',7'-dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate staining followed by photofluorography. Mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) was examined by rhodamine 123 staining followed by photofluorography. The alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity was determined using the ALP kit, and the number of mineralized nodules was detected by alizarin red S staining. RESULTS After the MC3T3-E1 osteoblasts were treated with HG for 24 h, the protein expression levels of NLRP3 and CASP1, and the secretion levels of IL-18 and IL-1β were significantly increased. The decrease in cell viability, and the increases in ROS generation and MMP loss were also observed. Moreover, the differentiation and mineralization of MC3T3-E1 osteoblasts were inhibited, evidenced by decreases in both ALP activity and mineralized nodule number. Knockdown of CASP1 by siRNA attenuated the HG-induced osteoblast inflammation and injury mentioned above. CONCLUSION Pyroptosis mediates HG-induced inflammation and injury in MC3T3-E1 osteoblasts.     

流溪河保护区鱼类群落结构及其时空变动

为了解流溪河光倒刺鲃国家级水产种质资源保护区鱼类群落结构,分析不同河段、不同季节鱼类群落多样性的变化,于2017年12月-2018年10月对保护区上、中、下游的鱼类开展了每个季度一次的调查。调查结果显示,共采集鱼类57种,隶属于5目14科50属,其中鲤形目43种、鲈形目6种、鲇形目5种,合鳃鱼目2种,鳉形目1种;计算57种鱼类的相对重要性指数,结果显示,尼罗罗非鱼、越南■及鲤鱼为2017-2018年度优势种;Shannon-Wiener多样性指数、Margalef丰富度指数和Pielou均匀度指数计算结果显示,下游鱼类群落的多样性及均匀度最高,夏季鱼类群落的多样性、丰富度及均匀度最高;各监测点之间的种类相似性系数显示,保护区上中游、上下游之间鱼类种类组成为中等不相似,中下游种类组成为中等相似,春夏、春冬、夏冬及夏秋季节鱼类种类组成为中等不相似,春秋、秋冬季节为中等相似;ABC分析结果显示,春、夏及冬季鱼类群落处于稳定状态,秋季处于中度干扰状态。     

Importance of mitochondrial calcium uniporter in high glucose-induced cardiac myocyte apoptosis

AIM: To investigate the role of mitochondrial calcium uniporter (MCU) in high glucose(HG)-induced apoptosis of cardiac myocytes. METHODS: Cardiac myocytes were exposed to normal glucose (5.5 mmol/L glucose+ 19.5 mmol/L mannitol), HG (25 mmol/L glucose), or HG combined with 5 μmol/L spermine for 72 h. Mitochondrial free Ca²⁺ concentration ([Ca²⁺]_m), MCU at mRNA and protein levels, pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH) activity, mitochondrial membrane potential (Δψ_m), the levels of ATP and reactive oxygen species (ROS), and apoptosis were determined. RESULTS: The [Ca²⁺]_m, the mRNA and protein levels of MCU, PDH activity, ATP levels, and Δψ_m were reduced (P<0.05), while ROS content and the protein levels of caspase-9 and caspase-3 were increased in HG group (P<0.05). Adding 5 μmol/L spermine returned these parameters toward control levels (P<0.05). Moreover, apoptosis was reduced by adding spermine and HG treatment (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: HG-induced cardiac myocyte apoptosis may be associated with the decreased MCU expression and activity, abnormal mitochondrial Ca²⁺ handling, deviant mitochon-drial respiratory chain, and mitochondrial dysfunction.     

无核柚新品种‘华柚2号’

‘华柚2号’是将‘国庆1号’温州蜜柑愈伤组织原生质体与‘华柚1号’叶肉原生质体融合创制的二倍体雄性不育胞质杂种。树势中等，花瓣短而退化，雄蕊败育，雌蕊正常。果实扁圆形，隔离种植下完全无核，平均单果质量1 232.47 g，果皮中等厚，可食率57.03%。果肉粉红色，囊壁薄，果肉化渣多汁，风味浓，可溶性固形物12.37% ~ 13.33%，总酸0.90% ~ 1.20%，固酸比10.42 ~ 14.13，维生素C 24.26 mL • L-1。在湖北武汉地区种植，果实11—12月成熟，5年生嫁接树单株产量约50 kg。     

香蕉新品种‘南天红’

香蕉新品种‘南天红’由‘南天黄’的自然突变选育而成。假茎平均高度2.59 m，幼树假茎外表面暗红色，抽蕾后转绿。雄花苞片外表面常为深红色，花苞卷曲，常不脱落；从种植到收获11 ~ 13个月，单株产量25 kg，品质好。中高抗香蕉枯萎病4号小种，采用配套的栽培技术可在所有香蕉种植区推广。     

郁金香新品种‘黄玉’

‘黄玉’是从郁金香‘Golden Apeldoorn’的芽变中选育的新品种。株高37 cm，花单生于茎顶，鲜黄色，外轮花瓣外侧黄绿色。生育期75 d，盛花期13 d，花朵品质高，抗寒能力强，是优良的盆栽和园林绿化品种。     

豇豆新品种之豇618的选育

之豇618是以从四川引进的麻子豇豆为母本,以从辽宁引进的ZH优选株系为父本进行杂交,采用系统选育结合分子标记辅助抗枯萎病鉴定育成的中熟豇豆新品种。植株蔓生,花紫色,主侧蔓均可结荚,平均单株结荚14.4条;商品荚油绿色,条荚顺直,喙绿色,鼠尾少,平均荚长63.7 cm,单荚质量26.6 g,豆荚肉厚,粗纤维含量低,口感糯、微甜,可溶性糖含量为24.0 mg · g~(-1);对日照长短不敏感,中抗枯萎病和病毒病,早期产量与之豇106相当,总产量2 000 kg · (667 m~2)~(-1)左右,适宜在全国各地(除高寒地区外)种植。     

低频声波频率下瘤背石磺CaM-like、CaMKII基因的表达及功能

长期栖息于潮间带的动物能够感知当地的潮汐规律,形成潮汐记忆的能力。本研究以栖息于潮间带的瘤背石磺(Onchidium reevesii)为对象,研究其通过感知潮汐来临时产生的低频声音来调节其行为与潮汐节律相协调的分子机制。通过RACE-PCR技术克隆到CaM-like基因的cDNA序列,并进行生物信息学分析和qRT-PCR实验。结果显示,瘤背石磺CaM-like基因的cDNA全长2321 bp,包括5′非编码区(UTR)366 bp,3′非编码区(UTR)1337 bp,618 bp的开放阅读框编码206个氨基酸;预测该基因编码的多肽链的原子数量是3165,分子量约为23029.64 kD,理论等电点4.64,分子式是C_(1018)H_(1544)N_(274)O_(320)S_9。N端信号肽由29个氨基酸组成。氨基酸序列比对构建系统进化树,结果显示瘤背石磺CaM-like基因与静水椎实螺(Lymnaea stagnalis)、光滑双脐螺(Biomphalaria glabrata)的CaM-like基因的亲缘关系最接近,这与传统形态学分类相吻合。在实验室内模拟潮汐中低频声音刺激瘤背石磺,应用qRT-PCR检测CaM-like基因在不同组织的分布情况,结果显示CaM-like mRNA在瘤背石磺不同组织均有表达,但神经节部位的表达量显著高于背部皮肤、腹足、肠、肝胰腺、口器和蛋白腺等组织(P0.05),推测其可能参与神经系统的可塑性调节。荧光定量结果显示CaM-like、CaMKII基因分别在25 Hz和50 Hz低频声波下刺激12.4 h表达量较高,初步推测其能感知25～50 Hz声波频率。这可能与栖息于潮间带中的瘤背石磺长期感知12.4 h半日潮潮汐周期节律,形成潮汐记忆有关。本研究将为进一步深入了解瘤背石磺感知潮汐节律的分子机制奠定基础,也为探究海洋动物由海洋向陆地进化过程中对环境的适应机制提供依据。     

濒危中华鲟人工群体的繁殖生物学

以1998―2008年孵出的子一代(F1)中华鲟(Acipensersinensis)为材料,研究了人工养殖中华鲟的繁殖生物学特征。结果表明:年龄10～20龄的492尾人工养殖子一代中华鲟体重为30～169 kg,体长为140～258 cm,肥满度为0.77～1.26,体长(L)与体重(W)之间的关系式为W=1×10~(–5)L~(2.9658) (R~2=0.9076,n=492)。74尾中华鲟性腺发育成熟,成熟比例为15.04%,成熟个体中雄鱼体重[(60.73±14.53)kg]和体长[(172.27±13.46)cm]均小于雌鱼体重[(88.39±29.14)kg]和体长[(193.37±18.90) cm];雄鱼最小性成熟年龄为10龄,平均为(14.96±1.93)龄,雌鱼最小成熟年龄为12龄,平均为(17.84±1.80)龄。雄鱼催产成功率为76.36%,精子快速运动时间为(49.11±13.38) s,精子寿命为(220.75±56.47)s;雌鱼催产成功率为57.89%,产卵量为(13.43±6.79)万粒,卵径(3.97±0.15)mm,卵重(0.046±0.013)g,受精率为(42.72±27.82)%,孵化率为(51.61±32.41)%,出苗量为(4.44±5.67)万尾。与野生中华鲟相比,人工养殖中华鲟成熟个体体格、繁殖力和繁殖效果均有下降趋势,人工保种面临挑战。     

胰α-淀粉酶基因5''端调控序列与鱼类食性的关系

为了研究不同鱼类胰α-淀粉酶基因5'端调控序列转录因子差异与鱼类食性分化之间的关系。通过PCR克隆测序和查询NCBI数据库,获得32种鱼类胰α淀粉酶基因5'端824 bp序列,并对鱼类胰α淀粉酶基因5'端序列进行转录因子和系统发育分析。按不同的营养类型将鱼类分为杂食性、植食性和肉食性,通过百分比相似性分析不同食性鱼类的胰α淀粉酶基因转录因子的组成差异以及转录因子与鱼类食性的关系。结果显示:不同食性鱼类的胰α-淀粉酶基因5'端序列存在转录因子种类差异,植食性-肉食性鱼类差异主要体现在E47、C/EBPalpha、NF-Y和Pax-2,植食性-杂食性差异主要体现在deltaEF1、MyoD、NF-Y、AREB6和Pax-2,杂食性-肉食性差异主要体现在GATA-1、SRY、MyoD、HFH-8、AREB6、Pax-2、STAT5A和AP-1。系统发育结果与传统形态分类学大体相符,相同食性的鱼类并没有聚为一类。鱼类胰α-淀粉酶基因5'端调控序列中与食性分化相关的转录因子有E47、C/EBPalpha、NF-Y、Pax-2、deltaEF1、MyoD、AREB6、GATA-1、SRY、HFH-8、STAT5A和AP-1;胰α-淀粉酶基因5'端序列的转录因子与鱼类食性分化具有一定的关系。