Interaction of dinotefuran and its analogues with nicotinic acetylcholine receptors of cockroach nerve cords

To investigate the action of dinotefuran (MTI-446, 1-methyl-2-nitro-3-(tetrahydro-3-furylmethyl)guanidine), a recently developed insecticide, on insect nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs), we determined the potencies of the compound and 15 analogues in inhibiting the specific binding of [3H]epibatidine (EPI), a nAChR agonist, and [3H]alpha-bungarotoxin (alpha-BGT), a competitive nAChR antagonist, to the nerve cord membranes of American cockroaches (Periplaneta americana). Racemic dinotefuran inhibited [3H]EPI binding with an IC50 of 890 nM and [3H]alpha-BGT binding with an IC50 of 36.1 microM. Scatchard analysis indicated that the dinotefuran inhibition of [3H]EPI binding was a competitive one. Slight structural modification caused a drastic reduction in potency; only four analogues were found to be equipotent to or more potent than dinotefuran. Chloropyridinyl and chlorothiazolyl neonicotinoid insecticides displayed two or three orders of magnitude higher potency than dinotefuran. There was a good correlation between the IC50 values of tested compounds obtained with [3H]EPI and those obtained with [3H]alpha-BGT. A better correlation was observed between 3-h knockdown activities (KD50) against German cockroaches (Blattella germanica) and IC50 values obtained from [3H]EPI assays than between 24-h lethal activities (LD50) and IC50 values. While the results indicate that dinotefuran and its analogues interact with the ACh-binding site in cockroach nAChRs, it remains to be elucidated why they displayed lower potencies than those expected based on their insecticidal activities.     

Immunohistochemical expression of progesterone receptors, growth hormone and insulin growth factor-I in feline fibroadenomatous change

The immunohistochemical expression, tissue-specific and cell-specific distribution patterns of progesterone receptors (PR), growth hormone (GH) and insulin growth factor-I (IGF-I) have been studied in 22 cases of feline fibroadenomatous change (FFAC). PR and GH were detected in all cases and were distributed homogeneously throughout the lesion, while IGF-I was detected in 77% of the cases at the site of ductal budding. The simultaneous expression of PR, GH and IGF-I was detected in epithelial cells in 14 of 22 cases while PR and GH expression only was detected in epithelial cells in 11 cases. Cases that expressed GH and IGF-I without PR expression in the stroma were the most numerous. Double immunohistochemical staining showed the co-localisation of PR and GH in a subset of ductal epithelial cells located between basal/myoepithelial and luminal cells (probably undifferentiated stem cells). These results suggest that ligand-activated progesterone receptors may induce the local synthesis of GH which in turn may exert its proliferative action directly and also indirectly through the production of other growth factors, such as IGF-I, in an autocrine/paracrine manner.     

Ontogeny of IGF-I responsiveness to bGH in young lambs

The ontogeny of hepatic growth hormone (GH) receptors (GHR), as measured by responses of both plasma insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) and hepatic GHR to an exogenous bGH stimulus, was examined using sheep of different ages (Days 1-7, 14-21, 28-35, and 56-63 of life, and yearlings). The IGF-I response to bGH was first examined in yearling sheep using two doses of bGH (0.1 and 0.2 mg/kg LW/d). Based on these results, lambs in four groups up to Day 63 of life were treated for 5 d with bGH (n = 10) at a dose of 0.15 mg/kg LW/d or with saline (n = 10). Jugular blood samples were taken once daily on Days - 1, 4, and 5 of treatment. bGH treatment in lambs up to Day 63 of life had little effect on plasma concentrations of GH, insulin, glucose or urea, but significantly (P < 0.05) increased circulating concentrations of IGF-I at all ages and of NEFA at Day 62/63 of life. In contrast, bGH treatment at either dose in yearlings significantly increased these parameters, except for plasma urea concentrations which were decreased in bGH-treated yearlings. However, the responses of plasma IGF-I concentration to bGH stimulus in lambs up to Day 63 of life were small compared to those in yearling sheep. Consistent with this, bGH treatment failed to affect hepatic GH binding in young lambs, but up-regulated it in yearling sheep. Furthermore, basal (unstimulated) GH binding did not differ between sheep of 7 vs. 63 vs. 365 d of age, despite the greater IGF-I responses to bGH in the latter group. It is suggested that hepatic GHR in lambs up to Day 63 of life are not fully functional compared to the situation in yearlings.     

大鼠发情周期的子宫组织雌激素受体定位的初步研究

本试验选用 SD 系大鼠,用常规阴道抹片法鉴定发情。采用免疫组织化学的过氧化物酶—抗过氧化物酶复合物(PAP)法,进行雌激素受体(ER)定位。在子宫的内膜固有层、肌层和浆膜层,发现抗雌二醇抗体的免疫反应阳性细胞,而在内膜上皮细胞内无阳性染色。这种阳性染色可以被乙烯酚所阻断,不加抗雌二醇抗体的结果使染色呈阴性。发情周期4个不同时期的子宫组织中免疫反应阳性细胞表现出量的变化,以发情间期为基础,发情前期较多,发情期和发情后期依次减少,其动态变化与前人报道发情周期中雌二醇在血浆中的浓度变化是对应的。并发现发情周期中子宫组织的肥大细胞与雌激素受体的分布和变化有着相似的特点。     

Effects of tripterygium glycosides combined with dexamethasone on TLRs/NF-κB signaling pathway in EAE rats

AIM: To investigate the role of TLRs/NF-κB pathway in experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE) rats treated with tripterygium glycosides (TG) + dexamethasone (DX). METHODS: Lewis rats were used in the study and divided into control group, EAE model group, therapy 1 group (EAE rats treated with DX) and therapy 2 group (EAE rats treated with DX+TG). The mean clinical score of the rats was determined. The expression of TLR4 and TLR9 at mRNA and protein levels was detected by the methods of real-time quantitative RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry. The protein level of NF-κB p65 was also measured. The levels of TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6 were assayed by ELISA. RESULTS: The mean clinical scores at 5th, 16th and 20th day were lower in therapy 1 group and therapy 2 group than that in EAE model group. The mean clinical score in therapy 2 group was even lower than that in therapy 1 group. At the 16th day (the peaking period), the mRNA expression of TLR4 and TLR9 in therapy 1 group and therapy 2 group were obviously lower than that in EAE model group. The protein levels of TLR4, TLR9 and NF-κB p65 were also significantly lower in therapy 1 group and therapy 2 group than those in EAE model group at peak stage of EAE. The levels of TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6 were lower in therapy1 group and therapy2 group than those in EAE model group. The significant differences of the mean clinical score, the mRNA expression of TLR4 and TLR9, the positive ratio of NF-κB p65 and the levels of TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6 between therapy 1 group and therapy 2 group were found. The result of orthogonal factorial analysis of variance indicated that the difference of therapeutic effect between DX and DX+TG was significant (F=75.749, P<0.01). CONCLUSION: The TLRs/NF-κB pathway takes part in the pathological process of EAE. TG combined with DX alleviates the symptoms of EAE by suppressing inflammatory and immunological reactions of EAE.     

兰州熊蜂气味受体家族鉴定及分析

【目的】了解兰州熊蜂(Bombus lantschouensis)基因组中气味受体基因(odorant receptors,Ors)情况,为进一步分析气味受体功能提供信息,从而为研究该基因家族在熊蜂觅食、交尾、通讯等行为中的重要功能打下基础。【方法】提取兰州熊蜂胸部基因组DNA,进行Illumina高通量测序,对测序所得原始序列进行质控并拼接获得基因组序列,然后使用本地blast 2.2.28+对构建兰州熊蜂基因组本地数据库,使用已知的地熊蜂(Bombus terrestris)和意大利蜜蜂(Apis mellifera ligustica)的气味受体蛋白序列作为种子序列搜索数据库获得兰州熊蜂的气味受体序列;使用EMBOSS1.5对气味受体蛋白序列进行基本理化分析,利用GSDS2.0对家族序列的内含子与外显子位置进行分析,然后使用MEME 4.11.2对氨基酸序列进行保守基序分析,最后利用Clusta W 2.1、Trim Al 1.2、Phy ML3.0对兰州熊蜂、地熊蜂和意大利蜜蜂气味受体家族序列进行系统进化分析。【结果】共获得165个兰州熊蜂气味受体基因,包括1个非典型气味受体(olfactory receptor co-receptor,Orco)、5个假基因和159个气味受体。基因结构分析发现,气味受体家族外显子数目从4个到9个不等。其中Or 47—57的序列中外显子数量最少,为4个;Or 128—161中外显子的数量最多,为9个。根据基因结构的不同,将气味受体分为10大类型,每个类型中的序列都有相似的外显子长度与数量。Or 1—38、Or 69—85、Or 128—164这3大类所包含成员数较多(分别为38、17、37),其他7类包含成员个数都约10个,且每个类型中序列在染色体上都呈串联排布,其中Or 1—38中都包含一个较长的第一外显子。保守基序分析发现,在检索的10个保守基序中,除基序5为未知基序外,其他9个基序均包含在其保守结构域(7tm_6 domain)中。Or1—38与Or 39—46多数成员包含全部10个保守基序,基序2、3、4、9广泛存在于该家族成员序列中,这4个基序可能为该家族关键的功能区域。系统发育分析将Ors分为5个亚家族(I—V),其中亚家族II包含2种基因结构类型序列(Bl Or 97—100与Bl Or 69—85),亚家族V包含4种(Bl Or 1—46、47—57、86—95和101—107)。Bl Or 150—155与Am Or 122—139分别聚为两个分支,Bl Or 47—57与Am Or 63—65也发现类似的聚类,这表明在进化中,蜜蜂与熊蜂的Ors出现了特异性的扩张与缺失。在进化树中发现Or 115较早与其他成员分离,位于树的基部,推测该序列可能更接近气味受体家族的祖先序列。【结论】探明了兰州熊蜂的Or基因数量、基因结构及其进化关系;该基因家族在进化过程中部分成员保守基序丢失,这些结果为进一步了解Or基因功能打下了基础。     

产肠毒素大肠杆菌K88诱导仔猪炎症反应的分子机制

为探讨产肠毒素大肠杆菌（ETEC） K88感染仔猪发生炎症反应的分子机制,试验用ETEC K88灌服断奶仔猪,ELISA法检测攻毒后仔猪血清中白细胞介素8（IL-8）含量,实时荧光定量PCR方法检测淋巴结中Toll样受体2（TLR2）、Toll样受体4（TLR4）及其信号通路相关基因（髓样分化因子88（MyD88）、Toll相互作用蛋白（Tollip）、B细胞淋巴瘤因子3（Bcl3））的mRNA相对表达水平。结果发现,仔猪攻毒ETEC K88后6和24 h血清IL-8含量和淋巴结TLR2/4的表达水平均极显著或显著高于对照组（P<0.01;P<0.05）,且感染后24 h显著低于感染后6 h（P<0.05）;仔猪感染ETEC K88后24 h淋巴结中MyD88、Tollip和Bcl3的表达水平均极显著高于对照组（P<0.01）,但是感染后6 h时与对照组相比均无显著差异（P>0.05）。综上所述,ETEC K88感染仔猪可能是通过TLR2/4-MyD88信号通路产生炎症因子IL-8,促使仔猪出现炎症反应,且该炎症反应可能受Tollip和Bcl3蛋白的调控而被减弱。     

昆虫嗅觉机制的研究进展

嗅觉机制对于昆虫选择栖息地、获得食物、趋利避害、传递讯息、群集以及繁殖等许多行为起到重要作用。因此,通过研究昆虫嗅觉系统,可以阐释嗅觉发生过程中的普遍机理,还有助于理解昆虫嗅觉活动与其整个生命活动之间的联系,进而为高等动物特别是人的嗅觉研究提供科学依据。并且通过对昆虫嗅觉机理的研究,发展出了一系列新的害虫治理方法,为害虫防治提供了新的思路。近年来,随着生物化学、分子生物学、昆虫行为学和昆虫电生理学的深入研究,科技人员发现了许多相关的嗅觉活性分子和嗅觉相关基因,从分子层面对昆虫嗅觉机制进行解释。本文综述了气味信号通过嗅感器转变为电信号,并由昆虫触角叶编码整合,最终传递到前脑整个过程中所涉及的分子组件及昆虫体内生理生化等方面有关进展。