Mouse melanoma cell exosomes promote expression of Rac1 protein in fibroblasts

AIM To investigate the effect of exosomes secreted by mouse melanoma cells on the expression of Ras-related C3 botulinum toxin substrate 1 (Rac1) protein in fibroblasts. METHODS Ultracentrifugation was adopted to separete exosomes secreted by mouse melanoma B16-F10 cells. The morphological structure of exosomes was observed by negative-staining electron microscopy. The size distribution of exosomes was determined by nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA). The exosomal markers, tumor susceptibility gene 101 (Tsg101) and tyrosinase-related protein 2 (Tyrp2), were identified by Western blot. Laser confocal microscopy was used to observe the process that mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEF) took in exosomes during co-culture. Immunocytochemical staining and Western blot were used to detect the expression of Rac1 protein in MEF. RESULTS B16-F10 cell exosomes showed a typical tea tray-like structure, with a size range of 141~255 nm, and expressed protein markers Tsg101 and Tyrp2. The results of laser confocal microscopy showed that compared with co-culture at 0 h, a small number of exosomes appeared in the MEF at 12 h, and a large number of exosomes accumulated in the MEF after co-cultured for 24 and 36 h. Western blot analysis showed that compared with co-culture at 0 h, the expression of Rac1 protein in the MEF was significantly increased at 24 h and 36 h of co-culture (P<0.01). The results of immunocytochemical staining showed that compared with co-culture at 0 h, the positive expression level of Rac1 in the MEF cells was significantly increased at 12 h, 24 h and 36 h of co-culture (P<0.05 or P<0.01). CONCLUSION Intake of exosomes secreted by mouse melanoma cells promotes the expression of Rac1 protein in fibroblasts.     

Involvement of histone H2B monoubiquitination in the regulation of mouse preimplantation development

Histone H2B monoubiquitination (H2Bub1) plays an important role in developmental regulation in various vertebrate species. However, the role of H2Bub1 in mammalian preimplantation development remains unclear. In the present study, we examined the role of H2Bub1 in the regulation of mouse preimplantation development. Based on immunocytochemical analysis using an anti-H2Bub1 antibody, no H2Bub1 signal was detected in the metaphase chromosomes of unfertilized oocytes or the pronuclei of early 1-cell stage embryos, but a weak signal was observed in late 1-cell stage embryos. The signal increased after cleavage into the 2-cell stage, and thereafter a strong signal was observed until the blastocyst stage. To assess the significance of H2Bub1 in the regulation of preimplantation development, RNF20 (an H2B-specific ubiquitin E3 ligase) was knocked down using small interfering RNA (siRNAs). In embryos treated with siRNA, the levels of Rnf20 mRNA and H2Bub1 decreased at the 4-cell and morula stages. Although these embryos developed normally until the morula stage, only one-third developed into the blastocyst stage. These results suggested that H2Bub1 is involved in the regulation of preimplantation development.     

No effect of exogenous melatonin on development of cryopreserved metaphase II oocytes in mouse

Background

This study was conducted to investigate effect of exogenous melatonin on the development of mouse mature oocytes after cryopreservation.

Results

First, mouse metaphase II (MII) oocytes were vitrified in the open-pulled straws (OPS). After warming, they were cultured for 1 h in M₂ medium containing melatonin at different concentrations (0, 10⁻⁹, 10⁻⁷, 10⁻⁵, 10⁻³ mol/L). Then the oocytes were used to detect reactive oxygen species (ROS) and glutathione (GSH) levels (fluorescence microscopy), and the developmental potential after parthenogenetic activation. The experimental results showed that the ROS level and cleavage rate in 10⁻³ mol/L melatonin group was significantly lower than that in melatonin-free group (control). The GSH levels and blastocyst rates in all melatonin-treated groups were similar to that in control. Based on the above results, we detected the expression of gene Hsp90aa1, Hsf1, Hspa1b, Nrf2 and Bcl-x1 with qRT-PCR in oocytes treated with 10⁻⁷, or 10⁻³ mol/L melatonin and untreated control. After warming and culture for 1 h, the oocytes showed higher Hsp90aa1 expression in 10⁻⁷ mol/L melatonin-treated group than in the control (P < 0.05); the Hsf1, Hsp90aa1 and Bcl-x1 expression were significantly decreased in 10⁻³ mol/L melatonin-treated group when compared to the control. Based on the above results and previous research, we detected the development of vitrified-warmed oocytes treated with either 10⁻⁷ or 0 mol/L melatonin by in vitro fertilization. No difference was observed between them.

Conclusions

Our results indicate that the supplementation of melatonin (10⁻⁹ to 10⁻³ mol/L) in culture medium and incubation for 1 h did not improve the subsequent developmental potential of vitrified-warmed mouse MII oocytes, even if there were alteration in gene expression.     

小鼠催乳素释放肽的初步克隆

为克隆并分析小鼠催乳素释放肽基因,从小鼠下丘脑提取总RNA,进行RT-PCR,PCR产物与pMD-19T连接后转化E.coli DH5α,检测阳性克隆并测序。测序结果表明,所得序列与大鼠催乳素释放肽编码区序列的相似指数为86.3%。克隆所得序列为小鼠催乳素释放肽的基因片段。     

小鼠基因内含子中CpG岛和几个转录调控元件分析

内含子在基因转录调控中的作用已多次被实验报道,然而对其参与调控的普遍性还缺乏足够的理论支持。本研究利用计算分析方法,对小鼠基因内含子中的CpG岛（CpGisland）、TATA框（TATAbox）、CAAT框（CAATbox）以及GC框（GCbox）等元件的出现频率进行分析。结果发现,分别有56.01%、57.16%、65.88%和41.86%的第一内含子具有CpG岛、TATA框、CAAT框以及GC框,而它们在其它内含子中的平均出现频率则分别为14.07%、45.24%、49.91%和13.19%。即使考虑到不同位置的内含子,这些元件在第一内含子中的出现频率也显著高于它们在其它任何位置内含子中的出现频率。由于CpG岛、TATA框、CAAT框以及GC框均与基因的转录调控有关,据此推测小鼠第一内含子在基因转录调控过程中具有潜在的重要性。本研究结果为内含子参与转录调控提供了更多的理论依据。     

一枝蒿制剂对小鼠小肠运动作用研究

用两种一枝蒿制剂对小鼠进行小肠推进实验，以甲基硫酸新斯地明、盐酸吗啡和生理盐水为对照。结果表明：一枝蒿健胃促消化机制主要是促进小肠运动。经方差分析和多重比较，其效果相似于硫酸甲基新斯地明     

实验大鼠,实验小鼠肠道鞭毛虫种类和检索

对普通级ＳＤ大鼠和ＫＭ小鼠肠道内鞭毛虫分别作了观察，从大鼠检出１０种肠道鞭毛虫：鼠唇鞭毛虫（Ｃｈｉｌｏｍａｓｔｉｘ ｂｅｔｔｅｎｃｏｕｒｔｉ），人肠滴虫（Ｅｎｔｅｒｏｍｏｎａｓ ｈｏｍｉｎｉｓ），西蒙氏贾第虫（Ｇｉａｒｄｉａ ｓｉｍｏｎｉ）鼠六鞭虫（Ｈｅｘａｍｉｔａ ｍｕｒｉｓ），似单尾滴虫（Ｍｏｎｏｃｅｒｃｏｍｏｎｏｉｄｉｅｓ ｓｐ），人五毛滴虫（Ｐｅｎｔａｔｒｉｃｈｏｍｏｎａｓ ｈｏｍｉｎｉｓ     

白术提取液急性毒性试验

测定白术提取液对小鼠腹腔注射和肌内注射的急性毒性,评价其安全性,为临床安全用药提供依据.采用最大给药量法,将60只小鼠随机分为3组,每组20只,分为白术提取液100g/kg腹腔注射组、20 g/kg肌内注射组和生理盐水100mL/kg腹腔注射组,注射给药后连续观察7 d,测定其1日最大给药量,确定白术提取液的急性毒性.结果表明,小鼠腹腔注射和肌内注射的1日最大给药量依次为100和20 g/kg,分别相当于临床犬日用量的400和80倍.说明白术提取液较为安全,可在临床研究试用.     

小鼠子宫内膜上皮细胞体外培养方法比较

为探讨适用于小鼠子宫内膜上皮细胞的培养方法,对胰蛋白酶消化法、胰蛋白酶消化+刮取法、Ⅰ型胶原酶消化法、Ⅰ型胶原酶消化法+刮取法、子宫翻转组织块培养法5种方法进行了比较研究.结果表明,胰蛋白酶消化法获得的上皮细胞数量稀少,活力低,生长速度缓慢;刮取法+胰蛋白酶消化法、胶原酶消化法、刮取法+Ⅰ型胶原酶消化法获得的细胞数量较单纯胰蛋白酶消化法多,但达不到研究所需的要求;子宫翻转组织块培养法获得的上皮细胞活力强,生长速度快,纯度高,比较适宜小鼠子宫内膜上皮细胞的原代培养.