Effects of ZIP14 on biological behaviors of hepatocellular carcinoma cell line BEL-7404

AIM: To study the expression of zinc transporter ZRT/IRT-like protein 14 (ZIP14) in the hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) tissues, and to investigate the effects of ZIP14 over-expression on the biological behaviors of HCC cells. METHODS: The expression of ZIP14 at mRNA and protein levels in the HCC tissues and adjacent non-tumor tissues were detected by real-time PCR and immunohistochemical staining, respectively. The lentivirus expression system containing GV365-ZIP14 was constructed, and was used to infect the HCC cell line BEL-7404, which had relatively poor expression of ZIP14. The expression of ZIP14 at mRNA and protein levels in the transfected cells were detected by real-time PCR and Western blot, respectively. Under the conditions of zinc sulfate stimulation at different concentrations, the cell viability, the cell cycle, and the cell migration and invasion abilities were detected by MTT assay, DNA ploid detection, and Transwell assay, respectively. RESULTS: The mRNA expression level and the strong-positive rate of protein expression of ZIP14 in the HCC tissues were significantly lower than those in the adjacent non-tumor liver tissues (P<0.01). The expression of ZIP14 at mRNA and protein levels in the BEL7404 cells was significantly enhanced by infection of GV365-ZIP14 expression lentivirus. Compared with negative control group (transfected with negative control lentivirus), the cell viability, migration and invasion in ZIP14 over-expression group (transfected with GV365-ZIP14 expression lentivirus) were significantly reduced, and the percentage of the cells in G₂/M phase was significantly increased, all of which were more obvious with the elevation of zinc concentration in the culture medium. CONCLUSION: ZIP14 is low expressed in the HCC tissues. The ZIP14 over-expression has inhibitory effects on the viability, migration and invasion of HCC cells, and blocks the cell cycle in G₂/M phase, which might be closely related to the elevation of zinc concentration in cytoplasma of HCC cells due to enchanced zinc transport by ZIP14.     

Insights from in vitro exploration of factors influencing iron,zinc and provitamin A carotenoid bioaccessibility and intestinal absorption from cereals

Developments in genetics, agronomics and processing has positioned staple cereals as important sources of iron, zinc and provitamin A (pVA) carotenoids for nutritionally vulnerable populations. Significant effort has been placed on understanding the bioavailability of these micronutrients from cereal foods, including the exploration of underlying mechanisms by which their bioavailability can be modified. While micronutrient bioavailability is preferably assessed in clinical trials, relevant in vitro digestion and intestinal cell culture models have been applied to study effects of genetic, agronomic, post-harvest and food processing on micronutrient bioavailability. This review (1) critically assesses the application of in vitro models in the exploration of mechanisms associated with iron, zinc and provitamin A carotenoid bioaccessibility and intestinal absorption from cereal foods, and (2) identifies remaining gaps in order to frame future strategies to improve the nutritional impact of cereal foods.     

非线性、分形与期锌市场价格

从非线性角度研究期锌市场，运用R/S分析法对期锌市场进行分析，发现期锌市场的Hurst指数为0.6183,其价格收益率序列是分维时间序列，具有分形结构，维数为1.6174。期锌市场的平均周期长度为176天，具有强持续性和相关性。关联系数为19.47%，远远大于国外相关市场。在风险方面，期锌市场的风险比期铜市场的要小，而比股票市场的风险要大。     

高剂量丙酸锌对蛋鸡换羽和换羽后产蛋性能及鸡蛋品质的影响

将240只66周龄罗曼蛋鸡（平均2.46 kg）随机分成4组,每组3个重复,每重复20只。对照组饲喂基础日粮,试验组日粮在基础日粮基础上分别添加0.5%,1.0%和1.5%丙酸锌,以研究丙酸锌对蛋鸡换羽和产蛋性能及鸡蛋品质的影响。结果表明：0.5%,1.0%和1.5%丙酸锌组,蛋鸡的采食量、体重、腹脂重、卵巢重和黄色卵胞数量显著降低（P〈0.05）;1.0%和1.5%丙酸锌组输卵管重量显著降低（P〈0.05）。丙酸锌的3个处理组蛋鸡血清LH、FSH和E2含量均显著降低（P〈0.05）;1.0%和1.5%的丙酸锌处理组蛋鸡产蛋率显著升高（P〈0.05）,蛋壳相对重、蛋壳厚度均比对照组显著增加（P〈0.05）;蛋重、蛋比重、蛋黄指数、蛋形指数、哈夫单位和蛋白高度差差异均不显著（P〉0.05）。结论：丙酸锌能够引起蛋鸡换羽,提高蛋壳质量。     

铜、锌离子影响丹参金属硫蛋白MT2基因表达

植物金属硫蛋白在金属离子的储存、运输和代谢及降低重金属离子的毒性等方面起着重要作用本文研究了Cu2 、Zn2 对丹参毛状根中金属硫蛋白基因表达的影响.以6,7-V为液体培养基,分别以缺乏正常及原培养基100、500、1 000倍的cu2 、Zn2 处理,采用半定量PCR法检测不同时间点时金属硫蛋基因的表达情况.结果发现Cu2 、Zn2 诱导金属硫蛋基因的表达量分别在100倍处理量时的9 h和6 d达到峰值Cu2 、Zn2 能显著诱导丹参金属硫蛋白基因的表达,该基因可能在丹参对铜、锌元素的吸收方面发挥着重要的作用.     

野生二粒小麦及其后代富含微量营养元素种质资源的筛选鉴定

由于主要粮食作物中微量营养元素(特别是Zn 和Fe)的缺乏导致全世界范围内的人类微量营养元素缺乏症。野生二粒小麦(Triticum turgidum ssp. dicoccoides)是提高小麦籽粒Zn、Fe、蛋白质含量及改良小麦其他性状的重要种质资源。本研究以4 份野生二粒小麦及32 份野生二粒小麦与普通小麦(Triticum aestivum L.)杂交后代为材料, 进行籽粒中富含Zn、Fe 和蛋白质种质资源的筛选和鉴定。野生二粒小麦的后代材料表现出广泛的遗传变异。籽粒Zn、Fe 含量和蛋白质含量之间均呈极显著正相关关系, 说明这些性状能够通过育种方式达到共同提高的目的。试验共筛选到17 份Zn、Fe 和蛋白质含量均显著高于对照品种"石4185"的材料, 说明将来自野生二粒小麦的外源基因导入到普通小麦是提高小麦籽粒Zn、Fe 和蛋白质含量的有效途径。其中5份野生二粒小麦与普通小麦的杂交后代表现出较高籽粒Zn、Fe 和蛋白质含量的同时, 也具有较高的产量和优良的农艺性状。这些材料的获得为小麦生物强化育种提供了重要的物质基础。     

Infection, immunity and the neuroendocrine response

The Central Nervous (CNS) and Immune Systems (IS) are the two major adaptive systems which respond rapidly to numerous challenges that are able to compromise health. The defensive response strictly linking innate to acquired immunity, works continuously to limit pathogen invasion and damage. The efficiency of the innate response is crucial for survival and for an optimum priming of acquired immunity. During infection, the immune response is modulated by an integrated neuro-immune network which potentiates innate immunity, controls potential harmful effects and also addresses metabolic and nutritional modifications supporting immune function. In the last decade much knowledge has been gained on the molecular signals that orchestrate this integrated adaptive response, with focus on the systemic mediators which have a crucial role in driving and controlling an efficient protective response. These mediators are also able to signal alterations and control pathway dysfunctions which may be involved in the persistence and/or overexpression of inflammation that may lead to tissue damage and to a negative metabolic impact, causing retarded growth.This review aims to describe some important signalling pathways which drive bidirectional communication between the Immune and Nervous Systems during infection. Particular emphasis is placed on pro-inflammatory cytokines, immunomodulator hormones such as Glucocorticoids (GCs), Growth hormone (GH), Insulin-like Growth Factor-1 (IGF-1), and Leptin, as well as nutritional factors such as Zinc (Zn).Finally, the review includes up-to-date information on this neuroimmune cross-talk in domestic animals. Data in domestic animal species are still limited, but there are several exciting areas of research, like the potential interaction pathways between mediators (i.e. cytokine-HPA regulation, IL-6-GCS-Zn, cytokines-GH/IGF-1, IL-6-GH-Leptin and thymus activity) that are or could be promising topics of future research in veterinary medicine.     

The effect of Lumbricus rubellus and Lumbricus terrestris on zinc distribution and availability in artificial soil columns

This study investigated the impact of epigeic and (epi)anecic earthworms on the distribution and availability of zinc in the soil profile. Experiments were carried out with Lumbricus rubellus and Lumbricus terrestris in perspex columns (Ø 10 cm), filled with 20 to 23 cm non-polluted soil [organic matter 2%, clay 2.9%, pH 6.4 (0.01 M CaCl₂)], that was covered by a 3- to 5-cm layer of aged zinc-spiked soil (500 mg Zn/kg dry soil) and another 2 cm non-polluted soil on top. After 80 days, columns were sacrificed and sampled in a depth profile. Earthworm casts, deposited on top of the soil, were collected. Each sample was analyzed for total and 0.01 M CaCl₂-exchangeable zinc concentrations. L. rubellus did not go deeper than 3 cm into the soil and therefore no effect on zinc distribution in the soil could be detected. For L. terrestris, total zinc concentrations in the non-polluted layers were slightly but significantly higher in columns with earthworms, and so were the CaCl₂-exchangeable zinc concentrations in the polluted layers of these columns. Casts of L. terrestris collected from the soil surface showed higher total zinc concentrations than those from non-polluted soil. Casts were mainly placed on top of the soil. This study showed that these epigeic and (epi)anecic species have only a slight effect on zinc availability, and that deep burrowing species, like L. terrestris, are able to transport polluted soil from deeper layers to the soil surface.     

不同pH和供Zn条件下HCO_3~-对冬小麦幼苗生长和锌营养的影响

采用营养液培养法,研究了不同pH和供Zn条件下高浓度HCO3-(10 mmol L-1)对小麦幼苗生长,尤其是对锌营养的影响,结果表明:当营养液起始pH为6时,HCO3-在缺Zn时对小麦根系生长的抑制作用较为明显,而正常供Zn时的影响较小。当营养液起始pH为8时,不论缺Zn还是供Zn,添加HCO3-对根系和地上部均未表现出明显的抑制作用。HCO3-在酸性营养液中能极大促进小麦植株根系和地上部尤其是根系对Zn的吸收,而在碱性条件下则抑制小麦幼苗根系和地上部对Zn的吸收。此外,HCO3-能显著抑制Zn从根系向地上部分的转运,从而造成在根系中的大量积累。HCO3-加入营养液后会生成少量的CO32-,并使营养液pH维持在较高水平上。     

断奶仔猪日粮高剂量氧化锌的替代技术研究进展

氧化锌是断奶仔猪阶段饲料中防止腹泻的常用饲料添加剂,但是它的使用会造成环境污染。农业农村部也逐渐开始对氧化锌在养猪生产中的使用加以限制。此次研究从氧化锌的抗腹泻机理、不同的锌源和改变氧化锌的生物活性、氧化锌来源、植物乳杆菌、植物精油、水解单宁(HT)和氧化锌联合使用、猪免疫球蛋白G(pplgG)等方面进行综述,探讨其替代思路,以期为断奶仔猪高剂量氧化锌替代提供参考。