α7nAChR is involved in anti-inflammation of physiological concentrations of glucocorticoids

AIM: To explore the role of α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (α7nAChR) in anti-inflammation of glucocorticoids (GCs) at physiological concentrations. METHODS: MTT assay was used to measure the viability of BV-2 cells, which were processed by hydrocortisone at different concentrations. On the basis of inflammatory model induced by LPS in BV-2 cells, experimental groups were divided as follows: (1) control; (2) LPS; (3) GCs＋LPS; (4) methyllycaconitine (MLA)＋GCs＋LPS. The levels of TNF-α and IL-1β in the cell supernatants were detected by ELISA. RESULTS: Hydrocortisone at concentrations of 2 000 and 1 000 nmol/L decreased the cell viability to (76.9±5.5)% and (90.8±7.3)%, respectively, indicating the cellular injury by GCs at over-physiological doses. LPS significantly induced the releases of TNF-α and IL-1β in a time- and dose-dependent manner in BV-2 cells. Hydrocortisone at physiological concentrations (500 and 250 nmol/L) reduced the releases of TNF-α and IL-1β in BV-2 cells stimulated by LPS, and MLA at concentration of 10 nmol/L antagonized the anti-inflammatory effect of GCs. CONCLUSION: α7nAChR is involved in the anti-inflammatory effect of the physiological concentrations of GCs.     

菊花开花持续期的QTL定位

 以菊花‘雨花落英’ב奥运含笑’F1群体为材料，调查了2008—2009两个年度开花持续期的分离表现，并基于菊花SRAP遗传图对其进行QTL定位分析。基于单年数据，运用Win QTL Cartographer v2.5软件及复合区间作图法在2008年共检测到3个控制开花持续期的加性QTL，主要分布在秋菊‘雨花落英’遗传图的Y20和Y42连锁群以及夏菊‘奥运含笑’遗传图的A14连锁群上，LOD值介于2.65 ~ 3.44之间，单个QTL对开花持续期表型变异的贡献率为6.54% ~ 11.58%，而在2009年未检测到QTL的存在。运用QTLNetwork v2.2软件对2008和2009两年的表型数据进行联合分析，共检测到两对上位性QTL，在贡献率和效应值上与加性QTL相当，同时上位性QTL与环境之间具有互作效应。     

广东农村固定资产投资影响因素分析

利用因子分析和回归分析相结合的方法,通过构建模型,实证分析了广东农村固定资产投资增长的主要影响因素为政策、资本、信息。     

Role of MCU in bupivacaine-induced spinal cord neurotoxic injury in diabetic rats

AIM: To investigate the role of mitochondrial calcium uniporter (MCU) in bupivacaine (B)-induced spinal cord injury in diabetic (D) rats.METHODS: Healthy male Sprague-Dawley rats, weighing 180~220 g, were divided into normal rats and diabetic rats. After intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin for building diabetic rat mo-del, 48 male rats were randomly divided into 6 groups with 8 rats in each group as following:control (C) group (normal rats by intrathecal injection of normal saline), D group (diabetic rats by intrathecal injection of normal saline), C+B group (normal rats by intrathecal injection of bupivacaine), D+B group (diabetic rats by intrathecal injection of bupivacaine), D+R₁+B group (diabetic rats by intrathecal injection of 10 μmol/L Ru360 and bupivacaine) and D+R₂+B group (diabetic rats by intrathecal injection of 50 μmol/L Ru360 and bupivacaine). The changes of paw withdrawal mechanical threshold (PWMT) and paw withdrawal thermal latency (PWTL) were measured before modeling, after modeling, and 12 h, 24 h and 48 h after intrathecal injection. Lumbar enlargement was removed from spinal cord after rats were killed. MCU expression was tested by RT-qPCR and Western bolt. The levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) and 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) were determined by ELISA. Spinal neuronal apoptosis was measured using TUNEL assay.RESULTS: Compared with D group, the expression of MCU, the values of PWMT and PWTL, the levels of MDA and 8-OHdG, and the apoptotic rate of spinal cord neurons were significantly increased in D+B group (P<0.05). Compared with D+B group, the expression of MCU, the values of PWMT and PWTL, the levels of MDA and 8-OHdG, and the apoptotic rate of spinal cord neurons were significantly decreased in D+R₂+B group (P<0.05).CONCLUSION: Bupivacaine enhances oxidative stress and aggravates spinal cord injury via up-regulating MCU activity in diabetic rats.     

Relationship between pathological grade,DNA content and MRI-appearance in brain astrocytic tumors

AIM: To study the correlation between DNA index (DI), 5cER, MRI appearance and the malignant grades of brain astrocytic tumors. METHODS: After Feulgen staining, 40 paraffin samples of astrocytic tumors were observed about DI and 5cER by image analysis, MRI appearances were reviewed, including edema around tumor, clearity of boundary, equality of MRI singal, enhancement of tumor, shift of medline, necroses and cyst, then compared them with pathological grade and survival rate. RESULTS: There was a significant positive correlation between DI, 5cER, MRI appearance and pathological grade, negative correlation between DI, 5cER, MRI appearance and survival rate. CONCLUSION: DI, 5cER and MRI appearance are very important in judging pathological grade and patient’s prognosis. When 5cER mean of astrocytic tumor exceeds 20,the tumor should be judged as glioblastoma.     

JAK-STAT pathway modulates NF-кB-mediated cytoprotection of H2O2 preconditioning

AIM: To investigate the role of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-кB) in the adaptive cytoprotection of H₂O₂ preconditioning and modulation of NF-кB expression by JAK-STAT pathway. METHODS: In PC 12 cells, the experimental model of cytoprotection of H₂O₂ preconditioning against oxidative stress-induced injury was set up. The apoptotic cells were measured by propidium iodide staining and flow cytometry (FCM). The levels of NF-кB and STAT3 expression were detected by Western blotting. RESULTS: Preconditioning with 100 μmol/L H₂O₂ for 90 min significantly inhibited apoptosis induced by 300 μmol/L H₂O₂, and up-regulated expression of NF-кB and STAT3. Both MG-132 (10 μmol/L, an inhibitor of NF-кB) and AG-490 (an inhibitor of JAK2) obviously blocked the expression of NF-кB and cytoprotection induced by H₂O₂ preconditioning. CONCLUSION: JAK-STAT pathway modulates the cytoprotection of H₂O₂ preconditioning that is mediated by NF-кB.