Effect of atorvastatin on neointimal hyperplasia of venous autografts in rats

AIM: To investigate the effect of atorvastatin on neointimal hyperplasia of autogenous vein graft in rats. METHODS: The model of autogenous vein graft was prepared by transplanting the external jugular vein into aorta in Wistar rats. The rats were divided into three groups: sham operation group, graft control group and graft experimental group. From three days after transplantation, the rats of autograft experimental group were treated by atorvastatin at a dosage of 5 mg·kg-1·d-1. Four weeks after treatment, venous autografts were removed at autopsy and cut into 4 μm sections. Histopathological examination was carried out to analysis the neointimal hyperplasia of grafted veins. Immunohistochemical staining was conducted to evaluate SMα-actin and PCNA expression of neointimal cells in venous autografts. RESULTS: In venous autograft control and experimental groups, SMα-actin-positive smooth muscle cells were proliferated and accumulated excessively in venous autografts, which resulted in significant neointimal formation and vascular lumen narrowing. Neointima quantitative assay revealed that the neointimal hyperplasia of venous autografts was suppressed obviously in graft experimental group, and its neointimal area and NIA/MA ratio of venous autografts were significantly lower than those in graft control group (P<0.01). Immunohistochemical assay indicated that the PCNA labeling index of neointimal cells was significantly lower in graft experimental group than that in graft control group (P<0.01). CONCLUSION: Atorvastatin significantly inhibits the proliferation of neointimal smooth muscle cells and the development of neointimal hyperplasia of venous autografts in rats. Atorvastatin is a powerful inhibitor of restenosis after vascular reconstructive operation with a potential for therapeutic use.     

Identification of serum differential proteins in colorectal adenoma and early malignantly transformed adenoma by proteomics

AIM: To investigate the associated proteins and sensitive biomarkers for early diagnosis of colorectal adenocarcinoma by comparing the results of differential proteomic analysis between colorectal adenoma and early malignantly transformed adenoma. METHODS: Two-dimensional gel electrophoresis was used to define patterns of protein expressions of colorectal adenoma and early malignantly transformed adenoma. Proteins expressed differentially among groups were detected, cut out and analyzed by MALDI-TOF/TOF mass spectrometry. RESULTS: Two-dimensional protein maps of colorectal adenoma and early malignantly transformed adenoma were analyzed with gel-analysis software, an average of 1 672 spots in adenoma, 1 732 in early malignantly transformed adenoma were observed. 28 spots of a 1.5-fold change were found, including 15 proteins down-regulated and 13 up-regulated in early malignantly transformed adenoma, in which 23 proteins were identified by mass spectrometry, the rate of identification was 82.14%. 13 differential proteins were attained, 8 were up-regulated and 5 were down-regulated, which was classified to 6 categories, including protease inhibitor, complement, immunoglobulin, keratoproteins, signal transduction protein and function-unknown proteins. CONCLUSION: The changes of serum proteins in early malignantly transformed adenoma from adenoma can be identified by proteomic technology. Proteins detected in the study may provide new biomarkers correlated with biological behavior of colorectal adenocarcinoma.     

Effects of post-harvest foliar boron and calcium applications on subsequent season's pollen germination and pollen tube growth of pear (Pyrus pyrifolia)

The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of foliar boron and calcium application after harvest on the quantity and activity of pollen in the ‘Housui’ and ‘Wonwhang’ pears on a subsequent year. Pollen grains of the ‘Housui’ pear were cultured on germination medium, to which had been added boric acid (0, 25, 75, 100, 200, 300, 400, and 500 mg L⁻¹) and calcium nitrate (0, 10, 25, 50, 100, 150, 200, 250, 300, 400, and 500 mg L⁻¹). Boric acid, which was added to the germination media, exerted a significant stimulatory effect on both pollen germination and pollen tube growth, although pollen tube growth was inhibited at higher concentrations than 300 mg L⁻¹. Calcium nitrate addition stimulated pollen germination, except at concentration of 500 mg L⁻¹. However, pollen tube growth was significantly inhibited with increasing concentrations of calcium nitrate. In the orchard experiment, boron and calcium were sprayed at concentrations of 0, 100, 200, 500 or 1000 mg L⁻¹ onto leaves after harvest, respectively. Boron and calcium content in the tissues as well as pollen production and growth were determined after these treatments. The foliar application of boron mainly resulted in an increase of boron concentration in buds. It also induced an increase in the weight of the anther and pollen in the following year. On the other hand, the foliar application of calcium resulted in an increase of calcium concentration mainly in the leaves, but pollen weight was decreased at high concentration treatment in the following year. The germination rate and tube growth of collected pollen were highest in the trees which had received boron treatment at a concentration of 200 mg L⁻¹. In contrast, the germination rate and tube growth of collected pollen were decreased by calcium application at concentrations of 500 and 1000 mg L⁻¹ without significant increase at lower concentrations. Consequently, the accumulation of boron in the developed buds of pear trees subjected to post-harvest foliar boron application generated positive effects on both the quantity and quality of pollen in the following year.     

Role of nestin in the maintenance of the structure of podocytes

AIM:To investigate the expression of nestin, a kind of cytoskeletal protein in cultured murine podocytes and the role of nestin in the maintenance of the podocyte structure.METHODS:The immortalized murine podocytes were cultured. The expression of nestin was determined by immunofluorescence. In differentiated podocytes, the expression of nestin was knock-down by RNAi. The effect of nestin knock-down was examined by Western blotting and immunofluorescence. The projections longer than maximal length of the cell body in which the cells transfected with siRNA and control vector that contained nonhomologous oligo were counted, respectively. RESULTS:Nestin siRNA markedly reduced or abolished nestin expression. In cells transfected with nestin siRNA, the percentage of cells with processes was significantly lower than that in cells transfected with control vector (77.0%±6.3% vs 16.0%±4.6%, n=3, P<0.01). CONCLUSION:Nestin may play an important role in maintaining normal function of podocytes.     

Effects of salvianolic acid B on neurons during oxygen/glucose deprivation and reintroduction

AIM: To observe the damage induced in the primary cultured rat cortical neurons by oxygen/glucose deprivation and reintroduction, and to investigate the neuroprotective mechanism of salvianolic acid B (SalB). METHODS: Primary cultured rat cortical neurons were randomly divided into the control group, the model group and the SalB group. The cell model was established by oxygen/glucose deprivation for 3 h followed oxygen/glucose reintroduction for 24 h. The cortical neurons viability was determined by MTT assay. The leakage rate of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) was measured by chromatometry. The mitochondrial membrane potentials (MMP) and the apoptosis rate were quantitatively analyzed by flow cytometry. The cytosolic free calcium was assessed using LSCM. The morphologic changes of neuronal nuclei were observed by Hoechst 33342 fluorescence staining. RESULTS: Compared to the model group, the cortical neurons viability, the survival rate and the fluorescence value of MMP in the SalB group were obviously increased (P<0.05,P<0.01). In addition, in the SalB group, the leakage rate of LDH, the fluorescence intensity of cytosolic free calcium and the apoptosis rate were significantly lower than those in the model group (P<0.01). CONCLUSION: The neuroprotective mechanism of SalB in the oxygen/glucose deprivation and reintroduction neurons would be due to the fact that SalB maintains the MMP and the calcium homeostasis.     

大白菜叶片长宽性状的QTL定位

利用一套大白菜双单倍体（DH）群体和包含287个分子标记的遗传图谱,运用复合区间作图法对叶长、无柄叶长、有柄叶长、叶宽、叶柄长、叶柄宽6个叶部形态学性状进行QTL定位及遗传效应的分析。结果表明：在4个连锁群上共检测到12个QTL,分别为叶长相关的3个,无柄叶长相关的2个,有柄叶长相关的2个,叶宽相关的1个,叶柄长相关的2个,叶柄宽相关的2个。各位点的遗传贡献率介于7.5 %~18.9 %之间。其中,叶长与叶柄长的QTL存在共定位,叶宽与叶柄宽的QTL也存在共定位。     

冀西北坝上地区几种蚜虫优势种对菜豆的侵害性研究

采用寄主转换方法研究了冀西北坝上地区几种蚜虫优势种对菜豆的适应性。结果表明,桃蚜、瓜蚜（棉蚜）和菊姬长管蚜转接到露地菜豆 的花、嫩尖、嫩叶等部位上仅能存活6~8 d,不能在菜豆上建立种群。室内寄主转换试验表明,取食菜豆嫩荚的蚜虫存活率明显低于取食茎部嫩尖的 蚜虫存活率。     

叶面喷施氨基酸水溶肥料对大白菜产量和VC含量的影响

以北京新3号大白菜为试验材料,在大白菜包心期喷施不同浓度氨基酸水溶肥料,测定大白菜产量及VC含量。结果表明：叶面喷施含氨基酸水溶肥料,大白菜产量提高5.8 %~12.4 %、VC含量增加15.8 %~51.7 %。     

不周土壤水分条件下萝卜幼苗叶片生理特性研究

在不同的土壤含水量条件下,测定了萝卜幼苗叶片的水分状况、叶绿素含量、光合速率、蒸腾速率及呼吸强度等指标.结果表明:随着土壤含水量的降低,萝卜幼苗叶片的相对含水量和水势下降,而且离体叶片的保水力在自然气干时下降较快;叶片叶绿素含量、光合速率、蒸腾速率和呼吸强度也随着土壤含水量的降低都减小.土壤含水量在20%～25%时,萝卜幼苗对土壤干旱的适应性最强.