Comparative development of mouse tooth germs transplanted in subrenal capsule and oral submucosa

AIM: To compare 2 environments, the subrenal capsule and oral submucosa, for producing well-formed teeth from mouse tooth germs and for exploring the ideal environment for tooth regeneration. METHODS: Two groups were set up. Group A was transplanted with the mouse embronic day (ED) 14.5 first mandibular molar tooth germs into the subrenal capsule, while group B was transplanted with the ED14.5 first mandibular molar tooth germs into the oral submucosa. After 3 weeks and 4 weeks, the host mice were sacrificed, and the transplanted explants were evaluated with morphologic observation, histological structures, hardness and elastictic modulus tests, and chemical compositions. RESULTS: (1) The explants isolated from both environments showed the tooth-like structures, but as to the group B, the crown was smaller, and the shape of the cusps was not significant. (2) HE staining showed that the dentin and enamel in group A were thicker than those in group B in which the ameloblasts and odontoblasts were differentiated not very well. (3) In the test of enamel hardness, only the hardness of 4 weeks in group B was lower than normal mouse tooth. In the test of enamel modulus, the elastic modulus of enamel in 3 weeks of group A was slightly lower than normal mouse tooth, but the difference was not significant.The elastic modulus of enamel in 4 weeks of group A and group B was significantly lower than normal mouse tooth and 3 weeks of group B. The hardness and elastic modulus of dentin in 3 groups was not significant. (4) Raman spectroscopy showed 2 groups grew in harmony in general, they all had the largest peak in the point of 961 cm^-1, but the 3 weeks of group B had an obvious peak in the point of 2 947 cm^-1. CONCLUSION: For the development of ED14.5 tooth germs, we obtain almost the whole tooth in subrenal capsule transplantation after 3 or 4 weeks. The buccal submucosa environment still has a certain influence on the tooth germ development, although there are some differences about the tooth development between this environment and subrenal capsule environment.     

CX3CR1 mediates the neuroprotective effect of triptolide on 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium-induced hemiparkinson rats

AIM: To investigate the effect of triptolide on the inhibition of microglial activation in 1-methyl-4-phenyl pyridinium (MPP⁺)-induced hemiparkinson disease rats.METHODS: The rat model of Parkinson disease was established by intranigral injection of MPP⁺. The rats were randomly divided into sham group, MPP⁺ group, triptolide group and vehicle group. The survival of dopaminergic neurons was detected by the immunofluorescence of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) in the substantia nigra (SN). The activation of microglia was determined by immunofluorescence of OX-42 (microglia marker) in the SN. The expression of chemokine receptor CX3CR1 in SN was measured by Western blotting.RESULTS: Intranigral injection of MPP⁺ increased the fluorescence intensity of the microglial marker, and promoted DA neuron degenerative death. Immunohistological analysis showed that the OX-42 density was decreased (P<0.01) and tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) positive neurons were increased in the triptolide group (P<0.01). The expression of CX3CR1 was lower in triptolide group than that in model group (P<0.05).CONCLUSION: Triptolide may improve PA neurons function in MPP⁺-induced rats through inhibiting CX3CR1 expression and microglial activation.     

柑橘新品种‘粤丰早橘’

‘粤丰早橘’是从‘南丰蜜橘’芽变中选育出来的优良新品种,具有适应性强,丰产稳产、果实大、化渣性好等特点,平均单果质量58.33 g,可溶性固形物含量13.36%,总糖含量11.80%,总酸含量0.52%。在广东韶关地区种植,果实10月上旬成熟。     

Expression and clinical significance of PAK4 in non-small cell lung cancer

AIM: To investigate the expression and clinical significance of PAK4 in the cell lines and tissues of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). METHODS: PAK4 expression in human bronchial epithelial (HBE) cells, NSCLC cell lines, NSCLC tissues and adjacent non-tumor tissues were assessed by immunohistochemistry, real-time PCR and Western blot. Prognostic value of PAK4 expression was evaluated by Kaplan-Meier analysis and Cox regression. RESULTS: PAK4 was over-expressed in the NSCLC cell lines at both mRNA and protein levels compared with HBE cells (P<0.05). PAK4 was over-expressed in the NSCLC tissues at both mRNA and protein levels compared with adjacent non-tumor tissues (P<0.05). PAK4 was over-expressed in the metastatic NSCLC tissues compared with the primary NSCLC tissues (P<0.05). Higher PAK4 staining scores were positively correlated with differentiation, lymph node metastasis, distant metastasis, and clinical stage. Kaplan-Meier analysis and log-rank test showed that overall survival was significantly different between the patients with up-regulated PAK4 and the patients with down-regulated PAK4(P<0.05). PAK4 over-expression was associated with NSCLC progression.CONCLUSION: Increased PAK4 expression was associated with tumor invasion, metastasis and prognosis in the patients with NSCLC. PAK4 is an important prognostic marker and potential therapeutic target in NSCLC.     

用于黄瓜白粉病抗性鉴定的InDel标记

根据黄瓜白粉病抗性主效基因/QTL的插入/缺失突变,将其设计成共显性的In Del分子标记。通过群体连锁分析,发现In Del-MLO1标记与黄瓜白粉病抗性主效基因共分离。应用该标记对24份来自世界各地且白粉病抗性已知的黄瓜材料进行抗性验证,21份材料的抗性表型与标记的带型一致,说明在黄瓜进化和驯化过程中,造成抗病表型的该插入/缺失突变发生普遍。因此,该In Del标记适合于大多数黄瓜材料的白粉病抗性鉴定和分子标记辅助育种,从而加快黄瓜白粉病抗病育种的进程。     

超级杂交稻模式株型的光合优势

以三系杂交稻汕优63为对照，比较研究表明，具有超级杂交稻模式株型的培矮64S/E32有以下生理优势。（1）叶面积指数前期较小，中期稳健，后期衰减缓慢、维持较高水平；（2）抽穗后剑叶和倒2叶的比叶重显著或极显著大于对照；（3）后期上3叶叶绿素含量衰减缓慢，变化平稳；（4）上3叶单位叶面积气孔数目比对照多19.2%，达极显     

大豆吡哆醇生物合成蛋白基因(PDX)的电子克隆和进化分析

电子克隆(In silicocloning)是随着基因组计划和EST计划实施而发展起来的利用生物信息学手段进行基因克隆的新方法。根据物种间同源基因相对保守的特点,以拟南芥(Arabidopsis thaliana)吡哆醇生物合成蛋白cDNA序列为信息探针,对大豆(Glycine max)EST数据库进行同源搜索和序列拼接,获得了1 280 bp长的大豆吡哆醇生物合成蛋白的基因序列(GenBank登陆号为DQ139265)。经过RT-PCR扩增、基因组PCR扩增、分子克隆和序列分析验证,结果表明与电子克隆序列完全一致。该基因具有完整的开放阅读框架(ORF,20~955 bp),编码311个氨基酸。通过与水稻、日本百脉根、烟草、截形苜蓿等物种的吡哆醇生物合成蛋白序列比对,发现该基因具有高度的保守性。表明根据物种间同源基因序列,对跨物种间EST数据库进行同源检索、筛选、拼接,是克隆基因的有效途径。     

施氮量对水稻主要米质性状及RVA谱特征参数的影响

在盆栽试验条件下，以汕优63、武育粳3号为试验材料，研究水稻移栽后的施氮量对主要米质性状和RVA谱特征参数的影响。结果表明：整精米率、粗蛋白含量均随施氮量的增加而提高；垩白粒率、垩白度对供氮水平的反应因品种而异；胶稠度随施氮量的提高两者都变软；直链淀粉含量、糊化温度对氮素反应不敏感，处理间无显著差异。稻米     

利用AFLP进行“甘蔗属复合体”系统演化和亲缘关系研究

采用AFLP分子标记技术，对“甘蔗属复合体”中4个属16个种的69份来自中国和澳大利亚的甘蔗种质资源材料进行系统演化和亲缘关系分析。2对AFLP引物共检测到173个标记，其中172个为多态标记，多态率达99.4%；通过计算Jaccard相似性系数，用UPGMA和PCA法构建了分子系统树和效应图。结果表明：(1)属间亲缘关系中，甘蔗属与芒属较