Proteomic analysis of the effects of tumor necrosis factor-α on endothelial cells

AIM: To investigate the affected proteins by tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α in endothelial cells, and further explore the potential molecular mechanism of TNF-α on endothelial cells. METHODS: Nitric oxide (NO) production in the cultured human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) was measured by a NO assay kit. Proteomic alterations were analyzed using two-dimensional electrophoresis, and peptide mass fingerprinting with matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry. RESULTS: NO production in HUVECs decreased significantly after TNF-α treatement. Proteomics analysis showed 21 protein spots were changed including 9 spots that were increased and 11 spots that were decreased after TNF-α stimulation, and 1 spot was only detected in TNF-α activated cell gels. CONCLUSIONS: Decreased the expression of ecNOS by TNF-α might result in decreased NO production. Up-regulated MAP/ERK kinase 3 expression might imply that TNF-α activates the expression of adhesion molecules. Cytoskeletal protein actin is also involved in TNF-α injuried HUVECs. Proteomic analysis can find some clues for identifying new potential target of TNF-α.     

Expression of vascular endothelial growth factor in chronic inflammatory mucosa of lacrimal sac

AIM: To study the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in inflammatory mucosa of lacrimal sac. METHODS: Immunohistochemical S-P method was used to examine the expression of VEGF in the mocusa from 12 patients with chronic dacryocystitis and 8 volunteers. RESULTS: The positive rates of VEGF expression in different parts of the mocusa were: basal lamina: 44.3%±7.6％; surface epithelium: 16.9%±4.6％; connective tissue: 15.2%±4.9％, all normal mocusa of 8 cases were negative. There was a significant difference between the two groups (P<0.01), a significant difference among each part of the chronic inflammatory mocusa of lacrimal sac. CONCLUSION: VEGF may play an important role in hyperplasia of inflammatory mucosa of lacrimal sac.     

Effects of component of some Chinese herbs on proliferation of human umbilical vein endothelial cells in vitro

AIM: To observe the effects of some component of Chinese herbs for external use on proliferation of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) and investigate the mechanism of promoting tissue repair. METHODS: The method of MTT was used to examine the effects of Rg1, Rh1, perlolyrine, cinnamyl aldehyde, muscone, astragaluspolysaccharin (APS), velver antler polypeptide (VAP) and soluble extract of boswellia carterii birdw (BCB) on proliferation of HUVEC. RESULTS: APS did not promote proliferation of HUVEC at 9.75 mg/L-2.5 g/L; Rh1 promoted proliferation of HUVEC at 1.94 mg/L-0.5 g/L (P<0.05 or P＜0.01), and Rg1 inhibited proliferation of HUVEC at 31 mg/L (P<0.05); VAP promoted proliferation of HUVEC at 1 mg/L-0.5 g/L with optimal dose of 10 mg/L (P<0.01), Cinnamyl aldehyde promoted proliferation of HUVEC at 2 g/L(P＜0. 05); Muscone and soluble extract of BCB inhibited proliferation of HUVEC at 1 g/L, 0.5-2.5 kg/L(P＜0. 01), respectively; Perlolyrine inhibited proliferation of HUVEC at 0.125 g/L-0.5 g/L(P＜0. 01). CONCLUSION: The external herbs for supplementing Qi and warming Yang can promote HUVEC proliferation and improve angiogenesis during tissue repair. The external herbs for promoting blood circulation and accelerating capillary movement may have influence upon other stages of tissue repair.     

Effects of fosinopril,captopril and valsartan on the expressionof tissue factor in human monocytes

AIM: To investigate the effects of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEI), fosinopril, captopril and angiotensin II AT₁ antagonists, valsartan on tissue factor (TF) expression on monocytes induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS). METHODS: Mononuclear leukocytes from normal delivered female umbilical veins were incubated with bacterial LPS in presence or absence of different ACE inhibitors .At the end of incubation, the cells were disrupted by 3 freeze-thaw cycles. TF procoagulant activity was assessed by a one-stage clotting assay. RT-PCR was used to check TF mRNA expression, and GAPDH mRNA was used for parallel assay. RESULTS and CONCLUSION: The results showed that increased expression of TF mRNA induced by LPS was inhibited by fosinopril, captopril and valsartan, respectively, and the procoagualant activity of monocytes was also reduced.     

披碱草和野大麦杂种F1与BC1F1代的生物学及农艺特性研究

对披碱草和野大麦及其杂种F1与BC1F1代的生物学及农艺特性进行了分析比较。结果表明,亲本野大麦生长发育节律较快,较早地开花结实,果后营养期较长,生育期74d,生长天数达206d,具有很强的分蘖能力;披碱草生长发育节律较慢,生育期124d,生长天数193d;杂种F1的生长天数介于双亲之间,生长动态偏向亲本披碱草,分蘖能力介于双亲之间;BC1F1代生长发育节律较F1代提早,不同株系生长天数不同,生长动态偏向轮回亲本野大麦,分蘖能力有较大的变异。杂种F1代表现出较强的杂种优势,BC1F1代产草量较F1代有所降低,不同株系间存在明显的差异。总体上,BC1F1代的生产性能倾向于轮回亲本野大麦。     

猪卵泡卵母细胞体外成熟与冷冻保存

研究了激素、猪卵泡液、不同类型血清对猪卵泡卵母细胞体外成熟的影响 ;比较了卵泡直径小于 2 mm、2～ 5 mm和大于 5 mm的卵母细胞体外成熟能力的差异 ,并对不同发育阶段猪卵母细胞的冷冻保存进行了研究。结果表明 :猪卵母细胞体外培养 4 8h时 ,培养的前 2 4 h培养液中加入激素 ,后 2 4 h去掉激素 ,卵母细胞的 A级成熟率 (5 1.73% )和总成熟率 (83.2 5 % )最高 ,极显著高于前 2 4 h不加激素 ,后 2 4 h添加激素培养的成熟率 (P<0 .0 1) ;也显著高于不含激素的培养液连续培养 4 8h的成熟率 (P<0 .0 5 ) ;但与添加激素连续培养 4 8h的成熟率差异不显著 (P>0 .0 5 )。在体外成熟培养液中 ,添加 10 % (体积分数 ) ECS的成熟率 (72 .86 % )显著高于添加 10 % (体积分数 ) NCS的成熟率(6 2 .2 1% ) (P<0 .0 5 ) ,而添加 10 % p FF则抑制卵母细胞的体外成熟。随着卵泡直径的增大 ,卵母细胞体外成熟能力逐渐增强。采用程序冷冻保存方法 ,成熟卵母细胞的成活率 (35 .5 9% )显著高于培养前 (2 4 .6 4 % )和培养 2 4 h(2 3.36 % ) (P<0 .0 5 )。培养 2 4 h(77.2 2 % )和培养成熟 (72 .81% )的卵母细胞解冻后的形态完整率均显著高于培养前(5 3.2 4 % ) (P<0 .0 5 )     

花粉中雌二醇和睾酮含量研究

对花粉中雌二醇和睾酮含量研究表明，不同花粉品种其含量不同，差别甚大。因此，它为花粉的开发利用提供重要依据，作为儿童营养品应采用不含或含量低的花粉，而作为治疗不育症或经年期的药物，应采用高含量的花粉品种。     

Cloning and characterization of a bovine genomic fragment homologous to epidermal growth factor genes

Epidermal growth factor (EGF) is a potent mitogen for a variety of cell types. The 53-amino acid mature EGF protein is encoded by sequences in exons 20 and 21 of a gene spanning over 110 kb. In this study, we report the cloning and characterization of 7.5 kb of bovine genomic sequence homologous to exon 19 through 21 from EGF genes from other mammalian species. The cloned gene fragment had an unusual sequence composition in the form of an in-frame TGA codon in the coding sequence. The sequence was expressed at low levels in kidney tissue and the corresponding cDNA contained the TGA codon. The level of similarity between the bovine exonic sequence and the human, porcine, murine, feline, and canine corresponding sequences varied from 64% to 73%; however, when only sequences encoding the mature EGF protein were compared, the level of similarity between the bovine sequence and the sequence from these species was 59% to 66%. The sequence similarity of the deduced mature protein was lower (34% to 39%) than the sequence similarity of the deduced propeptide. Although the cloned sequences could originate from a bovine EGF pseudogene, the possibility exists that they originate from the functional EGF gene. An as yet unidentified mechanism to by-pass the stop codon would allow the synthesis of a functional EGF protein. Alternatively, the cloned sequence could originate from an EGF-like gene.     

Determination of plasma lysosomal enzyme activity and its relationship to severity of injury following blunt vehicular trauma in dogs

Objective: To determine plasma β‐d ‐glucuronidase (βG) activity in the first 4 hours following injury in dogs struck by a motor vehicle, and to evaluate whether the degree of enzyme activity is correlated with the severity of injury. Design: A prospective clinical study. Setting: Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital. Animals: Thirteen client‐owned dogs that were presented to the Veterinary Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania between June and August 1999 for blunt vehicular trauma. Ten healthy student and staff‐owned dogs served as controls. Interventions: None. Measurements: Plasma was analyzed for βG enzyme activity at the time of presentation (n=13), and 1 and 4 hours (n=7) following presentation to the Emergency Service for blunt vehicular trauma. The results were compared with enzyme activity from healthy controls evaluated serially over 4 hours. Fluorometric analysis using 96‐well microtiter plates was used to perform the enzyme assays. The relationships between presentation (n=13) and 4 hours (n=7) of enzyme activity and 3 indices of metabolic and physical disturbance (serum pH, serum lactate and Animal Trauma Triage (ATT) score) at the time of presentation were also investigated. Main results: Of the 13 dogs, 7 fulfilled the inclusion criteria for comparison of enzyme activity of the trauma over time. A statistically significant difference in βG activity was found in the trauma group (mean 75.6±10.4 U) at 4 hours following presentation compared with controls (mean 48.0±6.4 U). This difference was suggested by 1 hour following presentation (trauma group, mean 70.4±10.9 U; control group, mean 49.8±5.5 U), although it did not reach statistical significance. Thirteen dogs fulfilled the inclusion criteria for comparison of only presentation enzyme activity with trauma severity score, serum lactate, and serum pH. No statistically significant relationship was found between the βd ‐glucuronidase activity and the presenting ATT score, serum lactate concentration, or serum pH at either presentation or 4 hours, although the power of these analyses was low. Conclusions: These results demonstrate that the activity of βG, a lysosomal enzyme, increases significantly in the systemic circulation in dogs 4 hours following blunt trauma. Additional research to include more severely injured dogs, a larger number of dogs, and to follow the course of injury for a longer period of time would be beneficial to further characterize βG activity following blunt trauma.     

Association of hyponatremia and hyperglycemia with outcome in dogs with congestive heart failure

Objective: To evaluate plasma sodium and glucose concentrations in dogs with congestive heart failure (CHF) prior to treatment and evaluate the differences between survivors and non‐survivors. Design: Retrospective study. Animals: Fifty‐nine dogs with CHF prior to receiving cardiac medication. Interventions: None. Measurements and main results: The mean plasma sodium concentration in dogs with CHF was below the reference range (144–156 mmol/L) and significantly lower (P=0.009) in non‐survivors (141±6 mmol/L) compared with survivors (147±4 mmol/L). The mean plasma glucose concentration was above the reference range (76–117 mg/dL) and significantly higher (P=0.004) in non‐survivors (128±52 mg/dL) compared with survivors (100±13 mg/dL). Forty‐four percent of non‐survivors had concurrent low plasma sodium and high plasma glucose concentrations, whereas no survivors had both abnormalities (P<0.0001). Conclusions: Lower plasma sodium and higher plasma glucose are associated with a worse outcome in dogs with CHF.