Mechanism of quercetin improving rat coronary artery myogenic response under high glucose

AIM: To investigate the mechanism of quercetin improving rat coronary artery myogenic response under high glucose (HG) by measuring muscle tension of coronary arterial ring and recording voltage-gated K⁺ channel (Kv) current of coronary artery smooth muscle cells by whole cell patch clamp. METHODS: The coronary rings from the normal SD rats were acutely isolated, and then divided into 6 groups: (1) control group; (2) HG group; (3) HG+low dose (3 μmol/L) of quercetin group; (4) HG+moderate dose (10 μmol/L) of quercetin group; (5) HG+high dose (30 μmol/L) of quercetin group; (6) HG+C6303 (PKC inhibitor)+high dose of quercetin group. Determinations of coronary artery response to vasoconstrictor (60 mmol/L KCl or 0.1 mmol/L U46619) or vasodilator (ACh at 10^-9~10^-5 mol/L) were performed, and the percentage of coronary ring tension was calculated using the contraction as 100% caused by 60 mmol/L KCl. The rat coronary artery smooth muscle cells were acutely isolated for recording the Kv current using whole cell patch clamp. RESULTS: Compared with control group, the contraction amplitudes to 60 mmol/L KCl or 0.1 mmol/L U46619 were significantly increased under HG incubation. Quercetin intervention concentration-dependently reduced the coronary artery contraction amplitude. Incubation of PKC specific inhibitor C6303 attenuated the effect of quercetin. Compared with control group, the diastolic amplitude to ACh decreased significantly in HG group, and quercetin intervention concentration-dependently increased the coronary artery diastolic amplitude. Incubation of PKC specific inhibitor C6303 attenuated the effect of quercetin. Compared with control group, HG incubation inhibited Kv current of coronary artery vascular smooth muscle cells significantly, and quercetin intervention attenuated the inhibitory effect of HG on Kv current intensity. Incubation of PKC specific inhibitor C6303 attenuated the effect of quercetin. CONCLUSION: Quercetin has a protective effect on myogenic response of coronary artery under HG and the effects is related to the increase in Kv current and the activation of PKC in vascular smooth muscle cells.     

USP14 regulates H2O2 induced oxidative stress in H9c2 cells

AIM:To evaluate the effect of inhibiting ubiquitin-specific protease 14(USPl4) activity on oxidative stress induced by H₂O₂ of H9c2 cells.METHODS:The H9c2 cells were incubated with H₂O₂ at 25 μmol/L for 2 h to establish the oxidative stress injury model.The cells were divided into control group,H₂O₂ group,IU1 group (25 μmol/L or 50 μmol/L) and IU1+H₂O₂ group.The H9c2 cells activity was measured by MTS assay.The level of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) and cell survival rate were analyzed by flow cytometry assay.The changes of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) family related proteins were detected by Western blot.RESULTS:Compared with control group,the cell activity and the viability rate in H₂O₂ group were decreased (P<0.05),while the intracellular ROS,the protein levels of Bax/Bcl-2,P53,p-ERK1/2,p-JNK and p-P38 were increased (P<0.05).Compared with H₂O₂ group,the cell activity and the viability rate of the H9c2 cells in IU1+H₂O₂ group were increased (P<0.05),while the intracellular ROS,the protein levels of Bax/Bcl-2,P53,p-ERK1/2,p-JNK and p-P38 were decreased (P<0.05).CONCLUSION:Inhibition of USPl4 activity reduces the oxidative stress injury of the H9c2 cells.The mechanism may be related to inhibition of the MAPK signaling and down-regulation of apoptosis related proteins.     

Liraglutide ameliorates liver injury of type 2 diabetic mice via micro-RNA-33-AMPK pathway

AIM: To observe the effects of liraglutide on the level of microRNA-33 (miR-33) and the expression of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and apoptosis-related proteins in mice with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), and to explore its possible mechanism. METHODS: High-fat diet and intraperitoneal injection of streptozocin were used to establish the type 2 diabetic model in C57BL/6 mice. The mice were randomly divided into 4 groups (n=15):in control group, the normal mice were subcutaneously injected with equivalent volume of saline; in model group, the T2DM mice were subcutaneously injected with equivalent volume of saline; in low-and high-dose liraglutide treatment groups, the T2DM mice were subcutaneously injected with 100 and 200 μg·kg^-1·d^-1, respectively. After 4 weeks of administration, the levels of FBG, TG, TC, HDL-C, LDL-C, ALT and AST were determined. HE staining was used to observe the pathological changes of the liver tissues. The protein level of cleaved caspase-3 in the liver tissue was detected by the technique of immunofluorescence. The protein levels of p-AMPK/AMPK and apoptosis-related proteins were detected by Western blot. The expression of miR-33 in the liver tissues was detected by real-time PCR. RESULTS: Compared with model group, the contents of FBG, TG, TC, LDL-C, ALT and AST were decreased significantly, while the content of HDL-C was increased significantly in low-dose liraglutide group and high-dose liraglutide group (P<0.05). The protein levels of phosphorylated AMPK and Bcl-2 were up-regulated significantly, and the expression of cleaved caspase-3 was down-regulated significantly (P<0.05). The level of miR-33 was decreased significantly (P<0.01). CONCLUSION: Liraglutide alleviates liver injury in type 2 diabetic mice, and the mechanism may be associated with reducing the level of miR-33 and increasing the phosphorylation of AMPK in the liver tissues, thereby inhibiting hepatocyte apoptosis.     

玉米大斑病菌StSNF1的基因组定位、蛋白质结构预测及表达分析

为了明确StSNF1在玉米大斑病菌基因组中的位置,解析该基因编码蛋白的结构特征,探究该基因在侵染寄主的不同时期、分生孢子萌发侵染过程中以及不同碳源培养下的表达情况。结果表明,该基因ID号为008026214,全长3 046 bp,位于scaffold_17负链的97 793-100 838位置。StSNF1与玉米圆斑病菌SNF1同源关系较近,由877个氨基酸残基编码而成。StSNF1蛋白具有氮端的蛋白激酶结构域、氮端的碳代谢产物去阻遏蛋白激酶结构域和碳端的激酶相关结构域。在蛋白激酶结构域内,具有ATP结合位点和丝氨酸/苏氨酸活性位点。Real-time PCR结果表明,StSNF1在侵染后期高表达,72 h表达量最高;StSNF1在分生孢子萌发24 h时(即侵入丝形成时期)表达量最高;StSNF1在蔗糖为单一碳源的培养基中表达量最高,果胶培养基次之。综上所述,StSNF1与侵染寄主和碳源利用密切相关,在侵染后期发挥作用,利用寄主细胞内的非发酵型碳源进行次级侵染。     

茶树蛋白激酶基因CsCIPK的克隆与表达特性分析

以茶树品种‘龙井43’作为材料,利用RT-PCR方法,从茶树的cDNA中克隆得到1个编码蛋白激酶的基因,命名为CsCIPK。序列分析表明,CsCIPK开放阅读框长度为1 341 bp,编码446个氨基酸,蛋白质分子量为414234。蛋白功能域预测和多重对比显示,CsCIPK蛋白含有1个保守的N端激酶结构域和1个相对不保守的C端调节结构域,即丝氨酸/苏氨酸激酶结构域和NAF结构域。理化性质、亲/疏水性、无序化分析显示,CsCIPK属于疏水性蛋白,理论等电点为7.04,有4段无序化区域,其二级结构分析显示主要由α螺旋、不规则卷曲组成。通过实时荧光定量PCR对‘龙井43’和‘安吉白茶’中的CsCIPK表达特性进行分析。结果显示‘龙井43’中CsCIPK的相对表达量在高温、干旱及盐处理4 h、低温处理24 h时达到最高。‘安吉白茶’中CsCIPK的相对表达量在高温及盐处理4 h、低温及干旱处理1h时达到最高。CsCIPK在‘龙井43’的根中,‘安吉白茶’茎中表达量最高。不同浓度的GA和IBA处理‘龙井43’茶苗,结果显示0.2 mmol·L-1 GA处理后,CsCIPK表达量先升高后下降,6 d时处理组为对照组的62倍;0.6 mmol·L-1 IBA处理后,CsCIPK的表达量在3 d时显著高于对照组;不同浓度GA和IBA处理后,9 d时CsCIPK表达量均显著低于对照。     

基于家族基因分析的甘蓝MLPK互作PUB蛋白的筛选

MLPK(M–位点受体激酶)是芸薹属自交不亲和正向调控关键元件,其参与自交不亲和信号传导的分子机制尚不明确,同时自交不亲和下游信号元件也有待于进一步分离。为了探索分离MLPK互作蛋白的思路和方法,构建了不含核定位信号的MLPK短截蛋白(MLPK-T),并利用酵母双杂交检测到MLPK与臂重复蛋白1(ARC1)作用,通过全基因组鉴定分别获得了96个甘蓝、101个白菜、70个琴叶拟南芥和62个拟南芥PUB蛋白,其中含有臂重复序列的PUB蛋白共为127个。通过系统进化分析,筛选到8个含臂重复序列的甘蓝BoPUB蛋白,其8个基因全部在柱头内表达,且成功利用酵母双杂交检测到MLPK与3个含臂重复序列的BoPUB蛋白Bol008579、Bol016165和Bol023511相互作用。     

Role of cytokeratin 8 on changes of intestinal epithelial permeability induced by corticotropin-releasing factor

AIM: To investigate the role of cytokeratin 8 (CK8) on the change of intercellular permeability of intestinal epithelial cells induced by corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF). METHODS: The expression levels of CRF receptor 1 (CRFR1) and CRFR2 on human colon adenocarcinoma HT29 cell surface were determined by immunofluorescence staining. After treatment with 100 nmol/L CRF for 72 h, the translocation of FITC-labelled dextran was measured in a Transwell chamber. The structural changes of tight junctions were observed under transmission electron microscope. The expression levels of CK8, and tight junction proteins ZO-1 and occludin were determined by Western blot. The activity of protein kinase C (PKC) was detected by ELISA. Furthermore, the effects of CRF on intestinal epithelial permeability were examined in CK8-silencing HT29 cells, which were constructed by infection with sh-CK8 lentivirus. RESULTS: CRF treatment increased the permeability of FITC-labelled dextran (P<0.05), caused the opening of tight junctions, and induced increased fluorescence intensity of CK8. The expression levels of occludin and ZO-1 were down-regulated (P<0.05). PKC activity was decreased at 1 h after CRF treatment (P<0.05). CRF-induced increase in the permeability and down-regulation of occludin were not blocked by CK8 silencing. Nevertheless,CK8 silencing blocked the effects of CRF regarding the decrease in the expression levels of ZO-1 and the increase in PKC activity (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: CK8 may be involved in CRF-induced increase in intestinal epithelial permeability by inhibiting the activity of PKC, and there may be other signaling pathways involved.     

FAM3C activates Akt to promote viability of oral squamous-cell carcinoma cells

AIM: To investigate the expression and roles of family with sequence similarity 3, member C (FAM3C) in oral squamous-cell carcinoma cells. METHODS: The mRNA and protein expression levels of FAM3C in dysplastic oral keratinocyte (DOK) and oral squamous-cell carcinoma WSU-HN6 cells were detected by RT-qPCR and Western blot. The WSU-HN6 cells were treated with siFAM3C or FAM3C antibody. After 24, 48 and 72 h, the viability of WSU-HN6 cells was measured by CCK-8 assay, and the activation of protein kinase B (Akt) was detected by Western blot. Adenovirus was used to mediate over-expression of FAM3C in the DOK cells. The DOK cell viability was measured by CCK-8 assay after adenovirus infection for 24, 48 and 72 h, and the activation of Akt was detected by Western blot. RESULTS: Compared with the DOK cells, the mRNA and protein levels of FAM3C were significantly increased in the WSU-HN6 cells (P<0.05). The viability of WSU-HN6 cells transfected with siFAM3C was significantly inhibited at 48 h and 72 h (P<0.05). siFAM3C treatment inhibited the activation of Akt (P<0.05). FAM3C antibody treatment also suppressed the viability of the WSU-HN6 cells at 48 h and 72 h and the activation of Akt (P<0.05). Over-expression of FAM3C in the DOK cells promoted the cell viability at 48 h and 72 h and activated Akt (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: FAM3C might promote oral squamous-cell carcinoma cell growth by activating Akt.     

寒地超级稻新品种龙稻5号的选育

黑龙江省属寒地稻作区,水稻发生低温冷害、稻瘟病比较严重,通过杂交育种、抗病鉴定、冷害鉴定选育出超高产水稻龙稻5号.