Effects of 11, 12-EET and ischemic preconditioning on phosphorylated ERK and p38 MAPK during ischemia and reperfusion in rat myocardium

AIM: In order to study the relationship between the ERK and p38 MAPK activation and the protection of 11, 12-epoxyeicosatrienoic acid (11, 12-EET) and ischemia preconditioning (IP), the effects of 11, 12-EET and ischemic preconditioning on phosphorylated ERK and p38 MAPK during ischemia and reperfusion in rat myocardium were examined. METHODS: The rat heart was subjected to ischemia for 5 min by ligating the left anterior descending coronary artery followed by reperfusion for 5 min (two times) to undergo ischemia preconditioning. The rats were divided into 5 groups: (1) control; (2) sham group; (3) ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) group, in which the rat heart suffered from 60 min ischemia followed by 30 min reperfusion; (4) IP plus I/R group; (5) EET plus I/R group, in which 6.28×10^-8 mol/L 11, 12-EET was injected intravenously 20 min before I/R. The heart function was examined, and phosphorylated ERK and p38 MAPK were detected by Western blot. RESULTS: At 30 min reperfusion, +dp/dt_max, -dp/dt_max and LVDP decreased significantly in I/R group compared with sham group, IP plus I/R group and EET plus I/R group; Phosphorylated ERK1/2 level was higher in I/R group than sham group, but was lower in I/R group than IP plus I/R group and EET plus I/R group; Phosphorylated p38 MAPK level was lower in control, sham, IP plus I/R and EET plus I/R group than I/R group. CONCLUSION: 11,12-EET protects rat heart against ischemia/reperfusion injury, the mechanism may be related to activation of ERK1/2 and inhibition of p38 MAPK.     

Ascorbic acid level of Belgian apple genetic resources

With the help of the public, a wide collection of old apple cultivars (cvs) was established progressively at our Department from 1975 onwards. Currently, more than 1400 apple accessions are being maintained and three quarters of them are subjected to field evaluation for disease resistance and agronomic characters. This paper presents results of the ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) contents of old cvs combining interesting disease resistance and agronomic features in order to promote them as cvs adapted to production systems which are more environmentally friendly or to be used as parents in breeding programmes. First, a methodological study shows the importance of the variability of ascorbic acid content depending on fruit position in the trees, fruit size, fruit skin colour and maturity stage. Statistical analyses show that the sample size of six fruits per cv is sufficient to detect a difference of 20% between cvs. Old apple cvs such as Grenadier^RGF, Transparente de Croncels, Bramley’s Seedling, Reinette des Capucins, Reinette Libotte and Reinette de Waleffe contain three and seven times more ascorbic acid than the commercial cvs Gala and Elstar, respectively. The paper highlights the need to evaluate the rich potential in our genetic resources.     

Effect of EGFP gene transfection on the cell cycle distribution of primary cultured human chondrocytes

AIM: To investigate the effect of enhanced green fluorescence protein (EGFP) gene transfection on the cell cycle distribution of primary cultured human chondrocytes in order to establish a tracking method of cultured human nasoseptal chondrocytes. METHODS: pEGFP-N1 plasmid was amplified in E.coli, and purified by high purity kit. Primary cultured human chondrocytes,which were initially obtained from the nasoseptal cartilage, were cultured in vitro and transferred with pEGFP-N1 by means of electroporation with Amaxa nucleofector device. Transfering process and transient expression were evaluated by laser scanning confocal microscope (LSCM), the transfer efficiency and the cell cycle distribution were evaluated by flow cytometry. RESULTS: There was significant expression of EGFP at 24 h after transferring. The transfection efficiency of pEGFP-N1 into primary cultured human chondrocytes reached 35.37％ at 48 h. It didn't affect the process of cell adherance and had no effect on the cell cycle distribution. CONCLUSION: Primary cultured human chondrocytes, which were transfected with pEGFP, are alive in vitro, and the transferring process doesn't affect the cell cycle distribution. These results suggest that pEGFP-N1 is an ideal transient expression vector for primary cultured human chondrocytes and it might be a well tracer in construction tissue engineered cartilage.     

Astrocyte proliferation in the rat hippocampus after middle cerebral artery occlusion

AIM: To study rat astrocyte proliferation in ipsilateral hippocampus following focal cerebral ischemia. METHODS: Ischemia was induced by temporary middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO). In hippocampus of rats at 3, 7 and 30 days after MCAO, the numbers and anatomic distribution of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) were detected by immunohistochemistry. The protein expression of GFAP and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) in the ipsilateral hippocampus were analyzed by Western blot analysis. RESULTS: Astrocytes appeared hypertrophic, with increased process thickness and numbers at 7 days after MCAO, and the highest density of astrocytes were seen at 30 days in the CA1, CA2 regions of the ipsilateral hippocampus. Western blot analysis revealed that GFAP levels were normal at 3 days, but increased by 7 days and remained elevation at 30 days. Western blot analysis of PCNA protein also revealed identified upregulation PCNA at 3 days after MCAO and the expression peaked at 7 days. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates that focal cerebral ischemia in the rat results in a rapid response, a process often referred to as reactive astrogliosis or glial scarring, from resident astrocytes of the ipsilateral hippocampus to the side of ischemia.     

Effects of β-ME and RA on expression of GFAP in mesenchymal cells derived from mouse fetal liver

AIM: To investigate the effects of β-mercaptoethanol (β-ME) and all-trans rentinal acid (RA) on glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) expression in mesenchymal cells derived from mouse fetal liver in vitro. METHODS: Cells suspension from 14.5-days-old mouse fetal liver were cultured in DMEM/HEPES/F12 supplemented with 20％ FCS and mesenchymal cells were acquired after discarding nonadherent cells. The 5th passage cells were induced by β-ME and RA. The characteristics of treated cells were assayed by immunocytochemistry staining at 5 hours and 5 days after induction. β-actin as an internal control, GFAP gene expression of mesenchyal cells was detected with semi-quantitative RT-PCR. RESULTS: After being inducted by β-ME and RA, 80％ approximately of the cells exhibited typical neural morphology and about 85％ expressed GFAP phenotype. Semi-quantitative RT-PCR showed that mRNA expression of GFAP increased in treated cells versus untreated cells (P<0.01). CONCLUSION: GFAP expression in mesenchymal cells derived from mouse fetal liver in vitro increases after being treated with β-ME and RA.     

Changes of MAPKs expression in rat hippocampal neurons after sleep deprivation

AIM: To explore the change and the possible role of MAPKs in rat hippocampus neuron after sleep deprivation. METHODS: The morphology of hippocampus neuron after sleep derivation was observed by TUNEL and HE staining, the activity of ERK was assayed by β-liquid scintillation counting and the expression of JNK was detected by Western blot. RESULTS: In paradoxical sleep deprivation (PSD) group, the number of apoptotic cells in hippocampus was increased. The scores of ERK activity were 1 764.00±941.56. Compared with control groups, the ERK activity was obviously decreased (P<0.05). The JNK expression was 87.5%, which was higher than that in control group. CONCLUSION: These results provide some important evidences that the sleep deprivation could cause changes in MAPKs activity, which may be related to the mechanism of hippocampus neuron apoptosis.     

家鸡Leptin成熟肽cDNA的克隆、重组蛋白表达及纯化

从 18周龄鸡卵巢组织中抽提总 RNA,使用六聚体随机引物反转录后 ,用鸡 L eptin(瘦素 )特异性引物扩增出鸡L eptin编码区第 5 2～ 4 6 0 bp的长度为 4 0 9bp的 c DNA片段。根据鸡 L eptin的 3′端第 4 6 0～ 4 92 bp序列设计了 3条部分相互重叠并且顺序串联延伸的下游反义引物 ,并在最后 1条引物 3′端连接上 Eco R 切点 ;在以上用于反转录扩增的 5′端引物的 5′端连接一 Bam H 切点。用该 5′端引物分别与 3个 3′端引物配对 ,利用反转录扩增出的 4 0 9bp的L eptin c DNA片段作为第 1模板进行扩增 ,扩增产物再作为模板与下一引物对再次扩增。经 3次扩增得到编码鸡 L ep-tin成熟肽的全长 4 5 1bp的 c DNA序列。将该 4 5 1bp的 L eptin c DNA序列经 Bam H 和 Eco R 双酶切后 ,克隆入表达质粒 p RSET A的 Bam H 和 Eco R 两酶切位点之间 ,构建成表达质粒 p L ep- SCAU。转化有重组表达质粒 p L ep-SCAU的大肠杆菌 BL 2 1(DE3)在 L B培养基中培养后 ,经 IPTG诱导表达出相对分子质量为 2 0 10 0的鸡 L eptin融合蛋白和少量 4 0 2 0 0的 L eptin融合蛋白。L eptin融合蛋白的表达在 IPTG浓度为 0 .0 5 mmol/ L 时达到最高 ,占总菌体蛋白的 32 .6 %。用 Ni- NTA凝胶从 7L 发酵培养菌裂解液中纯化出 180 m g左右     

禽大肠杆菌外膜蛋白基因C(ompC)的序列分析

根据 Gen Bank中人源大肠杆菌 K- 12外膜蛋白基因 C(omp C)的核苷酸序列设计引物 ,应用 PCR方法从禽大肠杆菌 O2 、O78株及它们的融合双价弱毒菌株 O2 ,78(Norr Chlr)中分别扩增得到 omp C基因 ,序列测定及分析比较发现 ,3个菌株的 om p C基因均由 170 2 nt组成 ,核苷酸序列完全相同 ,只有 1个大的开放性阅读框 (ORF) ,长 10 92 bp,编码由 36 3个氨基酸组成的前 Om p C蛋白 ,前 2 1个氨基酸残基组成信号肽 ,成熟的 Omp C蛋白由 342个氨基酸残基组成 ,Mr为 4 0 0 0 0。其氨基酸序列也完全相同。从基因水平上证明了禽大肠杆菌 O2 、O78株及融合双价弱毒菌株 O2 ,78(NorrChlr)存在相同的外膜蛋白 C抗原 ,从而为进一步研究 Omp C蛋白的免疫原性奠定了基础     

Myofibrillar proteolysis in chick muscle cell cultures during heat stress

The effect of heat stress on protein oxidation and myofibrillar proteolysis in chick myotubes was investigated. Myotubes were incubated at 37 or 41°C for 6 and 24 h. Protein carbonyl content, as an index of protein oxidation, increased more at 41°C than at 37°C for 6 and 24 h incubations. N^τ‐methylhistidine release as an index of myofibrillar proteolysis also increased more at 41°C than at 37°C for 6 and 24 h incubations. Proteasome activity also increased more under those same conditions. Calpain and cathepsin D but not B + L activities showed a greater increase at 41°C than at 37°C for 24 but not the 6 h incubation. These results indicate that heat stress increases protein oxidation and proteasome activity, resulting in an increase in myofibrillar proteolysis for short‐term incubation and, for long‐term incubation, it increases calpain, proteasome and cathepsin D activities, finally accelerating myofibrillar proteolysis in chick myotubes.