Sulodexide protects against hyperglycemia-induced retinal vascular injury via suppressing NOX4/NLRP3 pathway

AIM To investigate the effect of sulodexide (SDX) on high glucose-induced damage in retinal microvascular endothelial cells. METHODS (1) High-fat diet combined with intraperitoneal injection of streptozocin were used to induce type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) followed by injection of saline or SDX in C57BL/6J male mice. Retinal microvascular leakage and density, and the protein levels of NLRP3 inflammasome-related proteins, zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1) and NADPH oxidase 4 (NOX4) were measured. (2) Human retinal microvascular endothelial cells (HRMECs) were treated with normal glucose or high glucose with or without SDX, and were further transfected with siRNA to knock down NOX4, or infected by adenovirus to over-express NOX4. The protein levels of ZO-1, VE-cadherin (VE-Cad), NOX4 and NLRP3 inflammasome-related proteins as well as the level of reactive oxygen species (ROS) were detected. RESULTS Treatment with SDX increased the protein level of ZO-1, attenuated retinal leakage and NLRP3 inflammasome activation, and enhanced the density of microvasculature and the number of ganglion cells in diabetic retinas. The protein levels of ZO-1 and VE-Cad were decreased, while the levels of NOX4, NLRP3 inflammasome-related proteins and ROS generation were increased in high glucose-treated HRMECs. Silencing of NOX4 inhibited high glucose-induced increases in NLRP3 inflammasome and ROS generation, and decreases in the protein levels of ZO-1 and VE-Cad. Over-expression of NOX4 significantly increased the levels of NLRP3 inflammasome-related proteins and ROS generation in HRMECs, and reduced the protein levels of ZO-1 and VE-Cad. Treatment with SDX partly reversed NOX4 over-expression-induced changes. CONCLUSION SDX alleviates hyperglycemia-induced retinal microvascular endothelial injury via inhibiting NOX4/ROS/NLRP3 pathways.     

Mouse melanoma cell exosomes promote expression of Rac1 protein in fibroblasts

AIM To investigate the effect of exosomes secreted by mouse melanoma cells on the expression of Ras-related C3 botulinum toxin substrate 1 (Rac1) protein in fibroblasts. METHODS Ultracentrifugation was adopted to separete exosomes secreted by mouse melanoma B16-F10 cells. The morphological structure of exosomes was observed by negative-staining electron microscopy. The size distribution of exosomes was determined by nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA). The exosomal markers, tumor susceptibility gene 101 (Tsg101) and tyrosinase-related protein 2 (Tyrp2), were identified by Western blot. Laser confocal microscopy was used to observe the process that mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEF) took in exosomes during co-culture. Immunocytochemical staining and Western blot were used to detect the expression of Rac1 protein in MEF. RESULTS B16-F10 cell exosomes showed a typical tea tray-like structure, with a size range of 141~255 nm, and expressed protein markers Tsg101 and Tyrp2. The results of laser confocal microscopy showed that compared with co-culture at 0 h, a small number of exosomes appeared in the MEF at 12 h, and a large number of exosomes accumulated in the MEF after co-cultured for 24 and 36 h. Western blot analysis showed that compared with co-culture at 0 h, the expression of Rac1 protein in the MEF was significantly increased at 24 h and 36 h of co-culture (P<0.01). The results of immunocytochemical staining showed that compared with co-culture at 0 h, the positive expression level of Rac1 in the MEF cells was significantly increased at 12 h, 24 h and 36 h of co-culture (P<0.05 or P<0.01). CONCLUSION Intake of exosomes secreted by mouse melanoma cells promotes the expression of Rac1 protein in fibroblasts.     

转Cry抗虫基因玉米对家蚕的安全性评价

家蚕可能通过取食漂移到桑叶上的玉米花粉从而受到转基因玉米中表达的Cry蛋白的影响。实验采用室内生物测试的方法评价了转cry1Ab和cry2Ab基因玉米GAB-3花粉对家蚕可能产生的影响,并采用在饲料中掺入蛋白的方式检测了转基因玉米中广泛使用的6种Cry杀虫蛋白对家蚕的毒性。当桑叶上GAB-3花粉密度为50粒·cm^-2时,对家蚕幼虫存活率无显著影响,达500粒·cm^-2时,家蚕14 d存活率为0;以10粒·cm^-2的GAB-3花粉饲喂家蚕幼虫7 d对其体重无显著不利影响,但延长饲喂时间或者当GAB-3花粉密度为50粒·cm^-2时,家蚕的体重显著低于对照组;转基因和非转基因玉米花粉处理14 d或更长时间的家蚕体重均低于无花粉处理组。与非转基因对照处理组相比,低于100粒·cm^-2的转基因玉米GAB-3花粉处理组家蚕的化蛹率、茧重、茧壳重和蛹重无显著差异,转基因玉米和非转基因玉米花粉处理均会延长家蚕幼虫的发育历期。GAB-3花粉对家蚕7 d的LC₅₀为261.18粒·cm^-2,随着处理时间延长,LC₅₀下降。测试的6种Bt杀虫蛋白对家蚕的毒性依次为Cry1C>Cry1Fa>Cry1B>Cry2A>Cry1Ab>Cry1Ac。目前,在中国接近商业化的转基因玉米中多采用的Bt杀虫蛋白为Cry1Ab和Cry2A,二者对家蚕的毒性较低,并且在实际生产中,家蚕接触到的转基因玉米花粉密度较低,因此转Cry抗虫基因玉米对家蚕的风险较低。     

甜樱桃花芽不同发育时期内参基因的筛选与验证

为了筛选甜樱桃花芽不同发育时期均稳定表达的内参基因,以甜樱桃桑提娜和黔樱一号不同发育时期花芽为材料,通过qRT-PCR技术检测28S rRNA、EF1-a1、EF1-a2、UBC、RPL13、18S rRNA、RSP3、CYP40、ACT2和α-TUB3等10个常用看家基因的表达水平,并利用GeNorm、NormFinder和BestKeeper综合评价其表达稳定性。结果表明,EF-1a2和RSP3在所有样品中稳定性最好。分别以EF-1a2、RSP3及EF-1a2+RSP3作为内参基因检测不同发育时期花芽生长素运输载体AUX1基因及生长素响应因子ARF基因的表达模式,该2个基因在不同内参基因标定下表达模式相同。表明EF-1a2、RSP3及EF-1a2+RSP3可作为甜樱桃花芽不同发育时期的内参基因。     

翠竹及菲白竹LEA3同源基因的克隆及序列分析

竹类植物在中国有着非常悠久的栽培历史,并被广泛应用于园林、造林、庭院以及食品等行业。本研究以翠竹和菲白竹为材料提取其叶片总DNA,采用PCR方法获得翠竹SpLEA3基因与菲白竹SfLEA3-1、SfLEA3-2基因;其中SpLEA3全长804 bp,编码195个氨基酸,GC含量为68.4%;SfLEA3-1全长803 bp,编码195个氨基酸,GC含量为68.2%;SfLEA3-2全长557 bp,编码144个氨基酸,GC含量为67.8%。通过ProtParamy等生物软件分析,SpLEA3、SfLEA3-1和SfLEA3-2与贵州悬竹LEA3基因同源性高达61%以上,且3个基因编码蛋白均属于亲水性蛋白。源自2个竹种LEA3基因均包含一个完整的开放阅读框,其编码的氨基酸含有4~6个由11个氨基酸组成的保守基元序列。本研究不仅为深入了解竹类植物抗旱的分子机理研究提供了基础数据,也为竹类植物的抗旱育种后续研究提供了科学依据。     

泥石流多发区土地荒漠化程度模糊综合评判研究

根据对小江流域泥石流沟谷土地荒漠化影响因子的分析和筛选,选择切割密度、土壤有机质、泥石流堆积物面积、植被盖度等8个对土地荒漠化有较大影响的因子,从地貌、土壤、植被三方面建立层次分析模型。针对土地景观生态系统的复杂性和模糊性,在建立评价指标体系的基础上,采用模糊综合评判的方法,对土地荒漠化程度进行了定量评价。