Isolation of a novel catechin from Bergenia rhizomes that has pronounced lipase-inhibiting and antioxidative properties

An aqueous ethanol extract of Bergenia crassifolia rhizomes strongly inhibited human pancreatic lipase activity and increased scavenging of DPPH free radicals in vitro. Chromatographic separation of this extract led to isolation of the hydrolysable tannins (+)-catechin 3,5-di-O-gallate () and (+)-catechin 3-O-gallate (). This is the first report of the isolation of compound 1 from plant material. This compound strongly inhibited human pancreatic lipase (with an IC₅₀ value of 0.42 μg/ml) and exhibited a remarkable free radical-scavenging ability (with an SC₅₀ value of 1.04 μg/ml). The chemical structures of 1 and 2 were elucidated using MS, NMR and chemical approaches.     

Pancreatic Degenerative Atrophy and Chronic Pancreatitis in Dogs a Comparative Study of 60 Cases

During the years 1977–1980 60 cases of non-neoplastic chronic exocrine pancreatic disease in dogs were investigated clinically and pathologically. The disorders were clinically divided into pancreatic degenerative atrophy (PDA) and chronic pancreatitis. Fifty dogs had PDA and 45 of them were German shepherd dogs. The PDA cases formed both clinically and pathologically a homogeneous group except for 1 case. All the dogs had maldigestion and protease activity was absent from the faeces. General inanition and highly atrophic pancreas were the most typical macroscopic findings. Histologically the exocrine pancreas contained atypical acinar tissue and mononuclear cell infiltrations. Five of the dogs died spontaneously, 4 of them had intestinal torsion and 1 had paralytic ileus.There were 10 dogs with chronic pancreatitis. This group was rather heterogeneous both clinically and pathologically. The pancreas was slightly enlarged and the consistency was firm. The histologic picture was one of fibrous tissue proliferation and inflammatory cell infiltrations in the interstitium. The dogs nutritional state as well as faecal protease activity were normal.     

Isolation, Culture and Induced Differentiation of Fetal Porcine Islet Derived Pancreatic Stem Cell

To isolate and culture the porcine pancreatic stem cells and investigate their function, the fetal porcine pancreatic stem cells were isolated by the method of suspending plus adhering culture. The isolated cells were then identified by immunohistochemical staining, and their culture viability measured through the MTT method in vitro. This induced them to differentiate into endocrine cells and detect their function. The isolated IPSCS did not express nestin, but expressed CK-19, a marker of ductal epithelia cells and ct-actin, a smooth muscle marker, demonstrating the growth characteristics of ES-like cells, and strong proliferative ability, after 18 passages. They could excrete insulin, and showed ultrastructure changes after being induced. Porcine pancreatic stem cells can be isolated by this method, induced to form islet-like clusters, and can secret insulin.     

The Process and Development Mechanism of Age-related Fibrosis in the Pancreatic Islets of Sprague-Dawley Rats: Immunohistochemical Detection of Myofibroblasts and Suppression Effect by Estrogen Treatment

The mechanism of spontaneous islet fibrosis in Sprague-Dawley rats was investigated. Using sections of the pancreas in naive males aged 26 to 102 weeks old and 26-week-old males injected with β-estradiol 3-benzoate (EB), the incidence of lesions and histological scores of fibrosis were examined in conjunction with immunohistochemistry for α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), platelet-derived growth factor receptor-α (PDGFRα) and estrogen receptor-α (ERα). The incidence of islet fibrosis increased in 78-week-old animals compared to the 26-week-old animals, and the incidence of atrophy in the fibrotic islet increased in animals over 52 weeks old. α-SMA and PDGFRα were positively stained mainly in fibrotic/inflammatory islets, and the histological score of α-SMA in the fibrotic islet decreased age-dependently. Notably, α-SMA and PDGFRα were co-expressed in inflammatory islets with a high score at all ages. The positive index of ERα in the EB-treated group increased when compared with that of the naive group. However, it was independent of the existence of fibrosis. In contrast, the score of α-SMA and PDGFRα decreased in the EB-treated group. In conclusion, it was clarified that a part of age-related fibrosis in islets became atrophy with age, and α-SMA-positive myofibroblasts were considered to contribute to the development of fibrosis. Strong PDGFRα stainability in fibrotic/inflammatory islets may imply that myofibroblasts were stimulated by PDGF to produce an extracellular matrix. Although estradiol has been known to suppress fibrosis/inflammation in the islet, nuclear-located ER-dependent signaling was considered not to be involved in the suppression mechanism. EB possibly affected the inhibition of the appearance of myofibroblasts.     

Tissue distribution of infectious pancreatic necrosis virus serotype Sp in naturally infected cultured rainbow trout,Oncorhynchus mykiss (Walbaum): an immunohistochemical and nested‐PCR study

This study investigates the occurrence and distribution pattern of infectious pancreatic necrosis virus (IPNV) within the pancreas, liver, kidney and spleen of naturally infected cultured rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss (Walbaum), using immunohistochemistry (IHC). A nested PCR was also employed to confirm the presence of the virus in the pooled tissues of the specimens. All the examined tissues except spleen were immunohistochemically positive for IPNV, but staining intensity and distribution pattern varied. The kidney tubules had the most intense and widespread staining by IHC, indicating a specific tissue tropism at least for this particular serotype. The nucleotide sequence had the greatest identity with the Sp serotype confirming the presence of the nucleic acid of IPNV in the pooled tissues. Based on the present findings, it could be concluded that the absence of lesions consistent with infectious pancreatic necrosis (IPN) disease in the H&E‐stained sections cannot rule out the presence of the IPNV, and the use of an alternative rapid confirmatory method such as IHC with formalin‐fixed, paraffin‐embedded tissue sections is helpful for the final diagnosis of IPN in rainbow trout.     

Infectious pancreatic necrosis virus establishes an asymptomatic carrier state in kidney leucocytes of juvenile Atlantic cod, Gadus morhua L

Juvenile Atlantic cod (10 g) were infected with infectious pancreatic necrosis virus (IPNV) by intraperitoneal injection and cohabitation. Fish showed no signs of disease but IPNV could be re-isolated from kidney tissue for up to 12 weeks. On weeks 2, 5, 8, 10, 11 and 12 following infection, kidney leucocytes were fractionated on Percoll gradients, and cells separated into plastic adherent and non-adherent cell populations after overnight incubation. IPNV was detectable in lysates of both cell populations and in supernatants by culture in CHSE-214 cells. Wells containing 10(5)-10(6) macrophages had an IPNV TCID(50) of about 10(3)/well and in serially diluted macrophages the minimum number of cells required to detect virus ranged from 10(1) to 10(4). These data indicate that about one in 10(4) macrophages were infected and the mean number of virus/infected cell was about 10. Replication of IPNV in the macrophages was low as the titre of the virus in macrophage lysates did not increase between days 1 and 3 of culturing the macrophages, but virus was released into the supernatant over this time.     

Analysis of the incidence of infectious pancreatic necrosis mortality in pedigreed Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar L., populations

A total of 77,124 Atlantic salmon post-smolts, representing 197 full-sib families produced by 149 males and 197 females, experienced a field challenge from infectious pancreatic necrosis virus (IPNV), following transfer to three separate seawater sites. The first IPN mortality was observed 45 days after transfer, and the duration of the epidemic varied between 37 and 92 days among sites. Mortalities were traced to their parental families by PIT (Passive Integrated Transpondes) tag records and DNA genotyping. Full-sib family mean incidence of mortality was calculated for each family on each site. Heritabilities were estimated based on the heterogeneity of chi-square using incidence within half-sib families and the variance in incidence among full-sib families, both on the observed and underlying liability scale. The observed correlation among families across sites was used to estimate genetic correlations. The overall mortality rate was 10.8%, with only small differences between sites, ranging from 10.3% to 11.9%. Heritabilities on the liability scale were found to be moderate to strong, and ranged between 0.24 and 0.81, with a pooled estimate of 0.43, greater than is typically associated with disease traits. Genetic correlations among sites were all substantial, between 0.71 and 0.78, and indicated that a substantial component of the genetic variation displayed within sites was common to all. The results show that field challenges can yield very good genetic information on family differences in resistance, especially when replicated over sites, which may then be developed for use in selection for breeding strains of Atlantic salmon with greater resistance to IPN.     

胰岛β细胞系研究概况

胰岛具有控制能量代谢的重要作用。全球糖尿病发病率快速增加,引起了科学家对胰岛细胞生物学研究的重视。然而,胰岛分离困难,且费用昂贵,胰岛功能在生物及分子水平上很难获得更加全面的认识。过去胰岛来源的细胞系由于其分化不稳定,仅作为原代胰岛细胞的替代品。如今,人们通过紫外线照射、病毒转染等方法建立了多种胰岛β细胞系,保持了很多正常胰岛的关键功能特性,而成为研究胰岛细胞生物学的有效工具。不同种类细胞系的生物学特征各有不同,根据研究需要,采用基因工程的方法创建更适合的亚系,是迄今为止改善细胞系特性的主要方法,为不同方面的研究提供便利。     

Ultrasonographic features of insulinoma in six ferrets

Insulinoma is a functional, insulin‐secreting tumor, arising from the beta islet cells of the pancreas. It is one of the most common neoplasms in ferrets and has been associated with clinical signs of hypoglycemia, such as ptyalism, pawing at the mouth, seizures, lethargy, and coma. The ultrasonographic features of insulinoma in ferrets have not been previously reported. The purpose of this retrospective case series study was to describe the ultrasonographic features of confirmed insulinoma in a group of ferrets. Inclusion criteria were abdominal ultrasound examination and histological confirmed insulinoma by surgical biopsy. Six ferrets met the inclusion criteria, all of which had multiple hypoglycemic episodes. Ultrasonographic images were reviewed and the characteristics of the pancreatic nodules were recorded. Twenty‐eight pancreatic nodules were observed in the six ferrets and were primarily hypoechoic (89.3%, 25/28) and homogenous (46.4%, 13/28) with a smooth margin (78.6%, 22/28). The distribution of the pancreatic nodules was 46.4% in the left lobe, 50% in the right lobe, and 3.6% in the body of the pancreas. The sizes of the pancreatic nodules varied from 1.5 × 1.5 to 4.1 × 5.6 mm. All of the pancreatic nodules removed from surgery were histopathologically confirmed as insulinoma. The findings indicated that insulinoma in ferrets could be detected through ultrasonography, which may facilitate diagnosis and preoperative surgical planning.