家蚕嗅觉相关蛋白质的研究进展

昆虫对气味物质的识别是一个非常复杂的连锁反应过程,气味分子首先被嗅觉感器淋巴液中的气味结合蛋白或化学感受蛋白所结合,然后运转到位于嗅觉神经元末梢膜上的气味受体并将其激活,最后引起嗅觉神经兴奋,并传入中枢神经而被感知。家蚕成虫的嗅觉十分灵敏,长期以来一直作为研究昆虫化学通讯的理想模型。近年来,随着家蚕分子生物学研究的不断深入,在家蚕中已发现了7种气味结合蛋白、多种化学感受蛋白和气味受体蛋白,这些蛋白质因子对于家蚕识别气味分子起着关键作用,但多数蛋白因子的具体生理功能仍不清楚。以家蚕方面的研究为重点,综述了与嗅觉相关的蛋白质的生化特性、分子结构、基因表达及其生理功能等方面的研究进展。     

Effects of different β-adrenergic receptors on cardiac systolic and diastolic functions in hypoxic stress rats

AIM:To explore the effects of different β-adrenergic receptors (β-AR) on the left and right ventricular systolic and diastolic functions in rats under acute hypoxic stress. METHODS:The healthy male SD rats were randomly divided into 4 groups (n=7):control group, non-selected β-AR blocker propranolol group, selected β₁-AR blocker atenolol group and selected β₂-AR blocker ICI 118,551 group, and then the rats were exposed to normoxia (20.9% O₂, 79.1% N₂) and hypoxia (15.0% O₂, 85.0% N₂) condition respectively at the altitude of 2 260 m (Xining, China). The heart rate (HR), the left ventricular systolic pressure (LVSP), the right ventricular systolic pressure (RVSP), and the maximum raise/decline rate of left and right ventricular pressure (±dp/dt_max) were monitored, and the arterial blood gas in normoxia and hypoxia condition were compared to explore the effect of β-AR on the left and right ventricular systolic and diastolic functions in acute hypoxic stress rats. RESULTS:Under normoxia condition, the LVSP, ±dp/dt_max of left ventricular were decreased in propranolol group, atenolol group and ICI 118,551 group, the RVSP and ±dp/dt_max of right ventricle were decreased in propranolol group and atenolol group (P<0.05). Under hypoxia condition, the PaO₂, LVSP, ±dp/dt_max of left ventricle were decreased in all groups compared with the normoxia group, and the ±dp/dt_max of right ventricle was increased in all groups (P<0.05), also the degree of index change in control group was more obvious than that in propranolol group and atenolol group. CONCLUSION:The activation of β₁-AR is an important compensatory regulation for heart function during hypoxic stress. However, the compensatory enhancement of right heart function under acute hypoxia condition which through tonogenic dilation is more significant for maintaining the normal circulating blood flow.     

雌激素及其受体调控卵母细胞成熟的研究进展

目前很多女性受到不孕不育、自然流产和出生缺陷等诸多生殖相关疾病的困扰,其主要原因为生殖细胞减数分裂异常和卵母细胞质量下降。雌激素不仅参与调控哺乳动物的发情和性行为,也参与调控卵母细胞的生长发育。雌激素受体作为类固醇激素受体的一种,在介导雌激素发挥基因组效应和非基因组效应中有着重要的作用。目前关于雌激素受体调控卵母细胞成熟的报道多集中于硬骨鱼类,特别是新型膜受体GPR30,而在哺乳动物方面的研究鲜有报道。因此作者介绍了雌激素核受体ERα、ERβ与新型膜受体GPR30的结构与分布,简述了膜受体GPR30的不同类型配体的研究进展,综述了雌激素受体在调控卵母细胞发育中的相互作用,发现雌激素的核受体与膜受体在卵母细胞成熟的过程中可能发挥不同的调控作用,并进一步阐述了雌激素及其受体在卵母细胞成熟过程中的潜在调控机制。     

哺乳动物消化道味觉受体和味觉感应研究进展

味觉受体自从被发现以来,人们因对其浓厚的研究兴趣增加了研究的强度和深度,人们对哺乳动物感知味觉的理解也更加深入,包括味觉感知过程的分子基础及其功能等方面。这不仅对人和动物的日常饮食调控具有重大意义,而且可以为治疗某些疾病提供新方法和新思路。本文综述了味觉受体和味觉感知过程的相关研究成果,以期加深对味觉受体分子基础的认识,促进对味觉感知过程的理解,为哺乳动物营养平衡和健康饲养提供重要参考。     

Effects of curcumin analogue L6H4 on myocardial tissue of type 2 diabetic rats

AIM: To explore the effects of curcumin analogue L6H4 on the myocardial tissue of type 2 diabetic rats and its mechanism. METHODS: Male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into normal control (NC) group, high-fat (HF) group, high-fat treatment (FT) group, diabetes mellitus (DM) group and diabetes treatment (DT) group.The rats in the latter 4 groups were fed high-fat diet for 4 weeks, then the rats in DM groups and DT groups were intraperitoneally injected with streptozotocin (STZ) to induce type 2 diabetes, while the rats in FT group and DT group were given L6H4. The blood glucose and lipid levels were detected by biochemical method, and serum adiponectin (APN) levels were detected by ELISA. The serum insulin levels were measured by radioimmunoassay and homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) were calculated. The morphological changes of myocardium were observed by Masson staining and electron microscopy. The protein expression of adiponectin receptor 1 (AdipoR1) and transforming growth factor β1(TGF-β1) in myocardial tissue were determined by immunohistochemistry. The protein expression of adipoR1 was also detected by Western blot for verification. RESULTS: Compared with NC group, the blood glucose, lipids, insulin, HOMA-IR and TGF-β1 were increased in HF and DM group, but they were decreased after treated with L6H4. Compared with NC group, the concentration of serum APN were decreased and the expression of AdipoR1 in the myocardium were weakened in HF group and DM group, and they increased after treated with L6H4. The myocardial fibrosis was obvious in HF group and DM group, the mitochondria in cardiomyocytes expanded, and the cristae disordered, partial disappeared. These lesions were significantly reduced after L6H4 treatment. CONCLUSION: L6H4 exerts a protective effect on the heart in type 2 diabetic rats. The increased concentration of serum APN, the enhanced expression of AdipoR1, and the expression of TGF-β1 inhibited by APN may be involved in the mechanism of protection.     

Regulatory effects of spirolactone on SiO2-induced lung macrophage subtype switching

AIM: To investigate the influence of spirolactone (SPI) on mouse pulmonary macrophage subtype switching induced by silicon dioxide (SiO₂). METHODS: C57BL/6 mice were divided into normal saline (NS) group, SiO₂ group, SiO₂+SPI group and SiO₂+NS group. A mouse model of silicosis was developed with crystalline SiO₂ particles (40 mg/kg, via oropharyngeal instillation). SPI (20 mg/kg) or (NS) was delivered daily by oral gavage after SiO₂ administration. The mice were sacrificed on days 3, 14 and 28. Alveolar washing, total cell counting, differential cell counting and flow cytometry analysis were performed. The right lower lobe of lavaged lungs was collected to prepare single-cell suspension for flow cytometry analysis. RESULTS: Compared with SiO₂ group, SPI treatment significantly alleviated SiO₂-induced inflammatory cell accumulation in brochoalveolar lavage fluid on day 3 and 14. Compared with NS group, the M1 alveolar macrophages and M1 pulmonary interstitial macrophages in SiO₂ group switched to M2 subtype dramatically, while SPI treatment reversed the switching effectively.CONCLUSION: SPI treatment alleviates SiO₂-induced inflammatory cell accumulation, which may be related to reversing macrophage subtype switching.     

Ontogeny of IGF-I responsiveness to bGH in young lambs

The ontogeny of hepatic growth hormone (GH) receptors (GHR), as measured by responses of both plasma insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) and hepatic GHR to an exogenous bGH stimulus, was examined using sheep of different ages (Days 1-7, 14-21, 28-35, and 56-63 of life, and yearlings). The IGF-I response to bGH was first examined in yearling sheep using two doses of bGH (0.1 and 0.2 mg/kg LW/d). Based on these results, lambs in four groups up to Day 63 of life were treated for 5 d with bGH (n = 10) at a dose of 0.15 mg/kg LW/d or with saline (n = 10). Jugular blood samples were taken once daily on Days - 1, 4, and 5 of treatment. bGH treatment in lambs up to Day 63 of life had little effect on plasma concentrations of GH, insulin, glucose or urea, but significantly (P < 0.05) increased circulating concentrations of IGF-I at all ages and of NEFA at Day 62/63 of life. In contrast, bGH treatment at either dose in yearlings significantly increased these parameters, except for plasma urea concentrations which were decreased in bGH-treated yearlings. However, the responses of plasma IGF-I concentration to bGH stimulus in lambs up to Day 63 of life were small compared to those in yearling sheep. Consistent with this, bGH treatment failed to affect hepatic GH binding in young lambs, but up-regulated it in yearling sheep. Furthermore, basal (unstimulated) GH binding did not differ between sheep of 7 vs. 63 vs. 365 d of age, despite the greater IGF-I responses to bGH in the latter group. It is suggested that hepatic GHR in lambs up to Day 63 of life are not fully functional compared to the situation in yearlings.     

IGF-I及其受体基因在牙鲆胚胎发育过程中的表达图式

胰岛素样生长因子-I(insulin-like growth factor I, IGF-I)是脊椎动物生长发育的重要调控因子, 其生物学功能主要通过与其特异的膜受体(IGF-I receptor, IGF-IR)结合而调节。因此, IGF-I及其受体表达特征的分析对于阐述IGF系统调控的发育过程具有重要的意义。本研究采用荧光实时PCR方法, 以不同发育时期的牙鲆(Paralichthys olivaceus)胚胎为材料, 分析了胰岛素样生长因子-I(IGF-I)及其两种受体基因在鱼类胚胎发育过程中的表达图式。结果显示, 牙鲆IGF-I、IGF-IR-1和IGF-IR-2基因均有母源转录本, 且各基因的表达在胚胎发育的不同阶段具有明显的发育性变化。IGF-I 基因在早期胚胎发育阶段仅有少量的mRNA存在, 而合子基因的表达在晶体出现至出膜前阶段逐步增加。两种IGF-I 受体基因则展现出迥然不同的表达时序。IGF-IR-1 基因在受精卵、卵裂及囊胚期的早期胚胎发育中有相对较少的转录本, 至原肠期其合子基因强烈表达, 且在神经胚、晶体出现、心跳和出膜前各阶段均有高量的表达; 相反, IGF-IR-2 基因在受精卵至原肠期的早期胚胎中有丰富的转录本, 但合子基因的表达在后期胚胎形成中却相对降低, 暗示了二者可能在调节牙鲆胚胎发育中起着不同的作用。