Physiological and pathological roles of mast cells in adipose tissue

Mast cells are important cells for the innate immunity that reside in tissues including adipose tissue and are involved in various physiological and pathological processes by producing a range of biological mediators. Adipose tissue not only acts as an energy depot and regulator of energy homeostasis that can deposit excess energy and dissipate energy through heat, but also is an active endocrine organ capable of producing hormones and adipokines. The dysfunction of adipose tissue is highly correlated with metabolic disorders, such as obesity, type 2 diabetes mellitus and so on. This review focuses on the physiological and pathological roles of mast cells in adipose tissue.     

Role of endoplasmic reticulum stress in trimethylamine N-oxide-induced oxidative stress in human umbilical vein endothelial cells

AIM: To investigate whether endoplasmic reticulum stress is involved in trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO)-mediated oxidative stress in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). METHODS: The cell viability was examined by CCK-8 assay. The cells were stained by DCFH-DA, and the intracellular level of reactive oxygen species (ROS) was observed by phase-contrast microscopy and detected by flow cytometric analysis. The protein levels of phospho-IRE-1α, IRE-1α and GRP78/BiP were detected by Western blot. RESULTS: TMAO exerted no significant effect on the viability of HUVECs. For a long period (>24 h), even a low concentration (10 μmol/L) of TMAO increased the oxidative stress level in the HUVECs (P<0.05). TMAO increased the phosphorylation level of IRE-1α and significantly up-regulated the protein level of GRP78/BiP in HUVECs (P<0.01). Pretreatment with STF-083010, an inhibitor of IRE1α, for 1 h reduced TMAO-induced oxidative stress in HUVECs (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Endoplasmic reticulum stress is involved in TMAO-induced oxidative stress in HUVECs.     

Jaagsiekte sheep retrovirus found in milk macrophages but not in milk lymphocytes or mammary gland epithelia of naturally infected sheep

Jaagsiekte sheep retrovirus (JSRV) causes ovine pulmonary adenocarcinoma. JSRV can be transmitted via infected colostrum or milk, which contain somatic cells (SCs) harboring JSRV provirus. Nevertheless, the cell types involved in this form of transmission and the involvement of the mammary gland remain unknown. We separated adherent cells (macrophages and monocytes) by plastic adherence, and lymphocytes (CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, and B cells) by flow cytometry, from SCs in milk samples from 12 naturally infected, PCR blood test JSRV–positive, subclinical ewes. These cell populations were tested by PCR to detect JSRV provirus. The ewes were euthanized, and mammary gland samples were analyzed immunohistochemically to detect JSRV surface protein. We did not detect JSRV provirus in any milk lymphocyte population, but milk adherent cells were positive in 3 of 12 sheep, suggesting a potential major role of this population in the lactogenic transmission of JSRV. Immunohistochemistry did not reveal positive results in mammary epithelial cells, pointing to a lack of participation of the mammary gland in the biological cycle of JSRV and reducing the probability of excretion of free viral particles in colostrum or milk.     

固定化细胞发酵半纤维素水解液产木糖醇的研究

固定在海藻酸钙凝胶中的热带假丝酵母(Candida tropicalis)细胞，可有效地利用玉米芯半纤维素水解液生产木糖醇。在摇瓶条件下，采用分批发酵方式，确立了适宜的发酵工艺参数为：32℃，每升氮源含酵母粉2．2g、胰蛋白胨3．7g，发酵液初始pH值6．0，分段改变摇床转速，其中0～24h为210r／min；24～72h为140r／min，固定化细胞凝胶珠与玉米芯半纤维素水解液体积比为1：4。利用固定化细胞重复进行10批次共30d发酵，木糖醇得率平均为73．7％，达到了理论值的80％。固定化细胞密度高、抗逆性强、发酵性能稳定，水解液未经脱色与离子交换便可转化成木糖醇，显示了良好的应用前景。     

Effect of xeroderma pigmentosum group D gene on proliferation of human umbilical arterial smooth muscle cells induced by Ox-LDL

AIM: To investigate the effects of xeroderma pigmentosum group D (XPD) gene on the proliferation of human umbilical arterial smooth muscle cells (HUASMCs) induced by oxidized low-density lipoprotein (Ox-LDL). METHODS: The recombinant plasmid pEGFP-N2/XPD was transfected into HUASMCs by liposome. The cells were divided into blank control group, pEGFP-N2 group, pEGFP-N2/XPD group, Ox-LDL group, Ox-LDL+pEGFP-N2 group and Ox-LDL+pEGFP-N2/XPD group. The proliferation rate of the cells was detected by MTT and EdU assays. The apoptotic rate and cell cycle distribution were analyzed by flow cytometry. The protein levels of XPD, caspase-3, Bcl-2 and Bax were determined by Western blot. RESULTS: Compared with blank control group, the expression of XPD was increased in pEGFP-N2/XPD group (P<0.05). According to the results of MTT and EdU assays, the cell proliferation in pEGFP-N2/XPD group was reduced compared with blank control group (P<0.05). Compared with Ox-LDL group, the cell proliferation in Ox-LDL+pEGFP-N2/XPD group was significantly inhibited (P<0.05). According to the results of flow cytometry, the cell proportion of S phase decreased and the G₀/G₁-phase cell proportion increased significantly in pEGFP-N2/XPD group and Ox-LDL+pEGFP-N2/XPD group compared with blank control group and Ox-LDL group, repectively (P<0.05). Compared with blank control group and Ox-LDL group, the protein level of Bcl-2 decreased and the protein levels of Bax and cleaved caspase-3 increased in pEGFP-N2/XPD group and Ox-LDL+pEGFP-N2/XPD group, respectively (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: XPD inhibits the proliferation of HUASMCs and promotes their apoptosis, and reduces the promoting effect of Ox-LDL on the proliferation of HUVSMCs. XPD may be the target for treatment of atherosclerosis.     

Inhibitory effect of poncirin on viability of gastric cancer cells and underlying mechanism

AIM: To explore the effect of poncirin on the growth of AGS gastric cancer cells and the underlying mechanism.METHODS: The effect of poncirin on AGS cell viability was measure by MTT assay. The cell cycle distribution and cell apoptosis were analyzed by flow cytometry. Nuclear staining with DAPI was used to reflect the morphological change of the AGS cells treated with poncirin. The protein levels of extrinsic apoptosis pathway-related proteins such as FasL, caspase-8, caspase-3 and PARP, and mitochondria-mediated intrinsic apoptosis pathway-associated proteins such as Bak, Bcl-xL, Bax and caspase-9 were determined by Western blot.RESULTS: Poncirin inhibited the viability of AGS gastric cancer cells in a time-and concentration-dependent manner (P<0.05). Poncirin induced accumulation of G₁ DNA content and significantly increased total apoptosis in the AGS cells. Nuclear staining showed a dose-dependent increase in the number of apoptotic cells after treated with poncirin.The protein level of FasL was upregulated in a dose-dependent manner by treatment with poncirin. Poncirin significantly activated caspase-8 and caspase-3. Moreover, poncirin significantly induced the cleavage of PARP in a dose-dependent manner (P<0.05). In addition, the protein levels of Bcl-xL, Bax and Bak were unchanged after treated with different doses of poncirin. Furthermore, caspase-9 was not activated by poncirin treatment in the AGS cells.CONCLUSION: Poncirin has the anti-cancer effect via extrinsic apoptosis pathway to inhibit the growth of AGS gastric cancer cells, possibly making it a therapeutic agent for human gastric cancer treatment.     

Haptoglobin Quantitation in Serum Samples from Clinically Normal and Clinically Abnormal Horses

Haptoglobin (HP) is a common minor to moderate acute-phase protein in mammals. It has been described as increasing under a variety of conditions in horses, with the use of different assay methods. The goal of the current study was to provide updated information regarding this biomarker by using a commonly available automated assay. In the present study, reference intervals for HP were generated using 43 serum samples from clinically normal horses. The reference interval was determined via the robust method as 0.29-2.26 mg/ml. A statistically significant 3.3-fold mean increase was observed in HP levels from a clinically abnormal group of horses (n = 33). A weak but significant correlation was found between total white blood cell count and HP levels (r = 0.37, P < .05). A significantly higher level of HP expression was observed in samples acquired from patients whose clinical signs lasted for 7 days or longer than from those whose signs were 4 days or less.     

猪雄性生殖干细胞的分离培养及鉴定

本试验旨在探索猪雄性生殖干细胞(mGSCs)体外分离、培养的适宜条件,建立猪雄性生殖干细胞体外培养体系。采用两步酶消化法对新生小猪睾丸生殖干细胞进行了体外分离和初步的培养鉴定,并利用层黏连蛋白和明胶的不同贴壁特性,比较2种差易贴壁分选方法的富集效果,并对传代后的干细胞培养1周后进行碱性磷酸酶染色鉴定,通过免疫荧光技术检测培养细胞是否表达干细胞标志蛋白OCT-4。试验结果表明,层黏连蛋白更适用于猪生殖干细胞的富集、培养,细胞分选效率及增殖生长明显优于采用明胶分选的方法。培养的mGSCs拥有与小鼠mGSCs相同的形态、增殖及表达特征。鉴定结果显示,生长细胞克隆碱性磷酸酶染色呈阳性,支持细胞碱性磷酸酶染色呈阴性;培养的生殖干细胞克隆表达转录蛋白OCT-4,而饲养层支持细胞OCT-4抗体染色则呈阴性。结果表明培养的干细胞克隆仍保持较好的干细胞活性,保持正常的自我复制和分化潜能,初步建立了生殖干细胞培养体系。     

激素对奶牛乳腺上皮细胞乳脂肪合成的调控作用

乳脂肪是高质量的天然脂肪,其可为人类提供营养和能量,在各种膳食脂肪和油类中,是最容易被消化吸收的。乳脂肪是在乳腺中由从头合成或外源摄取的脂肪酸与甘油酯化形成的一种脂类物质,其含量的高低关系着牛奶品质的优劣和乳制品的加工特性。在奶牛的泌乳周期中,乳腺泌乳功能受多种因素影响,其中内分泌腺分泌的多种激素对奶牛乳腺上皮细胞（BMECs）乳脂的合成具有积极的调控作用。综上所述,作者介绍了氢化可的松、催乳素、胰岛素和生长激素4种泌乳相关激素对BMECs乳脂肪合成的调控机理,即从乳脂合成适宜的激素添加量、激素对乳脂球形态的影响方面初步阐释其调控作用,并从乳脂合成的关键酶及转录因子、激素对乳脂合成相关基因表达量方面深入阐释其作用机理,旨在为研究泌乳相关激素对奶牛乳腺内乳脂肪合成的调控机理提供参考。     

Effects of Photoperiod on Stem Cells Activation in Cashmere Goat Hair Follicles

In order to extend the anagen of cashmere goat hair follicles and increase the production of cashmere,this study was performed with artificially shorten the daylight time among Arbas White cashmere goats. Skin tissue sections from cashmere goats were collected to compare the morphologic changes between artificial daylight and natural daylight,and immunohistochemical method was used to study the hair follicle cell proliferation and important protein expression in related signaling pathways. The results showed that strong cell proliferation occurred in cashmere goat hair follicle cells during artificial daylight,plenty of cytokeratin 15 (K15) positive signals were distributed in the outer root sheath,β-catenin protein was actively expressed in hair matrix and root sheath, indicating that the hair follicles were in the anagen growth phase;Meanwhile,cashmere goat hair follicles under natural daylight were in telogen with weak signals. Above all prove that short photoperiod played an important role in promoting hair follicle growth,the artificial short photoperiod could change hair follicle growth cycle and make hair follicles earlier enter to the anagen growth phase,causing a variety of typical gene expressions during hair follicle growth.