ROCK promotes hypoxia-induced cardiomyocyte apoptosis by inhibiting PI3K/Akt pathway

AIM: To investigate the expression of Rho-associated coiled-coil protein kinase (ROCK) at different hypoxic phases and to explore its role in myocardial cell apoptosis. METHODS: The rat cardiomyocytes were primarily cultured and identified by an antibody targeting α-actin of striated muscle. The myocardial cell hypoxic model was established by exposing the cells in hypoxic liquid for 1 h, 3 h, 6 h and 9 h. The cell apoptotic rate was assessed by flow cytometry. The cell survival rate was determined by MTT assay. The protein levels of ROCK-1, ROCK-2, caspase-3 activation fragment, PI3K and p-PI3K at different hypoxia phases were determined by Western blotting.RESULTS: After exposed to hypoxic liquid for 1 h, 3 h, 6 h and 9 h, the apoptotic rates of the cardiomyocytes were （8.76±1.51）%, （15.36±2.34）%, （26.50±3.43）% and （41.96±4.22）%, respectively, significantly higher than those in control group ［(2.60±0.34）%, P<0.01］. The survival rates were （93.20±4.12）%, （86.14±3.10）%, （75.53±7.25）%and （60.21±6.75）%, respectively, signficantly lower than those in control group ［（97.60±1.12）%, P<0.05］. After 1 h of hypoxic exposure, the levels of ROCK-1 and ROCK-2 began to rise, reached its peak at 3～6 h, and began to decrease after 9 h, which were significantly higher than those in control group (P<0.05). After 1 h of hypoxic exposure, the caspase-3 activation fragment began to rise, which was sustained in a high level at following observed time points as compared with control group (P<0.01). No difference of the PI3K expression in the course of hypoxia was observed. However, after 1 h of hypoxic exposure, the p-PI3K level began to rise, reached its peak at 3 h, began to decrease at 6 h, and was almost undetectable at 9 h. CONCLUSION: Hypoxia stimulates the cardiomyocytes to increase the expression of ROCK-1 and ROCK-2, and is in parallel with the cardiomyocyte apoptosis. ROCKs may play an important role in the process of hypoxia-induced cardiomyocyte apoptosis by inhibiting the p-PI3K pathways.     

EGFR overexpression in canine primary lung cancer: pathogenetic implications and impact on survival

This study reports the main clinicopathological features of primary lung cancer (PLC) in 37 dogs, with special regard to the pathogenetic and prognostic role of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) overexpression. For each case the following characteristics were evaluated: tumour‐node‐metastasis (TNM) stage, tumour histotype, histological grade, mitotic activity and immunohistochemical expression of EGFR. In samples with available normal lung tissue, the amount of background anthracosis was also measured by image analysis. In 27 tumours (73%) a variable number of cells (20–100%) stained positively for EGFR. The proportion of EGFR‐positive tumours was significantly higher in cases with background anthracosis, and the amount of anthracosis was correlated with the percentage of positive tumour cells. Additionally, a trend towards shortened survival for the high EGFR group was observed. These findings suggest an involvement of EGFR signalling pathway in canine PLC, a negative prognostic significance of protein overexpression and its potential implication in air pollution carcinogenesis.     

拟南芥蛋白激酶 SnRK2．6的原核表达、纯化及活性分析

从哥伦比亚生态型拟南芥（Arabidopsis thaliana Columbia 0）中克隆 SnRK2·6[SNF1（su-crose non-fermenting-1）-related protein kinase 2·6]的完整编码序列（coding sequence,CDS）,构建该基因的原核表达载体,将其转化 BL21（DE3）,经表达纯化得到 SnRK2·6蛋白。激酶活性分析发现,原核表达纯化的 SnRK2·6有自磷酸化和磷酸化 MBP（myelin basin protein）的活性,为后续试验分析 SnRK2·6的功能奠定基础。     

热胁迫对葡萄叶片中蛋白激酶活性的影响

 以葡萄品种京秀（Vitis vinifera L. cv. Jingxiu）一年生扦插苗为试材，40℃高温处理30 min，并以25℃为对照，采用体外底物磷酸化方法对叶片中蛋白激酶的活性进行了测定。结果表明，热胁迫处理后，叶片中蛋白激酶在底物髓鞘碱性蛋白(myelin basic protein，MBP)浓度为0.5 mg·ml-1时，其活性达到最大(7 678.7 cpm)，而后随底物浓度的进一步增加，其活性下降。Mg2+浓度为5 mmol·L-1时，蛋白激酶活性达到最大(8 165.8 cpm)。Ca2+对蛋白激酶活性的影响极弱，Mn2+对蛋白激酶活性的激活没有影响。ATP浓度为50 μmol·L-1时，蛋白激酶的活性最大（7 900.9 cpm），比对照高4.7倍。在以组蛋白-Ⅲ（histone-Ⅲ）为底物时，蛋白激酶的活性很微弱，且Mg2+和Ca2+对蛋白激酶有极弱的激活作用。     

Analytic validation and comparison of three commercial immunoassays for measurement of plasma atrial/A-type natriuretic peptide concentration in horses

Measurement of atrial/A-type natriuretic peptide (ANP) concentrations may be of use for assessment of cardiac disease, and reliable data on the analytic performance of available assays are needed. To assess the suitability for clinical use of commercially available ANP assays, intra-assay and inter-assay coefficient of variation and dilution parallelism were calculated for three immunoassays (RIA_Pen, RIA_Phoen, and an ELISA_Pen) using blood samples from healthy and diseased horses to cover a wide range of ANP concentrations. Further, agreement between assays was assessed using linear regression and Bland–Altman analyses. For all assays, precision was moderate but acceptable and dilution parallelism was good. All assays showed analytic performance similar to other immunoassays used in veterinary medicine. However, the results from the three assays were poorly comparable. Our study highlights the need for an optimised species-specific assay for equine samples.     

Masitinib mesylate does not enhance sensitivity to radiation in three feline injection-site sarcoma cell lines under normal growth conditions

Masitinib, a selective tyrosine kinase inhibitor, was investigated as a radiosensitizer in three primary feline injection-site sarcoma (ISS) cell lines. Sensitivity to masitinib was previously assessed via cell growth inhibition assays with mean IC₅₀ values of 5.5–8.6 μM. Clonogenic assays were performed to determine the effect of masitinib and radiation on cell survival. Single dose radiation (0–12 Gy) experiments were carried out under normal growth conditions in control ISS cells and in cells incubated with 1 or 6 μM masitinib for 72 h prior to irradiation. Radiation administered either alone or in combination with masitinib induced a dose-dependent reduction in clonogenic survival. Survival from the combined masitinib and radiation treatment was not significantly different from that of radiation alone. Results suggest that masitinib does not directly enhance ISS cell radiosensitivity under normal in vitro conditions, although this does not preclude the utility of further investigations to assess sensitization properties under altered conditions.     

Early supplementation with Lactobacillus plantarum in liquid diet modulates intestinal innate immunity through toll-like receptor 4-mediated mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling pathways in young piglets challenged with Escherichia coli K88

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of early supplementation during 4 to 18 d of age with Lactobacillus plantarum (LP) in liquid diets on intestinal innate immune response in young piglets infected with enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) K88. Seventy-two barrow piglets at 4 d old were assigned to basal or LP-supplemented liquid diet (5 × 10¹⁰ CFU·kg⁻¹). On day 15, piglets from each group were orally challenged with either ETEC K88 (1 × 10⁸ CFU·kg⁻¹) or the same amount of phosphate-buffered saline. The intestinal mucosa, mesenteric lymph node (MLN), and spleen samples were collected on day 18. Here, we found that LP pretreatment significantly decreased the mRNA relative expression of inflammatory cytokines (interleukin [IL]-1β, IL-8, and tumor necrosis factor-α), porcine β-defensin 2 (pBD-2), and mucins (MUC1 and MUC4) in the jejunal mucosa in piglets challenged with ETEC K88 (P < 0.05). Moreover, LP significantly decreased the ileal mucosa mRNA relative expression of IL-8 and MUC4 in young piglets challenged with ETEC K88 (P < 0.05). Furthermore, the piglets of the LP + ETEC K88 group had lower protein levels of IL-8, secretory immunoglobulin A, pBD-2, and MUC4 in the jejunal mucosa than those challenged with ETEC K88 (P < 0.05). Besides, LP supplementation reduced the percentage of gamma/delta T cells receptor (γδTCR) and CD172a⁺ (SWC3⁺) cells in MLN and the percentage of γδTCR cells in the spleen of young piglets after the ETEC K88 challenge. Supplementation with LP in liquid diets prevented the upregulated protein abundance of toll-like receptor (TLR) 4, phosphorylation-p38, and phosphorylation-extracellular signal-regulated protein kinases in the jejunal mucosa induced by ETEC K88 (P < 0.05). In conclusion, LP supplementation in liquid diet possesses anti-inflammatory activity and modulates the intestinal innate immunity during the early life of young piglets challenged with ETEC K88, which might be attributed to the suppression of TLR4-mediated mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling pathways. Early supplementation with LP in liquid diets regulates the innate immune response, representing a promising immunoregulation strategy for maintaining intestinal health in weaned piglets.     

基于STK激酶保守结构域克隆香蕉R基因和RLKs同源序列*

利用抗病候选基因（Candidate resistant gene analogs,RGAs）克隆法是获得香蕉RGAs的一条简捷而有效的途径,该法已从14种植物中获得了RGAs,发现的大多数R基因都是受体样蛋白激酶（receptor-like protein kinase,RLKs）,并具有丝氨酸/苏氨酸蛋白激酶（serine/threonine protein kinase,STK）结构域（Feuillet et al.,2001,）.本研究利用STK类R基因的STK蛋白激酶保守结构域合成简并引物,扩增香蕉主栽品巴西香蕉基因组DNA,获得RGAs同源序列和STK蛋白激酶家族基因同源序列,对于研究香蕉STK类R基因的起源和进化,利用分子标记辅助育种以及香蕉抗病信号传导机制研究和R基因的克隆将提供重要的背景.     

短芒大麦钙依赖蛋白激酶基因的克隆与功能分析

【目的】克隆强抗寒性牧草短芒大麦钙依赖蛋白激酶(Calcium-dependent protein kinase,CDPK)基因,分析其生理生化特性,为理想抗逆工程基因的筛选和利用奠定基础。【方法】采用RACE-PCR技术,获得短芒大麦CDPK基因全长cDNA序列;采用Northern杂交分析该基因在逆境条件下(低温(4℃)、干旱(200 g/L PEG6000)、盐(300 mmol/L NaCl)、激素(100μmol/L ABA))的表达模式;采用农杆菌介导的方法,对该基因编码蛋白进行亚细胞定位,并对转基因烟草的离子渗漏率和脯氨酸含量进行测定。【结果】获得了短芒大麦CDPK基因的编码序列,将其命名为HbCDPK;HbCDPK编码的蛋白是一个膜定位钙依赖蛋白激酶,该基因在短芒大麦根、幼苗叶片和成熟胚中均有表达;在低温、干旱、盐和ABA胁迫条件下处理不同时间,HbCDPK的表达丰度有差异,其在低温胁迫条件下的表达信号最强;转HbCDPK基因烟草相对离子渗漏率降低,脯氨酸含量升高。【结论】HbCDPK基因参与了低温胁迫信号转导,具有提高植物抗寒性的潜能。