Curcumin attenuates rat lung ischemia/reperfusion injury by interfering with autophagy

AIM To investigate the role of curcumin （CUR） in lung ischemia/reperfusion （I/R） injury （LIRI） and its relationship with autophagy. METHODS 40 SD rats were randomly divided into sham operation （sham） group, I/R group, solvent （DMSO） group, CUR group and CUR+rapamycin （CUR-Rap） group. The rats were intraperitoneally injected with normal saline, DMSO, CUR or CUR+Rap before operation. After the rat LIRI model was established, the lung tissues were taken to measure W/D, TLW, IAR, and the contents of SOD and MDA were also measured to indicate the oxidative stress level. Light and electron microscopes were used to observed the morphology and ultrastrucure of lung tissues. The expression levels of autophagy-related proteins were determined by Western blot to evaluate autophagy levels. RESULTS Compared with sham group, wet weight/dry weight （W/D）, total lung water （TLW）, injured alveoli rate（IAR） and malondialdehyde （MDA） content in all other groups were increased, superoxide dismutase （SOD） activity was decreased, the levels of autophagy were increased （P<0.05）, and lung tissue injury and cell ultrastructural damage were aggravated in CUR group. Compared with DMSO group, W/D, TLW and IAR and MDA content were decreased, SOD activity was decreased, autophagy levels were also decreased （P<0.05）, and lung tissue and cell ultrastructural damage were attenuated. Compared with CUR group, W/D, TLW, IAR and MDA content were increased, SOD activity declined, the autophagy levels were increased （P<0.05）, and damage of lung tissues and cells were more serious in CUR-Rap group. CONCLUSION Curcumin attenuates the lung I/R injury in rats, and its mechanism may be related to the reduction of oxidative stress and the inhibition of autophagy.     

弱光胁迫对不同耐密型玉米茎秆抗倒伏能力及产量的影响

在大田条件下,研究耐密型玉米品种中单909和非耐密型玉米品种丹玉405穗期不同遮荫条件下(S0,自然光照;S1,遮荫44%;S2,遮荫66%)玉米茎秆抗倒伏能力与产量的关系。结果表明,穗期遮荫后,两种类型玉米品种株高和穗位高升高;茎基部茎节单位长度、干重、穿刺强度、压碎强度、折断力度、产量和穗粒数均随遮荫程度的增加而减小,且非耐密型玉米品种下降幅度大于耐密型玉米品种。随弱光胁迫程度的增加,非耐密型玉米品种倒伏率明显高于耐密型玉米品种,非耐密型玉米品种较耐密型玉米品种对弱光反应敏感,千粒重和结实率下降是导致非耐密型玉米品种产量大幅降低的重要原因。     

玉米大斑病菌StSte12基因对H_2O_2氧化胁迫的应激调节

通过比较野生型菌株Wt01-23与StSte12基因RNAi沉默突变体菌株StRNAi9-10和StRNAi3-6在H_2O_2胁迫下生长和发育方面的差异,分析转录因子基因StSte12对玉米大斑病菌氧化胁迫的调节能力。在不同浓度H_2O_2胁迫条件下,测定野生型菌株和突变体菌株的菌落生长速度、菌丝形态、产孢量和菌丝萌发率。结果表明,随着H_2O_2浓度的增加,玉米大斑病菌野生型菌株和突变体菌株的菌落生长速度、产孢量和菌丝萌发率均显著降低,但突变体菌株的降低程度显著高于野生型菌株,表明StSte12基因对玉米大斑病菌的氧化应激调节具有重要的调控功能。     

休闲期不同耕作模式对旱地麦田土壤水分、养分及产量的影响

为探索适宜晋南旱地小麦高效生产的耕作模式,以晋麦92为试验材料,设置休闲期深翻/深翻、深松/深翻、深松/深松、常规耕作(对照)4个耕作模式,研究其对土壤水分及养分、作物生长和水分利用效率的影响。结果表明,深翻/深翻、深松/深翻、深松/深松模式较对照休闲末期3m内土壤蓄水量和土壤蓄水效率显著提高,土壤蓄水效率提高达52.5%~91.3%,以深松/深松模式较好;越冬-孕穗期3m内土壤蓄水量提高,且深松/深松模式与对照差异显著;各生育时期单株干物质积累量提高,且越冬-拔节期深松/深松、深松/深翻模式与对照差异显著,孕穗-成熟期各耕作模式与对照差异均显著;穗数、千粒重、产量和水分利用效率显著提高,其中穗数提高22.7%~29.9%,水分利用效率提高15.1%~21.6%,产量提高39.4%~60.3%,以深松/深松模式较好;收获后0~40cm土层土壤有机质平均含量提高2.5%~8.7%,速效磷含量提高11.1%~34.4%,碱解氮含量提高5.1%~20.2%,以深松/深松模式较好。总之,深翻/深翻、深松/深翻、深松/深松模式均能提高土壤蓄水保墒能力,改善养分供应状况,有利于促进小麦干物质积累,最终提高产量和水分利用效率,以深松/深松模式最佳。     

PEG胁迫对不同小麦品种幼苗抗旱生理指标的影响

为给小麦抗旱育种的早期筛选工作提供理论依据,以济麦262(抗旱型)、烟农19(中间型)和临麦2号(水分敏感型)为材料,采用PEG模拟干旱胁迫,探究干旱胁迫对不同小麦品种幼苗生物量、含水量、根系形态特征、抗氧化酶活性和叶绿素荧光参数的影响。结果表明,PEG胁迫下,三个品种中济麦262的生物量最大,地下部含水量显著高于临麦2号和烟农19;其根系的总长、总投影面积、总面积和总体积最大,且受抑制程度最低;其抗氧化酶活性在一定程度上明显增强,尤其是叶片和根系过氧化物酶、根系超氧化物歧化酶及叶片过氧化氢酶活性增强幅度显著高于临麦2号和烟农19;其叶片光化学荧光淬灭系数(qP)和PSⅡ的实际光化学效率与CK相比均呈下降的趋势,其中qP下降程度最低,荧光非光化学淬灭显著增强且高于其他两个品种。综上所述,在PEG胁迫下抗旱品种的生长受抑制程度最小,清除氧自由基能力较强,光能利用率高。     

Mixed cropping with ice plant alleviates the damage and the growth of cowpea under consecutive NaCl treatment and after the recovery from high salinity

We investigated the alleviative effects of mixed cropping using ice plant, which is one of the salt-accumulating halophytes, on the damage and growth inhibition of cowpea, which is not tolerant to high salinity. Three cropping patterns (mono cropping of cowpea and ice plant and their combination) were tested. The plants were treated with 0, 100, 200 and 300 mM NaCl for 14 days (consecutive NaCl). The plants were also treated with NaCl for 3 days, followed by 2 weeks (short-term recovery) and 1 month (long-term recovery) recovery. Salinity levels for short-term recovery were similar to those of the consecutive experiment, while the concentration of long-term recovery was 250 mM. The alleviative effects of mixed cropping in the consecutive NaCl experiment were observed at 200 and 300 mM NaCl. Mixed cropping significantly reduced the Na content in the cowpea leaves at 200 and 300 mM NaCl compared with mono cropping. In addition, the Na content in the soil of mix-cropped cowpea at 200 and 300 mM NaCl was statistically lower than that of the mono cropping. Mixed cropping was effective to recover from high concentration of NaCl in the experiments of short- and long-term recovery. These results indicate that mixed cropping with a halophyte could be effective in mitigating the damage and growth inhibition of a glycophyte not only under salinity but also under recovery periods.     

Genetic analysis of early-maturing maize (Zea Mays L.) inbred lines under stress and nonstress conditions

Early-maturing maize (Zea Mays L.) germplasm developed from diverse sources has the potential for use in developing maize hybrids suitable for increasing maize production in the dry ecologies of eastern Africa. A diallel study was conducted to estimate general combining ability (GCA) of 12 early-maturing maize inbred lines, identify potential single-cross hybrids for use as parents, assess genetic diversity among the inbred lines, and relate genetic distance to specific combining ability (SCA) and hybrid performance. Sixty-six F₁ diallel hybrids were evaluated under optimal and drought stress conditions at four locations in Kenya and Uganda. The parental inbred lines were genotyped using 94 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers. Additive gene action was more important than nonadditive gene action for inheritance of grain yield (GY) under optimal conditions. However, nonadditive gene effects were more important in the inheritance of GY under drought and across all environments. Inbred lines CKL0722, VL058014, and CZL0724 were among the best with positive GCA effects for GY across both optimal and drought stress conditions. The correlation between SCA and both genetic distance and F₁ GY was significant under both drought stress and across all environments. Inbred lines with desirable GCA effects for GY and other agronomic traits and hybrids with good performance under both optimal and drought stress conditions are potential parents for development of various types of high-yielding, stress-tolerant, and early-maturing hybrids.     

Lycopene protects primary mouse cerebrocortical neurons against t-BHP-induced damage in vitro

AIM: To investigate the protective effect of lycopene on primary mouse cerebrocortical neurons exposed to tert-butyl hydroperoxide (t-BHP) and its mechanisms of in vitro.METHODS: Primary cerebrocortical neurons of newborn C57 mice were extracted and divided into normal group, t-BHP group, lycopene+t-BHP group and lycopene group. The neuronal damage was induced by t-BHP exposure for 24 h, and the cell viability was examined by MTT assay. ROS content was measured by flow cytometry, and the protein levels of Bax, Bcl-2, caspase-3, cleaved caspase-3 and cytochrome C were examined by Western blot.RESULTS: The primary mouse cortical neurons expressed MAP-2 protein. Lycopene at concentration of 4 μmol/L reversed the decrease in cell viability. Flow cytometry revealed that lycopene treatment attenuated ROS content under the condition of t-BHP exposure. In addition, the protein level of Bcl-2 was increased, and the expression of Bax, cleaved caspase-3 and cytochrome-C was suppressed in lycopene+t-BHP group.CONCLUSION: The protective effect of lycopene on cortical neurons with t-BHP-induced injury may be involved in the mechanism of neuronal antioxidative response by down-regulating caspase-3 and Bax/Bcl-2 through the mitochondrial apoptotic pathway.     

Model construction of rat coronary artery smooth muscle cell endoplasmic reticulum stress induced by thapsigargin

AIM: To investigate the primary culture method for coronary artery smooth muscle cells (CASMCs), and to establish the endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) model in CASMCs of SD rats. METHODS: CASMCs were cultured by tissue explant method. The morphological characteristics were observed under optical microscope. The marker proteins of CASMCs, including α-SMA and SM-MHC, were identified by immunofluorescence technique. The protein expression levels of BiP and CHOP, the marker molecules of ERS, were determined by Western blot. RESULTS: The spindle-shaped CASMCs climbed out from the edge of coronary artery tissues after 6 d, and formed the typical "hill and valley" growth pattern of CASMCs at 9~10 d. The result of immunofluorescence technique showed that α-SMA and SM-MHC were positively expressed. The results of Western blot showed that the protein expression of BiP and CHOP in TG (1 and 2 μmol/L) treatment groups was increased compared with control group. Compared with control group, the protein expression of BiP and CHOP was significantly increased after 1 μmol/L TG treatment for 24 and 48 h. CONCLUSION: CASMCs can be successfully cultured by tissue explant method. ERS model of CASMCs was established by 1 μmol/L TG treatment for 24 h.