Protective mechanisms of ginkgolide B on rat retinal cell apoptosis induced by N-methyl-N-nitrosourea

AIM: To investigate the protective mechanisms of ginkgolide B (GB) on rat retinal degeneration induced by N-methyl-N-nitrosourea (MNU). METHODS: The rat retinal degeneration model was made. Photoreceptor cell apoptosis was measured by TUNEL assay. The expression of Bcl-2 and Bax in the different time points in the rat retina after treated with MNU was measured by RT-PCR and immunohistochemical methods. RESULTS: The outer nuclear layer cell apoptotic index in GB treatment group was significantly lower than that in model group (P<0.01). The bcl-2/bax mRNA ratios at scheduled time points of 12 h, 1 d, 2 d, 3 d and 5 d after MNU injection in model control were 0.36, 0.15, 0.29, 0.42 and 0.64, respectively, while the ratios in GB group were 0.98, 0.92, 0.53, 0.45 and 0.68, respectively, larger than those in model control group (P<0.01). No Bcl-2 positive expression was detected at any scheduled time points after MNU injection in model control group. Strong positive Bcl-2 expression was detected in GB group 1 d after MNU injection, decreased at the 2nd day and disappeared at the 3rd day. Compared with model control group, the Bax expression in GB group was significantly decreased (P<0.01).CONCLUSION: Ginkgolide B effectively inhibits the apoptosis of photoreceptor cells. The mechanism of GB action may be related to the increase in the expression of Bcl-2 and the increase in the ratio of Bcl-2/Bax.     

紫花苜蓿光敏色素B基因片段克隆及RNA干扰表达载体的构建

根据紫花苜蓿2级标准品种Vernal PhyB基因的序列(GenBank登录号为GQ379903.1),设计2对含有酶切位点的特异性引物F1/R1和F2/R2,以紫花苜蓿总RNA为模板,通过RT-PCR法扩增得到PhyB基因正向、反向目的片段,将片段连接到pGEM-T Easy载体上得到重组载体pGEMB-1和pGEMB-2,再以中间载体pHANNIBAL和植物双元表达载体pART27为基础,通过多次酶切和连接,成功地构建了紫花苜蓿PhyB的RNAi表达载体。为进一步研究光敏色素B与苜蓿秋眠性之间的关系奠定了基础。