Sca-1+ cells from mouse fetal liver can differentiate into neurons in vitro

AIM: To study whether Sca-1⁺ cells from fetal liver can be induced to differentiate into neuronal cells in vitro. METHODS:Sca-1⁺cells from 14 5-days-old murine fetal liver were isolated with a magnetic cell sorting kit, and were cultured in Dulbecco s modif ied Eagle s medium(DMEM)/F12 supplemented with 10%fetal bovine serum(FBS), and passaged at a rat io of 1 3 when cells reached more than 80%confluence.The 5 passage cells were induced by 10^-3mol/Lβ-mercaptoethanol(β-ME)and 5×10^-7 mol/L all-trans-retinoic acid(RA)for 24 hours, and then incubated in serum-free medium for 5 hours to 5 days.The characteristics of treated cel s were assayed by immunocytochemistry staining analysis at 5 hours, or 5 days.RESULTS: Cells treated with β-ME and RA exhibited neuronal phenotype and expressed neuron-specific protein such as neuron-specific nuclear protein (NeuN), neuronfilament-M, and neuron-specific tubulin-1 (TuJ-1) but not tau, MAP-2, or the astrocyte-specific marker glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP).CONCLUSION: Sca-1⁺ cells from fetal liver, of which most are regarded as hematopoietic stem cells, could differentiate into early immature neuronal cells in vitro. These findings suggest that Sca-1⁺ cells from fetal liver may be an alternative source in cell therapy and gene therapy of neural dysfunction.     

Effects of β-ME and RA on expression of GFAP in mesenchymal cells derived from mouse fetal liver

AIM: To investigate the effects of β-mercaptoethanol (β-ME) and all-trans rentinal acid (RA) on glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) expression in mesenchymal cells derived from mouse fetal liver in vitro. METHODS: Cells suspension from 14.5-days-old mouse fetal liver were cultured in DMEM/HEPES/F12 supplemented with 20％ FCS and mesenchymal cells were acquired after discarding nonadherent cells. The 5th passage cells were induced by β-ME and RA. The characteristics of treated cells were assayed by immunocytochemistry staining at 5 hours and 5 days after induction. β-actin as an internal control, GFAP gene expression of mesenchyal cells was detected with semi-quantitative RT-PCR. RESULTS: After being inducted by β-ME and RA, 80％ approximately of the cells exhibited typical neural morphology and about 85％ expressed GFAP phenotype. Semi-quantitative RT-PCR showed that mRNA expression of GFAP increased in treated cells versus untreated cells (P<0.01). CONCLUSION: GFAP expression in mesenchymal cells derived from mouse fetal liver in vitro increases after being treated with β-ME and RA.     

Preparation and Hepatoprotective Activities of Peptides Derived from Mussels (Mytilus edulis) and Clams (Ruditapes philippinarum)

Low molecular weight (<5 kDa) peptides from mussels (Mytilus edulis) (MPs) and the peptides from clams (Ruditapes philippinarum) (CPs) were prepared through enzymatic hydrolysis by proteases (dispase, pepsin, trypsin, alcalase and papain). Both the MPs and the CPs showed excellent in vitro scavenging ability of free radicals including OH, DPPH and ABTS in the concentration range of 0.625–10.000 mg/mL. By contrast, the MPs hydrolyzed by alcalase (MPs-A) and the CPs hydrolyzed by dispase (CPs-D) had the highest antioxidant activities. Furthermore, MPs-A and CPs-D exhibited protective capabilities against oxidative damage induced by H₂O₂ in HepG2 cells in the concentration range of 25–800 μg/mL. Meanwhile, compared with the corresponding indicators of the negative control (alcohol-fed) mice, lower contents of hepatic MDA and serums ALT and AST, as well as higher activities of hepatic SOD and GSH-PX were observed in experiment mice treated with MPs-A and CPs-D. The present results clearly indicated that Mytilus edulis and Ruditapes philippinarum are good sources of hepatoprotective peptides.     

Effects of baicalin on CA46 cell xenografts in nude mice

AIM: To study the effects of baicalin on CA46 cell xenografts in nude mice. METHODS: The nude mice with CA46 cell xenografts were treated with drugs via intraperitoneal injection daily, and were divided into 5 groups: negative control group, 15 mg/kg baicalin group, 30 mg/kg baicalin group, 60 mg/kg baicalin group and 4 mg/kg etoposide (VP-16) positive control group. After 12-day treatment, the weight of CA46 cell xenografts stripped from some nude mice in the 5 groups was used to evaluate the effect of baicalin on xenograft growth in the nude mice. The apoptosis, necrosis and pathological changes of the xenograft cells were examined under light microscope and transmission electronic microscope respectively. The expression levels of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (Akt) signaling pathway-related proteins extracted from xenografts were determined by Western blotting. The other nude mice with CA46 cell xenografts in the 5 groups continued to be treated with the drugs until death in order to evaluate the effect of balcalin on survival time of the nude mice with CA46 cell xenografts. RESULTS: Baicalin remarkably inhibited the growth of CA46 cell xenografts, induced apoptosis and necrosis of xenograft cells, and reduced the protein expression of phospho-Akt (p-Akt), nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB), mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) and phospho-mTOR (p-mTOR) in the xenografts after 12-day treatment. Furthermore, baicalin prolonged the survival time of the nude mice with CA46 cell xenografts in a dose-dependent manner. CONCLUSION: Baicalin inhibits the growth and induces apoptosis of CA46 cell xenografts in the nude mice, and prolongs the survival time of the nude mice with CA46 cell xenografts through the mechanism of down-regulating PI3K/Akt/NF-κB and PI3K/Akt/ mTOR signaling pathways.     

果蔬复合固体饮料的制备及其对小鼠肝性骨病的预防作用

为开发一种感官营养俱佳的保健食品,该研究以欧李、猕猴桃、胡萝卜、葡萄、柑橘5种果蔬为原料,用喷雾干燥法制备复合固体饮料（以下简称\     

β-Carotene from the Alga Dunaliella bardawil Decreases Gene Expression of Adipose Tissue Macrophage Recruitment Markers and Plasma Lipid Concentrations in Mice Fed a High-Fat Diet

Vitamin A and provitamin A carotenoids are involved in the regulation of adipose tissue metabolism and inflammation. We examined the effect of dietary supplementation using all-trans and 9-cis β-carotene-rich Dunaliella bardawil alga as the sole source of vitamin A on obesity-associated comorbidities and adipose tissue dysfunction in a diet-induced obesity mouse model. Three-week-old male mice (C57BL/6) were randomly allocated into two groups and fed a high-fat, vitamin A-deficient diet supplemented with either vitamin A (HFD) or β-carotene (BC) (HFD-BC). Vitamin A levels in the liver, WATs, and BAT of the HFD-BC group were 1.5–2.4-fold higher than of the HFD group. BC concentrations were 5–6-fold greater in BAT compared to WAT in the HFD-BC group. The eWAT mRNA levels of the Mcp-1 and Cd68 were 1.6- and 2.1-fold lower, respectively, and the plasma cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations were 30% and 28% lower in the HFD-BC group compared with the HFD group. Dietary BC can be the exclusive vitamin A source in mice fed a high-fat diet, as shown by the vitamin A concentration in the plasma and tissues. Feeding BC rather than vitamin A reduces adipose tissue macrophage recruitment markers and plasma lipid concentrations.     

螺旋藻多糖调节小鼠免疫功能的作用

为研究螺旋藻多糖对小鼠免疫功能的调节作用,将螺旋藻多糖分别以低剂量6.7 ms/kg(推荐的人体每日摄入量)、中剂量67.0 ms/kg和高剂量134.0 mg/kg连续饲喂受试小鼠15 d后,对小鼠进行免疫调节试验.结果表明:螺旋藻多糖在134.0 mg/kg剂量时,可明显增强二硝基氟苯(DNFB)所致的小鼠迟发性超敏反应(P<0.05);中、高剂量组小鼠的胸腺指数、高剂量组小鼠血清的半数溶血值(HC_(50))及小鼠的单核-巨噬细胞吞噬指数明显高于对照组(P<0.05),且有明显的剂量.反应关系.根据保健食品免疫调节作用评价标准,螺旋藻多糖具有免疫调节作用.     

章鱼胺对营养性肥胖小鼠减肥作用的研究

采用高脂饲料建立小鼠肥胖模型,以小鼠体重、Lee's指数、脂肪湿重、脂肪系数、血清总胆固醇(TC)、甘油三脂(TC)及高密度脂蛋白(HDL-C)等指标的变化,研究章鱼胺对小鼠的减肥作用.结果表明,肥胖对照组小鼠较普通对照组小鼠的体重、脂肪湿重、脂肪系数、血清总胆固醇(TC)、甘油三脂(TG)及高密度脂蛋白(HDL-C)含量均显著增加(P<0.05),表明营养肥胖模型构建成功;章鱼胺各剂量组及阳性对照组中小鼠的体重、脂肪湿重、脂肪系数、血清总胆固醇(TC)与模型组存在显著性差异(P<0.05),其中Lee's指数和甘油三脂(TG)的中、高剂量组与模型组存在显著性差异(P<0.05);章鱼胺对营养性肥胖小鼠有一定的减肥降脂作用.     

中国龙虾食物变态反应BALB/c鼠模型的建立（英文）

[目的]通过腹腔注射的致敏方式建立中国龙虾食物变态反应Balb/c小鼠模型,探讨中国龙虾食物变态反应体外鉴定与评价方法。[方法]将40只雄性Balb/c小鼠分为卵清蛋白（OVA）阳性对照组、Coca’s液阴性对照组、空白对照组和模型组,以OVA、中国龙虾粗提蛋白,加氢氧化铝佐剂腹腔注射免疫Balb/c小鼠,建立食物变态反应小鼠模型。ELISA法测定第二次致敏激发后血清中IgE与组胺水平并进行被动皮肤过敏试验（PCA）确定特异性IgE抗体滴度,同时观察脾指数、小肠组织学变化及激发后的食物变态反应症状。[结果]末次激发后1 h采血,中国龙虾粗提蛋白组血清IgE含量为236.75（±73.39）μg/L,与阳性对照OVA组无区别,与阴性对照Coca’s液组和正常对照组相比显著升高（P〈0.01）;中国龙虾粗提蛋白组的组胺含量406.55（±232.79）μg/L与正常对照组相比显著升高（P〈0.01）;PCA反应中国龙虾粗提蛋白组血清特异性IgE抗体滴度达到1/16;中国龙虾粗提蛋白组和OVA致敏组小鼠脾指数明显大于Coca’s液或正常对照组（P〈0.01）且前两组小肠粘膜固有层皆出现淋巴细胞、嗜酸性粒细胞等炎性细胞浸润。[结论]建立了一种中国龙虾食物变态反应小鼠模型,通过ELISA测定血清IgE和组胺以及PCA确定特异性IgE抗体滴度可作为一种鉴定与评价中国龙虾食物变态反应的方法。