Zerumbone attenuates MPP+-induced cytotoxicity in human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells by inhibition of oxidative stress

AIM: To investigate the role of zerumbone (ZER) in 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium (MPP⁺)-induced cytotoxicity of human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells. METHODS: Human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells were cultured in vitro and the protective effect of ZER against MPP⁺-induced cytotoxicity was measured by CCK-8 assay. Flow cytometry was used to determine the apoptosis and reactive oxygen species (ROS). The expression of Parkinson disease protein 7 (PARK7) was knocked-down by using PARK7-specific short hairpin RNA (shRNA). The protein levels of PARK7, nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) were determined by Western blot. RESULTS: MMP⁺ remarkably reduced the cell viability in a dose-dependent and time-dependent manner. The SH-SY5Y cell injury model was established by treatment with MPP⁺ at 600 μmol/L for 24 h. ZER up-regulated the protein levels of PARK7 and Nrf2 (P<0.05), alleviated apoptosis (P<0.05), and reduced ROS production (P<0.05) in the SH-SY5Y cell injury model. Meanwhile, N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC) had the similar functions. Moreover, significant reductions in the protein levels of Nrf2 and HO-1 (P<0.05), and obvious increases in apoptosis (P<0.05) and ROS level (P<0.05) were demonstrated in PARK7-knockdown cells. CONCLUSION: ZER protects SH-SY5Y cells against MPP⁺-induced cytotoxi-city, which may be related to activation of PARK7/Nrf2/HO-1 pathway, and subsequent attenuation of oxidative stress and apoptosis.     

Genome-wide association mapping of phenolic acids in tetraploid wheats

Phenolic acids are major components of cell walls in wheat and have important implications on human health as antioxidants with anti-tumor activity. Our objectives were to identify phenolic acid genes in wheat by single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) detected within the coding sequences of candidate genes, and to identify chromosomal regions associated with single phenolic acids and total soluble phenolic compounds. A set of candidate genes involved in the biosynthesis of hydroxycinnamic acid derivatives were identified by comparative genomics. SNPs found in the coding sequences of six genes (PAL1, PAL2, C4H, C3H, COMT1 and COMT2) were used to determine their chromosomal location and accurate map position on two reference consensus linkage maps. The genome-wide association study (GWAS), based on genotyping a tetraploid wheat collection with 81,587 gene-associated SNPs, detected 22 quantitative trait loci (QTL) distributed on almost all durum wheat chromosomes. Two QTL for p-coumaric acid were coincident with the phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL2) and p-coumarate 3-hydroxylase (C3H) genes on chromosome arms 2AL and 1AL, respectively. The availability of candidate gene-based markers can allow elucidating the mechanism of phenolic acids accumulation in wheat kernels and exploiting the genetic variability of phenolic acids content for the nutritional improvement of wheat end-products.     

同源四倍体及其原二倍体黑皮冬瓜光合光响应模型筛选

为了筛选出最适合黑皮冬瓜Benincasa hispida (Thunb.) Cogn.的光合光响应模型,为其育种提供理论依据,以同源四倍体及其原二倍体黑皮冬瓜为试验材料,对8种经典的光合光响应模型适用性进行了比较分析。结果表明：二次多项式能够表现出光抑制情况,但在拟合过程中出现暗呼吸速率为正值、光补偿点为负值及无法解释当光强达到饱和后光合速率快速下降的问题;直角双曲线、非直角双曲线及指数函数Ⅰ、指数函数Ⅱ无法直接求取光饱和点、光补偿点,结合常用的光饱和点的计算方法得到的光饱和点与实测值均存在较大的偏差,且指数函数Ⅱ在计算光饱和点时表现出明显的人为性,也无法拟合光抑制情况,但4种模型拟合得到的光补偿点均与实测值相差不大;指数修正模型因系数β为负值,无法求取四倍体黑皮冬瓜材料的光饱和点和最大净光合速率,且拟合得到的四倍体黑皮冬瓜的光补偿点明显低于实测值;直角双曲线修正模型计算得到的暗呼吸速率及二倍体黑皮冬瓜的光饱和点明显低于实测值,但获得的四倍体及其二倍体的最大净光合速率与实测值最接近,说明其在拟合最大净光合速率上有优势;整体上分段函数计算得到的黑皮冬瓜的各光合参数与实测值最为接近,与实测值的平均相对误差最小,也能很好的拟合发生光抑制部分的光响应曲线。分段函数拟合同源四倍体及其原二倍体黑皮冬瓜光合光响应曲线效果较其他模型效果好,分段函数模型为黑皮冬瓜最适合的光合光响应模型。     

脂肪细胞膜免疫降脂的研究

本文综述了利用脂肪细胞膜免疫技术进行畜禽脂肪代谢研究的成果，其技术路线主要包括试验途径和方法、免疫机理、降脂效果及特异性脂肪膜蛋白的研究启示，从而为脂肪细胞膜免疫降脂试验提供成功的范例和科学的依据，并开辟降低脂肪、提高瘦肉率研究的新领域。     

箭舌豌豆不同器官对种子产量的贡献

研究了箭舌豌豆不同器官对种子产量的贡献，结果表明：箭舌豌豆种子利用花后光合产物较多，不同器管对箭舌豌豆种子产量的贡献是复叶〉茎〉托叶，叶片对种子产量的贡献与其所在位置有关，花后叶因离荚果较近，其光合产物易于向荚果运输。     

Changes in Endopeptidase Activity during Photosynthetic Declination in Rice Leaf

Two japonica rice varieties, Wuyujing 3 and 97-7, were used to study the changes in contents of soluble protein, free amino acids and endopeptidase activity during photosynthetic declination. The content of soluble protein in flag leaf of cv.Wuyujing 3 was higher than that of cv. 97-7, but decreased rapidly in Wuyujing 3. Free amino acids in flag leaf and the thirteenth leaf of Wuyujing 3 started to increase 10 days before the turning point of photosynthetic declination (TPPD), while it occurred just 1-2 days before TPPD in the flag leaf and the thirteenth leaf of 97-7. During reversible phase of photosynthetic declination,endopeptidase activity remained at a low level and increased slightly only in the later part of this phase. Then it rose up rapidly at irreversible decline phase and reached a very high level. For Wuyujing 3, the change in endopeptidase activity in the thirteenth leaf was parallel to that in flag leaf. However, for 97-7, the rapid increase of endopeptidase activity in the thirteenth leaf started later than that of flag leaf. The results implied that the rate of protein breakdown and conversion to transportable nitrogen in leaves of 97-7 was slower than that in leaves of Wuyujing 3 during photosynthetic declination and it led to relatively lower seed setting rate and fully filling grains rate in 97-7. This may be one of the important reasons why 97-7 could not bring the high yield potentiality into play and the findings may be taken into consideration while breeding for high potential varieties in future.     

中国野生种毛葡萄光合特性的研究

毛葡萄（ＶｉｔｉｓｑｕｉｎｑｕａｎｇｕｌａｒｉｓＲｅｈｄ）的净光合速率日变化值明显高于山葡萄、宝石、白玉霓，且无栽培品种光合作用的“午休”现象。毛葡萄的净光合速率与其它野生种葡萄和栽培品种比较也表现出较高水平。在进行ＣＯ２饱和点和补偿点测定时，毛葡萄也较栽培品种白玉霓有较强的光合作用，因此，毛葡萄是葡萄高光合效率育种的优良野生种质资源。     

樱桃不同节位叶片光合特性与解剖特征比较研究

以3个甜樱桃栽培品种佐藤锦、斯坦勒和那翁为试材,研究了新梢不同节位叶片光合速率(Pn)变化及叶绿素(Chl.)和比叶重(SLW)对其的影响。分析了不同品种叶片解剖结构与Pn的关系。结果表明:樱桃枝条不同叶位叶片的Pn呈单峰曲线变化,枝条中上部的叶片Pn较大,且有较高的稳定性,叶片发育和生理成熟度以及环境因素的影响是Pn出现单峰变化的重要因素;Chl.含量随着叶片的发育而增加,叶片成熟后,叶片Chl.含量与Pn之间不存在相关关系;不同叶位叶片SLW与Pn表现显著正相关;樱桃不同品种间叶片气孔密度、栅栏组织与海绵组织厚度比值与Pn存在极显著正相关。