Expression of growth associated protein 43 and neural cell adhesion molecule in congenital fibre type disproportion with interstitial myositis

We report on the expression of growth associated protein (GAP)43 and neural cell adhesion molecule (NCAM) in congenital fibre type disproportion (CFTD) with myopathological additional signs of interstitial myositis. We assume that sarcolemmal GAP43 in developmental disordered myocytes plays a role in maintenance of growth morphology. In muscular dystrophy light microscopical evaluation reveals no GAP43 immunoreactivity in regenerating fibres. The expression of GAP43 seems to be a characteristic feature of CFTD. The expression of NCAM, particularly in the sarcolemma of small muscle fibres of CFTD, indicates a functional state of permanent partial denervation. Whether the steroid-responsive interstitial myositis is pathogenetically related to CFTD or a coincidental inflammation is not known. Because of the clinical and myopathological data the differential diagnosis of Emery-Dreifuss muscular dystrophy is considered.     

Cx40和Cx43调节大鼠肠系膜上动脉收缩反应性与钙敏感性的机制

目的：研究连接蛋白Cx40/Cx43对大鼠肠系膜上动脉内膜依赖的血管收缩反应性与钙敏感性的调节作用机制。方法:以SD大鼠肠系膜上动脉（SMA）为研究对象，用Cx40或Cx43反义寡脱氧核苷酸（Cx40/Cx43AODN）阻断SMA Cx40或Cx43表达，观察缺氧处理后SMA的收缩反应性、钙敏感性、肌球蛋白轻链磷酸酶/激酶（MLCP/MLCK)的活性、20 kD的肌球蛋白轻链（MLC₂₀）磷酸化程度的变化。结果:Cx40AODN可以降低正常组、1 h和3 h缺氧组SMA MLCP活性，增加MLC₂₀磷酸化水平，改善血管的钙敏感性和内膜依赖的收缩反应性；Cx43AODN可以增加各组血管的MLCP活性，减少MLC₂₀磷酸化水平，降低血管的钙敏感性和内膜依赖的收缩反应性。Cx40和Cx43AODN对SMA MLCK活性无明显作用。结论:Cx40和Cx43主要通过调节血管平滑肌细胞的MLCP活性和MLC₂₀磷酸化水平调节血管的钙敏感性，从而调节休克后内膜依赖的血管收缩反应性。     

GJB2: the spectrum of deafness-causing allele variants and their phenotype

Genetic testing was completed on 1,294 persons with deafness referred to the Molecular Otolaryngology Research Laboratories to establish a diagnosis of DFNB1. Exon 2 of GJB2 was screened for coding sequence allele variants by denaturing high-performance liquid chromatography (DHPLC) complemented by bidirectional sequencing. If two deafness-causing mutations of GJB2 (encoding Connexin 26) were identified, further screening was not performed. If only a single deafness-causing mutation was identified, we screened for the g.1777179_2085947del (hereafter called del(GJB6-D13S1830); GenBank NT_024524.13) and mutations in the noncoding region of GJB2. Phenotype-genotype correlations were evaluated by categorizing mutations as either protein truncating or nontruncating. A total of 205 persons carried two GJB2 exon 2 mutations and were diagnosed as having DFNB1; 100 persons carried only a single deafness-causing allele variant of exon 2. A total of 37 of these persons were c.35delG carriers, and 51 carried other allele variants of GJB2. Persons diagnosed with DFNB1 segregating two truncating/nonsense mutations had a more severe phenotype than persons carrying two missense mutations, with mean hearing impairments being 88 and 37%, respectively (P < 0.05). The number of deaf c.35delG carriers was greater than expected when compared to the c.35delG carrier frequency in normal-hearing controls (P < 0.05), suggesting the existence of at least one other mutation outside the GJB2 coding region that does not complement GJB2 deafness-causing allele variants.     

神经再生素促大鼠海马神经元生长的研究

目的 研究牛膝提取物神经再生素(NRF)对体外培养的大鼠海马神经元生长的促进作用及其对生长相关蛋白-43(GAP-43)表达的影响.方法 以体外原代培养的胎鼠海马神经元为研究模型,通过相差显微镜采用Scion软件测量不同浓度NRF(0.25mg/L、0.5mg/L、1mg/L)、不同作用时间(6h、12h、24h)对海马神经元神经突起生长的影响;通过实时荧光定量PER观察NRF不同浓度(0.25mg/L、0.5mg/L、1.0mg/L)及不同作用时间(6h、12h、24h)对海马神经元GAP-43基因表达的影响;采用免疫荧光细胞化学法和Western blotting,观察不同浓度NRF(0.25mg/L、0.5mg/L、1.0mg/L)加药24h后,对海马神经元GAP-43表达的影响.结果 NRF可有效地促进海马神经元的生长,加药后24h作用浓度为1mg/L时,作用最强;实时荧光定量RT-PCR、免疫荧光细胞化学法和Western blotting的结果提示,NRF能增加体外培养的海马神经元GAP-43的表达,浓度为1.0mg/L时,作用最佳.结论 NRF能促进体外培养的海马神经元神经突起的生长和GAP-43基因的表达,表明NRF对海马神经元具有神经营养作用.     

Immunohistochemistry of the canine vomeronasal organ

The canine's olfactory acuity is legendary, but neither its main olfactory system nor its vomeronasal system has been described in much detail. We used immunohistochemistry on paraffin-embedded sections of male and female adult dog vomeronasal organ (VNO) to characterize the expression of proteins known to be expressed in the VNO of several other mammals. Basal cell bodies were more apparent in each section than in rodent VNO and expressed immunoreactivity to anticytokeratin and antiepidermal growth factor receptor antibodies. The thin layer of neurone cell bodies in the sensory epithelium and axon fascicles in the lamina propria expressed immunoreactivity to neurone cell adhesion molecule, neurone-specific beta tubulin and protein gene product 9.5. Some neurones expressed growth-associated protein 43 (GAP43): and a number of those also expressed neurone-specific beta tubulin-immunoreactivity. Some axon fascicles were double labelled for those two proteins. The G-protein alpha subunits Gi and Go, involved in the signal transduction pathway, showed immunoreactivity in the sensory cell layer. Our results demonstrate that the canine vomeronasal organ contains a population of cells that expresses several neuronal markers. Furthermore, GAP43 immunoreactivity suggests that the sensory epithelium is neurogenic in adult dogs.     

Effects of cGMP-dependent phosphorylation on rat and human connexin43 gap junction channels

The effects of 8-bromoguanosine 3:5-cyclic monophosphate (8Br-cGMP), a membrane-permeant activator of protein kinase G (PKG), were studied on rat and human connexin43 (Cx43), the most abundant gap junction protein in mammalian heart, which were exogenously expressed in SKHep1 cells. Under dual whole-cell voltage-clamp conditions, 8Br-cGMP decreased gap junctional conductance (g_j) in rat Cx43-transfected cells by 24.0±3.7% (mean±SEM, n=5), whereas g_j was not affected in human Cx43-transfected cells by the same treatment. The relaxation of g_j in response to steps in transjunctional voltage observed in rat Cx43 transfectants was best fitted with three exponentials. Time constants and amplitudes of the decay phases changed in the presence of 8Br-cGMP. Single rat and human Cx43 gap junction channels were resolved in the presence of halothane. Under control conditions, three single-channel conductance states (_j) of about 20, 40–45 and 70 pS were detected, the events of the intermediate size being most frequently observed. In the presence of 8Br-cGMP, the _j distribution shifted to the lower size in rat Cx43 but not in human Cx43 transfectants. Immunoblot analyses of Cx43 in subconfluent cultures of rat Cx43 or human Cx43 transfectants showed that 8Br-cGMP did not induce changes in the electrophoretic mobility of Cx43 in either species. However, the basal incorporation of [³²P] into rat Cx43 was significantly altered by 8Br-cGMP, whereas this incorporation of [³²P] into human Cx43 was not affected. We conclude that 8Br-cGMP modulates phosphorylation of rat Cx43 in SKHep1 cells, but not of human Cx43. This cGMP-dependent phosphorylation of rat Cx43 is associated with a decreased g_j, which results from both an increase in the relative frequency of the lowest conductance state and a change in the kinetics of these channels.     

三磷酸腺苷对人横纹肌肉瘤细胞系诱导分化作用的研究

为了探讨三磷酸腺苷（ＡＴＰ０对人横纹肌肉瘤细胞增殖和分化的影响，用ＡＴＰ作用于人横纹肌肉瘤细胞亚系（ＲＤＬ６）细胞，观察到ＡＴＰ可抑制ＲＤＬ６细胞的增殖，使其生长速度明显减慢，作用第５ｄ时增殖抑制率为８１％，流式光度术检测；观察到ＡＴＰ ＲＤＬ６细胞Ｓ期的细胞数明显增多，说明细胞停滞在Ｓ期，用罗氏黄荧光染料传法实，ＡＴ家恢复ＲＤＬ６细胞间隙加接通讯功能的作用。用 光细胞化学方法观察到经ＡＴＰ处理后     

中国东北汉族一个先天性白内障家系致病基因的鉴定

目的鉴定一个先天性白内障家系的致病基因。方法根据已知与先天性白内障有关的12个致病基因的染色体上的定位,分别选取3～4个的微卫星标记位点,对该家系进行连锁分析。通过测序鉴定致病基因。结果在1q21.1GJA8位点显示最大Lod值2.44。致病基因定位于1q21.1区的GJA8基因,构成缝隙连接的缝隙连接蛋白Connexin50。DNA序列分析鉴定显示其第2外显子的第191个碱基杂合突变T>G导致其蛋白产物第64位缬氨酸转变为甘氨酸。结论Connexin50的V64G新生突变是导致该家系的致病原因。     

Neurological aspects of del(1q) syndrome

We have studied three children with de novo terminal deletion of the long arm of chromosome 1 (46,XX,del(1)(q43)). They all have minor anomalies and neurological signs (severe psychomotor developmental delay, generalized hypotonia, and seizures) that have been described previously. In addition, all of these three patients have autistic-like behavior. They avoid eye contact, show no interest in people, express little emotion, and repeat stereotypic movements such as head nodding and purposeless finger manipulation. They also spend excessive time in making unusual sounds consisting of a high-pitched shrill cry with little intonation in infancy and a harsh, strained, and glottal stridency in later life. They make no labial, lingual, or nasal sounds. We suggest that these observations may be unique clinical manifestations of certain terminal 1q deletions.     

大鼠骨髓间质干细胞体外诱导分化为心肌样细胞Cx43通讯连接功能检测

目的： 探讨大鼠骨髓间充质干细胞（MSCs）体外诱导分化为心肌样细胞Cx43的分布与通讯连接功能状态。方法： 取健康SD大鼠骨髓，用5-氮杂胞苷体外诱导培养。取诱导培养2、3、4周的MSCs为Ⅰ、Ⅱ、Ⅲ组，另取急性分离的心肌细胞为对照组，用激光共聚焦技术检测Cx43的分布及平均荧光漂白恢复率。结果： 对Cx43在细胞内分布检测发现，随诱导培养时间的延长，细胞内蛋白颗粒密度逐渐增加；诱导培养4周后MSCs内蛋白颗粒密度与对照组比较无显著差异（63.87±12.43，64.87±12.15，P>0.05）。各组细胞平均荧光漂白率的变化趋势与Cx43分布变化相似，即随诱导培养时间的延长，细胞平均荧光漂白率逐渐增加；Ⅰ、Ⅱ、Ⅲ组及对照组分别为19.59%±6.08%、37.17%±3.84%、46.82%±2.69%、49.71%±5.53%，Ⅲ组与对照组比较无显著差异（P>0.05）。结论： 大鼠MSCs在体外诱导培养4周后已分化为心肌样细胞，其细胞Cx43的分布与通讯连接功能与正常心肌细胞相似。