Cellular distribution of the new growth factor Pleiotrophin (HB-GAM) mRNA in developing and adult rat tissues

Summary Pleiotrophin (PTN), also known as HBGAM, belongs to an emerging cytokine family unrelated to other growth factors. We report here the first comprehensive study using in situ hybridization on the cellular distribution of this new heparin-binding growth factor mRNA in rat tissues. PTN mRNA was developmentally expressed in many — but not all — neuroectodermal and mesodermal lineages, whilst no PTN mRNA was detected in endoderm, ectoderm and trophoblast. PTN mRNA was found in the nervous system throughout development, with a post-natal peak of expression. In the adult nervous system, significant expression persisted in hippocampal CA1 pyramidal neurons and in cortical neurons, but also in different non-neuronal cells types in various locations (olfactory nerve, cerebellar astrocytes, pituicytes, Schwann cells surrounding the neurons in sensory ganglia). PTN mRNA was also found during development in the mesenchyme of lung, gut, kidney and reproductive tract, in bone and cartilage progenitors, in dental pulp, in myoblasts, and in several other sites. Expression was differently regulated in each location, but usually faded around birth. In the adult, PTN mRNA was still present in the meninges, the iris, the Leydig cells of the testis and in the uterus. PTN mRNA was also strongly expressed in the basal layers of the tongue epithelium, which is the only epithelium and ectodermal derivative to express PTN mRNA, and this only after birth. PTN is known to be a growth factor for perinatal brain neurons and a mitogen for fibroblasts in vitro. Recently, trophic effects on epithelial cells and a role as a tumour growth factor have been reported. The mechanisms of regulation and the functions of PTN are however still uncertain. Its expression pattern during development suggests important roles in growth and differentiation. Moreover, the presence of PTN mRNA in several adult tissues and the up-regulation of PTN mRNA expression in the gravid uterus indicate that PTN also has physiological functions during adulthood.     

性激素对心钠素基因表达影响的实验研究

为研究雄激素和雌激素对心钠素基因表达的影响,给完整的、去势的雄性大鼠皮下注射丙酸睾丸酮或雌二醇,持续2周。用冷酚法提取心房总RNA,用α-~(32)P标记ANF—cD-NA探针,经RNA电泳转移杂交和斑点吸印杂交。结果表明去势后ANF—mRNA含量下降,睾丸酮和雌二醇均使ANF—mRNA增加,然而小剂量的睾丸酮、雌二醇对去势大鼠ANF基因表达作用还需进一步研究。     

Interactions between peripheral blood CD8 T lymphocytes and intestinal epithelial cells (iEC)

Intestinal intraepithelial lymphocytes (iIEL) are primarily CD8 cells and most of them have a CD28^? phenotype, the phenotype of effector cytotoxic T cells. We asked whether the predominance of CD8⁺ CD28^? T cells in the gut may result from peripheral blood T cells preferentially migrating to the iIEL compartment and adhering to iEC. Compared with CD4 cells, adhesion of resting CD8⁺ T cells to iEC cell lines was significantly higher. Adhesion could be blocked with a MoAb to gp180, a molecule expressed on iEC which is known to interact with CD8/lck. No significant difference in the level of adhesion was observed between CD8⁺ CD28⁺ and CD8⁺ CD28^? T cells. Thus CD8 cells may preferentially migrate to the iIEL compartment, but loss of CD28 expression could occur in situ after migration. Consistent with this hypothesis, the CD8⁺ CD28^? cells became enriched after co-culturing T cells with iEC cell lines and primary iEC. Induction of the CD8⁺ CD28^? phenotype in cord blood and adult T cells was observed in co-cultures with iEC and also with mitogens and superantigens. In the latter case, CD28 down-modulation was seen specifically in the Vβ subset targeted by the superantigen, indicating that loss of CD28 expression is a direct result of T cell receptor (TCR)-mediated stimulation. The combined results suggest that CD8⁺ CD28^? T cells are antigen experienced T cells, and that they may have a survival advantage in the presence of gut epithelial cells in vitro. This may contribute to the predominance of CD8⁺ CD28^? T cells in the iIEL compartment.     

Galanin gene expression declines with adulthood in the cholinergic fields of the horizontal diagonal band of male rats

The neuropeptide galanin (GAL) influences leaming and memory processes, perhaps by inhibiting cholinergic function. We recently reported that, in the rat, the nucleus of the horizontal limb of the diagonal band (HDB) exhibits the highest level of GAL mRNA coexpression by basal forebrain (BF) cholinergic neurons and, in the HDB, virtually all GAL mRNA-expressing neurons correspond to the cholinergic cell type. Since GAL gene expression is induced across puberty in many brain regions, we used in situ hybridization histochemistry and quantitative autoradiography to assess GAL gene expression across the rostro-caudal extent of the HDB in prepubertal and adult male rats and to determine whether GAL gene expression is also regulated during maturation in this BF region. Our results show that the number of GAL mRNA-expressing cells per section is significantly reduced in the HDB with adulthood. Post-hoc analysis indicated that these age-associated differences in the number of GAL mRNA-expressing cells per section could be ascribed to the rostral and central subregions of the HDB. Age-related differences in the labeling intensity of GAL mRNA-expressing neurons were also detected in the rostral and central subregions of the HDB. No age-associated differences in GAL gene expression were found in the caudal HDB subregion. These results suggest that: (1) in contrast to other brain regions, GAL gene expression in the cholinergic BF may be negatively regulated by factors concomitant with puberty; and (2) the inhibition of cholinergic function by cosecreted GAL may be enhanced prior to puberty within cholinergic neurons of the rostral and central aspects of the HDB.     

白血病抑制因子反义寡核苷酸对髓母细胞体外生长的抑制作用

为进一步认识白血病抑制因子（LIF）对人髓母细胞瘤生长的生物学作用，我们使用LIF反义寡核苷酸，在髓母细胞内特异性阻断LIF基因表达并观察它对靶细胞的生物学效应。结果发现，被处理细胞的LIF表达降低至RT／PCR检出的阈值之下，抗LIF的免疫组织化学染色亦呈阴性，同时，这些细胞的生长速度明显减缓。相反，用与反义寡核苷酸互补的正义序列处理的细胞无论在基因表达／产生，还是在生长速度方面，均和正常培养细胞的细胞相似，本研究从而提示了一条以LIF为对象的髓母细胞瘤以及其它LIF生长依赖性肿瘤的基因和免疫治疗途径。     

p53 Protein expression in laryngeal squamous cell carcinomas bearing wild-type and mutated p53 gene

We performed an immunohistochemical analysis to investigate the expression of p53 protein in a panel of 18 laryngeal squamous cell carcinomas, 15 primary tumours and three in relapse, previously analysed by us for the presence of p53 gene mutations. Dysplastic and/or normal surrounding mucosa was evaluated in 15 different tumours. The results of our study are the following: (1) expression of p53 protein was observed in one out of five tumours positive for p53 gene mutations (20%) and in 10 out of 13 (80%) negative cases; (2), p53 protein over-expression was frequently observed in normal and/or dysplastic mucosa surrounding either wild-type (7/11) or mutated p53 tumours (2/4); (3), p53 immunoreactive cells showed a pattern of distribution in normal and mildly/moderately dysplastic mucosa (basal layers), different from that in severely dysplastic mucosa (whole thickness). These data further support the hypothesis that p53 protein over-expression may be a marker of the earliest phases of multistep tumorigenesis in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma.     

根除幽门螺杆菌疗效与细胞色素氧化酶P450 2C19基因多态性的关系

目的 比较雷贝拉唑与奥美拉唑三联疗法根除幽门螺杆菌（Hp）的疗效与细胞色素氧化酶P4502 C19（CYP 2C19）基因多态性的关系。方法 采用随机、对照研究方法，将169例因消化不良症状接受常规胃镜检查确诊为慢性胃炎且Hp阳性的连续患者分人两组：雷贝拉唑三联疗法组（RAC组85例）和奥美拉唑三联疗法组（OAC组84例）。Hp诊断依靠组织病理学检查并参考快速尿素酶试验、血清Hp抗体检测结果。RAC组、OAC组均给予三联治疗：RAC组：雷贝拉唑10mg，OAC组：奥美拉唑20mg，两组均联用羟氨苄青霉素1000mg和克拉霉素500mg，全部药物每日2次，疗程7d。采用聚合酶链式反应结合限制性内切酶技术（PCR-RFLP），进行CYP 2C19基因型分析，治疗结束后第28天用^14C尿素呼气实验检测Hp根除疗效。结果 160例完成治疗方案，RAC组及OAC组的Hp根除率按PP分析及ITT分析均无统计学差异（P〉0．05）。根据CYP 2C19基因型分析，160例中，弱代谢型（PM）、中间代谢型（IM）及强代谢型（EM）的Hp根除率分别为95．5%（21／22）、85．9％（73／85）和67．9％（36／53）。PM型及IM型的Hp根除率均显著高于EM型（P〈0．05），而PM型与IM型间差异无统计学意义（P〉0．05）。RAC组中，各基因型的Hp根除率差异无统计学意义（P〉0．05）。OAC组中。IM型与EM型间（P〈0．01）及EM型与PM型间（P〈0．05）差异均有统计学意义。结论 雷贝拉唑与奥美拉唑两种三联疗法均能有效根除Hp。总疗效差异无统计学意义。雷贝拉唑三联疗法疗效较稳定，个体间差异小。PM型及IM型的Hp根除率均较EM型为高。     

天蚕素A-蛙皮肽杂合肽基因的表达及产物抗菌活性测定

目的 研究天蚕素A-蛙皮肽杂合肽基因[CA（1-8）-MA（1-12）]抗菌肽的抗菌活性。方法 将天蚕素A-蛙皮肽杂合肽基因抗菌肽的人工基因克隆到具有自切割功能的表达载体pTYB12上，并在大肠杆菌（E.coli)BL21(DE3)中进行表达，表达产物用几丁质树脂进行了亲和吸附，自切割后洗脱得到抗菌肽，进行透析以去除盐类物质，最后用大肠杆菌与金黄色葡萄球菌进行活性检测。结果 天蚕素A-蛙皮肽杂合肽[CA（1-8）-MA（1-12）]对大肠杆菌与金黄色葡萄球菌均有一定的抗菌活性。结论 天蚕素A-蛙皮肽杂合肽具有抗菌活性。其抑瘤活性的研究还有待于进一步研究。     

P16、Cyclin D1蛋白表达与胰腺癌生物学行为

目的 探讨P16、CyclinD1蛋白表达水平与胰腺癌发生、发展及预后的关系。方法 应用免疫组织化学SP法结合微波抗原修复法对53例原发性胰腺癌和42例胰腺良性病变及正常组织中P16蛋白及CyclinD1蛋白进行检测。结果 胰腺癌组织、胰腺良性病变和正常组织中P16蛋白的阳性率分别为66．04％和87．71％（P＜0．05）；CyclinD1表达的阳性率分别为52．83％和23．81％（P＜0．05），P16及CyclinD1蛋白表达与胰腺癌的组织分化、病理分期及术后生存期密切相关。结论 P16及CyclinD1蛋白在胰腺癌中的表达可判断胰腺癌的预后。