Angiotensin-(1–7) stimulates water transport in rat inner medullary collecting duct: evidence for involvement of vasopressin V2 receptors

The peptide angiotensin-(1–7) [Ang-(1–7)] is known to enhance water transport in rat inner medullary collecting duct (IMCD). The aim of this study was to determine the mechanism of the Ang-(1–7) effect on osmotic water permeability (P _f). P _f was measured in the normal rat IMCD perfused in vitro in presence of agonists [Ang-(1–7), arginine vasopressin (AVP) and Ang-(3–8)], and antagonists of the angiotensin and the vasopressin cascade. Ang-(1–7), but not Ang-(3–8), increased P _f significantly. The effect of Ang-(1–7) on P _f was abolished by its selective antagonist, A-779, added before or after Ang-(1–7). Prostaglandin E₂ and the protein kinase A inhibitor H8 also blocked the Ang-(1–7) effect. Blockade of vasopressin V₁ receptors by antagonists did not change the Ang-(1–7) effect, but pre-treatment with a V₂ antagonist abolished the effect of Ang-(1–7) on P _f. Similarly, pre-treatment with A-779 inhibited AVPs effect on P _f. Forskolin-stimulated P _f was blocked both by A-779 and by the V₂ antagonist. Finally, Ang-(1–7) increased cAMP levels in fresh IMCD cell suspensions whilst the forskolin-stimulated cAMP synthesis was decreased by A-779 and the V₂ antagonist. These data provide evidence that Ang-(1–7) interacts via its receptor with the AVP V₂ system through a mechanism involving adenylate-cyclase activation.     

七年制生物物理技术教学探索

根据七年制医学生培养要求，在“生物物理技术”教学中，除介绍有关物理方法与技术的原理及在生物医学中的应用外，还尝试了小论文写作和渗透科研思路、方法培养的探索。     

神经调节因子及其信号转导机制

神经调节因子(NRG)是一个由4种基因编码的多肽家族,包含4种同源异构体NRG-1,2,3和4,其功能性受体是由ErbB酪氨酸激酶受体组成,属于跨膜酪氨酸激酶的表皮生长因子受体家族成员,包括ErbB2/HER2/neu,ErbB3/HERS和ErbB4/HER4.NRG通过诱导ErbB受体构象变化,使ErbB蛋白形成二聚体,继而激活酪氨酸激酶,引起C-末端的自身酪氨酸磷酸化和反式酪氨酸磷酸化,而发挥其生物学作用.     

Analysis of the HLA-A,-B allele polymorphism in 5844 umbilical cord blood samples taken from Han population of Shandong province

To investigate the HLA-A, -B allele polymorphism in Han population of Shandong province and to explore the possibility to find out the HLA-A, -B-matched cord blood donors for stem cell transplantation to be used in other area in China, 5844 umbilical cord blood samples were taken from Han population donors of Shandong province, and assayed with PCR-sequence-oligonucleotide (PCR-SSO) assay. In Shandong Han donors, 20 alleles at HLA-A locus and 46 alleles at HLA-B locus could be detected as revealed in the present study. Among the 20 alleles at HLA-A locus, the most prevalent five alleles included A * 02(0.3041), A * 11(0.1443), A * 24(0.1434), A * 30(0.0975) and A * 33(0.0859), while, the alleles with lower gene frequencies included A * 34(0.0006), A * 25 (0.0005), A*66(0.0005), A* 74(0.0004) and A* (0.0001). Of the 46 HLA-B alleles detected, the most prevalent five alleles were B * 13(0.1348), B * 51(0.0713), B * 62(0.0712), B * 61 (0.0676) and B * 60(0.0642); while alleles with lower gene frequencies included B * 77(0.0001), B * 76(0.0002), B * 47(0.0003), B * 42(0.0003) and B * 72(0.0004). In comparison with those of the other Han population in China, the HLA-A, -B gene frequencies in the umbilical cord blood of Shandong province possess unique distribution features among the investigated populations from various regions of the same race origin, and the differences in various regions of the same race were less than those among the different race. It is evident that the HLA-A,-B alleles of the umbilical cord blood taken in Shangdong province show high degree of polymorphism, and it might be part of those of Northern Han population in China. So, it is reasonable for patients of Northern Chinese to receive HLA class I -match transplant of cord blood stem cells for tissue and organ transplantation from Shangdong umbilical cord blood bank.     

基于AFM形态学观察的细胞铺展机理的假想

本研究提出了细胞铺展机理的三个可能模型：“橡皮泥”模型、“钢筋混泥土”模型和“自我膨胀”模型。应用原子力显微镜观察了处于不同铺展程度、具有不同形态的人骨髓间充质干细胞的整体和局部外部形貌，并根据观察结果，初步推断“钢筋混泥土”模型可能就是细胞铺展的机理。尽管证据还不够充分，需要进一步的研究，却为今后的研究提供了可能的模型和研究手段。细胞铺展机理的解决必将进一步促进细胞生物学和生物医学工程等学科的发展。     

Characteristics of human neural stem cells In Vitro and after transplantation into rat brain

We studied the effect of culturing conditions on the fate of human neural stem cells after transplantation into rat brain. Human neural stem cells cultured in the presence of mitogens without LIF migrated along the ependyma and cerebral vessels of recipients, but to a great extent degenerated by the 20th day after transplantation. Neural stem cells cultured with LIF migrated, apart from the above mentioned pathways, in the cortex and hippocampus, well survived; proliferating cells were retained 30 days after transplantation.__________This revised version was published online in July 2005 with the addition of the issue title and article categoryTranslated from Kletochnye Tekhnologii v Biologii i Meditsine, Vol. 1, No. 1, pp. 13–19, January, 2005     

Candidate genes associated with ageing and life expectancy in the Jerusalem longitudinal study

In an exploratory study, 11 common polymorphisms were examined for contributing to longevity including: apolipoprotein E (apoE), methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR), cathepsin D (CAD), superoxide dismutase 2 (SOD2), angiotensinogen (AGT) and insulin-like growth factor 2 (IGF2), Leiden factor 7, p53 oncogene, dopamine D4 receptor (DRD4) and the serotonin transporter (SERT). Genotype and allele frequencies of these genes were compared in 224 older (75 years) Jewish Jerusalem residents of Ashkenazi ethnicity to a group of 441 younger subjects (22 years). Nominally significant results provide suggestive evidence in the Ashkenazi group that apoE, MHTFR, SOD2, IGF2 ApaI, and factor VII are risk factors for a single outcome, survival to 75. Overall, the more genetically homogenous Ashkenazi ethnic group showed evidence for association in five genes examined suggesting that future studies in this population would gainfully focus on this ethnic group.     

Effect of inhaled corticosteroid on an immunoreactive thymus and activation-regulated chemokine expression in the bronchial biopsies from asthmatics

BACKGROUND: Bronchial asthma is characterized by airway inflammation, notably because of eosinophils and T cells. Thymus and activation-regulated chemokine (TARC) is known to selectively attract Th2 cells, and is increased in response to interleukin (IL)-4 and IL-13, which share a common receptor, IL-4 receptor alpha (IL-4Ralpha). While corticosteroids have proven, very effective in modifying airway inflammation, the effect of corticosteroids on TARC in asthmatics has been little studied. OBJECTIVE: We examined the effects of inhaled budesonide (BUD) on the expression of TARC and the number of inflammatory cells in bronchial biopsy specimens taken from asthma patients. METHODS: Inhaled BUD 800 mug daily, or placebo was administered for 3 months in a double-blind, parallel-group study, and bronchial biopsies were performed before and after treatment. Biopsy specimens were examined by immunocytochemistry. RESULTS: We observed a significant decrease in the epithelial expression of TARC (P < 0.01) in the BUD group compared with the placebo group. This was accompanied by decreases in the number of eosinophils (P < 0.01), CD3(+) T cells (P < 0.05), and CD4(+) T cells (P < 0.01). A significant correlation was found between changes in epithelial TARC and in IL-4Ralpha immunoreactivity (r(s) = 0.66, P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that corticosteroid asthma treatment can reduce infiltration of the airway by inflammatory cells, an effect modulated by down-regulation of bronchial epithelial TARC expression.     

黄芪体外作用对贫血小鼠骨髓基质细胞分泌SCF的影响

目的 研究黄芪注射液（AMI）对贫血小鼠骨髓基质细胞分泌干细胞因子（SCF）的影响。方法 在贫血小鼠骨髓基质细胞培养体系中，分别加入0.1mL不同浓度的AMI（终浓度分别为40mg/L,400mg/L)作为药物1组，药物2组，对照组加入等量的IMDM培养液，检测各实验组培养体系中骨髓成纤维细胞集落（CFU-F）数，同时，分别收集培养上清液，透析浓缩成冻干粉，经IMDM液稀释后作为条件培养液，分别加入到高增殖潜能的集落形成细胞（HPP-CFC）培养体系中，检测各实验组培养上清液中所含SCF的水平。结果 与对照组相比较，药物组的CFU-F数及骨髓基质细胞条件培养液（BMSCM）中SCF的水平均明显升高。结论 一定浓度的AMI可促进贫血小鼠骨髓CFU-F增殖。刺激其骨髓基质细胞分泌SCF。     

DHPLC screening of cystic fibrosis gene mutations

Denaturing high performance liquid chromatography (DHPLC) using ion-pairing reverse phase chromatography (IPRPC) columns is a technique for the screening of gene mutations. In order to evaluate the potential utility of this assay method in a clinical laboratory setting, we subjected the PCR products of 73 CF patients known to bear CFTR mutations to this analytic technique. We used thermal denaturation profile parameters specified by the MELT program tool, made available by Stanford University. Using this strategy, we determined an initial analytic sensitivity of 90.4% for any of 73 known CFTR mutations. Most of the mutations not detected by DHPLC under these conditions are alpha-substitutions. This information may eventually help to improve the MELT algorithm. Increasing column denaturation temperatures for one or two degrees above those recommended by the MELT program allowed 100% detection of CFTR mutations tested. By comparing DHPLC methodology used in this study with the recently reported study based on Wavemaker 3.4.4 software (Transgenomic, Omaha, NE) [Le Marechal et al., 2001) and with previous SSCP analysis of CFTR mutations [Ravnik-Glavac et al., 1994] we emphasized differences and similarities in order to refine the DHPLC system and discuss the relationship to the alternative approaches. We conclude that the DHPLC method, under optimized conditions, is highly accurate, rapid, and efficient in detecting mutations in the CFTR gene and may find high utility in screening individuals for CFTR mutations. Hum Mutat 19:374-383, 2002. Published 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc.