Dopamine Synthesis by Non-Dopaminergic Neurons in the Arcuate Nucleus of Rat Fetuses

The aim of the present work was to verify the hypothesis that non-dopaminergic neurons expressing individual complementary dopamine synthesis enzymes can perform the co-located synthesis of dopamine. According to this hypothesis, neurons expressing tyrosine hydroxylase use L-tyrosine for the synthesis of L-dihydroxyphenylalanine (L-DOPA), which then enters neurons expressing aromatic amino acid decarboxylase, which converts L-DOPA to dopamine. Experiments were performed using the mediobasal hypothalamus of rat fetuses, which mostly contains single-enzyme neurons (>99%) and occasional double-enzyme neurons (<1%). Controls were obtained from the fetal substantia nigra, which is enriched with dopaminergic neurons. High-performance liquid chromatography was used to measure levels of dopamine and L-DOPA in cell extracts and the incubation medium after incubation in the presence and absence of exogenous L-tyrosine. Addition of L-tyrosine to the medium led to increases in the level of synthesis and release of L-DOPA in the mediobasal hypothalamus and substantia nigra. In addition, L-tyrosine increased dopamine synthesis in the substantia nigra and decreased dopamine synthesis in the mediobasal hypothalamus. This regional difference in levels of dopamine synthesis is probably due to inhibition of the uptake of L-DOPA from the intercellular medium by neurons in the mediobasal hypothalamus containing aromatic amino acid decarboxylase, due to the competitive binding of the L-DOPA transporter by L-tyrosine. Thus, these results provide the first evidence for the co-located synthesis of dopamine by non-dopaminergic neurons expressing single complementary enzymes involved in the synthesis of this neurotransmitter.__________Translated from Rossiiskii Fiziologicheskii Zhurnal imeni I. M. Sechenova, Vol. 90, No. 7, pp. 825–832, July, 2004.     

Genotoxicity and physicochemical characteristics of traffic-related ambient particulate matter

Exposure to ambient particulate matter (PM) has been linked to several adverse health effects. Since vehicular traffic is a PM source of growing importance, we sampled total suspended particulate (TSP), PM(10), and PM(2.5) at six urban locations with pronounced differences in traffic intensity. The mutagenicity, DNA-adduct formation, and induction of oxidative DNA damage by the samples were studied as genotoxicological parameters, in relation to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) levels, elemental composition, and radical-generating capacity (RGC) as chemical characteristics. We found pronounced differences in the genotoxicity and chemical characteristics of PM from the various locations, although we could not establish a correlation between traffic intensity and any of these characteristics for any of the PM size fractions. Therefore, the differences between locations may be due to local sources of PM, other than traffic. The concentration of total (carcinogenic) PAHs correlated positively with RGC, direct and S9-mediated mutagenicity, as well as the induction of DNA adducts and oxidative DNA damage. The interaction between total PAHs and transition metals correlated positively with DNA-adduct formation, particularly from the PM(2.5) fraction. RGC was not associated with one specific PM size fraction, but mutagenicity and DNA reactivity after metabolic activation were relatively high in PM(10) and PM(2.5), when compared with TSP. We conclude that the toxicological characteristics of urban PM samples show pronounced differences, even when PM concentrations at the sample sites are comparable. This implies that emission reduction strategies that take chemical and toxicological characteristics of PM into account may be useful for reducing the health risks associated with PM exposure.     

气相色谱-串联质谱法测定血清中的16种多环芳烃

目的 建立血清中16种多环芳烃的气相色谱-串联质谱测定方法。方法 血清样经甲醇沉淀蛋白,加入正己烷与二氯甲烷混合溶剂萃取,萃取物氮吹至近干后,正己烷和二氯甲烷混合溶剂复溶,取1 μl上清液进样分析。16种待测多环芳烃经DB-5色谱柱(30 m×0.25 mm,0.25 μm)分离,多反应监测模式监测,内标法定量。结果 本法在1.0 μg/L～2.0×10² μg/L范围内线性良好,方法检出限为4.20×10^-2 μg/L～0.27 μg/L,加标回收率为79.7%～108.0%,精密度为2.57%～6.76%。结论 本方法具有灵敏、快速、回收率和重复性好等优点,满足人血清中多种多环芳烃测定的要求。     

广州市大气PM2.5中多环芳烃的现状及分布情况

目的 了解广州市大气PM_2.5中多环芳烃在不同时间、不同地区内的分布特征。 方法 于2018年在广州市越秀区(市区),从化区(农村)和番禺区(市郊)采集PM_2.5有效样品252份,用高效液相色谱法测定样品中16种多环芳烃的浓度,以分析不同地区、不同时间及季节间的分布特征和变化趋势。结果 广州市大气PM_2.5中16种多环芳烃均有检出,但质量浓度处于较低水平,年均值为(4.907±3.642)ng/m³。PM_2.5及多环芳烃的质量浓度呈现明显的季节性波动,表现为冬春季较高,夏秋季较低,不同季节差异有统计学意义(F=3.624～72.439,均P<0.05)。市区为(54.321±35.106)μg/m³,农村地区为(46.298±25.933)μg/m³,市郊PM_2.5的质量浓度为(51.821±30.033)μg/m³,差异无统计学意义(F=1.513,P>0.05),多环芳烃中萘、苯并[a]芘、二苯并[a,h]蒽、茚并[1,2,3-cd]芘的污染水平在不同地区之间差异有统计学意义(F=4.428～6.422,P<0.05),农村高于市区和市郊。结论 广州市大气PM_2.5中多环芳烃污染水平较低,呈现明显的季节性波动和城乡差别。     

补肾中药防治去睾大鼠骨丢失的组织学机理研究

目的：探讨补肾中药防治去睾大鼠骨丢失的组织学机理。方法：选用10月龄大鼠行去睾术作为病理模型,分组为：正常组、病理组和补肾中药组,用药12周后处死取腰1－2脊椎,作不脱钙骨切片,测定骨形态计量学各骨量参数和表面参数。各组参数作方差分析,显著性检验。结果：（1）病理组骨量参数小于正常组（P＜0．05）,表面参数显示：成骨参数减少,破骨参数增高、骨转换加快（P＜0．05）,（2）补肾中药组骨量参数高于病理组（P＜0．05）,表面参得到逆转,同时可见部分成骨细胞特别活跃,其下类骨质高出周围静止表面。结论：补肾中药防治去睾大鼠骨丢伯有三方面的作用机理,（1）促进骨形成和抑制吸收 的双重作用,（2）降低骨转换,提高骨质量,（3）骨重建过程一路效应,为临床防治老年性骨质疏松症提供了理论依据。     

中药对脊髓损伤大鼠背根神经节c-Jun表达的影响

应用荧光免疫组化法及激光扫描共聚焦显微镜技术 ,探索中药脊髓Ⅰ号促进大鼠损伤脊髓修复再生的机制。结果表明 ,服用脊髓I号后脊髓损伤侧背根节神经元的c Jun表达明显上调 ;脊髓损伤侧背根节神经元的细胞核呈完整形态的数量明显增多。提示脊髓Ⅰ号可能通过对c Jun基因表达的调节 ,激发损伤脊髓组织的修复再生     

基于络病理论从芳香通络疗法论治冠状动脉微循环障碍

近年来,随着冠脉介入诊疗技术的普及,冠状动脉微循环障碍（CMD）的检出率逐步升高,CMD已成为远期心血管事件的独立预测因子。络病理论认为CMD病位在络,病机为心络瘀阻、心络郁滞/虚滞和心络绌急,通络成为其基本的治法治则。芳香类药物可直接入络搜邪,芳香通络疗法较单纯活血通络法疗效更佳。故而从络病理论、芳香通络疗法的立法依据等方面,对芳香通络疗法治疗CMD进行论述。     

基于Apriori算法的含丹参-当归药对的方剂用药特点与规律分析

目的 通过挖掘整理含丹参-当归的方剂,利用统计软件系统分析其用药规律。方法 检索筛选《中医方剂大辞典》中含丹参-当归药对的方剂,利用Excel软件分析中药使用频次、频率及丹参-当归配伍特征和主治中医病证频次,运用SPSS Modeler 18.0软件关联规则Apriori算法进行数据挖掘。结果 通过统计共筛选出含丹参-当归药对的方剂390首,频次统计分析发现涉及中药504味,使用频次≥60的中药共22味,除丹参、当归外,核心高频药物为川芎、甘草、白芍、肉桂、地黄、牛膝6味。通过组方规律分析得到常用中药组合有丹参-当归-川芎、丹参-当归-甘草、丹参-当归-白芍。主治病证涉及105种,频次≥10的中医病证10种,以瘀血疼痛病症、妇科病症为主。通过网络可视化得到治疗月经病的核心中药组合为丹参-当归-川芎-白芍-香附,治疗痹证的核心中药组合为丹参-当归-川芎-肉桂,治疗虚劳病核心中药组合为丹参-当归-牛膝-肉桂-防风。结论 与丹参-当归配伍的高频中药为白芍、川芎、肉桂等,优势病证为月经病、痹证和虚劳病,揭示了丹参-当归药对的用药规律,为该药对在临床合理用药及深入研究与开发提供科学依据。     

基于斑马鱼模型的中药抗骨质疏松的研究进展

骨质疏松症（osteoporosis,OP）是一种以骨密度降低、骨骼微结构改变和骨质脆弱增加为特征的骨骼疾病。由于老龄化问题的逐渐加重,OP的发病率在全球范围内迅速增加。中药在预防和治疗OP中表现出极好的前景和临床效果,然而传统动物模型具有耗时长、费用昂贵、无法准确概括骨疾病复杂性等缺点,很大程度上限制了临床前OP疾病的研究进程。而斑马鱼模型可有效模拟人类骨质减少和OP表型,通过对斑马鱼模型在治疗OP研究中的优势和适用性及该模型在中药抗OP的研究进展进行综述,为斑马鱼模型的广泛使用及中药新药研发提供参考。