Actin binding proteins,actin cytoskeleton and spermatogenesis – Lesson from toxicant models

Actin cytoskeleton is crucial to support spermatogenesis in the mammalian testis. However, the molecular mechanism(s) underlying changes of actin cytoskeletal organization in response to cellular events that take place across the seminiferous epithelium (e.g., self-renewal of spermatogonial stem cells, germ cell differentiation, meosis, spermiogenesis, spermiation) at specific stages of the epithelial cycle of spermatogenesis remain largely unexplored. This, at least in part, is due to the lack of suitable study models to identify the crucial regulatory proteins and to investigate how these proteins work in concert to support actin dynamics. Much of the information on the role of actin binding proteins in the literature, namely the actin bundling proteins, actin nucleation proteins and motor proteins, are either findings based on genetic models or morphological analyses. While this information is helpful to delineate the function of these proteins to support spermatogenesis, they are not helpful to identify the regulatory signaling proteins, the signaling pathways and the cascade of events to modulate actin cytoskeleton dynamics. Recent studies based on the use of toxicant models, both in vitro and in vivo, however, have bridged this gap by identifying putative regulatory and signaling proteins of actin cytoskeleton. Herein, we summarize and critically evaluate these findings. We also provide a hypothetical model by which actin cytoskeletal dynamics in Sertoli cells are regulated, which in turn supports spermatid transport across the seminiferous epithelium, and at the blood-testis barrier (BTB) during the epithelial cycle of spermatogenesis.     

Mmu-miR-92a-2-5p targets TLR2 to relieve Schistosoma japonicum-induced liver fibrosis

According to conservative estimates, >230 million people are infected with schistosomiasis,which becomes one of the most common parasitic diseases. This study focuses on investigating in vivo and in vitro effects of mmu-miR-92a-2-5p in Schistosoma japonicum-induced liver fibrosis by targeting TLR2. Through bioinformatic analysis, the overexpression of TLR2 and the down-regulation of mmu-miR-92a-2-5p were revealed in the progression of S. japonicum-induced liver fibrosis. BALB/C mice were taken advantage to construct normal control and schistosomiasis liver fibrosis (SLF) model. The mice in model groups were transfected recombinant lentivirus (Lenti-mmu-miR-92a-2-5p or Lenti-NC) to alter the expression of mmu-miR-92a-2-5p in vivo. HE and Masson staining were employed to observe the pathological changes and collagenous fibrosis. QRT-PCR showed that mmu-miR-92a-2-5p was decreased while TLR2 was elevated in the infected groups. However, lenti-mmu-miR-92a-2-5p group could inhibit liver fibrosis. Then the effect of mmu-miR-92a-2-5p on S. japonicum-induced liver fibrosis including cell apoptosis rates, proliferation and proteins related to liver fibrosis was examined in NIH-3T3 mouse embryonic fibroblasts. Moreover, the association between mmu-miR-92a-2-5p and TLR2 was detected by dual-luciferase reporter gene assay and the expression of cytokines IL-4, IFN-γ and TNF-α in SLF model was detected by ELISA. Further, the knockout of TLR2 in C57BL/6J mice was used to confirm the association between mmu-miR-92a-2-5p and TLR2. Thus, these findings demonstrated that mmu-miR-92a-2-5p inhibited S. japonicum-induced liver fibrosis by targeting TLR2 in vitro and in vivo.     

乳腺癌患者血中角蛋白mRNA基因的表达

目的 分析乳腺癌患者外周血液中角蛋白（CK19）mRNA基因的表达。方法 取20例经病理证实的乳腺癌患者外周血，用Tirizol法提取总RNA，然后进行RT－PCR荧光定量检测，并与正常人群进行对照。结果 正常人群外周血中无CK19表达，20例乳腺癌中有6例阳性表达，总阳性率为29．65％，其中单纯癌阳性率为30．7％（4／13），浸润性导管癌阳性率为28．6％（2／7）。结论 CK19可作为检测外周血循环癌细胞的标志物。     

血管紧张素转换酶2基因转染对人内皮细胞MIF表达的影响

目的：探讨重组血管紧张素转换酶2（ACE2）基因转染对体外培养的人血管内皮细胞中由血管紧张素（Ang）II诱导的巨噬细胞移动抑制因子（MIF）表达的影响。方法:克隆和构建含人ACE2基因全长的重组质粒（pACE2），并将之转染入人血管内皮细胞中。分别采用实时定量PCR和Western印迹技术检测转染细胞中的MIF mRNA与蛋白表达情况。结果: Ang Ⅱ（100 nmol/L）和Ang IV（100 nmol/L）刺激后均可诱导人血管内皮细胞中MIF mRNA及蛋白表达增加（P<0.01）。pACE2基因转染可明显抑制内皮细胞中由Ang II和Ang IV诱导的MIF mRNA和蛋白表达（P<0.05）。结论: ACE2基因过表达可明显抑制人内皮细胞中炎症介质MIF的表达，提示ACE2基因具有一定的抗炎症效应。通过调节ACE2基因的活性和表达，很可能为炎症相关疾病如动脉粥样硬化治疗提供新的策略。     

骨骼肌介电行为的理论模型仿真

在 10 0 Hz～ 10 0 MHz范围内 ,应用椭圆壳介电理论模型 ,经过模拟仿真蛙骨骼肌细胞的介电行为 ,确定了蛙骨骼肌细胞的椭圆壳模型各相参数。为将来对骨骼肌疲劳、肌营养不良和肌肉萎缩等病症的模型分析奠定理论基础。     

正常人血小板介电谱的实验研究

在100KHz～110MHz范围内,测量人血小板的介电谱,分析了人血小板对交流电场的介电响应的数据特征。利用频域阻抗技术首次测量了正常人血小板交流阻抗,绘制血小板的介电常数和电导率与电场频率的关系曲线。建立了人血小板的介电谱和Cole-Cole图,明确了人血小板的介电频响的数据特征。在射频电场中,人血小板的介电常数和电导率具有频率依赖性,血小板介电谱具有两个特征频率:第一特征频率fC1为6.66MHz,第二特征频率fC2为9.81MHz。     

Combined use of positive and negative immunomagnetic isolation followed by real-time RT-PCR for detection of the circulating tumor cells in patients with colorectal cancers

To establish a novel molecular diagnostic method of detecting circulating tumor cells (CTCs) LS174T colon cancer cells were serially diluted with normal blood. Additional peripheral blood samples were collected from 25 patients with colorectal carcinoma. Mononuclear cells (MNCs) were collected, equally divided into four parts, and then cancer cells were enriched by four methods: method A, nonimmunobead method; method B, negative immunobead method: CD45 immunomagnetic beads were used to deplete the leukocytes; method C, positive immunobead method: Ber-EP4 immunomagnetic beads were used to enrich cancer cells; method D, negative-and-positive immunobead method: CD45 immunomagnetic beads were first used to deplete the leukocytes from MNC and then Ber-EP4 immunomagnetic beads were used to enrich cancer cells. Finally, real-time quantitative RT-PCR was used to monitor mRNA expression of ₂-mircoglobulin (2M) and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA). The relative CEA mRNA values were corrected with reference to 2M mRNA, to CEA mRNA/2M mRNA ratios according to a CEA mRNA external standards prepared with tenfold serial dilutions (1–10⁴ IS174T cells) of cDNA and 2M mRNA external standards prepared with tenfold serial dilutions (10²–10⁷ leukocytes) of cDNA. In recovery experiments a significant correlation between the number of cancer cells and CEA mRNA expression was found when CD45 or Ber-EP4 immunomagnetic beads were used alone. A highly significant correlation was found when CD45 and Ber-EP4 immunomagnetic beads were used successively. The sensitivity of method D was one cancer cell per milliliter of blood. Circulating cancer cells were detected in 19 of 25 patients with colorectal cancers. The relative CEA mRNA value obtained by method D was the smallest. The positive detection rate of circulating cancer cells in patients at Dukes B, C, and D stages were 25.0% (1/4), 83.3% (10/12), and 88.9% (8/9). Combinative use of immunomagnetic isolation followed by real-time RT-PCR is a useful technique to detect circulating tumor cells in patients with colorectal carcinomas. Applying negative and positive immunomagnetic beads successively yields the highest correlation with amount of tumor cells.     

颈腰综合征的诊断与治疗进展

椎管狭窄在解剖学上表现为椎管容积减少和神经卡压,按病理学分类可分为先天性和特发性[1].前者常因软骨发育不全导致椎弓根长度及间距过短而发生;后者又称为"获得性"椎管狭窄,通常由椎间盘、小关节和黄韧带退行性变导致.椎管狭窄好发于腰椎,其次为颈椎,但胸椎同样可受累,在某些情况下,所有区域可同时受到影响[2].颈腰综合征(串联性椎管狭窄症,TSS)是指颈椎、胸椎和腰椎之间2个及以上区域发生椎管狭窄,同时或先后出现椎管内神经、血管受压,并产生相应临床症状[3].由于TSS常发生上下神经元病变,患者临床症状、体征常与影像学表现不符,易造成漏诊与误诊[4].目前,国内外关于TSS的诊断标准及治疗策略尚未达成一致.如何提高TSS确诊率,哪些区域椎管狭窄需要优先治疗,以及单纯治疗一个区域的椎管狭窄是否能够缓解临床症状等问题目前仍存在争议.本文对近年来国内外TSS的相关研究进行分析,从发生率、临床表现与诊断、治疗方案等方面作如下综述.