Chronic treatment with scopolamine and physostigmine changes nerve growth factor (NGF) receptor density and NGF content in rat brain

Nerve growth factor (NGF) and NGF receptors were measured in cortex and hippocampus of rats treated with drugs affecting cholinergic neurotransmission. High (K_d= 0.045nM) and low (K_d= 21nM) affinity¹²⁵I-NGF binding sites were present in both cortical and hippocampal membranes with hippocampus containing higher numbers of both sites than cortex. Chronic treatment of rats with the muscarinic receptor antagonist scopolamine (5 mg/kg, twice daily) decreased the density of high- and low-affinity sites by 50–90% in cortical and hippocampal membranes. These changes were seen after 7 days, but not 3 days, of scopolamine treatment. Chronic infusion of physostigmine (1 mg/kg/day) using minipumps increased the number of high- and low-affinity sites in cortex 3- and 6-fold, respectively. The changes in receptor-binding parameters induced by physostigmine were transient as they were evident after 3 days of treatment, but returned to control levels after 7 days. NGF content in cortex and hippocampus was reduced by about 50% following 7, but not 3, days of chronic physostigmine infusion. In contrast, scopolamine treatment failed to change NGF levels in the cholinergic neuronal target regions but it decreased NGF content in the septal area. The content of NGF mRNA in the cortex measured by Northern blot analysis failed to change following either scopolamine or physostigmine treatment. The results suggest that levels of NGF and NGF receptors in the target regions of cholinergic neurons are regulated by the extent of cholinergic neurotransmitter activity.     

Rb1基因第16内含子内21个碱基缺失1例

目地研究双眼视网膜母细胞瘤患者Rb1基因杂合性突变的分子生物学特性。方法应用PCR—SSCP直接测序技术检测双眼视网膜母细胞瘤患者白细胞DNA中Rb1基因杂合性突变。结果50例证实有Rb1基因杂合性突变的病例中有1例发生于第16内含子中可以用3种定位方法解释、具有相同序列的21个碱基缺失。结论这种极为少见的Rb1基因突变方式可能是由于破坏了正常拼接位点的结构而激活了“隐蔽拼接位点”，导致异常的Rb1基因mRNA产生或由此影响整个拼接过程。     

RENIN GENE POLYMORPHISM ASSOCIATED WITH ALDOSTERONE RESPONSIVENESS TO THE RENINANGIOTENSIN SYSTEM IN PATIENTS WITH ALDOSTERONE-PRODUCING ADENOMAS

1. Aldosterone levels in patients with unilateral aldosterone-producing adenomas may be responsive or unresponsive to the renin-angiotensin system, with the former often previously misdiagnosed as bilateral adrenal hyperplasia. 2. In tumours from patients in the responsive subgroup, renin mRNA is expressed in greater amounts than in tumours from patients in the unresponsive subgroup, or in normal adrenals. 3. We compared the frequency of four renin gene polymorphisms in peripheral blood DNA from the two subgroups and found significant associations between BglI, TaqI and HinfI restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLP) and aldosterone responsiveness. 4. Allelic variation in the constitutive renin gene was associated with a specific cause of hypertension.     

烟碱对脑单胺类受体功能及基因表达的调节作用

目的研究烟碱对多巴胺受体、肾上腺素受体、5-羟色胺受体功能及基因表达的影响.方法 (1)昆明种小鼠给予生理盐水或烟碱(2mg/kg, i.p., 3/日, 10天).第11日分别腹腔注射烟碱(2mg/kg), 阿扑吗啡(3mg/kg),可乐定(1mg/kg), 8-OH-DPAT(1mg/kg),记录给药前、后自主活动各15min;(2)SD大鼠注射生理盐水或烟碱(1.2mg/kg, 2/日,SC,14天),第15天取脑作基因芯片,分析单胺类受体mRNA表达的改变.结果反复给予烟碱可诱导小鼠对烟碱降低自主活动的作用产生耐受,在对烟碱产生耐受的小鼠上,多巴胺受体激动剂阿扑吗啡增加自主活动的作用增强; α2-肾上腺素受体和5-HT1A受体激动剂可乐定和8-OH-DPAT抑制自发活动的作用减弱.在大鼠上, 反复给予烟碱可增加脑多巴胺D1 受体mRNA表达,降低多巴胺D3受体mRNA表达,不影响α2-肾上腺素受体、5-HT1A受体mRNA的表达.结论反复给予烟碱诱导烟碱耐受,脑N受体功能失敏时, 单胺类受体及其亚型功能或/和受体mRNA表达发生变化.     

Localization of proopiomelanocortin mRNA in functional subsets of neurons defined by their axonal projections

In situ cDNA:mRNA hybridization is a technique that has been developed for the visualization of cDNA:mRNA hybrids in individual cells. To use this technique to answer questions of regulation in heterogeneous populations of cells in the brain, it must be combined with other procedures allowing for the identification of functional subgroups of neurons. We report here a procedure by which in situ cDNA:mRNA hybridization may be combined with retrograde axonal tracing using the fluorescent tracer fast blue. Using this technique, it now becomes possible to measure mRNA regulation in functional subsets of cells defined by their axonal projections.     

大鼠局灶脑缺血AC133抗原和AC133mRNA的表达初探

目前国内外研究发现自体和异体骨髓干细胞移植可增加脑梗死周围区域的血管数量[1]。但在脑梗死后,机体自身内皮干细胞是否参与梗死周围区域的新血管形成尚无报道。AC133(又称CD133)是新发现的造血干祖细胞糖蛋白抗原,在已分化的内皮细胞上不表达,在内皮前体细胞表达[2],AC133蛋白和基因是否在大脑缺血脑组织表达以及局部缺血后AC133是否参与血管内皮功能等问题尚无文献提及。本研究将初探大鼠局灶脑缺血后脑组织中AC133抗原和AC133mRNA的表达。1资料1.1动物分组及模型制备:雄性SD大鼠42只,体重250～350g,随机分成3组:正常对照组、假…     

The effect of sodium lauryl sulphate on the expression of cytokeratin mRNA in hamster cheek pouch epithelium

The effect of sodium lauryl sulphate (SLS) on cytokeratin (CK) gene expression in hamster cheek pouch epithelium was studied with a hybridohistochemical technique. Using specific human anti-sense RNA probes, the plausible hamster mRNA counterparts for these human CK mRNAs were localized by detection of heterologous hybrids. In comparison with normal epithelium, the expression and distribution pattern of CK mRNAs in the hamster cheek pouch were obviously changed after application of SLS. There was a decreased expression of CK mRNAs in the hyperplastic basal layer, and increased expression in the hypertrophic granular layer. Strikingly, hybridization with the human CK 18 cRNA probe revealed an additionally expressed CK mRNA in the SLS-treated epithelium that was not found in the untreated epithelium. The present study indicates that cRNA probes for human CK mRNAs can be used successfully, not only to distinguish between different hamster CK mRNAs but also to investigate changes in CK gene expression upon the induction of non-neoplastic and neoplastic alterations in the hamster cheek pouch model. This may help elucidate the molecular changes involved in epithelial pathologies.     

小儿卵黄囊瘤

本院1966年～1989年共收治小儿卵黄囊瘤37例,经血清甲胎蛋白(AFP)测定,光镜确定诊断又通过10例电镜观察,8例AFP免疫组化观察,文献复习,本文支持Teilum提出该瘤来源于卵黄囊瘤背壁的全能性生殖细胞的组织发生观点;1.胚胎卵黄囊有合成AFP能力,本文意儿血清AFP明显升高,免疫酶标可作AFP定位。2.超微结构观察:肿瘤形态与妊娠7周卵黄囊相似,电镜下可见到上皮性及间叶性成份相当于胚外内胚层及胚外中胚层成份。且讨论了该瘤的命名与畸胎瘤关系和免疫组化的应用