Chronic amitriptyline administration increases serotonin transporter binding sites in the hippocampus of aged rats

The effects of ageing and of chronic antidepressant treatment upon 5-HT transporter sites ([3H]paroxetine binding) in the rat hippocampus was examined. [3H]paroxetine binding to transporter sites was decreased with ageing in the hippocampus of control rats (38% decrease in dentate gyrus and CA4). Amitriptyline (10 mg/kg, i.p.) had no significant effect on [3H]paroxetine binding in 10 months old rats, but increased binding sites in 24 months rats in all hippocampal subregions (greatest increase of 109% in CA1 compared to saline controls). These data indicate an age-related decrease in hippocampal serotonin transporter sites and upregulation of these sites following 10 weeks of amitriptyline. The observed increase in transporter sites following amitriptyline may contribute to the general lower effectiveness of tricyclic antidepressants with ageing.     

锌指蛋白基因抑制氧损伤诱导的内皮细胞E-选择素的表达

目的：探讨外源性锌指蛋白基因A20对氧损伤诱导的内皮细胞E-选择素表达的影响。方法：DOTAP脂质体介导peDNA3．1EHA20质粒转染人脐静脉内皮细胞，经G418筛选，免疫荧光检测A20基因的表达，原位杂交、免疫组化分别检测过氧化氢诱导的内皮细胞E-选择素表达。结果：A20基因在经G418筛选后的内皮细胞中得到高效表达，过氧化氢能诱导人内皮细胞E-选择素高表达，而A20基因能抑制80％以上过氧化氢诱导的内皮细胞E-选择素表达，两者间相差显著。结论：A20基因能够显著抑制过氧化氢诱导的内皮细胞活化，有助于氧损伤的治疗。     

20株阴沟肠杆菌耐药性及氨基糖苷类修饰酶基因分析

目的明确临床分离的20株阴沟肠杆菌耐药性及氨基糖苷类修饰酶基因存在状况。方法采用ATB药敏试验板微量肉汤法测定临床分离的20株阴沟肠杆菌对20种抗菌药物的敏感性，采用聚合酶链反应及序列分析的方法分析氨基糖苷类修饰酶基因型。结果该20株菌呈现多重耐药，对亚胺培南和美罗培南均敏感，对阿莫西林、阿莫西林／克拉维酸、头孢噻吩和头孢西丁完全耐药，对头孢吡肟及4种氨基糖苷类抗生素阿米卡星、庆大霉素、妥布霉素和奈替米星的耐药率分别为25．0％、60．0％、85．0％、90．0％和90．0％，其余9种的耐药率在80．0％～95．0％之间。19株(95．0％)检出氨基糖苷类修饰酶基因；aac(6′)-Ⅰ、aac(3)-Ⅱ、ant(3″)-Ⅰ、ant(2″)-Ⅰ和aph(3′)-Ⅵ基因的阳性率分别为80．0％、50．0％、40．0％、5．0％和5．0％；而aog2(3)-Ⅰ、aac(3)-Ⅲ、aac(3)-Ⅳ和aac(6′)-Ⅱ基因均阴性。结论临床分离的阴沟肠杆菌多重耐药严重，氨基糖苷类修饰酶基因携带率很高。     

Cardiac cell membrane repolarization is required for onset of mechanical restitution in papillary muscle

In 10 voltage clamped ferret papillary muscles at 37 degrees C (single sucrose gap), the duration of resting (diastolic, holding) potential was varied in order to define the mechanical restitution process. Following a period of steady state voltage clamp depolarizations to +20 mV, a single test depolarization clamp of 200 or 500 ms duration was introduced. Then, the following period at resting (holding) potential was varied. All the mechanical restitution curves for the 500 ms clamps were delayed by 300 ms compared with the 200 ms clamps. When mechanical restitution was plotted as the relationship between contractile force and test electrical diastolic interval, all processes started from zero interval (i.e. the time of repolarization). Variation of diastolic holding potential between -70 mV and -40 mV did not affect the starting time, but the final force values at full restitution were approached faster and were higher for -70 mV than for -40 mV. There was an inverse relationship between force and second inward current during mechanical restitution after an initial phase of restitution of current. Mechanical restitution is postulated to be due to passage of contractile calcium with time from an uptake to a release compartment within the sarcoplasmic reticulum. Thus the rise of contractile force with increasing test cycle duration should have been independent of whether a 200 or 500 ms depolarization was used. In order to accommodate the discrepancy, we postulate either that (1) sarcoplasmic reticulum calcium release channels require sarcolemmal repolarization to begin to be reactivated or (2) that trigger calcium (calcium induced calcium release from the sarcoplasmic reticulum) is derived from the sarcolemma.     

CD3+木瓜提取物对ApoE基因缺陷小鼠血脂及炎性相关因素的影响

目的观察木瓜提取物对ApoE基因缺陷小鼠血脂水平、主动脉窦斑块中巨噬细胞活化及肿瘤坏死因子(TNF-α)水平的影响。方法30只雄性ApoE基因缺陷小鼠随机分为3组:对照组、低剂量组和高剂量组,低剂量组和高剂量组分别在基础饲料上添加5%和10%的木瓜提取物喷雾干燥颗粒,饲养16周后经小鼠眼眶静脉取血后处死动物,酶法测定血脂水平、采用免疫组化分析主动脉窦斑块中TNF-α的表达水平和采用免疫荧光反映斑块CD68阳性表达水平与巨噬细胞阳性表达率。结果低剂量组和高剂量组的血清TC和LDL-C显著低于对照组(P<0.05),木瓜提取物能显著下调斑块中TNF-α的表达水平以及减少巨噬细胞的阳性率。结论木瓜提取物降低了血清脂蛋白胆固醇水平(TC和LDL-C),减少了炎性因子TNF-α表达以及减弱巨噬细胞参与程度,预示其可能具有减缓动脉斑块发生发展的抗动脉粥样硬化作用。     

含氮二膦酸盐/IL-2诱导肿瘤患者外周血γδT细胞增殖的作用

目的探讨药物（含氮二膦酸盐联合IL-2，N-BP／IL-2）诱导实体肿瘤患者外周血γδT细胞增殖作用。方法采用流式细胞仪测定103例肿瘤患者和43例健康人外周血总T细胞绝对值、御细胞绝对值和相对值，测定患者外周血经药物体外刺激后御细胞增殖指数和用药前后患者外周血总T细胞、γδT细胞绝对值和相对值。结果肿瘤患者和健康人外周血总T细胞绝对值、御细胞绝对值和御细胞相对值的中位数，分别为1306细胞/μl和1522细胞/μlP=0．003），64细胞/μl和162细胞/μl（P〈0．001），5％和11％（P〈0．001）。24例经药物体外扩增试验阳性的肿瘤患者治疗前后体内外周血总T细胞绝对值、γδT细胞绝对值和御细胞相对值的中位数，分别为1283细胞/μl和1552细胞/μl（P=0．001），54细胞/μl和107细胞/μl（P〈0．001），6％和8％（P=0．008）。全部肿瘤患者中外周血γδT细胞对药物体外诱导增殖反应阳性患者的百分率为68．9％。结论肿瘤患者外周血γδT细胞计数显著低于健康人。不同肿瘤患者外周血γδT细胞对药物刺激增殖的反应性不同。N-PB／IL-2在体内有显著增加御细胞数量的药理作用。体外增殖试验可作为N-PB／IL-2治疗患者的参考。     

Ascending aortic stenosis selectively increases action potential-induced Ca2+ influx in epicardial myocytes of the rat left ventricle

A decrease of the transient outward potassium current (Ito) has been observed in cardiac hypertrophy and contributes to the altered shape of the action potential (AP) of hypertrophied ventricular myocytes. Since the shape and duration of the ventricular AP are important determinants of the Ca2+ influx during the AP (QCa), we investigated the effect of ascending aortic stenosis (AS) on QCa in endo- and epicardial myocytes of the left ventricular free wall using the AP voltage-clamp technique. In sham-operated animals, QCa was significantly larger in endocardial compared to epicardial myocytes (803 +/- 65 fC pF(-1), n = 27 vs. 167 +/- 32 fC pF(-1), n = 38, P < 0.001). Ascending aortic stenosis significantly increased QCa in epicardial myocytes (368 +/- 54 fC pF(-1), n = 42, P < 0.05), but did not alter QCa in endocardial myocytes (696 +/- 65 fC pF(-1), n = 26). Peak and current-voltage relation of the AP-induced Ca2+ current were unaffected by AS. However, the time course of the current-voltage relation was significantly prolonged in epicardial myocytes of AS animals. Model calculations revealed that the increase in QCa can be ascribed to a prolonged opening of the activation gate, whereas an increase in inactivation prevents an excessive increase in QCa. In conclusion, AS significantly increased AP-induced Ca2+ influx in epicardial but not in endocardial myocytes of the rat left ventricle.     

Ethics in the trenches

The increasing understanding of stem cell biology has opened up the possibility of using cell transplantation to treat a large variety of diseases. The medical need to identify optimal therapies is being challenged, however, by some members of society who seek to impose on this scientific quest their views-generally associated with particular religious beliefs-of what constitutes allowable research. This conflict mirrors earlier battles, extending over 150 years, between those implementing inoculation and vaccination to protect against smallpox and those who felt this to be unethical for religious reasons. For the many individuals who might benefit from the potential of stem cell medicine, such prolonged debate is unacceptable. In this review, conflicts in this debate are examined by holding opponents of embryonic stem cell (ESC) research to the standards applied to the science. The challenge of identifying optimal cells for tissue repair is juxtaposed with misrepresentations of stem cell science by those opposed to ESC research. Absolutist views on ethics are juxtaposed with examples of the bad science and unethical acts that occur when dogmatic religious filters and definitions of human-ness are forced upon scientific discussions. Finally, after considering how opponents of ESC research may, ironically, enhance commercial demand for cells derived from fetuses aborted for personal reasons of the mother, 10 proposals are offered that would-if followed by all participants in this debate-produce more ethically balanced discussions and a more comprehensive body of data from which evidence-based conclusions can be drawn.