Distinct roles of type I bone morphogenetic protein receptors in the formation and differentiation of cartilage

The bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs), TGFβ superfamily members, play diverse roles in embryogenesis, but how the BMPs exert their action is unclear and how different BMP receptors (BMPRs) contribute to this process is not known. Here we demonstrate that the two type I BMPRs, BMPR-IA and BMPR-IB, regulate distinct processes during chick limb development. BmpR-IB expression in the embryonic limb prefigures the future cartilage primordium, and its activity is necessary for the initial steps of chondrogenesis. During later chondrogenesis, BmpR-IA is specifically expressed in prehypertrophic chondrocytes. BMPR-IA regulates chondrocyte differentiation, serving as a downstream mediator of Indian Hedgehog (IHH) function in both a local signaling loop and a longer-range relay system to PTHrP. BMPR-IB also regulates apoptosis: Expression of activated BMPR-IB results in increased cell death, and we showed previously that dominant-negative BMPR-IB inhibits apoptosis. Our studies indicate that in TGFβ signaling systems, different type I receptor isoforms are dedicated to specific functions during embryogenesis.     

Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) with a mutation at codon 148 of prion protein gene: relationship with sporadic CJD

Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD), the most common human prion disease, includes sporadic (s) and familial (f) forms. Regardless of etiology, both forms are thought to share the pathogenic mechanism whereby the cellular prion protein (PrP(C)) converts into its pathogenic isoform (PrP(Sc)). While PrP(C) conversion is thought to be random in sCJD, conversion in fCJD is facilitated by the congenital presence of mutated PrP. Differences in PrP genotype (PRNP) and in conversion circumstances lead to PrP(Sc) with distinct characteristics that elicit different disease phenotypes. Here, we describe a case of fCJD with a substitution of histidine (H) for arginine (R) at codon 148 (R148H) and heterozygosity of the methionine/valine (M/V) polymorphic codon 129, with the 129M allele coupled with the mutation. The disease phenotype and all major characteristics of PrP(Sc) of fCJD(R148H) were virtually indistinguishable from those of sCJDMV2, which has features different from those of any other sCJD. Therefore, despite the differences in etiology, PRNP, and conversion process, the two forms of PrP(Sc) had similar characteristics. Furthermore, comparison of fCJD(R148H) with a recently reported case carrying R148H and homozygosity at codon 129 suggests that codon 129 coupled with the mutation as well as that located on the normal allele can modify major phenotypic and PrP(Sc) features of fCJD(R148H).     

Ⅲ型胶原肾小球病的形态学观察

目的了解Ⅲ型胶原肾小球病的形态学改变,并对Ⅲ型胶原可能的细胞来源进行初步探讨。方法对3例肾活检组织进行光镜、免疫荧光、电镜和Ⅰ、Ⅲ、Ⅳ型胶原及d平滑肌肌动蛋白(α-SMA)的免疫组织化学染色(SP法)观察。结果2例患者临床表现为肾病综合征,其中1例伴高血压,第3例表现为肾功能不全和肾性高血压。3例均无肾病家族史。光镜检查可见肾小球基膜内和系膜区弥漫性过碘酸-希夫反应阳性物质沉积,系膜细胞无明显增生。电镜检查在基膜内疏松层和系膜区可见大量胶原纤维沉积,系膜细胞胞膜下平行排列的束状微丝明显增加。免疫组织化学显示这些胶原纤维为Ⅲ型胶原,Ⅰ型和Ⅳ型胶原阴性,同时系膜区多数系膜细胞α-SMA阳性。结论Ⅲ型胶原肾小球病光镜、电镜及免疫组织化学上都有其特殊的病理改变。肾小球内激活的系膜细胞可能是Ⅲ型胶原的来源。     

肿瘤坏死因子与肾小球系膜细胞的关系

目的研究肾小球系膜细胞的肿瘤坏死因子的自分泌功能,肿瘤坏死因子对肾小球系膜细胞作用的机制。方法利用体外培养的人和大鼠的肾小球系膜细胞,通过逆转录－多聚酶链反应、原位杂交和免疫组化方法,探讨它们之间的关系。结果肾小球系膜细胞既可产生肿瘤坏死因子,又有肿瘤坏死因子受体。结论肾小球系膜细胞是肿瘤坏死因子作用的靶细胞,肿瘤坏死因子通过旁分泌和自分泌两种途径作用于肾小球系膜细胞。     

电脉冲致离体S-180细胞电穿孔的观察与研究

扫描电镜下我们观察到了一定强度电脉冲致 S- 180细胞电穿孔的现象。同时分别改变电压、电容、脉冲个数 ,对 S- 180离体细胞进行电脉冲作用 ,通过苔盼蓝追踪 ,发现在一定的条件下 ,随着对 S- 180离体细胞电穿孔的电压越大、电容越小、脉冲个数越多 ,其穿孔百分率越大。     

应用PCR-酶切法进行脊肌萎缩症基因诊断

目的探讨脊肌萎缩症(SMA)的基因诊断方法.方法基于运动神经元生存基因(SMN)的两个同源拷贝碱基上的差异,应用PCR-酶切分析法对10例临床和病理诊断为Ⅰ、Ⅱ、Ⅲ型SMA的患者及其直系亲属16人、25例正常对照进行SMN基因检测.结果 10例SMA患者中9例患者缺失SMN第7、8号外显子,1例患者仅缺失第7号外显子;正常对照组及患者亲属均未发现外显子缺失.结论 PCR-酶切检测SMN基因第7号、8号外显子缺失是诊断儿童型脊肌萎缩症可靠的基因诊断方法.     

Kinetics of the phenotype and function of murine peritoneal macrophages following acute inflammation

This study was undertaken to have a better understand for the process and the underlying mechanisms to limitmacrophage activation and population of activated macrophages.A comprehensive kinetics of cytokineproduction was performed in murine peritoneal macrophages recovered from Balb/c mice at various timeduring the course of an intraperitoneal injection with thioglycollate (TG).The expression of cell surfacemolecules such as MHC-Ⅰ,MHC-Ⅱ,B7-1 and B7-2 of these macrophages were also determined by flowcytometry.The present findings of our research suggested that the population of activated macrophages and theactivation of macrophages (including cytokines production and expression of cell surface functional molecules)were strictly controlled during inflammation process.This is one of the important mechanisms to retain the hosthomeostasis.Cellular & Molecular Immunology.2004;1(1):57-62.     

Monoclonal antibodies recognizing EVETPIRN epitope of influenza A virus M2 protein could protect mice from lethal influenza A virus challenge

Based on the fact that the 24 amino acid extracellular domain of M2 protein (M2e) is nearly invariant in all influenza A strains, several different M2e vaccine constructs and vaccination modalities have been developed by others and us. Although most of these vaccines could induce efficient and broad-spectrum immunity inhibiting influenza A virus infection in mice model, information of the refined protective epitope on M2e was scarce. In this paper, two M2e specific monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) conferring protective immunity in vivo were reported, which in passive administration could protect 75% mice from five LD(50) (50% lethal dose) challenge of influenza virus A/PR/8/34. In addition, higher M2e specific antibody titer (over 1:1600) could be detected after 12h of intraperitoneal passive administration in mice sera. Peptide mapping assay indicated that both mAbs strongly interacted with N-terminus and middle part peptides of M2e (NM2, aa2-12; MM2, aa8-18), but not with the C-terminus peptide (CM2, aa13-24). More importantly, M2e specific mAbs could recognize EVETPIRN (aa6-13) peptide, which were the overlapping region of NM2 and MM2 peptide and the neighboring amino acid residues. In contrast, M2e domain that was deleted EVETPIR sequence could not be recognized by either mAb in immunoblotting assay. All these results indicated that the epitope EVETPIRN (aa6-13) on M2e could be responsible for the induction of the protective immunity.     

严重急性呼吸综合征患者尸解肺标本的病理改变和致病机制研究

目的研究严重急性呼吸综合征（SARS）患者尸解肺标本的病理改变和致病机制。方法观察了2003年4-7月期间死于SARS的6例患者的肺标本,并采用光镜、电镜、Masson三色染色和免疫组织化学染色方法（EnVision法）进行研究。结果肺标本的病理形态改变：（1）6例的双肺均可见到弥漫性实变病灶,肺重量明显增加;（2）6例均可见到弥漫性肺泡损伤,包括透明膜形成、肺泡腔内水肿／出血、纤维素沉积和肺泡上皮细胞脱屑,AE1／AE3免疫组织化学染色显示肺泡上皮细胞的完整性明显破坏;（3）Ⅱ型肺泡上皮细胞轻度增生,有一定异型性,细胞体积增大,胞质呈双染性和颗粒状,胞质内可见小脂肪空泡聚集（5／6）;（4）6例中有5例可见巨细胞在肺泡内浸润,巨细胞大多AEl／AE3阳性（5／6）,少数CD68阳性（2／6）;（5）组织学形态和免疫组织化学染色证实肺泡腔内和肺泡间隔内有多量巨噬细胞浸润（6／6）;（6）6例中有5例可见巨噬细胞噬红细胞象;（7）6例中有5例可见肺纤维化,包括肺泡间隔和肺间质增宽（5／6）、肺泡腔内渗出物机化（6／6）和胸膜增厚（4／6）。Masson三色染色证实胶原纤维明显增生,免疫组织化学染色显示大多数为Ⅲ型胶原。光镜和免疫组织化学染色显示5例有明显的成纤维细胞／肌纤维母细胞增生灶;（8）5例可见支气管黏膜鳞状上皮化生;（9）6例患者均可见血栓;（10）2例同时合并其他感染,1例合并细菌感染,另1例合并真菌感染。此外,电镜发现在肺泡上皮细胞和肺血管内皮细胞的胞质内有冠状病毒样颗粒。结论SARS冠状病毒直接损伤肺泡上皮细胞、巨噬细胞明显浸润和成纤维细胞／肌纤维母细胞显著增生在SARS的致病机制中起重要作用。