Response of mitochondrial function to hypothyroidism in normal and regenerated rat skeletal muscle

Although thyroid hormones induce a well known decrease in muscle oxidative capacity, nothing is known concerning their effects on mitochondrial function and regulation in situ. Similarly, the influence of regeneration process is not completely understood. We investigated the effects of hypothyroidism on mitochondrial function in fast gastrocnemius (GS) and slow soleus (SOL) muscles either intact or having undergone a cycle of degeneration/regeneration (Rg SOL) following a local injection of myotoxin. Thyroid hormone deficiency was induced by thyroidectomy and propylthiouracyl via drinking water. Respiration was measured in muscle fibres permeabilised by saponin in order to assess the oxidative capacity of the muscles and the regulation of mitochondria in situ. Oxidative capacities were 8.9 in SOL, 8.5 in Rg SOL and 5.9 mol O₂/min/g dry weight in GS and decreased by 52, 42 and 39% respectively (P < 0.001) in hypothyroid rats. Moreover, the K _m of mitochondrial respiration for the phosphate acceptor ADP exhibited a two-fold decrease in Rg SOL and intact SOL by hypothyroidism (P < 0.01), while mitochondrial creatine kinase activity and sensitivity of mitochondrial respiration to creatine were not altered. The results of this study demonstrate that hypothyroidism markedly altered the sensitivity of mitochondrial respiration to ADP but not to creatine in SOL muscles, suggesting that mitochondrial regulation could be partially controlled by thyroid hormones. On the other hand, mitochondrial function completely recovered following regeneration/degeneration, suggesting that thyroid hormones are not involved in the regeneration process per se.     

Lack of coordinated changes in metabolic enzymes and myosin heavy chain isoforms in regenerated muscles of trained rats

We investigated training-induced changes in biochemical properties and myosin heavy chain (MHC) composition of regenerated (cardiotoxin-injected) plantaris muscles (PLA) in rats either maintained sedentary (S, n = 9) or endurance trained on a treadmill over a 8-week period (T, n = 7). Both endurance training and regeneration altered the pattern of fast MHC expression. An analysis of the two-way interaction between training and regeneration showed that the relative content of type IIa MHC was affected (P < 0.05). The 140% increase in type IIa MHC observed in regenerated PLA from T rats compared with nontreated muscle of S rats, exceeded the 102% increase resulting from the combination of regeneration alone (26%) and training alone (61%). A similar interaction between training and regeneration was shown for the percentage of fibres expressing either type IIa or type IIb MHC (P < 0.05). In contrast, a significant increase in the citrate synthase (CS) activity was shown in PLA as a result of endurance training, without specific effect of regeneration. Furthermore, training-induced changes in CK and LDH isoenzyme distribution occurred to a similar extent in regenerated and non-treated PLA muscles, and thus did not follow the changes in MHC isoforms. An increase in the mitochondrial CK isozyme activity (mi-CK) was shown in both non-treated and previously degenerated PLA muscles (123 and 117%, P < 0.01, respectively), without specific effect of regeneration. The ratio of mi-CK to CS activity, an estimate of the mitochondrial specific activity of mi-CK was significantly increased by training (P < 0.02) and decreased by regeneration (P < 0.05). Taken together, these data suggest that while training and regeneration have cumulative effects on the pattern of fast MHC expression, the training-induced changes in the energy metabolism shown in mature non-treated myofibres are similar to those observed in regenerated fibres.     

心脏组织工程瓣脉动流培养系统的设计与构建

自行设计和制造平面和三维立体培养室及贮液室等构件,用医用硅胶管连接;转子泵作为动力源,贮液室通气口供给5%CO2 95%空气,恒温水浴箱保持构件37℃恒温,这样组成了种植细胞与生物瓣支架复合体的脉动培养系统,并进行生物力学和生物相容性测试,为心脏组织工程瓣的体外构建提供研究器材。结果显示,该装置密闭性能好,内环境能保持37±1℃、CO2浓度5%±1%、pH值6.8～7.5;流量在0.125～6.0L/min的范围内任意调节;同种瓣膜上的内皮细胞经2周培养后扩增约10倍;瓣膜支架的细菌和霉菌培养均为阴性,说明我们构建的脉动流培养系统能有效地模拟体内脉动流场实现种植细胞在体外的增殖、重塑,为心脏组织工程瓣的体外构建提供了一种新的实验方法。     

基于通用中间件接口服务器的远程医疗信息系统

在远程医疗信息系统共享平台的设计中,提出一种构建通用中间件接口服务器实现多家医院信息系统HIS与PACS的无缝连接方案。着重介绍了DICOM中间件、HL7消息中间件、生态识别和PKI技术在系统集成中的应用。     

102T/C polymorphism of serotonin receptor type 2A gene is not associated with schizophrenia in either Chinese or British populations

Several pieces of evidence implicate serotonin receptors in the aetiology of schizophrenia, and recently a number of studies have reported a genetic association between the 102T/C polymorphism of serotonin receptor type 2A gene and schizophrenia. Unfortunately a number of failures to replicate these positive associations in both Caucasian and Chinese populations have also been reported. We have examined the 102T/C polymorphism by PCR amplification and restriction analysis of DNA from: 202 schizophrenics and 202 controls from Shanghai; 112 schizophrenics and 224 parents from Chengdu, Cina; and 253 schizophrenics and 244 controls from the the UK. We find no evidence of association or transmission disequilibrium between the 102T/C polymorphism and schizophrenia in any of the groups we have examined. We conclude that either the original positive reports occurred by chance or any effect must be minimal, and urge caution in interpreting small positive results derived using data from different centres.     

急慢性MCMV感染对小鼠脾细胞Foxp3/T-bet/GATA-3蛋白表达水平的影响

目的：在整体水平研究鼠巨细胞病毒（MCMV）感染对小鼠辅助性T细胞亚群Th1、Th2和调节性T细胞（Treg）分化特异性转录因子T-bet、GATA-3和Foxp3蛋白表达水平的影响。方法：建立MCMV播散型感染模型,依据主要脏器内病毒滴度,确定感染后28天为本模型急、慢性期界定点。42只模型鼠分别于接种MCMV Smith株后第1、3、7、14、28、45天和60天各处死6只,分离脾细胞;另设42只正常小鼠作为模拟感染对照。Western blot法检测脾细胞中特异转录因子T-bet、GATA-3和Foxp3蛋白表达水平。结果：MCMV感染后第3天T-bet蛋白表达显著增高达峰值,与模拟感染对照组比较有显著差异（P〈0.01）,随后下降,第28天后降至模拟感染对照组相当水平;而GATA-3蛋白表达在感染后第3天开始升高,第7天达峰值（P〈0.01）,第14天开始缓慢下降,但至第60天仍显著高于模拟感染对照组（P〈0.05）;Foxp3蛋白表达在感染后7天明显低于模拟感染对照组,第28天降至最低（P〈0.01）,第45天和60天表达明显上调,并显著高于模拟感染对照组水平（P〈0.05）。结论：感染急性期,MCMV上调Th1/Th2特异性转录因子T-bet和GATA-3的蛋白表达;感染慢性期,MCMV诱导Treg特异性转录因子Foxp3蛋白表达上调,同时显著抑制T-bet和GATA-3蛋白表达,提示CMV诱导Foxp3表达增加可能是其抑制宿主抗病毒免疫,导致慢性持续性感染的重要原因。     

人参二醇组皂甙及游泳训练对大鼠股四头肌α-肌动蛋白mRNA表达的影响

目的:观察大鼠7周大负荷游泳训练及人参二醇组皂甙(PDS)对大鼠股四头肌α-肌动蛋白mRNA表达的影响。方法:采用Northernblot分析7周大负荷游泳训练后恢复期大鼠股四头肌α-肌动蛋白mRNA表达水平及PDS对其影响。结果:α-肌动蛋白mRNA杂交信号的扫描积分光密度值(A),运动·盐水组较安静组略强;运动·PDS,扫描积分光密度值(A)显著强于运动·盐水组和安静组,运动·甲睾组与运动·盐水组表达无明显差异。结论:PDS可提高长期耐力运动大鼠股四头肌α-肌动蛋白mRNA表达,从而提高耐力运动能力;长期应用外源性雄激素对耐力训练大鼠股四头肌α-肌动蛋白无明显提高,这可能与外源睾酮对内源性睾酮分泌的抑制有关。