Eosinophil cationic protein is stored in, but not produced by, peripheral blood neutrophils

BACKGROUND: Eosinophil cationic protein (ECP) is an eosinophil-derived protein, which has been shown to be present in circulating neutrophils. OBJECTIVE: To establish whether ECP is produced or internalized by peripheral blood neutrophils. METHODS: This was done using microscopy, flow cytometry, fractionation of cells and RT-PCR techniques. RESULTS: No ECP mRNA was detected after extensive cell purification to eliminate all traces of contaminating eosinophils. Examination of immunostained neutrophils by light, confocal, electron microscopy together with cell fraction experiments, established that ECP is present intracellularly and is mostly associated to cell granules. Uptake studies by flow cytometry and by using both cold and radiolabelled ECP showed that it is internalized by neutrophils and stored in some proportion in their primary granules. Upon stimulation with serum-treated Sephadex particles, the internalized ECP was partially released from cells. CONCLUSION: ECP is not produced but can be internalized by circulating neutrophils, which take it from the environment and partially store it in their primary granules.     

骨髓基质干细胞和神经生长因子悬液移植对脊髓损伤修复的影响

目的研究骨髓基质干细胞(BMSCs)移植联用神经生长因子(NGF)对脊髓损伤修复的治疗作用。方法用改良Allen法制成SD大鼠脊髓损伤动物模型(共32只),1周后分别将DMEM、BMSCs、NGF和BMSCs NGF移植入脊髓损伤部位即制成四组(每组8只),移植1、2个月后分别采用神经核蛋白(NeuN)抗体、胶质纤维酸性蛋白(GFAP)抗体和神经丝蛋白(NF)抗体进行免疫荧光染色观察移植的BMSCs的存活及分化情况、损伤部位神经纤维的再生情况。HE染色观察脊髓损伤处空洞面积的改变情况。同时采用BBB运动评分观察大鼠运动功能恢复情况。结果移植1、2个月后,部分移植细胞呈NeuN和GFAP阳性,同时实验组可见明显的神经纤维再生。脊髓损伤处的空洞面积明显减小,差异有显著性意义(P＜0．05),BBB评分结果比对照组均有明显增高,差异有显著性意义(P＜0．05)。在BMSCs NGF组上述改变更加显著。结论BMSCs可在脊髓损伤处分化为神经元和神经胶质细胞,BMSCs和NGF能够减小脊髓损伤处的空洞面积,促进受损轴突的再生和运动功能的恢复,两者联合应用在脊髓损伤修复治疗中具有协同作用。     

Pre-Implantation Multiple Cytokine mRNA Expression Analysis of Donor Lung Grafts Predicts Survival After Lung Transplantation in Humans

While current donor selection with clinical findings is generally effective, the imprecise nature of the assessment forces clinicians to remain on the conservative side. A reliable biological marker would assist donor selection and would improve donor organ utilization. We collected biopsies from 169 donor lungs before implantation. Expression levels of IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, TNF-alpha, IFN-gamma and IL-1beta were measured by quantitative real-time RT-PCR (qRT-PCR). Seventeen cases died within 30 days after transplantation. No donor factor was significantly associated with 30-day mortality. Univariate analysis of the 84 cases for development of the prediction model showed that IL-6, IL-8, TNF-alpha and IL-1beta were risk factors for mortality and IL-10 and IFN-gamma were protective factors. We analyzed the cytokine expression ratios of risk to protective cytokines. A stepwise logistic regression for 30-day mortality demonstrated that a model containing the ratio of IL-6/IL-10 was the most predictive (p = 0.0013). When applied to the remaining 85 cases for validation, the test of model fit was significant (p = 0.039). Using the cytokine ratio, we were able to define three risk groups with striking differences in survival (p = 0.0003). Multi-cytokine analysis of the donor lung graft with qRT-PCR shows significant promise as a strategy to biologically evaluate the donor lung prior to implantation.     

Effect of tacrolimus and partial hepatectomy on transthyretin metabolism in rats

Liver transplantation, which serves as treatment of familial amyloidotic polyneuropathy (FAP), and domino liver transplantation, which utilizes resected livers from patients with FAP for treatment of liver diseases, may induce changes in transthyretin (TTR), a pathogenic FAP-related protein. To evaluate this possibility, we performed a 70% hepatectomy or administered tacrolimus to Dark Agouti (DA) rats for 7 days and then measured changes in liver TTR mRNA levels and changes in serum TTR concentrations. After hepatectomy, TTR mRNA levels decreased by 77%; at day 3, they returned to preoperative levels. Except for slightly elevated serum TTR concentrations 12 h after operation, serum TTR levels remained unchanged. Thus, partial hepatectomy did not influence serum TTR concentrations. After tacrolimus administration, TTR mRNA declined by 56% 12 h after the experiment started; however, after day 3, a rebound phenomenon occurred until day 7. Tacrolimus may facilitate serum TTR degradation, although production of TTR in the liver also increased. This finding -- that TTR, the source of FAP-inducing amyloid, did not increase after transplantation -- may help post-transplantation treatment of patients who have FAP and other liver diseases.     

Differential induction responses of delta-aminolevulinate synthase mRNAs during erythroid differentiation: use of nonradioactive in situ hybridization.

Expression of mRNAs encoding the erythroid-specific delta-aminolevulinate synthase (ALAS-E) and the nonspecific delta-aminolevulinate synthase (ALAS-N) were examined in murine Friend virus-transformed erythroleukemia (MEL) cells using nonradioactive in situ hybridization. Following dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) treatment, ALAS-E mRNA increased markedly, while ALAS-N mRNA did not increase in wild-type MEL cells. In contrast, in a DMSO-resistant clone of MEL cells, ALAS-E was not detectable before and after DMSO treatment. These findings suggest that ALAS-E and ALAS-N mRNAs are under separate controls and that the expression of ALAS-E mRNA is a critical event in erythroid differentiation.     

用SYBR Green I实时逆转录-聚合酶链反应定量检测人、小鼠精子中CatSper1 mRNA

目的:建立并优化SYBR GreenI实时RT-PCR体系,定量检测人、小鼠成熟精子中的CatSper1 mRNA。方法:用TRIzol分别提取人、小鼠成熟精子中的总RNA,逆转录后用SYBR GreenI实时PCR定量检测CatSper1 mRNA。SYBR GreenI实时PCR采用普通PCR试剂,加入SYBR GreenI染料,优化退火温度、Mg2+浓度及上、下游引物比例,并在PCR循环时采用四步法以消除引物二聚体的影响。优化完成后用不同浓度的精子cDNA为模板做标准曲线,以检测SYBR GreenI实时PCR的扩增效率。结果:定量检测CatSper1 mRNA的SYBR GreenI实时PCR体系适宜退火温度、Mg2+浓度及上、下游引物比例分别为63℃、3.0mmol/L和1∶1,四步法中采集荧光的温度为88℃。优化后用人和小鼠精子cDNA为模板做标准曲线分别为Y=-3.402log(X)+25.99和Y=-3.409log(X)+24.09,扩增效率分别为96.8%和96.5%,可定量检测人、小鼠成熟精子中的CatSper1 mRNA。结论:用普通的逆转录及PCR系统和试剂,建立了一种方便、廉价、可靠的SYBR GreenI实时荧光定量RT-PCR系统,可用于人、小鼠精子中CatSper1 mRNA定量检测。     

Expression of cannabinoid receptors and neurotrophins in human gliomas

Recent studies have shown an anti-tumour activity of cannabinoid receptors CB1 and CB2 in gliomas. This effect was mediated by neurotrophins in breast and prostate carcinoma, while in gliomas this relationship has not yet been considered. The aim of this study was to investigate the expression of cannabinoid receptors CB1 and CB2, neurotrophin NGF and NT-3 and their receptors TrkA and TrkC in glioma and endothelial cells. The analysis was performed in 14 gliomas and 2 non-tumour brain specimens by immunohistochemistry and real-time quantitative-polymerase chain reaction (RTQ-PCR). Gliomas showed a weak immunoreactivity for CB1 and CB2 in tumour and in endothelial cells, and for NGF/TrkA mainly in tumour cells, while a moderate/diffuse immunoreactivity was found for NT-3/TrkC. CB2 was expressed on 3 out of 6 low-grade gliomas and in all high-grade gliomas. Non-tumour brain tissues were weakly positive in astrocytes and endothelium for CB1, CB2, NT-3 and TrkC and negative for NGF and TrkA. By RTQ-PCR, gliomas showed low mRNA levels of NGF/TrkA and moderate levels of CB1, NT-3 and TrkC. CB2 mRNA expression was low or absent. A potential role of cannabinoids, particularly of CB2 agonists devoid of psychotropic side effects, in glioma therapy could have a basis in glioblastomas, because they were all positive, though weakly, to CB2. The presence of neurotrophins and their receptors, mainly NT-3 and TrkC, suggests a possible role of these pathways in glioma growth/invasion, but further investigations are required to verify this hypothesis and a potential relationship between cannabinoids and neurotrophins.