ReProComet: a new in vitro method to assess DNA damage in mammalian sperm.

The increasing request of chemical safety assessment demands for the validation of alternative methods to reduce the resort to animal experimentation. Methods that evaluate reproductive toxicity are among those requiring the largest use of animals. Presently, no validated in vitro alternative exists for the assessment of reproductive toxicity. Mammalian sperm are sensitive targets of DNA-reactive chemicals, which form premutagenic adducts. Here, we propose a new method based on comet assay to detect DNA damage induced by potential germ cell mutagens in bull sperm available from assisted reproduction practices. In somatic cells, chemical-induced adducts can be revealed by comet assay that detects DNA breaks produced during adduct repair. Mature sperm, however, are devoid of repair enzymes, and adducts are processed only after fertilization. For this reason, comet assay is not sensitive to detect DNA lesions induced in sperm by most chemicals. To overcome such limitation, we developed a modified comet assay based on the addition of a protein extract from HeLa cells to agarose-embedded sperm on microscopic slides. To test the method, sperm were treated in vitro with methyl methanesulfonate (MMS) or melphalan (MLP) and comet assay was conducted both with and without protein supplementation. No effect of MMS or MLP was detected without protein supplementation; on the contrary, a clear-cut dose-dependent effect was measured after addition of the cell extract. These results represent a proof of concept of a novel in vitro mutagenicity test on sperm that could offer a promising approach to complement previously validated in vivo germ cell genotoxicity assays.     

葡立胶囊与抗骨增生胶囊联用治疗颈椎病的临床研究

目的 了解、观察葡立胶囊与抗骨增生胶囊联用治疗颈椎病对血清SOD含量及疼痛功能评分的影响。方法 对一组神经根型颈椎病患者，用葡立胶囊与抗骨增生胶囊联合应用治疗3个月，测定血清SOD含量及疼痛功能评分变化。结果 颈椎病患者治疗组血清SOD含量与治疗前相比明显升高，疼痛功能评分治疗前相比明显降低。结论 葡立胶囊与抗骨增生胶囊联合应用可明显缓解症状，提高血清SOD活力，延缓颈椎间盘退变，对治疗颈椎病有明显疗效。     

Exo-focal postischemic neuronal damage in the rat brain: alteration of [H]forskolin binding using in vitro autoradiography

We studied the alteration of intracellular signal transduction using quantitative autoradiography of the second messenger system in order to clarify the mechanisms of delayed neuronal damage in the remote areas of rat brain after transient focal ischemia. Chronological changes of [³H]forskolin binding sites were measured to demonstrate the striatal-nigral pathway after 90 min of right middle cerebral artery (MCA) occlusion and after such occlusion followed by 3 h, 6 h, 1 day, 3 days, 1 week, 2 weeks and 4 weeks of recirculation. [³H]Forskolin binding sites were found to be markedly decreased in the lateral segment of the caudate putamen supplied by the occluded MCA after 90 min of ischemia with no recirculation. On the contrary, there was no alteration on day 1, but 3 days after ischemic insult, marked reduction of [³H]forskolin binding sites was observed in the ipsilateral substantia nigra which lay outside the ischemic areas. This postischemic delayed phenomenon observed in the substantia nigra developed concurrently with ⁴⁵Ca accumulation, which was detected there in our previous study. The delayed reduction of [³H]forskolin binding sites in the substantia nigra observed in the present study indicates that striatonigral terminal degeneration at presynaptic sites is caused by precedent ischemic damage of the ipsilateral caudate putamen and that exo-focal postischemic neuronal death is caused by a transsynaptic process associated with the ischemic foci.     

Anti-S-100 Serum blocks long-term potentiation in the hippocampal slice

S-100 is a calcium-binding, glial protein which has been shown to be involved in behavioral learning and memory tasks. Long-term potentiation (LTP) in the hippocampus is a long-lasting enhancement of synaptic efficacy evoked by repetitive afferent stimulation. When anti-S-100 serum is applied by pressure ejection onto the stratum radiatum of area CA1 of the hippocampal slice, the amplitude of the extracellularly recorded population spike is not affected. However, repetitive stimulation of the afferents during S-100 application failed to produce LTP. At a distant site in the same slice, LTP occurs normally. Preimmune normal rabbit serum had no effect on the development of LTP. It appears that S-100 protein is involved in the establishment of LTP.     

Extensive pectoral muscle necrosis after defibrillation: nonthermal skeletal muscle damage caused by electroporation

A 37-year-old Italian male developed a myocardial infarct with subsequent ventricular fibrillation. He was defibrillated seven times with up to 360 Joules. Thirteen days later the patient died of recurrent myocardial infarct due to thrombotic occlusion of the left circumflex coronary artery. At autopsy, necrosis of the right pectoralis muscle was observed. Electroporation is the pathogenetic mechanism of skeletal muscle damage due to multiple defibrillations with high energy levels. Received: 8 January 1998 Accepted: 15 April 1998     

重症肌无力中枢神经系统受损模型

目的近年研究结果表明，重症肌无力（ＭＧ）病变部位并不仅仅局限于神经肌接头（ＮＭＪ）处突触后膜烟碱型乙酰胆碱受体（ｎＡＣｈＲ），烟碱型乙酰胆碱受体抗体（ＡＣｈＲ－ａｂ）病理作用可能波及到中枢神经系统（ＣＮＳ）。因此，有必要建立模拟ＭＧ患者ＣＮＳ损害的动物模型，研究ＭＧ患者脑脊液中存在的ＡＣｈＲ－ａｂ引起ＣＮＳ损害的机制。方法从ＭＧ患者血中提取的ＡＣｈＲ－ａｂ经侧脑室穿刺注入到大鼠脑室系统，然后观察其症状和体征，以及用脑干听觉诱发电位仪（ＢＡＥＰ）检测鼠脑干听觉传导中枢功能。用免疫组化法（ＡＢＣ）研究ＡＣｈＲ－ａｂ与ＣＮＳ神经－ｎＡＣｈＲ之间免疫结合反应及其分布。结果大鼠除了出现脑干听觉传导中枢功能障碍外，还出现类似于ＭＧ动物模型表现的症状。免疫组化研究结果显示，神经－ｎＡＣｈＲ样阳性免疫反应广泛分布于ＣＮＳ许多部位。结论脑室内注入的ＡＣｈＲ－ａｂ与神经－ＡＣｈＲ结合引起ＣＮＳ功能障碍和出现ＭＧ动物模型样症状。我们首次建立的中枢受损的ＭＧ模型将有助于阐明ＡＣｈＲ－ａｂ引起中枢受损和ＣＮＳ下位运动神经元引起横纹肌收缩无力的机制。     

恒河猴坐姿着陆冲击内耳损伤的观察

为研究机体及各组织器官对冲击力的耐受限值，探讨致伤原因及提出防护措施，利用着陆冲击塔，使实验动物恒河猴的坐姿状态下，进行冲击试验，试验后１ｈ左右处死，作大体解剖观察并取心，肝，脾，肺，颞骨等组织，固定，切片，镜检。同时重点观察了内耳的损伤。结果表明，冲击载荷不大（平台过载值为≤２５Ｇ）时内脏虽然有轻度损伤，但内耳可避免受员，当冲击力加大到一定程度（平台过载值为３０～３５Ｇ）导致内脏中等损伤时，内耳     

成人斯蒂尔病的肝损害

目的；探讨成人斯蒂尔病（adult-onset Stil's disease,AOSD))合并肝损害的发生、表现、治疗和预后。方法；对27例成人斯蒂尔病患者中出现肝损害的13例，根据病情轻重采用中药水剂茵陈蒿汤中味或益肝灵片加服联苯双酯滴丸、强力宁注射液进行治疗。结果：11例（84.6%）肝功能恢复正常，1例好转，1例因急性肝功能衰竭死亡。结论：成人斯蒂尔病患者合并肝损害甚为常见。经中药和西药联合应用合理治疗后多数患者可恢复或好转。应重视和警惕发生危及生命和急性肝功能衰竭。     

双光气对大鼠肺损伤的研究

研究了双光气染毒后不同时间大鼠支气管肺泡灌洗液（ＢＡＬＦ）成分及肺形态学改变。结果表明，双光气染毒后，ＢＡＬＦ成分的变化程度与肺形态改变密切相关ＢＡＬＦ成分分析可作为动物实验中探测双光气所致肺损伤的有力手段。     

镉对肾脏的毒作用

雄性Ｗｉｓｔａｒ大鼠２４只，随机等分为４组，皮下注射不同剂量的ＣｄＭＴ。结果显示镉接触组尿钙和尿蛋白都高于对照组；肾皮质钠泵和钙泵活性低于对照组，体外试验也显示镉能抑制钙泵活性，ＧＳＨ和半胱氨酸对这种抑制有保护作用；肾皮质ＧＳＨ含量低于对照组，ＭＤＡ含量则高于对照组，但肝脏的这两个指标无变化；高剂量组ｃＡＭＰ／ｃＧＭＰ的比值低于对照组。提示脂质过氧化和钙代谢障碍是镉引起肾损害的机理之一。