Relaxin down-regulates renal fibroblast function and promotes matrix remodelling in vitro.

BACKGROUND: Renal fibroblasts are important effector cells in tubulointerstitial fibrosis, with experimental antifibrotic strategies focusing on the functional down-regulation of these cells. Several experimental models of fibrosis have provided evidence for the effectiveness of the polypeptide hormone relaxin as a potential antifibrotic agent. This study was conducted to further elucidate the antifibrotic mechanisms of relaxin on renal fibroblasts in vitro. METHODS: Rat cortical fibroblasts were obtained from outgrowth culture of renal tissue isolated from kidneys 3 days post-unilateral ureteric obstruction and constituted 100% of cells studied. A relaxin radio-receptor assay was used to establish binding of relaxin to renal fibroblasts in vitro. Functional studies then examined the effects of H2 relaxin (0, 1, 10 and 100 ng/ml) on fibroblast kinetics, expression of alpha-smooth muscle actin (alpha-SMA), total collagen synthesis, collagenase production and collagen-I lattice contraction. CTGF mRNA expression was also measured by northern analysis. RESULTS: H2 relaxin bound with high affinity to rat renal fibroblasts, but receptor numbers were low. Consistent with its previously reported bimodal effect, transforming growth factor (TGF-beta 1) reduced fibroblast proliferation, an effect abrogated by H2 relaxin. Fibroblasts exposed to H2 relaxin (100 ng/ml) for 24 h demonstrated decreased immunostaining for alpha-SMA and reduced alpha-SMA protein expression compared with controls. There was a trend for a relaxin-mediated reduction in total collagen synthesis and alpha 1(I) mRNA expression with large dose-related increases in collagenase protein expression being observed. TGF-beta 1-stimulated collagen-I lattice contraction was significantly inhibited following co-incubation with 100 ng/ml relaxin. Incremental doses of H2 relaxin had no significant effect on CTGF mRNA expression. CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this study suggest that the antifibrotic effects of relaxin involve down-regulation of fibroblast activity, increase in collagenase synthesis and restructuring of collagen-I lattices, which are consistent with its known physiological role of matrix remodelling. Although there appears to be an interaction between TGF-beta 1 and H2 relaxin, this does not appear to involve a reduction in CTGF mRNA expression.     

胰岛素样生长因子-1基因转染脂肪间充质干细胞向软骨细胞分化的研究

目的 观察胰岛素样生长因子(IGF)-1基因转染的脂肪间充质干细胞(ADSCs)向软骨细胞分化的效果.方法 原代培养兔ADSCs,免疫荧光法检测细胞表面抗原CD44、CIM9;脂质体介导人IGF-1基因转染兔ADSCs联合低浓度血清培养基向软骨细胞分化诱导,RT-PCR及Western blot方法检测IGF-1的表达,MMT法绘制细胞增殖曲线、甲苯胺蓝染色软骨结节、免疫组织化学检测Ⅱ型胶原的表达.结果 脂肪间充质干细胞CD44、CD109表达阳性,基因转染后细胞IGF-1表达阳性,细胞增殖速度增快,出现软骨结节,Ⅱ型胶原表达增高.结论 从脂肪组织中能够分离出增殖旺盛的ADSCs,IGF-1在ADSCs内获得稳定表达,细胞增殖能力增强,促进其向软骨细胞分化.     

Thyrotrophin-Releasing Hormone Raises Cytosolic Free Calcium Concentration in Human Adenomatous Somatotrophs and Corticotrophs; Comparison with in vivo Responsiveness to Thyrotrophin-Releasing Hormone in Patients with Acromegaly or Cushing's Disease

The effect of thyrotrophin-releasing hormone (TRH) on intracellular free Ca²⁺ concentration, [Ca²⁺)i, was investigated with the fluorescent dye fura-2 in cell suspensions obtained from 13 human growth hormone-secreting adenomas and 6 adrenocorticotrophin-secreting adenomas. Preoperatively, 9 out of 13 acromegalic patients showed a positive growth hormone response to TRH administration while none of the 6 patients with Cushing's disease had a plasma adrenocorticotrophin increase after TRH injection. In all the growth hormone-secreting adenomas the addition of TRH (100 nM) caused a significant rise in [Ca²⁺]i (from a resting level of 133±40 (±SD) to a value of 284±119 nM at 100 nM TRH, n = 42; P<0.001). The transient induced by TRH was found to have a dual origin, one due to Ca²⁺ mobilization from intracellular stores which was maintained in presence of EGTA (3mM) and verapamil (10 μM) and a plateau phase due to Ca²⁺ influx from the extracellular media. Somatostatin (0.1 μM) lowered both resting [Ca²⁺]i and TRH-induced transients. The effect of gonadotrophin-releasing hormone on [Ca²⁺]i was evaluated on cell suspensions obtained from 6 growth hormone-secreting adenomas. Gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (100 nM) caused a marked rise in [Ca²⁺]i (from 179±25 to 283±15nM) on the cell suspension obtained from the only in vivo responsive adenoma while it was ineffective in the remaining 5. Although TRH was ineffective in modifying plasma adrenocorticotrophin levels in all patients with Cushing's disease, in 5 out of 6 tumors the addition of 100 nM TRH caused a significant rise in [Ca²⁺]i (from 102.5 ± 36 to 163±66 nM, n = 22; P < 0.005). However, the effect of TRH on [Ca²⁺]i was significantly lower than that caused by arginine vasopressin, a physiological stimulator of adrenocorticotrophin release ([Ca²⁺]i values; 145±78 nM at 100 nM TRH versus 300±140 at 10 nM arginine vasopressin, n = 15; P<0.05). Moreover, the effect of arginine vasopressin on [Ca²⁺]i was detectable at concentrations as low as 0.1 nM while TRH was effective at concentrations higher than 1 nM. By contrast, gonadotrophin-releasing hormone was ineffective in increasing [Ca²]i in all the adrenocorticotrophin-secreting adenomas studied. Collectively, these data indicate that sensitivity to TRH is present in almost all the growth hormone- and adrenocorticotrophin-secreting adenomas independently of the responsiveness of the individual patients to the peptide.     

转化生长因子β1对人牙髓细胞微丝骨架的重组作用

目的:了解转化生长因子β1(TGF-β1)对人牙髓细胞微丝和微管骨架的作用。方法:I型胶原酶消化组织块法体外培养人牙髓细胞,以20ng/ml的TGF-β1处理细胞,分别在第30min、1、6和24h收集细胞爬片,BODYPY-Phalloidin对微丝作直接荧光染色、Rhodamine RedTM对微管蛋白α(tubulin-α)作间接免疫荧光染色,采用激光扫描共聚焦显微镜观察TGF-β1作用于牙髓细胞后不同时间点微丝和微管的变化情况。结果:TGF-β1作用于人牙髓细胞后,微丝出现解聚重组现象,在30min时间点,肌动蛋白(actin)在细胞膜下聚合成纤维形肌动蛋白F-actin,同时胞质内的F-actin解聚,6h解聚最明显,24h后可见胞质内微丝重组。观察的各时间点,微管结构未见明显解聚重组现象。结论:TGF-β1能够使牙髓细胞微丝骨架重组。     

大肠癌患者血清MMP-9与VEGF水平的变化及意义

目的本文检测血管内皮生长因子(VEGF)和基质金属蛋白酶(MMP-9)在大肠癌患者血清中的水平,探讨其与大肠癌恶性程度、浸润、转移的关系。方法用ELISA法对48例大肠癌患者及40例正常对照者血清VEGF和MMP-9进行检测。结果大肠癌患者血清VEGF、MMP-9的水平分别为(665.8±232.8)ng/L;(532.7±208.9)ug/L。显著高于对照组(391.6±135.2)ng/L;(317.8±132.2)ug/L(P<0.01)。并与组织分化程度、Duke’s分期有关。低分化者及C、D期患者较中、高度分化及A、B期高(P<0.01)。结论大肠癌患者血清VEGF和MMP-9水平增高,与肿瘤的组织分化程度、转移、分期有关,提示VEGF、MMP-9对大肠癌恶性程度的判断有一定的价值。     

TNF-α和低氧对胰腺癌细胞表达VEGF-A、C的调节

目的:探讨细胞活素肿瘤坏死因子-α(TNF-α)、SNAP(S-Nitroso-Nacetyl-penicillamine)对胰腺癌细胞产生血管内皮生长因子A、C(VEGF-A、C)的调节.方法:用Northern杂交和Western杂交法分析6种人胰腺癌细胞株中VEGF-A、C基因和蛋白的表达;以TNF-α或SNAP刺激其中两个细胞株后用逆转录-聚合酶链式反应技术(RT-PCR)分析其VEGF-A、C基因的表达.结果:Northern杂交法显示这6种胰腺癌细胞株均有4.1kb VEGF-A基因和2.4kb VEGF-C基因的表达;Western杂交法显示它们均有分子量为43kD的VEGF-A蛋白质和分子量为55kD的VEGF-C蛋白质的表达.RT-PCR分析法显示:TNF-α使细胞株COLO-357产生VEGF-A、VEGF-C mRNA分别减少约1～2.5倍、1～2倍,使细胞株CAPAN-1产生VEGF-A、VEGF-C mRNA分别减少约1倍、1.6～2.5倍;而SNAP刺激细胞株COLO-357产生VEGF-A mRNA增加约5倍,刺激细胞株CAPAN-1产生VEGF-A mRNA增加约4倍,但对这两种细胞株产生VEGF-C mRNA均无明显刺激作用.结论:细胞活素TNF-α和低氧通过调节血管内皮生长因子A、C的表达而影响胰腺癌细胞的生物学特性,抑制癌细胞的增殖,促进其凋亡、死亡或进展、恶化.     

Plasma volume in fasted pregnant rats

The effect of a two day fast on maternal plasma volume and plasma protein concentration was explored in pregnant rats. Fasting between days 17 and 19 of gestation prevented the rise in plasma volume observed in ad libitum fed rats. Plasma protein concentration declined between day 17 and day 19 in both fasted and not fasted rats. Placental weight was not reduced by fasting during this stage of gestation. Fetal weight in the fasted group was 91% of the fetal weight of the ad libitum fed group. These results show that acute undernutrition, like longer term food or protein restriction, can prevent adequate plasma volume expansion and slow fetal growth.     

FEEDBACK CONTROL OF A HEAT DIFFUSION SYSTEM WITH TIME-DEPENDENT SPATIAL DOMAIN

The problem of controlling the temperature distribution in a solid cylinder whose length varies with time and with one end in contact with a constant temperature medium is considered. This problem is motivated from that of controlling the temperature and thermal gradient inside a crystal pulled from a melt by the Czochralski method. Boundary feedback controls are derived by considering the time rate of change of a cost functional involving the deviations of both the solid temperature and its gradient from their desired values. The derived feedback controls consist of spatially distributed proportional-plus-rate and lag compensators and a non-linear feedback control involving the temperature gradient at the cylinder surface and the velocity of the spatial domain boundary. The resulting feedback-controlled system has the property that the cost functional along any motion decreases monotonically to zero with time. A numerical scheme for solving the partial differential equation of the feedback-controlled system is proposed. Typical numerical results on the dynamic behaviour of the feedback-controlled system obtained by means of the proposed scheme are presented.