Diverse functions of the p75 neurotrophin receptor

The pan-neurotrophin receptor p75NTR belongs to a large family of receptors, which includes tumor necrosis factor receptors, Fas and approximately 25 other members. The p75NTR is the first receptor to be cloned molecularly. Recent years have seen the emergence of a consensus regarding the signaling pathways activated by p75NTR and its potential biological function, although receptor characterization had not been targeted for some years. We now know that p75NTR has surprisingly diverse effects, ranging from cell death to regulation of axon elongation. This diversity can be explained by the complex formation of p75NTR with other receptors and multiple signaling molecules that interact with the intracellular domain of p75NTR.     

A B220+ CD117+ CD19- hematopoietic progenitor with potent lymphoid and myeloid developmental potential

In this report, we identify in the bone marrow (BM) of normal mice a subpopulation of B220+ CD117+ CD19- NK1.1- cells with potent lymphoid and myeloid developmental potential. These cells represent 0.1-0.2% of nucleated BM cells. By limiting dilution analysis in the presence of the appropriate combination of stromal cells and cytokines, 1 in 5-10 sorted cells formed B cells, 1 in 10-15 formed T cells and 1 in 5-10 generated macrophages. When cultured on a mixture of OP9 stroma and OP9 stromal cells expressing the Notch ligand Delta-like-1, single cells generated both T and B cells. Following intravenous infusion, freshly sorted cells transiently reconstituted both the T and B cell progenitor compartments, generating cohorts of mature T and B lymphocytes. The relationship between B220+ CD117+ CD19- NK1.1- cells of wild-type mice and other multi-lineage BM progenitors is discussed.     

小鼠β_2m反义核酸重组荧光蛋白表达载体的构建及表达研究

本研究应用分子生物学技术 ,构建小鼠 β2 m反义核酸重组荧光蛋白表达载体pEGFP β2 mAN ,经过酶切、PCR鉴定 ,以及序列分析证实克隆的正确性。然后用脂质体转染NIH3T3细胞 ,经过RT PCR及Westernblot检测 ,观察重组质粒对细胞β2 mmRNA和蛋白表达的影响 ,同时在荧光显微镜下直接观察细胞转染的结果。结果证明pEGFP β2 mAN已成功导入NIH3T3细胞中 ,且有效表达 ,在荧光显微镜下可见梭形绿色荧光细胞 ;与同步转染的小鼠 β2 m正、反义核酸表达载体pcDNA3 β2 mSN、pcDNA3 β2 mAN的转染结果一起进行分析 ,转染pcDNA3 β2 mSN细胞的 β2 mmRNA和蛋白表达水平升高 ,而转染pcD NA3 β2 mAN和pEGFP β2 mAN的细胞 β2 mmRNA和蛋白表达水平降低。小鼠 β2 m反义核酸重组荧光蛋白表达载体pEGFP β2 mAN的转染结果显示 :它不但可以降低NIH3T3细胞 β2 m基因的表达 ,而且为观察脂质体转染效果提供了直观、即时的方法     

低氧对大鼠肺动脉平滑肌细胞血红素加氧酶-1 mRNA 表达及细胞增殖的影响

探讨血红素加氧酶－1（HO－1）mRNA在低氧大鼠肺动脉平滑肌细胞（PASMC0的表达及HO－1／一氧化碳（HO－1／CO）体系对PASMC增殖的影响。应用荧光定量RT－PCR法测定HO－1mRNA表达。用双波长法检测碳氧血红蛋白（HbCO)吸光值。应用免疫细胞化学方法检测细胞增殖核抗原（PCNA）及核转录因子－κB（NF-κB）的表达。发现HO－1 mRNA在常氧大鼠PASMC有低水平的表达，低氧12h HO-1mRNA水平是常氧时的1．5倍，且HbCO产量随之显著增高（P＜0．01）；低氧24h HO-1 mRNA表达呈回落趋势，HbCO产量亦有所减少，但两者仍高于常氧水平。低氧12h及24h PASMC PCNA核阳性反应颗粒表达较常氧时增强（P＜0．01，P＜0．001），使用HO抑制剂ZnPP-9，其PCNA该阳性反应颗粒表达较单纯低氧时增加更多（P＜0．001，P＜0．01）。低氧组核NF－κB阳性染色较常氧组增强（P＜0．001），使用ZnPP-9，其表达则比低氧时更多（P＜0．01）。低氧通过诱导大鼠PASMC的HO－1 mRNA基因表达，上调HO／CO体系活性，使内源性CO含量增高，抑制PASMC增殖；NF－κB参与了PASMC增殖的调控机制。     

Preimplantation embryo morphology following early luteal phase anti-nidatory treatment with mifepristone (RU486) in the rhesus monkey

The ultrastructural characteristics of peri-implantation stage embryos recovered on day 6 after ovulation from rhesus monkeys with or without mifepristone (RU486) treatment during the early luteal phase were examined in the present study. Monkeys were randomly allocated to two groups; group 1 animals were injected s.c. with 2 ml vehicle (1:4, benzyl benzoate: olive oil, v/v, n = 21) and group 2 animals received a single dose of mifepristone (2 mg/kg body weight, w/v, n = 30) in the same volume of vehicle on day 2 after ovulation in mated cycles. On day 6 after ovulation, female monkeys of both groups were laparotomized and their reproductive tracts were flushed to retrieve preimplantation stage embryos. Embryos that showed frank degeneration or desynchrony on gross microscopical examination were not included in the present study. Preimplantation embryo growth on day 6 after ovulation was significantly (P < 0.05) affected in the morula-blastocyst transition stage in mifepristone-treated monkeys compared with that in the control group of monkeys. Ultrastructurally, administration of mifepristone on day 2 after ovulation depressed preimplantation stage embryo development, characterized by loss of cell polarity, lack of mitochondrial maturity, and lack of differentiation in trophoblast cells. Furthermore, preimplantation embryos from mifepristone-treated animals displayed a higher occurrence of inter-blastomere space, intra-cytoplasmic vacuoles, myelinoid bodies, accumulation of lipid droplets, lysosomes, lipofuscins, autophagosomes and multivesicular bodies. Collectively, it appears that the developmental potential of preimplantation embryos was significantly compromised in mifepristone-treated cycles.     

Immunohistochemical evidence for mesothelial origin of paratesticular adenomatoid tumour

AIMS: To investigate the histogenesis of paratesticular adenomatoid tumour by use of immunohistochemical markers for a variety of carcinomas and mesothelioma. METHODS AND RESULTS: Immunohistochemical staining of sections from 12 cases of paratesticular adenomatoid tumour was undertaken using primary antibodies to antigens expressed by benign epithelial cells and carcinoma (cytokeratin AE1/AE3, cytokeratin 34ssE12, epithelial membrane antigen, MOC-31, Ber-EP4, CEA, B72.3, LEA.135, Leu M1), stromal and vascular markers (vimentin, CD34, factor VIII), and mesothelioma-associated antigens (thrombomodulin, HBME-1, OC 125) and p53 protein. There was absence of immunohistochemical expression of epithelial/carcinoma markers MOC-31, Ber-EP4, CEA, B72.3, LEA.135, Leu M1 and to factor VIII and CD34. All tumours expressed cytokeratin AE1/AE3, epithelial membrane antigen and vimentin, with weak expression of cytokeratin 34ssE12 in 25% of tumours. Each tumour showed expression of thrombomodulin, HBME-1 and OC 125 in a membranous distribution. p53 protein expression was not detected. CONCLUSIONS: The immunohistochemical profile of paratesticular adenomatoid tumour is strongly supportive of a mesothelial cell origin.     

Clear cell adenocarcinoma with endobronchial polypoid growth

Clear cell adenocarcinoma of the lung is extremely rare. On radiography, a 45-year-old female with fever was found to have an abnormal shadow in the left lower lung field. Bronchoscopy revealed a polypoid tumor in the left bronchus. On biopsy, the tumor was determined to be adenocarcinoma. Preoperative examination found no tumors outside of the lung. The patient underwent left lower lobectomy with bronchial wedge resection. The tumor had completely obstructed and dilated the left lower bronchus, but had not invaded the tissue outside the bronchial wall. Microscopically, the cytoplasm of the tumor cells contained abundant glycogen, and the tumor had solid and glandular structures. The tumor was diagnosed as clear cell adenocarcinoma of the lung.     

Immunomodulation by vitamin B12: augmentation of CD8+ T lymphocytes and natural killer (NK) cell activity in vitamin B12-deficient patients by methyl-B12 treatment

It has been suggested that vitamin B12 (vit.B12) plays an important role in immune system regulation, but the details are still obscure. In order to examine the action of vit.B12 on cells of the human immune system, lymphocyte subpopulations and NK cell activity were evaluated in 11 patients with vit.B12 deficiency anaemia and in 13 control subjects. Decreases in the number of lymphocytes and CD8+ cells and in the proportion of CD4+ cells, an abnormally high CD4/CD8 ratio, and suppressed NK cell activity were noted in patients compared with control subjects. In all 11 patients and eight control subjects, these immune parameters were evaluated before and after methyl-B12 injection. The lymphocyte counts and number of CD8+ cells increased both in patients and in control subjects. The high CD4/CD8 ratio and suppressed NK cell activity were improved by methyl-B12 treatment. Augmentation of CD3-CD16+ cells occurred in patients after methyl-B12 treatment. In contrast, antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC) activity, lectin-stimulated lymphocyte blast formation, and serum levels of immunoglobulins were not changed by methyl-B12 treatment. These results indicate that vit.B12 might play an important role in cellular immunity, especially relativing to CD8+ cells and the NK cell system, which suggests effects on cytotoxic cells. We conclude that vit.B12 acts as an immunomodulator for cellular immunity.     

右旋糖酐40、70对红细胞与内皮细胞粘附的影响

采用流室显微观察系统，定量研究右旋糖酐４０（ＤＸ４０）和右旋糖酐７０（ＤＸ７０）对红细胞与内皮细胞动态粘附特性的影响。统计分析处理数据，得到反映切应力与细胞间动态粘附数关系的经验公式及粘附特征常数ａ，ｂ值。ａ值反映红细胞的初始粘附数，ｂ值反映随切应力增大，粘附数减小的速率。ＤＸ７０实验组的ａ值大于ＤＸ４０组的，而ｂ值的情况相反。故结果显示切应力越大，粘附的红细胞越少；ＤＸ４０使红细胞的粘附明显减少；ＤＸ７０使红细胞粘附显著增加。由此提示不同长度的细胞桥接分子对红细胞的粘附影响不同，且临床上选用ＤＸ４０作血浆扩容剂较ＤＸ７０优越得多     

逆转录病毒介导的IL－2和TNF－α融合基因在卵巢癌细胞中的表达及其对肿瘤细胞生长的影响

ＩＬ－４和ＴＮＦ－α是引人注目的抗肿瘤活性因子，两者在抗肿瘤及免疫调节方面具有协同作用。我们利用逆转录病毒载体Ｘｄ１构建了插入ＩＬ－２和ＴＮＦ－α融合基因的重组逆转录病毒载体ＸｄＦ，融合基因包括编码ＩＬ－２前导肽和ＩＬ－２和ＴＮＦ－α成熟肽的序列。重组载体用Ｌｉｐｏｆｅｃｔｉｎ方法引入病毒包装细胞ＰＡ３１７，挑选Ｇ４１８抗性克隆，用ＮＩＨ３Ｔ３细胞测定病毒滴度，获得一滴度为１×１０￣４ＣＦＵ／ｍｌ的高滴度克隆。超速离心浓缩这一重组病毒上清，转导人卵巢癌细胞系ＳＫＯＶ３，经Ｇ４１８筛选获得抗性克隆。ＰＣＲ可从融合基因转导的细胞ＤＮＡ中扩增出１．１ｋｂ的融合基因片断，证明目的基因完整的整合在细胞的基因组ＤＮＡ中，测其上清中的ＩＬ－２和ＴＮＦ－α活性结果显示：ＩＬ－２的活性为８－１５Ｕ／１０￣６ｃｅｌｌｓ／２４ｈ，ＴＮＦ－α的活性为１５０－４００Ｕ／１０￣６ｃｅｌｌｓ／２４ｈ。这一结果表明逆转录病毒介导的融合基因可以在卵巢癌细胞中获得有效表达，表达的融合基因产物在体内和体外部对肿瘤细胞的生长具有抑制作用。