Expression of the beta-nerve growth factor gene in male sex organs of the mouse, rat, and guinea pig.

Steady-state nerve growth factor (NGF) mRNA levels were estimated in male sex organs of the mouse, rat, and guinea pig by RNA blot hybridization analysis. The abundance of NGF mRNAs was in the order vas deferens greater than epididymis greater than or equal to seminal vesicles much greater than testis. NGF mRNA levels in these organs were compared with those estimated for other rat peripheral tissues and were found to correlate with the density of their sympathetic innervation, with the exception of guinea pig prostate. Castration had no significant effect on NGF mRNA levels in the guinea pig prostate, suggesting that NGF synthesis in this tissue is not under direct androgen control. NGF-like and proNGF-like immunoreactivities were localized by immunohistochemical techniques in the secretory cells of the glandular epithelium of the guinea pig prostate and in germ cells in the seminiferous tubules of the mouse testis.     

The role of Na+/K+ ATPase activity during low flow ischemia in preventing myocardial injury: A 31P, 23Na and 87Rb NMR spectroscopic study

An increase in intracellular Na⁺ during ischaemia has been associated with myocardial injury. In this study, we determined whether inhibition of Na⁺/K⁺ ATPase activity contributes to this increase and whether Na⁺/K⁺ ATPase activity can be maintained by provision of glucose to perfused rat hearts during low flow, 0.5 ml/min, ischemia. We used ³¹P NMR spectroscopy to determine changes in myocardial energetics and intracellular and extracellular volumes. ²³Na NMR spectroscopy, with DyTTHA^3- present as a shift reagent, was used to measure changes in intracellular Na⁺ and ⁸⁷Rb NMR spectroscopy was used to estimate Na⁺/K⁺ ATPase activity from Rb⁺ influx rates, Rb⁺ being an NMR-sensitive congener of K⁺. In hearts provided with 11 mM glucose throughout ischemia, glycolysis continued and ATP was twofold higher than in hearts without glucose. In the glucose-hearts, Rb⁺ influx rate was threefold higher, intracellular Na⁺ was fivefold lower at the end of ischemia and functional recovery during reperfusion was twofold higher. We propose that continuation of glycolysis throughout low flow ischemia allowed maintenance of sufficient Na⁺/K⁺ ATPase activity to prevent the increase in intracellular Na⁺ that would otherwise have led to myocardial injury.     

Role of the 2 adenine (g.11293_11294insAA) insertion polymorphism in the 3' untranslated region of the factor VII (FVII) gene: molecular characterization of a patient with severe FVII deficiency

Polymorphic variants in the gene encoding factor VII (F7) affect the plasma levels of this coagulation protein and modify the clinical phenotype of FVII deficiency in some patients. In this study we report the in vitro functional analysis of a novel polymorphic variant located in the 3' untranslated region of F7: g.11293_11294insAA. To determine whether this variant regulates FVII expression, we initially compared an expression vector containing FVII cDNA with g.11293_11294insAA with the FVII wild-type (WT) construct. The kinetics of mRNA production showed that the insertion decreases the steady-state FVII mRNA levels. To assess whether the insertion influences the phenotype of FVII-deficient patients, we evaluated its effect on the expression of FVII in a patient with severe FVII deficiency (undetectable FVII activity and antigen) carrying two additional homozygous missense variations (p.Arg277Cys and p.Arg353Gln). The two substitutions alone reduced the expression of FVII activity and antigen in vitro, but with the insertion polymorphism in our expression vector the patient's phenotype of undetectable plasma FVII was recapitulated. The insertion polymorphism in the 3' untranslated region of F7 is another modifier of FVII expression that might explain the poor genotype-phenotype correlation in some FVII-deficient patients.     

A Study of Rb Gene in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Thefirsttumorsuppressorgenemolecularlyisolatedistheretinoblastoma(Rb).ThedeletionofRbplaysanessentialroleinRetinoblastoma[1].TheosteosarcomaisalsoassociatedwiththedoublelossoftheRbgene[2].AbnormalitiesinthestructureandexpressionoftheRbgenehadbeenidentifiedinsmallcellcanceroflung[3]andbreastcancers[4].ThesefindingssuggestthattheRbgeneisapleiotropicsuppressorgene.Oralsquamouscellcarcinomaisthecommonmalignanttumor,whichaccountsfor80%ofthetotalofmalignanttumorsinoralmaxillofacialregion.Theprog…     

间歇性气囊挤压大鼠腿部对挤压部位和远端骨骼肌一氧化氮合酶mRNA表达的影响

目的:为了进一步了解间歇性气囊挤压法(Intermittent pneumatic compression, IPC)挤压大鼠腿部与一氧化氮(NO)的关系.方法:检测了大鼠骨骼肌中3种一氧化氮合酶(NOS)同工酶:神经型NOS(nNOS);诱导型NOS(iNOS)和内皮细胞型NOS(eNOS)mRNA在IPC作用后的表达变化.25只SD大鼠被随机分为3个模拟实验组和4个IPC实验组.每只鼠取右侧胫前肌(AT)和提睾肌(CM)作为正常对照.IPC组挤压0.5,1,和5h,及挤压5h加等待4h,模拟实验组除不挤压外,其他操作均与实验组相同,然后分离左侧AT和CM作为处理后样品.所有样品应用RT-PCR进行NOS mRNA测定.以样品中看家基因2,3-二羟基丙醛-3-磷酸脱氢酶(GAPHD)cDNA为内参,与NOS cDNA 共同扩增.PCR产物电泳条带密度用NIH图像分析软件定量,并以与正常对照的对比值作为变化比率.结果:在IPC作用0.5、1和5h后,eNOS mRNA显著上升,在AT中分别达到正常对照的1.2,1.8和2.6倍;在CM中分别达到1.2,1.8和2.7倍,而其他NOS,除5hIPC组的nNOS外,总体表现下调.在IPC作用1h加等待4h组中,eNOS mRNA回复至正常对照水平.结论:该结果证实了IPC产生的机械压力至少部分增加了血管壁的剪切压,使内皮细胞增加了NO产物的释放量,导致了挤压部位及远端肌肉的血管扩张和改善了微循环.     

Functional expression of the renal organic cation transporter and P-glycoprotein inXenopus laevis oocytes

The hypothesis that P-glycoprotein (P-gp) mediates the renal secretion of organic cations was tested by functional expression of mRNAs in theXenopus laevis oocyte system. Efflux of 2-deoxytubercidin (dTub), a substrate for the renal organic cation transporter (OCT) but not for P-gp, was enhanced by injection of renal mRNA but not by injection of mRNA from P-gp-overexpressing cells (MDCK cells transduced with the cDNA for humanMDR1). The functional capacity of the MDCK-MDR mRNA was established by its ability to reduce, the steady-state uptake of a classical P-gp substrate, vinblastine. Thus, these data indicate OCT and P-gp to be distinct entities. TheXenopus oocyte system provides a functional approach to further characterize the OCT.Work supported by NIH Grant RO1DK41606 from the Institute for Digestive Diseases and Kidney, and NIH Cancer Center Core Grant, CA 16672 from the National Cancer Institute