Relationship between cellular ATP content and cellular functions of primary cultured rat hepatocytes in hypoxia

The importance of oxygen in maintaining the functional integrity of hepatocytes has been well established in a variety of experimental models, such as in vivo , perfused liver and isolated hepatocytes. However, one of the shortcomings of these systems is their short life span. Therefore, we have examined the effects of long-term hypoxia on cellular adenine nucleotide content and cellular functions, such as albumin production, urea production and DNA synthesis, in adult rat hepatocytes in primary culture. Hepatocytes were cultured at a density of 11 × 10⁴ and 5 × 10⁴ cells/0.18 mL per cm² for the study of albumin and urea production and DNA synthesis, respectively, at various oxygen tensions (20, 12, 8 and 5%) for 24 h. Cellular ATP content in cultured hepatocytes in hypoxia gradually declined, corresponding to the decrease in oxygen tension, and the cellular ATP level at 5% oxygen was approximately 20% of that at 20% oxygen. Albumin production also decreased in parallel with the decrease in cellular ATP content in cultured hepatocytes in hypoxia. However, even when cellular ATP content gradually declined corresponding with the decrease in oxygen tension in cultured hepatocytes in hypoxia, such as at 8 or 5% oxygen, urea production remained at a high level; in contrast, DNA synthesis was completely suppressed. These results suggest that the cellular ATP content decreases in cultured hepatocytes during long-term hypoxia in relation to oxygen tension and that the relationship between decreased ATP levels and liver function in cultured hepatocytes during hypoxia differs for albumin production, urea production and DNA synthesis.     

Assessment of vector microfilarial uptake as a comparatively non-invasive technique for monitoring onchocerciasis treatment campaigns in the Americas

Summary Since 1992, efforts have been made to combat onchocerciasis in Guatemala through mass distribution of ivermectin. The impact of the campaign is assessed by taking skin-snips from sentinel groups within selected communities. This method gives an estimate of the prevalence and intensity of infection, and thus the efficacy of the treatment. In some communities people are becoming reluctant to volunteer for skin-snipping, and so there is a need for an alternative technique that will give quantitative results. In most hyperendemic communities in Guatemala, biting blackflies are so ubiquitous that few people object to allowing 10 to 20 flies to engorge upon them. We examined data on the quantitative uptake of microfilariae by Simulium ochraceum before and after ivermectin distribution to see whether results similar to skin-snip data could be obtained. Counts of microfilariae ingested by S. ochraceum are compared to the numbers found in skin-snips from the same volunteers. In a group of 31 untreated infected persons, a skin-snip survey detected 64.5% positive, while feeding flies (vector microfilarial uptake, VmfU) detected 96.8%. Post-treatment, in a sample of 58 of whom 52 (89.7%) had a history of infection, both skin-snips and VmfU detected 54.2%. Vector blood meals contained more microfilariae than a mg of skin before treatment, but both recorded about equal numbers after treatment. When the data set was subdivided to compare samples taken at 2–3, 6–8 and 14–17 months post-treatment, the effect of ivermectin was still apparent at 6–8 months, but had virtually disappeared by 14 months post-treatment. A surprising observation was that the flies ingested fewer microfilariae from treated persons than was expected from the skin densities as estimated by skin-snip. This effect lasted for over 8 months, and could indicate that ivermectin has a greater effect on transmission than previously suspected. We conclude that VmfU could be used as an alternative to skin-snipping, and discuss the ethical implications.     

甲状腺机能亢进症辨证分型与甲皱微循环及TT_3、TT_4、FT_4I和吸~(131)碘率的关系

对甲状腺机能亢进症(甲亢)患者进行了临床辨证分型,同步观察甲皱微循环及检测TT_3 TT_4 FT_4I、吸~(131)碘率,探讨它们之间的关系。结果表明甲亢患者微循环积分明显高于对照组(P<0.01),但不同类型甲亢的血淤情况亦不相同。心肝火旺型的微循环积分低于气滞痰凝型和血瘀型,但TT_3、TT_4、FT_4I明显增高;气滞痰凝型居中;血淤型的微循环积分明显增高,但TT_3、TT_4、FT_4I低于其他两型。吸~(131)碘率三型间无差异(P>0.05)。     

Synopses of Posters Presented at the International Workshop on Brain Uptake and Utilization of Fatty Acids,Lipids, and Lipoproteins: Application to Neurological Disorders

Thirty-five posters were presented at the Workshop on Brain Uptake And Utilization Of Fatty Acids, Lipids, and Lipoproteins. They were grouped into four categories: (1) mechanisms of lipid uptake and transport to the brain, (2) lipoproteins and polyunsaturated fatty acids, (3) eicosanoids in brain function, and (4) fatty acids and lipids in brain disorders. This article summarizes the highlights of the research presented in these posters. The individual abstracts follow these synopses.     

失重对成骨细胞基因表达和细胞功能影响的研究进展

骨骼可以适应包括重力在内的各种机械刺激，并对骨形成与骨吸收之间的平衡进行调整。失重状态下的骨质减少主要归因于骨形成的减少，这与成骨细胞功能下降有关，表现为细胞增殖粘附能力下降，与分化成熟相关的物质(碱性磷酸酶，骨钙素和I型胶原)的mRNA及蛋白合成均减少，多种生长因子的分泌量以及细胞对其反应性下降。成骨细胞功能下降的机制尚不明确，有假说认为失重时细胞形态的改变导致了基因表达与功能的变化。     

刺五加制剂对老年人恒定负荷下运动耐力的影响

以１３名５０～５７岁志愿者为试验对象，研究了刺五加制剂对人体运动能力的影响。结果表明服用刺五加制剂后，在４５０ｋｇ．ｍ／ｍｉｎ（７５Ｗ）持速恒定功率负荷运动时呼吸商由０．９６下降至０．８８，使运动时脂肪供能增加２７．２％；心率下降８．７％，每博摄氧量增加１６．１８％。结果均提示刺五加制剂能提高人体摄氧能力，节省肌糖元，从而发挥抗疲劳作用     

爱大霉素和庆大霉素对肾皮质线粒体~(45)Ca~(2+)摄取的影响

目的研究爱大霉素和庆大霉素对大鼠肾皮质线粒体钙摄取的影响。方法应用４５Ｃａ２＋示踪技术。结果两药在１ｍｍｏｌ·Ｌ－１时显著促进线粒体钙摄取（分别由每３０ｍｉｎ（１１３．５±７．５）μｍｏｌ·ｇ－１Ｐｒｏ上升到（１４８．０±２４．０）μｍｏｌ·ｇ－１Ｐｒｏ，（１１１．９±１３．０）μｍｏｌ·ｇ－１Ｐｒｏ上升到（１４０．１±１６．６）μｍｏｌ·ｇ－１Ｐｒｏ，Ｐ＜０．０５）；在１０μｍｏｌ·Ｌ－１时显著抑制线粒体钙摄取（分别由每３０ｍｉｎ（１１３．５±７．５）μｍｏｌ·ｇ－１Ｐｒｏ下降到（９２．３±５．７）μｍｏｌ·ｇ－１Ｐｒｏ，（１１１．９±１３．０）μｍｏｌ·ｇ－１Ｐｒｏ下降到（１４０．０±５．３）μｍｏｌ·ｇ－１Ｐｒｏ，Ｐ＜０．０５或Ｐ＜０．０１）。结论两药对线粒体钙摄取的这种双相变化可能与它们肾毒性有关     

Decreased antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity in minimal change nephrotic syndrome

Secondary IgG response to a tetanus toxoid booster and in vitro measurement of immunoglobulin synthesis, antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) and -interferon (IFN-) production were evaluated in 20 healthy controls and in 17 children with minimal change nephrotic syndrome (MCNS), during the acute nephrotic phase and 6 months after remission. Defective responses were observed in all but IFN- production during the acute nephrotic phase; these improved with disease remission. There was a significant correlation between decreases in vitro IgG production and ADCC reaction. These data indicate that defective antibody production is associated with decreased ADCC during the acute nephrotic phase of MCNS.     

The uptake and O-methylation of 3H-(±)-isoprenaline in rat cerebral cortex slices

Summary The O-methylation and accumulation of ³H-isoprenaline in slices of the rat cerebral cortex were studied before and after inhibition of COMT. 1. Inhibition of COMT by mol/l U-0521 virtually abolished the O-methylation and increased the accumulation of ³H-isoprenaline; hence, there is evidence for the existence of a central O-methylating system (with a transport mechanism and intracellular COMT). 2. Experiments were carried out with selective uptake inhibitors for uptake, (cocaine and desipramine) or uptake2 (corticosterone and OMI), with phenoxybenzamine (known to inhibit both carriers) and with changes in the ionic composition of the incubation medium. They revealed that the central carrier differed from both, uptake, and uptake2, although exhibiting some resemblance with uptake₂ (lack of dependence on Na⁺ and Cl^–, sensitivity to K⁺ and phenoxybenzamine, ability to transport ³H-isoprenaline). 3. Although the central carrier was rather sensitive to inhibition by beta-adrenoceptor antagonists (propranolol, carteolol), the effect of propranolol was not stereoselective; hence, beta-adrenoceptors do not seem to be involved. 4. Virtually identical IC₃₀-values were obtained for inhibitors, when determined with or without inhibition of COMT. Only OMI was found to inhibit COMT as well as the central transport system; hence it was more potent in inhibiting the O-methylation than the accumulation of ³H-isoprenaline. 5. IC₅₀-values (against initial rates of accumulation of ³H-isoprenaline; COMT inhibited) were determined for various substrates and inhibitors of peripheral uptake₂. There was no correlation with the IC₅₀-values determined earlier for uptake2 in rat heart (Grohmann and Trendelenburg 1984). 6. Unlabelled catecholamines half saturated the intracellular COMT when slices were incubated with 0.22 mol/l [(±)-dobutamine] to 4.9 mol/l [(–)-noradrenaline]. As the presence of unlabelled catecholamines increased tissue levels of ³H-isoprenaline, catecholamines are substrates of the central carrier. 7. The carrier of the central O-methylating system differs from uptake₂ of peripheral organs, although it resembles the peripheral carrier in some respects.Abbreviations COMT catechol-O-methyl transferase - DOPEG dihydroxyphenylglycol - MAO monoamine oxidase - OMI 3-Omethyl-isoprenaline Supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (Tr 96 and SFB 176) and by a scholarship of the Royal Society for V. G. Wilson. Some of the results were presented to the British Pharmacological Society (Trendelenburg and Wilson 1986)     

Axin1调节骨骼肌GLUT4蛋白表达的作用研究

目的：探讨体轴发育抑制因子（Axin1）调节骨骼肌葡萄糖转运蛋白4(GLUT4)蛋白表达的作用及其机制。方法：利用RNAi干扰的Axin1腺病毒（Ad-siAxin1）感染C2C12小鼠骨骼肌细胞敲低Axin1,荧光显微镜和MTS实验明确Ad-siAxin1最佳感染浓度和时间。分别用携带绿色荧光蛋白的腺病毒（Ad-GFP）、Ad-siAxin1、载体质粒（vector）和Axin1质粒转染C2C12小鼠骨骼肌细胞敲低或过表达Axin1蛋白,Western印迹检测Axin1、端锚聚合酶蛋白（TNKS）和GLUT4蛋白水平。结果：荧光显微镜和MTS实验结果显示,在C2C12小鼠骨骼肌细胞中Ad-siAxin1作用的最佳浓度和时间分别为160μL和48 h。Western印迹结果显示,与Ad-GFP组相比,Ad-siAxin1组中Axin1蛋白降低（t=6.746,P<0.01）。Ad-siAxin1组TNKS蛋白水平降低（t=4.019,P<0.05）,GLUT4蛋白水平下调（t=3.248,P<0.05）。与vector组相比,转染Axin1质粒后,Axin1蛋白水平上...