Platelet-activating factor receptor is not required for long-term potentiation in the hippocampal CA1 region

From pharmacological studies, platelet-activating factor (PAF) has been proposed as a retrograde messenger for long-term potentiation (LTP) in the hippocampal CA1 region. We re-examined a possible contribution of PAF to LTP with a more specific approach using mice deficient in the PAF receptor. The PAF receptor-deficient mice exhibited normal LTP and showed no obvious abnormality in excitatory synaptic transmission. We also performed pharmacological experiments on the wild-type mice. Two structurally different antagonists of PAF receptors had no effects on LTP. Furthermore, the application of PAF itself caused no detectable changes in excitatory synaptic transmission. Thus, we conclude that the PAF receptor is not required for LTP in the CA1 region. Introduction     

Association Study of Parathyroid Hormone Gene Polymorphism and Bone Mineral Density in Japanese Postmenopausal Women

Association of BST B1 restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) of the parathyroid hormone (PTH) gene with bone mineral density (BMD) was examined in 383 healthy postmenopausal women in Japan who were unrelated. The RFLP was represented as B or b, the capital letter signifying the presence of and the small letter the absence of restriction site for BST B1. The frequency of each genotype—BB, Bb, and bb—was 82.5%, 16.7%, and 0.8%, respectively. When we statistically compared age, years after menopause, body height, and body weight between the BB genotype and the Bb genotype groups, there was no significant difference between the groups. However, the lumbar BMD and the score of BMD adjusted for age and body weight (Z score) were significantly lower in the group of genotype Bb than in the BB: 0.859 ± 0.019 g/cm² versus 0.925 ± 0.011 (mean ± SE, P= 0.01) and −0.412 ± 0.138 versus 0.067 ± 0.082 (mean ± SE, P= 0.01). In addition, the Z score of total body BMD in the Bb genotype group was lower than that in the BB group. Comparison of serum and urinary biochemical bone metabolic markers suggested that the subjects with Bb genotype might be in a relatively higher state of bone turnover than those with BB genotype. These results suggest that the polymorphism in the PTH gene would be a useful genetic marker for lower BMD and the susceptibility for osteoporosis. Received: 19 March 1998 / Accepted: 24 June 1998     

Screening for mutations in candidate genes for hypospadias

Hypospadias, a condition with a frontally placed urethral orifice on the penis, is the most common malformation in males. During fetal development several components are necessary for normal male genital development. Testosterone and dihydrotestosterone act via the androgen receptor but a defective receptor function results in different degrees of genital malformations. Testosterone-5α-reductase converts testosterone to dihydrotestosterone, which is crucial for normal differentiation, and a total lack of this enzyme results, in syndromes with hypospadias. The Wilms' tumour 1 (WT1) gene is expressed in the fetal gonad and genital malformations can occur due to WT1 gene mutations. These genes are therefore strong candidate genes for hypospadias. We have analysed 35 boys with hypopadias and one girl diagnosed as with complete androgen insensitivity syndrome, using exon by exon polymerace chain reaction (PCR) amplification of the AR, WT1 and 5α-reductase genes and screened for point mutations and performed subsequent DNA sequencing. No mutations in any of these genes were found in the 26 patients with isolated hypospadias. Two patients with severe hypospadias with cryptorchidism were found to carry mutations in the androgen receptor gene. Also the girl with clinically diagnosed complete androgen insensitivity was found to be homozygous for a splice mutation in the 5α-reductase gene. In summary, mutations in the WT1, AR and 5α-reductase genes are not common causes of isolated hypospadias. Received: 1 October 1997 / Accepted: 4 May 1998     

维生素D_3对报告载体荧光素酶表达的作用

目的：　研究１,２５－二羟维生素Ｄ３ 对结肠癌细胞系Ｃａｃｏ－２ 细胞中报告基因表达的作用,并探讨在报告载体ｐＧＬ２ 序列中存在潜在的抑制性维生素Ｄ应答元件（ＶＤＲＥ）的可能性。方法：　采用磷酸钙沉淀法将报告载体转染入Ｃａｃｏ－２ 细胞。Ｃａｃｏ－２细胞经不同浓度１,２５－二羟维生素Ｄ３ 处理后测定细胞裂解液中表达的荧光素酶活性。结果：　应用ｐＧＬ２ 报告载体时,当用ｐＳＧ５－ＶＤＲ表达载体共转染后,１,２５－二羟维生素Ｄ３显著地抑制Ｃａｃｏ－２ 细胞荧光素酶的表达（Ｐ＜ ０．０５）;而未使用该表达载体共转染则无抑制作用（Ｐ＞ ０．０５）。应用ｐＧＬ３ 报告载体时,不同浓度的１,２５－二羟维生素Ｄ３ 对ｐＬＧ３转染后Ｃａｃｏ－２ 细胞表达的荧光素酶活性均无显著抑制作用（Ｐ＞ ０．０５）,该作用不依赖是否存在有ｐＳＧ５－ＶＤＲ表达载体共转染。结论：１,２５－二羟维生素Ｄ３ 对报告载体ＰＧＬ２ 荧光素酶表达具有抑制作用,而对ｐＧＬ３ 则否;类似人类ＰＴＨ基因中的潜在抑制性ＶＤＲＥ存在于报告载体ｐＧＬ２,在ｐＧＬ３ 中该ＶＤＲＥ业已改变。     

c-fos基因在乐果中毒后肌无力大鼠肌组织中的表达

采用ＲＴ－ＰＣＲ、ＷｅｓｔｅｒｎＢｌｏｔ技术,检测了有机磷农药乐果对大鼠骨骼肌细胞中即刻早期反应基因ｃ－ｆｏｓ表达的影响。结果表明,在乐果作用下,骨骼肌细胞ｃ－ｆｏｓ基因表达在ｍＲＮＡ以及蛋白质水平均明显增高。然而骨骼肌细胞ｃ－ｆｏｓ的表达是否与毒物刺激有关,其在农药中毒机制上的生物学意义有待深入研究。     

免疫状态对Fv—4基因抗Friend MuLV作用的影响

通过检测免疫抑制的Ｆ１小鼠和杂合子Ｆ２裸鼠对Ｆｒｉｅｎｄ小鼠白血病病毒（Ｆｒ．ＭｕＬＶ）感染的敏感性,探讨免疫状态对Ｆｖ－４基因（特别是对Ｆｖ－４基因杂合子）抗ＦｒｉｅｎｄＭｕＬＶ作用的影响,经腹腔接种Ｆｒ．ＭｕＬＶ病毒液攻击小鼠或Ｆ２裸鼠后,检查其计中Ｆｒ．ＭｕＬＶ的增主其发病情况,结果表明,免疫抑制的Ｆ１小鼠和杂合子Ｆ１裸鼠都可被Ｆｒ．ＭｕＬＶ脾脏中有病毒增殖,并用约２／３的杂合子Ｆ２裸鼠与Ｂ     

氯化甲基汞对大鼠脑神经细胞凋亡及P^53基因表达的影响

选用Ｗｉｓｔａｒ系雄性大鼠,经皮下注射给予１０ｍｇ／Ｋｇ体重氯化甲基汞（ＣＨ３ＨｇＣｌ）,连续７天,第１５天取其脑组织,利用细胞和分子生物学技术进行ＤＮＡ电泳和流式细胞术（ＦＣＭ）分析。实验结果,染毒组大鼠脑组织ＤＮＡ电泳呈现特征性梯形电泳带;ＦＣＭ分析染毒组大鼠脑神经细胞的凋亡率、Ｐ５３基因表达率显著高于对照组（Ｐ＜０．０５）。结果表明：ＣＨ３ＨｇＣｌ以诱导凋亡方式导致脑神经细胞损伤,Ｐ５３基因参与ＣＨ３ＨｇＣｌ诱导脑神经细胞凋亡的基因调控过程。     

采用定点基因缺失突变技术在大肠杆菌中分泌鲑鱼生长激素

目的：为获得与天然鲑鱼生长激素一致的基因工程产物,对已构建的鲑鱼生长激素基因分泌型表达质粒ｐＯｓＧＨ１５３进行改造,删除所编码表达产物氨基端多余的９个碱基,方法：采用ＰＡＬＴＥＲ系统进行寡聚核苷酸指导下的基因定点缺失突变。突变质粒ｐＯｓＧＨ１５８经限制性酶切图谱及Ｓｏｕｔｈｅｒｎ印迹杂交分析加以证,结果：含有表达质粒ｐＯｓＧＨ１５８的大肠杆菌株经ＩＰＴＧ诱导后提取周质帽白,经ＳＤＳ－ＰＡＧＥ及免疫