Effects of antisense mediated inhibition of cathepsin K on human osteoclasts obtained from peripheral blood.

Cathepsin K is a cystein protease that displays a proteolytic activity against Type I collagen and is abundantly and selectively expressed in osteoclasts where it plays a critical role in bone degradation. Its direct role in bone tissue has been defined by knock-out mice studies and inhibiting strategies in animals models. However, direct proof of cathepsin K function in human osteoclast model in vitro is lacking. The aim of this study is to analyze cathepsin K expression and localization in human osteoclasts obtained from peripheral blood and to examine cathepsin K function in these cells by antisense oligodeoxynucleotide (AS-ODN) strategy. AS-ODN was added to the culture of osteoclast precursors induced to differentiate by RANKL and M-CSF. AS-ODN treatment produced a significant down-regulation of cathepsin K mRNA (>80%) and protein expression, as verified respectively by Real-time PCR and by immunocytochemistry or Western blot. The cathepsin K inhibition caused an impairment of resorption activity as evaluated by a pit formation assay ( p = 0.045) and by electron microscopy, while the acidification process was unaffected. We demonstrated that antisense strategies against cathepsin K are selectively effective to inhibit resorption activity in human osteoclasts, like in animal models.     

Neurokinin A with K channel blockade potentiates contraction to electrical stimulation in human bronchus

This study investigated the effects of neurokinin A (NKA) on cholinergic neural responses in human bronchus. NKA (0.1 nM) did not alter the contractile response to submaximal electrical field stimulation. However, K⁺ channel blockade with 4-aminopyridine (4-AP) (0.1 mM) potentiated the response to electrical field stimulation (to 182 ± 25% of control, n = 4, P < 0.05) and subsequent addition of NKA in the presence of 4-AP produced further potentiation (to 123 ± 6% of the response to 4-AP n = 4, P < 0.05). Neither 4-AP (0.01 or 0.1 mM) nor NKA in the presence of 4-AP potentiated the actions of exogenous acetylcholine but in these experiments 4-AP itself produced a marked direct contractile response. Thus NKA in the presence of K⁺ channel blockade potentiates cholinergic neural response in human bronchus and this occurs at a prejunctional site.     

Effect of the stable thromboxane derivative, carbocyclic thromboxane A2, on membrane potential of rat myenteric neurones in culture

The effects of carbocyclic thromboxane A(2) (cTXA(2); 10(-6) mol L(-1)) on membrane potential and cytosolic Ca(2+) concentration were measured with the whole-cell patch-clamp or the fura-2 method, respectively, at rat myenteric ganglia. cTXA(2) caused a hyperpolarization of myenteric neurones from -19.3 +/- 2.5 to -29.3 +/- 2.3 mV. In addition, the eicosanoid potentiated the carbachol-induced depolarization from 4.2 +/- 1.0 mV under control conditions to 11.1 +/- 1.1 mV in the presence of the cTXA(2) (n = 9). The hyperpolarization was abolished by internal application of CsCl (140 mmol L(-1)), a non-selective blocker of K(+) channels, or EGTA (11 mmol L(-1)in the pipette solution), a chelator of intracellular Ca(2+). A similar inhibition was observed in the presence of charybdotoxin (10(-7) mol L(-1)). Fura-2 imaging experiments revealed a cTXA(2)-evoked increase in the intracellular Ca(2+) concentration as indicated by a rise in the fura-2 ratio signal. This response was mediated by a release of Ca(2+) from intracellular stores as sarcoplasmic-endoplasmic reticulum Ca(2+)-ATPase blockade with cyclopiazonic acid (5 x 10(-5) mol L(-1)) completely abolished the response to cTXA(2). A similar inhibition was observed after blockade of phospholipase C with U-73122 (10(-5) mol L(-1)). These results suggest an activation of Ca(2+)-activated K(+) channels by cTXA(2) after stimulation of phospholipase C.     

钾离子通道的活性状态对蛛网膜下腔注射腺苷抗伤害性作用的影响

目的探讨ATP敏感型钾离子通道的活性状态对鞘内注射腺苷类似物R-phenylisopropyladenosine(R-PIA)抗伤害性作用的影响.方法雄性SD大鼠在苯巴比妥钠麻醉下,蛛网膜下腔留置PE-10导管,测定注药后鼠尾对光热刺激的反应(抗伤害作用).结果蛛网膜下腔注射R-PIA产生剂量依赖性的甩尾时间曲线上移(P＜0.05).蛛网膜下腔注药后10min起效,镇痛时间长达60min.ATP敏感型通道开放剂nicorandil和阻滞剂glibenclamide单独蛛网膜下腔应用无镇痛作用(P＞0.05),但nicorandil明显增强R-PIA的抗伤害性作用,相反glibenclamide明显减弱R-PIA的抗伤害性作用(P＜0.05).结论蛛网膜下腔注射R-PIA可产生明显的剂量依赖性抗伤害作用,此作用受ATP敏感型钾离子通道活性调节.     

夹竹桃甙对Na~+、K~+-ATP酶抑制的动力学研究

本文对夹竹桃甙抑制Na~+、K~+-ATP酶的动力学作了探讨,并与乌本甙的作用进行了比较。结果表明:夹竹桃甙抑制Na~+、K~+-ATP酶,在Na~+、K~+浓度改变对均为非竞争性抑制,Na~+/K~+比例6:1时,为混合性抑制,而ATP对夹竹桃甙的作用几无影响。     

CHARACTERISTICS OF MEMBRANE TRANSPORT PROCESSES OF MACULA DENSA CELLS

1. Macula densa (MD) cells are located within the thick ascending limb (TAL) and have their apical surface in contact with tubular fluid and their basilar region in contact with the glomerulus. These cells sense changes in luminal fluid sodium chloride concentration ([NaCl]) and transmit signals resulting in changes in vascular resistance (tubuloglomerular feedback) and renin release. 2. Current efforts have focused on understanding the cellular transport mechanisms of MD cells. Progress in this area has benefited from the use of the isolated perfused TAL-glomerular preparation, which permits direct access to MD cells. 3. Using microelectrodes to measure basolateral membrane potential (V_BL) of MD cells, it was found that VBL was very sensitive to changes in luminal fluid [NaCl]. As [NaCl] was elevated from 20 to 150mmol/L, V_BL was found to depolarize by over 30 mV. 4. Basolateral membrane potential measurements were also used to identify an apical Na⁺: 2CI^?: K⁺ cotransport pathway in MD cells that is the major pathway for NaCl entry into these cells. 5. Other work identified a basolateral chloride channel that is presumed to be responsible for changes in V_BL during alterations in luminal [NaCl]. This channel, which is the predominant conductance across the basolateral membrane, may be regulated by intracellular Ca²⁺ and cAMP. 6. An apical Na⁺: H⁺ exchanger in MD cells was detected by measuring changes in intracellular pH using the fluorescent probe 2′,7′-bis-(2-carboxyethyl)-5(and-6) carboxyfluorescein. 7. Using patch-clamp techniques, a high density of pH- and Ca²⁺-sensitive K⁺ channels was observed at the apical membrane of MD cells. 8. Other studies found that, at the normal physiological conditions prevailing at the end of the TAL (luminal [NaCl] of 20–60 mmol/L), reabsorption mediated by MD cells is very sensitive to changes in luminal [NaCl].     

In vivo and in vitro anti-tumour response of selenium-protein polysaccharide extracted from rich selenium Agaricus blazei

In this study, the anti-tumour activity of selenium-protein polysaccharide (SPP), a water extract of the rich selenium Agaricus blazei, was tested both in vivo and in vitro. The results of in vivo experiments show that SPP at doses of 50 and 100 mg/kg inhibits proliferation of implanted Sarcoma 180 by 22 and 37.69%, respectively, and promotes lymphocyte transformation and natural killer (NK) cells activity in tumour bearing mice. During the in vitro experiment, we treated the tumour and non-tumour bearing mice with SPP, and prepared serum treated with SPP (Serum_SPP). The results show that Serum_SPP, whether from tumour or non-tumour bearing mice, significantly inhibits K562 cells proliferation and induces their apoptosis, and also significantly increases caspase-3 activity of K562 cells. However, the difference in anti-tumour activity of Serum_SPP between tumour and non-tumour bearing mice is significantly different (p<0.01). The results, according to the studies both in vivo and in vitro, imply that SPP extracted from rich selenium A. blazei can inhibit growth of implanted Sarcoma 180 and promote lymphocyte transformation and NK cells activity in vivo. Additionally, Serum_SPP can inhibit proliferation and cause apoptotic morphological changes and the fragmentation of internucleosomal DNA, and increase caspase-3 activity of K562 cells in vitro, which indicates that apoptosis of K562 cells induced by Serum_SPP may be related to up-regulation of caspase-3.     

非线性动态系统理论在林业系统中的应用——Ⅱ.用信息熵研究林业系统中生态和经济协调关系

用K.S熵(一种信息熵)判别林业系统中生态和经济的协调关系,并提出了控制和改进现有林业系统的有效途径。     

蘑菇多糖对小鼠腹腔巨噬细胞作用的体外研究

目的 观察蘑菇多糖对小鼠腹腔巨噬细胞免疫调节作用及对体外培养的肿瘤细胞作用的影响。方法 采用比色法测定经蘑菇多糖处理的巨噬细胞内LDH的活性。MTT法观察蘑菇多糖与巨噬细胞的共同培养上清对HL-60细胞及K562细胞的抑制率。结果 （1）蘑菇多糖明显激活小鼠腹腔巨噬细胞的共同培养上清对HL-60细胞及K562细胞的抑制率。结果 （1）蘑菇多糖明显激活小鼠腹腔巨噬细胞，显著提高巨噬细胞的LDH活性；（2）蘑菇多糖作用下的巨噬细胞上清液可显著抑制HL-60细胞及K562细胞的增殖。结论 蘑菇多糖的抗肿瘤作用可能是通过激活小鼠腹腔巨噬细胞的活性实现的。