异丙酚对小鼠海马脑片细胞外信号调节激酶ERK1/2磷酸化水平的影响

目的 观察异丙酚对小鼠海马脑片细胞外信号调节激酶ERK1／2磷酸化水平的影响。方法BALB／C小鼠，体重18～22g，雌雄不拘，迅速断头取脑，取海马用震动切片机切成450μm厚的脑片。量效实验随机将脑片分为空白对照组（C组）及不同浓度异丙酚组[10^-4mmol／L（P1组）、10^-5mmol／L（P2组）、10^-6mmol／L（P3组）、10^-7mmol／L（P4组）、10^-8mmol／L（P5组）、10^-8mmol／L（P6组）]；分别以不同浓度的异丙酚36℃恒温孵育海马脑片1h。时效实验应用5μmol／L异丙酚孵育脑片，分别于孵育即刻、1、2、5、7、9、12、15、30、60min取出脑片；取5μmol／L异丙酚孵育5min后的部分脑片，以人工脑脊液洗出异丙酚，分别于洗出2、4、7、10、25min取出脑片。应用SDS-PAGE和Westem blot生化技术及Gel Doc凝胶成像系统半定量检测小鼠海马p-ERKI／2水平。结果 异丙酚能降低ERK1／2磷酸化水平，降低呈时间、浓度依赖性（P〈0．05）。随异丙酚孵育5min后洗出时间延长，ERK1／2的磷酸化水平逐渐恢复，但洗出25min时仍明显低于药物处理前水平（P〈0．01）。结论 异丙酚能显著地抑制小鼠海马脑片细胞外信号调节激酶ERK1／2磷酸化水平。     

青豌豆气调包装工艺及其质量评价

摘要：包装内气氛与包装材料选择性透气性是影响果蔬气调包装质量的主要因素。对青豌豆采用6组不同初始气体组分、3种包装材料进行气调包装，在5℃，相对湿度85％的环境下贮藏7d后，测定青豌豆的相关质量指标，并与未包装产品进行比较，结果表明气调包装对青豌豆保鲜效果显著；在此基础上，用主成分分析法构造了气调包装产品质量的综合评价模型，对气调包装青豌豆质量进行综合评价，得出青豌豆气调包装的最佳初始气体组分，分析了不同包装材料对青豌豆气调包装质量的影响。     

Advancing RAS/RASopathy therapies: An NCI‐sponsored intramural and extramural collaboration for the study of RASopathies

RASopathies caused by germline pathogenic variants in genes that encode RAS pathway proteins. These disorders include neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1), Noonan syndrome (NS), cardiofaciocutaneous syndrome (CFC), and Costello syndrome (CS), and others. RASopathies are characterized by heterogenous manifestations, including congenital heart disease, failure to thrive, and increased risk of cancers. Previous work led by the NCI Pediatric Oncology Branch has altered the natural course of one of the key manifestations of the RASopathy NF1. Through the conduct of a longitudinal cohort study and early phase clinical trials, the MEK inhibitor selumetinib was identified as the first active therapy for the NF1‐related peripheral nerve sheath tumors called plexiform neurofibromas (PNs). As a result, selumetinib was granted breakthrough therapy designation by the FDA for the treatment of PN. Other RASopathy manifestations may also benefit from RAS targeted therapies. The overall goal of Advancing RAS/RASopathy Therapies (ART), a new NCI initiative, is to develop effective therapies and prevention strategies for the clinical manifestations of the non‐NF1 RASopathies and for tumors characterized by somatic RAS mutations. This report reflects discussions from a February 2019 initiation meeting for this project, which had broad international collaboration from basic and clinical researchers and patient advocates.     

Neuronal nuclear antigen (NeuN): a new tool in the diagnosis of central neurocytoma

The use of neuronal nuclear antigen (NeuN) as a reliable neuronal marker in the differential diagnosis of clear cell neoplasms of the central nervous system was determined in a biopsy series of 23 cases. Immunohistochemical analyses were carried out by antisera against neuronal nuclear antigen, synaptophysin, neuron-specific enolase, microtubule-associated protein 2, and glial fibrillary acidic protein. All eight central neurocytomas were characteristically immunolabeled by NeuN. NeuN immunoreactivity was uniformly strong and basically located in the nuclei of neurocytes. Despite this uniform staining pattern of central neurocytomas, 12 cases of oligodendrogliomas and three cases of ependymoma were negative for NeuN. As the diagnostic criteria for central neurocytoma include immunohistochemical and/or ultrastructural evidence for neuronal differentiation, NeuN as a sensitive and specific neuronal marker in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissues may greatly facilitate the differential diagnosis of central neurocytomas.     

Role of mitogen-activated protein kinases in influenza virus induction of prostaglandin E2 from arachidonic acid in bronchial epithelial cells

BACKGROUND: Influenza virus (IV) infection causes airway inflammation; however, it has not been determined whether IV infection could catabolize arachidonic acid cascade in airway epithelial cells. In addition, the responsible intracellular signalling molecules that catabolize arachidonic acid cascade have not been determined. OBJECTIVE: In the present study, to clarify these issues, we examined the cyclooxygenase (COX) expression, cytosolic phospholipase A2 (cPLA2) phosphorylation and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) release in human bronchial epithelial cells (BEC) upon IV infection, and the role of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) including extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), p38 MAPK and c-Jun-NH2-terminal kinase (JNK) in catabolizing arachidonic acid cascade in BEC. METHODS: COX-2 expression, phosphorylation of cPLA2 and phosphorylation of ERK, JNK and p38 MAPK were determined by Western blot. The concentrations of PGE2 were determined by ELISA. PD 98059 as a specific inhibitor of MAPK kinase-1 (MEK-1), an up-stream kinase of ERK, SB 203580 as a specific inhibitor of p38 MAPK and CEP-11004 as a specific inhibitor of JNK cascade were used to investigate the role of ERK, p38 MAPK and JNK in catabolizing arachidonic acid cascade in BEC. RESULTS: The results showed that (1) IV infection increases COX-2 expression, cPLA2 phosphorylation and PGE2 release, (2) ERK, p38 MAPK and JNK were phosphorylated, (3) CEP-11004 and PD 98059 predominantly attenuated COX-2 expression and cPLA2 phosphorylation, respectively, (4) SB 203580 did not remarkably affect COX-2 expression and cPLA2 phosphorylation, and (5) each inhibitor dose-dependently attenuated PGE2 release by various extents. CONCLUSION: These results indicate that IV infection activates three distinct MAPKs, ERK, p38 MAPK and JNK, to participate to various extents in the induction of PGE2 synthesis from arachidonic acid in BEC.     

Microdissection genotyping of archival fixative treated tissue for Gaucher disease

The genetic diagnosis of Gaucher disease by molecular methods is complicated by the existence of a highly homologous transcribed pseudogene (96% identity) that is found in close proximity to the true gene on chromosome 1q21. In addition, the pseudogene sequence can mimic disease-causing mutations in the true gene. Selective polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification of the true gene can be accomplished in extracted DNA from fresh-frozen samples by designing oligonucleotide primers to hybridize to defined regions that are not present in the pseudogene. This standard molecular approach, which entails amplification of relatively long segments of intact DNA, is not feasible in archival, paraffin-embedded, solid-tissue specimens in which the negative effects of chemical fixation result in DNA strand scission and breakdown of nucleic acid. A novel approach, specifically created for use with archival, fixative-treated tissue specimens, was developed for detection and characterization of common mutations of Gaucher disease. Three separate robust PCR reactions were formulated, 2 for selective amplification of portions of only the true gene exons 2 and 9, with a third reaction targeting exon 10, wherein both the true and pseudogene were coamplified. In the latter, DNA sequencing was used to determine the presence of true and pseudogene allele content in addition to identification of base sequence alterations. This method, requiring a single, 4-microm-thick histologic section, was successfully applied to archival paraffin block tissue specimens that had been in storage for up to 75 years. It was capable of accurately genotyping common Gaucher disease mutations as well as discovering a novel mutation and genetic polymorphism. We recommend our approach when only fixative-treated tis sue is available for molecular genotyping.     

NMDA receptor mediated dendritic plasticity in cortical cultures after oxygen-glucose deprivation

Dendrites and spines undergo dynamic changes in physiological and pathological conditions. Dendritic outgrowth has been observed in surviving neurons months after ischemia, which is associated with the functional compensation. It remains unclear how dendrites in surviving neurons are altered shortly after ischemia, which might reveal the mechanisms underlying neuronal survival. Using primary cortical cultures, we monitored the dendritic changes in individual neurons after oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD). Two to four hours of OGD induced approximately 30–50% cell death in 24 h. However, the total dendritic length in surviving neurons was significantly increased after OGD with a peak at 6 h after re-oxygenation. The increase of dendritic length after OGD was mainly due to the sprouting rather than the extension of the dendrites. The dendritic outgrowth after 2 h of OGD was greater than that after 4 h of OGD. Application of NMDA receptor blocker MK-801 abolished OGD-induced dendritic outgrowth, whereas application of AMPA receptor antagonist CNQX had no significant effects. These results demonstrate a NMDA receptor-dependent dendritic plasticity shortly after OGD, which provides insights into the early response of surviving neurons after ischemia.     

Manumycin诱导细胞凋亡抑制乳腺癌细胞SK-BR-3活性

目的:研究manumycin对乳腺癌腹腔转移癌细胞株SK-BR-3的抑癌效应及其诱导凋亡。方法:用MTT法检测manumycin对SK-BR-3细胞的抑癌作用。免疫印迹方法检测p38 MAPK蛋白表达。用caspase-3活性检测试剂盒定量检测manumycin诱导细胞凋亡的水平及评估特异性的p38 MAPK抑制剂SB203580对凋亡的影响。结果:经6 μmol/L、18 μmol/L、54 μmol/L manumycin处理SK-BR-3细胞24 h时,其抑制率分别为(7.4±3.9)%、(21.0±4.4)%和(64.7±4.1)%,呈量效关系。其中后2者的细胞活性与对照组比有显著差异(P<0.01)。用药24 h的IC₅₀为42.5 μmol/L。同时此药物可明显增加caspase-3的活性,且这一效应可部分地被p38抑制剂SB203580阻断。免疫印迹结果显示manumycin促进p38的磷酸化。结论:manumycin可通过诱导SK-BR-3细胞凋亡而产生抑癌作用,p38 MAPK是manumycin诱导细胞凋亡的通路之一。