Mice deficient for p53 are developmentally normal but susceptible to spontaneous tumours.

Mutations in the p53 tumour-suppressor gene are the most frequently observed genetic lesions in human cancers. To investigate the role of the p53 gene in mammalian development and tumorigenesis, a null mutation was introduced into the gene by homologous recombination in murine embryonic stem cells. Mice homozygous for the null allele appear normal but are prone to the spontaneous development of a variety of neoplasms by 6 months of age. These observations indicate that a normal p53 gene is dispensable for embryonic development, that its absence predisposes the animal to neoplastic disease, and that an oncogenic mutant form of p53 is not obligatory for the genesis of many types of tumours.     

Crystal structure of Rac1 in complex with the guanine nucleotide exchange region of Tiam1

The principal guanine nucleotide exchange factors for Rho family G proteins contain tandem Dbl-homology (DH) and pleckstrin-homology (PH) domains that catalyse nucleotide exchange and the activation of G proteins. Here we have determined the crystal structure of the DH and PH domains of the T-lymphoma invasion and metastasis factor 1 (Tiam1) protein in complex with its cognate Rho family G protein, Rac1. The two switch regions of Rac1 are stabilized in conformations that disrupt both magnesium binding and guanine nucleotide interaction. The resulting cleft in Rac1 is devoid of nucleotide and highly exposed to solvent. The PH domain of Tiam1 does not contact Rac1, and the position and orientation of the PH domain is markedly altered relative to the structure of the uncomplexed, GTPase-free DH/PH element from Sos1. The Tiam1/Rac1 structure highlights the interactions that catalyse nucleotide exchange on Rho family G proteins, and illustrates structural determinants dictating specificity between individual Rho family members and their associated Dbl-related guanine nucleotide exchange factors.     

Mice deficient for Rb are nonviable and show defects in neurogenesis and haematopoiesis.

The retinoblastoma gene, a prototypic tumour-suppressor gene, encodes a nuclear phosphoprotein (Rb). To understand better the role of Rb in development and in tumorigenesis, mice with an insertional mutation in exon 20 of the Rb-1 locus were generated. Homozygous mutants die before the 16th embryonic day with multiple defects. The haematopoietic system is abnormal; there is a significant increase in the number of immature nucleated erythrocytes. In the nervous system, ectopic mitoses and massive cell death are found, particularly in the hindbrain. All spinal ganglion cells die, but the neural retina is unaffected. Transfer of the human retinoblastoma (RB) mini-transgene into the mutant mice corrects the developmental defects. Thus, Rb is essential for normal mouse development.     

A vascular niche and a VEGF-Nrp1 loop regulate the initiation and stemness of skin tumours

Angiogenesis is critical during tumour initiation and malignant progression. Different strategies aimed at blocking vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and its receptors have been developed to inhibit angiogenesis in cancer patients. It has become increasingly clear that in addition to its effect on angiogenesis, other mechanisms including a direct effect of VEGF on tumour cells may account for the efficiency of VEGF-blockade therapies. Cancer stem cells (CSCs) have been described in various cancers including squamous tumours of the skin. Here we use a mouse model of skin tumours to investigate the impact of the vascular niche and VEGF signalling on controlling the stemness (the ability to self renew and differentiate) of squamous skin tumours during the early stages of tumour progression. We show that CSCs of skin papillomas are localized in a perivascular niche, in the immediate vicinity of endothelial cells. Furthermore, blocking VEGFR2 caused tumour regression not only by decreasing the microvascular density, but also by reducing CSC pool size and impairing CSC renewal properties. Conditional deletion of Vegfa in tumour epithelial cells caused tumours to regress, whereas VEGF overexpression by tumour epithelial cells accelerated tumour growth. In addition to its well-known effect on angiogenesis, VEGF affected skin tumour growth by promoting cancer stemness and symmetric CSC division, leading to CSC expansion. Moreover, deletion of neuropilin-1 (Nrp1), a VEGF co-receptor expressed in cutaneous CSCs, blocked VEGF's ability to promote cancer stemness and renewal. Our results identify a dual role for tumour-cell-derived VEGF in promoting cancer stemness: by stimulating angiogenesis in a paracrine manner, VEGF creates a perivascular niche for CSCs, and by directly affecting CSCs through Nrp1 in an autocrine loop, VEGF stimulates cancer stemness and renewal. Finally, deletion of Nrp1 in normal epidermis prevents skin tumour initiation. These results may have important implications for the prevention and treatment of skin cancers.     

Development of venous occlusions in mice transgenic for the plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 gene

The fibrinolytic potential of the vasculature is modulated primarily by the availability and activity of plasminogen activators, which convert the zymogen plasminogen into the active fibrin-degrading enzyme plasmin. The activities of these key regulatory enzymes are directly neutralized by their primary endogenous inhibitor, plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1). Although some individuals with a tendency to develop thrombotic disorders exhibit elevated levels of PAI-1 in their plasma, the cause-and-effect relationship between increased PAI-1 and thrombosis is still unclear. Specifically, it is not known whether chronic depression of fibrinolytic activity results in the development of thrombosis. To address this question we developed transgenic mice in which the contribution of PAI-1 to thrombus formation could be evaluated. The results presented in this report indicate that elevated levels of PAI-1 contribute to the development of venous but not arterial occlusions.     

Predominant naturally processed peptides bound to HLA-DR1 are derived from MHC-related molecules and are heterogeneous in size.

Peptides bound to class I molecules are 8-10 amino acids long, and possess a binding motif representative of peptides that bind to a given class I allele. In the only published study of naturally processed peptides bound to class II molecules (mouse I-Ab and I-Eb), these peptides were longer (13-17 amino acids) and had heterogenous carboxy terminals but precise amino-terminal truncations. Here we report the characterization of acid-eluted peptides bound to HLA-DR1 by high-performance liquid chromatography, mass spectrometry and microsequencing analyses. The relative molecular masses of the peptides varied between 1,602 and 2,996 (13-25 residues), the most abundant individual M(r) values being between 1,700 and 1,800, corresponding to an average peptide length of 15 residues. Complete sequence data were obtained for twenty peptides derived from five epitopes, of which all but one were from self proteins. These peptides represented sets nested at both the N- and C-terminal ends. Binding experiments confirmed that all of the isolated peptides had high affinity for the groove of DR1. Alignment of the peptides bound to HLA-DR1 and the sequences of 35 known HLA-DR1-binding peptides revealed a putative motif. Although peptides bound to class II molecules may have some related features (due to the nonpolymorphic HLA-DR alpha-chain), accounting for degenerate binding to different alleles, particular amino acids in the HLA-DR beta-chains presumably define allelic specificity of peptide binding.     

小鼠吸入香烟烟雾染毒过程的标准化和使用酶活检测在烟熏小鼠中基因CYP1A1的表达

建立了一个通过测定茄尼醇的含量来确定小鼠吸入香烟烟雾浓度的方法，因而使得来自不同实验室的相关数据的比成为可能，同时，对香烟烟雾务诱导雄性小鼠NMR1的肺微粒体中细胞色素P450异构基因CPY1A1的表达在蛋白质的水平上进行了测试，测试结果表明，代表CYP1A1蛋白活性的7-乙氧基试卤录-O-去乙基酶的活性在小鼠的肺中随着吸入香烟烟雾的增加而上升，由此可知，香烟烟雾诱导了小鼠肺中基因CYP1A1的表达。     

含葡聚糖颗粒物暴露致小鼠肺部GSNO还原酶活化的研究

动物实验和体外研究都已表明,空气中有机颗粒物可引起肺部炎症反应,该反应的显著特点为细胞因子表达上调和分泌增多.葡聚糖是霉菌和细菌代谢及裂解的产物,当颗粒物受到霉菌和细菌污染之后,就会含有葡聚糖.最近的研究表明,含葡聚糖颗粒物的暴露会影响鼻腔和肺部的功能,并伴随炎症反应.然而,含葡聚糖颗粒物的暴露对一氧化氮合酶(NOS)和亚硝基谷胱甘肽还原酶(GSNOR)的影响仍不太清楚.本研究旨在检测含葡聚糖颗粒物暴露对呼吸道中NO信号通路的影响.本实验力小鼠被分别暴露于20μL PBS(空白组),20μL浓度为25μg/20μL的OVA和20μL浓度为100μL/20μL的含葡聚糖颗粒物环境中,暴露持续12d.暴露结束后在肺组织匀浆中检测NOS和GSNOR的活性.同时测定肺组织中谷胱甘肽(GSH)浓度和SOD活性用以评估氧化应激水平.另外,检测肺组织中的IL–6浓度确定炎症反应的发生与否.结果显示,12天OVA和葡聚糖颗粒物暴露并未明显影响NOS活性、GSH含量、SOD活性和IL-6浓度.然而,含葡聚糖颗粒物12d的暴露却明显增加GSNOR的活性和表达.我们的研究结果表明,含葡聚糖颗粒物暴露会激活呼吸道中的GSNOR,但不激活NOS.由于GSNOR在NO信号通路中起着举足轻重的作用,我们的研究结果具有一定的临床重要性.     

抽取小鼠脑脊液简便易行的新方法

目的 建立抽取小鼠脑脊液的一种简单易行,材料低廉,生存率与成功率高的方法,为小鼠脑脊液的相关研究提供参考。方法 自制微量吸管。将小鼠头部固定与身体大约成120°角,对小鼠皮下组织和肌肉用镊子进行钝性分离,找到小鼠白色硬脊膜,进管抵达小脑延髓池,缓慢抽取小鼠脑脊液并将管退出,最后缝合小鼠伤口。结果成功获得小鼠脑脊液2～5 μL,小鼠存活。讨论 目前,大多文献记载的是大鼠脑脊液的抽取方法或较为复杂的小鼠脑脊液抽取方法,而此种针对小鼠的脑脊液抽取方法不但简单易行,对仪器要求低,成功率高而且小鼠生存率高,可以反复抽取。     

高G-C含量突变型Foxo1转基因动物基因型鉴定PCR方法的建立

为解决因目的基因G-C(鸟嘌呤-胞嘧啶碱基对)含量过高导致的目的基因扩增困难,以及操作过程中多环节引起的DNA污染导致的假阳性问题.本研究以突变型Foxo1(Forkhead转录因子1)转基因小鼠作为对象,就高G-C含量转基因的PCR方法和多个环节避免DNA污染进行了探索,结果显示,实验中消除了PCR的假阴性和假阳性现象,得到了准确的突变型Foxo1转基因小鼠的基因型鉴定结果.     

免疫组化方法研究胸腺素α1在小鼠肉瘤S180细胞中的表达

探讨了胸腺素α1在小鼠S180肉瘤中的表达及其临床意义．以小鼠肉瘤S180组织和正常小鼠组织为材料，福马林固定和石蜡包埋．运用兔抗胸腺素α1多克隆抗体，按常规免疫组织化学方法检测接种在小鼠皮下的小鼠肉瘤组织以及正常小鼠皮下肌肉组织细胞中胸腺素α1的表达状况．研究结果发现胸腺素α1定位表达在小鼠肉瘤组织细胞的胞浆和细胞核中。免疫组化呈现强阳性．而正常组织细胞内基本无显色，呈阴性．试验结果表明：胸腺素α1在恶性肿瘤细胞小鼠肉瘤组织细胞中高表达．而正常小鼠组织则低表达或不表达．细胞内胸腺素α1蛋白的高表达与肿瘤具有明显相关性，该研究成果可能使胸腺素α1作为一个新的和有价值的肿瘤标记物在临床诊断中得到应用，也为进一步探索胸腺素α1与肿瘤之间相互关系的分子机理研究奠定基础，并通过抑制胸腺素α1这条途径达到控制肿瘤生长的效果．     

SOCS-2和SOCS-3通过IGF-1和GH信号转导系统作用于成肌细胞的分化

新近发现的细胞因子信号转导抑制因子（SOCS）家族，因其能够通过Janus激酶-信号传导和转录激活子（JAK-STAT）信号传导通路来反馈调节生长因子的信号或者抑制细胞因子的信号转导而倍受研究人员重视。一些研究表明，SOCS-3在促进成肌细胞分化和抑制白介素6（IL-6）导致的细胞炎症过程中具有重要的作用。综合大量关于细胞因子信号转导抑制因子家族的文献报道，文章分析了近几年SOCS-2和SOCS-3与IGF-1和GH信号转导关系的研究，特别是关于SOCS-3在成肌细胞分化过程中的研究，认为可以将SOCS-2和SOCS-3作为细胞内生长信号调节和促进动物肌肉发育的潜在因子进行研究。     

二化螟对3种杀虫剂的抗性测定及增效作用研究

采用4龄幼虫点滴法测定了江苏省不同地区二化螟种群对杀虫单、甲胺磷和三唑磷的抗性水平,并以浙江慈溪种群为对象,进行了活体增效和药剂与增效作用研究,结果表明：1）江苏常熟二化螟种群对杀虫单已达极高抗水平（抗性倍数126．0）,高淳种群为高抗水平（抗性倍数68．40）,其它地区也表现为中等抗性,2）吴县、常熟、兴化和高淳4个种群对甲胺磷表现为中等抗性,其它种群抗性较低,3）高淳和宿豫种群对三唑磷为中等抗性,其它种群为敏感群体;（4）活性增效测定测定表明,磷酸三苯酯（TPP）和氧化胡椒基丁醚（PBO）对二化螟有较明显的增效作用,顺丁烯二酸二乙酯（EDM）的增效作用不明显。（5）敌百虫和三唑磷（5：1）、敌百虫和丙溴磷（4：1）、杀虫单和阿维维菌素（40：1：80：1）按质量比进行混配时,增效倍数分别为427、206、1028和210,表现出明显的增效作用。     

小鼠不同组织蛋白质羰基含量随龄变化的比较研究

为寻找适宜观察蛋白质遭受自由基损伤的组织,用2,4-二硝基苯肼比色法测定不同性别幼龄和老龄小鼠不同组织蛋白质羰基含量,结果发现随着年龄增加小鼠各组织中蛋白质羰基增量为脑>肝>心>血清。由此可知小鼠脑蛋白质容易遭受自由基攻击,损伤程度大且不宜自身修复,在功能食品抗氧化的研究中是一种适用于观察蛋白质受自由基损伤的理想材料。     

Identification of the electron transfers in cytochrome oxidase that are coupled to proton-pumping

Mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase is a functionally complex, membrane-bound respiratory enzyme which catalyses both the reduction of O2 to water and proton-pumping. During respiration, an exogenous donor, cytochrome c, donates four electrons to O2 bound at the bimetallic haem alpha 3 Fe-Cu centre within the enzyme. These four electron transfers are mediated by the enzyme's haem alpha and CuA redox centres and result in the translocation of four protons across the inner mitochondrial membrane. The molecular mechanism of proton translocation has not yet been delineated, however, and in the absence of direct experimental evidence all four electron transfers have been assumed to couple equally to proton-pumping. Here, I report the effects of proton-motive force and membrane potential on two equilibria involving intermediates of the bimetallic centre at different levels of O2 reduction. The results show that only two of the electron transfers, to the 'peroxy' and 'oxyferryl' intermediates of the bimetallic centre, are linked to proton translocation, a finding which strongly constrains candidate mechanisms for proton-pumping.