Different voltage-dependent thresholds for inducing long-term depression and long-term potentiation in slices of rat visual cortex

In the hippocampus and neocortex, high-frequency (tetanic) stimulation of an afferent pathway leads to long-term potentiation (LTP) of synaptic transmission. In the hippocampus it has recently been shown that long-term depression (LTD) of excitatory transmission can also be induced by certain combinations of synaptic activation. In most hippocampal and all neocortical pathways studied so far, the induction of LTP requires the activation of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor-gated conductances. Here we report that LTD can occur in neurons of slices of the rat visual cortex and that the same tetanic stimulation can induce either LTP or LTD depending on the level of depolarization of the postsynaptic neuron. By applying intracellular current injections or pharmacological disinhibition to modify the depolarizing response of the postsynaptic neuron to tetanic stimulation, we show that the mechanisms of induction of LTD and LTP are both postsynaptic. LTD is obtained if postsynaptic depolarization exceeds a critical level but remains below a threshold related to NMDA receptor-gated conductances, whereas LTP is induced if this second threshold is reached.     

Insulin stimulation of glucose uptake can be mediated by diacylglycerol in adipocytes

An early effect of insulin in adipocytes is to stimulate glucose uptake. The increased uptake appears to be due to mobilization of glucose transporters from an intracellular location to the plasma membrane and to enhanced intrinsic activity of the transporters. Little is known about the insulin-generated signals causing these changes. Phorbol esters have been shown to mimic the insulin effect, but phosphorylation of the transporter does not seem to be involved. A phospho-oligosaccharide was recently shown to mimic the effects of insulin on protein phosphorylation, suggesting that it could be a mediator for some intracellular metabolic effects of the hormone, but it did not affect glucose uptake. A diacyglycerol is produced in the plasma membrane in conjunction with the generation of the phospho-oligosaccharide. Here I show that added 1,2-diacylglycerols potently increase glucose transporter-mediated uptake of glucose in rat adipocytes, but without activation of protein kinase C.     

Expression of the gamma-delta T-cell receptor on intestinal CD8+ intraepithelial lymphocytes

The vast majority of mature T lymphocytes in the peripheral blood and lymphoid organs use the CD3-associated alpha, beta T-cell receptor (TCR) heterodimer for antigen recognition. A second class of TCRs consists of disulphide-linked gamma and delta proteins that are also CD3-associated. A subset of early CD3+ fetal and adult CD4- 8- thymocytes express gamma, delta TCRs before alpha, beta TCRs are detectable. In addition, a minor (1-5%) subpopulation of peripheral T lymphocytes, and some spleen cells from nude mice express gamma, delta TCRs. Notably, dendritic epidermal cells have also been shown to express gamma, delta TCRs. All of these populations lack CD4 and CD8 molecules. We now report that most mature T cells residing in the murine intestinal epithelium express CD3-associated TCRs composed of gamma-chains disulphide-linked to a protein resembling the delta-chain. The striking feature of these intraepithelial lymphocytes (IEL) was that they were exclusively CD4-8+. In addition, approximately half of CD3-bearing IEL lacked detectable Thy-1 on the cell surface, which is unprecedented for murine T cells. In contrast to other CD8+ peripheral T cells, freshly isolated IEL could be induced to display cytolytic activity by engaging the CD3 molecule, indicating that activation had occurred in vivo. Thus, CD8+ IEL are a phenotypically diverse and anatomically restricted population of lymphocytes that use gamma-chain containing heterodimers for antigen recognition.     

Suppression of in vitro haematopoiesis following human immunodeficiency virus infection

Viral infections are frequently associated with haematological disorders. Abnormalities including leukopenia, anaemia and thrombocytopenia are commonly observed in patients with the acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) or the AIDS-related complex (ARC). The underlying cause of these haematological abnormalities is poorly understood. We report here that bone marrow progenitors isolated from AIDS or ARC patients are responsive to recombinant human granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor (rGM-CSF) and recombinant erythropoietin. Antibodies present in the serum of patients infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), however, could suppress the growth of these progenitors, but not the growth of progenitors from HIV seronegative controls. A component of this immune-mediated suppression appears to be antibodies directed towards the envelope glycoprotein (gp120) of HIV.     

AIDS virus-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes in lung disorders

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is implicated in the development of AIDS (acquired immune deficiency syndrome). HIV infection leads to the generation of HIV-specific thymus-derived (T) lymphocytes in humans and apes. We describe an experimental system permitting the quantitative and systematic analysis of HIV-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL). Functional, HIV-specific CTL are obtained by broncho-alveolar lavage (BAL) from the lungs of seropositive patients with lymphocytic alveolitis. These alveolar CTL: (1) recognize and kill HIV-infected alveolar macrophages in vitro under autologous, but not heterologous, conditions; (2) correspond to standard CTL as they express the CD3 and CD8 surface markers, but not the CD4 marker; and (3) are restricted by class I HLA transplantation antigens in their cytotoxic activities. We propose the hypothesis that interactions between HIV-specific CTL and infected macrophages induce major inflammatory reactions in seropositive patients.     

Effect of matrix metallo-proteinase-26 (MMP-26) during embryo implantation in the mouse

Matrix metalloproteinase-26 (MMP-26, endometase and matrilysin-2), a novel member of the MMPs family, is detected not only in the placenta and uterus, but is widely expressed in malignant tumors from different sources as well as in diverse tumor cell lines. However, the function of MMP-26 in the reproductive system has never been reported. Expression of MMP-26 in mouse embryos and the function of the MMP-26 antibody during mouse embryo implantation was examined for the first time by injecting the uterine horn, immunohistochemistry,in situ hybridization, co-culture of mouse blastocysts and uterine monolayer epithelial cells, Western blot, RT-PCR, Northern blot and zymography. Our results show that there is strong expression of MMP-26 mRNA and protein in the mouse embryo. Furthermore, the MMP-26 antibody dramatically inhibited mouse embryo implantation and significantly inhibited adhesion and outgrowth of mouse blastocysts onin vitro uterine monolayer epithelial cells. At the same time, the MMP-26 antibody inhibited the expression of integrin αV mRNA and protein in a dose-dependent manner. These data suggest that MMP-26 may play a role in some of the tissue-remodeling events associated with the invasion of the endometrium by trophoblast cells and facilitate successfully embryo implantation.     

Preparation of PE/MMT nanocomposite by monomer intercalation and <Emphasis Type="Italic">in situ</Emphasis> copolymerization

The catalyst [(2-ArN=C(Me))₂C₅H₃N]FeCl₂ (Ar = 2-C₆H₄(i-Pr)) with methylaluminoxane (MAO) as cocatalyst was intercalated between layers of montmorillonite (MMT) for ethylene oligomerization. Metallocene catalyst Me₂Si(Ind)₂ZrCl₂ and MAO was then added to form a dual functional catalytic system. A PE/MMT nanocomposite was prepared by copolymerization of ethylene with α-olefins produced in situ from ethylene over the dual functional catalytic system. The catalytic system was of high polymeric activity. The resultant PE/MMT nanocomposites were stable and got increases in tensile strength and temperature of maximum weight loss (T_onset).     

Radiolarian record to paleoecological environment change events over the past 1.2 MaBP in the southern South China Sea

This note studies the Radiolarian fossil groups since 1.2 MaBP in ODP leg 184 site 1143, the southern South China Sea (SCS). The result shows that radiolarian abundance experienced a significant variation: before 0.9 MaBP it remained at the extremely low level, but increased with low extent between 0.9–0.65 Ma, which corresponded to the Mid-Pleistocene Transition stage, and it increased rapidly after 0.65 MaBP. During the whole process, the average abundance became higher and higher in each stage, and showed regularly periodic fluctuations. The obvious increase after 0.65 MaBP is inferred to result from the enhanced upwelling in this region, which was induced by the intensified monsoon circulation after the “Mid-Pleistocene Transition”. An outstanding result of the spectral analyses is that a long oscillation of ∼ 0.2 Ma cycle was found in the records of radiolarian abundance and complex diversity, which corresponds well to the result of other paleoceanographic indexes. This probably indicated a special cycle characteristic of paleoecological environment evolution in this area. In addition, all of the radiolarian indexes show an obvious boundary in about 0.47 MaBP, indicating the abrupt variation of the community structure and radiolarian abundance level before and after 0.47 MaBP. So we suppose that there existed a distinct change event of oceanic ecology environment during that period.     

Introns in higher plant genes

The intron is an important component of eukaryotic gene. Extensive studies have been conducted to get a better understanding of its structure and function. This paper presents a brief review of the structure and function of introns in higher plant genes. It is shown that higher plant introns possess structural properties shared by all eukaryotic introns, however, they also exhibit a striking degree of diversity. The process of intron splicing in higher plant genes involves interaction between multiple cis-acting elements and trans-acting factors, such as 5′ splicing site, 3′ splicing site and many protein factors. The process of intron splicing is an important level at which gene expression is regulated. Especially alternative splicing of intron can regulate time and space of gene expression. In addition, some introns in higher plant genes also regulate gene expression by affecting the pattern of gene expression, enhancing the level of gene expression and driving the gene expression.