UDP acting at P2Y6 receptors is a mediator of microglial phagocytosis

Microglia, brain immune cells, engage in the clearance of dead cells or dangerous debris, which is crucial to the maintenance of brain functions. When a neighbouring cell is injured, microglia move rapidly towards it or extend a process to engulf the injured cell. Because cells release or leak ATP when they are stimulated or injured, extracellular nucleotides are thought to be involved in these events. In fact, ATP triggers a dynamic change in the motility of microglia in vitro and in vivo, a previously unrecognized mechanism underlying microglial chemotaxis; in contrast, microglial phagocytosis has received only limited attention. Here we show that microglia express the metabotropic P2Y6 receptor whose activation by endogenous agonist UDP triggers microglial phagocytosis. UDP facilitated the uptake of microspheres in a P2Y6-receptor-dependent manner, which was mimicked by the leakage of endogenous UDP when hippocampal neurons were damaged by kainic acid in vivo and in vitro. In addition, systemic administration of kainic acid in rats resulted in neuronal cell death in the hippocampal CA1 and CA3 regions, where increases in messenger RNA encoding P2Y6 receptors that colocalized with activated microglia were observed. Thus, the P2Y6 receptor is upregulated when neurons are damaged, and could function as a sensor for phagocytosis by sensing diffusible UDP signals, which is a previously unknown pathophysiological function of P2 receptors in microglia.     

Al-Pd-Mn-Mg、Al-Pd-Mn-Zn和Al-Pd-Mn-Mg-Zn系准晶态合金的研究

本文研究了Al-Pd-Mn-Mg、Al-Pd-Mn-Zn和Al-Pd-Mn-Mg-Zn三种多元系合金的准晶形成规律、准晶态合金的成分范围和热稳定性。研究结果表明,Al-Pd-Mn-Mg系准晶态合金的成分范围基本上可按以下范围选择构成,Al:60～80(at％)、Pd:0～20(at％)、Mn:0～10(a％)、Mg:0～10(at％),而Al-Pd-Mn-Zn为Al:60～75(at％)、Pd:0～20(at％)、Mn:0～10(at％)、Zn:0～10(at％),Al-Pd-Mn-Mg-Zn为Al:60～5(at％)、Pd:0～20(at％)、Mg:0～5(at％)、Zn:0～5(at％)。三种系列的准晶态合金均为非热稳定性准晶,其晶化温度约为673～873K左右。     

Specific determination of arylsulfatase A activity

Arylsulfatase activities in biological materials are too low to be detected by the methods available hitherto. A sensitive and specific assay method for arylsulfatase A (AS-A) has been developed in the present study. Ascorbate-2-sulfate is known to be a specific natural substrate of AS-A; the ascorbic acid liberated by the action of AS-A was quantitatively determined using HPLC equipped with an amperometric detector. The method was used to analyze the activity of AS-A in biological materials.     

Early death of mice cloned from somatic cells

Here we report that the lifespan of mice cloned from somatic cells is significantly shorter than that of genotype- and sex-matched controls, most likely due to severe pneumonia and hepatic failure. This finding demonstrates the possibility of long-term deleterious effects of somatic-cell cloning, even after normal birth.     

Specific determination of arylsulfatase A activity

Summary Arylsulfatase activities in biological materials are too low to be detected by the methods available hitherto. A sensitive and specific assay method for arylsulfatase A (AS-A) has been developed in the present study. Ascorbate-2-sulfate is known to be a specific natural substrate of AS-A; the ascorbic acid liberated by the action of AS-A was quantitatively determined using HPLC equipped with an amperometric detector. The method was used to analyze the activity of AS-A in biological materials.     

Effects of oral contraceptive steroids (norethisterone/mestranol) on the activities of hepatic drug-metabolizing enzymes in iron-deficient anemic rats

Either oral contraceptive steroid (norethisterone/mestranol; N/M) treatment or iron-deficiency (Fe(-] anemia alone caused an increase in NADPH cytochrome c reductase and in three hepatic microsomal mixed-function oxidase activities in female rats. When N/M treatment and the Fe(-) diet are combined, no further change in hepatic enzyme activity is seen compared with that with either treatment alone.