Gata3 loss leads to embryonic lethality due to noradrenaline deficiency of the sympathetic nervous system

Mouse embryos deficient in Gata3 die by 11 days post coitum (d.p.c.) from pathology of undetermined origin. We recently showed that Gata3-directed lacZ expression of a 625-kb Gata3 YAC transgene in mice mimics endogenous Gata3 expression, except in thymus and the sympathoadrenal system. As this transgene failed to overcome embryonic lethality (unpublished data and ref. 3) in Gata3-/- mice, we hypothesized that a neuroendocrine deficiency in the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) might cause embryonic lethality in these mutants. We find here that null mutation of Gata3 leads to reduced accumulation of Th (encoding tyrosine hydroxylase, Th) and Dbh (dopamine beta-hydroxylase, Dbh) mRNA, whereas several other SNS genes are unaffected. We show that Th and Dbh deficiencies lead to reduced noradrenaline in the SNS, and that noradrenaline deficiency is a proximal cause of death in mutants by feeding catechol intermediates to pregnant dams, thereby partially averting Gata3 mutation-induced lethality. These older, pharmacologically rescued mutants revealed abnormalities that previously could not be detected in untreated mutants. These late embryonic defects include renal hypoplasia and developmental defects in structures derived from cephalic neural crest cells. Thus we have shown that Gata3 has a role in the differentiation of multiple cell lineages during embryogenesis.     

MCP-1 and IL-8 trigger firm adhesion of monocytes to vascular endothelium under flow conditions

Monocytes contribute to the development of atherosclerotic lesions in mouse models. The chemoattractant proteins (chemokines), monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) and interleukin-8 (IL-8), are found in human atheroma, and mice lacking receptors for these chemokines are less susceptible to atherosclerosis and have fewer monocytes in vascular lesions. Although MCP-1 has a powerful effect on monocytes, IL-8 is thought to act predominantly on neutrophils and it is unclear how it could recruit monocytes. Here we investigate the ability of chemokines to control the interaction of monocytes under flow conditions with vascular endothelium that has been transduced to express specific leukocyte-adherence receptors. We find that MCP-1 and IL-8 can each rapidly cause rolling monocytes to adhere firmly onto monolayers expressing E-selectin, whereas related chemokines do not. These effects do not correlate with either the induction of a calcium transient or chemotaxis. We conclude that chemokines are important modulators of monocyte-endothelial interactions under flow conditions. Moreover, our finding that IL-8 is a powerful trigger for firm adhesion of monocytes to vascular endothelium reveals an unexpected role for this chemokine in monocyte recruitment.     

Integrated Bi2O3 nanostructure modified with Au nanoparticles for enhanced photocatalytic activity under visible light irradiation

An integrated Bi_2O_3(i-Bi_2O_3) nanostructure with a particle size 10 nm inducing agglomerated structure were synthesized by dissolving bismuth nitrate pentahydrate in diethylene glycol at 180 ℃ with post heat treatment.The prepared i-Bi_2O_3 nanostructures were employed for the construction of Au/i-Bi_2O_3 composite system and characterized by X-ray diffraction pattern,UV-visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy(DRS),and transmission electron microscopy,X-ray photoemission spectroscopy(XPS) and Energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy(EDS).The i-Bi_2O_3 nanostructure and Au/i-Bi_2O_3 composite system were found to exhibit high photocatalytic activity than commercial Bi_2O_3 in decomposing salicylic acid under visible light irradiation.The high catalytic activity of i-Bi_2O_3 nanostructure was deduced to be caused by charge separation facilitated by electron hopping between the particles within the integrated structure and space-charge separation between i-Bi_2O_3 and Au.The charge separation behavior in i-Bi_2O_3 nanostructure was further bolstered by comparing the measured.OH radical produced in the solution with i-Bi_2O_3 nanostructure,commercial Bi_2O_3 and Au/i-Bi_2O_3 composite which readily react with 1,4-terephthalic acid(TA) inducing 2-hydroxy terephthalic acid(TAOH) that shows unique fluorescence peak at 426 nm.The space-charge separation between i-Bi_2O_3 and An was confirmed by measuring the electron spin resonance(ESR) spectra.