The protease-activated receptor-3 (PAR-3) can signal autonomously to induce interleukin-8 release

Protease-activated receptors (PARs) play a clear role in the burst of inflammatory reactions and immune responses. However, for PAR-3, the most elusive member of the PAR family, the functional role is still largely unclear. It has been claimed that PAR-3 does not signal autonomously, although the wide expression of human PAR-3 indicates its important physiological roles. We demonstrate that in HEK-293 cells, stably transfected with human PAR-3, thrombin induced calcium signaling, IL-8 gene expression and IL-8 release. We confirmed this finding using human lung epithelial and human astrocytoma cells that express endogenous PAR-3. Moreover, thrombin exposure of HEK-293 cells resulted in ERK1/2 activation coinciding with IL-8 release. The effects of thrombin were not dependent on PAR-1 activation, as confirmed by PAR-1 gene silencing. Thus, we propose that PAR-3 is able to signal autonomously to induce IL-8 release mediated by ERK1/2 phosphorylation, which contributes actively to inflammatory responses. Received 9 December 2007; received after revision 16 January 2008; accepted 18 January 2008     

Olfactory ensheathing cells are attracted to, and can endocytose, bacteria

Olfactory ensheathing cells (OECs) have been shown previously to express Toll-like receptors and to respond to bacteria by translocating nuclear factor-kappaB from the cytoplasm to the nucleus. In this study, we show that OECs extended significantly more pseudopodia when they were exposed to Escherichia coli than in the absence of bacteria (p=0.019). Co-immunoprecipitation showed that E. coli binding to OECs was mediated by Toll-like receptor 4. Lyso-Tracker, a fluorescent probe that accumulates selectively in lysosomes, and staining for type 1 lysosome-associated membrane proteins demonstrated that endocytosed FITC-conjugated E. coli were translocated to lysosomes. They appeared to be subsequently broken down, as shown by transmission electron microscopy. No obvious adherence to the membrane and less phagocytosis was observed when OECs were incubated with inert fluorescent microspheres. The ability of OECs to endocytose bacteria supports the notion that OECs play an innate immune function by protecting olfactory tissues from bacterial infection.     

In vivo matrix-guided human mesenchymal stem cells

Microfracture of subchondral bone results in intrinsic repair of cartilage defects. Stem or progenitor cells from bone marrow have been proposed to be involved in this regenerative process. Here, we demonstrate for the first time that mesenchymal stem (MS) cells can in fact be recovered from matrix material saturated with cells from bone marrow after microfracture. This also introduces a new technique for MS cell isolation during arthroscopic treatment. MS cells were phenotyped using specific cell surface antibodies. Differentiation of the MS cells into the adipogenic, chondrogenic and osteogenic lineage could be demonstrated by cultivation of MS cells as a monolayer, as micromass bodies or mesenchymal microspheres. This study demonstrates that MS cells can be attracted to a cartilage defect by guidance of a collagenous matrix after perforating subchondral bone. Protocols for application of MS cells in restoration of cartilage tissue include an initial invasive biopsy to obtain the MS cells and time-wasting in vitro proliferation and possibly differentiation of the cells before implantation. The new technique already includes attraction of MS cells to sites of cartilage defects and therefore may overcome the necessity of in vitro proliferation and differentiation of MS cells prior to transplantation. Received 3 November 2005; received after revision 15 December 2005; accepted 4 January 2006     

盐酸戊乙奎醚对大鼠心肌微血管内皮细胞缺氧/复氧后的保护作用

目的：从细胞水平建立大鼠心肌微血管内皮细胞缺氧/复氧模型，观察了盐酸戊乙奎醚对心肌微血管内皮细胞的H/R损伤的保护作用。方法：实验采用酶消化法进行细胞的原代培养，1：2传代。采用荧光标记乙酰化Dil-Ac-LDL的方法鉴定。培养的细胞随机分为4组，①对照组，常氧环境下培养，不给予任何处理；②H/R组，改培养液为D-Hank,s液，于37℃、5%CO2、95%N2 密闭缺氧鑵内培养2h后，弃D-Hank,s液，改为完全培养液，放入常氧培养箱中继续培养4h;③PHC预处理组，在细胞缺氧2h前给予PHC（终浓度为0.1μm•L-1）预处理，④H/R +PHC组，在细胞H/R后，给予PHC（终浓度为0.1μm•L-1）孵育2h。MTT自动比色法测细胞活力，流式细胞法检测细胞凋亡。结果：①成功培养大鼠心肌微血管内皮细胞，用荧光标记乙酰化Dil-Ac-LDL的方法鉴定为微血管内皮细胞。②成功制备出微血管内皮细胞的H/R模型 将试验细胞培养液改为D-Hank,s 液，置于37℃、5%CO2、92%N2 密闭缺氧罐中环缺氧2h，后改为完全培养液放入常氧培养箱中继续培养4h可制备出微血管内皮细胞的I/R模型。③. H/R组细胞死亡率和凋亡率与对照组相比明显增高，差异有统计学意义（P<0.01），PHC+H/R组的细胞死亡率和凋亡率下降，差异有统计学意义（P<0.05）,H/R+PHC组与对照组相比，虽然细胞的死亡率和凋亡率有所下降，但差异没有统计学意义（P>0.05）。结论：PHC预处理对大鼠微血管内皮细胞的H/RI有保护作用。 关键词：盐酸戊乙奎醚；心肌微血管内皮细胞；缺氧/复氧     

The host-plant range of twig-girdling beetles (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae: Lamiinae: Onciderini) of the Atlantic rainforest in southeastern Brazil

In this study, the host-plant range of Onciderini beetles was investigated during 4 years in an Atlantic rainforest of southeastern Brazil. Twelve species of Onciderini beetles girdled thirty-six plant species in the study site. In total, 1046 plants were girdled by Onciderini beetles as follows: 44.6% were Vochysiaceae, 15% were Mymosaceae, 12% were Melastomataceae, 9% were Lauraceae, 4% were Anacardiaceae and 15% were distributed among Meliaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Bombacaceae, Fabaceae, Thymelaeaceae, Cecropiaceae, Myrtaceae, Lecythidaceae, and Myrsinaceae. Onciderini beetles did not select hosts randomly. Most of the associations (70%) with host plants were caused by polyphagous beetles and different plant families showed different ratios of polyphagous, oligophagous and monophagous Onciderini in the study site.     

一种有效的富氢中选择氧化CO催化剂Au-CuO/Al2O3

采用等体积浸渍法制备了1.0%Au-CuO/Al2O3催化剂,考察了不同Au与Cu的原子比对催化剂在富氢气氛下选择氧化CO性能的影响,并对该催化剂稳定性进行了初步测试.结果表明,该催化剂在30 ℃～85 ℃范围内可以将CO浓度由1.0%降至0.005%以下.催化剂在80 ℃,模拟气氛条件下10 h内失活很小.通过BET、XRD、UV-vis漫反射等表征发现:催化剂体系中Cu以CuO的形式存在,较小粒子的Au在该反应中表现出较好的活性与选择性.     

王瓜根抗癌糖蛋白的生理生化特征及其对肺腺癌细胞杀伤作用初步研究

经电泳分析,王瓜根活性蛋白可分为两种:其一是酸性蛋白,具细胞毒作用,等电点测定 P~I 为3.2,PAGE 电泳测定分子量为6.76×10~4道尔顿;其二是碱性蛋白,等电点为9.3,PAGE 电泳测定分子量为1.58×10~4道尔顿;微具细胞毒作用。王瓜根活性蛋白属糖蛋白,经纸层析和薄层硅胶 H 层析证实含半乳糖和木糖。扫描电镜观察和光镜连续观察,显示酸性蛋白对肺腺癌细胞的体外培齐有杀伤作用,当培养液含120μg/ml 时杀伤率达58%,对正常肺细胞作用弱;碱性蛋白对肺腺癌细胞杀伤作用较差,在同样剂量时只有47.6%杀伤率。新鲜王瓜根原汁有很强的杀伤肺腺癌细胞作用,剂量在26g/ml 时,杀伤率达60%;当提高到105g/ml 时,杀伤率达74%。试验结果提示:王瓜根活性抗癌物质,除指三萜—葫芦素之外,可能还存在另一种活性物质。这种活性抗癌物质对肺腺癌细胞表面微绒毛无作用,经处理24小时后,癌细胞开始变形,表现为不同程度内陷,32小时癌细胞膜开始溶解,48小时癌细胞溶成团块。     

细胞挤入狭缝的润滑理论分析

血细胞的入口阻力构成血液循环外周阻力的重要组成部分。本文首次提出一个简化的力学模型,试图探讨细胞挤入二维狭缝的运动特性。本模型的细胞外形根据显微录相设为已知,细胞膜沿其表面滑移。对膜与缝壁间的薄血浆层应用润滑理论,算出压力和剪应力分布,给出了细胞所受阻力。本文得到的细胞运动规律,与显微录相定性一致地模拟了细胞的入口过程。     

Protective effect of Shigyaku-to,a traditional Chinese herbal medicine,on the infection of herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) in mice

The antiviral activity of Shigyaku-to (TJS-109), a traditional Chinese herbal medicine, was investigated in mice infected with herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1). TJS-109 is a combination of the medicinal plant extracts fromZingiberis siccatum rhizoma,Aconiti tuber andGlycyrrhizae radix in a specific proportion. Mice infected with a 10 LD₅₀ dose of HSV-1 were treated with TJS-109 orally at doses of 1.25 to 20 mg/kg 2 days before, and 1 and 4 days after the infection. The treated groups had 80% (1.25 mg/kg), 40% (5 mg/kg) and 23% (20 mg/kg) mortality rates 25 days after the infection as compared with a 100% mortality rate in control mice treated with saline. When HSV-1 infected mice (recipients) received CD8⁺T cell fractions derived from spleens of mice treated with TJS-109 (donors), 70% of recipients survived, as compared with 0% survivors in the groups of mice treated with saline, B cell fractions, CD4⁺ T cell fractions or macrophage-enriched fractions prepared from the same donors. TJS-109 did not show any virucidal activities against HSV-1 or any virostatic activities on the growth of HSV-1 in Vero cells. These results suggest that TJS-109 protected mice exposed to lethal amounts of HSV-1 through the activation of CD8⁺ T cells.     

A morphometric study of spermatogenesis in the testes of mice of a senescence accelerated strain

The morphometric parameters of spermatogenic cells in a mouse strain prone to accelerated senescence (SAM-P), a novel murine model of spontaneously promoted aging, were compared with those of a SAM resistant strain (SAM-R) after birth until 40 weeks (mean life span of SAM-P). A mixture of gonocytes and spermatogonia were present in the testis in 1-week-old mice, and no gonocytes were observed in 2-week-old mice. At 6 weeks of age, the absolute number of spermatogonia in SAM-P was 27% greater than that in SAM-R, whereas the cell number in 40-week-old SAM-P was 17% less than in SAM-R. Primary spermatocytes were first observed in 3-week-old animals, and the cell numbers in SAM-P at 3, 5 and 6 weeks were 78%, 31% and 25%, respectively, greater than in SAM-R, whereas the cell number in SAM-P at 40 weeks was 30% less than SAM-R. Round spermatids were first observed in all SAM-P at 4 weeks old, but 20% of SAM-r had no spermatids and the rest had only a few. At 5 and 6 weeks old, the absolute numbers of round spermatids in SAM-P was about 34% and 41%, respectively, greater than in SAM-R, whereas the cell number in 40-week-old SAM-P was about 34% less than SAM-R. These results indicate that testicular maturation begins at an earlier age in SAM-P than SAM-R. Furthermore, at the age of 40 weeks signs of testicular deterioration are evident in SAM-P mice only