海胆早期神经发育及有机磷农药对其神经毒性作用的研究进展

 早期发育阶段是有机磷农药神经毒性作用最敏感的时期,海胆的胚胎和幼虫为研究有机磷农药对早期发育阶段的神经毒性作用提供了一种理想的模型。本文介绍了海胆的早期神经发育过程,综述了神经系统对海胆早期发育的调控作用,结合近年来国内外的研究,阐述了有机磷农药对海胆早期发育的影响及其神经毒性作用机制,并展望了该领域的研究方向。     

Faf1 is expressed during neurodevelopment and is involved in Apaf1-dependent caspase-3 activation in proneural cells

Fas-associated factor 1 (Faf1) has been described as a Fas-binding pro-apoptotic protein and as a component of the death-inducing signaling complex (DISC) in Fas-mediated apoptosis. Faf1 is able to potentiate Fas-induced apoptosis in several cell lines, although its specific functions are still not clear. Here we show that Faf1 is highly expressed in several areas of the developing telencephalon. Its expression pattern appears to be dynamic at different embryonic stages and to be progressively confined within limited territories. To decipher the specific role of Faf1 in developing brain, we used cDNA over-expression and mRNA down-regulation experiments to modulate Faf1 expression in telencephalic neural precursor cells, and we showed that in neural cell death Faf1 acts as a Fas-independent apoptotic enhancer. Moreover, we found that Faf1 protein level is down-regulated during apoptosis in a caspase- and Apaf1-dependent manner.