Response to metal stress of Nicotiana langsdorffii plants wild-type and transgenic for the rat glucocorticoid receptor gene

Recently our findings have shown that the integration of the gene coding for the rat gluco-corticoid receptor (GR receptor) in Nicotiana langsdorffii plants induced morphophysiological effects in transgenic plants through the modification of their hormonal pattern. Phytohormones play a key role in plant responses to many different biotic and abiotic stresses since a modified hormonal profile up-regulates the activation of secondary metabolites involved in the response to stress. In this work transgenic GR plants and isogenic wild type genotypes were exposed to metal stress by treating them with 30 ppm cadmium(II) or 50 ppm chromium(VI). Hormonal patterns along with changes in key response related metabolites were then monitored and compared. Heavy metal up-take was found to be lower in the GR plants. The transgenic plants exhibited higher values of S-abscisic acid (S-ABA) and 3-indole acetic acid (IAA), salicylic acid and total polyphenols, chlorogenic acid and antiradical activity, compared to the untransformed wild type plants. Both Cd and Cr treatments led to an increase in hormone concentrations and secondary metabolites only in wild type plants. Analysis of the results suggests that the stress responses due to changes in the plant's hormonal system may derive from the interaction between the GR receptor and phytosteroids, which are known to play a key role in plant physiology and development.     

突触囊泡蛋白在ALS转基因鼠海马的表达变化

目的为了为揭示肌萎缩脊髓侧索硬化症（amyotrophic lateral sclerosis,ALS）认知功能障碍的机制提供依据,观察不同年龄ALS转基因小鼠海马中突触囊泡蛋白（synaptophysin,Syp）的表达情况。方法取95d、108d和122dALS转基因鼠海马,应用免疫荧光、Westernblot、RT-PCR技术检测Syp在海马中的表达变化。结果与同窝野生型鼠比较,Syp蛋白和mRNA表达水平在95d龄ALS转基因鼠海马中无明显变化,在108d与122d龄ALS转基因鼠海马中明显降低。结论Syp在ALS转基因鼠海马中表达减少表明,突触可塑性降低是ALS学习记忆能力下降的重要病理学基础。     

LPS／D—GalN诱发ⅣF—KB转基因小鼠急性致死性肝损伤模型的建立

目的以NF—KB转基因BALB／c小鼠建立一个LPS／D—GaIN诱发的急性致死性肝损伤模型。方法采取腹腔注射高剂量的LPS／D-GalN建立急性致死性肝损伤小鼠模型,观察模型小鼠的促炎症细胞因子水平和NF—KB的活性改变,以及肝脏功能和病理改变情况。结果模型组小鼠生存时间为8—10h,模型建立后小鼠血清TNF—a、IL-6和MCP-1水平显著升高,在2—4h达到高峰;肝脏外观出现瘀血和出血,肝脏小叶被严重破坏,肝细胞严重坏死和出血;血清ALT／AST水平在模型诱发后持续迅速上升;整体成像显示胛-KB的活性在4～6h达到高峰。正常对照组小鼠以上指标无显著变化。结论成功建立LPS／D-GalN诱发的M-船转基因小鼠的急性致死性肝损伤模型。     

转基因小鼠和基因突变小鼠微卫星不稳定性分析

目的探讨微卫星在转基因和基因突变小鼠中的变化,为基因修饰和遗传突变动物的遗传检测和表型分析提供理论依据和技术手段。方法根据文献报道,从GenBank中选取198个等位基因数量多、富含多态性的微卫星位点,以野生型动物为对照,对6种近交系遗传背景的转基因小鼠和5种自然基因突变的近交系小鼠进行微卫星多态性检测,选用1.5%琼脂糖凝胶电泳和STR扫描技术,比较分析微卫星不稳定性。结果共有40个微卫星位点在转基因和基因突变小鼠中表现出多态性。在基因突变小鼠中,微卫星不稳定性有55.6%(10/18)是由纯合变为杂合(Ⅰ型),有3个位点(16.6%,3/18)是纯合突变(Ⅱ型),有5个位点同时存在2种类型的突变。但是在转基因动物中,大多数的微卫星多态性为Ⅰ型突变(87.5%,28/32),只有2个位点(6.2%,2/32)是Ⅱ型突变。另外有2个位点同时存在2种类型的突变。结论基因修饰或基因突变可引起小鼠相关微卫星发生不稳定性,而且某些微卫星位点对基因改变敏感性较高。     

Human extracellular superoxide dismutase (EC-SOD) expression in transgenic chicken

Extracellular superoxide dismutase (EC-SOD) is a metalloprotein and functions as an antioxidant enzyme. In this study, we used lentiviral vectors to generate transgenic chickens that express the human EC-SOD gene. The recombinant lentiviruses were injected into the subgerminal cavity of freshly laid eggs. Subsequently, the embryos were incubated to hatch using phases II and III of the surrogate shell ex vivo culture system. Of 158 injected embryos, 16 chicks (G0) hatched and were screened for the hEC-SOD by PCR. Only 1 chick was identified as a transgenic bird containing the transgene in its germline. This founder (G0) bird was mated with wild-type hens to produce transgenic progeny, and 2 transgenic chicks (G1) were produced. In the generated transgenic hens (G2), the hEC-SOD protein was expressed in the egg white and showed antioxidant activity. These results highlight the potential of the chicken for production of biologically active proteins in egg white. [BMB Reports 2013; 46(8): 404-409]     

过表达秋茄C2H2型锌指蛋白基因KcZFP提高烟草耐盐性

基因转录调节是植物对非生物胁迫适应机制的一个重要方面,转录调节因子在胁迫信号转导途径中调节下游基因的表达,在建立植物对胁迫适应性过程中起到重要作用.锌指蛋白是功能多样的转录调节因子蛋白家族,家族成员在植物响应非生物胁迫方面扮演着重要角色.本研究以秋茄C2H2型锌指蛋白编码基因KcZFP为目的基因,在烟草中过表达KcZFP,分析C2H2型锌指蛋白在植物耐盐性中的作用.研究结果显示:转基因株系中,KcZFP表达量显著提高.过表达KcZFP的烟草植株的耐盐性明显提高,在200 mmol/L NaCl处理的条件下,KcZFP过表达烟草中脯氨酸水平远高于野生型植株.对光合作用参数比较分析显示,在KcZFP过表达植株中净光合速率受盐胁迫的影响小于野生型植株,光合系统在一定程度上得到了保护.研究结果说明KcZFP作为转录调节因子参与了植物的渗透调节,对植物的耐盐性具有贡献.     

A soluble form of human nectin-2 impairs exocrine secretion of pancreas and formation of zymogen granules in transgenic mice

Transgenic mouse lines expressing a soluble form of human nectin-2 (hNectin-2Ig Tg) exhibited distinctive elevation of amylase and lipase levels in the sera. In this study, we aimed to clarify the histopathology and to propose the transgenic mouse lines as new animal model for characteristic pancreatic exocrine defects. The significant increase of amylase and lipase levels in sera of the transgenic lines approximately peaked at 8 weeks old and thereafter, plateaued or gradually decreased. The histopathology in transgenic acinar cells was characterized by intracytoplasmic accumulation of abnormal proteins with decrease of normal zymogen granules. The hNectin-2Ig expression was observed in the cytoplasm of pancreatic acinar cells, which was consistent with zymogen granules. However, signals of hNectin-2Ig were very weak in the transgenic acinar cells with the abnormal cytoplasmic accumulaion. The PCNA-positive cells increased in the transgenic pancreas, which suggested the affected acinar cells were regenerated. Acinar cells of hNectin-2Ig Tg had markedly small number of zymogen granules with remarkable dilation of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) lumen containing abundant abnormal proteins. In conclusion, hNectin-2Ig Tg is proposed as a new animal model for characteristic pancreatic exocrine defects, which are due to the ER stress induced by expression of mutated cell adhesion molecule that is a soluble form of human nectin-2.     

人源抗体制备及临床应用研究进展

与常规治疗药物相比,抗体药物具有靶向性强、特异性好等优点,其作为一类重要的治疗性药物,近年来在临床中的应用逐渐增多,为疾病的治疗提供了新的选择,应用范围逐渐从肿瘤、自身免疫性疾病及慢性炎症扩展到心血管和感染性等疾病中。人源抗体的全部结构是由人类抗体基因所编码的,因此避免了异种蛋白长期应用引起的不良反应,加之人源抗体制备技术的不断发展完善,使其逐渐成为治疗性抗体研发的首要选择。综述了近年来治疗性人源抗体的主要制备技术及其在临床中应用的最新进展,同时探讨了人源抗体制备技术的不足之处,以期为人源抗体的发展提供借鉴和思路。     

Wnt/beta-catenin signaling has an essential role in the initiation of limb regeneration

Anuran (frog) tadpoles and urodeles (newts and salamanders) are the only vertebrates capable of fully regenerating amputated limbs. During the early stages of regeneration these amphibians form a "blastema", a group of mesenchymal progenitor cells that specifically directs the regrowth of the limb. We report that wnt-3a is expressed in the apical epithelium of regenerating Xenopus laevis limb buds, at the appropriate time and place to play a role during blastema formation. To test whether Wnt/beta-catenin signaling is required for limb regeneration, we created transgenic X. laevis tadpoles that express Dickkopf-1 (Dkk1), a specific inhibitor of Wnt/beta-catenin signaling, under the control of a heat-shock promoter. Heat-shock immediately before limb amputation or during early blastema formation blocked limb regeneration but did not affect the development of contralateral, un-amputated limb buds. When the transgenic tadpoles were heat-shocked following the formation of a blastema, however, they retained the ability to regenerate partial hindlimb structures. Furthermore, heat-shock induced Dkk1 blocked fgf-8 but not fgf-10 expression in the blastema. We conclude that Wnt/beta-catenin signaling has an essential role during the early stages of limb regeneration, but is not absolutely required after blastema formation.