In vivo study on the effects of microcystin extracts on the expression profiles of proto-oncogenes (c-fos, c-jun and c-myc) in liver, kidney and testis of male Wistar rats injected i.v. with toxins

Microcystins (MCs) are a potent liver tumor promoter, possessing potent tumor-promoting activity and weak initiating activity. Proto-oncogenes are known to be involved in the tumor-promoting mechanisms of microcystin-LR. However, few data are available on the effects of MCs oil proto-oncogenes in the whole animal. To investigate the effects of MCs on the expression profile of the proto-oncogenes in different organs, male Wistar rats were injected intravenously with microcystin extracts at a dose of 86.7 mu g MC-LR eq/kg bw (MC-LR eq, MC-LR equivalents). mRNA levels of three proto-oncogenes c-fos, c-jun and c-myc in liver, kidney and testis were analyzed using quantitative real-time PCR at several time points post-injection. Significant induction of these genes at transcriptional level was observed in the three organs. In addition, the increase of mRNA expression of all three genes was much higher in liver than in kidney and testis. Meanwhile, the protein levels of c-Fos and c-Jun were investigated by western blotting. Both proteins were induced in the three organs. However, elevations of protein levels were Much lower than those of mRNA levels. These findings suggest that the expression of c-fos, c-jun and c-myc might be one possible mechanism for the tumor-promoting activity and initiating activity of microcystins. (c) 2008 Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Morphological variability between wild populations and inbred stocks of a Chinese minnow, Gobiocypris rarus

Gobiocypris rarus, a small, native cyprinid fish, is currently widely used in research on fish pathology, genetics, toxicology, embryology, and physiology in China. To develop this species as a model laboratory animal, inbred strains have been successfully created. In this study, to explore a method to discriminate inbred strains and evaluate inbreeding effects, morphological variation among three wild populations and three inbred stocks of G. rarus was investigated by the multivariate analysis of eight meristic and 30 morphometric characters. Tiny intraspecific variations in meristic characters were found, but these were not effective for population distinction. Stepwise discriminant analysis and cluster analysis of conventional measures and truss network data showed considerabe divergence among populations, especially between wild populations and inbred stocks. The average discriminant accuracy for all populations was 82.1% based on conventional measures and 86.4% based on truss data, whereas the discriminant accuracy for inbred strains was much higher. These results suggested that multivariate analyses of morphometric characters are an effective method for discriminating inbred strains of G. rarus. Morphological differences between wild populations and inbred strains appear to result from both genetic differences and environmental factors. Thirteen characters, extracted from stepwise discriminant analysis, played important roles in morphological differentiation. These characters were mainly measures related to body depth and head size.

Lewis酸引发的LLDPE/PS共混体系的原位反应增容及其结构与性能研究

本文以单组分和双组分Lewis酸为催化剂，采用反应加工的方法，制备了原位反应增容的线性低密度聚乙烯/聚苯乙烯共混物（LLDPE/PS），并对原位反应增容的机理、增容体系的结构性能以及Lewis酸对共混组分的降解作用进行了系统研究。 以FTIR和NMR为手段、二甲苯为模拟化合物，确认LLDPE/PS共混体系在Lewis酸为催化剂作用下发生了LLDPE与PS的接枝反应，LLDPE接枝在PS苯环的对位上。形成的原位接枝共聚物对体系起增容作用。 使用溶剂抽提、SEM、DMA、流变和DSC等手段对以单组分Lewis酸AlCl3 为催化剂的LLDPE/PS共混物的结构性能进行了研究。从溶剂抽提前后的重量比计算了接枝物的含量。催化剂用量较低时体系中的接枝物含量随AlCl3的增加而提高，随着AlCl3进一步增加，接枝物含量不会增加反而下降，发现AlCl3导致均聚物的降解。研究结果表明，共混体系中加入适量的AlCl3催化剂后，分散相尺寸减小，分布均匀，储能模量增加，低频区的复数黏度升高。但AlCl3用量过高时使共混物的分散相尺寸增加，分布均匀度下降，储能模量和复数黏度降低。以GPC为手段研究了单组分 Lewis酸AlCl3对共混组分的降解作用，发现对PS的降解作用显著。 由于单组分Lewis酸催化剂会导致共混组分降解，使共混体系的物理机械性能变劣，为此，我们在LLDPE/PS共混物中引入了双组分Lewis酸催化剂（Me3SiCl、InCl3•4H2O）。结果表明双组分Lewis酸催化剂不但能够催化LLDPE和PS的原位接枝反应，获得高性能的LLDPE/PS合金材料，而且不会引发共混组分PS的降解。在催化剂用量固定时，采用双组分催化剂时共混物的拉伸强度随着LLDPE含量的增加几乎保持不变，但冲击强度有十分明显的提高。对比了加入催化剂前后共混物形貌的变化，增容后的共混物中分散相粒子尺寸显著降低，证明了双Lewis酸良好的催化性能。 对以双Lewis酸为催化剂的共混物的流变行为和结晶行为进行了研究。随着催化剂的加入，两相之间的相互作用增强，因此共混物的复数黏度，储能模量和损耗模量都有不同程度的提高。增容后的LLDPE相区变小，因而在冷却过程中出现不同程度的分步结晶现象。 对单组分和双组分Lewis酸催化剂原位反应增容LLDPE/PS共混体系的机理进行了探讨。机理为Friedel-Crafts烷基化反应。在采用单组分Lewis酸催化剂时， AlCl3与体系中含有的微量水等杂质发生反应，形成一个复合物，然后进一步与聚乙烯中的不饱和的双键发生反应形成碳正离子，并攻击LLDPE分子链从而形成大分子的碳正离子LLDPE+，而这些LLDPE+则通过电子的重排而发生剪切断裂。在催化剂的存在下，这些断裂的LLDPE片断取代PS中的苯环上的质子而发生接枝反应，从而形成LLDPE-g-PS共聚物。采用双组分Lewis酸催化剂时，首先发生双Lewis酸的耦合；耦合后的Lewis酸与水等杂质反应生成复合物，然后与非饱和的LLDPE分子反应生成初级碳正离子；初级碳正离子进攻LLDPE主链，生成较大的碳正离子；LLDPE+碳正离子取代PS苯环对位的质子而生成接枝共聚物。

单细胞凝胶电泳技术检测碳离子束和X射线照射对Lewis肺癌细胞的DNA损伤

比较研究了89.63MeV/u的碳离子束和6MeV的X射线照射Lewis肺癌细胞所致的细胞克隆存活和DNA损伤效应,以探讨单细胞凝胶电泳检测细胞辐射敏感性及重离子束治疗肿瘤的优势。结果表明,在10%细胞存活水平上碳离子束的相对生物学效应(Relative biological effectiveness,RBE)值达到1.77。单细胞凝胶电泳检测损伤DNA尾部百分含量(Tail DNA,TD)和Olive尾矩(Olive tail moment,OTM)的剂量效应曲线表明,X射线的剂量效应曲线为线性,而碳离子束诱导出一个包含线性和指数项的双阶段效应曲线。碳离子束辐照剂量大于8Gy后TD和OTM都存在饱和效应。在2Gy的剂量点,高传能线密度(LET)碳离子束比X射线产生更低的存活分数和更高的初始OTM。本研究提示:在Lewis肺癌细胞中,碳离子束照射比X射线产生更为强烈的细胞致死和DNA损伤效应,可使肿瘤治疗具有更高效率。

重离子对小鼠移植性Lewis肺癌分次照射的生物效应

目的　研究重离子不同分次照射的生物效应。方法　除对照组外 ,选择了 2个剂量点 :低剂量为 12Gy,高剂量为 2 4Gy。每个剂量分单次、2和 3次照射组 ,观察Lewis肺癌的肿瘤体积变化、肿瘤生长延迟时间和荷瘤小鼠生存时间。结果　无论高剂量还是低剂量 ,分 3次照射的肿瘤生长延迟和生存时间都显著大于单次和分 2次照射。结论　采用分 3次照射的肿瘤生物效应优于单次和分 2次照射 ,低剂量又优于高剂量。此研究结果为我国重离子束治疗肿瘤的临床试验提供了实验依据。

~(12)C~(6+)离子辐照小鼠Lewis肿瘤的研究

研究了HIRFL提供的12C6+离子辐照C57BL/6J小鼠右后腿移植的Lewis肿瘤的生长延迟和碳离子辐照对Lewis肿瘤小鼠寿命的延长.结果表明,碳离子照射的小鼠肿瘤生长体积明显地小于对照的体积.在剂量相同、分次数辐照越多时,肿瘤生长就越缓慢,肿瘤抑制就越高.在辐照分次数相同时,不同剂量对受照肿瘤生长体积未产生差异.在4Gy×3,8Gy×3和12Gy×2组3种辐照剂量下,小鼠寿命的P值小于0.05;可知小鼠的寿命延长具有统计学意义.

Effects of Naotan Pill on repair of neural cells and cognitive disorders in juvenile rats following hypoxia and ischemia

BACKGROUND: Hypoxia and ischemia induce neuronal damage, decreased neuronal numbers and synaptophysin levels, and deficits in learning and memory functions. Previous studies have shown that lycium barbarum polysaccharide, the most effective component of barbary wolfberry fruit, has protective effects on neural cells in hypoxia-ischemia. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of Naotan Pill on glutamate-treated neural cells and on cognitive function in juvenile rats following hypoxia-ischemia. DESIGN, TIME AND SETTING: The randomized, controlled, in vivo study was performed at the Cell Laboratory of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou Institute of Modern Physics of Chinese Academy of Sciences, and Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine of Gansu Provincial Rehabilitation Center Hospital, China from December 2005 to August 2006. The cellular neurobiology, in vitro experiment was conducted at the Institute of Human Anatomy, Histology, Embryology and Neuroscience, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, and Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine of Gansu Provincial Rehabilitation Center Hospital, China from March 2007 to January 2008. MATERIALS: Naotan Pill, composed of barbary wolfberry fruit, danshen root, grassleaf sweetflag rhizome, and glossy privet fruit, was prepared by Gansu Provincial Rehabilitation Center, China. Rabbit anti-synaptophysin, choline acetyl transferase polyclonal antibody, streptavidin-biotin complex kit and diaminobenzidine kit (Boster, Wuhan, China), as well as glutamate (Hualian, Shanghai, China) were used in this study. METHODS: Cortical neural cells were isolated from neonatal Wistar rats. Neural cell damage models were induced using glutamate, and administered Naotan Pill prior to and following damage. A total of 54 juvenile Wistar rats were equally and randomly assigned into model, Naotan Pill, and sham operation groups. The left common carotid artery was ligated, and then rat models of hypoxic-ischemic injury were assigned to the model and Naotan Pill groups. At 2 days following model induction, rats in the Naotan Pill group were administered Naotan Pill suspension for 21 days. In the model and sham operation groups, rats received an equal volume of saline. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Neural cell morphology was observed using an inverted phase contrast microscope. Survival rate of neural cells was measured by MTT assay. Synaptophysin and choline acetyl transferase expression was observed in the hippocampal CA1 region of juvenile rats using immunohistochemistry. Cognitive function was tested by the Morris water maze. RESULTS: Pathological changes were detected in glutamate-treated neural cells. Neural cell morphology remained normal after Naotan Pill intervention. Absorbance and survival rate of neural cells were significantly greater following Naotan Pill intervention, compared to glutamate-treated neural cells (P < 0.05). Synaptophysin and choline acetyl transferase expression was lowest in the hippocampal CA1 region in the model group and highest in the sham operation group. Significant differences among groups were observed (P < 0.05). Escape latency and swimming distance were significantly longer in the model group compared to the Naotan Pill group (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Naotan Pill exhibited protective and repair effects on glutamate-treated neural cells. Naotan Pill upregulated synaptophysin and choline acetyl transferase expression in the hippocampus and improved cognitive function in rats following hypoxia-ischemia.

Assessment of DNA damage of Lewis lung carcinoma cells irradiated by carbon ions and X-rays using alkaline comet assay

DNA damage and cell reproductive death determined by alkaline comet and clonogenic survival assays were examined in Lewis lung carcinoma cells after exposure to 89.63 MeV/u carbon ion and 6 MV X-ray irradiations, respectively. Based on the survival data, Lewis lung carcinoma cells were verified to be more radiosensitive to the carbon ion beam than to the X-ray irradiation. The relative biological effectiveness (RBE) value, which was up to 1.77 at 10% survival level, showed that the DNA damage induced by the high-LET carbon ion beam was more remarkable than that induced by the low-LET X-ray irradiation. The dose response curves of '' Tail DNA (%)'' (TD) and "Olive tail moment" (OTM) for the carbon ion irradiation showed saturation beyond about 8 Gy. This behavior was not found in the X-ray curves. Additionally, the carbon ion beam produced a lower survival fraction at 2 Gy (SF2) value and a higher initial Olive tail moment 2 Gy (OTM2) than those for the X-ray irradiation. These results suggest that carbon ion beams having high-LET values produced more severe cell reproductive death and DNA damage in Lewis lung carcinoma cells in comparison with X-rays and comet assay might be an effective predictive test even combining with clonogenic assay to assess cellular radio sensitivity

Toxicological effects of cinnabar in rats by NMR-based metabolic profiling of urine and serum

Cinnabar, an important traditional Chinese mineral medicine, has been widely used as a Chinese patent medicine ingredient for sedative therapy. However, the pharmaceutical and toxicological effects of cinnabar, especially in the whole organism, were subjected to few investigations. In this study, an NMR-based metabolomics approach has been applied to investigate the toxicological effects of cinnabar after intragastrical administration (dosed at 0.5, 2 and 5 g/kg body weight) on male Wistar rats.

Regio-regular structure high molecular weight poly(propylene carbonate) by rare earth ternary catalyst and Lewis base cocatalyst

Lewis base modification strategy on rare earth ternary catalyst was disclosed to enhance nucleophilic ability of active center during copolymerization of carbon dioxide and propylene oxide (PO), poly(propylene carbonate) (PPC) with H-T linkages over 83%, and number-average molecular weight (M-n) up to 100 kg/mol was synthesized at room temperature using Y(CCl3OO)(3)-ZnEt2-glycerine catalyst and 1,10-phenanthroline (PHEN) cocatalyst. Coordination of PHEN with active Zinc center enhanced the nucleophilic ability of the metal carbonate, which became more regio-specific in attacking carbon in PO, leading to PPC with improved H-T linkages.