RESUMEN
Numerous studies have been investigated the potential of biochar (BC) derived from various materials and crop straw (CS) to decrease the bioavailability of heavy metals in soil contaminated with cadmium (Cd), and thereby reduce their potential risk to human health and the ecological environment. However, little attention has been given to the comparison of heavy metal remediation efficiency using BC and CS such as peanut vine (PV) and rice straw (RS), especially in soil contaminated with Cd. Here, we explore if Cd bioavailability is affected in contaminated soil by BC and CS. Peanuts were grown in plastic pots, which contained BC or CS at 5% (dry weight, w/w) in controlled environment mesocosms. The bioavailability of Cd in contaminated soil was measured by Cd concentration in the plant and the concentrations of various forms of Cd in the soil. At the same plant age, growth with BC (compared with PV and RS) led to 13.56% and 8.28% lower rates of Cd content in the aboveground parts, 40.65% and 35.67% lower rates of Cd content in the seeds, yet 9.08% and 7.09% lower rates of Cd content in the roots, yet 35.80% and 28.48% lower rates of exchangeable Cd content in the soil. Moreover, BC amendment enhanced the biomass of peanut and physiological quality. Thus, BC had a greater impact on immobilizing Cd in the soil. The results imply that BC was more significantly (P < 0.05) remarkable in decreasing the Cd bioavailability and improving the biomass of peanut. BC has greater potential for enhancing soil quality and promoting peanut growth. In conclusion, this research demonstrates an understanding of employing BC as a promising inexpensive and eco-friendly amendment to remediate soil contaminated with Cd.
RESUMEN
A hydroponic experiment was conducted to investigate perchlorate (ClO4 (-) ) phytotoxicity in different rice varieties. Considerable variations were observed when 24 rice varieties were treated with ClO4 (-) . The shoot height, root length, and biomass of most varieties were significantly reduced by ClO4 (-) . The roots were more sensitive than the shoots. Hierarchical clustering analysis demonstrated primarily 4 groups: ClO4 (-) -sensitive, medium ClO4 (-) -sensitive, medium ClO4 (-) tolerant, and ClO4 (-) -tolerant. Gannuoxiang (a ClO4 (-) -tolerant variety) and IR65598-112-2 (a ClO4 (-) -sensitive variety) were chosen to explore their antioxidant response when exposed to 0.2 mmol/L, 2.0 mmol/L, and 4.0 mmol/L ClO4 (-) . The results showed that the activities of superoxide dismutase and catalase increased in the shoots and roots of gannuoxiang with increasing doses of ClO4 (-) , but both of them decreased at higher concentrations of ClO4 (-) in IR65598-112-2. The addition of ClO4 (-) led to a significant increase in peroxidase activities for both of the varieties, whereas the increase was more pronounced in gannuoxiang than in IR65598-112-2. No significant difference was found in malondialdehyde (MDA) contents in gannuoxiang, whereas the addition of ClO4 (-) increased the MDA level significantly in IR65598-112-2. The results indicated that gannuoxiang has higher activities of antioxidant enzymes than IR65598-112-2 to cope with oxidative damage caused by ClO4 (-) stress, which may be the main cause of its high tolerance.
Asunto(s)
Antioxidantes/metabolismo , Oryza/metabolismo , Estrés Oxidativo/efectos de los fármacos , Percloratos/toxicidad , Catalasa/metabolismo , Análisis por Conglomerados , Malondialdehído/metabolismo , Oryza/efectos de los fármacos , Oryza/crecimiento & desarrollo , Peroxidasas/metabolismo , Raíces de Plantas/efectos de los fármacos , Raíces de Plantas/metabolismo , Brotes de la Planta/efectos de los fármacos , Brotes de la Planta/metabolismo , Plantones/efectos de los fármacos , Plantones/crecimiento & desarrollo , Plantones/metabolismo , Superóxido Dismutasa/metabolismoRESUMEN
OBJECTIVE: To study the effect of transplantation on the growth and oxymatrine content of Sophora flavescens and provide foundation for popularization and cultivation of Sophora flavescens in South China. METHODS: Sophora flavescens which was usually planted in North China and Northwest China was planted in a non-traditional location, Zhongshan city, Guangdong Province in South China to test its adaptability. The growth characters, such as plant height, leaf area, dry weight of root, diameter and length of root and so on were measured from 2010 to 2012. The oxymatrine content of one-year old and two-year old root of Sophora flavescens were determined by HPLC. Nine major growth indexes for one-year old Sophora flavescens were comprehensively analyzed and evaluated by the methods of weighted gray relational and hierarchy evaluation of fuzzy mathematics. RESULTS: The weighted relevancy of introduced and reference cultivars was 0.8545. The introduced cultivar was rather adaptable to the geography environment in Zhongshan. Its quality was very close to the reference cultivars. Oxymatrine content of root of one-year old and two-year old Sophora flavescens was 13.2784 mg/g (as much as origin) and 16.4779 mg/g (less than origin 28.67%), respectively. These were 10.65% and 37.32% higher than the quality standard which were set up in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia (2010 edition). CONCLUSION: Sophora flavescens performs quite well in the newly introducing region. It is suitable to be cultivated and extended in South China.
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Alcaloides/análisis , Cromatografía Líquida de Alta Presión/métodos , Quinolizinas/análisis , Sophora/química , Sophora/crecimiento & desarrollo , China , Clima , Ecosistema , Fertilizantes , Hojas de la Planta/anatomía & histología , Hojas de la Planta/química , Hojas de la Planta/crecimiento & desarrollo , Raíces de Plantas/anatomía & histología , Raíces de Plantas/química , Raíces de Plantas/crecimiento & desarrollo , Plantas Medicinales/química , Plantas Medicinales/crecimiento & desarrollo , Estaciones del Año , Sophora/anatomía & histologíaRESUMEN
Age-associated loss of muscle mass, or sarcopenia, contributes directly to frailty and an increased risk of falls and fractures among the elderly. Aged mice and elderly adults both show decreased muscle mass as well as relatively low levels of the fat-derived hormone leptin. Here we demonstrate that loss of muscle mass and myofiber size with aging in mice is associated with significant changes in the expression of specific miRNAs. Aging altered the expression of 57 miRNAs in mouse skeletal muscle, and many of these miRNAs are now reported to be associated specifically with age-related muscle atrophy. These include miR-221, previously identified in studies of myogenesis and muscle development as playing a role in the proliferation and terminal differentiation of myogenic precursors. We also treated aged mice with recombinant leptin, to determine whether leptin therapy could improve muscle mass and alter the miRNA expression profile of aging skeletal muscle. Leptin treatment significantly increased hindlimb muscle mass and extensor digitorum longus fiber size in aged mice. Furthermore, the expression of 37 miRNAs was altered in muscles of leptin-treated mice. In particular, leptin treatment increased the expression of miR-31 and miR-223, miRNAs known to be elevated during muscle regeneration and repair. These findings suggest that aging in skeletal muscle is associated with marked changes in the expression of specific miRNAs, and that nutrient-related hormones such as leptin may be able to reverse muscle atrophy and alter the expression of atrophy-related miRNAs in aging skeletal muscle.
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Envejecimiento/efectos de los fármacos , Leptina/uso terapéutico , MicroARNs/genética , Desarrollo de Músculos/efectos de los fármacos , Músculo Esquelético/efectos de los fármacos , Atrofia Muscular/tratamiento farmacológico , Envejecimiento/genética , Envejecimiento/patología , Animales , Perfilación de la Expresión Génica , Ratones , Ratones Endogámicos C57BL , Desarrollo de Músculos/genética , Músculo Esquelético/patologíaRESUMEN
Recent studies have demonstrated that gene expression is regulated not only by protein-coding genes, but also by nonprotein-coding small RNA molecules, microRNAs (miRNAs). miRNAs have emerged as important regulators involved in many biological processes, including cell proliferation and differentiation, apoptosis and metabolism and disease development. Here we report that specific miRNA deficiency in pancreatic islet cells exacerbates multiple low-dose streptozotocin-induced murine autoimmune type 1 diabetes, suggesting that miRNAs expressed in islet beta cells regulate their susceptibility to immune-mediated beta cell destruction.
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Diabetes Mellitus Experimental/metabolismo , Diabetes Mellitus Experimental/patología , Diabetes Mellitus Tipo 1/metabolismo , Diabetes Mellitus Tipo 1/patología , Islotes Pancreáticos/metabolismo , MicroARNs/metabolismo , Animales , Integrasas , Islotes Pancreáticos/patología , Ratones , Ratones Noqueados , MicroARNs/genéticaRESUMEN
MicroRNAs are endogenous, noncoding, small RNAs that regulate expression and function of genes, but little is known about regulation of microRNA in the kidneys under normal or pathologic states. Here, we generated a mouse model in which the proximal tubular cells lack Dicer, a key enzyme for microRNA production. These mice had normal renal function and histology under control conditions despite a global downregulation of microRNAs in the renal cortex; however, these animals were remarkably resistant to renal ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI), showing significantly better renal function, less tissue damage, lower tubular apoptosis, and improved survival compared with their wild-type littermates. Microarray analysis showed altered expression of specific microRNAs during renal IRI. Taken together, these results demonstrate evidence for a pathogenic role of Dicer and associated microRNAs in renal IRI.
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Lesión Renal Aguda/metabolismo , ARN Helicasas DEAD-box/metabolismo , Endorribonucleasas/metabolismo , Túbulos Renales Proximales/metabolismo , MicroARNs/metabolismo , Daño por Reperfusión/metabolismo , Lesión Renal Aguda/etiología , Animales , Técnicas de Inactivación de Genes , Masculino , Ratones , Ratones Noqueados , Análisis de Secuencia por Matrices de Oligonucleótidos , Daño por Reperfusión/complicaciones , Ribonucleasa IIIRESUMEN
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of evolutionarily conserved small noncoding RNAs that are increasingly being recognized as important regulators of gene expression. The ribonuclease III enzyme Dicer is essential for the processing of miRNAs. CD1d-restricted invariant natural killer T (iNKT) cells are potent regulators of diverse immune responses. The role of Dicer-generated miRNAs in the development and function of immune regulatory iNKT cells is unknown. Here, we generated a mouse strain with a tissue-specific disruption of Dicer, and showed that lack of miRNAs after the deletion of Dicer by Tie2-Cre (expressed in hematopoietic cells and endothelial cells) interrupted the development and maturation of iNKT cells in the thymus and significantly decreased the number of iNKT cells in different immune organs. Thymic and peripheral iNKT cell compartments were changed in miRNA-deficient mice, with a significantly increased frequency of CD4(+)CD8(+) iNKT cells in the thymus and a significantly decreased frequency of CD4(+) iNKT cells in the spleen. MiRNA-deficient iNKT cells display profound defects in alpha-GalCer-induced activation and cytokine production. Bone marrow (BM) from miRNA-deficient mice poorly reconstituted iNKT cells compared to BM from WT mice. Also, using a thymic iNKT cell transfer model, we found that iNKT cell homeostasis was impaired in miRNA-deficient recipient mice. Our data indicate that miRNAs expressed in hematopoietic cells and endothelial cells are potent regulators of iNKT cell development, function, and homeostasis.
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ARN Helicasas DEAD-box/metabolismo , Endorribonucleasas/metabolismo , Activación de Linfocitos , MicroARNs/metabolismo , Células T Asesinas Naturales/inmunología , Animales , Antígenos CD4/inmunología , Antígenos CD8/inmunología , ARN Helicasas DEAD-box/genética , Endorribonucleasas/genética , Células Endoteliales/enzimología , Células Madre Hematopoyéticas/enzimología , Activación de Linfocitos/genética , Ratones , Ratones Transgénicos , Células T Asesinas Naturales/enzimología , Receptor TIE-2/genética , Ribonucleasa III , Timo/enzimología , Timo/inmunologíaRESUMEN
A novel method for the determination of paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) toxins using high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection was developed. The fluorescent derivates of neosaxitoxin (neoSTX), saxitoxin (STX), gonyautoxins 1 and 4 (GTX1+4), and gonyautoxins 2 and 3 (GTX2+3) were separated on a muBondapak NH2 column (300 mm x 3.9 mm, 10 microm) using water and acetate buffer (pH 6.5) as the mobile phase (1.00 mL min(-1)) in gradient mode with fluorescence detection at 390 nm (excitation at 330 nm). The linear ranges of neoSTX, STX, GTX1+4 and GTX2+3 were 3.31-331, 0.952-95.2, 3.78-378 and 0.124-12.4 ng mL(-1), respectively. The detection limits of neoSTX, STX, GTX1+4 and GTX2+3 were 1.10, 0.32, 1.26 and 0.041 ng mL(-1), respectively. The method was successfully applied to the determination of PSP toxins in microalgae. The recoveries ranged from 88+/-2% to 107+/-4% and the relative standard deviations were 0.16% to 4.4%. The procedure is also environmentally friendly because no organic solvent is used in the mobile phase.
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Cromatografía Líquida de Alta Presión/métodos , Eucariontes/química , Toxinas Marinas/análisis , Mariscos , Amidas/química , Animales , Técnicas de Cultivo de Célula , Oxidación-Reducción , Espectrometría de FluorescenciaRESUMEN
A highly sensitive high-performance liquid chromatographic method with fluorescence detection has been developed for determination of vitamin B(1). Vitamin B(1) was converted into a fluorescent compound by treatment with hydrogen peroxide-horseradish peroxidase and the derivative was subsequently analyzed by HPLC on a Waters Spherisorb ODS2 column (250 mm x 4.6 mm ID, 5 microm) with 40:60 methanol-pH 8.5 acetate buffer solution as mobile phase and fluorescence detection at 440 nm (with excitation at 375 nm). The calibration graph was linear from 5.00 x 10(-10) mol L(-1) to 5.00 x 10(-7) mol L(-1) for vitamin B1 with a correlation coefficient of 0.9991 (n = 9). The detection limit was 1.0 x 10(-10) mol L(-1). The method was successfully used for determination of vitamin B1 at pg mL(-1) levels in microalgal fermentation media and seawater after solid-phase extraction. Recovery was from 89 to 110% and the relative standard deviation was in the range 1.1 to 4.3%.
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Cromatografía Líquida de Alta Presión/métodos , Eucariontes/metabolismo , Agua de Mar/análisis , Agua de Mar/microbiología , Espectrometría de Fluorescencia/métodos , Tiamina/análisis , Medios de Cultivo/análisisRESUMEN
We have investigated the serum proteome of Han-nationality Chinese by using shotgun strategy. A complete proteomics analysis was performed on two reference specimens from a total of 20 healthy donors, in which each sample was made from ten-pooled male or female serum, respectively. The methodology used encompassed (1) removal of six high-abundant proteins; (2) tryptic digestion of low- and high-abundant proteins of serum; (3) separation of peptide mixture by RP-HPLC followed by ESI-MS/MS identification. A total of 944 nonredundant proteins were identified under a stringent filter condition (X(corr) > or = 1.9, > or = 2.2, and > or = 3.75, < or = C(n) > or = 0.1, and R(sp) > or = 4.0) in both pooled male and female samples, in which 594 and 622 entire proteins were found, respectively. Compared with the total 3020 protein identifications confirmed by more than one laboratory or more than one specimen in HUPO Plasma Proteome Project (PPP) participating laboratories recently, 206 proteins were identified with at least two distinct peptides per protein and 185 proteins were considered as high-confidence identification. Moreover, some lower abundance serum proteins (ng/mL range) were detected, such as complement C5 and CA125, routinely used as an ovarian cancer marker in plasma and serum. The resulting nonredundant list of serum proteins would add significant information to the knowledge base of human plasma proteome and facilitate disease markers discovery.
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Proteínas Sanguíneas/química , Proteoma/química , Proteómica/métodos , Biomarcadores , China , Cromatografía Líquida de Alta Presión , Biología Computacional , Bases de Datos de Proteínas , Femenino , Humanos , Masculino , Espectrometría de Masas , Péptidos/química , Proteínas/química , Espectrometría de Masa por Ionización de Electrospray , Tripsina/farmacologíaRESUMEN
AIM: To investigate biogenesis and intracellular localizations of clusterin to elucidate the potential molecular mechanisms implicated in tumorigenesis of esophageal mucosa. METHODS: Semi-quantitative RT-PCR for multi-region alteration analysis, Western blot for different transcriptional forms and immunohistochemical staining for intracellular localizations of clusterin were carried out in both tissues and cell lines of ESCC. RESULTS: The N-terminal deletions of the clusterin gene and the appearance of a 50-53 ku nuclear clusterin, an uncleaved, nonglycosylated, and disulfide-linked isoform, were the major alterations in cancer cells of esophagus. Naturally the 40 ku clusterin was located in the connective tissue of the lamina propria of epithelial mucosa and right under the basal membrane of epithelia, but it was disappeared in stromal mucosa of esophagus and the pre-matured clusterin was found positive in cancerous epithelia. CONCLUSION: The N-terminal deletion of clusterin may be essential for its alterations of biogenesis in ESCC.
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Carcinoma de Células Escamosas/metabolismo , Neoplasias Esofágicas/metabolismo , Glicoproteínas/metabolismo , Chaperonas Moleculares/metabolismo , Carcinoma de Células Escamosas/patología , Línea Celular Tumoral , Clusterina , Regulación hacia Abajo , Neoplasias Esofágicas/patología , Esófago/anatomía & histología , Esófago/metabolismo , Esófago/patología , Regulación Neoplásica de la Expresión Génica , Glicoproteínas/genética , Humanos , Inmunohistoquímica , Chaperonas Moleculares/genéticaRESUMEN
The UV spectra of heterocyclic selenium compounds and metallic ions in ethanol solutions were investigated in this paper. Heterocyclic selenium compounds included 4,5-benzopiazselenole (BP), anthra [1,2-c][1,2,5] selenadiazol-6,11-dione (AS), piazselenole (PS), 5-methyl-piazselenole (MP), 4,6-diBr-piazselenole (DBP) and 4,4-dipiazselenole (DP). Several important results were obtained: (1) The absorption wavelengthslambda of piazselenoles were bathochromic and their epsilon increased with the increased conjugative effect; (2) Sn(IV) enhanced the UV absorption of piazselenoles at higher frequencies with the ratio of nSn(IV)/nPS at 1; (3) The UV absorption of BP was obviously enhanced by Sn(IV), Cd(II), Cr(III), Sb(III), Fe(III), Fe(II) and Cu(II), while Zn(II) had little effect on the UV of BP; (4) The UV absorption of piazselenoles at higher frequencies was enhanced by Sn(IV), Cr(III) and Sb (III), and the peak of MP at 233 nm was blunt in MP-M solutions.
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Etanol/química , Compuestos Férricos/química , Compuestos de Selenio/química , Espectrofotometría Ultravioleta/métodos , Antimonio/química , Cromo/química , Cobre/química , Cristalografía por Rayos X/métodos , Formas de Dosificación , Hierro/química , Modelos Químicos , Estructura Molecular , Soluciones/química , Espectrofotometría Ultravioleta/veterinaria , Estroncio/química , Zinc/químicaRESUMEN
AIM: To identify the differentially secreted proteins or polypeptides associated with tumorigenesis of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) from serum and to find potential tumor secreted biomarkers. METHODS: Proteins from human ESCC tissue and its matched adjacent normal tissue; pre-surgery and post-surgery serum; and pre-surgery and normal control serum were separated by two-dimensional electrophoresis (2-DE) to identify differentially expressed proteins. The silver-stained 2-DE were scanned with digital ImageScanner and analyzed with ImageMaster 2D Elite 3.10 software. A cluster of protein spots differentially expressed were selected and identified with matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS). One of the differentially expressed proteins, clusterin, was down-regulated in cancer tissue and pre-surgery serum, but it was reversed in post-surgery serum. The results were confirmed by semi-quantitative reverse-transcription (RT)-PCR and western blot. RESULTS: Comparisons of the protein spots identified on the 2-DE maps from human matched sera showed that some proteins were differentially expressed, with most of them showing no differences in composition, shape or density. Being analyzed by MALDI-TOF-MS and database searching, clusterin was differentially expressed and down-regulated in both cancer tissue and pre-surgery serum compared with their counterparts. The results were also validated by RT-PCR and western blot. CONCLUSION: The differentially expressed clusterin may play a key role during tumorigenesis of ESCC. The 2DE-MS based proteomic approach is one of the powerful tools for discovery of secreted markers from peripheral.