Effects of Coastal Lighting on Foraging Behaviorof Beach Mice

Abstract:  Introduction of artificial light into wildlife habitat represents a rapidly expanding form of human encroachment, particularly in coastal systems. Light pollution alters the behavior of sea turtles during nesting; therefore, long-wavelength lights—low-pressure sodium vapor and bug lights—that minimize impacts on turtles are required for beach lighting in Florida (U.S.A.). We investigated the effects of these two kinds of lights on the foraging behavior of Santa Rosa beach mice (  Peromyscus polionotus leucocephalus ). We compared patch use and giving-up densities of mice for experimental food patches established along a gradient of artificial light in the field. Mice exploited fewer food patches near both types of artificial light than in areas with little light and harvested fewer seeds within patches near bug lights. Our results show that artificial light affects the behavior of terrestrial species in coastal areas and that light pollution deserves greater consideration in conservation planning.     

近红外长余辉纳米颗粒经小鼠眼部暴露后体内分布和代谢情况

为了研究纳米颗粒通过眼部暴露后进入体内的路径及在体内的分布和代谢情况,实验采用近红外长余辉纳米探针作为示踪剂,对小鼠进行眼部暴露,随后利用活体成像技术观察其进入小鼠体内的过程及分布情况,于暴露第4天收集代谢产物,第7天取重要脏器和血液,并检测纳米探针的存在情况.结果显示纳米探针可由眼经口腔进入胃肠道中,并且纳米颗粒暴露4天后在小鼠的粪便中检测到强荧光信号,而尿液中的荧光信号较弱,暴露7 d后在小鼠的眼睑结膜、胃及眼球中检测到强荧光信号,而其余器官的荧光信号较弱.这表明通过眼部暴露后,纳米颗粒主要分布在眼和消化系统中,最后大部分经消化系统代谢.     

An integrative analysis of miRNA and mRNA expression in the brains of Alzheimer's disease transgenic mice after real-world PM2.5 exposure

Fine particulatematter (PM2.5) is associated with increased risks of Alzheimer’s disease (AD),yet the toxicologicalmechanisms of PM2.5 promoting AD remain unclear. In this study,wildtype and APP/PS1 transgenic mice (AD mice) were exposed to either filtered air (FA) or PM2.5 for eight weeks with a real-world exposure system in Taiyuan, China (mean PM2.5 concentration in the cage was 61 μg/m3). We found that PM2.5 exposure could remarkably aggravate AD mice’s ethological and brain ultrastructural damage, along with the elevation of the pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-6 and TNF-α), Aβ-42 and AChE levels and the decline of ChAT levels in the brains. Based on high-throughput sequencing results, some differentially expressed (DE) mRNAs and DE miRNAs in the brains of AD mice after PM2.5 exposure were screened.Using RT-qPCR, seven DEmiRNAs (mmu-miR-193b-5p, 122b-5p, 466h-3p, 10b-5p, 1895, 384–5p, and 6412) and six genes (Pcdhgb8, Unc13b, Robo3, Prph, Pter, and Tbata) were evidenced the and verified. Two miRNA-target gene pairs (miR-125b-Pcdhgb8 pair and miR-466h-3p-IL-17Rα/TGF-βR2/Aβ-42/AChE pairs) were demonstrated that they were more related to PM2.5-induced brain injury. Results of Gene Ontology (GO) pathways and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathways predicted that synaptic and postsynaptic regulation, axon guidance, Wnt, MAPK, and mTOR pathways might be the possible regulatory mechanisms associated with pathological response. These revealed that PM2.5- elevated pro-inflammatory cytokine levels and PM2.5-altered neurotransmitter levels in AD mice could be the important causes of brain damage and proposed the promising miRNA andmRNA biomarkers and potentialmiRNA-mRNA interaction networks of PM2.5-promoted AD.     

砷暴露诱导小鼠空肠结构损伤和免疫紊乱

以C57BL/6雄性小鼠为受试动物,研究慢性饮水型砷(As)暴露对肠道的损伤效应及作用机制.小鼠饮用含5 mg·L~(-1)或50 mg·L~(-1) As的亚砷酸钠(NaAsO_2)水溶液6个月后,检测空肠组织的氧化应激指标、病理学改变、免疫相关基因表达及黏膜杯状细胞数量.结果发现,As组小鼠空肠组织的超氧化物歧化酶活性和总抗氧化能力显著下降,脂质过氧化产物丙二醛含量显著升高;空肠黏膜受到侵蚀,上皮吸收细胞排列紊乱,部分肠绒毛脱落.氧化应激指标及病理学改变呈现剂量依赖性.5 mg·L~(-1) As组免疫相关基因TNF-α、IFN-γ、IL-4、IL-5和IL-13的mRNA水平显著升高,黏膜杯状细胞数量显著增加;50 mg·L~(-1)As组TNF-α、IFN-γ和IL-4显著下调表达,IL-5和IL-13的表达水平及黏膜杯状细胞数量无显著变化.结果表明,慢性饮水型As暴露诱导小鼠空肠氧化损伤及组织结构改变的同时可能诱发了肠道免疫紊乱.As暴露引起的黏膜损伤可能与As诱导空肠的氧化损伤相关.     

邻苯二甲酸丁基苄酯对小鼠睾丸能量代谢相关酶的影响

为了从生殖细胞能量代谢角度探讨邻苯二甲酸丁基苄酯(BBP)对雄性小鼠生殖损伤的机制,以昆明系雄性小白鼠为实验对象,研究了BBP对小鼠睾丸组织能量代谢相关酶的影响.实验设0、125、250、500、1000mg·kg-1(质量分数)5组浓度梯度,连续灌胃染毒30d后,采用分光光度法检测小鼠睾丸组织匀浆中乳酸脱氢酶(LDH)、琥珀酸脱氢酶(SDH)、Ca-Mg-ATPase酶的活性以及睾丸脏器系数.结果发现,1)与对照组相比,高浓度染毒组(500、1000mg·kg-1)LDH、SDH和Ca-Mg-ATPase活性均极显著降低(p<0.01);而低浓度染毒组(125mg·kg-1)3种酶活性均无显著变化(p>0.05);中浓度染毒组(250mg·kg-1)LDH没有显著变化(p>0.05),而SDH、Ca-Mg-ATPase均显著降低(p<0.05,p<0.01).2)染毒30d后,各染毒组睾丸脏器系数略有下降,但与对照组相比,差异均未达到显著水平(p>0.05).以上结果表明,较高水平的BBP不仅可以干扰睾丸组织有氧代谢及无氧代谢的产能过程,还可以干扰生殖细胞对能量的利用,提示能量代谢的障碍可能是BBP对雄性生殖细胞产生损伤的原因之一.     

苦马豆素致糖基转移酶活性改变对小鼠生殖激素分泌的影响

苦马豆素是疯草主要有毒成分,抑制α-甘露糖苷酶的活性,引起N-聚糖加工过程失调。笔者课题组前期研究得出:苦马豆素致糖蛋白激素(促卵泡素和促黄体素)糖基化位点上糖链结构发生改变,引起促性腺激素功能发生改变。而苦马豆素中毒对家畜生殖激素分泌的调节机制尚不明确。苦马豆素腹腔注射对小鼠进行染毒,收集妊娠期和分娩期小鼠的血液、子宫和卵巢组织,检测糖基转移酶活性、生殖激素水平及其受体mRNA和类固醇限速酶蛋白质表达量。结果表明:在妊娠和分娩期,苦马豆素致子宫内膜固有层大量低聚糖蓄积,显著抑制N-聚糖加工过程关键糖基转移酶的活性(P0.05);染毒组小鼠血液的生殖激素包括促卵泡素(FSH)、促黄体素(LH)、雌激素(E2)和孕酮(P4)水平显著低于对照组(P0.05)。在整个妊娠周期,染毒组小鼠4种激素受体mRNA的表达量显著低于对照组(P0.05)。在妊娠后期,染毒组小鼠3-β羟基类固醇脱氢酶(3-βHSD)和芳香化酶(CYP19A1)蛋白表达量显著低于对照组(P0.05)。苦马豆素可使N-聚糖加工紊乱,引起促性腺激素分泌降低,进一步降低生殖激素受体和性类固醇激素限速酶的表达量,致使性类固醇激素分泌下降,导致生殖激素分泌紊乱,最终结果造成机体繁殖性能下降。     

碲化镉量子点Cd~(2+)释放对小鼠肝、肾组织毒作用的研究

探讨碲化镉量子点(cadmium telluride quantum dots,Cd Te QDs)Cd2+释放与其体内毒性之间的关系。将24只雄性ICR小鼠(24.7~26.8g)随机分为4组,每组6只,分别为0 nmol组(对照组)、5 nmol染毒组、50 nmol染毒组和500 nmol染毒组(以Cd2+的摩尔浓度计算)。采用尾静脉注射方式进行染毒,染毒组注射0.15 ml不同浓度的Cd Te QDs溶液,对照组注射同等体积的生理盐水。染毒24h后小鼠脱臼处死,计算脏器系数,进行血常规和血清生化指标分析以及肝、肾组织的病理组织学检查。选取金属硫蛋白(metallothionein,MT)作为生物体内游离Cd2+水平的生物标志物,通过酶联免疫吸附实验(ELISA)和免疫组织化学技术检测小鼠肝、肾组织中的MT水平。结果表明,各染毒组小鼠肝、肾脏器系数与对照组相比,差异无统计学意义(P0.05),尿素氮水平与对照组相比显著降低(P0.01)。随着染毒剂量增加,小鼠肝、肾组织病理改变逐渐加重,肝细胞可见不同程度的水性样变和肿胀;肾小管管腔水肿、肾上皮细胞水样变性,以及远曲小管水肿。染毒组小鼠肝、肾组织中MT的含量与对照组相比明显升高(P0.05),且随着染毒剂量增加MT表达增强。研究结果提示,Cd Te QDs对小鼠肝、肾组织具有一定的毒作用,其毒作用大小与Cd Te QDs降解释放的游离Cd2+含量呈正相关。     

彗星电泳法测定双酚A对雄性幼龄小鼠脑细胞的DNA损伤

双酚A是一种日常生活中无处不在的环境雌激素,具有生殖和神经毒性,但低剂量长期暴露对发育期青少年的危害性常常被低估或忽视。本研究以4周龄雄性清洁级小鼠为实验对象,以茶油作为溶媒对照,分别以双酚A浓度为0μg·m L-1、0.1μg·m L-1、10μg·m L-1和1 000μg·m L-1的茶油灌胃小鼠8周,然后利用彗星电泳法检测各组小鼠脑细胞的DNA损伤。结果显示,不同浓度双酚A暴露8周后,彗星电泳图像显示小鼠脑细胞DNA出现不同程度的损伤,随着暴露剂量的增加,带有彗尾的脑细胞比率从对照组小鼠的9.5%分别升高到暴露组小鼠的34.5%、36.0%和50.5%,细胞总体的尾部DNA含量、尾长和尾矩也都逐渐增加,而且各双酚A暴露组小鼠与溶媒对照组小鼠脑细胞都具有显著性差异(P0.01),这说明中长期双酚A暴露(包括低浓度环境暴露)会导致雄性幼龄小鼠脑细胞的DNA损伤。     

Biochemical evaluation of hepatotoxicity in mice due to administration of artemether

Effects of artemether administration on liver and selected biochemical parameters were evaluated. Eighty albino mice were divided into four equal groups. Group 1 was given water which served as control, while groups 2, 3, and 4 were given 1.2, 2.4, or 4.8 mg kg^?1 body weight artemether intramuscularly for five consecutive days. On day 6 all mice were sacrificed by cervical dislocation and blood was collected for analysis of alanine and aspartate transaminases, alkaline phosphatase, copper, and total proteins. Liver tissues were prepared for histological studies. It was found that the serum alanine and aspartate transaminase and alkaline phosphatase activities were higher in groups treated with artemether compared to control. The serum concentrations of copper and total proteins were lower than control. The histological features of liver tissues after administration of artemether showed histopathological alterations. These findings showed that artemether administration may have reversible adverse effects on mouse hepatocytes.     

Toxicological effects of mouse diet contaminated with tributyltin on the immune and neurological systems of C57BL/6 mice

Organotin compounds, widely used as antifouling agents, are known to bioaccumulate in the food chain. Among organotin compounds, tributyltin (TBT), a toxic and widespread contaminant, has become a serious factor in environmental pollution and is suspected of being immunotoxic in animals. The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of 80 µg of TBT per kilogram of body weight (kg bw), provided in food, on the immune and neurological systems of C57Bl/6 mice. Data showed that TBT increased the proliferation of T and B lymphocytes in both adult and juvenile female and juvenile male mice, but that it decreased the proliferation of both T and B lymphocytes in adult male mice. The macrophages activity in female and male juvenile mice was higher than in adults of both sexes. The natural killer cytotoxic activity was also increased in juvenile and adult males and females compared to the control groups. In the brain, we observed the presence of TBT in the hippocampus, the striatum, the cortex, and the cerebellum in both the male and female groups. The highest levels were observed in the cortex of females and males, while the lowest levels were found in the cerebellum. TBT also induced an increase in the levels of the antioxidant glutathione (GSH) in the striatum, the hippocampus and in cortical structures but not in the cerebellum where the levels of TBT are lower. Our findings indicate that TBT modulated the immune and nervous systems causing endocrine and nervous perturbations.