Characterization of the pro-inflammatory potencies of purified Jatropha phorbol esters by a gene expression-based in vitro bioassay

The oil extracted from Jatropha seeds is an emerging biodiesel feedstock that also contains several pro-inflammatory phorbol esters. These phorbol esters can elicit adverse inflammatory responses through activation of the protein kinase C, as previously described for the prototypical phorbol ester 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate. We extracted and purified the six phorbol esters identified in Jatropha oil and assessed their pro-inflammatory activities using a recently developed gene expression-based bioassay. Borrowing from an approach used for the assessment of dioxin toxicity, we expressed their pro-inflammatory potencies in relation to the potency of 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (in terms of 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate toxic equivalency factors). The pro-inflammatory potencies of Jatropha phorbol esters were orders of magnitudes below the potency of 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate. Interestingly, the cytotoxicity of phorbol esters did not appear to be directly related to their pro-inflammatory potencies. Calculations based on phorbol ester potencies and concentrations led to overestimation of the pro-inflammatory activity of Jatropha oil, as measured by the same gene expression-based bioassay. The preliminary results presented here suggest that further work on the described approach may lead to the development of valuable tools and metrics to quantify and predict the pro-inflammatory activities of complex phorbol ester mixtures.     

‘香玲’核桃试管苗生长条件的优化

为优化核桃试管苗生长条件,向核桃优良品种规模化栽培提供大量优良的种植材料,以‘香玲’核桃实生苗为材料,对基本培养基的类型(MS,DKW,WPM)和凝固剂种类(琼脂,Phytagel,二者结合)进行了筛选,并采用完全随机试验设计研究了细胞分裂素种类和浓度对其试管苗生长的影响.试验结果表明:基本培养基与凝固剂的种类,以及细胞分裂素的种类与浓度对芽苗生长的影响很大.以DKW为基本培养基,2.2 g/L Phytagel为凝固剂,激素配比为0.8 mg/L BA+0.01 mg/L IBA,有利于芽苗增殖,增殖可达4.70;后在0.8 mg/L KT+0.01 mg/L IBA进行壮苗,即可进行生根培养.不同基因型对基本培养基中无机盐成分的需求不同,含有较丰富矿物质的Phytagel有利于芽苗生长.BA促进腋芽的萌动和增殖,而KT则有利于壮苗.图4表3参22     

应用体外胃肠模拟法研究土壤中多氯联苯的生物有效性

采用体外胃肠模拟法,研究了土壤中多氯联苯的生物有效性.研究结果表明,PCBs在模拟胃液中的生物有效性为3.36%-12.48%,肠液中的生物有效性为34.62%-58.90%.胃肠液的pH值、消化时间及液固比均会影响其生物有效性:pH在中性时的生物有效性显著高于酸性条件下,消化时间的延长和液固比的增加均会使生物有效性增...     

甲醛所致DNA-蛋白质交联修复的研究

为了探讨机体对甲醛所致DNA-蛋白质交联的修复能力,采用KCl-SDS沉淀法检测甲醛染毒后不同时间段HepG2细胞和小鼠肝细胞中DNA-蛋白质交联的修复情况.实验结果表明,采用75μmol·L-1甲醛染毒HepG2细胞,在染毒18h和24h后,细胞内的DPC水平较染毒结束时发生了显著下降(p<0.01),且与空白对照组相比无显著差异;由3.0mg·m-3气态甲醛产生的DNA-蛋白质交联在12h内可以得到明显修复(p<0.01),并在24h内恢复到空白对照水平;经20mg·kg-1液态甲醛染毒后,18h时DPC含量与空白组相比有显著性升高(p<0.01),在24h时DPC含量与18h时相比有显著的下降(p<0.05),且与空白组相比无显著差异.以上结果显示:甲醛所致肝细胞DNA-蛋白质交联能够得到修复,且24h内能够修复完全.     

The Cytotoxicity of Some Organic Solvents on Isolated Hepatocytes in Monolayer Culture

The cytotoxic effects of volatile and water-insoluble organic solvents (ethylbenzene, tetrachloroethylene, n-hexane) were tested on isolated hepatocytes in monolayer culture by using the 3-(4,5 dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5 diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) reduction assay. All of the tested compounds inhibited metabolic activity of hepatocytes and this effect depended on the concentration of solvents in the incubatory medium. The presence of fetal calf serum in the medium did not change the cytotoxicity of xenobiotics. IC₅₀ values calculated on the basis of the MTT assay indicated that ethylbenzene was more cytotoxic than tetrachloroethylene and n-hexane. Using hepatocyte monolayer culture and the MTT assay to assess cytotoxicity of organic solvents causes many technical problems. It seems that it cannot be used as a rapid, cheap, and credible method.     

猪肝微粒体体外代谢2,2’,4,4’-四溴联苯醚

多溴联苯醚(PBDEs)是一类在环境中普遍存在的持久性有机污染物,研究PBDEs的体外代谢行为对理解其在体内的富集和转化具有重要意义。文章以猪肝微粒体作为研究对象,以体外代谢形式研究其对2,2’,4,4’-四溴联苯醚(BDE-47)的代谢能力,优化了代谢条件,并研究了0.01、0.05、0.1、0.5、1、5、10 mg/L的BDE-47对细胞色素P450酶系中7-乙氧基香豆素-O-脱乙基酶(ECOD)、7-乙氧基异吩唑酮-O-脱乙基酶(EROD)和苯胺4-羟基化酶(ANH)活性的影响。结果表明,孵育0.1 mg/L的BDE-47时,猪肝微粒体对BDE-47的代谢率可达到28.6%。实验所设各浓度BDE-47均能够保护微粒体的ECOD活性,但较高浓度的BDE-47(0.5、1、5 mg/L)对微粒体的EROD活性有显著抑制作用,而各浓度BDE-47对ANH活性没有显著影响。     

In vitro study of oxytetracycline adsorption on activated charcoal

Abstract

In vitro adsorption experiments simulating pH in gastric environment and using Langmuir isotherm, showed that 408 mg of oxytetracycline was adsorbed per gram of activated charcoal. Langmuir isotherm fitted adsorption data better than a Freundlich isotherm. Freundlich isotherm showed a specific adsorption capacity of 518 mg/g for activated charcoal. Both isotherm parameters indicated a strong oxytetracycline adsorption on activated charcoal in terms of quantity and binding strength. The results demonstrate that the concomitant use of oxytetracyline and activated charcoal should be avoided.     

Transcriptional response of stress genes to metal exposure in zebra mussel larvae and adults

Development of stress markers for the invader freshwater zebra mussel (Dreissena polymorpha) is of great interest for both conservation and biomonitoring purposes. Gene expression profiles of several putative or already established gene expression stress markers (Metallothionein, Superoxide dismutase, Catalase, Glutathione S transferase, Glutathione peroxidase, Cytochrome c oxidase, the multixenobiotic resistance P-gp1, and heat shock proteins HSP70 and HSP90) were analyzed by quantitative Real-Time PCR in adults and pediveliger larvae after exposure to metals (Hg, Cu, Cd). A defined pattern of coordinated responses to metal exposure and, presumably, to oxidative stress was observed in gills and digestive gland from adults. A similar, albeit partial response was observed in larvae, indicating an early development of stress-related gene responses in zebra mussel. The tools developed in this study may be useful both for future control strategies and for the use of zebra mussel as sentinel species in water courses with stable populations.