Preimplantation genetic diagnosis using FISH for carriers of Robertsonian translocations: the Portuguese experience

Preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) is an alternative to prenatal diagnosis for couples at risk of transmitting genetic disorders to their offspring. We present a fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) analysis of embryos obtained after seven PGD cycles in six couples with Robertsonian translocations and male factor infertility: 4 der(13;14), 1 der(14;21) and 1 der(15;21). Of 74 metaphase II (MII) injected oocytes, 61 (82.4%) fertilized normally and cleaved. Of these, 37/61 (60.7%) embryos were of high morphological quality with ≥6 blastomeres. After biopsy of 44 embryos at day 3 of development, seven degenerated, seven arrested in development and 30/44 (68.2%) evolved, of which 25/30 (83.3%) reached the morula/blastocyst stage. Analysis of biopsied blastomeres showed 23/44 (52.3%) of normal/balanced embryos, of which 15 (11 at the morula/blastocyst stage) were transferred in six cycles. One term pregnancy was achieved, which ended by cesarean section at 37 weeks of gestation, giving birth to two healthy newborn. Analysis of 49 embryos (excluding 12 inconclusive cases) showed a predominance of alternate segregation (38/49, 77.6%) over adjacent segregation (7/49, 14.3%), with one (2%) being a polyploid mosaic and three (6.1%) chaotic. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

稀有鮈鲫在鱼类胚胎急性毒性试验中的适用性研究

为了验证我国本土鱼种稀有鮈鲫（Gobiocypris rarus）在鱼类胚胎急性毒性试验的适用性，评价其在鱼类替代试验中的应用潜力，选取3，4-二氯苯胺和五水硫酸铜，按照《OECD化学品测试准则No.236鱼类胚胎急性毒性试验》，分别开展6次稀有鮈鲫胚胎急性毒性试验，通过评价试验结果的重复性，验证稀有鮈鲫是否适用于鱼类胚胎急性毒性试验.结果表明:3，4-二氯苯胺和五水硫酸铜对稀有鮈鲫胚胎的96 h LC₅₀（96 h半数致死浓度）平均值（x）分别为12.8和1.76 mg/L，标准差（s）分别为1.70和0.197 mg/L；变异系数（CV）分别为13.3%和11.2%，均小于30%；两种化学品6次试验的96 h LC₅₀均在各自x±2s范围内.研究显示，稀有鮈鲫胚胎的形态特征、发育过程及孵化时间等生物学特征均与斑马鱼类似，3，4-二氯苯胺和五水硫酸铜这两种化学品的胚胎急性毒性试验结果具有良好的重复性，其敏感性也与成鱼类似.因此，稀有鮈鲫作为一种我国本土的标准试验鱼种，具有鱼类胚胎急性毒性试验的应用潜力.      

浮选剂黄药对蛙类胚胎的致畸毒性

报道了黑斑蛙(Rana nigromaculata)受精卵短期暴露于黄药溶液后对胚胎发育所引起的影响.浓度高于0.1ppm的黄药溶液能显著引起蛙胚的畸形发育,使孵出的蝌蚪呈现单一的畸形症状——脊索蜿蜒弯曲,为黄药污染的水体之水质监测提供了一个生物学指标.     

马尾松幼胚培养愈伤组织诱导的初步研究

取优良的马尾松幼胚作为外植体,在添加不同BA、NAA浓度配比的1/2MS培养基上于室温25±2℃进行组织培养.研究表明,以1/2MS为基本培养基时,进行愈伤组织诱导的最佳激素配比为1/2MS BA1 NAA0.1 0.6%琼脂 30/L蔗糖.愈伤组织大多为白色或白绿色的颗粒状,质地疏松半透明而有光泽.NAA是诱导愈伤组织的必需因子,但量过多又不利于外植体不定芽的产生.图1,表2,参24.     

4种典型纳米材料对小鼠胚胎成纤维细胞毒性的初步研究

为探讨不同种类纳米材料对原代培养小鼠胚胎成纤维细胞(Mouse embryo fibroblasts,MEF)的毒性效应及作用机制,选择4种典型的纳米材料(纳米碳、单壁碳纳米管、纳米氧化锌、纳米二氧化硅)制备颗粒悬液,设立5个剂量组(5、10、20、50、100μg·mL-1)对BALB/c小鼠MEF细胞进行24、48、72h染毒培养,利用细胞形态学观察和噻唑蓝实验(MTT比色法)检测上述4种纳米材料对MEF细胞活性的影响,同时,测定染毒24h后细胞培养液上清中乳酸脱氢酶(LDH)活性以探讨纳米颗粒对细胞膜完整性的影响.结果显示:1)4种纳米材料均能明显影响MEF细胞的生长形态.染毒24h后,MEF细胞发生不同程度的回缩变形,细胞间隙增大,排列稀疏,胞内颗粒物增多,细胞透明度下降.2)纳米碳、纳米氧化锌、纳米二氧化硅对MEF细胞增殖的抑制作用和对细胞膜完整性的损伤作用均随染毒剂量的升高而增强,具有明显的剂量-效应关系,其半数致死浓度(24h-IC50)分别为21.85、21.94、461.10μg·mL-1;碳纳米管组的剂量-效应之间不呈对数线性关系,未能得出其24h-IC50.3)在不同染毒剂量水平上,4种纳米材料的毒性对比差异显著:低剂量水平上纳米碳与碳纳米管的毒性强于纳米氧化锌和纳米二氧化硅,随着剂量的升高纳米氧化锌的细胞毒性升高最为显著.结果提示,纳米材料能够对MEF细胞造成毒性损伤,破坏细胞膜的完整性可能只是作用途径之一;纳米材料的毒性可能受粒径、形状、化学组成等许多因素的影响.     

Integrated biological responses of zebrafish (Danio rerio) to analyze water quality in regions under anthropogenic influence

This study analyzed water quality in regions around Patos lagoon (Southern Brazil) that are under anthropogenic pressure. Water samples were collected from five different sites, including one used as a source for human consumption (COR) and others known to be influenced by human activities (IP). Danio rerio (Teleostei, Cyprinidae) organisms were exposed for 24 h to these water samples, plus a control group. It was observed that: (1) reactive oxygen species levels were lower in COR and IP than in the control group; (2) glutamate-cysteine ligase (catalytic subunit) expression was higher in COR than in other sites; (3) exposure to all water samples affected long-term memory (LTM) when compared to control group. Thus, some water samples possess the ability to modulate the antioxidant system and to induce a decline in cognitive functions, as measured by LTM. The obtained results indicate that a combination of variables of different organization level (molecular, biochemical and behavioral) can be employed to analyze water quality in impacted regions.     

Toxic effects of perfluorononanoic acid on the development of Zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryos

Perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA) is a nine-carbon perfluoroalkyl acid widely used in industrial and domestic products. It is a persistent organic pollutant found in the environment as well as in the tissues of humans and wildlife. There is a concern that this chemical might be a developmental toxicant and teratogen in various ecosystems. In the present study, the toxic effects of PFNA were evaluated in zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryos. One hour post-fertilization embryos were treated with 0, 25, 50, 100, 200, 300, 350, and 400 μmol/L PFNA for 96 hr in 6-well plates. Developmental phenotypes and hatching rates were observed and recorded. Nineteen genes related to oxidative stress and lipid metabolism were examined using Quantitative RT-PCR and confirmed by whole mount in situ hybridization (WISH). Results showed that PFNA delayed the development of zebrafish embryos, reduced the hatching rate, and caused ventricular edema and malformation of the spine. In addition, the amount of reactive oxygen species in the embryo bodies increased significantly after exposure to PFNA compared with that of the control group. The Quantitative RT-PCR and WISH experiments demonstrated that mRNA expression of the lfabp and ucp2 genes increased significantly while that of sod1 and mt-nd1 decreased significantly after PFNA exposure. The mRNA expression levels of gpx1 and mt-atp6 decreased significantly in the high concentration group. However, the mRNA expression levels of both ppara and pparg did not show any significant variation after exposure. These findings suggest that PFNA affected the development of zebrafish embryos at relatively low concentrations.     

双酚A与其替代品对黑斑蛙急性毒性的比较

双酚F(BPF)和双酚S(BPS)作为双酚A(BPA)替代品广泛使用,然而有关BPF和BPS的毒性数据非常有限。采用系列浓度的BPA、BPF、BPS溶液,暴露黑斑蛙胚胎和蝌蚪96 h,通过半致死浓度(LC50)、最小生长抑制浓度(MCIG)和致畸率等指标比较3种化合物的急性毒性。结果显示:100 mg·L-1BPS未导致黑斑蛙胚胎及蝌蚪畸形和死亡。BPA和BPF对黑斑蛙胚胎的96h-LC50分别为7.68 mg·L-1和7.99 mg·L-1,MCIG分别为4.47 mg·L-1和4.77 mg·L-1,最大致畸率为33.33%;对蝌蚪的96 h-LC50分别为9.00 mg·L-1和9.52 mg·L-1。依据《化学农药环境安全评价准则》的毒性分级标准,判定BPA和BPF的毒性等级为中毒,BPS的毒性等级为低毒。表明BPF急性毒性与BPA相当,BPS急性毒性低于BPA。本研究数据可为BPF、BPS作为BPA替代品的生产和使用以及相应的环境管理提供毒理学参考。     

Enantioselective separation and zebrafish embryo toxicity of insecticide beta-cypermethrin

Enantioselectivity of chiral pollutants is receiving growing concern due to the difference in toxicology and environment fate between enantiomers.In this study,enantiomers of insecticide beta-cypermethrin (beta-CP) were separated on selected chiral column by HPLC,and the toxicity of enantiomers was evaluated using the zebrafish embryo-larval assays.The enantiomers of beta-CP were baseline separated on Chiralcel OD and Chiralpak AD columns and detected by circular dichroism (CD) at 236 nm.Better separation could be achieved at lower temperature (e.g.,20°C) and with lower levels of polar modifiers.Pure enantiomers were obtained on Chiralcel OD.The CD spectra of enantiomers were recorded.By comparing the elution order with a previous similar study,the absolute configuration of beta-CP enantiomers was determined.The individual enantiomers were used in zebrafish embryo test,and the results showed that beta-CP enantioselectively induced yolk sac edema,pericardial edema and crooked body.The 1R-cis-αS and 1R-trans-αS enantiomers showed strong developmental toxicities at concentration of 0.1 mg/L,while the 1S-cis-αR and 1S-trans-αR induced no malformations at higher concentration (e.g.,0.3 mg/L).The results suggest that the enantioselective toxicological effects of beta-CP should be considered when evaluating its ecotoxicological effects.