Flow sorting of fetal erythroblasts using intracytoplasmic anti-fetal haemoglobin: Preliminary observations on maternal samples

Monoclonal antibody to fetal haemoglobin (a₂γy₂) has been proposed as a fetal-specific reagent. We developed an intracellular staining protocol that combines fluorescein isothiocyanate or phycoerythrin conjugated anti-γ with the DNA binding dye Hoechst 33342 to identify and flow sort fetal erythroblasts from maternal blood. Our preliminary observations on anti-γ-positive cells sorted from four different pregnant women are described here, using fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) with chromosome-specific probes to identify fetal cells. Our data demonstrate that far fewer candidate fetal cells are sorted with this protocol than by current cell surface staining methods that employ the monoclonal antibody CD71. This results in increased fetal cell sorting purities. With this protocol, standard FISH techniques require modification due to the rigorous fixation with 4 per cent paraformaldehyde. Our initial data indicate the promise of this approach.     

Immediate prenatal diagnosis of Zellweger syndrome by direct measurement of very long chain fatty acids in chorionic villus cells

We report a gas chromatographic-mass spectrometric method which allows the very long chain fatty acids content of trophoblastic tissue to be directly measured in samples collected by biopsy between 8 and 11 weeks of gestation. This method has been successfully applied to the detection of fetal Zellweger syndrome in two pregnant women who had previously delivered affected infants. In one of them, increased concentrations of C26:0 (0.254 versus 0.108±0.035 μ/mg proteins) and C24:0 (1.32 versus 0.815±0.325 μ/mg proteins) in trophoblast indicated that the fetus had Zellweger syndrome, a diagnosis confirmed by pathological findings after abortion. In the second case, the pregnancy was allowed to proceed, on the basis of normal concentrations of very long chain fatty acids in trophoblastic tissue, and its outcome was actually a healthy newborn.     

SO2污染对小鼠骨髓细胞微核的诱发作用

在SO2吸入慢性染毒条件下,小鼠骨髓嗜多染红细胞（PCE）的微核细胞率与微核率均显著增加,且雌雄差异显著。结果也表明,SO2对阳性致突变剂乌拉坦航发微核的作用有显著抑制效应。本研究模拟SO2空气污染,从整体水平直接证实了SO2是哺乳类细胞染色体断裂剂、SO2与阳性致突变剂的联合作用是复杂的结论。     

Detection of fetal HLA-DQα sequences in maternal blood: A gender-independent technique of fetal cell identification

The objective of this study was to detect fetal HLA-DQα gene sequences in maternal blood. HLA-DQα genotypes of 70 pregnant women and their partners were determined for type A1. We specifically sought couples where the father, but not the mother, had genotype A1. In 12 women, maternal blood samples were flow-sorted. Candidate fetal cells were isolated and amplified by using PCR primers specific for a paternal HLA-DQα A1 allele. Fetal HLA-DQα A1 genotype was predicted from sorted cells; amniocytes or cheek swabs were used for confirmation. Six of twelve sorted samples had amplification products indicating the presence of the HLA-DQα A1 allele; 6/12 did not. Prediction of the fetal genotype was 100 per cent correct, as determined by subsequent amplification of amniocytes or cheek swabs. We conclude that paternally inherited uniquely fetal HLA-DQα gene sequences can be identified in maternal blood. This system permits the identification of fetal cells independent of fetal gender, and has the potential for non-invasive prenatal diagnosis of paternally inherited conditions.     

Rapid prenatal diagnosis of aneuploidy from uncultured amniotic fluid cells using five-colour fluorescence in situ hybridization

In this paper we describe the use of five-colour fluorescence in situ hybridization for prenatal diagnosis of aneuploidy using uncultured amniotic fluid cells. The analysis is based on ratio mixing of dual-labelled probes and digital imaging for the detection and visualization of five different probes specific for the five target chromosomes, 13, 18, 21, X, and Y. A retrospective blind analysis of 30 coded uncultured amniotic fluid samples correctly detected fetal sex and five trisomy 21 cases. Multicolour fluorescence in situ hybridization used in this way allows rapid and simultaneous detection of the most frequent aneuploidies.     

大气飘尘对大鼠肺细胞的毒性比较

采用大白鼠气管内注入飘尘后分析肺灌洗液的方法，比较了上海不同地区飘尘对大鼠肺细胞的毒性；再运用毒性指数及效应指数，综合评价了上海市不同地区大气飘尘污染的状况。研究表明：从肺灌洗液的生化成份分析及细胞分类显示，以彭浦新村、隆昌路平凉路、康定路胶州路３个点的飘尘毒性较大。综合评价结果，彭浦新村的效应指数最大，以后依次为康定路胶州路、鲁班路斜土路、青云路、隆昌路平凉路等。     

Recycling of high purity selenium from CIGS solar cell waste materials

Copper indium gallium diselenide (CIGS) is a promising material in thin film solar cell production. To make CIGS solar cells more competitive, both economically and environmentally, in comparison to other energy sources, methods for recycling are needed. In addition to the generally high price of the material, significant amounts of the metals are lost in the manufacturing process. The feasibility of recycling selenium from CIGS through oxidation at elevated temperatures was therefore examined. During oxidation gaseous selenium dioxide was formed and could be separated from the other elements, which remained in solid state. Upon cooling, the selenium dioxide sublimes and can be collected as crystals. After oxidation for 1 h at 800 °C all of the selenium was separated from the CIGS material. Two different reduction methods for reduction of the selenium dioxide to selenium were tested. In the first reduction method an organic molecule was used as the reducing agent in a Riley reaction. In the second reduction method sulphur dioxide gas was used. Both methods resulted in high purity selenium. This proves that the studied selenium separation method could be the first step in a recycling process aimed at the complete separation and recovery of high purity elements from CIGS.     

固定化果胶酶抑制铜绿微囊藻生长研究

为证实固定化果胶酶抑制蓝藻生长的作用,在实验室条件下,以铜绿微囊藻（Microcystis aeruginosa）为受试藻种,用共培养法观察了固定化果胶酶对藻细胞群体的作用、用电镜观察了共培养后藻细胞的损伤状况,测定了对其生理生化特征的影响.结果表明固定化果胶酶与藻共培养液第3 d明显黄化,且黄化程度与固定化果胶酶的用量和培养时间呈正相关系;电镜照片显示固定化果胶酶对藻细胞有损伤作用,轻微损伤的藻细胞出现质壁分离,表面粗糙、凸凹不平,形状不规则,严重损伤的藻细胞表面发生深度皱缩或细胞结构完全解体;随着固定化果胶酶与铜绿微囊藻共培养时间的延长,藻细胞生长量、叶绿素a含量显著降低,表明藻细胞受到胁迫和伤害,藻细胞正常的光合作用受到严重影响.丙二醛（MDA）值显示藻细胞抗氧化防御体系被破坏,细胞内发生严重膜脂过氧化.固定化果胶酶能有效抑制铜绿微囊藻细胞的生长,铜绿微囊藻生长抑制率可高达96%.     

NO参与铝诱导蚕豆保卫细胞死亡的调控

铝(Al)是地壳中含量最丰富的金属元素,是酸性土壤中导致植物生长抑制和作物产量下降的一个主要因素,但铝毒性作用机制尚不清楚.本文以蚕豆叶表皮为材料,研究铝胁迫对气孔保卫细胞活性的影响,探讨NO在铝诱导细胞死亡中的作用.结果表明,一定浓度的A1Cl3可诱导气孔保卫细胞活性降低,部分细胞死亡,且随着铝浓度的增高细胞死亡率增高.死细胞呈现核固缩、核崩解、凋亡小体等典型凋亡特征,且凋亡抑制剂Z-Asp-CH2-DCB能阻止AlCl3诱发的细胞死亡.用NO清除剂c-PTIO、NO合酶抑制剂L-NAME或硝酸还原酶抑制剂NaN3降低铝处理组胞内NO后,细胞死亡率显著降低,胞内ROS、Ca2+水平同期降低;NaN3还能降低铝处理组中具有程序性死亡特征的细胞比率.用ROS清除剂AsA清除铝处理组胞内ROS后,细胞死亡率显著降低,胞内Ca2+和NO水平亦显著降低;铝处理液中加入Ca2+通道抑制剂LaCl3后,细胞死亡率低于铝单独处理组,胞内ROS和NO水平无明显改变.研究结果表明,铝胁迫引起的胞内NO合成增加通过Ca2+信号途径介导了保卫细胞的程序性死亡.