Establishment of Embryonic Stem Cell Lines from C57BL/6J Mice and Generation of Chimeras

Four embryonic stem (ES) cell lines, designated CE1, CE2, CE3 and CE4, were isolated from C57BL/6J blastocysts. The ratio of normal diploid composition of these cell lines is above 70%. To examine the differentiation potential of the ES cells, the CE2 cells were injected subcutaneously into syngenic mice, and many kinds of differentiated cells were observed on the sections of the teratoma derived from this ES cell line. On the other hand, to test the chimeric ability of the ES cells, the CE2 cells were microinjected into the blastocysts of ICR mice, and a chimera was obtained among living pups. These results show that CE2 ES cells are pluripotent stem cells, which can differentiate into many kinds of cell types, and can be used as a cell system for further research.

Characterization of macrophage mutants established by their resistance to LPS and cycloheximide-induced apopotic cell death

Macrophages are activated by bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to produce inflammatory cytokines such as TNF-α or reactive oxygen species such as nitric oxide or superoxide anion. However, in the presence of an inhibitor of protein synthesis, cyclohex-imide (CHX), at 10 μg/mL, LPS at 100 ng/mL induced macrophage apoptosis rapidly without producing phenotypes of activated macrophages. In order to understand the mechanism underlying LPS-induced cytotoxicity toward macrophages, we isolated mutant cells from a macrophage-like cell line, J774.1, as clones resistant against the cytotoxic effects of LPS + CHX by using a somatic cell genetics protocol. All of the mutant clones, designated as LCR mutants, showed resistance to the cell death induced by LPS + CHX as well as to that induced by higher doses of LPS alone, as did the LPS1916 mutant cell line, which had been previously established by its resistance to 100 μg/mL LPS. Characterization of the activated macrophage phenotypes revealed that these mutants showed reduced production of TNF-α and nitric oxide in response to LPS. Further analysis showed a much reduced amount of [125I]LPS-binding and lower CD14 expression on the cell surface, in spite of an adequate intracellular expression of CD14 molecules. Besides, the molecular weight of CD14 on these mutants was around 40-48 kDa, smaller than that of the wild-type JA-4 cells (around 50-55 kDa), suggesting impaired CD14 maturation in these mutants. However, expression of Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) and Myd 88 on the cell surface was not different between the wild type and the mutant cells. These results suggest that LCR mutants have common phenotypes of mal-expression of CD14 molecules on the macrophage cell surface, leading to not only reduced responses to LPS-mediated macrophage activation but acquisition of resistance to LPS-induced apoptotic cell death in the presence of CHX.

抗J亚群禽白血病病毒的鸡胚成纤维细胞系建立

将J亚群禽白血病病毒囊膜基因(ALV-Jenv)插入pcDNA3.1真核表达载体,构建成转移载体pcDNA-env,并转染鸡胚成纤维细胞系DF-1,通过Zeocin药物筛选获得转染阳性细胞。细胞经传30代后,冻存。13个月后复苏,置不含药物的培养基中传代培养。连续传40代后,分别用PCR、Southern blot、间接免疫荧光(IFA)及Western blot对该细胞中的env基因进行了检测,并进行了抗病毒感染分析。研究结果表明,通过Zeocin药物筛选获得了稳定表达ALV-Jenv基因的鸡胚成纤维细胞系,命名为pcDNA-env-DF-1细胞。该细胞在体外抗ALV-J感染试验中,能抵抗1×104个TCID50病毒感染量,提示所构建的细胞系具有良好的抗病毒作用。这一细胞系的构建为研究ALV-J Env蛋白与宿主细胞表面受体相互作用分子机理提供了很好的工具。

党参对鼠J774巨噬细胞吞噬活性的增强效应

验证党参对机体免疫功能的增强效应并探索其作用机理。方法 :用党参水提液加入鼠 J774巨噬细胞培养液中作微量细胞培养 ,以自动微量荧光分析仪直接检测其对细胞吞噬活性的影响。结果 :显示党参水提液对巨噬细胞的吞噬活性有明显的增强作用 ,在浓度 5 0 0～ 3 0 0 0 μg/m l时 ,与无药对照组 ( O)比较都有显著性差异 ( P<0 .0 5 ) ,分别增强 1.3 3～ 1.70倍。结论 :巨噬细胞是重要的免疫活性细胞之一 ,对机体免疫反应的各个环节都起关键性作用 ,党参能增强机体免疫的效应 ,可能是通过其增强巨噬细胞的免疫活性而实现的。

以J-Lat 11.1为HIV-1潜伏感染模型再激活效果检测方法的初步探讨

目的：比较3种检测方法的优缺点,探索全面评价人免疫缺陷病毒1型（HIV-1）潜伏感染再激活剂的检测方法。方法：以HIV-1潜伏细胞株J-Lat 11.1为潜伏感染模型、豆蔻酰佛波醇乙酯（PMA）为潜伏再激活剂,用流式细胞术检测绿色荧光蛋白（GFP）阳性细胞所占比例,酶标仪检测GFP表达强度,活细胞成像系统检测GFP的动态表达情况。结果：流式细胞术检测显示PMA再激活出GFP阳性细胞的比例随作用浓度的增加（0~10 nmol/L）而增加,但当PMA浓度高于10 nmol/L后变化不再明显;酶标仪检测显示PMA处理后24 h内,GFP荧光强度逐渐增高,之后可在高水平保持至48 h;活细胞成像系统则可以动态反映PMA处理后的再激活过程。结论：可采用流式细胞术检测GFP阳性细胞比例对HIV-1潜伏感染再激活剂进行初步筛选,再结合酶标仪或活细胞成像系统动态监测GFP的表达情况,综合评价再激活剂的作用强度和起效时间。

细胞内分裂及细胞内复制诱导

以中国雄性仓鼠饰成纤维细胞(Don细胞株)为实验材料,用二乙基己烯雌酚(DES)作诱导物,诱使细胞进行细胞内复制和细胞内分裂。实验采用不同剂量、不同处理时间和恢复时间,取得了良好的结果。在18个试验组中,有50％的试验组获得成功,最高诱导频率达56％,是前人研究结果的2.4倍,同时降低了诱导物质的毒性,加大了有效诱导剂量与毒害剂量间的差距,使有效诱导剂量的变化,高低相差10倍;使发生诱变的细胞大量存活,同时进行分裂活动。

C57BL/6J小鼠黑色素瘤肺转移模型的构建

目的探讨建立C57BL/6 J小鼠黑色素瘤肺转移模型的影响因素,包括肿瘤的接种方式、细胞接种数量和成瘤周期。方法体外培养小鼠黑色素瘤细胞B16F10。1)取6~8周龄,雄性小鼠18只,随机分三组,每组6只,分别采取尾静脉注射、腹腔注射和皮下注射方式,每只小鼠注射100μL(3×10~6个细胞)B16F10细胞悬液,2周后,解剖小鼠并观察黑色素瘤的生长和转移情况;2)分3组,同上,经尾静脉分别注射3×10~6个细胞、1×10~6个细胞、3×10~5个细胞,2周后,解剖小鼠并观察黑色素瘤的生长和转移情况;3)分3组,同上,尾静脉注射1×10~6个细胞,分别于1周、2周、3周解剖小鼠,观察黑色素瘤的生长和转移情况。结果 1)尾静脉注射小鼠黑色素瘤细胞,小鼠发生肺转移的成功率为100%,而腹腔注射和皮下注射未发生肺转移。2)接种小鼠黑色素瘤细胞数量为1×10~6时,发生肺部转移的黑色素瘤细胞数量适中;接种细胞数量为3×10~6时,发生肺部转移的黑色素瘤细胞数量过多;接种细胞数量为3×10~5时,发生肺部转移的黑色素瘤细胞数量较少。3)尾静脉注射1×10~6个小鼠黑色素瘤细胞,饲养2周后,可以观察到黑色素瘤细胞明显的肺部转移,且不会导致小鼠死亡;饲养3周,黑色素瘤细胞肺部转移数量过多,且小鼠死亡过半;饲养1周,黑色素瘤细胞肺部转移数量较少。结论经尾静脉注射1×10~6个小鼠黑色素瘤细胞,生长2周时间,为构建C57BL/6 J小鼠黑色素瘤肺转移模型的推荐方法。

Essential Gene(s) Targeted by Peptide Nucleic Acids Kills <i>Mycobacterium smegmatis</i>in Culture and in Infected Macrophages

Background: Antisense peptide nucleic acids (PNAs) exhibit growth inhibitory effects on bacteria by inhibiting the expression of essential genes and could be promising therapeutic agents for treating bacterial infections. A study was carried out to determine the efficacy of several antisense PNAs in inhibiting extracellular and intracellular growth of Mycobacterium smegmatis. Methods: Six PNAs obtained from a commercial supplier were tested to evaluate the inhibitory effect on bacterial growth by inhibiting the expression of the following essential genes: inhA (a fatty acid elongase), rpsL (ribosomal S12 protein), gyrA (DNA gyrase), pncA (pyrazinamidase), polA (DNA polymerase I) and rpoC (RNA polymerase β subunit) of M. smegmatis. Each PNA was tested at 20 μM, 10 μM, 5 μM and 2.5 μM concentrations to determine whether they caused a dose dependent killing of M. smegmatis cultured in Middlebrook 7H9 broth or in a J774A.1 murine macrophage cell line. Results: In Middlebrook broth, the strong growth inhibitory effect against M. smegmatis was observed by PNAs targeting the inhA and rpsL genes at all four concentrations. The PNAs targeting the pncA, polA and rpoC genes were found to exhibit strong growth inhibition against M. smegmatis but only at 20 μM concentration. No growth inhibition of M. smegmatis was seen in pure culture when treated with PNAs targeting gyrA and a mismatch PNA targeting dnaG (DNA primase). All six PNAs showed killing of M. smegmatis in J774A.1 macrophage cell line that were statistically significant (p < 0.05). Conclusion: It may be concluded from this study that PNAs could be potential therapeutics for mycobacterial infections.

The labeling of C57BL/6j derived embryonic stem cells with enhanced green fluorescent protein

Objective To labele MESPU35, a embryonic stem (ES) cell line derived from C57BL/6j mouse, with enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) for further application.Methods The EGFP gene was controlled by the hybrid CA promoter/enhancer (CMV enhancer/ chicken beta-actin promoter/ beta-actin intron) to construct the vector of the transgene, pCA-EGFP. The vector was transfected into MESPU35 by electroporation.Results We generated EGFP expressing ES cells demonstrating normal properties. The green fluorescence of EGFP expressing cells was maintained in propagation of the ES cells for more than 30 passages as well as in differentiated cells. Cultured in suspension, the 'green' ES cells aggregated, and formed embryoid bodies maintaining the green fluorescence at varying developmental stages. The 'green' embryoid bodies could expand and differentiate into various types of cells, exhibiting ubiquitous green fluorescence. Conclusions The hybrid CA promoter/enhancer used to control the EGFP expressing ES cells, resulted in more intense and ubiquitous activity. The EGFP transfected cells yield bright green fluorescence, which can be visualized in real time and in situ. In addition, the ES cells, MESPU35, are derived from C57BL/6j mice, which are the most widely used in oncology, physiology and genetics. Compared to 129 substrains, C57BL/6j mice avoid a number of potential problems apparent in the other strains.