[Construction of eukaryotic expressing vector of human P2X7 and establishment of stable transfectant cell line].

OBJECTIVE: To construct eukaryotic expression vector of human P2X7gene and transfect HEK293 cells so as to establish stable HEK293 cell line. METHODS: P2X7 gene was amplified by polymerase chain reaction from the human brain P2X7 cDNA and inserted into a vector pEGFP-N1 to construct a recombinant plasmidcalled pEGFP-N1/P2X7. The correct recombinant plasmid was transfected into HEK293 cells by X-fect transfection reagent. The cell line stably expressing EGFP tagged-P2X7 gene were established by screening with G418 and fluorescence microscope. The expression levels and localization of human P2X7 in HEK293 cells was identified by flow cytometry, Western blot and laser scanning confocal microscope. RESULTS: The recombinant plasmid pEGFP-N1/P2X7 was constructed correctly and the stable HEK293 cell line expressing EGFP tagged-P2X7 fusion protein was established. Both Western blot and flow cytometry revealed the higher expression of humanP2X7 in the stably transfected HEK293 cells. Under the laser scanning confocal microscope the EGFP tagged-P2X7 fusion protein was located on the membrane of HEK293 cells. CONCLUSIONS: The eukaryotic expressing vector of pEGFP-N1/P2X7 is successfully constructed and the HEK293 cell line stably expressing P2X7-EGFP fusion protein is established which have provided solid experimental foundation for further studies on the structure and function of P2X7 ionic channel.

[Protective effect of hypoxic preconditioning on SH-SY5Y cells injured by oxygen-glucose deprivation].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the protection effects of hypoxic preconditioning(HPC) on the SH-SY5Y cell injured by oxygen-glu-cose deprivation(OGD),and to discuss the possible mechanism. METHODS: SH-SY5Y cells were randomly divided into 4 groups. In normal group,the cells were cultured without OGD treatment. In HPC group,the cultured SH-SY5Y cells were treated for 5 days by intermittently ex-posing to hypoxic gas mixture (2% O2,5% CO2) for 30 min in every day. In OGD group,the culture medium was replaced by glucose-free medium and the cells were transferred to a humidified incubation chamber flushed by a gas mixture of 1% O2 and 5% CO2 for 10 h. After that, the cells were fed with glucose-supplemented medium and cultured under normoxic condition for 24 h. In HPC+OGD group,the cultured SH-SY5Y cells were treated for 5 days by intermittently exposing to hypoxic gas mixture for 30 min in each day, then the cells were given the same treatments as those in OGD group. The cell viability was assessed by MTT assay. The degree of the cell damage was evaluated by deter-mining lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) leakage. TUNEL staining were used to detect the variation of cell apoptosis. The expression of Caspase 3 and hypoxia inducible factor-1α(HIF-1α) at protein levels was examined by Western blot. RESULTS: Hypoxic preconditioning relieved the cells apoptosis,decreased the amount of LDH leakage and improved the viability of SH-SY5Y cells injured by OGD (P<0.05). Western blot showed that the expression of Caspase 3 protein in HPC+OGD group was significantly lower than that in OGD group (P<0.05); HIF-1α protein expression was significantly higher than that of OGD group (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Hypoxic preconditioning has protective effect on in vitro cultured SH-SY5Y cells injured by OGD. The mechanism may be related to the increase of HIF-1a protein.

[Construction of acid-sensitive potassium channel-3 eukaryotic expression plasmid and its express in SH-SY5Y cells].

OBJECTIVE: To construct the acid-sensitive potassium hannel-3(TASK3) eukaryotic expression plasmid and to establish a stable SH-SY5Y cell line expressing enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP)-tagged TASK3. METHODS: TASK3 coding region was subcloned into pEGFP-N1 plasmid to construct a recombinant vector alled pEGFP-TASK3. The correct recombinant expressing plasmid was transfected with X-feet transfection reagent to SH-SY5Y cells. The cell line stably expressiing EGFP tagged-TASK3 gene was established by screening with antibiotic G418 and fluorescence microscope. The expression and localization of the EGFP tagged-TASK3 fusion protein was detected by Western blot and confocal microscope. Exposure of the SH-SY5Y cell line expressing stably TASK3-eGFP fusion proteins was exposed to different pH media (7.0, 6.7, 6.4, 6.1) for 24 h, the cell viability was assessed with cell counting Kit-8 (CCK-8). RESULTS: All the results of identification by PCR, digestion with restriction endonuclease and sequencing indicated that the recombinant eukaryotic expression plasmid pEGFP-TASK3 was constructed correctly. The stable SH-SY5Y cell line expressing EGFP tagged-TASK3 fusion protein was successfully established. Exposure of the wild type SH-SY5Y cells and the stable SH-SY5Y-GFP tag-TASK3 cell line to different pH media (7.0, 6.7, 6.4, 6.1) for 24 h, the cell viability of two group cells significantly reduced with pH declining, and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05). Compared with wild type SH-SY5Y cells, the cell viability of stable SH-SYSY-GFP tag-TASK3 cell line increased significantly with the same pH media, and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The eukaryotic expression vector pEGFP-TASK3 is successfully constructed and the cell line stably expressing TASK3-eGFP fusion is established which is important for their fundamental research and potential applications.

[Neuroprotective effect of progesterone on focal cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury in rats and its mechanism].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the neurological protective effects of progesterone (PROG) on focal cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury in rats and to explore its possible mechanism. METHODS: One handred and twenty male SD rats were divided into three groups randomly: sham-operated group, middle cerebral artery occlusion ( MCAO ) group and PROG + MCAO group( n = 40). The right temporary MCAO model was established by the line-embolism method. The PROG + MCAO group rats were according to 8 mg/kg intraperitoneal injection PROG, after that 30 min, the rats were suffered ischemia/reperfusion. After rats were suffered ischemia for 2 h and reperfusion 0, 24, 48, 72 h stress, the nervous functional defect degree were evaluated by longe scoring, and the expression of two-pore domain K channel 3 (TASK3) mRNA in brain tissue were detected by the real-time PCR. RESULTS: PROG (8 mg/kg) could significantly reduced the nervous functional defect degree in rats after ischemia/reperfusion 24, 48, 72 h (P < 0.05). The results of real-time PCR showed that the TASK3 mRNA expression in the brain tissue at all time points significantly decreased in MCAO group compared with sham-operated group (P < 0.05). However, compared with MCAO group, the expression of TASK3 mRNA in brain tissue at all time points dramatically increased in PROG + MCAO group (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: PROG can improve the nervous functional defect degree after focal cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury in rats, and the mechanism might be associated with up-regulating the expression of TASK3 mRNA in brain tissue.

Hydrogen sulfide intervention in focal cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury in rats.

The present study aimed to explore the mechanism underlying the protective effects of hydrogen sulfide against neuronal damage caused by cerebral ischemia/reperfusion. We established the middle cerebral artery occlusion model in rats via the suture method. Ten minutes after middle cerebral artery occlusion, the animals were intraperitoneally injected with hydrogen sulfide donor compound sodium hydrosulfide. Immunofluorescence revealed that the immunoreactivity of P2X7 in the cerebral cortex and hippocampal CA1 region in rats with cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury decreased with hydrogen sulfide treatment. Furthermore, treatment of these rats with hydrogen sulfide significantly lowered mortality, the Longa neurological deficit scores, and infarct volume. These results indicate that hydrogen sulfide may be protective in rats with local cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury by down-regulating the expression of P2X7 receptors.