Pleistocene climate change and the origin of two desert plant species, Pugionium cornutum and Pugionium dolabratum (Brassicaceae), in northwest China.

Pleistocene climate change has had an important effect in shaping intraspecific genetic variation in many species; however, its role in driving speciation is less clear. We examined the possibility of a Pleistocene origin of the only two representatives of the genus Pugionium (Brassicaceae), Pugionium cornutum and Pugionium dolabratum, which occupy different desert habitats in northwest China. We surveyed sequence variation for internal transcribed spacer (ITS), three chloroplast (cp) DNA fragments, and eight low-copy nuclear genes among individuals sampled from 11 populations of each species across their geographic ranges. One ITS mutation distinguished the two species, whereas mutations in cpDNA and the eight low-copy nuclear gene sequences were not species-specific. Although interspecific divergence varied greatly among nuclear gene sequences, in each case divergence was estimated to have occurred within the Pleistocene when deserts expanded in northwest China. Our findings point to the importance of Pleistocene climate change, in this case an increase in aridity, as a cause of speciation in Pugionium as a result of divergence in different habitats that formed in association with the expansion of deserts in China.

Effect of valsartan on ACAT-1 and PPAR-γ expression in intima with carotid artery endothelial balloon injury in rabbit.

OBJECTIVE: To study the effect of valsartan on ACAT-1 and PPAR-γ expression after vascular endothelial balloon injury in intimal hyperplasia process. METHODS: 24 male New Zealand white rabbits were randomly divided into three groups with 8 in each group. CONTROL GROUP: rabbits were fed with normal diet; Balloon injury group: rabbits were fed with 0.5% cholesterol, 5% lard rabbit feed; balloon injury + valsartan group, rabbits were fed with 0.5% cholesterol, 5% lard rabbit feed added with 10 mg/(kg.d) valsartan gavage. RT-PCR and Western blotting method were used to detect the carotid ACAT-1, PPAR-γ mRNA and protein expression after 8 weeks of feeding. RESULTS: In carotid artery balloon injury group, vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) proliferation and intimal hyperplasia were significantly higher 14 d after endothelial injury. In 14 days valsartan treatment group VSMC proliferation and intimal hyperplasia were lighter than the surgery group. Compared with the control group, ACAT-1, PPAR-γ mRNA and protein were significantly increased in balloon injury group and valsartan group (P < 0.01 or P < 0.05); the expression of ACAT-1 mRNA and protein were significantly lower in valsartan group and balloon injury group (P < 0.01 or P < 0.05). The expression of PPAR-γ mRNA and protein in valsartan group expression was significantly higher than that in the balloon injury group (P < 0.05). The expression level of ACAT-1 and PPAR-γ mRNA in balloon injury group and valsartan group showed negative correlation (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The expression of ACAT-1, PPAR-γ mRNA and protein content were significantly increased in intimal hyperplasia process after vascular endothelial balloon injury. The effect of valsartan suppressed intimal hyperplasia correlated with the expression of down-regulated ACAT-1 and up-regulated PPAR-γ.