Isolation and characterization of novel polymorphic microsatellite markers for Epinephelus akaara.

In the present study, ten novel microsatellite markers were developed from an enriched-(CA)13 genomic library of Epinephelus akaara. The mean number of alleles per locus was 21.6, with a range of 12 to 33. Observed heterozygosity ranged from 0.767 to 0.967, and expected heterozygosity ranged from 0.831 to 0.975, with mean values of 0.877 and 0.923, respectively. Among the ten loci, three loci deviated from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium after sequential Bonferroni's correction. These polymorphic microsatellite markers may be useful for studies on the population genetics of E. akaara.

ß-asarone from Acorus gramineus alleviates depression by modulating MKP-1.

In this study, we investigated the antidepressant effects of hippocampal neuron administration of ß-asarone, a selective mitogen-activated protein kinase phosphatase-1 inhibitor, in a rat model of depression. Our previous studies showed that the extracellular signal-regulated kinase signaling pathway and brain-derived neurotrophic factor expression, which is regulated by extracellular signal-regulated kinase, are key links in the biological mechanism of depression. Mitogen-activated protein kinase phosphatase-1 (MKP-1) is a negative regulatory protein of extracellular signal-regulated kinase signaling pathways. In this study, we explored the regulation of MKP-1 by ß-asarone in producing an antidepressant effect.

Phosphorylation of the GluN1 subunit in dorsal horn neurons by remifentanil: a mechanism for opioid-induced hyperalgesia.

Remifentanil (an ultra-short acting µ-opioid receptor agonist) use has been associated with acute opioid tolerance and hyperalgesia. Previous electrophysiological studies have shown that remifentanil elicits rapid and prolonged upregulation of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) currents. However, the effect of remifentanil on the levels of the GluN1 subunit of the NMDAR in dorsal horn neurons (DHNs) has not been reported. We investigated the effect of remifentanil, along with ketamine (NMDAR antagonist) and naloxone (µ-opioid receptor antagonist), on GluN1 mRNA levels and the amount of phosphorylated GluN1 in primary cultures of embryonic rat DHNs. DHNs were isolated from 18-19-day rat embryos and treated with remifentanil or vehicle for 1 h. GluN1 mRNA and protein levels, determined by real time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Western blot, respectively, were significantly and persistently increased by remifentanil exposure compared with the control group (P ＜ 0.05). These results may partially account for the mechanism of remifentanil-induced hyperalgesia. This increase was prevented by ketamine (NMDAR antagonist) and naloxone (µ-opioid receptors antagonist), thus providing a potential therapeutic mechanism for the prevention of opioid-induced hyperalgesia.

Nineteen polymorphic microsatellite markers developed for Trachinotus ovatus.

To evaluate the population genetic diversity of the ovate pompano, we isolated and characterized 19 microsatellite markers using a (CA)13-enriched genomic library. Polymorphism was assessed in 30 individuals from a single population collected from the Daya Bay Aquaculture Center, Guangdong, China. The number of alleles per locus ranged from 2 to 18 with an average of 7.8. The observed and expected heterozygosities varied from 0.2667 to 1.000 and from 0.3960 to 0.9435, respectively. Sixteen of 19 loci conformed to Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, and no significant linkage disequilibrium was detected between any locus pairs. Our study supplies candidate microsatellite markers that can be useful for studying the population genetic structure of ovate pompano.

Prospective study of MTHFR genetic polymorphisms as a possible etiology of male infertility.

The aim of this study was to explore the relationship between 2 genetic polymorphisms of the methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase gene (MTHFR), C677T and A1298C, and determine the long-term reproductive outcome in infertile men. This was a prospective study conducted in an andrology clinic. Men with a 1-year history of infertility were assessed for the MTHFR polymorphisms at a 5-year follow-up. We compared the MTHFR C677T and A1298C polymorphisms by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism between men who did and did not bear children during follow-up. Of the 215 men who were infertile at 1 year, 82 (38.1%) remained infertile and 133 (61.9%) achieved natural conception during the 5-year follow-up, with the highest rate in the first year (32.6%). The MTHFR 677TT genotype (homozygote) was associated with a substantially increased risk of infertility during follow-up [odds ratio (OR) = 10.242; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.257-83.464] relative to the MTHFR 677CC genotype (wild-type). Risk of infertility was not increased by the MTHFR A1298C polymorphism alone, but was increased by the combination of polymorphisms MTHFR C677T and MTHFR A1298C (OR = 11.818; 95%CI = 1.415-98.674). The homozygous MTHFR C677T genotype was a risk factor for male infertility during 5-year follow-up, whereas a correlation between MTHFR A1298C and infertility was not observed. The MTHFR C677T and MTHFR A1298C polymorphisms had additive effects on male infertility.