Na~+/Ca~(2+) Exchange-mediated La~(3+) Entry in Human Lymphocytes

With extensive applications the rare earth elements to agriculture, medicine and animal husbandry, whether rare earth ions can cross cell membranes and participate in the metabolism of animals and plants is not clear until now. Otherwise, rare earth ions have different interaction fashions to different kinds of cells, therefore, in this study we determined whether La3+ enter human peripheral blood lymphocytes via Na+/Ca2+ exchanger (measured with fura-2).Relative sensitivity of fura-2 to Ca2+…     

Electrochemical behavior of single crystals of nonstoichiometric cerium(III) fluorides

The electrochemical properties of single crystals of cerium fluoride alloyed with bivalent cations Sr²⁺, Ca²⁺, Ba²⁺, Sr²⁺ + Ca²⁺, Sr²⁺ + Ba²⁺, Ba²⁺ + Ca²⁺ and also with La³⁺ and La³⁺ + Ba²⁺ cations are studied using the dynamic voltammetry and impedance spectroscopy. The conductivity of symmetrical cells with Ag electrodes is determined using the method of impedance spectroscopy in the frequency range from 450 to 5 kHz at the temperatures from 20 to 100°C: for CeF₃: Sr²⁺ (0.5 mol %) + Ba²⁺ (0.5 mol %), σ = σ₀ exp[(?0.284 ± 0.005/kT]; for CeF₃:Ca²⁺ (0.5 mol %) + Sr²⁺ (0.5 mol %), σ = σ₀ exp[(?0.292 ± 0.017/kT]. The steady-state and dynamic voltammogams of symmetrical electrochemical cells with nonpolarizable reference electrodes and CeF₃ single crystals alloyed with Sr²⁺, Ca²⁺, and Ba²⁺ bivalent cations exhibited ohmic polarization. For cells with CeF₃ containing La³⁺ as an admixture, a hysteresis was observed, which could not be eliminated by chemical and electrochemical treatment of crystals. In the dynamic voltammetric curves of asymmetric cells with nonpolarizable and silver electrode and CeF₃ crystals alloyed with Sr²⁺, Ca²⁺, and Ba²⁺, a range of ideal polarizability (from 0 to ～?2.7 V), and also cerium redox processes and silver fluorination-boundary regeneration were observed. In the dynamic voltammetric curves of asymmetric cells with CeF₃ containing La³⁺ admixture, no range of ideal polarizability was observed; however, the reactions of silver fluorination and reduction of solid-electrolyte cerium were well pronounced at the corresponding potentials.     

稀土离子跨人血红细胞膜的荧光法研究

采用Fura-2荧光浓度指示剂对红细胞的稀土跨膜作用进行了系列研究.结果表明,稀土离子不能通过完整的红细胞膜进入细胞内.通过与离子载体实验相对照,发现细胞ATP耗竭后,低浓度的稀土离子(5×10^-6mol/L)不能跨膜进入ATP-耗竭红细胞.KCl去极化及加入电压依赖性钙通道刺激剂Bay-K8644对稀土离子的跨膜也没有促进作用.在Ca²⁺内流正常的情况下,低浓度稀土离子(5×10^-6mol/L)对钙离子内流无影响.增大稀土离子浓度到5×10^-4mol/L,用显微镜观察此时红细胞已开始溶血.在模拟胞内离子组分的缓冲液中(pH=7.05),比较了La³⁺,Eu³⁺和Ca²⁺对Fura-2的敏感程度.此条件下Fura-2对La³⁺和Eu³⁺的检测限分别为10-12和10-14mol/L,对Ca²⁺的检测限为10-8mol/L,并测得Fura-2-La³⁺(Eu³⁺)的络合比为1∶1,表观离解常数为1.7×10^-12和4.95×10^-14mol/L,表明用此法检测稀土离子跨膜行为相当灵敏有效.     

Detection and imaging of zinc secretion from pancreatic beta-cells using a new fluorescent zinc indicator

A novel Zn2+-selective visible wavelength fluoroionophore (FluoZin-3, 9) was synthesized. The chelating portion of the molecule resembles known EGTA-based Ca2+-selective fluoroionophores, except that one of the N-acetic acid moieties has been deleted in 9. FluoZin-3 is virtually non-fluorescent in the absence of Zn2+, and exhibits a several hundred-fold fluorescence increase upon saturation with Zn2+( approximately 100 nM), with a Kd = 15 +/- 2 nM. A 1:1 binding stoichiometry of 9:Zn2+ was determined, and the fluorescence of the complex is pH-independent at pH > 6. FluoZin-3 was used to monitor Zn2+ that was co-secreted with insulin from pancreatic beta-cells by exocytosis following stimulation with glucose. The total Zn2+ concentration near the cells reached 600 nM, and Zn2+ was detectable at least 15 mum away from secreting cells. Heterogeneity in secretion among cells was indicated in that some cells in a cluster did not release Zn2+. Also, within secreting cells some regions of the cell membrane gave rise to secretion while others did not, suggesting active zones of secretion on the cell surface.     

A confocal study of mechanism of 5-hydroxytryptamino induced intracellular calcium dynamics in cultured rat stomach fundus smooth muscle cells with a new Ca~(2+) indicator STDIn-AM

A new fluorescent Ca2+ indicator STDIn-AM for detecting [Ca2+]i transients in cultured smooth muscle cells is presented. By making a comparison, the difference between STDIn and fluo-3 is discussed in detail. Using the new Ca2+ indicator, the mechanism of 5-hydroxytryptamino (5-HT) induced intracellular calcium dynamics in stomach fundus smooth muscle cells (SFSMC) of rats is investigated. It is shown that in contrast with fluo-3, STDIn is uniformly distributed in the cytosolic compartment but excluded from the nucleus, when it is transfected into cells. This feature makes it a real cytosol Ca2+ indicator and can reflect changes of cytosol [Ca2+] more accurately than that of fluo-3. In addition, STDIn responds to the [Ca2+]i transients more sensitive and faster than fluo-3. The results also show that, the L-type Ca2+channel inhibitor Mn9202 and the PLC inhibitor Compound 48/80 can significantly inhibit the [Ca2+]i elevation induced by 5-HT, while the PKC inhibitor D-Sphingosine can enhance the effect of     

Modification of intracellular Ca2+ dynamics by laser inactivation of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor using membrane-permeant probes

A membrane-permeant malachite green-conjugated IP3 analog (MGIP3/PM) was synthesized as a probe for small molecule-based CALI (smCALI), and its effect on the Ca2+ signaling in intact DT40 chicken B cells was examined. In DT40 B cells treated with the smCALI probe, laser irradiation inhibited IP3-induced Ca2+ oscillations in response to B cell receptor stimulation, demonstrating that IP3R was acutely inactivated. We then applied smCALI to clarify the mechanism of capacitative Ca2+ entry (CCE), in which involvement of IP3R has been suggested. Despite the inactivation of IP3R by smCALI, thapsigargin-induced CCE remained unaffected, providing evidence that functional IP3R is not required for CCE in DT40 cells. These results demonstrate the potency of the smCALI technique for the study of the roles of IP3R in complex intracellular Ca2+ dynamics.     

Lanthanum Chloride Promoted Proliferation with Enhanced S‐phase Entry and Inhibited Potassium Currents of NIH 3T3 Cells

The effects of La³⁺ on proliferation, cell cycles, apoptosis and ion channels were investigated in mouse embryo fibroblast NIH 3T3 cells and its possible mechanisms were explored. Our data showed that La³⁺ promoted cell proliferation with increased S‐phase entry and inhibited the outward potassium currents in a concentration‐dependent manner in NIH 3T3 cells. La³⁺ and Ca²⁺ had synergistic effect on cell proliferation and cell cycles. It showed that Ca²⁺ was needed for La³⁺‐promoted cell cycle progression. Using the whole‐cell voltage‐clamp technique, we found that La³⁺ blocked the outward potassium current in a concentration‐dependent manner in NIH 3T3 cells. Lanthanum ions can increase intracellular Ca²⁺ concentration through inhibition of potassium currents, which induce a series of physiological changes and improve proliferation of cells. This may be one of the molecular mechanisms of lanthanum ions induced cell proliferation. The present work provides a new perspective for understanding the biological and toxicological effects of lanthanum.     

Impaired intracellular Ca2+ dynamics in live cardiomyocytes revealed by rapid line scan confocal microscopy.

Altered intracellular Ca2+ dynamics are characteristically observed in cardiomyocytes from failing hearts. Studies of Ca2+ handling in myocytes predominantly use Fluo-3 AM, a visible light excitable Ca2+ chelating fluorescent dye in conjunction with rapid line-scanning confocal microscopy. However, Fluo-3 AM does not allow for traditional ratiometric determination of intracellular Ca2+ concentration and has required the use of mathematic correction factors with values obtained from separate procedures to convert Fluo-3 AM fluorescence to appropriate Ca2+ concentrations. This study describes methodology to directly measure intracellular Ca2+ levels using inactivated, Fluo-3-AM-loaded cardiomyocytes equilibrated with Ca2+ concentration standards. Titration of Ca2+ concentration exhibits a linear relationship to increasing Fluo-3 AM fluorescence intensity. Images obtained from individual myocyte confocal scans were recorded, average pixel intensity values were calculated, and a plot is generated relating the average pixel intensity to known Ca2+ concentrations. These standard plots can be used to convert transient Ca2+ fluorescence obtained with experimental cells to Ca2+ concentrations by linear regression analysis. Standards are determined on the same microscope used for acquisition of unknown Ca2+ concentrations, simplifying data interpretation and assuring accuracy of conversion values. This procedure eliminates additional equipment, ratiometric imaging, and mathematic correction factors and should be useful to investigators requiring a straightforward method for measuring Ca2+ concentrations in live cells using Ca2+-chelating dyes exhibiting variable fluorescence intensity.     

染料敏化La~(3+)掺杂的TiO_2纳晶薄膜制备及其光电性能

采用溶胶-凝胶法制备出La3+掺杂的TiO2纳米粉体材料,通过料浆喷涂工艺制得掺杂La3+的TiO2薄膜并将其以N719染料敏化制成染料敏化太阳能电池(DSSC)。以X射线衍射(XRD)、扫描电镜(SEM)和DSSC测试系统对制得的La3+掺杂的TiO2纳米粉体材料、相应的La3+掺杂的TiO2薄膜以及制成的DSSC分别进行测试表征,研究了La3+掺杂对TiO2晶型和染料敏化太阳能电池性能的影响。XRD测试结果表明,La3+的掺杂改善了TiO2的颗粒分布;电池的测试结果说明,La3+掺杂量为0.5%,煅烧温度为450℃时制备的纳米TiO2膜DSSC电池性能最佳,光电转换效率达1.926%。     

Highly selective light scattering imaging of chromium (III) in living cells with silver nanoparticles

In this contribution, we present a highly selective chromium ion (Cr³⁺)-induced aggregation of citrate-capped silver nanoparticles, which could be applied for the imaging of the distribution of Cr³⁺ in cells. It was found that selective aggregation of citrate-capped silver nanoparticles occurs at room temperature in the presence of Cr³⁺ in aqueous medium of pH 6.8, resulting in color change from yellow to pink in 10 min and enhanced localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) scattering signals. Tenfold of other metal ions including Al³⁺, Ca²⁺, Co²⁺, Cu²⁺, Fe²⁺, Fe³⁺, Hg²⁺, La³⁺, Mg²⁺, Ni²⁺, Pb²⁺, Tb³⁺ and Zn²⁺ had no response. Mechanism analysis showed that the aggregation is mainly dependent on the chelation of Cr³⁺ ion with the citrate ion capped on silver nanoparticles, forming crosslinking aggregates of silver nanoparticles. With the Cr³⁺-induced enhancement of LSPR scattering signals, Cr³⁺ in cytoplasm of human bone marrow neuroblastoma cells could be imaged with dark-field light scattering imaging technique.     

A confocal study of mechanism of 5-hydroxytryptamino induced intracellular calcium dynamics in cultured rat stomach fundus smooth muscle cells with a new Ca2+ indicator STDln-AM

A new fluorescent Ca²⁺ indicator STDln-AM for detecting [Ca²⁺], transients in cultured smooth muscle cells is presented. By making a comparison, the difference between STDln and fluo-3 is discussed in detail. Using the new Ca²⁺ indicator, the mechanism of 5-hydroxytryptamino (5-HT) induced intracellular calcium dynamics in stomach fundus smooth muscle cells (SFSMC) of rats is investigated. It is shown that in contrast with fluo-3, STDln is uniformly distributed in the cytosolic compartment but excluded from the nucleus, when it is transfected into cells. This feature makes it a real cytosol Ca²⁺ indicator and can reflect changes of cytosol [Ca²⁺] more accurately than that of fluo-3. In addition, STDln responds to the [Ca²⁺], transients more sensitive and faster than fluo-3. The results also show that, the L-type Ca²⁺ channel inhibitor Mn9202 and the PLC inhibitor Compound 48/80 can significantly inhibit the [Ca²⁺], elevation induced by 5-HT, while the PKC inhibitor D-Sphingosine can enhance the effect of 5-HT. The results suggest that 5-HT acts by the way of 5-HT₂ receptors on SFSMC, then through 5-HT₂ receptors coupled IP₃/Ca²⁺ and GC/PKC double signal transduction pathways to make Ca²⁺ release from intracellular Ca²⁺ stores and Ca²⁺ influx possibly through L-type calcium channels.     

纳米Eu2O3和Eu3+抑制人肝癌细胞HepG2增殖的作用

稀土纳米氧化物和稀土化合物的生物效应已引起人们的广泛关注.利用3-(4,5-二甲基噻唑-2)-2,5-二苯基四氮唑溴盐(MTT),流式细胞术法和激光共聚焦显微镜初步探讨了纳米Eu2O3和Eu3+对体外培养的人肝癌细胞HepG2生长的影响.结果发现,较低浓度的纳米Eu2O3对细胞生长没有明显影响,浓度达到600μg mL-1作用癌细胞仅24 h,细胞就停止分裂,表现为细胞被阻滞在S期,大量细胞坏死.利用激光共聚焦显微镜观察到纳米Eu2O3能进入活的HepG2细胞中.而Eu3+则在较低含量,即≤100μmol L-1时能较弱地抑制癌细胞的生长,细胞被阻滞在G0/G1期,并诱导细胞发生凋亡.     

A confocal study of mechanism of 5-hydroxytryptamino induced intracellular calcium dynamics in cultured rat stomach fundus smooth muscle cells with a new Ca2+ indicator STDln-AM

A new fluorescent Ca²⁺ indicator STDln-AM for detecting [Ca²⁺], transients in cultured smooth muscle cells is presented. By making a comparison, the difference between STDln and fluo-3 is discussed in detail. Using the new Ca²⁺ indicator, the mechanism of 5-hydroxytryptamino (5-HT) induced intracellular calcium dynamics in stomach fundus smooth muscle cells (SFSMC) of rats is investigated. It is shown that in contrast with fluo-3, STDln is uniformly distributed in the cytosolic compartment but excluded from the nucleus, when it is transfected into cells. This feature makes it a real cytosol Ca²⁺ indicator and can reflect changes of cytosol [Ca²⁺] more accurately than that of fluo-3. In addition, STDln responds to the [Ca²⁺], transients more sensitive and faster than fluo-3. The results also show that, the L-type Ca²⁺ channel inhibitor Mn9202 and the PLC inhibitor Compound 48/80 can significantly inhibit the [Ca²⁺], elevation induced by 5-HT, while the PKC inhibitor D-Sphingosine can enhance the effect of 5-HT. The results suggest that 5-HT acts by the way of 5-HT₂ receptors on SFSMC, then through 5-HT₂ receptors coupled IP₃/Ca²⁺ and GC/PKC double signal transduction pathways to make Ca²⁺ release from intracellular Ca²⁺ stores and Ca²⁺ influx possibly through L-type calcium channels.     

利用荧光浓度指示剂fura-2研究稀土离子的跨膜行为

本文提出了利用fura-2测量细胞内游离稀土离子浓度的定量方法。实验结果表明, 在模拟细胞内离子组成的条件下, 稀土离子La^3^+和Y^3^+与fura-2形成1:1的配合物。其配合物的表观离解常数分别为161nmol.dm^-^3和404nmol.dm^-^3,pH7.05, 有未配对f电子的Nd^3^+, Ho^3^+, Sm^3^+, Dy^3^+,Ce^3^+, Yb^3^+等稀土离子对荧光起萃灭作用。此性质使我们能够定性鉴定它们是否进入了细胞。我们使用如上性质, 利用单细胞阳离子测试系统, 以小鼠骨髓瘤细胞为模式细胞, 研究了上游离稀土离子的跨膜行为及部分体内小分子对稀土离子跨膜行为的影响。实验结果支持游离稀土离子不能通过细胞膜的假设, 而且所研究的体内小分子在生理浓度下对稀土离子的跨膜也无明显作用。     

A FRET-based fluorescent Zn2+ sensor: 3D ratiometric imaging,flow cytometric tracking and cisplatin-induced Zn2+ fluctuation monitoring

Monitoring labile Zn²⁺ homeostasis is of great importance for the study of physiological functions of Zn²⁺ in biological systems. Here we report a novel ratiometric fluorescent Zn²⁺ sensor, CPBT, which was constructed based on chelation-induced alteration of FRET efficiency. CPBT was readily cell membrane permeable and showed a slight preferential localization in the endoplasmic reticulum. With this sensor, 3D ratiometric Zn²⁺ imaging was first realized in the head of zebra fish larvae via Z-stack mode. CPBT could track labile Zn²⁺ in a large number of cells through ratiometric flow cytometric assay. More interestingly, both ratiometric fluorescence imaging and flow cytometric assay demonstrated that the labile Zn²⁺ level in MCF-7 cells (cisplatin-sensitive) decreased while that in SKOV3 cells (cisplatin-insensitive) increased after cisplatin treatment, indicating that Zn²⁺ may play an important role in cisplatin induced signaling pathways in these cancer cells.

A Zn²⁺ sensor exhibiting 3D ratiometric imaging and flow cytometric ability was constructed based on the FRET mechanism, and cisplatin-induced endogenous labile Zn²⁺ fluctuations were monitored in real time.     

固定化细胞酶法拆分N-乙酰-D,L-3-甲氧基丙氨酸

利用氨基酰化酶固定化细胞酶法拆分了N-乙酰-D,L-3-甲氧基丙氨酸. 考察了温度、pH值、底物浓度、金属离子和拆分时间对酶促反应的影响. 确定了氨基酰化酶固定化细胞手性拆分N-乙酰-D,L-3-甲氧基丙氨酸的最佳工艺条件为pH=7.0, 反应温度50 ℃及底物浓度500 mmol/L. 10^-4 mol/L的Co²⁺和Mg²⁺对氨基酰化酶有显著激活作用, Cu²⁺和Zn²⁺对酶促反应有明显抑制作用. 在最佳条件下, 氨基酰化酶固定化细胞对N-乙酰-L-3-甲氧基丙氨酸的摩尔转化率达96%.     

Iron(III)‐Selective Chelation‐Enhanced Fluorescence Sensing for In Vivo Imaging Applications

A “turn‐on” pattern Fe³⁺‐selective fluorescent sensor was synthesized and characterized that showed high fluorescence discrimination of Fe³⁺ over Fe²⁺ and other tested ions. With a 62‐fold fluorescence enhancement towards Fe³⁺, the probe was employed to detect Fe³⁺ in vivo in HeLa cells and Caenorhabditis elegans, and it was also successfully used to elucidate Fe³⁺ enrichment and exchange infected by innexin3 (Inx3) in hemichannel‐closed Sf9 cells.     

A Novel Coumarin-based Fluorescence Chemosensor for Fe^3＋

A novel coumarin derivative[7-diethylamino-2-oxo-2H-chromene-3-carboxylic acid（6-amino-pyridin2-yl）-amide,CFe1] has been synthesized and its potential application as a chemosensor for the detection of metal ions has been further investigated.The responses of CFe1 to Fe^3＋ were studied by fluorescence emission spectrometry in the presence of other metal ions such as Al^3＋,Ba^2＋,Ca^2＋,Co^3＋,Cr^3＋,Cu^2＋,Fe^2＋,Hg^2＋,Mg^2＋,Mn^2＋,Na^＋,Ni^＋,Pb^2＋,Zn^2＋,K^＋,and Ag^＋.CFe1 showed a good selectivity for Fe^3＋ with fast response,a wide pH span of 3.3-9.18,and a large Stocks shift.CFe1 in the presence of Fe^3＋ and ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid（EDTA） makes the blue solution fade to colorless,which is due to the formation of CFe1-Fe^3＋ complex instead of any catalytic action of Fe^3＋.Furthermore,the imaging of Fe^3＋ in cultured single mice microglia cells was realized with the aid of CFe1,indicating that CFe1 has a great potential to be used as promising models for the future design of novel and robust chemosensor for metal ion detection in the field of biomedical and environmental analyses.     

Quantitative study on La~(3+) influx mediated by sodium-calcium exchanger in human lymphocytes

Whether La3+ can enter human peripheral blood lymphocytes by the Na+/Ca2+ exchanger or not and the effect of La3+on the Na+/Ca2+ exchanger activity are examined by fura-2 technique. And that whether La3+ is sequestered by intracellular organelles (mainly endoplasmic reticulum and mitochondria) is studied by this method. La3+uptake is obviously stimulated by pre-treating the cells with ouabain and by removing extracellular Na+, and intracellular La3+concentration ([La3+]i) is directly proportional to its extracellular concentration ([La3+]o). But when [La3+]o exceeds 0.4 mmol/L, the 340/380 nm ratio of fluorescence is no longer varied and the maximum [La3+], is 1.5×10-12 mol · L-1. The higher concentration of La3+ (0.1 mmol/L) increases Na+/Ca2+ exchange-mediated calcium influx, but lower concentration (10 μmol/L) appears to block calcium influx. The results also suggest that cytosolic La3+ is transported by the ATP-dependent Ca2+ pump. Intracellular Ca2+ stores are depleted by ionomycin, and then ion     

Measurement of oligochitosan-tobacco cell interaction by fluorometric method using europium complexes as fluorescence probes

The interaction of oligochitosan and tobacco cells has been investigated by fluorometric method using two Eu³⁺ complexes as the probes in this work. Based on the reaction of tobacco cells with oligochitosan conjugated to a strongly fluorescent Eu³⁺ complex 4,4′-bis(1″,1″,1″,2″,2″,3″,3″-heptafluoro-4″,6″-hexanedion-6″-yl)chlorosulfo-o-terphenyl-Eu³⁺ (oligochitosan-BHHCT-Eu³⁺ conjugate), the binding kinetic process of oligochitosan-tobacco cells was fluorescently imaged. The results indicate that oligochitosan can be specifically bound to the walls as well as the membranes of tobacco cells. A sensitive and selective Eu³⁺ complex luminescence probe specific for singlet oxygen, [4′-(10-methyl-9-anthryl)-2,2′:6′,2″-terpyridine-6,6″-diyl]bis(methylenenitrilo)tetrakis (acetate)-Eu³⁺, was used for developing a new time-resolved fluorescence assay method for the determinations of indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) and peroxidase produced in the cells during the interaction of oligochitosan and tobacco cells. The assays are sensitive with the detection limits of 32 nM for IAA, and 1.2 nM for peroxidase, respectively. The concentration changes of IAA and peroxidase induced by oligochitosan in tobacco cells reveal that oligochitosan can effectively induce the increase of IAA concentration, accompanied by the decrease of peroxidase concentration. These results give a primary and reliable evidence to explain the growth-promoting mechanism of oligochitosan on the plants at molecular level.