兽类学报 ›› 2022, Vol. 42 ›› Issue (5): 572-578.DOI: 10.16829/j.slxb.150686

• 研究论文 • 上一篇    下一篇

低氧暴露下高原鼠兔肺组织间隙连接蛋白40表达分析

张湑泽1(), 付林2,5, 邹小艳3, 都玉蓉4()   

  1. 1.青海民族大学生态环境与资源学院,国家民委青藏高原资源化学与生态环境保护重点实验室,西宁 810007
    2.云南大学生命科学学院,昆明 650091
    3.长沙医学院药学院,长沙 410219
    4.青海师范大学生命科学学院,青海省青藏高原生物多样性形成机制与综合利用重点实验室,西宁 810008
    5.中国科学院西北高原生物研究所,中国科学院高原生物适应与进化重点实验室,西宁 810001
  • 收稿日期:2022-04-23 接受日期:2022-08-19 出版日期:2022-09-30 发布日期:2022-09-21
  • 通讯作者: 张湑泽,都玉蓉
  • 作者简介:付林 (1991- ),男,博士研究生,主要从事为动物功能代谢研究.第一联系人: 共同第一作者
  • 基金资助:
    中国科学院 青海省人民政府三江源国家公园联合研究专项(LHZX-2020-01);青海省自然科学基金(2020-ZJ-965Q);青海民族大学校级规划项目(2021XJGH15)

Expression analysis of gap junction protein 40 in lung of plateau pika exposed to hypoxia

Xuze ZHANG1(), Lin FU2,5, Xiaoyan ZOU3, Yurong DU4()   

  1. 1.College of Eco-Environment and Resources, Key Laboratory of Resource Chemistry and Eco-environmental Protection in Tibetan Plateau of State Ethnic Affairs Commissionm, Qinghai Minzu University, Xining 810007, China
    2.College of Life Sciences, Yunnan University, Kunming 650091, China
    3.College of Pharmaceutical, Changsha Medical University, Changsha 410219, China
    4.College of Life Sciences Qinghai Normal University, Key Laboratory of Biodiversity Formation Mechanism and Comprehensive Utilization of Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau in Qinghai Province, Xining 810008, China
    5.Key Laboratory of Adaptation and Evolutionof Plateau Biota, Northwest Institute of Plateau Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xining 810001, China
  • Received:2022-04-23 Accepted:2022-08-19 Online:2022-09-30 Published:2022-09-21
  • Contact: Xuze ZHANG,Yurong DU

摘要:

低氧性肺血管收缩反应钝化是高原鼠兔适应低氧环境的重要策略,但参与该生理代偿反应的功能基因尚不明确。间隙连接蛋白40 (Connexin40, Cx40) 在哺乳动物肺血管内皮表达。本研究对生活在海拔3 200 m的高原鼠兔进行28 d模拟海拔5 000 m低氧处理,以Sprague Dawley (SD) 大鼠为对照,采用免疫组化法分析模拟低氧处理后高原鼠兔和SD大鼠肺组织形态结构,qPCR和蛋白印记法检测Cx40基因和蛋白表达量变化,探究Cx40在高原鼠兔低氧性肺血管收缩反应钝化中的潜在作用。结果显示,低氧处理后,高原鼠兔肺泡呈空泡囊状,Cx40蛋白在支气管和肺血管中均表达,Cx40 基因mRNA水平随着低氧暴露而升高,但其蛋白质水平呈下降趋势,肺支气管Cx40蛋白无明显变化。SD大鼠肺血管和肺支气管表达的Cx40蛋白均无明显变化。暗示生活在高海拔低氧环境中的高原鼠兔,Cx40蛋白下调可抑制血管收缩信号,减弱低氧性肺血管收缩反应,使低氧性肺血管收缩反应钝化,以适应高原缺氧环境。研究结果可为高原土著动物适应高寒缺氧环境提供基础理论数据。

关键词: 青藏高原, 低氧, 低氧性肺血管收缩反应钝化, 高原鼠兔, 间隙连接蛋白40

Abstract:

Blunted hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction response is a major adaptation to hypoxia in plateau pika (Ochotona curzoniae). However, the genes involved in this physiological compensation remained unclear. In the present study, plateau pikas and Sprague Dawley (SD) rats were challenged with a hypoxia condition simulating an altitude of 5 000 m for 28 days. Morphological structure analysis by immunohistochemistry was carried out for the pulmonary in both species and the expression levels of Connexin40 (Cx40), a member of the Connexon family expressed in pulmonary vascular endothelia in mammals, were determined by both qPCR and Western blot. The results showed that upon hypoxia challenge the alveoli of plateau pika appeared to be vacuolated sacs. Cx40 expression was detected in both bronchi and pulmonary blood vessels in both species. In plateau pikas, mRNA level of Cx40 increased after hypoxia challenge, while its protein level decreased. In contrast, protein levels of Cx40 had no significant change with prolonged hypoxia exposure in pulmonary blood vessels of SD rats. No significant change in the Cx40 protein in the lung bronchi was observed in both species. Our results indicate that with hypoxia exposure, pulmonary vasoconstriction response in plateau pikas could be suppressed by down-regulation of Cx40, contributing to their adaptation to a hypoxic environment on the plateau. Our results can provide a reference for the expression analysis of gap junction proteins in the lungs of indigenous animals living on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.

Key words: Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, Hypoxia, Blunted hypoxia pulmonary vasoconstriction, Plateau pika (Ochotona curzoniae), Connexin40

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