OBJECTIVETo identify the genes differentially expressed among the steroid-resistant nephrotic syndrome (SRNS), steroid-sensitive nephrotic syndrome (SSNS) and normal children, and understand the molecular mechanism of SRNS.

METHODSAffymetrix microarray technology was used to obtain such a profile. The differentially expressed genes among these groups were identified based on signal-to-noise ratios by GCOS software; real-time PCR analysis was performed to confirm the microarray results.

RESULTSThere were 157 genes differentially expressed among these groups. The genes up-regulated both in SRNS and SSNS were involved primarily in ionic transportation, immuno-signal transduction and apoptosis. In particular, CLNS1A gene was down regulated in SRNS but up regulated in SSNS.

CONCLUSIONSeveral differentially expressed genes, such as CLNS1A and HLA-DRB4 were found to be closely related to the pathogenesis of SRNS and SSNS. This DNA microarray analysis has provided some important clue to the molecular mechanism of SRNS.

Child ; Gene Expression Profiling ; Gene Expression Regulation ; drug effects ; Humans ; Nephrotic Syndrome ; drug therapy ; genetics ; Steroids ; therapeutic use

Peptide nucleic acid(PNA) is a kind of artificial DNA mimic. PNA hybridizes with DNA or RNA by means of Watson-Crick's base-pairs complementary with high stability, affinity and selectivity. PNA not only regulates. DNA replication, but also adjusts DNA transcription (or reverse transcription) and translation. Many applications have been explored as a new kind of molecular biological tool and a gene-targeting strategy.
Gene Expression Regulation ; drug effects ; Peptide Nucleic Acids ; pharmacology ; Protein Biosynthesis ; drug effects ; Transcription, Genetic ; drug effects

With the expanded application of heavy metal cadmium, soil cadmium pollution is more and more serious. In this study, using Salix matsudana as a phytoremediation candidate, we observed changes of gene expression and metabolic pathway after 1, 7 and 30 days under 2.5 mg/L and 50 mg/L cadmium stress. The result of transcriptome sequencing showed that we obtained 102 595 Unigenes; 26 623 and 32 154 differentially expressed genes (DEG) in the same concentration and different stress time; 8 550, 3 444 and 11 428 DEG with different concentrations at the same time; 25 genes closely related to cadmium stress response were screened. The changes of genes expression (such as metallothionein, ABC transporter, zinc and manganese transporter) depended on both concentration of cadmium and exposure time. The expression of several genes was obviously up-regulated after cadmium stress, for example 3,6-deoxyinosinone ketolase (ROT3) in brassinolide synthesis pathway and flavonoid synthase (FLS), flavanone-3-hydroxylase (F3H) in the synthesis pathway of brassinolide. In addition, GO analysis shows that GO entries were mainly enriched in metabolic processes including cellular processes, membranes, membrane fractions, cells, cellular fractions, catalytic activation and binding proteins in response to cadmium stress, whose number would increase along with cadmium concentration and exposure time. The reliability of transcriptome information was verified by qPCR and physiological experimental data. Response mechanisms of S. matsudana after cadmium stress were analyzed by transcriptome sequencing, which provided theoretical guidance for remediation of cadmium pollution in soil by S. matsudana.
Biodegradation, Environmental ; Cadmium ; toxicity ; Gene Expression Profiling ; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant ; drug effects ; Plant Proteins ; genetics ; Reproducibility of Results ; Salix ; drug effects ; genetics ; Stress, Physiological ; genetics ; Transcriptome ; drug effects

OBJECTIVETo explore the pharmacologic mechanism of gardenin in treating cerebral ischemia, by studying its effect on gene expression profile in brain of rats with focal cerebral ischemia (FCI).

METHODSTotal RNAs were isolated from rats with FCI and those treated with gardenin. The mRNAs were reversely transcribed to cDNA with incorporation of fluorescent Cy5- or Cy3-dUTP to prepare hybridization probes. The PCR products of 4096 genes were spotted on the chip after a serial treatment. The mixed probes were hybridized to the cDNA microarray. Axon Genepix 4000B and GenePixPro 3.0 software were used to scan and analyze the fluorescent signals.

RESULTSIn the group treated with gardenin, there were 70 genes had expression profiles different to that in the model group in the focal cerebral ischemic brain tissue, in which 68 were up-regulated and 2 down-regulated.

CONCLUSIONGardenin has regulatory effect on the gene expression in rats with focal cerebral ischemia, which elucidates part of the pharmacologic mechanism of Qingkailing in molecular level.

Animals ; Brain Ischemia ; genetics ; metabolism ; Gene Expression Profiling ; Gene Expression Regulation ; drug effects ; Male ; Pyridines ; pharmacology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

Lead exposure is a known potential risk factor for neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease (AD). Exposure to lead during the critical phase of brain development has been linked with mental retardation and hypophrenia in later life. This study was aimed to investigate the effects of lead exposure of pregnant mice on the expressions of insulin-degrading enzyme (IDE) and nerve growth factor (NGF) in the hippocampus of their offspring. Blood samples were collected from the tail vein, and after anesthetizing the pups, the brain was excised on postnatal day 21. Lead concentrations were determined by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrophotometry, and the expressions of IDE and NGF were determined by immunohistochemistry and Western blotting. Results showed that the reduction in IDE and NGF expression in the hippocampus of pups might be associated with impairment of learning and memory and dementia induced by maternal lead exposure during pregnancy and lactation.
Animals ; Down-Regulation ; Female ; Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental ; drug effects ; Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic ; drug effects ; Hippocampus ; drug effects ; growth & development ; metabolism ; Insulysin ; genetics ; metabolism ; Lead ; toxicity ; Mice ; Pregnancy ; Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects ; chemically induced

Action mechanism and material base of compound Danshen dripping pills in treatment of carotid atherosclerosis were discussed based on gene expression profile and molecular fingerprint in this paper. First, gene expression profiles of atherosclerotic carotid artery tissues and histologically normal tissues in human body were collected, and were screened using significance analysis of microarray (SAM) to screen out differential gene expressions; then differential genes were analyzed by Gene Ontology (GO) analysis and KEGG pathway analysis; to avoid some genes with non-outstanding differential expression but biologically importance, Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) were performed, and 7 chemical ingredients with higher negative enrichment score were obtained by Cmap method, implying that they could reversely regulate the gene expression profiles of pathological tissues; and last, based on the hypotheses that similar structures have similar activities, 336 ingredients of compound Danshen dripping pills were compared with 7 drug molecules in 2D molecular fingerprints method. The results showed that 147 differential genes including 60 up-regulated genes and 87 down regulated genes were screened out by SAM. And in GO analysis, Biological Process ( BP) is mainly concerned with biological adhesion, response to wounding and inflammatory response; Cellular Component (CC) is mainly concerned with extracellular region, extracellular space and plasma membrane; while Molecular Function (MF) is mainly concerned with antigen binding, metalloendopeptidase activity and peptide binding. KEGG pathway analysis is mainly concerned with JAK-STAT, RIG-I like receptor and PPAR signaling pathway. There were 10 compounds, such as hexadecane, with Tanimoto coefficients greater than 0.85, which implied that they may be the active ingredients (AIs) of compound Danshen dripping pills in treatment of carotid atherosclerosis (CAs). The present method can be applied to the research on material base and molecular action mechanism of TCM.
Carotid Artery Diseases ; drug therapy ; genetics ; metabolism ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; Gene Expression Profiling ; Gene Expression Regulation ; drug effects ; Humans ; Salvia miltiorrhiza ; chemistry ; Signal Transduction ; drug effects

OBJECTIVESelecting an effective way to increase salt-resistance of Prunella vulgaris seed through seed priming technology.

METHODThe treatment of salt stress to P. vulgaris seeds was made by the different concentrations of NaCl solutions. Primed seeds germinated under 0.8% NaCl.

RESULTAs concentrations of NaCl increasing, seed germination percentage, germination index and vitality index reduced. Primed with 15%-35% PEG, 100-500 mg x L(-1) GA3 and 0.4%-2.0% KNO3-KH2PO4 could enhance seeds germination index and vitality index under salt stress while treated with NaCl seeds germination percentage reduced.

CONCLUSIONTreated with PEG, GA3, KNO3-KH2PO4 under proper concentration, the seed vigor, seed resistance under salt stress increased.

Gene Expression Regulation, Plant ; drug effects ; Germination ; drug effects ; Prunella ; drug effects ; physiology ; Salt-Tolerance ; drug effects ; Seeds ; drug effects ; physiology ; Sodium Chloride ; pharmacology

Animals ; Cell Cycle ; drug effects ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Cells, Cultured ; Ceramics ; pharmacology ; Gene Expression Regulation ; drug effects ; Glass ; Humans ; Osteoblasts ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Osteogenesis ; drug effects

To explore the effects of miR-21 on macrophage autophagy, proliferation and apoptosis induced by cigarette smoke extract (CSE).
 Methods: The cells was divided into a control group, a CSE interventine macrophage group (CSE group), and a miR-21 inhibitor+CSE intervention macrophage group (miR-21 inhibitor+CSE group). The expression of miR-21 in the 3 groups was detected by real-time PCR. The effects of miR-21 inhibitor on macrophage autophagy, proliferation and apoptosis were detected by Western blot, MTT assay and flow cytometry.
 Results: Compared with the control group, the levels of miR-21 and autophagy in the CSE group were significantly increased (both P<0.05). The expression of miR-21 in the miR-21 inhibitor+CSE group was significantly lower than that in the CSE group (P<0.05). Compared with the control group, the expressions of macrophage microtubule associated protein 1 light chain 3 alpha (LC3) and autophagy related 7 (ATG7) in the CSE group were increased, which was attenuated by miR-21 inhibitor. Compared with the control group, the macrophage proliferation in the CSE group was inhibited by the miR-21, which could be reversed by adding miR-21 inhibitor; the proliferative rates in the miR-21 inhibitor+CSE group in 2, 3 or 4 days were increased by 1.41, 1.54 or 1.70 times compared with those in the CSE group (all P<0.05). Flow cytometry showed that the apoptosis rate in the control group was (2.57+1.35)%, which was (18.70+2.16)% in the CSE group and (6.28+1.08)% in the miR-21 inhibitor+CSE group (P<0.05).
 Conclusion: CSE intervention macrophage increase the autophagy and apoptosis of macrophages, decrease the cell proliferation by affecting the expression of miR-21 and the level of autophagy in macrophages.
Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Autophagy ; drug effects ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Cells, Cultured ; Gene Expression Regulation ; drug effects ; Macrophages ; drug effects ; MicroRNAs ; pharmacology ; Smoke

OBJECTIVETo explore the effect and mechanism of sodium butyrate on expression of human clotting factor VIII in vitro.

METHODSMouse NIH/3T3 cell line was transfected with recombinant plasmid vector pRC/RSV-BDD-hFVIII, which enclosed B-domain deleted (760aa approximately 1 639aa) human factor VIII cDNA (BDD-hFVIII cDNA). Then cells were incubated in Dulbecco's modification of Eagle's medium (DMEM) containing sodium butyrate for 24 hours, hFVIII: C and hFVIII: Ag in the cell culture medium were measured by ELISA assay and one-stage method, respectively. In addition, the effect of sodium butyrate on transcription of cDNA encoding the whole hFVIII, heavy and light chain of hFVIII was also investigated by means of run-on assay.

RESULTSAfter stimulation of sodium butyrate, the levels of hFVIII: C and hFVIII: Ag increased 70% than those of control. Run-on assay showed that sodium butyrate enhanced the transcription of cDNA which encoded heavy chain of hFVIII.

CONCLUSIONSodium butyrate can improve the expression of hFVIII through enhancing the transcription of hFVIII heavy chain encoding cDNA. It demonstrated that sodium butyrate had potential utility in inducing the expression of hFVIII in vitro.

3T3 Cells ; Animals ; Butyrates ; pharmacology ; Factor VIII ; genetics ; Gene Expression Regulation ; drug effects ; Humans ; Mice