BACKGROUND: Wnt signaling pathway is a key regulator of cellular proliferation and differentiation, but its correlation with neural differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) is not very clear. OBJECTIVE: To find out the molecules of the Wnt family which are involved in differentiation of rat BMSCs into neuron-like cells. METHODS: The rat BMSCs were separated and cultured in vitro. The morphology of the BMSCs was observed. Flow cytometry analysis was performed to detect cell phenotype CD44, CD9, CD34 and CD45. Wnt3a and Wnt5a were respectively combined with basic fibroblast growth factor to induce BMSCs differentiation into neuron-like cells, and then were identified by using immunocytochemistry and RT-PCR. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: The BMSCs were long-spindle. CD9 and CD44 were highly expressed, while CD34 and CD45 were lowly expressed. Nestin and neuron specific enolase were positive but glial fibrillary acidic protein were not obviously expressed when they were cultured with Wnt3a. In Wnt5a group, Nestin expression was weakly positive, while neuron specific enolase and glial fibrillary acidic protein were negative. RT-PCR result revealed Nestin expressed both before and after induction in the Wnt3a induced group, neuron-specific enolase exhibited apparent amplified bands 5 days after the induction, and more apparent at 10 days. A weak amplification band of glial fibrillary acidic protein could be seen at 10 days after the induction. In Wnt5a and control groups, BMSCs induced by 10 days weakly expressed Nestin, while neuron-specific enolase and glial fibrillary acidic protein were almost not expressed. It is indicated that Wnt3a molecule can promote the differentiation of BMSCs cultured in vitro to neuron-like cells.

Objective To study the expression of VEGF, MMP-2 and MMP-9 in benign and malignant lesions of breast and their effects on breast carcinoma's invasiveness and metastasis. Methods VEGF,MMP-2 and MMP-9 expression was detected by SP method in 20 breast fibroadenoma and 12 normal breast specimens taken from non-cancerous regions adjacent to breast cancer tissue and 38 breast carcinomas. Results The expression rate of VEGF, MMP-2 and MMP-9 in breast carcinoma was remarkably higher than those in normal breast tissue and breast fibrogdenoma (63.2% vs 25.0% and 30. 0% ,78. 95% vs 33.3% and 35.0% and 71.1% vs 41.7% and 45.0% ,respectively; P ＜0.05). There was a correlation between VEGF, MMP-2 and MMP-9 expression and nodal metastasis ( P ＜0.05). High expression of VEGF, MMP-2 and MMP-9 was correlated with pathological grade ( P ＜ 0.05, respectively). The overexpression of VEGF was related with those of MMP-2 and MMP-9 in breast cancer( VEGF and MMP-2:rs =0.541, P ＜0.01 ;VEGF and M M P-9: rs = 0.11, P ＜ 0.01; MMP-2and M MP-9: rs= 0P ＜ 0.01 ). Conclusion VEGF,MMP-2 and MMP-9 overexpression is strongly related to the invasiveness and metastasis of breast carcinoma, which might be valuable in evaluating tumor invasion and metastasis.

0.05). The pathological change in myocardial ultrastructure was markedly milder in DM rats. Conclusion Metformin may exert a certain protective effect on cardiomyopathy of diabetes in rats.

BACKGROUND: The association between the ingredients of perfusate and its protection on corneal endothelium is always the hot issue in ophthalmology and pharmacology.OBJECTIVE: To observe the influence of different perfusates on the structure and function of rabbit corneal endothelium during phacoemulsification.DESIGN: A randomized grouping designed and controlled animal trial.SETTINGS: Laboratory of experimental animal center of Jinzhou Medical College and the laboratory of experimental animal operation of an urban hospital.MATERIALS: The experiments were carried out in the laboratory of experimental animal center of Jinzhou Medical College and the laboratory of experimental animal operation of Jinzhou Yadong Ophthalmology Hospital from September 2004 to March 2005. Sixteen pure Japanese big-ear rabbits of 3.5 months old, clean degree, were randomly divided into four groups with 4 rabbits in each group: normal control group, saline group, shike group and balanced salt solution group. Shike was produced by Shenyang Qixing Pharmaceutical Co.,Ltd.; Balanced salt solution by Alcon Company (USA).METHODS: The rabbits were intraperitoneally anesthetized with 100 ml/L chloral hydrate (3 mL/kg), 4% oxybuprocaine hydrochloride eye drops were used for surface anesthesia of eyes, and both eyes were operated. Alcon phacoemulsification apparatus (USA) and routine microsurgical instruments were used. A 3.5-mm incision was made on sclerotic tunnel at 2 mm posterior to superior limbus of sclera, punctured into the anterior chamber, then 0.25 mL Viscoat (Alcon) was infused. Curvilinear capsulorhexis was performed with the diameter of about 5 mm. The phacoemulsification head was placed in the center to suck out the crystal nucleus and cortex, and the incision was closed after the operation. The morphology of the corneal endothelium was quantitatively determined using contact specular microscope preoperativley and 6 hours postoperatively, including the density and area of corneal endothelium,percent of hexagonal cells and the coefficient of variation. At 6 hours postoperatively, trypan blue-alizarin red active staining was performed, and the changes of slight structures of corneal endothelium were observed under light microscope.MATN OUTCOME MEASURES: ① Quantitative analysis of the forms morphology of corneal endothelium (density and area of corneal endothelium, percent of hexagonal cells and the coefficient of variation); ② Characters of forms and structures of corneal endothelium.RESULTS: All the 16 rabbits were involved in the analysis of results. ① There were no significant differences in the morphological indexes among the four groups preoperatively. ② At 6 hours postoperatively, density and areas of endothelial cells, percent of hexagonal cells and the coefficient of variation were significantly lower in the saline group,shike group and balanced salt solution group than in the normal control group (P ＜ 0.05), and no significant difference was observed between the shike group and balanced salt solution group (P ＞ 0.05). ③ The structural changes of corneal endothelium in the shike group and in balanced salt solution group were alleviated more significantly than those in the saline control group, no necrosis was observed.CONCLUSTON: In phacoemulsification, the damage of perfusate to corneal endothelium is a chemical one. Under the same surgerical conditions, domestic perfusate of shike is as effective as balanced salt solution in protecting endothelial cells.

Objective To observe apoptosis of renal development in mouse. Methods Light,electron microscopy and TUNEL method were used. Results The apoptosis could be easily found in cells between S like body in nephrogenic zone and in renal corpuscles before birth, especially at 14 18 days prenatally. The apoptotic cells in epithelia of renal tubule or collecting duct could be observed in postnatal renal medulla. In medullary papilla the cell death peaked around postnatal day 7. Electron microscopy revealed that apoptotic cells were ingested by neighboring cells. Some apoptotic cells detached from epithelia into the lumen of tubule or duct. Conclusion This study provides morphologically some evidences of apoptosis in the mouse kidney embryonically and postnatally. The apoptosis in cortex was apparently related to the development of nephrogenic zone and renal corpuscles; and the apoptosis in medulla might play an important role in the development of renal tubular epithelia. [

Objective To study the effects of micro-capsule on the secretion capacity of insulin-producing cells(IPCs). Methods Stem cells from originate mouse bone marrow mesenchymal were isolated,induced and purified. Rat pancre-atic extract(RPE)was extracted from pancreases of rats.BMMSCs were induced by rat pancreatic extract. The induced cells were randomly divided into micro-encapsulated group and non-micro-encapsulated group.The experiment of glu-cose stimulation was performed to detect the level of insulin,respectively, at different time points (1, 2, 3, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30 day).Results The level of insulin secretion was increased after 1, 2, 3, 5 days of culture in micro-encapsu-lated IPCs and non-micro-encapsulated IPCs,but there were no significantly differences among the groups. The level of insulin secretion was declined in non-microencapsulated IPCs at 10 day,while there was no decreased in micro-en-capsulated IPCs until 20 days. Conclusion The micro-capsule can promote the effect duration of IPCs,which supports the function of IPCs.

BACKGROUNDInterleukin (IL)-37, also called IL1F7, is a natural inhibitor of inflammatory and immune responses. It is involved in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). This study aimed to investigate the role of IL1F7 gene polymorphism in RA susceptibility in a large cohort of patients.

METHODSFive selected single-nucleotide polymorphisms in IL1F7 genes (rs2723186, rs3811046, rs4241122, rs4364030, and rs4392270) were genotyped by TaqMan Allelic Discrimination in Northern Chinese Han population. The allele and the genotype were compared between patients with RA and healthy controls. Association analyses were performed on the entire data set and on different RA subsets based on the status of the anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibody and the rheumatoid factor by logistic regression, adjusting for age and gender.

RESULTSTrend associations were detected between rs2723186, rs4241122, rs4392270, and RA in Stage I (160 patients with RA; 252 healthy controls). Further validation in Stage II comprised 730 unrelated patients with RA (mean age: 54.9 ± 12.6 years; 81.6% females) and 778 unrelated healthy individuals (mean age: 53.5 ± 15.7 years; 79.5% females). No significant differences in the distributions of alleles and genotypes were observed between the case and control groups in both the entire set and the different RA subsets. Disease activity and age of RA onset were also not associated with genotype distributions.

CONCLUSIONIL1F7 gene polymorphism does not significantly influence RA susceptibility in the Northern Chinese Han population.

BACKGROUND: Interleukin (IL)-37, also called IL1F7, is a natural inhibitor of inflammatory and immune responses. It is involved in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). This study aimed to investigate the role of IL1F7 gene polymorphism in RA susceptibility in a large cohort of patients. METHODS: Five selected single-nucleotide polymorphisms in IL1F7 genes (rs2723186, rs3811046, rs4241122, rs4364030, and rs4392270) were genotyped by TaqMan Allelic Discrimination in Northern Chinese Han population. The allele and the genotype were compared between patients with RA and healthy controls. Association analyses were performed on the entire data set and on different RA subsets based on the status of the anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibody and the rheumatoid factor by logistic regression, adjusting for age and gender. RESULTS: Trend associations were detected between rs2723186, rs4241122, rs4392270, and RA in Stage I (160 patients with RA; 252 healthy controls). Further validation in Stage II comprised 730 unrelated patients with RA (mean age: 54.9 ± 12.6 years; 81.6% females) and 778 unrelated healthy individuals (mean age: 53.5 ± 15.7 years; 79.5% females). No significant differences in the distributions of alleles and genotypes were observed between the case and control groups in both the entire set and the different RA subsets. Disease activity and age of RA onset were also not associated with genotype distributions. CONCLUSION IL1F7 gene polymorphism does not significantly influence RA susceptibility in the Northern Chinese Han population.
Adult ; Aged ; Arthritis, Rheumatoid ; genetics ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; genetics ; Case-Control Studies ; China ; ethnology ; Female ; Genetic Predisposition to Disease ; Genotype ; Humans ; Interleukin-1 ; genetics ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide