To show the protective effect of macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF) on macrophages under oxidative stress,we investigated the effect of M-CSF on RAW264.7 cells incubated with tert-butyl hydroperoxide (tbOOH) using L929 cell conditioned medium (L929-CM) as the source of M-CSF.The results showed that M-CSF could alleviate the tbOOH- induced oxidative injury to RAW264.7 cells.We also found that M-CSF could improve superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity in the cells.MnSOD mRNA expression was also shown to be increased by RT-PCR technique,and the induction could be blocked by actinomycin D.So,we concluded that M-CSF could protect RAW264.7 cells from oxidative injury through inducing MnSOD expression.

Objective:To investigate the influences of laparoscopic surgery on Th1/Th2 balance in patients with uterine myomas.Methods:In a prospective study,the number of the Th subsets,Th1/Th2 ratio,the serum level of IL-18 and IL-10 in 20 patients submitted to laparoscopic operation and 20 patients undergoing conventional open operation were evaluated preoperatively as well as 2,24,48 h postoperatively.Results:The level of Th1 cell,IL-18,and the Th1/Th2 ratio decreased significantly (laparoscopic group: P

AIM: To uncover the effect of human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG) on vascular epithelial growth factor (VEGF) expression in trophoblasts. METHODS: The semi-quantitative method of reversely transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was employed to investigate the expression of VEGF in trophoblast-derived JEG-3 cell line. RESULTS: VEGF 121 , VEGF 165 and VEGF 189 was shown to express in JEG-3 cells. After incubated with 0, 50, 500, 5 000 , 25 000 U/L hCG for 48 hours respectively, the expression of VEGF (including its 3 isoforms: VEGF 121 , VEGF 165 , VEGF 189 ) was induced gradually with the concentration of hCG increased. Furthermore, VEGF mRNA expression in JEG-3 cells incubated with 25 000 U/L hCG experienced a transient increase before a less significant decrease. CONCLUSION: The autocrine of VEGF might be involved in the effect of hCG on trophoblast or trophoblast-derived choriocarcinoma cell proliferation, migration and invasiveness.

Objective　To investigate the effects of leptin on steroidogenesis of human luteinized granulosa cell in vitro. Methods　Human luteinized granulosa cells were isolated from follicular fluid obtained during oocyte retrieval of in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer program and were cultured with M199 medium plus various concentration of leptin (0, 10, 30, 100, 300 ng/ml)，human menopausal gonadotropin (hMG, 0, 0.1, 0.2, 0.5, 1, 2, 5, 10 IU/ml) and testosterone 100 μg/ml. For 2 days the media were collected for estradiol and progesterone measurements. Results　Addition of leptin alone did not alter estradiol and progesterone production (P>0.05) by human luteinized granulosa cells. Leptin of 10～30 ng/ml concentrations caused a dose-dependent inhibition of estradiol production (P<0.05) while greater than 0.5 IU/ml of hMG were added. There was no effect of leptin on hMG -stimulated progesterone production (P>0.05). Conclusion　Leptin can directly inhibit hMG-stimulated estradiol production by human luteinized granulosa cells in vitro, but has no effect on progesterone production. Leptin may play an important role in follicle development and luteinization.

Objective:To explore whether human chorioic gonadotrophin(hCG) might change the invasiveness of trophoblast by regulating the prodution of TGF-?3. Methods: The effect of hCG on TGF-?3 mRNA expression in JEG-3 cells was investigated by employing the semi-quantiative method of reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction(RT-TCR). Results:TGF-?3 was shown to be expressed in JEG-3 cells. After incubated with 0,50,500,5 000,25 000 mU/ml hCG for 48 hours respectively, the expression of TGF-?3 in JEG-3 cells increased gradually with the concentration of hCG increased. Additionally,TGF-?3 mRNA expression in JEG-3 cells incubated with 25 000 mU/ml hCG experienced a significant induction at 30 h point which was followed by a less significant decrease.Conclusion:The autocrine of TGF-?3 might be involved in the effect of hCG on trophoblast or trophoblast-derived choriocarcinoma cell invasiveness.

Hoxa gene plays an essential role in the generation and development of the human female reproductive system. This gene is expressed in the Mullerian duct and the adult female reproductive system. Expression of Hoxa10 dramatically increased during the midsecretory phase of the menstrual cycle, corresponding to the time of implantation. Female mice lacking Hoxa10 have a uterine factor defect that results in death of the preimplantation embryo and failure of implantation. These results suggest Hoxa10 may have an important function in implantation. Hoxa10 - deficient males exhibit cryptorchidism that lead to male infertility.

Objective To study the expression of ARHI mRNA,an imprinted suppressor gene,in ovarian serous carcinoma and the methylation status of its three CpG islands,and to determine the possible role of aberrant methylation of ARHI gene in pathogenesis of ovarian serous carcinoma.Methods Twenty normal ovarian specimens and 20 ovarian serous carcinoma specimens were analyzed.Total RNA was extracted and semi-quantitative RT-PCR was employed to detect the mRNA expression of ARHI gene.Methylation status of three CpG islands were examined by DNA bisulfite treatment,PCR amplification and methylation specific restriction enzymes,TagI for CpG I and III,BstUI for CpG II.Results The average of ARHI/G3PDH was 0.73?0.09 in normal ovarian specimens,and it was 0.43?0.37 in ovarian carcinoma specimens(P

AIM: To study the change of some metabolism-associated genes expression in preeclamptic placenta. METHODS: The mRNA expression levels of metabolism-associated genes in preeclamptic or normal placenta were detected by employing complementary DNA microarray representing over 220 human hormone-associated genes. RESULTS: Many redox metabolism-related genes (GenBank: U78168, X16699, D32143, AL035079, AF069668, X53463, J03746, X02317, X91247, etc) were highly expressed in preeclamptic placenta compared with normal placenta. Additionally, the mRNA expression levels of some genes which were related to other metabolism such as hormone (GenBank: NM -001718, Z22535, M38180, M76665, X75252, J03258, U56725), were also highly expressed in preeclamptic placenta.CONCLUSION: The change of genes expression in placenta is associated with the change of metabolism in patients sufferring from preeclampsia.

Objective To perfect gene profile expressed in pre-implantation embryos. Methods Using nested RT-PCR to investigate the expression of seven imprinted genes: P57~ KIP2, LIT1, TSSC3, GRB10, PEG3, ARHI, and ZAC1 in human oocytes and pre-implantation embryos. Results Transcripts of P57~ KIP2 and ZAC1 were detected in human oocytes and at all stages of pre-implantation; LIT1 was expressed only in stages of 8-cell and blastocyst; transcripts of TSSC3 could not be detected; GRB10 mRNA could be detected in oocytes and pre-implantation embryos except for 2-cell embryo; ARHI was expressed in oocytes and 2,8-cell embryos and blastocyst; Peg3 mRNA existed in 4,8-cell embryos and blastocyst. Conclusion Except for TSSC3, transcripts of the other six imprinted genes are detected in human pre-implantation development, which are helpful for pre-implantation diagnosis of imprinted diseases, and provide the theoretical basis for understanding the correlation among assisted reproductive technology, genetic imprinted diseases and tumor.