Objective To clone and sequence the cDNA encoding farnesyl pyrophosphate synthase(FPS) from Panax notoginseng.Methods The cDNA,encoding FPS in P.notoginseng,was amplified by RACE strategy with the total RNA of root as the template.The fragment of FPS was cloned and sequenced.Results The analysis results revealed that the full-length cDNA had(1 409) bp with an open reading frame encoding 343 amino acids of protein.The FPS sequence had 95%,87%,and 86% amino acid sequence homology to the FPS sequence of Centella asiatica,Parthenium argentatum,and Artemisia annua,respectively. Conclusion The cDNA encoding FPS from P. notoginseng is cloned and reported.This works provide a foundation for exploring the mechanism of saponins biosynthesis and application to the other medical plants.

Taxol is one of the most potent anti-cancer agents, which is extracted from the plants of Taxus species. Isopentenyl diphosphate isomerase (IPI) catalyzes the reversible transformation between IPP and DMAPP, both of which are the general 5-carbon precursors for taxol biosynthesis. In the present study, a new gene encoding IPI was cloned from Taxus media (namely TmIPI with the GenBank Accession Number KP970677) for the first time. The full-length cDNA of TmIPI was 1 232 bps encoding a polypeptide with 233 amino acids, in which the conserved domain Nudix was found. Bioinformatic analysis indicated that the sequence of TmIPI was highly similar to those of other plant IPI proteins, and the phylogenetic analysis showed that there were two clades of plant IPI proteins, including IPIs of angiosperm plants and IPIs of gymnosperm plants. TmIPI belonged to the clade of gymnosperm plant IPIs, and this was consistent with the fact that Taxus media is a plant species of gymnosperm. Southern blotting analysis demonstrated that there was a gene family of IPI in Taxus media. Finally, functional verification was applied to identify the function of TmIPI. The results showed that biosynthesis of β-carotenoid was enhanced by overexpressing TmIPI in the engineered E. coli strain, and this suggested that TmIPI might be a key gene involved in isoprenoid/terpenoid biosynthesis.
Amino Acid Sequence ; Carbon-Carbon Double Bond Isomerases ; genetics ; Cloning, Molecular ; DNA, Complementary ; genetics ; Escherichia coli ; Paclitaxel ; biosynthesis ; Phylogeny ; Plant Proteins ; genetics ; Taxus ; enzymology ; genetics

0.05).The setting time of hydroxyaptite and glass ions cements with Co-F were longer but there was little effect on zinc phosphate cements. Conclusion The Co-F agent added to dental cement can not only improve the compressive strength but also contin- ually release fluoride.

OBJECTIVETo screen miRNA profiles of malignantly transformed human bronchial epithelial cells, 16HBE-T, induced by anti-benzo[a]pyrene-trans-7,8-diol-9,10-epoxide (anti-BPDE), and to analyze putative miR-10a targets in 16HBE-T.

METHODSA novel microarray platform was employed to screen miRNA profiles of 16HBE-T cells transformed by anti-BPDE. Microarray data for miR-10a and miR-320 were validated using quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction (QRT-PCR). The expression of a putative target for miR-10a, HOXA1, was analyzed by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and QRT-PCR.

RESULTSIn comparison with the vehicle-treated cells (16HBE-N), 16HBE-T exhibited differential expression of 54 miRNAs, in which, 45 were over-expressed and 9 were down-regulated. The five most highly expressed miRNAs were miR-494, miR-320, miR-498, miR-129, and miR-106a. The lowest expressed miRNAs were miR-10a, miR-493-5p, and miR-363*. Three members of miR-17-92 cluster, miR-17-5p, miR-20a, and miR-92, showed significantly higher abundance in 16BHE-T as miR-21, miR-141, miR-27a, miR-27b, miR-16 and miRNAs of the let-7 family. The putative target for miR-10a, HOXA1 mRNA was up-regulated 3-9-fold in 16HBE-T, as compared with 16HBE-N.

CONCLUSIONThe findings of the study provide information on differentially expressed miRNA in malignant 16HBE-T, and also suggest a potential role of these miRNAs in cell transformation induced by anti-BPDE. HOXA1 is similarly up-regulated, suggesting that miR-10a is associated with the process of HOXA 1-mediated transformation.

7,8-Dihydro-7,8-dihydroxybenzo(a)pyrene 9,10-oxide ; toxicity ; Carcinogens ; toxicity ; Cell Transformation, Neoplastic ; chemically induced ; genetics ; metabolism ; Cells, Cultured ; Gene Expression Profiling ; Homeodomain Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Humans ; MicroRNAs ; metabolism ; Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis ; RNA, Messenger ; metabolism ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Transcription Factors ; genetics ; metabolism

BackgroundIron-containing foreign body trapped in the eyeball wall without affecting the opticus occurs occasionally in clinic. Operation always is performed in an attempt to avoid the deposition of rust in different tissues of the eye-balls. However,a few animal experimental studies showed that a small foreign body does not affect the retina and opticus in the period of three months. The question of whether surgery needs to be carried out is worth discussion. ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of posterior intrascleral iron foreign body on the rabbit retina and opticus. MethodsTwelve healthy adult Japan flap-eared white rabbits were randomly divided into two groups. Medium carbon iron with rust or without rust( size of 2. 0 mm × 1. 0 mm×0. 2 mm) were implanted into the posterior sclera of the left eye to create the animal model with iron foreign body in the eyeball wall. The cornea, anterior chamber, crystalline lens, vitreous and fundus of the rabbits were observed under a slit lamp microscope 1weekbeforeoperationand 1week, 2weeks, 1monthand 3months after operation.Flash electroretinogram(F-ERG) and flash visual evoked potential (F-VEP) were recorded at the time points mentioned above. All the rabbits were sacrificed and the eye balls were extracted at the end of the experiment, and the position of the iron foreign body was determined. The histopathological examinations of the retina and opticus were performed under the light microscope. This experiment complied with the Regulations for the Administration of Affair Concerning Experimental Animals by State Science and Technology Commission. ResultsThere were no statistical differences for the a-wave amplitude of F-ERG among different time points( F =1. 885,P =0. 129 ) and different treatment groups ( F =1. 188, P =0. 340 ), as with the ERG b-wave amplitude ( time: F =2. 73, P =0. 064 ; group : F =1. 114, P =0. 367). The differences in the latencies of F-VEP N1-wave were insignificant among the different time points( F =1. 605, P =0. 263 ) as well as various groups ( F=1. 556, P =0.314 ), and those of F-VEP P1 -wave were not evidently changed ( time: F =2. 329, P =0. 092 ; group : F =2. 186, P =0. 103 ). No correlations were seen between the time factor and grouping factor ( P ＞ 0. 05 ). There was no apparent siderosis bulbi change during the follow-up duration. No morphological abnormality in the retina and optical nerve was found under the light microscope. At the end of the experiment,intrascleral iron foreign body was wrapped by surrounding tissue in a stable condition. Conclusions The small posterior intrascleral iron foreign body, whether it is oxidized or not, does not produce distinctive functional or pathological damage on retina and opticus in the short term.

Objective To analysis long-term effects and safety of arsenic trioxide (ATO)-based induction and maintenance therapy in newly diagnosed acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL). Methods Retrospective analysis induction remission and post-remission treatment of 62 newly diagnosed APL patients was performed. These cases were followed up for 5 and 7 years. Results The complete remission (CR) rate was similar in ATO/all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) induction group and ATRA/chemotherapy induction group.However, the former group has the shorter time to CR. The negative rate of PML-RARα fusion gene after induction without ATO was less than that of ATO group (86.2 % vs 56.3 %, P ＜0.05). After CR, the 5-year overall survival (OS) between ATO-base rotation maintenance group and chemotherapy-base rotation maintenance group showed that the former was (94.4±5.4) %, the latter is (45.5±10.2) %; 7-year OS was (52.5±23.7) % and (27.3±9.3) %; 5-year disease free survivals (DFS) was (94.7±5,5) % and (41.3±10.1) %; 7-year DFS was (52.6±23.7) % and (27.5±9.4) %. There was significant different in 5-year or 7-year OS and DFS between two groups (P ＜0.05). The relapse rates of the two groups in post-remission treatment were 14.7 % and 37.0 % (P ＜0.05). Conclusion ATO combined ATRA induction therapy increased the negative rate of PML-RARα fusion gene. ATO-base rotation maintenance improved long-term outcome and decreased the rate of relapse. Furthermore, ATO appeared to be generally safe and well tolerated.

genes related to pancreatic cancer was mainly associated with biological process,cellular location,molecular function,which suggested the development of pancreatic cancer was caused by multiple genes.

To study the C21 steroids of the stems of Marsdenia tenacissima (Roxb.) Wight et Arn, various chromatography methods were used for the isolation of the constituents and their structures were identified by spectral analysis. Eight C21 steroids were isolated from the CHCl3 extract, which were identified as 11alpha-O-tigloyl-17beta-tenacigenin B (1), 17beta-tenacigenin B (2), tenacigenoside A (3), 11alpha-O-2-methylbutyryl-12beta-O-acetyl tenacigenin B (4), tenacissoside H (5), marsdenoside A (6), tenacissoside G (7), and tenacissoside I (8). Among them, compound 1 is a new compound.
Marsdenia ; chemistry ; Molecular Structure ; Plant Stems ; chemistry ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Saponins ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Steroids ; chemistry ; isolation & purification

The study was aimed to explore the role of gene JWA, a novel retinoic acid responsible and cytoskeleton associate gene, in regulating committed differentiation of HL-60 cell and the molecular mechanism in the course of differentiation and apoptosis of leukemic cells. By using FCM, the changes of CD13, CD14, CD15, CD11b and cell cycles were detected in HL-60 cells treated with ATRA (10(-6) mol/L), Ara-C (10 ng/ml) and TPA (10(-8) mol/L) respectively. The samples were determined by semi-quantitative reverse transcript-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Western blot for the expression of JWA, Bcl-2, HSP27 and HSP70 at day 0, 2, 4, 6, 8. The results showed that HL-60 cells committedly differentiated into granulocyte-, monocyte-, macrophage-like cells. As a result, JWA was up-regulated in a time-dependent manner, while Bcl-2 was down- regulated at the same time. In ATRA and TPA group, the change of HSP70 had positive correlation with JWA, and negative correlation with Bcl-2. The expression of HSP27 was not detected. Contrast to the cells from APL patient, the expression of JWA need not be activated by ATRA in advance. In this study, we also exposed HL-60 cells in higher dose of Ara-C (20 ng/ml), and JWA expression underwent opposite trend comparing with in lower dose of Ara-C (10 ng/ml). It is concluded that JWA may play double important roles in regulating ATRA and TPA-induced differentiation and apoptosis in leukemic cells. The JWA expression had a negative correlation between induction and cytotoxic response. The difference of JWA expressions between HL-60 cell and ANLL patient cells would be involved in different leukemia pathogenesis.
Antineoplastic Agents ; pharmacology ; Blotting, Western ; Cell Differentiation ; drug effects ; Cytarabine ; pharmacology ; HL-60 Cells ; HSP27 Heat-Shock Proteins ; HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Heat-Shock Proteins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Humans ; Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins ; genetics ; Neoplasm Proteins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate ; pharmacology ; Time Factors ; Tretinoin ; pharmacology

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the value of brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) in estimating risk stratification in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and to determine the relationship between BNP and adverse cardiac events after AMI.

METHODSThe 135 subjects were selected into the study, including 25 healthy subjects and 110 patients with a first AMI. The plasma concentrations of BNP were measured at two to four days after infarction in patients and healthy controls. Left ventricular function was evaluated by echocardiography with the parameters of left ventricular ejection function (LVEF) after 3 months. Patients were followed up at 12 months. The main outcome measures were heart failure, left remodeling, mortality and other adverse cardiac events at one year.

RESULTSPlasma BNP concentrations in patients with AMI were much higher than those in the health control people (416.7 +/- 208.0 ng/L versus 61.8 +/- 34.1 ng/L, P < 0.01). The BNP count ranged from 5 to 2500 ng/L in AMI patients. There was no association between the BNP count and mortality rate. The development of new congestive heart failure (CHF) was associated with a higher BNP count (P = 0.02). The development of any of the clinical end points (death/CHF/shock) occurred more frequently in patients with a higher BNP count (13.8% for BNP count of < 100 ng/L, 39.1% for BNP count of 100 - 200 ng/L, 43.3% for BNP count of 200 - 400 ng/L, 46.4% for BNP count of > 400 ng/L; P = 0.019). Plasma BNP concentrations remained independently associated with the development of clinical end points in multivariable model that adjusted for potential confounding variables.

CONCLUSIONThe results of the present study confirm that the elevated BNP count related to the risk stratification and prognosis in patients with AMI. Elevations in BNP count are associated with a higher incidence of new CHF and adverse clinical outcomes after AMI. It could serve as a strong predictor for the subsequent development of poor outcomes in AMI patients.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Myocardial Infarction ; blood ; diagnosis ; Natriuretic Peptide, Brain ; blood ; Prognosis