Objective To establish a nested-real-time-PCR for the detection of IL-21R mRNA in peripheral blood mononuclear cells(PBMC)of patients with rheumatoid arthritis,and explore its clinical significance.Methods The outer primers of span intron and inner primers were designed for nested-real-time-PCR.To increase specific template,the concentration of primers and enzyme,cycle times were decreased in the first amplification,and the real-time fluorescent quantity assay was performed in the second amplification.The ?-actin gene was used as internal reference,and the results were presented as the ratios of IL-21R mRNA to ?-actin mRNA.Results IL-21R mRNA was detected in 60 patients with RA and 30 healthy controls.The expression of IL-21R mRNA gene in the patients with RA was increased,and the statistical analysis has significant differences(P0.05),but a significant difference was found in the patients of grade III compared with those of grade I and II(P

SOX17,a member of the SOX family of transcription factors,is conserved in many species and plays an important role in the formation of embryo endoderm.A number of studies have found that SOX17 gene expression is silenced or decreased might be due to promoter bypermethylation,which plays a vital role in tumorigenesis and tumor progression,and may contribute to aberrant activation of canonical Wnt signaling pathway in several human malignant tumors.

Objective We reported previously that single nucleotide polymorphisms SNP) + 11G ＞ A in intron 3 of the human urate transporter 1 (hURAT1) gene are associated with hyperuncaemia in Han Chinese.The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of the variants on hURAT1 function.Methods The wild-type,mutant-type hURAT1 and exon 5-null hURAT1 were constructed,and respectively microinjected into the zebrafish embryo yolks.The subcellular localization of different genotypes of hURAT1 was detected by confocal laser scanning microscope.Results Compared with wild type,the mutant recombinant plasmid transcribed two types of mRNA spliceosome,the wild type and the exon 5-null type.The hURAT1 wild type protein was prominent localized on cell membrane,while the mutant type and exon 5-null hURAT1 proteins were distributed uniform in the cytoplasm but not on the cell membrane.Conclusion The hURAT1 variant + 11 G ＞ A resulted in an alternative splicing of hURAT1 mRNA-exon 5-null type.Its protein product exhibited a different subcellular localization compared with that of wild type.

Lots of studies have identified the relationship between hyperuricemia and cardiovascular diseases. Many factors affect the metabolism of uric acid, such as diet, drug, internal environment of organism, etc. However, the relationship between hyperuricemia and cardiovascular diseases is not quite clear. In this review, we present recently published data about the association between hyperuricemia and selected cardiovascular diseases.

Objective To explore gene polymorphism of G/A genotype of Fok Ⅰ rs2228570 (G/A) of vitamin D receptor (VDR) gene in Han male population of Chinese coastal area,and thus to investigate the relationship between the gene polymorphism of VDR and gout.Methods Altogether 504 gout patients and 523 healthy controls were enrolled.The possible association between the polymorphism of VDR rs2228570 and gout in Chinese coastal area was investigated and genotype frequencies and allelic frequencies were calculated by realtime PCR with Taqman(R)probe method.Hardy-Weinberg was used to verify the representativeness of the sample.Comparison between the groups were performed withx2 test and t-test.Results The frequencies of GG,AG,and AA genotypes were 32.1％,50.0％,and 17.9％,respectively among gout patients,while they were 27.9％,50.5％,and 21.6％ respectively among the controls.There was no statistically significant difference in VDR rs2228570 genotype frequencies between gout patients and controls(x2 =3.366,P＞0.05).The allele frequencies of G and A in gout cases were different from those in the controls(57.1％,42.9％;53.2％,46.8％;x2 =3.300,P＞0.05).Conclusions Results of the present study suggest that the G/A genotype of VDR Fok Ⅰ rs2228570 of the VDR gene is not associated with gout in male population of Chinese coastal area.

BACKGROUND:Previous studies have shown that composite scaffold of chitosan and poly-L-lactic acid has good biocompatibility with some cells. OBJECTIVE:To study the biocompatibility of poly-L-lactic acid reinforced by chitosan and olfactory ensheathing cells. METHODS:In experimental group, olfactory ensheathing cells from Sprague-Dawley rats aged 1-3 days were incubated onto chitosan-reinforced poly-L-lactic acid film. And in control group, olfactory ensheathing cells were co-cultured with poly-L-lysine. The proliferative ability of olfactory ensheathing cells was detected and the cells were observed with immunofluorescence histochemical staining at 1, 3, 5, 7 days after culture. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Olfactory ensheathing cells could survive on the chitosan-reinforced poly-L-lactic acid film, and the cytotoxic grade wasⅠ. Morphology of the cells in the experimental group was round or oval, with little processes and the cells aggregated into groups. One day after implantation, the periphery cells of the mass extended short projections and gradual y spread outward;3 days after implantation, the cells spread and most of the cells generated projections, most of which were bipolar or tri-polar;5 days after implantation, cel processes significantly extended, most cells were bipolar and tri-polar cells, while some were oval cells and irregular triangular cells;7 days after implantation, the cel density increased, and cel processes extended. Cel morphology of the control group had similar characteristics as the experimental group. There was no obvious difference between the control and the experimental group in number, perimeter or area of the cells (P>0.05). It showed that chitosan-reinforced poly-L-lactic acid had good biocompatibility with olfactory ensheathing cells.

The aim of this study is to develop a rapid and accurately species typing method for Brucella isolates by using High Resolution Melting (HRM ) analysis .Six pairs of primers were used according to the reference for the sequence of pur‐pose gene .Nineteen biotypes of six species Brucella standard strains were identified by PCR‐HRM analysis and this analysis was used to detect the 35 clinical isolates .Results showed Brucella amplified specific melting curves were different from con‐trasted strains with primer Bspp .The six species Brucella standard strains have own characteristic curve shape from each oth‐ers by PCR‐HRM analysis with five pairs of primers .Thirty‐five clinical isolates of Brucella have entirely consistent with PCR‐HRM curve shape with Brucella melitensis standard strains .So ,PCR‐HRM analysis methods can accurately identify Brucella strains ,especially clinical isolated Brucella melitensis ,and may be used in clinical microbiology laboratories .

High mobility group box 1 (HMGB 1 ) is a family member of the high mobility group. HMGB1 binds to cell surface specific receptor-receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE) and toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2), and thus it exhibits extensive biological activities. HMGB1 participates in pathophysiological processes including inflammatory response and regulation of blood-brain barrier permeability in central nervous system, arid it is closely correlated with the diseases such as ischemia stroke, Alzheimer's disease and gliocytoma.

Objective To investigate the effects of ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (ω-3 PUFA) on acute lung injury (ALI) in a rat model of traumatic shock. Methods Thirty-six male Wistar rats aged 3 months were randomly assigned into 3 groups ( n = 12 each): control group (group C) ; traumatic shock group (group TS) and ω-3 PUFA + TS group (group to-3 PUFA) . Traumatic shock was induced by fracture of femur and hemorrhage according to the method described by Feeney in groups TS and ω-3 PUFA. In group ω-3 PUFA, ω-3 PUFA 2 ml/kg was injected via the caudal vein at 12 and 2 h before induction of traumatic shock. Arterial blood samples were taken at 120 min after traumatic shock was successfully induced for determination of serum concentrations of TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-10 and 8-iso-PGF2α by ELISA. The animals were then sacrificed and lungs were removed for-determination of W/D lung weight ratio and microscopic examination. Results Traumatic shock significantly increased serum concentrations of TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-10 and 8-iso-PGF2α, W/D ratio and pathologic scores of lung tissues in groups TS and ω-3 PUFA as compared with group C.ω-3 PUFA significantly attenuated traumatic shuck-induced increase in serum concentrations of TNF-α, IL-1β and 8-iso-PGF2α , W/D ratio and pathologic scores of lung tissues but further increased the serum IL-10 concentration in group ω-3 PUFA as compared with group TS. Conclusion ω-3 PUFA can significantly inhibit the svstemic inflammatory response and ameliorate traumatic shock-induced ALI.

The clinical features of 172 female and 1 067 male residents with gout in the coastal regions of Shandong province were analyzed.The results showed that as compared with male patients the onset of gout occurred at an older age in the female patients,and there were less obesity and tophi as well as less alcohol consumption and medication needed in the female patients.However,comorbidity with diabetes mellitus and coronary heart disease,as well as involvement of upper limb and other metatarsophalangeal joints were more prevalent in the female patients.