Objective To investigate the expression of CD34 and its clinical significances in different types of thymic tumor.Methods The expressions of CD34 in 61 thymic tumor tissues were detected by SP immunohistochemical method,then,the MVD was calculated.The patients included 7 cases of type A,9 cases of type AB,16 cases of type B1,10 cases of type B2,10 cases of type B3 and 9 cases of type C according to 2004 WHO Classification of thymic tumor.Results CD34 expression level was significantly increased from type A to type C.The MVDs were 3.78±2.12,5.72±2.79,7.51±3.34,10.89±5.10,12.31±4.08 and 16.51±6.24 in A,AB,B1,B2,B3 and C type of thymic tumor (F =2.048,P =0.047).The expression level in B2+B3+C type was significantly higher than A+AB+B1 type (t =6.034,P ＜ 0.05).Conclusions The expression of CD34 in different types of thymic tumor suggests that it may take some action in tumor-associated angiogenic function.Detection of CD34 may be useful to evaluate malignancy of thymic tumor.

BACKGROUND: Studies have demonstrated that trehalose possesses protective effects on cyropreserved sternum. But the mechanism of action remains poorly understood. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of trehalose on bcl-2 and bax mRNA expression in cryopreserved sternum. METHODS: Four groups of freshly prepared solution were used: low-potassium dextran (LPD), LPD + dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), LPD + trehalose, LPD + DMSO + trehalose. Rat sternum was cut and then immediately cryopreserved in the tubes containing each group of solution. Fresh rat sternum tissue and 4 groups of samples cryopreserved for 120 days were taken and bcl-2 and bax mRNA expression in fresh and cryopreserved sternum was detected using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: bcl-2 mRNA expression in the LPD + trehalose group was significantly higher, but bax mRNA expression was significantly lower, than in the LPD, LPD + DMSO groups (both P < 0.01). LPD + DMSO + trehalose group showed highest bcl-2 mRNA expression and lowest bax mRNA expression, which were basically similar to fresh bone tissue (P > 0.05). These findings indicate that trehalose may protect cell activity in cryopreserved sternum by enhancing bcl-2 mRNA expression and inhibiting bax mRNA expression, and trehalose together with DMSO shows better protective effects.

Objective To investigate the effect of isoflurane inhalation during gestation period on plasticity of hippo-campal synapses in offspring rats. Methods Ten healthy pregnant SD rats at 14 day gestation were randomly divided into 2 gorups ( n = 5 each): control group (group C) and isoflurane group (group I). The rats in group C were mechanically ventilated with O2 while in group I the rats inhaled 1.3% isoflurane in O2 for 2 h a day until labor. Four weeks after birth 4 offspring rats from each pregnant rats (2 male, 2 female) were tested for learning and memory abilities using Morris water maze. Then the offspring rats were sacrificed and hippocampi isolated. The synaptic structure of hippocampal CA1 area was examined by trans-electron microscopy. Results Morris water maze test showed that the escape latency was significantly shorter and the number of times of spanning flat roof greater in group C than in group I. The structure of hippocampus was intact in group C but incomplete in group I. Meanwhile the thickness of synaptic density was significantly decreased in group I. Conclusion Isoflurane anesthesia of pregnant rats may induce learning and memory disabilities in offspring rats by inhibiting the plasticity of synaptic structure in hippocampus.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a central neurodegenerative disease with still unclear pathogenesis. Recent studies have shown that axonal transport dysfuction of mitochondria may contribute to AD progression. Normal mitochondrial axonal transport mainly involves microtubules, molecular motors and connexins, while AD early pathological changes can damage mitochondrial axonal transport by interfering with these proteins: accumulated β-amyloid (Aβ) impairs the function of molecular motors; abnormally modified Tau protein reduces microtubule stability; mutant presenilin-1 (PS1) can induce phosphorylation of some related proteins by activating glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK-3β); all these processes can damage mitochondrial axonal transport, leading to synaptic dysfunction. This review aims to clarify the possible mechanisms of axonal transport dysfuction of mitochondria in AD and provides new ideas for AD treatment.

Microglia (MG) are resident immune cells in the central nervous system (CNS) and the first defense line of CNS damage. The maintenance of MG function requires abundant energy, and lipid can serve as an energy source for the brain when glucose utilization is limited, and lipid can also function as signaling molecule. Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common neurodegenerative disease, and MG lipid metabolism plays an important role in the development of this disease. Drugs targeting lipid metabolism provide a new direction for AD treatment. This review starts with the specific mechanism of lipid metabolism in MG, and briefly introduces the effect of lipid metabolism on MG function and its role in AD.

Zebrafish is a novel model organism for drug metabolism research because of its small size, easy feeding, low reproduction cost and high reproduction rate.This paper outlines the construction of zebrafish metabolic model, illustrating the advantages of zebrafish model with high genetic similarity to human, well-developed enzyme system, and low substrate effect; and then reviews the application of zebrafish model in the synthesis of various new psychoactive substances such as cannabinoids, fentanyl, piperazines, and synthetic cathinones.The common metabolic reactions in zebrafish, including phase I (oxidation, N-demethylation, O-deethylation, hydroxylation and N-desalkylation) and phase II (sulfation and glucuronidation) reactions, are summarized, and the differences between the metabolites of zebrafish and those of real human body fluid samples are mainly related to the types of enzymes.This paper also points out the great potential and further research trends of zebrafish model in the study of new psychoactive substances.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the mechanism of tauroursodeoxycholic acid (TUDCA) in suppressing apoptosis in pulmonary tissues of intermittent hypoxia (IH) mice model.
 METHODS: A total of 32 C57 mice were randomly divided into a control group, a TUDCA group, an IH group and an IH+TUDCA group (8 mice per group). The mice were put in specially designed chambers and exposed to IH treatment for 4 weeks. In the chambers, oxygen levels repeatedly decreased from 21% to 10% and recovered from 10% to 21%, lasting for 8 hours in every day. After 4 weeks of IH exposure, the expression levels of caspase-12 and cleaved caspase-3 in pulmonary tissues were detected by Western blot. Meanwhile, the expression levels of glucose regulated protein-78 (GRP78) and CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein homologous protein (CHOP) were quantified by Western blot, immunochemistry and real-time PCR.
 RESULTS: Compared with the control group, the expression levels of caspase-12, cleaved caspase-3, GRP78 and CHOP were increased in the IH group (all P<0.01). TUDCA treatment could reduce these proteins expression (all P<0.05).
 CONCLUSION Endoplasmic reticulum stress-mediated apoptosis can be activated in pulmonary tissues after chronic IH exposure, and TUDCA can reduce the cellular apoptosis via suppressing endoplasmic reticulum stress.
Animals ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Caspase 12 ; metabolism ; Caspase 3 ; metabolism ; Disease Models, Animal ; Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress ; drug effects ; Heat-Shock Proteins ; metabolism ; Hypoxia ; physiopathology ; Lung ; drug effects ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Taurochenodeoxycholic Acid ; pharmacology ; Transcription Factor CHOP ; metabolism

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the safety of the controllable ileostomy with pipe in view of histology. METHODS: Twenty-eight Beagle dogs undergoing controllable ileostomy with pipe were studied. The special fistula tube with balloon was placed into the hole locating at the cecal root opposing the mesenteric side, and fixed by double knot compression method. RESULTS: The fistula tube was removed 14 days after surgery, then the safety of the procedure was preliminarily evaluated by gastrointestinal radiography and anatomical observation. The small intestine tissue at the compression suture was used as the experimental segment, and the small intestine tissue at the proximal non-compression suture was used as the control segment. The histological staining and the immunohistochemical staining of S-100 protein, c-kit protein and α-smooth muscle actin(α-SMA) protein between two segment were compared, while quantitative comparison of myenteric plexus, intestinal Cajal cell(ICC) and smooth muscle cells in intestinal wall was carried out. After removal of fistula tube at 14 days postoperative, the dogs were normal in feeding and defecation. The digestive tract radiography showed that the intestine was patent without obvious stenosis and obstruction. The dogs were dissected 21 days after operation. The abdominal sinus ostium was well healed and the internal sinus was well formed. Under gross inspection, blood supply, morphology and motor function of experimental intestine segment were similar from the proximal and distal segments of control intestine. S-100 immunohistochemical staining showed that the morphology and distribution of S-100 protein positive cells and "blank area" cells in the experimental and control segments were consistent. Myenteric plexus counting showed that the experimental segment was 3.62±1.82/field and the control segment was 3.27±1.62/field, whose difference was not statistically significant(t=1.30, P=0.20). Immunohistochemical staining of c-kit showed that the distribution of c-kit positive cells in both segments was consistent. Counting of the number of ICCs in myenteric plexus revealed that experimental segment was 2.96±2.57/plexus, and control segment was 2.49±1.80/plexus without significant difference(t=1.81, P=0.07). Immunohistochemical staining of α-SMA showed that the morphology and distribution of smooth muscle cells in whole intestinal wall(muscle layer, longitudinal muscle, ring muscle) in experimental and control segments were consistent. The average absorbance(A) value of α-SMA staining in ring muscle layer was detected and quantified. The experimental segment was 0.15±0.03 and control segment was 0.14±0.04 without significant difference(t=1.16, P=0.25). CONCLUSION The technique of controllable ileostomy with pipe is safe in view of histology, which may replace the traditional protective ileostomy.
Animals ; Dogs ; Ileostomy ; methods ; standards ; Intestine, Small ; surgery ; Models, Animal ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit ; metabolism ; Treatment Outcome