Object To isolate the immunoactive polysaccharide from Astragalus mongholicus Bunge and elucidate its chemical structure Methods The polysaccharide was purified from water extracts of A mongholicus by ethanol precipitation, deproteination, selective precipitation with hexadecyltri methylammonium bromide, ion exchange and gel filtration chromatography Its homogeneity and molecular weight were estimated by gel filtration chromatography, the structure was deduced from sugar analysis, methylation analysis, Smith degradation, IR and 13 CNMR spectrophotometry Results A homogeneous polysaccharide A2Nb was obtained with a molecular mass of 360 000 , and composed of D glucose with a major linkage form of ? D (1→4) glucose Side chains were found at 6 O positions once in every 25 glucose residues Conclusion A high molecular weight glucan A2Nb was obtained from A mongholicus for the first time It showed the ability of promoting the proliferation of the splenocytes of mice

Objective To study the enhancing effect of ultrasound plus microbubble on small interference RNA(siRNA)transfection in vitro and in vivo.Methods Human vascular epithelial growth factor(VEGF)siRNA with 2'deoxy modification(VEGF 2'-eoxy siRNA,VdsR)was used.The human CNE cells(fromnasopharyngeal carcinoma)line was used for in vitro cell-based experiments and in vivo mouse xenograft model.Two different microbubble agents.BR14 and Levovist.were used together with the RNA transfection reagent RNA-mate.ELISA and RT-PCR assays were used to assess VEGF gene expression.Immunohistochemical staining (IHC)was performed to assess CD31 expression in xenograft tumors.Results VdsR transfection in CNE cells abolished VEGF expression as determined by ELISA experiments.In the first mouse xenograft experiment,ultrasound exposure dramatically enhanced VdsR-mediated tumor inhibition.In the second mouse xenograft experiment,when VdsR was mixed with the microbubble reagents and then injected into xenografts,ultrasoundexposure significantly reduced tumor growth in BR14-mixed VdsR group but not in the Levovist-mixed VdsR group compared to the control.RT-PCR experiments demonstrated that VEGF expression in ultrasound-exposed tumors was significantly lower than that in the control.Meanwhile,VEGF expression in the tumor tissue treated by BRl4-mixed VdsR declined as compared with the controls.Tumor vascular density as measured by CD31 immunostaining was significantly decreased in ultrasound-exposed tumors compared to the control.Conclusions Ultrasound exposure and/or microbubble can significantly enhance delivery and the efficiency of VdsR-mediated anti-tumor effects,and should be a location-specific enhancement approach for siRNA-based anti-cancer therapy.

Objective To explore microsurgical treatment of tuberculum sellae meningiomas.Methods A retrospective analysis was made on 35 cases of tuberculum sellae meningiomas operated from January 2005 to July 2013 in neurosurgery department of Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital,surgical approach,removal rate,surgical effect and complications were analysed.Results All patients were accepted microsurgical treatment,twenty cases were operated via subfrontal approach,four cases via anterior interhemispheric approach,ten cases via pterional approach,one case via combined subfrontal and pterional approach.According to Simpson grade,grade Ⅱ,rection was achieved in 26 cases,grade Ⅲ in 4 cases and grade Ⅳ in 5 cases.The total rection rate was 85.7％.There were 28 cases with merger ision loss and visual field defects preoperate,twenty cases were improved after operation,five cases with no change,three cases aggravated.The visual improved rate was achieved 71.4％,there was no surgical mortality case.Conclusion The surround tissue of tuberculum sellae meningiomas is very import ant,microsurgical rection is the main treatment.The choice of surgical approach should according to tumor size,growth pattern,degree of impaired vision and surgeon experience.Family with microanatomy and skillfull microsurgical techique can make sure operation succes.

Objective: To describe our experience with the surgical treatment of severe wooden foreign body (WFB) injuries in the head and neck region. Methods : A case series review of WFB injuries in the head and neck region that were managed at Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital between 2008 and 2014 was performed retrospectively. The clinical findings and surgical details of ten cases were reviewed. Results : The WFBs were integrally removed from all patients with the average age of 40.9 years. 8 cases dued to falling and 2 cases because of industrial injuries. All cases under-went general anesthesia (6 cases tracheal incision, 3 cases through nose intubation, 1 cases through oral intubation).The lengths of the WFBs ranged from 4.0 cm to 17.5 cm (average 9.96 cm). The procedures lasted 30 to 180 min. No se-vere bleeding was observed. Total blood loss ranged from approximately 3 to 200 mL (average 69 mL). The patients were followed for 11 to 38 months, and no postoperative complications, only 1 cases appeared open type deviation and 2 cases of scar discomfort after neck operation. Conclusion Surgical treatment of severe WFB injuries in the head and neck region is acceptably safe and effective. Endoscopic surgery can be used in patients with WFBs that are embedded in the maxilla.

OBJECTIVES: To explore the mechanism of transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) induce renal fibrosis. METHODS: Renal fibroblast NRK-49F cells treated with and without TGF-β1 were subjected to RNA-seq analysis. DESeq2 was used for analysis. Differentially expressed genes were screened with the criteria of false discovery rate<0.05 and l o g 2 F C >1. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analyses were performed for differentially expressed genes. Genes encoding transcription factors were further screened for differential expression genes. Then, the expression of these genes during renal fibrosis was verified using unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO)-induced mouse renal fibrosis model and a public gene expression dataset (GSE104954). RESULTS: After TGF-β1 treatment for 6, 12 and 24 h, 552, 1209 and 1028 differentially expressed genes were identified, respectively. GO analysis indicated that these genes were significantly enriched in development, cell death, and cell migration. KEGG pathway analysis showed that in the early stage of TGF-β1 induction (TGF-β1 treatment for 6 h), the changes in Hippo, TGF-β and Wnt signaling pathways were observed, while in the late stage of TGF-β1 induction (TGF-β1 treatment for 24 h), the changes of extracellular matrix-receptor interaction, focal adhesion and adherens junction were mainly enriched. Among the 291 up-regulated differentially expressed genes treated with TGF-β1 for 6 h, 13 genes (Snai1, Irf8, Bhlhe40, Junb, Arid5a, Vdr, Lef1, Ahr, Foxo1, Myc, Tcf7, Foxc2, Glis1) encoded transcription factors. Validation in a cell model showed that TGF-β1 induced expression of 9 transcription factors (encoded by Snai1, Irf8, Bhlhe40, Junb, Arid5a, Vdr, Lef1, Myc, Tcf7), while the expression levels of the other 4 genes did not significantly change after TGF-β1 treatment. Validation results in UUO-induced mouse renal fibrosis model showed that Snai1, Irf8, Bhlhe40, Junb, Arid5a, Myc and Tcf7 were up-regulated after UUO, Vdr was down-regulated and there was no significant change in Lef1. Validation based on the GSE104954 dataset showed that IRF8 was significantly overexpressed in the renal tubulointerstitium of patients with diabetic nephropathy or IgA nephropathy, MYC was highly expressed in diabetic nephropathy, and the expressions of the other 7 genes were not significantly different compared with the control group. CONCLUSIONS TGF-β1 induces differentially expressed genes in renal fibroblasts, among which Irf8 and Myc were identified as potential targets of chronic kidney disease and renal fibrosis.
Mice ; Animals ; Humans ; Transforming Growth Factor beta1/metabolism* ; Diabetic Nephropathies/pathology* ; Transcriptome ; Signal Transduction ; Kidney ; Ureteral Obstruction/pathology* ; Fibrosis ; Interferon Regulatory Factors ; Transforming Growth Factor beta/metabolism* ; DNA-Binding Proteins/metabolism* ; Transcription Factors/metabolism*