Objective Investigation of the effect of integrin on fibroblasts from scleroderma in the production of procollagen. Methods Phosphorothioate modified antisense oligonucleotides were used to interfere with the expression of integrin ? 5 or ? 1 subunit on scleroderma fibroblasts respectively, then the changes of procollagen mRNA were detected by RT PCR. Results The expression of integrin ? 5 or ? 1 subunit could be specifically inhibited by their antisense oligonucleotides respectively. Decreased expression of fibroblast integrin ? 5 or ? 1 subunit significantly lowered mRNA of procollagen ? 1(Ⅰ) and ? 1(Ⅲ). Conclusion Overproduction of procollagen may be inhibited in the level of transcription by lowering the expression of integrin on fibroblasts in scleroderma.

Objective: To establish a highly effective transformation method of Cryptococcus neoformans. Methods: Special reagents was used to make C. neoformans take in external DNA under given condition. This chemical transformation result was compared with that of electrotransformation. The feasibility of this chemical transformation was tested by plasmid stability test. Results: The efficiency of this chemical transformation was more than 103 transformants/?g plasmid DNA, far more than that of the traditional electrotransformation. Conclusion: An appropriate transformation method is established for C. neoformans transformation, which has high transformation efficiency.