AIM: To investigate the effects of aging on sperm maturation and fertility in mice. METHODS: Sperm of caput epididymides and cauda epididymides were obtained from Kunming mice aged 6 months (n=15, as control) and 18 months ( n=15). Sperm parameters including sperm density, viability, motility and nor mal morphological rate were recorded. Sperm of cauda epididymides was observed b y transmission electron microscope. The fertility potential and embryo developme ntal competence were performed by in vitro fertilization and embryo culture. RESULTS: Sperm motility, density and normal morphological rate i n aged mice were lower than those in control (P

In this study, serum adiponectin and resistin levels were determined in 46 patients with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), and their correlation with serum sexual hormones and insulin resistance (IR) were examined. The subjects included 26 obese patients with body mass index (BMI)>25 and 20 non-obese patients with BMI[Symbol: see text]25, with 25 obese and 25 non-obese healthy volunteers without PCOS serving as controls. Serum adiponectin and resistin levels in all subjects were measured, and endocrinal and metabolic indices were also analysed. Our results showed that the serum adiponectin levels in both obese and non-obese PCOS groups were significantly lower than their controls, while the serum resistin levels in obese and non-obese PCOS group were significantly higher than in their controls (P<0.001). The serum adiponectin level was significantly lower and serum resistin level significantly higher in the non-obese PCOS group as compared with the obese control group (P<0.05). Serum adiponectin level was negatively correlated with FIN, HOMA-IR, LH and LH/FSH (P<0.05), but serum resistin level was positively correlated with FIN, HOMA-IR, LH and LH/FSH (P<0.05). We are led to conclude that PCOS patients have obvious IR, low serum adiponectin and high serum resistin, and adiponectin and resistin might play important roles in the pathogenesis of IR in PCOS patients.

Obese gene was cloned and its protein product which named leptin was found to be expressed specially in fat tissues in 1994. As a metabolic signal of reproductive system, leptin reflects the situations of nutrition and energy, which the body supplys to the brain, and stimulates reproductive endocrinology system, then regulates the functions of reproduction through hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis.The present status of eptin in this field was reviewed.

Obese gene was cloned and its protein product which named leptin was found to be expressed specially in fat tissues in 1994. As a metabolic signal of reproductive system, leptin reflects the situations of nutrition and energy, which the body supplys to the brain, and stimulates reproductive endocrinology system, then regulates the functions of reproduction through hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis. The present status of leptin in this field was reviewed.

Objective To investigate the expression and distribution of parathyroid hormone (PTH) in renal tissues of early stage chronic kidney disease (CKD),and to elucidate its potential role in renal lesion.Methods Eighty-two patients of early stage CKD (stage 1 and 2) diagnosed as glomerulonephritis (GN) with different pathologic types by renal biopsy in our department between 2009 and 2012 were enrolled in the study.Renal tissues of eight patients with mismatched HLA haplotype or the normal part of renal cancer were chosen as controls.Scr,BUN,serum calcium,phosphorus,PTH and 25(OH)VitD3 were measured.Creatinine clearance (Ccr) was calculated by Cockcroft-Gault (CG)formula.99mTc-DTPA clearance rate was used to detect GFR.Patients were divided into mild,moderate and severe groups according to the renal interstitial extent of inflammatory cells infiltration.Immunohistochemistry was used to observe the expression and distribution of PTH in renal tissues.Image-Pro Plus software was used to calculate A value of PTH in renal tissues and compare the extent of PTH expression.Results The levels of calcium,phosphorus,25(OH)VitD3 and PTH in peripheral blood from GN patients of CKD stage Ⅰ and 2 were normal.PTH had no correlation with the above indexes.PTH expression could be seen in renal tissues of all the GN patients with different pathologic types,and it mainly located in renal tubular,only a few in glomeruli and interstitium.The expression of PTH in renal tissues of GN increased compared with the controls (P ＜ 0.01).Furthermore,PTH expression elevated with the increase of inflammatory cells infiltration in interstitium.However the expression of PTH was not significantly different among different pathologic types of GN.Conclusions In the early stage CKD,PTH expression in patients of GN increases,which occurs earlier as compared to PTH elevation in peripheral blood and the imbalance of minerals and bone metabolism.The intensity of PTH expression is associated with the local inflammation.

Objective To investigate the effects of hepatitis B virus X (HBX) gene on cell morphology and transdifferentiation of human proximal tubular epithelial cells.Methods The eukaryotic vector pcDNA3.1-myc-HBX containing HBX gene was transiently transfected into HK-2 cells by lipofectamine mediation.The expression of HBX was confirmed by Q-PCR and Western blotting.Untransfected HK-2 cells and those transfected with empty vector were used as control.The morphology of HK-2 cells was observed by microscopy,the expressions of differentiation marker proteins α-SMA and E-cadherin were detected by Western blotting and Q-PCR,and the contents of IL-1,IL-6 and TNF-α in the supernatant were detected by ELISA assay.Results HBX was successfully expressed in HK-2 cells after transfection.After transfection of HBX gene,the shape of HK-2 cells became irregular,HK-2 cells significantly expressed E-cadherin and α-SMA,and had high levels of IL-1,IL-6 and TNF-α in the cell supernatant (P＜0.01).Conclusion Overexpression of HBX gene in renal tubular epithelial cells may damage cell morphology and promote the occurrence of epithelial-mesenchymal transdifferentiation,which may be related to the inflammatory microenvironment.

AIM: To observe the effect of Retinervus luffae fructus (RLF) on the myocardial ischemia in mice. METHODS: Mice were supplied with RLF (166.7,333.3, 666.7 g/L) twice daily (0.01 mL/g, ig). One week later, 30 U/kg pituitrin was injected intraperitoneally. The electrocardiogram was recorded, and the content of lactose dehydrogenase (LDH) in the serum and the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), maleicdialdehyde (MDA) in the myocardium were examined. RESULTS: RLF reduced the height of T wave in electrocardigram in myocardial ischemia mice and inhibited the decrease in heart rate. RLF also reduced the content of LDH in serum and the content of MDA in myocardium. The increase in the activity of SOD in myocardium was also observed. CONCLUSION: RLF may protect myocardium against ischemia injury. The mechanism may be related to the increase in activity of SOD and the suppression of the lipid peroxidation.

AIM:To isolate and purify the active components from Centella asiatica, and to observe their effect on the proliferation and apoptosis of mouse spleen lymphocytes .METHODS:Semi-preparative high-performance liquid chro-matography was performed to further isolate and purify the extracts from Centella asiatica.The effects of the active components on apoptosis and mitochondrial membrane potential of the spleen lymphocytes were assessed by flow cytometry .The structures of the active components were identified by ultraviolet spectrometry , electrospray ionization negative-ion mass spectrometry , [1H] nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and [13C] NMR.RESULTS:The molecular weights of the active components from Centella asiatica, named compound I and compound II , were 302 and 286, respectively.The compound I and com-pound II from Centella asiatica significantly inhibited the proliferation , promoted the apoptosis and reduced the mitochondri-al membrane potential of mouse spleen lymphocytes .Compound I and compound II were identified as quercetin and kaempferol .CONCLUSION:The compound I and compound II from Centella asiatica show antiproliferative and immuno-suppressive effects on mouse spleen lymphocytes by promoting apoptosis and reducing mitochondrial membrane potential .

Objective To investigate the values and characteristics of 75 g oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) in pregnant women.Methods A total of 6 103 singleton pregnant women aged (30.4±3.8) years (18-49 years) who delivered in Peking University First Hospital between May 1,2011 and December 31,2012 underwent the 75 g OGTT at gestational age of 24-28 weeks.They were divided into five groups based on maternal age:＜25 years (n=222,3.6％),25-years (n=2 485,40.7％),30-years (n=2 573,42.2％),35-years (n=683,11.2％),and ≥ 40 years (n=140,2.3％).The normal values of the fasting,1 h and 2 h blood glucose were lower than 5.1,10.0 and 8.5 mmol/L.Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) was diagnosed when blood glucose of any point was higher than or equal to normal value.Comparison between groups was tested by analysis of variance and LSD test.Logistic regression was used to calculate the risk for GDM in different age groups.Results (1) The fasting,1 h and 2 h blood glucose levels were in Gaussian distribution.The （-x）+2s were 5.51,11.12 and 9.49 mmol/L.The 97.5 percentile were 5.63,11.32 and 9.95 mmol/L.Fasting plasma glucose of ＜ 25,25-,30-,35-,and ≥ 40 years were (4.53±0.40),(4.60±0.40),(4.67±0.43),(4.74±0.46) and (4.82±0.49) mmol/L.The 1 h blood glucose were (6.98± 1.70),(7.55± 1.60),(7.92± 1.63),(8.30± 1.71) and (8.76± 1.86) mmol/L.The 2 h blood glucose were (6.11±1.33),(6.53±1.27),(6.89±1.33),(7.23±1.50) and (7.57±1.60) mmol/L.Therewas statistical difference in the blood glucose levels at a same time-point test among different age groups (F=29.61,60.17 and 72.29,all P＜0.01).(3) The total prevalence rate of GDM was 21.1％ (1 290/6 103) ; and the prevalence rates were 9.9％ (22/222),16.7％ (414/2 485),22.7％ (583/2 573),32.1％ (219/683) and 37.1％ (52/140) among the five age groups,respectively,with significant differences (x2=120.68,P=0.00).Compared with the group aged ＜25 years,the OR (95％CI) of the prevalence among 25-,30-,35-,and ≥40 years group were 1.82 (1.16-2.86),2.66 (1.70-4.18),4.29 (2.69-6.86) and 5.37 (3.08-9.39),respectively.Conclusions Advanced age is a risk factor for GDM.The risk of GDM increases significantly after 35 years old and pregnancy in women aged ＜ 35 years can reduce the risk of GDM.

ObjectiveTo explore the relationship between the international prognosis indexes(IPT) and the cell-mediated immunity condition in DLBCL patients. Methods52 DLBCL patients were divided into 4 groups and the FCM was used to examine the T lymphocyte subsets,including CD3+、CD4+、CD8+、NK cells.T lymphocyte subsets absolute value and CD4+/CD8+ ratio were examined. Correlation with IPI were compared among groups.ResultsCD3+ cells in high risk group [(1570.9±370.5)/μl]were higher than other IPI groups;CD4+ cells in DLBCL groups were all lower than normal group(751.3±367.4)/μl]; CD8+ cells in high risk group [(1055.9±523.8)/μl] were higher than other groups; CD4+/CD8+ ratio in middle-high risk group and high risk group (1.0±0.2、0.7±1.0)were lower than other IPI groups and normal group;NK cells in middle-high risk group and high risk group were lower than the normal group[(199.5±68.4)/μl、(171.9±126.9)/μl];Age,clinical stage,body state had correlated with the CD3+ 、CD8+ cells and CD4+/CD8+ ratio of the DLBCL patients' peripheralblood T lymphosyte subsets. ConclusionsThe immunity condition in DLBCL patients has correlated with IPI; With increasing IPI value,the immunity depression and disorder become more serious,NK cells function become worse,and the prognosis is bad too.