Objective To investigate the effect of recombinant human tumor necrosis factor (rhTNF) on telomerase activity in hepatoma cell line HepG2 cells and HepG1 6 cells. Methods TRAP ELISA method was used to determine the telomerase activity in HepG2 and HepG1 6 cells which were treated by different concentrations of rhTNF; plasmid which had been inserted 800 bp of the hTERT promoter was transiently transfected into HepG2 cells by Lipofect, and different concentrations of rhTNF were added into culture media 2 hours later, then the activity of the hTERT promoter was tested 48 hours after transfection. Results The telomerase activity of HepG2 was suppressed by rhTNF in a dose dependent manner. The expression of hTERT promoter was inhibited linearly with the dose of rhTNF within the range of 10～1 000 IU/ml. Conclusions Above results suggest that the anti tumor activity of rhTNF may attribute to its inhibitory effect on hTERT promoter expression.

Objective To investigate the effect of taurine on proliferation / apoptosis of rat hepatic stellate cells in culture and the possible mechanism involved. Methods Rat hepatic stellate cells were incubated with different concentration of taurine. Cell proliferation was assessed by MTT colorimetric assay, cell cycle and apoptosis were analysed by flow cytometry, apoptotic morphology was examined by vital staining of acridine orange, c-jun and c-fos expression was determined by immunocytochemistry and computer video text analysis system. Results Administration of 5-50 mmol/L taurine into culture medium had no toxicity to hepatic stellate cells, but could significantly inhibit hepatic stellate cell proliferation in dose-dependent manner, increase the number of cell in G 0/G 1 phase and decrease the numbers in S phase. Taurine could also markedly inhibit c-jun and c-fos expressions ( P

Objective:To compare the expression and biological activity of glucosyl transferases (GTFs)of Streptococcus mutans (S.mutans)under normal outside environment between high temperature requirment serine proteinase A(HtrA)-deficient strains and high virulent strains isolated from children with high cario-susceptibility.Methods:The HtrA-deficient strains and high virulent strains of S.mutans were obtained by preliminary study.The strains were reanimated and incubated in BHI medium to exponential phase at tenth hour.The expression of gtfB,gtfC and gtfD were detected by real-time RT-PCR.The biological activity of the GTFs were detected by entong sulfuric acid method and Western Blot.Results:The expression of gtfs and GTFs in the HtrA-deficient strains was higher than those of high virulent strains,but the biological activity of the GTFs was lower.Conclusion:The HtrA gene plays an important regulatory role in the process of the GTFs expression of S.mutans isolated from children with high cario-susceptibility.

Twenty-six eyes which appeared rejection after allograft penetrating keratoplasty between April 2003 and April 2004 in Shandong Shi'erming Eye Hospital were collected, including 16 males and 10 females, 9 cases were repeated relapsing viral keratitis, 8 cases were traumatic posterior corneal leucoma, 5 cases were corneal decompensation caused by various intraocular surgery, 2 cases were congenital leucoma, and 2 cases had other symptom. The rejection occurred at 2 month to 2.5 years after operation. Among them 19 cases were transferred to our hospital and asked adding traditional Chinese therapy because western medicine was ineffective in other hospital. All cases were received local treatment with hormone and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory eyedrop, some cases applied systemic administration with glucocorticoid, mainly based on eye black immunosuppression decoction, potion daily, twice per day, the average time of medication was 11-42 days. Clinical symptoms were served as observation indexes, results showed that the total effective rate of the 26 cases were 100%. The bulbar conjunctiva hyperemia and edema was reduced, corneal opacity became light, and rejection was complete response in 9 cases, 5 of 19 cases which were transferred to our hospital were exempted from operation, and the average vision was improved three lines. It was found that purging liver and eliminating dampness compound Chinese medicine can rapidly reduce anterior chamber's inflammatory response and backoff corneal neovascularization in clinical practice.

AIM: To observe the dynamic changes of plasma levels of nitric oxide(NO) and endothelin (ET-1) in portal veins of the rats during prehepatic portal hypertension, and investigate the role of them in hyperdynamic circulation. METHODS: The models of prehepatic portal hypertension were established in Sprague-Dawley rats by means of partial portal vein ligation (PVL). The plasma levels of nitrite/nitrate (NO - 2/NO - 3) and ET-1 in the portal veins were detected by the method of nitric reductase and radioimmunoassay, respectively. In this study, rats were divided into normal, sham operation (SO) and PVL group. SO and PVL rats were divided into several subgroups according to different time after operations. Meanwhile, the changes of several hemodynamic indexes in these rats were also measured. RESULTS: The levels of NO - 2/NO - 3 were significantly increased and ET-1 were significantly decreased in rats at different time after PVL compared with normal control, whereas the hemodynamic indexes changed accordingly. CONCLUSION: The portal hypertensive rats are in hyperdynamic circulatory state (HCS). NO and ET-1 may play an important role in the induction and maintenance of HCS.

ObjectiveTo observe the effect of Gankang Ⅱ in reducing bilirubin level of patients with chronic hepatitis B,and discuss the mechanism.Methods124 cases hyperbilirubinemia patients with chronic hepatitis B were randomly divided into Gankang Ⅱ treatment group (the treatment group for short),and Yinzhihuang particles treatment group (the control group for short),with 62 eases in each group.The cure rate,recover rate of the treatment group and control group were observed,together with the changes of ALT,AST,GGT,and TBiL.Results①The cure rate was 80.6％,the recover rate was 19.4％ in the treatment group; the cure rate of was 62.9％ and the recover rate was 37.1％ in the control group; the cure rate of the treatment group was obviously higher than the control group.② There was no significant difference between the treatment group and the control group on TBiL,ALT,AST,and GGT before the treatment (P＞0.05).while after treated,TBiL (20.75±3.77) μmol/L,ALT (52.53± 12.23) U/L,AST (51.75 ±9.93) μmol/L,GGT (48.75 ±16.68) U/L of the treatment group were obviously lower than the TBiL(26.68 ±4.99)μmol/L,ALT(79.68± 1 1.92)U/L,AST (60.12 ± 8.12) μmol/L,GGT (58.97±15.47)U/L of control group.There was significant difference(P＜0.05～0.01).ConclusionThe effect of Gankang Ⅱ in reducing the bilirubin level of patients with chronic hepatitis B was sound.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of lovastatin on proliferation and extracellular matrix secretion of hepatic stellate cells in vitro.

METHODSRat hepatic stellate cells were incubated with different concentration of lovastatin and geranyl geranypyrophosphate. Cell proliferation was assessed by MTT colorimetric assay. Cell cycle was analysed by flow cytometry. Type IV collagen and laminin were determined by ELISA, and c-jun and c-fos expression by immunocytochemistry and computer video text analysis system.

RESULTSAddition of 0.1 to 50 micromol/L lovastatin into culture medium had no toxicity to hepatic stellate cells, but could significantly inhibit hepatic stellate cell proliferation and provoke G0/G1 phase arrest in dose-dependent manner, and could also markedly inhibit the c-jun and c-fos expression and type IV collagen and laminin secretion, which could partly be antagonized by geranyl geranypyrophosphate.

CONCLUSIONSLovastatin can significantly inhibit hepatic stellate cell proliferation and type IV collagen and laminin secretion, which might be partly related to its inhibitory effect on geranyl geranypyrophosphate formation.

Animals ; Cell Cycle ; Cell Division ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Cells, Cultured ; Collagen Type IV ; Extracellular Matrix ; secretion ; Hepatic Stellate Cells ; drug effects ; secretion ; Lovastatin ; pharmacology ; Rats

Alanine Transaminase ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Albumins ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Animals ; Bilirubin ; metabolism ; Carbon Tetrachloride ; Female ; Liver ; drug effects ; metabolism ; pathology ; Liver Cirrhosis, Experimental ; chemically induced ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; Phytotherapy ; Plant Extracts ; therapeutic use ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Salvia miltiorrhiza ; Taurine ; therapeutic use ; Treatment Outcome

Adenoviridae ; genetics ; Gene Expression ; Hepatic Stellate Cells ; metabolism ; Humans ; Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator ; genetics ; metabolism

Objective To analyze the anatomical characteristics of the upper airway in Pierre Robin sequence pediatric patients with difficult laryngoscopy using the computed tomography-based three-dimensional reconstruction.Methods Fifty pediatric patients of both sexes with Pierre Robin sequence,aged 10-101 days,weighing 2.0-6.3 kg,of American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status Ⅲ,scheduled for elective mandibular distraction osteogenesis under general anesthesia,were enrolled in this study.Cone beam CT scan was performed to obtain upper airway anatomy information during the natural sleep before operation.Images were imported into medical engineering software MIMICS 17.0 to reconstruct the three-dimensional images of the oral and maxillofacial bones and airways.The related anatomical parameters were measured,including the distance between the alveolar ridge of the upper central incisor and root of the epiglottis (D1),distance between the root of the epiglottis and midpoint of glottis (D2),distance between the bilateral lower edge of the mandible and midpoint of glottis (D3),distance between the alveolar ridge of the lower central incisor and the lower edge of the mandible (D4),length of the mandibular ramus (D5),length of the mandible body (D6),and length of the total mandible (D7),angle between lines D1 and D2 (angle 1),the angle between line D2 and the alveolar ridge of the upper central incisor to the midpoint of glottis (angle 2),the angle between lines D3 and D4 (angle 3),the angle of the point of the upper central incisor alveolar ridge to the trailing edge of the hard palate and then to the root of epiglottis (angle 4),the angle of bilateral mandible (angle 5),the angle of the point of gnathion to the two gonions (angle 6),the airway cross-sectional area at the tip of epiglottis,volume of oral cavity,volume of velopharyngeal cavity,and volume of glossopharyngeal cavity.Fiberoptic bronchoscope-guided endotracheal intubation was performed under topical anesthesia with lidocaine.Propofol,sufentanil and cis-atracurium were intravenously injected to induce anesthesia after successful intubation,and then the pediatric patients were sent to the operating room.Anesthesia was maintained by inhalation of sevoflurane.The exposure of glottis was observed with a laryngoscope.Pediatric patients were divided into difficult laryngoscopy group (group A) and non-difficult laryngoscopy group (group B) according to whether they presented with difficult laryngoscopy (Cormack-Lehane classification Ⅲ or Ⅳ).Results Compared with group B,the airway cross-sectional area at the tip of epiglottis and in the volume of velopharyngeal cavity were decreased (P＜0.05),and no significant change was found in D1,D2,D3,D4,D5,D6,D7,angle 1,angle 2,angle 3,angle 4,angle 5,angle 6,volume of oral cavity or volume of glossopharyngeal cavity in group A (P＞0.05).Conclusion The three-dimensional CT images of the upper airway show characteristic changes in Pierre Robin sequence pediatric patients with difficult laryngoscopy,and the main manifestations are the decrease in the airway section area and in the volume of the palatopharyngeal cavity at the tip of the epiglottis.