BACKGROUND:In recent years, calcitonin has been reported to have better clinical efficacy in the treatment of osteoarthritis, but its mechanism of action for osteoarthritis is rarely reported. OBJECTIVE:To investigate the effect of calcitonin on the cartilage morphology and proteoglycan expression in rats with osteoarthritis. METHODS:Thirty Sprague Dawley rats were randomly divided into three groups: model group, treatment group, and sham group. Anterior cruciate ligament transaction of the right limbs was implemented in the model and treatment groups, and only the joint cavity was exposed in the sham group. At 2 days after modeling, the treatment group received a daily subcutaneous injection of salmon calcitonin, 15 IU/(kg?d), and the model group and sham group were administered with normal saline at the same dose. The injection lasted for 6 weeks. At 10 weeks after modeling, the articular surface of the tibia of rats in each group was generaly observed; bone mineral density of the distal femoral bone and subchondral bone of the lateral and medial ankle were detected using X-ray test; bone morphology and proteoglycan secretion were measured by hematoxylin-eosin staining and toluidine blue staining, respectively. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:The tibial articular surface was smooth and glossy in the sham group, but oxblood in the model group with large-area ulcers; the treatment group showed rough and local ulceration. Compared with the sham group, the bone mineral density of the subchondral bone of medial and lateral ankle were increased significantly in the model group (P < 0.05), but trabecular separation and proteoglycan content were decreased (P < 0.05). Compared with the model group, the bone mineral density of the subchondral bone of medial and lateral ankle were decreased significantly in the treatment group (P < 0.05), while the trabecular separation and proteoglycan content were increased (P < 0.05). These findings indicate that calcitonin has better protection on the cartilage of rats with osteoarthritis, and can promote bone the secretion of proteoglycan.

Objective Bacterial DNA is a pathogen-derived molecule which can regulate the innate immune system by stimulating NF-κB activation. The activity of bacterial DNA relies on its content of unmethylated CpG dinucleotides in particular base contexts("CpG motif"). In light of the pivotal role played by NF-κB in osteoclast differentiation, the ability of CpG oligodeoxynucleotides (CpG ODN) coming from bacterial DNA to modulate osteoclastogenesis was studied. Methods Bone marrow mononuclear cells (BMM) were purified from Balb/c mice, cultured in α-MEM media containing 10% FCS in the presence of mouse M-CSF, with either RANKL or ODNs for 5 days. Osteoclast formation was evaluated on day 5 according to TRAP and May-Grunwald-Giemsa staining. Results CpG ODN alone could induce osteoclast formation in the low degree in BMM culture. The relationship between CpG ODN and RANKL was that CpG ODN could inhibit RANKL-induced osteoclastogenesis when present from the beginning of BMM culture, but strongly increased RANKL-induced osteoclastogenesis in RANKL-pretreated BMMs. Conclusion The mechanism of CpG ODN regulating osteoclast differentiation was bidirectional, which might be a potential therapy for treating metabolic bone disease.

Objective To investigate protection by immunization with recombinant Ferritin vaccine of Echinococcus granulosus against protoscolices.Methods ICR mice were randomized into 3groups of 12 mice in each.The mice in group A and B were immunized three times with an interval of two weeks and those in group C did nothing.The animals in all the 3 groups were challenged with 1100 protoscolices intraperitoneally on the 8th week.Serum samples were collected before each inoculation and challenge injection.Seven months later, all the mice were killed and examinated for hydatid cysts.Result The number of cysts was significantly lower in the group A than in group B and C (P＜0.05).The levels of protection afforded were found to be 73% and 85%, respectively.Meanwhile,the number of cysts was markedly lower in group B than in group C(P＜0.05).The rate of protection afforded was 42%.Conclusion Recombinant Ferritin vaccine of Echinococcus granulosus shows partial immune protection.Therefore, it might be a suitable candidate for cocktail vaccine study in the future.

Objective To evaluate the features of optical molecular imaging of bladder tumor cells labeled by tumor homing peptide fluorescent molecular probe, and to explore the theoretical foundation of optical molecular imaging for bladder cancer diagnosis.Methods After prepared the FITC-CSNRDARRC fluorescent molecular probe, laser scanning confocal microscope, immuno fluorescence and multispectral fluorescence in vivo optical molecular imaging system have been used to evaluate the binding sites, the affecting factors of binding rates, the specificity and the targets.BIU-87 bladder tumor cell line, BIU-87 bladder tumor cell line, 68 cases of paraffin bladder tumor tissue samples, 16 cases of paraffin glandular bladder inflammatory samples, 43 cases of paraffin renal clear cell carcinoma samples, 68 cases of paraffin gastric adenocarcinoma samples, 29 cases of urine exfoliated cells suspected bladder cancer and BIU-87 bladder cancer nude xenograft have been used in this study.Results The binding site of FITC-CSNRDARRC fluorescent molecular probe were at the nucleus of labeled bladder tumor cells.The binding rates were correlated linearly with the dose of probe and the grade of pathology.The in vitro and in vivo studies demonstrate that the probe has a binding specificity with bladder tumor. When the FITC-CSNRDARRC fluorescent molecular probe labeled tumor cells, bright green spots were observed under laser scanning confocal microscope.The bright green spots were more apparent after stained by DAPI again.The tissue samples and tumor cells in the urine can be successful labeled and identified by fluorescence microscope.Optical molecular imaging of in vivo xenograft tumor tissues showed fluorescent spots under EMCCD.Conclusions The labeled loci of single cell by FITC-CSNRDARRC probe have been identified. The spatial resolution of optical molecular image is related to sensitivity of CCD, and the optical molecular imaging cannot be imaged by the conventional endoscope camera.

Objectives To explore the genetic diagnosis of fructose 1,6 diphosphatase deficiency and analysis of mutation sites of its pathogenic genes. Methods The clinical data and the related results of gene panel screening in one child with fructose 1, 6 diphosphatase (FBPase) deficiency were retrospectively reviewed. Results The 2-year-old girl suffered repeated infection, nausea, vomiting, mental illness, and drowsiness, accompanied by intermittent convulsions. Blood biochemical tests sμggested hypoglycemia and acidosis.The FBP1 gene had a missense mutation,c.355G>A,p.Asp119Asn(isozygoty).Both her parents carried the locus variation (heterozygous). Conclusions Fructose 1, 6 diphosphatase deficiency should be considered when child with hypoglycemia after repeated infection, acidosis, and ketosis.