Objective To evaluate the effect of dexmedetomidine on the inflammatory responses in brain tissues in septic rats.Methods Seventy-two male Sprague-Dawley rats,aged 10 weeks,weighing 250-280 g,were randomly divided into 4 groups (n =18 each):control group (group C); sepsis group (group lipopolysaccharide (LPS)) ; distilled water group (group DW) and dexmedetomidine group (group D).Sepsis was induced by intraperitoneal injection of LPS 5 mg/kg (dissolved in normal saline 1 ml) in groups LPS,DW and DEX,while normal saline 1 ml was injected intraperitoneally in group C.Distilled water 20 μl was injected into the lateral cerebral ventricle in group DW,while dexmedetomidine 3 μg/kg (dissolved in distilled water 20μl) was injected into the lateral cerebral ventricle in group DEX.Six animals were sacrificed at 1,2 and 6 h after administration and hippocampi were removed for determination of TNF-α and IL-6 contents (by ELISA) and TLR4 mRNA expression in hippocampal tissues (by RT-PCR).Results Compared with group C,TNF-α and IL-6 contents in hippocampus tissues were significantly increased at each time point after administration in group LPS (P ＜ 0.05).Compared with group LPS,no significant change was found in TNF-α and IL-6 contents in hippocampal tissues (P ＞ 0.05),and TLR4 mRNA expression was significantly up-regulated at each time point after administration in group DW (P ＜ 0.05).Compared with group DW,TNF-α and IL-6 contents in hippocampal tissues were significantly decreased at each time point after administration,and TLR4 mRNA expression was significantly up-regulated at 2 and 6 h after administration in group DEX (P ＜ 0.05).Conclusion Dexmedetomidine can reduce inflammatory responses in brain tissues in septic rats via down-regulating TLR-4 mRNA expression.

Objective To investigate the expression and clinical significance of β2 microglobin (β2-MG)protien and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) protien in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL).Methods The expressions of VEGF protien and β2-MG protien were evaluated in 49 DLBCL patients which started the initial treatment by luminex suspension array.Results Among 49 DLBCL patients,expression of β2-MG protein was high in 37 cases and the expression of VEGF protein was high in 23 cases.The expression of VEGF protien and β2-MG protien were not related with gender,age,B symptoms,clinical stage and lactic acid (LDH).There was positive correlation between the high expression of β2-MG protien and chemotherapy (P =0.037).There was relevant trend between the higher expression of VEGF protien (P =0.067).Conclusion The expressions of VEGF protien and β2-MG protien are detected in DLBCL,both proteins may be the potencial markers of DLBCL and therapeutic targets for DLBCL.

BACKGROUNDThe importance of polymorphisms in the methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) gene for the prediction of the response to fluorouracil-based adjuvant chemotherapy in gastric cancer patients remains unclear. The aim of this study is to assess the predictive value of several polymorphisms of the MTHFR gene for clinical outcomes of gastric cancer patients treated with fluorouracil-based adjuvant chemotherapy in Chinese population.

METHODSThree hundred and sixty-two Chinese patients with gastric cancer were treated with fluorouracil-based adjuvant chemotherapy. DNA samples were isolated from peripheral blood collected before treatment. The three single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) (rs1801131, rs1801133, rs2274976) genotypes of the MTHFR gene were determined by matrixassisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS).

RESULTSThe average response rate for chemotherapy was 46.7%. Homozygous genotypes rs2274976G/G (χ(2) = 22.7, P < 0.01) and rs1801131A/A (χ(2) = 14.3, P = 0.008) were over-represented in responsive patients. Carriers of the rs2274976A allele genotypes (G/A and A/A) and of the rs1801131C allele genotypes (A/C and C/C) were prevalent in nonresponsive patients. In the haplotype association analysis, there was a significant difference in global haplotype distribution between the groups (χ(2) = 20.69, P = 0.000 124).

CONCLUSIONSThese results suggest that polymorphisms of the MTHFR gene may be used as predictors of the response to fluorouracil-based chemotherapy for gastric cancer patients in Chinese population. Well-designed, comprehensive, and prospective studies on determining these polymorphisms of MTHFR gene as clinical markers for predicting the response to fluorouracil-based therapy in gastric cancer patients is warranted.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic ; therapeutic use ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Female ; Fluorouracil ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Male ; Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase (NADPH2) ; genetics ; Middle Aged ; Prospective Studies ; Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization ; Stomach Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; enzymology ; genetics ; Young Adult