AIM: Metallothioneins (MTs) are cysteine-rich metal-binding proteins that exert cytoprotection during metal exposure and oxidative stress. The present study was designed to investigate whether MT can directly protect NTPase on nuclear envelope from damage induced by hydroxyl radical.METHODS: Isolated hepatic nuclei from rat liver were exposed to Fe 2+ /H 2O 2 with or without MT, and the NTPase activity on nuclei was assayed using ATP and GTP as substrate, respectively. RESULTS: Incubation of rat hepatic nuclei with the Fe 2+ /H 2O 2 (in ?mol?L -1 / ?mol?L -1 : 0 1/0 5, 0 5/2 5, 1/5, 5/25) resulted in a concentration-dependent decrease in nuclear NTPase activities ( P0 05 ). In addition, incubation of hepatic nuclei with only MT had no effect on nuclear NTPase activity. CONCLUSION: These data demonstrate that hydroxyl radical generated from Fe 2+ /H 2O 2 might attack nuclear NTPase. MT antagonistically reduces toxicity of Fe 2+ /H 2O 2 system to the NTPase.

AIM: To elucidate the relations among proadrenomedullin N terminal 20 peptide (PAMP), adrenomedullin(ADM) and angiotensin Ⅱ (Ang Ⅱ). METHODS: Tissue slices of rat aorta were incubated as follows: (I) increasing concentrations of Ang Ⅱ (10-9, 10-8, 10-) mol/L); (Ⅱ) increasing concentrations of PAMP(10-9, 10-8, 10-)mol/L). The tissue and incubation concentrations of PAMP, ADM and Ang Ⅱ were measured by the radioimmunoassay (RIA). RESULTS: The tissue and incubation concentrations of PAMP and ADM were concentration - dependently increased by Ang Ⅱ, but the tissue and incubation concentrations of Ang Ⅱ can not effected by PAMP. CONCLUSION: AngⅡ markedly stimulate the release of ADM and PAMP. It may be one of the factors which regu- late the synthesis and release of ADM and PAMP. The regulation may play an important role in homastasis regulation of cardiovascular system.

AIM: To observe the changes of metallothionein (MT) in various tissues of mice during hyperhomocysteinemia. METHODS: Intraperitoneal injection of homocysteine into mice induced hyperhomocysteinemia. The contents of tissue MT and malondialdehyde (MDA) in liver, heart and kidney were determined. RESULTS: Compared with control group, tissue MT levels in Hcy-group animals were increased by 210% ( P 0.05),respectively, compared with Hcy alone group. Tissue MDA contents were decreased by 24% ( P

AIM: To observe the effects of aortal angiotensin Ⅱ (Ang Ⅱ )levels and AngⅡ receptor in the hy- pertensive rat models. METHODS: Intraperinoneal injection of L - Nw - nitro-arginine (L - NNA) into rats induced hypertensive model, the binding of aortal Ang Ⅱ receptor and the contents of aortal tissue Aug Ⅱ and plasma NO2-+ NO3- (NOx) were determined. RESULTS: Compared with the control group, the bind pressure of the rats treated with L - NNA was significantly increased by 142% (P

Objective To investigate the point prevalence rate of social anxiety disorder (SAD) in Chengdu primary school, and analyze the influencing factors. Methods Data came from a large representative sample of Chengdu 1441 primary school students, who were selected by stratified cluster sampling methods. They then finished self-compiled questionnaire, strengths and difficulties questionnaire, Eysenck Personality Inventory (EPI) (age 7 ～ 15 ), Egma Minnen ay Bardndosnauppforstran (EMBU) respectively. And then they had the face to face interviews with the trained psychiatrists, according to development and well - being assessment ( DAWBA,Chinese Version). Results Among 1441 Chengdu primary students, 37 of them were diagnosed SAD,with a point prevalence of 2.6% totally. The point prevalence was different in each grades, for 2.7% in grade 3,4. 1% in grade 4,4.1% in grade 5,3.5% in grade 6( z= -2.3, P=0. 023 ). Compared with the normal counterparts ,the SAD students had statistically significance different in pro-socialization ( z = -2. 1, P = 0.035 ), affection(z=- 5.2, P = 0. 001 ) , moral conduct ( z = - 2.8, P = 0. 004 ), peer( z = - 3.1, P = 0.002 ), excessive interference of maternal education ( z = - 3.1, P = 0.002 ), introversion-extroversion ( z = - 2. 0, P = 0. 046 ), neuroticism ( z =- 3.5, P= 0. 000), concealing tendency ( z= - 2.3, P= 0.018 ). Logistic regression analysis showed that: grade,family location, habitual lifestyle over the past years more emotional problem and excessive interference of maternal education were related with SAD occurrence. Conclusion The point prevalence rate of social anxiety disorder among Chengdu primary students is 2.6% ,and it was influenced by a number of factors .

BACKGROUND/AIMS: This study aimed to investigate the microRNA (miRNA) expression profiles in peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) of hepatitis B virus (HBV)-infected patients with different clinical manifestations and to analyze the function of miR-197. METHODS: PBMC miRNA expression profiles in 51 healthy controls, 70 chronic asymptomatic carriers, 107 chronic hepatitis B patients, and 76 HBV-related acute on chronic liver failure patients were analyzed by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). miR-197 mimic and inhibitor were transfected in THP-1 cells. qRT-PCR and ELISA for interleukin (IL)-18 mRNA and protein levels were performed, respectively. RESULTS: The microarray analysis revealed that 17 PBMC miRNA expression profiles (12 miRNAs downregulated and five miRNAs upregulated) differed significantly in HBV-induced liver disease patients presenting with various symptoms. The qRT-PCR results suggested that the PBMC miR-197 levels regularly decreased as the severity of liver disease symptoms became aggravated. IL-18, a key regulator in inflammation and immunity, was inversely correlated with miR-197 levels. Bioinformatic analysis indicated that IL-18 was a target of miR-197. Exogenous expression of miR-197 could significantly repress IL-18 expression at both the mRNA and protein levels in THP-1 cells. CONCLUSIONS: We concluded that multiple PBMC miRNAs had differential expression profiles during HBV infection and that miR-197 may play an important role in the reactivation of liver inflammation by targeting IL-18.
End Stage Liver Disease ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Hepatitis ; Hepatitis B ; Hepatitis B virus ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; Humans ; Hydrazines ; Inflammation ; Interleukin-18 ; Interleukins ; Liver ; Liver Diseases ; Liver Failure ; Microarray Analysis ; MicroRNAs ; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction ; RNA, Messenger

In the light of optical theory, we advanc an ultra-wideband impulse radiating antenna (IRA) which is composed of an ellipsoidal reflector and a cone radiator. The high-intensity ultra-short electric pulses radiated by IRA can be transferred into the deep target in tissue non-invasively and be focused effectively. With the focused picosecond electric pulses, the organelles (mitochondria) transmembrane potential shall change to collapse under which the tumor cells will be targetly induced to apoptosis, so the method of non-invasive treatment of tumors would be achieved. Based on the time-domain electromagnetic field theory, the propagation characteristics of picosecond electric pulses were analyzed with and without the context of biological tissue, respectively. The results show that the impulse characteristics of input pulse were maintained and the picosecond electric pulses can keep high resolution in target areas. Meanwhile, because of the dispersive nature of medium, the pulse amplitude of the pulses will attenuate and the pulse width will be broadened.
Apoptosis ; radiation effects ; Electric Stimulation Therapy ; methods ; Electrodes ; Electromagnetic Phenomena ; Electroporation ; methods ; Humans ; Neoplasms ; pathology ; therapy

OBJECTIVETo assess the association of TPH2 gene polymorphisms with the response or remission to selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) drugs during treatment of major depressive disorder.

METHODSFor 304 patients receiving SSRIs treatment for major depression disorder, 3 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) (rs1007023, rs1023990 and rs4570625) in the TPH2 gene were genotyped by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry using a MassArray Analyzer 4 system. HAMD-17 was adopted as the primary rating tool to evaluate the severity of depression on the baseline and at the end of 1st, 2nd, 4th and 6th week of treatment.

RESULTSThe frequency of GG genotype/G allele for rs4570625 differed significantly with the frequency of TT and GT genotypes/T allele between responders and non-responders (P=0.013 and 0.007, respectively). Genotypic and allelic frequencies of the other polymorphisms did not differ significantly between the two groups (P>0.05). No association of TPH2 gene polymorphism with remission was found with the 3 SNPs.

CONCLUSIONThe polymorphisms of TPH2 gene may play an important role in response to antidepressant drug therapy.

Objective: To assess the association of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) CHRNA4 gene with response to selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors (SSRIs) for the treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD). Methods: For 304 patients receiving drug treatment for major depression, 2 SNPs, namely rs4522666 and rs4603829, of the CHRNA4 gene were determined by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time of flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry. HAMD-17 was adopted as the primary rating tool to evaluate the severity of depression on the baseline and at the end of 1st, 2nd, 4th and 6th weeks treatment. Results: The frequency of GG genotype/G allele for rs4522666 differed significantly from that of TT and GT genotypes/T allele between responders and non-responders (P =0.015 and P=0.006, respectively). No significant difference was found in genotypic and allelic frequencies of rs4603829 between the two groups (P > 0.05). Conclusion SNPs of the CHRNA4 gene may play an important role in the response to antidepressant drugs among ethnic Han Chinese with MDD.

Gene editing technology is a genetic operation technology that can modify the DNA sequence at the genomic level. The precision gene editing technology based on CRISPR/Cas9 system is a gene editing technology that is easy to operate and widely used. Unlike the traditional CRISPR/Cas9 system, the precision gene editing technology can perform site-directed mutation of genes without DNA template. This review summarizes the recent development of precision gene editing technology based on CRISPR/Cas9, and prospects the challenges and opportunities of this technology.
Gene Editing ; CRISPR-Cas Systems/genetics* ; Mutation ; Genome