0.05).In2001the urinary? 2 -MG contents in cadmium-polluted area were also not significant different from that of the control area.Con clusion The present study indi cated that the renal disfunction had appeared in the part of women in cadmium-polluted area became of increased body burden of cad-mium induced by over-in taking cadmium from rice in1982and1987.However,the body burden of cadmium decreased and the renal function ameliorated and recovered gradually in women of cadmium polluted area following cessation of the intake of rice containing cadmium.

AIM To study whether chlorpromazine(CPZ) and verapamil (Ver) have protective effects on the nephrotoxicity of cadmium (Cd). METHODS Thirtytwo Wistar rats were divided randomly into four groups.Each agent was injected 5 times per week for 6 weeks.The rats in Cd-treated group were sc injected with CdCl2 7μmol·kg-1. The rats of CPZ- and Ver- pretreated group were ip injected with CPZ 5 mg· kg- 1, Ver 4 mg· kg- 1,respectively, 1 h later sc injected with CdCl2 7 μ mol·kg- 1. The control group was sc injected with saline 2 mL·kg-1 at corresponding time. Twenty-four hours after the last injection, the 24-h urine samples were collected. The renal cortex was also excised. Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity, protein and Cd concentration in urine were determined.The activities of protein kinase C (PKC), Na + -K + -ATPase, Ca2 + -ATPase and Cd concentration of renal cortex were also measured. RESULTS Cd concentrations of renal cortex and urine in rats from Cd-treated group were significantly higher than those of control group.Cd concentrations in urine of rats from CPZ- and Ver-pretreated groups were significantly lower than those of Cd-treated group, but there was no significant change in renal cortex. As compared with control group, LDH activity, protein content in urine and the activities of PKC, Na+ -K+ -ATPase and Ca2+ -ATPase in the rats of Cd-treated group increased significantly. LDH activity, protein content in urine and activities of PKC,Na+ -K+ -ATPase and Ca2+ -ATPase in rats of CPZ- and Ver-pretreated groups were significantly lower than those of Cd-treated group. CONCLUSIONCd could activate the activities of PKC,Na+-K+-ATPase and Ca2+-ATPase. Moreover, pretreatment of CPZ and Ver could reduce nephrotoxicity of Cd.

Objective To study the antagonism of glutathione(GSH) and taurine on acute oxidative damage caused by mercury(Hg). Methods 32 Wistar rats were randomly divided into four groups. The rats of control group were given 0.9% saline by subcutaneous injections. The rats in mercuric chloride (HgCl2) group were subcutaneously injected with 2.5 mg/kg HgCl2. Rats of the other two groups were pretreated with 3 mmol/kg GSH and 4 mmol/kg taurine, respectively and two hours later injected subcutaneously with 2.5 mg/kg HgCl2. Urine creatine and mercury contents were determined; mercury level, contents of GSH, MDA and GSH-Px in liver and kidney were evaluated. Results Compared with the control, urine mercury level, level of mercury in liver and in the renal cortex, contents of GSH, MDA and GSH-Px in kidney in the group treated with 2.5 mg/kg HgCl2 were significantly increased. In the rats pretreated with GSH and taurine, contents of MDA in kidney were significantly decreased compared with those treated with mercury only. The levels of GSH-Px in kidney in the group pretreated with GSH and taurine were significantly higher than that not only in the mercury group but also in the control. Compared with the mercury group, levels of mercury in urine and liver in GSH pretreated group were distinctly reduced. Conclusion Pretreated with GSH and taurine have certain protection for the acute oxidative damage caused by mercury.

Objective To observe the effect of MnCl2 on glutamate-glutamine cycle(Glu-Gln cycle) and apoptosis of dissociated striatum cells and to approach the antagonism of riluzole to the neurotoxicity of MnCl2.Methods Twenty-seven Wistar rats were randomly divided into 3 groups, 9 in each.The first group was the control group and the second group was the single MnCl2 exposure group.Both of the groups were injected with 0.9% NaCl subcutaneously(sc).The third group was the intervention group and was injected with 21.35 ?mol/kg riluzole(sc).Two hours later, the rats in the control group were the given 0.9% NaCl intraperitoneally(ip) injection, the second and third groups were injected with 200 ?mol/kg MnCl2(ip), five times a week, for 4 weeks.Twenty-four hours after the last injection, 6 rats in each group were killed and the contents of Glu and Gln, the activities of glutamine synthetase(GS) and phosphate activated glutaminase(PAG) in the striatum of the rats were determined.The apoptosis of the dissociated striatum cells was detected in the other rats in each group by flow cytometry(FCM) technique.Results Compared with the control group, in MnCl2 group, the content of Glu increased and Gln content decreased significantly(P

Objective To determine the antagonism of dizocilpine maleate(MK-801) and taurine to glutamate metabolism disturbance induced by methylmercury(MeHg) in cerebrum.Methods Forty Wistar rats were randomly divided into five groups.The first group was the control group,the second one was low dose MeHg-exposed group and the third was high dose MeHg-exposed group,these three groups were given physiological saline respectively.The fourth group was subcutaneously injected with 0.3 ?mol/kg of MK-801 and the five group was subcutaneously injected with 1 mmol/kg of taurine.Two hours later,the control group was intraperitoneally given physiological saline,the second group was intraperitoneally given 4 ?mol/kg of methylmercury chloride,the third,fourth and five groups were given 12 ?mol/kg of methylmercury chloride.The administration above was given five times a week for 4 weeks.The contents of mercury and Glu and Gln and the activities of GS and PAG in pallium were determined.Results Compared with the control group,the activities of PAG and the contents of mercury and Glu in MeHg-exposed groups increased significantly,the activities of GS and the contents of Gln decreased significantly.Compared with high dose MeHg group,in MK-801 and taurine treated groups,no significant differences were seen in the contents of mercury,and the contents of Glu,the activities of PAG were decreased significantly,the contents of Gln and the activities of GS were increased significantly.Conclusion Methylmercury can disorder glutamate metabolism in cerebrum of rats,and MK-801 and taurine can effectively counteract the adverse effects of methylmercury.

Objective To observe the adverse effect of methylmercury on the cortex and cerebellum respectively as well as to approach the antagonisms of dextromethorphan(DM) and riluzole to the mercury-induced neurotoxicity.Methods Twenty-eight Wistar rats were randomly divided into 4 groups by weight,7 in each.The first group was the control group and the second group was methylmercuric chloride(MMC) group.The third and fourth groups were DM and riluzole group respectively.Both of the former groups were subcutaneously injected with saline.The third and fourth groups were subcutaneously injected with 13.5 ?mol/kg DM and 21.35 ?mol/kg respectively every other day.Two hours later,the animals in the control group were intraperitoneally given the injection of saline.From the second to fourth groups were injected with 12.0 ?mol/kg MMC.The administration of MMC above was given five times a week(from Monday to Friday),for 4 weeks as well as the administration of DM and riluzole every other day before injected with MMC(on Monday,Wednesday and Friday).Twenty-four hours after the last injection,7 rats in each group were sacrificed.The contents of Hg,Ca2+-ATPase in the cerebellum were determined.Results In MMC group,the contents of Hg,Glu and the content of Gln were decreased,the activities of SDH,Na+-K+-ATPase and Ca2+-ATPase were decreased compared with the control group.Compared with MMC group,in DM and riluzole groups,the contents of Hg,Glu decreased,the content of Gln increased,moreover,the activities of SDH,Na+-K+-ATPase and glutamate(Glu),glutamine(Gln) in the rat cortex and the activities of SDH,Na+-K+-AT Pase and Ca2+-AT Pase increased significantly.Conclusion "Glu-Gln Cycle" can be destroyed by MMC,DM and liluzole present some antagonistic effects on MMC-indused neurotoxicity in rats.

Objective To explore the effect of HgCl2 exposure on energy metabolism of renal mitochondria in rats and the preventive effect of N-acetylcysteine(NAC).Methods Twenty-four Wistar rats were randomly divided into control group,HgCl2 group and NAC+HgCl2 group by body weight,8 in each.Control group and HgCl2 group were treated with physiological saline through intraperitoneal injection,NAC+HgCl2 group rats were intraperitoneally pretreated with NAC(0.4 mmol/kg),two hours after treatment,HgCl2 group and NAC+HgCl2 group were injected subcutaneously with HgCl2(1.84 ?mol/kg),but control group was injected with physiological saline,the volume of was 5 ml/kg,once a day for 14 consecutive days.Twenty-four hours after the last injection,all rats were sacrificed and the cortices of rat kidneys were collected.The mitochondria were prepared by using the differential centrifugation.The levels of malondialdehyde(MDA),the activities of phospholipase A2(PLA2) and succinate dehydrogenase(SDH),the mitochondrial membrane potential were measured.Results Compared with control group,the level of MDA and the activity of PLA2 significantly increased in HgCl2 group(P

Objective:To construct K-ras-targeted siRNAs (K-ras siRNA) and to investigate the inhibitory effects of K-ras siRNAs on the growth and migration of lung cancer A549 cells (containing mutant K-ras gene) and NCI-H446 cells (containing wild-type K-ras gene). Methods: Four K-ras siRNAs (K-ras siRNA1～K-ras siRNA3 targeting wild-type K-ras and K-ras siRNA4 targeting mutant K-ras) were designed and artificially synthesized; they were used to transfect A549 cells and NCI-H446 cells. The expressions of Ras mRNA and protein were examined by RT-PCR and Western blot-ting. The inhibitory effects of K-ras siRNAs on the proliferations of A549 and NCI-H446 cells were determined by MTT assay. The effects of K-ras siRNAs on the cell migration and apoptosis were observed by Transwell assay and Hoechst 33258 staining, respectively. Results: Mutant K-ras-targeted siRNA (K-ras siRNA4) specifically inhibited the K-ras ex-pression but had no influence on H-ras and N-ras expression in A549 cells. K-ras siRNA4 inhibited the proliferation of A549 cells but did not inhibit that of NCI-H446 cells, which contained wild type K-ras gene. K-ras siRNA4 also induced apoptosis and inhibited migration of A549 cells. Conclusion: Mutant K-ras-targeted siRNA4 can inhibit the proliferation, migration and induce apoptosis of A549 cells. It may be a potential and personalized drug for the treatment against lung cancer containing mutant K-ras gene.

he aim of this study was to obtain a cell-penetrating cytoglobin (Cygb), which combines the transmembrane function of cell-penetrating peptides TAT with the anti-aging and anti-fibrotic role of cytoglobin. The Cygb gene was complexed with TAT gene by overlapping PCR, inserted into the vector pET22b to construct the recombinant expression plasmid (pET22b-TAT-Cygb) and then transformed into Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3). The fusion protein TAT-Cygb, whose expression was induced by lactose, was purified by CM Sepharose Fast Flow Protocol and verified by Western blotting. The final TAT-Cygb had a molecular weight of 23 kDa with 95% purity, as shown by SDS-PAGE. As demonstrated by bioactivity experiments, TAT-Cygb exhibited a high specific peroxidase activity up to (422.30 ± 0.36) U/mg. Both TAT-Cygb and Cygb pretreatment group could protect Hacat cells against oxidation of H2O2, but only TAT-Cygb treatment group could remedy cells injuried by H2O2 (RGR = 98%), which was significantly different from Cygb treatment group (RGR = 79%). We successfully obtained the bioactive and cell-penetrating fusion protein TAT-Cygb that has the potential application in anti-aging, anti-fibrotic and anti-cancer.
Blotting, Western ; Cell Line ; Cell-Penetrating Peptides ; biosynthesis ; Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel ; Escherichia coli ; metabolism ; Gene Products, tat ; Genetic Vectors ; Globins ; biosynthesis ; Humans ; Hydrogen Peroxide ; Recombinant Fusion Proteins ; biosynthesis

Dioxin,one of the persistent organic pollutants,persistently exists in the environment and does serious harm to the ecological environment as well as to the human body because of its reproductive toxicity,carcinogenicity,immune toxicity,skin toxicity and toxicity to other systems and organs.This paper reviewed the toxicities of dioxins to the human body,especially to the endocrine and immune systems.