Objective To test the mutation locus of uridine diphospho-glucuronosyltransferase gene (UGT1A1) in a Chinese patient with Crigler-Najjar syndrome type Ⅰ and her family members,analyzing the genetic characteristics of the pedigree.Methods Genomic DNA was extracted from the patient and her family members and other 50 full-term infants with normal serum bilirubin as a healthy control group.Fifty cases of full-term newborn whose serum bilirubin level were nomal were study as controls.The promoter and all exons of UGT1A1 gene were amplified by the method of polymerase chain reactions (PCR),and mutations were identified by direct sequencing.Results The propositus and her miscarriage sister were homozygous for a nonsense mutation at nucleotide number 715 (715C ＞ T) in exon 1 of gene UGT1A1,substituting of stop codon (TAG) for glutamine (CAG) at position 239 (Q239X).The other 5 members were heterozygous in the same mutation locus.A TA insertion mutation and a G71R mutation in exon 1 were observed in the family members.The patient and her sister were homozygous of A(TA)7TAA mutation while other four were heterozygous.Propositus,grandmother,mother and her younger brother were heterozygous of G71 R mutation.No mutation was found in exons 2-5.No mutation was found in other fifty healthy cases in the healthy control group.Conclusions Q239X homozygous mutations is considered to be the lethal gene in this Crigler-Najjar syndrome family.Collaborative G71 R and A(TA)7TAA mutations may further reduce the enzyme activity of UGT1A1,causing varying degrees of bilirubin disorder.

Objective To investigate the clinical features and pathogenesis of severe congenital neutropenia (SCN) by detecting the gene mutation of a SCN patient suspected by clinical diagnosis. Methods The intravenous anticoagulant and clin-ical data and laboratory results of this child were collected;the phagocyte and oxidation function of neutrophils were evaluated by flow cytometry;ELANE, HAX1, WAS, GFI1, CSF3R and CXCR4 genes were screened by PCR amplification and sequencing. Results The neutrophil function of this patient was normal; sequencing results revealed no mutation occurred in ELANE, HAX1, WAS, GFI1, CSF3R and CXCR4;and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) can obviously enhance the level of neutrophils. Conclusion SCN is a kind of genetic heterogeneity syndrome associated with multiple gene mutations, gene diag-nosis will contribute to understanding of the pathogenesis of the disease and provide theoretical basis for treatment. Though more and more pathogenic genes were found to be connected with SCN, the cases of unknown mutation still account for a large proportion of this disease.

Objective To observe the effect of human umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) on type 2 diabetic rats, and to explore the possible mechanism. Methods Type 2 diabetic rats were induced by high-fat diet combined with a low dosage of streptozotocin ( STZ, 25 mg/ kg). After 3 × 106 hMSCs suspended in 1 ml PBS or 1ml 10-fold concentrated hMSC supernatant were intravenously infused into the rats via the tail vein, the blood glucose levels were measured every day. One week later, intraperitoneal glucose tolerance test and insulin tolerance test were performed to evaluate the effects of hMSCs on diabetic rats. Pancreatic tissues were collected for insulin/ glucagon immunofluorescence staining. Results After hMSCs infusion, blood glucose level and homeostasis model of assessment for insulin resistance index were significantly decreased in type 2 diabetic rats(both P<0. 01). The glucose tolerance and insulin tolerance were greatly alleviated by hMSCs(all P<0. 01). Intravenously infused 1ml 10-fold concentrated hMSC supernatant showed a similar result to hMSCs. Conclusion In type 2 diabetic rats, hMSCs are able to effectively lower the blood glucose level, improve insulin sensitivity, and increase the number of β cells, which seems to be mediated by their secreted molecules.

Objective To screen the sequence of fibroblast growth factor receptor 3 (FGFR3) genes in children with dys-chondroplasia and their family members for searching the mutations. Methods The sequence of exon 10 and exon 13 in muta-tion hot spot region of FGFR3 gene in seven families was analyzed using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and DNA sequenc-ing technology. Results The c.1138G>A missense mutation in exon 10 was found in 4 probands who were diagnosed as achon-droplasia (ACH), while this mutation was absent in their parents. The c.1620C>A missense mutation in exon 13 was found in one girl and her mother who both were diagnosed as hypochondroplasia (HCH) with mild symptoms. Neither mutation men-tioned above was found in the other two probands. Conclusions Through detecting the mutation in exon 10, exon 13 of FGFR3 gene, most patients of ACH or HCH can be finally diagnosed. However, it is necessary to perform the mutation screening on the other zones of FGFR3 gene and on other related genes for a few cases.

Objective To investigate the levels of cancer related fatigue (CRF) and the correlations between CRF and serum inflammatory factors and hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis in patients with gastrointestinal cancer.Methods The CRF level was assessed by brief fatigue inventory (BFI).The level of C-reactive protein (CRP) was measured by immunoturbidimetry, and the level of cortisol was measured by electrochemiluminesence.The levels of interleukin (IL)-6, IL-1β, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and norepinephrine (NE) were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).Results The average total score of CRF was 3.15±1.93, and the degree was mild to moderate, which was positively correlated with the CRP (r=0.321, P=0.000), TNF-α (r=0.265, P=0.000), NE (r=0.174, P=0.015) and ACTH (r=0.257, P=0.000), but was not correlated with the cortisol (r=0.033, P=0.652).Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) score (t=8.081, P=0.000), education (t=-4.244, P=0.000), treatment (t=4.563, P=0.000), time from diagnosis to sampling (t=3.453, P=0.001) and CRP (t=2.837, P=0.006) were important factors of CRF.Conclusion The CRF status is common in gastrointestinal cancer patients.The CRF is correlated with the NE and ACTH of HPA axis.Medical staff should pay attention to the inflammatory factors and hormone levels to improve the fatigue status and the quality of patients.

Rabbit hemorrhagic disease (RHD) is contagious and highly lethal. Commercial vaccines against RHD are produced from the livers of experimentally infected rabbits. Although several groups have reported that recombinant subunit vaccines against rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus (RHDV) are promising, application of the vaccines has been restricted due to high production costs or low yield. In the present study, we performed codon optimization of the capsid gene to increase the number of preference codons and eliminate rare codons in Spodoptera frugiperda 9 (Sf9) cells. The capsid gene was then subcloned into the pFastBac plasmid, and the recombinant baculoviruses were identified with a plaque assay. As expected, expression of the optimized capsid protein was markedly increased in the Sf9 cells, and the recombinant capsid proteins self-assembled into virus-like particles (VLPs) that were released into the cell supernatant. Rabbits inoculated with the supernatant and the purified VLPs were protected against RHDV challenge. A rapid, specific antibody response against RHDV was detected by an ELISA in all of the experimental groups. In conclusion, this strategy of producing a recombinant subunit vaccine antigen can be used to develop a low-cost, insect cell-derived recombinant subunit vaccine against RHDV.
Animals ; Antigens, Viral/genetics/metabolism ; Caliciviridae Infections/prevention & control/*veterinary/virology ; Capsid Proteins/*genetics/metabolism ; Cell Culture Techniques/*methods ; Codon/genetics/metabolism ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay/veterinary ; *Gene Expression Regulation, Viral ; Hemorrhagic Disease Virus, Rabbit/*genetics/immunology ; *Rabbits ; Recombinant Proteins/genetics/metabolism ; Sf9 Cells ; Spodoptera ; Viral Structural Proteins/*genetics/metabolism ; Viral Vaccines/genetics/immunology

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect and mechanism of high dose Vitamin B3 on granulopoiesis in normal rat.

METHODSTwenty one healthy SD rats were randomly divided into three groups: the Vitamin B3 group (Vit B3 500 mg·kg⁻¹·d⁻¹, × 7 d), the rhG-CSF group (rhG-CSF 25 μg·kg⁻¹·d⁻¹, × 7 d) and the normal saline group (2 ml/d, × 7 d). The peripheral blood cell counts were analyzed by automatic blood cell counter before (day 0) treatment, the third day (day 3) and the seventh day (day 7) after administration of drugs, respectively. The concentration of serum nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD⁺) level was measured by enzymatic cycling assay before and after drugs treatment. The expressions of G-CSF, G-CSFR, SIRT1, C/EBPα, C/EBPβ, C/EBPε and NAMPT mRNA were detected by reverse transcription real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR.

RESULTSThe neutrophil counts increased significantly after 7 days of Vitamin B3 and rhG-CSF treatment compared with that of control group [(1.64 ± 0.19) × 10⁹/L, (1.88 ± 0.37)× 10⁹/L vs (0.86 ± 0.18) × 10⁹/L, P<0.01]; the level of serum NAD⁺ increased significantly [(0.96 ± 0.08) nmol/L, (0.65 ± 0.12) nmol/L vs (0.36 ± 0.15) nmol/L, P<0.01]; the expression of G-CSF, G-CSFR, SIRT1, C/EBPα, C/EBPε and NAMPT mRNA in bone marrow mononuclear cells were increased significantly compared with that of control group (P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONHigh dose of Vitamin B3 may play an important role in increasing absolute neutrophil count in healthy rat under steady state, and the mechanism may be dependent on NAMPT-NAD⁺-SIRT1 signaling pathways.

Animals ; Bone Marrow Cells ; Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor ; Leukocyte Count ; Neutrophils ; drug effects ; Niacinamide ; pharmacology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Recombinant Proteins