Objective To study the correlation of expression of N-myc downstream regulated gene 1(NDRG1) with invasion of breast invasive duct carcinoma and lymph node metastasis. Methods A total of 71 specimens including 26 case of primary breast invasive duct carcinoma with lymphnode metastasis,45 case of nonmetastasis breast invasive duct carcinoma were observed.NDRG1 was detected by immunohistochemistry in formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded sections.At the same time,the correlations of NDRG1 with E-cad,MMP2,MMP9,and TIMP2 were investigated. Results The expression of NDRG1 in breast cancer with metastasis of lymph nodes(9/26) was lower than that of non-metastasis of lymph nodes(32/45)(P

BACKGROUND: It has been reported tbat there are rich expressions of serotonin transporter (5-HTT) in the cortical and limbic regions related to emotion and behavior in cerebrum. Regulation of the intensity and persistence of serotonergic nerve response can change the serotonergic neurotransmission, meanwhile, 5-HTT is also an important target for selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs).OBJECTIVE: To observe whether there is a correlation of 5-HTT gene polymorphism with plasma level of 5-HT and the clinical response of SSRIs in the population of Nanjing area.DESIGN: A case-control observation.SETTING: Department of Psychiatry, Brain Hospital of Nanjing Medical University.PARTICIPANTS: Totally 132 inpatients with depression in the Department of Psychiatry, Brain Hospital of Nanjing Medical University and 100 volunteer healthy blood donors were taken as the observational subjects between January 2001 and December 2003.METHODS: The genotype was analyzed with polymerase chain reaction (PCR) polymorphism analysis in the patients with depression and healthy subjects; plasma level of 5-HT was analyzed with high performance liquid chromatography-electrical chemistry detector (HPLC-ECD); and the clinical response to the antidepressants were assessed with Hamilton depression rating scale (HAMD).MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The analytical results of 5-HTT genotype frequency and allele frequency in both groups, and the relationship between 5-HTT genotype and plasma level of 5-HT before and after SSRIs treatment were observed.RESULTS: Blood samples were collected from all the 132 patients with depression and 100 normal healthy subjects, and they all finished the scale test and entered the analysis of results. ① There were no significant differences between the depression group and normal control group in the 5-HTT gene genotype frequencies (LL: 24.2%, LS: 44.7%, SS31.1%; LL:29.0%, LS: 47.0%, SS: 24.0%, x2=1.405 8, P ＞ 0.05) and allelefrequencies (L:46.59%, S: 53.41%; L: 52.5%, S: 47.5%, x2=0.696 2, P ＞ 0.05). ② The total score of HAMD had significant differences before treatment among the depressive patients of different genotypes (F=6.48, P=0.002 1). After 4-week treatment of SSRIs antidepressants, the total score of HAMD was significantly decreased, and there was significant difference in the decrease of score (F=3.38, P= 0.037). ③ The plasma level of 5-HT had significant differences before treatment among the depressive patients of different genotypes (F=5.38,P= 0.005 7). After 4-week treatment of SSRIs antidepressants, the plasma level of 5-HT was increased, and the increased level was significantly different among different genotypes (F=23.55, P ＜ 0.01).CONCLUSION: The 5-HTT polymorphism may be not associated with the attack of depression, but with the severity of depression and the clinical responses of SSRIs in the population of Nanjing area, and the genotype in this area may become a reference index for the realization of individualized treatment in patients with depression.

BACKGROUND: Monoamine hypothesis has been demonstrated by researches. However, the correlation between the metabolite of plasma monoamine neurotransmitter and anti-depression treatment in patients with depression has less been reported.OBJECTIVE: To study the effect of different drugs on metabolite of plaama monoamine neurotransmitter, and the correlation between the metabolite of plasma monoamine neurotransmitter and anti-depression treatment in patients with depression.DESIGN: Case controlled study.SETTING: Neurological Department and Brain Institute of Nanjing Medical University.PARTICIPANTS: Forty patients with depression hospitalized in Nanjing Brain Hospital (depression group) were diagnosed with the second revised edition of China classification of mental diseases(CCMD-2) and the tenth edition of International classification of diseases. And the total score of Hanmilton rating scale for depression(HAMD) was more than 17. Healthy voluntary blood donators in the control group were from Nanjing Municipal Central Blood Station( n = 20).INTERVENTIONS: Antidepressant was used in the depression for 4 weeks: fluoxetine 20 mg per day; 5-serotonin selective reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) paroxetine 20 mg per day; venlafaxime 50- 100 mg per day;5-serotonin and morepinephrine selective reuptake inhibitor(SNRI) fluvoxamine 50-100 mg per day. High performance liquid chromatograpy(HPLC)was used to measure the level of metabolite of plasma monoamine neurotransmitter in patients with depression before and 42 week after treatment, and the HAMD was used to evaluate clinical effect of the patients.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The levels of metabolites of plasma monoamine neurotransmitters in patients with depression: 5-hydroxyindoleace tic acid(5-HIAA), 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylglycol(MHPG) and homovani llic acid(HVA) were measured before and 4th week after treatment.RESULTS: The levels of 5-HIAA, MHPG and HVA of the metabolites of plasma monoamine neurotransmitters in patients with depression before treatment [ (20.3±14.6), (124.8±103.6), (54.7±32.1) μg/L] were all lower than those in the normal control group[ (39.5±28.4), (334.5 ±107.3), (88.5±37.2) μg/L], with statistically significant differences (P＜0.05). After SSRI treatment, the 5-HIAA content[ (37.1±21.9)μg/L]was significantly increased as compared with that before treatment, whose difference indicated significant meaning ( P＜0.05), but the differences in MHPG and HVA had no significant meaning as compared with those before treatment(P＞0.05) . After SNRI treatment, 5-HIAA and MHPG contents [(35.4±25.2 ), (291.2±120.4) μg/L] both were significantly increased, which indicated significant difference as compared with those before treatment( P＜0.05); but HVA level had no significant changes.CONCLUSION:'The peripheral neurotransmitter metabolites in plasma can reflect their states in brain. The change of neurotransmitter metabolite in plasma can be regarded as an important reference index for the evaluation of depression.

Autoimmune Diseases ; diagnosis ; immunology ; pathology ; surgery ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin G ; blood ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pancreatectomy ; Pancreatitis ; diagnosis ; immunology ; pathology ; surgery

Objective To analyze the clinical and histopathologic characteristics in children with subcutaneous panniculitis-like T-cell lymphoma(SPTCL),and explore the pathological diagnosis and differential diagnosis,in order to boost paediatricians to better understanding the disease.Methods One case was diagnosed SPTCL with over 2 years protracted course of fever and multiple skin lesions.The evolvement of clinical presentation,the misdiagnosed experience,the histopathological features,the immunohistochemical results and T cell receptor(TCR)gene cloning rearrangement were observed.The related literatures published were reviewed.Results Skin biopsy showed that the histopathologic findings were limited within subcutaneous fatty tissue,the atypical lymphocytes characteristically rimmed individual fat cells in a lace-like pattern.Immunophenotypic studies showed CD45,CD45RO,CD3,CD5,T cell intracellular antigen-1(TIA-1)and perforin usually expressed possitive,while CD10,CD20,CD56,CD68,epithelial membrane antigen(EMA)and cytokeratin(CK)were negative,implying tumor cells derived from T-cell.The results of TCR gene rearrangement as following:IgH FR2(+),FR3A(-);TCR ? JVI(-),JVII(+);TCR? JD1(-),JD2(-).Although the protocol of children's T-cell Non-Hodgkin lymphoma was administrated,the treatment outcome was poor.Conclusion SPTCL is a special primary cutaneous lymphoma with poor prognosis,skin biopsy of suffered lesion is an important method for the diagnosis of SPTCL children with unclear recurrent fever and multiple skin lesions.

Many bioactive peptides from neural and endocrine tissue are amidated at C-terminals,which is essential for their activities.The ?-amide comes from post-translational modification that is catalyzed by ?-AE (?-amidating enzyme) or PAM (pepdilylglycine ?-amidating monooxygenase).The gene encoding ?-AE was amplified with PCR and cloned into the plasmid pET-30a.After the recombinant plasmid pET-A was transformed into E.coli BL21,the ?-AE was expressed and purified by the Ni2+affinity chromatography,which has the ability catalyzing Dns-Tyr-Val-Gly to Dns-Tyr-Val-NH2.It identified that the recombinant protein producing by E.coli BL21 is ?-AE,which will benefit for studies of amidation at the C-terminals of peptides.

Objective To establish a stable primary culture of rat cerebellar granule neurons in vitro for further study the toxic effects of chronic arsenic exposure on cerebellar cells.Methods Cerebellar cortices were taken from brain of Wistar rat 5-7 day old after born under stereoscopic microscope.Single cell suspension was acquired after digestion and washing with trypsin (0.25％) and DNase Ⅰ solution,respectively.Granule cells were purified from other cells by differential velocity adherence method for two times.Rat cerebellar granule neurons were seeded in culture plate pre-coated with poly-L-lysine.Neurons growth,development and synaptic connections were observed daily.The neurons were identified by neuron specific enolase (NSE) immunofluorescence technique.Results The neurons were affixed to the culture plate in 24 hours,in reticular arrangement observed under contrast microscope.Granule cells gradually turned round from oval and outlines became clearer in 2-3 days.In 4-6 days,there were a wide range of synaptic connections among the neurons and a mature nerve cell network formed.A large quantity of cerebellar granule neurons was seen by NSE identification.Few bigger cells such as purkinjes cells and glial cell outlines were also seen in the same visual field.Conclusions This is a successful primary culture method for acquirement of rat cerebellar granule neurons.The method can provide experimental basis for future studies the toxic effects of chronic arsenic exposure on cerebellar cells.

The clinical characteristics of patients who presented in poor clinical grade due to ruptured middle cerebral artery aneurysms (MCAAs) associated with large sylvian hematomas (SylH) were analyzed and an ingenious designed prophylactic hinged craniectomy was introduced. Twenty-eight patients were graded into Hunt-Hess grades IV-V and emergency standard micro-neurosurgeries (aneurysm clipping, hematoma evacuation and prophylactic hinged craniectomy) were performed, and their clinical data were retrospectively analyzed. 46.43% of the patients reached encouraged favorable outcomes on discharge. The favorable outcome group and the poor outcome group significantly differed in terms of patients' anisocoria, Hunt-Hess grade before surgery, extent of the midline shift and time to the surgery after bleeding (P<0.05). There were no significant differences in age, sex, volume and location of the hematoma, size of aneurysm between the favorable and poor groups (P>0.05). However, ingenious designed prophylactic hinged craniectomy efficiently reduced the patients' intracranial pressure (ICP) after surgery. It was suggested that preoperative conditions such as Hunt-Hess grading, extent of the midline shift and the occurrence of cerebral hernia affect the prognosis of patients, but time to the surgery after bleeding and prophylactic hinged craniectomy are of significant importance for optimizing the prognosis of MCAA patients presenting with large SylH.

The mRNA levels of adiponectin in adipose tissue and adiponectin receptor R1 in skeletal muscle of type 2 diabetic rats were examined by semi-quatitative RT-PCR.The expression of adiponectin receptor R1 was not altered in the skeletal muscle of type 2 diabetic rats as compared with normal rats.The serum adiponectin level was decreased in diabetic rats due to the decline of adiponectin mRNA level in adipose tissue and rosiglitazone improved the adiponectin deficiency.

OBJECTIVETo analyze the effects of acupuncture on the level of atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP), C-type natriuretic peptide (CNP) in adrenal gland and the content of corticosterone (CORT) in plasma in rats withchronic emotional stress anxiety, and to explore the partial action mechanism of acupuncture on anxiety disorder.

METHODSThirty-two healthy Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats, after 7 days of feeding and domestication, were randomly divided into a blank group (10 rats), a model group (11 rats) and an acupuncture group (11 rats). The rats inthe model group and acupuncture group were treated with unpredictable chronic emotional stress (CES) method toestablish the model of anxiety. Rats in the acupuncture group were treated with acupuncture at "Neiguan" (PC 6)and "Shenmen" (HT 7), once every other day, 30 minutes each time. The model establishment and treatment lasted 15 days. Rats in the blank group were treated with identical immobilization but no treatment was given. Theelevated plus maze was used to test the behavioral changes of rats with anxiety; the level of CORT in plasma wasdetected by ELISA, and the expression level of CNP and ANP in adrenal cortex and medulla was detected by immunohistochemical method.

RESULTS(1) The percentage of open-arms time in total time (OT%) in elevated plus maze in the model group was significantly lower than that in the blank group (P<0. 05); the OT% in the acupuncture group was significantly higher than that in the model group (P<0.01). (2) The content of CORT in plasma in the model group was higher than that in the blank group (P<0. 05), while that in the acupuncture group was significantly lower than that in the model group (P<0. 05). (3) The expression of ANP in adrenal medulla and cortex in the model group was lower than that in the blank group (P<0. 01), while the expression of CNP in adrenal medulla and cortex in the model group was higher than that in the blank group (P<0. 01).

CONCLUSIONThe effects of acupuncture against anxiety are likely to be related to the regulation on the expression of ANP and CNP in adrenal medulla, affecting the release of CORT and inhibition on the activity !f hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA axis).

Acupuncture Therapy ; Adrenal Glands ; metabolism ; Animals ; Anxiety ; blood ; psychology ; therapy ; Atrial Natriuretic Factor ; blood ; metabolism ; Behavior, Animal ; Corticosterone ; blood ; Humans ; Male ; Natriuretic Peptide, C-Type ; blood ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Stress, Psychological