OBJECTIVE: To explore the role of vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) on LPS-induced MMP-9 expression by alveolar macrophages (AM) in rats. METHODS: LPS-induced cultured Wistar rats AMs were treated with different concentrations of VIP (10(-10) to approximately 10(-6) mol/L) for 24 h. AMs and the supernatant were collected to measure the MMP-9 expression and activity by RT-PCR and gelatin zymography, respectively. Results The MMP-9 activity and expression of LPS-induced AMs were significantly higher than those in the control group (P < 0.01). VIP (10(-9) to approximately 10(-6) mol/L) down-regulated LPS-induced MMP-9 activity and its expression. The effects were diminished by H-7 and W-7, an antagonist of protein kinase C (PKC) and calmodulin (CaM) (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION VIP can decrease LPS-induced MMP-9 activity and its expression, which may be related to protein kinase C and calmodulin pathway. VIP may have protective roles in the lung injury.
Animals ; Calmodulin ; metabolism ; Cells, Cultured ; Down-Regulation ; Female ; Lipopolysaccharides ; Macrophages, Alveolar ; cytology ; metabolism ; Male ; Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Protein Kinase C ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide ; pharmacology

OBJECTIVETo study expression of mutant p53 protein in workers occupationally exposed to benzidine and bladder cancer patients.

METHODSMutant p53 protein in serum from the workers occupationally exposed to benzidine and bladder cancer patients were determined with Immuno-PCR, while exfoliated urothelial cells in the urine samples were classified with Papanicolau grading.

RESULTSPositive rate of mutant p53 protein increased with the exposed intensity index in workers occupationally exposed to benzidine. The positive rate of mutant p53 protein in bladder cancer patients (83.3%) was significantly higher than that in the group 1 of exposed intensity index. The average scanning integrals of PCR amplified band in the group of bladder cancer patients and group 2 of exposed intensity index were both higher than that in the group 1 significantly. Workers in the groups of different exposed intensity indices were further stratified according to Papanicolau grades. In the group 2 of exposed intensity index, the average scanning integrals of PCR amplified band in the stratum of Papanicolau grade II and III were significantly higher than that in the strata of Papanicolau grade I. And in the group 3 of exposed intensity index, the positive rate of mutant p53 protein in the strata of Papanicolau grade III was higher than that in the strata of Papanicolau grade I significantly.

CONCLUSIONThe increase of exposed intensity may not only result in the positive rate of mutant p53 protein, but also the quantity of mutant p53 protein in serum within the low range of benzidine exposure. Once the exposed intensity was beyond that spectrum, the positive rate of mutant p53 protein in serum and the average scanning integrals of PCR amplified band were no longer enhanced with the increase of exposed intensity. There was tight correlation between Papanicolau grade of exfoliated urothelial cells and the positive rate or the quantity of mutant p53 protein for the higher benzidine exposure intensity.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Benzidines ; toxicity ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Occupational Exposure ; Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 ; metabolism ; Urinary Bladder Neoplasms ; metabolism ; Urothelium ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo investigate the prognostic value of ultra-sensitive pregnancy associated plasma protein-A (PAPP-A) level in the early phase of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) attack.

METHODSPatients diagnosed as ACS were enrolled and the level of circulatory PAPP-A was measured within 12 hours after ACS attack. The patients were followed at the time of 1st, 6th, and 12th months post-ACS attack in order to observe the incidence of the cardiovascular adverse events. According to the highest quintile, the patients were divided into 2 groups: high level (≥26.08 μg/L) group and low level (<26.08 μg/L) group, to evaluate the association between the level of PAPP-A and the incidence of the cardiovascular events.

RESULTSCompared with the low level group, the incidence of the composite outcome is significantly increased in the high level group, and the values of OR are 4.76, 4.38, 3.75 for 1st, 6th, 12th months respectively (P=0.000). For myocardial infarction (MI) + cardiac death (CD) the values of OR were 9.81, 6.08, 4.12 (P<0.01). Multivariate logistic regression analysis demonstrates that PAPP-A was an independent risk factor for the cardiovascular adverse events in the early, median, and late phase of ACS (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONIn the early phase of ACS attack, the elevation of PAPP-A is an independent risk factor for the occurrence of cardiovascular adverse events.

Acute Coronary Syndrome ; blood ; diagnosis ; Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pregnancy-Associated Plasma Protein-A ; metabolism ; Prognosis ; Risk Factors

OBJECTIVETo identify the mutation of the methylmalonic aciduria (cobalamin deficiency) CblC type, with homocystinuria (MMACHC) gene in a pedigree with methylmalonic aciduria.

METHODSThe MMACHC gene mutation was detected using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and DNA sequencing. The MMACHC gene of 50 healthy people was also sequenced as control.

RESULTSA new mutation of 146_154 del CCTTCCTGG was found in the patient and his father, and was absent in the controls.

CONCLUSIONA new mutation (146_154 del CCTTCCTGG) in the MMACHC gene was detected in a Chinese family with methylmalonic aciduria.

Amino Acid Metabolism, Inborn Errors ; genetics ; metabolism ; Amino Acid Sequence ; Animals ; Base Sequence ; Carrier Proteins ; chemistry ; genetics ; Case-Control Studies ; Child, Preschool ; DNA Mutational Analysis ; Exons ; genetics ; Fathers ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Methylmalonic Acid ; metabolism ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Mutation ; Pedigree ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Pregnancy ; Protein Structure, Secondary