ObjectiveTo study the regulatory effect of Tripterygium wilfprdii polyglycoside (TWP) on the expression of EGFR and ErbB-2 induced arthritis rats.The effect of TWP on arthritis was also explored.MethodsAfter the model of CIA rats were established,the expression of EGFR and ErbB-2 in the synovium and articular cartilage were tested by immunohistochemical stain and real time PCR.ANOVA was used for statistical analysis.ResultsThe protein and mRNA expression of EGFR and ErbB-2 in the synovium (EGFR 0.268±0.059,ErbB-2 0.25±0.04,EGFR mRNA:14.2±0.55,ErbB-2 mRNA 23.46±3.64) and articular cartilage (EGFR 0.193±0.018,ErbB-2 0.217±0.033,EGFR mRNA:4.16±0.50,ErbB-2 mRNA 9.23±0.66) of the model group were significantly higher than those of the control group(P＜0.01).After being treated with TWP and MTX,the protein and mRNA expression of the EGFR and ErbB-2 decreased markedly (P＜0.01).Conclusion EGFR and ErbB-2 may play an important role in the pathogenesis of arthritis development.The molecular mechanism that TWP can treat synovitis and bone destruction of RA is related to the inhibition of EGFR and ErbB-2.

According to the 2010 Chinese pharmacopeia, salt processed and charcoal processed Eucommiae Cortex were pre- pared. HPLC-DAD analysis of the content of the bark and leaf of Eucommiae Cortex showed that the bark of Eucommiae Cortex mainly contained lignans such as pinoresinol glucose and iridoid including genipin, geniposide, geniposidic acid, while the leaf of Eucommiae Cortex consisted of flavonoids such as quercetin and phenolic compound such as chlorogenic acid. The content of pinoresinol diglucoside in the bark of Eucommiae Cortex was about 18 times more than that in the leaf of Eucommiae Cortex. The content of pinoresinol diglucoside in salted and charcoal processed Eucommiae Cortex decreased approximately by 30% and 85%, respectively. The content of genipin, geniposide and geniposidic acid in the bark of Eucommiae Cortex was about 3 times, 23 times, 28 times more than that in the leaf of Eucommiae Cortex. The content of genipin, geniposide and geniposidic acid in salted Eucommiae Cortex were reduced by 25%, 40% and 40%, respectively. The content of genipin, geniposide and geniposidic acid in charcoal processed Eucommiae Cortex were reduced by 98%, 70%, 70%, respectively. The content of caffeic acid in bark of Eucommiae Cortex was about 3 times more than that in the leaf of Eucommiae Cortex. The content of caffeic acid was decreased by about 50% in the salted Eucommiae Cortex. While the content of caffeic acid in charcoal processed Eucommiae Cortex was decreased approximately 75%; the content of chlorogenic acid in bark of Eucommiae Cortex was about 1/6 of that in the leaf of Eucommiae Cortex. The content of chlorogenic acid in salted and charcoal processed Eucommiae Cortex decreased by 40% and 75%, respectively; the content of quercetin in bark of Eucommiae Cortex was only 1/40 of that in the leaf of Eucommiae Cortex. The content of quercetin in salted and charcoal processed Eucommiae Cortex were reduced by 60% and 50%, respectively.
Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; Eucommiaceae ; chemistry ; Flavonoids ; chemistry ; Plant Bark ; chemistry ; Plant Leaves ; chemistry

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the therapeutic effects of acupotomy-injection with FENG Tian-you spinal manipulation (FSM) for treating cervical spondylotic radiculopathy (CSR).

METHODSSeventy-two patients with CSR were randomly divided into two groups (n = 36 respectively): treatment and control group. The patients in treatment group were treated with acupotomy-injection combined with FSM, and patients in control group were treated with traction. All the patients were followed up for 3 months after treatment and the therapeutic effects were evaluated.

RESULTSTotally there were 72 patients and 69 completed the treatment and the other 3 patients withdraw from treatment. In treatment group, 24 patients were cured, 6 patients had remarkable effects, 4 effective and 2 ineffective; as well in control group, above data were 15, 3, 10 and 8 respectively. The comprehensive effects and the cured patients in the treatment group were obviously better than those of control group (P < 0.05). The comparison of scales for assessment of symptoms and short-form McGill Pain Questionaire before and after treatment in two groups had significant differences (P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONThe method of acupotomy-injection combined with FSM for treating CSR is better than conventional traction method.

Acupuncture Therapy ; Adult ; Cervical Vertebrae ; Female ; Humans ; Injections ; Male ; Manipulation, Spinal ; methods ; Middle Aged ; Radiculopathy ; therapy ; Spondylosis ; therapy

Classical swine fever virus (CSFV), an enveloped positive-stranded RNA virus in the genus Pestivirus of the Flaviviridae family, is the causative agent of a highly contagious swine disease characterized by symptoms of hemorrhagic fever and immune depression, usually leading to substantial economic losses. The serological methods for detection of CSFV antibody such as ELISA are important means for the diagnosis of CSFV and immune surveillance. It is difficult to obtain CSFV antigen with high quality using traditional method because its titration titer is low in cell culture. CSFV has four structural protein named C, E0, El and E2. The E2 protein contains major antigenic determinants that are conserved between different CSFV strains and involved in neutralization by antibodies. So recombinant E2 protein can be developed as an alternative to the intact viral antigen. So far, CSFV E2 have not been expressed in E. coli with high level. Many factors, such as the secondary structure, the stability of 5' and 3' terminus of gene, the location of SD sequence and the bias of codes, are involved in the expressing level of foreign gene in E. coli . In this study, two sites of the E2 gene sequence were confirmed to be detrimental to its expression efficiency in E. coli through the computer-aided analysis. So they were mutated using recombinant PCR without changing the amino acids sequence of CSFV E2 gene. A plasmid was constructed by inserting the mutated E2 gene into the prokaryotic expression vector pET-28a(+) and named pETE2. The E. coli competent host BL21 (DE3)lysS transformed with pETE2 could express the E2 gene at high level, amounting to 28% of the total protein of the induced recombinant bacteria at the presence of IPTG. Except the hydrophobic transmembrane domain at C terminus, the recombinant E2 protein includes the total aa sequence. So it contains all the potential linear antigen epitopes of E2 protein because hydrophobic aa region can not form epitope. The recombinant E2 protein was CSFV-specific as proved by Western blotting and indirect ELISA. The rabbits immunized with the recombinant E2 can be protect from the challenge of hog cholera lapinized virus. This is the first report that E2 gene is expressed with high level expression in E. coli. In conclusion, it is an effective measure that mutate the CSFV E2 gene to increase its expression level in E. coli. The recombinant CSFV E2 protein possess fine immunonicity and can be used the antigen for the detection of CSFV antibody.
Antigens, Viral ; genetics ; immunology ; metabolism ; Blotting, Western ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Escherichia coli ; genetics ; metabolism ; Mutagenesis, Site-Directed ; methods ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Recombinant Proteins ; genetics ; immunology ; metabolism ; Viral Envelope Proteins ; genetics ; immunology ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo explore the characteristics of closed abdominal injury in pregnancy women and its treatment.

METHODSThe clinical data of 37 pregnancy patients with closed abdominal injury treated in our hospital from June 1993 to June 2003 were collected and analyzed.

RESULTSAll the 37 patients were treated with operation. Among them 2 early pregnancy patients with intestinal rupture and 1 patient with retroperitoneal hematoma were treated under laparoscope; in other 34 pregnancy patients laparotomy was performed. Of the 34 patients 8 used cesarean section because premature separation of placenta and enlarged womb interrupted the management of intra-abdominal organ injury. In the 37 patients 33 (89.1%) were cured, 4 (10.8%) die, postoperative complication rate was 16.2% (6/37). Two patients (5.4%) suffered from abdominal cavity infection, 3 (8.1%) from pulmonary infection, and 1 (2.7%) had multi-organ failure.

CONCLUSIONSFor pregnancy patients with closed abdominal injury, besides obsteric diseases intra-abdominal injury should be given much attention. Accurate diagnosis and timely treatment can gain the time to save the life of both mother and fetus.

Abdominal Injuries ; diagnosis ; surgery ; Adult ; Female ; Humans ; Laparoscopy ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Complications ; diagnosis ; surgery

Objective To explore the relationship between -262C/T and -21A/T polymorphisms of catalase(CAT) gene and coal-burning borne fluorosis. Methods In 2007, 150 villagers were taken as a nonintervention group in Bijie city from the village of coal-burning borne fluorosis areas with unchanged cooking stoves;150 villagers were taken as the intervention group from the town of Changchun county where cooking stoves changed; 150 villagers were taken as control from non-endemic fluorosis areas in Baiyun town of Changshun county.PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism were employed to detect genotypes of CAT-262C/T and CAT-21A/T polymorphism of CAT gene. Results The genotypic frequencies of CAT-262C/T and CAT-21A/T in nonintervention group,intervention group and control group were in line with Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium law (P＞ 0.05 ).The genotypes of CC and CT were detected while no TT were detected for CAT-262C/T polymorphism; the genotypes of AA, AT and TT were detected for CAT-21A/T. The genotype frequencies of CAT-262 CC, CT in control group, intervention group and non-intervention group were (89.33%(134/150), 10.67%(16/150); 88.67%(133/150), 11.33% (17/150),93.33% (140/150),6.67% (10/150), respectively. The gene frequency of C in control group, intervention group and non-intervention group were (94.67% (284/300), 94.33% (283/300),96.67%(290/300), respectively. The gene frequency of T in control group, intervention group and non-intervention group were 5.33%(16/300), 5.67%(17/300), 3.33%(10/300), respectively. The genotype frequencies of CAT-21 AA,AT and TT in control group, intervention group and non-intervention group were 48.67%(73/150),46.00%(69/150),5.33%(8/150) ,52.67%(79/150) ,38.00%(57/150) ,9.33% (14/150) ,51.33%(77/150) ,38.00%(57/150), 10.67%(16/150), respectively. The gene frequency of A in control group, intervention group and non-intervention group were 71.67%(215/300),71.67%(215/300),70.33%(211/300), respectively. The gene frequency of T in control group, intervention group and non-intervention group were 28.33% (85/300),28.33% (85/300),29.67% (89/300),respectively. CAT-262C/T and CAT-21A/T genotype and allele frequencies in the control group, the intervention group and non-intervention group showed no significant differences in the distribution(x2= 0.331,0.336, all P ＞0.05 ). Conclusion CAT-262C/T and CAT-21A/T polymorphism is not associated with coal-burning borne fluorosis.

PURPOSE: We report herein major determinants and long- term outcomes of balloon dilatation (BD) for 27 pediatric patients with isolated native valvular pulmonary stenosis (VPS). MATERIALS AND METHODS: From May 1997 to May 2003, 27 pediatric patients with VPS (pressure gradients> or =40mmHg) were enrolled in this retrospective study. Single-balloon maneuver was applied in 26 patients, and double- balloon maneuver in 1. After BD, the pressure gradients were documented simultaneously by pullback maneuver by cardiac catheterization and echocardiography within 24 hours, at 1- month, 3-month, 1-year, and 4-to-10-year follow-ups. RESULTS: Before BD, the echocardiographic gradients ranged from 40 to 101mmHg (61+/-19, 55), and from 40 to 144mmHg (69+/-32, 60) by pressure recordings. After BD, the gradients ranged from 12 to 70mmHg (29+/-13, 27) by pressure recording (p<0.001), and from 11 to 64mmHg (27+/-12, 26) by echocardiography within 24 hrs (p<0.001). The ratios of the systolic pressure of the right ventricle to those of the left ventricle were 55 to 157% (89+/-28, 79%) before BD, and 30 to 79% (47+/-13, 42%) after BD p<0.001). Follow-up (7.7+/-5.7, 4.5 years) echocardiographic gradients ranged from 11 to 61mmHg (25+/-11, 24). Two patients did not have immediate success owing to infundibular spasm. Improved right ventricular compliance could be accounted for the ultimate success in these 2 patients. The ultimate successful rate was 100%. CONCLUSION: BD can achieve excellent long-term outcomes in the pediatric patients with isolated native VPS.
Adolescent ; Balloon Dilatation/adverse effects/*methods ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Echocardiography ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Male ; Pulmonary Valve Stenosis/pathology/physiopathology/*therapy ; Retrospective Studies ; Time Factors ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVEThe present study was designed to investigate whether Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha stimulates release of endothelial microparticles (EMPs) by human endothelial cells, and whether EMPs may serve as a promising marker for endothelial injury and dysfunction.

METHODSHuman umbilical venous endothelial cells (HUVEC) were incubated with or without TNF-alpha for 24 hours at 37 degrees C. EMPs generated on the surface of HUVEC were observed with a scanning electron microscopy. The CD31 and CD51 positive EMPs in culture supernatants were measured by flow cytometer.

RESULTSFewer vesicles were observed on cell surface of control group, in TNF-alpha-stimulated one, however, cells manifested a blebby surface (eruption phenomenon) and more vesicles on surface were observed. The levels of EMPs were significantly increased in TNF-alpha stimulated cells compared with controls [CD31 + EMP, (164 +/- 63)/1000 cells vs. (42 +/- 10)/1000 cells, P < 0.05; CD51 + EMP, (260 +/- 108)/1000 cells vs. (19 +/- 4)/1000 cells, P < 0.05].

CONCLUSIONTNF-alpha can stimulate HUVEC to release EMPs which may serve as a surrogate marker for endothelial injury and dysfunction.

Cells, Cultured ; Cytoplasmic Granules ; metabolism ; Endothelial Cells ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Endothelium, Vascular ; cytology ; Flow Cytometry ; Humans ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; metabolism ; pharmacology ; Umbilical Veins ; cytology

OBJECTIVEReduced arterial elasticity is a hallmark of aging in healthy humans independently of diseases and endothelial-cell injury and dysfunction may be responsible for this fall in arterial elasticity. We hypothesized that circulating endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) are involved in endothelial repair and that lack of EPCs contributes to impaired arterial elasticity.

METHODSA total of 56 healthy male volunteers were divided into young (n = 26) and elderly (n = 30) groups. Large and small artery elasticity indices were non-invasively assessed by using pulse wave analysis. Flow cytometer was used to count the number of circulating CD34(+) mononuclear cells (MNCs), which were isolated from peripheral blood by Ficoll density gradient centrifugation, and then the cells were plated on fibronectin-coated culture dishes. EPCs were characterized as adherent cells double positive staining for DiI-acLDL uptake and lectin binding with using fluorescent microscope.

RESULTSC(1) (large artery elasticity index) and C(2) (small artery elasticity index) were significantly reduced in the elderly group compared with those in the young group (11.73 +/- 1.45 vs 16.89 +/- 1.69 ml/mm Hg x 10, P < 0.001; 8.40 +/- 1.45 vs 10.58 +/- 1.18 ml/mm Hg x 100, P < 0.001 respectively). In parallel, the number of circulating EPCs was significantly reduced in the elderly group compared with the young group (0.13 +/- 0.02 vs 0.17 +/- 0.04%, P < 0.05). The number of circulating EPCs correlated with C(1) large and C(2) small artery elasticity indices (r = 0.47, P < 0.01; r = 0.4, P < 0.01). Fluorescent microscope was used to identify EPCs, which were double positive staining for DiI-acLDL uptake and lectin binding.

CONCLUSIONThe present findings suggested that the fall in circulating EPCs with subsequently impaired endothelial-cell repair and function might contribute to reduced arterial elasticity in humans with aging. The decrease in circulating EPCs could serve as a surrogate biologic measure of vascular function and human age.

Adult ; Aged ; Aging ; physiology ; Arteries ; physiology ; Elasticity ; Endothelial Cells ; cytology ; physiology ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Stem Cells ; cytology ; physiology

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: It is essential to develop a reliable predictive serum biomarker for Parkinson's disease (PD). The accumulation of alpha-synuclein (αSyn) and up-regulated expression of Rab35 participate in the etiology of PD. The purpose of this investigation was to determine whether the combined assessment of serum αSyn and Rab35 is a useful predictive biomarker for PD. METHODS: Serum levels of αSyn or Rab35 were determined in serum samples from 59 sporadic PD patients, 19 progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) patients, 20 multiple system atrophy (MSA) patients, and 60 normal controls (NC). Receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curves were calculated to determine the diagnostic accuracy of αSyn or/and Rab35 in discriminating PD patients from NC or atypical parkinsonian patients. RESULTS: The levels of αSyn and Rab35 were increased in PD patients. The serum level of Rab35 was positively correlated with that of αSyn in PD patients. Compared to analyzing αSyn or Rab35 alone, the combined analysis of αSyn and Rab35 produced a larger area under the ROC curve and performed better in discriminating PD patients from NC, MSA patients, or PSP patients. When age was dichotomized at 55, 60, 65, or 70 years, the combined assessment of αSyn and Rab35 for classifying PD was better in the group below the cutoff age than in the group above the cutoff age. CONCLUSIONS: Combined assessment of serum αSyn and Rab35 is a better biomarker for discriminating PD patients from NC or atypical parkinsonian patients, and is a useful predictive biomarker for younger sporadic PD patients.
alpha-Synuclein ; Humans ; Multiple System Atrophy ; Parkinson Disease ; ROC Curve ; Supranuclear Palsy, Progressive