Objective To observe the effects of calcitriol on cellular proliferation and apoptosis,and on the expression of transforming growth factor-β1(TGF-β1)-induced α-SMA and extracellular matrix(ECM)synthesis in renal interstitial fibroblasts,so as to illustrate its potential roles and underlying mechanisms in preventing renal interstitial fibrosis. Methods In NRK-49F of cultured rats in vitro,cellular proliferation was detected by MTY.The cellular cycle and apoptosis were assessed by flow eytometry using annexin-V FITC/propidium iodide(PI).Real-time PCR was performed to detect the mRNA expression of α-SMA,CTGF and FN,and Western blot was performed to detect the protein expression of α-SMA and FN. Results Cellular proliferation was inhibited by calcitriol through G1-arrest (P＜0.05).But calcitriol had no effect on cell apoptosis(P＞0.05).Increased expression of α-SMA,CTGF and FN mRNA induced by TGF-β1were significantly suppressed by calcitriol as compared with TGF-β1 treated group (P＜0.05).However,there was no significant difference among the groups with various concentration of calcitrol (P＞0.05).The similar phenomenon of the level of α-SMA and FN protein expression was observed in all groups by Western blot. Conclusion Caleiniol inhibits cellular proliferation of renal interstitial fibroblast by G1-arrest,but has no effect on cell apoptosis,and can prevent renal interstitial fibrosis caused by TGF-β1.

Observing the effects of Arg-Gly-Asp-Ser(RGDS) peptides on the actin organization and apoptosis in human glomerular mesangial cells, in order to explore the interaction mechanism of extracellular matrix (ECM)-integrin receptor-cy-toskeleton. Methods The alterations of actin microfilaments in glomerular mesangial cells were observed under laser scanning confocal microscope. And DNA electrophoresis and flowcytometry were used for assessing apoptosis. Results After two hours of incubation with RGDS peptides, some of the attached glomerular mesangial cells began to round up, with a prominent marginaliza-tion of the actin microfilaments which were bundled in thick aggergates to one edge of the cell. Later these cells detached and floated in the culture medium.The above sequently-occuring changes showed a time-dependent pattern. After ten hours of incubation with RGDS peptide, most of the cells had detached, and features of apoptosis appeared in them, such as inter-nucleo-somal DNA fragmentation and decreased DNA content. Conclusion RGDS tetrapeptide can disrupt the organization of cytoplasmic actin mi-crofilament, inhibit the attachment of the cultured glomerular mesangial cells and cause apoptosis in them.

Objective To investigate the effect of hypoxia on renal tubular cells and the mechanism of renal interstitial fibrosis. Methods Effect of chronic hypoxia on the proliferation, cell cycle and expression of TGF-?1 mRNA in cultured MDCK cells was examined. Quiescent cells were exposed to hypoxia (3%O2) or normoxia (18%O2) for 24, 48, 72 and 96 hours. At the end of each incubation, cellular proliferation and cell cycle were assessed by MTT method and flow cytometry, respectively. TGF-?1 mRNA level of cells were analyzed by semi-quantity RT-PCR. Results Exposure of MDCK cells to hypoxia induced a significant increase in proliferation and a significant decrease in the percentage of G0-G1 stage and a significant increase in the percentage of G2-M stage at 24, 48 and 72 hours. Meanwhile, TGF-?1 mRNA expression increased in a time-dependent manner as compared with normoxia group when MDCK cells were stimulated with 24, 48, 72 and 96 hours in hypoxia condition. Conclusion Chronic hypoxia-induced proliferation of MDCK cells is associated with increased expression of TGF-?1. Chronic hypoxia of renal tubular cells may be one of the causes of renal interstitial fibrosis.

Objective To study the expression of transforming growth factor ?(TGF-?) and connective tissue growth factor(CTGF) in renal interslitium of patients with lupus nephritis(LN) and itssignificance. Methods Expression of TGF-?1, CTGF, CD3, CD68, proliferative nuclear cell antigen(PCNA) and ?-smooth muscle actin (?-SMA) in renal interstitium of LN patients were detected byimmunohistochemical staining. The degrees of staining in LN patients were compared to those in patients withminimal change disease (MCD) . Results Expression of TGF-?1 and CTGF in renal interstitium elevatedsignificantly in LN patients as compared to those in MCD patients. There was a positive correlation betweenthe expression of TGF-?1 and CTGF ( r = 0. 5316, P = 0. 023). The expression of ?-SMA and the numbersof CD3, CD68 and PCNA positive cells in renal intersitium were significantly increased in LN patients as compared with MCD cases. The expression of a-SMA in renal interstitium was correlated with the degree of renal interstitial lesions or fibrosis( r = 0. 436, P = 0.032) . Conclusion The increased expression ofTGF-?1 and CTGF in LN patients may be involved in the damage of renal interstitium and the infiltration ofinflammatory cells.

Objective:To evaluate the effect and adverse reaction of thymosin ?1(T?1) in the treatment of malignant tumor.Methods:MEDLINE,Chinese hospital knowledge database(CHKD),Chinese Biomedical Database(CBM) were searched by key word ,and the obtained references were screened for clinical controlled trials(CCT) on the introduction of T?1 in therapy of malignant tumor.The CCT results of efficacy and safety were pooled and analyzed with a fixed or random effects model after Chi-Square testing for heterogeneity.Results:Six CCTs were included for efficacy analysis.It was found that the efficacy rate in T?1 group(70.63%) was significantly higher than that in control group(52.99%),and the value of odds ratio was 1.28 with the 95% confidence interval from 1.06 to 1.55(P

Objective To evaluate the effect and mechanism of HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor simvastatin on experimental interstitial fibrosis. Methods Experiments on rat 5/6 nephrectomy chronic renal failure model and primary cultured renal interstitial fibroblast cells were conducted in this study. The cell proliferation, extracellular matrix, c-fos mRNA expression of rat interstitial fibroblasts were measured by MTT assay, immunohistochernitry, semi-quantitative reverse-transcript PCR methods, respectively. Results Serum cholesterol, triglyceride and creatinine of treated group were significantly reduced by simvastatin as compared with controls. No statistical significance in BUN was observed between untreated and simvastatin-treated rats. Histological examination revealed that simvastatin caused a reduction in the glomeruli with sclerosis. Tubulointerstitial injury paralleled the degree of glomerular damage. Simvastatin in a dose-dependent manner inhibited the proliferation of renal intersititial fibroblasts, decreased the secretion of lamimn( LN), and suppressed the expression of c-fos mRNA, as compared with normal controls. No obvious effect on hyaluronic acid( HA) secretion of fibroblasts was found. Conclusions Simvastatin is anti-proliferative in interstitial fibroblasts and decreases the secretion of laminin. This effect is exerted, at least in part, via inhibition of the c-fos and c-jun-dependent mitogenic pathway. Simvastatin may prevent interstitial fibrosis development and attenuate renal damage in uremic rats with hvperlipidemia.

Objective To observe the therapeutic effect of interferon-? on adult patients with HBV associated glomerulonephritis.Methods Nine patients with HBV associated glomerulonephritis diagnosed in Shanghai Ruijin Hospital from September 1996 to March 2003 were treated with interferon-? at a dose of 3 million units every other day and the total period was 6 to 9 months.The proteinuria,serum HBV marks and bDNA were measured before and after therapy.Results At the end of the therapy urinary protein excretion significantly reduced(P

Objective:To study the effects of treatment of Angle Ⅱ division 2 malocclusion with upper/lower arch expansion and Class Ⅱ elastics in adults. Methods:Expanding upper/lower arch and Class Ⅱ elastic were used to treat Angle Class Ⅱ division 2 malocclusion in 15 adults. Study models and cephalograms were analyzed before and after treatment. Results:Before and after treatment the maxillary variables of cephalograms showed no significant differences, the mandibular variables showed significant differences in sagittal and vertical direction. U1-NA, U1-PP, L1-NB, L1-MP, U1-L1 and L6-Ptm were significantly increased after treatment(P

OBJECTIVE: To observe the correlation between traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) syndromes ("deficiency of qi and yin" and "deficiency of liver yin and kidney yin") and A267G in 5'-untranslated region within exonal of megsin gene, and to search the substantial genetic basis for micro-differentiation of TCM syndromes in primary immunoglobulin A nephropathy (IgAN). METHODS: A total of 120 IgAN cases meeting the diagnostic criteria were enrolled. The sequence of single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) of A267G in 5'-untranslated region within exonal of megsin gene was tested. The correlation between SNP and TCM syndromes was observed. RESULTS: There were 83 cases carrying GG genotype, 34 cases carrying GA genotype and 3 cases carrying AA genotype in 120 cases of primary IgAN. There was a high proportion of "deficiency of liver yin and kidney yin" in IgAN cases with AA and GA genotypes, and a high proportion of "deficiency of qi and yin" in IgAN cases with GG genotype (P<0.01). Odds ratio in TCM syndrome distribution between GG genotype and GA plus AA genotype was 9.800, and 95% confidence interval was 3.969-24.199. The discrepancy also resided in IgAN patients with different genders and ages. CONCLUSION: A267G in 5'-untranslated region within exonal of the megsin gene may be one of the substantial genetic basis for differentiating "deficiency of liver yin and kidney yin" syndrome and "deficiency of qi and yin" syndrome in primary IgAN.

Chronic low back pain is a common type of pain which is related to the dysfunction of low back muscles. In recent years, the pressure biofeedback has been widely used for the assessment and treatment of chronic low back pain. This paper reviewed the reliability and validity of pressure biofeedback unit in the evaluation of lumbar and abdominal muscles activity, as well as its application on the rehabil-itation of chronic low back pain, which mainly related to the assessment and treatment of lumbar muscle activity and lumbar spine stability.