Recent studies have found that peptide therapies tar-geting specific epitopes can avoid nonspecific immune suppres-sion induced by traditional medicines for the treatment of autoim-mune diseases, and have shown great therapeutic effect in ani-mal models of autoimmune diseases and clinical trials. The pa-per summaries the research progress and trends of peptide drugs for the treatment of autoimmune diseases from candidate peptide sources and their suppression mechanisms, which can provide a theoretical basis for the in-depth understanding of immune toler-ance and allow for discovery of new treatment for autoimmune diseases.

Objective To explore the clinical characteristics of Gitelman syndrome in children and the difference between Gitelman syndrome and Bartter syndrome.Methods Clinical date,biochemical tests and therapy of 6 patients diagnosed as Gitelman syndrome in Beijing children′s hospital from Mar.to Dec.2006 were retrospectively analyzed.At the same time,the relative articies of Gitelman syndrome and Bartter syndrome were reviewed.Results The symptoms of 6 patients appeared early.The age of onset of Gitelman syndrome at infancy stage,the main complains were growth delay,weakness,tetany.All patients had normal blood pressure.The biochemical tests showed hypocalemic,hypomagnesium,alkalosis and hyperreninemia.But the concentration of aldosterone was normal or little higher.The manifestations of all patients were relieved after taking both potassium and magnesium.Conclusion Gitelman syndrom and Bartter syndrome have differences at clinical syndrome and machanism of onset.

Adrenalectomy ; Adult ; Angiomyolipoma ; pathology ; surgery ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Kidney ; pathology ; Kidney Neoplasms ; pathology ; surgery ; Lymph Node Excision ; Lymph Nodes ; pathology ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Male ; Nephrectomy ; Ureter ; surgery

0.05).The protein and mRNA expression of MIP-2 in high glucose group significantly increased after culture for 4 h,and guadually decreased then.The protein and mRNA expression of MCP-1 began to increase significantly after culture for 8 h,reached peak at 12 h,and slightly decreased after culture for 24 and 48 h. Conclusion High glucose promotes the protein and mRNA expression of MIP-2 and MCP-1 from mouse peritoneal macrophages cultured in vitro,which indicates that high glucose may delay the wound healing by increasing the expression of chemokines in diabetic mice.

Objective To describe the clinical characteristics of a patient with Gitelman syndrome,and to identify the associated SLC12A3 gene mutations.Methods A suspected case of teenager-onset Gitelman syndrome was observed in our hospital.It was further confirmed by clinical manifestations and auxiliary examination.In addition,direct sequencing for the exons of SLC12A3 gene and CLCNKB gene region was conducted to identify the probable disease-associated mutations.Results The case showed characteristics of hypokalemia,hypomagnesemia,and low level of urinary calcium and onset by age of 18.By excluding the possibilities of long-term use of thiazide diuretics,laxatives,chronic vomiting and diarrhea,he was finally diagnosed as a case of Gitelman syndrome.Furthermore,by Sanger direct sequencing,2 coding variations were identified in SLC12A3 gene region,including T304M and L488P.L488P was a new heterozygous mutation.Conclusion Detection of SLC12A3 gene mutation could facilitate the diagnosis of Gitelman syndrome and improve prognosis.

OBJECTIVE: To study DNA quantification and STR typing of samples pre-treated with pyramidon. METHODS: The blood samples of ten unrelated individuals were anticoagulated in EDTA. The blood stains were made on the filter paper. The experimental groups were divided into six groups in accordance with the storage time, 30 min, 1 h, 3 h, 6 h, 12 h and 24h after pre-treated with pyramidon. DNA was extracted by three methods: magnetic bead-based extraction, QIAcube DNA purification method and Chelex-100 method. The quantification of DNA was made by fluorescent quantitative PCR. STR typing was detected by PCR-STR fluorescent technology. RESULTS: In the same DNA extraction method, the sample DNA decreased gradually with times after pre-treatment with pyramidon. In the same storage time, the DNA quantification in different extraction methods had significant differences. Sixteen loci DNA typing were detected in 90.56% of samples. CONCLUSION Pyramidon pre-treatment could cause DNA degradation, but effective STR typing can be achieved within 24 h. The magnetic bead-based extraction is the best method for STR profiling and DNA extraction.
Aminopyrine/pharmacology* ; Blood Stains ; DNA/isolation & purification* ; DNA Fingerprinting ; Forensic Medicine ; Humans ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Reproducibility of Results ; Specimen Handling

OBJECTIVETo investigate the possible correlation between atherosclerosis and chronic periodontitis by establishing an animal model of chronic periodontitis and atherosclerosis in Wistar rat.

METHODSSixty male Wistar rats were divided into four groups: A (control group), B (chronic periodontitis group), C (atherosclerosis group), D (chronic periodontitis accompany with atherosclerosis group). Every group was accepted the corresponding treatment. Animals were sacrificed after 12 weeks. The periodontal index, levels of serum total cholesterol (TC) and low-density lipoprotein (LDL), the concentration of TNF-alpha and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP-3) were examined. The severity of chronic periodontitis and atherosclerosis was quantified by histopathology. The date were statistically analyzed.

RESULTSThrough detection of periodontal tissue of experimental teeth, serum and histopathology, animal models were successful. Histopathologic observation revealed:obvious inflammation of periodontal tissue was observed in group B and D. Attachment loss level in group B [(137.86 +/- 28.39) microm] and D [(162.36 +/- 22.69) microm] was higher than that in group A [(4.26 +/- 1.07) microm] and C [(68.07 +/- 18.25) microm] (P < 0.05), and that in group C was higher than group A (P < 0.05). Atherosclerotic lesions of abdominal aorta were formed in group C and D. The level of TC, LDL in group C and D was higher than that in group A and B (P < 0.05), and that in group D was higher than group C (P < 0.05). Animals in group B and D showed higher level of TNF-alpha, MMP-3 in serum than that in group A and C (P < 0.05). There was no correlation between the level of MMP-3 and TC (P = 0.971) or LDL (P = 0.604).

CONCLUSIONSChronic periodontitis may be a risk factor and contribute to the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. MMP-3 may be an independent risk factor of atherosclerosis exclude TC and LDL.

Animals ; Aorta, Abdominal ; Aortic Diseases ; etiology ; pathology ; Atherosclerosis ; etiology ; pathology ; Cholesterol ; blood ; Chronic Periodontitis ; complications ; pathology ; Disease Models, Animal ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; Lipoproteins, LDL ; blood ; Male ; Matrix Metalloproteinase 3 ; blood ; Periodontal Index ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; blood

The best absorption location of puerarin microemulsion-in-oil in intestine parva of rat and pharmacokinetic characteristics, and the pathway of absorption and conveying of puerarin microemulsion were studied. In situ rat perfusion method was used to investigate the intestinal absorption of puerarin. Through the changes of drug concentration in blocked and unblocked lymphs, to determine the pathway of absorption and conveying. Puerarin microemulsion-in-oil can be absorbed in any part of intestine, and the K(a), P(app) of every part is ileum > duodenum > jejunum > colon, and the K(a), P(app) of ileum is significantly larger than that of others. The absorption rate of different concentrations is not significantly different (P > 0.05). The puerarin transited by gastrointestinal tract, about 36.8% is absorbed by the lymphatic channels to enter the systemic circulation and 63.2% is absorbed by the non-lymphatic channels. The best part of intestine to absorb puerarin microemulsion is ileum, and it is passive transport. The pathway of conveying is lymphoid and non-lymphoid transit.
Absorption ; Animals ; Colon ; metabolism ; Duodenum ; metabolism ; Ileum ; metabolism ; Intestinal Absorption ; Isoflavones ; administration & dosage ; pharmacokinetics ; Jejunum ; metabolism ; Nanostructures ; Particle Size ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

OBJECTIVESTo detect whether there is an expression of human augmenter of liver regeneration (hALR) in HepG2 cells. To develop a kind of RNAi that specifically targets human augmenter of liver regeneration by synthesizing small interfering RNA (siRNA) in vivo, and to assess the inhibitory effect of this siRNA on hALR expression.

METHODSThe expression of hALR in HepG2 cells was observed with immunocytochemistry. The RNAi plasmid pSIALR-A and the unrelated control plasmid pSIALR-B were transfected into HepG2 cells. Forty-eight hours after transfection, the protein level of hALR was measured with immunocytochemistry; meanwhile, the reverse transcription PCR (RT-PCR) was performed to detect the expression of hALR mRNA.

RESULTShALR was expressed by HepG2 cells. siRNA plasmid pSIALR-A, which targets the cDNA of hALR and the unrelated control plasmid pSIALR-B, was successfully constructed. Both immunocytochemistry and RT-PCR showed that pSIALR-A inhibited the expression of hALR in HepG2 cells significantly, compared with that of pSIALR-B.

CONCLUSIONThe results showed that the small interfering RNA targeting hALR suppresses the expression of hALR in a sequence-specific manner

Base Sequence ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms ; genetics ; metabolism ; pathology ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Plasmids ; genetics ; Proteins ; genetics ; pharmacology ; RNA, Small Interfering ; genetics ; Transfection

BACKGROUNDSevere acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) is an infectious disease caused by SARS-CoV. There are no effective antiviral drugs for SARS although the epidemic of SARS was controlled. The aim of this study was to develop an RNAi (RNA interference) approach that specifically targeted the N gene sequence of severe acute respiratory syndrome associated coronavirus (SARS-CoV) by synthesizing short hairpin RNA (shRNA) in vivo, and to assess the inhibitory effect of this shRNA on SARS-CoV N antigen expression.

METHODSThe eukaryotic expression plasmid pEGFP-C1-N, containing SARS-CoV N gene, was co-transfected into 293 cells with either the RNAi plasmid pshRNA-N or unrelated control plasmid pshRNA-HBV-C4. At 24, 48 and 72 hours post transfection, the green fluorescence was observed through a fluorescence microscope. The RNA levels of SARS-CoV N were determined by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The expression of Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP) and protein N were detected using Western blot.

RESULTSThe vector, pshRNA-N expressing shRNA which targeted the N gene of SARS-CoV, was successfully constructed. The introduction of RNAi plasmid efficiently and specifically inhibited the synthesis of protein N. RT-PCR showed that RNAs of N gene were clearly reduced when the pEGFP-C1-N was cotransfected with pshRNA-N, whereas the control vector did not exhibit inhibitory effect on N gene transcription.

CONCLUSIONSOur results demonstrate that RNAi mediated silencing of SARS-CoV gene could effectively inhibit expression of SARS-CoV antigen, hence RNAi based strategy should be further explored as a more efficacious antiviral therapy of SARS-CoV infection.

Antigens, Viral ; genetics ; Cells, Cultured ; Genetic Vectors ; Green Fluorescent Proteins ; genetics ; Humans ; Nucleocapsid Proteins ; antagonists & inhibitors ; genetics ; RNA Interference ; SARS Virus ; genetics ; immunology ; Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome ; therapy