Molecular methods and fluoroscopic techniques suggest that rich microbial diversity exist in the marine environment, but less than 1% of these microbes can be cultured in the laboratory conditions, and that the cultivable dominant species were even less. This limitation has long been a barrier to the development of environmental microbiology and the utilization of marine resources. In the past decade, novel methods for culture and detection of these uncultured marine microbes have successfully applied to obtain several conventionally-uncultured microbes including those from extreme environments. Those progresses have inspired researchers greatly. Developments in the research of marine microbial resources are an important basis for the study of the micro-world and deserve increasing scientific attention.

Objective To investigate the expression and the effects of X-chromosome linked inhibi- tor of apoptosis (XIAP) associated factor 1 (XAF1) on apoptosis and cell proliferation in SMMC7721 hepatocellur carcinoma (HCC) cell line.Methods The expression of XAF1 mRNA and protein in hu- man SMMC7721 cell line were detected by semi-quantitative,RT-PCR and Western blot.Plasmid con- structs expressing sense and antisense XAF1 were generated and transfected into SMMC7721 cell line to establish stable transfectants.Cell proliferation and apoptosis were detected by MTT,flow cytometry and TUNEL.Results XAF1 mRNA and protein were detectable in SMMC7721 cell line but lower than that in normal liver cell.Stable expression of XAF1 significantly inhibited cell proliferation and increased spontaneous apoptosis in SMMC7721 cell (P＜0.05).Over-expression of XAF1 in stable transfactants increased the sensitivity of SMMC7721 cell to chemotherapeutic drugs such as 5-fluorouracial and hydroxycamptothecin.Conclusions Over-expression of XAF1 induces apoptosis and inhibits SMMC7721 cell growth.XAF1 may be a promising candidate for HCC gene therapy.

Animals ; Animals, Newborn ; Hippocampus ; metabolism ; Hypoxia, Brain ; metabolism ; Ischemic Preconditioning ; methods ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; bcl-2-Associated X Protein ; metabolism

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

Twenty-nine antagonistic bacillus strains, isolated from some Chinese traditional medicine and fermented food , inhibit the growth of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. Vasinfectum and Verticillium dahliae Kleb. And twelve of them are able to produce antagonistic proteins. Among the twelve strains, five (H110, H184, H216, B316 and B382) showed higher antibacterial activity. Furthermore, H110 and H184 were identified as Bacillus subtilis, and H216, B316 and B382 as Bacillus licheniformis based on physiological and biochemistry experiments. The antagonistic proteins of five strains were all thermostable, resistant to proteinase K and trypsin, while H184 and H216 partially sensitive to pepsin.

AIM: To assess the differentiation of rat mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) in the microenvironment of retinitis pigmentosa(RP) induced by the administration of sodium iodate. METHODS: In vitro cultured Lewis rat MSC were injected into the subretinal space of NaIO3 induced RP rat eyes (30g/L NaIO3 100mg/kg). To observe the trace and differentiation of MSC by immuno-fluorescent method successively in 5 weeks after the surgery.RESULTS: The majority of the transplanted cells stay in retinal pigment epithelium(RPE) layer and cones and rods layer. From the 2nd week after transplantation, the engrafted MSC expressed PCK and rhodopsin under fluorescent microscope.CONCLUSION: MSC can survive mainly in the outer layer of retina in the microenvironment of RP and differentiate forward the RPE cell and photoreceptor.

To remedy the limitations of traditional numerical classification softwares,a new application,X-Cluster,was developed by using various design patterns.X-Cluster had powerful functions to support the researching of numerical classification,and testified by some classify studying about Bacillus spp..

Objective:investigate the effect of β-caryophyllene(BCP)on cerebral ischemia-reperfusion(CIR)injury in mice.Methods: Mice were subjected to CIR with or without BCP(62,124,248 mg/kg).At 24 h of reperfusion,ischemic degrees were determined according to neurologic dysfunction score and cerebral infarct volume.The protein expression of Toll-like receptor(TLR)4 was measured by Western blot.Nuclear factor κB(NF-κB)p65 were measured by immunohistochemistry and Western blot.IL-1β,tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α)and serum high-mobility group box 1(HMGB1)levels were measured by ELISA kit.Results: Compared to the CIR group,BCP(248 mg/kg)reduced the neurological score and cerebral infarct volume.BCP reduced neuronal death in mice brain subjected to cerebral I/R.In addition,BCP also inhibited the activation of NF-κB pathway and decreased increases in TLR4,HMGB1,TNF-α,IL-1β levels by CIR(P<0.01).Conclusion: BCP protects mice brain against CIR injury,its neuroprotective mechanisms may involves HMGB1/TLR4/NF-κB pathway.

OBJECTIVETo study the protective effect of alcohol extract of Plumula Nelumbini (AEPN) on carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) induced hepatic fibrosis rats and to explore its possible mechanism.

METHODSTotally 32 male SD rats were randomly divided into four groups, i.e., the normal control group, the model group, the high dose AEPN group, and the low dose AEPN group, 8 in each group. 1,000 mg/kg AEPN was given to rats in the high dose AEPN group by gastrogavage at 10 mL/kg, once daily, while 500 mg/kg AEPN was given to rats in the low dose AEPN group by gastrogavage at 10 mL/kg, once daily. Hepatic fibrosis was induced by intraperitoneal injection of CCl4. Serum levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and albumin (ALB) were examined using automatic biochemical analyzer. Activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), contents of malondialdehyde (MDA) and hydroxyproline (Hyp) in the hepatic tissue were determined using colorimetry. The degree of liver fibrosis was observed by HE staining and Masson staining. The expression of α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) was detected using immunohistochemistry.

RESULTS(1) Compared with the normal control group, serum levels of ALT and AST obviously increased and the serum ALB level obviously decreased in the model group (all P < 0.05). After treated by AEPN, serum levels of ALT and AST were lowered. and the serum ALB level was higher (all P < 0.05). (2) Compared with the normal control group, collagen deposition was obviously seen in rats' livers of the model group, and pseudolobule had formed; inflammatory activities and fibrosis degrees were serious; contents of Hyp also increased (P < 0.05).After treated by AEPN, collagen deposition was obviously reduced with no obvious pseudolobule; inflammatory activities and fibrosis degrees were alleviated; contents of Hyp were also lowered (P < 0.05). (3) Compared with the normal control group, contents of MDA in the liver tissue obviously increased, while activities of SOD obviously decreased (P < 0.05) in the model group. After treated by AEPN, contents of MDA in the liver tissue decreased and the serum SOD level significantly increased (all P < 0.05). (4) Compared with the normal control group, the expression of α-SMA was obviously elevated in the model group (P < 0.05). After treated by AEPN, its expression was obviously lowered (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSAEPN could fight against CCl4 induced liver fibrosis in rats. Fighting against lipid peroxidation and inhibi- ting activation and proliferation of hepatic stellate cells might be possibly main mechanism.

Alanine Transaminase ; metabolism ; Animals ; Carbon Tetrachloride ; Collagen ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Ethanol ; Hepatic Stellate Cells ; Hydroxyproline ; metabolism ; Lipid Peroxidation ; Liver Cirrhosis, Experimental ; drug therapy ; Male ; Malondialdehyde ; metabolism ; Rats ; Superoxide Dismutase ; metabolism

Water soluble extract (WSE) is an important index for the quality evaluation of Astragali Radix (AR). In this study, the WSE of the wild AR from Shanxi province (SX) and the cultivated AR from Gansu Province (GS) were compared. The WSEs of two types of AR were determined according to the appendix of Chinese pharmacopoeia. Then the WSEs were subjected to NMR analysis, and the obtained data were analyzed using HCA, PCA, OPLS-DA, microarray analysis, and Spearman rank analysis. In addition, the Pearson correlation of differential metabolites were also calculated. The results showed that the WSE content of GS-AR (37.80%) was higher than that of SX-AR (32.13%). The main constituent of WSE was sucrose, and other 18 compounds, including amino acids, organic acids, were also detected. Multivariate analysis revealed that SX-AR contained more choline, succinic acid, citric acid, glutamate, taurine and aspartate, while GS samples contained more sucrose, arginine and fumaric acid. In addition, the Pearson correlations between different metabolites of the two types of AR also showed apparent differences. The results suggested that the WSE of two types of AR differs not only in the content, but also in the chemical compositions. Thus, the cultivation way is important to the quality of AR. This study supplied a new method for the comparison of extract of herbal drugs.
Arginine ; analysis ; Aspartic Acid ; analysis ; Choline ; analysis ; Citric Acid ; analysis ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; analysis ; chemistry ; Fumarates ; analysis ; Glutamic Acid ; analysis ; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy ; Multivariate Analysis ; Phylogeography ; Plant Roots ; chemistry ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Succinic Acid ; analysis ; Sucrose ; analysis ; Taurine ; analysis