Objective To illustrate the features of soman induced signal transducers and activators of transcription (STATs) gene and protein expressions in cell line PC 12 . Methods The expression levels of STAT1, 3 and 5 mRNAs and protein in PC 12 cells were detected by semi quantitative RT PCR and Western blotting. PC 12 cells at 5～8 passages were randomly divided into 5 groups: control, intoxication groups for 2, 6, 12 and 24 h respectively. The products were sequenced by Sanger's double strand DNA sequence determination. Results The expression levels of STAT1, 3 and 5 mRNAs and proteins increased in PC 12 cell at 2 h and reached the highest at 12 h, then decreased at 24 h, but they were still higher than those of the control. The sequences of amplification products by RT PCR were the same to those in GenBank. Conclusion Soman intoxication can enhance the expression of STATs in PC 12 cells. STAT genes may possibly play an important role in brain injury.

Objective To investigate the effect of soman on the Janus kinases (JAKs) expression in cell line PC 12 . Methods The PC 12 cell was used in these experiments and treated with soman at a concentration of 20 ?mol/L . RT PCR and Western blotting were employed to detect the mRNA and protein expressions of JAK1, JAK2 and JAK3 at the time points of 0, 6, 12 and 24 h. The products were sequenced by Sanger's double strand DNA sequence determination. Results The expression levels of JAK1, JAK2 and JAK3 mRNAs and proteins increased at 2 h, reached the highest at 12 h and decreased at 24 h, but they were still higher than those of the control. It was shown that the sequences of amplification products by RT PCR were the same to corresponding ones in GenBank. Conclusion Soman intoxication enhances the expression of Janus kinases in PC 12 cells. JAKs genes may play an important role in brain injury due to soman intoxication.

Objective To investigate the effects of anticholinergic antidote and rhodosin on the brain injury induced by soman intoxication combined with hypobaric hypoxia in rats. Methods A total of 72 Wistar rats were divided into 4 groups: hypoxia control (HC), hypoxia plus soman (HS), hypoxia plus soman plus anticholinergic antidote (HSAA), and hypoxia plus soman plus anticholinergic antidote plus rhodosin (HSAAR). The animals after soman intoxication (72 ?g/kg) were placed in a hypobaric (62 kPa) apparatus for hypoxic exposure for 48 h. Rats were sacrificed for brain tissue detachment at the time points of 12, 24, and 48 h. Evans blue (EB) content and PLA 2 activity were detected biochemically. CaM concentration was determined by radioimmuno assay. Results Compared with the rats in HC, soman induced significant increases of brain EB, PLA 2, and CaM at 12, 24, and 48 h in HS. Elevated EB, PLA 2, and CaM induced by hypoxia and soman intoxication in rats in group HSAA were obviously attenuated by anticholinergic antidote. More significant decreases of brain EB, PLA 2, and CaM were found in rats in group HSAA. Conclusion Both anticholinergic antidote and anticholinergic antidote plus rhodosin have the preventive effect on rat brain damage induced by soman intoxication combined with hypoxia.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the expression of suppressor of cytokine signaling(SOCS)-3 and caspase-3 and their correlative significance in endometriosis.

METHODSImmunohistochemical EnVision method was used to detect the SOCS-3 and caspase-3 protein expression in ectopic and eutopic endometrium (n = 32) of patients with endometriosis, as well as normal endometrium (n = 30) of women without endometriosis.

RESULTSSOCS-3 and caspase-3 proteins were expressed in all three groups and not affected by the menstrual cycles. The expression of SOCS-3 in ectopic endometrium (5.54 ± 2.12) was significantly lower than that in eutopic (7.39 ± 1.09, P = 0.001) and control group (7.48 ± 1.26, P < 0.01), but without difference between the eutopic and control group (P = 0.756). SOCS-3 expression in ectopic and eutopic endometrium was significantly lower in III/IV stages than that in I/II stages of endometriosis (P < 0.05). Significantly lower expression of caspase-3 protein was found in ectopic (3.20 ± 1.24) and eutopic endometrium (3.88 ± 1.93) as compared with the control group (6.49 ± 1.85, P < 0.01), however ectopic and eutopic endometrium showed no significant difference (t = 1.66, P = 0.10). There was no significant difference of the expression of caspase-3 in ectopic and eutopic endometrium at different disease stages (P > 0.05). Positive correlation was found between the expression of SOCS-3 and caspase-3 proteins in ectopic endometrium (r = 0.655, P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONSOCS-3 may be involved in the development of endometriosis through inhibition of apoptosis of ectopic endometrial cells.

Adult ; Caspase 3 ; metabolism ; Endometriosis ; metabolism ; pathology ; Endometrium ; metabolism ; pathology ; Female ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Menstrual Cycle ; Middle Aged ; Suppressor of Cytokine Signaling 3 Protein ; Suppressor of Cytokine Signaling Proteins ; metabolism ; Uterine Diseases ; metabolism ; pathology ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo investigate the gene mutations of ADAMTS13 in a highly suspected hereditary thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) patient, and then make a progressive diagnosis and adjust the plan of therapy.

METHODSADAMTS13 activity and inhibitor were determined by residual-collagen binding assay during several episodes. Genomic DNA extracted from the proband's peripheral blood was used for amplification of 29 exons and exon/intron boundaries of ADAMTS13 by PCR. The PCR products were screened by direct sequencing and the gene alterations were further confirmed by direct sequencing in her family members.

RESULTThe activity of the proband's ADAMTS13 was significantly reduced while no inhibitor was found. Two novel missense mutations were found in the TSPI repeated motif domain of ADAMTS13. In both mutations, thymine substituted for cytidine, resulting in the substitution of leucine for serine in nt 2708, exon 21 (codon S903L), and tryptophan for arginine in nt 3283, exon 25(codon R1095W). These two mutations were revealed as each heterozygote in the proband's parents.

CONCLUSIONThe deficiency of ADAMTS13 caused by two homozygote missense mutations might be responsible for episode of this TTP patient.

ADAM Proteins ; genetics ; Adult ; Exons ; genetics ; Female ; Humans ; Mutation ; Purpura, Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic ; genetics

Objective To observe the changes of multi-noninvasive indexes including endothelial function, arterial flexibility, carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) and serum inflammatory cytokines in patients with mild coronary stenosis. Methods One hundred and five patients were divided into three groups according to the result of coronary angiography: coronary heart disease (stenosis ≥ 50% in at least one coronary segment), mild coronary stenosis (stenosis < 50% in at least one coronary segment) and control group (normal coronary). Brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) and ankle-brachial index (ABI), reflecting arterial flexibility and the lower extremity vascular disease respectively, were measured by a Colin system, carotid artery IMT was detected echocardiographically. Serum levels of NO, vWF, hs-CRP were measured before coronary angiography in all patients. Results baPWV [(1482±155) cm/s vs. (1249±158)cm/s] and carotid IMT [(0.88±0.18)mm vs. (0.72±0.20) mm] were significantly higher while serum levels of NO [(64±17) μmol/L vs. (83±17) μmol/L] was significantly lower in mild coronary stenosis group than those in control group (all P<0.05). vWF, ABI and hs-CRP were similar between the two groups (all P> 0.05). Logistic regression analysis showed that NO, baPWV, smoking are independent predicting factors for mild coronary stenosis (all P < 0.05) . Conclusions Endothelial dysfunction, reduction of the arterial flexibility as well as increased serum inflammation were associated with mild coronary stenosis.

BACKGROUND: The majority of children with β-thalassemia major have iron overload, and iron overload may have negative effects on hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. OBJECTIVE: To assess the effects of liver and cardiac iron overload detected by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) T2* on HLA-identical allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in children with β-thalassemia major. METHODS: Eighty-one children with β-thalassemia major who were over 3 years of age and could cooperate with MRI detection were subjected to liver and heart MRI T2* tests before or after HLA-identical allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. According to the test results, we calculated the liver and cardiac iron content, defined as an indicator of liver and heart iron overload. Then, there was a correlation analysis between the liver and cardiac iron content and serum ferritin, time of hematopoietic reconstitution, mortality rate, implantation rate and the morbidity of transplantation related complications, such as graft-versus-host disease, infections, autoimmune hemolysis, pancytopenia, hepatic veno-occlusive disease, septicemia. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: The liver iron content was positively correlated with the time of hemoglobin implantation (r=0.229, P=0.043), and the cardiac iron content were positively correlated with the mortality rate (r=0.266, P=0.017); the serum ferritin level was negatively correlated with the implantation rate (r=-0.289, P=0.009), and positively correlated with the morbidity of septicemia (r=0.251, P=0.024) and pancytopenia (r=0.276, P=0.013). Therefore, iron overload exerts negative effects on HLA-identical allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in β-thalassemia major children, and it is necessary to detect serum ferritin level and assess liver and cardiac iron overload before cell transplantation.

Adolescent ; Catheter Ablation ; methods ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Electrocardiography ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Tachycardia ; surgery

This study was purpose to evaluate a new method and instrument for detecting platelet aggregation function, establish the reference intervals for PL-11 platelet analyzer, and evaluate its clinical application. The evaluation was based on the guidelines of Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI or NCCLS) and Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendment 88. Intravenous blood samples anticoagulated with sodium citrate were detected by PL-11 platelet analyzer. The reference intervals were defined after statistic analysis. The clinical diagnostic significance of the PL-11 platelet analyzer was evaluated by testing the change rate of platelet maximum aggregation rate (MAR) of acute cerebral infarction (ACI) patients in the department of Neurology who took clopidogrel 7 d before and after. The result showed that all the parameters meet the standard of CLIA'88. The platelet MAR of 247 healthy volunteers which was induced by PLR-06, PLR-07, PLR-09 and PLR-10, was detected by the PL-11 platelet analyzer, respectively. The MAR is 58.8 ± 10.1 (%), 61.2 ± 11.8 (%), 51 ± 10.2 (%), 53.1 ± 9.2 (%), respectively. The MAR of ACI patients is significantly lower than that after taking clopidogrel. It is concluded that the PL-11 platelet analyzer is an ideal platelet function detector for early warning and diagnosis of thromboembolic disease, which is worthy to be extended and applied.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Platelet Aggregation ; Platelet Function Tests ; instrumentation ; methods ; Young Adult

To further reveal the risks of heroin abuse to human body, and to determine the injuries of oxidation, peroxidation and lipoperoxidation induced by nitric oxide and other free radicals to heroin abusers, we determined and compared plasma values of lipoperoxides (LPO), nitric oxide (NO), vitamin C (VC), vitamin E (VE), β-carotene (β-CAR) and erythrocyte values of LPO, superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) in 114 heroin abusers and 100 healthy volunteers. Using linear regression and correlation as well as stepwise regression and correlation, we also analyzed the effect of the abusing duration, and daily abusing quantity on the above-mentioned biochemical parameters in the heroin abusers. The results showed that, compared with the healthy volunteer groups, the average plasma values of LPO, and NO, and the average erythrocyte value of LPO in the heroin abuser group were significantly increased (P＜0.0001), and the average plasma values of VC, VE, and β-CAR and the average erythrocyte values of SOD, CAT, and GSH-Px were significantly decreased (P＜0.0001). Analysis of linear regression and correlation showed that with prolonged heroin abusing and with increased daily quantity in the heroin abusers, the plasma values of LPO, and NO, and the erythrocyte value of LPO were gradually increased (P＜0.001), whereas the plasma values of VC, VE, and β-CAR and the erythrocyte values of SOD, CAT, and GSH-Px were gradually decreased (P＜0.001). Analysis of stepwise regression and correlation indicated that the plasma values of NO, VC and VE were closely correlated with the abusing duration and daily abusing quantity. These results indicate that the balance between oxidation and antioxidation in the heroin abusers was seriously disturbed, and the injuries induced by nitric oxide and other free radicals, through oxidation, peroxidation and lipoperoxidation to the bodies of heroin abusers exacerbated. It is therefore necessary that in abstaining from heroin dependence, the heroin abusers should acquire sufficient quantities of antioxidants such as VC, VE and β-CAR.