OBJECTIVETo investigate expression of tissue transglutaminase (tTG) protein and its role in carcinogenesis of brain tumors.

METHODStTG protein was detected by immunohistochemical method in 62 astrocytomas, 18 oligodendrogliomas, 30 benign meningiomas, 30 pituitary adenomas and 10 normal brain tissues.

RESULTS(1) In brain tumors, tTG protein expression was heterogeneous locating in tumor and endothelial cells. (2) Immunoreactivity of tTG protein was significantly different between different grades of astrocytomas. (3) Expression intensity of tTG protein in glioma was higher than that in benign brain tumors. (4) Strong expression of tTG protein in tumor cell was obtained around the necrosis foci and apoptotic cells in astrocytomas.

CONCLUSIONStTG protein expression contributed to tumor malignant progression in malignant brain tumors.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Apoptosis ; Astrocytoma ; enzymology ; pathology ; Brain Neoplasms ; enzymology ; pathology ; Child ; Endothelial Cells ; enzymology ; Female ; GTP-Binding Proteins ; biosynthesis ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Oligodendroglioma ; enzymology ; pathology ; Transglutaminases ; biosynthesis

AlM: To measure the retinal electrical activities in patients with diabetic retinopathy ( DR ) by applying multifocal electroretinogram ( mf-ERG) and evaluate the degree of visual damage at different stages of DR
METHODS:Thirty cases ( 30 eyes ) aged 50 ~70 years old, excluding other diseases, were as normal group, and 99 cases ( 99 eyes ) diagnosed with type 2 diabetes were as experiment group. The cases received mf-ERG examination in the standard state, respectively. The results were statistically analyzed
RESULTS: For DR patients with early and background stage, the reaction density of mf - ERG P1 wave decreased as the disease worsened, significantly reduced in non - proliferating stage and decreased more significantly in the background of the stage Ⅲ. This showed that in the macula, electrical activity had weakened before the retina without visual or morphological changes, and with the development of the disease, the electrical activity decreased more obviously.
CONCLUSlON:mf-ERG can evaluate the severity of DR, especially suit in the early and background period of DR.

OBJECTIVETo observe the effect of bone morphogenetic protein-7 (BMP-7) on the transdifferentiation of cultured human tubular epithelial cell (HKC) induced by TGF-beta1 and to elucidate its possible mechanism.

METHODSThe cultured HKC cells were divided into 5 groups: serum-free group (negative control); single TGF-beta1 treated group (positive control); single BMP-7 treated group; combined TGF-beta1 and BMP-7 treated group; and BMP-7 pre-treated group. Expression of keratin of HKC cells was assessed by indirect enzyme immunohistochemistry (IEI), expression of alpha-smooth muscle actin (alpha-SMA) and E-cadherin by immunohistological method, percentage of alpha-SMA positive HKC cells by flow cytometry, and mRNA expression of alpha-SMA, TGF-beta1, and TGF-beta type II receptor by reverse transcription PCR.

RESULTSThe expression of alpha-SMA and the percentage of alpha-SMA positive HKC cells markedly increased after having been treated by TGF-beta1 while the expression of E-cadherin and keratin decreased. In the group pre-treated with BMP-7 (50 ng/ml) and then added with TGF-beta1 (8 ng/ml), expression of alpha-SMA was significantly lower than in the positive control group, while expression of E-cadherin and keratin significantly higher than in the positive control group. Measurement of the percentage of alpha-SMA positive HKC found significant deference between the combined TGF-beta1 and BMP-7 treated group and the positive control group (9.7% vs 19.8%; 5.8% vs 19.8%; P < 0.05). Significant difference existed between the BMP-7 (50 ng/ml) pre-treated group and the positive control group (8.7% vs 19.8%, P < 0.05). mRNA expression of alpha-SMA was measured by RT-PCR and the results showed that it significantly decreased in the group treated or pre-treated with BMP-7 (50 ng/ml) (15% and 12% of the results in the positive control group, respectively). The mRNA expression levels of both TGF-beta1 and its type II receptor significantly decreased (28% and 19%; 47% and 36%, compared with the positive control group, respectively).

CONCLUSIONTransdifferentiation of cultured renal epithelial cell induced by TGF-beta1 can be inhibittd by certain levels of BMP-7, cultured together with TGF-beta1 or pretreated. BMP-7 can prevent and inhibit the mRNA expression of TGF-beta1 and its type II receptor, which may be an important mechanism by which BMP-7 inhibit the transdifferentiation of renal tubular epithelial cell.

Actins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Bone Morphogenetic Protein 7 ; Bone Morphogenetic Proteins ; pharmacology ; Cell Differentiation ; drug effects ; Cells, Cultured ; Epithelial Cells ; cytology ; Humans ; Kidney Tubules ; cytology ; metabolism ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; RNA, Messenger ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Transforming Growth Factor beta ; pharmacology ; Transforming Growth Factor beta1

Adult ; Biomarkers, Tumor ; biosynthesis ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; diagnosis ; enzymology ; DNA-Binding Proteins ; Female ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; enzymology ; Male ; Prognosis ; Telomerase ; biosynthesis ; genetics

OBJECTIVETo explore the relationship between the occupational stress and cardiovascular disease risk factors.

METHODSThe subject was 93 male freight train dispatchers, the occupational stressors, personalities, and occupational strain response were measured by using questionnaires. Blood pressure, heart rate, the concentrations of the cholesterol, triglyceride, and glycosylated hemoglobin in blood serum were also measured.

RESULTSSocial support score were significantly positively related to systolic pressure (r = 0.22) and diastolic pressure (r = 0.30) (P < 0.05), while job satisfaction negatively related to them and concentration of triglyceride (r = -0.37, -0.47 and -0.28 respectively, P < 0.05, P < 0.01), and self-esteem negatively to systolic pressure (r = -0.21, P < 0.05). The differences in diastolic pressure [(78.5 +/- 13.1), (83.6 +/- 8.2), (88.1 +/- 12.3), (85.8 +/- 9.8) mm Hg, P < 0.05] among groups of social support score, body mass index (BMI) (P < 0.01) among groups of job difficulty the differences in systolic pressure [(124.9 +/- 14.4), (129.7 +/- 13.1), (118.4 +/- 16.4), (133.5 +/- 23.1) mm Hg] and diastolic pressure [(85.5 +/- 11.3), (87.0 +/- 9.8), (80.1 +/- 10.1), (88.9 +/- 12.0) mm Hg] and cholesterol level in serum [(4.96 +/- 1.18), (5.39 +/- 0.85), (5.00 +/- 1.15), (4.34 +/- 0.91) mmol/L] among groups of vulnerability to stress (P < 0.05), as well as the difference in systolic pressure and glycosylated hemoglobin level in serum among groups of competition score (P < 0.05) were all statistically significant. Stepwise regression analysis showed that job time demands and negative coping affected the change of cholesterol (R(2) > 0.05); the job relation decision latitude, social support, job difficulty, personality (self-esteem and anxiety trait) and negative coping were the predictors of smoking (R(2) > 0.05). Heart rate was related to home income and competition factor of Type A Behavior (R(2) = 0.06).

CONCLUSIONThe psychosocial stress aspects of work may be related to some cardiovascular risk factors.

Blood Pressure ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; etiology ; Cholesterol ; blood ; Humans ; Occupational Diseases ; complications ; Regression Analysis ; Risk Factors ; Stress, Psychological ; complications

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of nuclear transcription factor-kappaB decoy oligodeoxynucleotides (NFkappaB decoyODNs) on the intimal hyperplasia (IH) in vein graft in rats.

METHODSAutogenous vein graft model for 72 Wistar rats was established, and the interior jugular vein was transplanted to common jugular artery by microsurgical technique. The rats were divided into 6 groups according to different processing methods, including NFkappaB decoyODNs 50 microg and 200 microg, scramble decoyODNs 50 microg and 200 microg, control and lipofectin + pluronic teams. Vein graft samples were harvested in 1 or 2 weeks after surgery and ICAM-1 mRNA were measured by RT-PCR. Western blotting and immunohistochemistry methods were also employed to detect the expression of p65 and ICAM-1. IH was compared at the same time.

RESULTSThe intimal hyperplasia was evident in 1 or 2 weeks after vein graft, and ameliorated by 50 microg of NFkappaB decoyODNs with inhibition rate from 22% to 31%, 200 microg of NFkappaB decoyODNs had a higher inhibition rate from 41% to 53%. However, no effect was found in the other teams. The expression of ICAM-1 mRNA was also inhibited significantly by NFkappaB decoyODNs and more obvious in 2 weeks after surgery. Expression of ICAM-1 and p65 decreased greatly in NFkappaB decoyODNs team, which has a inhibition rate from 30% to 57%.

CONCLUSIONTransfection of NFkappaB decoyODNs can inhibit the IH after vein graft, which may be accomplished by the inhibition of gene expression of ICAM-1.

Animals ; Blotting, Western ; Female ; Genetic Therapy ; methods ; Hyperplasia ; Immunohistochemistry ; Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 ; genetics ; Jugular Veins ; pathology ; transplantation ; Male ; NF-kappa B ; genetics ; Oligodeoxyribonucleotides ; pharmacology ; RNA, Messenger ; analysis ; Rats ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Tunica Intima ; pathology

OBJECTIVETo explore the effect of ricin temperature response gel on breast cancer and its regulatory effect on immune function in rats.

METHODSRicin was purified by chromatography and identified by immunoblotting. The rat subcutaneously transplanted breast cancer model was established. Forty model rats with a tumor diameter of about 3.0 cm were subjected to the study. They were randomized into four groups equally: the model group and three treated groups (blank gel, ricin, ricin-gel) were administered with blank gel, ricin, and ricin temperature response gel via percutaneous intratumor injection, respectively. The tumor was isolated 10 days later for the estimation of tumor inhibition rate (TIR) by weighing, pathologic examination, and detection of tumor apoptosis-associated genes bcl-2 and bax with semiquantitative RT-PCR. Also, peripheral blood was obtained to test T-lymphocyte subsets, the killing function of lymphocytes, and the contents of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-2 (IL-2). The outcomes were compared between groups.

RESULTSThe TIR in the ricin-gel group was 61.8%, with the pathologic examination showing extensive tumor tissue necrosis. Compared with the model group, after ricin temperature response gel treatment, bcl-2 expression was down-regulated, bax expression was up-regulated, CD4+ lymphocytes and CD4+/CD8+ ratio in peripheral blood were increased, the killing function of lymphocytes was enhanced, and the contents of TNF-α and IL-2 were elevated (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONIntratumor injection of ricin temperature-responsive gel showed significant antitumor effect on breast cancer and could enhance the immune function in the tumor-bearing rat.

Animals ; Antineoplastic Agents ; administration & dosage ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; CD4-CD8 Ratio ; Disease Models, Animal ; Female ; Gels ; therapeutic use ; Immunohistochemistry ; Immunomodulation ; drug effects ; Injections, Intralesional ; Interleukin-2 ; immunology ; metabolism ; Mammary Neoplasms, Experimental ; drug therapy ; immunology ; pathology ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Ricin ; administration & dosage ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Temperature ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; immunology ; metabolism