AIM: To observe the effect of microRNA-16 (miR-16) on the megakaryocytic differentiation of K562 cells, and to explore the potential mechanism.METHODS:miR-16 was over-expressed or silenced by transfection with miR-16 mimics or inhibitor in K562 cells.The level of miR-16 was detected by real-time PCR.The expression of CD41, CD42b and CD61, as megakaryocytic differentiation markers, was detected by flow cytometry.The effect of miR-16 on the expression of myeloblastosis oncogene ( MYB) was measured by Western blotting, and flow cytometry was performed to confirm whether the effect of miR-16 on expression of CD41, CD42b and CD61 was mediated by MYB.RESULTS:Transfection with miR-16 mimics dramatically elevated the level of miR-16 and the expression of CD41, CD42b and CD61 in the K562 cells.Transfection with miR-16 inhibitor decreased the level of miR-16 and the expression of CD41, CD42b and CD61 in the K562 cells (P<0.05).The expression of MYB was regulated by miR-16, and MYB silencing reversed the regulation of CD41, CD42b and CD61 induced by miR-16.CONCLUSION:miR-16 regulates the megakaryocytic dif-ferentiation of K562 cells by targeting MYB.

Amino Acids ; urine ; Animals ; Biogenic Monoamines ; metabolism ; urine ; Male ; Microwaves ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar

Using brain microdialysis and LC-MS/MS to detect acetylcholine in rat brain to investigate the effects of ligustrazine. A liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method has been developed and validated for the determination of acetylcholine in rat brain dialysate sampling by microdialysis. The results indicated that ligustrazine administration by subcutaneous injection significantly increased Ach release in rat medial prefrontal cortex and nucleus accumbens in a dose-related manner. The drug' s effect on Ach release in rat brain could be directly detected by microdialysis combined with HPLC-MS/MS and this method is selective and sensitive.
Acetylcholine ; metabolism ; Animals ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Ligusticum ; chemistry ; Male ; Microdialysis ; Nucleus Accumbens ; metabolism ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Prefrontal Cortex ; metabolism ; Pyrazines ; administration & dosage ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization ; Tandem Mass Spectrometry

The study reports the detection of neuroprotective effect of 10 kinds of coumarin derivatives and explores their possible mechanism. MTT method was used to screen the neuroprotective effect of 10 coumarin derivatives on neurotoxic agents (Aβ25-35 and rotenone) or OGD (oxygen-glucose deprivation). A compound with better protective effect was obtained. Then the effect of this compound on neurotoxic agents on PC12 was detected by the morphological observation. Furthermore, the effect of compound 3 on microglia with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induced inflammation was detected. And the inflammatory factor was tested. Finally, direct free radical scavenging ability was detected. Compound 3 was found to be the best compound through three neurons toxic models. Not only compound 3 ameliorated cell viability reduced by three neurons toxic models, but also significantly inhibited the production of inflammatory factor (TNF-α and IL-1β). And its free radical scavenging ability is very good, especially the effect on superoxide anion, which is comparable with vitamin C. The significant scavenging effect of compound 3 on superoxide anion might be the mechanism of the neuroprotection. Compound 3 as a potential neural cell protective agent merits further investigation.
Animals ; Coumarins ; chemistry ; Free Radical Scavengers ; chemistry ; Inflammation ; Microglia ; drug effects ; Neurons ; drug effects ; Neuroprotective Agents ; chemistry ; PC12 Cells ; Rats

Objective To examine the difference of neurological soft signs (NSS) among the remittent schizophrenia patients,first-degree non-psychotic relatives of schizophrenia patients and healthy controls.Methods The Cambridge Neurological Inventory (CNI) (the Chinese version) was administered to 86 remittent schizophrenia patients (patient group),86 first-degree non-psychotic relatives of schizophrenia patients (relative group) and 86 healthy controls (control group).Results Compared with relative group,NSS total-score,the subscore of motor coordination and sensory integration were significantly higher in patient group (P＜0.01).Compared with control group,NSS total-score,the subscore of motor coordination and sensory integration were significantly higher in patient group (P＜0.01).Compared with control group,NSS total-score and the subscore of motor coordination were significantly higher in relative group (P＜0.01).Conclusions The levels of NSS in remittent schizophrenia patients and their first-degree non-psychotic relatives are higher than normal control,and the patients have more NSS than their relatives.The motor coordination nay be a potential endophenotype for schizophrenia.

Objective To investigate the prevalence rates of sleep disorders and the correlatives in the elderly from Taiyuan city.Methods All of the 3173 elderly (aged 60 years to 100 years) in Taiyuan city were investigated at home through questionnaires,regarding their sleep condition.Subjects with sleep disorders were then screened through questionnaires and reexamined/diagnosed by special doctors.Results (1) Among the 3173 elderly,2132 subjects complained of having sleep disorders.The total prevalence of sleep disorders was 67.2%.The prevalence rates of chronic insomnia,multi-dreams,habitual snoring and daytime drowsiness were 39.65%,38.58%,26.66% and 34.32% respectively.(2)In the male elderly,the prevalence rates of being awaken early,having more urination at night,daytime drowsiness,sleep-respiratory disturbance and indiscriminate sleep rhythm increased with age(P＜0.01).However,in the female elderly,the prevalence rates of being awaken early,having daytime drowsiness and indiscriminate sleep rhythm also had a tendency of increase (P＜0.01).(3) Living alone,emotional disorder,pain and nocturia (P＜0.01) were the risk factors of chronic insomnia in the male elderly while living alone,numbness/pruritus(P＜0.01),emotional disorder (P＜0.05),were the risk factors of chronic insomnia in the female elderly.Conclusion The prevalence rates of some sleep disturbances in the elderly in Taiyuan city were generally correspondent with prevalence rates reported elsewhere that called for more attention be paid to the effect of mood disturbance and diseases related to sleep condition among the eldexly.

Objective To explore the non-bacteria etiology of pneumonia in children under 12 years old in southwest Shanghai,and investigate clinical characteristic of pneumonia caused by different pathogens.Methods The serum of 187 children with pneumonia from July 2002 to December 2004 in hospital were investigated for respiratory syncytial virus(RSV),adenovirus 3 influenza viruses(IFV) A and B,parainfluenza viruses(PIV)type 1,2,3,4 and coxsackievirus A 1.7,echovirus 7 by employing the indirect immunofluorescence assay(IFA)for the identification of nearly 8 different viruses,and 3 different enteroviruses.Based on the principle that sensitized particles were agglutinated by the pressence of antibodies to mycoplasma pneumonia in human serum.Results Examination for 8 kinds of conventional respiratory virus infected,a total of 90 positive results in 187 cases(48.13%),Firstly was RSV(19.79%),(secondly) was IFV B(16.58%).Out of these 1084 children,154 cases(14.21%)showed positive in anti-mycoplasma pneumonia.Conclusions RSV is still the leading cause of pneumonia in children during winter and spring in southwest in Shanghai.Mycoplasma pneumonia is having been the major pathogens of the school-aged children with pneumonia.

Objective To establish a simple diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) rat model with the high fat-fed in GK rats. Methods A total of 30 GK rats (7-8 weeks) were fed with high-fat diet to establish the DPN model. Thirty normal Wistar rats were fed with ordinary diet (control group). The blood-sugar value, body mass, water-intake and food-intake were monitored every week in two groups. The serum level of glycosylated hemoglobin, the right sciatic nerve conduction velocity were detected at 8, 12 and 16 weeks respectively. The left sciatic nerve was used for HE and TUNEL staining. Results The manifestations of polydipsia, polyphagia and growth retardation were gradually appeared in GK rats. After 12 and 16 weeks, the blood-sugar and glycosylated hemoglobin were significantly increased in GK rats compared with those of normal Wistar rats (P < 0.01). The sensory nerve conduction velocity decreased obviously (P < 0.01). And motor nerve conduction velocity showed a certain decline trend (12 week P < 0.05,16 week P > 0.05). The sciatic nerve pathological features and Schwann cell apoptosis suggested that the model of DPN was successfully established (apoptosis index, P <0.01). Conclusion GK rats fed by high-fat diet are the satisfactory models of the DPN in experimental research. And 12-week is a suitable and economical time for molding.

Objective To provide references for enriching and innovating patterns of TCM syndrome differentiation by exploring the relationship between pathological changes and TCM syndrome differentiation of delayed graft function (DGF) after renal transplantation. Methods Totally 57 patients with DGF after renal transplantation who were diagnosed by pathological biopsy were also diagnosed by TCM doctors to obtain TCM syndromes. And the pathological diagnoses were compared with the distribution of TCM syndromes to discuss the relationship between them. Results All the patients were classified into four TCM syndromes:spleen-kidney qi deficiency, liver-kidney yin deficiency, qi-stagnation and blood stasis, and deficiency of both qi and yin. The results of pathological biopsy were as follows:acute tubular necrosis, calcineurin inhibitor toxicity and acute rejection. Quantitative corresponding relation was found between the pathological diagnoses and the TCM syndromes. Conclusion There are inner links between pathological diagnosis and TCM syndromes of DGF, which can be references for diagnosis and treatment of TCM syndrome differentiation.

Objective To evaluate the characteristics of abdominal aorta wall motion in different stages of rats atherosclerosis with velocity vector imaging (VVI) technique. Methods Twenty-four healthy SD rats were on high-fat feeding after one week ordinary diet. Abdominal aortic intima-media thickness (IMT), end-systolic blood vessel diameter (Ds), peak systolic velocity (Vs), resistance index (RI), pulsatility index (PI) were measured before and at the end of 8th and 12nd week. Artery wall peak velocity (V_(max)), maximum tangential strain (S_(max)) and the maximum tangential strain rate (SR_(max)) were caculated with VVI. Results Abdominal aortic intima was rough and a small amount of foam cells were found under the light microscope at the end of 8 weeks of high-fat feeding. The values of Smax and SRmax measured at the end of 8th week of high-fat feeding decreased significantly than those of before high-fat feeding (P<0.05). At the end of 12nd week, abdominal aortic intimal was thicker and atherosclerotic plaque appeared somewhere. There were significant differences in artery IMT, Ds, Vs, RI, PI between before and the end of 2nd week of high-fat feeding (P<0.05);the values of V_(max), S_(max), SR_(max) decreased significantly than those of before and at the end of 8th week of high-fat feeding (P<0.05). Conclusion VVI can quantitatively evaluate the vessel wall elasticity in different stage of arteriosclerosis rats.