Child ; Glutamate Dehydrogenase ; genetics ; Humans ; Hyperinsulinism ; genetics ; Male ; Mutation

BACKGROUNDTo study the effect of gene amplification and selection system with DHFR plus GS and DHFR or GS gene on the foreign gene expression.

METHODSUsing the N-terminal truncated hTPO(T184) gene as target gene, two plasmidsre were constructed: pDC- T184 and pGC-T184 where DHFR and GS gene were used respectively as the selective amplification marker. They were cotransfected into CHO dhfr cells to establish dual gene amplification and selection system of DHFR plus GS gen and respectively transfected to establish single gene amplification and selection system of DHFR or GS gene. Three selective methods in dual selective system to compare expression efficiency of hTPO were designed: the first method (DG) was to use drug pressure of MTX, then use MSX; the second method (GD) was reversed; the third method was simultaneously to use MTX and MSX as drug pressure.

RESULTSDHFR+GS dual system had not only higher gene amplification efficiency but also higher level expression. There was no distinct affect in different method of drug pressure.

CONCLUSIONSMTX plus MSX dual drug pressure in dual selection system was an efficient and simple method to increase the expression of foreign gene in mammalian cells.

Animals ; CHO Cells ; Cricetinae ; Gene Amplification ; drug effects ; Gene Expression ; Glutamate-Ammonia Ligase ; genetics ; Methotrexate ; pharmacology ; Plasmids ; genetics ; Tetrahydrofolate Dehydrogenase ; genetics

OBJECTIVESmith-Fineman-Myers syndrome (SFMS) is an X-linked mental retardation syndrome. The authors had ascertained a large Chinese family with SFMS from Shandong and had mapped the disease locus to an interval of 19.8 Mb on Xq25 flanked by markers DXS8064 and DXS8050. Further investigation suggested that SFMS exhibited locus heterogeneity. In this study for facilitating the identification of the gene responsible for SFMS, the additional markers were analyzed to narrow down the candidate region, and four candidate genes (GPC3, MST4,GPCR2 and GLUD2) were chosen and screened for disease-causing mutation.

METHODSPCR and denaturing polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis were used to genotype 13 new polymorphic markers distributed within the candidate region. Mutation detection was accomplished by sequencing the exons and intron-exon junctions of the candidate genes.

RESULTSBy analyzing 13 additional polymorphic markers, SFMS candidate region can be reduced to an interval of 10.18 Mb bounded by XSTR3 and XSTR4, and no disease-causing mutation was identified in the coding regions of four candidate genes.

CONCLUSIONGPCR2 GPC3, MST4 and GLUD2 were excluded as pathogenic genes for SFMS. The refined SFMS locus will assist in the identification and characterization of other candidate genes for SFMS.

Abnormalities, Multiple ; genetics ; Chromosome Mapping ; Chromosomes, Human, X ; Genetic Linkage ; Glutamate Dehydrogenase ; genetics ; Glypicans ; Humans ; Intellectual Disability ; genetics ; Male ; Membrane Proteins ; genetics ; Neoplasm Proteins ; genetics ; Protein-Serine-Threonine Kinases ; genetics ; Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled ; genetics ; Syndrome

OBJECTIVETo investigate the glutamate dehydrogenase 1 (GLUD1) gene mutation of three patients diagnosed as glutamate dehydrogenase congenital hyperinsulinism (GDH-HI).

METHODSThree patients diagnosed as GDH-HI and their parents were involved in the study. PCR-DNA direct sequencing was used to analyze the exons 6,7,10,11 and 12 of the GLUD1 gene.

RESULTSIn the first case, an R269H heterozygous mutation was found in the GLUD1 gene, with autosomal dominant inheritance. In the second case, there was a de novo S445L heterozygous mutation of the GLUD1 gene. No mutation was detected in the third case.

CONCLUSIONIn Chinese, R269H, S445L heterozygous mutation of the GLUD1 gene can lead to GDH-HI. Genetic analysis is necessary in making genetic diagnosis of congenital hyperinsulinsm.

Adult ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; genetics ; Base Sequence ; China ; Congenital Hyperinsulinism ; enzymology ; genetics ; DNA Mutational Analysis ; Exons ; Female ; Glutamate Dehydrogenase (NADP+) ; genetics ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Mutation, Missense

When treated with protopine and alkalized extracts of the tuber of Corydalis ternata for one year, significant decrease in glutamate level and increase in glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) activity was observed in rat brains. The expression of GDH between the two groups remained unchanged as determined by Western and Northern blot analysis, suggesting a post-translational regulation of GDH activity in alkalized extracts treated rat brains. The stimulatory effects of alkalized extracts and protopine on the GDH activity was further examined in vitro with two types of human GDH isozymes, hGDH1 (house-keeping GDH) and hGDH2 (nerve-specific GDH). Alkalized extracts and protopine activated the human GDH isozymes up to 4.8-fold. hGDH2 (nervespecific GDH) was more sensitively affected by 1 mM ADP than hGDH1 (house-keeping GDH) on the activation by alkalized extracts. Studies with cassette mutagenesis at ADP-binding site showed that hGDH2 was more sensitively regulated by ADP than hGDH1 on the activation by Corydalis ternata. Our results suggest that prolonged exposure to Corydalis ternata may be one of the ways to regulate glutamate concentration in brain through the activation of GDH.
Animals ; Berberine Alkaloids/pharmacology ; Brain/*drug effects/enzymology ; Corydalis/*chemistry ; Enzyme Activation/drug effects ; Glutamate Dehydrogenase/genetics/*metabolism ; Glutamic Acid/*metabolism ; Isoenzymes/genetics/metabolism ; Plant Extracts/pharmacology ; RNA, Messenger/analysis/metabolism ; Rats ; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

This study aimed to identify the assemblages (or subassemblages) of Giardia duodenalis by using normal or nested PCR based on 4 genetic loci: glutamate dehydrogenase (gdh), triose phosphate isomerase (tpi), beta-giardin (bg), and small subunit ribosomal DNA (18S rRNA) genes. For this work, a total of 216 dogs' fecal samples were collected in Guangdong, China. The phylogenetic trees were constructed with MEGA5.2 by using the neighbor-joining method. Results showed that 9.7% (21/216) samples were found to be positive; moreover, 10 samples were single infection (7 isolates assemblage A, 2 isolates assemblage C, and 1 isolate assemblage D) and 11 samples were mixed infections where assemblage A was predominant, which was potentially zoonotic. These findings showed that most of the dogs in Guangdong were infected or mixed-infected with assemblage A, and multi-locus sequence typing could be the best selection for the genotype analysis of dog-derived Giardia isolates.
Animals ; China ; Cluster Analysis ; Coinfection/parasitology/veterinary ; Cytoskeletal Proteins/genetics ; DNA, Protozoan/chemistry/genetics ; Dog Diseases/parasitology ; Dogs ; Genotype ; Giardia lamblia/*classification/*genetics/isolation & purification ; Giardiasis/parasitology/*veterinary ; Glutamate Dehydrogenase/genetics ; Molecular Sequence Data ; *Multilocus Sequence Typing ; Phylogeny ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; RNA, Ribosomal, 18S/genetics ; Triose-Phosphate Isomerase/genetics

This study is to investigate the protection effect of schisandrin B (Sch B) against oxidation stress of HK-2 cells induced by cisplatin and the mechanisms involved. HK-2 cells were cultured and divided into different groups: solvent control group, cisplatin exposure group, positive group, Sch B treatment group. Cell viability and toxicity were evaluated by MTT and LDH assay. GSH level and SOD enzymes activities were also measured. DCFH-DA as fluorescence probe was used to detect ROS level by fluorescence microplate reader. Nrf2 translocation was detected by Western blotting. Real time Q-PCR was used to detect expressions of NQO1, HO-1 and GCLC mRNA level. The results showed that Sch B could significantly inhibit the decline of cell viability induced by cisplatin treatment (P < 0.05) and the protective effect was in a dose dependent manner. Furthermore, Sch B treatment significantly inhibited the increase of ROS level induced by cisplatin and reversed the decrease of GSH level (P < 0.05). When Sch B concentration was up to 5 micromol x L(-1), SOD enzyme activities were also enhanced significantly compared with that of the cisplatin group (P < 0.05). It was shown that Sch B could cause nuclear accumulation of Nrf2 in association with downstream activation of Nrf2 mediated oxidative response genes such as GCLC, NQO1 and HO-1. These results suggested Sch B could protect against the oxidative damage of HK-2 cells induced by cisplatin via the activation of Nrf2/ARE signal pathway.
Antineoplastic Agents ; toxicity ; Antioxidants ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Cell Line ; Cell Survival ; drug effects ; Cisplatin ; toxicity ; Cyclooctanes ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Glutamate-Cysteine Ligase ; genetics ; metabolism ; Glutathione ; metabolism ; Heme Oxygenase-1 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Humans ; Kidney Tubules, Proximal ; cytology ; metabolism ; L-Lactate Dehydrogenase ; metabolism ; Lignans ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; NAD(P)H Dehydrogenase (Quinone) ; genetics ; metabolism ; NF-E2-Related Factor 2 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Polycyclic Compounds ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; RNA, Messenger ; metabolism ; Reactive Oxygen Species ; metabolism ; Schisandra ; chemistry ; Signal Transduction ; Superoxide Dismutase ; metabolism

11-beta-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenase Type 1 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Adipose Tissue, White ; drug effects ; Animals ; Animals, Newborn ; Blood Glucose ; metabolism ; Body Weight ; drug effects ; Drug Synergism ; Eating ; drug effects ; Fenofibrate ; pharmacology ; Hypoglycemic Agents ; pharmacology ; Hypolipidemic Agents ; pharmacology ; Insulin Resistance ; Lipids ; blood ; Lipoprotein Lipase ; genetics ; metabolism ; Liver ; drug effects ; Metabolic Syndrome ; chemically induced ; metabolism ; pathology ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred ICR ; RNA, Messenger ; metabolism ; Sodium Glutamate ; Thiazolidinediones ; pharmacology

The aim of this study is to investigate the protection effect of tanshinone IIA (Tan) against triptolide (TP)-induced liver injury and the mechanisms involved. Acute liver injury was induced by intraperitoneal injection of TP (1 mg x kg(-1)) in mice. The activities of AST, ALT and LDH in serum and the levels of GSH, GST, GSH-PX, SOD, CAT and MDA in liver tissue were detected. The histopathological changes of liver tissues were observed after HE staining. Nrf2 translocation in liver tissue was detected by Western blotting, and real-time PCR was used to measure the expression levels of GCLC, NQO1 and HO-1 mRNA. The results showed that pretreatment with Tan significantly prevented the TP induced liver injury as indicated by reducing the activities of AST, ALT and LDH (P < 0.01). Tan pretreatment also prevented TP-induced oxidative stress in the mice liver by inhibiting MDA and restoring the levels of GSH, GST, SOD and CAT (P < 0.05). Parallel to these changes, pretreatment with Tan could attenuate histopathologic changes induced by TP. Furthermore, the results indicated that Tan pretreatment caused nuclear accumulation of Nrf2 as well as induction of mRNA expression of antioxidant response element (ARE)-driven genes such as GCLC, NQO1 and HO-1. These results indicated that Tan could protect against TP-induced acute liver injury via the activation of Nrf2/ARE pathway.
Animals ; Antioxidant Response Elements ; drug effects ; Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury ; metabolism ; pathology ; Diterpenes ; toxicity ; Diterpenes, Abietane ; pharmacology ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Epoxy Compounds ; toxicity ; Glutamate-Cysteine Ligase ; genetics ; metabolism ; Heme Oxygenase-1 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Liver ; metabolism ; pathology ; Male ; Membrane Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; NAD(P)H Dehydrogenase (Quinone) ; genetics ; metabolism ; NF-E2-Related Factor 2 ; metabolism ; Phenanthrenes ; toxicity ; RNA, Messenger ; metabolism ; Signal Transduction ; drug effects