Objective To analyze the chest CT appearance of relapsing polychondritis with severer tracheobronchial malacia and improve diagnosis veracity.Methods Five patients with relapsing polychondritis received CT examination and the CT appearances were studied.Results The characteristic appearances in CT were throat tracheal and branch stenosis.The tracheal cartilages thickened and membranous wall was normal.Conclusions Distinguishability of CT is high,which can display the area and characteristics of the pathological changes CT examination is an efficient method of diagnosis of relapsing polychondritis,and can direct selecting treating methods.[Chinese Medical Equipment Journal,2008,29(2):84-85]

Objective To clarify the effect and mechanisms of astaxanthin on the calcification of aortic valve interstitial cells （VICs） induced by osteogenic medium （OM）. Methods The CCK-8 assay was used to analyze the effects of different concentrations of astaxanthin on the proliferation of VICs. After treating VICs with astaxanthin in OM, Alizarin Red staining was performed to detect calcified nodules, and Western blotting was used to measure the expression levels of osteogenic differentiation markers ALP and Runx2. Additionally, Western blotting and immunofluorescence detection were utilized to assess the expression levels of Nrf2 and HO-1 proteins. The levels of intracellular reactive oxygen species （ROS） were measured by DCFH-DA fluorescence staining. Results The CCK-8 results indicated that the optimal concentration of astaxanthin for intervention was 25 μmol/L. Astaxanthin treatment reduced the formation of calcified nodules induced by OM in VICs, and inhibited the expression of osteogenic differentiation markers ALP and Runx2 （P<0.01）. Furthermore, Astaxanthin treatment decreased the expression levels of Nrf2 and HO-1 （P<0.01）, and reduced intracellular reactive oxygen species levels （P<0.01）. Conclusion Astaxanthin may mitigate oxidative stress and calcification in VICs by enhancing the Nrf2/HO-1 antioxidant signaling pathway.

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are expressed in different species and different tissues, and perform different functions, but little is known about their involvement in the synthesis or secretion of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH). In general, we have revealed lncRNA‍‒‍microRNA (miRNA)‍‒‍‍messenger RNA (mRNA) interactions that may play important roles in rat primary pituitary cells. In this study, a new lncRNA was identified for the first time. First, we analyzed the gene expression of lncRNA-m18as1 in different tissues and different stages by reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) and observed the localization of lncRNA-m18as1 with fluorescence in situ hybridization, which indicated that this lncRNA was distributed mainly in the cytoplasm. Next, we used RT-qPCR and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to analyze the regulation of FSH synthesis and secretion after overexpression or knockdown of lncRNA-m18as1 and found that lncRNA-m18as1 was positively correlated with FSH synthesis and secretion. In addition, mothers against decapentaplegic homolog 2 (Smad2) was highly expressed in our sequencing results. We also screened miR-18a-5p from our sequencing results as a miRNA that may bind to lncRNA-m18as1 and Smad2. We used RNA immunoprecipitation-qPCR (RIP-qPCR) and/or dual luciferase assays to confirm that lncRNA-m18as1 interacted with miR-18a-5p and miR-18a-5p interacted with Smad2. Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) showed that lncRNA-m18as1 and miR-18a-5p were localized mainly in the cytoplasm. Finally, we determined the relationship among lncRNA-m18as1, miR-18a-5p, and the Smad2/3 pathway. Overall, we found that lncRNA-m18as1 acts as a molecular sponge of miR-18a-5p to regulate the synthesis and secretion of FSH through the Smad2/3 pathway.
Animals ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Proliferation ; Follicle Stimulating Hormone/metabolism* ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic ; In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence ; MicroRNAs/metabolism* ; RNA, Long Noncoding/metabolism* ; Rats