ObjectiveTo study the relationship between the antitumor immunoreaction and the cell apoptosis in esophageal carcinoma.MethodsThe IL-1β converting enzyme, Fas and FasL protein were labeled by LSAB immunohistochemistric method in 46 cases of esophageal carcinoma, of which 13 cases were labeled by TdT mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL).ResultsThe positive rates of ICE, Fas and FasL proteins in the cancer nests were 78.26%, 60.87% and 47.83%. The expression of ICE protein was related to the histological grading of the cancer.Conclusions The expression of Fas, FasL protein may be related to the immunological escape of the cancer cell; the expression of ICE was related to the histological grading of the cancer.

Medicinal values and their chemical bases of Paris (Trilliaceae) are reviewed. Paris plants include 40 species and varieties. Among them, 18 ones are medicinal plants with similarity in traditional uses. Fourteen species have been studied phytochemically, which led to isolation of 207 compounds including 121 steroidal saponins. These saponins are major active constituents from Paris plants, which can explain the traditional uses of the plants to treat cancer, malignant boil, bleeding, gastritis, and so on. The similarity in medicinal uses and chemical constituents of Paris plants implies the possibility of resource substitution among these species. It is worth to further investigate Paris plants in chemical constituents, pharmacological activity, biological property, and toxicology.
Animals ; Drug Therapy ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Magnoliopsida ; chemistry ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry

Objective To study adrenomedullin (AM) mRNA and protein expression level in myocardium of autoimmune myocarditis animal models induced by immunization of mice with lactobacillus casei cell wall element(LCWE). Methods Forty-five Balb/c male mice were randomly divided into experimental group (n = 30) and control group (n = 15), which were intraperitoneally injected with LCWE and phosphate buffered solution(PBS) at day 0,3,5 and 10,respectively. Sera and myocardium samples were gained 14,21 and 28 days after the first immunization. AM expression levels were determined by semiquantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction(RT- PCR) and immunchistochemistry,and mycardial histopathological lesions were observed. The anti- myosin antibodies in different stages were examined by an ELISA. Results There were myocardial necrosis or inflammatory infiltration in the experimental group, but myocardial lesions were not found in the control group. Anti - myosin antibodies were detected in sera of experimental mice,but not in control group. Immunchistochemistry findings demonstrated that AM expression level was higher in the experimental group than in the control group( P

OBJECTIVETo study the role of Bcl-2 and Bax protein contents and their gene expression in Al-induced neurons apoptosis.

METHODSNeurons from 0 - 3 day rats were cultured and treated with different concentrations of AlCl(3 x 6) H2O. The cell apoptosis was observed by the TUNEL method and under the scan electron microscope. Bcl-2 and Bax protein contents were detected by the immunochemistry method while their gene expressions were measured by the RT-PCR method.

RESULTS(1) DNA fractions in the TUNEL method increased with the rising aluminum concentration. Blebbings and apoptosis bodies on the surface of the neurons were clearly observed under the scan electron microscope. (2) Bcl-2 protein contents and their gene expression decreased with the rising aluminum concentration (P < 0.01, r = -0.695; P < 0.05, r = -0.647), while Bax increased at the same time (P < 0.01, r = 0.676; P < 0.01, r = 0.794), the value of Bcl-2/Bax was related with the aluminum concentration (P < 0.01, r = -0.655; P < 0.01, r = -0.777).

CONCLUSIONThe aluminum may induce neurons apoptosis. Bcl-2 and Bax protein contents and their gene expression may play an important role in Al-induced apoptosis.

Aluminum ; toxicity ; Animals ; Animals, Newborn ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Cells, Cultured ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Gene Expression ; drug effects ; Neurons ; cytology ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; bcl-2-Associated X Protein ; biosynthesis ; genetics

Cold Temperature ; Dinoprost ; analogs & derivatives ; urine ; Dust ; Humans ; Interleukin-6 ; urine ; Thromboxane B2 ; analogs & derivatives ; urine ; Weather

Squalene synthase (SQS) is a key enzyme in plant terpenoid biosynthetic pathway. This study focused on cloning and analysis of Huperzia serrata SQS (HsSQS1) gene. After searching the transcriptome dataset of H serrata, one unique sequence encoding SQS was discovered. The primers were designed according to the transcript sequence of HsSQS1 from the H. serrata transcriptome dataset. The open reading frame of HsSQS1 was cloned using RT-PCR strategy. The bioinformatic analysis of this gene and its corresponding protein were performed. The cDNA (named as HsSQS1) contains a 1263 bp open reading frame and encodes a predicted protein of 420 amino acids. The GenBank accession number for this gene is JQ004938. HsSQS1 contains two transmembrane regions, without signal peptide. The conserved domain of squalene synthase was presented in HsSQS1. HsSQS1 was more abundant in H. serrata root than in leaf and stem. This study cloned and analyzed squalene synthase gene from H. serrata for the first time. The result will provide a foundation for exploring the mechanism ofterpenoid biosynthesis in H. serrata plants.
Amino Acid Sequence ; Biosynthetic Pathways ; Cloning, Molecular ; DNA, Complementary ; genetics ; Expressed Sequence Tags ; Farnesyl-Diphosphate Farnesyltransferase ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; metabolism ; Genes, Plant ; genetics ; Huperzia ; enzymology ; genetics ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Open Reading Frames ; Phylogeny ; Plant Leaves ; enzymology ; Plant Roots ; enzymology ; Plant Stems ; enzymology ; Plants, Medicinal ; enzymology ; genetics ; Triterpenes ; chemistry

The study was aimed to investigate the expression of HLA class I molecules and MHC class I chain-related molecules A/B (MICA/MICB) in K562 and adriamycin (ADM)-resistant K562 cell lines (K562/AO2) and their effect on cytotoxicity of NK cells. Expression of HLA class I molecules and MICA/MICB on the surface of K562 and K562/AO2 cell lines were analyzed by flow cytometry. Cytotoxicity of NK cells (isolated from 3 healthy persons) against K562 and K562/AO2 cells were detected by LDH releasing assay at different effect-to-target cell ratios (E:T). In blocking experiments, anti-MHC class I monoclonal antibody (McAb) (W6/32, a pan anti-HLA class I antibody) and anti-MHC class I chain-related molecules McAb (BAMO-1, specifically against MICA and MICB) were added to the target cells at E:T of 10:1. The results showed that the expression of MHC class I chain-related molecules on K562 was higher than that on K562/AO2 (P=0.000), and HLA class I molecules were not detectable on both cells. Cytotoxicities of NK cells against K562 and K562/AO2 cells were (29.32 +/- 0.12)%, (45.33 +/- 0.78)%, (58.37 +/- 0.87)%, (72.37 +/- 0.96)% and (12.47 +/- 0.91)%, (24.36 +/- 1.11)%, (33.29 +/- 1.03)%, (53.87 +/- 1.27)% at E:T ratios of 5:1, 10:1, 20:1 and 30:1 respectively (P=0.000), the cytotoxicity of NK cells on K562 cells was significantly higher than that on K562/A02 cells at different E:T ratios. Blocking experiments confirmed that at E:T of 10:1 killing of NK cells against K562 and K562/AO2 cells was efficiently inhibited by BAMO-1, whereas W6/32 had no effect on K562 and K562/AO2 cells. It is concluded that the expression of MHC class I chain-related molecules on K562 and K562/AO2 cells is correlated with NK cell-mediated lysis. NK cells display higher cytotoxicity against parental K562 cells than multi-drug resistant K562/AO2 cells. Down-regulation of MICA/B in multi-drug resistant tumor cell lines leads to reduction of susceptibility to NK lysis.
Cytotoxicity, Immunologic ; immunology ; Doxorubicin ; pharmacology ; Drug Resistance, Neoplasm ; immunology ; Genes, MHC Class I ; genetics ; Histocompatibility Antigens Class I ; immunology ; Humans ; K562 Cells ; Killer Cells, Natural ; immunology

OBJECTIVETo explore the relationship between immunochemical level of salivary and caries in children aged 4-6 years old.

METHODSTwo groups were assorted as patients with caries and without caries. Every group included 45 people. Measurements of salivary secretory immunoglobulin A (SIgA)were performed by using radio-immunoassay and single agar diffusion assay. The levels of lysozyme (LZ), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and lactic dehydrogenase (LDH) were studied with colorimetry and turbidimentry.

RESULTSThe levels of LDH, SigA, ALP, LZ had significant difference between the two groups (P < 0.05). The level of LDH between patients and peoples without caries had little difference (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe incidence of caries is associated with age, and it may have association with immunochemical levels of salivary.

Alkaline Phosphatase ; Child ; Dental Caries ; Female ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin A, Secretory ; Male ; Saliva

Ginseng is a traditional Chinese medicine which has been used in treating anemia for thousands of years. It is composed of a lot of components. The main component is total saponin of panax ginseng (TSPG), which contains more than 20 ginsenosides including Rg1, Rb1 and so on. Previous studies have reported that total saponin of panax ginseng could promote hematopoiesis by stimulating proliferation of human erythroid grogenitor cells CFU-E and BFU-E, however, it had different effects on CFU-GM reported by various laboratories. In this study, CFU-GM assay was adopted to observe the ginsenosides Rg1 and Rb1's effects on the proliferation of human marrow grannulocyte-macrophage progenitor cells. The results showed that Rg1 and Rb1 had obvious promotive effect on the proliferation of CFU-GM, and the increasing rates of colony formation were up to (70.6 +/- 6.8)% and (65.1 +/- 6.3)%, respectively. There was no inhibiting effect on CFU-GM in high concentrations of Rg1 and Rb1. It is suggested that Rg1 and Rb1 can stimulate the proliferation of human granulocyte-macrophage progentors. The results of TSPG's various effects on CFU-GM might be caused by different contents of ginsenosides in TSPG used in different laboratories.

OBJECTIVETo explore the coincidence of lipid peroxidation and neurobehavioral function changes in coke oven workers.

METHODSOne hundred and thirty-four coke oven workers were divided into three groups: 35 in the oven-bottom group, 49 in the oven-side group and 50 in oven-top group. WHO recommended NCTB was performed on coke oven workers and 36 controls from material conservation department; The contents of total superoxide dismutases (T-SOD), glutathione (GSH) and malondialdehyde (MDA) in blood were determined by test kits.

RESULTSCompared with the controls, the coke oven workers showed lower levels of T-SOD and GSH (P < 0.01), significantly higher MDA levels in blood (P < 0.01), higher score on negative mood state, lower scores on positive mood state, and poorer performance in NCTB test (P < 0.05). Further analysis revealed that there was a weak positive correlation between neurobehavioral function changes and the level of lipid peroxidation with a coefficient lower than 0.25.

CONCLUSIONThe level of lipid peroxidation in coke oven workers' blood increased and coincided with neurobehavioral function impairment.

Adult ; Affect ; Anxiety ; Case-Control Studies ; Coke ; Fatigue ; Glutathione ; blood ; Humans ; Lipid Peroxidation ; Male ; Malondialdehyde ; blood ; Middle Aged ; Occupational Exposure ; adverse effects ; Superoxide Dismutase ; blood ; Young Adult