BACKGROUND:Genetic factors, environment, chronic infection, and autoimmune disorders are considered to be involved in the pathogenesis of ankylosing spondylitis. Genetic factors play an important role in the pathogenesis of the disease. Ethnic and regional diversity of differentialy expressed genes has become research hotspot because of family aggregation and ethnic diversity of ankylosing spondylitis.
OBJECTIVE:To screen differentialy expressed genes in Xinjiang Uygur and Han patients with ankylosing spondylitis by microarray screening and compare differences in gene expressions.
METHODS: Uygur and Han patients with active ankylosing spondylitis in department of rheumatology of our hospital were randomly colected with five patients for each. In addition, three healthy volunteers were selected as controls. RNA from peripheral blood was extracted and used for microarray hybridization after probe preparation to screen differentialy expressed genes in ankylosing spondylitis samples and the microarray results were verified by semi-quantitative RT-PCR analysis.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Twenty differentialy expressed miRNAs were screened in Uygur and Han patients with active ankylosing spondylitis (P < 0.05). From relationship analysis of target genes and miRNAs, 15 target genes corresponding to the 79 miRNAs involved in human leucocyte antigens and interleukins which linked to human immunity system were found. These findings suggest that differentialy expressed genes can be screened from Uygur and Han patients with ankylosing spondylitis.

Objective To investigate the effects of benazepril on the expression of receptors for advanced glycation end-products(RAGE)in diabetic rat kidneys,and to explore its mechanisms of renal protection in diabetic rats. Methods Thirty SD rats were randomly divided into three groups(n=10 in each group): normal control group,diabetic control group and diabetic with benazepril group.Blood glucose,blood lipid,HbA1c,kidney to body weight ratio and 24 h urinary protein excretion were detected after 12 weeks.RAGE mRNA level was analyzed by quantitative RT-PCR. Results Compared with the normal control group,the blood glucose,HbA1c,triglyceride,total cholesterol and low density lipoprotein cholesterol in the diabetic control group and diabetic with benazepril group were significantly increased(P0.05).The kidney to body weight ratio,24 h urinary protein excretion and RAGE mRNA level in the diabetic with benazepril group were significantly higher than those in the normal control group(P

Objective To investigate the effects of valsartan on the expression of receptors for advanced glycation end-products(RAGE) in kidneys of diabetic rats,and to explore its renoprotection mechanisms. Methods Thirty rats were divided into normal control group,diabetes control group and diabetes with valsartan group(n=10).Blood glucose,blood lipid,HbA1c,kidney to body weight ratio and 24 h urinary protein excretion were measured after 12 weeks.RAGE mRNA level was detected by real-time quantitative PCR. Results Compared with normal control group,kidney to body weight ratio,24 h urinary protein excretion and RAGE mRNA were significantly increased in diabetes control group.Compared with diabetes control group,kidney to body weight ratio,24 h urinary protein excretion and RAGE mRNA were significantly decreased in diabetes with valsartan group. Conclusion Valsartan can inhibit renal hypertrophy and decrease urinary protein excretion in diabetic rats.The renoprotective effects may be related to its inhibition on RAGE expression.

ObjectiveTo investigate the effects of early inhaled budesonide on the expression of nuclear factor-kappa B(NF-κB) and intercellular adhesion molecule(ICAM-1) in airway epithelial cells of asthma rats.Methods30 rats were randomly divided into three groups:control group, asthma group and therapeutic group with inhaled budesonide.The expression of NF-κB and ICAM-1 in bronchial epithelium were observed with immunohistochemical staining and computer image analysis system.ResultsThe expression of NF-κB, ICAM-1 and subepithelial collagen deposition were significantly highly in asthma group than those of control group and of therapeutic group (P<0.01 respectively). There was a close correlation between the expression of NF-κB and ICAM-1 in asthma rats (r=0.61,P<0.01), as well as between the expression of ICAM-1 and supepithelial collagen(r=0.47,P<0.01).ConclusionThe excessive expression of NF-κB and ICAM-1 play an important role in the pathogenesis of airway remodeling in asthma.Budesonide can influence airway remodeling by downregulating the expression of NF-κB and ICAM-1.

OBJECTIVETo establish a new rat model of chronic cyclosporine A nephrotoxicity and explore its features.

METHODSTotally 24 male SD rats were equally randomized divided into 3 groups: sham-adrenalectomized (sham-ADX) group, ADX group and ADX plus cyclosporine A (CsA) group. Rats in ADX and CsA group first underwent adrenalectomy, followed by the administration of placebo or dexamethasone, respectively. Rats in sham-ADX group received sham adrenalectomy and distilled water as control. Six weeks later, all rats were sacrificed and the following indicators were evaluated: urine protein excretion, creatinine clearance, aldosterone level in serum and urine, aldosterone level and its synthase CYP11B2 gene expression in kidney, serum natrium and potassium, urine natrium and potassium excretion, and tubulointerstitial fibrosis by masson trichrome stain.

RESULTSIn ADX and CsA group, serum and urine aldosterone were undetectable on the second post-operative day, with other observations including natriuresis, hyponatremia, decreased urine potassium excretion, and hyperpotassemia, suggesting that adrenals were removed intact and the adrenalectomy was successful. Rats in CsA group showed increased urine protein, decreased creatinine clearance and tubulointerstitial fibrosis, suggesting that a model of chronic CsA nephrotoxicity was successfully established. At the endpoint, serum potassium, serum aldosterone, urine potassium and urine aldosterone excretion partially retrieved. Natrium in serum and urine was not significant different between ADX group/CsA group and sham-ADX group. Local renal aldosterone and its gene expression were remarkably upregulated.

CONCLUSIONSWe successfully established a new rat model of chronic CsA nephrotoxicity by adrenalectomy without low sodium diet. After adrenalectomy, local renal aldosterone in kidney may compensate for circulatory aldosterone deficit to maintain electrolyte balance.

Acute Kidney Injury ; chemically induced ; Adrenalectomy ; Aldosterone ; metabolism ; Animals ; Cyclosporine ; toxicity ; Disease Models, Animal ; Immunosuppressive Agents ; toxicity ; Kidney ; drug effects ; metabolism ; pathology ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

Social governance is a novel form of public administration made based on the analysis and judgment for the power pattern in the course of social administration, a model advocated in the premise of a clearly positioned relationship among the government, marketplace, society and citizens.Social evaluation is an effective carrier and means leveraging the social governance theory, which has found extensive and outstanding use in such issues as expression of public interests and responsibilities,and in tackling sharp social problems. The authors called into play the scenario analysis based on public hospital management reforms with the social governance theory. In addition, they explored social governance at home and abroad as well as the theories, meaning and progress of social evaluation, and analyzed the pathways and probes in social evaluation and governance in the fields in question. On such basis, the paper proposed to explore and develop the social evaluation strategies and study framework for public hospitals in terms of healthcare management, aiming at building the social governance system and policies for public hospitals.

Hypermethylation in the promoter region of tumor suppressor genes is a common mechanism of gene silencing, which tends to occur in cancer. The effects of 5-Aza-2'-deoxycytidine (5-Aza-CdR), a specific DNA methyltransferase inhibitor, on the cell proliferation of human breast cancer cell line MCF-7 and on the expression of Apaf-1 gene were investigated. Human MCF-7 cells were incubated with increasing concentrations of 5-Aza-CdR for 12 to 120 h. The growth inhibition rates of MCF-7 cells were detected by MTT assay. Changes of cell cycle distribution and apoptotic rates of MCF-7 cells were determined by flow cytometry. The expressions of DNA methyltransferase 3b mRNA and Apaf-1 mRNA were measured by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Meanwhile, the expression of Apaf-1 protein was detected by Western blotting. The results showed that 5-Aza-CdR significantly inhibited the growth of MCF-7 cells and the growth inhibition rate of MCF-7 cells was significantly enhanced with the concentration of 5-Aza-CdR and the action time. Flow cytometry indicated that 5-Aza-CdR could significantly induce G(1)/S cell cycle arrest and increase the apoptosis rate of MCF-7 cells. The mRNA and protein expressions of Apaf-1 were up-regulated in MCF-7 cells treated with 5-Aza-CdR, which was accompanied by down-regulation of DNA methyltransferase 3b mRNA. It is concluded that 5-Aza-CdR might retard the growth of tumor cells and promote the apoptosis of MCF-7 breast cancer cells by inhibiting the expression of DNA methyltransferase 3b and re-activating the Apaf-1 gene expression.

OBJECTIVETo investigate whether aristolochic acid can be transported into human kidney proximal tubular cell (HKC) and its potential mechanism.

METHODSIntracellular aristolochic acid was measured by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. The release of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) induced by aristolochic acid in the presence of organic anion transporter inhibitor (probenecid) or organic cation transporter inhibitor (tetraethylammonium) was evaluated. The effects of probenecid on aristolochic acid induced connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) mRNA and protein expression were also examined by real time polymerase chain reaction and Western blot, respectively.

RESULTSAristolochic acid was detected in the suspension of the denatured HKC after incubation with aristolochic acid sodium salt. The release of LDH from HKC, which was induced by 60 mg/L aristolochic acid sodium salt, was significantly inhibited by 1 mmol/L probenecid (P < 0.01), but not by 1 mmol/L tetraethylammonium. The increased CTGF mRNA and protein expression in HKC stimulated by 40 mg/L aristolochic acid sodium salt was significantly down-regulated by 1 mmol/L probenecid (P < 0.05), with an inhibition rate of 16% and 21%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONAristolochic acid can be transported into HKC by organic anion transport system, and then exerts its biological effects.

Aristolochic Acids ; metabolism ; Connective Tissue Growth Factor ; metabolism ; Epithelial Cells ; metabolism ; Humans ; Kidney ; physiology ; Organic Anion Transporters ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo investigate the antagonizing effect of Hirsutella sinensis (HS) on renal tubular epithelial-myofibroblast transdifferentiation (TEMT) and its possible pathogenic mechanism in rats with chronic aristolochic acid nephropathy (CAAN).

METHODSEighteen male Sprague-Dawley rats were equally divided into 3 groups, the model (M) group, the intervention (I) group and the control (C) group. The 24 h urinary protein (UP) in rats was measured before intervention and at the end of the 1st, 4th, 8th, and 12th week, and creatinine clearance rate (CCr) was measured before intervention and at the end of the 12th week respectively. All rats were sacrificed at the end of the 12th week, their kidney was taken for examining the degree of fibrosis in renal interstitial with Masson's stain and determining mRNA and protein expressions of transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta1), Snail, alpha-smooth muscle actin (alpha-SMA) and cytokeratin in renal tissue by Real-time RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry staining, respectively.

RESULTSCompared with the C group, CCr was significantly lower, while 24 h UP was higher; the relative area of interstitial fibrosis was significantly larger in the M group; besides, the mRNA and protein expressions of TGF-beta1, Snail and alpha-SMA were significantly up-regulated (P < 0.01 or P < 0.05), and those of cytokeratin were significantly down-regulated (P < 0.01) in renal tissue of the M group. While in the I group, all the above-mentioned abnormalities were restored to some extent (P < 0.05) and showed significant difference (all P < 0.05) as compared with those in the M group.

CONCLUSIONHS can downregulate TGF-beta1 and Snail expressions in renal tissue, antagonize TEMT and renal interstitial fibrosis, and improve renal function in CAAN rats.

Actins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Animals ; Aristolochic Acids ; toxicity ; Cell Transdifferentiation ; Chronic Disease ; Cordyceps ; chemistry ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Fibroblasts ; drug effects ; Kidney Diseases ; chemically induced ; metabolism ; Kidney Tubules ; pathology ; Male ; Phytotherapy ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; metabolism ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Snail Family Transcription Factors ; Transcription Factors ; genetics ; metabolism ; Transforming Growth Factor alpha ; genetics ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the efficacy of Tooth Mousse in reducing enamel demineralization lesions adjacent to bonded orthodontic brackets and promoting remineralization in vitro.

METHODS60 bovine teeth with bonded orthodontic brackets were randomly divided into three groups, negative control group, positive control group and experimental group, applied separately with distilled water, Duraphat fluoride varnish, Tooth Mousse. 3 groups were dipped into an artificial caries solution and an artificial saliva solution, cycling between them. All samples were detected by polarized light microscope, scanning electron microscope and electron probe micro-analysis.

RESULTSPolarized light microscope showed that the enamel surface of the experimental group were completed, the areas of positive birefringence were decreased obviously. Scanning electron microscope showed that a large number of deposits were found on the dental enamel surface of the experimental group, filled in the small local concave of enamel surface. Compared with the control group, electron probe micro-analysis showed that calcium and phosphate concentration of enamel surface was higher in experimental group than in negative control group (P<0.05), there was no significant differences between experimental group and positive control group (P>0.05).

CONCLUSIONTooth Mousse can reduce enamel demineralization and promoting remineralization in vitro.

Animals ; Cariostatic Agents ; Caseins ; Cattle ; Dental Caries ; Dental Enamel ; Fluorides ; Fluorides, Topical ; Orthodontic Brackets ; Phosphates ; Sodium Fluoride ; Tooth Demineralization