Microbial secondary metabolites are one of the major sources of anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, antitumor, anti-virus and immunosuppressive agents for clinical use. Present challenges in microbial pharmaceutical development are the discovery of novel secondary metabolites with significant biological activities, improving the fermentation titers of industrial microbial strains, and production of natural product drugs by re-establishing their biosynthetic pathways in suitable microbial hosts. Synthetic biology, which is developed from systematic biology and metabolic engineering, provides a significant driving force for microbial pharmaceutical development. The review describes the major applications of synthetic biology in novel microbial secondary metabolite discovery, improved production of known secondary metabolites and the production of some natural drugs in genetically modified or reconstructed model microorganisms.

Hyperuricemia mice model was established with uricase inhibitor (potassium oxonate) and uric acids in serum were observed. Polydatin (5, 10, 20 mg · kg(-1)) and benzbromarone (16.7 mg · kg(-1)) were given ig for 7 d in mice. Kidney tissues were used to detect gene contents ofurate anion transporter 1 (URAT1), organic anion transporter 1 (OAT1) and organic anion transporter 3 (OAT3) by real-time-PCR. The results showed that polydatin and benzbromarone can significantly reduce uric acid in blood of hyperuricemia mice (P < 0.05), compared with the model group. URAT1, OAT1 and OAT3 contents of the kidney in hyperuricemia mice changed significantly (P < 0.05), compared with the blank group. Polydatin can significantly inhibit the changing trends in these genes induced by potassium oxonate in a dose-dependent manner, the difference was significant (P < 0.05), compared with the model group. Those indicated that polysatin could reduce the level of the serum uric acid through promoting uric acid excretion.
Animals ; Disease Models, Animal ; Glucosides ; pharmacology ; Hyperuricemia ; drug therapy ; Kidney ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Mice ; Stilbenes ; pharmacology ; Uric Acid ; blood

Animals ; Animals, Newborn ; Disease Models, Animal ; Enterocolitis, Necrotizing ; chemically induced ; Female ; Male ; Platelet Activating Factor ; toxicity ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Sulfalene ; toxicity ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; toxicity

Objectives:To study the enzymatic changes and protective effects of ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF) on neurons in spinal cord injury (SCI).Methods:SD rats were subjected to incomplete SCI with modified Allen methods.Activities of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and acid phosphatase (ACP) in spinal cord were quantitatively measured preoperatively,and 3,7,14 days after SCI.Results:AChE activity decreased gradually after injury.ACP activity increased 3 days after injury,and reached peak on the 7th day,then recovered gradually.The rats treated with CNTF showed relatively smooth change of the 2 kinds of enzymes.Conclusions:CNTF plays a role in protecting the spinal cord neurons against injury.

Objective To explore the clinical character istics of bile reflux gastritis. Methods We observed 1328 patients with bile reflux gastritis(excluding gastritis of the remnant stomach),and selected 425 superficial gastritis as control group.All the patients took helicobacter pylori(Hp) rapid urease examination. 664 cases in observed group and all in patients of control group were examined for bile disease by UB. Results In 1328 patients,there were 797 male and 531 female,and the ratio of male and female was 1.5/1.The detecting rate of bile reflux gastritis was decreased along with aging. Among all the patients,there were 651 simple superficial gastritis(49%),86 gastric ulcer(6.5%),412 duodenal ulcer (31%),122 combined ulcer(9.2%) and 57 other disease(4.7%).In observed group,1030 HP(77.56%) were regative; 298 Hp(22.44%) were positive,and in control group,282 Hp(66.35%) were regative,147 Hp(33.65%) were positive.The amount of gallbladder disease resection was 221(33.3%),which was more than that of control group(16.9%). Conclusion The detecting rate of bile reflux gastritis was decreased along with aging.Bile reflux gastritis is more often combined with ulcer disease or gallbladder disease. The Hp infection rate of bile reflux gastritis is significant lower than that of non-bile reflux gastritis.

AIM To study the anti-inflammatory effects and mechanisms of pristimerin. METHODS Several inflammatory models were established, such as ear edema induced by croton oil, hind paw swelling by carrageenan, elevation of capillary permeability by acetic acid in mice and a-cute peritonitis induced by carrageenan in rats. Protein content was measured by Coomassie brilliant blue method, nitric oxide (NO) content by Griess reaction assay, N-acetyl-?-D-glucosamini-dase (NAG) activity by colorimetry, superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity by hydroxylamine method, catalase (CAT) activity by ultraviolet spectro-photometry, and malondialdehyde (MDA) content by fluorescence method in peritoneal exudate in rats. RESULTS Pristimerin ip 0. 156 - 0. 625 mg ? kg-1 or im 1-4 mg - kg-1 inhibited ear edema, hind paw swelling, and elevation of capillary permeability in mice. In the rat peritonitis induced by carrageenan, pristimerin im 1 - 2 mg ?kg-1 reduced neutrophil counts, lessened protein and NO content, inhibited the production of MDA and decreased NAG activity, while augmented the SOD and CAT activity in exudate. CONCLUSION Pristimerin has a significant anti-inflammatory effect which may be related to the inhibition of NO production, scavenging oxygen free radicals, anti-lipoperoxidation and stabilizing lysosome membrane.

Objective To evaluate the techniques and application of 64-slice helical CT colonography in colonic lesions. Methods Thirty-eight patients (including 12 colonic carcinomas,10 polypi, 9 colon multiple scrobiculus, 2 multiple diverticula, 2 negative, 1 congenital bowel malrotaion,1 ulcerative colitis and tunica mucosa glandular organ hyperplasy,1 colocolic anastomosis of terminal ileum and sigmoid colon) underwent volume scanning using 64-slice helical CT after cleaning colon. Six types of reconstruction including CT virtual colonoscopy(CTVC), volume rendering(VR), multiple planar reconstruction(MPR), 360?sectional view, RaySum,and navigation were gained.CTVC appearances were compared with that of conventional colonoscopy(CC).Results In 12 colonic carcinomas and 10 polypi,the lesions’ morphology,number,size, were satisfactorily shown by CTVC. The lesions’ location,range,and 1 intestinal canal obviously stenosis were also exactly shown by RaySum.The relationship between tumor and environment, 3 liver or retroperitoneal lymph node metastasis were satisfactorily shown by MPR and 2D transection image. On 360?sectional view,the distance between tumor and anus was exactly measured and the result was in conformity to that of CC. Of the CTVC appearances,1 sigmoid carcinoma and 1 transverse colon polyp was in unconformity to that of CC;1 ulcerative colitis and descending colon carcinoma was diagnosed as ulcerative colitis and tunica mucosa glandular organ hyperplasy by pathology.Conclusion 64-slice helical CT is a valuable imaging technique for detecting colon diseases. CTVC can obtain more clinical information than CC combining MPR,RaySum and VR.

Objective To study the clinical value of 64-slice spiral computed tomography(64SCT) contrast-enhanced scan and three-dimensional reconstructed techniques in the diagnosis of complex congenital heart disease(CCHD). Methods 39 patients with CCHD underwent CT angiography and transthoracic echocardiograms (TTE). Of them, the electrocardiographic-gating technique was used in 8 cases. The accurate rates in diagnosing CCHD with CT, TTE and CT with or without electrocardiographic-gating were analysed compared with that of operation and χ~2 test using SPSS13.0 tool. Results A total of 102 cardiac deformities con-firmed by operations,those included 47 intracardiac deformities,the diagnostic accuracys with CT and TTE were 85.1% and 95.7%, respectively, and there was no obvious difference among them (χ~2=2.68, P>0.05). 55 extracardiac deformities, the definite diagnos-tic rates with CT and TTE were 98.2% and 78.2%, respectively. CT was superior to TTE in the indentification of extracardiac de-formities(χ~2= 14.64 ,P<0.01). There was no obvious difference between with and without electrocardiographic-gating technique during CT scanning in diagnosis of cardiac deformities(χ~2=1.84, P>0.05). Conclusion 64SCT has significant value in diagnosis of CCHD,and there was no obvious difference in diagnosis of cardiac deformities by 64SCT between with and without electrocardio-graphic-gating technic.

Objective: To investigate the effect of insulin-like growth factor-Ⅰon osteocalcin secretion in periodontal ligament cells. Methods: Human periodontal ligament cells were cultured by tissue explant in vitro, and the concentration of osteocalcin were determined with radio-immunological method. Results: Under the condition of L-ascorbic acid and β-glycerophosphate in culture medium, human periodontal ligament cells secreted osteocalcin time-dependently and peaked at the third week; IGF-Ⅰ3.125 ng/ml，6.250 ng/ml, 12.500 ng/ml, 25.000 ng/ml could promote the secretion of osteocalcin dose dependently. Conclusion: IGF-Ⅰ can increase the secretion of osteocalcin in human periodontal ligament cells.

Diving ; Humans ; Otitis Externa ; prevention & control