【Objective】To compare aristolochic acid(AA)content in Caulis Aristolochiae Manshuriensis(CAM)and in the separated prescriptions of Longdan Xiegan Decoction(LXD),and to explore the effect of Chinese herbal medicine compatibility on AA content.【Methods】According to the herbs percentage compared to LXD,the herbs samples were named after: CAM group,LXD group,CAM group with heat-clearing herbs,CAM group with yin-nourishing herbs,CAM group with herbs for promoting urination,CAM group with Radix Glycyrrhizae,and LXD group with CAM removed.The AA content was determined by reverse phase HPLC.The chromatographic conditions were as follows: C18 Diamonsiltm analytical column,gradient eluted with a mixture of methyl alcohol,water and acetic acid(volume proportion as 74:24:1),and detection wavelength at 315 nm.【Results】AA content was the lowest in LXD group,and was lower in CAM group with yin-nourishing herbs than that in CAM group.【Conclusion】Subjecting to the theory of Chinese herbal medicine compatibility,it is feasible to reduce the CAM toxicity by composing a prescription with proper proportion of herbs.

Objective To explore the therapeutic mechanism of Jiaotai Pill(JP) for restoring normal coordination between the heart and the kidney.Methods Fifty SD rats were equally randomized into normal group,model group,Huanglian(Rhizoma Coptidis,15g) group,Rougui(Cortex Cinnamomi,1.5g) group,and JP group(the ratio of Huanglian and Ruigui being 15∶1.5).Insomnia rat models were induced by intraperitoneal injection of one-dose para-chloroamphetamine acid(PCPA,300mg/kg),and the serum interleukin-1(IL-1) and tumor necrosis factor(TNF-?) levels were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA).Results In the model group,the serum levels of IL-1 and TNF-? were decreased(P0.05 compared with the model group),and increased in JP group(P

There is no defined legislation on paternity testing in present China,thus the testing status quo is in a mess to some extent.Together with other unfavorable factors including the unstable marital status in modern society,increasing extramarital sexual behaviors and illegitimate children,and the ever-heated testing competition among testing institutes driven by the economic interests and so forth,the paternity testing is on a sharp rise these years,which leads to a increasing chaos in paternity testing field.Social ethical crisis is partially responsible for the current problem,thus related ethical issues to paternity testing are discussed in this article.

Objective To study the gene mutation of a Chinese family with Alport syndrome and to perform preimplantation genetic diagnosis before embryo implantation.Methods Next generation sequence analysis was done for checking COL4A3,COL4A4 and COL4A5 genes in the Alport syndrome family members.Array comparative genomic hybridization(CGH) was used to detect the embryos.Results A mutation c.2605G ＞ A was found and identified in COL4A5 gene of all of the Alport syndrome patients in the family,but COL4A3 and COL4A3 genes were normal in all of the detected people.After searching for the mutation database,the mutation c.2605G ＞ A of COL4A5 gene was related to the X-linked dominant Alport syndrome.Three embryos were detected by using the preimplantation genetic diagnosis.Among these embryos,there were two male and one female.One of the male embryos was chromosomal aneuploidy,which was 45,XY,-16 and the other was normal.This normal embryo was implanted,and after 20 weeks the prenatal amniocentesis diagnosis approved that the fetus was normal.Conclusions The mutation of COL4A5 gene (c.2605 G ＞ A) is the cause of Alport syndrome in this family,which indicates that next generation sequence analysis proves to be an accurate and rapid method to detect Alport syndrome disease.Meanwhile array CGH can be used to reduce birth rates as a useful preimplantation genetic diagnosis method.

Objective To investigate the effects of genistein on the mRNA expressions of collagen (Col), matrix metalloproteinase (MMP ) and tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinase (TIMP) in human embryonic skin fibroblasts (CCC-ESF-1).MethodsThe cultured CCC-ESF-1cells were divided into a black control group, an estradiol group and genistein groups of different doses. The mRNA expressions of ColⅠ, ColⅢ , MMP-1, TIMP-1 and TIMP-2 were detected by RT-PCR.Results Compared with the black group, estradiol and medium dose of genistein (0.451 ± 0.037, 0.446 ± 0.047vs.0.385 ± 0.061, allP<0.05) could promote the proliferation of the CCC-ESF-1 cells, estradiol and medium dose of genistein could up-regulate the mRNA expressions of ColⅠ (0.960 ± 0.012, 0.929 ± 0.015vs.0.812 ± 0.014, allP<0.01), ColⅢ (0.892 ± 0.009, 0.824 ± 0.022vs.0.768 ± 0.025, allP<0.01), TIMP-1 (0.841 ± 0.023, 0.838 ± 0.053vs.0.751 ± 0.027, allP<0.01) and TIMP-2 (0.456 ± 0.017, 0.448 ± 0.036vs.0.381 ± 0.029, allP<0.01), and down-regulate MMP-1 mRNAexpression (0.398 ± 0.043, 0.402 ± 0.044vs.0.525 ± 0.006, allP<0.01).Conclusions Genistein could promote the proliferation of the CCC-ESF-1 cells, and that may be related with up-regulating the mRNA expressions of ColⅠ, ColⅢ , MMP-1, TIMP-1and down-regulating MMP-1 mRNA expression.

Objective To investigate the value of array-based comparative genomic hybridization (array-CGH) technique for the detection of chromosomal analysis of miscarried embryo, and to provide genetic counseling for couples with spontaneous abortion. Methods Totally 382 patients who underwent miscarriage were enrolled in this study. All aborted tissues were analyzed with conventional cytogenetic karyotyping and array-CGH, respectively. Results Through genetic analysis, all of the 382 specimens were successfully analyzed by array-CGH (100.0%, 382/382), and the detection rate of chromosomal aberrations was 46.6% (178/382). However, conventional karyotype analysis was successfully performed in 281 cases (73.6%, 281/382), and 113 (40.2%, 113/281) were found with chromosomal aberrations. Of these 178 samples identified by array-CGH, 163 samples (91.6%, 163/178) were aneuploidy, 15 samples (8.4%, 15/178) were segmental deletion and (or) duplication cases. Four of 10 cases with small segmental deletion and duplication were validated to be transferred from their fathers or mathers who were carriers of submicroscopic reciprocal translocation. Of these 113 abnormal karyotypes founded by conventional karyotyping, 108 cases (95.6%, 108/113) were aneuploidy and 5 cases (4.4%, 5/113) had chromosome structural aberrations. Most array-CGH results were consistent with conventional karyotyping but with 3 cases of discrepancy, which included 2 cases of triploids, 1 case of low-level mosaicism that undetcted by array-CGH. Conclusions Compared with conventional karyotyping, there is an increased detection rate of chromosomal abnormalities when array-CGH is used to analyse the products of conception, primarilly because of its sucess with nonviable tissues. It could be a first-line method to determine the reason of miscarrage with higher accuracy and sensitivity.

Bardet-Biedl syndrome (BBS) is a rare autosomal recessive disease characterized by retinopathy, obesity, and polydactyly. So far 21 candidate genes have been discovered, and mutations of such genes can all cause the BBS phenotype. As one of the main features of the disease, the obesity in BBS has been associated with leptin resistance and abnormal adipogenesis. However, its molecular etiology is not yet completely clear. Here the molecular mechanism of BBS-associated obesity is reviewed.
Bardet-Biedl Syndrome ; genetics ; Humans ; Obesity ; genetics ; Phenotype ; Polydactyly ; genetics

Aim The TRPV1 plasmid was transiently transfected into human embryonic kidney HEK 293T cells to establish the heterologous expression system of TRPV1-channel. Methods The transfection efficiency was confirmed under fluorescence mi-croscope and the TRPV1 protein expression was identified by u-sing Western blot, and the functional characteristics of the chan-nel were studied by using the method of confocal microscopy. Results The transfection rate could reach 40% ~50%; the transfected cells were found to have a clear band at the corre-sponding position that TRPV1 should be, which indicated that TRPV1 channel protein was expressed in the transfected cells. The confocal microscopy imaging result showed that the trans-fected HEK 293T cells were activated by TRPV1 channel ago-nist. Conclusion Transient transfection of HEK 293T cells with TRPV1 channel is successfully constructed and the heterol-ogous TRPV1 channel is verified to have normal calcium-media-ting function.

Objective: To explore the influence of uniparental disomy (UPD) on bipartite and tripartite paternity testing. Methods: Two cases of paternity testing were analyzed by multiplex amplification and capillary electrophoresis typing. Suspected UPD was verified by using single nucleotide polymorphism array (SNP array). Parental power index was calculated by using a bipartite or tripartite model. Results: The two cases were found to harbor respectively three short tandem repeats on chromosome 2 and two short tandem repeats on chromosome 15. SNP array verified that both cases were of UPD. Case 1 had a parental power index of 122274987565.23 by a tripartite model, while case 2 had a parental power index of 13500.8463 by a bipartite model. Based on the technical specification, the conclusions supported a biological parent-child relationship in both cases. Conclusion UPD may lead to misjudgment of paternity testing. The possibility of UPD should be considered when certain loci which do not conform to Mendelian inheritance have aggregated to one chromosome.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the influence of uniparental disomy (UPD) on bipartite and tripartite paternity testing. METHODS: Two cases of paternity testing were analyzed by multiplex amplification and capillary electrophoresis typing. Suspected UPD was verified by using single nucleotide polymorphism array (SNP array). Parental power index was calculated by using a bipartite or tripartite model. RESULTS: The two cases were found to harbor respectively three short tandem repeats on chromosome 2 and two short tandem repeats on chromosome 15. SNP array verified that both cases were of UPD. Case 1 had a parental power index of 122274987565.23 by a tripartite model, while case 2 had a parental power index of 13500.8463 by a bipartite model. Based on the technical specification, the conclusions supported a biological parent-child relationship in both cases. CONCLUSION UPD may lead to misjudgment of paternity testing. The possibility of UPD should be considered when certain loci which do not conform to Mendelian inheritance have aggregated to one chromosome.
Chromosomes, Human, Pair 2 ; genetics ; Humans ; Microsatellite Repeats ; Paternity ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide ; Uniparental Disomy ; genetics