This study is to report the determination of the effect of sodium nitrite induced oxygen species (ROS) on the epithelial-mesenchymal transition in hepatoma cells in mice bearing H22 and investigation of its role in hypoxia-inducible factor 1alpha (HIF-1alpha) in this process. Mice hepatocarcinoma cell line H22 was inoculated subcutaneously into right axillary of sixty male Kunming mice and then randomly divided into four groups: control group; low-dose sodium nitrite group (10 mg x kg(-1)), medium-dose sodium nitrite group (20 mg x kg(-1)) and high-dose sodium nitrite group (30 mg x kg(-1)). Sodium nitrite group was given (ig) sodium nitrite with 10-30 mg x kg(-1) x d(-1) for 21 days. Compared with control group, there was no obvious difference between the two groups in the volume or weight of xenografts, but in sodium nitrite treatment group, the activity of SOD and CAT decreased and contents of MDA or nitrite increased in tumor tissue of mice bearing H22; epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of hepatoma cells was induced, the EMT-phenotype tumors displayed a greater degree of local aggressiveness, with dissection through adjacent fascia and skeletal muscle. The increased expression of HIF-la and vimentin and declination of E-cadherin were confirmed by immunohistochemistry and Western blotting. These data indicate sodium nitrite treatment could improve the epithelial-mesenchymal transition of xenografts in mice bearing H22, which might relate to the fact that ROS mediated signal pathway increased the expression of HIF-1alpha.

Fructose-1, 6-bisphosphatase (FBPase), a rate-limiting enzyme involved in the pathway of gluconeogenesis, can catalyze the hydrolysis of fructose-1, 6-bisphosphate to fructose-6-phosphate. Upon inhibiting the activity of FBPase, the production of endogenous glucose can be decreased and the level of blood glucose lowered. Therefore, inhibitors of FBPase are expected to be novel potential therapeutics for the treatment of type II diabetes. Recent research efforts were reviewed in the field of developing allosteric inhibitors interacting with the AMP binding site of FBPase.

Objective To investigate whether low-protein diet has protective effect on the progression of renal interstitial fibrosis in rats with cyclosporine A (CsA)-induced nephropathy. Methods Eighteen male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into three groups (6 rats in each group). The rats in control group (C group) received common diet; in model group (M group) low-salt diet; in intervention group (Ⅰ group) low-salt and low-protein diet. After diet adaptation period of one week, the rats in C group received subcutaneous injection of olive oil 1 mg/kg daily for 5 weeks, while M group and Ⅰ group subcutaneous injection of CsA (diluted into 25 g/L with olive oil) 1 ml/kg for 5 weeks. All the rats were sacrificed at the end of the 5th week. The food-intake and body weight were measured daily. The creatinine clearance (Ccr) was examined before rats were sacrificed. The semi-quantitative pathological analysis on kidney sections was performed. The mRNA and protein expression of transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-βI) and type Ⅰ collagen (Col Ⅰ) in kidney tissue was determined with real time PCR and immunohistochemical staining, respectively. Results The food-intake and body weight of rats in M and I groups were significantly lower than those in C group (P<0.05). Compared with C group, the Ccr levels in M and Ⅰ groups were significantly reduced [(0.65±0.15) ml/min, (0.40+0.13) ml/min vs (1.55±0.29) ml/min, P<0.05], the relative fibrosis areas of kidney interstitium in M and I groups were significantly increased (3.60%±0.46%, 3.26%±0.75% vs 0.44%±0.24%, P<0.05), the mRNA and protein expression of TGF-β1 in M and I group was significantly up-regulated (by 2.6 and 3.1 times in mRNA and by 1.5 and 1.6 times in protein, respectively, P<0.05), and the mRNA and protein expression of Col Ⅰ in M and I groups was also significantly up-regulated (by 3.0 and 3.5 times in mRNA and by 2.3 and 2.1 times in protein, respectively, P<0.05). There were no significant differences between M and I groups in every parameters above-mentioned except the rat body weight and Ccr. Both the body weight and Ccr in Ⅰ group were significantly lower than those in M group (P<0.05). Compared with C group, the urine osmotic pressure in M group and in I group were deceased (for M group, P>0.05; for I group, P<0.05). Compared with C group, the serum cholesterol levels in M and I groups were significantly increased (P<0.05), and the serum phosphorus level in I group was significantly decreased (P<0.05). The levels of serum albumin and serum calcium of all three groups had no statistical differences (P>0.05). Conclusion Low-protein diet has no renoprutective effects on the rat model of cyclosporin A nephropathy, on the contrary, may induce body weight loss.

Objective To investigate the impact of metabolic syndrome(MS)on clinicopathology of IgA nephropathy(IgAN). Methods A total of 118 IgAN patients complicated with MS were enrolled in the study as IgAN-MS group. Then 118 IgAN patients of same age arrange without MS were randomly selected as IgAN-non-MS group.A comparative analysis of clinical and pathological data between these two groups was performed. Results The urine protein, serum creatinine, body mass index, mean arterial pressure, serum triglyceride, fasting blood glucose and serum uric acid in IgAN-MS group were all significantly higher than those in IgAN-non-MS group(P<0.05 or P<0.01). The serum HDL-C level in IgAN-MS group was significantly lower than that in IgAN-non-MS group(P<0.01). The percentages of patient with hypertension, abnormal glucose metabolism or abnormal lipid metabolism in IgAN-MS group were also significantly higher than those in IgAN-non-MS group(P <0.01). The glomerular and tubulointerstitial pathological changes in IgAN-MS group were significantly more severe than those in IgAN-non-MS group(P<0.01). There were significantly positive correlations between MS and urinary protein quantity, serum creatinine level, and glomerular damage index or tubulointerstitial damage index(P<0.01)by Spearman rank correlation analysis. Conclusion MS may be an important risk factor of IgAN progression.

Objective To observe the effect of electroacupuncture at the beginning and ending points of bicipital muscle on the superficial electromyography (sEMG) of the spastic limb in hemiplegia.Method Forty patients with spastic hemiplegia after cerebral stroke were divided by the random number table into a group of electroacupuncture at the beginning and ending points (group A) and a group of electroacupuncture at antagonistic muscles (group B). The former selected Ashi points at the beginning and ending points of bicipital muscle, while the latter selected points at the antagonistic muscles [Tianjing (TE10), Qinglingyuan (TE11), etc.], to receive perpendicular puncturing. The needles were retained for 30 min, and the sEMG of bicipital muscles in resting state was detected after the removal of the needles. The spastic bicipital muscle was examined by sEMG prior to the acupuncture treatment, and respectively after 2-week and 4-week acupuncture treatment, and the detected parameters included root mean square (RMS) and integrated electromyography (IEMG).ResultThe EMG and IEMG declined gradually in the two groups after the acupuncture treatment; the intra-group comparisons of the RMS and IEMG values at three time points, e.g. prior to acupuncture treatment, after 2-week acupuncture treatment and after 4-weekacupuncture treatment, showed that the values changed significantly compared to those at the previous time point (P<0.05); the between-group comparisons showed that there were no significant differences in comparing the RMS and IEMG values regardless of different time points (P>0.05). The RMS and IEMG values presented same changing tendencies after 4-week acupuncture treatment in the two groups.ConclusionAcupuncture at the beginning and ending points and at the points on antagonistic muscles both can decrease the resting-state muscle tension in hemiplegia patients; sEMG is of certain significance in evaluating the treatment of hemiplegia.

Objective A kind of quantitative C reactive protein (CRP) test kit was developed with colloidal gold lateral flow method. Method The kit was prepared with double antibody sandwich technology, and by material optimization and strict process control to improve performance. Quantitative assay was realized by a specialized lateral flow reader. The kit performance was evaluated with series of tests and clinical trial. Results The kit was developed with functional sensitivity≤1 mg/L, linear range 1-200 mg/L, CV<15%and with stability of 12 months. 220 samples clinical trial showed 98.6%of coincidence rate. Pearson Correlation coefficient r is 0.987, which showed no significant difference in performance compare with control kit. Conclusion A quantitative CRP test kit was developed with easy to operating and good stability, Which can be used for point of care testing or laboratory testing.

Pin1 (peptidyl-prolyl cis-trans isomerase NIMA-interacting 1) belongs to peptidyl-prolyl cis-trans isomerase (PPIase) and is a novel promising anticancer target. Based on the lead structure of benzophenone, a series of novel diarylether derivatives containing a pyrimidine ring were designed and synthesized. The inhibitory activities on Pin1 of compounds 5a-5d and 6a-6i were evaluated by a protease-coupled enzyme assay. Of all the evaluated compounds, 6 compounds displayed inhibitory activities. Molecular docking was performed using FlexX algorithm to explore the binding mode of the active molecules.

Objective: To observe the characteristics of serum homocysteine (Hcy) distribution and the epidemiological characteristics of high serum level of Hcy (HHcy) in Kazakh population.
Methods: The stratiifed cluster random sampling method was used to investigate 1003 kazakh individuals in Xinyuan county of Xinjiang including 433 male and 570 female, and they were individuals into 5 age groups:①(25-34) years, n=333,②(35-44) years, n=306, ③(45-54) years, n=230, ④(55-65) years, n=90, ⑤>65 years, n=44. The questionnaire survey, physical check-up and blood biochemical examination were performed and compared among different groups.
Results: ① The geometrical mean of Hcy was 13.3μmol/L, and the male was higher than female as 16.0μmol/L vs 11.6μmol/L. ②By age stratiifcation, the serum levels of Hcy elevated with the increased age accordingly. Except for those with the age>65 years, the serum levels of Hcy were all higher in male than female in other 4 age groups. ③The average rate of HHcy prevalence was 31.5%, and the male was higher than female as 49.9%vs 17.5%.④The average rate of H type hypertension prevalence was 35.1%, and the male was higher than female as 44.3%vs 28.1%. There were 87.6%of H type hypertensive patients with H type hypertension, and the male was higher than female as 95.0%vs 80.0%, all P<0.001.
Conclusion: The serum levels of Hcy were different from gender and age; the prevalences of HHcy and H type hypertension were higher in Kazakh population at Xinyuan county of Xinjiang. Community intervention should be conducted to improve the public health condition in Kazakh population.

Objective To investigate the effect of MRE11 on the proliferation and apoptosis of esophageal squamous cancer cells and its molecular mechanism. Methods MRE11 expression was downregulated by MRE11 siRNA transfection in esophageal squamous cancer cells. The AKT agonist SC79 (0, 0.1, 0.5, 1, 1.5, 1.8, 2 μg/ml) were used to treat cells with MRE11 inhibition for 24 h. Overexpression vector pcDNA.3.1-c-myc was constructed and co-transfected cells with MRE11 siRNA. Western blot method was used to detect the protein expressions of MRE11, p-AKT and c-myc in esophageal squamous cancer cells Ec9706 and TE-1. The Annexin-V FITC/PI kit was used to detect the apoptosis of Ec9706 and TE-1 cells; the activity of caspase-3 was detected by the Caspase-3 activity detection kit; the proliferation of Ec9706 and TE-1 cells was tested by the BrdU method. Results The protein expressions of MRE11 in Ec9706 and TE-1 cells were significantly increased, compared with human esophageal epithelial Het-1A cells. After MRE11 siRNA transfection, AKT phosphorylation and the protein expressions of MRE11 and c-myc were significantly decreased in esophageal squamous cancer cells. MRE11 inhibition significantly promoted the apoptosis and caspase-3 activity in Ec9706 and TE-1 cells, while inhibited the proliferation of Ec9706 and TE-1 cells. SC79 (1.5, 1.8 and 2 μg/ml) significantly increased AKT phosphorylation in MRE11-suppressed esophageal squamous cancer cells, and reversed the inhibitory effects of MRE11 inhibition on c-myc protein expression and cell proliferation and the promoting effect on cell apoptosis. Overexpression of c-myc inhibited the inhibitory effect of MRE11 down-regulation on cell proliferation and the promotion on caspase-3 activity. Conclusion MRE11 inhibition could effectively inhibit the proliferation of esophageal squamous cancer cells and promote cell apoptosis by regulating AKT and c-myc.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVEStudies of passive smoking exposure in China however are of particular interest, because of the high lung cancer rate in people who are mostly non-smokers. The aim of this study is to explore the relationship between passive smoking and lung cancer among non-smoking Chinese.

METHODSBy searching Medline, PubMed, CENTRAL (the Cochrane central register of controlled trials), CBM, CNKI and VIP, et al, we collected both domestic and overseas published documents between 1987 and 2007 on passive smoking and lung cancer among non-smoking Chinese. Random or fixed effect models were applied to conduct meta-analysis on the case control study results, and the combined odds ratio (OR) and the 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated as well.

RESULTSSixteen documents were included into the combined analysis, which indicated that there was statistical significance between passive smoking and lung cancer (OR = 1.13, 95% CI: 1.05-1.21, P = 0.001). It was significant of lung cancer among non-smoking subjects associated with amount of tobacco passively smoked more than 20 cigarettes daily, with life period in adulthood passive smoking exposure, with gender female, and with exposure to workplace. The P value, OR and 95% CI were P = 0.0003, OR = 1.78, 95% CI: 1.30-2.43; P = 0.0001, OR = 1.50, 95% CI: 1.23-1.83; P = 0.000 7, OR = 1.50, 95% CI: 1.19-1.90; P < 0.0001, OR = 1.41, 95% CI: 1.19-1.66; respectively. And there was no significant difference between passive smoking and lung cancer with amount of tobacco passively smoked within 20 cigarettes daily, with life period in childhood passive smoking exposure, with gender male and with exposure to spouse and parents.

CONCLUSIONPassive smoking is an important risk factor of lung cancer among non-smoking Chinese, and for non-smoking women who expose to environment tobacco smoke in a long period of time have a close relationship with lung cancer risk.

China ; epidemiology ; Female ; Humans ; Lung Neoplasms ; etiology ; Male ; Risk Factors ; Tobacco Smoke Pollution ; adverse effects ; statistics & numerical data