This study is to screen the Chinese herbal compounds which could inhibit the production of Abeta and investigate the underlying mechanism. Ten types of compounds which have potential value in the treatment of AD were selected as initial screening trial. The cell models which used could overexpress Abeta and beta-secretases or Abeta and gamma-secretases. Extracellular Abeta was determined by ELISA after the cell models treated with different concentrations of compounds (0.5-100 micromol x L(-1)), separately. Then the compounds were selected which could inhibit extracellular Abeta and their best concentration ranges were decided, too. Furthermore, the cell viability and apoptosis rate, the level of intracellular Abeta, beta and gamma-secretases were determined after the cell models treated with different concentrations of selected compounds. The results showed that 4 of the 10 compounds could reduce the level of extracellular Abeta; they were cryptotanshinone, astragalosides, gastrodin and paeoniflorin, and their best concentration ranges were 0.5-5.0, 0.5-5.0, 5.0-50, 1.0-25 micromol x L(-1), respectively. Further study indicated that the 4 selected compounds were nontoxic to the cellular models and lowering intracellular Abeta were more effective compared with extracellular; of which astragalosides and gastrodin showed dose-dependent inhibition to the activities of beta and gamma-secretases, with the maximum inhibiting rates of 78.2% and 80.3%, respectively. In conclusion, cryptotanshinone, astragalosides, gastrodin and paeoniflorin could inhibit the expression and secretion of Abeta, and the underlying inhibiting mechanism of astragalosides and gastrodin were related with the reduction of the beta and gamma-secretase activities, respectively.
Amyloid Precursor Protein Secretases ; metabolism ; Amyloid beta-Peptides ; antagonists & inhibitors ; Apoptosis ; Benzyl Alcohols ; pharmacology ; Cell Line ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Drug Evaluation, Preclinical ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Glucosides ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Monoterpenes ; pharmacology ; Phenanthrenes ; pharmacology ; Saponins ; pharmacology

To remedy the limitations of traditional numerical classification softwares,a new application,X-Cluster,was developed by using various design patterns.X-Cluster had powerful functions to support the researching of numerical classification,and testified by some classify studying about Bacillus spp..

OBJECTIVETo study the anti-mutation action of acupuncture and moxibustion.

METHODSMice were randomly divided into 6 groups, group 1 (normal control group), group 2 (positive control group), group 3 (prevention group I), group 4 (prevention group II ), group 5 (treatment group I) and group 6 (treatment group II). The mice in the group 2-6 were treated by cyclophosphamide (ip, 50 mg/kg body weight), and in the 3'-6 groups were given acupuncture at "Zusanli" (ST 36) and moxibustion at "Guanyuan" (CV 4). At the end of experiment, all the mice were decapitated and chromosome aberration rate and sister chromatid exchange rate of bone marrow cells were investigated.

RESULTSThe chromosome aberration rate and the sister chromatid exchange rate of bone marrow cells in the positive control group increased significantly as compared with the normal control group, while they decreased significantly in the group 3, 4, 5, 6 as compared with the positive control group (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONAcupuncture and moxibustion have anti-mutation action, inhibiting the increase of chromosome aberrations and sister chromatid exchange of bone marrow cells in mice induced by cyclophosphamide.

Acupuncture Therapy ; Animals ; Cyclophosphamide ; Mice ; Moxibustion

OBJECTIVETo explore the expression and clinical significance of ID1 gene in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients.

METHODReal-time quantitative PCR (RQ-PCR) was used to test the expression level of ID1 gene in 114 de novo adult AML patients, and the clinical features of these patients were analyzed.

RESULTSID1 gene transcript levels were detectable in BM mononuclear cells from 114 patients with AML, the median expression level of all samples was 8525 (range: 57 - 11 233 238). There was a statistically significant difference on expression level of ID1 gene among the three different cytogenetic prognosis groups, and the poor prognosis group (median: 36 840, range: 336 - 11 233 238) harbored the significantly higher level of ID1 gene than the intermediate prognosis group (Median: 6630, range: 66 - 1 840 798) (P = 0.006). The expression level of ID1 gene was positively associated with older age (age ≥ 60 years vs < 60 years, P = 0.002) and higher WBC count (WBC ≥ 10×10(9)/L vs < 10×10(9)/L, P = 0.005). Young patients (age < 60 years) who were not obtained the complete remission (non-CR) after the first cycle of chemotherapy harbored the high level of ID1 gene (Median: 9537 of non-CR vs 1268 of CR, P = 0.010).

CONCLUSIONSHigh expression level of ID1 gene was mostly seen in AML patients with adverse cytogenetics and older age (age ≥ 60 years), and may be associated with poor prognosis of AML. ID1 gene might be a prognostic molecular marker of AML.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Case-Control Studies ; Female ; Humans ; Inhibitor of Differentiation Protein 1 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute ; diagnosis ; genetics ; metabolism ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prognosis ; Young Adult

Congresses as Topic ; Humans ; Rhinitis ; Rhinitis, Allergic, Perennial

AIMTo study the effect of volume expansion by 0.9% and 1.8% sodium solution on cardiac-renal reflex activity and the role of cardiac-renal reflex in the regulation of integrated function.

METHODS18 health pentobarbital-anaesthetized rabbits were divided evenly into 2 groups at random, bilateral sino-aortic denervation, intubated via right jugular vein to monitor CVP, left renal nerve separated and ending sectioned to record ERSNA, bilateral ureter intubated to collect urine, right femoral intubated to get blood sample. 15% of whole body blood volume of 0.9% and 1.8% sodium solution were injected via jugular vein 10 ml per minute respectively. The CVP, ERSNA, bilateral urine volume and coefficient of sodium excretion were measured before treated, during treated, one minute, five minutes and ten minutes after treated.

RESULTSVolume expansion by 0.9% and 1.8% sodium solution respectively resulted in the increase of CVP by 64.00% +/- 15.56% and 77.00% +/- 23.74%; the decrease of the frequency of ERSNA by 44.00% +/- 13.64% and 63.00% +/- 12.49%, the average burst time of ERSNA by 37.00% +/- 16.49% and 31.00% +/- 10.69%, the increase of average interval of ERSNA bursts by 60.00% +/- 18.38% and 68.00% +/- 27.04%; the increase of urine volume by 158.00% +/- 28.10% and 640.00% +/- 155.39% in left kidney, 192.00% +/- 32.26% and 1343.00% +/- 429.95% in the right; the increase of coefficient of sodium excretion by 132.00% +/- 35.23% and 376.00% +/- 121.72% in the left, 300.00% +/- 76.99% and 856.00% +/- 261.48% in the right.

CONCLUSIONVolume expansion by different solution stimulate the receptors of cardiopulmonary and regulate the water and sodium excretion of the kidney by the cardiac-renal reflex to modulate the stabilization of blood volume.

Animals ; Blood Volume ; drug effects ; physiology ; Central Venous Pressure ; Heart ; drug effects ; innervation ; Kidney ; drug effects ; innervation ; Rabbits ; Reflex ; Saline Solution, Hypertonic ; pharmacology

OBJECTIVETo explore the expression and clinical significance of Caudal-type homeobox transcription factor 2 (CDX2) gene in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients.

METHODReal time quantitative PCR (RQ-PCR) was used to test the expression level of CDX2 gene in 108 de novo AML patients and the clinical features of these patients were analyzed.

RESULTSCDX2 gene transcript levels were detectable in bone marrow mononuclear cells from 108 AML patients and 7 healthy donors, the median expression level were 1179.44 (range 14.15 - 867 961.10) and 105.30 (range 22.30 - 453.11). There was a statistically significant difference in expression level of CDX2 gene between the AML patients and normal donor (P < 0.01). All 14 patients with FLT3-ITD(+) were in CDX2 gene higher expression group (P = 0.018), including 10 patients with normal karyotype. In the 83 treated AML patients (P = 0.046) and 57 higher WBC count (≥ 10×10(9)/L, P = 0.048) patients, the higher expression level of CDX2 gene was associated with lower complete remission (CR) rates.

CONCLUSIONSHigher expression level of CDX2 gene was seen mostly in AML patients with FLT3-ITD mutation and with lower CR rates. CDX2 gene might be a prognostic molecular marker in AML patients with normal karyotype.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; CDX2 Transcription Factor ; Case-Control Studies ; Female ; Homeodomain Proteins ; genetics ; Humans ; Karyotyping ; Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute ; diagnosis ; genetics ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Mutation ; Prognosis ; Young Adult ; fms-Like Tyrosine Kinase 3 ; genetics

Monovalent antisera of 3 vaccine strains and 7 representative field isolates were prepared based on the comparison of genetic diversity of the hypervariable region I of S1 gene (HVR I from 3 infectious bronchitis (IB) vaccine strains (H120, Ma5 and 4/91) ,one reference strain M41 and 26 IB field isolates. These 30 strains were classified in 7 different genotypes, respectively. Virus-neutralizing test on tracheal organ cultures (TOC) with chicken embryo were used to evaluate relatedness values of the antigenicity based on the antibody titer, to analyze the antigenic relationships between the isolates and vaccine strains, as well as to determine the serotypes of 26 IB viruses isolated from the field in Guangxi between 1985 and 2008. The results showed 30 strains were classified into 7 distinct serotypes and there were two predominant serotypes within the 26 isolates, serotypes 1 (totally 13 isolates) and serotype 2 (totally 5 isolates), respectively. In addition, there were some differences observed between the results of serotyping and the genotyping (including the S1, N, M and 3'UTR). The results of the study demonstrated that there were different predominant serotypes and multiple serotypes of IBV circulated in Guangxi in recent years, antigenic variation existed between Guangxi field isolates and vaccine strains.
Animals ; Antibodies, Viral ; immunology ; Antigens, Viral ; genetics ; immunology ; Chick Embryo ; Chickens ; China ; Coronavirus Infections ; immunology ; veterinary ; virology ; Genetic Variation ; Genotype ; Infectious bronchitis virus ; classification ; genetics ; immunology ; isolation & purification ; Phylogeny ; Poultry Diseases ; immunology ; virology ; Viral Envelope Proteins ; genetics ; immunology

The S1 gene hypervariable region I (HVR I) of 22 infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) strains isolated in Guangxi during the period of 1985-2007 were sequenced and compared to that of the other IBV reference strains and the pigeon coronavirus isolates. A phylogenetic tree based on nucleotide sequences of HVR I of all the IBV showed that they were classified into 5 distinct Clusters. 16 out of 22 IBV isolates were grouped into Cluster I, and had higher homology with pigeon coronavirus isolates but lower homology with the Massachusetts (Mass) type vaccine strains. There were 4 and 3 amino-acid residues inserted at the sites of 33-34 and 34-35 respectively within HVR I in 15 isolates, except in isolate GX-NN6 there had 4 amino-acid residues inserted at the both sites; isolates GX-YL1 and GX-NN2 had close relationship with Mass type vaccine strains, and they shared Cluster II; isolates GX-G and GX-XD of Cluster III had close relationship with the Japanese strain JP Miyazaki 89 which was isolated at the same period; isolates GX-YL6 and GX-NN7 of Cluster V had close relationship with the European strain 4/91. The results showed that there were high phylogenetic diversity among the IBVs prevailed in the field in Guangxi resulting from the commonly occurred mutation or insertion within the S1 gene HVR I of the viruses, and majority of the isolates had lower homology with the commonly used Mass type vaccine strains. There was much higher homology among viruses isolated in the same period of time, but without distinct difference in geographical origins.
Amino Acid Sequence ; Animals ; Chickens ; virology ; Genetic Variation ; Infectious bronchitis virus ; classification ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; Membrane Glycoproteins ; chemistry ; genetics ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Phylogeny ; Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus ; Viral Envelope Proteins ; chemistry ; genetics

Objective To detect the expression of Beclin1 and Bcl2 in invasive pituitary adenomas and to explore the relationship of Beclin1 and Bci2 in invasive pituitary adenomas and the relativity between the 2 genes.Methods 61 specimens were classified into invasive group (32 cases) and non-invasive group (29 cases) according to the comprehensive evaluation of invasive pituitary adenomas.lmmunofluorescence analysis and RT-PCR were adopted respectively to detect the protein and mRNA expressions of Beclinl and Bcl2.The difference and relativity of Beclin1 and Bcl2 expression in invasive group and non-invasive group were analyzed.Results 32 specimens of pituitary adenoma were invasive and 29 were non-invasive.Beclin1 protein and mRNA expressions were lower in the invasive group than in the non-invasive group (P ＜0.01 ).Bcl2 protein and mRNA expressions were higher in the invasive group than in the non-invasive group (P ＜0.01 ).Pearson related analysis showed that Beclin1 mRNA expression was negtively correlated with Bcl2 mRNA expression in the invasive group ( r =-0.42,P =0.028 ).Conclusions Beclinl expression is decreased in invasive pituitary adenomas.The invasiveness of pituitary adenoma is closely related to the high expression of Bcl2 protein and mRNA,and the low expression of Beclin1 protein and mRNA.The inhibition of the autophagy may lead to the enhancement of the invasiveness of pituitary adenomas and that inhibition may come from the interaction of Beclin1 and Bcl2.