Objective To detect the osteopontin(OPN)expression in renal tissue of rats with fluorosis and low calcium diet,and study the role of OPN in renal injury of fluorosis.Methods Forty-eight aged 1 month Wistar rats,80-120 g,were randomly divided into 4 groups by 2×2 factorial design(the number of female and male in each group was equal):the control group,high-flluoride group,low-calcium group and low-calcium with high-fluoride group.All rats of the fluorosis groups were fed with feed containing corn exposed to coal-burning from endemic fluorosis areas with high fluoride(100 mg/kg,corn),the other two groups were fed with feed containing coru from nonendemic fluorosis areas(fluoride 5 mg/kg,corn).After 16 weeks,the rats were killed.The change of teeth was examined,and the incidence rate of dental fluorosis was calculated.The expressions of both protein and mRNA of OPN in rat renal tissue were determined by RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry after four-month experimentation.Results The growth of teeth was very well in the control group and the low-calcium group.The two high-fluoride groups showed evident dental fluorosis(100%).The results of immunohistochemistry showed that the OPN protein was localized in renal tubule cytoplasm.The OPN-positive cells from renal tissue were lightly and scatteredly stained in control and low-calcium groups.The OPN-positive cells had deeper color in high-fluoride group and low-calcium with high-fluoride group,widely distributed in the renal tubular epithelial cells.The protein expression of OPN in the two groups exposed to fluoride(168.64±13.21,169.26±8.92)was significantly higher than those of the corresponding control group(145.78±10.26,all P<0.01)and low-calcium group(149.60±16.84,all P<0.01).The mRNA expression of OPN in the two groups exposed to fluoride(1.89±0.37,1.94±0.22)was significantly higher than those of the corresponding control group(1.32±0.26,all P<0.05)and low-calcium group(1.30±0.186,P<0.05),respectively.High fluoride influenced the expression of protein and mRNA of OPN(F=13.821,4.24,all P<0.05).Low calcium did not affect the expression of protein and mRNA of OPN(F=2.164,0.58,all P>0.05).However,high fluoride and low calcium had a cross interaction on the expression of protein and mRNA of OPN(F=6.257,432,all P<0.05).Conclusions Over-dose fluoride enhances the expression of OPN.The higher expression observed in the cases exposed to high fluoride concentration is associated with serious renal injury.OPN may he a potential marker for renal injury in fluorosis.Moreover,over-dose fluoride and low calcium make the renal injury worse,indicating low calcium plays an important part in renal injury by fluoride.

AIM: To investigate the signaling mechanisms involved in the priming effects of lipopolysaccharide(LPS) on heat killed Staphylococcus aureus(HKSa)-induced nitric oxide(NO) production in macrophages.METHODS: Murine macrophage RAW264.7 was used in the experiment.Griess reagent was used to measure the content of nitrite in culture medium.Real-time PCR and Western blot was utilized to examine the mRNA and protein levels of toll-like receptor 2(TLR2),respectively.Dual luciferase reporter assay was used to assess the transcriptional activity of nuclear factor of activated T cells(NF-AT).RESULTS: The RAW264.7 cells pretreated with LPS for 24 h significantly enhanced NO production induced by HKSa,suggesting that LPS primed the macrophages and increased the reactivity of the cells to HKSa.LPS increased the mRNA and protein levels of TLR2 in a dose-dependent manner in RAW264.7 cells.The RAW264.7 cells pretreated with LPS enhanced NO production induced by peptidoglycan,one of the specific ligand of TLR2.The priming effect of LPS on HKSa-induced NO production was partly blocked by TLR2 neutralizing antibody.LPS significantly enhanced the transcriptional activity of NF-AT,which was inhibited by BAPTA/AM(a cell-permeable cytosolic calcium chelator) and cyclosporine A(CsA,an inhibitor for calcineurin).Both BAPTA/AM and CsA inhibited the priming effect of LPS on HKSa-induced NO production in RAW264.7 cells.CONCLUSION: The present study confirms the priming effect of LPS on the reactivity of RAW264.7 cells to HKSa.Pattern recognition receptor TLR2 and calcium/calcineurin/NF-AT signaling pathway may be involved in the priming process initiated by LPS.

In order to solve the problem of selection and in vivo delivery problem in siRNA treatment, hepatitis B virus (HBV) HBx gene which could be targeted by siRNA was studied. The siRNA expression plasmid which specific inhibits HBx expression was obtained by in vitro selection via a dual-luciferase plasmid including HBx-Fluc fusion protein expression domain. The selected siRNA expression plasmid was then encapsulated in PEG-modified cationic liposome, which was devoted into pharmacodynamic studies at both cellular and animal level. The results illustrated that the cationic liposome which encapsulated siRNA expression plasmid could effectively inhibit HBx gene expression both in vitro and in vivo.

Langerhans cell tumor is a kind of tumor that originates from Langerhans cells (LC) and maintain their specific phenotype profile and ultrastructural features. Based on cell morphology, immunohistochemical and ultrastructural characteristics, Langerhans cell tumor has two main subcategories: Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH) and Langerhans cell sarcoma (LCS). LCH is a benign clonal proliferative disease of the LC, whereas LCS is an extremely rare neoplastic proliferation of Langerhans cells with overtly malignant cytologic features and spreads aggressively, which is considered to be a high level malignant type of LCH. Both LCH and LCS can involved various tissues and organs and have complex and diverse clinical manifestation, which cause different severity. The diagnosis depends on histopathological morphology and immunohistochemistry; the electron microscopy was used to assists diagnosis when necessary. The treatment includes surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, immunotherapy and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, etc, but lack of generally accepted optimal treatment options currently, individualized treatment is needed. The prognosis of LCH is primarily related to the number of damaged organ, while LCS has a poor overall prognosis as its invasion and rapid progress. This article reviews the pathogenesis, clinical manifestations, diagnosis, treatment and prognosis of both LCH and LCS.
Histiocytosis, Langerhans-Cell ; Humans

Animals ; Disease Models, Animal ; Hypoglycemia ; chemically induced ; metabolism ; Hypothalamus ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Insulin ; pharmacology ; Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins ; metabolism ; Male ; Neuropeptides ; metabolism ; Orexins ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

Adrenalectomy ; Adult ; Angiomyolipoma ; pathology ; surgery ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Kidney ; pathology ; Kidney Neoplasms ; pathology ; surgery ; Lymph Node Excision ; Lymph Nodes ; pathology ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Male ; Nephrectomy ; Ureter ; surgery

Neurosurgical emergencies including intracranial hemorrhage and head trauma have high mortality and morbidity rates and meanwhile are often accompanied with coagulation disorders. On one hand, coagulation disorder follows traumatic brain injury;on the other hand, the increasing use of anticoagulant and antiplatelet treatment for cardiovascular diseases increases the risk of death among patients with brain trauma or bleeding. Once the intracranial pressure increases, such patients need emergency surgical intervention, but coagulation disorder is a relative contraindication. This article reviews the pathogenesis and treatment of coagulation disorders in patients with neurosurgical emergency. It also analyzes clinical monitoring indices for such patients and their variations and summarizes the strategies and measures of perioperative management.
Blood Coagulation Disorders ; complications ; physiopathology ; surgery ; Brain Injuries ; complications ; surgery ; Emergencies ; Humans ; Intracranial Hemorrhages ; complications ; surgery

Objective To assess the relationship of serum prealbumin level with the severity of acute ischemic stroke (AIS).Methods The clinical data of 2522 AIS patients who were admitted in Peking Union Medical College Hospital from 2000 to 2008 were retrospectively analyzed.The serum prealbumin and hypersensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) levels were evaluated by immunoturbidimetric assay within 24 hours after admission.The AIS severity was evaluated at admission using modified Rankin Scale (mRS).Patients were divided into mild AIS group (mRS score ≤ 3 ) and severe AIS group (mRS score ＞ 3 ).The levels of serum prealbumin and hs-CRP were compared between these two groups,and the relationship between praalbumin and hs-CRP was also analyzed.Results There were 1697 patients in the mild group (average mRS score:1.67) and 825 patients in the severe group ( average mRS score:4.53 ).The severe group had significantly lower prealbumin level [ ( 191.20,82.00)versus (219.18,72.00) mg/L,P =0.000] and higher hs-CRP level [ (6.01,8.22) versus (4.15,6.93) mg/L,P =0.000 ] than the mild group,respectively.Partial regression analysis showed that the stroke severity was negatively correlated with serum prealbumin level (r =-0.115,P =0.000) and positively correlated with hs-CRP level (r =0.098,P =0.000).Serum prealbumin level was inversely correlated with hs-CRP level ( r =- 0.396,P =0.000).Conclusion The prealbumin level is relevant with the severity of AIS and inflammation.

Objective:To evaluate the effects of periodontitis on the expression of apoptosis-related proteins in pancreas of rats with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus.Methods:Spontaneously type 2 diabetic OLETF rats were randomly divided into 2 groups:diabetes with or without periodontitis(diabetes group and combination group).LETO rats with the same germline and the same age but having normal glucose tolerance were randomly divided into control group and periodontitis group.20 weeks after periodontitis were established,all the rats were sacrificed and the pancreas were pathologically examined by HE staining.The expression of Bax,Bcl-2 and Caspase-3 in the pancreas islet were detected by immunohistochemistry staining and semi-quantitative analysis.Results:The expression of Bax, Bcl-2 and Caspase-3 in the pancreas islet was no significant difference between control and periodontitis groups(P=0.324,P=0.091,P=0.852).Compared with diabetes group,the expression of Bax and Caspase-3 in combination group showed a significant increase(P=0.000,P=0.000),and the expression of Bcl-2 was significantly decreased(P=0.022).Conclusion:Under healthy conditions,periodontitis has no effect on the expression of apoptosis-related proteins in rat pancreas islet.However,in rats with diabe-tes,periodontitis may affect the expression of apoptosis-related proteins in pancreas islet.

Objective:To explore the relationship between hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and the pathogenesis of multiple my-eloma (MM), in order to provide an epidemiological evidence for the prevention and treatment of MM. Methods:Clinical and epidemi-ological data of 185 MM patients and 182 non-tumorous patients were collected. Subjects were randomly selected from in-patients who were homeochronously admitted to the same five grade-III A hospitals, including Xi'an Central Hospital, Shaanxi People's Hospital, Xi'an Jiaotong University Xibei Hospital, and so on. MM patients were selected in terms of age and gender. Peripheral blood HBsAg was assayed by ELISA. If HBsAg was negative, the S and C-gene fragments of HBV DNA were tested using nested PCR . Fisher's ex-act test orχ2 test (SPSS statistical software) was used to compare the differences between the groups. Logistic regression was employed to examine the association between the pathogenesis of MM and HBV infection. Results:In MM patients, the HBsAg positive rate was 8.11% (15/185), the occult HBV infection (OBI) positive rate was 3.53% (6/170), and the total HBV infection rate was 11.35% (21/185). For the control group, the HBsAg positive rate was 4.40%(8/182), the OBI positive rate was 0.57%(1/174), and the total HBV in-fection rate was 4.95%(9/182). No statistical difference in HBsAg or OBI positive rate was found between the two groups (P>0.05). However, MM patients showed significantly higher total HBV infection rate than that of the controls [χ2=5.02, P<0.05;OR was 2.46 (95%CI:1.10-5.53, P<0.05)]. Additionally, the proportion of ISS stage III was significantly higher in MM patients with HBV infection than in uninfected MM patients (85.71%vs. 60.37%,χ2=5.15, P<0.05). Patients with HBV infection showed reduced albumin level (χ2=5.60, P<0.05) and aκ/λlight chain ratio (P<0.05) compared with uninfected patients. Conclusion:The risk of MM pathogenesis after HBV infection is significantly increased as OBI is included in the analyses. Furthermore, MM patients with HBV infection will develop more severe liver damage, indicating that OBI in MM patients with negative HBsAg should be screened before chemotherapy to pre-vent HBV reactivation.