Estrogen receptor alpha (ERalpha) has been a primary target of treatment as well as a prognostic indicator for breast cancer. The level of human X-box binding protein 1 (XBP-1) mRNA was related with that of ERalpha in breast tumors and was over-expressed in some breast tumors. These previous studies suggested that XBP-1 may interact with ERalpha. XBP-1 has two isoforms, XBP-1S and XBP-1U, as the result of unique splicing. GST pull-down assay showed that both XBP-1S and XBP-1U bound to ERalpha in vitro. The binding of XBP-1S to ERalpha was stronger than that of XBP-1U to ERalpha. Co-immunoprecipitation revealed that the binding was in a ligand-independent manner. XBP-1S and XBP-1U interacted with the region of ERalpha that contains a DNA-binding domain. The ERalpha-interacting regions on XBP-1S and XBP-1U have been mapped to two regions, the N-terminal basic region leucine zipper domain (bzip) and the C-terminal activation domain. These findings suggest that XBP-1S and XBP-1U may participate in ERalpha signaling pathway through the mediation of ERalpha.
Breast Neoplasms ; genetics ; metabolism ; Cell Line, Tumor ; DNA-Binding Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Estrogen Receptor alpha ; genetics ; metabolism ; Female ; Humans ; Protein Interaction Domains and Motifs ; physiology ; RNA, Messenger ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Regulatory Factor X Transcription Factors ; Signal Transduction ; Transcription Factors ; genetics ; metabolism ; X-Box Binding Protein 1

Gerbil forebrain ischemia/reperfusion(I/R) injury model was used to study the effects of D(1) and D(2) receptor agonists and antagonists on neuronal apoptosis of hippocampal CA1 area. All animals were tested for habituation deficits in an open field test on the 1st, 3rd and 7th days after reperfusion. The animals were then killed, and brains underwent paraffin embedding for hematoxylin-eosin staining, in situ terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated deoxy-UTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) staining and immunohistochemistry (bax, bcl-2). The result of open field test showed that the I/R group was significantly impaired (higher activity scores) when compared with the control group. Pretreatment with pergolide significantly reduced this habituation impairment. Forebrain ischemia for 5 min resulted in extensive CA1 apoptosis on the 3rd and 7th days after I/R injury. About 95% neurons in hippocampal CA1 area entered apoptosis and only 2%-7% pyramidal neurons stayed alive due to an inhibition of bcl-2 expression and an increase in bax expression. Pretreatment of pergolide attenuated neuronal damage caused by transient ischemia. Infusion of pergolide could induce the expression of bcl-2 and reduce the expression of bax. Pretreatment with SKF38393, SCH23390 and spiperone had no effects on these changes in this transient I/R injury model. All these results indicate that pergolide plays an important role in the protection of hippocampal neurons from apotosis through upregulating the expression of bcl-2 protein and reducing the expression of bax protein.
2,3,4,5-Tetrahydro-7,8-dihydroxy-1-phenyl-1H-3-benzazepine ; pharmacology ; Animals ; Apoptosis ; Brain ; physiopathology ; Brain Ischemia ; physiopathology ; Dopamine Agonists ; pharmacology ; Dopamine Antagonists ; pharmacology ; Gerbillinae ; Hippocampus ; physiopathology ; Ischemic Attack, Transient ; physiopathology ; Male ; Neurons ; physiology ; Neuroprotective Agents ; pharmacology ; Pergolide ; pharmacology ; Prosencephalon ; physiopathology ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Receptors, Dopamine D1 ; Receptors, Dopamine D2 ; Reperfusion Injury ; physiopathology ; bcl-2-Associated X Protein

OBJECTIVETo construct an ERbeta expression vector and study its expression and function in different cancer cells.

METHODSStandard PCR was used to amplify the full-length coding sequence of ERbeta. The amplified ERbeta gene was cloned into the eukaryotic expression vector pCDNA3, generating pCDNA3-ERbeta. The ERbeta expression was detected by Western blot and in vitro translation. The biological activity of ERbeta was detected by transfecting the pCDNA3-ERbeta into SV40-transformed embryonic kidney cell line 293T,breast cancer cell lines MDA-MB-435, MDA-MB-436, SKBR3, and prostate cancer cell line PC-3, with reporters containing estrogen response elements.

RESULTSThe recombinant plasmid pCDNA3-ERbeta was confirmed by restriction analysis to contain the ERbeta gene. The 63 000 ERbeta expression was shown by Western blot and further confirmed by in vitro translation. The ERbeta expression in different cancer cells was demonstrated to stimulate the expression of the reporters containing estrogen response elements, ERE and C3.

CONCLUSIONERbeta protein is successfully expressed and has biological activity, laying solid foundation for further study on its role in cancer cells.

Breast Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Cell Line ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Embryo, Mammalian ; Epithelial Cells ; Estrogen Receptor beta ; genetics ; metabolism ; Female ; Genes, Reporter ; genetics ; Genetic Vectors ; Humans ; Kidney ; cytology ; Male ; Plasmids ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Recombinant Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Response Elements ; genetics ; Transfection

OBJECTIVETo explore distribution of the Liver and Lung Channels in the brain so as to provide imaging basis for construction of channel theory in the brain.

METHODSSixty healthy student volunteers were randomly divided into a Liver Channel group (I) and a Lung Channel group (II), and the each group was further divided into five subgroups with 6 volunteers in each subgroup, based on five-shu-point principles which, were Dadun (LR 1, I 1), Xingjian (LR 2, I 2), Taichong (LR 3, I 3), Zhongfeng (LR 4, I 4), Ququan (LR 8, I 5), Shaoshang (LU 11, II 1), Yuji (LU 10, II 2), Taiyuan (LU 9, II 3), Jingqu (LU 8, II 4), and Chize (LU 5, II 5), respectively. In order to observe the brain activating patterns during acupuncture at the different acupoints, functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) technique was adopted. All image data were then analyzed with SPM 2 software. The statistical parameter gram was composed of the pixel P < 0.01, and anatomic location was made according to Talairach coordinate, attaining experimentally activated areas, and the commonly activated area of five-shu-point of each channel was considered as the brain distribution of the Liver and Lung Channels.

RESULTSThe common areas activated by the five-shu-points of the Liver Channel were homolateral Brodmann area (BA) 34, BA 47, red nucleus, contralateral BA 19, BA 30, BA 39, the superior parietal lobule, cerebellum decline, and bilateral BA 3 and culmen. The common areas activated by the five-shu-points of the Lung Channels included homolateral BA 2, BA 18, BA 35, and contralateral BA 9 and substania nigra.

CONCLUSIONThere are relatively specific corresponding brain areas for the Liver and Lung Channels, indicating that there is possible relatively specific connection between channels and the brain.

Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; methods ; Adult ; Brain ; anatomy & histology ; Female ; Humans ; Liver ; Lung ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; methods ; Male ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Meridians

Since 2015 when the transmission of schistosomiasis was controlled in China, the country has been moving towards elimination of schistosomiasis, with the surveillance-response as the main interventions for schistosomiasis control. During the period of the 13th Five-Year Plan, the transmission of schistosomiasis had been interrupted in four provinces of Sichuan, Jiangsu, Yunnan and Hubei and the prevalence of schistosomiasis has been at the historically lowest level in China. As a consequence, the goal set in The 13th Five-Year National Schistosomiasis Control Program in China is almost achieved. However, there are multiple challenges during the stage moving towards elimination of schistosomiasis in China, including the widespread distribution of intermediate host snails and complicated snail habitats, many types of sources of Schistosoma japonicum infections and difficulty in management of bovines and sheep, unmet requirements for the current schistosomiasis control program with the currently available tools, and vulnerable control achievements. During the 14th Five-Year period, it is crucial to consolidate the schistosomiasis control achievements and gradually solve the above difficulties, and critical to provide the basis for achieving the ultimate goal of elimination of schistosomiasis in China. Based on the past experiences from the national schistosomiasis control program and the challenges for schistosomiasis elimination in China, an expert consensus has been reached pertaining to the objectives, control strategy and measures for The 14th Five-Year National Schistosomiasis Control Program in China, so as to provide insights in to the development of The 14th Five-Year National Schistosomiasis Control Program in China.

On February 2022, WHO released the evidence-based guideline on control and elimination of human schistosomiasis, with aims to guide the elimination of schistosomiasis as a public health problem in disease-endemic countries by 2030 and promote the interruption of schistosomiasis transmission across the world. Based on the One Health concept, six evidence-based recommendations were proposed in this guideline. This article aims to analyze the feasibility of key aspects of this guideline in Chinese national schistosomiasis control program and illustrate the significance to guide the future actions for Chinese national schistosomiasis control program. Currently, the One Health concept has been embodied in the Chinese national schistosomiasis control program. Based on this new WHO guideline, the following recommendations are proposed for the national schistosomiasis control program of China: (1) improving the systematic framework building, facilitating the agreement of the cross-sectoral consensus, and building a high-level leadership group; (2) optimizing the current human and livestock treatments in the national schistosomiasis control program of China; (3) developing highly sensitive and specific diagnostics and the framework for verifying elimination of schistosomiasis; (4) accelerating the progress towards elimination of schistosomiasis and other parasitic diseases through integrating the national control programs for other parasitic diseases.
China/epidemiology* ; Disease Eradication ; Humans ; Public Health ; Schistosomiasis/prevention & control* ; World Health Organization