Objective To clone,express and characterize a tegument protein gene of Schistosoma japonicum(Sj29),and investigate the immune protection of the recombinant protein against S.japonicum in mice.Methods The gene coding for Sj29 protein was amplified by PCR,and the sequence was analyzed by bioinformatics tools.Partial fragment of Sj29 gene was subcloned into the prokaryotic expression vector pET28c(+).The recombinant plasmid was transformed into E.coli BL21(DE3) and induced the recombinant with IPTG.The recombinant protein(rSj29) was purified by His-binding-resin affinity chromatography and characterized by Western blotting.Three groups each with 10 BALB/c mice were immunized subcutaneously three times(two weeks interval) respectively with 100 ?l recombinant rSj29(0.1 mg/ml),adjuvant or PBS.At the 15th day after the final inoculation,each mouse was challenged by 40 ?2 cercariae of S.japonicum.At the 53th day after infection,the mice were sacrificed to obtain the number of adult worms,number of eggs in liver and feces.Serum samples were collected at pre-immunization and certain time after immuniza-tion,and were analyzed for IgG by ELISA.The localization of rSj29 in worms of different developmental stages was demonstrated by immunofluorescent technique.mRNA expression level of Sj29 gene in worms of different developmental stages and three groups after infection was detected by quantitative real-time PCR.Results A 576 bp Sj29 gene fragment was obtained.The recombinant protein rSj29 with Mr 22 900 was expressed in the form of inclusion body.The recombinant rSj29 can be recognized by sera of mice immunized with rSj29 and sera of infected mice.The number of adult worms(15.4?5.9),number of hepatic eggs(40 143.3?2 995.9) and number of fecal eggs(3 803.9?110.9) in re-combinant protein group were significantly higher than those of PBS control group(20?3.4,49 318.1?6 648.3,5 238.1? 303.5,respectively)(P

Objective: To establish the mouse aorta dissection (AD) model through drinking water containing β-aminopropionitrile (BAPN). Methods: Forty 3-week-old C57B1/6J male mice were divided into four groups according to randomized block design: control, 0.2, 0.4 and 0.8 g·kg^-1·d^-1 BAPN groups (dissolving respective dose of BAPN in the drinking water, n=10 each group). Arterial systolic blood pressure and heart rate were measured weekly in conscious, restrained mice using a noninvasive computerized tail-cuff system. Mice those died of rupture of aortic dissecting aneurysm during the study were autopsied and the aorta was examined. After 4 weeks, survived mice were sacrificed by an overdose of sodium pentobarbital and the whole aorta was harvested and analyzed. Results: The incidence of AD and the mortality of ruptured AD was 0 and 0 in control group, 30% (3/10) and 20% (2/10) in 0.2 g·kg^-1·d^-1 BAPN group, 50% (5/10) and 40% (4/10) in 0.4 g·kg^-1·d^-1 BAPN group, 90% (9/10) and 70% (7/10) in 0.8 g·kg^-1·d^-1 BAPN group (both P<0.05 vs. control group). The incidence of AD and the mortality of ruptured AD increased in proportion to BAPN concentration increase. In 0.8 g·kg^-1·d^-1 BAPN group, 7 mice died of dissecting aneurysm rupture during the experiment, among which 5 dissecting aneurysms were mainly located in the thoracic aorta and 2 dissecting aneurysms in abdominal aorta. The diameters of thoracic aorta and abdominal aorta were (1.38±0.19) and (1.23±0.13) mm in control group, (2.43±1.56) and (1.30±0.26) mm in 0.2 g·kg^-1·d^-1 BAPN group, (2.45±1.28) and (1.30±0.31) mm in 0.4 g·kg^-1·d^-1 BAPN group, (2.87±0.57) and (1.95±0.81) mm in 0.8 g·kg^-1·d^-1 BAPN group (both P<0.05 vs. control group). The diameters of thoracic aorta and abdominal aorta in mice also increased in proportion with BAPN concentration increase. Furthermore, blood-filled false lumen formation and elastic fibers fragmentation were evidenced in hematoxylin-eosin stained and Vitoria blue-Sirius red stained aortic cross-sections of mice in the 0.8 g·kg^-1·d^-1 BAPN group. Conclusion BAPN treatment induced aortic dissection model in C57Bl/6J mice can serve as a useful wild-type mouse model for the mechanism and pharmaceutical studies of AD.

Objective:Pretibial myxedema (PTM) is a localized myxedema characterized by excessive dermal hya-luronan (HA) deposition and elevated serum TSH receptor antibody (TRAb). In this study, we investigated the effects of TRAb and its subtypes, stimulating antibody [TSAb (M22)] and inhibitory antibody[TBAb (K1-70)], on the synthesis of hyaluronic acid produced by PTM primary dermal fibroblasts.Methods:Normal and PTM dermal fibroblasts were isolated and stimulated with M22, K1-70, and IgG from patients respectively. HA concentration in the supernatant before and after stimulation was tested by ELISA. The protein level and phosphorylation variation of CEMIP, HAS2 and PI3K-AKT pathway were detected by Western blot.Results:IgG from patients (TRAb 8.4 IU/L) significantly stimulated the extracellular accumulation of HA in PTM primary fibroblasts. Similarly, both M22 and K1-70 also upregulated HA level in the supernatant, though K1-70 seemed much more effecitve. After treatment with IgG, M22, and K1-70, the expression of HAS2 increased and the expression of CEMIP decreased; meanwhile, p-PI3K and p-AkT increased. Among them, further study on K1-70, promoting HA production by regulating PI3K-AkT signal pathway could be inhibited by PI3K inhibitor (LY294002).Conclusion:TSAb (M22) and TBAb (K1-70), especially TBAb, increase HAS2 and inhibit CEMIP expression by activating PI3-AKT signaling pathway in PTM fibroblasts, leading to increased extracellular HA level.

Objective: To determine the association between anthropometric parameters and 20 meter shuttle run test (20 m SRT) score among children and adolescents. Methods: The convenient sampling method was conducted to select 3 192 primary and secondary school students in Baoan District, Shenzhen, based on the street school types school from April to May 2019. Height, weight, 20 m SRT score and general demographic indicators were assessed and collected. Individuals were divided into two groups based on the dose response correlation between different anthropometric parameters (the Z score of height, weight and BMI) and 20 m SRT score analyzed with the restricted cubic spline. The association between the Z score of height and 20 m SRT score was further analyzed using the Spearman correlation analysis. Logistic regression analysis was used to analyze separately the relationship different anthropometric parameters and 20 m SRT score. Results: The Z value of weight and 20 m SRT score showed a non linear dose response association ( P <0.01), the significant but weak linear correlation between the Z value of height and 20 m SRT score ( r=0.06, P <0.05). The prevalence rate on the low level of the Z value of 20 m SRT score in 3 192 children and adolescents was 44.7%, and the gender ( χ 2=14.02, P <0.01) and grade difference ( χ 2=93.28, P <0.01) were both statistically significant. There was no significant relationship between the Z value of height and 20 m SRT score grade among total population, different genders and different grades ( P > 0.05). Compared with the reference group on the Z value of weight ≤-0.23, individuals with the Z value of weight >-0.23 had the low level of 20 m SRT score ( OR =0.61, P <0.05). Compared with the reference group on the Z value of BMI ≤ 0.25, individuals with the Z value of weight >0.25 had the low level of 20 m SRT score ( OR =0.45, P <0.05). Stratified for gender and grade, the above significant relationship on the Z value of weight, Z value of BMI and 20 m SRT score were still observed ( P <0.01). Conclusions The higher height Z value shows on correlations with 20 m SRT score, but the positive association is found between weight and BMI Z value and the 20 m SRT score. The cardiopulmonary fitness improvement may be more effective among children and adolescents when tuking weight and BMI Z scores into consideration.

Objective To investigate the inhibitory effect of epigallocatechin gallate(EGCG)on oxidative damage to the retina in a rat model of dry age-related macular degeneration(AMD)induced by sodium iodate.Methods A total of 36 male specific pathogen-free Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into the blank control group,sodium iodate group and sodium iodate+EGCG group,with 12 rats in each group.Rats in the sodium iodate group and the sodium io-date+EGCG group were given 50 mg-kg·1 sodium iodate by tail vein injection by weight to build dry AMD models,while rats in the blank control group were administered with an equal volume of normal saline.Following the modeling proce-dure,rats in the sodium iodate+EGCG group received an intravitreal injection of 4 μL EGCG(0.5 g·L-1)into their right eyes,while the right eyes of rats in both the blank control and sodium iodate groups were treated with the same volume of normal saline.After 21 days,the rats were sacrificed,and ocular samples were collected for detection.Histopathological changes of the retinal tissues in each group were examined using hematoxylin and eosin(HE)staining.Additionally,the levels of superoxide dismutase(SOD),glutathione peroxidase(GSH-Px),and malondialdehyde(MDA)in the retinal tis-sues were quantified.Western blot analysis was conducted to assess the protein expression levels of nuclear factor ery-throid-2-related factor 2(Nrf2),NADPH quinone oxidoreductase 1(NQO1),and heme oxygenase-1(HO-1)in the retinas.Furthermore,real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction was performed to evaluate the relative messenger ribonucleic acid(mRNA)expression levels of Nrf2,NQO1 and HO-1 in the retinas of the rats.Results HE staining revealed that,in comparison to the blank control group,the entire retinal layer in the sodium iodate group exhibited injury,characterized by noticeable injury of the retinal pigment epithelial cells and disordered outer nuclear layer with wavy transformation.The so-dium iodate+EGCG group demonstrated ameliorated retinal injury across all layers compared to the sodium iodate group.Compared to the blank control group,the levels of SOD and GSH-Px were significantly reduced(both P＜0.01),while the level of MDA was significantly elevated(P＜0.01)in the sodium iodate group.Compared with the sodium iodate group,the sodium iodate+EGCG group showed a significant increase in the levels of SOD and GSH-Px(both P＜0.01),along-side a substantial decrease in the content of MDA(P＜0.01).Western blot analyses demonstrated that compared with the blank control group,the protein expression levels of Nrf2,NQO1 and HO-1 were significantly elevated in the sodium iodate group(all P＜0.01);compared with the sodium iodate group,the sodium iodate+EGCG group exhibited relatively higher protein expression levels of Nrf2,NQO1 and HO-1(all P＜0.05).The results from real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction indicated that the relative mRNA expression levels of Nrf2,NQO1 and HO-1 in the retinas of rats in the sodium io-date group were significantly greater than those in the blank control group(all P＜0.05);compared with the sodium iodate group,the sodium iodate+EGCG group showed a significant increase in the relative mRNA expression levels of Nrf2,NQO1 and HO-1(all P＜0.05).Conclusion EGCG can improve the capacity to scavenge oxygen free radicals by promo-ting the upregulation of Nrf2 expression.This activation subsequently enhances the expression of downstream products such as NQO1 and HO-1,leading to increased levels of SOD and GSH-Px while simultaneously reducing the MDA level.Consequently,this process inhibits oxidative damage to the retina in rats with dry AMD induced by sodium iodate.