Objective To investigate the clinical prognosis of idiopathic demyelinating optic neuritis (IDON), the rate of its conversion to multiple sclerosis (MS) or neuromyelitis optica (NMO) and its clinical features related to the conversion.Methods Patients satisfying our entry criteria for IDON hospitalized in Beijing Tongren Hospital during the period from 2002 to 2007 were re-evaluated with follow-ups for 6-months to 5-years.The McDonald diagnostic criteria for MS (revised, 2005) was used to diagnose MS in these subjects during follow-up and the diagnosis of NMO utilized 1999 Wingerchuk' s NMO criteria.The Chi-Squared χ2 test was applied to statistically analyze association of clinical features and development of MS or NMO.Results In 107 recruited IDON cases with complete clinical data and follow-up, 12 cases (11.2%) developed into MS or NMO during follow-up period.All 12 cases met the revised McDonald criteria, of which 4 cases met NMO criteria and the remaining eight cases showed some clinical evidence of "optic-spinal MS (OS-MS)".A significantly higher conversion rate of 23.1% was found in recurrent IDON than the 4.4% in single-episode cases (χ2 = 6.899, P < 0.01) .Convesion rate of female patiends (17.2%) is significantly higher than male patients (4.1%, χ2 = 4.620, P < 0.05).Conversion rate of 18.2% in patients with initially abnormal brain MRI was higher than rate of 8.1% in cases with normal brain MRI, but the difference was not statistically significant.No difference was found between presence or absence of swollen disc, nor severity of vision loss.Conclusions In a group of IDON patients, 11.2% developed into MS and NMO or clinically indicative OS-MS.Recurrent IDON and female gender suggested higher risk of developing MS or NMO.

Objective:To construct the human DcR3 expression vector and verify its expression in vitro. Methods: 915 bp human DcR3 gene CDS was amplified from porcine lung tissues,and was cloned into eukaryotic expression vector pEF1a-IRES-DsRed-Express2 which show red fluorescence. And then pEF1a-IRES-DsRed-Express2-DcR3 was transfected into LX-2 cells by FuGene HD. Expression of mRNA and protein lever of Human DcR3 were detected by RT-PCR and Western blot. Results:The levels of DcR3 gene transcription and translation in the hepatic stellate cells were significantly increased after transfection with pEF1a-IRES-DsRed-Ex-press2-DcR3 by RT-PCR and Western blot analysis. Conclusion: DcR3 expression vector was successfully constructed and highly expressed in LX-2 cells.

Objective To investigate the effects of granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) combined with interleukin-12 (IL-12) genes on apoptosis of hepatoma cells.Methods The hepatoma cell lines were cultured in vitro and were divided into four groups: GM-CSF transfection group,IL-12 transfection group,GM-CSF and IL-12 co-transfection group,negative control group (empty load group),respectively.The PIB-CMV3-GM-CSF and PIB-CMV3-IL-12 eukayotic expression vector was built,and 36 h after transfection,fluorescence microscope was used to detect the transfection effect;the expression level of IL-12,GM-CSF,p53,p38 and C-JUN mRNA were detected by RT-PCR,and Western blot was used to examine the expression level of IL-12,GM-CSF,p53,p38 and C-JUN protein.In addition,the flow cytometry was applied to detect cell apoptosis.Results Through fluorescence microscope,green fluorescence was observed in cells of GM-CSF transfection group,IL-12 transfection group,GM-CSF and IL-12 co-transfection group,indicating that the plasmid has successfully transferred into cells.In addition,the expression of p53mRNA in empty load group,GM-CSF transfection group,IL-12 transfection group,GM-CSF and IL-12 co-transfection group were 1.2±0.10,4.3±0.98,4.2±0.34,9.2±0.87,and the protein expression were 1.0±0.10,3.6±0.34,3.8±0.30,5.0±0.60.Compared with the empty load group,the expression level of p53 mRNA and protein were significantly increased in the three plasmid transfection groups (P<0.01).The expression of p53 mRNA and protein were significantly increased in co-transfection group than GM-CSF group and IL-12 group (P<0.01),while in the comparison with GM-CSF transfection group and IL-12 transfection group,the expression level of p53mRNA and protein in the co-transfection group could be improved to a higher degree(P<0.01).Meanwhile,p38 C-JUN mRNA expression levels in empty load group,GM-CSF transfection group,IL-12 transfection group,GM-CSF and IL-12 co-transfection group were as follows: 7.5± 0.9,3.5±0.45,3.7±0.25,1.0±0.11,while p38protein expression levels were 10.1±1.03,6.1± 0.67,7.1 ± 0.61,1.0 ± 0.12,respectively,C-JUN mRNA expression levels were 11.2 ± 1.20,4.1 ± 0.19,3.3 ± 0.30,1.0 ± 0.01,separately,C-JUN protein expression levels were 2.25 ± 0.2,1.8 ± 0.13,1.4 ± 0.12,1.0 ± 0.09.P38, C-JUN mRNA and protein levels were significantly reduced in the three plasmid transfection groups compared with the empty load group (P<0.01).The expression of p38,C-JUN mRNA and protein were reduced to a lower degree in co-transfection group than in GM-CSF transfection group and IL-12 transfection group (P<0.01).Flow cytometer showed that the hepatoma cell apoptosis rate of the empty load group,GM-CSF transfection group,IL-12 transfection group,co-transfection group were (3.43±0.9)%,(5.87±1.02)%,(7.32±1.1)%,(17.47±2.11)%,the rates of the three plasmid transfection groups were significantly higher than that of the empty load group (P<0.01).And the apoptosis rate was significantly increased in the co-transfected group compared with other plasmid groups (P<0.01). Conclusion The combination of GM-CSF and IL-12 could significantly accelerate the apoptosis of hepatoma cells by up-regulating the expression of p53,and down-regulating the expression of p38 and C-JUN.

ObjectiveTo investigate the effect of decoy receptor 3 (DcR3) gene on hepatocyte apoptosis, as well as the possible mechanism of action of DcR3 in this process. MethodsThe human liver cell lines were cultured in vitro, and pEF1α-DcR3 transfection group, pEF1α-IRES transfection group, and negative control group were established. The pEF1α-IRES-DsRed-Express2-DcR3 eukaryotic expression vector was constructed and transfected into human liver cell lines for 36 hours. qRT-PCR was used to measure the mRNA expression of DcR3, Fas ligand (FasL), α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), and transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1), Western blot was used to measure the change in the protein expression of DcR3, and flow cytometry was used to measure apoptosis. An analysis of variance was used for comparison of continuous data between groups, and the least significant difference t-test was used for comparison between any two groups. ResultsAfter human liver cell lines were transfected with pEF1α-DcR3 for 36 hours, the pEF1α-DcR3 transfection group showed significant increases in the mRNA and protein expression of DcR3 compared with the pEF1α-IRES transfection group and negative control group (F=33 1695 and 14154, all P＜0.01). Compared with the other two groups, the pEF1α-DcR3 transfection group showed significant reductions in the mRNA expression of FasL, α-SMA, and TGF-β1 (F=269 4518, 20 7904, and 80678, all P＜0.01), which suggested that DcR3 inhibited the expression of FasL, α-SMA, and TGF-β1. Compared with the pEF1α-IRES transfection group and negative control group, the pEF1α-DcR3 transfection group showed a significant reduction in apoptosis rate (F=55863, all P＜0.01). ConclusionDcR3 can inhibit hepatocyte apoptosis and downregulate the mRNA expression of FasL, α-SMA, and TGF-β1.

The incidence of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has been increasing in China year by year, and NAFLD has become the second most common liver disease after viral hepatitis. Its development is closely associated with insulin resistance and oxidative stress and NAFLD is one of the important components of metabolic syndrome. Ghrelin is a newly discovered endogenous ligand for growth hormone secretagogue and has broad biological functions. Ghrelin not only affects the metabolic process of glucose and lipids, but also plays an important role in the development and progression of NAFLD. In this review, the role of endogenous Ghrelin expression in the development and progression of NAFLD is briefly summarized and the Ghrelin regulation in the development and progression of NAFLD is pointed out, which will provide new approaches to the clinical treatment of NAFLD.

Objective To observe the effect of Buyang Huanwu Decoction on hippocampal tissue structure and blood perfusion in rats with focal cerebral ischemia using multi-modal MRI;To analyze the mechanism of Buyang Huanwu Decoction on hippocampal neuroplasticity combined with the expression changes of neuroplasticity proteins and glucose metabolism related transporters.Methods Focal cerebral ischemia rat model induced by right middle cerebral artery occlusion were established.The rats were divided into sham-operation group,sham-operation+Buyang Huanwu Decoction group,model group and model+Buyang Huanwu Decoction group.The rats in the sham-operation group and model group were given normal saline for 30 days,and those in the sham-operation+Buyang Huanwu Decoction group and model+Buyang Huanwu Decoction group were given Buyang Huanwu Decoction for 30 days.T2 mapping imaging was used to detect the changes in hippocampal tissue structure,the changes of cerebral blood perfusion in hippocampus were detected by arterial spin labeling imaging,Western blot was used to detect the protein expressions of SYN,GAP-43,glucose transporters and MCT.Results Compared with the sham-operation group,the T2 relaxation time of the right and left hippocampus in the model group rats significantly increased(P<0.01,P<0.001),the blood flow in the right hippocampus was significantly reduced(P<0.05),the protein expressions of SYN,GAP-43,MCT4 and MCT2 in the right hippocampus were significantly decreased(P<0.01,P<0.001),the protein expressions of GLUT1 and GLUT3 in bilateral hippocappal tissue significantly decreased(P<0.05,P<0.01,P<0.001).Compared with the model group,the T2 relaxation time in the right hippocampus of rats in model+Buyang Huanwu Decoction group was significantly reduced(P<0.05),the blood flow in the right hippocampus significantly increased(P<0.05),the protein expressions of SYN,GAP-43,GLUT1 and GLUT3 in bilateral hippocampal tissues significantly increased(P<0.01,P<0.001),and the protein expressions of MCT4 and MCT2 in right hippocampal tissue significantly increased(P<0.01,P<0.001).Conclusion Buyang Huanwu Decoction can alleviate hippocampal injury in rats with focal cerebral ischemia,which may be related to improving blood perfusion,up-regulating neuroplasticity-related proteins,promoting hippocampal axon regeneration and synaptic remodeling,regulating energy metabolism of nerve cells.

In the field of bilingualism research, a key scientific question is how bilinguals process two language systems, particularly the effective switch from one language to another, namely bilingual code switching. With the rapid development of neuroimaging techniques, important progresses have been made in bilingual processing studies, especially in code switching. However, consensus has not been achieved regarding the mechanisms of bilingual code switching. Bilingual switching studies using neuropsychological and neuroimaging techniques have gained insights into the temporal and spatial features of the language switching process and the neurological mechanism, which provide direct evidence for the generation mechanism of bilingual code switching.