Epidemiological and pathological evidence has demonstrated that adverse in utero environment,such as protein restriction,hypercholesterolemia,diabetes and smoking,can increase the risk of vascular disease in the offspring.In utero,the placenta and fetus are exposed to the metabolic,antioxidant and pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory signals from the mother and likely to make specific responses,which may lead to permanent changes either in DNA methylation or chromatin modification or both,and these changes,in turn,may result in increased atherosclerosis susceptibility in adulthood.In this review,we briefly summarize the possible signals crossing the placental barrier and discuss the molecular mechanisms of epigenetic programming in the developing fetus that may lead to increased athero-susceptibility of the vessel wall.

Objective To observe the effect of blue light on apoptosis of cultured human retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells in vitro. Methods Human RPE cells were exposed to blue light, and the cells were divided into 3 groups: group A, with various intensity of illumination; group B: with same intensity but different time of illumination; group C: with same intensity and time of illumination but different finish time of the culture. The apoptosis of RPE cells was observed by TdT-dUTP terminal nick-end labeling (TUNEL) and annexin V-fluoresein isothiocyanate (FITC)/propidium iodide (PI) flow cytometry, and transmission electron microscopy. Results The positive cells stained by TUNEL shrinked and turned round, whose nuclei concentrated and congregated like the crescent or hat. Cracked nuclei and membrane bleb were found. Swollen mitochondrial, disappeared inner limiting membrane of mitochondria, and dilation of the rough endoplasmic reticulum with metabolite were observed by transmission electronmicroscopy. In group A, mild damage of RPE cells was found when the threshold value of the intensity of illumination was less than (500?100)lx, and the apoptosis and necrosis of RPE cells aggravated as the intensity of illumination increased; in group B, as the time of illumination extended, the number of apoptotic RPE cells didn′t increase while the necrosis increased; in group C, 6 and 12 hours after illumination, apoptosis of cells was the main injury, while apoptosis with necrosis was found and necrotic cells increased as the time of illumination was prolonged. Conclusions Illumination with blue light may cause damages of human RPE cells in vitro, with the modalities of apoptosis, apoptotic necrosis and necrosis. The extent of injury is dependent on intensity and duration of the illumination.

Purpose To evaluate short term visual acuity effects of a single photodynamic therapy(PDT) treatment with Visudyne (CIBA Vision Corp, Duluth, Ga) for choroidal neovascularization (CNV) in age related macular degeneration (AMD). Methods Definitely diagnostic AMD patients with classic CNV were treated with PDT (5 cases, 7 eyes). The data of visual acuity testing, ophthalmic examination, color photographs, optic coherence tomography, fluorescein angiograms and indocyanine green angiogram before photodynamic therapy and 1 week ,1 month after it were used to evaluate the effects of a single treatment of PDT with Visudyne. Results The visual acuity of all the treated eyes at the follow up examination at 1 month after PDT were not reduced. Distinct reduction of fluorescein leakage from CNV was noted in all patients by 1 week after PDT. Fluorescein leakage from a portion of the CNV reappeared by 1 month after treatment in 2 eyes. Conclusion PDT with Visudyne achieved short term cessation of fluorescein leakage from CNV without loss of vision or growth of classic CNV in some patients with AMD.

Objective To observe the effect of visible light on apoptosis of cultured human retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cells. Methods Being the light source,500lx,(2 000?500)lx and (3 400?200)lx cold white light were used. The duration of exposure was 0,6,12 and 24 hours respectively. Apoptosis was detected by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase mediated dUTP nick end labelling, Annexin V flunorescein isothiocyanate/Propidium iodium labelling and flow cytometry. Results Apoptosis and necrosis were found in cultured human RPE cells which were exposed to visible light.(1)A significant increase in apoptotic and necrotic percentages was consistent with a higher light intensity.(2)Apoptosis was the main response to shorter (6 h and 12 h) exposure duration,while necrosis was more pronounced correlated to the prolongation of post exposure culture ( P 500 lx) increases the proportion of apoptosis and necrosis of human RPE cells in vitro.The extent is related to exposure intensity and duration. It demonstrates that the lower intensity and the shorter duration of exposure to light are, the more pronounced apoptotic percentages are observed,otherwise necrosis.

Objective To study the clinical results and safty of photodynamic therapy (PDT) after single and multi treatments of patients with subfoveal choroidal neovascularization (CNV) caused by wet age related macular degeneration (AMD). Methods From July, 2000 to July, 2001, 20 wet AMD patients (31 eyes) 47 88 years old (mean 68.2 years old) with best corrected visual acuity from FC/10 cm to 0.6 diagnosed through optic coherence tomography (OCT), fluorescein angiography (FFA) and indocyanine green angiography (ICGA) were treated with PDT. All cases were assigned to benzoporphyrin derivative mono acid (BPD) (6 mg per square meter of body surface area), administered via intravenous infusion of 30 ml over 10 minutes. Fifteen minutes after the start of the infusion, a laser light at 689 nm (Zeiss company, German) delivered 50 J/cm 2 at an intensity of 600 mW/cm 2 over 83 seconds on CNV. Visual acuity, photochrome of ocular fundus, OCT, FFA, ICGA were used to evaluate the effects of photodynamic therapy with BPD. Follow up of these patients was planned 1 2 week and every 3 month after PDT. Once the lesion area progressed, PDT was applied again. Tweenty cases (31 eyes) were followed up from 3 to 18 months (average 12 month).In 1 affected eye, PDT was applied fow 4 times, 4 eye for 2 times, and the other 26 eyes for 1 time. Results The visual acuity in 13 (41 9%) eyes was improved ( increase≥2 lines) after PDT. Stabilized (?1 line) in 17 (54 8%) eyes and decreased 2 lines (attributed to the recur of CNV ) in 1 (3 2%) eye. After PDT, the fundus haemorrhage and fluid leakage reduced. FFA and ICGA showed. cessation and obvious reduction of fluorescein leakage from CNV in all patients 2 weeks after photodynamic therapy, and retreatment decreased the leakage step by step. Fluorescein leakage from at least a portion of the CNV reappeared by 1 3 month after treatment in some cases. OCT also showed the reduction of the size of CNV, moreover, the edema of surrounding retina and choriodal and serous neural epithelial detachment recovered obviously. No side affect during and after PDT was noticed. Conclusions PDT with BPD can achieve short term effect on part or total cessation of fluorescein leakage from CNV without loss of vision or growth of classic CNV in patients with age related macular degeneration, retreatment of PDT was also effective.

Objective To study the effects of ETP-508,a novel endothelin receptor antagonist,on the proliferation of pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cells(PASMCs) of rat cultured in hypoxia environment.Methods Primary culture of rat PASMCs was prepared by the method of tissue block anchorage,and they were assigned into four groups: normoxia group(21% O2),hypoxia group(2% O2),hypoxia+BQ-485 group(10-6,10-7,10-8,10-9mol/L) and hypoxia + ETP-508 group(10-6,10-7,10-8,10-9mol/L).MTT(492nm) assay was used to detect the A value of the four groups after cells were cultured for 24,48 and 72h.Flow cytometry and radioimmunoassay were respectively used to detect the cell cycle and ET-1 content at 48h time point.Results MTT assay demonstrated that A value of each group did not significantly differ at 24h time point.At 28h time point,A value of hypoxia group was markedly increased(P

Objective To evaluate the application of optical coherence tomography (OCT) in the rat retinal light damage. Methods Albino Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats (5-8 weeks of age) were exposed to 1 000-1 400 lux of diffuse, cool, white, fluorescent light for 2, 5, and 7 d. OCT image analysis and histological measurements of the retinal thickness were performed. Animals were then sacrificed and the measured results were compared with those by histological examination. Results The sensory retinal thickness of the retina in the rats thinned progressively as the retinal degeneration was in progress. The sensory retinal thickness measured by OCT [the corresponding thickness was (179.11?12.01)?m, (159.27?12.81)?m, and (133.67?11.43)?m, respectively] was well correlated with that measured by histology [the sensory retinal thickness after exposure to the light for 2, 5, and 7 d was (144.26?9.36)?m, (116.16?11.24)?m, and (94.27?10.68)?m, respectively] (r= 0.995, P

Objective To study the inhibitive effect of adenovirus mediated CD gene and 5-FC on proliferative human retinal pigment epithelial (HRPE) cells, and to search for an effective method to take precautions against proliferative vitroretinopathy (PVR). Method Different concentrations of CD and 5-FC were added respectively to the cultured third-growth-generation HRPE cells.Transferance rate was detected by positive HRPE cells marked by X-gal and LacZ. The number of HRPE cells were counted and evaluated by methylthiazol-tetrazollium (MTT) method. Results The adenovirus mediated CD gene could be transfered into HRPE cells with a dose-dependent manner. Positive HRPE cells with CD gene could transform 5-FC to 5-Fu,which could inhibit the increase of HRPE cells effectively. No obvious bystander effect on the growth of HRPE cells was detected. Conclusions The adenovirus may introduce a foreign gene into cultured HRPE cells efficiently. It could be a good method to treat and prevent PVR by medication.

Objective To observe the effect of exogenous basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) on apoptosis of cultured human retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells exposed to visible light,and determine the role of bFGF, fibroblast growth factor receptor 1 (FGFR1),bcl 2 and caspase 3. Methods (2000? 500) lx cold white light was used. Exogenous bFGF was utilized during culture. Annexin annexin V fluorescein isothiocyanate/propidium iodium (V FITC/PI) labeling,flow cytometry, Immunocytochemical staining, enzyme associated absorb examing and reverse transcriptional polymerase chain reaction (RT PCR) were used to determine the apoptosis, the expression levels of bFGF, FGFR1, bcl 2, as well as the activity of caspase 3. Results No protective effect of bFGF was observed under the concentration 5 ng/ml. A significant inhibition of apoptosis was found in 10 ng/ml and 20 ng/ml groups ( P5 ng/ml) groups than light exposure groups ( P

Background It is well known that tissue factor (TF) is expressed in tumor cells and neovascular endothelial cells of tumor.It plays an important role in the formation of new blood vessels as well as the growth and metastasis of tumor.However,whether TF is expressed or not in choroidal melanoma(CM)is unclear.Objective This study is to investigate the expression of TF in a choroidal melanoma cell line and human choroidal melanoma.Methods The expression of TF was studied in the optimal choroidal melanoma-1 (OCM-1) cell line and ten specimens from CM patients using immunhistochemistry.Ten normal eye specimens from donators were used as controls.Results The TF protein was mainly expressed in the cytoplasm.It is over-expressed in OCM-1 cells with positive rate of 85.33±5.47%.Hyper-expression of TF also was found in human choroidal melanoma with a positive rate of 41.60±14.17%.The integrated optical density (IOD) of positive cells in CM was 33853.67±16445.30,and only 5.65±4.26% of positive cells was found in normal human choroidal tissue.The IOD of TF expression in normal human choroidal tissue was 426.43±316.62.Conclusion The overexpression of TF in CM cells may be a new immunotherapy target for CM treatment.