Arsenic compounds are poisonous to organisms,which may induce chromosome aberration and gene mutation of cells.Arsenic compounds may also change the gene functions and cause carcinoma.After exposure to arsenic compounds,gene expressions in some cells were changed.The results of some molecular biology studies showed that both prokaryote and eukary-ote had responses to arsenic compounds at molecular levels.It will be important for unveiling the molecular mechanisms of ar-senic compoundseffects on cells and organisms and the arsenic-resistance of various cells and organism by studying the inter-actions between arsenic compounds and genes.In addition,it was recently found that arsenic trioxide could induce cell apoptosis by various cellular signal transduction pathways.

Objective To study the effects of arsenic compounds on metallothionein-3 gene expression in human normal hepatic cells. Methods cDNAs were cloned by SMART method. Bioinformatics was utilized to analyze the homologue, chromosomal localization, structure and encoding protein of the cloned gene and the trans-membrane information of the encoding protein. Metallothionein-3 gene expression level in L-02 cell line treated by arsenite was determined by cDNA microarrays. Results Metallothionein-3 cDNA gene was cloned and located in the chromosome 16q13. The results of bioinformatics analysis showed that the protein encoded by metallothionein-3 gene could cross the biologic membrane. Metallothionein-3 gene expression up-regulation in human normal hepatic L-02 cell line was found by cDNA microarrays in the early stage after the cells being exposed to arsenite. Conclusion The results of this study showed that the human metallothionein-3 gene was arsenic related gene and this gene might play a vital role in the detoxification metabolism of arsenic compounds at early stage.

AIM: To investigate the expression map of two p53 binding proteins 53BP1 and 53BP2 in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) tissue.METHODS: The expression of 53BP1 and 53BP2 mRNA in NPC biopsy and control group are tested by RT-PCR. The expression of two mRNA in NPC paraffin section are examined by in situ hybridization. RESULTS: No expression of 53BP1 mRNA was found in NPC tissue and control group. However, expression of 53BP2 was detected in NPC biopsy and control group by RT-PCR, specific expressoin found cancerous nest in NPC paraffin section by in situ hybridization.CONCLUSION: The high expression of 53BP2 may be related to the development of NPC.

AIM:To examine the latent membrane protein 1(LMP1)-DNA sequence in nasopharyngeal carcinoma(NPC) and detect mRNA expression of LMP1, EBNA1, EBNA2, and to explore the relationship between EBV infectious status, expression products and NPC carcinogenesis.METHODS: LMP1 DNA was detected in NPC by PCR. Direct sequence was applied to analyze the difference between NPC-LMP1-DNA and B95-8-LMP1-DNA. mRNA expressions of LMP1, EBNA1, EBNA2 in NPC were detected by nested RT-PCR.RESULTS: LMP1 DNA existed in all 47 NPC tissues. Several single nucleotide variations were found between NPC-LMP1-DNA and B95-8-LMP1-DNA. The notable variation was the lost of XhoⅠrestriction site in NPC. Direct sequence showed 30 bp deletion in NPC. The mRNA expressions of LMP1, EBNA1 and EBNA2 in NPC were 76.6%, 80.0% and 74.5% respectively by nested RT-PCR. The expression of EBNA1 in NPC was promoted by Q promoter while the expression of EBNA1 in B95-8 was promoted by C promoter.CONCLUSION: The way of EBV involved in NPC is complex. Latent genes such as LMP1, EBNA1 and EBNA2 as well as early lytic gene BARF1 may all play certain roles in NPC carcinogenesis.

Objective To explore the relationship between plasma interleukin-11(sIL-11) level and platelet count post-chemotherapy with hematological malignancy patients and analyse a sIL-11 level which may maintain a safe platelet count so as to guide the treatment. Methods Blood samples were collected from the patients with hematological malignancy at certain time point of pre-and post-chemotherapy, and serum level of sIL-11 and platelet count were determined separately. Different statistical methods were applied to test the relationship between sIL-11 level and platelet changes. Results 99 cases finished this study. The findings are: the sIL-11 level went up and reached the peak on day 6 post-chemotherapy, while the platelet count kept dropping to the lowest on day 10, the sIL-11 peak occurred before the lowest platelet count, patients with faster sIL-11 increase may maintain a comparatively higher plateled count. 99 eases were grouped according to the lowest platelet count and compared: the group with higher platelet count tend to have higher peak sIL-11, more cases with higher peak sIL-11, with faster daily average sIL-11 increase, the lowest platelet count occurred later. Logistic regression analysis showed the factors contributed to lower platelet includes slower daily average sIL-11 increase and sIL-11 level less than 2000 pg/ml on Day4 post-chemotherapy. Conclusion There were correlation between the serum sIL-11 level and platelet counts, the platelet count change may be predicted by determining the plasma sIL-11 level post-chemotherapy. Patients with sIL-11 level less than 2000 pg/ml on Day4 post-chemotherapy may be endangered with severe thrombocytopenia, rhIL-11 or platelet transfusion treatment should be considered.

The aim of this paper is to study the methods of 3D visualization and the 3D interactive clipping of CT/MRI image sequence in arbitrary orientation based on the Visualization Toolkit (VTK). A new method for 3D CT/MRI reconstructed image clipping is presented, which can clip 3D object and 3D space of medical image sequence to observe the inner structure using 3D widget for manipulating an infinite plane. Experiment results show that the proposed method can implement 3D interactive clipping of medical image effectively and get satisfied results with good quality in short time.

The aim of this paper is to study the methods of 3D visualization and the 3D interactive clipping of CT/MRI image sequence in arbitrary orientation based on the Visualization Toolkit (VTK). A new method for 3D CT/MRI reconstructed image clipping is presented, which can clip 3D object and 3D space of medical image sequence to observe the inner structure using 3D widget for manipulating an infinite plane. Experiment results show that the proposed method can implement 3D interactive clipping of medical image effectively and get satisfied results with good quality in short time.
Algorithms ; Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted ; methods ; Imaging, Three-Dimensional