Autoimmune disease is the result of interplay between genetic and environmental factors, Immunoregulatory genes and thyroid specific genes play important roles in the pathogenesis of autoimmune thyroid diseases.

Objective To study the relationship of epidermal growth factor (EGF) and pregnancy induced hypertension (PIH), the role of EGF in PIH and fetal growth restriction (FGR), and the effect of EGF on the fetal development in PIH. Methods Thirty-five severe PIH (SPIH, 17 with FGR and 20 without FGR) and twenty-two normal pregnancies were selected . The concentrations of EGF in plasma were analyzed by RIA. The expressions of the EGF receptor (EGFR) in placenta were assayed by immunohistochemistry. Results (a) The EGF concentration in plasma. EGF concentration (96?46 ng/L) was found significantly lower in SPIH than that (144?36 ng/L) in normal pregnancy. P0.05. (b) The levels of HPL in serum were positively correlated with the concentrations of EGF. (c) The immunostaining of EGFR in placenta. The EGFR immunostaining was more highly impressed in SPIH placent than that in normal (P0.05. Conclusion The level of EGF in plasma in SPIH is lower than that in normal pregnancy. But the expression of EGFR is higher. The long existence of lower EGF level in SPIH might lead to the depressed placental function and the occurrence of FGR.

Objective To investigate the role of GST-? mRNA in the development and pathogenesis of esophageal cancer. Methods Twenty two matched pairs of esophageal cancerous and noncancerous tissues were obtained from 22 patients with esophageal cancer in an endemic region. AP-PCR was used for determining the differential gene fragments and RT-PCR for detecting the expression of GST-? mRNA. Results Differential random amplified fragments were found in 6 cancerous tissues, and none of the noncancerous tissues. The 5T differential gene fragments were of 1.0 kb, and by cloning, sequencing, and sequence homology analysis, no homologous sequence was found in the gene library. The expression rates of GST-? mRNA in cancerous and noncancerous tissues were 54.5%(12/22) and 18.2%(4/22), respectively. Conclusions Whether the 5T differential gene fragment is a new gene candidate or is a marker of oncogene remains to be further studied. The expression of GST-? mRNA in esophageal cancerous tissue was markedly enhanced.

Objective To observe the effect of early enriched environmental intervention on synaptic ultrastructure and the synaptophysin expression (p38) in hippocampal CA1 area after hypoxia-ischemic brain damage(HIBD) in neonatal rats. Methods The rat model of HIBD was made by the method of Rice in 20 Sprague-Dawley rats, and divided randomly into 2 groups: the intervention group, non-intervention group. Another 10 rats underwent sham-operation as control. From the second day after HIBD, the rats of the intervention group were kept in an enriched environment for 20 d, the rats of non-intervention group and sham-operation group were raised in standard enviroment instead. The hippocampal ultrastructure was observed with electron microscope and the p38 expression was detected immunohistochemically in all rats. Results The ultrastructure of hippocampus CA1 pyramidal neuron in the non-intervention group were distorted as compared with that in the intervention group and control group. The corrected optical densities (COD) of immunoreactive products of the hippocampal p38 were significantly decreased in non-intervention group as compared with intervention group and control group (P0.05). Conclusion Early enriched environment intervention could improve the synaptic reconstruction and reduce the ultrastructural damage induced by hypoxic-ischemia.

Objective To observe the effects of different environment stimulation on the nestin expression in hippocampus and the ability of learning and memory of rats after hypoxic-ischemic brain damage (HIBD). Methods Rat HIBD models were established by the method of Rice in 45 SD rats, then randomly divided into three groups: standard environment stimulation group (SE), enriched environment stimulation group (EE), and impoverished environment stimulation group (IE). Another 15 rats only underwent sham-operation. Different environment intervention that was designed according to Puurunen and Bourgeon’s literatures was applied to the rats on day 2 after HIBD operation. On day 28, Morris water maze was used to evaluate the ability of learning and memory. Then the nestin expression in the hippocampus was measured by immunohistochemistry. Results The ability of learning and memory of IE group reduced and was much lower than that of sham-operation group, SE group and EE group, that of SE group was lower than that of sham-operation group and EE group, but no significant difference between sham-operation group and EE group. Immunohistochemical analysis showed that nestin expression in the hippocampus of EE group significantly increased as compared with that of other groups and that of SE group was stronger than that of sham-operation group and IE group. Conclusion The EE stimulation could increase the nestin expression in the hippocampus of neonatal rats with HIBD, enhance neuranagenesis, and improve the ability of learning and memory, while the IE stimulation could decrease the nestin expression, inhibit neuranagenesis, and impair the ability of learning and memory.

Objective To observe the effects of early enriched environment intervention on the expression of growth-associated protein-43(GAP-43) in the hippocampus of rats with hypoxic-ischemic brain injury (HIBI). Methods After the establishment of HIBI model in SD rats by the method of Rice, the animals were divided randomly into 2 groups: the intervention group and non-intervention group. The sham-operation rats were used as control group. Enriched environment intervention had been administrated to the rats of intervention group since the 2nd day after HIBI. On the 3rd, 7th, 14th, 21st and 28th day, immunohistochemistry and RT-PCR were used to measure the expressions of GAP-43 protein and mRNA in the hippocampus of rats. Results The expression of GAP-43 protein and mRNA in the rat hippocampus were increased in the non-intervention group than in the control group(P

Objective To observe the effects of environmental stimulation at different stages of development on postnatal rats with hypoxia-ischemic brain injury (HIBI). Methods HIBI postnatal SD rats models were established by dissecting and ligating the left common carotid artery, and after 2 h of recovery, exposing to 8% oxygen-92% nitrogen gas mixture for 2 h. The HIBI rats were randomly divided into early intervention groups, late intervention group, non-intervention group. Intervention group were kept in enriched environment before or after weaning for 20 d. Non-intervention group and control group were kept in a standard environment. Space learning and memory were tested with Morris water maze. Results The ability of space learning and memory in early intervention group was better than that in late intervention group (P

Objective To observe the expression of growth-associated protein-43(GAP-43) in the hippocampus of neonatal rats with hypoxic-ischemic brain damage (HIBD). Methods HIBD was established by the method of Rice in 48 SD rats aged 7 days and another 48 matched normal rats served as control. Immunohistochemistry and RT-PCR were respectively used to detect the expression of GAP-43 protein and mRNA in all rat hippocampus on day 8, 10, 14, 21, 28, 35 after HIBD (n=8 at each time point for each group). Results The expression of GAP-43 protein and mRNA in hippocampus was obviously increased in HIBD rats as compared with normal rats, the peak of GAP-43 protein appeared at 3rd week, and the peak of mRNA at 2nd week. Conclusion The expression of GAP-43 protein and mRNA increased in the hippocampus of rats following HIBD, which was possibly related to the recovery of injured hippocampus.

Objective To study the effects of XiaoAiping (XAP) with different concentrations and action time on the proliferation and apoptosis of hepatocellular carcinoma cells Hepa1-6. Methods The hepatocellular carcinoma cell line Hepal-6 was treated with XAP at doses of 30 mg/ml(the high concentration group), 20 mg/ml (the moderate concentration group) and 10 mg/ml (the low concentration group) for 24 h, 48 h and 72 h, respectively. The MTT assay was used to detect the inhibitory effects of XAP on cell growth. The cell morphological alteration was observed after HE staining, and the apoptosis rates were assayed by flow cytometry. Results XAP produced an obvious time-and-dose-dependent inhibitory effect on the Hepa1-6 cells (P<0.01), and the cell differentiation trend was benign on light microscopy. After 48 h Hepa1-6 cells were incubated by XAP, there was an apoptosis peak, and the apoptosis rate was increased statistically in XAP group with the increasing XAP concentration [(7.65±0.40)%, (11.26±1.09)% and (26.71±0.85)% in low, moderate and high concentration group, respectively]compared with that in the controls (2.88 ±0.30)%, P < 0.01). Conclusion XAP produced obvious time-and-dose-dependent inhibitory effects on Hepa1-6 cells. Inhibiting DNA synthesize and inducing apoptosis of tumor cells may involve in the mechanisms of antineoplastic effect.

In order to evaluate the factor. which affect the five year survival rate and prognosti c factors of the early carcinoma of the esophagus and the gastric cardia treated with endoscopic Nd : YAG laser therapy , thirty-three patients were followed. Of the 33 patients , 32 ( 97% ) cases were cured , resul- ting in the disappearance of the cancer cells. They were followed up for 3 3- 78 months , with a mean of 55. 3 months. The survival rate of the 32 patients treated with endoscopic laser was computed with the Product limit estimate method ,and was compared with the natural history of early superficial carcinoma . of the esophagus and the gastric cardia. The five year survival rate was in 97% of the 32 patients treated with laser therapy ,in contrast to 67% (P