Objective To explore the value of SOD activity in diagnosis of central nervous system leukemia (CNSL )by detec-ting SOD activity of cerebrospinal fluid of patients with CNSL .Methods The cerebrospinal fluid of 55 patients from department of hematology of Nanfang hospital of southern medical university were collected from January 2008 to January 2009 ,in which 30 pa-tients suffered with central nervous system leukemia (CNSL group) ,the other 25 patients suffered with acute leucemia without im-paired central nervous system(control group) .The SOD activity of cerebrospinal fluid was detected by the xanthine oxidase meth-od ,while the routine test ,biochemistry test and cell smear of cerebrospinal fluid was detected .Results There were statistics differ-ence in the level of white cell and protein in cerebrospinal fluid between CNSL and control group (P<0 .05) ,but with no difference in the level of cerebrospinal fluid pressure ,glucose ,chlorine(P>0 .05) .There was statistics difference in the level of SOD activity between CNSL and control group(P<0 .05) .The white cell quantity and the protein level in cerebrospinal fluid had negative corre-lation with the activity of SOD ,(r=0 .871 ,P=0 .000 ;r=0 .518 ,P=0 .003) .The activity of SOD in the cerebrospinal fluid had sta-tistics difference before and after intrathecal chemotherapy (P<0 .05) .The activity of SOD in the cerebrospinal fluid whose under 45 year-old (755 .64 ± 345 .77) ,which was significant lower than that of the paitents whose equal with or above 45 year-old (1 420 .49 ± 307 .69)(P<0 .05) .Conclusion The changes of the SOD activity in the cerebrospinal fluid had relation with central nervous system leukemia ,and the SOD activity might be a auxiliary diagnosis index used in central nervous system leukemia by revi-sing age factor .

Objective To explore protective effect of topiramate (TPM) and folic acid (FA) on mitochondrial damage in hippocampal CA3 neurons during pentylenetetrazol- induced kindling in immature rats.Methods Pentylenetetrazol (PTZ) - induced kindling in rats was used to establish rat models of epilepsy.Forty-eight 3-week-old male Wistar rats were randomly divided into 4 groups: two therapy groups with TPM 40 mg/(kg?d) or TPM 40 mg/(kg?d) and FA 5 mg/(kg?d) administration, 2 control groups (positive control group and negative control group) with the equal amount of distilled water administration. The seizure behaviors of rats were evaluated. Two months later, the rats were killed and the brain sections were made. The mitochondrial ultrastructures of neurons in hippocampal CA3 region were observed with transmission electron microscope.Results In the positive control group, the frequency of seizure was (48.4 ? 3.7)times, while in TPM group (44.3 ? 3.1)times and in TPM and FA group(40.8 ? 3 .7)times.The differences were significant among three groups (Pa

The effects of exogenous phytohormones on hairy root growth and biosynthesis of anthraquinones in the hairy root cultures of Polygonum multiflorum Thunb. were studied. The results showed that the 2,4-D, NAA and 6-BA all have obvious effects on the growth of hairy root cultures and the biosynthesis of anthraquinones. The growth of hairy root and biosynthesis of anthraquinones were strongly restrained by 2,4-D. However, NAA and 6-BA of appropriate concentration were favourable to hairy root growth and anthraquinones production.
2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic Acid ; pharmacology ; Anthraquinones ; metabolism ; Benzyl Compounds ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Kinetin ; pharmacology ; Plant Growth Regulators ; pharmacology ; Plant Roots ; drug effects ; growth & development ; metabolism ; Polygonum ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Purines

OBJECTIVETo detect the expression of the protein of TGF-beta1 and E-cadherin in the primary and metastatic lesions of ovarian carcinoma and explore the mechanism of the metastasis of ovarian carcinoma.

METHODSImmunohistochemistry (IHC) was performed to detect the expression of TGF-beta1 and E-cadherin proteins in primary and metastatic ovarian carcinoma, benign epithelial ovarian tumor and normal ovarian tissue.

RESULTSThe expression of TGF-beta1 was significantly higher in ovarian carcinoma (67.2%) than in benign tumors (28.6%) and normal ovarian tissue (18.9%) (Chi2=26.94, P<0.001), but E-cadherin expression showed a reverse pattern. TGF-beta1 expression in the primary ovarian carcinoma carcinoma was associated with the FIGO stage, lymph metastasis and ascites of the tumor (P=0.01, P=0.01, and P=0.04, respectively). E-cadherin expression in the tumor was associated with the differentiation (P=0.02) and lymph metastasis of ovarian carcinoma (P=0.04). The expressions of TGF-beta1 and E-cadherin were all significantly lower in the primary tumors than in the metastatic tumor (Chi2=4.70, P=0.03; Chi2=5.91, P=0.015). A significant correlation was found between the expressions of the TGF-beta1 and E-cadherin in the primary carcinoma (Kappa value of -0.32, P=0.01).

CONCLUSIONTGF-beta1 and E-cadherin are closely associated with the metastasis of ovarian carcinoma and might be potential targets for controlling the metastasis of ovarian carcinoma.

Adult ; Cadherins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Female ; Humans ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Ovarian Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Peritoneal Neoplasms ; metabolism ; secondary ; Transforming Growth Factor beta1 ; genetics ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETopiramate (TPM) has an evident efficacy in the treatment of childhood epilepsy for multiple pharmacologic properties. However it was reported that it may cause adverse effects such as liver failure and hepatitis, which arouses the attention of the medical field. This study aimed to investigate the hepatotoxicity of low-dosage, high-dosage TPM or TPM along with valproate sodium (VPA) in aspects of biochemistry indexes, oxidative stress indexes and liver pathomorphology in young rats.

METHODSSixty 3-week-old male Wistar rats were randomly assigned into five groups of 12 rats (Groups A-E). The rats in the experimental groups (Groups A-C) were administered intragastrically with TPM 40 mg/(kg.d), 80 mg/(kg.d) and TPM 40 mg/(kg.d) plus VPA 300 mg/(kg.d) respectively. The rats in the negative control group (Group D) were administered with the same volume of distilled water. The ones in the positive control group (Group E) were treated by injection of 10% carbon tetrachloride dissolved in olive oil subcutaneously at a dose of 5 mL/kg twice a week. After 3-month administration, the changes of body weight and liver pathomorphology were observed; biochemical markers in serum and indexes of oxidative stress in liver homogenate associated with hepatotoxicity were examined.

RESULTSThe body weights of rats in the experimental groups were significantly lower than that of rats in the negative control group. The levels of serum alanine aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase and the content of malondialdehyde, and the activity of superoxide dismutase in liver tissues did not change significantly in the experimental groups. The contents of glutathion in the high dosage of TPM group (29.85 +/- 1.62 mg/g prot) or in the TPM plus VPA group (29.63 +/- 4.47 mg/g prot) were significantly reduced compared with those of the negative control group (33.09 +/- 1.69 mg/g prot) and that of the low dosage of TPM group (32.43 +/- 2.11 mg/g prot) (both P < 0.05). In the histopathological examination, extensive steatosis and diffuse punctate necrosis of hepatocytes distributed in the portal area were found by microscopy in the positive control group. There were granular degeneration of some hepatocytes near the central veins of hepatic lobules in the low dosage of TPM group and punctate necrosis of some hepatocytes in the high dosage of TPM group. In the TPM plus VPA group, histological examination showed granular degeneration and fatty degeneration of partial liver cells and punctate necrosis of some hepatocytes.

CONCLUSIONSLong-term use of TPM can decrease antioxidant capacity of organism, resulting in slight pathological changes of liver tissues. High dosage of TPM or TPM along with VPA administration enhances the risk of the side effects.

Animals ; Anticonvulsants ; toxicity ; Body Weight ; drug effects ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Fructose ; analogs & derivatives ; toxicity ; Glutathione ; metabolism ; Lipid Peroxidation ; drug effects ; Liver ; drug effects ; metabolism ; pathology ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Valproic Acid ; toxicity

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the inhibitory effect of recombinant adenovirus carrying human endostatin gene (Ad-endo) on the growth of human pancreatic carcinoma xenograft in nude mice.

METHODSThe expression of endostatin in human pancreatic carcinoma Capan-2 cells was examined by RT-PCR after infection with Ad-endo. The supernatants of Capan-2 cells were collected after 48 h of infection with Ad-endo as the conditioned medium for human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs), whose proliferation in vitro was assayed. Capan-2 cell xenografts were established to determine the antitumoral effects of Ad-endo in vivo. The intratumoral microvessel density (MVD) was evaluated using CD31 staining.

RESULTSThe expression of endostatin gene was detected by PT-PCR in infected Capan-2 cells. The conditioned medium from Ad-endo-infected cells significantly inhibited HUVEC proliferation (P<0.05). Ad-endo significantly suppressed the growth of Capan-2 tumor xenografts in nude mice (P<0.05), and the MVD decreased significantly in the treated tumor (P<0.05) as compared with that in the control group.

CONCLUSIONAdenovirus carrying human endostatin gene produces inhibitory effects on the growth of human pancreatic carcinoma tumors in nude mice.

Adenoviridae ; genetics ; metabolism ; Angiogenesis Inhibitors ; metabolism ; pharmacology ; Animals ; Endostatins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Humans ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Mice, Nude ; Neoplasm Transplantation ; Neovascularization, Pathologic ; genetics ; Pancreatic Neoplasms ; blood supply ; pathology ; therapy ; Recombinant Proteins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; pharmacology

OBJECTIVETo study the neuroprotective effects of topiramate (TPM) alone or together with folic acid (FA) on young rats with kindling-induced epilepsy.

METHODSRat models of epilepsy were prepared by pentylenetetrazol (PTZ)-induced kindling. Seventy-two 3-week-old male Wistar rats were randomly divided into 6 groups: four TPM-treated epilepsy groups (TPM 20, 40 or 80 mg/kg/d and TPM 40 mg/kg/d + FA 5 mg/kg/d), a positive control group (untreated epilepsy group) and a negative control group (normal control group). After two months of administration, behaviors of the rats were recorded; serum levels of neuron-specific enolase (NSE) were measured using ELISA; pathological changes in the hippocampus were observed.

RESULTSThe frequency of convulsion seizures in the 20, 40 and 80 mg TPM treatment and TPM+FA groups was 44.7 +/- 2.9, 44.3 +/- 3.1, 42.7 +/- 3.2, and 40.8 +/- 3.7 respectively, which were significantly lower than that in the positive control group (48.4 +/- 3.7) (P <0.01). Twenty, forty and eighty mg TPM treatment and TPM+FA treatment significantly reduced NSE levels from 35.71 +/- 5.97 microg/L of the control group to 27.40+/- 6.40, 24.79 +/- 6.22, 21.47 +/- 6.87 and 22.55 +/- 7.02 microg/L respectively (P <0.05). Neuronal apoptosis in the CA3 and CA1 regions were alleviated in the four TPM treatment groups compared with positive control. The number of necrotic neurons was progressively reduced with the increased dose of TPM. The 40 mg TPM+FA treatment group showed less necrotic neurons in the CA3 and CA1 regions than the 40 mg TPM alone treatment group.

CONCLUSIONSTPM has protective effects against epilepsy-induced neuronal damage. The effect is dose-dependent. A combination of TPM and FA can produce a synergistic effect.

Animals ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Epilepsy ; drug therapy ; pathology ; Folic Acid ; pharmacology ; Fructose ; analogs & derivatives ; pharmacology ; Hippocampus ; pathology ; Kindling, Neurologic ; drug effects ; Male ; Neuroprotective Agents ; pharmacology ; Phosphopyruvate Hydratase ; blood ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar

Objective To explore the innuence of single-drug topirmate(TPM)on injured neurons of immature rats with chronic epilepsy. Methods A total of 72 male Wistar rats around 3-4 weeks of age were randomly allocated into 6 groups, 12 rats each. Group A: negative control group;group B:positive control group;group C:low-dose TPM group(20 mg/kg);group D:medium-dose TPM group(40 mg/kg);group E:high-dose TPM group(80 mg/kg);group F:united drug group[TPM 40 mg/kg+sodium valproate (VPA) 200 mg/kg]. Groups B-F belonged to the chronic epilepsy group,including rat models of epilepsy induced by intraperitoneal injection of pentylenetetrazol(PTZ)before the administration of TPM. After two-month administration, changes in body weight, behavioral performance,the level of serum neuron-specific enolase(NSE)and pathology in the hippocampus were examined. Results (1)The effect of group E on body weight of immature rats was significantly obvious than that of gruop B and gruop F.(2)Duration and degree of epileptic seizures induced by PTZ were respectively prolonged and alleviated in groups D and E. (3) NSE levels in groups administered with different doses of TPM were evidently lower than that in group B and there was no difference between group F and single-drug TPM groups.(4) Degenerative changes of hippocampal neurons and degree of glial cell hyperplasia were remarkably alleviated in group E. Conclusions TPM may alleviate the severity of neural injury following epileptic seizures in immature rats, with the existence of the dose effect;however,TPM plus VPA may impair its neuroprotective effects.

OBJECTIVEMutations in NPHS2 mapped to 1q25-q31 and encoding podocin, which is exclusively expressed in glomerular podocytes, are responsible for autosomal recessive familial steroid-resistant nephrotic syndrome (SRNS) with minor glomerular abnormalities or focal segmental glomerulosclerosis. Different groups from European and North American countries have screened NPHS2 mutations in familial SRNS with recessive inheritance, documenting a mutation detection rate of 45% - 55% in families. This study aimed to examine mutations in the NPHS2 gene in Southern Chinese Han ethnic group patients with familial SRNS.

METHODSGenomic DNA from 3 probands from Southern Chinese Han families with autosomal recessive SRNS, and their siblings and parents was isolated and analyzed for all eight exons, exon-intron boundaries and promoter of NPHS2 using the polymerase chain reaction and direct sequencing.

RESULTSNo mutation of NPHS2 in all eight exons and exon-intron boundaries was identified in the 3 probands. However, a polymorphism of 954T > C in exon 8 was detected in all the 3 probands and some controls, and 5 variants of NPHS2 promoter, -1709G > A, -1000A > T, -670C > T, -116C > T and -51G > T, were identified in some patients and controls, indicating that these variants are polymorphisms. One heterozygous variant of NPHS2 promoter, -1715A > G, was also identified in one proband and her mother whose urinalyses were normal, whereas it was not found in any of the 50 controls. There was no significant difference in the allelic frequencies of -1709G > A, -1000A > T, -670C > T, -116C > T and -51G > T polymorphisms between the patients and controls.

CONCLUSIONNPHS2 mutations are not a major cause of familial steroid-resistant nephrotic syndrome in Southern Chinese Han ethnic group included in the study.

Adolescent ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; genetics ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Gene Frequency ; Humans ; Infant ; Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins ; genetics ; Male ; Membrane Proteins ; genetics ; Mutation ; Nephrotic Syndrome ; ethnology ; genetics ; Pedigree

BACKGROUNDThe blood vessels of a transplanted organ are the interface between donor and recipient. The endothelium in the blood vessels is thought to be the major target for graft rejection. Endothelial cells of a transplanted organ can be of recipient origin after transplantation. In this study, we tested whether endothelial chimerism correlated with the graft rejection and cold ischemia.

METHODSWe studied the biopsy samples from 34 renal transplants of female recipients who received the kidney from a male donor for the presence of endothelial cells of recipient origin. We examined the tissue sections of renal biopsy samples by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) for the presence of endothelial cells containing two X chromosomes using a biotinylated Y chromosome probe and digoxigenin labelled X chromosome probe, and then analyzed the relationship between the endothelial cell chimerism and the rejection and cold ischemia.

RESULTSEndothelial chimerism was common and irrespective of rejections (P > 0.05). The cold ischemic time of chimerism group was longer than no chimerism group ((14.83 +/- 4.03) hours vs (11.27 +/- 3.87) hours, P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSThere is no correlation between the percentage of recipient endothelial cells in vascular endothelial cells and the type of graft rejection. The endothelium damaged by ischemic injury might be repaired by the endothelial cells from the recipient.

Animals ; Biopsy ; Endothelial Cells ; pathology ; Female ; Graft Rejection ; Humans ; In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence ; Kidney ; pathology ; Kidney Transplantation ; Male ; Mice ; Time Factors ; Transplantation Chimera ; Transplantation, Homologous