AIM: To investigate the role of epigenetic modification in Pdx-1 gene transcription and expression, and to compare the differences between epigenetic modifications of Pdx-1 gene promoter in various cell types of mice. METHODS: The promoter DNA methylation and histone modification status of Pdx-1 and MLH1 genes in NIT-1 cells, NIH3T3 cells and mouse embryonic stem cells were measured by chromatin immunoprecipitation-real time PCR method. The expression levels of these genes in the three cell lines were measured by real time RT-PCR. The relation between epigenetic modifications and gene expression was analyzed. RESULTS: (1) Compared to mES cells, there was lower DNA methylation and higher H3K4m3 modification levels in the promoter of Pdx-1 gene in NIT-1 cells (P<0.05). DNA methylation, H3 acetylation, H3K4m3 and H3K9m3 modification levels in the promoter of Pdx-1 gene in NIH3T3 cells were distinctly increased (P<0.05). (2) Pdx-1 gene transcription expressed only in NIT-1 cells. The Spearman's rho between Pdx-1 gene expression and DNA methylation (r=-0.802,P<0.01) was observed. The Pearson correlation between Pdx-1 gene expression and H3K4m3 modification (r=0.997,P<0.01) was also found. The Spearman's rho between Pdx-1 gene expression and H3K9m3 modification (r=-0.879,P<0.01) was observed. (3) No correlation between housekeeper MLH1 gene expression and epigenetic modification was found. CONCLUSION: DNA methylation, H3K4m3 and H3K9m3 modification coordinated participate to regulate and control the expression of Pdx-1 gene. It is of great significance to the differentiation of β cells from ES cells.

Objective To analyze the efficacy and safety of losartan in the treatment of massive proteinuria in kidney transplant recipients.Methods All of the 82 patients were randomized in two groups:losartan group and control group(amlodipine group).Both of the groups were divided into two different subsets according to blood pressure control Twenty-four-hour proteinuria,serum creatinine,blood pressure and adverse effects were observed.Results Losartan and amlodipine had the similar effects on blood pressure control The 24-h proteinuria in losartan group at the end of the study was significantly lower than that at the baseline,and there was significant difference between the losartan blood pressure control subset and the losartan blood pressure un-control subseL The effective rate and significant effective rate in losartan group for massive proteinuria were higher than in control group.Conclusion T Losartan can be effectively and safely used for the treatment of massive proteinuria in renal transplant recipients independent of blood pressure.

Objective To investigate the effect of cyclosporine blood level at first year after kidney transplantation on patients with a survival time over 10 years. Methods 380 patients with functional allograft, a survival time over 10 years and long-term administration of cyclosporine A (CsA) were studied, and received CsA-based treatments. According to the blood CsA level at the first year after kidney transplantation, patients were divided into five groups: group 1, blood CsA level was above 0. 208 μmol/L (1 μmol/L = 1201.9 μg/L), group 2, blood CsA level between 0. 166-0. 208μmol/L; group 3, blood CsA blood level between 0. 125-0. 166 μmol/L; group 4, blood CsA blood level between 0. 083-0. 125 μmol/L; group 5, blood CsA level less than 0. 083 μmol/L. Systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), serum creatinine(SCr), uric acid (UA), cholesterol (CH), triglyceride (TG), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), direct bilirubin (DBil) and total bilibubin (TBil), albumin (Alb), hemoglobin (Hb), count of white blood cells and positive rate of proteinuria in 5 groups at the 1st, 5th and 10th year after kidney transplantation were analyzed. Results At the 5th year SBP in groups 1 and 2 was higher than in groups 3, 4 and 5. UA level in group 5 was lower than other groups, and Alb level in group 5 was higher than other 4 groups. Proteinuria positive rate in groups 4 and group was lower than other groups. At the 10th year after kidney transplantation,indexes among 5 groups had no statistically significant difference, except for SBP, DBP, DBil and CH in some groups. There was also no significant difference in SCr level among 5 groups at the 5th or 10th year after transplantation. Conclusion Blood CsA levels at the first year after kidney transplantation has no significant effect on long-term allograft function. But higher level of CsA (＞0. 166μmol/L) at the first year maybe predict high rate of hypertension, high blood UA and proteinuria at the 5th and 10th year after transplantation.

To obtain oleaginous yeast mutants with improved lipid production and growth rates, an atmospheric and room temperature plasma (ARTP) jet was used with a 96-well plate for high throughput screening. Mutants with changes in growth rates and lipid contents were obtained. At a lethality rate of 99%, the positive mutation rate of the yeast cells was 27.2% evaluated by the growth rates of the mutants and the comparison with the wild strain. The fermentation in a medium composed of yeast extract (10 g/L), peptone (10 g/L) and D-glucose (20 g/L) resulted in the lipid yield of the mutant (C4) with 4.07% (W/W) compared with that of the wild strain (1.87%).
Atmosphere ; Biofuels ; Culture Media ; Fermentation ; Glucose ; pharmacology ; Lipids ; biosynthesis ; Mutation ; Peptones ; pharmacology ; Temperature ; Yeasts ; genetics ; growth & development ; metabolism

Objective:To study the clinical manifestations and prognosis of patients with liver perivascular epithelioid cell tumor (PEComa).Methods:The clinical manifestations, imaging findings, pathological features, treatment and prognosis of 17 patients with liver PEComa managed in Shenzhen People's Hospital from September 2002 to January 2020 were retrospectively analysed.Results:The patient age of onset of liver PEComa was 22 to 54 years (average 34.8 years). There were 13 females and 4 males. 82%(14/17) of patients presented with no significant symptoms. 15/17 had solitary tumors. The diagnostic rate using preoperative B-ultrasound, CT and MRI was low. Postoperative pathological studies showed the tumor cells were mainly epithelioid cells with hyaline or eosinophilic cytoplasm. There were abundant blood vessels in the tumor tissues. Adipose tissues were also seen. Immunohistochemistry showed both HMB45 and Melan-A positivities to arrive at the diagnosis. All patients were treated with surgical resection. There were no recurrence, metastasis, or death on follow-up.Conclusion:Hepatic PEComa occurred more frequently in young women and it had no specific clinical manifestations. Except for a small number of tumors with adipose tissue detected on preoperative imagings, this tumor was difficult to diagnose, or even be suspected on preoperative imagings. Pathological examination combined with immunohistochemistry after surgery established the diagnosis. Surgery resulted in good prognosis.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of low-magnitude vibration on osteogenesis of osteoblasts in ovariectomized rats with osteoporosis via estrogen receptor α(ERα). The mRNA expression of osteogenic markers were examined with qRT-PCR, based on which the optimal vibration parameter for promoting osteogenesis was determined (45 Hz × 0.9 g, g = 9.8 m/s
Animals ; Cell Differentiation ; Estrogen Receptor alpha/genetics* ; Female ; Osteoblasts ; Osteogenesis ; Osteoporosis ; Ovariectomy ; Rats ; Vibration

Fibroblast growth factor receptors (FGFRs) have emerged as promising targets for anticancer therapy. In this study, we synthesized and evaluated the biological activity of 66 pyrazolo[3,4-