Objective To study the genetic effects of lead on root tip cell of Vicia faba. Methods Micronucleus tests were conducted on root tip cell of Vicia faba treated with Pb2+ of concentrations of 0.1, 1.0, 5.0, 25.0, 50.0 mg/L for 12-36 h. Results The results indicated that the rates of micronucleus of lead-treated tip cell were significantly higher than that of the control (P

Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Male ; Polycystic Kidney Diseases ; diagnosis

hitin, an essential component of the cell wall, exists widely in pathogenic fungi. Chitin synthase (CHS) is a key enzyme for biosynthesis of chitin, and its activity is strictly regulated; therefore it can be inferred that CHS and its regulation factors are potential targets of anti-fungal therapy. This article reviews the recent research progress on classification, function, and regulation of CHS, and discusses the possibilities of using CHS and its regulation factors as anti-fungal targets.

BACKGROUND: Allogeneic blood transfusion in humans of the same blood type has been implemented, but studies regarding swine blood type and how to perform allogeneic blood transfusion have been rarely reported. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the feasibility of preoperative autologous blood donation using the leap-frog technique for cardiopulmonary bypass surgery in a swine model.METHODS: Sixteen domestic swine were randomly divided into two groups: autologous blood donation and allogeneic blood transfusion. Another four swine were used as blood donors. Two groups of swine underwent cardiopulmonary bypass surgery. The autologous blood donation group received self-transfusion reserved before surgery while the allogeneic blood transfusion group received the same amount of allogeneic blood. Hemoglobin (Hb) concentration and hematocrit (Hct) level prior to and after donation in the autologous blood donation group was recorded. Hb concentration in the two groups was recorded prior to, during, immediately after, and 1 day after the surgery. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: The total blood volume of each experimental swine was (2500±428) mL. For the autologous blood donation group, the predicted blood volume of the first donation was (501±86) mL and the actual blood volume was (493±93) mL; in the second donation, the predicted blood volume was (750±128) mL and the actual blood volume was (719±98) mL. There was a significant difference in Hb concentration and Hct level between prior to and after donation in the autologous blood donation group (P < 0.01). Hb concentration at 1 day after the surgery was significantly higher in the autologous blood donation group than in the allogeneic blood transfusion group (P < 0.01), while no significant difference in Hb concentration existed between these two groups prior to, during, and immediately after the surgery (P > 0.05). Compared with prior to surgery, Hb concentration in each group was significantly lower at 1 day after the surgery (P < 0.01). The autologous blood donation group exhibited significantly higher survival rate of swine than the allogeneic blood transfusion group (P < 0.01). These findings indicate that compared with allogeneic blood transfusion, preoperative autologous blood donation using the leap-frog technique appears to be a safe, effective method with a high survival rate for cardiopulmonary bypass surgery.

Objective To investigate the expression of marrow-derived thyroid stimulating hormone β (TSHβ) splice variant in thyroid of mouse with autoimmune thyroiditis induced by thyroglobulin(Tg) immunization,and to analyze whether TSHβ splice variant participated in the pathological process of autoimmune thyroiditis.Methods Using random number table,forty-eight mice(24 females and 24 males) of 7 to 8 weeks old with body mass 20 to 25 g were randomly divided into 4 groups(12 females and 12 males in each group) based on body weight and gender.The control group:fed with deionized water; the Tg-treated group(TG):fed with deionized water,and immunized subcutaneously with 0.1 mg Tg at 8 weeks old,boost immunized twice at 11 and 15 weeks old,respectively; the high iodine-treated group (HI):fed with deionized water containing 0.05％ sodium iodide (NaI); the Tg combined with HI group (TG + HI):fed with deionized water containing 0.05％ NaI,and immunized the same way as the TG group did.Peripheral blood was collected after 8 weeks treatment,which was used for determination of total tetraiodothyronine (TT4),free tetraiothyronine (FT4),total triiodothyronine (TT3) and free triiodothyronine (FT3) with chemiluminescence immunoassay (CIA); thyroid glands were collected to examine the expression of TSHβ splice variant with SYBR Green fluorescent quantitative real-time PCR,and frozen sections were HE stained for observation of histopathological changes of thyroid cells under light microscopy.Results Under naked eyes,the thyroid gland enlarged significantly,and looked dark red in HI and TG + HI groups.Under an optical microscope,thyroid follicular epithelial cells presented cuboidal,with abundant cytoplasm,presented abundant glial in follicular cavity,without lymphocyte infiltration in the control group; in TG group,the thyroid follicular epithelial cells presented cuboidal,with some single scattered lymphocytes; in HI group,colloid volume expansion appeared in thyroid follicles,thyroid follicular epithelial cells presented low cuboidal or flat,with few single scattered lymphocytes; in TG + HI group,most colloid accumulative large follicles presented in thyroid,thyroid follicular epithelial cells presented flat,some destructive thyroid follicular structure and infiltrating lymphocytes appeared.The differences of FT3,TT4,FT4 and TSHβ splice variant between groups were statistically significant(F =4.00,12.54,31.92,214.29,all P ＜ 0.05).Compared to the control group,the serum TT3(nmol/L:0.92 ± 0.07 vs.1.30 ± 0.33,t =-2.24),TT4(nmol/L:1.30 ± 0.33 vs.95.60 ± 14.10,t =-3.02),FT4(pmoL/L:54.07 ± 3.67 vs.154.80 ± 0.01,t =-54.87) and the thyroids' TSHβ(× 10-3:4.11±0.32 vs.8.38 ± 0.22,t =-19.11) were higher in TG group(all P ＜ 0.05) ; the serum TT4(nmol/L:67.75 ± 11.91 vs.45.50± 3.85,t =3.55,P ＜ 0.05) was lower in HI group; the serum FT4(pmol/L:54.07 ± 3.67 vs.139.46 ± 30.00,t =-5.65) and the thyroids' TSHβ splice variant (× 10-3:4.11 ± 0.32 vs.5.33 ± 1.47,t =-5.95) were higher in TG + HI group (all P ＜ 0.05).Conclusions High iodine has aggravated thyroiditis of BALB/c mice induced by Tg immunization; the level of thyroid TSHβ in mice with autoimmune thyroiditis is higher; all of these results indicated that TSHβ is involved in the pathogenesis of autoimmune thyroiditis.

The purpose of this study is to prepare galactosyl modified lipid bilayer-coated mesoporous silica nanoparticles (GPEM) to enhance the antitumor efficacy against hepatocellular carcinoma cells. The irinotecan (CPT-11) loaded mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) was coated with the Gal-P123 modified functional lipid bilayer by thin-film dispersion method. Nanoparticles were characterized with particle size, zeta potential, morphology and drug release in vitro. Afterwards, the cell uptake, intracellular concentration of CPT-11, cell apoptosis rate and cytotoxicity were evaluated on human hepatocellular carcinoma cell line Huh-7. The results showed that MSNs were coated with intact lipid bilayers and the nanoparticles had clear core-shell structure. GPEM is stable with the mean particle size of (78.01 +/- 2.04) nm. The low leakage rate in normal physiological conditions in vitro is contributed to the protection of stable lipid bilayer, and the fast drug release in acid environment due to the destruction of the lipid bilayer. On the cell level, the vector could improve the intracellular CPT-11 concentration by 4 times because of the functional lipid bilayer. The high CPT-11 concentration led to the increasement of apoptosis rate by 48.6%, and the reduction of half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) values of CPT-11 by 2 times, indicating stronger cell cytotoxicity.
Antineoplastic Agents ; chemistry ; pharmacokinetics ; Apoptosis ; Camptothecin ; analogs & derivatives ; chemistry ; pharmacokinetics ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; drug therapy ; pathology ; Drug Carriers ; chemistry ; Drug Delivery Systems ; methods ; Humans ; Lipid Bilayers ; chemistry ; Liver Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; pathology ; Nanoparticles ; chemistry ; Particle Size ; Silicon Dioxide ; chemistry

Adenoids ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Humans ; Hypertrophy ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Radiographic Image Enhancement ; methods ; Tomography, Spiral Computed ; methods

Histiocytic Sarcoma ; diagnosis ; pathology ; therapy ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Male

AIMTo observe the behavior in learning and memory and the expression of c-fos gene from the brain of rats induced by beta-AP25-35, and the intervention of ecdysterone, in order to explore the protective mechanism of ecdysterone on the dysfunction of learning and memory of the rat induced by beta-AP25-35.

METHODSMicroinjection of beta-AP25-35 into hippocampus induced learning and memory dysfunction of rats. The learning and memory of rats were observed by Morris Water Maze. The expression of c-fos gene in the brain was detected by immunohistochemistry.

RESULTSThe results of Morris Water Maze showed that after rats were microinjected beta-AP25-35 into hippocampus, the rats in model group took longer latency and searching distance compared with the ones in control group (P < 0.01), and the rats in treated group (ECR 4 mg x kg(-1), ECR 8 mg x kg(-1) and nimodipine 7.2 mg x kg(-1)) took shorter latency and searching distance, especially the ECR 8 mg kg(-1) group (P < 0.01). At the same time, after the 5 days training, there was a higher expression of c-fos in hippocampus and cortex from the rats in control group than that in model group (P < 0.01), but in the treated group, there was a relatively higher expression of c-fos, especially the ECR 8 mg x kg(-1) group (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONMicroinjection of beta-AP25-35 into the rat hippocampus resulted in dysfunction of learning and memory. Ecdysterone was shown to improve the learning and memory of the rats and increase the expression of c-fos. Increasing the expression of c-fos is probably one of the most molecular mechanism of its protection.

Amyloid beta-Peptides ; antagonists & inhibitors ; toxicity ; Animals ; Ecdysterone ; pharmacology ; Gene Expression ; Genes, fos ; Hippocampus ; metabolism ; Male ; Maze Learning ; drug effects ; Microinjections ; Peptide Fragments ; antagonists & inhibitors ; toxicity ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar

A large amount of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) is required for fatty acid synthesis and maintenance of the redox state in cancer cells. Malic enzyme 1(ME1)-dependent NADPH production is one of the three pathways that contribute to the formation of the cytosolic NADPH pool. ME1 is generally considered to be overexpressed in cancer cells to meet the high demand for increased de novo fatty acid synthesis. In the present study, we found that glucose induced higher ME1 activity and that repressing ME1 had a profound impact on glucose metabolism of nasopharyngeal carcinoma(NPC) cells. High incorporation of glucose and an enhancement of the pentose phosphate pathway were observed in ME1-repressed cells. However, there were no obvious changes in the other two pathways for glucose metabolism: glycolysis and oxidative phosphorylation. Interestingly, NADPH was decreased under low-glucose condition in ME1-repressed cells relative to wild-type cells, whereas no significant difference was observed under high-glucose condition. ME1-repressed cells had significantly decreased tolerance to low-glucose condition. Moreover, NADPH produced by ME1 was not only important for fatty acid synthesis but also essential for maintenance of the intracellular redox state and the protection of cells from oxidative stress. Furthermore, diminished migration and invasion were observed in ME1-repressed cells due to a reduced level of Snail protein. Collectively, these results suggest an essential role for ME1 in the production of cytosolic NADPH and maintenance of migratory and invasive abilities of NPC cells.
Carcinoma ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Movement ; Cell Survival ; Glucose ; metabolism ; Glycolysis ; Humans ; Malate Dehydrogenase ; metabolism ; NADP ; metabolism ; Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Neoplasm Invasiveness ; Oxidation-Reduction ; Oxidative Phosphorylation ; Pentose Phosphate Pathway ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt ; metabolism