Anti-Asthmatic Agents ; therapeutic use ; Asthma, Exercise-Induced ; diagnosis ; epidemiology ; physiopathology ; therapy ; Child ; Constriction, Pathologic ; drug therapy ; etiology ; physiopathology ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Glucocorticoids ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Risk Factors ; Treatment Outcome

Animals ; Asthma ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; Inflammation ; Lung ; drug effects ; metabolism ; pathology ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Phytotherapy ; Pyrazines ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; RNA, Messenger ; metabolism ; rho GTP-Binding Proteins ; metabolism ; rho-Associated Kinases ; metabolism

Objective Monkey B virus(BV), also known as Cercopithecine herpesvirus 1,is an important zoonotic pathogen.According to the national standard, antibodies are detected using BV as an antigen.However, the preparation of BV antigen is very stricted due to biosafety issues.Therefore, in this study, we used alternative antigens to detect the BV antibody by serological assay and verified their specifity and sensitivity.Methods A total of 135 blood samples from rhesus monkeys were tested by two ELISA method (BV and HVP2) and enzyme immunosorbent assay (EIA)method.The positive and suspicious samples were verified by immuno-fluorescence assay (IFA), Western blot and immunoblotting technique using HSV-1 gC1 purified glycoprotein as an antigen.Results The positive rates of HVP2-ELISA, BV-ELISA and HSV-1-EIA were 32.6%, 37.8% and 34.8%, respectively.Consistant result of the three detection method accounted for 91.1% (123/135), and the positive result were confirmed by IFA And WB.There were 12 suspicious samples,in which 33.3% (4/12) were verified to be positive.Conclusions Compared with BV antigen, the sensitivity and specificity of the alternative antigen HSV-1 are moe close than HVP2.Positive and suspicious samples should be verified by several method to avoid missed detection.

In this paper, some items about the microbes listed in the current National Standard of Laboratory Animals were reviewed, including their host spectrum, impact of infection on the animals, their interference on research works and their epidemiology in laboratory animals.This paper may provide some clues for the update of our National Standard of Laboratory Animals.

Objective To establish the amplified luminescent proximity homogeneous assay(AlphaLISA) for the detection of Sendai virus.Methods The antigen concentration,serum concentration and the donor beads/acceptor beads ratio used in the AlphaLISA method were optimumized by the phalanx experiments, then the antibodies of Sendai Virus in 40 rat sera were detected by the established AlphaLISA method and ELISA detection method.The results were compared and the differentia between the two methods was confirmed by IFA.Results The optimum concentration of SV bio-peptide in AlphaLISA assay was 250 nmol/L, the best proportion of donor beads/acceptor beads ratio was 1 ∶1, using the concentration of 20 μg/mL and the serum dilution was 1∶10000.7 of the 40 rat sera were detected SV positive by ELISA, the positive rate was 17.5%, 8 of the 40 rat sera were determined SV positive by AlphaLISA, and the positive rate was 20.0%, the AlphaLISA positive serum was confirmed by IFA.Conclusions We preliminary established the Amplified Luminescent Proximity Homogeneous Assay(AlphaLISA) for the detection of Sendai virus.The sensitivity of the method is comparable to classical ELISA method, but this method use less serum samples and without washing steps.The method has some advantages in degeneracy and accuracy.

Objective: To observe clinical efficacy of oral folic acid (FA) intervene in hyper-homocysteinemia (HHcy) patients combining coronary artery disease (CAD) and heart failure (HF), to study the effect of blood level of Hcy on cardiac function. Methods: A total of 126 relevant patients with blood level of Hcy>15 μmol/L were randomly divided into 2 groups:Routine group, the patients received anti-platelet therapy, statins, beta-blockers, diuretics, angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEI) or angiotensin II receptor antagonist and FA group, in addition to above mentioned therapies, the patients also received FA 5 mg/day. n=63 in each group and all patients were treated for 3 months. Fasting blood levels of Hcy, BNP and left ventricular end diastolic diameter (LVEDD), left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), 6-minute walk test (6MWT) were compared between 2 groups at pre- and 3 months post-treatment. Results: ① Based on NYHA classification, the patients with cardiac function at II, III, IV had accordingly increased blood levels of Hcy, BNP and LVEDD, while decreased LVEF and 6MWT, all P<0.05. ② Blood levels of Hcy were positively related to BNP (r=0.733, P<0.001) and LVEDD (r=0.511, P<0.001), negatively related to LVEF (r=-0.382, P<0.001) and 6MWT (r=-0.410, P<0.001). ③ With 3 months treatment, FA group and Routine group showed decreased Hcy level as (8.43 ± 1.87) μmol/L vs (3.29 ±1.68) μmol/L and BNP (891.84 ± 456.10) pg/ml vs (682.24 ± 463.79) pg/ml, reduced LVEDD (4.33 ± 1.231) mm vs (2.06 ± 1.73) mm, while elevated LVEF (6.59 ± 2.28) % vs (2.52 ± 2.37) % and 6MWT (142.97 ± 55.15) m vs (86.35 ± 59.06) m, all P<0.05. Conclusion: Increased blood level of Hcy is risky for HF occurrence, FA may treat HHcy and further improve the cardiac structure and function in HF patients.

OBJECTIVETo study the relationship between TMPRSS2: ERG gene fusion and the pathological grade of prostate cancer (PCa).

METHODSWe collected fresh prostatic tissue samples from 62 patients with PCa and another 10 with benign prostatic hyperplasia ( BPH) and included 9 cancer cell strains as the control. We examined the TMPRSS2:ERG fusion gene in the PCa samples by nest RT-PCR, compared the Gleason scores between the TMPRSS2:ERG-positive and -negative cases, and analyzed the association of TMPRSS2: ERG fusion with the pathological features of PCa.

RESULTSThe TMPRSS2: ERG fusion gene was detected in 28 (45.16%) of the PCa cases, but in none of the 10 BPH cases or the 9 cancer cell strains. No statistically significant differences were found in the Gleason scores between the TMPRSS2:ERG-positive and -negative cases (Z = -0.609, P = 0.542), but the primary Gleason score was markedly higher in the former than in the latter (Z = -2.600, P = 0.009). Univariate logistic regression analysis showed that TMPRSS2:ERG was associated with the cribriform growth pattern (OR = 6.250, P = 0.002), foamy gland morphology (OR = 6.666, P = 0.023), and signet-ring cells (OR = 3.240, P = 0.035), but multivariate logistic regression analysis manifested that it was associated with the cribriform growth pattern only (OR = 3.750, P = 0.033).

CONCLUSIONTMPRSS2:ERG gene fusion was associated with higher pathological grades of prostate cancer.

Gene Fusion ; Humans ; Male ; Oncogene Proteins, Fusion ; genetics ; Prostatic Hyperplasia ; genetics ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; genetics ; pathology

Peptide cyclization, a pivotal approach to modifying linear precursors of proteins and pepticles, has been used to enhance their biological activities and serum stabilities. Recently, sortase A (SrtA) from Staphyloccus aureus becomes a promising new technology for efficiently incorporating site specific modifications into proteins, conjugating the cell surface and cyclizing the linear peptides. In this study, we constructed two recombinant expression systems, one with chitin binding domain and the other with six-histidine tag and chitin binding domain on the N-terminal of SrtA, separately. The results of enzymatic kinetics indicate that the two recombinant tags do not impair the transpeptidase activity of SrtA compared with the standard reaction reported under the same reaction condition. The two synthesized peptides with N-ternimal three glycines and C-terminal penta-amino acid motif, LPETG, were cyclized using immobilized and recycled SrtA. The SrtA-based cyclization promises to represent a simple method for easy and efficient enzymatic synthesis of large cyclic peptides.
Aminoacyltransferases ; metabolism ; Bacterial Proteins ; metabolism ; Cyclization ; Cysteine Endopeptidases ; metabolism ; Enzymes, Immobilized ; metabolism ; Kinetics ; Peptides ; metabolism ; Peptides, Cyclic ; biosynthesis ; Staphylococcus aureus ; enzymology

OBJECTIVETo study the effect of nano-SiO2 on spatial learning and memory.

METHODSTwenty-four male rats were randomly divided into 3 groups: control group (C group), low dose group (L group) and high dose group (H group). The rats were intragastrically administrated with nanometer particles at 25 and 100 mg/kg body weight every day for 4 weeks. After exposure, the ability of learning and memory of rats was tested by Morris water maze, and electrophysiological brain stereotactic method was used to test long-tear potentiation (LTP) in dentate gyrus (DG) of the rats.

RESULTSThe increase rate of body weight in H group was reduced significantly compared with C group ( P < 0.05). In the space exploration experiment of Morris water maze test, the escape latency of H group was longer than that of C group (P < 0.05). The rats of H group spent less time in finding the target quadrant (P < 0.05) . The rate of LP induction of H group was significantly lower than that of C group (P < 0.05). After high fre quency stimulation (HFS), The changes of amplitude of population spike (PS) of L group and H group were lower than those of C group significantly (P < 0.05, P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONNano-SiO₂may result in impairment of spatial learning and memory ability by reducing the rate of LTP induction and the increase of PS in hippocampus.

Animals ; Dentate Gyrus ; drug effects ; Long-Term Potentiation ; drug effects ; Male ; Maze Learning ; drug effects ; Memory ; drug effects ; Nanoparticles ; adverse effects ; Rats ; Silicon Dioxide ; adverse effects ; Spatial Learning ; drug effects

Objective To compare the therapeutic effect of angiotensin Ⅱ antagonist (Valsartan)and angiotension-converting enzyme inhibitor (Captopril) for the improvement of left ventricular systolic function(LVSF) after acute myocardial infarction (AMI) at anterior wall. Methods A total of 75 patients with initial AMI at anterior wall were enlisted in the study. Patients were divided randomly into three groups: control group (n = 15), Captopril treated (n =30), and Valsartan treated (n =30). At 1 week and 28 weeks post AMI, the LVSF and left ventricular regional ejection fraction (LrEF) were measured by equilibrium radionuclide angiography (ERNA). The t-test was used to compare the dada. Results ( 1 ) At 28 weeks, left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and left ventricular peak ejection rate (LPER) in Valsartan treated group were significantly increased as compared with those of control: ( 59.4 ± 8.6 ) % vs (44.9 ± 8.4)%, t = 3.87, P ＜ 0.01 for LVEF; (3.89 ± 1.01 ) end-diastolic volume (EDV)/s vs (2.84 ±1.05) EDV/s, t= 4.16, P ＜ 0.01 for LPER). The left ventricular time to peak ejection rate (LTPER) in Valsartan treated group was significantly decreased ( ( 116 ± 16 )ms vs ( 137 ±20) ms, t =2.16, P ＜ 0.05 ) as compared with control. (2)Compared with 1-week, 28-week Valsartan treated group had a significant increase inLrEF2, LrEF4, LrEF5, LrEF6: (71.6±18.8)% vs (57.0±11.4)%, t=2.11, P＜0.05;(78.1 ±16.8)% vs (68.9±21.0)%, t =2.06, P＜0.05; (70.5±16.9)% vs (59.9 ±23.4)%, t=1.99, P ＜ 0.05; and (58.1 ± 9.0) % vs (46.0 ± 18.9) %, t = 2.43, P ＜ 0.05, respectively. Conclusions Valsartan and Captopril are effective for the improvement of LVEF after AMI at anterior wall. The effects of the two drugs are similar.