AIM:To investigate the effects of fucoidan on the angiogenesis of multiple myeloma cells in vitro, and its related mechanisms .METHODS:The human multiple myeloma RPMI 8226 cells and human endothelial cells were cultured in vitro.The growth inhibition rate of RPMI 8226 cells was examined by MTT assay .The cell cycle and apoptosis rate were measured by flow cytometry .RPMI 8226 cells were treated with fucoidan for 72 h, and the cell culture superna-tant was collected .The VEGF concentration was examined by ELISA , and the tube formation assay was applied to assess the angiogenic activity .After treatment with fucoidan for 72 h at different concentrations , the protein levels of HIF-1α, VEGF, p-AKT and p-ERK1/2 were detected by Western blot .RESULTS: Fucoidan inhibited the growth of RPMI 8226 cells in a dose-and time-dependent manner .After treatment with fucoidan for 72 h, the cell cycle was arrested at G 1 phase , and the apoptotic rate of RPMI 8226 cells was increased with the increasing concentration of fucoidan , which was much higher than that in control group (P<0.05).The VEGF concentration was significantly decreased with the increa-sing concentration of fucoidan .The numbers and areas of the capillary-like structures decreased while the concentration of fucoidan increased, and those at 100 mg/L were less than those in the control (P<0.05).The protein levels of HIF-1α, VEGF, p-AKT and p-ERK1/2 in fucoidan group were significantly lower than those in control group (P<0.05).CON-CLUSION:Fucoidan inhibits the secretion of VEGF in multiple myeloma cells , and reduces angiogenesis induced by mul-tiple myeloma cells .It inhibits the protein expression of HIF-1αand VEGF , which may be related to inhibiting the phos-phorylation of AKT and ERK1/2.

Objective · To investigate effect of fucoidan on autophagy, migration and invasion in human multiple myeloma U266 cells. Methods · The U266 cells treated with fucoidan were cultured in vitro. The formation of autophagosomes was observed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Transwell assay was used to evaluate the effect of fucoidan on migratory and invasive abilities of U266 cells. The protein levels of LC3-Ⅱ/LC3-Ⅰ, Beclin-1, P62, MMP9, CXCR4, p-AKT/T-AKT, p-mTOR/T-mTOR were detected by Western blotting. MMP9 concentration in the culture medium was examined by ELISA. Results · ① Autophagosomes increased in fucoidan-treated cells compared with control group under TEM. ② Migratory and invasive abilities were inhibited by fucoidan in a dose-dependent manner, which were suppressed by chloroquine. ③ Western blotting demonstrated that expression of LC3-Ⅱ/LC3-Ⅰ, Beclin-1 and MMP9 increased in fucoidan-treated cells, while P62, CXCR4, p-AKT/T-AKT and p-mTOR/T-mTOR decreased compared with control group. ④ The result of ELISA showed that MMP9 concentration in the culture medium of fucoidan-treated cells significantly decreased. Conclusion · Fucoidan induces autophagy and inhibits migration and invasion in U266 cells.

Objective To detect molecular characterization of the promoter and 5′UTR region of ATP7B gene in Chinese children with Wilson disease (WD) and explore the distribution of polymorphisms and mutations in different ethnicity.Methods One hundred and ten patients with WD and 90 healthy children were enrolled into the study and analyzed by polymerase chain reaction-single strand configuration polymorphism (PCR-SSCP) and DNA sequence analysis.Results 1.Five polymorphisms were identified as follows, -1294T→G,-105C→G,-116C→T ,-132delGCCGC and -75A→C(transcription start site as +1). The former three ones had never been reported before. The fourth one had not been reported either in China. 2.The polymorphism -132delGCCGC and -75A→C both exhibited with allelic frequency at above 70%, which was much higher than other races. The -132delGCCGC polymorphism shared almost complete linkage disequilibrium with the -75A→C polymorphism (in 98% patients) and their regularity was 96.9%.3. Almost all the polymorphisms distributed in flanking sequence of EXON 1 in Chinese. Race and geological distribution may be dominant factors of the variability of promoter and 5′UTR region of ATP7B gene.Conclusions Three novel polymorphisms and a linkage disequilibrium with the -132delGCCGC and -75A→C were identified in Chinese with WD. It also suggests that the mutation in the promoter of ATP7B is uncommon in Chinese patients.

G,the noval insertion mutation of c.2298_2299insC is identified in Chinese patients.

AIM: To investigate the early changes of retinal function in diabetic patients detected by multifocal electroretinogram (mfERG).METHODS: The first-order kernel responses of mfERG were recorded from eyes of 33 normal control subjects,63 diabetic patients without retinopathy and 43 diabetic patients with background retinopathy. The response densities and implicit times of N1 and P1 were compared among the control, diabetic patients without retinopathy and diabetic patients with retinopathy.RESULTS: The response densities of N1 and P1 in central 3 rings were reduced significantly in diabetic eyes with and without retinopathy. And the implicit times of N1 and P1 were delayed significantly only in diabetic eyes with retinopathy.CONCLUSION: mfERG can detect the early changes of retinal function quantitatively in diabetic patients. Analysis of response densities and implicit times of N1 and P1 can reflect the progress of local retinal dysfunction in diabetes.

Objective To investigate the differentiatial diagnostic value of 99Tcm-methoxyisobutylisonitrile ( MIBI ) SPECT combined with localizable CT in the evaluation of oxygen intervention for suspicious lung lesions,and to establish a cost-effective imaging modality in the detection of malignant lung lesions.Methods From September 2008 to March 2009,47 consecutive patients with suspicious malignant lung lesions underwent 99Tcm-MIBI SPECT/CT prospectively. Patients with suspicious pneumonia were treated with antibiotics for about 4 d before imaging. All patients were cannulized with a nostril tube for oxygen inhalation before 99Tc-MIBI injection. SPECT combined with localizable CT of the chest was performed at 10 min and 2 h after 99Tcm-MIBI injection. The uptake ratios of lesion to contralateral normal lung parenchyma(early uptake ratio:EUR and delayed uptake ratio:DUR) were compared using independent-samples ttest. In addition,the diagnostic efficiency of uptake ratios of lung lesions was analyzed with receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. Results Forty-seven patients ( primary lung cancers:32,metastatic tumors of the lung:4,benign lung diseases:11 ) had 51 lung lesions,including 39 malignant and 12 benign lung lesions. The sensitivity,specificity,accuracy,positive predictive value (PPV),and negative predictive value (NPV) were 94.9% (37/39),83.3% ( 10/12),92.2% (47/51),94.9% (37/39) and 83.3% ( 10/12),respectively. The EUR of malignant lesions was 2.95 ± 1.16,whereas of benign lesions was 1.43 ±0.33. The DUR of the malignant lesions was 3.19 ± 1.74,whereas of benign lesions was 1.60 ±0.32. Both EUR and DUR were significantly different between malignant and benign lung lesions,respectively (t= -4.44,-3.12,respectively,both P＜0.01). The ROC curve showed that EUR value ≥1.625 provided the sensitivity of 97.4% (38/39) and specificity of 83.3% (10/12); DUR value ≥ 1.75provided the sensitivity of 94.9% (37/39) and specificity of 83.3% (10/12). Conclusion 99Tcm-MIBI SPECT combined with localizable CT imaging in oxygen intervention has a potential value in differentiating malignant from benign lung lesions.

Objective To explore protective effect of Heme oxygenase-1(HO-1) on irradiation-induced endothelial cell apoptosis.Methods Human endothelial cell line EA.hy926 were administered with or without HO-1 activator Copp and/or HO-1 inhibitor Znpp,respectively.Then,cells were treated with or without 8 Gy radiation.The HO-1 protein expression of cells were assessed with Western blotting and apoptosis of cells treated with irradiation were evaluated with flow cytometry.Moreover,cytochrome C releasing into cytosol were also determined by Western blotting. Results In PBS+R group,HO-1 protein expression of EA.hy926 was low posterior to irradiation.When cells were preconditioned with Copp and/or Znpp,then recieved with 8Gy irradiation,the HO-1 protein expression of EA.hy926 increased significantly in comparision with the PBS+R group(P

OBJECTIVETo investigate the environmental and psychological risk factors for female infertility and to provide a scientific basis for the prevention and control of female infertility.

METHODSIn a hospital-based case-control study, a self-designed questionnaire was used to survey the cases and controls (1:1) with nation and age (± 2 years) as matching variables. Univariate and multivariate conditional logistic regression models were employed to analyze the datasets.

RESULTSThe univariate analysis showed that female infertility was related to the following factors: eating fried foods, alcohol consumption, smoking, staying up late, perm, housing decoration, contact with heavy metals, exposure to radiation, contact with pesticides, working in hot environment, mental stress, uneasiness, helplessness, and despair. The multivariate analysis showed that staying up late (OR = 2.937), housing decoration (OR = 2.963), exposure to radiation (OR = 2.506), contact with pesticides (OR = 2.908), and mental stress (OR = 4.101) were the main risk factors for female infertility. Furthermore, there was an interaction between staying up late and mental stress.

CONCLUSIONFemale infertility is caused by multiple factors including staying up late, housing decoration, exposure to radiation, contact with pesticides, and mental stress, and there is an interaction between staying up late and mental stress.

Adult ; Case-Control Studies ; Environmental Exposure ; analysis ; Female ; Humans ; Infertility, Female ; chemically induced ; etiology ; psychology ; Logistic Models ; Multivariate Analysis ; Risk Factors ; Stress, Psychological ; Surveys and Questionnaires

Animals ; Antioxidants ; pharmacology ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Atherosclerosis ; prevention & control ; Ceramides ; analysis ; Dietary Fats ; administration & dosage ; Emodin ; pharmacology ; Lipids ; blood ; Male ; Rabbits ; Signal Transduction ; Sphingomyelin Phosphodiesterase ; metabolism ; Sphingomyelins ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo explore the differences of electroacupuncture (EA) on onset time and symptom improvement for treatment of different types of functional constipation.

METHODSThirty-eight cases of constipation were selected, including 9 cases of constipation-predominant irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-C), 10 cases of slow transit constipation (STC), 10 cases of pelvic floor dyssynergia (PFD) and 9 cases of inadequate defecatory propulsion (IDP). The electroacupuncture was applied at Tianshu (ST 25), Fujie (SP 14), Shenshu (BL 23), Dachangshu (BL 25) and so on in abdominal and lumbosacral area, 5 times per week, 10 times as a treatment course. The onset time, score of clinical symptoms of constipation and improvement of every symptom in each group were compared.

RESULTS(1) The onset time was (1.78 +/- 0.83) days in IBS-C type, (3.11 +/- 1.90) days in IDP type, (4.10 +/- 1.85) days in STC type and (4.30 +/- 2.00) days in PFD type, indicating statistical differences between IBS-C type and STC type, IBS-C type and PFD type (both P < 0.05). (2) Compared before the treatment, the total scores of symptoms on the onset day in each group were all improved (P < 0.05, P < 0.01), and score of IBS-C type was superior to the rest 3 types (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). (3) EA improved desire to defecate or frequency of defecation in each type (P < 0.05, P < 0.01), in which both were improved in STC type and PFD type, and the improvement of defecation frequency was more significant in STC type (P < 0.01). EA relieved unsmooth defecation or pendant-expansion feeling in each type (all P < 0.05), in which both were improved in IBS-C type (both P < 0.05). EA relieved abdominal distension and pain in IBS-C type, STC type and PFD type (all P < 0.05), while its effects were not obvious on defecation difficulty, defecation time and defecation texture (all P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe electroacupuncture for treatment of 4 types of constipation is characterized by rapid onset; the improved symptoms are not identical in the electroacupuncture treatment plan for each type of defecation; the main improvement of symptoms are lied on desire to defecate and frequency of defecation, unsmooth defecation or pendant-expansion feeling and abdominal distension and pain. Meanwhile the improvements of defecation texture, defecation difficulty and defecation time were not signi-ficant.

Adult ; Aged ; Constipation ; etiology ; physiopathology ; therapy ; Defecation ; Electroacupuncture ; Female ; Humans ; Irritable Bowel Syndrome ; complications ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pelvic Floor Disorders ; complications ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult