AIM:To investigate the mechanism responsible for albumin microbubbles adherence to activated leukocytes. METHODS: In vitro studies were performed in which activated or nonactivated leukocytes were incubated with albumin microbubbles and observed under microscopy. The suspensions of leukocytes and microbubbles which contained or absented of integrins were analyzed with flow cytometry.RESULTS: A minimum of 50 cells were identified under transillumination. 5 min after microbubbles were incubated with leukocytes, the number of cells interacting with microbubbles was greater for activated cells than for nonactivated cells(20 30?2 67 vs 4 50?1 43, P

Objective To detect the expression of ARK5 in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC)tissue and hepatoma SMMC-7721 cells,and to investigate its effect on the growth of hepatoma cells.Methods The expression levels of ARK5 mRNA and protein were determined by RT-PCR and Western blotting in 30 cases of HCC tissue, paracarcinoma tissue,SMMC-7721 cells,and hepatic cells LO2.The SiRNA of ARK5 and negative control (NC) siRNA were constructed and transfected into the SMMC-7721 cells,and used as experimental group and negative control group;at the same time blank control group was set up. The proliferation activity and apoptotic rate of transfected cells were detected by MTT assay and flow cytometry (FCM).Results The PCR and Western blotting results showed that the expression levels of ARK5 mRNA and protein in HCC tissue and SMMC-7721 cells were significantly higher than those in paracarcinoma tissue and LO2 cells (P<0.05 ). The MTT assay results demonstrated that the inhibitory rates of growth of transfected cells in experimental group at 24,48 and 72 h were (19.39±5.42)%, (23.19±0.53)%,and (20.74±1.23)%;there were significant differences compared with blank control group and negative control group (P<0.01).The FCM results indicated that the apoptotic rate of the transfected cells in experimental group was (15.017±0.945)%,there were significant differences compared with blank control group (8.770%± 0.656 )% and negative control group (8.763%± 1.201%) (P<0.05 ). Conclusion The ARK5 expression level is significantly increased in HCC tissue and hepatoma SMMC-7721 cells;the inhibition of ARK5 expression could suppress the growth of hepatoma cells and induce apoptosis. So ARK5 maybe act as a cancer-promoting gene and induce hepatocellular carcinogenesis.

OBJECTIVE Microgravity exerts several negative effects on the learning and memory of astro-nauts during space flight.Rg1 and Rb1,the key steroidal components of ginseng,have shown potent neuroprotec-tive effects with a high safety profile.The object of the current study is to investigate the influence of Rg1 and Rb1 on simulated microgravity-induced memory and learning dysfunction in the hindlimb suspension(HLS)rat model.METHODS The HLS rats were orally administered Rg1(30 and 60 μmol·kg-1)or Rb1(30 and 60 μmol·kg-1)for four weeks.The Morris water maze test(MWM)and reward operating conditioning reflex test(ROCR)were conducted to evaluate spatial and associative learning and memory.After the behavior tests,the serum and the prefrontal cortex(PFC)were dissected to measure the mechanism.RESULTS Rg1 and Rb1 treatment amelio-rated the cognitive deficits of HLS-exposure rats in MWM and ROCR,reduced reactive oxygen species generation and increased antioxidant enzyme activity.Rg1 and Rb1 also assisted in the recovery of mitochondrial complex Ⅰ(NADH dehydrogenase)activities and Mfn2,and decrea-sed Drp-1 expression.Furthermore,Rg1 and Rb1 reduced the ratio of Bax/Bcl-2 and the expression of cleaved-cas-pase 3,cytochrome c,increased the levels of SYN,PSD95 and activated BDNF-TrkB/PI3K-Akt pathway in the PFC.CONCLUSION Rg1 and Rb1 treatment attenuated cog-nitive deficits induced by HLS,mitigated mitochondrial dysfunction,attenuated oxidative stress,inhibited apopto-sis,and increased the synaptic plasticity,which was partly mediated by the modulation of the BDNF-TrkB/PI3K-Akt signaling.