OBJECTIVETo study the effect of tea polyphenols (TP) on the apoptosis of germ cells in rats with experimental varicocele.

METHODSThirty-two adolescent male Wistar rats were randomly and equally divided into groups A (sham-operation), B (high-dose TP), C (low-dose TP), and D (experimental left varicocele). Experimental varicocele was induced by partial ligation of the left renal vein in the latter three groups of rats. The animals in groups A and D were fed with normal saline, while those in B and C with TP at 40 and 10 mg per kg per d, respectively, all for 4 weeks. Then, all the rats were sacrificed and the left testes harvested for determination of the expression of HIF-1, Bcl-2, Bax, CytC, and caspase-3 by immunohistochemistry and measurement of the apoptosis index (AI) of spermatogenic cells.

RESULTSThe expression of Bcl-2 was higher in groups B and C than in D but lower than in A (P < 0.05), and lower in C than in B (P < 0.05). However, the expressions of HIF-1, Bax, CytC, and caspase-3 were lower in groups B and C than in D but higher than in A (P < 0.05), and higher in C than in B (P < 0.05). The AI of spermatogenic cells was the lowest in group A, higher in D than in the other groups but lower in B than in C (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONTP can reduce the apoptosis of spermatogenic cells in a dose-dependent manner in varicocele rats.

Animals ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Caspase 3 ; Cytochromes c ; metabolism ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit ; metabolism ; Ligation ; Male ; Polyphenols ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 ; metabolism ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Renal Veins ; Spermatozoa ; drug effects ; Tea ; chemistry ; Testis ; metabolism ; Varicocele ; complications ; metabolism ; bcl-2-Associated X Protein ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo evaluate and compare the outcome of two kinds of diameter hollow screws for the treatment of femoral neck fractures.

METHODSFrom June 2008 to June 2013, 117 patients with femoral neck fractures were treated by closed reduction and hollow screws fixation. Among them,48 patients were fixed by 6.5 mm screw including 30 males and 18 females with an average age of (45.61 ± 11.99) years old ranging from 19 to 60 years old, involving 17 cases in Garden I/II and 31 cases in Garden III/IV; 69 patients were fixed by 8.0 mm screw including 40 males and 29 females with an average age of (45.17 ± 9.95) years old ranging from 18 to 60 years old, involving 31 cases in Garden I/II and 38 cases in Garden III/IV. The general information, operative time, hospital stay time, reduction quality, diameter of femoral head and neck, fracture healing time, the rate of fracture healing, postoperative complications were recorded and evaluated. Harris scoring was used to evaluate the hip joint function.

RESULTSAll patients were followed up for 19.6 months (18 to 24 months). The difference of operative time, duration of hospitalization, quality of reduction were not statistically significant (P > 0.05). There was no difference between two groups about the average diameter of the femoral head and neck, the fracture healing time, the rate of healing and the postoperative complications (P > 0.05). There were no difference between two groups about Harris scale. There were significant difference between Garden III/IV and I /II (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONClosed reduction and internal fixation with hollow screw in treating the young adult patients with femoral neck fracture is the first choice, both different diameters hollow screws could meet the requirements of fixation of femoral neck fracture, and not affect on fracture healing time and postoperative complications.

Adult ; Bone Screws ; Female ; Femoral Neck Fractures ; surgery ; Fracture Fixation, Internal ; methods ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged

Homo sapiens longevity assurance homologue 2 (LASS2) is a novel gene isolated from a human liver cDNA library by our laboratory, and it is a human homologue of the yeast longevity assurance gene LAG1 (Saccharomyces cerevisiae longevity assurance gene). According to our previous results, LASS2 could interact with subunit c of vacuolar type H(+)-ATPase (V-ATPase), and the overexpression of LASS2 could inhibit the cell growth of a human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cell line, SMMC-7721. In order to understand the role of the interaction between LASS2 and V-ATPase in HCC cell growth, we transiently transfected plasmid pCMV-HA2-LASS2 into HCCLM3, a HCC cell line without the significant expression of endogenous LASS2. The pH-sensitive fluorescence probes, BCECF and BCECF-AM, were used to measure the intracellular and extracellular H(+) concentrations of HCCLM3 cells respectively. The effect of LASS2 gene on apoptosis was evaluated with Annexin-V/FITC and propidium iodide (PI) by flow cytometry. Western blot was used to detect cytochrome c (Cyt c) in the cytosol and mitochondria, as well as pro-caspase-3 in cytosol. The results showed that the cell growth of LASS2-transfected HCCLM3 cells was significantly inhibited compared with that of the mock control. LASS2 transfection increased intracellular H(+) concentration of HCCLM3 cells, while decreased extracellular H(+) concentration. Moreover, LASS2 transfection significantly enhanced the apoptosis of HCCLM3 cells. In LASS2-transfected cells, the amounts of Cyt c increased in the cytosol, while decreased in the mitochondria. Meanwhile, the expression of pro-caspase-3 in the cytosolic extracts was decreased. These results implicate that LASS2 gene might increase intracellular H(+) of HCC cells via the interaction with V-ATPase, thereby inducing cell apoptosis through mitochondrial pathway.
Apoptosis ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; pathology ; Caspase 3 ; metabolism ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Proliferation ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms ; pathology ; Membrane Proteins ; metabolism ; RNA, Small Interfering ; Sphingosine N-Acyltransferase ; metabolism ; Transfection ; Tumor Suppressor Proteins ; metabolism ; Vacuolar Proton-Translocating ATPases ; metabolism

Objective To evaluate the clinical outcomes of patients with acute myocardial infarction(AMI)complicating cardiogenic shock underwent various treatments.Methods From January,2002 to May,2007,47 AMI patients with cardiogenic shock were treated in our department by optimal medication (dopamine,epinephrine,norepinephrine,etc.),intrar-aortic balloon pump(IABP),mechanical ventilation when indicated,percutaneous coronary intervention(PCI)or coronary artery bypass graft (CABG).Outcome and factors related to mortality for these patients were analyzed in this retrospective study.Results Besides optimal medication and IABP in all patients,31 patients underwent PCI(66.0%),6 patients received emergency CABG(12.8%).The overall in-hospital mortality rate was 36.2%(17/47),6 patients(14.9%)died before coronary revascularization and 11 patients(21.3%)died after revascularization.Nine patients died of pump failure and 8 patients died of renal and(or)respiratory failure.Regression analysis showed that acute renal failure(r=0.734,P=0.000),acute respiratory failure (r=0.606,P=0.000)and diabetes(r=0.372,P=0.012)were positively related to in-hospital mortality.Conclusion Despite improvements in treatment options for AMI patients complicating cardiogenic shock,in-hospital mortality remained high,especially for patients complicating further with acute renal failure and acute respiratory failure.

The complete nucleotide sequence of two human enterovirus 71 strains (KMM09 and KM186-09) isolated in Yunnan,China, were determined by RT-PCR and sequencing. As with other human enteroviruses, the genomes were 7 409 nucleotides (nts) in length and encoded 2 193 aa. Phylogenetic analysis based on VP1 regions revealed that the two isolates belonged to subgenotype C4a. In structural genomic regions, subgenotype C4 was most homologous to other strains of C genotype when compared to other genotypes. In non-structural genomic regions, subgenotype C4 was more homologous to CA16/G10 and other strains of B genotype than to other strains of C genotype. RDP3 and Blast analysis displayed evidence of recombination in non-structural genomic regions between subgenotype B3 and C4, C4 and CA16/G10. The full-length genome of the human enterovirus 71 strains provided an overview of the diversity of genetic characteristics of a circulatinghuman enterovirus 71.
Animals ; Base Sequence ; Cercopithecus aethiops ; China ; Enterovirus A, Human ; classification ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; Feces ; virology ; Genome, Viral ; Genotype ; Humans ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Phylogeny ; Vero Cells

Objective To investigate the clinical therapeutic effects of endovascular repair for patients with DeBakey Ⅲ aortic dissection.Methods From December 2002 to June 2007,endovascular TALENT stent-graft exclusion was performed in 75(65 males,mean age 54.4±12.6 years)patients with DeBakey Ⅲ aortic dissection(1 young woman due to Ehlers-Danlos syndrome,2 young men due to primary aldosteronism and trauma respectively).All patients were diagnosed by contrast enhanced computed tomography(CT)or MRI.Stent-grafts were deployed via femoral artery to exclude the tear of dissection.Aortic angiography was performed immediately after procedure.Results Eighty-one stent-grafts were installed in 75 patients successfully without operation related dissection.Endoleakage immediately after stent-graft deploying was evidenced in 25 patients and disappeared after stent placements(n=6)or balloon dilation (n=19).Two patients died from aortic rupture within 2 days after procedure.Iliac artery was torn in a female patient with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome,this patient developed hemorrhagic shock after stent-graft placement and recovered after anti-shock treatments and iliac artery replacement with synthetic artery.During the follow-up of 1-24 months,2 patients(including the woman with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome)suddenly died half a year after procedure.The remaining patients were alive and well.Repeat CT during follow up showed that reduced lumen size and thrombosis in the false lumen.There was no aortic rupture,endoleak and stent migration during the follow-up period except descending aortic dissection distal of the stent-graft in 1 patient 1 year after procedure and the patient were successfully treated surgically without complication.Conclusions Endovasular repair is a safe and effective treatment for patients with DeBakey Ⅲ aortic dissection,suitable for old patients with high risk of surgery.Ehlers-Danlos syndrome should be considered in young DeBakey Ⅲ aortic dissection patients without hypertension.Further studies are warranted on endovasular repair therapy for artery complication of Ehlers-Danlos syndrome.

Objective To clarify the effect of histamine H4 receptor antagonist, JNJ 7777120, and histamine H1 receptor antagonist, Loratadine, on allergic rhinitis ( AR) in rats and to study the role of histamine H4 receptor antagonist and histamine H1 receptor antagonist in the pathogenesis of allergic rhinitis and therapeutic value of their antagonist. Methods AR animal model were induced by ovalbumin ( OVA) in the Wistar rats, which treated with histamine H4 receptor antagonist and (or) histamine H1 receptor antagonist. The allergic symptoms (sneezing and nasal rubbing) , serum total IgE and the levels of cytokines in serum or nasal lavage fluid were measured, the diversity between two groups were observed. Statistical analysis was performed using a SPSS 13. 0 software. Results Compared with AR group with no treatment, the inhibition of nasal symptoms ( P < 0. 01), a significant decrease in the levels of IgE, IL-4 in serum and Eotaxin in nasal lavage fluid(P <0. 01), a significant increase in the levels of IFN-μ in serum(P <0. 01 ) after treatment was found. Compared with group treated with Loratadine, inhibition of nasal symptoms (q value were 3.72, 4. 16, P < 0. 01), a significant increase in the levels of IgE and IL-4 in serum (q value were 8. 01, 4. 96, P <0. 05) , a significant decrease in the levels of IFN-γ in serum( q =3. 18, P <0. 05) ingroup treated with JNJ 7777120 also,but no significant differences in the levels of Eotaxin in nasal lavage fluid(P > 0.05). Administration of JNJ 7777120 and Loratadine jointly, neither additive effect nor synergistic action were found ( P > 0. 05). Conclusions Histamine H4 receptor is closely related with allergic rhinitis and is important in the pathogenesis of allergic rhinitis, the same as histamine H1 receptor. Histamine H4 receptor antagonist, JNJ 7777120, could relieve symptoms and inflammatory conditions in allergic rhinitis, the effect was weak compared with Loratadine. Neither additive effect nor synergistic action were found between them.

OBJECTIVETo establish and characterize a lung adenocarcinoma cell line from a female patient in Xuanwei, Yunnan province.

METHODSSurgical specimen of the lung adenocarcinoma was obtained and cultured immediately in RPMI 1640 medium with 10% fetal bovine serum and 10(5) U/L penicillin and 100 mg/L streptomycin. When stable proliferation of the cells was achieved after over 40 passages in culture, the biological features of the cell line were investigated by cell morphology, karyotyping, protein marker expression [cytokeratins (CKs), epithelial membrane antigen (EMA) and CD proteins], growth kinetics, cell cycle phase distribution, mitotic index, colony formation in soft agar, cell invasion and tumorigenicity in Balb/c nude mice.

RESULTSThe established cell line was stably cultured for over 80 passages during a one-year period as an anchorage-dependent monolayer of short spindle, polygonal to epithelioid cells under phase contrast microscope. Microglandular cavities and disordered microfilaments were observed under transmission electron microscope. The growth curve presented in an "S" shape with the cell population doubled every 46.7 hours. The mitotic index was 1.5% and the colony formation rate was 8.3%. The cell cycle distribution included 76.9% in G(0)/G(1), 15.1% in S and 8.0% in G(2)/M. The cell line displayed a hypotriploid karyotype with a mode of 66 chromosomes and a median of 64 chromosomes. The cells expressed CK7, CK8, CK (Pan) and EMA by immunohistochemistry. A high level of cell surface expression of CD13 and CD59 was evident by flow cytometry. The cells were able to penetrate Matrigel in vitro but failed to form a stable xenograft in nude mice.

CONCLUSIONA new human lung adenocarcinoma cell line, designated as XLA-07, is successfully established from a Xuanwei lung cancer patient.

Adenocarcinoma ; metabolism ; pathology ; Animals ; CD13 Antigens ; metabolism ; CD59 Antigens ; metabolism ; Cell Culture Techniques ; Cell Cycle ; Cell Line, Tumor ; ultrastructure ; Cell Proliferation ; Female ; Humans ; Karyotyping ; Keratins ; metabolism ; Lung Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Mice, Nude ; Mucin-1 ; metabolism ; Neoplasm Transplantation ; Polyploidy ; Tumor Stem Cell Assay

OBJECTIVETo study the serum proteome of rat endotoxemia treated by figwort root (FR).

METHODThe differences of serum proteome among rats treated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS), FR, LPS + FR and saline respectively were analyzed by two-dimensional electrophoresis (2DE) assay.

RESULTThe volumes of sixteen serum proteins (xPr) in LPS induced-endotoxemia group were greatly changed compared with those of the control group. Among them, the volumes of xPr 16, 19 were significantly decreased, and the volumes of xPr 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12, 14, 18, 23 were significantly increased. When treated with FR, the volumes of xPr 1, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12, 14, 18, 23 were significantly decreased, and the volumes of xPr 8, 9, 11, 12, 23, 14 were back to normal level. Two factors statistic analysis showed that FR had interaction with LPS for xPr 1, 5, 8, 10, 11, 12, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, and FR might be the functional antagonist of LPS. We also observed that the volumes of xPr 10, 13, 15, 20, 21, 22 were found to change significantly only in FR treated group but not in LPS treated group or control group. Interestingly, the volume of xPr 13, 20, 21, 22 were increased and the volume of xPr 10, 15 were decreased.

CONCLUSIONThe molecular basis of therapeutic effect of FR on endotoxemia might be through the regulation of xPr 1, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12, 14, 18, 23. We can use proteomic techniques to study the molecular mechanisms of diseases treated by functional Chinese herbs and the combination of different herbs is necessary for the treatment of endotoxemia, as FR can not regulated all the changed proteins induced by LPS.

Animals ; Blood Proteins ; metabolism ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Endotoxemia ; blood ; chemically induced ; Injections, Intravenous ; Lipopolysaccharides ; administration & dosage ; Male ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Proteome ; analysis ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Scrophularia ; chemistry

OBJECTIVESTo study the in vivo efficacy and the safety of cord blood derived CIK/NK cells stimulated by K562-dendritic cells (DC) fusion vaccines in NOD/SCID mice model for human erythroleukemia.

METHODSDC and CIK /NK cells were both derived from cord blood mononuclear cells. DC were fused with inactivated K562 leukemia cell by PEG to produce K562-DC fusion vaccines. K562-DC fusion vaccines were co-cultured with CIK/NK cells to prepare K562-DC fusion vaccine stimulated CIK/NK cells. NOD/SCID mice were inoculated with 1 x 10(6) K562 cells. 24 hours later, 1 x 10(7) vaccines stimulated CIK/ NK cells and 1 x 10(7) CIK/NK cells were transfused into the NOD/SCID mice. NOD/SCID mice without inoculation of K562 cells were used as control group. CD13 and CD56 positive cells were assayed by flow cytometry.

RESULTSAll the leukemia NOD/SCID mice without therapy died within 39 days, tumor was found in 5 of 8 mice. One of 8 leukemia mice treated with K562-DC fusion vaccines stimulated CIK/NK cells died at the 65th day, the anti-tumor response rate was 87.5%. Two of the leukemia mice treated with CIK/NK cells died at the 56th and 65th day respectively, the anti-tumor response rate was 75%. There was no significant difference in survival time between these two groups, and both survivals were longer than that of the control group. There was no significant difference in CD13 positive cells in the survival mice between these two groups, and both of that were less than that of the control mice. There was no significant difference in CD56 positive cells between the two treated groups and the control group.

CONCLUSIONSCord blood derived CIK/ NK cells stimulated by inactivated tumor cells retain the cytotoxicity and do not develop tumor in vivo.

Animals ; Cancer Vaccines ; immunology ; Cytokine-Induced Killer Cells ; immunology ; Cytotoxicity, Immunologic ; Dendritic Cells ; immunology ; Humans ; K562 Cells ; Killer Cells, Natural ; immunology ; Leukemia, Erythroblastic, Acute ; immunology ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred NOD ; Mice, SCID