OBJECTlVE To investigate the action mechanism of antidepressant fluoxetine on hERG ( ether-a-go-go-related gene ) potassium channel, and the effect of protein kinase C ( PKC ) agonist phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate ( PMA) on fluoxetine inhibition. METHODS The whole cell patch clamp technique was used to record the change in hERG potassium current ( IKr ) on HEK293 cells that stably expressed hERG potassium channel ( hERG-HEK293 steady-state cells) , which was treated with fluoxe-tine 0.01, 0.1, 1 and 10μmol·L-1 , to study the concentration-and voltage-dependence of the effects on IKr, and to observe the changes in activation, inactivation and recovery dynamics of hERG potassium channel treated with fluoxetine 1μmol·L-1 . On this basis, the effect of PMA of 1μmol·L-1 on inhibition of fluoxetine 1 μmol·L-1 was explored. RESULTS Fluoxetine 0.01, 0.1, 1 and 10 μmol·L-1 inhibited IKr on hERG-HEK293 steady-state cells in a concentration- and voltage-dependent manner. The half maximal inhibitory concentration ( lC50 ) was about 0. 8 mmol·L-1 , and the Hill coefficient was about 1. 1. Fluoxetine 1 μmol·L-1 could reduce the activation, deactivation and recovery currents of IKr and affect the activation and recovery of hERG potassium channel. After fluoxetine inhibition of IKr became stable, PMA 1 μmol·L-1 could inhibit the blocking effect of fluoxetine on hERG potassium channels. CONCLUSlON Fluoxetine has obvious inhibitory effect on IKr of hERG-HEK293 steady-state cells, but the effect could be inhibited by PKC agonist PMA.

Objective To explore the effects of baicalin in the treatment of a preeclampsia (PE) rat model by detecting the expression of X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis protein (XIAP) and cysteine containing aspartate-9 (Caspase-9) and observing the ultrastructure of mitochondria in trophoblast cells.Methods Forty-eight pregnant Wistar rats were randomly divided into two groups:12 in the control group and 36 in the PE model group.The PE model was established with subcutaneous injection of l-nitro arginine methyl ester with 100 mg/kg per day from the 13th day of pregnancy.Beginning from the 16th day of pregnancy,the PE rats were injected with different doses of baicalin till cesarean section,and divided into three groups:non-intervention PE model group treated with saline (NIP group),low-dose baicalin intervention group (IDB group) at 50 mg/kg per day,and high-dose baicalin intervention group (HDB group) at 100 mg/kg per day.The rat tail artery blood pressure and 24-h urine protein level were measured at pregnant day 10,16 and 20.The levels of XIAP and Caspase-9 in placenta were measured by immunohistochemistry.The ultrastructure of mitochondria of trophoblast cells of the rat placenta was observed under electron microscope.T test,F test and LSD-t test were applied for statistical analysis.Results (1) On pregnant day 10,no significant differences were observed in rat tail artery systolic blood pressure,diastolic blood pressure and 24-h urine protein level between the control group and PE model group (all P＞0.05).On pregnant day 16 and 20,the systolic blood pressure,diastolic blood pressure and 24-h urine protein level of NIP,IDB and HDB groups were significantly higher than those of control group [pregnant day 16:systolic blood pressure:(137.74±5.21),(136.15±4.86),(138.28±4.79) and (110.57±3.79) mmHg (1 mmHg=0.133 kPa),diastolic blood pressure:(89.58 ± 5.50),(88.45 ± 8.59),(89.42 ± 6.29) and (80.28 ± 7.36) mmHg,24-h urine protein:(7.78 ± 0.45),(7.53 ± 0.54),(7.86± 0.57) and (6.45 ± 0.56) mg;pregnant day 20:systolic blood pressure:(145.26 ± 4.67),(131.28 ± 4.34),(130.93 ± 5.33) and (110.40 ± 6.92) mmHg,diastolic blood pressure:(89.87±6.55),(85.34±7.33),(84.64±7.36) and (80.19±7.34) mmHg,24-h urine protein:(11.18±0.42),(9.65±0.54),(9.06±0.56) and (6.31 ±0.45) mg] (all P＜0.01).On pregnant day 20,the systolic and diastolic blood pressure and 24-h urine protein level in IDB and HDB groups were significantly lower than in NIP group (all P＜0.05),but showed no significant differences between IDB and HDB groups (allP＞0.05).(2) Compared with NIP group,the expression of XIAP in control group,IDB and HDB groups were significantly increased(210.39±0.78,180.56±0.82,195.36±0.96 and 192.84± 1.06,all P＜0.01).There was no significant difference in the expression of XIAP between IDB and HDB groups (P=0.66).The expression of Caspase-9 in control group,IDB and HDB groups were significantly decreased compared with NIP group (210.36±0.55,195.53±0.96,198.42± 1.01 and 185.25±0.64,all P＜0.01).There was no significant difference in the expression of Caspase-9 between IDB and HDB groups (P=0.65).Ultrastructure of mitochondria in NIP group showed different degrees of damage,matrix swelling,and mitochondrial cristae bresk or disappearance.In IDB group,mitochondrial matrix swelling was not obvious,and mitochondrial cristae were visible.In HDB group,mitochondrial cristae were neat and clear.Conclusions Baicalin may play an important role in the treatment of preeclampsia by reversing the trophoblast apoptosis and improving the ultrastructure of mitochondria through its regulation of XIAP expression and downregulation of Caspase-9 expression.

In the fetal circulation,the right and left cardiovascular system are positioned in parallel,and the aortic isthmus behaves as a shunt that connecting both up-and downstream circulations,allowing the fetuses to increase or reduce the amount of blood directed to the brain and heart depending on the degree of oxygen supply from the placenta.Doppler blood flow waveform of the fetal aortic isthmus can be obtained from the traditional longitudinal aortic arch view or the more recently described three vessels and trachea view of the fetal upper mediastinum.The aortic isthmus blood flow has a characteristic shape with end-systolic notch during the third trimester pregnancy and gradually deepen with the increase of gestational age.Doppler blood flow waveform of the aortic isthmus is closely related to fetal brain and heart function,and its reverse signal in the diastolic phase shows the poor intrauterine fetus.

We reported a case of trisomy 18 with Abernethy malformation diagnosed by prenatal ultrasound, which was confirmed by chromosome karyotyping after cordocentesis and fetal autopsy. At 24 gestational weeks, fetal sonography revealed a fetus with multiple malformations (cleft lip/cleft palate of left side, left radial dysplasia, hooked hands, bilateral pes valgus, ventricular septal defect, and congenital extrahepatic portocaval shunt), which was diagnosed as trisomy 18 syndrome with Abernethy malformation. The fetus's karyotype was 47, XX+18.

Objective:To evaluate the status of T, B and NK lymphocytes in peripheral blood of patients with chronic hepatitis B virus(HBV) infection and low-level viremia after nucleos(t)ide analogue (NA) treatment and to provide ideas for solving low-level viremia.Methods:This retrospective study involved 344 patients with chronic HBV infection who had been treated with NAs. They were divided into two groups: low-level viremia group (LLV group) and complete virological response group (CVR group). Clinical data including basic information, biochemistry and coagulation test results, HBV DNA, peripheral blood lymphocyte counts, PD1 and CD28 expression by T lymphocytes, and perforin and granzyme B expression by NK lymphocytes were collected and compared between the two groups. Propensity matching analysis was performed to verify the accuracy of the results.Results:Among the 344 cases, 162 were in the LLV group and 182 in the CVR group. There were no significant differences in disease diagnosis, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) or albumin (ALB) level between the two groups ( P>0.05), but the differences in gender and age were statistically significant ( P<0.05). The differences in the counts and percentages of peripheral blood CD3 +, CD4 + and CD8 + T lymphocyte and CD4 + /CD8 + ratios between the two groups were not statistically significant ( P>0.05), but the expression of PD1 and CD28 by peripheral blood CD3 +, CD4 + and CD8 + T lymphocytes was higher in the LLV group than in the CVR group ( P<0.05). The count of peripheral blood CD19 + B lymphocytes in the LLV group was higher than that in the CVR group ( P>0.05), and the percentage of peripheral blood CD19 + B lymphocytes was also higher in the LLV group ( P<0.05). The count of peripheral blood CD16 + CD56 + NK lymphocytes and the expression of perforin in the LLV group were lower than those in the CVR group ( P>0.05). The percentage of peripheral blood CD16 + CD56 + NK lymphocytes and the expression of granzyme B in the LLV group were lower than those in the CVR group ( P<0.05). After propensity score matching, 108 cases in the LLV group and 108 cases in the CVR group showed no significant differences in basic information ( P>0.05); the percentage of CD4 + T lymphocytes and CD4 + /CD8 + ratio in peripheral blood T lymphocyte subsets were higher in the LLV group than in the CVR group, while the percentage of CD8 + lymphocytes was lower in the LLV group ( P<0.05); the expression of PD1 and CD28 by CD3 +, CD4 + and CD8 + T lymphocytes remained higher in the LLV group ( P<0.05); the differences in the counts and percentages of peripheral blood CD19 + B lymphocytes as well as CD16 + CD56 + NK lymphocytes between the two groups were not statistically significant ( P>0.05); no significant difference in the expression of perforin by CD16 + CD56 + NK lymphocytes was found between the two groups ( P>0.05), and the expression of granzyme B remained lower in the LLV group ( P<0.05). Conclusions:Abnormal number and function of T lymphocytes and decreased function of NK lymphocytes might be related to the development of LLV in patients with chronic HBV infection after treatment. Therefore, in addition to adjusting NAs, targeting of T and NK lymphocytes might also be a feasible measure for future LLV treatment.

Purpose: Cavernous nerve injury induced erectile dysfunction (ED) is a refractory complication with high incidence in person under radical prostatectomy. Studies have shown that relaxin-2 (RLX-2) plays a vital role of endothelial protection, vasodilation, anti-fibrosis and neuroprotection in a variety of diseases. However, whether penile cavernous erection can benefit from RLX-2 remains unknown. The purpose of the experiment was to explore the effects of RLX-2 on ED in the rat suffering with bilateral cavernous nerve injury (BCNI). Materials and Methods: The rats were divided into three groups: Sham group was underwent sham operation, BCNI+RLX group or BCNI group was underwent bilateral cavernous nerve crush and then randomly treated with RLX-2 (0.4 mg/kg/d) or saline by continuous administration using a subcutaneously implanted micro pump for 4 weeks respectively. Then, erectile function was evaluated by electrical stimulation of cavernous nerves. Cavernous nerves and penile tissues and were collected for histological evaluation. Results: Erectile function of rats with BCNI was partially improved after RLX-2 treatment. The BCNI group had lower expression of relaxin family peptide receptor (RXFP) 1, p-AKT/AKT, p-eNOS/eNOS ratios than sham operation rats, but RLX-2 could partially reversed these changes. Histologically, the BCNI+RLX group had a significant effect on preservation of neurofilament, neuronal glial antigen 2 of penile tissue and nNOS of cavernous nerves when compared with BCNI group. RLX-2 could inhibited the lever of BCNI induced corporal fibrosis and apoptosis via regulating TGFβ1-Smad2/3-CTGF pathway and the expression of Bax/Bcl-2 ratio, caspase3. Conclusions RLX-2 could improve erectile function of BCNI rats by protecting cavernous nerve and endothelial function and suppressing corporal fibrosis and apoptosis via RXFP1 and AKT/eNOS pathway. Our findings may provide a promising treatment for refractory BCNI induced ED.