Objective: By means of serum pharmacochemistry combined with modern chromatographic technology to elucidate the material basis for efficacy of aqueous extract from Gardenia jasminoides (AEGJ), which has antipyretic activities with bitter-cold property. Methods: Waters 2695 HPLC was employed as the detection system, based on the same chromatographic eluted condition, physiological and DNP-induced fever syndrome serum samples, collected from hepatic portal vein of rats after ig administration of AEGJ, were under determining to compare the absorptive variation of the chemical compounds. Results: The chromatographic fingerprints of common peaks for six batches of AEGJ were established to ascertain the optimized administration dosage, blood collection time, and the method used to process the serum. Compared with the normal administrated group under physiological status of rats, we found that the significant increment absorption of jasminoidin and the generation of two new migration compounds in the DNP fever syndrom model group. Conclusion: The increment absorption and the migration of chemical compounds in serum of DNP fever syndrome pathological model of rats might reasonably lead us to consider these chemical compounds as symbols of the bitter-cold property of G jasminoides.

Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Alzheimer Disease ; blood ; immunology ; B-Lymphocytes ; immunology ; B7-1 Antigen ; blood ; CD28 Antigens ; blood ; Female ; Flow Cytometry ; HLA-DR Antigens ; blood ; Humans ; Killer Cells, Natural ; immunology ; Lymphocyte Subsets ; immunology ; Male ; T-Lymphocyte Subsets ; immunology

BACKGROUNDHuman amniotic epithelial cells (HAECs) are able to secrete biologically active neurotrophins such as brain-derived neurotrophic factor and neurotrophin-3, both of which exhibit trophic activities on dopamine neurons. Previous study showed that when human amniotic epithelial cells were transplanted into the striatum of 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA)-induced Parkinson disease rats, the cells could survive and exert functional effects. The purpose of this study was to investigate the survival and the differentiation of human amniotic epithelial cells after being transplanted into the lateral ventricle of Parkinson's disease (PD) rats, and to investigate the effects of grafts on healing PD in models.

METHODSThe Parkinson's model was made with stereotactic microinjection of 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) into the striatum of a rat. The PD models were divided into two groups: the HAECs group and the normal saline (NS) group. Some untreated rats were taken as the control. The rotational asymmetry induced by apomorphine of the HAECs group and the NS group were measured post cell transplantation. The expression of nestin and vimentin in grafts were determined by immunohistology. Ten weeks after transplantation the density of tyrosine hydroxylase positive cells in the substantia nigra of the HAECs group, NS group and the untreated group was determined. The differentiation of grafts was determined by TH immunohistology. High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was used to determine monoamine neurotransmitter levels in the striatum.

RESULTSThe rotational asymmetry induced by apomorphine of the HAECs group was ameliorated significantly compared to the NS group two weeks after transplantation (P < 0.01). The grafts expressed nestin and vimentin five weeks after transplantation. TH immunohistochemistry indicated that the TH positive cells in the substantia nigra of the HAECs group increased significantly compared to the NS group (P < 0.01). Tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) positive cells in the substantia nigra of the HAEC group and the NS group were decreased compared to the untreated group (P < 0.01). Dopamine and DOPAC levels in the striatum of the HAECs group increased significantly compared to the NS group (P < 0.05). Homovanillic acid (HVA) levels in the striatum of the HAECs group increased significantly compared to the NS group (P < 0.01). In addition dopamine, DOPAC, and HVA levels in the striatum and dopamine levels in the cerebrospinal fluid of the HAECs group and the NS group were decreased compared to the untreated group (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSHuman amniotic epithelial cells could be used to ameliorate the rotational asymmetry induced by apomorphine of the PD models. This could have been due to the increased content of dopamine and its metabolic products, DOPAC and HVA, in the striatum in the PD models.

Amnion ; cytology ; Animals ; Apomorphine ; pharmacology ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Epithelial Cells ; cytology ; drug effects ; transplantation ; Female ; Homovanillic Acid ; metabolism ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Oxidopamine ; toxicity ; Parkinsonian Disorders ; chemically induced ; metabolism ; therapy ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

OBJECTIVETo investigate the expression of four hepatocellular cancer antigen (HCA) gene mRNA in hepatocellular carcinoma.

METHODSThe expression of HCA90, HCA519, HCA520, HCA587 mRNA was detected using RT-PCR in HCC tissues and the corresponding adjacent non-HCC tissues from 46 HCC patients, cirrhosis tissues from 10 samples and normal liver tissues from 10 samples. The relationship between positive expression rate of HCA gene and clinical and lab data was evaluated.

RESULTSOf 46 HCC tissues, HCA90, HCA519, HCA520 and HCA587 mRNA were detectable in 65.2%, 76.1%, 45.7% and 32.6%, respectively. At least one HCA gene mRNA was positive in 82.6% of HCC tissues. Only weak expression of HCA519 could be detectable in 6.5% of the corresponding adjacent non-HCC tissues. None of 10 samples of cirrhosis and normal liver tissues expressed any HCA gene mRNA. No correlation was found between the expression of HCA and clinical date such as age, sex, tumor size, tumor differentiation, serum alpha-fetoprotein level and hepatitis B virus infection or hepatitis C virus infection (P > 0.05). However, in some patients with normal serum alpha-fetoprotein (< 25 ng/L), specific expression of HCA genes was observed.

CONCLUSIONHCA gene mRNA is expressed with a high percentage and specificity in hepatocellular carcinomas and their products are new potential promising targets for immunotherapy of HCC.

Antigens, Neoplasm ; genetics ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; genetics ; pathology ; Female ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic ; Humans ; Liver ; metabolism ; Liver Neoplasms ; genetics ; pathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Proteins ; genetics ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; metabolism ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction

BACKGROUNDHuman amniotic epithelial cells (HAECs), which have characteristics of both embryonic and pluripotent stem cells, are therefore a candidate in cell therapy without creating legal or ethical problems. In the present study, we aimed to investigate the effects of intracerebroventricular transplantation of HAECs on doubly transgenic mice of Alzheimer's disease (AD) coexpressing presenilin-1 (PS1) and mutant Sweden amyloid precursor protein (APPswe) genes.

METHODSThe offspring mice genotypes were detected using PCR identification of APPswe and PS1 gene. The doubly transgenic (TG) mice (n = 20) and wild-type (WT) mice (n = 20) were randomly divided into two groups respectively: the transplantation group treated with HAECs and the control group with phosphate buffered saline. Six radial arm water maze test was used to assess the spatial memory in the TG and WT mice. Amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles were analyzed using congo red and acid-silver methenamine staining respectively. Immunofluorescence cytochemistry was used to track the survival of HAECs. Immunohistochemistry was used to determine the expression of octamer-binding protein 4 (Oct-4) and Nanog in the HAECs. High performance liquid chromatography was used to measure acetylcholine in hippocampus. The density of cholinergic neurons in basal forebrain and nerve fibers in hippocampus was measured using acetylcholinesterase staining.

RESULTSAmyloid deposition occurred in hippocampus and frontal cortex in the double TG mice aged 8 months, but not in WT mice. The results also showed that transplanted HAECs can survive for at least 8 weeks and migrate to the third ventricle without immune rejection. The graft HAECs can also express the specific marker Oct-4 and Nanog of stem cell. Compared with the control group, transplantation of HAECs can not only significantly improve the spatial memory of the TG mice, but also increase acetylcholine concentration and the number of hippocampal cholinergic neurites.

CONCLUSIONSThese results demonstrate that intracerebroventricular transplantation of HAECs can improve the spatial memory of the double TG mice. The higher content of acetylcholine in hippocampus released by more survived cholinergic neurites is one of the causes of this improvement.

Acetylcholine ; metabolism ; Alzheimer Disease ; genetics ; metabolism ; therapy ; Amnion ; cytology ; Amyloid beta-Protein Precursor ; genetics ; metabolism ; Animals ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Epithelial Cells ; cytology ; transplantation ; Genotype ; Hippocampus ; metabolism ; Homeodomain Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Memory Disorders ; genetics ; metabolism ; therapy ; Mice ; Mice, Transgenic ; Nanog Homeobox Protein ; Octamer Transcription Factor-3 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Presenilin-1 ; genetics ; metabolism

OBJECTIVE To observe the effect of Epimedium 95％ethanol elution section (E95EE) on endogenous metabolism in the urine of normal rats using methods of metabonomics, and to study whether differential expressions of biomarkers can influence different systems of the body along with various body-fluids-cycle distribution. METHODS SD rats were randomly divided into blank control group and E95EE group(10 rats per group). The rats of E95EE group were ig administered with E95EE 17.1 g · L-1, once daily, for 20 d, while those of normal control group were ig given an equal volume of saline. On the day of the final E95EE administration, the urine of 12 h was collected for analysis by UPLC-TOF/MS. RESULTS This study identified nine differential endogenous metabolites (3-sn-phos-phatidate, 5, 10-methenyltetrahydrofolate, l-1-phosphatidylethanolamine, 1-acyl-glycerone 3-phosphate, N-formimidoyl-l-glutamate, keto-oxaloacetate, sulfurous acid, formyl-N-acetyl-5-methoxykynurenamin and N-acetyl-5-hydroxytryptamine) and six primary metabolic pathways [glycerophospholipid metabolism, vitamin A (retinol) metabolism, histidine degradation, tryptophan metabolism, acetyl-CoA biosynthesis from citrate, glycolysis and gluconeogenesis]. The possible role of protection of E95EE discovered in the nervous and cardiovascular systems was displayed by the decreased level of 3-sn-phosphatidate and an increased level of N-formimidoyl-l-glutamate. However, the possible toxicity of E95EE on neoplastic prevention was achieved by reducing the level of l-1-phosphatidylethanolamine and 5,10-methenyl tetra-hydrofolate. CONCLUSION E95EE can produce both protection and toxicity on nervous, cardiovascular and immune systems, as well as on tumor-associated diseases. The mechanisms may be related to metabolic pathways of triglycerides, vitamin A, tryptophane and histidines.

Purpose: This study assessed the correlation between Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) biomarkers and the eighth American Joint Committee on Cancer staging system and the prognostic values of IgG antibodies against replication and transcription activator (Rta-IgG), IgA antibodies against Epstein-Barr nuclear antigen 1, and BamH1 Z transactivator (Zta-IgA) in locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) patients. Materials and Methods: Serum EBV antibody levels were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in 435 newly diagnosed stage III-IVA NPC patients administered intensity-modulated radiation therapy±chemotherapy. The primary endpoint was progression-free survival (PFS). Results: Rta-IgG and Zta-IgA levels were positively correlated with the N category and clinical stage. Patients with high Rta-IgG levels (> 29.07 U/mL) showed a significantly inferior prognosis as indicated by PFS (77% vs. 89.8%, p=0.004), distant metastasis–free survival (DMFS) (88.3% vs. 95.8%, p=0.021), and local recurrence-free survival (LRFS) (91.2% vs. 98.3%, p=0.009). High Rta-IgG levels were also significantly associated with inferior PFS and LRFS in multivariable analyses. In the low-level EBV DNA group (≤ 1,500 copies/mL), patients with high Rta-IgG levels had significantly inferior PFS and DMFS (both p < 0.05). However, in the high-level EBV DNA group, Rta-IgG levels were not significantly associated with PFS, DMFS, and LRFS. In the advanced T category (T3-4) subgroup, high Rta-IgG levels were also significantly associated with inferior PFS, DMFS, and LRFS (both p < 0.05). Conclusion Rta-IgG and Zta-IgA levels were strongly correlated with the TNM classification. Rta-IgG level was a negative prognostic factor in locoregionally advanced NPC patients, especially those with advanced T category or low EBV DNA level.

Objective:To analyze the epidemiological characteristics and genotypes of human rhinovirus (HRV) in patients with upper respiratory tract infection in Qingdao in the winter of 2020.Methods:Throat swab samples were collected from 101 patients with upper respiratory tract infection in Qingdao from November 2020 to January 2021. Quantitative PCR was used to detect 15 common respiratory viruses in the samples. HRV-positive samples were further analyzed with RT-PCR to amplify and sequence HRV VP4/VP2 gene. A phylogenetic tree was constructed based on the sequencing results and homology analysis was conducted.Results:Six common respiratory viruses were detected in the 101 patients. Thirty-four cases (34/101, 33.66%) were single pathogen infection and two cases were multiple infection (2/101, 1.98%). The positive rate of HRV was the highest (21.78%, 22/101). Twenty HRV VP4/VP2 sequences were successfully amplified. Phylogenetic analysis showed that there were 16 strains of HRV-A subtype and four strains of HRV-C subtype and 14 serotypes were involved.Conclusions:HRV was one of the leading viral pathogens causing upper respiratory tract infection in Qingdao in the winter of 2020 and the predominant subtype was HRV-A.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the clinical and genetic characteristics of 7 patients from 5 families with 17a-hydroxylase/17,20 lyase deficiency (17OHD) and the CYP17A1 mutation in Chinese.

METHODSClinical features and laboratory data were collected from 5 families with 17OHD. PCR direct sequencing was performed to screen the mutation of CYP17A1 gene of the patients. Polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism(PCR-RFLP) and sequencing were performed to screen the mutations of CYP17A1 gene in 288 healthy individuals from Shandong province.

RESULTSSeven patients (5 of them were 46,XX; 2 were 46,XY) had typical clinical presentation of sexual infantilism, hypertension and hypokalemia. Hormone profile indicated decreased plasma cortisol and sex hormones, and elevated blood adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH). TAC329AA and H373L in exon 6 and D487_F489del in exon 8 were identified from the patients. One heterozygote for D487_F489del was identified in 288 healthy controls.

CONCLUSIONThe TAC329AA and D487_F489del of the CYP17A1 gene were the most frequent mutations in Chinese with 17OHD.There might be certain frequency of heterozygotes for D487_F489del in Chinese population.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; genetics ; Exons ; Female ; Gene Frequency ; Humans ; Hypertension ; genetics ; Hypokalemia ; genetics ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Mutation ; Pedigree ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Sequence Analysis, DNA ; Sexual Infantilism ; genetics ; metabolism ; Steroid 17-alpha-Hydroxylase ; genetics ; metabolism ; Steroid 21-Hydroxylase ; genetics ; metabolism ; Young Adult

Objective:To investigate whether there is inflammatory reaction and cell pyroptosis in impaired glucose tolerance （IGT） rats induced by high-fat diet and the intervention effect of Huanglian Wendantang. Method:Healthy male SD rats were fed with 45% fat content diet for 20 weeks to replicate the IGT model. The rats in line with the model establish criteria were randomly divided into 3 groups， with 10 rats in each group， another 10 rats were selected as the blank control group. Huanglian Wendantang group was given 7.8 g·kg^-1·d^-1 compound decoction of Huanglian Wendantang， and the positive control group was given 0.05 g·kg^-1·d^-1 aqueous solution of metformin hydrochloride， with the dose volume of 10 mL·kg^-1·d^-1. The blank group and the model group were given the same volume of distilled water. After continuous intragastric administration for 4 weeks， the body weight， body length and abdominal circumferences were measured， the Lee's obesity index was calculated， and the levels of fasting plasma glucose （FPG） and 2-hour plasma glucose （2 h PG） were detected in each group. Serum interleukin-6 （IL-6） content was detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA）. The mRNA and protein expressions of nuclear factor kappa B （NF-κB）， cysteinyl aspartate specific proteinase-1 （Caspase-1） and NOD-like receptor protein 3 （NLRP3） in liver tissues were detected by Real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR） and Western blot. Immunofluorescence was used to detect the expression of Caspase-1 and NLRP3 in rat liver. Hematoxylin and eosin （HE） staining was used to observe the morphology of liver tissue. Result:Compared with blank group， the body weight， abdominal circumference， body length and Lee's index in model group were significantly increased （P<0.05， P<0.01）， the levels of FPG and 2 h PG were significantly increased （P<0.05， P<0.01）， serum IL-6 content and NF-κB， Caspase-1 and NLRP3 gene and protein expressions in liver tissue were significantly increased （P<0.01）， immunofluorescence technique showed that Caspase-1 and NLRP3 expressions increased obviously in IGT rat model’s liver tissues， and inflammatory cells infiltration was observed obviously in HE stained rat liver tissue model. Compared with model group， Huanglian Wendantang and metformin hydrochloride groups could effectively reduce the body weight of IGT rats （P<0.01） and abdominal obesity， and correct the levels of FPG and 2 h PG （P<0.01）， while effectively reducing serum IL-6 content and gene and protein expressions of NF-κB， Caspase-1 and NLRP3 in liver tissues of IGT rats， and alleviating inflammatory cell infiltration. Conclusion:Inflammatory response exists in IGT model rats induced by high-fat diet. Huanglian Wendantang can obviously reduce its inflammatory response and alleviate liver cell pyroptosis.