Obese gene was cloned and its protein product which named leptin was found to be expressed specially in fat tissues in 1994. As a metabolic signal of reproductive system, leptin reflects the situations of nutrition and energy, which the body supplys to the brain, and stimulates reproductive endocrinology system, then regulates the functions of reproduction through hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis. The present status of leptin in this field was reviewed.

Obese gene was cloned and its protein product which named leptin was found to be expressed specially in fat tissues in 1994. As a metabolic signal of reproductive system, leptin reflects the situations of nutrition and energy, which the body supplys to the brain, and stimulates reproductive endocrinology system, then regulates the functions of reproduction through hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis.The present status of eptin in this field was reviewed.

AIM: To investigate the effects of aging on sperm maturation and fertility in mice. METHODS: Sperm of caput epididymides and cauda epididymides were obtained from Kunming mice aged 6 months (n=15, as control) and 18 months ( n=15). Sperm parameters including sperm density, viability, motility and nor mal morphological rate were recorded. Sperm of cauda epididymides was observed b y transmission electron microscope. The fertility potential and embryo developme ntal competence were performed by in vitro fertilization and embryo culture. RESULTS: Sperm motility, density and normal morphological rate i n aged mice were lower than those in control (P

In this study, serum adiponectin and resistin levels were determined in 46 patients with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), and their correlation with serum sexual hormones and insulin resistance (IR) were examined. The subjects included 26 obese patients with body mass index (BMI)>25 and 20 non-obese patients with BMI[Symbol: see text]25, with 25 obese and 25 non-obese healthy volunteers without PCOS serving as controls. Serum adiponectin and resistin levels in all subjects were measured, and endocrinal and metabolic indices were also analysed. Our results showed that the serum adiponectin levels in both obese and non-obese PCOS groups were significantly lower than their controls, while the serum resistin levels in obese and non-obese PCOS group were significantly higher than in their controls (P<0.001). The serum adiponectin level was significantly lower and serum resistin level significantly higher in the non-obese PCOS group as compared with the obese control group (P<0.05). Serum adiponectin level was negatively correlated with FIN, HOMA-IR, LH and LH/FSH (P<0.05), but serum resistin level was positively correlated with FIN, HOMA-IR, LH and LH/FSH (P<0.05). We are led to conclude that PCOS patients have obvious IR, low serum adiponectin and high serum resistin, and adiponectin and resistin might play important roles in the pathogenesis of IR in PCOS patients.

AIM: To determine the antioxidant and the immunoregulatory effects of Centella asiatica extracts. METHODS: Centella asiatica was extracted with alcohol and different organic solvent. The content of polyphenol was determined by Folin-ciocalteau method. The efficacy of the extracts to scavenge the hydroxy radical (OH·), 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl radical (DPPH·) and intra-cellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) was measured. Lymphocyte proliferation was assessed to observe the influence of Centella asiatica extracts. RESULTS: (1) Centella asiatica was found to have abundant polyphenol extrated from different phases and in a descending order as follows: ethyl acetate extracts>n-butanol extracts>water extracts>ligarine extracts. (2) Extracts of Centella asiatica exhibited the scavenging efficacy of OH· and DPPH· free radicals, in which the acetic ether extracts showed the significant effect. (3) The acetic ether extracts had significant ability to inhibit the generation of ROS in stimulated lymphocytes. (4) The acetic ether extracts suppressed the lymphocyte proliferation. (5) The active ingredient was identified as flavone. CONCLUSION: Flavones in the Centella asiatica posseses antioxidant activity and effectively inhibits lymphocyte proliferation, showing ability of immunosuppre-ssion.

AIM: To observe the effect of Retinervus luffae fructus (RLF) on the myocardial ischemia in mice. METHODS: Mice were supplied with RLF (166.7,333.3, 666.7 g/L) twice daily (0.01 mL/g, ig). One week later, 30 U/kg pituitrin was injected intraperitoneally. The electrocardiogram was recorded, and the content of lactose dehydrogenase (LDH) in the serum and the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), maleicdialdehyde (MDA) in the myocardium were examined. RESULTS: RLF reduced the height of T wave in electrocardigram in myocardial ischemia mice and inhibited the decrease in heart rate. RLF also reduced the content of LDH in serum and the content of MDA in myocardium. The increase in the activity of SOD in myocardium was also observed. CONCLUSION: RLF may protect myocardium against ischemia injury. The mechanism may be related to the increase in activity of SOD and the suppression of the lipid peroxidation.

AIM:To observe the antioxidation and the serum lipid lowing effects of polyphenols in luffa cylindrical on experimental hyperlipidemia mice.METHODS:Acetone was used to extract polyphenols from luffa cylindrical.The content of polyphenols was determined by Folin-ciocalteau method.The inhibitory efficacy of the extracts from luffa cylindrical to the production of OH? free radical was measured.Kunming mice were used to establish the hyperlipidemia model by feeding high fat diet.The freeze-dried fresh luffa cylindricals was added to the treated animals,xuezikang was also used as a positive control.After feeding high-fat food for 14 days,serum were collected to measure the total cholesterol(TC),triglyceride(TG),low density lipoprotein cholesterol(LDL-C)and superoxidedismutase(SOD).The liver tissue was also collected for determining malonaldehyde(MDA)content.RESULTS:(1)Content of polyphenols in fresh luffa cylindrical was(0.3?0.1)g /kg.(2)The polyphenol extracts from fresh luffa cylindrical had a strong efficacy to inhibit the production of OH? free radicals.(3)The trend of body weight gain in groups LC1(low dosage luffa cylindrical)and LC2(high dosage luffa cylindrical)became slow down obviously,compared with that in group HPL(high-lipid model).(4)The levels of TC(4.19?0.37)mmol/L and LDL-C(2.77?0.79)mmol/L in group LC1,TC(3.56?0.55)mmol/L and LDL-C(2.34?0.41)mmol/L in group LC2,TC(4.59?0.96)mmol/L and LDL-C(3.25?0.67)mmol/L in group PC(positive control)were all lower than those in group HPL(P

Objective To explore the content of peripheral blood T lymphocyte subsets and natural killer (NK) cells in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) in different clinical stages and analyze their clinical significance.Methods Sixty-two DLBCL patients were divided into 3 groups according to clinical stages:stage Ⅱ group (21 cases),stage Ⅲ group (21 cases ),stage Ⅳ group (20 cases).Thirty healthy examiners were selected as control group.Two ml peripheral blood was taken from every person.Peripheral blood T lymphocyte subsets(CD3+,CD4+,CD8+) and NK cell count were detected by flow cytometry(FCM) and CD4+/CD8+ was calculated.Results CD3+ in stage Ⅱ and Ⅲ groups[(854.6 ± 276.9 ) × 106/L,(823.3 ± 211.5)× 106/L] were lower than those in control group[(1268.8 ±684.0) × 106/L] and stage Ⅳ group [(1332.7 ±571.2) × 106/L](P ＜ 0.05).CD4+ in stage Ⅱ,Ⅲ,Ⅳ groups [(433.5 ± 240.7) × 106/L,(423.8 ± 234.8) ×106/L,(423.0 ± 143.8 ) × 106/L] were lower than those in control group [(751.3 ± 367.4) × 106/L] (P ＜0.05).CD8+ and CD4+/CD8+ in stageⅣ group [(861.2 ±634.1) × 106/L,0.5 ±0.3] were significantly higher than those in control group [(455.9 ± 334.6) × 106/L,2.1 ± 1.3],stage Ⅱ group [(390.6 ± 54.1 ) × 106/L,1.0 ±0.8] and stageⅢ group [(377.4 ±493) × 106/L,0.9 + 0.6](P＜0.05).NK cell in stage Ⅳgroup was obviously lower than that in control group[(210.3 ± 122.0) × 106/L vs.(353.3 ± 284.7) × 106/L,P＜ 0.05].And the higher clinical stage was,the lower NK cell was.Conclusions With the clinical stage increasing,the immunity depression and disorder of DLBCL patients become more and more serious,the more tumor burden is,the worse NK cell activity is.

Objective To investigate the expression and distribution of parathyroid hormone (PTH) in renal tissues of early stage chronic kidney disease (CKD),and to elucidate its potential role in renal lesion.Methods Eighty-two patients of early stage CKD (stage 1 and 2) diagnosed as glomerulonephritis (GN) with different pathologic types by renal biopsy in our department between 2009 and 2012 were enrolled in the study.Renal tissues of eight patients with mismatched HLA haplotype or the normal part of renal cancer were chosen as controls.Scr,BUN,serum calcium,phosphorus,PTH and 25(OH)VitD3 were measured.Creatinine clearance (Ccr) was calculated by Cockcroft-Gault (CG)formula.99mTc-DTPA clearance rate was used to detect GFR.Patients were divided into mild,moderate and severe groups according to the renal interstitial extent of inflammatory cells infiltration.Immunohistochemistry was used to observe the expression and distribution of PTH in renal tissues.Image-Pro Plus software was used to calculate A value of PTH in renal tissues and compare the extent of PTH expression.Results The levels of calcium,phosphorus,25(OH)VitD3 and PTH in peripheral blood from GN patients of CKD stage Ⅰ and 2 were normal.PTH had no correlation with the above indexes.PTH expression could be seen in renal tissues of all the GN patients with different pathologic types,and it mainly located in renal tubular,only a few in glomeruli and interstitium.The expression of PTH in renal tissues of GN increased compared with the controls (P ＜ 0.01).Furthermore,PTH expression elevated with the increase of inflammatory cells infiltration in interstitium.However the expression of PTH was not significantly different among different pathologic types of GN.Conclusions In the early stage CKD,PTH expression in patients of GN increases,which occurs earlier as compared to PTH elevation in peripheral blood and the imbalance of minerals and bone metabolism.The intensity of PTH expression is associated with the local inflammation.

Objective To investigate the effects of hepatitis B virus X (HBX) gene on cell morphology and transdifferentiation of human proximal tubular epithelial cells.Methods The eukaryotic vector pcDNA3.1-myc-HBX containing HBX gene was transiently transfected into HK-2 cells by lipofectamine mediation.The expression of HBX was confirmed by Q-PCR and Western blotting.Untransfected HK-2 cells and those transfected with empty vector were used as control.The morphology of HK-2 cells was observed by microscopy,the expressions of differentiation marker proteins α-SMA and E-cadherin were detected by Western blotting and Q-PCR,and the contents of IL-1,IL-6 and TNF-α in the supernatant were detected by ELISA assay.Results HBX was successfully expressed in HK-2 cells after transfection.After transfection of HBX gene,the shape of HK-2 cells became irregular,HK-2 cells significantly expressed E-cadherin and α-SMA,and had high levels of IL-1,IL-6 and TNF-α in the cell supernatant (P＜0.01).Conclusion Overexpression of HBX gene in renal tubular epithelial cells may damage cell morphology and promote the occurrence of epithelial-mesenchymal transdifferentiation,which may be related to the inflammatory microenvironment.