A 880 bp cDNA localized to the putative NS5 region of HGV genome was expressed in E.coli BL21(DE3). The cDNA fragment was inserted into a plasmid pGEX-5X-1,at the downstream of the DNA sequence encoding Schistosoma japonicum glutathione S- transferase(GST),in the same reading frame with the gene of GST. A 60KD GST-NS53 fusion protein was expressed at 37℃ in a form of inclusion bodies amounting to 30 percent of total host protein whereas at 20℃ mainly in a form of soluble protein . The fusion protein was extracted and purified to homologue. The purified GST-NS53 fusion protein could be specifically recognized with either the sera from the patient infected by HGV or the antisera directed against GST.

AIMTo investigate the effects of intragastric administration of thenorphine (Then) on behavioral sensitization to morphine (Mor) in mice.

METHODSLocomotor activity was detected after intragastric administration of thenorphine or co-administration of thenorphine with Mor in mice. Mice were induced to be behaviorally sensitive to Mor, and were given the combination of Mor and thenorphine to observe the effects of thenorphine on the development, transfer and expression of Mor-induced behavioral sensitization.

RESULTSA single intragastric administration of thenorphine (1.25 - 5.0 mg x kg(-1)) dose-dependently inhibited the locomotor activity in mice (P < 0.01) and the effects of thenorphine on locomotor activity developed tolerance after repeated administration. Co-administration of thenorphine effectively inhibited Mor-induced hyperactivity (P < 0.05) and the development, transfer, expression of Mor-induced behavioral sensitization in mice (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONThenorphine was shown to suppress the central nervous system and may be effective against the abuse and addiction to opioids.

Animals ; Behavior, Animal ; drug effects ; Buprenorphine ; analogs & derivatives ; pharmacology ; Central Nervous System Depressants ; pharmacology ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Drug Tolerance ; Female ; Male ; Mice ; Morphine ; antagonists & inhibitors ; Motor Activity ; drug effects ; Random Allocation

Thienorphine is a chemically-new opioid developed in Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology. To elucidate the chemical basis for the unique pharmacological effects of thienorphine, 15 derivatives were synthesized according to combinatorial chemistry and the structure-activity relationships of these compounds were studied. It is demonstrated that thienorphine is a potent long-acting partial agonist. N-Cyclopropylmethyl is responsible for the antagonist effect of thienorphine. More importantly, thiophene at the end of side chain is most likely the pharmacophore accounts for the long-lasting effect of thienorphine. Change of the connection of thiophene and the side chain does not result in changes in the antinociceptive activity.
Animals ; Buprenorphine ; analogs & derivatives ; pharmacokinetics ; pharmacology ; Combinatorial Chemistry Techniques ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Female ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred Strains ; Morphine ; pharmacology ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Receptors, Opioid ; agonists ; Structure-Activity Relationship

Objective To find out severity and types of syphilis infection in blood donors, attendants and persons to have their premrital medical examination in Zhoushan City and offer a new measure for prevention and treatment of syphilis. Methods Totally, 174 589 blood donors, attendants and persons to have their premarital medical examinations were screened preliminarily for inapparent syphilis with non-TPHA, and then TPHA was applied to confirm the diagnosis, according to the National Standard No. GB 15974-1995, combining with clinical symptoms and physical check-up. Results A total of 1 327 cases of syphilis from 174 589 samples tested, including blood donors, attendants and persons to have their premarital medical examinations, were diagnosed, with an inapparent infection rate of 7. 60‰ in average, 6. 42‰in males and 8. 74‰ in females, with a sex ratio of 0.71 (X2 = 29. 92, P

Piroxicam has polymorphism. Different crystalline forms can exhibit different physicochemical properties and biological activities. Analysis of the intermolecular interactions is essential to reveal the formation mechanism and differences of polymorphs. In this paper, Hirshfeld surface analysis and semi-empirical methods were used to calculate and analyze the intermolecular interactions in seven polymorphic forms of piroxicam. The results show that the Hirshfeld surface analysis method can clearly and intuitively reveal the intermolecular interactions, among which H…H, O…H/H…O and N…H/H…N interactions account for 95% of the total energy. There are differences in the proportion and distribution of the forces of different crystal forms. The energy calculation shows that the lattice energy of the hydrate is significantly lower than that of the anhydrous forms, and in the specific energy distribution, the contribution of the dispersion force is the most prominent. Further interaction energy analysis was found that within the distance of 3.8 Å from the center of the piroxicam molecule, different crystalline forms of piroxicam molecule have different interaction energies with surrounding molecules.

This study was purposed to investigate the significance of mitosis checkpoint gene chfr expression in acute leukemia (AL). 2 ml of bone marrow were extracted from each of 46 AL patients and 10 normal donors as control and their mononuclear cells were isolated. Then, their chfr expression was detected by using RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry. Normal control blood samples were also analyzed. The results showed that in 15 out of 28 cases of acute non-lymphocytic leukemia and 13 out of 18 cases of acute lymphocytic leukemia expression of chfr gene mRNA and protein significantly decreased as compared with control. The cytogenetic analysis of patients with a decreased Chfr expression revealed abnormal chromosome. In conclusion, Chfr gene is a leukemia-related gene and may play an important role in leukemia pathogenesis.
Bone Marrow Cells ; metabolism ; Cell Cycle Proteins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Humans ; Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute ; genetics ; metabolism ; Mitosis ; Neoplasm Proteins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Poly-ADP-Ribose Binding Proteins ; Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma ; genetics ; metabolism ; Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases

This study investigates whether kappa-opioid receptor and ORL1 receptor may interact to form a heterodimer. In immunofluorescence and co-immunoprecipitation experiments, differentially epitope-tagged receptors, colocalization and heterodimerization of kappa-opioid receptor and ORL1 receptor were used and examined in primary culturing rat neurons, Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) or human embryonic kidney 293 (HEK293) cells. The results show that fluorescence of both kappa-opioid receptor and ORL1 receptor were overlapping in primary culturing hippocampal and cortical neurons. Similarly in co-expressing CHO or HEK293 cells, HA-KOR and Myc-ORL1 were almost exclusively confined to the membranes, revealing extensive colocalization. When Flag-KOR and Myc-ORL1 were co-expressing in CHO cells, heterodimerization was identified to have the ability to co-immunoprecipitate ORL1-receptors with kappa-opioid receptor and vice versa. In the current study, further evidence was provided for the direct interaction of two subtypes of opioid receptors, kappa-opioid receptor and ORL1-receptor, to form the heterodimerization. The finding represents the novel pharmacological mechanism for modulation of opioid receptor function as well as diversity of G protein-coupled receptors.
Animals ; CHO Cells ; Cells, Cultured ; Cerebral Cortex ; cytology ; metabolism ; Cricetinae ; Cricetulus ; Dimerization ; Female ; HEK293 Cells ; Hippocampus ; cytology ; metabolism ; Humans ; Immunoprecipitation ; Male ; Neurons ; cytology ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Receptors, Opioid ; metabolism ; Receptors, Opioid, kappa ; metabolism

Self-renewal of hematopoietic stem cells is vital for the sustained daily production of blood cells. The Bmi-1 gene is a putative oncogene belonging to the Polycomb group family. Recent studies have shown that the Polycomb-group gene Bmi-1 is indispensable for regulation of self-renewal of normal and leukemic stem cells. The research progress on structure and function of Bmi-1 gene, and its role in self-renewal of hematopoietic stem cells was reviewed.
Cell Differentiation ; physiology ; Cell Division ; physiology ; Hematopoietic Stem Cells ; cytology ; physiology ; Humans ; Nuclear Proteins ; genetics ; physiology ; Polycomb Repressive Complex 1 ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins ; genetics ; physiology ; Repressor Proteins ; genetics ; physiology

OBJECTIVETo analyze the clinical features and outcomes of patients with immunoglobulin light-chain amyloidosis (AL) who had heart involvement.

METHODSClinical features and outcomes of AL amyloidosis patients with heart involvement in the past 7 years in our hospital were retrospectively analyzed.

RESULTSCardiac involvement was seen in 36 out of the 60 AL patients (60%). The clinical manifestations of cardiac amyloidosis included heart failure (50%), low QRS voltage (47.2%) and pseudomyocardial infarction (33.3%) in electrocardiography, as well as thickening of ventricular wall (63.9%), echo of granular sparkling texture (11.1%), atria dilation (33.3%) and diastolic dysfunction (30.6%) in echocardiography. The prognosis was poor, with a median survival time of 13.9 months.

CONCLUSIONPatients of AL amyloidosis with cardiac involvement are not rare. Thickening of ventricular wall and diastolic dysfunction are the most common characteristics. Special attention should be paid to this disease.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Amyloidosis ; diagnosis ; pathology ; Cardiomyopathies ; diagnosis ; pathology ; Female ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin Light Chains ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies

Adolescent ; Adult ; Dust ; analysis ; Female ; Health Status ; Humans ; Industry ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Occupational Exposure ; analysis ; Quartz ; Young Adult