AIM: This study was designed to investigate the apoptotic effect of doxycycline in THP-1 cells.METHODS: After differentiated by PMA, THP-1 cells were treated with doxycycline at different concentrations ranging from zero to 80 mg/L. The morphological changes of THP-1 cells were observed under light microscope. MTT assay were used to examine the effects of doxycycline on proliferation of THP-1 cells. Apoptotic THP-1 cells were measured by Annexin-V flow cytometry analysis and TdT-mediated dUTP nick end labeling assay.RESULTS: Treated with a certain concentration of doxycycline, differentiated THP-1 cells contracted and turn round, a number of cells were dead. MTT assay and positive Annexin V-FITC on cell membrane and TUNEL assay showed that doxycycline induced apoptosis in THP-1 cells in a dose-dependent manner.CONCLUSION: Doxycycline induces apoptosis in THP-1 cells in a dose-dependent manner.

Objective To identify the metabolic levels in prefrontal lobe in patients with post-concussion syndrome by proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-MRS), and to explore the relationship between metabolic levels and executive function. Methods The study was conducted in 40 patients with post-concussion syndrome and 20 normal controls. 1H-MRS on prefrontal lobe was performed in patients and controls, the NAA, Cho and Cr were measured and the ratios of NAA/Cr, Cho/Cr and NAA/(Cho + Cr) were determined. They were also evaluated executive functions by verbal fluency test (animal), Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WSCT) and Tower of Hanoi (TOH). Results Compared with normal controls, the patients with post-concussion syndrome were significantly lower NAA/Cr and NAA/(Cho+Cr) ratios in left prefrontal lobe (P < 0.05). The NAA/Cr ratio in left prefrontal was significantly positive correlated with total scores of verbal fluency (r = 0.66, P < 0.05), categories of WSCT (r = 0.54,P < 0.05) and total score of TOH(r = 0.58, P < 0.05). The NAA/Cr ratio was significantly negative correlated with total errors (r = -0.53, P < 0.05) and persistent errors (r = -0.47, P < 0.05) of WSCT and mean executive time of TOH(r = -0.67, P < 0.05). Conclusions The metabolic levels of NAA in left prefrontal lobe in patients with post-concussion syndrome is significantly decreased , it is one cause of impaired executive functions.

Background Senescence marker protein 30 (SMP30) is a new calcium regulatory protein,which plays anti-oxidation,stable calcium and anti-apoptosis roles in vivo.Researches determined that the expression of SMP30 in human cells gradually decreased as ageing.However,the study on the relationship between SMP30 and age-related cataract is rarely.Objective The aim of this study was to investigate the expression of SMP30 in lens epithelial cells (LECs) of different ages of cataract patients.Methods This study was approved by Ethic Commission of the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University.A non-randomized controlled trail was designed.The samples of the anterior capsular membrane of lens were collected during the cataract surgery from the children group (1-18 years),youth group (19-45 years),mid adult group (46-60 years) and elder group (＞60 years) and 12 pieces of capsular membrane for each group.In addition,12 pieces of lens capsular membrane from normal donors aged 19-45 years were obtained as normal control group.The expression of SMP30 in the samples was detected by indirect immunofluorescence method.The average fluorescent values were calculated as absorbance (A) / area.Results SMP30 was expressed in LECs of different groups with the green fluorescence primarily in the cytoplasm.The mean fluorescence intensity was 0.185±0.020,0.181±0.034,0.207±0.018 and 0.126±0.027 in the children group,youth group,mid adult group and elder group,respectively,which were significantly enhanced than 0.087±0.007 of the normal control group(q=3.96,3.82,4.01,3.55,all at P＜0.01).No significant differences in the expression of SMP30 among the children group,youth group and mid adult group (all at P＞0.05).However,the expression of SMP30 in LECs in the elder group was significantly lower than that in the children group,youth group and mid adult group (q =3.42,3.21,3.80,all at P＜ 0.05).Conclusions Expression of SMP30 in LECs dramatically increases in cataract patients,suggesting that SMP30 may be a protective factor for LECs.But SMP30 contents are lower in age-related cataract patients,which may be one of causes of senior cataract.

Objective To estimate brain grey matter volume changes and location of abnormal brain regions cerebrum in early stage of bipolar disorder I (BD),in order to provided objective basis for diagnosing early stages BD.Methods 1 7 cases of BD with duration less than 2 years and 1 7 normal controls were recruited in this study.The volumetric difference of grey matter between two groups were analyzed by using voxel-based morphometry(VBM)software.Statistical threshold was voxel> 100,P <0.001 (uncor-rected).Results Compared to the normal controls,the grey matter volume of BD patients decreased in the left dorcial anterior cingu-late cortex(ACC),left insular,right sub-genu ACC,left superior temporal cortex,bilateral hippocampus-parahippocampus-amydala and left posterior lobe of cerebellum(P <0.001).Conclusion The grey matter volume of early stage BD patients is decreased,main-ly locating in the bilateral limbic system,the superior temporal gyrus and the cerebellar cortex,which probably is the morphological appearance of pathomechanism in early stages of BD.

Objective This study aims to investigate the sex difference in the hippocampus and parahippocampus in patients with bipolar disorder. Methods We acquired T1－weighted structural MRI from 133 bipolar type I patients (60 males) and 144 normal controls (81 males). The General Linear Model was used to examine the relationship between sex and brain volumes of the hippocampus and parahippocampus, with age and intracranial volume as covariates. Results Patients showed significantly smaller volumes of the bilateral hippocampus and parahippocampus (P＜0.01). There were sex－by－diagnosis interactions in the left parahippocampus gyrus (F=6.534, P=0.044). Male patients had significant smaller volumes of the left parahippocampus gyrus compared to the male normal controls (P＜0.001) whereas the volumes were not significantly different between female patients and female normal controls (P＞0.05). Conclusion The results suggest sex difference in the left parahippocampus gyrus volume in patients with bipolar type I disorder, which deserves further investigation in the future bipolar imaging researches.