Objective To explore the effects of sumatriptan on the modulation of calcitonin generelated peptide(CGRP) expression and its involving intracellular signaling transduction mechanisms in rat trigeminal ganglion(TG) after organ culture.Methods Using organ culture in vitro model,54 isolated TGs of SD rats were randomly divided into fresh group ( n =6 ),control group ( n =6 ) and experimental group (n =42,6 TGs for each subgroup).Experimental group included seven subgroups,which were respectively pretreated with four different concentrations of sumatriptan,specific inhibitors of extracellular signalregulated kinases 1/2 (ERK1/2) pathway (U0126 and PD98059 ),and the inhibitor of c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) (SP600125).After co-cultured with above intervention agents for 24 h,CGRP-immunoreactivity (CGRP-ir) positive neurons and CGRP-mRNA expression levels were quantified by immunohistoehemistry stain and real-time polymerase chain reaction,respectively.Phosphorylated ERK1/2 (pERK1/2) and JNK (pJNK) proteins levels were determined by Western-blotting method.Results The CGRP-ir ( + ) neurons expression levels were significantly increased after 24 h organ culture.However,0.10 and 0.50 mg/ml concentrations of sumatriptan remarkably decreased the CGRP-ir ( + ) neurons expression levels.The positive cell percentage,positive optic area,integrated optical density,mean optical density and CGRP-mRNA expression level in TG were significantly reduced than control groups (tPCP =8.652,26.382; tarea =6.220,13.917; tIA =5.606,15.904; tM14 =2.661,21.748; tmRNA =8.032,15.675.P ＜ 0.05 ).The CGRP-mRNA expressions were significantly down-regulated after co-incubation with concentration of 0.50 mg/ml sumatriptan for 24 h in TG of SD rat ( P ＜0.05 ).The levels of pERK1/2 and pJNK protein kinase detected by Western-blotting were significantly reduced by 0.50 mg/ml concentration of sumatriptan,the degrees of which were closed to the ERK1/2 and JNK pathway specific blockers.Conclusion It suggests that the optimal concentration of sumatriptan significantly down-regulates CGRP over-expression via intracellular ERK1/2 and JNK signaling transduction pathways in TG after organ culture.

Objective To analyze mutations in the ATP2A2 gene in a Kazakh family with Darier's disease.Methods Clinical data were collected from 49 members from a family with Darier's disease,and peripheral blood samples were obtained from 44 family members and 100 unrelated healthy people.Genomic DNA was extracted from these blood samples.PCR and DNA sequencing were performed to detect mutations in the ATP2A2 gene.Results Darier's disease was inherited in an autosomal dominant manner in this family.A G→A heterozygous mutation (1288-1G→A) was identified at position 1288-1 at the splice site in exon 12 of the ATP2A2 gene in 11 patients in this family,but not in 33 healthy members or 100 healthy controls.Conclusion Darier's disease in this family may be caused by the heterozygous mutation (1288-1G→A)at the splice site in exon 12 of the ATP2A2 gene.

Objective To investigate the nutritional management level of Department of Clinical Nutrition in elderly inpatients through analyzing the actual hospital dietary intakes in elderly inpatients in Peking Union Medical College Hospital from 2013-2015.Methods Using continuous sampling, the nutrients contents and the eating rates of hospital meals ordered by the elderly inpatients on the 1st, 15th, 29th of every month from May 2013 to October 2015 were selected.The intake levels of energy, protein, calcium, vitamin A, vitamin B1 , and vitamin C were calculated and compared with the Chinese dietary reference intakes (DRIs).The nutritional in-take differences between diabetes diet and the basic hospital diet were also compared.Results A total of 90 days of hospital dietary data from 8 402 elderly inpatients were included in the study.The average eating rate was (50.1 ±4.2)%, which was lower than the general eating rate of the hospital [ (59.0 ±4.0)%, P<0.001]. Only protein intake from hospital diet reached the requirement target [male (103.1 ±47.3)%, femal (98.3 ± 33.8)%].Individual compliance rates were 63.2%and 59.8%, respectively, while the other kinds of nutrients were lower.The compliance rates of energy [ (73.3 ±26.3)%vs.(62.1 ±38.2)%, P<0.001] and ma-jor nutrient intake [ protein: ( 119.1 ±41.2 )% vs.( 93.3 ±65.1 )%, P <0.001; calcium: ( 55.5 ± 26.7)% vs.(34.3 ±34.2)%, P <0.001; vitamin A: (75.2 ±48.3)% vs.(57.4 ±97.1)%, P<0.001;vitamin B1:(76.4 ±38.2)%vs.(52.1 ±46.6)%, P<0.001;vitamin C:(92.2 ±51.4)%vs. (49.3 ±55.0)%, P<0.001) in diabetes diet group were significantly higher than those in the basic hospi-tal diet group.Conclusions The nutritional intakes from hospital diets may not meet the nutritional require-ments based on DRIs in elderly inpatients.Medical diet designed by physicians and dietitians should be ex-panded to improve the nutritional management level for these patients.

Objective To investigate DNA methylation markers in the whole blood of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus(SLE),in hope to facilitate the evaluation of SLE severity.Methods Whole blood samples were obtained from 58 patients with SLE(including 14 cases of severe SLE,25 moderate SLE,19 inactive SLE)and 50 healthy controls.Bisulphite sequencing was performed to determine the methylation status of interleukin-2 common receptor gamma chain(IL-2RG)promoter region,and real-time reverse transcriptionPCR to quantify the expression level of IL-2RG mRNA,in these subjects.Results The methylation level of IL2RG promoter region was 0.217 ± 0.140,0.325 ± 0.230,0.342 ± 0.085 and 0.175 ± 0.036 in the patients withsevere,moderate and inactive SLE and healthy controls,respectively.A significant increase was observed in the methylation level of IL-2RG promoter region in the patients with inactive SLE compared with the patients with severe SLE and healthy controls(both P ＜ 0.01),and in the patients with SLE compared with the healthy controls(0.263 ± 0.047 vs.0.175 ± 0.036,P ＜ 0.05).The expression level of IL-2RG mRNA was significantly lower in the patients with SLE than in the healthy controls(2.550 ± 0.823 vs.4.293 ± 1.283,P ＜ 0.05).A negative correlation was observed between the expression level of IL-2RG mRNA and methylation level of IL2RG promoter region in 20 patients with SLE(r =-0.44,P ＜ 0.05).Conclusion The methylation status of IL2RG promoter region is statistically higher in patients with SLE than in healthy controls,and significantly different between patients with active SLE and those with stable SLE.

Objective To assess the relationship between BRAF gene mutations and clinical phenotype of malignant melanoma.Methods Tissue specimens were collected from the lesions of 80 patients with malignant melanoma,and from the normal skin of 30 patients with trauma in the Department of Plastic Surgery or General Surgery,and subjected to paraffin embedding and DNA extraction.PCR was performed to amplify the exon 11 and 15 of BRAF gene followed by DNA sequencing.Chi-square test and Fisher's exact test were carried out to assess the relationship between BRAF gene mutations and clinical phenotypes of malignant melanoma.Results BRAF gene mutations were found in 19 (23.8％) of the 80 malignant melanoma specimens.Among the 19 mutationpositive specimens,17 (88.2％) carried mutations in exon 15 of BRAF gene with V600E as the most frequent (88.2％,15/17) mutation type,and 2 (10.5％) carried mutations in exon 11.No mutation was found in any of the normal skin tissue specimens.The average age at onset was 57.5 years in these patients.The frequency of BRAF gene mutation was significantly higher in patients younger than 60 years than in those older than 60 years (37.1％ vs.13.3％,x2=6.613,P ＜ 0.05).A significant difference was observed in the frequency of BRAF gene mutation among tissue specimens of mueosal,acral and non-aeral malignant melanoma (18.2％ (4/21) vs.14.7％(5/34) vs.41.7％ (10/24),x2=6.167,P ＜ 0.05).There was no significant association between BRAF gene mutation and gender,race or lymph node metastasis (all P ＞ 0.05).Conclusions BRAF gene is a hot spot for mutations in patients with malignant melanoma in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region,with V600E point mutation in exon 15 as the most frequent mutation type.BRAF gene mutations appear to be closely correlated with the age at onset of and lesional sites in,but uncorrelated with gender and race of or lymph node metastasis in,patients with malignant melanoma.

Objective To evaluate the diagnostic value of thick-slab single-shot turbo spin-echo (SSTSE)T2 ?-weighted sequence in magnetic resonance fetography (MRF)for fetal abnormalities.Methods 328 of 1 990 pregnant women with the diagnosis of fetal congenital defects on prenatal ultrasound screening or chromosome examination were randomly selected,and 338 fetuses were ob-tained.These fetuses were scanned by conventional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)and MRF.The diagnostic results from the two MR methods were compared.Results Six hundred and twenty-four lesions were detected by MRF.The primary diagnosis based on conventional MRI was changed for 14 lesions (2.2%).New findings were identified for 48 fetal lesions (8.4%)and 66 ma-ternal lesions.However,78 fetal lesions could not to be identified by MRF.MRF could increase the diagnostic confidence for fetal lesions with high water content (56.1% of the lesions).Conclusion MRF can yield more precise information for fetal extremities, fluid-filled cavities,pathological hydrops and cystic lesions.As an additional aid to the conventional multi-slice T2-weighted se-quence.

Objective: To study the hepatitis E virus(HEV) infection in pregnant women and the healthy blood donors in Jinan. Methods: A total of 651 blood samples from pregnant women who came for screening of hemolytic disease of newborn and 600 blood samples from blood donors were collected during June 2015 to October 2016. All the blood samples were tested for anti-HEV IgG and anti-HEV IgM antibodies by using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Results: Anti-HEV IgG was positive in 2.61% (17/651) of the blood samples from the pregnant women, and none of the samples were positive for anti-HEV IgM. The serum positive rates for anti-HEV IgG and IgM in blood donors were 16.33% (98/600) and 0.83% (5/600) respectively. The seroprevalence of the two groups was significantly different(χ²=70.43, P<0.0001). Conclusions The HEV infection rate in pregnant women was much lower compared with that in blood donors in Jinan; however, in view of the high mortality of HEV infection in pregnant women, it still cannot be neglected. The infection of HEV in blood donors of Jinan was confirmed, suggesting the potential risk of transfusion-transmitted HEV infection.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the clinical phenotype and genetic variants of a child suspected for mitochondrial F-S disease. METHODS: A child with mitochondrial F-S disease who visited Department of Neurology, Hunan Provincial children's Hospital on November 5, 2020 was selected as research subject of this study. Clinical data of the child was collected. The child was subjected to whole exome sequencing (WES). Bioinformatics tools were used to analyze the pathogenic variants. Candidate variants were verified by Sanger sequencing of the child and her parents. RESULTS: WES revealed that the child has harbored compound heterozygous variants of the FDXR gene, namely c.310C>T (p.R104C) and c.235C>T (p.R79C), which were inherited from her father and mother, respectively. Neither variant has been reported in HGMD, PubMed, 1000 Genomes, and dbSNP databases. Both of the variants have been suggested as deleterious according to the prediction results from different bioinformatics analysis software. CONCLUSION Mitochondrial diseases should be suspected for patients with multiple system involvement. The compound heterozygous variants of the FDXR gene probably underlay the disease in this child. Above finding has enriched the spectrum of FDXR gene mutations underlying mitochondrial F-S disease. WES can facilitate the diagnosis of mitochondrial F-S disease at the molecular level.
Female ; Humans ; Exome Sequencing ; Mitochondrial Diseases/genetics* ; Mothers ; Mutation ; Phenotype ; Child

Objective:To evaluate the role of succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) in hypoxic postconditioning (HPC)-induced reduction of hypoxia-reoxygenation (H/R) injury in myocardial cells of rats and the relationship with mitochondrial ATP-sensitive potassium channels (mito-K ATP). Methods:Myocardial cells isolated from adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were cultured for 48 h and then divided into 7 groups ( n=24 each) using a random number table method: blank control group (Nor group), H/R group, SDHA-siRNA adenovirus+ H/R group (siRNA+ H/R group), HPC group, SDHA-siRNA adenovirus+ HPC group (siRNA+ HPC group), 5-HD+ HPC group, and SDHA-siRNA adenovirus+ 5-HD+ HPC group (siRNA+ 5-HD+ HPC group). Nor group was continuously cultured for 195 min under normoxic conditions. The H/R injury model was prepared by exposing the cells to hypoxia for 45 min in 5% CO 2 + 1% O 2 + 94% N 2, followed by reoxygenation for 150 min. The HPC method involved three cycles of 5 min reoxygenation/5 min hypoxia at the end of 45 min ischemia before 120 min reoxygenation. The mito-K ATP blocker 5-HD administration method involved adding 5-HD at a final concentration of 100 μmol/L at 30 min of hypoxia. The myocardial cells in each siRNA group were successfully transfected with SDHA-siRNA adenovirus to silence SDHA expression. The cell viability, calcium ion level, SDH activity, ATP content, degree of mitochondrial permeability transition pore (mPTP) opening, and mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) were measured at the end of reoxygenation. Results:Compared with Nor group, the cell viability, ATP content and MMP were significantly decreased, and the degree of mPTP opening, level of calcium ion and activity of SDH were increased in H/R group ( P<0.05). Compared with H/R group, the cell viability, ATP content and MMP were significantly increased, and the degree of mPTP opening, calcium ion level and SDH activity were decreased in siRNA+ H/R group and HPC group ( P<0.05). Compared with HPC group, the cell viability, ATP content and MMP were significantly decreased, and the degree of mPTP opening, calcium ion level and SDH activity were increased in 5-HD+ HPC group ( P<0.05), and the cell viability, ATP content and MMP were significantly increased, and the degree of mPTP opening, calcium ion level and SDH activity were decreased in siRNA+ HPC group ( P<0.05). Compared with siRNA+ HPC group, the cell viability, ATP content and MMP were significantly decreased, the opening degree of mPTP and calcium ion level were increased ( P<0.05), and no significant change was found in the SDH activity in siRNA+ 5-HD+ HPC group ( P>0.05). Compared with 5-HD+ HPC group, the SDH activity was significantly decreased, and no significant change was found in the other parameters in siRNA+ 5-HD+ HPC group ( P>0.05). Conclusions:HPC alleviates H/R injury probably by reducing SDH activity and opening mito-K ATP in myocardial cells of rats.

Clinical data of a child with high blood ammonia and suspected argininosuccinate synthetase deficiency (ASSD) in Hunan Children′s Hospital were retrospectively analyzed, including data of mass spectra for blood amino acids and acyl carnitine, urine organic acid analysis and whole exome sequencing.After the exact diagnosis of ASSD and being approved by the Administrative Regulation for Import Medical Devices Urgently Needed in Boao Lecheng International Medical Tourism Pilot Zone of Hainan Free Trade Port, the patient was medicated with Glyceryl phenylbutyrate (GPB) and followed up.The patient was a boy aged 7 years and 8 months, who presented at the Neurology Department of Hunan Children′s Hospital for sleepiness, abnormal mental behavior and personality change for 1 week on December 2, 2021.Before GPB treatment, the highest blood ammonia, alanine aminotransferase and aspartate transaminase were 325.2 μmol/L, 465.7 IU/L and 277.3 IU/L, respectively.Genetic metabolism assay of blood and urine showed a significantly increased citrulline at 697.42 μmol/L; urine organic acid analysis showed increased urinary orotic acid at 144.2 μmol/L, and increased uracil at 65.1 μmol/L.A pure heterozygous variant of the ASS1 gene (c.1087C>T, p.R363W) was detected.After GPB treatment, the blood ammonia levels were 21.3 μmol/L, 54.6 μmol/L and 62.4 μmol/L on the 41 st, 90 th and 146 th days, respectively.Until July 20, 2022 follow-up visit, the patient recovered well without adverse events.This was the first ASSD child in China who was treated with GPB.This case report provided therapeutic experience of ASSD in our country.ASSD has a high mortality rate and unexplained abnormal mental behavior.It is necessary to timely measure blood ammonia, and a series of urea cycle disorders should be well concerned.The diagnosis and management of ASSD rely on the data of metabolism examination and genetic testing.