Endothelium-derived hyperpolarizing factor (EDHF) is the third factor released by en-dothelial cell other than NO and PGI2. It relaxes smooth muscle accompanied by a hyperpolarization in the membrane potential. EDHF may be epoxye-icosatrienoic acids (EETs) formed from arachidon-ic acid by the action of cytochrome P450. It is synthesized and/or released by endothelial cell as a result of an cytosolic Ca2+ increase, which is stimulated by the action of acetylcholine or bradykinin on endothelial cell. EDHF is shown to activate Ca2+-activated K+ channels and induce a hyperpolarization in the membrane potential in vascular smooth muscle. The hyperpolarization of the membrane inhibits the opening of voltage-dependentcalcium channels, allows calcium sequestration and removal mechanisms to lower intracellular calcium, and leads smooth muscle to relaxation. In large conducing arteries, EDHF may provide a secondary system to NO, which assumes primary importance in endothelium-dependent relaxation and inhibits the release of EDHF. However, in small resistance arteries, EDHF appears to be a major determinant of vascular calibre, and may be of primary importance in the regulation of vascular resistance.

BACKGROUND: Transfection is the most important beginning component of research about gene function. It is a problem to find a transfection agent with high efficiency and safety. Nanosized materials have high surface activity, are easy to be modified and easier to pass the biomembrane. Researchers are studying how to use nanosized materials as a transfection agent.OBJECTIVE: To study the transfection efficiency of different basic polymers with different molecular mass and degree of substitute, and to find the optimized transfection agent.DESIGN: Controlled study.SETTING: Institute of Genetic Engineering, Southern Medical University.METHODS: This study was performed in the Institute of Genetic Engineering, Southern Medical University from March 2006 to June 2007. Using the lipofectamine reagent as the positive control, we transfected siRNA (0.2 nmol/L), FITC-labeling targeting bcl-2, by nine nanometers (polylactic acid-polyglycolic acid, chitosan-poly-caprolactone, polyethyleneimin-macrogol) into leukemic cell K562 cultured without serum. Six hours post-transfection, 20% FBS serum was added. The cell proliferation was measured at 24, 48 and 72 hours by using the MTT method. After transfecting for 48 hours, the cells were collected to detect transfection ratio by using fluorescent microscopy, apoptosis ratio and expression of K562 and bcl-2 protein by flow cytometer (FCM). RESULTS: ① Fluorescence microscope detection showed there were significant differences of transfection efficiency between different materials (P < 0.05). Moreover there were statistical differences between different degrees of substitute, although they were the same material (P < 0.05). ② MTT method indicated the cell proliferation ratio was positively related to transfection ratio. ③ Flow cytometry results showed the suppression of expression of targeting gene and apoptosis ratio were positive correlated with transfection ratio. CONCLUSION:The nanometer poly-ethylene glycol combined with poly-ethylene imine (PEG-PEI), whose molecular mass is 1 800/2 000 and degree of substitute is 29%, has a high efficiency and low toxicity.

ObjectiveTo observe gene transcription characteristic of AC-cAMP signal pathway in thyroid of H22 tumor-bearing mice with different syndromes.MethodsThe quantitative four diagnosis and syndrome differentiation methods and Affymetrix Gene Chip Mouse Exon 1.0 ST Array were used,thyroid gene expression of normal mice,qi-deficiency syndromes (QDS) and poisonous pathogenic factors syndrome (PPFS) in early stage of H22 tumor-bearing mice were detected.Genes of AC-cAMP signal pathway in gene chips,which related with thyroid hormone synthesis and secretion were selected,and then analyzed their expressive characteristic.Results ①In key genes,TG and Pax8 were down-regulated in early stage,TSHr down-regulated in PPFS while contrary in QDS.②the transcription level of most genes in QDS were slightly higher than in PPFS,Nis,Tpo,AC,Ttf1,Titf2 and Prkaca were included.()Slight changes showed in other genes in this pathway.ConclusionIn AC-cAMP pathway of H22 tumor-bearing mice with different symptoms,some key genes showed similar characteristics including TSHr,AC,Pax8,Ttf1,Tiff2,TG,Nis and Tpo.This suggested that the thyroid is inhibited in mice with PPFS.

Abstract: Methodology of syndrome differentiation and syndrome-based treatment in rats and mice has professional characteristics and caters to the research and development of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). In this paper, the authors introduced their systematic research in five aspects. 1) Rats and mice can be used to simulate TCM clinical practice. Diagnosis and syndrome differentiation can be done to the rats and mice, and information collected by the four diagnostic methods from the experimental animals meets the requirements of treatment based on syndrome differentiation. 2) Standardized and quantified four diagnostic methods and syndrome differentiation for rats and mice can be established, and are operational and applicable for general use. 3) There exists constitution and syndrome diversity in normal rats and mice. A spontaneous syndrome can develop in diseased rats and mice, and it can be accompanied by or even change to another syndrome, similar to that in human beings. 4) There is a complicated material base for syndromes inferred from the different gene expressions and splices in neuroendocrine-immune network. 5) Individualized treatment based on syndrome differentiation, as well as quantified evaluation and comparison of the treatment efficacy can be done in the rat and mouse models of syndromes. The established methodology and criteria for syndrome differentiation and syndrome-based treatment in rats and mice can be used in the following four research fields: 1) syndrome identification on rat or mouse models; 2) research on the basic theories of TCM, such as the research on the viscera manifestation theory, the material base of syndromes, function mechanisms of the treatment based on syndrome differentiation, and the diagnostics of TCM; 3) study in clinical subject of TCM, such as evaluation and comparison of the efficacy of treatment based on syndrome differentiation, protocol optimization of syndrome differentiation and treatment, and preventive treatment of diseases; 4) study in traditional Chinese drugs, such as the research on properties of Chinese herbal drugs, and pharmacological research on Chinese herbal medicines and formulas.

Objective: To study the gene expression characteristics of steroid- and catecholamine-synthesizing enzymes in adrenal gland of spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs), Goto-Kakizaki (GK) rats and normal Wistar rats with the same traditional Chinese medicine syndromes. Methods: Sixteen-week-old Wistar rats, SHRs and GK rats were used. By the quantitative four diagnosis and syndrome differentiation methods and GeneChip Mouse Exon 1.0 ST Array, we observed adrenal gland gene expressions in normal Wistar rats, qi deficiency Wistar rats, SHRs with qi deficiency and qi excess, GK rats with qi deficiency and qi excess. Differentially expressed genes of steroid- and catecholamine-synthesizing enzymes and their regulatory factors were analyzed. Results: Thirty-one genes were differentially expressed among all syndromes. Hsd3b6 was down-regulated significantly 6.0-fold in GK rats with qi deficiency syndrome and qi excess syndrome, and Cyp11b2 was up-regulated 1.5 times in GK rats with qi deficiency syndrome. Por, Hsd11b2, and Nr2f6 were up-regulated in all syndromes, and Cyp2c23, Cyp4a3, Cyp4a8 and Cyp2e1 were down-regulated. However, Srd5a1 and Nr4a1 were up-regulated only in GK rats, and Lss was down-regulated only in SHRs. Th was up-regulated 1.5 times in SHRs with qi deficiency syndrome, GK rats with qi deficiency syndrome and GK rats with qi excess syndrome. Ddc was up-regulated 1.5 times in GK rats with qi excess syndrome. Dbh was up-regulated 3.0 times in GK rats with qi deficiency syndrome and qi excess syndrome. However, Comt was down-regulated 1.5 times in GK rats with qi deficiency syndrome and qi excess syndrome, and Mao was up-regulated 1.5 times in SHRs with qi deficiency syndrome and qi excess syndrome. Conclusion: Some genes associated with steroid- and catecholamine-synthesizing pathways were differentially expressed in SHRs and GK rats, and the differentially expressed genes may be related to the development of traditional Chinese medicine syndromes.

The effects of drugs on intracellular calcium concentration(［Ca2+］i) were investigated with fura-2 fluorescence technique to investigate ATP and thrombin-induced Ca2+ entry in bovine aortic endothelial cells(BAEC). It was found that application of ATP and thrombin gave rise to biphasic ［Ca2+］i elevation. ATP or thrombin only triggered a fraction of cyclopiazonic acid(CPA)-sensitive Ca2+ store, which was enough to activate Ca2+ entry. The Ca2+ release induced by thrombin resulted from the activation of phospholipase C(PLC), whereas the PLC-independent mechanism was involved in ATP-induced Ca2+ release. Nifedipine had no effect on ATP and thrombin- induced Ca2+ entry. SK&F 96365 and ginsenoside-2A inhibited both ATP and CPA-induced Ca2+ entry, however no effect of them on thrombin-induced Ca2+ entry was found. The inhibitory effects of SK&F 96365 and ginsenoside-2A on CPA-induced Ca2+ entry were less than that on ATP-induced Ca2+ entry. The Ca2+ influx sensitive to SK&F 96365 was not the same as that to ginsenoside-2A. These observations suggest that both ATP and thrombin evoke Ca2+ release and Ca2+ influx by activation of different receptor. However their mechanisms appear different.

Objective To study the expression features of hydrolase genes related to the secretion of thyroid hormone of H22 hepatoma mice with different symptoms in early stage. Methods Firstly, The quantitative diagnosis and syndrome differentiation methods were used in H22 tumor-bearing mice in early stage, the expression profile of Tg and related hydrolase genes in poisonous pathogenic factors syndrome group (PPFS) and qi-deficiency syndromes (QDS) were got, and the major differential expression were selected. Secondly, the experiment was repeated and ELISA were used to detect T3 and T4 in serum, RT-PCR were applied to detect gene transcription level of genes including Tg, Ctsb, Ctsd, Ctsl, Napsa and Tpp1. Results ① Based on gene chip, the expression of Tg, Ctsb, Ctsd, Ctsl, Napsa and Tpp1were decreased in the first batch of experiment, the exactly ratio was Tg(0.77 in PPFS;0.84 in QDS), Ctsb(0.83 in PPFS, 0.91 in QDS), Ctsd(0.79 in PPFS;no notable change in QDS), Ctsl(no notable change in PPFS; 0.65 in QDS), Napsa(0.78 in PPFS; no notable change in QDS), and Tpp1 (0.75 in PPFS; no notable change in QDS), respectively. ② T3 and T4 downregulated in PPFS (the T3 value was 1.519±0.162ng/ml, T4 value was 2.194±0.305mg/dl) and in QDS (the T4 value is 4.366±0.727μg/dl) in early stage (P<0.01), especially in PPFS, which was in accordance with the change of Tg in both batches. ③the same trend happened in the validation of Tg(0.22 in PPFS;0.38 in QDS), Ctsb(0.31 in PPFS;0.55 in QDS), Ctsd(0.36 in PPFS;0.78 in QDS) and Napsa(0.24 in PPFS;0.59 in QDS) ,while ctsl(1.24 in PPFS;2.11 in QDS) and Tpp1 (2.85 in PPFS;0.85 in QDS)werethe opposite;even this, the total trend of the expression in QDS was still higher than that in PPFS. Conclusion All the results showed that the thyroid function of H22 hepatoma mice was inhibited in early stage especially in PPFS.

Objective To investigate the regulatory effect of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) on endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) and lipid metabolism in livers in apoE knockout (apo E-/-) mice.Methods Male C57BL/6 J mice and homozygous apoE mice were fed with a western type diet and randomly divided into four groups:C57BL/6 J control group (injected intraperitoneally with normal saline),apoE group (injected intraperitoneally with normal saline),apoE-/-+NaHS group (injected intraperitoneally with an H2S donor NaHS 56μmol · kg-1 · d-1) and apoE-/-+ DL-propargylglycine (PPG) group (injected intraperitoneally with an acystathionine-γ-lyase inhibitor PPG 30 mg ·kg-1 · d-1).After 10 weeks,all mice were sacrificed and plasma lipids were detected.Lipid deposition was determined by oil red O staining.Glucose-regulated protein78 (GRP78),Thr-981 phosphorylated double-stranded RNA-activated protein kinase like endoplasmic reticulum kinase (PERK),subunit of eukaryotic translation initiation factor-2α (elF-2α),low density lipoprotein (LDL) receptor (LDLR),sterol regulatory element binding protein-2 (SREBP-2) in the livers were detected by Western bloting.The expressions of GRP78 and SREBP-2 mRNA were analyzed by realtime polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).Results Compared with C57BL/6 J control group,plasma levels of total cholesterol (TC),triglyceride (TG) and low density lipoprotein (LDL),liver lipid content and expressions of GRP-78,PERK and eIF-2α were significantly increased in apoE-/-mice,but body weight did not change.Compared with apoE-/-mice,plasma LDL level was decreased,liver lipid deposition was improved,expressions of GRP-78 and PERK in livers were increased,and the ratio of p-eIF-2α/ eIF-2α was increased in apoE-/-+NaHS group,but expression levels of SREBP-2 and LDLR in liver did not change.Conclusions H2S decreases serum LDL level and liver lipid content,and up regulates GRP78 protein and mRNA expressions,promotes PERK and eIF2α phosphorylations,improves endoplasmic reticulum function,but has no effect on the expressions of SREBP-2 and LDLR in apoE-/-mice fed with a high-fat diet.

Objective:To study relationship between B10 cells and the incidence of autoimmune diabetes in nonobese diabetic mice. Methods:20 NOD/LT female mice of 6 week old were cultured in normal culture to 30 weeks,and the mice were divided into two groups according the mice’s blood glucose,serum creatinine and body weight detected at their 30 weeks old. IL-10 levels in spleen tissues of the two groups were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. We used flow cytometry to detect the proportion of B10 cells in the spleen of mice in the two groups. NOD/LT mice were randomly divided into control group and B10 group. The B10 cells were inoculated in B10 groups,their blood glucose were detected when they were 10,15,20,25 and 30 weeks old. Results: The blood glucose and serum creatinine levels were significantly higher in the group than that in the autoimmune diabetes group (P< 0. 05),and the body weight was significantly lower than that in the autoimmune diabetes group (P<0. 05). The level of IL-10 in the spleen tissues of the autoimmune diabetes mice was significantly higher than that in the non autoimmune diabetes group. The content of B10 cells in the spleen of the mice with autoimmune diabetes mellitus was significantly higher than that in the non autoimmune diabetes group. When mice at the age of 10,15 weeks,the incidence of autoimmune diabetes in B10 group was significantly lower than that in the control group,but the incidence of autoimmune diabetes in B10 group was significantly higher than that in control group at 20,25 and 30 weeks. Conclusion:The over accumulation of B10 cells may be one of the reasons for the further development of autoimmune diabetes in NOD mice.

Objective To investigate the effect of infiltrated mast cells on the biological characteristics of uterine carcinoma.Methods Twelve leiomyomas,ten uncertain malignant uterine leiomyomas,and seven uterine leiomyosarcomas were studied with light microscopy for the morphometry about their histological feature,mast cell particle and factor Ⅷ-related antigen(FⅧRAg);Cell apoptosis was measured by flow cytometry.The correlative analysis was carried out between the mast cell and others factors.Results Comparing with smooth muscle tumors of uncertain malignant potential(4209.9?273.0),the count of tumor cell was the highest in leiomyosarcoma(3557.6?346.3)(P