In 1982, ADP-ribosylation factors (ARFs), a family of GTP-binding proteins associated with Golgi complexes, were initially recognized based on their ability to stimulate the ADP-ribosyltransferase activity of cholera toxin in vitro, and named so. In fact, this pathophysiologic activity has been useful for functionally defining members of the ARF family. However, during last decade, genetic and biochemical studies have shown the physiologic role of ARFs that also play an essential role in intracellular vesicular transport, particularly in Golgi complexes, activate phospholipase D activity as a nod of signal transduction of cells. Moreover, their more functions were revealed continuously recently. Especially, human ARF1 was found earliest, and studied profoundly in human body cell. Therefore, in this article, there is a comprehensive review about its regulators and effectors, functions and its possibilities involved in tumorigenesis, development of tumors.

OBJECTIVETo assess the correlation of cytogenetic changes with serum vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and serum tartrate resistant acid phosphatase (TRacp-5b) levels among elderly patients with multiple myeloma (MM).

METHODSChromosomal changes were analyzed with a modified culturing method in the presence of IL-6. Serum levels of VEGF and TRacp-5b were determined with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA).

RESULTSAmong the 60 MM patients, chromosomal abnormalities were found in 27 cases, including 22 with numerical abnormalities and 15 with structural abnormalities. Many patients had both numerical and structural abnormalities. For 33 patients with a normal karyotype, the levels of VEGF and TRacp-5b were 117.35 ± 55.26 pg/mL and 4.15 ± 2.15 U/L, respectively, while for 27 patients with an abnormal karyotype, the levels of VEGF and TRacp-5b were 190.26 ± 85.74 pg/ml and 5.96 ± 2.24 U/L, respectively. The difference between the two groups was significant (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONCompared with MM patients with a normal karyotype, the levels of VEGF and TRacp-5b are higher in those with cytogenetic abnormalities.

Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Chromosome Aberrations ; Cytogenetic Analysis ; Female ; Humans ; In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence ; Karyotype ; Male ; Multiple Myeloma ; blood ; diagnosis ; genetics ; Tartrate-Resistant Acid Phosphatase ; blood ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A ; blood

Objective:Glaucoma is a multifactorial optic neuropathy with a high rate of irreversible visual loss,and its pathogenesis is complex and still unclear.Elevated intraocular pressure(IOP)is well recognized as the sole modifiable risk factor for the development of glaucoma in the majority of cases.This study aims to compare 2 different methods of inducing chronic ocular hypertension by circumlimbal suture or by laser burns in degree and lasting time of the IOP,different status of the retina and retinal ganglion cells(RGCs),and changes of the microstructure of neurons. Methods:The chronic ocular hypertension models were induced by 2 different ways.One kind of the models was built by unilateral circumlimbal suture(10/0)implantation(suture group),another kind of model was built by laser burns at trabecular meshwork and episcleral veins(laser group).The untreated contralateral eye served as the control group.Changes in IOP were observed and regularly monitored in the 2 groups of rats.HE staining was applied to observe the retinal and optic nerve pathology.Transmission electron microscope(TEM)was used to observe the mitochondrial morphology.RGCs were specifically labeled with Brn3b antibody and counted.The expression of caspase-3 was detected by Western blotting to clarify the apoptosis of RGCs. Results:Compared with the control group,IOP were significantly increased in the suture group and the laser group(both P<0.05).The suture group induced a 1.5-fold elevation of IOP,and sustained for 8 weeks.The laser group induced a 2-fold elevation of IOP for 12 weeks.Both methods could cause RGCs loss(both P<0.05),which were verified by pathology and immune staining of Brn3b.The expressions of caspase-3 were also increased(both P<0.05).The mitochondrial morphology became more fragment,which changed from long shape to round and small one under TEM in 2 models.For comparison,the pathology changes of retinal structure in suture group were not obviously than those in the laser group. Conclusion:Circumlimbal suture can build an effective model of chronic elevated IOP and induce glaucomatous pathologic changes similar to those in the laser photocoagulation,but the pathologic changes are milder than those in laser photocoagulation.Compare with translimbal laser photocoagulation,equipment and skill demand for circumlimbal suture is less.

OBJECTIVES: Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is one of the 3 major eye diseases recognized by WHO to prevent blindness, and which is the main cause of irreversible visual impairment in the elderly. This study aims to analyze the disease epidemiological burden, and provide a theoretical foundation for the prevention and control of AMD in China based on the data in global burden of disease (GBD) 2019. METHODS: The prevalent cases/prevalence, disability-adjusted life year (DALYs)/DALY rate of AMD and socio-demographic index (SDI) for global and China were searched from the GBD 2019 database to analyze the epidemiological trend, age-period-gender trend of AMD in China from 1990 to 2019, and to evaluate the relations between the prevalence and SDI. RESULTS: In 2019, the prevalence of AMD in China was at a high level in the world, and the number of prevalent cases were 1.93 times of that in 1990. The prevalence and DALY rates continued to rise. The age trend of AMD in China was high at the middle of the age stages and low at the two ends, and which was higher in the female than in the male. With the increase of SDI, the prevalence of AMD was increased linearly. CONCLUSIONS The disease burden of AMD in China is increased significantly and is positively correlated with the social development from 1990 to 2019. It is of great significance to study the relationship between epidemilolgical data of AMD and social development level for diagnosis treatment and policy of AMD.
Humans ; Male ; Female ; Aged ; Global Burden of Disease ; Quality-Adjusted Life Years ; Prevalence ; Macular Degeneration/epidemiology* ; China/epidemiology*

AIM:To study whether glycyrrhizic acid(GL)can resist the ototoxicity of cisplatin(CDDP)in mice and its molecular mechanism.METHODS:Male C57BL/6J mice were divided into 5 groups:control group,DMSO(5%)group,CDDP(4 mg/kg)group,CDDP+low-dose(50 mg/kg)GL group,and CDDP+high-dose(100 mg/kg)GL group(n=14).Auditory brainstem response(ABR)was used to detect hearing changes of mice.HE staining was used to observe the morphological change of cochlear stria vascular in mice.Evans blue(EB)staining was used to observe the per-meability change of the blood-labyrinth barrier(BLB).Immunohistochemical technique was used to detect the expression and distribution of adhesion protein VE-cadherin and tight junction protein ZO-1 on the cochlear stria.ELISA assay and immunofluorescence technology were employed to detect the expression of tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α)and interleu-kin-1β(1L-1β).RESULTS:In CDDP group,ABR waveforms of all frequencies were disturbed,the hearing threshold was significantly increased,and I wave latency was prolonged(P＜0.05).In CDDP+GL group,ABR waveforms of various frequencies were well differentiated,the hearing threshold was significantly decreased,and the latency of I-wave was shortened(P＜0.01).The disordered morphology and more vacuoles in the stria vascularis were observed by HE staining in CDDP group.The GL alleviated CDDP-induced damage in the stria vascularis.In EB staining,CDDP caused an increase in per-meability of BLB(P＜0.01),which was improved by GL treatment(P＜0.01).Immunohistochemical results showed that the expression of VE-cadherin and ZO-1 in CDDP group were decreased(P＜0.01),which was restored in CDDP+GL group(P＜0.01).The ELISA and immunofluorescence results showed that the expression of IL-1β and TNF-α was in-creased after CDDP treatment(P＜0.01),which was restored in CDDP+GL group(P＜0.01).CONCLUSION:The GL alleviates CDDP-induced hearing loss in mice by inhibiting CDDP-induced inflammation and reducing the permeability of BLB.