Objective To detect the level of granulation tissue and expression of matrix metalloproteinase-1,3(MMP-1,3) in the tissues originated from both herniated and non-herniated intervertebral discs. Methods Forty specimens of herniated lumbar disc and twelve specimens of non-herniated one were stained with hematoxylin-eosin to determine the amount of granulation tissue, and immunohistochemically stained to detect MMP-1,3 expression. Results In specimens of sequestration and transligamentous extrusion, the amount of granulation tissue including macrophages,fibroblasts and capillary was more than that in the specimens of subligamentous extrusion and protrusion as well as non-herniated disc. Most of cells in granulation tissue and chondrocytes had MMP-1,3 expression. The expression level of MMP1,3 in sequestration and transligamentous extrusion specimens was significantly higher than that in subligamentous extrusion and protrusion, and in herniated specimens was also significantly higher than that in non-herniated specimens.There was no significant difference in the MMP1,3 expression level between the sequestration and transligamentous extrusion, between subligamentous extrusion and protrusion. Conclusion The expression of MMP1,3 was associated with the degradation and herniation of intervertebral disc. MMP1,3 may be involved in the pathogenesis of intervertebral disc degeneration and herniation.

Objective:To investigate the new method of nasal septal perforation repair.Methods:Through labiogingival groove,6 patient's nasal septal perforations were repaired with mucoperichondrial flap or mucoperiosteal flap rotated from the septum nasia and basis cavum nasi under nasal endoscopy.Results:Five patients had completed clusure,Another reduced in size to pinpoint hole.Conclusions:The method is a simple and effective technique for treatment of nasal septal perforation.

Objective To explore the therapeutic effect and application value of retroperitoneal laparoscopic combined with resectoscopic radical nephroureterectomy for upper tract urothelial carcinoma Methods From Jan.2006 to Jul.2009,fifteen upper tract urothelial carcinoma patients underwent excision of bladder cuff with resectoscope at first,and then retroperitoneal laparoscopic radical nephroureterectomy.All tumors were confirmed to be localized,stage T1-T3.Clinical outcomes of the patients were retrospectively analyzed.Results Mean operative time was 150 (range:120-180) minutes and blood loss volume was 200 (range:100-400)ml.The function of intestinal canal recovered after 24-48 hours,the drainage tube could be removed after 3-4 days.Catheter was kept for 7-10 days.During the follow up for 1-40 months,all the 15 patients survived with one retroperitoneal lymphatic metastasis.There were no severe complications in perioperative and postoperative period.Conclusions Retroperitoneal laparoscopic combined with resectoscopic radical nephroureterectomy may be a practical surgical procedure for upper tract urothelial carcinoma patients with less intraoperative blood loss and early recovery.

Objective To evaluate the copy number variation of FCGR3B gene in Henan Han systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients and healthy controls,and explore the association between FCGR3B gene copy number variants (CNVs) and lupus nephritis (LN) susceptibility in Henan Han population.Methods FCGR3B CNVs was investigated in 142 SLE patients with nephritis,187 SLE patients without nephritis and 328 healthy controls.A modified methodology based on competitive PCR named Multiplex AccuCopyTM Kit was used to detect FCGR3B copy number.Clinical and laboratory data were collected retrospectively from the medical record.Logistic regression analysis was used to determine the association of FCGR3B copy number variants with LN susceptibility.Rank correlation was used to determine the correlations between FCGE3B copy number variants and clinical phenotypes of LN.Results No significant difference was detected in the copy number variations of FCGR3B in different groups.Low copy number of FCGR3B was more commonly seen in patients with nephritis (P=0.042),and was a risk factor for LN (OR=2.059; 95％ CI:1.081-3.921; P=0.028).However,high copy number (＞ 2) had no effect on SLE patients without nephritis(OR=1.152; 95％CI:0.711-1.866; P=0.565) and LN patients (OR=0.838; 95％ CI:0.529-1.329; P=0.454).There were no associations between FCGR3B copy number variants and clinical phenotypes and immunologic characteristics of LN.Conclusion The low copy number of FCGR3B is a risk factor for LN in Henan Han population.

Objective The aim is to observe the role and mechanism of estradiol ( E2 ) on the proliferation of rat hippocampal neural stem cells ( NSCs ) .Methods Twenty hippocampi from embryonic 17-day ( E17 ) SD rats were dissociated and plated into culture flasks with NSCs specific medium containing different concentrations of estradiol .The proliferation and the vitality of NSCs were detected by immunofluorescence against BrdU and MTT assay .The expression of estrogen receptors ( ERαand ERβ) was measured by immunofluorescence staining combined with Nestin double labeling . Results BrdU and MTT assay results showed that the cell number increased when the concentration of estradiol increased from 10 -10 to 10 -8 mol/L.The number of cell proliferation and the viability of cells were best at the concentration of 10 -8 mol/L compared to the other groups .However, when the estradiol concentration was increased from 10-8 to 10 -6 mol/L, the cell proliferative capacity declined gradually .Double immunofluorescence labeling showed that the two types of estrogen receptors ( ERαand ERβ) were expressed in the cultured hippocampal NSCs .Conclusion Estradiol promotes the proliferation of hippocampal NSCs in a certain concentration range , and ERαand ERβmay be involved in the estradiol-induced proliferation .

Background and purpose:Breast cancer as one of the most common malignant tumor among women in China, it accounts for 12.2% of all newly diagnosed breast cancers and 9.6% of all deaths from breast cancer worldwide. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between single nucleotide polymorphisms(SNPs) in 2q35rs13387042and 8q24 rs13281615and the risk of breast cancer in Han premenopausal women of Northern China. Methods:280 patients with breast cancer and 287 healthy controls in premenopausal state were genotyped for SNP 2q35rs13387042and 8q24 rs13281615 by the SNaPshot method, and compared the different genotypes and alleles with relation to breast cancer risk.Results:Differences of 2q35 rs13387042 genotype frequencies between breast cancer and control were signiifcantly different (P=0.017). No statistically signiifcant difference of 8q24 rs13281615 genotype frequencies between breast cancers and controls was found (P=0.967). The results of logistic regression showed that the carriers of GA genotype and GA+ AA genotype increased risk for breast cancer compared to the carriers with 2q35 rs13387042 GG genotype(OR=1.793, 95%CI: 1.177-2.733,P=0.007;OR=1.691, 95%CI: 1.122-2.550,P=0.012), but not the carriers of AA genotype; Compared with G allele, A allele signiifcantly increased the risk of breast cancer(OR= 1.505, 95%CI: 1.033-2.193,P=0.033). The carriers of AG genotype or GG genotype or AG+GG genotype did not confer risk for breast cancer compared to the carriers with 8q24 rs13281615 AA genotype(OR=0.992, 95%CI: 0.660-1.490,P=0.968;OR=1.047, 95%CI: 0.642-1.708,P=0.853;OR=1.007, 95%CI: 0.682-1.487,P=0.971); Compared with A allele, G allele did not increase the risk of breast cancer(OR=1.021, 95%CI: 0.809-1.288,P=0.863).Conclusion:This experiment veriifed that 2q35 rs13387042 polymorphism site increased risk of breast cancer susceptibility among Han premenopausal women of Northern China. There was not any signiifcant association between 8q24 rs13281615 poly-morphism site and breast cancer susceptibility among Han premenopausal women of Northern China under the current sampling scale.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the roles of ceruloplasmin (Cp) in PI3K/PTEN cell signaling pathway change in human embryonic lung fibroblasts (HELFs) induced by silica.

METHODSHELFs transfected with pGenesil1.1 plasmid and pGenesil1.1 with PTEN shRNA (PT) plasmid were successfully established. 100 µg/ml silica and different concentrations of Cp (10, 20, 30 µg/ml) were used in this experiment and Cp were treated cells after exposed to silica for 1h. Three different cell lines (including HELFs, PT and cells were transfected with p85 dominant negative mutant plasmid (DN-p85)) were divided into control groups, silica groups and silica+different concentrations of Cp groups. MTT assay was used to detect the effects of Cp on silica-induced cell proliferation after inhibiting PTEN and p85. When suppressing the expression of PTEN and p85, western blot assay was performed to detect the levels of p85, p110, AKT308, AKT473 and ERK, JNK and their phosphorylated levels.

RESULTSAfter inhibition of PTEN, the high levels of p85 induced by 100 µg/ml silica with 30 µg/ml Cp were markedly decreased (P<0.05). When suppressing p85, the increased cell proliferation was not observed. And the high levels of AKT308, AKT473, ERK and phosphorylated JNK and ERK stimulated by 100 µg/ml silica with 30 µg/ml Cp were decrease (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONCp could further strengthened silica-induced cell proliferation by PI3K/AKT/MAPK cell signaling pathway, of which the level of p85 was regulated by PTEN.

Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Cells, Cultured ; Ceruloplasmin ; pharmacology ; Class Ia Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinase ; metabolism ; Fibroblasts ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Humans ; PTEN Phosphohydrolase ; metabolism ; Signal Transduction ; drug effects ; Silicon Dioxide ; toxicity

Sterol C24-methyltransferase (SMT) plays multiple important roles in plant growth and development. SMT1, which belongs to the family of transferases and transforms cycloartenol into 24-methylene cycloartenol, is involved in the biosynthesis of 24-methyl sterols. Here, we report the cloning and characterization of a cDNA encoding a sterol C24-methyltransferase from().(GenBank access number KU885950) is a 1530 bp cDNA with a 1041 bp open reading frame predicted to encode a 346-amino acid, 38.62 kDa protein. The polypeptide encoded by thecDNA was expressed and purified as a recombinant protein from() and showed SMT activity. The expression ofwas highly up-regulated incell suspension cultures treated with methyl jasmonate (MeJA). Tissue expression pattern analysis showed higher expression in the phellem layer compared to the other four organs (leaf, stem, xylem and phloem), which is about ten times that of the lowest expression in leaf. The results are meaningful for the study of sterol biosynthesis ofand will further lay the foundations for the research in regulating both the content of other main compounds and growth and development of