Objective To investigate the acute effect of apolipoprotein E(apoE)on the intracellular free Ca2+ of rat cortical neurons.Methods The intracellular resting calcium level in cultured primary rat cortical neurons was measured by using confocal fluorescent imaging technique. MK-801,an N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor noncompetitive antagonist,was employed to test potential function of apoE4 through blocking NMDN receptor. ResultsAcute application of apoE4,but not apoE3,significantly increased the resting [Ca2+]i in a dose-and time-dependent manner (P

Objective To investigate the acute effect of apolipoprotein E(apoE)on the intracellular free Ca~(2+) of rat cortical neurons. Methods The intracellular resting calcium level in cultured primary rat cortical neurons was measured by using confocal fluorescent imaging technique. MK-801, an N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor noncom-petitive antagonist, was employed to test potential function of apoE4 through blocking NMDN receptor. Results Acute application of apoE4, but not apoE3, significantly increased the resting [Ca~(2+)] i in a dose-and time-dependent manner (P <0. 01 or P <0. 05) , and MK-801 partly blocked the apoE4-induced elevation of resting [Ca~(2+)]i (P <0. 05 or P <0. 01). Conclusion Acute administration of ApoE4 disturbs calcium homeostasis, and the activation of NMDA receptor may play a critical role in the intracellular calcium overload induced by apoE4 and neurotoxicity.

Objective To observe the protein expressions of PI3Kp110, pAkt, pGSK3β of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) and protein kinase B (Akt) signaling pathway in the whole blood of patients with Kashin-Beck disease and analyze the status of PI3K/Akt signaling pathway. Methods Patients with Kashin-Beck disease ( KBD group ) were from six counties ( Xunyi , Linyou , Yongshou , Qianyang , Changwu and Long County) of Shannxi Province in Kashin-Beck disease areas , and the healthy controls (control group) were matched by age and sex. Venous blood was collected from patients and healthy controls. Trizol method was applied to extract the whole blood protein; protein expression levels of PI3K/Akt signaling pathway in whole blood were detected by Western blotting; the gray values were observed and recorded by the sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis(SDS-PAGE) and GDS-8000 gel imaging analysis system. Differences between the two groups were assessed by Student’s t-test. Results Compared age and sex between KBD group and control group, differences were not statistically significant(t=0.701, P>0.05;χ2=0.400, P>0.05). The protein expression levels of PI3Kp110, pAkt and p-GSK3β in KBD group were higher than that in control group(156.1 ± 92.1 vs. 79.5 ± 21.5, 113.7 ± 15.2 vs. 43.3 ± 10.7 and 105.9 ± 17.5 vs. 37.3 ± 12.0, respectively) and the differences were statistically significant (t=2.563, 6.567, 7.916; all P < 0.05 or < 0.01). Conclusion The PI3Kp110, pAkt and p-GSK3β expressions of signaling pathway proteins in the whole blood of patiens with Kashin-Beck disease are up-regulated significantly and the status of PI3K/Akt signaling pathway is activated.

BACKGROUND:Foreign injectable sulphate calcium has good biocompatibility, injectability and in situimmobilization, moulding based on adaptation to the shape of bone defects, but the price is expensive. OBJECTIVE:To explore the optimal fabricating parameters of bone repair materials with α-calciumsulfate hemihydrates as the main component, and to study the performance and characterization METHODS:α-Calciumsulfate hemihydrates powder was mixed with sodium hyaluronate at liquid-solid-ratios of 0.2, 0.25, 0.3, 0.35, 0.4 mL/g using vapor-heat method to prepare injectable bone materials. Performance, setting time and compressive strength of the injectable bone was detected. The best liquid-solid-ratio was 0.3 mL/g.α-Calcium sulfate hemihydrates powder was mixed with calcium sulfate dihydrate powder (1%, 2%, 3% mass fractionas) to fabricate injectable bone materials. Performance, setting time and compressive strength of the injectable bone was also detected; meanwhile, the biosafety of the injectable bone was determined. Theinjectable bone material that was made at the liquid-solid-ratio of 0.3 mL/g and by 2% calcium sulfate dihydrate was implanted into Ba-ma swine models of thoracic bone defects. At the time points of 8, 16 and 24 weeks after implantation, histological observation was done. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: The injectable bone material was made at the liquid-solid-ratio of 0.3 mL/g and by 2% calcium sulfate dihydrate. The initial and final setting time was 4.0-5.0 minutes and 8.0-9.0 minutes, respectively. The compressive strength of the injectable bone reached (8.93±0.23) MPa. These findings indicate that the injectable boen material has good performance, initial setting time and compressive strength meeting the requirements of clinical application and good biosafety. Animal experiments show that the injectable bone can provide space for new bone in creeping substitution way by auto-degradation, with osteogenic activity.

Objective o evaluate the association between IL-28B ( rs12979860 ) polymorphism andantiviraltherapeutic effectbydetecting the genotype of interleukin-28B( IL-28 B) in patients with hepatitis C ( HCV ) .Methods Of total 1153 HCV patients, 303 diagnosed with CHC had been treated with pegylated interferon plus ribavirin for 24-48 weeks.IL-28B ( rs12979860 ) was genotyped by two-color fluorescent TaqMan assay.Results Among 1153 patients, CC, CT and TT genotype frequencies of IL-28B rs12979860 are 83.26%, 16.22%and 0.52%respectively.The results of HCV genotypingof 580 in 1153 cases, the frequencies of 1b, 2a and their non-1b/2a type are 63.45%, 35.00%and 1.55%respectively;In 303 CHC patients with clear medical history, the proportion of SVR was71.98% in patients with CC genotype and 16.90%in those with either the CT or TT genotypes.Logistic regression model was adopted to analyze the association of rs12979860 with SVR while adjusting for age, gender, viral load and HCV GT factors.Populations carrying combined genotype ( CT +TT) are making it harder to get SVR compared with those with CC genotype (OR, 95%CI:11.10,5.35-23.04;P<0.000 1).The percentages of SVR in HVC patients with 1b and 2a genotypeare 48.02% and 81.19% respectively.there is a statistically significant difference between these subgroups (χ2 =30.639,P<0.000 1).Conclusion IL-28B rs12979860 genotype is closely related to SVR in CHCpatients.Patients with CC genotype have a higher virus sustained response rate than those carrying CT or TT genotype.The SNP , rs12979860, might be applied as a predictor of clinical antiviral efficacy in the furture.