Objective To assess the relationship between serum uric acid (SUA)and metabolic syndrome and coronary artery disease(CAD).Methods 232 untreated subjects with essential hypertension were divided into two groups(CAD and no CAD)by coronary angiography.All subjects were free of myocardial infarction,cardiomyopathy,valvular disease, atrial fibrillation,aortic dissection,and renal disease.Results Compared to no CAD group,age,diabetes,triglycerides and SUA in CAD group were higher.There was a significant association between SUA and the severity of CAD (P=0. 015).However,after adjustment for concomitant risk factors of cardiovascular disease,SUA was not an independent risk factor of CAD(P=0.151).In sex-specific analysis,there was a trend of SUA to be an independent risk factor of CAD in women(P=0.062),but it was no statistic significance.The highest quartile level of $UA tended to be associated with increased risk for CAD,but it was not statistically significant either(OR=2.52,P=0.075).SUA was closely associated with metabolic syndrome and diabetes in woman.Conclusion In untreated patients with essential hyperteusion,SUA was associated with metabolic syndrome and the severity of CAD,but it is not an independent risk factor of CAD,the raised SUA may be only a marker of insulin resistance.

OBJECTIVETo demonstrate the effects and mechanisms of Qifu decoction( QFD) on renal interstitial fibrosis (RIF) in model rats with yang-deficiency syndrome.

METHODThe rats were randomly divided into 3 groups, the Sham group (Group A), the Model group (Group B), the Qifu decoction group (Group C) and the Enalapril group (Group D). The RIF model was established by adenine administrated and unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO) of the left ureter. After the model was successfully established, the rats in Group C and D were administrated with QFD or the Enalapril suspension,while the rats in Group A and B were administrated with distilled water. All rats were administrated for 3 weeks. Before administration and at the end of week 1, 2 and 3, the rats were weighted, and 24 h urinary protein excretion (Upro), urinary β2-microglobulin (Uβ2-MG) and urinary N-acetyl-D-glucosaminidase (NAG) were examined, respectively. All rats were killed after administration for 3 weeks. Blood and renal tissues were collected, renal morphology and tubulointerstitial morphology were evaluated, respectively. Serum cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP), cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), serum creatinine (Scr) and uric acid (UA) were detected, respectively. The protein expressions of E-cadherin, α-smooth muscle actin(α-SMA), transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1), onnective tissue growth factor (CTGF) extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase 1/2(ERK1/2) and phosphorylated-ERK1/2 (p-ERK1/2) in kidney were evaluated, respectively.

RESULTQFD ameliorated serum cAMP level and the rate of cAMP/cGMP, attenuated urinary β2-MG level, NAG level and renal tubulointerstitial fibrosis, increased E-cadherin protein expression, and reduced α-SMA, TGF-β1, CTGF and p-ERK1/2 protein expressions in the kidney. However, QFD had no influence on renal function in vivo. In addition, these effects were better than those of the model rats treated by Enalapril.

CONCLUSIONQFD could alleviate yang-deficiency parameters, as well as urinary β2-MG level and NAG level in model rats induced by adenine administration and UUO. Moreover, QFD could improve EMT and RIF by up-regulating E-cadherin protein expression, and down-regulating α-SMA, TGF-β1, CTGF and p-ERK1/2 protein expressions, the key molecular in ERK1/2 signaling pathway.

Animals ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases ; antagonists & inhibitors ; Fibrosis ; Kidney ; drug effects ; pathology ; Kidney Diseases ; drug therapy ; pathology ; MAP Kinase Signaling System ; drug effects ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Ureteral Obstruction ; complications ; Yang Deficiency ; complications

OBJECTIVETo examine the role of lactoferrin (LF) on Toll like receptor 4 (TLR4) stimulated by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in human periodontal ligament cells (hPDLCs).

METHODSPrimary hPDLCs were cultured by tissue block enzymolytic method. Cells obtained from four passages were identified and used in this experiment. Cells without stimulation served as the controls and cells treated with LPS (0.1 microg x mL(-1)) comprised the LPS group. The LPS + LF group was pretreated with LPS (0.1 microg x mL(-1)) for 2 h, and then treated with LF (10 microg x mL(-1)). Four hours after LF stimulation, the mRNA expression levels of TLR4 were examined by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The protein expression of TLR4 was observed by cell immunofluorescence staining after LF stimulation of 24 hours.

RESULTSTLR4 mRNA expression in the LPS + LF group was significantly more decreased than that in the LPS group (P < 0.05), but exhibited no difference with that in the control group (P > 0.05). Cell immunofluorescence staining showed that the protein expression of TLR4 in the LPS + LF group was significantly more decreased than that in the LPS group (P < 0.05), but exhibited no difference with that in the control group (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONLF can decrease the expression of TLR4 stimulated by LPS in hPDLCs, thus presenting potential application for controlling the TLR4 immune pathway of periodontitis.

Down-Regulation ; Humans ; Lactoferrin ; Lipopolysaccharides ; Periodontal Ligament ; Periodontitis ; Toll-Like Receptor 4

Enterocolitis, Necrotizing ; metabolism ; pathology ; Female ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Infant, Newborn ; Intestinal Mucosa ; metabolism ; pathology ; Male ; Platelet Activating Factor ; metabolism

· Cornea is an important part ofhuman's refractive system.Corneal biomechanics plays an important role in corneal ectasia and related diseases.The corneal biomechanics measured in vitro and in vivo and its clinical application in system diseases and elastic corneal disease,glaucoma,myopic are reviewed in this literature summary.

A quantitative analytical method of ultra-high performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) was developed for simultaneously determining twelve components in Tibetan medicine Zuozhu Daxi. SIMPCA 12.0 software was used a principal component analysis PCA) and partial small squares analysis (PLSD-DA) on the twelve components in 10 batches from four pharmaceutical factories. Acquity UPLC BEH C15 column (2.1 mm x 100 mm, 1.7 µm) was adopted at the column temperature of 35 °C and eluted with acetonitrile (A) -0.05% phosphate acid solution (B) as the mobile phase with a flow rate of 0. 3 mL · min(-1). The injection volume was 1 µL. The detection wavelengths were set at 210 nm for alantolactone, isoalantolactone and oleanolic; 260 nm for trychnine and brucine; 288 nm for protopine; 306 nm for protopine, resveratrol and piperine; 370 nm for quercetin and isorhamnetin. The results showed a good separation among index components, with a good linearity relationship (R2 = 0.999 6) within the selected concentration range. The average sample recovery rates ranged between 99.44%-101.8%, with RSD between 0.37%-1.7%, indicating the method is rapid and accurate with a good repeatability and stability. The PCA and PLSD-DA analysis on the sample determination results revealed a great difference among samples from different pharmaceutical factories. The twelve components included in this study contributed significantly to the quantitative determination of intrinsic quality of Zuozhu Daxi. The UPLC established for to the quantitative determination of the twelve components can provide scientific basis for the comprehensive quality evaluation of Zuozhu Daxi.
Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; methods ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Quality Control ; Tibet

OBJECTIVETo investigate the role of stromal cell derived factor 1 (SDF-1) on the proliferation of hepatic oval cells, and the influencing factors.

METHODSFlow cytometry was used to detect the expression of CXCR4 on the cell surface when WB-F344 cells were growing in the culture medium with and without transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1) respectively. Western bolt was used to detect the expression of β-catenin and its phosphorylation level. The translocation of β-catenin was shown by confocal microscopy analysis. Q-RT-PCR was used in detecting the β-catenin downstream gene expression such as Ccnd1 and c-Myc. MTT was used to detect the proliferation of WB-F344 cells which were treated by SDF-1 + TGF-β1 and those cells exposed to SDF-1 or TGF-β1 only, as well as of the negative control group.

RESULTWB-F344 cells rarely express CXCR4 under conventional circumstance, but this receptor can be up-regulated when the culture medium contain a modest amount of TGF-β1 (the rate of CXCR4 positive cell increased by 39.5%). The bond of SDF-1 to CXCR4 results in the phosphorylation of β-catenin, and its inactivation. SDF-1 alone didn't affect the proliferation of WB-F344 cells (0.512 ± 0.010 vs. 0.513 ± 0.008, t = 0.337, P > 0.05), while TGF-β1 group show a slight decrease of cell population (0.393 ± 0.007,t = 28.001, P < 0.05). But when TGF-β1 combined with SDF-1, the proliferation of WB-F344 was more weakened than TGF-β1 group, and the difference was statistically significant (0.272 ± 0.009,t = 32.204, P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSTGF-β1 can up-regulate the expression of CXCR4 in hepatic oval cells, and then inhibit the proliferation of hepatic oval cells via inactivating β-catenin in vitro.

Cell Line ; Cell Proliferation ; Chemokine CXCL12 ; metabolism ; Hepatocytes ; metabolism ; Humans ; Receptors, CXCR4 ; metabolism ; Transforming Growth Factor beta1 ; metabolism ; beta Catenin ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo investigate clinical and molecule genetics features of four Ph-positive leukemia patients characterized by pericentric inv(9)(p22q34) with the der(9)t(9;22)(q34;q11).

METHODSCytogenetic analysis was carried out on bone marrow directly or after short-period culture. R banding was used for karyotype analysis. BCR/ABL fusion gene was detected with interphase fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), and chromosome painting was carried out using specific probes. RT-PCR was used to detect BCR/ABL chimeric transcripts.

RESULTSOne patient with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) presented three clones, which included one with a normal karyotype, one with t(9;22)(q34;q11), and one with inv(9)(p22q34) involving the der(9)t(9;22) and additional t(8;12)(q12;p11). The inv(9)(p22q34) has always co-occurred with der(9)t(9;22)(q34;q11) accompanied by der(22)t(9;22)(q34;q11) in all metaphases from the three patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). B3a2 transcript was detected in all patients by RT-PCR. Inv(9)(p22q34) was found in both CML and AML, and was associated with poor prognosis.

CONCLUSIONInv(9)(p22q34) is a novel, rare, but recurrent secondary chromosomal abnormality for Ph-positive leukemia. Leukemia with der(9)t(9;22) and inv(9)(p22q34) has unique clinical and laboratory characteristics.

Adult ; Chromosome Inversion ; Chromosomes, Human, Pair 22 ; Chromosomes, Human, Pair 9 ; Female ; Humans ; Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive ; genetics ; Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute ; genetics ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Translocation, Genetic

OBJECTIVETo observe the effects of mutant hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) adenovirus (Adeno-HIF-1α-Ala402-Ala564) on cardiomyocytes (CMCs) differentiation from the mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) co-cultured with CMCs.

METHODSFollowing groups were studied: HIF-1α group (MSCs + CMCs + Ad-HIF-1α), LacZ group (MSCs + CMCs + Ad-LacZ), Sham group (MSCs + CMCs + PBS) and MSC + HIF-1α Group (MSCs + Ad-HIF-1α). MSCs were co-cultured with myocardial cells in proportion of MSCs:CMCs 1:2, after 24 hours, cells were infect with virus (MOI = 100) or treated with PBS, cardiac troponin (cTnT) expression in MSCs was detected 7 days post infection by immunochemical analysis, mRNA expression of HIF-1α, TGF-β(1), Smad4, NKx2.5, GATA-4 was also detected by RT-PCR.

RESULTSHIF-1α increased MSCs differentiation to myocardial cells (differentiation rate 32.68% ± 6.52% vs. 8.28% ± 0.09% in the LacZ group and 10.25% ± 2.20% in the Sham group and 0.32% ± 0.05% in the MSC group (all P < 0.05 vs. HIF-1α group). mRNA expression of HIF, TGF-β(1), Smad4, NKx2.5 and GATA-4 was also significantly upregulated in HIF-1α group all P < 0.05 vs. Sham group).

CONCLUSIONHIF-1α promoted MSCs, co-cultured with myocardial cells, differentiating to cardiomyocytes via upregulating TGF-β(1)/Smad4 signaling pathway.

Adenoviridae ; genetics ; Animals ; Bone Marrow Cells ; cytology ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Cell Differentiation ; drug effects ; genetics ; Cells, Cultured ; Genetic Vectors ; Humans ; Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit ; genetics ; Male ; Mesenchymal Stromal Cells ; cytology ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Myocytes, Cardiac ; cytology ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Signal Transduction ; Smad4 Protein ; metabolism ; Transforming Growth Factor beta1 ; metabolism

0.05).Conclusion The distribution of G990R CASR genotype in PHPT patients is different from healthy women,and R allele is higher in PHPT group.Among PHPT patients,A986S and G990R polymorphisms are associated with serum calcium and ICa levels.Patients with S or G allele have lower levels of serum calcium and ICa.A986S genotype is also associated with serum PTH level and patients with S allele have relatively lower level of PTH.