Bispecific antibodies have been exploited as both cancer immunodiagnostics and cancer therapeutics, which have shown promises in clinical trials in cancer imaging and therapy. To improve the anti-tumor effect, an scDb (bispecific single-chain diabody) was constructed from the variable domain genes of two scFvs (single-chain variable fragment antibodies) directed against human EGFR (epidermal growth factor receptor) and VEGFR2 (vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2) extracellular domains. The anti-EGFR/ anti-KDR scDb was constructed into pHEN2 plasmid and expressed in Escherichia coli HB2151 host. After purification by one-step affinity chromatography of IMAC, scDb protein was characterized by Western blotting. The yield of scDb protein was 570 microg per liter medium. scDb bound to EGFR as efficiently as the parental antibody scFv-E10, while a little bit weaker than the parental antibody scFv-AK404R when bound to KDR. In conclusion, the scDb protein could bind both EGFR and KDR specifically and could be applied for further anti-tumor research.
Antibodies, Bispecific ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Escherichia coli ; metabolism ; Humans ; Plasmids ; Protein Binding ; Receptor, Epidermal Growth Factor ; immunology ; Single-Chain Antibodies ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-2 ; immunology

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of hysteroscopic treatment of women with previous cesarean scar defect (PCSD).

METHODSFrom May 2006 to October 2008, 12 patients with PCSD were diagnosed and treated hysteroscopically in our hospital, all of them were successful followed-up for one year postoperatively, and their clinical data were analyzed.

RESULTSAll 12 hysteroscopic procedures were completed successfully, and there were no surgical complications. Nine patients with longer periods and 1 patient with intermenstrual spotting preoperatively remained asymptomatic after hysteroscopic surgery, and 1 patient with longer periods and infertility experienced normal periods, while remained infertility, and the remaining 1 patient complaining postcoital bleeding preoperatively had recurrence of the bleeding.

CONCLUSIONHysteroscopic surgery of women with PCSD was minimally invasive and effective.

Adult ; Cesarean Section ; adverse effects ; Cicatrix ; etiology ; surgery ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Hysteroscopy ; Postoperative Complications ; surgery ; Uterine Diseases ; surgery

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of smoking on sperm apoptosis and semen quality of healthy adult males in the main urban area of Chongqing.

METHODSAccording to the smoking habit, we divided 235 healthy adult males into a non-smoking group (n = 89) and a smoking group (n = 146). Then we detected the routine semen parameters by the computer-assisted semen analysis system and obtained the parameters of sperm apoptosis (the ratios of AN-/PI-, AN+/PI-, AN+/PI+ and AN-/PI+ sperm) by flow cytometry combined with Annexin V-FITC/PI fluorescence staining.

RESULTSThe rate of early apoptotic sperm (AN+/PI-) was higher in the smoking than in the non-smoking group ([8.1 +/- 5.1]% vs [6.8 +/- 3.8]%; P = 0.039), but there were no significant differences between the two groups in the rate of late apoptotic sperm (AN+/PI+) ([5.6 +/- 5.2]% vs [5.5 +/- 5.1]%; P = 0.87), as well as in such routine semen indexes as semen volume, sperm density, sperm motility, sperm vitality and normal sperm morphology (P = 0.30, 0.82, 0.37, 0.81 and 0.84, respectively).

CONCLUSIONThe rate of early apoptotic sperm is higher in smokers than in non-smokers, suggesting that smoking may induce early damage to sperm cells. Compared with routine semen parameters, sperm apoptosis is a more sensitive biomarker to reflect smoking-induced damage to sperm.

Apoptosis ; China ; Humans ; Male ; Semen ; Semen Analysis ; Smoking ; Sperm Count ; Sperm Motility ; Spermatozoa ; cytology

Objective To evaluate acute toxicity and genotoxicity of sapindus saponin and to provide toxicological basis for sapindus saponin ’s daily applications. Methods Acute oral toxicity test,mammalian erythocyte micronucleus test, bacterial reverse mutation test and in vitro mammalian chromosome aberration test were used to investigate the effect of the sapindus saponin on gene mutation and chromosome aberration in both prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells. Results The acute toxicity test showed that the LD50 of sapindus saponin was 4640 mg/kg for both male and female mice. Toxic symptoms were observed including salivation,mucus and other toxic manifestations. There was no significant difference between the each dose group and the negative control group in the results of mammalian erythocyte micronucleus test( P>0. 05). The results of bacterial reverse mutation test were also negative. In each dose group and strain with or without S9,the number of revertant colonies did not exceed 2 times than that of spontaneous revertant colonies( negative control). No dose-response relationship was observed. The vitro mammalian chromosome aberration test showed that the IC50 of sapindus saponin on CHL was 75 μg/ml,and the differences between each dose group and the negative control group were not statistically significant( P >0. 05 ). However,the positive control group differed from the negative control group in all tests( P <0. 01). Conclusion Under this experimental condition,sapindus saponin has no genotoxicity.

OBJECTIVETo construct angiogenesis-specific RGD10-NGR9 dual-targeting superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles, and to evaluate its magnetic resonamce imaging (MRI) features in nude mice and potential diagnostic value in tumor MRI.

METHODSDual-targeting peptides RGD10-NGR9 were designed and synthesized. Ultrasmall superparamagnetic iron oxide (USPIO) nanoparticles were synthesized by chemical co-precipitation method and the surface was modified to be hydrophilic by coating with dextran. The dual-targeting peptides RGD10-NGR9 were conjugated to USPIO. Cell binding affinity and up-taking ability of the dual-targeting USPIO nanoparticles to integrin ανβ3-APN positive cells were subsequently tested by Prussian blue staining and phenanthroline colorimetry in vitro. The RGD10-NGR9 conjugated with USPIO was injected intravenously into xenograft mice, which were scanned by MRI at predetermined time points. The MRI and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) values were calculated to evaluate the ability of dual-targeting USPIO as a potential contrast agent in nude mice.

RESULTSP-CLN-Dextran-USPIO nanoparticles with stable physical properties were successfully constructed. The average diameter of Fe3O4 nanoparticles was 8-10 nm, that of Dextran-USPIO was about 20 nm and P-CLN-Dextran-USPIO had an average diameter about 30 nm. The in vitro studies showed a better specificity of dual-targeting USPIO nanoparticles on proliferating human umbilical vein endothelia cells (HUVEC). In vivo, RGD10-NGR9-USPIO showed a significantly reduced contrast in signal intensity and 2.83-times increased the CNR in the tumor MRI in xenograft mice.

CONCLUSIONThis novel synthesized RGD10-NGR9 dual-targeting USPIO is with better specific affinity in vitro and in vivo, and might be used as a molecular contrast agent for tumor angiogenesis MRI.

Adenocarcinoma ; diagnosis ; metabolism ; pathology ; Aminopeptidases ; analysis ; Animals ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cells, Cultured ; Contrast Media ; chemistry ; Dextrans ; chemistry ; Ferrosoferric Oxide ; metabolism ; Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells ; cytology ; metabolism ; Humans ; Integrin alphaVbeta3 ; analysis ; Lung Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; metabolism ; pathology ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Magnetite Nanoparticles ; chemistry ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Mice, Nude ; Neoplasm Transplantation ; Oligopeptides ; chemistry ; Particle Size ; Signal-To-Noise Ratio

Purpose To investigate the role of CHMP4A and TSPYL-2 in early pathogenesis of esophageal cancer.Methods Through comparison of the four subtractive libraries,early esophageal squamous cell carcinoma genes CHMP4A and TSPYL-2 were chosen for further study.Through RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry methods,CHMP4A and TSPYL-2's expression was detected in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma tissue,cancerous tissue and normal esophageal mucosa.Results CHMP4A and TSPYL-2 expression between esophageal squamous cell carcinoma and normal esophageal epithelium tissue had significant differences (P ＜ 0.05),and the CHMP4A gene expression in esophageal mucosa,field cancerization areas,esophageal squamous cell carcinoma tissue increased,while TSPYL-2 gene expression in esophageal mucosa,field cancerization areas,esophageal squamous cell carcinoma tissue decreased,which were consistent with the protein expression of CHMP4A and TSPYL-2.Conclusion CHMP4A and TSPYL-2 genes are differentially expressed in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma,which can be used as alternative genetic markers for further research.

Objective To understand the developmental effects induced by CdSe /ZnS quantum dots(QDs)on zebrafish embryos.Methods Zebrafish embryos were exposed to 0,0.5,1,2,4,8 and 16 nmol/L of CdSe /ZnS QDs,and the typical toxicological indexes were recorded at five time points respectively (24 hours post fertilization (hpf),48 hpf, 72 hpf,96 hpf,120 hpf).Results The results showed that the median lethal concentration (LC50 )for zebrafish embryos after 120 hpf was 21.38 nmol/L(95% CI =17.21 -26.57).The frequency of spontaneous movement in 60 seconds after 24 hpf,the frequency of heart beat in 60 seconds after 48 hpf,the hatching rate and the mortality rate were obviously affected by CdSe /ZnS QDs.Several abnormalities and toxic symptoms caused by CdSe /ZnS QDs at 8 nmol/L and 16 nmol/L were observed including pericardial edema,liver atrophy,non -depleted yolk,intestinal abnormal development and muscle degeneration after 120 hpf.Conclusion High level of CdSe /ZnS QDs (more than 8 nmol/L)could induce toxic effects on zebrafish embryonic development.

Objective::To observe the clinical efficacy of modified Buyang Huanwu Tang combined with Sanrentang in treating early diabetic nephropathy(DN)with deficiency of spleen and kidney, damp-heat and blood stasis syndrome and its effect on glucose and lipid metabolism, oxidative stress and inflammatory factors, in order to explore its mechanism. Method::A total of 72 early DN atients were randomly divided into control group and treatment group, with 36 cases in each group. The control group was orally treated with losartan potassium tablets(50 mg every time, once/day), while the treatment group was treated with modified Buyang Huanwu Tang combined with Sanrentang orally in addition to the therapy of the control group(1 dose/day). Both groups were treated for 3 months. The changes in clinical efficacy and safety indicators were observed for both groups. The 24 h urine albumin excretion rate(UAER), serum creatinine(SCr), serum cystatin C(Cys C), urea nitrogen (BUN), fasting blood glucose (FBG), 2 h postprandial blood glucose (2 hPG), glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c), total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride(TG), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol(LDL-C), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol(HDL-C), malondialdehyde(MDA), superoxide dismutase(SOD), glutathione Peroxidase(GSH-Px), interleukin-2(IL-2), interleukin-4(IL-4), interleukin-8(IL-8), interleukin-10(IL-10), tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α)of patients in two groups were observed before and after treatment. Result::The total clinical effective rate was 88.9%in therapy group, which was higher than 61.1%in control group(P<0.05). After treatment, levels of UAER, SCr, Cys C and BUN were lower in both groups(P<0.05), and the levels in treatment group were all lower than those in control group(P<0.05). Levels of FBG, 2 hPG and HbA1c were lower in both groups(P<0.05). There was no significant difference in FBG, 2 hPG and HbA1c levels between two groups after treatment. The levels of HDL-C were higher in both groups(P<0.05), and the levels in treatment group were higher than that in control group(P<0.05). The levels of TC, TG and LDL-C were lower in both groups(P<0.05), and the levels in treatment group were all lower than those in control group(P<0.05). The level of MDA was lower in both groups(P<0.05), and the level in the treatment group was lower than that in control group(P<0.05). The levels of SOD and GSH-Px were higher in both groups(P<0.05), and the levels in the treatment group were all higher than those in the control group(P<0.05). Serum levels of IL-2, IL-8 and TNF-α were lower in both groups(P<0.05), and the levels in the treatment group were lower than those in control group(P<0.05). Serum levels of IL-4 and IL-10 were higher in both groups(P<0.05), and the levels in the treatment group was higher than those in control group(P<0.05). Conclusion::Modified Buyang Huanwu Tang combined with Sanrentang is effective and safe in the treatment of early DN with spleen and kidney deficiency, damp-heat and blood stasis syndrome. They can further improve renal function and lipid metabolism, inhibit oxidative stress reaction and regulate the secretion balance of inflammatory factors in early DN patients.