OBJECTIVE:To observe the efficacy and safety of valsartan combined with prednisone in the treatment of idiopath-ic pulmonary fibrosis. METHODS:50 patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis were randomly divided into control group and ob-servation group. Control group was orally given 0.5 mg/(kg·d)Prednisone acetate tablet in 1-4 weeks,then maintained with 0.125 mg/(kg·d)in 5-12 neeks,2-3 times a day;observation group was additionally given 80 mg Valsartan capsule,orally,once a day. The treatment course for both groups was 6 months. Pulmonary function indicators [forced vital capacity(FVC),peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR),and forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1)],serum inflammatory factor indicators [interleukin-13(IL-13), IL-18,transforming growth factor-β1(TGF-β1)] level,matrix metalloproteinase-9(MMP-9),MMP-2 contents and the incidence of adverse reactions in 2 groups were observed. RESULTS:The total effective rate in observation group was significantly higher than control group,the difference was statistically significant(P<0.05). Before treatment,there were no significant differences in the pulmonary function indicators,serum inflammatory factor indicators,MMP-9 and MMP-2 contents between 2 groups(P>0.05);af-ter treatment,pulmonary function indicators in 2 groups were significantly higher than before,and observation group was higher than control group,MMP-9 and MMP-2 contents were significantly lower than before,and observation group was lower than con-trol group(P<0.05). And there was no significant difference in the incidence of adverse reactions between 2 groups(P>0.05). CONCLUSIONS:Valsartan combined with prednisone can significantly improve the pulmonary function of patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis,and reduce the contents of serum inflammatory cytokines and matrix metalloproteinases,with good safety.

Objective To evaluate the effect of isoflurane on the apoptosis of SH-SYSY cells transfected with APPsw gene and the role of inositol 1,4,5-triphosphate (IP3) recepters.Methods The SH-SYSY ceils transfected with APPsw gene were seeded in culture flasks with the density of 1.2 × 104/cm2.The cells were randomly divided into 4 groups (n =6 each):control group (group C),IP3 receptor antagonist group (group Ⅹ),isoflurane group (group Ⅰ) and isoflurane + IP3 receptor antagonist group (group Ⅰ + Ⅹ).After the cells were cultured for 24 h and attached to the wall,the cells were cultured routinely in group C,and Xestospongin C 100 nmol/L (IP3 receptor antagonist) was added to DMEM culture medium in groups X and Ⅰ + X,and 30 min later the cells were exposed to 1.2 ％ sevoflurane for 8 h in groups Ⅰ and Ⅰ + X.The cells were collected for examination of the ultrastructure and for determination of cell apoptosis,intracellular free calcium ion concentration [Ca2 +] i (by flow cytometry) and expression of IP3 receptor protein (by Western blot).The apoptosis rate was calculated.Results Compared with group C,there was no significant change in the apoptosis rate,[Ca2 +]i or IP3 receptor protein expression in group Ⅹ (P ＞ 0.05),while the cell apoptosis rate and [Ca2 +] i were significantly increased and IP3 receptor protein expression was up-regulated in groups I and Ⅰ + Ⅹ (P ＜ 0.05 or 0.01).Compared with group Ⅰ,cell apoptosis rate and [Ca2+]i were significantly decreased and IP3 receptor protein expression was down-regulated in group Ⅰ + Ⅹ (P ＜ 0.01).The pathological changes of the cells happened in groups Ⅰ and Ⅰ + Ⅹ,and the pathological changes were severer in group Ⅰ than in group Ⅰ + Ⅹ.Conclusion Isoflurane can induce apoptosis of SH-SY5Y cells transfected with APPsw gene through increasing [Ca2+]i and up-regulating IP3 receptor protein expression.

Objective To evaluate the effect of preconditioning with nimodipine on postoperative cognitive dys function of aged rats.Methods Ninety healthy male Sprague-Dawley rats,aged 18 months,weighing 400-500 g,were randomly divided into 3 groups (n =30 each) using a random number table:nimodipine control group (group N),surgery group (group S),and nimodipine + surgery group (N+ S group).In N and N + S groups,nimodipine 1 mg/kg was intraperitoneally injected,while the equal volume of normal saline was given instead in S group.30 min later,group N inhaled pure oxygen for 2 h,and S and N + S groups inhaled 1.8 ％ isoflourane for 2 h when splenectomy was performed.Morris water maze test was performed on 1 day before operation and 1st,3rd and 7th days after operation.After the end of Morris water maze test at 1 day before operation and 1st and 7th days after operation,10 rats were sacrificed and brains were removed and hippocampi were isolated for determination of apoptosis in hippocampal neurons,intracellular [Ca2+] i in cytoplasm,and hippocampal Bcl-2 and Bax mRNA expression and for examination of ultrastructure of hippocampal neurons.Results Compared with the value before administration,the escape latency was significantly prolonged,the frequency of crossing the original platform was decreased,apoptotic rate and [Ca2+]i were increased,Bcl-2 mRNA expression was down-regulated,and Bax mRNA expression and Bax/Bcl-2 mRNA ratio were up-regulated at each time point after operation in S and N + S groups,and no significant changes were found in the parameters mentioned above in N group.Compared with group S,the escape latency was significantly shortened,the frequency of crossing the original platform was inecreased,apoptotic rate and [Ca2+]i were decreased,Bcl-2 mRNA expression was up-regulated,and Bax mRNA expression was down-regulated at each time point after operation in group N + S.Pathological changes were found in S and N + S groups and the damage was severer in S group than in N + S group.Conclusion Nimodepine preconditioning can prevent postoperative cognitive dysfunction of aged rats,and inhibition of calcium overloadinduced apoptosis in hippocampal neurons may be involved in the mechanism.

Recently, fast-growing Vibrio natriegens, as the great potential chassis, has shown a wide application in synthetic biology. Genome editing is an indispensable tool for genetic modification in synthetic biology. However, genome editing tools with high efficiency and fidelity are still to be developed for V. natriegens synthetic biology. To deal with this problem, the physiological characteristics of 6 V. natriegens strains were evaluated, and CICC 10908 strain with fast and stable growth was selected as the host strain for genome editing study. Then, the natural transformation system of V. natriegens was established and optimized. The efficiencies of optimized natural transformation that integrates antibiotic resistance marker cat-sacB or Kan(R) onto the chromosome of V. natriegens could reach 4×10⁻⁵ and 4×10⁻⁴, respectively. Based on the optimized natural transformation, a double-selection cassette was used to achieve seamless genome editing with high efficiency and fidelity. The positive rates of four different types of genetic manipulation, including gene deletion, complementation, insertion and substitution, were 93.8%, 100%, 95.7% and 100%, respectively. Finally, transformation and elimination of the recombinant plasmid could be easily achieved in V. natriegens. This work provides a seamless genome editing system with high efficiency and fidelity for V. natriegens synthetic biology.
Gene Editing ; Plasmids/genetics* ; Synthetic Biology ; Vibrio/genetics*