Objective To evaluate the effects of iodine on antioxidative capability by observing activity of antioxidative enzymes and related gene expression, and peroxide content in the brain of rat offspring. Methods One-month weaning Wistar rats were divided into four groups(low iodine-LI, normal iodine-NI, ten-fold high iodine-10HI and fifty-fold high iodine-50HI), and fed with water containing different iodine concentration by adding potassium iodate respectively. Rats mate randomly after three months.The offspring were sacrificed at 28 days after birth, then the activity of SOD and GSH-Px, and MDA content in brain tissue were tested, and the SOD and GSH-Px mRNA expression were measured by RT-PCR. Results Compared with the NI group, only in LI group MDA content were increased significantly (P

Objective To study the effect of different dosage KIO3 on anti-oxidative capability of the blood.Methods The Wistar rats were randomly divided into 6 groups and given KIO3 through food at different dosages,low iodide(LI),normal iodide(NI),5 fold high iodide(5HI),10 fold high iodide(10HI),50 fold high iodide(50HI)and 100 fold high iodide(100HI).3,6 and 12 months later,the rats were sacrificed and blood glutathione peroxidase(GPx)activity,superoxide dismutase(SOD)activity and malondialdehyde(MDA)content were determined.Results After 3,6 and 12 months of treatment,the GPx activity in LI group was significantly lower than that in NI group.Furthermore,after 12 months of low iodide intake,the SOD activity in LI group was higher than that in NI group.The GPx activity in 100HI group was lower than that in NI group after 3 months of administration,but no difference was seen between these two groups after 6 and 12 months of treatment.No difference was found in the GPx activity of NI group and those of 5HI,10HI and 50HI groups.The SOD activity in 50HI and 100HI groups was higher than that in NI group after 12 months of administration.There was no difference in MDA content among NI group and 4 high iodide groups.Conclusion Low iodide intake may damage the anti-oxidative capability of blood in normal rats.Blood has a strong anti-oxidative ability and compensative capabilities to compete with high iodate intake.

Objective To explore the effects of iodine on apoptosis and proliferation of the thyroid cells. Methods Wistar rats of one month wean were randomly divided into five groups(low iodine-LI, normal iodine-NI, fivefold high iodine-5 HI, tenfold high iodine-10 HI, fiftyfold high iodine-50 HI), and fed on water containing different concentration of iodine. All groups got prospective iodine intake, that is 0.6, 6.15, 30.75, 61.5, and 307.5 mg/d. After 7 days, 14 days, 28 days, the rats were sacrificed. The proliferation, apoptosis, and apoptosis related genes expression in the thyroid cells were determined by TUNEL, immunohistochemistry and RT-PCR. Results As for short-term of iodine deficiency, no significant change was seen in the mRNA expression of fas and fasL genes, while in the iodine excess groups,the expreesion showed an up-regulation trend as iodine intake increased. Fas and FasL proteins expressions were consistent in LI and NI groups and all of them were negative or weak positive. In the HI groups the stain density increased with iodine intake and treatmnet period increased. Expression of PCNA was enhanced by short-term iodine deficiency, but not by short-term iodine excess. Apoptosis was not observed in all groups. Conclusion Both short-term iodine deficiency and iodine excess have no obvious effects on thyrocytes apoptosis. Proliferation can be induced by short-term iodine deficiency, not by iodine excess. Wistar rats present a strong tolerance to long-term iodine excess.

Objective To study the effects of excessive iodine intake through the meal on the expression of mRNA of placental NIS in pregnant rat and breast NIS in lactating rats. Methods Wistar rats, weaning one month, were randomly divided into three groups according to the body weights, i.e., normal iodine (NI), ten fold high iodine(10HI), one hundred fold high iodine(100HI), the ratio of female and male was 2∶1. Iodine intake of the groups were about 6.15, 61.5 and 615.0 mg/d respectively. After 3 months of treatment, the urine iodine was determined by As-Ce-catalytic spectrophotometry. The rats mated and had offspring. Their placenta and breasts were taken on the seventeenth day of pregnancy and tenth day of lactation respectively. Then NIS mRNA expression was determined by RT-PCR. Results The urine iodine increased with the increase of the iodine intake. The urine iodine and iodine intake showed the parallel magnification. Compared with the NI group,AR value of the placental NIS mRNA in 100HI group and the breast NIS mRNA in 10HI and 100HI group significantly decreased. Conclusion Excessive iodine intake may down-regulate the expression of the placental and breast NIS, which presents a protective effect on offspring.

To explore the relationship between thyroid autoantibodies and thyroid function in school children aged 8-10 years,adults,pregnant women,and lactating women in China,in order to provide reference for the prevention and monitoring of thyroid disease.Healthy 8-10 years old school children (693 cases),adults (698 cases),pregnant women(325 cases),and lactating women(332 cases) from six iodine sufficient areas were enrolled.Serum TSH,FT4,and FT3 were determined by chemiluminescent immunoassay,while antithyroid antibody by radioimmunoassay.The positive rate of thyroid autoantibodies in females was significantly higher than that in the male (5.6％ vs 2.0％ in school children,and 22.8％ vs 3.2％ in adults) ; while positive rate of autoantibodies in pregnant and lactating women (8.9％,8.7％) were significantly lower than that in the other healthy adult women (22.8％).The incidence of abnormal thyroid function in antibody-positive people was higher than that in negative ones in all groups,and abnormal thyroid function showed mainly as subclinical hypothyroidism.In addition,lactating women with negative autoantibodies presented a higher incidence of abnormal thyroid function,mainly as low FT4.The abnormal thyroid function is related with the positive thyroid autoantibodies,indicating that it is essential to follow-up these people with positive antibodies in order to facilitate prevention,early diagnosis,and treatment of thyroid disease.Reference data for thyroid hormones in lactating women should be establisbed as soon as possible.

Thyroid function ultimately depends on appropriate iodine supply to the gland. Thyroid hormone deiodination is an intrinsic component of the thyroid hormone homeostasis. Type Ⅰ iodothyronine deiodinase (D1) plays an important role in thyroid hormone metabolism and has close relationship with thyroid function. Based on successfully establishing animal models of iodine deficiency and iodine excess in Babl/c mice (Babl/c mice were randomly divided into five groups: low iodine (LI), normal iodine (NI), five-fold iodine (5HI) , ten-fold iodine (10HI) and fifty-fold iodine (50HI) group. Three months and six months after admistration, they were sacrificed and thyroids were excised), the expression level of D1 mRNA were examined by using real time quantitative PCR method. D1 activity was analyzed by 125I-rT3 as substrate combined with ion-exchange chromatography. The thyroid hormone was measured with radioimmunoassay method. The data revealed that in the case of iodine deficiency, both D1 mRNA expression and D1 activity was greatly increased(compared with NI groups, P

Objective To investigate the binding protein of chlamydiaphage phiCPG1 capsid protein Vp1 on chlamydia trachomatis outer membrane.Methods The bacterium with recombinant plasmid Vp1/pet30a( + ) was induced.The expressed protein was purified by gel recycling.FarWestern blot was utilized to' investigate the binding protein of Vp1 on chlamydial outer membrane,including recombinant polymorphic outer membrane protein (rPmp) and major outer membrane protein (MOMP).Results The recombinant protein Vp1 was successfully expressed in E.coli.Monoclonal antibody against Vp1 was used as primary antibody in Western blot,and no specific band was present,which indicated that the monoclonal antibody did not specifically bind with any rPmp.Far-Western blot results showed that there was an obvious band for the rPmpI,but no specific band for other rPmp and MOMP,which suggested that Vp1 could specifically bind with rPmpI protein on the chlamydial outer membrane of serotype D.Conclusions There is a binding site of Vp1 on the chlamydia trachomatis outer membrane.Vp1 may play an important role in the interaction between the chlamydiaphage and the chlamydiae.

Objective To set up the reference range for thyroid hormones and thyrotropin (TSH) of 8-10 years old school children in certain regions of China to provide reference criteria for diagnosis,treatment,and monitoring of thyroid diseases and related research.Methods A cross-sectional survey was conducted in primary school children aged 8-10 years from six iodine sufficient areas.664 normal school children were selected for establishing reference ranges of thyroid hormones and TSH after crucial screening through questionnaire and laboratory investigation.The serum hormone levels were determined by using chemiluminescent immunoassay (Bayer's reagents),and the reference range of each hormone was displayed as its 95％ central interval.Results The reference ranges of TSH,FT4,FT3,TT4,and TT3 were 1.03-8.42 mIU/L,13.44-20.59 pmol/L,4.75-6.96pmol/L,75.29-152.66 nmol/L,and 1.76-3.35 nmol/L,respectively.There was no significant difference in hormone levels between boys and girls.The eight years old group had slightly higher TT4 level compared with the other age groups.The rural children had higher TSH and TT3 levels and lower FT4 level than the urban children.Conclusion The thyroid hormone and TSH levels are substantially different between school children and adults.Therefore,it is necessary to establish the reference range of thyroid function indices for normal school children in order to diagnose,treat,and monitor thyroid diseases.

Objective To compare proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) levels between premenopausal and postmenopausal women,and to investigate the relationship between serum PCSK9 and metabolic factors.Methods Totally 515 women were enrolled from the study on diabetes of prediction,prevention,and intervention in Nanjing in 2009.Survey,physical examinations,and determination of related metabolic indexes were performed.Serum PCSK9 level was measured by sandwich ELISA.Results Serum PCSK9 level was positively correlated with low density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C),total cholesterol (TC),triglyceride,fasting plasma glucose,body mass index,waist-hip ratio,and age in women (all P＜0.01).PCSK9 level was significantly lower in premenopausal women than that in postmenopausal women [(58.18 ± 25.44 vs 80.91 ± 33.74) ng/ml,P ＜0.01].Conclusion Higher level of PCSK9 exists in postmenopausal women compared with premenopausal women.The level of PCSK9 is closely correlated with age,TC,and LDL-C.

ObjectiveTo investigate the effects of maternal thyroid dysfunction during pregnancy caused by iodine deficiency of different degrees on doublecortin ( DCX ) and synaptophysin ( p38 ) expressions in fetal brain.Methods Wistar female rats were randomly divided into four groups:adequate iodine ( AI),mild iodine deficiency ( MiID ),moderate iodine deficiency ( MoID ),and severe iodine deficiency ( SID ),according to the total daily iodine supply( fed on an iodine deficient diet with different dosages of KI added in drinking water).Three months later the rats were mated.Serum TSH and thyroid hormones were determined in maternal rats on gestational day 20 using chemiluminescent immunoassay.The iodine contents in urine and histological changes of thyroid gland were observed in pregnant rats.The mRNA and protein levels of DCX and synaptophysin ( p38 ) were analyzed in fetal brain by using real time quantitative RT-PCR and western blotting respectively.Results( 1 ) Iodine contents in urine of pregnant rats were reduced with the decrease of their iodine supply.Compared with group AI,serum TSH was significantly increased [ ( 2.95 ± 1.70 vs 1.31 ± 0.55 ) mU/L,P ＜ 0.05 ],and both TT4 and FT4 were significantly decreased [ ( 14.3±4.1 vs 28.4±19.3 ) nmol/L,P＜0.05 ] and [ ( 10.8±3.6 vs 20.2±8.0) pmol/L,P＜0.01 ] in pregnant rats of SID group.Whereas,a slight rise in TSH,and a mild decline in both TT4and FT4 were found in MoID and MiID groups.However,there were no significant changes in TT3 and FT3 levels among these four groups.( 2 )Histological characteristics of thyroid gland in pregnant rats showed a typical goiter with small follicular hyperplasia and lack of colloid in SID group,moderate follicular hyperplasia with decreased colloid in MoID group; but mild cellular hyperplasia without decrease in follicular size and colloid in MiID group.( 3 ) The mRNA levels of DCX were increased in fetal brains of three iodine deficiency groups compared with AI group,but a statistical significance was found in MoID group.The protein levels of DCX in all experiment groups were significantly increased.Both mRNA and protein expressions of synaptophysin ( p38 )were significantly down-regulated in three iodine deficiency groups.Conclusions Maternal thyroid dysfunction caused by iodine deficiency,even by mild or moderate iodine deficiency,may lead to retardation of fetal neuronal and synaptic growth.