OBJECTIVETo prepare the modified ZHER2V2 affibody with amino-terminal HEHEHE sequence and carboxyl-terminal GGGC sequence by gene recombinant expression,which is the basis for invasive HER2 imaging with affibody.

METHODSThe encoded affibody gene was optimized by codon preference of E. coli with gene designer software. The N-terminal of affibody was fused with HEHEHE sequence,while the C-terminal was fused with GGGC sequence. The synthetic gene was confirmed by Hind 3 endonuclease restriction and gene sequencing. The human epidermal growth factor receptor-2(HER2)affibody gene was sub-cloned into pET22b(+)plasmid and transformed into competent BL21(DE3)bacteria. The expression of modified affibody was induced with isopropyl Β-D-1-thiogalactopyranoside(IPTG)and identified by SDS-PAGE. The affibody was purified by nickel affinity binding and imidazole elution. The purified affibody was labeled with (68)Ga and its affinity was determined by saturation analysis with HER2-positive cells MDA-MB-361.

RESULTSThe affibody gene containing N-terminal HEHEHE and C-terminal GGGC sequences were confirmed by Hind 3 endonuclease restriction and gene sequencing. A newly expressed 8×10(3) protein was expressed from the induced recombinant bacteria identified by SDS-PAGE after sub-cloning HER2 affibody gene into pET22b(+)plasmid,transforming recombinant plasmid into competent BL21(DE3)bacteria and inducing the recombinant bacteria with IPTG. The expressed protein was purified from nickel agarose by 60 mmol/L imidazole eluting. The affinity Kd value of (68)Ga labeled affibody to HER2 positive MDA-MB-361 cells was 1.5 nmol/L.

CONCLUSIONThe affiibody ZHER2V2 containing N-terminal HEHEHE and C-terminal GGGC was successfully prepared by gene optimization,recombinant expression and affinity purification.

Affinity Labels ; isolation & purification ; Escherichia coli ; metabolism ; Gene Expression ; Humans ; Receptor, ErbB-2 ; genetics ; Recombinant Fusion Proteins ; biosynthesis

OBJECTIVETo analyze the associations between menopause and hypertension/isolated systolic hypertension (ISH) among rural females in Hanzhong, Shaanxi Province, China.

METHODSIn this cross-sectional study, 3030 residents were selected by stratified random sampling and investigated by questionnaire survey and physical examinations. Data of the females were analyzed to explore the impact of menopause on blood pressure by quantile regression and to investigate the associations between menopause and hypertension, ISH, and isolated distolic hypertension (IDH) by logistic regression.

RESULTSThe number of premenopausal and postmenopausal women was 965 and 998. The average age was (41.0 ± 8.07) years in the premenopausal group and (58.0±7.12) years in the postmenopausal group (P<0.001). The prevalence of hypertension among the premenopausal group and postmenopausal group was 21.9% and 49.3%, respectively. Quantiles regression analysis showed that the impact of menopause on systolic blood pressure increased as the percentile increased. The diastolic blood pressure (DBP) of the premenopausal group was significantly lower than that in the postmenopausal at q ≥ 0.40(DBP = 84 mmHg,1 mmHg = 0.133 kPa) percentile points (P<0.05), while the difference was not significant at q≤ 0.30 (DBP=80 mmHg) percentile points(P>0.05). After the potential confounders including age, education level, marriage, occupational, hyperlipidemia, family history, exercise, sleep, watching TV, smoking, passive smoking, alcohol consumption, body mass index, wealth index, waist circumference were controlled, positive associations were observed between menopause and hypertension/ISH in logistic regression models.

CONCLUSIONSMenopause is positively related with hypertension/ISH. More effective interventions should be taken to prevent hypertension and ISH among rural women.

Adult ; Aged ; Blood Pressure ; China ; epidemiology ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Female ; Humans ; Hypertension ; epidemiology ; physiopathology ; Menopause ; Middle Aged ; Rural Population ; Surveys and Questionnaires

OBJECTIVETo investigate the influence of microtubule intervention drugs on glycolytic key enzymes in myocardial cells after hypoxia.

METHODSThe primary passage of cultured myocardial cells from neonatal rats were divided into A group (with hypoxia), B group (with hypoxia and administration of l0 micromol/L colchicine), C group (with hypoxia and administration of 5 micromol/L taxol), D group (with hypoxia and administration of 10 micromol/L taxol), E group (with hypoxia and administration of 15 micromol/L taxol). The morphology of microtubule was observed with laser scanning microscope (LSM). The cell vitality was assayed by cell counting kit (CCK). The activities of hexokinase (HK), pyruvate kinase (PK), phosphofructokinase (PFK) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) were assayed with colorimetry.

RESULTSIn group B and E, the microtubule structure was damaged heavily, and the cell vitality was decreased significantly [The cell vitality was (89.99 +/- 3.47)% in B group and (84.56 +/- 6.61)% in E group, respectively, at 1.0 post hypoxia hour (PHH), and hoth values were obviously lower than that in A group (97.44 +/- 1.76)%, P < 0.01]. The HK, PK and PFK activities decreased obviously. The activities of HK, PK and PFK in group C were similar to those of the A group. Compared with that in other groups, the degree of damage of microtubule structure in D group was milden. The activities of HK, PK and PFK in D group during 0.5 - 6.0 PHH were significantly higher than those in A group. The activity of LDH in each group was increased after hypoxia.

CONCLUSIONProper concentration of microtubule-stabilizing drugs can alleviate the damages to microtubule structure, and enhance the activity of glycolytic key enzymes of myocardial cells at early stage of hypoxia.

Animals ; Cell Hypoxia ; Cells, Cultured ; Glycolysis ; drug effects ; Hexokinase ; metabolism ; L-Lactate Dehydrogenase ; metabolism ; Microtubules ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Myocytes, Cardiac ; enzymology ; metabolism ; Phosphofructokinase-1 ; metabolism ; Pyruvate Kinase ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

Aberrant expression or mutation of many genes that are essential for embryonic development, are closely associated with human diseases, one of which is SPOP (speckle type BTB/POZ protein). SPOP is an E3 ubiquitin ligase adaptor protein and mainly composed of MATH, BTB and BACK domains, which plays distinct roles to fulfill the proper function of SPOP. SPOP usually targets its substrates for degradation via the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway. More than thirty substrates of SPOP have been identified by far, most of which are associated with tumorigenesis of prostate, endometrial and kidney cancers. SPOP also plays an important role during development. Genomic loss or mutation of SPOP locus leads to postnatal lethality in mice, while de novo variants in SPOP cause neurodevelopmental disorders in children. Similarly, SPOP regulates a variety of developmental processes via targeting its substrates for degradation, including Gli2/3, PDX1, NANOG and SENP7 which are involved in neural, skeletal and pancreatic development as well as senescence. In addition, recent studies have revealed that SPOP co-localizes with its substrates into membraneless organelles such as nuclear speckles, and promotes ubiquitination and degradation of its substrates. Oligomerization of SPOP and liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) triggered by multivalent interactions between SPOP and substrates play a pivotal role in this process. BTB or BACK mutants, which are defective in SPOP oligomerization, are also defective in driving LLPS of SPOP and recruiting SPOP into membraneless organelles. In this review, we summarized and discussed the recent progress on the essential role of SPOP during development.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the influence of hypoxia induced microtubule damage on the opening of mitochondrial permeable transition pore (MPTP)of cardiac myocytes and on the decrease of respiratory function in rat.

METHODSPrimary cultured myocardial cells from 30 neonatal rats were randomized as normoxic group (A), hypoxia group (B), normoxia with microtubule destabilizing agent group (C, with treatment of 8 micromol/L colchicines for 30 minutes before normoxia), and hypoxia with microtubule stabilizing agent group (D, with treatment of 10 micromol/L taxol for 30 minutes before hypoxia). beta-tubulin immunofluorescence ,the opening of mitochondria permeability transition pore, and the mitochondrial inner membrane potential were detected at 0.5, 1, 3, 6 and 12 post-treatment hours (PTH), and the mitochondrial respiratory function was determined by MTT method. The changes in these indices were also determined in A group at the corresponding time-points.

RESULTSObvious damage of polymerized microtubule, opening of MPTP, mitochondrial inner membrane potential loss and decrease of myocardial respiratory activity were observed in both group B and C at 0.5 PTH, and they became more and more serious afterwards. However, the changes in the above indices in D group were much better than those in B group (P < 0.05 or 0.01), and no difference was found between D (92.8 +/- 4.0)% and C [(100.0 +/- 0.0) %, P > 0.05] groups.

CONCLUSIONHypoxia played a role in the myocardial microtubule damage as well as in the opening of MPTP. Moreover, hypoxia could also impair the mitochondrial respiratory function. Microtubule destabilizing agent could reproduce well the process of hypoxia induced microtubule damage, while the stabilizing agent exerted protective effect by improving the transition of mitochondrial permeability and the mitochondria respiratory function.

Animals ; Cell Hypoxia ; Cells, Cultured ; Hypoxia ; metabolism ; pathology ; Membrane Potential, Mitochondrial ; Microtubules ; pathology ; Mitochondria, Heart ; metabolism ; pathology ; Myocytes, Cardiac ; metabolism ; pathology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

OBJECTIVETo assess the association between 2 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of ETS1 gene and susceptibility to systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in a northern Chinese Han population.

METHODSTwo SNPs within the ETS1 gene mapped to 11q23 were selected based on HapMap data. Genotyping was conducted with Taqman method in 231 patients with SLE and 474 healthy controls from Qilu Hospital, Shandong and analyzed with PLINK1.07 software. Haplotypes were analyzed with SHEsis software.

RESULTSA statistically significant difference was detected in the distribution of rs1128334 and rs4937333 genotypes between the two groups (all P< 0.01). For rs1128334, the frequency of the minor allele was 0.291 and 0.428 in controls and cases, respectively. For rs4937333, the minor allele frequency was 0.381 and 0.476 in controls and cases respectively. An A-C haplotype was found to be strongly associated with increased risk for SLE, while another haplotype G-C may reduce this risk.

CONCLUSIONOur study has suggested that rs1128334 and rs4937333 are strongly associated with the risk for SLE in northern Chinese Han population.

3' Untranslated Regions ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; ethnology ; genetics ; Female ; Genetic Association Studies ; Humans ; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic ; ethnology ; genetics ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide ; Proto-Oncogene Protein c-ets-1 ; genetics ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo investigate the imaging potential and biodistribution in vivo of a novel positron imaging agent,2-[(18)F]fluoropropionic,in breast cancer-bearing mice. Methods: 2-[(18)F]fluoropropionic acid (7.4-11.1 MBq)was injected into the breast cancer-bearing mice via tail vein,followed by micro positron emission tomography at 60 min and 120 min.The radioactivity per volume (Bq/ml) in organs was transferred to percentage injected dose per gram(% ID/g)by Inveon Research software and the biodistribution of 2-[(18)F]fluoropropionic acid in organs was deduce.The same operations were done with (18)F-FDG.

RESULTS2-[(18)F]fluoropropionic acid was mainly distributed in the urinary bladder,intestine,and liver between 60 min to 120 min.The breast cancer at right flank was visualized clearly,and the radioactivity uptake was (13.74±1.97)% ID/g and (14.84±1.06)% ID/g,respectively,at these two time points (P=0.454).The radioactivity uptakes in muscle and brown tissue were relatively low.The radioactivity uptake of (18)F-FDG was (10.27±2.34)% ID/g at the breast cancer 60 min after injection,and radioactivity uptake of the brown fat on the back was obvious.

CONCLUSIONSPositron imaging agent 2-[(18)F]fluoropropionic acid can be used to image breast cancer.It may be applied in the noninvasive imaging of breast cancer in clinical settings.

Animals ; Breast Neoplasms ; Fluorodeoxyglucose F18 ; Mice ; Positron-Emission Tomography ; Tissue Distribution

OBJECTIVETo investigate the influence of microtubule depolymerization of myocardial cells on distribution and activity of mitochondria, and energy metabolism of cells in adult rats.

METHODSMyocardial cells of SD adult rats and SD suckling rats were isolated and cultured. They were divided into adult and suckling rats control groups (AC and SC, normally cultured without any stimulating factor), adult and suckling rats microtubule depolymerization agent groups (AMDA and SMDA, cultured with 8 micromol/L colchicine containing nutrient solution for 30 minutes) according to the random number table. (1) The expression of polymerized beta tubulin in myocardial cells of adult and suckling rats was detected with Western blot. (2) Myocardial cells of rats in AC and AMDA groups were collected. The expression of cytochrome c was detected with Western blot. Distribution of voltage-dependent anion channels (VDAC) and polymerized beta tubulin in myocardial cells were observed with immunofluorescent staining. Mitochondrial inner membrane potential was determined with immunocytochemical method. Activity of myocardial cells was detected with MTT method. Contents of ATP, adenosine diphosphate (ADP), and adenosine monophosphate (AMP) and energy charge of cells were determined with high performance liquid chromatography.

RESULTS(1) The expression of polymerized beta tubulin:in AMDA group it was 0.52 + or - 0.07, which was obviously lower than that (1.25 + or - 0.12) in AC group (F = 31.002, P = 0.000); in SMDA group it was 0.76 + or - 0.12, which was significantly lower than that (1.11 + or - 0.24) in SC group (F = 31.002, P = 0.000), but was obviously higher than that in AMDA group (F = 31.002, P = 0.009). (2) The expression of cytochrome c in AC group was 0.26 + or - 0.03, which was obviously lower than that (1.55 + or - 0.13) in AMDA group (t = -24.056, P = 0.000). (3) Immunofluorescent staining result: in AC group, microtubules of myocardial cells were in linear tubiform, distributed in parallel with myocardial fiber; VDAC staining result showed that mitochondria were in granular form, distributed in the same direction as microtubules. In AMDA group, the normal distribution regularity of microtubules was destroyed, with weakened immune fluorescence intensity, microtubules structure indistinct, continuity lost, rough in appearance, and the distribution of mitochondria became disrupted. (4) Mitochondrial inner membrane potential in AC group fluorescent intensity was 1288 + or - 84, which was obviously higher than that (331 + or - 27) in AMDA group (t = 26.508, P = 0.000). (5) Cellular activity: in AC group absorbance value was 1.75 + or - 0.11, which was obviously lower than that (0.81 + or - 0.07) in AMDA group (t = 17.348, P = 0.000). (6) Energy metabolism: compared with those in AC group, content of ATP decreased, contents of ADP and AMP increased, and ATP/ADP value and energy charge decreased in AMDA group.

CONCLUSIONSMicrotubules and mitochondria distribute in the same direction in normal myocardial cells in adult rats. After microtubule depolymerization, mitochondria are arranged in disorder fashion; cytochrome c leaks from mitochondria; mitochondrial membrane potential, energy supply, and cellular activity decrease in the myocardial cells.

Animals ; Cells, Cultured ; Energy Metabolism ; Male ; Membrane Potential, Mitochondrial ; Microtubules ; metabolism ; Mitochondria, Heart ; metabolism ; Myocytes, Cardiac ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Tubulin ; metabolism

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the clinical treatment outcomes and the changes of the outcomes over time in extremely preterm twins in Guangdong Province, China. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed for 269 pairs of extremely preterm twins with a gestational age of <28 weeks who were admitted to the department of neonatology in 26 grade A tertiary hospitals in Guangdong Province from January 2008 to December 2017. According to the admission time, they were divided into two groups: 2008-2012 and 2013-2017. Besides, each pair of twins was divided into the heavier infant and the lighter infant subgroups according to birth weight. The perinatal data of mothers and hospitalization data of neonates were collected. The survival rate of twins and the incidence rate of complications were compared between the 2008-2012 and 2013-2017 groups. RESULTS: Compared with the 2008-2012 group, the 2013-2017 group (both the heavier infant and lighter infant subgroups) had lower incidence rates of severe asphyxia and smaller head circumference at birth (P<0.05). The mortality rates of both of the twins, the heavier infant of the twins, and the lighter infant of the twins were lower in the 2013-2017 group compared with the 2008-2012 group (P<0.05). Compared with the 2008-2012 group, the 2013-2017 group (both the heavier infant and lighter infant subgroups) had lower incidence rates of pulmonary hemorrhage, patent ductus arteriosus (PDA), periventricular-intraventricular hemorrhage (P-IVH), and neonatal respiratory distress syndrome (NRDS) and a higher incidence rate of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS There is a significant increase in the survival rate over time in extremely preterm twins with a gestational age of <28 weeks in the 26 grade A tertiary hospitals in Guangdong Province. The incidences of severe asphyxia, pulmonary hemorrhage, PDA, P-IVH, and NRDS decrease in both the heavier and lighter infants of the twins, but the incidence of bronchopulmonary dysplasia increases. With the improvement of diagnosis and treatment, the multidisciplinary collaboration between different fields of fetal medicine including prenatal diagnosis, obstetrics, and neonatology is needed in the future to jointly develop management strategies for twin pregnancy.
Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia/epidemiology* ; Female ; Gestational Age ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Extremely Premature ; Infant, Newborn ; Pregnancy ; Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Newborn/epidemiology* ; Retrospective Studies ; Treatment Outcome

Hd-Zip, a unique transcription factor in plant kingdom, influences the growth, development, and secondary metabolism of plants. Hd-zip Ⅳ is thought to play an important role in trichome development of Schizonepeta tenuifolia. This study aims to explore the functions of StHD1 and StHD8 in Hd-zip Ⅳ subfamily in peltate glandular trichome development. To be specific, the expression patterns of the two genes and interaction between the proteins encoded by them were analyzed based on transcriptome sequencing and two-hybrid screening. The subcellular localization was performed and functions of the genes were verified in tobacco and S. tenuifolia. The results showed that StHD1 and StHD8 had high similarity to HD-Zip Ⅳ proteins of other plants and they all had the characteristic conserved domains of HD-Zip Ⅳ subfamily. They were located in the nucleus. The two genes mainly expressed in young tissues and spikes, and StHD1 and StHD8 proteins interacted with each other. The density and length of glandular trichomes increased significantly in tobacco plants with the overexpression of StHD1 and StHD8. Inhibiting the expression of StHD1 and StHD8 by VIGS(virus-induced gene silencing) in S. tenuifolia resulted in the reduction in the density of peltate glandular trichomes, the expression of key genes related to mono-terpene synthesis, and the relative content of limonene and pulegone, the main components of monoterpene. These results suggested that StHD1 and StHD8 of S. tenuifolia formed a complex to regulate glandular trichomes and affect the biosynthesis of monoterpenes.
Trichomes/metabolism* ; Lamiaceae/genetics* ; Tobacco/genetics* ; Monoterpenes/metabolism* ; Cloning, Molecular ; Plant Proteins/metabolism* ; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant