Levothyroxine monotherapy for primary hypothyroidism has gratifying effects.Doctor should recommend the optimal timing of taking levothyroxine to patients for individualized therapy according to the medical history,the pharmacokinetic characteristics of levothyroxine,and various factors affecting its absorption.After reaching the therapeutic goal,most of patients could live,study,work,marry,and bear as healthy subjects.

Thyroid cancer is the most frequent endocrine malignancy. The histologic subtype of thyroid carcinoma is mainly differentiated thyroid carcinoma. The treatment modality of thyroidectomy followed by 131I and thyroxine-suppressive therapy has been approved and applied widely. A brief introduction and a commentary on this topic is presented in this article.

Japan 3·11 Fukushima nuclear accident releases a huge amount of radioiodine-131 and attracts public concern with it. This article discusses the feature of radioiodine-131 and the use of potassium iodide in nuclear accident.The potassium iodide has a good role in protecting thyroid.It should pay attention on taking time and dosage based on instruction issued by public health authority.

Objective To clarify the combined ability of viral macrophage inflammatory protein (vMIP) to receptors through comparison research of vMIP binding to chemokine receptors of peripheral blood macrophages(PBMCs). Methods Combined ability of vMIP to receptors was measured with radioligand assay and identified with saturation, kinetic and specificity analyses. Results Kd is 11.1 nmol/L to human receptors of PBMC and 14.3 nmol/L to monkey receptors. The IC50 is 3.4 nmol/L to CCR5 and 4.5 nmol/L to CXCR4. Conclusion vMIP has high affinity with receptors and high specificity to CCR5 and CXCR4.This may be of great significance in the prevention and treatment of inflammation and HIV infection.

Objective To investigate regeneration and repair effect after ChABC,GDNF and Nogo-A Ab combination treatment for experimental spinal cord injury model.Methods Rat (T7-8 )complete spinal cord injury crosscutting animal model was established.The SD rats were randomly divided into 6 groups:normal group, sham operation group,simple transection group,A (ChABC)group,G (GDNF)group,N (Nogo-A antibody) group,and AGN (ChABC+GDNF+Nogo-A antibody)group.At 24 w after spinal cord injury,BDA tracer,NF-200,GAP-43,and GFAP immunohistochemistry were evaluated.Results BDA tracer of A group,G group and N group showed dye light,the proximal end of damaged zone showed the blue tracer particles,while damaged zone showed few blue regenerated nerve fibers.AGN group showed visible blue nerve fibers through the damaged zone and the distal segment in the damaged zone;the central zone of injury vacuolar degeneration showed the blue dyed fibers.NF-200 immunohistochemical staining showed NF-positive staining in A group,AGN was stronger than that in control group and simple transection group (P <0.05),AGN group than G group,N group significantly increased (P <0.05).GAP-43 positive staining in A group and AGN treatment group was stronger than in control group and simple transection group (P <0.05),AGN group significantly increased compared with A,G and N groups (P <0.05).GFAP positive staining in control group and simple transection group was stronger than in each treatment group (P <0.05),but A group,G group,N group and AGN group showed no significant differences (P > 0.05 ).SEP wave was detected in control group and AGN group,while the latency time was longer in AGN group than in control group.Conclusion ChABC,GDNF,and anti-Nogo-A antibody used alone or in combination can improve spinal cord injury and nerve cell function,and the joint application could improve regeneration after spinal cord injury than any monotherapy.

Objective To observe the influence of recombinant human thyrotropin(rhTSH)on serum concentration of endogenous thyrotropin(TSH), free triiodothyronine(FT3), free thyroxine(FT4), thyroglobulin antibody(TGAb), and thyroglobulin(Tg). To evaluate the efficacy of rhTSH-aided radioiodine treatment in patients with differentiated thyroid carcinoma(DTC). Methods The study recruitment took place between November 2007 and March 2009. 62 patients(including 45 females)with biopsy confirmed DTC had undergone total or nearly total thyroidectomy, and received 131I treatment. 31 patients(including 22 females), median age of 45 years(23-72), received radioiodine treatment 4 weeks after L-thyroxine(T4)withdrawal. The other 31 patients(including 23 females), median age of 44 years(14-70), underwent rhTSH-aided radioiodine treatment. Before and after rhTSH injection, serum TSH, FT3, FT4, TGAb, and thyroglobulin were tested. Post-radiotherapy whole body scan was performed 5 to 7 days after radioiodine treatment and qualitatively and blindly evaluated by two nuclear medicine physicians. Follow-up took place 6 to 12 months after radioiodine treatment. The efficacy of rhTSH-aided radioiodine treatment was evaluated by whole body scan with diagnostic dose radioiodine. SPSS 13.0 statistical software was applied. Results (1)Before and after rhTSH-aided radioiodine treatment, the serum TSH was(1.08±4.01)vs(140.26±27.20)mIU/L(P＜0.05), thyroglobulin(23.75±132.92)vs(169.58±178.49)μg/L(P＜0.05), FT3(4.52±1.16)vs(4.42±1.11)pmol/L(P＞0.05), and FT4(15.09±5.83)vs(13.66±5.85)pmol/L(P＞0.05),respectively.(2)rhTSH-aided radioiodine ablation treatment had the same effect as L-T4withdrawal aided. The complete response ratio was 77.4% vs 71.0%(P＞0.05)by radioiodine whole body scan of diagnostic dose. Conclusion rhTSH-aided radioiodine treatment of DTC was effective and safe, and did at least at equivalent degree as did L-T4withdrawal. Furthermore, Serum thyroglobulin level could be effectively stimulated by rhTSH with tumor relapse or metastasis.

OBJECTIVETo explore the effect and mechanism of autophagy specific gene Beclin-1 in gastric cancer cell SGC7901 on vasculogenic mimicry (VM) forming ability.

METHODSPlasmid vectors with and without integrated shRNA were transfected respectively into SGC7901 cell line (Beclin1-inhibited group and negative control group). Simple SGC7901 cell line was used as blank group. RT-PCR and Western blot were performed to examine the expression of Beclin-1 in 3 groups. Culture was used to construct the VM model in vitro. Different VM forming ability was measured and genes (beclin-1, notch-1) expression of each group was detected before and after VM formation.

RESULTSBeclin-1 and notch-1 expression increased significantly in the process of VM forming. When beclin-1 was inhibited, the formation of VM was limited and VM formative genes expression decreased. As compared to cells of negative control group, those of Beclin1-inhibited group had less number of VM forming cellular tube-like construction (15.4±1.1 vs. 37.8±1.9, P<0.05), shorter length of such construction [(316.8±24.6) mm vs. (385.1±14.2) mm, P<0.05], and less crossing point (11.6±1.1 vs. 27.2±1.1, P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONSBeclin-1 can promote VM formation through maintaining stable expression of gastric cancer cell VM regulating genes. Beclin-1 inhibition may be a new target for gastric cancer gene therapy.

Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins ; metabolism ; Autophagy ; Beclin-1 ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Genetic Vectors ; Humans ; Membrane Proteins ; metabolism ; RNA, Small Interfering ; Stomach Neoplasms ; blood supply ; metabolism ; Transfection

OBJECTIVETo construct pBIFC-VN173-CXCR4 and pBIFC-VC155-NT21MP eukaryotic expression plasmids and to investigate the interaction of chemokine receptor 4 (CXCR4) and viral macrophage inflammatory protein-II(vMIP-II) N terminal 21 peptides (NT21MP) in living cells.

METHODSDNA fragment encoding NT21MP was chemically synthesized and inserted into BiFC eukaryotic expression vector pBIFC-VC155. The full length of CXCR4 DNA fragment was amplified by RT-PCR from SKBR (3) cells and inserted into BiFC eukaryotic expression plasmid pBIFC-VN173. Two recombinant vectors were identified by restriction enzyme digestion and DNA sequencing. The recombinant vectors were cotransfected into Africa green monkey kidney fibroblast COS-7 cells by using Lipofectamine 2000. The interaction of NT21MP and CXCR4 was detected by bimolecular fluorescence complementation (BiFC) assay.

RESULTSThe restriction enzyme digestion and DNA sequences and open read frames of two vectors were consistent with experiment design. The BiFC plasmids were successfully cotransfected into the target cells and expressed. The strong BiFC signals were detected in pBIFC-VN173-CXCR4 and pBIFC-VC155-NT21MP cotransfected cells and the fluorescence signal was located in the cytoplasm.

CONCLUSIONThe eukaryotic expression plasmids for BiFC assay are successfully constructed. The interaction of NT21MP and CXCR4 in living cells can be detected by using this technology.

Animals ; COS Cells ; Cercopithecus aethiops ; Chemokines ; genetics ; Cloning, Molecular ; Female ; Genetic Vectors ; Humans ; Plasmids ; genetics ; Receptors, CXCR4 ; genetics ; Transfection ; Tumor Cells, Cultured

OBJECTIVETo investigate the role of long non-coding RNA growth arrest-specific transcript 5 (lncRNA-GAS5) in breast cancer progression and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of the cancer cells.

METHODSReal-time quantitative PCR (qRT-PCR) was used to detect the expression of lncRNA-GAS5 in 37 pairs of breast cancer and adjacent non-tumor tissues and in parental MCF-7 cells and paclitaxel-resistant MCF-7 (MCF-7/PR) cells, and the correlation of lncRNA-GAS5 expression with the clinical stage and lymph node metastasis of breast cancer was investigated. The expressions of the genes related with cell cycle and EMT at both the mRNA and protein levels were detected using qRT-PCR, Western blotting and immunohistochemistry. The changes in the biological behaviors and morphology of breast cancer cells with either lncRNA-GAS5 knockdown or overexpression were observed. Nude mouse models were established bearing breast cancer xenografts derived from MCF-7/PR cells or MCF-7/PR cells over-expressing lncRNA-GAS5, and the inhibitory effect of paclitaxel on tumor growth was evaluated.

RESULTSThe transcriptional levels of lncRNA-GAS5 were significantly lower in breast cancer tissues than in the adjacent non-tumor tissues (P<0.05), and decreased lncRNA-GAS5 expression was significantly correlated with TNM stage and lymph node metastasis of breast cancer (P<0.05). lncRNA-GAS5 expression was also significantly lowered in paclitaxel-resistant breast cancer cells and showed a positive correlation with P21 expression and a negative correlation with CDK6. MCF-7 cells during EMT presented with a lowered expression of lncRNA-GAS5, whereas lncRNA-GAS5 over-expression strongly suppressed MCF-7/PR cell migration and invasion, and increased the susceptibility of the cells to paclitaxel. In the tumor-bearing nude mouse models, lncRNA-GAS5 overexpression in the tumor cells obviously enhanced the inhibitory effect of paclitaxel on tumor growth and lung metastasis by reversing the EMT marker proteins.

CONCLUSIONA decreased expression of lncRNA-GAS5 promotes lung metastasis of breast cancer by inducing EMT, suggesting the potential of lncRNA-GAS5 as a therapeutic target in breast cancer.

OBJECTIVETo measurement the vertebra morphology using multi-planar reformations method of multi-slice spiral CT (MSCT) in AIS girls, and To compare with age and gender-matched controls in order to affirm the morphology results of abnormal development of the anterior and posterior elements in AIS.

METHODSThoracic and lumbar spine multi-slice spiral CT was undertaken on 52 girls with AIS between the age of 10 and 18 years from June 2004 to May 2008 in Peking Union Medical College Hospital and Beijing Shijitan Hospital, and 54 age and gender-matched non-IS controls. Multiple measurements (including the anterior column and posterior column) of each thoracic and lumbar vertebra were obtained using the 3D-MPR technique. The patients and control were divided into 10-14 years old group and 15-18 years old group. The corresponding vertebral anterior height, vertebral posterior height, transverse distance, vertebra central width, vertebra anterior-posterior distance, area of pedicle, pedicle height, pedicle width, and upper-lower facet distance were compared.

RESULTSCompared with the controls, the 10-14 years old group girls' spine had longer anterior column height, relative shorter posterior column (there are difference from thoracic 2-11 and lumbar 1-3, P < 0.05), relative longer anterior-posterior vertebral distance, vertebral wedging changes in vertebral, distinct vertebral and pedicle asymmetry on the concave and convex side, and upper-lower facet distance asymmetry on the concave and convex side. The difference between the anterior and the posterior column ratio was significantly different from that in the controls (P < 0.01). But there hadn't the same difference in 15 - 18 years old group.

CONCLUSIONSThere are differences in coronal plane vertebra wedging changes in AIS patient. There are high vertebra height, relative shorter posterior column, relative longer anterior-posterior vertebral distance, and relative slender vertebra in 10 - 14 years old AIS patients. This may lead to the initial and progression of scoliosis.

Adolescent ; Case-Control Studies ; Child ; Female ; Humans ; Lumbar Vertebrae ; diagnostic imaging ; Scoliosis ; diagnostic imaging ; surgery ; Thoracic Vertebrae ; diagnostic imaging ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed