The DNA demethylase genes are widespread in plants. Four DNA demethylase genes (LJDME1, LJDME2, LJDME3 and LJDME4) were obtained from transcriptome dataset of Lonicera japonica Thunb by using bioinformatics methods and the proteins' physicochemical properties they encoded were predicted. The phylogenetic tree showed that the four DNA demethylase genes and Arabidopsis thaliana DME had a close relationship. The result of gene expression model showed that four DNA demethylase genes were different between species. The expression levels of LJDME1 and LJDME2 were even more higher in Lonicera japonica var. chinensis than those in L. japonica. LJDME] and LJDME2 maybe regulate the active compounds of L. japonica. This study aims to lay a foundation for further understanding of the function of DNA demethylase genes in L. japonica.

The DNA demethylase genes are widespread in plants. Four DNA demethylase genes (LJDME1, LJDME2, LJDME3 and LJDME4) were obtained from transcriptome dataset of Lonicera japonica Thunb by using bioinformatics methods and the proteins' physicochemical properties they encoded were predicted. The phylogenetic tree showed that the four DNA demethylase genes and Arabidopsis thaliana DME had a close relationship. The result of gene expression model showed that four DNA demethylase genes were different between species. The expression levels of LJDME1 and LJDME2 were even more higher in Lonicera japonica var. chinensis than those in L. japonica. LJDME] and LJDME2 maybe regulate the active compounds of L. japonica. This study aims to lay a foundation for further understanding of the function of DNA demethylase genes in L. japonica.
Computational Biology ; DNA, Plant ; chemistry ; Genes, Plant ; Lonicera ; enzymology ; genetics ; Oxidoreductases, O-Demethylating ; genetics ; Phylogeny ; Plant Proteins ; genetics ; Transcriptome

OBJECTIVETo analysis the effects of water deficit on the transcript level of SOD, APX, DHAR and MDHAR genes in Scutellaria baicalensis.

METHODThree-month-old S. baicalensis was in glasshouse under water deficit stress, and the transcript level of SOD, APX, DHAR and MDHAR genes were analysis utilized semi-quantitative RT-PCR.

RESULTCompared with the control group, a significant decline of the transcriptional level of APX gene was observed at 70 days after water deficit. The transcript level of DHAR gene was reduced at 30 and 50 days after water deficit. And MDHARI gene was significant declined at 50 days.

CONCLUSIONAsA which is an important antioxidant plays a major role in hydrogen peroxide clear system under water deficit, and maybe have an antagonistic effect to the accumulation of baicalein.

Ascorbate Peroxidases ; genetics ; metabolism ; Ascorbic Acid ; metabolism ; Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic ; drug effects ; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant ; drug effects ; Hydrogen Peroxide ; metabolism ; NADH, NADPH Oxidoreductases ; genetics ; metabolism ; Oxidoreductases ; genetics ; metabolism ; Plant Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Scutellaria baicalensis ; enzymology ; genetics ; metabolism ; Superoxide Dismutase ; genetics ; metabolism ; Time Factors ; Water ; metabolism ; pharmacology

In order to identify Aucklandiae Radix, Vladimiriae Radix, Inulae Radix, Aristolochiae Radix and Kadsurae Radix using ITS2 barcodes, genomic DNA from sixty samples was extracted and the ITS2 (internal transcribed spacer) regions were amplified and sequenced. The genetic distances were computed using MEGA 5.0 in accordance with the kimura 2-parameter (K2P) model and the neighbor-joining (NJ) phylogenetic tree was constructed. The results indicated that for Aucklandiae Radix (Aucklandia lappa), Vladimiriae Radix (Vladimiria souliei and V. souliei var. cinerea), Inulae Radix (Inula helenium), Aristolochiae Radix (Aristolochia debilis) and Kadsurae Radix (Kadsura longipedunculata), the intra-specific variation was smaller than inter-specific one. There are 162 variable sites among 272 bp after alignment of all ITS2 sequence haplotypes. For each species, the intra-specific genetic distances were also smaller than inter-specific one. Furthermore, the NJ tree strongly supported that Aucklandiae Radix, Vladimiriae Radix, Inulae Radix, Aristolochiae Radix and Kadsurae Radix can be differentiated. At the same time, V. souliei (Dolomiaea souliei) and V. souliei var. cinerea( D. souliei var. cinerea) belonging to Vladimiriae Radix were clearly identified. In conclusion, ITS2 barcode could be used to identify Aucklandiae Radix, Vladimiriae Radix, Inulae Radix, Aristolochiae Radix and Kadsurae Radix. Our study may provide a scientific foundation for clinical safe use of the traditional Chinese medicines.
Aristolochia ; classification ; genetics ; Base Sequence ; DNA Barcoding, Taxonomic ; methods ; DNA, Plant ; genetics ; DNA, Ribosomal Spacer ; genetics ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; classification ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Phylogeny ; Plants, Medicinal ; classification ; genetics ; Quality Control

Objective To quantitatively analyze radiation-induced trismus in patients with nasopha-ryngeal carcinoma (NPC) treated by intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT), and evaluate tem-poromandibular joint (TMJ) damage. Methods Between February 2001 and October 2004, 211 NPC pa-tients were treated by IMRT, with a total dose of 68 Gy, 2.27 Gy per fraction within 31 -86 days (median, 43 days). The distances between two dens incisivus medialis (DDIM) were measured before and 6 months after IMRT and then annually thereafter. Results The overall survival at 1-, 3-, and 5-year were 97.1%, 90.7% and 79. 1%, respectively. The mean irradiation doses to TMJ were 6.18 -51.36 Gy. Grade 1 TMJ damage was observed in 5.2% patients, and grade 2 occurred in one patients who had received the second course radiotherapy because of local relapse . No grade 3 or 4 TMJ toxicity was observed . Conclusions IMRT can spare the TMJ from high dose irradiation and markedly reduce severe TMJ damage.

Objective To investigate the effect of periurethral injection of insulin-like growth factor(IGF)-Ⅰ on the expression of IGF-Ⅰ and IGF-Ⅱ mRNA during regeneration period following urethral sphincter muscle injury in female rats. Methods Model of urethral sphincter muscle injury was made in female virgin SD rats (n=50) by intravaginal balloon inflation. Then the rats were divid-ed randomly into treatment group (n= 25) and control group (n= 25), treatment group accepted peri-urethral injection of 1.0μg human IGF-Ⅱ to the middle urethral muscle, control group accepted nor-mal saline injection. Five rats in each group were sacrificed at 2, 4, 6, 8, 14 day respectively and the whole urethra specimens were processed for RT-PCR to detect the expression of IGF-Ⅰ ,Ⅱ mRNA. A normal control group (n = 5) was set without intravaginal balloon inflation and injection. Results The expression of IGF-Ⅰ mRNA in control group increased at day 4, 6, 8, 14, the IGF-Ⅰ/β-actin ra-tios were 0. 58±0.15, 1.73±0.31, 2.30±0.29, 0. 46±0. 06. The expression of IGF-Ⅰ mRNA in treatment group increased at all time points, as 0. 69±0.21, 1.45±0.17, 2.25±0.45, 2.90±0.49, 1.92±0. 31. The difference was significant on day 4, 14(P<0.01), and day 8 (P<0.05) compared with the control group. The expression of IGF-Ⅱ mRNA in control group increased at day 4, 6, 8, as 0.42±0. 14, 1.51±0. 59, 1.31±1.04. The expression of IGF-Ⅱ mRNA in treatment group in-creased at day 4, 6, 8, 14, as 1.04±0.23, 1.94±0.29, 1.75±0.41, 0. 81±0.15. The significant difference was noted on day 4 (P<0. 01)compared with the control group. No expression of IGF-Ⅰand Ⅱ mRNA in the normal control group. Conclusions The expression of endogenous IGF-Ⅰ and IGF-Ⅱ mRNA was up-regulated by periurethral injection of IGF-Ⅰ during regeneration period follow-ing urethral sphincter muscle injury in female rat. Our findings suggest that IGF-Ⅰ facilitates the re-generation of the urethral muscles and may play a role in treatment of stress urinary incontinence in-duced by urethral sphincter muscle dysfunction.

Cholangitis, Sclerosing ; diagnosis ; therapy ; Hepatitis, Autoimmune ; diagnosis ; therapy ; Humans ; Liver Cirrhosis, Biliary ; diagnosis ; therapy ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Ultrasonography

Objective To investigate the effects of B lymphocyte-induced maturation protein-1 ( Blimp-1) on the number and function of splenic lymphocytes.Methods The mice with defective Blimp-1 in T cells were generated by cross-breeding B6.Blimp-1flox/flox mice with B6.Lck-Cre mice.The mononuclear lymphocytes isolated from spleen of T cell conditional Blimp-1 knockout (Blimp-1CKO) mice and wild type ( WT) C57/B6 mice were comparatively analyzed.Alterations of CD4+T and CD8+T cell subsets, the secre-tion of cytokines as well as the expression of C-C chemokine receptor type 7 ( CCR7 ) and Sphingosine-1-phosphate receptor 1 (S1P1) in mice from the two groups were analyzed by flow cytometry.The changes of CD19+B cell subsets were also detected.Results Compared with WT mice, the total numbers of mononu-clear cells, T and B lymphocytes were all significantly increased in Blimp-1CKO mice ( P<0.05) .The ab-solute numbers of CD4+T, CD8+T and CD19+CD5+CD1d+B cells in mice form Blimp-1CKO group were higher than those of the control group (P<0.05), however, no significant differences with the percentages of these cell populations were observed between two groups.Higher numbers and percentages of CD19+CD5+B cells were detected in mice from Blimp-1CKO group (P<0.01).The Blimp-1CKO mice showed increased secretion of IFN-γ, TNF-α, IL-17 and IL-2, but decreased expression of CCR7 on CD8+T cells as com-pared with WT mice (P<0.05).No significant differences with the changes of S1P1 were found between the two groups.Conclusion Blimp-1 played an important role in the maintenance of number, phenotype and function of T cells.Furthermore, not only T cells but also B cell subsets in mice were affected by the dele-tion of Blimp-1 in T cells.

Objective To study the activated status of insula during the performance of word generation task, and to explore the function of different part of insula with functional MRI (fMRI). Methods Twenty-eight subjects were recruited in this study (male 15, female 13), all of them underwent block-designed fMRI with word generation tasks and resting-state scan. SPM 5 and REST 1.3 were used to process the data. Bilateral anterior insula and posterior insula were selected as seeds to calculate the connectivity coefficiency with other voxels, and differences between the anterior and the posterior insula were compared. Results Bilateral anterior insula was significantly activated, while bilateral posterior insula was significantly deactivated. The functional connectivity areas with left anterior insula included right anterior insula, right posterior insula, supplementary motor area (SMA), left superior temporal gyrus, left middle frontal gyrus, left superior frontal gyrus, left inferior parietal lobe, middle cingulate gyrus, right striatum and right inferior frontal gyrus. The functional connectivity areas with left posterior insula included right posterior insula, left anterior insula, right superior temporal gyrus, middle cingulate gyrus, right precentral gyrus and right striatum. The functional connectivity areas with right anterior insula included SMA, left inferior frontal gyrus, right inferior parietal lobe, left inferior parietal lobe, left superior temporal gyrus, right precentral gyrus, right striatum, middle cingulate gyrus, left middle frontal gyrus, left striatum, right middle frontal gyrus, right inferior frontal gyrus and left transverse temporal gyrus. The functional connectivity areas with right posterior insula included right precentral gyrus, left superior temporal gyrus, left anterior insula, left posterior insula, right supramarginal gyrus and middle cingulate gyrus. Conclusion Anterior insula and posterior insula are functionally connected with different areas, and concerned with the language function in different manners. Left lateral anterior insula may play an important role in the language function.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVERadiation usually results in paranasal sinusitis in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), which influences patients' quality of life. This study aimed to determine the relationships between dose distribution in the nasal cavity and nasal mucous injury in patients with NPC treated by intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT), and to find the tolerable radiation dose for the nasal mucous.

METHODSSixty-six patients with NPC treated by IMRT between October 2006 and November 2008 were enrolled. The irradiation dose in the nasal cavity was determined by the computer with the IMRT work platform. Mucociliary transport rate (MTR) was detected by modified saccharine test before IMRT, at the end of IMRT, and at 3, 6, and 12 months after IMRT.

RESULTSThe data were available for 129 nasal cavities. The cavities receiving a mean dose below or equal to 37 Gy showed substantial preservation of nasal mucous after IMRT. The MRT decreased to (62.82 ± 38.59)%, (56.78 ± 37.79)%, (64.05 ± 39.37)%, and (71.13 ± 39.55)% of pre-IMRT value at 4 time points after IMRT, with significant differences among the data (P < 0.05). In contrast, when the cavities received a mean dose higher than 37 Gy, no significant differences in MTR among the time points were observed. At 3 months after IMRT, the MTR was the lowest (38.27% of pre-RT value).

CONCLUSIONSA mean radiation dose of ≤ 37 Gy for the nasal cavity is an optimal dose to protect the nasal cavity function.

Adult ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; physiopathology ; radiotherapy ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Mucociliary Clearance ; radiation effects ; Nasal Cavity ; radiation effects ; Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms ; physiopathology ; radiotherapy ; Quality Control ; Radiotherapy Dosage ; Radiotherapy, Intensity-Modulated