It was constructed that a genomic DNA library from Lactobacillus sp. MD-1 yielding D, L-lactic acid. The gene encoding L-lactate dehydrogenase (L-LDH) was cloned from the genomic library of strain MD-1 by complementation in E. coli FMJ144 which was lactate dehydrogenase and pyruvate-formate lyase double defective mutant. The nucleotide sequence of the ldhL gene predicted a protein of 316 amino acid starting with ATG. The putative molecular weight of the L-LDH amino acid sequence was 33.84kD. A putative typical promoter (-35 and -10 boxes) had been observed in the 5' noncoding region. An rho-independent transcriptional terminator has been observed in the 3' noncoding region. Three highly conserved regions (Gly13 approximately Asp50, Asp73 approximately Ileul00 and Asn123 approximately Arg154) with several conserved residues had been identified. Gly13 approximately Asp50 was NADH-binding site domain. Asp73 approximately Ileu100 and Asn123 approximately Arg154 were reported to be the active site domains. The ldhL and the L-LDH of Lactobacillus sp. MD-1 showed the low identity and similarity with other Lactobacilli, and the highest percentage were 61.9% and 68.9% respectively. All the above indicated this gene is a novel ldhL.
Amino Acid Sequence ; Base Sequence ; Cloning, Molecular ; L-Lactate Dehydrogenase ; chemistry ; genetics ; physiology ; Lactobacillus ; genetics ; Molecular Sequence Data

Background and purpose:Urothelial carcinoma of the bladder (UCB) is the most common cancer in urinary system. Yes associated protein (YAP) gene is closely associated with urothelial carcinoma of the bladder. The study was aimed to explore the effect of siRNA targeting the YAP gene on cell proliferation and migration of T24 cells. Methods:Small interfering RNA (siRNA) was transfected together with LipofectamineTM2000 in T24 human bladder cancer cells to block the YAP signal pathway. The effect of siRNA on cell proliferation and invasiveness was assessed by cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assay, Transwell migration assay and wound healing assay. Quantitative real time-Polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and Western blot analysis were used to conifrm the successful suppression of YAP gene and protein by siRNA. Results:Expression of YAP gene and protein was successfully suppressed after transfected with siRNA which verified by qRT-PCR and Western blot(RNA:F=93.91, P<0.000 1; Protein: F=4.62, P<0.05). As CCK-8 test showed, the proliferation of T24 bladder cancer cells was successfully restrained by inhibition of YAP gene compared with blank control and negative control(12 h: F=6.00, P=0.037;24 h: F=41.72, P=0.000 3;36 h:F=462.8, P<0.000 1;48 h:F=236.6, P<0.000 1;72 h:F=140.5, P<0.000 1). Transwell and wound healing test were performed after YAP gene was interfered by siRNA. The result demonstrated that migration of T24 bladder cancer cells was signiifcantly inhibited (Transwell: F=43.55, P<0.05;Wound healing: F=43.55, P<0.05). Conclusion:This study suggested that YAP gene was an important enhancer for the proliferation and migration of bladder cancer cells.

ABSTRACT:OBJECTIVE To investigate the role of connexin proteins (Cx), which form gap junctions (GJ), in progression and chemotherapeutic sensitivity of cervical cancer (CaCx). METHODS We analyze the expression of Cx26, Cx30, Cx32 and Cx43 in human specimens consisting of: Normal cervix (n=78), CaCx FIGO stage Ⅰ (n=148), CaCx FIGO stage Ⅱ (n=165). InCaCx cell lines, Hela- Cx32 (induced expression by doxycycline), C- 33A (endogenously express Cx32) and siHa (transiently transfected plasmid with Cx32), we detected the role of Cx32 against tostreptonigrin/cisplatin-induced apopotosisin presence or absence of functional GJ through using GJ inhibitors or low density cultural.Furtherly, we observed the relativity of Cx32 and EGFR expression in human specimens. Also, we detected the role of EGFR signaling pathway in the process of Cx32 anti-apoptosis through suppressed EGFR expression by inhibitors or siRNA sequences in cell lines. RESULTS We firstly demonstrated the expression of Cx32 was highly upregulated and accumulated in cytoplasm in the CaCx specimens, and the degree of upregulation correlated with advanced FIGO stages. Thus,in three human cervical cell lines, Cx32 was shown to suppress apoptosis when GJ formation is inhibited. No matter in cases of CaCx or cell lines, Cx32 expression was highly correlated with expression of EGFR and the EGFR pathway is an essential component of the Cx32-induced anti-apoptotic effect. CONCLUSION Cx32, traditionally tumor suppressive protein, was shown to be tumor protective against chemotherapy through EGFR pathway in a GJ-independent way.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of two histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors, valproic acid (VPA) and TSA, on the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and its receptor KDR of the leukemia cell line Kasumi-1 cells, and to explore their potential mechanism in leukemia angiogenesis.

METHODKasumi-1 cells were treated with VPA and TSA at different concentrations for 3 days. The mRNA and protein expression levels of VEGF and KDR were determined by semi-quantitative RT-PCR and Western blot, and the bFGF mRNA by semi-quantitative RT-PCR.

RESULTSAs compared with that of control groups, VPA at 3 mmol/L downregulated the VEGF mRNA expression level for VEGF(121) from 0.632 ± 0.014 to 0.034 ± 0.004 and for VEGF(165) from 0.526 ± 0.021 to 0.015 ± 0.001, for KDR mRNA from 0.258 ± 0.034 to 0.038 ± 0.000, and for bFGF mRNA from 0.228 ± 0.017 to 0.086 ± 0.015. TSA downregulated the VEGF mRNA and KDR mRNA at concentration of 100 nmol/L, but its effect on bFGF mRNA only at higher concentration.

CONCLUSIONHDAC inhibitors might inhibit the leukemia angiogenesis by regulating the expression of VEGF and its recptor.

Angiogenesis Inducing Agents ; Cell Line ; Histone Deacetylase Inhibitors ; pharmacology ; Humans ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; Valproic Acid ; pharmacology ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A

OBJECTIVETo observe the effect of octreotide (OCT) on inhibiting hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and investigate its mechanisms.

METHODSNude mice bearing xenografts in situ were treated with OCT or saline control for 7 weeks since tumor implantation. The immunohistochemistry for somatostatin receptor 2 (SSTR2), cMet, transforming growth factor beta1 (TGFbeta1), phospho-Smad2, Smad4 and Smad7 was performed. SSTR2 and Smad4 mRNA expression was measured by semi-quantitative RT-PCR.

RESULTSAfter OCT treatment, the mean tumor weight in mice given OCT (0.17 +/- 0.14 g) was significantly lower than that of the control group (0.53 +/- 0.06 g). The inhibition rate of tumor was 67.9%. mRNA and protein expression of SSTR2, Smad4 in tumor cells of the treatment group were significantly more than that of the control group. cMet expression in OCT group was remarkably lower than that in control group. Between two groups, the expression of TGFbeta1, phospho-Smad2 and Smad7 were not remarkably different. In addition, phospho-Smad2 expression in HCC was significantly less than that of the normal hepatic cell.

CONCLUSIONOCT can inhibit the growth of HCC xenografts markedly. The mechanisms of OCT-induced inhibition effect may be related to up-regulating SSTR2 expression, down-regulating cMet, and recovering the function of TGFbeta/Smads-induced antitumor. In addition, the decreased expression of phospho-Smad2 may be an important feature of Bel7402 cells.

Animals ; Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms, Experimental ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; pathology ; Mice ; Mice, Nude ; Neoplasm Transplantation ; Octreotide ; therapeutic use ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-met ; biosynthesis ; Receptors, Somatostatin ; biosynthesis ; Smad2 Protein ; biosynthesis ; Transforming Growth Factor beta ; biosynthesis

OBJECTIVETo investigate the changes in transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-beta1)/Smads signaling pathway in rats with chemical hepatocarcinogenesis.

METHODSFresh diethylnitrosamine (DENA) solution was administered in SD rats to induce hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The protein expressions of TGF-beta1, phosphorylated Smad2, Smad4 and Smad7 were detected in these rats with immunohistochemistry, and the mRNA expression of Smad4 was evaluated with RT-PCR.

RESULTSCirrhotic nodules occurred in the rats 8 weeks after DENA treatment, and HCC nodules were found 16 weeks after the treatment. In the normal liver tissue, very low levels of TGF-beta1 and Smad4 expressions, low Smad7 expression and high phosphorylated Smad2 expression were detected. The development of liver cirrhosis was accompanied by increased expressions of TGF-beta1, Smad4 and Smad7 but at 8 weeks after DENA treatment, the expression of phosphorylated Smad2 was significantly decreased, followed then by gradual increment till nearly the normal level. Twenty-two weeks after DENA treatment, Smad4 expression in liver tissue decreased markedly as compared with the levels at 8 and 16 weeks. The expressions of Smad4 and phosphorylated Smad2 in the HCC tissue was significantly lower than those in normal liver tissue.

CONCLUSIONHepatocarcinogenesis involves very complex mechanisms, can can be related partially to the decreased Smad4 and phosphorylated Smad2 expression and TGFbeta1 and Smad7 overexpression in advanced stage of liver cirrhosis.

Animals ; Diethylnitrosamine ; Liver Neoplasms, Experimental ; chemically induced ; metabolism ; pathology ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Signal Transduction ; Smad2 Protein ; metabolism ; Smad4 Protein ; metabolism ; Smad7 Protein ; metabolism ; Transforming Growth Factor beta1 ; genetics ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo investigate in vivo inhibitory effect of histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor valproic acid (VPA) on xenografted Kasumi-1 tumor in nude mice and its mechanism.

METHODSXenografted Kasumi-1 tumor mouse model was established by subcutaneous inoculation of Kasumi-1 cells. Xenotransplanted nude mice were assigned into control or VPA treatment groups. Volume of the xenografted tumors was measured and compared between the two groups. Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase biotin-dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) was applied to detection of tumor cell apoptosis. The gene expression of GM-CSF, HDAC1, Ac-H3 and survivin was studied with semi-quantitative RT-PCR and Western blotting. ChIP method was used to assay the effects of VPA on acetylation of histone H3 within GM-CSF promoter region.

RESULTS(1) VAP significantly inhibited xenografted Kasumi-1 tumor growth. The calculated inhibition rate was 57.25%. (2) Morphologic study showed that VPA induced differentiation and apoptosis of Kasumi-1 tumor cells. The apoptosis index of VAP treatment group [(3.661 +/- 0.768)%] was significantly higher than that of control group [(0.267 +/- 0.110)%]. (3) Comparing to those in control group, the level of nuclear HDAC1 protein was significantly decreased, the Ac-H3 protein expression level was increased, the mRNA and protein expression levels of GM-CSF and acetylation of histone H3 were remarkably increased, and the gene expression level of survivin significantly decreased in VPA treatment group.

CONCLUSIONVAP significantly inhibits xenografted Kasumi-1 tumor growth and induces tumor cell differentiation and apoptosis. The mechanism may be decrease of survivin gene expression, inhibition of nuclear expression of HDAC, promotion of histone protein acetylation level and acetylation of histone H3 within GM-CSF promoter region, and increase of GM-CSF transcription.

Animals ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Histone Deacetylase Inhibitors ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Mice ; Mice, Nude ; Valproic Acid ; pharmacology ; Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the diagnostic value and safety of flexible bronchoscopy in congenital great vessel diseases complicated with airway compression.

METHODThe medical records of patients with great vessels abnormalities who were admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) from October 2005 to June 2009 were retrospectively reviewed; 34 cases were diagnosed as airway compression by flexible bronchoscopy, 10 cases as vascular ring, 24 cases as aortal arch obstruction. The age of the patients was 6 d - 11 m, body weight 2.2 - 8.7 kg [(4.6 +/- 1.4) kg]. Recorded airway abnormalities detected by bronchoscopy and CT, cardiac vascular defects and airway compression were consistent with the findings on operation. The relation between the airway compression and cardiac vascular abnormalities, treatment of the airway compression and outcome were analysed.

RESULTBronchoscopic assessment was successfully performed in NICU or operating room for all the patients. (1) Initial presentation of the 34 cases were tachypnea, stridor, refractory lung infection and prolonged mechanical ventilation. (2) Extrinsic compression was found in all the 10 cases with vascular ring by bronchoscopy initially which indicated vascular ring, airway compression was mainly of lower part of trachea. Diagnosis of 9 cases was consistent with CT diagnosis and in 1 case the diagnosis was confirmed by surgery; among these cases, 7 had congenital tracheal stenosis. (3) In the 24 cases with aortic obstructive lesion, 5 were detected to have tracheal stenosis by CT before correction of vascular abnormality, among whom one case was indicated to have tracheal stenosis by bronchoscopy, the other 19 cases were found with airway compression by bronchoscopy during or after vascular correction. Among the 24 cases, 21 had left main bronchial stenosis, 2 had congenital tracheal stenosis. Airway compression diagnosed by bronchoscopy agreed with the findings of CT. Two cases developed transient decrease of oxygen saturation, 5 cases developed transient tachycardia.

CONCLUSIONFlexible bronchoscopy plays an important role in assessment of the airway compression complicated with great vessel abnormalities. Bronchoscopy is an accurate, convenient, safe and rapid way for airway assessment, but further examination of the peripheral structure and vascular malformation need combined examination with CT.

Airway Obstruction ; diagnosis ; etiology ; Bronchoscopy ; methods ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Male ; Retrospective Studies ; Vascular Malformations ; complications ; diagnosis

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the results of treatment of infants with congenital hypothyroidism (CH) with a low initial dosage of levothyroxine.

METHODS138 newborns with primary CH detected by neonatal screening were divided into 3 groups according to levels of serum TSH, TT(3) and TT(4): sub-clinical CH (TSH >50 mU/L), mild CH (TT(4) <54 nmol/L), severe CH (TT(4)<54 nmol/L and TT(3)<1.2 nmol/L). The initial dose of levothyroxine was (3.5 +/-1.0) microg/(kg.d) for sub-clinical CH group, (4.3 +/-0.7)microg/(kg.d) for mild CH group and (4.7 +/- 0.6)microg/(kg.d) for severe CH group. Follow-up evaluation was carried out at 1, 2 and 3 months of age by measuring serum levels of TT(3), TT(4) and TSH. The time, when clinical signs and symptoms were eliminated and serum levels of TT(3), TT(4) and TSH normalized, was recorded. Development Quotient (DQ) testing was performed when CH cases were about 2 years old.

RESULTSThe mean initial dose of levothyroxine in 138 cases was (4.3 +/-0.9)microg/(kg.d). In one month the serum TT(3) and TT(4) levels returned to normal, while for TSH levels 67.4 % cases reached normal range in 2 months and 84.1 % in 3 months. Two months after therapy, the levels of TT(3) and TT(4) reached to the upper half of normal range and there were no signs or symptoms of hypothyroidism. The time for all cases in 3 groups to reach the normal clinical and biochemical indicators was similar (P=0.925). The dosage for cases with low circulating thyroxine before treatment was higher than that of the other groups (P<0.01). The average DQ score of 18 cases after treatment was 116.7 +/- 17.0.

CONCLUSIONhe levothyroxine dosage of (4.3 +/- 0.9)microg/(kg.d) is appropriate for the initial treatment of the majority of infants with CH. However it is better to individualize the dosage for each case.

Congenital Hypothyroidism ; Female ; Humans ; Hypothyroidism ; drug therapy ; Infant, Newborn ; Male ; Thyrotropin ; blood ; Thyroxine ; administration & dosage ; blood ; Triiodothyronine ; blood

BACKGROUNDStudies on intrathoracic tuberculous lymphadenitis in adults are confined to the preliminary CT findings with ordinary CT and ordinary spiral CT. There has been no deepgoing study of multidetector CT to date. Multidetector CT could contribute to better imaging of intrathoracic tuberculous lymphadenitis in adults. The purpose of this study was to explore the multidetector CT features of intrathoracic tuberculous lymphadenitis in adults, and the correlation with clinical symptoms and pathologic changes.

METHODSMultidetector CT findings from 42 consecutive adult patients with intrathoracic tuberculous lymphadenitis were analyzed retrospectively with regard to locations, sizes, numbers, shapes, margins, and densities reviewing precontrast and enhanced images. CT results were correlated with clinical symptoms and pathologic results (n = 37).

RESULTSOne hundred and eighty-five intrathoracic lymph nodes that had tuberculous lymphadenitis in 42 patients were distributed mainly in regions 4R (n = 37), 2R (n = 33), 7 (n = 31) and 10R (n = 21), more than 2 regions were implicated in 34 patients. One hundred and twenty-two (72.2%) of the tuberculous lymphadenitis without confluence were oval or round with clear margins. On precontrast scanning, 78.4% of tuberculous lymphadenitis had a homogeneous density. Seven enhancement patterns were demonstrated in 169 tuberculous lymphadenitis from 37 patients with pathologic results: homogeneous enhancement with no clinical symptom (n = 12), corresponded pathologically to tuberculous hyperplasia without caseous necrosis; heterogeneous enhancement with a small central no enhancement area, slight clinical symptoms (n = 22), tuberculous granulomas with a little caseous necroses; peripheral irregular thick wall enhancement with a central area with no enhancement, slight clinical symptoms (n = 52), tuberculous granulomas with some caseous necroses in the center; peripheral thin rim enhancement with a central area having no enhancement, moderate clinical symptoms (n = 36), a few tuberculous granulomas with a great quantity of caseous necroses in the center; peripheral irregular enhancement without central enhancement, extending outside the capsule, severe clinical symptoms (n = 4), caseous necroses ruptured from capsule; peripheral irregular rim enhancement with central separate enhancement, severe clinical symptoms (n = 40), multiple lymph nodes with liquefaction of caseous necroses were adherent and confluent, rim and separation were tuberculous granulomas; no obvious enhancement, severe clinical symptoms (n = 3). Caseous necrosis was usually associated with little tuberculous granulomas.

CONCLUSIONSThe main multidetector CT features of intrathoracic tuberculous lymphadenitis in adults are involvement of multiregional lymph nodes with oval or round shape and clear margins, a basically homogeneous density on precontrast scanning, multiple enhancement patterns, and they correlate closely with clinical symptoms. Multidetector CT could reveal pathological changes of intrathoracic tuberculous lymphadenitis in adults.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Lymph Nodes ; diagnostic imaging ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; methods ; Tuberculosis, Lymph Node ; diagnostic imaging ; Young Adult