Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) is a genetic effect DNA molecule of double closed loop, and is crucial for cells and their functions. Mitochondria take an active part in physiological activities of retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cells. The oxidative stress is usually occurred in RPE for its active metabolism, which can lead to mitochondria and mtDNA dam?age. Once mitochondria and mtDNA lesions have not been repaired timely, the lesions can be accumulated, which can cause dysfunctions and damaged-structures of RPE and mitochondria, and can motivate the progression of cell apoptosis. In the end it can result in some ocular related diseases such as aged-related macular degeneration (AMD). This study reviewed the functional relationship between mtDNA and RPE, and repair and detection methods of mtDNA damage.

Objective:To investigate the psychosocial characteristics of the perpetrators and the victims of spouse violence (SV).Methods:80 families with a history of SV were randomly selected from communities, and their psychosocial characteristics were compared with control group of 96 non-SV families matched for family structure. A self-designed SV questionnaire, the self-report Symptom Checklist-90 (SCL-90), Eysenck's Personality Questionnaire (EPQ), Trait Coping Style and Questionnaire (TCSQ) were used in this cross-sectional survey.Results:65 husbands and 15 wives were identified as perpetrators, correspondingly 65 wives and 15 husbands as victims. The total score and factors scores of SCL-90, EPQ-N score, and scores of subjective social support, objective support and total supports were higher in perpetrators than their counterparts in control group. Negative coping style and EPQ-P score were respectively higher and lower in perpetrators than victims of SV (29.6?8.3/29.5?7.4,t=2.127, P

Cognitive impairment in diabetes ( CID) is one of the complications of diabetes .The features of mild or moderate cognitive disorder and the decread abilities in memory and studying are the main symptoms of CID .But it′s mechanism is still un-known .NF-κB is the original signal activator , it can activate other signal pathway of cell dysfunction .With the influence of hyperglyce-mia and oxidative stress, the expression of NF-κB is enhanced, that leads to the changes of the expression of NOS , MMP-9, TNF-α, then, these changes lead to the apoptosis of hippocampus neuron cell .This review focuses on NF-κB in order to provide evidences in studying CID by reviewing the relationship between NF-κB and it′s relative factors of NOS, MMP-9, TNF-αand CID.

Objective To investigate the effects of artesunate (Art) on cell proliferation and apoptosis of human Tenon's capsule fibroblasts (HTFs),and discuss the countermeasures of bleb scarfing in glaucoma.Methods In vitro,HTFs were cultivated and applicated by different concentrations (50 μg · mL-1,100 μg · mL-1,150 μg ·mL-1,200 μg · mL-1) of Art for 48 hours.The effect of Art on cell proliferation was assessed by MTT method.The rate of apoptosis induced by Art was determined by flow cytometry.Western Blot was performed to detect the relative expression levels of Bax and Bcl-2 after Art was treated.Results After treated with Art for 48 hours,compared with blank control group,Art (50 μg · mL-1,100 μg · mL-1,150 μg · mL-1,200 μg · mL-1) group exhibited notable anti-proliferative effect on HTFs with concentration-dependence (all P ＜ 0.05).The results of flow cytometry showed that the apoptosis rates (8.80％ ±0.88％,11.60％ ±0.56％,16.30％ ±1.03％,23.40％ ±1.62％) of HTFs were significantly enhanced with the increase of Art concentration (all P ＜ 0.05).The relative expression levels of Bax were obviously high with the increase of Art concentration,while Bcl-2 levels were significantly low with the increase of Art concentration (all P ＜ 0.05).Conclusion Art can inhibit the proliferation and induce cell apoptosis of HTFs possibly by enhancing the expression of Bax and reducing the expression of Bcl2.Art may be a potential drug in preventing fibrous scar formation after glaucoma filtration surgery.

Objective To investigate the regulations of Bax , Bcl-2 in the protection of lipoic acid-niacin diad in acrolein-induced apoptosis in ARPE-19 cells. Methods The ARPE-19 cells were cultured in medium containing 10% fetal bovine serum , at 37 ℃ with 5% CO2. The ARPE-19 was transferred to 6-well plate after reaching to 70% confluence. After starvation for 24 h , the cells in 6-well plates were divided into three groups , including the blank control group , the acrolein treatment group with 50 μmol/L acrolein for 24 h , and the protection group with 100 μmol/L lipoic acid-niacin diad for 24 h and with the acrolein for another 24 h. The apoptotic cells were detected by flow cytometry assay , and expressions of Bcl-2 , Bax protein were detected by Western Blot assay. Results The percentages of normal healthy cells were 94.8%, 60.98%, and 91.34% in the blank control group , 50 μmol/L acrolein group and 100 μmol/L diad contained of lipoic acid and niacin group , respectively. The ratios of Bax/Bcl-2 protein expression were 0.293 9, 1.389 2, and 0.555 8 in the blank control group, 50 μmol/L acrolein group and 100 μmol/L diad contained of lipoic acid and niacin group, respectively. Conclusion The protective effect of lipoic acid-niacin diad on acrolein-induced apoptosis in ARPE-19 cell through promoting Bcl-2 expression and inhibiting Bax expression.

Background Researches showed that mitochondria and oxidative stress play a crucial role in retinal photochemical injury,but the relationship between the damage of human retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cell-induced by blue light and light-irradiated time is less studied.Objective The aim of this study was to research the possible mechanism of RPE oxidative damage induced by blue light in vitro.Methods Human RPE cells were isolated from healthy donors and cultured.The cells were divided into the normal control group and the light exposure group.The cells of light exposure group were irradiated using the blue light of (4.0±0.5) mW/cm2 for 0.5,1,2,3,4,5,6,12 and 24 hours,respectively,and the cells of the normal control group were cultured in dark environment.Cellular viability was detected by MTT method,and the ultrastructure change of subcellular organelles in RPE cells was examined under the transmission electron microscope (TEM).The content of reactive oxygen species (ROS) was assayed by flow cytometry for the assessment of oxidative stress reaction.The relative expressions of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) mRNA and cyclooxygenase 1 (COX1) mRNA in the cells were detected by real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR to evaluate the mitochondria function.Results The percentages of cellular viability were (100.00±20.00) ％,(95.73±0.89) ％,(94.67±2.56) ％,(84.23±0.16) ％,(78.57±3.09)％,(75.43±2.18)％,(66.13±1.42)％,(53.43±1.91)％ and (47.97±1.36)％ in the normal control group and light exposure for 1-hour,2-hour,3-hour,4-hour,5-hour,6-hour,12-hour and 24-hour groups,respectively,showing a significant difference among the groups (F =172.270,P =0.000),and the percentages of light exposure for the more than 3 hours groups were significantly lower than those of the normal control group (all at P＜ 0.05).The vacuoles-like degeneration,mitochondrial swelling,decreased microvilli were seen under the TEM.The contents of ROS in RPE cells were (14.75±2.49)％,(19.04± 1.02) ％,(22.81 ±3.20)％,(28.75±2.15)％,(33.06±0.96) ％,(40.64±2.11) ％,(48.25±2.50) ％ and (60.44±2.68) ％ in the normal control group and light exposure for 0.5-hour,1-hour,2-hour,3-hour,4-hour,5-hour,6-hour groups,and with significant increases in ROS contents in various light exposure groups compared with the normal control group (all at P＜0.05).The relative expression levels of NAPDH mRNA in the cells were gradually elevated 3 hours after light exposure with the increase of time in comparison with the normal control group (all at P＜0.05),and the relative expression levels of COX1 mRNA in the cells were higher in the light exposure for 2-hour,3-hour,4-hour and 5-hour group compared with the normal control group (all at P＜0.05),and after that the COX1 mRNA levels were gradually declined and were close to the normal level.Conclusions Blue light irradiation for more than 3 hours causes oxidative stress damage of mitochondria in RPE in vitro,and the damage was more obvious after irradiation for 5-6 hours.

Background Light-induced retinal damage results in the damage of retinl pigment epithelial (RPE) cells and therefore affects the pathogenesis and development of age-related macular degeneration (AMD).Studies showed that tissue factor (TF) is overexpressed in oxidative damaged RPE cells and the choroidal neovascularization (CNV) of AMD,speculating that the suppression of TF can prevent the damage of RPE cells and inhibit CNV.Objective This study was conducted to observe the protective effects of TF targeting peptide (TFTP),a new drug of autologous synthesis,on human RPE-cells induced by blue light.Methods Human RPE cells were isolated from donor eye and cultured.Cultured cells were divided into blank control group,model group and TFTP treated group.Light-induced RPE cell damage model was established by exposuring the cells in the blue light of (4.0±-0.5) mW/cm2 for 12 hours in the model group,and different concentrations (10,100,150,200,300 μmol/L) of TF-TP were added into the medium to pretreat the cells for 24 hours and then exposed the cells to the blue light for 12 hours in the TF-TP groups.The cell viability was determined by CCK-8 assay.The morphology and ultrastructure in the cells were observed under the inverted microscope and transmission electron microscope.The apoptosis of the cells was assayed by Hoechst staining.The expressions of TF and apoptosis-related protein bax,bcl-2 in the cells were determined by Western blot.Results CCK-8 assay showed that there was no significant difference in the cell viability among blank control group and different concentrations TF-TP groups (F=2.15,P =0.11).The cell survival rate of blank control group,model group and 150 μmol/L TF-TP group was (100.0±0.00) ％,(43.79±6.55) ％ and (63.45±3.57) ％,and the survial rate was increased in the 150 μmol/L TF-TP group compared with the model group (P =0.00),and 150 μmol/L was detemined as a optimal concentration of TF-TP.A lot of shrinkage,deformation,suspension cells were exhibited under the optical microscope,and decrease of microvilli structure,rupture of mitochondrial cristae and vacuolar degeneration of the cells were found in the model group,and the damage of the cells were evidently lightened in the 150 μ mol/L TF-TP group.The apoptosis rate of the cells were (0.98 ±0.19)％,(9.98 ±0.82) ％ and (5.73 ±0.88) ％ in the blank group,model group and 150 μmol/L TF-TP group,respectively,with a significant difference among the groups (F =206.18,P =0.00),and the apoptosis rate of the cells in the 150 μmol/L TF-TP group was significantly lower than that in the model group (P＜0.05).Compared with the blank control group,the relative expression of bax and TF was obviously increased and that of bcl-2 was decreased in the model group;while the expression of bax and TF was lower,and that of bcl-2 was higher in the 150 μmol/L TF-TP group compared with the model group (all at P ＜ 0.05).Conclusions Pretreation of TF-TP can lessen cell apoptosis and increase cell survival rate and therefore plays a protective role to blue light-induced human RPE cells possibly by inhibiting bax/bcl-2 apoptotic pathways mediated by TF.

BACKGROUND: Body mass index(BMI)is a commonly used phenotype for obesity,which is determined by multiple genetic factors.OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether osteocalcin(also known as bone Gla protein,BGP)Hind Ⅲ genetic polymorphism is associated with BMI variation.METHODS: A total of 390 premenopausal women from a local population of Nanchang City were selected.Body weight and height were measured.All participants were genotyped at the BGP Hind Ⅲ locus using polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism(PCR-RFLP).RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: The BGP genotype frequencies of HH,Hh and hh were 0.077,0.408 and 0.515,respectively.The distribution of BGP Hind Ⅲ genotypes was consistent with Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium(P > 0.05).The BGP Hind Ⅲ were significantly associated with BMI(P=0.002),which could explain about 5.47% of BMI variation.On average,BMI of individuals with HH genotype was the highest[(22.81±0.73)kg/m2],individuals with Hh genotype was intermediate[(21.50±0.53)kg/m2],while individuals with hh genotype was the lowest[(20.23±0.63)kg/m2].Therefore,carriers of HH and Hh genotypes had,respectively,approximately 12.75% and 6.28% higher BMI than carriers of the hh genotype.To our best knowledge,this is the first study reporting the association of BGP Hind Ⅲ genetic polymorphism and BMI in healthy premenopausal women.

Objective To investigate clinical effect and safety of in vitro maturation(IVM)of human immature oocytes in infertile women with polycystic ovary syndrome by comparing with conventional in vitro fertilization(IVF)and intracytoplasmic sperm injection(ICSI).Methods From Jan.2003 to Dec.2009,157 infertile women with PCOS underwent 162 cycles IVM in Center for Reproductive Medicine,the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University.In the mean time,109 patients with PCOS underwent 114 IVF/ICSI cycles as control group 1 and 106 patients with other factors underwent 106 IVF/ICSI cycles as control group 2.Treatment and outcome of pregnancy and infant were compared among those 3 groups.Results No statistically significant difference were found in terms of the positive rate of hCG in urine[35.7％(56/157),42.2％(46/109),44.3％(47/106)],the rate of clinical pregnancy[29.3％ (46/157),37.6％(41/109),41.5％(44/106)],the rate of entopic pregnancy[1.9％(3/157),1.8％ (2/109),0.9％(1/106)],the rate of miscarriage[18.6％(8/43),12.8％(5/39),20.9％(9/43)]and the rate of live-birth[22.3％(35/157),31.2％(34/109),32.1％(34/106)]among three grbups(IVM group,control group 1,control group 2,P ＞ 0.05).The rate of preterm labor,low weight newborn,mean birth weight,ratio of male to female did not show significantly difference among 3 groups(P ＞ 0.05).The average control ovarian stimulation was 6 days,the median dose of gonadotropin(Gn)was 675 IU,and the total hospital cost was(8392 ± 1328)RMB in IVM group,which were statistically lower than those in the other two control groups(P ＜ 0.01).The rate of multiple pregnancy was 4.7％(2/43)and ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome(OHSS)0 in IVM group,which were significantly lower than those in the other control group(P ＜0.01).Conclusion In vitro maturation is an effective treatment in infertile women with PCOS,it could obtain the similar pregnancy outcome and reduce total cost,the dosage of gonadotropinreleasing hormone and rate of OHSS compared with conventional IVF/ICSI.

Objective To explore the correlation between domestic violence in pregnancy and plasma glutamate(Glu),γ-aminobutyric acid(GABA)and coaisol levels in neonatels.Methods By crosssectional survey and domestic violence(DV)interview with Abuse Assessment Survey(AAS),56 abused pregnant women were screened and 107 non-abused pregnant women served as controls.Blood from umbilical vein of neonatal were collected immediately after delivery.Levels of Glu,GABA in plasma were assayed by using high performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection on samples.Levels of plasma cortisol were detecteded by with immunoradiometric assay.All variables of the two groups were compared.Chi-square,t/z-test,Spearman correlation,liner regression analysis were adopted.Results In the DV group,there were 49 women(87.5%)experiencing psychological abuse and 2(3.6%)physical abuse during pregnancy.Moreover,29 women(51.8%)experienced sexual abuse in the period of prognancy.By comparison,our study showed higher levels of plasma Glu,GABA and cortisol in neonates of the DV group than those of the controls[(1509±339)pmol/L vs(811±270)pmol/L,(1460±369)pmol/L vs (707±296)pmol/L,(491±87)μg/L vs(392±108)μg/L,t=14.326,t=14.138,t=5.916,P＜0.001]. Spearman correlation analysis showed significantly positive correlation between severity of psychological abuse and levels of Glu,GABA and cortisol(r=0.705,0.696,0.425,P＜0.01)and positive correlation between the severity of sexual abuse and levels of Glu,GABA and cortisol(r=0.471,0.424,0.274,P＜0.01).Conclusion Domestic violence in pregnancy may alter the levels of some excitatory and inhibitory amino acids and change the endocrinic function in neonatels.