Ecotoxicology ; Humans ; Proteomics ; Risk Assessment

Objective To investigate ultrasound as a therapy for white lesions of the vulva.Methods Immunohistochemistry and hybridization in situ were used to study changes in VEGF protein and mRNA in the vulva skin of rabbits after ultrasound irradiation.Results After irradiation,VEGF protein and mRNA had increased markedly after 4 and 7 days,but their levels recovered by day 14.Conclusion Ultrasound irradiation causes local edema and hypoxia which enhance production of VEGF.VEGF promotes growth of local microvessels and increases the permeability of the endothelial cells of blood vessels.These changes improve nutrition of the mierovessels and nerve endings and ameliorate the microenvironment for tissue growth.One could speculate that ultrasound irradiation helps rehabilitation and regeneration of pathologic vulva skin.

OBJECTIVETo explore the relationship between angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) gene single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) and premature coronary heart disease (PCHD) patients with blood stasis syndrome (BSS).

METHODSrs4343, rs4293, and rs4267385 were selected at SNP from ACE gene. Allele and genotype were detected. Frequencies of allele and genotype were compared by using time-of-flight mass spectrometry technique (TOF-MS).

RESULTSCompared with the healthy control group, genotype of rs4293 and rs4267385 in ACE gene were similar, but there was statistical difference in polymorphisms and allele frequencies of rs4343 in the I and II group (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). The frequency of G allele was higher in the 3 groups than in the healthy control group (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). The relative risk analysis showed that the risk for PCHD occurrence in G allele carriers at rs4343 (GG +AG) was 3. 6 times the risk in non-G allele carriers (95% CI: 1.224-10.585, P = 0.02). There was also statistical difference in sex, age, TC, and TG after adjusted Logistic regression analysis (OR = 3.994, 95% CI: 1.230-12.974, P = 0.021).

CONCLUSIONThe polymorphism at rs4343 (G2350A) might be one of risk factors for PCHD occurrence, but not a predisposing factor for PCHD patients of BSS.

Alleles ; Case-Control Studies ; Coronary Artery Disease ; genetics ; Gene Frequency ; Genotype ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A ; genetics ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide ; Risk Factors

Air Pollutants, Occupational ; analysis ; Female ; Hexanes ; analysis ; poisoning ; Humans ; Male ; Occupational Exposure ; statistics & numerical data ; Shoes

A bacterium strain BFHM2002 is isolated from Lake Donghu, Wuhan. BFHM2002 has advantages that it can produce melanin with a high rate and high yield in the absence of tyrosine. Induced by tyrosine, melanin yield can be dramatically increased. BFHM2002 may be identified as a new strain in Bacillus firmus, for melanin-production.

?ig-h_3 was first identified as a transforming growth factor-beta1-inducible gene in human lung adenocarcinoma cell line. It encodes for a secreted extracellular matrix (ECM) protein, which is thought to act on cell attachment and ECM composition. Previous study showed that ?ig-h_3 were highly expressed in human hepatoma cell lines and lowly expressed in human normal hepatic cells. The present study aimed to transfect ?ig-h_3 into 7721 cells to investigate its effect on secretion of MMPs in the transfected human hepatoma cells. Full-length ?ig-h_3 gene,cloned by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was inserted into the eukaryotic expression vector pEGFP-C_2. The recombinant plasmid was transfected into 7721 cells with Lipofectamine2000 and Gelatin-Zymography were adopted to detect the production of MMPs in the transfected cells. Results showed that ?ig-h_3/pEGFP-C_2 recombinant expression plasmid was successfully constructed and achieved high transfection efficiency. MMPs expression of the transfected cells was promoted significantly. These results suggest that overexpression of ?ig-h_3 promoted the production of MMPs, indicating that ?ig-h_3 may play roles in the invasive and metastatic processes of hepatoma.

Objective To investigate the role of white matter astrocytes and their specific protein S100A4 in sensory neurite outgrowth in vitro.Methods White matter astrocyte cultures expressing S100A4 were prepared. Dissociated adult dorsal root ganglion(DRG)cells were placed on the top of the astrocytes and co-cultured for 6,12, 18,24 hours.Small interfering S100A4 RNA was used to eliminate S100A4 expression.The growth of DRG cell neu- rites on S100A4-sileneed and S100A4-expressing astrocytes was compared.Results 12,18 and 24 hours after the co-culture with S100A4-expressing or S100A4-silenced astroeytes,neurite growth from the DRG cells was observed. Neurite outgrowth was significantly greater in S100A4 siRNA treated cultures compared to control siRNA treated white matter astrocyte cultures.Conclusion These findings suggest that white matter astroeytes are able to support axonal regeneration and,furthermore,that administration of small interfering S100A4 RNA provides strong additional support for axon regeneration.

AIM:To study the feasibility of recombinant adeno-associated virus(rAAV)as a vector to transfer the green fluorescent protein(GFP)gene as a target gene into rabbit retina.METHODS:Intravitreal injection of rAAV-gfp was performed in either eye for each rabbit with the other eye taken as control.At the 3rd,7th,and 14th day after injection,the eyeballs were removed,and the retinas were flat-mounted on glass slides to inspect the retinal fluorescence,respectively.RESULTS:After intravitreal injection of rAAV-gfp,the presence of fluorescent spots in the cytoplasm of retinal cells indicated that GFP gene was efficiently transferred and expressed in the rabbit retina.CONCLUSION:Recombinant adeno-associated virus is a reliable and simple vector for transferring target gene,e.g.,GFP gene,to the retina.

Object: To investigate the effects of Huaiqihuang Granule, a compound Chinese herbal medicine, on expressions of nephrin and podocin of slit diaphragm of glomerular podocytes in rats with adriamycin-induced nephrosis and to explore the mechanism in reducing the proteinuria. Methods: Twenty SD rats were randomly divided into five groups: control group, model group, glucocorticoid group, Huaiqihuang Granule group and Huaiqihuang Granule plus glucocorticoid group. The 24-hour urine was collected 7, 14, 21 and 28 days after adriamycin injection respectively to measure 24-hour urinary protein, and all rats were sacrificed after 28-day treatment. Pathological changes in renal tissues were observed under a light microscope and an electron microscope. Expressions of nephrin and podocin mRNAs in renal cortex were determined by real-time polymerase chain reaction, and protein levels of nephrin and podocin were detected by Western blotting. Results: (1) In the model group and the treatment groups, the level of urinary protein increased significantly from the 14th day. (2) Under the light microscope, inflammatory cells and slight fibroplasia were found in renal interstitium of the model group, but there were less inflammatory cells in renal interstitium in the intervention groups than in the model group. Under the electron microscope, 29 days after adriamycin injection, extensive fusion of foot processes was observed. (3) The expressions of nephrin and podocin were higher in treatment groups than in the model group. (4) Proteinuria level was negatively correlated with the expressions of nephrin mRNA and nephrin and podocin proteins. Conclusion: The above results indicate that Huaiqihuang Granule can maintain the integrity of the slid diaphragram in podocyte, alleviate the lesion of glomerular filtration membrane, and decrease the proteinuria by up-regulating the expressions of nephrin and podocin. Huaiqihuang Granule plus glucocorticoid maybe has better effects than glucocorticoid alone.

BACKGROUND: Paraquat (PQ) is an effective herbicide and is widely used in agricultural production, but PQ poisoning is frequently seen in humans with the lung as the target organ. Clinically pulmonary pathological changes are often used to predict the severity and prognosis of the patients. In this study, we observed the expression of heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) in rat lung after PQ poisoning and to investigate the therapeutic effects of ulinastatin. METHODS: Seventy-two adult healthy SD rats were randomly divided into a control group (group A, n=24), a poisoning group (group B, n=24), and an ulinastatin group (group C, n=24). The rat models of acute PQ poisoning were established by intra-gastric administration of 80 mg/kg PQ to rats of groups B and C, and the rats of group C were intra-peritoneally injected with 100000 IU/kg ulinastatin 30 minutes after poisoning. The expression of HSP70 in lung tissue was observed, and W/D and histopathological changes in the lung tissue were compared 12, 24, 48 and 72 hours after poisoning. The expression of HSP70 in the lung tissue was assayed by using RT-PCR. All quantitative data were processed with one-way analysis of variance to compare multiple sample means. RESULTS: Compared to group A, the expression of HSP70 in the lung of rats in groups B and C increased significantly at all intervals (P<0.05). The pathological changes in lung tissue of rats with PQ poisoning included congestion, leukocytes infiltration and local hemorrhage, whereas those of group C were significantly lessened. CONCLUSION: Ulinastatin may ameliorate acute lung injury to some extent after PQ poisoning in rats by enhancing the expression of HSP70.