Background It has been proven that ultrasonic destruction of microbubbles can enhance gene transfection efficiency into the noncardiac cells, but there are few reports about cardiac myocytes. Moreover, the exact mechanisms are not yet clear; whether the characteristic of microbubbles can affect the gene transfection efficiency or not is still controversial.This study was designed to investigate whether the ultrasound destruction of gene-loaded microbubbles could enhance the plasmids carried reporter gene transfection in primary cultured myocardial cell, and evaluate the effects of microbubbles characteristics on the transgene expression in cardiac myocytes.Methods The β-galactosidase plasmids attached to the two types of microbubbles, air-contained sonicated dextrose albumin (ASDA) and perfluoropropane-exposed sonicated dextrose albumin (PESDA) were prepared. The gene transfection into cardiac myocytes was performed in vitro by naked plasmids, ultrasound exposure, ultrasonic destruction of gene-loaded microbubbles and calcium phosphate precipitation, and then the gene expression and cell viability were analyzed.Results The ultrasonic destruction of gene-loaded microbubbles enhanced gene expression in cardiac myocytes compared with naked plasmid transfection ((51.95±2..41) U/g or (29.28±3.65) U/g vs. (0.84-0.21) U/g, P ＜0.01), and ultrasonic destruction PESDA resulted in more significant gene expression than ASDA ((51.95e2.41) U/g vs. (29.28±3.65)U/g, P ＜0.05). Ultrasonic destruction of microbubbles during calcium phosphate precipitation gene transfection enhanced 3-galactosidase activity nearly 8-fold compared with calcium phosphate precipitation gene transfection alone ((111.35±11.21) U/g protein vs. (14.13±2.58) U/g protein, P＜0.01). Even 6 hours after calcium phosphate precipitation gene transfection, ultrasound-mediated microbubbles destruction resulted in more intense gene expression ((35.63±7.65)U/g vs. (14.13±2.58) U/g, P＜0.05 ).Conclusions Ultrasonic destruction of microbubbles might be a promising method for the delivery of non-viral DNA into cardiac myocytes, and the gene tranfection is related to the characteristics of microbubbles.

AIM To establish the quality standard for Weigela japonica Thunb.var.sinica (Rehd.) Bailey (W.j.).METHODS TLC was adopted in this medicinal material's qualitative identification after morphological identification and microscopic identification.The contents of water,total ash,acid-insoluble ash and extracts were detected according to Chinese Pharmacopoeia methods.Then the contents of scopoletin and total coumarins were determined by HPLC and UV,respectively.RESULTS The morphologies and microscopic characters of W.j.could be distinguished from other same generic plants.The clear TLC spot displayed good resolution.The contents of water,total ash,acid-insoluble ash,water-soluble extract and acid-soluble extract were no more than 12.0％,no more than 2.0％,no more than 0.5％,no less than 5.0％ and no less than 4.5％,respectively.Scopoletin and total coumarins showed good linear relationships within the ranges of 1.25-40.0 μg/mL(r =0.999 7)and 2.0-64.0 μg/mL (r =0.999 9),whose average recoveries were 98.19％ (RSD =0.90％) and 99.21％ (RSD =2.5％),respectively.CONCLUSION This accurate and reliable method can be used for the quality control of W.j..

Purpose To compare coronary plaque burden,composition,distribution and the degree of coronary artery stenosis in invasive coronary angiography (ICA) diagnosed coronary artery disease (CAD)patients with or without metabolic syndrome (MetS).Methods From January 2008 to June 2011,consecutive patients underwent both coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) and ICA within three months were enrolled.Patients with history of previous percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI) and coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) were excluded.Plaque characteristics and maximal luminal diameter stenosis were analyzed on a 16-segment basis as suggested by the American Heart Association classification.Results The study population consisted of 872 patients [age (60.2 ± 10.0) years,72.70％ males] including 377 patients with MetS and 495 patients without MetS.The median coronary artery calcium score (CACS) was higher in MetS patients than in non-MetS patients [102(10,410) vs.58(0,274),P ＜ 0.01].Percentage of patients with no coronary artery calcium was significantly lower in MetS group than in non-MetS group [19.63％ (74/377) vs.30.71％ (152/495),P ＜ 0.01],while percentage of patients with severe coronary calcium (CACS ≥ 1000) were significantly higher in MetS than non-MetS group [8.22％ (31/377) vs.4.65％ (23/495),P =0.03].The proportion of patients with 1-vessel disease was lower [23.61％ (89/377) vs.36.77％ (182/495),P ＜ 0.01],2-vessel [29.71 ％ (112/377) vs.22.83 ％ (113/ 495),P ＜ 0.05] and 3-vessel disease [35.54％ (134/377) vs.24.44％ (121/495),P ＜ 0.01] were higher in MetS group than in non-NetS group.Calcified plaque of LM and the middle and distal coronary artery were significantly higher in MetS group than in non-MetS group(all P ＜ 0.05).Conclusions CAD patients with MetS are associated with severer coronary artery calcium deposition and higher percentage of calcified plaque in the middle and distal coronary arteries and severer obstructive coronary vessels.