Chromatin modification contributes to pluripotency maintenance in embryonic stem cells(ESCs).However,the related mechanisms remain obscure.Here,we show that Npac,a"reader"of histone H3 lysine 36 trimethylation(H3K36me3),is required to maintain mouse ESC(mESC)pluripotency since knockdown of Npac causes mESC differentiation.Depletion of Npac in mouse embryonic fibroblasts(MEFs)inhibits reprogramming efficiency.Furthermore,our chromatin immunoprecipitation followed by sequencing(ChIP-seq)results of Npac reveal that Npac co-localizes with histone H3K36me3 in gene bodies of actively transcribed genes in mESCs.Interestingly,we find that Npac interacts with positive transcription elongation factor b(p-TEFb),Ser2-phosphorylated RNA Pol Ⅱ(RNA Pol Ⅱ Ser2P),and Ser5-phosphorylated RNA Pol Ⅱ(RNA Pol Ⅱ Ser5P).Furthermore,depletion of Npac disrupts transcriptional elongation of the pluripotency genes Nanog and Rifl.Taken together,we propose that Npac is essential for the transcriptional elongation of pluripotency genes by recruiting p-TEFb and interact-ing with RNA Pol Ⅱ Ser2P and Ser5P.

Objective: To investigate the efficacy and adverse effects of sustained lung inflation (SLI) combined with pulmonary surfactant (PS) in the treatment of neonatal respiratory distress syndrome (NRDS). Methods: This prospective randomized controlled trial included 124 premature infants (gestational age <34 weeks and birth weight <2 000 g) diagnosed with NRDS and in need of PS treatment in Shenzhen Maternity & Child Healthcare Hospital affiliated to Southern Medical University from July 1, 2016 to October 31, 2018. They were randomly divided into experimental or control group, with 62 cases in each. Infants in the experimental group were treated with SLI using T-piece and intratracheal PS, while those in the control group were given PS only. Blood gas analysis and measurement of fraction of inspiration O₂ (FiO₂) and ratio of partial pressure of oxygen (PO₂) over FiO₂ were performed before and 1 h after PS injection. Results of the treatments and incidence of complications were compared. Paired samples t-test, two independent samples t-test, rank-sum test and Chi-square test were used for statistical analysis. Results: There were 56 participants in the experimental group and 54 in the control group who were eventually analyzed. In the experimental group, the pH value, partial pressure of carbon dioxide (PCO₂), FiO₂ and PO₂/FiO₂ at 1 h after PS injection were all improved compared with those before treatment [pH value: 7.26±0.09 vs 7.19±0.09, t=3.814; PCO₂: (51.5±12.6) vs (59.8±16.3) mmHg (1 mmHg=0.133 kPa), t=2.610; FiO₂: 26.0 (21.0-31.5)% vs 40.5 (38.5-51.5)%, U=392.000; PO₂/FiO₂: (284.6±117.9) vs (173.4±59.7) mmHg, t=6.427; all P<0.05]. The overall decrement of FiO₂ after PS injection in the experimental group was more significant than that in the control group [-10.0 (-15.0 to -5.0)% vs -5.0 (-8.0 to 0.0)%, U=706.500, P<0.001]. The experimental group had a higher rate of extubation within 24 h than the control group [80% (45/56) vs 71% (32/54), χ²=5.830, P=0.016]. However, no significant differences were shown in total mechanical ventilation time, non-invasive/high-flow nasal cannula ventilation time, the ratio of re-intubation within 72 h, or the incidence of air leak, bronchopulmonary dysplasia, periventricular-intraventricular hemorrhage, necrotizing enterocolitis or patent ductus arteriosus between the two groups (all P>0.05). Conclusions SLI combined with PS for NRDS babies can increase the rate of extubation within 24 h and promote the down-regulation of FiO₂ without causing significant complications.

Objective To investigate the preventive and adverse effects of postnatal inhalation of Budesonide in early stage on bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) in very low birth weight infants.Methods A total of 105 cases of high risk premature infants with BPD,who were born in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) from Shenzhen Maternity and Child Healthcare Hospital from July 15,2015 to December 25,2016,and their gestational age ≥ 27 weeks and ＜ 32 weeks or birth weight ≥ 1 000 g and ＜ 1 500 g were collected for a prospective randomized controlled trial,and were randomly divided into 3 groups:early inhalation group(34 cases),late inhalation group(34 cases) and non-inhalation group(37 cases).The oxygen time,and the incidence of BPD,periventricular-intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH),retinopathy of prematurity (ROP),necrotizing enterocolitis of the newborns (NEC),patent ductus arteriosus in preterm infants (PDA),sepsis and hyperglycemia of infants in 3 groups were compared.Results The average oxygen time in early inhalation group was 9 days,while in late inhalation group and the non-inhalation group was 15 days and 18 days,respectively.The average oxygen time in early inhalation group was significantly lower than that in the late inhalation group and the non-inhalation group,with the difference being statistically significant (H =6.09,P ＜ 0.05).The noninvasive ventilation time in early inhalation group was 3 days,while both the late inhalation group and non-inhalation group were 6 days.The noninvasive ventilation time in early inhalation group was significantly lower than that in the late inhalation group and non-inhalation group,with the difference being statistically significant (H =6.17,P ＜0.05).The incidence of BPD in the early inhalation group,late inhalation group and non-inhalation group were 14.7％ (5/34 cases),20.6％ (7/34 cases) and 37.8％ (14/37 cases),respectively.The incidence of BPD in non-inhalation group was significantly higher than that in the early inhalation group and late inhalation group,with the difference being statistically significant (x2 =12.017,P ＜ 0.05).There were no significant differences in IVH,ROP,NEC,PDA,sepsis and hyperglycemia among the 3 groups (all P ＞ 0.05).Conclusions Postnatal inhalation of Budesonide in early stage in high risk very low birth weight infants can reduce the incidence of BPD and the oxygen time,and the adverse reactions are not obvious.

Objective To evaluate the value of monitoring non-invasive cardiac output parameters in medical treatment of patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) in premature infants.Method Premature infants with PDA diagnosed three days after birth (gestational age:28 ～ 31 weeks or birth weight of 1 000 ～ 1 799 g) admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) of our Hospital from February 2016 to August 2016 were enrolled in the study.These premature infants were assigned into treated PDA group (the treatment group) and untreated PDA group (the observation group) based on results of non-invasive cardiac output parameters CI and MD,with aorta CI ≥2.95 L/(min · m2),MD ≥21.50 m/min and pulmonary artery CI ≥4.55 L/(min · m2),MD ≥26.50 m/min as cut-off values.Statistical analysis was carried out using t test,x2 test.The closure rate of arterial duct of two groups and changes in non-invasive cardiac output parameters before and after the closure of arterial duct in the treatment group were compared.Result The overall closure rate of arterial duct was 85.1％ (57/67).The closure rate of arterial duct of the treatment group was 70.8％ (17/24),that of the observation group was 93.0％ (40/43),and the difference had statistical significance (P ＜ 0.05);Comparing the following parameters before and after ductal closure in the treatment group,the difference of pulmonary artery flow time (FT),aorta stroke volume index (SVI) and the integral of the flow profile (Vti) had statistical significance (P ＜ 0.05) [(217.6±19.3) ms vs.(235.8 ±21.4) ms,(22.4±6.0)ml/m2 vs.(25.2 ±7.7)ml/m2,(15.1 ± 4.1) cm vs.(17.2 ±5.3) cm].In the treatment group,after arterial duct was closed,aorta and pulmonary artery CI,MD decreased to some degree,but the difference had no statistical significance (P ＞ 0.05).Conclusion Non-invasive cardiac output parameters including aorta and pulmonary artery CI,MD have certain guiding significance for PDA drug treatment among premature infants;after PDA drug treatment,arterial duct closure condition cannot be judged simply by the changes of aorta and pulmonary artery CI,MD,ultrasonic cardiogram examination results should also be considered.

On the basis of medical literature review and clinical research experience, the authors analyzed the reasons for low recognition rate of depression and poor progress of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) differentiation of depression in this paper and put forward that depressive episode symptoms and the corresponding common terminology classification of Chinese and Western medicine should be the breakthrough points. Through symptom stratification and combination, as well as distinguishing between primary and secondary symptoms, the comprehensive integrative medicine clinical assessment of depression was explored so as to further obtain expert consensus and provide a methodology reference for the TCM differentiation of depression and the research of etiology and pathogenesis.

Objective To observe the effects of electro-acupuncture on behavior and the level of brain-derived neurotrophic factor(BDNF) in the hippocampus of rats with chronic stress depression. Methods Forty Sprague-Dawley male rats were randomly divided into four groups:a normal control group, a model control group, an electro-acupuncture group and a fluoxetine hydrochloride control group. All rats except the control groups were singly test and by the volume of sugar solution drunk in 24 hours. The levels of BDNF in the CA1 and CA3 pyramidal and dentate gyrus of the hippocampus were investigated immunohistochemically. Results Compared with the normal control group, the model rats'crossing squares, rearing, and grooming in the open field test and the volume of sugarsolution drunk were all less, while their time in the central square was clearly greater. Fluoxetine or electro-acupuncture could significantly improve behavior. Compared with the model group, BDNF immunoreactivity in the hippocampal neurons of the electro-acupuncture group was increased significantly and the average gray value of neurons decreased.Conclusions Electro-acupuncture can improve behavior and the level of BDNF in the hippocampal neurons of depressed rats. It has a significant antidepressant effect.

The massive reorganization of microtubule network involves in transcriptional regulation of several genes by controlling transcriptional factor, nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-kappaB) activity. The exact molecular mechanism by which microtubule rearrangement leads to NF-kappaB activation largely remains to be identified. However microtubule disrupting agents may possibly act in synergy or antagonism against apoptotic cell death in response to conventional chemotherapy targeting DNA damage such as adriamycin or comptothecin in cancer cells. Interestingly pretreatment of microtubule disrupting agents (colchicine, vinblastine and nocodazole) was observed to lead to paradoxical suppression of DNA damage-induced NF-kappaB binding activity, even though these could enhance NF-kappaB signaling in the absence of other stimuli. Moreover this suppressed NF-kappaB binding activity subsequently resulted in synergic apoptotic response, as evident by the combination with Adr and low doses of microtubule disrupting agents was able to potentiate the cytotoxic action through caspase-dependent pathway. Taken together, these results suggested that inhibition of microtubule network chemosensitizes the cancer cells to die by apoptosis through suppressing NF-kappaB DNA binding activity. Therefore, our study provided a possible anti-cancer mechanism of microtubule disrupting agent to overcome resistance against to chemotherapy such as DNA damaging agent.
Animals ; Antibiotics, Antineoplastic/therapeutic use ; *Apoptosis ; Caspases/metabolism ; Cell Line ; Colchicine/pharmacology ; DNA/metabolism ; *DNA Damage ; Doxorubicin/therapeutic use ; Humans ; Mice ; Microtubules/chemistry/*drug effects/metabolism ; NF-kappa B/antagonists & inhibitors/*metabolism ; Neoplasms/drug therapy ; Nocodazole/pharmacology ; Protein Binding ; Signal Transduction ; Tubulin Modulators/*pharmacology ; Vinblastine/pharmacology

To investigate the effects of Chaihu Shugan San (CHSGS), a compound traditional Chinese herbal medicine, on behavior and plasma levels of corticotropin releasing hormone (CRH) and adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) of rats with chronic mild unpredicted stress depression.

Dishevelled proteins are multifunctional and highly conserved. These proteins are also required for the specification of cell fate and polarity by secreted Wnt proteins. To investigate the molecular mechanism of Dishevelled in mediating Wnt signal transduction, a mouse 11.5dpc embryo library was screened by yeast-two-hybrid system to find mouse Dishevelled2 DEP domain and C-terminal interacting proteins. 15 possitive clones were identified from 4.1 x 10(6) transformants. The DNA sequences of the positive AD/library plasmids were determined. The BLAST results revealed that one of the positive clones contained N-terminus cDNA fragments (amino acids 6-122) of Gli3 protein. The interaction between Dv12 and Gli3 detected by yeast two-hybrid system suggests that Gli3 might play a role in some biological processes with Dishevelled.
Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing ; chemistry ; genetics ; physiology ; Animals ; Dishevelled Proteins ; Gene Library ; Kruppel-Like Transcription Factors ; physiology ; Mice ; Nerve Tissue Proteins ; physiology ; Phosphoproteins ; chemistry ; genetics ; physiology ; Plasmids ; Signal Transduction ; Two-Hybrid System Techniques ; Wnt Proteins ; physiology ; Zinc Finger Protein Gli3

OBJECTIVETo assess the relationship between microglia activation and apoptosis of neurons, and the significance of activated microglias in the formation and progression of senile plaques in Alzheimer's disease.

METHODSIL-1alpha and beta-amyloid immunohistochemistry, combined with TUNEL assay were used to assess brain tissue samples from 10 patients with Alzheimer's disease and 4 negative control cases without neurological disease.

RESULTSThe number of resting microglias in the brains of Alzheimer's disease patients was similar to that of the control group (P > 0.05), but the number of activated microglias was significant greater in the Alzheimer's disease patients than that of the controls (P < 0.01). The activated microglias displayed altered size and morphology, and was therefore, categorized into three subtypes as primed, enlarged and phagocytic microglias. The numbers of primed, enlarged and phagocytic microglias were 5.4 +/- 0.87, 11.5 +/- 1.25, and 3.4 +/- 0.32 microglia/mm2 and represented 26.6%, 56.65%, and 16.75% of all activated microglias respectively. The number of TUNEL positive apoptotic neurons was significantly greater in Alzheimer patients than that in the control group (P < 0.05). There was a close relationship between the apoptosis of neurons and the activation of microglias (P < 0.01). The activated microglias were differentially distributed among four different plaque types in Alzheimer patients. Many primed (42.3%) and most of the enlarged and phagocytic microglias (56.2% and 70.6%) were present in the diffuse neuritic plaques.

CONCLUSIONSHyperplasia and activation of microglias are a common phenomena in AD and may play an important role in its pathogenesis. There is a close relationship between the apoptosis of neurons and activation of microglias. The activation of microglias may play a key pathogenic role in senile plaque formation and progression of Alzheimer disease.

Aged ; Alzheimer Disease ; etiology ; pathology ; Amyloid beta-Peptides ; analysis ; Apoptosis ; Cell Count ; Cell Differentiation ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; In Situ Nick-End Labeling ; Interleukin-1 ; analysis ; Microglia ; chemistry ; classification ; pathology ; Middle Aged ; Phagocytes ; pathology