Objective To investigate the correlation of plasma homocysteine(Hcy)level and the polymorphisms of its key metabolic enzymes methylenetetrahy-drofolate reductase(MTHFR)gene with ischemic stroke(IS).Methods A total of 310 patients with IS were enrolled as the case group and 330 healthy subjects during the same period were selected as the control group.Plasma Hcy concentration was detected by enzyme cycling method,and the real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR(RT-qPCR)was used to detecte the genotypes of MTHFR C677T.Results The frequencies of TT genotype(36.13%),CT genotype(10.00%)and T allele(28.06%)of MTHFR gene C677T locus in stroke patients were significantly higher than that in control group(P＜0.05).The frequency of the TT genotype was significantly higher in IS group compared to control group,indicating a recessive mode of inheritance(P＜0.05);In the dominant mode of inheritance,the frequency of CT+TT genotype in IS group was also significantly higher than that in control group(P＜0.05);The plasma Hay concentration of MTHFR C677T genotype TT,CT and CC patients was statistically different(P＜0.05),which were(20.91±6.78)μmol/L(17.20±5.39)μmol/L,(14.35±4.32)μmol/L,respectively;The area under the ROC curve(AUC)of plas-ma total Hcy level was 0.610(95%CI:0.566～0.653,P＜0.001).It indicated that it might play an impor-tant role in predicting the risk of suffering from IS.Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that plasma Hcy level and MTHFR C677T gene polymorphism were important risk factors of IS.Conclusions Elevated plasma Hcy level is associated with IS,and the synergistic effect of elevated Hcy level and MTHFR C677T gene mutation may increase the risk of IS.

Objective To investigate the relationship between methylenetetra-hydrofolatereductase(MTHFR)gene polymorphism and serum homocysteine(Hcy)level and subtypes of ischemic stroke(IS).Methods The study was conducted according to the matched principle of case-control design,310 patients with IS and 330 healthy people during the same period were selected as the case group and the control group.Recycling enzyme method and the real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR(RT-qPCR)method were used to detect the level of serum Hcy and the genotypes of MTHFR C677T,respectively.Results There was a significantly difference in MTHFR C677T genotype and allele frequency between the case and control groups(P＜0.05).The correlation analysis with different subtypes indicated that the frequencies of CT genotype(38.02%),TT genotype(10.74%),and T allele(29.75%)were significantly different in the LAA group(OR=1.662,95%CI:1.058-2.608,P＜0.05;OR=2.373,95%CI:1.110-5.073,P＜0.05;OR=1.663,95%CI:1.190-2.323,P＜0.05);The frequencies of TT genotype(10.53%)and T allele(27.30%)in SAO group were also significantly different(OR=2.130,95%CI:1.046-4.336,P＜0.05;OR=1.474,95%CI:1.075-2.021,P＜0.05).Further analysis of serum Hcy level showed that LAA group(19.55±5.61)μmol/L and SAO group(16.37±5.20)μmol/L were significantly higher than the control group(14.46±4.61)μmol/L(P＜0.001);Among the patients of both subtypes the serum Hcy levels in those with CT genotypes and TT genotypes were significantly higher than those in patients of CC genotypes(P＜0.001).Conclusions The gene polymorphism of MTHFR C677T has a significant effect on Hcy level in pa-tients with LAA and SAO stroke.

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) become a heavy burden of public health, with approximately 300 000 newly diagnosed cases and 145 000 deaths worldwide per year. Nucleotide metabolism fuel DNA replication and RNA synthesis, which is indispensable for cell proliferation. But how tumor cells orchestrate nucleotide metabolic enzymes to support their rapid growth is largely unknown. Here we show that expression of pyrimidine metabolic enzyme dihydroorotate dehydrogenase (DHODH) is upregulated in OSCC tissues, compared to non-cancerous adjacent tissues. Enhanced expression of DHODH is correlated with a shortened patient survival time. Inhibition of DHODH by either shRNA or selective inhibitors impairs proliferation of OSCC cells and growth of tumor xenograft. Further, loss of functional DHODH imped de novo pyrimidine synthesis, and disrupt mitochondrial respiration probably through destabilizing the MICOS complex. Mechanistic study shows that transcriptional factor SOX2 plays an important role in the upregulation of DHODH in OSCC. Our findings add to the knowledge of how cancer cells co-opt nucleotide metabolism to support their rapid growth, and thereby highlight DHODH as a potential prognostic and therapeutic target for OSCC treatment.
Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; Cell Proliferation ; Head and Neck Neoplasms ; Humans ; Mouth Neoplasms ; Oxidoreductases Acting on CH-CH Group Donors ; SOXB1 Transcription Factors ; Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Head and Neck

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is one of the most common cancers worldwide, and with 354 864 new cases each year. Cancer metastasis, recurrence, and drug resistance are the main causes to cripples and deaths of OSCC patients. As potent growth factors, fibroblast growth factors (FGFs) are frequently susceptible to being hijacked by cancer cells. In this study, we show that FGF8 is upregulated in OSCC tissues and high FGF8 expression is related with a set of clinicopathologic parameters, including age, drinking, and survival time. FGF8 treatment enhances the invasive capability of OSCC cells. Lentivirus-based FGF8 expression promotes OSCC metastasis in a mouse lung metastasis model. Further, mechanistic study demonstrates that FGF8 induces epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in OSCC cells. These results highlight a pro-metastatic function of FGF8, and underscore the role of FGF8 in OSCC development.
Animals ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Movement ; Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition ; Fibroblast Growth Factor 8 ; Head and Neck Neoplasms ; Humans ; Mice ; Mouth Neoplasms ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local ; Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Head and Neck

Objective To investigate the circulating levels of platelet-leukocyte aggregates (PLA) in patients with delayed encephalopathy after acute carbon monoxide poisoning (DEACMP).Methods The circulating levels of platelet-neutrophil aggregates (PNA) and platelet-monocyte aggregates (PMA) were quantified in 30 patients with DEACMP (DEACMP group) and 30 patients with acute carbon monoxide poisoning (ACOP group) by using flow cytometry assay,whose results were compared with those of 20 healthy subjects (controls).Results Circulating PNA and PMA levels in DEACMP group and ACOP group at acute stage were significantly higher than those in controls,respectively (P＜0.05),while no significant difference was noted between ACOP group and DEACMP group at acute stage (P＞0.05),indicating that platelets were in activation status and PLA levels raised significantly in patients with DEACMP and ACOP at acute stage.Circulating PNA and PMA levels were significantly higher in DEACMP group at acute stage than those in DEACMP group at stable stage (P＜ 0.05),suggesting that platelet activation were controlled after the illness state were stabilized in patients with DEACMP.Conclusion Platelet is involved in the pathogenesis of DEACMP and the change trend of circulating PLA levels is basically consistent with illness state.

Objective To explore the influence of social-emotional competence and adaptive behavior on language skills of hearing-impaired children. Methods 68 hearing-impaired children aged 1~3 years were investigated with questionnaire. Results Externalizing behavior and deregulation negatively correlated with language skills (P<0.05), while communication positively correlated (P<0.05). Multiple regression showed that externalizing behavior was the independent factor related with language skills of hearing-impaired children. Conclusion Social-emotional competence relates with the language skills of hearing-impaired children.

To investigate the relationship between platelet-leukocyte aggregates (PLA) and serum high sensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP)in type 2 diabetic patients with retinopathy (DR).The blood levels of platelet-neutrophil aggregates( PNA )and platelet-monocyte aggregates ( PMA ) were determined by flow cytometry and serum hs-CRP by ELISA in 30 patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy( PDR group),30 patients with no-proliferative diabetic retinopathy( NPDR group),25 diabetic patients without DR( DM group),and 30 normal controls.The levels of PNA,PMA,and hs-CRP in PDR group were significantly higher than those in normal control,NPDR,and DM groups.The levels of PNA,PMA,and hs-CRP in NPDR group were significantly higher than those in normal control and DM group( P＜0.01 or P＜0.05 ).The PNA and PMA were correlated positively with hs-CRP in patients with DR ( r =0.587,0.576 ; P ＜ 0.05 ).The data showed that the levels of PLA and hs-CRP were raised significantly in patients with DR,and the levels of PLA were positively correlated with inflammatory response and the seriousness of DR,suggesting that these findings may play an important role in the development of DR.

Objective To study the character of influenza A (H1N1) virus hemagglutinin from human and animal in order to discuss relation of hemagglutinin from between human and animal. Methods Influenza A( H1N1 ) virus hemagglutinin from human, swine and avian were downloaded from NCBI. The above hemagglutinin amino acid sequences were used to compare and establish protein evolution tree. Results Homology of influenza A( H1N1 ) virus hemagglutinin amino acid sequences from human in 2009 is high (99%-100%). But the coherence between influenza A( H1N1 ) virus hemagglutinin amino acid sequences from human in 2009, swine and avian is low, only 77% -90% ( homology is 90% between only ABW36355 from swine and influenza A( H1N1 ) virus hemagglutinin amino acid sequences from human in 2009. The other is 77%-83%). Protein evolution tree show that hemagglutinin amino acid sequences from human,swine and avian is respectively on different branch on evolution tree. The homology between influenza A(H1N1) virus hemagglutinin amino acid sequences from human in 2009(exclude ADA71154) and before 2009 is low, only 79%-80%. And hemagglutinin amino acid sequences in 2009 and before 2009 are respectively on 3 different branch of evolution tree. Conclusion Prevalent influenza A ( H1N1 ) virus in 2009 is a new virus and the study show that prevalent influenza A( H1N1 ) virus in 2009 do not directly come from swine and avian, and don't directly come from human influenza A(H1N1) virus before 2009.

Objective To study the changes of mean platelet volume and urinary albumin excretion rate and retinal thickness and relationship among them in diabetes mellitus patients with retinopathy(DR).Methods Mean platelet volume was measured with MEK-6318K automated blood cell counter;retinal thickness was measured with optical coherence tomography(OCT);urinary albumin excretion rate was measured with rate nephelometry in DR,which were compared with those of 30 normal controls.Results The mean platelet volume and retinal thickness and urinary albumin excretion rate in DR were significantly higher than those in normal controls(P