Objective:This study aims to analyze the threshold changes in distortion product otoacoustic emissions（DPOAE） and auditory brainstem response（ABR） in adult Otof-/- mice before and after gene therapy, evaluating its effectiveness and exploring methods for assessing hearing recovery post-treatment. Methods:At the age of 4 weeks, adult Otof-/- mice received an inner ear injection of a therapeutic agent containing intein-mediated recombination of the OTOF gene, delivered via dual AAV vectors through the round window membrane（RWM）. Immunofluorescence staining assessed the proportion of inner ear hair cells with restored otoferlin expression and the number of synapses.Statistical analysis was performed to compare the DPOAE and ABR thresholds before and after the treatment. Results:AAV-PHP. eB demonstrates high transduction efficiency in inner ear hair cells. The therapeutic regimen corrected hearing loss in adult Otof-/- mice without impacting auditory function in wild-type mice. The changes in DPOAE and ABR thresholds after gene therapy are significantly correlated at 16 kHz. Post-treatment,a slight increase in DPOAE was observeds,followed by a recovery trend at 2 months post-treatment. Conclusion:Gene therapy significantly restored hearing in adult Otof-/- mice, though the surgical delivery may cause transient hearing damage. Precise and gentle surgical techniques are essential to maximize gene therapy's efficacy.
Mice ; Animals ; Otoacoustic Emissions, Spontaneous/physiology* ; Hearing/physiology* ; Ear, Inner ; Hearing Loss/therapy* ; Genetic Therapy ; Auditory Threshold/physiology* ; Evoked Potentials, Auditory, Brain Stem/physiology* ; Membrane Proteins

The aim of this study was to clone the chicken zp1 gene encoding zona pellucida 1 (Zp1) and investigate its tissues expression profile and its effect on osteoblast mineralization. The expression level of zp1 was quantified in various tissues of laying hens and in the tibia of the pre- and post-sexual maturity by RT-qPCR. Zp1 overexpressed vector was transfected into chicken calvarial osteoblasts which were induced differentiation for 8 days, and the extracellular mineral and the expression of mineralization-related genes were detected. The full-length chicken zp1 gene is 3 045 bp, encoding 958 amino acids residuals, and has two N-glycosylation sites. The highest expression level of the zp1 gene was found in the liver, followed by the tibia and yolk membrane, while no expression was detected in the heart and eggshell gland. Compared with the pre-sexual maturity hens, the concentration of estrogen (E2) in plasma, the content of glycosaminoglycan (GAG) and the expression level of the zp1 gene in the tibia with post-sexual maturity were higher. The extracellular matrix and the level of osteoblast mineralization-related genes showed a significantly upregulated expression in chicken calvarial osteoblasts with Zp1 overexpressed and addition of estrogen. The expression of the zp1 gene is tissue-specific and positively regulated osteoblast mineralization under the action of estrogen, laying the foundation for elucidating the functional properties of Zp1 in chicken bones during the egg production period.
Female ; Animals ; Zona Pellucida Glycoproteins ; Membrane Glycoproteins/metabolism* ; Chickens/genetics* ; Egg Proteins/metabolism* ; Receptors, Cell Surface ; Estrogens

Sweet potato is an important food crop that can also be used as an industrial raw material. Sucrose is the main form of long-distance carbohydrate transport in plants, and sucrose transporter (SUT) regulates the transmembrane transport and distribution of sucrose during plant growth and metabolism. Moreover, SUT plays a key role in phloem mediated source-to-sink sucrose transport and physiological activities, supplying sucrose for the sink tissues. In this study, the full-length cDNA sequences of IbSUT₆₂₇₈₈ and IbSUT₈₁₆₁₆ were obtained by rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE) cloning according to the transcripts of the two SUT coding genes which were differentially expressed in sweet potato storage roots with different starch properties. Phylogenetic analysis was performed to clarify the classification of IbSUT₆₂₇₈₈ and IbSUT₈₁₆₁₆. The subcellular localization of IbSUT₆₂₇₈₈ and IbSUT₈₁₆₁₆ was determined by transient expression in Nicotiana benthamiana. The function of IbSUT₆₂₇₈₈ and IbSUT₈₁₆₁₆ in sucrose and hexose absorption and transport was identified using yeast functional complementarity system. The expression pattern of IbSUT₆₂₇₈₈ and IbSUT₈₁₆₁₆ in sweet potato organs were analyzed by real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR). Arabidopsis plants heterologous expressing IbSUT₆₂₇₈₈ and IbSUT₈₁₆₁₆ genes were obtained using floral dip method. The differences in starch and sugar contents between transgenic and wild-type Arabidopsis were compared. The results showed IbSUT₆₂₇₈₈ and IbSUT₈₁₆₁₆ encoded SUT proteins with a length of 505 and 521 amino acids, respectively, and both proteins belonged to the SUT1 subfamily. IbSUT₆₂₇₈₈ and IbSUT₈₁₆₁₆ were located in the cell membrane and were able to transport sucrose, glucose and fructose in the yeast system. In addition, IbSUT₆₂₇₈₈ was also able to transport mannose. The expression of IbSUT₆₂₇₈₈ was higher in leaves, lateral branches and main stems, and the expression of IbSUT₈₁₆₁₆ was higher in lateral branches, stems and storage roots. After IbSUT₆₂₇₈₈ and IbSUT₈₁₆₁₆ were heterologously expressed in Arabidopsis, the plants grew normally, but the biomass increased. The heterologous expression of IbSUT₆₂₇₈₈ increased the soluble sugar content, leaf size and 1 000-seed weight of Arabidopsis plants. Heterologous expression of IbSUT₈₁₆₁₆ increased starch accumulation in leaves and root tips and 1 000-seed weight of seeds, but decreased soluble sugar content. The results obtained in this study showed that IbSUT₆₂₇₈₈ and IbSUT₈₁₆₁₆ might be important genes regulating sucrose and sugar content traits in sweet potato. They might carry out physiological functions on cell membrane, such as transmembrane transport of sucrose, sucrose into and out of sink tissue, as well as transport and unloading of sucrose into phloem. The changes in traits result from their heterologous expression in Arabidopsis indicates their potential in improving the yield of other plants or crops. The results obtained in this study provide important information for revealing the functions of IbSUT₆₂₇₈₈ and IbSUT₈₁₆₁₆ in starch and glucose metabolism and formation mechanism of important quality traits in sweet potato.
Ipomoea batatas/metabolism* ; Arabidopsis/metabolism* ; Sucrose/metabolism* ; Saccharomyces cerevisiae/metabolism* ; DNA, Complementary ; Phylogeny ; Plants, Genetically Modified/genetics* ; Membrane Transport Proteins/metabolism* ; Starch/metabolism* ; Plant Proteins/metabolism* ; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant

Membrane Proteins/metabolism* ; Protein Binding

OBJECTIVE: To explore the genetic basis for 4 patients with globozoospermia. METHODS: Semen and blood samples were collected from the patients for the determination of sperm concentration, viability, survival rate, morphology and acrosome antigen CD46. Meanwhile, DNA was extracted for whole exome sequencing (WES), and candidate variants were validated by Sanger sequencing. RESULTS: All of the four patients were found to harbor variants of the DPY19L2 gene. Patients 1 ~ 3 had homozygous deletions of the DPY19L2 gene. Sanger sequencing confirmed that the DPY19L2 gene in patient 3 was disrupted at a recombination breakpoint area BP2, resulting in nonallelic homologous recombination and complete deletion of the DPY19L2 gene. Patients 2 and 3 respectively harbored novel homozygous deletions of exons 2 ~ 22 and exons 14 ~ 15. Patient 4 harbored heterozygous deletion of the DPY19L2 gene, in addition with a rare homozygous deletion of the 3' UTR region. CONCLUSION DPY19L2 gene variants probably underlay the globozoospermia in the four patients, which has fit an autosomal recessive pattern of inheritance and the characteristics of genomic diseases.
Male ; Humans ; Teratozoospermia/genetics* ; Homozygote ; Semen ; Sequence Deletion ; 3' Untranslated Regions ; Membrane Proteins

OBJECTIVE: To explore the clinical manifestations and genetic characteristics of patients with congenital central hypothyroidism due to variants of IGSF1 gene. METHODS: Clinical data, results of genetic testing, and follow-up of four patients admitted to Children's Hospital of Soochow University during 2017 to 2021 were retrospectively analyzed. RESULTS: All of the four patients were males. Patient 1 had presented neonatal jaundice, patients 2 and 3 were admitted for growth retardation during childhood, and thyroid function test indicated slightly low free thyroxine (FT4), patient 4 was found to have reduced FT4 in the neonatal period. Genetic testing revealed that all of the four patients have harbored pathogenic variants of the IGSF1 gene, which were all inherited from their mothers. The thyroid functions in all patients were well controlled with oral levothyroxine and regular follow-up. CONCLUSION Pathogenic variants of the IGSF1 gene probably underlay the congenital central hypothyroidism with a variety of clinical manifestations, and genetic testing can facilitate the diagnosis at an early stage.
Child ; Male ; Infant, Newborn ; Female ; Humans ; Retrospective Studies ; Hypothyroidism/genetics* ; Genetic Testing ; Mothers ; Immunoglobulins/genetics* ; Membrane Proteins/genetics*

Objective: To investigate the efficacy of chitinase-3-like protein 1 (CHI3L1) and Golgi protein 73 (GP73) in the diagnosis of cirrhosis and the dynamic changes of CHI3L1 and GP73 after HCV clearance in patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC) treated with direct-acting antiviral drugs (DAAs). The comparison of continuous variables of normal distribution were statistically analyzed by ANOVA and t-test. The comparison of continuous variables of non-normal distribution were statistically analyzed by rank sum test. The categorical variables were statistically analyzed by Fisher's exact test and χ(2) test. Correlation analysis was performed using Spearman correlation analysis. Methods: Data of 105 patients with CHC diagnosed from January 2017 to December 2019 were collected. The receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC curve) was plotted to study the efficacy of serum CHI3L1 and GP73 for the diagnosis of cirrhosis. Friedman test was used to compare CHI3L1 and GP73 change characteristics. Results: The areas under the ROC curve for CHI3L1 and GP73 in the diagnosis of cirrhosis at baseline were 0.939 and 0.839, respectively. Serum levels of CHI3L1 and GP73 in the DAAs group decreased significantly at the end of treatment compared with baseline [123.79 (60.25, 178.80) ng/ml vs. 118.20 (47.68, 151.36) ng/ml, P = 0.001; 105.73 (85.05, 130.69) ng/ml vs. 95.52 (69.52, 118.97) ng/ml, P = 0.001]. Serum CHI3L1 and GP73 in the pegylated interferon combined with ribavirin (PR) group were significantly lower at the end of 24 weeks of treatment than the baseline [89.15 (39.15, 149.74) ng/ml vs. 69.98 (20.52, 71.96) ng/ml, P < 0.05; 85.07 (60.07, 121) ng/ml vs. 54.17 (29.17, 78.65) ng/ml, P < 0.05]. Conclusion: CHI3L1 and GP73 are sensitive serological markers that can be used to monitor the fibrosis prognosis in CHC patients during treatment and after obtaining a sustained virological response. Serum CHI3L1 and GP73 levels in the DAAs group decreased earlier than those in the PR group, and the serum CHI3L1 levels in the untreated group increased compared with the baseline at about two years of follow-up.
Humans ; Hepatitis C, Chronic/drug therapy* ; Antiviral Agents/therapeutic use* ; Membrane Proteins/metabolism* ; Liver Cirrhosis/diagnosis* ; Fibrosis ; Biomarkers

To summarize the clinical diagnosis and treatment process and genetic test results and characteristics of one child with Angelman syndrome (AS) complicated with oculocutaneous albinism type 2 (OCA2), and to review the literature. "Angelman syndrome" "P gene" and "Oculocutaneous albinism type 2" were used as keywords to search at CNKI, Wanfang, and PubMed databases (from creation to December 2019). Then all the patients were analyzed. The patient in this study was a girl aged 1 year. After birth, she was found to present as white body, yellow hair, and nystagmus. She could raise her head at the age of 2 months and turn over at the age of 7 months. The head circumference was 42 cm and she could not sit alone or speak at present. Trio-based exome sequencing revealed that the patient carried a homozygous mutation of c.168del (p.Gln58ArgfsTer44) in the P gene, and her father was heterozygous and her mother was wild-type. The detection of copy number variation showed deletion on the maternal chromosome at 15q11.2-13.1 region (P gene located in this region) in the patient. Until December 2019, a total of 4 cases in the 4 literature had been reported. Adding our case here, the 5 cases were summarized and found that all the cases showed white skin, golden hair, and shallow iris after birth. Comprehensive developmental delay was found around 6 months of age after birth, and the language remained undeveloped in 2 cases till follow-up into childhood. Seizures occurred in 4 patients. Two cases had ataxia. All the 5 cases had acquired microcephaly. Two cases had a family history of albinism. Electroencephalogram monitoring was completed in 3 cases and the results were abnormal. Genetic tests showed that all the 5 cases had deletion on maternal chromosome at 15q11-13 region. Four cases carried mutation of P gene on paternal chromosome. And 1 case was clinically diagnosed as OCA2 without P gene test. AS combined with OCA2 is relatively rare. OCA2 is easily diagnosed based on the obvious clinical manifestations after birth. When combined with clinical manifestations such as neurodevelopmental delay, it might indicate the possibility of AS that is hardly diagnosed clinically at an early stage. Genetic tests can reveal the cross-genetic phenomenon of AS and OCA2 and the complex of them can be eventually diagnosed.
Female ; Humans ; Albinism, Oculocutaneous/genetics* ; DNA Copy Number Variations ; Membrane Transport Proteins/genetics* ; Molecular Biology ; Mutation ; Infant

OBJECTIVE: To explore the protective effect and possible mechanisms of bloodletting acupuncture at Jing-well points (BAJP) pre-treatment on acute hypobaric hypoxia (AHH)-induced myocardium injury rat. METHODS: Seventy-five rats were randomly divided into 5 groups by a random number table: a control group (n=15), a model group (n=15), a BAJP group (n=15), a BAJP+3-methyladenine (3-MA) group (n=15), and a BANA (bloodletting at nonacupoint; tail bleeding, n=15) group. Except for the control group, the AHH rat model was established in the other groups, and the corresponding treatment methods were adopted. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to detect creatine kinase isoenzyme MB (CK-MB) and cardiac troponins I (CTnI) levels in serum and superoxide dismutase (SOD) and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels in myocardial tissue. Hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining was used to observe myocardial injury, and terminal deoxynucleotidyltransferase-mediated dUTP-biotin nick end labeling (TUNEL) staining was used to observe cell apoptosis. Transmission electron microscopy detection was used to observe mitochondrial damage and autophagosomes in the myocardium. The mitochondrial membrane potential of the myocardium was analyzed with the fluorescent dye JC-1. Mitochondrial respiratory chain complex (complex I, III, and IV) activities and ATPase in the myocardium were detected by mitochondrial respiratory chain complex assay kits. Western blot analysis was used to detect the autophagy index and hypoxia inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α)/Bcl-2 and adenovirus E1B 19k Da-interacting protein 3 (BNIP3) signaling. RESULTS: BAJP reduced myocardial injury and inhibited myocardial cell apoptosis in AHH rats. BAJP pretreatment decreased MDA levels and increased SOD levels in AHH rats (all P<0.01). Moreover, BAJP pretreatment increased the mitochondrial membrane potential (P<0.01), mitochondrial respiratory chain complex (complexes I, III, and IV) activities (P<0.01), and mitochondrial ATPase activity in AHH rats (P<0.05). The results from electron microscopy demonstrated that BAJP pretreatment improved mitochondrial swelling and increased the autophagosome number in the myocardium of AHH rats. In addition, BAJP pretreatment activated the HIF-1α/BNIP3 pathway and autophagy. Finally, the results of using 3-MA to inhibit autophagy in BAJP-treated AHH rats showed that suppression of autophagy attenuated the treatment effects of BAJP in AHH rats, further proving that autophagy constitutes a potential target for BAJP treatment of AHH. CONCLUSION BAJP is an effective treatment for AHH-induced myocardial injury, and the mechanism might involve increasing HIF-1α/BNIP3 signaling-mediated autophagy and decreasing oxidative stress.
Animals ; Rats ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Altitude ; Apoptosis ; Autophagy ; Bloodletting ; Hypoxia/metabolism* ; Membrane Proteins/pharmacology* ; Mitochondrial Proteins/pharmacology* ; Oxidative Stress ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of ANP32A silencing on invasion and migration of colon cancer cells and the influence of the activity of AKT signaling pathway on this effect. METHODS: Colorectal cancer HCT116 and SW480 were transfected with a small interfering RNA targeting ANP32A via a lentiviral vector. At 24, 48 and 72 h after the transfection, the changes in cell proliferation and AKT activity in the cells were detected using MTT assay and Western blotting, respectively. HCT116 and SW480 cells were treated with the AKT agonist SC79 or its inhibitor MK2206 for 24, 48, 72 and 96 h, and the changes in cell migration and invasion ability were analyzed using Transwell chamber assay and cell proliferation was assessed using MTT assay. The effects of SC79 and MK2206 on migration and invasion abilities of HCT116 and SW480 cells with or without ANP32A silencing were examined using wound healing and Transwell chamber assays, and the changes in the expression of metadherin (MTDH), a factor associated with cells invasion and migration, was detected with Western blotting. RESULTS: Lentivirus-mediated ANP32A silencing significantly down-regulated the activity of AKT and inhibited the proliferation of both HCT116 and SW480 cells (P < 0.01). The application of AKT inhibitor MK2206 obviously inhibited the proliferation, invasion and migration of the colorectal cancer cells (P < 0.05), while the AKT agonist SC79 significantly promoted the invasion and migration of the cells (P < 0.01). In HCT116 and SW480 cells with ANP32A silencing, treatment with MK2206 strongly enhanced the inhibitory effects of ANP32A silencing on cell invasion and migration (P < 0.05) and the expression of MTDH, while SC79 partially reversed these inhibitory effects (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION ANP32A silencing inhibits invasion and migration of colorectal cancer cells possibly by inhibiting the activation of the AKT signaling pathway.
Humans ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt ; Cell Proliferation ; Blotting, Western ; Cell Movement ; Colonic Neoplasms ; Membrane Proteins ; RNA-Binding Proteins/genetics* ; Nuclear Proteins