Objective To determine the genotype distribution of methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) C677T, A1298C and methionine synthase reductase (MTRR) A66G involved in the folic acid biosynthetic pathway among Chinese Han women in Sichuan, so as to provide pregnant women with guidance of supplementing folic acid. Methods By means of Taqman-MGB, 2382 samples from Deyang region in Sichuan province were tested for detecting the genotype distributions and allele frequencies of MTHFR C677T, MTHFR A1298C and MTRR A66G polymorphisms, and then the results were compared with published data in Shandong, Henan and Hainan provinces. Results The allele frequencies of MTHFR C677T were 63.45 and 36.55, those of MTHFR A1298C were 78.20 and 21.80, and those of MTRR A66G were 72.81 and 27.19. There were significant differences in allele distribution of MTHFR C677T and A1298C between Sichuan Han women and other region population. Conclusion This study suggests that the polymorphism of MTHFR C677T and A1298C exhibits region heterogeneity. The polymorphisms of MTHFR may play a role in neural tube defects (NTDs) risk, so periconceptional folic acid supplementation and healthcare following gene polymorphism testing may be a powerful measure to decrease congenital malformations of the central nervous system.
ObjectiveTo compare the biological features of early and late endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) by isolating and culturing early and late EPCs from the human peripheral blood so as to find some unique properties of EPCs and to propose a suitable strategy for EPCs identification. MethodsMononuclear cells were isolated from the human peripheral blood using density gradient centrifugation. Then, the cells were inoculated in human fibronectin-coated culture flasks and cultured in endothelial cell basal medium 2. After 4-7 days and 2-3 weeks culture, early and late EPCs were obtained respectively. The morphology, proliferation potential, surface markers, cytokine secretion, angiogenic ability, and nitric oxide (NO) release were compared between 2 types of EPCs. Meanwhile, the human aortic endothelial cells (HAECs) were used as positive control. ResultsThe morphology of early and late EPCs was different:early EPCs formed a cell cluster with a spindle shape after 4-7 days of culture, and late EPCs showed a cobblestone appearance. Late EPCs were characterized by high proliferation potential and were able to form capillary tubes on Matrigel, but early EPCs did not have this feature. Both types EPCs could ingest acetylated low density lipoprotein and combine with ulex europaeus Ⅰ. Flow cytometry analysis showed that early EPCs did not express CD34 and CD133, but expressed the CD14 and CD45 of the hematopoietic stem cell markers;however, late EPCs expressed CD31 and CD34 of the endothelial cell markers, but did not express CD14, CD45, and CD133. By RT-PCR analysis, the expressions of vascular endothelial growth receptor 2 and vascular endothelial cadherin in early EPCs were significantly lower than those in the late EPCs and HAECs (P<0.05), but no significant difference was found in the expression of von Willebrand factor and endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) between 2 type EPCs (P>0.05). The concentrations of vascular endothelial growth factor, granulocyte colony-stimulating factor, and interleukin 8 were significantly higher in the supernatant of early EPCs than late EPCs (P<0.05). Western blot assay indicated eNOS expressed in both types EPCs, while the expression of eNOS in late EPCs was significantly higher than early EPCs at 5 weeks (P<0.05). Both cell types could produce similar amount of NO (P>0.05). ConclusionThe expression of eNOS and the production of NO could be used as common biological features to identify EPCs, and the strategy of a combination of multiple methods for EPCs identification is more feasible.
AutoMeta is a semi-automated, interactive, user-friendly online platform developed by Chinese scholars with independent intellectual property rights. This platform is designed to assist users in completing pairwise meta-analysis, inverse variance meta-analysis, network meta-analysis, and diagnostic test accuracy meta-analysis and use the GRADE method to achieve automatic grading of certainty of evidence. Nowadays, the AutoMeta platform can conduct the pairwise meta-analysis and inverse variance meta-analysis, as well as the automatic grading of certainty of evidence for pairwise meta-analysis. This article introduces the platform to users in terms of its development techniques, operation methods and verification of the accuracy of results, aiming to assist researchers to conduct systematic reviews quickly.
ObjectiveTo investigate the relationship between the changes of nerve cells in sphincter of Oddi and acute pancreatitis. MethodsThe rabbit models of acute pancreatitis were prepared by using sodium taurocholate perfusion. Immunohistochemical method was used to detect the expressions of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) and vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) in neurons of the sphincter of Oddi. ResultsIn the control group, (45.83±2.17)% of myenteric neurons were NOS-positive, (52.46±2.47)% of myenteric neurons were VIP positive, and (22.73±1.95)% of myenteric neurons were NOS and VIP double positive. In contrast, (11.26±0.93)% of myenteric neurons were NOS-positive and (28.62±2.83)% of myenteric neurons were VIP positive in SAP group, which were significantly less than those of control group (P < 0.01). ConclusionsThe sphincter of Oddi of normal rabbits is rich in VIP and NOS positive neurons. The significant reduction of NOS-positive and VIP-positive neurons when SAP, which may be the reason of decreased the activities of the sphincter of Oddi.
ObjectiveTo understand the effect of nitric oxide (NO) on the formation of hyperdynamic circulatory syndrome (HCS) and the influence of level of NO on HCS. MethodsAfter establishment of stable HCS in partial portal vein ligated rats,the quantity of NO in blood of portal vein and the activity of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) in liver were determined by pre and post injection of inhabitor of NOS (NGmethylLarginine) and hemodynamics was supervised simultaneously.ResultsThe quantity of NO was paralleled with the activity of NOS and was elevated markedly by 24 hours after operation and reached the top by 48 hours after surgery. These sequential changes were coincided with the dilation of general vascularture. There was a close relation between this changes and the formation of HCS.The quantity of NO and the activity of NOS were decreased significantly to the level of the control group after injection of NGmethylLarginine (LNMMA). LNMMA inhabited the activity of NOS and blocked the production of NO. HCS ameliorated obviously. ConclusionNO plays an important role in initiating the dilation of general vascularture and plays a critical role in the formation of HCS. HCS will be ameliorated obviously or be blocked completely by eliminating the effect of NO and the portal pressure will decreased significantly or recover to normal range.
Mitochondrial adenosine triphosphate (ATP) synthase is the key enzyme of mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation reaction.The down-regulation of the mitochondrial ATP synthase is a hallmark of most human carcinomas, which is the embodiment of the bioenergetic signature of cancer in the performance of the decreased oxidative phosphorylation and increased aerobic glycolysis. Combining with the bioenergetic signature of cancer, studies showed that mitochondrial ATP synthase and multidrug resistance and adverse prognosis of tumor were closely related. Its mechanisms are related to post-transcriptional regulation of the ATP synthase,the hypermethylation of the ATP synthase gene and the inhibitor peptide of the mitochondrial ATP synthase, called ATP synthase inhibitory factor 1(IF1). In this review, we stress the biological characteristics of mitochondrial ATP synthase and the relationship between ATP synthase and multidrug resistance and prognosis of Malignant tumor, in order to find a new way for tumor therapy.
Objective To investigate the effects of QUE on proliferation and DNA synthesis of cultured retinal pigment epithelium(RPE) cells with or without EGF. Methods With or without EGF, cultured RPE cells were treated with QUE by various concentrations(200,100,50,1mu;mol/L) and with QUE 200mu;mol/L at different times(24-168 hr), cells proliferation and DNA synthesis were evaluated by cell count method and the uptake of thymidine. The viability of cells was determined by trypanblue exclusion. Results The best concentration of QUE which inhibits proliferation and DNA synthesis of PRE cells was 200mu;mol/L. The significant inhibition effect of QUE occurred at 48hr, and the best inhibition of QUE occurred at 96hr. QUE had more powerful effect of antiproliferation on RPE cells, and the viability of RPE cells was over85%. Conclusion The results suggested that QUE could inhibit the proliferation of RPE cells in a dose-dependent and time-dependent manner, especially inhibit the proliferation induced by EGF stimulating. QUE had no cyto-toxic effect on RPE cells cultured in vitro. (Chin J Ocul Fundus Dis,1999,15:27-29)
Objective To explore the effects of heat-inactivated Lactobacillus gasseri TMC0356 on liver lipid metabolism in rats with metabolic syndrome (MS) and its possible mechanism. Methods Sixty male Sprague-Dawley rats were selected. Rats were randomly divided into 5 groups, including control group, MS model group and three TMC0356 test groups (low-, medium- and high-dose groups). The rats in each group were fed with different diets for 7 days, and the liver was dissected and removed after 15 weeks. The mRNA and protein expression levels of peroxisome hyperbioactive receptor-α (PPAR-α), sterol regulatory element binding protein-1c (REBP-1c), fatty acid synthase (FAS) and carnitine lipoacyltransferase-1 (CPT-1) genes in liver were detected. Results There was no significant difference in the mRNA expression of PPAR-α, SREBP-1c or CPT-1 among the five groups (P>0.05). The mRNA expression of FAS in low-dose TMC0356 test group was lower than that in MS model group (P=0.011), medium-dose TMC0356 test group (P=0.042) and high-dose TMC0356 test group (P=0.009). There was no significant difference in the expression of FAS mRNA between other groups (P>0.05). There was no significant difference in the protein expression of PPAR-α, SREBP-1c or FAS among the five groups (P>0.05). The protein expression of CPT-1 in low-dose TMC0356 test group was higher than that in control group (P=0.033) and high-dose TMC0356 test group (P=0.043). There was no significant difference in the protein expression of CPT-1 between the other groups (P>0.05). Conclusion Heat-inactivated Lactobacillus gasseri TMC0356 may improve the symptoms of metabolic disorder in rats by suppressing appetite, improving insulin resistance, and downregulating the expression of key fat metabolism genes such as FAS and SREBP-1c.