No Correlation Between Atrial Natriuretic Peptide Concentrations and Echocardiographic Measurements of Left Atrial Size or Left Ventricular Size and Function in Patients with Persistent Atrial Fibrillation

Atrial fibrillation (AF) may be associated with activation of atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP). The exact trigger for the release of ANP is still being debated. Atrial volume, pressure, and wall stretch are considered to be the main determinants of ANP activation. The aim of the study was to evaluate plasma ANP concentrations in patients with persistent AF and to analyze the echocardiographic determinants of ANP concentration in this group. The study population included 67 patients, 59 ± 7 years of age, with a median AF duration of 5.5 months (range 0.1–12). The relationship between plasma ANP concentrations and echocardiographic left atrial (LA) diameter and volume, and left ventricular (LV) diameter and ejection fraction (EF) was analyzed by logistic regression analysis. The median baseline plasma ANP concentration was 63 pg/mL (range 21–126) in the study group versus 34 pg/mL (range 16–73) in a control group. The mean left antero-posterior atrial dimension, LA volume, LV enddiastolic diameter, and LVEF were 48 mm, 104 mL, 52 mm, and 54%, respectively. A significant linear positive correlation was found between plasma ANP concentration and maximal LA volume (r = 0.62, P < 0.01). A negative correlation was found between LVEF and plasma ANP concentration (r =−0.42, P = 0.01). However, by multivariate regression analysis, no echocardiographic parameter was an independent predictor of plasma ANP concentration. Plasma ANP concentrations were independent of echocardiographic measurements of LA size or LV size and function in patients with persistent AF.     

Neurofilament M and calbindin D28k are present in mutually exclusive subpopulations of enteric neurons in the rat submucous plexus

Immunocytochemical methods have been used to examine the localisation of 3 neurofilament proteins and the calcium binding protein, calbindin D_28k, in whole mount preparations of the submucous plexus in the Wistar rat. Neurofilament-M (160 kDA protein) was present in 40% of the submucosal neurons, staining fine filaments in the soma and the axonal processes. Calbindin D_28k was present in 40% of the submucosal neurons staining both the soma and nerves within the plexus. The neurofilament proteins and calbindin D_28k were never observed within the same neurons. Neurofilament-M was co-localised with substance P and calcitonin gene-related peptide but not somatostatin or the other neuropeptides investigated. Calbindib D_28k was co-localised with vasoactive intestinal polypeptide and neuropeptide Y. Galanin- and somatostatin-immunoreactive neurons did not contain either the neurofilament proteins or calbindin D_28k. The results demonstrate the presence of subsets of submucosal neurons that can be distinguished by the presence of neurofilament-M or calbinsin D_28k.     

长期培养的大鼠原代肝细胞功能和形态学观察

目的：研究大鼠原代肝细胞长期体外培养后功能和形态的变化。 方法： 采用两步胶原酶原位灌流法分离大鼠肝细胞，并用Percoll分离液进行密度梯度离心进一步纯化肝细胞，采用0.4%台盼蓝染色观察细胞活力。然后将细胞接种于HepatoZYME-SFM培养基中培养，定期收集肝细胞培养液上清检测丙氨酸氨基转移酶(ALT)、天门冬氨酸氨基转移酶（AST）、白蛋白、尿素氮的水平。采用乙氧基试卤灵O-脱乙基酶活性（EROD）方法检测肝细胞P450的CYPⅠA1功能。 结果： 新鲜分离的大鼠肝细胞总数（2-3）×108cells/whole liver，Percoll分离液纯化后活力和纯度在90%以上。HepatoZYME-SFM培养下肝细胞生长良好并保持正常形态。AST、ALT水平在培养3 d后下降显著，6-9 d后趋于相对稳定的低水平。白蛋白的分泌功能、尿素合成能力在18 d内维持在较高水平。可在3-6 d检测到CYPⅠA1酶活性。 结论： Percoll液纯化新分离肝细胞可提高其活率和纯度，HepatoZYME-SFM培养条件下肝细胞可有效保持良好形态结构和一定的生物合成代谢能力，适合肝细胞的体外长期培养和功能研究。     

Crystal and molecular structure of l-valyl-l-lysine hydrochloride

l -Valyl-l -lysine hydrochloride, C₁₁N₃O₃H₂₃ HCl, crystallizes in the monoclinic space group P2, with a = 5.438(5), b = 14.188(5), c = 9.521(5) Å, β= 95.38(2)° and Z = 2. The crystal structure, solved by direct methods, refined to R = 0.036, using full matrix least-squares method. The peptide exists in a zwitterionic form, with the N atom of the lysine side-chain protonated. The two γ-carbons of the valine side-chain have positional disorder, giving rise to two conformations, χ¹¹₁= -67.3 and 65.9°, one of which (65.9°) is sterically less favourable and has been found to be less popular amongst residues branching at β-C. The lysine side-chain has the geometry of g^? tgt, not seen in crystal structures of the dipeptides reported so far. Interestingly, χ³₂ (63.6°) of lysine side-chain has a gauche⁺ conformation unlike in most of the other structures, where it is trans. The neighbouring peptide molecules are hydrogen bonded in a head-to-tail fashion, a rather uncommon interaction in lysine peptide structures. The structure shows considerable similarity with that of l -Lys-l -Val HO in conformational angles and H-bond interactions [4].     

平阳霉素对HeLa细胞的大分子生物合成及超微结构的影响

作者用同位数前体参入法及透射与扫描电镜研究了平阳霉素(博莱霉素A_5)对HeLa细胞大分子生物合成及超微结构的影响。结果显示:平阳霉素能抑制HeLa细胞DNA,RNA和蛋白质的生物合成,对DNA的抑制作用强,ID_(50DNA)为42.77μg/ml。表现为:染色质减少,核内电子密度低,核仁分离及“核仁帽”形成,细胞表面微绒毛消失或变形,最终导致质膜破裂等。作者认为,细胞膜是否为此类药物作用的靶位值得进一步研究。     

转TrkC基因神经干细胞移植对脊髓损伤的治疗作用

目的 研究转酪氨酸激酶C（tyrosine kinase C，TrkC）基因神经干细胞（neural stem cells，NSCs）移植治疗脊髓损伤的作用。方法 60只SD大鼠随机分成正常对照组（A组）、脊髓半切组（B组）、NSCs移植组（C组）、NSCs移植＋神经营养素（NT）-3局部使用（D）组、转TrkC基WNSCs移植组（E组）和转TrkC基因NSCs移植＋NT-3局部使用组（F组），每组10只。脊髓损伤后第9天进行细胞移植。各组大鼠在细胞移植后2个月，行体感诱发电位（SEP）和运动诱发电位（MEP）检查以及脊髓运动功能（BBB）评分。结果 细胞移植后2个月SEP和MEP发生潜伏期和峰峰波幅以及右后肢BBB评分的恢复均以下组最佳，与其他各组比较，差异有统计学意义（P＜ 0．05，0．01）。结论在局部给予的NT-3作用下，转TrkC基因NSCs能较好地促进损伤脊髓功能的恢复。     

不同组织来源临床肿瘤主要细胞周期素表达类型的研究

目的观察人类主要细胞周期素（Cyclin D1、E、A、B1）在临床肿瘤细胞中表达特征并进行分类，探讨其对临床肿瘤分类的可行性及潜在意义。方法用流式细胞术（FCM）双参数法半定量检测161例恶性肿瘤手术切除标本细胞中Cyclin D1、E、A、B1表达，根据不同Cyclin在细胞周期中的作用及其异常表达特征，将肿瘤细胞主要Cyclin表达分为不同类型。结果细胞周期外Cyclin（D1）及周期内Cyclins（E、A、B1）在临床肿瘤细胞中表达无组织差异性（P〉0．05）。其异常表达大致可归为5种类型：Ⅰ型Cyclin（D1、E、A、B1）均高表达；Ⅱ型Cyclin D1低表达，Cyclin（E、A、B1）不同形式高表达；Ⅲ型Cyclin D1不表达，Cyclin（E、A、B1）不同形式高表达；Ⅳ型Cyclin D1不表达，Cyclin（E、A、B1）不同形式低表达；V型Cyclin（D1、E、A、B1）均不表达；再根据各型中不同周期内Cyclin的优势表达分为相应不同的亚型。a亚型：Cyclin（E、B1）表达为主；b亚型：CyclinE表达为主；c亚型：Cyclin B1表达为主；d亚型：Cyclin（E、A、B1）表达为主。肿瘤细胞主要Cyclin表达类型及相应亚型分布无组织来源的差异性（P〉0．05）。结论主要Cyclins表达类型可以作为不同组织来源肿瘤分类的依据，可能是体现不同肿瘤细胞周期破坏共同特征较为客观分类方法。     

Comparison of assays for determination of peptide content for lyophilized thymalfasin*

Abstract: Precise determination of the peptide content in drug substance samples depends highly upon the particular peptide compound and methodology used. Four independent methods were evaluated and compared to determine which would produce the best experimental precision for analysis of thymalfasin (thymosin α‐1). Four different methods were evaluated including elemental analysis (CHN), quantitative amino acid analysis (AAA), high‐performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), and Kjeldahl. This study demonstrates that the AAA method is highly variable in one laboratory while quite precise in another laboratory. Similarly, HPLC results depended on the laboratory conducting the study with more precise values obtained under cGMP. On the contrary, the CHN method yielded highly precise [i.e. <2% coefficient of variation (CV)] values. As precise knowledge of protein content is fundamental for the compounding of final pharmaceutical product of a specific potency, the CHN analysis is recommended for peptide content determination of the drug substance thymalfasin.     

Induction of apoptosis in human hepatocarcinoma SMMC-7721 cells in vitro by flavonoids from Astragalus complanatus

Aim of the study

Flavonoids extracted from the seeds of Astragalus complanatus R.Br. reduce the proliferation of many cancer cells. The present study was carried out to evaluate the effects of these flavonoids from Astragalus complanatus (FAC) on human hepatocarcinoma cell viability and apoptosis and to investigate its mechanisms of action in SMMC-7721 cells.

Materials and methods

Cell viability was measured using the MTT assay. To detect apoptotic cells, SMMC-7721 cells treated with FAC were stained with Hoechst 33258 and subjected to agarose gel electrophoresis. Quantitative detection of apoptotic cells was performed by flow cytometry. The effects of FAC on apoptosis and cell cycle regulatory genes and proteins in SMMC-7721 cells were examined using an S series apoptosis and cell cycle gene array and Western blot analysis.

Results

The growth of SMMC-7721 and HepG2 cells was inhibited by treatment with FAC. Cell death induced by FAC was characterized by nuclear condensation and DNA fragmentation. Moreover, the cell cycle was arrested in the G0/G1 and S phases in FAC-treated SMMC-7721 cells. A sub-G1 peak with reduced DNA content was also formed. The activity of caspase-3 was significantly increased following FAC treatment. Microarray data indicated that the expression levels of 76 genes were changed in SMMC-7721 cells treated with FAC: 35 genes were up-regulated and 41 were down-regulated. Western blot analysis showed that caspase-3, caspase-8, Bax, P21, and P27 protein levels in SMMC-7721 cells were increased after 48 h of FAC treatment, while cyclinB1, cyclinD1, CDK1, and CDK4 protein levels were decreased.

Conclusions

These results suggest that FAC may play an important role in tumor growth suppression by inducing apoptosis in human hepatocarcinoma cells via mitochondria-dependent and death receptor-dependent apoptotic pathways.