Smoking delays chondrogenesis in a mouse model of closed tibial fracture healing.

Smoking delays the healing process and increases morbidity associated with many common musculoskeletal disorders, including long bone fracture. In the current study, a murine model of tibial fracture healing was used to test the hypothesis that smoking delays chondrogenesis after fracture. Mice were divided into two groups, a nonsmoking control group and a group exposed to cigarette smoke for 1 month prior to surgical tibial fracture. Mice were euthanized at 7, 14, and 28 days after surgery. The outcomes measured were immunohistochemical staining for type II collagen protein expression as a marker of cartilage matrix and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) staining to measure proliferation at the site of injury. Toluidine blue staining and histomorphometry were used to quantify areas of cartilaginous and noncartilaginous fracture callus. Radiographs were analyzed for evidence of remodeling after injury. At day 7 after injury, mice exposed to cigarette smoke had a smaller fracture callus with less cartilage matrix compared to controls. Proliferation was present at high levels in both groups at this time point, but proliferating cells had a more immature morphology in the smoking group. At day 14, chondrogenesis was more active in smokers compared to controls, while a higher percentage of bone was present in the control animals. At day 28, X-ray analysis revealed a larger fracture callus remaining in the smoking animals. Together, these findings show that the chondrogenic phase of tibial fracture healing is delayed by smoking. This study represents, to our knowledge, the first analysis of molecular and cellular mechanisms of healing in a smoking mouse fracture model.     

Standardized molecular typing of Candida albicans strains

Summary. A method is presented for the standardization of Candida albicans DNA fingerprinting, which is based on Southern hybridization of Eco RI-digested chromosomal DNA with the moderately repetitive DNA element CARE-2 and the subsequent rehybridization of the blots with a molecular size marker also included in each DNA sample. This method resulted in extremely precise alignment of all strain-specific CARE-2 hybridization patterns, even when analysed on different gels, and will enhance the accuracy of genetic relationship determinations in epidemiological studies including large numbers of strains.
Zusammenfassung. Zur Standardisierung des DNA-Fingerprinting von Candida albicans wurde eine Methode entwickelt, die auf der Southern Hybridisierung Eco RI-gespaltener chromosomaler DNA mit dem mittelrepetitiven DNA-Element CARE-2 und der darauffolgenden Rehybridisierung der Blots mit einem auch in den Proben enthaltenen molekularen Größenmarker beruht. Dies resultierte in einer äußerst präzisen Größen-bestimmung der hybridisierenden Fragmente, so daß alle stammspezifischen CARE-2-Hybridisierungsmuster exakt verglichen werden konnten, auch wenn die Isolate auf verschiedenen Gelen analysiert wurden. Die Methode erhöht die Genauigkeit der Bestimmung genetischer Verwandtschaftsbeziehungen in epidemiologischen Untersuchungen, in denen eine große Anzahl von Stämmen analysiert wird.     

Association of angiotensin II type 1 receptor gene polymorphism with essential hypertension

The renin-angiotensin system is involved in control of blood pressure and salt and fluid homeostasis. Genes for components of this system have been of major focus in research on the causation of the common, complex, polygenic trait, essential hypertension (HT). Association of an A→C variant at nucleotide 1166 of the angiotensin II type 1 receptor (AT₁R) gene with HT, but an absence of linkage of this locus with this disease, has been reported recently. Since confirmation in a different setting is imperative, we performed a cross-sectional case-control study of the A1166C variant in a well-characterized group of 108 Caucasian HT subjects with a strong family history (two affected parents) and early onset disease. Genotyping was by mismatch polymerase chain reaction/ Bfr I restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis. Frequency of the C¹¹⁶⁶allele was 0.40 in HTs and 0.29 in normotensives. The difference in genotype (χ²= 13, P = 0.0015) and allele (χ²= 5.3, P = 0.02) frequencies between the two groups was significant (odds ratio for CC vs AA+AC = 7.3 [95% CI, 1.9–31.9). The present results implicate the AT₁R gene, or a locus in linkage disequilibrium with the variant tested, in the causation of essential HT.     

基质金属蛋白酶-2C端片段pex的克隆、测序及真核表达载体的构建

目的 :克隆小鼠基质金属蛋白酶 - 2 ( MMP- 2 ) C端片断 pex编码区的 c DNA序列 ,并构建其真核表达载体 ,为进一步研究其抑制肿瘤作用奠定基础。方法 :根据基因 Gen Bank中 MMP- 2基因的碱基序列 ,利用 RT- PCR的方法从 NIH3T3细胞中分别扩增信号肽及目的基因 pex,然后用多重 PCR的方法将两个片段拼接起来 ,再将拼接起来的目的片段 sig- pex与 p MD1 8T载体连接作全自动测序 ,利用亚克隆的方法将 sig- pex c DNA片段克隆到 pc DNA3.1载体中。结果 :DNA测序证实该片断序列与文献报道完全一致。结论 :成功构建出 pc DNA3.1 - sig- pex真核表达载体     

慢性HBV感染患者HBsAg亚型分析

对包括慢性肝炎、肝炎肝硬变和原发性肝癌在内的１００例慢性ＨＢＶ感染者作了ＨＢｓＡｇ亚型分析。结果显示，在这组病例中ａｄｒ亚型占６１％，ａｄｗ占３３％，ａｙｒ占２％，ａｄｗｒ占４％。ａｄｒ亚型有随年龄增长更占优势的趋向。ａｄｒ和ａｄｗｒ亚型感染者ＨＢｓＡｇ滴度较ａｄｗ组显著增高，且ｅ抗原阳性率亦较高。上述发现提示，具有ａｄｒ和ａｄｗｒ亚型的ＨＢＶ株可能具有较强的复制活性，不易被清除，从而导致受感染者     

药物构效关系研究与药物设计中常用计算机软件

分子力学、量子化学和分子图形学是研究有机药物分子电子特性、空间性质及其与受体相互作用的有力工具。现扼要介绍国内外较常用的量子化学和分子力学及分子图形学有关计算机程序的应用特性。     

L-Ala-substituted rat galanin analogs distinguish between hypothalamic and jejunal galanin receptor subtypes

In order to explore which amino acids or which blocks of amino acids in the 29 amino acid neuropeptide galanin are important for recognition of the endogenous ligand by galanin receptor subtypes present in the jejunum and in the hypothalamus, respectively, we have carried out L-Ala substitutions of individual amino acids or of blocks of amino acids in the rat galanin sequence and examined the binding of the obtained analogs to the rat hypothalamic and jejunal galanin receptor subtypes. This study reveals that the galanin sequence YLLGPH^9–14 is essential for recognition of galanin by both the rat hypothalamic and jejunal galanin receptor subtypes. Substitution of the N-terminal amino acids, GWTL^1–4, leads to total loss of affinity of galanin for both hypothalamic and jejunal galanin receptors. The α-helical C-terminal amino acid (25–29) part of galanin has no greater influence on the affinity of galanin to the hypothalamic galanin receptor subtype. L-Ala substitution of the C-terminal amino acids of galanin KHGLT^25–29 shows, however, that this C-terminal motif is essential for the recognition by the jejunal galanin receptor subtype, whereas amino acids in the middle portion of galanin NSAG^5–8 are of importance for binding to the hypothalamic but not to the jejunal receptor. [Ala^5–8] Galanin thus has a more than 100-fold higher affinity to jejunal receptor than to the hypothalamic receptor, while [Ala^25–29] galanin has a more than 100-fold higher affinity for the hypothalamic than for jejunal galanin receptor subtypes. pH dependence of the galanin binding to these receptor subtypes is also different. © Munksgaard 1997.     

白色念珠菌感染的分子生物学诊断研究进展

综述了白色念珠菌感染的分子生物学诊断研究进展，包括核型分析，限制性片段长度多态性分析，特异的ＤＮＡ探针及ＰＣＲ等方法。     

东方人苯丙酮尿症的分子遗传学—苯丙氨酸羟化酶基因中一终止突变与单体型4的连锁不平衡性

应用聚合酶链反应(PCR)方法扩增苯丙氨酸羟化酶(PAH)基因的每个外显子及其侧翼的内含子,并克隆到M 13载体中进行序列分析。发现中国人苯丙酮尿症(Phenylketonuria,PKU)患者的PAH基因外显子3中有1个Arg~(111)→Ter~(111)的点突变,此突变与东方人最常见的突变单体型4呈连锁不平衡。此突变占中国人PAH等位基因的10％左右,但不存在于高加索人群中,表明在种族分化过程中PAH基因位点发生了互不相关的突变事件。     

消化系疾患的血清氨基酸检测

本文报告50名正常人及73例消化系疾病患者血清游离氨基酸检测结果。使用氨基酸自动分析仪,对血中40余种氨基酸组分进行定性定量测定。肝硬化病人芳香氨基酸显著升高,支/芳分子比值明显低于正常值(P<0.01),甲硫氨酸、色氨酸均升高.肝脓疡.消化道肿瘤患者也有此种变化(P<0.05)。统计21种组分中,各病理组有10多种组分有非常显著差异(P<0.01)。结果提示:血液氨基酸测定可为某些消化系疾患,尤其是肝病的诊治提供较好指标。本文改进自动分析条件,节省时间。节约试剂。