N-乙酰半胱氨酸通过AMPK/SIRT1途径抑制缺氧诱导的大鼠脑血管内皮细胞损伤

目的研究N-乙酰半胱氨酸(NAC)对缺氧诱导脑血管内皮细胞损伤的调节作用及分子机制。方法选择SD大鼠分离培养脑血管内皮细胞,分为常氧组、缺氧组、0. 5 NAC组(缺氧+0. 5 mol/L NAC)、1. 0 NAC组(缺氧+1. 0 mol/L NAC)、NAC+8-bAMP组(缺氧+1. 0 mol/L NAC+1. 0 mol/L 8-bAMP)。采用MTS法检测细胞增殖活力,采用TUNEL染色检测凋亡率,采用试剂盒检测氧化应激指标,采用Western blot检测凋亡基因、AMPK/SIRT1通路分子的表达量。结果缺氧组细胞OD490值、T-AOC含量及B淋巴细胞瘤2(Bcl-2)、p-AMP活化蛋白激酶(pAMPK)、去乙酰化酶Sirtuin1(SIRT1)表达量均明显低于常氧组;缺氧组细胞凋亡率、细胞中活性氧(ROS)、丙二醛(MDA)、8-羟基脱氧鸟苷(8-OHDG)含量及bcl-2相关X蛋白(bax)、细胞色素C(Cyt-C)、含半胱氨酸的天冬氨酸蛋白水解酶3(Caspase-3)的表达量均明显高于常氧组。0. 5 NAC组、1. 0 NAC组细胞OD490值、T-AOC量及Bcl-2、pAMPK、SIRT1表达量均明显高于缺氧组; 0. 5 NAC组、1. 0 NAC组细胞凋亡率、ROS、MDA、8-OHDG含量及Caspase-3、Cyt-C、Bax的表达量均明显低于缺氧组。NAC+8-bAMP组细胞OD490值、T-AOC及Bcl-2、p-AMPK、SIRT1表达量均明显低于1. 0 NAC组; NAC+8-bAMP组凋亡率、ROS、MDA、8-OHDG含量及Caspase-3、Cyt-C、Bax的表达量均明显高于1. 0 NAC组。结论 NAC能够通过激活AMPK/SIRT1通路来减轻氧化应激及线粒体凋亡介导的脑血管内皮细胞损伤。     

金刚丸调节Hippo信号通路mRNA表达防治OVX大鼠骨质疏松作用机制

摘要：目的 基于Hippo信号通路核心基因mRNA表达，探索具有补肾填精壮骨之效的金刚丸治疗去卵巢（ovariectomized,OVX）大鼠骨质疏松症的疗效机制。方法 通过OVX法建立绝经后骨质疏松症（postmenopausal osteoporosis,PMOP）大鼠模型，分正常组、假手术组、模型组、金刚丸高剂量组、金刚丸中剂量组、金刚丸低剂量组、仙灵骨葆对照组、骨化三醇对照组。灌胃12周后，通过X射线骨密度仪检测骨密度、镜下观察股骨头显微形态结构、ELISA法检测血清ALP、实时定量RT-PCR检测骨组织Mst2、Lats1、Taz mRNA表达。结果 ①与正常组比较，模型组股骨骨密度显著降低（P＜0.01）、骨微结构显著破坏、血清ALP显著降低（P＜0.01）、骨组织Mst2、Lats1 mRNA表达显著升高（P＜0.01）、Taz mRNA表达显著降低（P＜0.01）；②与模型组比较，除金刚丸低剂量组外，各给药组的骨密度均显著升高（P＜0.01），各给药组骨微结构破坏均得到改善、血清ALP均显著升高（P＜0.01）、骨组织Mst2、Lats1 mRNA表达均显著降低（P＜0.01）、Taz mRNA表达均显著升高（P＜0.01），均以金刚丸高剂量组最为显著。结论 骨组织Hippo信号通路核心基因Mst2、Lats1 mRNA表达上调，Taz mRNA表达下调可能是PMOP的发病机制之一；金刚丸可能通过下调骨组织Hippo信号通路核心基因Mst2、Lats1 mRNA表达、上调Taz mRNA表达的机制，有效防治PMOP。     

Group testing in mediation analysis

We consider the scenario where there is an exposure, multiple biologically defined sets of biomarkers, and an outcome. We propose a new two-step procedure that tests if any of the sets of biomarkers mediate the exposure/outcome relationship, while maintaining a prespecified familywise error rate. The first step of the proposed procedure is a screening step that removes all groups that are unlikely to be strongly associated with both the exposure and the outcome. The second step adapts recent advances in postselection inference to test if there are true mediators in each of the remaining candidate sets. We use simulation to show that this simple two-step procedure has higher statistical power to detect true mediating sets when compared with existing procedures. We then use our two-step procedure to identify a set of Lysine-related metabolites that potentially mediate the known relationship between increased body mass index and the increased risk of estrogen-receptor positive breast cancer in postmenopausal women.     

Retinal disease in the C3 glomerulopathies and the risk of impaired vision

Background: Dense deposit disease and atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome are often caused by Complement Factor H (CFH) mutations. This study describes the retinal abnormalities in dense deposit disease and, for the first time, atypical haemolytic uremic syndrome. It also reviews our understanding of drusen pathogenesis and their relevance for glomerular disease. Methods: Six individuals with dense deposit disease and one with atypical haemolytic uremic syndrome were studied from 2 to 40 years after presentation. Five had renal transplants. All four who had genetic testing had CFH mutations. Individuals underwent ophthalmological review and retinal photography, and in some cases, optical coherence tomography, and further tests of retinal function. Results: All subjects with dense deposit disease had impaired night vision and retinal drusen or whitish-yellow deposits. Retinal atrophy, pigmentation, and hemorrhage were common. In late disease, peripheral vision was restricted, central vision was distorted, and there were scotoma from sub-retinal choroidal neovascular membranes and atypical serous retinopathy. Drusen were present but less prominent in the young person with atypical uremic syndrome due to a heterozygous CFH mutation. Conclusions: Drusen are common in forms of C3 glomerulopathy caused by compound heterozygous or heterozygous CFH mutations. They are useful diagnostically but also impair vision. Drusen have an identical composition to glomerular deposits. They are also identical to the drusen of age-related macular degeneration, and may respond to the same treatments. Individuals with a C3 glomerulopathy should be assessed ophthalmologically at diagnosis, and monitored regularly for vision-threatening complications.     

A juvenile case of epilepsy-associated,isocitrate dehydrogenase wild-type/histone 3 wild-type diffuse glioma with a rare BRAF A598T mutation

Here, we report a juvenile (18-year-old male) case of epilepsy-associated, isocitrate dehydrogenase wild-type/histone 3 wild-type diffuse glioma with a rare BRAF mutation and a focal atypical feature resembling diffuse astrocytoma. The patient presented with refractory temporal lobe epilepsy. Subsequently, magnetic resonance imaging revealed a hyperintense lesion in the right temporal lobe on fluid attenuated inversion recovery images. The patient underwent right lateral temporal lobectomy and amygdalohippocampectomy. Histopathologically, the tumor showed isomorphic, diffuse, infiltrative proliferation of glial tumor cells and intense CD34 immunoreactivity. The tumor cells were immunonegative for isocitrate dehydrogenase 1 (IDH1) R132H and BRAF V600E. Notably, the tumor cells showed the lack of nuclear staining for α-thalassemia/mental retardation syndrome, X-linked (ATRX). In addition, the Ki-67 labeling index, using a monoclonal antibody MIB-1, was elevated focally at tumor cells with p53 immunoreactivity. Molecular analyses identified a BRAF^A598T mutation, the first case reported in a glioma. BRAF^A598T is predicted to result in loss of kinase action; however, inactive mutants can stimulate mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase (MEK)-extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) signaling through CRAF activation. Thus, according to the recent update of the consortium to inform molecular and practical approaches to central nervous system tumor taxonomy (cIMPACT-NOW update 4), our case is also compatible with diffuse glioma with the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway alteration. Thorough immunohistochemical and molecular studies are necessary for diagnosis of epilepsy-associated, diffuse gliomas. Partial resemblance in histopathological and molecular genetic features to diffuse astrocytoma also calls for attention.