A pulmonary artery (PA) sling is a very rare congenital cardiovascular anomaly, and only a few studies have reported PA slings in fetuses. The relationship of the PA, aorta, ductus arteriosus, and trachea can be evaluated in the 3‐vessel and 3‐vessel and trachea views during fetal echocardiography. A PA sling can be detected by abnormal positioning of the left PA in relation to the trachea when sweeping from the 3‐vessel view cranially to the 3‐vessel and trachea view. Here we report 3 cases of fetal PA slings and their follow‐ups. Two cases were confirmed by postnatal echocardiography, and the other case was confirmed by a cardiovascular cast after pregnancy termination. We emphasize that the 3‐vessel and 3‐vessel and trachea views are of crucial importance in the prenatal diagnosis of a PA sling. 相似文献
Objective: To investigate apoptotic effects of berberine, a significant alkaloids component existing in Rhizoma coptidis, and its possible acting mechanism in insulinoma cells. Methods: Different concentrations of berberine were used to treat mouse insulinoma(MIN6) cells for various period of time. The viability and apoptosis of the cells were analyzed using methylthiazolyldiphenvl-tetrazolium bromide assay, flow cytometry and enzyme-linked immuno sorbent assay. Changes in the relating pro-and anti-apoptosis proteins were detected by western-blotting. Results: The half-maximal inhibitory concentration(IC50) of berberine was 5.7 μmol/L on MIN6 cells viability for 16 h. Berberine caused a 20% reduction(P0.05) in cell number after only 4-h incubation; which reached 50% after 24 h(P0.01). Berberine treatment for 16 h significantly increased the level of DNA fragmentation. The flow cytometry showed the apoptotic rate increased 2.9-and 4.6-fold after treating with berberine(5 μmol/L) for 8 and 16 h, while 3-and 8.7-fold after 10 μmol/L treatment for 8 and 16 h(P0.01). Berberine treatment dramatically elevated the expression ratio of Bax to Bcl-2. Meanwhile, berberine notably increased the apoptosis-inducing factors and cytochrome C transforming from the mitochondria to the cytoplasm. Apoptotic protease-activating factor 1(Apaf-1) was subsequently activated after cytochrome C release. Furthermore, caspase-3 and poly adenosine diphosphate-ribose polymerase were also activated to trigger apoptosis cascade. Conclusion: High concentration(5 and 10 μmol/L) of berberine could induce the apoptosis of MIN6 cells through cytochrome C/Apaf-1/caspase-3 and apoptosis inducing factor(AIF) pathway. 相似文献
Methyltransferase G9a is essential for a key gene silencing mark, histone H3 dimethylation at lysine-9 (H3K9me2). Hepatic G9a expression is down-regulated by xenobiotics and diabetes. However, little is known about the role of G9a in liver. Thus, we generated mice with liver-specific knockout (Liv-KO) of G9a.
Adult G9a Liv-KO mice had marked loss of H3K9me2 proteins in liver, without overt liver injury or infiltration of inflammatory cells. However, G9a-null livers had ectopic induction of certain genes normally expressed in neural and immune systems. Additionally, G9a-null livers had moderate down-regulation of cytoprotective genes, markedly altered expression of certain important drug-processing genes, elevated endogenous reactive oxygen species, induction of ER stress marker Chop, but decreased glutathione and nuclear Nrf2. microRNA-383, a negative regulator of the PI3K/Akt pathway, was strongly induced in G9a Liv-KO mice. After LPS treatment, G9a Liv-KO mice had aggravated lipid peroxidation and proinflammatory response.
Taken together, the present study demonstrates that G9a regulates liver maturation by silencing neural and proinflammatory genes but maintaining/activating cytoprotective and drug-processing genes, in which the G9a/miR-383/PI3K/Akt/Nrf2?(Chop) pathways may play important roles. G9a deficiency due to genetic polymorphism and/or environmental exposure may alter xenobiotic metabolism and aggravate inflammation and liver dysfunction.
