Long‐term course of substantia nigra hyperechogenicity in Parkinson's disease

A hyperechogenicity of the (SN+) in transcranial sonography corroborates the diagnosis of idiopathic Parkinson's disease (iPD). Although it is thought to represent a biomarker of the disease that is independent of disease severity and progression, differing results have been reported describing a positive correlation of the size and advancing clinical stage. In 50 parkinsonian patients, transcranial ultrasound and clinical examination was performed twice with a mean time interval of 6.4 years. SN+ did not change in size significantly between the first and second examination, whereas clinical parkinsonian symptoms—as determined by the motor part of the UPDRS—significantly worsened (P < 0.001). We found a highly significant intraindividual correlation in SN+ sizes between both examinations (P < 0.001). The size of SN+ did not correlate with the UPDRS part III at the time of first or second ultrasound examination. Progression of motor symptoms between the first and second investigation did not correlate with the size of SN+ at baseline. Furthermore, even in the subgroup of patients with an interval of ≥8 years between examinations, there was no significant change in SN+ size. SN+ represents a largely stable biomarker in iPD and does not reflect disease progression. The size of SN+ does not predict the further course of the disease. © 2012 Movement Disorder Society     

亚麻子水提液对DPP-4及α-葡萄糖苷酶活性抑制实验研究

目的通过观察亚麻子水提液对二肽基肽酶-4（DPP-4）、α-葡萄糖苷酶抑制作用,为该药防治糖尿病提供实验依据。方法①以DPP-4酶、缓冲液、底物建立DPP-4抑制剂的体外筛选体系,对亚麻子水提液进行抑制实验,采用发色底物法测定吸光度（OD）,计算DPP-4抑制率及IC50值;②以蔗糖为底物建立α-葡萄糖苷酶活性抑制模型,采用葡萄糖氧化酶法测定亚麻子水提液对α-葡萄糖苷酶的抑制作用,计算其抑制率和IC50值。结果①亚麻子具有轻度DPP-4抑制作用,其IC50值738.20mg/L;②亚麻子具有α-葡萄糖苷酶抑制作用,其IC50值为365.9mg/mL。结论亚麻子水提液可一定程度地抑制DPP-4及α-葡萄糖苷酶活性。     

A new DNA binding protein highly conserved in diverse crenarchaeal viruses

Sulfolobus turreted icosahedral virus (STIV) infects Sulfolobus species found in the hot springs of Yellowstone National Park. Its 37 open reading frames (ORFs) generally lack sequence similarity to other genes. One exception, however, is ORF B116. While its function is unknown, orthologs are found in three additional crenarchaeal viral families. Due to the central importance of this protein family to crenarchaeal viruses, we have undertaken structural and biochemical studies of B116. The structure reveals a previously unobserved fold consisting of a five-stranded beta-sheet flanked on one side by three alpha helices. Two subunits come together to form a homodimer with a 10-stranded mixed beta-sheet, where the topology of the central strands resembles an unclosed beta-barrel. Highly conserved loops rise above the surface of the saddle-shaped protein and suggest an interaction with the major groove of DNA. The predicted B116-DNA interaction is confirmed by electrophoretic mobility shift assays.     

A winged-helix protein from Sulfolobus turreted icosahedral virus points toward stabilizing disulfide bonds in the intracellular proteins of a hyperthermophilic virus

Sulfolobus turreted icosahedral virus (STIV) was the first non-tailed icosahedral virus to be isolated from an archaeal host. Like other archaeal viruses, its 37 open reading frames generally lack sequence similarity to genes with known function. The roles of the gene products in this and other archaeal viruses are thus largely unknown. However, a protein's three-dimensional structure may provide functional and evolutionary insight in cases of minimal sequence similarity. In this vein, the structure of STIV F93 reveals a homodimer with strong similarity to the winged-helix family of DNA-binding proteins. Importantly, an interchain disulfide bond is found at the dimer interface, prompting analysis of the cysteine distribution in the putative intracellular proteins of the viral proteome. The analysis suggests that intracellular disulfide bonds are common in cellular STIV proteins, where they enhance the thermostability of the viral proteome.     

广州市荔湾区青少年脊柱侧凸患病率的调查研究

目的了解广州市荔湾区青少年脊柱侧凸的患病率。方法 2011年7月~2012年1月对荔湾区8351名7~15岁在校中小学生进行了脊柱侧凸普查,应用脊柱侧凸两检法（体检、X线照片）,体检阳性或可疑阳性者到医院照脊柱全长正侧位X片,采用Cobb法测量,Cobb角≥10°诊断为脊柱侧凸。结果一检阳性结果 175名（2.1%）,二检阳性为85名（1.02%）,男性31名,女性54名,男∶女患病率比为1∶1.76,其中特发性脊柱侧凸81名,占95.3%,先天性侧凸3名,神经肌肉源性1名。结论荔湾区中小学生脊柱侧凸发病率为1.02%,通过普查,可以早发现、早诊断青少年脊柱侧凸,及时选择适当方法进行治疗。     

von Willebrand factor released from Weibel-Palade bodies binds more avidly to extracellular matrix than that secreted constitutively

Large multimers of von Willebrand factor (vWf) are released from the Weibel-Palade bodies of cultured endothelial cells following treatment with a secretagogue (Sporn et al, Cell 46:185, 1986). These multimers were shown by immunofluorescent staining to bind more extensively to the extracellular matrix of human foreskin fibroblasts than constitutively secreted vWf, which is composed predominantly of dimeric molecules. Increased binding of A23187-released vWf was not due to another component present in the releasate, since releasate from which vWf was adsorbed, when added together with constitutively secreted vWf, did not promote binding. When iodinated plasma vWf was overlaid onto the fibroblasts, the large forms bound preferentially to the matrix. These results indicated that the enhanced binding of the vWf released from the Weibel-Palade bodies was likely due to its large multimeric size. It appears that multivalency is an important component of vWf interaction with the extracellular matrix, just as has been shown for vWf interaction with platelets. The pool of vWf contained within the Weibel-Palade bodies, therefore, is not only especially suited for platelet binding, but also for interaction with the extracellular matrix.     

Hematopoietic defects in mice lacking the sialomucin CD34

Although the pluripotent hematopoietic stem cell can only be definitively identified by its ability to reconstitute the various mature blood lineages, a diversity of cell surface antigens have also been specifically recognized on this subset of hematopoietic progenitors. One such stem cell-associated antigen is the sialomucin CD34, a highly O-glycosylated cell surface glycoprotein that has also been shown to be expressed on all vascular endothelial cells throughout murine embryogenesis as well as in the adult. The functional significance of CD34 expression on hematopoietic progenitor cells and developing blood vessels is unknown. To analyze the involvement of CD34 in hematopoiesis, we have produced both embryonic stem (ES) cells and mice that are null for the expression of this mucin. Analysis of yolk saclike hematopoietic development in embryoid bodies derived from CD34- null ES cells showed a significant delay in both erythroid and myeloid differentiation that could be reversed by transfection of the mutant ES cells with CD34 constructs expressing either a complete or truncated cytoplasmic domain. Measurements of colony-forming activity of hematopoietic progenitor cells derived from yolk sacs or fetal livers isolated from CD34-null embryos also showed a decreased number of these precursor cells. In spite of these diminished embryonic hematopoietic progenitor numbers, the CD34-null mice developed normally, and the hematopoietic profile of adult blood appeared typical. However, the colony-forming activity of hematopoietic progenitors derived from both bone marrow and spleen is significantly reduced in adult CD34-deficient animals, and these CD34-deficient progenitors also appear to be unable to expand in liquid cultures in response to hematopoietic growth factors. Even with these apparent progenitor cell deficiencies, CD34- null animals showed kinetics of erythroid, myeloid, and platelet recovery after sublethal irradiation that are indistinguishable from wild-type mice. These data strongly suggest that CD34 plays an important role in the formation of progenitor cells during both embryonic and adult hematopoiesis. However, the hematopoietic sites of adult CD34-deficient mice may still have a significant reservoir of progenitor cells that allows for normal recovery after nonmyeloablative peripheral cell depletion.     

Inactivation of purified human alpha 2-antiplasmin and purified human C1 inhibitor by synthetic fibrinolytic agents

3-Hydroxypropyl flufenamide (Flu-HPA) is one of a series of flufenamic acid derivatives that enhances blood clot lysis in vitro. Studies of possible mechanisms of action of Flu-HPA were undertaken. The profibrinolytic activity of Flu-HPA in clot lysis assays was found to be dependent on plasminogen. The influence of Flu-HPA on the ability of purified alpha 2-antiplasmin to inhibit purified plasmin was studied. Plasmin activity was determined using 125I-fibrin plates or the spectrophotometric tripeptide substrate, Val-Leu-Lys-paranitroanilide. At Flu-HPA concentrations greater than 1 mM, the inhibitory activity of alpha 2-antiplasmin was abolished in a time-dependent and concentration- dependent manner. The influence of Flu-HPA on the ability of purified Cl inhibitor to inhibit purified plasma kallikrein and beta-Factor XIIa was also studied. Cl inhibitor activity was abolished by Flu-HPA at concentrations greater than 2 mM. Notably, Flu-HPA up to 60 mM did not affect the amidolytic activities of plasmin, kallikrein, or beta-Factor XIIa. Flu-HPA did not release enzyme activity from preformed complexes of either alpha 2-antiplasmin and plasmin of Cl inhibitor and kallikrein. A water-soluble derivative of flufenamic acid, N-flufenamyl- glutamic acid, also inactivated alpha 2-antiplasm and Cl inhibitor. This inactivation was shown to be reversible. These results indicate that synthetic fibrinolytic compounds such as flufenamic acid derivatives may promote fibrinolysis by directly inactivating alpha 2- antiplasmin and Cl inhibitor.     

Long-term response to imatinib is not affected by the initial dose in patients with Philadelphia chromosome-positive chronic myeloid leukemia in chronic phase: final update from the Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor Optimization and Selectivity (TOPS) study

The TOPS trial evaluated high- (800 mg/day; n = 319) versus standard-dose (400 mg/day; n = 157) imatinib in patients newly diagnosed with Philadelphia chromosome-positive chronic myeloid leukemia in chronic phase. Patients had a minimum follow-up of 42 months or discontinued early. Major molecular response (MMR) rates were similar between arms at (51.6 vs 50.2 % for 400 and 800 mg/day, respectively; P = 0.77) and by (75.8 vs 79.0 %; P = 0.4807) 42 months. There were no differences in event-free survival (EFS), progression-free survival (PFS), or overall survival (OS) between arms. The estimated rates of PFS on treatment and OS at 42 months were significantly higher in patients with MMR at 6, 12, and 18 months compared with those without MMR. Adverse events were more frequent with high-dose imatinib. Patients with ≤1 treatment interruption (vs >1) and those able to maintain imatinib ≥600 mg/day (vs <600 mg/day) in the first year of treatment had faster and higher response rates, but no improvement in EFS or PFS. Adherence to prescribed dose without interruption may be more important than initiation of therapy with higher doses of imatinib. Achievement of MMR correlated with long-term clinical outcomes.     

外源性p53对Wnt通路抑制因子Dickkopf-1的表达作用

目的研究外源性p53对W nt通路抑制因子D ickkopf-1(DKK-1)的表达作用。方法将携带p53基因的复制缺陷型腺病毒载体(Adp53)导入到p53完全缺失的人肝癌细胞株Hep3B中,并以p53反以寡核苷酸阻断p53阳性细胞p53的表达,以W nt通路的关键因子-βcaten in的改变为功能指标评价W nt通路的变化。以RT-PCR技术检测W nt通路抑制因子DKK-1表达的调节作用,以流式细胞术检测Adp53的转基因情况,肝癌细胞中p53和β-caten in的表达。结果DKK-1mRNA水平在转染Adp53 20 h后即有明显升高,32 h达最高水平,随后逐渐降低。β-caten in表达水平随着转染时间和转染剂量的增加,阳性细胞百分比强度和平均荧光量强度表达水平逐渐下降。以p53反以寡核苷酸阻断p53阳性细胞p53表达后,抑制剂DKK-1的表达逐渐降低,-βcaten in表达水平逐渐增加。结论外源性p53能明显诱导W nt通路抑制剂DKK-1的表达,进而产生抑制W nt通路的作用。