The 'intestinal-renal' arginine biosynthetic axis in the aging rat

It has been suggested that L-arginine availability declines with advanced age, which could contribute to the endothelial dysfunction and decreased nitric oxide (NO) production that are features of aging. L-Arginine is made in the kidney and since the aging kidney develops progressive injury there may be decreased synthesis limiting availability. In this study we investigated the impact of aging on the regulation, at the gene level, of the various enzymes that synthesize L-arginine in the kidney (argininosuccinate synthetase and argininosuccinate lyase) and citrulline, the precursor of L-arginine made in the small intestine (phosphate-dependent glutaminase, carbamyl phosphate synthetase-1 and ornithine transcarbamylase). Studies were in young (3-5 months), middle-aged (11-13 months) and old (18-22 months) male and female Sprague-Dawley rats aged under barrier conditions. The plasma, renal cortical and brain cerebellar levels of L-arginine are unchanged in the old male rat, and expression of the genes involved in renal arginine synthesis and small intestinal citrulline synthesis is unchanged or upregulated with age in both males and females. This study shows that the synthesis of L-arginine is maintained with aging despite developing kidney damage. Therefore, the reduced NO generating capacity that occurs in aging must be due to downstream changes in the NO biosynthesis pathway, such as reduced abundance of NO biosynthetic enzymes.     

VEGF-C表达和微淋巴管密度与胃癌淋巴转移的关系及意义

目的探讨胃癌组织血管内皮生长因子C(VEGF-C)表达和微淋巴管密度(MLVD)及两者与胃癌淋巴转移的关系。方法应用免疫组织化学方法检测208例人胃癌组织、40例癌浸润前缘组织及139例人胃正常粘膜组织中VEGF-C、D2-40的表达,对D2-40阳性脉管进行MLVD计数,并结合病理资料进行统计学分析。结果胃癌组织VEGF-C的表达明显高于正常胃粘膜组织(χ2=109.199,P<0.01);胃癌组织中有淋巴结转移(χ2=14.496,P<0.01)或浸润透浆膜(χ2=11.586,P<0.01)组VEGF-C表达水平分别较无转移或浸润未及浆膜组增高。癌浸润前缘组织中MLVD(18.36±15.60个/mm2)明显高于胃癌组(9.41±9.32个/mm2,t=-3.681,P<0.01)和胃正常粘膜组织(7.70±7.69个/mm2,t=-4.180,P<0.01);胃癌淋巴结转移组MLVD(9.81±9.97个/mm2)高于无转移组(6.41±7.85个/mm2,t=2.516,P<0.01),而在浸润透浆膜组(11.20±10.55个/mm2)和未及浆膜组(8.54±9.36个/mm2)MLVD无差别(t=1.467,P=0.472)。另外,在胃癌组织中VEGF-C表达与MLVD呈正相关(F=2.910,P<0.05)。结论VEGF-C在胃癌中的高表达与胃癌浸润深度、淋巴转移密切相关。     

Reciprocal effect of Waardenburg syndrome mutations on DNA binding by the Pax-3 paired domain and homeodomain

The Pax-3 protein contains two DNA-binding domains, a paired domain and a homeodomain. Mutations in Pax-3 cause Waardenburg syndrome (WS) in humans and the mouse Splotch (Sp) phenotype. In the Sp-delayed mouse, a mutation in the Pax-3 paired domain (G9R) abrogates the DNA-binding activity of both the paired domain and the homeodomain, suggesting that they may functionally interact. To investigate this possibility further, we have analyzed the DNA-binding properties of additional point mutants in the Pax-3 paired domain and homeodomain that occur in WS patients (F12L, N14H, G15S, P17L, R23L, G48A, S51F and G66D in the paired domain, V47F and R53G in the homeodomain), the Pax-1 un mutation (G15A) and a substitution associated with Peters' anomaly in the PAX-6 gene (R23G). Within the paired domain, seven of 10 mutations were found to abrogate DNA-binding by the paired domain. Remarkably, these seven mutations also affected DNA binding by the homeodomain, causing either a complete loss (P17L and G66D), a reduction (R23G, R23L, G15S and G15A) or an increase in DNA-binding activity (N14H). In addition, the effect of paired domain mutations occurred at the level of monomer formation by the homeodomain, while the dimerization potential of this domain seemed unaffected in mutants where it could be analyzed. Furthermore, while both homeodomain mutations were found to abolish DNA binding by this domain, the R53G mutation also abrogated DNA binding by the paired domain. The important observation that independent mutations in either domain can affect DNA binding by the other in the intact Pax- 3 protein strongly suggests that the two domains are not functionally independent but bind DNA through cooperative interactions. Modeling the deleterlous mutations on the three-dimensional structure of the paired domain of Drosophila Prd shows that these mutations cluster at the DNA interface, thus suggesting that a series of DNA contacts are essential for DNA binding by both the paired domain and the homeodomain of Pax-3.      

1140919448CD200-dependent suppression of human NK activity by IVIG requires CD200 receptor type 2

Problem: IVIG prepared from plasma of stored human blood can be efficacious in improving pregnancy success in a selected subgroup of patients but RCTs using an IVIG showing inferior suppression of NK activity in vitro have been negative (J Assist Reprod Genet 2006). A significant component of NK suppression by IVIG appears to be due to CD200 released into plasma from PBL during storage at 4C. CD200 receptors (CD200R) are expressed at the fetomaternal interface prior to onset of abortion; CD200R1 mediates direct effects on gamma‐delta T cell development and suppresses alpha‐beta T cell responses in vitro, whereas CD200R2 alters DC so as to facilitate development of alpha‐beta Treg cells. Which receptor(s) mediate NK cell suppression? Methods: Purified human PBL or the CD56⁺ NK cell subset of PBL were used to lyse 51Cr‐labeled K562 cells in vitro. Different IVIG preparations were tested for suppressive ability, and suppression was blocked by either anti‐huCD200 mAb or rabbit anti‐huCD200R1 or R2 antibodies. Results: CD200‐dependent IVIG NK suppressive potency differed among IVIG types (Gammagard>Gamunex>>Gamimmune). CD200‐dependent suppression was blocked by anti‐CD200R antibody able to react with the type 2 receptor. K562 cells did not express receptor, and purified CD56⁺ NK cells were suppressed effectively without the need for non‐NK cells. Conclusions: IVIG may directly express NK cell activity via CD200 binding to CD200R2.     

槲皮素诱导人肝癌SMMC-7721细胞凋亡的研究

目的:观察槲皮素(quercetin)体外对肝癌SMMC-7721细胞的生长抑制和诱导凋亡作用,并探讨线粒体在诱导凋亡机制中的作用。方法:以10、30、60和100μmol/L槲皮素作用于体外培养的SMMC-7721细胞,MTT法检测细胞生长抑制率;Annexi-V/PI双染流式细胞仪检测细胞凋亡情况;吖啶橙(acridine or-ange,AO)染色法观察细胞凋亡时形态变化;JC-1染色法检测细胞线粒体膜电位(mitochondrial membrane potential)变化。结果:槲皮素体外能抑制肝癌SMMC-7721细胞的生长(P<0.01),诱导细胞发生凋亡,并呈现量效和时效关系。10、30、60和100μmol/L槲皮素作用72h引起的细胞抑制率(F=343.71,P<0.01)和凋亡率(F=234.17,P<0.01)明显高于对照组。槲皮素作用48h后,AO染色图片可见细胞膜呈泡状膨出和凋亡小体等。凋亡过程中线粒体膜电位下降。结论:槲皮素体外能抑制肝癌SMMC-7721细胞生长,诱导细胞凋亡发生,线粒体膜电位下降在细胞凋亡过程中可能起到重要作用。     

Usefulness of muscle denervation as an MRI sign of peripheral nerve pathology

Peripheral nerve disorders may be classified into compressive or entrapment neuropathies and non‐compressive neuropathies. Muscle denervation recognized on MRI may be a useful sign in the diagnosis of peripheral nerve disorders. Acute or subacute denervation results in prolonged T2 relaxation time, producing increased signal in skeletal muscle on short tau inversion‐recovery and fat‐suppressed T2‐weighted images. Chronic denervation produces fatty atrophy of skeletal muscles, resulting in increased muscle signal on T1‐weighted images. This review will outline and illustrate the various ways that muscle denervation as seen on MRI may assist in the diagnosis and localization of peripheral nerve disorders.     

语义网络技术在电子病历中的应用探讨

以肺癌病理案例和语义网络技术为基础,结合了统一医学语言系统(UMLS),研究探讨了语义网络技术在电子病历中的实际应用,并最终实现了加入时序性特征的病理案例语义网络的表示。     

248例儿童颅内肿瘤的临床特点

目的探讨儿童颅内肿瘤的临床特点。方法对云南省肿瘤医院及第三军医大学新桥医院2001～2006年间的248例经组织病理学诊断的儿童颅内肿瘤进行回顾性分析。结果幕上肿瘤156例，幕下肿瘤92例。常见的四类肿瘤为：星形细胞瘤（82／248，33．1％）、颅咽管瘤（58／248，23．5％）、髓母细胞瘤（44／248，17．1％）、室管膜瘤（25／248，10．1％），误诊31例，占12．4％。结论儿童颅内肿瘤部位上以幕上为主，病理以星形细胞瘤最常见，误诊率较高。