Delivery of a hammerhead ribozyme specifically down-regulates the production of fibrillin-1 by cultured dermal fibroblasts

The hammerhead ribozyme is a small catalytic RNA molecule. Potential hammerhead ribozymes that possess a catalytic domain and flanking sequence complementary to a target mRNA can cleave in trans at a putative cleavage site within the target molecule. We have investigated the potential of hammerhead ribozymes to down-regulate the product of the fibrillin-1 gene (FBN1). Fibrillin is a 347 kDa glycoprotein that is a major constituent of the elastin-associated microfibrils. Mutations in the FBN1 gene are responsible for Marfan syndrome (MFS), a common systemic disorder of the connective tissue. Many FBN1 mutations responsible for MFS appear to act in a dominant-negative fashion, raising the possibility that reduction of the amount of product from the mutant FBN1 allele might be a valid therapeutic approach for MFS. A trans-acting hammerhead ribozyme (FBN1-RZ1) targeted to the 5' end of the human FBN1 mRNA has been designed and synthesized, and shown to cleave its target efficiently in vitro. FBN1-RZ1 cleavage is magnesium dependent and efficient at both 37 and 50 degrees C. Delivery of the FBN1-RZ1 ribozyme into cultured dermal fibroblasts, by receptor- mediated endocytosis of a ribozyme-transferrin-polylysine complex, specifically reduces both cellular FBN1 mRNA and the deposition of fibrillin in the extracellular matrix. These results suggest that the use of hammerhead ribozymes is a valid approach to the study of fibrillin gene expression and possibly to the development of a therapeutic approach to MFS.      

突变MyD88重组质粒的构建及其抑制绿脓杆菌诱导的A549细胞IL-8表达

构建突变MyD88真核表达质粒(MyD88 DN),转染人呼吸道上皮细胞株A549,探讨其对绿脓杆菌及其分泌产物刺激IL-8表达的影响.结果显示突变MyD88成功构建入pcDNA3.1/zeo真核表达质粒,转染A549细胞后,可降低绿脓杆菌培养上清或活菌刺激诱导的IL-8分泌.提示突变MyD88可阻断绿脓杆菌感染引起的呼吸道上皮细胞IL-8释放,为呼吸道炎症的基因治疗提供了新的靶基因.     

Diversity of rotavirus strains among children with acute diarrhea in China: 1998-2000 surveillance study

As part of a national rotavirus surveillance activity, we collected fecal specimens from 3,177 children with acute diarrhea in 10 regions of China between April 1998 and April 2000 and screened them for rotavirus. Rotavirus was detected in 41% (n = 1,305) of specimens, and in these, G1 was the predominant serotype (72.6%), followed by G3 (14.2%), G2 (12.1%), G4 (2.5%), G9 (0.9%), and G untypeable (0.7%). Among 327 G-typed strains tested for P genotype, 14 different P-G combinations were identified, with the globally common strains P[8]G1, P[4]G2, P[8]G3, and P[8]G4 representing 75.6% of all typed rotavirus strains. Among the uncommon strains, 11 were P[6]G9, and others included P[6]G1, P[6]G3, and five novel P-G combinations (P[9]G1, P[4]G1, P[4]G3, P[4]G4, and P[8]G2). Our results indicate that while the common rotavirus strains remain predominant, the diversity of strains is much greater than was previously recognized.     

α-突触核蛋白过表达对黑质多巴胺能神经元酪氨酸羟化酶表达的影响

目的 研究α-突触核蛋白(α-synuclein，α-SYN)过表达对多巴胺能神经元酪氨酸羟化酶(TH)表达的影响。方法 在α—SYN基因转染的MES 23．5大鼠黑质多巴胺能神经元细胞系，分别用免疫组织化学、免疫荧光、Western blot等方法分析α-SYN和TH的表达以及两者之间的关系。通过绘制生长曲线和MTT测试细胞氧化还原活性，观察α—SYN基因转染细胞的生长和损伤情况。结果 α-SYN过表达明显抑制MES 23．5多巴胺能神经元的TH表达，但对该细胞的生长和增殖无明显影响，也不引起该细胞损伤。结论 α-SYN过表达对多巴胺能神经元的TH表达具有抑制作用。     

Predicting intellectual outcome among children treated with 35-40 Gy craniospinal irradiation for medulloblastoma

Fifty children diagnosed with medulloblastoma completed 188 psychological evaluations using the Wechsler Intelligence Scales for Children (D. Wechsler, 1974, 1991) over a 7-year study period following 35-40 Gy postoperative craniospinal irradiation. Random coefficient models were used to predict the trend in the children's intellectual performance as a function of time since diagnosis, with both patient and treatment variables as parameters of this function. A quadratic model demonstrated a delay prior to decline in performance for older patients, whereas the younger patients showed an immediate loss of performance with a plateau at approximately 6 years postdiagnosis. A steeper decline was found for those with higher baseline performance. Clinicians may use the proposed predictive model to identify those patients who are at risk of significant intellectual decline.     

自发性高血压大鼠的微血管改变及其与血管内皮细胞损伤的关系

目的：探讨自发性高血压大鼠（SHR）的微血管改变与血管内皮细胞（VEC）损伤的关系。方法：以10只成年Wistar－Kyoto大鼠（WKY）为正常对照组（WKY组）。观察、计数10只成年SHR的肠壁微动脉管径和分支数，同时测定血浆亚硝酸根（NO2－）和内皮素（ET）并与WKY组对照。结果：SHR组的肠壁各级微动脉管径较WKY组变细（P＜0．01～0．001）、各级微动脉总条数较WKY组减少（P＜0．001～0．0001）；SHR组的血浆NO2-水平和K值［10g（NO2－／ET）」较WKY组低（P＜0．05～0．001），而ET较WKY组高（P＜0．05）。血压和K值分别与肠壁微动脉管径和条数呈负相关和正相关（P＜0．005～0．001）。结论：高血压的微血管结构异常与VEC损伤有密切的关系。     

Nucleated erythrocytes in maternal blood: quantity and quality of fetal cells in enriched populations

The discovery of nucleated erythrocytes in maternal circulationprovides a potential source for non-invasive prenatal diagnosis.We have evaluated the use of a three-stage procedure to determinethe number of cells that are of fetal rather than maternal origin.First, monoclonal antibodies specific for CD45 and CD14 wereused in conjunction with a magnetic (MACS) column to depleteunwanted leukocytes from maternal blood. This was followed bya positive MACS enrichment for nucleated erythrocytes, usingan anti-CD71 (transferrin receptor) monoclonal antibody. Todiscriminate between fetal nucleated erythrocytes and thoseof maternal origin, enriched fractions were simultaneously stainedwith an anti-fetal haemoglobin (HbF) antibody and hybridizedwith probes specific for X and Y chromosomes. Samples were thensubjected to blind analysis along with negative control samplesfrom non-pregnant volunteers. Using this dual analysis, we wereable to determine that less than one nucleated erythrocyte perml of maternal blood was of fetal origin. Small numbers of thesefetal cells were found in 87.5% of pregnancies, ranging from6 to 35 weeks gestational age. Comparison of HbF and X/Y probedata also suggests that the fetal cells are less suitable forfluorescence in-situ hybridization (FISH) analysis than similarpreparations from other sources. cell separation methods/fluorescence in-situ hybridization/hereditary diseases/polymerase chain reaction/pregnancy     

143例晚期喉癌患者的临床特征及生存分析

目的 总结143例晚期喉癌患者的临床特征,分析预后的影响因素。方法 回顾性分析2010年1月-2016年12月经中国人民解放军总医院治疗的143例晚期喉癌患者的临床资料。其中,男135例(94.4%),女8例(5.6%);年龄35~79岁,中位年龄58岁。依据患者治疗方案不同分为2组:手术联合术后放化疗组106例和非手术综合治疗组37例。收集患者基本临床情况、治疗、随访及生存情况;生存率及单因素生存分析采用Kaplan-Meier法和log-rank检验,多因素生存分析采用Cox比例风险回归模型。结果 143例晚期喉癌患者的5年总体生存率为67.9%。单因素分析显示,影响晚期喉癌患者预后的临床因素有年龄、临床分期、T分期及肿瘤分化程度等(P值均<0.05);Cox模型多因素分析显示,患者年龄、临床分期、肿瘤分化程度及治疗方式是影响预后的独立危险因素(P值均<0.05)。T₄期、临床Ⅳ期患者采用手术联合术后放化疗5年生存率分别为62.2%和59.5%,明显好于非手术综合治疗的18.2%和41.4%,差异均有统计学意义(P值均<0.05)。结论 晚期喉癌患者预后相对较差,影响患者预后的因素包括患者年龄、临床分期、肿瘤分化程度及治疗方式等。对于临床Ⅳ期、尤其是T₄期患者,采取手术联合术后放化疗可以获得相对较好的预后。     

Characterization of a strain-specific monoclonal antibody to hepatitis delta virus antigen

Sequences of the hepatitis delta virus (HDV) vary to different degrees among isolates. A monoclonal antibody, designated as HP6A1, against the antigen of HDV (HDAg) has been characterized for its specificity. HP6A1 bound to HDAg of isolate 25 (genotype I) that was used for immunization, but not to others of both genotypes I and II. The epitope recognized by HP6A1 was then determined by a phage library displaying various heptapeptides. A consensus peptide deduced has the best match with that of residues 4-10 of HDAg (isolate 25). To confirm the phage mapping result, Escherichia coli recombinant proteins containing different lengths and various segments of HDAg (isolate 25) were constructed. The shortest HDAg segment contained in the fusion protein that reacted with HP6A1 was residues 1-10. When this peptide was added to the N-terminus of a heterologous protein engineered for eucaryotic expression, the fusion protein was detected by HP6A1. It is concluded that HP6A1 recognizes an epitope located at the N-terminus of HDAg (isolate 25). Since viruses of quasi-species exist in natural infections, a question of how different viral strains interact in vivo remains to be explored. The highly specific MAb opens a possibility to examine the fate of one strain in the presence of other related species in a cell transfection system.