Muscle-specific expression of the smyd1 gene is controlled by its 5.3-kb promoter and 5'-flanking sequence in zebrafish embryos.

Zebrafish SmyD1 is a SET and MYND domain-containing protein that plays an important role in myofiber maturation and muscle contraction. SmyD1 is required for myofibril organization and sarcomere assembly during myofiber maturation. Whole-mount in situ hybridization revealed that smyd1 mRNAs are specifically expressed in skeletal and cardiac muscles in zebrafish embryos. However, it is unknown if smyd1 is expressed in other striated muscles, such as cranial and fin muscles, and moreover, the regulatory elements required for its muscle-specific expression. We report here the analyses of smyd1 expression using smyd1-gfp transgenic zebrafish. smyd1-gfp transgenic zebrafish were generated using the 5.3-kb smyd1 promoter and its 5'-flanking sequence. GFP expression was found in the skeletal and cardiac muscles of smyd1-gfp transgenic embryos. GFP expression appeared stronger in slow muscles than fast muscles in transgenic zebrafish larvae. In addition, GFP expression was also detected in cranial and fin muscles of smyd1-gfp transgenic zebrafish larvae. In situ hybridization confirmed smyd1 mRNA expression in these tissues, suggesting that the expression of the smyd1-gfp transgene recapitulated that of the endogenous smyd1 gene. Deletion analysis revealed that the 0.5-kb sequence in the proximal promoter of smyd1 was essential for its muscle specificity. Together, these data indicate that smyd1 is specifically expressed in most, if not all, striated muscles, and the muscle specificity is controlled by the 5.3-kb promoter and flanking sequences.     

Carboxymethyl-histaminocarbonylmethylamylose as a mimetic system of chymotrypsin in the catalytic hydrolysis of esters

A new type of polysaccharide host, carboxymethyl-histaminocarbonylmethylamylose ( 2b ), containing carboxylic, imidazolyl and hydroxyl groups in the backbone, was used as a mimetic system for chymotrypsin in the catalytic hydrolysis of 3-acetoxy-N-dodecylpyridinium iodide ( 1 ). The substrate is located in the hydrophobic cavity of the amylose helix. The apparent saturation, the entropy-favored kinetics and the pronounced catalytic efficiency (9 times higher than that of a system consisting of the same concentration of carboxymethylamylose and histamine) show that 2b is a good enzyme model in which the definite binding site, active center and self-organization characteristics are present. Most distinctly, the pH-rate constant profile of the hydrolysis of 1 and 2b is of bell-type and has an optimum at pH 7,98, which is very close to 7,90 for chymotrypsin. In conclusion, the charge relay mechanism is also involved in the catalytic effect of 2b .     

巢蛋白和阶段特异性胚胎抗原-1在大鼠2型星形胶质细胞中的表达

目的 观察1型和2型星形胶质细胞(T1A、T2A)是否表达神经干细胞的标志物、是否具有神经干细胞的特性.方法 取新生大鼠脑皮质,体外培养纯化的O-2A祖细胞、T1A和T2A,应用激光共焦双重免疫荧光标记技术检测巢蛋白和阶段特异性胚胎抗原-1(SSEA-1)的表达;观察O-2A祖细胞、 T1A和T2A在碱性成纤维生长因子(bFGF)和表皮生长因子(EGF)的培养液中生长方式的改变.结果 巢蛋白在O-2A祖细胞和T2A中表达,T1A不表达;SSEA-1仅在T2A中表达.在干细胞培养基中培养10d,T2A形成能增殖和连续传代的细胞球,细胞球巢蛋白标记阳性,贴壁后分化细胞具有神经元、星形胶质细胞和少突胶质细胞样形态;但相同培养条件下的O-2A祖细胞和T1A生长方式无改变.结论 巢蛋白和SSEA-1在两型星形胶质细胞中的表达存在差异,T2A具有神经干细胞的某些生物学特性.     

Methodologic study of direct preparation for chromosome analysis of human solid brain tumors.

Human malignant glioma grown in athymic nude mice (NHG-1) and three freshly resected human solid gliomas were used in the study of factors influencing the direct preparation (DP) for chromosome analysis of human solid tumors. The results showed that: 1) the length of time after the blood supply was obstructed was a major factor in reducing the success rate of DP, i.e., a 2-hour delay resulted in a significantly lowered metaphase number and after 4 hours almost no metaphases could be seen; 2) preserving tumor cells at 4 degrees C may prolong the time limit to about 4 hours; 3) culture medium (RPMI 1640 and Eagle MEM) and bovine calf serum concentration (0%, 10%, 20%, and 30%) did not influence the success rate significantly; 4) colchicine concentration (0.025 micrograms/mL, 0.05 micrograms/mL, 0.1 micrograms/mL) and time of treatment (30 min, 90 min, or 180 min) mainly affected the quality of chromosomes observed but had little effect on the quantity of metaphases that might be obtained. Based on these results, we had a success rate of more than 80% in 72 xenografts and 22 human brain tumors.     

华南、华北人群HLA-DQB1等位基因多态性

目的从基因水平调查了中国华南、华北地区人群HLA-DQB1等位基因频率，并研究比较两地区人群HLA-DQB1多态性分布。方法采用深圳益生堂生物企业有限公司研制开发的“HLA-DQB1低分辨率分型基因芯片检测试剂盒”，应用聚合酶链反应．序列特异性引物＋序列特异性寡核苷酸探针芯片检测技术，对700名南方地区的中国人和320名北方地区的中国人进行基因分型。结果鉴定了10个HLA-DQB1等位基因，获得了一组准确、科学的统计数据。结论得到了中国华南、华北地区人群HLA-DQB1等位基因频率差异的数据，证明中国人群HLA-DQB1＊02，05，0601，0602，0603的分布南北差异有统计学意义（P〈0．05），为疾病相关性研究、人文科学研究提供了可靠的遗传学数据。     

应用多层螺旋CT对耳硬化症的术前评估价值

目的:评估MDCT在术前耳硬化症诊断中的作用。方法:收集经临床证实为耳硬化症、且CT扫描采用螺旋扫描病例共18例,采集的数据传输到4.1工作站,进行多平面重建。结果:18例共36耳显示异常:单独前庭窗异常18耳,表现为前庭窗扩大或狭小,周围骨质密度降低或镫骨底板板密度增高;前庭窗及蜗窗同时受累共8耳;主要累及耳蜗周围迷路骨质10耳,表现为耳蜗骨迷路边缘不整,呈条片状密度减低或双环征。MPR交互重建充分显示了所有重要解剖结构的位置、形态:其中3耳为颈静脉球高位。结论:MDCT可以正确显示耳硬化症病灶的细微改变,提供详细的术前诊断信息;结合MPR技术可全面观察病变范围,并充分显示颞骨内重要解剖结构的位置和形态。对于手术方案的设计、防止手术并发症和提高疗效等具有重要意义。     

Epithelioid trophoblastic tumor: clinicopathological features with an emphasis on uterine cervical involvement.

We report on the clinical and histological features of five cases of epithelioid trophoblastic tumor, with an emphasis on its involvement of the uterine cervix. All five patients were of reproductive age (median age 38.4 years) and all, except one, presented with vaginal bleeding 3 to 18 years after the most recent pregnancy. One patient presented with amenorrhea. Elevation of serum human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) was seen in four cases. Pathologically, the tumor involved endocervix in three cases and involved uterine corpus in another two. All five tumors were invasive, nodular lesions consisting of epithelioid intermediate trophoblastic cells that were mononuclear with abundant eosinophilic cytoplasm, along with zones of hyaline material and necrotic debris. In three cases of cervical involvement, the neoplastic cells focally replaced endocervical surface and glandular epithelium, simulating high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions. Immunohistochemically, all five tumors displayed focal positivity for human placental lactogen and hCG. Positive nuclear staining of p63 was seen in all five cases. All patients received total hysterectomy and various regimes of adjuvant chemotherapy. Three patients survived the tumor with no recurrences or metastases with follow-up periods of 3, 7 and 16 years. One patient is currently alive with lung metastasis 1 month after the surgery. One patient died of tumor metastasis 8 months after the diagnosis. In summary, with its unusual ability to simulate an invasive squamous cell carcinoma and other epithelioid neoplasms, epithelioid trophoblastic tumor frequently poses a diagnostic challenge, especially when involving the uterine cervix. High index of suspicion and an awareness of elevation of serum chorionic gonadotropin are crucial in reaching a correct diagnosis.     

Association of the CTLA-4 gene with rheumatoid arthritis in Chinese Han population

Cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated antigen 4 (CTLA-4) is important for downregulation of T-cell activation, and CTLA-4 gene polymorphisms have been implicated as risk factors for rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Previous studies of the association between the +49 polymorphism of the CTLA-4 gene in RA have provided conflicting results. In order to determine association of the CTLA-4 gene with RA in Chinese Han population, we used denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) to genotype polymorphisms of four SNPs (MH30, +49, CT60 and JO31) of the CTLA-4 gene in 326 RA patients and 250 healthy controls. Furthermore, meta-analysis of all available studies relating +49 polymorphism to the risk of RA was performed to confirm the disease association. Among the SNPs examined, the genotype frequencies of CTLA-4 +49 and CT60 in RA patients differed significantly from controls (P=0.028 and 0.007). In addition, the distribution of four haplotypes constructed by these two SNPs was significantly different between patients and controls (chi(2)=10.58, d.f. =3, P=0.014). The meta-analysis also revealed that in both European and Asian populations, the CLTA-4 +49 G allele was associated with the risk of RA. These results suggested that the CTLA-4 gene might be involved in the susceptibility to RA in the Chinese Han population and both +49 and CT60 of CTLA-4 gene might be the causal variants in RA disease.