神经肽DGAVP和Org2766对神经细胞内游离Ca~(2+)的影响

运用Ca~(2+)指示剂Fura-2作为细胞内钙离子的荧光探针,利用AR—CM—MIC阳离子测定系统,检测了分离的神经细胞内游离钙及其变化,并观测了DGAVP和Org2766对蛋白质合成抑制剂茴香霉素(ANI)引起细胞内钙离子浓度([Ca~(2+)]_i)变化的影响。结果表明茴香霉素可使[Ca~(2+)]_i显著升高,且有量效关系;DGAVP本身并不引起[Ca~(2+)]_i发生显著变化,但适当剂量的DGAVP可显著对抗一定剂量范围内ANI升高[Ca~(2+)]_i的作用,提示DGAVP对抗ANI的蛋白质合成抑制效应可能是通过拮抗ANI升高[Ca~(2+)]_i这一途径实现的,另一神经肽Org2766则可能不是通过这一机制发生作用。从细胞内Ca~(2+)的角度看,这两种肽的作用机理显然是不同的。     

Intramedullary spinal cord tumors: MR imaging, with emphasis on associated cysts

Fifteen magnetic resonance (MR) imaging studies in 16 patients with intramedullary spinal cord lesions were correlated with surgical findings in all patients and with results of intraoperative spinal sonography (IOSS) in eight. Tumor extent was defined accurately in all but two patients by MR imaging; these lesions were found at surgery to have been underestimated by one to two vertebral body segments. Most tumors had lengthened T1 and T2 relaxation times. Intratumoral cysts were detected by MR imaging in one of eight cases, and rostral and caudal cysts were defined in only two of ten cases. The poor detection rate is attributed to poor spatial and contrast resolution. Preoperative MR imaging to define the extent of cord enlargement and IOSS to define cystic structures appears to be the optimal method of tumor management pending our further study.     

EXPANDING ROLE OF ALPHA ADRENOCEPTOR BLOCKADE IN THE TREATMENT OF BENIGN PROSTATIC HYPERPLASIA

SUMMARY This review analyses the expanding role of alpha adrenoceptor blockers in the treatment of BPH and examines the rationale for their use. The safety and efficacy of currently available alpha adrenoceptor blockers is reviewed, with emphasis on the most extensively studied agent, doxazosin. Like other alpha adrenoceptor blockers, doxazosin improves both symptoms of BPH and urinary flow rates by a statistically significant effect compared with placebo. Doxazosin also significantly reduces blood pressure in the 30% of BPH sufferers who also have hypertension; furthermore, there is a beneficial effect on lipid metabolism, which may translate into a reduced risk of coronary heart disease. It is concluded that existing alpha adrenoceptor blockers constitute a valuable adjunct to other BPH therapies, and further refinement of alpha adrenoceptor selectivity based on the alpha-1A subtype in the near future promises even better targeted alpha blockade.     

Transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) activity in urine of patients with glomerulonephritis is related to their renal functional and structural changes

Transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) has been considered the principal cytokine involved in the pathogenesis of renal fibrosis. In the present study, we evaluated TGF-β activity in occasional samples from 22 normal individuals and 29 patients (11 with focal glomerulosclerosis, 11 with membranous nephropathy, five with Berger disease, one with type I membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis and one with postinfectious glomerulonephritis) using a CCL-64 mink lung cell growth inhibition assay.
A significantly increased urinary TGF-β activity (reported in relation to urine creatinine, Ucreat. and median) was observed in patients with glomerulonephritis compared with normal individuals ( P <0.01). The patients with Berger disease [median (Md)=9.96/10 μg Ucreat.], membranous glomerulonephritis (Md=7.23/10 μg Ucreat.) and focal glomerulosclerosis (Md=16.6/10 μg Ucreat.) showed higher urinary TGF-β than normal individuals (Md=1.09/10 μg Ucreat.) ( P <0.01). We found a positive correlation between the TGF-β activity in the urine of these patients and the incidence of segmental glomerulosclerosis ( r =0.45, P <0.05) and their plasma creatinine levels ( r =0.87, P <0.01). A negative correlation was observed between the TGF-β activity in the urine of these patients and their creatinine clearance ( r =−0.75, P <0.01).
Our data suggest that measurement of urinary TGF-β activity could be a useful non-invasive procedure for the evaluation of renal TGF-β production, permitting the assessment of prognosis and the evaluation of therapeutic efficacy in patients with renal disease.