Differentiation-induced ML-1 cells as targets for transformation by a chemical carcinogen

The capacity for continuous proliferation (immortalization) of ML-1 human myeloblastic leukemia cells derives from their sensitivity to growth factors and their insensitivity to differentiation factors (DF) at the limiting concentrations at which these are present in the culture medium. Upon increasing the concentration of DF, or after treatment with DNA-specific anticancer agents, the cells exit the proliferation program and differentiate to monocyte/macrophage-like cells (Y. Honma, C. Honma, and A. Bloch, Cancer Res., 46: 6311-6315, 1986). The study reported here shows that when ML-1 cells, induced to differentiate with DF contained in mitogen-stimulated human leukocyte-conditioned medium (CM) are treated with the carcinogen N-nitroso-N-methylurea, their differentiation program is interrupted and proliferation is resumed at a stably increased rate of growth (doubling time, 25.1 versus 31.3 h). This "step-up" transformation is brought about by only a narrow concentration range of carcinogen, acting at a restricted time interval following differentiation induction. The step-up transformed cells are more sensitive to growth factor signals and less sensitive to DF signals than are untreated ML-1 cells. When retreated with a higher concentration of DF and the same concentration of N-nitroso-N-methylurea, the transformed cells undergo a further decrease in doubling time to 21 h. Differentiation-uninduced ML-1 cells do not respond to treatment with N-nitroso-N-methylurea, indicating that differentiation-induced cells, at an early stage of the maturation process, may be the targets for the carcinogen-mediated transformation.     

儿童生殖细胞瘤全脑放射治疗中自适应消除摆位累积误差新技术探讨

目的 以影像引导放射治疗(image guided-radiotherapy, IGRT)为基础探讨儿童生殖细胞瘤全脑自适应放射治疗(以下简称放疗）(adaptive radio therapy,ART）可行性,为临床全脑ART提供依据。方法 回顾性研究首都医科大学附属北京天坛医院放射治疗科20例中枢神经系统生殖细胞肿瘤(germ cell tumors, GCTs)行全脑预防性照射的放疗患者。每例患者治疗前三次及后每周行一次锥形束电子计算机断层扫描(cone beam computed tomography,CBCT),共7次。记录整个治疗过程中左右(lateral, LAT)、进出(longitudinal, LNG)、升降(vertical, VRT)方向上的摆位误差值。原计划命名为Plan_A,将因摆位误差值产生新的治疗中心点(treatment center point,ISO)回归治疗计划系统,不改变射野权重、射野分布情况下进行体积剂量计算,用Plan Sum功能相加摆位累积误差产生新计划得到Plan_B。将摆位累积误差产生的新计划用Acuros XB算法重新快速优化后用Plan Sum功能相加得到Plan_C。对比Plan_A、Plan_B、Plan_C的靶区及危及器官(organ at risk, OAR)剂量变化并用Wilcoxon配对符号秩检验证统计学差异。结果与Plan_A相比,Plan_B 均匀性指均匀性指数（homogeneity index, HI）95计划靶区（planning target volume, PTV）、 HI98 PTV为1.058 4~1.084 7。适形度指数(conformity index, CI）PTV为0.934 4。 临床靶区（clinical target volume, CTV）D_min相对偏差为－7.22%,P值为0.000 7。OAR相对偏差为－0.1%~9.8%。与Plan_ A相比,Plan_ C的HI95 PTV、 HI98 PTV为1.056 9~1.078 8。CI PTV为0.936 5。CTV D_min相对偏差为－1.69%,P值为0.545 9。OAR相对偏差为－0.15%~3.40%。结论儿童生殖细胞瘤全脑放疗摆位累计误差对靶区及危及器官剂量差异有统计学意义,摆位累计误差导致靶区均匀性及适形度变差,CTV的D_min 变化超过5%,OAR受量增高。ART再计划可以让靶区均匀性和适形度及危及器官受量接近原计划。同时Plan_B虽然存在相对偏差,但是危及器官的绝对剂量在合理范围内。     

视觉诱发电位与优势眼

目的:研究正常儿童优势眼视觉诱发电位特征。方法:对47名正常儿童进行全视野刺激多导视觉诱发电位研究。结果:优势眼视觉诱发电位以0_z电极为代表,P_(100)潜伏期较非优势眼缩短(P<0.01),而N_(75)—P_(100)峰峰值较非优势眼增大(P<0.05)。结论:中枢神经系统存在偏利现象,这种偏利现象可能与控制视神经髓鞘优先形成的某种遗传机制有关,或是中枢神经系统突触的局部构造、突触效能的差异。     

Potent inhibition of SARS-associated coronavirus (SCOV) infection and replication by type I interferons (IFN-alpha/beta) but not by type II interferon (IFN-gamma).

We sought to investigate the anti-severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)-associated coronavirus (SCoV) activities of type I (alpha and beta) and type II (gamma) interferons (IFN) in vitro. Type I IFNs protected cells from cytopathic effects (CPE) induced by SCoV, and inhibited viral genomic RNA replication in FRhk-4 cells (measured by quantitative RT-PCR) in a dose-dependent manner. Intracellular viral RNA copies were reduced 50% by IFN-alpha at a concentration of 25 U/ml and by IFN-beta at a concentration of 14 U/ml. IFN-gamma had fewer effects on inhibition of viral infection and replication. The type I IFN receptor signaling pathway in host cells is mainly involved in the inhibition of SCoV infection and replication. Type I IFNs could be used as potential agents for anti-SARS treatment.     

Diagnosis of Kala-Azar by Nested PCR Based on Amplification of the Leishmania Mini-Exon Gene

To diagnose visceral leishmaniasis (kala-azar), we have developed a nested PCR method based on amplification of the mini-exon gene, which is unique and tandomly repeated in the Leishmania genome. Nested PCR was sufficiently sensitive for the detection of DNA in an amount equivalent to a single Leishmania parasite or less. We examined the usefulness of this PCR method using bone marrow aspirates and buffy coat cells collected from kala-azar patients who had or had not received chemotherapy in northwest China. We obtained PCR positivity for all of the parasitologically positive bone marrow samples from the patients. Some ambiguities with the primary PCR results were eliminated by the subsequent nested PCR. The buffy coat samples from 7 of 12 patients with splenomegaly were positive by the nested PCR, although only 2 of them were positive for parasites by culture. However, buffy coat samples from nine children, whose splenomegaly has been reduced and clinically cured by antimony treatment, were all negative. Thus, this nested PCR method represents a new tool for the diagnosis of kala-azar with patient blood samples instead of bone marrow or spleen aspirates obtained by more invasive procedures.     

Stress analysis between implant prostheses with different moduli and surrounding bones北大核心

背景:应力遮挡效应会导致植入假体修复骨缺损手术失败,其主要原因是由于植入假体的弹性模量大于骨组织弹性模量。目的:分析植入假体弹性模量对应力分布的影响,寻求消除应力遮挡现象的方法。方法:通过CT扫描的方式获取实验犬与人体骨组织的模型,分别对其优化后进行梯度赋值,建立较为可靠的骨骼力学模型,并与植入假体组合后进行有限元仿真。首先,通过对比格犬骨骼模型和人体骨骼模型及其对应的植入假体进行有限元仿真,模拟了不同弹性模量对植入假体修复术后的应力和位移分布情况;其次,分析了较小弹性模量差仍会形成应力遮挡现象的原因,建立了骨骼模型及植入假体模型,确立了材料属性赋予方法;最后,验证了该模型及材料属性赋予方法的可行性,并通过随机选取受力点的方式,定量分析植入假体弹性模量与骨骼弹性模量之间的关系对应力遮挡形成的影响。结果与结论:通过梯度赋值法建立与骨骼力学性质更加接近的实验犬骨骼模型和人体骨骼模型,该方法重建的力学模型与真实骨骼的力学性质更为接近;通过有限元仿真力学测试证明,不同弹性模量植入假体对假体本身与周围骨骼间相对位移的影响较小;另外量化弹性模量对假体植入骨骼后对应力分布的影响,可为后续的相关研究提供帮助。     

Development of hatching blastocysts from immature human oocytes following in-vitro maturation and fertilization using a co-culture system

Recently, in-vitro maturation (IVM) of immature human oocytes recovered from non-stimulated follicles has been applied in the treatment of infertility. However, in previous reports, very few embryos cultured in conventional medium have reached the expanded blastocyst stage following in-vitro maturation and fertilization (IVM/IVF). The objective of this study was to investigate whether the developmental competence of human embryos following IVM/IVF could be enhanced by the use of a human ampullary cell co-culture system. Immature human oocytes were aspirated from small follicles at Caesarean section and then cultured in medium containing human menopausal gonadotrophin for 36 to 48 h, followed by insemination. Zygotes were randomly cultured either in conventional culture medium alone or in the co-culture system. Of 48 embryos cultured in conventional medium alone, all arrested at the 2-16- cell stage on day 3 after insemination. Of 46 embryos cultured in the co-culture system, 26 embryos (56.5%) arrested at the 2-16-cell stage. Six embryos (13%) developed to the morula stage. Fourteen embryos (30.4%) developed to expanded blastocysts and two blastocysts were hatching on day 7 after insemination. We conclude that co-culture significantly enhances the development of blastocysts in embryos resulting from IVM/IVF.      

Fast Dipstick Dye Immunoassay for Detection of Immunoglobulin G (IgG) and IgM Antibodies of Human Toxoplasmosis

A dipstick dye immunoassay (DDIA) was developed to detect immunoglobulin G (IgG) or IgM antibodies of toxoplasmosis infection in humans. The assays employ a blue colloidal dye particles (D-1) conjugated to sheep anti-human IgG and rabbit anti-human IgM as the visualizing agents and a soluble antigen of tachyzoites of Toxoplasma gondii strain RH (TSA) as the detective antigen. The mixture of dye-labeled anti-human antibody-special human antibody was captured by TSA onto a nitrocellulose membrane dipstick by means of immunochromatography. The assays are rapid (the whole test can be completed within 15 min), simple, and cheap, and they don't require any equipment. They are sensitive and specific for the detection of anti-Toxoplasma IgG or IgM antibodies and generally agree closely with the results from the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The assays are especially suitable for field applications.     

Regulation of the TSC pathway by LKB1: evidence of a molecular link between tuberous sclerosis complex and Peutz-Jeghers syndrome

Tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) and Peutz-Jeghers syndrome (PJS) are dominantly inherited benign tumor syndromes that share striking histopathological similarities. Here we show that LKB1, the gene mutated in PJS, acts as a tumor suppressor by activating TSC2, the gene mutated in TSC. Like TSC2, LKB1 inhibits the phosphorylation of the key translational regulators S6K and 4EBP1. Furthermore, we show that LKB1 activates TSC2 through the AMP-dependent protein kinase (AMPK), indicating that LKB1 plays a role in cell growth regulation in response to cellular energy levels. Our results suggest that PJS and other benign tumor syndromes could be caused by dysregulation of the TSC2/mTOR pathway.     

Variable MHC class I engagement by Ly49 natural killer cell receptors demonstrated by the crystal structure of Ly49C bound to H-2K(b)

The Ly49 family of natural killer (NK) receptors regulates NK cell function by sensing major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I. Ly49 receptors show complex patterns of MHC class I cross-reactivity and, in certain cases, peptide selectivity. To investigate whether specificity differences result from topological differences in MHC class I engagement, we determined the structure of the peptide-selective receptor Ly49C in complex with H-2K(b). The Ly49C homodimer binds two MHC class I molecules in symmetrical way, a mode distinct from that of Ly49A, which binds MHC class I asymmetrically. Ly49C does not directly contact the MHC-bound peptide. In addition, MHC crosslinking by Ly49C was demonstrated in solution. We propose a dynamic model for Ly49-MHC class I interactions involving conformational changes in the receptor, whereby variations in Ly49 dimerization mediate different MHC-binding modes.