Microsatellite alterations in hepatocellular carcinoma and intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma

A series of 20 hepatocellular carcinomas and 8 intrahepatic cholangiocarcinomas was screened from the Korean population for microsatellite alterations, including a loss of heterozygosity and replication errors using nine microsatellite markers containing several genes. The microsatellite results and our previous comparative genomic hybridization results of two tumors were compared at each locus, and the correlations between these and clinicopathologic variables were examined. The most characteristic findings were found at 13q. Replication errors were prevalent at D13S160 (13q21.2 approximately q31) and D13S292(13q12). The incidence of loss of heterozygosity, however, was higher at D13S153 (13q14.1 approximately q14.3) and D13S265(13q31 approximately q32). In contrast, there were higher deletion frequencies observed in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and higher amplification frequencies observed in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma at 13q in our previous comparative genomic hybridization (CGH) study. Higher frequencies of replication errors were observed at D16S408 (13q12 approximately q21) and D16S504(13q23 approximately q24) in the HCC. This study found that significant differences in the patterns of genetic instability of microsatellites were dependent on the chromosomal loci. It is believed that certain genes at altered CGH regions, which are relevant to the development and/or progression of these cancers, are activated by different mutation mechanisms.     

Gemins modulate the expression and activity of the SMN complex

Reduction in the expression of the survival of motor neurons (SMN) protein results in spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), a common motor neuron degenerative disease. SMN is part of a large macromolecular complex (the SMN complex) that includes at least six additional proteins called Gemins (Gemin2-7). The SMN complex is expressed in all cells and is present throughout the cytoplasm and in the nucleus where it is concentrated in Gems. The SMN complex plays an essential role in the production of spliceosomal small nuclear ribonucleoproteins (snRNPs) and likely other RNPs. To study the roles of the individual proteins, we systematically reduced the expression of SMN and each of the Gemins (2-6) by RNA interference. We show that the reduction of SMN leads to a decrease in snRNP assembly, the disappearance of Gems, and to a drastic reduction in the amounts of several Gemins. Moreover, reduction of Gemin2 or Gemin6 strongly decreases the activity of the SMN complex. These findings demonstrate that other components of the SMN complex, in addition to SMN, are critical for the activity of the complex and suggest that Gemin2 and Gemin6 are potentially important modifiers of SMA as well as potential disease genes for non-SMN motor neuron diseases.     

从EST克隆中筛选肝癌内高表达的基因片段

应用Ｎｏｒｔｈｅｒｎ杂交技术，从表达序列标记（Ｅｘｐｒｅｓｓｅｄｓｅｑｕｅｎｃｅｔａｇ，ＥＳＴ）克隆中筛选出一个在肝癌组织内高表达，而在相应癌旁肝及正常肝组织内低表达或不表达的基因片段。ＤＮＡ序列测定表明，该基因片段为一未知新基因的部分序列。此基因片段可作为探针，进一步筛选ｃＤＮＡ文库，以得到新的癌基因的候选基因。     

Recalling sexual partners: the accuracy of self-reports

Accuracy of recall of the number of sexual partners individuals had over a period of one month, three months, six months and one year was studied in a group of 285 young, single, heterosexual adults. Self-reports of the number of partners were obtained on a weekly basis and then compared with recall of behavior over longer time periods that overlapped the weekly measures. For individuals who claimed abstinence or who claimed to be monogamous, accuracy of recall was relatively high, especially at the shorter time frames. Level of education was related to accuracy for claimed abstainers, such that lower levels of education were associated with lower accuracy of recall. Accuracy rates for individuals who reported having multiple sexual partners tended to be lower and were found to be related to one's propensity to engage in casual sex.     

SARS病毒S1蛋白重组C端片段免疫效果的实验研究

为获得纯化的重组SARS病毒S1蛋白C端 ,研究其刺激机体产生针对SARS病毒免疫应答的规律和机制 ,将编码SARS病毒S1蛋白C端 311个氨基酸残基的基因克隆 ,并在原核表达系统中表达 ,纯化获得了的重组蛋白。利用SARS患者恢复期的血清 ,对纯化的重组S1蛋白进行血清学分析。结果表明 ,本研究中克隆表达的重组蛋白序列与公布的SARS病毒S1蛋白C端的序列相同 ,其编码的重组蛋白相对分子质量约为 5 90 0 0Mr。SARS患者恢复期的血清均与重组蛋白反应 ,在5 9 0 0 0Mr处形成特异性的反应条带 ,而来自SARS流行前的正常人对照血清则不能与重组蛋白反应。在本研究中获得的重组蛋白可以为研究SARS病毒识别宿主细胞受体的过程及其机制提供条件。     

Quality Assurance of Clinical MRI Scanners Using ACR MRI Phantom: Preliminary Results

Clinical magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanners play an important role in the diagnosis of diseases and management of patient treatment. Quality assurance (QA) of the clinical MRI scanners is mandatory to obtain optimal images in a modern hospital. In this report, the phantom test for the American College of Radiology (ACR) MRI accreditation is used as the essential part of the MRI QA protocols. Seven important assessments of MR image quality are included as follows: geometric accuracy, high-contrast resolution, slice thickness accuracy, slice position accuracy, image intensity uniformity, percent signal ghosting, and low-contrast object detectability. In addition, signal-to-noise ratio and central frequency are monitored as well. The MRI QA procedures were applied to four clinical MRI scanners in our institute twice within 3 months. According to the QA results, the service engineers were more efficient in solving scanners problems when the ACR phantom test was run.     

大鼠肺泡巨噬细胞吞噬煤尘颗粒的实验研究

本实验用相差显微电影、溶酶体荧光定位和透射电镜等方法,研究了大鼠离体肺泡巨噬细胞吞噬煤尘的作用,并用二氧化矽和酵母菌作实验对照。结果表明,煤尘颗粒同二氧化矽类似,经过附着,迅速以吞噬体形式被摄入胞浆,而酵母菌呈典型的伪足包围和缓幔吞噬过程。实验证明,用吖啶橙作活细胞溶酶体定位是有效的。被标记的溶酶体发出强橙色荧光。当煤粒吞噬体进入胞浆后,常被多个溶酶体接触包围,形成次级溶酶体。电镜观察提示,煤尘可引起次级溶酶体膜的损害。     

人TH基因重组腺病毒的构建及生物学活性研究

将人酪氨酸羟化酶cDNA表达盒克隆于质粒型腺病毒载体p△Elsp1A，得到重组质粒pAd－TH。随后用脂质体法将重组质粒pAd－TH和拯救型腺病毒质粒pBHG11一起共转染293细胞，通过体内同源重组生成重组腺病毒AdCMVth，THcDNA重组进入腺病毒E1区并受CMV启动子控制。采用形态学、病毒核酸酶切和PCR／RT－PCR等方法进行鉴定正确。重组腺病毒滴度达到1010pfu／ml。初步结果表明，该重组腺病毒感染MN9D细胞后可使细胞内多巴胺水平增加1倍，显示出明显的TH生物学活性。提示TH重组腺病毒AdCMVth可作为高效的基因转移载体用于帕金森氏病基因治疗。     

聚醚砜表面光固定脲酶的研究

我们利用含芳香叠氮基的光活性酯将脲酶光固定在聚醚砚（Polyether sulfone,PES）膜的表面。同时研究了紫外光辐照时间对固定化脲酶密度、固定化脲酶活性的影响，温度、PH值对自由脲酶、固定化脲酶相对活性的影响；并考察了固定化脲酶的相对活性随光活性酶浓度的变化、固定化脲酶的重复使用次数及储存稳定性等性质。结果表明，PES膜表面固定化脲酶的浓度为0.33mg/cm^2；当紫外光辐照时间为5分钟时，固定化脲酶的相对活性最高；固定化脲酶的最适Ph值和最适温度分别为7℃和50 ℃；在50℃时，连续使用12次后，固定化脲酶仍具有50%的催化活性；在4℃保存储存一个多月仍可保持80%的催化活性。