Long-term application of diethylstilbestrol upregulates expressions of μ- and m-calpains in pituitary intermediate lobe of female Wistar rats

BACKGROUND: During formation of prolactin neoplasia, how cells and its structure in adenohypophysis affect prolactin cells should be further studied. Intermediate lobe can be regarded as a driving region to release prolactin (PRL) and may promote formation of prolactin neoplasia in pituitary anterior lobe. OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of diethylstilbestrol (DES) on the expressions of μ and m-calpains in pituitary intermediate lobe of female Wistar rats. DESIGN: Observational contrast animal study. SETTING: Beijing Neurosurgical Institute. MATERIALS: A total of 21 female Wistar rats, 3 weeks old weighing 70–80 g were housed with free access to tap water and standard pellet food. They were kept in a CL-grade condition, at (24±1)℃ and a humidity of (55±5)%, and with a 12 hours day-night cycle. Caprine anti-μ- and m-calpains antibodies were provided by Santa Cruz Biotechnology, CA, USA; rabbit-anti-PRL antibodies by Dako, Denmark; rabbit-anti-ACTH antibody by Boster Company, Wuhan. METHODS: The experiment was carried out in Pathophysiological Department and Animal Laboratory, Beijing Neurosurgical Institute from August 2006 to January 2007. ① Rats were randomly divided into groups with 7 in each group, including vehicle control group, in which rats were injected intraperitoneally with sun-flower seed oil (1 mL/kg, twice a week) for 16 weeks; DES group, where animals were administered with DES (5 mg/kg, twice a week) for 16 weeks; DES + vehicle control group, in which DES was administered for 12 weeks at the same dose with those in DES group, and then was discontinued and replaced by sun-flower seed oil (1 mL/kg, twice a week) for the following 4 weeks. ② At 16 weeks later, pituitary tissue was dealt with HE staining and PRL immunohistochemical examination to observe evoke of tumor; meanwhile, immunohistochemical examination was used to observe expression of PRL of pituitary anterior lobe, expressions of μ- and m-calpains of pituitary intermediate lobe and distribution of adrenocorticotropin. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: ① Expression of PRL of pituitary anterior lobe, expressions of μ- and m-calpains of pituitary intermediate lobe and distribution of adrenocorticotropin. ② Morphological observation of pituitary tissue. RESULTS: All 21 rats were involved in the final analysis. ① Results of immunohistochemical examination: Morphological changes of neoplasia in DES group were strongly positive to PRL, and this suggested that formation of prolactin adenoma was observed in pituitary tissue. As compared with vehicle control group, expression of adrenoeorticotropic hormone (ACTH) was increased in both DES group and DES + vehicle control group. In addition, expressions of μ- and m-calpains in pituitary intermediate lobe were higher in DES group than that in vehicle control group. Otherwise, expressions of m-calpains in pituitary intermediate lobe was decreased in DES + vehicle control group, but expression of μ-calpains was still increased. ② Morphological observation of pituitary tissue: Gland tubes were orderly arranged in rats in vehicle control group. Anterior pituitary gland in rats of DES group demonstrated an apparent disappearance of gland tubes and a relatively large-scaled vasculature formation, namely the vascular lake lined by tightly arranged endothelial cells. Local integrated tumor cell arrangements were also detected. In addition, the border between the IL and the anterior lobe was locally blurred. The definite tumor-like changes in pituitary tissues were confirmed in 6 of 7 female Wistar rats in DES group, and one spontaneous occurrence of tumor formation was found in vehicle control group. In DES + vehicle control group, DES withdrawal led to the subtile emergence of gland tube cavity, although tumor-like cells still existed in 4 of 7 rats, suggesting occurrence of the tumor regression due to the withdrawal of DES. CONCLUSION: A long-term application of DES can enhance the expressions of ubiquitours neutral cysteine protease in pituitary intermediate lobe and this suggests that both of them play a key role in release of hormone and formation of prolactin neoplasia through directly promoting PRL expression and release of neighboring pituitary intermediate lobe.     

肾移植术后并发卡氏肺孢子虫病活检的病理学研究

报告肾移植术后５例并发卡氏肺孢子虫肺炎。采用纤维支气管镜活检，分别对印片及组织进行银染和ＨＥ染色。病变为上皮细胞脱落，有时增生呈立方状；炎症反应；各种类型渗出物（包括泡沫状渗出物、泡沫细胞团及絮状蛋白渗出物）等３种改变。重点讨论了本病的组织病理学特征，并对不典型病变形成机理加以讨论。     

Bronchial hyperresponsiveness, epithelial damage, and airway eosinophilia after single and repeated allergen exposure in a rat model of anhydride-induced asthma

Bronchial hyperresponsiveness (BHR) and damage of the epithelium, as well as eosinophilia in the airway wall, induced by trimellitic anhydride (TMA) in sensitized brown Norway rats were studied. Rats were challenged once or seven times with aerosol of TMA conjugated to rat serum albumin (TMA-RSA) 3 weeks after intradermal TMA sensitization. Airway responsiveness (-log PC₃₀₀ of acetylcholine i.v.) was measured 24 h after allergen challenge. Epithelial lesion and eosinophil infiltration in the airway walls were quantified under light microscopy, and TMA-specific IgE and IgG in serum were evaluated with ELISA. High levels of TMA-specific IgE and IgG were found in all rats in the sensitized groups compared to nonsensitized groups ( P < 0.001). Repeated allergen challenges of 0.03% TMA-RSA for 7 consecutive days enhanced the level of TMA-specific IgG, compared to single challenge ( P < 0.05). Single allergen challenge of 0.3% TMA-RSA had a nonsignificant tendency to produce BHR in sensitized rats compared to nonsensitized rats ( P =0.06). However, repeated allergen challenges (0.003% and 0.03% TMA-RSA for 7 consecutive days) produced significant BHR in sensitized rats ( P < 0.05). Furthermore, repeated low-dose (0.003%) TMA-RSA challenge produced more BHR than a 10 times higher single dose (0.03%) ( P < 0.05). Slight damage of the airway epithelium was seen in sensitized and repeat-challenged groups. However, bronchial eosinophilia was found in the sensitized and single-challenged groups, but not in nonsensitized nonchallenged, and sensitized repeat-challenged groups ( P < 0.005). We conclude that the brown Norway rat can be sensitized with TMA, and that repeated low-dose allergen challenges produce slight epithelial damage and BHR which is independent of ongoing eosinophilia in the airway wall.     

"气口独为五脏主"探析--《内经》脉学探析之二

在回顾《内经》、《难经》关于“气口独为五脏主”论述的基础上，指出：气口诊脉可测知全身气血盛衰、胃气的强弱、经脉的变动、五脏六腑的功能状态，以及外邪入侵后，人体疾病的阴阳、表里、虚实、寒热等变化。强调“气口诊脉”至今仍是中医诊脉的主要方法之一。     

国产鼻喷鲑鱼降钙素治疗骨质疏松性疼痛的疗效观察

目的观察国产鼻喷鲑鱼降钙素治疗骨质疏松性疼痛的疗效。方法采用随机分组对照设计。选择骨质疏松患者53例,随机分为两组,治疗组(30例)给予鼻喷鲑鱼降钙素,20u/次,1次/天,8周为1个疗程,停药后继续观察3周。对照组(23例)口服钙尔奇D片,1片/次,1次/天,共8周;采用国际惯用分级标准对疼痛予以评估。结果治疗组患者的疼痛明显改善,其总有效率为95%;在停药后缓解疼痛的作用仍可维持4周以上,Ⅲ度骨质疏松患者的治疗效果较Ⅰ度和Ⅱ度患者的效果差;对照组症状未见明显改善。结论用国产鼻喷鲑鱼降钙素治疗骨质疏松性骨痛,可明显缓解患者的疼痛症状。     

刺玫果对老龄小鼠衰老指标SOD、MDA的影响作用

目的 :研究刺玫果提取物 (喷雾干燥粉 )对衰老小鼠脑、肝组织中超氧化物歧化酶 (SOD)和丙二醛(MDA)含量的影响。方法 :SOD测定为黄嘌呤氧化酶法 ,MDA测定为硫代巴比妥酸法。结果 :刺玫果提取物可显著增强老龄小鼠脑和肝SOD活性 ,降低MDA含量。结论 :刺玫果提取物具有一定的抗衰老作用     

Modes of hantavirus transmission in a population of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Clethrionomys rufocanus bedfordiae</Emphasis> inferred from mitochondrial and microsatellite DNA analyses

Summary. To elucidate the mode of transmission of Puumala-related hantavirus in a population of gray red-backed voles, Clethrionomys rufocanus bedfordiae, in Hokkaido, Japan, we analyzed the kin structure and dispersal patterns of individual voles using microsatellite and mitochondrial DNA markers. Siblings or dam/offsprings was identified within the population based on the relatedness calculation with the microsatellite data. The pairwise relatedness values obtained could reveal kinship among all vole individuals within the population. Based on the assessment of kinship, we did not find a positive relationship between hantavirus transmission and close kinship. Males infected with the hantavirus carried a relatively uncommon mitochondrial haplotype. However, these infected males shared low relatedness values and were not considered closely related, i.e., they were not siblings or parent/offspring. These observations imply that hantavirus transmission in the vole population may not be related to close kinship but by random horizontal infection.