Effect of the stable thromboxane derivative, carbocyclic thromboxane A2, on membrane potential of rat myenteric neurones in culture

The effects of carbocyclic thromboxane A(2) (cTXA(2); 10(-6) mol L(-1)) on membrane potential and cytosolic Ca(2+) concentration were measured with the whole-cell patch-clamp or the fura-2 method, respectively, at rat myenteric ganglia. cTXA(2) caused a hyperpolarization of myenteric neurones from -19.3 +/- 2.5 to -29.3 +/- 2.3 mV. In addition, the eicosanoid potentiated the carbachol-induced depolarization from 4.2 +/- 1.0 mV under control conditions to 11.1 +/- 1.1 mV in the presence of the cTXA(2) (n = 9). The hyperpolarization was abolished by internal application of CsCl (140 mmol L(-1)), a non-selective blocker of K(+) channels, or EGTA (11 mmol L(-1)in the pipette solution), a chelator of intracellular Ca(2+). A similar inhibition was observed in the presence of charybdotoxin (10(-7) mol L(-1)). Fura-2 imaging experiments revealed a cTXA(2)-evoked increase in the intracellular Ca(2+) concentration as indicated by a rise in the fura-2 ratio signal. This response was mediated by a release of Ca(2+) from intracellular stores as sarcoplasmic-endoplasmic reticulum Ca(2+)-ATPase blockade with cyclopiazonic acid (5 x 10(-5) mol L(-1)) completely abolished the response to cTXA(2). A similar inhibition was observed after blockade of phospholipase C with U-73122 (10(-5) mol L(-1)). These results suggest an activation of Ca(2+)-activated K(+) channels by cTXA(2) after stimulation of phospholipase C.     

正常人颈段脊柱结构内CGRP和SP阳性神经纤维的分布

目的 为深入探讨颈肩痛的发病机理。方法 用免疫组织化学方法观察人颈段脊柱结构内CGRP和SP阳性神经末梢存在的情况。结果 人颈段脊柱结构的纤维层内均有CGRP和SP免疫反应阳性神经末梢存在，多数神经末梢独立行走，呈树枝状或念珠状，少量神经末梢交织网状。结论 CGRP和SP可能参与了人颈段脊柱结构的伤害性感觉信息的传递。当人颈段脊柱结构的神经末梢受刺激时，可能引起CGRP和SP的释放和传递，这可能是引起原发性颈肩痛的原因之一。     

经阴道无张力吊带术治疗女性压力性尿失禁的体会

目的探讨经阴道无张力吊带术(TVT)治疗女性压力性尿失禁(SUI)的疗效及安全性。方法对2002年5月至2004年12月施行TVT的114例女性SUI患者资料进行回顾性研究。根据Stamey尿失禁分级系统评价TVT手术的有效性。术后较术前尿失禁等级评分改善2级或2级以上为显著改善,1级为改善,无改善甚至加重为无效。术后尿失禁等级为0~1级为完全控尿,2级为有效控尿,3~4级为无效。评估术前、术后的24h尿垫试验及尿动力学检查结果。并对并发症进行统计和分析。结果随访110例(96.5%),随访时间6~30个月。24h尿垫试验术前(38.3±10.4)g,术后(8.8±7.4)g;尿失禁症状评分从术前42.3±11.4,术后20.4±9.2;尿失禁等级评分显著改善者94例(85.5%),改善者12例(10.9%),无效者4例(3.6%)。术后完全控尿者89例(80.9%),有效控尿者14例(12.7%),无效者7例(6.4%)。术中发生膀胱穿孔2例(1.8%),出血14例(12.7%)。术后1个月内有排尿不畅者9例(8.2%),尿频、尿急者12例(10.9%),尿潴留者1例(0.9%);术后6个月后有耻骨上不适者8例(7.3%),排尿不尽者2例(1.8%),尿频、尿急者3例(2.7%)。1例反复尿潴留患者经保守治疗无效,最终将吊带切断。术后未出现吊带处阴道黏膜糜烂和明显盆腔血肿。结论TVT术是目前治疗女性SUI的一种有效、安全的微创手术。     

Polymorphism of the mast cell chymase gene (CMA1) promoter region: lack of association with asthma but association with serum total immunoglobulin E levels in adult atopic dermatitis

BACKGROUND: Mast cell chymase has the potential to be an important mediator of inflammation and remodelling in the asthmatic lung. Previous studies have examined association between promoter polymorphism of the chymase gene (CMA1) and allergic phenotypes but the significance of this polymorphism is unclear. We have examined association of a CMA1 variant in relation to asthma in a large UK Caucasian family cohort. METHODS: A polymorphism of the CMA1 gene promoter (-1903G/A) was genotyped in 341 asthmatic families and in 184 non-asthmatic adults recruited from the UK PCR-RFLP based genotyping. Association with asthma diagnosis, atopy, specific and total IgE, and atopy and asthma severity was examined. RESULTS: Case-control studies did not reveal a significant difference in allele frequency between asthmatics and controls. A significant association was found between CMA1 genotypes and total IgE levels in subjects with self-reported eczema that remained significant after correction for multiple testing (median total serum IgE GG 297 kU/L, GA 144 kU/L, AA 48.4 kU/L, Pc=0.0032). CONCLUSION: These data suggest that CMA1 promoter polymorphism does not contribute to asthma susceptibility or severity but may be involved in regulating IgE levels in patients with eczema.     

Mapping corpus callosum deficits in autism: an index of aberrant cortical connectivity.

BACKGROUND: Volumetric studies have reported reductions in the size of the corpus callosum (CC) in autism, but the callosal regions contributing to this deficit have differed among studies. In this study, a computational method was used to detect and map the spatial pattern of CC abnormalities in male patients with autism. METHODS: Twenty-four boys with autism (aged 10.0 +/- 3.3 years) and 26 control boys (aged 11.0 +/- 2.5 years) underwent a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan at 3 Tesla. Total and regional areas of the CC were determined using traditional morphometric methods. Three-dimensional (3D) surface models of the CC were also created from the MRI scans. Statistical maps were created to visualize morphologic variability of the CC and to localize regions of callosal thinning in autism. RESULTS: Traditional morphometric methods detected a significant reduction in the total callosal area and in the anterior third of the CC in patients with autism; however, 3D maps revealed significant reductions in both the splenium and genu of the CC in patients. CONCLUSIONS: Statistical maps of the CC revealed callosal deficits in autism with greater precision than traditional morphometric methods. These abnormalities suggest aberrant connections between cortical regions, which is consistent with the hypothesis of abnormal cortical connectivity in autism.     

麦考酚酸酯及其临床应用进展

目的:麦考酚酸酯(MMF)是一种新型的免疫抑制剂.在临床应用中,MMF的使用也越来越广泛,已不仅仅局限于器官移植,还涉及到系统性红斑狼疮(SLE)、自体免疫风湿性疾病的治疗,以及在糖尿病,肺部血管高压的辅助治疗等诸多方面.肠包衣麦考酚酸钠,是一种新的可抵抗胃溶作用的麦考酚酸肠包衣剂型,药物在肠内释放,可以降低胃肠道(GI)不良反应的发生.     

Anthracycline-induced cardiotoxicity: Overview of studies examining the roles of oxidative stress and free cellular iron

The risk of cardiotoxicity is the most serious drawback to the clinical usefulness of anthracycline antineoplastic antibiotics, which include doxorubicin (adriamycin), daunorubicin or epirubicin. Nevertheless, these compounds remain among the most widely used anticancer drugs. The molecular pathogenesis of anthracycline cardiotoxicity remains highly controversial, although the oxidative stress-based hypothesis involving intramyocardial production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) has gained the widest acceptance. Anthracyclines may promote the formation of ROS through redox cycling of their aglycones as well as their anthracycline-iron complexes. This proposed mechanism has become particularly popular in light of the high cardioprotective efficacy of dexrazoxane (ICRF-187). The mechanism of action of this drug has been attributed to its hydrolytic transformation into the iron-chelating metabolite ADR-925, which may act by displacing iron from anthracycline-iron complexes or by chelating free or loosely bound cellular iron, thus preventing site-specific iron-catalyzed ROS damage. However, during the last decade, calls for the critical reassessment of this “ROS and iron” hypothesis have emerged. Numerous antioxidants, although efficient in cellular or acute animal experiments, have failed to alleviate anthracycline cardiotoxicity in clinically relevant chronic animal models or clinical trials. In addition, studies with chelators that are stronger and more selective for iron than ADR-925 have also yielded negative or, at best, mixed outcomes. Hence, several lines of evidence suggest that mechanisms other than the traditionally emphasized “ROS and iron” hypothesis are involved in anthracycline-induced cardiotoxicity and that these alternative mechanisms may be better bases for designing approaches to achieve efficient and safe cardioprotection.     

选择性5-HT1A受体拮抗剂WAY-100635抑制帕金森病模型大鼠腹内侧前额叶皮质的神经活动

目的腹内侧前额叶皮质在随意运动的起始和控制、情感以及认知中具有重要作用。然而,黑质-纹状体通路变性后腹内侧前额叶皮质的神经活动和5-HT_(1A)受体的作用仍不清楚。本研究观察了6-羟基多巴胺(6- hydroxydopamine,6-OHDA)损毁黑质致密部(substantia nigra pars compacta,SNc)后大鼠腹内侧前额叶皮质神经活动的变化和体循环给予选择性5-HT_(1A)受体拮抗剂WAY-100635后神经元活动的改变。方法采用在体玻璃微电极细胞外记录方法,记录正常大鼠和SNc单侧损毁大鼠的腹内侧前额叶皮质神经元的活动。结果6-OHDA损毁SNc大鼠的腹内侧前额叶皮质神经元放电频率显著增加,放电形式没有明显改变。体循环给予WAY-100635 (0.1 mg/kg,i.v.)不改变正常大鼠腹内侧前额叶皮质神经元的平均放电频率和放电形式,而显著降低了SNc损毁大鼠前额叶皮质神经元的平均放电频率。结论黑质-纹状体通路的变性可导致腹内侧前额叶皮质神经活动增强,5-HT_(1A)受体拮抗剂WAY-100635可以抑制这种活动增强,提示可能存在腹内侧前额叶皮质5-HT_(1A)受体功能失调。     

MACS检测胃癌腹腔冲洗液游离癌细胞的研究

目的 探讨胃癌腹腔微转移情况的检测方法及意义。方法 手术中切除肿瘤前收集腹腔冲洗液，采用磁激活细胞分离术（MACS）对不同病理分期胃癌患者腹腔冲洗液中癌细胞进行富集并检测。分别标记带磁珠的细胞角蛋白（CK）抗体，经磁柱富集CK^＋上皮细胞，用流式细胞仪检测其含量，并比较胃癌组与胃平滑肌瘤组（对照组）以及胃癌不同分期之间、磁富集前后CK^＋上皮细胞含量的差异。结果 在未经MACS富集的标本中较少发现CK^＋ CD45^-细胞；在富集后的标本中其含量在胃癌组与对照组有显著差异（41／50，1／10，P〈0．001）；pTNMⅠ～Ⅱ期与Ⅲ～Ⅳ期之间（0．67％，3．42％，P〈0．001）差异有非常显著性。结论 MACS能有效地富集上皮来源细胞，提高上皮源细胞的检出率，并能反映腹腔游离癌细胞数量；上皮细胞数量与胃癌的存在及临床病理分期有关，其有利于判断肿瘤转移和预后并指导治疗。     

钙池操纵的Ca2+通道的激活机制研究进展

钙池操纵的Ca~(2 )通道(store-operated Ca~(2 ) channels,SOC)是非兴奋细胞Ca~(2 )内流的主要通道之一,参与多种病理和生理过程,在钙信号通路的研究中,SOC的激活机制一直是人们关注的焦点之一,迄今为止,钙内流因子模型(Ca~(2 ) innux factor model,CIF model)和构象耦联模型fconformational coupling model)受到广泛关注.部分学者已经从很多不同类型的细胞中提取出CIF,并证实钙非依赖性的磷脂酶A_2(Ca~(2 )-independent phospholipase A_2,iPLA_2)作为CIF的底物,在某些类型细胞的SOC激活过程中发挥重要作用,并进一步提出了ER- CIF-iPLA_2-CaM-LysoPLs-SOC通路模型.瞬时受体电位(transient receptor potential,TRP)通道蛋白与1.4,5-磷酸肌醇受体(inositol 1,4,5 trisphosphate receptor,IP_3R)的结构连接作为构象耦联模型的基础已被广泛证实,随着对IP_3R,Ryanodine受体、肌动蛋白等在钙信号通路中所发挥作用的深入研究,构象耦联模型将得到不断补充和完善.SOC激活机制的破解,将对进一步完善非兴奋细胞的钙通道特性及其调节机制理论带来重大突破.