头皮针对脑缺血模型大鼠血浆内皮素-1的影响

目的 :研究头皮针对脑缺血模型大鼠内皮素 - 1 ( ET- 1 )的影响 ,并与电针组比较。方法 :Wistar大鼠 5 0只 ,随机分正常、假手术、模型、电针、头皮针五组 ,每组 1 0只 ,后四组均于造模后 72小时、1 0天、1 5天取血测 ET- 1 ,并与手术后 6小时测定值进行比较 ;前三组不治疗 ,后两组造模后分别用电针与头皮针治疗。观察治疗前后 ET- 1测定值。结果 :神经功能评分 ,术后 1 0天与 1 5天 ,治疗组与模型组有显著性差异 ( P<0 .0 5～ 0 .0 1 ) ,电针组与头皮针组 ET- 1测定值无明显差异。对ET- 1的影响 ,术后 72小时及 1 0天时 ,治疗组 ET- 1明显低于模型组 ( P<0 .0 5 ) ,头皮针组明显低于电针组 ( P<0 .0 5 )。结论 :头皮针可在脑缺血早期就明显降低血浆 ET- 1含量 ,这可能是头皮针减轻脑缺血损伤并促进肢体功能恢复的机制之一。     

Proline reduces brain cytochrome c oxidase: prevention by antioxidants

In the present study, we initially investigated the in vivo (acute and chronic) and in vitro effects of proline on cytochrome c oxidase (complex IV) activity in rat cerebral cortex to test the hypothesis that proline might alter energy metabolism and that this alteration could be provoked by oxidative stress. The action of alpha-tocopherol and ascorbic acid on the effects produced by proline was also evaluated. For acute administration, 29- and 60-day-old rats received one subcutaneous injection of proline (18.2 micromol/g body weight) or an equivalent volume of 0.9% saline solution (control) and were sacrificed 1h later. For chronic treatment, proline was injected subcutaneously twice a day at 10h intervals from the 6(th) to the 28(th) day of age. Rats were sacrificed 12h (29(th)) or 31 days (60(th)) after the last injection. Results showed that acute administration of proline significantly diminished the activity of cytochrome c oxidase in the cerebral cortex of 29- and 60-day-old rats. On the other hand, chronic hyperprolinemia reduced this complex activity only on day 29, but not on the 60(th) day of life. In another set of experiments, 22-day-old rats or 53-day-old rats were pretreated for 1 week with daily intraperitoneal administration of alpha-tocopherol (40 mg/kg) and ascorbic acid (100mg/kg) or saline. Twelve hours after the last antioxidant injection, rats received a single injection of proline or saline and were killed 1h later. In parallel to chronic treatment, rats received a daily intraperitoneal injection of alpha-tocopherol and ascorbic acid from the 6(th) to the 28(th) day of life and were killed 12h after the last injection. Results showed that the pretreatment with alpha-tocopherol and ascorbic acid before acute proline administration or concomitant to chronic proline administration significantly prevented these effects. We also observed that proline (3.0 microM-1.0 mM) when added to the incubation medium (in vitro studies) did not alter cytochrome c oxidase activity. Data suggest that the inhibitory effect of proline on cytochrome c oxidase activity is possibly associated with oxidative stress and that this parameter may be involved in the brain dysfunction observed in hyperprolinemia.     

XGD-1对人外周血T淋巴细胞增殖和IL-2R表达的影响

目的 探讨XGD—l的免疫抑制作用及其作用机理。方法 不同浓度的XGD—l作用于植物血凝索(PHA)和刀豆索A(ConA)诱导的正常人外周血T淋巴细胞，共同培养48h和72h，用改良MTT法观察XGD—l对人T淋巴细胞增殖的影响，用流式细胞术检测XGD—l对T淋巴细胞表面IL—2R表达的影响；同时观察联合应用CsA和XGD—l对细胞增殖及IL—2R表达的影响。结果 XGD—l对PHA和ConA诱导的正常人外周血T淋巴细胞增殖有明显的抑制作用，其作用与药物浓度有关，在一定剂量范围内，抑制作用随XGD—l剂量的递增而加强；XGD—l对PHA和ConA激活的T淋巴细胞表面IL-2R的表达有显著抑制作用，阳性率从正常对照活化细胞的47．67％降为25．03％；联合应用CsA，上述抑制作用增强。结论 XGD-l具有免疫抑制作用，能降低IL-2R表达，可能是其免疫抑制作用的重要机理之一。     

宫颈癌细胞中DAPK1基因CpG岛甲基化及其表达

目的 :探讨宫颈癌细胞中凋亡相关蛋白激酶 1(DAPK1 )基因CpG岛甲基化及其表达与宫颈癌的相关性 .方法 :应用甲基化特异性PCR和SABC免疫组化方法 ,检测 32(鳞癌 1 8,腺癌 1 4 )例宫颈癌组织DAPK1基因CpG岛甲基化修饰及蛋白表达 .结果 :宫颈癌中DAPK1基因甲基化扩增阳性率明显增高 5 6 .3% ,与正常宫颈比较有显著性差异 (P <0 .0 5 ) ,鳞癌与腺癌甲基化扩增阳性率无显著差异 (P >0 .0 5 ) ;宫颈癌中DAPK1蛋白表达阳性率降低 1 5 .6 3% ,与正常宫颈比较有显著性差异 (P <0 .0 5 ) ,鳞癌和 7例与腺癌无显著性差异 (P >0 .0 5 ) .结论 :DAPK1基因CpG岛异常甲基化修饰能抑制DAPK1的转录 ,使DAPK1蛋白不表达 ,丧失抑癌作用 ,是促进正常宫颈上皮细胞癌变的一个重要因素     

Intravenous drug abuse and Type 1 diabetes: financial and healthcare implications.

AIMS: To determine the morbidity, mortality and healthcare costs of intravenous drug-abusing patients with Type 1 diabetes (IVDA-DM), who are admitted to hospital. METHODS: Retrospective case note analysis of admissions, complications and cost estimation over a 6-year period. Each drug-abusing patient (IVDA-DM) (n = 9) was compared with two controls (n = 18) with Type 1 diabetes but without a history of intravenous drug abuse (DM-controls). Admissions were also analysed for patients with intravenous drug abuse, but without Type 1 diabetes (IVDA-controls) (n = 198). Admissions were at a University teaching hospital in Liverpool, UK. DM-controls were drawn from a population attending diabetes outpatient clinics between 1997 and 2002 at the same hospital. The main outcome measures were: the duration and healthcare costs of hospital admissions per year, outpatient attendances per year, glycated haemoglobin (HbA(1c)), weight, micro- and macrovascular complications and mortality. RESULTS: Multiple admissions, mainly related to ketoacidosis, led to marked differences in mean (95% CI) inpatient days per year per patient [IVDA-DM 28.1 (13.6-42.7) vs. DM-control 1.1 (0.2-1.9); P < 0.0001], mean inpatient days per year per patient in critical care bed (IVDA-DM 1.7 (-0.7-4.2) vs. DM-control 0; P < 0.02) and mean costs of admission, per patient per year (pound sterling 7320 vs. pound sterling 230). The IVDA-DM group frequently omitted insulin, were underweight, failed to attend as outpatients and five had died by the end of 2002. The IVDA-controls spent considerably less time in hospital [3.4 (2.8-3.9) days per patient per year]. CONCLUSION: IVDA-DM patients have higher rates of diabetes complications, are admitted more frequently and have a high mortality compared with DM and IVDA-controls. The cost of inpatient care of this small group of patients was considerable.     

Constitutive secretion of the granule chymase mouse mast cell protease-1 and the chemokine, CCL2, by mucosal mast cell homologues

BACKGROUND: The mucosal mast cell (MMC) granule-specific beta-chymase, mouse mast cell protease-1 (mMCP-1), is released systemically into the bloodstream early in nematode infection before parasite-specific IgE responses develop and TGF-beta1 induces constitutive release of mMCP-1 by homologues of MMC in vitro. Intraepithelial MMC may also express the chemokine CCL2 (monocyte chemotactic protein-1) during nematode infection but the expression of this chemokine by MMC homologues has not been investigated. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the expression and to compare the mechanisms of constitutive release of the chymase, mMCP-1, and the chemokine, CCL2. METHODS: MMC homologues were generated by culturing bone marrow cells in the presence of TGF-beta1, IL-3, IL-9 and stem cell factor (SCF). The intracellular distribution of mMCP-1 and CCL2 was examined by confocal microscopy. The involvement of the Golgi complex and of protein synthesis in the constitutive release of mMCP-1 and CCL2 was investigated using the Golgi-disrupting agent brefeldin A and cycloheximide to block protein synthesis. Secreted analytes were quantified by ELISA. RESULTS: mMCP-1 colocalized with Golgi matrix protein 130 but was most abundant in the granules, whereas CCL2 was not found in the granules but appeared to be located uniquely in the Golgi complex. Extracellular release of mMCP-1 was significantly inhibited ( approximately 40%) by cycloheximide and by the Golgi-disrupting agent brefeldin A, indicating both continuous protein synthesis and transportation via the Golgi complex are required for optimal mMCP-1 secretion. A similar but more marked inhibitory effect with both compounds was demonstrated on the constitutive secretion of CCL2. CONCLUSION: The culture conditions that promote mMCP-1 expression and release by MMC homologues also promote the expression and release of CCL2. Constitutive release involves de novo protein synthesis and requires a functional Golgi complex, suggesting that similar mechanisms of extracellular secretion operate for both mediators.     

Identifying the affected hemisphere by 1H-MR spectroscopy in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy and no pathological findings in high resolution MRI

Up to 30% of patients with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) remain without remarkable changes in MRI. In this study we investigated the role of (1)H-MR spectroscopy ((1)H-MRS) in lateralizing the affected hemisphere in the mentioned patient group. Twenty-two consecutive patients diagnosed with TLE were investigated by high resolution MRI and (1)H-MRS. We examined the incidence and diagnostic accuracy of temporal metabolite alterations determined by Linear Combination of Model Spectra (L C Model) via water reference. Metabolite values of each hemisphere of TLE patients were compared with healthy controls. Results of metabolite alterations were related to intensive video EEG focus localization. Reduction of N-acetylaspartate + N-acetylaspartyl-glutamate (tNAA) in the affected hemisphere revealed identification in six of nine patients (66%) with unilateral TLE. Group comparison revealed a significant reduction of tNAA (6.1+/-0.8*) in the involved temporal lobe compared with controls (6.67+/-0.4*, P=0.026). Choline levels were significantly increased in the affected hemisphere (1.42+/-0.17*) compared with healthy controls (1.22+/-0.17*, P=0.035). The results of our study show that (1)H-MRS is able to identify the affected hemisphere of MRI negative TLE patients and can be used as an additive tool in multimodal focus localization.     

Absence of a differential induction of cytochrome P450 2E1 by different alcoholic beverages in rats: implications for the aetiology of human oesophageal cancer

Alcohol is an important risk factor for human oesophageal cancer. There is evidence from epidemiological studies that some specific alcoholic drinks, e.g. Calvados apple brandy, are associated with a greater risk than others. Alcohol induces cytochrome P450 2E1 (CYP2E1) and the hypothesis was tested that different alcoholic beverages, containing a variety of alcoholic compounds, could differentially induce expression of cytochrome P450 enzymes. Twelve groups of five rats each were treated for 3 days with different alcoholic beverages (ethanol alone, whisky, farm-produced or commercial Calvados brandy, beer, cider, wine) adjusted to 4, 10 or 20% of ethanol in drinking water. Immunoblotting using a monoclonal antibody specific for rat CYP2E1 revealed a single protein band in liver microsomes. Densitometric quantitation of microsomal proteins demonstrated a significant two-, three- and sixfold increase in band intensity after treatment with ethanol concentrations of 4, 10 and 20% respectively, compared to control rats drinking water alone. There was a dose-dependent increase in liver microsomal metabolism of CYP2E1 substrates (para-nitrophenol and dimethylnitrosamine) in ethanol-treated rats. However, there were no significant differences in the level of CYP2E1 protein or enzymatic activity between the different alcoholic beverages at the same ethanol concentration. There was a slight increase in hepatic CYP1A-related enzymatic activities in the alcohol-treated rats compared to the controls, but no difference between the treated groups either with dose of ethanol or type of beverage. These data show that induction of CYP2E1 with acute alcohol treatment is predominantly determined by the ethanol content of the beverage. Received: 10 February 1997 / Accepted: 26 May 1997     

Genetic analysis of the yeast NUD1 endo-exonuclease: a role in the repair of DNA double-strand breaks

The deoxyribonucleases (DNases) have been shown genetically to be important in the vital processes of DNA repair and recombination. The NUD1 gene, which codes for an endo-exonuclease of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, was analyzed for its role in the DNA double-strand break (DSB) repair processes. While the nud1 strain is only slightly sensitive to ionizing radiation, expression of the HO-endonuclease to introduce a DSB at the MAT locus in that strain results in cell death. Cell survival is inversely proportional to the duration of HO-endonuclease expression. Analysis of the surviving colonies from the nud1 strain indicated that many of the survivors are sterile and that the proportion of these sterile survivors increases with the time of HO-endonuclease expression. On the other hand, the surviving colonies from the isogenic NUD1 strain are mating-proficient. Interestingly, double mutants of nud1 rad52 are more resistant to ionizing irradiation than the rad52 strain and have a cell-survival fraction of 32% for rad52-1 nud1 and 9% for rad52::URA3 nud1 following prolonged HO-endonuclease expression, indicating that nud1 has a suppressor effect on the DSB-induced lethality in rad52. Polymerase chain reaction analysis showed that many of the nud1 survivors contained small alterations within the MAT locus, suggesting that the survivors arose through the process of non-homologous end-joining. These results suggest that the endo-exonuclease acts at a DSB to promote DNA repair via the homologous recombination pathway. Received: 20 July / 20 September 1998