Effect of tacrolimus and partial hepatectomy on transthyretin metabolism in rats

Liver transplantation, which serves as treatment of familial amyloidotic polyneuropathy (FAP), and domino liver transplantation, which utilizes resected livers from patients with FAP for treatment of liver diseases, may induce changes in transthyretin (TTR), a pathogenic FAP-related protein. To evaluate this possibility, we performed a 70% hepatectomy or administered tacrolimus to Dark Agouti (DA) rats for 7 days and then measured changes in liver TTR mRNA levels and changes in serum TTR concentrations. After hepatectomy, TTR mRNA levels decreased by 77%; at day 3, they returned to preoperative levels. Except for slightly elevated serum TTR concentrations 12 h after operation, serum TTR levels remained unchanged. Thus, partial hepatectomy did not influence serum TTR concentrations. After tacrolimus administration, TTR mRNA declined by 56% 12 h after the experiment started; however, after day 3, a rebound phenomenon occurred until day 7. Tacrolimus may facilitate serum TTR degradation, although production of TTR in the liver also increased. This finding -- that TTR, the source of FAP-inducing amyloid, did not increase after transplantation -- may help post-transplantation treatment of patients who have FAP and other liver diseases.     

Differential induction responses of delta-aminolevulinate synthase mRNAs during erythroid differentiation: use of nonradioactive in situ hybridization.

Expression of mRNAs encoding the erythroid-specific delta-aminolevulinate synthase (ALAS-E) and the nonspecific delta-aminolevulinate synthase (ALAS-N) were examined in murine Friend virus-transformed erythroleukemia (MEL) cells using nonradioactive in situ hybridization. Following dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) treatment, ALAS-E mRNA increased markedly, while ALAS-N mRNA did not increase in wild-type MEL cells. In contrast, in a DMSO-resistant clone of MEL cells, ALAS-E was not detectable before and after DMSO treatment. These findings suggest that ALAS-E and ALAS-N mRNAs are under separate controls and that the expression of ALAS-E mRNA is a critical event in erythroid differentiation.     

用SYBR Green I实时逆转录-聚合酶链反应定量检测人、小鼠精子中CatSper1 mRNA

目的:建立并优化SYBR GreenI实时RT-PCR体系,定量检测人、小鼠成熟精子中的CatSper1 mRNA。方法:用TRIzol分别提取人、小鼠成熟精子中的总RNA,逆转录后用SYBR GreenI实时PCR定量检测CatSper1 mRNA。SYBR GreenI实时PCR采用普通PCR试剂,加入SYBR GreenI染料,优化退火温度、Mg2+浓度及上、下游引物比例,并在PCR循环时采用四步法以消除引物二聚体的影响。优化完成后用不同浓度的精子cDNA为模板做标准曲线,以检测SYBR GreenI实时PCR的扩增效率。结果:定量检测CatSper1 mRNA的SYBR GreenI实时PCR体系适宜退火温度、Mg2+浓度及上、下游引物比例分别为63℃、3.0mmol/L和1∶1,四步法中采集荧光的温度为88℃。优化后用人和小鼠精子cDNA为模板做标准曲线分别为Y=-3.402log(X)+25.99和Y=-3.409log(X)+24.09,扩增效率分别为96.8%和96.5%,可定量检测人、小鼠成熟精子中的CatSper1 mRNA。结论:用普通的逆转录及PCR系统和试剂,建立了一种方便、廉价、可靠的SYBR GreenI实时荧光定量RT-PCR系统,可用于人、小鼠精子中CatSper1 mRNA定量检测。     

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor Val66Met and psychiatric disorders: meta-analysis of case-control studies confirm association to substance-related disorders, eating disorders, and schizophrenia.

BACKGROUND: There is an increasing recognition that the pathophysiology of mental disorders could be the result of deregulation of synaptic plasticity with alterations of neurotrophins. The valine (Val)66-to-methionine (Met) variant, located in the pro brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) sequence, has been extensively studied through linkage and association approaches in several psychiatric disorders. METHODS: We performed a meta-analysis restricted to individual case-control studies in different categories of mental disorders and BDNF Val66Met polymorphism. We included data from 39 case-control studies encompassing psychiatric phenotypes: eating disorders, substance-related disorders, mood disorders, and schizophrenia, among others. RESULTS: The association of Val66Met was confined to three diagnoses: substance-related disorders, eating disorders, and schizophrenia. The Val/Met and the Met/Met genotypes increase the risk for eating disorders up to 33%, while these same genotypes confer a 21% protective effect in substance-related disorders. The homozygous carriers Met/Met showed a 19% increased risk of schizophrenia with respect to the heterozygous state. CONCLUSIONS: The study confirms the association of Val66Met to substance-related disorders, eating disorders, and schizophrenia. It remains to be determined if other variants in tight linkage disequilibrium with Val66Met could configure an extended functional haplotype that would explain observed discrepancies in risk estimations across studies.     

Differential Cellular Gene Expression in Ganglioglioma

Summary:  Purpose:  Gangliogliomas (GGs) are neuronal-glial tumors highly associated with epilepsy. We hypothesized that the expression of select gene families including neurotransmitter receptor subunits and growth factors would be distinct in neurons and astrocytes within GG compared with adjacent cortex and that these changes would yield insights into seizure onset and lesion formation.
Methods:  Candidate gene expression was defined in single immunohistochemically labeled neurons and astrocytes microdissected from GG specimens compared with neurons and astrocytes microdissected from morphologically intact cortex adjacent to the GG or normal control cortex.
Results:  Differential expression of 16 genes including glutamate transporter (EAAC1) and receptor (NMDA2C, mGluR5), growth factor (hepatocyte growth factor), and receptor (platelet derived growth factor receptor β, fibroblast growth factor receptor 3) mRNAs was detected in GG neurons compared with control neurons. In astrocytes, altered expression of p75NGF, mGluR3, TGFβ3 and Glt-1 mRNAs was detected. Nestin mRNA, a gene that exhibits enhanced expression in balloon cell cortical dysplasia, was increased in GG neurons. Because of the morphological similarities between GG and cortical dysplasia, we show that there is activation of the mTOR cascade in GG as evidenced by enhanced expression of phospho-p70S6kinase and phosphoribosomal S6 proteins.
Conclusion:  We find differential candidate gene expression in neurons and astrocytes in GG compared with adjacent cortex and show that there is activation of the mTOR pathway. These changes highlight pathways that may be pivotal for epileptogenesis and lesion growth.     

苯DNA加合物研究进展(综述)

苯ＤＮＡ加合物研究进展（综述）李桂兰，常平综述徐伯洪审校（中国预防医学科学院劳动卫生与职业病研究所，北京１０００５０）我国职业接触苯的工人约有５０万，长期接触苯可引起白血病。苯与其它实质性肿瘤的问题也有报道［１，２］。世界癌症研究机构（ＩＡＲＣ）１９...