Striatal delivery of CERE-120, an AAV2 vector encoding human neurturin, enhances activity of the dopaminergic nigrostriatal system in aged monkeys.

Neurturin (NTN) is a potent survival factor for midbrain dopaminergic neurons. CERE-120, an adeno-associated virus type 2 (AAV2) vector encoding human NTN (AAV2-NTN), is currently being developed as a potential therapy for Parkinson's disease. This study examined the bioactivity and safety/tolerability of AAV2-NTN in the aged monkey model of nigrostriatal dopamine insufficiency. Aged rhesus monkeys received unilateral injections of AAV2-NTN into the caudate and putamen, with each animal therefore serving as its own control. Robust expression of NTN within the nigrostriatal system was observed 8 months postadministration. (18)F-fluorodopa imaging using positron emission tomography revealed statistically significant increases in (18)F-fluorodopa uptake in the injected striatum compared with the uninjected side at 4 and 8 months. In addition, at 8 months postadministration, a significant enhancement in tyrosine hydroxylase immunoreactive fibers and an increase in the number of tyrosine hydroxylase immunoreactive cells was observed in the AAV2-NTN injected striatum compared with the uninjected side. Robust activation of phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated kinase immunoreactivity in the substantia nigra was also observed. Histopathological analyses revealed no adverse effects of AAV2-NTN in the brain. Collectively, these results are consistent with the neurotrophic effects of NTN on the dopaminergic nigrostriatal system and extend the growing body of evidence supporting the concept that AAV2-NTN may have therapeutic benefit for Parkinson's disease.     

Fatal encephalitis in a patient with refractory celiac disease presenting with myorhythmia and carpal spasm.

We report the case of a woman with refractory celiac disease who developed abnormal spontaneous movements of the extremities and face consistent with myorhythmia. Investigation led to a diagnosis of encephalitis, confirmed by postmortem examination. The movements were likely caused by nonparaneoplastic encephalitis associated with refractory celiac disease. Etiologic and diagnostic considerations and treatment options are discussed.     

Nurr1基因转染人脐血间充质干细胞诱导分化为多巴胺能神经元的实验研究

目的探讨外源性Nurrl基因修饰的人脐血间充质干细胞在基因重组成纤维细胞生长因子-8(FGF8)和音猬因子(Shh)诱导下体外分化为多巴胺能神经元的情况。方法间充质干细胞被随机分为A组(对照组)、B组(Nurrl组)、C组(FGF8+Shh组)及D组(Nurrl+FGF8+Shh),采用脂质体法将pcDNA3.1-Ntrr1转染B、D组间充质干细胞,Western blot观察Nurr1基因表达情况,并在神经元条件培养液中进行增殖培养和诱导分化,间接免疫荧光染色法鉴定细胞性质,高效液相色谱法测定多巴胺含量。结果Western blot结果显示转染后Nurr1蛋白表达明显增高。A组和B组未发现酪氨酸羟化酶(TH)阳性细胞,而C组和D组TH阳性细胞分别为10．12％±2．65％及25．36％±3．13％,多巴胺含量分别为(43．6±2．1)nmol／L及(83．2±3．5)nmol／L,差异均有显著性意义(P< 0．01)。结论人脐血间充质干细胞在FGF8和Shh诱导下可以分化为多巴胺能神经元,外源性Nurr1基因修饰后,分化为多巴胺能神经元的数量增加。     

透明质酸钠预防粘连性肠梗阻术后再粘连临床观察

Objective To investigate the prevention of intestines adhesion about sodium hyaluronic acid in postoperative intestines adhesion.Methods Eighteen cases of adhesive intestine obstruction were done intestinal release or bowel resection.2～4mL sodium hyaluronic acid was put to the wound,anastigmatic and rough surface of peritoneal.Gastrointestinal decompression,anti-infective and infusion were taken after oper-ations.Followed up 8～24 months.Results Obstructive symptoms haven't happened,the effective rate is 100%.Only 2 cases have intermittent abdominal pain without obstruction,the incidence was 11%.Conclu-sion Sodium hylauronic acid is effective to prevent the adhesion of postoperative intestines adhesion,simp-ler use,fewer side-effects and great value to appliance.     

sFGFR1基因的克隆与在RTS系统中的高效表达

目的：克隆sFGFRl(soluble fibroblast growth factors receptor-1)基因，并在RTS(rapid translation system)系统中高效表达相应蛋白．方法：培养Swiss rat 3T3 fibroblast细胞株，提取总RNA，用RT—PCR方法获取鼠sFGFR1 cDNA片段，酶切后克隆到pIVEX2．3d载体并进行序列分析；采用Roche RTS ProteinMaster500系统，高效表达sFGFR1蛋白并用Western Blot鉴定表达的蛋白．结果：克隆了sFGFR1基因，测序证实序列正确；Western Blot证实sFGFR1蛋白在RTS系统中高效表达．结论：克隆了sFGFR1基因并在RTS系统获得高效表达．     

肿瘤坏死因子凋亡相关配体基因的克隆和表达

目的：克隆、表达和鉴定肿瘤坏死因子凋亡相关配体(TRAIL)．方法：从培养的人外周血淋巴细胞中提取总RNA，经RT-PCR获得TRAIL基因．将该基因克隆到pGEM-Teasy载体中，测序鉴定．将TRAIL基因插入pBV220表达载体中，42℃诱导表达4～5h，进行SDS-PAGE分析．免疫印迹法鉴定TRAIL蛋白的表达．结果：DNA测序证明，获得了TRAIL基因，其序列与GenBank中报道序列完全一致．SDSPAGE分析表明，TRAIL蛋白获得高效表达，分子质量为17ku，表达量约占菌体总蛋白的300k，．免疫印迹法鉴定显示，该蛋白可与鼠抗人TRAIL mAb产生阳性反应．结论：成功克隆和表达了TRAIL基因．     

No support for a truncated interferon-α17 allele as risk factor for MS

Cytokines have a central role in multiple sclerosis (MS) pathogenesis and may contribute to the aetiology of MS. A polymorphism in the IFNA17 gene with an allele carrying a pre-mature stop codon has been suggested to convey a 26-fold increased risk for MS. We investigated the possible association between this polymorphism and MS using population-based samples from a genetically well-characterized population. The IFNA17 gene variant was found in 2.8% of 327 MS cases and 3.3% of 698 referents ( P  = 0.64). Thus, our study does not support an association between the IFNA17 allele and risk for MS.     

Two novel gastric cancer-associated genes identified by differential display

AIM To clone novel gastric cancer-associated genes and investigate their roles in gastric cancer occurrence.METHODS A method called differential display was used which allows the identification of differentially expressed genes by using PAGE to display PCR-amplified cDNA fragments between gastric cancer cells and normal gastric mucosa cells. These fragments were cloned into plasmid vector pUC18. Homology analysis was made after sequencing these fragments.RESULTS Two novel genes were identified compared with sequences from GenBank. One was registered with the AD number AF 051783. In situ hybridization showed that these two novel genes expressed specifically in gastric cancer tissues.CONCLUSION The two novel genes obtained by differential display were confirmed to be gastric cancer-associated genes using in situ hybridization.     

Responses of periodontal nerve terminals to experimentally induced occlusal trauma in rat molars: an immunohistochenmical study using PGP 9.5 antibody

The response of periodontal nerves to experimentally induced occlusal trauma in rat molars was assessed by immunohistochemistry for protein gene product 9.5 (PGP 9.5) at light and electron microscopic levels, and by computerized image analysis. The occlusal surface on the left upper first molar of 8-wk-old male Wistar rats was raised approximately 1 min under ether anaesthesia. The rats were perfusion-fixed on d 1, 2, 3, 4, and 7 after bite-raising and then decalcified for 2–3 wk. Frozen sagittal cryostat sections were stained by the avidin-biotin complex method. By the second day after bite-raising many Ruffini endings were swollen and their outline unclear at the light microscopic level. Transmission electron microscopy disclosed PGP 9.5 reaction products within Ruffini endings that had unusually long cytoplasmic projections extending through enlarged slits of the Schwann sheaths and also diffuse extracellular PGP 9.5-immunoreactivity near the Ruffini endings. From d 2 to 4, thin nerve fibres on the pressure side of the periodontal ligament were orientated irregularly and had a prominent beaded appearance. An increase in beaded nerve terminals occurred at d 2–4 post elevation, and decreased later. These results suggest that occlusal trauma induces specific changes in the distribution and shape of nerve terminals in the periodontal ligament.     

AN-132 block of cardiac sodium channels: A gate-related receptor analysis

Summary Based on the gate-related receptor hypothesis, an analysis of kinetics of AN-132, a new antiarrhythmic agent, blockade of cardiac sodium channels and the gate-related receptor which is bound by the drug was performed by computer simulation. Model-predicted apparent rates of onset of AN-132 (30 μmol/L) blocking were 0.051, 0.038, and 0.034 AF⁻¹ at stimulation frequencies of 1.0, 2.0 and 3.0 Hz, respectively. The time constant of recovery from block by AN-132 at resting potential -90 mV was 39.5 s. These findings are in agreement with those experimental data documented. The analysis of gate-related receptor shows that AN-132 binds the inactivation gate-related receptor, and the binding and unbinding are modulated by the inactivation process.