二甲亚砜对人表皮的核酸和蛋白质合成的影响

用体外培养的人的伪表皮作为模型，进行药物毒理学作用的研究，观察了二甲亚砜（ＤＭＳＯ）在不同浓度和不同接触时间条件下，对人的伪表皮细胞脱氧核糖核酸（ＤＮＡ）、核糖核酸（ＲＮＡ）和蛋白质合成的影响：随着接触时间的延长，ＤＮＡ、ＲＮＡ和蛋白质合成均受抑制。低浓度条件下（１％），ＤＮＡ、ＲＮＡ和蛋白质合成增加；在１５～５０％浓度下，ＤＮＡ和蛋白质合成抑制，而ＲＮＡ合成仍增加；在高浓度条件下（７０％～１００％），ＤＮＡ、ＲＮＡ和蛋白质合成均明显抑制。     

Virulence determinants in Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains from urinary tract infections.

A total of 121 uropathogenic Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains were examined for production of several virulence-related factors. These strains were distributed in five predominant O-serotypes, i.e. O 4, O 12, O 11, O 6 and O 5, which accounted respectively for 23.9, 23.1, 12.3, 8.2 and 5.7% of isolates. Pyochelin and pyoverdin siderophores were produced by most of the isolates, defective variants occurring at very low frequency (2.4% for pyochelin and 7.4% for pyoverdin). Adherence to uroepithelial cells and production of cytotoxins was demonstrated in 52.8 and 67.7% of the strains, respectively, with higher frequencies for epidemiologically related strains belonging to serotypes O 4 and O 12. Titration of total proteases, elastase and phospholipase C revealed a high degree of heterogeneity among isolates. However, examination of individual O-serotypes by exoenzyme production showed that elevated levels of total proteases and elastase were characteristics of serotypes of minor numerical importance, i.e. O 1, O 10, O 11 and O 17, whilst low levels of elastase were produced by strains belonging to the predominant serotypes, namely O 4 and O 12. Moreover, epidemiologically related strains belonging to serotypes O 4 and O 12 appeared more homogeneous than the whole serogroup, when compared with other groups on the basis of exoenzyme levels.     

A new hypothesis for the bone marrow edema pathogenesis during transient osteoporosis

Transient osteoporosis is an infrequent condition of uncertain etiology with pain, limited range of motion and radiographic evidence of osteoporosis affecting one or more joints. It is self-limited, reversible and can involve only the hip (transient osteoporosis of the hip, TOH) or, less frequently, one or more joints contemporaneously or at different times (regional migratory osteoporosis, RMO). We studied four men with transient osteoporosis, including two with TOH and two with RMO. All patients underwent a standard radiographic work-up of the affected joints, arteriovenous Doppler US, computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and three-phase bone scanning. In all patients, symptoms were related to bone marrow edema demonstrated at MRI and to a transitory regional arterial hyperflow observed at the early scintigraphic analysis. On the basis of our observations, we hypothesize that regional arterial hyperflow may be the cause of the bone marrow edema and therefore of the transient osteoporosis.     

Expression of superoxide dismutase and xanthine oxidase in myometrium, fetal membranes and placenta during normal human pregnancy and parturition

Superoxide, an agent which attenuates the half-life of nitric oxide, is metabolized and synthesized by superoxide dismutase (SOD) and xanthine oxidase, respectively. Over the last few years much work has focused on the role of nitric oxide in human parturition. The aim of this study was to determine whether the onset of human parturition is associated with a change in the expression of copper/zinc superoxide dismutase (Cu/Zn SOD), manganese superoxide dismutase (Mn SOD) or xanthine oxidase within the uterus. Samples of myometrium, placenta, decidua and fetal membranes were obtained from women before and after the onset of labour at term. Immunocytochemistry was used to localize Cu/Zn SOD, Mn SOD and xanthine oxidase and measure SOD enzyme activity. Cu/Zn and Mn SOD-like immunoreactivity was detected in syncytiotrophoblast cells, villous stromal cells and endothelial cells of blood vessels in the placenta. In the myometrium Cu/Zn and Mn SOD were localized to myocytes and endothelial cells and to some vascular smooth muscle cells. In the fetal membranes we observed staining for Cu/Zn SOD and Mn SOD in the amnion, chorion, extravillous trophoblast and decidua. There was no difference in SOD enzyme activity or staining intensity for SOD between different cell types before and during labour. Xanthine oxidase immunoreactivity was identified in each of the tissues examined and again there was no difference in immunostaining in tissues obtained from women delivered before or after the onset of labour. These results show that the pregnant uterus is capable of both synthesizing and degrading superoxide and suggest that superoxide dismutase and xanthine oxidase may play a role in the maintenance of uterine quiescence during pregnancy, but not in the initiation of parturition.      

The nitric oxide pathway in pre-eclampsia: pathophysiological implications

Pre-eclampsia, one of the most significant health problems inhuman pregnancy, complicates 6-7% of all gestations and is theleading cause of fetal growth retardation, infant morbidityand mortality, premature birth and maternal death. Recent researchimplicates free radicals in the pathophysiology of pre-eclampsia.This review covers the biochemistry of nitric oxide (NO) andpossible interactions with other free radicals. Studies in therat show that pregnancy is associated with enhanced productionand responsiveness to NO in both reproductive tissues and bloodvessels. Rats infused with N^G-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester(L-NAME, a NO synthase inhibitor) have been used as an animalmodel of pre-eclampsia, and the effects of steroid hormoneson blood pressure in this model have been tested. Results suggestthat pre-eclampsia may be a state of NO deficiency. However,in humans there seem to be contradictions regarding the involvementof NO in maternal adaptation to pregnancy. It is suggested thatNO may be one of several systems that act in concert to maintaina symbiotic relationship between mother and fetus. However,the input of each system may be genetically determined.