人参白虎汤对糖尿病大鼠心肌中Glu T4基因表达的影响

目的:观察人参白虎汤不同配伍组别及活性部位对链脲佐菌素(STZ)诱导的糖尿病大鼠肥大心肌中葡萄糖转运蛋白4(Glu T4)基因表达的影响.方法:雄性SD大鼠,除正常对照组外,其余大鼠ip STZ(60 mg/kg)造成糖尿病模型后,随机分为9组,治疗组用人参白虎汤不同配伍组别及活性部位治疗共75 d.动物处死后取心肌组织,提取心肌组织总RNA,逆转录得到cDNA第一链,以此为模板进行PCR扩增,利用聚丙烯酰胺凝胶电泳和DNA银染技术分析心肌组织中Glu T4的基因表达.结果:与正常对照组相比,STZ诱导的糖尿病大鼠肥大心肌中,Glu T4基因表达下调.经人参白虎汤不同配伍组别(除人参知母组外)及其活性部位治疗后,心脏指数和心室指数与模型组相比均明显下降,Glu T4 mRNA表达上调.结论:人参白虎汤及其活性部位能上调STZ诱导的糖尿病大鼠心肌中Glu T4 mRNA表达,防止糖尿病心肌病变的发生.     

Quantification of glutamate and glutamine using constant‐time point‐resolved spectroscopy at 3 T

Separate quantification of glutamate (Glu) and glutamine (Gln) using conventional MRS on clinical scanners is challenging. In previous work, constant‐time point‐resolved spectroscopy (CT‐PRESS) was optimized at 3 T to detect Glu, but did not resolve Gln. To quantify Glu and Gln, a time‐domain basis set was constructed taking into account metabolite T₂ relaxation times and dephasing from B₀ inhomogeneity. Metabolite concentrations were estimated by fitting the basis one‐dimensional CT‐PRESS diagonal magnitude spectra to the measured spectrum. This method was first validated using seven custom‐built phantoms containing variable metabolite concentrations, and then applied to in vivo data acquired in rats exposed to vaporized ethanol and controls. Separate metabolite quantification revealed increased Gln after 16 weeks and increased Glu after 24 weeks of vaporized ethanol exposure in ethanol‐treated compared with control rats. Without separate quantification, the signal from the combined resonances of Glu and Gln (Glx) showed an increase at both 16 and 24 weeks in ethanol‐exposed rats, precluding the determination of the independent and differential contribution of each metabolite at each time. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

High prevalence of polymorphisms of angiotensin-converting enzyme (I/D) and endothelial nitric oxide synthase (Glu298Asp) in patients with systemic sclerosis

PURPOSE: Systemic sclerosis is characterized by progressive microvascular occlusion and fibrosis and by an imbalance in the fibrinolytic system. In vivo and in vitro studies suggest that the renin-angiotensin system partly regulates vascular fibrinolytic balance. Angiotensin II increases the production and secretion of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1, while angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) contributes to reduced production of tissue plasminogen activator and endothelial nitric oxide synthesis by bradykinin degradation. The aim of our study was to investigate the effects of ACE insertion/deletion (I/D) and endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) Glu298Asp (G894-->T) and T-786-->C polymorphisms in patients with systemic sclerosis. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: We studied 73 consecutive patients (47 with limited and 26 with diffuse cutaneous systemic sclerosis) and 112 control subjects. ACE I/D and eNOS polymorphisms were genotyped by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis. RESULTS: The ACE I/D and the eNOS G894-->T polymorphisms were more common in patients than in controls (for the ACE D allele: odds ratio [OR] = 3.4; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.5 to 7.9; P = 0.003; for the eNOS T allele: OR = 1.9; 95% CI: 1.0 to 3.4; P = 0.04). There was no association between the eNOS T-786-->C polymorphism and systemic sclerosis. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings of an increased risk of systemic sclerosis in ACE D and eNOS 894T allele carriers suggest that these polymorphisms may contribute to the pathogenesis of the disease.     

Association between Endothelial Nitric Oxide Synthase Glu298Asp Gene Polymorphism and Diabetic Nephropathy Susceptibility

The association between endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) Glu298Asp gene polymorphism and diabetic nephropathy (DN) risk is still controversial. A meta-analysis was performed to evaluate the association between eNOS Glu298Asp gene polymorphism and DN susceptibility. A predefined literature search and selection of eligible relevant studies were performed to collect data from electronic database. Eight articles were identified for the analysis of association between eNOS Glu298Asp gene polymorphism and DN risk. T allele was associated with DN susceptibility in overall populations, in Asians, and for Caucasians (overall populations, p = 0.005; Asians, p = 0.004; Caucasians, p = 0.002). Furthermore, GG genotype might play a protective role against DN onset for overall populations, Asians, Caucasians, and Africans. However, a link between eNOS Glu298Asp gene polymorphism and DN risk was not found in overall populations, Asians, Caucasians, and Brazil population. In conclusion, T allele might become a significant genetic molecular marker for the onset of DN in overall populations, in Asians, and for Caucasians. However, more studies should be performed in the future.     

Coffee polyphenols improve peripheral endothelial function after glucose loading in healthy male adults

Brewed coffee is a widely consumed beverage, and many studies have examined its effects on human health. We investigated the vascular effects of coffee polyphenols (CPPs), hypothesizing that a single ingestion of CPP during glucose loading would improve endothelial function. To test this hypothesis, we conducted a randomized acute clinical intervention study with crossover design and measured reactive hyperemia index (RHI) to assess the acute effects of a 75-g glucose load with CPP in healthy, nondiabetic adult men. Blood glucose and insulin levels were elevated after glucose loading with and without CPP, with no significant differences between treatments. The RHI did not significantly decrease after glucose loading without CPP. With CPP, however, RHI significantly (P < .05) increased over baseline after glucose loading. The difference between treatments was statistically significant (P < .05). No significant changes were observed in an oxidative stress marker after glucose loading with or without CPP. These findings suggest that a single ingestion of CPP improves peripheral endothelial function after glucose loading in healthy subjects.     

Ammonia metabolism,the brain and fatigue; revisiting the link

This review addresses the ammonia fatigue theory in light of new evidence from exercise and disease studies and aims to provide a view of the role of ammonia during exercise. Hyperammonemia is a condition common to pathological liver disorders and intense or exhausting exercise. In pathology, hyperammonemia is linked to impairment of normal brain function and the onset of the neurological condition, hepatic encephalopathy. Elevated blood ammonia concentrations arise due to a diminished capacity for removal via the liver and lead to increased exposure of organs, such as the brain, to the toxic effects of ammonia. High levels of brain ammonia can lead to deleterious alterations in astrocyte morphology, cerebral energy metabolism and neurotransmission, which may in turn impact on the functioning of important signalling pathways within the neuron. Such changes are believed to contribute to the disturbances in neuropsychological function, in particular the learning, memory, and motor control deficits observed in animal models of liver disease and also patients with cirrhosis. Hyperammonemia in exercise occurs as a result of an increased production by contracting muscle, through adenosine monophosphate (AMP) deamination (the purine nucleotide cycle) and branched chain amino acid (BCAA) deamination prior to oxidation. Plasma concentrations of ammonia during exercise often achieve or exceed those measured in liver disease patients, resulting in increased cerebral uptake. In this article we propose that exercise-induced hyperammonemia may lead to concomitant disturbances in brain function, potentially through similar mechanisms underpinning pathology, which may impact on performance as fatigue or reduced function, especially during extreme exercise.     

Ammonium accumulation and chemokine decrease in culture media of Gcdh−/− 3D reaggregated brain cell cultures

Glutaric Aciduria type I (GA-I) is caused by mutations in the GCDH gene. Its deficiency results in accumulation of the key metabolites glutaric acid (GA) and 3-hydroxyglutaric acid (3-OHGA) in body tissues and fluids. Present knowledge on the neuropathogenesis of GA-I suggests that GA and 3-OHGA have toxic properties on the developing brain.We analyzed morphological and biochemical features of 3D brain cell aggregates issued from Gcdh^?/? mice at two different developmental stages, day-in-vitro (DIV) 8 and 14, corresponding to the neonatal period and early childhood. We also induced a metabolic stress by exposing the aggregates to 10 mM l-lysine (Lys).Significant amounts of GA and 3-OHGA were detected in Gcdh^?/? aggregates and their culture media. Ammonium was significantly increased in culture media of Gcdh^?/? aggregates at the early developmental stage. Concentrations of GA, 3-OHGA and ammonium increased significantly after exposure to Lys. Gcdh^?/? aggregates manifested morphological alterations of all brain cell types at DIV 8 while at DIV 14 they were only visible after exposure to Lys. Several chemokine levels were significantly decreased in culture media of Gcdh^?/? aggregates at DIV 14 and after exposure to Lys at DIV 8.This new in vitro model for brain damage in GA-I mimics well in vivo conditions. As seen previously in WT aggregates exposed to 3-OHGA, we confirmed a significant ammonium production by immature Gcdh^?/? brain cells. We described for the first time a decrease of chemokines in Gcdh^?/? culture media which might contribute to brain cell injury in GA-I.     

TM与PET/CT联合诊断肺结节的临床意义

目的：探讨分子生物学（TM）与PET/CT联合诊断肺结节的临床意义。方法经PET/CT检查可疑肺部肿瘤及结节患者98例,并行同期血清肿瘤标记物检测。所有患者均经纤维支气管镜、穿刺、手术等组织病理学检查、多种影像学检查及临床随访确诊。结果肿瘤标记物的灵敏度、特异度、准确度为70.5%、75.6%、73.5%,PET/CT为86.8%、86.5%、87.7%,二者联合检测为95.1%、81.1%、93.9%。结论TM与18F-FDG PET/CT联合检测,对肺部病灶良、恶性诊断的准确率高于单独一种检测方法,具有一定的互补性,可为临床的诊断与治疗提供更多信息。     

滋肾通络方对MCAO大鼠脑组织氨基酸递质含量的影响

目的:观察滋肾通络方对大脑中动脉闭塞MCAO大鼠脑组织氨基酸递质含量的影响.方法:例作MCAO大鼠模型,随机分为假手术组、模型组、中药高剂量组、中药低剂量组和西药组.灌胃20天后,取大鼠脑组织,匀浆,取上清液,用氨基酸分析仪检测各组Asp、Glu、Gly的含量.结果:模型组Asp、Glu、Cly的含量均升高,用药组的Asp、Glu、Gly的含量均降低.且中药组的下降趋势优于西药组.结论:滋肾通络方可降低兴奋性氨基酸的含量,从而对脑缺血损伤具有保护作用.