In order to investigate the relationship between serum testosterone level and expression of androgen receptors in ovary in relation to insulin resistance in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Serum testosterone levels were determined by radioimmunoassay in 17 patients with PCOS and 20 cases as control group. The expression of androgen receptor in ovary was detected by immunohistochemistry method. The results showed that serum testosterone level [(3.1±1.5) nmol/L] and insulin resistance index (0.85±0.49) in patients with PCOS were significantly higher than in control group (P<0.05), and showed a positive relation (r=0.65,P<0.01). The expression levels of androgen receptor in ovary of patients with PCOS were significantly higher than that in control group (P<0.05). The optical density value was positively related with insulin resistance index (r=0.59,P<0.01). It was concluded that androgen and androgen receptor could accelerate insulin resistance and the interaction of them might aggravate the pathophysiological change in PCOS.
The feasibility of using cord blood mesenchymal stem/progenitor cells (CB-MSPCs) to regenerate cardiomyocytes and the optimal inducing conditions were investigated. The CB mononuclear cells were cultured in low serum DMEM medium to produce an adherent layer. After expansion, the adherent cells were added into cardiomyocyte inducing medium supplemented with 5-azacytidine. Cardiogenic specific contractile protein troponin T staining was performed to identify the cardiomyocyte-like cells. The results showed that the frequency of CB-MSPCs clones in CB mononuclear cells was 0.5×10−6 and about 1.3×107-fold expansion was achieved within 20 sub-cultivation. After cardiogenic induction, 70% CB-MSPCs was differentiated into cardiomyocyte-like cells. It was indicated that low serum culture could expand CB-MSPCs extensively and the expanded CB-MSPCs could be induced to differentiate into cardiomyocyte-like cells in high efficiency.
To investigate the effects of mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) on the process of renal interstitial fibrosis, unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO) model was established in rats. Twenty Sprague-Dawley rats underwent UUO and received vehicle (n=10) or MMF (20 mg. kg−1, d−1, by daily gastric gavage,n=10) during a period of 5 days following surgery, and the additional 10 rats were served as sham-operated group. The rats were killed 5 days after surgery. Immunohistochemistry was performed on renal tissue for proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) and type I and III collagen (col I, col III). Histological studies were also done by MASSON staining. Five days after surgery, proliferating cells in tubules, interstitium as well as interstitial myofibroblast (MyoF) infiltration and interstitial col I, col III deposition were all significantly reduced by MMF treatment. MMF also alleviated the histological changes of UUO rats. These results suggested that the reduction of interstitial MyoF infiltration may be an important event by which MMF prevents renal injury caused by UUO and MMF could be used to limit the progression of renal fibrosis.
To explore the change of sensitivity to chemotherapy of antisense RNA targeting survivin on hepatocarcinoma carcinoma cellsin vitro. Survivin mRNA structure region was amplified by RT-PCR and inserted inversely into eukaryotic expression vector pcDNA3. The antisense expression plasmid pcDNA3/survivin was transfected into HepG2 with lipofectAMINETM, 2000 (FL2000), with low concentration of 5-fluorouracil (5-Fu) added. Survivin protein was detected by westernblot, the growth activity was measured by MTT, and apoptosis was detected by Flow cytometry 12 h, 24 h, 48 h after transfection. The activity of caspase-3 was found by quantitative assay 48 h after transfection. The construction of antisense RNA vector pcDNA3/survivin was verified by restricted endonuclease digestion and nucleotide sequencing. Compared with normal group, 5-Fu and antisense survivin group, the cells growth inhibition, apoptosis index, and caspase-3 activity were increased in antisense survivin transfected + 5-Fu group. The threshold of apoptosis was decreased after survivin was silenced, and the sensitivity to chemotherapy was increased. These findings suggest the existence of a potential new target for gene therapy.