In situ hybridization was applied to locate and detect the expression of p57KIP2 in hydatidiform mole (5 cases of partial hydatidiform mole and 18 cases of complete hydatidiform mole) and normal villi (23 cases). The positive signals of p57KIP2 expression were analyzed by HPIAS-1000 Image-Analysis System. p57KIP2 was highly expresed in normal villi but showed distinct low expression in hydatidiform mole (P<0.01). Furthermore, the locus of low expression of p57KIP2 accorded with the place where lesion of trophoblast occurred. Detection of p57KIP2 made it possible to study the genetics of hydatidiform mole at the transcriptional level. Low expression of p57KIP2 could be a molecular marker in hydatidiform mole and a target for therapy.
The effect of ginsenoside Rb1 on cardiomyocyte apotosis after ischemia (30 min) and reperfusion (6 h) in rats was observed. The ischemia/reperfusion heart model was established by ligating left anterior descending branch of coronary artery in Wistar rats. The apoptotic cardiomyocytes were examined under transmission electron microscopy and counted byin situ nick end labeling (TUNEL) method and light microscopy. Results showed that (1) The apoptotic cardiomyocytes were found in ischemic regions in the ischemia/reperfusion group, but not in the sham-operating group under transmission electron microscopy; (2) The number of apoptotic cells were 134.45±45.61/field in the ischemia/reperfusion group, 0/field in the sham-operating group and 51.65±13.71/field in the ginsenoside Rb1-treated group. The differences were significant among the three groups (P<0.01). It was concluded that myocardial ischemia-reperfusion could induce cardiomyocyte apoptosis, and ginsenoside Rb1 could significantly inhibit cardiomyocyte apoptosis induced by ischemia-reperfusion in rats, indicating that ginsenoside Rb1 could inhibit cardiomyocyte apoptosis induced by ischemia-reperfusion, thus alleviating ischemia-reperfusion injury.