In order to study the effect of nitric oxide (NO) on the expression of hypoxia-inducible factor-1 alpha (HIF-1α) mRNA in hypoxic pulmonary hypertension (HPH) rats, 30 healthy male Wistar rats were randomly divided into normoxic control group, chronic hypoxic group and hypoxia plus L-argine (L-Arg) group. The animal model of HPH was developed. The mean pulmonary arterial pressure (mPAP) was measured by inserting a microcatheter into the pulmonary artery. The HIF-1α mRNA expression levels were detected by in situ hybridization (ISH) and semiquantitative RT-PCR. It was found that after 14 days hypoxia, the mPAP in normoxic control group (17.6±2.7 mmHg,l mmHg=0.133 kPa) was significantly lower than that in chronic hypoxic group (35.8 ±6.1 mmHg,t=0.2918,P<0.05) and mPAP in chronic hypoxic group was higher than that in hypoxia plus L-argine group (24.4±3.8 mmHg,t=0.2563,P<0.05). ISH showed that the expression of HIF-1α mRNA in the intraacinar pulmonary arteriolae (IAPA) in normoxic control group (0.1076±0.0205) was markedly weaker than that in chronic hypoxic group (0.3317±0.0683,t=3.125,P<0.05) and that in chronic hypoxic group was stronger than that in hypoxia plus L-argine group (0.1928±0.0381,t=2.844,P<0.05). RT-PCR showed that the content of HIF-1α mRNA in chronic hypoxic group (2.5395±0.6449) was 2.16 times and 1.75 times higher than that in normoxic control group (1.1781±0.3628) and hypoxia plus L-argine group (1.4511±0.3981), respectively. It is concluded that NO can reduce the mPAP by the inhibition of the expression of HIF-1α mRNA, which may be one of the mechanisms through which NO affects the pathogenesis of HPH.
To investigate the immunophenotypings of malignant epithelial mesothelioma (MEM), and to seek the valuable markers in distinguishing peritoneal MEM from peritoneal metastatic ovarian adenocarcinoma (OA) and colorectal adenocarcinoma (CA), immunohistochemical SP method was used to detect expressions of HBME-1, E-cadherin, CA19-9, MOC-31 and CK7 in paraffinembedded tissues of 18 cases of MEM, 20 OA and 20 CA. The results showed that there was a significant difference in the expressions of E-cadherin, CA19-9 and MOC-31 between MEM and OA group (P<0.05). Similarly, the difference in the expression of HBME-1, E-cadherin, CA19-9, MOC-31 and CK7 between MEM and CA groups is significant (P<0.05). These results indicate that HBME-1 could be used as a positive marker in distinguishing MEM from CA. E-cadherin, CA19-9 and MOC-31 are considered to be useful negative markers in diagnostic distinction between MEM and metastatic adenocarcinomas, including OA and CA. CK7 is the best positive marker in distinguishing MEM from CA, but this marker appears to be valueless in discriminating MEM from OA.
In order to assess the clinical manifestations and electrocardiogram (ECG) characteristics of Chinese long QT syndrome (LQTS) patients and describe the phenotype-genotype correlation, the subjects from 5 congenital LQTS families underwent clinical detailed examination including resting body surface ECG. QT interval and transmural dispersion of repolarization (TDR) were manually measured. Five families were genotyped by linkage analysis (polymerase chain reacting-short tandem repeat, PCR-STR). The phenotype-genotype correlation was analyzed. Four families were LQT2, 1 family was LQT3. Twenty-eight gene carriers were (14 males and 14 females) identified from 5 families. The mean QTc and TDRc were 0.56±0.04 s (range 0.42 to 0.63) and 0.16±0. 04 s (range 0.09 to 0.24) respectively. 35.7% (10/28) had normal to borderline QTc (≦0.460 s). There was significant difference in QTc and TDRc between the patients with symptomatic LQTS and those with asymptomatic LQTS, and there was significant difference in TDRc between the asymptomatic patients and normal people also. A history of cardiac events was present in 50% (14/28), including 9 with syncope, 2 with sudden death (SD) and occurred in the absence of β-blocker. Three SDs occurred prior to the diagnosis of LQTS and had no ECG record. Two out of 5 SDs (40%) occurred as the first symptom. Typical LQT2 T wave pattern were found in 40% (6/15) of all affected members. The appearing-normal T wave was found in one LQT3 family. Low penetrance of QTc and symptoms resulted in diagnostic challenge. ECG patterns and repolarization parameters may be used to predict the genotype in most families. Genetic test is very important for identification of gene carriers.
To explore the intracellular signal pathways for β-VLDL induced very low density lipoprotein receptor (VLDL-R) transcription up-regulation and their effects on lipid accumulation in macrophages, Western Blot was used to examine phosphorylated ERK1/2 protein and regulated effects by different singal kinase inhibitants. It was found that β-VLDL induced an increase in ERK1/2 activity in a protein kinase C (PKC)-dependent manner in murine RAW264.7 macrophages. By using different protein kinases inhibotors or activators, it was observed that the effect of β-VLDL induced VLDL receptor transcription, which was monitored by RT-PCR analysis of VLDL receptor mRNA, was not affected by the inhibitor of p38 kinase and cAMP analog, but extremely abolished by pretreating cells with PD98059, an inhibitor of ERK and GF 109203 X, an inhibitor of PKC. These results demonstrated that the PKC-ERK1/2 cascade is the essential signaling pathway by which β-VLDL activated VLDL-R mRNA expression. Inhibition of the ERK1/2 signaling cascade resulted in suppression of the cellular lipid accumulation induced by β-VLDL in macrophages.
In order to provide a rational research basis for clinical detection and genetic engineering vaccine, plasmid pET-28a (+) encoding both Porin gene PIA and PIB ofNeisseria gonorrhoeae was constructed and a fusion protein inE. coli DE3 expressed. The fragments of PIA and PIB gene ofNeisseria gonorrhoeae were amplified and cloned into prokaryotic expression plasmid pET-28a (+) with double restriction endonuclease cut to construct recombinant pET-PIB-PIA. The recombinant was verified with restriction endonuclease and sequenced and transformed intoE. coli DE3 to express the fusion protein PIB-PIA after induced with IPTG. The results showed PIA-PIB fusion DNA fragment was proved correct through sequencing. A 67 kD (1 kD=0.992 1 ku) fusion protein had been detected by SDS-PAGE. It was concluded that the fusion protein was successively expressed.