The effect and mechanism of YAP1 expression on placental angiogenesis in preeclampsia exposed to hypoxia environment / 西安交通大学学报(医学版)

【Objective】 To investigate the effect and mechanism of inhibiting Yes-associated protein1 (YAP1) expression by verteporfin on proliferation, migration and invasion of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) exposed to hypoxia environment and the possible mechanisms that further affect placental angiogenesis in preeclampsia. 【Methods】 MTT method was used to detect the cell viability of HUVECs at different concentrations (0, 4, 8, 12 and 16 μg/mL) after 12 h and 24 h treatment with verteporfin under hypoxia and calculate the IC50 value to select the subsequent experimental drug concentration. Flow cytometry was made to analyze verteporfin’s effect on HUVEC apoptosis in hypoxic environment. The wound healing assay and Transwell invasion assay were used to determine the effect of verteporfin on HUVEC cell migration and invasion abilities under hypoxic environment. Angiogenesis test was used to detect the effect of verteporfin on the angiogenesis of HUVECs under hypoxic environment. The effects of verteporfin on the expression levels of YAP1 and TEAD1 in Hippo signaling pathway under normoxia and hypoxia were determined by Western blotting. 【Results】 Under hypoxic environment, verteporfin could inhibit the proliferation of HUVECs by calculating the IC50 value, the subsequent experimental group selected 16 μg/mL verteporfin to treat cells. Flow cytometry showed that verteporfin induced the apoptosis rate of HUVECs under hypoxia (P<0.01). The results of wound healing, Transwell invasion and the angiogenesis experiments confirmed that compared with the control group, verteporfin could inhibit the migration, invasion and angiogenesis of HUVECs in hypoxic environment (P<0.05). Western blotting assay indicated that under normoxia and hypoxia, the expressions of YAP1 and TEAD1 were reduced (P<0.01). 【Conclusion】 In hypoxic environment, verteporfin inhibits the proliferation of HUVECs by inhibiting the expressions of YAP1 and TEAD1, and reduces the migration, invasion and angiogenesis of HUVECs. It is confirmed that the Hippo-YAP1 signaling pathway may affect the placental angiogenesis of preeclampsia and participate in the occurrence of preeclampsia by regulating the proliferation and invasion of vascular endothelial cells.

Epidemiological investigation of risk factors of the pregnant women with early spontaneous abortion in Beijing / 中国结合医学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To determine the risk factors of the pregnant women with early spontaneous abortion in Beijing.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A total of 34,417 cases of pregnant women were participated in the survey from January 2000 to December 2013. A questionnaire was informed to each woman. The content of questionnaire includes four parts: general condition, obstetrical history, past history and family history, and living environment and habits. The mental condition was evaluated with Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS) and Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS).</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>A total of 32,296 questionnaires were collected. The spontaneous abortion rate in the total sample was 3.0%. There was no significant difference between the normal pregnancy group and spontaneous abortion group in terms of general condition, obstetrical and past history (P>0.05). Significant differences between the two groups were found in terms of decoration during pregnancy, keeping pets, near mobile communication base station within 100 m around the residence, drinking during pregnancy, having a cold during pregnancy and SAS (P<0.05). Having a cold during pregnancy, decoration during pregnancy, near mobile communication base station within 100 m around the residence, keeping pets and high SAS were determined the independent risk factors of spontaneous abortion by Logistic regression analysis.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Having a cold during pregnancy, decoration, keeping pets, near mobile communication base station within 100 m around the residence and high SAS are the independent risk factors of spontaneous abortion in Beijing.</p>

Hydrogen-rich Water Exerting a Protective Effect on Ovarian Reserve Function in a Mouse Model of Immune Premature Ovarian Failure Induced by Zona Pellucida 3 / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>Premature ovarian failure (POF) is a disease that affects female fertility but has few effective treatments. Ovarian reserve function plays an important role in female fertility. Recent studies have reported that hydrogen can protect male fertility. Therefore, we explored the potential protective effect of hydrogen-rich water on ovarian reserve function through a mouse immune POF model.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>To set up immune POF model, fifty female BALB/c mice were randomly divided into four groups: Control (mice consumed normal water, n = 10), hydrogen (mice consumed hydrogen-rich water, n = 10), model (mice were immunized with zona pellucida glycoprotein 3 [ZP3] and consumed normal water, n = 15), and model-hydrogen (mice were immunized with ZP3 and consumed hydrogen-rich water, n = 15) groups. After 5 weeks, mice were sacrificed. Serum anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) levels, granulosa cell (GC) apoptotic index (AI), B-cell leukemia/lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2), and BCL2-associated X protein (Bax) expression were examined. Analyses were performed using SPSS 17.0 (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA) software.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Immune POF model, model group exhibited markedly reduced serum AMH levels compared with those of the control group (5.41 ± 0.91 ng/ml vs. 16.23 ± 1.97 ng/ml, P = 0.033) and the hydrogen group (19.65 ± 7.82 ng/ml, P = 0.006). The model-hydrogen group displayed significantly higher AMH concentrations compared with that of the model group (15.03 ± 2.75 ng/ml vs. 5.41 ± 0.91 ng/ml, P = 0.021). The GC AI was significantly higher in the model group (21.30 ± 1.74%) than those in the control (7.06 ± 0.27%), hydrogen (5.17 ± 0.41%), and model-hydrogen groups (11.24 ± 0.58%) (all P < 0.001). The GC AI was significantly higher in the model-hydrogen group compared with that of the hydrogen group (11.24 ± 0.58% vs. 5.17 ± 0.41%, P = 0.021). Compared with those of the model group, ovarian tissue Bcl-2 levels increased (2.18 ± 0.30 vs. 3.01 ± 0.33, P = 0.045) and the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio decreased in the model-hydrogen group.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Hydrogen-rich water may improve serum AMH levels and reduce ovarian GC apoptosis in a mouse immune POF model induced by ZP3.</p>

Phenolics-saponins rich fraction of defatted kenaf seed meal exhibits cytotoxicity towards cancer cell lines

Objectives: To determine the cytotoxicity of crude ethanolic extract, n-butanol fraction and aqueous fraction on selected cancer cell lines, and to observe the morphological changes of the cancer cells treated with n-butanol fraction. Methods: The cytotoxic effect of n-butanol fraction, crude ethanolic extract and aqueous fraction on breast cancer (MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231), colon cancer (HT29), lung cancer (A549), cervical cancer (HeLa) and normal mouse fibroblast (3T3) cell lines was deter-mined using MTT assay. The morphological changes of the treated cells were observed under an inverted light microscope. Results: n-Butanol fraction was the most cytotoxic towards HT29 and MCF-7 cells in a dose-dependent manner compared to crude ethanolic extract and aqueous fraction (P Conclusions: In conclusion, n-butanol fraction was more cytotoxic than crude ethanolic extract and aqueous fraction towards the selected cancerous cell lines and induced apoptosis in HT29 cells.

Aneuploidy in Early Miscarriage and its Related Factors / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>Genetic factors are the main cause of early miscarriage. This study aimed to investigate aneuploidy in spontaneous abortion by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) using probes for 13, 16, 18, 21, 22, X and Y chromosomes.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A total of 840 chorionic samples from spontaneous abortion were collected and examined by FISH. We analyzed the incidence and type of abnormal cases and sex ratio in the samples. We also analyzed the relationship between the rate of aneuploidy and parental age, the rate of aneuploidy between recurrent abortion and sporadic abortion, the difference in incidence of aneuploidy between samples from previous artificial abortion and those from no previous induced abortion.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>A total of 832 samples were finally analyzed. 368 (44.23%) were abnormal, in which 84.24% (310/368) were aneuploidies and 15.76% (58/368) were polyploidies. The first was trisomy 16 (121/310), followed by trisomy 22, and X monosomy. There was no significant difference in the rate of aneuploidy in the advanced maternal age group (≥ 35 years old) and young maternal age group (<35 years old). However, the rate of trisomy 22 and the total rate of trisomies 21, 13, and 18 (the number of trisomy 21 plus trisomy 13 and trisomy 18 together) showed significantly different in two groups. We found no skewed sex ratio. There was no significant difference in the rate of aneuploidy between recurrent miscarriage and sporadic abortion or between the samples from previous artificial abortion and those from no previous artificial abortion.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Aneuploidy is a principal factor of miscarriage and total parental age is a risk factor. There is no skewed sex ratio in spontaneous abortion. There is also no difference in the rate of aneuploidy between recurrent abortion and sporadic abortion or between previous artificial abortion and no previous induced abortion.</p>

Efficient solvent extraction of antioxidant-rich extract from a tropical diatom,Chaetoceros calcitrans (Paulsen) Takano 1968

Objective:To compare thein vitro antioxidant capacity of a diatom,Chaetoceros calcitrans (C. calcitrans) extracted using six types of solvents. Methods:Each extract was evaluated in terms of extraction yield, total carotenoid, fucoxanthin content, total phenolic and antioxidant capacities (DPPH? andABTS?+ scavenging activity and iron chelating activity). Results: The methanol extract exhibited the highest yield [(22.71 ± 0.96) g/100 g dry weight (DW)], total carotenoid [(4.46 ± 0.36) mg/g DW], total phenolic [(2.49 ± 0.08) mg gallic acid equivalents/g DW] and second highest fucoxanthin content [(2.08 ± 0.03) mg fucoxanthin/g DW] as compared to other solvent extracts. Methanolic extract also exhibited significantly higher (P Conclusions: Methanol was the recommended solvent for the production of antioxidant rich extract fromC. calcitrans. Both carotenoids and phenolic acids were found to be positively correlated to the antioxidant capacities ofC. calcitrans. Lead bioactives confirmed by subsequent high performance liquid chromatography studies were fucoxanthin, gallic acid and protocatechuic acid.

Mutation analysis and prenatal diagnosis of FBN1 gene mutations for four patients with Marfan syndrome / 中华医学遗传学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To screen for mutations of fibrillin-1 (FBN1) gene in 4 patients with Marfan syndrome in order to provide prenatal diagnosis and genetic counseling.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Potential mutations of the FBN1 gene in the probands were detected with PCR and DNA sequencing. Subsequently, genomic DNA was extracted from amniotic fluid sampled between 18 to 20 weeks gestation. The mutations were confirmed with denaturing high-performance liquid chromatography - robust microsatellite instability (DHPLC-MSI) analysis with maternal DNA as reference. The products were further analyzed by direct sequencing and BLAST search of NCBI database.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>An IVS46+1G>A substitution was identified in patient A at +1 position of intron 46 of the FBN1 gene. Two novel missense mutations were respectively discovered at positions +4453 of intron 35 in patient B (Cys1485Gly) and position +2585 of intron 21 in patient C (Cys862Tyr). In patient D, a novel deletion (c.3536 delA) was found at position +3536 of intron 28. In all of the 4 cases, the same mutations have been identified in the fetuses.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>FBN1 gene analysis can provide accurate diagnosis of Marfan syndrome, which can facilitate both prenatal diagnosis and genetic counseling.</p>

Gain of human telomerase RNA gene is associated with progression of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade I or II / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>The 3q26 chromosome region, where the human telomerase RNA gene (hTERC) is located, is a biomarker for cervical cancer and precancerous lesions. The aim of this study was to confirm the value of measuring hTERC gene gain in predicting the progression of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade I or II (CIN-I and -II, respectively) to CIN-III and cervical cancer.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Liquid-based cytological samples from 54 patients with CIN-I or CIN-II lesions were enrolled in this study. Follow-up was performed with colposcopy and biopsy within 24 months after the diagnosis of CIN-I or CIN-II. Copy numbers of the hTERC gene were measured by fluorescence in situ hybridization with a dual-color probe mix containing the hTERC gene probe (labeled red) and the control, the chromosome 3 centromere-specific probe (labeled green).</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>All patients whose lesions progressed from CIN-I or CIN-II to CIN-III displayed a gain of the hTERC gene, whereas patients where the hTERC gene was not amplified did not subsequently progress to CIN-III or cervical cancer. The signal ratio pattern per cell was recorded as N:N (green:red). The numbers of cells with the signal ratio pattern of 4:4 or N:≥5 in patients whose lesions progressed to CIN-III were significantly higher than those whose lesions did not progress. Significantly, none of the patients with a 4:4 signal ratio pattern regressed spontaneously.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>In conclusion, measurement of hTERC gene gain in CIN-I or CIN-II patients using liquid-based cytological samples could be a useful biomarker to predict the progression of such cervical lesions. In addition, a 4:4 or N:≥5 signal ratio pattern may indicate the unlikeness of spontaneous regression of CIN-I or CIN-II lesions.</p>

Fluorescence in situ hybridization in uncultured amniocytes for detection of aneuploidy in 4210 prenatal cases / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>Almost all reported fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) kits for prenatal diagnosis use probes from foreign (non-Chinese) countries. The aim of this study was to analyze the reliability of domestic (Chinese) FISH probe sets to detect aneuploidies of chromosomes 13, 18, 21, X, and Y related to prenatal diagnosis in 4210 cases.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Cytogenetic karyotyping was carried out as a standard prenatal diagnostic test, and amniotic fluid cell interphase FISH analysis was performed using two sets of probes (centromeric probes for chromosomes 18, X, and Y, and locus-specific probes for chromosomes 13 and 21) provided by GP Medical Technologies, Beijing, China. Then we compared the two results and found the performance characteristics for informative FISH results of aneuploidies by the domestic kit probes.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>In 4210 cases, 4126 cases generated karyotype results and 133 abnormal karyotypes (including 97 aneuploidies) were found. The FISH results of 98 cases (among them, 31 cases gave normal cytogenetic results) were uninformative. The rate of abnormal cases was 3.2% (133/4126). For the abnormal karyotypes, the rate of aneuploidy was 72.9% (97/133). Among the 97 aneuploidies, there were 58 cases of trisomy 21 (58/97, 59.8%), four cases of trisomy 13, 23 cases of trisomy 18, and 12 cases of sex chromosomal aneuploidies. The total concordance of the two methods was 97.9% (95/97; two cases were mosaics that had a low percentage of abnormal cells), and the concordance of trisomy 21, 13, and 18 by the two methods was 100%.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The two sets of the domestic FISH kit probes are reliable for prenatal diagnosis. The results demonstrate that FISH is a rapid and accurate clinical method for prenatal identification of chromosome aneuploidies.</p>

Bacterial colonization of hydrogel disposable contact lenses / 国际眼科杂志(Guoji Yanke Zazhi)

AIM:To determine the rate of bacterial colonization in hydrogel disposable contact lenses and solutions and to identify the contaminating organisms.METHODS:A cross sectional study with purposive sampling was carried out.One hundred hydrogel contact lenses were collected from wearers among undergraduate students of Health Campus,University Sains Malaysia.All lenses and storage solutions were sent for microbiological culture and gram staining.RESULTS:The majority of study participants were females(98%).The mean age was 21.36±1.63 years.Forty-one subject participants(82%)showed positive bacterial colonization of the lenses.From storage solutions 32% yielded positive colonization by bacteria.The most common organisms were coagulase negative staphyJococcus,Staph aureus and streptococci while Pseudomonas sp.and Serratia sp.were isolated more frequently from contact lenses.CONCLUSION:Contact lens wearing is potentially dangerous as a result of high rate of bacterial colonization of the lenses and its storage solutions.Extreme precaution and adherence to strict hygienic practice is recommended during lens handling and wearing.