ABSTRACT
Objective To observe the expression of discs large hom olog 4 (DLG4) protein in hippocam-pus, am ygdala and frontal cortex of rats and evaluate postsynaptic density in heroin dependence. Meth-ods The rat heroin dependent m odel was established by increasing intraperitoneal injection of heroin. DLG4 proteins in hippocam pus, am ygdala and frontal cortex of heroin dependent 9, 18, 36 days rats w ere detected with im munohistochem ical staining and com pared with that in the control group. Results DLG4 proteins in hippocam pus, am ygdala and frontal cortex w ere gradually reduced with extension of heroin dependent tim e. Conclusion Heroin dependence can affect postsynaptic density of hippocam pus, am ygdala and frontal cortex. The changes becom e m ore apparent with extension of heroin dependence tim e.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Clinical genetics and molecular biology studies have shown that the occurrence and development of the keloid is closely related to the inheritance. However, it remians unclear if the same is ture to the hypertrophic scar. OBJECTIVE: To investigate similadties and differences of genetic alteration between the hyperplastic scar and the keloid, DESIGN, TIME AND SETTING: A contrast observational experiment was performed in Guangdong Medical College between March 2007 and December 2008.MATERIALS: Scar samples were taken from 16 patients (in-patient and out-patient) in the Department of Plastic Surgery, the Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical College, with10 patients with hypertrophic scars (3 males and 7 females, 20-50 years old) and 6 patients with keloids (1 males and 5 females, 19-46 years old). METHODS: The DNA of both hyperplastic scar and keloid tissues was extracted to investigate, using comparative genomic hybridization technique, the genomic imbalance (the lose or amplification of genetic material), so as to make a comparative study on differences of the DNA copy number changes between the two. RESULTS: Neither altofrequent loss nor amplification of DNA copy number was found in any specific DNA region of hyperplastic scar tissues; as for the keloid, special DNA altofrequent loss regions were also not found, but altofrequent DNA copy number loss regions presented in 1, 16, 20 and 22 chromosomes. Comparatively, the keloid presented much higher loss rate of the DNA copy number in 1,16,20 and 22 chromosomes than the hyperplastic scar (P < 0.05).CONCLUSION: The hyperplastic scar has no conspicuous DNA copy number lose or amplification compared with the keloid, which indicates that the occurrence and development of the hyperplastic scar may not have any direct relation with the inheritance.