Effect of earthworm decoction on airway inflammation of bronchial asthma in guinea pigs / 中国中药杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the effect of Earthworm decoction on the airway inflammation of experimental bronchial asthma in guinea pigs and inquire into the mechanism in the decoction.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>Forty-eight guinea pigs were randomly divided into six groups: the control group, the model group, the dexamethasone group, the Xiaoqinglong decoction group, the earthworm decoction large dosage group and the Earthworm decoction low dosage group, 8 guinea pigs in each group. Except the control group, the other groups were sensitized with ovalbumin (OVA) by a combination of intraperitional injection and repeated intranasal challenges to establish the guinea pigs asthma model. However, in the control group, normal saline was used. The morphological changes of bronchial tube, the lung tectology and the inflammation germ cell quantity of eosinophils (Eos), lymphocytes (Ly), neutrophils (Neu) and total blood cells in the blood and bronchoalveolar lavaga fluid (BALF) were examinated in each group respectively.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>The levels of Eos, Ly, Neu and total cell quantity in the blood and BALF after the earthworm decoction treatment in the large dosage group were significantly lower than those in the model group (P <0.01), and in the low dosage group were lower too (P <0.05). The Earthworm decoction large dosage could obviously improve the bronchial tube epidermis damage, the mucous membrane gland proliferation and hydrops, asthma pathology change and basilar membrane accumulation. Eos apoptosis was obsered in the bronchoalveolar, blood and BALF. The Earthworm decoction small dosage had a similar effect but slightly to the large dosage.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The Earthworm decoction can lighten the airway inflammation in asthmatic guinea pigs, its mechanism is related with the inhibition of Eos infiltration, acceleration of Eos apoptosis and improvement of the bronchial tube and the lung tectology changes. The effect of the decoction is dose-dependent.</p>

Association of schizophrenia with a promoter polymorphism in the dopamine D2 receptor gene / 中华医学遗传学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the association of -141C insert/delete polymorphism with schizophrenia in Wuhan of Hubei province.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A case-control study was conducted to analyze the polymorphism in the D(2) receptor gene promoter region with schizophrenia. A total of 120 cases of schizophrenia diagnosed according to CCMD-II R criteria and 100 normal controls were recruited in the study.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>In this sample, the allele and genotype showed statistically significant differences between patients and normal controls (P<0.05).Especially, the frequency of -141C del was 11% in patients and 18% in control(OR 0.55, 95% CI 0.30-0.96; P<0.05). This allele was less common in schizophrenia than in normal controls (P<0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The -141C del polymorphism is associated with schizophrenia.The polymorphism may modify the association with other factors. Possibly -141C del in the DRD(2) promoter region is a strong candidate for a protective factor for this trait.</p>

Effect of human angiopoietin-1 on tumorigenesis and angiogenesis of gastric cancer / 中华肿瘤杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the role of human angiopoietin-1 (Ang1) in tumorigenesis and angiogenesis of human gastric cancer cell line SGC7901 in nude mice.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Recombinant human Ang1 sense or antisense eukaryotic expression vectors were constructed, and transfected by lipofectin into human gastric cancer line SGC7901. Stable transfectants were obtained respectively, namely 7Ang1+ for sense, 7Ang1- for antisense, and 7901P for empty vector transfected cells. Semiquantitative PCR and Western blot were employed to testify the transfection efficiency. Cell growth curve and cell cycle were observed by MTT assays or flow cytometry. In in vivo study, growth of SGC7901 xeno-transplant was observed in BALB/c nude mice. Microvessel density (MVD) was analyzed by immunohistochemistry for Factor VIII staining.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Stably transfected cell lines were established and decreased expression of Ang1 protein and mRNA in the antisense transfected SGC7901 cells was achieved. Tumorigenesis of 7Ang1- cells on day 30 days was significantly inhibited with decreased MVD as compared to that in 7901P and 7Ang1+ cells (P < 0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Angiopoietin-1 plays an important role in tumorigenesis and angiogenesis of gastric cancer which can be partially abrogated by antisense technique.</p>