Effect and Safety of Cinnamaldehyde on Immunosuppressed Mice with Invasive Pulmonary Candidiasis / 中国结合医学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To evaluate the effect and safety of cinnamaldehyde on immunosuppressed mice with invasive pulmonary candidiasis.@*METHODS@#An immunosuppressed BALB/c mouse model was established by intraperitoneal administration of cyclophosphamide (200 mg/kg) once daily for 2 days. The immunosuppressed mouse with invasive pulmonary candidiasis model was further established by nasal perfusion of Candida albicans suspension. In the cinnamaldehyde treatment group, immunosuppressed mice with invasive pulmonary candidiasis were orally given cinnamaldehyde 240 mg/(kg·d) for 14 consecutive days. Fluconazole and 0.9% saline were used as the positive and negative controls, respectively. The mice in the cinnamaldehyde safety evaluation group were orally administered cinnamaldehyde 480 mg/(kg·d) for 42 days to observe the safety of the drug. Microscopic identification, fungal culture, histopathological examination, and (1,3)-beta-D-glucans detection were conducted to analyze the effect of cinnamaldehyde on C. albicans.@*RESULTS@#The fungal clearance rate in the cinnamaldehyde treatment group was higher than that in the fluconazole control group (80.00% vs. 56.67%, P<0.05). The level of (1,3)-β-D-glucan in the cinnamaldehyde treatment group was lower than that in the fluconazole positive control group (1160.62 ±89.65 pg/mL vs. 4285.87 ± 215.62 pg/mL, P<0.05). The survival rate of mice in the cinnamaldehyde safety evaluation group was 100%, and no significant pathological changes of kidney, lung and liver were observed.@*CONCLUSIONS@#Cinnamaldehyde was effective and safe in treating immunosuppressed BALB/c mice with invasive pulmonary candidiasis. It would be a potentially novel drug for anti-candidiasis infection.

Molecular mechanism of RhDel phenotype in blood donation population of Chinese Harbin area / 中国实验血液学杂志

This study was aimed to explore the molecular mechanism of RhDel phenotype expression in blood donors of Chinese Harbin area. Three hundred and seventy-four RhD negative donors confirmed by indirect antiglobulin test were detected by using serological and molecular methods for red blood cell RhD blood group genotyping and RH gene variant detection. And the other special samples of undetermined RhD genotype were sequenced. The results showed that 62 cases of Del type were detected in 374 negative blood donors' samples, accounting for 16.6%, among them there were 61 cases of RHD1227A, and 1 case of rare RHD Del (cde) 1 allele was found. Sequencing analysis indicated that RHD711DelC allele existed in 11 cases. In addition, the new mutant alleles were found in 3 samples. It is concluded that RHD1227A allele is generally carried allele in Del phenotype population of Chinese Harbin area and is an important genetic marker in Del phenotype individual.

Genotype analysis of RhD-negative donors with immune antibodies / 中国实验血液学杂志

In order to analyze the genotype of RhD-negative blood donors with immune antibodies in Harbin, the voluntary blood donors from 1 April 2008 to 30 september 2011 were detected serologically to determine the RhD-negative donors. The blood donors confirmed to be RhD negative were detected to screen the immune antibodies, the samples with immune antibodies were analyzed by PCR-SSP and DNA sequencing to detect RhD genotype. The results showed that the 12 cases of the immune antibodies (0.95%) were screened out from 1265 cases of RhD-negative donors, among which 9 cases showed anti-D-antibody, 3 cases showed anti-(D+C) antibody; 10 cases were RhD-negative, 2 cases were RHD 711D(el)C. It is concluded that RhD negative and RHD 711D(el)C are easy to be immunized to produce the immune antibodies; RhD-negative population, especially women should be highly aware of avoiding mis-transfusion of RhD-positive blood, and also avoiding multiple pregnancies resulting in newborn's hemolytic disease.

Characterization of S gene of a strain of hantavirus isolated from Apodemus peninsulae in Heilongjiang Province / 病毒学报

In order to study the molecular characterization of the hantavirus isolated from Apodemus peninsulae in Heilongjiang Province, the S gene of a new strain NA33 was amplified, sequenced and analyzed. The results showed that the complete nucleotide sequence of the S gene of NA33 strain was composed of 1 693 nucleotides with TA-rich. The S gene contained one ORF, starting at position 37 and ending at position 1 326, encoding the N protein of 429 amino acid residues, and in line with HTN-based coding. Sequence comparison of the S genes between NA33 and reference hantavirus strains showed that NA33 was more homologous to Amur-like viruses than to the Hantaan (HTN) viruses or the other hantaviruses. Phylogenetic analysis of the amino acid sequence of N proteins showed that NA33 was clustered into the group of Amur-like viruses and was more similar to Far East Russia and Jilin strains isolated from Apodemus peninsulae. The phylogenetic tree indicated a certain degree of host-dependent characteristics and geographical aggregation characteristics of hantanviruses. Furthermore, the amino acid sequence of N protein of NA33 had the conserved amino acid sites of Amur-like viruses. In conclusion, Apodemus peninsulae carried Amur-like viruses in Heilongjiang province and was an important infectious source of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS).

Characteristic analysis of E protein genes of new strains of tick-borne encephalitis virus isolated from China / 病毒学报

In order to determine the characteristics and genotypes of E protein genes of tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) virus strains DXAL-5, 12,13,16,18, 21 isolated from Ixodes persulcatus in the Northeast of China, cDNA synthesis of E protein genes of the six DXAL strains was performed using RT-PCR, and the E protein genes were cloned and sequenced. The results showed that the nucleotide sequence of E protein gene of the six DXAL strains was 1488 bp in length respectively and the length of predicted protein was 496 aa respectively. Sequence comparison of E protein genes among the six DXAL strains and the reference TBE virus strains showed that the six DXAL strains were more homologous to Far Eastern subtype strains than to Siberian subtype strains or European subtype strains. And the majority of subtype-determining amino acid sites of the six DXAL strains belonged to TBE virus Far Eastern subtype. Phylogenetic analysis of protein E showed that the six DXAL strains were all within the clade containing Far Eastern subtype strains. The new strains had higher identities and closer phylogenetic relationships with Senzhang strain, so we speculate that this vaccine strain still have good protection against the new TBE virus isolates. In the A, B and C antigenic domains of protein E, the six DXAL strains had different degrees of amino acid changes. These mutations were likely to affect the function of E protein.

Expression,Purification of PUMA-BH3 Death Domain Peptide in E.coli and Identification of Its Pro-apoptotic Activity / 中国生物工程杂志

The Bcl-2 family of proteins play a central role in the control of apoptosis, a fundamental process for both human health and disease, by mitochondrial pathway. PUMA(p53 up-regulated modulator of apoptosis protein) is one of BH3-only members of Bcl-2 family , its function is to promote cell apoptosis. To obtain BH3 death domain peptide of PUMA and detect its biological activity, the synthesized double-stranded oligomeric nucleotide encoding PUMA-BH3 peptide was cloned into expression vector pTYB2,thus generating a construct of pTYB2-PUMA-BH3 which expressed PUMA-BH3-intein-chitin binding domain fusion protein. Then the recombinant plasmid was transformed into E.coli BL-21 (DE3) and fusion protein was expressed under induction by IPTG. The soluble PUMA-BH3 peptide was purified from chitin affinity chromatography by DTT reduction. Through measuring mitochondria viability(MTT),mitochondria permeability transition(MPT) and the translocation of cytochrome c(Cyt c ) assayed by western blotting, the biological pro-apoptotic activity of PUMA-BH3 peptide was studied. The PUMA-BH3 peptide has the effects on decreasing the mitochondria viability remarkably , inducing mitochondrial swelling and promoting Cyt c releasing from isolated mitochodria . Mitochondrial swelling and the release of Cyt c induced by PUMA-BH3 peptide concerned with the opening of MPT,which can be improved by cyclosporine A(CsA).These results indicated that recombinant PUMA-BH3 peptide might possess pro-apoptosis activity and paved a reasonable way for the study of new apoptosis regulators.

Change rate in bone cells of mice / 中国针灸

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the anti-mutation action of acupuncture and moxibustion.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Mice were randomly divided into 6 groups, group 1 (normal control group), group 2 (positive control group), group 3 (prevention group I), group 4 (prevention group II ), group 5 (treatment group I) and group 6 (treatment group II). The mice in the group 2-6 were treated by cyclophosphamide (ip, 50 mg/kg body weight), and in the 3'-6 groups were given acupuncture at "Zusanli" (ST 36) and moxibustion at "Guanyuan" (CV 4). At the end of experiment, all the mice were decapitated and chromosome aberration rate and sister chromatid exchange rate of bone marrow cells were investigated.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The chromosome aberration rate and the sister chromatid exchange rate of bone marrow cells in the positive control group increased significantly as compared with the normal control group, while they decreased significantly in the group 3, 4, 5, 6 as compared with the positive control group (P < 0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Acupuncture and moxibustion have anti-mutation action, inhibiting the increase of chromosome aberrations and sister chromatid exchange of bone marrow cells in mice induced by cyclophosphamide.</p>

Change of the expression of adrenomedullin in lung and effect on contraction of isolated tracheal strip of asthmatic guinea pigs / 中国应用生理学杂志

<p><b>AIM</b>To study the formation and localization of ADM mRNA in lung tissues and investigate the effects of ADM on isolated tracheal strip contraction induced by histamine in asthmatic guinea pig.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The guinea pigs (n = 22) were randomly divided into two groups of 11 each: asthmatic group and control group. The formation and localization of ADM mRMA were observed by in site hybridization. The effect of exogenous ADM on contractions of isolated tracheal strip of the asthmatic guinea pigs to histamine was examined.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>There were strong positive expression for ADM mRNA in airway epithelial cells (AEC), smooth muscle cells (ASMC) in asthmatic group. The control group showed significantly decreased number of ADM mRNA positive cells in lung tissues. From 10(-11) mol/L to 10(-7) mol/L, ADM may cause concentration depend pentiation of the isolated tracheal strip contraction induced by histamine of asthmatic group which was higher significantly compared the control group (P < 0.05). 10(-8) mol/L ADM reached the maximal relaxation, with the increasing of ADM, neither asthmatic nor control group can increase the relaxation.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>There is ADM mRNA overproduction in AEC and ASMC and exogenous ADM may inhibit isolated tracheal strip contraction induced by histamine of asthmatic guinea pig, which may contribute to airway inflammation and hyperresponsiveness in asthma.</p>