Mapping the epigenetic modifications of DNA and RNA

Over 17 and 160 types of chemical modifications have been identified in DNA and RNA, respectively. The interest in understanding the various biological functions of DNA and RNA modifications has lead to the cutting-edged fields of epigenomics and epitranscriptomics. Developing chemical and biological tools to detect specific modifications in the genome or transcriptome has greatly facilitated their study. Here, we review the recent technological advances in this rapidly evolving field. We focus on high-throughput detection methods and biological findings for these modifications, and discuss questions to be addressed as well. We also summarize third-generation sequencing methods, which enable long-read and single-molecule sequencing of DNA and RNA modification.

Randomized, blind, parallel-controlled and multiple-centre clinical trial on the effectiveness and safety of leuprolide acetate in the treatment of endometriosis / 中华妇产科杂志

Objective To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of leuprolide acetate in the treatment of endometriosis. Methods From Nov. 2007 to Oct. 2012, the patients who confirmed to be endometriosis were randomly divided into test group of 113 cases and control group of 116 cases. The test drug was the sustained-release agent of leuprolide acetate. The control drug was Enantone. The drugs were used for 3 times in total. After treatment, the ovarian mass volumes measured with type-B ultrasound, the scores of the patient′s subjective symptoms during non-menstrual and menstruation days, the pelvic signs during non-menstrual days, the changes of hormones [estradiol (E2), FSH, LH], and adverse events were observed. Results After the treatment, the rate of changes of ovarian mass volume (among them, at 12 weeks after the first injection, the median was -55.83% in the test group, -68.22% in the control group, P=0.336), the distinct improvement rate of symptom scores and pelvic signs during non-menstrual days [among them, at 12 weeks after the first injection, the rate of lower abdomen pain was 47.5%(48/101) in the test group, 44.0%(44/100) in the control group, P=0.881], the hormone (E2, FSH, LH) levels [among them, at 12 weeks after the first injection, the serum level of E2, was (33±38) pmol/L in the test group, (38± 40) pmol/L in the control group, P=0.414;the serum level of FSH, was (5.1±2.8) U/L in the test group, (5.3± 2.3) U/L in the control group, P=0.666;the serum level of LH, was (0.6±0.8) U/L in the test group, (0.6±0.9) U/L in the control group, P=0.907], had no statistically significant difference between the two groups (all P>0.05). The distinct improvement rate and improvement rate of symptom (lower abdomen pain, low back pain) scores during menstruation days at 12 weeks after the first injection, the rates of lower abdomen pain were 73.9%(34/46), 15.2%(7/46) respectively in the test group, 72.3%(34/47), 2.1%(1/47) respectively in the control group, had statistically significant difference between the two groups (P=0.026). There was no serious adverse event occurred in both two groups. The incidence rate of adverse event was 33.6%(38/113) in test group, 23.2% (27/116) in control group, there was no significant difference between the two groups (P=0.082). Conclusion Leuprolide acetate is effective and safe in the treatment of endometriosis.

Construction and practice of teaching clinics for clinical probation of medical students in the department of gynecology and obstetrics / 中华医学教育探索杂志

The clinical probation of medical students in the clinics of gynecology and obstetrics is significant. However, because of the disease involving in female genital system, clinical clerkship teaching in obstetrics and gynecology faces actual problems such as poor cases, low cooperation of the patients and the risk of offending the privacy of patients. During the period of clinical novitiate, two or three teaching clinics were established by experienced clinical teachers, and the patients for the teach-ing were recruited by a series of incentives, such as exempt registration fee, prior doctors' office visit-ing, preferential examine, appointing well-known experts and advanced hospital admission and so on. And the teaching was preceded after the patients' informed consents. As results, the cooperation of the patients was obviously improved, and case selection was made easy, and the outpatient clinic probation teaching level of obstetrics and gynecologyn was raised.

Identification and analysis of vaginal lactobacilli in patients with bacterial vaginosis patients and healthy women in nationality of Pastoral area / 中华妇产科杂志

Objective To identify and analyze the species of vaginal lactobacilli between patients with bacterial vaginosis (BV) and healthy women at childbearing age in Inner Mongolia. Methods From Jun. 2008 to Dec. 2008, 203 Mongolian healthy women, 74 Han healthy women and 102 Mongolian patients with BV from 3 pastoral areas were enrolled in this study. Isolation and culture of lactobacilli from vaginal wall were performed by modified culture medium. DNA of lactobacilli were extracted and sequenced. H2O2 were detected by TMB-HRP-MRS. Results(1)The rate of lactobacilli identification were 76.8%(156/203) in Mongolian healthy women and 21.6% (22/102) in Mongolian patients with BV, which reached statistical difference(P＜0.01).Lactobacilli identification in Han healthy women [82.4%(61/74)] did not show significant difference with that of Mongolian healthy women (P＞0.05). (2) The total of 193 strains and 11 species of Lactobacillus were detected in 203 Mongolian healthy women. Meanwhile,22 strains and 4 species of Lactobacillus were found in 102 Mongolian BV cases.(3)The rate of H2O2 generating Lactobacilli was 27.3% (6/22) in Mongolian BV patients and 75.7% (56/74)in Mongolian healthy women, which showed statistical difference(P＜0.05). Conclusions The rate of Lactobacillus was not related with the race of women in pastoral area in Inner Mongolian. The amount of lactobacilli and H2O2 generating Lactobacilli in the vagina of BV patients was remarkably lower than those of healthy women at childbearing age.

Relationship between Resistant Index and Ovarian Function after Radical Hysterectomy with Ovarian Transposition in Young Women with Cervical Cancer / 华中科技大学学报(医学版)

Objective To investigate the relation of resistant index and function of transposited ovaries following radical hysterectomy in young women with early stage of cervical cancer.Methods A total of 22 young women(aged from 26 to 40 years old)with early stage of cervical cancer(FIGO Ⅰ a or Ⅱ a)were studied from Aug.1997 to Sep.2004 in the Affiliated Hospital of Inner Mongolia Medical Collage.Ovarian transposition was performed at the time of radical hysterectomy and pelvic lymphadenectomy in 12 cases who received postoperative radiotherapy;the rest 10 cases did not receive postoperative radiotherapy.Ovarian function was evaluated by serum FSH,LH,E_2 and B-ultrasonography in all of the cases.Results There was a statistically significant difference between the radiotherapy group and the non-radiotherapy group in serum E_2,FSH,LH levels and RI at the 24th month postoperatively.RI had a negative correlation with E_2 and positive correlation with FSH.Conclusion Ovarian transplantation can preserve the endocrine function of ovary for young women with cervical cancer.RI has a negative correlation with E_2 and positive correlation with FSH.RI is the important index of supervising ovarian function.Postoperative radiotherapy can influence RI and ovarian function.

Relationship between ultrastructural features with the expression of connexin 43 in the uterine junction zone and pathogenesis of adenomyosis / 中华妇产科杂志

Objective To investigate the relationship between the ultrastructural features combined with the expression of connexin ( Cx43 ) protein in uterine junction zone and pathogenesis of adenomyosis.Methods From Nov. 2008 to Nov. 2009, 30 patients with adenomyosis (including 14 cases with proliferative endometrium and 16 cases with secretory endometrium) as study group matched with 30 women with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (GIN) Ⅲ treated by hysterectomy as control group were enrolled in this study in Affiliated Hospital to Inner Mongolia Medical College. The expression of Cx43 in uterine junction zone of patients with adenomyosis was detected by immunohistochemisty staining. The ultrastucture of eutopic endometrium, uterine junction zone and outer 1/3 myometrium in both groups without history of dilatation and curettage, C-section and uterine surgery were observed by using transmission electron microscopy. Results ( 1 )The expression of Cx43 in proliferative and secretroy uterine junction zone were 0.133 ±0.018 and 0.137 ± 0.021 in study group and 0.154 ±0.016 and 0.141 ±0.018 in control group,which reached statistical difference (P ＜0.05). However, it didn't show significant expression of Cx43 between proliferative and secretory uterine junction zone in study or control group ( P ＞ 0.05 ). The expression of Cx43 in proliferative and secretory of eutopic endometrium of 0.067 ± 0.017 and 0.062 ± 0142 in study group were significantly lower than 0.094 ±0.005 and 0.080 ±0.005 in control group. It didn't show statistical difference of Cx43 expression between proliferative and secretroy eutopic endometrium in both group. The expression Cx43 in outer myometrium of proliferative phase were 0.184 ± 0.022 in study group and 0.188 ± 0.028 in control group, which did not show significant difference (P ＞0.05). It also did not exhibit statistical difference of Cx43 expression in outer myometrium of secretory phase (0.178 ± 0.022,0.191 ± 0.025,P ＞0.05). (2) Morphological changes: the area of uterine smooth muscle cells of the uterine junction zone of (24. 3 ± 1.6) μm2 in study group were significantly increased than (21.8 ±2.0)μm2 in control group (P ＜ 0.01 ). The length of the cell membrane dense plaques of (1.07 ± 0. 17 )μm in study group was significantly increased than (0.71 ±0.07) μm in control group (P ＜0.01 ). The myocytes exhibited cellular hypertrophy and disordered arrangement and fewer caveolae. There was cylindrical and dentate, chromatin margination, more heterochromatin in which muscle cells of nuclear surface of the uterine junction zone. Less cytoplasmic myofilaments and more intermediate filaments. Mitochondria were increased,the volume increased significantly vacuolization. The rough endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi apparatus were more prominent. Otherewise, mast cells and fibroblasts were close and glandular epithelial cells showed desmosome connection which villus thickening and dense. All features were more prominent at the junctional zone. Conclusions The down-regulation of Cx43 expression and ultrastructure changes in the junction zone might play an important role in pathogenesis of adenomyosis.

Effect of letrozole on EM rat models and influence on the reproductive system / 中国医师杂志

Objection To study the effect of letrozole on EM rat models and influence on the reproductive system. Methods Surgically transplanted autologous uterine tissues to ectopic site beside the uterines in rats were used as animal models to study endometriosis. 20 EM model rats were random divided into letrozole-treated group and saline solution-treated control group. The change of ectopic lesion volume in each group was compared before and after treatment. Apoptotic cells were assessed by the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated deoxy-UTP nick-end labeling (TUNEL) assay, and the uterian horn and ovary were weighted and observed by optical microscopy to study the change of morphology. Results The volumes of the endometriotic tissues of letrozole group reduced more than that in control group[ ( 28. 75 ± 2.28 )mm3 vs ( 108.39 ±9. 98)mm3, P <0.01 ]. The apoptotic rate in letrozole group [ (5.52 ±2. 81 )% ]was higher than control group[ (2.11 ± 1.70)%, P <0. 01 ]. The ovarian weights in letrozole-treated group increased significantly[ (25.25 ± 9. 89) mg/100g vs ( 13. 10 ± 2. 70 ) mg/100g, P < 0. 01 ], arid the ovaries showed polycyst. The uterian weights in letrozole-treated group[ (41.46 ± 15.81 ) mg/100g vs (94. 81 ±18.00) mg/100g, P <0. 05 ] significantly decreased, and the endometriums presented atrophy. Conclusion Letrozole treated EM by means of increasing the apoptosis of the ectopic tissues. Letrozole would give ovarian over stimulating and the uterian weighting decreased as well as endometriums atrophy.

Effect of CYP2A6 genetic polymorphisms on serum concentration of sodium valproate / 中华神经科杂志

Objective To investigate the effect of cytochrome P_ 450 2A6 (CYP2A6) genetic polymorphisms on serum concentration of sodium valproate. Methods A total of 98 epileptic patients receiving sodium valproate after a period of more than 5 half-time were recruited. The genotypes of CYP2A6 of the patients were detected by nested-primer polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to examine the alleles CYP2A6*1 and CYP2A6*4. Fluorescence polarization immunoassay (FPIA) was used to measure the serum concentration of sodium valproate. Results Of the 98 cases, 73 (74.5%) were wild genotypes, 24 (24.5%) were CYP2A6*1/*4 genotypes and 1(1.0%) was CYP2A6*4/*4 genotype. According to the genotypes of CYP2A6 the patients were divided into two groups,one was group A (CYP2A6*1/*1) and the other was group B (CYP2A6*1/*4 or *4/*4). The mean value of the serum concentration of sodium valproate of the patients in group A(4.1393?0.2793) was higher than that in group B(3.3486?0.3919) with a statistical significance (P