Electrophysiological phenotypes of synaptic transmission and neural network in hippocampal neurons of the α7-nAChR knockout mice / 生理学报

It was reported that α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (α7-nAChR) knockout (α7 KO) mice showed few functional phenotypes. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of α7 KO on the electrophysiological characteristics of hippocampus in mice. The effect of α7 KO on hippocampal CA3-CA1 synaptic transmission in mice was evaluated by standard extracellular field potential recordings. The electrophysiological phenotype of γ-aminobutyrate A receptors (GABA-Rs) of single hippocampal neuron was detected by perforated patch-clamp recordings. The results showed that, the slope of field excitatory postsynaptic potential (fEPSP) and carbachol-induced theta oscillation were significantly decreased in the hippocampal CA1 neurons of α7 KO mice, compared with those of wild type mice. Under the treatment of GABA-R agonist muscimol, the I-V curves of both the hippocampal CA1 and CA3 neurons of α7 KO mice shifted towards depolarizing direction obviously, compared with those of wild type mice. These results suggest that the hippocampal CA3-CA1 synaptic transmission in α7 KO mice was significantly impaired and GABA-R maturation was significantly delayed, indicating that the deletion of α7-nAChR gene could significantly change the electrophysiological function of the hippocampus. The results may provide a new understanding of the role of α7-nAChR in hippocampal function and associated diseases.

An in vitro study of the relationship between KiSS-1 expression and hepatoma carcinoma cell proliferation, adhesion, and invasion / 中华肝脏病杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the impact of expression of kisspeptin-1 (KiSS-1) metastasis-suppressor gene on the proliferative, adhesive and invasive abilities of human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) using an in vitro cell system.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The highly metastatic human hepatoma cell line MHCC97-H was transiently transfected with the pcDNA3.1/HisC vector expressing the KiSS-1 gene (experimental group) or the vector without the KisS-1 gene (blank control group). Untransfected cells served as the negative control group. Proliferative abilities of the three groups were assessed by flow cytometry and MTT assay. Adhesive abilities were assessed by MTT assays using matrigel and fibronectin. Invasive abilities and cell motility were assessed by chemoinvasion chamber assay using reconstituted matrigel and migration chamber assay using polycarbonate filters, respectively.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The experimental group showed significantly lower adhesion capacity to matrigel (0.257+/-0.029) than either the blank control group (0.374+/-0.016; t=-7.90345, P less than 0.01) or the negative control group (0.394+/-0.031; t=-7.22752, P less than 0.01). Similarly, the experimental group showed significantly lower adhesion capacity to fibronectin (0.292+/-0.004) than either the blank control group (0.394+/-0.010; t=-20.93138, P less than 0.01) or the negative control group (0.412+/-0.023; t=-11.31371, P less than 0.01). The experimental group also showed significantly lower numbers of cells with invasive capacity (42.40+/-1.14) than either the blank control group (66+/-1.58; t=-27.0711, P less than 0.01) or the negative control group (67.80 +/- 1.92; t=-25.4, P less than 0.01). Similarly, the experimental group showed significantly lower numbers of cells with chemotactic movement (65.80+/-1.92) than either the blank control group (93.80+/-2.28; t=-30.11750, P less than 0.01) or the negative control group (96.40+/-2.07; t=-24.19142, P less than 0.01). The experimental group showed slightly, but not significantly, lower cell proliferation (0.644+/-0.027) than either the blank control group (0.669+/-0.022; t=-1.60371, P?>?0.05) or the negative control group (0.678+/-0.027; t=-1.97828, P?>?0.05). In addition, there were no obvious differences between the three groups in the amounts of cells arrested in either the G1 phase or the S phase.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>KiSS-1 overexpression suppresses the adhesion, invasion and motility, but not the proliferation, of hepatoma carcinoma cells in vitro. These findings imply that KiSS-1 might represent a promising new candidate for gene therapy against human hepatocellular carcinoma.</p>

Metabolic syndrome in patients with atrial fibrillation in the absence of structural heart disease from a tertiary hospital in China / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>Metabolic syndrome (MetS) and atrial fibrillation (AF) are causally related. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of MetS in patients with AF in the absence of structural heart disease from a tertiary hospital in China.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>In a single center, 741 inpatients with AF in the absence of structural heart disease prior to catheter ablation were retrospectively reviewed. Among them, 588 (79.4%) patients had paroxysmal AF. Subgroup analyses were performed in paroxysmal AF and persistent/permanent AF.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>MetS was found in 343 (46.3%) patients (200 males, 143 females); 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 components of the MetS were found in 59 (8.0%), 140 (18.9%), 199 (26.9%), 203 (27.4%), 103 (13.9%) and 37 (5.0%) patients, respectively. The prevalences of overweight/obesity, high blood pressure, high glucose level, high triglyceride level and low high density lipoproteins cholesterol level were 53.8%, 47.6%, 23.2%, 40.6% and 72.1%, respectively. The prevalence of MetS was not significantly different between the paroxysmal AF group and the persistent/permanent AF group (44.6% vs 52.9%, P = 0.064). The five components of MetS except overweight/obesity (69.3% vs 49.8%, P < 0.001) were not significantly different between the aforementioned two groups. The left atrium diameter increased with the sum of the MetS components. The left atrium diameter in the MetS group was significantly higher than that in the non-MetS group both in patients with paroxysmal AF and in patients with persistent/permanent AF.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The prevalence of MetS in patients with AF prior to catheter ablation is high. Further study and prevention are needed.</p>

Expression of survivin, p27 and PTEN in hepatocellular carcinoma and their clinical significances / 中华肝脏病杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To detect the expression of survivin protein, survivin mRNA, p27 protein, p27 mRNA and PTEN protein in hepatocellular carcinomas (HCC) and their clinical significances.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Tissue microarrays were constructed. The expression of survivin protein, p27 protein and PTEN protein were evaluated by immunohistochemical methods and in expression of survivin mRNA and p27 mRNA were evaluated by in stiu hybridization respectively in tumor tissues from 141 HCC patients, 128 samples of para-carcinoma liver tissues, 97 liver tissues far from the carcinomas and normal liver tissues from non HCC patients. The relationship of survivin, p27 and PTEN were investigated and a prediction model of HCC was constructed.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The expressions of survivin protein (Ridit 95% CI = 0.689+/-0.048, P < 0.01), survivin mRNA (Ridit 95% CI = 0.690+/-0.049, P < 0.01) and p27 protein (Ridit 95% CI = 0.556+/-0.053, P < 0.05) in HCC tissues were significantly increased, while the expression of PTEN protein (Ridit 95% CI = 0.282+/-0.048) in HCC tissues was significantly reduced (P < 0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Overexpressions of survivin mRNA and p27 protein and reduced expression of PTEN protein might be a valuable marker to predict the presence of HCC.</p>

Effects of Found in Inflammatory Zone 1 on The Migration of Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells and The Potential Mecha- nism / 中华高血压杂志

Objective To study the effects of found in inflammatory zone 1(FIZZ1) on the migration of cul- tured mouse vascular smooth muscle cell(VSMC) and the potential mechanism.Methods Using Boyden chamber, immunofluorescence and Western blot,the migratory effects,F-actin content and Akt/Akt1 expression were deter- mined in VSMC after stimulation by FIZZ1.Results FIZZ1 markedly increases the migratory ratio,F-actin con- tent and the Akt1 expression of VSMC.Ly294002,a PI3K inhibitor,attenuated migratory ratio,F-actin content and the Akt1 expression of VSMC promoted by FIZZ1 in a dose-dependent manner (10-30 ?mol/L).Conclusion Our data demonstrated FIZZ1 by activating PI3K/Akt1 pathway induced the expression of F-actin of VSMC,and promoted the migration of VSMC.

Effect of Yufeining on induced sputum interleukin-8 in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease at the stable phase / 中国结合医学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate the effect of Yufeining, a traditional Chinese medicine, on induced sputum interleukin-8 (IL-8) in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) at the stable phase.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Thirty-six patients with COPD were divided into trial group (18 cases) and control group (18 cases) randomly. The trial group was treated with Yufeining pills taken orally for half a year; the control group was not given any medicine. Routine lung function was recorded before and after treatment. Total cell count (TCC), differential cell counts (DCCs) and IL-8 in induced sputum were determined at the baseline and 6 months later.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The indices of lung function improved significantly after 6 months' treatment in trial group (P < 0.05); TCC and absolute neutrophil count decreased significantly compared with baseline in the trial group (P < 0.05); Sputum IL-8 concentration dropped significantly after 6 months' treatment, from a mean of 5.216 +/- 2.914 microg/L to 4.222 +/- 2.140 microg/L (P < 0.05). There were insignificant changes in the parameters in the control group between baseline and 6 months later.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Yufeining could improve lung function, decrease sputum TCC, absolute neutrophil count and IL-8 concentration, and relieve airway inflammation in patients with COPD in the stable phase.</p>