Detection of epidermal growth factor receptor gene mutations in non-small cell lung cancer using bi-loop probe specific primer quantitative PCR / 中华病理学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the sensitivity of bi-loop probe and specific primer quantitative PCR (BPSP-qPCR) in the detection of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) gene mutations in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>BPSP-qPCR was employed to examine the presence of mutations of EFGR exon 19 through 21. Correlation of the mutations with clinicopathological characteristics and types of tumor samples were performed.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>In the cohort of 265 specimens, 30.2% (80/265) mutations were found to be 19-del and/or L858R. Females (39.7%, 31/78), non-smokers (41.0%, 43/105) and adenocarcinoma patients (37.8%, 51/135) had a higher mutation rate (P<0.05) among 184 patients whose profiles were available. T790M combined with 19-del and/or L858R accounted for 3.3% (6/184) of the mutations. Male metastatic tumors (29.6%, 8/27), pleural fluids of females (42.9%, 9/21) and non-smokers (40.7%, 11/27) were found to have higher percentage of 19-del and/or L858R mutations, in contrast, no mutations were found in the metastatic lesions of non-adenocarcinoma patients (P>0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>BPSP-qPCR is a robust method in detection of EGFR mutations with high consistency and sensitivity. The difference of EGFR mutations in primary tumors, metastatic lesions and pleural fluids suggests that EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR-TKI) treatment may have variable treatment effects depending on the tumor sites.</p>

Preparation of recombinant polypeptide of N-terminal heparin-binding domain of fibronectin and its effect on disseminated intravascular coagulation in rats / 中国实验血液学杂志

This study was aimed to prepare the polypeptide of N-terminal heparin-binding domain of fibronectin(rhFNHN-29 polypeptide) with pichia expression system, to detect biological activity of recombinant polypeptide and investigate its effect on disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) in rats. The sequence of N-terminal heparin-binding domain of fibronectin was amplified from FNcDNA by PCR. The aim gene was cloned into T vector for selection. Then it was cloned into pAo815SM and pPIC9K vectors.Lined pPIC9K vectors were transformed into GS115 Pichia cells so as to express the aim polypeptide in Pichia expression system. The fermentation liquid were precipitated by 80% ammonium sulfate, and the further dissolved sediment were purified using S-100 column and SP column. Its activity of binding with heparin were detected by Western-blot. The established DIC rats (40 rats) were randomly divided into two groups. One group was treated with rhFNHN-29 polypeptide, and the other was treated with normal saline. The rats in the former group were injected with rhFNHN-29 polypeptide (10 mg/kg) through tail vein at 0.5 hour before, 2 hours and 4 hours after injection of LPS respectively. The rats in latter group were injected with equal volume saline. In addition, 20 normal rats injected with normal saline were as normal controls. 500 microl blood was taken from the rat vein, at 6 hours after the injection of LPS. White blood cell (WBC), hemoglobin (Hb) and platelets were tested from 50 microl blood. The rest 450 microl blood was used to isolate plasma for detecting TNFa level and coagulogram. The rats were killed at 24 hours after injection with LPS. Their livers, lungs, hearts, kidneys, and brain tissues were taken for histopathologic examination. The results showed that the aim polypeptide was successfully expressed in Pichia expression system. The expression level reached approximately 30 mg/L. The polypeptide had activity of binding with heparin antibody. In the experiment study of polypeptide effect on DIC in rats, the plasma TNFa level in polypeptide-treated group was lower than that in saline control group, the hemogram, coagulogram and histopathology were more obviously improved in polypeptide-treated group as compared with saline control group. It is concluded that the rhFNHN-29 polypeptide is successfully prepared, this polypeptide can antagonize DIC induced by endotoxin in rats.

Major constituent proteins in donkey hide and their interaction / 中国中药杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To analyze the constituent proteins in donkey hide, the key ingredient for Ejiao, an important traditional Chinese medicine for the blood-related conditions, in hope to eventually decipher the biochemical mechanism behind Ejiao's prominent medicinal efficacy.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>Two methods were employed to extract proteins in donkey skin. One used TriPure isolation reagent to extract the total proteins in donkey skin. Another used 1% sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) to heat the sample at 100 degrees C overnight. And then sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and capillary HPLC were used to analyze the component of proteins.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>There are not only collagen alpha1 (I) and collagen alpha2 (I), but also serum albumin in donkey skin. The content is over 25% in total proteins with the method of TriPure isolation reagent. The content of donkey serum albumin is up to 20% with the method of 1% SDS heating. And two bands, molecular weight are nearly 200 kDa,were found on 7.5% SDS-PAGE. Extracted these proteins to analyze with capillary HPLC, they were found to be the complex products of collagen and serum albumin of donkey.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Donkey serum albumin is a main protein component in the hide, which is a clue to expose is the effect of Ejiao on blood.</p>

Effects of recombinant human tumor necrosis factor-alpha on HL-60 cells in vitro and in vivo / 中国实验血液学杂志

To study the effects of recombinant human tumor necrosis factor-alpha (rhTNF-alpha) on HL-60 cells in vitro and in vivo, MTT and colony forming assay were used to examine the effects of rhTNF-alpha on proliferation of HL-60 cells; AO/EB (acridine orange-ethidium bromide) staining, Annexin-V flow cytometry analysis and TUNEL assay were used to detect apoptotic cells. The effect of rhTNF-alpha on xenograft growth of HL-60 cells was evaluated by tumor inhibition rate, histology, ultrastructure and TUNEL assay. The results showed that rhTNF-alpha inhibited the proliferation of HL-60 cells in a dose-dependent manner. Staining of cells with AO/EB revealed that rhTNF-alpha induced nuclear chromatin condensation and fragmentation. Positive Annexin V-FITC on cell membrane showed that rhTNF-alpha induced apoptosis of HL-60 cells in a dose-dependent manner. TUNEL assay showed that the apoptotic percentage of HL-60 cells reached 37.5% when incubated with 3200 U/ml rhTNF-alpha for 48 hours. In vivo rhTNF-alpha inhibited xenograft growth of HL-60 cells with the highest inhibition rate of 60.33%. Pathologically it was found that there were necrotic areas in the tumors of groups treated with rhTNF-alpha. There were more apoptotic cells in treatment groups than in that control group by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and TUNEL assay. It is concluded that rhTNF-alpha is able to inhibit the proliferation of HL-60 cells and to induce apoptosis of HL-60 cells in vitro and in vivo.

Effect of endogenous TGF-beta1 and TNF-alpha on the As(2)O(3) inducing apoptosis of HL-60 cells / 中华血液学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the effect of endogenous TGF-beta(1) and TNF-alpha on As(2)O(3) inducing apoptosis of HL-60 cells.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The expressions of endogenous TGF-beta(1) and TNF-alpha in apoptotic HL-60 cells induced by As(2)O(3) were assayed by RT-PCR, quantitative RT-PCR, ELISA, DNA fragmentation and TUNEL. The effect of TGF-beta(1) and TNF-alpha antisense phosphorothioate oligodeoxynucleotides (PSODNs) on As(2)O(3) inducing apoptotic HL-60 cells was further studied.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>(1) Expressions of endogenous TGF-beta(1) and TNF-alpha were significantly up-regulated in As(2)O(3) inducing apoptotic HL-60 cells (from 13,546 +/- 124 and 497,216 +/- 187 before treatment to 23,273 +/- 229 and 674,217 +/- 189 after treatment, respectively), accompanied with down-regulated bcl-2 mRNA expression (from 10,424 +/- 274 before treatment to 3,361 +/- 89 after treatment). (2) TGF-beta(1) and TNF-alpha antisense PSODNs could rescue As(2)O(3) induced apoptosis of HL-60 cells, with a restoration of bcl-2 gene expression.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Endogenous TGF-beta(1) and TNF-alpha played an important role in As(2)O(3) inducing HL-60 cells apoptosis through down-regulation of bcl-2 expression.</p>