Bone marrow stem cell-derived astrocytes are involved in glia limitans formation in rats after brain injury / 南方医科大学学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the involvement of bone marrow stem cell-derived astrocytes (BMDSCs) in the formation of glia limitans after brain injury.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>In a female SD rat model of brain injury, green fluorescence protein (GFP)-labeled BMDSCs from male SD rats were transplanted via the caudal vein 24 h after the injury. The rats were sacrificed at 2, 4 and 8 weeks after the transplantation, and immunohistochemistry for glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) was performed to observe the astrocytes. The fluorescence emitted by GFP was observed to identify the presence of the bone marrow-derived stem cells, and the GFAP(+)/GFP(+) cells in the glia limitnas were detected under fluorescence microscopy. RESULTS The GFAP(+)/GFP(+) cells were found in the glia limitans between the brain lesion and normal brain tissue.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Bone marrow stem cell-derived astrocytes is involved in glia limitans formation after brain injury, which can be of significance in brain injury recovery and implantation of engineered materials.</p>

A study on the relationship between polymorphism of human NAD(P)H: quinone oxidoreductase and Parkinson's disease in Chinese / 中华医学遗传学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To detect the putative association between the polymorphism of human NAD(P)H: quinone oxidoreductase (NQO1) gene and Parkinson's disease(PD).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Polymerase chain reaction-denaturing high performance liquid chromatography (PCR-DHPLC) was used to detect the polymorphism of monoamine NQO1 gene cDNA 609 site(C-->T). The frequencies of alleles and genotypes in different PD groups were compared with those of the control group.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>It was found that the frequencies of TT genotype in the patients with PD and in the controls were 0.226 and 0.118 respectively (P=0.004), i.e., TT genotype increased the risk of PD by 2.186-fold (P=0.005). When the patients with PD were divided into two groups by the age at onset, significant difference in the genotypic frequencies was observed only between late-onset PD group and control group (the frequencies of TT genotype being 0.260 and 0.118, P=0.001) and TT genotype increased the risk of late-onset PD by 2.627-fold(P=0.001). There were no significant differences in frequencies of alleles between different PD groups and control group.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>This study revealed significant differences in genotypic frequencies between PD group and control group. The findings supported the hypothesis about an association between NQO1 gene and PD, suggesting that the age at onset of PD might be related to the putative association, and NQO1 cDNA C609T site be a risk factor for PD.</p>

Expression and assessment of double genes of tyrosine hydroxylase gene and aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase gene in vitro / 生理学报

The characteristic pathological changes of Parkinson s disease (PD) include a severe loss of dopamine neurons in the substantia nigra and a severe decrease in dopamine in the striatum. Since the expression of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) and aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase (AADC) in the biosynthetic pathway for dopamine are low, a promising approach to the gene therapy of PD is to augment the gene expression of the enzymes in the biosynthetic pathway for dopamine. In the present study, human TH and AADC genes were reconstructed into retrovirous vectors pLHCX and pLNCX(2) respectively. Then pLHCX/TH and pLNCX(2)/AADC were transfected into packaging cell line PA317 with liposome. PA317/TH and PA317/AADC were selected by different antibiotics. Gene expression was examined by methods of immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization. The catalytic activity of two cloned gene enzymes was assessed in vitro by HPLC-EC. Immunocytochemical staining showed that TH and AADC were expressed efficiently in vitro. Both TH and AADC mRNA were transcripted in PA317 cell lines by using in situ hybridazation. HPLC-EC experiments revealed that the transfected cells produced a significantly higher level of dopamine and L-dopa than the untransfected cells. The two genetically modified cells could improve the production of L-dopa and dopamine in response to suitable substrate. The present results suggest that not only recombinant TH and AADC genes are successfully expressed in vitro, but also the enzymes have respective functional activities. These results have set up a way for in vivo gene therapy of PD with TH and AADC genes.

Relationship between the Fnu4HI site polymorphism of monoamine oxidase A gene and Parkinson's disease / 中华医学遗传学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the association between the polymorphism of human monoamine oxidase type A (MAO-A) gene and Parkinson's disease(PD).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Fnu4HI restriction fragment length polymorphism(RFLP) and PCR-RFLP were used to detect the mutation of MAO-A gene. The frequencies of alleles and genotypes at the MAO-A Fnu4HI locus on the X chromosome in different PD group were compared with those of the control group.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>It was found that the frequencies of G allele in the patients with PD and controls were 0.613 and 0.527 respectively, P=0.039 "the frequencies of TT genotype were 0.303 and 0.415(P=0.014), and the frequencies of GG genotype were 0.564 and 0.451 respectively(P=0.021). When the patients were divided into two groups by age-onset, significant difference in the allelic and genotypic frequencies was observed only between early-onset PD group and control group. And when the PD patients were grouped by sex, significant difference was observed only between male PD group and male control group (the frequencies of G allele being 0.669 and 0.500 respectively, P=0.005).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>This study revealed significant differences between PD group and control group in allelic and genotypic frequencies. The findings supported the hypothesis about an association between MAO-A gene and PD, suggesting that age at onset of PD and gender predisposition might be related to the putative association, and Fnu4HI SNP be a risk factor for PD.</p>