Relationship between PI3K/Akt signal and its downstream pathway and cardiovascular disease / 中国药理学与毒理学杂志

A growing number of studies show that drug and non-drug means can be activated phosphatidyl inositol-3-kinase serine/threonine kinase(PI3K/Akt signaling pathway)in the beginning of reperfusion, and make its downstream fork protein transcription factor O3a (FoxO3a) phosphorylation, and then promote cell survival and reduce the apoptosis so as to alleviate the symptoms of myocardial ischemia.In this paper,the role of PI3K/Akt and FoxO3a effector in myocardial ischemia was reviewed, and illustrated the role of PI3K/Akt/FoxO3a signaling pathway in myocardial ischemia.

Comparison of anterograde tracing methods of mouse corticospinal tract with adeno associated virus and biotinylated dextran amine / 基础医学与临床

Objective To compare the differences between adeno associated virus ( AAV) and biotinylated dextran amine ( BDA) in anterograde tracing of mouse corticospinal tract ( CST) , and to explore the advantages of the ap-plication of AAV in anterograde tracing of mouse CST axons as a neural tracer. Methods AAV8-CAG-GFP-2A and BDA were stereotactically injected into the mouse sensorimotor cortex of normal and spinal cord injury mice respec-tively, and immunohistochemistry was employed to observe the distribution of the labeled CST axons. The relative fluorescence of axon bundles and branches was analyzed. Results Both AAV and BDA labeled the bundles of cor-ticospinal tract and surrounding axon branches projecting into the gray matter of cervical and thoracic cords in both coronal and saggital sections of normal and spinal cord injury mice. Meanwhile, more axon branches were labeled in the AAV injected mice as compared with those in the BDA injected ones. Conclusions AAV exhibits more superior performance in mouse CST axon tracing in comparison with BDA, and can be applied as a better neural tracer for the morphological study of mouse CST and related neural circuits.

DTNBP1 gene is associated with some symptom factors of schizophrenia in Chinese Han nationality / 中国医学科学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the association of DTNBP1 gene with some symptom factors of schizophrenia.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A total of 285 unrelated schizophrenic individuals were recruited from December 2004 to January 2009 for genetic analysis, and their symptom factors were assessed based on the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS). The quantitative trait test was performed by the UNPHASED program (version 3.0.12) to investigate the association between scored positive and negative symptoms and the single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in DTNBP1 gene.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The quantitative trait test showed allelic association of rs909706 with the excitement symptom of schizophrenia (P<0.05, adjusted by 10,000 permutations), while the genotype C/G of rs2619539 with a negative symptom, lack of spontaneity and flow of conversation (P<0.05, adjusted by 10,000 permutations).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>DTNBP1 variations are possibly associated with some symptoms of schizophrenia, which could partly explain the relationship between the susceptibility gene DTNBP1 and that disease.</p>

Mast cell degranulator compound 48-80 promotes atherosclerotic plaque in apolipoprotein E knockout mice with perivascular common carotid collar placement / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>Study of the relationship between mast cells and atherosclerosis is mostly dependent on pathological observation and cytology experiments. To investigate the effects of mast cells degranulation on plaque and their possible mechanisms we used apolipoprotein E knockout mice which had been placed perivascular common carotid collar with mast cells degranulator compound 48-80.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Forty apolipoprotein E knockout mice were fed a western-type diet and operated on with placement of perivascular right common carotid collar. Four weeks after surgery, the mice were intraperitoneally injected with compound 48-80 (0.5 mg/kg) or D-Hanks every other day for 4 times. The serum lipids and activity of tryptase were measured. Tissue sections were stained with hematoxylin and eosin. Corresponding sections were stained with toluidine blue and immunohistochemically with antibodies against macrophage-specific antigen, alpha-smooth muscle actin, interleukin-1beta and von Willebrand factor. Simultaneously, basic fibroblast growth factor was detected by in situ hybridization and immunofluorescence.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>No pathological change was observed in common carotid non-collar placement but atherogenesis in common carotid collar placement of both groups. There was a significant increase in plaque area ((5.85+/-0.75) x 10(4) vs (0.86+/-0.28) x 10(4) microm(2), P<0.05), the degree of lumen stenosis ((81+/-15)% vs (41+/-12)%, P<0.05), the activity of tryptase in serum ((0.57+/-0.13) U/L vs (0.36+/-0.10) U/L, P<0.05), and the percentage of degranulated mast cells ((80.6+/-17.8)% vs (13.5+/-4.1)%, P<0.05). The expressions of macrophage-specific antigen, alpha-smooth muscle actin, interleukin-1beta, basic fibroblast growth factor and the density of neovessel in plaque were more in the compound 48-80 group than in the control group.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Perivascular common carotid collar placement can promote atherosclerotic plaque formation in apolipoprotein E knockout mice. Compound 48-80 increases plaque area and the degree of lumen stenosis by the mechanism that compound 48-80 promotes proliferation of smooth muscle cells and aggregation of macrophages. Compound 48-80 promotes angiogenesis in plaque. The mechanism is potentially that compound 48-80 increases the expressions of basic fibroblast growth factor mRNA and protein in plaque. Compound 48-80 enhances the expression of interleukin-1beta in plaque.</p>

The epidemic situation of human rabies from 1984 to 2002 and its preventive measures in China / 中华流行病学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To summarize and analyze the epidemic situation of human rabies from 1984 to 2002 in China, and to explore the possible factors causing the increase of cases so as to provide evidence for preventive and control measures.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>National and some provincial data on the prevalence of rabies during 1984 to 2002 were collected and analyzed.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>From 1984 to 1989, the annual reported cases were between 4 000 and 6 000 but decreased after 1990. In 1996, the reported cases decreased to the lowest level from 3 520 in 1990 to 159. However, number of reported cases has been continuously increasing since 1998 which reached 1 122 in 2002, a 7.06 times increase as compared to the number in 1996. The epidemic areas were mainly located in the southeast and southwest parts of the country, such as Sichuan, Hunan, Guangxi, Guangdong, Anhui, Fujian, etc. Furthermore, there was no significant seasonal distribution as it showed before.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Such facts as the increasing numbers of dogs, low inoculation rate to dogs, poor control on the quality of rabies vaccine, mistreatment to the wounds, and lacking good cooperation between different official departments regarding rabies control might serve as important factors responsible for the recurrence of rabies. Therefore, it is necessary to focus on the above mentioned points and to take comprehensive preventive measures to bring down the prevalence of rabies in China.</p>