Effect of asymmetric dimethylarginine on MIF expression and TNF-α and IL-8 secretion in THP-1 monocytes-derived macrophages / 南方医科大学学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the effect of ADMA on macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) expression and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and IL-8 secretion in THP-1 monocyte-derived macrophages. METHIDS: THP-1 monocytes were induced to differentiate into macrophages by a 24-h incubation with 160 nmol/L PMA. The THP-1 monocyte-derived macrophages were exposed to different concentrations of ADMA for 24 h, and the changes in MIF mRNA and protein expressions were analyzed with RT-PCR and Western blotting, respectively. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to detect the levels of TNF-α and IL-8 in the supernatant of THP-1-derived macrophages following ADMA treatments.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>ADMA obviously up-regulated MIF mRNA and protein expressions in THP-1-derived macrophages in a concentration- dependent manner. Exposure of the cells to 15 µmol/L ADMA for 24 h showed the most potent effect in up-regulating MIF mRNA and protein expressions. ADMA treatment also resulted in a dose-dependent increase of the levels of TNF-α and IL-8 in the culture supernatant of the macrophages, and the peak levels occurred following the treatment with 15 µmol/L ADMA.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>ADMA can up-regulate MIF expression and induce TNF-α and IL-8 secretion in THP-1 monocyte-derived macrophages.</p>

Asymmetric dimethylarginine upregulates the expression of ACAT-1 in THP-1 macrophage-derived foam cells / 南方医科大学学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the effects of asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) on ACAT-1 expression and cholesterol content in THP-1-derived macrophages and foam cells.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>THP-1 cells were induced to differentiate into macrophages and further into foam cells. The macrophages and foam cells were exposed to different concentrations (0, 3.75, 7.5, 15, and 30 µmol/L) of ADMA for varying time lengths (6, 12, and 24 h), and the changes in ACAT-1 mRNA and protein levels in the cells were measured with RT-PCR and Western blotting. The cellular cholesterol content was measured with enzyme-linked colorimetry assay.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>In THP-1-derived macrophages and foam cells, the expression levels of ACAT-1 mRNA and protein and cellular cholesterol content increased significantly in response to ADMA treatment in a time- and concentration-dependent manner.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>ADMA may play an important role in inducing foam cell formation from macrophages. ACAT-1 inhibition targeting the macrophages and foam cells may serve as a potential therapeutic target in the treatment of atherosclerosis.</p>

Allele frequencies and species specificity of five short tandem repeat loci of Chinese Han population in Chengdu / 中华医学遗传学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To obtain the data in polymorphism distribution of the five short tandem repeat (STR) loci: D18S979, D11S2014, D18S548, D1S1667 and GATA164F07 of Chinese Han population in Chengdu, and to evaluate their usefulness in the field of species specificity in forensic science.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>PCR, polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) and silver staining techniques were used to analyze the DNA samples from 100 unrelated individuals of Chinese Han ethnic group in Chengdu. Twelve different animals: monkey, pig, dog, bull, goat, chicken, duck, eel, mudfish, rabbit, guinea pig and mouse were selected as controls in this study for evaluating the species specificity of the five STR loci.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Six alleles and twelve genotypes were observed in D18S979. Five alleles and eleven genotypes were observed in D11S2014. Five alleles and thirteen genotypes were observed in D18S548. Seven alleles and nineteen genotypes were observed in D1S1667. Six alleles and fourteen genotypes were observed in GATA164F07. The genotype distributions of the five loci were analyzed by some related software and no deviation from the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium was observed. Evaluated by way of using different animals as controls, monkey had amplification products at the extra-typing field of D18S979, D11S2014 and D1S1667. Bull, dog and eel had amplification product at typing field of D18S979, and pig, duck, mouse and rabbit had weak product. Bull had weak product at the typing field of D18S548. Dog, goat and eel had product at the typing field of D1S1667. Dog had weak product at the typing field of GATA164F07. Mudfish, chicken and guinea pig had no amplification product at the five loci.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>These data indicate that D18S979, D18S548, D1S1667 and GATA164F07 are highly polymorphic and D11S2014, D18S548 and GATA164F07 can play a key role in species identification.</p>