Magnetic resonance spectroscopy on hepatocellular carcinoma after transcatheter arterial chemoembolization / 癌症

<p><b>BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE</b>Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) of the liver in vivo is in experimental phase. MRS observation on liver cancer after transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) has seldom been reported. This study was to investigate the value of MRS in assessing the metabolic changes of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) after TACE.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Twenty-five consecutive patients with pathologically-confirmed HCC received 1H MRS of all hepatic lesions using 1.5T whole body MR scanner before TACE and at 3-10 days after TACE. Choline-to-lipid (Cho/Lip), glucogen/glucose-to-lipid (Glu/Lip), and glytamine/glutamate-to-lipid (Glx/Lip) ratios were measured and analyzed statistically.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The Cho/Lip, Glu/Lip, and Glx/Lip ratios were 0.21 +/- 0.08, 0.11 +/- 0.05, 0.28 +/- 0.10 before TACE, respectively, and were 0.10 +/- 0.08, 0.07 +/- 0.07, 0.18 +/- 0.12 after TACE, respectively, with significant differences (P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Using MRS can evaluate the early metabolic responses of HCC to TACE.</p>

Dicer efficiently converts large dsRNAs into siRNAs suitable for COX-2 gene / 中南大学学报(医学版)

OBJECTIVE@#To report the use of Dicer to cleave double-stranded RNA (dsRNAs) into small interference RNAs (D-siRNAs) that can target multiple sites within an mRNA, and to acquire an new method to cure inflammation of the airway and tumor.@*METHODS@#Using RiboMAX Large Scale RNA Production Systems-SP6 and T7 kit were used to transcribe A549 cell COX-2 DNA into RNA (dsRNAs). We mixed dsRNAs with Dicer in the reaction buffer. We recovered siRNAs using RNA Purification Column.@*RESULTS@#Dicer efficiently converted double-stranded RNA of COX-2 into small interference RNAs of 21 approximately 23 bp.@*CONCLUSION@#Dicer efficiently converts double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) into small interference RNAs (D-siRNAs of 21 approximately 23 bp).

Transfection of human VEGF165 gene into bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells in rats / 中南大学学报(医学版)

OBJECTIVE@#To create a method for transfecting human vascular endothelial growth factor165 (hVEGF165) gene into bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in rats.@*METHODS@#MSCs of Wistar rats were isolated by density gradient centrifugation and purified based on their ability of adhesion to plastic. Detections of cell surface antigens, including CD34, CD45, CD44, and SH3, were performed using flow cytometry. MSCs' potential of differentiating into osteoblast and lipoblast in vitro was tested. The vector pcDNA(3.1)-hVEGF165 was transfected into MSCs with the liposome mediated method. The expression of hVEGF165 in the transfected cells was detected by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), and Western blot analysis.@*RESULTS@#The cultured MSCs were CD34-, CD45-, CD44+ , and SH+, which were differentiated into osteoblasts and lipocytes successfully. The expressed hVEGF165 in the transfected rat MSCs was demonstrated.@*CONCLUSION@#The vector pcDNA(3.1)-hVEGF165 is successfully expressed in MSCs.

Fibrillin-1 gene mutation in Chinese patients with Marfan syndrome and its gene diagnosis by haplotype analysis / 中华医学遗传学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To analyze fibrillin-1 (FBN(1)) gene mutation in Chinese patients with Marfan syndrome(MFS) and to make a gene diagnosis by haplotype analysis for MFS.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Nine MFS families were analysed with single strand conformation polymorphism(SSCP) and DNA sequencing. With the use of four primers designed in the flanking sequences of each short-sequence tandem-repeat region in FBN(1) gene, the haplotype-segregation analysis for MFS(B) was performed.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>In MFS(A)II(1), PCR-SSCP detected SSCP band alterations in exon 25 of FBN(1) gene; direct sequencing showed a small 13bp deletion, the deleted sequence being gcctctgcaccca at base 3243-3456 of cDNA. This mutation caused a frame-shift which was never seen in any unaffected members of the family, and it was a heterozygous mutation; neither of them was identified in 100 chromosomes from 50 normal control individuals. Haplotype-segregation analysis suggested that the disease was passed from Subject I(2) to Subject II(2), Subject II(3), Subject II(5) with the same allele in MFS B family, the proband's daughter also inherited the allele. These data indicated that MFS(B) family was linked to FBN(1) gene, the proband's daughter was an asymptomatic patient.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The combination of mutation analysis and haplotype analysis can provide more evidence for gene diagnosis.</p>