Structure analysis of apolipoprotein B 3' variable number of tandem repeats / 中华医学遗传学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the distribution, frequency and structure of variable number of tandem repeats (VNTR) in 3' region of apoB gene in Chinese population.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Genomic DNA was extracted from peripheral blood obtained under consent from randomly-chosen 522 individuals who came to the hospital for physical examination, and used to screen for polymorphisms of 3' VNTR of the apoB gene by employing polymerase chain reaction (PCR), restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP), gradient polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, cloning and sequencing.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Sixteen types of alleles of apoB 3oVNTR were identified, among which heterozygotes were more than homozygotes. The biggest allele is HVE58, and the smallest one is HVE22. HVE34 had the highest frequency (40.4%), followed by HVE32 (34.7%). This showed significant difference from the allelic distribution of other populations (Caucasian and Swedish). Through sequencing of 60 alleles, a new isomer (Y-A=ATAATTAAATATTT) and four new types of alleles were found.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The Chinese population we studied had a higher frequency of small alleles and showed a difference in allelic structure and frequency distribution from European and American in this populations.</p>

Study on the relationship between smoking, alcohol intake and hyperlipidemia in fishermen / 中华流行病学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To identify the relationship between smoking, alcohol intake and hyperlipidemia in fishermen.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>115 fishermen were randomly recruited and divided into case and control groups according to the result of blood lipoprotein. A questionnaire was used to record general information and the history of smoking and alcohol intake. Statistics were gathered to compare the difference of lipoprotein and apolipoprotein level between exposure and control groups and to calculate the OR value of smoking and alcohol intake.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The OR of smoking was 3.417 (95% CI: 1.132 - 10.308), with significant dosage-effect relationship between smoking index and hyperlipidemia. The serum low density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) and apolipoprotein (apo) B levels in smoking group was higher than that of control group. The OR value of alcohol intake at early age (early than 20) were 3.275 (95% CI: 1.249 - 8.580) and 4.016 (95% CI: 1.475 - 10.952) respectively. The LDL-C, apoB, the serum total cholesterol (TC)/high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C) levels in alcohol abuse group were higher than that of control group.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Smoking and alcohol abuse were important risk factors of hyperlipidemia, through changing the level of LDL-C and apoB. There was synergistic action between smoking and alcohol abuse in the development of hyperlipidemia.</p>

Analysis of lecithin-cholesterol acyltransferase cDNA and protein sequence from tree shrew / 中国医学科学院学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To acquire cDNA sequence of lecithin-cholesterol acyltransferase (LCAT) from tree shrew and analyze the sequence structure.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The first strand cDNA was acquired by reverse transcription using mRNA from tree shrew liver as template. By the method of SMART RACE PCR, tree shrew LCAT cDNA was acquired and deduced its amino acids sequence. The sequence and structure of tree shrew LCAT cDNA and amino acid were analyzed and predicted by the molecular software.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Tree shrew LCAT cDNA is composed of 1,340 bp, including 2 bp 5' untranslated region (5' UTR), 1,320 bp open reading frame (ORF) which encodes protein precursor of 440 amino acids (24 amino acids signal peptide and 416 amino acids mature peptide), and 18 bp 3' untranslated region (3'UTR). The stop codon is TAA and there is a poly (A) signal sequence AATAAA and a 25 bp poly (A) tail. Tree shrew LCAT cDNA sequence has been accepted by GenBank as a new gene, accession number AF272861 and its homology with human and baboon was 90% and 89%, respectively.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The sequence of LCAT cDNA in tree shrew has high identity with that of human and other experimental animal species.</p>