Molecular mechanism of vascular remodeling in hypertension and Chinese medicine intervention / 生理学报

Vascular remodeling is a significant pathological characteristic of hypertension, which is regulated by complex regulatory networks. The vascular remodeling may be adaptive initially, however it becomes maladaptive and decompensation eventually and further compromises target organ function, leading to hypertensive cardiovascular complications. This review focuses on the role and mechanisms of vascular remodeling in the pathogenesis and progression of hypertension and its complications. Moreover, the strategies of syndrome differentiation of traditional Chinese medicine application provide clinical and theoretical evidences for hypertensive vascular remodeling therapy. A better understanding of underlying signaling pathways, therapeutic targets in vascular remodeling, as well as screening of active ingredients from traditional Chinese medicine may be able to provide some effective approaches for vascular protection in hypertensive diseases.

Targeted Gene Mutagenesis and Replacement Mediated by Zinc Finger Nucleases / 中国生物工程杂志

Gene targeted mutagenesis and replacement can be used to modify gene sequence in genomic background without position effect or insertion inactivation in transgenic plants. Targeted mutagenesis organism has little biosafety concerns free of transgenes or marker genes. Gene targeted mutagenesis and replacement in high plants now appears to be a potential tool for gene functional analysis in situ, crops genetic improvement and molecular design. Zinc finger nuclease(ZFN)is most important and would be widely used in gene targeted mutagenesis and replacement through introducing double-strand breaks in genome. Strategies for gene targeted mutagenesis and replacement in plants is discussed. ZFN is described in detail from its structure, operation model and application in plants. Developmental prospect of ZFN in plant gene targeted mutagenesis and replacement is also discussed.