Protective effects of angelica polysaccharide on hippocampal neuron of rats with cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury / 中草药

Objective: To investigate the protection of angelica polysaccharide (APS) on hippocampal neuron in rats with cerebral ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury. Methods: The model of cerebral I/R injury was established by suture method in rats. A total of 50 rats were randomly divided into five groups: Sham-operation, cerebral I/R injury, high-dose APS (200 mg/kg), mid-dose APS (100 mg/kg), and low-dose APS (50 mg/kg) groups. APS was ig administrated 3 d before operation. At 24 h after reperfusion, learning and memory function was detected by step down test, the apoptosis of hippocampal neuron was observed by terminal deoxylnucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP-biotin nick end labeling (TUNEL), and the expression of cleaved caspase-3, bcl-2, and bax in the hippocampus of rats was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Results: Compared with those in the Sham-operation group, the learning and memory function was notably impaired in the I/R injury group, the number of errors increased. The apoptosis of hippocampal neuron increased and the expression of cleaved caspase-3, bcl-2, and bax in the hippocampus remarkably increased in the I/R injury group. The APS could significantly improve the learning and memory function of rats with the cerebral I/R injury and remarkably delay the decrease of the number of errors and the decrease of the apoptosis rate in the hippocampus of rats with the cerebral I/R injury. And the APS could also cause a significant down-regulation of cleaved caspase-3 and bax expression, while up-regulation of bcl-2 expression in hippocampus of rats with the cerebral I/R injury. Conclusion: APS has a neuroprotection on rats with the cerebral I/R injury. The neuroprotective mechanism of APS may involve in the inhibition of the neuronal apoptosis.

Polymorphism of N-acetyltransferase 2 (NAT2) gene polymorphism in shanghai population: occupational and non-occupational bladder cancer patient groups / 生物医学与环境科学（英文）

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>Arylamine N-acetyltransferases (NATs) are involved in the detoxification of aromatic amines and hydrazine. In order to explore the possible association of NAT2 polymorphism with bladder cancer risk in benzidine exposed or non-exposed Chinese individuals, healthy subjects, subjects with bladder cancer of a former benzidine exposed cohort in Shanghai dyestuff industry and a group of bladder cancer patients without known occupational exposure to aromatic amines were genotyped for NAT2 gene polymorphism.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>NAT2 genotyping was performed with a set of RFLP procedures at seven major polymorphic loci of gene coding area: G191A, C282T, T341C, C481T, G590A, A803G and G857A.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The wild allele NAT2 *4 was the most prevalent allele (59%) in healthy individuals. The alleles NAT2*6A and NAT2*7B were also frequently observed (21% and 17%, respectively). In contrast to Caucasians, the percentage of slow acetylators was lower (12% in Chinese vs. 58% in Caucasians, P < 0.001). No relevant differences were observed for homogenous rapid, heterogeneous rapid/slow and homogeneous slow acetylation genotypes between the healthy subjects and both groups of bladder cancer patients.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The present work did not support the association of slow acetylating genotypes of NAT2 gene with elevated risk of bladder cancer in Chinese whereas it was documented as an important genetically determined risk factor in Caucasians. Different mechanisms might play a role in individual susceptibility to bladder cancer related with aromatic amine exposure in various races or ethnic groups.</p>

Glutathione S-transferase T1, M1 gene polymorphism in leukemia patients in Shanghai area / 中华肿瘤杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the possible association of polymorphisms of glutathione S-transferases T1, M1 genes and leukemia susceptibility.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>AS-PCR procedure was applied to determine the GSTs genotypes in a group of leukemia patients (n=61) in Shanghai area. The genotype frequencies in the leukemia patients and normal controls (183 healthy residents in the same city) were compared. Stratification with leukemia types, age and gender was made for further comparison.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The frequencies of GSTT1 0/0 genotype and GSTT1 0/0-GSTM1 0/0 combined genotype were higher in leukemia patients than in controls, and the differences were significant. When stratified with age and gender, this trend still existed in the male ALL patients and in younger ALL patients (age < or = 30).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Individuals who bear GSTT1 0/0 genotype or GSTT1 0/0-GSTM1 0/0 combined genotypes are more susceptible to leukemia, especially for male and younger carriers.</p>

Polymorphism of glutathione S-transferase T1, M1 and P1 genes in a Shanghai population: patients with occupational or non-occupational bladder cancer / 生物医学与环境科学（英文）

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>Glutathione S-transferases are involved in the conjugation of xenobiotics. To explore whether GSTs polymorphisms are involved in the development of occupational or non-occupational bladder cancer, polymorphism frequencies of GSTT1, M1 and P1 were investigated in a normal population, which had been settled in a rural area in Shanghai suburb for at least 5 generations as well as in a group of patients with benzidine exposure related occupational bladder cancer in Shanghai dyestuff industry and a group of patients with non-occupational bladder cancer.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>PCR based procedures were performed in the study populations to confirm the genotypes of GSTT1, M1 and P1.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The polymorphisms at locus of GSTP1-A1578G in the normal population differed significantly from those in Caucasians or African Americans. All the subjects genotyped so far (n = 118) bore only homogenous wild genotype (C2293/C2293) at GSTP1-C2293T locus. This locus seemed to be a monomorphic in Shanghai population. No significant difference in GSTT1 and GSTM1 polymorphic form frequencies could be confirmed among three groups of subjects. An overrepresentation of GSTP1 AG or GG genotype corresponding a less stable and less effective isozyme protein was detected in patients with benzidine related occupational bladder cancer, compared with that in the normal population though a statistical significance was not yet reached (P = 0.09, OR = 1.96, 95% CI 0.89-4.32).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>This study suggests that GSTM1 or GSTT1 homozygous deficiency genotypes and their combination do not have a clear impact on bladder cancer incidence in a Shanghai population. It seems that GSTP1 polymorphism is not associated with non-occupational bladder cancer. GSTP1 AG or GG genotype has a higher frequency in the patients with benzidine related occupational bladder cancer, and further work is needed to confirm if GSTP1 AG or GG genotype plays a role in the development of occupational bladder cancer.</p>