RESUMO
Hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy [HIE] is a common and potentially devastating condition in the neonate, associated with high mortality and morbidity. Effective treatment options are limited and therefore alternative therapies such as acupuncture are increasingly used. Previous studies have shown that electro acupuncture promoted proliferation of neural progenitor cell and increased expression of neurotrophic factor in HIE. However, effects of electro acupuncture on downstream signaling pathways have been rarely researched. So, in the present study, we aimed to evaluate the neuroprotective effects of electro acupuncture on HIE and to further investigate the role of GDNF family receptor member RET and its key downstream PI3-K/Akt pathway in the process. A rat HIE model was constructed by the left common carotid artery [LCCA] ligation method in combination with hypoxic treatment. Considering that Baihui [GV20], Dazhui [GV14], Quchi [LI11] and Yongquan [KI1] are commonly used in clinics for stroke treatment and are easy to locate, we chose the above four acupoints as the combination for electro acupuncture treatment which was performed once a day for different time periods. Hematoxylin-eosin [HE] staining and transmission electron microscopy results showed that electro acupuncture could ameliorate neurologic damage and alleviate the degenerative changes of ultra structure of cortical neurons in rats subjected to HIE. And the longer acupuncture treatment lasted, the better its therapeutic effect would be. This was accompanied by gradually increased expression of GDNF family receptor RET at the mRNA level and its downstream signaling Akt at the protein level in the ischemic cortex. These findings suggest that electro acupuncture shows neuroprotective effects in HIE, which at least in part is attributed to activation of PI3-K/Akt signaling pathway
RESUMO
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To assess the association between the serotonin transporter linked polymorphic region (5-HTTLPR) 44 bp variable number of tandem repeat (VNTR) polymorphism and Tourette syndrome (TS) in ethnic Han Chinese trios.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A total of 252 TS trios (patients and their parents) were recruited. Genetic contribution of the 5-HTTLPR 44 bp VNTR polymorphism was evaluated by genotyping, haplotype relative risk (HRR) analysis and transmission disequilibrium test (TDT) statistics. To enhance the efficiency of the test, haplotype-based HRR (HHRR) was also performed.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The TDT, HRR and HHRR analyses have revealed a significant association of the 5-HTTLPR 44 bp VNTR polymorphism with TS, and provided a strong evidence for an over-transmission of L allele from parents to the affected children (TDT: χ² = 6.680, df= 1, P= 0.012; HRR: χ² = 9.345, P= 0.002, OR= 1.739, 95% CI for 1.218-2.483). For 204 male and 48 female TS trios, TDT and HRR were analyzed separately. The results showed a significant association between 5-HTTLPR and male TS (for males. TDT: χ² = 4.643, df= 1, P= 0.038; for females, TDT: χ² = 2.189, df= 1, P= 0.188).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>5-HTTLPR may be the susceptibility gene for male TS patients among the Chinese Han population. However, the results need to be replicated in datasets collected from different populations.</p>