Identification of a novel bombesin bioactive peptide QUB2995 and its insulin secreting activity / 中华内分泌代谢杂志

Objective:To identify a novel bombesin bioactive peptide from the skin secretion of Hylarana Latouchii, and to explore its effect on insulin secretion in islet cells.Methods:The skin secretion from Hylarana Latouchii was extracted by electrical stimulation, and the single chain of bombesin peptide was cloned and sequenced. The peptide QUB2995 was synthesized via solid-phase synthesis, then purified using reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Matrix assisted laser desorption time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF) was applied to validate. QPCR and ELISA were used to probe the effect of QUB2995 on insulin secretion in MIN6 and INS-1 cells.Results:A novel bombesin peptide named QUB2995 (GAFGDFLKGAAKA GALKILSIAQCKLSGTC) was found in the skin secretion of Hylarana Latouchii through molecular cloning. The bioactive peptide could significantly promote the proliferation and insulin secretion from mouse islet MIN6 cells and rat islet INS-1 cells. The effect reached a climax at the concentration of 10 -5 mol/L. Conclusion:A novel bombesin bioactive peptide named QUB2995 was found from Hylarana Latouchii. It could significantly promote insulin secretion in MIN6 cells of mouse islets and INS-1 cells of rat islets, indicating its potential in the treatment of diabetes.

Clinicopathological features of ovarian Brenner tumors / 中华病理学杂志

Objective@#To investigate the clinicopathological characteristics and diagnosis of ovarian Brenner tumors.@*Methods@#Forty-seven cases of ovarian Brenner tumors were enrolled from January 2012 to May 2018 at Beijing Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Capital Medical University. Clinical data, imaging examination, histopathological characteristics and immunohistochemical phenotype were analyzed.@*Results@#The age of the patients ranged from 30-73 years and the mean age was 55 years. Thirty-nine patients (83.0%) were postmenopausal. Forty cases (85.1%) of the Brenner tumors were benign, five (10.6%) borderline and two (4.3%) malignant. Usual tumor markers of ovarian carcinoma, including CA199 and CA125 were normal or mild elevated in the 47 cases. Imaging before surgery was not specific to Brenner tumors. Microscopically, benign Brenner tumors were composed of nests of bland, transitional-type cells within a fibromatous stroma. In our 5 cases of borderline Brenner tumors, mildly atypical transitional-type cells were projected into the cyst lumens and lack of stromal invasion. In 2 cases of malignant Brenner tumors, different degrees of nuclear atypial transitional-type cells exhibited stromal invasion. Immunohistochemical stains for CK7, GATA3, p63 and CK5/6 were positive in all cases. Ki-67 was less than 5% in Brenner tumors, and up to 20%-30% in malignant Brenner tumors.@*Conclusion@#Brenner tumors are mostly seen in postmenopausal patients and are usually benign. Imaging examination and usual ovarian tumor markers do not provide diagnostic value. Diagnosis and classification of Brenner tumors depend on histopathological evaluation.

KRAS mutations analysis in mucinous epithelial lesions of the endometrium / 中华病理学杂志

Objective@#To investigate the frequency of KRAS mutation in mucinous epithelial lesions of the endometrium, and analyze the correlation between KRAS mutation and the clinicopathologic features.@*Methods@#The cohort included forty-three cases of mucinous epithelial lesions of the endometrium selected from July 2015 to October 2017 from Beijing Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, and 22 control cases. Genomic DNA was extracted from formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue sections. Polymerase chain reaction amplification for KRAS exons 2 and 3 was performed, followed by sequencing using capillary electrophoresis. The Fisher exact test was used to compare the prevalence of KRAS mutation among the different groups.@*Results@#The patients′age ranged from 33 to 77 years [mean (55.12±9.34) years, median 55 years]. None of the eight cases of endometrial hyperplasia with mucinous differentiation without atypia showed KRAS mutation. The frequency of KRAS mutations was 1/10 in endometrial atypical hyperplasia, 1/12 in endometrioid carcinoma, 4/11 in endometrial atypical hyperplasia with mucinous differentiation (EAHMD), 6/15 in endometrioid carcinoma with mucinous differentiation (ECMD) and 8/9 in mucinous carcinoma (MC), respectively. The differences were statistically significant between MC versus EC (P<0.01) and MC versus ECMD (P<0.05).@*Conclusion@#The high frequency of KRAS mutation in EAHMD, ECMD and MC indicates that KRAS mutational activation is implicated in the pathogenesis of endometrial mucinous carcinoma.

Constructs and expression of hepatitis C virus core gene combined hepatitis B virus core gene with two multiple cloning sites vector / 中国免疫学杂志

Objective:To develop a HCV combined HBV DNA-based therapeutic vaccine.Methods:The HBV core gene and HCV core cDNA were inserted into the eukaryotic expression vector with two multiple cloning sites mammalian expression vector under the CMV promoter and RSC promoter respectively, named pRSC-HBV/HCV. Cellular expression of pRSC-HBV/HCV was assessed by Western blot and immunofluorescent study following transfection into SP2/0 cells. The Balb/c mice were immunized by multiple sites intramuscular injection with pRSC-HBV/HCV and the immune responses were detected.Results:The 21 kD and 14 kD core protein were observed. Both anti-HBc Ab and anti-HCV core Ab were detected in all immunized mice.Conclusion:The investigation demonstrated that pRSC-HBV/HCV could express HBcAg and HCV core protein, humoral immune response could be detected in mice immunized with pRSC-HBV/HCV.