Effects of braln-derived neurotrophic factor-modified human amniotic membrane-derived mesenchymal stem cell transplantation on learning and memory abilities of alzheimer's disease rats / 中国组织工程研究

BACKGROUND: A variety of stem cells have been found to be effective in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease in rats. However, few reports have been reported on the treatment of Alzheimer's disease rats with brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF)-modified human amniotic membrane-derived mesenchymal stem cells. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of BDNF-modified human amniotic membrane-derived mesenchymal stem cell transplantation on the learning and memory abilities of Alzheimer's disease rats. METHODS: Forty-eight Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into control group (no treatment), model group (Alzheimer's disease model), stem cell transplantation group (human amniotic membrane-derived mesenchymal stem cell transplantation+Alzheimer's disease model) and BDNF-modified stem cell transplantation group (BDNF-modified human amniotic membrane-derived mesenchymal stem cell transplantation+Alzheimer's disease model), 12 rats in each group. Learning and memory of model rats were determined in a trisection radiation maze and immunohistochemical staining was used to determine the number of p75 positive neurons at 2 weeks after cell transplantation. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: The number of p75 positive neurons in the bevel zone and medial septal nucleus was ranked as follows: the model group < the stem cell transplantation group < the BDNF-modified stem cell transplantation group < the control group, and there were significant differences among groups (P < 0.05). The learning and memory abilities of the rats were ranked as follows: the model group < the stem cell transplantation group < the BDNF-modified stem cell transplantation group < the control group, and there were significant differences among groups (P < 0.05). In the BDNF-modified stem cell transplantation group, the number of learnings was negatively correlated with the number of p75 NGFR-positive neurons (P < 0.05), while the memory capacity was positively correlated with the number of p75 NGFR-positive neurons (P < 0.05). These findings reveal that human amniotic membrane-derived mesenchymal stem cell transplantation can improve learning and memory abilities of Alzheimer's disease rats, and BDNF-modified human amniotic membrane-derived mesenchymal stem cells can further improve this therapeutic effect.

Effects of insulin-like peptide 6 on renal fibrosis and calcification in unilateral ureteral obstruction mice / 上海交通大学学报（医学版）

Objective·To investigate the effects of insulin-like peptide 6 (Insl6) on renal fibrosis and calcification in unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO) mice. Methods·Twenty-four SPF male mice with genotypic background of C57BL/6 were divided into Sham (n=8), UUO+saline (n=8) and UUO+Insl6 (n=8) groups randomly. Mice were sacrificed 10 days after operation and renal tissues of surgical side were obtained. Sirus red staining, Masson staining and alizarin red S staining were used to verify the level of collagen and calcium deposition. TGF-β1 expression was determined by Western blotting. Realtime-PCR was used for determining TGF-β1, BMP2, Col1a1, and Col2a1 mRNA expression. Results·Compared with sham group, fibrotic area especially collagen Ⅰ , calcium deposition, TGF-β1 protein, and TGF-β1, BMP2, Col1a1, and Col2a1 mRNA expression in UUO+saline group significantly increased (all P<0.05). As compared with UUO+saline group, fibrotic area especially collagen Ⅰ, calcium deposition, TGF-β1 protein, and TGF-β1, BMP2, Col1a1, and Col2a1 mRNA expression in UUO+Insl6 group significantly decreased (all P<0.05). Conclusion·Insl6 inhibits UUO-induced renal fibrosis and calcification, which may be related to regulation of TGF-β1, collagen Ⅰ , BMP2 and collagen Ⅱ expression levels.

Plasma resistin levels and single-nucleotide polymorphisms in resistin gene 5' flanking region in patients with stroke / 中国医学科学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To analyze the role of resistin in insulin resistance (IR) through investigating the variation of plasma resistin levels and single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in resistin gene 5' flanking region in stroke patients.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>In 103 atherothrombotic cerebral infarction (ACI) patients, 85 lacunar infarction (LI) patients, 70 intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) patients, and 86 healthy controls, plasma resistin and insulin levels were measured by ELISA, SNPs in resistin gene 5' flanking region were detected by PCR and direct DNA sequencing. The subjects' body height and weight, the body mass index, quantitative insulin sensitivity check index (QUICKI), blood pressure, and the concentration of fasting plasma glucose, triglyceride, total cholesterol, creatinine, low-density lipoprotein, and high-density lipoprotein were also determined.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>QUICKI was significantly lower in the ACI and ICH patients (0.316 +/- 0.037 and 0.309 +/- 0.032, respectively) than that in the controls (0.342 +/- 0.043, P < 0.001), while plasma resistin level was significantly higher in the ACI and ICH patients (6.36 +/- 3.79 and 7.15 +/- 4.27 ng/mL, respectively) than that in the controls (5.28 +/- 2.56 ng/mL, P < 0.05), but such difference was not observed in the LI patients compared with controls. There was a statistically negative correlation between plasma resistin level with QUICKI (r = -0.228, P < 0.001). The distributions of allele and genotype frequencies of resistin gene - 420C > G and - 537A > C SNPs were not significantly different among the different groups, and those SNPs were not correlated with other clinical and biochemical parameters.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Plasma resistin is associated with stroke by participating in the development of IR. The SNPs in resistin gene 5' flanking region has no impact on the plasma resistin level.</p>

Relationship of homocysteine and gene polymorphisms of its related metabolic enzymes with Alzheimer's disease / 中国医学科学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the relationship of plasma homocysteine (Hcy) levels and the gene polymorphisms of N5, N10-methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR), cystathionine beta-synthase (CBS) with Alzheimer's disease (AD).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Plasma Hcy levels were measured by means of high voltage capillary electrophoresis with ultra-violet detection, the polymorphisms of C677T in exon 4 of MTHFR gene and 844ins68 in exon 8 of CBS gene were analyzed by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) in 105 AD patients and 102 non-AD controls. All controls were excluded from cardiocerebrovascular disorders and other diseases.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The plasma Hcy level in AD patients (16.04 +/- 3.84 micromol/L) was significantly higher than that in the controls (11.94 +/- 3.87 micromol/L, P < 0.001). There were no significant differences of the genotype and allele frequencies of MTHFR C677T mutation and CBS 844ins68 mutation between the patients and controls. However, the T allele of MTHFR gene was found to relate with the plasma Hcy level increase in all subjects.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The elevated plasma Hcy level in AD patients is probably involved in the pathogenesis of AD, which may be due to the environmental factor rather than genetic factors of the mutations of MTHFR and CBS.</p>