A Novel 5'-Uncoding Region -1248 A>G Variation of Mitofusin-2 Gene Is Associated with Hypertension in Chinese

PURPOSE: Mitofusin2 gene (Mfn2, also named Hyperplasia suppressive gene, HSG) is very important in the origin and development of hypertension. However, the mechanism of Mfn2/HSG expression regulation was not uncovered. This study was designed to explore the association of a novel 5'-uncoding region (UCR) -1248 A>G variation of HSG/Mfn2 gene and hypertension. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 472 healthy, normotensive subjects [normotension (NT) group], 454 prehypertensive subjects [prehypertension (PH) group] and 978 hypertensive patients [essential hypertension (EH) group] were screened for an association study between 5'-UCR -1248 A>G of Mfn2/HSG and hypertension by polymerase chain reaction and DNA sequencing after venous blood was drawn and DNA was extracted. RESULTS: When comparing the A and G frequency in EH, PH and NT groups, in total, NT group significantly had higher A frequency than in PH group [odds ratio (OR)=1.605, confidence interval (CI) 95%=1.063-2.242, p=0.025] and EH group (OR=5.395, CI 95%=3.783-7.695, pG variation was significantly related with blood pressure level (B=-1.271, Wald=40.914, CI 95%=-1.660 - -0.881, pG variation of Mfn2/HSG gene was a novel variation and may be associated with hypertension in Chinese.

Analysis on Medical Insurance Impact on Chinese Rural Elders’ Health Demand / 中国卫生经济

The data is taken from Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey(CLHLS)between 2005 and 2008 to study health insurance’s impact on Chinese rural elders’ health demand. It found that health insurance significantly increased Chinese rural elders’ total health expenditure by 19%; however, it could neither significantly lengthen life expectancy nor decrease the risk of death. Chinese rural elders’ excessive demand induced by health insurance is probably inefficient. Therefore, to insure Chinese rural elders’ diseases could be treated, the government should improve medical security and control unreasonable increases in health service price.

Prognostic value of ischemic modified albumin for patients with non-ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndrome undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention / 中华全科医师杂志

Two hundred and fourteen patients with non-ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndrome (NSTEACS) underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).Serum ischemic modified albumin (IMA) levels were measured in patients at admission.The major adverse cardiac events (MACE),including cardiac death,nonfatal myocardial infarction (MI) and recurrent ischemia leading to urgent revascularization were observed during 1-y period of follow-up.Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves,Kaplan-Meier analysis and Cox regression were used to assess the prognostic value of IMA for 1-y MACE.Twenty one patients experienced major adverse cardiac events during 1-y follow up period,including 6 cases of cardiac death,8 cases of new or recurrent MI,7 cases of target vessel/lesion revascularization or coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG).ROC showed that the area under the ROC curve (AUC) was 0.667,and when IMA was used to predict 1-y major adverse cardiac events,the cut-off value of 65.3 kU/L was most effective.Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that IMA was significantly correlated with the occurrence of 1-y MACE(P ＜ 0.01).But Cox regression model showed that IMA levels were not independent risk factor for 1-y MACE in NSTEACS patients,when adjusted with other risk factors.

Serum inflammatory factors in patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome and coronary heart disease / 中国综合临床

Objective To observe the serum inflammatory factors level in patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) and coronary heart disease (CHD).Methods Venous blood was collected at 6 AM from 53 natiems with both OSAS and CHD and 37 simple snorers following a full night polysomnography (PSG) test.Serum MMP-9、TIMP-1 test were conducted.Results MMP-9,TIMP-1 level in patients with OSAS and CHD was significantiv higher than that of the simple snorers (P<0.05).Conclusion serum MMP-9 and TIMP-1 level increase in patients with OSAS and CHD.It is suggested that elevated level of serum MMP-9 and TIMP-1 might play an important role in the development of CHD in patients with OSAS.

Effect of polymorphism of PAI-1 promotor region gene and its plasma level on patients with acute pulmonary thromboembolism / 中华急诊医学杂志

Objective To investigate the effect of polymorphism of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1(PAI-1) promotor region gene,plasma tissue plasminogen activator(t-PA)and PAI-1 on patients with acute pulmonary thromboembolism(APTE).Method Fifty-two patients with APTE were divided into two groups according to the presence or absence of traditional enviromnent risk facters,and there were26 patients in each gnup,and auother 57 healthy indiriduals as controls were analyzed.The genotypos of subjects were determined for the 4G/5G polymorphism of PAI-1 gene using polymerase chain reaction based restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis.Plasma PAI-1 and tPA were measured by ELISA.Results(1)The ratio of 4G/4G genotype in group without traditional environment risk factors was much higher than that of the other two groups.(2)Plasma t-PA decreased and plasma PAI-1 elevated significantly in group without traditional environment risk factors compared with that of the other two groups.(3)Except the 5G homozygous,plasma PAI-1 level in group without traditional environgment risk factors was significantly higher than the other two groups.There existed correlation between 4G allele and plasma PAI-1.Conclusions 4G/5G polymorphism of PAI-1 gene is associated with AFFE.4G/4G genotype increases the risk of APTE for individuals without traditional risk factors.There are hypercoagulation and hypofibrinolysis in APTE patients without traditional risk factors.

Study on the expression of free Ca2+ and AngiotensinⅡ1 type receptor in vascular smooth muscle cells of hypertensive coronary artery diseases / 中国综合临床

Objective To observe the expression of free Ca2+ and Angiotensin Ⅱ 1 type receptor(AT1 R)in vascular smooth muscle cells(VSMCs)of patients with hypertensive or normotensive coronary artery diseases(CAD).Methods During the coronary artery bypass graft operation,the surplus saphenous vein of patients who admitted to our Cardiac Surgery Department was collected and cultured.All patients were divided into hypertensive or normotensive group.Free Ca2+ in the cultured human VSMCs was determined by confocal laser scanning microscope(CLSM)after different kinds of AngiotensinⅡ being added,respectively.Total RNA was extracted from cultured VSMCs.Then RT-PCR was conducted for the observation of the expression of AT1R in both groups.Results Ca2+in human VSMCs rapidly increased when stimulated by Angtensin Ⅱ in two groups.After stimulated by Angiotensin Ⅱ,both free Ca2+ level and the expression of AT1R in VSMCs of hypertensive patients were higher than those of the normotensive patients(P＜0.05).Conclusion There are certain changes of free calcium in the cultured human vascular smooth muscle cells,when stimulated by Angiotensin Ⅱ.There are also difierences in AT1R expression between hypertensive CAD patients and normotensive CAD patients.

ALTERATION OF RAT MYOCARDIAL PEPTIDE HORMONES WITH INCREASING AGE / 中华内分泌代谢杂志

The process of aging can induce major alterations in structure and function of myocardium. 41 female Wistar rats-weighing 50-586 g were divided into 5 groups (1,3, 6,10, 21 mo.). The 21-month group was taken as aged rats. Myo-cardial homogenates (W/V= 1 g/10 ml) were prepared. The local myocardial immunoreactive Ang I, II and the ventricular ANF levels in different parts of the myocardium were measured by sensitive RIA. The sections of the myocardial tissue were prepared. The local Ang II and ANF were measured by immunohistochemistry. The results showed that auricular Ang II and ANF is markedly higher than the ventricular ones. Local myocardial Ang II is for the most part present in the cytoplasm. There is a positive correlation between the local Ang I and Ang II levels. There are significant differences in levels of Ang I, Ang II and interventricular septum ANF between various age groups. There is a perfect negait ve correlation between levels of Ang as well as ANF and the age in months. The reduction in local Ang II level is most striking in the 21-month group. The reduction of local Ang II level in the ventricles exceeds that in the atria. The experiment suggested that as age increases, some important hormonal functions of the heart gradually weaken; such a change is most noticeable in the ventricles.