Long non-coding RNA Hottip modulates high-glucose-induced inflammation and ECM accumulation through miR-455-3p/WNT2B in mouse mesangial cells.

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) play important roles in the pathogenesis of various diseases, including diabetic nephropathy (DN). However, the detailed mechanism is still largely unknown. High-glucose treated SV40-MES13 cells was used to mimic diabetic nephropathy in vitro. qRT-PCR was introduced to measure Hottip, collagen type I (Col. I), collagen type IV (Col. IV), fibronectin (FN), PAI-1, miR-455-3p and Wnt2B, IL-6, TNF-α mRNA level. Ellisa was used to examine the expression level of IL-6, TNF-α in the cell culture medium. Western blotting was employed to detect the protein level of Col. I, Col. IV, FN, PAI-1, Wnt2B, ß-catenin and cyclin D1. Cell viability was examined by MTT assay, luciferase reporter assay were used to determine the relationship between Hottip, miR-455-3p and Wnt2B. In the results, Hottip and Wnt2B was upregulated in db/db DN mice and high-glucose treated mouse mesangial cells (MMCs) while miR-455-3p was downregulated. High glucose treatment could enhance cell proliferation, and inflammation, increase fibrosis-related protein expression and active Wnt2B/ß-catenin/cyclin D1 pathway, while Hottip silencing reversed all the effects caused by high-glucose treatment. miR-455-3p was a sponge target of Hottip while Wnt2B was a downstream target of miR-445-3p. miR-445-3p inhibitor could suppress the effect of Hottip knockdown in cell proliferation, inflammation and fibrosis-related protein expression. Our data supported lncRNA Hottip/miR-455-3p/Wnt2B axis plays an important role in cell proliferation, inflammation, and extracellular matrix (ECM) accumulation in diabetic nephropathy.

Synthesis of La-Co-O Mixed Oxides via Polyethylene Glycol-Assisted Co-Precipitation Method for Total Oxidation of Benzene.

La-Co-O mixed oxides (LCO) were prepared by co-precipitation method with the presence of polyethylene glycol (PEG) as dispersant. The influence of adding different molecular weight of PEG (0, 2 000, 6 000, 20 000 g·mol-1) on the physicochemical and catalytic properties of La-Co-O mixed oxides for total oxidation of benzene was investigated. The samples were characterized by means of N2 physical adsorption, X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), temperature-programmed reduction by H2 (H2-TPR), temperature-programmed desorption of O2 (O2-TPD), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The order of catalytic activity was found to be LCO-PEG6000>LCO>LCO-PG20000>LCO-PG2000. Particularly, LCO-PEG6000 exhibited benzene conversion of 99% at temperature as low as 383 ℃, which was 126 ℃ lower than that of LCO. The characterization result reveals that all samples had a BET surface area of about 9～10 m2·g-1. The XRD result shows that on all samples LaCoO3 perovskite was mainly formed together with a small amount of La2O3 and Co3O4. The addition of PEG was favorable for the formation of LaCoO3 perovskite. Particularly, the addition of PEG-6000 effectively suppressed the agglomeration of LaCoO3 perovskite, giving rise to small and uniform particles as observed by SEM. Moreover, the results of H2-TPR and O2-TPD indicate that the obtained La-Co-O mixed oxides showed higher reducibility and lattice oxygen mobility, and the Co 2p XPS analysis suggests that more surface Co3+ active species were presented by the addition of PEG-6000. These properties are thought to contribute to the high activity in benzene total oxidation.

[Polymorphisms of inhibin α gene exon 1 in buffalo (Bubalus bubalis), gayal (Bos frontalis) and yak (Bos grunniens)].

To elucidate the genetic characteristics of the bovine Inhibin α subunit (INHA) gene, the polymorphisms in exon 1 of INHA and its bilateral sequences were assayed using PCR with direct sequencing in buffalo, gayal and yak. A comparative analysis was conducted by pooled the results in this study with the published data of INHA on some mammals including some bovine species together. A synonymous substitution c.73C>A was identified in exon 1 of INHA for buffalo, which results in identical encoding product in river and swamp buffalo. In gayal, two non-synonymous but same property substitutions in exon 1 of INHA, viz. c.62 C>T and c.187 G>A, were detected, which lead to p. P21L, p. V63M changes in INHA, respectively. In yak, nucleotide substitution c.62C> T, c.129A>G were found in exon 1 of INHA, the former still causes p. P21L substitution and the latter is synonymous. For the sequence of the 5'-flanking region of INHA examined, no SNPs were found within the species, but a substitution, c. -6T>G, was found. The nucleotide in this site in gayal, yak and cattle was c. -6G, whereas in buffalo it was c. -6T. Meanwhile, a 6-bp deletion, namely c. 262+31_262+36delTCTGAC, was found in the intron of buffalo INHA gene. For this deletion, wild types (+/+) account for main part in river buffalo while mutant types (-/-) are predominant in swamp buffalo. This deletion was not found in gayal, yak and cattle, though these all have another deletion in the intron of INHA, c. 262+78_262+79delTG. The results of sequence alignment showed that the substitutions c. 43A and c. 67G in exon 1 of INHA are specific to buffalo, whereas the substitutions c. 173A and c. 255G are exclusive to gayal, yak and cattle, and c. 24C, c. 47G, c. 174T and c. 206T are specific to goat. Furthermore, there are few differences among gayal, yak and cattle, but there relatively great differences between buffalo, goat and other bovine species regarding the sequences of INHA exon 1.

[Genetic characteristics on exon 4 of prolactin gene in 12 water buffalo populations].

The prolactin exerts obvious adjustment and control function for mammary gland development, lactation and milk protein gene expression in water buffalo. In this study the sequence features and polymorphisms of the exon 4 in prolactin gene were examined in 385 individuals which came from 12 river and swamp type buffalo populations using DNA direct sequencing and PCR-SSCP methods. The results showed that the sequence of exon 4 in prolactin gene was consists of 180 nucleotides, the fragment had high conservative character in different species. The e4. 109 C>T substitution was detected in nine swamp buffalo populations, and it was a silent mutation and was not associated with the traits of milk yield in buffalo. The PBA gene was the predominant gene in seven swamp type buffalo populations, while PBB gene was the dominant gene in Dehong and Fuzhong populations. The frequencies of PBA in swamp type buffalo was 0.400 -0.917 and the average value was 0.629+/-0.049. The polymorphism wasn't found in river buffalo, all the samples from river buffalo were holding nucleotides e4.109 C. The results indicate that there is distinct genetic differentiation between swamp and river type buffalo.

[Study on the epidemiological characteristics and natural infectious focus of Angiostrongylus cantonensis in Shenzhen area of Zhujiang Delta in China].

OBJECTIVE: To delimit the natural infectious focus, including the distribution of wildlife, species, ecology of intermediate hosts and final host of Angiostrongylus cantonensis, as well as the routes of transmission and epidemiological characteristics and wildlife of human Angiostrongylus cantonensis, based on human diverging cases identified in Shenzhen, southern area of China. METHODS: Data including rate of infection and density of Angiostrongylus cantonensis among different hosts in 12 different areas in Shenzhen was collected, using microscope to inspect homogenate liquids of snails. Wild mice were captured with mouse cage to examine the adult Angiostrongylus cantonensis. Using larva isolated from wild-snails-infected rats to observe the life cycle of Angiostrongylus cantonensis. RESULTS: Wild life of Angiostrongylus cantonensis existed in the southwest part of Shenzhen with its majority intermediate hosts as Achatina fulica. The overall rate of infection was 31% in wildlife and final host was found to be Rattus andersoni, Achatina fulica which were extensively distributed in the shrub region of Shenzhen because of suitable climate, humidity and vegetation for generating the life cycle of Achatina fulica. Human infected Angiostrongylus cantonensis was mainly due to eating raw snails or vegetables contaminated by larva of Angiostrongylus cantonensis. The peak of infection was seen from April to November in Shenzhen area. CONCLUSION: Wildlife of Angiostrongylus cantonensis existed in the southwest part of Shenzhen with major wildlife reservoir including fresh water snail and wild mouse. The existence of natural focus Angiostrongylus cantonensis was now recognized as an important source of human angiostrongyliasis in Shenzhen area.

[Association of cytotoxic T lymphocyte antigen-4 gene polymorphisms with susceptibility to breast cancer].

AIM: To investigate the association between the CTLA-4 promoter-1722(T/C) and 3' untranslated region CT60(G/A) polymorphisms and the risk of breast cancer in Han women of northeast China. METHODS: 328 patients with breast cancer and 327 healthy people as control were genotyped for -1722 and CT60 polymorphism using polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism. RESULTS: The frequency of the G allele at the CT60 site in breast cancer patients was statistically higher than that in control(28.7% vs 23.5%, P=0.0352, OR=1.30, 95% CI=1.02-1.67). The frequency of -1722C-CT60A haplotype in control was significantly higher than that in breast cancer patients(P=0.0283, OR=0.77, 95% CI=0.97-0.61). However, the distribution of genotypes at -1722 site was not significantly different between breast cancer patients and control. CONCLUSION: The polymorphism of -1722T/C and CT60G/A may be related to the development of breast cancer in Han women of northern China.

[Laws of the change in genotype entropy from F1 to Fn for pairs of independent genes of the selfing population].

This paper constructs a mathematic model for the change in each generation's genotype entropy of the selfing population with independent heterogenes, and describes a ternary tree algorithm to compute the proportion of every genotype. It reveals a linear relationship between the population genotype entropy and the pairs of independent heterogenes m, and a nonlinear relationship between the population genotype entropy and the ordinal number n of a selfing generation. As n is fixed, the population genotype entropy with m pairs of independent heterogenes is m times as many as that with only one pair. As the pairs of the independent heterogenes m is fixed, the population genotype entropy increases generation after generation from F1 to F3, reaching the maximum value at F3, and decreases generation after generation from F3, reaching equilibrium finally at the generation whose genotype entropy is minimum. In this paper, the significance of crossbreeding is also discussed.