[Phylogenetic relationships of seabuckthorn based on ITS sequences].

Sequences of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) was compared in three seabuckthrons (Hippophae rhamnoides subsp. sinensis, H. tibetana and H. neurocarpa) distributed in Qinghai Province, then the systematic positions of 15 seabuckthron samples were analyzed with Elaeagnaceae angustifolia being outgroup. The results showed that ITS sequences in three seabuckthron species varied in length from 600 to 605 bp. ITS-1, 5.8S and ITS-2 varied from 201 to 203 bp, 166 to 167 bp and 232 to 236 bp, respectively. The sequence divergence among three seabuckthorn species was also remarkably high; Cluster analysis based on ITS indicated that H. gonicocarpa subsp. litangensis and H. gonicocarpa subsp. goniocarpa were distinct and could be classified as H. gonicocarpa and H. litangensis. H. gyantsensis had the closest genetic relationship with H. salicifolia and the distant relationship with H. rhamnoides subsp. sinensis. The positions of nine subspecies of H. rhamnoides based on morphological classification were different from the results of ITS.

Evaluation of renal ischemia-reperfusion injury in rabbits using microbubbles targeted to activated neutrophils.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to noninvasively evaluate the severity of renal ischemia-reperfusion (I-R) injury in rabbits with microbubbles targeted to activated neutrophils [phosphatidylserine-conjugated surfactant perfluoropropane-filled microbubbles (SPMB-PS)]. METHODS: Microbubbles targeted to activated neutrophils (SPMB-PS) were prepared by conjugating phosphatidylserine (PS) to self-assembling surfactant perfluoropropane-filled microbubbles (SPMB). Flow cytometry was performed to assess the presence of PS in SPMB. A renal I-R injury model was established in 18 rabbits for contrast-enhanced ultrasonography. Examination of ultrasonography with SPMB-PS and SPMB was performed on 12 rabbits before and after I-R injury. The time-intensity curve (TIC) was generated from a selected region of interest. Another six rabbits with renal I-R injury underwent contrast-enhanced ultrasonography for 15 min after intravenous injection of SPMB-PS. The renal tissues were immediately excised for immunohistochemical staining and myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity analysis. The correlation between MPO activity and echo intensity (VI) was analyzed. RESULTS: Flow cytometry demonstrated that PS was located on the surface of SPMB. TIC showed that the time at which the maximum VI was reached and the time needed for the microbubbles to wash out were the same in the normal kidneys injected with SPMB-PS or SPMB, while there was an obvious delay in emptying time with SPMB-PS compared with SPMB after I-R injury. Fifteen minutes after the injection of SPMB-PS and SPMB, VI was not remarkably different (P>.05) in the normal kidneys, while it was significantly higher (P<.01) in the I-R-injured kidneys. There was a strong correlation between MPO activity and VI 15 min after the injection of SPMB-PS (r=.933, P<.01). Immunohistochemistry showed that most of the inflammatory cells in the I-R-injured kidneys were neutrophils. CONCLUSION: A delayed emptying phenomenon was observed during contrast-enhanced ultrasonography in the I-R-injured kidneys, with SPMB-PS targeted to activated neutrophils. Therefore, contrast-enhanced ultrasonography with SPMB-PS may noninvasively evaluate the severity of ischemia-reperfusion injury to the kidneys.

[Therapeutic angiogenesis induced by hepatocyte growth factor directed by ultrasound-targeted microbubble destruction].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the feasibility of therapeutic angiogenesis in myocardial infarction induced by hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) mediated by ultrasound-targeted microbubble destruction. METHODS: Forty Wistar rats were divided into 4 groups after the models of myocardial infarction were established: HGF + ultrasound + microbubble (HGF + US/MB) groups, HGF and ultrasound (HGF + US) group, HGF and microbubble (HGF + MB) group, and surgery alone (SA) group. Ultrasound-targeted destruction microbubble loaded with HGF gene with ECG trigger was performed in HGF + US group. Microbubble loaded with HGF gene was infused intravenously in HGF + MB group, and normal saline were infused in SA group. All rats were killed 14 days after transfection. The CD34 expression was detected by immunohistochemistry (IHC), and microvessel density (MVD) was counted in high power field. The HGF expression on myocardium was detected by ELISA, and the correlation between the contents of HGF and MVD in myocardium was analyzed. RESULTS: IHC results showed that CD34 expressions, shown as brown granules, were located on the membrane and endochylema of vascular endothelial cells. The MVD in HGF + US/MB group [ (266.9 +/- 39.8) /HPF] were highest among all the groups. The contents of HGF in myocardium were highest in HGF + US/MB group [(5.54 +/- 0.81) ng/g], and the contents of HGF in anterior wall were significantly higher than those in posterior wall (P < 0.05); the difference was also significant when compared with others groups (P < 0.01). The correlation analysis showed the contents of HGF was positively correlated with MVD in myocardium. CONCLUSION: Ultrasound-targeted microbubble destruction can effectively deliver HGF into the infracted myocardium and facilitate angiogenesis, which provides a novel way in the gene therapy of myocardial infarction.