ABSTRACT
Leptin and vascular cell adhesion molecules-1 (VCAM-1) are two important mediators in obesity-related osteoarthritis, while the molecular mechanism linking leptin to VCAM-1 production is still obscure. Here we show that leptin upregulates VCAM-1 mRNA and protein levels in a time- and dose-dependent manner. Mechanistically, leptin induces VCAM-1 promoter activity by increasing the expression of C/EBP-α and facilitating its binding to a newly identified element in the VCAM-1 gene. Gain or loss of function studies reveal a regulatory role of C/EBP-α on VCAM-1 expression. Finally, elevated plasma leptin level correlates to increased C/EBP-α and VCAM-1 production in chondrocytes from obese mice.
Subject(s)
CCAAT-Enhancer-Binding Proteins/physiology , Chondrocytes/metabolism , Leptin/physiology , Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1/genetics , Animals , Binding Sites , Cells, Cultured , Humans , Male , Mice , Mice, Inbred C57BL , Obesity/blood , Primary Cell Culture , Promoter Regions, Genetic , RNA, Messenger/genetics , RNA, Messenger/metabolism , Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1/metabolismABSTRACT
A 59-year-old woman sought treatment of for creeping eruption and erythematous plaques associated with high fever and systemic symptoms. She had a history of eating undercooked freshwater fish raised in Beijing 10 days before admission and reported no travel during the previous year. Blood examination showed eosinophila and ultrasonography detected multiple hypoechoic areas in the liver and spleen. Western blot test detected specific antibodies to the larvae of Gnathostoma spinigerum. Cutaneous and visceral larva migrations associated with G. spinigerum were diagnosed. Twenty-three cases in 12 provinces have been reported in the Chinese literature but none have been reported in English.
Subject(s)
Gnathostoma/isolation & purification , Spirurida Infections/diagnosis , Spirurida Infections/physiopathology , Animals , Antibodies, Helminth/blood , Antigens, Helminth/immunology , China , Female , Gnathostoma/growth & development , Gnathostoma/immunology , Humans , Larva/physiology , Larva Migrans/parasitology , Larva Migrans/physiopathology , Middle Aged , Skin/parasitology , Skin/pathology , Skin Diseases, Parasitic/diagnosis , Skin Diseases, Parasitic/parasitology , Skin Diseases, Parasitic/physiopathology , Spirurida Infections/parasitologyABSTRACT
Petroleum contaminants is one of the major pollutants in the Yellow River. Laboratory simulation experiments were carried out to study the natural biodegradation of the petroleum contaminants. When adding 10 mg/L petroleum contaminants to the Yellow River water samples containing 0 or 0.5 g/L sediment, the petroleum contaminants-degrading bacteria increased gradually after about one week of acclimatization. With the sediment content of 0.5 g/L, about 85% petroleum contaminants with the initial concentration of 11.64 mg/L in river water could be degraded within 63 days at 20 degrees C. The biodegradation rate was greatly influenced by the sediment content and the initial concentration of petroleum contaminants, and such effect was different from one degradation stage to another. In addition, the existence of sediment affected the biodegradation kinetics of petroleum contaminants.
