Clinical evidence in concurrence of retinitis pigmentosa and glaucoma / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

Glaucoma is rarely complicated by retinitis pigmentosa (RP). To provide clinical evidences for this rare situation, we report the concurrence of these two diseases in two children of a Chinese family. In the present two-child Chinese family without positive history, the older sister presented with bilateral sector RP and coexisting chronic angle-closure glaucoma, and the brother with bilateral whole RP but without coexisting glaucoma. Clinical evidences in concurrence of variants of RP and glaucoma because of possible different gene mutations from the same genetic background represent a rare situation, which may provide clues for future researches in molecular pathogenesis of these rare diseases.

Reconstruction of orbital defect in rabbits with composite of calcium phosphate cement and recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-2 / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>Calcium phosphate cement (CPC) is a biocompatible and osteoconductive bone substitute, and recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-2 (rhBMP-2) has strong osteoinductibility, therefore we developed a composite bone substitute with CPC and rhBMP-2 and evaluate its reconstruction effect in rabbit orbital defect.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Thirty-six rabbits were randomly divided into two groups and a 5 mm × 5 mm × 2 mm bone defect in the infraorbital rim was induced by surgery in each orbit (72 orbits in all). The orbital defects were treated with pure CPC or composite of CPC and rhBMP-2. The osteogenesis ability of different bone substitute was evaluated by gross observation, histological examination, histomorphometrical evaluation, compressive load-to-failure testing, and scanning electron microscope (SEM).</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Gross observation showed that both bone substitutes were safe and effective for reconstruction of orbital defect. However, histological examination, histomorphometrical evaluation and SEM showed that CPC/rhBMP-2 group had faster speed in new bone formation and degradation of substitute material than CPC group. Compressive load-to-failure testing showed that CPC/rhBMP-2 group had stronger compressive strength than CPC group at every stage with significant difference (P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Composite of CPC/rhBMP-2 is an ideal bioactive material for repairing orbital defect, with good osteoconductibility and osteoinductibility.</p>

Inducible nitric oxide synthase is involved in the oxidation stress induced by HIV-1 gp120 in human retina pigment epithelial cells / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>The human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1) envelope glycoprotein gp120 has been implicated in the development of AIDS-associated retinopathy. The present study tested the hypothesis that gp120 may induce oxidative stress including up regulation of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and production of malondialdehyde (MDA) and nitric oxide (NO) to mediate retinopathy in retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Human RPE cell line D407 was cultured and treated with gp120. HIV-1 gp120 protein induced lipid peroxidation product MDA. NO production and iNOS expression were examined in vitro by spectrophomtometry, real-time PCR, Western blotting, and confocal microscope.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Addition of gp120 was able to induce RPE cells to produce NO and MDA in time- and dose-dependent manners (P < 0.05). Similarly, gp120 was also capable of up-regulating iNOS mRNA and protein in D407 cells in time- and dose-dependent manners.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Gp120 induces oxidative stress in D407 cell by stimulating MDA and NO production, which is mediated by up-regulating iNOS expression. Gp120 may mediate oxidation stress in AIDS-associated retinopathy.</p>