[Study on mechanism of Fangji Huangqi Decoction on hypouricemic effect and renal protection in hyperuricemia mice].

The aim of this paper was to study the specific mechanism of Fangji Huangqi Decoction(FHT) in decreasing uric acid and improving renal function in mice with hyperuricemia(HUA) induced by potassium oxonate, so as to provide theoretical basis for the research and development of drugs for clinical prevention and treatment of HUA and the modernization of traditional Chinese medicine. Sixty Kunming male mice were randomly divided into 6 groups, with 10 mice in each group, namely normal group, model group(250 mg·kg~(-1) potassium oxonate), FHT high, medium and low-dose groups(10 920, 5 460, and 2 730 mg·kg~(-1)) and positive drug allopurinol group(5 mg·kg~(-1)). Drug administration was given once a day for 7 days. On the 6 th day, mice of each group were kept in metabolic cages, and their urine was collected for 24 hours for determination of uric acid, creatinine, and ß2-microglobulin(ß2-MG) levels. After 7 days, the animals were sacrificed to determine serum uric acid, creatinine ß2-MG and interleukin-1ß(IL-1ß) levels, and their liver and kidney tissues were collected. The liver tissues were used for subsequent determination of xanthine oxidase(XOD) activity, and the kidney tissues were used for subsequent determination of IL-1ß levels, pathological tests and related Western blot experiments. In the cell transfection experiment, the cells were divided into blank group, model group(4.8 mmol·L~(-1) uric acid treatment), FHT administration group(4.8 mmol·L~(-1) uric acid+200 µg·mL~(-1) FHT), leucine-rich repeat kinase 1(LRRK1)-small interfering RNA(siRNA) group(4.8 mmol·L~(-1) uric acid+LRRK1-siRNA transfection) and LRRK1-siRNA+FHT group(4.8 mmol·L~(-1) uric acid+LRRK1-siRNA transfection+200 µg·mL~(-1) FHT). After 24 h incubation, the level of IL-1ß in the cell supernatant was detected, and the cellular proteins were extracted and used to determine LRRK1, epidermal growth factor receptor(EGFR), PDZ kinase 1(PDZK1) and nuclear factor-kappa B(NF-κB) protein expression levels. The results showed that, FHT could significantly reduce the uric acid, creatinine and ß2-MG levels in serum and ß2-MG levels in urine, increase the uric acid and creatinine levels in urine, and improve the renal pathological results of the HUA mice, but showed no effect on liver XOD activity; at the same time, we found that the expression level of IL-1ß in serum and kidney, NF-κB, LRRK1 and EGFR protein levels in kidney of HUA mice were significantly increased, and the expression level of PDZK1 protein was significantly decreased, while FHT could significantly improve the abnormal expression of these proteins, and FHT increased protein expression of renal organic anion transporter 1(OAT1), OAT3 and ATP bin-ding transporter G2(ABCG2) in HUA mice, but FHT had no effect on the expression of urate transporter 1(URAT1). In the cell transfection experiment, after transfection of LRRK1-siRNA, the levels of IL-1ß, EGFR and NF-κB in supernatant were significantly reduced, and the expression of PDZK1 protein was significantly increased. As compared with the LRRK1-siRNA group, the levels of IL-1ß, EGFR, PDZK1 and NF-κB did not change significantly with the additional FHT. This study showed that FHT may regulate the renal uric acid transport system through LRRK1 gene, improve the capacity of uric acid excretion, so as to reduce the level of serum uric acid. At the same time, FHT can not only protect the kidney directly, but also in an indirect manner by reducing the level of uric acid.

[Investigation on epidemic status of clonorchiasis sinensis based on inpatients in Zhongshan City, China].

Objective To understand the prevalence and epidemiological features of clonorchiasis sinensis based on inpatients in Zhongshan City. Methods All of the 23 town hospitals in Zhongshan City were selected as the surveillance hospitals in 2016. Among the inpatients from those hospitals, those lived in the city longer than 6 months were selected as the surveillance subjects. The stool specimens of the subjects were collected and examined by the modified Kato-Katz thick smear method for the eggs of Clonorchis sinensis. The crude infection rates of C. sinensis of the subjects were standardized according to the age and sex compositions of the population in Zhongshan City, 2016. Meanwhile, the infection rates of the subjects from different towns and those combined with related clinical diseases were analyzed. Results A total of 2 667 people were included in the surveillance, among which 219 were tested as positives, with a crude infection rate of 8.21%. For the positives, the male accounted for 81.74% (179/219), and their age ranged from 4 to 89 years with the mean value of (62.20±13.80) years. After standardization by age and sex composition, the infection rate was 3.62% for the whole population, the rates of the male and the female were 5.46% and 1.53%, respectively, and the former was 3.57 times as high as the latter. Both the infection rates of the male and the female rose as the age increasing (χ2male = 99.91, χ2female = 16.51, both P < 0.01). The standardized infection rates among the subjects in different towns ranged from 0 to 10.40%, and the rates in the north towns were higher than those in the south towns. The standardized rate was 9.22% for the subjects combined with gallstone, 3.40% for those not combined with gallstone, and the former was 2.71 times as high as that of the latter. Conclusion The people aged 30 years and above, with gallstone or living in towns with high C. sinensis infection rates are the key population for prevention and control of clonorchiasis in Zhongshan City.

The effect of income on selenium intake and status in Utah County, Utah.

Foodstuffs produced and/or purchased locally were analyzed for Se. The effect of income and gender on Se intake and status of Utah County residents was evaluated by measurement of the following indicators: erythrocyte (RBC) and plasma Se concentration, and activity of Se-glutathione peroxidase (Se-GSH-Px) (EC 1.11.1.9) in RBCs, platelets, and plasma. A Random Digit Dialing procedure was employed to stratify subjects according to gender and annual family income (less than +10,000, +10,000-20,000, greater than +20,000) in a 2 x 3 factorial design, seven subjects per cell. The weekly consumption of 44 foods shown to contribute over 90% of the Se intake of U.S. subjects was recorded for each study participant. The estimated minimum daily intake for this sample was 76.0 +/- 4.5 micrograms Se/day (mean +/- SEM). Available grain products are not produced locally, and their Se content is lower than average values reported by the U.S.D.A. Locally produced meat and dairy products had higher than average Se contents. In spite of lower grain Se and higher meat Se concentrations, subjects in this study derived more Se from grain and dairy products, and less from meat products than did subjects in a nationwide sample. The Se status of Utah County residents is similar to several other populations in the United States. There were no significant differences in Se status or intake due to gender or income. The results suggest that consumption of other foods produced in a "high Se" area can maintain Se intake and status in spite of reduced consumption of meat products generally viewed as more reliable sources of dietary Se.