The loss of dopaminergic neurons in DEC1 deficient mice potentially involves the decrease of PI3K/Akt/GSK3ß signaling.

Here we study the effects of differentiated embryonic chondrocyte gene 1(DEC1) deficiency on midbrain dopaminergic(DA) neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta(SNpc) through behavioral, histological and molecular analysis. We have found that compared to the age-matched WT mice, DEC1 deficient mice show a decrease in locomotor activity and motor coordination, which shows the main features of Parkinson's disease(PD). But there is no significant difference in spatial learning and memory skills between WT and DEC1 KO mice. Compared to the age-matched WT mice, DEC1 deficient mice exhibit the loss of DA neurons in the SNpc and reduction of dopamine and its metabolites in the striatum. The activated caspase-3 and TH/TUNEL+ cells increase in the SNpc of 6- and 12-month-old DEC1 KO mice compared to those of the age-matched WT mice. But we haven't found any NeuN/TUNEL+ cell increase in the hippocampus of the above two types of mice at the age of 6 months. Furthermore, DEC1 deficiency leads to a significant inhibition of PI3K/Akt/GSK3ß signaling pathway. Additionally, LiCl could rescue the DA neuron loss of midbrain in the 6-month-old DEC1 KO mice. Taken together, the loss of DA neurons in the DEC1 deficient mice potentially involves the downregulation of PI3K/Akt/GSK3ß signaling.

Effect of plasma exchange on bioactivity of peripheral blood CD34+ cells in patients with acute-on-chronic (subacute) liver failure / 临床肝胆病杂志

ObjectiveTo investigate the effect of improvement in internal environment after plasma exchange on the bioactivity of peripheral blood CD34+ cells in patients with acute-on-chronic (subacute) liver failure. MethodsThe peripheral blood CD34+ cells from patients with acute-on-chronic (subacute) liver failure were cultured in vitro using the medium containing with the serum collected before or after plasma exchange. The growth curves of the two groups of cells were recorded and compared. RT-PCR was used to detect the expression of the cell surface markers PK-M2, Integrin-β1, and L-PK, and immunofluorescence was used to detect the expression of Integrin-β1. A repeated measures analysis of variance was used for comparison of continuous data between groups. ResultsThe CD34+ cells in the medium containing the serum collected after plasma exchange grew better than those in the medium containing the serum collected before plasma exchange (P＜0.05). PK-M2 and Integrin-β1 were detected in the CD34+ cells of both groups, but L-PK was not detected in either group. ConclusionFor patients with liver failure, the improvement in internal environment after plasma exchange helps to maintain the bioactivity of peripheral blood CD34+ cells, thus improving the efficacy of stem cell transplantation for liver failure.

Roles of RegⅣ in neoplasms and clinical applications / 国际肿瘤学杂志

As a member of regenerating islet-derived family,regenerating islet-derived type Ⅳ(RegⅣ)is involved in cell proliferation and differentiation. RegⅣ is closely related to the occurrence and develop-ment of tumor,tumor cell proliferation and invasion and anti-apoptosis,and it may be a potential molecular tar-get of targeting therapy in cancer.