Background Berberine is one of the main constituents of Coptidis rhizoma （CR） and Cortex phellodendri. In this study, we investigated the beneficial effects of berberine on renal function and its possible mechanisms...Background Berberine is one of the main constituents of Coptidis rhizoma （CR） and Cortex phellodendri. In this study, we investigated the beneficial effects of berberine on renal function and its possible mechanisms in rats with diabetic nephropathy （DN）. Methods Male Wistar rats were divided into three groups： normal, diabetic model, and berberine treatment groups. Rats in the diabetic model and berberine treatment groups were induced to diabetes by intraperitonal injection with streptozotocin （STZ）. Glomerular area, glomerular volume, fasting blood glucose （FBG）, blood urea nitrogen （BUN）, serum creatinine （Cr） and urine protein for 24 hours （UP24h） were measured using commercially available kits. Meanwhile, the activity of superoxide dismutase （SOD）, content of malondialdehyde （MDA） in serum, activity of aldose reductase （AR） and the expression of AR mRNA and protein in kidney were detected by different methods. Results The results showed that oral administration of berberine （200 mg·kg^-1·d^-1） significantly ameliorated the ratio of kidney weight to body weight. Glomerular area, glomerular volume, FBG, BUN, Cr and UP24h were significantly decreased in the berberine treatment group compared with the diabetic model group （P〈0.05）. Berberine treatment significantly increased serum SOD activity and decreased the content of MDA compared with diabetic model group （P 〈0.05）. AR activity as well as the expression of AR mRNA and protein in the kidney was markedly decreased in the berberine treatment group compared with diabetic model group （P 〈0.05）. Conclusion These results suggested that berberine could ameliorate renal dysfunction in DN rats through controlling blood glucose, reduction of oxidative stress and inhibition of the activation of the polyol pathway.展开更多
Epalrestat is a noncompetitive and reversible aldose reductase inhibitor used for the treatment of diabetic neuropathy. This study assumed that epalrestat had a protective effect on diabetic peripheral nerve injury by...Epalrestat is a noncompetitive and reversible aldose reductase inhibitor used for the treatment of diabetic neuropathy. This study assumed that epalrestat had a protective effect on diabetic peripheral nerve injury by suppressing the expression of aldose reductase in peripheral nerves of diabetes mellitus rats. The high-fat and high-carbohydrate model rats were established by intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin. Peripheral neuropathy occurred in these rats after sustaining high blood glucose for 8 weeks. At 12 weeks after streptozotocin injection, rats were intragastrically administered epalrestat 100 mg/kg daily for 6 weeks. Transmission electron microscope revealed that the injuries to myelinated nerve fibers, non-myelinated nerve fibers and Schwann cells of rat sciatic nerves had reduced compared to rats without epalrestat administuation. Western blot assay and immunohistochemical results demonstrated that after intervention with epalrestat, the activities of antioxidant enzymes such as superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione peroxidase gradually increased, but aldose reductase protein expression gradually diminished. Results confirmed that epalrestat could protect against diabetic peripheral neuropathy by relieving oxidative stress and suppressing the polyol pathway.展开更多
Objective:To investigate the effect of enalapril on plasma homocysteine(Hcy) levels and the association of methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase(MTHFR) C677T polymorphism with the changes of Hcy levels in response to en...Objective:To investigate the effect of enalapril on plasma homocysteine(Hcy) levels and the association of methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase(MTHFR) C677T polymorphism with the changes of Hcy levels in response to enalapril among patients with essential hypertension.Methods:A total of 130 patients with mild-to-moderate essential hypertension were enrolled and enalapril was orally administered at a dose of 10 mg/d for eight weeks.Plasma Hcy levels were measured by denaturing high-performance liquid chromatography(DHPLC) at baseline and after eight weeks of treatment.Genotyping of MTHFR C677T polymorphism was performed by TaqMan probe technique.Results:Compared with baseline,plasma Hcy levels did not change significantly after eight weeks(P=0.81).Stratified by baseline Hcy levels,a significant increase in plasma Hcy levels(P=0.02) among those with Hcy <10 μmol/L was observed,in contrast to no significant changes in plasma Hcy levels(P=0.54) among those with Hcy ≥10 μmol/L.No significant association was observed between MTHFR C677T polymorphism and changes in Hcy levels in response to enalapril.Conclusions:Enalapril may cause an increase in plasma Hcy levels among the hypertensives with low baseline Hcy levels.There was no significant association between MTHFR C677T genotypes and changes in Hcy levels in response to enalapril among subjects with essential hypertension.展开更多
Alcaligenes faecalis C16 was found to have the ability to heterotrophically nitrify and aerobically denitrify. In order to further understand its nitrogen removal ability and mechanism, the growth and ammonium removal...Alcaligenes faecalis C16 was found to have the ability to heterotrophically nitrify and aerobically denitrify. In order to further understand its nitrogen removal ability and mechanism, the growth and ammonium removal response were investigated at different C/N ratios and ammonium concentrations in the medium with citrate and acetate as carbon source separately. Furthermore, experiments of nitrogen sources, production of nitrogen gas and enzyme assay were conducted. Results show that the bacterium converts NH+4-N and produces NH2 OH during the growing phase and nitrite accumulation is its distinct metabolic feature. A. faecalis C16 is able to tolerate not only high ammonium concentration but also high C/N ratio, and the ammonium tolerance is associated with carbon source and C/N ratio. The nitrogen balance under different conditions shows that approximately28%–45% of the initial ammonium is assimilated into the cells, 44%–60% is denitrified and several percent is converted to nitrification products. A. faecalis C16 cannot utilize hydroxylamine, nitrite or nitrate as the sole nitrogen source for growth. However, nitrate can be used when ammonium is simultaneously present in the medium. A possible pathway for nitrogen removal by C16 is suggested. The preliminary enzyme assay provides more evidence for this nitrogen removal pathway.展开更多
3-Hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A （HMG CoA） reductase produces mevalonate, an important intermediate in the synthesis of cholesterol and essential nonsterol isoprenoids. The reductase is subject to an exorbitant...3-Hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A （HMG CoA） reductase produces mevalonate, an important intermediate in the synthesis of cholesterol and essential nonsterol isoprenoids. The reductase is subject to an exorbitant amount of feedback control through multiple mechanisms that are mediated by sterol and nonsterol end-products of mevalonate metabolism. Here, I will discuss recent advances that shed light on one mechanism for control of reductase, which involves rapid degradation of the enzyme. Accumulation of certain sterols triggers binding of reductase to endoplasmic reticulum （ER） membrane proteins called Insig-1 and Insig-2. Reductase-Insig binding results in recruitment of a membrane-associated ubiquitin ligase called gp78, which initiates ubiquitination of reductase. This ubiquitination is an obligatory reaction for recognition and degradation of reductase from ER membranes by cytosolic 26S proteasomes. Thus, sterol-accelerated degradation of reductase represents an example of how a general cellular process （ER-associated degradation） is used to control an important metabolic pathway （cholesterol synthesis）.展开更多
Background Oxidative stress and inflammation are important steps in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. We postulated that therapeutic concentrations of aspirin and pravastatin, especially in combination, may suppres...Background Oxidative stress and inflammation are important steps in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. We postulated that therapeutic concentrations of aspirin and pravastatin, especially in combination, may suppress oxidative stress and inflammation in endothelial cells, and this concept was examined in human coronary artery endothelial cells （HCAECs）. Methods Human coronary artery endothelial cells were cultured and treated with oxidized-low density lipoprotein （ox-LDL, 60 ug/ml for 24 hours） alone, or pre-treated with aspirin （1, 2 or 5 mmol/L）, pravastatin （1, 5 or 10 umol/L） or their combination （1 mmol/L aspirin and 5umol/L pravastatin）, followed by ox-LDL treatment. After respective treatment, superoxide anion production, p38 mitogen activated protein kinase and transcription factor NF-KB activation, protein expression of lectin-like ox-LDL receptor-1 （LOX-1） and adhesion molecules, and monocyte adhesion were measured. Results Ox-LDL treatment greatly elicited its receptor LOX-1 expression, superoxide anion production and inflammatory response, which were minimally affected by low concentration of aspirin （1 mmol/L） or pravastatin （5umol/L）, but were markedly decreased by their combination. Activation of p38 mitogen activated protein kinase and NF-KB, the expression of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 and monocyte chemotactic protein-I, which were only mildly affected by aspirin or pravastatin alone, were significantly attenuated by their combination. As a consequence, monocyte adhesion to endothelial cells was markedly attenuated by the combination of the two agents. Well-known anti-oxidants a-tocopherol and y-tocopherol had similar inhibitory effects on ox-LDL-mediated oxidative stress and LOX-1 expression as well as monocyte adhesion as did the combination of aspirin and pravastatin. Conclusions These studies point to a positive interaction between aspirin and pravastatin with regard to endothelial bioloqy. Anti-oxidant and subsequent anti-inflammatory effect may be on展开更多
: To investigate the biochemical response of freshwater green algae to elevated CO2 concentrations, Chlorella pyrenoidosa Chick and Chlamydomonas reinhardtii Dang cells were cultured at different CO2 concentrations wi...: To investigate the biochemical response of freshwater green algae to elevated CO2 concentrations, Chlorella pyrenoidosa Chick and Chlamydomonas reinhardtii Dang cells were cultured at different CO2 concentrations within the range 3-186 ümol/L and the biochemical composition, carbonic anhydrase (CA), and nitrate reductase activities of the cells were investigated. Chlorophylls (Chl), carotenoids, carbonhydrate, and protein contents were enhanced to varying extents with increasing CO2 concentration from 3-186 ümol/L. The CO2 enrichment significantly increased the Chl a/Chl b ratio in Chlorella pyrenoidosa, but not in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. The CO2 concentration had significant effects on CA and nitrate reductase activity. Elevating CO2 concentration to 186 ümol/L caused a decline in intracellular and extracellullar CA activity. Nitrate reductase activity, under either light or dark conditions, in C. reinhardtii and C. pyrenoidosa was also significantly decreased with CO2 enrichment. From this study, it can be concluded that CO2 enrichment can affect biochemical composition, CA, and nitrate reductase activity, and that the biochemical response was species dependent.展开更多
Aim： To analyze the distribution of the single nucleotide polymorphism （SNP） C677T in the methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase （MTHFR） gene in 355 infertile Chinese patients with idiopathic azoospermia or severe o...Aim： To analyze the distribution of the single nucleotide polymorphism （SNP） C677T in the methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase （MTHFR） gene in 355 infertile Chinese patients with idiopathic azoospermia or severe oligozoospermia and 252 fertile Chinese men as controls to explore the possible association of the SNP and male infertility. Methods： Using the polymerase chain reaction （PCR）-restriction fragment length polymorphism technique, the allele and genotype distribution of SNP C677T in the MTHFR gene were investigated in both patients and controls. Results： The frequencies of allele T （40.9% vs 30.4%, P = 0.002, odds ration [OR] = 1.58, 95% confidence interval [CI]： 1.24-2.02） and mutant homozygote （TT） （18.3% vs. 11.5%, P = 0.023, OR = 1.72, 95% CI： 1.07-2.76） as well as carrier with allele （TT ＋ CT） （63.4% vs. 49.2%, P = 0.0005, OR = 1.79, 95% CI： 1.29-2.48） in infertile patients were significantly higher than those in controls. After patient stratification, the significant differences in distribution of the SNP between each patient subgroup and control group still remained. Conclusion： Our findings indicate that there is an association of SNP C677T in the MTHFR gene with male infertility, suggesting that this polymorphism might be a genetic risk factor for male infertility in Chinese men.展开更多
Cinnamoyl CoA reductase （CCR） and cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenase （CAD） catalyze the last steps of mono- lignol biosynthesis. In Arabidopsis, one CCR gene （CCR1, Atlg15950） and two CAD genes （CAD C At3g19450 and...Cinnamoyl CoA reductase （CCR） and cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenase （CAD） catalyze the last steps of mono- lignol biosynthesis. In Arabidopsis, one CCR gene （CCR1, Atlg15950） and two CAD genes （CAD C At3g19450 and CAD D At4g34230） are involved in this pathway. A triple cad c cad d ccrl mutant, named ccc, was obtained. This mutant displays a severe dwarf phenotype and male sterility. The lignin content in ccc mature stems is reduced to 50% of the wild-type level. In addition, stem lignin structure is severely affected, as shown by the dramatic enrichment in resistant inter-unit bonds and incorporation into the polymer of monolignol precursors such as coniferaldehyde, sinapaldehyde, and ferulic acid. Male sterility is due to the lack of lignification in the anther endothecium, which causes the failure of anther de- hiscence and of pollen release. The cc~ hypolignified stems accumulate higher amounts of flavonol glycosides, sinapoyl malate and feruloyl malate, which suggests a redirection of the phenolic pathway. Therefore, the absence of CAD and CCR, key enzymes of the monolignol pathway, has more severe consequences on the phenotype than the individual absence of each of them. Induction of another CCR （CCR2, Atlg80820） and another CAD （CAD1, At4g39330） does not compensate the absence of the main CCR and CAD activities. This lack of CCR and CAD activities not only impacts lignification, but also severely affects the development of the plants. These consequences must be carefully considered when trying to reduce the lignin content of plants in order to facilitate the lignocellulose-to-bioethanol conversion process.展开更多
OBJECTIVE： To evaluate the efficacy of α-lipoic acid（ALA） plus epalrestat combination therapy in the treatment of diabetic peripheral neuropathy（DPN）. DATA SOURCES： The electronic databases of Pub Med, Medline,...OBJECTIVE： To evaluate the efficacy of α-lipoic acid（ALA） plus epalrestat combination therapy in the treatment of diabetic peripheral neuropathy（DPN）. DATA SOURCES： The electronic databases of Pub Med, Medline, Embase, the Cochrane Library, the Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure, the Wanfang Database and the Chinese Biomedical Database were used to retrieve relevant studies without language restrictions. The search was conducted from the inception of each database to 7 October 2016. The key terms were（diabetic peripheral neuropathy or diabetic neuropathy or DPN） AND（α-lipoic acid or lipoic acid or thioctic acid） AND epalrestat. DATA SELECTION： All of the eligible studies met the following inclusion criteria：（1） Randomized controlled trials that compared efficacy and safety of epalrestat plus ALA combination therapy versus epalrestat or ALA monotherapy in patients with DPN.（2） The minimum duration of treatment was 2 weeks.（3） The DPN patients were diagnosed using the World Health Organization standardized type 2 diabetes mellitus and DPN criteria.（4） Studies contained at least one measure that could reflect the efficacy of the drug and nerve conduction velocities. Studies in which the control group used epalrestat or ALA combined with other drugs were excluded. Statistical analyses were performed using STATA software for meta-analysis. OUTCOME MEASURES： The primary outcomes were the therapeutic efficacy, median motor nerve conduction velocity（MNCV）, median sensory nerve conduction velocity（SNCV）, peroneal MNCV and peroneal SNCV.RESULTS： Twenty studies with 1894 DPN patients were included, including 864 patients in the ALA plus epalrestat group, 473 in the ALA group and 557 in the epalrestat group. The efficacy of ALA plus epalrestat combination therapy was superior to ALA and epalrestat monotherapies（RR = 1.29, 95% CI： 1.21–1.38; RR = 1.43, 95% CI： 1.34–1.54, respectively）. ALA plus epalrestat combination therapy also significantly improved m展开更多
Genes encoding enzymes involved in biosynthesis of very long chain fatty acids were significantly up-regulatedduring early cotton fiber development. Two cDNAs, GhKCR1 and GhKCR2 encoding putative cotton 3-ketoacyl-CoA...Genes encoding enzymes involved in biosynthesis of very long chain fatty acids were significantly up-regulatedduring early cotton fiber development. Two cDNAs, GhKCR1 and GhKCR2 encoding putative cotton 3-ketoacyl-CoAreductases that catalyze the second step in fatty acid elongation, were isolated from developing cotton fibers. GhKCR1and 2 contain open reading frames of 963 bp and 924 bp encoding proteins of 320 and 307 amino acid residues,respectively. Quantatitive RT-PCR analysis showed that both these genes were highly preferentially expressed duringthe cotton fiber elongation period with much lower levels recovered from roots, stems and leaves. GhKCR1 and 2showed 30%-32% identity to Saccharomyces cerevisiae Ybr159p at the deduced amino acid level. These cotton cDNAswere cloned and expressed in yeast haploid ybr159w? mutant that was deficient in 3-ketoacyl-CoA reductase activity.Wild-type growth rate was restored in ybr159w? cells that expressed either GhKCR1 or 2. Further analysis showed thatGhKCR1 and 2 were co-sedimented within the membranous pellet fraction after high-speed centrifugation, similar to theyeast endoplasmic reticulum marker ScKar2p. Both GhKCR(s) showed NADPH-dependent 3-ketoacyl-CoA reductaseactivity in an in vitro assay system using palmitoyl-CoA and malonyl-CoA as substrates. Our results suggest thatGhKCR1 and 2 are functional orthologues of ScYbr159p.展开更多
Seeds of Indian mustard （Brassicajuncea （L.） Czern. et Coss.） were exposed to 0, 50, 100 and 150 mmol/L NaCI for 8 h and seeds were sown in an earthen pot. These stressed seedlings were subsequently sprayed with 1...Seeds of Indian mustard （Brassicajuncea （L.） Czern. et Coss.） were exposed to 0, 50, 100 and 150 mmol/L NaCI for 8 h and seeds were sown in an earthen pot. These stressed seedlings were subsequently sprayed with 10μmol/L salicylic acid （SA） at 30 d and were sampled at 60 d to assess the changes in growth, photosynthesis and antioxidant enzymes. The seedlings raised from the seeds treated with NaCI had significantly reduced growth and the activities of carbonic anhydrase, nitrate reductase and photosynthesis, and the decrease was proportional to the increase in NaCI concentration. However, the antioxidant enzymes （catalase, peroxidase and superoxide dismutase） and proline content was enhanced in response to NaCI and/or SA treatment, where their interaction had an additive effect. Moreover, the toxic effects generated by the lower concentration of NaCI （50 mmol/L） were completely overcome by the application of SA. It was, therefore, concluded that SA ameliorated the stress generated by NaCl through the alleviated antioxidant system.展开更多
The objective is to study whether the accumulation and utilization of plant N are controlled by Mo status in winter wheat cultivars. Mo-efficient cultivar 97003 （eft） and Mo-inefficient cultivar 97014 （ineff） were...The objective is to study whether the accumulation and utilization of plant N are controlled by Mo status in winter wheat cultivars. Mo-efficient cultivar 97003 （eft） and Mo-inefficient cultivar 97014 （ineff） were grown in severely Mo-deficient acidic soil （Tamm-reagent-extractable Mo 0.112 mg kg^-1） with （＋Mo） and without （-Mo） the application of 0.13 mg kg^-1 Mo. The accumulation and use efficiency of plant total N were significantly higher in ＋Mo than that in -Mo and in eft than that in ineff under Mo deficiency. N use efficiency was remarkably higher in maturity but it was forwarded to jointing stage after Mo supply, thus indicating that Mo supply promoted the N use efficiency besides N uptake and eff was efficient in N uptake and utilization. The overall activity of nitrate reductase （NR, EC 1.6.6.1） was significantly higher in ＋Mo than in -Mo and ratio of ＋Mo/-Mo was even to 14.8 at filleting stage for ineff. Activity of glutamine synthetase （GS, EC 6.3.1.2） was significantly lower in ＋Mo than in -Mo. Concentration of nitrate and glutamate were also significantly lower in ＋Mo than in -Mo, thus provided evidences for enhancing N use efficiency by Mo supply. Activities of NR and GS were significantly higher and concentrations of nitrate and glutamate were significantly lower in eff than ineff under Mo deficiency, thus indicated eff was more efficient in N reduction and utilization. It is therefore concluded that Mo could promote N accumulation and utilization in winter wheat which was directly related to NR and feedback regulated by GS. Higher Mo status also results in higher accumulation and utilization of plant N in eft.展开更多
Diabetes mellitus is not a single disease but is a group of metabolic disorders affecting a huge numlier of population in the world.It is mainly characterized by chronic hyperglycemia,resulting from defects in insulin...Diabetes mellitus is not a single disease but is a group of metabolic disorders affecting a huge numlier of population in the world.It is mainly characterized by chronic hyperglycemia,resulting from defects in insulin secretion or insulin action.It is predicated that the number of diabetes person in the world could reach upto 366 million by the year 2030.Even though the cases of diabetes are increasing day by day,except insulin and oral hypoglycemic drugs no other way of treatment has been successfully developed so far.Thus,the objective of the present review is to provide an insight over the pathophysiological and etiological aspects of diabetes mellitus along with the remedies available for this metabolic disorder.The review also contains brief idea about diabetes mellitus and the experimental screening model with their relevant mechanism and significance mainly used nowadays.Alloxan and streptozotocin are mainly used for evaluating the antidiabetic activity of a particular drug.This review contain list of medicinal plants which have been tested for their antidiabetic activity in the alloxan induced diabetic rat model.From the available data in the literature,it was found that plant having antidiabetic activity is mainly due to the presence of the secondary metabolite.Thus,the information provided in this review will help the researchers for the development of an alternative methods rather than insidin and oral hypoglycemic agents for the treatment of diabetes niellitus,which will minimize the complication associated with the diabetes and related disorder.展开更多
Background Diabetic myocardiopathy is characterized by myocardial interstitial fibrosis and cardiac dysfunction. Statins were found to exert protective effects on cardiovascular disease by suppressing activation of sm...Background Diabetic myocardiopathy is characterized by myocardial interstitial fibrosis and cardiac dysfunction. Statins were found to exert protective effects on cardiovascular disease by suppressing activation of small G proteins, independently of their lipid-lowering effect. The study investigated the effect of fluvastatin on myocardial interstitial fibrosis, cardiac function and mechanism of its action in diabetic rats. Methods Twenty-four male SD rats were randomly assigned to 3 groups： control rats （n=-8）, streptozotocin （STZ）-induced diabetic rats （n=8）, and diabetic rats treated with fluvastatin （administered fluvastatin orally, 10 mg/kg body weight per day, n=-8）. Twelve weeks later, miniature cardiac catheter was inserted into the left ventricle to conduct hemodynamic examination. Then myocardium tissues were collected, collagen content was detected by picro-sirius red staining, real-time quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction （RT-PCR） was used to detect the mRNA expression of connective tissue growth factor （CTGF）, and Western blotting was used to detect the protein expression of CTGF. Rho activity was determined by pull-down assay. Results After 12 weeks, the left ventricular systolic pressure （LVSP） and maximum rate of left ventricular （LV） pressure rise and fall （＋dP/dt max and -dP/dt max） were significantly lower and left ventricular end diastolic pressure （LVEDP） was higher in the diabetic rats than those in the control rats （P 〈0.01）. Moreover, in LV myocardial tissue of diabetic rats the collagen content, fibronectin, mRNA and protein expression of CTGF and the activity of RhoA were all significantly increased compared with the control rats （P 〈0.01）. Administration of fluvastain obviously improved the cardiac function of diabetic rats, attenuated fibronectin expression, mRNA and protein expression of CTGF and the activity of RhoA in LV myocardium of diabetic rats. Conclusions Fluvastatin attenuates cardiac dysfunction展开更多
Objective:To evaluate the predictive values of gene expressions of ribonucleotide reductase M1(RRM1) and breast cancer susceptibility gene 1(BRCA1) in peripheral blood from Chinese patients with non-small-cell lung ca...Objective:To evaluate the predictive values of gene expressions of ribonucleotide reductase M1(RRM1) and breast cancer susceptibility gene 1(BRCA1) in peripheral blood from Chinese patients with non-small-cell lung cancer(NSCLC) treated with gemcitabine plus platinum.Methods:Forty Chinese patients with advanced NSCLC were recruited and received gemcitabine 1200 mg/m 2 on Days 1 and 8 plus carboplatin AUC 5 on Day 1.RRM1 and BRCA1 expression levels in peripheral blood were detected by quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR) .Kaplan-Meier survival curve and log-rank test were performed to evaluate the correlation between gene expression and overall survival for these subjects.Results:No correlation was observed between gene expression of RRM1 and that of BRCA1(P>0.05) ,but there was a strong correlation between the expression of RRM1 and the response to chemotherapy(P=0.003) .Subjects with low RRM1 expression levels in peripheral blood had longer sur-vival time than those with high RRM1 expression levels(16.95 vs.12.76 months,log-rank 3.989,P=0.046) .However,no significant association between BRCA1 expression levels and survival time was found(16.80 vs.13.77 months,log-rank 0.830,P=0.362) .Conclusions:Patients with low RRM1 expression levels in peripheral blood have a greater response to chemotherapy and longer survival time.Advanced NSCLC patients with low RRM1 expression levels may benefit from gemcitabine plus platinum therapy.RRM1 mRNA expression in peripheral blood could be used to predict the prognosis of NSCLC treated by gemcitabine and platinum.展开更多
Objective To examine the relationship between occurrence of hyperlipidemia, plasma homocysteine and polymorphisms of methylenetetra hydrofolate reductase （MTHFR） gene and methionine synthase （MS） gene. Methods A t...Objective To examine the relationship between occurrence of hyperlipidemia, plasma homocysteine and polymorphisms of methylenetetra hydrofolate reductase （MTHFR） gene and methionine synthase （MS） gene. Methods A total of 192 hyperlipidemia patients were selected and divided into hypercholesterolemia group, hypertriglyceridemia group, and combined hyperlipidemia group. Another 208 normal individuals were selected as control. Total plasma homocysteine （tHcy） concentration was measured by high-performance liquid chromatography （HPLC）. Lipid profiles were measured for all subjects The polymorphisms of MTHFR gene C677T and MS gene A2756G were analyzed by PCR-RFLP. Results The tHcy concentration in the combined hyperlipidemia patients was significantly higher than that in the control （15.95μmol/L vs 13.43 μmol/L, P〈0.05）. The prevalence of hyperhomocysteinemia （HHcy） in the combined hyperlipidemia group was significantly higher than that in the control （42.2% vs 23.0%, P=0.015）, with the odds ratio （OR） of 3.339 （95%CI： 1.260-8.849）. The hyperlipidemia patients with HHcy had a higher concentration of total cholesterol （TC） than that in the normal tHcy patients （5.67±0.95 mmol/L vs 5.47±0.92 retool/L, P=0.034）. There was no significant difference in genotype or allele frequencies of MTHFR C677T between the hyperlipidemic and control groups. The hyperlipidemia patients with MTHFR CT/TT genotype had a higher concentration of triglyceride （TG） than those with CC genotype （2.24±1.75 mmol/L vs 1.87±0.95 mmol/L, P〈0.05）. Individuals with CT/TT genotype had a higher concentration of tHcy than those with 677CC genotype both in the hyperlipidemia group （12.61±1.24μmol/L vs 11.20±1.37 μmol/L, P〈0.05） and in the control group （14.04±1.48 μmol/L vs 12.61±1.24 μmol/L, P〈0.05）. The percentage of MS 2756 GG/AG genotype in the combined hyperlipidemia group was significantly higher than that in the control （26.7% vs 13.0%, P=0.012）, with the OR of 3.展开更多
文摘Background Berberine is one of the main constituents of Coptidis rhizoma （CR） and Cortex phellodendri. In this study, we investigated the beneficial effects of berberine on renal function and its possible mechanisms in rats with diabetic nephropathy （DN）. Methods Male Wistar rats were divided into three groups： normal, diabetic model, and berberine treatment groups. Rats in the diabetic model and berberine treatment groups were induced to diabetes by intraperitonal injection with streptozotocin （STZ）. Glomerular area, glomerular volume, fasting blood glucose （FBG）, blood urea nitrogen （BUN）, serum creatinine （Cr） and urine protein for 24 hours （UP24h） were measured using commercially available kits. Meanwhile, the activity of superoxide dismutase （SOD）, content of malondialdehyde （MDA） in serum, activity of aldose reductase （AR） and the expression of AR mRNA and protein in kidney were detected by different methods. Results The results showed that oral administration of berberine （200 mg·kg^-1·d^-1） significantly ameliorated the ratio of kidney weight to body weight. Glomerular area, glomerular volume, FBG, BUN, Cr and UP24h were significantly decreased in the berberine treatment group compared with the diabetic model group （P〈0.05）. Berberine treatment significantly increased serum SOD activity and decreased the content of MDA compared with diabetic model group （P 〈0.05）. AR activity as well as the expression of AR mRNA and protein in the kidney was markedly decreased in the berberine treatment group compared with diabetic model group （P 〈0.05）. Conclusion These results suggested that berberine could ameliorate renal dysfunction in DN rats through controlling blood glucose, reduction of oxidative stress and inhibition of the activation of the polyol pathway.
基金supported by a grant from the National Natural Science Foundation of China,No.81060141
文摘Epalrestat is a noncompetitive and reversible aldose reductase inhibitor used for the treatment of diabetic neuropathy. This study assumed that epalrestat had a protective effect on diabetic peripheral nerve injury by suppressing the expression of aldose reductase in peripheral nerves of diabetes mellitus rats. The high-fat and high-carbohydrate model rats were established by intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin. Peripheral neuropathy occurred in these rats after sustaining high blood glucose for 8 weeks. At 12 weeks after streptozotocin injection, rats were intragastrically administered epalrestat 100 mg/kg daily for 6 weeks. Transmission electron microscope revealed that the injuries to myelinated nerve fibers, non-myelinated nerve fibers and Schwann cells of rat sciatic nerves had reduced compared to rats without epalrestat administuation. Western blot assay and immunohistochemical results demonstrated that after intervention with epalrestat, the activities of antioxidant enzymes such as superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione peroxidase gradually increased, but aldose reductase protein expression gradually diminished. Results confirmed that epalrestat could protect against diabetic peripheral neuropathy by relieving oxidative stress and suppressing the polyol pathway.
文摘Objective:To investigate the effect of enalapril on plasma homocysteine(Hcy) levels and the association of methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase(MTHFR) C677T polymorphism with the changes of Hcy levels in response to enalapril among patients with essential hypertension.Methods:A total of 130 patients with mild-to-moderate essential hypertension were enrolled and enalapril was orally administered at a dose of 10 mg/d for eight weeks.Plasma Hcy levels were measured by denaturing high-performance liquid chromatography(DHPLC) at baseline and after eight weeks of treatment.Genotyping of MTHFR C677T polymorphism was performed by TaqMan probe technique.Results:Compared with baseline,plasma Hcy levels did not change significantly after eight weeks(P=0.81).Stratified by baseline Hcy levels,a significant increase in plasma Hcy levels(P=0.02) among those with Hcy <10 μmol/L was observed,in contrast to no significant changes in plasma Hcy levels(P=0.54) among those with Hcy ≥10 μmol/L.No significant association was observed between MTHFR C677T polymorphism and changes in Hcy levels in response to enalapril.Conclusions:Enalapril may cause an increase in plasma Hcy levels among the hypertensives with low baseline Hcy levels.There was no significant association between MTHFR C677T genotypes and changes in Hcy levels in response to enalapril among subjects with essential hypertension.
基金National Natural Science Foundation of China(51078252)the Science and Technology Program of Taiyuan(120233)the Natural Science Foundation of Shanxi Province(2010011016–1)
文摘Alcaligenes faecalis C16 was found to have the ability to heterotrophically nitrify and aerobically denitrify. In order to further understand its nitrogen removal ability and mechanism, the growth and ammonium removal response were investigated at different C/N ratios and ammonium concentrations in the medium with citrate and acetate as carbon source separately. Furthermore, experiments of nitrogen sources, production of nitrogen gas and enzyme assay were conducted. Results show that the bacterium converts NH+4-N and produces NH2 OH during the growing phase and nitrite accumulation is its distinct metabolic feature. A. faecalis C16 is able to tolerate not only high ammonium concentration but also high C/N ratio, and the ammonium tolerance is associated with carbon source and C/N ratio. The nitrogen balance under different conditions shows that approximately28%–45% of the initial ammonium is assimilated into the cells, 44%–60% is denitrified and several percent is converted to nitrification products. A. faecalis C16 cannot utilize hydroxylamine, nitrite or nitrate as the sole nitrogen source for growth. However, nitrate can be used when ammonium is simultaneously present in the medium. A possible pathway for nitrogen removal by C16 is suggested. The preliminary enzyme assay provides more evidence for this nitrogen removal pathway.
文摘3-Hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A （HMG CoA） reductase produces mevalonate, an important intermediate in the synthesis of cholesterol and essential nonsterol isoprenoids. The reductase is subject to an exorbitant amount of feedback control through multiple mechanisms that are mediated by sterol and nonsterol end-products of mevalonate metabolism. Here, I will discuss recent advances that shed light on one mechanism for control of reductase, which involves rapid degradation of the enzyme. Accumulation of certain sterols triggers binding of reductase to endoplasmic reticulum （ER） membrane proteins called Insig-1 and Insig-2. Reductase-Insig binding results in recruitment of a membrane-associated ubiquitin ligase called gp78, which initiates ubiquitination of reductase. This ubiquitination is an obligatory reaction for recognition and degradation of reductase from ER membranes by cytosolic 26S proteasomes. Thus, sterol-accelerated degradation of reductase represents an example of how a general cellular process （ER-associated degradation） is used to control an important metabolic pathway （cholesterol synthesis）.
文摘Background Oxidative stress and inflammation are important steps in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. We postulated that therapeutic concentrations of aspirin and pravastatin, especially in combination, may suppress oxidative stress and inflammation in endothelial cells, and this concept was examined in human coronary artery endothelial cells （HCAECs）. Methods Human coronary artery endothelial cells were cultured and treated with oxidized-low density lipoprotein （ox-LDL, 60 ug/ml for 24 hours） alone, or pre-treated with aspirin （1, 2 or 5 mmol/L）, pravastatin （1, 5 or 10 umol/L） or their combination （1 mmol/L aspirin and 5umol/L pravastatin）, followed by ox-LDL treatment. After respective treatment, superoxide anion production, p38 mitogen activated protein kinase and transcription factor NF-KB activation, protein expression of lectin-like ox-LDL receptor-1 （LOX-1） and adhesion molecules, and monocyte adhesion were measured. Results Ox-LDL treatment greatly elicited its receptor LOX-1 expression, superoxide anion production and inflammatory response, which were minimally affected by low concentration of aspirin （1 mmol/L） or pravastatin （5umol/L）, but were markedly decreased by their combination. Activation of p38 mitogen activated protein kinase and NF-KB, the expression of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 and monocyte chemotactic protein-I, which were only mildly affected by aspirin or pravastatin alone, were significantly attenuated by their combination. As a consequence, monocyte adhesion to endothelial cells was markedly attenuated by the combination of the two agents. Well-known anti-oxidants a-tocopherol and y-tocopherol had similar inhibitory effects on ox-LDL-mediated oxidative stress and LOX-1 expression as well as monocyte adhesion as did the combination of aspirin and pravastatin. Conclusions These studies point to a positive interaction between aspirin and pravastatin with regard to endothelial bioloqy. Anti-oxidant and subsequent anti-inflammatory effect may be on
文摘: To investigate the biochemical response of freshwater green algae to elevated CO2 concentrations, Chlorella pyrenoidosa Chick and Chlamydomonas reinhardtii Dang cells were cultured at different CO2 concentrations within the range 3-186 ümol/L and the biochemical composition, carbonic anhydrase (CA), and nitrate reductase activities of the cells were investigated. Chlorophylls (Chl), carotenoids, carbonhydrate, and protein contents were enhanced to varying extents with increasing CO2 concentration from 3-186 ümol/L. The CO2 enrichment significantly increased the Chl a/Chl b ratio in Chlorella pyrenoidosa, but not in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. The CO2 concentration had significant effects on CA and nitrate reductase activity. Elevating CO2 concentration to 186 ümol/L caused a decline in intracellular and extracellullar CA activity. Nitrate reductase activity, under either light or dark conditions, in C. reinhardtii and C. pyrenoidosa was also significantly decreased with CO2 enrichment. From this study, it can be concluded that CO2 enrichment can affect biochemical composition, CA, and nitrate reductase activity, and that the biochemical response was species dependent.
基金Acknowledgment This work was supported by the National High Tech- nology Research and Development Program of China （Grants 2004AA216090 and 2002BA711A08）, National Basic Research Program of China （Grant 2004Cb518805）, the Natural National Science Foundation of China （Grant 30470960） and the China Medical Board of New York.
文摘Aim： To analyze the distribution of the single nucleotide polymorphism （SNP） C677T in the methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase （MTHFR） gene in 355 infertile Chinese patients with idiopathic azoospermia or severe oligozoospermia and 252 fertile Chinese men as controls to explore the possible association of the SNP and male infertility. Methods： Using the polymerase chain reaction （PCR）-restriction fragment length polymorphism technique, the allele and genotype distribution of SNP C677T in the MTHFR gene were investigated in both patients and controls. Results： The frequencies of allele T （40.9% vs 30.4%, P = 0.002, odds ration [OR] = 1.58, 95% confidence interval [CI]： 1.24-2.02） and mutant homozygote （TT） （18.3% vs. 11.5%, P = 0.023, OR = 1.72, 95% CI： 1.07-2.76） as well as carrier with allele （TT ＋ CT） （63.4% vs. 49.2%, P = 0.0005, OR = 1.79, 95% CI： 1.29-2.48） in infertile patients were significantly higher than those in controls. After patient stratification, the significant differences in distribution of the SNP between each patient subgroup and control group still remained. Conclusion： Our findings indicate that there is an association of SNP C677T in the MTHFR gene with male infertility, suggesting that this polymorphism might be a genetic risk factor for male infertility in Chinese men.
文摘Cinnamoyl CoA reductase （CCR） and cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenase （CAD） catalyze the last steps of mono- lignol biosynthesis. In Arabidopsis, one CCR gene （CCR1, Atlg15950） and two CAD genes （CAD C At3g19450 and CAD D At4g34230） are involved in this pathway. A triple cad c cad d ccrl mutant, named ccc, was obtained. This mutant displays a severe dwarf phenotype and male sterility. The lignin content in ccc mature stems is reduced to 50% of the wild-type level. In addition, stem lignin structure is severely affected, as shown by the dramatic enrichment in resistant inter-unit bonds and incorporation into the polymer of monolignol precursors such as coniferaldehyde, sinapaldehyde, and ferulic acid. Male sterility is due to the lack of lignification in the anther endothecium, which causes the failure of anther de- hiscence and of pollen release. The cc~ hypolignified stems accumulate higher amounts of flavonol glycosides, sinapoyl malate and feruloyl malate, which suggests a redirection of the phenolic pathway. Therefore, the absence of CAD and CCR, key enzymes of the monolignol pathway, has more severe consequences on the phenotype than the individual absence of each of them. Induction of another CCR （CCR2, Atlg80820） and another CAD （CAD1, At4g39330） does not compensate the absence of the main CCR and CAD activities. This lack of CCR and CAD activities not only impacts lignification, but also severely affects the development of the plants. These consequences must be carefully considered when trying to reduce the lignin content of plants in order to facilitate the lignocellulose-to-bioethanol conversion process.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China,No.81370165a grant from the Public Benefit Technology and Society Development Program of Zhejiang Province of China,No.2015C33309+2 种基金a grant from the Ningbo Science and Technology Innovation Team Program in China,No.2014B82002,2015B11050a grant from the Ningbo Science and Technology Project in China,No.2015A610217the Fang Runhua Fund of Hong Kong,K.C.Wong Magna Fund in Ningbo University
文摘OBJECTIVE： To evaluate the efficacy of α-lipoic acid（ALA） plus epalrestat combination therapy in the treatment of diabetic peripheral neuropathy（DPN）. DATA SOURCES： The electronic databases of Pub Med, Medline, Embase, the Cochrane Library, the Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure, the Wanfang Database and the Chinese Biomedical Database were used to retrieve relevant studies without language restrictions. The search was conducted from the inception of each database to 7 October 2016. The key terms were（diabetic peripheral neuropathy or diabetic neuropathy or DPN） AND（α-lipoic acid or lipoic acid or thioctic acid） AND epalrestat. DATA SELECTION： All of the eligible studies met the following inclusion criteria：（1） Randomized controlled trials that compared efficacy and safety of epalrestat plus ALA combination therapy versus epalrestat or ALA monotherapy in patients with DPN.（2） The minimum duration of treatment was 2 weeks.（3） The DPN patients were diagnosed using the World Health Organization standardized type 2 diabetes mellitus and DPN criteria.（4） Studies contained at least one measure that could reflect the efficacy of the drug and nerve conduction velocities. Studies in which the control group used epalrestat or ALA combined with other drugs were excluded. Statistical analyses were performed using STATA software for meta-analysis. OUTCOME MEASURES： The primary outcomes were the therapeutic efficacy, median motor nerve conduction velocity（MNCV）, median sensory nerve conduction velocity（SNCV）, peroneal MNCV and peroneal SNCV.RESULTS： Twenty studies with 1894 DPN patients were included, including 864 patients in the ALA plus epalrestat group, 473 in the ALA group and 557 in the epalrestat group. The efficacy of ALA plus epalrestat combination therapy was superior to ALA and epalrestat monotherapies（RR = 1.29, 95% CI： 1.21–1.38; RR = 1.43, 95% CI： 1.34–1.54, respectively）. ALA plus epalrestat combination therapy also significantly improved m
基金supported by grants from China Na-tional Basic Research Program (NO. 2004CB117302)National Natural Science Foundation of China (No.30470171)the Sigrid Jusélius Foundation Finland and the Academy of Finland
文摘Genes encoding enzymes involved in biosynthesis of very long chain fatty acids were significantly up-regulatedduring early cotton fiber development. Two cDNAs, GhKCR1 and GhKCR2 encoding putative cotton 3-ketoacyl-CoAreductases that catalyze the second step in fatty acid elongation, were isolated from developing cotton fibers. GhKCR1and 2 contain open reading frames of 963 bp and 924 bp encoding proteins of 320 and 307 amino acid residues,respectively. Quantatitive RT-PCR analysis showed that both these genes were highly preferentially expressed duringthe cotton fiber elongation period with much lower levels recovered from roots, stems and leaves. GhKCR1 and 2showed 30%-32% identity to Saccharomyces cerevisiae Ybr159p at the deduced amino acid level. These cotton cDNAswere cloned and expressed in yeast haploid ybr159w? mutant that was deficient in 3-ketoacyl-CoA reductase activity.Wild-type growth rate was restored in ybr159w? cells that expressed either GhKCR1 or 2. Further analysis showed thatGhKCR1 and 2 were co-sedimented within the membranous pellet fraction after high-speed centrifugation, similar to theyeast endoplasmic reticulum marker ScKar2p. Both GhKCR(s) showed NADPH-dependent 3-ketoacyl-CoA reductaseactivity in an in vitro assay system using palmitoyl-CoA and malonyl-CoA as substrates. Our results suggest thatGhKCR1 and 2 are functional orthologues of ScYbr159p.
文摘Seeds of Indian mustard （Brassicajuncea （L.） Czern. et Coss.） were exposed to 0, 50, 100 and 150 mmol/L NaCI for 8 h and seeds were sown in an earthen pot. These stressed seedlings were subsequently sprayed with 10μmol/L salicylic acid （SA） at 30 d and were sampled at 60 d to assess the changes in growth, photosynthesis and antioxidant enzymes. The seedlings raised from the seeds treated with NaCI had significantly reduced growth and the activities of carbonic anhydrase, nitrate reductase and photosynthesis, and the decrease was proportional to the increase in NaCI concentration. However, the antioxidant enzymes （catalase, peroxidase and superoxide dismutase） and proline content was enhanced in response to NaCI and/or SA treatment, where their interaction had an additive effect. Moreover, the toxic effects generated by the lower concentration of NaCI （50 mmol/L） were completely overcome by the application of SA. It was, therefore, concluded that SA ameliorated the stress generated by NaCl through the alleviated antioxidant system.
基金Financial supports by the National Natural Science Foun-dation of China (30070431)the Key Technologies R&D Program of China during the 9th Five-Year Plan period(95-Agric-18-04)+1 种基金the Doctoral Fund of Ministry of Edu-cation of China (200805041061)the Earmarked Fund for Modern Agro-Industry Technology Research System, China
文摘The objective is to study whether the accumulation and utilization of plant N are controlled by Mo status in winter wheat cultivars. Mo-efficient cultivar 97003 （eft） and Mo-inefficient cultivar 97014 （ineff） were grown in severely Mo-deficient acidic soil （Tamm-reagent-extractable Mo 0.112 mg kg^-1） with （＋Mo） and without （-Mo） the application of 0.13 mg kg^-1 Mo. The accumulation and use efficiency of plant total N were significantly higher in ＋Mo than that in -Mo and in eft than that in ineff under Mo deficiency. N use efficiency was remarkably higher in maturity but it was forwarded to jointing stage after Mo supply, thus indicating that Mo supply promoted the N use efficiency besides N uptake and eff was efficient in N uptake and utilization. The overall activity of nitrate reductase （NR, EC 1.6.6.1） was significantly higher in ＋Mo than in -Mo and ratio of ＋Mo/-Mo was even to 14.8 at filleting stage for ineff. Activity of glutamine synthetase （GS, EC 6.3.1.2） was significantly lower in ＋Mo than in -Mo. Concentration of nitrate and glutamate were also significantly lower in ＋Mo than in -Mo, thus provided evidences for enhancing N use efficiency by Mo supply. Activities of NR and GS were significantly higher and concentrations of nitrate and glutamate were significantly lower in eff than ineff under Mo deficiency, thus indicated eff was more efficient in N reduction and utilization. It is therefore concluded that Mo could promote N accumulation and utilization in winter wheat which was directly related to NR and feedback regulated by GS. Higher Mo status also results in higher accumulation and utilization of plant N in eft.
文摘Diabetes mellitus is not a single disease but is a group of metabolic disorders affecting a huge numlier of population in the world.It is mainly characterized by chronic hyperglycemia,resulting from defects in insulin secretion or insulin action.It is predicated that the number of diabetes person in the world could reach upto 366 million by the year 2030.Even though the cases of diabetes are increasing day by day,except insulin and oral hypoglycemic drugs no other way of treatment has been successfully developed so far.Thus,the objective of the present review is to provide an insight over the pathophysiological and etiological aspects of diabetes mellitus along with the remedies available for this metabolic disorder.The review also contains brief idea about diabetes mellitus and the experimental screening model with their relevant mechanism and significance mainly used nowadays.Alloxan and streptozotocin are mainly used for evaluating the antidiabetic activity of a particular drug.This review contain list of medicinal plants which have been tested for their antidiabetic activity in the alloxan induced diabetic rat model.From the available data in the literature,it was found that plant having antidiabetic activity is mainly due to the presence of the secondary metabolite.Thus,the information provided in this review will help the researchers for the development of an alternative methods rather than insidin and oral hypoglycemic agents for the treatment of diabetes niellitus,which will minimize the complication associated with the diabetes and related disorder.
文摘Background Diabetic myocardiopathy is characterized by myocardial interstitial fibrosis and cardiac dysfunction. Statins were found to exert protective effects on cardiovascular disease by suppressing activation of small G proteins, independently of their lipid-lowering effect. The study investigated the effect of fluvastatin on myocardial interstitial fibrosis, cardiac function and mechanism of its action in diabetic rats. Methods Twenty-four male SD rats were randomly assigned to 3 groups： control rats （n=-8）, streptozotocin （STZ）-induced diabetic rats （n=8）, and diabetic rats treated with fluvastatin （administered fluvastatin orally, 10 mg/kg body weight per day, n=-8）. Twelve weeks later, miniature cardiac catheter was inserted into the left ventricle to conduct hemodynamic examination. Then myocardium tissues were collected, collagen content was detected by picro-sirius red staining, real-time quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction （RT-PCR） was used to detect the mRNA expression of connective tissue growth factor （CTGF）, and Western blotting was used to detect the protein expression of CTGF. Rho activity was determined by pull-down assay. Results After 12 weeks, the left ventricular systolic pressure （LVSP） and maximum rate of left ventricular （LV） pressure rise and fall （＋dP/dt max and -dP/dt max） were significantly lower and left ventricular end diastolic pressure （LVEDP） was higher in the diabetic rats than those in the control rats （P 〈0.01）. Moreover, in LV myocardial tissue of diabetic rats the collagen content, fibronectin, mRNA and protein expression of CTGF and the activity of RhoA were all significantly increased compared with the control rats （P 〈0.01）. Administration of fluvastain obviously improved the cardiac function of diabetic rats, attenuated fibronectin expression, mRNA and protein expression of CTGF and the activity of RhoA in LV myocardium of diabetic rats. Conclusions Fluvastatin attenuates cardiac dysfunction
基金Project supported by the Science and Technology Planning Project of Zhejiang Province(No.2009C33165)the Medical Science Research Fund Scheme of Zhejiang Province(No.2008A060),China
文摘Objective:To evaluate the predictive values of gene expressions of ribonucleotide reductase M1(RRM1) and breast cancer susceptibility gene 1(BRCA1) in peripheral blood from Chinese patients with non-small-cell lung cancer(NSCLC) treated with gemcitabine plus platinum.Methods:Forty Chinese patients with advanced NSCLC were recruited and received gemcitabine 1200 mg/m 2 on Days 1 and 8 plus carboplatin AUC 5 on Day 1.RRM1 and BRCA1 expression levels in peripheral blood were detected by quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR) .Kaplan-Meier survival curve and log-rank test were performed to evaluate the correlation between gene expression and overall survival for these subjects.Results:No correlation was observed between gene expression of RRM1 and that of BRCA1(P>0.05) ,but there was a strong correlation between the expression of RRM1 and the response to chemotherapy(P=0.003) .Subjects with low RRM1 expression levels in peripheral blood had longer sur-vival time than those with high RRM1 expression levels(16.95 vs.12.76 months,log-rank 3.989,P=0.046) .However,no significant association between BRCA1 expression levels and survival time was found(16.80 vs.13.77 months,log-rank 0.830,P=0.362) .Conclusions:Patients with low RRM1 expression levels in peripheral blood have a greater response to chemotherapy and longer survival time.Advanced NSCLC patients with low RRM1 expression levels may benefit from gemcitabine plus platinum therapy.RRM1 mRNA expression in peripheral blood could be used to predict the prognosis of NSCLC treated by gemcitabine and platinum.
基金supported by Beijing Natural Science Foundation, China (No. 7072044).
文摘Objective To examine the relationship between occurrence of hyperlipidemia, plasma homocysteine and polymorphisms of methylenetetra hydrofolate reductase （MTHFR） gene and methionine synthase （MS） gene. Methods A total of 192 hyperlipidemia patients were selected and divided into hypercholesterolemia group, hypertriglyceridemia group, and combined hyperlipidemia group. Another 208 normal individuals were selected as control. Total plasma homocysteine （tHcy） concentration was measured by high-performance liquid chromatography （HPLC）. Lipid profiles were measured for all subjects The polymorphisms of MTHFR gene C677T and MS gene A2756G were analyzed by PCR-RFLP. Results The tHcy concentration in the combined hyperlipidemia patients was significantly higher than that in the control （15.95μmol/L vs 13.43 μmol/L, P〈0.05）. The prevalence of hyperhomocysteinemia （HHcy） in the combined hyperlipidemia group was significantly higher than that in the control （42.2% vs 23.0%, P=0.015）, with the odds ratio （OR） of 3.339 （95%CI： 1.260-8.849）. The hyperlipidemia patients with HHcy had a higher concentration of total cholesterol （TC） than that in the normal tHcy patients （5.67±0.95 mmol/L vs 5.47±0.92 retool/L, P=0.034）. There was no significant difference in genotype or allele frequencies of MTHFR C677T between the hyperlipidemic and control groups. The hyperlipidemia patients with MTHFR CT/TT genotype had a higher concentration of triglyceride （TG） than those with CC genotype （2.24±1.75 mmol/L vs 1.87±0.95 mmol/L, P〈0.05）. Individuals with CT/TT genotype had a higher concentration of tHcy than those with 677CC genotype both in the hyperlipidemia group （12.61±1.24μmol/L vs 11.20±1.37 μmol/L, P〈0.05） and in the control group （14.04±1.48 μmol/L vs 12.61±1.24 μmol/L, P〈0.05）. The percentage of MS 2756 GG/AG genotype in the combined hyperlipidemia group was significantly higher than that in the control （26.7% vs 13.0%, P=0.012）, with the OR of 3.
