Positive influence of Methotrexate-Hydroxychloroquine combination on the expression of GM-CSF receptor on neutrophils of synovial fluid in rheumatoid arthritis

Granulocyte Macrophage Colony Stimulating Factor (GM-CSF) has been inducted as a mediator of inflammation in rheumatoid arthritis. Methotrexate combination therapy forms an important component of the treatment regimen in rheumatoid arthritis. The present study was undertaken to evaluate the influence of Methotrexate-Hydroxychloroquine (MTX-HCQ) combination and Sulfsalazine- Hydroxychloroquine (SSZ-HCQ) combination on the expression GM-CSFR in neutrophils isolated from synovial fluids. 15 cases of confirmed rheumatoid arthritis patients who presented at the hospital for surgical correction of joint deformities were selected for the study. Neutrophils isolated from the synovial fluids were used as the source of the receptor for quantitation on an enzyme immunoassay (EIA). The EIA was developed and standardized in our laboratory for quantification of the GM-CSF R. The findings are suggestive of the fact that the administration of MTX-HCQ combination has positive influence on the expression of the GM-CSF R on neutrophils as against SSZ-HCQ combination. The physiological basis of this increase needs further investigation.     

Hyaluronic acid as a rescue therapy for trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid-induced colitis through Cox-2 and PGE2 in a Toll-like receptor 4-dependent way

We hypothesized whether systemic administration of high-molecular-weight hyaluronic acid (HMW HA) could rescue trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS)-induced colitis through Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) signal. C3H/HeN mice and C3H/HeJ mice were used. Mice were divided into four groups: control, 50% ethanol treatment group, TNBS treatment group, and TNBS plus HA treatment group. The weight changes, clinical scores, macroscopic scores, and histological scores were recorded. Cyclooxygenase 2 (Cox-2) and prostaglandin E₂ (PGE₂) expressions were measured both in colons and peritoneal macrophages from these mice. HA was a rescue therapy for the colitis induced by TNBS only in C3H/HeN mice. The clinical score, macroscopic score, and histological score were much lower in C3H/HeN mice receiving TNBS plus HA treatment. Cox-2 and PGE₂ expressions only increased in C3H/HeN mice. These Cox-2 expressing cells were macrophages. HA can also promote the production of Cox-2 and PGE₂ in peritoneal macrophages from C3H/HeN mice. Our data demonstrated that HMW HA can rescue TNBS-induced colitis through inducing Cox-2 and PGE₂ expressions in a TLR4-dependent way. Macrophages may be the effector cells of HMW HA.     

双语教学的探索与实践

本文根据实施＂机电控制工程基础＂专业课程双语教学活动的实际情况,结合公共关系学上主体和受体的相关互动理论,对双语教学这一教学活动进行了分析和阐述,从主体——教师、受体——学生以及处于中间层的作用媒介、作用方式三个方面,对＂机电控制工程基础＂双语教学过程中的关键环节进行了分析,探讨了其改进方式,为我国专业课程开展双语教学的实践提供了有益的探索和建议。     

老年痴呆相关蛋白靶标结构与功能关系的分子动力学模拟

主要运用常规和拉伸分子动力学模拟方法,研究β-淀粉样多肽的构象变化过程、乙酰胆碱酯酶和其抑制剂石杉碱甲的结合与解离过程,以及烟碱乙酰胆碱受体的离子门控构象变化过程,从而为老年痴呆症的病变机理,阐述和设计发现新的抗老年痴呆药物提供线索.     

Silencing of DsbA-L gene impairs the PPARγ agonist function of improving insulin resistance in a high-glucose cell model

Disulfide-bond A oxidoreductase-like protein (DsbA-L) is a molecular chaperone involved in the multimerization of adiponectin. Recent studies have found that DsbA-L is related to metabolic diseases including gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), and can be regulated by peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ) agonists; the specific mechanism, however, is uncertain. Furthermore, the relationship between DsbA-L and the novel adipokine chemerin is also unclear. This article aims to investigate the role of DsbA-L in the improvement of insulin resistance by PPARγ agonists in trophoblast cells cultured by the high-glucose simulation of GDM placenta. Immunohistochemistry and western blot were used to detect differences between GDM patients and normal pregnant women in DsbA-L expression in the adipose tissue. The western blot technique was performed to verify the relationship between PPARγ agonists and DsbA-L, and to explore changes in key molecules of the insulin signaling pathway, as well as the effect of chemerin on DsbA-L. Results showed that DsbA-L was significantly downregulated in the adipose tissue of GDM patients. Both PPARγ agonists and chemerin could upregulate the level of DsbA-L. Silencing DsbA-L affected the function of rosiglitazone to promote the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)-protein kinase B (PKB)/AKT pathway. Therefore, it is plausible to speculate that DsbA-L is essential in the environment of PPARγ agonists for raising insulin sensitivity. Overall, we further clarified the mechanism by which PPARγ agonists improve insulin resistance.     

运动对心脏肾素-血管紧张素系统的影响

采用文献资料法,分析了循环和局部的肾素—血管紧张素系统的产生及作用机制;探讨了运动对心脏肾素—血管紧张素系统的影响;提出运动使心脏血管紧张素Ⅱ及受体的表达发生改变,肾素—血管紧张素系统参与机体水、电解质平衡的调节及运动心脏的重塑。     

Assessment of ghrelin and leptin receptor levels in postmenopausal women who received oral or transdermal menopausal hormonal therapy

Objective  

In postmenopausal women, an increased leptin concentration and reduced levels of ghrelin and adiponectin were observed. The aim of this study was to evaluate the concentrations of the active form of ghrelin, total ghrelin, leptin receptor, lipoprotein(a) (Lp(a)), and plasminogen activator inhibitor type 1 (PAI-1) in postmenopausal women who received oral or transdermal menopausal hormonal therapy (MHT).     

HER-2 overexpression and survival in colorectal cancer: a meta-analysis

Objective

Numerous studies examining the relationship between human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER-2) overexpression and survival in patients with colorectal cancer (CRC) have yielded controversial results. We therefore performed a meta-analysis more precisely to estimate its prognostic value.

Methods

Published studies investigating the effect of HER-2 overexpression on CRC survival were identified; the hazard ratios (HRs) and their corresponding 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) were pooled in terms of disease-specific or overall survival.

Results

Eleven studies were included in the meta-analysis. The pooled data showed that HER-2 overexpression was negatively related to CRC survival (HR=1.10, 95% CI: 0.77–1.44). Subgroup analyses regarding test method and study quality also demonstrated little association between HER-2 overexpression and CRC survival (HR=0.89, 95% CI: 0.50–1.29; HR=0.90, 95% CI: 0.43–1.37, respectively).

Conclusions

Regardless of several limitations, our study suggested that HER-2 overexpression probably had little impact on CRC survival.     

Estrogen receptor α gene PvuII polymorphism and coronary artery disease: a meta-analysis of 21 studies简

The association between the estrogen receptor α gene (ESR1) PvuII polymorphism (c.454-397T>C) and coronary artery disease (CAD) is controversial. Thus, we conducted a meta-analysis to evaluate the relationship. Data were collected from 21 studies encompassing 9926 CAD patients and 16 710 controls. Odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were used to assess the relationship between PvuII polymorphism and CAD. The polymorphism in control populations in all studies followed Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. We found a significant association between ESR1 PvuII polymorphism and CAD risk in all subjects. When the data were stratified by region, a significant association between ESR1 PvuII polymorphism and CAD risk was observed in Asian populations but not in Western populations. The current study suggests that ESR1 PvuII polymorphism has an important role in CAD susceptibility.