Association analysis between two SNPs in SNCA and PARK16 genes and Parkinson disease in a Han Chinese population in Liaoning area

AIM: To investigate the genotypic frequency of rs3857059 in SNCA gene and rs16856139 in PARK16 gene for determining the potential genetic risk factors of Parkinson disease (PD) in a Han Chinese population in Liaoning area of China. METHODS: The genomic DNA from 213 PD patients and 214 matched controls was amplified in the multiplex PCR system and subsequently genotyped by digestion with endonuclease Pvu II. Genetic parameter and association studies were carried out with SPSS 13.0 and PLINK 1.07 software. RESULTS: We accurately detected all genotypes in the 2 loci with PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) techniques. The gene frequency of G allele in the rs3857059 locus was higher in PD group than that in control group with statistical significance (χ²= 7.592,P<0.01, OR=0.677, 95% CI=0.517~0.888). The T allele frequency in the rs16856139 locus was lower in PD group than that in control group and statistical result revealed a significant difference (χ²=11.511, P<0.01, OR=0.390, 95% CI=0.227~0.669). CONCLUSION: The 2 SNPs investigated in SNCA and PARK16 genes are likely to play roles as common risk factors for PD disease in the Han Chinese population.     

TMV侵染烟草基因差异表达的cDNA-AFLP分析

以烤烟品种龙江925 [高抗烟草普通花叶病(TMV)]接种TMV的叶片为材料,选用240对引物组合的扩增, 获得约 9 500个转录基因片段, 经过克隆测序最终获得了12个诱导表达片段, 它们与核酸代谢、蛋白质合成与修饰、能量代谢、胁迫响应、细胞内运输、糖代谢等相关, 并利用荧光定量PCR分析一个诱导表达片段TIF2在0~72 h之间5个时间点(0、12、24、48和72 h)的基因差异表达, 证实了所获得的基因序列为真实诱导的表达序列。对此序列进行RACE, 最终获得全长cDNA序列, 全序列857 bp, 预测的编码区在101~613 bp之间, 共编码170个氨基酸。经Blastn、Blastp比对分析, 在烟草中没有获得其同源序列, 确定该基因是在烟草中发现的与抗TMV相关的新基因。     

Effect of hTERT antisense oligodeoxynucleotide on Cis-diamminedichicloroplatinum-induced apoptosis in Jurkat cells

AIM:To explore the effect of hTERT antisense phosphorothioate oligodeoxynucleotide (ASODN) on apoptosis induced by chemotherapeutic drugs in Jurkat cell lines. METHODS:Cell viability was determined using the trypan blue dye exclusion assay. Apoptosis was detected by morphological observation, DNA gel electrophoresis and flow cytometry analysis. RESULTS:The survival rates of Jurkat cells cultured with daunorubicin, vincristin, and etoposide, respectively were similar with that cultured with those chemotherapic drugs plus hTERT ASODN. The survival rates of Jurkat cells cultured with cis-diamminedichicloroplatinum(DDP) added 24 hours later were higher than that cultured with hTERT ASODN and DDP added 24 hours later. The survival rates of Jurkat cells cultured with DDP were similar with that cultured with hTERT SODN and DDP. In morphological observation of apoptotic cells using Giemsa staining, cells displayed classic apoptotic changes treated with DDP or DDP combined with hTERT ASODN or SODN at 48 hours. Agarose gel electrophoresis of genomic DNA from Jurkat cells treated with ASODN and DDP combination for 48 hours showed typical DNA "ladder". Neither the DNA from Jurkat cells treated with SODN plus DDP nor the DNA from the cells treated with DDP alone showed ladder pattern. Apoptosis rates of Jurkat cells treated with DDP for 48 hours after 24 hours of exposure to ASODN significantly increased. There was significant difference in the percentage of apoptotic Jurkat cells between hTERT ASODN plus DDP and SODN plus DDP or DDP alone, respectively. CONCLUSION:The hTERT ASODN complementary to the translation initiation region of hTERT mRNA enhanced DDP-induced apoptosis in Jurkat cells.     

Effects of p27kip1 gene on DNA and protein synthesis in esophageal carcinoma cells

AIM: To investigate the effects of p27kip1 gene on DNA replication and protein synthesis in esophageal carcinoma cells. METHODS: Recombinant adenovirus Ad-p27kip1 was constructed and transfected into esophageal carcinoma cell EC-9706, and its effects on DNA replication, protein synthesis and the growth of esophageal carcinoma cells were explored by means of cell growth count, [3H]-TdR, [3H]-Leucine incorporation method and flow cytometry. RESULTS: The growth of esophageal carcinoma cells was inhibited obviously. The radioactive intensity of -TdR and -Leucine in Ad-p27kip1 group decreased significantly than that in control group after EC-9706 transfection (P<0.01), while the multiplication of esophageal carcinoma cell was inhibited obviously. CONCLUSION: Ad-p27kip1 inhibited the multiplication of the esophageal carcinoma cells, which may be related to its suppressive function for DNA replication and protein synthesis.     

Mechanisms of heart failure induced by adriamycin

AIM: To investigate the changes of cardiac function, oxidative stress and apoptosis in myocardium of rat model of heart failure induced by adriamycin (ADR). METHODS: At the end of the study, we observed content of malondialdehyde (MDA), activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and apoptosis. Expression of P53 protein and p53 mRNA were measured with immunohistochemical method and RT-PCR, respectively. RESULTS: Our data showed that content of MDA increased, activity of SOD decreased and apoptosis in myocardium happened while cardiac function decreased after ADR treatment. p53 gene expression and P53 protein obviously increased in heart failure group. CONCLUSION: There were oxidative stress and apoptosis occurred significantly in a model of heart failureinduced by ADR. p53 gene might play an important role in the apoptosis. Correlation analyses suggested that apoptosis in myocardium was related to oxidative stress in ADR-induced heart failure model.     

Roles of Foxc2 in the development of axial skeleton

AIM: To investigate the roles of forkhead box c2( Foxc2 ) in axial skeloton. METHODS: Mice lacking Foxc2 locus were produced by targeted mutation and the developmental anomalies in axial skeleton were analyzed. RESULTS: Foxc2 protein increased markedly in Myoblasts C2C12 after treating with BMP-2, and alkaline phosphatase activity and production of osteocalcin in Myoblasts C2C12 were significantly higher than that in cell lines transfecting antisense Foxc2 sequence. Expressed median cleft palatine, dysplasia of auditory ossicles and vertebral and anteroposterior facial dysplasia were found in all 15 homozygous mouse neonates with targeted mutation of Foxc2 . CONCLUSION: These results suggest that Foxc2 has indispensable roles during skeletogenesis in mesoderm and cells derived from the neural crest.     

Clock genes and cardiovascular diseases

The biorhythms of every species are precisely regulated to adapt the environmental changes. The function of biorhythms is controlled by the clock genes in either a single cell or the whole body. The function of clock genes depends on the feedback circles that are composed by the interactions among the clock components. Many studies indicate that circadian clock is closely related to diseases. Several cardiovascular diseases such as myocardial ischemia and myocardial infarction show overt circadian rhythms, indicating that clock genes may play an important role in such kinds of diseases.     

Relationship between RUNX3,cyclin E,P21 and survival in gastric cancer patients

AIM:To evaluate the relationship between RUNX3,cyclin E,P21,biological features and survival in gastric cancer patients.METHODS:RUNX3 was examined using immunohistochemical staining.Cyclin E and P21 were analyzed by flow cytometry.Survival was evaluated by Kaplan-Meier survival curves.RESULTS:The positive-expression rate of RUNX3,cyclin E and P21 in tumor tissue from 56 patients with gastric cancer were 44.6%,64.3% and 32.1%,respectively.RUNX3 expression was correlated with lymph node metastasis and distant metastasis (P<0.05).Cyclin E might be related to depth of invasion,lymph node metastasis and distant metastasis (P<0.05).P21 was correlated with lymph node metastasis (P<0.05).It was revealed that RUNX3 and P21 were correlated (r=0.57,P<0.05),no correlation between RUNX3 and cyclin E was observed (r=0.25,P>0.05).Using Kaplan-Meier survival curves and the Log-rank test,there was correlation between RUNX3,cyclin E and survival (P<0.05).No correlation between P21 and survival was observed (P>0.05).CONCLUSION:RUNX3 may be related with tumorigenesis and tumor progression by affecting P21 expression.The detection of RUNX3 and cyclin E may be helpful in evaluating the clinicopathological parameters and prognosis in gastric carcinoma patients.     

Expression and functional analysis of novel gene AngRem104 associated with glomerular sclerosis

AIM:To study the expression and function of novel gene AngRem104.METHODS:Northern blot was performed to detect the distribution of AngRem104 in human multiple normal tissues as well as the effect of AngⅡ and AT1R antagonist (losartan) on AngRem104 expression. The sense and antisense eukaryotic expression vectors of AngRem104 were constructed and transfected into human mesangial cells. RT-PCR was used to detect the expression of FN when AngRem104 was over-expressed. Primary sequence and motif analysis of AngRem104 protein were performed by on-line ExPasy predictive tools.RESULTS:AngRem104 was predicted to localize at the cellular nucleus. It was widely expressed in human heart, placenta, liver, muscle, kidney and pancreas. Moreover, the up-regulated expression of AngRem104 induced by AngⅡ was inhibited by losartan in a dose-dependent manner.CONCLUSION:AngRem104 is a novel nuclear protein related to the expression of fibronectin and could be up-regulated by AngⅡ in human MC.