Premature aging in uremia

Guanidinosuccinic acid is an aberrant metabolite isolated 40 years ago in the blood and urine of uremic subjects and a suspect in the toxicity associated with renal failure. It plays a minor role in the bleeding diathesis of uremia, contributes to the methyl group deficiency of dialysis patients, and is a factor in the premature atherosclerosis of end stage renal disease through the induction of hyperhomocysteinemia. As a major player, however, in the diversity and severity of uremic symptoms, it is a disappointment. Recently its source has been identified. It results from the superoxidation of argininosuccinic acid, which leads, also, to the production of gamma glutamic semialdehyde, an advanced glycation end product (AGE), which normally results from from the Maillard reaction, the non-enzymatic browning of protein. AGEs stimulate cross-linkages in protein that lead ultimately to loss of function, phagocytosis, and removal, and are important elements in the premature aging characteristic of renal disease, and diabetes.     

Plasma protein advanced glycation end products, carboxymethyl cysteine, and carboxyethyl cysteine, are elevated and related to nephropathy in patients with diabetes

In Diabetes Mellitus (DM), glucose and the aldehydes glyoxal and methylglyoxal modify free amino groups of lysine and arginine of proteins forming advanced glycation end products (AGEs). Elevated levels of these AGEs are implicated in diabetic complications including nephropathy. Our objective was to measure carboxymethyl cysteine (CMC) and carboxyethyl cysteine (CEC), AGEs formed by modification of free cysteine sulfhydryl groups of proteins by these aldehydes, in plasma proteins of patients with diabetes, and investigate their association with the albumin creatinine ratio (ACR, urine albumin (mg)/creatinine (mmol)), an indicator of nephropathy. Blood was collected from forty-two patients with type 1 and 2 diabetes (18–36 years) and eighteen individuals without diabetes (17–35 years). A liquid chromatography-mass spectrophotometric method was developed to measure plasma protein CMC and CEC levels. Values for ACR and hemoglobin A1C (HbA1C) were obtained. Mean plasma CMC (μg/l) and CEC (μg/l) were significantly higher in DM (55.73 ± 29.43, 521.47 ± 239.13, respectively) compared to controls (24.25 ± 10.26, 262.85 ± 132.02, respectively). In patients with diabetes CMC and CEC were positively correlated with ACR, as was HbA1C. Further, CMC or CEC in combination with HbA1C were better predictors of nephropathy than any one of these variables alone. These results suggest that glucose, glyoxal, and methylglyoxal may all be involved in the etiology of diabetic nephropathy.     

Convenient synthesis of GOLD and MOLD and identification of their oxidation products in vitro and in vivo

Summary. Two Lys–Lys crosslinks, 1,3-bis-(5-amino-5-carboxypentyl)-1H-imidazolium (GOLD) and 1,3-bis(5-amino-5-carboxypentyl)-4-methyl-1H-imidazolium (MOLD) salts, have been synthesized by the reaction of imidazole or 4(5)-methyl imidazole with 5-(4-bromobutyl)-hydantoin followed by the hydrolysis of 1,3-substituted imidazolium derivatives by 6.0 N HCL at 110 °C. Treatment of GOLD and MOLD with hydrogen peroxide in acetic acid leads to MOLD oxidation only. The oxidation product of MOLD was detected in cataractous lens proteins.     

Efficiently Tracking Selection in a Multiparental Population: The Case of Earliness in Wheat

Multiparental populations are innovative tools for fine mapping large numbers of loci. Here we explored the application of a wheat Multiparent Advanced Generation Inter-Cross (MAGIC) population for QTL mapping. This population was created by 12 generations of free recombination among 60 founder lines, following modification of the mating system from strict selfing to strict outcrossing using the ms1b nuclear male sterility gene. Available parents and a subset of 380 SSD lines of the resulting MAGIC population were phenotyped for earliness and genotyped with the 9K i-Select SNP array and additional markers in candidate genes controlling heading date. We demonstrated that 12 generations of strict outcrossing rapidly and drastically reduced linkage disequilibrium to very low levels even at short map distances and also greatly reduced the population structure exhibited among the parents. We developed a Bayesian method, based on allelic frequency, to estimate the contribution of each parent in the evolved population. To detect loci under selection and estimate selective pressure, we also developed a new method comparing shifts in allelic frequency between the initial and the evolved populations due to both selection and genetic drift with expectations under drift only. This evolutionary approach allowed us to identify 26 genomic areas under selection. Using association tests between flowering time and polymorphisms, 6 of these genomic areas appeared to carry flowering time QTL, 1 of which corresponds to Ppd-D1, a major gene involved in the photoperiod sensitivity. Frequency shifts at 4 of 6 areas were consistent with earlier flowering of the evolved population relative to the initial population. The use of this new outcrossing wheat population, mixing numerous initial parental lines through multiple generations of panmixia, is discussed in terms of power to detect genes under selection and association mapping. Furthermore we provide new statistical methods for use in future analyses of multiparental populations.     

Ets-1在非小细胞肺癌中的表达及其临床意义

原癌基因Ets-1,与肿瘤的发生、浸润转移、血管生成及预后密切相关.通过采用免疫组化SP法和RT-PCR技术检测非小细胞肺癌(non-small cell lung cancer,NSCLC)组织及癌旁正常组织中Ets-1的表达,并分析与临床病理特征及预后的关系.免疫组化结果显示Ets-1蛋白在NSCLC组织中的阳性率为67%(65/97),显著高于对应的癌旁正常组织0%(0/30)(P<0.001).Ets-1阳性率随着肿瘤T分期的增加、淋巴结转移和临床分期的增加而增加(P<0.05),而与性别、年龄、吸烟、组织学类型及分化程度等无关(P>0.05).RT-PCR结果显示Ets-1 mR-NA在20例癌组中和癌旁组中的相对表达强度分别为0.5570±0.0593和0.2965±0.0869(P<0.001).Kaplan-Meier生存曲线显示,Ets-1阳性组的生存时间显著低于阴性组(P<0.05).Cox多因素分析模型显示Ets-1不是NSCLC患者的独立影像因素(P>0.05).结果表明,Ets-1的表达在NSCLC的浸润和转移中扮演了重要的角色,并对NSCLC患者生存期有一定的影响.     

非小细胞肺癌中血管生成拟态和VEGF的表达及意义

目的探讨血管生成拟态(vasculogenic mimicry,VM)与血管内皮生长因子(vascular epithelial growth factor,VEGF)在非小细胞肺癌(non-small cell lung cancer,NSCLC)中的表达及意义。方法收集NSCLC术后标本160例和20例正常肺组织,应用免疫组化法和组织化学法检测NSCLC和正常肺组织中VM和VEGF的表达情况。结果在NSCLC组织和正常肺组织中,VM和VEGF的阳性率分别为36.9%、51.3%和0%、0%,差异有统计学意义;含有VM的NSCLC的VEGF表达高于无VM者(P<0.05),且VM与NSCLC的组织学分级、淋巴结转移及临床分期等有关(P<0.05);多因素分析:PTNM分期、VM、VEGF的表达是影响NSCLC根治术后患者预后的独立因素(P<0.05);VM阳性组与阴性组的5年生存率分别为1.7%和41.6%,差异有统计学意义;VEGF阳性组与阴性组的5年生存率分别为2.4%和52.6%,差异有统计学意义。结论具有VM的NSCLC组织分化低,患者临床预后差;VEGF的表达水平和VM与NSCLC的发展及预后有一定的关系。     

射频消融联合吉非替尼治疗晚期非小细胞肺癌的临床分析

目的:观察射频消融术(RFA)联合吉非替尼(Gefitinib)对晚期非小细胞肺癌(NSCLC)治疗的临床效果。方法:26例晚期NSCLC(III、IV期)患者用RFA联合Gefitinib治疗,与23例单独使用RFA治疗的对照组进行比较,观察两组之间有效率、生活质量和不良反应。结果:根据疗效、生活质量评分等指标进行评价,联合治疗组有效率为65.4%,高于单纯RFA治疗组的34.8%,两组之间有显著性差异(P<0.01),对接受治疗的患者进行生活质量评价结果表明,所有接受RFA和Gefitinib联合治疗组中有71.3%的病人生活质量良好,而接受单纯RFA治疗组中只有47%的患者生活质量良好,两组之间有显著性差异(P<0.01),两组患者不良反应主要是疼痛、发热、腹泻等,只需对症处理。结论:RFA联合Gefitinib综合治疗NSCLC方案优于单纯采用RFA的治疗方案。     

老年晚期非小细胞肺癌患者对放化疗的耐受性研究现况

近年多组大规模的随机对照研究已经证实：放化疗对于老年晚期NSCLC患者好于最佳支持治疗（BSC）,放化疗组的有效率、中住生存期、一年生存率显著高于BSC组,但老年人伴随着年龄的增长器官功能衰退、药代酶活性下降等生理因素,常合并其他疾病等原因,其药效学和药动学也随之发生变化,老年NSCLC放化疗的潜在毒性危险可能增加,治疗耐受性较差,综合治疗可能带来较多的并发症,甚至高的治疗相关死亡率。中医学认为化疗副反应主要表现为气血亏损、脾胃失调及肝肾虚损等症候群,放疗副反应的症候群以热象较重,属热毒之邪耗气伤阴,进而灼津烁血以致气血、肌肤、脏腑受损的火郁、燥结、热毒症候较多。中医药在减轻放化疗的毒副作用、提高老年患者对放化疗的耐受性等方面有明显优势。     

人类白细胞抗原半相合供者外周血细胞因子诱导的杀伤细胞治疗晚期原发性肝癌二例

目的 观察半相合供者细胞因子诱导的杀伤细胞(CIK)治疗晚期肝癌的临床疗效.方法 2 例无法手术且无法耐受化疗的晚期肝癌患者分别选取人类白细胞抗原(HLA)半相合健康供者体外培养CIK,14 d 后分次回输给相应患者,观察患者治疗前后瘤体大小、肿瘤标志物、免疫指标、临床症状、生活质量和卡氏评分等的变化.结果 2 例患者...     

非小细胞肺癌EGFR 表达与18F-FDG-PET SUVmax 值 的相关性研究

目的:探讨非小细胞肺癌组织中EGFR蛋白在的表达与PET-CT检测的SUVmax的相关性。方法:临床收集30例非小细胞肺癌患者,每一病例首先行PET-CT检查,然后行CT导引下活检穿刺,同一病灶取2个穿刺部位,分别为肿瘤组织内SUVmax值2.5-5区域及SUVmax>5区域,采用免疫组化方法检测检测30例非小细胞肺癌肿瘤内部不同部位EGFR表达。结果:EGFR蛋白表达、SUVmax值在不同年龄、性别、病理类型中表达的差异无统计学意义(P均>0.05)。EGFR蛋白表达、SUVmax值在不同的肿瘤直径、临床分期组表达差异有统计学意义(P均<0.05)。NSCLC肿块SUVmax值与组织EGFR表达呈显著正相关(P<0.05)。结论:NSCLC组织SUV值与组织EGFR表达有显著相关性,可以为非小细胞肺癌的放疗提供指导。