Effects of a Melanotropic Peptide on Melanoma Cell Growth,Metastasis, and Invasion

Melanocyte stimulating hormone (α-MSH, α-melanotropin),Ac-Ser-Tyr-Ser-Met-Glu-His-Phe-Arg-Trp-Gly-Ly-Pro-Val-NH₂, regulates melanogenesis within epidermal melanocytes of many animals. An MSH analogue ([Nle4,D-Phe7]α-MSH) that exhibits superpotency and prolonged biological activity has been synthesized, biologically characterized, and is presently in clinical trials to determine its possible clinical use in tanning of the skin. It also has potential for the diagnosis, localization, and chemotherapy of melanoma. The effects of this analogue on the growth, metastatic behavior, and invasive potential of a melanotic variant of Cloudman S-91 murine melanoma are reported here. In an intracutaneous murine model of melanoma cell tumor growth, the analogue did not increase primary tumor growth (size) after the period of administration of the peptide hormone analogue and did not affect spontaneous lung metastases. Survival times for the control and melanotropin-treated groups were similar, suggesting that overall tumor burden was not affected by treatment with the hormone analogue. Last, melanoma cell invasion through a human amniotic basement membrane in vitro was not enhanced compared to untreated cells.     

INHIBITION OF LACTOGENIC ACTIVITIES OF BOVINE MAMMARY GLAND EXPLANTS BY THE WHEY FRACTION OF BOVINE MILK

The regulation of milk constituents, synthesis and secretion in tissue cultures of the bovine mammary gland was altered by a whey fraction of bovine milk. α-Casein gene expression, casein secretion and fatty acid synthesis were inhibited by the whey fraction in a dose-dependent manner. The whey fraction inhibited the enhancement activity of prolactin on α-casein gene expression and fatty acid synthesis, and also inhibited casein secretion to the medium, in explants cultured in a medium with or without prolactin. No effect on the expression of the β-lactoglobulin gene was found.     

The induction of normal and teratoid viviparae by a juvenile hormone and kinoprene in two species of aphids

ABSTRACT. Topical application of a juvenile hormone (JH1) and the JH mimic, kinoprene, to short-day, ovipara-producers of Megoura viciae usually leads to the production of oviparous/viviparous intermediate forms in the progeny sequence, in place of the expected sexual females (oviparae). The ovaries of these abnormal forms may contain embryos rather than the haploid yolky eggs of oviparae; 'mixed' ovaries containing both haploid eggs and embryos are also observed. The intermediates range in form from winged (alate) to wingless (apterous). The fully alate individuals usually contain only parthenogenetic ovaries but differ from the naturally occurring alate viviparae in that they are invariably infertile, have fewer antennal sense organs and often bear pheromone releasing glands on the metathoracic tibiae. The hormonally induced production of normal viviparae is difficult in this species but has been achieved by rearing short-day aphids on kinoprene-treated bean plants.
In Aphis fabae similar oviparous/viviparous teratomorphs have been reported and, in addition, single JH1 treatments were shown to induce normal viviparae at the end of the progeny sequence. Multiple applications, beginning prenatally and continuing through the postnatal development of the gynopara (winged ovipara-producer), showed that the numbers of viviparae born were related to the earliness of the treatment and to the dosage. The results are compared with the effect of a switch in photoperiod and discussed in relation to the endocrine control of aphid polymorphism.     

Insulin-Like Growth Factor I Receptor Binding in Brains of Alzheimer''s and Alcoholic Patients

Patients with chronic alcoholism and/or Alzheimer's disease show degenerative changes in the cerebral cortex and hippocampus. To investigate possible changes in insulin-like growth factor I receptor binding sites in brain tissue of patients with these pathological conditions, the number of 125I-insulin-like growth factor I binding sites was determined in tissues obtained from control patients and those with Alzheimer's and/or with a history of alcoholism. The four experimental groups examined consisted of patients from similar age groups. Postmortem histology and a clinical history were used for the diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease and alcoholism, respectively. Careful clinical records were kept concerning other variables such as immediate cause of death and medications administered before death. Specific binding of 125I-insulin-like growth factor I to homogenates prepared from cerebral cortex of Alzheimer's, alcoholic, alcoholic Alzheimer's, and age-matched control patients was similar, although Alzheimer's patients tended to have slightly higher binding values. No significant differences in insulin-like growth factor I binding in cerebral cortex were found with regard to age of patients, the interval between death and autopsy, and CNS-active medications. No statistical differences in 125I-insulin-like growth factor I binding were noted in hippocampal tissue from the four patient groups. Thus, human insulin-like growth factor I binding sites in cerebral cortex and hippocampus appear unaffected by several variables.     

Protective Cellular Mechanism of Estrogen Against Kidney Stone Formation: A Proteomics Approach and Functional Validation

Females have less incidence/prevalence of kidney stone disease than males. Estrogen thus may serve as the protective factor but with unclear mechanism. This study explores cellular mechanism underlying such stone preventive mechanism of estrogen. Madin darby canine kidney (MDCK) renal tubular cells are incubated with or without 20 nm 17β‐estradiol for 7 days. Comparative proteomics reveals 58 differentially expressed proteins in estrogen‐treated versus control cells that are successfully identified by nanoLC–ESI–Q‐TOF‐MS/MS. Interestingly, these altered proteins are involved mainly in “binding and receptor,” “metabolic process,” and “migration and healing” networks. Functional investigations demonstrate reduction of calcium oxalate (CaOx) crystal‐binding capability of the estrogen‐treated cells consistent with the decreased levels of annexin A1 and α‐enolase (the known CaOx crystal‐binding receptors) on the cell surface. High‐calcium and high‐oxalate challenge initially enhances surface expression of annexin A1 and α‐enolase, respectively, both of which return to their basal levels by estrogen. Additionally, estrogen reduces intracellular ATP level and promotes cell migration and tissue healing. Taken together, estrogen causes changes in cellular proteome of renal tubular cells that lead to decreased surface expression of CaOx crystal receptors, reduced intracellular metabolism, and enhanced cell proliferation and tissue healing, all of which may contribute, at least in part, to stone prevention.     

Discovering genes responsible for silk synthesis in Bombyx mori by piggyBac‐based random insertional mutagenesis

Silkworm mutants are valuable resources for both transgenic breeding and gene discovery. PiggyBac-based random insertional mutagenesis has been widely used in gene functional studies. In order to discover genes involved in silk synthesis, a piggyBac-based random insertional library was constructed using Bombyx mori, and the mutants with abnormal cocoon were particularly screened. By this means, a “thin cocoon” mutant was identified. This mutant revealed thinner cocoon shell and shorter posterior silk gland (PSG) compared with the wild type. The messenger RNA (mRNA) levels of all the three fibroin genes, including Fib-H, Fib-L and P25, were significantly down-regulated in the PSG of mutants. Four piggyBac insertion sites were identified in Aquaporin (AQP), Longitudinals lacking protein-like {Lola), Glutamyl aminopeptidase-like (GluAP) and Loc101744460. The mRNA levels of all the four genes were significantly altered in the silk gland of mutants. In particular, the mRNA amount of AQP, a gene responsible for the regulation of osmotic pressure, decreased dramatically immediately prior to the spinning stage in the anterior silk gland of mutants. The identification of the genes disrupted in the “thin cocoon” mutant in this study provided useful information for understanding silk production and transgenic breeding of silkworms in the future.     

健脾安肠汤联合匹维溴胺治疗肠易激综合征的临床疗效及对血清5-HT、CGRP、SP、VIP水平的影响

目的:探讨健脾安肠汤联合匹维溴胺治疗肠易激综合征的临床疗效及对血清5-羟色胺(5-HT)、降钙素基因相关肽(CGRP)、结肠黏膜P物质(SP)、血管活性肠态(VIP)水平的影响。方法:选择2017年1月至2017年12月本院接诊的98例肠易激综合征患者作为研究对象,按随机数表法分为观察组(n=45)和对照组(n=53),对照组单纯采用匹维溴胺进行治疗,观察组在此基础上联合健脾安肠汤进行治疗。比较两组患者的临床疗效及治疗前后胃肠症状改善情况、血清5-HT、CGRP、SP、VIP水平、炎性因子水平、焦虑(SAS)、抑郁(SDS)评分的变化。结果:治疗后,观察组总有效率(93.33%)心脏高于对照组(71.70%,P0.05);观察组患者恶心呕吐、腹痛腹泻、排便次数及大便性质症状评分,血清5-HT、CGRP、SP、VIP、IL-8、IL-6水平、焦虑及抑郁评分均明显低于对照组(均P0.05),而血清IL-10水平显著高于对照组(P0.05)。结论:健脾安肠汤联合匹维溴胺治疗肠易激综合征的临床效果显著优于单纯采用匹维溴胺治疗,可有效调节机体胃肠激素分泌和临床症状,提高患者患者生活质量。     

甲状腺术中喉返神经显露对暂时性喉返神经损伤发生率的影响

目的:探究甲状腺术中喉返神经显露对暂时性喉返神经损伤发生率的影响。方法:选择我院2016年10月-2018年10月收治的行甲状腺切除术的115例患者为研究对象,按照其入院顺序经随机数字表法分为两组,两组患者均行常规甲状腺切除术。其中,对照组58例患者未显露喉返神经;研究组57例患者常规显露喉返神经,记录并比较两组患者的手术时间、术中出血量、术后引流量、切口长度和住院时间等围术期手术指标,术后1d、4d、7d的甲状旁腺激素(PTH)水平、钙离子(Ca2+)水平,术后暂时性喉返神经损伤、术后声音嘶哑、低钙血症等并发症的发生情况。结果:研究组患者的手术时间、术中出血量、术后引流量均短于(少于)对照组(P0.05),但两组患者的切口长度和住院时间无显著性差异(P0.05);研究组患者术后1d、4d、7d的血清PTH、Ca2+水平均高于对照组(P0.05),暂时性喉返神经损伤、术后声音嘶哑、低钙血症发生率均低于对照组(P0.05)。结论:甲状腺术中喉返神经显露可有效预防暂时性喉返神经和甲状腺功能的损伤,降低术后并发症的发生率,且患者的围术期指标均显著改善。     

血清B型脑钠肽、糖类抗原125及甲状腺激素水平与慢性心力衰竭患者心功能的相关性研究

目的:探究慢性心力衰竭(CHF)患者血清B型脑钠肽(BNP)、糖类抗原125(CA125)和甲状腺激素(TH)水平与心功能的相关性。方法:选取2015年12月-2017年12月我院收治的120例CHF患者作为本次研究的对象,患者的心功能分级状况为纽约心脏病协会(NYHA)Ⅰ/Ⅱ级51例、NYHAⅢ级39例、NYHAⅣ级30例,另选取同期在我院接受体检的健康志愿者40例作为对照组。检测所有研究对象的血清BNP、CA125和TH水平,并分析其与患者左心室射血分数(LVEF)、左室舒张末内径(LVEDD)间的关系。结果:不同心功能分级患者血清BNP、CA125水平均显著高于对照组,且BNP、CA125水平随NYHA分级升高而逐渐升高(P0.05)。NYHAⅢ级、NYHAⅣ级患者的血清T3水平显著低于对照组,且T3水平随NYHA分级升高而逐渐降低,各组间比较差异有统计学意义(P0.05)。Pearson分析结果显示,CHF患者血清BNP、CA125水平与LVEF呈负相关(P0.05),而与LVEDD呈正相关(P0.05);血清T3水平与LVEF呈正相关(P0.05),与LVEDD呈负相关(P0.05)。结论:CHF患者血清BNP、CA125及T3水平均与心功能存在密切联系,三者联合检测对CHF的临床诊断与病情判断有重要价值。