Characteristics of Malignant Tumors in 230 Husband–Wife Pairs

The aim of this study is to obtain a reference point for early detection of tumors in individuals whose spouses were diagnosed with malignant tumors. Data from 230 husband and wife pairs with malignant tumors were collected and analyzed from the family history records of 15,000 people who came to the Department of Cancer Prevention, Cancer Institute/Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences for cancer screening between January 2009 and May 2012. The median diagnosis age was 67 years for husbands and 65 years for wives. A total of 214 cases (46.5 %) had digestive system malignancies. Respiratory system cancers were diagnosed in 64 husbands, of whom 20 (31.3 %) had spouses also with respiratory system cancer. Lung cancer ranked first for the females. The total number of lung cancer and commonly seen female-specific cancers (breast, ovarian, uterine, and cervical) was 127 (55.2 %). The difference in age at diagnosis between spouses was less than 10 years in 134 couples (58.3 %), while 77 (33.5 %) couples had an age difference less than 5 years. A family history of malignant tumors in first-degree relatives was documented in 48.3 % of the husbands and 48.7 % of the wives. The occurrence of cancer in both spouses of the couples studied resulted from an interaction between genetic and environmental factors. Nonhereditary factors such as diet, smoking, passive smoking, and air pollution also contributed to the development of cancers. It is recommended that when husband is diagnosed with cancer, the wife should be screened focusing on lung, breast, and gynecological cancers. If the wife was diagnosed with malignant disease, then screening for lung and digestive system cancers should be emphasized in the husband.     

Association of the mutation for the human carboxypeptidase E gene exon 4 with the severity of coronary artery atherosclerosis

Objective: To test the hypothesis that the identification of mutation in the carboxypeptidase E (CPE) gene which leads to marked hyperproinsulinaemia is consistent with a possible role for mutations in CPE in the development of coronary atherosclerosis. Methods: The study subjects consisted of 1084 consecutive patients (812 males and 272 females) who will undergo coronary angiography. The severity of coronary atherosclerosis was defined by the Gensini’s score system. The proinsulin level was measured using highly sensitive two-site sandwich ELISA methods. Screening for mutations of the 4th exon and exon-intron junctional region of the CPE gene was performed by polymerase chain reaction followed by bidirectional sequencing. Results: Sequencing of the CPE gene exon 4 in 1084 consecutive patients revealed 2 genetic variants, the G–to-A substitution at nucleotide 2855 in exon 4 (synonymous mutation) and A-to-G substitution at nucleotide 2925 in intron 4. Although the proinsulin level was not influenced by the presence of the two point mutation, the Gensini score was significantly influenced by the presence of the A2925G mutant (P = 0.023). Furthermore, we found a higher prevalence of subjects with the A2925G heterozygous mutant among higher Gensini score subjects than it among lower Gensini score subjects, and this difference reached statistical significance (P = 0.006, OR 1.465, 95%CI 1.116–1.924). In addition, the frequency distribution of the G2855A mutant was differed in the higher Gensini score subjects than it in the lower Gensini score subjects belonging to high-risk category as smokers, and the statistical significance was reached (P = 0.043, OR 2.075, 95%CI 1.024–4.207). Conclusions: In the present study, the severity of the coronary atherosclerosis estimated by Gensini score was significantly influenced by the presence of the A2925G mutant and G2855A mutant of the CPE gene, and the exactly mechanism underlying the association needs further study.     

Expression and purification of soluble non-fusion vasostatin in Escherichia coli

Vasostatin has previously been expressed in fused form or in inclusion body form in Escherichia coli. Here the protein was expressed in soluble non-fusion form in BL21(DE3)pLysS by IPTG induction. The expression level of vasostatin was about 15% of the total cellular protein. The expressed vasostatin was purified and its biological activity was investigated by an endothelial cell proliferation assay.     

深圳市重要药用植物资源调查

经调查,深圳市共有重要药用植物资源124科211种,其中蕨类植物20科20种,裸子植物3科3种,被子植物88科174种,单子叶植物13科15种,其中只有桫椤等国家一级保护植物被很好的保护起来,大部分药用植物有待进一步开发利用。     

产氨基酰化酶米曲霉高产菌株的选育

采用亚硝基瓜抑菌圈法对米曲霉菌株3042,AF92011,AF93018,AF93020,AF93022,AF93332进行诱变处理,从诱变菌株中筛选到几个高产氨基酰化酶菌株(3042-5,AF93020-2,AF93020-6和AF93022-5),对DL-蛋氨酸的拆分活力分别比出发菌株提高34.1%、157.6%、152.4%和145.4%,其中米曲霉菌株3042的诱变菌株3042-5最高酶活力达203.1U/ml     

几种重楼的染色体核型研究

作者对重楼属(Paris)的几个种:球药隔重楼(P.fargesii),毛重楼(P.mairei),花叶重搂(P.marmorata),黑籽重楼(P.thibetica),海南重楼(P.dunniana),巴山重搂(P.bashanensis),以及多叶重楼(P.polyphylla)的两个变种狭叶重楼(var.stenophylla)和华重楼(var.chinensis)的染色体核型进行了研究,发现种间及种内不同居群(population)间的核型都存在不同程度的差别。核型简式为:球药隔重楼K(2n)=2x=10=6m+2t(SAT)+2t+3bs,毛重楼K(2n)=2x=10=6m+4t+1bs,花叶重楼K(2n)=2x=10=6m+4t,黑籽重楼K(2n)=2x=10=2m+4m(SAT)+4t,海南重楼K(2n)=2X=10=6m+2t(SAT)+2t,巴山重楼K(2n)=2x=10=6m+4st,狭叶重楼K(2n)=2x=10=6m+1st+3t,华重楼K(2n)=2x=10=6m+4t。