Role of IKK/NF-κB signaling in extinction of conditioned place aversion memory in rats

The inhibitor κB protein kinase/nuclear factor κB (IKK/NF-κB) signaling pathway is critical for synaptic plasticity. However, the role of IKK/NF-κB in drug withdrawal-associated conditioned place aversion (CPA) memory is unknown. Here, we showed that inhibition of IKK/NF-κB by sulphasalazine (SSZ; 10 mM, i.c.v.) selectively blocked the extinction but not acquisition or expression of morphine-induced CPA in rats. The blockade of CPA extinction induced by SSZ was abolished by sodium butyrate, an inhibitor of histone deacetylase. Thus, the IKK/NF-κB signaling pathway might play a critical role in the extinction of morphine-induced CPA in rats and might be a potential pharmacotherapy target for opiate addiction.     

Anti-IL-33 antibody treatment inhibits airway inflammation in a murine model of allergic asthma

Interleukin (IL)-33 is a recently described member of the IL-1 family and has been shown to induce production of T helper type 2 cytokines. In this study, an anti-IL-33 antibody was evaluated against pulmonary inflammation in mice sensitized and challenged with ovalbumin. The anti-IL-33 or a control antibody (150 μg/mouse) was given intraperitoneally as five doses before the sensitization and antigen challenge. Treatment with anti-IL-33 significantly reduced serum IgE secretion, the numbers of eosinophils and lymphocytes, and concentrations of IL-4, IL-5, and IL-13 in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid compared with administration of a control antibody. Histological examination of lung tissue demonstrated that anti-IL-33 significantly inhibited allergen-induced lung eosinophilic inflammation and mucus hypersecretion. Our data demonstrate for the first time that anti-IL-33 antibody can prevent the development of asthma in a mouse model and indicate that blockade of IL-33 may be a new therapeutic strategy for allergic asthma.     

Derivation and characterization of human embryonic stem cell lines from the Chinese population

Human embryonic stem cells(hESCs) can self-renew indefinitely and differentiate into all cell types in the human body.Therefore,they are valuable in regenerative medicine,human developmental biology and drug discovery.A number of hESC lines have been derived from the Chinese population, but limited of them are available for research purposes.Here we report the derivation and characterization of two hESC lines derived from human blastocysts of Chinese origin.These hESCs express alkaline phosphatase and hE...     

CDH1 -160C>A gene polymorphism is an ethnicity-dependent risk factor for gastric cancer

The associations between E-cadherin (CDH1) gene polymorphisms and gastric cancer (GC) susceptibility are still controversial. Given this uncertainty, we carried out a meta-analysis of published case-control studies to derive more precise estimations of these relationships. Relevant studies were identified from PubMed and EMBASE up to March 2011. Seventeen studies with 3511 GC cases and 4826 controls were selected. Crude odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were used to investigate the strength of the associations. No associations between CDH1 (+54T>C, -160C>A, -347G>GA, -616G>C, -2076C>T and -3159T>C) gene polymorphisms and GC risk for all genetic models were found. As for CDH1 -160C>A polymorphism, subgroup analyses by country, gender, study design, smoking status, Helicobacter pylori infection, and the Lauren classification of GC did not change the results. When stratified by ethnicity, we found the A allele carriers had a significantly increased risk of GC among Caucasians (AA vs. CA+CC: OR=1.50, 95% CI=1.03-2.19, P=0.03), but not among Asians (AA vs. CA+CC: OR=0.87, 95% CI=0.56-1.37, P=0.56). No publication bias was found in the present study. This meta-analysis suggests that CDH1 -160C>A gene polymorphism may contribute to increased risk of GC among Caucasians.