Polymorphisms of 5,10-methylenetetralydrofolate reductase (MTHFR), fruit and vegetable intake, and the risk of stomach cancer

Stomach cancer is a serious public health problem in China. 5,10-Methylenetetralydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) may be involved in both DNA methylation and DNA synthesis. Folate deficiency is associated with cancer risk that may be modulated by a genetic variation in the MTHFR gene in folate metabolism. The main goal of this study was to evaluate the association between polymorphisms of the MTHFR gene and the risk of stomach cancer. This study also explored the modification effects of fruit and vegetable intake (one of the main constituents is folate) on the risk of this disease. A population-based case-control study was conducted in Taixing, China, consisting of 206 newly diagnosed cases with primary stomach cancer and 415 healthy population controls. Polymorphisms of MTHFR C677T and A1298C were assayed by polymerase chain reaction-restricted fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) techniques. The data were analysed using the logistic regression model. No obvious association between the MTHFR A1298C polymorphism and the risk of stomach cancer was observed in this study. The frequencies of 677 C/C, C/T, and T/T were 34.5, 50.9, and 14.6%, respectively, in controls. The frequency of the MTHFR 677 wild homozygotic genotype was 25.8% in cases, which was lower than that in controls (34.5%). The adjusted odds ratio (OR) for the MTHFR 677 any T genotype was 2.05 (95% confidence interval (CI), 1.26-3.34) when compared with the C/C genotype. In the low fruit and vegetable intake group an increasing trend was observed with the T allele exposure, p=0.0056. The adjusted ORs were 1.68 (95% CI = 0.86-3.29) for the C/T genotype and 3.58 (95% CI = 1.46-8.75) for the T/T genotype, respectively. The MTHFR 677 any T genotype was associated with an increased risk of primary stomach cancer among the Chinese population. Folate deficiency might modify the MTHFR gene polymorphism and influence the risk of stomach cancer.     

A strategy for fusion expression and preparation of functional glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) analogue by introducing an enterokinase cleavage site

KGLP-1, a 31-amino acid glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) analogue, has a great therapeutic potential for anti-diabetes. In this work, a strategy for expression and purification of functional KGLP-1 peptide has been established. KGLP-1 cDNA was fused with glutathione S-transferase (GST), with an enterokinase cleavage site in the fusion junction. The recombinant fusion protein GST–KGLP-1 was affinity purified via the GST-tag, and then digested with enterokinase. The resulting GST part as well as the enzymes were eliminated by ultra-filtration followed by size exclusion chromatograph. The yield of purified KGLP-1 was approximately 12.1 mg/L, with purity of 96.18 %. The recombinant KGLP-1 was shown to have similar bioactivity as native GLP-1 when evaluated in a Chinese hamster ovary cell line expressing a GLP-1 receptor-egfp reporter gene.     

云南萝芙木pnae基因全长克隆及其序列分析

根据已知的其他物种PNAE酶cDNA序列设计引物,采用RT-PCR技术从云南萝芙木叶片中扩增获得pnae基因部分cDNA序列即PNAE酶基因中间大片段,再用RACE技术获得其两端序列。序列拼接得到完整的1 004 bp的PNAE酶基因,根据获得的序列,分析得到795 bp的开放阅读框,编码264个氨基酸。序列分析显示,云南萝芙木中PNAE酶氨基酸序列与蛇根木中的该酶氨基酸序列同源性高达90%,但和其他植物物种中的PNAE酶氨基酸序列,以及其他物种间的PNAE酶氨基酸序列同源性都不高,在40%-60%之间,表明不同物种中PNAE酶氨基酸序列不具有全序列的高度同源性。进一步序列分析发现,在各植物的PNAE酶氨基酸序列中都存在两个高度保守的氨基酸区域,表明不同物种中PNAE酶存在共同的高度保守区段。     

Effects and mechanisms of ghrelin on cardiac microvascular endothelial cells in rats

Ghrelin is thought to directly exert a protective effect on the cardiovascular system, specifically by promoting vascular endothelial cell function. Our study demonstrates the ability of ghrelin to promote rat CMEC (cardiac microvascular endothelial cell) proliferation, migration and NO (nitric oxide) secretion. CMECs were isolated from left ventricle of adult male Sprague—Dawley rat by enzyme digestion and maintained in endothelial cell medium. Dil‐ac‐LDL (1,1′‐dioctadecyl‐3,3,3′,3′‐ tetramethylindocarbocyanine‐labelled acetylated low‐density lipoprotein) intake assays were used to identify CMECs. Cells were split into five groups and treated with varying concentrations of ghrelin as follows: one control non‐treated group; three ghrelin dosage groups (1×10^?9, 1×10^?8, 1×10^?7 mol/l) and one ghrelin+PI3K inhibitor group (1×10^?7 mol/l ghrelin+20 μmol/l LY294002). After 24 h treatment, cell proliferation capability was measured by MTT [3‐(4,5‐dimethylthiazol‐2‐yl)‐2,5‐diphenyl‐2H‐tetrazolium bromide] assay and Western blot for PCNA (proliferating cell nuclear antigen) protein expression. Migration of CMECs was detected by transwell assays, and NO secretion of CMECs was measured via nitrate reduction. Protein expression of AKT and phosphorylated AKT in CMECs was measured by Western blot after exposure to various concentrations of ghrelin and the PI3K inhibitor LY294002. Our results indicate that ghrelin significantly enhanced cell growth at concentrations of 10^?8 mol/l (0.271±0.041 compared with 0.199±0.021, P=0.03) and 10^?7 mol/l (0.296±0.039 compared with 0.199±0.021, P<0.01). However, addition of the PI3K/AKT inhibitor LY294002 inhibited the ghrelin‐mediated enhancement in cell proliferation (0.227±0.042 compared with 0.199±0.021, P=0.15). At a concentration between 10^?8 and 10^?7 mol/l, ghrelin caused a significant increase in the number of migrated cells compared with the control group (126±9 compared with 98±7, P=0.02; 142±6 compared with 98±7, P<0.01), whereas no such change could be observed in the presence of 20 μmol/l of the PI3K/Akt inhibitor LY294002 (103±7 compared with 98±7, P=0.32). Ghrelin treatment significantly enhanced NO production in a dose‐dependent fashion compared with the untreated control group [(39.93±2.12) μmol/l compared with (30.27±2.71) μmol/l, P=0.02; (56.80±1.98) μmol/l compared with (30.27±2.71) μmol/l, P<0.01]. However, pretreatment with 20 μmol/l LY294002 inhibited the ghrelin‐stimulated increase in NO secretion [(28.97±1.64) μmol/l compared with (30.27±2.71) μmol/l, P=0.37]. In summary, we have found that ghrelin treatment promotes the proliferation, migration and NO secretion of CMECs through activation of PI3K/AKT signalling pathway.     

家兔发热过程中单核细胞HSF1聚合与IL-1β、TNF-αmRNA表达的关系

目的：探讨热休克因子1（HSF1）参与体温调控的作用及其生物学机制。方法：在复制家兔LPS发热模型基础上,检测在发热过程中单核细胞HSF1的表达与IL-1α、TNF-α mRNA表达之间的关系。结果：注射LPS0．5μg／kg后家兔体温明显升高,在60min和180min时出现两个体温高峰;由LPS引起发热过程中单核细胞TNF-α、IL-1βmRNA表达量分别在80min和160min达高峰,400min以内降至基础水平;单核细胞HSF1三聚体含量在体温上升到一定水平,即从注射LPS后160min开始逐渐增多。LPS致发热时单核细胞HSF1三聚体含量与单核细胞IL-1β、TNF-αmRNA表达量之间呈现负相关关系;而体温与单核细胞IL-1βmRNA表达量呈现正相关动态变化。结论：在LPS致发热时HSF1可能通过抑制IL-1β、TNF-α等内生性致热原基因的表达而限制体温升高。     

基于土地利用变化情景的生态系统服务价值评估: 以钱江源国家公园体制试点区为例

土地利用变化是生物多样性与生态系统服务变化的主要原因之一。评估土地利用变化对生物多样与生态系统服务影响对于政府决策具有重要作用。钱江源国家公园体制试点区是钱塘江的源头, 也是国家的重点生态功能区。本研究以钱江源国家公园体制试点区为研究区, 首先设计自然发展情景、规划情景、生态保护情景和开发利用情景等4种2025年不同土地利用变化情景, 随后采用InVEST模型和CLUE-S模型分析不同情景下钱江源国家公园水资源供给、涵养水源、固碳释氧、土壤保持、环境净化和生境质量等生态系统服务及其价值变化。结果表明: (1)核心保护区和生态保育区的生态系统服务价值占钱江源国家公园总价值的88.30%。(2)生态保护情景下钱江源国家公园生态系统服务价值最高, 有129.17亿元; 规划情景下生态系统服务价值次之, 有126.92亿元。(3)规划情景下钱江源国家公园水资源供给服务优于生态保护情景, 其他生态系统服务则次于生态保护情景。考虑到钱江源国家公园为下游提供重要的水资源这一功能, 将规划情景作为试点区2025年最优的土地利用变化情景。     

脓毒症患者中可溶性髓样细胞触发受体1、降钙素原、核因子κB水平与肠道菌群失调的相关性

本研究旨在探讨脓毒症患者中血清可溶性髓样细胞触发受体1(soluble myeloid cell trigger receptor 1,sTREM1)、降钙素原(procalcitonin,PCT)、核因子κB(nuclear factor­κB,NF­κB)水平与肠道菌群失衡的相关性。将2016年5月-2019年6月重庆市綦江区人民医院消化内科收治的86例脓毒症患者纳入脓毒症组,同期收治的未并发脓毒症患者50例纳入非脓毒症组,同期到本院进行体检的健康人50例纳入对照组,比较3组之间肠道菌群α多样性、肠道菌群含量,以及血清sTREM1、PCT、NF­κB水平的差异,并进行Spearman相关性分析。结果显示,脓毒症组Ace指数、Chao指数、Shannon指数显著低于非脓毒症组和对照组,Simpson指数显著高于非脓毒症组和对照组(P<0.05);脓毒症组类杆菌、双歧杆菌含量显著低于非脓毒症组和对照组,肠球菌、大肠埃希菌、葡萄球菌含量显著高于非脓毒症组和对照组(P<0.05);脓毒症组血清sTREM1、PCT、NF­κB水平显著高于非脓毒症组和对照组(P<0.05)。Spearman相关性分析显示,脓毒症患者中sTREM1、PCT、NF­κB水平与Ace指数、Chao指数、Shannon指数均呈负相关(P<0.05),与Simpson指数呈正相关(P<0.05)。结果提示,脓毒症患者中血清sTREM1、PCT、NF­κB水平与肠道菌群失衡有关联。