A spectrum of novel NPHS1 and NPHS2 gene mutations in pediatric nephrotic syndrome patients from Pakistan

Background

Mutations in the NPHS1 and NPHS2 genes are among the main causes of early-onset and familial steroid resistant nephrotic syndrome respectively. This study was carried out to assess the frequencies of mutations in these two genes in a cohort of Pakistani pediatric NS patients.

Methods

Mutation analysis was carried out by direct sequencing of the NPHS1 and NPHS2 genes in 145 nephrotic syndrome (NS) patients. This cohort included 36 samples of congenital or infantile onset NS cases and 39 samples of familial cases obtained from 30 families.

Results

A total of 7 homozygous (6 novel) mutations were found in the NPHS1 gene and 4 homozygous mutations in the NPHS2 gene. All mutations in the NPHS1 gene were found in the early onset cases. Of these, one patient has a family history of NS. Homozygous p.R229Q mutation in the NPHS2 gene was found in two children with childhood-onset NS.

Conclusions

Our results show a low prevalence of disease causing mutations in the NPHS1 (22% early onset, 5.5% overall) and NPHS2 (3.3% early onset and 3.4% overall) genes in the Pakistani NS children as compared to the European populations. In contrast to the high frequency of the NPHS2 gene mutations reported for familial SRNS in Europe, no mutation was found in the familial Pakistani cases. To our knowledge, this is the first comprehensive screening of the NPHS1 and NPHS2 gene mutations in sporadic and familial NS cases from South Asia.     

Calcium Antagonist Isradipine Reduces Metabolic Alterations in Acute Cerebral Ischemia in Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats

The present study was designed to examine the effect of a calcium antagonist isradipine (PN200-110: PN) on local cerebral blood flow and brain tissue metabolism after 1-hour supratentorial ischemia induced by bilateral carotid artery ligation (BCL) in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). PN, dissolved in ethanol plus polyethylene glycol 400, diluted with saline to make the final concentration of 0.25mg/ml and 2.5mg/ml, was administered subcutaneously either 30 min prior to BCL or just after the induction of incomplete cerebral ischemia (n = 7 in each group). Vehicle injection was served as a control group (n = 7). Cerebral blood flow in the parietal cortex (CBF) and the cerebellar cortex (CeBF) was measured by hydrogen clearance technique, and the supra- and infratentorial metabolites of the brain frozen in situ were determined by the enzymatic method. Blood pressure was lowered, but CBF was increased by PN administration in pre-BCL treatment study. After 1 hour of BCL, CBF decreased to around 10% or less of the resting value, being insignificant among the groups. Brain adenosine triphosphate was better preserved in PN-administered groups. The increase in lactate level tended to reduce dose dependently by PN treatment. PN also reduced the metabolic alterations in brain tissue with significance, even when administered just after the induction of forebrain ischemia. It is considered that pre- as well as post-BCL administration of PN is beneficial to attenuate the metabolic alterations in incomplete forebrain ischemia in SHR.     

人参茎叶皂甙对高胆固醇饮食大鼠再灌注性心律失常和脂质过氧化的影响(英文)

研究人参茎叶皂甙(GSL)对高胆固醇饮食大鼠心肌再灌注性心律失常(RPA_r)和脂质过氧化的影响。方法:将胆固醇乳剂用灌胃法饲养大鼠14d,建立高脂血症模型,各组大鼠进行心肌缺血再灌注实验,观察高脂血症和GSL对大鼠心肌缺血再灌注2h后血丙二醇(MDA),超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)和一氧化氮(NO)水平的影响和对再灌注性心律失常发生率的影响。结果显示:(1)用胆固醇乳剂饲养大鼠14d,成功建立高脂血症模型。同时给予GSL14d有明显降脂作用。(2)高脂血症状态下,心肌缺血再灌注2h后,血MDA升高(p<0.01),SOD降低(p<0.01)和NO(p<0.05)降低,再灌注10min内RPAr的发生率增高。(3)GSL组再灌注后2h的血MDA降低,而SOD和NO水平显著升高;使RPAr发生率大为降低,无VF发生。实验显示高脂血症加重心肌缺血再灌注损伤和提高RPAr发生率及动物死亡率,GSL可减少高脂饮食大鼠脂质过氧化和诱导体内NO生成而减轻缺血再灌注心肌损伤,降低缺血再灌注性心律失常发生率。     

牛磺酸对乳鼠心肌细胞内钙浓度的影响

研究低氧、复氧对乳鼠心肌细胞内钙离子浓度的影响,以及牛磺酸在模拟心肌缺血/再灌注(I/R)过程中对细胞内钙的调节作用。采用SD大鼠乳鼠进行心肌细胞培养,建立模拟I/R模型。以Fluo-4/AM荧光指示剂负载,应用激光共聚焦显微镜技术(confocal laser scanning microscope,CLSM)检测心肌细胞钙离子浓度的变化。对照组心肌细胞内钙离子荧光强度(23.71±2.37U)较低;低氧180 min后复氧即刻,钙离子荧光强度开始增加(57.52±8.31U),复氧180 min后钙离子荧光强度(71.13±4.74U)显著增高(P<0.01vs对照组)。而牛磺酸组细胞内钙离子荧光强度较模拟I/R组显著降低[(42.42±4.17U)vs(71.13±4.74U),P<0.01]。心肌细胞缺血/缺氧导致Ca2+超载;模拟I/R Ca2+超载加剧,而牛磺酸有明显减轻心肌细胞模拟I/R时Ca2+超载的作用。     

基于焦点物种的北京市生物保护安全格局规划

快速城市化进程中,城市及周边地区生物栖息地的丧失和破碎化对生物多样性保护构成严重威胁。如何在景观尺度上判别对于生物保护具有重要意义的栖息地及其空间格局成为了重要问题。选取快速城市化的典型地区——北京市作为研究对象,将焦点物种和景观安全格局方法相结合,对北京市生物保护安全格局进行判别和规划。根据焦点物种的定义和选取标准,将在栖息地类型、生物学特征等各方面具有代表性的大白鹭(Casmerodius albus)、绿头鸭(Anas platyrhynchos)、环颈雉(Phasianus colchicus)选作北京市的焦点物种,应用最小阻力模型和GIS空间分析技术,对焦点物种的栖息地适宜性进行分析,并建立物种运动的等阻力面,根据阻力面的空间特征对北京市生物保护安全格局进行规划。结果显示:规划后的安全格局的斑块数量、分离度、邻近距离显著下降,平均斑块面积和最大斑块指数显著上升;该格局用约60%的土地,保护了北京市主要生境类型及关键性空间格局,可有效缓解栖息地丧失和破碎化的问题,从而达到保护整体生物多样性的目的。这一研究方法和成果可为北京市生物多样性保护和城乡生态建设提供决策依据,也对同类研究具有借鉴价值。     

Quantitative proteomics of the integrin adhesome show a myosin II-dependent recruitment of LIM domain proteins

A characteristic of integrins is their ability to transfer chemical and mechanical signals across the plasma membrane. Force generated by myosin II makes cells able to sense substrate stiffness and induce maturation of nascent adhesions into focal adhesions. In this paper, we present a comprehensive proteomic analysis of nascent and mature adhesions. The purification of integrin adhesion complexes combined with quantitative mass spectrometry enabled the identification and quantification of known and new adhesion-associated proteins. Furthermore, blocking adhesion maturation with the myosin II inhibitor blebbistatin markedly impaired the recruitment of LIM domain proteins to integrin adhesion sites. This suggests a common recruitment mechanism for a whole class of adhesion-associated proteins, involving myosin II and the zinc-finger-type LIM domain.     

局部脑缺血再灌注损伤小鼠脑组织TMEM166的表达及其与脑细胞凋亡的关系

目的:观察跨膜蛋白166(Transmembrane protein 166,TMEM166)基因在小鼠局部脑缺血再灌注损伤(MCAO)后的表达改变及其对脑细胞凋亡的影响。方法:C57/BL6J雄性小鼠50只,体重22-28 g,采用线栓法制作MCAO模型,缺血后动物随机分为再灌注6、12、24、48 h组。采用免疫组化染色的方法观察缺血侧大脑TMEM166、Caspase 3的阳性细胞数目,TUNEL标记法检测细胞凋亡情况,Western blot检测不同再灌注时间点TMEM166、Caspase 3蛋白水平的表达。结果:缺血侧TMEM166的表达随着再灌注时间的延长而增加,24 h达到高峰,48 h后逐渐下降;再灌注6 h后Caspase 3观察到有表达,同样随着再灌注时间而升高,24 h达到高峰。缺血侧细胞凋亡数量变化趋势与TMEM166基本一致,对侧大脑半球上述指标无明显变化。结论:小鼠局部脑缺血再灌注损伤时伴有TMEM166的表达升高,可能通过激活Caspase 3引起脑细胞凋亡。     

Combination stem cell therapy using dental pulp stem cells and human umbilical vein endothelial cells for critical hindlimb ischemia

Narrowing of arteries supplying blood to the limbs provokes critical hindlimb ischemia (CLI). Although CLI results in irreversible sequelae, such as amputation, few therapeutic options induce the formation of new functional blood vessels. Based on the proangiogenic potentials of stem cells, in this study, it was examined whether a combination of dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) and human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) could result in enhanced therapeutic effects of stem cells for CLI compared with those of DPSCs or HUVECs alone. The DPSCs+ HUVECs combination therapy resulted in significantly higher blood flow and lower ischemia damage than DPSCs or HUVECs alone. The improved therapeutic effects in the DPSCs+ HUVECs group were accompanied by a significantly higher number of microvessels in the ischemic tissue than in the other groups. In vitro proliferation and tube formation assay showed that VEGF in the conditioned media of DPSCs induced proliferation and vessel-like tube formation of HUVECs. Altogether, our results demonstrated that the combination of DPSCs and HUVECs had significantly better therapeutic effects on CLI via VEGF-mediated crosstalk. This combinational strategy could be used to develop novel clinical protocols for CLI proangiogenic regenerative treatments.     

cAMP/PKA-pCREB信号通路介导康复训练促进脑缺血大鼠运动功能恢复的探讨

目的探讨cAMP/PKA-pCREB信号通路是否在康复训练促进的缺血性脑卒中大鼠运动功能的恢复方面发挥作用。方法采用Longa改良线栓法制备大鼠大脑中动脉缺血再灌注模型(middle cerebral artery ischemia-reperfusion model,MCAO),造模成功的大鼠随机分为自然恢复组(n=24)、自然恢复+Rp-cAMP组(n=24)、康复训练组(n=18)和康复训练+Rp-cAMP组(n=18)。同时设立假手术组(n=12)。于侧脑室注射RpcAMP后立即进行MCAO模型的制备。训练组大鼠于术后48 h开始每天给予平衡木、转棒及滚筒训练。采用平衡木试验评定大鼠的运动功能。酶联免疫法(ELISA)检测缺血灶周围的脑组织内PKA表达,蛋白免疫印迹法(Western blot)检测pCREB蛋白表达,同时采用免疫组化法对pCREB进行定位检测。结果 (1)运动功能评分结果揭示,自然恢复+Rp-cAMP组大鼠的运动功能低于自然恢复组,提示Rp-cAMP可抑制脑缺血大鼠运动神经功能的恢复;康复训练组大鼠的运动功能明显高于自然恢复组,也高于康复训练+Rp-cAMP组,提示Rp-cAMP明显减弱康复训练促进脑缺血大鼠运动神经功能的恢复;(2)于术后2 d、7 d、14 d、21 d检测缺血灶周围的脑组织PKA、pCREB的蛋白表达结果显示:康复训练组明显高于自然恢复组,同时高于康复训练+Rp-cAMP组,提示康复训练促进脑缺血大鼠的PKA、pCREB蛋白的表达,且Rp-cAMP明显抑制了康复训练促进脑缺血大鼠的PKA、pCREB蛋白的表达。结论 cAMP/PKA-pCREB信号通路可能介导康复训练促进的脑缺血大鼠运动功能的恢复。     

Oxidative damage following cerebral ischemia depends on reperfusion - a biochemical study in rat

The extent of brain injury during reperfusion appears to depend on the experimental pattern of ischemia/reperfusion. The goals of this study were: first, to identify the rate of free radicals generation and the antioxidant activity during ischemia and reperfusion by means of biochemical measurement of lipid peroxidation (LPO) and both enzymatic (superoxid dismutase - SOD, catalase - CAT, glutathion peroxidase - GPx) and non-enzymatic antioxidants activity (glutathione - GSH); and second, to try to find out how the pattern of reperfusion may influence the balance between free radical production and clearance. Wistar male rats were subject of four-vessel occlusion model (Pulsinelly & Brierley) cerebral blood flow being controlled by means of two atraumatic arterial microclamps placed on carotid arteries. The level of free radicals and the antioxidant activity were measured in ischemic rat brain tissue homogenate using spectrophotometrical techniques. All groups subjected to ischemia shown an increase of LPO and a reduction of the activity of enzymatic antioxidative systems (CAT, GPx, SOD) and non-enzymatic systems (GSH). For both groups subjected to ischemia and reperfusion, results shown an important increase of LPO but less significant than the levels found in the group with ischemia only. Statistically relevant differences (p<0.01) between continuous reperfusion and fragmented reperfusion were observed concerning the LPO, CAT, SOD and GSH levels, oxidative aggresion during fragmented reperfusion being more important.