Effects of ozone on sciatic nerve in rat

This study evaluated the influence of ozone on rat sciatic nerve structure and function. Thirty Wistar rats were randomly divided into six groups (n = 5). In groups I to IV, 1ml of ozone (O(3)) 10 μg/ml, 30 μg/ml, 50 μg/ml, 8 0 μg/ml was injected at the junction of gluteus maximus margin and lateral edge of the long head of biceps femoris respectively, in group V, 1 ml of pure O(2) was injected at the same point, and group V had puncture without any injection. Ozone was manufactured by an ozone generator (Ozone Line Co, Italy). The rats were investigated by both gross measurement and behavioral changes. One day, one week and three weeks after injection, rat hindlimb footprints were measured and the sciatic nerve function index (SFI) was calculated, and after three weeks, all right sciatic nerves were exposed under anesthesia. Near neural stimulation of the rat sciatic nerve was calculated and nerve conduction velocity, latency and maximum amplitude recorded. Animals were sacrificed for pathology, and ipsilateral triceps surae were taken for wet weight. No serious behavioral abnormalities were observed in any animal. SFI comparison in the various times and various groups showed no significant differences (p<0.05), and nerve conduction velocity, latency and maximum amplitude difference amongst the groups was not significant (p<0.05). There were no abnormalities in peripheral nerves pathologically after injection. Our initial study suggests that ozone concentrations from 10 μg/ml to 80 μg/ml injected around rat's peripheral nerve will not cause serious sequelae or serious damage to the structure and function of peripheral nerve. This finding provides evidence of the safety of ozone injected around the peripheral nerve.

Association analysis of BANK1 gene with psoriasis in Southern Han Chinese

Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory skin disease with an immunogenetic background. This study aimed to determine the association between three functional SNPs of BANK1 (rs10516487, rs17266594 and rs3733197) with psoriasis in Southern Han Chinese population by determining their frequency in 242 patients with psoriasis and 317 healthy individuals. The genotype frequencies of the detected polymorphisms were analysed in relation to the susceptibility of psoriasis. Our data show that there is no significant difference in genotype distribution for the three BANK1 SNPs between patients and healthy controls. The AA frequency of rs3733197 is significantly higher in patients with psoriasis onset before the age of 23 than in those with late disease onset (P =  0.0069). In addition, analysis on BANK1 haplotype also suggests a protective role for TGC and CAT haplotype from psoriasis (OR 0.55, 95% CI: 0.34-0.89; P = 0.0144; OR 0.62, 95% CI: 0.42-0.92; P = 0.0175), whereas CGT haplotype is associated with increased risk of the disease (OR 1.38, 95% CI: 1.05-1.81, P = 0.0203). Overall, our result indicates that polymorphism in BANK1 is associated with susceptibility to psoriasis in Southern Han Chinese.

Compressive mechanical properties of bovine cortical bone under varied loading rates

Bone tissue functions in varied mechanical systems of the body under static and dynamic conditions. Therefore, it is essential to understand the mechanical responses of bone at varied loading rates, especially those at fast loading rates. This study has investigated the effect of loading rate on the compressive mechanical properties of bovine cortical bone. Bone specimens of 3.85 mm in diameter and 7.7 mm in length were compressed longitudinally with the loading rates of 2 to 2000 mm/s (corresponding strain rates of 0.26 to 260 s−1). As a result, bovine cortical bone showed high linear elasticity when the loading rate was slow, and exhibited three definite regions of linear elasticity, plastic deformation, and densification at faster loading rates. The elastic modulus showed no dependency on the loading rate. Compressive strength, strain at fracture, and toughness increased as the loading rate increased under the condition that the loading rates were slower than each critical loading rate of 1000, 100, and 1500 mm/s, respectively. However, all showed no significant changes when the loading rates were faster than the corresponding critical loading rates. In conclusion, as the loading rate increased, changes in the compressive mechanical parameters were different depending on the parameter and the loading rate range. Compressive mechanical behaviour of bovine cortical bone showed a brittle nature under high strain rates (strain rates > 13 s−1). These findings should be reflected in the biomimetic simulation of biomaterials for bone tissue repair and engineering.

Detection of expression of influenza virus receptors in tissues of BALB/c mice by histochemistry

Infection of host cells with the influenza virus is mediated by specific interactions between the viral hemagglutinin and its cell receptor, oligosaccharides containing sialic acid (SA) residues. Avian and human influenza viruses preferentially bind to α-2, 3-linked and α-2, 6-linked sialic acids, respectively. Therefore, differential expression of these receptors may be crucial to influenza virus infection. To date, the distribution of these two receptors has never been investigated in the tissues of BALB/c mice, which is the routine animal model for influenza research. Here, the expression pattern of alpha-2,3 and alpha-2,6 sialic acid-linked receptors in various organs (respiratory tract, gastrointestinal tract, brain, cerebellum, spleen, liver, kidney and heart) of BALB/c mice were determined. Histochemical staining of mouse tissue sections was performed by using biotinylated Maackia amurensis lectin II (MAAII), and Sambucus nigra agglutinin (SNA) were performed to detect the alpha-2,3 and alpha-2,6 sialic acid-linked receptors, respectively. The results showed that the alpha-2,3 and alpha-2,6 sialic acid-linked receptors were both expressed on trachea, lung, cerebellum, spleen, liver and kidney. Only the epithelial cells of cecum, rectum and blood vessels in the heart express the alpha-2,6 sialic acid-linked receptors. The distribution patterns of the two receptors may explain why this model animal can be infected by the AIV and HuIV and the pathological changes when infection occurred. These data can account for the multiple organ involvement observed in influenza infection and should assist investigators in interpreting results obtained when analyzing AIV or HuIV in the mouse model of disease.

Keratinocytes play a role in the immunity to Herpes simplex virus type 2 infection

Herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) infection is the most common cause of genital ulcerative disease in the developed world. Keratinocytes are the primary cells involved in clinical lesions caused by HSV-2. In our study, we intensively examined cytokine expression in the HSV-2-infected keratinocytes. We observed upregulation of a series of cytokines including early-induced antiviral cytokines as interferons α, β (IFN-α, β), tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), colony stimulating factors (CSFs) as G-CSF, GM-CSF, interleukin 3 (IL-3), growth factors (EGF, KGF, and IGF-β1), defensins, selectins, leukocyte function-associated antigens (LFAs,) and toll-like receptors (TLR-2, 3, 4, and 9). More importantly, we found that HSV-2-infected keratinocytes stimulated the proliferation of lymphocytes in co-cultivation system. These data suggest that keratinocytes participate in the immune response to HSV-2 infection in two ways. They secrete inflammatory cytokines to resist the HSV-2 infection directly and recruit the immune cells to eliminate the primary infection indirectly and enhance the adaptive immunity to prevent subsequent infections.

Effects of dietary supplementation of Chinese medicinal herbs on polymorphonuclear neutrophil immune activity and small intestinal morphology in weanling pigs

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of dietary Chinese medicinal herbs (CMH) supplementation composed of Panax ginseng, Dioscoreaceae opposite, Atractylodes macrocephala, Glycyrrhiza uralensis, Ziziphus jujube and Platycodon grandiflorum, on the performance, intestinal tract morphology and immune activity in weanling pigs. Two hundred and forty weaned pigs were assigned randomly to four dietary groups including the negative control (basal diet), 0.1% CMH, 0.3% CMH and 0.114% antibiotic (Chlortetracycline calcium Complex, Sulfathiazole and Procaine Penicillin G) supplementation groups for a 28-day feeding trial. Results indicated that both CMH supplementation groups had a better gain and feed/gain than control group (CT) during the first 2 weeks of the experimental period. The 0.3% CMH had a significant decrease in the diarrhoea score in first 10 days of experimental period when compared with other groups. The CMH supplementation groups had a higher villous height, increased lactobacilli counts in digesta of ileum and decreased coliform counts in colon compared with CT. The immune activities of polymorphonuclear leucocytes (PMNs), including the respiratory burst and Salmonella-killing ability, were significantly enhanced in CMH supplementation groups at day 7 of experiment period. The CMH and antibiotic supplementations increased the nutrient digestibility such as dietary dry matter, crude protein and gross energy in weanling pigs. In conclusion, the dietary CMH supplementation improved intestinal morphology and immune activities of PMNs, thus giving rise to nutrient digestibility and reduce diarrhoea frequency in weanling pigs.

Structural analysis of a 4414-bp element in Drosophila melanogaster

We cloned a 4414-bp element from a mutant of Drosophila melanogaster. Its insertion site was 18,929,626 bp. Analysis of the nucleotide and amino acid sequences demonstrated that the element is homologous to Pifo_I, first obtained from D. yabuka, which belongs to the gypsy/Ty3 subfamily. We also obtained a 3754-bp length element from a wild-type fly by PCR, with a pair of primers designed from the conserved region of the 4414-bp length element. The two elements included a pair of long terminal repeats and part of the GAG and ENV proteins, but the POL protein was completely lost. This element is found in the subgenus of D. melanogaster, but it is a degenerate type of Pifo_I and is not infective. Also, a 714-bp region structured in 5.0 tandem repeats of 143 bp each was found in the 5'UTR of the degenerate element; these could interact with transcription factor CF2. Phylogenetic analysis and alignment of amino acids indicated that the Pifo_I element was closer to the ZAM retrotransposon, which gave us some clues to their functional similarity. Based on these data, we propose that there is a relationship between the degenerate element and the mutant phenotype, which would provide a foundation for further research.

The EEL-1 ubiquitin ligase promotes DNA damage-induced germ cell apoptosis in C. elegans

E3 ubiquitin ligases target a growing number of pro- and anti-apoptotic proteins, including tumour suppressor p53, caspases, and the Bcl-2 family. The core apoptosis pathway is well conserved between mammals and Caenorhabditis elegans, but the extent to which ubiquitin ligases regulate apoptotic cell death is not known. To investigate the role of E3 ligases in apoptosis, we inhibited 108 of the 165 predicted E3 ubiquitin ligase genes by RNA interference and quantified apoptosis in the C. elegans germline after genotoxic stress. From this screen, we identified the homologous to E6-associated protein C terminus-domain E3 ligase EEL-1 as a positive regulator of apoptosis. Intriguingly, the human homologue of EEL-1, Huwe1/ARF-BP1/Mule/HectH9, has been reported to possess both pro- and anti-apoptotic functions through its ability to stimulate Mcl-1 and p53 degradation, respectively. Here, we demonstrate that eel-1 is required to promote DNA damage-induced germ cell apoptosis, but does not have a role in physiological germ cell apoptosis or developmental apoptosis in somatic tissue. Furthermore, eel-1 acts in parallel to the p53-like gene cep-1 and intersects the core apoptosis pathway upstream of the Bcl-2/Mcl-1 orthologue ced-9. Although ee1-1 mutants exhibit hypersensitivity to genotoxic stress they do not appear to be defective in DNA repair, suggesting a distinct role for EEL-1 in promoting damage-induced apoptosis in the germline.

Copy number variations of the human histamine H4 receptor gene are associated with systemic lupus erythematosus

BACKGROUND

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a complex genetic disease; the histamine H4 receptor (HRH4) has been shown to be related to different kinds of autoimmune disorders; and copy number variations (CNVs) have been found to be associated with various types of diseases.

OBJECTIVES

To explore a possible association between HRH4 (formerly H4R) CNVs and the risk of SLE.

METHODS

Genomic DNA and RNA from 340 patients with SLE and 392 healthy controls were extracted, and CNVs and mRNA levels of HRH4 were examined.

RESULTS

The expression of HRH4 mRNA was significantly increased in patients with SLE compared with controls. Amplification of HRH4 copy numbers significantly increased the risk of SLE [P < 0·001, odds ratio (OR) 2·26, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1·50-3·40]. HRH4 amplifications also positively correlated with the incidence of arthritis (P = 0·019, OR 1·96, 95% CI 1·11-3·47), and proteinuria (P < 0·001, OR 2·95, 95% CI 1·73-5·00) and antinuclear antibody abnormalities (P < 0·001, OR 2·97, 95% CI 1·66-5·33). Deletions of HRH4 copy numbers were protective against proteinuria (P = 0·03, OR 0·50, 95% CI 0·26-0·94).

CONCLUSION

CNVs of the HRH4 gene are associated with SLE.

Examination of AKAP12 promoter methylation in skin cancer using methylation-sensitive high-resolution melting analysis

BACKGROUND

A kinase anchor protein 12 (AKAP12/gravin) belongs to a family of scaffold proteins and organizes protein kinase (PK)A and PKC. DNA hypermethylation in the AKAP12 promoter region has been reported in a variety of human cancers with the exception of skin cancer. Methylation-specific high-resolution melting (MS-HRM) analysis is a novel tool for analysis of promoter methylation.

AIM

To use MS-HRM analysis to detect the methylation levels of the AKAP12 gene in skin samples.

METHODS

In total, 195 samples, including basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma and actinic keratosis were examined. MS-HRM analysis was used to detect methylation levels of the AKAP12 gene in these samples.

RESULTS

MS-HRM analysis successfully detected the methylation of AKAP12 in skin samples. The frequencies of AKAP12 methylation in all three types of skin abnormalities were significantly higher than in normal tissues.

CONCLUSIONS

Application of MS-HRM analysis proved to be a fast and high-throughput method to investigate the epigenetic status of AKAP12. Methylation of AKAP12 can be detected in different skin abnormalities.

Zoledronate inhibits intimal hyperplasia in balloon-injured rat carotid artery

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

Zoledronate has been reported to inhibit the proliferation, adhesion and migration of vascular smooth muscle cells. In the present study, we assessed whether systemic and local delivery of zoledronate would be sufficient to prevent intimal hyperplasia.

METHODS

Twenty-four male Sprague-Dawley rats were assigned into four groups: non-treated group, systemic zoledronate-treated group, local collagen-treated group and local zoledronate-treated group. All four groups underwent balloon injury to the right common carotid artery. The left uninjured carotid arteries of the non-treated group were considered as normal artery samples. Twenty-one days after arterial injury and treatment, the right and left common carotid arteries were fixed, sectioned, stained and measured by computer-aided image analysis.

RESULTS

At 3 weeks, there was a 59% reduction of the intima/media area ratio in the systemic zoledronate-treated group compared with the non-treated group (P < 0.01). There was an 87% reduction of the intima/media area ratio in the local zoledronate-treated group compared with the local collagen-treated group (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONS

Both systemic and local delivery of zoledronate correspond to a significant reduction in intimal hyperplasia seen at 3 weeks.