Effect of triptolide on progesterone production from cultured rat granulosa cells

Triptolide(CAS 38748-32-2), a major active component of Tripterygium wilfordii Hook F (TWHF), is known to have multiple pharmacological activities. However, studies have also shown that triptolide is highly disrupt to the reproductive system by disrupting normal steroid hormone signaling. In the present study, we investigated the effect of triptolide (5, 10, or 20 nM for 24 h) on progesterone production by rat granulosa cells. Triptolide inhibited both basal and human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG)- and 8-bromo-cAMP-stimulated progesterone production as revealed by RIA assay. Furthermore, the HCG-evoked increase in cellular cAMP content was also inhibited by triptolide, indicating that disruption of the cAMP/PKA signaling pathway may mediate the deleterious effects of triptolide on progesterone regulation. In addition, triptolide inhibited 25-OH-cholesterol-stimulated progesterone production, suggesting that activity of the P450 side chain cleavage (P450scc) enzyme was also be inhibited by triptolide. Western blot and quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) assays further revealed that triptolide decreased mRNA and protein expression of P450scc and the steroidogenic regulatory (StAR) protein in granulosa cells. In contrast, cell viability tests using 3-(4,5-dimethyl-thiazol-2-yl)-2,5- diphenyl-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) indicated that triptolide did not cause measurable cell death at doses that suppressed steroidogenesis. The reproductive toxicity of triptolide may be caused by disruption of cAMP/PKA-mediated expression of a number of progesterone synthesis enzymes or regulatory proteins, leading to reduced progesterone synthesis and reproductive dysfunction.

The prevalence of immunologic injury in renal allograft recipients with de novo proteinuria

Post-transplant proteinuria is a common complication after renal transplantation; it is associated with reduced graft and recipient survival. However, the prevalence of histological causes has been reported with considerable variation. A clinico-pathological re-evaluation of post-transplant proteinuria is necessary, especially after dismissal of the term “chronic allograft nephropathy,” which had been considered to be an important cause of proteinuria. Moreover, urinary protein can promote interstitial inflammation in native kidney, whether this occurs in renal allograft remains unknown. Factors that affect the graft outcome in patients with proteinuria also remain unclear. Here we collected 98 cases of renal allograft recipients who developed proteinuria after transplant, histological features were characterized using Banff scoring system. Cox proportional hazard regression models were used for graft survival predictors. We found that transplant glomerulopathy was the leading (40.8%) cause of post-transplant proteinuria. Immunological causes, including transplant glomerulopathy, acute rejection, and chronic rejection accounted for the majority of all pathological causes of proteinuria. Nevertheless, almost all patients that developed proteinuria had immunological lesions in the graft, especially for interstitial inflammation. Intraglomerular C3 deposition was unexpectedly correlated with the severity of proteinuria. Moreover, the severity of interstitial inflammation was an independent risk factor for graft loss, while high level of hemoglobin was a protective factor for graft survival. This study revealed a predominance of immunological parameters in renal allografts with post-transplant proteinuria. These parameters not only correlate with the severity of proteinuria, but also with the outcome of the graft.

Predictive-focus illumination for reducing photodamage in live-cell microscopy

Due to photobleaching and phototoxicity induced by high-intensity excitation light, the number of fluorescence images that can be obtained in live cells is always limited. This limitation becomes particularly prominent in multidimensional recordings when multiple Z-planes are captured at every time point. Here we present a simple technique, termed predictive-focus illumination (PFI), which helps to minimize cells' exposure to light by decreasing the number of Z-planes that need to be captured in live-cell 3D time-lapse recordings. PFI utilizes computer tracking to predict positions of objects of interest (OOIs) and restricts image acquisition to small dynamic Z-regions centred on each OOI. Importantly, PFI does not require hardware modifications and it can be easily implemented on standard wide-field and spinning-disc confocal microscopes.

Evaluation of vascular lesions using circulating endothelial cells in renal transplant patients

Objective: To investigate the correlation between circulating endothelial cells (CECs) and vascular lesions in renal allografts.

Methodology: Sixty-two renal transplant patients were divided into four groups according to biopsy data. CECs were isolated from peripheral blood with anti-CD136-coated immunomagnetic Dynabeads and counted by microscopy during biopsy. CEC numbers were compared in each group, as well as the correlation between CECs and C4d and vascular changes in different groups.

Result: CECs counts were higher in the acute rejection (AR) with endarteritis group than in the normal group (p < 0.01), acute tubular necrosis (ATN) group (p < 0.01) and chronic allograft nephropathy (CAN) group (p < 0.01), there were no difference among ATN, normal and CAN) group (p = 0.587). There was no difference among the normal group without hyaline, normal group with hyaline and CAN with hyaline group. An increasing CECs count was related to C4d-positive AR (p = 0.008; κ score = 0.519) and infiltration of inflammatory cells (p = 0.002, κ score = 0.573) in proximal tubule cells (PTCs). The CECs count decreased after intensive therapy in five patients (p = 0.001).

Conclusion: Elevation of the CEC count in blood was related to endarteritis. Elevation of CEC count was related to C4d deposition and infiltration of inflammatory cells in PTCs.

Association among serum uric acid, cardiovascular risk, and arterial stiffness: a cross-sectional study in She ethnic minority group of Fujian Province in China

OBJECTIVES

To investigate the association between serum uric acid levels, cardiovascular risk, and arterial stiffness in She ethnic minority in South China's Fujian Province.

METHODS

5109 participants aged 20-79 yr were enrolled in analysis. Tpeak-Tend interval (Tp-e), QT interval, and height of the R wave in lead aVL (aVLR) were measured on 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG), and Minnesota code-indicated major abnormal ECG MA-ECG was used as a risk indicator of cardiovascular disease. Arterial stiffness was assessed by brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV).

RESULTS

Longer Tp-e interval, greater Tp-e/QT ratio, and higher aVLR were observed in the highest quartile of uric acid level. The incidence of MA-ECG was gradually increased from lowest to highest quartile of serum uric acid in males (p for trend <0.01). After adjusting traditional cardiovascular risk factors, multivariate analysis revealed that the fourth quartile of serum uric acid level was independently associated with MA-ECG in males [odds ratios (OR) (95% confidence interval): 2.129 (1.376-3.295)] but not in females. Serum uric acid was also associated with abnormal baPWV, when adjusted for atherogenic confounders. Compared with the lowest serum uric acid quartile, the OR (95% confidence interval) of the second, third, and fourth quartile were 1.920 (1.246-2.957), 1.650 (1.064-2.558), and 2.501 (1.600-3.908) in males.

CONCLUSION

Among China's She ethnic minority, uric acid level was independently related to arterial stiffness assessed by baPWV in both genders. The evaluation of uric acid level was related to higher cardiovascular risk in males but not in females.

Comparison of breast muscle meat quality in 2 broiler breeds

On the basis of meat quality traits, muscle fiber characteristics, and nutrient components and contents in chickens at market age, 120-d-old Beijing-you (BJY) chickens (the Chinese local breed) had distinct breast muscle features when compared with 42-d-old Arbor Acres (AA) chickens (the genetically improved broiler line). The phospholipid (P < 0.05) and essential fatty acid (P < 0.05) contents in BJY chickens were significantly higher than those in AA chickens. No differences (P > 0.05) were found between the breeds in the contents of polyunsaturated fatty acids, unsaturated fatty acids, protein, or amino acids. Breast muscle fiber diameter was significantly smaller (~55.76%) and fiber density was higher (~174.86%) in BJY chickens than in AA chickens (P < 0.05). In this study, breast muscle from 120-d-old BJY chickens was judged to have better quality of phospholipids and essential fatty acid contents and muscle fiber characteristics than breast muscle from 42-d-old AA chickens.

Serum γ-glutamyltransferase and associated damage among a She Chinese population

OBJECTIVE

It has been suggested that serum γ-glutamyltransferase is independently associated with cardiovascular mortality and atherosclerosis. The present study is to investigate the relationship between serum γ-glutamyltransferase and potential associated damage in an adult She Chinese population.

METHOD

A multistage, stratified, cluster, random sampling method was used to select an ethnically representative group of individuals aged 20-80 years in the general population. Brachial-ankle pulse-wave velocity was used to assess arterial stiffness in the general population and the Toronto Clinical Neuropathy Scoring System was used to detect diabetic peripheral polyneuropathy among populations with diabetes.

RESULTS

A total of 5385 subjects were entered into the analysis. Serum γ-glutamyltransferase levels were classified into four groups using the 25th, 50th and 75th percentiles as cut points (males: < 20, 20-29, 29-52 and > 52 U/l; females: < 13, 13-18, 18-25 and > 25 U/l). As compared with the first quartile, the relative risks of arterial stiffness were 1.418, 1.667 and 2.394 in the other three categories, respectively (test for trend P < 0.05). After adjustment in five models, serum γ-glutamyltransferase was still a risk factor of arterial stiffness. We found inverted U-shape curves in both genders and the third quartile (male: 29 52 U/l; female: 18-25 U/l) had the highest odds ratios of 1.640 and 1.529, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

We demonstrated that high serum γ-glutamyltransferase concentrations were directly associated with the increased risk of arterial stiffness, in general, and with peripheral polyneuropathy in subjects with diabetes in an ethnic She Chinese population. Alcohol use, gender, BMI and blood pressure were related to serum γ-glutamyltransferase and were involved in the relationship between serum γ-glutamyltransferase and brachial-ankle pulse-wave velocity.

Effect of dietary supplemental nicotinic acid on growth performance, carcass characteristics and meat quality in three genotypes of chicken

The effects of dietary supplemental nicotinic acid (NA) on growth performance, carcass characteristics and meat quality were investigated in three genotypes of chicken. Fast-growing AA (Arbor Acres) broilers were compared with two genotypes of a slow-growing local breed, Beijing-You, that had undergone selection for and against intramuscular fat content respectively (BJY+IMF and BJY-IMF). The treatments were arranged 3×4 factorial completely randomized design. Day-old females (n=624) were allocated to four treatments with six replicates per treatment and fed diets (basal contained ~25 mg NA/kg) supplemented with 0, 30, 60 and 120 mg NA/kg. A sample of 72 birds from each genotype was slaughtered at market time (8 weeks of age for AA and 16 weeks of age for BJY). The breast muscles of AA broilers were darker, had less redness and yellowness, lower drip loss and higher shear force as compared to the BJY genotypes (p<0.01). The highest drip loss and the lowest shear force among the three genotypes were apparent in BJY+IMF (p<0.01). Increasing supplementation from 0 to 60 mg NA/kg tended to increase average daily gain (ADG), average daily feed intake, width of intermuscular fat band, thickness of subcutaneous fat (including skin) and percentage of abdominal fat but, for most variables, values decreased slightly with 120 mg NA/kg. Increasing supplementation to 60 mg NA/kg decreased (quadratic, p<0.001) drip loss, but it increased at 120 mg NA/kg. The present results indicate that (i) the AA broilers fed corn-soybean meal based-diets require approximately 60 mg NA/kg to maximize ADG and meat product yield and decrease the drip loss of breast muscle; (ii) the addition of 30 mg NA/kg meets the requirement of BJY genotypes; and (iii) there seems to be no beneficial effect of NA supplementation on chicken meat quality except for limiting the drip loss.

A green triple biocide cocktail consisting of a biocide, EDDS and methanol for the mitigation of planktonic and sessile sulfate-reducing bacteria

Sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) cause souring and their biofilms are often the culprit in Microbiologically Influenced Corrosion (MIC). The two most common green biocides for SRB treatment are tetrakis-hydroxymethylphosphonium sulfate (THPS) and glutaraldehyde. It is unlikely that there will be another equally effective green biocide in the market any time soon. This means more effective biocide treatment probably will rely on biocide cocktails. In this work a triple biocide cocktail consisting of glutaraldehyde or THPS, ethylenediaminedisuccinate (EDDS) and methanol was used to treat planktonic SRB and to remove established SRB biofilms. Desulfovibrio vulgaris (ATCC 7757), a corrosive SRB was used as an example in the tests. Laboratory results indicated that with the addition of 10-15% (v/v) methanol to the glutaraldehyde and EDDS double combination, mitigation of planktonic SRB growth in ATCC 1249 medium and a diluted medium turned from inhibition to a kill effect while the chelator dosage was cut from 2,000 to 1,000 ppm. Biofilm removal was achieved when 50 ppm glutaraldehyde combined with 15% methanol and 1,000 ppm EDDS was used. THPS showed similar effects when it was used to replace glutaraldehyde in the triple biocide cocktail to treat planktonic SRB.

Biallele expression of PEG10 gene in primordial germ cells derived from day 27 porcine fetuses

Primordial germ cells (PGCs) from day 27 porcine fetuses have often been isolated to establish pluripotent embryonic germ (EG) cell lines, but little is known regarding their imprinted gene status. In our study, we attempted to detect the imprinted gene expression of cloned embryos and EG cells derived from individual PGC of day 27 and day 35, using single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) analysis of the paternally expression gene 10 (PEG10) as a sign of parental-origin-specific expression. The results showed biallelic gene expression of the SNP that occurred in EG cell colonies and almost all of the cloned blastocysts, demonstrating that aberrant imprinted gene expression of PEG10 occurs in the day 27 porcine PGCs, whereas monoallelic expression of the PEG10 gene occurs in all the PGC clones derived from day 35 PGCs. In addition, the same imprinted gene status was observed for blastocysts derived from both male and female PGCs, indicating that the parental genomic imprinting is erased in male and female germlines.

Increasing prevalence of gestational diabetes mellitus in Chinese women from 1999 to 2008

AIMS

To investigate the trend in the prevalence of gestational diabetes mellitus during 1999-2008 in women living in urban Tianjin, China.

METHODS

A universal screening for gestational diabetes mellitus has become an integral part of the antenatal care in Tianjin, China from 1998. A total of 105,473 pregnant women living in the six urban districts of Tianjin, China, participated in the gestational diabetes mellitus screening programme between December 1998 and December 2008. The screening test consisted of a 50-g 1-h glucose test. Women who had a glucose reading ≥7.8 mmol/l at the initial screening were invited to undergo the standard 2-h oral glucose tolerance test with a 75-g glucose load. Gestational diabetes mellitus was confirmed using the World Health Organization's diagnostic criteria.

RESULTS

The adjusted prevalence of gestational diabetes mellitus increased by 2.8 times during 1999-2008, from 2.4 to 6.8% (P<0.0001 for linear trend). In 2008, the age-specific prevalence of gestational diabetes mellitus was the highest among women aged 30-34 years (11.3%) and lowest among women aged 25 and under (1.2%). In women aged 35 years and more, the prevalence was 5.3%.

CONCLUSIONS

The prevalence of gestational diabetes mellitus has markedly been increasing in a universally screened urban Chinese female population and has become an important public health problem in China.

The New Unified International Diabetes Federation/American Heart Association/National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Metabolic Syndrome definition: does it correlate better with C-reactive protein in Chinese patients diagnosed with type 2 diabetes?

This study evaluated the association between high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) and metabolic syndrome, defined by the definition proposed by the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), American Heart Association (AHA) and National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) versus the older IDF definition, in 506 Chinese patients with type 2 diabetes. Anthropometric and biochemical parameters were compared and analysed using multivariate linear regression models. Serum hsCRP was higher in patients with metabolic syndrome compared with those without metabolic syndrome for both definitions and increased as the number of components of metabolic syndrome increased (after adjusting for age, gender and smoking). Patients with metabolic syndrome according to the IDF/AHA/NHLBI but not the IDF definition had significantly higher hsCRP levels than those not meeting either definition and similar hsCRP levels to those meeting both definitions. Serum hsCRP levels were significantly associated with metabolic syndrome according to the IDF definition after adjusting for age, gender and smoking. Adding metabolic syndrome status according to the IDF/AHA/NHLBI definition significantly increased the fit of the multivariate linear regression model. The new IDF/AHA/NHLBI definition of metabolic syndrome may have a stronger relationship with serum hsCRP than the IDF definition.