[Effects and mechanisms of bariatric surgery on sexual function in males with obesity]

Obesity has been identified as one of the risk factors for male sexual dysfunction, and it also has a certain impact on fertility. For people with obesity, sexual function is an important aspect of quality of life, but it is often overlooked. Society's stigma against obesity exacerbates the psychological stress of patients with obesity and negatively affects sexual function. Current studies have found that bariatric surgery can reduce body weight and improve sexual function in patients with obesity, and obesity-related gonadal dysfunction is also improved or even subsided after surgery. However, attention needs to be paid to postoperative body mass management and mental health status of patients to prevent postoperative body mass recovery and reversal of sex hormones and sexual function. In addition, there is still controversy about the change in sperm quality after bariatric surgery, and there is a lack of research data on sexual function and sperm parameters and mechanisms after bariatric surgery. Therefore, this article reviews the latest research progress of bariatric surgery and sexual dysfunction, as well as related mechanisms and sperm parameters, to provide a reference for bariatric surgery in patients with obesity with sexual dysfunction.

Research on Pachymaran to Ameliorate CsA-Induced Immunosuppressive Lung Injury by Regulating Microflora Metabolism

Pachymaran (PCP), the major medicinal constituent of Poria cocos, has a regulatory effect on immunosuppressive lung injury, but its mechanism of action with respect to gut microorganisms and their metabolites is not clear. The aim of this study was to investigate the protective effect of PCP against immunosuppressive lung injury caused by cyclosporine A (CsA), and to reveal its possible mechanism of action via the comprehensive analysis of 16S rRNA and LC-MS. We demonstrated that PCP was effective at alleviating CsA-induced immunosuppressive lung injury by restoring the organ indices and lung tissue morphology and structure. PCP significantly altered the composition of the gut and lung microbiota in mice with CsA-induced immunosuppressive lung injury by increasing the number of beneficial bacteria from the Eubacterium nodatum group, Eubacterium ventriosum group, Akkermansia, and Ruminococcus, and reducing the pathogenic Rikenellaceae RC9 gut group to fulfill its immunomodulatory role. In lung tissue microecology, PCP intervention significantly reduced the abundance of Chryseobacterium, Lawsonella, Paracoccus, and Sediminibacterium and increased the abundance of Alloprevotella. The LC-MS results showed that PCP alleviated the CsA-induced immunosuppression of lung tissue injury. The model serum metabolite Americine decreased the expression of PC(O-18:1(4Z)/0:0). Our results suggest that PCP may be involved in regulating the composition, function, and metabolism of the gut and lung microbiota to reverse CsA-induced immunosuppressive lung injury.

Application of SifaInDel 45plex System in the Han and Mongolian Populations

OBJECTIVES

To investigate the genetic polymorphism of InDel loci in SifalnDel 45plex system in the Han population in Jiangsu Province and the Mongolian population in Inner Mongolia, and to evaluate the effectiveness of the system in forensic medicine.

METHODS

SifaInDel 45plex system was used for genotyping in blood samples of 398 unrelated individuals from the above two populations, and allele frequencies and population genetic parameters of the two populations were calculated respectively. Eight intercontinental populations in the gnomAD database were used as reference populations. The genetic distances between the two studied populations and eight reference populations were calculated based on the allele frequencies of 27 autosomal-InDels (A-InDels). The phylogenetic trees and multidimensional scaling (MDS) analysis diagrams were constructed accordingly.

RESULTS

Among two studied populations, the 27 A-InDels and 16 X-InDels showed no linkage disequilibrium between each other and the allele frequency distributions were in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. The CDP of the 27 A-InDels in two studied populations were all higher than 0.999 999 999 9, and the CPE_trio were all less than 0.999 9. The CDP of the 16 X-InDels in Han in Jiangsu and Mongolian in Inner Mongolia female and male samples were 0.999 997 962, 0.999 998 389, and 0.999 818 940, 0.999 856 063, respectively. The CMEC_trio were all less than 0.999 9. The results of population genetics showed that the Jiangsu Han nationality, Inner Mongolia Mongolian nationality and East Asian population clustered into one branch, showing closer genetic relationship. The other 7 intercontinental populations clustered into another group. And the above 3 populations displayed distant genetic relationships with the other 7 intercontinental populations.

CONCLUSIONS

The InDels in the SifaInDel 45plex system have good genetic polymorphism in the two studied populations, which can be used for forensic individual identification or as an effective complement for paternity identification, and to distinguish different intercontinental populations.

[Maxing Shigan Decoction improves lung and colon tissue damage caused by influenza virus infection through JAK1/2-STAT1 signaling pathway]

Based on Janus kinase 1/2-signal transducer and activator of transcription 1(JAK1/2-STAT1) signaling pathway, this study explored the immune mechanism of Maxing Shigan Decoction in alleviating the lung tissue and colon tissue damage in mice infected with influenza virus. The influenza virus infection was induced in mice by nasal drip of influenza virus. The normal group, model group, oseltamivir group, antiviral granule group, and Maxing Shigan Decoction group were designed. After intragastric administration of corresponding drugs or normal saline for 3 or 7 days, the body mass was measured, and lung index, spleen index, and thymus index were calculated. Based on hematoxylin-eosin(HE) staining, the pathological changes of lung tissue and colon tissue were observed. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA) was used to detect serum levels of inflammatory factors interleukin-8(IL-8) and interferon-γ(IFN-γ), Western blot and real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction(RT-qPCR) to determine the protein and mRNA levels of JAK1, JAK2, STAT1, interferon regulatory factor 9(IRF9), and IFN-γ in lung tissue and colon tissue. The results showed that after 3 and 7 days of administration, the body mass, spleen index, and thymus index were lower(P<0.05 or P<0.01), and the lung index was higher(P<0.01) in the model group than in the normal group. Moreover, the model group showed congestion, edema, and infiltration of a large number of lymphocytes and macrophages in the lung tissue, irregular structure of colon mucosa, ulceration and shedding of epithelial cells, and infiltration of a large number of inflammatory cells. The model group had higher levels of serum IFN-γ(P<0.01), higher protein and mRNA expression of JAK1, JAK2, STAT1, IRF9, IFN-γ in lung tissue(P<0.05 or P<0.01), higher level of JAK2 protein in colon tissue(P<0.01), and higher protein and mRNA levels of STAT1 and IRF9(P<0.05 or P<0.01) than the normal group. Compared with the model group, Maxing Shigan Decoction group had high body mass, spleen index, and thymus index(P<0.05 or P<0.01), low lung index(P<0.05 or P<0.01), and significant alleviation of pathological injury in lung and colon. Moreover, lower serum level of IFN-γ(P<0.05 or P<0.01), protein and mRNA levels of JAK1, JAK2, STAT1, IRF9, and IFN-γ in lung tissue(P<0.05 or P<0.01), JAK2 protein level in colon tissue(P<0.01), and protein and mRNA levels of STAT1 and IRF9(P<0.05 or P<0.01) were observed in the Maxing Shigan Decoction group than in the model group. After 3 days of administration, the level of serum IL-8 in the model group was significantly higher than that in the normal group(P<0.01), and the level in the Maxing Shigan Decoction group was significantly reduced(P<0.01). In conclusion, Maxing Shigan Decoction can significantly up-regulate body mass, spleen index, and thymus index, down-regulate lung index, reduce the levels of IL-8 and IFN-γ, and down-regulate protein and mRNA levels of JAK1, JAK2, STAT1, IRF9, and IFN-γ in lung tissue and protein and mRNA levels of JAK2, STAT1, and IRF9 in colon tissue, and alleviate pathological damage of lung tissue and colon tissue. The mechanism is the likelihood that it inhibits the activation of JAK1/2-STAT1 signaling pathway to alleviate the damage to lung and colon tissue damage.

Up-regulation of antioxidative proteins TRX1, TXNL1 and TXNRD1 in the cortex of PTZ kindling seizure model mice

Oxidative stress has been considered as one of pathogenesis of brain damage led by epilepsy. Reducing oxidative stress can ameliorate brain damage during seizures. However, expression levels of important antioxidative enzymes such as thioredoxin-1 (TRX1), thioredoxin-like 1 protein (TXNL1) and thioredoxin reductase 1 (TXNRD1) during seizures have not been investigated. In this study, we examined protein and mRNA expression levels of TRX1, TXNL1 and TXNRD1 in different brain regions in PTZ induced seizure model mice. We found that protein expression levels of TRX1, TXNL1 and TXNRD1 are simultaneously up-regulated by 2- or 3-fold in the cortex of both acute and chronic seizure model mice. But there is no unified expression pattern change of these enzymes in the hippocampus, cerebellum and diencephalon in the seizure model mice. Less extent up-regulation of mRNA expression of these enzymes were also observed in the cortex of seizure mice. These data suggest that antioxidative enzymes may provide a protective effect against oxidative stress in the cortex during seizures.

[Differentiation and malignant suppression induced by mouse erythroid differentiation and denucleation factor on mouse erythroleukemia cells]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the roles of mouse erythroid differentiation and denucleation factor (MEDDF), newly cloned in our laboratory, in erythroid terminal differentiation.

METHODS

Mouse erythroleukemia cells (MEL) were transfected with eukaryotic expression plasmid pcDNA-MEDDF. The changes of cell growth rate, mitotic index and colony-forming rate in semi-solid medium were investigated. The expressions of c-myc and beta-globin genes were analysed by semi-quantitative RT-PCR.

RESULTS

MEL cells transfected with pcDNA-MEDDF showed significant lower growth rate, mitotic index, and colony-forming rate in semisolid medium(P < 0.01). The percentage of benzidine-positive cells was 32.8% after transfection. The expression of beta-globin in cells transfected with pcDNA-MEDDF was 3.43 times higher than that of control (MEL transfected with blank vector, pcDNA3.1), and the expression of c-myc was decreased by 66.3%.

CONCLUSIONS

MEDDF can induce differentiation of MEL cell, and suppress its malignancy likely.

Effect of topical aclacinomycin on glaucoma filtration surgery in rabbits

A prospective, randomized, double-masked and placebo-controlled study was performed to compare the effects of a single 5-minute intraoperative exposure to aclacinomycin (AMC) 0.4 mg/ml or 0.8 mg/ml with control eyes treated with saline solution on the success of glaucoma filtration surgery in 26 rabbits. Intraocular pressure (IOP), bleb survival, fistula patency and complications were evaluated. The results showed that IOP in the eyes treated with AMC was significantly lower than that in the control eyes from days 5-40 in the 0.4 mg/ml group and from days 5-20 in the 0.8 mg/ml group. The bleb survival lasted significantly longer in the two treated groups than in the control group and in the AMC 0.4 mg/ml group than in the AMC 0.8 mg/ml group. At 40 days, the rate of sclera fistula occlusion was 0% in the AMC 0.4 mg/ml eyes, 43.8% in the AMC 0.8 mg/ml eyes, and 100% in the control eyes. Significant complications, such as anterior chamber inflammation, hyphema, moderate and severe corneal haze, dense corneal neovascularization and mild cataract occurred only in the eyes treated with AMC 0.8 mg/ml. The results indicated that intraocular treatment with AMC at a dose of 0.4 mg/ml had a markedly beneficial effect on IOP, bleb appearance and fistula patency after experimental filtration surgery in rabbits.

Effect of subconjunctival daunorubicin on glaucoma surgery in rabbits

Daunorubicin (DNR), an antibiotic-antimetabolite, was used as an adjunct to standardized partial-thickness filtration surgery in 21 rabbits to determine its effects on that surgery. Postoperatively, one of the eyes of each rabbit received subconjunctival injections of DNR 25 micrograms or 50 micrograms, while the fellow eyes received only diluent, daily for 2 to 14 days. Bleb survival, fistula patency, the thickness of the subconjunctival connective tissue, and postoperative complications were investigated. The filtration blebs lasted significantly longer (P < .005), the rate of fistula closure was significantly lower (P < .005), and the subepithelial connective tissue was much looser and thicker in the experimental eyes than in the control eyes. Corneal toxicity occurred more frequently in the eyes treated with the higher-dose DNR than in those treated with the lower dose and in the control eyes.

Enzyme engineering for nonaqueous solvents: random mutagenesis to enhance activity of subtilisin E in polar organic media

Enzyme activity is often dramatically reduced in polar organic solvents, even under conditions where the folded structures are stable. We have utilized random mutagenesis by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) techniques combined with screening for enhanced activity in the presence of dimethylformamide (DMF) to probe mechanisms by which improved enzymes for chemical synthesis in polar organic media might be obtained. Two amino acid substitutions which enhance subtilisin E activity in the presence of DMF, Q103R and D60N, were identified by screening on agar plates containing DMF and casein. The two substitutions are located near the substrate binding pocket or in the active site, and their effects on the catalytic efficiency kcat/KM for the hydrolysis of a peptide substrate are additive. The effects of D60N are apparent only in the presence of DMF, highlighting the importance of screening in the organic solvent. Protein engineering is an effective approach to enhancing enzyme activity in organic media: the triple mutant D60N + Q103R + N218S is 38 times more active than wild-type subtilisin E in 85% DMF. An evolutionary approach consisting of multiple steps of random mutagenesis and screening in continually higher concentrations of organic solvent should result in enzymes that are substantially more active in organic media.

Characterization of the structure and transcription of an ubiquitin fusion gene from maize

We have identified a maize ubiquitin (Ubi) fusion gene (UBF9) by screening a maize W22 genomic phage lambda library with a short (16-nucleotide) oligodeoxyribonucleotide probe derived from the sequence for the extension sequence of a yeast UB13 fusion gene. UBF9 consists of an UB monomer sequence (228 bp long) joined to an extension sequence (237 bp long). The extension sequence encodes a protein of 79 amino acids which shares extensive identity with similar extension aa sequences found in yeast, humans, barley and Arabidopsis thaliana. UBF9 encodes a small-size class of Ubi mRNAs in the maize tissues investigated. The UBF9 transcript is present in high levels in maize endosperm tissues 22 days after pollination. Genomic Southern blots of maize inbred W22 DNA indicate that the fusion gene sequences are present in multiple copies in the maize genome. Primer extension experiments indicate that the transcription start point is located at 80 bp upstream from the translation start codon of UBF9. Two 37-bp tandem repeated A + T-rich sequences are found in the 5'-flanking region of UBF9. The A + T-rich sequences share the motif, AATATTTTATT, which is present in a diverse set of plant genes.

Enzyme engineering for nonaqueous solvents. II. Additive effects of mutations on the stability and activity of subtilisin E in polar organic media

Single amino acid substitutions increase the activity and stability of subtilisin E in mixtures of organic solvents and water, and the effects of these mutations are additive. A variant of subtilisin E that exhibits higher activity in mixtures of dimethylformamide (DMF) and water (Q103R) was created by random mutagenesis combined with screening for improved activity (K. Chen and F. H. Arnold, in preparation). Another mutation, N218S, known to improve both the activity and stability of subtilisin BPN', also improves the activity and stability of subtilisin E in the presence of DMF. The effects of the two substitutions on transition-state stabilization are additive. Furthermore, the Q103R mutation that improves activity has no deleterious effect on subtilisin stability. The double mutant Q103R+N218S is 10 times more active than the wild-type enzyme in 20% (v/v) DMF and twice as stable in 40% DMF. Although the effects of single mutations can be impressive, a practical strategy for engineering enzymes that function in nonaqueous solvents will most likely require multiple changes in the amino acid sequence. These results demonstrate the excellent potential for engineering nonaqueous-solvent-compatible enzymes.

Sites of action of gossypol studied by autoradiography and enzyme histochemistry

The distribution of 14C-gossypol acetate was studied by autoradiography in male rats after intraperitoneal or intratesticular injection. Accumulation of radioactivity was found in testis, kidney and liver, while there was little in brain, pituitary and epididymis. In testis, high accumulation occurred in interstitial cells, with low levels in Sertoli cells, spermatogonia and spermatocytes. In addition, the chronic effect of gossypol was assessed by enzyme histochemistry with thiamine pyrophosphate, alpha-glycerophosphate dehydrogenase, and by lipid stain. In the treated animals an increased number of luminal exfoliated cells (Sertoli cells, germ cells and spermatids) was noted, which showed positive reactions. The results suggest both direct and indirect effects of gossypol on testicular functions.