Effect and mechanism of recombinant human fibroblast growth factor 18 on osteoporosis in OVX mice

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to investigate the effect and the mechanism of recombinant human fibroblast growth factor 18 (rhFGF18) on postmenopausal osteoporosis.

METHODS

The effect of rhFGF18 on the proliferation and apoptosis of osteoblasts and the mechanism underlying such an effect was evaluated using an oxidative stress model of the MC3T3-E1 cell line. Furthermore, ovariectomy was performed on ICR mice to imitate estrogen-deficiency postmenopausal osteoporosis. Bone metabolism and bone morphological parameters in the ovariectomized (OVX) mice were evaluated.

RESULTS

The results obtained from the cell model showed that FGF18 promoted MC3T3-E1 cell proliferation by activating the extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) and p38 instead of c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK). FGF18 also prevented cells from damage inflicted by oxidative stress via inhibition of apoptosis. After FGF18 administration, the expression level of anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2 in the mice was upregulated, whereas those of the pro-apoptotic proteins Bax and caspase-3 were downregulated. Administering FGF18 also improved bone metabolism and bone morphological parameters in OVX mice.

CONCLUSIONS

FGF18 could effectively prevent bone loss in OVX mice by enhancing osteoblastogenesis and protecting osteoblasts from oxidative stress-induced apoptosis.

Two novel ATP2C1 mutations in patients with Hailey-Hailey disease and a literature review of sequence variants reported in the Chinese population

Hailey-Hailey disease (HHD) is an autosomal dominant disorder in which the ATP2C1 gene has been implicated. Many mutations of this gene have been detected in HHD patients. To analyze such mutations in HHD and summarize all those identified in Chinese patients with this disease, we examined four familial and two sporadic cases and searched for case reports and papers by using the Chinese Biological Medicine Database and PubMed. HHD diagnoses were made based on clinical features and histopathological findings. Polymerase chain reaction and direct sequencing of the ATP2C1 gene were performed using blood samples from HHD patients, unaffected family members, and 120 healthy individuals. Three mutations were identified, including the recurrent mutation c.2126C>T (p.Thr709Met), and two novel missense mutations, c.2235_2236insC (p.Pro745fs*756) and c.689G>A (p.Gly230Asp). Considering our data, 81 different mutations have now been reported in Chinese patients with HHD. In cases of misannotation or duplication, previously published mutations were renamed according to a complementary DNA reference sequence. These mutations are scattered throughout the ATP2C1 gene, with no evident hotspots or clustering. It is of note that some reported "novel" mutations were in fact found to be recurrent. Our findings expand the range of known ATP2C1 sequence variants in this disease.

Mutations in the ADAR1 gene in Chinese families with dyschromatosis symmetrica hereditaria

We investigated 2 Chinese families with dyschromatosis symmetrica hereditaria (DSH) and search for mutations in the adenosine deaminase acting on RNA1 (ADAR1) gene in these 2 pedigrees. We performed a mutation analysis of the ADAR1 gene in 2 Chinese families with DSH and reviewed all articles published regarding ADAR1 mutations reported since 2003 by using PubMed. By direct sequencing, a 2-nucleotide AG deletion, 2099-2100delAG, was found in family 1, and a C→T mutation was identified at nucleotide 1420 that changed codon 474 from arginine to a translational termination codon in family 2. Two different pathogenic mutations were identified, c.2099-2100delAG and c.1420C>T, the former being a novel mutation, and the latter previously reported in 3 other families with DSH. To date, a total of 110 mutations in the ADAR1 gene have been reported, and 10 of them were recurrent; the mutations R474X, R1083C, R1096X, and R1155W might be the DSH-related hotspots.

Pd3Fe and Pt Monolayer-Modified Pd3Fe Electrocatalysts for Oxygen Reduction

In a search for electrocatalysts based on other metals with comparable attributes to very scarce and expensive Pt, we studied the kinetics of the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) on carbon-supported Pd3Fe alloy nanoparticles in HClO4 and NaOH solutions. In acid solution, the electrocatalyst's activity for the ORR is slightly higher than that of commercial Pt/C. The reaction kinetics involves predominantly a four-electron reduction with the first charge-transfer step being the rate-determining one. The synthesis of a Pd overlayer on the Pd3Fe alloy's surface at elevated temperatures is due to strong segregation effects. The major cause of this electrocatalyst's high activity appears to be the downshifting of the d-band center of Pd overlayer, resulting in a weaker interaction between the oxygen-containing species and the Pd surface. We demonstrated a further enhancement of the ORR kinetics with a Pt monolayer-covered Pd3Fe/C electrocatalyst. In HClO4 solution, the mass-specific activity of Pt/Pd3Fe/C was about five times higher than that of commercial Pt/C, surpassing the Pt/Pd/C. In situ XANES data indicate that this elevated ORR activity may be due to the decreased formation of PtOH, and weaker oxygen adsorption on Pt/Pd3Fe/C.

Palladium monolayer and palladium alloy electrocatalysts for oxygen reduction

We investigated the oxygen-reduction reaction (ORR) on Pd monolayers on various surfaces and on Pd alloys to obtain a substitute for Pt and to elucidate the origin of their activity. The activity of Pd monolayers supported on Ru(0001), Rh(111), Ir(111), Pt(111), and Au(111) increased in the following order: Pd/Ru(0001) < Pd/Ir(111) < Pd/Rh(111) < Pd/Au(111) < Pd/Pt(111). Their activity was correlated with their d-band centers, which were calculated using density functional theory (DFT). We found a volcano-type dependence of activity on the energy of the d-band center of Pd monolayers, with Pd/Pt(111) at the top of the curve. The activity of the non-Pt Pd2Co/C alloy electrocatalyst nanoparticles that we synthesized was comparable to that of commercial Pt-containing catalysts. The kinetics of the ORR on this electrocatalyst predominantly involves a four-electron step reduction with the first electron transfer being the rate-determining step. The downshift of the d-band center of the Pd "skin", which constitutes the alloy surface due to the strong surface segregation of Pd at elevated temperatures, determined its high ORR activity. Additionally, it showed very high methanol tolerance, retaining very high catalytic activity for the ORR at high concentrations of methanol. Provided its stability is satisfactory, this catalyst might possibly replace Pt in fuel-cell cathodes, especially those of direct methanol oxidation fuel cells (DMFCs).

Platinum Monolayer on Nonnoble Metal−Noble Metal Core−Shell Nanoparticle Electrocatalysts for O2 Reduction

We synthesized a new class of O2 electrocatalysts with a high activity and very low noble metal content. They consist of Pt monolayers deposited on the surfaces of carbon-supported nonnoble metal-noble metal core-shell nanoparticles. These core-shell nanoparticles were formed by segregating the atoms of the noble metal on to the nanoparticles' surfaces at elevated temperatures. A Pt monolayer was deposited by galvanic displacement of a Cu monolayer deposited at underpotentials. The mass activity of all the three Pt monolayer electrocatalysts investigated, viz., Pt/Au/Ni, Pt/Pd/Co, and Pt/Pt/Co, is more than order of magnitude higher than that of a state-of-the-art commercial Pt/C electrocatalyst. Geometric effects in the Pt monolayer and the effects of PtOH coverage, revealed by electrochemical data, X-ray diffraction, and X-ray absorption spectroscopy data, appear to be the source of the enhanced catalytic activity. Our results demonstrated that high-activity electrocatalysts can be devised that contain only a fractional amount of Pt and a very small amount of another noble metal.

Spectroscopic Identification of the Reaction Intermediates in Oxygen Reduction on Gold in Alkaline Solutions

Surface enhanced infrared reflection-absorption spectroscopy with an attentuated total reflection configuration (ATR-SEIRAS) was used for the first time to identify the intermediates of the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) on gold electrodes. Our study employed a Au thin-film electrode in acidic and alkaline solutions. In alkaline solutions, a potential dependent band at 1268 cm(-1), which we assigned to the antisymmetric bending mode of OOH of adsorbed HO2-, was observed between 0.1 and -0.6 V versus Ag|AgCl, Cl-, exactly in the potential range where the ORR occurred. The assignment was supported by our isotope exchange experiment. The adsorbed HO2- is a reaction intermediate in the 4e- serial mechanism. In acidic solutions, there was only a very weak band at the same position, reflecting the fast protonation of HO2-. This finding may imply that the interaction between HO2- and Au surfaces is very weak in acidic solutions, in agreement with the observed 2e- reduction mechanism.

Selection and expression of peptides which can change the conformation of p20 protein of rice stripe virus

Phages with high affinity to the P20 protein of rice stripe virus (RSV) were enriched from phage-displayed random 12-mer peptide library after three rounds of phage display screening. Nine different peptides from the enriched library were selected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The P20 protein from raw extracts of rice leaves infected with RSV could be detected by those 9 peptides displayed on the phage, which suggested that a peptide could be an effective tool for diagnosis of RSV in rice and planthopper. Circular dichroism (CD) spectra of P20 fusion proteins with the binding phages and non-binding phages showed that the conformation of P20 protein was changed after binding to each of the 9 selected 12-mer peptides, which suggested that these peptides might disrupt the function of the P20 protein. Thereafter, those peptides might be used to develop plant resistance and disrupt virus transmission. Three of the 12-mer peptide genes were fused with the glutathione-S-transferase (GST) gene in the vector pGEX 3X. The fusion proteins were obtained from an Escherichia coli expression system and purified. The fusion proteins might have a potential to develop a plant peptide-based resistance to its pathogens and virus diagnosis. It also provided a tool (i) to confirm the inhibition of the function of P20 protein by the fusion peptides in vivo, and (ii) to detect the function of P20 protein and the interaction between the virus and its vector.

[Treatment of advanced and recurrent gynecologic cancer with chemotherapy by cannula perfusion into both internal iliac arteries]

This paper reports fourteen cases of advanced and recurrent gynecologic cancers treated with prolonged arterial perfusion chemotherapy by catheterization of both internal iliac arteries through femoral arteriopuncture under X-ray. The immediate effective rate was 78.5%, follow-up rate 100%. By this technique anticancer drugs can be selectively injected into vessels supplying the tumors. The drug is concentrated within the tumor resulting in longterm better local effects, and fewer general side reactions, and a much higher dose than that which could be given conventionally. This technique is considered as a new route of treatment in gynecologic tumors.