RESUMO
We investigated the role of serotonin (5-HT) in the pathogenesis of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) by determining the platelet 5-HT concentrations in Li and Han patients with PTSD in Hainan Province, China. Li and Han control groups of the same sample size have no statistical differences in gender and age distribution compared to those in the PTSD groups who were also examined. The platelet 5-HT concentrations were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography. In addition, the patients and controls were evaluated by the impact of event scale-revised (IES-R). IES-R showed that the total and sub-scale scores of three factors (avoidance, intrusion, and hyperarousal) of Li patients with PTSD were significantly higher than those of Han patients with PTSD. Scores of both PTSD groups were higher than those of their respective control groups. The platelet 5-HT concentration of the Li patients with PTSD (120.56 ± 118.05 ng/10(9) platelets) was lower than that of the Han patients with PTSD (271.43 ± 181.66 ng/10(9) platelets) and that of both Li and Han control groups (338.54 ± 156.46, 350.58 ± 169.19 ng/10(9) platelets, respectively). Differences existed in symptoms of PTSD in terms of avoidance, intrusion, and hyperarousal in the Li and Han patients with PTSD. The diminished 5-HT activity in patients with PTSD may be relevant to biochemical changes in the brain and body. The differences in these factors between ethnic groups could be due to their customs, social status, and culture.
Assuntos
Plaquetas/metabolismo , Serotonina/sangue , Transtornos de Estresse Pós-Traumáticos/etnologia , Adulto , Biomarcadores/sangue , China , Feminino , Humanos , Masculino , Transtornos de Estresse Pós-Traumáticos/sangueRESUMO
Spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs), the unique seed cells of testes, can undergo meiosis and form spermatozoa, thus transmitting genetic information to offspring. Research concerning these cells explores the mechanism underlying spermatogenesis, making possible the induction of their differentiation into spermatozoa in vitro. SSCs have therefore attracted much interest among scientists. Although the proliferation of such cells in vitro has been demonstrated, we are unaware of any long-term laboratory culture of porcine SSCs. The objective of this study was to isolate, characterize, culture, and induce the differentiation of Bama mini-pig SSCs. SSCs were isolated using differential plating and cultured for over 100 days on an STO feeder cell layer without serum. Cell clusters appeared after three passages and continuously formed during subsequent cultivation. Staining showed that these clusters were positive for UCHL1 and CDH1, could be bound by Dolichos biflorus agglutinin, and that some cells expressed OCT4. Ultrastructure observations revealed SSCs in testis tissue to be round in shape, while those cultured in vitro were flat and bound together. Our attempts at inducing differentiation showed that SSCs cultured in vitro could undergo meiosis. In this study, we describe an effective culture system for Bama mini-pig SSCs capable of producing enough cells to establish a platform for further SSC research, such as genetic manipulation or exploration of the mechanism underlying spermatogenesis.
Assuntos
Espermatogônias/citologia , Células-Tronco/fisiologia , Animais , Biomarcadores/metabolismo , Agregação Celular , Diferenciação Celular , Proliferação de Células , Separação Celular , Células Cultivadas , Masculino , Meiose , Espermatogênese , Suínos , Porco Miniatura , Testículo/citologiaRESUMO
We established a necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) rat model and explored the role of bifidobacteria in the intestines of the rats and its regulation on intestinal Toll-like receptors (TLRs). Seventy-five newborn Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into 5 groups (15 rats/group): group A, artificial feeding group (formula-fed); group B, NEC model (LPS + formula-fed); group C, bifidobacterium (LPS + formula-fed + bifidobacterium microcapsules, intragastric administration); group D, artificial feeding + bifidobacterium (formula-fed + bifidobacterium microcapsules gavage); group E, rat breast-feeding group (rat breast-feeding). After 3 days of feeding, rats were placed in incubators, fasted for 12 h, and killed by decapitation. The ileocecal proximal segment ileum was fixed and sliced; pathological examination was conducted, and TLR2, TLR4, and nuclear factor-kB p65 protein expression in the intestinal tissue was detected by immunohistochemistry. There was a statistically significant difference in pathological scores between groups C and B (H = 21.789, P = 0.000), and the former was lower than the latter. TLR2, TLR4, and nuclear factor-kB p65 expression in intestinal tissue was determined in groups A-E. There were statistically significant differences between groups C and B (P = 0.001; P = 0.000; P = 0.000). Bifidobacteria had a protective effect on the intestines of newborn rats with NEC, which showed reduced NEC and intestinal damage severity. This observation may be related to the reduced levels of TLR2, TLR4, and nuclear factor-kB P65 observed during the inflammatory response.
Assuntos
Bifidobacterium/fisiologia , Enterocolite Necrosante/microbiologia , Mucosa Intestinal/metabolismo , Intestinos/microbiologia , Receptor 2 Toll-Like/metabolismo , Receptor 4 Toll-Like/metabolismo , Animais , Animais Recém-Nascidos , Imuno-Histoquímica , Intestinos/patologia , Camundongos , Ratos Sprague-Dawley , Fator de Transcrição RelA/metabolismoRESUMO
Association studies of interleukin-6 (IL-6) -174G>C polymorphism and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) have yielded inconsistent results, possibly because single studies often lack sufficient statistical power. A comprehensive search was performed in the PubMed, Embase, Elsevier, Web of Science databases, Wanfang, and the Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) databases for published studies investigating the associations between IL-6 -174G>C polymorphism and COPD. Odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (95%CI) were used to assess the possible associations. Seven studies with a total of 2701 subjects were included in this meta-analysis. A significantly increased risk was detected in the C allele of the IL-6 -174G>C in Caucasians (C vs G: OR = 1.16, 95%CI = 1.03-1.30; CC+GC vs GG: OR = 1.21, 95%CI = 1.02-1.42; CC vs GG: OR = 1.32, 95%CI = 1.03-1.70). This meta-analysis suggests that the C allele of the IL-6 -174G>C might act as a COPD risk factor in Caucasians. Further well-designed case-control studies with larger sample sizes are needed to confirm these conclusions.
Assuntos
Interleucina-6/genética , Doença Pulmonar Obstrutiva Crônica/genética , Povo Asiático/genética , Frequência do Gene , Estudos de Associação Genética , Predisposição Genética para Doença , Humanos , Razão de Chances , Polimorfismo de Nucleotídeo Único , Fatores de Risco , População Branca/genéticaRESUMO
This study aimed to investigate the effects of administration of low-dose cyclosporine A (CsA) alone and the combination of low-dose CsA and a low-dose hormone for the treatment of elderly patients with membranous nephropathy. We divided 27 patients into two groups as follows: low-dose CsA group (group A) and the group receiving a combination of a low-dose hormone and low-dose CsA (group B). The treatment and follow-up times were ≥ 6 months. We observed no difference in gender, age, serum creatinine levels, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), and 24-h urinary protein levels between the two groups before treatment; in addition, the rates of complete and partial remission were not different 6 months after treatment. The rate of complications in group B was higher than that in group A (84.6 vs 35.7%, respectively; t = 0.018). While the pretreatment eGFR of patients who achieved remission was significantly higher than that of patients who did not achieve remission, the 24-h urinary protein levels and incidence of hypertension were significantly lower than those of patients who did not achieve remission (t = 0.042, 0.035 and 0.043, respectively). The efficacy of administration of low-dose CsA alone and in combination with a low-dose hormone was similar; the efficacy was related to eGFR, urinary protein levels, and the incidence of hypertension before the treatment. The side effects of administration of CsA alone were significantly lower than those of the combination treatment.