[Effects of Acrolein on the Proliferation of and Per1 Gene Expression in Pulmonary Epithelial Cells].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of acrolein on the proliferation of pulmonary epithelial cells and its possible mechanism. METHODS: Two strains of pulmonary epithelial cells, A549 cells and MLE15 cells, were used as in vitro models of pulmonary epithelial cell, and were treated with 80 µmol/L acrolein or phosphate buffer saline (PBS) as the control. The proliferation of pulmonary epithelial cells were determined with CCK-8 kit after cell culturing resumed for 12 h, 24 h, 36 h and 48 h post acrolein treatment, and the expression of period circadian regulator gene 1 ( Per1) was examined using Western blot test 24 h after acrolein treatment. In addition, after acrolein treatment, the cells were restored with transforming growth factor-ß (TGF-ß) added in the medium, and the cell proliferation and the expression of Per1 protein were also examined. RESULTS: The proliferation of A549 cells and MLE15 cells decreased significantly after being treated with 80 µmol/L acrolein for 30 min, and the expression of Per1 protein was also downregulated significantly ( P<0.05). The addition of TGF-ß after acrolein treatment did not significantly change the reduction in cell proliferation caused by acrolein, but the expression of Per1 protein in pulmonary epithelial cells was significantly higher than that in cells restored without TGF-ß ( P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Acrolein treatment resulted in the decreased proliferation of pulmonary epithelial cells and the Per1 expression in pulmonary epithelial cells. Although TGF-ß addition did not reverse the reduction of cell proliferation after acrolein treatment, the Per1 expression levels were recovered to a certain extent compared to that in cells restored in medium without TGF-ß after acrolein treatment.

[Mutation analysis of pathogenic genes in a Henan family affected with congenital stationary night blindness].

OBJECTIVE: To detect genetic mutations associated with autosomal dominant congenital stationary night blindness (ADCSNB) in a family from Henan province. METHODS: Genomic DNA was extracted from peripheral blood samples of 14 family members. Based on 3 genes reported previously, PCR primers were designed and corresponding exons containing the mutation sites were amplified with PCR. PCR products were purified and directly sequenced. RESULTS: A c.281C>T heterozygous missense mutation was detected in RHO gene in all of the patients. This mutation can cause a change of the protein structure (p.Thr94Ile). The same mutation was not detected in normal individuals from the family and 50 normal controls. CONCLUSION: A c.281C>T mutation in RHO gene is responsible for the onset of ADCSNB in this Chinese family and results in symptoms of night blindness.

[Mutation analysis of the pathogenic gene in a Chinese family with Brachydactyly type B1].

We identified and characterized a Chinese family with autosomal dominant Brachydactyly type B1 (BDB1). Linkage analysis revealed that the disease gene of the Chinese BDB1 family was linked to ROR2 locus. Mutational hot spot of ROR2 gene was amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and sequenced directly. A c.2265C>A heterozygous mutation was detected in all of the patients. This mutation led to the change of p.Y755X in protein level and a truncated ROR2 protein losing integrant domains was generated. The mutation was detected in all the patients, but not in all the normal individuals of this family and 50 normal controls. This paper for the first time reported a c.2265C>A mutation in ROR2 gene of a family with BDB1 in China, which enriches ROR2 gene mutation spectrum in Chinese with BDB1.

[The mutation spectrum of phenylalanine hydroxylase gene in patients with phenylketonuria in Henan province].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the characteristics of the phenylalanine hydroxylase (PAH) gene mutations in patients with phenylketonuria (PKU) in Henan province, China, in order for providing basic information for clinical genetic counseling and prenatal diagnosis. METHODS: All the exons and partial flanking introns of the PAH gene were detected by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and bi-directional sequencing in 34 patients with PKU from Henan province. RESULTS: A total of 23 different disease-causing mutations were identified which corresponded to 92.65% (63/68) of the PAH alleles, including 12 missense mutations, 4 nonsense mutations, 4 splicing junction mutations, and 3 deletion mutations. Among them, A156P and P69_S70delinsP(delCTT) were novel mutations; IVS2+ 5G to C, G332E, IVS10-14C to G and L367 to Wfs were reported in Chinese population for the first time according to the PAH database (www.pahdb.mcgill.ca). Among all the 13 exons, exon 7 harbored the most type of mutations, exon 11 and exon 5 the second. The most common mutations included R243Q (17.65%, 12/68), V399V (11.76%, 8/68), IVS4-1G to A (8.82%, 6/68), R400T(7.35%, 5/68), Y166X(5.88%,4/68) and G247R(5.88%, 4/68). In addition, 9 other gene variations were found in this study. CONCLUSION: The mutation spectrum and frequency of the PAH gene of patients with phenylketonuria in Henan province were slightly different from those from other parts of China.