[Effects of danshen injection on the proliferation of rheumatoid arthritis fibroblast-like synoviocytes cultured with human serum].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of Danshen Injection (DSI) on the proliferation of rheumatoid arthritis fibroblast-like synoviocytes (RA FLSs) cultured in RA patients' serum. METHODS: The RA FLSs harvested from RA patients' synovial fluid were primarily cultured by routines. The cells were cultured with 10% inactivated human serum (the healthy human serum and the RA patients' serum) for 24 h. Then DSI at the final concentration of 0. 4 mg/mL was added in the cells for further 24 h culture. By taking 10% fetal calf serum as the control, the morphological changes were observed under optical microscope. The proliferation was analyzed by MTT. The apoptosis was detected by flow cytometry. The total RNA was extracted and reverse transcription was performed. The Bax mRNA expression was detected by fluorescent quantitative PCR. RESULTS: (1) After human serum was added in the healthy human serum and RA patients' serum, cells could grow adhering to the wall. Compared with the fetal calf serum group (FCS), the cell density was higher in the healthy human serum group than in the fetal calf serum group, with no obvious morphological changes. (2) MTT results showed that, compared with the fetal calf serum group, the absorbance value (OD) obviously increased in the healthy human serum group and the RA patients' serum group, showing statistical difference (P <0.01). After adding DSI at the final concentration of 0.4 mg/mL, cells from different serums were inhibited to various degrees (with OD significantly decreased, P <0.05). The OD value significantly increased more in the healthy human serum group and the RA patients' serum group than in the fetal calf serum group, showing statistical difference (P <0.01). There was statistical difference between the healthy human serum group and the RA patients' serum group (P <0.01). (3) The apoptosis rate in the RA patients' serum group obviously decreased with statistical difference, when compared with the Salvia miltiorrhiza free fetal calf serum group (P >0. 01). The apoptosis rate in the fetal calf serum group and the RA patients' serum group significantly increased after adding 0.4 mg/mL Salvia miltiorrhiza, showing statistical difference when compared with the Salvia miltiorrhiza free fetal calf serum group and the Salvia miltiorrhiza free RA patients' serum group (P <0.05). The FLSs were effected by 0.4 mg/mL Salvia miltiorrhiza, the apoptosis rate significantly decreased in the healthy human serum group and the RA patients' serum group, showing statistical difference when compared with the fetal calf serum group (P <0. 05, P <0.01). (4) The expression of Bax gene significantly increased in the RA patients' serum group and the fetal calf serum group after action of 0.4 mg/mL Salvia miltiorrhiza, showing statistical difference (P <0. 01). When 0.4 mg/mL Salvia miltiorrhiza was added, the expression of Bax mRNA obviously increased in the healthy human serum group and the RA patients' serum group, showing statistical difference when compared with the fetal calf serum group (P <0.01). CONCLUSIONS: (1) Although healthy human serum can be favorable to the growth of RA FLSs, the fetal calf serum could reflect the actual results better in the cyto biological research on specific diseases (if there is no serum from patients with corresponding disease). (2) DSI could inhibit the proliferation of RA FLSs through promoting their apoptosis.

[Diagnostic Cut-Off Value of RDW for Screening Thalassemia and the Combined Determination of MCV, MCH, HBA 2 and RDW].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the value of red cell distribution width (RDW), mean corpuscular volume (MCV), mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH) and hemoglobin (Hb) A2 combined determination scheme for screening thalassemia. METHODS: The RDW levels of thalassemia group and healthy control group were detected and compared. The efficiency of RDW for screening thalassemia was evaluated by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. The diagnostic cut-off value of RDW was also acquired by Youden index. Then, 3 groups for thalassemia screening scheme were set, including MCV+MCH+HBA 2, MCV+MCH+RDW(>16.0)+HBA 2 and MCV+MCH+RDW(>15.15)+HBA 2. The performances of the 3 groups were evaluated through screening 621 clinical suspected cases of thalassemia. RESULTS: The RDW level in thalassemia group was significantly higher than that in healthy control group (P<0.05). The diagnostic cut-off value for screening thalassemia was RDW>15.15, when the Youden index was the biggest among all data. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, false negative rate and consistency rate of MCV+MCH+RDW(>15.15)+HBA 2 group was 75.46%, 48.83%, 26.50%, 89.06%, 24.54%, and 54.06%, respectively. CONCLUSION: The diagnostic cut-off value of RDW for thalassemia screening has been established. The group of MCV(<82.0 fl)+MCH(<27.0 pg)+HBA 2(<2.5% or ≥3.5%)+RDW(>15.15) has a best efficiency among the 3 groups to screen thalassemia.

A de novo derivative Y chromosome (partial Yq deletion and partial duplication of Yp and Yq) in a female with disorders of sex development.

We report an atypical disorders of sex development (DSD) case with no mutation of SYR gene but partial Yq deletion and partial duplication of Yp and Yq. This case emphasizes duplicated region Yp11.2→Yq11.223 with partial deletion of Yq11.223→Yqter most probably perturbed the sex differentiation and led to female phenotype.

A longitudinal study of the association of adiponectin gene rs1501299 with depression in Chinese Han adolescents after Wenchuan earthquake.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies showed inconsistent results of the association between plasma adiponectin and depression. The aim of this study is to longitudinally investigate the association of adiponectin rs1501299 with depression in Chinese Han adolescents who experienced the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake. METHOD: Variants of adiponectin rs1501299 were identified by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) analysis. Depressive symptoms were assessed by Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) among 746 high school students at 6, 12 and 18 months after the earthquake. RESULTS: The female T allele carriers of adiponectin rs1501299 had lower prevalence of depression (p=0.008) and BDI scores (p=0.024) than the female GG homozygotes at 18 months, but not at 6 or 12 months after the earthquake, which were significantly reduced (p=0.022 for the prevalence and p<0.001 for the scores) in the female T allele carriers at 18 months after the earthquake when compared with those at 12 months. In addition, the major predictors of depression for the GG homozygotes were gender and age at 6, 12 and 18 months after earthquake. On the other hand, the major predictor for the T allele carriers was gender at 6, 12 and 18 months after earthquake. LIMITATIONS: There were some limitations in the present study. First, adiponectin expressions including serum adiponectin and mRNA in adipose tissues were not measured. Second, the effect of body mass index was not evaluated. CONCLUSIONS: The adiponectin T allele is associated with reduced prevalence of depression and lower BDI scores of female adolescents in the later stage of rehabilitation of depression.

Associations of lipoprotein lipase gene rs326 with changes of lipid profiles after a high-carbohydrate and low-fat diet in healthy Chinese Han youth.

To investigate the effects of a high-carbohydrate and low-fat (HC/LF) diet on plasma lipids and apolipoproteins (Apos) of healthy Chinese Han youth with different genotypes of lipoprotein lipase gene (LPL) rs326, 56 subjects were given a washout diet of 30.1% fat and 54.1% carbohydrate for seven days, followed by the HC/LF diet of 13.8% fat and 70.1% carbohydrate for six days, with no total energy restriction. Plasma glucose, triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), Apo B-100 and Apo A-I were analyzed at baseline and before and after the HC/LF diet. The results show that, when compared with before the HC/LF diet, only the male G carriers experienced increased HDL-C (p = 0.008) and Apo A-I (p = 0.005) after the HC/LF diet. Decreased TC in both males and females and increased TG in females were found regardless of the genotype after the HC/LF diet. LDL-C decreased in all the subjects although the decrease was not significant in the female G carriers. These results demonstrate that the G allele of LPL rs326 associates with the elevated levels of HDL-C and Apo A-I after the HC/LF diet in males of the healthy Chinese Han Youth.

Effects of R219K polymorphism of ATP-binding cassette transporter 1 gene on serum lipids ratios induced by a high-carbohydrate and low-fat diet in healthy youth

BACKGROUND: Diets are the important players in regulating plasma lipid profiles. And the R219K polymorphism at the gene of ATP-binding cassette transporter 1(ABCA1) was reported to be associated with the profiles. However, no efforts have been made to investigate the changes of lipid profiles after a high-carbohydrate and low-fat diet in different subjects with different genotypes of this polymorphism. This study was to evaluate the effects of ABCA1 R219K polymorphism on serum lipid and apolipoprotein (apo) ratios induced by a high-carbohydrate/low-fat (high-CHO) diet. After a washout diet of 54.1% carbohydrate for 7 days, 56 healthy young subjects (22.89 ± 1.80 years old) were given a high-CHO diet of 70.1% carbohydrate for 6 days. Height, weight, waist circumference, hip circumference, glucose (Glu), triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), apoA-1 and apoB-100 were measured on the 1st, 8th and 14th days of this study. Body mass index (BMI), waist-to-hip ratios (WHR), log(TG/HDL-C), TC/HDL-C, LDL-C/HDL-C and apoA-1/apoB-100 were calculated. ABCA1 R219K was analyzed by a PCR-RFLP method. RESULTS: The results indicate that the male subjects of all the genotypes had higher WHR than their female counterparts on the 1st, 8th and 14th days of this study. The male K carriers had higher log(TG/HDL-C) and TC/HDL-C than the female carriers on the 1st and 14th days, and higher LDL-C/HDL-C on the 14th day. When compared with that on the 8th day, TC/HDL-C was decreased regardless of the genotypes and genders on the 14th day. Log(TG/HDL-C) was increased in the males with the RR genotype and the female K carriers. Lowered BMI, Glu and LDL-C/HDL-C were found in the male K carriers, but only lowered BMI in the female K carriers and only lowered LDL-C/HDL-C in the females with the RR genotype. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that ABCA1 R219K polymorphism is associated differently in males and females with elevated log(TG/HDL-C) and decreased LDL-C/HDL-C induced by the high-CHO diet.