Improvement of myocardial glycolipid metabolic disorder in diabetic hamster with Astragalus polysaccharides treatment.

The objective of the present study is to observe the effect of Astragalus polysaccharide (APS) on myocardial glucose and lipid metabolism in diabetes (DM) hamster and to explore its mechanism in intervention of DM cardiomyopathy. Low-dose- streptozotocin-induced hamsters (STZ, 40 mg/kg × 3 days, i.p.) with blood glucose >13.9 mmo/L were considered as type 2 diabetic models. We measure blood glucose, serum lipid, insulin, C-peptide, myocardial enzyme levels, myocardial glycogen staining, myocardial ultrastructure, fluorescence quantitative RT-PCR detection of myocardial PPAR-α and the target genes (FATP, ACS) and GLUT4 mRNA expression in normal control group, DM group and APS treatment group hamsters. There was significant glycolipid metabolic disorders in DM group compared with normal group. Glucose, glycosylated serum protein, myocardial enzymes and lipid levels in APS treatment group decreased significantly than DM group, but insulin and C-peptide levels was no difference. Myocardial glycogen staining and abnormal myocardial ultrastructure in APS treatment group were significantly improved than in DM group. Gene expression of myocardial PPAR-α and its target genes (FATP, ACS) in APS group were significantly lower than in DM group, while gene expression of GLUT4 in APS group was higher than DM group. APS can partially improve myocardial glucose and lipid metabolism disorders in diabetic hamsters and protect myocardium in some extent.

[Construction of NF-kappaB siRNA expression vector].

OBJECTIVE: To construct a NF-kappaB siRNA expression vector and to detect the specific silencing effect of the siRNA on the expression of NF-kappaB protein. METHODS: pcDNA3.1/CT-GFP-TOPO recombinant eukaryotic expression vector and pSilencer 1.0-U6-siRNA-NF-kappaB recombinant vector were constructed respectively. These 2 recombination plasmids were co-transfected into COS-7 cells, and the NF-kappaB silence induced by RNAi was detected by Western blot and the inverted fluorescence microscope. RESULTS: The levels of NF-kappaB protein in COS-7 cells could be silenced effectively and specifically by pSilencer 1.0-U6-siRNA- NF-kappa recombinant vector. The expression of NF-kappaB protein was reduced gradually with the increase of pSilencer 1.0-U6-siRNA- NF-kappaB recombinant vector,which could be detected by Western blot under the inverted fluorescence microscope. CONCLUSION: NF-kappaB siRNA expression vector is constructed successfully.

Chromosomal abnormalities and adverse pregnancy outcome with maternal serum second trimester triple screening test for fetal Down syndrome in 4,860 Chinese women.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the efficiency of maternal serum triple screening for the genetic abnormality in second-trimester and the morbidity of adverse pregnancy outcome in false positive results of the test. METHODS: A total of 4,680 pregnant women with singleton pregnancies assigned in Obs & Gyn Hospital, Fudan University, underwent triple screening test (alpha fetoprotein, AFP; human chorionic gonadotropin, HCG and unconjugated estriol, uE3) by fluorescence enzyme immunoassay between 2003 and 2005. The valid MoM (Multiples of Median) value of mid-trimester serum AFP, uE3, and hCG and risk assessments was provided by Beckman Coulter Co. when applied in the prenatal Down syndrome screening service. The study compares the incidence of chromosomal abnormalities with Down syndrome in screen positive women and compares to the MoM value established in the literature. The risks of having a fetus with congenital abnormalities or of developing obstetric complications in the screen positive women with their matched controls. RESULTS: The MoM values for the triple tests of our study are similar to established values of literature. Only 51.01% women with pregnancies agree to receive screening. Amniocentesis utilization rate was 55.12% in the screen-positive pregnancies. The false positive rate was 6.89% and the median of maternal age of the women was 28.13 (range 19 to 49) years old. Chromosomal abnormalities were identified in 21 pregnancies, including 9 cases of trisomy 21. The detection rate was 77.77%. Pregnancies with positive screening results had a significantly higher risk of adverse outcomes than those with negative results (P< 0.05). Whereas there was no difference in the incidences of fetal congenital appearance or skeleton abnormality. CONCLUSION: Adjusting MoM values of local unaffected populations is limited to increasing the detection rate. Because chromosomal defects have variable exhibitions, amniocentesis utilization is still a choice for screen-positive pregnancies. Screen-positive pregnancies had increased risk of chromosomal abnormalities.