Primary age-related tauopathy in a Chinese cohort.

Primary age-related tauopathy (PART) is characterized by the presence of tau neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) which are typically observed in Alzheimer's disease (AD) brains, with few or without ß-amyloid (Aß) plaques. The diagnosis of PART can be categorized into "definite" or "possible" depending on the amount of Aß plaques. Definite PART is diagnosed when NFTs are observed and the Braak stage is ≤IV, with Thal Aß Phase 0 (Crary et al., 2014). According to the neuropathological diagnostic criteria, we reported that PART was frequently observed in the Chinese population according to our findings from specimens in our brain bank, with 47% of brain bank subjects meeting the criteria for PART. There is no consensus on the nature of PART. It remains to be elucidated whether PART is an early form of AD or a novel tauopathy (Duyckaerts et al., 2015; Jellinger et al., 2015).

Relationship between catecholamine level and gene polymorphism of ß1 adrenergic receptor G1165C in children with EV71 infection in hand foot and mouth disease.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship between the levels of plasma adrenaline and norepinephrine and gene polymorphism of ß1 adrenergic receptor G1165C in children with enterovirus 71 (EV71) infection in hand foot and mouth disease (HFMD). METHODS: The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to detect the expression of gene polymorphism of ß1 adrenergic receptor G1165C in vitro. The levels of plasma adrenaline and norepinephrine were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). RESULTS: The plasma norepinephrine level of severe group was significantly higher than the mild group in children with EV71 infection in HFMD (P < 0.05); however, the levels of plasma adrenaline in two groups had no statistical differences (P > 0.05); There was no significant difference in the distribution of ß1 adrenergic receptor G1165C genotype and allele between EV71 infection group and healthy control group (P > 0.05). Further analysis of EV71 infection group by dividing it into mild and severe groups showed that there was no significant difference in the distribution of genotype and allele between these two groups as well (P > 0.05). There was no significant difference in the levels of epinephrine and norepinephrine in different genotypes of EV71 infection group (P > 0.05), and in the levels of plasma epinephrine and norepinephrine in the mild and severe groups (P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: As the disease gets worse, the plasma norepinephrine level has a rising trend in children with EV71 infection in HFMD, which is an important indicator to evaluate the progress of the disease. However, the gene polymorphism of ß1 adrenergic receptor G1165C have no significant correlation, not only with the susceptibility and severity of EV71 infection in hand, foot and mouth disease, but also with the levels of catecholamine.

[Research progress--the role of astrocyte in neuronal functions].

Astrocytes can regulate synaptic transmission by releasing gliotransmitter, and also can promote synaptogenesis and neurogenesis by releasing estrogen, thrombospondins, IL-1beta and IL-6. Astrocytes may play critical roles in neural nutrition and neuroprotection, so that it might be a new target for treatment of certain central nervous system diseases.

[Analysis of autopsy cases in 50 years].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the changing rate for autopsy and the reason during 50 years, and to study the disagreement between pathological and clinical diagnosis in 3162 autopsy cases. METHODS: To retrospectively analyses 3162 autopsy cases in School of Medicine of Zhejiang University from 1950 to 1999. RESULTS: (1) The most autopsy cases is 1037 cases during 1960 - 1970, while the lowest is 102 cases during 1990 - 1999. (2) The total clinical mis-diagnosis rate is 36.24%, while the highest one is 43.19% in 1970 - 1979 group, and 41.80% in 1990 - 1999; The highest diagnostic inaccuracy rate is for tumor (62.42%), second circulation disease (61.81%), third parasitic disease (49.18%); Invasive fungal infection rate in 3162 autopsy is 2.28%, while the diagnostic inaccuracy rate is as high as 86.10%. (3) In disease spectrum, the common diseases are respiratory disease (32.29%), infectious disease (11.61%) and digestive disease (11.07%) respectively. CONCLUSION: The autopsy rate was decreased gradually over 50 years, while the diagnostic inaccuracy rate is still high.

Involvement of ATM/ATR-p38 MAPK cascade in MNNG induced G1-S arrest.

AIM: To understand the effect of low concentration of N-methyl-N'-nitro-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG), which is a widely distributed environmental mutagen and carcinogen especially for human gastric cancer, on DNA damage and to study its possible pathway in regulating cell cycle arrest. METHODS: The DNA damage effect was measured by Comet assay. A specific phospho-(Ser/Thr) ATM/ATR substrate antibody was used to detect the damage sensor by Western blot. p38 kinase activity was measured by direct kinase assay, and immunoprecipitation for the possible connection between ATM/ATR and p38 MAPK. Flow cytometry analysis and p38 MAPK specific inhibitor SB203580 were combined to detect the possible cell cycle arrest by p38 MAPK. RESULTS: With the same low concentration MNNG exposure (0.2 microM 2.5 h), Comet assays indicated that strand breaks accumulated, Western blot and kinase assay showed ATM/ATR and p38 kinase activated, immunoprecipitation showed phospho-ATM/ATR substrate antibody combined with both p38 MAPK antibody and phospho-p38 MAPK antibody. p38 MAPK pathway was involved in the G1-S arrest. CONCLUSION: Activation of ATM/ATR by MNNG induced DNA damage leads to activation of p38 MAPK, which involves in the G1 checkpoint in mammalian cells.

[Effects of power frequency magnetic field on gap junction intercellular communication of astrocytes].

OBJECTIVE: In order to explore if power frequency magnetic field (PFMF) can act as cancer promoter or be synergistic with phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (TPA) in cancer promotion, the effects of 50 Hz MF on gap junction intercellular communication (GJIC) of astrocytes were observed. METHODS: Fluorescence redistribution after photobleaching (FRAP) was adopted to observe the recovery of fluorescence intensity in the bleached cells thus to estimate intercellular communication by gap junction. Comparative fluorescence intensity recovery rate (CFIRR) was as evaluation index. The effects of 50 Hz MF alone or with TPA on GJIC of astrocytes were studied. RESULTS: After 3 ng/ml TPA treatment for 1 hour, M(d) of CFIRR was 4.53%/min, whereas that in the control group was 9.74%/min (H = 12.084, P < 0.005). After exposure to 0.8 and 1.6 mT magnetic field for 24 hours respectively, M(d) of CFIRR was 8.25%/min and 6.68%/min respectively, no significant difference from that of control (H = 32.617, P > 0.05). After exposure to 0.8 and 1.6 mT magnetic field for 23 hours then combined with 3 ng/ml TPA treatment for 1 hour, M(d) of CFIRR was 3.32%/min and 2.85%/min respectively, also no significant difference from that in the group treated with 3 ng/ml TPA alone (H = 2.589, P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: 50 Hz MF (within 0 - 1.6 mT) alone could not inhibit GJIC of astrocytes; with TPA, could not enhance the inhibition of TPA on GJIC of astrocytes. But with MF intensity increasing, the inhibition of MF on GJIC showed elevated tendency.