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Background and Objectives@#Melanocyte (MC), derived from neural crest stem cell (NCSC), are involved in the pro-duction of melanin. The mechanism by which NCSC differentiates to MC remains unclear. N6-methyladenosine (m6A) modification was applied to discuss the potential mechanism. @*Methods@#and Results: NCSCs were isolated from hair follicles of rats, and were obtained for differentiation. Cell via-bility, tyrosinase secretion and activity, and transcription factors were combined to evaluated the MC differentiation.RT-qPCR was applied to determine mRNA levels, and western blot were used for protein expression detection. Total m6A level was measured using methylated RNA immunoprecipitation (MeRIP) assay, and RNA immunoprecipitation was used to access the protein binding relationship. In current work, NCSCs were successfully differentiated into MCs.Fat mass and obesity associated gene (FTO) was aberrant downregulated in MCs, and elevated FTO suppressed the differentiation progress of NCSCs into MCs. Furthermore, microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (Mitf), a key gene involved in MC synthesis, was enriched by FTO in a m6A modification manner and degraded by FTO. Meanwhile, the suppression functions of FTO in the differentiation of NCSCs into MCs were reversed by elevated Mitf. @*Conclusions@#In short, FTO suppressed the differentiating ability of hair follicle-derived NCSCs into MCs by m6Amodifying Mitf.
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Objective To study the preoperative ultrasonographic parameters and their relationship with age in symptomatic CAS patients with different curative effects of stenting.Methods Fiftyseven symptomatic CAS patients admitted to our hospital for stenting were divided into young age group (n=7),middle age group (n=25),old age group (n=25) according to their age,and into very good curative effect group (n=18),good curative effect group (n=33) and no curative effect group (n=6) according to their postoperative NIHSS score.The carotid ultrasonographic parameters in different groups were compared and analyzed within 3 days before operation.Results A significant difference was found in the ratio of UPT,maximal ER of plaques,PV of stenosis,PI,resistance index (RI),carotid artery stiffness index (SI),distensibility coefficient (Dc) and compliance coefficient (Cc) in different curative effect groups (P＜0.01).The carotid artery SI was significantly higher in old age group than in young age group and middle age group (P＜0.01).A linear regression equation was established between carotid stiffness and age (y=0.075x-1.537,R2 =0.448,F=44.727,P =0.000).Conclusion The ratio of UPT,maximal ER of plaques,PV of stenosis,PI,RI,carotid artery SI,Dc and Cc are different in patients with different curative effects of stenting,and a linear relationship is found between carotid artery SI and age of patients.
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Objective To investigate the relationship between the single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of TLR9 gene and the occurrence of condyloma acuminatum (CA). Methods Peripheral venous blood was obtained from 63 patients with CA and 23 normal human controls with informed consent. DNA was extracted from the blood samples and subjected to the amplification of TLR9 gene by PCR followed by sequence analysis. Results There were 4 SNPs, i.e., SNP1, SNP2, SNP3 and SNP4 at positions 1174, 1635, 1269 and 1724 of the TLR9 gene, respectively. Of these SNPs, SNP1 was located in intron 1, SNP2, SNP3 and SNP4 in exon 2. The registration number is rs352139 for SNP1, rs352140 for SNP2 in NCBI database. SNP3 and SNP4 were newly discovered positions. The frequency at SNP1 position was 0.690 and 0.609 for allele A in the patients and controls, respectively, 0.309 and 0.391 for allele G, respectively (both P > 0.05). No significant difference was observed between the patients and controls in the frequency of allele A or allele G at position SNP2 (0.302 vs. 0.698, 0.369 vs. 0.630, both P > 0.05). There were 4 haplotypes at the SNP1 and SNP2 positions, including AA, AG, GA and GG, with no significant difference in the frequency between the patients and controls (all P> 0.05). Conclusions There are 4 SNPs including SNP1, SNP2, SNP3 and SNP4 in the TLR9 gene in Guangdong Han population. SNP1 and SNP2 appear unrelated to the liability to CA.
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Objective To analyse preliminarily the role of amelanotic melanocutes (AMMC) and SCF/c-kit signal pathway in the pathogenesis of vitiligo. Methods Three antibodies such as HMB-45, NKl/beteb and c-kit were used to stain sections from scalps from vitiligo patients and the healthy controls. Results There were no HMB-45 positive cells in outer root sheath(ORS) of follicle. NKI/beteb positive cells were small and located in groups at the middle and lower of outer root sheath with their retraction of the dendrites. They only expressed premelanosomal antigens but not melanosomal antigen such as HMB-45. There were no significant difference of AMMC in quantities between vitiligo patients and normal controls (P>0. 05). The expression of c-kit receptors on AMMC in follicle of depigment-ed scalps from vitiligo patients was lower than that in normal contols (P<0. 05). Conclusion Abnormal c-kit expression in AMMC in the follicle of depigmented scalps may play an important role in the pathogenesis of vitiligo.