Relationship between the G protein gated inward rectifier potassium channel 4 gene polymorphism and dyslipidemia of Uyghur residents / 中国医学科学院学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the relationship between the G protein-gated inward rectifier K+ channel subunit 4 (GIRK4) gene polymorphism and the dyslipidemia among Uyghur residents in Xinjiang.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The polymorphisms of rs2604204, rs4937391, rs6590357, and rs11221497 among the Uyghur residents were genotyped using Taqman polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Lipid levels were measured by conventional methods and were analyzed.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>In the less-than-50-years population, the genotype distributions of the rs6590357 was statistically significant different in subjects with or without abnormal triglycerides (P=0.005). Aslo, the the genotype distributions of the rs11221497 also significantly differed in subjects with normal compared or abnormal TG (P=0.011). Logistic regression analysis suggested that rs6590357 still had positive association with TG abnormalities in subjects under 50 years (P=0.014). rs11221497 also had positive association with TC abnormalities. The TG levels of CT+TT genotypes were significantly higher than the CC group (P=0.006). Haplotype analysis found that the differences of H3 haplotype frequencies between the TG abnormal and normal groups were statistically significant (P=0.007).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The polymorphisms of rs11221497 and rs6590357 of GIRK4 gene may play a role in the development of dyslipidemia in Uygur population.</p>

Expression of GIRK4 gene in kidney tissues of obese rat / 中国医学科学院学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the expression of GIRK4 gene in the kidney tissues of obese rats.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Obese rat models were established using diet-induced method. The GIRK4 protein expression in kidney tissues was determined in 20 obese rats and 10 normal rats using Western blot analysis.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The relative expression level of GIRK4 protein in the kidney tissues of obese rat (1.75±0.42) was significantly lower than that in normal rats (3.37±0.68, P<0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>GIRK4 has a low protein expression in the kidney tissues of obese rat.</p>

Association between GIRK4 gene polymorphisms and insulin resistance in Xinjiang Uygur population / 中华医学遗传学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To assess the association between polymorphisms of protein-activated inwardly rectifying K+ channel (GIRK4) gene and insulin resistance (IR) in Xinjiang Uygur population.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A cross-sectional epidemiological survey-based case-control study was carried out, for which 1295 subjects (including 324 IR patients and 971 non-IR controls) were randomly selected. Functional region of the GIRK4 gene was sequenced for 48 randomly selected IR patients. Representative variable sites were chosen, with its association with IR assessed in 1295 Uygur subjects.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>rs11221497 variant was associated with IR in Uygur subjects under 50 years old (P=0.017 in genotype model, P=0.009 in dominant model). Subjects with dominant model of CC genotype have an OR of 1.833 (95%CI: 1.157-2.905) for IR.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>GIRK4 gene polymorphisms may be associated with IR in Uygur ethnics from Xinjiang. The CC genotype of rs11221497 variant is a risk factor for IR.</p>

Advances in research on G protein-coupled inward rectifier K(+) channel gene / 中国医学科学院学报

G protein-coupled inward rectifier K(+) channel 4(GIRK4) is a G protein-coupled inward rectifier potassium channel family member. Encoded by the KCNJ5, it is widely distributed in the mammalian heart, brain, and other tissues and organs. Recent studies have demonstrated that the abnormal expression of GIRK4 gene is associated with atrial fibrillation, and meanwhile may be closely related to obesity, metabolic syndrome, and many other clinical conditions. Further research on the role the GIRK4 gene in the pathophysiology of these clinical conditions will definitely facilitate their clinical diagnosis and treatment.

Functional recovery following traumatic spinal cord injury mediated by a unique polymer scaffold seeded with neural stem cells and Schwann cells / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>The most important objective of transplant studies in the injured spinal cord has been to provide a favorable environment for axonal growth. Moreover, the continuing discovery of new grafts is providing new potentially interesting transplant candidates. Our purpose was to observe the morphological and functional repair effects of the co-transplantation of neural stem cell (NSC), Schwann cells (SCs) and poly lactide-co-glycolide acid (PLGA) on the spinal cord injury of rats.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A scaffold of PLGA was fabricated. NSCs and SCs were cultured, with the NSCs labeled with 5-bromodeoxyuridine, and the complex of NSC/PLGA or NSC + SCs/PLGA were constructed. Thirty-six Wistar rats were randomly divided into three groups: group A (transplantation of PLGA), group B (transplantation of NSC/PLGA) and group C (transplantation of NSC + SCs/PLGA). The 3 mm length of the right hemicord was removed under the microscope in all rats. The PLGA or the complex of PLGA-cells were implanted into the injury site. Basso-Beattie-Bresnahan (BBB) locomotion scores, motor and somatosensory evoked potential of lower limbs were examined to learn the rehabilitation of sensory and motor function at 4 weeks, 8 weeks, 12 weeks and 24 weeks after injury. All the recovered spinal cord injury (SCI) tissues were observed with HE staining, immunohistochemistry, and transelectronmicroscopy to identify the survival, migration and differentiation of the transplanted cells and the regeneration of neural fibres at 4 weeks, 8 weeks, 12 weeks and 24 weeks after injury.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>(1) From 4 weeks to 24 weeks after injury, the BBB locomotion scores of cell-transplanted groups were better than those of the non-cell-transplanted group, especially group C (P < 0.05). The amplitudes of the somatosensory evoked potential (SEP) and motor-evoked potential (MEP) were improved after injury in groups B and C, but the amplitude of SEP and MEP at 4 weeks was lower than that at 12 weeks and 24 weeks after injury. Compared with group B, the amplitude of SEP and MEP in group C was improved. The amplitude of SEP and MEP was not improved after injury in group A. (2) HE staining revealed the volume of the scaffold decreased and the number of cells in the scaffold increased. Newly-grown capillaries also could be seen. Immunohistochemistry staining showed the transplanted NSCs could survive and migrate until 24 weeks and they could differentiate into neurons and oligodendrocytes. The regenerated axons were observed in the scaffold-cell complex with transelectronmicroscopy. The above manifestations were more extensive in group C.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The transplanted NSC can survive and migrate in the spinal cord of rats up to 24 weeks after injury, and they can differentiate into various neural cells. Co-transplantation of cells/PLGA can promote the functional recovery of the injured spinal cord. The effect of co-transplanting NSC + SCs/PLGA is better than transplanting NSC/PLGA alone.</p>