Novel Semiconductive Ternary Hybrid Heterostructures for Artificial Optoelectronic Synapses.

Synaptic devices that mimic biological synapses are considered as promising candidates for brain-inspired devices, offering the functionalities in neuromorphic computing. However, modulation of emerging optoelectronic synaptic devices has rarely been reported. Herein, a semiconductive ternary hybrid heterostructure is prepared with a D-D'-A configuration by introducing polyoxometalate (POM) as an additional electroactive donor (D') into a metalloviologen-based D-A framework. The obtained material features an unprecedented porous 8-connected bcu-net that accommodates nanoscale [α-SiW12 O40 ]4- counterions, displaying uncommon optoelectronic responses. Besides, the fabricated synaptic device based on this material can achieve dual-modulation of synaptic plasticity due to the synergetic effect of electron reservoir POM and photoinduced electron transfer. And it can successfully simulate learning and memory processes similar to those in biological systems. The result provides a facile and effective strategy to customize multi-modality artificial synapses in the field of crystal engineering, which opens a new direction for developing high-performance neuromorphic devices.

Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide promotes synaptic plasticity gene expression through regulation N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor/Ca2+/Erk1/2 pathway.

Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) has been reported to regulate synaptic plasticity recently, while its role in this process remains unclear. To explore the contribution and the underlying mechanisms of NADH regulating synaptic plasticity, here, we examined NADH's effect on immediate-early response genes (IEGs) expressions, including C-Fos and Arc in primary cultured cortical neurons and the frontal cortex of mouse brain. Our results showed that NADH promoted IEGs expression and that the C-Fos and Arc levels are increased in primary cultured cortical neurons, which is almost completely blocked by N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) inhibitor, MK-801. Moreover, NADH significantly increased intracellular Ca2+ levels and the phosphorylation of Erk1/2, a downstream molecule of the NMDAR. Furthermore, NADH also significantly increased IEGs expression in vivo, accompanied by the changes of Ca2+ in neurons and activation of excitatory neurons in the mouse frontal cortex. In conclusion, this study indicates that NADH can promote the expression of synaptic plasticity-related IEGs through the NMDAR/Ca2+/Erk1/2 pathway, which provides a new way to understand the regulatory role of NADH in synaptic plasticity.

Resveratrol inhibits proliferation, promotes differentiation and melanogenesis in HT-144 melanoma cells through inhibition of MEK/ERK kinase pathway.

The present study was aimed to investigate the effect of resveratrol on the viability of HT-144 melanoma cells and formation of melanin. MTT assay was used for analysis of cell viability and western blot for determination of phospho-Mek 1/2, phospho-Erk 1/2 (Tyr-204), Mitf, PBG-D and p-CREB-1 expression. MTT assay results showed that treatment of HT-144 cells with various doses of resveratrol led to a concentration dependent inhibition of proliferation. The antiproliferative activity was significant at 15 µM concentration of resveratrol after 24 h. Western blot analysis revealed that resveratrol caused significant reduction in the expression of phospho-extracellular signal related kinase (p-ERK) and p-MEK 1/2. Additionally, tyrosinase activity was increased by 1.5-6.8-fold on increasing the concentration of resveratrol from 1 to 15 µM. Resveratrol treatment also enhanced the expression of cAMP-response element-binding proteins (CREB) after 24 h. Furthermore resveratrol treatment up-regulated porphobilinogen deaminase (PBG-D) expression in HT-144 cells. Taken together, the study demonstrates that resveratrol treatment inhibits proliferation and promotes melanogenesis of HT-144 cells through inhibition of MEK/ERK pathway. Therefore, resveratrol has a scope for further evaluation against melanogenesis.

[Effect of various ambient temperatures on activities of mitochondrial complex II in patients of deficiency-cold syndrome and deficiency-heat syndrome].

OBJECTIVE: To explore activity laws of mitochondrial complex II in patients of deficiency-cold syndrome (DCS) and deficiency-heat syndrome (DHS) under various ambient temperatures. METHODS: Subjects were recruited by questionnaire and expert diagnosis from grade 1 - 3 undergraduates at Henan College of Traditional Chinese Medicine in November 2012, and assigned to a normal control group, the DCS group, and the DHS group, 20 in each group. Their venous blood samples were collected at two different temperature conditions. Activities of mitochondrial complex II were measured by spectrophotometry. RESULTS: (1) Comparison of mitochondrial complex It under various ambient temperatures: Compared with room temperature in the same group, activity values were all increased in the normal control group at cold temperature with significant difference (P <0.05), but there was no significant difference in the DCS group and the DHS group (P >0. 05). Compared with the normal control group, activity values of complex H were reduced in the DCS group at cold and room temperatures with significant difference (P <0.05). Compared with the DCS group, activity values of complex It were increased in the DHS group with significant difference (P <0. 05). (2) Changes of adjustment rates: Compared with room temperature, the adjustment rate all rose at cold temperature in the normal control group and the DHS group with significant difference (P <0.05), but with no significant difference found in the DCS group (P >0. 05). Compared with the normal control group at the same temperature, the adjustment rate in the DHS group and the DCS group was all reduced at cold and room temperatures with significant difference (P <0. 05). There were no significant difference in the adjustment rate between the DHS group and the DCS group (P > 0. 05). CONCLUSIONS: Environment temperature can affect the activity of mitochondrial complex II with different influence degrees on different syndrome types of people, but its change trend are basically identical.

Resistance to apoptosis should not be taken as a hallmark of cancer.

In the research community, resistance to apoptosis is often considered a hallmark of cancer. However, pathologists who diagnose cancer via microscope often see the opposite. Indeed, increased apoptosis and mitosis are usually observed simultaneously in cancerous lesions. Studies have shown that increased apoptosis is associated with cancer aggressiveness and poor clinical outcome. Furthermore, overexpression of Bcl-2, an antiapoptotic protein, is linked with better survival of cancer patients. Conversely, Bax, CD95, Caspase-3, and other apoptosis-inducing proteins have been found to promote carcinogenesis. This notion of the role of apoptosis in cancer is not new; cancer cells were found to be short-lived 88 years ago. Given these observations, resistance to apoptosis should not be considered a hallmark of cancer.

[Exploration of the association of H. pylori and EBV infection with cardiac and distal gastric adenocarcinoma among residents in Cixian County, a high-risk area of esophgeal cancer in Hebei province].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the H. pylori and Epstein-Barr virus infection in cardiac and distal gastric adenocarcinoma tissues in residents in Cixian county, a high risk area of esophageal cancer in Hebei province, and to explore the putative role of H. pylori and Epstein-Barr virus infection in the carcinogenesis of adenocarcinoma at different subsites of stomach. METHODS: H. pylori and Epstein-Barr virus latent membrane protein 1 (EBV-LMP1) immunopositivities were determined by Elivision(TM) plus immunohistochemical staining in 190 gastric adenocarcinoma tissues including 144 cases of cardiac adenocarcinoma and 46 cases of distal gastric adenocarcinoma. The relationship between H. pylori and Epstein-Barr virus infection and the subsite, Laurén type as well as other clinicopathological features of gastric adenocarcinoma were analyzed. RESULTS: No significant difference was found between the H. pylori detection rates in cardiac and distal gastric adenocarcinomas(56.9% vs. 65.2%, P > 0.05). The detection rate of H. pylori in intestinal type was significantly higher than that in the diffuse type distal gastric adenocarcinomas (71.8% vs. 28.6%, P < 0.05). No positive expression of EBV-LMP1 was found in the gastric adenocarcinomas in this study. CONCLUSIONS: No significant differences in H. pylori and EBV-LMP1 infections were found between cardiac and distal gastric adenocarcinomas in Cixian county. H. pylori infection is related with the intestinal type of distal gastric adenocarcinoma.

Low-dose epirubicin inhibits ezrin-mediated metastatic behavior of breast cancer cells.

AIMS AND BACKGROUND: Overexpression of ezrin contributes to the progression and invasiveness of several human cancers; however, its role in breast cancer metastasis has not been investigated in detail. METHODS: Ezrin expression in tissue samples from patients with invasive ductal carcinoma of the breast was detected by immunohistochemistry. Ezrin expression in a breast cancer cell line was evaluated using Western blot and RT-PCR. RESULTS: Elevated expression of ezrin was associated with lymph node metastasis and poor prognosis in patients with invasive ductal carcinoma. Ezrin expression was related to the invasiveness of breast cancer cells in vitro. Low-dose epirubicin inhibited the migration of breast cancer cells in a concentration-dependent manner without promoting cytotoxicity in vitro and decreased the expression of ezrin in a concentration-dependent manner. CONCLUSIONS: Low-dose epirubicin may be antimetastatic without promoting cytotoxic effects and could serve as a target for the development of therapeutics for breast carcinoma.

[Expression and significance of JNK1, Raf-1 and Livin in the carcinogenesis of sporadic colorectal tubular adenoma].

OBJECTIVE: To study the possible role of JNK1, Raf-1 and Livin in the carcinogenesis of sporadic colorectal tubular adenoma. METHODS: Immunohistochemical staining was used to detect the expression of JNK1, Raf-1 and Livin proteins in 65 sporadic colorectal tubular adenomas with dysplasia of varying degrees and 22 colorectal tubular adenoma with cancerous area. RESULTS: In normal colorectal mucosa, colorectal tubular adenoma with dysplasia and colorectal tubular adenoma with cancerous area, the positive rate of JNK1, Raf-1 and Livin expression was increased gradually. The positive expression of JNK1, Raf-1 and Livin was all significantly higher in the cases of colorectal tubular adenoma with dysplasia or with cancerous area than that in normal colorectal mucosa (P < 0.05), and the positive expression of JNK1, Raf-1 and Livin was significantly higher in colorectal tubular adenoma with cancerous area than that in colorectal tubular adenoma with dysplasia of different degrees (P < 0.05). In the cases of colorectal tubular adenoma with dysplasia of varying degrees, the positive expression of Raf-1 was increased along with the increasing dysplasia degree of colorectal tubular adenoma (P < 0.05). Coexpression of JNK1, Raf-1 and Livin increased gradually in the carcinogenesis of sporadic colorectal tubular adenoma, while positive correlation was found among the expressions of JNK1, Raf-1 and Livin. CONCLUSION: JNK1, Raf-1 and Livin may be involved in the carcinogenesis of sporadic colorectal tubular adenoma.

[Expression and significance of N-cadherin and ß-catenin protein in osteosarcoma].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the expression of N-cadherin and ß-catenin protein and their relationship with clinicopathological characteristics of osteosarcoma. METHODS: The expressions of N-cadherin and ß-catenin at protein level were detected by immunohistochemical staining in 54 cases of osteosarcoma, 11 cases of osteoid osteoma, 7 cases of osteoblastoma and 8 cases of newly formed bone in nonmalignant bone diseases. The relationship between the two indexes and clinicopathological characteristics of osteosarcoma was analyzed. RESULTS: In newly formed bone, osteoblastoma, osteoid osteoma and osteosarcoma, the positive expression rate of N-cadherin protein was 75.0%, 71.4%, 63.6% and 35.2%, respectively. The positive expression rate of N-cadherin protein in osteosarcoma was significantly lower than that in osteoid osteoma, osteoblastoma and newly formed bone in nonmalignant bone diseases (P = 0.035). The positive expression rate of N-cadherin protein in osteosarcoma cases with pulmonary metastasis was lower than that in cases without (21.7% vs. 56.3%, P = 0.027). The positive expression rate of N-cadherin protein in osteosarcoma cases died in two years was lower than that in cases lived for more than two years (18.2% vs. 50.0%, P = 0.024). In newly formed bone, osteoblastoma, osteoid osteoma and osteosarcoma, the aberrant expression rate of ß-catenin protein was 12.5%, 28.6%, 27.3% and 66.7%, respectively. The aberrant expression rate of ß-catenin protein in osteosarcoma was significantly higher than that in osteoid osteoma, osteoblastoma and newly formed bone (P = 0.002). Aberrant expression rate of ß-catenin in osteosarcoma cases with pulmonary metastasis was higher than that without (82.6% vs. 43.8%, P = 0.011). An inverse correlation was found between the aberrant expression of ß-catenin and N-cadherin expression in osteosarcoma(r = -0.302, P = 0.027). CONCLUSION: The positive expression rate of N-cadherin is decreased in osteosarcoma while aberrant expression rate of ß-catenin increased. The expression of N-cadherin protein is closely correlated with the metastasis and prognosis of osteosarcoma, but the expression of ß-catenin protein is merely correlated with the metastasis of osteosarcoma.

[Relationship of ezrin protein expression to the carcinogenesis and prognosis of infitrating breast ductal carcinoma].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship of ezrin protein expression to the carcinogenesis and prognosis of infiltrating breast ductal carcinoma. METHODS: S-P immunohistochemical staining was used to detect the ezrin protein expression in 88 patients with infiltrating ductal carcinoma, and in 54 patients with intraductal hyperplastic lesions of the breast. The clinicopathological data and follow-up information of these patients were all obtained. The relationship of ezrin protein expression to the clinicopathological parameters and the prognostic significance in the infiltrating breast ductal carcinoma was analyzed using Chi-square test (chi2), Kaplan-Meier and Cox models. RESULTS: The immunohistochemical staining results showed that the strong positive expression rate of ezrin protein in the normal ductal epithelium, simple ductal hyperplasia, atypical hyperplasia and infiltrating ductal carcinoma of the breast was 9.1%, 16.7%, 43.3% and 64.8%, respectively, which was significantly higher in atypical hyperplasia and infiltrating ductal carcinoma than that in the normal ductal epithelium and simple ductal hyperplasia (P < 0.05). The strong ezrin protein expression in the infiltrating ductal carcinoma was positively correlated with axillary lymph node metastasis, histological differentiation grade, TNM stage and CD44v6 expression, but negatively correlated with the expression of E-cadherin (P < 0.05). It was also found that the survival of the patient with strong positive expression of ezrin protein was significantly shorter than that of the control (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Ezrin protein may play an important role in the carcinogenesis of infiltrating breast ductal carcinoma. The strong expression of ezrin protein may be used as a biomarker for predicting poor prognosis in the patients with infiltrating breast ductal carcinoma.

[Analysis of the changing trends of frequency and localization of gastric cancers arising from different sites of the stomach in population of the high incidence area of esophageal and gastric cancers in Hebei province].

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the changing trends of frequency and localization of gastric cancers arising from the gastric cardia, corpus and antrum during the past 14 years in population of the high incidence area of esophageal and gastric carcinoma in Hebei province, China. METHODS: The clinicopathological data of 4334 cases of gastric carcinomas among the local residents of Cixian and Zanhuang counties, initially diagnosed in our department from 1993 to 2006, were retrospectively analyzed. The proportion of gastric carcinomas arising from the gastric cardia, corpus and antrum in different years and in patients with different sex and ages were analyzed and compared, and the changing trends of the frequency of gastric carcinoma arising from different sites of the stomach were statistically analyzed. RESULTS: Among all the 4334 gastric carcinomas, gastric cardia carcinoma accounted for 68.0%, significantly higher than that of corpus (24.2%) and antrum (7.9%; chi(2) = 124.396, P < 0.0001). An increasing tendency in the proportion of gastric cardia carcinoma from 1993 to 2006 was seen. The percentage of cardiac carcinoma in the high incidence area of esophageal carcinoma (Cixian county) was higher than that in the high incidence area of gastric cancer (Zanhuang county) (71.2% vs. 51.2%; chi(2) = 109.648, P < 0.0001). The increase in the incidence of cardiac carcinoma in Cixian county was mainly due to the increase of cardiac carcinoma from 1993 to 2006, while the contributing factor for the increase in the proportion of cardiac carcinomas was resulted from the decrease of incidence of antrum carcinoma in Zanhuang county during the same period. The occurring site of gastric carcinoma was related with age of patients (chi(2) = 58.380, P < 0.0001). The percentage of carcinoma of the gastric body was highest in < 50 year age group, while that in the gastric cardia was highest in 61 - 70 year age group (71.6%). CONCLUSION: The major occurring site of gastric carcinoma is the gastric cardia among the local residents in population of the high incidence areas of esophageal and gastric carcinomas during the past 14 years in Hebei province, China. The increasing trend of cardiac carcinoma and decreasing trend of corpus carcinoma in Cixian county and antrum carcinoma in Zanhuang county will be maintained in the coming years if the epidemiological conditions will not be changed.

[Expressions and significance of STAT3 and p38 in the carcinogenesis of sporadic colorectal tubular adenoma].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the possible role of STAT3 and p38 in the carcinogenesis of sporadic colorectal tubular adenoma. METHODS: The expression of STAT3 and p38 at protein level was studied in 107 sporadic colorectal tubular adenomas with different dysplasia (SCTA-D) or with cancerous changes (SCTA-Ca) by immunohistochemical staining method, meanwhile the expression of STAT3 at mRNA level was detected by in situ hybridization. RESULTS: Immunohistochemical staining results showed that the positive expression rate of STAT3 and p38 was 12.0%, 59.0%, 91.7% and 8.0%, 47.0%, 91.7% in normal colorectal mucosa (NCM), SCTA-D and SCTA-Ca, respectively, with a statistically significant difference of STAT3 and p38 expression among the SCTA-D, SCTA-Ca and NCM (P < 0.05). The expression of STAT3 and p38 was positively correlated with the degree of dysplasia from mild to severe SCTA-D (P < 0.05). In situ hybridization results showed that the positive expression rate of STAT3 at mRNA level in NCM, SCTA-D and SCTA-Ca was 8.00%, 51.8% and 100.0%, respectively, with a statistically significant difference among these either (P < 0.05). The positive expression of STAT3 at mRNA level was not only positively correlated with the degree of dysplasia (P < 0.05), but also with the expression of p38 (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: STAT3 and p38 may be involved in the carcinogenesis of sporadic colorectal tubular adenoma.

[Effect of cardiopulmonary bypass on CD11/CD18 expression of neutrophils in children undergoing cardiac surgery].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the changes in perioperative expression level of CD11/CD18 of neutrophils in children undergoing cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). METHODS: Thirty children patients with congenital heart disease underwent cardiac surgery with CPB (CPB group) and the control group consisted of 20 children who received thoracic or general surgery without CPB. Blood samples were drawn at the following time points: pre-surgery, 15 min after onset of CPB, immediately after CPB, 2 h after surgery and on the 1st, 2nd, 3rd postoperative day. D11/CD18 expression on neutrophils and serum concentration of IL-6 and IL-8 were analyzed by flow cytometry and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, respectively. RESULT: In CPB group plasma levels of IL-6 and IL-8 increased significantly and peaked at 2 h after initiation of CPB (P<0.05), and descended to the after-anesthesia level at 3rd day after operation. In non-CPB group there was a similar trend of changes in IL-6 and IL-8, but to a much lesser extent. The level of CD11b/CD18 in CPB group began to increase significantly and peaked at 15 min after initiation of CPB (P <0.05), and descended to the after-anesthesia level at 2 h after operation. There was no significant changes of CD11b/CD18 in control group (P >0.05). No significant differences were detected at any time points with respect to expression of CD11a/CD18 and CD11c/CD18 in both groups (P >0.05). CONCLUSION: CPB surgery of children can cause increasing of the CD11b/CD18 expression level of neutrophil but has no significant effect on CD11a/CD18 and CD11c/CD18. CD11b/CD18 may play an important role in the systemic inflammation induced by CPB.

Helicobacter pylori infection in the pharynx of patients with chronic pharyngitis detected with TDI-FP and modified Giemsa stain.

AIM: To detect whether there is Helicobacter pylori (H pylori) colonization in the pharynx mucous membrane of healthy people and whether chronic pharyngitis is related to H pylori infection. METHODS: Fifty cases of chronic pharyngitis refractory over three months were prospectively studied from March 2004 to August 2004 in the otolaryngology outpatient department of the Second Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University. Template-directed dye-terminator incorporated with fluorescence polarization detection (TDI-FP) and modified Giemsa stain were used to examine pharynx mucous membrane tissue for H pylori colonization in the patients with chronic pharyngitis and the healthy people as a control group. RESULTS: In the control group, no people were detected to have H pylori in the pharynx. In contrast, in 50 cases with chronic pharyngitis, 19 (38.0%) cases were H pylori positive with a TDI-FP assay and 4 (8%) cases were TDI-FP positive with Giemsa staining in the pharynx. Sixteen of the 50 pharyngitis cases had stomach ailment history, 11 cases (68.8%) of these 16 patients were determined to be H pylori positive in the pharynx with the TDI-FP assay. c2 test showed that this infection rate was remarkably higher (P=0.0007) than that in the cases without stomach ailment history. Giemsa staining showed that 3 cases (18.8%) of the patients with stomach ailment history were infected with H pylori in the pharynx, which was remarkably higher (P=0.042) than that in the patients without stomach ailment history (1 case, which was 2.9%). CONCLUSION: H pylori may not be detected in the pharynx of healthy people. Chronic pharyngitis may be related to H pylori infection. The infection rate with H pylori in the pharynx is higher in patients with stomach ailment histories than in patients without stomach ailment histories, suggesting that chronic pharyngitis may be related to stomach ailment history.

Interleukin 10.G microsatellite in the promoter region of the interleukin-10 gene in severe sepsis.

BACKGROUND: The highly polymorphic interleukin 10.G (IL10.G) microsatellite located in the promoter region of the interleukin-10 (IL-10) gene exerts a positive transcriptional regulatory effect on IL-10 gene expression and correlates with the in vitro IL-10 secretion. This study was conducted to investigate whether IL10.G microsatellite is associated with the incidence and/or the outcome of severe sepsis. METHODS: One hundred and fifteen patients with severe sepsis who had been treated at the intensive care unit of the university hospital were studied. One hundred and forty-one healthy individuals served as controls. IL10.G microsatellite genotyping was performed with the following two methods: fluorescent based polymerase chain reaction (PCR) techniques and silver staining of the amplified DNA fragment in polyacrylamide gel. Alleles were defined according to the size of the amplified DNA product. RESULTS: Ten alleles and 36 genotypes were detected both in the patients with severe sepsis and in the healthy controls. Allele IL10.G9 and allele IL10.G13 were the commonest alleles with the frequencies of 32.6% and 21.3% respectively in the patients with severe sepsis, and 34% and 27% respectively in the healthy controls. The allele frequencies of IL10.G microsatellite were neither different between the patients with severe sepsis and the healthy controls (P > 0.05), nor between survivors and non-survivors (P > 0.05). However, the frequency of one common allele IL10.G13 was slightly lower in the patients with severe sepsis than in the healthy controls (21.3% vs 27%, P > 0.05), and the frequency of allele IL10.G9 was slightly higher in the non-survivors than in the survivors (37.1% vs 28.1%, P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: IL10.G microsatellite may neither contribute to the susceptibility to severe sepsis nor to the fatal outcome of severe sepsis.

[Correlation of serum pepsinogen level and gastric mucosal changes of residents in the high incidence area of gastric cancer].

OBJECTIVE: To study the correlation between serum pepsinogen (PG) level and gastric mucosal changes of the residents who live in the high incidence area of gastric cancer, and investigate the value of serum PG level in screening for chronic atrophic gastritis (CAG) and gastric cancer (GC). METHODS: Serum PG level was detected with time resolved fluorescence immunoassay (TRFIA). The correlation between serum PG level and gastric mucosal changes was analyzed through endoscopic biopsy and pathological examination in 720 adult residents. RESULTS: The median serum PG I, PG II level and PG I / PG II ratio in 30 healthy residents with normal gastric mucosa was 172.0 microg/L, 9.6 microg/L and 17.5, respectively. The median serum PG I level of GC patients was significantly lower than that of chronic gastritis patients, gastric ulcer (GU) patients and local healthy residents (P < 0.05). The median PG I level of GU patients was significantly higher than that of the healthy resident group and the other groups (P <0.05). Serum PG II level in CAG, GC and GU groups were all significantly higher than that in CSG and healthy resident group (P <0.05). The PG I/PG II ratio in CAG or GC patients was significantly lower than that in the other groups (P < 0.05). The sensitivity and specificity of serum PG I < or = 60 microg/L for screening CAG or GC was 19.7% and 95.5% respectively, which were 34.7%, 89.3% for PG I/PG II < or =6, and 14.1%, 97.3% for PG I < or =60 microg/L + PG I /PG II < or =6. None in GU group was found to have serum PG I < or =60 microg/L. The median serum PG I level and PG I /PG II ratio in chronic gastritis (including CSG and CAG) with intestinal metaplasia were significantly lower than that of healthy resident group (P < 0.05). The sensitivity and specificity for screening of intestinal metaplasia were 16.6% and 92.9% by PG I < or =60 microg/L; 25.6% and 80.4% by PG I/PG II < or =6; 11.9% and 93.9% by PG I < or =60 microg/L + PG I/ PG II < or = 6. CONCLUSION: Serum pepsinogen level of the residents in the high incidence area of gastric cancer is closely correlated with the pathological changes of gastric mucosa. Though the sensitivity of serum pepsinogen level is relatively lower in the screening for chronic gastritis, gastric cancer and intestinal metaplasia, the specificity was quite high. PG I < or = 60 microg/L may be usful in differential diagnosis of gastric cancer from gastric ulcer.

[Effects of vitamin C on apoptosis and proliferation inhibition of human peripheral blood mononuclear cells induced by deoxynivalenol in vitro].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the effects of Vitamin C (Vit C) on the apoptosis and proliferation inhibition of human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (HPBMCs) induced by deoxynivalenol (DON) in vitro. METHODS: The effects of Vit C pretreatment at different dosages (25 micromol/L and 100 micromol/L) on apoptosis, apoptosis related genes expression and proliferation inhibition of HPBMCs induced by DON were evaluated with cell culture, flow cytometric DNA analysis and Western blotting. RESULTS: Flow cytometry (FCM) analysis showed that the apoptosis rate of HPBMCs in 2000 microg/L DON group was (28.82 +/- 1.67)%, which was significantly higher than that in control group (14.07 +/- 0.70, P < 0.05). Compared with DON group, the apoptosis rate of HPBMCs in 25 micromol/L Vit C pretreatment group was significantly decreased (28.82 +/- 1.67)% vs (22.39 +/- 1.05)%, P < 0.05, while that in 100 micromol/L Vit C pretreatment group was obviously increased (36.07 +/- 2.92)%, P < 0.05. Western blotting analysis showed that the expression of Bax and Caspase-3 up-regulated by DON was markedly decreased, while the expression of Bcl-2 down-regulated by DON was increased by 25 micromol/L Vit C pretreatment (P < 0.05). 100 micromol/L Vit C pretreatment could further increase the expression of Bax and Caspase-3 of HPBMCs induced by DON, while no significant effects on the Bcl-2 expression induced by DON were seen. FCM analysis showed that the proliferation index of HPBMCs in Vit C pretreatment groups at different dosages was all dramatically increased as compared with that in DON groups (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: 25 micromol/L Vit C pretreatment could at certain extent inhibit the apoptosis and reverse the abnormal expression of apoptosis related genes of HPBMCs induced by DON in vitro, while 100 micromol/L Vit C pretreatment could further increase the apoptosis rate of HPBMCs induced by DON. Vit C pretreatment could reverse the proliferation inhibition of HPBMCs induced by DON in vitro.

[Effects of vitamin C on the inhibition of human leucocyte antigen class I (HLA-I) expression of human peripheral blood mononuclear cells induced by deoxynivalenol in vitro].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the putative effects of Vitamin C (Vit C) on inhibition of human leucocyte antigen class I (HLA-I) expression of human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (HPBMCs) induced by deoxynivalenol (DON) in vitro. METHODS: The effects of Vit C on the changes of HLA-I expression of HPBMCs induced by DON in vitro were evaluated with cell culture, flow cytometry (FCM), Western blotting and immunocytochemical methods. RESULTS: FCM analysis showed that HLA-I expression of HPBMCs in DON treated cells was significantly lower than that in controls (FI 0.88 +/- 0.02 vs 1.00 +/- 0.03, P < 0.05). As compared with DON group, the HLA-I expressions of HPBMCs in the two Vit C (25 micromol/L and 100 micromol/L) pretreatment groups were all significantly increased (1.15 +/- 0.06 and 1.10 +/- 0.02 vs 0.88 +/- 0.02, P < 0.05). Exposure to different dosage of Vit C alone could dramatically increase the expression of HLA-I of HPBMCs in vitro as compared with that in the normal control (FI for 25 micromol/L and 100 micromol/L Vit C treatment group was 1.28 +/- 0.03 and 1.25 +/- 0.05 respectively, P < 0.05). Immunocytochemical results showed that the percentages of HLA-I positive expression of HPBMCs in Vit C pretreatment groups at different dosages were significantly higher than those in DON group (70.10 +/- 6.90)%, (64.50 +/- 5.50)% vs (42.20 +/- 4.30)%, P < 0.05. Western blotting confirmed the results of FCM and immunocytochemistry. CONCLUSIONS: Vitamin C pretreatment at different dosages could reverse at some extent the inhibitive effects of DON on HLA-I expression of HPBMCs.