[Effect of acupuncture on serum MIP-2 and MIP-2 mRNA expressions in isolated Fei and Dachang of severe acute pancreatitis induced acute lung injury rats in the acute phase].

OBJECTIVE: To observe effect of acupuncture on serum macrophage inflammatory protein-2 (MIP-2) and MIP-2 mRNA expressions in isolated Fei and Dachang of severe acute pancreatitis (SAP) induced acute lung injury (ALI) rats in the acute phase. METHODS: Forty male Wistar rats were randomly divided into four groups, i.e., the sham-operation group, the SAP group, the acupuncture treatment group, and the acupuncture control group, 10 in each group. The SAP model was induced by retrograde infusion of 3.5% sodium taurocholate into the pancreatobiliary duct. Under the guidance of "Fei and Dachang exterior-inferiorly related", points were acupunctured along Fei, Dachang, and Pi channels, as well as those points on the back of rats in the acupuncture treatment group 0.5 h after modeling. Besides, points were acupunctured along Fei and Pi channels, as well as those points on the back of rats in the acupuncture control group 0.5 h after modeling. Serum levels of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) and nitric oxide (NO), and MIP-2 expressions were examined 6 h after modeling. Expressions of MIP-2 mRNA in isolated lung and large intestine tissues were detected by reverse transcription PCR. RESULTS: Compared with the sham-operation group, serum levels of TNF-alpha and NO, and expressions of MIP-2 and MIP-2 mRNA in isolated lung and large intestine tissues were significantly higher in the SAP group (P < 0.05). Each index was lower in the acupuncture treatment group than in the SAP group and the acupuncture control group (P < 0.05). Besides, the serum level of MIP-2 and the MIP-2 mRNA expression in isolated lung and large intestine tissues were positively correlated in all groups except the sham-operation group (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Under the guidance of "Fei and Dachang exterior-inferiorly related", acupuncture could remarkably reduce the severity of SAP induced ALI rats in the acute phase. Its mechanism might be related to suppressing over-expressions of MIP-2 mRNA in isolated lung and large intestine tissues, and lowering the serum MIP-2 expression level.

Exploration of conformational transition in the aryl-binding site of human FXa using molecular dynamics simulations.

Human coagulation Factor X (FX), a member of the vitamin K-dependent serine protease family, is a crucial component of the human coagulation cascade. Activated FX (FXa) participates in forming the prothrombinase complex on activated platelets to convert prothrombin to thrombin in coagulation reactions. In the current study, 30-ns MD simulations were performed on both the open and closed states of human FXa. Root mean squares (RMS) fluctuations showed that structural fluctuations concentrated on the loop regions of FXa, and the presence of a ligand in the closed system resulted in larger fluctuations of the gating residues. The open system had a gating distance from 9.23 to 11.33 Å, i.e., significantly larger than that of the closed system (4.69-6.35 Å), which allows diversified substrates of variable size to enter. Although the solvent accessible surface areas (SASA) of FXa remained the same in both systems, the open system generally had a larger total SASA or hydrophobic SASA (or both) for residues surrounding the S4 pocket. Additionally, more hydrogen bonds were formed in the closed state than in the open state of FXa, which is believed to play a significant role in maintaining the closed confirmation of the aryl-binding site. Based on the results of MD simulations, we propose that an induced-fit mechanism governs the functioning of human coagulation FX, which helps provide a better understanding of the interactions between FXa and its substrate, and the mechanism of the conformational changes involved in human coagulation.

Assignment of human sprouty 4 gene to chromosome segment 5q32 approximately 33 and analysis of its pattern of expression.

The human sprouty 4 (SPRY4) gene was localized to chromosome band 5q32 approximately 33 by screening the Stanford radiation hybrid G3 panel using a SPRY4-specific primer pair for PCR. Northern blot analysis revealed two different mRNAs (5 kb and 2 kb) in liver, skeletal muscle, heart, lung, kidney, spleen, placenta and small intestine. Reverse transcriptase-PCR analysis showed that SPRY4 was expressed in all tested tissues to different levels.