Nitidine chloride regulates cell function of bladder cancer in vitro through downregulating Lymphocyte antigen 75.

Nitidine chloride (NC) is effective on cancer in many tumors, but its effect on bladder cancer (BC) is unknown. We conducted cell function experiments to verify the antineoplastic effect of NC on BC cell lines (5637, T24, and UM-UC-3) in vitro. Then, mRNAs of NC-treated and NC-untreated BC cells were extracted for mRNA sequencing. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs), expression analysis, and drug molecular docking were conducted to discover the target gene of NC. Finally, functional enrichment was analyzed to explore the underlying mechanisms. NC dramatically inhibited proliferation, migration, and invasion, and it induced apoptosis and arrested the S and G2/M phases of BC cell lines. Lymphocyte antigen 75 (LY75) appeared to be the target of NC. LY75 was highly expressed and had the ability to distinguish BC tissue from non-cancerous tissue. Then, drug molecular docking confirmed the targeting relationship between NC and LY75. Gene enrichment analysis showed that the downregulated genes, after being treated with NC, were mainly enriched in pathways relevant to cell pathophysiological processes. NC inhibits BC cell proliferation, migration, and invasion, induces apoptosis, and arrests cell cycles by downregulating the expression of LY75. This study provides molecular and theoretical bases for NC treatment of BC.

Effects of different nutritional conditions on accumulation and distribution of Cr in Coix lacryma-jobi L. in Cr6+-contaminated constructed wetland.

In this research, micro Coix lacryma-jobi L. vertical flow constructed wetlands (VFCWs) were set up using domestic sewage (DWS) and 1/2 Hoagland nutrient solution (HNS) as VFCWs water sources. 0, 20 mg L-1 and 40 mg L-1 of Cr6+ (in the form of K2Cr7O2) were added into the water sources separately in order to study the response of Coix lacryma-jobi L. under Cr6+ stress. The results showed that the inhibition rates of Cr6 + on plant height, stem diameter, shoot and root dry weight treated with HNS were 2.88~10.16%, 5.12~11.86%, 3.53~6.51% and 2.89~6.34% higher than those in DWS treatment. SEM analysis showed that the nuclear bilayer membrane was slightly damaged, the chromatin decreased and the number of mitochondrial cristae decreased when treated with 20 mg L-1 of Cr6+, however, organelle damage was more severe under 40 mg L-1 of Cr6+exposure. The X-ray energy spectrum analysis results indicated that the accumulation of chromium in epidermis and endodermis were higher than those in stele. The contents of total Cr in roots, stems and leaves treated with HNS were higher than those of DWS treatment. The highest content of Cr was observed in cell wall (32.12-188.1 mg kg-1), followed by vacuole (5.0-38.14 mg kg-1). The contents of Cr in each subcellular component in roots, stems, and leaves treated with HNS were higher than those of DWS, except for organelle components in the 14th week. DWS was used as water influent, the contents of easily migrated combined Cr (ETM) in roots, stems and leaves were significantly lower than those in HNS treatment. Improving the nutritional conditions of constructed wetlands might be beneficial to the improvement of their ability to purify chrome-containing waste water.

The relationship between the biovars and the antimicrobial resistance of Ureaplasma urealyticum in female patients with urogenital infections.

BACKGROUND: Ureaplasma urealyticum is considered as one of the main pathogens found in women with urogenital infection. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between the biovars, serovars, and their antimicrobial resistance against antibiotics in female patients with urogenital infection. METHODS: Two hundred and forty-six cervical secretion samples (125 female outpatients as the patient group, 121 healthy female subjects as the control group) were first collected and analyzed for U. urealyticum using the Mycoplasma Identification and Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing; then polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was carried out to identify the biovars and serovars of U. urealyticum-positive samples. RESULTS: The prevalence of U. urealyticum in the patient group (57. 60%) was higher than that in the control group (24.79%, P<.01). The main biovar was biovar 1, and the main serovars were 1 (S1), 3 (S3), 6 (S6) in biovar 1. Mixed infection was observed in biovar 2. According to the results of Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing in the patient group, biovar 1 shows more resistance to minocycline, doxycycline, and azithromycin than biovar 2 (P<.05). Serovars S1, S3 and S6 have the highest resistant rate to ofloxacin (84.38%), roxithromycin (84.62%), and azithromycin (90.90%), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: A high prevalence of U. urealyticum was observed in female patients with urogenital infections. And the biovar 1 and the serovars 1, 3, 6 were the main types of pathogens.

A protein mapping method based on physicochemical properties and dimension reduction.

BACKGROUND: The graphical mapping of a protein sequence is more difficult than the graphical mapping of a DNA sequence because of the twenty amino acids and their complicated physicochemical properties. However, the graphical mapping for protein sequences attracts many researchers to develop different mapping methods. Currently, researchers have proposed their mapping methods based on several physicochemical properties. In this article, a new mapping method for protein sequences is developed by considering additional physicochemical properties, which is a simple and effective approach. METHODS: Based on the 12 major physicochemical properties of amino acids and the PCA method, we propose a simple and intuitive 2D graphical mapping method for protein sequences. Next, we extract a 20D vector from the graphical mapping which is used to characterize a protein sequence. RESULTS: The proposed graphical mapping consists of three important properties, one-to-one, no circuit, and good visualization. This mapping contains more physicochemical information. Next, this proposed method is applied to two separate applications. The results illustrate the utility of the proposed method. DISCUSSION: To validate the proposed method, we first give a comparison of protein sequences, which consists of nine ND6 proteins. The similarity/dissimilarity matrix for the ssnine ND6 proteins correctly reveals their evolutionary relationship. Next, we give another application for the cluster analysis of HA genes of influenza A (H1N1) isolates. The results are consistent with the known evolution fact of the H1N1 virus. The separate applications further illustrate the utility of the proposed method.

[Secretion and action of insulin among Han and Uygur subjects with impaired fasting glucose and impaired glucose tolerance from Xinjiang].

OBJECTIVE: To compare insulin secretion and action with impaired fasting glucose (IFG), impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) and combined glucose intolerance (CGI, IFG and IGT) between Han and Uygur populations living in Xinjiang. METHODS: A multicenter cross-section survey (The Third Diabetes Epidemiological Survey in China) was conducted in Xinjiang from 2007 to 2008 including 2203 subjects (Han 1118, Uygur 1085) underwent an oral glucose test (OGTT). Homeostasis model assessment on insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) and ß cell function (HOMA-ß) were calculated. The ratio of incremental insulin (ΔI30) and glucose (ΔG30) response was used to evaluate the early insulin secretion. ΔI30/ΔG30/HOMA-IR was used to evaluate the glucose disposition index (DI). RESULTS: There were differences noticed regarding the waist circumstances (WC), body mass index (BMI), lipids, 0 and 120 min insulin levels in different glucose tolerance status between the Hans and Uygurs. Data related to NGT, IFG, CGI, WC from the Uygurs was significantly different from that of the Hans (P < 0.01), while the NGT, IFG, IGT and 120-minute plasma insulin levels of the Hans were significantly different from that of the Uygurs (P < 0.01). HOMA-IR and HOMA-ß in Hans were significantly different from those of the Uygurs (P < 0.01). There were significant differences noticed on data related to ΔI30/ΔG30, and DI among the two populations with different ethnicities. CONCLUSION: Regarding the regulation of impaired glucose, the insulin resistance among the Hans was significantly different from that of the Uygurs, while there seemed to be a compensatory secretion of pancreatic ß cells which played the role of maintaining blood glucose homeostasis.

[Mutation of thyroid peroxidase gene in 35 patients with congenital hypothyroidism].

OBJECTIVE: To identify thyroid peroxidase (TPO) gene mutations in 35 patients with congenital hypothyroidism. METHOD: Genomic DNA was isolated from peripheral blood samples of 35 patients with congenital hypothyroidism. All of the 17 exons and flanking introns of TPO gene were amplified by PCR, then the PCR products were sequenced bi-directionally and were analyzed by restriction endonucleases. RESULT: One patient had compound heterozygous mutations c.961A>G/c.2422delT, one was c.2268insT/c.1477G>A, and three was homozygous mutation c.2268insT. The TPO gene mutation c.961A>G [p. Thr321Ala] was one novel mutation. CONCLUSION: High frequency mutation in TPO gene was detected in patients with congenital hypothyroidism.