[Expression of Ikaros and FUT4 in Children's Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia and Their Relationship].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the possible molecular mechanism of Ikaros regulation on FUT4 expression by analyzing the correlation of the functional state of Ikaros with level of FUT4 expression, so as to provide the theoretical basis for personalized treatment in children with ALL. METHODS: The subtypes of Ikaros were identified by nested PCR and sequencing. The expression level of FUT4 was detected by quantitative PCR and analyzed by ΔΔCt method in the early stage of treatment, remission and relapse of ALL. RESULTS: Ik1 and Ik2 were the main functional subtypes, and the dominant negative Ikaros was Ik6; the Ik6 was detected in 23 patients with ALL. It was found that 2.73% patients expressing Ik6 alone and 18.18% patients with heterozygous expression were detected. The expression of FUT4 in the newly diagnosed ALL was higher than that in the control group, and the functional Ikaros negatively correlated with the FUT4 expression(r=-0.6329). CONCLUSION: Dominant negative Ikaros closely correlated with the relapse of acute lymphoblastic leukemia in children. The functional Ikaros negatively correlated with FUT4 expression. Ikaros inhibit the transcriptional activity of FUT4, that may be the molecular mechanism of Ikaros regulating the expression of FUT4.

[Role of p38MAPK signaling pathway in autophagy of Henle-407 cells induced by spvB of Salmonella typhimurium].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the role of p38MAPK signaling pathway in autophagy of intestinal epithelial cells induced by spvB of S.typhimurium. METHODS: Henle-407 cells in exponential growth were infected with wild-type S.typhimurium strain STM-211 (with spvB gene), spvB mutated strain STM-delata;spvB, or with delata;spvB-complemented strain STM-c-spvB after treatment of the cells with the p38MAPK inhibitor SB203580. At different time points of co-culture, the cells were collected and the intracellular bacteria were counted. Western blotting was performed to detect the expressions of phosphorylated p38 and autophagy-related proteins LC3 and p62; immunofluorescence staining was used to observe the expression and distribution of LC3. RESULTS: At 1, 2 and 4 h after the infection, the phosphorylation levels of p38 in STM-211 group and STM-c-spvB group were significantly lower than that in STM-delata;spvB group (P<0.05). At 2 and 4 h of co-culture, the intracellular bacterial counts were significantly greater in STM-211 and STM-c-spvB infection groups than in STM-delata;spvB group (P<0.05). Pretreatment with p38 inhibitor SB203580 did no significantly affect the expression levels of LC3 II or P62 in STM-211 and STM-c-spvB groups, but caused significant reduction in their expressions in STM-delata;spvB group at 1 h (P<0.05), and such changes were more obvious at 3 h (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: The inhibitory effect of spvB gene on autophagy in intestinal epithelial cells is related with the negative regulation of p38MAPK signaling pathway.

[Prevalence of Helicobacter pylori cagA, vacA, and iceA genotypes in children with gastroduodenal diseases].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the prevalence of cagA, vacA, and iceA genotypes in the isolated strains of Helicobacter pylori (H.pylori) from children with gastroduodenal diseases in Jiangxi, China, as well as the association between cagA, vacA, and iceA genotypes and the type of gastroduodenal diseases. METHODS: The samples of gastric antral mucosa were collected from 316 children with gastroduodenal diseases in Jiangxi, and a total of 107 strains of H.pylori were isolated. The genomic DNA of these strains was extracted, and PCR was used to determine the ureA, cagA, vacA, and iceA genotypes. RESULTS: Of all the 107 isolated strains of H.pylori, the detection rates of ureA and cagA genes were 100% (107/107) and 94.4% (101/107) respectively. The overall detection rate of vacA gene was 100% (107/107), and the detection rates of vacAs1a, vacAs1c, vacAm1, and vacAm2 genes were 74.8% (80/107), 25.2% (27/107), 29.9% (32/107), and 69.2% (74/107) respectively, with both vacAm1 and vacAm2 genes detected in 0.9% (1/107) of all H.pylori strains. In the chimera of vacA gene, the detection rates of vacAs1a/m1, vacAs1a/m2, vacAs1c/m1, and vacAs1c/m2 genes were 26.2% (28/107), 51.4% (55/107), 3.7% (4/107), and 17.8% (19/107) respectively (P<0.001). The detection rates of iceA1 and iceA2 genes were 79.4% (85/107) and 9.3% (10/107), respectively (P<0.001), and both iceA1 and iceA2 genes were detected in 7.5% (8/107) of all strains. The detection rates of the genotypes of H.pylori showed no significant differences between the peptic ulcer, chronic gastritis, and duodenal bulbar inflammation groups (P>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The dominant genotypes of H.pylori are cagA, vacAs1a/m2, and iceA1, and there are mixed infections with H.pylori strains of different genotypes in children with gastroduodenal disease from Jiangxi, China. The genotypes of H.pylori are not associated with the type of gastroduodenal disease.

[Nitrogen and phosphorus release from herbaceous vegetation under simulated inundation experiment of water-level fluctuation zone in the Three Gorges Reservior Area].

Nitrogen and phosphorus release from herbaceous vegetation of water-level fluctuation zone in the Three Gorges Reservior (TGR) area could become a crucial source which may deteriorate water quality of TGR. Stems and leaves of the dominant herbaceous plants from water-level fluctuation zone were collected and inundated in the laboratory for measuring nitrogen and phosphorus release along with decay process. Results show that: (1) The differences of initial carbon and nitrogen content among herbaceous plants of water-level fluctuation zone are remarkable, except intial phosphorus content. (2) The decomposition of vegetation under inundation causes the increase of pH, the decrease of Eh of the overlying water and the release of nitrogen and phosphorus. The release amount of total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP) are (3.85 +/- 2.53), (1.33 +/- 0.73) mg x g(-1) respectively. The release process of TN and ammonia nitrogen (NH4(+) -N) shows a parabolic curve, whereas TP releases fits in a logarithmic curve. The average peak time of TN and TP concentration is in the 15th day of inundation, while NH4(+) -N is in the 33th day. The release amount and rate of nutrients follow the sequence in TN > TP > NH4(+) -N. The average loads of TN, TP and NH4(+) -N release from vegetation decay in three months' inundation are 22.4, 8.9 and 4.5 kg x hm(-2) respectively. (3) The lower initial C and higher initial N and P content of plant, make an advantage for nitrogen and phosphorus release when plants are inundated in flooding period of TGR.