Abnormal chromatin remodeling caused by ARID1A deletion leads to malformation of the dentate gyrus.

ARID1A, an SWI/SNF chromatin-remodeling gene, is commonly mutated in cancer and hypothesized to be a tumor suppressor. Recently, loss-of-function of ARID1A gene has been shown to cause intellectual disability. Here we generate Arid1a conditional knockout mice and investigate Arid1a function in the hippocampus.

The histone modification reader ZCWPW1 is required for meiosis prophase I in male but not in female mice.

Meiosis is a specialized type of cell division that creates haploid germ cells and ensures their genetic diversity through homologous recombination. We show that the H3K4me3 reader ZCWPW1 is specifically required for meiosis prophase I progression in male but not in female germ cells in mice. Loss of in male mice caused a complete failure of synapsis, resulting in meiotic arrest at the zygotene to pachytene stage, accompanied by incomplete DNA double-strand break repair and lack of crossover formation, leading to male infertility.

[LNK Gene Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms and Acute Leukemia Susceptibility].

Unlabelled: To investigate the relationship between the LNK(SH2B3) gene single nucleotide polymorphism and risk of acute leukemia (AL) in Chinese population.

Methods: The bone marrow and peripheral blood samples from 31 cases of acute lymphoblastic leukemia, 70 cases of acute myeloid leukemia and 130 healthy persons as the controls were collected. Genotype of LNK SNP Rs3184504(c.

Confocal Microscopic Analysis of the Spindle and Chromosome Configurations of in vitro-Matured Oocytes from Different Types of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Patients.

Objective: To evaluate the meiotic spindle and chromosome distribution of in vitro-matured oocytes from infertile nonobese or obese women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and to compare in vitro maturation (IVM) rates between groups.

Design: Prospective study.

Setting: Hospital-based IVF center.

[Role of LNK gene mutation in pathogenesis of myeloproliferative neoplasms-review].

Myeloproliferative neoplasms ( MPN ) is a class of clonal hematopoietic stem cell disease. Studies found that the JAK-STAT signaling pathway is closely related to the pathogenesis of MPN. The lymphocyte-specific adaptor protein (LNK) gene negatively regulates Janus kinase-signal transducer and activator of transcription (JAK-STAT) signaling and may play an important role in the pathogenesis of MPN.

Reprogramming fibroblasts into bipotential hepatic stem cells by defined factors.

Recent studies have demonstrated direct reprogramming of fibroblasts into a range of somatic cell types, but to date stem or progenitor cells have only been reprogrammed for the blood and neuronal lineages. We previously reported generation of induced hepatocyte-like (iHep) cells by transduction of Gata4, Hnf1α, and Foxa3 in p19 Arf null mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs). Here, we show that Hnf1β and Foxa3, liver organogenesis transcription factors, are sufficient to reprogram MEFs into induced hepatic stem cells (iHepSCs).

[Role of signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 in the development of tumors].

Signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) take part in cell proliferation, differentiation, survival, apoptosis, transformation, cellular immunity and some other important physiological and pathological processes. Among STAT3 signaling pathways, the JAK-STAT signaling pathway has been comprehensively studied. Abnormal activation of STAT3 is frequently detected in various tumors, and the abnormal activation is closely related with the tumorigenesis.

Expression of inhibin-alpha is regulated synergistically by Wilms' tumor gene 1 (Wt1) and steroidogenic factor-1 (Sf1) in sertoli cells.

Wt1 encodes a zinc finger nuclear transcriptional factor, which is specifically expressed in testicular Sertoli cells and knockdown of Wt1 in Sertoli cells causes male mice subfertility. However, the underlying mechanism is still unclear. In this study, we found that expression of inhibin-α is significantly reduced in Wt1-deficient Sertoli cells.

Mouse Fem1b interacts with and induces ubiquitin-mediated degradation of Ankrd37.

Ankyrin repeat domain 37 (Ankrd37), a protein containing ankyrin repeats (ARs) and a putative nuclear localization signal (NLS), is highly conserved from zebrafish to humans. In mouse testes, Ankrd37 protein was initially present in the cytoplasm of elongating spermatids, and finally restricted to the nuclei of spermatozoa during spermatogenesis. Ankrd37 bound to feminization 1 homolog b (Fem1b) as indicated by yeast two-hybrid screening and co-immunoprecipitation assays.

Male germ cell-specific protein Trs4 binds to multiple proteins.

Temperature-related sequence 4 (Trs4) has been identified as a testis-specific gene with expression sensitive to the abdominal temperature changes induced by artificial cryptorchidism. In murine testes, Trs4 mRNA was detected in round spermatids and its protein was localized mainly in the elongating spermatids as well as in the acrosomes and tails of mature spermatozoa. Using a yeast two-hybrid screening system, we identified Rshl-2, Gstmu1, and Ddc8 as putative binding partners of the Trs4 protein in mouse testes.

[Neuromodulation for treatment for neurogenic bowel dysfunction].

Objective: To explore the efficacy of neuromodulation (including sacral neuromodulation and dorsal penile/clitoral nerve neuromodulation) for the treatment to neurogenic bowel dysfunction due to spinal cord injury.

Methods: From January 2006 to April 2008, 9 patients with neurogenic constipation after spinal cord injury underwent the therapy of neuromodulation, 1 patient underwent the therapy of sacral neuromodulation, 8 patients underwent the therapy of dorsal penile/clitoral nerve neuromodulation. The therapeutic efficacy was evaluated and followed up by means of Wexner constipation score.

[Video-urodynamic studies on 1800 patients with neurogenic bladder].

Objective: To explore the Video-urodynamic characteristics of various neurogenic bladder.

Methods: A total of 1800 patients with neurogenic bladder were included in our study from December 2002 to June 2008. All patients underwent Video-urodynamic studies.

Afaf, a novel vesicle membrane protein, is related to acrosome formation in murine testis.

As a cell-specific organelle, acrosome (Acr) and its formation are an important event for spermiogenesis. However, the Acr formation is far more complicated than has been proposed. In this study, we have cloned a novel membrane protein Afaf (Acr formation associated factor) that was expressed abundantly in the round spermatids, localized in the inner and outer membrane of forming Acrs, and declined in the maturing Acrs.

In vitro propagation of spermatogonial stem cells from KM mice.

Spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs) are a unique type of stem cells in that they transmit genetic information to the next generation by producing sperms. Studies of SSC proliferation and differentiation have been hampered by the inability of reconstructing these processes in vitro, particularly in a serum-free culture system. Several groups have reported the long term culture of SSCs during which SSCs self-renew and restore spermatogenesis when transplanted back to recipient testes.

Cloning and characterization of a novel spermiogenesis-related gene, T6441, in rat testis.

We report in the present study the cloning and characterization of a novel gene, named T6441, initially derived by the suppressive subtracted hybridization (SSH) cDNA library. The full-length T6441cDNA was 664 bp long, containing a complete open-reading frame for a protein of 149 amino acids (aa). The protein bears no homology to any reported genes.

Activation of the p38 MAPK pathway by follicle-stimulating hormone regulates steroidogenesis in granulosa cells differentially.

In the present study, we started out to test whether the follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH)-activated p38 MAPK signaling cascade was involved in the regulation of steroidogenesis in granulosa cells (GCs). GCs were prepared from the ovaries of DES-treated immature rats and cultured in serum-free medium. Treatment of GCs with FSH (50 ng/ml) induced the phosphorylation of p38 MAPK rapidly with the phosphorylation being observed within 5 min and reaching the highest level at 30 min.

Expression of HSP105 and HSP60 during germ cell apoptosis in the heat-treated testes of adult cynomolgus monkeys (macaca fascicularis).

To confirm that transient increase in temperature of the testis (43C for 30 minutes once daily for 2 consecutive days) could induce apoptosis of germ cells in non-human primates and to investigate the possible roles of Hsp105 and Hsp60 in regulation of germ cell loss, we conducted the study on eight cynomolgus monkeys. The sperm concentration on day 28 after heat shock decreased to 8.4% of pretreatment levels and recovered to baseline on day 144.

Stem cell factor modulates the expression of steroidogenesis related proteins and FSHR during ovarian follicular development.

Stem cell factor (SCF) is essential for the development of primordial follicles. By using cultured ovaries from neonatal rats, the effect of SCF on early follicular development was investigated. Steroidogenesis is a hallmark of follicular development.

Fas, FasL, Bcl-2, and Bax in the endometrium of rhesus monkey during the menstrual cycle.

To study possible role and regulation of apoptosis occurred in primate endometrium, the expression of apoptosis-related molecules, Fas, FasL, B cell lymphoma/leukaemia-2 (Bcl-2), and Bax were analyzed in relation to occurrence of apoptosis and proliferation in the cycling endometrium of the rhesus monkey using immunohistochemistry and Western blot. The cell apoptosis and proliferation were evaluated by means of in situ 3'-end labeling and Ki67 immunostaining, respectively. The results showed that the expressions of Fas, Fas ligand (FasL), Bcl-2, and Bax were co-localized predominantly in the epithelial cells of the endometrium.

Expression of Bcl-2 and p53 at the fetal-maternal interface of rhesus monkey.

To study the apoptosis and its mechanism at the fetal-maternal interface of early gestation, localization of apoptotic cells in the implantation sites of the rhesus monkey on day 17, 19, 28 and 34 of pregnancy were first examine by using the TUNEL technique. The expression of Ki67, a molecular marker of proliferating cells, and two apoptotic proteins, B cell lymphoma/leukaemia-2 (Bcl-2) and P53, were then studied by immunohistochemistry. Apoptotic nuclei were observed mainly in the syncytiotrophoblast.

Signal transduction of stem cell factor in promoting early follicle development.

Stem cell factor (SCF), another alternative name is kit ligand, is essential for the development of early follicles. However, the underlying molecular mechanism remains to be defined. By using cultured ovaries that are rich in primordial follicles, the action of SCF (kit ligand) on early follicular development and the activated signal transduction pathways were investigated.

Role of ERK1/2 in FSH induced PCNA expression and steroidogenesis in granulosa cells.

Follicular development is characterized by both proliferation and differentiation of granulosa cells (GCs) under the control of FSH. However, the cellular mechanism by FSH is not known. Using cultured GCs, we examined whether FSH activated ERK1/2 was involved in the regulation of the proliferation related gene proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) and steroidogenesis.

Anti-apoptotic action of stem cell factor on oocytes in primordial follicles and its signal transduction.

Stem cell factor (SCF) is essential for the development of primordial follicles. One of its functions is to prevent oocytes from apoptosis. However, the underlying mechanism remains largely unknown.