-MSH Influences the Excitability of Feeding-Related Neurons in the Hypothalamus and Dorsal Vagal Complex of Rats.

Alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (-MSH) is processed from proopiomelanocortin (POMC) and acts on the melanocortin receptors, MC3 and MC4. -MSH plays a key role in energy homeostasis. In the present study, to shed light on the mechanisms by which -MSH exerts its anorectic effects, extracellular neuronal activity was recorded in the hypothalamus and the dorsal vagal complex (DVC) of anesthetized rats.

[Expression and Clinical Significance of Focal Adhesion Kinase in Patients with Acute Leukemia].

Objective: To explore the expression of focal adhesion kinase (FAK) in patients with acute leukemia (AL) and its clinical significance.

Methods: The FAK mRNA levels in leukemic cells of 50 patients with AL and bone marrow mononuclear cells(BMMNC) of 10 healthy controls were measured by semi-quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The bone marrow cell chromosomes were prepared using direct and short term culture, and karyotyping was performed by R-banding technique.

Nesfatin-1 influences the excitability of glucosensing neurons in the dorsal vagal complex and inhibits food intake.

Nesfatin-1 is a recently discovered metabolic peptide hormone that decreases food intake after lateral, third, or fourth brain ventricle; cisterna magna; or paraventricular nucleus (PVN) injection in ad libitum fed rats. Additional micro-injection studies will improve the understanding of how nesfatin-1 acts on the brain and define specific nuclei responsive to nesfatin-1, which will provide insight on its effects on food intake. We evaluated how nesfatin-1 injection into the dorsal vagal complex (DVC) modulates food intake response in rats during the dark phase.

[Expression of XIAP gene in chronic myeloid leukemia and its clinical significance].

This study was purpose to investigate the expression of XIAP mRNA in chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) and to explore its significance in the advance and prognosis of CML. The chromosomal karyotype analysis and detection of XIAP mRNA were performed by the technique of chromosomal R banding and real time PCR in 71 patients with CML and 10 healthy controls. The results showed that there was a significant increase of XIAP mRNA expression in accelerated and blastic phase of the CML, compared with the patients in chronic phase (t = 9.

Ghrelin acts on rat dorsal vagal complex to stimulate feeding via arcuate neuropeptide Y/agouti-related peptide neurons activation.

Ghrelin, an endogenous ligand for the growth hormone secretagogue (GHS) receptor, stimulates feeding and increases body weight. The primary action site of ghrelin has been reported to be the neuropeptide Y (NPY)/agouti-related peptide (AgRP) neurons in the hypothalamic arcuate nucleus (ARC). In addition to the hypothalamus, the caudal brainstem also appears to be an important mediator for the orexigenic activity of ghrelin.

Fasting plasma levels of nesfatin-1 in patients with type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus and the nutrient-related fluctuation of nesfatin-1 level in normal humans.

The novel satiety factor nesfatin-1 has been shown to decrease food intake and body weight in rodents after i.c.v.