Aging Induced p53/p21 in Genioglossus Muscle Stem Cells and Enhanced Upper Airway Injury.

Aging of population brings related social problems, such as muscle attenuation and regeneration barriers with increased aging. Muscle repair and regeneration depend on muscle stem cells (MuSCs). Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) rises in the aging population.

The role of immune abnormality in depression and cardiovascular disease.

Depression and cardiovascular disease (CVD) are both highly prevalent disorders, and some evidence shows that there is a 'vicious cycle' linking major depression and CVD. There is also growing evidence that immune abnormalities underpin the common pathophysiology of both CVD and major depression. The abnormalities include the following: abnormal levels of inflammatory markers, such as interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) and interleukin-12 (IL-12); increased acute phase proteins, such as C-reactive protein, fibrinogen and haptoglobin; and abnormal complement factors.

[Effect of GLUD1 on proliferation, osteogenic differentiation and mineralization of human dental pulp stem cells].

Purpose: To investigate the effect of glutamate dehydrogenase 1 (GLUD1) on proliferation, osteogenic differentiation and mineralization of human dental pulp stem cells (hDPSCs).

Methods: hDPSCs were isolated by tissue-explant method in vitro, and shGLUD1 lentivirus was transfected to knock down the expression of GLUD1. RT-PCR and Western blot were performed to detect the expression of GLUD1.

Cloning and characterization of chicken SPATA4 gene and analysis of its specific expression.

The spermatogenesis associated 4 gene (SPATA4, previously named TSARG2) was first cloned from a mouse testis cDNA library and was reported to be a candidate apoptosis-related gene in male germ cells. In this study, we cloned and characterized the SPATA4 gene from chicken (Gallus gallus). Bioinformatics analysis shows that the chicken SPATA4 gene is located on chromosome 4, is made up of six exons, and contains an 860 bp open reading frame encoding a putative protein of 250 amino acids.

Identification and characterization of a biomineralization related gene PFMG1 highly expressed in the mantle of Pinctada fucata.

To elucidate the mechanism of nacre biomineralization, the mantle of Pinctada fucata (P. fucata) from the South China Sea was used. Using the mantle cDNA library and the ESTs we have cloned through suppression subtractive hybridization (SSH), ten novel genes including PFMG1 were obtained through nested PCR.

Molecular cloning and bioinformatic analysis of SPATA4 gene.

Full-length cDNA sequences of four novel SPATA4 genes in chimpanzee, cow, chicken and ascidian were identified by bioinformatic analysis using mouse or human SPATA4 cDNA fragment as electronic probe. All these genes have 6 exons and have similar protein molecular weight and do not localize in sex chromosome. The mouse SPATA4 sequence is identified as significantly changed in cryptorchidism, which shares no significant homology with any known protein in swissprot databases except for the homologous genes in various vertebrates.

[Identification of the resource suspected sperm by DNA fingerprinting].

Objective: To identify the resource suspected sperm of donor in human sperm bank and apply the parentage testing between the donor and his offspring.

Methods: We took the 6 semen specimen of the donor involved and correspondently suspected semen as well as the semen of one volunteer and peripheral blood of his offspring. All specimens were amplified by PCR, and DNA fingerprint was detected by PAGE electrophoresis.

Overexpression of QM induces cell differentiation and mineralization in MC3T3-E1.

It has been reported that QM was highly expressed by cells isolated from epiphyseal cartilage as opposed to proliferative chondrocytes. In vitro investigation of the expression of QM revealed higher QM expression in nonmineralizing osteoblast and pericyte cultures as compared with mineralizing cultures. These evidences suggest that QM may play an essential role in cell differentiation before mineralization.

Cloning and characterization of testis-specific spermatogenesis associated gene homologous to human SPATA4 in rat.

Rat SPATA4 gene, homologue to the human and mouse SPATA4 gene, expressed specifically in the rat testis was cloned by informatics analysis. The cDNA mapped to chromosome 16 in the rat genome is made up of 6 exons and the exon-intron boundaries obey to the AG/GT rule. The gene contains a 972 bp open reading frame encoding 323 amino acid sequences with theoretical molecular weight of 36.

[Detection of a new mutation (G1253T) of iduronate-2-sulfatase gene for the patient with mucopolysaccharidosis type II].

Objective: To identify the mutations of iduronate-2-sulfatase (IDS) gene in mucopolysaccharidosis type II patients.

Methods: PCR-SSCP analysis was applied to detect the common mutations in the exons 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 9 in IDS-gene of the patient. DNA sequencing and PCR-RFLP were applied to analyze the mutation detected by PCR-SSCP.

Cloning of a full-length cDNA of human testis-specific spermatogenic cell apoptosis inhibitor TSARG2 as a candidate oncogene.

A novel human gene full-length cDNA sequence-TSARG2 was identified from a human testis cDNA library using the SRG2 gene (GenBank Accession No. ), which was significantly up-regulated in cryptorchidism, as an electronic probe. TSARG2 was 1223 bp in length.

[Molecular cloning of mTSARG3 gene related to apoptosis in mouse spermatogenic cells].

Beginning from a mouse EST (GenBank Accession No: BE644537) which was significantly changed in cryptorchidism and represented a novel gene, GeneScan program was performed and a predicted mouse novel gene full-length cDNA sequence containing the BE644537 sequence was attained. Gene-specific primers were designed for PCR in mouse testis cDNA library. The sequencing result of the PCR product showed that we obtain a new gene mTSARG3 (GenBank Accession No: AF419292) whose full cDNA length is 1328 bp containing 8 exons and 7 introns.

[Molecular cloning and expression in cryptorchid testis of SRG2 from a mouse testis spermatocyte apoptosis-related gene].

It was observed that the spermatogenic cells apoptosis dramatically increased in infertile man. Cloning of novel spermatogenic cell-specific gene related to apoptosis is of momentous physiological and pathological significance to illustrate the apoptosis mechanism and the biology process of spermatogenic cells. A novel mouse gene full-length cDNA sequence-SRG2 was identified (GenBank accession number AF395083), which was significantly changed in cryptorchidism, from a mouse testis cDNA library using a cDNA fragment (GenBank accession number BE644542) as an electronic probe.

Expression research for human DDX36 and mouse Ddx36 gene in the adult testis.

Drosophila melanogaster is one of the most intensively studied organisms in biology and serves as a model system for structural and functional genomic research. With the strategy of homologue molecular cloning using the sequence of the maleless gene (mle) of Drosophila, the novel homologous human and mouse genes with longer DNA/RNA helicase box (DEAD/DEAH box), named, DDX36 and Ddx36 genes, respectively, were cloned as new members of the DEAD/H box superfamily. In order to further investigate the relationship between those two genes of DDX36 and Ddx36 and the role of spermatogenesis, the expression analysis of them have been performed by the techniques of Northern blotting, RT-PCR and tissue in situ hybridization.

[Molecular cloning for testis spermatogenesis cell apoptosis related gene TSARG1 and Mtsarg1 and expression analysis for Mtsarg1 gene].

Spermatogenesis cell apoptosis is a very complex process, which needs many molecules to take part in the programmable death of cells in testis. At present, research of apoptosis for spermatogenesis cell is at the primary step. It is very important to clone spermatogenesis cell apoptosis related genes and spermatogenesis genes in testis.

[Cloning of cDNA of TSARG4, a human spermatogenesis related gene].

To understand molecular mechanism of spermatogenesis, two ESTs BG720564 and AI700454, were found from SPAG4 (sperm antigen 4), a gene related to dense fiber protein of outer membrane of the human sperm and mouse spermatocytes gene AK006225. The gap was filled by polymerase chain reaction, and a 1252 bp fragment was obtained. This 1252 bp fragment was named TSARG4 (testis and spermatogenesis related gene 4 (GenBank accession number AF401350).

[Molecular cloning of SRG2, a mouse testis spermatocyte apoptosis-related gene].

A novel mouse gene full-length cDNA sequence-SRG2 were identified (GenBank accession number AF395083), which was significantly changed in cryptorchidism, from a mouse testis cDNA library using a cDNA fragment (GenBank accession number BE644542) as an electronic probe. SRG2 was 1058 bp in length. The putative protein encoded by this gene was 295 amino acids with a theoretical molecular weight of 33 579 and isoelectric point of 9.