Different Effects of Melatonin on X-Rays-Irradiated Cancer Cells in a Dose-Dependent Manner.

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of melatonin on the radiosensitivity of HeLa cells. Concentration from 10 to 1000 µM of melatonin was used on HeLa cells before X-rays irradiation (IR). The cellular inactivation effect was analyzed by clonogenic assay, and cell growth was measured by MTT assay at various concentrations.

Design and synthesis of novel celastrol derivative and its antitumor activity in hepatoma cells and antiangiogenic activity in zebrafish.

Two series of celastrol derivatives were designed and synthesized by modifying carboxylic acid at the 28th position with amino acid, and their intermediates with isobutyrate at the third position. All compounds were evaluated for their antiproliferation activity by four human cancer cell lines (SCG7901, HGC27, HepG2, and Bel7402) and one normal cell LO2. The most promising compound, compound 8, showed superior bioactivity and lower toxicity than others including celastrol.

Discovery, synthesis, and evaluation of small-molecule signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 inhibitors.

The signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) oncogene is a promising molecular target and its inhibitors have great potential as anticancer drugs. To identify novel and STAT3-selective inhibitors, a virtual screening based on Specs and Maybridge databases was conducted and a 6,6'-bibenzoxazole type small molecule, compound 3a with a inhibition constant K(i) value of 494.32 nM to STAT3 was explored.

High volume practice proved the safety of off-pump coronary artery bypass surgery in left main coronary artery lesions: a two-year single center experience.

Background: Left main coronary artery (LMCA) stenosis has been recognized as a risk factor for early death among patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). This study aimed to assess if LMCA lesions pose an additional risk of early or mid-term mortality and/or a major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular event (MACCE) after off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (OPCABG), compared with non-left main coronary artery stenosis (non-mainstem disease).

Methods: From January 1, 2009 to December 31, 2010, 4869 patients had a primary isolated OPCABG procedure at Beijing Anzhen Hospital.

Antiangiogenesis gene armed tumor-targeting adenovirus yields multiple antitumor activities in human HCC xenografts in nude mice.

Aim: Gene therapy represents a promising therapeutic strategy for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). To improve the ratio of killing efficacy on tumor cells to side-effect on normal cells, we constructed an oncolytic adenovirus vector, AdSu-hE, expressing the human endostatin (hE) gene, in which the chimeric promoter of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 enhancer and human telomerase reverse transcriptase promoter was used to control the adenoviral E1a gene.

Methods: Tumor-selective replication of adenovirus AdSu-hE and its concomitant expression of endostatin were measured by 50% tissue culture infective dose method, fluorescent protein expression, Western blot and enzyme linked immunosorbent assay in cancer and normal cell lines.

Soluble multimer of recombinant endostatin expressed in E. coli has anti-angiogenesis activity.

The bioactivity, refolding, and multimer formation of endostatin, particularly of recombinant endostatin produced from bacteria, are proved challenging for clinical application. In order to determine the biological activity of recombinant endostatin multimer, first, we expressed endostatin in Escherichia coli and purified it with ion-exchange chromatography. The purified active protein could elicit multimer formation spontaneously, but still has comparable activity.

RTN4-C gene expression in hepatocellular carcinoma and its influence on SMMC7721 cell growth and apoptosis.

RTN4-C gene is a member of RTNs. To investigate its expression in human hepatocellular carcinoma tissues and study its function on SMMC7721 cells, RT-PCR was conducted to detect its expressions in human hepatocellular carcinoma tissues. RTN4-C-pcDNA3.

[Endophthalmitis after phacoemucification surgery].

Objective: To study the infective endophthalmitis after phacoemulsification and to discuss the methods for prevention and treatment of this complication.

Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed on phacoemulsification with implantation of artificial lens underwent in 10 MaiGe Ophthalmological Centers during past 10 years (from 1993 to 2003).

Results: Among 63,372 cases (84,497 eyes) underwent the phacoemulsification, 14 cases suffered infective endophthalmitis with the incidence of 0.

[High level secretion expression of PoIFNalpha in Pichia pastoris].

The porcine alpha interferon gene was inserted into the Pichia pastoris expression vector of pPICZalphaA which contains AOX I promoter and alpha-factor signal sequence. The recombinant plasmid was transformed into host cell E.coli JM109 and then was extracted for analysis of restriction enzymes.

[Phylogenetic relationship between tufted deer(Elaphodus cephalophus) and Muntiacus deer is revealed by the exon and intron of K+ channel gene].

In this study, partial fragments of potassium ion channel gene were amplified using the genomic DNA of muntjak, reevesi, crinifrons, and Elaphodus cephalophus. The PCR products were ligated to the plasmid of pMD18-T Vector by the method of direct T-A cloning. The positive clones were identified by colony PCR.

[Cloning of ZFY /ZFX gene of the tufted deer and identification of its sex].

According to the human sex differentiation related ZFY and ZFX genes, a pair of primers were designed , and fragments were amplified from the genomic DNA of male or female tufted deer. Subsequently the amplified fragments were cloned into the vector pMD18T and were sequenced. It is found that the sequences of ZFY gene and ZFX gene have 91% homology.

The relationship between metallothionein-1F (MT1F) gene and hepatocellular carcinoma.

To investigate the expression of MT1F gene in hepatocellular carcinoma tissue and the growth suppression effect of exogenous introduction of MT1F gene on liver cell line HepG2 and to explore the potential application of MT1F gene in gene therapy of tumor. Eukaryotic expression vector of pCMV-MT1F plasmid was introduced into HepG2 line which expressed no MT1F protein originally with lipofectamine transfection method. The cell growth curve, soft agar colony formation rate and tumorigenicity in SCID mice were examined to demonstrate the growth suppression effect of exogenous MT1F gene on HepG2 cell line.

[Ross procedure in treatment of aortic disease: clinical experience of 15 cases].

Objective: To summarize the clinical experience of Ross procedure in treatment of aorta valve diseases.

Methods: The clinical data of 15 patients with aorta valve diseases, 12 men and 3 women, aged 30 +/- 14, including 13 cases of congenital aorta valve disease, 1 case of senile degenerative aortic valve disease, and 1 case of subacte bacterial endocarditis complicated by aortic stenosis (AS), with the heart function (NYHA) of class II in 11 cases and class III in 4 cases, underwent Ross procedure from October 1994 to September 2002 in Anzhen Hospital. Before operation, ultrasound cardiography showed moderate to severe AS and/or aortic insufficiency (AI) with an average aortic valve annulus diameter (AVD) of 2.

Expression of TN4 gene and its role in human hepatocarcinogenesis from Qidong, a liver cancer risk area.

Background: We investigated the expression and role of TN4 in the oncogenesis of human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) from Qidong which is a HCC risk area.

Methods: The expression of TN4 in HCC was observed using immunohistochemical staining (IHC). TN4 levels were manipulated in human liver cancer cell SMMC7721, using pcDNA3.

Expression and significance of new tumor suppressor gene PTEN in primary liver cancer.

Objective: To investigate expression and significance of PTEN gene in primary hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Methods: Immunohistochemical peroxidase-conjugated streptavidin (SP) method was used to detect expression of PTEN gene in 120 cases of primary HCC and its adjacent tissue 10 cases of normal liver tissue. The relationship between expression of tumor suppressor gene of PTEN and the percentage of lymph node metastasis of HCC was analyzed.

[Association between apolipoprotein E gene polymorphism and the patients with persistent vegetative state in the Chinese].

We studied the relationship between apolipoprotein E gene polymorphism and persistent vegetative state (PVS) to explore the genetics background of PVS, and evaluated the effect of ApoE gene polymorphism on lipid levels in plasma. The ApoE genotype of fifty-six patients with PVS and fifty-three controls were determined by PCR and restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP). Plasma lipid levels were measured by using routine methods.

[Site-directed mutation of PoIFN-alpha and its expression in Escherichia coli].

By using huge primer PCR Cys86 (TGC) of PoIFN-alpha was mutated to Tyr(TAC), and the first code TGT was simultaneously changed to TGC, which is a bias code of E. coli. The expression plasmid pGEX-IFN was constructed successfully.