[Effect of Notch1 on extracellular matrix deposition in the renal tubulointerstitium of diabetes].

The aim of the present study was to observe the effects of Notch1 and autophagy on extracellular matrix deposition in renal tubulointerstitium of diabetes and to explore the mechanism. The mice were randomly divided into normal control group (db/m mice) and diabetes group (db/db mice). After 12 weeks of feeding, the mice were sacrificed and the corresponding biochemical indexes were measured.

MicroRNA-27a targets Sfrp1 to induce renal fibrosis in diabetic nephropathy by activating Wnt/β-Catenin signalling.

Diabetic nephropathy (DN) commonly causes end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Increasing evidence indicates that abnormal miRNA expression is tightly associated with chronic kidney disease (CKD). This work aimed to investigate whether miR-27a can promote the occurrence of renal fibrosis in DN by suppressing the expression of secreted frizzled-related protein 1 (Sfrp1) to activate Wnt/β-catenin signalling.

[Effect of Blocking PYR Complex Binding to DNA Site by Peptide Nucleic Acid on γ-Globin Gene Expression].

Objective: To investigate the effect of blocking polypyrimidine complex binding to DNA site by using peptide nucleic acid (PNA) on γ-globin gene expression.

Methods: PYR-PNA, β-PNA and RS-PNA (random sequence-PNA) were designed and synthesized, then were transfected into K562 cells with the cationic liposome lipofectamine 2000 used as vector. The expression of γ-globin gene at both the transcriptional and translational level was detected by RT-PCR and the Western blot respectively at 24 h, 48 h and 72 h after transfection with PNAs.

Notch1 regulates PTEN expression to exacerbate renal tubulointerstitial fibrosis in diabetic nephropathy by inhibiting autophagy via interactions with Hes1.

Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is a serious clinical microvascular complication of diabetes mellitus. DN is characterized by the accumulation of extracellular matrix, resulting in progressive fibrosis leading to the loss of renal function. Notch1 and phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome ten (PTEN) signaling have been associated with fibrosis.

The Prevalence and Spectrum of α-Thalassemia in Guizhou Province of South China.

α-Thalassemia (α-thal) is one of the most prevalent genetic diseases in the world and is especially frequent in tropical and subtropical regions, including South China. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence and spectrum of α-thal in Guizhou Province as this information was unknown. A total of 40 α-thal carriers were determined in 1219 newborn umbilical cord blood samples by hemoglobin (Hb) electrophoresis combined with DNA analysis, which revealed that the carrier rate of α-thal in Guizhou Province was 3.

Spectrum of β-thalassemia mutations in Guizhou Province, PR China, including first observation of codon 121 (GAA>TAA) in Chinese population.

Objectives: Although the population prevalence and mutation spectrum of β-thalassemia in most areas of south China have been characterized, the mutations have not been elucidated in Guizhou Province. The aim of this study was to investigate the spectrum of β-thalassemia in this province.

Design And Methods: We detected and analyzed β-globin gene mutations in 407 β-thalassemia patients and carriers by PCR-based reverse dot blot (RBD) and direct sequencing methods.

[The effect of lipopolysaccharide on the expression and activity of Toll-like receptor 4 in mesenchymal stem cells].

Objective: To investigate the effect of lipopolysaccharide(LPS) on the expression and activity of Toll-like receptor 4(TLR-4) in mesenchymal stem cells (MSC).

Methods: MSCs were harvested from adult rats bone marrow cells by density gradient centrifugation and adhesive culture. The purity of MSC were identified with the cell morphology and osteogenic capacity.

Upregulated functional expression of Toll like receptor 4 in mesenchymal stem cells induced by lipopolysaccharide.

Background: The coordinated change of haematopoietic supporting microenvironment in bone marrow (BM) is crucial for innate immunity and inflammation. As the precursors of marrow stroma, BM derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) promote haematopoietic function, but their roles in innate immunity or inflammation have not been investigated. Here we investigated the expression of Toll like receptor 4 (TLR-4) and the effect of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) on its expression in BM MSCs in vitro.