Association of 8 loci on chromosome 8q24 with prostate carcinoma risk in northern Chinese men.

Multiple genetic studies have confirmed association of 8q24 variants with susceptibility to prostate cancer (PCa). As PCa risk SNPs may also influence disease outcome, we studied here eight 8q24 risk alleles, and evaluated their role in PCa clinical covariates in northern Chinese men. Blood samples and clinical information were collected from ethnically Chinese men from Northern China with histologically-confirmed PCa (n=289) and from age-matched normal controls (n=288).

Rapid and precise measurement of serum branched-chain and aromatic amino acids by isotope dilution liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry.

Background: Serum branched-chain and aromatic amino acids (BCAAs and AAAs) have emerged as predictors for the future development of diabetes and may aid in diabetes risk assessment. However, the current methods for the analysis of such amino acids in biological samples are time consuming.

Methods: An isotope dilution liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (ID-LC/MS/MS) method for serum BCAAs and AAAs was developed.

Comparative proteomic profiling during ovarian development of the shrimp Metapenaeus ensis.

Two-dimensional electrophoresis and mass spectrometry were used to identify proteins that are differentially expressed during ovarian maturation in Metapenaeus ensis. 87 spots with consistently significant quantitative differences (≥ 1.5-fold for vol%) among stage I, III and V ovaries were chosen for MS/MS analysis.

Trans-ethnical shift of the risk genotype in the CETP I405V with longevity: a Chinese case-control study and meta-analysis.

Background: The I405V polymorphism of the cholesteryl ester transfer protein gene (CETP) has been suggested to be a protective factor conferring longevity in Ashkenazi Jews, although findings in other races are not supportive. This paper describes a case-control study and a meta-analysis conducted to derive a more precise estimation of the association between CETP 405V and longevity.

Methods: We enrolled 1,021 ethnic Han Chinese participants (506 in the longevity group and 515 controls), then performed a meta-analysis that integrated the current study and previously published ones.

Tbx20 functions as an important regulator of estrogen-mediated cardiomyocyte protection during oxidative stress.

Background: As a transcription factor mainly expressed in cardiovascular system, T-box 20 (Tbx20) plays an important role in embryonic cardiovascular system development and adult heart function. Here, we determined the mechanism by which Tbx20 regulates cardiomyocyte apoptosis and cardiomyopathies.

Methods: We analyzed Tbx20 expression levels and apoptosis rates in normal and heart failure human autopsy heart samples.

Susceptibility loci associations with prostate cancer risk in northern Chinese men.

Background: KLK3 gene products, like human prostate-specific antigen (PSA), are important biomarkers in the clinical diagnosis of prostate cancer (PCa). G protein-coupled receptor RFX6, C2orf43 and FOXP4 signaling plays important roles in the development of PCa. However, associations of these genes with PCa in northern Chinese men remain to be detailed.

Astragalus polysaccharides suppress ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 expression in TNF-α-treated human vascular endothelial cells by blocking NF-κB activation.

Aim: To investigate the effects Astragalus polysaccharides (APS) on tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α-induced inflammatory reactions in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) and to elucidate the underlying mechanisms.

Methods: HUVECs were treated with TNF-α for 24 h. The amounts of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) and vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) were determined with Western blotting.

Rhein inhibits the expression of vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 in human umbilical vein endothelial cells with or without lipopolysaccharide stimulation.

Reducing the expression of endothelial cell adhesion molecules (ECAMs) is known to decrease inflammation-induced vascular complications. In this study, we explored whether rhein can reduce the inflammation-induced expression of ECAMs in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) with or without lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulation. HUVECs were treated with different concentrations of rhein with or without 2.

Cloning and characterization of a novel apolipoprotein gene, apolipoprotein AV, in tree shrews.

Apolipoprotein AV (apoAV) modulates plasma triglyceride levels, which is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease. ApoAV is also involved in atherosclerosis lesion formation. In order to systematically evaluate the apolipoprotein-related gene profile in tree shrew, a model for its insusceptibility to atherosclerosis, we performed apoAV cloning and characterization.

Lowered Nudix type 5 expression leads to cellular senescence in IMR-90 fibroblast cells.

The molecule 8-oxo-7,8-dihydroguanine (8-oxoGua), an oxidized form of guanine, can pair with adenine or cytosine during nucleic acid synthesis. RNA sequences that contain 8-oxoGua cause translational errors that lead to the synthesis of abnormal proteins. Human Nudix type 5 (NUDT5), a MutT-related protein, catalyzes the hydrolysis of 8-oxoGDP to 8-oxoGMP, thereby preventing the misincorporation of 8-oxoGua into RNA.

CYP2C9 polymorphism analysis in Han Chinese populations: building the largest allele frequency database.

Genetic polymorphisms of CYP2C9 significantly influence the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of some drugs, which might result in adverse drug effects and therapeutic failure. Several studies have been performed on CYP2C9 genetic polymorphisms in Han Chinese populations. However, these studies only focused on two commonly investigated alleles, *2 and *3, in relatively small sample sizes.

Altered expression of base excision repair genes in response to high glucose-induced oxidative stress in HepG2 hepatocytes.

Background: It is widely accepted that chronic hyperglycemia induces DNA oxidative damage in type 2 diabetes, but little is known about the effect of hyperglycemia on the DNA repair system which plays a critical role in the maintenance of genomic DNA stability in diabetes.

Material/methods: To investigate the alteration of base excision repair (BER) genes under hyperglycemia, the relative expression of the mRNAs of the BER genes--ogg1, polbeta, lig3, xrcc1, and parp1--were quantified using real-time PCR in HepG2 hepatocytes incubated with 5.5 mM or 30 mM glucose.

Prevalence, risk factors, and management of prehypertension.

Prehypertension remains an important public health challenge all over the world and appropriate treatments should be adopted to prehypertensive group in different degree effectively. This review aimed to assess the prevalence of Prehypertension and provide effective evidence of the benefits of treating prehypertensive patients. The reasonable evaluation and appropriate intervention of prehypertensive remain need further study.

Rhein lysinate induced S-phase arrest and increased the anti-tumor activity of 5-FU in HeLa cells.

Rhein lysinate (RHL), easily dissolved in water, is one of the anthraquinones, and has been shown to have anti-tumor activity in different human cancer cell lines. In the present study, we observed that RHL could cause vacuolar degeneration in HeLa cells, which was not observed in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) and other cell lines (SKOV-3 and SK-BR-3). Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the anti-tumor effect of rhein lysinate on human cervix cancer HeLa cells.