A recent study reported an increase of brain tissue copper content in the lentiform nuclei of patients with primary adult-onset dystonia. In this study we analyze copper-metabolizing proteins (Menkes protein, Wilson protein, ceruloplasmin) by Western blot analysis in frozen brain tissue (lentiform nuclei) of 3 patients with primary dystonia. Menkes protein was reduced in all patients, while Wilson protein and ceruloplasmin were increased in the 2 patients with focal dystonia and reduced in the patient with generalized dystonia. Our data provides further evidence for a disturbance of copper metabolism in primary dystonia.
Wilson's disease, an autosomal recessive disorder, is characterized by the excessive accumulation of hepatic copper that results from reduced biliary copper excretion and disturbed incorporation of copper into ceruloplasmin. The ATP7B gene, responsible for the disease, encodes a copper transporting P‐type ATPase. We previously demonstrated the involvement of ATP7B in hepatic copper secretion into plasma after the introduction of ATP7B into the Long‐Evans Cinnamon (LEC) rat, a rodent model of Wilson's disease. In this study we found the increased copper contents of the hepatic lysosomal fractions and bile in the LEC rats after ATP7B introduction, indicating the participation of ATP7B in the biliary excretory pathway for copper.
To Establish the in vitro regression model of glycemic index for carbohydrate-riched food by the in vitro digestibility and composition characteristics.Thirty products were commercially available and selected on the basis of their high carbohydrate content. After determined fat, protein and carbohydrate constitutes (sugar, starch), an in vitro method for digestibility characteristics were developed to measure hydrolyzed starch at 20 min, 120 min, 240 min, 16 h, and non-digested resistant starch (RS). In vivo glycemic responses were determined by standardized methods. The relationship between the compositions and GI were also discussed through stepwise regression methods.The observed GI ranged from 26 to 113, and correlated strongly with the digestibility profile of carbohydrates. Significantly positive correlation of S20, S120 (P < 0.05) and negative correlation of RS (P < 0.01) to GI was observed. Easily available glucose (EAG, sum of content of S120 and glucose) and RS were selected as variables to setup regression equation for in vitro GI prediction, GI = 39.65 + 1.008EAG-1.072RS.The findings indicate that the digestibility profile of carbohydrates is very essential to explain in vivo glycemic response of carbohydrate rich foods and predict GI value.
Abstract Matrine, also known as oxymatrine, is an important active ingredient of traditional Chinese herb Sophora flavescens . Recent studies have found that matrine may inhibit multiple tumors through inhibiting the tumor cell proliferation, inducing cell apoptosis, blocking cell cycle, suppressing cell invasion and migration and assisting in the synergy, and attenuation of radiotherapy and chemotherapy. This study mainly investigated the role of matrine in gastric cancer and its possible mechanism. The real‐time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction technique showed that matrine inhibited the proliferation and migration of gastric tumor cells and significantly suppressed the expression of miR‐93‐5p. The dual‐luciferase reporter gene assay indicated that AHNAK was a target gene of miR‐93‐5p and regulated by miR‐93‐5p and matrine. The torsion test demonstrated that matrine exerted its role via miR‐93‐5p while miR‐93‐5p played a role by targeting AHNAK. Thus, this study found that matrine affected the progression of gastric cancer by inhibiting the function of gastric cancer cells through the possible mechanism of inhibiting miR‐93‐5p expression to increase the expression level of the downstream target gene AHNAK.
Previously, retinoblastoma (Rb) transgenic mice were produced under the control of the Rb gene promoter and showed dwarf characteristics. Here, we created transgenic mice, in which the human Rb gene was controlled by the hepatocyte nuclear factor-1 gene promoter/enhancer and was expressed primarily in the liver. The liver of these novel transgenic mice was normally developed. Intriguingly, these mice showed resistance to fulminant hepatitis induced by anti-Fas antibody as well as resistance to chemical carcinogenesis in the liver. These results show that the Rb protein acts as an anti-apoptotic and anti-oncogenic agent in vivo. Our novel construct may be useful as a gene cassette in gene therapy for prevention of fulminant hepatitis and hepatoma.
The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of microRNA (miR)‑142‑3p on neuropathic pain caused by sciatic nerve injury in chronic compression injury (CCI) rats, and further investigate its mechanism. Rat experiments were divided into four parts in the study. In the first part, the rats were divided into the Sham and CCI groups. The expression of miR‑142‑3p, AC9 and cAMP were detected. In the second part, the rats were divided into the Sham, CCI, miR‑142‑3p mimic, mimic‑negative control (NC), miR‑142‑3p small interfering RNA (siRNA) and siRNA‑NC groups. The expression of cAMP and the levels of AMPK pathway‑related proteins were detected. In the third part, the rats were randomly divided into Sham, CCI, AC9 mimic, mi‑NC, AC9 siRNA and si‑NC groups. Double luciferase reporter assay was used to analyse the targeting relationship between miR‑142‑3p and AC9. In the fourth part, the rats were divided into the Sham, CCI, miR‑142‑3p siRNA, AC9 mimic, miR‑142‑3p siRNA + AC9 siRNA, cAMP activator (Forskolin) and miR‑142‑3p siRNA + cAMP inhibitor groups. The expression of miR‑142‑3p was significantly increased while AC9 and cAMP expression significantly decreased in CCI rats. However, AC9 overexpression significantly increased the levels of cAMP protein. Luciferase reporter assay also proved that AC9 is the target gene of miR‑142‑3p. Moreover, miR‑142‑3p silencing was found to reduce neuropathic pain in CCI rats by upregulating the expression of AC9. It was also found that cAMP activation can relieve neuropathic pain and promote the expression of AMPK‑related proteins in CCI rats. Silencing miR‑142‑3p can target AC9 to reduce the expression of inflammatory factors and neuropathic pain in CCI rats by increasing the expression of cAMP/AMPK pathway‑related proteins.
The effect of hydraulic retention time (HRT) on biohydrogen production from glucose in an internal circulation (IC) reactor with granular sludge as inoculants was studied. A maximum hydrogen-production rate (HPR) of 10.78 ± 0.84 L–1d–1 at HRT 2 h and a maximum hydrogen yield (HY) of 1.4 ± 0.21 mol mol–1 glucose at HRT 3 h were achieved. With no external pH adjustment, the effluent pH maintained at 5.16–3.71 under the carbonate buffer in the substrate. Regardless of the different HRTs, ethanol was the predominant metabolite and accounted for 36.59–48.98% of the total soluble microbial products (SMPs), which lead to a total IC reactor energy conversion rate of 11.42 ± 4.15 kJ h–1 L–1 at HRT 2 h based on the hydrogen and ethanol production. This means that the IC reactor was a feasible instrument in improving energy productivity.
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