肝癌患者血液AFP mRNA与不同临床参数的关系

目的 探讨血液ＡＦＰ ｍＲＮＡ与肝癌分期、门静脉癌栓、卫星结节、肿瘤大小、血清ＡＦＰ浓度及远外转移的关系。方法 应用甾式ＲＴ－ＰＣＲ检测７８例肝癌患者周围静脉血液中ＡＦＰｍＲＮＡ。结果 ３５例肝癌患者周围静脉血液中检出ＡＦＰｍＲＮＡ（４４．８７％）。结论 血液ＡＦＰ ｍＲＮＡ与肝癌分期、门静脉癌栓、肝内卫星结节、肿瘤大小，血清ＡＦＰ浓度及远处转移有显著的相关性（Ｐ〈０．０１），可能成为判断肝癌术后     

原发性肝癌患者外周血中甲胎蛋白mRNA的意义

目的由于ＰＣＲ技术的应用,血循环中癌细胞的检测近有很大进展．本文用ＲＴＰＣＲ检测肝癌（ＨＣＣ）和其他慢性肝病患者外周血中ＡＦＰｍＲＮＡ,藉以反映ＨＣＣ细胞的存在,并与其他血清标记物比较．方法ＨＣＣ患者２２例,肝硬变和慢性乙型肝炎患者各１０例,健康成人受试者（对照）５例．取患者和对照的外周血,分离单核细胞,提取总ＲＮＡ并作电泳鉴定,用合成的两对引物进行巢式ＲＴＰＣＲ扩增ＡＦＰｍＲＮＡ,同时分析血清ＡＦＰ和乙肝标记物．结果ＡＦＰｍＲＮＡ在１３例ＨＣＣ（５９１％）,２例肝硬变（２００％）患者外周血中测到,其余标本均为阴性．ＡＦＰｍＲＮＡ阳性的１３例患者肿瘤均大于５ｃｍ,为晚期患者．在该１３例患者中仅有６例（４６１％）在血清中测到ＡＦＰ,但有１２例（９２３％）ＨＢｓＡｇ,抗ＨＢｅ,抗ＨＢｃ全阳性,而ＡＦＰｍＲＮＡ阴性的５例该３标记物全阴性．结论ＲＴＰＣＲ扩增ＡＦＰｍＲＮＡ是检测ＨＣＣ和肝硬变患者循环肝癌细胞的敏感方法．患者外周血中的ＡＦＰｍＲＮＡ有可能作为肿瘤转移和复发的标记对ＨＣＣ诊断、随访观察和疗效评定有较大临床意义．     

外周血原发性肝癌细胞检测的临床研究

目的探讨检测肝癌患者外周血中肝癌细胞ＡＦＰｍＲＮＡ，以动态观察原发性肝癌的转移状况。方法采用套式逆转录聚会酶联反应及ｃＤＮＡ定量等方法对３０例外周血肝癌细胞ＡＦＰｍＲＮＡ进行了检测。结果外周血肝癌细胞ＡＦＰｍＲＮＡ检出率与肝癌的肝内转移、肝内静脉癌栓形成、ｎｍ２３－Ｈ１表达以及细胞分化程度等密切相关。结论外周血ＡＦＰｍＲＮＡ可能是肝癌细胞入侵体循环，即将或已经开始转移的标记之一。     

AFP mRNA诊断原发性肝细胞癌隐匿转移的应用研究

ＡＦＰｍＲＮＡ诊断原发性肝细胞癌隐匿转移的应用研究胡成进，杨道理，王宝成，刘汝勤本文在建立方法学的基础上，用ＲＴ－ＰＣＲ对４６例不同病期的ＨＣＣ患者进行了ＡＦＰｍＲＮＡ检测，并以良性肝病，其他消化道肿瘤患者及正常人做对照，以探讨ＡＦＰｍＲＮＡ在判断Ｈ...     

原发性肝癌组织AFP mRNA的表达及意义

目的：研究原发性肝癌组织ＡＦＰｍＲＮＡ的表达及意义。方法：采用逆转录ＰＣＲ技术对３１份原有性肝癌癌组织中ＡＦＰｍＲＮＡ的表达进行了观察。结果：３１份肝癌组织有２４份（７７．４％）检出ＡＦＰｍＲＮＡ，阳性者中有７例同时伴有癌旁肝组织ＡＦＰｍＲＮＡ的表达，此７例患者均伴有明显的肝硬化，肝癌组织ＡＦＰｍＲＮＡ检出率在血清ＨＢｓＡｇ阳性组（８６．９％）伴有肝硬化组（８７．０％）和血清ＡＦＰ〉３０μｇ／Ｌ组     

RT—PCR检测肝癌组织中AFPmRNA

目的：探讨ＡＦＰｍＲＮＡ在人肝细胞癌中的表现规律。方法 用ＲＴ－ＮｅｓｔｅｄＰＣＲ技术检测３０例肝癌组织及癌旁组织ＡＦＰｍＲＮＡ；放免法检测其血清ＡＦＰ。结果：２８例癌组织ＡＦＰｍＲＮＡ阳性，２例癌旁组织ＡＦＰｍＲＮＡ阳性；９例血清ＡＦＰ阴性者，有７例组织ＡＦＰｍＲＮＡ阳性；２例癌组织ＡＦＰｍＲＮＡ及血清ＡＦ均阴性；结论：人肝细胞癌ＡＦＰ基因表达调控形式不同，ＡＦＰｍＲＮＡ在早期诊断肝细胞癌中有一     

手术和TAE前后外周血肝部播散细胞的变化及随访观察

目的：研究原发性肝癌患者手术和经导管肝动脉栓塞化闻（ＴＡＥ）术前后外周血中微转移变化情况,并评价ＡＦＰｍＲＮＡ的预后诊断价值。方法：应用巢式ＰＴ－ＰＣＲ方法,检测２２例和３２例肝癌患者手术和ＴＡＥ术前后外周血中ＡＦＰｍＲＮＡ的表达,并对其预后进行随访观察。结果：２２例手术患者术前７例（３１．８％）ＡＦＰｍＲＮＡ阳性,术后有４例转阴;而术前ＡＦＰｍＲＮＡ阴性的病例中有１例术后转为阳性。随访观察８例于     

肝细胞性肝癌AFP-mRNA检测外周血癌细胞的价值

目的通过对原发性肝细胞癌（ＨＣＣ）外周血中癌细胞的检测，为临床建立诊断肝癌转移的常规方法．．方法以甲胎蛋白（ＡＦＰ）ｍＲＮＡ为ＨＣＣ的标记物，应用ｎｅｓｔｅｄＲＴＰＣＲ对３０例ＨＣＣ外周静脉全血标本及不同细胞株进行检测及分析．结果ＨＣＣ患者３０例外周血癌细胞阳性检出率为５６７％，并与肝内静脉癌栓形成（１１／１３，８４６％ｖｓ６／１７，３５３％）、肝内转移（１６／２３，６９６％ｖｓ１／７，１４３％）和细胞分化密切相关（Ｐ＜００５）；最低检出浓度为全血肝癌细胞２×１０４／Ｌ．对照组中结肠癌、鼻咽癌等肝转移癌以及胆囊结石患者的外周血中均未发现ＡＦＰｍＲＮＡ．结论ＮｅｓｔｅｄＲＴＰＣＲ对ＨＣＣ的检测具有较强的特异性和较高的灵敏度，对于ＨＣＣ诊断、判断转移可能具有较为重要的临床应用价值     

原发性肝癌患者血清和肝组织中庚型肝炎病毒基因的PCR检测

用逆转录－聚合酶链反应法（ＲＴ－ＰＣＲ）检测了原发性肝癌（ＰＬＣ）患者血清及肝癌和癌旁肝组织中的庚型肝炎病毒（ＨＧＶ）ＲＮＡ，以ＰＣＲ－双脱氧末端终止法测定了ＰＣＲ产物的核苷酸序列。结果显示，血清和肝组织中ＨＧＶＲＮＡ的检出率分别为１９．４％（１３／６７）和２５．７％（９／３５），且ＨＧＶＲＮＡ在肝癌组织呼吕旁肝组织中同时存在，血清和肝组织中ＨＧＶ ＲＮＡ检测结果的符合率为８５％；５′非编码区（５     

原发性肝细胞癌患者转化生长因子β1的基因表达及临床意义

目的研究转化生长因子β１（ＴＧＦβ１）ｍＲＮＡ在原发性肝细胞癌患者中的表达及其临床意义。方法用ＲＴ－ＰＣＲ加ＤｏｔＢｌｏｔ法检测原发性肝细胞癌患者肝组织和外周血单个核细胞（ＰＢＭＣ）中ＴＧＦ－β１ｍＲＮＡ水平，并以正常肝组织和正常人的ＰＢＭＣ为对照。结果ＴＧＦ－β１ｍＲＮＡ水平在原发性肝细胞癌患者组肝组织（２．２２±０．８４，ｎ＝１６）和ＰＢＭＣ中（１．８３±１．２，ｎ＝２５）比较，差异无显著性（Ｐ＞０．０５），但两者均高于正常肝组织（０．９４±０．７６，ｎ＝５）和正常人的ＰＢＭＣ（０．６２±０．４０，ｎ＝１６）水平。结论ＴＧＦ－β１ｍＲＮＡ水平与原发性肝细胞癌有关，ＰＢＭＣ中ＴＧＦ－β１ｍＲＮＡ检测可望作为一项代替肝组织活检的指标，其表达水平与肝癌有关。     

Three layer functional model and energy exchange concept of aging process

Relying on a certain degree of abstraction, we can propose that no particular distinction exists between animate or living matter and inanimate matter. While focusing attention on some specifics, the dividing line between the two can be drawn. The most apparent distinction is in the level of structural and functional organization with the dissimilar streams of ‘energy flow’ between the observed entity and the surrounding environment. In essence, living matter is created from inanimate matter which is organized to contain internal intense energy processes and maintain lower intensity energy exchange processes with the environment. Taking internal and external energy processes into account, we contend in this paper that living matter can be referred to as matter of dissipative structure, with this structure assumed to be a common quality of all living creatures and living matter in general. Interruption of internal energy conversion processes and terminating the controlled energy exchange with the environment leads to degeneration of dissipative structure and reduction of the same to inanimate matter, (gas, liquid and/or solid inanimate substances), and ultimately what can be called ‘death.’ This concept of what we call dissipative nature can be extended from living organisms to social groups of animals, to mankind. An analogy based on the organization of matter provides a basis for a functional model of living entities. The models relies on the parallels among the three central structures of any cell (nucleus, cytoplasm and outer membrane) and the human body (central organs, body fluids along with the connective tissues, and external skin integument). This three-part structural organization may be observed almost universally in nature. It can be observed from the atomic structure to the planetary and intergalactic organizations. This similarity is corroborated by the membrane theory applied to living organisms. According to the energy nature of living matter and the proposed functional model, the decreased integrity of a human body's external envelope membrane is a first cause of the structural degradation and aging of the entire organism. The aging process than progresses externally to internally, as in single cell organisms, suggesting that much of the efforts towards the restoration and maintenance of the mechanisms responsible for structural development should be focused accordingly, on the membrane, i.e., the skin. Numerous reports indicate that all parts of the human body, like: bones, blood with blood vessels, muscles, skin, and so on, have some ability for restoration. Therefore, actual revival of not only aging tissue of the human body's membrane, but the entire human body enclosed within, with all internal organs, might be expected. We assess several aging theories within the context of our model and provide suggestions on how to activate the body's own anti-aging mechanisms and increase longevity. This paper presents some analogies and some distinctions that exist between the living dissipative structure matter and inanimate matter, discusses the aging process and proposes certain aging reversal solutions.     

Unusual responses of nocturnal pineal melatonin synthesis and secretion to swimming: Attempts to define mechanisms

Abstract: The effect of swimming at night on rat pineal melatonin synthesis was compared with that of light exposure at night. Rats were forced to swim at 0030 hr (lights out at 2000 hr) and sacrificed by decapitation 15 and 30 min later, immediately after swimming. Other groups of animals were exposed to white light (650μW/cm²) for 15 and 30 min at same time. Swimming caused a rapid and highly significant drop in the melatonin content in the pineal gland; however, the activity of N-acetyltransferase (NAT), the supposed rate limiting enzyme in the melatonin production, was not changed. Despite the drop in pineal melatonin levels, serum concentrations of the indole remained elevated in the rats that swam. In contrast, melatonin levels in the pineal and serum of light exposed rats fell precipitously, accompanied by a significant suppression of NAT activity. Since we anticipated that the strenuous exercise associated with swimming may induce release of artrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) from the heart, which in turn could cause the release of pineal melatonin, in a second study we injected physiological saline intravenously to stretch the cardiac muscle and release ANP. Three milliliters of normal saline was injected during the day into the jugular vein of anesthetized rats that were pretreated with isoproterenol to stimulate pineal melatonin production. Animals were killed 15 min after the saline injection, and pineal NAT activity and pineal melatonin levels were measured. The saline injections caused no alteration in the elevated levels of either NAT or melatonin. These data suggest that the disparity in pineal NAT activity (which was high) and pineal melatonin (which was low), in animals swum at night, may not be caused by ANP which is released during strenuous exercise such as swimming.     

Melatonin and photoperiodic time measurement: Seasonal breeding in the sheep

Abstract: Well-established circadian physiology supports the view that photoperiodic time measurement utilizes the coincidence between the presence of light and a photosensitive phase of a 'biological clock' to alter reproductive status—the so-called external coincidence model of seasonal breeding. In this review, we examine the mechanism whereby photoperiod interacts with presumed suprachiasmatic nuclei activity to allow endogenous melatonin to normally synchronize reproductive activity to the optimal time of year. The Romney Marsh sheep is particularly explored as an experimental model. It is suggested that the on/off activity of seasonal reproduction may be a robust mechanism able to be predictably manipulated by the judicious use of the light/dark cycle and exogenous melatonin, but firmly based on circadian principles.     

Serological survey of HIV and syphilis in pregnant women in Madagascar

Objectives Peripartal transmission of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and Treponema pallidum, the causative agent of syphilis, leads to severe consequences for newborns. Preventive measures require awareness of the maternal infection. Although HIV and syphilis testing in Madagascar could be theoretically carried out within the framework of the national pregnancy follow‐up scheme, the required test kits are rarely available at peripheral health centres. In this study, we screened blood samples of pregnant Madagascan women for HIV and syphilis seroprevalence to estimate the demand for systemic screening in pregnancy. Methods Retrospective anonymous serological analysis for HIV and syphilis was performed in plasma samples from 1232 pregnant women that were taken between May and July 2010 in Ambositra, Ifanadiana, Manakara, Mananjary, Moramanga and Tsiroanomandidy (Madagascar) during pregnancy follow‐up. Screening was based on Treponema pallidum haemagglutination tests for syphilis and rapid tests for HIV, with confirmation of positive screening results on line assays. Results Out of 1232 pregnant women, none were seropositive for HIV and 37 (3%) were seropositive for Treponema pallidum. Conclusions Our findings are in line with previous studies that describe considerable syphilis prevalence in the rural Madagascan population. The results suggest a need for screening to prevent peripartal Treponema pallidum transmission, while HIV is still rare. If they are known, Treponema pallidum infections can be easily, safely and inexpensively treated even in pregnancy to reduce the risk of transmission.     

Variabilité des concentrations plasmatiques de l’angiotensinogène et risque d’hypertension artérielle chez le rat transgénique

Aim

Genetic polymorphisms of the human angiotensinogen gene are frequent and may induce up to 30% increase of plasma angiotensinogen concentrations with a blood pressure increase of up to 5 mmHg. Their role for the pathogenesis of human arterial hypertension remains unclear. High plasma angiotensinogen levels could increase the sensitivity to other blood pressure stressors.

Methods

Male transgenic rats with a 9-fold increase of plasma angiotensinogen concentrations and male non-transgenic rats aged 10 weeks were treated or not with NG-Nitro-L-arginine-methyl ester for 3 weeks in their drinking water (n = 3/group). Systolic blood pressure and body weight were measured at baseline and at the end of the study when left ventricular weight and ventricular expression of angiotensin I-converting enzyme and procollagen Iα1 were determined (polymerase chain reaction).

Results

At baseline, transgenic rats had +18 mmHg higher bood pressure and –8% lower body weight compared to non-transgenic rats (P < 0.05) without significant changes for the vehicle groups throughout the study (P > 0.05). NG-Nitro-L-arginine-methyl ester increased blood pressure, left ventricular weight and left ventricular weight indexed for body weight by +41%, +17.6% and +18.6% (P < 0.05) in transgenic and +25%, +5.3% and +6.7% (P > 0.05) in non-transgenic rats compared to untreated animals, respectively. Cardiac gene expression showed no differences between groups (P > 0.05).

Conclusion

Increased plasma angiotensinogen levels may sensitize to additional blood pressure stressors. Our preliminary results point towards an independent role of angiotensinogen in the pathogenesis of human hypertension and associated end-organ damage.     

Morphological and immunocytochemical heterogeneity of cultured pinealocytes from one-week-and two-month-old rats: Planimetric and densitometric investigations

Abstract: In vitro preparations of rat pinealocytes are widely used for biochemical analyses of signal transduction processes. This paper deals with morphological and immunocytochemical features of such preparations. Special attention was paid to the problems of whether pinealocytes represent a heterogeneous cell population and how such heterogeneity may develop during ontogeny. The investigations were performed with cells which were obtained from the pineal organ of one-week-and two-month-old rats, attached to synthetic peptide-coated coverslips or tissue culture chamber slides, and maintained under in vitro conditions overnight. The attached cells were then fixed with paraformaldehyde. These preparations yielded monolayers of spherical cells of different sizes; most cells were isolated, but some of them were aggregated and formed small clusters. On the average, the cells from the one-week-old animals were smaller than the cells from the two-month-old animals. Immunocytochemical demonstration of S-antigen, a pinealocyte-specific marker, showed that the majority of the cells from two-month-old animals were intensely or moderately labelled. Pinealocytes from one-week-old animals were less S-antigen immunoreactive. Only very few cells (less than 1% displayed glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP)-immunoreactivity. Planimetric investigations of the cell size and semiquantitative densitometric investigations of the intensity of the S-antigen immunoreaction revealed that (i) pinealocytes kept in vitro form a heterogeneous cell population, and that (ii) this heterogeneity increases during postnatal development from one-week-old to two-month-old animals. Two groups of pinealocytes can be distinguished based on their developmental fate: pinealocytes of one group grow dramatically, but show only a moderate increase in S-antigen immunoreactivity, and pinealocytes of the other group retain their size, but display a distinct increment in S-antigen immunoreacti vitv.     

Effects of pinealectomy and melatonin administration on certain indices of ovarian hyperplasia and/or hypertrophy in rats with both ovaries intact or after unilateral ovariectomy

Abstract: In earlier studies from other laboratories it was shown that melatonin decreased ovarian weight in rats and inhibited compensatory hypertrophy of the remaining ovary after unilateral ovariectomy. This study was designed to examine the influence of melatonin on certain indices of ovarian hyperplasia and/or hypertrophy in adult female rats with both ovaries preserved and with either an intact pineal gland or with the pineal gland removed (pinealectomy, PX) or, finally, in sham-PX animals. Similar studies were conducted on rats after unilateral ovariectomy, referring the examined parameters to the remaining intact ovary. The studies included mitotic activity of granulosa layer cells and corpus luteum cells, ovarian weight, ovarian cross-sectional area, cross-sectional area of the granulosa layer of all the Graafian follicles and the cross-sectional areas of the corpora lutea, visible on the ovarian cross-section. On the basis of results, we conclude that: 1) the effect of PX on the processes of ovarian hyperplasia and hypertrophy may vary; analogously, exogenous melatonin administration may influence ovarian hyperplasia and hypertrophy in different ways; 2) PX and exogenous melatonin may, under certain conditions, exert similar biological effects, even synergistic effects; 3) melatonin inhibits ovarian growth processes, while the effects of PX are variable; 4) the results indicate that in experiments performed on rats, with the use of two control groups, i.e., intact and sham-PX, melatonin effects on these two groups may differ.