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Objective: To screen and identify differential serum proteins which might be involved in dermatitis medicamentosa-like of trichloroethylene (DMLT)., Methods: Three groups of sera were collected from population exposed to trichloroethylene (TCE) (group I), patients suffering from DMLT (group II), and the healed cases (group III). After removing albumin and IgG in the three pools of sera, a comparative proteomic analysis was carried out. The images were analyzed using ImageMaster Platinum 2D 5.0 to screen the differentially expressed proteins. The protein spots were then subjected to matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS) and tandem mass spectrometry sequencing of tryptic peptides for further identification., Results: The depletion of albumin and IgG greatly increased the number of protein spots to 300 ± 12.Five differential spots were identified, which were complement component C4b, apolipoprotein A-I, apolipoprotein C-III apolipoprotein C-II and transthyretin. Compared with group I, the expression levels of complement component C4b in group III and apolipoprotein C-II in group II were up-regulated (1.352 88-fold, 1.512 14-fold, respectively); compared with group I, the expression levels of apolipoprotein A-I, apolipoprotein C-III and transthyretin in group II were down-regulated (1.601 17-fold, 1.034 49-fold, 1.313 35-fold, respectively)., Conclusion: The findings of this study show that most of the identified differential proteins are closely related to immunity and liver dysfunction, which provides some evidence on elucidating the mechanisms and screening of biomarkers of TCE intoxication.

Hormesis is the dose-response pattern of the biological responses to toxic chemicals, characterized by low-dose stimulation and high-dose inhibition. Although it is known that some cell types exhibit an adaptive response to low levels of cytotoxic agents, its molecular mechanism is still unclear and it has yet to be established whether this is a universal phenomenon that occurs in all cell types in response to exposure to every chemical. Trichloroethylene (TCE) is an organic solvent widely used and is released into the atmosphere from industrial degreasing operations. Acute (short-term) and chronic (long-term) inhalation exposure to trichloroethylene can affect the human health. In order to elucidate a cell-survival adaptive response of L-02 liver cells exposed to low dose of TCE, CCK-8 assay was used to assess cytotoxicity, and examined the possible mechanisms of hormesis by proteomics technology. We found that exposure of L-02 liver cells to low level of TCE resulted in adaptation to further exposure to higher level, about 1,000 protein-spots were obtained by two-dimensional electrophoresis (2-DE) and five protein spots were identified by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry and tandem mass spectrometry sequencing of tryptic peptides. Our results suggest that a relationship may exist between identified proteins and TCE-induced hormesis, which are very useful for further study of the mechanism and risk assessment of TCE.

Objective: To screen and identify differentially expressed proteins between adult female and male worms of Schistosoma japonicum(S.japonicum)., Methods: Two rabbits infected with the cercaria were perfused with saline in carotid, and approximately two hundred adult female and two hundred male worms of S.japonicum were collected. Approximately 300 microg soluble and hydrophobic proteins of adult female and male worms of S.japonicum were extracted and then the proteins were separated by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis respectively. The analysis using ImageMaster Platinum 2D 5.0 resulted in differentially expressed proteins between adult female and male worms, which were subjected to matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS) and tandem mass spectrometry sequencing of tryptic peptides., Results: There were (255 +/- 10) and (224 +/- 12) spots detected for soluble proteins and (200 +/- 11) and (132 +/- 8) spots for hydrophobic proteins from adult female and male worms respectively. Six differential proteins were identified, five up-regulated proteins in female worms were thioredoxin, putative ferritin-1 heavy chain, chain B in solution structure of the human ubiquitin-conjugating-enzyme-like protein Mms2-Ubiquitin Complex, heat shock protein 10, cytoplasmic fatty acid binding protein variant H; while only one up-regulated proteins in male worms was identified as 48 kDa histamine receptor subunit peptide 4., Conclusion: Several differentially expressed proteins between female and male worms of S. japonicum were recognized through screening and identifying differential proteins between female and male worms of S.japonicum.

Objective: To search for an effective therapy for infantile nasal obstruction., Methods: One hundred and twenty-five cases were randomly divided into an observation group of 62 cases and a control group of 63 cases. The observation group were treated with bilateral Yongquan (KI 1) application with Biyankang Tablet, once each night and the control group with dropping of 0.5% Ephedrine naristillae into the nose, one drop each nose each time, tid. The score for nasal obstruction were recorded before treatment and the third and the fifth days after treatment, and their therapeutic effects were assessed., Results: After treatment, the symptom of nasal obstruction was significantly improved in the two groups (P < 0.01), with no significant difference between the two groups (P > 0.05). After treatment for 5 days, the effective rate was 76.8% in the observation group and 79.7% in the control group, their therapeutic effect being similar (P > 0.05)., Conclusion: Yongquan (KI 1) acupoint sticking therapy is a safe and effective method for infantile nasal obstruction.

Objective: To identify the differentially expressed proteins or peptides and potential biomarkers of tumorigenesis for colorectal cancers., Methods: Immobilized pH gradient two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE) was used to separate and obtain the differentially expressed protein spots between colorectal cancers and matched normal mucosa. Liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) was used to characterize these proteins. Selected candidate proteins were further studied by Western blot, semi-quantitative RT-PCR and immunohistochemical staining., Results: Thirty-five protein spots showed marked expression changes (more than 5-fold) in colorectal carcinoma compared to normal mucosa. Fifteen proteins were up regulated and 20 were down regulated. Fourteen of these proteins were identified by tandem mass spectrometry, among which secretagogin (SCGN) was down-regulated and glucose-related protein (GRP) 78 was up-regulated in the tumors. The SCGN down-regulation was further supported by Western blot and RT-PCR analyses. Immunohistochemistry revealed that SCGN was strongly expressed in neuroendocrine cells of the colonic crypts and 53 of 54 (98%) neuroendocrine tumors. At protein level, although GRP78 was up regulated in colorectal carcinoma, there was no difference in the mRNA expression level between the tumor and paired normal mucosa., Conclusions: The 2-DE combined with MS is a powerful tool for screening potential tumor biomarkers. The differentially expressed candidate proteins identified by 2-DE may be of significance in understanding the tumorigenesis of the colon cancer. SCGN is a potential biomarker for neuroendocrinal differentiation. GRP78 up-regulation in colorectal carcinomas may be related to its post-translational modification.

Objective: To investigate the effect of intrapulmonary regulatory peptides on adhesion of eosinophils (EOS) to bronchial epithelial cells (BECs)., Methods: Two regulatory peptides, namely vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) and epidermal growth factor (EGF) were investigated. VIP and EGF were observed on the secretion of ILs and expression of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1)., Results: VIP and EGF could decrease ILs secretion and ICAM-1 expression., Conclusion: VIP and EGF inhibited the adhesion of EOS to BEC in the inflammatory process to lighten the airway inflammation.

Objective: To provide scientific evidence for breast cancer prevention and control through epidemiological analysis of the incidence, mortality and survival rate of female breast cancer in Beijing., Methods: The registration data of females in Beijing urban area from 1982 to 2001 were retrospectively reviewed. The incidence, mortality and survival rate of female breast cancer were analyzed using routine and life table statistical methods., Results: There was a trend of annual increase by an average of 4.6% and 4.9% in the Beijing urban incidence and world population standardized incidence of female breast cancer during the period of 1982 to 2001. The epidemiological features of Beijing urban female breast cancer showed: (1) The incidence curve of different age groups from 25 to 80 years elevated with two peaks at age of >or= 45 and >or= 70 years; (2) There was an elevation in each age group during the last 20 years; (3) The interception rate at age of 35 to 64 reached 95.3/100,000 population, which made the breast cancer become the number one cancer in female. The changes of survival rate showed: the 5-year observed survival rate (OSR) increased from 62.0% in 1982 - 1983 to 68.7% in 1987 - 1988, the relative survival rate (RSR) increased from 66.3% to 74.2%. The OSR and RSR in 1987 - 1988 were 60.3% and 65.1% at 10 years, and 57.7% and 61.3% 15 years, respectively. The mortality rate of breast cancer fluctuated at 8 to 10 per 10(5) population during the last 20 years., Conclusion: There is a trend of an annual increase in female breast cancer in Beijing. The 5-year survival is being improved gradually while the mortality rate remains stable. The results demonstrate that the "early prevention, early diagnosis and early treatment" principles for breast cancer is effective in Beijing.

Objective: To investigate whether the polymorphisms of matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) and -9 (MMP-9) promoters contribute to the development and progression of colorectal cancer in Chinese population., Methods: the PCR-based denaturing high-performance liquid chromatography or PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism technique respectively was applied to analyze the MMP-2 -1306C/T and MMP-9 -1562C/T polymorphisms in normal group (126 individuals) and colorectal cancer group (126 cases). Genotype frequencies were compared between patients and matched controls, and the association of genotypes with clinical-pathological parameters was studied., Results: The frequency of the CC genotype in the MMP-2 gene polymorphism was significantly increased in colorectal cancer patients when compared with controls (P<0.05), and individuals with the CC genotype had an increased risk of developing colorectal cancer compared to those with CT+TT genotypes (OR: 1.959; 95%CI: 1.055-3.637). Significant correlation was found between the depth of tumor invasion and MMP-2 -1306C/T polymorphism in colorectal cancer patients. However, the genotype frequencies of MMP-9 -1562C/T in colorectal cancer patients were similar to those in control subjects., Conclusion: Our results indicate that MMP-2 -1306 C/T polymorphism may be associated with genetic susceptibility to colorectal cancer and the invasive capability of colorectal cancer in Chinese patients. And it is easier for the CC genotype cancer to invade through bowel wall.

Objective: To investigate the expression of beta-catenin and its significance in colorectal neoplasms., Methods: Tissue specimens of normal colorectal mucosa, mucosa adjacent to carcinoma, colorectal adenoma and adenocarcinoma were examined for beta-catenin with immunohistochemistry., Results: Beta-catenin was mainly expressed in the cytomembrane of normal mucosa and mucosa adjacent to cancer (the positive rates were 94.6% and 86.5%, respectively) and also in the cytoplasm (the positive rates were 38.7% and 55.0%, respectively), while its expression was negative in the cell nucleus. In adenoma and adenocarcinoma, beta-catenin was mainly expressed in the cytoplasm (the positive rates were 85.1%,and 93.7%, respectively) and partially in the cell nucleus (the positive rates were 12.8% and 23.4%, respectively). Compared with normal mucosa and mucosa adjacent to cancer, the expression of beta- catenin in the cytomembrane of adenoma and adenocarcinoma was significantly lower (P<0.05), while its expression in the cytoplasm and cell nucleus of adenoma and adenocarcinoma was significantly higher (P<0.05). The positive rates of cytoplasm in highly-and moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma were significantly higher than that in poorly-differentiated adenocarcinoma (the positive rates were 100%, 95.5% and 68.8%, respectively). Beta-catenin expression rate in cytoplasm was correlated with Dukes'stages of adenocarcinoma, which was significantly lower in stage A than in stage B/C., Conclusion: The expression of beta-catenin is significantly correlated with differentiation and Dukes'stages of colorectal carcinoma and it can be used as an indicator for the prognosis of colorectal carcinoma.

In order to investigate the pathogenesis and therapeutic mechanism of chyluria, an experiment with a basic Heat-clearing and hemostatic prescription was conducted in treating 30 patients of chyluria. The result, 26 cases were cured completely. The cell-mediated and humoral immunity observation showed that OKT3 and OKT4 levels were commonly low in chyluric cases, and OKT8 as higher than normal value, the OKT4/OKT8 ratio was inverted before treatment. While OKT3 and OKT4 increased commonly, and OKT8 decreased with the OKT4/OKT8 ratio adjusted after treatment. Meanwhile, humoral immunity level was also commonly low before treatment, it increased after treatment.