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Dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa is an inherited bullous dermatosis caused by the COL7A1 gene mutation in autosomal dominant or recessive mode. COL7A1 gene encodes type VII collagen - the main component of the anchoring fibrils at the dermal-epidermal junction. Besides the 730 mutations reported, we identified two novel COL7A1 gene mutations in a Chinese family, which caused recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa (RDEB). The diagnosis was established histopathologically and ultrastructurally. After genomic DNA extraction from the peripheral blood sample of all subjects (5 pedigree members and 136 unrelated control individuals), COL7A1 gene screening was performed by polymerase chain reaction amplification and direct DNA sequencing of the whole coding exons and flanking intronic regions. Genetic analysis of the COL7A1 gene in affected individuals revealed compound heterozygotes with identical novel mutations. The maternal mutation is a 2-bp deletion at exon 8 (c.1006_1007delCA), leading to a subsequent reading frame-shift and producing a premature termination codon located 48 amino acids downstream in exon 9 (p.Q336EfsX48), consequently resulting in the truncation of 2561 amino acids downstream. This was only present in two affected brothers, but not in the other unaffected family members. The paternal mutation is a 1-bp deletion occurring at the first base of intron 65 (c.IVS5568+1delG) that deductively changes the strongly conserved GT dinucleotide at the 5' donor splice site, results in subsequent reading-through into intron 65, and creates a stop codon immediately following the amino acids encoded by exon 65 (GTAA→TAA). This is predicted to produce a truncated protein lacking of 1089 C-terminal amino acids downstream. The latter mutation was found in all family members except one of the two unaffected sisters. Both mutations were observed concurrently only in the two affected brothers. Neither mutation was discovered in 136 unrelated Chinese control individuals. This study reveals novel disease-causing mutations in the COL7A1 gene.

The experiment was to study the effect of mixed silage of corn stalk and alfalfa on growth performance, slaughter performance and meat quality of Simmental cattle. Sixty simmental cattle with similar body condition and body weight were randomly divided into four groups: corn straw silage group (control group), 25% corn straw +75% alfalfa silage group (test group 1), 50% corn straw +50% alfalfa silage group (test group 2) and 75% corn straw +25% alfalfa silage group (test group 3). The results showed that the average daily gain of Simmental cattle in test group 1 and test group 2 was significantly higher than that in control group (P<0.05). The feed to gain ratio was significantly lower than that in control group (P<0.05). The eye muscle area of Simmental cattle in test group 1 and test group 2 was significantly higher than that in control group (P<0.05). The backfat thickness of simmental cattle in test group 1 was significantly lower than that in control group and test group 2 (P<0.05). The muscle L* value and a* value of Simmental cattle in test group 1 was significantly higher than that in control group (P<0.05), and the muscle shear force was significantly lower than that in control group (P<0.05). The muscle water loss rate of Simmental cattle in test group 1 and test group 2 was significantly lower than that in control group (P<0.05). The experiment indicates that the mixed silage of corn stover and alfalfa can improve the growth performance, meat production traits and meat quality of Simmental cattle, and the 25% corn stover +75% alfalfa silage group has the best effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increased expression of cluster of differentiation (CD)47 has been identified in a number of different tumor types and is recognized as an adverse prognostic factor that indicates an increased risk of mortality in patients. The binding of CD47 to signal regulatory protein α (SIRPα) inhibits the macrophage phagocytosis of tumor cells by triggering an inhibitory 'do not eat me' signal. This is one of the mechanisms used by tumor cells to evade immune surveillance. In the present study, CD47 levels and macrophage infiltration were assessed in patients with esophageal squamous cell cancer (ESCC). CD47-overexpressing ESCC cell lines were selected and human M2 macrophage phagocytic activity was measured. The results revealed that CD47 is highly expressed and macrophages are markedly infiltrated in cancerous tissue compared with non-cancerous tissue. High CD47 expression was detected in ESCC cell lines and the results of a phagocytosis assay indicated that human M2 macrophages phagocytized tumor cells in a dose-dependent manner following the blocking of CD47-SIRPα signaling by anti-CD47 antibodies. The results of the present study therefore support the use of anti-CD47 immunotherapy to treat patients with ESCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was designed to investigate the proliferation inhibition and apoptosis-promoting effect under hyperthermia and chemotherapy treatment, at cellular level. Human gastric cancer cell line SGC-7901 was cultivated with 5-fluorouracil at different temperatures. Cell proliferation and apoptosis were determined, and expression of Bcl-2 and HSP70 was measured at different treatments. Cell survival rates and inhibition rates in chemotherapy group, thermotherapy group, and thermo-chemotherapy group were drastically lower than the control group (P<0.05). For tumor cells in the thermo-chemotherapy group, survival rates and inhibition rates at three different temperatures were all significantly lower than those in chemotherapy group and thermotherapy group (P<0.05). 5-Fluorouracil induced apoptosis of SGC-7901 cells with a strong temperature dependence, which increased gradually with increase in temperature. At 37°C and 43°C there were significant differences between the thermotherapy group and chemotherapy group and between the thermo-chemotherapy group and thermotherapy group (P<0.01). The expression of Bcl-2 was downregulated and HSP70 was upregulated, with increase in temperature in all groups. Cell apoptosis was not significant at 46°C (P>0.05), which was probably due to thermotolerance caused by HSP70 accumulation. These results suggested that hyperthermia combined with 5-fluorouracil had a synergistic effect in promoting apoptosis and enhancing thermotolerance in gastric cancer cell line SGC-7901.

Objective: To study the effect of simultaneously increasing PTEN gene expression and inhibiting Livin gene expression on the gastric carcinoma cell line (BGC823) and construct a recombinant vector expressing PTEN while simultaneously silencing Livin., Methods: The siRNA expression unit against Livin gene (siLivin) was cleaved from pRNAT-U6.1-Livin vector and then inserted into pCL-neo-PTE to construct the recombinant vector pCL-neo-PTEN-siLivin. Then pCL-neo-PTEN-siLivinp, pCL-neo-PTEN, pRNAT-U6.1-Livin, pCL-neo and pRNAT-U6.1 were respectively transfected into the gastric carcinoma cell line (BGC823) with LipofectAMINE(TM) 2000. The mRNA and protein expression level of PTEN and Livin genes in each cell group was detected by fluorescent quantitative RT-PCR and Western blot., Results: Recombinant vectors of pCL-neo-PTEN, pRNAT-U6.1-Livin and pCL-neo-PTEN-siLivin were constructed successfully. After transfection with pCL-neo-PTEN-siLivin, the mRNA and protein expression level of PTEN (0.897±0.112) rose in BGC823 cells while Livin gene became silenced. And the characterization of regulated cell bioactivity improved. There were significant differences between transfected and control groups (P<0.05). And the inhibiting effect on the proliferation and metastasis of BGC823 cell by increasing PTEN expression and silencing Livin simultaneously was better than that only by regulating PTEN genes or Livin genes alternatively., Conclusion: The recombinant vector of expressing PTEN and silencing Livin gene simultaneously is successfully constructed.