Effects of Corticosterone, cAMP, cGMP, Ca^(2+), and Protein Kinase C on Apoptosis of Mouse Thymocytes Induced by X-ray Irradiation

Objective To observe the effects of signal factors of corticosterone （CS）, cAMP, cGMP, Ca^2＋ and protein kinase C （PKC） on lymphocyte apoptosis in mouse thymus induced by X-rays of 4 Gy in vitro. Methods The DNA lyric rate for thymocytes was measured by fluomspectrophotometry. Results The DNA lyric rate for thymocytes 4-8 hours after irradiation with 2-8 Gy was significantly higher than that in the control （P〈0.01）. As compared with the control, the DNA lyric rate for thymocytes treated with 0.01 μnol/L CS （P〈0.01）, 50 ng/mL cAMP （P〈0.01）, 0.05-0.4 μg/mL ionomycin （Iono, P〈0.05 or P〈0.01） or 0.05-0.4 ng/mL phorbol myristate acetate （PMA, P〈0.05 or P〈0.01）, respectively, was significantly increased, while the rate for thymocytes treated with 50 ng/mL cGMP was not significantly increased. The DNA lyric rate for thymocytes treated with 0.01 μmol/L CS （P〈0.01）, 50 ng/mL cAMP （P〈0.01）, 0.2 and 0.4 μg/mL Iono （P〈0.05）, and 0.2 and 0.4 ng/mL PMA （P〈0.05） plus 4-Gy irradiation, respectively, was significantly higher than that treated with single 4-Gy irradiation, while the rate for thymocytes treated with 50 ng/mL cGMP plus 4-Gy irradiation was not increased. When both 0.4 I.tg/mL Iono and 0.4 ng/mL PMA acted on the thymocytes, the DNA lyric rate for thymocytes was significantly higher than that in the control （P〈0.01）, the DNA lytic rate for thymocytes treated with both 0.4 μg/mL Iono and 0.4 ng/mL PMA plus 4-Gy irradiation was significantly higher than that treated with single 4-Gy irradiation （P〈0.05）, but was Iono plus 4-Gy irradiation or 0.4 ng/mL PMA plus 4-Gy irradiation. can promote thymocyte apoptosis induced by larger dose X-rays. not significantly higher than that treated with 0.4 μg/mL Conclusion CS, cAMP, Ca^2＋, and PKC signal factors can promote thymocyte apoptosis induced by larger dose X-rays.

Increased Levels of p53 and PARP-1 in EL-4 Cells Probably Related with the Immune Adaptive Response Induced by Low Dose Ionizing Radiation in vitro

Objective This paper is to explore the DNA repair mechanism of immune adaptive response （AR） induced by low dose radiation （LDR）, the changes of mRNA levels and protein expressions of p53, ATM, DNA-PK catalytic subunit （DNA-PKcs） and PARP-1 genes in the LDR-induced AR in EL-4 cells. Methods The apoptosis and cell cycle progression of EL-4 cells were detected by flow cytometry in 12 h after the cells received the pre-exposure of 0.075 Gy X-rays （inductive dose, D 1） and the succeeding high dose irradiation （challenge dose, D2; 1.0, 1.5, and 2.0 Gy X-rays, respectively） with or without wortmannin （inhibitor of ATM and DNA-PK） and 3-aminobenzamid （inhibitor of PARP-1）. And the protein expressions and mRNA levels related to these genes were detected with flow cytometry and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction in 12 h after irradiation with D2. Results The mRNA and protein expressions of p53 and PARP-1 in EL-4 cells in the D1 ＋ D2 groups were much lower than those in the D2 groups, and those of PARP-1 in the 3-AB ＋ D2 and the 3-AB ＋ D1 ＋ D2 groups were much lower than those in the D2 and the D1 ＋ D2 groups. The percentage of apoptotic EL-4 cells in the 3-AB ＋ D1 ＋ D2 groups was much higher than that in the D1 ＋ D2 groups, that in the G0/G1 and the G2 ＋ M phases was much higher, and that in the S phase were much lower. Although the ATM and DNA-PKcs mRNA and protein expressions in wortmannin ＋ D1 ＋ D2 groups were much lower than those in the D1 ＋ D2 groups, there were no significant changes in the apoptosis and cell cycle progression between the wortmannin ＋ D1 ＋ D2 and the D1 ＋ D2 groups. Conclusion PARP-1 and p53 might play important roles in AR induced by LDR.

Femoral epithelioid hemangioendothelioma detected with magnetic resonance imaging and positron emission tomography/computed tomography:A case report

BACKGROUND Epithelioid hemangioendothelioma(EHE)is an uncommon low-grade aggressive vascular tumor.It can occur in almost all locations,but is rarely encountered in bone.CASE SUMMARY We report a 23-year-old man who presented with left hip pain with no obvious cause.X-ray revealed bone destruction in the left femoral neck with sclerosis at the edges of the lesions.Magnetic resonance imaging(MRI)showed bone destruction in the medullary cavity of the left femoral head and neck.18Fdeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography/computed tomography(PET/CT)imaging showed bone destruction in the left ischium,acetabulum,and left femoral head neck,accompanied by increased radioactive uptake;the maximum standard uptake value was 4.2.Histopathologic examination revealed spindleshaped mesenchymal tissue hyperplasia with scattered epithelioid cells.The patient underwent left femoral head replacement surgery.No signs of recurrence were observed as of the 18-mo follow-up.CONCLUSION The definitive diagnosis of femoral EHE can be established aided by the MRI and PET/CT findings.

Suitable soil moisture contents for water use efficiency and saponins accumulation in Panax notoginseng

Objective:The moisture content in the soil directly affects the yield and quality of Panax notoginseng,especially at the age of three years old.However,the suitable moisture for the growth of P.notoginseng is unknown.In this study,the effects of different soil moisture on the growth of P.notoginseng were studied.Methods:Four different water treatments(0.45 field capacity(FC),0.60 FC, 0.70 FC, and 0.85 FC) were set up in Shilin County,Yunnan Province,China.The water consumption and daily dynamic of water consumption were determined daily(from April 21 to October 18,2012),and the daily dynamic of water consumption under different weather conditions(sunny and rainy) was determined.The transpiration coefficient and water use efficiency were calculated through dry matter accumulation and total water consumption.Accumulation of saponins of roots of P.notoginseng were analyzed by HPLC after treated,and the soil moisture content suitable for the growth of P.notoginseng was estimated by regression fitting of the active ingredient accumulation and the soil moisture content.Results:The water consumption of 0.85 FC,0.70 FC,0.60 FC and 0.45 FC were 2.89,3.68,3.37 and 2.73 kg/plant per day,respectively.The water consumption of P.notoginseng from June to August was greater than other months.The daily dynamic of water consumption on sunny days and sunny days after rain showed a "double peak" feature,and it showed a "single peak" feature on rainy days.The water uses efficiency(WUE) of 0.85 FC,0.70 FC,0.60 FC and 0.45 FC were 2.51,3.32,4.59,3.39 gDW/kg H_(2)O,respectively.The increase of soil moistu re content would reduce the WUE of P.notoginse ng.With the increase of soil water content,the content of notoginsenoside R_(1) and ginsenoside Rg_(1) did not change significantly,while the content of ginsenoside Rb_(1) and Rd showed a decreasing trend.Conclusion:Soil moisture content significantly affected the water consumption of P.notoginseng,and when it was 56.4% of the maximum water holding capacity in the field,the sum of the four saponins of 100 strains of P.notoginseng was the highest.