Effects of RNA Interference Combined with Ultrasonic Irradiation and SonoV ue Microbubbles on Expression of STAT3 Gene in Keratinocytes of Psoriatic Lesions

The most effective sequence of small interfering RNA（si RNA） silencing STAT3 of psoriatic keratinocytes（KCs） was screened out,and the effects of the most effective si RNA combined with ultrasonic irradiation and Sono Vue microbubbles on the expression of STAT3 of KCs and the dose-and time-response were investigated.Three chemically-synthetic si RNAs targeting STAT3 carried by Lipofectamine 3000 were transfected into KCs,and the effects on STAT3 expression were detected,then the most effective si RNA was selected for the subsequent experiments.The negative controls of siR NA（si RNA-NC） labeled with Cy3 carried by Lipofectamine 3000 combined with ultrasonic irradiation and Sono Vue microbubbles were transfected into KCs,then the optimal parameters of ultrasonic irradiation were determined.The most effective si RNA carried by Lipofectamine 3000 combined with ultrasonic irradiation at the optimal parameters and Sono Vue microbubbles was transfected into KCs,and the dose-and time-response of RNA interference was determined.The effect of RNA interference by the most effective si RNA at the optimal time and dose carried by Lipofectamine 3000 combined with ultrasonic irradiation and Sono Vue microbubbles（LUS group） was compared with that only carried by Lipofectamine 3000（L group）.The results showed that si RNA-3 achieved the highest silencing efficacy.0.5 W/cm2 and 30 s were selected as the parameters of ultrasonic irradiation.The si RNA-3 carried by Lipofectamine 3000 combined with ultrasonic irradiation and Sono Vue microbubbles could effectively knock down the STAT3 expression at m RNA and protein levels in dose-and time-dependent manners determined at 100 nmol/L with maximum downregulation on m RNA at 48 h,and on protein at 72 h after transfection.The LUS group achieved the highest silencing efficacy.It was concluded that si RNA-3 carried by Lipofectamine 3000 combined with ultrasonic irradiation and SonoV ue microbubbles could effectively knock down the STAT3 expression in psoriatic KCs,and the optimized transfection condition and the sequence of si RNA-3 could serve for further research on gene therapy of psoriasis.

Effect of diffraction on the ultrasonic velocity measuredby the pulse interference method in VHF range

The effect of diffraction on the ultrasonic velocity measured by the pulse interference method has been investigated in VHF range theoretically and experimentally. Two silicate glasses are taken as the specimens, their frequency dependences of longitudinal velocities are measured in the frequency range of 50-350 MHz, and the phase advances of ultrasonic signals caused by diffraction effect are calculated using A. O. Williams' theoretical expression. For the velocity error due to diffraction effect, the experimental results are in good agreement with the theoretical prediction. It has been shown that the velocity error due to diffraction effect is directly proportional to dθ21 (f)/df, whereθ21 (f) is the phase advances difference between the two partial reflection signals used in velocity measurement and f is the ultrasonic frequency.