Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to W Mao.
The lens HK, G6PD, AR activity and its relationship with fetal age was determined. There is a positive correlation between the age of fetus and the activity (IU/mg pro.) of HK and G6PD (r = 0.8069, 0.8204, P < 0.01) and a negative correlation between the age of fetus and activity of AR (r = -0.810 1, 0.05 > P > 0.01).
The serum antibodies specific to either interphotoreceptor retinoid-binding protein (IRBP) or retinal S-antigen were longitudinally determined in Lewis rats immunized with 50 x 10(-6)g of IRBP emulsified with complete Freund's adjuvant. To our knowledge, it is the first time to purify IRBP and to address the experiment with IRBP in China. It was shown that the antibody specific to IRBP appeared on the 7th day, followed by a gradual increase, and reached its peak on the 26th day after immunization. No antibody specific to S-antigen was found. The relation between anti-IRBP antibody and experimental autoimmune uveoretinitis (EAU) which occurred in the increasing phase of the antibody suggests that the humoral immunity may be implicated in the pathogenesis of EAU.
The activity of red blood cells galactose-1-p-uridyl transferase (GPUT) was determined by the spectrophotofluorometric method. The average GPUT activity in 102 control subjects was 13. 34 +/- 2. 03u. There were no differences in the sexes and ages. The average GPUT activity in 108 patients with congenital cataract was 11.58 +/- 4. 03u and was lower than that of the controls (P < 0.01). The GPUT activity in 14 of the 108(12.96%)patients was all-3SD below the mean value of the controls (< 7.24u) and the range was from 4.02u to 7.13u with the mean value of 5. 93u being about 44.45% of the normal. The difference between the two groups was statistically significant (P < 0.001). The results indicated that some of the patients with congenital cataract were due to decrease in the GPUT activity. The patients with decrease GPUT activity were mainly suffering from cataracts and their systemic disease were mild.
Thirty-five cases of congenital lenticular dislocation seen in our Center since 1985 have been studied and analyzed clinically. By the survey of pedigrees and examination of these patients, including ocular, systemic, skeletal X-ray, psychocardiogram, and urinary sodium-nitroprusside test, 21 cases were diagnosed as Marfan's syndrome, 6 cases as simple ectopia lentis, 3 cases as Weill-Marchesani's syndrome, 4 cases as aniridia and 1 case as homecys tinuria. We found that the most significant ocular manifestation of congenital lenticular dislocation was reduction in visual acuity. The severity of visual disturbance varied with the types of dislocation and the visual deficiency was closely related to the intermediate-grade (II) dislocation of the lens. Examination of ERG showed normal function in most of the patients. From this, we believe that the major cause of visual reduction in congenital lenticular dislocation is lenticular myopia and astigmatism. There fore, early diagnosis and effective correction of vision should be emphasized to prevent the occurrence of amblyopia.
Applying recombinant DNA techniques, the structures of red pigment gene (RPG) and green pigment gene (GPG) were analyzed for 43 patients with protan or deutan (including 3 females), 4 normal relatives and 3 carriers out of 3 families, as well as 11 normal controls. Abnormality of RPG was detected in all 19 protan and that of GPG was found in 14 out of 24 deutan. In about 80% (32/40) of protan and deutan the changing of exon 5 for RPG or GPG was discovered. In protan the normal RPG was replaced by a 5' red -3' green hybrid gene. Some of the deutan had no GPG, some had 5' green -3' red hybrid gene with or without GPG. Furthermore, the exon 5 of RPG and GPG was amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and further analyzed by Rsa I digestion. The results for PCR are identical to that of Southern blot hybridization.
Applying recombinant DNA techniques, the structures of red pigment gene (RPG) and green pigment gene (GPG) were analyzed for 43 patients with protan or deutan (including 3 females), 4 normal relatives and 3 carriers out of 3 families, as well as 11 normal controls. Abnormality of RPG was detected in all 19 protan and that of GPG was found in 14 out of 24 deutan. In about 80% (32/40) of protan and deutan the changing of exon 5 for RPG or GPG was discovered. In protan the normal RPG was replaced by a 5' red -3' green hybrid gene. Some of the deutan had no GPG, some had 5' green -3' red hybrid gene with or without GPG. Furthermore, the exon 5 of RPG and GPG was amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and further analyzed by Rsa I digestion. The results for PCR are identical to that of Southern blot hybridization.
We report here the preliminary effects of zinc iontophoresis in treatment of 26 Rp patients who had decreased zinc serum level or abnormal ratio of serum copper to zinc. Through more than 20 to 30 times of therapy, the vision of 15.38% eyes increased more than "3 lines", 4% eyes increased more than 5 degrees in the visual field, 13.46% eyes improved in dark adaptation threshold (greater than 1.0), the visual functions of the rest eyes were slightly improved or unimproved. The fundus didn't change before & after treatment. There were no changes of ERG in 8 eyes of 4 cases. In addition, the advantages and disadvantages between Zn iontophoresis and Zn compound taken orally, the improvement of vision by direct electric current therapy, the relationship between the metabolism of Zn element and Vit A and influence of Zn over the mechanism of dark adaptation were also briefly discussed.
Qingkaining, a blended Chinese medicine, is reported to be effective in treating patients with uveitis in China. In this study, the immunomodulatory effectiveness of this drug was evaluated on experimental autoimmune uveoretinitis (EAU) induced by S-antigen (S-Ag). Rats treated with high (2.5 cc/kg/day) and low (1 cc/kg/day) doses of Qingkaining, high (10 mg/kg/day) and low (3 mg/kg/day) doses of Cyclosporine A (CsA) and a combination of high or low dose of Qingkaining and low dose CsA were compared by the following parameters: clinical manifestations, histopathology, skin delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) reactions, lymphocyte proliferative responses and serum anti-S-antigen antibody production. The incidences of clinically and histopathologically determined EAU were 14.29% and 28.57% respectively in the rats treated with high and low doses of Qingkaining in comparison to 57.14% and none in the rats treated with low and high doses of CsA. EAU did not develop in the rats treated with the combination of low dose CsA and low or high doses of Qingkaining. The skin DTH reaction showed a diminished response in the rats treated with either Qingkaining or CsA. However, the lymphocyte proliferative responses and anti-S-Ag antibody were not effected in the rats treated with Qingkaining alone. This study demonstrates that Qingkaining is a potent immunosuppressive agent in this model for human disease. The experimental data support the clinical effectiveness of Qingkaining in the treatment of patients with uveitis.
Monoclonal antibodies were used for the study of inflammatory cellular subtypes, Langerhans' cells, and major histocompatibility complex class II antigens on the epibulbar conjunctiva obtained from individuals ranging in age from fetus to the seventh decade to compile basic data for comparison with other inflammatory and proliferative conjunctival diseases. In the fetal conjunctiva, there were significantly fewer T cells and Langerhans' cells than in adult conjunctiva. In the adult conjunctiva, a mild T-cell infiltration was observed. Expression of HLA-DQ in the 20- to 50-year-old age group was significantly lower compared with fetal and other age groups.
Using immunohistochemical techniques, we analyzed the inflammatory cell subpopulation and the presence of fibronectin and immunoglobulin in iridectomy specimens from 50 patients with cataracts, glaucoma, and uveitis, and from ten normal eyes. The irises from patients with uveitis showed the highest numbers of T-lymphocytic infiltration compared with all other groups. Concentrations of fibronectin, fibrinogen, and immunoglobulins were significantly higher in the uveitic group compared with other diseases and normal controls. The irises from patients with glaucoma showed fewer infiltrating cells and less fibronectin and fibrinogen. Enhancement of major histocompatibility complex class II antigen HLA-DR expression was observed in all disease groups compared with controls. These findings suggest that in patients with uveitis and acute glaucoma the infiltrating T lymphocytes and the presence of fibronectin, fibrinogen, and immunoglobulins may contribute to the greater risk of postsurgical inflammation, leading to such problems as closure of the iridectomy. The enhancement of HLA-DR antigen expression in the iris may indicate abnormalities of iris resident cells seen in various diseases.
Lumbar cerebrospinal fluid levels of 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid, which are used as indicators of central nervous system serotonergic neuronal activity, were significantly higher in 67 patients with chronic pain and in 32 patients with acute pain (23.6 +/- 3.3 and 23.1 +/- 3.8, respectively) than in 30 patients (8.8 +/- 1.7) who had no pain. However, there was no correlation between levels of 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid in patients with chronic or acute pain, nor between groups of patients with chronic pain whose pain mechanisms were of psychogenic, sympathetic, somatic, or central origin, based on their responses to differential spinal block; there was also no correlation between levels of depression, as evaluated by the Zung scale, in patients with different types of chronic pain, even though all of these patients were depressed. The elevated levels of 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid in the depressed patients with chronic pain are not consistent with previous studies on the etiology and types of chronic pain. As recent research indicates that the perception of pain may be modulated by endogenous analgesic systems involving enkephalin and serotonin (5-HT), this study was undertaken to clarify the association between 5-HT activity and nociception. Our findings did show a link between acute noxious stimulation and central increases in serotonergic activity. However, we could not differentiate between pain mechanisms and degree of depression. Our studies did indicate that, because of both the persistence of pain complaints and the increased levels of brain 5-HT activity, the endogenous analgesic systems are not totally effective as natural inhibitors of pain. Furthermore, the increased depression and continued pain in the presence of elevated 5-HT activity in patients with chronic pain may represent a tolerance or decreased responsiveness to 5-HT.
Forty patients with chronic pain below the waist level were evaluated in a multidisciplinary pain clinic using a refined differential spinal block (DSB) technique. The refinements consisted of verbal instructions to prevent biasing the patients, coupled with a thorough evaluation of verbal and physiologic responses to the block. When demographic and psychologic data were assessed according to pain mechanisms, a pattern of patient groups emerged along a chronic pain continuum. Stress, anxiety, depression, and hysteria, as well as the neurophysiologic and demographic factors, modified the responses to the block. Long-term follow-up of these patients, including repeat DSB procedures and confirmatory anatomic blocks of sympathetic and somatic nerves, validated these impressions. The findings indicate a link between pain mechanisms and psychosocial factors that may directly influence responses to DSB.
The effectiveness of 5 sets of acupuncture loci in decreasing systemic blood pressure was compared with chlorthalidone and propranolol in patients with essential hypertension. No statistically significant acute or long-term changes in plasma catecholamines, renin activity, or blood pressure and pulse rate were observed as a result of acupuncture treatment. The decrease in blood pressure was significantly less than that observed with propranolol, but not significantly less than that produced by chlorthalidone. Because of the poor patient acceptance of acupuncture and in the absence of a beneficial response, we feel acupuncture as employed in this study is of limited value in the management of patients with essential hypertension.
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Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) has been recently implicated in the process of human colon cancer liver metastasis by means of an adhesion mechanism. Based on the strong sequence and structural homology of biliary glycoprotein (BGP) to CEA, we hypothesized that BGP might be overexpressed at the RNA and protein level in tumor cells with high metastatic potential. We have found the BGP messenger RNA derived from highly metastatic colon cancer cells is constitutively overexpressed-nearly fourfold greater than poorly metastatic cells-and that BGP expression is induced by interferon-gamma. Similarly, we have demonstrated that BGP protein levels were constitutively elevated in highly metastatic human colon cancer cells when compared to poorly metastatic cells. Collectively these results suggest that the basal and interferon-stimulated expression of BGP transcripts may be regulated in a manner similar to CEA and that a potential role in the process of metastasis may be inferred.
Chronic pain of unknown cause below waist level was evaluated in 100 patients by using the Differential Spinal Block (DSB) in a multidisciplinary pain clinic setting. The classic DSB approach, refined for better control of psychologic variables, was found to be a safe and effective means of differentiating various pain mechanisms. We found that, of all patients tested, 55% had pain of central or psychogenic origin and 30% had sympathetically mediated pain, as compared with 15% who had somatic pain. A long-term follow-up of these patients confirmed this impression. These results substantiated the importance of psychologic variables, in dicating the necessity for use of behavioral-based therapies in conjunction with the routine use of the refined diagnostic DSB procedure in patients with chronic pain.