Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 is an essential regulator of heart function

Cardiovascular diseases are predicted to be the most common cause of death worldwide by 2020. Here we show that angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ace2) maps to a defined quantitative trait locus (QTL) on the X chromosome in three different rat models of hypertension. In all hypertensive rat strains, ACE2 messenger RNA and protein expression were markedly reduced, suggesting that ace2 is a candidate gene for this QTL. Targeted disruption of ACE2 in mice results in a severe cardiac contractility defect, increased angiotensin II levels, and upregulation of hypoxia-induced genes in the heart. Genetic ablation of ACE on an ACE2 mutant background completely rescues the cardiac phenotype. But disruption of ACER, a Drosophila ACE2 homologue, results in a severe defect of heart morphogenesis. These genetic data for ACE2 show that it is an essential regulator of heart function in vivo.     

ACE2、AT2R、eNOS基因与原发性高血压相关性研究

原发性高血压（EH）是一种由遗传因素和环境因素共同作用导致的严重危害人类健康的心血管疾病。高血压疾病基因的研究有助于高血压发病机制的探讨,对其早期预防和及时治疗具有十分重要的理论意义和巨大的临床应用前景。至今研究者们已经发现有一百多种基因与原发性高血压的发病有关,特别是内皮型一氧化氮合酶（eNOS）更是研究的热点。已经确定肾素血管紧张素系统（RAS）在调控心血管功能时发挥重要作用,最近又在该系统中新发现了两个成员——血管紧张素转换酶2（ACE2）和血管紧张素Ⅱ2型受体（AT2R）,但是对其研究报道较少。文章分别从eNOS,ACE2和AT2R的生物学特性和作用机制的情况,探讨其与原发性高血压的相关性。     

Identification of the gene for vitamin K epoxide reductase

Vitamin K epoxide reductase (VKOR) is the target of warfarin, the most widely prescribed anticoagulant for thromboembolic disorders. Although estimated to prevent twenty strokes per induced bleeding episode, warfarin is under-used because of the difficulty of controlling dosage and the fear of inducing bleeding. Although identified in 1974 (ref. 2), the enzyme has yet to be purified or its gene identified. A positional cloning approach has become possible after the mapping of warfarin resistance to rat chromosome 1 (ref. 3) and of vitamin K-dependent protein deficiencies to the syntenic region of human chromosome 16 (ref. 4). Localization of VKOR to 190 genes within human chromosome 16p12-q21 narrowed the search to 13 genes encoding candidate transmembrane proteins, and we used short interfering RNA (siRNA) pools against individual genes to test their ability to inhibit VKOR activity in human cells. Here, we report the identification of the gene for VKOR based on specific inhibition of VKOR activity by a single siRNA pool. We confirmed that MGC11276 messenger RNA encodes VKOR through its expression in insect cells and sensitivity to warfarin. The expressed enzyme is 163 amino acids long, with at least one transmembrane domain. Identification of the VKOR gene extends our understanding of blood clotting, and should facilitate development of new anticoagulant drugs.     

Linkage analysis on chromosome 2 in essential hypotension pedigrees

It is a new approach to study the important genes related to the control of blood pressure by probing into hypotension and hypertension at the same time. Genome scanning on whole chromosome 2 in 8 hypotension pedigrees has been done and parameter (LOD score) and non-pa- rameter (NPL score) were used in the linkage analysis by GENEHUNTER software. The results show the evidence of linkage between D2S112 and D2S117, indicating a number of critical genes may lie in thisregion and contribute to the mechanism of blood pressure regulation. Also this region has been found in the previous study in hypertension pedigrees. These genes may play an important role in the regulation of blood pressure and can also be the important candidate genes in hypertension studies.     

ACE基因多态性与中老年女性高血压患者急性运动降压效果的关联研究

目的:探讨血管紧张素转化酶(angiotensin converting enzyme,ACE)基因多态性与女性高血压患者不同强度急性运动后血压和唾液一氧化氮(nitric oxide,NO)含量变化的关系,为高血压患者个性化运动处方提供依据.方法:69名中老年女性高血压患者利用聚合酶链式反应测定ACE基因插入/缺失(insertion/deletionI/D)多态并分为I等位基因型组(II+ID)和DD基因型组.所有受试者分别进行3次实验(每次间隔48h):递增负荷力竭运动实验(incremental exhausted testIET)、中等强度有氧运动实验(moderate aerobic exercise testMAET)和安静对照实验(rest control testRCT).每次实验前后分别测定受试者血压水平和唾液NO含量.结果:3种基因型分布频率(II:24.6%,ID:44.9%,DD:30.4%),符合哈迪温伯格遗传平衡定律(P0.05).II+ID组IET和MAET后SBP和MAP较实验前降低(P0.05),RCT后收缩压(systolic blood pressure,SBP)、舒张压(diastolic blood pressure,DBP)和平均动脉压(mean arterial pressure,MAP)较实验前升高(P0.05);IET后SBP和MAP变化量低于MAET和RCT组(P0.05),MAET后SBP和MAP变化量低于RCT组(P0.05);DD组IET和MAET后SBP,DBP和MAP较实验均无显著性差异(P0.05),RCT后DBP和MAP较实验前升高(P0.05).II+ID组IET后唾液NO含量较实验前升高(P0.05),其变化量高于MAET和RCT(P0.05);DD组不同强度运动后唾液NO含量均无显著性变化(P0.05).结论:中老年女性高血压患者ACE I等位基因(而非DD基因型)携带者急性运动后SBP和MAP下降、NO升高,且与运动强度正相关.因此ACE基因I/D多态性可影响运动的降压效果与NO释放量.     

罗格列酮对老年2型糖尿病合并高血压患者血压的影响

目的:观察胰岛素增敏剂罗格列酮用于老年2型糖尿病合并高血压的患者时,降低血浆胰岛素水平以及改善胰岛素敏感性后对血压的影响。方法:23例老年2型糖尿病合并高血压患者口服罗格列酮(文迪雅)4mg～8mg,1次/日。治疗前后测定BMI、血压、HbA_(1C)、FBG、PBG、FINS、PINS,并按HOMA模型计算胰岛素抵抗指数、胰岛素分泌指数和药物的不良反应。结果:(1)罗格列酮治疗12周后,BMI治疗前后比较无显著性差异;血压治疗后明显下降,降压幅度达(6.75±0.03)/(7.25±0.53)mmHg,与治疗前比较有显著性差异。(2)治疗后HbA_(1C)、FBG、PBG、FINS、PINS均明显下降,治疗前后比较有显著性差异。(3)治疗后HOMA-IR下降,IAI升高,与治疗前比较有显著性差异,FINS/FBG无显著性差异。(4)我国老年患者使用罗格列酮的安全性及耐受性较好。结论:罗格列酮治疗中国老年2型糖尿病患者,能降低血浆胰岛素水平,改善IR,显著降低收缩压和舒张压;且其安全性、耐受性均较好。     

24小时人体动脉血压的动态观察

用动态血压仪自动测压和标准水银柱血压计对正常人和高血压病人进行24小时动态血压的观察。其血压波动情况是夜间睡眠及午睡时血压有所降低,收缩压较舒张压明显。日常活动、工作或运动试验时收缩压均显著高于睡眠状态(P<0.01),但日常活动和工作之间并无显著性差异(P>0.05)。说明按部就班的工作对血压波动影响不大。情绪激动可引起血压升高,高血压病人应予警惕。良好的睡眠和午睡对防治高血压病是有好处的。     

Fulminant hypertension in transgenic rats harbouring the mouse Ren-2 gene

PRIMARY hypertension is a polygenic condition in which blood pressure is enigmatically elevated; it remains a leading cause of cardiovascular disease and death due to cerebral haemorrhage, cardiac failure and kidney disease. The genes for several of the proteins involved in blood pressure homeostasis have been cloned and characterized, including those of the renin-angiotensin system, which plays a central part in blood pressure control. Here we describe the introduction of the mouse Ren-2 renin gene into the genome of the rat and demonstrate that expression of this gene causes severe hypertension. These transgenic animals represent a model for hypertension in which the genetic basis for the disease is known. Further, as the transgenic animals do not overexpress active renin in the kidney and have low levels of active renin in their plasma, they also provide a new model for low-renin hypertension.     

Homology of a candidate spermatogenic gene from the mouse Y chromosome to the ubiquitin-activating enzyme E1.

The Sxr (sex-reversed) region, a fragment of the Y chromosome short arm, can cause chromosomally female XXSxr or XSxrO mice to develop as sterile males. The original Sxr region, termed Sxra, encodes: Tdy, the primary sex-determining gene; Hya, the controlling or structural locus for the minor transplantation antigen H-Y; gene(s) controlling the expression of the serologically detected male antigen (SDMA); Spy, a gene(s) required for the survival and proliferation of A spermatogonia during spermatogenesis; Zfy-1/Zfy-2, zinc-finger-containing genes of unknown function; and Sry, which is probably identical to Tdy. A deletion variant of Sxra, termed Sxrb, which lacks Hya, SDMA expression, Spy and some Zfy-2 sequences, makes positional cloning of these genes possible. We report here the isolation of a new testis-specific gene, Sby, mapping to the DNA deleted from the Sxrb region (the delta Sxrb interval). Sby has extensive homology to the X-linked human ubiquitin-activating enzyme E1. The critical role of this enzyme in nuclear DNA replication together with the testis-specific expression of Sby suggests Sby as a candidate for the spermatogenic gene Spy.     

A candidate spermatogenesis gene on the mouse Y chromosome is homologous to ubiquitin-activating enzyme E1.

The human X-linked gene A1S9 complements a temperature-sensitive cell-cycle mutation in mouse L cells, and encodes the ubiquitin-activating enzyme E1. The gene has been reported to escape X-chromosome inactivation, but there is some conflicting evidence. We have isolated part of the mouse A1s9 gene, mapped it to the proximal portion of the X chromosome and shown that it undergoes normal X-inactivation. We also detected two copies of the gene on the short arm of the mouse Y chromosome (A1s9Y-1 and A1s9Y-2). The functional A1s9Y gene (A1s9Y-1) is expressed in testis and is lost in the deletion mutant Sxrb. Therefore A1s9Y-1 is a candidate for the spermatogenesis gene, Spy, which maps to this region. A1s9X is similar to the Zfx gene in undergoing X-inactivation, yet having homologous sequences on the short arm of the Y chromosome, which are expressed in the testis. These Y-linked genes may form part of a coregulated group of genes which function during spermatogenesis.     

微机控制应激致大鼠的高血压的方法

用微机控制的方法产生随机电脉冲和噪声对大鼠进行了应激刺激实验，结果表明，重复刺激使正常血压的大鼠行为发生改变血压明显升高，心率加快，而且在停止应激后９天，血压和心率仍维持在较高水平。     

苦荞饮食对自发性高血压大鼠肠道菌群的影响

[目的]研究苦荞饮食对自发性高血压大鼠肠道菌群的影响。[方法]将10只自发性高血压大鼠(Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats,SHR)随机分成常规饮食对照组和苦荞饮食组,对照SHR(SHR-C)正常饮食,苦荞饮食组SHR(SHR-TBW)全荞麦饮食,第3、6和12周无菌收集SHR粪便样本,16S rDNA V3-V4区扩增,Hiseq高通量测序后进行比对和分类。[结果]SHR-C和SHR-TBW大鼠肠道菌群结构及组成多样性有显著性的差异。随时间厚壁菌门/拟杆菌门(Firmicutes/Bacteriodetes,F/B)值从0.22增加到1.89;未知不可分类的菌群从16.52%增加到50.65%;Allobaculum、丁酸弧菌属、毛螺菌属和变形菌菌属是SHR-TBW饮食的优势菌群。[结论]苦荞饮食能重构高血压肠道菌群,饮食干预可有效改善血压。     

条斑紫菜ACEI肽结构鉴定与性能试验

对条斑紫菜蛋白酶解获得的血管紧张素转换酶抑制肽(ACEI)进行纯化和结构鉴定,并研究了条斑紫菜ACEI肽体外贮存稳定性和对原发性高血压大鼠的降血压作用.结果表明:通过2步反相高效液相制备色谱纯化得到2种单一组分ACEI肽,经液质联用质谱分析肽序列分别为Cys-Ser-Asn-Arg和Pro-Cys-His-Trp,二者对血管紧张素转换酶半数抑制浓度分别为24.71和5.38 μmol·L-1;条斑紫菜ACEI肽不耐高温,在中性或酸性条件下较稳定;用分子质量小于3 ku条斑紫菜ACEI肽组分对原发性高血压大鼠灌胃后有显著降血压效果,且降血压幅度随灌胃剂量增大而提高.     

Amplification of a gene encoding a p53-associated protein in human sarcomas.

Despite extensive data linking mutations in the p53 gene to human tumorigenesis, little is known about the cellular regulators and mediators of p53 function. MDM2 is a strong candidate for one such cellular protein; the MDM2 gene was originally identified by virtue of its amplification in a spontaneously transformed derivative of mouse BALB/c cells and the MDM2 protein subsequently shown to bind to p53 in rat cells transfected with p53 genes. To determine whether MDM2 plays a role in human cancer, we have cloned the human MDM2 gene. Here we show that recombinant-derived human MDM2 protein binds human p53 in vitro, and we use MDM2 clones to localize the human MDM2 gene to chromosome 12q13-14. Because this chromosomal position appears to be altered in many sarcomas, we looked for changes in human MDM2 in such cancers. The gene was amplified in over a third of 47 sarcomas, including common bone and soft tissue forms. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that MDM2 binds to p53, and that amplification of MDM2 in sarcomas leads to escape from p53-regulated growth control. This mechanism of tumorigenesis parallels that for virally-induced tumours, in which viral oncogene products bind to and functionally inactivate p53.     

The DNA sequence and analysis of human chromosome 13

Chromosome 13 is the largest acrocentric human chromosome. It carries genes involved in cancer including the breast cancer type 2 (BRCA2) and retinoblastoma (RB1) genes, is frequently rearranged in B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukaemia, and contains the DAOA locus associated with bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. We describe completion and analysis of 95.5 megabases (Mb) of sequence from chromosome 13, which contains 633 genes and 296 pseudogenes. We estimate that more than 95.4% of the protein-coding genes of this chromosome have been identified, on the basis of comparison with other vertebrate genome sequences. Additionally, 105 putative non-coding RNA genes were found. Chromosome 13 has one of the lowest gene densities (6.5 genes per Mb) among human chromosomes, and contains a central region of 38 Mb where the gene density drops to only 3.1 genes per Mb.     

海南汉族高血压人群血管紧张素转换酶基因多态性研究

采用聚合酶链反应(PCR)技术,对海南汉族106例高血压患者和97例汉族正常人的血管紧张素转换酶(ACE)基因插入/缺失(I/D)多态性检测,观察DD,DI,II基因型频率及等位基因频率,并对所有普通PCR定为DD型的样本进行插入特异性PCR检测,以减少误分型率.结果显示:高血压组DD,DI,II基因型频率分别为16.0%,28.3%,55.7%;D及I等位基因频率分别为30.2%,69.8%.正常对照组DD,DI,II基因型频率分别为15.5%,44.3%,40.2%;D及I等位基因频率分别为37.1%,62.8%.两组之间的DD,DI,II基因型频率及D,I等位基因频率均有显著性差异(P<0.05).高血压组与正常对照组比较,体重指数(BMI)、总胆固醇(TC)、甘油三酯(TG)、低密度脂蛋白胆固醇(LDL-C)均有显著性差异(P<0.05);高血压组收缩压、舒张压与正常对照组有显著性差异(P<0.05);高血压组和正常对照组的D等位基因频率都比I等位基因频率低;ACE基因I/D多态性与汉族高血压的发病有相关性,是汉族高血压的主要致病基因.     

Mutations in the p53 gene occur in diverse human tumour types

The p53 gene has been a constant source of fascination since its discovery nearly a decade ago. Originally considered to be an oncogene, several convergent lines of research have indicated that the wild-type gene product actually functions as a tumour suppressor gene. For example, expression of the neoplastic phenotype is inhibited, rather than promoted, when rat cells are transfected with the murine wild-type p53 gene together with mutant p53 genes and/or other oncogenes. Moreover, in human tumours, the short arm of chromosome 17 is often deleted. In colorectal cancers, the smallest common region of deletion is centred at 17p13.1; this region harbours the p53 gene, and in two tumours examined in detail, the remaining (non-deleted) p53 alleles were found to contain mutations. This result was provocative because allelic deletion coupled with mutation of the remaining allele is a theoretical hallmark of tumour-suppressor genes. In the present report, we have attempted to determine the generality of this observation; that is, whether tumours with allelic deletions of chromosome 17p contain mutant p53 genes in the allele that is retained. Our results suggest that (1) most tumours with such allelic deletions contain p53 point mutations resulting in amino-acid substitutions, (2) such mutations are not confined to tumours with allelic deletion, but also occur in at least some tumours that have retained both parental 17p alleles, and (3) p53 gene mutations are clustered in four 'hot-spots' which exactly coincide with the four most highly conserved regions of the gene. These results suggest that p53 mutations play a role in the development of many common human malignancies.     

Evolution of sex determination and the Y chromosome: SRY-related sequences in marsupials.

In mammals, testis determination is under the control of the testis-determining factor borne by the Y chromosome. SRY, a gene cloned from the sex-determining region of the human Y chromosome, has been equated with the testis-determining factor in man and mouse. We have used a human SRY probe to identify and clone related genes from the Y chromosome of two marsupial species. Comparisons of eutherian and metatherian Y-located SRY sequences suggest rapid evolution of these genes, especially outside the region encoding the DNA-binding HMG box. The SRY homologues, together with the mouse Ube1y homologues, are the first genes to be identified on the marsupial Y chromosome.     

肾动脉外膜消融术对自发性高血压大鼠的治疗效果

摘要: 目的 研究肾动脉外膜消融对自发性高血压大鼠( SRH) 血压的影响。方法 雄性 16 周龄自发性高血压大 鼠 25 只,随机分为两组: 肾动脉外膜射频消融组( n = 13) 和假手术组( n = 12) 。采用自制射频消融仪对双侧行肾动 脉外膜行环状消融。结果 肾动脉外膜消融组术后 1 周大鼠血压为 120. 4 ± 14. 6 mm Hg,降低至正常血压水平,血 压下降幅度达 44. 6 mm Hg,与术前相比,P = 0. 00,有统计学意义; 术后 3 周血压为 127. 9 ± 13. 0 mm Hg,血压下降 幅度达 37. 1 mm Hg,与术前 1 周相比,P = 0. 00,有统计学意义。假手术组大鼠血压随时间推移呈上升趋势,但血压 变化无统计学意义。肾动脉外膜消融组术后大鼠心率降低,与术前相比,术后 1 周降低 22. 7 次/min,P = 0. 141,无 统计学意义; 术后 2 周、3 周进一步降低,分别降低 41. 2 次/min 和 60 次/min,与术前相比,P = 0. 009、P = 0. 000,差 别有统计学意义。假手术组大鼠心率也有降低趋势,但组间比较无统计学意义。肾动脉外膜消融组大鼠肾动脉直 径、肾动脉血流速度术后 3 周与术前相比,无统计学差别; 结论 肾动脉外膜消融能有效降低 SHR 血压和心率,对肾动脉直径和血流速度无明显影响。     

Human genes for U2 small nuclear RNA map to a major adenovirus 12 modification site on chromosome 17

U2 RNA is one of the abundant, highly conserved species of small nuclear RNA (snRNA) molecules implicated in RNA processing. As is typical of mammalian snRNAs, human U1 and U2 are each encoded by a multigene family. In the human genome, defective copies of the genes (pseudogenes) far outnumber the authentic genes. The majority or all of the 35 to 100 bona fide U1 genes have at least 20 kilobases (kb) of nearly perfect 5' and 3' flanking homology in common with each other; these U1 genes are clustered loosely in chromosome band 1p36 (refs 5, 7) with intergenic distances exceeding 44 kb. In contrast, the 10 to 20 U2 genes are clustered tightly in a virtually perfect tandem array which has a strict 6-kb repeating unit. We report here the assignment, by in situ hybridization, of the U2 gene cluster to chromosome 17, bands q21-q22. Surprisingly, this region is one of three major adenovirus 12 modification sites which undergo chromosome decondensation ('uncoiling') in permissive human cells infected by highly oncogenic strains of adenovirus. The two other major modification sites, 1p36 and 1q21, coincide with the locations of U1 genes and class I U1 pseudogenes, respectively. We suggest that snRNA genes are the major targets of viral chromosome modification.